Orich was arrested Wednesday as a result of an investigation by Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, which consists of officers from Indiana State Police, Hammond police and Homeland Security, Sgt. Ann Wojas, state police spokeswoman, said in a news release.
In addition to leading the energy regulator, Bekri was vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, which is responsible for devising and implementing economic and social development strategies. His position was equivalent to the level of a government minister.
An outcome that opens up North Korea to more trade and investment could be a boon for places such as Nakhodka, just 115 miles from the North Korean border. The region is so close, in fact, that the ground shook during last years nuclear test blast by the regime of Kim Jong Un.
Quang died in a military hospital in Hanoi after utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese and foreign doctors and professors, said an announcement on state media. It did not elaborate on his illness or the specific cause of his death.
The closing of the PLO outpost means an end to an aggressive Palestinian effort to engage with Americans. Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian envoy recalled to Ramallah in May to protest the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, said he and his staff of 20 had devoted most of their time to speaking with members of Congress, the Jewish community, university students, church groups and think tanks.
Henry admitted to his involvement in the robbery to police, court records show. Henry did not possess a weapon on him and there is no indication that Mr. Henry took part in the planning of the offense, the defense argued in court records. Henry was less culpable than Davis, according to the defense.
Initially, Cage was approached for the villainous role of cult leader Jeremiah Sand, ultimately played by Linus Roachea character Cosmatos saw as a Californian version of the late, famously eccentric German actor Klaus Kinski. Cage had a different vision. I said 'Well, I am the Californian Klaus Kinski. But I still want to play Red.'

The two also turned out to have similarly eclectic tastes in cinema, allowing them to swap viewing tips. He's not a snob, and he's not genre-biased, nor am I, Cage says. I'm open to watching pretty much anything, except probably porno.

Talking to Cosmatos, he says, confirmed they were kindred spirits; he was especially struck by Costamos' recollections of the strange emotions produced by watching action figures melting in the heat. I knew that I was in the presence of an artist who had his own unique beat, his own unique drumming.

How does Cage get into the heightened state of a character like Red, whose rage, fuelled by alcohol and drugs, builds through the film until it completely takes over his body? By Cage's account, this is partly about tapping into his own emotions, including his grief at the death of his father in 2009 and the end of his most recent marriage. In this case, I certainly had enough of a well to plunge the cauldron, if you will. From there, it's a matter of staying ready up until the moment of the shoot: Surfing the emotion throughout the day, never expanding.

The nature of Mandy's storyline meant some of the biggest challenges were physical, especially given Cage's condition when the shoot began. I had just got off ankle surgery, and had been in a wheelchair for three months, he says. I didn't have a lot of time to prep the chainsaw fight or the two other fight sequences. In this sense, working on the film was a form of rehabilitation. I found that the stuntwork actually was instrumental in getting my walk back to normal, which is interesting.

Andrea Riseborough plays Mandy in Panos Cosmatos' film of the same name. Credit:Madman Films

For Cage, part of the attraction of a role like Red is the character is defined by his actions rather than by what he has to say. I normally have mountains of dialogue thrown at me, but in that case I didn't, he says. I found that to be a luxury, so I could focus a little more on the inner world, as opposed to the melody of the spoken word, or the libretto, if you will.

It's an apt way to put it, given Mandy can metaphorically be described as a kind of rock opera, or a concept album brought to life. Much of its impact stems from its score, the final work of Swedish composer Johann Johannsson (Arrival) before his sudden death earlier this year. All this raises the question of how Cage relates to music, and how this connects to his acting in general.
As a child in Bendigo, Jennifer Connor did not feel rural life was idyllic. Instead, she suffered panic attacks, insomnia, depression, anger, and a sense of isolation.

A lot of people had rabbits and chooks in their backyard, she recalls. It would become a neighbourhood event to cut the chooks head off and watch it run around. I had related to these little beings all of my life. When the next-door neighbour handed over a rabbit I had been petting, I was mortified that my mother was going to make stew from this rabbit. I couldnt eat meat, which I related to rabbit.

Should psychologists recognise 'vegan depression'? Credit:Stocksy

Connor's concern for animals continued into adulthood. After discovering animal cruelty in the dairy industry, she transitioned from vegetarianism to veganism.

As the only vegan she knew, Connor, now 67, says she was seen as odd and difficult to entertain, resulting in feelings of despair and loneliness.
It is concerning that a private foundation may have been telling big corporations, including those involved in fossil fuels and mining, about a budget announcement before it was made public and using that information to do secret deals to get money for its own coffers," she said. A spokesperson for the department said only the $5 million project had been under discussion with the Foundation before the April 9 meeting. The project, though, was not part of the $443.4 million grant, the spokesperson said, adding terms of that agreement are "currently being negotiated between the Business Grants Hub and the Foundation". Mr Frydenberg did not respond to requests for comment. The foundation told the inquiry on Tuesday it had secured about $25 million in donations last financial year, or about triple their typical annual revenue.

A spokeswoman told Fairfax Media on Thursday those funds "were secured prior to April", implying donations have not been boosted by the grant. 'Best talent pool' Loading Evidence of the rushed effort to prepare for the April 29 unveiling of the massive grant includes a search for a celebrity, as requested by the minister, and schoolchildren from "the best talent pool" to front the launch. Representatives of the foundation, which then had just six full-time staff, have stressed they had no prior knowledge of the grant before the meeting and did not ask for it.

The group had been in talks with the Environment department in the weeks beforehand over a potential ad-hoc grant of $5 million. The Reef Trust would provide the money, to be matched by the foundation on a dollar-for-dollar basis, to rehabilitate and conserve reef islands. A ministerial briefing note dated March 21 recommended the grant be approved after the department's due diligence found it represented "value for money". A section justifying why the money was to be awarded without a tender process was redacted. One staffer's diary entry noted the foundation funded "projects that help coral reefs" and "ideas that make sense". Another from April 4 indicated that the reef islands funding was set to be announced by the prime minister and the foundation "maybe early next week". "In terms of meetings prior to April 9, we held meetings earlier in the year with the department relating to the Reef Islands project," a separate foundation spokesperson said. "In prior years, we have engaged with the department on other projects, including one funded under the former government in 2013," he said.

Celebrity search The day after the $443 million grant was offered, a staffer wrote that "Anna wants to approach major donors on no prej[udicial] basis", and needed approval from the Minister and Prime Minister's office. The staffer noted that Mr Frydenberg "wants a celebrity" for the funding announcement. An ideas paper for the funding announcement, prepared by Ms Marsden after a conversation with the department's media unit, included the key message that it would be "a significant day for the GBR and reefs all around the world".

One of the objectives was to: "Announce largest Reef investment package in the world's history (fact check)," it said. Among the speakers would be two students from a Reef Guardian school. "Townsville has best talent pool", it noted. In the end, "no celebrity attended", the department spokesperson said. 'Over the line' On April 18, Ms Marsden sent an email to a department's assistant secretary, Deb Callister, as they worked on the draft collaboration principles for the grant.
Furious locals living in streets cut in half by proposed Brisbane State High School catchment maps have blasted education chiefs for refusing to say which side of the divide they are on.

Maps were released earlier this month showing proposed changes to eligibility zones for the state's most popular public high school, set to kick in once the new high-rise school in Dutton Park opens in 2021.

Crown Street in South Brisbane is set to be cut in half by proposed Brisbane State High School catchment maps. Credit:Staff reporter

State Highs current catchment stretches through South Brisbane, West End and out to Dutton Park, but would be cut by 25 per cent under the new proposals.

Residents told Fairfax Media the new proposals were crude lines on a map that cut some streets in half and did not show the homes affected by the proposed changes.
A woman who wants to conceive a child using donor sperm has launched a court challenge to existing laws that bar her from accessing IVF without her estranged husband's consent.

The Victorian woman, known to the court as LR, says she is being discriminated against on the basis of her marital status.

The woman is still legally married, but separated and estranged from her husband, the Federal Court in Melbourne heard on Thursday.

She intends to divorce him when the 12-month waiting period is over, and wants to undergo in-vitro fertilisation to become pregnant, using her own eggs and donor sperm.
Those working at Howard Park winery are in for a great long weekend after winemaker Janice McDonald was crowned Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine.

The winery's chief winemaker was judged against the very best across Australia. She was the only West Australian nominated and our first winner since 2012.

Howard Park chief winemaker Janice McDonald was named GT's winemaker of the year.

"This is the most wonderful recognition of what weve achieved at Howard Park. I feel I stand here as the representative of an enormous number of people who have such an important part to play," Janice said at a ceremony in Sydney on Thursday night.

"From the winemakers to the grape growers to the marketers to the people that sell the wine... really the whole group of staff."
By all accounts, Stokes did not agitate for any leadership change and counselled against making Dutton the prime minister. But Stokes was a realist. In one phone conversation with Turnbull, he told the-then prime minister that everyone was against him  including Murdoch. Not least, he pointed out that 35 Liberals had just voted for a change of leader. Several people aware of these conversations say Stokes relayed a comment from Murdoch: Malcolm has got to go. Those five words are the subject of dispute because the exact quote can only be known to Stokes and Murdoch. Even so, the overall message was not in doubt. Of course Murdoch believed Turnbulls time was up. Who on earth would be shocked by this? This was a time of relentless attack on Turnbull from parts of News Corp  not least from the commentators on Sky News when the channels sharp daytime journalism gave way to endless night-time bluster. Malcolm Turnbull waves goodbye at the end of his final press conference as prime minister, with granddaughter Alice and grandson Jack. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen This was just one factor in the events surrounding the leadership spill. The media was absolutely part of the story. The view expressed by Murdoch, conveyed to Turnbull, was news worth reporting this week by Joe Aston of The Australian Financial Review and Andrew Probyn of the ABC.

The furious reaction from News Corp to these reports is only worth a smile. The company that claimed to have decided a British election in 1992  Its The Sun Wot Won It  now takes offence at the idea it wielded its influence in Australia in 2018. The attempt at a rebuttal in The Australian on Thursday was laughable. Stokes rejects ABC: I didnt plot to oust PM, said the headline. Probyn never claimed such a plot. He reported the opposite: that Stokes had a high regard for Turnbull. Loading There are three key points to make about the argument over the medias role in the spill, starting with the fact that News Corp is not the clone army its critics make out. It has plenty of shrewd, fair journalists. Whatever Murdoch thought and said, the companys best commentators wrote as they saw fit. (I write this as a former political correspondent at The Australian.) A second point is that News Corp was not alone in reporting the failures of the government and the threat to its leader. Fairfax Media and others reported this as well  including a report that Dutton was set to strike on the Monday of the final week.

The third point is that Turnbull was fair game for critical media coverage. He not only suffered from the schemes of his rivals but from his own political blunders as well. Even so, Turnbull had to contend with media commentators who sought to wield political influence  to become participants in the challenge. Is it such an outrage to look at the role they played? Like the plotters for Dutton who do not like being called plotters, or the bullies who want to avoid being named as bullies, the media players hate being written about as players. Loading They can look a bit like snowflakes at times. The agitation for change by Peta Credlin, Andrew Bolt and Paul Murray at News is part of the story of the spill. So is the hectoring from Alan Jones and Ray Hadley at 2GB, controlled by Fairfax. So is the influence of Murdoch.

None of this means the media dictated the outcome, only that it played a part. The splintering of the Liberal Party base has been apparent for years. The crisis within the party was fundamental to the failure of Abbott during 2015, just as it was a factor in the failure of Turnbull three years later. Media commentators reflected and magnified the Liberal divisions all at once. The conservative voices in the media got the spill they wanted, if not the prime minister they preferred. What is astounding is the way these voices outside Parliament wielded such influence. Liberal MPs became convinced these experts spoke for 'the base' and could not be ignored. Unsure about where to stand, some MPs outsourced their decisions to the media experts. The next election will show whether the experts in a TV studio in North Ryde or a radio studio in Pyrmont really know where the base can be found. The part played by Murdoch in this leadership spill will be disputed for years. But it is no conspiracy to report on the way Turnbull dealt with the nations most powerful media mogul at the very moment his government came crashing down.
Earlier this week, my colleague Tony Walker made a plea for a more civil, respectful public debate uncluttered by the slogans, epithets and abuse that are the currency of the culture wars.

As he observed, "political correctness", "identity politics" and "virtue signalling" are now mere terms of abuse. One could compile a book of such arid labels and insults which have become a substitute for argument. Their primary purpose now is to situate those who deploy them on the political spectrum. They are ostentatious displays of allegiance and belief. Befitting the lingua franca of the culture wars, they are designed to assault rather than enlighten, to silence rather than explain. They are a call to arms to rally fellow travellers rather than an argument to persuade the uncommitted or opponents.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:

Similarly, Labor MP Ed Husic explained his decision to leave Twitter. It is a sewer dominated by the unhinged, the anonymous, the cowardly and the strident. Normal Australians by and large do not randomly assail total strangers with abuse about their appearance, their sexuality, their race, their political views or their religion. Of course, it does happen in both the real and the virtual worlds, though with vastly more intensity and frequency in the latter. Our society would disintegrate if the rancid abuse of Twitter was the norm in civil society. This observation renders me a "snowflake" among the latter-day Voltaires who espouse untrammelled free speech.

The right-wing obsession with the Enlightenment and free speech is amusing. It is underpinned by shabby faux scholarship, which now sees freedom of religion and freedom of speech as inextricably linked. They are not. The first glimmers of the Enlightenment were a revolt against the obscurantism and despotism of the Catholic Church in Europe. Indeed, the modern nation state emerged from the carnage of religious wars among sects of Christianity in Europe which culminated in the Treaties of Westphalia.
Built with private funding, the new bridge will be a toll bridge, with the tolls  expected to be $2.25 for cars, more for trucks, though the prices havent been set yet  collected electronically; the Indiana Toll Roads E-Z Pass and the Illinois State Toll Authoritys I-Pass will be accepted along with the bridges own pass.
Police have charged disgraced former Labor MP Barry Urban with 12 offences after an investigation by the Major Fraud Squad.

Mr Urban was arrested on Friday. The maximum sentence he is facing is seven years in prison.

Darling Range MP Barry Urban quit parliament in May after a damning privileges committee report.

Police said he had been charged with five counts of utter a forged document, one count of attempted fraud and one count of forge a record.

He is also facing five counts of giving false evidence before a parliamentary committee.
Phnom Penh: Australian filmmaker and convicted spy James Ricketson has been pardoned by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, according to his family and a government statement.

Ricketson, 69, was jailed for six years on August 31 for espionage in a trial that was widely criticised by human rights activists and politicians in Australia.

He had denied the charges but dropped his appeal, with his family announcing they would seek a royal pardon.

Pardoned: Australian filmmaker James Ricketson. Credit:AP

"Cambodian Acting Head of State, Say Chhum, granted amnesty to release an Australian man, Jame [sic] Ricketson, who was sentenced to six-year [sic]imprisonment, charged with espionage, according to the royal decree dated on Friday," the government statement said.
Washington: Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh said he will testify at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday to "clear my name" of an allegation that he sexually assaulted a girl more than three decades ago, putting pressure on his accuser to show up.

"I will be there" at the hearing, Kavanaugh said Thursday in a letter to panel Chairman Chuck Grassley.

A lawyer for the accuser, California college professor Christine Blasey Ford, told the committee earlier on Thursday it is "not possible" for her to appear on Monday. Lawyer Debra Katz said Ford would be prepared to testify later next week under "terms that are fair."

The move by Ford's lawyer sought to end a stalemate over the terms of testimony on her allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a house party in the early 1980s when both were teenagers.
They also regularly train on how to respond to and fight fires. Both men are excited to see the unit expand its skills, such as for hoist rescues, where we can lower a helicopter down where a helicopter cant traditionally land, Hicks said.
In a brief filed Friday, Jackie Bennett Jr., one of Snyders defense attorneys, said that investigators got information from a confidential source who reportedly knew about discussions between the Portage mayor and his attorneys, showing that the defense wouldnt be ready for a January 2017 trial. Bennett said federal investigators used that information to continue their investigation, and want a judge to limit their ability to use any information they obtained after January 2017.
As I was sifting through negatives, most were housed in boxes of 12, and one of these smaller boxes had the name Charles E. Spaak written in pencil across its face, Girson said, Finally, I had a name, and this was one of the most exciting moments for me.
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.
BRIDGEPORT  Puerto Rico got short shrift during and after Hurricane Maria a year ago, and federal policy continues to make things difficult for island residents, panelists in a discussion led by U.S. Rep. Jim Himes agreed Thursday.

Marias death toll was 2,975 according to a study by the Milken Institute of Public Health at George Washington University that was made public on Aug. 28. Many of the dead were indirect victims of the storm.

Take, for example, the diabetic who died because his supply of insulin ran out, said Himes, a Democrat representing Connecticuts 4th District. There are many, many instances of people losing their lives because of the lack of electricity and basic health needs. A lot of times, we think of hurricane deaths in terms of people dying from wind, but its much more complex than that.

Participants in the discussion, along with the 30 people in the audience, said the storm created a web of challenges, many reaching into more than a dozen states, particularly Florida, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Its estimated that 200,000 people have moved from the island to the mainland since the storm.

Local school districts have had to absorb many thousands of children, and the influx of families has strained affordable housing stock. Stories were told of 10 or more adults and children living in the same apartment.

Almost overnight, Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School had in influx of more than 170 kids, said state Rep. Christopher Rosario, D-Bridgeport, one of the panelists. Connecticut is ranked fourth in the number of people from Puerto Rico who came here after the storm.

Bridgeport received $790,000 in additional money for education from the U.S. Department of Education, the panelists said.

Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, electricity and running water are still not dependable, and officials fear the population could drop significantly in the coming months and year  particularly if another damaging hurricane rakes the island.

The power and water situation over there is horrible, said Pedro Ocasio, 19, who has close relatives on the island. No sewers, no water, no electricity  its a human rights issue. We hear that the power has been restored  thats simply not true.

What are we going to do next? asked Rosa Correa, coordinator for the Puerto Rican Relief Center. The people who came here have a lot to offer, and we have to help them help themselves.

She said the relocated children remain vulnerable.

I heard the cries of them in the center  they would sit and cry, she said. They would just sit there and cry  living 12 to a room, or living with part of their families someplace else. And its still a sad state of affairs there. The lights still have not come on for everyone.

The center, which was located at 2 Lafayette Square, remained open until March, assisting Puerto Ricans who relocated to Bridgeport after the storm. Correa said needs are manifold, both on the island and for migrants here  mental health services, English teachers, activities for kids  the list is a long one.

Suicides for Puerto Ricans have skyrocketed, Rosario said.

Laura Robidoux, who represented the 211 help line for Maria victims, noted that they immediately needed winter coats and a raft of other goods and services.

We fielded over 5,000 calls, she said.

Puerto Rico will rise again, Rosario said. Ultimately, those who migrated here will want to return, and its our job to make sure that when things are rebuilt, that its not a land grab for corporations, but its for the people.

Correa reminded the group that Puerto Ricans have fought in every war since 1915.

And its their blood that has helped ensure the liberties of all Americans, she said.

On Thursday night, a vigil was held at McLevy Green in Bridgeport to commemorate the anniversary of Hurricane Marias devastation and to show support for Puerto Ricans whose lives were changed by the storm.

jburgeson@ctpost.com
NEW HAVEN  A cheer went up from about 100 tech entrepreneurs Friday when Ned Lamont said that if elected governor, hell bring ultra-fast 5G Internet service to this city.

In what turned out to be a hybrid political event in a 21st Century business incubator called District, in the inner-city Fair Haven neighborhood, the Democratic candidate took advantage of deep Silicon Valley connections to stage a 45-minute discussion, complete with lapel microphones and high chairs on a stage.

It was even easier for him to attract the crowd when longtime friend Ruth Porat, chief financial office of Google and Alphabet, accompanied Lamont.

Lets make New Haven the first 5G city in the Northeast, Lamont said during the event, adding that many Connecticut towns still dont have free Wi-Fi zones in their downtowns because communications companies havent been prompted the way he plans to do if elected.

Lamonts statement was in response to a question from Charles OConnell, founder and CEO of Fitscript  located in the Science Park area a few exits down Interstate 95  that has developed a breakthrough in treating Type II diabetes.

Half the people there were among the 200 or so who work for various startups and in co-working spaces in the sprawling venture, training and innovation campus adjacent to Interstate 91. Others came from the neighborhood and nearby universities and small businesses.

David Salinas, the founder and CEO of District Ventures, who moderated a 45-minute discussion on the states tech future, first gave Lamont and Porat a tour of the facility.

Tagging along was Lamonts wife Annie Lamont, herself a heavy-hitting investor in health care and financial technology, who has been close friends with Porat since their were Stanford undergraduates.

The four of them had just finished a meeting a few blocks away with corporate executives as part of Lamonts statewide effort to reach out to the business community for ideas and, coincidentally, political networking in his campaign against Republican Bob Stefanowski.

In reaction to the event, Kendall Marr, Stefanowskis spokesman, said Lamonts criticism of the Republicans proposal to cut taxes shows a complete lack of understanding about what is needed to turn around our states failing economy, and that Lamont would essentially be a third term of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

Stefanowskis plan would immediately remove that incentive to leave by eliminating the income tax, stopping the exodus of jobs and people and jump-starting economic growth, Marr said.

The states tech industry contributed more than $16 billion to the economy in 2017, with about 140,600 employed in what amounts to more than 7.5 percent of Connecticuts workforce. Salinas estimated that there are 7,500 open tech jobs right now, but our pipeline is weak and universities have only provided 500 tech-related graduates in the last year.

My job as governor, I hope, would be to get the business community more involved here, so that they can see what youre providing and learning, and the skills that you have to make them learn from you, because we have a lot of old companies in this state, Lamont said. They need a little entrepreneurial zip. We really want to keep you here in Connecticut.

Porat said that when planning, it would help the industry and state officials to consider the kind of talent they want to attract.

How do we create a living and working environment that is what people want in their lives? she asked. Talent is the lifeblood of innovation.

While guests were met by campaign staffers with Ned T-shirts and tables displaying signs for the candidate, Salinas stressed that there was no fund-raising, nor was Stefanowskis name mentioned on the stage.

Porat, who referred to Lamont as governor more than once, was given a low-key star treatment among the several 20- and 30-something participants who approached her after the event. She stressed that she was only representing herself and that the appearance was in no way corporate-related.

OConnell, wearing a Glucosezone T-shirt to market his diabetes protocol, said in an interview that the key to fostering a tech culture in Connecticut  and training the workers for it  is to get the internet infrastructure including the faster data, better conductivity and lower costs that 5G, the fifth generation of mobile cellular communications, can offer.

5G would be a huge competitive advantage to the companies that are going to need the infrastructure, OConnell said. We need New Haven to have 100 times the digital capacity that Boston and New York have.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
Anders Hill worked on Wall Street, and lived in Westport. He left his job  and his wife  for unclear reasons. He hooks up with women, has issues with his kids, and muddles through his middle-aged life.

Anders Hill is not a real character. But hes not entirely made up, either. Hes the protagonist of Ted Thompsons first novel, The Land of Steady Habits. Thompson  a 2001 Staples High School graduate  looks at the hometown that gave him tremendous opportunities with a Cheever-esque eye for the life lurking beneath the suburban surface.

Now Steady Habits is a feature movie. Released by Netflix, directed by Nicole Holofcener and starring Ben Medelsohn and Edie Falco, it earned a positive review from New York Times critic A.O. Scott.

The trailer shows a sunny view of Main Street. But this is not a feel-good film. Scott calls the darkness and pain haunting Westport as pronounced.

This is not the first time Westport has taken a star turn on a Hollywood screen. And  like several predecessors  it is not a portrayal that realtors or the Chamber of Commerce will highlight on their websites.

The prototypical Westport film is The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit. Released in 1956  a year after Sloan Wilsons novel by the same name  it featured mega-star Gregory Peck as Tom Rath. As post-war suburbia boomed, he tried to balance his marriage, family and job. Moviegoers around the world saw images of Main Street and the train station  and realized that behind the facade of prosperity, dinner parties and white picket fences was a not-so-wonderful life.

A dozen years later, The Swimmer offered a similarly un-sunny view of suburban life. Burt Lancaster starred in the adaptation of John Cheevers short story. As he swims his way through Fairfield County pools, Ned Merrills life is a melange of sex, alcohol and disappointment.

The Swimmer was filmed partly in Westport. Its pools looked beautiful. Its message was anything but.

The hits just kept on coming. In 1972, Ira Levins novel The Stepford Wives introduced a new term into the American lexicon. Three years later, a movie version cemented the image of beautiful suburban women who are obsessed with housework, have few real interests, and not only act like  but really are  robots.

Stepford Wives, like other Westport-based movie adaptations, was also filmed in part here. More than four decades later, it remains a cult classic. And its name lives on, as shorthand for the vacuity of suburban life.

Movies are not the only popular medium to give broad audiences a less-than-ideal image of Westport. American Housewife is now in its third season on ABC. The premise is intriguing  in an affluent town like this, a less-than-perfect family can thrive  but really its just another sitcom. Katie Ottos family is not really flawed. And though she believes her less-than-ideal weight separates her from the rest of Westports women, shes hardly obese.

The fact that the shows original title was The Second Fattest Housewife in Westport is not exactly a reason to cut a celebratory cake, either.

Over on Showtime, Damian Lewis has spent three seasons intriguing viewers as Bobby Axelrod, the billionaire brains behind the Axe Capital hedge fund. His character is based loosely on Steve Cohen of the former SAC Capital, but the fictitious firm is based in Westport (a not-so-subtle nod to Bridgewater Associates). There are occasional references to our town, along with shots of extremely large houses and winding roads. Of course, Bobby has a house in the Hamptons too.

Not all movie and television images of Westport involve money, alcohol or debauchery. In 1958, Rally Round the Flag, Boys! told the tale of Putnams Landing. Like Westport, the fictitious town was torn by the imminent arrival of a missile base.

The film was adapted from a novel by Max Shulman  a Westport resident who had a ringside seat to the real debate. The movie may not be remembered much today. But it starred Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Their introduction to our town was positive: They moved here shortly thereafter, and never left.

Like Shulman, Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling was a 1950s-era resident. In A Stop at Willoughby a harried advertising executive heads home to Westport  and somehow finds himself back in 1888, a much simpler time.

The same 1950s  seen by us today as a simpler time too  was when Luci and Ricky Ricardo joined Ethel and Fred Mertz as Westport homeowners Westport, in the final season of I Love Lucy. A few years later on Bewitched, Darrin and Samantha Stephens lived here, at the very fictional 1164 Morning Glory Circle.

Thats a brief movie and TV history of Westport, Connecticut. Or, as our state is sometimes known, the Land of Steady Habits.

Dan Woog is a Westport writer, and his Woogs World appears each Friday. He can be reached at dwoog@optonline.net. His personal blog is danwoog06880.com.
New York institution Marie's Crisis is to arrive in London, it has been announced.

The West Village basement showtunes piano bar will be transported to London for five nights. The venue will open at The City of Quebec pub, London's oldest LGBTQ public house, where punters will be treated to performances around the piano and singing bartenders.

Marie's Crisis is an iconic Manhattan venue which attracts fans of musical theatre with their sing-a-long nights.

The New York venue was originally built in 1839 and actors and celebrities meet to sing Broadway and Disney tunes. The City of Quebec is in Marylebone in London and has been newly refurbished. Marie's Crisis will be in the basement bar of the pub and will be open from 30 October to 3 November.
Shakespeare wrote more words for Margaret of Anjou  wife of Henry VI  than any other woman across all his plays. She speaks more than Rosalind, more than Cleopatra, but spread across four plays, Queen Margaret's story is stretched thin and scattered.

Jeanie O'Hare stitches it back together in this patchwork play  much more than a neat way to realign Shakespeare's gender balance. Cutting and pasting Margaret's canonical scenes, O'Hare fills in the gaps to tie the timeline together. It doesn't just shed new light on Margaret herself, but carves a whole new path through Shakespeare's Histories and England's civil war.

Instead of watching the men jostling for power, squabbling over royal lineage and rightful heirs, O'Hare focuses on the woman holding a fragile peace. Jade Anouka's Margaret of Anjou is herself a peace offering, betrothed to Henry VI to end the 100 Years War. If she arrives as an ingenue  a royal fiance in a foreign land  she soon finds her footing, pushing her meek husband (Max Runham) to sack his Lord Protector and assert his own rule.

With England on the cusp of chaos  Lorraine Bruce's brusque Duke of York incites rebellion  Margaret alone acts in the national interest. She's not power hungry, but a people's princess, and O'Hare presents Margaret as a moderniser who unpicks a political system that lets landowners arbitrate their tenants' complaints. Dressed in EU blue, she's part Maggie Thatcher, part Mary Poppins. "I am the peace," she declares. "I'm going to make this country work."

That she ends the play fighting right to the last, stringing out the civil war she sought to avert, is not just ironic, but poetic. Having watched her husband disinherit her son, Margaret fights as a mother, not just as a queen. Her complaint is the same that sparked the Yorkist uprising and O'Hare suggests she's the unspoken link to Richard III's totalitarianism  in going after the York children, she plants the seeds for his dogged pursuit of potential enemies. O'Hare shows the way politics becomes personal and Margaret's inspired throughout by the restless spirit of Joan of Arc (Lucy Mangan) as she slides from righteousness to rebel, always intent on leaving her mark on history.

Played on a green island stage, Elizabeth Freestone finds the pulse of a political thriller, but loses the tautness as the war hots up. To stress the way warring families lose sight of political reality, Freestone treats the violence as a joke  Kwami Odoom's Richard kills with a Playstation controller, even as the body count clocks 30,000. Amanda Stoodley's baize dartboard design suggests all this as sport, but it's more eloquent about the centres of power and history. Margaret's more effective because she's off to one side, and she's never targeted as a result.

Anouka anchors an exhilarating play with real flair, her crack voice initially alluring then raging with ire, and there's strong support from Samuel Edward-Cook as Margaret's closest allies, civil Suffolk and crazed Clifford, and Helena Lymbery as the people's representative Hume, with a rose of each colour stitched into her coat lining.

O'Hare had the idea for Queen Margaret over a decade ago, when the RSC presented the Histories in full. With the nation at war over Brexit, this story of a Frenchwoman fighting for England's heart has found its moment. It should make its mark.
Our weekly round up of other news affecting foreign investors throughout Asia:

Termination of Employees in ASEAN

Terminations come with inherent risks of employees filing lawsuits against employers, and can be expensive. As each country in ASEAN has its own employment law, it is important for multinational companies that operate within the region to ensure that their contracts are in line with the local requirements in each jurisdiction.

How to Change Company Registered Office in India

A registered office (RO) is the official address of the company recorded with the Registrar of Companies (RoC), India, where all government or legal communications are sent.

RUSSIA BRIEFING Maersk Uses Arctic Ocean Northern Sea Passage for Commercial Shipping for First Time The Danish shipping line Maersk has for the first time successfully navigated the Northern Sea Route of the Arctic Ocean via container ship, a route made possible by melting sea ice caused by global warming.

Investment Opportunities for Asia in Russias Far East

Russia held its annual Far Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok last week, with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attending. China sent the largest delegation, closely followed by Japan and South Korea.

Vietnam: Growing Demand for Healthcare Services

Demographic changes, rise in disposable income, and a steady economic growth has led to a growing demand for healthcare services in Vietnam. In 2017, healthcare expenditure accounted for 7.5 percent of the GDP and between 2017 and 2021 it is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 12.5 percent.
Last month, just outside of Van Horn, four private crewmembers  including actor William Shatner  lifted off in a ...

The days of scrambling to secure toilet paper are over. But the pandemic is continuing to wreak havoc on supply...
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Lost, Found, a feminism-themed film starring two acclaimed actresses Yao Chen and Ma Yili, will open across China on Oct. 5.



A remake of 2016 South Korean film Missing, the Chinese film directed by Lyu Yue examines the role of women in modern society through a psychological thriller.

In the film, Yao plays a middle-class lawyer who hires Ma, playing a nanny, to take care of her young daughter.

Test screenings were held in more than 80 cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Nanjing.

When the film was screened as an entry to contend for the Golden Goblet award during this year's Shanghai International Film Festival, it scored 8 out of 10 on Douban, the country's most popular review site.

The Beijing preview attracted many celebrities including action star Wu Jing, and directors Lu Chuan, Cao Baoping and Peter Chan.
Your pharmacist may have their hands tied on what they can tell you to save you money.

It's a law that gives insurance companies control of what a pharmacists can say to you.

It bars pharmacists from telling you if its cheaper to pay cash for your meds or go through your insurance company.

Under this law, health insurance companies enjoy a heftier profit by keeping them quiet.

"This is something that there is no reason at all should exist," Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter said.

Most people don't know, sometimes it's much cheaper to ask for a cash price instead of just paying the co-pay.

"Their co-payment was gonna be $1,300 and she asked. She had enough knowledge to inquire how much would it be if I paid cash, and it was $40," Carter said.

Congressman Carter is sponsoring the House bill version - there's also a Senate version - they say it will save millions of Americans money.

"For example, NBC did a piece that showed that a consumer who had a copay of $43 for a cholesterol drug would have only paid $19 if that consumer had only paid out of pocket," said Maine Sen. Susan Margaret Collins.

"They had two drugs for me to choose from and which one did I want? One was $86. The other was $5. And I said, 'What's the difference?' And they said they're identical. So I said, I think I'll go with the $5 drug. So why couldn't they make that decision for me? They're not allowed to," said Norman Augustine, National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

President Donald Trump says he supports pharmacists sharing more information with you.

Not every prescription drug is cheaper by paying cash, but many common drugs are.

Ask your pharmacist what the cost would be without insurance.

You can also call around to different pharmacies to find out which one offers the best cash price.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Theres been a change of plans.

Twenty-five minutes before we are scheduled to meet up at a coffee shop in the Exchange District, Antero Lindblad calls to say hes running a tad late and asks if we can we make it a pizza joint on St. Marys Road for the same time.

Just over an hour later, Lindblad, wearing loose-fitting black jeans and a patterned grey shirt, a weathered Presidents Choice tote brimming with posters, pamphlets and brochures slung over his left shoulder, saunters into the lounge at Santa Lucia Pizza.

Taking a seat he apologizes for his tardiness, explaining he received a last-minute call from a Sport Manitoba associate who wanted him to distribute printed material in the Norwood and St. Boniface area  hence the change of locale  for a weekend event at The Forks.

Lindblad isnt a courier, far from it. To myriad promoters, publicists and event coordinators around town hes known simply as the "poster guy." Since 1996, the soft-spoken 55-year-olds primary source of income has been meting out placards advertising everything from rock concerts to charity walks to science fiction conventions. Five or six days a week, for six or seven hours a day, hes either on his bike or a bus  he doesnt drive, never has  traversing to one end of the city or another, pausing to drop off posters and such at public libraries, restaurants and music stores, or staple them to public notice boards.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Antero Lindblad puts up posters in the Exchange District.

Sure, his job is unconventional. But it pays the bills  he owns a condo in the Polo Park area thanks to a sizable toy and comic collection he partially sold off in the late 1990s  plus it affords him the opportunity to attend three or four films a week ("I guess you could put in there Im a bit of a movie buff," he says, listing Edward Scissorhands as his all-time fave flick).

"Instead of going to the same job day after day, it sometimes feels like Im doing three or four different jobs each week, depending what part of town I visit on any particular day," Lindblad says when asked what appeals most to him about his livelihood. "Plus, I can set my own hours; normally I stay at home until noon or so waiting for the phone to ring before heading out to do my rounds."

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Lindblad staples posters to public notice boards at public libraries, restaurants and music stores.

Lindblad grew up on Young Street in the West End. With dreams of becoming a television camera operator, he transferred from Hugh John Macdonald School to Tec Voc in Grade 9 to take a commercial broadcasting course. Unable to land work in his chosen field, he got a job as a store clerk at Pyramid Records, formerly on Donald Street, after completing high school.

Pyramid Records was where his interest in posters began, he says. Shortly after he started working there, his boss purchased a massive collection of movie posters  close to 5,000  and for the next six months his assigned duty was to sort through them, putting them in order by genre.

In 1989, by which time he had switched jobs and was working nights at a used comic store, it was announced the inaugural Jazz Winnipeg Festival would be staged in and around the Exchange District that June. Because his days were free, he got in touch with the organization committee, asking if they needed volunteers. Quickly, he was assigned the duty of distributing posters in the downtown area promoting the festivals evening concert series.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Antero Lindblad uses a bicycle or bus to make his way around the city.

Months later, Lindblad received a call from a Ducks Unlimited employee who got his name from his contact at the jazz festival.

"She said they had a bunch of posters they needed put up for an event at Oak Hammock Marsh and that theyd be happy to pay me," Lindblad says, sheepishly admitting his going rate  25 cents per poster  remains the same today.

"Next thing I knew, they gave my name out to somebody else who gave it to somebody else again. Pretty soon I was putting up posters for Ticketmaster, the ballet, the symphony, Prairie Theatre Exchange, you name it. Ever since the comic store closed in 1996, this has been the only job Ive had, pretty much."

***

According to Article 6.3 of the City of Winnipegs Handbill and Poster Bylaw (No. 1076/75), "No person shall affix, erect, place or post any notice, poster or other paper or device, calculated to attract the attention of the public upon any private premises or upon any privately owned building, fence, wall, barricade, hoarding or structure without first having obtained the permission of the owner or occupant thereof so to do." Furthermore, posters should not be placed on directional signs, nor should they be displayed longer than 14 consecutive days or more than 24 hours after an advertised event has occurred.

"I do get flak from time to time from people yelling out of their car Hey, are you going to take that down at some point? or Youre not allowed to put that up there, but Im pretty familiar with how the laws work," he says.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Antero Lindblad at work in the Exchange District. Instead of going to the same job day after day, it sometimes feels like Im doing three or four different jobs each week, depending what part of town I visit.

For the most part he utilizes public notice boards located inside places such as hospitals and universities, or outdoor panels in Osborne Village, the Exchange District and downtown area. He eschews metal hydro poles  if you see a ratty-looking poster on a pole it wasnt him who put it there, he says  mainly because he has no interest in "wrapping my arms around a dirty pole, trying to tape something in place. Id ruin my clothes in a week if I started doing that."

In a day and age when you can glean information about any event under the sun via your cellphone, Lindbad says it is remarkable how posters continue to be a valuable advertising tool. Routinely, when hes affixing posters to a message board in a community centre, for example, two or three people will be reading over his shoulder or peeking inside his bag to see whats on the horizon.

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"Or if its a cool poster for a band they like, they sometimes ask if I have an extra one they can keep for themselves which I totally get; Ive done the same thing in regards to posters I didnt put up," he says adding one of the perks of the job is receiving free tickets to concerts or plays from time to time.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

By his count, Lindblad has plastered the city with close to one million posters during his career. More impressive, hes only missed two days of work due to illness in all that time, listing paper cuts as one of his primary job hazards.

How long can he keep at it? Well, considering his vocation doesnt come with a long list of benefits  "No pension or dental plan, thats for sure," he says with a chuckle  he figures hes good for a few more years, at least.

"I do not enjoy Winnipeg winters at all but other than that, theres not a lot of stress involved, plus I get a bit of exercise. I guess well just see how it goes."

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca
PK Mahanandia, the subject of the book The Amazing Story of the Man Who Cycled from India to Europe for Love, has been called a "Silk Road hero" for his feat, which spanned 3,600 kilometers over more than four months in 1977. But few know that his epic journey to the West was, in part, inspired by the legendary Chinese monks Faxian (337-422) and Xuan Zang (602-664).

"I said, 'If Faxian and Xuan Zang can walk from China to India, why couldn't I go by bicycle?'" recalls Mahanandia. "There was no doubt. I will do it or I will die."

But unlike the monks, who sought Buddhist texts, Mahanandia sought lovespecifically from Charlotte Von Schedvin, the Swedish woman who was destined to be his wife, according to a prophecy.

"My mother said, 'We are not going to arrange a marriage for you. Your wife will find youher sign (zodiac) is Taurus, she plays the flute and she owns jungles.'"

He and Von Schedvin met in New Delhi in 1975, at a time when Mahanandia was an impoverished art student from the "untouchable" caste who drew portraits in the popular shopping district of Connaught Place.

"When I started doing her portrait, I felt a strange feeling in my body. I was breathless."

She returned, and after asking her questions, he learned she was a flute player born in May, whose family owned forests.

"Then I knew that we are destined to meet. I said, 'You will be my wife, it is decided in the heavens.'"
If Brian Sinclair had been treated for a blocked urinary catheter at Health Sciences Centre 10 years ago, he would be 55 years old now and possibly still volunteering at Siloam Mission.

This article was published 21/9/2018 (1146 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If Brian Sinclair had been treated for a blocked urinary catheter at Health Sciences Centre 10 years ago, he would be 55 years old now and possibly still volunteering at Siloam Mission.

Friday at 12:51 a.m. marked the 10th anniversary of his death at the hospital emergency room. The Aboriginal man, a double-amputee who used a wheelchair, sat for 34 hours in the waiting room without being questioned or treated by staff. He had rolled into the ER and was immediately directed to the waiting room. He may have been dead for as long as seven hours by the time a family member of a patient noticed him and alerted medical staff. By the time they tried to resuscitate him, rigor mortis had already set in.

Sinclair went to the ER with a blocked urinary catheter, which resulted in a treatable bladder infection.

His death sparked an inquest and several reports into how a person waiting in the ER could be ignored by medical staff for 34 hours. HSC and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority compiled internal reports. A Winnipeg police investigation was turned over to Saskatchewan prosecutors, who determined that no one should face criminal charges for Sinclairs death. An inquest was held, and the judge, who listened to testimony from dozens of witnesses, made 63 recommendations aimed at reducing the chance of a person dying at an ER waiting room in Manitoba. Finally, the Sinclair family launched a $1.6-million lawsuit against the WRHA and hospital staff. The lawsuit has not been settled.

Brian Sinclair's 34-hour wait at the Health Sciences Centre ended in his death.

Sinclairs death not only forced HSC to change its emergency room protocol, it sent shock waves throughout the provinces medical community.

In response to the death, HSC changed the design of the emergency department waiting room so that patients face the nurses desk. Almost immediately afterward, the WRHA initiated a wristband system at emergency rooms to help keep track of who had been spoken to in the waiting room.

In January 2016, two years after the inquest ended, only six of the judges 63 recommendations for the WRHA, provincial government and the public trustee had been completed.

Since then, 55 of them have been completed, including:

ensuring staff intervene when they see someone vomit in the ER;

ensuring that when primary care physicians send a patient to emergency that they phone the department in advance and verify a letter has been given to the patient to give to ED staff;

Manitobas health authorities review emergency room floor plans to make sure waiting patients dont face away from the triage desk;

Probing whether its better to have doctors send information electronically to emergency departments;

Have staff check on people in the waiting room regularly and wake them up at regular intervals.

Five other recommendations are partially completed and three remain outstanding.

Of the three outstanding, two of them  including one which would see a uniform protocol set up by all primary-care facilities for transporting patients with mobility or cognitive challenges to other health-care facilities  are in limbo while the provinces Shared Health organization is getting up and running. The organization is supposed to co-ordinate support to regional health authorities across the province and enable provincial planning and integration of services.

A final one, to look at having the office of the Home Care Co-ordinator be open seven days a week, has been put into the provinces review of home care.

A painted portrait of Brian SInclair

Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesen was unavailable for comment for this story.

In a statement, a provincial government spokesman said: "Brian Sinclairs death was a systemic failure of our provinces health-care system and prompted many changes to improve patient care and service delivery for all Manitobans, including the provinces Indigenous community.

"The inquest that probed the circumstances leading to Mr. Sinclairs death produced 63 recommendations, 55 of which have been completed. Seven of the eight recommendations are in the process of being completed while another is being incorporated into a review of home care.

"While this is an accomplishment worth noting, our government is mindful that there will always be more work to do to make our province a more equitable and inclusive community, one that is free of bias and negative perceptions. We are committed to continuing this work, which includes our governments ongoing reconciliation efforts."

Lori Lamont, the WRHAs acting chief operating officer, said two of the three recommendations that the province lists as incomplete, have already been completed by the WRHA, including the uniform protocol for transporting patients with mobility or cognitive challenges to other health- care facilities. Only the health authorities outside of Winnipeg have not finished them, waiting for the Shared Health organization.

MAURICE BRUNEAU PHOTO Brian Sinclair

"We have committed to make substantial progress on completing as many as we can," Lamont said. "We have put in a lot of the new processes in place to prevent such a thing from happening again in the future."

Lamont said the WRHA began working to fix problems before the inquest began, including instituting the wristband system.

"It is important at looking at what happened to Mr. Sinclair that there is no one simple thing or a simple solution... weve put in a number of different policies and procedures to make it extremely unlikely to take place (again)."

The Sinclair family hopes their lawsuit will give them more answers than the inquest did and result in further change in the health-care system.

Robert Sinclair, Brians cousin, said they remain upset that provincial court Judge Tim Preston decided not to probe whether racism, poverty, mental health, and economic status were factors in the way ER staff failed to treat Sinclair, as was recommended by another judge. Preston ruled those issues were outside the scope of the inquest, but suited to a public inquiry that could examine societal issues. He did allow one outside witness to testify about systemic issues, including racial discrimination, in the health-care system.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES WRHA acting chief operating officer Lori Lamont: 'We have put in a lot of the new processes in place to prevent such a thing from happening again in the future'

Sinclair said the WRHA "did comply with most of the recommendations, but they forgot one very important thing.

"He died because of stereotyping and racism by whoever was at fault there," he said.

"They never understood that issue and I cant imagine them talking about it... the big question is how much of that played a role in Brians death? But they didnt answer that in the inquest.

"Our one remaining question is, what have they done with (cultural sensitivity and racism) training? I think that was one of the root causes of his death and why he was ignored. We came to the table to seek the truth, and we still dont have the truth."

Vilko Zbogar, one of the lawyers who has acted for the Sinclair family, said he doubts whether the changes will prevent another tragedy.

"The WRHA came to the inquest, and through its own experts and staff said what the WRHA should do and then the WRHA recommended they would do it. And (the WRHA) never touched on the thorny issue of racism," Zbogar said.

"Of course theyll implement their own recommendations, but we had hoped the recommendations would address the root issue: stereotyping and how to help people who are at risk of not being able to advocate for themselves."

Zbogar said he hopes the lawsuit will continue where the inquest left off when it comes to racism.

"People just said, We just assumed he was drunk," he said. "They didnt assume he needed medical care. No one made that assumption about Brian Sinclair.

"The stereotypes were much more powerful than the medical cues."

Emily Hill, a lawyer with Toronto-based Aboriginal Legal Services, which dropped out of the inquest when the judge decided not to explore the effect of racism on the case, said the 10-year anniversary date of Sinclairs death must be "a sad time for his family."

Hill said she knows from being a part of various human rights cases and inquests across the country that "Indigenous patients still experience discrimination which effect their case and the outcomes of their help."

But Hill said it gives her comfort to know things have been changing since Sinclair died and his death may have prompted that change.

Hill said a few years after the inquest the Truth and Reconciliation Commission delved into racism and a few of its recommendations addressed health.

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"At least we can acknowledge there is a problem and we can address it. It was through the persistence of the Sinclair family of keeping Brians death at the forefront at moving this.

"It is important to look forward and look back at the 10-year mark, but there is still a lot of work to do."

Robert Sinclair said he hopes the lawsuit is heard in court soon so his family gets the answers they need about why Brian died.

"His mother passed away last summer," he said. "His oldest sister is not in good health.

"I hope she is here to see the end."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO  Nine months after the murder of Adam Anhang, his widow was in Florence, Italy, out of the reach of U.S. authorities, so broke she couldnt afford deodorant or toothpaste, while awaiting the outcome of her lawsuit for a share of her late husbands estate.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/9/2018 (1146 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO  Nine months after the murder of Adam Anhang, his widow was in Florence, Italy, out of the reach of U.S. authorities, so broke she couldnt afford deodorant or toothpaste, while awaiting the outcome of her lawsuit for a share of her late husbands estate.

Aurea Vazquez-Rijos is on trial for conspiring to have the 32-year-old former Winnipegger murdered in San Juan in 2005. Evidence Thursday in the form of emails between her and family members in Puerto Rico portrayed a fugitive at her wits end, 7,000 kilometres from home.

"I need money," she wrote in an email, "I have nothing to eat or for the phone, and moms phone is not accepting collect calls. I need money desperately in my account."

In another email, dated July 24, 2006, she wrote from Italy: "My (arm)pits and mouth stink. Im f----d. I always stink and sweat. Send me $$$ to buy deodorant and toothpaste." She asked her family members to deposit money in a bank account she would be able to access.

Prosecutors also produced an email Thursday that referred to Vazquez-Rijoss 2006 civil suit against the Anhang family in a bid for a share of her husbands estate, estimated at $24 million. Her sister, Marcia, writes about the "stubbornness" of Adam Anhangs father, Abe, in refusing to release any money, and adds: "That old man will pay sooner or later."

The elder Anhang, who is attending the trial, never did pay. The case was eventually dismissed because Vazquez-Rijos failed to show up in a Puerto Rico federal court.

In 2008, a U.S. grand jury indicted her for the murder-for-hire of her husband after police arrested the killer, Alex Pabon, a drug dealer known as "El Loco." He confessed Vazquez-Rijos, her sister Marcia and boyfriend Jose Ferrer Sosa had promised to pay him $3 million for the killing. All three are facing possible life imprisonment in this case.

Anhang was slain shortly after midnight on Sept. 22, 2005, at an intersection in Old San Juan, a prime tourism area, when Pabon attacked him with a cobblestone and a knife.

Marcia also wrote in a 2007 email "things are heated" in Puerto Rico, and tells Vazquez-Rijos: "Watch your back, there are lots of enemies close by who you owe for a long time." Prosecutors did not immediately produce any evidence to show who the "enemies" of Vazquez-Rijos were.

Vazquez-Rijos replies: "We are all in the same boat... What we have to do is pray, and ask a lot of God."

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Earlier evidence has shown the three accused met with Pabon the day before the killing and asked him to make the attack look like a robbery. Vazquez-Rijos was afraid Anhang would follow through on a threatened divorce and she would not get a substantial share of his estate.

The emails produced at the trial were gathered from Yahoo and Google by means of FBI search warrants. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated U.S. territory.

Other documents released Thursday describe efforts by Vazquez-Rijos and her family to fabricate a false family history of adherence to the Jewish faith. Included was a letter from her father saying, "My daughter always wanted to go back to the roots of her origin."

The fabrication included forged birth certificates for the father and mother and claims of Jewish heritage. Its believed Vazquez-Rijos was hoping eventually to find refuge in Israel and take advantage of its laws protecting Jewish citizens against extradition.

Vazquez-Rijos evaded arrest in Europe for five years. She worked as a travel agent and gave birth to three children, including twin girls, in what prosecutors believe was a strategy to avoid extradition. One of the children was born in a Spanish prison, where she was held from 2013 to 2015. Its been reported the father was another inmate.

While she was on the loose in Europe, Abe Anhang had an Italian private eye tracking her movements and activities. She was eventually captured in an FBI sting operation.
A former radio morning-show host who was fired for anti-transgender remarks is suing his former employer for $1.4 million, claiming he was wrongfully dismissed and had his reputation damaged because of his employer's "untrue" statements.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A former radio morning-show host who was fired for anti-transgender remarks is suing his former employer for $1.4 million, claiming he was wrongfully dismissed and had his reputation damaged because of his employer's "untrue" statements.

Christopher Wheeler Johnson, also known as Dave Wheeler, claims Rogers violated his employment contract by firing him in July. He had likened transgender people to actors pretending to be "different things," while on the air during his 92.1 CITI morning show, Wheeler in the Morning. He claims the Rogers-owned radio station encouraged him to be "controversial," and now owes him damages for lost earnings, bonuses, pension plan contributions and stock options he would have received during his employment.

Wheeler was being paid $335,000 a year, and he was to keep receiving that salary until September 2022 under his contract. He signed a second five-year contract with Rogers in 2017 after joining 92.1 CITI in 2012. In a statement of claim filed in Court of Queen's Bench Thursday, Wheeler said Rogers knew he had a "provocative" on-air persona when the company recruited him from competing radio station Power 97.

According to the claim, it was a term of Wheeler's employment contract with Rogers that "Wheeler's on-air persona was to be provocative and controversial and he was to push the boundaries and engage listeners in controversial social topics."

A spokeswoman for Rogers Media confirmed the company had received Wheelers statement of claim and stood by its decision to fire him.

"Dave Wheeler was dismissed after multiple disciplinary incidents, including a suspension. After repeated warnings, he continued to violate the companys core values and offend our audiences. We felt we had no choice but to end our relationship with him, as we do not tolerate employees who display this type of behaviour," Andrea Goldstein wrote Thursday in an emailed statement.

Wheeler wants the court to order Rogers to pay him damages for breaching his five-year contract. He's asking $1,398,624.90 plus bonuses of $80,000. If the court doesn't agree to that, Wheeler's claim asks for a payout of two years' salary plus bonuses, which would be $710,000.

Wheeler also accuses Rogers Media of defamation. In his claim, Wheeler accuses Rogers Media of making "untrue" statements to news media in the wake of his firing, including that he had been reprimanded by the company earlier, and suggestions he had a long history of making offensive remarks.

"Rogers' media statements served to embarrass and harm Wheeler's reputation, impugn his character and interfere with his ability to carry on business in Winnipeg," the claim states. "Further, the media statements ignored the facts that, at all material times, Rogers condoned, encouraged, and promoted Wheeler for being controversial, agitating and provocative."

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The claim hasn't been proven and no statement of defence has been filed. Wheeler's lawyer could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Wheeler faced a backlash for his comments during an on-air conversation on July 16 regarding actress Scarlett Johansson's decision to withdraw from a film in which she had been cast to play a transgender man.

He was suspended and fired two days later, after he repeated anti-trans comments in Facebook messages and as advertisers started to pull their ads from Rogers. There were social media campaigns that called for boycotts of his show. At the time, Rogers issued a statement apologizing for his behaviour.

"This week, radio host Dave Wheeler chose to use his platform at 92.1 CITI in Winnipeg to articulate views that are both deeply hurtful and damaging, and we sincerely apologize," Goldstein, Rogers Media's senior communications director, said in a written statement in July. "There have been multiple disciplinary incidents, and in spite of numerous conversations, he has continued to offend our audiences."

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
The trial for a Winnipeg Police Service officer accused of impaired driving has been delayed while the court arranges for a judge from outside the city to hear the case.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The trial for a Winnipeg Police Service officer accused of impaired driving has been delayed while the court arranges for a judge from outside the city to hear the case.

The case against Leslie McRae -- the fifth city police officer to face drunk-driving charges in court this year -- was flagged as needing an out-of-jurisdiction judge, but that didn't happen before the trial was set to begin Thursday.

Instead, the case landed in front of provincial court associate chief Judge John Guy, who agreed with Crown and defence lawyers a judge from outside Winnipeg should hear the case because it involves a city police officer. Brandon Crown prosecutor Brett Rach said he believed a judge from outside Winnipeg had been requested, but those arrangements weren't made.

Police facing charges Click to Expand Michael Hawley, 50, an eight-year member of the Winnipeg Police Service, pleaded guilty to impaired driving July 20, and received a curative discharge. He admitted he was impaired when he crashed his truck into a fence in his back lane on Nov. 26, 2017. He was found slumped over behind the wheel, with the keys still in the ignition. The engine wasn't running. Court was told Hawley is undergoing treatment for alcoholism. Andrew Tighe, who has been a WPS officer for more than 23 years, was acquitted of impaired driving Aug. 9, after provincial court Judge Robert Heinrichs ruled there was reasonable doubt as to whether he'd been driving drunk in Elmwood on June 3, 2017. The officer who arrested him testified she had "no doubt" he was impaired, but she hadn't seen him drive. Tighe's truck was stalled in the road when his colleagues found him. Jason Garrett pleaded guilty to impaired driving Sept. 13, and will now have a criminal record, in addition to a $1,300 fine and a one-year driving prohibition. The 29-year member of the WPS admitted he was driving drunk on Highway 6 in the RM of Woodlands on Feb. 18, 2017. Justin Holz was a 34-year-old, eight-year member of WPS when he was charged with several criminal offences, including dangerous driving causing death, impaired driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene of an accident in connection to the Oct. 10, 2017, hit-and-run that killed 23-year-old Cody Severight. Holz no longer works for the police service. A four-day preliminary inquiry for Holz is set to begin March 4, 2019. Leslie McRae, a 10-year member of the WPS, was arrested by RCMP on Nov. 20, 2017, and charged with refusing to provide a breath sample and having care and control of a motor vehicle while impaired. The refusal charge was stayed Thursday, and a new trial date hasn't yet been set for the impaired charge.

The trial was expected to be brief, with one Crown witness -- an RCMP officer -- set to testify. Now, it will be delayed until a new trial date is set. Rach said the Crown will have to "eat" the delay in the case.

Guy said the court will typically get advance notice when a judge from outside the city has been requested.

"Its too bad, because we have witnesses here, I take it, and things like that. But I think the policy is a wise one in the sense of whether the judge knows the people (involved in the case) or anything like that, and its one that we usually have done, and Im sorry that for whatever miscommunication, whatever happened, that that hasnt taken place so this matter could proceed appropriately today as scheduled," Guy said in court Thursday.

McRae, 42, will plead not guilty to having care and control of a motor vehicle while impaired.

He was arrested by Headingley RCMP on Nov. 20, 2017, after police saw a driver parked on the shoulder of the Trans-Canada Highway just west of Headingley.

McRae was also charged with refusing to provide a breath sample, but Rach stayed that charge Thursday, telling Guy it wouldn't have stood up in court if the defence had decided to launch a legal motion arguing loss of evidence.

When the Free Press asked about the decision to stay the charge, Rach said video surveillance footage from the "breath tech" room, where the sample would have been taken, was "not preserved." He said video surveillance is not available in every case involving an allegation of refusing to provide a breath sample, but in this case it was, and the prosecution doesnt have it.

Other recent cases involving city police officers accused of impaired driving offences havent triggered requests for judges from outside the city or the province. Three WPS officers had their impaired-driving allegations resolved in Winnipeg this summer. All of those cases were handled by Brandon Crown attorneys and Winnipeg judges.

There is no written policy on when to bring in an outside judge, a spokeswoman for Manitoba courts said Thursday, but the issue is handled on a case-by-case basis to ensure judicial impartiality.

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"Depending on the circumstances of the case, the matter could be approached in a variety of ways. Its possible that a judge from the same judicial centre who has had no prior involvement with the parties could hear the matter or that a judge from a different judicial centre should," the spokeswoman wrote in an emailed statement.

"Its also possible that no reassignment is required or that bringing in a judge from another province is needed. Ultimately, it comes down to the assessment of whether a reasonably informed person would remain confident that the matter is being decided fairly and this is determined by the chief judge."

Manitoba Justices prosecutions policy states independent counsel should be considered when a criminal charge is laid against someone with a direct connection to the justice system, including a police officer.

A justice department spokeswoman said Thursday that could include bringing in a Crown attorney from a different office within Manitoba, a Crown from out of province, or independent practitioners from in or outside Manitoba.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Group photographs and goodbye speeches dominated the start of Thursdays city council meeting, the last for members elected in 2014.

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This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Group photographs and goodbye speeches dominated the start of Thursdays city council meeting, the last for members elected in 2014.

While the outcome of the Winnipeg mayoral and ward races is uncertain, four councillors know they wont be coming back: Jenny Gerbasi, Mike Pagtakhan, Marty Morantz and Russ Wyatt.

Gerbasi has represented Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry since 1998, and has decided 20 years on council is enough. She hasnt disclosed her future plans.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a member of Winnipeg city council for these last 20 years," Gerbasi told council. "It has been an incredible journey that I am grateful to have experienced."

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS After a tumultuous year, Coun. Russ Wyatt won't be returning to council.

Pagtakhan, first elected in 2002, also hasnt disclosed what hell do next.

Morantz, however, has pinned his hopes on winning the federal Conservative nomination in Charleswood for the 2019 election. He is a one-term councillor, elected in 2014.

Wyatts future is uncertain. Representing Transcona since 2002, Wyatt is facing a sexual-assault charge from a January incident.

This year, he also admitted to being a recovering drug and alcohol addict, and took a leave from council to spend some time in a rehab facility. He also came out in June as bisexual. Hes not running again, explaining it would hamper his recovery efforts.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Coun. Mike Pagtakhan isn't seeking re-election.

In addition to those four, its also certain one of two incumbent councillors wont be returning, and possibly neither of them: Scott Gillingham and Shawn Dobson. Theyre running against each other in the new ward of St. James, after Dobsons old St. Charles ward disappeared through a boundary review.

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Dobson and Gillingham were first-time councillors, and theyre also being challenged by a civic employee, 22-year-old Kurt Morton, who could send them both packing.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS After 20 years, Coun Jenny Gerbasi attended her last council meeting Thursday.

Issues dealt with at Thursday's meeting included:

Council will ask the provincial and federal governments to join it in the creation of a task force to develop strategies for the prevention and treatment of methamphetamine addiction. If the other governments dont agree to participate, city hall will go alone.

Council will ask the Manitoba government to include civic employees and members of civic boards and commissions in the provincial whistleblower legislation.

Council signed off on the accelerated regional road program, which will result in the federal government contributing $100 million over the next five years for regional road repairs.

An attempt to put members of council on a paid leave when they are facing criminal charges was deferred for an administrative report, after concerns were raised the original motion was too broad.

Council approved a proposal to allow free bus rides for veterans and active service members, and their companions, and reservists and cadets to attend Remembrance Day services in 2018 and going forward. Its expected to cost about $21,340 annually.

Council approved extending the universal bus pass program to students at Red River College, and renewing the program at the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba, for a four-year term beginning September 2020.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
After years of discussion, Canada is finally set to legalize the use of cannabis on Oct. 17.

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This article was published 21/9/2018 (1146 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

After years of discussion, Canada is finally set to legalize the use of cannabis on Oct. 17.

From a public health perspective this is mostly a good thing, because it will help alleviate some of the legal, social and health problems that are often associated with the use of this drug.

Most importantly, legalization will eliminate criminal sanctions for simple possession that can have a much larger health impact than occasional cannabis use. It also means buyers will have access to a safer product. Provincially regulated cannabis wont be mixed with other drugs and the strength of the drug will be controlled.

However, supporting the legalization of cannabis is not the same as endorsing its use. Ask any public health official if legalization means cannabis is now "safe" to use, and the answer  just like it is for tobacco and alcohol  will be unequivocally no.

This is particularly true when it comes to kids and teens.

Research shows that young people between the ages of 10 and 19 who use cannabis are at increased risk for serious health consequences, including impaired brain development and mental health issues.

This is largely because cannabis contains a psychoactive ingredient called tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. This chemical is known to interfere with the development of a persons brain, which is not fully formed until the age of 25.

As a result, young people who frequently (daily or almost daily) use cannabis can suffer permanent damage to the prefrontal cortex  the area of the brain that controls judgment, memory and ability to think through complex issues. In some cases, frequent users have developed learning disabilities as well as serious mental illnesses such as psychosis and schizophrenia.

Accidental ingestion of cannabis is also a problem, particularly among children between the ages of one and five. Statistics from Washington and Colorado, which both recently legalized cannabis, show the number of toddlers and young children being admitted to emergency departments for the accidental consumption of cannabis edibles, like candy or Nutella-like spread, has risen dramatically over the last few years.

Given these facts, its no surprise public health officials are supporting efforts to reduce the risks associated with cannabis use.

For example, Manitoba has set the legal age for purchasing cannabis at 19. This makes sense from a public health perspective. At this age, young people are considered adults, capable of making important decisions.

While public health officials recognize anyone under 19 will probably be able to get their hands on cannabis after the new law comes into effect, we have learned from alcohol that setting higher age limits appears to discourage younger people from using. Setting the age at 19 is also helpful in reducing black market activity, since young adults are the largest group of cannabis consumers. While we dont want young people to experience the negative consequences of THC, we do want to make sure the largest group of consumers will have access to the safest possible product.

We are also encouraging adults and guardians to educate themselves about the risks and benefits of cannabis and talk to their kids about them. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources to draw on.

Start with Manitoba Healths website at www.gov.mb.ca/health/cannabis. It features a wide range of information, including sections on myths about cannabis, cannabis and pregnancy, and the risks of long-term use. It also has a link to the Cannabis Talk Kit, produced by Drug Free Kids Canada. For Indigenous communities, check out the Thunderbird Partnership Foundations document on legalized cannabis available at www.thunderbirdpf.org/legalizing-cannabis/.

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In addition, Health Canada has posted some suggestions to keep in mind when talking to your teens about drugs. Tips include:

 Think first. Act second. Try to stay clear and focused and dont get too emotional.

 Talk regularly and talk often. Many "mini-conversations" about drugs are better than long, boring lectures. Provide your teen with information that is meaningful and balanced, without emotion or drama so he or she feels empowered to make healthy choices about drugs.

 Help your teen develop sound reasoning skills and encourage conversations and the open exchange of ideas and feelings.

For more information, visit www.canada.ca and search: communication tips for parents or see www.manitoba.ca/cannabis.

Dr. Joss Reimer is a medical officer of health and the medical lead for cannabis in public health with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
Winnipeg police confirmed Thursday that sex-crime charges were laid against a man who volunteered with Child and Family Services, a move that spurred a firing and a suspension on hiring of any new volunteers at the agency.

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This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg police confirmed Thursday that sex-crime charges were laid against a man who volunteered with Child and Family Services, a move that spurred a firing and a suspension on hiring of any new volunteers at the agency.

The 35-year-old man was formally charged with sexual assault and sexual interference involving a boy under the age of 16 while he was working with CFS in July.

The charges came following an investigation that was sparked when a child made allegations of abuse.

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A spokesperson with Manitoba Families, which oversees CFS, said the child in question was not in government care.

CFS agencies screen volunteer applicants with child abuse registry and criminal record checks, the spokesperson said. She noted volunteers must also provide three professional references and an agency has to be satisfied with all the results before allowing them to work with kids.

Winnipeg CFS has approximately 130 volunteers who act as mentors, drivers, tutors and special events assistants.

"As a result of a minor coming forward with allegations, (Winnipeg CFS) immediately terminated a volunteer and put a hold on new volunteer hires, pending an ongoing review of recruitment practices within that particular agency," the spokesperson said by email.

She noted the province cannot comment further due to privacy concerns while police investigate.

-Ryan Thorpe and Jessica Botelho-Urbanski
A Winnipeg doctor who admitted having an inappropriate relationship with a teenage patient has been temporarily suspended from practising medicine.

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This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg doctor who admitted having an inappropriate relationship with a teenage patient has been temporarily suspended from practising medicine.

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The teenage girl ended up in the hospital last winter, after taking too many anti-anxiety pills, prescribed to her by Shamoon Din. While she was in the emergency room, the girl's mother discovered a series of sexual text messages sent to the teen from Din.

An emergency room doctor and a representative from the Winnipeg Police Service reported the allegations to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, which released its decision last week, stating Din's suspension is likely to last until November. He's been suspended since January.

Din pleaded guilty to five counts of professional misconduct before a panel for the college. He admitted having an inappropriate relationship with the girl, who was 16 when he became her family doctor. Between July 2016 and February 2017, he gave her medication and didn't properly document the prescriptions, sent her more than 1,000 text messages and shopped with her for expensive gifts.

"Dr. Dins misconduct went far beyond transmitting an extraordinary number of salacious and manifestly unprofessional and inappropriate text messages to Patient A. He also committed other serious boundary violations in relation to Patient A, such as meeting her outside of the clinic for personal reasons on at least five occasions, giving her a series of expensive gifts, and offering to loan her $4,000 to assist in the purchase of a car," the panel stated in its written decision.

Din was a doctor in Ontario before he began practicing in Manitoba. He was practicing under supervision at a Winnipeg clinic since July 2015.

Winnipeg police investigated the allegations but decided not to lay criminal charges, according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons' decision, because there was a lack of evidence Din had a sexual relationship with the girl nor gave her prescription medication outside of the clinic.
Next month marks two years until Manitoba's next provincial election. Access to postsecondary education (PSE) and how it relates to skills and jobs will undoubtedly come up for debate. The affordability of PSE is a perennial concern across the world, and Manitoba is no exception.

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This article was published 21/9/2018 (1146 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Next month marks two years until Manitoba's next provincial election. Access to postsecondary education (PSE) and how it relates to skills and jobs will undoubtedly come up for debate. The affordability of PSE is a perennial concern across the world, and Manitoba is no exception.

Over the past couple of years, a remarkable new policy direction  arguably the most important movement in higher education financing right now  has gained traction in a number of countries almost simultaneously. Though the labelling varies from place to place, all effectively consist of Targeted Free Tuition (TFT).

TFT is essentially a policy that bridges one of the great divides in PSE: the question of tuition fees. Systems that do not charge tuition at all are seen as affordable, but also are justly criticized for over-subsidising students from wealthier families who do not face substantive financial barriers to education. Systems that charge fees and try to offset their effects with student assistance monies are more efficient, but at the same time are often so complicated that some students end up deterred from applying. One policy leads to waste and overspending; the other potentially to unfairness to lower-income students.

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TFT allows governments to get the best out of both these policies simultaneously: they can charge fees (often substantial ones) to those who can pay, while making a clear promise of no tuition payment to students from families of lesser means. Universities and colleges get the resources they badly need, while students in the greatest need get the assistance they required, packaged in a very simple language: "free." It is, literally, win-win.

The policy was first used by the British government between 1998 and 2006, a period which happened to coincide with some of the largest gains in access to PSE that England and Wales have ever seen. In 2016, the Bachelet government in Chile introduced a similar policy, with students from families from the bottom six income deciles exempted from tuition. Later that year, Ontario and New Brunswick announced similar policies providing grants equivalent to tuition to students from (more or less) below-median incomes.

Since then, New York, South Africa, Italy and Japan have all independently adopted variants of the same policy. Though it is too early to make definitive statements about the effects of these policies, the U.K.s experience at the turn of the millennium suggests that this could be an efficient and progressive way to increase access through affordability.

The obvious critique of TFT is that it might seem costly. However, in Manitoba, this would not necessarily be the case: federal grants through the Canada Student Loans Program already cover roughly three-quarters of the cost of tuition for low-income students. Additionally, Manitoba could reprofile monies from expensive programs with dubious efficacy. The province has two such tax credits: the education amount tax credit (which dates to the Diefenbaker era) and the tuition fee income tax rebate (a windfall gain to people who are relatively advantaged)  both of which have dubious efficacy at increasing access and are expensive to maintain  which could yield up to $67 million, some of which could be more productively spent in the form of up-front grants.

In the information age, finding new ways to ensure universities and colleges are properly funded is critical to all economic policy. Meanwhile, eliminating financial barriers to universities and colleges  and the opportunities that can only be accessed via the degrees and diplomas they provide  is critical to all social policy. TFT thus sits at a crucial intersection of economic and social policy, and the government of Manitoba would be well-advised to give this a long, hard look.

Alex Usher is the president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, a consultancy based in Toronto. Robert Burroughs is a research associate at HESA. The full report, in which these findings are detailed, entitled Targeted Free Tuition: A Global Analysis is now available on HESAs website.
Salisbury is a nice old English town with a fine cathedral, only an hour and a half from London by train, but it doesnt see many Russian tourists in wintertime. Its not as cold as Moscow, but Russians tend to prefer Mediterranean destinations for holiday breaks in early March  unless, of course, they are planning to kill somebody.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/9/2018 (1146 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Salisbury is a nice old English town with a fine cathedral, only an hour and a half from London by train, but it doesnt see many Russian tourists in wintertime. Its not as cold as Moscow, but Russians tend to prefer Mediterranean destinations for holiday breaks in early March  unless, of course, they are planning to kill somebody.

The person of interest in Salisbury was Sergei Skripal, a former member of the Russian military intelligence service who started selling information to the British in the mid-1990s and was caught and jailed by the Russians in 2004. He was pardoned and allowed to go to Britain as part of a spy swap between western countries and Russia in 2010, and he settled in Salisbury.

On March 4, Skripal and his daughter, who was visiting from Moscow, were found semi-conscious on a bench in Salisbury and taken to a hospital. They spent weeks in intensive care, and it was determined that they had been poisoned by Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent that falls into the category of banned chemical weapons.

A policeman who went to Skripals house was also struck down by the poison, which had been sprayed on the handle of the front door, but he also recovered. Three months later, a Nina Ricci perfume bottle that contained leftover Novichok was found in a charity bin in Salisbury, and a woman who sprayed it on her wrists died.

Britain accused Russia of sending assassins to kill Skripal and of using a banned weapon. It had no hard proof beyond the Novichok, but Skripal was still helping western intelligence agencies understand Russian training and techniques, so Moscow had a motive.

Many people pointed out that it would have been foolish for Moscow to choose such a complicated method and risk exposure. Why wouldnt it just hire a non-Russian hitman to do the job? But Moscow has done this sort of thing before: Russian agents, exotic substances, the lot.

Alexander Litvinenko, a member of the FSB secret service, got into trouble after his investigation into links between Russian mafia groups and his own organization made him unpopular with Vladimir Putin, the FSBs head. Litvinenko fled Russia for Britain after Putin took over the presidency in 2000.

Litvinenko remained a harsh critic of Putin, and in 2006, Dmitry Kovtun and Andrey Lugovoy, both former FSB agents, were sent to London to kill him. CCTV images showed the killers with Litvinenko at a London hotel where they dosed his tea with a tiny amount of polonium-210, a highly toxic radioactive substance that would not normally be spotted because it does not emit gamma rays.

That was a reasonably competent operation, exposed only by bad luck. The 2018 operation was different. CCTV images, released only last week, showed Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov, two 30-something Russian "fitness trainers," making a brief trip to Salisbury on March 3, presumably to do reconnaissance, and back to the town on March 4 to do the dirty deed.

But then it got weird. Putin publicly urged the two men to go on TV, and last Thursday they appeared on RT, a Russian international news channel, to explain their brief trip (which gave them only 54 hours in England).

"Our friends had been suggesting for a long time that we visit this wonderful town," Petrov said. They especially wanted to see Salisbury Cathedral, Boshirov said: "Its famous for its 123-metre spire, its famous for its clock." But they looked like heavies from central casting, and not at all like clock-tower enthusiasts. "Nekulturny" (uncultured), as the Russians say.

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Why did they only spend 30 minutes in Salisbury the first time? "It was cold." (It was 10 C warmer than Moscow.) Why did they take another train down to Salisbury the next day? "We really wanted to see Old Sarum and the cathedral." (Old Sarum is an Iron-Age hill fort near Salisbury that was closed on March 4.)

And on March 4, one of the CCTV cameras picked them up close to Skripals house and far from the cathedral or any other tourist attractions.

Is Russia deliberately trolling the British government to show its contempt? Probably not, because it has tried very hard to distance itself from the crime in other international venues. Did Putins regime put those two highly implausible "tourists" on RT because it forgot that different standards of truth prevail elsewhere? Maybe.

But the likeliest answer is that these clumsy and self-defeating actions are indicators of how far the rot in the regime has gone. Elements of the system, such as the armed forces (which have performed well in Syria), retain their efficiency and discipline, but corruption and incompetence rule elsewhere.

The Salisbury debacle would not have happened 18 years ago, when Putins reign was new. It suggests that the regime is a lot closer to its end than its beginning.

Gwynne Dyers new book is Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work).
You are here: China

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), called for focusing reforms on solving practical problems on Thursday.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while presiding over the fourth meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform, which he heads.

Both the importance and difficulty of reform lie in implementation, Xi said.

Saying that there are more and more favorable conditions for carrying out reforms and focusing on implementation, he called for putting more energy and efforts into implementation and focusing reforms on solving real problems.

Li Keqiang and Wang Huning, both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the reform committee, attended the meeting.

The meeting approved a number of documents:

-- a document on promoting high-quality development;

-- a document on establishing more effective mechanisms for coordinated regional development;

-- measures on supporting pilot free trade zones' efforts to deepen reform and innovation;

-- a guideline on improving regulation of systematically important financial institutions;

-- a document on reforming and improving the national vaccine regulation system;

-- a document on integrating systems of planning to make national development plans play a better role of strategic guidance;

-- a document on promoting the alignment of small farmers with the development of modern agriculture.

More efforts should be made to formulate policies that promote high-quality development in important areas including manufacturing, high-tech industries, service and infrastructure, and public services, and to put protecting the people's interests at a more prominent position, said a statement released after the meeting.

More effective mechanisms for coordinated regional development should be set up by sticking to the new development philosophy, giving play to comparative advantages of each area, and narrowing regional development gap, said the statement,

Pilot free trade zones should be granted more power to reform and further open up, as well as policy support to create a good environment for investment, boost trade facilitation, and make financial innovation serve the real economy, said the statement.

Policies should be clarified to put in place institutional arrangements for identifying, regulating and dealing with systematically important financial institutions, it said.

On vaccine regulation, strong measures should be adopted to enforce strict market access, strengthen market supervision, improve logistics and delivery, standardize vaccination management, eradicate regulation loopholes, and crack down on acts violating laws and regulations, it said.

More efforts should also be made to set up a policy system supporting small farmers' development, boost their level of organization, and improve their production and operation capabilities, to transform them from traditional small farmers into modern ones, according to the statement.
Theres a certain undefinable allure to participating in a referendum, such as the upcoming vote on whether Portage and Main should be opened to above-ground pedestrian crossings.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Theres a certain undefinable allure to participating in a referendum, such as the upcoming vote on whether Portage and Main should be opened to above-ground pedestrian crossings.

Voters will feel they are deciding something important, an enticing form of direct democracy, with citizens offering clear instruction to civic government. The result of the Oct. 24 referendum is not binding, but the candidates running for civic office will surely feel obligated to treat it as such.

Previous ballot questions The last time the City of Winnipeg held a plebiscite was 1983. Here are the two questions voters were asked. click to read more The last time the City of Winnipeg held a plebiscite was 1983. Here are the two questions voters were asked: "Should the provincial government withdraw its proposed constitutional amendment and allow the Bilodeau case to proceed to be heard and decided by the Supreme Court of Canada on the validity of English-only laws passed by the legislature of Manitoba since 1890?" The result: 76.49% of Winnipeggers voted yes. "Do you support nuclear disarmament by all nations on a gradual basis with the ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapons and mandate the federal government to negotiate and implement with other governments steps leading to the earliest possible accomplishment of this goal? The result: 76.91% of voters supported disarmament. Before 1983, the last city referendum was held in 1968, when voters agreed to allow commercial billiard halls to remain open on Sundays. Close

As well as empowering the public, referendums are sometimes seen as a way to engage more people in political issues. People given the opportunity to vote directly on issues will  at least according to optimistic theory  get better informed before making their decision.

So, why are referendums in Manitoba even more rare than the Winnipeg Blue Bombers winning the Grey Cup, which last happened in 1990?

Manitobans with good memories might recall the 1983 opportunity to vote on global nuclear disarmament and English-only language laws; those with even greater powers of recall might think back to a 1968 vote regarding whether billiard halls could open on Sundays.

But almost all civic and provincial issues since then have been decided by elected politicians. And thats as it should be.

What Winnipeg and Manitoba dont need is the ballot-box chaos experienced in some other jurisdictions. In Switzerland, citizens answered 103 referendum questions during 31 votes over a 10-year period. Among the examples of the mischievous issues referendums can raise are a 2012 Arizona ballot initiative pondering whether the state should claim sole ownership of the Grand Canyon and a 2012 Colorado proposal for a state commission to track outer-space aliens (both were defeated).

Referendums, especially the type that are binding on politicians, can be problematic. People deciding a complicated matter should have a thorough understanding of the issue and its ramifications; referendum questions tend, however, to be decided by emotiondriven responses that favour the status quo. That reality can create opportunities for political mischiefmakers to manipulate the outcomes.

Referendums, especially the type that are binding on politicians, can be problematic. People deciding a complicated matter should have a thorough understanding of the issue and its ramifications; referendum questions tend, however, to be decided by emotion-driven responses that favour the status quo. That reality can create opportunities for political mischief-makers to manipulate the outcomes.

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Its possible local projects that are now admired for their long-term vision, such as construction of the Red River Floodway and the transformation of The Forks from an ugly rail yard into an internationally renowned gathering place, would have been voted down if left to the will of citizens at the time.

Rather than the so-called direct democracy of referendums, Winnipeg and Manitoba are better served by the current system of representative democracy. Duly elected politicians study an issue, notify the public of their intended action, allow time for debate and then act.

Call it indirect democracy. The theory is that we vote for smart, ethical politicians whose campaign promises match our priorities and aspirations. Then we let them do their jobs; if they dont do them well, we fire them at the next election.

We can discuss at length whether Mayor Brian Bowman has abandoned his campaign promise to reopen the intersection, choosing instead to support the referendum and say he will consider the results to be binding. The reality of the political moment is that Mr. Bowman had no other choice.

Like it or not, Winnipeg is heading to a referendum, and citizens should inform themselves before entering the voting booth. To what degree would a reopened intersection help revitalize downtown Winnipeg, making it more appealing to shoppers, tourists and downtown dwellers? What effect would reopening have on rush-hour traffic, including the many buses that use the intersection? What will be the complete financial cost?

We expect our elected leaders to be well informed before they vote on important issues. On Oct. 24, this ones on us.
Police from China and Cambodia have busted a major online pornographic performance platform and detained 162 suspects from China and Cambodia, the Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday.





It is thought to be the biggest live pornographic platform to be smashed by Chinese police, the ministry said.





According to the ministry, police captured the 18 main suspects in Cambodia and brought them back to China to face trial. They detained the other 144 accused of spreading obscene articles from 20 provinces and regions nationwide.





The police also seized 240 phones and computers used as tools in the crimes, along with 1.5 TB of electronic data. The amount of money involved reached 250 million yuan ($36.4 million).





"Disseminating pornographic materials has seriously degraded the healthy network environment and brought great harm to people's physical and mental health, and we will strenuously fight such crimes," a statement from the ministry said on Thursday.





The investigation dates to March, when police from Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, discovered that some people were promoting a cellphone app called Max through WeChat, forums and QQ groups. When a purchase was made, the buyer would become a member and receive passwords.





The passwords granted access to a live platform, on which women and men performed sex acts in revealing dress. Such shows were then broadcast by 117 branch platforms under the main one.





Investigators found that the main computer server of the network was located abroad. The principals, including the boss, managers and technicians, rented servers in Hong Kong, and logged into them from Cambodia, the police said.





The ministry said general agents were hired on the Chinese mainland who purchased password cards at 4 yuan each. The general agents then developed various levels of other agents nationwide and sold them the password cards at 10 to 20 yuan each; those secondary agents then attracted several million memberships and sold customers password cards for as much as 100 yuan each.





Before the police smashed the operation, 3.5 million people had purchased the password cards and logged in to the platform to view the pornographic videos. The amount of money involved reached 250 million yuan.





The police found that the agents were involved in 20 provinces and regions. An investigative team was set up under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Security.





In May, three Chinese police officers went to Cambodia to investigate further. With the assistance of Cambodian police, they located the 18 Chinese suspects in a villa near a port.





In August, more than 30 Cambodian police surrounded the villa and launched a raid, capturing the main 18 Chinese suspects, who were working on their computers. Many criminal tools were confiscated at the scene, the authorities said.





Moreover, 300 officers from Zhejiang in several action groups captured 200 gang members from 20 Chinese provinces and regions, criminally detaining 144 of them.





The ministry said it will actively investigate, and would urge the public to report clues so as to intensify the crackdown on such crimes to purify the network environment.
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The Cap Times summed up Brad Schimels performance as Attorney General accurately and succinctly when it called him the worst AG in state history.

Following are some of the outrageous actions Schimel has perpetrated on Wisconsin in fewer than four years:

 Although Schimel was awarded $7 million to process a backlog of 6,800 sexual assault evidence kits, he failed for nearly four years to get it done.

The kits, more commonly known as rape kits, contain evidence collected from the body and clothing of victims of rape or sexual assault. DNA samples gleaned from the kits are essential to prosecuting perpetrators of the crimes.

Under great pressure from the media and political foes, Schimel began processing the kits this year. By the end of May, evidence from 1,884 kits had been tested. Seventy-five of them yielded DNA matches with profiles in the FBIs database. Two of those matches already have led to charges against men whod been left free by Schimel to continue raping women for more than three years while he failed to carry out his responsibility.

Recently, Schimel announced that all the kits had been tested. He tried, without success, to turn that milestone into a bragging point for his re-election campaign.

Schimel, who is no friend to the truth, has lied several times to cover up the failure of his office to fulfill this critical responsibility. In one broadcast interview, he denied the state even had a backlog of rape kits. PolitiFact gave that bizarre statement a pants on fire rating.

Last fall, while the rape-kit evidence continued to languish untested, Schimel awarded his former crime labs director a $7,300 bonus.

Schimels Department of Justice has failed to deliver on all DNA testing. Recently, a judge blasted the DOJ for negligence. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Borowski was forced to reduce bail for a defendant in a double-homicide case because the crime lab dragged its heels for so long in processing DNA evidence.

For it to take more than three months  almost four months  to have a DNA result on a homicide case, is completely unacceptable, Borowski said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

In 2013, Schimel had the Republican Legislature pass a law imposing a DNA-testing fee of $200 on anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or felony. The law was set to begin Jan. 1, 2014, but people convicted of crimes were given 15 months to provide their DNA. The delay, according to a suit filed against the law, was intended to give the DOJ time to raise funds to cover testing expenses.

The law was found unconstitutional.

 Part of Schimels DOJ budget went to self-promotions so tacky they could have been created by Donald Trump. Invoices obtained through an open records request last fall showed that Schimel spent $83,000 on swag to hand out as gifts to attendees at DOJ conferences.

He spent $10,000 for coins emblazoned with his personal mantra: Kicking ass every day.

Another $6,269 went for messenger bags with his logo and $6,000 went for pistol cases.

His office spent nearly $3,200 on candy and $100 on fortune cookies containing custom messages.

The liberal group One Wisconsin Now summed up the shameless behavior with the quip, Schimel put the AG in swag.

 Theres nothing Schimel cherishes more than joining in high-profile lawsuits  except when they involve opioids. Hes wasted many thousands of taxpayer dollars on legal cases that are not in the interest of Wisconsinites so he could rack up conservative bona fides to use in competing for a Republican nomination for higher office.

Meanwhile, hes avoided getting involved in cases that would benefit Wisconsinites  for instance, a suit to maintain net neutrality.

Moreover, although two-thirds of Wisconsins counties have called on Schimel to join at least 22 other attorneys general in suing opioid manufacturers, hes declined.

Could that be because Schimel has taken  and continues to take  donations from pharmaceutical companies that produce the drugs being blamed for the crisis?

Take Purdue Pharmaceuticals, makers of Oxycontin, for example. In addition to contributing money directly to Schimel and Scott Walker, the company gave $300,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2016. RAGA already has run ads attacking Josh Kaul, Schimels Democratic challenger.

Schimels first TV commercial did address the opioid crisis. But in it, Schimel blamed families, not Big Pharma.

 While taking a pass on suing drug companies, Schimel, with the backing of Walker, joined in expensive suits against Obama administration policies, particularly suits challenging environmental regulations.

Hes currently part of a suit under consideration by a federal judge in Texas to suspend the Affordable Care Act on the basis that its unconstitutional. Since the constitutionality of the ACA, also known as Obamacare, was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court eight years ago, Schimels purpose in joining the suit has to be political. Nevertheless, taxpayers will foot the bill.

Suspension of the ACA would allow insurance companies to deny applications that contain previously existing conditions and wreak havoc on the industry.

 During his tenure, Schimel has sought to protect polluters from being held accountable for the damage they cause to the states water and air.

For instance, he limited the Department of Natural Resources authority to monitor or limit high-capacity wells, regardless of the damage they would do to nearby streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. Such mega wells, built for factory-scale dairy farms, are using up the states groundwater.

Schimel selected a dairy industry lobbyist to run his environmental protection unit.

Under Schimel, fines against polluters in 2015 fell to $306,834, while the average for the last 10 years was $2.2 million per year  seven times that amount.

 Schimel almost derailed economic development plans allowing Wisconsin farmers to grow hemp to produce CBD oil. The oil is used to treat seizures and other health problems, but it does not contain enough THC to produce the high that marijuana delivers.

Schimel said hed heard about kids getting high on CBD oil and, based on that perception, he put the brakes on the states would-be hemp industry before it even got started by threatening to arrest farmers who produced the oil.

He quickly changed his tune after Republican lawmakers and the agricultural lobby stepped in to educate him.

If this incident makes Schimel seem less than intelligent, bear in mind that its not the only incident.

Schimel openly bragged during an interview that Republicans photo ID rules helped Donald Trump win in Wisconsin. He didnt get the memo that his party was supposed to pretend the rules were adopted because of voter fraud that never actually existed.

Throw this bum out.
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Matt Rothschild, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, says the state is "open for bribery" because of a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision and state law changes that have loosened campaign finance rules.
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Mo Huanjing, a nanny who started a fire that killed four members of a family in 2017, was executed on Friday morning in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.





"Mo should be brought to justice for the arson...she committed the act with despicable criminal motives under serious circumstances, resulting in huge social harm and serious consequences," the Supreme People's Court said in a final review which upheld the death sentence.





Although Mo cooperated by confessing to the crime, the severity of the case did not allow for a more lenient punishment, the court said in its review.





Mo's family members refused to meet with her before the execution, although a meeting was allowed by the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court, which carried out the sentence.





Mo was sentenced to death in February after being convicted of starting a fire in a Hangzhou apartment that killed Zhu Xiaozhen and her three children on June 22.





She appealed the sentence, but it was rejected in June by the Zhejiang High People's Court.





Mo, 35, was burdened with heavy gambling debt and sought nanny positions in 2015 to pay her creditors. In September 2016, she obtained a live-in nanny job at Zhu's home in Hangzhou.





She stole gold jewelry and watches from the family, pawning them for over 180,000 yuan between March and June last year.





On June 22, after losing 60,000 yuan from bad bets, she decided to win Zhu's gratitude and get more money by lighting a fire then putting it out. But the fire spread quickly, forcing an escape from the home. Zhu and her three children died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The following companies are subsidiares of BorgWarner: B80 Italia S.r.l., BERU AG, BW El Salto S.A. De C.V., BWA Receivables Corporation, BWA Turbo Systems Holding LLC, Borg Warner Europe Holdings (PDS) B. V., BorgWarner (China) Investment Co. Ltd., BorgWarner (Reman) Holdings L.L.C., BorgWarner (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner Aftermarket Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Alternators Inc., BorgWarner Arden LLC, BorgWarner Arnstadt RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Asia Inc., BorgWarner Automotive Asia Limited, BorgWarner Automotive Components (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Brasil Ltda., BorgWarner Chungju Co. LLC, BorgWarner Comercial e Distribuidora de Pecas para Veiculos Automotores Ltda., BorgWarner Comercializadora PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Componentes PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Cooling Systems (India) Private Limited, BorgWarner Cooling Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Diversified Transmission Products Services Inc., BorgWarner Drivetrain Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Drivetrain Management Services de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Drivetrain de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Electric Motors L.L.C., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems Holding LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Emissions Systems LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Portugal Unipessoal LDA, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Spain S.L.U., BorgWarner Emissions Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Emissions Talegaon Private Limited, BorgWarner Engineering Ketsch RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Engineering Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Esslingen GmbH, BorgWarner Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Europe Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Gateshead Limited, BorgWarner Germany Holding GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Holding Services GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REH GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REM GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, BorgWarner Global Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Heidelberg I RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg II RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg REH GmbH, BorgWarner Heidelberg REM GmbH, BorgWarner Holding Inc., BorgWarner Holdings Limited, BorgWarner Hungary Kft., BorgWarner IT Services Europe GmbH, BorgWarner India Holdings Inc., BorgWarner Investment Holding Inc., BorgWarner Ithaca LLC, BorgWarner Ketsch Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Ketsch REH GmbH, BorgWarner Ketsch REM GmbH, BorgWarner Kft., BorgWarner Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Korea Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Korea Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Korea LLC, BorgWarner Limited, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf REH GmbH, BorgWarner Markdorf REM GmbH, BorgWarner Massachusetts Inc., BorgWarner Mauritius Holdings Ltd., BorgWarner Mexico Holding BV, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings II LLC, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Morse Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Morse Systems Italy S.r.l., BorgWarner Morse Systems Japan K.K., BorgWarner Morse Systems Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Muggendorf RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner NW Inc., BorgWarner Netherlands Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Oroszlany Kft., BorgWarner PDS (Anderson) L.L.C., BorgWarner PDS (Changnyeong) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Indiana) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Livonia) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Ochang) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner PDS (USA) Inc., BorgWarner PDS Brasil Produtos Automotivos Ltda., BorgWarner PDS Irapuato S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Technologies L.L.C., BorgWarner Poland Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Pyongtaek LLC, BorgWarner Romeo Power LLC, BorgWarner Rzeszow Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Shenglong (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner South Asia LLC, BorgWarner Southborough Inc., BorgWarner Spain Holding S.L.U, BorgWarner Sweden AB, BorgWarner Systems Lugo S.r.l., BorgWarner Thermal Systems Inc., BorgWarner Thermal Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Tralee Ltd., BorgWarner Transmission Products LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Arnstadt GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Korea LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Tulle S.A.S., BorgWarner Trustees Limited, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems France S.A.S., BorgWarner Turbo Systems Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems LLC, BorgWarner Turbo Systems Worldwide Headquarters GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Turbo and Emissions Systems de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner UK Financing Ltd., BorgWarner UK Holding and Services Ltd., BorgWarner US Holding LLC, BorgWarner USA Industries L.L.C., BorgWarner United Transmission Systems Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Waterloo Inc., BorgWarner Wrexham Limited, Cascadia Motion LLC, Creon Insurance Agency Limited, Delphi Technologies, Dytech ENSA, Gustav Wahler GmbH u. Co. KG, Haldex, Kuhlman LLC, Kysor Europe Limited, M. & M. Knopf Auto Parts L.L.C., NSK-Warner (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., NSK-Warner K.K., NSK-Warner Mexico S.A. de C.V, NSK-Warner U.S.A. Inc., New PDS Corp., Old Remco Holdings L.L.C., Old Remco International Holdings L.L.C., Remy International, SeohanWarner Turbo Systems LLC, Sevcon, Sevcon New Energy Technology (Hubei) Company Limited, and Transmission Systems AutoForm LLC.
The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. T

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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

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Africa Energy Corp. operates as an oil and gas exploration and production company in South Africa and Namibia. It holds a 90% interest in the Exploration Right for Block 2B offshore that covers an area of 3,062 square kilometers located in the west coast of South Africa; 43.85% interest in the Petroleum Exploration License 37 covering an area of 17,295 square kilometers located in the northern Namibian offshore region; and 49% interest in the Exploration Right for Block 11B/12B covering an area of approximately 19,000 square kilometers located in the Outeniqua Basin off the southern coast of South Africa. The company was formerly known as Horn Petroleum Corporation and changed its name to Africa Energy Corp. in March 2015. Africa Energy Corp. was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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Allergan plc, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical, and regenerative medicine products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: US Specialized Therapeutics, US General Medicine, and International. It offers a portfolio of products in various therapeutic areas, including medical aesthetics and dermatology, eye care, neuroscience, urology, gastrointestinal, women's health, and anti-infective therapeutic products. The company also offers breast implants and tissue expanders; and RM-131 (relamorelin), a peptide ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. In addition, it develops medical and cosmetic treatments; therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and other liver diseases; inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders; atopic dermatitis drug candidate; peri-ocular rings for extended drug delivery and reducing elevated intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients; and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Further, the company develops RST-001, a novel gene therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa; small molecule therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases; topical medicines for fat reduction; and delivery system and botulinum toxin-based prescription products. It has collaboration, option, and license agreement with Lyndra, Inc.; and strategic alliance and option agreement with Editas Medicine, Inc. Allergan plc also has licensing agreements with Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; MedImmune; and Heptares Therapeutics, Ltd. The company was formerly known as Actavis plc and changed its name to Allergan plc in June 2015. Allergan plc was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

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Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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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.
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates integrated natural gas and natural gas liquids and other hydrocarbons (NGLs) pipeline and storage systems in the United States. It operates interstate natural gas and NGLs pipeline systems, and integrated storage facilities, which are located in the Gulf Coast region, Oklahoma, Arkansas and the Midwestern states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The company's pipeline systems contain approximately 13,880 miles of interconnected natural gas pipelines, directly serving customers in 13 states and indirectly serving customers throughout the northeastern and southeastern United States through various interconnections with unaffiliated pipelines. It also owns and operates approximately 455 miles of NGLs pipelines serving customers in Louisiana and Texas. In addition, the company has underground storage caverns having aggregate capacity of approximately 205.0 billion cubic feet of working natural gas and 24.5 million barrels of NGLs. It serves producers of natural gas, local distribution companies, marketers, electric power generators, industrial users, and interstate and intrastate pipelines. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP is a subsidiary of Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp.

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CNA Financial Corp. operates as an insurance holding company. Its products primarily include commercial property and casualty coverages, including surety. The company's services include risk management, information services and warranty and claims administration. The firm operates through Property & Casualty Operations and Outside Property & Casualty Operations. The Property & Casualty Operations comprises of three segments: Specialty, commercial and international. The Specialty segment provides professional, financial and specialty property and casualty products and services. The Commercial segment includes property and casualty coverages sold to small businesses and middle market entities and organizations primarily through an independent agency distribution system. The International segment underwrites property and casualty coverages. The Outside Property & Casualty Operations consists of two segments: Life & Group and Corporate & Other. The Life & Group segment includes the results of the individual and group long term care businesses that are in run-off. The Corporate & Other segment involves in the corporate expenses, including interest on corporate debt, and the results of

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First Data Corporation provides commerce enabled technology and solutions for merchants, financial institutions, and card issuers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Global Business Solutions, Global Financial Solutions, and Network & Security Solutions. The Global Business Solutions segment provides solutions to merchants, such as retail point of sale merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and mobile payment services, as well as cloud based point of sale operating system that include a marketplace for proprietary and third party applications. The Global Finance Solutions segment provides technology solutions for bank and non-bank issuers, such as credit, retail private label, commercial card, and loan processing, as well as licensed financial software systems; suite of account services that include card personalization and embossing, customer communications, and professional services; and call center solutions and back office processing. The Network & Security Solutions segment offers EFT network, stored value network, and security and fraud solutions, as well as other value added solutions to its clients in GBS and GFS segments, smaller financial institutions, and other enterprise clients. First Data Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom.

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Tailored Brands, Inc. (NYSE:TLRD) issued its earnings results on Wednesday, March, 18th. The company reported ($0.46) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.54) by $0.08. The company had revenue of $690.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $708.46 million. Tailored Brands had a negative trailing twelve-month return on equity of 138.49% and a negative net margin of 14.39%. Tailored Brands's quarterly revenue was down 12.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned ($0.28) EPS.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited.
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4.1 Community Rank

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The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA.
The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos.
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..




Ten years after the Global Financial Crisis, where are we, and what happens next?



It is often easier to look at an incident in isolation rather than against its broader context, but looking at a tree will not tell you how big the forest is. Unfortunately, the Global Financial Crisis is just one tree in an increasingly dense forest of financial crises. These incidents have been increasing in frequency and global impact. However, as the financial and political paradigm continues to evolve, but our metrics and solutions are not keeping pace.

Since the Industrial Revolution the world has seen an unprecedented growth in per capita income and living standards. Based on an IMF study by Angus Maddison since the 1800's GDP per capita has gone up over 6,000 percent.

There has also seen dramatic increase in the number and global impact of financial crises. If you looked at the chart produced by Deutsche bank of financial crises since the 1800's you would see a massive increase in the number and pace of crisis leading to today. If it was an electrocardiogram the world would be clearly having a heart attack.

Since the 1800' there has seen a dramatic reversal in the investment of tangible vs. intangible assets. A Wall Street Journal chart based on research by economists Carol Corrado and Charles Hulten, shows that since 1977 the rate of investment in tangible and intangibles has inverted.

According to Leonard Nakamura, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia,

"Altogether, companies in the U.S. could have more than $8 trillion in intangible assets . That's nearly half of the combined $17.9 trillion market capitalization of the S&P 500 index.

These days, companies put far more money into nonphysical assets, such as customer databases, than they do in building new factories. Companies invested the equivalent of 14 percent of the private sector's gross domestic product in intangibles in 2014, according to research by economist Carol Corrado. The investment in physical assets was about 10 percent of that sum."

According to David Post, who leads the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board's (SASB) team of sector analysts, in an interview with Christopher P. Skroupa on Nov. 1, 2017:

"Intangibles have grown from filling 20 percent of corporate balance sheets to 80 percent, due in large part to the expanding nature, and rising importance, of intangibles, as represented by intellectual capital vs. bricks-and-mortar, research and development vs. capital spending, services vs. manufacturing, and the list goes on."

This example encapsulates the existence and value of Apple, a trillion Dollar company based on 98 percent intangibles, consisting of brand, research and IP, but which raked in 87 percent of the profits from cell phones sales worldwide in 2017.

Volatility fueled by a lack of metrics leading to speculation

Classical capitalist economic theory emphasizes the need for transparency of information and understanding of valuation. Tangible assets fit this model and land, factories, equipment, inventory, distribution, logistics etc. can be easily understood and valued with the metrics we have. However, we lack accurate metrics to value intangible assets like brand, research and IP, making them more or less pigs in a poke. The result has been a series of speculative bubbles.

A smaller percentage of the world, dominated by the West, controls and drives a larger percentage of its wealth, which is being created in the East.

Half of the world's total wealth is held by 1 percent of the population, including 84 percent of the world's stocks.

The U.S. and Europe represent 10 percent of the world's population but hold 60 percent of its wealth. Emerging and developing nations have over 85 percent of the world's population and just under 60 percent of its GDP (PPP).

The 24-hour non-stop churn of financial markets allow those with money to pursue investment yields around the clock, but it just means that investment is driven increasingly faster, and by a smaller number of people. These money managers create volatility as they drive prices for equities, companies and assets up and down.

The combination of concentrated wealth, shifting markets and financial opportunism are like tectonic plates, which are driving global political and economic friction.

What drives our markets has changed

The nature of what drives our economy has changed dramatically from individual necessities like food, water, shelter and clothing, collective necessities like power, sewage, transportation, education, communication, medicine and child and elder care, to choices. These choices focus primarily on the artificial veneer of our existence, in terms of how we define ourselves, from clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry and cell phones to jobs, houses and cars. The growth of choice as the main economic driver for emerging and developed nations has created more volatility and is partially why intangible assets now dwarf tangible assets. However, choice is fickle and we've seen how a Fortune 500 brand can easily lose its luster overnight due to controversy or changing public perception.

The domination of the trade dollar has become an economic drag.

The dominance of the U.S. dollar as the facto trading currency has grown beyond its competence. While it facilitates private transactions, it is fracturing national economies. Developing and emerging countries that are forced to borrow in dollar denominated debt by credit markets are then at the mercy of currency devaluations and market volatility. Argentina, Turkey and Ukraine are clear examples of this.

Technology is changing our world and its future

Technology will be responsible for eliminating between 1/3 and 1/2 of existing jobs in the next 12 years. Given the magnitude of these numbers, people should expect political, economic and cultural changes in line with the Industrial Revolution.

Conclusion

Looking back at the Global Financial Crisis 10 years on, it is tempting to try to explain it in terms of greed and lax regulations, but it is probably more useful to start thinking of it as part of a pattern of increasingly frequent financial crises. These crises have become the norm rather than the exception. There are many drivers of this new reality and some have been mentioned above, but they are by no means exhaustive. Just like global warming, there are many variables which contribute to the phenomenon. The question, at this point is, what is the best approach to deal with an enigma with no seeming endgame. Some say "faith" in the free market will solve everything, while others point to pragmatic planning and action. Given what we've seen in history, the answer seems closer to the latter.

This is not to say the future is bleak. To the contrary, the future will be influenced by what we do, but that does not include clinging to old approaches in the hopes they will solve our new challenges.

Einar Tangen is a political and economic affairs commentator, author and columnist.





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
Magna International Inc. designs, engineers, and manufactures components, assemblies, systems, subsystems, and modules for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and light trucks worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Body Exteriors & Structures, Power & Vision, Seating Systems, and Complete Vehicles. Its Body Exteriors & Structures segment provides body and chassis systems, as well as engineering and testing services; exterior systems, including fascia and trims, front end modules, front integration panels, liftgate modules, active aerodynamics, engineered glass, running boards, truck bed access products, and side doors; and roof systems, such as modular and textile folding roofs, and hard and soft tops. The company's Power & Vision segment offers dedicated hybrid, dual and e-clutch, and manual transmissions; engine drive plates and accessories; AWD/4WD products, rear drive modules, and hybrid and battery electric drive systems; transmission, engine, and driveline components; advanced driver assistance systems, camera systems, ultrasonic sensors, and electronic controllers; interior and exterior mirrors, actuators, door handles, overhead consoles, and camera monitoring systems; head, tail, and fog lamps; signal and other lighting products; and latching systems, door modules, window systems, power closure systems, hinges and wire forming, and handle assemblies. Its Seating Systems segment provides seat structures, mechanism and hardware solutions, and foam and trim products. The company's Complete Vehicles segment offers vehicle manufacturing and engineering services. It also designs, engineers, and manufactures tooling products. Magna International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Aurora, Canada.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A  Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. De C.V., Dal-Tile Peru SRL, Dal-Tile Puerto Rico Inc., Dal-Tile Services Inc., Dal-Tile Shared Services Inc., Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC, Dal-Tile of Canada ULC, Daltile, Daltile, Dekaply NV, Durkan, Dynea NV, Eliane Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Eliane S/A - Revestimentos Ceramicos, Emilceramica India Pvt Ltd., Emilceramica S.r.l, Emilgermany GmbH, Emilgroup Asia Ltd, Explorer S.r.l., F.I.L.S. Investments Unlimited Company, Feltex Carpets Ltd, Feltex Carpets Pty Ltd, Feltex New Zealand Ltd, Fibremakers Australia Pty Ltd, Flooring Foundation Ltd, Flooring Industries Limited S.a r.l., Flooring XL B.V., Floorscape Limited, Godfrey Hirst & Co Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Group, Godfrey Hirst NZ Ltd, Hytherm (Ireland) Limited, IVC BVBA, IVC Far-East Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited.
The following companies are subsidiares of Molina Healthcare: Aetna & Humana - Medicare Advantage, Affinity Health Plan, AmericanWork Inc., Better Health Network, Camelot Care Centers Inc, Children's Behavioral Health Inc., Choices Group Inc., College Community Services, Dockside Services Inc, Family Preservation Services Inc., Family Preservation Services of Florida Inc., Family Preservation Services of North Carolina Inc., Family Preservation Services of Washington D.C. Inc., Family Preservation Services of West Virginia Inc., Florida NetPASS LLC, Hclb Inc., Magellan Complete Care, Maple Star Nevada Inc., Maple Star Oregon Inc., Mercy CarePlus, Molina Clinical Services LLC, Molina Healthcare Data Center Inc., Molina Healthcare of Arizona Inc., Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida Inc., Molina Healthcare of Georgia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Molina Healthcare of Iowa Inc., Molina Healthcare of Louisiana Inc., Molina Healthcare of Maryland Inc., Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Molina Healthcare of Nevada Inc., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico Inc., Molina Healthcare of New York Inc., Molina Healthcare of North Carolina Inc., Molina Healthcare of Ohio Inc., Molina Healthcare of Oklahoma Inc., Molina Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Molina Healthcare of Puerto Rico Inc., Molina Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc., Molina Healthcare of Texas Insurance Company, Molina Healthcare of Utah Inc., Molina Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc., Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Inc., Molina Holdings Corporation, Molina Hospital Management LLC, Molina Information Systems LLC dba Molina Medicaid Solutions, Molina Medical Management Inc., Molina Pathways LLC, Molina Pathways of Texas Inc., Molina Youth Academy, NextLevel Health Illinois, Pathways Community Corrections Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC, Pathways Community Support of Texas Inc., Pathways Health and Community Support LLC, Pathways Human Services LLC., Pathways of Arizona Inc., Pathways of Delaware Inc., Pathways of Idaho LLC, Pathways of Maine Inc., Pathways of Massachusetts LLC, Pathways of Oklahoma Inc., Pathways of Washington Inc., Providence Community Services, Providence Human Services, Raystown Developmental Services Inc., The Game of Work LLC, The RedCo Group Inc., Total Care Medicaid plan, Transitional Family Services Inc., Unisys -Health Information Management, and YourCare Health Plan.
 Flash

China and Singapore on Thursday set priorities for future cooperation and agreed to promote cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.





The pledge came out of a series of high-level cooperative meetings co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean in the island city-state.





The meetings include the 14th China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation Meeting, the 19th China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council Meeting, the 10th China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council Meeting, and the Second China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Joint Steering Council Meeting.





The meetings reviewed the implementation of consensus reached by the leaderships of the two countries and the process of bilateral cooperation in several areas.





Both sides had in-depth discussions on issues such as the Belt and Road construction, economic transition, financial cooperation, cultural exchanges, and inclusive and sustainable development, setting priorities for future cooperation.





Both sides hailed the new progress on exploring high-level opening up and innovation and promoting green and sustainable development and connectivity in the three major cooperative projects, namely the Suzhou Industrial Park, the Tianjin Eco-City and the Chongqing Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, reaffirming both governments' support for the three projects and the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City.





Both agreed that the Belt and Road cooperation has brought great opportunities to the development of China-Singapore ties, calling for efforts to enhance top-down planning and speed up Belt and Road cooperation from a strategic height and long-term perspective.





Both sides also called for better connectivity, financial support and third-party cooperation, pledging to make the construction of China-Singapore land and maritime corridor and third-party cooperation as new highlights of bilateral cooperation.





The two countries announced the launching of negotiations of Treaty on Criminal Judicial Assistance so as to provide legal assurance to the Belt and Road cooperation.





After the meetings, Han and Teo attended the signing ceremony of agreements on innovation, experience sharing, personnel training and culture and people-to-people exchanges.





Han arrived in Singapore on Wednesday for a three-day visit. He is scheduled to meet Singaporean President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong respectively on Friday.
SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Navistar International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells commercial trucks, diesel engines, school and commercial buses, and service parts for trucks and diesel engines worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Truck, Parts, Global Operations, and Financial Services. It manufactures and distributes Class 4 through 8 trucks and buses in the common carrier, private carrier, government, leasing, construction, energy/petroleum, and student and commercial transportation markets under the International and IC brands; and designs, engineers, and produces sheet metal components, including truck cabs and engines. The company also provides customers with proprietary products needed to support the International commercial truck, IC bus, and engine lines, as well as other product lines; and a selection of other standard truck, trailer, and engine aftermarket parts. In addition, it manufactures and distributes mid-range diesel engines, as well as provides customers with additional engine offerings in the agriculture, marine, genset, and light truck markets; sells engines to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for various on-and-off-road applications; and offers contract manufacturing services under the MWM brand to OEMs for the assembly of their engines. Further, the company provides retail, wholesale, and lease financing of products of its trucks and parts, as well as financing for wholesale and retail accounts receivable. Additionally, it exports trucks, buses, and engines. The company markets its commercial products through an independent dealer network, as well as through retail outlets; and its reconditioned used trucks to owner-operators and fleet buyers through its network of used truck dealers. It operates approximately 1,052 outlets in the United States and Canada, and 89 outlets in Mexico. Navistar International Corporation was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Lisle, Illinois.

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The following companies are subsidiares of The Kroger: 84.51 HQ Building Company, 84.51 LLC, Agri-Products, Alpha Beta, Alpha Beta Company, Ansonborough Square Investors I, Ansonborough Square Retail, Ardrey Kell Investments, Bay Area Warehouse Stores, Beech Tree Holdings, Bell Markets, Bleecker Ventures LLC, Bluefield Beverage, Bluefield Beverage Company, Box Cutter, Brier Creek Arbors Drive Retail, CB&S Advertising Agency, Cala Co., Cala Foods, Cheeses of All Nations, Country Oven, Crawford Stores, Creedmoor Retail, Dillon Companies, Dillon Real Estate Co, Dillon Real Estate Co., Dillons, Distribution Trucking Company, Dotto, Edgewood Plaza Holdings, Embassy International, FM, FMJ, Farmacia Doral, Food 4 Less GM, Food 4 Less Holdings, Food 4 Less Merchandising, Food 4 Less of California, Food 4 Less of Southern California, Fred Meyer, Fred Meyer Jewelers, Fred Meyer Stores, Gerbes Supermarkets, Glasswing Labs, Glendale/Goodwin Realty I, Grubstake Investments, HT Fuel DE, HT Fuel MD, HT Fuel NC, HT Fuel SC, HT Fuel VA, HTGBD, HTP Bluffton, HTP Plaza, HTP Plaza LLC, HTP Relo, HTPS, HTTAH, Harris Teeter, Harris Teeter LLC, Harris Teeter Properties, Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Harris-Teeter Services, Healthy Options, Healthy Options Inc., Henpil, Home Chef, Hood-Clayton Logistics, Hood-Clayton Logistics LLC, Hughes Markets, Hughes Realty, I.T.A., IRP, ITAC 119, ITAC 265, Infusion Solutions of Puerto Rico, Inter-American Foods, Inter-American Products, J.V. Distributing, Jondex Corp, Jondex Corp., Jubilee Carolina, Junior Food Stores of West Florida, KCDE, KCDE  2012, KCDE  2013, KCDE-2 LLC, KCDE-3 LLC, KCDE-4 LLC, KCDE-5 LLC, KGO, KGO LLC, KP Sourcing, KPF, KPF Insurance Services, KPF Insurance Services LLC, KPS, KPS AG, KRGP, KRGP Inc., KRLP, KRLP Inc., Kee Trans, Kessel FP, Kessel Pharmacies, Kessel RCD, Kessel Saginaw, King Soopers, Kiosk Medicine Kentucky, Kirkpatrick West Retail, Kroger, Kroger Community Development Entity, Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co, Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co., Kroger Fresh Fare, Kroger G.O., Kroger G.O. LLC, Kroger Limited Partnership I, Kroger Limited Partnership II, Kroger MC Holdings, Kroger MTL Management, Kroger Management Co, Kroger Management Co., Kroger Management  Corryville, Kroger Management  NMTC Athens I, Kroger Management  NMTC Champaign I, Kroger Management  NMTC Champaign II, Kroger Management  NMTC Cincinnati I, Kroger Management  NMTC Dallas I, Kroger Management  NMTC Danville I, Kroger Management  NMTC Griffin I, Kroger Management  NMTC Logansport I, Kroger Management  NMTC Missouri I, Kroger Management  NMTC Oak Ridge I, Kroger Management  NMTC Olney I, Kroger Management  NMTC Omaha I, Kroger Management  NMTC Portsmouth I, Kroger Management  NMTC Starkville I, Kroger Management  NMTC Topeka I, Kroger Management  NMTC Warrenton I, Kroger NMTC Fremont I, Kroger OZ1 Inc., Kroger OZ1 LLC, Kroger OZ2 Inc., Kroger OZ2 LLC, Kroger OZ3 Inc., Kroger OZ3 LLC, Kroger Opportunity Fund I, Kroger Prescription Plans, Kroger Specialty Infusion, Kroger Specialty Infusion AL, Kroger Specialty Infusion CA, Kroger Specialty Infusion Holdings, Kroger Specialty Infusion TX, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy CA, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy CA 2 LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy FL 2 LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings 2, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings 3, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings I, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy LA, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy TN, Kroger Texas L.P., LCGP3 Home Cooking, Local Mkt LLC, Main & Vine LLC, Matthews Property 1, Mega Marts, Michigan Dairy, ModernHealth LTC, Murrays Cheese LLC, Murrays LIC LLC, Murrays Table LLC, Pace Dairy Foods Company, Paramount Logistics, Pay Less Super Markets, Peytons Fountain, Peytons-Southeastern, Plum Labs LLC, Pontiac Foods, Queen City Assurance, RBF, Ralphs Grocery Company, Relish Labs LLC, Rocket Newco, Roundy's, Roundys, Roundys Acquisition Corp., Roundys Illinois, Roundys Supermarkets, Second Story, Shop-Rite, Smiths Beverage of Wyoming, Smiths Food & Drug Centers, Southern Ice Cream Specialties, Stallings Investors I, Sunrise R&D Holdings, Sunrise Technology LLC, THGP Co., THLP Co., TLC Corporate Services LLC, TLC Immunization Clinic LLC, TLC of Georgia LLC, The Kroger Co. of Michigan, The Little Clinic LLC, The Little Clinic Management Services LLC, The Little Clinic of Arizona LLC, The Little Clinic of Colorado LLC, The Little Clinic of IN LLC, The Little Clinic of Kansas LLC, The Little Clinic of Mississippi LLC, The Little Clinic of Ohio LLC, The Little Clinic of TX LLC, The Little Clinic of Tennessee LLC, The Little Clinic of VA LLC, Topvalco, Turkey Hill, Ultimate Mart, Ultra Mart Foods, Vine Court Assurance Incorporated, Vitacost, Vitacost.com, Woodmont Holdings, and YOU Technology.
 Flash

Greece and Germany support a stronger common EU foreign and security policy, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and visiting German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas said on Thursday.





"Your visit coincides with the informal EU summit in Austria and the agenda of this meeting I think that highlights how important is the issue of strengthening the pillar of the EU's Foreign and Security Policy," Pavlopoulos said while welcoming Maas.





"We do have the institutional framework. Inaction in front of what is happening in the wider area is unacceptable. We should not leave this pillar weak, when it comes to the common foreign policy ... as well as in issues of security. The refugee issue is of existential significance for the European Union, as I have said many times," the Greek leader stressed, according to an e-mailed press release.





"I agree with what you have said Mr. President regarding the common Foreign and Security Policy which is very important for us and a challenge," the German minister said on his part.





"It is important to seek a solution to the migration issue with all partners assuming responsibilities. Maybe not all sides assume the same weight, but one cannot only talk about the rights that come with EU membership and seek them and in parallel setting aside the obligations," he added.





On the agenda of separate talks with Greek foreign minister Nikos Kotzias on Thursday were also efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and developments in the western Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean, the two ministers said in joint statements to the press.





"We support the Prespes agreement... Stability and security (in the Balkans) is our common goal," Kotzias said, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT, referring to the agreement the Greek government reached with Skopje authorities in June to end a long-standing dispute over the use of the term "Macedonia".





Maas who visited also Skopje and Tirana before arriving in Athens talked about a "historic opportunity" to strengthen stability in the region by solving the issue.





The German minister also praised Greek people for the difficult battles they gave in recent years to exit the acute debt crisis which started in late 2009.





The country exited on Aug. 20 this year the third of the bailout programs implemented to address the crisis.





"We are confident that Greek economy will continue on the path of recovery," Maas said.
The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW France Finance Alpha S.A.S., ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MOA Enterprises Inc, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V..
Direxion Daily FTSE China Bull 3X Shares' stock was trading at $14.70 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, YINN shares have decreased by 26.7% and is now trading at $10.77.

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Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF's stock was trading at $25.82 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, PCY stock has increased by 4.6% and is now trading at $27.01.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
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China strongly urged the United States to withdraw its sanctions on the Chinese military.





The Trump administration has imposed penalties on the purchase of national defense equipment from Russia, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press conference in Beijing.





The United States said China's armed forces are in breach of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA) which was implemented to punish Moscow for meddling in the 2016 US election.
The Williams Cos., Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company, which explores, produces, transports, sells and processes natural gas and petroleum products. It operates through the following segments: Transmission and Gulf of Mexico; Northeast G&P; and West. The Transmission and Gulf of Mexico segment comprises of interstate natural gas pipelines, Transco and Northwest Pipeline, as well as natural gas gathering and processing and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. The Northeast G&P segment includes midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation businesses in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment consists of gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins. The company was founded by David Williams and Miller Williams in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa,

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The following companies are subsidiares of Crown: Adularia Inversiones 2010 S.L., Angleboard Sweden AB, Bates Cargo-Pak ApS, Butimove, CMB Machinery and Technology (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CROWN AP (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Aerosols & Promotional Nederland, CROWN Aerosols Italia Srl, CROWN Aerosols Nederland BV, CROWN Aerosols UK Limited, CROWN Americas LLC, CROWN Arabia Can Company Ltd, CROWN Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. Ltd., CROWN Asia Pacific Investments (T) Limited, CROWN Bevcan Espana S.L., CROWN Bevcan France SAS, CROWN Bevcan Slovakia s.r.o., CROWN Bevcan Turkiye Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, CROWN Bevcan and Closures (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Cambodia) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Dong Nai) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Beijing Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Changchun Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Danang Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hangzhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hanoi Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Heshan Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hong Kong Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Huizhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Malaysia Sdn Bhd, CROWN Beverage Cans Nanning Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Putian Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Saigon Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Shanghai Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Sihanoukville Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Singapore Pte. Ltd., CROWN Beverage Cans Ziyang Limited, CROWN Beverage Packaging LLC, CROWN Beverage Packaging Puerto Rico Inc., CROWN Cans Ghana Limited, CROWN China Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited, CROWN Commercial Belgium BVBA, CROWN Commercial France SAS, CROWN Commercial Germany GmbH & Co. KG, CROWN Commercial Hungary Kft, CROWN Commercial Netherlands B.V., CROWN Commercial Vermogensverwaltung GmbH, CROWN Cork & Seal USA Inc., CROWN Embalagens Metalicas da Amazonia S.A., CROWN Emballage France SAS, CROWN Emirates Company Limited, CROWN Envases Mexico S.A. de C.V., CROWN Famosa S.A. de C.V., CROWN Food Packaging (Thailand) Public Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Hat Yai) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Nakhon Pathom) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan Germany GmbH, CROWN Foodcan GmbH, CROWN Imballaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Imgallaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Italy Finance srl, CROWN Khmer Beverage Cans Limited, CROWN Maghreb Can, CROWN Magyarorszag Csomagoloipari KFT, CROWN Metal Packaging Canada Inc., CROWN Metal Packaging Canada LP, CROWN Middle East Can Co. Ltd., CROWN Packaging (Barbados) Limited, CROWN Packaging Holdings LLC, CROWN Packaging Investment (H.K.) Limited, CROWN Packaging Ireland Ltd, CROWN Packaging Jamaica Limited, CROWN Packaging Polska Sp.z.o.o., CROWN Packaging Technology Inc., CROWN Packaging Trinidad Limited, CROWN Packaging UK Limited, CROWN Promotional Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN SIEM, CROWN Senegal, CROWN Societe Malgache d'Emballages Metalliques, CROWN Speciality Packaging BV, CROWN Speciality Packaging Investment Pte. Ltd., CROWN Specialty Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN TCP Beverage Cans Company Limited, CROWN Verpakking Belgie NV, CROWN Verpakking Nederland B.V., Caretex Asia Ltd., CarnaudMetalbox Engineering Ltd, CarnaudMetalbox Food South Africa (Pty) Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Group UK Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overeseas Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overseas Limited, Cierres Hermeticos S.A. DE C.V., Constar International, Crown Americas Capital Corp., Crown Americas Capital Corp. II, Crown Americas Capital Corp. III, Crown Americas Capital Corp. IV, Crown Americas Capital Corp. V, Crown Americas Capital Corp. VI, Crown Brasil Holdings Ltda., Crown Canadian Holdings ULC, Crown Closures Spain S.L., Crown Colombiana S.A., Crown Comercial de Envases S.L., Crown Commercial Italy Srl, Crown Commercial Polska Sp. z.o.o., Crown Consultants Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Company (DE) LLC, Crown Cork & Seal Company Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Crown Cork & Seal Receivables (DE) Corporation, Crown Cork & Seal de Portugal Embalagens S.A., Crown Cork Kuban, Crown Cork and Seal Receivables II LLC, Crown Developpement SAS, Crown European Holdings, Crown Food Espana S.A.U., Crown Foodcan Turkey Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Crown Hellas Can Packaging SA, Crown Heshan Trading Company Limited, Crown Holdings Italia Srl, Crown Holdings Spain S.L., Crown International Holdings B.V., Crown International Holdings Inc., Crown Luxembourg Holdings, Crown Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Crown Overseas Investments B.V., Crown Packaging Commercial UK Limited, Crown Packaging Distribution UK Limited, Crown Packaging European Division GmbH, Crown Packaging European Division Services SAS, Crown Packaging European Holdings GmbH, Crown Packaging Lux I S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux II S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux III S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Manufacturing UK Limited, Crown Packaging Maroc, Crown Receivables III, Crown Services Iberia, Crown UK Holdings Limited, Crownway Insurance Company, Dacro B.V., EMPAQUE, Fabricas Monterrey S.A. de C.V., Form Koruyucu Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Foshan Continental Can Co. Limited, Foshan Crown Easy-Opening End Co. Limited, Glass & Silice S.A. DE C.V., Globoplastt s.r.o., Gunther S.A.S., Haloila Bulgaria EOOD, Interstrap B.V., Josef Kihlberg AB, Kiwiplan GmbH, Kiwiplan Inc, Lachenmeier ApS, Liljendals Bruk AB, Litec France S.A.S., Mezger Heftsysteme GmbH, Mima Films S.a.r.l., Mima Films Sprl, Mima Packaging Systems S.A.S., Mivisa, Nordic S.A.S., Norsk Signode AS, Oy M. Haloila AB, PT CROWN Beverage Cans Indonesia, Package Design and Manufacturing, Prolatamex S.A. DE C.V., Quandel Verpackungs- und Foerdertechnik GmbH, SMB Schwede Maschinenbau GmbH, SMP Schwede Maschinenbau Weischlitz GmbH, SPG Denmark, SPG France Holdings SAS, SPG Germany Service Management GmbH, SPG Industrial Packaging S.a.r.l, SPG Netherlands B.V., SPG Packaging Ireland Limited, SPG Packaging Systems GmbH, SPG Packaging UK Ltd, Scybele S.A.S., Shippers Europe S.p.r.l., Signode BVBA, Signode Brasileira Ltda, Signode Hong Kong Limited, Signode Industrial Group, Signode Industrial Group AB, Signode Industrial Group Colombia S.A.S., Signode Industrial Group GmbH, Signode Industrial Group Holdings Lux S.a.r.l., Signode Industrial Group Holdings US Inc, Signode Industrial Group Lux S.A., Signode Industrial Group Mexico, Signode Industrial Group Sweden AB, Signode International Holdings LLC, Signode International IP Holdings LLC, Signode International Investment LLC, Signode Kabushiki Kaisha, Signode Korea Inc, Signode NZ Limited, Signode Netherlands B.V., Signode Packaging (Qingdao) Co., Signode Packaging (Shanghai) Co., Signode Packaging Espana S.L., Signode Packaging Group (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Signode Packaging Group Australia Pty Ltd, Signode Packaging Group Canada ULC, Signode Packaging Group NZ, Signode Packaging Systems Limited, Signode Pickling Holding LLC, Signode Polska sp. Z.o.o., Signode Singapore Pte. Ltd., Signode Sweden Holdings AB, Signode System GmbH, Signode System Packaging GmbH & Co. KG, Signode Systems (Thailand) Ltd., Signode US IP Holdings LLC, Silice De Veracruz S.A. DE C. V., Silice Del Istmo S.A. DE C.V., Silices De Veracruz, Societe Civile Immobiliere Rousseau-Ivry, Societe Civile Immobiliere des Baquets, Societe de Participations CarnaudMetalbox, Stopak India Pvt. Ltd, Strapex Austria GmbH, Strapex Embalagem L.d.a., Strapex Holdings Limited, Strapex S.A.S., Strapex Srl, Superior Investments Holdings Pte. Ltd., Superior Multi-Packaging Limited, TopFrame LLC, V.A.C. B.V., Vichisa S.A. de C.V., and Warehouse Automation Iberia S.L..
iShares Europe ETF's stock was trading at $37.19 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IEV shares have increased by 49.2% and is now trading at $55.49.

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At least 96 people have been killed in on-again, off-again clashes that have rocked Libyan capital Tripoli since late last month. On Thursday alone, 11 people were killed -- including five civilians -- and another 33 injured, according to Libyas Tripoli-based Health Ministry. Since the violence began on August 26, 96 people have been killed -- and more than 300 others injured -- in sporadic fighting in southeastern Tripoli between militias affiliated with Libyas UN-backed unity government. The violence first erupted after Libyas Seventh Infantry Brigade (affiliated with the Defense Ministry) accused the Tripoli Revolutionary Brigade (affiliated with the Interior Ministry) of attacking its positions on the citys southern outskirts. On Sept. 4, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) declared a ceasefire after dozens had reportedly been killed in the capital. Six days later, however, fighting resumed following an armed attack on the headquarters of Libyas National Oil Corporation. Libya has remained dogged by turmoil since 2011, when a NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of long-serving President Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power. Since then, Libyas stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power -- one in Tobruk and another in Tripoli -- and a host of heavily armed militia groups.
The Tunisian Ennahda movement on Thursday welcomed the efforts of Turkish and Russian presidents to reach an agreement on Idlib.



"We appreciate the great efforts of the Russian and Turkish presidents to reach an agreement that would protect the Syrian Idlib and hundreds of thousands of civilians there", the statement says.



The Ennahda reiterated "its call to all Syrian parties to agree on a national ground and to embrace dialogue and negotiations as a single way to resolve differences," the statement added.




NATO on Friday urged Russia to withdraw its troops from Georgian territory.



Rose Gottemoeller, NATO's deputy secretary-general met Georgian Foreign Minister David Dondua during his official visit to Tbilisi.



In a joint news conference following the meeting, Gottemoeller confirmed NATO support of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.



Gottemoeller stressed NATO was concerned with Russia's constant strengthening of military activities in the Black Sea region and that the security of the region should be a priority.



"NATO fully supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. We call on Russia to withdraw troops from your country, she said.



"We call on Georgia to proceed on its chosen way because it will surely become a NATO member," she added.



Dondua stated that Georgia had taken effective steps for a NATO integration.



Gottemoeller also met with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia, self-declared independent states, are disputed areas between Russia and Georgia.



Moscow recognized the independence of the Georgian breakaway regions after a six-day war with Georgia in 2008.



The only UN member states to recognize the breakaway regions are Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Nauru.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the 73rd session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in the U.S., according to an official statement on Friday.

The General Assembly will host more than 140 state and government heads from around the world during the coming week.

Erdogan will represent Turkey at the high-level meetings that will start on Sept. 25.

According to the statement issued by Presidential Press Office, the Turkish president will be in New York from Sept. 23 to 27.

Erdogan will also participate in a high-level event on the Global Compact on Refugees on Monday, Sept. 24.

On Tuesday, Sept. 25, he will address the UN General Assembly. Erdogan is also expected to have a bilateral meetings with leaders of different countries on the sidelines of the Assembly.

He is also set to attend a lunch to be hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Erdogan will meet with representatives of the Turkish and Muslim communities, investment and business circles and opinion leaders during his visit to the U.S.

He is also expected to give interviews to the media representatives.

This years theme of the UN General Assembly meetings is "Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.

Between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1, the leaders of the member states will deliver their speeches.

The first country to address the meeting will be Brazil. As the host of the event, U.S. President Donald Trump will be the second head of the state to address the assembly.

Turkeys Erdogan will be the fourth leader to address the assembly.

On the sidelines of the meetings, Turkeys first lady Emine Erdogan will host an event on strengthening women and girls in Africa.
Turkey is working with Russia on how a disarmament zone inside Idlib, Syria will be set up and how terror groups will be driven out, a Turkish presidential aide said on Friday.



Speaking to reporters in the capital Ankara, Ibrahim Kalin said Turkeys National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), and special forces are working in coordination with Russia in the field.



His remarks came after Monday's landmark agreement between Turkey and Russia to establish a disarmament zone of 15-20 kilometers (9.3-12.4 miles) in Idlib, Syrias last opposition stronghold, following a meeting in Sochi between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.



Ankara and Moscow also signed a memorandum of understanding calling for the stabilization of Idlib's de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.



Under the pact, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas in which they are already present, while Russia and Turkey will do joint patrols in the area with a view to preventing renewed fighting.



Kalin also said that Turkey expects the Manbij roadmap with the U.S. to be implemented as planned, with no delays.



The Manbij roadmap is an important deal. We will stick to this and will do what is necessary.



But, simultaneously, the U.S. administration continuing to engage with the YPG and PYD is a source of serious concern to us, he added.



The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terrorist group from the city in order to stabilize the region.

Washington has claimed the YPG is a reliable ally in the fight against Daesh, while Ankara has pointed to its status as an offshoot of the PKK, a recognized terrorist group which has taken some 40,000 lives in Turkey.



Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity.



Since then, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced by the conflict.

Guncelleme Tarihi: 21 Eylul 2018, 13:49
With the end of the primary season, the Democratic Party leadership and their allies in the national security apparatus have completed the first stage of what might be termed a friendly takeover of the Democrats by candidates recruited from among military, CIA and civilian national security cadres.

The World Socialist Web Site first identified the phenomenon of the CIA Democrats in a series published in March. At the time we noted the large number of candidates drawn from the military-intelligence apparatus seeking Democratic nominations in competitive congressional districts. If the Democrats won the November election, we warned, such military-intelligence operatives would hold the balance of power in the new House of Representatives.

Of the 44 districts we identified in Marchsince grown to 46military-intelligence candidates have won 30 nominations, a success rate of about 66 percent or two-thirds. That testifies to their extensive support from the Democratic Party leadership, from longtime financial backers of the Democrats, and from the top levels of the national security establishment.

There are 115 districts rated as competitive by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) or by groups specializing in the district-by-district analysis of congressional races. The 30 military-intelligence candidates account for more than one quarter of the Democratic candidates in these districts, making them the largest single group, ahead of state and local politicians (26), lawyers (20), millionaires (15), other professionals (8), former Obama aides (3) and miscellaneous (13).

Most of the organizations that investigate and rate congressional races are projecting that the Democrats will win more than the 23 seats required to take control of the House, and possibly as many as 50 or 60. In the latter scenario, CIA Democrats could make up as much as half of the new class of first-time representatives.

There is one particularly ominous aspect of the politics of this group of candidates. Despite their personal involvement in the wars of the past two decades, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in the overall operation of the vast US national-security establishment, many of the CIA Democrats say nothing at all on their websites about foreign and military policy. This strongly suggests that they are backers of an aggressive expansion of US military intervention and political subversion around the world, but they choose to conceal that fact from the voters of their districts.

What follows is a complete list of the 30 military-intelligence Democrats who are on the ballot November 6, together with the details of their careers in the national security apparatus. The list includes new candidates not previously identified, and new information on all the candidates.

The candidates are listed by alphabetical order of their state. The facts and photographs are all taken from the candidates own websites. It is notable that they see long records with the national-security apparatus as their principal credentials for office, not as something to downplay. Equally notable, not one of these candidates draws any negative, let alone anti-war, conclusions from their own participation in wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and other countries.

California: Fourth District

Jessica Morse was Iraq country coordinator for the State Department in the course of over a decade as a national security strategist, according to her website. She worked for the Agency for International Development, a longtime CIA front, then as adviser to the US Pacific Command, where she strengthened the US-India defense relationship  and worked to counter terrorist threats in South Asia. She actually outraised five-term Republican Congressman Tom McClintock through June 30, the last reporting period, but is considered an underdog in the race. The district extends from the Sacramento suburbs south along the Sierra Nevada range and its foothills.

Colorado: Sixth District

Jason Crow is one of the first candidates to be promoted by the DCCC under its red-to-blue program, favoring him over several primary rivals. He is a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, leading a paratrooper platoon during the invasion of Iraq. According to his website, Shortly after returning from Iraq he joined the U.S. Armys elite 75th Ranger Regiment, serving two additional toursthis time in Afghanistan, as part of the Joint Special Operations Task Force, where Jason served along the Pakistan border and achieved the rank of Captain. He has spent the past dozen years as a lawyer for business interests in Denver. Crow has matched five-term Republican Congressman Mike Coffman dollar for dollar in fundraising and is considered the favorite in the Denver suburban district.

Florida: Sixth District

Nancy Soderberg is a longtime US foreign policy figure going back to the Clinton administration. She was the foreign-policy chief of the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign, then staff director at the National Security Council, then deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs, then an alternate US ambassador to the United Nations. She is identified with such policies as the US intervention in Bosnia and the bombing of Kosovo. She has spent much of her time since then heading private overseas operations aligned with US foreign policy, including the International Crisis Group. She is on the Board of Advisors to the President of the Naval Postgraduate School and Naval War College. Soderberg has far outraised the Republican nominee, Michael Waltz, in the race to succeed Ron DeSantis, who is the Republican candidate for governor, although the race is considered a toss-up.

Florida: Twelfth District

Christopher Hunter joined the FBI after the 9/11 attacks, quitting his job as a state prosecutor. He worked as an agent focusing on counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and international fugitive investigations. His website is long on militaristic bluster, declaring, Superior firepower, aggressive counterterrorism measures, and sophisticated intelligence operations must drive our security strategy and demanding an uncompromising victory over Russia and its tyrannical regime. Hunter moved from the FBI to a position as a federal prosecutor, then quit the Department of Justice last December to launch his campaign. He is considered a longshot possibility against three-term Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis, in a district based in the suburbs of Tampa-St. Petersburg.

Florida: Eighteenth District

Lauren Baer was a legal adviser to both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her successor John Kerry, as well as to UN Ambassador Samantha Power. After leaving the State Department, she joined Albright Stonebridge Group, the global strategy firm founded by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Her website declares that she will take her years of foreign policy experience to Congress, where she will ensure funding for the Pentagon, because we have the strongest, best equipped, and most well-trained military in the world. Baer trails first-term Republican Congressman Brian Mast, himself an Army veteran who lost both his legs in Afghanistan, in fundraising and in the polls of voters in the district on Floridas Atlantic Coast, centered on West Palm Beach.

Illinois: Twelfth District

Brendan Kelly is one of a half dozen of the military-intelligence candidates who launched political careers prior to this year. The son of civilian Pentagon employees, he grew up on Scott Air Force Base, joined ROTC in college and was commissioned as a Navy officer. After a stint that included deployment in the Middle East, he returned to southern Illinois, obtained a law degree, and became a federal prosecutor, then States Attorney for St. Clair County, in the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis. He represented the National District Attorneys Association as an observer of the prosecution of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. He is in a toss-up race against two-term Republican Congressman Mike Bost and has matched the incumbent in fundraising.

Kentucky: Sixth District

Amy McGrath is perhaps the most heavily publicized of the military-intelligence candidates, and has raised more than $3 million, an enormous sum for a previously unknown political figure. McGrath was a career Marine Corps fighter pilot with 89 missions over Iraq and Afghanistan. Her military career is the axis of her candidacy. Her website home page identifies her as Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) Alongside the standard photo of the candidate with her husband and children is a picture of McGrath in uniform standing next to a jet and a photo of the fighter jet itself. McGrath is considered a slight favorite against three-term Republican Congressman Andy Barr.

Maine: Second District

Jared Golden enlisted in the Marines after 9/11 and spent four years as an infantryman, deploying to Afghanistan in 2004 and to Iraq in 2005-2006. He is the only rank-and-file soldier among the 30 military-intelligence Democrats, and the only one to acknowledge the negative impact of the war on American troops, revealing his own diagnosis with post-traumatic stress disorder. He was clearly committed to the US wars, however, returning to Afghanistan as a volunteer schoolteacher, and then going to work as a staff member for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he worked for Maines Republican Senator Susan Collins. Golden began his own political career in 2014, winning a seat, as a Democrat, in the Maine House of Representatives, rising to Democratic whip in 2016, and winning the nomination for Congress with the support of the party establishment this year. He is in a toss-up race with heavily funded two-term Republican Congressman Bruce Poliquin.

Maryland: First District

Jesse Colvin spent six years in Army intelligence, including four combat deployments to Afghanistan and a year near the Demilitarized Zone between North Korea and South Korea. According to his campaign biography, I am a proud graduate of the US Armys Ranger Course, the premier leadership school in the military  I led intelligence teams whose work facilitated capture/kill missions of Taliban, al-Qaeda and other terrorist leaders. I managed a lethal drone program. I ran human intelligence sources. Everyday, my team and I made dozens of decisions whose outcomes carried life and death consequences for my fellow Rangers, our Afghan partners, and Afghan civilians. Colvin is a distinct underdog against four-term Republican Congressman Andy Harris, in a largely rural district that includes the entire Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Michigan: First District

Matthew Morgan had a 20-year career in the Marine Corps where I would deploy routinely overseas, culminating in several senior staff roles where Id provide counsel to numerous military leaders, including the secretary of defense. He did two tours in Iraq and also worked in counterterrorism on the Horn of Africa. He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the First District, a largely rural area that includes the entire Upper Peninsula and the northern third of the Lower Peninsula. He is running against first-term Republican Congressman Jack Bergman, himself a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general who once commanded the Marine Reserves.

Michigan: Eighth District

Elissa Slotkin has one of the longest records as a leading participant in the crimes of American imperialism, despite her relative youth. The 42-year-old spent 15 years in national-security positions, including three tours as a CIA agent in Iraq, then worked on the National Security Council for George W. Bush and Barack Obama, rising to the position of Iraq director. The first Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, an arch war criminal, hired her as a top assistant. She later moved to the Pentagon, where, as a principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, her areas of responsibility included drone warfare, homeland defense and cyber warfare. She has far outraised her Republican opponent, two-term Republican Congressman Mike Bishop and is projected to take his seat (see: Elissa Slotkin: A CIA Democrat runs for Congress in Michigan).

Minnesota: First District

Dan Feehan was both a front-line soldier and a civilian Pentagon official. According to his campaign biography, from 2005 to 2009, Feehan served as an active duty soldier and completed two combat tours of duty as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Orwellian title given by the Bush administration to the US invasion and occupation of that country. He then joined the Obama administration, first as a White House aide, then as an acting assistant secretary of defense. He is a slight favorite in the First District, which includes the southern tier of Minnesota, along the border with Iowa, which was previously held by Democrat Tim Walz, now the partys candidate for governor. Feehan has substantially outraised Republican candidate Jim Hagedorn, who lost to Walz in 2016.

New Jersey: Third District

Andy Kim was a war planner and civilian strategist, not a soldier. According to his campaign biography, I worked at the White House on countering terrorism and protecting our country, advised the Secretary of Defense and the Pentagon on national security, and I served in Afghanistan as a strategic adviser to Generals David Petraeus and John Allen. When I served in Afghanistan, no one asked me if I was a Democrat or a Republican. We all worked together focused on the mission of keeping our nation safe. He does not detail his final position: two years as director for Iraq on Obamas National Security Council. He is in a toss-up race with Republican Congressman Tom MacArthur, who has held the south Jersey district for two terms.

New Jersey: Fourth District

Josh Welle graduated from the Naval Academy and spent 12 years on active duty, including a tour in Afghanistan and four shipboard deployments to the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. According to his campaign biography, His responsibilities spanned from strategically advising the Ambassador in Kabul to being Executive Officer of a Navy Mine Countermeasure ship in the Persian Gulf. He then founded a software company developing mobile apps for the Pentagon. Welle is a heavy underdog to 19-term Republican Congressman Christopher Smith, long identified for his fanatical opposition to abortion rights, but Welle has raised nearly as much money. He has denounced Smith for refusing to condemn Trumps August press conference appearance side-by-side with Vladimir Putin, declaring, The people of the 4th District deserve a representative who protects our national security institutions and long-standing interests around the world.

New Jersey: Seventh District

Tom Malinowski is a long-time apologist for what might be called human rights imperialism. An aide to the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, he spent the 1990s in the State Department and Clinton White House, mainly as a speechwriter. From 2001 to 2014 he headed the Washington office of Human Rights Watch, during which time the NGO was firmly aligned with US foreign policy. This became manifest when in 2014 Malinowski joined the Obama administration under Secretary of State John Kerry as assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor. He specialized in human rights charges directed against groups and states targeted by the US government: ISIS, Myanmar (until the military junta shifted from a pro-China to a pro-US orientation), Sri Lanka (until its government did the same), North Korea and Ukraine. Meanwhile, such US allies as Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Israel received no such pressure. He has significantly outraised five-term Republican Congressman Leonard Lance, and he is favored to win the seat in the upscale western suburbs of the New York metropolitan area.

New Jersey: Eleventh District

Mikie Sherrill graduated from the Naval Academy and became a helicopter pilot, with 10 years active service in Europe and the Middle East, before becoming a federal prosecutor. According to her campaign biography, while in the military, Mikie worked on the Battle Watch Floor in the European Theater during the Iraq invasion, and served as a Flag Aide to the Deputy Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. She also served as a Russian policy officer and worked on the implementation of our nuclear treaty obligations and oversaw the relationship between the U.S. Navy and Russian Federation Navy. Perhaps the last assignment accounts for the warmth of her embrace by the Democratic Party establishment, which pumped funds into her campaign, effectively clearing the primary contest for a seat left open by the retirement of 12-term Republican Congressman Rodney Freylingheusen. Sherrill is heavily favored over Republican candidate Jay Webber in the district, one of the wealthiest in the United States, located in the suburban region west of Paterson, New Jersey. She has outraised Webber by $4.2 million to less than $600,000, according to the latest FEC report.

New York: Eleventh District

Max Rose, according to his campaign biography, is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army. He served as an active duty officer in Afghanistan from 2012-2013, and earned a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman Badge. He continues his service today in the National Guard, and is also Ranger-qualified. After active duty, Rose went to work as a special assistant to the Brooklyn District Attorney, while remaining an officer in the National Guard. During August, he took a two-week break from campaigning to participate in small-unit training exercises. He has slightly outraised two-term Republican Congressman Dan Donovan in a district that includes all of Staten Island and part of Brooklyn.

North Carolina: Ninth District

Dan McCready, a Marine Corps veteran turned clean energy multimillionaire, claims to have found Jesus in Iraq, where he was baptized in water from the Euphrates River. He joined the Marines after 9/11, commanded a unit of 65 men during the 2007 surge in Iraq, and ended his wartime deployment as a captain. He went on to get an MBA at Harvard and work as a consultant for McKinsey & Co. before launching his own company. After three-term Republican Congressman Robert Pittenger was defeated in the primary by fundamentalist pastor Mark Harris, who advocates the subordination of married women to their husbands, McCready became the favorite to win the seat. He has outraised Harris three-to-one and went into the fall campaign with an even larger lead in cash-on-hand.

Ohio: Seventh District

Ken Harbaugh is the son and grandson of Air Force combat pilots. He joined the Navy and became a pilot himself, flying reconnaissance missions in the Middle East and the Korean peninsula. His campaign website features photos of Harbaugh in military gear and posing with his Navy plane. After nine years in the military, he went to Yale for a law degree, joined the McKinsey consulting firm, and then became chief operations officer and later president of Team Rubicon Global, an organization that mobilizes military veterans to deploy to natural disasters in the US and around the world. He has been considerably outraised by Republican Congressman Robert Gibbs, who has held the Canton-based district for three terms.

Pennsylvania: Sixth District

Chrissy Houlahan , a 10-year veteran of the Air Force, leaving it as a captain, has been virtually guaranteed a seat in Congress by the Democratic Party leadership, which cleared the primary of any rivals for the nomination in a district left open by the sudden retirement of two-term Republican Congressman Ryan Costello. The 42-year-old decided not to run for reelection after the court-ordered redrawing of Pennsylvania district lines left him with a heavily Democratic electorate. In addition to outraising her Republican opponent Greg McCauley by $2.8 million to $174,000 in campaign funds, Houlahan has been the recipient of a flood of favorable media coverage. The most fawning portrayal came from Frank Bruni of the New York Times: Usually you only get to dream about a candidate like Chrissy Houlahan. People in the Philadelphia suburbs actually get to vote for her.

Pennsylvania: Tenth District

George Scott was a career Army intelligence officer, on active duty for 20 years, including the US invasion of Panama, the first Persian Gulf War and Operation Enduring Freedom, the official name of the ongoing war on terror launched in 2001. He retired as a lieutenant colonel after commanding a battalion of over 1,800 soldiers. Scott then entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg and is now pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in East Berlin, Pennsylvania. After the death of Senator John McCain, Scott issued a statement saying, He shall be remembered as a true patriot, a political titan, and a respected statesman worthy of every distinction. He will be sorely missed by our nation. Scott is regarded as an underdog against three-term Republican Congressman Scott Perry, although the districts boundaries were altered to include the whole city of Harrisburg.

Pennsylvania: Seventeenth District

Conor Lamb won a special election earlier this year in the 18th Congressional District, in the southwest corner of the state. However, after redistricting moved his home into the 17th District, he is now challenging three-term Republican Congressman Keith Rothfus. Lambs campaign biography begins by identifying him as a Marine and former federal prosecutor, and he emphasized his military background during the campaign for the special election. He was on active duty in the Far East until 2013, as a captain and Judge Advocate General (in effect, a Navy prosecutor). He is now a major in the Marine Corps Reserves. Lamb has raised more than $7 million this year and spent $5 million on the campaign in the special election. He is considered a heavy favorite over Rothfus because the new 17th district lines were drawn more favorably to the Democratic Party.

Texas: Twenty-First District

Joseph Kopser is a West Point graduate and career Army officer. According to his campaign biography, After volunteering for air assault and airborne training, Joseph headed for Ranger school, the Armys toughest program outside of war. Designed to provide intense training on four hours of sleep and one meal per day, the training pushed Joseph to the limits of his own physical and emotional endurance. He became a West Point instructor, but after the US invasion of Iraq volunteered for assignment there and spent 14 months over two tours, much of it in Mosul. After his return to the US, he was assigned to a high-level Pentagon job developing plans for the Future Combat Systems program, as well serving as a speechwriter and political adviser to top officials. After leaving the military in 2011, he developed a ride-sharing platform that was the basis for a company, RideScout, which he subsequently sold to Daimler-Benz, giving him the resources to enter politics. Kopser has raised more money than Republican Chip Roy in the race for a seat in the San Antonio-Austin region, left vacant by the retirement of 15-term Republican Congressman Lamar Smith, a notorious anti-immigrant demagogue.

Texas: Twenty-Third District

Gina Ortiz Jones was an Air Force intelligence officer in Iraq. According to her campaign biography, In the 12-years following her active duty service, Gina has continued to build her career in national security, intelligence, and defenseincluding advising on operations in Latin America and Africa, to include advising on military operations that supported South Sudans independence referendum and serving in the Libya Crisis Intelligence Cell. She later became director for investment of the Office of the US Trade Representative, where she led the portfolio that reviewed foreign investments for possible risks to national security. The contest for the seat representing the 23rd District, which runs along the Texas-Mexico border from El Paso nearly to Laredo, and inland as far as the San Antonio suburbs, is literally spy vs. spy, since the incumbent, two-term Republican Congressman Will Hurd, is a former CIA agent.

Texas: Thirty-First District

Mary Jennings Hegar, a helicopter pilot for the Air Force, spent three tours of duty in Afghanistan in search and rescue operations. This included, as Hegar declares on her website, being shot down by enemy fire, defending my crew and patients, and earning a Purple Heart. Hegar came to prominence through a lawsuit against the Pentagon policy of barring women from combat and is the subject of a forthcoming biographical film based on her memoir, Shoot Like a Girl: One Womans Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front. Hegar is an underdog to eight-term Republican Congressman John Carter in district that stretches north from Austin, although she substantially outraised him during the first half of 2018.

Virginia: Second District

Elaine Luria was one of the first Navy women to serve as an officer on a nuclear-powered ship. According to her campaign biography, she deployed six times to the Middle East and Western Pacific as a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer. She was second-in-command of a guided missile cruiser and commanded assault craft supporting a Marine Corps deployment. Initially an underdog against one-term Republican Congressman Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL, Luria has seen her standing in polls improve after Taylors staff was caught forging signatures to place another Democrat on the ballot as an independent in November to split the anti-Taylor vote. This Democrat, recently prosecuted on federal fraud charges, has since been removed from the ballot, while Taylor denies all knowledge of the affair.

Virginia: Seventh District

Abigail Spanberger once had the following statement at the top of her campaign website: After nearly a decade serving in the CIA, Im running for Congress in Virginias Seventh District  My previous service as a law enforcement officer, a CIA officer, and a community volunteer has taught me the value of listening. Perhaps in recognition of the ominous implications of this declaration, it has been removed, although the site still states, Abigail joined the CIA as an Operations Officer. She traveled and lived abroad collecting intelligence, managing assets, and overseeing high-profile programs in service to the United States. Spanberger defeated another military-intelligence candidate in the Democratic primary and is in a toss-up race with two-term Republican Congressman David Brat, in a district that extends north from the Richmond suburbs.

West Virginia: Second District

Talley Sergent is one of a half dozen former State Department officials who ran in the Democratic primaries, and she won her contest against another national-security candidate, a combat veteran from the Iraq War, despite being outraised two-to-one. Sergent worked for Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller before joining the State Department under Hillary Clinton, where she specialized in issues relating to the status of women and girls, part of the human rights imperialism technique used to threaten countries targeted by Washington. She then became a corporate flack for Coca-Cola at its Atlanta headquarters, before running Clintons disastrous statewide campaign in West Virginia, where Clinton was routed in both the primary and the general election. Sergent is a heavy underdog against two-term Republican Congressman Alex Mooney, who has a nearly ten-to-one fundraising advantage.

West Virginia: Third District

Richard Ojeda was elected as a West Virginia state senator in 2016, running as a Democrat, in the same election in which he cast his own vote for Donald Trump. He has based his political career on more than two decades in the US Army Airborne, including repeated tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he reached the rank of major. His last post before winning state office was as executive director of Army recruiting in Beckley, seeking to convince youth in West Virginia and Virginia to become cannon fodder for the Pentagon. Ojeda has combined a militaristic approach with pro-union demagogy, winning him the support of the United Mine Workers and the teachers unions, which have systematically betrayed workers in southern West Virginia, one of the poorest regions in the country. Ojeda is in a toss-up race with Carol Miller, a wealthy state legislator, to succeed two-term Republican Congressman Evan Jenkins, who ran for US Senate and was defeated in the Republican primary.

Wisconsin: Seventh District

Margaret Engebretson is a 24-year veteran of the US Navy, now retired after three years of active duty and 21 years in the Naval Reserve and Minnesota Air National Guard. Among her civilian occupations during the period was as a deputy sheriff of corrections at the St. Louis County Jail in Duluth, Minnesota. She lives in northern Wisconsin, just across the Minnesota state line, and is running in a district that comprises the northwestern and north central third of the state and is predominately rural and small. Although the district was held for 42 years by Democrat David Obey, Engebretson has raised little money and is viewed as a heavy underdog against four-term Republican Congressman Sean Duffy, a former reality television contestant. As of July 25, Duffy had a campaign war chest of $2.5 million compared to under $6,000 for Engebretson.
The government of recently-installed Prime Minister Scott Morrison is working on plans with the Papua New Guinea (PNG) government to develop a joint naval base on PNGs Manus Island that would host Australian and US warships.

The return of the Australian and US navies to Manus Island would be a significant preparation for a US-led war against China. Because of its strategic location in the Pacific Ocean, several hundred kilometres north of PNGs main island, Manus is important for plans to cut Chinas access to key trade routes.

During World War II, Manus became a major US naval and air base, pivotal to the final stages of the war against Japan. Before the US invasion of the Philippines in late 1944, more than 800 ships were in the Manus Island harbour. Installations included wharves and floating docks, four airfields, living quarters for 150,000 troops, a 3,000-bed hospital, fuel depots, supply stores and repair workshops.

After World War II, Australia took possession of the deep-water port for as long as PNG remained an Australian colony, gradually running down the facility until handing it over when the territorys formal independence was granted in 1975. Since 2001, Australian governments have maintained a hold over Manus Island as a site for detaining hundreds of refugees barred from reaching Australia.

According to yesterdays Australian, ousted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and PNG Prime Minister Peter ONeill discussed the proposed transformation of PNGs Lombrum Naval Base at a July 11 meeting in Brisbane. After a subsequent scoping mission by Australian defence officials, ONeill reportedly wrote to Turnbull to formally express his support for the project.

These proposals have been drawn up entirely behind the backs of the Australian and PNG working class. No estimates have been reported about the costs involved, which would have to run into hundreds of millions of dollars, adding to the near-$200 billion already allocated by the Australian government, with the Labor Partys backing, for expanded military spending over the next decade.

Morrisons Liberal-National Coalition government reportedly hopes to finalise arrangements for the base before this years Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit, to be hosted by PNG from November 1218.

That gathering will be preceded by a special meeting for Pacific island leaders in Port Moresby, the PNG capital, hosted by Chinas President Xi Jinpinga sign of Beijings growing influence in the Pacific.

Increasingly, these developments are being publicly discussed in the context of war. The Australians defence and national security editor Paul Maley described the establishment of a Manus base as a coup in the escalating strategic competition with Beijing for influence in the Pacific. PNG was a jewel in the crown because it was perfectly placed to give any navy a commanding view of the maritime approaches to East Asia.

Likewise, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) director Michael Shoebridge, a former Defence Department official, told the newspaper that a Manus base would help give the US a wider operating and support footprint in the Pacific, and give Australian naval forces a location 2,000 kilometres away from Darwin and some 1,600 kilometres north of Cairnsthe two closest Royal Australian Navy bases.

ASPI is an Australian government-funded think tank with close connections to the US military-intelligence apparatus. If the project were announced before the APEC summit, Shoebridge said, it would send a very welcome message about the deeper intent behind Australias commitment.

ASPI has pushed the Manus plan, presenting it as a test for Morrison. On August 28, four days after Morrison replaced Turnbull, the Australian published a column by ASPI senior analyst Anthony Bergin urging the establishment of such a base as a means for Morrison to show Australias partnership with PNG can grow in new ways under his watch.

Already, Australias military presence in PNG has been secretly stepped up. On September 12, Morrison admitted that Australian special forces soldiers had been sent there, supposedly to help secure Port Moresby ahead of the APEC summit. No information has been provided on the contingents size. Special forces units have been on the frontline of Australias participation in every recent US-led war, including the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

In what amounts to a show of force, Australian navy warships also will be located off the PNG coast, purportedly to protect cruise ships used for temporary APEC accommodation. Australian Federal Police, previously assigned to PNG, will be on hand as well.

PNG is of vital economic and strategic importance to both Canberra and Washington in their drive to dominate the Asia-Pacific region and block the rise of China to potentially challenge US hegemony. With the Obama administrations pivot to Asia, followed by Trumps continuing military build-up in the region, Australia has sought to align PNG more closely with the US-led confrontation of China.

While most of its population lives in poverty as a result of decades of imperialist exploitation, PNG is resource-rich. It is the site of lucrative transnational mining projects, including the Ok Tedi copper and gold mine, the Porgera and Lihir gold mines, oilfields in the highlands and the $20 billion ExxonMobil liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, with a second LNG plant planned.

Chinas state-owned Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) has the $2.6 billion Ramu nickel and cobalt mine in Madang, and Beijing has become a large investor and aid donor. In the lead up to the APEC summit, it has financed new highways and road resurfacing, and a Port Moresby convention centre. China Harbour Engineering recently developed Lae, PNGs biggest port, via an Asian Development Bank tender.

Prime Minister ONeill, who heads an authoritarian regime, was installed with Australias backing in 2011, but has sought to manoeuvre between the US and China. In June, ONeill led a delegation of about 100, including 50 PNG-based Chinese businesspeople, to Beijing. After meeting Xi, he declared: Papua New Guinea is committed to deepening its strategic partnership with China.

In Port Moresby, Xi will undertake a formal state visit. He is expected to make announcements about PNG and the Pacific, possibly including a trade agreement with PNG and an infrastructure project to directly link the capital to the mining areas of the highlands.

Under pressure from Washington to step up its efforts to counter China in the Pacific, the Australian government has taken aggressive steps recently. In July, Turnbull signed a deal with ONeill and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela to fund a $136 million internet cable between the three countries, preventing Chinese company Huawei from building the infrastructure.

Canberra also blocked Chinese involvement in the upgrade of Fijis Black Rock military camp. Turnbull conducted negotiations with Fijian President Frank Bainimarama to ensure Australia became the sole foreign donor in the redevelopment of the Nadi base, which will be a regional training hub for South Pacific defence forces.

These strategic conflicts are escalating amid the worsening tariff and economic war launched by the Trump administration against China, the logic of which is military war.

Last week, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who was deposed in 2010 after urging the US to make some accommodation to Chinas rise, delivered a speech in California warning of the danger of another world war. It was an open question if and when the unpredictable forces now being unleashed by this rapidly unfolding new economic war erupt into one form or other of military confrontation.

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Growing concern in Canberra over PNG links with China

[25 June 2018]
New Zealands Labour Party-led government announced on September 17 that 121 NZ troops will remain in Iraq at least until June 2019. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also said 11 military personnel will stay in Afghanistan for at least another year.

The decision underscores the right-wing character of the Labour-New Zealand First-Greens coalition government, which has been falsely portrayed by media commentators as transformational and progressive. In fact, in its first year in office it has continued and expanded the previous National Party governments policies of austerity and militarism, including support for US-led wars in the Middle East.

Ardern justified the extension in Iraq with the worn-out pretext that ISIS remains a threat and further support is required to defeat it. Islamic State has, in fact, been all-but defeated in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, the United States has allied with Islamist militias linked to Al Qaeda, which are fighting to overthrow the Russia-backed Assad regime.

In 2003, the US invaded Iraq based on lies that it possessed weapons of mass destruction. Fifteen years later, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and an entire society decimated. Iraq and Afghanistan remain under military occupation to prop up unstable US-backed governments. Driven by its economic decline, US imperialism is using its overwhelming military power to dominate Central Asia and the oil-rich Middle East at the expense of its rivals, especially Russia and China (see also: Seventeen years after 9/11: From war on terror to great power conflict).

Arderns cabinet made its decision with complete disregard for the widespread anti-war sentiment in the working class. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not publicly discussed in the lead-up to the September 2017 election by any of the parliamentary parties, while the corporate media deliberately avoided making the wars an election issue.

In 2015, Labour, the Greens and NZ First voted against the then-National Party governments decision to send 143 troops to Iraq. In June 2016, then-Labour Party leader Andrew Little criticised an extension of the deployment by 18 months, calling it mission creep.

This show of opposition was always a fraud. The Labour government of Helen Clark, supported by its coalition partner, the left wing Alliance Party, sent troops to join the illegal invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the war in Iraq in 2003. A US embassy cable released by WikiLeaks in 2010 noted that the Clark government sent troops to Iraq to maintain lucrative export contracts for NZ dairy company Fonterra.

Ardern told a media conference that the current NZ Defence Force mission in Iraq is strictly non-combat and it will remain that way. New Zealand and Australia are officially engaged in training Iraqi forces at Camp Taji.

In February, however, Fairfax Media reported that New Zealand troops in Iraq were helping to plan combat operations and to gather intelligencedetails that were kept from the public by National and Labour. At the time, Ardern defended such practices, saying the soldiers were acting within their mandate.

Significantly, asked whether New Zealands Special Air Service (SAS) forces will play a role in Iraq, the prime minister refused to answer. The activities of the elite unit of highly-trained killers are often kept secret. The SAS is the subject of a government inquiry into alleged war crimes, after journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson last year published evidence that civilians were killed and wounded in a SAS raid on a defenceless Afghan village in 2010.

Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman stated that the party opposes extending the Iraq and Afghanistan deployments. NZ needs to stand as an independent principled voice against the military industrial complex, instead of blindly following America and Australia into wars, she said in a statement.

The Greens, however, have no principled opposition to militarism and the alliance with the US. The Greens protested against the initial invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. By 2010, however, the party supported New Zealands presence in Afghanistan, falsely describing it as a peacekeeping mission.

The Labour-led coalition, supported by the Greens, is spending billions on new military hardware, at the expense of badly underfunded social services such as health and education. The aim is to prepare for new wars by strengthening inter-operability with the US and Australia.

In addition to the wars in the Middle East, the Ardern government is assisting the US military build-up against China and North Korea. On September 7, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that 44 NZ military personnel and an air force Orion plane would be sent to the US airbase in Okinawa, Japan, to help enforce sanctions against North Korea.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to totally destroy North Korea if it fails to comply fully with Washingtons demands to dismantle its nuclear program. The militarisation of the Asia-Pacific region, however, is mainly directed against China, which Washington views as the main obstacle to its global hegemony.

New Zealand and Australia function as junior imperialist powers in the Pacific, relying on the US to support their own ambitions in the region and to push back against Chinas growing economic influence.

The deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Okinawa confirm the warnings made by the Socialist Equality Group following the election a year ago about the pro-war character of the coalition government. NZ First decided to form a coalition with Labour instead of National following unprecedented public comments by US ambassador Scott Brown, who criticised the National Party governments reluctance to fully endorse Trumps threats against North Korea.

NZ First, a right-wing nationalist, anti-Asian party, was given a major role in government by Labour, despite only getting 7 percent of the votes. NZ First leader Peters serves as foreign minister and deputy prime minister; the partys senior MP Ron Mark was made defence minister. They are playing an increasingly assertive role in determining the governments foreign and military policy.

Far from being a lesser evil to the National Party, the Labour-NZ First-Greens government has gone even further in integrating New Zealand into US preparations for a potentially catastrophic war involving nuclear-armed powers.

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The New York Times published a fraudulent and provocative special report Thursday titled The plot to subvert an election.

Replete with sinister looking graphics portraying Russian President Vladimir Putin as a villainous cyberage cyclops, the report purports to untangle the threads of the most effective foreign campaign in history to disrupt and influence an American election.

The report could serve as a textbook example of CIA-directed misinformation posing as in-depth journalism. There is no news, few substantiated facts and no significant analysis presented in the 10,000-word report, which sprawls over 11 ad-free pages of a separate section produced by the Times.

The article begins with an ominous-sounding recounting of two incidents in which banners were hung from bridges in New York City and Washington in October and November of 2016, one bearing the likeness of Putin over a Russian flag with the word peacemaker, and the other that of Obama and the slogan Goodbye Murderer.

It acknowledges that police never identified who had hung the banners, but nonetheless goes on to assert that: The Kremlin, it appeared, had reached onto United States soil in New York and Washington. The banners may well have been intended as visual victory laps for the most effective foreign interference in an American election in history.

Why does it appear to be the Kremlin? What is the evidence to support this claim? Among the 8.5 million inhabitants of New York City and another 700,000 in Washington, D.C., arent there enough people who might despise Obama as much as, if not a good deal more than, Vladimir Putin?

This absurd passage with its appeared and may well have combined with the speculation about the Kremlin extending its evil grip onto United States soil sets the tone for the entire piece, which consists of the regurgitation of unsubstantiated allegations made by the US intelligence agencies, Democratic and Republican capitalist politicians and the Times itself.

The authors, Scott Shane and Mark Mazzetti, complain about a lack of public comprehension of the Trump-Russia story. Indeed, despite the two-year campaign of anti-Russian hysteria whipped up in Washington and among the affluent sections of the upper-middle class that constitute the target audience of the Times, polls have indicated that the charges of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election have evoked little popular response among the broad masses of the American population.

The special report attempts to remedy this problem by ginning up the meddling allegations, claiming that the Kremlin staged a stealth cyberage Pearl Harbor against the United States and succeeded in hijacking both American companies like Facebook and Twitter and American citizens feelings about immigration and race.

The reporting is all couched in maybes and appears, with the claim made that there is a plausible case that Mr. Putin succeeded in delivering the presidency to his admirer, Mr. Trump, though it cannot be proved or disproved. In other words, the Times reporters cannot substantiate their claims.

Mazzetti and Shane strain to portray the actions of Putin, assuming for the sake of argument that he was the mastermind behind the Facebook postings, as something uniquely horrible in the annals of international relations.

But as is well known, the US spends tens of billions of dollars every year to influence foreign elections, subvert governments viewed as obstacles to US interests and buy politicians, intellectuals and other agents of influence. It has backed coups and waged direct wars to effect regime change. Many of these coups have been supported by the New York Times. Many of its reporters collaborate with US intelligence agencies and dish up the propaganda required to advance the international interests of the United States.

There is not a country in the world whose political system has not been targeted by the United States. This includes Russia and the former Soviet republics, where it has carried out continuous regime-change operations, while extending the NATO military alliance across vast swaths of territory and spheres of influence vacated by the Soviet Union, deploying US-led armed forces right to Russias borders, in contravention of agreements reached between Washington and Moscow at the time of the Stalinist bureaucracys dissolution of the USSR.

This is passed over lightly by the Times special report, which presents the alleged Russian meddling as all a product of Putins personal grudges against President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

In the context of US global operations, what the Times article alleges, even if it were all true, amounts to less than a hill of beans.

It claims that Russian trolls, hackers and agents assigned to influence the 2016 US election totaled barely 100. Their task, it states, was to steer millions of American voters and sabotage an election.

To that end, the article states, Russians allegedly spent $100,000 on Facebook ads, a trivial sum compared with the tens of millions spent on Facebook by both the Trump and Clinton campaigns. Far less than trivial compared to the nearly $7 billion spent on all US federal elections in 2016.

The ads, the Times claims, were directed at sowing division in the American body politic, as if the US was not already a country torn by the deepest social inequality of any of the so-called advanced capitalist countries, with a population seething with anger over declining living standards for the masses of the working population, while a financial and corporate oligarchy has registered the biggest income gains in history.

The article refers to a handful of demonstrations allegedly promoted by Russian Facebook ads that attracted a few dozen people as evidence that Moscows trolls could act as puppet masters for unsuspecting Americans. One only need compare this to Washingtons spending of what former State Department official Victoria Nuland acknowledged was $5 billion to promote an armed fascist-led coup that toppled a pro-Russian government in Ukraine in 2014.

The most sinister side of the Times report is its indictment of WikiLeaks and its founder and editor Julian Assange for the leaking of emails of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. The emails laid bare the DNCs rigging of the primaries in favor of Clinton against Bernie Sanders and made public the texts of slavish and well-paid speeches given by Clinton to Wall Street audiences, guaranteeing she would defend their interests and making clear her readiness to escalate the war in Syria and bomb Iran.

The Times report complains that Clintons self-damning words were taken out of context and subjected to the most damaging interpretation.

The report paints Assange as either a witting or unwitting agent of the Kremlin at a moment in which the WikiLeaks founder is facing imminent threat of losing his refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London followed by arrest and extradition to the US to stand trial for espionage.

Also resurrected in the report is the neo-McCarthyite vilification of Jill Stein, the Green Partys presidential candidate in 2016. The Russian operation also boosted her candidacy, the Times claims, in order to draw votes from Mrs. Clinton.

The political thrust of the special report is clear. It is aimed at criminalizing domestic dissent, delegitimizing and suppressing any opposition to the political monopoly exercised by the capitalist two-party system and outlawing the use of the internet to report any news or express any opinions that have not first been vetted by authoritative sources like the CIA-embedded stenographers of the Times .

Mazzetti and Shane are Times national security correspondents. In an accompanying piece posted on the newspapers website, they claim that their special report was modelled upon two special issues of the Times magazine section published in July 1973 and the following January detailing the background and development of the Watergate scandal that ultimately brought down the Nixon presidency.

While they may be attempting to signal that their reporting could bring down Trump, the comparison is as ludicrous as it is self-serving. The pieces produced by the Times 45 years ago provided cogent political analysis that served to at least partially expose the crimes and conspiracies of the US government. They came just three years after the newspaper had defied the Nixon administration in publishing the Pentagon Papersleaked to the paper by Daniel Ellsbergexposing the lies and crimes associated with the US war in Vietnam.

Mazzetti and Shane have produced a poorly written propaganda potboiler, parroting the unsubstantiated allegations of US intelligence agencies and making the case for the criminal prosecution of Julian Assange for exposing similar crimes.

Mazzetti is notorious for his secretly passing to the CIA in 2011prior to publicationa piece written by Times columnist Maureen Dowd, along with a note reading, this didnt come from me  and please delete after you read.

Shane was the author of a 2012 article titled The moral case for drones, which attempted to justify the assassination program being run out of the White House that claimed the lives of thousands in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and elsewhere.

The authors are, to put it bluntly, a pair of broken-down hacks, embedded with the US military and intelligence apparatus and held in contempt by serious journalists.

Their special report expresses the thoroughgoing repudiation of any democratic principles by the Times and the rest of the major media, which have adopted the role of guarantors of state secrecy and apologists for war and political repression.
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JACKSON (AP)  Forensic testing has confirmed that the grizzly bears killed by Wyoming wildlife managers are the ones involved in the mauling death of a hunting guide last week.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department said Thursday that tests matched saliva from the sow and hair from the yearling bear to saliva and hair found on the victims clothing.

Mark Uptain, of Jackson Hole, died in the...
Forza Horizon 4's Latest Update is Causing the Game to Stop Working on Xbox Series X|S [Updated: Fix Out Now]
On The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, Noah took down Donald Trumps idea for yet another border wall  this one across the Sahara desert. Earlier this week, Spains foreign minister, Josep Borrell, said that Trump suggested to him that Spain build a wall across the Sahara to thwart Europes migrant crisis.

Trumps suggestion has more than a few problems, one being that Spain doesnt share a border with Africa; theyre separated by the Mediterranean Sea. The closest Spain comes to Africa is at the Strait of Gibraltar, which is nine miles wide at its narrowest point. Another issue is that the Sahara is over 3,000 miles long and one of the most unforgiving environments on earth.

Borrell said that after offering his advice, Trump said, The border with the Sahara cant be bigger than ours with Mexico. Spanish officials reportedly had to explain to Trump that it is in fact about 1,000 miles longer than the U.S.-Mexico border.

In addition to all the stated reasons that its illogical, Noah pointed out the biggest difficulty with Spain erecting a wall in the Sahara: I cant even believe I have to say this, but Africa is not a part of Spain, so they cant just build something on someone elses land.

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah airs weeknights at 11 on Comedy Central.

Check out Hillary Clintons warning of what Trump will do after the midterm elections:

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Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Michael Cohen spoke to Mueller team for hours; asked about Russia, possible collusion, pardon: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

President Donald Trumps former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, has participated over the last month in multiple interview sessions lasting for hours with investigators from the office of special counsel, Robert Mueller, sources tell ABC News.

The special counsels questioning of Cohen, one of the presidents closest associates over the past decade, has focused primarily on all aspects of Trump's dealings with Russia -- including financial and business dealings and the investigation into alleged collusion with Russia by the Trump campaign and its surrogates to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.

Investigators were also interested in knowing, the sources say, whether Trump or any of his associates discussed the possibility of a pardon with Cohen.

Over the 16 months that Mueller has been investigating, the president has repeatedly bashed the investigation as a partisan witch hunt, insisting there has been no collusion and no obstruction of justice.

PHOTO: Michael Cohen leaves Federal court, Aug. 21, 2018, in New York City. (Mary Altaffer/AP, FILE)

The interviews with Cohen took place in Washington, D.C., and New York City. They were also attended in part by prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of New York.

Cohens participation in the meetings has been voluntary -- without any guarantee of leniency from prosecutors, according to several people familiar with the situation.

ABC News has also learned that Cohen is also cooperating with a separate probe by New York state authorities into the inner workings of the Trump family charity and the Trump Organization, where Cohen served as an executive vice president and special counsel to Trump for 10 years.

PHOTO: Then-FBI Director Robert Mueller listens as he testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 13, 2012. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP, FILE)

The news of Cohens dealings with federal and state investigators comes close on the heels of another potentially perilous legal development for the president: the guilty pleas last week from Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, who struck a deal with Muellers prosecutors in exchange for his cooperation.

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As the Manafort deal was taking shape -- Muellers team had already been talking to Cohen.

(MORE: Michael Cohen could be key witness in state investigation of Trump charity)

And given Cohens prolonged time spent in proximity to Trump, his family and the inner-workings of the Trump Organization, some insiders consider his cooperation with authorities to be one of most serious potential legal threats to confront the president.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump participates in the Sept. 11th Flight 93 Memorial Service, Sept. 11, 2018, in Shanksville, Pa. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Both of these guys want to be loved and they both want loyalty, says a person close to both President Trump and Cohen, who asked not to be named in order to speak freely. Cohens disavowal of Trump has triggered a series of events that turned once very good friends into permanent enemies. The consequences for both will be ugly.

President Trump and his lawyers have lately been harshly critical of Cohen ever since he made clear earlier this year, in an exclusive interview with ABC News, that he was willing to cooperate with prosecutors, even if that placed the president in legal or political jeopardy. The former Trump loyalist said in the interview he rejected Trumps claims that the Mueller investigation was a witch hunt orchestrated by his political enemies.

Cohen vowed to put family and country first.

(MORE: Michael Cohen, Trumps former longtime personal attorney, pleads guilty to illegal campaign contributions 'at the direction of a candidate for federal office')

Rudy Giuliani, Trumps current personal attorney, who in May called Cohen an honest, honorable lawyer, has more recently claimed that Cohen is fabricating stories about Trump in order to protect himself.

(MORE: Michael Cohen has information 'of interest' to Robert Mueller, would not accept Trump pardon, lawyer says)

Theres nobody that I know that knows him that hasnt warned me that if his back is up against the wall, hell lie like crazy, because hes lied all his life, Giuliani told CNN in July.

PHOTO: Attorney Michael Cohen, left, and special council Robert Mueller, right. (AP/Getty Images, FILE)

Last month in New York, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight felonies, including bank fraud, tax evasion and two campaign finance violations in connection with alleged hush money payments to women who have claimed affairs with Trump. Muellers team had referred the investigation of those crimes to federal prosecutors in New York, which led subsequently to coordinated raids of Cohens law office and residences in April.

At a plea hearing in August, Cohen told a federal judge that he had arranged for the payments to two women in coordination with, and at the direction of a candidate for federal office," referring to then-candidate Trump, and added that he participated in the transactions with the principal purpose of influencing the election.

Those statements, under oath, were an about-face from Cohens public comments about his role in the deals with Karen McDougal and Stephanie Clifford, aka Stormy Daniels. Cohen had previously insisted that hed paid Clifford with his own money, on his own initiative and without the knowledge of Trump.

PHOTO: Stormy Daniels speaks during a ceremony in West Hollywood, Calif., May 23, 2018. (Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP, FILE)

The president has long denied the allegations of the affairs with McDougal and Clifford and has claimed he did not know in advance about the deals Cohen secured. On the day of Cohens court appearance, the president openly mocked him on Twitter.

If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you dont retain the services of Michael Cohen! the president wrote.

Since entering his guilty pleas last month -- Cohen has also been in contact with the New York Attorney Generals office, according to multiple people close to the matter.

In June, the New York Attorney General, Barbara Underwood, filed a civil lawsuit accusing Trump's charitable foundation and its directors of having "operated in persistent violation of state and federal law governing New York State charities" for more than a decade by paying off legal bills with charitable funds, promoting Trump hotels, and purchasing personal items.

PHOTO: Karen McDougal in Phoenix, Feb. 2, 2008. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images, FILE)

The lawsuit names Trump, his sons Don Jr. and Eric, and his daughter, Ivanka, as defendants.

A representative of the Trump Foundation called the lawsuit, politics at its very worst.

Underwoods office has not ruled out launching a state criminal investigation into the foundation if the evidence warrants it. And she has also asked the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Election Commission to look into the charitys operations.

A spokesperson for the New York Attorney Generals office declined to comment for this report.

In a prior public statement from the office, the spokesperson Amy Spitalnick said: We cannot comment on potential or ongoing investigations. As our lawsuit against the Trump Foundation illustrates, we will hold Donald Trump and his associates accountable for violations of state law, and will seek a criminal referral from the appropriate state agency as necessary.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks at an event in Kansas City, Mo., July 24, 2018. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images, FILE)

Cohens relationship with Trump dates to the mid-2000s after Cohen, who owned condominiums in multiple Trump buildings in New York, took Trumps side in a legal dispute with the condo board at Trump World Tower on Manhattans East Side. He joined the Trump Organization in 2007.

Cohens dealings at the Trump family business cover a broad sweep of its global empire - including several projects that have caught the attention of federal investigators. Cohen played an integral role in early discussions about a possible Trump Tower in Moscow -- negotiations that were going on during the early months of the 2016 presidential campaign.

(MORE: Michael Cohen hints at possible cooperation with investigators)

That deal never reached fruition.

Cohen has confirmed he attended a lunch meeting with a Ukrainian politician one week after Trump took office, where the two men discussed the potential for Cohen to share a Ukraine peace proposal with his contacts at the White House.

And Cohens name appeared repeatedly in the now infamous dossier of unverified allegations, which included salacious claims about Trump, prepared by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele. The agent, who was hired by an opposition research firm that was paid initially by Republicans and later by Democrats, alleged Cohens involvement in attempting to covering up contacts between Russian operatives and members of Trump campaign.

(MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Michael Cohen says family and country, not President Trump, is his 'first loyalty')

Cohen has fiercely denied the claims. In January, he tweeted: Enough is enough of the #fake #RussianDossier.

Since entering his guilty pleas last month, friends of Cohen say that he has felt isolated. He is unemployable, facing an avalanche of debt and the possibility of spending several years in federal prison.

With a net worth at one time of several million dollars, Cohen recently launched an online GoFundMe fundraising effort to help pay his mounting legal fees.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in New York federal court on December 12.

A spokesman for Office of the special counsel declined to comment on this story. An attorney for Cohen could not immediately be reached.

This report was featured in the Sept. 21, 2018, episode of ABC News' daily news podcast, "Start Here."

"Start Here" is a daily ABC News podcast hosted by Brad Mielke featuring original reporting on stories that are driving the national conversation. Listen for FREE on the ABC News app, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio -- or ask Alexa: "Play 'Start Here.'"

Follow @StartHereABC on social for exclusive content, show updates and more: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.
Maputo (AFP) - Twelve villagers were killed and 14 wounded in an attack by suspected jihadists on a village in a gas-rich region of northern Mozambique, a local source told AFP on Friday.

Since October, government plans to exploit the country's gas reserves have been thrown into doubt by an explosion of bloodthirsty assaults in the region where the industry plans to base its hub.

"Ten people were shot (dead) by firearms and two burnt (to death)," the source said of the violence which took place late Thursday in Paqueue village which lies close to the Quirimbas tourist archipelago.

One of the shooting victims had also been beheaded and the attackers had burnt 55 houses, the source said.

Medics said another 14 people were wounded in the attack.

In a separate incident further north, gunmen attacked a military convoy near the Tanzanian border on Thursday night, killing a senior army officer, a police source said.

"The attackers wore military uniforms and had large-calibre firearms," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Since October, more than 40 people have been killed in brazen machete and gun assaults on unarmed villagers in the coastal region.

- Terrified locals -

Security forces have rushed reinforcements to the area yet seem powerless to stem the attacks. Terrorised, many civilians have fled their homes and a cloud hangs over the great expansion plans.

Back in June, while visiting Palma, one of the areas worst hit by the attacks, President Filipe Nyusi vowed the security forces would be "firm and ruthless" in pursuing the jihadists.

The region has been relatively quiet in recent months but the latest attack was likely to raise fears that the nascent insurgency had regrouped.

Police did not return calls for comment on the latest bloodshed.

Locals and authorities call the assailants Al-Shabaab, although the group has no known link to the notorious Somali Islamists of that name, nor has it issued any claim of responsibility or demands.

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According to academic researchers, the group wants to impose Sharia law in the Muslim-majority province.

The attackers are believed to have staged their first attack on a police station and military outpost in the northern town of Mocimboa da Praia in October 2017. Two officers died and 14 attackers were killed.

In the following weeks, at least 300 Muslims were arrested, some of them Tanzanians, and several mosques shuttered -- and then suspicion began to fall on the region's residents.

After 180 trillion cubic feet (5.1 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas were discovered off its northeastern shores, Mozambique entertained dreams of following Qatar down the path towards prosperity.

The government even predicted that by 2035, GDP per head could increase sevenfold.
Khartoum (AFP) - A Sudanese military jet has crashed near the city of Omdurman, killing the two pilots on board, the army said on Friday, in the latest accident to hit its ageing fleet.

The plane, which was on a training mission, crashed late on Thursday north of Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum on the west bank of the Nile.

"Two pilots who were on board were killed in the crash," said military spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa Shami in a statement released on Friday.

"The plane crashed after it had taken off for a training mission."

On Monday, a military helicopter had crashed in the war-torn region of Darfur as it was landing after a routine mission.

All passengers on board were rescued even as the helicopter caught fire, the army said, without giving any details of how many people were on board.

Most of Sudan's fleet consists of Russian-manufactured aircraft, and in recent years has suffered several crashes, with the military frequently blaming technical problems and bad weather.

In June 2017, four crew members on board a military helicopter were killed when it crashed in Northern State.

In April 2016, a Soviet-era Antonov An-26 transport plane crashed while landing in El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan state. All five crew members on board were killed.

In June 2013, two air force crew died when their helicopter crashed in war-torn Blue Nile state, just a week after one went down in South Kordofan state, another war zone.

The military has extensively used air power in its campaign against rebel groups in Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur.

Rebels often claim to have shot down military aircraft in Sudan's conflict zones.
Atlanta Black Star

A former Glynn County police officer who was first to respond to the scene after Ahmaud Arbery was gunned down in the Satilla Shores neighborhood []
Johannesburg (AFP) - The number of rhino killed for their horns by poachers in South Africa dipped by 26 percent in the first eight months of the year, officials said on Friday.

But the rate of elephant poaching climbed nearly 60 percent, they said.

The Department of Environmental Affairs said that 508 rhino were poached since the start of the year until August, down from 691 over the same period last year.

"This decline comes despite a dramatic escalation in poacher activity" inside the Kruger National Park, said the department in a statement.

South Africa's iconic Kruger has long borne the brunt of rhino poaching, fuelled by demand for their horns in Asia where they are believed to have medicinal properties.

The country lost 1,028 rhino to poaching in 2017.

South Africa, which has long been spared elephant killings compared to its neighbours, reported that since January this year it has lost 58 elephants to poachers -- up from 39 last over the same period last year.

All the killings took place in the Kruger.

Police on Friday said they had found 20 rhino horns and arrested two suspects in a sting operation at a house in the eastern Mpumalanga province which borders Mozambique.

Earlier this week officers also arrested six "key" members of a rhino trafficking gang which allegedly ran its operations with the help of corrupt police and private game farm operators.

"This is a significant and important breakthrough," said Albi Modise, spokesman for the Department of Environmental Affairs.

Nearly 200 suspects have been arrested for rhino poaching this year.

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.

Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same substance as in human nails and it is normally sold in powdered form.
General view of Porto and the river Douro

Womens rights groups in Portugal have reacted angrily to a suspended sentence handed to two men who sexually assaulted a woman after she passed out drunk at a nightclub.

The Womens Alternative and Response Union said in a Facebook post it was revolting that an appeals court rejected the public prosecutors request for a prison term.

Two judges, a man and woman, at the appeals court ruled that the two nightclub workers, who were 25 and 39 at the time of the attack, were only half to blame for the assault on the 26-year-old woman after a night of heavy drinking and mutual seduction.

The ruling said no violence was used against the woman who was unconscious in the night clubs toilets.

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The woman filed a complaint with the police, saying she had not given her consent for sexual intercourse.

The assault happened in Vila Nova de Gaia, in northern Portugal, in 2016.

A lower court in February handed down a suspended sentence of four and a half years for both men.

An appeals court issued its ruling in June and was first reported by newspaper Diario de Noticias on Friday.

The ruling was placed online.

The assault happened at a nightclub in northern Portugal two years ago. (PA)

The two men admitted having sex with the woman, but denied she was unconscious.

However, the prosecutor produced text messages between the men in which they acknowledged she had blacked out.

In upholding the suspended sentence, the appeals court argued the men had no previous convictions and were in stable relationships, with both being fathers.

It added that the physical harm to the woman was not particularly serious.
Lilongwe (Malawi) (AFP) - Several hundred anti-graft activists took to the streets of Malawi on Friday to protest against alleged corruption in the government of President Peter Mutharika.

Marchers in Malawi's largest cities chanted songs criticising Mutharika after a leaked Anti-Corruption Bureau report accused him of receiving a $195,000 (167,000 euros) kickback from a procurement deal.

"If the president does not meet our demands, we will ask him to step down," said Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) president Timothy Mtambo in Lilongwe. Marches were also held in Blantyre and Mzuzu.

"When we say that the president and ministers should meet us, they are not gods, we elected them and they are supposed to work for us," Mtambo said.

The HRDC has called on Mutharika to address several issues facing Malawi including corruption, youth unemployment and the protection of people with albinism.

Malawi, one of the world's poorest and most aid-dependent countries, will hold presidential, parliamentary and local council elections in May 2019.
Nearly a week after Florence's initial landfall in the Carolinas, the worst of the flooding is still unfolding as rivers that have hit major flood stage still have not crested.

At least 16 rivers are at major flood stage in North Carolina although some have already begun to recede. Florence dropped 2-3 feet of rain in portions of southeastern North Carolina, including nearly 36 inches in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, which is the storm's highest total.



Florence's flooding persists in the Carolinas

AP Photo/Garret Fischer

First, at vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui voluptatum.

1/12

(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Kenny Babb looks out over the water on his flooded property as the Little River continues to rise in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Linden, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018.

(Photo/North Carolina Department of Transportation)

A stranded truck is nearly completely submerged in floodwaters in Brunswick County, North Carolina

(Photo/North Carolina Department of Transportation)

Interstate 95 near Lumberton, North Carolina, remained closed on Tuesday, Sept. 18.

(Photo/North Carolina Emergency Management)

Successful search & rescue missions were conducted by the Cary, NC, swift water rescue team in Harnett County.

(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Kenny Babb walks down a staircase into the water on his flooded property as the Little River continues to rise in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Linden, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018.

(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Dianna Wood, embraces her husband Lynn, as they look out over their flooded property in Linden, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018.

(AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

People use a road as a boat ramp after Hurricane Florence struck the Carolinas Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in Conway, S.C.

(AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

A man tries to get his dog out of a flooded neighborhood in Lumberton, N.C., Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

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(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

The Lumber River overflows onto a stretch Interstate 95 in Lumberton, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, following flooding from Hurricane Florence.

(AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, left, and U.S. Army Lt. Col. John McElveen look on as rescues take place inChesterfield County, South Carolina on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018.

(Photo/Asheville Fire Department)

Aerial imagery captures the extent of flooding around the Asheville, North Carolina, area.

(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Cars sit abandoned on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Lillington, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018.

(AP Photo/Meg Kinnard

This Monday, Sept. 17, 2018 photo shows rising flood waters in the Pee Dee area in Marion County, S.C.

(Photo/North Carolina Department of Transportation)

This drone image shows Interstate 40 at Pender County, North Carolina, completely submerged.

(Reuters photo/Eduardo Munoz)

Sheds sit in flooded waters due to Hurricane Florence in Kinston, North Carolina, U.S., September 19, 2018.

David Goldman

The home of Kenny Babb is surrounded by water as he retrieves a paddle that floated away in Linden, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018.

(AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

Floodwaters inundate a church after Hurricane Florence struck the Carolinas Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in Conway, S.C.

(AP Photo/David Goldman)

David Darden Jr., left, stands outside his mother's home with his wife Pam as they evacuate her in the aftermath of Florence in Spring Lake, N.C., Monday, Sept. 17, 2018.

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A resident stands on her pier looking out onto the rising Waccamaw River in Conway, S.C., Monday, Sept. 17, 2018.

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A house is surrounded by floodwaters from Hurricane Florence in Lumberton, N.C., Monday, Sept. 17, 2018.

"Some rivers in the midlands and coastal areas of the Carolinas, such as the Cape Fear, Neuse, Pee Dee, Lumber, Little Pee Dee and Waccamaw may not crest until later this weekend or early next week and are likely to remain above flood stage through the end of September," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski stated.



River gauges that have broken all-time records in North Carolina so far, from #Florence rainfall:



- Cape Fear River near Burgaw (3+ feet over)

- Little River at Manchester (3-4+ then broke gauge)

- Cape Fear River near Chinquapin (4+ then broke gauge) pic.twitter.com/h3yaTLXwju  Jesse Ferrell (@Accu_Jesse) September 18, 2018

As some rivers slowly rise, so does the death toll, which stands at 37 across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, according to the Associated Press. The latest fatalities include two detainees in South Carolina who drowned in the back of a Horry County Sheriff's Office vehicle when it encountered high water.

The sheriff's office posted a statement on Twitter Wednesday saying the two officers who were transporting the victims would be placed on administrative leave as an investigation into the deaths took place. The victims were identified as Windy Newton, 45, of Shallotte, North Carolina, and Nicolette Green, 43, of Myrtle Beach.

More than 1,000 roads remain closed in North Carolina, including parts of Interstates 95 and 40, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Over 2,200 people been rescued in addition to almost 600 animals. Several hundred thousand remain without power, although Duke Energy said it had restored power to nearly 1.5 million customers.

"Days after Florence first hit our state, we continue to feel the effects of this massive storm," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. "Even though there is no substantial rain in the forecast and the sun may be shining across many parts of our state, rivers continue to rise and we will see more flooding."

Officials said additional crews were being directed into southern counties where the flooding is the most severe to help remove debris.

North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon told residents not to return to New Hanover, Brunswick or Pender counties as travel conditions are not safe.

Officials in Brunswick County tweeted Wednesday morning to evacuees that it wasn't safe to return yet.



IF YOU EVACUATED: PLEASE DO NOT RETURN. Many roads remain impassable. Many are washed out or structurally compromised. There are limited supplies of gas, food and water in many areas and responders are focused on getting supplies to those who are in these areas.  BrunswickES (@BrunscoES) September 19, 2018

Cooper urged people to remain vigilant around creeks, rivers and standing water. He also stressed patience to those who remain away from their homes.

"I know it was hard to leave home, and it is even harder to wait and wonder whether you even have a home to go back to," he said. "I know for many people this feels like a nightmare that just won't end," he said, according to the AP.

"Right now, we must keep our attention on the safety of those still in danger and getting food, water, medicine and supplies into areas that are stranded," Cooper said.

Cooper and other officials were out helping to distribute supplies in some of the hardest-hit locations like Wilmington. State, local and federal officials have been able to distribute supplies to many in need. More than 15,000 people remain in 144 shelters.

In some inundated communities, like Lumberton, North Carolina, the flooding is an all-too-familiar nightmare. The town, located near the Lumber River, is experiencing flooding worse than what Hurricane Matthew brought in 2016.

Local officials have called for upgrades to existing infrastructure such as dams and levees, according to the Washington Post.

Charles Gregory Cummings, mayor of nearby Pembroke, North Carolina, told the Post that he wants to clear local swamps and canals of fallen trees and debris from previous storms like Matthew, which would help floodwaters drain quicker.

"This can't keep happening to us," said Cummings. "We know what to do, but we need help."
Vilnius (AFP) - Latvian and Lithuanian neo-pagans have called on Pope Francis to end local Catholic opposition to their quest for religious recognition in the Baltic states, ahead of the pontiff's visit to the region Saturday.

Latvia's Dievturi congregation and Lithuania's Romuva community expressed respect for the pope in a joint message.

But they said that some in the Catholic hierarchy have been blocking their bid for the official status of a religion.

"We sincerely hope that, while you visit, You will urge the brothers and sisters of Your religious beliefs to respect our own religious choice and cease impeding our efforts to achieve national recognition of the ancient Baltic faith," the groups said in a letter to the pope seen by AFP on Friday.

Ramunas Karbauskis, a farming tycoon and leader of Lithuania's governing Peasants and Green Union party, is widely regarded as having masterminded moves to accord Romuva legal status in the predominantly Catholic country.

The move would give pagan marriages and baptisms the same civil status as Christian, Jewish or Muslim ceremonies.

But the Lithuanian parliament has postponed examining the issue, a move some commentators attribute to the pope's visit.

The Romuva community numbers more than 5,000 followers, according to the 2011 census -- more than the 3,000 Jews who enjoy legal status.

There are no equivalent statistics available for the Latvian pagan community.
Brussels (AFP) - A confidential report by Belgian investigators confirms that British intelligence services hacked state-owned Belgian telecom giant Belgacom on behalf of Washington, an official said Thursday.

The admission by Belgium is one of the consequences of the myriad revelations made in 2013 by whistleblower Edward Snowden and risks fraying ties between the close allies.

The report, which summarises a five-year judicial inquiry, is almost complete and was submitted to the office of Justice Minister Koen Geens, a source close to the case told AFP, confirming Belgian press reports.

Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency, spectacularly uncovered the extent of snooping by the US intelligence services and has been living in exile ever since.

Snowden's trove of data also exposed the NSA's close cooperation with other agencies, such as Britain's GCHQ, which is responsible for collecting electronic intelligence.

The Belgian probe focused on GCHQ thanks to about twenty slides among Snowden's document trove that expose the targets of GCHQ's hacking.

These include the Belgian company's BICS unit, which handles huge volumes of phone and data traffic in Africa and the Middle East, as well as European customers that included European Union institutions.

The matter will now be discussed within Belgium's National Security Council, which includes the Belgian Prime Minister with top security ministers and officials.

Contacted by AFP, the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office and the cabinet of Minister Geens refused to comment.

In the summer of 2013, when the scandal broke, Flemish newspaper De Standaard said BICS was central to the spying operation in order to access communications with phone numbers from Middle Eastern countries, including Syria and Yemen.

The then Belgian prime minister, Elio di Rupo, promised in September 2013 to take "the appropriate steps" if the "high-level involvement" of a foreign country was confirmed.
London (AFP) - Prime Minister Theresa May hit back Friday at the European Union after it roundly rejected her Brexit plan, saying its refusal to compromise was "not acceptable" and warning she was still prepared to walk away from the talks.

In a defiant statement from Downing Street, May blamed Brussels for the "impasse" just weeks ahead of a deadline to seal a deal -- and six months before Britain leaves the EU in March.

"Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same," the prime minister said.

May was speaking after returning from an EU summit in Salzburg Thursday, where her fellow leaders lined up to condemn her proposals for post-Brexit trading ties and the Irish border.

It was a setback characterised by the British media as a "humiliation", just days before a meeting of May's Conservative party, where eurosceptics are ramping up the pressure on their leader to be tough.

Standing at a podium with two British flags behind her, May said: "At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals.

"So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress."

She said she wanted an agreement, but "I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal".

The pound slipped against the euro after she spoke, reflecting fears that Britain could crash out of the EU with no agreement.

- Tough talk -

EU Council President Donald Tusk hit back late Friday at May's criticism of the EU's negotiating position: "The results of our analysis have been known to the British side in every detail for many weeks."

"The UK stance presented just before and during the Salzburg meeting was surprisingly tough and in fact uncompromising," he said in a statement.

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Tusk added he remains "convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible" in Brexit negotiations and that he is "a close friend of the UK and a true admirer of PM May".

EU leaders had previously criticised May's proposal for a free trade area in goods after Brexit, but the tough tone at the Salzburg summit surprised many commentators, with some describing it as an "ambush".

Tusk and French President Emmanuel Macron said it would fragment the bloc's single market and "not work", and demanded she come back with an alternative by an EU summit in mid-October.

The bloc also raised the stakes by putting on ice a special summit planned for November to seal a deal, saying it would only happen if there is progress next month.

On Friday, May said the EU's plan for Britain to stay in the European Economic Area, effectively the single market without any say in the rules, would "make a mockery" of the 2016 vote for Brexit.

Meanwhile the alternative offer of a free trade agreement was contingent on a "backstop" keeping British-ruled Northern Ireland aligned with EU rules, which she warned risked the integrity of the UK.

This was "something no British prime minister would ever agree to" she said, adding: "If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake."

She repeated that she would bring forward alternative proposals to the backstop, which would come into effect until a new trade deal is struck.

- 'Rocky patch' -

Reports suggested a tetchy meeting between May and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on the sidelines of the summit in Salzburg had helped harden views.

Varadkar said Friday the two sides were "entering into a rocky patch" but said he was determined to secure a deal.

EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the two sides were "moving closer" but were like "hedgehogs who love each other".

"When two hedgehogs embrace, they have to watch out that they don't get scratched," he told the Austrian daily Die Presse.

Simon Usherwood, politics professor at the University of Surrey, said the EU's previous strategy of giving May some breathing room at summits had "collapsed".

Salzburg was "about irritation and bad tempers that the UK really hasn't got the measure of this properly", Usherwood added.

But he noted that May was "super-constrained by the party. She can't really be seen to be making concessions".

The House of Commons must approve any Brexit deal, and May's small majority would be undermined if her hardline Brexiteer lawmakers go through with a threat to oppose it.

Eurosceptic Tories welcomed May's tough tone on Friday but reiterated their own opposition to her trade plan, which they think will undermine Britain's independence.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the prime minister's negotiating strategy had been a "disaster".

"The political games from both the EU and our government need to end because no deal is not an option," he said.
Under Armour ends the day higher after JPMorgan analyst Matthew Boss upgraded shares of the athletic apparel maker to Neutral from Underweight and raised his price target to $20 from $16 per share.
Yaounde (AFP) - Footage of abuses published on Facebook, politicians tweeting their every move: for the first time, the West African state of Cameroon is heading into a presidential election in which social media is taking a central role.

Nine candidates are contesting the October 7 poll, including President Paul Biya, who has ruled the country for 35 years and is hoping to be re-elected for a sixth time.

But this time, the 85-year-old broke with media tradition by announcing his candidacy on Twitter.

During the last election in 2011, only a handful of candidates were using social media. Today, almost all of them have a dedicated team to ensure they are very much present online.

One of Biya's main challengers is Joshua Osih -- head of the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) -- who has taken to engaging with voters online.

When he came under fire for "unpresidential behaviour" after posting a picture of himself at the airport in Paris, he hit back immediately on Twitter, saying that was exactly the point.

"I want to break with protocol and everything to do with the myth around the presidency," he wrote.

"I want to be close to the people I rule and not shut up in a palace."

- 'Much greater reach' -

For candidates, going online offers far greater exposure than traditional forms of campaigning, explains Julie Owono, executive director of Internet Without Borders, an NGO.

"There is much greater potential in terms of reach than when their words are communicated through the written press or the radio," she said.

For Owono, this increased presence online is the result of a significantly higher rate of internet connectivity in Cameroon.

Figures released earlier this month by the ministry of postal and telecomms services show connectivity jumped from a mere 0.24 percent of the population in 2011 to 35 percent last year.

"There has been a fall in the cost of internet access and network quality has also improved," she said.

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- 'Disinformation' -

Although the official launch of the election campaign is only due to start on Saturday, social media is already highlighting prominent topics, especially the security crisis in Cameroon's English-speaking regions.

Blighted by armed conflict, the two regions have remained largely inaccessible to the media and NGOs but those involved in the fighting have used social media to expose purported human rights violations by the other side.

Since the conflict began at the end of 2017, footage of alleged abuses involving both anglophone separatists and Cameroonian soldiers have been doing the rounds almost every day on social media.

A military policeman with his head cut off, villages burnt by the army, and even scenes of torture: all these excesses caught on camera are used by both sides to try and discredit the enemy.

Faced with the surge of horrific footage spreading online, the government has called for calm, denouncing the "inappropriate use of the internet".

Both the increase in hate speech and the proliferation of "fake news" are proving to be "a threat to our right to reliable information, above all in an election period," said Communications Minister Tchiroma Bakary.

In July, the minister dismissed out of hand a video purportedly showing abuses by Cameroonian soldiers in the country's Far North Region, where troops are deployed to root out Boko Haram jihadists from neighbouring Nigeria.

Several weeks later, an investigation was opened and several soldiers were arrested.

"The main challenge regarding the use of social networks is disinformation," said Janvier Ngnoulaye, who heads an NGO called Internet Society Cameroon.

- Internet shutdown? -

With less than three weeks until the vote, Biya's supporters -- who see him as best placed to handle the separatist crisis and the threat posed by Boko Haram -- maintain that footage of alleged abuses by the army was put online in order to sabotage his re-election bid.

"It's all about harming Biya's image," a security source told AFP.

In fact, the campaign has sparked an online war of images: when one side posts pictures of roads in disrepair, the other responds with photos of huge construction projects, such as the motorway between Yaounde and Douala.

Earlier this month, a misleading rumour began circulating on social networks suggesting that Yaounde was going to shut down internet access during the vote, as happened in Mali in August.

"Fake news," responded the communications minister.

But such fears are not entirely unfounded.

In early 2017, as the separatist protests multiplied in Cameroon's English-speaking regions, Yaounde sought to stamp out the unrest by cutting off internet access in the two areas for over three months.
Ottawa (AFP) - The Canadian government on Friday ordered a new review of the Trans Mountain pipeline to the Pacific taking into account the impact of increased tanker traffic on endangered killer whales along the coast.

Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi said the National Energy Board (NEB) will have 22 weeks to reassess the project, after the Federal Court of Appeal last month blocked it over concerns for the marine mammals.

He said new consultations with indigenous tribes along the pipeline route -- another condition set by the court to get the project back on track -- would come later.

"We are focused on getting this project right. We want to make sure that everything we do enables us to move forward on this project, which is very important project for Canada's economy," Sohi said.

Ottawa, he added, will ask the NEB to consider the government's new Can$1.5 billion oceans protections plan as part of its assessment.

The 1,150-kilometre (715-mile) pipeline was to move 890,000 barrels of oil a day from landlocked Alberta province to the Pacific coast for export overseas, replacing a smaller crumbling conduit built in 1953.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government approved the project in 2016 after an environmental review, saying it was in the "national interest" as it would help ease Canada's reliance on the US market, and get a better price for its crude oil.

But it has continued to face stiff opposition from environmentalist activists and indigenous tribes concerned that increased shipping from a marine terminal at the end of the route in Vancouver would impede the recovery of killer whale populations in the area.

Ottawa stepped in to buy the project for Can$4.5 billion (US$3.5 billion) last month, effectively nationalising it in a bid to bring a swift end to legal challenges and illegal protests at construction sites.
Paris (AFP) - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice as Arsenal defeated Ukraine's Vorskla Poltava 4-2 in the Europa League on Thursday, while in-form Chelsea began their campaign with a 1-0 win away to PAOK in Greece.

Aubameyang has struggled to hit top gear in the Premier League so far with just one goal in five starts, but the Gabon striker opened the scoring in London after 32 minutes of the Group E encounter.

Danny Welbeck nodded in a second just after half-time and Aubameyang curled in the Gunners' third, with Mesut Ozil also on target before a lapse in concentration saw Vorskla hit back with two late goals.

"I think we played well in the first half and in the beginning of the second as well," Aubameyang told BT Sport.

"We have to improve and try to fight not to concede a goal like we did in the last minute."

Premier League leaders Chelsea made a winning start to their Group L campaign as Willian's seventh-minute effort was enough to see off PAOK at a hostile Toumba Stadium.

Eden Hazard was omitted from the Chelsea squad at his own request due to fatigue, but manager Maurizio Sarri fielded a strong side as the Blues extended their winning run to six games in all competitions.

"We were in control of the match for 90 minutes. We had a lot of opportunities. We missed them and so I'm very happy with the three points, very happy with the performance, but not very happy with the result," said Sarri.

"When it's time to kill the match, we have to kill the match."

Steven Gerrard's Rangers acquitted themselves well on their first appearance in the group stage of a European competition since the 2010-11 Champions League, as they came away with a 2-2 draw against Villarreal.

A disastrous start for the Glasgow side saw Carlos Bacca fire Villarreal ahead inside 60 seconds, but Scott Arfield turned home a cross from Daniel Candeias to level on 67 minutes.

Gerard Moreno put the hosts back in front almost immediately, only for Kyle Lafferty to again hit back for Rangers as Gerrard's men made a solid start in Group G.

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- Red Bulls collide -

Leigh Griffiths hit a late winner for Celtic in a 1-0 home victory over Rosenborg, a team Brendan Rodgers' side knocked out in this season's Champions League qualifying rounds.

Salzburg triumphed in the clash of Red Bulls in the other Group B fixture as Fredrik Gulbrandsen scored a minute from time to give the Austrian club a 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig.

Marseille, last season's runners-up, slumped to a 2-1 home defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in Group H as Luka Jovic grabbed an 89th-minute winner for the reigning German Cup champions.

Lucas Ocampos opened the scoring early for Marseille, who were playing behind closed doors at the Stade Velodrome after numerous crowd incidents last season.

But Lucas Torro levelled on 52 minutes for Eintracht before Jovic's late strike won it.

Dudelange, the first Luxembourg team to play in the Europa League group stage, made seven-time European champions AC Milan work hard for a 1-0 win in Group F.

Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were in the crowd as Dudelange, who have a dozen non-professional players in their squad, succumbed to a deflected second-half goal by Gonzalo Higuain.

Record five-time winners Sevilla launched their Group J campaign with a 5-1 rout of Standard Liege, as Ever Banega and Wissam Ben Yedder both netted twice for the Spaniards.
Moscow (AFP) - Moscow and Beijing lashed out Friday at Washington's new anti-Russian sanctions that also target China for the first time, warning the United States could face consequences.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman accused Washington of playing unfairly and using new measures to squeeze Moscow out of the global arms market, after the United States slapped sanctions on China for buying Russian warplanes and missiles and threatened to target its other clients.

"This is unfair competition, dishonest competition, an attempt to use non-market methods that run counter to norms and principles of international trade to squeeze the main competitor of US makers out of the markets," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov said that "Washington's continued sanctions hysterics" dealt a new blow to US-Russia ties but could not immediately say if Moscow would retaliate, or how.

On Thursday, Washington placed financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese Defence Ministry, and its top administrator, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.

It was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, signalling Donald Trump's readiness to risk relations with other countries over Moscow.

- Beijing warning -

Beijing -- which is locked in a trade war with the United States -- urged Washington to withdraw sanctions or "bear the consequences".

"The US actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

"We strongly urge the US to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences."

United in their resentment of America's global influence, China and Russia have sought in recent years to tighten up their ties and this month conducted week-long joint military drills, Moscow's largest ever war games.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia would act to end its dependency on the US dollar.

"We will do everything to stop being dependent on the countries who behave towards their partners in this way," Lavrov said on a visit to Sarajevo.

His deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, earlier said Washington was rocking global stability and said sarcastically that placing sanctions on Russia has become Washington's favourite "pastime".

"It would be good for them to remember there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties," said Ryabkov.

"Playing with fire is silly, it can become dangerous," he said in a statement, noting the latest round of anti-Russian measures was the 60th since 2011.

Arms exports are an important source of revenue for the country and last year Russia sold more than $14 billion worth of arms overseas.

US officials said that the US could consider similar action against other countries taking delivery of Russian fighter jets and missiles.

Turkey, which is embroiled in a dispute with Washington over the detention of a US pastor, is in talks to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia.

- 'Growing arms trade' -

Alexander Gabuev, head of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said the new US measures could bring Moscow and Beijing even closer.

"The move is very unlikely to stop growing arms trade between Moscow and Beijing," he said on Twitter.

The State Department also placed 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist.

All of them -- defence related firms, officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation group -- have been on previous US sanctions lists.

Twenty eight of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, the US Special Counsel who is investigating election meddling by Russia.

A senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted the ultimate target was Russia and not "the defence capabilities" of third countries.

CAATSA, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, was passed in 2017 as a tool that gives Washington more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.

The US official said Washington had spent "an enormous amount of time" seeking to discourage prospective buyers of Russian arms.

The new sanctions came as the United States and China are in the heat of a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry on Friday said it strongly urged the United States to withdraw sanctions on the Chinese military, after the Trump administration imposed the penalties for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia. Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comments at a daily news briefing in Beijing. The United States said China's armed forces were in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Writing by Michael Martina; Editing by Darren Schuettler)
Attorneys for Christine Blasey Ford, the professor accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assaulting her when they were teens, reportedly presented the Senate Judiciary Committee with a list of conditions on Thursday, moving forward negotiations for a hearing before the committee next week.

Some of the conditions included Kavanaugh not being present during Blaseys testimony and for the committee to not turn the hearing into a media circus.

Attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks offered the suggestions during a call held with the committees staff members on Thursday night after the attorneys notified the committee in an email that the Californian, who goes by Christine Blasey professionally, was prepared to testify next week.

The negotiations for the hearing mostly focused on logistics and safety issues and lasted only about 30 minutes, The New York Times and Washington Post reported. NBC News obtained an email sent to the calls participants summarizing what was discussed.

NEWS 1st to @NBCNews: An email sent from Dr Fords Attorney to participants of the call with Judiciary Cmte staff lays out what was discussed during Thursdays Call about a possible Hearing with Kavanaugh and Dr Ford.



LINK: https://t.co/eQUr59xWJ7 pic.twitter.com/jYVfBQlzkF  Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 21, 2018

During the call, Blaseys legal team asked that Kavanaugh speak first at the hearing, according to Politico.

The attorneys also asked if the senators could preside over questioning instead of bringing in outside counsel, a senior congressional source with knowledge of the call told CNN. With no female Republicans on the committee, the senators considered using their female aides to question Blasey at the hearing.

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Blaseys attorneys also asked if the committee could subpoena Mark Judge, Kavanaughs high school friend whom Blasey said was in the room during the alleged assault, according to The Associated Press. Judge has denied witnessing the alleged assault and refused to speak publicly on the matter.

They also discussed having only one camera in the room during the hearing and asked that the hearing take place on Thursday instead of Monday, which committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) had suggested earlier this week.

After the call, Taylor Foy, a Grassley spokesman, said the senator will consult with his colleagues on the committee. He remains committed to providing a fair forum for both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh.

Earlier Thursday, Katz emailed the Senate Judiciary Committee to let them know that Blasey was prepared to testify next week as long as terms are fair and ensure her safety.

However, Katz maintained that Blasey still preferred that the committee fully investigated her claims before she testified.

Blasey, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University, has publicly accused Kavanaugh of drunkenly assaulting her during a party in Maryland when they were both in high school. In an interview with The Washington Post, Blasey said Kavanaugh pinned her down on a bed and groped her as Judge, who also appeared to be drunk, watched.

Blasey claimed Kavanaugh covered her mouth when she tried to scream. She said was able to escape after Judge jumped on them both and toppled them off the bed.

Kavanaugh and Judge have both denied Blaseys allegation.

In a letter sent to the committee on Thursday, Kavanaugh said he looked forward to the Monday hearing, adding that he wanted one as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name.

Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it, the Supreme Court nominee wrote. I remain committed to defending my integrity.

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Christine Blasey Ford Says She's Willing To Negotiate On Testimony Next Week

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Cody Wilson, who has played a central role in making 3D-printed weapons available online, has been arrested and detained in Taiwan in connection with the sexual assault of a minor in Texas.

The 30-year-old was detained in Taipei and subsequently transported to the National Immigration Agency. He was ordered to leave the island because he no longer had a valid travel document, said Zhang Wen-xiu, director of the international affairs and law enforcement division at Taiwans National Immigration Agency.

Commander Troy Officer of the Austin Police Department said earlier this week that the force had filed an arrest warrant against Mr Wilson for a second-degree felony charge of sexual assault.

The warrant was filed after a 16-year-old girl told investigators that a 30-year-old man paid her $500 (400) to have sex at a hotel in Austin in August.

Police said the teenager said she met the man online and that the pair initially communicated on a website where Mr Wilson allegedly used a pseudonym before revealing his true identity.

The pair allegedly made arrangements to meet at a coffee shop before relocating to a hotel, where the 16-year-old told police she had sex with Mr Wilson, who is the founder of the Defense Distributed company.

Commander Officer said that investigators were able to confirm each step of the victims story with video tape and interviews.

He said a counsellor first notified police about the alleged sexual contact.

Police said that Mr Wilson missed his original scheduled flight from Taiwan back to the United States.

Asked whether officials believed Mr Wilsons trip to Taiwan was in connection to the accusations, Commander Officer acknowledged that Mr Wilson frequently travelled for work.

But he said they believed he was informed police were investigating him for having sex with a minor.

The US Marshals Service said in a statement it was aware of Mr Wilsons arrest and was fully engaged with our international partners on this matter.

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Mr Wilson has been in the center of a multi-year US legal battle involving the manufacturing of 3D-printed plastic guns. He manufactured the first fully 3D-printed pistol in 2013.

Last month, he said hed planned to distribute free blueprints of 3D guns after a federal judge barred his company from posting the designs online until a court case had been resolved.
Cyber-force  a cyber-force unit will be set up to battle terrorists and domestic gangs, it has been reported (Picture: Getty)

A cyber-force unit is to be set up to battle terrorist groups and domestic gangs, it has been reported.

According to The Times, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and GCHQ will set up the unit, recruited experts from the military, security services and industry.

The creation of the unit, which will reportedly cost 250 million, come after MPs warned that ministers were failing to get a grip with the shortage in cyber security experts despite potentially severe implications for national security.

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy said: We are struck by the Governments apparent lack of urgency in addressing the cyber security skills gap, which is of vital importance to both national security and the economy.

In a report, they warned that the WannaCry attack on the NHS in May 2017 showed the need to protect critical national infrastructure (CNI) from cyber threats.

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A Government spokesman said on Thursday night: The MoD and GCHQ have a long and proud history of working together, including on the National Offensive Cyber Programme.

We are both committed to continuing to invest in this area, given the real threats the UK faces from a range of hostile actors.
(Reuters) - Duke Energy Corp said it shut down a North Carolina natural gas plant due to flooding as the deluge of water continued in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, which has killed more than 40 people.

Duke also said it cannot rule out the possibility that coal ash from another plant is flowing into nearby waters.

Water breached the cooling lake dam at Duke's 625-megawatt natural gas L.V. Sutton plant, causing the company to shut the plant. Water is now exiting the cooling lake through breaches, one large and several smaller, the company said in a statement on Friday.

However, the company later in the day issued a statement saying the situation remains stable at the plant. The company did not provide any further information on the status of the incident.

Hurricane Florence brought several feet of rain to parts of North Carolina over a period of days, and the historic level of storm flooding is not expected to subside until next week.

Duke reported two coal ash leaks from a retired plant in Wilmington, North Carolina, following storm Florence. One came from its shuttered Sutton Power Plant on Saturday and a second on Sunday, according to federal officials.

Officials had worried the water would overwhelm several pits where coal ash had been stored, potentially contaminating rivers.

"We have not been able to get our feet on the ground to get the water quality sampling" due to flooding in the area, Michael Regan, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, said during North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper's Hurricane Florence briefing on Friday.

"We plan to conduct flyovers and partner with the Department of Transportation to see if we can ascertain ... whether any coal ash has filtered into the Cape Fear River," Regan said.

Separately, company spokeswoman Paige Sheehan told Reuters they cannot rule out the possibility that coal ash might have entered the Cape Fear River.

Coal ash collects at the bottom of basins, making it difficult to determine when ash escapes from a site.

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Coal ash can contaminate water and harm fish and wildlife. Ash pits and other embankments have ruptured under heavy rain in the past, and Duke Energy had agreed to secure the sites in North Carolina's lowland areas - but that work is ongoing.

The company's shares closed down almost 1 percent at $79.82 on Friday.

(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee and Swati Verma in Bengaluru and Scott DiSavino in New York; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta, Chris Reese and Diane Craft)
Troy Deeney has questioned the decision to name Danny Welbeck in the England squad

Watford skipper Troy Deeney has blasted Gareth Southgates decision to name Danny Welbeck in his most-recent England squad.

Welbeck was called up by Southgate for the UEFA Nations League clash with Spain and the friendly against Switzerland, despite playing just 21 minutes of Arsenals opening four Premier League games.

Deeney, on the other hand, has only missed one minute of Watfords impressive start, netting twice.

READ MORE: Bolt still hopeful on A-League deal

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While he did not necessarily expect a call-up, he does not believe he is the only English striker wondering what Welbeck has done to deserve being selected again.

Speaking to the Premier League show, Deeney said: I respected his decision, I cant say I was overjoyed not to be in it, Im one of those that believe you have to earn it.

I dont think four games is anywhere near enough to say I should be in the England team.

Deeney has looked rejuvenated under Javi Gracia

He added: If you look at a Danny Ings, Glenn Murray, Callum Wilson, we would probably all be arguing well what do I need to be in the team?

Because no offence to Danny Welbeck, Ive got a lot of time for Danny Welbeck, but hes not playing but hes still being picked, so is it a case thats just the team?
Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, discusses the organization's role in midterms in getting out the vote so that the results are reflective outcome of the population. He also talks about President Trump and what he'd say if he were to meet with him.
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department has succeeded, for the moment, in convincing President Donald Trump to hold off on declassifying secret documents related to the ongoing criminal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The White House said earlier this week that Trump had ordered the Justice Department to immediately declassify certain previously redacted portions of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application regarding Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser who was monitored by the government during the 2016 campaign. Releasing the classified documents would have marked an extraordinary intervention into the Russia investigation, which has been led by special counsel Robert Mueller since May 2017.

President Donald Trump had ordered the Justice Department to declassify certain previously redacted portions of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application regarding Carter Page (above), a former Trump campaign adviser, before the president changed his mind. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

But Trump walked things back in a series of tweets on Friday morning, saying that the Justice Department indicated during a meeting that releasing the documents may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Instead, he said, the Justice Departments inspector general had been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. Trump said he could always declassify if it proves necessary.

I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

....has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me - and everyone!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Speed is very important to me  and everyone! Trump wrote.

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A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment, while a representative of the Justice Departments inspector general did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump, in a chummy interview this week with John Solomon and Buck Sexton of The Hill, said he wanted to release the documents because he was asked by so many people that I respect before listing a number of Fox News and Fox Business Network hosts: the great Lou Dobbs, the great Sean Hannity, the wonderful, great Jeanine Pirro.

Trump had also instructed the government to release all the text messages exchanged by former FBI attorney Lisa Page and former FBI agent Peter Strzok about the Russia probe, as well as the texts of other Justice Department and FBI officials. It appeared that Trumps statement  referring to various UNREDACTED documents  applied to the release of those texts as well.

Part of the documents Trump had asked the Justice Department to declassify were texts exchanged between former FBI lawyer Lisa Page (above) and former FBI agent Peter Strzok. (Photo: Leah Millis/Reuters)

Trumps Republican defenders on Capitol Hill have zeroed in on various text messages exchanged by Strzok and Page as a way of delegitimizing the Mueller investigation, which has already taken down a number of key Trump associates. DOJs inspector general, in a report that criticized the FBIs treatment of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign, said the text messages Strzok and Page exchanged caused damage to the FBIs reputation for neutral factfinding and political independence.

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Ryan Reilly is HuffPosts senior justice reporter covering the Justice Department, federal law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs. Have a tip? Reach him at ryan.reilly@huffpost.com or on Signal at 202-527-9261.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said today that the EU and the UK are at an "impasse" in talks over Brexit. The Pound sank. Yahoo Finance's Dion Rabouin and Seana Smith talk with HSBC's Jose Rasco about Brexit, the dollar and where markets and the U.S. economy are headed.
Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, is losing support after a woman accused him of sexual assault in the early 1980s - AFP

Donald Trump described an allegation of sexual assault against his nominee for the US Supreme Court as "very unfair" as the alleged victim said there should be an FBI investigation.

At the same time, senior Republicans set a Friday morning deadline for Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychology professor, to decide whether she will testify before senators.

She has accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of pinning her on a bed and trying to take off her clothes during a high school party in 1982 when she was 15 and he was 17.

In an open letter Dr Ford, said she had received death threats since making her allegations public, and had been forced to leave her home.

She asked that the FBI carry out an investigation before she gives evidence to the Senate judiciary committee, which has invited her to do so on Monday.

Opinion polls showed public support for Mr Kavanaugh sinking, with just 31 per cent backing his appointment to a seat for life on America's highest court.

Speaking outside the White House Mr Trump said: "Look, if she shows up and makes a credible showing that'll be very interesting. We'll 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.

"Really theyre hurting somebodys life. I think its a very unfair thing whats going on. He has an unblemished record. This is a very tough thing for him and his family."

However, Mr Trump also said he wanted to hear from the alleged victim.

He said: "I'd really want to see her. I really would want to see what she has to say. If she shows up that would be wonderful. If she doesn't show up that would be unfortunate."

The FBI can only investigate if the president asks them to, and Mr Trump has declined to do so.

Republicans were hoping to secure Mr Kavanaugh's appointment to the vacant seat on the nine-member court this month, but a delay could push it beyond the mid-term elections in November.

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Democrats also want to hear testimony from a male friend of Mr Kavanaugh, whom Dr Ford claims was in the room at the time of the alleged assault. However, he has denied being present and declined to give evidence.

Mr Trump unveiling his Supreme Court nominee at the White House in July Credit: Jim Bourg/Reuters

On Wednesday, the chairman of the Senate judiciary wrote to Dr Ford's lawyers saying that she must submit a written statement by 10am on Friday if she "intends to testify" at the next hearing on Monday,

Lisa Banks, a lawyer for Dr Ford, said her client was willing to co-operate with "a full non-partisan investigation"that included multiple witnesses, not just the nominee and his accuser.

"The rush to a hearing is unnecessary, and contrary to the Committee discovering the truth," she said in a statement.
The driver of the car that crashed and killed former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver has been sentenced to 16 years in prison, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Mbabane (eSwatini) (AFP) - Voters in the African kingdom of eSwatini, previously known as Swaziland, cast ballots Friday in an election where political parties are banned and winning candidates are sidelined by a monarch who wields absolute power.

In the largely rural country that suffers grinding poverty, the election process divides the 1.3 million population, with critics calling it a sham but supporters saying it is a unique blend of tradition and politics.

At more than 300 well-organised polling stations in schools and community halls, Swazi citizens chose from individual candidates who are almost all loyal to King Mswati III.

The king is one of the world's last absolute rulers, with complete control over parliament and government as well as the judiciary, civil service and security forces.

Mswati, who has 14 wives and more than 25 children, has a reputation for lavish spending on private planes and royal palaces, while 63 percent of his subjects live below the poverty line.

Without warning or consultation, he changed the country's name from Swaziland to eSwatini ("land of the Swazis") in April.

As she waited to vote, Zodwa Mabuza told AFP that the absence of political parties fostered a closer link between citizens and elected representatives.

"We know the person we are voting for," she said in the western constituency of Lobamba Lomdzala.

"The issues are job opportunities, proper roads and more food packages for the elderly."

But another voter, who declined to be named, said that "the parliament can talk all they want, but at the end of the day there is only one boss".

Pholile Dlamini, deputy chair of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, dismissed criticism from opposition groups, donor nations and rights activists that the elections were not credible.

"To the critics, it is important to say that there is no 'one size fits all' democracy or system of government," said Dlamini.

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"This system is a perfect fit because eSwatini is a modern-day country that has chosen to preserve its very rich cultures and traditions."

- 'Wisest of us all'? -

Winners from the 59 constituency ballots will take seats in parliament's lower house, along with 10 lawmakers that the king appoints directly.

He can veto any legislation, appoints the prime minister and cabinet, and is constitutionally above the law. He also selects 20 of the 30 senators in the upper house.

"The election is a farce, of course," said Bheki Makhubu, editor of The Nation magazine, who spent 15 months in jail from 2014 to 2015 for contempt of court after exposing misconduct among judges.

"The king is the executive authority of all things, based on the presumption he is the wisest of us all."

Political parties were banned by the king's father in 1973, and still face severe restrictions despite a 2005 constitution that, in theory, guarantees their rights.

Election campaigning was discreet, with no rallies, no manifestos and just a handful of candidate posters on main roads outside the capital Mbabane.

The Pudemo party, which was designated a terrorist organisation in 2008 under draconian laws imposed that year, had called for a boycott of the vote, describing it as "fixed" by the king.

Underlying tensions surfaced ahead of polling day as thousands of protesters joined two days of trade union marches calling for public sector wage increases.

The demonstrations were broken up by riot police using tear gas and water cannons, leaving several people injured.

"The key causes of public dissatisfaction are fiscal mismanagement, private spending by the king and widespread poverty," Michael Jones, an analyst at the London-based Fitch risk consultancy, told AFP, adding that the election offered little hope of policy change.

- 'Crude window-dressing' -

The Southern African Development Community bloc and African Union deployed observer missions. The EU and Commonwealth did not send teams after issuing reports criticising the 2013 election.

The Communist Party described the vote as "crude window-dressing" for an autocracy.

But after voting in the village of Mahlanya, former MTN telecoms executive Themba Khumalo said that "people understand the election, and it works for us".

"I have travelled around the world and there are many democracies -- why can't we come up with our own as Swazis, as Africans?" he asked.

Counting began after polls closed on Friday evening, with results due over the weekend. The king is expected to appoint a new prime minister within the next month.
(SALZBURG, Austria)  Britain and its European Union partners failed on Thursday to secure a breakthrough in Brexit talks, largely because of seemingly intractable divisions over the best way to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and how to deal with future trade.

With Britains departure from the EU looming  March 29, 2019  there are growing concerns that a deal on the post-Brexit relationship may not be cobbled together in time to ensure a smooth and orderly British exit.

Despite reports of a friendly spirit at the meeting, the fundamental differences remained, said EU Council President Donald Tusk after chairing a summit in Salzburg, Austria.

All leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May, are desperate to solve the biggest Brexit riddle  how to keep goods moving freely between Northern Ireland in the U.K. and EU member state Ireland.

We need to compromise on both sides, said Tusk, highlighting the importance of the Oct. 18-19 summit in Brussels. He wants a major breakthrough there, but also said a special Brexit summit could still be set up in mid-November.

If an agreement is to be sealed by March 29, May and her EU partners must find an acceptable answer in coming weeks so parliaments have enough time to ratify the agreement.

Theyve spent two days in Salzburg trying to do just that, but with no clear solution in sight, the sides have tried to ramp up pressure on each other. Each side is urging the other to compromise while the EU issues constant warnings to Britain about the Brexit clock ticking.

Time is running short, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told reporters. We want to avoid a No Deal Brexit, but we are preparing for that. We are hiring extra staff and officials, bringing in IT systems. We are ready for that eventuality, should it occur.

Tusk said that key parts of the British proposals to leave would undermine the union of the 27 remaining members.

May has been looking to keep some part of trade between the U.K. and the EU in the blocs single market but not others. The EU has insisted that the single market cannot be cherry-picked like that.

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Tusk said of her so-called Chequers proposals that the suggested framework for cooperation will not work, not least because it risks undermining the single market of seamless movement of goods, services, capital and persons.

May however said her Brexit plan is the only serious and credible proposal on the table that can guarantee the frictionless movement of goods across borders, and ensure there is no return to a hard frontier between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Any Brexit deal will include a withdrawal agreement and transition period to smooth Britains exit from the bloc.

Currently thats expected to last until the end of 2020 but if there is no deal to avoid the hard border in Ireland and a political declaration outlining future relations then there will be no so-called transition period. That would lead to Britain crashing out of the EU on Brexit day, a development that in theory could see flights parked and trade between the two sides grind to a halt.

For Ireland, its important not to undermine the hard-won peace after decades of sectarian tensions in neighboring Northern Ireland.

What we want to avoid is any new barriers to the movement of goods, any new barriers to trade, any new barriers to the movement of people, Varadkar said.

Over dinner in Salzburg on Wednesday evening, May told the other leaders that Britain would not delay Brexit or hold a second referendum.

Amid reports that she had taken a tough line on the negotiations, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday that May had been interesting and polite.

___

Raf Casert in Brussels, Jill Lawless in London and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.
SALZBURG, Austria (Reuters) - European Union leaders decided on Thursday they would hold an extra Brexit summit on the weekend of Nov.17-18, diplomatic sources said. EU officials added some timing details were still being agreed over the additional summit where the bloc and Britain would hope to seal a Brexit deal. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by Elizabeth Piper)
By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - McDonald's avoided having to repay millions of euros in back taxes after EU antitrust regulators said that its tax deal with Luxembourg was not illegal, citing quirks in the Grand Duchy's bilateral tax treaty with the United States. The decision by the European Commission came after a three-year long investigation, part of its crackdown on illegal sweetheart deals between EU governments and multinationals that has resulted in Apple , Starbucks and Fiat paying billions of euros in back taxes. The Commission said McDonald's tax deal was in line with national tax laws and the Luxembourg-U.S. double taxation treaty. "Our in-depth investigation has shown that the reason for double non-taxation in this case is a mismatch between Luxembourg and U.S. tax laws, and not a special treatment by Luxembourg. Therefore, Luxembourg did not break EU state aid rules," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said. "Of course, the fact remains that McDonald's did not pay any taxes on these profits  and this is not how it should be from a tax fairness point of view," she said. The investigation had focused on McDonald's Luxembourg-based subsidiary Europe Franchising which receives royalties from franchisees in Europe, Ukraine and Russia. Luxembourg in a 2009 tax ruling said the company did not have to pay corporate taxes as its profits would be taxed in the United States. In a second tax ruling, the Grand Duchy said that the company was no longer required to prove that its royalty income was subject to U.S. taxation. "HAPPY MEAL" The Commission said 70 companies benefited from the bilateral tax treaty but were not being investigated. In June this year, Luxembourg presented draft legislation to avoid double non-taxation. Luxembourg said in a statement that it welcomed the Commission's recognition of the steps it had taken to avoid similar cases in future. It had been ordered to claw back millions from Engie , Amazon and Fiat in the last three years. "We pay the taxes that are owed and, from 2013-2017, McDonalds companies paid more than $3 billion just in corporate income taxes in the European Union with an average tax rate approaching 29 percent," McDonald's said. "We will continue to invest in Europe and expect to create 50,000 new jobs over the next four years." Sven Giegold, a Greens lawmaker at the European Parliament who has been pushing for more action to tackle tax loopholes, criticized the EU decision. "Luxembourg and other EU countries are serving McDonalds a happy meal with tax loopholes, and taxpayers must pay the bill," said Giegold. The ruling is a recognition by enforcers that they cannot make unlimited use of their state aid powers on taxation issues, said Natura Garcia, a partner at law firm Linklaters. "This is a welcome development given the wider context of other state aid investigations into tax rulings and will give some comfort to companies which have obtained similar tax rulings in Luxembourg or elsewhere in the EU," she said. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Philip Blenkinsop and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
BEIJING (Reuters) - The Chinese government placed Nur Bekri, the head of the National Energy Administration (NEA), under investigation for suspected graft on Friday. He is one of the country's most senior ethnic Uighur officials and was a former governor of the restive region of Xinjiang. Bekri, who's also deputy chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), is the latest in a long list of disgraced communist party leaders from China's energy sector. The NEA, launched in 2008 to regulate China's sprawling energy industry from coal and nuclear to oil, has become one of the government bodies most exposed to corruption and has been under increasing scrutiny from China's anti-graft watchdog. At least 12 senior-level NEA officials have been investigated or charged with corruption in the past decade, including two directors and four deputy directors. Currently the NEA only has 42 senior positions, according to its website. The government did not give any details about Bekri's alleged wrongdoings. Officials from China's oil and coal sector have been among the most high profile corruption cases ever since President Xi Jinping started the anti-corruption campaign aiming at catching "both big tigers and flies". China's state-owned enterprises in the energy sector also produced the largest number of officials and managers being investigated for corruption in the past few years, according to Zhuang Deshui, Vice Director of the anti-corruption research center from Peking University said. "Energy industry as a rare resource is dominated by these state-owned enterprises and government departments such as NDRC, Finance Ministry and NEA," he said. "They hold the power to approve mining and exploration rights, manage distribution and set prices of energy products. As the economy grows, demand for energy also rises, which makes these people more vulnerable to corruption." Reuters has compiled a list of the corruption cases in the energy sector during the past five years. ** In 2014, Chinese authorities have seized assets worth at least 90 billion yuan ($13.16 billion) from family members and associates of retired domestic security tsar Zhou Yongkang. Investigators seized cars, liquor and gold from Zhou's home, who once served as a former head of China's largest oil producer China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC). **CNPC's former head Jiang Jiemin, and Vice Chairman Liao Yongyuan were also sentenced to jail in the wake of Zhou's fall in 2015. **An anti-graft campaign in China's top coal producing region of Shanxi province led to the punishment of 15,450 officials in 2014 alone. **Wei Pengyuan, a former deputy director of NEA's coal department, was found with so much hoarded cash that it took investigators using five cash-counting machines 14 hours to record the amount, with one of the devices breaking down due to the excessive workload, CCTV reported. **Wang Xiaolin was a senior vice president with Shenhua Energy Co Ltd before becoming a deputy director with NEA in 2015 who has been under investigation since January. **China has brought down 254 high-level political leaders for corruption in the past six years with 77 working in the oil and gas sector. Shanxi province has had the largest number of officials arrested, sentenced or investigated this year, according to data collected by website China File. ($1 = 6.8399 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Meng Meng and Aizhu Chen; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Geneva (AFP) - Former FARC rebel commander and Colombian senator Victoria Sandino has told AFP that the hard-won peace deal between Bogota and the leftist guerillas risked being derailed.

Sandino said she had travelled to Geneva to issue her warning to top United Nations human rights officials, including deputy UN rights chief Kate Gilmour, whom she is due to meet on Friday.

"I wanted to stress that the progress made towards peace in Colombia with respect to stopping the fighting and the bloodshed... has stopped," Sandino said in an interview.

"We are in a very complex and very difficult phase" for the implementation of 2016 deal to end a half-century of conflict, added Sandino, who helped negotiate the pact.

The ex-rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, now a political party, has criticised the Bogota government over a lack of promised resources to help reintegrate former guerillas into civilian life.

A complicating factor for the deal was the election earlier this year of rightwing President Ivan Duque, who has vowed to fix "flaws" in the agreement negotiated by his predecessor, Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos.

Duque has in particular criticised the FARC deal as being too lenient in allowing former rebels accused of atrocities to serve as lawmakers.

"Our concern is huge," said Sandino, 53, commenting on Duque's approach to the peace deal.

"There is a lot of scepticism and despair, even among those who lived through the conflict," she added.

Part of her mission to Geneva involves meeting with diplomats from countries that backed the peace process to ensure they help see the implementation through.

The deal has led to a decline in violence but unrest has persisted, notably in the border areas particularly infested by cocaine traffickers.

Colombia remains the world's largest producer of cocaine, much of it destined for the United States.

Some dissident groups also refused to participate in the four-year peace process hosted by Cuba and have continued to fight government forces.

Sandino claimed that 76 former FARC guerillas have been murdered since the deal was signed, while another six have disappeared and 20 relatives of former rebels have been killed.

She did not assign blame for those deaths but warned that the overall human rights situation in Colombia was deteriorating, with activists and civil society leaders facing increased violence.
Harare (AFP) - Sixty-year-old Emma Zhakata winces, struggling to hold back tears as she relates how her husband, one of 32 cholera victims in Zimbabwe, died within hours of falling ill.

She never suspected her 69-year-old husband, Wonder Zhakata, would die suddenly after complaining that he felt weak and was suffering stomach pain.

After she rushed her husband to a clinic, he was led to a tent to wait for treatment among patients suffering from cholera.

She never saw him alive.

"That was the last time we were allowed to see him... When we called to ask after his condition, we were informed that he died of cholera," she told AFP at her home in a suburb of Harare.

"It's so scary that anyone of us can be walking now and the next moment, they are dead."

In just two weeks, the cholera outbreak gripping Zimbabwe has claimed at least 32 lives and more than 7,000 cases have been reported. The government has declared a public health emergency in the capital Harare, the worst affected area.

After her husband's death, Emma Zhakata's family had to pay officials $515 (440 euros) for him to be buried safely without the risk of infecting others.

"They did everything. We were not even allowed to do body viewing. It felt like dumping rather than giving him a decent burial," she said.

In Harare, public gatherings have been banned, street vendors ordered off the streets and people discouraged from shaking hands.

The gatherings even forced the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change to postpone a rally at which its leader Nelson Chamisa planned to proclaim himself victor of the July 30 presidential election.

- 'This medieval disease' -

Cholera outbreaks have occurred frequently in Zimbabwe's cities where supplies of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities are scarce.

But President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded long-time despot Robert Mugabe following a brief army takeover in November, has pledged to tackle the current outbreak.

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In his state of the nation address to parliament on Tuesday, Mnangagwa said the government would do all it could to fight "this medieval disease".

On Wednesday he toured cholera treatment centres in Harare where patients were being treated while others lay on stretchers in makeshift wards made from canvas and plastic.

The government has said at least $64 million is needed to bring the outbreak under control.

Last week newly-appointed Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube even launched a crowd-funding effort to raise cash, publicising bank details on Twitter and appealing for donations.

Harare's mayor Herbert Gomba said the city was also taking steps to contain the outbreak.

"We are doing pipe replacement. We have de-commissioned boreholes which were no longer safe," Gomba told journalists on Wednesday.

But he acknowledged that the city was still only supplying less than a third of the city's demand for water.

"We need new water sources and it requires one billion dollars to address the water situation adequately," he said.

- 'Living in fear' -

Residents in affected areas have criticised the official response to the spread of the infection that is passed on by bacteria and affects the small intestine.

"We are living in fear. The authorities are not doing enough," said Evans Ndoro, 48, as he walked out of a local clinic where he had taken his son to receive treatment for a suspected case of cholera.

"We have a cholera outbreak here and yet they are not offering anything like disinfectants to protect the people. They are going around urging people to use sanitisers and detergents -- but how many of us can afford those?"

And though Health Minister Obadiah Moyo vowed that rubbish dumps would be removed from high-risk areas of Harare, residents are unimpressed.

"There is lots of garbage that has gone for months without being collected in most of the affected areas," added Ndoro. "The very soil that we are walking on is contaminated but the authorities don't seem to care."

Webster Nganunu, 29, said the outbreak showed the government was failing its citizens.

"How can we have cholera in this day and age?" he said as he queued to collect clean water from a tanker in a Harare suburb paid for by a local drinks company.

"We are all living in fear... These are deaths that could have been prevented. Some people should be jailed for this."
Five people have been slashed, including three infants, at a home operating as a daycare in Flushing, Queens, New York - Screengrab from video on CBS New York

Three babies and two adults were slashed during an early-morning assault at a suspected illegal childcare centre in New York City on Friday, police said.

A 52-year-old woman who works there as a "babysitter/worker" was arrested after assault which took place in the Queens neighborhood at around 3:30am, a police spokesman told AFP.

The suspect attacked two baby girls and a baby boy, leaving one of the girls in serious condition, police said. One of the adults hurt in the attack worked there, while the other was the father of one of the babies.

None of the victims' lives were in danger, police said.

Officers found the suspect in the basement of the center with self-inflicted cuts to her wrists. She has not yet been charged.

"It looks to be an illegal" childcare facility, apparently for members of the city's Asian community, the police spokesman told AFP.

"We're unsure of its legality at this time."

It was not immediately clear how many other children were at the centre at the time of the assault.
On Thursday on the Fox Business Network, Lisa Kennedy Montgomery  better known to 90s kids as MTV VJ Kennedy  delivered a scathing monologue about the dangers of socialism.

What should have been a laughably flat fad has turned into a full-fledged movement, she said of the rise of socialism.

Coming from Kennedy, an outspoken libertarian who has said she voted for Gary Johnson for president, thats not an unusual stance. But she then pivoted to a less orthodox perspective, roping in Jim Carrey and Sean Penn for good measure, presumably because theyve defended socialist beliefs.

Everyone wants to be liked, she began. And that explains the turn-on-a-dime hypocrisy from people like Jim Carrey and Sean Penn.

And finally, the kicker: Being cool is like heroin for some of those people. Once you get high, you spend the rest of your life chasing that fleeting feeling. And whats cooler than pretending you hate money? And giving away someone elses stuff under the guise of fairness?

Penn has supported socialist causes and was frequently photographed with Hugo Chavez, the former socialist leader of Venezuela.

As for Carrey, Kennedys knock against him seems to have been a response to his recent statement on Real Time With Bill Maher, We have to say yes to socialism, to the word and everything. We have to stop apologizing.

So whats the point of Kennedys tirade? Singing the praises of capitalism, of course. Which, for the Fox Business audience, basically means preaching to the choir.

Watch Trevor Noah go off on Trump:

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The 2019 Academy Awards are still almost half a calendar year away, but as weve learned in recent years, Oscar season never stops and starts: Its everlasting, with folks predicting nominees as early as January (at Sundance) or February (with releases like Get Out and Black Panther), before the previous years ceremony has even taken place.

Oscar season really kicks into gear, though, with a trifecta of back-to-back-to-back film festivals set over the course of a frantic few weeks from late August to early September, as movie studios unspool many of their most prestigious projects at high-profile festivals in Venice, Telluride, and Toronto.

Here are 10 early contenders, some surprising (Peter Farrellys Green Book), others not (Alfonso Cuarons Roma), that youll be hearing a lot about  for better or worse  over the next five months in Hollywoods long crawl to Oscar night.

A Star Is Born

Lady Gaga, Oscar nominee? That presumptuous spin from early looks at her film-starring debut in the Bradley Cooper-directed remake got a few octaves closer to reality after rapturous responses in Venice and Toronto, where Gaga (nee Stefani Germanotta) was even on schmoozing and selfie duty with awards voters and pundits. Its going to be a crowded race for Best Actress, with potential seven-time nominee Glenn Close (The Wife) already in waiting and a gaggle of other strong female performances to emerge from the fall festival circuit, but you can bet your bottom dollar shes got a Golden Globe nomination locked up (even if, surprisingly, it sounds like Warner Bros will move to compete in the drama categories over the less competitive Musical/Comedy races). Cooper, delivering a career-best performance in a nearly unrecognizable turn, should be an easier lock and is my way-too-early pick to win.

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Bradley Cooper), Best Actress (Lady Gaga), Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Best Supporting Actor (Sam Elliott)

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Roma

Alfonso Cuarons black-and-white period piece about a year in the life of a Mexico City family is already being hailed as a masterpiece and probably received the most impressive across-the-board reviews of any film to premiere in recent weeks after screening at all three festivals. That its another filmmaking triumph for Gravity and Children of Men director Cuaron is hardly a surprise; that it could catapult Mexican actresses hardly known to stateside audiences like Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira into the Oscar race is a nice subplot. Roma will also be closely watched, as it could mark Netflixs first Best Picture nomination, potentially putting a wrap on the stigma surrounding streaming titles and their place in the awards race.

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Alfonso Cuaron), Best Actress (Yalitza Aparicio), Best Supporting Actress (Marina de Tavira)

If Beale Street Could Talk

Barry Jenkins follows up his (very, uh, unconventionally) Best Picture-winning Moonlight with another beautiful, poetic, and quietly potent romantic drama, this an adaptation of James Baldwins summer-reading-list staple. There was scattered sniffling among the audience at the Toronto premiere, and theres already a debate growing over which Jenkins movie is better. Its hard to see Beale Street not competing in the Best Picture and Best Director categories, but its best chances at winning may be for Jenkinss screenplay and a scene-stealing turn by Regina King, who just won her third Emmy and could be adding an Oscar to her trophy case in no time. (Heres hoping she has a trophy case, because this should be just the start of the Regina King award tour.)

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Barry Jenkins), Best Actress (Kiki Layne), Best Supporting Actress (Regina King)

First Man

Damien Chazelles technically stunning drama about Apollo 11s 1969 moon mission premiered to high marks at all three festivals, though those reactions were tempered by a touch of (ridiculous) controversy and some apprehension that the films emotional weight doesnt match its visual power. Still, it has to be considered a heavy favorite at least as far as nominations go for Best Picture and Best Director, while one of the biggest questions will be whether or not Ryan Gosling lands his third nomination for playing the troubled and oft-cold real-life space hero Neil Armstrong.

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Damien Chazelle), Best Actor (Ryan Gosling), Best Supporting Actress (Claire Foy)

Green Book

On the surface, it looked like it might be a derivative racial drama cut from the mold of Driving Miss Daisy and The Help, but this true tale of a Bronx bouncer (Viggo Mortensen, going full bada bing!) who chauffeurs a black piano virtuoso (Mahershala Ali) through the Jim Crow South proved the biggest surprise of the fall festival circuit when it took home the Peoples Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Nine out of the last 10 movies to take that honor have gone on to Best Picture nominations at the Oscars, with three (Slumdog Millionaire, The Kings Speech, 12 Years a Slave) winning. Suddenly Peter Farrelly  the co-director of Dumb and Dumber and Theres Something About Mary, and most recently The Three Stooges, Movie 43, and Dumb and Dumber To  is a true-blue Oscar contender.

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Peter Farrelly), Best Actor (Viggo Mortensen), Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali), Best Supporting Actress (Linda Cardellini)

Widows

Five years after the soul-stirring 12 Years a Slave won Oscars biggest prize, Steve McQueen returns with a much more commercial outing: a heist movie about three women (Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, and Elizabeth Debicki) who plot a robbery after their husbands deaths leave them all in dire straits. Genre or not, it feels like the work of a master, which should be enough to steal it nominations in the top two races. Otherwise, bet on Davis being back in the mix two years after winning for Fences and Daniel Kaluuya repeating an awards run (a year after Get Out) for his surprisingly terrifying turn as a trigger-happy ganglord underboss.

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Steve McQueen), Best Actress (Viola Davis), Best Supporting Actress (Elizabeth Debicki), Best Supporting Actor (Daniel Kaluuya)

The Favourite

Yorgos Lanthimoss last two films (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) have endeared the Greek director of breakouts Alps and Dogtooth to a wider audience, but it should get even broader with this cutting period piece about the relationships of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) with two sparring advisers (Rachel Weiszs Sarah Churchill and Emma Stones Abigail Masham) in 18th-century England. Weisz and Stone are said to be predictably stellar, but its Colman (The Night Manager) whos been favo(u)rited coming out of the films premieres in Venice and Telluride.

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Yorgos Lanthimos), Best Actress (Olivia Colman), Best Supporting Actress (Emma Stone), Best Supporting Actress (Rachel Weisz)

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Next to Green Book, the biggest surprise of the fall fests might be just how well this sharp-witted biopic of celebrity biographer-turned-forger Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) turned out. Its a crowd-pleasing, near-perfect account that balances weighty drama and big laughs, thanks in large part to sensational performances by McCarthy (who somehow makes us root for the curmudgeonly Israel by the end of it) and Richard E. Grant (who bursts with deviant energy as her tragicomic accomplice). This film should compete for Best Picture, and though the odds are probably stacked against her, itd be nice to see Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) crack what looks to be yet another all-male directorial race.

Possible nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Marielle Heller), Best Actress (Melissa McCarthy), Best Supporting Actor (Richard E. Grant)

Beautiful Boy

Uncertainty accompanied Felix Van Groeningens adaptation of a pair of memoirs by father and son David and Nic Sheff before its Toronto premiere with rumors that the film was rejected by Venice (I dont buy it). The drama, about the desperate attempts of a man (Steve Carell) to steer his drug addict son (Timothee Chalamet) into recovery, is a brutal, deeply difficult watch. Its also one of those films whose performances are better than the movie itself, but Chalamet fans will be excited to see that the young actor (excellent once again) will return to the Oscars a year after his nominated breakout in Call Me by Your Name.

Possible nominations: Best Actor (Steve Carell), Best Supporting Actor (Timothee Chalamet)

At Eternitys Gate

Julian Schnabels fittingly artsy and moody portrait of the final years in the life of Vincent van Gogh wont be for everyone (there are touches that recall Terrence Malicks The Tree of Life, if that gives you any indication). But what a performance Venice audiences were treated to by Willem Dafoe, who puts us right into the shaky mind of Van Gogh as he simultaneously reaches his peak as a painter and descends into madness. Expect Dafoe to be back in the Oscars race a year after most likely playing runner-up to winner Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) for his winning turn in The Florida Project.

Possible nominations: Best Actor (Willem Dafoe)

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A new report says Google employees considered making changes to the company's algorithm in order to push pro-immigration sites to to the top of search results. Yahoo Finance's Seana Smith, Dion Rabouin and Jen Rogers discuss with LendingTree Chief Economist Tendayi Kapfidze.
Miami (AFP) - One year after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, the island's governor blamed US "colonialism" for delays in receiving aid and the weak emergency response to the disaster that left nearly 3,000 people dead.

"Puerto Rico is a colonial territory," and therein lies the "inherent difficulty," Rosello said in an interview with local radio WKAQ 580, as commemoration ceremonies for the hurricane victims were under way.

Puerto Ricans are US citizens, but since the island is a US territory they cannot vote in national elections, and are represented in Congress only by a non-voting representative.

Rosello complained that bureaucratic dealings with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) "have been excessive," and said the response by the Army Corps of Engineers -- which sent personnel to the island days after the hurricane struck to re-establish electrical power -- "was insufficient" and "lacked urgency."

He compared the sluggish response last year to the quick federal responses in Texas and Florida, states hit weeks earlier by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, as well as the federal response to 2005's Hurricane Katrina in the US Gulf of Mexico.

"Why are there bureaucratic processes here that were addition to those in Florida and Texas?" he asked.

"And why, when Katrina struck, did they pay 100 percent of the emergency work and they did not extend this to Puerto Rico?"

Bitter debates still rage over the failings of the US government's response to the Category 4 storm in Puerto Rico and the terrible human toll it took.

Maria destroyed Puerto Rico's electricity grid, leaving the island largely without power for weeks and crippling its health care system.

The local government decreed a day of mourning to remember hurricane victims on Thursday. Flags fluttered at half mast across the island and in Florida, where many Puerto Ricans who fled the hurricane moved to live.
Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Lebanon's militant Shia movement Hizbollah, giving a televised address from an undisclosed location in Lebanon. - AFP

The leader of Lebanon's militant Hizbollah has boasted the group now possesses "highly accurate" missiles despite Israeli attempts to prevent it from acquiring such weapons.

Hassan Nasrallah did not offer specifics on the precision weapons, but his comments prompted a reply from Israel's Prime Minister.

Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Hizbollah leader that "if he confronts us, he will receive a lethal blow that he can't even imagine."

Israel worries that Hezbollah has been improving its capabilities and Israeli officials have said they will not allow "game-changing" weapons, such as guided missiles, to reach the group.

In recent months, Israel has acknowledged carrying out scores of strikes in Syria, most of them believed aimed at halting suspected arms shipments for Hizbollah from Iran, its main backer and Israel's archenemy.

Female supporters of Lebanon's Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah chant slogans as he addresses his supporters via a screen Credit: Reuters

On Thursday, Nasrallah claimed Israeli strikes in Syria to prevent Hizbollah from acquiring precise missiles were ineffective.

"I tell (Israel) no matter what it did to cut the route, it is over. It has already been achieved," he said, adding that Hizbollah "now possesses precision missiles and non-precision and weapons capabilities."

Nasrallah was speaking during a traditional televised speech at the end of Ashoura, a top religious holy day for Shia Muslims that lasts for 10 days.

He told supporters to be confident and Israelis to be concerned of Hizbollah's capabilities. Nasrallah said the balance of power in the region has changed.

Hizbollah has thousands of fighters in Syria supporting President Bashar Assad's forces in the civil war. "If Israel imposes a war on Lebanon, Israel will face a destiny and reality it didn't expect any day," Nasrallah said.

A general view shows Russian fighter jets on the tarmac at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, in the northwest of Syria Credit: AFP

Nasrallah's speech was broadcast on a large screen to supporters in Beirut's majority-Shia suburb of Dahiya. On Wednesday, Nasrallah said Israeli claims to have targeted a shipment to Hezbollah in Syria's Latakia province earlier this week were "lies."

Hizbollah fighters will continue to be deployed in Syria, he said, but perhaps in lesser numbers due to reduced fighting there after Syrian government forces regained control of most rebel-held areas.

Nasrallah also urged supporters to rally behind Iran, saying it's facing hard times as more US sanctions take effect in November.
East New York Friends and family gather to celebrate the 31st birthday of Rocky, a resident of Linden Houses, E. New York. (Photograph by Amnon Gutman)

East New York, a residential neighborhood in the eastern section of Brooklyn, has battled poverty since the 1950s. In April 2018, I began documenting grassroots community action in response to the social problems associated with poverty  from street crime and drug addiction to gun violence. In this series, which is part of a long-term urban project I started in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in 2012, I have been following the efforts of a local organization called ManUp Inc. Members use the Egyptian word hotep, which means to be at peace, to greet people in their community. This choice demonstrates ManUps powerful and focused aim, and my work represents aspects of the difficult challenge the group faces.

Efforts to change a troubled reality in the context of an impoverished community must be directed at different sources of concern simultaneously. Community action maximizes the strategy of empowerment through personal relations and shared goals. Cure Violence, a program based on the Chicago Ceasefire Initiative and used by ManUp, employs strategies indicated by the key word cure in its name. The program defines its challenge with concepts borrowed from the prevention of the spread of a contagious disease: detecting and interrupting conflicts, identifying and treating high-risk individuals and examining social norms. Using principles set down by Ceasefire  itself an initiative of the Chicago Project  outreach team workers for ManUp try to break the chain of street violence by acting as peer counselors to potential perpetrators and victims. A significant result of this proactive approach in East New York is that people are recognizing the potential of their participation in the process of transformation.

Text and photography by Amnon Gutman

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Judge Ashley Tabaddor and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. (Photos: Susan Walsh/AP, Charlie Riedel/AP)

The head of the union that represents federal immigration judges accused the Department of Justice of prioritizing efficiency over due process Friday, and renewed calls for the creation of an independent immigration court system.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, Judge Ashley Tabaddor, president of the National Association for Immigration Judges, criticized a number of recent changes that have been made to the immigration court system under Attorney General Jeff Sessions, including the introduction of case completion quotas. She said that imposing those and other performance measures are not only insulting, but in direct contradiction to what it means to be a judge.

As of Oct. 1, all immigration judges will be required to complete 700 cases per year to receive a satisfactory performance review. Such measures, which tie an immigration judges employment to their ability to quickly complete complicated cases, Tabaddor argued, place quantity over quality, and threaten due process for all.

A spokesman for the Justice Department called the changes common-sense reforms to fix long-standing problems with the courts.

Federal Immigration judges are generally barred from speaking publicly about issues that impact their courts, but Tabaddor, in her capacity as NAIJ president, has repeatedly raised concerns about Sessionss direction of the immigration court system. Unlike the constitutionally independent criminal and civil court systems, immigration courts are an arm of the Justice Department. NAIJ and others, including the Federal Bar Association, have long advocated for immigration courts to be removed from the DOJ. But Tabaddor said recent actions by Sessions and his aides have elevated existing problems to a new height where frankly its indefensible on all levels.

She cited the recent removal of nearly 90 cases from a Philadelphia judges docket, which prompted a formal grievance by the union as an example of the departments efforts to impede judicial independence.

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According to the grievance, the actions against Judge Steven Morley stemmed from his handling of the case of Reynaldo Castro-Tum, who came to the U.S. from Guatemala as an unaccompanied minor. After Castro-Tum failed to appear for his first two scheduled hearings, Morley found that the Office of Refugee Resettlement may not have provided an accurate or reliable address for the young man, an issue the judge had observed in several other juvenile cases, raising questions about whether Castro-Tum been properly notified of his court hearing. Morley chose to use his authority to administratively close the case  essentially putting it on hold without making a decision  to allow the notification question to be investigated.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP)

In the meantime, Sessions referred the Castro-Tum case to himself and in May issued a decision finding that immigration judges do not have the authority to administratively close cases, effectively terminating a practice that judges have long relied on to manage their calendars and prioritize cases. Following Sessionss decision, Morley received an email from the director of the DOJs Executive Office for Immigration Review instructing him to quickly schedule a hearing in the Castro-Tum case, at which an attorney requested a continuance in order to try to track down Castro-Tum. Morley assented to the continuance and was shortly notified that the case had been reassigned to another judge, who had quickly ordered Castro-Tum deported. Morley then learned that hed also been removed from 85 other cases involving similar circumstances.

Several retired immigration judges and former members of the Board of Immigration Appeals signed a letter criticizing the move as the latest attack on judicial independence. The Executive Office for Immigration Review, they concluded, had removed the Castro-Tum case from the docket of a capable judge in order to ensure an outcome that would please its higher-ups.

While the Trump administration has drawn plenty of attention for its controversial immigration enforcement policies  from separating families at the border to the indiscriminate arrests and large-scale detention of undocumented immigrants within the country  Sessions has been quietly making significant changes to the immigration courts by taking it upon himself to review and make precedent-setting decisions in a number of cases like that of Castro-Tum.

In addition to restricting judges authority to put cases on hold through administrative closures, hes also revoked a requirement that all asylum cases be heard by judges, and generally disqualified victims of gang or domestic violence from seeking asylum in the U.S.

Earlier this week, he issued yet another decision overturning an earlier ruling by the Board of Immigration Appeals  one that had allowed the court to terminate deportation proceedings for a family member of a U.S. citizen resident to allow her to pursue a lawful claim for a family-based visa.

Tabaddor said the latest decision is indicative of one of the fundamental flaws of the current immigration court system. While Sessions had requested briefs on the previous cases he referred to himself for review, Tabaddor said there was no advance indication that he was involving himself in this case. Nobody even knew, she said.

When you provide a prosecutor super veto power, thats a design flaw, she said.

Sessions has defended such moves part of an effort to increase efficiency within the immigration courts, which face a mounting backlog of more than 740,000 cases.

In a statement to Yahoo News Friday, a DOJ spokesperson accused the NAIJ of consistently attempt[ing] to block the Justice Departments common-sense reforms to fix decades of immigration court mismanagement, and charged that The immigration judge union has also contributed to the massive backlog inherited by this administration.

Judge Tabaddor speaking at the National Press Club in Washington on Friday. (Photo: Susan Walsh/AP)

Tabaddor maintained that the judges are not responsible for the backlog. Its the bad management for years and continued misguided solutions.

During the recent induction ceremony for 44 new immigration judges  the largest-ever class of immigration judges in U.S. history  Sessions decried proponents of so-called open borders and painted immigration lawyers as talented scammers working to circumvent our immigration laws. Tabaddor argued that Sessionss remarks at this event highlighted and emphasized [his] commitment to implementing executive branchs law enforcement policies.

The only durable solution is to get [the immigration] court away from the Justice Department, let it be a real court, she said.

While a number of legal organizations have issued their support for such a move, Tabaddor acknowledged that the NAIJ is limited in the legal actions it can take to divorce itself from the DOJ, ultimately relying on the hope that members of Congress will take the action necessary to establish an independent immigration court through legislation.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review has been clear that the proper home for the immigration court system is with the department as Congress intended, said the DOJ spokesperson, adding that it is possible to achieve the departments goal of reducing the backlog by 50 percent in 2020 with collaboration  not obstruction and intentional undermining  from the immigration judge union.

In the absence of congressional action, Tabaddor said the NAIJ is continuing to bargain with the Executive Office for Immigration Review over the quotas and urging judges not to succumb to pressures to rush to conclude cases at the expense of due process.

Dont cut corners, she said.

_____

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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India and Pakistan have called off a meeting between their foreign ministers in New York, India's foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement, a day after announcing the talks. The statement cited the deaths of three Indian policemen in the contested Kashmir region. "The latest brutal killings of our security personnel, and Pakistan glorifying terrorism shows that our neighbor will not mend its way," spokesman Raveesh Kumar said. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had written to his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, suggesting their foreign ministers meet in New York to try to break an impasse in ties between the nuclear rivals and arch foes. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal; Editing by Malini Menon)
New Delhi (AFP) - Indian authorities Friday ordered a probe into the deaths of a dozen endangered wild Asiatic lions, half of them cubs, over the last 10 days, officials said.

One lioness died after preying on a poisoned boar while eight others lions died of an infection in the lungs and liver.

Three cubs were killed in infighting while other three passed away in the course of treatment.

Gujarat officials have sent the lions' carcasses to a veterinary hospital for further analysis into the cause of infection.

"Primarily the deaths appear due to natural causes or some infection," Vijay Chaudhary, forest department official, told AFP.

Listed as critically endangered in 2000, wild Asiatic lions reside only in one Indian forest -- the Gir Sanctuary spread over 1,400 square kilometres (545 square miles) in the western state of Gujarat.

The lions, a major tourist attraction in the state, have been a target of poachers in the past.

Experts said that the deaths cannot be dismissed as part of a natural cycle.

"There needs to be some preventive action by tracking the pride of lions in the area and checking them for infections," Priyavrat Gadhvi, a wildlife expert and members of state wildlife board in Gujarat, told AFP.

According to the latest lion count done in 2015, there are 521 Asiatic lions. About 10 of them died in floods in 2016.
A bride-to-bes epic rant has gone viral [Photo: Getty]

A shell-shocked wedding guest has shared a list of demands from a so-called bridezilla and the internet is reeling from her bravado.

On Thursday, Redditor Laika_cat posted an email screengrab of a stern mandate from a wedding coordinator outlining a list of rules and regulations for guests of the bride and groom.

The email in the post, titled Kindly refrain from upstaging the bride on her big day  oh, and no admission without a gift of $75 or more, reads as follows:

Please arrive 15-30 minutes early.

Please DO NOT wear white, cream, or ivory.

Please do not wear anything other than a basic bob or ponytail.

Please do not [have] a full face of makeup.

Do not record during the ceremony.

Do not check in on [Facebook] until instructed.

Use #[Redacted] when posting all pictures.

DO NOT TALK TO THE BRIDE AT ALL.

Everyone will toast with Remy. No acceptance.

Lastly must come with gift $75 or more or you wont be admitted.

A bridezilla has gone viral with her outrageous wedding demands. (Photo: Reddit/laika_cat)

Reddit commenters were appalled, writing, Id love for all guests to all show up nked with ponytails. That would be beautiful, I would still RSVP +1 and then bring a gift that was only $73.50, and Wait so there will be a part in the ceremony that theyll instruct to open facebook?

Interestingly, there quite a few spelling mistakes in the email  including spelling ceremony as seramony  which seem a little odd and cast doubt its veracity.

Last week, another bridezilla-themed Reddit post was roasted after a bride, upset that her guests wouldnt pay $2K to $3K for her destination wedding, complained that only the cheaper items on her wedding registry were purchased. I swear I thought I had better friends. she wrote.

And bride Sandra Igwe told This Morning television show hosts Monday that her $128,000 wedding (which consisted of five different ceremonies for which her husband had to borrow a loan to cover) included 13 different wedding dresses.

From a young age, us girls plan the biggest day of our lives and when the time came I wanted to have the perfect wedding, Igwe told the hosts.

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I thought actually, I want it here but I also want it there and I want it there, so I thought why cant I have all of it?

In August, a Canadian bride known only by Susan went viral after revealing that she and her groom canceled their $60K wedding because their guests failed to cough up the individual $1,500 fees to attend.

Dear friends, it comes with great sadness that I am announcing the cancellation of the wedding. I apologize for canceling only four days beforehand, Susan allegedly wrote on Facebook.

Unfortunately, [fiance] and I have broken up due to some recent and irreparable problems. We have decided to end our relationship and not go forth with any future proceedings.

An email allegedly written by a demanding bride with a list of wedding rules is going viral. (Photo: Getty Images)

.I specifically, I mean specifically asked for cash gifts. How could we have our wedding that we dreamed of without proper funding? she wrote. Wed sacrificed so much and only asked each guest for around $1,500. We talked to a few people who even promised us more to make our dream come true.

Only eight guests forked over the extravagant fee, leaving Susan and her former groom to frantically establish a GoFundMe account which only reaped $250. .I just wanted to be a Kardashian for a day and then live my life like normal, bemoaned Susan.

Social media cast doubt on the legitimacy of the post, however, a woman who identified herself as Susans cousin, confirmed the email was real.

So yes, first, this is a living, breathing human being the woman wrote on Facebook.

Clearly she has entitlement issues but I have never known her to be this obnoxious.

Revealing that her family member was envious of Kylie Jenners lifestyle, she added, We all think shes being dramatic. I also have a feeling she may have been drinking while writing this status, its especially vulgar and incredibly embarrassing.





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Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's coordination with Russia on its attacks in Syria remains unchanged despite the deadly downing of a Russian plane, and the Jewish state retains its right to decide on military actions, an Israeli official said Friday.

Syrian air defences mistakenly shot down the military plane following an Israeli raid on Monday night, killing 15 Russians and fuelling speculation Moscow would seek to curb Israeli actions in Syria.

Israel, which carries out regular strikes against pro-government forces in war-torn Syria, has a de-confliction agreement with key regime backer Russia to avoid clashes between their respective air forces.

An Israeli military official, speaking to journalists on condition of anonymity, said Friday that the deal remained in place.

"There have been no changes to the de confliction mechanism as a result of this unfortunate event," the official said.

He said the two sides had committed to the "very effective" mechanism but stressed that Israel's "freedom of movement is paramount".

Israel and Russia created the mechanism in 2015, when Russian forces intervened in Syria's civil war to support its ally President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel regularly carries out strikes in Syria against the Syrian government, its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Iranian targets.

Despite the mechanism, Syrian air defences on Monday night mistakenly struck a Russian Il-20 military plane after an Israeli raid on a Syrian army facility, killing all the crew members.

The Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences", saying they reserved the right to respond.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin later adopted a more conciliatory tone, saying the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances".

An Israeli military delegation travelled to Moscow on Thursday to express sorrow over the deaths and to share information on the incident with their Russian counterparts.

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- 'Irresponsible' -

The Israelis "provided proof" to the Russians that their plane had been shot down because the Syrian batteries had "fired recklessly, irresponsibly and unprofessionally, long after our planes were no longer there," the official said.

The Syrians fired for a total of 20 missiles, he said.

Israeli planes were "not anywhere near the Russian plane," he added.

He also disputed initial claims by the Russians that the Israelis had only warned them of their planned attack a minute before, and had used the Russian plane as a cover.

"We definitely gave a warning time much longer than one minute, we acted in accordance with the standard operating procedures that are in place with the Russian military, this time as we have done before."

He denied reports that Russian officials had rejected the Israeli conclusions, adding that Israel would continue to constantly review the existing protocols with Moscow.

"There might be improvement, mutual improvement. But it's still unclear. The mechanism continues to work, it continues to operate, it continues to de-conflict," he said.

Israel has struck multiple times inside Syria in recent months and says it will continue to operate to stop weapons reaching Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based movement backed by the Jewish state's arch-rival Iran.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has provided Moscow with proof it bore no responsibility for bringing down a Russian plane in Syria, an Israeli military official said on Friday. Fifteen Russian crew were killed when an IL-20 surveillance plane crashed near Latakia in northern Syria on Monday. Russia has said Syria shot the plane down shortly after Israeli jets hit a target in the area. Initially the incident appeared likely to cause friction between Israel and Russia, with the Defence Ministry in Moscow accusing Israel of indirectly causing it. But President Vladimir Putin later called it "a chain of tragic, chance events." An Israeli delegation led by its air force chief this week presented Moscow with its findings on the incident, "including recordings of the conversations between the Israeli air force and the Russian air force component in Syria," said the Israeli official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. "We proved how the Syrian reckless anti-air fire was the direct cause of hitting the Russian aircraft. They fired quite recklessly and irresponsibly and unprofessionally into the air long after our planes were no longer there," the official said. More than 20 Syrian anti-aircraft missiles were fired during the incident, the official said. "Our Russian counterparts had a few questions, those questions were answered," the official said. "Our impression is that the discussions were professional and that the information was well accepted." Russia's Defence Ministry was initially critical of Israel, saying it had only given Moscow one minute's warning before its jets attacked, putting the Russian aircraft in danger of being caught in cross-fire. But the Israeli official said: "We definitely gave a warning, a time much longer than one minute. We acted in accordance with the standard operating procedures that are in place with the Russian military." Any dispute between Israel and Russia could lessen Israel's ability to carry out air strikes inside Syria against what it regards as the greatest threat to Israel's security from the country's civil war - build-ups of Iranian forces or those of Iran's Shi'ite ally, Hezbollah. Since intervening in Syria in 2015, Russia has usually turned a blind eye to Israeli attacks. Israel has launched about 200 such raids in the last two years, Israeli officials say. The Israeli official said the meeting in Moscow was an opportunity to improve the mechanism the countries have been using to avoid unintended confrontations. "But our freedom of movement is paramount ... The IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) will continue to implement our strategic interests," the official said. (Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch, Editing by Stephen Farrell, William Maclean)
BEIJING (Reuters) - Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Friday that the government's 2019 budget must focus on helping Italians without getting hung up over "little numbers" involving the fiscal deficit. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, 5-Star Movement leader Di Maio said the ruling coalition, made up of 5-Star and the right-wing League, had taken "steps forward" in putting together the budget, but more progress was needed. "Above all we need to forget about little numbers and think about our citizens," Di Maio said. (Reporting By Gavin Jones)
Dallas (AFP) - The truck, specially made to look like a classic camera, rolled up in the morning and started churning out poster-sized portraits of smiling Texans.

By nightfall dozens of the black-and-white images had been pasted onto a Dallas building -- faces of America's young voters participating in French artist JR's latest effort to promote civic engagement.

His simple but enchanting Inside Out Project -- register to vote, pose for a personal portrait, talk it out with neighbors -- is helping Americans see art through a new lens in extraordinary times, and to engage politically ahead of November's all-important midterm elections.

"It's promoting voter registration and making it easily accessible to my generation," Dallas teacher Taylor Hill, 26, told AFP Saturday as she waited for her portrait to unspool from a slit in the truck.

"And we like taking pictures of ourselves, so it's a way to combine the two."

Hill, who recently dyed her blonde hair purple, acknowledged it was "kind of a stupid move" for her and friends to sit out the 2016 election.

So when they reached the Inside Out truck, Hill filled out a voter registration form, handed it to local activism group Jolt Texas, then entered the photo booth to snap a playful portrait that wound up on the building.

- 'Change the world' -

More than 300,000 people worldwide have participated in Inside Out since its founding in 2011, when JR proclaimed his desire to "change the world" through art.

The project has embraced themes such as domestic violence, justice and immigration, bearing witness to individuals often ignored in overheated rhetoric.

The photo trucks are on a 20-city US tour, including stops in Florida, Texas and California, promoting the power of the ballot box.

The project is non-partisan, meant to re-imagine day-to-day discussions of the traditional town square, explained Gabe Rodriguez, who works with sponsor Emerson Collective and oversaw the Dallas event.

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With political tensions swirling 20 months into Donald Trump's presidency, Rodriguez sounds relieved that there have been no angry clashes at the photo truck, just positivity.

"The more spaces we can create where people have a chance to focus on something beautiful, the more successful or meaningful for their community and the more productive the dialogue can be," he said.

Hispanic-American Jessica Martinez, 39, worried that Trump's aggressive rhetoric has "hindered" public discourse, but said Inside Out might help change that.

"I'm hoping it will inspire Latinas to come out and really speak their voice," she said, as her teen daughters posed for portraits.

JR has addressed US politics before. In 2017 he hoisted a huge photograph of a smiling toddler in northern Mexico who appears to be peering over the border wall into California.




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.
By Doina Chiacu and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday sought to cast doubt on the woman who has accused his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, saying if the attack was "as bad as she says," it would have been immediately reported to police. After days of restrained comments on the allegations by California professor Christine Blasey Ford, Trump took to Twitter to question her account of what happened between her and Kavanaugh at a party in 1982 when they were in high school. The tweets came as a Republican-controlled U.S. Senate committee struggled on how to proceed with Kavanaugh's nomination. Democrats have demanded more time for scrutiny and Republicans want to move ahead quickly with a confirmation vote in an increasingly volatile political climate ahead of the Nov. 6 congressional elections. The Senate Judiciary Committee had delayed a vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation after Ford's allegations emerged last week, and her lawyers and committee staff are negotiating how and when she will testify. The committee's chairman, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, said in a statement that the panel would hold a vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation on Monday unless a deal was reached with Ford's lawyers by 10 p.m. EDT on Friday. "Im extending the deadline for response yet again to 10 o'clock this evening. Im providing a notice of a vote to occur Monday in the event that Dr. Ford's attorneys don't respond or Dr. Ford decides not to testify," Grassley said in the statement. Senate Republicans proposed moving the hearing from Monday to Wednesday, a day earlier than Ford requested, Politico reported. It said Ford would testify first, then Kavanaugh. Approval of Kavanaugh would cement conservative control of the Supreme Court and advance a White House effort to tilt the American judiciary farther right. Trump and the White House had been careful not to malign Ford after her allegations surfaced, but Trump dropped the restraint in his tweets on Friday. "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Trump said. "I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place! "Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay," Trump wrote. Republican Senator Susan Collins, potentially a key vote on Kavanaugh's nomination, said at an event in Portland, Maine, that she was "appalled" by Trump's tweet. "We know allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist," Collins said, according to the Portland Press Herald. "So I thought that the presidents tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong." If the hearing proceeds, Republicans will be forced to walk a careful line in questioning Ford's account without alienating women voters ahead of the elections. Before the 2016 presidential election, more than a dozen women accused Trump of making unwanted advances. 'VILE ATTACK' Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand denounced Trump's comments on Friday as a "vile attack." "The most powerful man in the world just used his position and platform to attack a sexual assault survivor," she said on Twitter. "This is the same man who has been credibly accused of more than a dozen cases of sexual assault or harassment." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking at a gathering of evangelical voters in Washington, assured them Kavanaugh would be confirmed. "You watched the fight, you watched the tactics, but here is what I want to tell you - in the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court," McConnell told the Value Voters Summit, prompting a standing ovation. "We're going to plow through all of this and do our job." McConnell's goal has been to confirm Kavanaugh by Oct. 1, the start of the Supreme Court term. Trump's Friday tweets contrasted to comments earlier in the week when he said Ford should be heard, even if it meant a delay in the confirmation process. At a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday night he had told supporters, "We'll let it play out, and I think everything is going to be just fine." Ford has said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982 when both were high school students in Maryland. Kavanaugh has denied the allegation and pledged to testify at Monday's hearing. Ford's lawyers and committee staff spoke by phone on Thursday night, a panel spokesman said without giving details. A person familiar with the call said Ford could testify by next Thursday. The telephone discussion ended with no decision, according to media reports. The reports also said Ford's lawyers wanted Kavanaugh to appear separately first and that she wanted to be questioned by senators, not outside counsel. Ford's legal team has said she strongly prefers that her allegations are fully investigated before she testifies. White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, who has urged that Ford to be heard, said on CNN on Friday that Ford's requests were a "laundry list of demands." The Senate panel must approve Kavanaugh's confirmation before a vote by the full Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. Kavanaugh's confirmation to the lifetime position would be the second of the Trump administration and solidify conservative control of the nation's top court. Ford's team has sought guarantees of her safety because of death threats. Kavanaugh and his wife also had received threats, a senior White House official said. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley, Richard Cowan, Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; writing by John Whitesides; editing by Bill Trott and G Crosse)
Lady Amelia Windsor recently shared a sponsored post on Instagram but what are the Buckingham Palace rules regarding social media? [Photo: Getty]

Lady Amelia Windsor, Prince Harry and Prince Williams cousin, recently shared a sponsored post via Instagram and the move left fans questioning  are members of the royal family allowed to promote brands on social media?

The 23-year-old took to the social media platform to share a photograph of herself clad in a polka dot dress which read: Paid partnership with Michael Kors.

First things first, the post itself is rare for the Windsor clan, as key members of the royal family do not even have accounts on the photo sharing platform to start with.

The Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Sussex are not permitted to have their own Instagram accounts. Who can forget when the former actress deleted her social media handles just months after meeting Prince Harry?

Instead, the sister-in-laws both share the official Kensington Palace social media accounts with their husbands.

Princess Eugenie for instance, became the first member of the immediate royal family to set up her own Instagram account back in March and has since shared everything from details on her upcoming wedding to throwback snaps.

But the 28-year-old must be careful of her digital footprint, as she admitted to Vogue that she got in trouble after sharing an image of her father due to it showing a corridor of Buckingham Palace which is off-limits to the public.

However, Lady Amelia Windsors current status in running to the crown (shes 38th in line to the throne) means the royal rules are sure to be more relaxed.

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Royal commentator, Richard Fitzwilliams, told Yahoo Style UK: Zara Tindall, who is a professional sportswoman has today become officially linked to iCandy and her three-month-old daughter Lena appears in the first advertisement. Without a royal title she has had to forge her own career and sponsorship is obviously a part of this.

Therefore, its not entirely unusual to see Lady Amelia Windsor plotting her future career within the fashion industry with the help of a sponsored post or two.

I can see no objection whatever to Lady Amelia, who is 38th in line to the throne and a fashion model, sharing a sponsored post on Instagram, Fitzwilliams added.

Can the royals receive gifts from brands?

While the rules are more relaxed for less-royals, such as Lady Amelia, its strictly forbidden to members bearing a HRH title to accept gifts.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex famously had to return 7 million worth of their wedding presents gifted by the public as they are not permitted to use products for commercial purposes.

In an official statement, Kensington Palace said: When gifts are accepted, the consent of the Member of the Royal Family should be contingent upon the enterprise undertaking not to exploit the gift for commercial purposes.

Gifts offered by private individuals living in the UK not personally known to the Member of the Royal Family should be refused where there are concerns about the propriety or motives of the donor or the gift itself.

In a similar manner, the Duchess of Sussex is reportedly not allowed to wear clothes gifted to her from fashion labels. Every single item which graces the headlines courtesy of the Meghan Effect is paid for by the palace while she reportedly footed the bill for her new royal wardrobe prior to the wedding.

Fitzwilliams explains: Working members of the royal family would not enter into sponsorship deals with companies.

Royal patronages are greatly prized, there are currently some 3,000 charities and organisations with royal patronages which boosts their status enormously. A Royal Warrant has an considerable cachet, this recognises those who have supplied goods and services to the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales for at least five years.

Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Amelia Windsor at the Christian Dior showcases SS17 cruise collection at Blenheim Palace back in 2016 [Photo: Getty]

Meghan famously gave up her blog The Tig and all personal online activity before marriage, as this was regarded as inappropriate for a senior working member of the royal family.

Amelia Windsors recent partnership with Michael Kors is likely a sneak preview of her future career  therefore a vital step in cracking the tough industry. Its important to remember that the royal has already made a foray into the fashion world, as shes a FROW regular  often bringing Lady Kitty Spencer with her to A-list after-parties.

Most recently, the royal-turned-model graced Tatlers October issue cover further suggesting that both her position in line to the throne and fledgling fashion career allows her to stretch the royal rule book.

With multiple sponsored posts already under her belt and the Dolce and Gabbana SS18 show listed on her CV, the royal is certainly already making waves in the industry.

Watch this space.

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Vilnius (AFP) - Thirty-five years ago, Father Sigitas Tamkevicius was detained and repeatedly interrogated at a KGB prison for protesting Soviet religious discrimination.

On Sunday, Pope Francis will visit the Lithuanian Catholic priest's cell in what is now a museum in central Vilnius to pay tribute to those who challenged the Soviet regime.

"When I was sitting in that cell deep underground, if someone had told me the pope would come here... that would have been incredible," Tamkevicius, now 79, told AFP.

"The pope's visit to this place and tribute to the sacrifice for freedom cannot be overestimated," he added.

After Lithuania regained independence in the 1990s, Tamkevicius was appointed an archbishop.

Back in the 1980s however, he was accused of spreading anti-Soviet propaganda for having founded and edited the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania.

Founded in 1972, the underground periodical covered the repression of Catholics. In classic samizdat fashion, it was smuggled across to the West, where it was picked up by sources including Vatican Radio and Voice of America.

Arrested and imprisoned in 1983, Tamkevicius served time in Soviet labour camps, including a spell in Siberia, before his release.

"We thought that if we got more freedom for the church, it would also bring more freedom to Lithuania," he said.

"Everybody knew that the church was fighting not only for its own rights but also for the nation's rights."

Tamkevicius said he was heavily motivated by the then pope -- later saint -- John Paul II's public solidarity with the "silent Church" in countries where faith was discouraged at the time.

Dissidents in Lithuania and fellow Baltic states Estonia and Latvia were also encouraged by the fact that the Vatican had refused to recognise the Soviet occupation of the trio.

The Soviets had handed Tamkevicius a 10-year jail sentence. In the end he was freed after six, in 1989, during the so-called perestroika reforms instituted by Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev.

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But many of those detained decades earlier never left the Vilnius prison alive. Carved into its stony walls are the names of dissidents killed there under Soviet rule.

Vilnius estimates that more than 50,000 Lithuanians died in camps, prisons, and during deportations between 1944 and 1953. Another 20,000 partisans and supporters were killed in anti-Soviet guerilla warfare.

- Moral authority -

The pope will also pay tribute to Holocaust victims at the Vilnius ghetto memorial.

Nazi Germany all but obliterated the once-vibrant Jewish community of the capital, known as the "Jerusalem of the North".

"We feel honoured by the pope's visit -- no matter that we have different religions -- and appreciate that he will honour the victims exactly 75 years after the ghetto was liquidated," community leader Faina Kukliansky told AFP.

"I believe his thoughts will also be with the Christians who saved Jews, including those who saved my family."

Around 200,000 Lithuanian Jews died at the hands of the Nazis and local collaborators under the 1941-44 German occupation -- nearly the entire Jewish population.

Today there are only around 3,000 Jews left in the EU and NATO member state of 2.9 million people.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said church support for dissenting voices helped it preserve a strong moral position in the country.

"The church was one of our pillars of resistance, alongside our language, culture and songs," she told AFP.

"We see the difficulties and challenges that the church faces in other countries but we are glad it preserved moral authority here."
Paris (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron announced honours on Friday for Algerians who fought alongside French troops in Algeria's war of independence, part of fresh moves to confront France's painful legacy in north Africa.

Macron is to grant national awards to more than 20 former fighters and people who have battled for recognition of the Algerians who fought for Paris in the country's brutal eight-year liberation war.

After a peace accord granted Algerian independence on March 18, 1962, only around 60,000 Algerian loyalists known as "harkis" were allowed into France. There, they suffered rampant discrimination and, in many cases, poverty.

The rest -- between 55,000 and 75,000, according to historians -- remained in Algeria, where many were massacred after being accused of being traitors.

Notifications published in the official journal on Friday showed that Macron would grant the Legion d'Honneur, the country's top honour, to six former fighters and the co-founder of an association which has fought for their rights.

Another 19 people are to be granted an Order of Merit, ahead of France's National Harki Day on September 25.

The fate of the harkis in France and their descendants, who number hundreds of thousands, remains a highly sensitive issue in France, acting as a reminder of its colonial history.

Previous presidents of the left and right had taken cautious steps to acknowledge and face up to French wrongdoing in Algeria and after the war.

Rightwing leader Nicolas Sarkozy admitted in 2012 that France failed in its duty towards the Algerians who fought for France, saying the country "should have protected the harkis from history, it did not do so."

Macron has gone further than his predecessors in addressing France's past in Algeria.

Last year he sparked controversy on the campaign trail by declaring that France's colonisation of Algeria was a "crime against humanity", leading to protests from some harki groups.

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And last week he acknowledged that the French military instituted a "system" that facilitated torture as it sought to cling on to its 130-year rule in the country.

He made the announcement while admitting that the French state was responsible for the torture and death of mathematician Maurice Audin, a French Communist pro-independence activist who disappeared in Algiers in 1957.

The 1954-1962 Algerian war of independence sparked fears of a coup in France, with mutinous generals reluctant to relinquish the colony.

The conflict left at least 400,000 people dead.
Harry Uzoka (left) and George Koh, Merse Dikanda and Jonathan Okigbo (Met Police)

A male model has been jailed for at least 25 years for murdering his more successful fashion rival in a row about a girlfriend.

Harry Uzoka, 25, who was signed with Londons Premier Model Management agency, was stabbed in the heart by George Koh after he went to settle the dispute.

Uzoka was armed with a dumbbell bar, while George Koh, 24, brought two knives and arrived with machete-wielding friend Merse Dikanda, 24, and personal trainer Jonathan Okigbo, 24.

All three were jailed.

CCTV captured the deadly attack (CCTV)

CCTV footage captured the confrontation in Shepherds Bush in broad daylight, in an area where children were playing.

Mr Uzoka collapsed and died in the street outside his home in west London after Koh plunged a knife deep into his heart.

The Old Bailey heard Koh was obsessed with Mr Uzoka, who had recently landed a role in a movie.

The relationship deteriorated after Koh bragged to Paris-based model Annecetta Lafon that he had sex with Mr Uzokas girlfriend, Ruby Campbell, who is also a model.

Ms Campbell did not give evidence at the trial but in a later Instagram post, including a picture of her and Mr Uzoka, insisted she had never met Koh and told of receiving multiple death threats because of the case.

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Koh, from Camden, was handed a life sentence on Friday after he was found guilty of murder and pleaded guilty to possessing a knife. He was told by Judge Wendy Joseph QC that he must serve at least 25 years.

Dikanda, also from Camden, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 22 years after he was found guilty of murder, and possessing knives. Okigbo, of no fixed address, was jailed for 14 years after he was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

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Loud banging and shouting could be heard as they were taken down to the cells.

The loss of any life is tragic, the more so when a victim is so young, able and generous, the judge said.

Harry Uzoka had just landed a role in a movie as well as successful model work (Getty)

Harry Uzoka was a young man of exceptional talent, who overcame his own difficulties to make a great success of his young life and to be a remarkable role model for others. He was 25 years old when you killed him.

Behind that bald statement are these facts: Harry Uzoka had, with great talent, forged a successful international career as a male model. He was one of the first black British men to do so.

The court heard that Koh, who was said to have turned his life around after he was jailed in 2012 for drug dealing, has written a letter to Mr Uzokas family  who were sitting in court for the whole trial  expressing his profound remorse.

Mr Uzokas mother, Josephine Jackson, paid tribute to her beautiful boy who had helped to pay her mortgage and treated her to holidays abroad.

Koh (left) was given a life sentence, Okigbo (centre) 14 years and Dikanda 22 years (Met Police)

Your short life enriched the lives of so many. You inspired so many people and touched them with your love. You will never be forgotten, my wonderful boy, she said in a victim impact statement.

Prosecutor Richard Horwell QC told the trial: Koh claimed that he knew Uzoka well and then said that he had sex with Uzokas girlfriend and that was the reason why they no longer talked.
It was around noon when the shark struck. Arthur Medici, a 26-year-old from Brazil, was attacked on Sept. 16 while boogie-boarding just off Cape Cods Newcomb Hollow Beach. Although a friend dragged him from the water, he soon succumbed to his injuries in the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936. Coming just weeks after a 61-year-old was hospitalized following a bite a few miles up the beach, the death unnerved a region unaccustomed to the presence of these storied predators.

The first American shark panic began in the hot summer of 1916, when a spate of attacks off the Jersey Shore killed four in two weeks. This was thought to be the work of a single great white sharka species indigenous to the Atlantic coast and the same likely involved in recent attacks. In an era when little was known about beasts from the deep, the deaths were big news. One paper warned that, facing a scarcity of fish, the shark had probably acquired a taste for human flesh.

But 1916 did not herald a new era of human-hunting sharks. The rate of attacks in the U.S. stayed relatively stable, at two or three per year, for decades. From the 1950s on, that number rose in tandem with human population growth, and its attendant increase of people in the water.

Globally, both numbers have been climbing faster since the late 1980s and into the 21st century, but such encounters with sharks are still remarkably uncommon given that the human population is some 7.5 billion. In 2017, 53 of the worlds 88 confirmed unprovoked attacks took place on U.S. coastlines, with 31 in Floridabut even there, youre far less likely to be killed by a shark than by lightning. Thanks to beach safety and hospital access, only five of last years global attacks were fatal.

We now know the Jersey Shore shark, which helped inspire the fictional fish in Jaws, was probably just confused after straying from its home in deeper waters. If sharks were actively hunting people, wed see far more attacks, Gavin Naylor, director at the Florida Museums Program for Shark Research, tells TIME. When sharks attack humans, its always a case of mistaken identity.

Instead, great whites are usually looking for seals, which helps explain the Cape Cod attacks. The East Coast is feeling the effects of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, which has boosted the numbers of seals to unusually high levels. As the seals venture closer to shore, so do the sharks, says Naylor.

Statistically, sharks have far more to fear from us than we do from themfisheries wipe out an estimated 100 million each year, and climate change and other human activity have threatened shark habitats, sending their global population into decline. But that doesnt make it any less harrowing when the beasts bite back.
Dublin (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May's renewed pledge to deliver Brexit without dividing the UK was met with contradictory ultimatums Friday from Northern Ireland's unionist and nationalist parties.

May returned from a bruising EU summit in Salzburg to deliver an impassioned televised address in which she blamed Brussels for the impasse and demanded "respect" for the UK.

The embattled prime minister said EU negotiators were offering a deal that would keep the North "effectively" in the EU customs union and separate it from Britain.

"It is something I will never agree to -- indeed, in my judgement it is something no British prime minister would ever agree to," she said.

May is in a difficult negotiating position because her slender majority in parliament relies on the support of Northern Ireland's pro-Brexit Democratic Unionist Party.

DUP leader Arlene Foster vowed on Friday to veto any deal that sets up a regulatory trade barrier between her region and the rest of the UK.

"Any new regulatory barrier would be a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly, where the DUP would veto any attempt to undermine the economic or constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom," she said in a statement," she said in a statement.

"Our red line from day one of these negotiations has been that there can be no border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain."

But Sinn Fein -- the party favouring Irish unification -- said it would fight any Brexit divorce deal that does not include the "backstop" proposed by the EU.

A "backstop" would ensure the boundary between the North and the Republic is free of a hard border by keeping Northern Ireland effectively in the EU.

This would honour the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 that ended a period of conflict in the region by devolving power and giving legitimacy to both unionist and nationalists views.

The EU proposal would keep the North separate from the rest of the UK for a transition period during which more customs mechanisms could be defined.

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"There can be no withdrawal agreement without a backstop for the North," said Sinn Fein's Brexit spokesman David Cullinane.

"This is a red line issue and one that cannot be allowed to become a bargaining chip in the weeks and months ahead."

May hinted in her speech that "regulatory barriers" may be introduced between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK if "the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly agree".

But the Northern Irish Assembly at Stormont -- the executive body May referred to --dissolved in January 2017 after a power sharing accord between the DUP and Sinn Fein fell apart.
The Duchess of Sussex brought a surprise guest along to the launch of the charity cookbook shes supporting  her mother, Doria Ragland.

Doria was spotted at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday, with rumours that she would be flying into London to see her daughter and son-in-law.

To the delight of many, she arrived at the reception with Meghan and Harry on Thursday, in the grounds of Kensington Palace and was introduced to the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen  whose recipes have been collated in the book Together.

Prince Harry and Meghans mother Doria Ragland supported her at the launch (PA)

Doria greeted them with Hi, Im Megs mum.

She told them: Im just as excited as you are.

Im so glad I can put the face with the recipes. Im going to make everything.

The power of women. We make things happen. Were curious, we say yes, we show up. Im inspired.

Baroness Gail Rebuck, chair of publisher Penguin Random House, told Ms Ragland she must feel very proud of the Duchess and her work on the cookbook, to which she replied head over heels.

At the reception, guests were treated to home-made dishes including coconut chicken curry, aubergine masala and a range of chapatis and sharing dips, as well as caramelised plum upside-down cake, and spiced mint tea.

Doria watches on as Meghan assists with the final preparations (PA)

Meghan showed off her cooking skills to her mum, as she assisted with the final preparations.

She then gave a passionate speech, without any notes, thanking the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen.

She said: To the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen, thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this adventure with you. I am so privileged to know you.

Im so excited to see the projects youre going to continue to do in your own community, the community at large, and also how youre going to inspire people globally by sharing your stories and your recipes.

Meghan embraces women at the launch of the cookbook she has championed at Kensington Palace in London (PA)

Meghan has been making private visits to the centre in West London since January and devised the idea of a cookbook to help with their funding, after learning that it was only able to open two days a week.

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The recipe book topped Amazons best sellers list ahead of its release on Thursday. Profits from the sales of Together will support the Hubb Community Kitchen, keeping it open for up to seven days a week and helping widen its reach to others in the community.





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:

Meghan Markle shows support for close friends fashion line at Kensington Palace book launch

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(Reuters) - Five people were shot, including an eight-year-old girl, in Syracuse, New York on Thursday, the city's police chief said. Police responded to a shooting in the city in upstate New York shortly after 9 p.m. local time, the department said in a statement posted on Twitter by a producer for National Public Radio. "This is very tragic event," Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler said during a news conference. "This is something that cannot occur in our community." Fowler did not disclose the condition of the five wounded people. The Syracuse Firefighters union reported earlier that seven people were shot on Midland Avenue in the city, according to a Facebook post. News website Syracuse.com reported that the shooting took place at a family gathering to remember a person who died of cancer. The website said ambulances were seen driving away from the scene with a police escort at about 9:15 p.m. Syracuse is about 250 miles (402 km) northwest of New York City. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb and Brendan O'Brien; Editing by Darren Schuettler)
At Yahoo Finances All Markets Summit on Thursday, Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, discussed the income gap and uneven U.S. economic recovery for African Americans.

Johnson spoke about the need for both corporations and government to invest in underserved communities.

Were seeing a huge gap in rural America, particularly rural black America. They oftentimes are left out. And then when you look at rural black America in the South, you see a much more uneven recovery, he said.

The Great Recession erased much of the small gains many African Americans had made over the last thirty years. According to the ACLU, black families will continue to suffer the effects disproportionately for years to come: By 2031, white household wealth will be 31% below what it wouldve been had the recession never happened. For black households, wealth will be 40% lower, which will leave black families about $98,000 poorer than if the recession hadnt taken place.

Johnson says closing this gap requires corporations and governments to invest in quality jobs and education in neglected rural areas that have traditionally been underserved. Johnson asserts that rural black America has people willing to do good work if the opportunity is there.

You know, when I look at, say, the state of Alabama or the state of Mississippi, where I currently live, we dont have a single Fortune 500 company  There is very little governmental investment in the state. And the corporate interests have flown over the state, he said.

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has not met with the NAACP. If Johnson were to receive an invitation, he says that he would ask the president about how tax dollars from African Americans are being spent in an effort to get fair tax representation for African Americans.

We believe that African Americans and other communities of color, we pay beyond our fair share in taxes, cause many African Americans and Latinos dont have the tax council to get the tax breaks. But not always do those communities benefit from the opportunities of their hard labor and paying into the tax coffers, he said.

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Sibile Marcellus is an on-air reporter covering the days top stories in business for Yahoo Finances three daily live shows. Follow her on Twitter @chasingsibile

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Nebraska has found an opponent to bring its schedule back to 12 games in 2018. Nebraskas week 1 game with Akron was canceled because of thunderstorms, leaving the Huskers with 11 games on the schedule.
(Reuters) - More than 54,000 homes and businesses in the Carolinas were still without power on Friday, a week after Hurricane Florence hit the North Carolina coast on Sept. 14, according to local power companies.

That figure is down from a peak of over 2.2 million customers who were affected by the storm in several Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and New England states over the past week.

Flooding across the Carolinas was expected to worsen over the next couple of days, forecasters said. Officials say at least 40 people have been killed.

Duke Energy Corp , the biggest utility in the Carolinas with over 4 million customers, said it had restored power to more than 1.7 million of its nearly 1.8 million customers affected by the storm.

The company said it expects to restore service to most customers by Sept. 26.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Pennsylvania State Police confirm troopers opened fire on a suspect accused of murdering his parents and shooting at his ex-wife following a manhunt in Chester County, but it is not clear how he died.
By Philip Pullella and Andrius Sytas VATICAN CITY/VILNIUS (Reuters) - Pope Francis will carry a message of solidarity to the Baltic nations on a visit starting on Saturday, nearly 30 years after they broke away from the Soviet Union and as they look warily toward a newly aggressive Russia. The four-day trip is the first by a pope to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia since 1993 and, a quarter of a century on, the countries are members of NATO and the euro zone. But the past still looms large in a region subject in turn to Soviet and Nazi oppression and where religious persecution left a traumatic legacy. In Lithuania, where he starts his trip, Francis will visit the Vilnius Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, a former Soviet KGB prison where hundreds were murdered and thousands, including many priests, shipped off to Siberia. "By visiting the KGB jail, Pope Francis sends a message that he cares about the people who suffered for their faith, for their devotion to the motherland," said Bishop Sigitas Tamkevicius, 79, imprisoned there in 1983 before spending six years in Soviet labor camps. "This was our nation's Golgotha, a trial of our faith," Tamkevicius, who will accompany the pope to the jail, told Reuters. The region also still bears the inter-religious scars left by the murder of more than 200,000 Jews by the Nazis, aided by some locals. The pope will pray at a monument to the victims of the Vilnius ghetto, where only several hundred of some 40,000 survived the Holocaust. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE After independence won in 1918, the countries were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, occupied by the Nazis during World War Two and were then satellite republics of the USSR until 1991. Recent events in Russia, with which all three states share a land border, have brought on new nervousness. As Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and fears grew that the Baltics might be next on Moscow's list, defense spending was increased sharply and several thousand NATO soldiers were deployed. The Baltics say they are victims of a sustained anti-western disinformation campaign by Russia and subjected to regular intimidation tactics including cyber attacks - charges the Kremlin denies. In 1993, Pope John Paul helped the three countries celebrate their liberation. While political freedoms in the Baltic states remain hard-won, in one respect Francis' trip will be very different, with their wealth having shot up thanks to an export-oriented boom. "There was great hope for the future (and) the economic situation was very difficult" in 1993, Archbishop Gintaras Grusas of Vilnius, told Reuters. About 77 percent of Lithuania's population of 2.9 million are Catholic, while Catholicism is a minority in the other two countries. In Riga, Francis will pay tribute to Latvia's independence heroes at the Monument to Freedom and preside over at an ecumenical service at the city's Lutheran cathedral. In Tallinn, Estonia - where the Vatican says there are only about 4,500 Catholics - Francis will say Mass in Freedom Square, the site of military parades in Soviet times was where thousands of candles are burned each year to commemorate Soviet deportees. (Additional reporting by Robin Emmott in Brussels, writing by Philip Pullella; editing by John Stonestreet)
Demonstrators gathered in the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington DC on September 20 to protest the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. They chanted, We believe Anita Hill. We believe Christine Ford, as this footage shows.

Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were both teenagers. Anita Hill testified before the Senate in 1991, accusing then-nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Thomas was later confirmed.

Protesters went to the offices of multiple senators who are critical to the Kavanaugh confirmation process, local news outlets said.

In other footage posted by the Womens March, protesters testify about sexual assaults they survived, thank Christine Ford for coming forward, and detail obstacles they faced in reporting their abusers. Credit: Womens March via Storyful
The narrow asphalt road known as Puerto Rico Route 123 shadows the Rio Grande de Arecibo along its eastern bank, a steep hillside with the ropy emerald lushness of a tropical rain forest and, at dawn on Sept. 20, 2017, a terrifying roar. It sounded like a monster, Yolanda Guzman recalls of Hurricane Maria. I didnt think I was going to survive.

She did, but the 2,975 people whose deaths were tied to the mega-storm would make itonce they were finally talliedthe most lethal U.S. natural disaster in at least a century. As with Florence, which swamped the Carolinas for days, and Typhoon Mangkhut, which scoured the Philippines and Hong Kong, the physical devastation of Puerto Rico was obvious right away. But it would be 11 months before its government produced a credible count of the dead. And when it did, a new storm came with it.

The final number, calculated by experts at George Washington University, was 1,000 beyond the upper estimates for Hurricane Katrina and almost exactly the toll from the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. It was also 47 times higher than the death count that island officials had offered in the first chaotic weeks after the storm, and haplessly stood by for months. That unlikely tally, just 64, was the number preferred by President Donald Trump, who seemed to regard a low body count as evidence of competence. 3000 people did not die, the President tweeted on Sept. 13. As airily as he dismissed the global climate change that is making superstorms more frequent and intense, the President dismissed the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for tallying the deaths the storms leave in their wake.

But in Puerto Rico, there was no debate. Even amid the recriminations over the tardy, checkered federal response to Maria, survivors of the storm have always known it killed far more people than had been counted. The evidence arrived over weeks and months at morgues and funeral homes across the U.S. territory of 3.3 million, including the bend in Route 123 where Yolanda rode out the storm with neighbors whose numbers steadily diminished over the next year.

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Yolanda Guzman, who lives in the Caniaco neighborhood of Utuado, almost from a low blood sugar episode. Crews had cleared the road no farther than her house, allowing an ambulance to pick her up as she lost consciousness.

The tidy, largely middle-class homes, about three miles north of the small city of Utuado in Puerto Ricos central mountains, appeared to weather Maria well. Appearances deceive. One of Yolandas neighbors died in her home, where her body remained for a week as her son struggled for sanity. Two other neighbors perished in the next six weeks, succumbing to medical conditions that could not be treated in the months they were without electricity or running water.

That made three deaths in the space of a tenth of a mile. And it nearly became four on the morningfive months after the stormthat Yolanda did not wake up. The thing is, says Juan Santiago, son of the only victim counted in the original tally, a lot of people died after the hurricane, see?

A portrait of the late Maribel Sanchez Flores when her daughter was a child; Magdalena's kitchen.

Everything flowed from that first 24 hours. It was impressive, deadpans Carlos Soto, who rode out Maria with his wife and daughter, two doors down from Yolanda, in what began the storm as a two-story home.

How impressive? Of 13,000 cyclone events since 1950, the Climate Impact Lab says, only five were more intense than Mariaand all of those were in the Pacific and struck smaller land masses. It took eight hours for Maria to traverse Puerto Rico, moving southeast to northwest with average wind speeds of 123 m.p.h. Utuado, in the center of the island, was also in the center of the storm. When the eye passed over, Carlos dashed outside and up the stairs to retrieve the dogs from his apartment, which no longer had a roof.

The next morning, people ventured outside to a new world. The island had changed color, from leaf green to the gray brown of tree trunks laced black by thrown soil. It was like they threw a bomb, because everything looked burnt, says Zenaida Sanchez, 67. Residents waded through pools of leaves. Carlos ran into Juan, who lived across the road with his mother, who had Alzheimers. The hurricane was Wednesday, and Thursday in the morning around 6:30, I said, Mommy, we survived the hurricane. Nothing happened to us, right? Juan says. A half hour later I said, Come and eat your breakfast. She said, Ai! Ai! Ai! She had a real bad pain in her neck, like by her jaw. She started screaming, Im going to die! Youre going to be all alone!

Magdalena Flores poses in front of her home in Utuado on Aug. 31. Her daughter, Maribel, died in the aftermath of the storm from asthma complications.

Her heart failed minutes later. Juan wrapped his mothers body in a shower curtain, then ventured into the tangle of downed trees and power lines. When he encountered Carlos, he said he wanted to bury her in the yard. He was dissuaded.

A few hours later, visitors began to arrive from the outside. Jose Luis Sanchez had hiked for three hours over mudslides and downed trees to check on his own 79-year-old mother, who burst into tears at the sight of him, head to toe in mud. During the 35 minutes it took to cover the 300 yards from there to his sister Maribels house, he ran into Juan, a friend from childhood.

Im going back with you, Juan told him. Im going to go crazy. Ill kill myself if I stay here. They reached town after dark, and when Juan told the police about his mothers death, they questioned him for three hours. They thought I killed my mother, he says.

Zilma Maldonado poses in her son Miguel Garcia's room in Utuado on Aug. 31. He and his brother left after the hurricane.

It took a week for earthmoving equipment to clear enough space on Route 123 for a vehicle carrying mortuary workers. They approached the house in white protective suits, then transported the corpse of Carmen Melendez Aponte to the Institute of Forensic Sciences in San Juan, which sent it right back. She was buried in Utuado on Sept. 29, eight days after she died, the funeral home moving at the express pace that had become routine.

We were really, really busy, says Luisa Aviles, an employee at Utuado Memorial, where the workloadthree funerals a day, most attended by one or two peoplefailed to jibe with the governments account of the storm. The facility handled 24 bodies in the three weeks after Maria. That alone would account for a third of the entire islands official death tolland there are 77 other municipalities.

The disconnect was one of many that muddied public perception of the catastrophe. When the mainlands attention finally shifted from weeks in thrall of Harvey and Irma, the hurricanes that had just hit Texas and Florida, it was hard to know what to think. Puerto Rico was clearly devastated. Yet at daily news briefings, Governor Ricardo Rossello, flanked by FEMA officials, projected control. The capitals convention center was an air-conditioned beehive of wi-fi, polo-shirted bureaucrats and digital logistics snapshots. On Oct. 2 a screen read: Federal Workers on the ground: 13,000. Hospitals Open: 92%.

The water line in an abandoned building in the town center of Utuado; the closet of Javier Garcia, as it looked when he left after the storm to join the Air Force.

The next day, Ivan Luciano died in one of them. A diabetic, he was taken from his house just below Route 123 to the Utuado hospital after Hurricane Irma, which skirted the island but still knocked out power in parts. When his condition worsened and he needed dialysis, Ivan was transferred 20 miles to Arecibo, a city of 90,000, where he was in the ICU. But after Maria, that facility too lost power, and Ivan died there Oct. 3, relatives say. In news briefings at the time, commonwealth and FEMA officials singled out dialysis as a service that hospitals were continuing to provide.

Lies, says Ivans sister, Zoraida Luciano Gonzales, 68. Like 400,000 others on the island, she has diabetes. She requires insulin that must be kept refrigerated, and after losing power in the storm she cooled hers in water from a mountain spring. At the houses on Route 123, neighbors chipped in $2 each to pay a local boy to shuttle ice from town every day. It would be eight months, not until May 2018, before they had power again. Maria imposed the longest blackout in U.S. history, with more than 3.4 billion customer hours lost. That, in turn, produced more deaths.

Two doors up from Yolanda, Jose Sanchezs sister, Maribel Sanchez Flores, struggled to breathe. Maribel, 58, was born with spina bifida and suffered from severe asthma, but shed lived the life she wanted. She taught special education in the vocational high school, built a house of her own andas a single mother by choiceraised the daughter she had risked her life to have; doctors had warned her the pregnancy could be fatal.

But with her bad lungs, she always left a room where someone was smoking, and now they grew worse after the storm. The air on the island was laden with debris and dust. When cars passed, the particles flew through the windows of her house, which lay slightly below grade. She needed medication from a nebulizer four times a day, and plugged it in at generators at her mothers house or at Yolandas. Her sister, a nurse, pressed Maribel to move in with her in Arecibo. At the end of October, the sister called Jose to say Maribel was in the hospital. I had the feeling I would never see her again, he said. She died on Nov. 1.

Gravekeeper Tulio Collazo Vega poses by the grave of three elderly sisters who where killed by a landslide the day Maria hit Puerto Rico.

This was life after the stormuncomfortable, attenuated, vulnerable. But everyone was in it together. Sometimes intimately. Jorge Rosario, 67, Maribels neighbor to the north, felt exposed in his own yard. All the leaves were gone, he laughs. You couldnt even pee. A PVC pipe extending from a hillside spring at the bend in the road became the village tap, and shower. When she needed to bathe, Zilma Maldonado, who lived across the street, posted her sons as lookouts.

But the truth was Maria made a community out of what had been a neighborhood. Before the storm, some people were already friendly. (Maribel would bring around the coconut cookies she made.) Others might just wave from their driveways on the way to work. Now, everyone looked after one another. After two weeks passed without any aid from outside, Carlos mother-in-law, Judith Valentin, hiked into town to alert the National Guard, which had been concentrating aid on a region cut off by a bridge. Afterward, relief arrived in dribs and drabsfirst water, wipes and tins of corned beef, then FEMA and private aid agencies. Zenaida, whose house had been crushed by a tree, lists on her fingers what came her way: Gas stoves, tarps, bedsheets. They helped us a lot. And World Vision gave us a $500 check! Her stepmother listens beside her in silence, having paid with her own money to repair a part of her roof. Residents on Route 123 graded the official response to Maria at 3 on a scale of 10, some going as high as 4.

A house damaged by a fallen tree in the Caniaco neighborhood of Utuado; a downed power line.

Yet on an island where dependency is an abiding issuenearly half of Puerto Rican households receive food stampsthe storm also brought a sense of self-sufficiency. Everyone was clearing bamboo [from the road], Zenaida says. Everyone had a machete. Zilmas son, Javier, had gone to bed with a shrug on Sept. 19 after his video game lost power. But after the National Guard arrived with water and food, he was moved to join the service. I have a different perspective now in life, he says, from Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. It was like, I got to stop messing around, I got to do something. A lot of people I know were like that.

The central essential lesson of Maria, however, was that modern life is fragile. Sustaining it requires a webbingof power lines and cold chains, cell towers and data packetsthat is not easily stood up once knocked down. One morning in late February, Yolandas husband Juan Rivera woke as usual but could not rouse his wife. After five months of relying on ice to cool her insulin, she had slipped into a diabetic coma. Juan ran around the yard with his cell phone aloft, searching frantically for a signal so he could summon an ambulance. He suspects the one he found was bounced off a balloon that Alphabet, the parent company of Google, had launched around the island to stand in for hobbled cell towers.

Without it, or a road passable by an ambulance, Yolanda might well have joined Carmen, Ivan and Maribel among the nearly 3,000 dead. Places that are filled with vulnerable people, if you lose power, youre going to risk loss of life, says Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at GWU, which Puerto Rico hired in February to finally clear up the question of fatalities.

Kaleb Acevedo poses on the bicycle he got after the storm.

For months, the governor had avoided the issue, working to cultivate Trump and maintain the notion that the response was somehow a federal success. But as time passed, the death count was viewed as a dangerous distortion in the fact-driven world of disaster preparedness.

The response to each new storm is, after all, informed by insights gleaned from the last. During Hurricane Floyd in 1999, Georgia and South Carolina pioneered turning freeways into one-way evacuation routes, and North Carolina followed suit as Florence approached. There was no evacuating Puerto Rico, but lifesaving lessons lurk in every catastrophe. In July, FEMA published its own after-action report, listing its shortcomings in Maria, including staff shortages and warehouses nearly empty when the storm arrived.

You need to know if a lot of people died, says Dr. Satchit Balsari, one of the first researchers who set out to correct the record, in a study by Harvard. It sheds light on the enormity of the disaster, but importantly it helps us prepare for the next disaster. The Harvard study, which used random interviews with households to estimate the possible range of the storms fatalities, found the death rate in Puerto Rico was still above normal on Dec. 31.

A water cistern under repair; downed power lines that have not been removed since the hurricane.

GWUs study, with the cooperation of the government, used death certificates, which turned out to be as reliable in Puerto Rico as elsewhere in the U.S. They provided a historical baseline for the number of deaths that usually occur on the island from late September to late February. By tallying every death during the six months after Maria, then subtracting the baseline, researchers had the number resulting from the storm, including the indirect deaths the CDC says should be counted in the aftermath.

The math wasnt simple. The study adjusted for variables, including what Goldman called the amazing number of people who fled Puerto Rico after the storm for the U.S. mainland. Among the 300,000 who fled were Juan Santiago, who joined relatives in Florida, and Zilmas two sons. All told, four of the dozen houses at the bend stand vacant a year after the storm.

And more may empty. Electricity is still iffy, and Puerto Ricans remain on edge. With the approach of each tropical depression, people rush to book flights out, empty supermarket shelves of bottled water and form lines at gas stations. Just an hour of rain on Sept. 12 this year caused flooding in San Juans streets. The island may look like it did before Maria: the leaves came back in the spring, houses have been rebuilt. But underneath, systems are still choked by what the storm left behind.

I lost my daughter, says Maribels mother, Magdalena Flores. She stands on her front porch in a housedress, eyes brimming. She was everything to me.

Nahielys Gonzales and Yamil Rodriguez after school in the town square of Utuado.

With reporting by George Rivera/Arecibo and Utuado; and Arpita Aneja/New York
Puerto Rico's mayor of San Juan has sharpened her attacks against Donald Trump, blaming his administration for "structural negligence" that led to thousands of deaths in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Carmen Yulin Cruz said the president was responsible for the federal governments slow response to the deadly hurricane estimated to have killed nearly 3,000 people, during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on the one-year anniversary of the storm.

"This is President Trumps Katrina," the mayor said, referring to the catastrophic hurricane that struck the US in August 2005. "He can spin it all he wants  3,000 people died on his watch."

Ms Cruz has frequently criticised Mr Trump ever since Hurricane Marias impact was felt across the US territory, while the president has said he earned a "10 out of 10" for his governments disaster recovery efforts. He's also denied the revised death count from the storm of 2,975, claiming the study commissioned by the Puerto Rican government was a conspiracy created by Democrats to make him "look bad".

The mayor's latest comments arrived shortly after the deadly Hurricane Florence struck the Carolinas, Virginia and other parts of the country. Mr Trump travelled to impacted regions during the week after warning that the storm would be "tremendously big and a tremendously wet" hurricane.

The president was restrained during his visit to North Carolina on Wednesday, serving as consoler-in-chief while touting the storm's damage.

His response to the latest storm appeared to show the presidents greater care and concern for Americans in the mainland US, Ms Cruz suggested.

"You see the contrast right now, she said. "Thank God the situation is different in North Carolina and South Carolina. But you see the presidents attention: he doesn't go there to throw paper towels."

Carmen Yulin Cruz shakes hands with a humbled US President Donald Trump after he criticised her leadership in the the aftermath of Hurricane Maria (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Ms Cruz added, "Today, 3,000 Puerto Ricans opened their eyes, and because they didn't have insulin, they didn't have appropriate medical care, they didn't have dialysis, and they didn't have access to their medication, they died."

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The president has sparred directly with Ms Cruz, who previously told The Independent that he has personally attacked her "just out of spite".

In one instance, the mayor was invited to participate in a White House conference call to discuss relief efforts, only to be reportedly be told not to speak.

Hes also mocked her on Twitter and in multiple speeches, describing Ms Cruz as the incompetent mayor of San Juan.
At least five people, three of them infants, have been stabbed at an in-home daycare centre in New York City, according to police.

The stabbings occurred just before 4am in the Flushing neighbourhood, of the Queens borough at what authorities described as a short-term residential facility where all of the victims and suspect lived.

Police said a 52-year-old woman allegedly stabbed a woman who works as a staffer in the facility eight times in the torso, then one of the babies fathers, as well as the three infants.

The adults and two of the infants are in stable condition at New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital while the third baby is in serious but stable condition at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

According to NBC New York, one of the infants was just three days old and another born just a month ago.

Both girls were reportedly stabbed in the stomach.

Another baby, 20 months old, had lacerations on her ear, chin, and lip.

The man was stabbed in the leg and it is unclear whether his child is among the injured babies.

The suspect also had self-inflicted stab wounds to her wrist after police found her in the basement of the house.

She is in custody at the moment, but any possible motive for the stabbings has not been made public.

Police said they believe the suspect also worked there.

It has not been confirmed the home was actually licensed as a daycare facility.

It looks to be an illegal childcare facility, a police spokesman told AFP.

Were unsure of its legality at this time, he added.

Four other children present in the daycare have been removed for observation.

One neighbour told CBS New York, residents nearby were woken up to screaming coming from the house.

I got up, went and got dressed, and came out to see which house is it, because obviously Im concerned, this is my neighbourhood, they said.

NBC News reported police responded at approximately 3:30 am and shortly thereafter officers accompanied by cops in white biohazard suits were seen carrying large bags to a specialised crime scene unit truck.
Geneva (AFP) - A second Swiss canton will vote Sunday on whether to introduce a regional "burqa ban", a controversial law that would prohibit all face-covering garments in public spaces.

The ballot in northeastern St. Gallen is to be held as voters across the country also determine whether a moratorium on genetically modified crops should become a full-out ban.

St. Gallen is expected to follow the example of the southern canton of Ticino, where a law was introduced two years ago which appeared to be aimed at burqas and other Muslim veils.

A text stipulating that "any person who renders themselves unrecognisable by covering their face in a public space, and thus endangers public security or social and religious peace will be fined" was adopted by lawmakers in St. Gallen late last year.

That law passed the regional parliament with support from the populist right and centre parties -- but the issue is being put to the people after the Green Party and Young Socialists demanded a referendum.

The text, first drafted following uproar in the canton over a girl who wore a full-face veil to school, is problematic, according to Fredy Fassler, a socialist in charge of security and justice in St. Gallen.

It does not define when a woman wearing a burqa constitutes a danger, and critics "worry the sanctions will be unpredictable and arbitrary", he told daily newspaper Le Temps.

Switzerland's government last year opposed an initiative aimed at creating a nationwide burqa ban, saying it should be up to the regions to determine if such measures are appropriate.

All Swiss voters will eventually cast ballots on the issue after the populist right-wing Swiss People's Party gathered the 100,000 signatures needed to put any subject to a referendum as part of Switzerland's famous direct democratic system.

- GMO ban? -

At the national level, the Swiss will vote Sunday on two schemes linked to agriculture and food security, urging a shift towards more environmentally friendly and Swiss-based food production.

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The "Fair Food" and "Food Sovereignty" initiatives appear set to fail and are opposed by the canton of Bern, which warns they could send prices skyrocketing and might violate Switzerland's international trade obligations.

Stefan Legge, an international trade expert at the University of St. Gallen, agreed with the government's opposition to the initiatives.

"The agricultural lobby is trying hard to isolate itself from the rest of the economy and international competition," he told AFP.

The "Food Sovereignty" initiative, which has the backing of Switzerland's powerful farmers' union, calls for a range of measures, including turning a moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMO) into a total ban.

That moratorium was introduced after a 2005 referendum and has been extended three times to date. It is due to expire in 2021.

Polls indicate people widely oppose GMO use in the country, but despite early signs of support, the initiative looks doomed to fail, according to a survey published this month by the Tamedia group.

Observers put the initiative's shrinking popularity down to another element baked into the text: the call for imports to be limited to food produced under the same social and environmental norms as those applicable in Switzerland.

"No serious analyst can say it is the GMO ban that is sinking the initiative," Michelle Zufferey of the Uniterre union told AFP.

She pointed out that the GMO aspect had barely been mentioned.

"It is the fake arguments about massive price hikes and a lack of choice and about efforts to isolate Switzerland that have hurt our initiative," she insisted.

Swiss President Alain Berset himself warned in a recent interview with Le Temps that if the initiatives were to become law, it would "lead to a price hike".

"For now, unfortunately, everyone cannot afford organic," he said.

He also warned that "imposing Swiss standards on imported food goods would violate agreements reached with our trading partners as well as World Trade Organization rules."
Rod Rosenstein reportedly suggested he would secretly record Donald Trump in an effort to expose the president as being unfit for office  while attempting to invoke the 25th Amendment.

The deputy attorney general suggested in several conversations with multiple FBI and Justice Department officials that hed be willing to wear a wire to secretly record his meetings with Mr Trump, The New York Times reported on Friday. The papers anonymous sources alleged his intent in recording the president would be to expose him as being unfit for office.

Sources also told The Times that internal memos had been drafted by FBI officials, including then-acting director Andrew McCabe, about Mr Rosensteins comments surrounding secret recordings and the 25th amendment.

The deputy attorney general has denied the report in a statement defending the president, saying: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.

The New York Timess story is inaccurate and factually incorrect, he said. I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda.

A Justice Department source also told the paper that Mr Rosenstein was being sarcastic when he made the proposal to wear a wire while meeting with the president.

However, several sources said Mr Rosenstein was entirely serious about secretly recording the president, suggesting other FBI officials meeting with Mr Trump to replace ex-FBI Director James Comey could do the same.

The deputy attorney general began working in his current position during a highly tumultuous time of Mr Trumps presidency last year, just weeks after he had fired Mr Comey and began ramping up his attacks against the federal agency. The Times reported that Mr Rosenstein was caught off guard after the president referred to a memo he wrote criticising Mr Comeys handling of Hillary Clintons email probe in his firing of the former FBI director.

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He reportedly began telling people that he was afraid the president had used him as a tool in order to fire Mr Comey.

But it remains unclear whether Mr Rosenstein or any other FBI official may have secretly recorded the president during any of their interactions. The Times noted that none of Mr Rosensteins proposals apparently came to fruition, possibly suggested that he dropped his mission of wearing a wire or eventually invoking the 25th Amendment.

Omarosa Manigault Newman, a reality TV star and former longtime aide to Mr Trump, repeatedly secretly recorded him and others during her tenure in the White House. She even recorded her own exit meeting with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in the Situation Room, which does not allow mobile phones or other recording devices for national security purposes.

By Friday afternoon, ABC News had confirmed the papers story through its own reporting, adding that Mr Rosenstein allegedly encouraged Mr McCabe to wear a wire while meeting with the president.

Meanwhile, the deputy attorney general would reportedly seek to convince Jeff Sessions and Mr Kelly to support a move to use the 25th Amendment against Mr Trump.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The bombshell report quickly garnered the attention of Capitol Hill, with several Republican lawmakers calling for further information on Mr Rosensteins conversations.

Rosenstein denies the NYT story.



Mr. Rosenstein, give Congress the McCabe memos that we asked for in July and all the other documents weve requested so we can all judge for ourselves.https://t.co/dHOgL73paP  Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) September 21, 2018

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump must not use a newspaper report about the deputy attorney general for the corrupt purpose of firing him, the Associated Press reported on Friday.

Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, demanded further information regarding Mr Rosenstein, tweeting: Mr Rosenstein, give Congress the McCabe memos that we asked for in July and all the other documents weve requested so we can all judge for ourselves.

Mr Trump has frequently targeted Mr Rosenstein, describing the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election as a witch hunt.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Memos reveal deputy attorney general spoke to colleagues about making secret tapes of president, according to New York Times

Rod Rosenstein with Jeff Sessions. At least one colleague to whom Rosenstein mentioned wearing a wire to record Trump thought Rosenstein was speaking sarcastically, the Times reported. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein deemed inaccurate a report that he spoke with colleagues last year about the possibility of removing Donald Trump from office under the 25th amendment and about making secret recordings of the president.

The New York Times first reported the conversations on Friday, citing anonymous justice department sources and internal memos made after the alleged conversations.

Rosenstein oversees special counsel Robert Muellers investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump aides and Moscow. He was motivated, the Times said, by frustration, surprise and anger that Trump had used a memo he wrote criticizing James Comey to justify firing the FBI director.

At least one colleague to whom Rosenstein mentioned wearing a wire to record Trump thought Rosenstein was speaking sarcastically, the Times reported. Potential replacements for Comey were being interviewed at the time and top justice department figures were in frequent contact with the White House.

In a statement, Rosenstein called the story inaccurate and factually incorrect and said the anonymous sources behind it were advancing their own personal agenda.

But let me be clear about this, Rosenstein said. Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th amendment.

The 25th amendment, ratified in 1967 after the assassination of John F Kennedy, provides that if the vice-president and the majority of the cabinet determine the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the vice-president becomes president.

An anonymous senior administration official wrote in a New York Times editorial earlier this month that there had been internal discussions about invoking the 25th amendment, prompting the vice-president, Mike Pence, to deny it.

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No, never, he told CNN. Why would we?

The memos describing conversations with Rosenstein would be among the most sensitive documents held by the justice department. The Times cited anonymous sources including people briefed on memos written by FBI officials, including Andrew G McCabe, the former FBI deputy director.

In a statement from his lawyer Michael R Bromwich on Friday, McCabe acknowledged that he kept memos to memorialize significant discussions he had with high-level officials. He said he had turned the memos over to the special counsels office and a set of those memos remained at the FBI.

McCabe was fired by Trump in March, days before he was due to retire.

The motivation of whoever released the memos was equally opaque. Rosenstein is the direct supervisor of Mueller. Analysts have speculated that the removal of Rosenstein could be more damaging to the Russia investigation than removing Mueller himself.

Rosenstein must approve major new directions in the investigation and review the budget. He would receive a report written by Mueller at the conclusion of his investigation.

Trump has expressed displeasure with Rosenstein, calling him weak and accusing him last year of being a Democrat. Rosenstein is a Republican who was nominated by George W Bush to his former post as US attorney in Maryland.

On Friday the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr, tweeted: Shocked!!! Absolutely Shocked!!! Ohhh, who are we kidding at this point? No one is shocked that these guys would do anything in their power to undermine [Donald Trump].

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday that the story about Rosenstein must not be used for the corrupt purpose of firing him. Other top administration officials have been quoted as criticizing Trump without being fired, Schumer noted.
MOSCOW, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Israel must provide Moscow with more information about the downing of a Russian military aircraft near the Syrian coast earlier this week, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, the Interfax news agency reported.

Fifteen Russian crew were killed when the IL-20 surveillance plane crashed near Latakia in northern Syria on Monday. Russia has said Syria shot the plane down shortly after Israeli jets hit the area, and accused Israel of creating the dangerous conditions by failing to give sufficient advance notice.

Israel dispatched its air force chief to brief Moscow about the incident on Thursday. (Reporting by Polina Devitt Writing by Andrey Kuzmin Editing by Andrew Osborn)
Moscow has accused the US of trying to squeeze out competitors in the global arms trade, after Washington imposed sanctions on China for buying Russian fighter jets.

The US on Thursday blacklisted 33 Russian nationals and three entities in a new round of sanctions over Russias interference in the 2016 election. One of the companies was an aircraft-making factory in Russias Far East.

At the same time, Washington announced sanctions against Chinas military for its purchase of Russian planes and missile systems. It said that in doing so, China had breached a wide-ranging sanctions law designed to punish Russia for its alleged election interference, something Moscow has repeatedly denied.

On Friday, Russia hit back, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accusing the US of trying to squeeze out competitors in the global arms trade.

Mr Peskov called the new sanctions hostile and unpredictable but did not say how Russia would respond. They use this practice so often that one would trip up reacting to each new instance, he said.

The penalties were applied under a law that requires the US to sanction anyone undertaking significant transactions with people affiliated with Russian intelligence and military services, including arms manufacturers. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also expanded that blacklist on Thursday, adding the names of 33 Russians to bring the total roster to 72 people.

Todays actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country, but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the United States election process, its unacceptable behaviour in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities, the state department said in a statement.

Mr Pompeo, in consultation with treasury secretary Stephen Mnuchin, imposed sanctions on the Chinese militarys equipment development department and its director, Li Shangfu, for purchasing Su-35 combat aircraft and a S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

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The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia, a senior Trump administration official told journalists.

Chinas foreign ministry said on Friday that it wanted the penalties withdrawn, while Russia accused Washington of undermining global stability.

In Moscow, Russian member of parliament Franz Klintsevich said the sanctions would not affect the S-400 and SU-35 contracts.

I am sure that these contracts will be executed in line with the schedule, Mr Klintsevich was quoted as saying by Russias Interfax news agency. The possession of this military equipment is very important for China.

China now relies less on large purchases from Russia than it has in the past, but Chinese defence industries often expertise from Russia and ex-Soviet states to plug knowledge gaps

Chinas first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning training ship, is based on a Soviet Kuznetsov-class hull but Beijing has since developed its own, home-grown carrier. The Type 001A is currently undergoing trials.

The measures come as the Trump administration pursues a variety of strategies to clamp down on China and faces growing pressure to respond strongly to US intelligence agency reports that Russia continues to meddle in US politics.

Members of Congress, including many of Mr Trumps fellow Republicans, who passed the sanctions bill nearly unanimously, have repeatedly called on the administration to take a harder line against Moscow.
Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman REUTERS/Jason Lee

Billionaire private equity tycoon Steve Schwarzman, the CEO of $439 billion Blackstone (BX), was asked what keeps him up at night at the conclusion of the firms investor day at the Plaza Hotel in New York on Friday.

I was up at 4:30 so obviously things do keep me up at night, or at least wake me up early, Schwarzman quipped.

Before answering, he praised the firms leadership for speaking and noted that the investor day was the quietest hes been in his life other than being on a boat alone.

Schwarzman said that theres always odd stuff going on in the world. Its the geopolitical stuff that worries him the most. Specifically, its the populism, not just in the U.S., but globally, that keeps him up.

The biggest risks we face

On the broader sense, sort of the nationalism, the tribalism, the breaking to either the right or the left in the developed world, is concerning as a trend, he said. There used to be centers in almost every democratic country. And now the concept of the center is really being tested. And as things lurch from right to left, populism grows, you could end up, not particularly for Blackstone, but more for business communities in the broadest sense, with some outcomes that arent as expected and not as predictable. This area, rather than the laws of normal supply and demand, I think, are the biggest risks that we face.

Schwarzman added that he spends personal time looking at how this trend could affect the firm and the country.

I think these are big trends, and, you know, almost every country is dealing with it. You can go over in Europe and every other place and the U.S has its own version. I think one of the challenges [for] people of the next generation if you will and our generation in the business community is to find a way to have some normalization. Its going the wrong way, I think.

Schwarzman noted that the global economy is quite good, with the U.S. leading the way. In the U.S., the deregulation trend has been a really good and so has tax reform, which he added is paying real dividends.

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If we look at unemployment being at record lows, confidence being at record highs, really, its sort of easy to have a very positive conclusion, he said.

Those good metrics are here for the moment.

Theyll stay awhile, Schwarzman said. Certainly, for the next few years. I dont know when that game ends. It usually ends with some event that you didnt plan on.

To be sure, a normal business cycle can get interrupted.

Fraying for geopolitical reasons  that hasnt yet been reflected in the numbers, Schwarzman said. I think we have to find a way to move that back. Anyhow, thats a longer answer than you want.



Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter. Send tips to laroche@oath.com.
Australian National University Ph.D. student Ilya Bobrovskiy and associate professor Jochen Brocks worked together to discover molecules of fat in an ancient fossil. (Photo: The Australian National University)

Scientists have used fat molecules to solve a longstanding mystery and identify an ancient creature as one of the earliest animals on the planet.

For more than 75 years, researchers have struggled to classify the Dickinsonia, a peculiar, vaguely jellyfish-like creature that lived about 558 million years ago. The flat, squishy, oval-shaped organism had multiple rib-like segments and could grow to over four feet long, according to National Geographic.

Dickinsonia belonged to a group of now-extinct life forms called the Ediacaran biota. These creatures, believed to have emerged in warm, shallow seas as early as 570 million years ago, are thought to be the first complex multicellular organisms on Earth.

But scientists were unable to determine exactly what Dickinsonia were, classifying them either as fungi, protists or animals.

A well-preserved Dickinsonia fossil from the White Sea area of Russia. (Photo: The Australian National University)

Now, an international team of researchers has used modern chemistry to unearth striking evidence that Dickinsonia were indeed early animals. Their study, published this week in the journal Science, hinges on fat.

Researchers from the Australian National University, with help from other institutions, found Dickinsonia fossils that contained significant levels of cholesterol  a hallmark of animal life.

Dickinsonia were floating around before the Cambrian explosion 540 million years ago, when an abundance of new and diverse life forms like mollusks, worms, and sponges appeared in the fossil record within a relatively short time.

Thats significant because Dickinsonias fossil fat molecules prove that animals were large and abundant on Earth millions of years earlier than previously thought, according to ANU senior researcher Jochen Brocks, one of the authors of the study.

The fossil fat now confirms Dickinsonia as the oldest known animal fossil, solving a decades-old mystery that has been the Holy Grail of palaeontology, Brocks said in a press release.

Ph.D. student Ilya Bobrovskiy traveled to remote areas of Russia to find the Dickinsonia fossils. (Photo: The Australian National University)

The problem that was holding researchers back for so long was that Dickinsonia and other Ediacarans have boneless bodies that werent easily preserved. Scientists have typically studied the creatures by physically analyzing their ancient imprints.

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But Ilya Bobrovskiy, a Ph.D. student at Australian National University, had a hunch that he could extract and analyze biomarkers from a thin layer of organic material left in particularly well-preserved Dickinsonia fossils.

Most of the rocks containing Dickinsonia fossils near Bobrovskiys university in Australia had endured a tremendous amount of natural heat, pressure and weathering over the centuries. So he traveled to a remote area in northwest Russia to hunt for the fossils he needed.

I took a helicopter to reach this very remote part of the world - home to bears and mosquitoes - where I could find Dickinsonia fossils with organic matter still intact, Bobrovskiy said in the release.

He eventually found good candidates for his research in some 330-foot cliffs near the White Sea.

I had to hang over the edge of a cliff on ropes and dig out huge blocks of sandstone, throw them down, wash the sandstone and repeat this process until I found the fossils I was after, he said.

Bobrovskiy then developed a special technique to test the Dickinsonia remnants for cholesterol.

Ilya Bobrovskiy searches for fossils in Zimnie Gory in northwest Russia. (Photo: The Australian National University)

Brocks said that when Bobrovskiy showed him the results of the tests, he just couldnt believe it.

But I also immediately saw the significance, Brocks said.

The study depends on the assumption that only animals can produce cholesterols, which some scientists suggest could be disproven as more research is conducted on the Earths earliest inhabitants.

Theres a lot of uncertainty, Bobrovskiy said of studying such ancient life. But applying biomarkers removes a large part of this uncertainty.

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Meadowcroft Rock Shelter - Avella, Pennsylvania

Meadowcroft, 35 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, is now a National Historic Landmark run by the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Dug from a cliff face 45 feet above Cross Creek, the rock shelter contains artifacts 3,000 years older than those at Clovis. Although once inaccessible, a stairway now climbs the hillside to a 2007 building that protects the original site.

Lubbock Lake Landmark - Texas

This meander of a Brazos River tributary on the northern outskirts of Lubbock, Texas, yeilded, in the 1950s, the first radiocarbon dated Paleo-Indian material: a burned 9,800-year-old bison bone.

Murray Springs Paleo-Indian Site - Sierra Vista, Arizona

The remote attraction in the eastern Arizona desert is part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Since the 1960s, archaeologists have uncovered thousands of stone artifacts and large mammal bones from the Pleistocene era 12,000 to 13,000 years ago - the largest Clovis cache in the Southwest.

Mastodon State Historic Site - Imperial, Missouri

In 1979, about 10 feet below the surface, a Clovis projectile point and the remains of a mastodon were uncovered, clear evidence that early Americans had hunted these elephant-like creatures.

Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark - New Mexico

A one-mile walking trail explores the lake bed which contains the first evidence of 13,000-year-old Paleo-Indian culture. Archaeologists were able to use this site to piece together an account of the Clovis people, long believed to be the first to settle in the Americas.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China strongly supports and warmly welcomes the agreement reached by the two Koreas at their summit in Pyongyang, and believes that the opportunity for peace should not be lost again, the Chinese government's top diplomat said on Thursday. State Councillor Wang Yi made the comment in a statement carried on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's website. The United States said it was ready to resume talks with North Korea after Pyongyang pledged on Wednesday to dismantle its key missile facilities and suggested it would close its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington took unspecified actions. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Zhang Min; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Since professor Christine Blasey Ford wrote a confidential letter accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, Ive heard a parade of the usual rape culture cliches: Why didnt she report it to the police? Why didnt she come forward earlier? And, after all, boys will be boys.

But the rhetoric that stands out most starkly to me as a survivor of an adolescent rape are arguments like that of former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who said on Fox News, How much in society should any of us be held liable today when we lived a good life, an upstanding life by all accounts, and then something that maybe is an arguable issue took place in high school? Should that deny us chances later in life?

Or, as New York Times opinion columnist Bari Weiss said on MSNBC, Lets say he did this exactly as she said. Should the fact that a 17-year-old presumably very drunk kid did this  should this be disqualifying?

Its the Brock Turner effect, the reverence for the sanctity of the perpetrators future, his great promise. There are many problems with this line of reasoning, but the one that sticks in my craw, as the survivor of a sexual assault as a teenager, is the way it ignores my pain, my stolen promise.

I think it derailed me substantially for four or five years, the professor, who goes by Christine Blasey professionally, told The Washington Post of her alleged assault, in which she says Kavanaugh pinned her down, groped her, covered her mouth and attempted to remove her clothing before she escaped.

Blasey said she later struggled academically and socially and was unable to have healthy relationships with men, describing the event as a trauma with lasting impact on her life.

I can relate.

Since I was raped by a group of teenage boys after school when I was 14 years old, I have struggled with substance abuse issues and sexual compulsivity issues. For nearly a decade after my assault, I cut myself off from processing and experiencing the overwhelming feelings associated with it. Instead, I dedicated myself to the business of self-destruction, numbing the brain-bending tidal wave of suppressed emotion with cocaine and alcohol.

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According to the National Center for PTSD (Blasey and I were both diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder), rape survivors are three to four times more likely to use marijuana, six times more likely to use cocaine, and 10 times more likely to use other major drugs. I self-medicated at least in part to avoid confronting the pain of my assault.

I also repeatedly put myself into dangerous and degrading sexual situations, retraumatizing myself repeatedly in my brains misguided attempt to regain control of what happened to me.

At 25, I got sober and began the slow, painful work of recovery from my sexual assault in therapy. The feelings that finally began to surface during that process were nearly too painful to handle. I scoffed at the idea of one day at a time, when I was struggling to tolerate the immense grief and sorrow I felt for even a minute at a time. I spent those early years afraid of heights solely because I was terrified I might impulsively fling myself off of them.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 33 percent of women who are raped contemplate suicide and 13 percent of women attempt suicide. Like many survivors, I struggle with mental illness, in the forms of anxiety, depression and PTSD. But I am lucky. I am alive.

I am also lucky to have generally had access to treatment for my assault and its symptoms. But both the time and financial commitments have been overwhelming in scope  countless hours of various types of often expensive therapy  cognitive behavioral, 12 step, Gestalt, group, psychodrama workshops, emotionally focused therapy. If something seemed like it might help, I tried it. I have written letters to my inner child. I have gotten acupuncture. I have meditated. I am medicated.

Still, at 35 years old, 21 years after those boys decided their pleasure was more important than my humanity, I still struggle day by aching day to deal with the havoc they wreaked in my life. It still sometimes threatens to capsize me.

It has often struck me as unfair, the nature of trauma. How can the relatively short period of time in which my assault took place  less than an hour  have incalculably altered the comparative eons of time of the rest of my life? And yet thats what trauma does. Its like a glass of water spilled on a keyboard  a split second of bad luck that works its way into your motherboard, corroding the very parts that allow you to function.

The damage can be treated, but it can never be undone. And when we talk about treating sexual assault, we are talking in terms of a lifetime. Rape is a long-term crime. Ive spent decades of my life engaged in the hard, painful work of recovery from sexual assault. I have spent decades of my life in pain.

Just as Ill never know who I could have been without my sexual assault, Ill never know what I might have done with all the time Ive spent recovering from it. That time was stolen from me.

My life wasnt ruined by what was done to me, but it was irrevocably altered.

In our rush to spare rapists the pain of consequences, we ignore the sea of suffering they inflict. Why should perpetrators get to put their actions behind them when victims dont? What makes their lives more important than ours?

So when pundits ask, Must a sexual assault when he was a teenager follow him around for his whole life? Remember: Christine Blasey Ford didnt get a choice.

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Singapore (AFP) - Singapore Airlines said Friday it has stopped accepting lion bones for cargo after the carrier was singled out in a report for transporting the animal parts from South Africa.

Campaigners have long called for a ban on the controversial trade in big cat bones, which are sought after for medicine and jewellery in Southeast Asia.

Singapore Airlines was the sole carrier importing lion bones from South Africa to Southeast Asia last year, according to a report released in July by the non-profit EMS Foundation and animal rights group Ban Animal Trading.

At least 800 lion skeletons had been exported with the blessing of the South African government in 2017, the report said, making it the world's largest exporter of lion bones.

The airline told AFP it had stopped accepting lion bones as cargo, but did not say when the policy had come into effect.

"Singapore Airlines does not accept the carriage of lion bones as cargo following a review which took into account increasing concerns around the world," the company said in an email.

EMS Foundation director Michele Pickover said her organisation had sent the report to the airline and "appealed to them to immediately stop its involvement in this terrible trade".

"I believe that once they were informed about what this trade entails they took the correct and logical decision not to support it," she told AFP.

South Africa has been sending lion bones to Southeast Asia since at least 2008 and it was likely that Singapore Airlines had been transporting them since that year, Pickover added.

Lion bones and other body parts are highly sought after in parts of Southeast Asia -- particularly Laos, Thailand and Vietnam -- for use in jewellery and for their supposed medicinal properties.

In Vietnam, lion bone is cooked and turned into balm while claws and teeth were used as body ornaments, the report said.

While trade of body parts from wild lions is banned, international treaties allow the sale of parts taken from lions bred in captivity.
Sao Paulo (AFP) - Brazilian police on Friday arrested a Lebanese citizen on suspicions of raising funds for Lebanon-based Shiite military group Hezbollah, which the United States considers a terrorist group.

Assad Ahmad Barakat, 51, was arrested on Brazil's three-way border with Argentina and Paraguay close to the world-renown Iguazu Falls, accused of carrying fake identity documents, federal police said.

"Members of the Barakat Clan made purchases worth $10 million, without declaring their value, at a casino in the Argentine city of Iguazu," Brazilian police said, "with the view to laundering the organization's money."

The money was allegedly destined for Hezbollah's coffers, but the funds and other assets were frozen by Argentine authorities, Brazilian police said.

Barakat spent six years in a Paraguayan prison for tax evasion but was released in 2008, after which he moved to Brazil.

In 1989 he had obtained Paraguayan nationality but was stripped of it in 2003 following his conviction. Yet in April he was issued a Paraguayan passport, according to Asuncion, which says it is investigating that case.

In 2006 Barakat was added to a US list of individuals and groups operating in the triple border area and financing Hezbollah, which has close links to Iran's regime.

The US Treasury Department described Barakat as a "global terrorist," and said his network was a "major financial artery to Hezbollah."

Around one million people live in three cities that converge on the triple border, an area US officials suspect of harboring dormant Islamic terror cells.

As well as a military group, Hezbollah also has a political wing that features prominently in Lebanon's governing coalition.

While Washington considers the whole group a terrorist organization, the European Union only designates its military wing as such.
A Texan running a 3D printed guns company who flew to Taiwan as police investigated an accusation he had sex with an underage girl was detained in Taipei on Friday and ordered to leave the island after his U.S. passport was annulled, officials said.
Theresa May has told the EU to show the UK some respect as she urged them to come up with an alternative Brexit plan.

In an unexpected speech from outside Downing Street, the Prime Minister defiantly told EU leaders it was unacceptable for them to dismiss her plans without coming up with their own detailed proposals.

Reaction to the speech has been mixed, with both Tories and Labour condemning her  Jeremy Corbyn branded her approach a disaster. The pound slumped 1.5% against the dollar.

At times visibly angry, Mrs May said: Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

Defiant  Theresa Mays defiant speech called for the EU to show some respect (Picture: PA)

At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other sides proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals.

So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress.

She went on to say that if such counter-proposals were not offered up by the EU, the UK remained on course for a no-deal Brexit.

Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal, she said.

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She added: The EU should be clear, I will not overturn the result of the referendum, nor will I break up my country. We need serious engagement in resolving the two big issues in the negotiations and we stand ready.

Talking tough: The PM gives her surprise Brexit address from Downing St on Friday afternoon. (PA)

Theresa May arrives at the back entrance of 10 Downing Street ahead of an update on Brexit negotiations (Picture: Reuters)

Pound reacts

The pound shifted sharply before, during and after Mrs Mays address. It began to decline shortly after Mr Mays imminent speech was confirmed  and continued dropping as she took the stage.

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By mid-afternoon on Friday, the pound was down by 1.5% against the dollar.

Traders have been nervous about the prospect that negotiators would be unable to reach a comprehensive deal on trade, borders, immigration and other crucial items.

These no-deal concerns have similarly led many UK-based businesses to hold off on making investments.

A new study released on Friday by the manufacturing group EEF found that one in four manufacturers have put investment plans on hold, or expect to lose skilled workers and contracts, because of Brexit.

There was a glimmer of support for the PM, with the DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds unsurprisingly welcoming reassurances on the Northern Ireland border issue, but calling for her to now stand up for the UKs interests.

Mrs May a disaster

Tory and Labour MPs have united in their criticism.

Former education secretary Justine Greening said the Prime Ministers approach was now neither fair, nor sensible.

Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who chairs the powerful European Research Group, praised Mrs May for being strong and forthright in her speech, but also urged her to ditch Chequers.

He said: There is still no reason to suppose that Chequers can work either for the UK or the EU.

It is time for the Government to start putting forward as its plan a Canada-style free trade agreement for the whole of the UK.

This is the most realistic approach and similar to the EUs proposal.

Countdown to Brexit

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that the Prime Minister had shown herself to be incapable of delivering a good Brexit deal.

He said: Theresa Mays Brexit negotiating strategy has been a disaster. The Tories have spent more time arguing among themselves than negotiating with the EU.

The political games from both the EU and our Government need to end because no deal is not an option.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of being in denial over the Chequers proposals.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has accused EU leaders of putting the handbrake on negotiations (Picture: PA)

EU says no thanks

The statement comes after the the rejection of her Chequers plan by EU leaders in Salzburg.

European Council President Donald Tusk rejected Mrs Mays blueprint for Brexit on Thursday, saying it risked the integrity of the EU single market and the Northern Ireland border.

European leaders including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron also said significant progress was needed by the time of the European Council summit on October 18 if an agreement is to be reached on the UKs withdrawal deal.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab earlier accused EU leaders of putting the handbrake on negotiations.

Appearing on the BBCs Politics Live, he said: Weve been rebuffed on our plans without any coherent explanation as to why, theres these sort of rather dogmatic pleas to the single market unity but our plans were very carefully crafted around that.

He added: Were going to hold our nerve, stay calm and keep negotiating in good faith.

No deal  Mrs May repeated her view that no deal is better than a bad deal (Picture: PA)

Weve revved up the motor of these negotiations, Ive been out there a lot more frequently to get motoring, to make progress and the EU have just yanked up the handbrake and for the negotiations to go forward theyre going to have to take their hand off the handbrake.

The Brexit Secretary went on to praise Mrs May, who has indicated that she will come forward shortly with new proposals regarding the Irish border, describing her as stoic and resilient.

The pound dropped against the dollar during Mrs May speech
PHNOM PEHN, Cambodia (AP)  An Australian filmmaker was awaiting deportation from Cambodia on Saturday after receiving a royal pardon for his conviction on spying charges for flying a drone over a political rally. A spokesman for immigration police said that James Ricketson will be deported on Saturday morning, a day after being released from prison. "We are now checking a flight for him," Gen. Keo Vanthan told The Associated Press. Ricketson, 69, was sentenced to six years in a trial his sympathizers described as farcical because prosecutors never specified whom he was spying for and failed to present evidence that he possessed or transmitted any secrets.

NEW DELHI (AP)  India on Friday called off a planned meeting between its foreign minister and her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session in New York this month, aggravating tensions between the longtime rivals. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said India's decision to pull out of the meeting, which had been announced just a day earlier, follows the killing of an Indian border guard in Kashmir and Pakistan's glorification of insurgents fighting Indian rule in the Himalayan territory. The Indian government's decision to hold talks with Pakistan was strongly criticized by the Congress party and other opposition groups after rebels in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir killed the border guard and later raided over a dozen homes of police officers and abducted three.

SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Anti-India rebels in disputed Kashmir raided over a dozen homes of police officers and abducted three whose bullet-riddled bodies were recovered Friday, officials said. Also Friday, Indian government forces killed five suspected militants, ending a two-day gunbattle. The police killings came days after the region's largest rebel group asked officers to quit the Kashmiri police force and stay away from counterinsurgency operations. Militants in Kashmir have increasingly targeted police working with India's forces, accusing them of being collaborators. Early Friday, nearly two dozen rebels stormed the homes in two southern Kashmir villages, took away three off-duty officers and a fourth person who had resigned from the police days earlier.

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MALE, Maldives (AP)  As election officials made final preparations for nationwide elections in the Maldives, the European Union said it is not sending observers because the country has failed to meet the basic conditions for monitoring. In the capital, Male, pink and green campaign banners hung in the streets. Election commission spokesman Ahmed Akram said the country was fully prepared to hold a free and fair election on Sunday. But in neighboring Sri Lanka, exiled former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, a leader of the opposition, said Friday that the vote could be rigged. A decade after Maldivians took to the streets to welcome democracy to the series of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, voters head to the ballot box in what has become a referendum on whether democracy will stay.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  About 500 refugees have been relocated from a Nebraska apartment complex after units were deemed unlivable. The Omaha World-Herald reports the Myanmar refugees were living at the Yale Park Apartments in north Omaha, including about 175 school-age children and dozens of toddlers and babies. City inspectors evacuated the apartments Thursday, citing of a myriad of problems ranging from unsafe electrical circuits and natural gas leaks to units infested with mice, bedbugs, lice and maggots. The refugees are now being housed at community centers where they can sleep, shower and eat. Joanie Poore is with Heartland Family Service.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP)  Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, the country's No. 2 after the ruling Communist Party's leader, died Friday after a serious illness, the government said. He was 61. Quang passed away despite "utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese and foreign professors and doctors and care by the party and state leaders," the statement said. It said Quang died at a military hospital in Hanoi but did not elaborate on his illness. The state-run online newspaper VnExpress quoted a former health minister and the head of a national committee in charge of leaders' health, Nguyen Quoc Trieu, as saying that Quang had contracted a rare and toxic virus since July last year and had traveled to Japan six times for treatment.

ISTANBUL (AP)  Chinese authorities are placing the children of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities into dozens of state-run orphanages across the far western Xinjiang region, as around 1 million adults in their families are sent to internment camps. The orphanages are only the latest example of Beijing's efforts to systematically distance young Muslims in Xinjiang from their families and culture. Uighurs fear such efforts are erasing their ethnic identity, one child at a time. In Istanbul, The Associated Press spoke to a dozen Uighur families during the Muslim holy festival Eid al-Adha, which comes with large family reunions. Tables in every home were resplendently laid out with traditional Xinjiang dishes like homemade noodles, freshly butchered lamb and crispy nan bread.

ISTANBUL (AP)  Every morning, Meripet wakes up to her nightmare: The Chinese government has turned four of her children into orphans, even though she and their father are alive. Meripet and her husband left the kids with their grandmother at home in China when they went to nurse Meripet's sick father in Turkey. But after Chinese authorities started locking up thousands of their fellow ethnic Uighurs for alleged subversive crimes such as travel abroad, a visit became exile. Then, her mother-in-law was also taken prisoner, and Meripet learned from a friend that her 3- to 8-year-olds had been placed in a de facto orphanage in the Xinjiang region, under the care of the state that broke up her family.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  The spectacle and surprise on display at the three inter-Korean summits this year have been, at times, intense. The fourth one could be surreal  if it happens. Imagine North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rolling through South Korea's ultra-modern capital in an armored limousine flanked by crew-cut bodyguards running in crisp, military formation  the same streets where millions protested two years ago to bring down a corrupt government. Or what about Kim taking an evening stroll through affluent southern Seoul, stopping by the soaring Lotte World Tower to soak in the majestic skyline above the broad Han River  not too far from where protesters regularly burn effigies of him?

BEIJING (AP)  China said Friday it was "outraged" over U.S. economic sanctions against a Chinese military agency and its director over the purchase of Russian fighter jets and surface-to-air missile equipment, and demanded the U.S. cancel the measure. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing has lodged stern complaints with Washington over the action, which triggers a ban on entering the U.S., forbids conducting transactions with the U.S. financial system and forces the blocking of all property and interests in property within U.S. jurisdiction. "China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action by the U.S.," Geng told reporters at a daily news briefing.
On The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, Noah took down Donald Trumps idea for yet another border wall, this one across the Sahara Desert. Earlier this week, Spains foreign minister, Josep Borrell, said that Trump suggested to him that Spain build a wall across the Sahara to thwart Europes migrant crisis. But theres more than a few problems with Trumps suggestion. One being that Spain doesnt share a border with Africa. Theyre separated be the Mediterranean Sea. The closest Spain comes to Africa is at the Strait of Gibraltar, which is nine miles wide at its narrowest point. Another problem is that the Sahara is over 3,000 miles long and one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. Borrell said that after making the suggestion, Trump said, The border with the Sahara cant be bigger than ours with Mexico. Spanish officials reportedly had to explain to Trump that the Sahara is in fact about 1,000 miles longer than the U.S. border with Mexico.

Besides the length of the Sahara and that the idea of building a wall across it is completely illogical, Noah pointed out the biggest problem with Trumps suggestion. I cant even believe I have to say this, Noah said, but Africa is not a part of Spain, so they cant just build something on someone elses land.
Donald Trump has accused Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein of attempting to obstruct Brett Kavanaughs confirmation process by providing the FBI with a letter accusing the Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault.

The US president accused Ms Feinstein and the Democrats of holding on to the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER he wrote on Twitter.

He added that the purpose was to obstruct, resist and delay Mr Kavanaughs confirmation process.

Dr Christine Blasey Ford sent a letter to Ms Feinstein in late July alleging Mr Kavanaugh had forced himself on her while they were both at a high school party in the 1980s.

Mr Kavanaugh has categorically and unequivocally denied the allegations.

Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER - done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay. Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Ms Feinstein has said that she kept the letter private out of respect for Ms Ford, a California professor, who had requested it remain confidential. She provided the letter to the FBI recently after a news report on the information surfaced.

Ms Fords attorneys have been in negotiations with the Senate Judiciary Committee on the conditions under which she would potentially testify before Congress about her accusations.

Her attorneys have continued to emphasise Ms Fords preference that the FBI conduct an investigation prior to her testimony. They have also stressed the importance of ensuring Ms Fords safety as they have said she has received death threats since going public.

Regarding questions on whether Ms Ford will testify, Mr Trump added on Twitter: Let her testify, or not, and Take the vote!

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Mr Trump called Ms Fords accusations into question in another tweet published early Friday morning. He criticised the professor for not coming forward years ago.

The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW, he wrote. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?

Many on social media lambasted the president for his apparent lack of awareness of statistics that show many sexual assault cases are not reported to the police  and that perpetrators of sexual assault are not likely to be charged when they are reported.

You are completely ignorant about the effects of sexual abuse, one Twitter user wrote. When I first started working in child protective services 37 years ago, most people did not acknowledge the existence of sexual abuse; thus the victims told no one.
US President Donald Trump tweeted congratulations Thursday on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "HUGE" re-election.

"Congratulations to my good friend Prime Minister @AbeShinzo on his HUGE election victory," Trump said in a tweet.

"I'm looking forward to many more years of working together. See you in New York next week!" he added, referring to the upcoming annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Abe, as expected, won a comfortable re-election as leader of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, effectively getting three more years as Japan's PM, with a shot at breaking the record for the country's longest serving premiership.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump will receive his Chilean counterpart, Sebastian Pinera, late this month for talks on "efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela," the White House said Friday.

The Chilean president had planned to visit the United States for the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting next week.

His visit on September 28 to the White House comes with regional concerns growing about an exodus of Venezuelans fleeing their country's economic meltdown.

Trump has accused Venezuela's leftist President Nicolas Maduro of leading a "dictatorship" and a report in The New York Times earlier this month said US officials had met with Venezuelan military officers seeking support for a coup.

Pinera will be received by Trump for what the White House described as a "working visit."

Trump and Pinera "will build upon the strong partnership between their nations in pursuit of a more prosperous, secure, and democratic Western Hemisphere," the White House statement said.

"The leaders expect to discuss a shared commitment to pro-growth policies, combating corrupt and illicit networks, strategic partnerships in energy and cyber security, and efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela," it said.
New York (AFP) - President Donald Trump's outburst demanding to know why a university academic accusing his Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault in the 1980s failed to come forward sooner, saw a new #MeToo era hashtag storm the internet Friday.

#WhyIDidntReport was the top trending conversation starter on Twitter in the United States, as people, mostly women, vented outrage over past sexual transgressions and to stand in solidarity with Christine Blasey Ford, the Californian professor who took decades to accuse Brett Kavanaugh of groping her when they were teens.

By mid-afternoon East Coast time, tens of thousands of tweets had been posted to the microblogging platform as users explained why they had not reported occasions on which they too had been sexually assaulted in the past.

"I was sexually assaulted twice. Once when I was a teenager. I never filed a police report and it took me 30 years to tell me parents," tweeted actress Alyssa Milano.

"The first time it happened, I was 7. I told the first adults I came upon. They said 'Oh, he's a nice old man, that's not what he meant,'" tweeted activist Ashley Judd, one of dozens of women who accused Harvey Weinstein of harassment.

"So when I was raped at 15, I only told my diary. When an adult read it, she accused me of having sex with an adult man," she added.

Friday's hashtag is the latest echo of the #MeToo movement, which was itself started by a hashtag, encouraging victims of sexual misconduct to speak out following the allegations that have toppled Weinstein and other powerful men.

On Friday Trump abandoned any restraint over Blasey Ford as he demanded that the Republican-controlled Senate get on with confirming Kavanaugh -- and so tilt the highest US judicial body further to the right before November's crucial mid-term elections.

"Why didn't someone call the FBI 36 years ago?" the president tweeted.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," he added.
President Trump on Friday joined those attacking the credibility of Christine Blasey Ford, who has charged that Brett Kavanaugh attempted to rape her at a party decades ago. Trump said his Supreme Court nominee is under assault by Democrats who want to derail his confirmation to the high court.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, Trump tweeted. They just want to destroy and delay. Facts dont matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents, he continued. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!

According to statistics cited by the national anti-sexual violence organization RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the majority of sexual assaults arent reported to police, usually because of fears of retaliation.

The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW, the president added. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?

Speaking to reporters at the White House moments before Trumps tweeted barrage, Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, expressed a strikingly different message.

Theres no reason to attack her, Conway said. Let her tell her story.

Also read: Defense of Kavanaugh turns to theory of evil lookalike

Ford says she was sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh in the early 1980s at a house party in suburban Maryland. She was 15 years old at the time of the alleged incident. The FBI would not ordinarily have been involved in investigating a local crime.

According to Fords account, Kavanaugh and his friend forced her into a room at the party and 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. When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth.

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I thought he might inadvertently kill me, Ford said.

In July, Ford  a 51-year-old research psychologist and professor in Palo Alto, Calif.  sent a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., detailing the alleged incident but requesting she remain anonymous. After news of the letter leaked, Ford reluctantly went public as Kavanaughs accuser in an interview with the Washington Post that was published Sunday.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh leaves his home in Chevy Chase, Md., on Wednesday. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER  done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay, Trump fumed. Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!

Trumps statements come amid a growing partisan battle about whether to delay a Monday hearing for both Kavanaugh and Ford. Kavanaugh, who denies the allegations, sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Thursday, saying he is eager to testify as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name. Fords attorneys say she needs more time to prepare and is willing to testify Thursday, not Monday. Her other demands are that she is questioned by senators, not an outside counsel; that Kavanaugh is not present at her hearing; that he testifies first, and that the committee subpoenas other witnesses, including Kavanaughs friend Mark Judge, who she says was in the room at the time of the alleged assault.

As you are aware, shes been receiving death threats which have been reported to the FBI and she and her family have been forced out of their home, Debra Katz, Fords lawyer, wrote in an email to the committee. She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety. A hearing on Monday is not possible and the committees insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event.

Kavanaughs wife has also received threats that are being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Trump, who had been uncharacteristically restrained in his response to the allegations, showed signs of frustration before a rally in Las Vegas Thursday night.

Let her have her say and lets see how it all works out, but I dont think you can delay it any longer, Trump told Fox News Sean Hannity. Why didnt somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?

President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Thursday. (Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters)

Earlier this week, Trump said he was eager to hear from Ford, but expressed doubt that her testimony would be credible enough to change his opinion of Kavanaugh.

I really want to see her; I would really want to see what she has to say, Trump told reporters on Wednesday. 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, [its] very hard for me to imagine anything happened.

Trump also falsely suggested that the FBI cannot reopen its background investigation of Kavanaugh  something both Democrats and Fords lawyers have called for.

It would seem that the FBI really doesnt do that, Trump said before noting the bureau did, in fact, conduct a total of six separate background investigations as Kavanaugh rose to prominence a federal court judge.

But the FBI could reopen its background check on Kavanaugh if the president ordered it. Anita Hills harassment allegations against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas were investigated by the FBI after the first round of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings had concluded.

Speaking at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cast aside the allegations against Kavanaugh, and predicted his swift confirmation.

President Trump has nominated a stunningly successful individual, McConnell said. You watch the fight, you watch the tactics, but heres what I want to tell you. In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court.

McConnell added: Keep the faith. Dont get rattled by all this. Were gonna plow right through it.

During the rally in Las Vegas, Trump told the crowd that one of the reasons I was elected was because you believed that I was going to pick great Supreme Court justices.

Brett Kavanaugh is one of the finest human beings you will ever have the privilege of knowing or meeting, Trump said. A great intellect, a great gentleman, an impeccable reputation, went to Yale Law School, top student, so we have to let it play out, but I want to tell you, he is a fine, fine person.

The president added: So we will let it play out, and I think everything is going to be just fine.

___

Read more from Yahoo News:
ISTANBUL (AP)  A Turkish court on Thursday released a prominent lawmaker from the main opposition party who had been sentenced to more than five years in prison for revealing state secrets and espionage.

State-run news agency Anadolu said Thursday the sentence of Enis Berberoglu, re-elected in June, has been suspended for as long as he remains a lawmaker.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey's pro-secular Republican People's Party, or CHP, welcomed the release of Berberoglu, tweeting: "We will continue to chase justice for everyone."

Berberoglu met his family and CHP members, including Kilicdaroglu, after his release from an Istanbul prison, Turkey's private Demiroren news agency reported.

Berberoglu, a 62 year-old former journalist, was initially sentenced to 25 years in prison in June 2017 for allegedly leaking footage to opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper suggesting Turkey had smuggled arms to Islamic rebels in Syria. In February, the sentence was reduced to five years and 10 months.

In July 2017, Kilicdaroglu led a 450-kilometer (280-mile) march from Ankara to the prison where Berberoglu was jailed to protest the government's crackdown following an attempted coup.

Turkey has arrested more than 50,000 people since the failed coup and fired at least 110,000 others from government jobs. The crackdown was initially launched to deal with alleged coup-plotters, but critics say it has expanded to include other government opponents, such as academics, journalists and legislators.

___

This story has been corrected to give the name of Berberoglu's party as the Republican People's Party, not People's Republican Party.
By Daniel Wiessner

(Reuters) - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Friday filed a lawsuit accusing Walmart Inc of forcing pregnant workers at a Wisconsin warehouse to go on unpaid leave and denying their requests to take on easier duties.

The EEOC, which enforces federal laws banning discrimination in the workplace, said Walmart's distribution center in Menomonie, Wisconsin, has discriminated against pregnant employees since 2014. Federal law requires employers to accommodate workers' pregnancies in the same way as physical disabilities.

Arkansas-based Walmart is the largest retailer and private employer in the United States.

Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove in a statement on Friday said the company does not tolerate discrimination.

"Our accommodations policy has been updated a number of times over the last several years and our policies have always fully met or exceeded both state and federal law," he said.

Walmart is also facing class action lawsuits in Illinois and New York accusing it of denying accommodations to thousands of pregnant workers at its retail stores. In March, a federal judge in Illinois denied Walmart's bid to dismiss the claims. The New York case is pending.

Walmart denied the claims in both lawsuits and said its anti-discrimination policy has long listed pregnancy as a protected status.

Friday's lawsuit, filed in federal court in Wisconsin, stems from a complaint filed by Alyssa Gilliam, an employee at the Walmart warehouse in Menomonie.

The EEOC in the lawsuit said Gilliam became pregnant in 2015, and Walmart denied her requests for restrictions on heavy lifting, additional breaks, and a chair to use while working.

The commission said Walmart refused similar requests by other pregnant workers at the warehouse, but granted them for workers with disabilities or injuries.

The federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits workplace discrimination against pregnant women. In a 2015 decision involving United Parcel Service Inc, the U.S. Supreme Court said the law requires employers to provide the same accommodations to pregnant women as it does disabled workers.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, workers have filed pregnancy discrimination lawsuits against several large companies, including Merck & Co Inc, Amazon.com Inc unit Whole Foods, Novartis AG, and AT&T Inc's mobile phone subsidiary.

(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany and Nandita Bose in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Bill Berkrot and Alexia Garamfalvi)
By Alphonso Toweh and James Giahyue MONROVIA (Reuters) - The U.S. government is considering helping Liberia track down more than $100 million in missing cash, an embassy spokesman said, in a case that has triggered a political crisis in the impoverished country. Several shipments of freshly printed Liberian dollars ordered from abroad by the central bank have been unaccounted for since they passed through the country's main ports in November 2017 and August this year, Information Minister Eugene Nagbe said on Tuesday. Minister of Justice Frank Musa Dean said the government had sought U.S. help in investigating the whereabouts of the cash, equivalent to nearly five percent of Liberia's GDP. Washington has worked with the Liberian government on fiscal transparency and governance issues in the past. "(We) are reviewing the request for assistance," the U.S. embassy spokesman told Reuters via email late on Thursday. News of the money's disappearance - with cabinet members giving differing versions of events - sparked outrage in the West African country, with politicians and pressure groups calling for more transparency. The hashtag #BringBackOurMoney is trending on social media and a new Hipco song - a Liberian form of hip-hop - called "Bring Our Container Back" is a popular request on local radio. While the investigation is ongoing, 15 people have been barred from leaving the country, including ex-central bank governor Milton Weeks and Charles Sirleaf, son of former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Sirleaf has not been reachable for comment while Weeks on Tuesday denied any wrongdoing and said he was cooperating with investigators. "The authorization to print the money came from the board (of the Central Bank)... So, whatever is being said here, we need to get to the bottom of this," Weeks told Reuters on Thursday. President George Weah, who took office in January after campaigning for economic reform in one of the world's poorest countries, has yet to comment on the missing money. Government sources said he called an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Finance Minister Samuel Tweah meanwhile played down the crisis and said that not all the money was missing, contradicting Nagbe's statement. "(The investigation) is about establishing the accuracy of money that came in between 2016 and 2018, because we got reports that some irregularities happened along the way," Tweah told Reuters. (Additional reporting by Edward McAllister in Dakar, Writing by Cooper Inveen, Editing by Sofia Christensen and John Stonestreet)
Kiev (AFP) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday backed a controversial bill that would require pro-Russian groups to register as "foreign agents", borrowing from the playbook of his arch-enemy Vladimir Putin.

"We see how the fifth column is raising its head," the Ukrainian leader said during his annual address to parliament.

"A network of Russian agents is still active in Ukraine," said Poroshenko, claiming they were seeking to get local media under their control.

"They are independent of Ukraine but are controlled by the Kremlin and they are whipping up anti-Ukrainian, anti-European and anti-American sentiments."

He said ensuring Ukraine's "information security" was a top priority ahead of a presidential election next year.

"Thus I support the idea of a bill to register agents of influence of the aggressor country," he added.

The bill on "foreign agents" was proposed by one of the main factions in the governing coalition, the People's Front, which says the ex-Soviet country needs to protect itself from Russia's influence.

Poroshenko backed the legislation after the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union cautioned against it earlier this week, saying the bill would "create legal mechanisms to suppress public initiatives".

Ukrainians are scheduled to go to polls to elect a president next March.

Poroshenko is widely expected to run but has not yet made an official announcement.

By proposing the controversial bill, Ukrainian authorities are following in the footsteps of their foe Russian President Putin, who has backed a law requiring Western-funded non-governmental groups and media to register as "foreign agents".

Putin has justified the need for such a law by saying that a Western-backed "fifth column" was bent on destroying Russia.

Ties between Kiev and its former master Moscow were shredded after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and supported a separatist uprising in the east of Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed more than 10,000 lives.

Ukraine and its Western allies have accused Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border, but Moscow has denied the claims despite evidence to the contrary.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  This week's summit between rivals North and South Korea represents, in part, unfinished business for South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

In pursuing engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to defuse a nuclear crisis, Moon is also looking to bolster the legacy of his late friend and political mentor, former President Roh Moo-hyun, whose ambitious efforts to build trust with North Korea crumbled as it began building its nuclear arsenal a decade ago.

A dovish liberal, Moon said he will use the meetings with Kim in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, which began Tuesday and are to end Thursday, to help revive stalled talks between the U.S. and North Korea and push for "irreversible, permanent peace" between the rivals. Depending on the results, Moon will either be remembered as a skillful statesman who helped fix decades of failed diplomacy or a stubborn idealist who repeated the mistakes of past liberal leaders at a time of much higher military and political stakes.

Moon was enthusiastically greeted by Kim on Tuesday as he became the first South Korean president to visit Pyongyang in 11 years, since Roh made his own trip north. The two leaders tightly embraced at the airport in front of a military honor guard and thousands of people cheering and waving flowers and flags.

It was a much warmer welcome than what Kim's late father, Kim Jong Il, arranged for Roh in October 2007. Kim Jong Il didn't come to the border to greet Roh, who crossed into North Korea by land, and later shook hands with Roh with what looked like less than complete enthusiasm before a summit that took place amid turbulent nuclear negotiations following the North's first nuclear test explosion in 2006.

But Moon faces much higher stakes in his latest summit with Kim, their third this year, as the South Korean tries to save global diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff with the North. Roh's inter-Korean engagement came at a time when the North Korean nuclear threat was relatively weak. Moon is dealing with a North Korea that could already have dozens of bombs and a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental-range weapons that may be able to reach the U.S. mainland.

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Roh's meeting with Kim Jong Il came near the end of the South Korean's single presidential term, and so any results were destined to be short-lived. South Koreans, angry over North Korea's nuclear ambitions and the engagement policies pursued by a succession of liberal governments, voted in a conservative leader in 2007 who upended Roh's policies. Roh leaped to his death the following year after being investigated for corruption. A grim-faced Moon read out a press statement about his friend's death.

Moon, who had a leading role in building Roh's inter-Korean policies as his chief of staff, didn't go to the 2007 summit. His efforts for engagement have received much stronger support than Roh's. Moon's previous summits with Kim in April and May at the inter-Korean border, which also set up a June summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump, brought a tentative detente following a string of North Korean nuclear and missile tests last year that fanned war fears among South Koreans.

But Moon now faces perhaps the biggest challenge of his diplomacy because talks between Washington and Pyongyang have sputtered since the June summit, raising doubts about Kim's supposed willingness to relinquish his nuclear arsenal and putting pressure on Moon to broker progress once again. This week's inter-Korean summit will likely be a crucial indicator of how the larger nuclear negotiations with the United States will proceed; Moon's chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, has downplayed the possibility of a significant breakthrough.

"When former President Roh Moo-hyun visited North Korea in 2007, the meeting was focused on inter-Korean issues because the nuclear issue was dealt with in the six-party talks," Im said on Monday, referring to now-stalled nuclear negotiations involving the Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan. "But this time, the heavy issue of denuclearization presses down on the summit meeting. This makes us very cautious, and it's hard to make any optimistic prediction about the summit."

Moon, a son of North Korean war refugees, won a presidential by-election in May last year following the removal of his conservative predecessor over a corruption scandal. He has been a harsh critic of Seoul's previous hard-line policies, which he says did little to stop the North's nuclear advancement while significantly reducing the South's voice in international efforts to deal with the crisis.

Moon has preached engagement even during the height of tensions.

Two days after North Korea flight-tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in July last year, Moon vowed to build on the legacies of Roh and his liberal predecessor Kim Dae-jung. Roh and Kim's "Sunshine Policy" and economic inducements resulted in two historic summit meetings and a temporary rapprochement between the Koreas in the 2000s. Critics say the policies gave North Korea a lifeline while it pursued its nuclear dreams.

If the inter-Korean summit fails to produce concrete results and U.S.-North Korea talks begin to derail, some experts believe Moon will face a serious political dilemma over whether to continue to engage with the North or join another U.S.-led high-pressure campaign against it.

Moon has so far maintained a coordinated approach with Trump on North Korea, staying mostly firm on sanctions and offering vocal support last year to Trump's pressure campaign during North Korea's weapons tests. While reaching out to North Korea in past months, Moon has credited Trump at every step, even endorsing him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

But for Moon, it would be extremely difficult to accept a return to the animosity of 2017. Moon's popularity has declined sharply in recent months and he can ill afford a setback in inter-Korean relations, his main issue of strength. Pyongyang has already expressed frustration to Seoul about the slow pace of cooperation projects in railways, roads and forestry, which are held back by U.S.-led sanctions against the North.

Some argue that Moon has ample reason to continue engagement and maintain peace and stability because North Korea's nuclear weapons are just one of the many security concerns facing South Korea. There's also fear of the sporadic military tension that has led to occasional bloodshed between the rivals. While showing unease about the North's development of ICBMs, the United States, unlike its ally, doesn't have to worry about a barrage of artillery raining down on its cities.

In recent speeches, Moon has said that relations between the Koreas "are not by-effects of progress in the relationship between North Korea and the United States," and that advancement in inter-Korean ties could bring progress on denuclearization.

Moon's huge entourage in Pyongyang includes CEOs of the country's biggest companies, a possible sign that Seoul is preparing for the resumption of inter-Korean economic cooperation projects if diplomacy eventually yields results.

But other experts say Moon fears a split with Washington because Seoul would be forced from the "driver's seat" in diplomatic efforts to deal with the North. Any leverage South Korea has over North Korea, they say, comes from its relationship with the United States, which holds the keys to what Pyongyang desires most: sanctions relief and security assurances.

"If he's forced to choose, Moon will likely slow the pace of inter-Korean engagement," said Choi Kang, vice president of Seoul's Asan Institute of Policy Studies. "He's not the same leader as Roh Moo-hyun was."
Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday denounced "awful abuses" of Muslim Uighurs detained in Chinese reeducation camps.

"Hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uighurs are held against their will in so-called reeducation camps where they're forced to endure severe political indoctrination and other awful abuses," Pompeo said in a speech on the state of religious freedom around the world.

Beijing has rejected UN estimates that more than a million members of Muslim minorities are being held in internment camps in China's western Xinjiang region.

In a letter to Pompeo and US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Republican and Democratic members of the US Congress late last month called for sanctions on Chinese officials implicated in the internment of Uighurs.

Pompeo did not say in the speech whether he would take punitive measures.

He also expressed concern about the fate of Christians in China, who he said had been targeted in a government crackdown.

The government, he said, has been "closing churches, burning bibles and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith."
Russian blacklist also expanded to include many indicted by Mueller for role in 2016 election meddling

Vladimir Putin shakes hands with a Chinese serviceman. The sanctions will sharpen tensions with Beijing. Photograph: Alexei Nikolsky/AP

The US has sanctioned the Chinese military for buying Russian fighter planes and missiles, and blacklisted more than 30 Russians, most of whom have been indicted for their role in Moscows effort to subvert the 2016 US election.

The new sanctions unveiled by the state department on Thursday will sharpen tensions with Beijing amid a brewing trade war  and further sour relations with Moscow.

The expansion of the Russian blacklist also represents an endorsement of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 vote by the special counsel Robert Mueller, which Donald Trump has repeatedly denounced as a witch-hunt.

Of the 33 names added to the Russian blacklist, three entities and 30 individuals, 28 were indicted earlier this year by Muellers team.

The list includes three companies and 13 individuals indicted in February this year for involvement in a broad attempt to influence the 2016 election through fake social media accounts in operation masterminded by the Internet Research Agency in St Petersburg.

It also includes 12 officers of Russian military intelligence indicted by Mueller in July for the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails during the election.

The state department also named Igor Korobov, the head of the main intelligence directorate of the Russian army, known as the GRU, and one his deputies, Sergey Gizunov, as well as three Russian defence companies, including the mercenary organisation PMC Wagner.

Being added to the blacklist does not immediately trigger sanctions, but anyone dealing with a blacklisted person or entity could be liable to punitive measures under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (Caatsa) passed by Congress in 2017.

The expansion of the blacklist represents an endorsement of Muellers investigation into Russian meddling. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP

The sanctions on China announced on Thursday mark the first time the US has issued penalties under Caatsa against third parties for dealing with blacklisted Russians. Officials said that they decided to act against the Chinese military procurement organisation, the Equipment Development Department, after it purchased Sukhoi Su-35 warplanes from Moscow in November 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missiles in January this year. EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, were hit with sanctions because of the purchases made from Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms export entity already on the Caatsa blacklist for its support of the Assad regime in Syria.

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We have been using the possibility of Caatsa sanctions to deter arms transfers for many months, a senior administration official said. We have had some good results in probably preventing the occurrence of several billions dollars worth of transfers simply by having the availability of this sanctions tool in our pockets. But since China has gone ahead and done what is clearly a significant transaction by buying these Sukhois and S-400 missiles we are required by the law to take this step today.

Caatsa sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country. They are instead aimed at imposing costs on Russia in response to its malign activities, and of course those malign activities are many, the official said. These measures are in direct response to Russias aggressive actions towards our country, our allies and our partners.

Turkey has also ordered S-400 missiles, which are due to be delivered next year. State department officials made clear that Thursdays sanctions were also meant as a signal to Ankara about the consequences of that transaction.

We hope that this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors, the senior official said.

Peter Harrell, a former senior state department sanctions official, said: Its interesting that the administration has chosen this moment of high tension to act. I have to imagine they see it in the broader context of putting pressure on China.

Harrell, now a adjunct senior fellow at the Centre for a New American Security, said the names added to the state department blacklist underlined the disconnect between Donald Trump and his own administration on how they view Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

This does reinforce the fact that the Trump administration continues to be concerned about election interference, even if Trump does not seem to, Harrell said.
Beijing has warned the US must bear responsibility for the consequences if Washington doesnt withdraw new sanctions on China for procuring military equipment from Russia.

The US government imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying ten SU-25 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping US sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 US election.

In response, China expresses strong indignation at these unreasonable actions by the US side and has already lodged stern representations, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

The Chinese military bought Russian missile systems and jets, including the Su-35 combat aircraft pictured here Credit: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters

We strongly urge the US side to immediately correct the mistake and rescind the so-called sanctions; otherwise the U.S. side will necessarily bear responsibility for the consequences," he said, without giving details.

China has cozied up to Russia lately at a time when both nations have been targeted by the US. Bilateral relations have been so successful that China was invited to take part in military exercises in Russia earlier this month, the countrys largest since the Cold War and the first including a country from outside the former Soviet bloc.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin also cultivated a rather public friendship. Xi and Putin have met several times, most recently at an annual economic forum in Vladivostok that occurred alongside the joint war games. The pair have enjoyed traditional foods together and Putin even recalled celebrating his birthday once with Xi. In 2017, Xi was award Russias highest state order, an occasion commemorated by Putin hanging an elaborate medallion around Xis neck. The following year Xi reciprocated by presenting Putin with a similar high order of friendship in the form of a giant gold necklace.

As these new sanctions show, close relations with Russia means China could suffer collateral damage as the US continues to target Moscow, on top of escalating trade tensions with Washington.

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One US administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.

Despite China essentially taking a hit for Russia, security analysts in Asia think the sanctions could further boost ties between Moscow and Beijing.

"The imposition of US sanctions will have zero impact on Russian arms sales to China," said Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

"Both countries are opposed to what they see as US bullying and these kind of actions will just push Beijing and Moscow even closer together," he said, adding that Moscow needed Chinese money and Beijing wanted advanced military technology.

Collin Koh, a security analyst at Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the sanctions would do little to counter the evolving research and development relationship between China and Russia.

Indeed, for now, Geng said China would continue to work with Russia to promote strategic cooperation at an even higher level.

China relies less on large big-ticket purchases from Russia, but Chinese defense industries are seeking expertise from Russia and former-Soviet states to plug knowledge gaps, he said.

The sanctions target Chinas Equipment Development Department, the military branch responsible for weapons and equipments, and its director Li Shangfu for engaging in transactions with Russias main arms exporter, Rosoboronexport.

Trump has insisted there was no collusion with Russia. Moscow denies any effort to meddle in US politics.

They also block the Chinese agency and Xi from applying for export licenses and participating in the US financial system, and adds them to the Treasury Department's list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.

The US blacklisted another 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known as the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.
A World Trade Organization arbitrator will review Friday a Chinese request to impose more than $7 billion (nearly 6 billion euros) in annual sanctions on the United States over anti-dumping practices, a Geneva trade official said.

The decision to appoint an arbitrator was reached during a special meeting of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body convened to discuss developments in a five-year-old trade dispute between the world's top two economies.

Beijing had already warned earlier this month that it planned to ask the global trade body during the meeting for permission to impose $7.04 billion in annual trade sanctions on Washington in the case.

China's representative told Friday's meeting that measures taken by Washington had "seriously infringed China's legitimate economic and trade interests."

A source close to the WTO meanwhile said that the arbitration "was automatically triggered after the United States informed the WTO that it objected to the level of retaliation proposed by China."

WTO arbitration can often be a drawn-out process, and the results are not expected to be known for months.

China initially filed its dispute against the United States back in December 2013, taking issue with the way Washington assesses whether exports have been "dumped" at unfairly low prices onto the US market.

The use of anti-dumping duties are permitted under international trade rules as long as they adhere to strict conditions, and disputes over their use are often brought before the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body.

In this specific case, China alleged that the United States, in violation of WTO rules, was continuing a practice known as "zeroing", which calculates the price of imports compared to the normal value in the United States to determine predatory pricing.

In October 2016, a panel of WTO experts found largely in China's favour in the case, including on the issue of "zeroing".

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The United States, which has repeatedly lost cases before the WTO over its calculation method, said in June last year that it would implement the panel's recommendations within a "reasonable" time frame.

This past January, the DSB set an August 22 deadline for Washington to bring its practices in line with the 2016 ruling.

According to WTO rules, the plaintiff in such cases can request permission to impose sanctions if the parties have not reached agreement on a satisfactory compensation within 20 days of the WTO deadline.
Sanaa (AFP) - The walls are crumbling, the windows shattered, and the boys sit three to a desk. But by being enrolled in classes at all, the pupils are among the luckiest children in war-torn Yemen.

In the rebel-held capital Sanaa, students in olive green uniforms lined up for a morning salute at the Al-Wahda boys' school.

"Onwards!" nearly 70 pupils chanted in unison, reaching forward to form a human chain.

But 15-year-old Alaa Yasser was not among them. Instead, he was working at a nearby car shop to support his family.

"I had to stop going to school to work with my father to help him earn a living," said Yasser, whose family fled the southwestern city of Taez.

Two million children across the country have no access to education, according to the UN children's agency (UNICEF), three years into a war that has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and shows no sign of waning.

Hisham al-Saka, 12, also dropped out to help support his mother and sister after his father's death in 2015.

"I wish I could go to school," Saka said.

"But my mother cannot afford to pay for school supplies... she can't even afford to get me and my siblings the uniforms."

- 'Doctors, engineers, and pilots' -

Yemen's war prompted the already weak economy to collapse and, coupled with a blockade of its ports and airport, people are struggling to survive as prices skyrocket.

More than 22 million people -- three-quarters of the population -- are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations.

Yemeni children face significant risks, with a high proportion of girls marrying at an early age.

More than 40 percent are married before the age of 15, while three-quarters wed by 18, according to UNICEF.

Boys, meanwhile, are threatened with being drawn directly into the conflict as child soldiers, fighting in a war which has killed nearly 10,000 people.

Fifteen-year-old Mokhtar Yehya is one of the fortunate few enrolled at Al-Wahda.

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"We want to carry on studying to become doctors, engineers, and pilots," he told AFP.

"We hope that things will get better, so that our future is bright."

- 'Message to the world' -

UNICEF estimates 4.5 million children risk losing access to state schools in Yemen, as teachers have not been paid in nearly two years.

More than 2,500 schools have been damaged or destroyed, while some are now used as shelters for displaced people or as camps run by armed groups.

Christophe Boulierac, a UNICEF spokesman, said many teachers "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."

Pupils have not be spared in the conflict between the Iran-backed Huthis and the Yemeni government, which is supported by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

Last month, air raids on rebel-held areas killed more than 60 children, including 40 on a school bus in the northwestern Saada province.

The bombings continue to haunt pupils in the capital Sanaa, which the Huthis have controlled since 2014.

Taha Okbeh, a 14-year-old student at Al-Wahda, said his "message to the world" would be "to stop the war and the air strikes on our way to school".

In the government's de-facto capital Aden, 300 kilometres (190 miles) south of Sanaa, children are busy with plans to rebuild their country.

"I want to be an architect and design tall buildings," said 12-year-old Hamza Saber, a pupil at the Sama Aden school.

His classmate Hisham Moad is equally ambitious: "I want to be a lawyer, to defend people and their rights."
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The Civil Service Commission (CSC) announced Monday that it is examining whether there are any sexual harassment allegations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's foreign media spokesman, David Keyes, after becoming a civil servant.

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"Insofar as such cases are identified, they will be examined from the disciplinary point of view," the official statement said.

Keyes announced last Thursday that he has decided to step down from his position in light of the multiple sexual harassment allegations being made against him. At least 14 women have come forward claiming Keyes sexually assaulted or behaved inappropriately with them.

David Keyes

The CSC further stated that "an examination of the media reporting in relation to David Keyes indicates that all the acts attributed to him by the various complainants are those allegedly committed by him when he lived in the United States and had not yet joined the civil service.

Therefore, such matters are outside the jurisdiction of the commission and they should be clarified in the United States and in accordance with the laws that apply there," the statement read.

According to the Times of Israel news website, a new immigrant claimed that Keyes sexually harassed her after he had begun working in the Prime Minister's Office.

Except for the aforementioned woman, all the other claims against Keyes (reported by 13 different women) apparently occurred before he began working in the Prime Minister's Office.

As for Israel's Ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, who was warned about Keyes problematic behavior but did not report it to anyone in the Prime Minister's Office, the CSC said that it seems that after Keyes was already hired as a civil servant the matter was brought to Dermers attention, but only in a general, non-specific manner.

Ron Dermer (Photo: AP)

Dermer admitted receiving a call from an editor at the Wall Street Journal more than six months after Keyes took up his post in the Prime Minister's Office about the spokesman's alleged conduct before joining the office.

The editor, Bret Stephens, warned Dermer that Keyes could harm women in the PMO. Dermer did not convey the information to the Prime Minister's Office and stated that if Stephens or someone else would have passed on any information regarding sexual assault or any other criminal act committed against women by any person in the Prime Minister's Office, regardless of when it occurred, he would immediately inform the Prime Minister's Office.

MK Karin Elharar (Yesh Atid), a member of the Knesset's Audit Committee, has demanded that Prime Minister Netanyahu immediately dismiss Ambassador Dermer from his position, since he has violated the provisions of the law that apply to him under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law, 1998.

According to Elharar, even if Ambassador Dermer believed that these were not criminal offenses, he was not authorized to determine the matter and was in any case clearly obligated to report it.
Russia published flying restriction orders on Wednesday limiting flights in Cypriot airspace and over the areas adjacent to Syria following the Syrian downing of a Russian plane on Monday that killed the 15 personnel on board.

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Syrian air defenses shot down the plane while trying to intercept an Israeli attack on a military site in the coastal city of Latakia.

The flight limitation, which was imposed as the Russian prepare for a military exercise, will also include many naval zones in the area and will last until next Wednesday.

Russia's flight restrictions map

The drill may affect certain aviation routes which are under Cyprus's jurisdiction, including flights to Israel, Lebanon and Syria.

"Several aviation routes will be closed due to a military exercise carried out by the Russian navy," a Russian statement read.

"In addition, several routes will be closed to flights amid rocket firing tests conducted by Moscow," it added.

The flight limitations map shows that there were no restrictions in the area a day before the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft was downed 35 kilometers (22 miles) off the coast as it was returning to its base nearby.

However, since Tuesday, many areas in the vicinity of Syria and the Middle East shores have been closed to flights, with Russia instructing those flying in the aforementioned airspace to fly below 19,000 feet.

Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft (Photo: AP)

The IDF said that "Russia has published that certain aviation routes will be closed for a limited time, which will require coordination with other aerial activity taking place in Cyprus and adjacent to Israel.

"These restrictions do not affect the military and civil flights in the Middle East airspace. It should be stressed this is not the first time such restrictions have been imposed and that they are termporary," the IDF added.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced Wednesday it has commenced upgrading the security on its military bases in Syria using automatic control tools.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said, "President Vladimir Putin instructed to bolster security on our bases in Tartus and Khmeimim."

Attack on Latakia

X

Syria's SANA news agency reported on Wednesday that Assad had sent a telegram to Moscow saying he was sorry about the death of Russian military service people, but blamed Israel for the downing.

"This unfortunate event is a consequence of Israel's arrogance, which always applies the ugliest methods to achieve its goals and implement its aggression in the area," Assad said in the telegram.

In a bid to calm tensions between Jerusalem and Moscow, an IDF delegation headed by the IAFs Commander Amikam Norkin departed for the Russian capital to explain what led to the deadly mishap.

According to a statement put out by the IDF before the meeting, Norkin and his delegation would present pictures to Russian officials showing the circumstances surrounding the incident, along with preliminary conclusions on the ongoing IDF investigation into the matter.

In addition, Norkin "will show Iran's continued attempts to transfer strategic weapons to Hezbollah and to its entrenchment in Syria."

Citing Israeli sources, the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper said that Iran assumed Israel would not attack in Latakia because of Russia's heavy presence in the area, and therefore bolstered its activity there.

(Photo: ImageSat International )

The source added "Israel launched missiles to destroy new Iranian weapon shipped to Syria to be used against Israel by Hezbollah and other Iranian militias.

"Iran had built warehouses and weapons development facilities as well as workshops to improve existing arms," the source explained.

During the first hours after the incident, Israel was concerned Russia's anger may prompt Moscow to unequivocally demand that Israel halts all of its military activity in Syria.

Relations grew increasingly frosty after Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned on Tuesday charge d'affaires of the State of Israel in Moscow K. Cohen-Gat.

During the conversation, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Vershinin emphasized that Moscow views as irresponsible and unfriendly the actions of the Israeli Air Force, which exposed the Russian Il-20 aircraft to danger.

Vershinin stressed that the Russia would take all necessary measures in order to eliminate any threat to life and security of Russian military personnel, which assists the Syrian regime.

"Russia calls upon Israel to avoid similar incidents in the future," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Israel says its policy is against Iran's entrenchment in Syria and maintains that smuggling of advanced weapons has not changed.

However, some say it is still early to tell how the incident and its ramifications will affect Israel's freedom of action in the war-torn country.
Forty-five years after that war, every Israeli asks themselves whether the IDF is at a level of fitness suitable for war. The public has reason to be confused: Is the army fit and ready, as determined in a document prepared by the IDF top brass and signed by Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, or is the situation as bad and worrying as an opposing document, shows?

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The more pessimistic document was issued by the IDF Ombudsman Maj. Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brick, a medal of courage recipient from the Yom Kippur War, calls for the establishment of an external commission of inquiry to examine the IDFs preparedness for war.

Yitzhak Brick (Photo: Alon Bason)

In January, when his term ends, Brick will have served as ombudsman for a decade. During that time it was possible, and even vital, to compose far more serious reports about the IDF and its preparedness for battle, but he did not do so.

Thus, during Operation Pillar of Defense, dozens of battle tank carriers became stuck on their way to the Gaza front. The military censor banned publication of the incident until new trucks were purchased, but it became clear that the state of the trucks was catastrophic and they would be unusable in any future war.

Another example is the two years preceding Operation Protective Edge, in the summer of 2014. Training was stopped twice due to budget constraints, including Air Force training flights. The IDF ceased training.

Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, commander of the air force at the time, warned against harming the pilots' level of fitness. Brigade and battalion commanders warned that their units were not training enough. The emergency stores were neglected. Many non-commissioned officers were let go and those that stayed lacked motivation due to the low pay. The results became apparent during Operation Protective Edge.

Defense Minister Lieberman, PM Netanyahu, Chief of Staff Eisenkot watch officers graduation (Photo: Ariel Hermoni)

During that period, the tenure of former chief of staff Benny Gantz, the IDF did not have a multi-year plan to strengthen and build its force, and that is a serious matter.

Did the ombudsman then call for the establishment of an external commission of inquiry to examine the IDF's readiness? Why is it happening now and not then?

Raising these questions does not eliminate the need for the ombudsmans criticism, which should not be taken lightly.

The matters raised by the report were important and raised warning flags for the chief of staff and the defense minister: the problem of motivation among the fighters, the brain drain to the civilian market, the budget constraints in the ground forces, and more. But in the operational sphere, according to measures that can be examined, there has been a significant improvement that cannot be denied.

Not only does the IDF have a multi-year plan, it was also fully implemented. The regular divisions returned to training as they had not done since 2000. The ground forces received an additional NIS 1.5 billion each year. The emergency stores were replenished.

The IDF's smart bomb inventory is the highest its ever been. On the level of the individual too, much has been improved, as every fighter knows  and every parent of a fighter  who receives state-of-the-art equipment for the duration of his service.

The situation was catastrophic. This is not the case today, even though there are other matters that still require improvement.

So why is it now that the ombudsman cries out in warning?

I will conclude with a personal story: On Sunday I met with officers from a platoon commanders course for a talk, without the presence of their commander. I asked them about the harsh report on the state of the IDFs readiness. Maybe they lack equipment? Maybe training is problematic?

No one complained; on the contrary. I heard the same from battalion and brigade commanders. When they find it difficult, they know how to complain, and the archives bear witness.

This is not the case. So maybe they all lied, and not only to me  but to their commanders, to the generals and to the chief of staff who signed the readiness document; but only to the ombudsman did they told the truth, but maybe not.

The task to ensure the IDFs readiness is ultimately the responsibility of the chief of staff and the rest of the IDF commanders. If we do not believe them, we can shut down the country.
The US administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping US sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 US election.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Israel must continue its investigation into the circumstances surrounding Syrias accidental drowning of a Russian reconnaissance plane earlier this week while trying to intercept an IAF airstrike in the coastal city of Latakia.

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Russias demands came on the heels of a visit to Moscow by an IDF delegation headed by the IAFs Commander Amikam Norkin to explain what led to the deadly mishap which claimed 15 Russian lives.

Russian aircraft model downed by Syria (Photo: Shutterstock)

According to a statement put out by the IDF before the meeting, Norkin and his delegation would present pictures to Russian officials showing the circumstances surrounding the incident, along with preliminary conclusions on the ongoing IDF investigation into the matter.

In addition, Norkin "will show Iran's continued attempts to transfer strategic weapons to Hezbollah and to its entrenchment in Syria."

IAFs Commander Amikam Norkin (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit )

Earlier on Wednesday, Russia published flying restriction orders limiting flights in Cypriot airspace and over the areas adjacent to Syria following the Syrian downing of the Russian Il-20 aircraft, which led to a diplomatic spat between Moscow and Jerusalem.

Syria's SANA news agency reported that Assad had sent a telegram to Moscow saying he was sorry about the death of Russian military servicemen, but blamed Israel for the downing.

Wreckage caused on weapons cache by Israels attack

"This unfortunate event is a consequence of Israel's arrogance, which always applies the ugliest methods to achieve its goals and implement its aggression in the area," Assad said in the telegram.

The Russian Defense Ministry denounced on Tuesday Israels deliberate provocation in its attack the previous day on Latakia, which it said placed the Russian plane in danger.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin, head of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and former head of Military Intelligence, said on Thursday the crisis was "very serious," and will limit Israel's "operational maneuverability" in the region.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that Syrian forces were to blame for the incident, but he offered all necessary information to investigate the matter.

The prime minister expressed regret on behalf of the state of Israel for the death of the Russian soldiers and said responsibility for downing the plane was placed on Syria, Netanyahus office said in a statement following their phone conversation.

Israel also said on Thursday it would not halt strikes on Syria but would do more to "deconflict" them with Russian forces, after Moscow accused it of "irresponsible and unfriendly actions" following the strike.
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned the Security-Cabinet at the beginning of the week that there is a more than moderate chance that a violent conflagration could erupt in the West Bank, adding that the US decision to choke the Palestinian Authority (PA) of financial funds is counter productive for Israel and could inflame matters in the area.

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Eisenkot was raising objections to the numerous measures being taken that he said would only push PA President Mahmoud Abbas into a corner and potentially create an intransigent leader unwilling to cooperate with Israel on security matters.

Several factors, Eisenkot argued, were converging that risked imperilling overall security in the West Bank.

Among the factors raised was the recent American announcement that the White House would be halt funding for the last aiding source beneficial for the Palestinians.

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot (Photo: Amit Sha'al)

Eisenkot also lamented the failed reconciliation deal between the PA and the Hamas terror group in Gaza and noted that the aging Palestinian leader, beset by poor health, could lose control of the area as unrest remains in Gaza and anger reaches boiling point in the West Bank.

According to Eisenkot, these combined factors have created a concerning dynamic for the IDF which could be forced to face a rising tide of violent riots.

The IDF chief warned that in the event of a violent escalation, the army would be compelled to increase the number of troops on the ground.

For the army, Abbass upcoming speech in the UN General Assembly carries significance for how events will unfold in the West Bank.

The defense establishment believes that Abbass 2015 speech at the UN inspired the wave of terror that ensued, which was marked by daily car-ramming, stabbing and shooting attacks by lone wolf Palestinian terrorists throughout Israel.

With the US pressure mounting on the 82-year-old leader, the defense establishment attaches significance to his speech, which is expected to be a defiant declaration against US President Donald Trump and a tacit imprimatur for fresh terror attacks.

Amid the concerns, Eisenkot outlined a plan to mitigate the risks of an escalation of violence and to fill the void left behind by the USs retreat from efforts to assist the PA.

The overarching conclusion set out by Eisenkot was the Trump is pushing Abbas onto the ropes despite the fact that Israel depends on him to keep a lid on violence and terrorism.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: EPA)

Other security officials have made clear that maintaining the PAs stability was in Israels best interest. They have also noted that the USs $60 million in funding for the Palestinian security services was not affected, but all civilian aid budgets were stopped.

The officials blamed Abbas for working to sabotage Israeli indirect negotiations with Hamas to put an end to the daily border violence in Gaza. According to the officials, Abbas is deliberately seeking to ensure an intensification of the humanitarian crisis gripping the strip.

Abbas, for example, has refused to transfer salaries to 75,000 PA workers in the strip and is refusing to fund a larger supply of electricity to the residents.

The officials have accused Abbas of choking the Gaza residents in order to foment further conflict between Hamas and Israel, hoping that Israel will attack the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave and deal a fatal blow to the terror movement, which competes with Abbas for power.

In addition, creating circumstances that will potentially provoke Israel into launching an offensive will enable him to continue his legal battle against Israel in international forums.
The IDF has informed the family of terrorist Islam Yousef Abu Hamid, who killed Duvdevan soldier Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky, that it plans to demolish their four-story house.

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According to the IDF Spokesman's Office, the family already received notice about the intention to demolish two floors of the structure some three weeks ago.

In recent weeks, the IDF has conducted further examination of the matter, at the conclusion of which it was decided to demolish the entire building.

Last week, Ronen's father Vladimir wrote an emotional letter to GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan, urging him to stop delaying the demolition of the terrorist's house.

Ronen Lubarsky (Photo: Ronen Luvarsky's Facebook page)

"Three-and-a-half months have passed since Ronen was murdered, and the house of the terrorist is still standing. For three-and-a-half months we've been getting the same answer," Vladimir Lubarsky wrote in the strongly worded letter.

Lubarsky was killed last May when Abu Hamid dropped a marble slab on the Duvdevan soldier's head during an operation on the outskirts of Ramallah. The terrorist, a Hamas member, was arrested three weeks later and brought to Israel to stand trial.

In the letter, the father complained about the military's responses to the Lubarsky family regarding the issue.

"On July 22, we received a response saying that the house had been mapped and an engineers professional opinion was formulated regarding the demolition of the house. A month later, on August 13, we were told the process was in its advanced stages, and on September 7, we were told the terrorists family had filed its objections to the demolition and that the GOC Central Command needs a few more engineering inspections to make a final decision on the matter," the father elaborated.

The father ended the letter by directly addressing Maj. Gen. Padan, telling him that "Since Ronen gave his life, I promised myself I would do everything to restore the deterrence that was lost somewhere in the hallways of the courts and in the bureaucrats' chambers."

"I am appealing to you, Maj. Gen. Padan, as the former commander of the (Duvdevan) unit, as the GOC Central Command who has great responsibility on his shoulders. Your subordinates look to you. Your decision regarding the demolition of the home of the terrorist must show the soldiers, whose comrade-in-arms was murdered, that the state backs them and does not abandon them in life or in death," he concluded.

Islam Yousef Abu Hamid in court (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman praised the decision to demolish the entire house. "We're fighting terrorism with determination!" he wrote on Twitter. "We're going to demolish, down to the foundations, the entire four-story building that housed the despicable terroristmay his name and memory be blotted outwho murdered IDF soldier Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky. The demolition will be done as soon as possible," he said.

"There are no compromises in the war against terror. Only an iron fist," Lieberman concluded.

The terrorist's family is still able to submit its objections to the demolition.

In 1990, the IDF demolished another house the same family had built on the lot that currently houses the new four-story structure. The building was demolished after Abu Hamid's brother carried out a terror attack. The family was barred from rebuilding the house, but did so regardless.
Israeli Air Force (IAF) chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, presented to senior military officials in Moscow on Thursday the IDF report describing the attack in Syria on Monday in which a Russian military plane was accidentally downed while President Bashar Assad's forces were attempting to repel an Israeli attack.

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Following Syria's accidental downing of a Russian plane, in which fifteen Russian crew members were killed, Norkin and other senior officers said they formed "a situation report of the event regarding all aspects, including the pre-mission information and the findings of the IDF inquiry."

Il-20 Russian plane (Photo: AP)

The report was presented at a special meeting held in Moscow, after the head of the defense ministry in Moscow accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of the surveillance plane

The IDF says that the fact that, to this day, no foreign aircraft has been shot down by Syria is a miracle.

According to the report, the coordination system between the IDF and the Russian army prior to the attack operated according to procedure and fixed orders, as shown in more than 200 similar attacks in the last two years , with an emphasis on recent attacks.

In addition, the Syrian air defense system operated several anti-aircraft batteries deployed throughout Syria. These batteries fired for more than half an hour, even while the Israeli fighter jets were en route to Israel.

Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit )

According to the IDF maps presented to the Russians, there was no room for doubt: the Syrian anti-aircraft attack included dozens of missiles of various sorts, including the advanced Soviet S-200 missile that downed the Israeli fighter plane in the Galilee in February.

The Syrian warplanes fired missiles in all directions: south towards Lebanon, east to Syria, and west towards the coastwhere the Russian plane was shot down. According to the IDF report, this multifaceted attack demonstrates the Syrian army's "rampage."

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said on Tuesday that the Syrian facility IAF targeted was about to transfer weapons to Hezbollah on behalf of Iran.

The report includes satellite images of sites attacked by the IAF, which prove that in contrast to the official footage released by Syrian media, there the structures were rocket factories and not aluminum factories, as Assad's regime claimed.







Senior IAF officers also presented a greater concern to their Russian counterparts. IDF data shows that until February, the Syrian anti-aircraft system, which is the largest and most densely populated in the Middle East, only fired a few missiles in the IAF's attacks.

In February the army faced a turning point. An Israeli F-16 aircraft was shot down and crashed after IAF successfully intercepted an Iranian drone launched towards Israel at night.

Site of attack in Latakia, Syria (Photo: ImageSat International )

The downing of the IAF aircraft by Syria, the first of its kind in the last three decades, stimulated the Syrian's appetite for the antiaircraft system.

In addition to the rapid rearmament of Russia's new missiles and advanced batteries, mere weeks after they were destroyed in the attack on IAF, about half of the aircraft inventory has grown, and with it, Syrian audacity too.

Since then, in each attack, the Syrian army launched dozens of anti-aircraft missiles at the IAF. Syria launched a record numberabout 170of anti-aircraft missiles at IAF planes in May, during the night of " Operation House of Cards ."

In Syria's subsequent air force attacks, the country launched large quantities of anti-aircraft missiles.

A map released by Russia detailing events that lead to plane downin (Photo: Russian Defense Ministry)

The coordination system between the Syrian army and the Russian army operates in these type of situations, but according to the IDF, several mistakes were made which led to the shooting down of the Russian military plane.

The IAF operations will continue, in coordination with the Russians, but it is quite possible that the current event will further increase Syrian and perhaps Iranian and Hezbollah's willingness to attack Israel in the next round of airstrikes.

Damage in Syria, follwing the attack

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Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said in a studio interview with Ynet Friday that "inside Syria itself, soldiers who targeted the Russian plane were arrested by the Russians or by Syrian officials with Russia's cooperation."

"Obviously, Syria made a serious mistake here. It irresponsibly launched missiles. Israel acts according to the same rules that were agreed upon, and of course will continue to abide by these rules in the future us as well," Katz added.

In an Army Radio interview, Katz also noted that "Putin did not answer Assad's phone calls after the Russian plane was shot down."



























Attack on Latakia
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokun, sent a message to the residents of Gaza on Friday.

"Hamas is exploiting you, and if the naval terror attacks continue, we will reduce the fishing zone," he said.
Eight European Union nations are underlining their opposition to Israel's planned demolition of the illegally-built Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar and are urging its government to reconsider the decision.

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The statement was read by Dutch Ambassador Karel Van Oosterom outside the UN Security Council on Thursday. It rebuked the Israeli High Court's September 5 decision to demolish the desert community.

The High Court of Justice (HCJ) rejected an appeal against the demolition of the village in the West Bank, ruling that its stay would expire in a week and the spartan encampment could then legally be torn down

Khan al-Ahmar demolition (Photo: AFP)

The eight countries are France, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany and Italy. They say in the statement that they "will not give up on a negotiated two-state solution with Jerusalem as a capital" of both Israel and a new Palestinian state.

That was an implicit slap at US President Donald Trump's declaration in December that contested Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

Israel claims the village, an encampment of corrugated shacks outside the Kfar Adumim settlement, was illegally built and has offered to resettle residents 12 kilometers, about 7 miles, away. But critics say it's impossible for Palestinians to get building permits and that the demolition is meant to make room for an Israeli settlement.

The three HCJ judges hearing the appeal said they were presented no evidence to warrant overturning the previous verdict and there was no question over the illegality of the construction on the site.

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman lauded the judges for their "brave" ruling.

"No one is above the law. No one can stop us from implementing our sovereignty and responsibility as a state," he said.

Palestinian protest huts (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Immediatedly after the HCJ decision, an EU statement was published criticizing the planned demolition.

"The EU and its Member States have repeatedly stated their long-standing position on Israels settlement policy, illegal under international law, and actions taken in that context, including the demolitions of Palestinian communities and (possible) forced transfers of population," the statement said.

"The community of Khan al-Ahmar is located in a sensitive location in Area C, of strategic importance for preserving the contiguity of a future Palestinian state.

On September 13, Israeli security forces dismantled several shacks built by Palestinian protesters near Khan al-Ahmar.
The Deputy Speakers of the Knesset", MK Tali Ploskov (Kulanu) met with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday during a Euro-Asian Women's conference in St. Petersburg.

"We talked about the plane incident. I told the president that I shared their grief. I added that it was clear to everyone that the facts should be made clear, and that Israel was not interested in harming Russia in any way. In response, Putin said that many mistakes had been made during the incident and that he expects Israel to investigate the incident," MK Ploskov said.
Iran has not requested a meeting with US President Donald Trump, foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Friday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

A foreign news agency reported that Iran requested such a meeting during the United Nations General Assembly which began this week, citing US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, according to IRNA.
In a rare move, Syria released footage on Wednesday showing that the Israeli Air Force's (IAF) airstrike on a military facility in Latakia completely destroyed the site.

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In contrast to the Syrian claim that the airstrike hit an aluminum factory, the IDF asserts a rocket factory from which high precision-guided arms were supposed to be transferred to Iranian and Hezbollah forces in Syria was destroyed.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit added that when the plane was downed, the Israeli jets "were already en route to Israel."

Debris and damage caused by the strike in Latakia, Syria

Earlier on Wednesday, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Hezbollah terror group, addressed the aforementioned Israeli attack, and the Israeli attack on Damascus International Airport.

"the Israeli attacks in Syria are intolerable and must be stopped," Nasrallah asserted.

Satellite images of recent airstrikes shows the military rocket factory was completely destroyed during Israel's attack on Latakia. A 155 by 35 meters' ammunition depot was completely wiped out.

Latakia site destroyed following Israel's attack

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In addition, satellite images of the attack on Damascus International Airport were published, showing the remnant of an aircraft, apparently the Boeing 747 of Fars Air Qeshm, an Iranian airline affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards.

Satellite images of the attack on Latakia (Photo: ImageSat International (ISI))

In a televised speech Thursday, Nasrallah said Israel knows that the regional balance of power has changed, and that the recent Israeli strikes on Syria failed since "Hezbollah now has highly accurate ... missiles.

"Many of Israel's attacks in Syria have no connection to Hezbollah's weapons transfers. Israel is trying to prevent the Syrian army from developing its ballistic capabilities, which will change the balance of power," Hezbollah leader added.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Hezbollah (Photo: EPA)

According to Nasrallah, should Israel impose a war on Lebanon, it will face a fate and a reality it never expected on any day.

(Photo: ImageSat International (ISI))

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone, and said that Syrian forces were to blame for the downing of a Russian military jet.

The prime minister expressed regret on behalf of the state of Israel for the death of the Russian soldiers and said responsibility for downing the plane was placed on Syria, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement following their conversation.

Netanyahu offered to send the Israeli Air Force commander to Moscow to deliver all the necessary details for the investigation, the statement added.

It was also reported that Netanyahu emphasized the importance of defense coordination with Russia that had managed to prevent many losses on both sides in the past three years in Syrias civil war, where various outside powers have backed opposing forces.

According to the prime minister, Israel was determined to halt Irans military entrenchment in Syria and the attempts ... to transfer Iranian-backed weaponry to Hezbollah, to be used against Israel.

Netanyahu and Putin hold frequent meetings and phone conversations to ensure their respective aircraft avoid accidentally clashing in the regions airspace

Since intervening in Syria in 2015, Russia has usually turned a blind eye to Israeli attacks. Israeli officials say Israel has carried out about 200 such raids, often targeting Iran or Lebanons Hezbollah militia group, both close allies of the Syrian government, over the last two years.

Following their phone conversation, the Kremlin said Putin told the prime minister that the IAF is carrying out operations that damage the sovereignty of Syria.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: EPA)

The Kremlin also stated that the agreements reached between Russia and Israel regarding the prevention of such incidents "were not observed", adding that Putin asked Netanyahu to avoid such incidents in the future.

Before discussing the incident with Netanyahu, the Russian president called it "a chain of tragic chance events," adding that Russia needes to "seriously get to the bottom of what happened."

Putin added that Russia will secure all its "military facilities and personnel in Syria," in response.
Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that the United States' control over the eastern bank of the Euphrates river posed the main threat to Syria's territorial integrity, Interfax news agency reported.

He also said that Russia and Turkey have agreed on the borders of an Idlib demilitarised zone and that Nusra front fighters should leave the zone by mid-October.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that US sanctions that impact Russian plane manufacturer Sukhoi were "yet another act of unfair competition", Interfax news agency reported.

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on a Chinese military agency and its director for buying defence equipment from Russia, including from Sukhoi.
A prominent Iranian cleric said Friday that the time had come for Israel to say goodbye. He did not give any further information on what that could mean.

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"Mr. Netanyahu, you and your intelligence services know well that the time to say goodbye has arrived and what position of strength the resistance of Hezbollah and the people of Gaza are in," Hassan Abu-Torabi Fard, the temporary Friday prayers leader in Tehran, said, according to Fars News.

The statements came in the wake of Iranian sabre-rattling with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and army carrying out a joint aerial military drill in the Gulf on Friday in what official media said indicated the "pounding reply" that awaited the country's enemies.





President Rouhani and PM Netanyahu (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO, AP)

Tehran has suggested in recent weeks that it could take military action in the Gulf to block other countries' oil exports in retaliation for US sanctions intended to halt its sales of crude.

Washington maintains a fleet in the Gulf that protects oil shipping routes.

"In addition to a show of strength, this ceremony is a message of peace and friendship for friendly and neighboring countries," Colonel Yousef Safipour, the deputy commander of the army for public relations said, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

"And if the enemies and arrogant powers have an eye on the borders and land of Islamic Iran they will receive a pounding reply in the fraction of a second."

The statement comes a day after the leader of Lebanons Hezbollah terror group boasted that the group possesses highly accurate missiles despite Israeli attempts to prevent it from acquiring such weapons.

Hassan Nasrallah spoke in a televised speech to supporters commemorating Ashoura, one of the most important religious holy days for Shi'ite Muslims.

Hassan Nasrallah (Photo: Reuters)

Nasrallah says Israel knows the regional balance of power has changed, and that recent Israeli strikes in Syria to prevent Hezbollah from acquiring those weapons failed because this has already been achieved.

Mirage, F-4 and Sukhoi-22 jets took part in the exercise on Friday, according to IRNA.
Polish police arrested Friday a man suspcted of throwing rocks into a synagogue in Gdansk, Poland on Yom Kippur.

Police say that the suspect, 27, was surprised by the sight of police officers and did not resist arrest.
BEIRUT -- Lebanon says FBI Director Christopher Wray has expressed support to the Lebanese army during a visit to Beirut.

A statement released by the presidential palace in Beirut said President Michel Aoun received Wray on Friday and told him that Lebanon has succeeded in fighting terror groups thanks to US support and that of friendly countries.

Washington has been a major supporter of Lebanon's army, and has provided more than $1 billion in military assistance to Lebanon since 2006.

The Lebanese army last year captured areas along the Syrian border that were controlled by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked fighters.
Israel will cut the tax revenue it transfers to the Palestinian Authority if it pays the family of the killer of Ari Fuld, killed earlier this week, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said on Friday.

Kahlon said he had instructed that any sum paid to the attacker's family be withheld from tax revenue that Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA) under interim peace deals.

"I will examine other ways to limit the economic activity of the terrorist's family," he said on Twitter.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was debriefed Friday morning by the high-level delegation that returned from a trip to Moscow to present the Russians with the facts behind the downing of a Russian aircraft by Syria during an Israeli raid.
Thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip are demonstrating along the border with Israel. IDF forces are using tear gas and other riot gear to disperse the rioters. Hamas has called for the continuation of the weekly protests until they succeed in attaining the goals of the March of Return, namely the lifting of the siege by Israel.

Incendiary balloons launched from Gaza have ignited fires in the Beeri and Kisufim woodlands. Firefighters are on the scene.
A Kremlin spokesman has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the discussions held with the Israeli Air Force and Intelligence delegation which flew to Moscow following the downing of a Russian aircraft by Syria during an Israeli raid on Latakia.

The spokesman said that the Kremlin has yet to decide on the next step Russia will take on the matter.

When asked about the future of Russias relationship with Israel the response was that it is too early to ask.
The Palestinians said one Gaza border demonstrator was shot dead by IDF fire during weekly "March of Return" riots along the Gaza border fence on Friday.

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Thousands of Palestinians are demonstrating in several locations along the border fence, prompting IDF forces to respond with crowd dispersal measures.

Gaza border riots (Photo: AFP)

IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that since Friday afternoon, more than 10,000 protestors have been gathering along the border, throwing explosive devices, grenades and stones at IDF troops and burning tires.

An IDF soldier was lightly wounded from shrapnel and was evacuated to the hospital to receive medical attention.

Gaza border riots

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"IDF soldiers are responding with crowd dispersal measures and with accordance to rules of engagement," according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Clashes on Gaza border fence (Photo: AFP)

It was also reported Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft hit targets in the northern Gaza Strip.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar arrived to the demonstration held near Gaza City and called to continue the protests until the blockade over Gaza is lifted.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar

In addition, KKL employees said two fires are rampant in Be'eri and Kissufim forests amid incendiary balloons flown from Gaza.

KKL, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and firefighting teams as well as volunteers from Kibbutz Be'eri are working to gain control over the fires.

Fires in Gaza border communities amid incendiary balloons flown from Gaza

On Thursday, an IAF aircraft attacked on Thursday a terror cell in the northern Gaza that was launching incendiary balloons into Israeli territory from the strip.

The strike came in light of violent demonstrations along the southern border, which continued throughout Yom Kippur.

On Wednesday night, a spokesman for Gaza's health ministry, said a 15-year-old boy was shot dead by Israeli soldiers east of the town of Rafah, which lies at the southern end of the Gaza Strip and borders Egypt.

Some 20 Palestinians breached the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip, spray painting an IDF outpost and leaving incendiary devices near the border fence.

On Tuesday, two Palestinians were reportedly killed and at least 46 wounded by the IDF fire in the northern Gaza Strip during violent demonstrations which took place on the holiest day of the Jewish year.
Nations that struck the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, except for the United States, meet on Monday in what many diplomats fear may prove a quixotic effort to keep the agreement alive after US sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports resume in November.

Ministers from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran will gather in New York at 8 p.m. EDT on Monday (0000 GMT Tuesday) to grapple with US President Donald Trump's May 8 decision to withdraw from the deal and restore the full force of US sanctions on Iran.

Their delicate, and perhaps unrealistic, task is to build a case for Tehran to respect the deal's limits on its nuclear program even though Washington has pulled out, depriving Iran of many of the economic benefits it was promised.
According to an IDF senior official, Israel and Russia will examine how to improve the coordination mechanism between the two countries after a Russian plane was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft fire resulting in the deaths of all 15 crewmen on board on Monday.

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A military delegation headed by Israeli Air Force (IAF) Commander Major General Amikam Norkin returned Friday from Moscow after presenting Russia the IDF report describing the attack on Latakia.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with the security brass, during which Norkin conveyed him the details about the talks held in Moscow.

Netanyahu instructed the top officials to remain in close contact with Russia.

IAF delegation in Russia (Photo: IDF Spokesmans Unit)

The senior official confirmed the main points of the investigation reported by the IAF on Thursday. According to the report, the Syrian air defense system shot over 20 different types of missiles, including large SA-5 missiles, which struck the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft.

The official added that the coordination between the Russian military and the IDFas part of a routine operation in the Middle Eastwas successful today.

He also confirmed that the duration of the Syrian antiaircraft fire was "considerable." According to the findings of the investigation, it lasted more than 40 minutes.

Russian-Israeli meeting (Photo: IDF Spokesmans Unit)

"Syria launched most of its missiles while the our planes were already in Israel's territory and the missiles fired at the Russian plane were fired after our planes had already landed at their base.

The Syrians fired, during previous incidents as well as during this incident, anti-aircraft fire in an irresponsible manner, in all directions, and in a way that endangers anyone flying over the area," he stated.

The official noted that the main meeting between the two sides led by the commander of the Russian air force and held at the Defense Ministry in Moscow with the attendance of Russian officers, lasted several hours.

At the meeting, a Russian-Israeli hotline audio tape was played with talks held between the IAF headquarters at the Kirya in Tel Aviv and the Russian base in Syria.

"Our notification of the operation was given more than a minute before the attack (contrary to the Russian claim). We left them a copy of the recording, as well as the main points of the investigation. We showed them proof regarding the site being attacked, the significance of the attack and its consequences. We feel that our data has been received in an objective and transparent manner. The claim that we used the Russian plane as provocation is incorrect and we proved it," the official elaborated.

According to the military source, the investigation presented to the Russia included several main issues.

Among them, proof of Iran's continued military entrenchment in Syria and evidence that the war-torn country has been transferring weapons to Hezbollah.

In addition, the IDF discussed the operation carried out over Latakia and the incident in which the Russian plane was downed by Syrian anti-aircraft fire.

.

The meeting was professional and to the point, it focused on the chronology of the events, recordings and other evidence," the official said. "We hid nothing at the meeting nor during the operation. Everything was done according to procedures.

IAF Chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin meets Russian counterpart (Photo: IDF Spokesmans Unit)

"We presented all the information we had about the Russian plane, which was east of Latakia, dozens of kilometers from the attack zone," he explained.

The official added that the Russian officers had a number of clarification questions during the meeting, regarding technical issues such as certain maps they wanted to examine, and which were later displayed by the delegation.

"The 'deconfliction mechanisms'" has been operating in an organized, successful and ongoing manner for about two and a half years with the Russian army, and our aim is that it continues so in the future. Each side will examine the adjustments required for the continuation of Israeli freedom of action.

During the meeting, the Russian and Israeli interests in the region were also presented. We elaborated a number of similar past incidents during which Syrian anti-aircraft fire was fired indiscriminately. Israel's firm stance against the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah and the entrenchment of Iran in Syria has been made clear to the Russians, and we intend to continue to act according to this policy. Any questions they raised were answered with transparency and we also invited them to Israel to further discuss the matter, the official said.

Over the past few days, Israel has also updated American defense establishment elements and US administration officials at all levels about the incident and its developments.
Forty-five years have passed since the alarms pierced the silence that fell on Yom Kippur in 1973. The war, which claimed the lives of more than 2,600 people, was a traumatic wound that came to define an entire generation. It was, as the then defense minister Moshe Dayan said in a public speech, a long, bloody war.

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A new document that was published this week in the IDF archives in the Defense Ministry illustrates the scale of the surprise by which Israel was taken on that fateful day of October 6.





IDF Northern Command, Yom Kippur War (Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

Suez Canal, 1973 (Photo: IDF Archive)





The document contains the minutes of a conversation by the IDF higher command a mere 24 hours prior to the joint Arab invasion in the north and the south. The generals convened to wish each other a Gmar Hatima Tova as is customary on Yom Kippur and to take the opportunity to receive a security briefing.

The discussion opened with an intelligence overview by Eli Zeira, the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, known by its Hebrew acronym, AMAN. Zeira appraised the military brass in attendance of the special deployments and developments in the Syrian and Egyptian regions. In the north, Syria had been in a state of emergency since September 5th, practiced occupying the Golan Heights and moved squadrons to the Damascus region.

Eli Zeira, Military Intelligence Directorate (Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

In Egypt, Zeira said, wide scale drills were being held by the paratroopers, the Suez Canal area had been reinforced with 300 additional cannons and many tanks were moved toward the waterline. In addition, Zeira emphasized that two major and significant developments had taken place in the last few hours. The first: The Russians have sent 11 cargo planes carrying people to Egypt  It is not clear why. The second, he said was that most of the Soviet vessels have left Alexandria. This is also something that is very very rare.

According to Zeira, it could be because of a Russia's fear that we are about to attack. It could be a Russian fear that they are going to attack. And perhaps another reason is internal relations between the Soviet Union, Egypt and Syria.

Yom Kippur War (Photo: IDF Archive)

Despite the suspicions raised by the unusual deployments and Soviet behavior, Zeira concluded: None of these things change AMANs basic assessment that the likelihood of war initiated by Egypt and Syria is still extremely low  and I would say that the likelihood is low and even lower than low.

Sinai Desert, Yom Kippur War (Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

Yom Kippur War (Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

According to his evaluation, the unusual movements by the Syrians and the Egyptians could be attributed to a planned small scale military maneuver. To conclude, I dont think we are going to war but I know the situation today has more question marks than 24 hours ago.

The then IDF chief of staff David "Dado" Elazar accepted the assessment presented by Zeira and agreed with it. The danger that a war will break out, he said, is less likely than the chances of a war not breaking out.

IDF Chief of Staff David Elazar (Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

However, Elazar stressed that the Egyptian defensive deployments were also offensive and that there was no significant proof that they were not preparing to attack. He told the generals that there were two factors that needed to be taken into account. The first: are they able to attack within a short duration of time if they want. The second: We have no positive proof that they are not ready to attack.

(Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

With the prevailing uncertainty, the IDF was placed on level C state of preparedness which was later raised. Simultaneously, the chief of staff emphasized that if they do, indeed, intend to attack at the same time from Syria and Egypt, we will still be forewarned.

The matter of military reservists was also raised in the discussions, according to the minutes. In Elazars opinion, in the event of a sudden war, with or without warning, an immediate and swift call up of reservists would have to go into effect. However, Elazar was well aware of the challenges involved in calling up a nation on the fast day of Yom Kippur.

On this note we face the specific limitation in that there is no radio on Yom Kippur, he said before offering possible solutions. Call every telephone in the country and tell them to turn on Army Radio and tell your neighbors to listen. Army radio will constantly broadcast call signs.

Bar Lev Line (Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

Elazar concluded with the following remarks: I do not think that they are about to launch a war  I dont think now or tomorrow is the time for zero hour and if they do have a zero hour, I hope we get a warning. If I was a commentator, I would say: I dont believe it is going to happen  The fact is that we dont deal only with commentary but are rather responsible for the situation, we must take the necessary measures.

A religious officer praying during a lul in the battle (Photo: Defense Ministry Archives)

We will be ready for any situation. As we know, we have no interest in war. And I would seriously not want it to happen to us by complete surprise. It will not be a complete surprise  but if we get a warning and know that it is going to happen within 24 hours and we manage to prepare a little, I am sure we can do so very well and I hope that we will achieve all future plans that are placed in our drawers. Hatima Tova.

Mossad chief Zvi Zamir sent a letter to then Prime Minister Golda Meir's military secretary on the morning of the war, in which he reported that the senior source, Ashraf Marwan, said that the war was expected to break out in the evening.

Golda Meir

Marwan and Zamir met in London. Marwan, who was a senior Egyptian official, estimated that the chances of war breaking out were 99 percent, with the additional percentage attributed to the possibility that Anwar Sadat would regret at the last moment "with his finger on the button."

Zamir proposed a plan of action that Marwan brought up in their conversation: to publish a news item in the media, thereby signaling to Egypt that Israel was aware of their plan in detail and was preparing accordingly. He said this step could thwart the possible plan.

The telegram was published yesterday in the State Archives.
Thousands of members of the ultra-Orthodox community are demonstrating in Bnei Brak in the wake of Tel Aviv's District Court's decision to allow the NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System to continue the light rail construction works on Saturday in the city.

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The police authorized the demonstration, and closed Highway 4 to traffic in all directions until 9pm.

Haredim demonstrate in Bnei Brak

In addition, the police allowed the Haredim to block Jabotinsky Street from the Ben Gurion Junction in Ramat Gan to Hayetzira Street.

The court accepted NTA's arguments according to which halting the light rail construction works on the weekends might pose a life-threatening risk, and allowed the company to continue working on the Jewish day of rest.

Police closes Highway 4 to traffic

Bnei Brak's municipality relied upon its agreement signed in 2012 with the state. According to the agreement, the state committed not to conduct any construction works on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.

However, Judge Limor Bibi sided with NTA's experts who said the works must proceed on the weekends in order to prevent any possible danger to human lives.

The experts argued that the work resumption in the light rail tunnels after a deliberate pause would cause the ground to collapse and jeopardize the workers inside the tunnels.

The experts added that sinkholes can also be formed in populated areas near the light rail construction site, causing damage to houses and businesses.

Bibi criticized Bnei Brak Municipality, saying it did not manage to refute NTA and its experts' claims.

Thousands protest against light rail construction works on weekends

The municipality presented a Home Command document stating there is no risk of building collapsing into the light rail routes. However, the document did not address the issue of halting and then resuming the construction works.

Nevertheless, the judge stressed that NTA should not have gotten involved in a situation which causes Shabbat desecration.

NTA CEO Yehuda Bar On said during the hearing that he prefers to appear before the court for breaching an agreement rather than as a defendant charged with negligent homicide.

Following the court's decision, Bnei Brak's residents received a recorded call from the city's Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Landa urging them to demonstrate against it.

Light rail construction works site

"I call on Bnei Brak's residents (to go out and demonstrate).

"I've looked into the light rail issue and I'm well aware of when a risk is posed and when it's not," the rabbi lashed out.

"After an agreement has been signed with the government according to which construction works wouldn't be conducted on Saturday, (the court) has decided to allow it. All sorts of dangers are being invented," he went on to say.

"They just want us to stop discussing the Shabbat," Landa vented.

"Our obligation (to protest) is not only to the city of Bnei Brak, but to the God that gave us the Shabbat.

"We should protest against the Shabbat desecration. Our protest, of course, should be quiet, without any clashes," he added.

"We have to protest while praying against the injustice of Shabbat desecration in Bnei Brak," the rabbi concluded.
PARIS -- Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has denied US claims the Palestinians have refused to enter peace talks with Israel.

Abbas' denial came after talks in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron Friday. Abbas asked Macron to pass the message onto US President Donald Trump.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said earlier this month that the Palestinian de facto embassy in Washington was being shut because the PLO hadn't taken steps toward negotiations.

Abbas said "we didn't reject negotiations as the Israelis claim," adding that the Palestinian side is "ready for any confidential or public talks."

Abbas also said "the Europeans are working seriously to substitute and fill the American (funding) gap" after the Trump administration canceled over $200 million in aid for Palestinian projects.
FROM LEFT, Wakefield City Manager Richard Brackney; Kim Kolesar, secretary of the former Western Upper Peninsula Trail Assocation; and Wakefield Township Supervisor John Cox pose next to a new kiosk across from the Wakefield Fire Hall near a trail connecting Wakefield and Marenisco.

By P.J. GLISSON

[email protected]

Editor's note: The following story is the first of a three-part series.

Wakefield - Many people may drive by the Wakefield Fire Hall on the city's main street without paying attention to the unpaved trail emerging from the brush on the other side of the road.

The surrounding site is undeveloped and unadorned, so busy drivers may not realize that the unnamed, eastbound trail can take them on a 16-mile journey to Marenisco.

As of this past summer, however, a new kiosk helps to mark the trailhead, thanks to funds donated from the now defunct Western Upper Peninsula Trail Association.

WUPTA was the former off-road vehicle sponsor of a grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. It partnered with the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, which is the DNR's snowmobile sponsor of the trail.

In recent interviews with the Globe, state and local officials explained how various entities have helped, gradually, to create a system that can be enjoyed in all seasons by snow machines, four-wheelers, hikers, bikers, horseback riders and more.

"I've been working on it about 15 years," said Ron Yesney, who is the Upper Peninsula Trails Coordinator of the DNR's Parks and Recreation Division. Although various setbacks have occurred, he said the trail is close to being a viable link within a 150-mile state-designated route that runs from Hurley beyond Marenisco, with eventual goals of U.P.-wide connections.

Yesney said WUPTA and GRTA both have made valuable contributions to the trail, but said the state's suggestion they share grant sponsorship for trail maintenance "didn't pan out" and both parties requested to end their alliance.

"We saw things differently," said Steve Hamilton, president of GRTA. "Just a difference in perspective, really. Having two clubs manage the same trail in different seasons wasn't working out."

Ross Kolesar, who was president of WUPTA until it dissolved last year as a state nonprofit organization, said his group did not always agree with GRTA about how to route or maintain trails.

Yesney expressed regret at WUPTA's demise, describing its members as "a lot of great people" and adding, "They did a lot of great things. I really appreciated their work."

As he summed it up, "A lot of people try and do the right things. Sometimes they have different ideas of how to go about it."

Yesney said Ontonagon's Michigan Trails and Recreation Alliance of Land and the Environment has taken over where WUPTA left off.

Don Helsel, MI-TRALE president, said his group normally has responsibility for about 320 miles of DNR-designated trails in five counties, from Marenisco to Baraga. "We didn't really want to do more," he said, but added, "We were requested by the DNR to do it for one year."

Hence, he said the group regards itself as the trail's temporary ORV sponsor for 2018. At issue, he said, is about $55,000 that would have been lost in relation to trail funds already allocated from the DNR for this year.

If MI-TRALE hadn't stepped up, he said, "A year would have been lost in the effort."

Helsel said this year's DNR funds for the route cover brushing and grading, beaver control, and the "critical" need to design and construct one bridge and three culverts.

According to Yesney, the MDNR purchased an easement of old railroad grade between Sunday Lake Road and Korpela Road, but the land required attention to facilitate trail continuity.

"It's been challenging," said Helsel of the engineering design still under way by OMH Advisors, of Hancock, "but we didn't want to let it slide because we consider the access to Ironwood and Hurley critical."

As Yesney said in describing the association of trails with each community, "There's a lot of economic development with these trails."

Although MI-TRALE's responsibility for the trail between Wakefield and Marenisco will end when the DNR selects a new ORV sponsor for 2019, Helsel said MI-TRALE members then will work with the new group toward a smooth transition.

According to Helsel, next year's funds for the same trail will be designated for actual construction relating to the bridge and culverts.
By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

Marenisco  As the effort to keep the Ojibway prison in Marenisco from closing as scheduled on Dec. 1 continues, the potential effects are being felt in many ways, including among mans best friends.

Inmates at the prison for months have been providing foster care for the Chequamegon Humane Association in Ashland, training dogs in their care.

That arrangement comes to an end when the prison closes.

Training dogs at the prison actually dates to 2014, or earlier, when dogs from the HOPE animal shelter were staying at the Ojibway Correctional Facility, being trained by inmates right in their prison cells.

The inmates training prepared the dogs for adoption to the general public. It not only helped the dogs, but gave the inmates a sense of purpose while serving their sentences.

The HOPE board organized the effort in 2014 with then Ojibway warden Linda Tribley, who said a similar program was successful at the Alger Correctional Facility.

The program with HOPE eventually branched out to the involvement with the Ashland area humane association.

Marenisco Township is suing to stop the closure, saying the state didnt do an economic impact study as required by law before deciding to close the prison.

The Michigan Department of Corrections in August announced plans to shut down Ojibway.

Many of the Ojibway inmates have already been transferred to other facilities.
What's made the news this week?

Watch (or listen) as Nicola and Kevin catch up to discuss the stories that grabbed their attention this week.

1. Exaggerated claims come unstuck

Experts have questioned claims of a 40 per cent drop in Australias house prices, made over the weekend on 60 Minutes READ MORE

2. No property gold left in mining towns

Australia's resource-rich outback towns once lured a flock of investors attracted to premium rental yields and rising real estate values amid the nation's mining boom READ MORE

3. SMSF investment falls

The implications of the property downturn in Sydney and Melbourne have left their mark on self-managed super funds (SMSF), which are beginning to shy away from the property sector READ MORE

4. No spring in property prices

Hopes of a spring renaissance in the housing market evaporated over the weekend with owners of luxury homes in Sydney and Melbourne starting to feel the impact of the READ MORE

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With thanks to Real Estate Talk

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Knowing where to put your money can be tricky step when it comes to investing, but it may get easier as a recent study by LocationScore.com revealed 15 capital-city suburbs with outstanding growth potential.

The research revealed top three suburbs for rising relative demand in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. While increased real estate prices are expected to follow, LocationScore.com.au Director of Research Jeremy Sheppard underscored these suburbs are top of mind for investments.

Topping the list are Baxter in Melbourne, Ferny Hills in Brisbane, and Birkenhead in Adelaide. Notably, all of these suburbs had a median house price below $550,000.

In fact, over half the identified suburbs with the most potential are priced below $550,000, a price point considered accessible for most capital-city buyers.

Digging deeper into the data, Sheppard named Melbourne the winner among other cities after its suburbs held the top three spots across the 15 locations.

Adelaide, meanwhile, boasted the strongest results in the demand vs. supply study. Its suburbs came in second after Melbourne.

Combined with its relative affordability, Adelaide is a city that could yield excellent outcomes for savvy investors, Sheppard said.

There are also pockets set to continue their growth in Sydney despite the discouraging news that has loomed around the citys local market lately.

Below is the complete list of 15 locations identified in the study. In the past, over 80% of LocationScore.coms top picks outperformed the overall Australian property market growth rate.
News

Washington, DC - The winner of the 2018 Grateful American Book Prize is L.M. Elliott, for her historical novel, Suspect Red, a look at McCarthyism and the Red Scare, published by Hyperion-Disney. She will also receive an Honorable Mention award for Hamilton and Peggy! A Revolutionary Friendship, published by HarperCollins and Katherine Tegen Books. Its the first time an author will be given the Prize, and an Honorable Mention.

Author and publisher David Bruce Smith, who co-founded the Prize with the late Dr. Bruce Cole, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, calls Suspect Red a historically accurate novel of suspense that will engage young readers in a complicated period of Americas history.

The School Library Journal review of Hamilton and Peggy! A Revolutionary Friendship, noted The story is drawn from extensive research on each of the characters, through their letters, magazines, newspapers, and personal diaries. Elliott has accomplished something wonderful here, and this is an absolute must-have for all middle and high school collections.

Teri Kanefield, who will receive an Honorable Mention for her biography of Andrew Jackson, is the author of The Making of America series published by Harry N. Abrams. In addition to Jackson, she has written about Alexander Hamilton (2017), and Abraham Lincoln (2018). Her Susan B. Anthony and Franklin Delano Roosevelt will appear in 2019, and the publication date of Thurgood Marshall is pending.

The goal of the Grateful American Book Prize, as Ms. Elliott described it, is to restore history as the captivating subject it is. History is, after all, a human drama, the story of how we got to where we are. Teachers are faced with the daunting task of covering centuries of events, leaders, political and cultural movements, wars, and statistics, on and on. Historical or biographical fiction, if done well, immerses its reader in a time period and brings a beating heart to those dry facts. It offers something for which students hungerhumanizing the history they must memorize for tests by telling it through the eyes of an everymana character who must navigate national situations and experiences fears, longing, and moments of revelation, a person with whom readers empathize and turn each page concerned about what happens next. Engaged in a compelling, well-researched story, teens learn so much about a time period and its challenges by osmosis. They're just enjoying a good story--even if it's about frightening, complex times, with large lessons, as is Suspect Red.

This Prize is a gift to all of us taking on the responsibility (and the joy!) of writing historical pieces for young people. I am very lucky to have wonderful editors who believe in historical narratives and are willing to take on the extra work they require. Others in the publishing industry need convincing that such novels have just as much interest-value and potential audience as more pop-culture genres--this Prize does so much to promote that! So I know I speak for all historical novelists when I say we are GRATEFUL!

The Grateful American Book Prize comes with an award of $13,000, a lifetime pass to the New-York Historical Society, and a medallion created by the American artist, Clarice Smith. The October 11th presentation will be at The Society of the Cincinnati in Washington, D.C. The Honorable Mention authors receive the medallion, and $500 each.
News

Washington, DC - On Thursday, September 20, 2018, the President signed into law:

H.R. 6124, the Tribal Social Security Fairness Act of 2018, which allows Indian tribes to enter into agreements with the Social Security Administration to provide Social Security and Medicare coverage for members of tribal councils.
Latest News

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Mohammed Halbusi, Iraqs new Speaker of the Council of Representatives. The Secretary congratulated Speaker Halbusi on his new position and underlined that the United States looks forward to working with him in this most important new role. The Secretary pledged to continue to stand with Iraqis as they pursue security, prosperity and stability.

The Secretary emphasized his support for Iraqs territorial integrity and sovereignty especially at this critical time. Finally, the Secretary noted his support for Iraqs efforts to form a moderate, nationalist, Iraqi government, pursuant to the constitutional timeline, that is responsive to the aspirations of the Iraqi people.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - The City of Yuma has become aware of at least two recent attempts by solicitors seeking contact with residents by using documents that appear to be official. The City advises residents these are private organizations that are not affiliated with the City of Yuma.

Concerned citizens have contacted customer account specialists with the City of Yuma in recent days asking the City about possible connections between notices left on their property and the City of Yuma. The notices have been reported to be of two different forms.

One notice is a document posted to the homes front door that mimics an official notice from a service utility. The document, written in both English and Spanish, has the words Water Info in capital letters and large type face at the top. It states We were here on with a blank for a handwritten date, and then says Please call us ASAP between 9:00am  7:00pm (sic). It then lists a phone number with the local area code, then the graphic of a drop of water and the words Water Quality Info underlined.

The second notice is hung over front doorknobs with a test tube attached and instructions for the resident on how to collect a water sample. The piece indicates someone will return the following week to collect this sample.

One social media post reported that the person leaving them a notice was actually there attempting to sell a water filtration or water softener system.

We've received several calls from concerned citizens asking if these people are legit and we've notified YPD, said Customer Account Supervisor Dawn Angulo. Unfortunately, PD has not had any luck in catching the solicitors in the act. They've requested us to ask the citizens to obtain a description of the person or persons and vehicle, then to report them to the police non-emergency number, so they can attempt to make contact.

The Yuma Police Departments non-emergency line is 928-783-4421.

The City has attempted to call the number listed on one of the flyers we obtained in a picture, but the calls repeatedly went to voicemail.

Residents should also note that any vendor contacting them at their residence is required to have a City business license. Each solicitor is issued an ID badge when they are approved for the solicitors business license, which they are required to provide to homeowners or residents upon request. No solicitor business licenses have been issued recently to any companies for water quality checks, water softener and/or reverse-osmosis system sales.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - On Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at approximately 3:44 p.m., a Yuma Police Department School Resource Officer received information about an alleged school shooting to occur. The information came from students at Fourth Avenue Jr. High, located at 450 S. 4th Avenue, stating an unidentified student made threats to shoot up the school tomorrow, which is todays date.

The suspect was identified as a 13 year old male that attends Fourth Avenue Jr. High. It was determined the threat was stated, but not legitimate. Threats and Disorderly Conduct charges will be forwarded to the County Attorneys Office for review in reference to this case.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.
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New Jersey Resources Corp. is a holding company. The firm provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. It operates through the following segments: New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR Clean Energy Ventures, NJR Energy Services, NJR Midstream, and NJR Home Services. The New Jersey Natural Gas segment provides regulated retail natural gas service to residential and commercial customers in central and northern New Jersey. The NJR Clean Energy Ventures segment invests in, owns and operates solar projects. The NJR Energy Services segment manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services in the U.S. and Canada. The NJR Midstream segment serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers. The NJR Home Services segment provides heating, ventilation and cooling service, sales and installation of appliances services to its customers, as well as solar installation projects, and is the primary contributor to home services. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Wall,

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Federated Investors, Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the firm provides its services to individuals, including high net worth individuals, banking or thrift institutions, investment companies, pension and profit sharing plans, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government entities, and registered investment advisors. Through its subsidiaries, it manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, balanced and money market mutual funds along with separate client-focused equity, fixed income, money market, and balanced portfolios. Through its subsidiaries, the firm invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. It invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap companies. The firm makes its fixed income investments in ultra-short, short-term, and intermediate-term mortgage-backed, U.S. Government, U.S. corporate, high yield, and municipal securities. It employs both fundamental and quantitative analysis to make its equity investments. Federated Investors, Inc. was founded in 1955 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with additional offices in New York City and London, United Kingdom.

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MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe FAX will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe FAX will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders is a non-profit organisation that was formed to augment the skills of its members. It came into existence to make sure that there is a consistent delivery of a high level of service to their clients. The Institute ensures that it helps the international trade by providing committed professional freight forwarding agents. Formerly known as the National Association of Custom House Agents (NACHA), the organisation has district offices that are located in major entry points all over the country. These district offices are saddled with the responsibility of providing their members and the public with timely information on local issues of concern in Ghanas international trade sector.

The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders maintains a close relationship with government, parastatals and other institutions that serve as an influence on the industry. For proper administration, there is an executive council that operates through the district committees. This committee ensures that members in their district are in a good state and adhere to the working codes of conduct of the organisation.

Moreover, the Institute ensures that freight forwarding practices are developed to meet up with the globally recognised standard. They conduct researches and studies that can facilitate trade reforms for the benefit of Ghana's economy. Also, continuous training of their members is a major concern to the Institute as well as an upgrade in their methods to stay relevant.

About the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders

The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders was formed on the 5th of August 1985 by 16 founding members. The Institute attempts to offer high-quality services that are accessible to their members. As part of their operations, they make sure that their members are well-trained to the level where they are able to understand the requirements of their customers. Then, having understood what those requirements are, the Freight Forwarders are able to meet them with services that exceed what the customers look forward to. The Institute sees to it that the services provided are of the highest quality, and are at a relatively cheap price.

More so, the Institute prides themselves as a member of the training school of the International Civil Aviation Authority and International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (ICAO/FIATA) and Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. They are also authorized to certify trained members.

READ ALSO: List of packaging companies in Ghana

At the moment, the Institute offers a total of three (3) courses to its members and non-members. They also run a host of special courses from time to time. The Institute is accredited under the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA). The last Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders graduation which was held in 2017 recorded a total of 187 graduates. While 106 students out of them were awarded diplomas, the remaining 78 were recorded to have bagged the certificates. This was after they had been trained in general freight forwarding principles.

Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders courses

All GIFF courses are designed to help the students of the Institute achieve the best and have the ability to compete at international levels. More so, the Institute operates a curriculum that is aimed at helping their students apply practical skills that they acquire in their training process for their career. The courses offered at GIFF include the following:

GIFF/FIATA Higher Diploma course in Supply Chain Management

The modules covered under the Higher Diploma course include Procurement Management, Strategic Management, Production & Operations Management, and International Transport Management. After successful completion of the programme, the students would get the GIFF Higher Diploma in Supply Chain Management certificate. They would also be awarded the FIATA Higher Diploma in Supply Chain Management. But then, the FIATA certificate would only be possible after the awardees have completed the required form and paid the necessary fee to FIATA.

GIFF/FIATA Diploma course in International Freight Forwarding

The diploma course covers freight forwarding principles that have to do with different methods of carriage, like the rail, road, ocean, and air. Some modules under the course include Introduction to Freight Forwarding, Maritime Transport, Multimodal Transport, and Air Transport. Graduates from this program will also receive the GIFF Diploma in International Freight Forwarding. Apart from that, they will be awarded the FIATA Higher Diploma in International Freight Forwarding. However, the FIATA certificate will be possible only after the awardees have completely filled the required forms and paid the necessary fee to FIATA.

GIFF Certificate course

Modules covered under the Certificate course include Introduction to Freight Forwarding, Introduction to Logistics, Introduction to Transportation, and Introduction to Customs Procedures.

Some other specialised freight forwarding courses that the Institute offers include Project Transportation/Special Forwarding, Harmonised System (HS Code), Oil and Gas Logistics, and Customs Valuations and Classification.

Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders fees

There is a variance in the fee that applicants who wish to apply for GIFF/FIATA Higher Diploma course in Supply Chain Management pay. The details are given below:

GIFF members will pay GH 2,500;

Non-GIFF members will pay GH 3,000;

International trainees will pay GH 3,500 as well.

More so, the fee for those applying for GIFF/FIATA Diploma course in International Freight Forwarding is as follows:

GIFF members will pay GH 2,500;

Non-GIFF members will pay GH 3,000;

International trainees are expected to pay GH 3,500.

But for those who opt for the Certificate course, the details of their fee are given below:

GIFF members will pay GHC 1,300;

Non-GIFF members will pay GHC 1,500;

International students are also expected to pay GHC 1,800.

Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders admission requirements

Based on the information published on the Institutes official website, GIFF admission requirements are as follows:

GIFF/FIATA Higher Diploma course in Supply Chain Management requirements

Prospective applicants are expected to be licentiate members of the Institute. Any employee of a freight forwarding firm who wants to apply must have a minimum of 2 years employment with, at least, SSSCE. Also, any person who has a degree or diploma from a recognised university or who is an employee of a freight forwarding firm with a university degree or diploma can also apply.

GIFF/FIATA Diploma course in International Freight Forwarding requirements

As with the Higher Diploma course requirements, prospective applicants are expected to be licentiate members of the Institute. Any employee of a Freight Forwarding firm who wants to apply must have a minimum of 2 years employment with, at least, WASSCE. Also, any person who has a degree or diploma from a recognized university or who is an employee of a Freight Forwarding firm with a University degree or diploma is also eligible to apply.

READ ALSO: DIC's Now Under Customs Division

GIFF Certificate course requirements

Applicants are to possess any School Certificate like BECE or NVTI (or its equivalent). Then, mature applicants are expected to have working experience in Forwarding or related fields.

Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders contact information

The Institute is in a total of five districts which enables it to cover all the logistics activities within the country. The contact information of the Institute is given below:

P.O Box CO 1960 Comm 1 Tema.

Tel: +233 (0) 303216931

Fax: +233 (0) 303216930

Website: www.ghanafreightforwarders.org

Email: giff@ghanafreightforwarders.org

Also, to contact any of the districts of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, their telephone numbers are given below:

1. Tema district

Phone: +233 (0) 303 216931, +233 (0) 209899723

2. KIA, Accra district

Phone: +233 (0) 302 763587

3. Takoradi district

Phone: +233 (0) 312020099

4. Elubo district

Phone: +233 (0) 312222137

5. Aflao district

Phone: +233 (0) 276874455

The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders continues to provide and improve on its standards in the areas of consultation and service delivery to its members and customers. Consequently, they are able to produce professional freight forwarding agents that are capable of meeting the daily needs of their clients.

Source: Yen.com.gh
The laws pertaining ownership of land in any part of the world are more detailed than you could have ever imagined. Understanding the processes and rights of land ownership will play a significant role in helping a prospective land owner avoid the risk of undisclosed property issue, scam, or improper sale. Notably, before writing a contract proposing transfer of property, you need to explore the most crucial facts regarding title deeds, hence the need for companies selling lands in Ghana.

Woman viewing house plans on her plot of land during a site visit

Source: UGC

In this write-up, you will come across a comprehensive list of companies selling land in Ghana, and how you get them depending on your location.

Companies that sell land in Accra and other parts of Ghana

Here are some of the companies that major in real estate and their responsibilities in the field.

1. AAA SPHYNX (property consultants)

Located in Accra, the capital of Ghana, this company has made a name in the real estate industry by selling and renting all types of property to its clients. Be it appraisal of property, valuation, and property tax consultancy, they will ensure all your needs are met. The company will ensure all your residential needs, whether you are in the country or abroad, is well taken care of. Their offices are opened from Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm.

Company address and contact

P.O Box: CT 156 Cantonments Accra Ghana

Tel: 0302 973 871.

Website: www.sphynxpc.com

2. Terra Firma properties limited

It is an all-inclusive company registered under the company code of 1963 (Act 179), and has been operating in the real estate sector for over 13 years. Previously, it was called Turkson and Turkson Ltd, but due to the increase in demand for their services, it had to fully establish itself in the real estate development industry.

Terra Firma offers all services involved in real estate such as buyer and seller brokerage, property consulting, agency services, real estate management, and acquiring new land for construction. Their offices are opened from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5 pm, and on Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm.

Company address and contact details

Location: Global house DTD community, Lashibi, Tema, Ghana.

Tel: 0301 413156.

Website: terrafirmagh.com

3. Tetteh accommodation agency

The company principally manages and acquires properties of different natures in the country. When it comes to residential real estates, private and commercial properties, they aim to become a profitable leader. Mostly, the company concentrates on selling houses and providing an industry cycle.

Tetteh Accomodation has a team of highly experienced real estate professionals who will ensure their clients get property worth their money. The company offers services to customers from Monday to Saturday.

Company address and contact details

P.O. Box: DS. 871 W/A Dansoman-Accra, Ghana.

Tel: +233-265169495.

4. Delsak real investment

Delsak is a realty investment company with a focus on managing the properties of its clients to the latter. Apart from providing and selling land and house plans, they offer visitors travelling to and from Ghana with services such as booking and hotel accommodation. Other services include selling of homes and houses, company registration, and real estate development.

Delsak has gone a notch higher with its services to provide offices, homes, schools, and hotels with security. Those in need of heating and cooling installations, roofing, POP ceiling, and house wiring may also go to them. On Mondays to Fridays, offices are opened from 7 am to 5.30 pm, while on Saturdays; they open from 8 am to 12.30 pm.

Company address and contact details

P.O Box: Achimota, Accra Ghana.

Tel: 0247725319.

5. ARD real estate limited

ARD specialize in real estate investments, real estate planning and advisory, home buying and rent, home building, and building materials. They work from Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm.

Company address and contact details

P.O Box: 71 MD, Accra, Ghana

Tel: 020900284.

6. Amui Issah ventures

Amui deals with residential and commercial property as well as managing both large and small scale properties for their clients. The company also attracts more clients because of their sophisticated technique of offering services. Amui engages with the most significant stakeholders concerning legal and financial issues. In turn, they have ensured an all-inclusive dialogue in effective, consistent, planning, and efficient implementation of all their activities.

Because of their services and number of clients, the company opens from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, an on Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm.

Company address and contact details

P.O Box: 208 Ashaiman, Ghana.

Tel: 0248899705.

READ ALSO: Top companies in Ghana for employment

7. Jahgrace real estate

Are you in Ghana and interested in owning your own dream house? Then Jahgrace, will ensure you get through the whole process easily. The company also allows you, as the customer, to save up with them. It opens from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

Company address and contact details

P.O Box: New Abirem-Larbikrom LA/D 067. Nkawkaw, Ghana

Tel: +233 (0) 200903708

8. DMS group

DMS group started its operation due to the increase in demand for economic and social needs of people. It is one of the most trusted estate developers in Accra, backed up by a team of highly ambitious, vibrant, and young entrepreneurs, who have set out to empower themselves through self employment.

Since its inception in 2006, the company has managed to expand its operations to include cosmetic and electrical aspects. Because of their superior customer services, they have managed to create formidable partnership with relevant stakeholders in the industry.

Their working hours are from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and on Saturdays, they open from 9 am to 1 pm.

Company address and contact details

P.O Box: 11150 Accra-North, Ghana.

Tel: +233 (0) 244153372.

The real estate companies selling land in Ghana ensure that you have a seamless land acquiring process. However, before you go doing business with any firm, it is important to ascertain that you will not have any regrets in the long run. Below are some of the best considerations to make while choosing the companies in Ghana.

Ensure it is a registered company with the registrar's general department. Carry out enough research about the company's successes and operations. The company must have a good track record. Top notch customer support services.

Following the rising cases of fraudulent land purchases in Ghana, it would be better to approach a certified real estate company instead of purchasing land from people you do not know.

The companies that have been mentioned in this article are some of the most reliable companies selling land in Ghana. Before rushing off to buy land because of the grand visuals of what the area would look like in the coming years, always ensure you have all the necessary facts. Ensure you have the correct financial and legal advice regarding the land as well.

READ ALSO: Small business opportunities in Ghana

Source: Yen.com.gh
Recently, there has been a new booming interest in taking design courses. You might want to take a refresher course or you are interested in learning more about designing, then you are in the right place as we have compiled a list of the best graphic design schools in Ghana.

Read on through this article and get to see the top schools that offer graphic design in Ghana. If you are a parent you can also enroll your child if they are interested in design.

Schools in Ghana that offer graphic design

1. Accra International School Advertising and Design (AISAD)

AISAD tops our list because it is arguably one of the best schools in Ghana that offer graphic design. The school helps students to grow and also develop knowledge, attitudes and professional skills too that will enable them to build up creative portfolios. They offer courses that assist in the enterprise world, creative agencies and also private enterprises. For this reason, the school is very keen on the teaching staff and that is why they will always prefer award winning individuals.

These world class courses are offered by award winning graphic designers, modellors animators artists, motion graphics, photographers,film writers, directors and also editors. The school is registered with the registrar generals department in Ghana. It is also approved by the Ghana Education Service. This means that the courses they offer are thoroughly ministered by the two authorities.

Programmes offered

Advertising Design portfolio

Digital Photography portfolio

Graphic Design portfolio

Graphic and web Design portfolio

Multimedia design portfolio

Digital Photography portfolio

3D Animation & Motion Graphics portfolio

Digital Photography portfolio

If you are interested in joining this school, you can contact them through the contacts below;

Physical Location: No. 109 Avenue E Kofi Annan Avenue, North Legon, Accra

Telephone: +233 (0) 303 935 943

Email : info@aisad.edu.gh

Website: Accra International School Advertising and Design

2. Accra Film School

It is rated as one of the graphic design schools in Accra Ghana that offer film making studies with a touch of excellence. It is an approved institution for film making and television production, whereby, the approval was done by the Ghana education service. They offer hands-on workshop teachings through an array of classroom instructions and also immediate experience through the collaboration that the students have in their classes.

Guest speakers and renowned film and television makers from the film industry do regular visits to the school to share the experiences theyve had and also impact their knowledge on the students. For this reason, the students are greatly inspired. In addition, when the students are done with their courses, internships placement are done by the school itself.

Courses offered

Production

Editing

Broadcast journalist

They also offer certificate classes for a period of four months. The certificate classes offer students three options to choose from.

Option 1

Editing

Motion graphics

Sound engineering

Option 2

Acting

Presentation

Production

Option 3

Directing

Photography

Production

Below are their contacts;

Postal Address: PO Box KB595 Accra, Ghana West Africa

Email: info@accrafilmschool.com

Telephone numbers: +233 -303-934-588/+233-265-311-544/+233-264-253-165

3. Joyce Ababio College of Creative Design

This creative design school was established by a renowned top fashion design, Joyce Ababio. Joyce Ababio had also established and lead the vogue style school of fashion and design for a number of 17 years. For the past 3-4 years, the school has been transitioning to JACCD. The school has had partnerships with VLISCO which is the biggest textile producing company in the whole of Africa. If you have been looking to start a graphic design course in Ghana, then this college should in your list if you are to choose from several colleges. Below are the programmes you can pick from and the contacts you can use to contact the college.

Programmes offered

Fashion design

Graphic design

Textile (surface design)

Jewellery design

Their contacts are;

Postal Address: PO Box CT 1097

Telephone: 0302797471

Mobile: 0235682600

4. Radford University College

Radford was founded by a renowned business entrepreneur, the late Mr. Nana Wiredu. His aim was to bring forth a on of the best graphic and web design schools in Ghana.. The university is accredited by the National Accreditation Board in Ghana. In addition, the universitys vision was to create jobs in the Ghanaian community. Another mission for RUC is to bring forth business leaders who will help face and curb the current challenges faced by the nation of Ghana.

In order for this to take place, the university has programmes in place to allow students get the best from the university. Below are the programmes the university is currently offering to the youth of Ghana.

Programmmes offered

Art

Graphics and design

Applied science

ICT

Business school

Business administration

Hospitality and event management

If you choose to register with this university, then you can be able to easily register online through their website. You can also visit the university for a face to face consultation or registration. Below are their contacts and location.

Physical Location: 83A Lagos avenue, East Legon, Accra Ghana.

Telephone: +233 (0) 20 161 7584/+233 (0) 54 647 9813/+233 (0) 23 414 6747

Email: info@radforduc.edu.gh

5. IPMC College of Technology

This school is the pioneer college in the field of IT education years on it. In the 24 years of a proven track record the school has has had over 100,000 graduated professionals. In order to deliver world class professionalism in the industry of IT, the school only teaches with updated courses, programmes, exams etc.

Their aim is to offer an unparalleled training experience using an industry focused content. The school has partnered with the worlds renowned companies such as microsoft, ICDL Asia and compTIA.

Programmes offered

Software Engineering

Graphics and web design

Database technology

If you have finally decided to take a graphic design degree in Ghana with this college then below are the best ways to communicate to them and even learn more about them using their contacts.

Physical Address: Technology centre, Kwame Nkurumah centre.

Postal Address: PO Box AN 7617, Accra north, Ghana west Africa

Phone: +233 243585802/ +233 245994187/ +233 262511080/ +233 21226189

Email: training@ipmcghana.com

care@mpcghana.com

kumasi@ipmcghana.com

6. Riohs Originate

Riohs was founded in the year 2010 as a creative thinking and design school. The school is famous for its proficient teaching plan of six months which ensures that a student is graduated within a span of six months. The college ensures that the graduated student will have the skills and opportunity to explore and work with their creative talents.

Application is done both on online platforms at their website. You can also apply offline too where you download the application, form fill it, then submit it at their offices. After submitting the application, it is reviewed and then you will have to wait for 48 hours for response. If you are accepted you will then have to do an interview administered by the institution. Below are their contacts;

Telephone: 03 027 89434/03 027 83497/02 483 23669

Email: info@riohs.com

7. Bluecrest College

Bluecrest started in 1999 and it is one of the forerunners of the best graphic design schools in Ghana today. The school resonates with quality education to students. The main focus of this school at the beginning was to create quality education on ICT education. Currently, the school has added many more courses such as business administration and fashion and design. Below are their contacts;

Physical location: Cola street, near ATTC, adjacent societe generale head office, Kokomele

Postal Address: P.O Box AN18392 Accra

Telephone: 030-2250649/ 030-2251150/030-2251151

Email: contactus@bluecrest.edu.gh

READ ALSO: University College of Management Studies admission requirements

8. DLI College Accra

The dignified life international school started as an information technology school meant for the unemployed youth in Ghana. However, the school grew to add more courses.

Courses offered

Graphic design

Skill builder series

General computer

Microsoft office 2007 applications

Web development

Hardware and networking

System admission

Database

Physical Address: Amankani ave adenta, Accra, Ghana

Telephone: 026 4516560

Email: info@dlicollege.org

9. Elite College

This school was established in 2005 October and it is located at Ayeduase just Opposite the chiefs palace. The school has its campuses in different towns namely, Asin fosu, Kumasi, Agona swerdu

Courses offered

Literature in English

Twi language

English language

Graphic design

Textile designing

Business management.

10. Intaleks School of Design

Categorized as computer networking and graphic design teaching centre. This is because it specializes on these two courses. The school is located at KNUST Ayeduase gate Kumasi, Ghana.

Telephone: +233 3222191072

Finding a good design school for you or your child has become such a daunting and time consuming time these days. Fortunately, the list above is all covered up just for you along with the contacts of the colleges and universities. You can use it as a directory to finding your school of choice of designing fashion designing courses.

Source: Yen.com.gh
- 72 Nigerians and a Togolese women to be deported from Ghana for being in the country illegally

- Some of these deportees were also said to have engaged in prostitution in Ghana, apart from lacking the requisite resident permits

The Enforcement Unit of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is set to deport total of 73 foreign nationals over their illegal stay in the country.

The deportees, made up of all women, includes 72 Nigerians and another from Togo.

While most of them are being deported for staying in the country illegally, others are also reported to have engaged in prostitution.

Some of the suspects at the immigration office in Accra. Source: Graphiconline.com.gh

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Why Shamima Muslim dislikes Kuami Eugene's Wish me well chorus

Meanwhile, nine other Ghanaians were also arrested when a team of officers invaded the Redco Flats neighbourhood at Madina on Thursday.

The Ghanaian suspects have since been handed over to the Ghana Police Service for prosecution.

Briefing the media on the matter, 2IC at the Public Affairs of the GIS, Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI), Linda Asare Mantey, said all the suspects were arrested in and around the Junior Hotel at Madina, which is known for prostitution activities.

She explained that the Immigration Service invaded the place after gathering intelligence that certain illegal acts were being perpetrated in the area.

She disclosed that the foreign nationals among the suspects will all be deported whiles the Ghanaians will face prosecution.

It is illegal to come to the country and engage in prostitution, Supt. Mantey said.

According to her, although eight of the foreign nationals claimed they had passports, they could not produce any such documents.

READ ALSO: EOCO after three 'Mahama CEOs' for GHS117m

She added that the GIS has requested for their travel certificates from the Nigerian High Commission as well as the Togo Embassy to send them back to their various countries.

Supt. Mantey further warned that the Ghana Immigration Service will go after owners and managers of hotel facilities who hire their facilities as prostitution destinations.

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READ ALSO: Identical twin sisters give birth to adorable sons on the same day

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-Adoboli is a former UBS banker who served jail time for losing 2.3 billion dollars of his companys funds in unauthorized trades in 2011

- Kweku Adoboli says he never described deportation to his home country, Ghana as being worse than jail in the UK

Former UBS banker Kweku Adoboli has denied reports that he said deportation to Ghana is worse than serving a jail sentence in the UK.

The embattled banker was jailed in the UK for engaging in fraudulent activities which cost the bank a whopping $2.3 billion.

Adoboli was accused of using the companys funds for unauthorized trades in 2011, leading to his incarceration.

Kweku Adoboli

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Legalize marijuana - Kwame Sefa Kayi calls on government

The 38-year-old was initially earmarked to be deported to his home country on Tuesday, before the deportation was put on hold after an appeal by his lawyers was upheld by a court.

However, the Ghanaian came in for strong criticised from social media users after he was reported to have said that being deported to Ghana is worse than serving a jail sentence in the UK.

Ive served my time, but Im being given an extra punishment  a banishment  and just because I didnt get around to becoming a citizen. This punishment is so much worse than being in prison, Adoboli was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

But speaking to Joy News, the embattled banker said his comments were taken out of context.

According to him, the publication was culled from an interview he had granted the BBC in which he said banishment is a punishment much worse than being in prison.

Asked why he never applied for British citizenship for the over two decades that he schooled and eventually worked there, Kweku explained that UBS' immigration lawyers advised him to pursue the work permit route even though he was eligible for naturalization as long ago as 2002.

In 2009, required to travel for his employer at short notice, he says he was unable to submit his Ghana passport for UK citizenship due to the usual delays at the UK passport office, sometimes for as long as nine months.

The pressures of managing a $50bln book with just one other employee did not abate before the loss of 2011. Kweku also said he did not think that it would have made a difference, explaining that he took responsibility because of his Ghanaian upbringing, which taught him to accept responsibility for his actions and inactions, no matter the consequences.

READ ALSO: Why Shamima Muslim dislikes Kuami Eugene's Wish me well

Under UK law, foreign nationals sentenced to more than four years in jail are to be deported to their home countries unless there are very compelling circumstances.

Mr. Adoboli says though he loves being a Ghanaian, hes grown up to know many friends and associates in the UK and so cant just let go like that at the drop of a hat. He says it will be a violent act if one part of his identity is destroyed and he is made to choose between being a Ghanaian and being resident in Britain.

Adoboli is currently being detained at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Center, near Heathrow, as he awaits the outcome of his deportation case.

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READ ALSO: Ghana Immigration to deport 73 foreign nationals

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- The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelovo, has revealed his intent to resign if corrupt people will interfere with his work

- According to him, he is not worried about plans by people to remove him from office

The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelovo, has declared that he is ready to step aside if the truth will cost him his job.

According to him, exposing corrupt officials forms the core component of his job, and for that reason, he will not sacrifice that for lies.

Speaking at the 3rd Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu Memorial Lecture, he added that although some public officials are against his method, he is not in any way perturbed by their actions to sack him from office.

Auditor-General, Daniel Domelovo Source: Supplied

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Ghana Immigration Service to deport 73 foreigners

The Auditor-General reportedly clashed with the Audit Board in the course of the execution of his duties.

Their exchanges have escalated the point where each party wrote a petition to President Akufo-Addo.

The Auditor-General in his petition dated July 27,2018, indicated among others that the Audit Service Board and its Chairperson, Prof. Edward Dua Agyeman, were meddling in his work by interfering with audit processes, unlawfully circulating audit observation and manipulating procurement processes.

However, a counter-petition dated August 6, 2018, and signed by all members of the Audit Service Board accused him of disregarding laid down procedures in the discharge of his duties.

But speaking at the public lecture themed Protecting the Public Purse  keeping the gate shut before the horse bolts, Domevelo said he is not surprised people are fighting him for doing the right thing, as corruption in this country is now like a religion.

According to him, although corruption can be found in developed countries; there is a huge difference because corrupt officials are prosecuted when caught but same cannot be said for developing countries like Ghana.

READ ALSO: I am ready to die for Funny Face - Emmanuel Adebayor

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- The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelovo, has raised issues with the setup of the office of the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu

- According to him, the office is not resourced enough to execute its mandate

- He however expressed his willingness to team up with Amidu to fight corruption

The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelovo, has cast doubts over the ability of the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu to effectively play execute his duties.

Speaking at the 3rd Kwadwo Baah Wiredu memorial lecture, he explained that the Office of the Special Prosecutor faces several challenges.

According to him, although he is ready to work with in the fight against corruption in the public sector, he was unimpressed with the current set up of the Special Prosecutor's Office.

Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu Source: Supplied

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: I am ready to resign under one condition - Auditor General declares

Our collaboration, I believe, can bring about the deterrence that we require in the public sector, but I want to submit that the Special Prosecutor is not sitting well at all. There is no way he can be effective where he is seated, he stated

He went ahead to say that I want to invite all of you to visit him but I wont tell you why; go and visit him, and you would see whether you can be effective with only one secretary with no investigator and prosecutornothing.

The former Attorney General, Martin Amidu, was appointed by the president, Nana Akufo-Addo as the Special Prosecutor in fulfilment of his campaign promise.

In a bid to do away with complaints of witch-hunting, the president promised to establish the office independent of the Attorney General, to prosecute corruption offences in public office.

Soon after that, the Attorney General, Gloria Akufo, indicated that some administrative arrangements are underway to equip the office with the requisite resources.

This was after it came to light that office, where Amidu is to work from, was incomplete, a month after he was officially sworn-in.

READ ALSO: Identical twins give birth to adorable sons on the same day

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- Counsellor George Lutterodt has urged all men not to worry if they see someone sleeping with their wives

- He said that it should rather motivate men to perform well in bed

Controversial marriage counsellor and reverend minister, Counsellor George Lutterodt, has dropped another bombshell with respect to marriage issues.

According to him, cheating behind your married partner should not be seen as a sin because its not.

The renowned counsellor made this statement on the Thursday, September 20, 2018 edition of Adom TVs popular morning show, 'Badwam.'

Counsellor George Lutterodt

Source: UGC

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He advised all married men not to blame their wives when they allow other men to sleep with them but they should rather use that as an opportunity to work extremely hard on their lovemaking.

Cheating is not a sin. If you are a man and your wife cheats or you catch your wife red-handed, just thank God because it is an opportunity to learn because your wife comes home with new bed skills.

He added that being able to open fire to your partners satisfaction is very important in marriage hence couples should take that component in marriage very seriously.

READ ALSO: I will die for Funny Face - Emmanuel Adebayor (Video)

Asked how he would react when he comes to see another man chopping down his wife, Counsellor Luettrodt said, If I catch my wife in bed with another man, I will just stand there and watch it the more and learn so that if she comes, she can also teach me more, he answered.

Counsellor George Luttrodt is well known for his controversial statements.

Recently he made a statement advising men who impregnate other women outside their marriages to keep the results of their adultery a secret.

READ ALSO: Legalize marijuana - Kwame Sefa Kayi calls on government

According to him, a child out of wedlock is only a man's business.

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Actress Salma Mumin looks like she is having the time of her life travelling the world.

Ghanaian actress Salma Mumin has been away from the screens as quietly she came in. It has been some years since Ghanaians and Nigerians saw her in a big motion picture.

It would appear that Mumin is investing both time and resources into other ventures apart from acting. That in itself is not a new thing because actors seem to make their monies in other ways apart from the screens.

Another thing one would notice is that Mumin seems to be having the time of her life traveling to some of the most exotic places in the world. She has all the photos on Instagram page.

READ ALSO: I never uttered those words attributed to me - Kweku Adoboli

It is not clear where Mumin kicked off her vacation but the earliest photos seem to point to the United States. Here in the photo below, the actress is seen showing off her view from her room in New York City.

And then came here journey to Greece. This time, Salma Mumin could be seen vacationing and letting the world take peek at her curves at the famed Greek resort island of Santorini.

Still in Europe, the actress lets us in on her life in the beautiful city of Paris. As the caption on this photo suggests, Mumin did not lay low for the night life at all in France.

And then our final pick of the actress' photos take us with her to Las Vegas. The place is known as America's "good time" city and it is no surprise that Mumin passed by to catch the feeling.

READ ALSO: Woman divorces husband after he impregnated their house help three times

Mumin can be seen in the latest video for musician KiDi's song "Thunder". But we would hope it is not long before we see her grace our screens again.

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- The Spokesperson for Abbossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers, Joseph Paddy, has debunked earlier claims that the association had apologized to former president Mahama

- He said the association owed no apology to the former president

- This is in contrary to earlier claims by the PRO for the association, Takyi Addo, who made the apology

The Spokesperson for the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers, Mr Joseph Paddy, has debunked reports that the association had apologized to former president Mahama.

Joseph Paddy, who also doubles as the public relations officer (PRO) of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), has said they owed no apologies to Mahama, therefore, the reports should be disregarded.

This was gathered by YEN.com.gh in a report by Pulsegh.com.

Former president Mahama

Source: Depositphotos

READ ALSO: Thank God he doesn't resemble papa - Fans on latest wild photo of Edem's son

Joseph Paddy was reacting to earlier reports that the PRO of the Spare Parts Dealers Association, Takyi Addo, had apologized to Mahama for attacking, and calling him names in during the electioneering period of 2016.

In the report, Takyi Addo confessed to have treated the former president unfairly all because they wanted to boot him out of power to make way for Akufo-Addo and the NPP.

However, with the current hardship they are experiencing under Akufo-Addo, they deemed it fit to apologize to Mahama for the insults they hurled at him.

Takyi Addo was quoted to have said: "As a personal apology, wherever Mahama is, he should forgive us. I want him to also forgive me personally. We insulted him we embarrassed him. We called him a thief, incompetent and all sort of names. We thought this one (Nana Addo) was coming to help us, but he is rather finishing us!"

READ ALSO: Please forgive us - Spare parts dealers beg Mahama over attacks and insults in 2016

However, Paddy said those reports were just propagandist with evil intent and will, therefore, want to categorically state that, they (spare parts dealers) have never apologized to the former president and see no reason why they owe him an apology.

Mr Paddy revealed that the group calling itself Concerned Spare Parts Dealers Association does not represent, and is not the official association of the Spare Parts Dealers, therefore, must not be taken seriously.

READ ALSO: Aku GMB finally reveals why she married 'old' millionaire Dr. Oteng of many wives

According to him, the group is a politically motivated society seeking to do the bidding of the opposition NDC Party.

Paddy further said they (the original spare parts dealers) are not experiencing any hardship as purported by the fake spare parts dealers association.

For us as traders and importers we know government has not increased import duties, at least, since last year. There are obviously issues at the ports but it goes beyond government policy. There are individuals at the ports and customs officials who must be dealt with so that the good policies by government can yield the right results, he claimed.

READ ALSO: Look-alike twin sisters give birth to adorable sons on the same day

Top 3 Ghana Richest Women: Who Are They? | Yen.com.gh

READ ALSO: Blame NPP government for cedi depreciation  Kennedy Agyapong

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- The Central Regional head of Zoomlion has asked Ghanaians to not put sanitary pads in their bins for the waste management company

- Samuel Edu said some of the things people dispose are of health risk to Zoomlion workers

Zoomlion regional manager Samuel Edu has cautioned the public to stop the disposal of used sanitary pads into the company's waste bins. The Central Regional head of the company said this among others, cause health risks to workers.

Edu mentioned that this phenomenon happens in both residential and public places. He worried that people are not cooperating with the company for a good service.

According to the report we sighted on Adomonline.com, the regional head believes the issue has become a major source of worry for workers of the company in the region.

READ ALSO: Salma Mumin posts photos of her exotic vacations around the world

The waste manager made the remark in an interview on Adom News at a ceremony in the Assin North District Assembly. Certain equipment were donated to the Assembly.

Zoomlion is the biggest waste management service company in the country. It has partnered the state for over five years in the job of maintaining sanitation standards.

In the past, the company has been caught in a scandal or two over their relationship with the government.

READ ALSO: I never uttered those words attributed to me - Kweku Adoboli

It is interesting to know how Ghanaians would take this call for them to cooperate with Zoomlion workers.

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By Maureen O'Hare, CNN | Sep. 20, 2018

It's not just you: Airports really are getting busier.

Close to 104 million passengers passed though Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2017, making it the world's busiest passenger airport for another year.

That's according to 2017 travel data released Thursday by Airports Council International.

Globally, there were significant increases in passenger numbers, air cargo traffic and total aircraft movements.

Major connecting hub

Atlanta can thank its location as a major connecting hub and port of entry into North America for its continued dominance.

The city is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the United States population of more than 300 million people.

However, that could change by next year. Atlanta was the only airport among the top 20 busiest airports for passengers to see a decrease in passenger traffic last year, with a small drop of 0.3%.

Beijing Capital International has long nipped at the heels of Hartsfield-Jackson. In 2017, the Chinese capital's airport came in second place again with 96 million passengers (a 1.5% increase).

The overall news is also good for the world's airports.

Worldwide passenger traffic increased 7.5% to 8.3 billion in 2017, one of the strongest growth rates on record.

International passenger numbers were up 8.6% globally.

Worldwide cargo traffic rose 7.7%. The world's largest air cargo hub remains Hong Kong. The US city of Memphis, Tennessee, took the second spot, followed by Shanghai, China.

Worldwide aircraft movements increased 3% in 2017 to 95.8 million.

ACI's data for the annual World Airport Traffic Report is drawn from more than 2,500 airports in 175 countries.

Rapid growth

The countries to watch are China and India, according to ACI. Their combined passenger traffic represents 34.5% of the global total.

Of the fastest-growing top 30 airports with over 15 million passengers, 16 are located in those two countries.

The top three contributors to global passenger traffic growth are China, the United States and India.

"Global passenger traffic has reached record levels as airports continued to make a crucial contribution to furthering economic development and global connectivity," said Angela Gittens, ACI World's director general.

The world's busiest airports 2017

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Georgia) -- 104 million passengers

2. Beijing Capital International Airport (China) -- 96 million

3. Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates) -- 88 million

4. Tokyo Haneda International Airport (Japan) -- 85 million

5. Los Angeles International Airport (California) -- 84.6 million

6. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (Illinois) -- 80 million

7. London Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom) -- 78 million

8. Hong Kong International Airport (China) -- 73 million

9. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (China) -- 70 million

10. Aeroport de Paris-Charles de Gaulle (France) -- 69 million

11. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands) -- 68.5 million

12. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Texas) -- 67 million

13. Guangzhou Bai Yun International Airport (China) -- 66 million

14. Frankfurt Am Main Airport (Germany) -- 64.5 million

15. Ataturk International Airport (Turkey) -- 64 million

16. Indira Gandhi International Airport (India) -- 63.5 million

17. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Indonesia) -- 63 million

18. Singapore Changi Airport (Singapore) -- 62.22 million

19. Incheon International Airport (South Korea) -- 62.16 million

20. Denver International Airport (Colorado) -- 61 million
By Natalia Shurmina, Eric M. Johnson, Reuters | Sep. 21, 2018

Russia's VSMPO-Avisma, the world's largest titanium producer, and U.S. planemaker Boeing have launched a new manufacturing unit in Russia's Urals region of Sverdlovsk, a local governor said on social media on Wednesday.

The joint venture (JV) will receive 5.5 billion roubles (US$82.3 million) of investment, Evgeny Kuyvashev said.

Boeing spokesman Paul Bergman confirmed that Boeing and VSMPO-AVISMA had opened a second Ural Boeing Manufacturing joint venture facility.

It will focus on titanium forgings for Boeing commercial airplane programs including the 737 MAX, the 787 Dreamliner family and the 777X, Bergman said.

VSMPO-Avisma was not available for comment.

The new unit will operate alongside an existing JV between Boeing and VSMPO-AVISMA which has produced titanium forgings since 2009.

VSMPO-AVISMA supplies Boeing with titanium on long-term contracts. According to the Russian firm, it meets 35 percent of Boeing Commercial Airplanes' demand for the metal.

In April, after the United States imposed a new round of sanctions on Moscow, Russian lawmakers called for an end to supplies of titanium to Boeing as a reciprocal measure. However, the proposal was not accepted by the government.
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Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory tract (nose, throat, and lungs) in humans. The symptoms and complications of flu are more severe than common cold. The symptoms associated with influenza may include fever, headache, malaise, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches. Influenza vaccine can prevent illness and death caused by the influenza virus. Influenza vaccine can be administrated to both young and old patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017, 67.2% of all the geriatric population within the U.S. suffered from influenza in 2016.

Moreover, it was estimated that the disease caused 4,605 deaths in 2014. Such trends in the prevalence of influenza are the major driver for the market growth during the forecast period. Moreover, the immune-compromised growing geriatric population, increasing per capita healthcare expenditure and rising awareness of the disease will fuel the market growth. According to the National Institutes of Health, the people who age 80 or more are expected to grow from 126.5 million in 2015 to 446.6 million by 2050. However, stringent regulatory framework along with the low accessibility of the product in the developing countries may restrain the market growth.

The Global Influenza Vaccination Market is expected to grow at an approximate CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period.

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Key Players for Global Influenza Vaccination Market

Some of the key players for the global influenza vaccination market are Abbott (U.S.), AstraZeneca (Europe), BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (U.S.), Novartis AG (Europe), DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED. (Asia Pacific), GlaxoSmithKline plc. (Europe). Hualan Biological Engineering Inc (Asia Pacific), Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (Asia Pacific), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Europe), Sanofi (Europe), and others.

Segments for Global Influenza Vaccination Market

The global influenza vaccination market is segmented on the basis of type of influenza, manufacturing technology, vaccines, and others.

On the basis of the type of influenza, the market is segmented into seasonal, pandemic, zoonotic, and others., on the basis of the manufacturing technology, the market is segmented into egg based, cell culture based, recombination based technology, and others, on the basis of the vaccines, the market is segmented into fluzone, flumist, fluvax, fluvirin, and others and On the basis of the end users, the market is segmented into hospital & clinics, research organization, academic institutes, and others.

Regional Analysis for Global Influenza Vaccination Market

The Americas dominate the global influenza vaccination market owing to the increasing prevalence of influenza and the high per capita healthcare expenditure. Moreover, the presence of the developed economies like the U.S. and Canada within the region boosts the growth of the market. Additionally, growing geriatric population within the regional boundaries of the Americas fuels the market growth. According to the National Institutes of Health, the Americas geriatric population is expected to reach 88 million by 2050.

Europe is the second largest market for influenza vaccination, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Availability of funds for research, a well-developed healthcare infrastructure, and a huge patient population drives the market growth within the region. Moreover, rising healthcare expenditure along with the government support for research & development boosts the market in Europe. Additionally, the presence of the global players like F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Novartis AG within the region fuels the regional market.

Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region for the market due to the presence of developing economies like India and China. Moreover, favorable government policies and growing geriatric population will boost the market growth within the region.

The Middle East & Africa has the least share in the global influenza vaccination market due to the presence of poor economies, especially in the African region. Majority of the market of the Middle & Africa region is held by the Middle East owing to the presence of developed economies like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar within the region.

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Some Brief Table of Contents of Report

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope Of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.2 Restrains

4.3 Opportunities

4.4 Challenges

4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment

Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis

5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis

5.1.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers

TOC Continued

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Automotive Plastic is an integral component used in the design and manufacture of automotive parts such as flooring, engine components, and door panels, etc. The lightweight plastic material helps to control the fuel consumption, increasing the fuel efficiency of the vehicles. It also allows designers to implement innovative and durable designs. Resultantly, the demand for light-weight plastic has been augmented drastically over the past few years.

Improving economy is fuelling the automotive industry lately, enhancing the consumers purchasing power. Resultantly, consumers are demanding luxuries vehicles with the advancements in automobile exterior design, and that can give maximum fuel efficiency. This, in turn, is ascending the demand for the lightweight automotive components, escalating the market value of automotive plastic on the global platform.

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Acknowledging the kind of accruals the market is gaining currently, Market Research Future (MRFR) has recently published a study report giving out the complete market insight up to 2023. In its study report, MRFR asserts that the Global Automotive Plastics Market will garner a value of approx. 56.38 Billion USD by 2023 with a CAGR of ~12.6% between 2016 and 2023.

Qualities of Automotive Plastics such as high resistance to weathering, versatility in applications, and superior quality of designs make them the trendiest forms of automobile design materials. Strict governmental regulations pertaining to the vehicular emissions are encouraging the automotive companies to switch their preferences from metals like steel and aluminum to light-weight plastics.

On the flip side, Automotive Plastics are slightly expensive and hence is produced in lower volume which restricts its applications to low-volume applications further limiting its market growth to an extent. Besides, price volatility and demand and supply gap of the feedstock is one of the key factors, impeding the market growth of automotive plastics.

Nevertheless, the demand for emission control & weight reduction composites, high demand for improved vehicular designs is fostering the demand for automotive plastic materials, escalating the market growth. Also, expected technological advancements, through R&D are likely to present economical manufacturing processes reducing the selling cost of these plastics.

Global Automotive Plastics Market - Regional Analysis

The Asia Pacific accounts for the fastest growing Automotive Plastics Market capturing the largest market share of the global market. Factors substantiating the market growth include the huge consumption of these products in the ever increasing automotive and transportation industry in this region. India, China, and Japan are the major markets in this region owing to their well-established established automotive sectors.

Europe is the second most significant market in the Global Automotive Plastic Market. The automotive industry in the region is witnessing a steady rise in the demand for the lightweight automotive parts. Countries namely Germany, U.K., France, and Italy, are the major markets in this region on account of established automotive industries. The automotive industry is increasingly consuming these plastics components for manufacturing a number of under-hood parts.

North America is another lucrative market for Automotive Plastics globally, owing to the growing demand for these products for the manufacturing of aftermarket products of the interiors and exterior Body. The US backed by the presence of the burgeoning automotive industry accounts for the major contributor to the market growth.

The Middle East & Africa is growing at a significant rate owing to the growth of the automotive sector. GCC Countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar will lead the market in the region throughout the forecast period. The Latin America region is anticipated to gain momentum due to the economic and political stability in Brazil. Attributing to the various automotive application such as under bonnet, interiors body, outer body, and electrical components the region Latin America is expected to witness a substantial growth during the review period.

Automotive Plastics Market - Competitive Analysis

The global market of Automotive Plastics appears to be highly competitive and fragmented. A number of large and small key players are operating in the market, churning the competition. To maintain their market position these players incorporate collaboration, acquisition, partnership, technology launch and expansion.

Key Players:

Akzo Nobel N.V. (Europe), BASF SE (Europe), Evonik Industries (Europe), Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC - Saudi Arabia), Teijin limited (Japan), DSM Company (Europe), The Dow Chemical Company (US), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (US), E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company (US), and Quadrant group of companies (Japan) are some of the prominent players profiled in MRFR Analysis and are at the forefront of competition in the Global Automotive Plastics Market.

Industry/innovation/Related News:

July 04, 2018 - Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. (US), a leading global automotive supplier announced the acquisition of Lauren Plastics, LLC (US), a manufacturer and marketer of plastic products. This acquisition is expected to expand ISG's (The ISG business of Cooper Standard) sealing product line in key segments, including automotive distribution and aftermarket; as well as specialized products for the automotive and transportation markets.

June 26, 2018  Viking Plastics, Inc. (US) one of the leading providers of molded plastic components and assemblies announced the acquisition of Genesis Plastics and Engineering LLC (US), a supplier of automotive interiors, seating and molded products. This acquisition is expected to add to Vikings current line of custom injection molded products and assemblies for the automotive, expanding its expertise and customers by incorporating Genesis capabilities to manufacture new tools.

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MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

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In the Report Chinese Drum Brake Market: By Direction of Motion (internal Expanding, External Constraining); By Brake Shoe Stress (Leading Trailing, Dual Two Trailing, Dual Two Leading); By Channel (OEM, Aftermarket); By Vehicle Type (Two Wheeler, Passenger Vehicle, LCV, HCV) - Forecast (2018-2023), published by IndustryARC, the market will be driven by heat dissipation factor of drum brake.

The demand for vehicles is increasing at a positive rate, globally. Improved standard of living coupled with greater buying power drives the growth of the automobile market. As the drum brakes are a key part of automobile, the market for them is estimated to grow at a significant rate in the coming years.

North China Dominates with Major Growth in the Chinese Drum Brake Market

China established top position in automotive production a few years back, and is likely to strengthen its position in the next few years. The Chinese automotive braking systems market has levelled off in the recent years, yet the market is foreseen to grow more than an average annual rate during the forecast period of 2018-2023.

Selected Brake Shoe Stress Sources Analysis Done in the Full Report:

The Chinese Drum Brake Market, based on brake shoe is classified into three categories. Among all types, the leading is trailing shoes types drum brake. It is broadly used in the automotive industry. In this type, leading shoe brakes apply the better braking services and the trailing shoe brake receives the lower braking force. The brake performance ability to act efficiently while moving in both the directions is preferred over other types. Based on the vehicle type, the drum brake market for automotive can be segmented into three segments among which the commercial vehicle segment is expanding at a significant rate. Commercial vehicle segment is further divided into light commercial and heavy commercial vehicles. The drum brake market for automotive is expected to grow during the forecast period due to the increasing demand of drum disc brakes in society.

Excerpts on Market Growth Factors

In commercial driving vehicle ZF Friedrichshafen AG came up with a new drum brake axle. The technology, named as Planetary Steering Axle APL 90, has been specifically designed for all wheel drive trucks. This brake, specifically designed for demands of demand off-road use, completes this axle.

One of the latest trends that will gain grip in the automotive drum brake market is the rising trend of electric parking brake (EPB) for compact cars with drum brakes. This brake can be easily fit in the compact care; and hand brake is likely to get replaced in the coming years.

To access the full report browse the link below

https://industryarc.com/Report/18081/chinese-drum-brake-market.html



Key players of the Chinese Drum Brake Market

Key players operating in the Chinese Drum Brake Market for automotive include ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Aisin Seikei, Nissin Kogyo Inc. and others. Aisin Seikei serves in the segments of break Master Cylinder with brake assist, ABS modulator, brake kits and others. Nissin Kogyo Inc. is known for its product that performs brake operation by pushing the friction component (brake pad) against the inner surface of the drum, which rotates together with the rear tire.

The Chinese Drum Brake Market Report is Segmented as Below:

Chinese Drum Brake Market By Brake Shoe Stress Leading Trailing Shoe Brake Dual Two Trailing Shoe Brake Dual Two Leading Shoe Brake

Chinese Drum Brake Market By Direction of Motion Internal Expanding Brake External Constraint Brake

Chinese Drum Brake Market By Channel OEM Aftermarket

Chinese Drum Brake Market By Vehicle Type Two Wheelers Passenger Vehicles Heavy Commercial Vehicles

Chinese Drum Brake Market by Geography (covers 10+ countries)

Chinese Drum Brake Entropy Market

Manufacturer Citied / Interviewed Bethel Automotive Safety Wanxiang Qianchao Co., Ltd. Ruili Group



What can you expect from the report?

The Chinese Drum Brake 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.

IndustryARC primarily focuses on cutting-edge technologies and newer applications in a market. Our custom research services are designed to provide insights on the constant flux in the global supplydemand gap of markets. Our strong team of analysts enables us to meet the clients research needs at a rapid speed and with a variety of options.

We look forward to helping the client address its customer needs effectively, stay ahead in the market, become the top competitor, and get real-time recommendations on business strategies and deals. Contact us to find out how we can help you today.
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Anti-venom is made up of hyperimmune globulins and various other proteins extracted from the serum of various animals. In the process animals have been immunized with the venom of a snake, and then proteins are extracted from it. Anti-venom is currently the cornerstone of therapy for the victims of venomous snake bites and has reduced the mortality of this condition. It can be species-specific, regional, or polyvalent. For instance, anti-venom directed against coral snake venom is regenerated by immunizing horses with venom from the eastern coral snake i.e. Micrurus fulvius. The use of anti-venom is associated with various adverse reactions and so is given to only those victims who develop local, systemic, or laboratory evidence of envenoming. The use of epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines is also recommended before anti-venom administration as it helps to reduce the occurrence and severity of acute or delayed hypersensitivity reactions which may occur in 20 to 90% of cases.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), snake antivenom immunoglobulins is the only specific treatment for envenoming by snakebites. It is also estimated that nearly 4.5 to 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes in a year, and around 1.8 to 2.7 million out of them develop clinical illness after a snakebite.

It is noted that the increasing cases of snake bites and increasing government funding for R&D are the key factors driving the anti-venom market. Various other factors such as the increasing patient pool, unmet medical needs, increasing awareness about antivenoms, enhancing regulatory framework, and increasing government assistance are continuously contributing to the growth of the global anti-venom market. Despite these drivers, there are some setbacks associated with the global anti-venom market. The high cost of available anti-venom, strict FDA regulations, difficult preparation of anti-venoms, and poor healthcare system in low- and middle-income countries may hinder the growth of the market to a considerable extent. It is estimated that the Anti-Venom market is expected to grow at a CAGR 6.5% during the forecast period of 20172023.

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Market Segmentation of Anti-venom Market:

The global anti-venom market is segmented by type, type of species, mode of action, product type, and end-user. On the basis of type, the global anti-venom market is classified as polyvalent heterologous antivenom, monovalent heterologous antivenom, homologous antivenom, and small molecule anti-toxins. On the basis of type of species, the global anti-venom market is classified as snakes, scorpions, spiders, and others. The snake segment is further classified as common cobra, common krait, Russell viper, and others. On the basis of mode of action, the global anti-venom market is classified as cytotoxic, neurotoxic, haemotoxic, cardiotoxic, myotoxic, and others. On the basis of product type, the global anti-venom market is classified as snake anti-venom, scorpion anti-venom, spider anti-venom, and others. On the basis of end-user, the global anti-venom market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and others.

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Top Players in Anti-venom Market:

Allison Medical, Inc., Artsana S.p.a., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Boston Scientific Corporation, Hamilton Company, Hill-Rom, Hu-Friedy Mfg. Co., LLC, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc, Medline Industries, Inc., Medtronic plc, Novo Nordisk A/s, Owen Mumford, Ltd., Roboz Surgical Instrument, Smiths Medical, Stryker Corporation, Terumo Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, UltiMed, Inc., Ypsomed Holding AG, and others.

Intended Audience

Pharmaceutical Companies

Research and Development (R&D) Companies

Diagnostic Laboratories

Government Research Institutes

Academic Institutes and Universities

Regional Analysis of Anti-venom Market:

The Americas dominates the anti-venom market owing to the increasing cases of snake bites, and scorpion bites and high healthcare expenditure.

Europe holds the second position in the anti-venom market. The financial support by the government towards research and development and improvement in reimbursement scenario are expected to drive the European anti-venom market. According to the data suggested by Eurostat, it is observed that among the EU Member States, the highest value of healthcare expenditure was recorded in Germany in 2014 i.e. EUR 321 billion which is further followed by France with EUR 237 billion and United Kingdom with EUR 223 billion. In 2016, the R&D expenditure in the pharmaceutical industry was EUR 35000 million, suggested by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Association.

Asia Pacific is the fastest growing anti-venom market owing to a huge patient pool and increasing advancements in pharmaceuticals. According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), in 2016 the generics market of India stood at USD 26.1 billion. As per the statistics suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO), it has been estimated that around 2.8 million people are bitten by snakes, and nearly 46 900 people die from snakebite every year.

The Middle East and Africa holds the lowest share of the global market due to slow development, lack of technical knowledge, and poor medical facilities.

Major Table of Content for Anti-venom Market:

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.2 Restrains

4.3 Opportunities

4.4 Challenges

4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment

4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

TOC Continued.!

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Market Highlight:

Bone metastasis is characterized by the spreading of cancerous cells from their original site to a bone. All types of cancer can show bone-metastasis. However, it is estimated that breast cancer and prostate cancer are commonly associated with the disease. The medical condition is frequent for spine, pelvis, and thighs. Urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, and hypercalcemia are some of the common symptoms of the disease. The increasing prevalence of bone metastasis is expected to be a major driver for the market growth during the forecast period. According to a study published in the Oncology Reviews Journal in 2017, the relative occurrence of bone metastasis was estimated to be around 65 to 75% for both breast and prostate cancers suffering patients, respectively. Moreover, the growing geriatric population, increasing healthcare expenditures, and increasing R&D in the market are estimated to drive the market growth during the forecast period.

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2016, approximately 60% of the total cancer patients aged 65 years or more. However, factors such as lack of healthcare services in low-income countries, the high cost of treatment, and related side effects are estimated to restrain the market growth during the forecast period. According to a study published in the Journal of Spine Surgery in 2017, the mean total cost of therapeutic modalities such as vertebroplasty was estimated to be about USD 14,114 in 2014. The global bone metastasis market is expected to grow at an approximate CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period

Top Players in Bone Metastasis Market:

Bayer AG (Germany)

Merck & Co., Inc. (U.S.)

Pfizer Inc. (U.S.)

Novartis AG (Switzerland)

Pharmalucence Inc. (England)

Koninklijke Philips N.V. (the Netherlands)

GENERAL ELECTRIC (U.S.)

Siemens AG (Germany)

TOSHIBA CORPORATION (Japan) and others.

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Bone Metastasis Market: Segmentation

The global bone metastasis market is segmented on the basis of type, diagnosis, treatment, and end-user. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into osteolytic bone metastasis, osteoblastic bone metastasis, mixed bone metastasis, and others. On the basis of diagnosis, the market is categorized into biopsy, blood test, imaging, and others. The imaging segment is sub-segmented into X-ray, bone scintigraphy, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and others. On the basis of the treatment, the market is segmented into medical therapies, surgery, medication, and others. The medical therapies segment is sub-segmented into chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, ablation therapy, and others. The ablation therapy segment is further segmented into radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, and others. The surgery segment is sub-segmented into vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and others. The medication segment is sub-segmented into pain medications, bone building medications, and others. The pain medication segment is sub-segmented into ibuprofen, morphine, and others. The bone-building medications segment is sub-segmented into corticosteroids, bisphosphonates, and others. The bisphosphonates segment is further segmented into teriparatide, pamidronate, medronate, and others. On the basis of end-user, the market is segmented into hospitals and clinics, diagnostic centers, pharmacies, and ambulatory surgical centers.

Bone Metastasis Market: Regional Analysis

America dominates the global bone metastasis market. This can be attributed to the presence of a well-developed healthcare sector, the increasing prevalence of breast cancer, and increasing healthcare sector within the region. Moreover, the presence of key players such as Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer Inc. within the Americas boosts the regional market growth.

Europe is the second in the global bone metastasis market owing to the availability of funds for research and a huge patient population. According to the Cancer Research U.K., approximately 55,122 new cases of invasive breast cancer were reported in 2015. On a regional basis, Europe is segmented into Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Western Europe leads the regional market due to the presence of developed economies within the region.

Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region in the global bone metastasis market. The presence of developing economies such as India and China, a developing healthcare sector, and the growing prevalence of cancer within the region drive the market growth in the region. Moreover, favorable government policies and increasing penetration of key market players within the region fuel the market growth.

The Middle East and Africa holds the least share in the global bone metastasis market, owing to the presence of poor economies, stringent government policies, and lack of healthcare services, especially within the African region. A majority of the market of bone metastasis in the Middle East and Africa is held by the Middle East due to the presence of a well-developed healthcare sector and huge healthcare expenditure by developed economies such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai, and others within the region.

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Major Table of Content for Bone Metastasis Market:

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope Of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.2 Restrains

4.3 Opportunities

4.4 Challenges

4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment

TOC Continued.!

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US, (Hindustan Times), 20 Sept 2018 - Several people were shot on Thursday in Perryman, Maryland, and residents were asked to avoid the area, according to authorities.



The situation is still fluid, the Harford County Sheriffs Office wrote on Twitter, adding that officers responded to the incident shortly after 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT). Agents from the Baltimore office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also headed to the scene, the agency said.



Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says his office is monitoring the situation in Aberdeen and that the state stands ready to offer any support

Perryman is 34 miles (55 km) northeast of Baltimore. The area of the reported shooting includes a church and a business district, and is near the Aberdeen Proving Ground, an Army facility.



The shooting occurred a day after a man entered a Pennsylvania court building and shot and wounded four people, including a police officer, before he was killed by police, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Heavy campaigning for self-nominated candidates is an indication of a huge crisis



In these messy situations, the Hitler type candidate can gain better validity



We need candidates who would back reforms the society endorses through serious dialogue

Media is agog with conspiracy theories over alleged assassination attempts on President Sirisena and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.



Importance of Gotabaya in such a plot cannot be thought of. But the President on any scale is extremely high profile and in a two-party Government that is into heavy conflicts, the alleged plot sounds eerie.



With an unstable coalition Government, it turns more serious with concerns raised about how investigations are conducted and in lack of trust declared on incumbent IGP.



Doubts, uncertainties, suspicions, all adding to the instability the alleged assassination plot creates in social mindset adds on to the search for presidential candidates for 2020 thats already on a high pitch.

The UNP said it. Candidate Sirisena promised it. The JVP vowed they would see it happened and the TNA believed it



Social media has taken the lead in the search for presidential candidates. Heavy campaigning on social media for self-nominated Presidential candidates is also an indication we are in a huge crisis, with no answers.



That would remain so, even if another president is elected in 2020 into this ever-growing crisis.



This uncertainty that seeps into the urban social psyche would help cement the search for a strong and clean presidential candidate.



In these messy situations, the Hitler type candidate can gain better validity. An exclusively Colombo middle class search, it is for one who could be a firm fit on the Sinhala Buddhist electoral corpus.



Criteria being what most Ven. Maduluwave Sobitha Thera drew up:



Democracy, good governance, transparency and accountability with the all-powerful executive presidency abolished.



Most glaringly, nothing was then said about a country that bled for 30 years fighting to consolidate a Sinhala Unitary State and was left divided as Sinhala and Tamil societies with the Muslim community vigilant over their fate.



The mediocrity of the urban middle class, professionals and academics included, was paraded publicly in their selection of presidential candidates within a completely failed economic model that over decades turned the State, political parties and professionals into schemers, liars and robbers.



Ridiculously ignorant about open market dynamics that lead to these growing uncertainties and crises all around, they reduced everything to An almighty Executive Presidency for the 2015 January Presidential Elections.



Ousting Rajapaksa, the 19 Amendment was the mantra for a clean and transparent Government.



Investigating into the alleged mega corruption of the Rajapaksa regime and booking any and all with substantial evidence was to be the crowning glory.



The UNP said it. Candidate Sirisena promised it.

These urban middle-class groupings looking for candidates have vested interests in who is elected, as the Colombo civil society leaders proved in 2015 with an awfully engineered, aimless Rainbow Revolution



The JVP vowed they would see it happened and the TNA believed such a Government would be decent enough to provide a durable and workable political solution to the North and East.



Present search for another suitable Sinhala Buddhist male candidate is an extension of that failed urban middle-class experiment.



Failed; though Colombo NGOs, Good Governance activists, Public Interest campaigners, Citizen activists, and very many others with even unknown labels vowed it would be Maithri Palanaya (Compassionate rule).



In the present rush, there was a Sri Lankan and an expatriate who think it is time to have a woman candidate with good credentials.



A proven, principled personality, who does not give in to political pressure.



This, on its own logic, is far timider than even the promise for a Yahapalana rule. This for me is an insult to the respected academic named in the proposal. The proposal is for a president-elect who could stand guard over an inevitable Rajapaksa Government, as the learned proposer argues.



That for sure is a stillbirth, far cruder than the miserably failed urban-based project which ousted Rajapaksa to leave a political vacuum in a Government that survives solely on the 19 Amendment.



A fractured Government thats slipping from one crisis to another, while 19th Amendment impinges on the sovereign right of the people to vote, in changing Governments.



Though theoretically and socially valid, the Good Governance always remains as an abstract demand of the urban middle class.



It is the urban middle class that is hastily searching for a Sinhala Buddhist presidential candidate with a promise to establish a Good Governance regime on nothing but personal credentials.



Learning no lessons, they believe a strong and clean President could this time avert uncertainties, instability and establish good governance.



The unconcerned ordinary villager, struggling against a crumbling economy to save their lives have meanwhile pinned his/her hopes on Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The LG elections proved it, The Galle Face May Day rally said it, and even the most disorganised, undisciplined of all protests I have ever witnessed, the Sept 5 Janabalaya Kolambata said it too, with massive numbers.



What makes a Rajapaksa come back and this time cannot be blown up big as the demon at the gate?



In the shortest time in post-independent history, this Yahapalanaya Government was proved the most tragic failure in governance.



It is seen as equally or more corrupt than the Rajapaksa regime. The first CBSL Bond Scam, a massive scam that even overshadows the Rajapaksas, was in just two months after forming the promised Yahapalanaya Government.



On public outcry, Law and Order Minister Marapana was forced out for his legal counselling in the Avant-Garde scandal.

The LG elections proved it, The Galle Face May Day rally said it, and even the most disorganised, undisciplined of all protests I have ever witnessed, the Sept 5 Janabalaya Kolambata said it too, with massive numbers



The same happened to Finance Minister Karunanayake who is now indicted for providing false evidence to the PCoI. Two weeks after Karunanayake was forced to resign, public outcry again had Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe resign, accused of interfering with the AGs Department to favour some members of the former Rajapaksa regime accused of mega corruption.



In this same Government, there are Rajapaksa allies accused of mega corruption holding Ministerial portfolios, while UNP Ministers themselves are accused of mega corruption.



Corruption remains the norm in society and in politics despite the change of Government.



The whole system remains corrupt, inefficient, parasitic and in total chaos.



It cannot be otherwise in this free market economy.



It is all about and only about living with FDIs. Massive concessions given during the past four decades for FDI would add up to trillions of rupees, denied to the people as revenue for social use.



This incalculable sum cannot in anyway be justified in terms of what the people have gained in return.



Education, health and public transport, three fundamental necessities for a society to live for the future, have all been left in a mess.



The rural economy is gasping for life with a hundred thousand young women migrating to the Middle East every year in search of a living income and a future life.

The monthly average wage of workers in the private sector with FDIs remains around Rs. 20,000 to 25,000 while the Census Department in its Household Income and Expenditure Survey says a family of four in urban society needs Rs. 54,000 to meet the basics.



FDIs dont mean anything to this growing national tragedy. Investors dont come here to invest for Sri Lankas prosperity. They are here only to export products that can fetch big profits in the global market.



Proving that investors come for big profits, employer associations and their own economic experts argue that labour laws should be relaxed and more concessions are given to investors with a veiled threat, they would otherwise leave for Vietnam, Bangladesh or elsewhere.

What have we gained with more and more concessions provided directly and indirectly?



The Labour Department, established 95 years ago to secure better employment in the private sector, is now changing into a department that gives priority to employers as investors.



Constitution of the country is openly violated with Fundamental Rights of all employees in export manufacture denied of their right to form trade unions and with that their right to collective bargaining.

In these messy situations, the Hitler type candidate can gain better validity. An exclusively Colombo middle-class search, it is for one who could be a firm fit on the Sinhala Buddhist electoral corpus.



That is, in a country, which is a signatory to ILO Conventions 87 and 98.



The sovereignty of the people has no functional validity. All opportunities to elect a genuine peoples representative have been usurped through law by the filthy rich the only profiteering lot in this open economy.



All mainstream political parties have become wholly dependent on funds organised by the filthy rich.



They basically run political parties now that know no democracy and want no democracy.



People merely vote for candidates decided by the filthy rich no matter what political shade.



Conspiracies and allegations about assassination plots are all part of the chaos this open market leaves with filthy richinterests.



The open market economy, in a nutshell, is one that created the filthy rich who virtually run the Government for investor profits, violating democratic and Fundamental Rights of workers and the people.



The Governments in open economies, though elected by the people, are for the benefit of the filthy rich.



Development for these Governments means creating megacities to suit the highflying lifestyle of the affluent and the filthy rich.



They leave space for urban middle-class professionals to earn an extra buck to be proud consumers in a market, the vast majority has no choice.



This certainly is no development in any sense. Development cannot deny democratic and Fundamental Rights and rob people for the benefit of a few filthy rich.



This crazy and aimless search for honourable Sinhala Buddhist candidates would have no answers to an incredibly corrupt, undemocratic elite system.



We need answers to the most pressing issues, far-reaching reforms to education, health, public transport and also the media, to be openly discoursed in society, before candidates are decided.



We need candidates who would back reforms the society endorses through serious dialogue.



These urban middle-class groupings looking for candidates have vested interests in who is elected, as the Colombo civil society leaders proved in 2015 with an awfully engineered, aimless Rainbow Revolution.
Today is World Alzheimers Day Sept 21

Preliminary studies show an Alzheimers disease prevalence of around 3-4 % in Sri Lanka Some drugs used in the treatment of Alzheimers disease are not available in government hospitals; we are keen that the government should supply these drugs At some point a patient may lose the capacity to make decisions such as the writing of their last will or being able to conduct their financial and legal matters

Once in a while, you tend to misplace your keys, forget about a cup of tea until its gone cold or even completely forget about what day of the week it is. But what if one day youre unable to recall your last meal, or simply fail to recognise a family member? For a person suffering from Alzheimers disease, this would be the harsh reality he or she is forced to live with.



As many as 200, 000 people in Sri Lanka are likely to be suffering from Alzheimers disease, the most common cause of dementia, according to Professor Shehan Williams, Department of Psychiatry, University of Kelaniya. There is no formal study which has been conducted island-wide, but preliminary studies show a prevalence of around 3-4 % which would mean around at least 200,000 people would be affected by Alzheimers disease in Sri Lanka at the moment, Prof. Williams said.



Dementia is a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. In dementia a person has progressive impairment of memory, intellect and cognition. There are many causes of dementia but the most common cause is Alzheimers disease, which is a degenerative disorder. It is something that people acquire late in life, usually when sixty or seventy years, but fairly also in their late forties and fifties, Prof. Williams clarifies.



What really brings it on? Nobody knows. It is certainly not the normal consequence of ageing. Not everybody develops this disease. Just because a person is old, it doesnt mean that they will have significant memory problems. There are people who live well up to 100 years and beyond and dont have any issues with their memory or intellectual capacity.



However with the onset of this disease, a persons memory and capacity starts declining. Medically it has been explained as a result of certain changes that take place in the brain. There is excessive amyloid deposition and what we call tau proteins which are deposited within the cells of the brain. The accumulation of these substances results in death of brain cells. Therefore over time the brain starts to shrink and the brain matter or cells decline. Particularly the areas related to memory and cognition are affected, so much so that most people -- although physically fit -- are initially unable to remember things. Theyre also unable to carry out their day to day activities and therefore may develop so many behavioural abnormalities, Prof. Williams explained.



Unfortunately even modern science has failed to discover a cure for this frightening disease. Prof. Williams tells us that there are some treatments which may delay the progress of the disease, but nothing can be done to stop it. That is exactly why we need to understand the nature of the disease, he adds. If possible we need to identify the disease early so that we can help people during the early stages and support them through the progression and possibly delay it. It also involves planning ahead because a patient may eventually come to a state where they even forget their family members, those near and dear to them. They tend to lead an existence from moment to moment, where they are unable to remember what is happening around them and interact meaningfully with others or their environment, underscores Prof. Williams.



Is memory loss always a problem?

The topic of a degenerative disease with symptoms of memory loss may be a concern for some of us. In Alzheimers however this tendency of forgetfulness can be identified specifically. Initially people start forgetting things that happen in the recent past. At first they wont even realise that they have memory issues. For instance a person would know where they went to school, details about the family or friends and so on. Those are however information they have from the past. That is perhaps stored in their mind. What becomes a problem is remembering day to day things. For instance they may not remember their meals or what they had before their evening tea. A family member would sometimes react to this thinking that this person is trying to be difficult. But the problem is that they have really forgotten that theyve had the tea, he said.



A person would start forgetting little things. They may not be able to find their belongings and would sometimes even accuse someone of stealing them. They may sometimes keep repeating the same thing on and on again because they forget that they have mentioned it before. We all tend to forget, so its a bit of a difficult call initially. Even though people do forget little things, which we call senile moments, those necessarily dont indicate dementia or Alzheimers disease. In Alzheimers symptoms are persistent, if it continues the family should perhaps visit a doctor and do a memory assessment. Any doctor in Sri Lanka would be able to help. They could go to the nearest hospital or clinic to discuss the issue where they will be referred or helped appropriately, opines Prof. Williams.



Diagnosing Alzheimers Disease

A doctor would do a series of assessments where they initially take a history of the patient, conduct a physical examination and look for certain signs of dementia. Prof. Williams says that Alzheimers may not be the sole cause of symptoms. There are several other diseases which may be affecting the memory, such as hormonal issues in hypo-thyroidism, or blood supply related issues known as vascular related issues.



A doctor would evaluate such a person comprehensively. Based on tests and investigations medical experts arrive at a conclusion about a person who has Alzheimers disease. Doctors would also ideally do a memory test, to screen for their scope, which would be derived by asking a few questions and asking the patient to do a few tasks. Based on all these findings the doctor would make the diagnosis of dementia and then try to look for causes of dementia.



However the issue is when people dont present themselves to screening services, according to Prof. Williams. Either the family members dont realise that there is a problem or they would assume that it is a part of the normal ageing process. Some of them are of the view that these conditions are treatable, they hope to get a better outcome or a better quality of life for the person with few medical interventions, he said.

What would happen if a person with memory issues is in denial of the condition, we ask. Thats a common situation. There are lots of people quite worried about their memory issues. There are others who really dont realise that they forget and that their functions are declining. It comes down to helping them and encouraging them while not being judgemental. They need help in understanding that they have an issue and also help in seekinng treatment. It is a gradual process, Prof. Willaims said. Former US president Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with dementia. Once he understood his condition he wrote a very endearing letter to his family and the people of America detailing his condition and helping them to come to terms with the condition, which is the key role the family and professionals have to take, he stresses.



Treatment

One of the most important aspects in the treatment of an Alzheimers patient is to evaluate and determine that all other parameters are normal. These would include any vitamin deficiencies and medical conditions which cause memory impairment which would have to be treated adequately.



Secondly improving the memory is considered. We would prescribe memory enhancers which are recommended globally to help the person function better. There are three types of drugs used in treatment but unfortunately they are not available in the government hospital. Its rather unfortunate but patients have to purchase these drugs on their own. For some people it can be rather expensive as the cost for a single tablet would be around Rs. 30 - 50. We are keen that the government also should supply these drugs, Prof. Willaims points out.



Patients are also encouraged to remain stimulated and use their brain more, during the initial stages of treatment. They have to keep themselves active both mentally and physically so that brain function is maintained. According to the expert, there would also have to be care planning. At some point a patient may lose the capacity to make decisions such as the writing of their last will or being able to conduct their financial and legal matters. They would also have to think of someone supporting them later on in life.



Prof. Williams emphasises that the support received from the family or caregivers plays a crucial role. They must understand that it is a medical condition. The family may have to adapt and cope with the situation. In the Sri Lankan context, initially people would opt for various solutions and treatments. Sometimes they even spend a lot of money on various unnecessary things because they dont understand the nature of the condition. This is because of some supernatural beliefs and may start doing various rituals. At other times some may scold or abuse elderly persons demanding that they take responsibility for themselves. They wont recognise that it is a condition and blame the patient for the way they are behaving. This could be very distressing for the patient, he said.



Prof. Willaims believes that most hospitals would be able to give families some direction and advice along with the treatment. Not just family, caregivers also would need help and support and this is where we dont have adequate support in the community. Improper care could result in worsening of the condition, he warns.



Patients can be managed in a usual situation where older people can be encouraged to do as much as they can which would be more beneficial overall. We need to have community based services, where elders can support each other or younger people can be involved. Training community nurses to help families with useful advice and tips would also be instrumental, Prof. Williams suggests.
Montreal (dpa), Sep 21, 2018-Canadas parliament unanimously adopted a motion on Thursday recognizing the brutal crackdown against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar as an act of genocide.



The motion introduced in the House of Commons by Liberal MP Andrew Leslie endorses the finding of a UN fact-finding mission that concluded crimes against humanity, sanctioned by the highest levels of Myanmar military, have been committed against the Rohingya and other minorities.

The motion recognizes these horrific acts as genocide and calls on the UN Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court.



The motion also calls for the senior members of Myanmars military to be investigated and prosecuted for the crime of genocide. However, it makes no mention of Myanmars de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is an honorary Canadian citizen, a status she shares with the likes of Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, the Aga Khan and Malala Yousafzai.
Brussels, (Daily Mail), 20 September 2018 - EU leaders today warned a Brexit deal is still far away despite Theresa Mays plea for them to end the deadlock in negotiations.



The Prime Minister is still struggling for a breakthrough after a ten minute pitch of her Chequers blueprint fell on deaf ears at a summit dinner in Salzburg last night.



Appealing for her counterparts to compromise, Mrs May flatly dismissed the EUs latest proposals for resolving the Northern Ireland border issue, saying they would break up the UK.



She also ruled out any delay to Britains departure from the EU in March  insisting there were no circumstances in which she would consider a second referendum.



But her fellow leaders - who received the speech in stony silence as they have vowed not to discuss Brexit directly with the UK - were unimpressed.



In a clear swipe at Mrs Mays proposals to align with EU rules on goods but not services, French President Emmanuel Macron today warned he would not accept so-called cherry-picking that undermined the EU single market.



Other leaders said the talks were at a standstill, and called for the UK to hold another public vote to reverse Brexit altogether. Meanwhile, Mrs May is facing a growing revolt at home with Tory plotters branding her deluded and calling Chequers as dead as a dodo.
BEIRUT AFP Sept20, 2018- Lebanons Hezbollah said Thursday it had acquired precision missiles despite extensive efforts by neighbour and foe Israel to prevent the Shiite movement developing this capability.



It has been done. The resistance now owns precision missiles as part of its weaponry, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address during the key Shiite commemoration of Ashura. Israel has said it is working to stop both Iran and Hezbollah from acquiring sophisticated arms.



Attempts in Syria to block the way towards this (missile) capability have failed, Nasrallah said.



If Israel imposes a war on Lebanon, it will face a fate that it never would have expected. Israel has fought several conflicts against Hezbollah, the last in 2006.



Nasrallah accused the Israelis of trying to kill him day and night. He has lived in a secret location for decades and rarely appears in public.

The Hezbollah chief also reiterated his support for Iran.
TOKYO (Reuters), SEPTEMBER 21, 2018- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet U.S. President Donald Trump next week as fears grow in Tokyo that Washington could demand that Japan curb its car exports to the United States.



Japan is hoping to avert any import curbs and potentially steeper U.S. import tariffs on its cars, and fend off U.S. demands for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).



Abe and Trump will hold a summit meeting on Sept. 26 on the sidelines of a United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, Japans top government spokesman said on Friday. To lay the groundwork for the summit, top trade negotiators of the two countries - Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer - will hold their second round of trade talks on Sept. 24.



Trump has made clear he is unhappy with Japans $69 billion trade surplus with the United States, nearly two-thirds from auto exports, and wants a two-way agreement to address it.
Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday warned of a tendency of a further rupee depreciation against the US dollar within the next few weeks.

He told parliament that not only the Sri Lankan rupee but also currencies of most Asian countries had depreciated during the recent past.

"Sri Lankan rupee has depreciated by 7.4 per cent while Indian rupee has depreciated by 13.5, Pakistan rupee by 12.1 per cent, Indonesian rupiah by 9.1and Russian ruble by 18.2," he said.

He said the value of the rupee was determined by the foreign exchange market and primary determinants of the demand for currency are import and export of goods and services and added that these basic indicators remained positive in the case of Sri Lanka.

"These indicators are moving in the correct direction," he said.

Mr. Samaraweera said in a move to control the outflow of foreign currency, the Central Bank on Wednesday imposed a 100 per cent cash margin requirement for LCs on non commercial vehicles with immediate effect.

"There was an influx of vehicles below 1000 cc during the recent past. New cash margin requirement for LCs would reduce the import of vehicles at this juncture. India has imposed regulations on non essential luxury items as well," he said.

He said imposition of minimum tax on vehicles less than 1000 cc and market determinant fuel price formula had been successful in curbing excessive import growth thus far.

He said it was wrong to term the depreciation of the rupee as a collapse of the economy.(Ajith Siriwardana)
India must be looking at Rajapaksas as possible future leaders of Sri Lanka



Swamy is a strong opinion maker in India despite him being highly controversial at times



Even recently, there was an occasion where a strong loyalist of Rajapaksa provoked Indian leaders



It is not a love affair, but a business deal



Rajapaksas dealings with Dr Swamy may jeopardize his moves to win Muslim vote

If there had been issues between the Indian Government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and if Modis Government was willing to refresh the relationship with Rajapaksa now, the best broker for the purpose would be none other than Controversial Indian politician Dr Subramanian Swamy.



Swamy, who is also a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led by Modi, visited the former President at the ancestral house of the latter in Medamulana, Hambantota when Rajapaksas younger brother Chandra passed away last month.



The first impression given by the visit was that Swamy had arrived at the island to express his condolences to Rajapaksa over his brothers death.



However, Swamy had extended an invitation to Rajapaksa to visit New Delhi, it was later revealed.



The invitation had been extended on behalf of Virat Hindustan Sangam, a Hindu Renaissance Organization founded by Swamy himself and Rajapaksa was also invited to deliver a public lecture on India-Sri Lanka Relation: the way ahead in the Indian capital during his three-day visit starting from September 10.



He attracted a considerable Indian media attention as well this time and The Hindu newspaper assigned two most senior journalists to interview him.



Incidentally, one of the two journalists happened to be Dr Swamys younger daughter Suhasini Haider.



Suhasini got the Haider tag by marrying Nadeem Haider, a Muslim and a son of former Indian Foreign Secretary and External Affairs Minister Salman Haider, despite Swamy being a strong Hindutva leader whose economic courses were terminated by the Harvard University in 2011 after he wrote two articles to two Mumbai based newspapers that were said to have demonized Muslims.



If the Indian Government had some hand in the invitation to Rajapaksa for his latest visit to New Delhi, their choice for the brokerage seems to be ideal, given the relationship between Dr Swamy and Rajapaksa.



Swamy, a strong opinion maker in India, despite him being highly controversial at times and a strong Hindu nationalist has been a close friend of the former President since the latter was in power.



He claims that he admires Rajapaksa as he was able to eliminate the Tamil armed group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).



Expressing his zeal over Rajapaksas visit on his invitation Swamy told News18 in India that he had invited great friend Rajapaksa in his individual capacity.

Giving Rajapaksas visit a national importance he said Ties with Sri Lanka have been weak over the last two years and I think we need to strengthen them, and added that an association with Rajapaksa would help improve ties between the two countries.



On September 10, Dr Swamy tweeted saying Today Fmr. President of Sri Lanka and probably the next President is arriving in New Delhi at the invitation of Virat Hindustan Sangam



He also said during his Sri Lanka visit that Mahinda Rajapaksa should be awarded Indias highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for exterminating the LTTE.

He argued that the former Sri Lankan President deserved Indias highest and most prestigious honour since he decimated the outfit which was also anti-Indian.

This was the second time he had made this suggestion, first time he made it in February 2012. However, both times it drew ire from the Tamil Nadu leaders.

Despite the invitation to Rajapaksa having been made in Dr Swamys personal capacity, he was awarded the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Modi and Government officials.



The former President also met Indian Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi and several other Congress leaders like former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on September 13.



Unlike the earlier visits by Rajapaksa to India the visit this time created an impression in both countries that he and the Indian Government had mended fences after a few years wrangling between them.



Towards the end of Rajapaksas regime, the relationship between him and the Indian Government had begun to strain as Indian Central Government was under pressure by the Tamil Nadu leaders to act against Sri Lankan Government over the alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka during the war.



Besides, President Rajapaksa, after promising Indian leaders that he would go beyond the 13th Amendment to the Constitution went back on his word. He accused the Indian foreign intelligence arm, the RAW for his defeat at the 2015 Presidential Election.



He made this allegation even during an interview with an Indian media, The Hindu in March 2015, apart from another statement he made to South China Morning Post where he said that the Americans, the Norwegians, Europeans and the Indian intelligence agency RAW were openly working to defeat him in the election.

However, in the later years, he was careful not to accuse India.



In an interview with Japan Times during a visit to Tokyo in 2016, the former President said he was defeated by the Muslims, which was more accurate, given the voting pattern at the last Presidential Election.



Even recently, there was an occasion where a strong loyalist of Rajapaksa provoked Indian leaders.



National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa called for a black flag protest during Indian Prime Minister Modis visit to Sri Lanka to take part in the celebrations marking the UN Vesak Day.



Speaking at the Joint Oppositions May Day rally last year Weerawansa alleged that Modi was to discuss a deal on Trincomalee during his visit which must be opposed.



However, Rajapaksa, having apparently realised the seriousness of the call by Weerawansa made a request to the Indian High Commission for an audience with the Indian Premier, when he was in Colombo in the same month for the Vesak Day celebrations, which was granted.



Indian leaders and Rajapaksa seem to have felt the need of each others embrace when it was apparent with the results of the Local Government elections in February, this year that the political trend had considerably changed in Sri Lanka.



The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna in which Rajapaksa acts as the de-facto leader had captured more than 230 out of 340 councils for which elections were held, giving fresh hopes of a comeback by Rajapaksas.



These hopes are being vindicated with the bickering in the ruling coalition which seems to be at its peak with President Maithripala Sirisena openly rolling back so many decisions of the Ministers affiliated to the UNP led by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.



Therefore, India must be looking at Rajapaksas as the possible future leaders of Sri Lanka.



On the other hand, Rajapaksas too need the friendship of the Indian leaders given the capacity India has in influencing the Tamil political parties in Sri Lanka, especially those that represent the people of Indian origin, at the future national elections.



Hence, what is blossoming is not a love affair, but a business deal.



Incidentally, Rajapaksas dealings with Dr Swamy have a potential to jeopardize his moves to win over the Muslims again, given the latters provocative attitude towards Indian Muslims and Islam.



Swamy had suggested to demolish hundreds of mosques in India and to declare only those non-Hindus can vote if they proudly acknowledge that their ancestors are Hindus in his above-mentioned articles published in Mumbai based Daily Newsand Analysis. However, Muslim vote would be essential for the SLPP as it had failed to garner 50 per cent of votes at the LG Elections, despite having captured 68 per cent of councils.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Canada and the United States showed scant sign on Thursday of closing a deal to revamp NAFTA, and Canadian officials made clear Washington needed to withdraw a threat of possible autos tariffs, sources said.



The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump wants to be able to agree a text of the three-nation North American Free Trade Agreement by the end of September, but major differences remain.



We discussed some tough issues today, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative

Robert Lighthizer.



Freeland, who has visited Washington four weeks in a row to discuss NAFTA, gave no further details.



Market fears over the future of the 1994 pact, which underscores US$1.2 trillion in trade, have been regularly hitting stocks in all three nations, whose economies are now highly integrated. While multiple deadlines have passed during the more than year-long negotiations to renew NAFTA, pressure on Canada to agree to a deal is growing, partly to push it through the U.S. Congress before Mexicos new government takes office on Dec. 1.



Canada says it does not feel bound by the latest deadline. Asked whether time was running out, Freeland said her focus was getting a deal that was good

for Canadians.

Trump came to power last year vowing to tear up NAFTA unless major changes were made to a pact he blames for the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Trump struck a side-deal on NAFTA with Mexico last month and has threatened to exclude Canada if necessary. He also said he might impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian autos exports, which would badly hurt the economy.



Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, Canadas largest private-sector union, who was briefed on the talks by Canadas negotiating team, said Ottawa insisted that the tariff threat be withdrawn.



Why would Canada sign a trade agreement with the United States and then have Donald Trump impose a 25 percent tariff on automobiles? Dias told reporters.

That for us is a deal breaker. It doesnt make a stitch of sense. We are a small nation, were not a stupid nation, added Dias.



Freeland said she would return to Canada on Thursday ahead of a two-day meeting of female foreign ministers she is co-hosting in Montreal. Early next week she will be in New York for a United Nations session.



Ottawa is under pressure from some sectors to abandon its insistence that a bad NAFTA is worse than no NAFTA.



Jim Wilson, the trade minister of Ontario - Canadas most populous province and heart of the countrys auto industry - met federal negotiators on Wednesday and tweeted on Thursday, It is imperative that the feds reach a deal.



The Globe and Mail newspaper on Thursday reported that U.S. negotiators want Ottawa to agree to capping its auto exports to the United States at 1.7 million vehicles a year, something that Canadian industry sources dismissed as unacceptable.



Separately, a Canadian source directly familiar with the negotiations said, We have not discussed a cap.
Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging think tanker, aspiring novelist, hanger on of academia, parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, Speedboat, proudly banned from Twitter so officially more dangerous than the Taliban, eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
A Diyawanna Green from an electorate adjoining a sacred city-based constituency is poised for a political somersault, they say.



Hailing from a well- known ge family in the area, the politico is reportedly telling all and sundry that none outside his family has a right to seek political power in their bastion.



The man is visiting the prominent party activists in their homes these days to treat them to a desparaging commentary about his own political party.



Meanwhile, he is said to be going out of the way to cultivate the friendship of the local leaders of an up-and-coming new political entity.
Human Hand  Trailblazer of Human Civilization-Part XXV

Unfavourable Yogas

Agnikanda Yoga



Description: A mark of a cross on the Mount of Mars and a line originating from the mount proceeding to the Mount of Dragons Head indicates the presence of this yoga.

Result : One who has this yoga could die in a fire accident.



Atmaghataka Yoga:

Description : A mark of a star on the third phalange of the finger of Saturn signifies this yoga.

Result : The person having this yoga has a strong suicidal tendency and may take his own life.



Arishta Yoga

Description : A mark of a star on mount of Saturn and a white mark on the first phalange of the finger of Saturn point to the presence of this yoga.

Result : The person afflicted by this yoga suffers constantly in his lifetime due to weird happenings often attributed to charms, spells and evil spirits.



Visha Yoga

Description : Several black spots on the Mount of Mercury indicate this yoga.

Result : The person having this yoga runs the risk of being deceived into taking some poisonous food or drink leading to fatal results.



Jalabheetika Yoga

Description : Appearance of black spots or points on the Mount of Saturn indicates this yoga.

Result: The person having this yoga may die from hydrophobia caused by a dog bite.
MOSCOW AFP, Sept21, 2018-Moscow said Friday Washingtons latest raft of anti-Russian sanctions that also target China undermined global stability, warning the United States against playing with fire. It would be good for them to remember there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties, deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement. Playing with fire is silly, it can become dangerous, he added. We recommend that Washingtons operators of the sanctions machine at least superficially acquaint themselves with our history to stop going round in circles. On Thursday, the United States expanded its sanctions war against Russia to China, for the first time announcing punitive measures against a Chinese military organisation for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles.
SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore Airlines said yesterday it has stopped accepting lion bones for cargo after the carrier was singled out in a report for transporting the animal parts from South Africa.



Campaigners have long called for a ban on the controversial trade in big cat bones, which are sought after for medicine and jewellery in Southeast Asia.



Singapore Airlines was the sole carrier importing lion bones from South Africa to Southeast Asia last year, according to a report released in July by the non-profit EMS Foundation and animal rights group Ban Animal Trading. At least 800 lion skeletons had been exported with the blessing of the South African government in 2017, the report said, making it the worlds largest exporter of lion bones.

The airline told AFP it had stopped accepting lion bones as cargo, but did not say when the policy had come into effect.



Singapore Airlines does not accept the carriage of lion bones as cargo following a review which took into account increasing concerns around the world, the company said in an email.



EMS Foundation director Michele Pickover said her organisation had sent the report to the airline and appealed to them to immediately stop its involvement in this terrible trade.



I believe that once they were informed about what this trade entails they took the correct and logical decision not to support it, she told AFP.



South Africa has been sending lion bones to Southeast Asia since at least 2008 and it was likely that Singapore Airlines had been transporting them since that year,

Pickover added.



Lion bones and other body parts are highly sought after in parts of Southeast Asia -- particularly Laos, Thailand and Vietnam for use in jewellery and for their supposed medicinal properties.



In Vietnam, lion bone is cooked and turned into balm while claws and teeth were used as body ornaments, the report said.



While trade of body parts from wild lions is banned, international treaties allow the sale of parts taken from lions bred in captivity.
Three SLFP rebel group frontliners, MPs S.B. Dissanayaka, Dilan Perera and Thilanga Sumathipala yesterday urged President Maithripala Sirisena to take over the Law and Order Ministry immediately under his wings and remove IGP Pujith Jayasundara from his post.

They alleged that there was a real threat to the lives of President Sirisena and Gotabaya Rajapaksa as exposed by Police informer Namal Kumara and added they believed that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was behind the conspiracy.

They said that the UNP and the 23 SLFP members in the government have taken the conspiracy lightly and not uttered a word on the seriousness of the attempt on the lives of the two despite the fact that it posed a threat to the national security and democratic rule of the country.

The UNP says that there was a conspiracy hatched by DIG Nalaka Silva to assassinate President Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Rajapaksa as exposed by Namal. This is a serious matter but it seems both the UNP and the SLFPers in the government are not concerned at all. Only Deputy Minister Sriyanai Wijewickrama talked about the seriousness of the attempt on the lives of President Sirisena and Rajapaksa and demanded a thorough investigation, Mr. Perera said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)
WB report says climate change to impact GDP, living standards

Northern and North Western Provinces emerge as top two hotspots

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam

Rapid changes in climate conditions have put Sri Lanka under direct threat and will make it a hotspot, where failing to take corrective measures and ensuring their implementation will hinder the countrys development agenda and living standards, the World Banks latest report on climate change revealed yesterday.



While much emphasis has been paid over the years on factors such as rising sea levels, the report stressed that the increase in average temperature and precipitation will negatively impact on the countrys gross domestic product and thereby the standard of living.



However, already facing the consequences are South Asian mega cities such as Chennai, Dhaka, Karachi, Kolkata and Mumbai. The four mega cities have been identified as climatic hotspots as they are already vulnerable to extreme events.



A hot spot is defined as a location where changes in average weather will have a negative effect on living standards.



For Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, it was stated that while negative impacts are sizable under climate scenarios, they are more severe under the carbon intensive scenario.



In Sri Lanka, the Northern and North Western Provinces emerge as the top two hotspots, followed by densely populated North Central Province.



With the Northern Province being home to a large number of poor and displaced people, the effects of climate change will add a challenge to its recovery.

The highly urbanized Western Province will also not be spared as it is predicted that the region will experience a 7.5 percent decline in living standard by 2050.

Amongst the districts, it is said, Jaffna emerges as the top hotspot, followed by Puttalam, Mannar, and Kilinochchi.

Given that the five out of ten most vulnerable districts are in the Northern Province, changes in the average weather and vulnerability must be considered for future planning and development activities in that region. The analysis concluded that Sri Lankas average annual temperatures could rise by 1.0C to 1.5C by 2050 even if carbon emission reduction measures are taken as recommended by the Paris Agreement of 2015.



If no measures are taken average temperatures in Sri Lanka could increase by up to 2.0C. According to World Bank Lead Economist Muthukumara Mani, while weather changes will result in lower per capita consumption levels that could further increase poverty and inequality across South Asia, identifying climate hotspots will help policymakers prioritize resources and actions in specific locations and communities where they are the most needed. Development is the best adaptation strategy, since it is associated with improved infrastructure, market-oriented reforms, enhanced human capabilities, and stronger institutional capacity to respond to the increasing threat of climate change and natural disasters, he said during the report launch event in Colombo.



It was recommended that ensuring good development outcomes is the best strategy to build resilience to changes in average weather and improve hotspots.

While interventions must be tailored according to the needs of the respective countries, it was stressed that the interventions must account for differences in local conditions between hotspots.
The fast-growing boutique technology solutions firm, Auxenta, is proud to be named as one of 30 Most Innovative Companies to Watch for 2018, rubbing shoulders with some of the leading tech firms around the globe. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, USA, Auxenta is an innovative software engineering services and technology product consulting company. It works with enterprises, independent software vendors (ISVs), startups and nonprofit organizations. The ethos of the company is to enable digital transformation by leveraging a focused set of service offerings. Its global clients are distributed into multiple industry verticals including Telco, Financial Services, Logistics, Security, Capital Markets, Apparel and Manufacturing. Auxenta offers high value IT services complemented by innovative software products. Having its roots in Sri Lanka, the firm was founded in 2014 in the global startup capital, Silicon Valley.

Commenting on the inclusion of Auxenta in the prestigious listing, Prasath Nanayakkara - Chairman and CEO at Auxenta said, We are delighted to be named as one of 30 Most Innovative Companies to Watch 2018 by US-based business magazine Insights Success, which is an honour roll of leading tech firms. Our rapid growth can be attributed to our talented technical staff, commitment to latest technologies, and innovative frameworks and processes which set us up for success as we help our customers succeed.

The company was recognized through numerous awards which include the Best Startup of the Year in 2016 by the Computer Society of Sri Lanka. Auxenta has also received key client accolades such as the Innovation Award at the Fleet Transport Awards in Dublin, Ireland.

Auxentas plan is to come up with disruptive products and services by incubating them within Auxenta Innovation Labs. Moreover, the company is nurturing and proving internal talent through best-in-class customer solutions and significantly investing into its training and development. It is also generating innovative IP in the areas of Cloud, CRM, machine learning and testing.

Auxenta inaugurated a new office space in Colombo in 2017 to inspire its product innovation teams. Auxenta is active in US, UK, Ireland, Singapore, Australia, UAE and Sri Lanka across the continents of America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Tanzanian rescue workers scrambled Friday to find scores of people feared drowned after a ferry capsized in Lake Victoria, Africas largest lake, killing at least 79 people.



The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers double the ferrys capacity when it capsized close to the pier on Ukara Island on Thursday afternoon, according to reports on state media.



At the moment the death toll is 79, said Mwanza governor John Mongella, quoted on state television on Friday.



The number of those found alive after Thursdays disaster remained at 37, with no more survivors found since rescue operations resumed with police and army divers Friday morning.



Rescue operations were suspended overnight and hopes are fading that more survivors might still be found, more than 18 hours since the vessel sank.



The state broadcaster cited witnesses reporting that over 200 people had boarded the ferry at Bugorora Island where it was market day when locals said the vessel was commonly packed with people and goods.



I have not heard from either my father or my younger brother who were on the ferry. They had gone to the market in Bugorora to buy a school uniform and other supplies for the new school term, said Domina Maua who was among those seeking information about loved ones.



Sebastian John, a teacher, said such tragedies had become part of life for those living on the lake.



It remains unclear how many people are still missing.

Daily Mail, Sept21, 2018
The peace festival with the theme of Heavenly Culture on Earth, Onward to a World of Lasting Peacewas held at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in South Korea, a spot of 2014 Asian Games. On the occasion of the 4th Anniversary of the World Alliance of Religions Peace (WARP) Summit, this outdoor event invited world political leaders, religious leaders, and social representatives from women and youth groups, educators, and media along with citizens from across the country.



Meanwhile, on September 18th, leaders of the two Koreas have met in Pyongyang, North Korea, for the third meeting for inter-Korean reconciliation.



According to the host organization, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), the peace parade contained the message about the peaceful world that the global village dreams of achieving through religious harmony, peace education, and international law for peace.



In particular, a parade featuring the desire for peaceful reunification of the two Koreas with 70 years of division attracted spectators from around the world. Collecting international supports for a unified one Korean state by peaceful means is one of the HWPLs peace initiatives.



The attendees including Donald Ramotar, former President of Guyana, Viktor Yushchenko and former President of Ukraine along with 27 former and current presidents took part in the peace festival.



At the end of the festival, the whole stadium was filled with lights and the chants of 100,000 attendees, shouting We are one! wishing for a harmonious world of peace.

Commemorative photo of the event
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Thailand Orders Four More Airbus H225M



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Nacional

El Gobierno creara una oficina para gestionar los casos de malos tratos por parte de las fuerzas de seguridad
Anine Bing, a Los Angeles, CA-based luxury fashion brand, closed a $15m Series A financing round.

The round was led by Index Ventures, Greycroft Partners and Felix Capital.

The company intends to use the funds for continued retail expansion, digital growth, technology and analytics to drive consumer insights and decision making, and personnel.

Started in 2012 by Anine Bing, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, and Nicolai Nielsen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Anine Bing is a luxury fashion brand inspired by Scandinavian simplicity and American energy.

The house currently has eight retail stores in the following locations: West Hollywood (Los Angeles), Soho (NYC), West Village (NYC), Paris, London, Berlin, Barcelona, and Madrid. Anine Bing is to open its second Los Angeles store at the Rick Caruso complex in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in September and is planning to open two more stores in 2018. Several new additional stores will be opened before the end of 2019, with a combination of international and domestic locations.

FinSMEs

21/09/2018
Magikbee, a Braga, Portugal-based edtech startup, secured a $250k round of funding.

The latest round, which valued the company at $3.3m, is funded by:

 Portuguese angel investor Ideias Glaciares, which also led the first round,

 Bluemind Investments, and

 James Fitzgerald, Global Vice-President of cloud services company ServiceNow, who will join Magikbees Board.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to develop its product portfolio and grow globally.

Led by Hugo Ribeiro, CEO, Magikbee has developed a number of innovative technologies in the education segment including Magik Play, a set of interactive building blocks that synch with the iPad, and a video streaming app for preschoolers called kiddZtube.

In addition, the company recently launched Magik Book, a paper catalog that links to a tablet, with digital content synchronized to each page.

Magikbee is a member of the Portuguese Startup Braga Innovation Hub and a Microsoft Ventures partner.

FinSMEs

21/09/2018
uBiome, a San Francisco, CA-based microbial genomics company, raised $83m in Series C financing.

The round was led by OS Fund, with participation from 8VC, Y Combinator, Dentsu Ventures, and additional new and existing investors. In conjunction with the funding, Joseph Jimenez, the former CEO of Novartis, joined uBiomes board of directors to support therapeutics development.

The company intends to use the funds to:

 enhance and expand its product portfolio

 leverage insights gained by building a large microbiome database to expand into drug research and development using pre-existing patent assets and industry research collaborations, not data sales

 accelerate and expand commercialization of SmartGut, SmartJane, Explorer and other clinical tests under development, including companion diagnostics

 begin commercialization of biopharma molecules and live biotherapeutics based on mining of existing IP

Founded in 2012 by Jessica Richman, Ph.D., CEO, uBiome combines its patented proprietary precision sequencing with machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop wellness products, clinical tests, and therapeutic targets.

Its commercial products include:

 SmartGut, a doctor-ordered stool test that identifies microbes in the gut for patients with chronic gut conditions such as IBD, IBS, Crohns Disease and ulcerative colitis;

 SmartJane, a doctor-ordered womens health test that genotypes all 19 clinically relevant strains of HPV, identifies four common STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and mycoplasma genitalium), and surveys more than 20 vaginal microbes associated with bacterial vaginosis and other conditions; and

 Explorer, a consumer product to understand the role that food and lifestyle can play in gut wellness.

The company has over 200 patent assets, including seven issued patents in the United States relating to sample collection, laboratory automation, computational approaches, and molecular techniques, as well as diagnostic signatures and therapeutic targets. It has a large human microbiome database, with over 250,000 samples (the largest in the world by 25x), projected to grow to more than one million samples in 2019.

uBiome has partnered with more than 200 research institutions around the world, including the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard University, Stanford University, University of California, San Francisco, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Oxford University, and the University of Sydney.

The company also opened its new therapeutics headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, both to support its new drug discovery and development efforts.

FinSMEs

21/09/2018
.               .             ,               .  ,          ,          ...
Veteran sprint car driver Greg Hodnett was killed in a racing accident at BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Penn., on Thursday night.

The 49-year-old Pennsylvanian reportedly lost control and rolled his car into the Turn One wall of the short dirt track, dying on impact.

The York Daily Record reported that an autopsy will be performed on Saturday to determine the exact cause of death, and that the crash is being investigated.

Hodnett was the World of Outlaws rookie of the year in 1993 and won 20 races in the series over the years. His last came at the Knoxville Nationals in August, where he beat NASCAR regular Kyle Larson, who paid tribute to him on Twitter, writing that Ive always felt Greg was one of the best to ever strap into a sprint car and accomplish the things he has across the country. Feel honored to have had some great battles with him over the last few years! RIP

Although the BAPS Motor Speedway race was not a World of Outlaws event, the sanctioning body offered its condolences to the Hodnetts family and called him one of the most popular drivers in Pennsylvania.

To me, Greg represented the true gentleman competitor in the pit area, wrote World of Outlaws CEO Brian Carter in an official statement on his passing.

Hodnett was a second generation sprint car racer, having followed his father Hoyette into the sport. Hoyette died in 2012 at age 69 and Gregs last tweet was a message marking his birthday, September 14.

Wishing my father in heaven a Happy Birthday. Sure do miss him.

With AP
With all of the electric car projects underway these days, you might think the world needs another one like it needs another hole in the ozone layer.

And thats exactly why Rivian Automotive CEO RJ Scaringe wants to build battery-powered trucks instead.

He founded the company straight out of engineering school in 2009 intending to develop low-cost, efficient hybrid cars, but soon switched his focus to full-electric power and followed the broader market shift to pickups and SUVs.

Now hes 35, has 450 employees, is sitting on half a billion dollars of funding, and is just weeks away from debuting his companys first two creations at November's Los Angeles Auto Show. They're a full-size pickup and three-row SUV that are set to go on sale in 2020 and shouldn't have much competition when they do.

Sure, Tesla has promised to introduce an electric pickup at some point, but it has a few projects to get out of the way first, while the major truck makers have no plans to build fully-electric off-road trucks anytime soon. Only fellow startup Bollinger Motors is targeting a similar timeframe for the boxy, bare bones SUV it revealed last year.

Although their bodies are still under wraps, Rivian has already shown the platform that will be the foundation for its trucks, and it sounds like the stuff dream machines are made of.

The aluminum frame is fitted with a gigantic battery array between its rails, four electric motors and an air suspension system that can lift and lower the vehicles. Rivian claims the trucks will boast 800 hp, 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 3 seconds, a range of 450 miles, more than a foot of ground clearance and the ability to plow through hip-deep water. Theyll also be capable of hands-free semi-autonomous highway driving, of course, and do a neat trick youve never seen before and that Ive been sworn to secrecy not to divulge.

Bars dont get set much higher than this, but Scaringe appears unfazed by the challenge of creating the automotive equivalent of an electric Swiss Army knife.

We wanted to make sure we deliver something thats exceptional on road, exceptional off road, and at the same time doing those performance elements, still very usable. So it can fit your family, your kids, your gear, your stuff very easily in the vehicle, he says.

Scaringe describes their style as luxurious and sophisticated, but in a way that you wont feel bad about getting them dirty. Think old school Range Rover, or a fancier Jeep Grand Cherokee, which happened to be designed by Rivian VP of Vehicle Design Jeff Hammoud. Prices for the initial models will be in the $90,000 range, but less potent versions will be offered from $50,000 as production ramps up.

Given the technology involved, those prices seem optimistic for a startup needing to generate revenue, but Scaringe says theyve designed the platform from the start to be built efficiently and profitably.

It will attempt to do both at a factory outside Bloomington, Ill., in Normal that Rivian bought from Mitsubishi last year for $16 million, and has already recouped a couple of million from by selling leftover equipment it wont be needing. Along with the finished vehicles, Rivian is also producing its own battery packs at the facility using cylindrical cells provided by an as yet undisclosed source. State tax incentives for bringing jobs back to Illinois could amount to more than $50 million over time if the project comes to fruition.

In the short run, Rivian is aiming for volumes in the tens of thousands, but has an eye on adding additional models that will push that into the hundreds of thousands later in the 2020s. For now, Scaringe is focused on getting the first two out of the factory gates.

Sales will initially be direct to consumer, but the company is in talks with potential distribution partners to enable its growth across the country and internationally. Part of that may come from licensing the technology to the same automakers that left the door open to Rivians imminent arrival in the marketplace.

This story has been updated to clarify the location of Rivan's factory
How would you react if a celebrity hit you with their car?

One teen  Leo Marenghi, of Los Angeles, California  said he didn't mind too much, considering he got a photo with Ashton Kutcher out of it.

"Got hit by a car today... But it's ok because it was by Ashton Kutcher," Marenghi said in an Instagram post Tuesday after the "Punk'd" star allegedly drove into him with his black Tesla.

Marenghi told TIME that he was riding a scooter on the way to babysit for a family friend just before Kutcher knocked into him.

"I got up, and he was getting out of the car at the same time," he said. "[Kutcher] was like, 'Oh my God, I'm so sorry, are you OK?'"

The teen said when he "looked up and realized it was him" he said: "Yeah, I'm fine, are you Ashton Kutcher though?"

MILA KUNIS REVEALS SHE ARGUED WITH A FAMILY MEMBER OF ASHTON KUTCHER OVER TRUMP

Since Marenghi only experienced some soreness after being hit, he asked Kutcher for a photo, and a nearby security guard snapped a few.

"I called my mom and my sister, but they didnt believe me. Good thing I have that picture," he said. "Im so glad I was OK, because it changes the whole experience from something that could have been bad to a really cool experience."
Ashunta Winfield is still haunted by the gruesome death of her childhood friend and neighbor Jessica Chambers.

The former cheerleader, who had big dreams of becoming a nurse, was just 19 when she was burned alive in 2014.

The teen was doused with a flammable liquid and set ablaze, and was discovered emerging from the woods near her burning car wearing only her underwear. More than 93 percent of her body was badly burned. She died hours later at a Memphis hospital.

Quinton Tellis, 29, was charged with capital murder in the death of the Mississippi native. Prosecutors claimed he lied repeatedly to investigators about spending time with Chambers in the hours before she was found, presenting cellphone data to show their phones were in close proximity the night of the murder.

But in late 2017, a judge declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach an unanimous decision.

Winfield chose to come forward in a new Oxygen docu-series, Unspeakable Crime: The Killing of Jessica Chambers, to describe her late friends life.

Winfield told Fox News she knew Chambers from a very young age.

She was very feisty, but she was really loving to everybody, said Winfield. She was a person that didnt see color or anything like that. She loved all people. She was a really, really good person.

Winfield explained that while both women attended school together throughout their childhoods, she went off to study at Mississippi State University. The pair eventually lost touch. Nearly two years before Chambers died, Winfield came to visit her family in town. It was the last time she saw Chambers alive.

She told me she got a job. She was very excited to be working. She was doing well, Winfield recalled.

When Winfield ultimately received that fateful phone call from her mother, she initially thought it was a cruel rumor.

I was very, very confused, she admitted. I was shocked. I was really hurt. Just knowing the type of person that she was, I knew she didnt I dont think anyone deserves to die in that matter.  When [my mother] told me she was burned, that really just took it back for me.

"I could not believe it. I could not wrap my mind around how someone would do such a thing.  Ive never heard about anyone getting burned alive. It really made me cringe. I just couldnt believe that little bitty Jessica would go through something like that.

I remember the times where she would come get my brother and sister, and she would teach them how to do backflips. She would take them to the store down the road from our house.  She didnt tell me all of her deepest, darkest secrets, but she did tell me a lot in the time that we were growing up together, riding the school bus together.

Winfield also shared she knew of Tellis, who went to school with one of her older brothers. While she wasnt a friend of his, Winfield was perplexed by the accusations made against him.

I just didnt really know how to feel, she explained. I was trying to figure out how they could be in any way connected together. I just dont see why he would have done that to her, but I also hadnt been in town for about two years, with me being in college.

"I was really confused. I just kept thinking in my head like, This cant be the right person. It seemed more of a crime of someone who just wasnt familiar with our small town.

Winfield added that Chambers never brought up Tellis during their conversations. She also said their age difference would have made it unlikely for them to be friends.

We never talked about him, she said. Thats what confused me when his name came out. I never heard her say anything about him ever.  I didnt see how they could have come together at some point.

Prosecutor John Champion told jurors Tellis mistakenly believed he had suffocated Chambers before setting her on fire along a rural Mississippi road in Courtland, where she lived with her family.

But defense attorneys said Chambers told firefighters on the scene that a man named Eric set her on fire, not Tellis. Several first responders testified that Chambers, whose lips were charred, said the name Eric." She did not provide a last name.

The state also relied on testimony from nationally renowned burn expert Dr. William Hickerson, who said Chambers would probably not have been able to speak clearly  given the soot inside her throat and severity of her injuries.

Law enforcement, including Mississippi Bureau of Investigation agent Tim Douglas, also testified that hundreds of Erics and Dereks were ruled out in the months-long investigation that led to Tellis indictment. He said investigators pursued leads in places as far away as Des Moines, Iowa, and Chatanooga, Tenn.

Douglas acknowledged he spent several days interviewing a local man named Eric who had interactions with Chambers, but told jurors, He absolutely was eliminated 100 percent.

In closing arguments, defense attorney Darla Palmer questioned whether the suspicious person reported by firefighters at the scene was ever investigated. Palmer and her co-defense attorney Alton Peterson suggested that authorities turned their focus on Tellis because they needed a suspect after months of dead-end leads.

Winfield believed there should have been a more extensive investigation to find a potential suspect named Eric or Derek.

Personally, I feel like someones dying words should definitely be listened to and shouldnt just be pushed under the rug, she explained.

Winfield said she wasnt familiar with someone named Eric or Derek. But when it comes Tellis innocence, Winfield said shes unsure.

I cant say that he did it, I cant say that he didnt, she said. Im on the fence with the evidence that was brought forth.

In the documentary, it was revealed the trial has divided up the small town.

I know for a fact Jessica wouldnt want it to be like this, especially in her name, said Winfield. There were people in our hometown saying someone black did it. There were [other] people in our hometown saying someone white did it. There were even people saying that a member of her family had something to do with it.

A retrial is scheduled for Sept. 24.

Winfield is hoping justice will finally be served to her friend.

There was a lot said about her and I just want people to know who she was, said Winfield. Everybody has their thoughts. I would never say that Jessica was innocent in a lot of things. I would never say that because I know everyone has their faults.

"Even though I was in school for a long time and we didnt get to hang out as much as we did when we were younger, I want people to see and know that Jessica was really a good person.

"Unspeakable Crime: The Killing of Jessica Chambers" airs Saturdays at 7 p.m. on Oxygen. Fox News Cristina Corbin and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bill Cosby will not be forced to face a parade of accusers at his upcoming sentencing, a judge ruled.

Montgomery County prosecutors had asked Judge Steven ONeill to consider the testimony other accusers when he sentences the 81-year-old next week, which would have left Cosby facing significantly more jail time.

Yet ONeill on Thursday shot down that request, saying that in his exhaustive review of Pennsylvania law, he found no precedent that would allow him to weigh uncharged conduct in his sentencing.

Cosby has been accused by some 60 women of various drug-facilitated sex crimes, ranging from assault to rape.

The aged entertainer was convicted at retrial of three charges of aggravated indecent assault for the 2004 drugging and molesting of Andrea Constand. He faces up to ten years behind bars on each count.

Five other women took the stand alongside Constand to describe being attacked by Cosby  including former supermodel Janice Dickinson  as prosecutors tried to prove the assault on Constand wasnt an isolated incident.

While the judges decision bars any other accusers from testifying next week, his Thursday ruling gave prosecutors 24 hours to clarify whether or not they intend to have Heidi Thomas, Chelan Lasha, Janice Baker-Kinney, Janice Dickinson, or Maud Lise-Lotte Lublin give statements at the sentencing.

Both Constand and Cosby will also be given chances to address the court.

ONeills Thursday ruling comes just a day after he smacked down a second defense attempt to get him tossed from the case.

Cosby is scheduled for sentencing Monday, Sept. 24. The proceeding is expected to last two days.

This story originally appeared in the New York Post.
Kanye West addressed his feud with Drake on Thursday in a video posted to social media in which he addressed rumors about the Toronto rapper having a sexual relationship with Kim Kardashian.

West and Drake have feuded after it was revealed earlier this year the Chicago rapper could have ended the disses between Pusha T and Drake. Pusha T went on to reveal that Drake had a secret child, with Drake snapping back at Pusha T and West with his own disses.

However, rumors swirled that Drakes hit song off the album Scorpion was really about Kardashian  and West has taken issue with the speculation.

The fact that is people making rumors or thinking that you f----d my wife and you not saying nothing and carrying it like that, that dont sit well with my spirit, West said in an Instagram video.

He then addressed the In My Feelings song.

If I had a girlfriend from Chicago, her name was Renita, and then you was married to Rihanna, I wouldnt make a song called Riri, West said. So when youre like, Oh I dont know where that comes from, you too smart for that. You know where that come from. Dont make a record with nothing that can be confused.

West also had an issue with a track Drake played for him that included Kylie and Kendall Jenners names on it. He said the track was going to be offensive to Kylie Jenner.

The I Love It rapper ended his rant demanding that Drake stops talking about his family.

Period, its like dont speak on nobody from my family. Nothing that can even be mentioned with my wife, period. We dont have to talk again, Im not giving no energy to that, he said.

While most of Wests rant was about Drake, he also took the time to blast Nick Cannon  who he accused of fueling the rumor about Drake and Kardashian.

Cannon said on Complexs show Everyday Struggle earlier this month that it wasnt a far off concept that the pair couldve had a sexual relationship.

"The fact that is people making rumors or thinking that you f----d my wife and you not saying nothing and carrying it like that, that dont sit well with my spirit."  Kanye West

I understand that you used to date my wife, but you know you giving an interview don't mention my wife," he said. If someone brings my wife say, Hey I respect that man I'm not speaking on that.' Don't be making no suggestions like nobody f----- my wife.

Kardashian already shot down the rumor earlier this month, saying Never happened. End of story.
This royal has some sticky fingers.

Prince Harry was captured sneakily stealing some food and hiding it behind his back while at an event to launch Meghan Markle-sponsored cookbook, "Together," at Kensington Palace.

The cookbook features recipes by women from a variety of London communities and looks to raise money for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire that left 72 people dead last year.

MEGHAN MARKLE LAUNCHES CHARITY COOKBOOK WITH MOTHER DORIA RAGLAND, PRINCE HARRY AT FIRST SOLO EVENT

Prince Harry was captured by news cameras strolling with a couple of samosas in his hands behind his back. The royal smiled at the cameras when he realized he had been caught.

Markles mother, Doria Ragland, was also at the event, marking the first time she has been seen with her daughter since the May wedding. Markle said she was inspired to create the book after she visited the Hubb Community Kitchen in North Kensington.

MEGHAN MARKLES ULTRALIBERAL POLITICAL VALUES ARE CAUSING ISSUES WITH PRINCE HARRYS FRIENDS, CLAIMS ROYAL WRITER

Earlier in the day, the prince helped fix Markles hair while she was posing for a photo. The couple were captured laughing together following the hair incident.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
iStock/Thinkstock(LONDON) -- More than 100 Uber Eats couriers blocked roads in London on Thursday to protest what they said is a significant cut in pay by the company.

The couriers, riding scooters and motorcycles, chanted "no money, no food" as they shut down traffic outside Uber Eats's London headquarters for the second day in a row.

The protesters said they were striking in response to the company's announced changes to minimum delivery rates that would affect couriers' pay, according to The Guardian.

They dont have access to sick pay, holiday pay and other benefits. They depend on their salary for everything and so the fact they have a pay cut is more problematic for them, said Henry Chango Lopez, president of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, who said he attended the protest to show solidarity, told ABC News.

The company's change in rates means that some couriers could see their pay per delivery drop nearly 40 percent from 4.60 (equivalent to about $6) to 2.80 (about $3.66), Lopez said.

Uber Eats said in a statement that it changed its payment structure to increase earnings during busy times and that it was setting minimum, hourly-payment guarantees during the transition to the new system.

In response to feedback from couriers weve made some changes to our payment structure in London, which brings it into line with other cities," the company said. "The changes will help increase earnings during busy mealtimes and, as we transition to the new system, were introducing minimum payment guarantees of 9-11 an hour."

The couriers' protest comes as Bloomberg reports that Uber is in talks to acquire Deliveroo, a food delivery service in Europe and one of Uber Eatss bigger competitors in the region.

Earlier this summer, a group of 50 Deliveroo couriers, represented by the Independent Workers Union, won a six-figure payout after the company denied workers minimum wage and holiday pay because they were considered to be self-employed.

There is no reason for these cuts other than to make more profits for the company and exploit the workers more than they already exploit them said Lopez.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Rosie ODonnell took to Twitter to mock the age of prominent Republicans, calling on Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, to retire  despite lefty leaders being the same age.

Grassley and hatch - too old - they should be done - come on - at thanksgiving we don't let the 85 year olds carve the turkey #retire, ODonnell tweeted.

Hatch, the Senate president pro tempore and third in the presidential line of succession behind Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan, and Grassley are two of the GOPs most prominent members. Many Hollywood liberals, including ODonnell, are currently upset that many Republicans continue to support Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh amid sexual harassment allegations.

Grassley is 85, while Hatch is 84 years old. But several prominent Democrats are in the same age range. Liberal icons Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Dianne Feinstein are both 85, Maxine Waters is 80, Nancy Pelosi is 78 and Bernie Sanders is a spry 77 years old.

A 2014 Gallup poll showed the average retirement age is 62.

ODonnell, 56, has a decades-old feud with President Trump and she has been an outspoken critic of his administration. Some of her followers were offended by her call for the older Republicans to retire.

I hate to bring this up but discriminating against someone because of their age is just as wrong as any other form of discrimination. Their behavior was the same decades ago. Approaching 70 myself, I'll match wits with you any time you'd like, one user wrote.

Not cool, another follower added. Plenty of 85 year old people are as sharp as ever.

Just last year, CNN published a story headlined, The Democratic Party has an age problem, that noted the ongoing problem with the advanced age of some liberal leaders.

Democratic leaders across both the legislative and executive branches are generally older than leadership on the other side of the aisle, CNNs Ryan Struyk wrote before noting the average age of Democrats on Capitol Hill was 61, while the average Republican was 57.2 years old.
Tess Holliday responded to Piers Morgan after the British TV host criticized the model for her size 20 physique.

On Wednesday, Holliday celebrated her body shape by sharing a photo of herself in a lace bra and underwear on social media. The model then said in the photo caption, "Damn that looks good."

But Holliday was later slammed for her fuller figure by Morgan.

Morgan shared the picture of Holliday on his Twitter page and wrote, "This is very sad. She badly needs better friends, who are going to be more honest with her & explain she is dangerously overweight & should do something about it."

Holliday, 33, then lashed out at the TV host and said, The last two weeks youve been obsessed with me, she wrote. Makes me feel like youre almost into thicker girls and too afraid to admit it.

Despite Morgan's comments about the plus-size model, Holliday has been making a name for herself in the fashion world, recently posing for the cover of Cosmopolitan U.K.

And though Morgan also tweeted that the model's cover was glamourizing obesity, Holliday explained in a recent interview with "Good Morning America" that she ignored his words and didn't let them get to her.

Unlike Piers Morgan, I dont need to troll people to stay relevant, the mother of two told "GMA." I get to have an awesome job and do what I love and hopefully change peoples lives.

She continued, Im at the heaviest Ive ever been in my life now and it took me being the heaviest to finally love myself, she said. I was a US size 16 to 18 my entire life before I had Rylee [her first son, who she had at age 20]. I look back on those photos now and I dont wish I was that size, but what I wish is that I loved myself 120 pounds ago."
A church group in Birmingham, Ala., pooled together a whopping $900 for their Dominos delivery man, all because they thought the driver could use a blessing.

DOMINO'S CUSTOMER ARRESTED FOR PLACING EMPLOYEE IN HEADLOCK OVER WRONG ORDER

Senior Minister Garry Brantley of the CrossBridge Church of Christ told ABC 33/40 that his congregation got the idea to reward the anonymous driver after his associate pastor walked into their local Dominos last week and learned that the driver was working multiple jobs to support his family.

[He] went into this establishment and asked is there anyone in here who could use a blessing," Brantley told the outlet.

The group later arranged for the driver to drop off a delivery order on Sunday, where he was rewarded with the $900 tip.

DOMINO'S PIZZA CUTS PROMOTION PROMISING FREE PIZZA FOR LIFE TO THOSE WHO GOT BRAND'S LOGO TATTOOED

The employees manager, Camron Donahoo, told to ABC 33/40 hes never seen anything like it.

I mean theres good tips but nothing like that where theres life-changing money, added Donahoo.
MMA champion Conor McGregor has finally released his much-hyped whiskey, and has already inked a sponsorship deal.

As part of his new six-fight contract with the UFC, McGregors Proper No. 12 Whiskey will be a sponsor at each of his six upcoming fights, ESPN reported on September 21.

Dana White, the president of the UFC, reportedly made the announcement himself during a press conference on Thursday ahead of UFC 229 on Oct. 6, when McGregor will square off against Khabib Nurmagomedov in Las Vegas, according to SB Nation.

CONOR MCGREGOR ALLEGEDLY BLASTS TENNESSEE WHISKEY ON INSTAGRAM: ITS 'A CRIME'

McGregor, who appeared at Thursdays press conference with a bottle of his whiskey sitting on a table in front of him, also claimed that his brands name and/or logo will be on the mat during the fight.

"You bet your b----cks it is, he said, according to ESPN. On the canvas. On the canvas. Like [Nurmagomedov's] blood will be on the canvas.

CONOR MCGREGOR ANNOUNCES HE'LL 'TAKE OVER IRISH WHISKEY MARKET' WITH SIGNATURE BRAND

The mixed martial artist announced the release of his new Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey earlier this week, after initially announcing his intentions to 'take over the Irish whiskey market' after his fight against Floyd Mayweather in August 2017.

It became a longer and more complicated project than originally expected, so McGregor turned to the worlds oldest whiskey distillery, located in Ireland, with a proven history of quality whiskey making," according to a press release.

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The 80-proof single-malt whiskey is launching in the United States and Ireland this month.

Fox News' Alexandra Deabler contributed to this report.
A Pennsylvania community is mourning the death of a 10-year-old girl who was discovered unresponsive at a sleepover on Sunday morning. Sophia Daugherty, a fifth-grader in New Castle, was a Type 1 diabetic, and her family said she suffered an extreme drop in blood sugar at some point during the night.

She was rushed to UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh with brain trauma and a herniated brain stem, WPXI.com reported. Her family members started a GoFundMe page to keep supporters updated on her condition, where they announced that she died on Wednesday.

MOM DIAGNOSED WITH 2 CANCERS GIVEN WEEKS TO LIVE

We lost sweet Sophia, an update posted to the page late Thursday said. She went home to heaven on Wednesday September 19, 2018 at 3:44 pm. She was surrounded by her family and friends. She no longer suffers from this disease. Your prayers and support are priceless.

Len Rich, the Laurel School District superintendent, said the 80-student class was in shock.

She was a popular little girl, Rich told WPXI.com. The most commonly used adjective was 'sweet'  sweet Sophia. Shes going to be sorely missed.

COUPLE WEDS IN HOSPITAL DAYS BEFORE WIFE'S CANCER DEATH

Type 1 diabetes inhibits the bodys ability to produce insulin, which is needed to transfer glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. According to the American Diabetes Association, about 1.25 million Americans are living with type 1 diabetes, with an estimated 40,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Insulin therapy can help patients manage their condition.

The family said they planned to donate Sophias organs, with her services planned for the weekend.
A North Carolina couple who fled their Wilmington home ahead of Hurricane Florence gave birth to a healthy baby boy in Charlotte earlier this week. Danny Hudgins and Lindsey Latimers son, Grayson James Hudgins, made his grand entrance far away from storm on Sept. 18 at Carolinas Medical Center, Fox 46 Charlotte reported.

I know 100 percent we made the right decision to evacuate, Latimer said, according to the news outlet. It was intimidating getting in the car in the midst of a storm, 39-weeks pregnant and leaving behind the doctors and nurses we were familiar with.

GIRL WITH DIABETES DIES AFTER BLOOD SUGAR DROPS DURING SLEEP OVER, FAMILY SAYS

But Grayson was born healthy, weighing 8.5 lbs. and measuring 21 inches, and the couple is more than grateful for the help they received away from home.

We know things could have been a lot worse, but God took care of us, Latimer told the news outlet.

WOMAN'S SWOLLEN PINKIE WAS RARE SIGN OF TUBERCULOSIS

Another North Carolina couple welcomed their babies far away from home earlier this month after Florence sent them in the direction of relatives in Florida. Marine Cpl. Nicholas Digregorio and his wife, Danielle, left Camp Lejeune just days ahead of their twin babies arrival on Sept. 13.

While the base was not evacuated, the couple didnt take any chances and headed 12 hours away to family in St. Augustine. Danielle went into labor and reportedly had a C-section at Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, delivering two girls named Scarlett and Sadie.
In the age of social media, people are more image-conscious than ever before. From Snapchat filters and editing apps to the perfect lighting and ideal angle, there are dozens of tricks people deploy to look their best in photos.

This selfie awareness has an increasing number of people taking it one step further and turning to the professionals to alter their looks. According to an annual survey by The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), 55 percent of facial plastic surgeons saw patients who want to look better in selfies in 2017, a 13 percent increase from the previous year, with many of these patients under the age of 30.

One procedure thats gaining popularity is double chin reduction. With the advent of the filter, people are able to remove the double chin before posting on social media....and they realize that they like their new appearance, said Dr. Melissa Doft of Doft Plastic Surgery in New York City.

When it comes to removing submental fat (the small bulge under the chin), there are several options that can tackle the area, from completely non-invasive to simple outpatient procedures done under local anesthesia.

CoolSculpting:

Coolsculpting, a specific brand of cryolipolysis, is a non-invasive body contouring treatment that can be performed under the chin, among other areas of the body. CoolScultping technology targets the fat cells beneath the skin, cooling them to a temperature that causes them to die off and eventually be metabolized by the body over the course of eight to 12 weeks.

The CoolMini, a small applicator designed specifically to target under the chin in order to create a more sculpted looking jawline, reduces fat cells by about 20 percent after one treatment, which takes about 40 minutes.

DOMINOS DRIVER EARNS $900 TIP FROM CHURCH CONGREGATION WHO LEARNED HE 'COULD USE A BLESSING'

Patients sit with the applicator under the chin while a machine creates a suction as it cools the area. It can be slightly uncomfortable for the first few minutes until the area goes numb. After the device is removed, the technician will massage the skin for a couple minutes. The treatment area will have a slightly frozen, bulging feeling post-procedure until the fat cells begin to die off.

Patients find this treatment a great alternative [to other double-chin reduction procedures] because there's no discomfort or downtime and there are lasting results, said Eugene Kagansky, Director of BodyFactory Skincare and CoolSculpting Specialist. CoolSculpting is cost-effective, you see amazing results in one treatment.

Some downsides to this option include soreness and swelling of the treatment area. It can also take a while before patients see results and CoolSculpting doesnt generally eliminate as much fat as other alternatives.

While the price can vary depending on the number of treatments required, CoolSculpting can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $2,000.

Kybella:

Kybella is a cosmetic injectable approved by the FDA in 2015 that promises to dissolve the fat under the chin with little downtime. The main ingredient is deoxycholic acid, a synthetic version of a naturally occurring molecule in the body that aids in the breakdown and absorption of fat.

A healthcare provider will make multiple small injections under the chin in order to treat the excess fat. After the procedure, you will likely experience swelling and numbness with possible bruising at the injection site. According to Health Line, in clinical studies, 59 percent of people needed six treatments of Kybella to get their desired results, though many only needed two to four.

MCDONALD'S CUSTOMERS WHO HUNG FAKE POSTER IN RESTAURANT FOR 51 DAYS GET $25G CHECKS FROM FAST-FOOD CHAIN

While Kybella is often marketed as an easy and non-surgical alternative to liposuction, there is still some debate over whether its the best choice.

Kybella works, its just not always presented right, Robert Anolik, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the NYU School of Medicine, told Allure. Kybella is not a no-downtime alternative to liposuction  there will be swelling and tenderness  but it is a nonsurgical alternative, which carries fewer severe risks.

Dr. Doft told Fox News she almost always recommends liposuction over Kybella, as she finds it more effective. Although Kybella offers an easy fix to remove the fat with a few pinpricks, as patients learn more about it, they realize that multiple treatments are necessary. With each treatment, patients experience swelling and numbness, says Dr. Doft.

The cost of Kybella can add up quickly, with it averaging between $1,200 and $1,800 per treatment.

Mini-Liposuction:

Liposuction, often performed to remove excess fat around the abdomen, can also be administered under the chin. Mini lipo, as some doctors call it, involves a small canula inserted through holes under the chin in order to suck out the fat. The holes are then closed with a couple of stitches. The entire process only takes about 20 minutes and is performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia. Dr. Doft prescribes her patients a Valium to take before the treatment to help calm nerves then numbs the area entirely to alleviate any potential discomfort.

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Unlike CoolSculpting and Kybella, patients can see visible results immediately after the procedure is done. However, some swelling will occur and can take up to six months before all the swelling is gone and skin tightening has occurred.

When I offer mini-liposuction, patients are thrilled. It is one procedure, one downtime, minimal bruising, minimal discomfort and 100 percent fix, Dr. Doft told Fox News.

The cost is equivalent to two treatments of Kybella but most patients need more than two treatments of Kybella to be satisfied. Furthermore, the action of liposuction will lead to slight tightening of the neck skin which Kybella will not, she said.

Liposuction performed under the chin and on the neck costs about $3,600.
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Once again, California has the highest poverty rate in America. According to the U.S. Census Bureaus most recent report, the Golden States Supplemental Poverty Measure averaged 19 percent between 2015 and 2017.

Nationwide, poverty dropped in 2017 from 14.7 percent to 14.1 percent, but Californias rate was proportionately 35 percent higher than the national average.

In spite of (or perhaps to divert attention from) its high poverty rate, Californias left-wing political class continues its unrelenting sermonizing to the rest of us.

Big drivers of Californias poverty are: costly rents (second-highest in the nation after Hawaii); expensive electricity (highest in the lower 48 states outside of New England); heavily taxed and high-priced gasoline (second-highest after Hawaii); and high state taxes, combined with heavy housing and environmental regulations.

Some California politicians justify high taxes by pointing to the states generous welfare benefits, including a vigorous expansion of Medicaid.

However, the Census Bureaus Supplemental Poverty Measure, in use since 2009, considers a wider array of government assistance than does the old Official Poverty Measure, which doesnt even look at cost-of-living differences between the states.

For a path out of poverty, a job beats welfare every time. But in high-cost California, having a job and receiving government assistance isnt enough to lift millions of residents out of poverty.

California wasnt always a high-cost state. But over time its dominant Malthusian, anti-people philosophy made housing hard to build, while government officials refused to invest adequately in new roads or water infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Californias wealthy elites, who largely live close to the temperate Pacific coast, are pushing energy policies that threaten even higher costs for electricity and commuting.

The California Legislature passed a bill signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown that lays the groundwork for the state getting 100 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2045.

In the same legislative session, a Democratic lawmaker proposed a law that would ban the sales of new gasoline-powered cars by 2040. It didnt get a hearing.

In late August, news out of San Diego highlighted a 28.5 percent jump in electricity rates  with one homeowner complaining about a $900 electric bill to cool his 1,379-square-foot house only a mile from the ocean.

Misery loves company and California wants to share its misery nationwide.

Gov. Brown calls the Trump administrations pro-energy policies insane and bordering on criminality. Brown has urged other states to follow Californias example.

Meanwhile, Tom Steyer, the billionaire California environmentalist who made his money the old-fashioned way  on coal, oil and natural gas  now reportedly harbors ambitions of replacing President Trump in the White House as he spends millions of dollars to gather meaningless signatures on impeachment petitions.

Steyers latest project: resisting Trumps energy policies in the states through ballot initiatives or by convincing unelected regulators to copy California ruinous renewable energy gambit.

If California is Americas Yin, Texas is its Yang.

Where California has high taxes, including the nations highest marginal income tax rate, Texas has low taxes, with no income tax at all.

Where California has heavily-regulated electricity markets with draconian mandates for solar and wind energy, Texas has free markets with electricity selling at a little more than half of Californias prices (while producing five times as much wind power to boot).

And where Californias endless environmental delays halt the building of homes, roads, and new reservoirs, Texas welcomes construction.

The divergent policies in Americas two most populous states have consequences.

In 2017, the U.S. Census Bureau calculated that, of Americas four major demographic groups  non-Hispanic whites, blacks, Asian-Americans and Hispanics  the lowest poverty is among the white and Asian-American categories.

The Census Bureau estimated that 52.4 percent of Californias population last year was non-Hispanic white or Asian-American. In Texas, those two groups comprised 47 percent of the states residents. Yet Californias three-year poverty rate of 19 percent was almost a third higher than Texas 14.7 percent.

The Lone Star State has its own challenges. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican running for a second term this year, has frequently warned of the danger of Texas being California-ized through city level bag bans, fracking bans, (and) tree cutting bans (that form) a patchwork quilt of bans and rules and regulations that is eroding the Texas model.

Further, property taxes  the domain of ostensibly non-partisan local government  are soaring in Texas, even as the heavily Republican state Legislature has modestly cut statewide taxes.

More ominously, the states continued rapid growth is prompting increased pressure from both liberal and conservative homeowners on their city and county elected officials to put the brakes on new housing, slowing construction and contributing to a quickening rise in rents.

For Texas, and America, the lesson should be obvious: for human thriving, freedom beats government control  dont be like California.
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As the battle over Brett Kavanaugh rages on, pundits continue to speculate about what an unproven sexual-misconduct claim might mean for the future makeup of the Supreme Court, for subsequent nominations and for the credibility of the #MeToo movement.

In the halls of Capitol Hill, the question centers on a much more immediate and political question: the fate of the Republican Party. The overwhelming verdict  on right and left  is that if Judge Kavanaugh goes down, so too does the GOP in the upcoming midterms.

For now, the distinguished circuit-court judge is on track for confirmation. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has handled Christine Blasey Fords 36-year-old accusation with enormous accommodation, inviting her to give evidence in any manner of her choosing  a public or private hearing, in Washington or California, in person or over the phone. Her decision to join with partisan Democratic calls for an FBI investigation, and her refusal to provide testimony in any form for a Monday hearing, has troubled Republican senators who insisted she be heard.

Tennessees Bob Corker put the point clearly in a tweet on Monday: Republicans extended a hand in good faith. If we dont hear from both sides on Monday, lets vote. Even undecided Republican senators understand the Democratic playbook and appreciate how unjust it would be to allow a vague, uncorroborated claim to derail Judge Kavanaughs career and reputation  especially if his accuser wont even put her claims in the Senate record.

Keep reading Kimberley Strassel's column in the Wall Street Journal.
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I have been writing a lot about the power of a big-choice election in November.

This week, Texas Republicans won a special election for a state Senate seat in a district along the Mexican border. Every Republican campaign in the country should study this race carefully.

You may not have read about this GOP victory, because the liberal national media is not exactly excited to report that Republicans reclaimed a seat they had not held in 139 years. The liberal media is especially shy about reporting on a Republican victory in a district that Hillary Clinton carried by nearly 12 points in the 2016 presidential election.

From the lefts standpoint, this victory is even more frightening because the district is 73 percent African-American and Hispanic.

Furthermore, at a time when people are touting gigantic Democratic voter turnout and lagging Republican participation, this special election runoff had twice as many voters as the last Texas state Senate special election runoff in February 2015.

In fact, the turnout for this race went up from 26,207 in the first round of the election to 44,487 in the runoff, according to Sam Taylor with the Texas Secretary of States Office. The Republican candidate received 23,576 votes to the Democrats 20,911.

Pete Flores, the Republican victor, spent 27 years as a game warden. As Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told me: Flores was tireless as a campaigner. He put 7,000 miles on his car during the last five weeks of the campaign.

In many ways, the Flores all-out, personal campaigning resembled President Trump in the last weeks of the 2016 campaign. This is a good reminder to Republicans that campaigns matter, and you cant predict who will win six weeks out from an election.

Flores had run four years earlier and lost by 20 points. Now he is the first Hispanic Republican state senator in Texas (yet another reason the liberal media is avoiding talking about the race). Since Flores defeated former Democratic U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego, his victory has some extra punch to it.

Patrick said this race was a classic example of a big-choice campaign. He had read my recent paper, The Republican Choice for 2018: Win or Lose, which outlines the importance of big- choice campaigns over small-choice campaigns and said this was a perfect example of the potential for a big-choice campaign to overwhelm the media bias (a point Brooke Rollins had also made to me).

The big choices in this 17-county border district were:

Right to life versus tax-paid abortion. As Catholics, many Hispanic voters simply wont vote for liberals who are for tax-paid abortions. Of course, every Democrat who is campaigning for free government-run health care is campaigning for tax-paid abortion.

Safe borders versus dangerous gangs. As Patrick explained, most law-abiding Hispanics support controlling the border, stopping criminals and keeping their community safe from gangs like MS-13. He pointed out that he campaigned four years ago on repealing the sanctuary city law in Texas and got about 50 percent of the Hispanic vote. Floress own campaign website clearly states: Our borders must be secure, and our communities must be safe.  We will make Texas borders secure and a bad place to be for criminals and gangs. We are and must remain a state where the rule of law reigns.

Gun rights versus gun control. Many Hispanic voters strongly support the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. They distrust and oppose liberals who want to have government control their guns.

Local rule versus centralized bureaucracy. Most Hispanic voters favor smaller government, lower taxes, and more community rather than Washington controls (or Austin controls in this case).

Work versus welfare. There is a strong work ethic in the Hispanic community, and the job-creating power of the Trump system is being admired and applauded. Currently having the lowest Hispanic unemployment rate in history is a real asset for Republicans in the 2018 campaign.

Matt Walter, the president of the Republican State Leadership Committee, noted that this was the 38th Republican special election victory this year  more than the Democrats have won. This makes you wonder how big the supposed blue wave is going to be if the Democrats keep losing actual elections  when the people, rather than the media, have a voice.

So every Republican candidate, campaign, professional and activist should look carefully at this Republican victory in Texas. They should realize that election night on Nov. 6 could be an even bigger upset  with even more shocking and decisive Republican victories  than election night 2016 was.

This upset can take place:

If we have the courage to make the November midterm a big-choice election.

If we have the courage to campaign on issues that the American people support  even if the liberal media hates them and despises us for raising them.

If we are willing to go into every neighborhood and every precinct and appeal to every American of every background.

If we are willing to challenge liberal lies and distortions head-on and force the left to admit they are not true.

If we do this at the national level, in the media, and at the local level in each campaign.

If we pick up the big-choice themes that President Trump is beginning to lay out (note his recent rally speech in Montana).

These are the lessons of the great victory in the Texas State Senate District 19 special election. It is not based on a theory. It is based on real victories, in real elections.

Now, we must believe act and fight. Victory in November is there for the earning.
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A year after Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, New York Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday said the island was still a colony of the U.S. that deserves real self-determination.

Today marks 1 year since Hurricane Maria. A year later, Puerto Rico is still in shambles, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Some things to advocate today: 1. PR is still a colony of the United States. The island deserves real self-determination. We must say that to fix it.

Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S. and is not among the countries included on the United Nations list of what are considered non-self-governing territories.

In follow-up tweets, Ocasio-Cortez highlighted her views on climate change, labeling it an economic, environmental, and social justice issue.

ONE YEAR AFTER HURRICANE MARIA, PUERTO RICO MORE VULNERABLE THAN BEFORE STORM, GOVERNOR SAYS

Additionally, she said making investments towards rebuilding impacted communities with sustainable infrastructure (energy & otherwise) should be sought amid reactions to natural disasters, like hurricanes.

Rebuilding should be treated as a moment to update & modernize. Rebuilding things exactly as they were sets up for a repeat, she cautioned.

Ocasio-Cortezs comments come a week after President Trumpwas criticized for rejecting the storms updated official death toll, which increased last month from 64 people dead to 2,975.

Separately, Trump touted what he described as the incredibly successful response to the back-to-back hurricanes that hit the island in 2017.

TRUMP IGNITES FIRESTORM OVER NUMBER OF HURRICANE-RELATED DEATHS IN PUERTO RICO

Hurricane Maria caused the island about $140 billion in damage, Gov. Ricardo Rossello told Fox News. And he feared that the next hurricane could break it all apart again.

We have some stronger infrastructure that has been put in, the governor said. But all weve done right now is essentially lift up the old system, and in some parts its even more vulnerable than it was before Maria.

Ocasio-Cortez entered the forefront of the political sphere after she issued a shocking primary defeat to Rep. Joe Crowley, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, in New Yorks 14th House District race in June.

Fox News Samuel Chamberlain, Phil Keating, Andrew OReilly and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill Thursday requiring that California middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., saying the decision of when to start classes should be up to schools not the state.

Supporters of the bill cited research that says delaying school start times could result in better grades, attendance and graduation rates.

A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics said insufficient sleep for teens was "an important public health issue that significantly affects the health and safety" of adolescents.

State Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who carried SB328, cited that study and one by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that both suggested schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later to help students get the optimal amount of sleep of at least eight hours a night.

Middle and high schools in California start their school day on average at 8:07 a.m., according to the CDC study.

Critics of the La Canada-Flintridge Democrat's legislation say kids could just go to bed earlier.

But it's not so simple, the CDC study said, noting that as adolescents go through puberty their biological rhythms typically shift so they get sleepy later at night.

"The combination of delayed bedtimes and early school start times results in inadequate sleep for a large portion of the adolescent population," said the CDC study. It found that approximately 70 percent of high-schoolers do not get sufficient sleep.

Opponents of the bill don't dispute the research but said school boards should decide how to run their schools, which Brown agreed with.

"This is a one-size-fits-all approach that is opposed by teachers and school boards," Brown said in a statement Thursday, noting that several schools have already moved to later start times while others prefer to start the school day earlier. "These are the types of decisions best handled in the local community."

The California School Boards Association and the California Teachers Association were among those that fought the legislation. They argued for local control, saying schools should be the ones to assess their communities' needs given the diversity of California's school districts.

Eric Heins, president of the CTA, said that later start times could also result in unintended costs and consequences, particularly for working parents who might have to arrange childcare or struggle to get to work on time if dropping their kids at school later. There could also be added costs to school districts if they needed to pay for additional buses to accommodate the time changes, he said.

Opponents had rejected a different version of the legislation last year. A revised bill, which added an exemption for rural school districts, passed the Legislature in August.
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Senate Democrats on Thursday called for the FBI to investigate threats against Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault more than three decades ago.

But they pointedly did not request a similar probe of threats against Kavanaugh or his family.

In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and joined by all Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., calls for federal authorities to take "immediate action ... to investigate potential federal crimes against Dr. Christine Blasey Ford."

The Democrats, saying the threats involve laws against interstate threats of violence, as well as federal witness intimidation and obstruction laws, add in the letter that they "strongly believe that how Dr. Blasey Ford is treated in this moment reflects upon how seriously our nation treats credible claims of sexual assault, and whether we have learned from past mistakes."

A crowdfunding campaign started by a Georgetown law professor has raised more than $200,000 for Ford, ostensibly to help defray her private security costs and raise funds for "women's organizations.'

READ THE DEATH THREATS SENT TO KAVANAUGH, FORD (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE)

The Democrats do not mention threats against Kavanaugh or his wife, Ashley, in the letter, nor do they request any other FBI actions relating to Kavanaugh. Fox News has confirmed the contents of some of those threats against Kavanaugh's family, which is receiving protection from federal agents.

"Please tell your rapist, lying, cheating, corrupt b---h of a husband to put a bullet in his ugly f-----g skull," one email to Kavanaugh's wife this week read. "My condolences to you for being married to a rapist. Although you probably deserve it."

"Please tell your rapist, lying, cheating, corrupt b---h of a husband to put a bullet in his ugly f-----g skull."  Email to Ashley Kavanaugh

Meanwhile, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., a member of the Judiciary Committee, vowed Thursday that Democrats would doggedly investigate Kavanaugh even if he is confirmed by the Senate.

"As soon as Democrats get the gavels," Whitehouse told CNN -- referring to control of the Senate -- they will "get to the bottom" of the allegations.

And Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said late Thursday that while he would not threaten or promise any future investigation, "more facts will come out, inevitably."

Blumenthal, also a member of the Judiciary Committee, told CNN on Thursday evening that the FBI should also investigate threats against Kavanaugh or "any other public official."

Earlier Thursday, Ford's attorneys said she would be prepared to testify next week" -- apparently backing off their bid for the FBI to first launch a new inquiry into her allegations against Kavanaugh.

In an email to the Judiciary Committee obtained by Fox News, Ford lawyer Debra Katz indicated Ford would appear as long as senators provide terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."

PURPORTED WITNESS DELETES ONLINE ACCOUNT AFTER INCONSISTENCIES EMERGE

As you are aware, she has been receiving death threats, which have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and she and her family have been forced out of their home, the email continued. She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety.

Senate Republicans had invited Ford to testify at a hearing on Monday, and gave her a Friday deadline to indicate whether she would attend.

For his part, Kavanaugh, in a letter to the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, indicated he would be ready and willing to testify on Monday. "I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name," he wrote. "Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity."

But a Monday hearing appears unlikely. In the letter Thursday, Ford's attorney wrote that it is not possible" for Ford to testify on Monday. She added that "the committees insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event."

Ford's openness to testifying threatened to once again impact Kavanaugh's confirmation process. Senate Republicans had said that if Ford stuck to her apparent refusal to testifiy, they would have moved forward with a vote on Kavanaugh on Wednesday. That vote is now in doubt.

TOP DEM ADMITS SHE'S NOT SURE KAVANAUGH ACCUSER BEING ENTIRELY 'TRUTHFUL'

However, the attorneys concluded: "Her strong preference continues to be for the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow for a full investigation prior to her testimony."

In a series of tweets earlier Thursday, the Judiciary Committee said it has been doing just that, and had already interviewed -- under penalty of felony -- three of the four members at the party where the alleged sexual assault occured, including Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge.

Ford's "attorneys say there needs to be an investigation, which is exactly what the committee has been doing all week," the GOP members wrote. "And we would love to hear from Dr. Ford. Democratic staff is invited to participate fully every step of the way."

Ford, who has acknowledged she could not remember exactly when or where the alleged sexual assault incident happened more than three decades ago, had been under intense pressure to make her allegations against Kavanaugh under oath. She reportedly had asked a friend over the summer whether she had ever confided in her that she had been sexually assaulted, and was told that she had not.

Kavanaugh denied the allegations when he spoke under oath with Senate Republican staff earlier his week, Fox News has learned. Democratic Judiciary Committee members and staff refused to participate in those closed-door proceedings.

The California professor said she was reluctant to come forward and did so only because her hand was forced by the media. She wrote a letter outlining her allegations in July that was received by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., but Feinstein did not mention them to other senators or federal investigators until last week.

Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has said she was motivated by a desire to protect Ford's identity, but Republicans countered that she could have mentioned the allegations without naming Ford.

GRASSLEY UNLOADS ON FEINSTEIN FOR 'SITTING' ON EXPLOSIVE SEX ASSAULT ACCUSATION

According to a scathing letter sent by the committee chair, Chuck Grassley to top Democrats this week, Feinstein actually compromised Ford's privacy by waiting so long and allowing information about her letter to leak to the media just days before a key vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Grassley, R-Iowa, also blasted Feinstein for failing to disclose to Republicans an unredacted version of the July 30 letter she'd received.

"I cannot overstate how disappointed I am," Grassley wrote, charging that Feinstein "chose to sit on the allegations until a politically opportune moment."
At a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday evening, President Trump blasted Democrats for obstructing his plans to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border and urged voters to go to the polls to push back against a Democratic "blue wave" in the midterm elections.

They know we want the wall, Trump told the raucous crowd at the Las Vegas Convention Center. They want to oppose it. They want to obstruct it. They want to resist. You know their campaign. They want to resist.

Trump was in town to stump for Nevada Republican Dean Heller, who is facing a midterm challenge for a U.S. Senate seat by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jacky Rosen.

He mocked Rosen, calling her "Wacky Jacky."

Heller, who once said he opposed Trump, has allied himself with the president after Trump persuaded Danny Tarkanian to drop out of the Senate race, the Associated Press reported.

Hellers vote was instrumental in passing Trumps tax-cut legislation in 2017, a senior adviser to Donald J. Trump for President Inc., said in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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Eighty percent of what this president has done has been very, very good, very positive, Heller said Wednesday.

During his speech, Trump listed his accomplishments in office, including his tax cuts, job creation numbers and immigration policies, while criticizing opposition from Democrats and the media.

In addition, Trump said, We are rebuilding our military. We are crushing the terrorists and we are taking care of our veterans.

He urged the crowd to vote in order to keep the Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress.

You better go out and vote, Trump told onlookers. Were going to be changing that logo to Keep America Great.

He also mocked former President Obama for campaigning for the Democrats running in the midterm elections.

"When I was running, I swear, I think he campaigned harder than Hillary Clinton," Mr. Trump said. Nonetheless, Trump won 306 electoral votes on Election Night, a number that he often touts.
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President Trump on Thursday night told Fox News he thinks Brett Kavanaugh is "an outstanding person" who deserves a vote on his Supreme Court nomination, adding: "I don't think you can delay it any longer."

The remarks came during an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity ahead of a Make America Great Again rally in Las Vegas, where Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., is up for re-election.

Christine Blasey Ford alleged that Kavanaugh forced himself onto her and covered her mouth in the 1980s, when Kavanaugh was 17 and she was 15.

Ahead of the rally, Trump added that Ford should be given an opportunity to "have her say and lets see how it all works out."

"But I dont think you can delay it any longer. Theyve delayed it a week already," Trump continued.

"I say, let her say what she has to say. And let's see how it all comes out. But theyve delayed it a week. And they have to get on with it," Trump said.

In the wide-ranging interview with Hannity, the president also briefly touched on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing Russia investigation, calling it a "witch hunt."

"Well it has to come to an end. Its so bad for our country. I call it the witch hunt. It is so bad for our country," Trump said.

Heller, an incumbent facing off against Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen, is considered to be in a vulnerable position ahead of the November midterm election in a state that Hillary Clinton claimed in 2016.

Trump lost Nevada to Clinton, 46 percent to 48 percent, respectively.

Fox News has ranked the Senate race a tossup.

However, Heller maintained a confident attitude while speaking to reporters in Reno last week saying, Oh yeah, oh yeah. I'll win.

The GOP candidate has aligned himself with Trump on issues such as tax reform and stronger border security, despite having once said that he vehemently opposed the president and gave back a campaign donation.

Eighty percent of what this president has done has been very, very good, very positive, Heller said. The other 20 percent ... he has a reality show. I get it. It's a reality show.

NEVADA SENATE RACE BETWEEN HELLER, ROSEN IS ONE DEMOCRATS HOPE TO FLIP: A LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES

The confirmation process for Kavanaugh has proven to be problematic for Heller.

The Nevada Independent and the New York Times reported that Heller on Wednesday described the furor over sexual assault allegations involving Kavanaugh as a "hiccup" and that the judge would ultimately be confirmed.

In response, Rosen tweeted, Unbelievable: Senator Heller just dismissed a credible sexual assault allegation as a hiccup.

Heller, in a statement Thursday obtained by the Associated Press, said he does not believe sexual assault allegations of any kind are a hiccup.

Fox News Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Gregg Re and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Former Vice President Joe Biden voiced regret Friday over how he handled sexual misconduct allegations brought against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas by Anita Hill more than 25 years ago, amid similar accusations today against Brett Kavanaugh.

In an interview with NBC News aired Friday, Biden suggested he would apologize to Hill, who accused Justice Thomas in 1991 of making sexually explicit comments and unwanted advances toward her while she worked for him at the Education Department and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the 1980s.

Biden, at the time, was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, leading the Thomas confirmation proceedings. Biden has been criticized for his handling of that process.

The woman should be given the benefit of the doubt and not be you know, abused again, by the system. My biggest regret was I didnt know how I could shut you off if you were a senator and you were attacking Anita Hills character, Biden said. Under the Senate rules, I cant gavel you down and say you cant ask that question. Although I tried.

Biden added: I believed her when she came forward. I encouraged her to come forward. We were in a position where we go the FBI to do an investigation and I voted against Clarence Thomas.

Thomas at the time denied the allegations and famously described the process as a "high-tech lynching."

The Senate Judiciary Committee is currently facing an all-too-familiar situation as Kavanaugh faces allegations of sexual assault by Christine Blasey Ford. Ford claimed that at a party 36 years ago, while they were both were in high school, Kavanaugh pinned her down, tried to remove her bathing suit and put his hand over her mouth while she attempted to scream. Fords attorney, Debra Katz, said her client considered this to be an attempted rape.

Kavanaugh has vehemently denied the allegations.

This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or anyone, Kavanaugh said in a statement this week. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making the accusation until she identified herself [Sunday.]

Fords identity was first revealed in a Washington Post article on Sunday. Her accusations first surfaced after Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., obtained a letter detailing the alleged incident.

Kavanaugh has volunteered to testify in public before the committee. Ford has tentatively agreed to testify but is working out the terms and timing with the committee. She also has called for an FBI investigation into the allegations.

I think they should do an FBI investigation. We did that for Anita Hill, Biden explained Friday. Most importantly, Anita Hill was vilified when she came forward by a lot of my colleagues, character assassination. I wish I couldve done more to prevent those questions, the way they asked them.

Biden added: She deserves to be treated with dignity. It takes enormous courage for a woman to come forward.

Sources told Fox News earlier this week that the FBI will not launch a criminal investigation into Kavanaugh, as there has not been a federal crime alleged. The only way the FBI could further probe the Kavanaugh allegations would be as part of the background investigation. That request would need to come from the White House.

At this point, sources told Fox News that there was no impetus on the part of the White House to ask the FBI to develop more information about Kavanaugh as part of its background probe.

President Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that the confirmation process for Kavanaugh should not be held up. "I don't think you can delay it any longer," he said Thursday.

But Biden said he did not think there should be a vote to confirm Kavanaugh if Ford decided not to testify.

When asked what he would say to Hill today, Biden said he would apologize.

Im sorry I couldnt have stopped the kind of attacks that came to you [Hill], Biden said. But I never attacked her, I supported her. I believed her from the beginning.

But Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, blasted the committee and reflected on her own experiences in a column for The New York Times. Hill wrote that the committee had failed to demonstrate its appreciation for both the seriousness of sexual harassment claims and the need for public confidence in the character of a nominee to the Supreme Court.

That the Senate Judiciary Committee still lacks a protocol for vetting sexual harassment and assault claims that surface during a confirmation hearing suggests that the committee has learned little from the Thomas hearing, much less the more recent #MeToo movement, she wrote. With years of hindsight, mounds of evidence of the prevalence and harm that sexual violence causes individuals and our institutions, as well as a Senate with more women than ever, not getting it isnt an option for our elected representatives.

She added: In 2018, our senators must get it right.
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U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, who told men to just shut up and step up in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, might have some explaining to do about her campaign cash.

Data show that Hawaii's Hirono has taken money from a fellow Democrat who has admitted hitting his wife.

U.S. Sen. Tom Carpers First State PAC donated $1,000 to Hironos political campaign in June, despite the Delaware lawmakers confession of abuse.

Also receiving donations from Carpers group was U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will decide if Kavanaugh is appointed to the nation's highest court. Feinstein has received $5,000 from the PAC so far in 2018.

Other Democrats benefitting from Carper's PAC include U.S. Sens. Jon Tester of Montana, Bill Nelson of Florida and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who've received $10,000 each from the PAC this year.

Did I slap my wife 20 years ago? Yes. Do I regret it? Yes. Would I do it again? No.  Delaware Sen. Tom Carper

Carper admitted hitting his wife -- an allegation he pushed back against after it was first reported during his 1982 run for U.S. Congress -- in a 1998 interview with a local journalist Celia Cohen who published a book Only in Delaware that is sold by the state of Delaware on its official website, the Washington Free Beacon reported.

Did I slap my wife 20 years ago? Yes, Carper admitted in the interview for the book. Do I regret it? Yes. Would I do it again? No.

The journalist wrote that that Carper would not speak of the allegations, even when they were repackaged and resurfaced 14 years later while he was running for a second term as governor, but during the interview for the book he dealt with them straightforwardly."

The New York Post was the first newspaper to allege that Carper hit his wife. The story stemmed from a taped deposition the lawmaker gave as part of a child custody battle. He was accused of hitting his wife so hard he gave her a black eye while his children were allegedly slapped around and bruised by Carper for doing such things as leaving the family dog on the bed.

Carper, 71, won Delaware's Democratic primary earlier this month as he seeks a fourth Senate term.

DEM SEN. HIRONO LASHES OUT AT 'MEN IN THIS COUNTRY' URGING THEM TO 'SHUT UP AND STEP UP' AMID KAVANAUGH CLAIMS

Revelations of Carpers donations to Hirono, Feinstein and other Senate Democrats come at a time the party is attempting to stop the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh after California professor Christine Blasey Ford accused him of sexual assault.

Hirono has become one of the leading anti-Kavanaugh senators, criticizing men and the culture of silence that the MeToo movement is trying to change.

Guess who is perpetrating all of these kinds of actions? Its the men in this country, Hirono said Tuesday. I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing, for a change.

There is an environment where people see nothing, hear nothing, and say nothing, Hirono added in a statement. That is what we have to change.
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Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's wife, Ashley, has been receiving graphic and violent threats, according to emails obtained by Fox News, following reported harassment also directed at accuser Christine Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh himself.

WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE BELOW

"Please tell your rapist, lying, cheating, corrupt b---h of a husband to put a bullet in his ugly f-----g skull," one email to Kavanaughs wife read. "My condolences to you for being married to a rapist. Although you probably deserve it."

Another email, with the subject line, "Did your know your husband is a rapist?????" stated: "Hey b---h, did you know your husband was a rapist before you married him? F--k you and your f-----g family."

A third email, typed entirely in capital letters, read, "F--K YOU AND YOUR RAPIST HUSBAND."

"F--K YOU, RAPE ENABLING C--T. YOUR HUSBAND IS A LIAR, THIEF, RAPIST AND PROBABLY A PEDOPHILE. BURN IN HELL YOU WORTHLESS F-----G C--T," the email stated. "MAY YOU, YOUR HUSBAND AND YOUR KIDS BURN IN HELL YOU F-----G PIECES OF TRASH. EAAAAATTTTT S-----------T!!!!!!!!!!"

Ashley Estes, who served as George W. Bush's personal secretary during his years in the White House, married Kavanaugh in 2004. She works as a town manager in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

WHY STATUS OF KAVANAUGH CONFIRMATION PROCESS COULD BECOME MORE CLEAR ON FRIDAY

Kavanaugh, the nominee, is himself receiving death threats, a senior source told Fox News. He has adamantly denied Ford's allegations against him.

In the days after she accused Kavanaugh, 53, of pinning her to a bed in the 1980s and trying to forcibly remove her clothing, Ford, a college professor in California, has reportedly received threats against her life.

WHO IS CHRISTINE FORD, THE PROFESSOR WHO ACCUSED BRETT KAVANAUGH OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT?

Ford's lawyers told The New York Times that in addition to threats, her email account has been hacked and she's been forced to leave her home.

Ford's attorney on Thursday said the professor "would be prepared to testify" to the Senate Judiciary Commmittee about her accusations against the nominee next week, as long as senators provide "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."

Fox News' Kristin Brown and Gregg Re contributed to this report.
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President Trumps former attorney Michael Cohen discussed Trump and his business dealings in Russia with Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigators, according to a report.

Cohen, whose lawyer Lanny Davis previously said his client would be open to speak with the Mueller team, has reportedly met with the investigators multiple times, including within the past month, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The special counsel is investigating the alleged collusion between Russian and the Trump campaign. The investigation seeks to determine whether the campaign conspired to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, in which Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.

Davis praised Cohen for meeting with the investigators, saying his client provided critical information to the #muellerinvestigation without a cooperation agreement.

No one should question his honesty, veracity or loyalty to his #family and #country over @potus @realdonaldtrump, he added in a tweet.

Former Trumps lawyer cooperation with the special counsel may worsen the relationship between the investigators and the White House that has gone on the offensive and called the probe a witch hunt.

The report also comes amid a possibility for a potential Mueller interview with Trump. The president's legal counsel is pleased with the progress being made in talks with Mueller about a possible interview, a source familiar with the process told Fox News on Thursday.

It remained unclear what impact Cohens cooperation with Muellers team will have on the prospects of a potential interview with Trump. Any interview is unlikely to take place before the November midterm elections, the source said.

Cohens decade-long partnership with Trump may prove to be valuable to the investigators. Last month, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges, including campaign-finance violations. He told a federal judge that Trump directed him during the presidential campaign to buy the silence of two women who alleged that they had sexual encounters with him.

According to the Journal, one particular area of interest for the special counsel could be Cohens push to complete an agreement for a Trump Tower in Moscow during the 2016 election. The former attorney for Trump told the newspaper last year that he discussed the deal with Trump three times during the campaign, though it abandoned the project in January 2016.

Cohen told the Senate Intelligence Committee last year that the possible project was solely a real estate deal and nothing more and that it was scrapped before the Iowa caucus and months before the first primary.
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South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman drew ire Thursday night when he made a joke pertaining to the sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychology professor, has publicly alleged Kavanaugh held her on a bed and attempted to forcibly remove her clothes when they were teenagers at a house party in the 1980s.

Opening a Kiwanis Club debate with his opponent in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Thursday, Norman used the ongoing controversy surrounding Kavanaughs confirmation hearing to make a joke, The Post and Courier reported.

Did yall hear this latest late-breaking news from the Kavanaugh hearings? the South Carolinian said. Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out that she was groped by Abraham Lincoln.

Democratic National Committee associate chairman and former South Carolina party chairman Jaime Harrison said the comment was disgusting but coming from Norman  expected.

On Twitter, Norman claimed his comment was made to add a bit of levity to a very serious debate and to point to the circus-like atmosphere that Washington, D.C. has become. He blamed Democrats and the media for adding more clowns and distractions to the current circus.

SOUTH CAROLINA MIDTERM ELECTION HEADQUARTERS

People really need to learn to lighten up, he said. Clearly my opponent understood it that way since for the next hour we engaged in a substantive discussion about our many differences without mention of my comments.

But Archie Parnell, Norman's Democratic opponent in the 5th district, criticized the remarks on social media.

My opponent apparently thinks sexual assault is a joke. It is not, Parnell said. But I guess thats the best we can expect from someone who pulled a loaded gun on his own constituents.

In April, Norman was heavily criticized for pulling out a loaded handgun and placing it on the table during a coffee with constituents meeting in Rock Hill.

Im not going to be a Gabby Giffords, Norman said then, referring to the former Arizona congresswoman who was shot outside a grocery store in 2011.

KAVANAUGH ACCUSER CHRISTINE BLASEY FORDS TEAM LAYS OUT TERMS IT WANTS FOR POTENTIAL SENATE INTERVIEW

Parnell, too, has drawn ire in the election. In May, court documents were revealed showing he abused his ex-wife in the 1970s.

Kathleen Parnell said the marriage ended after her then-husband allegedly made unwarranted accusations" and beat her several times. She claimed in divorce papers Parnell used a tire iron one night to break a glass door to enter an apartment where she was hiding from him. He then allegedly made accusations against his wife and attacked her several times. She was beaten again later the same night, according to The Post and Courier.

Parnell has called his actions inexcusable, wrong and downright embarrassing.

Forty-five years ago, while still a college student, I did something that I have regretted every single day since, Parnell said in a statement. In response to actions I feel unnecessary to specify, I lashed out and became violent with other people, including my former wife, which led to a divorce and monumental change in my life.

South Carolina GOP chairman Drew McKissick defended Normans joke while alluding to Parnells past misconduct.

The joke is Democrats running the same old playbook of last minute attacks against conservatives, while at the same time supporting a candidate for Congress that actually did commit assault against a woman, McKissick told The Post and Courier.

Fox News Terace Garnier and Lukas Mikelionis contributed to this report.
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As the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election  and any involvement from the Trump campaign  forges ahead, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein found himself on the receiving end of some Republicans ire.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is spearheading the Russia probe, but Rosenstein, 53, still oversees the federal investigation as deputy attorney general. But Rosenstein plans to leave his post in the coming weeks as a new attorney general is confirmed, sources told Fox News.

Read on for a look at how Rosenstein is connected to the Russia investigation.

What was Rosensteins job?

Rosenstein was confirmed by the Senate as deputy attorney general in April 2017.

As deputy attorney general, he is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Justice Department and oversees its agencies, including the FBI.

How is he involved in the Russia investigation?

Rosenstein appointed Mueller as the special counsel to oversee the investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 election in May 2017. The appointment came after then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the probe, and Rosenstein stepped in to oversee the investigation. At the time, Rosenstein said his decision to appoint a special counsel was not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted.

TRUMP'S RUSSIA REAL ESTATE PROJECT: EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT THE ABANDONED MOSCOW DEAL

The appointment came after then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the probe, and Rosenstein stepped in to oversee the investigation. At the time, Rosenstein said his decision to appoint a special counsel was not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted.

Under Justice Department regulations, Mueller must consult with Rosenstein when his investigators uncover new evidence that may fall outside his original mandate. Rosenstein then determines whether to allow Mueller to proceed or to assign the matter to another U.S. attorney or part of Justice.

According to a memo from Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, Rosenstein signed at least one FISA surveillance application that targeted Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser on Trumps campaign.

Did he have something to do with Comeys firing?

Democrats were critical of Rosenstein after the White House used a memo he'd crafted as a reason to fire FBI Director James Comey in May 2017. Rosenstein reportedly drafted the memo after Trump had expressed his desire to fire Comey.

Rosenstein later told lawmakers he stood by his memo. He said it was not a finding of official misconduct or a statement of reasons to justify a for-cause termination.

TRUMP'S LAWYERS HANDLING THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION, FROM RUDY GIULIANI TO JAY SEKULOW

"Notwithstanding my personal affection for Director Comey, I thought it was appropriate to seek a new leader, Rosenstein said.

What has the White House said about him?

As he has continued to deny any wrongdoing, Trump has been critical of the Russia investigation, particularly of Muellers handling of it.

In an April tweet, Trump accused Mueller of being conflicted  and Rosenstein even more so.

Fox News' Samuel Chamberlain, Gregg Re, Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The media are back in the business of reporting on Donald Trumps mood.

This has become a staple of White House coverage. The president is regularly reported to be livid, fuming, frustrated, upset, unhinged or paranoid, depending on the latest developments and how they're playing in the press.

Now sometimes this is legitimate, given Trump's tendency of lashing out at those around him. But I don't recall regular updates on whether Barack Obama was mad or George W. Bush was ticked off and so on. (Yes, I know, Trump is a very different president.)

He has, by any measure, had a rough few weeks.

Paul Manafort, his onetime campaign chairman, pled guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, after Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, did the same.

Omarosa, his erstwhile friend, wrote a book trashing him.

The Bob Woodward book portrayed senior officials as actively working to undermine a president they viewed as uninformed and erratic. That message was driven home by the unnamed official who vented about Trump in the New York Times. (I guess Anonymous got away with it, since the piece has faded and no manhunt is under way.)

And Trump was feeling satisfied as Brett Kavanaugh was on the verge of Senate confirmation  only to have the nomination thrown into turmoil by Christine Blasey Ford's last-minute accusations.

Now the media could argue that the president has been unusually disciplined this week (and a few journalists have noted this). Rather than going off script, rather than attacking Ford, Trump has repeatedly said she should be heard and he hopes that she testifies. He has defended Kavanaugh, said he has a hard time believing the allegations and ripped the Democrats for their handling of the matter, but hasn't posted any incendiary tweets.

But that has been overshadowed by his latest swipes at Jeff Sessions. In an interview with Hill TV, Trump said Sessions had been "mixed up and confused" during his confirmation hearings, adding: "I don't have an attorney general. It's very sad."

Trump later told reporters that he has an AG (of course he does, literally) but is disappointed in Sessions  as he has been since the former senator recused himself from the Russia investigation. What Trump really meant with his earlier comment is that he doesn't have an attorney general who will watch his back, which is not the job of the nation's top law-enforcement official.

The Washington Post describes this as "a raw expression of vulnerability and anger from a president who associates say increasingly believes he is unprotected"  including "the Russia investigation steamrolling ahead, anonymous administration officials seeking to undermine him and the specter of impeachment proceedings, should the Democrats retake the House."

I'm not so sure about the last point, but it's certainly a concern within the White House.

More from the Post: "The president, as well as family members and longtime loyalists, fret about whom in the administration they can trust, people close to them said." On that score, can you really blame them?

I've got to throw in a great quote from Steve Bannon, who says Trump is right to feel vulnerable.

"The Woodward book is the typed-up meeting notes from 'The Committee to Save America.' The anonymous op-ed is the declaration of an administrative coup by the Republican establishment."

Perhaps Trump is seething over these betrayals and setbacks. We can argue over how much responsibility he bears for some of the messes. But it's hardly shocking if he's angry about being secretly taped, leaked upon, and faced with defecting loyalists and a last-minute roadblock for his Supreme Court nominee.
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A group of Harvard Law students have requested the school push for an investigation into the sexual assault allegation made against Brett Kavanaugh before the Supreme Court nominee teaches a winter class in 2019.

In an op-ed for The Harvard Law Record, four students questioned what actions  if any  Harvard Law School would be taking after Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychology professor, publicly accused Kavanaugh of having sexually assaulted her in the 1980s.

Ford claimed Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and tried to forcibly remove her clothes when they were teenagers at a house party in Maryland.

Will Harvard Law School take seriously the credible allegation of Kavanuaghs sexual assault against a young woman before he is allowed to continue teaching young women? Or will Harvard allow him to teach students without further inquiry  and continue paying him our tuition money? Molly Coleman, Vail Kohnert-Yount, Jake Meiseles and Sejal Singh asked.

The students argued Kavanaughs upcoming class, called The Supreme Court since 2005, might not be equally available to women because female students might choose to self-select out of a class taught by a credibly accused sexual assailant.

Kohnert-Yount told HuffPost she would be one of those women because she wouldnt feel comfortable in his class. She said Harvard Law School allowing him to teach puts students in a very uncomfortable position and necessitates that vulnerable people self-select out of a learning opportunity.

ANTI-KAVANAUGH DEMOCRATS TOOK CAMPAIGN CASH FROM COLLEAGUE WHO ADMITTED HITTING HIS WIFE

Kavanaugh, a federal appeals judge, has repeatedly denied the allegations against him. He said hes willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee to clear his name. President Trump has called on Ford to provide a police report to back up her allegation.

Unless a full and fair investigation is conducted, Harvard Law School cannot allow Kavanaugh to continue teaching its students and the Senate cannot confirm him to the Supreme Court, the four students wrote.

The four students are part of the Pipeline Parity Project, a Harvard Law organization that aims to eradicate discrimination and harassment in the legal field.

Members of the organization reportedly plan to distribute buttons that say I Believe Christine Blasey Ford to students, paying homage to the I Believe Anita Hill buttons worn by her supporters during Justice Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation.
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While senators grapple over what to do with the sexual assault accusation levied against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, a Minnesota political activist is continuing to allege Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., was physically and emotionally abusive when they dated.

Karen Monahan, a Sierra Club activist, accused Ellison of abuse in August after her son publicly posted the allegations on social media. She said Ellison dragged her off a bed while shouting profanities at her and sent multiple abusive text messages.

You know you did that to me, Monahan said.

Ellison, the Democratic nominee for attorney general in Minnesota, has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Read on for a look at what exactly has been alleged.

What are the allegations?

Monahans son, Austin, posted a lengthy Facebook status on Aug. 11 about messages Ellison allegedly sent her that were angry, threatening and shaming. He also said he saw a video of Ellison allegedly dragging his mother off a bed by her feet, screaming and calling her a f****** b**** and telling her to get the f*** out of his house.

There is a lot more he has done to my mom and others that we saw in the text but our mom can decide if and when she wants to tell the world that part, Austin Monahan said.

On Aug. 12, Monahan said her sons allegations were true in a tweet.

You know you did that to me, Monahan said.

She has published on Twitter what she said are screenshots of text messages between her and Ellison, but none of them explicitly detail physical violence. But shes rejected requests to release the purported video because she said it would be too humiliating.

She did, however, release what appears to be a medical document from 2017 that detailed abuse allegedly caused by Ellison.

The document, written by a doctor, notes that Monahan informed them she was in a very stressful environment for years, emotional and physical abuse by a partner with whom she is now separated.

She identifies the individual she was involved with as congressman Ellison [sic], and she is worried about retribution if she identifies him publicly, the document said. She feels that she is in a safe environment now and she is following up with therapy and relaxation. She has had reduced anxiety with extracting herself from the relationship and she feels much healthier now.

Monahan has also accused Democrats of having smeared, threatened, isolated her from her own party.

Four people, including my supervisor at the time, stated that I came to them after and shared the exact story I shared publicly, she has said. I shared multiple texts between me and Keith, where I discuss the abuse with him and much more. As I said before, I knew I wouldn't be believed.

How has Ellison responded?

Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care for her well-being. This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false, Ellison said in a statement released by his campaign in August.

What has happened since the allegations surfaced?

Just days after Monahans allegations came to light, Ellison won the Democratic primary for Minnesotas attorney general.

The Democratic National Committee had said it would review the allegations as well. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has also opened an investigation.

Ellison is the deputy DNC chairman.

Fox News Lukas Mikelionis and Gregg Re contributed to this report.
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The Trump administration is working on a second summit between President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Theres still a little bit of work to do left to make sure that the conditions are right and that the two leaders are put in the position where we could make substantial progress, Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News. Im hoping Ill be back in Pyongyang before too long to make some more progress. And if thats the case, Im very hopeful that Chairman Kim and President Trump will get a chance to meet in the near future as well.

Last month, Secretary Pompeo canceled what would have been his fourth trip to Pyongyang, citing insufficient progress by North Korea in dismantling its nuclear weapons program. This week, the State Department revealed Kim had agreed to the denuclearization of North Korea, to be completed by January 2021.

The secretary refused to set a deadline on what the United States wants North Korea to accomplish by the end of this year.

Next week, Pompeo and President Trump will travel to New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly. This morning, the president tweeted: I will Chair the United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran next week!

The Trump administration is restoring the sanctions it once lifted as part of the Iran-nuclear agreement. In May, the U.S. left the deal. Germany, France and Great Britain are trying to hold the agreement together, encouraging and helping its companies conduct business with Iran despite U.S. sanctions.

Pompeo indicated those efforts would be ineffective.

If you just watch the traffic, its one way. Folks are leaving Iran, including European businesses, he said. I am very confident that we will ultimately be effective in enforcing the sanctions that President Trump has asked us to re-impose.

The secretary also forecast continued pressure on Venezuela and the economic and humanitarian crisis there.

I think youll see in the coming days a series of actions that continue to increase the pressure level against the Venezuelan leadership folks who are working directly against the best interest of the Venezuelan people, said Pompeo. Were determined to ensure that the Venezuelan people get their say.

Pompeo refused to say whether the administration will impose more sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros administration or if the Trump administration believes Maduro should step aside.

"However it happens is the outcome that will be chosen by the Venezuelan people, and I think they understand that Maduro has not been someone who has taken care to ensure that the best interest of the Venezuelan people are actually reflected in their governmental policy, he said.

Pompeo also said the State Department continues urging Turkey to release American pastor Andrew Brunson and that there are conversations, great frequency, multiple levels between the two countries.

Cant comment on any particular details, only this: we have made clear that Pastor Brunson and the others that the Turkish government is holding with no basis for having detained them need to come home, he said.

Domestically, Pompeo said the U.S. is focused on combating efforts to interfere in elections, especially from Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and non-state groups.

I think we are in a place, Pompeo said, that we have never been before in terms of our preparedness.
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Attorneys for Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, asked the Senate Judiciary Commitee on Friday night for an additional day to make her decision to testify.

Shortly before midnight Friday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley tweeted that he had granted the extension, addressing the tweet to Kavanaugh.

"Judge Kavanaugh I just granted another extension to Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed w the statement she made last week to testify to the senate," Grassley wrote. "She shld decide so we can move on I want to hear her. I hope u understand. Its not my normal approach to b indecisive."

Senate Republicans earlier Friday extended a counteroffer to Ford to testify on Capitol Hill next Wednesday, amid negotiations over whether she would elaborate on her allegations against Kavanaugh in public.

Fox News was told that the Republican senators wanted an answer by the end of the day.

In a statement released earlier Friday evening, Grassley had extended the deadline for a response to 10 p.m. If there was no response, or a rejection of the offer, Grassley said in a statement then, the committee may set a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination for Monday.

But Ford's lawyer, Debra Katz, labeled the 10 p.m. deadline "arbitrary."

"Its sole purpose is to bully Dr. Ford and deprive her of the ability to make a considered decision that has life-altering implications for her and her family," Katz said in a statement. "She has already been forced out of her home and continues to be subjected to harassment, hate mail, and death threats. Our modest request is that she be given an additional day to make her decision."

"The imposition of aggressive and artificial deadlines regarding the date and conditions of any hearing has created tremendous and unwarranted anxiety and stress on Dr. Ford," Katz said. "Your cavalier treatment of a sexual assault survivor who has been doing her best to cooperate with the Committee is completely inappropriate."

For their part, Democrats had reacted negatively to the Friday offer.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Ford shouldnt be rushed, adding that Ford cant testify any earlier than Thursday.

Show some heart, Feinstein said. Wait until Dr. Ford feels that she can come before the committee.

Another Democrat on the judiciary committee, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, said Ford deserved extra time to respond.

After spending the day in FBI interviews about death threats against her, Dr. Blasey (sic) deserves the minimal decency of 24 hours to make a decision about testifying," Blumenthal wrote in a statement. "Rejecting her request would take the Senate to a shameful new low  a blatant abuse of power. Republican colleagues have a moral and Constitutional duty to stop the ugly unacceptable bullying.

Ford has accused Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her while both were in high school. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

Grassley initially invited Ford to testify on Monday and gave Ford until 10 a.m. Friday to respond. That deadline passed Friday without a deal after Fords attorneys made clear this week Ford didnt want to testify Monday but suggested she would do so on another day.

Meanwhile, President Trump on Friday called for Ford to testify, saying its time for the Senate to vote on Kavanaughs nomination.

The president was also critical of Feinstein for receiving a letter from Ford outlining her allegations in July, but failing to disclose them, even anonymously, to federal officials or other committee members until last week.

"Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER - done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay," Trump tweeted Friday. "Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!"

Trump also took issue with Fords legal team saying they want the FBI to investigate the allegations  something the bureau has indicated it has no plans to do.

"The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW," Trump tweeted. "Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?"

Kavanaugh, in a letter to the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, indicated he would be ready and willing to testify on Monday. "I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name," he wrote.

"Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity."
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With Sen. Ted Cruz leading Rep. Beto ORourke for Senate in Texas, President Trump is heading to Houston Monday to lend his support for the Republican incumbent.

Trump has boasted of the major rally in Houston, promising a big night in Texas. His own re-election campaign has bragged that more than 100,000 people have requested tickets to a tailgate planned before the rally.

Cruz, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2013, hasnt easily cruised through his re-election campaign against ORourke, a popular progressive in the deep-red state. Still, Fox News has ranked the race as remaining likely Republican and most polls have Cruz just in the lead.

While ORourke has gotten the support of a bevy of celebrities, including actress Connie Britton and NBA star LeBron James, Vice President Mike Pence and Donald Trump Jr., the presidents eldest son, have traveled to the Lone Star state to aid the Cruz campaign.

But the presidents vocal support for Cruz is in stark contrast to the rhetoric both embraced during the 2016 presidential election as they vied for the GOP nomination. Then, bitter enemies, Cruz called Trump a sniveling coward"; Trump dubbed Cruz a wacko and Lyin Ted, a nickname he hasn't seemed to shake.

But now, Trump has thrown his endorsement to Cruz  something Cruz held back from doing for Trump until the last minute in the presidential election. Trump said his once-rival has done so much for Texas, including massive cuts in taxes and regulations  which has brought Texas to the best jobs numbers in the history of the state.

Ted has long had my Strong Endorsement! Trump wrote on Twitter.

Despite their policy differences, Cruz and ORourke have a commonality on the campaign trail: the two candidates are staying true to their loyalists, focusing on their base as the key to victory, even if it means slighting moderates and undecided voters.

Read on for a look at Cruz and ORourke ahead of the closely-watched election.

Ted Cruz

Before he was sworn into office in 2013 as a U.S. senator, Cruz served as the solicitor general of Texas.

He also ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination for president in 2016, holding out until just two months before the Republican National Convention. There, Cruz was granted an opportunity to give a primetime address  where he defiantly refused to endorse Trump. (He would later offer his support just a little more than a month before the election.)

FOX NEWS MIDTERM ELECTIONS HEADQUARTERS

Cruz, 47, knows his re-election race is one Democrats have their eyes on, previously telling Fox News: If youre a wealthy liberal sitting in New York City or Massachusetts or San Francisco right now, and you could defeat one Republican in the country, itd be me; thats why the money is flowing in here.

With the election of Donald Trump, the far left has lost their minds, Cruz said. The extreme left, they are energized, theyre angry and they have a lot of hatred for President Trump.

A vociferous conservative, Cruz has campaigned on his promise to protect gun rights and secure the border. With his party currently controlling the White House and Congress, Cruz touts a Republican status quo he once attempted to torch as a tea party firebrand.

In addition to the Trump administrations top brass, fellow Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the Senates No. 2 Republican, hosted a Washington fundraiser for Cruz despite their past policy clashes. But former President George W. Bush, who lives in Dallas, hasnt hit the trail on Cruzs behalf.

TED CRUZ SAYS HIS TEXAS SENATE RACE IS COMPETITIVE BECAUSE THE FAR LEFT HAS LOST THEIR MINDS

As for his past beef with Trump, Cruz said hes worked with the president in delivering on our promises.

I could have not worked with the president if I put my feelings ahead of Texas, Cruz said. That wouldnt be my responsibility.

In the Senate, Cruz sits on the Armed Service, Judiciary and Commerce, Science & Transportation committees.

Beto ORourke

Rep. Beto ORourke has represented Texas 16th congressional district, which includes El Paso, since 2013. And as he has stayed within striking distance despite Democrats not winning any of Texas nearly 30 statewide offices for nearly 25 years, his crunch-time focus has been on mobilizing the 5.5 million people who are likely to vote for Beto if they vote, but who might not vote unless we contact them.

The 46-year-old has garnered much media attention throughout the campaign and has been likened to The next Obama, by Esquire and Kennedyesque by Vanity Fair.

But ORourke has been seemingly snubbed by former President Barack Obama, who endorsed 11 Texas Democrats earlier this month  leaving out ORourke. The congressman said hes not interested in an endorsement from Obama.

Other liberal powerhouses  such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren  also havent stumped for ORourke.

OROURKE USES TRUMP-LIKE INSULTS IN FINAL DEBATE, CALLS CRUZ LYIN TED AS POLLS SHOW CRUZ PULLING AHEAD

ORourke has gotten the attention of multiple celebrities and athletes, especially after he appeared in a Now This News video talking about professional athletes kneeling in protest during the national anthem.

I can think of nothing more American than to peacefully stand up or take a knee for your rights anytime, anywhere, any place, ORourke said.

NBA great LeBron James shared the video on social media, calling it a must watch because of his candid thoughtful words. And former Super Bowl champion Kurt Warner said ORourke hit the nail on the head and praised him for not dividing the [two] sides but  joining them together in realizing the freedoms of this country have been forged by soldiers but also by many others who have fought in [different] ways.

Hes campaigned at college campuses, a Willie Nelson concert in Austin, a Houston show featuring rapper Bun B and a Dallas sunrise jog. R&B star Khalid gave a shout-out to Beto when he won an American Music Award earlier this month.

During the campaign, ORourke has faced questions over allegations he tried to flee the scene of a 1998 drunken car crash. ORourke has said he did not leave but has apologized for the terrible mistake of driving while under the influence.

ORourke has said he supports an earned path to citizenship and has advocated for more gun control. Thoughts and prayers are just not going to cut it, he said during a September debate.

In the House, ORourke sits on the Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees. Before becoming a congressman, he served on the El Paso City Council.

Fox News Peter Doocy, Lukas Mikelionis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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President Trump agreed Friday to delay the release of key files related to the Russia investigation, asking the inspector general to review the documents on an expedited basis amid Justice Department concerns their publication may have a negative impact on the probe.

I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies called to ask not to release, Trump tweeted Friday.

Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me and everyone! Trump added.

The presidents tweets come after his Monday order that intelligence agencies declassify key documents that could shed light on the origins of the Russia meddling probe that has hamstrung the administration for more than 18 months.

The documents Trump ordered declassified include a renewed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant against former campaign aide Carter Page and text messages from former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. The president, for months, has blasted Strzok and Page for the bias revealed in their text messages first found by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

The president on Monday ordered the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and Justice Department to release the files [a]t the request of a number of committees of Congress, and for reasons of transparency, according to a White House statement.

The intelligence agencies, by Tuesday, had already begun working to prepare the documents, though the timeline has been unclear.

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 Americas national security interests, a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News earlier this week. The Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are already working with the Director of National Intelligence to comply with the Presidents order.

The documents also include all FBI reports on interviews, also known as 302s, with Justice Department official Bruce Ohr and all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with applications to surveil Carter Page, as well as 21 pages of one renewed warrant.

The June 2017 application was the last of four filed by the Justice Department in support of FISA court orders allowing the monitoring of Page for nearly a year.

The president also ordered the release of unredacted text messages from former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Comey was fired from the bureau in May 2017; McCabe was fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in March; Page left the bureau in May; and Strzok was fired last month.
The New Zealand Cellar's founder launches Australian version

Melanie Brown, founder of The New Zealand Wine Cellar, has expanded her business with the launch of The Australian Cellar.

The new business will initially launch as an online-only platform with a focus on bringing a new energy and perception to Australian wines in the UK.

The launch follows the success of Browns first venture, The New Zealand Cellar, which launched online in 2014, before moving into its first bricks and mortar home at Pop Brixton in 2015. The original concept by Brown was to bring a diverse selection of premium New Zealand wines to the market.

The Australian Cellar with follow the same philosophy whereby Brown will aim to showcase the best wines from the countrys finest vineyards, highlighting regional and varietal diversity.

Brown explained: On a recent trip to Australia I was struck by the strength of Australias offering  I realised for the first time that Australia is going through one of its most exciting, enticing and edgiest moments in its wine history, making it the perfect time to embark on this next step  and so The Australian Cellar was born. Australia is the second largest supplier to the UK by consumption, in large part due to the high volumes sold in supermarkets, yet the strength, diversity and passion of the countrys winemakers is severely underrepresented. My recent trip transformed by perception of what the country had to offer and I want to introduce the UK to that pureness, quality and energy that is unfolding in Australia.

The Australian Cellar launched on September 19 as an online platform (www.theaustraliancellar.co.uk), showcasing a collection of wines. This is supported by a schedule of diverse events, pop-ups and tastings.

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President Trump on Friday went on the offensive in the battle over Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court confirmation after days of laying low, calling on accuser Christine Blasey Ford to provide a police report, slamming Democrats for waiting to share the allegations and telling senators to move ahead with a vote.

In a sharp change of tone after days of reserved statements regarding the allegations, the president unleashed a torrent of tweets, first in defense of Kavanaugh. He then put pressure on Ford to furnish a police report, though there's no indication one was ever filed.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!" he tweeted.

He also tweeted: Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts dont matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.

The president was also critical of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., for receiving a letter from Ford outlining her allegations in July, but failing to disclose them, even anonymously, to federal officials or other committee members until last week.

"Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER - done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay," Trump tweeted Friday. "Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!"

Trump also took issue with Fords legal team saying they want the FBI to investigate the allegations  something the bureau has indicated it has no plans to do.

"The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW," Trump tweeted. "Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?"

The statements come as the deadline passed for Ford to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee whether she will accept an invitation to testify about her claims on Monday. It's unclear if a deal was made, but talks could still be ongoing, as Ford's lawyers re-opened discussions Thursday with Republicans over scheduling testimony.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley had called on Ford to respond by 10 a.m. Friday. With the deadline passed, Fox News has learned Grassley is speaking with committee members and key other players about what theyre willing to do.

GRASSLEY SETS FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR KAVANUAGH ACCUSED TO SAY IF SHE WILL TESTIFY

Ford, through her attorneys, has given differing statements about whether she is willing to testify. Earlier this week, Fords attorney Debra Katz indicated her client was willing to do so, before later saying they wanted the FBI to investigate the claims first.

According to a Thursday email sent by her attorney Debra Katz to the committee, Ford is willing to appear for a hearing on Capitol Hill as long as senators provide "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."

But they do not want Ford to testify on Monday.

Among the terms being requested by Fords legal team: Only members of the committee -- no lawyers -- can question her; Kavanaugh cannot be in the room at the time; and Kavanaugh should be questioned first, before he has the opportunity to hear Ford's testimony.

Its not clear if Republicans would agree to those terms, especially over Kavanaugh having to testify before he hears the accusations against him.

Trump has called for Ford to testify, and on Thursday night said he wants to see the confirmation process proceed without delay.

Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday night before a rally in Nevada, Trump called Kavanaugh "an outstanding person" and said, "I don't think you can delay it any longer."

For his part, Kavanaugh, in a letter to the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, indicated he would be ready and willing to testify on Monday. "I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name," he wrote.

"Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity."

Kavanaugh's letter did not contain any preconditions for his testimony. Fox News has learned that Kavanaugh, under oath, answered questions from the Judiciary Committee earlier this week, and denied the allegations.

In a series of tweets earlier Thursday, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee noted they had obtained statements, under penalty of felony, from two other people at the house party where the alleged assault occurred, including Kavanaugh friend Mark Judge and another individual.

Committee members also wrote that they had reached out to a "fourth person allegedly at the party," as well as "a schoolmate who claimed on social media this week to have info related to Dr. Fords allegations" -- but had not heard back.

That was an apparent reference to a widely circulated online account by Cristina Miranda King, who claimed that she heard about the alleged assault at the time. King deleted her online post after questions emerged about apparent inconsistencies in her claims.

On Thursday, Ford's lawyers reportedly requested that the Judiciary Committee subpoena Judge to testify. Earlier this week, Judge told committee Republicans that he had "no memory" of the alleged incident, and said he did not want to testify.

Asked whether Republicans had planned to call Judge to testify, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters, No reason to. ... Hes already said what hes going to say."

It would be highly unusual for a witness before a Senate committee to dictate who receives a subpoena as a precondition to testifying.

Meanwhile, a former classmate of Kavanaugh's said that he had no "recollection" of any incident at the house party Ford described, saying he was one of the people Ford had claimed to be there.

Ford alleged in the letter that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her more than 35 years ago, although she has since indicated that she cannot be sure in which house the assault occurred. Kavanaugh has denied all the accusations.

Fox News Mike Emanuel and Gregg Re contributed to this report.
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President Trump took aim at the FBI and the Department of Justice during a rally in Springfield, Mo., on Friday night, vowing to "get rid of" what he described as "a lingering stench" at the agencies.

His remarks came amid reports that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein last year suggested secretly recording Trump to expose chaos in the White House and enlisting Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

Trump at the rally did not specifically mention Rosenstein, who has adamantly denied the accusations.

"Just look at what is now being exposed in our Department of Justice and the FBI. Look at whats going on," Trump said. "And I want to tell you, we have great people in the Department of Justice. We have great people. These are people, I really believe, you take a poll, I gotta be at 95 percent. But you got some real bad ones. You've seen what's happened at the FBI. They're all gone. Theyre all gone. Theyre all gone. But there's a lingering stench and were going to get rid of that too."

Trump was in Missouri in support of state Attorney General Josh Hawley, a Republican who is attempting to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat.

Trump said that Hawley was needed in the Senate "to fight for Missouri" and the "whole country" because the Republican Party would "never, ever get a vote" from McCaskill, including on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

"Brett Kavanaugh, fantastic man. She just announced she won't vote for him," Trump said of McCaskill. "He was born for the U.S. Supreme Court. He was born for it. And it's going to happen. It's going to happen. But she just announced, she's not voting  and shell vote against everything we want to do."

McCaskill tweeted Wednesday night that she would not vote for Kavanaugh. In her message, she explicitly wrote that his legal rulings and ideology -- and not the allegations by Christine Blasey Ford -- were the reason for her decision.

Ford alleged that Kavanaugh forced himself onto her and covered her mouth in the 1980s, when Kavanaugh was 17 and she was 15.

The president also said that "a vote for Claire McCaskill" was one in favor of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

Trump also slammed Democrats, calling them "dangerous" and "crazy," noting that some have called to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"And they arent just extreme, they are frankly dangerous and they are crazy. Theyre crazy," Trump said. "Democrats want to abolish ICE. In other words, they want to abolish immigration enforcement entirely. Let violent, sadistic gangs like MS-13, the worst gang in the world, run wild in our communities."

"I've seen our guys from ICE. I've seen it. I've watched it. MS-13, theyre tough but theyre not tough like our guys. They're not tough like our ICE people," Trump continued.

Trump won Missouri during the 2016 presidential election, defeating opponent Hillary Clinton there by double digits.

The president has previously campaigned for and endorsed Hawley in the states U.S. Senate race, telling an audience over the summer, We need Josh badly.

In a June tweet, he dubbed McCaskill so phony for her use of 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 reportedly 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.

Fox News' Gregg Re, Brooke Singman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A summit between President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will take place next week in New York City, a spokesman for Japans government said Friday.

The meeting next Wednesday will be on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly, Reuters reported.

The two leaders will dine together ahead of the summit, a Japanese government official said. The summit will mark the eight meeting between Trump and Abe.

The two leaders are likely to discuss North Koreas denuclearization as well as trade issues. Japan has long sought to normalize diplomatic relations with North Korea, which have been strained since the abduction of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s.

On Thursday, Abe was reelected to a third term as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Japan, paving the way for him to serve as prime minister for up to three more years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Talk about a headache.

Images of a fight between two male deers went viral after the stags locked horns and wouldn't unlock them for about two hours.



Approximately 200 images were captured by wildlife photographer Ingo Gerlach, who watched the action unfold in the Sauerland forest, Germany, SWNS reports.

"At first I thought this would only be a short skirmish of the deer," said Gerlach, who is German.

ANGRY MUTANT GREEN CRABS ARE DESTROYING EVERYTHING IN THEIR PATH

But after the clash went on for more than 20 minutes, Gerlach ventured closer, noting it "was an extremely hard fight." The two stags were evenly matched, with no clear-cut winner.

"Each of the stags tried to force the opponent with their head turns into the knees, but obviously both stags were nearly equally as strong," Gerlach said. "So the fighters more or less lifted up their backsides to achieve an even better leverage. After about two hours of fighting the deer preferred to disperse."

He added that both stags were "totally exhausted" and had their tongues hanging out with sweaty fur.

Stags will fight each other for a variety of reasons, including an increase in testosterone, increased aggression and during breeding season.


Medieval legends claim that Pope Joan was the first and only female pope. And now, an analysis of ancient silver coins suggests that the ordained woman may have actually lived.

According to legends from the Middle Ages, a pope named John, or Johannes Anglicus, who reigned during the middle of the ninth century, was actually a woman, Pope Joan. For instance, a story from the 13th century written by a Dominican monk from Poland named Martin claimed that Pope Joan became pregnant and gave birth during a church procession. [History's 10 Most Intriguing Popes]

However, there is much debate over whether a pope named Johannes Anglicus existed, much less whether this pope was a man or woman. The doubt stems in part from the great deal of confusion over the identities of popes during the middle of the ninth century. For example, in the oldest surviving copy of the "Liber Pontificalis," the official book of biographies of popes during the early Middle Ages, "Pope Benedict III is missing entirely," study author Michael Habicht, an archaeologist at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, told Live Science.

Discovering whether Pope Joan existed may not only solve a religious and historical mystery, but also factor in to modern arguments over the role of women in the church. "The debate on female ordination in the church is still ongoing," Habicht said.

Now, Habicht has suggested that symbols on medieval coins show that Pope Johannes Anglicus may have existed, and so, Pope Joan may have been real as well. "The coins really turned the tables in favor of a covered-up but true story," Habicht said.

The research began when Habicht was conducting unrelated work investigating burials of popes in Rome. "In the beginning, I also believed that the story of Joan was mere fiction, but when I did more-extensive research, more and more, the possibility emerged that there was more behind the story," he said.

Habicht analyzed silver coins known as deniers that were used in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. Their name comes from the ancient Roman silver coin known as the denarius. "They are quite small, perhaps the size of a U.S. dime or quarter," he said.

The deniers Habicht examined were minted with the name of the emperor of the Franks on one side and the pope's monogram  a symbol made using a person's initials  on the other side. Habicht focused on coins previously attributed to Pope John VIII, who reigned from 872 to 882.

The archaeologist said that while some deniers possessed a monogram belonging to Pope John VIII, earlier ones had a significantly different monogram. "The monogram that can be attributed to the later John VIII has distinct differences in the placing of letters and the overall design," Habicht said.

These other coins may have belonged to a different Pope John  Johannes Anglicus, the potential Pope Joan, Habicht said. He noted several historical sources that suggested a Pope John reigned from 856 to 858. For example, the chronicler Conrad Botho reported that a Pope Johannes crowned Louis II of Italy as Holy Roman Emperor in 856, Habicht said.

"The monogram was the forerunner of today's signature," Habicht said. "Thus, we probably might even have a kind of signature of Pope Joan."

Habicht suggested that the sequence of popes in the middle of the ninth century should include Leo IV from about 846 to 853, followed by Benedict III from 853 to 855, Johannes Anglicus from 856 to 858 and Nicholas I from 858 to 867.

Previous scientific literature suggested that these coins are not fakes, Habicht said. In addition, "there is almost no collector market for such medieval coins," Habicht said. As such, "forgers are not really interested in faking them. Some years ago, some papal coins of the ninth century A.D. were offered at an auction sale in New York. Most of the coins were unsold and returned to the owner."

All in all, "some will embrace my study and find other evidence for female priests in the early centuries of Christianity," Habicht said. "Others will entirely reject the idea and make a big media noise against such claims. A big mud-pie battle may follow. It might go on forever."

Habicht detailed his findings in a book, "Pope Joan," via epubli Aug. 28.

Original article on Live Science.
Google is in the spotlight after internal emails show conversations between employees highlighting a desire to manipulate search results on the heels of President Trumps controversial travel ban in order to mute conservative viewpoints and push ways to combat the ban.



Like many Silicon Valley titans, Google has drawn the ire of conservatives who feel right-leaning views are condemned from within. But internal company emails made public by Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight on Thursday appear to show employees wanted to curate Google's algorithm to boost left-leaning political views on immigration.

The emails were written on Jan. 29, 2017 -- two days after Trump signed the initial travel order that resulted in protests across the country. The emails indicate that Google employees suggested ways to leverage the search engine to combat what the tech giant staffers considered anti-immigration rhetoric and news. The email chain, which was first obtained by Tucker Carlson Tonight and quickly matched by the Wall Street Journal, shows Google staffers admitting to colleagues that action must be taken immediately to rally against the travel ban.

Overall idea: Leverage search to highlight important organizations to donate to, current news, etc. to keep people abreast of how they can help as well as the resources available for immigrations [sic] or people traveling, an email sent by a marketing employee said.

GOOGLE: APPS CAN SCAN AND SHARE YOUR GMAIL DATA, WITH CONSENT

I know this would require a full on sprint to make happen, but I think this is the sort of super timely and imperative information that we need as we know that this country and Google, would not exist without immigration, a product manager responded.

According to Tucker Carlson Tonight, responses from other Google employees included comments such as, were absolutely in, and excellent initiative. Other emails reveal an employee called the situation a highly political issue, while a separate email detailed a large brainstorm that was apparently taking place throughout the company.

"These emails were just a brainstorm of ideas, none of which were ever implemented."  Google spokesperson

The emails show Google staffers chatting about methods to alter the companys algorithm to point users to pro-immigration organizations, lawmakers and agencies that fit the staffers political beliefs. Google didnt deny the validity of the emails and provided the same response to both Tucker Carlson Tonight and the Wall Street Journal.

"These emails were just a brainstorm of ideas, none of which were ever implemented. Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideology -- not in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trumps executive order on immigration. Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies, a Google spokesperson said.

EU COPYRIGHT LAW MAY FORCE GOOGLE, FACEBOOK TO PAY BILLIONS TO MUSIC COMPANIES, PUBLISHERS

A Google insider echoed the company spokesperson and said the ideas mentioned in the emails werent even close to being put into action.

"It is scary that manipulating the search to push a liberal agenda was even discussed.  Media Research Center Vice President Dan Gainor

Media Research Center Vice President Dan Gainor told Fox News that the scandal would be more significant if there was evidence that the Google staffers had actually taken action on this left-wing insanity, but it is scary that manipulating the search to push a liberal agenda was even discussed.

Google declined to answer a series of questions asked by Fox News, including whether or not employees involved in the email chain were disciplined in any way.

It is our policy to not comment on individual employees, a spokesperson said.

GOOGLE DRAGONFLY LINKS PHONE NUMBERS TO SEARCH RESULTS

Trumps initial travel ban temporarily stopped immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. According to the email chain, Google staffers suggested actively countering islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms Islam, Muslim, Iran, etc. and countering prejudiced, algorithmically biased search results regarding the words Mexico, Hispanic and Latino.

One message featured a staffer asking if they can make it easier for users to donate to the ACLU.

As the Journal pointed out, Google co-founder Sergey Brin is a Soviet Union immigrant who once appeared at a rally to protest Trumps travel ban. His company now controls the majority of internet searches and the word google has emerged as a verb, in addition to a company name.

Google is the most powerful company in the history of the world. Virtually all human information flows through its software and for that reason Google shapes how much of the world understands reality. At the heart of Googles business is its search engine, which has a virtual monopoly on search in this country, Carlson said on Thursday. But what if Google was lying to you?

GOOGLE EMPLOYEES QUIT OVER CONTROVERSIAL CHINA SEARCH ENGINE PROJECT, REPORT SAYS

Trump, whose travel ban was later upheld by the Supreme Court, has long considered Google as biased against conservatives and recently accused the company of rigging search results in the past.

Google search results for Trump News shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake News Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal? 96% of results on Trump News are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good, Trump tweeted last month. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!

The latest bombshell that indicates a liberal bias among the tech industry comes as Attorney General Jeff Sessions is scheduled to meet with state attorneys next week about the alleged conservative censorship.

Tucker Carlson Tonight producer Alex Pfeiffer contributed to this report.
A group of technology activists and think tanks is urging Attorney General Jeff Sessions not to go after social media companies.

Companies such as Facebook and Twitter are firmly in the spotlight at the moment amid allegations of anti-conservative bias.

The Justice Department recently confirmed that Sessions has convened a meeting with a number of state attorneys general to discuss a growing concern that these companies may be hurting competition and intentionally stifling the free exchange of ideas on their platforms.

GOOGLE STAFFERS WANTED TO MANIPULATE SEARCH RESULTS TO COMBAT TRUMP'S TRAVEL BAN, EMAILS SHOW

The meeting will take place this month, according to officials. The announcement came in the wake of a recent Senate Intelligence Committee hearing attended by top executives at Facebook and Twitter.

In a letter sent on Friday, tech policy think tanks TechFreedom, which describes itself as "liberty oriented," Lincoln Network and Copia Institute called on Sessions to rethink his pursuit of these companies. Other signatories include tech entrepreneurship group Engine Advocacy, Iain Murray, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, American Legislative Exchange Council CEO Lisa Nelson and law professor Eric Goldman.

It is unclear what lawful action could result from your planned meeting. Indeed, we fear that the effect of your inquiry will be to accomplish through intimidation what the First Amendment bars: interference with editorial judgment, the letter states.

TWITTER CEO JACK DORSEY ADMITS CONSERVATIVE STAFFERS 'DON'T FEEL SAFE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS' AT LIBERAL TECH GIANT

With regard to alleged anti-competitive behavior, the activists write that the degree of a media companys market power does not change its protection by the First Amendment.

The signatories also urge Sessions to call on the Federal Trade Commission in the event of an investigation. We do not believe that the Department of Justice, as an arm of an Administration that has so consistently attacked social media companies (as well as traditional media companies), has the independence to act in the neutral, apolitical fashion required by the First Amendment, they write. The FTC has already handled multiple investigations into social media companies, and thus already has the relevant expertise in this area.

In a statement emailed to Fox News, TechFreedom CEO Berin Szoka described the First Amendment as a shield against government action, not a sword by which government can ensure the fairness of media platforms.

GOOGLE GETS EMPTY CHAIR TREATMENT AT SENATE INTEL HEARING

Its ironic that those conservatives now urging government intervention wrap themselves in the mantle of free speech, he added. Protecting editorial discretion is the cornerstone of free speech and freedom of press. Allowing the government to second-guess the content moderation decisions made by tech platforms will simply discourage them from trying protect their users from objectionable content and maintain civil discourse.

Fox News has reached out to the Justice Department with a request for comment on this article.

Fox News Adam Shaw contributed to this article.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
As the Syrian Civil War drags on, one American company is hoping to harness the power of social media to help save lives.

Rebels in the Northwestern province of Idlib are making their last stand against government forces backed by heavy Russian airstrikes. And as they brace for the next government offensive, both the rebels and civilians in the area are looking to a new app to help give them an early warning when airstrikes are incoming. The carnage has forced innovation before. Civilians, at first, used walkie-talkies to warn of warplanes. Rescue teams developed more sophisticated ways to liberate families from the rubble. In hospitals, doctors developed workarounds for when lights go out and drugs run dry. And then in 2016, a team of computer developers found a way to link all those efforts.

DIY WEAPONS OF SYRIAS CIVIL WAR

It's called "Sentry" - a smartphone and computer application that acts as an alert system, using data from both human observers and report sensors. John Jaeger, one of the co-creators, calls it a ground-breaking app that could signal a breakthrough in early-warning detection systems by using "crowdsourcing" as its main data points. "These observations are of aircraft in flight and they include facts like what kind of airplane, which direction it is heading, and then of course things like time of day and where the observation was made." Jaeger added that the system "then makes a determination of where and when that aircraft might go. This determination creates a warning for the local populace and potentially affected communities, and that warning goes out over popular social media platforms."

It's fairly simple to use. When users see a military aircraft, they enter the data into three designated fields. The data is then processed by the app, which creates a list of possible targets based on estimates of the plane's trajectory - triggering warning messages on social media, and air raid sirens in towns and cities throughout the area. Dave Levin, another co-founder, says the company is "doing a lot of outreach to try to get as many people aware of the program and understanding how to use the app and particularly outreach to women."

Levin and Jaeger are both Americans with experience in Mideast conflicts. Jaeger is a former State Department employee, and he's used his experience and contacts to get funding for the project from countries including Great Britain, Canada, the Netherlands and the United States, as well as private donors. He says the goal, in addition to saving lives, was to help empower the Syrian people to help themselves.
The chief prosecutor for South Carolina's capital city is facing more charges related to alleged misspending of public funds.



Attorney General Alan Wilson said 5th Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson has been indicted on state charges of embezzlement and misconduct in office.



Gov. Henry McMaster suspended Johnson on Wednesday following his indictment on more than two dozen federal charges including wire fraud and theft of government funds. Authorities have been investigating Johnson's spending habits and trips to locations including Amsterdam, Colombia, the Galapagos Islands and Las Vegas.



Johnson recently lost a primary bid for a third term. He has declined to answer specific questions about his travels, but has said he didn't intend for public money to be used for personal expenses.



Johnson hasn't returned messages seeking comment on the charges.



State and federal authorities have been investigating the travel and spending habits of Johnson, who logged more than 70 days of travel over a period of less than two years. The trips were reflected in credit card bills and receipts released by a nonprofit that obtained them through open-records laws.



Johnson is chief prosecutor for the 5th Circuit, which includes Richland and Kershaw counties. Columbia, the state's capital city, is in Richland County.



Nicole Holland, Johnson's communications director, was also charged with the same 26 charges as Johnson.


Workers say they endured horrifying moments of wild gunfire and terror as a woman working a temporary job at a drugstore warehouse in Maryland fired on colleagues with a handgun, killing three people before fatally shooting herself, according to authorities.

The shooting, which a witness said followed an argument Thursday morning, sent survivors screaming and running in all directions from the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland. Others nearby helped the wounded, and one person tied blood-soaked jeans around an injured man's leg trying to stanch the bleeding.

Worker Walter Zambrano, 64, said he was fortunate that he was in a bathroom when shooting broke out during a 9 a.m. morning break when workers were gathering in a cafeteria. He hid in the bathroom until the shooting stopped, fearing for his life.

The person was "shooting like crazy, bam! bam! bam!" Zambrano said, speaking in Spanish. "Everyone was screaming, running this way and that. I didn't know which way to run."

The Harford County sheriff's office has said the woman was identified as a temporary employee, Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County. It appears only one weapon was used  a 9 mm Glock handgun that was registered in Moseley's name  and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said.

"She had reported for her workday as usual, and around 9 a.m. the shooting began, striking victims both outside the business and inside the facility," Gahler said at a news conference.

He called it a "senseless crime," adding investigators hadn't identified a motive.

Three people were fatally shot and three more were wounded but expected to survive, the sheriff said. The victims were not immediately identified. Moseley died at a hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriff.

Gahler said the call about shots fired came in at about 9:06 a.m. Thursday and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes. The shooting began outside the business and continued inside, he said.

Krystal Watson said her husband Eric works at the facility and told her told her the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a "town hall meeting."

"And she went off," she said.

"She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting," Watson said as she left a fire station where relatives sought to be reunited with loved ones.

Susan Henderson, spokeswoman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the building where the shooting took place as a support facility near a larger building. The company said in a statement that the facility had been closed temporarily and grief counselors were being made available to workers.

The company didn't respond to an inquiry about Moseley's employment history.

Mike Carre, an employee of a furniture logistics operation next to the distribution center, said he helped tend to a wounded man who came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg. He called 911 before helping colleagues wrap the man's blood-soaked jeans above his injury to cut off the blood flow.

Carre said the man told him the shooter "just came in in a bad mood this morning. He said she's usually nice. But today, I guess it wasn't her day. She just came in to pick a fight with someone."

"She pulled out a gun and she just started shooting at her co-workers."

The attack came nearly three months after a man with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper. It came less than a year after a fatal workplace shooting less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the warehouse, in which five were shot, three fatally.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that, unfortunately, shooting like this are "becoming a too-often occurrence" in the nation.

On Thursday, 33-year-old Dominique Norton of Aberdeen endured an excruciating wait of nearly two hours to be reunited with her mother, 62-year-old warehouse worker Irene Norton. The younger woman said she didn't know that her mother was unharmed until she got off a bus at the fire station and they tearfully embraced.

"I busted out crying. I was relieved and shaken," she said. "I am praying for all of the victims."

___

Kunzelman reported from Havre de Grace, Maryland. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington; Bill Cormier in Atlanta; Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia; and Sarah Brumfield in Washington contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to show that a witness, not authorities, says the shooting followed an argument.
In less than a month, Canadas ten provinces and three territories will join nine American states and Washington D.C. that have fully legalized the recreational consumption of marijuana.

But even after October 17th, a Canadian citizen who drives from Vancouver to Seattle may be asked by a border agent if they have smoked pot before, and if they say yes, they could get banned from entry to the U.S. for life, even though pot is legal in Washington state.

Marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has long sought to keep those who consume the substance out of the country.

CANADA TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AFTER LANDMARK SENATE VOTE

Agents screening foreign nationals attempting to enter the U.S. are therefore allowed to deem a foreigner inadmissible to the United States if they admit to having consumed marijuana in the past. Asking people about their drug use is entirely at the discretion of a border agent, and if someone lies or is unwilling to answer, agents are allowed to search a persons belongings for evidence of past drug use, including their cell phone.

The assumption by the Canadian legal community had been that this border policy would come to an end following legalization. However, the U.S. government confirmed earlier this month that the policy will continue to apply to Canadians crossing into the U.S. after October 17th, and CBP has said that changes in a foreign countrys laws wont impact their practices at home.

This is U.S. law, and under U.S. federal law, marijuana remains illegal, a spokesperson from CBP told Fox News.

MARIJUANA STOCK BACKED BY PETER THIEL SURGES ON US IMPORT APPROVAL

Canadas ministries of Justice and Public Safety, which are jointly overseeing the process of marijuana legalization, have said they are continuing to work closely with the U.S. government to ensure that there is as little disruption for Canadians travelling to the U.S. as possible once marijuana is legalized next month.

CANADA STRUGGLING WITH ILLEGAL BORDER 'CRISIS' OF ITS OWN AHEAD OF CRUCIAL ELECTIONS

However, a spokesperson from Public Safety Canada reached by Fox News did not express optimism that the current situation at the border would change significantly soon.

The United States has the sovereign jurisdiction to deal with people crossing the border into their country, just as we have the same powers for those entering into Canada, the spokesperson said.

However, they emphasized that despite one-in-eight Canadians using cannabis today, 400,000 people move between our two countries every day almost entirely without incident.

The Canadian government has long urged its citizens not to lie if a U.S. border agent asks about their pot use.

If an agent is able to find evidence from someone who claims they have not smoked pot before that indicates otherwise, they can still be banned from entry to the U.S. anyway  in this case, for lying to a customs officer.

Even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has long been open about his past use of marijuana, said this month that he would never lie to a U.S. border agent if he was asked if he had used cannabis.

Concerns have also been raised about how this policy will impact employees of marijuana stores in Canada, which will  in many provinces  be run by the government. Even if someone who works for the stores doesnt consume marijuana themselves, a U.S. customs officer could find legal grounds to ban them from entry to America.

At least one American lawyer has argued that this could even apply to the premier - the Canadian equivalent of a governor - of a province, because of government-owned dispensaries in places including British Columbia and Quebec.

CBP confirmed to Fox News that anyone who works in the marijuana industry could be subject to a ban from entry to the U.S., whether they work for a government-run pot dispensary or one in the private sector.

Working in or facilitating the proliferation of the marijuana industry in Canada, or U.S. states where it is deemed legal, may affect a foreign nationals admissibility to the United States, a spokesperson said. The spokesperson did not directly respond when asked by Fox News if elected officials in governments that run their own dispensary chains would be exempt from this policy.

In an interview with a Vancouver radio station last month, lawyer Len Saunders called that potential detail the worst-case scenario for Canadian provincial governments.

Despite the ban on pot smokers and pot sellers, the U.S. government seems to have less of a problem with actual pot entering the U.S. from Canada.

Weed imports from British Columbia-based Tilray Inc. received the okay from the D.E.A. several days ago, for use in a study on medical cannabis being conducted by University of California San Diego.

Canadians who end up getting hit with a lifetime ban at the border can apply for a waiver from CBP that will allow them to come to America. Once they apply for it  at a cost of over $500, theres no guarantee that waiver will be approved.

Meanwhile, American expatriates living in Canada, as well as American tourists returning home from a trip to Canada, wont have to worry about being locked out of their home country if they smoked legal pot north of the border: CBPs policy only applies to foreign nationals.
A convicted felon is due back in court Friday after allegedly sucker-punching a 91-year-old man in Chicago earlier this week in what police are calling a random and brutal attack.

Police Sgt. Michael Bazarek said he was driving around the citys Chinatown neighborhood on his way to get a cup of coffee around lunchtime Tuesday when he witnessed the shocking incident.

My reaction was -- I have to do something. Im a policeman, he told reporters after cornering the alleged attacker, identified as 45-year-old Alexander Taylor.

Bazarek said Taylor was acting out, waving his hands in a violent manner, [making] gestures and ranting going from gibberish to unintelligible comments, talking at the sky, talking at the sidewalk and frightening people before turning and striking Yen Jit Wong.

Bazarek added the attack happened without provocation, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, and police took the suspect into custody without incident after backup officers arrived.

The punch caused Wong to suffer bleeding on his brain, FOX32 Chicago reported. As of Wednesday, Wong was moved out of the Northwestern Memorial Hospitals intensive care unit, but he still cannot speak, according to FOX32.

Why would you do something like that to an elderly person like this, why? said the man's son, James Wong.

Wong has 15 grandchildren, and one of his five great-grandchildren, Lauren Chiu, described Wong as a friendly person who offers plenty of hugs.

Taylor is facing multiple charges stemming from the incident, including aggravated battery to a victim older than 60, police said.

The Chicago Tribune reported Taylor previously has been convicted for hitting a senior citizen in 2008 and for attempted murder in 1998, racking up nearly a dozen years in prison over the last two decades.
Former U.S. Olympic volleyball star Kim Willoughby was indicted in Puerto Rico on Thursday for first-degree murder and child abuse in connection with the 2016 death of a toddler, according to reports.

Willoughby, a standout at the University of Hawaii who won a silver medal as a member of the U.S. Olympic team at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, previously argued that the 3-year-old girl  whom Willoughby was reportedly looking to adopt  died after slipping and hitting her head in the shower.

But prosecutors presented new evidence Sept. 10 suggesting the girls injuries were not consistent with Willoughbys account of what happened, the Star-Advertiser of Honolulu reported, citing testimony by Dr. Irma Rivera Diez, who conducted an autopsy on the body.

Rivera Diez said the girl's body showed multiple bruises and cuts, as well as more than 20 signs of external trauma -- including a ruptured vertebra, abdominal injuries, rupture of the abdominal aorta, kidney and pancreas injuries, the paper reported.

The forensic pathologist testified to finding evidence of injuries that were not recent and indicated a pattern of abuse, according to the paper.

A defense attorney for Willoughby argued the toddler was subject to abuse prior to being in the volleyball stars care, and suggested that improper first aid could have aggravated the internal injuries.

Rivera Diez disputed that the injuries would not have resulted from improper first aid, the paper reported.

Willoughby was being held in lieu of a $200,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 4.

If convicted, Willougby could face up to 99 years in prison, according to a 2012 Fox News report. Puerto Rico does not have the death penalty.

Willoughby has had a history of legal trouble, dating to 2001 when she was charged with abuse of a family or household member and third-degree assault, the paper reported. She was also sentenced to five years of probation in 2009 in relation to a fight in 2006.

The three-time first-team All-American also tested positive for a banned substance in 2009 and was suspended for two years by the Italian Olympic Committee, according to the paper.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Police searched Friday for suspects who witnesses said opened fire on dozens of people gathered for a memorial service outside a Syracuse home, wounding an 8-year-old girl and four other people.

All five victims were in stable condition at Upstate University Hospital and were expected to survive after being shot about 9 p.m. Thursday, Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler said. The victims range in age from 8 to 35.

Witnesses told The Post-Standard that they saw two to three possible shooters and heard at least 10 shots. Police haven't confirmed the number of shooters or revealed a possible motive.

Neighbors told police that about 50 people had gathered outside a house to commemorate a man who recently died of cancer. Tammy Jamison said she and the others ran into the home for cover when the gunfire erupted.

"When the shooting started, I ducked," she told the newspaper. "What would you do?"

Police remained at the scene gathering evidence overnight, finally leaving the area around 8 p.m.

No arrests have been reported.

Fowler urged anyone with information on the shooters to contact police.

"We're going to cast a wide net to get any information we can," he said.

Neighbors said the shooting took place outside the home of a family who lost a 20-month-old child to gun violence in November 2010.

Police said Rashaad Walker Jr. was sitting in a car seat in a minivan parked in another part of the city when he was hit by gunfire intended for his father, a reputed gang member. A member of a rival gang was later convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Police confirmed that the man being mourned during the memorial service was related to the Walker family.

"At this time, we do not have a motive for the shooting, so we can't say for sure if the incidents are related," Syracuse police spokesman Sgt. Richard Helterline said.

A large sign with the toddler's photo is posted outside the home where Thursday's shooting happened. Candles placed in front of the sign were lit as police combed the street for spent shell casings and other evidence.

Police said they were also investigating the wounding of a 14-year-old girl hit by gunfire about an hour after the earlier shooting.

Helterline said officers responding to a report of gunfire four blocks from the memorial service shooting found a teenage girl suffering from a gunshot wound to her lower back. She was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover, he said.

Police said they didn't know if the two shootings were related.

___

Information from: The Post-Standard, http://www.syracuse.com
An Indiana man found guilty of molesting a 10-year-old girl multiple times, which led to her becoming pregnant, was sentenced Thursday to more than 100 years in prison.

Nicholas Deon Thrash, 34, of Marion, was sentenced to 160 years in jail with a minimum service of 132 years, FOX59 Indianapolis reported, citing the Grant County prosecutor.

Thrash was found guilty of 10 counts of child molestation during his trial last month, the station reported. The victim, who was not named, testified Thrash had molested her at least 15 times.

The girls grandmother told Indiana news station WISH-TV in May 2017, when Thrash was charged, that he was someone the family trusted.

The girls mother also faces charges relating to the case, including neglect, aiding in child molesting and assisting a criminal, Marion-based newspaper the Chronicle-Tribune reported.

The mother reportedly discovered the pregnancy as the victim was trying on dresses for a school dance, then instructed her to say a classmate impregnated her.

Prosecutors told FOX59 that the girl, after turning 11, gave birth to a boy in September 2017.

Thrash remained in the Grant County Jail as of Thursday.
Three babies -- the youngest of whom was just three days old -- were among at least five people found stabbed early Friday at an unlicensed New York City day care, police said.

A 52-year-old day care worker was arrested in the attack, police said. She was taken to a hospital with self-inflicted cuts on her wrist after being discovered laying unconscious on the basement floor, FOX 5 NY reported.

Police said the Queens facility wasnt licensed.

A butcher knife and a meat cleaver were recovered at the gruesome scene, according to FOX 5 NY. Police said the stabbing spree occurred at around 4 a.m.

The name of the suspect wasnt immediately released and officials hadn't publicly identified a motive.

All of the wounded infants were females: a 3-day-old, a 20-day-old and a 1-month-old. The 3-day-old girl and 1-month-old girl were stabbed in the stomach and the 20-day-old girl had lacerations on her ear, authorities told FOX 5 NY. The trio was in critical, but stable, condition.

The father of a child at the day care facility and another day care worker were also stabbed in the assault. The woman was reportedly stabbed eight times. Their injuries were considered to be non-life threatening, police said. It wasnt clear whether the fathers child was among those stabbed.

There were nine babies in the house at the time of the incident, according to NBC New York.

I got up, went and got dressed, and came out to see which house is it, because obviously Im concerned, this is my neighborhood, one unidentified neighbor told CBS New York.
An armed kidnapping suspect being investigated by the FBI was killed Thursday night near Miami International Airport after firing upon several police officers with assault rifle, authorities said.

No details were provided about the suspects identity or the kidnap case.

Police responded to an intersection near the airport around 10 p.m. Thursday when shots were exchanged with the gunman, Miami FOX affiliate WSVN-TV reported.

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez was at a late-night budget hearing when he announced the news that a shooter with an AK-47 was dead after exchanging gunfire with police.

In a video taken from a nearby balcony, gunshots can be heard along with a woman screaming Oh my God, oh my God!

[It sounded like] gunshots, one man told the newspaper. A lot of gunshots. Boom, boom, boom. Like a machine gun, like an AK-47.

Alma Aguirre, a woman who lives near where the shooting happened, said she watched the scene from her balcony.

It was like a war, she said in Spanish, noting that police and helicopters were following the suspects vehicle.

The FBI was working on the case with Miami police and Miami-Dade police when the shooting occurred, the Miami Herald reported.

The suspect of this investigation fled the scene. And he was armed," FBI spokesman Brian Waterman told reporters early Friday. "He [the suspect] was involved in a hate crime investigation.

A Miami-Dade police spokesman told the Herald there was a chase, but no officers or bystanders were hurt.

He did shoot at our officers and we returned fire, he said.
The Latest on a shooting at a Maryland drugstore warehouse (all times local):

5 p.m.

A family friend says one of the victims killed in a shooting at a drugstore distribution center in Maryland was a mother of two who had recently moved to the U.S. from Nepal to try to give her kids a better life.

Harry Bhandari is a community leader and candidate for state delegate who says he has known 41-year-old Brindra Giri's family for about 10 years.

Authorities on Friday identified Giri as one of the three people killed when an employee opened fired at the Rite Aid facility in northeast Maryland.

Bhandari was at a funeral home Friday helping Giri's family make arrangements. He says her relatives are devastated.

Bhandari says Giri and her children joined her husband in the U.S. in April. He says Giri was an energetic hard worker who saw the job as a "stepping stone."

___

11:30 a.m.

A Maryland sheriff says investigators have found evidence that the woman who killed three people and wounded others before killing herself at a drugstore warehouse was suffering from a mental illness.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told news reporters Friday that the suspect, 26-year-old Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County, had been diagnosed with a mental illness in 2016. He would not give any more specifics about her diagnosis.

He said in recent weeks Moseley had become increasingly agitated, and relatives had been concerned for her well being.

Gahler said she used a handgun that she legally purchased in March to fire a total of 13 rounds on Thursday morning, and died after shooting herself in the head.

___

12:01 a.m.

Workers say they endured terrifying moments of wild gunfire as a woman working a temporary job at a drugstore warehouse in Maryland fired on colleagues with a handgun, killing three people before fatally shooting herself.

Authorities said the shooting erupted Thursday morning after the worker got into an argument, sending screaming workers running from the Rite Aid distribution center after it ended.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler identified the woman as a temporary employee, Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County. Gahler says he has no motive for what he calls a "senseless crime."

The sheriff says three people were fatally shot and three more were wounded and expected to survive. He says the woman died at a hospital of a self-inflicted gunshot.
The shooter who gunned down three people and wounded three others before shooting herself twice in the head at a Rite Aid distribution center in Maryland had been diagnosed with a mental illness, police said.

Snochia Moseley's diagnosis came in 2016, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said during a press conference Friday. Further details werent released.

Moseley in March legally purchased the Glock 9mm handgun she used to fire a total of 13 rounds at the plant on Thursday morning. The 26-year-old later died at a hospital after shooting herself twice in the head, Gahler said. Witnesses told investigators the first shot appeared to graze her head before she shot herself a second time.

RITE AID DISTRIBUTION CENTER EMPLOYEE KILLS 3 PEOPLE BEFORE KILLING HERSELF, POLICE SAY

Moseley had become increasingly agitated in recent weeks and relatives had grown concerned for her well-being, Gahler said. Moseley, who was a temporary employee at the center, got into a disagreement with someone the morning of the shooting, Gahler said. He said it appeared Moseley cut in line when punching in for work and someone said something to her, an exchange he referred to as a little incident.

Gahler said Moseley left the warehouse on Thursday morning and drove to her White Marsh home, where she retrieved a handgun, pepper spray and handcuffs. She arrived back at the Rite Aid building around 8:35 a.m. and pulled a hooded shirt over her head before she started shooting, striking a man outside the building. Inside, about 65 people were working when Moseley fatally struck two women and shot three other people who have survived.

Moseley was already down when law enforcement arrived and an officer moved her from the scene, not knowing that she was the shooter.

MOTHER OF SUSPECTED MS-13 VICTIM REMEMBERED AS WARRIOR

The three victims were identified as Sunday Aguda, 45, of Baltimore County; Brindra Giri, 41, Baltimore County; and Hayleen Reyes, 41, of Baltimore City.

A motive for the shooting was not known.

"There's just no way to make sense of something so senseless," Gahler said. "There's still a lot of questions that we don't know."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Wendy Martinez, who was stabbed to death during a jog in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, fought up to the last breath, her mother said at a candlelight vigil for her daughter on Thursday night.

The 35-year-old Martinez was jogging in Logan Circle around 8 p.m. Tuesday when an assailant stabbed her in the neck. After the attack, Martinez stumbled away and into a nearby restaurant, where surveillance video showed the woman appearing to alert stunned customers to her attackers location.

Martinez was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

My heart has been broken in a thousand pieces, Cora Martinez said Thursday at the vigil, according to CBS News. My daughter fought up to the last breath. She fought courageously. You do the same.

Anthony Crawford, 23, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the stabbing, police announced Thursday.

While police have yet to determine an official motive, The Washington Post reported Crawford had a history of mental illness and synthetic drug use that could cause abnormal behavior.

Crawford had no recent arrests related to violence, but was charged in 2012, as a juvenile, with felony assault, according to The Washington Post. He was ordered to remain under juvenile supervision until he turned 21, but was let go at one point when he was 20 and vanished from the group home for a month, the Post reported, citing court documents.

In 2015, he was checked into a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation because officials believed he was likely to injure [him]self or other, according to the newspaper.

Wendy Martinezs death came a week after she became engaged to her fiancee, Daniel Hincapie.

"My daughter fought up to the last breath. She fought courageously. You do the same."  Cora Martinez, mother of Wendy Martinez

You know I'm going to keep her alive by helping her achieve the dreams that she wanted to achieve, he said at her vigil.

Martinez, the chief of staff at FiscalNote, was described as an avid jogger who lived near Logan Circle, a popular D.C. neighborhood police Chief Peter Newsham described as very safe. Martinez said in a recent interview with thebridgework.com that she liked to unwind from work by running around the city or working out at her favorite local studio.

Fox News Katherine Lam and Travis Fedschun contributed to this report.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called on a sheriff to resign Thursday after he was caught on tape making racially charged remarks about African Americans and the states first Sikh attorney general.

WNYC radio obtained the tape from a person who was present during Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudinos conversation with colleagues. The statements were recorded on the day of Murphys inauguration in January.

Saudino was heard on the tape saying New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal was appointed because of the turban. Grewal is the first Sikh to serve as a state attorney general in U.S. history.

LONGTIME RADIO HOSTS OFF AIR AFTER CALLING NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL BY ABHORRENT AND XENOPHOBIC NICKNAME

Saudino was also heard slamming alleged policies that would allow African Americans to come in, do whatever the f--- they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that.

"He [Murphy] talked about the whole thing, the marijuana, sanctuary state...better criminal justice reform, Saudino said. Christ almighty, in other words, let the blacks come in, do whatever the f--- they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops.

Saudino also questioned whether Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who is not married, is gay.

Murphy called the remarks appalling in a statement issued on Thursday.

"Without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office," Murphy said. "If indeed that is Sheriff Saudino's voice on the recording, he must resign."

Grewal, who worked closely with Saudino when he served as Bergen County prosecutor before being appointed attorney general, echoed Murphy's call for Saudino to resign.

MAN SEEN SHAVING ON TRAIN SAYS HE LIVED IN HOMELESS SHELTER, WANTED TO LOOK PRESENTABLE

"I have thick skin and I've been called far worse," Grewal said in a statement. "But the comments about the African-American community are wrong, racist and hurtful. New Jersey and Bergen County deserve better."

Saudino apologized for his remarks on Thursday night but did not say he would step down. He said the comments were "not representative of the person that I am and they are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County."

The sheriff also said he has contacted several respected leaders in the communities I have offended and I have personally offered my apologies and I have asked for their forgiveness and for the communities forgiveness.

In July, two New Jersey radio hosts were suspended without pay for 10 days after repeatedly referring to Grewal as turban man during a broadcast.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A dam breach at a retired North Carolina coal-fired power plant Friday may have allowed coal ash to flow into the Cape Fear River, Duke Energy officials said.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Florence continued to overtop an earthen dike at the north side of Sutton Lake, the 1,000-acre reservoir at the L.V. Power Station near Wilmington, Duke Energy spokeswoman Paige Sheehan told The Associated Press.

The water caused breaches in the dam on the south end of the lake, which is flowing back into the river. Sheehan said floodwaters had also overtopped a steel retaining wall containing one of three large coal ash dumps lining the shoreline.

Duke Energy couldnt rule out that ash might be escaping and flowing into the river, Sheehan said. Coal ash contains arsenic, mercury and other toxic metals.

Gray material the company characterized as lightweight coal combustion byproducts could be seen floating to the top of the lake, which is now used for fishing and boating.

State regulators had been notified that the L.V. Sutton Power Station was at the highest alert level under Duke Energys emergency action plan.

According to The Associated Press, the plan defines an Emergency Level 1 event as: Urgent! Dam Failure is imminent or in progress.

Flash flooding will occur downstream of the dam, the manual reportedly says. This situation is also applicable when flow through the earth spillway is causing downstream flooding of people and roads.

The language is characterized as a worst case scenario to allow everyone to prepare accordingly, Sheehan said Thursday.

She said the company has been in contact with local emergency officials but high water levels meant if the berm were to break, there would be very minimal impact down river.

The lake is a former cooling pond for the Sutton power plant and is adjacent to three large coal-ash dumps. The power plant was retired in 203 and replaced with a natural gas powered-generating station.

A landfill that was under construction at the site, which was meant to hold coal ash lined terraces, ruptured over the weekend, spilling enough material to fill 180 dump trucks, according to the Associated Press.

The site received more than 30 inches of rain from Hurricane Florence, with the Cape Fear River expected to crest Saturday.

Duke Energy said Wednesday that water samples collected by its employees and tested at their own lab showed no evidence of a coal ash impact to the reservoir or the river. However, The Associated Press reported the samples did detect coal ash in wetlands adjacent to the shoreline.

North Carolina officials also received reports of earthen dam breaches at hog lagoons, spilling out feces and urine. Officials warned of possible contamination ahead of Florence.

Millions of chickens and turkeys and 5,500 hogs have been killed due to floodwaters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Five people, including an 8-year-old and 14-year-old, were shot during a Thursday night memorial service in upstate New York, police said.

Dispatch logs showed police responded to a shooting at a house in Syracuse after 9 p.m., the Post-Standard reported.

The number of suspects varied, according to witnesses, with some saying two and others saying three.

Neighbors told police that around 50 people had gathered outside a house to commemorate the death of a man who had recently died of cancer. When shots broke out, the neighbors ran into the house to take cover inside. Neighbors accounts of the shooting indicated between 10 and 15 shots were fired, the Post-Standard reported.

Witnesses and family members told police the home where the shooting occurred belonged to Rashaad Walker Jr., a 20-month-old who was shot in 2010 amid a rival gang shootout, the Post-Standard reported.

Click here for more from the Post-Standard.
A suspected burglar trying to hide his gun from police dug a hole  for himself.

Sheldon Oliver, 23, was taken into custody by police in Georgia last week after surveillance footage captured him burying a loaded gun outside the Forsyth County courthouse, where he was set to appear as a suspect in a prowling case.

In todays world, you cant take anything for granted, Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman told FOX5 Atlanta. Was it something innocuous? Could it have been an explosive device? Was it something else?

Video footage obtained by the station shows Oliver pulling out a Louis Vuitton bag with the gun inside and then crouching down and burying it in the gravel outside the building.

He then walked through the metal detectors inside and was promptly arrested by police, who had a warrant out for him following an armed burglary at a local Islamic center, FOX5 Atlanta reported.

Oliver was charged with burglary, reckless conduct and carrying a weapon without a license and, as of Tuesday, was being held at the Forsyth County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

The courthouse had been attacked in 2014, when a man drove an SUV up to the property loaded with guns and grenades, according to FOX5 Atlanta.

We certainly know the reality that it could happen here, Freeman said, noting the risk of a potential attack. So no, were never going to let our guard down for that.
A Massachusetts teacher was put on leave this week after turning himself over to police in New Hampshire, allegedly for putting his toddler inside a game machine at a shopping mall to steal its prizes.

Anthony Helinski, 34, surrendered to police five days after witnesses at the Mall at Rockingham Park in New Hampshire recorded video of a man encouraging a girl to hand out toys while inside a KeyMaster game, New England Cable News reported.

The video shows another child exclaiming, Yes, it worked, as the girl passes the prizes out of the machine, according to Boston news station WCVB-TV. The young girl is later seen poking her head out of the machine before sliding out.

Police received several tips after releasing the video and issued an arrest warrant for Helinski on Wednesday, local Boston station WFXT-TV reported. Police said Helinski immediately surrendered with his attorney.

Helinski, a middle school teacher, was placed on leave pending an investigation, the Andover Public Schools district said in a statement obtained by the station.

"One of our teachers at the Doherty Middle School was involved in an incident in Salem, N.H., last week. Andover Public Schools is fully cooperating with authorities," a district spokeswoman said. "The teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation."

Helinski, of Lawrence, Mass., faces three counts of theft, two counts of criminal trespass and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

He was released from custody with an arraignment hearing scheduled for Oct. 29.
The two Maryland police officers who were shot while executing a drug-related search warrant late Wednesday had entered the wrong apartment, officials said.

Officers from Prince George's County Police entered the home of a law-abiding resident after an investigation led officers to incorrectly conclude that the address was that of a suspected drug dealer, police Chief Hank Stawinski said during a news conference Thursday.

"The individual that we are targeting does not live at that address ... a law-abiding, hard-working citizen of Prince George's County and his daughter were home at the point where we were executing that search warrant," Stawinski said.

As of Thursday afternoon, one officer has been released, while the other remained hospitalized for surgery on his face and an arm, Washington station WUSA-TV reported.

The shooting took place Wednesday night as a unit of nine officers served a search warrant at an apartment complex about 20 miles south of the nation's capital. After knocking on the door and getting no response, officers used a device to open it.

The resident, who had fallen asleep and didnt hear police announce themselves, fired a shotgun as soon as officers opened the door, striking one in the shoulder and the other in a hand, officials said. One officer returned fire, but didnt hit anyone.

The man immediately surrendered once he realized they were police officers, officials said.

You got the wrong address. Dont shoot my daughter, the father said, according to Stawinski.

The chief apologized for the blunder and said there will not be any criminal charges filed against the resident, Washington news station WTOP-FM reported.

Earlier this month, a police officer in Dallas was charged with manslaughter after entering an apartment she mistook as her own and fatally shooting the resident.

Fox News Benjamin Brown and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
The gunman in a Wisconsin workplace shooting was taken to a mental health hospital and barred from purchasing firearms in 2004 after telling South Dakota police that he thought co-workers were "talking bad about him," according to court records and police.

Anthony Tong also said he believed his neighbors were spying on him after police were called to his Sioux Falls apartment. Officers handcuffed Tong for their own safety because he was acting delusional and paranoid, and seized a pistol and an AR-15 rifle from his home, according to South Dakota court documents.

The revelations raise questions about how Tong acquired the 9 mm pistol used in Wednesday's attack at WTS Paradigm, a software company in Middleton, Wisconsin. Investigators allege the 43-year-old employee opened fire in his office, seriously wounding three people and grazing a fourth before officers killed him in a shoot-out.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said during a news conference Friday that Tong had no criminal history, but said his run-in with police in South Dakota in 2004 resulted in a judge revoking his concealed-carry permit over mental health questions. That revocation would have red-flagged him on a gun background check, making it illegal for him to purchase firearms, Foulke said.

"It absolutely seems as though with some loophole he was able to get that firearm, and he should not have been able to do that," Foulke said.

Foulke said a motive behind the attack remains unclear.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was trying to track down the origin of the pistol used in Wednesday's attack  but agents were running into problems with the trace, Foulke said.

"There's something unique about that weapon that they're having trouble finding out where it came from and what hands it passed through," the police chief said.

He declined to elaborate.

Tong moved to the area from South Dakota in March 2017, a month before he started his job with WTS Paradigm, Foulke said. The chief said he didn't know what Tong was doing for a living before moving to Wisconsin.

According to South Dakota court records, the manager of Tong's Sioux Falls apartment complex called police in August 2004 because the fire alarm had been disconnected in Tong's apartment.

Tong told officers he had disconnected the fire alarm. Inside his apartment they discovered he had disconnected a host of other electronic devices, including ceiling fans, lights and smoke detectors. Tong told police he disabled the devices because people in the apartment below were eavesdropping on him.

Officers reported that Tong took several minutes to answer simple questions and was defensive when he did answer. He also blocked a bedroom door when police asked if anyone else was in the apartment.

Officers handcuffed him and found a .40-caliber pistol under his shirt. They also found a can of pepper spray and a folding knife on him, according to court documents. In the bedroom, the officers discovered an AR-15 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Tong told them he needed the guns for protection.

"Defendant made statements that there were people at work that were talking bad about him, but would not elaborate," an affidavit said.

He was taken to a mental hospital on a 24-hour hold. That November, a state judge revoked his concealed-carry permit that November.

On Friday, authorities in Wisconsin said the conditions of the three seriously wounded workers had improved. The woman and two men had been upgraded from serious to fair condition at University Hospital in Madison, according to UW Health.

Police don't know if the victims were targeted or shot at random. Their names haven't been released.

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Nord reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Authorities say a New York woman who breached security at a New Jersey airport and drove her car across two runways has been charged with criminal trespass and other counts.

Port Authority police say 31-year-old Ciara Schultz, of Ballston Spa, followed an authorized vehicle through an open gate at Teterboro Airport around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. She then drove across the runways before she stopped and fled on foot.

Authorities say no planes were on the runways at the time.

Police tracked Schultz down to a nearby home in Moonachie and took her into custody. Authorities say she has been released but was taken to a hospital for an evaluation.

The Port Authority says it is investigating how to prevent such a breach from happening again.
Chile's annual military parade took place on Thursday, capturing a crowd's attention with ... adorable pups?

Indeed, a row of golden retriever puppies, tucked into neon green bags and carried by the country's national police force canine unit, became a highlight of the parade. A line of adult retrievers wearing boots followed suit.

The Great Military Parade in Santiago was held in honor of Chile's 208th Independence Day anniversary and featured more than 9,500 troops. It had millions of viewers nationwide, The Evening Standard reported.

The canine unit first appeared in the parade in 2008.
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The spectacle and surprise on display at the three inter-Korean summits this year have been, at times, intense. The fourth one could be surreal  if it happens.

Imagine North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rolling through South Korea's ultra-modern capital in an armored limousine flanked by crew-cut bodyguards running in crisp, military formation  the same streets where millions protested two years ago to bring down a corrupt government. Or what about Kim taking an evening stroll through affluent southern Seoul, stopping by the soaring Lotte World Tower to soak in the majestic skyline above the broad Han River  not too far from where protesters regularly burn effigies of him?

All this, and more, is possible after Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's invitation to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year.

A visit to his nation's sworn enemy by the third generation of his family to rule North Korea since the nations were divided and then fought a bloody, three-year war that still technically continues would be a truly historic event that could test Seoul politically and logistically.

Moon's supporters would welcome Kim's visit as a significant step toward peace. But South Korea is deeply divided along ideological and generational lines, and there would be no shortage of vibrant outrage from the anti-Pyongyang activists who loathe the despot from the north.

Here's a look at the possibility of a visit by Kim to South Korea, what it could look like and whether it could happen:

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TIMING

In an appearance before media in Pyongyang on Wednesday following their summit talks, Kim said he promised Moon he'd visit Seoul "in a short time." Moon then said Kim agreed to visit Seoul within the year unless there are "exceptional circumstances."

If he does come, Kim would be the first North Korean leader to visit the South Korean capital since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a cease-fire. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, became the first member of the ruling Kim family to visit Seoul in February, when she attended the Winter Olympics in South Korea as a special envoy and conveyed Kim's desire for a summit with Moon.

During the first inter-Korean summit in 2000, Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, told then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung that he would visit Seoul at an "appropriate time," but that time never came. He died in 2011.

However, Kim Jong Un, a decidedly more charismatic leader than his reclusive father, could follow through.

Since launching a diplomatic initiative at the start of the year, Kim has gone out of his way to present himself as an international statesman. He has shared food, wine and laughs with South Korean officials and seemed thoroughly at his ease during a highly choreographed June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore. During an evening sightseeing tour he cheerfully waved at bystanders and viewed the skyline at Singapore's towering Marina Bay Sands.

A Seoul visit between late November and early December could be a good bet.

The rest of September won't work. Moon will be in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, where he plans to meet Trump to discuss the nuclear issue.

October could also be difficult because of the time needed to prepare for such a visit. And North Korea will likely be focusing next month on getting talks with the United States back on track before the U.S. midterm elections in November.

As December wanes Kim will need to prepare for his major New Year's address to his nation, which he annually uses to announce major policy decisions.

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IT'S ALL ABOUT THE NUKES

How Kim is received in Seoul, if he comes, could depend on how he handles nuclear disarmament in coming weeks.

A summit in Seoul would have much deeper diplomatic weight than those that have come before, requiring South Korea to prepare a lavish welcome that could match Moon's reception this week in the North. Moon was treated to Pyongyang streets filled with tens of thousands of cheering residents. And he delivered a speech to 150,000 at the city's May Day Stadium during mass propaganda games.

An effusive reception for Kim would be a sensitive issue in the democratic South. Many South Koreans still harbor deep anger over the North's 1950 sneak attack that started a war that killed and injured millions. There has been occasional bloodshed ever since, including two attacks that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.

Because Moon must create a positive atmosphere for Kim's visit to Seoul, he needs to coax more progress from the North on denuclearization, said Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korea expert at Seoul's Dongguk University and a policy adviser for Moon.

The visit could even develop into a three-way meeting including Trump, something Seoul wants so that the leaders can declare a formal end to the Korean War.

The United States wants to see the North take concrete steps toward denuclearization before there's any such declaration, which wouldn't be a legally binding peace treaty but could make it easier for North Korea to steer the discussions toward a peace regime and security concessions.

There are big doubts in Washington about Kim's willingness to relinquish his nuclear program.

This week, Kim promised to allow outside experts to observe the dismantling of a missile engine test site and launch pad. He also expressed a willingness to dismantle the North's main nuclear facility in Nyongbyon if the United States takes unspecified corresponding measures. It's unclear whether that would be enough to get Washington to agree to a quick end-of-war declaration.

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WHERE TO PUT HIM

South Korea doesn't have a huge state guesthouse like Pyongyang's Paekhwawon, where Moon stayed this week. That leaves one of Seoul's luxury hotels.

The most obvious candidate is Walkerhill, which is where Kim's sister stayed during her visit to Seoul. Nestled on a hill along the Han River, it's away from Seoul's bustling downtown and regularly handles high-security events and high-profile guests.

There could be a problem, though, if Kim worries about irony. The hotel is named after late U.S. Army commander Walton Walker, a war hero in the South because of his exploits against the North during the Korean War.

South Korea would roll out for Kim's protection thousands of police officers who are well used to corralling Seoul's vibrant, very occasionally violent protesters. The police would spend weeks training, but they've got plenty of experience: Rallies by anti-Pyongyang demonstrators didn't pose much of a security threat during Kim Yo Jong's visit to the South earlier this year, for instance. And during Trump's visit to South Korea in 2017, more than 15,000 officers provided security, using hundreds of police buses to create tight perimeters near Seoul's presidential palace to wall off anti-Trump protesters.

Unlike Moon this week in the North, Kim probably wouldn't deliver a speech in a stadium packed with thousands of South Koreans. But he could speak to a smaller group like Chinese President Xi Jinping did with students at Seoul National University in 2014. A lesser but not impossible possibility is that Kim could address South Korean lawmakers at Seoul's National Assembly to call for stronger legislative support on summit agreements.

First, however, he's got to get on the plane south.

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Follow Kim Tong-hyung on Twitter at @KimTongHyung.
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Anti-India rebels in disputed Kashmir raided over a dozen homes of police officers and abducted three whose bullet-riddled bodies were recovered Friday, officials said.

The killings came days after the region's largest rebel group asked officers to quit the Kashmiri police force and stay away from counterinsurgency operations. Militants in Kashmir have increasingly targeted police working with India's forces, accusing them of being collaborators.

Early Friday, nearly two dozen rebels stormed the homes in two southern Kashmir villages, took away three off-duty officers and a fourth person who had resigned from the police days earlier. The three were shot dead and the former officer was released unharmed, police said.

S.P. Pani, the region's police chief, called the killings "barbaric." He said they show "desperation on part of militants, not a chink in our system."

"We'll deal with it. They (the assailants) shall be brought to justice," he said.

Last month, militants abducted 11 police and their family members in southern Kashmir after government forces detained several relatives of the militants and set ablaze at least two of their homes. Video of the abducted was released to social media reportedly by militants, asking police not to harass their families.

Riyaz Naikoo, operations commander of Kashmir's largest rebel group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, claimed responsibility for the abductions and demanded the release of family members of all militants in police custody within three days. Police quietly released Naikoo's father and some other relatives of militants, who later set free the 11 people they snatched.

"You forced us to kidnap your kin to make you feel what we feel when police harass our families. How a mother would be feeling when her son is taken away. We also abducted them to let you know that we are capable of reaching them as well," Naikoo said in the widely circulated audio, warning local police to stay away from India's anti-rebel operations.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian government troops, backed by tens of thousands of local police tasked with patrolling the streets, gathering intelligence and profiling anti-India activists, have maintained a tight security control throughout the region.

Initially in the early 1990s when the anti-India rebellion peaked, Kashmir police were hesitant to be drawn into the counterinsurgency following attacks on them and their family members. However, they soon felt demoralized, afraid and caught in the middle between the Indian authorities who employ them and the friends and neighbors who question their loyalties.

Several policemen have recently quit their jobs following the killings of colleague and threats from the militants.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim it in its entirety.

Most Kashmiris support the rebel cause that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.

Rebels have been fighting Indian control since 1989. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies.

Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.
Brazilian police on Friday arrested a fugitive whom U.S. authorities have accused of serving as Hezbollah's financier and who has repeatedly been accused of illegal activity in a lawless border area where three South American nations meet.

Police took Assad Ahmad Barakat into custody in the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguacu, which is home to the famous Iguazu Falls and sits where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay converge. The Tri-Border Area, as it is known, has long been a haven for smugglers, traffickers and counterfeiters, and U.S. authorities and others have alleged it is also a redoubt for terrorism support and financing.

Authorities in Paraguay are seeking Barakat on allegations of false representation, police said, and Brazil's Supreme Court authorized his arrest earlier this month. The Brazilian federal prosecutor's office said in a statement that Barakat's case met the requirements for an arrest with a view to extradition  but it was not clear when or if that would happen.

In 2004, the U.S. Treasury Department said Barakat was one of the most influential members of Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization. It accused him of using his businesses in the Tri-Border Area as a front for fundraising for Hezbollah as well as coercing local shopkeepers into giving money to the organization.

A Treasury official at the time said he had used "every financial crime in the book" to fund Hezbollah and "underwrite terror," and the department ordered his assets frozen in the United States. Barakat was then serving a prison sentence for tax evasion in Paraguay.

Two years later it added several of his associates to a list of people whose U.S. assets can be frozen and whom Americans and U.S. companies are prohibited from dealing with. Barakat remains on that list.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which researches and advocates against anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, praised the arrest.

"We have monitored international terrorist activity in the lawless contiguous Triple Frontier region for some 20 years," Shimon Samuels, the center's director for international relations, said in a statement. He added that he hopes the arrest was "a sign that the three countries will begin to drive Hezbollah out of Latin America."

Beyond the longstanding accusations of his involvement with terrorism, Barakat has faced other legal troubles over the years and was even extradited from Brazil to Paraguay once before, according to police. They said he returned to Brazil in 2008 after serving his sentence.

In Paraguay, Barakat is currently accused of presenting a declaration of incorrect nationality and omitting information about the loss of nationality, Brazilian prosecutors said Friday. Barakat was born in Lebanon but has lived in South America for years.

Prosecutors said they had information that Barakat applied for refugee status in Brazil when he learned of Paraguay's arrest warrant, but that only the recognition of refugee status would prevent his extradition, which was not the case here.

Brazilian police also said Argentine authorities have accused associates of Barakat of laundering $10 million in a scheme in casinos, and they have frozen the group's assets.
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The Chinese government has turned four of Meripet's children into orphans, even though she and her husband are alive.

The kids were left with their grandmother when the couple visited Meripet's sick father in Turkey. But when Chinese authorities started locking up thousands of their fellow ethnic Uighurs for alleged subversive crimes such as travel abroad, a visit turned into exile.

Then, her mother-in-law was jailed, and Meripet learned from a friend that her 3- to 8-year-olds were placed in a de facto orphanage in the Xinjiang region.

"It's like my kids are in jail," Meripet said, her voice cracking.

Meripet's family is among tens of thousands swept up in President Xi Jinping's campaign to subdue a sometimes restive region, including the internment of more than one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities. Now there is evidence that the government is placing the children of detainees and exiles into dozens of orphanages across Xinjiang.

The orphanages are the latest example of how China is systematically distancing young Muslims in Xinjiang from their families and culture, The Associated Press has found through interviews with more than a dozen Muslims and a review of procurement documents. The government has been building thousands of so-called "bilingual" schools where minority children are penalized for using their native languages instead of Mandarin. Some of these are boarding schools, which Uighurs say can be mandatory and, in a Kazakh family's case, start from the age of five.

China says the orphanages help disadvantaged children and denies the existence of internment camps for their parents. It prides itself on investing millions of yuan in education in Xinjiang to steer people out of poverty and away from terrorism. The country also maintains that strong measures are necessary to kill extremism in a region where it says Uighur separatists were responsible for the deaths of hundreds in past years.

But Uighurs fear that these measures are wiping out their ethnic identity, one child at a time.

"If the kids are forced to speak Mandarin and live like Han Chinese every day, I'm afraid they won't be like us anymore," said Meriyem Yusup, whose extended family has four children sent to state-run orphanages in Xinjiang.

Experts say what China is doing echoes how white colonialists in North America and Australia treated indigenous children.

"What we're looking at is something like a settler colonial situation where an entire generation is lost," said Darren Byler, a researcher of Uighur culture at University of Washington.

Most of these families in China cannot be reached by journalists. However, the AP interviewed 14 Uighur families living in Turkey and one Kazakh man in Almaty with a total of 56 children who remain in China. The families say 14 appear to be in state-run orphanages and boarding schools, while the whereabouts of the rest are unknown because many of their adult relatives in Xinjiang have been detained. Some interviewees, like Meripet, requested that they be identified only by their first names because they feared official retaliation against their relatives.

Since the start of last year, the government has budgeted more than $30 million (200 million Chinese yuan) to build or expand at least 45 orphanages, with enough beds to house about 5,000 children, an AP review of procurement notices in Xinjiang shows. In July and August alone, the government invited bids for the construction of at least nine such centers. These numbers do not include kindergartens and other schools where some children of Uighur detainees are also being housed.

Shi Yuqing, a Kashgar civil affairs official, told the AP over the phone that "authorities provide aid and support to everyone in need, whether they're the children of convicted criminals or people killed in traffic accidents."

The Xinjiang government did not respond to repeated requests for government. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said Thursday the measures taken in Xinjiang were necessary for "stability, development, harmony."

Meripet's friend, who visited China last November, told her that her children are living in the Hotan City Kindness Kindergarten, where Meripet's sister-in-law was permitted to take them home for one night only. The schoolyard's entrance is blocked by an iron gate and adorned with the words "We Are Happy and Grateful to the Motherland." Armed police officers surrounded AP reporters minutes after their arrival and ordered them to delete any photos.

Students at another kindergarten in Xinjiang were regularly asked by officials if their parents practiced religion at home, according to Dilnur, a 35-year-old business student in exile in Istanbul, whose children attended the school. A man was taken away by police after his grandson said in class that he had made a pilgrimage to Mecca, she recalled.

Some bilingual schools are boarding schools, which are not uncommon in China. Adil Dalelkhan, an ethnic Kazakh sock merchant in exile in Almaty, said that even though his then five-year-old son could live with relatives, he was forced to stay at his preschool Mondays through Fridays instead. The father called the policy a "terrifying" step toward extinguishing Kazakh culture.

An official Kashgar notice posted in February states that children in the fourth grade and above with parents in detention must be sent to boarding school immediately  even if one parent is still at home.

In Istanbul, the only child still with Meripet is her fifth, a son born in Turkey whom she calls "my only light."

"I have only been able to keep living because I know there is hope," she said. "I know one day I will see my children again."

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Associated Press writer Gillian Wong in Beijing contributed to this report.

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Follow Yanan Wang and Dake Kang on Twitter at @yananw and @dakekang.
While his South Sudan homeland continues to be ripped apart by a protracted civil war, a former child fighter turned prominent hip-hop artist says he's not giving up his campaign to end the recruitment of children on the battlefield.

After all, said Emmanuel Jal, a Christian who learned to kill at the tender age of eight, he knows from what he speaks.

From the time I was young, I was walking around seeing dead bodies of people from my village. People I knew got shot and died next to me," he said in an interview with Fox News on Monday, where he appeared at an Oslo Freedom Forum event in New York.

"Then, I was recruited as a child soldier and that took me to the next level. As a kid, I had a desire to kill as many Muslims and Arabs as possible.

Born sometime in 1980 in the South Sudan village of Tonj, Jal was just a toddler when the Second Sudanese Civil War ignited a few years later. At the age of seven, he woke up one morning to learn his mother had been murdered. He was then taken in and indoctrinated by Christian commanders in the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA), which was fighting the increasingly repressive Islamic government.

I was taken and trained  I was taught how to fire a gun, how to attack, how to fight, how to take of myself, he recalled. The training was difficult, but it would have been much harder if I hadnt seen all that I had seen. The flashbacks, the suffering of the people, that bitterness is what allowed me to get through and finish the training.

Jal says he got lucky five years later, when he was rescued by a British aid worker and ushered off to school  in his words, trading a gun for a pen. More than 25 years later, the memories still sting.

To cope, Jal relies on the Christian concept of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a process, because you get hit every day. I have seen this war take my loved ones away  but you have to know that the dark force which can push to achieve great things, can also make you become like the same people who (exploited) you, Jal explained. So we all have to find something that we can hold on to. Something that makes our life significant and use it to make a contribution.

For Jal, that something is his music. In addition to his activism, he has managed to make a living  and ignite a substantial following  as a hip-hop musician. With songs like War Child and Ceasefire, he shares vignettes of his life, and aims to motivate the youth in his homeland to seek peace, prosperity and unity.

I just did an album with my sister, who is in a refugee camp, and music has also allowed her to manage her thoughts and anger. She was raped several times and has witnessed so many atrocities, he said. The area I come from in South Sudan, four in every five women have been raped, so many have become pregnant out of rape.

"And then kids, young men castrated  60 people from just my family killed. How do I process that? I have to balance and say hey, I know these forces. I will be the bridge and the hope.

Jal has also been an outspoken critic against those in the American hip-hop culture who exploit themes of drugs, sexual violence, greed and gangs.

VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER LAMENTS "GENOCIDE" IN HIS COUNTRY, REVEALS HIS ESCAPE FROM DETAINMENT

YEMEN'S CHILD SOLDIERS FACE LONG ROAD AFTER SEXUAL, PHYSICAL ABUSE

Yet despite a global awareness on what is still happening inside South Sudan  a country the United States spent billions on and led the push to formally declare as the worlds newest country in 2011  there is no end in sight for the bloodshed.

The ongoing civil war  which broke out in late 2013 as a power struggle between President Salva Kiir, who accused his former deputy, Riek Machar, of plotting a coup attempt  is heading toward its sixth year. And the recruitment of child soldiers is still rising, according to UNICEF.

Human Rights activists blame armed groups on both sides of the conflict for forcing children to bear arms, despite claims minors are no longer being recruited. More than 19,000 children are documented to have been conscripted into the battle in the last five years alone, according to UNICEF.

A report released by Amnesty International this month also cast an even murkier light on the depths of depravity in South Sudan. The investigation found civilians have been burned alive, hung in trees and swung into tree trunks until death, shot indiscriminately while hiding in swamps, and run over with armored vehicles by government forces in rebel-occupied areas.

Civilian homes have reportedly been looted and burned to the ground, while women, girls and boys are held for several weeks and brutally gang-raped  sustaining serious injuries. UN figures estimate more than 50,000 have been killed since the 2013 conflict began, and that a quarter of the 13 million population has been displaced.

Jal also noted a tough stance by Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, who visited the country last year and called for an end to the regional violence - and the naming and shaming of perpetrators - he is optimistic for the future.

America has played a huge role in South Sudan getting its independence. They trained the military and provided aid, but now the country is in a mess and the investment hasnt worked out, he added.

But now I am seeing an urgency from the American leaders, there is speed and a real push to hold leaders accountable and establish a peace process. People like Nikki have gone and seen it themselves and been touched enough to respond. That is how change happens.
Taiwan officials said Thursday that they are searching for Cody Wilson, a Texas maker of 3D-printed guns whom authorities say has fled to Asia after being accused of having sex with an underage girl.

Meanwhile, Taiwan media reported that Wilson rented an apartment in Taipei with a lease set to start Friday.

Wilson reportedly arrived in Taiwan earlier this month, the National Immigration Agency and Criminal Investigation Bureau confirmed.

The bureau has yet to receive intelligence from the U.S. regarding Wilson, but will continue seeking more information about the case, said Kan Yen-min, a division director quoted by the official Central News Agency.

Investigators said Wilson met the girl for sex at an Austin, Texas, hotel on Aug. 15 and paid her $500 afterward. A counselor for the teenager reported the alleged encounter to Austin police a week later, saying Wilson met the girl online.

Austin police Cmdr. Troy Officer said Wednesday that his department was working with U.S. and international law enforcement agencies to find Wilson, whose last known location was Taipei.

Meanwhile, a manhunt was underway for Wilson, Taiwannews.com reported, adding that he signed a lease for an apartment in Taipei, Taiwans capital, scheduled to begin Friday at noon, citing Taiwans Liberty Times.

Wilson visited Taipei and contacted a house agent in Taipei on Sept. 6 through a rental website, the report said.

He arrived in customs on a tourist visa and said he was visiting Taiwan for business reasons, Taiwans Apple Daily reported.

Officer said it was unclear why Wilson went to Taiwan, but he is known to travel extensively.

He said before Wilson flew there, a friend of the 16-year-old girl informed Wilson that police were investigating the accusation that he had sex with the youth.

Taiwan and the U.S. do not have an extradition treaty but cooperate extensively on legal and security matters.

Wilson is identified in the affidavit as the owner of Austin-based Defense Distributed. After a federal court barred Wilson from posting the printable gun blueprints online for free last month, he announced he had begun selling them for any amount of money to U.S. customers through his website.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia sued to stop an agreement that the government reached with Defense Distributed, arguing that the blueprints for how to print plastic guns could be obtained by felons or terrorists.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Fourteen police dogs received medals and diplomas during an emotional retirement ceremony in Colombia's capital Friday as they wrapped up years of service sniffing out drugs, bombs and bodies.

Some of the German shepherds, pit bulls and golden retrievers were treated to special scented baths before they were retired during the event in an auditorium at the Chief Prosecutor's Office.

Among the retired dogs was "Canela," a 12-year-old Labrador who helped investigators undercover 65 mass graves containing the victims of paramilitary violence, and "Negra," a pit bull mutt who helped detect several tons of cocaine in her eight-year career.

Officials plan to put the dogs up for adoption, placing them with families that will help them live out their retirement years in peace. Some dogs could also be taken in by their former handlers.

"We've shared a lot of things together and they are like our children," said David Maldonado, Negra's handler.

Police dogs in Colombia often participate in dangerous missions, sniffing out landmines for officers who eradicate coca fields, or rescuing bodies in combat zones.

"Sombra," which is Spanish for shadow, was recently relocated from her base on the country's Caribbean coast, after drug traffickers, angry over her success at sniffing out cocaine shipments, offered a bounty of $7,000 for her head.

Hundreds of dogs serve with Colombia's police and military. A canine school run by the police near Bogota also provides training for dogs and handlers from other Latin American countries.

Colombia's police dogs are usually retired when they reach eight or nine years old, and in the past they were then kept in kennels where police veterinarians provided them with food, play and medical treatment. But recently, Colombia's police have been looking for families to adopt the dogs. Earlier this month, the Anti-Narcotics Police put up 50 of its retired dogs for adoption.

Adopting families must go through a rigorous screening process to ensure the sniffer dogs are not put to work for private security companies.

"These dogs are very obedient and they are well trained," said Jeymy Bucuru, a veterinarian with Colombia's Anti-Narcotics police. "But we also want them to be able to rest."

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Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman reported this story in Bogota and AP writer Manuel Rueda reported from Mexico City.
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Russia won't interfere in next month's elections in Bosnia, an ethnically-divided Balkan nation where Moscow maintains strong influence among the country's Serbs, Russia's foreign minister insisted Friday.

Sergey Lavrov said after talks with officials in Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, that Russia will respect the outcome in the Oct. 7 general election and won't be backing any party.

Analysts have warned that Lavrov's visit ahead of the vote could be seen as support for the nationalist Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik, an ally of Moscow.

"We will always respect the Bosnian people's choice and will work with anyone they elect," Lavrov insisted. "We never give advice to other countries' people as to whom they should vote for."

Lavrov also called for closer cooperation with Bosnia, pledging support for the country's territorial integrity.

Muslim-Croat and Serb entities were established in a U.S.-brokered peace agreement that ended Bosnia's bloody 1992-95 conflict. Over 100,000 people died in the war.

The West has been alarmed with Russia's mounting influence in the Balkans, particularly among the Bosnian Serbs and in neighboring Serbia.

Reflecting strong pro-Russian sentiments, thousands gathered later on Friday to greet Lavrov as he arrived in the main Bosnian Serb town of Banja Luka.

Huge Serb and Russian flags were on display along Lavrov's route in the town and the highest security measures were in force.

At a joint press conference in Banja Luka with Dodik, Lavrov said the West is imposing a "false choice" on nations in the region between membership of the European Union or close relations with Russia.

Dodik, who has advocated a separation of the Serbs from the rest of Bosnia, is running for office in Bosnia's three-member presidency, described ties with Russia as "very fair" while criticizing Western influence in the country.

He said he was "proud" that Bosnian Serbs have blocked the possibility for Bosnia to join Western sanctions against Russia over Ukraine.

"I love and respect Russia, that's true," said Dodik. He added he "didn't talk about the voters or the election" with Lavrov and that the timing of the visit was accidental.

Lavrov also visited the construction site for a future Serb-Russian church  the two nations are Orthodox Christian.
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A decade after people took to the streets to welcome democracy to the Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago, voters head to the polls on Sunday in what has become a referendum on whether democracy will stay.

The Maldives' third multiparty presidential election is being held five years after incumbent President Yameen Abdul Gayoom began consolidating power, rolling back press and individual freedoms, asserting control over independent governmental institutions and jailing or forcing major political rivals into exile.

"There is a need to reorient ourselves and take stock of what we have lost," said Ahmed Tholal, a former member of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives. "There is a need to ask ourselves if we are willing to allow the hard work of democratizing the country to go waste."

Beyond the postcard image the Maldives has of luxury resorts and white sand beaches, the 400,000 citizens of the former British protectorate have struggled to maintain the democratic system established in 2008.

Yameen has jailed two former presidents including his half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the Maldives' former strongman, his former vice president, two Supreme Court justices, two former defense ministers and scores of others after trials criticized for a lack of due process.

As protests culminating in violent confrontations with police and mass arrests have grown, opposition parties  many of them Yameen's own former political partners  formed an alliance in exile with the aim of unseating him.

Transparency Maldives spokesman Aiman Rasheed said that Sunday's vote is "a referendum on authoritarianism versus freedom."

Gulbin Sultana, a researcher on the Maldives at the Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses based in New Delhi, described the state of the country as a "democratic dictatorship" in which Yameen has been carrying out his whims by legally amending the constitution.

But Yameen's supporters counter that the country's economy and institutions have grown under him. Yameen's campaign slogan, "Progress shared," is a nod to the country's development. Government spokesman Ibrahim Hussain Shihab said Yameen's administration has always sought to "maintain the rule of law."

Gross domestic product more than doubled between 1990 and 2015, life expectancy at birth increased and poverty declined, although high youth unemployed and low participation of women in workforce persist, according to the World Bank.

Part of that growth is due to aid and investment from China, which is challenging India's long-held position as the dominant outside power throughout South Asia. China considers the Maldives a key cog in its "Belt and Road" project along ancient trade routes through the Indian Ocean and Central Asia.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the upcoming elections could be the last chance to extricate his country from increasing Chinese influence, which he described as a land grab in the guise of investments in island development.

"We believe that the Chinese government has an interest in maintaining the authoritarian rule of President Yameen," he said Friday at a news conference in Colombo.

Political struggle has long beset the string of atolls.

The former British protectorate did not inherit a full parliamentary system of government like many other colonies. In 1953, the 812-year-old sultanate was abolished in favor of a republic, then restored again a year later until 1968. Gayoom came to power in 1978 through a public referendum.

Calls for the recognition of political parties were violently suppressed and activists jailed during Gayoom's 30-year authoritarian rule.

Gayoom finally introduced democratic reforms in 2008 after a public revolt and the burning down of police stations and government vehicles over the killing of a man in government custody.

However, when Gayoom was defeated at the polls by pro-democracy activist Nasheed, it seemed to signal a new chapter in the islands' turbulent history.

Nasheed became famous for drawing global attention to the perils of climate change that saw rising sea levels threaten the Maldives' coral reefs, which rise less than a meter (3.2 feet) above sea level. "The inundation of the Maldives is just a generation away," he warned.

But at home, Nasheed struggled to get support from officials still loyal to Gayoom, and resigned in 2012 after losing military and police support over the arrest of a prominent judge. He ran for the presidency again in 2013  the Maldives' second multiparty election  and lost to Gayoom's half-brother, current President Yameen.

Since then, Yameen has ruled with an iron fist, erasing many features of the young democracy. His government subjects journalists and social media users to punishing fines for defamation.

Its control of the courts resulted in a much-criticized trial of Nasheed, who in 2015 was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The vice president, Ahmed Adeeb, was also arrested in 2015 after what the government called a failed assassination attempt on Yameen. Adeeb is currently serving a 33-year prison sentence on terrorism and corruption charges.

A report by the Organized Crime and Reporting Project released earlier this week alleges that Adeep was among many officials including Yameen who illegally leased scores of the country's more than 1,000 islands for tourism development, keeping tens of millions of dollars in graft in 2014-15.

Yameen's only contender in Sunday's election is longtime lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, backed by Nasheed who is now living in exile in neighboring Sri Lanka. Nasheed had hoped to run again, but was disqualified because of his outstanding prison sentence.

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Associated Press writer Mohamed Sharuhaan in Male, Maldives, contributed to this report.
A massive gold nugget believed to be worth about $80,000 was discovered by a retired man in Western Australia who said hes been searching the area for years with a metal detector.

The man who discovered the nugget did not want to be named but said he found the nugget in the northern Goldfields, the Australian Associated Press reported.

"When I had finished digging it out, I just thought 'Oh my God'," he said.

BIGGEST GOLD NUGGET IN HISTORY WEIGHING 198 POUNDS, WORTH $2.6 MILLION FOUND IN AUSTRALIA

Theres an amazing feeling of joy when you find a gold nugget, even a small one, so when I uncovered this one it was a really special moment," the man said according to Aussie Gold Addiction.

The man said it took him two hours to get the nugget, which weighed about seven pounds, out of the ground.

"It was pretty deep at about 31 inches in clay soil so it took more than two hours of careful digging to get it out, he said.

The man said he named the nugget Ducks Foot due to its shape.

Rob Anderson, who owns metal detector company Prospectors Pick, said he has known the gold digger for while and the man has had luck before.

DRIVER PLOWS INTO EMUS IN ATTACK DESCRIBED AS SICKENING CRUELTY: VIDEO

"He's been very successful over the years," Anderson said.

RNC Minerals, a Canadian gold mining company, announced earlier this month that 578 pounds of gold was found in its Beta Hunt gold mine in Goldfields near where Ducks Foot was discovered. The gold was worth about $11.6 million.
Pope Francis on Friday accepted the resignations of two more bishops in Chile, as fallout mounted from widespread sex abuse scandals there.

Without citing reasons, the Vatican said the latest to leave their posts were the bishops of San Bartolome de Chillan, Monsignor Carlos Eduardo Pellegrin Barrera, and of San Felipe, Monsignor Cristian Enrique Contreras Molina.

Earlier this year, Chile's bishops submitted offers to resign en masse to Francis, in response to his belated crackdown on pedophile priests, other sex abuse by clergy there and Chilean church hierarchy's cover-ups of the wrongdoing.

Friday's announcement raised to seven the number of bishops so far whose resignations Francis has accepted in recent months.

To guide the dioceses for now that Pellegrin Barrera and Contreras Molina had been leading, Francis appointed apostolic administrators.

The Chillan diocese was one of four raided by Chilean authorities last week in investigations of clergy's sexual abuse of minors and the hierarchy's alleged cover-ups.

Rank-and-file faithful in Chile have been pressing for the removal from the bishop's post of Pellegrin Barrera, 60, who prosecutors recently have said is under investigation for alleged sexual abuse.

In one of his private audiences Friday, Francis met at the Vatican with the archbishop of Concepcion, another of the recently raided dioceses.

The pontiff has acknowledged that he had underestimated the pervasiveness of pedophile priests and other church abuse in Chile.

BishopAccountability.org, a U.S.-based organization that keeps track of allegations and investigations of clerical sex abuse investigations and cover-ups worldwide, says that in 2014, Chilean church leaders announced that the Vatican was investigating Contreras Molina for alleged sexual abuse. It said the prelate denied the allegations, and later that year, the Vatican declared him innocent, according to the diocese, and civil prosecutor threw out the case for lack of evidence.

At 71, the San Felipe bishop is younger than the age, 75, at which all bishops must offer their resignation to the pope, who can accept or ask the churchmen to stay on a few more years.

Francis has blasted Chile's bishops for destroying evidence of sex crimes, pressuring church lawyers to minimize accusations and neglecting to protect children from pedophile priests.
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Pope Francis is heading to the Baltic countries this weekend amid renewed alarm about Russia's intentions in the region it twice occupied for decades.

Francis' 25th foreign visit comes a quarter of a century after St. John Paul II made the first papal visit to the former Soviet Union and cheered as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia emerged from five decades of Soviet-imposed religious repression and state-sponsored atheism.

Hopes were high back in 1993  the last Russian troops had withdrawn from Lithuania just days before John Paul arrived. There is no such optimism for Francis' Sept. 22-25 visit.

The three countries, which each have ethnic Russian minorities, are sounding alarms about Moscow's military maneuvers in the Baltic Sea area following Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its support of separatists fighting the Ukrainian government in eastern Ukraine.

Russia will be something of the elephant in the sacristy, however, given how the Vatican has been loath to openly criticize Moscow or its powerful Orthodox Church. While seeking to avoid offense, Francis will likely praise the sacrifices of those who fought for independence a century ago during Russia's revolution, and suffered again during Soviet rule.

"The pope will send a message to the world that the difficult history has not been forgotten and that it cannot repeat itself," Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite told the Baltic News Service.

The Baltic countries declared their independence in 1918 but were incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940 and remained part of it until the early 1990s, except for the 1941-1944 Nazi occupation during World War II. All three joined the European Union and NATO in 2004 and are strong backers of the military alliance, which sees them as a bullwark against Russian incursions in Eastern Europe.

Evelyn Kaldoja, head of the foreign desk at Estonia's largest newspaper Postimees, said history will clearly be front and center during Francis' visit, his first to the region.

"He really comes to congratulate our countries on the 100th anniversaries of our independence," Kaldoja said. "And he is expected to show profound respect for the struggle we've had to restore our freedom."

The trip, featuring Francis' fondness for countries on the periphery, and ecumenical events with Lutheran and Russian Orthodox faithful will be a welcome break for the Argentine pope. His credibility has taken a blow recently following missteps on the church's priestly sex abuse scandal and recent allegations that he covered up for an American cardinal.

Of the three countries Francis will visit, only Lithuania is majority Catholic, with about 80 percent of its population practicing the faith.

Latvia's population of some 2 million is 25 percent Lutheran, 19 percent Russian Orthodox and only about 16 percent Catholic. Estonia, meanwhile, is often considered one of the world's most non-religious countries. A whopping 76 percent of Estonians profess no religious beliefs whatsoever and Catholics number only 6,000.

The trip has already sparked controversy with Lithuania's tiny Jewish community, which was nearly wiped out during the Holocaust.

Francis will be visiting the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on the 75th anniversary of the final destruction of the Vilnius Ghetto, on Sept. 23, 1943, when its remaining residents were executed or sent off to concentration camps by the Nazis.

But until Francis' schedule was changed three weeks ago, there were no specific events for him to acknowledge the slaughter of some 90 percent of Lithuania's 250,000 Jews at the hands of Nazi occupiers and complicit Lithuanian partisans  a significant oversight for the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

At the last minute, the Vatican added in a visit to the Ghetto, where Francis will pray quietly on the day when the names of Holocaust victims are read out at commemorations across the country.

Lithuanian and Italian Jewish communities had asked Francis to also visit the official Paneriai Holocaust Memorial, in the forests 18 kilometers (11 miles) outside Vilnius, where many of the capital's Jews were executed.

"We wrote many letters and tried many ways, but seems that this is not possible," Lithuania's Jewish community leader, Faina Kukliansky, told The Associated Press.

The Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, acknowledged the lapse.

"We realized it would have been a gap not to do it, especially on this day," he told reporters. But he said the prayer in the Ghetto would be a "significant" and "important" part of the pope's Baltic visit.

Francis will also visit the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, located in a former gymnasium that served as both the headquarters of the Gestapo during the 1941-1944 Nazi occupation and later as the headquarters of the feared KGB spy agency when the Soviets recaptured the country.

Monika Garbaciauskaite Budriene, the director of Lithuania's National TV, said the visit to the museum will send a message to Moscow.

"This will be a tribute to the victims of the KGB, to our painful history and also a signal to Russia and the world that Soviet crimes can not be forgotten or washed away," she wrote on Facebook.

___

Dapkus reported from Vilnius, Lithuania. Jari Tanner in Tallinn, Estonia contributed.
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday warned that she would not overturn the Brexit referendum, a day after she was dealt a serious political blow when her compromise proposals were dismissed out of hand by E.U. leaders at a summit in Austria.

The referendum was the largest democratic exercise in our countrys history, she said in a stern statement from 10 Downing Street. To deny its legitimacy or frustrate its result threatens public trust in our democracy.

Mays statement came a day after E.U. leaders in Salzburg rejected her compromise Brexit plan, known as the Chequers deal -- named after Mays country residence where it was hashed out with her Cabinet in July.

The Chequers deal was an effort to find a middle ground between a looser free-trade "Canada-style" deal favored by Brexiteers, and a "Norway-style" deal whereby the U.K. would leave the bloc but remain in the E.U.s single market, which allows for the tariff-free movement of goods, services and people.

The latter has been opposed by the right wing of the Conservative Party, who say such a deal would not be a real departure from the E.U., and in particular would not allow the U.K. to control its own borders. Immigration was a central issue of the debate surrounding the 2016 vote.

May's proposal would have allowed Britain to pursue free trade deals with other countries, while signing up for a common rule book with the E.U. for goods, but not services. It would have also avoided the prospect of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

But E.U. Council President Donald Tusk dismissed the Chequers deal out of hand on Thursday.

Everybody shared the view while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, the suggested framework for economic cooperation will not work, not least because it risks undermining the single market, he said.

LONDON MAYOR CALLS FOR SECOND REFERENDUM ON BREXIT, SAYS NEGOTIATIONS ARE 'MIRED IN CONFUSION'

The flat rejection increased the possibility of "no deal" when Britain leaves the E.U. in March.

In her speech on Friday, May said that a deal whereby Britain stays in the European Economic Area and a customs union would mean wed still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldnt do the trade deals we want with other countries.

That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago, she said.

She also said a free-trade agreement would mean a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. -- something the British government has said is unacceptable.

No one wants a good deal more than me, she said, as she called for engagement from the bloc's leaders. But the E.U. should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country.

May's harder stance comes after she has faced criticism from members of her own party for being too soft in negotiations, and faced witheringly critical headlines from the British press for her defeat in Salzburg.

Some Brexiteers, often critical of May, rallied to May's side at least for now, and said they were appalled at how May was treated, calling for her to back off from negotiations and prepare for a no-deal.

Enough is enough, time to tell the arrogant, unelected EU bullies where to go, former U.K. Independence Party Leader and Fox News contributor Nigel Farage tweeted. No British Prime Minister should be treated like this.

IN UK, TRUMP THROWS FUEL ONTO BRITAIN'S FIERY POLITICAL DEBATE OVER BREXIT

Top Tory Brexiteer Jacob-Rees Mogg MP said that the E.U. is not acting in good faith and said May was right to remind them that no deal is better than a bad deal.

It is time for the government to start putting forward as its plan a Canada-style free trade agreement for the whole of the U.K. This is the most realistic approach and similar to the E.U.s approach, he said in a statement, according to the Times of London.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister and leader of the left-wing Scottish National Party, described May's statement as "dreadful."

"The E.U. view was bluntly expressed yesterday but not new -- she just hasnt been listening," she said. "If her tactic now is to double down on the Chequers dead duck, and then blame EU for a no deal, she will do huge damage to all those she is supposed to serve."

The harsh pushback from the E.U. puts May in even murkier political waters domestically and raise the prospect that she may face a coup from members of her own party. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson resigned in July over the Chequers deal, saying that Britain was "headed for the status of a colony" with its current outlook on Brexit, and suggested that May was surrendering to the E.U. in negotiations.

May will face her own party at its national conference in Birmingham later in October, where she will make the case to fellow MPs that her approach to Brexit is the right one.
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The Maldives on Sunday holds its third-ever multiparty presidential election, as political tumult continues a decade after democracy was introduced to the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Here are some key moments in the Maldives' recent political history:

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2008

January: A Boy Scout foils an attempted assassination of the Maldives' long-time autocratic ruler, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, blocking a knife attack with his bare hands.

August: Gayoom signs a new constitution allowing multiparty elections and other democratic reforms. The constitution says Islam is the only religion Maldivians can legally practice.

October: In the country's first multiparty election, Mohamed Nasheed, a former political prisoner, defeats Gayoom.

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2011

May: Police break up a protest demanding Nasheed's resignation. Dozens of people are injured and many arrested.

September: Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom, ex-President Gayoom's half brother, founds the Progressive Party of the Maldives.

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2012

January: The military arrests a top criminal court judge after he released an opposition leader who had been detained without warrant for allegedly defaming the government. The judge's arrest prompts all courts to boycott sessions.

February: Nasheed resigns after a police mutiny and weeks of demonstrations over the judge's arrest. Vice President Mohamed Waheed is sworn in as new head of state.

July: Nasheed is charged with illegally ordering the judge's arrest.

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2013

September: Nasheed wins first round of presidential elections but without a clear majority.

October: Supreme Court annuls first-round result after a candidate alleges irregularities.

November: Yameen wins runoff election.

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2015

February: Nasheed is arrested on terrorism charges. Supporters protest in the capital.

March: Nasheed is sentenced to 13 years in prison in a trial widely seen as lacking due process.

September: An explosion on President Yameen's boat injures his wife, aide and bodyguard. Authorities call it an assassination attempt.

October: Vice President Ahmed Adeeb is arrested on charges of involvement in the alleged assassination attempt.

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2016

January: Nasheed is granted permission to travel to Britain for spinal surgery.

May: U.K. grants Nasheed refugee status.

June: Adeeb is convicted of plotting to assassinate Yameen and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

August: Authorities issue arrest warrant for Nasheed for failing to return to Maldives.

September: Nasheed allies with former President Gayoom to challenge Yameen.

October: Maldives leaves the British Commonwealth, saying the group has sought to interfere in its politics. Six ruling party lawmakers defect to the opposition to challenge Yameen's rule.

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2017

February: From exile in London, Nasheed says he plans to contest 2018 presidential election despite his outstanding prison sentence in Maldives.

March: A bid by opposition lawmakers to wrest control of Maldives' Parliament fails.

July: Security forces lock down Parliament after opposition lawmakers storm the compound in an attempt to prevent a vote to impeach the parliamentary speaker.

August: Opposition lawmaker Qasim Ibrahim is jailed for more than three years on charges of bribery and plotting to overthrow the government.

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2018

February: Supreme Court orders the release of convicted politicians, including Nasheed. The government says it will not enforce the order and declares a state of emergency. Security forces storm the Supreme Court and arrest two justices. Later, they arrest Gayoom. Authorities accuse them of plotting to overthrow the government. Dozens are injured and arrested when police break up nationwide protests demanding Yameen's resignation.

March: Authorities charge Gayoom and the two justices with terrorism. Yameen lifts the 45-day state of emergency.

May: The justices are sentenced to more than 19 months in prison on charges of influencing lower court decisions.

June: A court sentences Gayoom to 19 months in prison for failing to cooperate with a police investigation.

July: Opposition alliance names lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih from the Maldivian Democratic Party as its candidate for president after Nasheed abandons plans to contest the election.

August: Solih says he fears the government will rig the election.

September: The U.S. threatens to sanction Maldives officials if the elections are not free and fair.
Turkey will soon conduct joint patrols with U.S. forces in the strategic northern Syrian town of Manbij, once a stronghold of the Islamic State group, a top Turkish official said on Friday

The announcement came as Turkey's Defense Ministry said in a Friday statement that the borders of Idlib's demilitarized zone were determined in a meeting with their Russian counterparts during a three-day meeting.

This week's agreement between Russia and Turkey to set up a demilitarized zone around Syria's northwestern Idlib province to separate government forces from rebels averted a government offensive on the last major opposition stronghold in the country.

The Syrian government and Turkey-backed opposition groups welcomed the Russian-Turkish agreement, which calls for setting up the demilitarized zone by mid-October. Jihadi groups, including al-Qaida-linked fighters, rejected the deal saying they will not withdraw from the demilitarized zone.

Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey's presidential spokesman, said Turkish armed forces and intelligence agencies were coordinating with their Russia counterparts to determine how to remove terror groups from the demilitarized zone, or "pacify" them.

He said all necessary steps would be taken to ensure no terror elements remain in the area or near Turkey's border be it "through persuasion, by pacifying, or other methods." Kalin added that the goal is to protect civilians in Idlib as well as the moderate opposition to ensure they are part of the political process to resolve the Syrian crisis.

In Geneva, the Commission of Inquiry on Syria welcomed the Russia-Turkey deal, adding: "We strongly call for immediate and unhindered humanitarian access and provision of relief to the civilian population of Idlib."

In Idlib, residents took to the streets in anti-government demonstrations across towns and villages held by rebels. In the town of Ariha, one of Idlib's largest, hundreds of people gathered in the main square carrying opposition flags and chanting: "The people want to overthrow the regime."

Similar demonstrations took part in the towns of Maaret al-Numan and Azaz, as well as the provincial capital, also named Idlib.

The Manbij patrols are part of a "road map" that Ankara and Washington agreed on in June to defuse tensions amid Turkish demands for the withdrawal of a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia that freed the town from IS in 2016.

Kalin, the presidential spokesman, said "joint training and joint patrols will begin very soon" in Manbij.

Manbij has been a major sticking point in the strained relations between the two NATO allies. Turkey considers the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia, the People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terror group that is linked to a Kurdish insurgency within Turkey.

In July, the Manbij Military Council, which administers the town, said the YPG units once stationed there had completed their withdrawal. Turkey's Foreign Ministry called reports of the alleged withdrawal "exaggerated" and said they didn't "reflect the truth."

Ebrahim Ebrahim, a Europe-based Kurdish official, said the YPG has no presence in the town, adding that even YPG advisers who were in Manbij pulled out months ago. He said that only the Manbij Military Council is the only authority currently present in the town.

Kalin said continued U.S. support for the Kurdish forces remains "a serious concern."

___

Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.
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Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, the country's No. 2 after the ruling Communist Party's leader, died Friday after a serious illness, the government said. He was 61.

Quang passed away despite "utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese and foreign professors and doctors and care by the party and state leaders," the statement said. It said Quang died at a military hospital in Hanoi but did not elaborate on his illness.

The state-run online newspaper VnExpress quoted a former health minister and the head of a national committee in charge of leaders' health, Nguyen Quoc Trieu, as saying that Quang had contracted a rare and toxic virus since July last year and had traveled to Japan six times for treatment. He did not specify the virus.

Trieu said the president lapsed into a deep coma hours after being admitted to the National Military Hospital 108 on Thursday afternoon.

"Japanese professors and doctors treated him and helped consolidate the president's health for about a year," Trieu said. "However, there are no medicines in the world that can cure the illness completely, instead it only could prevent and push it back for some time."

Quang hosted President Donald Trump during his first state visit to the communist country last year, when Trump attended a summit of Pacific Rim leaders.

His last public appearance was at a Politburo meeting of the ruling Communist Party and a reception for a Chinese delegation on Wednesday. He looked frail on the state-run Vietnam Television broadcast.

Quang did not appear in public for more than a month last year, raising speculation about his health.

Born in northern Ninh Binh province, Quang attended a police college and rose through the ranks at the powerful Ministry of Public Security before being appointed minister in 2011.

A career security officer and four-star general, Quang was elected president in April 2016 by the Communist Party-dominated National Assembly, effectively becoming the second most powerful man in the country after General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Phil Roberston, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said that Quang would be remembered for "a multi-year crackdown on human rights and putting more political prisoners behind bars in Vietnam than any time in recent memory."

Some 97 activists have been jailed as of April this year, according to Amnesty International.

The Communist Party tolerates no challenge to its one-party rule and often jails people for peacefully expressing their views, though Hanoi maintains that only law breakers are put behind bars.

The National Assembly is scheduled to convene a session next month and expected to elect a new president.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
Rwandan Refugee Expands Immigrant-Focused Newspaper into Buffalo-Based Non-Profit - New American Economy

Shortly after Rwandan refugee Rubens Mukunzi began publishing a newspaper about immigrant and refugee life, he got a visit from the Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash. "He was very ...

https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/feature/rwandan-refugee-expands-immigrant-focused-newspaper-into-buffalo-based-non-profit/
For A Good Cause: Ways you can help others
Baguettes, croissants and tarts : Cafe moves into old Schlecker drugstore in Rungsdorf

RUNGSDORF Even though the roundabout at Romerplatz has been completed, the old Schlecker drugstore there has sat empty for a long time. Now something new is coming in its place, an addition for the neighborhood.

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For six years, the former Schlecker drugstore on Romerplatz sat empty. But the inventory was still available the whole time. Closed signs hung at the two old cash registers. An advertisement stated that more than 500 baby items were being sold at reduced prices.

A special discovery was two old style tube television sets, which used to be advertised for continuously to customers. A sign in the corner made staff aware of the policy when it came to their customers - customer satisfaction was important and everyone should be treated with courtesy.

But now all of these things have landed in the garbage, and the old store will soon get a new life. Achim Carl of Delta Real Estate, who owns the property, took with him a picture of Anton and Christa Schlecker; this picture used to hang in every branch of the now defunct drugstore chain.

"We are glad that something is happening," says Carl. The previous owner didnt want the property to be used for gastronomy, but that should change now. Carl said they have since received permission to use the space for an eating establishment but were awaiting fire safety code approval. He revealed that he already has a new tenant coming from Wachtberg, who plans to open a French bakery and cafe at the roundabout in November. He said that it was an independent establishment, not a chain.
Germans eating fewer gummy bears : Haribo domestic sales are down

BONN 2018 was not a good year for Haribo - at least not here in Germany. The confectionary company hopes to offset the decline at home with sales abroad.

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Haribo is apparently seeing a reduction in the number of sweets it is selling in Germany. The company said on Thursday, "We saw in the last year that the overall market is in decline. We are also affected by that." Haribo did not want to give any concrete figures. A German newspaper called Lebensmittel-Zeitung, which reports on the food industry, had previously reported a "dramatic decline in sales" at Haribo.

According to the Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) based in Bonn, domestic sales of confectionery and snack foods rose by two percent last year to around eight billion euros. Exports increased by 1.5 percent to 7.9 billion euros.

Based on their own statements, it appears that Haribo wants to offset its decline in Germany by increasing sales abroad. We now get more than 50 percent of our sales revenue from outside of Germany so we can more than compensate for the difficult situation in this market, a company spokesman said.

Haribo moved to Grafschaft after decades in Bonn-Friesdorf. There was an upheaval in top management recently with Marketing Director Dennis Teeken leaving the company after only about 15 months.
Sightseeing tour : Ride in a Zeppelin over Bonn and the Siebengebirge

Bonn Next weekend, a big airship will be flying above Bonn and Cologne. And there are still some spaces for those who would like to be a passenger aboard the worlds largest Zeppelin. Tickets can be bought online.

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For three days, those who are interested will have the opportunity to take off in one of the largest passenger airships in the world and to explore Bonn and the region from a bird's eye view. The Zeppelin NT will take off from Hangelar Airport from Friday to Sunday, September 28th to 30th, for sightseeing flights over Cologne, Bonn and the Siebengebirge (Seven Mountains). Tickets for the sightseeing tour of Bonn and the Siebengebirge cost 380 euros, and for the Cologne route tickets are 475 euros. There are five flights for each route. Some free places are still available.

The Zeppelin NT is not only the largest airship in the world, it is the only commercial airship that takes passengers. Its home base is in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance in southern Germany.

The truck that pulls the airship out of the hangar in Sankt Augustin looks like a toy next to the huge Zeppelin. People who climb aboard look tiny in comparison. And then, the white-and-blue airship, 75 meters longer than an Airbus 380, rises into the air as if it were light as a feather.

The Zeppelin floats above land at around 300 meters altitude. Through the large panoramic windows, passengers can view the sights below from a new perspective. The Bonn route takes passengers first over Beuel, then over the Rhine in the direction of the city center, over the Post Tower, the former government quarter with chancellery, the World Conference Center Bonn and Villa Hammerschmidt. The Zeppelin then leaves the UN campus behind and continues along the Rhine to the Siebengebirge over Drachenfels and Petersburg. Then it floats above Konigswinter and Ramersdorf and makes its way back to Hangelar.

For those who take the route over Cologne, called the Cologne Dome, highlights include the Lanxess Arena, the Cologne Fair and Exhibition Grounds, the Tanzbrunnen, the Hohenzollern Bridge, the Musical Dome, the Philharmonie, Mediapark - and of course the Cologne Cathedral.

For more information and tickets, you can check out the Zeppelin NT website in English: https://zeppelin-nt.de/en/zeppelin-flights.html
Housing market in Bonn : Take what you can get

Bonn High rents and a tight market make it difficult to find an apartment in Bonn. Often there is also racism and discrimination. It is especially problematic for young families to find affordable housing.

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Sarah Schneider and Tim Meier wanted to live in the Cologne Sudstadt (the south of Cologne). In the end, it was Beuel. "Because what you got for your money didnt make sense," says Schneider. The young couple knows how difficult it has become to find housing in cities. The Bonn market has become so tight that ordinary earners have little chance of finding affordable housing. The two were lucky because they came across a renovated old building through acquaintances of theirs. Up until then, they had been looking for a half year; experiencing mass apartment showings and racism.

On average, Bonn residents spend about one third of their income on rent (without utilities), as discovered in a study by the Hans Bockler Foundation. Those living in the city pay 8.74 euros per square meter - only Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Stuttgart are more expensive. At the same time, there is a lack of state-subsidized housing. At present, there are only around 10,000 subsidized units in Bonn, which is around seven percent of the total apartments available. About 3,000 people are on the waiting list for a publicly subsidized apartment where rents remain manageable.

Tenants make more compromises

"The current situation puts tenants under pressure," says Heike Keilhofer of the German Tenants' Association. More and more concessions are made to find an apartment at all. This ranges from a poorer location to having to purchase the kitchen already in the apartment to higher rents or one-time payments - for those who can afford it. Landlords have lots of leeway since housing is so tight.

Sarah Schneider and Tim Meier described their experience like this, "When we looked in Cologne, everything was always gone when we called. In Bonn we got at least one invitation (for a viewing)," says Schneider. In the apartment showings they went to, sometimes five new interested parties were shepherded through the rooms every twenty minutes. "In the entrance was a paper where you could write down your personal details." Landlords wanted to know their exact income and also personal details. And one never knew the chances of getting the apartment because there were so many interested parties.

The couple learned to take advantage of the fact that Meier was a police officer. Landlords like to rent to police officers. Meier said it was also helpful to write a personal message instead of just filling out the standard form. When he looked for someone to take over his apartment lease, he said his mailbox filled up quickly, with 200 mails a day being not uncommon.

The couple now pay around 1,100 euros for an apartment with 90 square meters. They have a yard and it takes them only five minutes to get to the Rhine or the train station. The price is above the Bonn Rent Index, which is meant to prevent rents from rising arbitrarily. In practice, however, real estate expert Rolf L. Becker says, In fact, rents in Bonn are often above the rent index." Because of the tight market, renters are prepared to pay more. Prices depend on the location and the condition of the housing.

Single parents not wanted

Lisa Worner, 20-years-old, is a young mother looking for an apartment. She has scoured the internet, made more than 300 calls to landlords and send out more than 200 e-mails. Again and again, she was told that children were not wanted. When she said she was receiving money from the Job Center, she was told directly that such people were not wanted. For a subsidized apartment, the wait would be three years since she was not registered in Bonn already.

While it is difficult to confirm subjective feelings on the matter, a study from University of Applied Sciences and Environment Nurtingen-Geislingen found that single parents are least desirable when it comes to the preferences of landlords. This is followed by young couples and families with children. Groups that are more desirable include civil servants, employed workers and craftsmen.

Felix von Grunberg, who offers regular office hours for the Mieterbund (tenants' association), knows many such cases. Those who do not fit into the box are demoted to second-class people. Tim Meier and Sarah Schneider heard from one landlord that they "like to read these German names". Racism in the housing search is not rare, those with a foreign-sounding name get rejected more frequently. Grunberg says that discrimination is punishable, and tenants should fight against it. "Its not that everyone who has money is necessarily a tolerable tenant and neighbor."

Young families feel pushed out of the city

But even young families with dual earners find themselves in a fix. In the Sudstadt (the south of Bonn), there are slips of paper hanging on street lanterns, with people searching for housing. "For two years now we have not found anything, and feel pushed out of the city," says a young woman. Together with husband and child, they live in a top floor apartment in need of renovation. What is missing are "normal apartments for ordinary citizens" - somewhere in the middle between cheap and luxury living space.
ABC/Randy HolmesMy Morning Jacket frontman Jim James is embarking on a solo tour of college campuses to encourage voting.

Dubbed the Future Is Voting tour, the run begins October 7 in Austin, Texas, and will hit five other towns in electoral swing districts. In addition to a performance from James, each tour stop will include a "non-partisan forum" where students can speak with candidates and their representatives.

"The importance of getting involved at this moment in time cannot be overstated," James says. "This isn't only a Get Out the Vote concert. This is a learning moment aimed at college students to motivate them to vote, regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum."

Some of the dates will be open only to students. Here's the full list of Future Is Voting shows:

10/7 -- Austin, TX, Emo's

10/9 -- San Marcos, TX, Texas State University*

10/10 -- Milwaukee, WI, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee*

10/15 -- Athens, GA, Georgia Theatre

10/16 -- Indianola, IA, Simpson College*

10/17 -- Urbana, IL, Canopy Club

*Students only.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The Yemeni people from every walk of life, poured into streets in the capital, Sanaa, to commemorate the day of Ashura, which marks the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shiite Imam, and his companions.



AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Yemeni people from every walk of life, poured into streets in the capital, Sanaa, to commemorate the day of Ashura, which marks the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shiite Imam, and his companions.



Tens of thousands of Yemeni people gathered to participate in the rally, which opened with a speech of Leader of Yemens Houthi Ansarullah Movement Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi in Sanaa on Thursday.



During the demonstration, the Yemenis chanted slogans against all oppressors and arrogant powers in the world.



Ashura, the 10th day of the lunar month of Muharram, marks the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and his 72 faithful companions in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.



The rally came as Yemens defenseless people have been under massive attacks by a coalition led by the Saudi regime for more than three years but Riyadh has reached none of its objectives in Yemen so far.



Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out deadly airstrikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.



The Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights announced in a statement on March 25 that the war had left 600,000 civilians dead and injured until then. The war and the accompanying blockade have also caused famine across Yemen.

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nametalkam at 21-09-2018 01:28 PM (3 years ago) (m)

Some very serious revelations about Linda Ikeji alleged "secret" marriage and "husband", Sholaye Jeremi has just being unleashed by one of the hottest celebrity gossip blogger around, Stella Dimoko Korkus, it is extremely damning, shocking and revealing, considering the fact that Stella has never released a wrong gossip before it makes us wonder what the situation is, she has insinuated that Linda Ikeji is not married to Niger-Delta oil billionaire, Sholaye Jeremi and as a matter of fact Mr. Sholaye currently has another family and Linda is only a "side chic", this is very shocking, see her full message below:





Some very serious revelations about Linda Ikeji alleged "secret" marriage and "husband", Sholaye Jeremi has just being unleashed by one of the hottest celebrity gossip blogger around, Stella Dimoko Korkus, it is extremely damning, shocking and revealing, considering the fact that Stella has never released a wrong gossip before it makes us wonder what the situation is, she has insinuated that Linda Ikeji is not married to Niger-Delta oil billionaire, Sholaye Jeremi and as a matter of fact Mr. Sholaye currently has another family and Linda is only a "side chic", this is very shocking, see her full message below: Quote It is only in Nigeria that a person is tagged Jealous if they try to do whats right. What gives us the right as Bloggers to write about others but think we cant be written about? The damage we have done with our platforms and we think we are untouchable? OMG It is my duty as a trained Journalist to follow any breaking story I want. Dont freaking come here preaching maturity to me. The only reason i am keeping quiet is becos the lies told on me years back is still a fresh wound and I dont wanna allow myself to be swallowed up in revenge and at the same time I cannot find the right words to write the breaking story without using a knife. Same knife she used on me years back when she said I am a baby mama who doesnt know who my baby daddies are.....What da frigging Frack!!!how can I sit down and watch you all swallow the lies shes been feeding you all ? Cos its not my bizness and everytime I try to talk they say Im jealous cos she got money. Hey you,money doesnt define who I am or who I relate with any longer. I have grown up to realize money catches fire but a true personality doesnt. Hello!

I am not perfect and have my own skeletons which I try not to hide. If I wake up tomorrow and do a story about a blogger who is rich and beautiful but full of Shitty lies,i am only doing my job just like we bloggers do. I am finally closing the door today on the lies she told on me cos the drama she is currently going through kinda teaches me forgiveness. Who you phyuk aint my bizness so i will let this pass. Moral of story? Karma is a bitch and it will visit everyone. Note that i dont give a Rats ass about anyones opinion on this post! Did I mention any names? No but watch you all come on here and act like you know Who i am talking about. One love!





Quote I love Ring Stories but unfortunately there is no ring. I hate lies. Im a married woman without a ring. OMG









Post Reply I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you Posted: at 21-09-2018 01:28 PM (3 years ago) | Hero
Jeddah chosen as principal Mideast location for groundbreaking filming initiative by Virgin Hyperloop One



Engagement to display how hyperloop would promote Saudi economic and social modernization in concert with Vision 2030 ideals

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virgin Hyperloop One, the California-based hyperloop company that is leading the revolution in mass transportation, has chosen Jeddah as the principal site for the Middle Eastern segment of a global promotional campaign to air later this fall. The film will highlight the future of mobility, environmental sustainability, and human connectivity through the transformative proprietary technology.

We are privileged to further deepen our close relationship with the Kingdom in choosing Jeddah as the Mideast site of this major campaign, said Josh Giegel, the Co-Founder of Virgin Hyperloop One. Jeddah is an up-and-coming modern urban center in the region and is setting high standards to achieve the objectives of Vision 2030. We know there is a bright future for Saudi Arabia, already evidenced in our partnership with the Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation MISK to collaborate with young & talented Saudis about how our cutting-edge technology can transform the world.

With such popular filming locations in the United Arab Emirates to represent Mideast modernization, the choice of Jeddah highlights the companys belief in the socio-economic advances of the Kingdom and the ideals of Vision 2030. The Vision is the landmark blueprint authored by HRH Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz to provide a new foundation of growth, prosperity and highly advanced technological progress in Saudi Arabia to the next generations of women and men in the country.

We are very excited by the choice of Jeddah for our filming of this key promotional documentary in the Middle East, said Ryan Kelly, Head of Marketing and Communications for Virgin Hyperloop One. Jeddah, in addition to being beautiful, is an up-and-coming destination for international companies doing business in the region, for global media and for the booming sector of Red Sea tourism. We are inspired by the changes going on in the country and we hope to play a pivotal role in seeing our shared ideals for the future become reality.

The relationship between Virgin Hyperloop One and the Kingdom reached new heights in April of this year when executives from Virgin Hyperloop One hosted HRH Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, during his visit to Virgin Galactic test site in the Mojave Desert. During his visit, HRH the Crown Prince unveiled the Vision 2030 Hyperloop Pod, further cementing the commitment between the Kingdom and Virgin Hyperloop One to bring hyperloop technology to Saudi Arabia.

The commitment between the two countries continued into the summer by hosting twenty-one high school and university students from the Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation (MiSK), a non- profit organization founded in 2011 to discover, develop and empower Saudi youth to become active participants in the future economy. The students took an active role in the study of hyperloop technologies, presenting several iterations of customer experience models for passenger travel and cargo options.

With speeds 2-3 times faster than high-speed rail and an on-demand, direct to destination experience, hyperloop technology can reduce journey times across the kingdom, exponentially increasing connectivity across not only across KSA but throughout the GCC. Traveling from Riyadh to Jeddah would take around 76 minutes (currently over 10 hours) utilizing the land bridge for both passenger and freight movement, positioning KSA as the gateway to 3 continents. Traveling from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi would about 48 minutes (currently over 8.5 hours).

About Virgin Hyperloop One

Virgin Hyperloop One is the only company in the world that has built a full-scale hyperloop system. Our team consists of the world's leading experts in engineering, technology and transport project delivery, working in tandem with global partners and investors to build the future of transportation. Virgin Hyperloop One is backed by key investors including Virgin Group , DP World , Caspian VC Partners , Sherpa Capital , Abu Dhabi Capital Group , SNCF , GE Ventures , Formation 8 , 137 Ventures , WTI , among others. For more information, visit www.virginhyperloopone.com.

Media Contacts

Virgin Hyperloop One

Marcia A. Christoff

Public Relations Manager

marcia@hyperloop-one.com

+1-213-718-6279
Two Christian girls were removed from a Hindu festival in Mumbai because they distributed leaflets proclaiming Jesus Christ as the only true God, according to a new report.



Asia News reports that the event took place on September 17 in the Chembur area of Mumbai during the feast of Ganesh, the Hindu god with an elephant's head.



The two girls were removed from the event and accused of proselytizing after handing out leaflets containing the story of two people who were cured of serious illness after embracing the Christian faith. The booklet said that the healing took place because Christianity is the only true way to achieve peace, freedom and a healthy life.



It also included the script, "Jesus Christ died on the cross for [the good] of humanity and witnessed the liberation from all suffering" and John 3:16: " In fact, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not die, but have eternal life."



A local resident told the outlet that after the Christian girls refused to leave, festival goers "started to protest, and then eventually they left."



Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), defended the Christian girl, explaining that "in secular India, religious freedom is a constitutional guarantee. The two young people wanted to spread the Good News freely and without coercion with anyone willing to listen."



Addressing the alleged healings from serious illnesses, he warned that "the flyer gave a wrong message of the Christian faith. But girls did nothing illegal or forbidden anyway. "



"They were just distributing flyers to anyone who wanted them," he said. "No one was forced to take them."



Open Doors ranks India as the 11th-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution.



One of the main sources of persecution of Christians in India is Hindu radicals; Open Doors notes that in many cases, Hindu radicals are able to persecute minorities with a level of impunity given to them by local authorities.



"The government continues to look away when religious minorities are attacked, indicating that violence may continue to increase in the coming years," warns Open Doors.



In May 2017, six pastors were arrested at a prayer meeting in a believer's home in the village of Salempur in Uttar Pradesh. The pastors were charged with disturbing the peace, creating hostility between religions and attempting to incite a riot.



The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom named India a "Tier 2" country of concern in its 2017 report.



"While Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke publicly about the importance of communal tolerance and religious freedom, members of the ruling party have ties to Hindu nationalist groups implicated in religious freedom violations, used religiously divisive language to inflame tensions, and called for additional laws that would restrict religious freedom," the report reads. "These issues, combined with longstanding problems of police and judicial bias and inadequacies, have created a pervasive climate of impunity in which religious minorities feel increasingly insecure and have no recourse when religiously motivated crimes occur."


Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation.
In other public finance news:

Will Congress Regulate States' Online Sales Taxes?

Do Soda Taxes Work?

A decade after the worst financial crisis in modern American history, two separate analyses of government finances have found that most states are better prepared to weather the next recession.S&P Global Ratings and Moodys Analytics have concluded that a majority of states have either adequate funds or almost enough to make it through the next recession without the massive layoffs and draconian cuts governments had to resort to following the 2008 global financial crisis.But both firms also discovered a disturbing trend: A subset of states have continued to struggle and remain worse-off than they were a decade ago. All else equal, this is going to result in a faster recovery [compared with 2008] among the states that are most prepared, says Dan White, a director at Moodys Analytics. Whats troubling, though, is were seeing an increasing gap between the have and have-nots.S&P and Moody's stress-tested state budgets in their analyses. The idea, which was borrowed from the U.S. Federal Reserve, is to essentially throw different economic scenarios at a state budget to see how revenues would be impacted. Analysts found that states with a progressive income tax structure or states that are dependent on a volatile revenue source, such as oil and gas, tend to have more wild revenue swings in the event of a fiscal shock.A total of 20 states have enough in reserves to get through a downturn comfortably, according to S&P . Moodys found that 23 states are well-positioned when including other funds available to buffer the budget. Thats up from the 16 states Moodys found last year when it issued its first stress-test analysis. Both analyses found that roughly a dozen states almost have enough in reserves to weather a moderate downturn.But both analyses noted that an alarming number of states are still unprepared to get through even a moderate downturn without resorting to cuts. Moodys found 17 states are in that category, up from 15 states last year. For S&P, 18 states have less than 70 percent of the reserves they need to absorb a fiscal shock.This gap between prepared and ill-prepared governments holds true for cities as well. PNC Capital Markets analyst Tom Kozlik has previously noted that as much as 20 percent of state and local governments have seen their underlying credit quality decline -- some significantly so. Meanwhile, a Brookings Institution report released this summer notes that populous cities with a higher demand for services are more likely to have a harder time quickly adjusting to the budget pressures created by a recession.On the state level, S&P Analyst Gabriel Petek says tax and income trends have conspired to create a more volatile revenue environment over the past decade as states have become more reliant on income tax revenue. That means that in the event of even a moderate recession, state budget shortfalls could be higher in some places than during the 2008 crisis.Some of the least prepared governments -- namely, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey and Pennsylvania -- have repeatedly struggled to balance budgets, even as the economy has recovered. But even among these states, some will be hit worse than others, says Moody's White.For example, Pennsylvania has a flat income tax, which means its revenue is less volatile and therefore is predicted to see no more than a 7 percent drop in revenue. New Jersey, on the other hand, "has a much more progressive income tax so its fiscal shock [could be] nearly 13 percent, White says. They have a much larger target to hit than Pennsylvania does.On the plus side, both firms note that governments have time to get ready. Economic forecasts predict the economy will continue to grow or be stable over the next year.Three months after states successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court for the right to collect sales taxes for all online purchases made by their residents, Congress is getting involved A bill introduced this month includes an exemption for businesses that generate less than $10 million in annual U.S. e-commerce sales. It also prevents states from collecting sales taxes before Jan. 1, even though many states have already started collecting taxes or are scheduled to start in October.The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and others argue that sales tax implementation should be left to the states. "Congress proposal," NCSL said in a statement this week, would hinder state implementation efforts, preempt state authority, and create more problems than solutions.But others are concerned about the administrative burden to small businesses and online mom and pops. Indeed, some states have complex taxing structures , making implementation complicated.The bills sponsor, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican, said in a statement that the bipartisan legislation reins in the taxation free-for-all created by the Supreme Court. Online sellers need clarity and stability in the sales tax arena, he said. Our bill will protect small businesses and internet entrepreneurs from excessive regulatory burdens.This question has hovered over the still-burgeoning practice of taxing sugary drinks to discourage consumption. Now, new research on Philadelphias soda tax by Mathematica Policy Research, has shed some light on the answer.It found that after the soda tax went into effect more than a year ago, residents' buying habits shifted. Instead of buying taxed beverages in the city, residents bought more taxed beverages outside of it.In fact, the percentage of Philadelphians reporting that their usual source of beverage purchases is outside the city increased by 17 percentage points, to roughly 33 percent. The full research was published this week as part of a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper The findings may provide fuel for those who have opposed the tax and claim that it will only hurt Philadelphia businesses.


Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) Ho Duc Phoc (Photo: CPV)

At the event, participants chose the SAI of Thailand as host of the 15th ASOSAI Assembly in 2021 and the SAI of China as ASOSAI Secretary General for the 2018-2021 period.

State Auditor General of Malaysia and Chairman of ASOSAI in the 2015-2018 term, Madinad Binti Mohamad, handed over the position in the 2018-2021 term to State Auditor General of Vietnam Ho Duc Phoc.

In his speech, Mr Phoc said it is an honour for him to assume the chairmanship of ASOSAI for the 2018-2021 term, noting that it is also the pride of the SAV as well as the Vietnamese people.

The SAV will continue making utmost efforts to help build a strong ASOSAI community to contribute to economic development in Asia and around the world, he added.

The 14th ASOSAI Assembly is taking place in Hanoi from September 19th to 22nd, under the theme Environmental Audit for Sustainable Development./.
A five-month investigation by a Des Moines law firm found former Iowa Finance Authority Director David Jamison did sexually harass women on his staff, in one case grabbing his subordinate's breasts and in another case watching a pornographic video on his phone while he and the woman were alone in a car for a work-related trip.The Weinhardt Law Firm based the 35-page report released Thursday on interviews with 29 current and former IFA employees, witnesses not employed by the state and "high-level decision-makers" in state government, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, the report states.The firm also interviewed Jamison, who led the agency from 2011 until he was fired in March after a female employee complained to Reynolds about harassment. Following Jamison's ouster, Reynolds asked Weinhardt to do a full inquiry."We have concluded based on our investigation that Mr. Jamison indeed engaged (sic) in sexually harassing conduct," the report states. "Mr. Jamison categorically denies any wrongdoing. His position is that the events described by Witness 1 and Witness 2 are simply false. Based on the totality of our investigation, we do not find Mr. Jamison's denials to be credible."Investigators found Jamison most often committed sexual acts or made sexual comments within a small group, which witnesses said he called his "Circle of Trust," with whom he frequently socialized and drank alcohol. Besides the two primary witnesses, the circle included Tara Lawrence, director of Iowa Title Guaranty, and Wes Peterson, director of government relations."None of Mr. Jamison's sexual harassment, however, was known in parts of state government outside of IFA," the report states. "Indeed, the most egregious acts by Mr. Jamison were only personally known by four people at IF A: Witness 1, Witness 2, Ms. Lawrence, and Mr. Peterson."Witness 1 told investigators Jamison grabbed her breasts with both his hands while they were drinking with other IFA employees on a work-related trip in the Okoboji area in December 2016, the report states. Jamison did this in the context of a joke about a dollar bill, investigators said. In months following the incident, Jamison would reference the joke by saying "bet you a dollar" to the woman or just showing her a $1 bill, the report states.Two other people who were on the Okoboji trip recounted the incident similarly, the report states.Jamison told investigators he remembers bringing up the joke, but said before he could execute it, Jamison's attorney asked him to leave the room for a minute. "I never touched her. I know other people started to allege that I did, but I did not touch her," Jamison told investigators.Witness 2 described a work-related road trip in which she was driving and Jamison was in the passenger seat. He asked her about her favorite sex positions and whether she's had sex in public places, the report states. Also during this trip, Jamison used his cell phone to watch a pornographic video about how to perform oral sex on a woman, the report states."He showed her the images of the video while Witness 2 was driving and Mr. Jamison said to her 'Can you tell when I'm excited?' while looking down at his crotch."Jamison recalled to investigators driving alone with the woman on a return trip from Omaha, but denied any inappropriate behavior, the report states.Investigators found the women targeted by Jamison saw their pay increase dramatically during their time at IFA, perhaps contributing to their fear of "adverse employment consequences" if they reported his behavior, the report states."Witness 1's salary was approximately $50,000 when she began working at IFA," the report states. "When Mr. Jamison hired her, however, he promised her that he would increase her salary after six months. By the time she left IFA in 2018, her salary had increased approximately 60 percent."In addition to acts described by Witness 1 and 2, other witnesses said Jamison made sexual jokes or comments with double entendres.Brian Crozier, the agency's chief of staff, told investigators he was offended when Jamison commented about another employee having "jungle fever" for being attracted to black women."Mr. Crozier found this particularly insulting and inappropriate because his wife is African-American. Mr. Crozier described these kinds of sexual remarks and speculation as common for Mr. Jamison," the report states.Witnesses told Weinhardt that Jamison frequently mentioned his friendship with Reynolds. Both served as county treasurers at the same time. Some witnesses said Jamison's behavior worsened after Reynolds became governor in May 2017 when former Gov. Terry Branstad was named U.S. ambassador to China.Reynolds released this statement Thursday afternoon:"While it is not a secret that Mr. Jamison and I were friends, having served as county treasurers at the same time, I had no idea that he behaved this way. I never witnessed or experienced anything like what is described in the report. Had I known, I would have fired him a long time ago. There is no excuse for this kind of behavior."She continued: "Among many troubling issues raised by this investigation, I am frustrated that Mr. Jamison created the impression that he wouldn't face consequences because of my friendship with him. That could not be further from the truth."Weinhardt says in the report Iowa's sexual harassment policies should be clearer about how a complaint against a director should be handled."We will immediately take up this issue and make that change," Reynolds said in the statement.
If you're a lapsed voter in Oregon, don't be surprised if Dennis Richardson finds you on Facebook.The secretary of state is tapping the social media site's extensive reach to persuade inactive voters to update their registration in time for the November election. Richardson appears on a video targeted only at the 447,000 names on the state's inactive voters list."We want to extend every opportunity for Oregonians who are eligible to vote to be able to vote," Richardson said in a news release Tuesday.Oregon has 2.7 million registered voters, which does not include the inactive voters. Inactive voters do not receive ballots by mail because they did not vote or update their registration information for five years, according to the secretary of state's office.
In a major victory for civil rights groups, a federal judge has banned Dallas County from using a predetermined schedule to set bail without considering other amounts or alternatives that would allow the suspects' release from jail.Though U.S. District Judge David Godbey's order is temporary, his ruling Thursday indicated that the groups that sued the county earlier this year "are substantially likely to prevail on the merits" of their arguments.Godbey wrote that the policy of setting bail without regard for a defendant's ability to pay violated the constitutional rights of arrestees to equal protection under the law."Wealthy arrestees -- regardless of the crime they are accused of -- who are offered secured bail can pay the requested amount and leave. Indigent arrestees in the same position cannot," the judge wrote in his opinion.Godbey ordered Dallas County to provide suspects booked at its jail with an individual hearing within 48 hours if a magistrate judge doesn't release them after they've indicated they cannot afford bail."Because the court recognizes that the County might need additional time to comply with this requirement, the County may propose a reasonable timeline for doing so," he wrote.Per the judge's order, an impartial decision-maker -- most likely a magistrate judge -- must make an individual assessment of whether an amount of bail or an alternative condition provides sufficient guarantee that the suspect will appear in court.The suspect must have a chance at the hearing to provide evidence in his or her favor, and to dispute evidence provided by law enforcement. If the decision-maker declines to lower the bail from the prescheduled amount, then he or she must provide "factual findings" explaining the reasoning on the record.Godbey ordered the county to allow suspects to fight the decision in a formal adversarial hearing before a misdemeanor or felony judge.In January, four nonprofits filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging the Dallas County jail's cash bail system unfairly harmed poor people and violated the Texas and U.S. constitutions.Dallas County officials had pledged to reform the system after The Dallas Morning News published an article on a woman jailed on $150,000 bond for a $105 shoplifting charge, but the nonprofits who filed the lawsuit said the system never really changed.The suit was filed on behalf of six Dallas County inmates, jailed on bond from $500 to $50,000.The judge's ruling agreed that cash bail continued as usual in Dallas County, noting that even though magistrates were told in February to consider a financial affidavit asking how much bail arrestees could afford, routine reliance on fixed bail schedules was still common practice.Under Godbey's order, pretrial staff at the courthouse must verify an arrestee's ability to pay bail and must explain the process to them, and deliver a completed affidavit to the Dallas County Sheriff's Office before a defendant's probable cause hearing.The affidavit will allow defendants to explain the maximum amount they could reasonably afford within 24 hours of the arrest, from any source, including family and friends. It will ask about income, debts and other expenses.It won't apply to defendants who are ineligible for pretrial release due to a hold by another agency, a pending mental health evaluation or pretrial detention orders that deem them too dangerous to be released.If a suspect has sworn on the affidavit that he or she can't afford to pay any amount of cash bail, and the magistrate doesn't release them on a personal bond that has no financial conditions, then the suspect is entitled to a hearing within 48 hours of arrest.All non-financial conditions of release ordered by the magistrates, including protective orders, drug testing, alcohol intake ignition locks, or GPS monitoring, will remain in effect.Elizabeth Rossi of Civil Rights Corps, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, hailed Thursday's ruling but said his order is temporary and "does not go far enough yet.""The federal court's decision confirms that Dallas County's money bail system is flagrantly unconstitutional," she said in a prepared statement. "Despite claiming to have implemented changes, the federal court found that the county has routinely ignored an arrestee's ability to pay money bail, still uses arbitrary bail schedules, and has made no real progress on their practices."At a federal court hearing in August, Rossi and her colleagues introduced as evidence video clips from Dallas County hearings in early July that showed magistrates spending seconds on individual suspects as they announced the charges and bail amounts.The attorneys argued that the bail amounts rarely deviated from the schedule.Katharine David, an attorney for Dallas County through the law firm Husch Blackwell, said the county does not comment on pending litigation.County officials were optimistic about the ruling. Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, who's involved in regular county meetings regarding the jail population, said the judge's order was expected. He pointed to at least $2 million to beef up pretrial services that the Commissioners Court approved this week as part of the 2019 budget.Among other things, the money will be used to hire more staff in the public defender's office so that suspects can have representation at bail hearings.Those hires have not been made yet. But bail hearings, long closed to the public, can now be viewed through a monitor in the lobby of the jail."We feel like we're in good shape," Price said. "We're doing exactly what our plan has been all along. It's no big imposition on us in terms of us continuing to go forward."This summer, the county also committed to funding a risk-assessment tool to help inform judges' decisions.County Judge Clay Jenkins, who presides over the Commissioners Court, said in a statement that if the jail population drops to a certain level, the county could close a tower and save taxpayers $20 million a year."Hopefully, today's ruling will speed up the implementation of a race neutral risk assessment tool," he wrote. "Other jurisdictions who are using these tools have experienced a significant drop in jail population as low risk defendants are released pending trial and high risk defendants (even those with access to money) are not."
Description

GIS  21 September 2018: A welcoming ceremony, during which five newly appointed honorary consuls received their exequatur, was held yesterday at Le Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel in Port-Louis, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr. Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo.

In his address, Minister Lutchmeenaraidoo underlined that the Ministry is currently undergoing a restructuring phase which involves modernising itself to achieve the newly set goals aimed at boosting the economic growth of the country. He added that the strategy of Government is to strengthen existing bilateral relations and forge new partnerships to integrate Mauritius into the global economy. Hence, consuls as official representatives of the Government are instrumental to enhance the diplomatic network overseas for greater visibility and outreach, he stated.

The Minister emphasised that along with digital, maritime and air connectivity, diplomatic connectivity will be instrumental to increase the visibility of Mauritius on the global scene. Thus, in a bid to further strengthen bilateral relations and increase the economic opportunities, the nomination of consuls has been accelerated, he said. On that note, he announced that in order to enhance communication with consuls, a digital platform is being created, wherein each consul will have a webpage to better assist and protect citizens.

Moreover, Mr Lutchmeenaraidoo dwelt on the success story of Mauritius over the last fifty years, elaborating on the struggles of an isolated island post-independence to eventually emerge as a flourishing country. The new strategy of Government, he emphasised, is to leverage the country as regional power and an international player. According to him, as Mauritius espouses its position as an Ocean state, it is undeniably poised to become a key player in the region and embark on new path of economic development.

On that score, the Minister underpinned the three main pillars of development, namely the blue economy, the maritime hub and the Africa Strategy, wherein the latter is a crucial aspect of creating new economic opportunities. He explained that the partnership with African countries will involve the sharing of best practices and knowhow in sectors like sugar, textile, technological and financial sectors and Mauritius acting as a springboard to channel investment.

The nominated honorary consuls are: Mr R. Ballah in Moldavia; Mr D. Csizmadia in Ireland; Mrs Y. Ramlackan-Puri in Belize; Mr A. Lagesse in Belgium and Mr U. K Gujadhur in Georgia.
Description

GIS - 21 September, 2018: The Minister of State for African Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz Kattan, paid a courtesy call yesterday on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis.

Ahmed bin Abdulaziz is a member of House of Saud who served as deputy minister of interior of Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 2012 and briefly as minister of interior in 2012.

He joined the diplomatic corps at the Saudi Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1978, before being sent to the Saudi embassy in London where he served as a diplomat from 1982 to 1983. He was appointed to join the Saudi diplomatic mission in Washington, U.S. where he held many diplomatic posts in the United States from 1984 until he returned to Cairo in 2005.
The California Department of Technology (CDT) has awarded a $36 million, 30-month contract to Maximus , a global company specializing in government services, to run the California LifeLine Program.CDT awarded the competitive bid contract on behalf of the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The LifeLine Program provides discounted home phone and cellphone services to eligible households. The contract has two additional one-year contract extension options, which would bring the total cost to $65 million.Maximus scope of work includes eligibility determination, call center services, Web-based enrollments and document intake and processing, according to a news release.Maximus works with government agencies in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
Best Application Serving an Agencys Business Needs

2018 Hugh L. Carey Leadership Award Winner The 2018 Hugh L. Carey Award was presented to Theresa L. Egan, executive deputy commissioner for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, for her leadership of initiatives that impact her agency, as well as the safety and quality of life of New Yorkers statewide.



In her role with the DMV since July 2015, Egan has also served as deputy commissioner for safety, consumer protection and clean air since 2007. She headed up initiatives including driver and vehicle safety programs, emissions programs, and the governors Traffic Safety Committee. Egan was previously town supervisor for Bethlehem, N.Y., since 2004, as well as town justice from 1998-2003.



Egan is the eighth recipient of the Hugh L. Carey Leadership award.





Demonstrated Excellence in Project Management

Best Application Serving an Agencys Business Needs

The paths they took to their rewards were varied, but the Center for Digital Governments* Best of New York 2018 award winners shared some key qualities in common, as did the projects they undertook.Perhaps most prominently, this years group of winners  comprising 13 winners across five categories  share a deep commitment to finding internal solutions to long-standing problems, ranging from efficiency in the sanitation department to updating legacy systems as vital to daily functions as telephones.For more than six decades, New York Citys Department of Sanitation used to manage its operations  which include a host of duties, from garbage pickup to snow removal  with a manual paper card system.With this analog methodology, the department tracked thousands of pieces of equipment, as well as personnel and the status of ongoing assignments. There was no way to keep data, and the board was essentially left at the mercy of anyone who had access to it, meaning it could be changed around and there was no way to know who modified it or why. That, however, has since changed.One of the winning projects in the Best Application Serving an Agencys Business Needs category is an upgrade to the paper system, dubbed Sanitation Management Analysis and Resource Tracking, or SMART. SMART is essentially a digital version of the old system, a new platform with Web-based mobile functionality that provides the sanitation department field forces with fully digital operations, including scheduling and reporting technology.Perhaps most important, it gives the entire department real-time access to the information that used to be tracked with paper, meaning multiple users at different computers can see whats being modified or changed as it happens. There are plenty of other new benefits being provided by SMART as well.The system, users said, has helped to break down silos and bolster information sharing. It has also reduced any redundant or manual data entry requirements, which has in turn reduced the number of human errors while subsequently also increasing efficiency. The system provides a holistic view of sanitations complex operations to officials, along with the capability to track and store data over time. It also comes with templates, so that when New York City has something like a parade or other event, the department can roll out the template they need to handle it, instead of always having to devise something new from scratch, as was the past procedure.Sriram Vasantha, director of application development for the Department of Sanitation, said the design process involved working through several different iterations using agile methodology. The developers' first priority was, of course, to automate the long-standing paper system, and so they assembled a group of consultants and end users from throughout the department who could give them feedback and input as they built it.Developers also made ample use of open-source technologies, something that was key in creating the new system efficiently.A few years ago, Vasantha said, it was quite challenging to build that type of product, but we were able to leverage open source technologies to be able to do this now.Developers continue to add new applications and functionality to SMART in pieces, making its overall value and capabilities all the more robust. End-user feedback remains an important and vital part of this process.All different levels of the uniformed team are involved in developing the application and giving feedback, said Dean Beaver, training lead with the Department of Sanitation. Its very much an interactive development process with the customers, and in this case the customers are the guys in the field. They built it.Talal Qureshi is a solutions architect/program manager in network design and engineering for New York Citys Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.His role requires him to provide a host of different solutions to his clients, all of whom are internal agencies within the municipal government in one of the biggest and most logistically challenging cities in the world. Those who work with him describe Qureshi as exceedingly adept at a wide range of vital characteristics, from coordinating with outside vendors when the need arises, to sticking with projects until completion.Qureshi has a depth of technical knowledge  he has two masters degrees, one in electrical engineering and the other in high energy particle physics  which is obviously a must for someone who deals with a varied host of complex constituents on such a large scale. What really stands out about his work, however, is the bright attitude he brings to it.In fact, Qureshi said he is often asked how much coffee drinks, and the answer is none. In fact, he doesnt even so much as dabble in caffeine. His energetic disposition is entirely a product of his outlook on his work.Motivation is within, Qureshi said. Once you find that element that motivates you  whether it be external factors or just the pride that you take. There is no city like New York City, and I take a lot of pride in the privilege I have of working in my position and in working for the constituents that we have here.Its this attitude that has made Qureshi such an effective leader and project manager, in addition to his wide depth of expertise.Among his myriad impressive accomplishments for New York City is an ongoing project that aims to update outdated legacy phone systems. A project he oversaw recently involved replacing 10,000 telephones citywide from over 20 agencies in the service of this, and hes currently working with his team on a second phase of that project that would see more than 8,000 additional phones converted to more modern systems.Ultimately, our objective is to provide the best-in-class service at the least possible cost, Qureshi said, and thats where the real creative thinking comes in.Of course, New York is far more than just it's most well-known city, and good governance and innovation are alive and well at the state level, as evidenced by the New York State Cash Tracking Application from the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and the Office of Information Technology Services.OPWDD has a stated mission of putting people first, which demands tech that can help its employees manage and protect sensitive items they work with, including personal funds, burial accounts, trusts and other specialized assets of people with developmental disabilities. All told, these funds include millions of dollars, and they have to be protected pursuant to the NYS Mental Hygiene Law, NYS Finance Law, and the OPWDD Personal Allowance Regulations.The winning project is a new Web-based application that gives users a wide range of benefits, including better security, database integrity, oversight and protection of funds, and process automation. One benefit of improved systems is that online users of these services have grown to more than 4,000, and as a result, staff time to process and pay monthly reimbursement billings has decreased by 50 percent, essentially generating over $50 million in annual revenue.Government Technology's
(TNS)  Businesses and cities need "Spock on the bridge" just as much as Captain Kirk did on "Star Trek."That was the message that was brought to Columbus on Wednesday by D.J. Patil, the mathematician often credited with creating the term "data science" and who was appointed by President Barack Obama as the first U.S. chief data scientist for the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy.Patil was brought to Ohio by the Columbus Collaboratory to discuss big data's future in Ohio. In the roundtable discussion, Patil said that, "in the 'Star Trek' model, Spock is always on the bridge" when a big decision was made. His "Spock" references the presence of pure, unbiased information."But how many times were there meetings in the White House and there was no Spock on the bridge?"He says that has to change.Patil has become a high-profile name for leading the effort to make the federal government a data-driven enterprise.But the federal government is not the "beacon" to be followed by others. Instead, the beacon on the local level, in cities like Columbus, is found in collaborations between local government and businesses.In particular, the Columbus Collaboratory stands as a good example, he said, as it is an effort by seven entities  American Electric Power, Battelle, Cardinal Health, L Brands, Huntington National Bank, Nationwide and OhioHealth  to share research and find ways to be more competitive by improving efficiency, security and customer focus."Everyone is racing to some degree to address the 'sexy' problems," Patil said, such as terrorism or weapons of mass destruction.But when he sent the brightest minds in his field to the Pentagon to find areas in which data science could be applied well, "all the most boring problems were the ones that really needed data solutions. The lesson is, if we can ask what the most boring problems are  that's where we'll get the biggest lift."Among cities, such "boring problems" can include putting digital sensors on trash cans, something that Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin saw in operation in Spain. The sensors determine if the cans are full to determine whether trucks need to be sent out to empty them. If not, fuel is saved.Another boring but serious problem being attacked by a new service called Watchtower that is offered by the Columbus Collaboratory is identifying and managing cybersecurity risks."Today, you know if hackers try a password attack, a company's computer system will lock the hackers out after a few tries," said Matt Wald, president and CEO at Columbus Collaboratory."But what we're seeing now is hackers are using a common password attack across a large number of users at a company. That's the kind of thing we're trying to detect."
A little over a year after Austin's city council commissioned the study and just weeks after it halted a years-long effort to overhaul the city's land development code to address concerns about housing affordability and other key issues, a report from the University of Texas at Austin identifies areas where residents are most at risk for gentrification and displacement and strategies for combatting them.Like many cities, Austin has seen rising housing prices particularly in historically non-white neighborhoods near the city core. And like many cities, the council has commissioned studies and worked with task groups for recommendations about how to address gentrification, described in this latest study as involving displacement of low-income residents, physical transformation to a neighborhood including in its housing and commercial stock and changing cultural character.The report highlights the extent of existing gentrification as it maps out where populations vulnerable to displacement currently live. "Compared to even 20 or 30 years ago, a higher share of disadvantaged people in Austin are in locations that are distant from the various economic, cultural and other opportunities offered by Austin's urban core," according to the study, co-authored by Heather Way with the university's law school and Elizabeth Mueller and Jake Wegmann with the university's community and regional planning department. The researchers classified affected neighborhoods according to the stage of gentrification each appeared to be in. "The stages of gentrification ripple out from downtown Austin," to the east and south, the report explains, "with (generally) increasingly earlier stages of gentrification as one proceeds away from downtown to the north, east, or south."The report also includes a set of interactive maps exploring some of the findings."Absent major interventions by the City of Austin and other stakeholders, these residentswho are largely low-income persons of colorwill be pushed out farther away from opportunity and dislocated from their communities," the report argues. "In the process, neighborhoods that have historically been home to African-American and Hispanic residents will lose their cultural character and become enclaves for largely white and wealthier residents."The report intentionally stays away from the kinds of land use and code conversations that marked the city's stalled CodeNEXT effort. "[W]hile creating equitable housing opportunities for displaced low-income residents will necessarily involve opening up neighborhoods that have been historically inaccessible to them, our focus here is on geographically-targeted policies for ensuring that vulnerable residents can stay in their homes and neighborhoods or return to them if they wish to. As a result, we spend relatively little time in the report on land use solutions associated with increasing housing types and choices in other neighborhoods or across the city."Instead, it focuses on state- and local-level policy solutions."Making a difference will require a considerable investment of dollarsmuch more than Austin voters have been accustomed to allocating towards affordable housing and anti-displacement," the authors write. Indeed, in November voters will decide on roughly $925 million in bonds that would include $250 million for affordable housing.But the report recommendations go beyond that, including funding for emergency rental assistance, targeted housing voucher programs to supplement federal vouchers, stronger legal protections for tenants, outreach to help homeowners learn about homestead tax exemptions, expanded home repair programs to assist eligible homeowners, community impact analyses for proposed developments or changes, a city land bank for the development of affordable housing, community land trusts and more.Activists have recommended similar strategies. The People's Plan, created by affected communities and endorsed by the city's Anti-Displacement Task Force, calls for a housing trust fund, a comprehensive environmental review process for proposed development and changes and programs that would help residents stay or even return to gentrifying areas, modeled on programs in other cities.Gentrification is a question of real estate, Fred McGhee, an anthropologist and activist told the Texas Tribune. And real estate interests dominate city hall.
North Carolinas Stephanie Walker learned about flood insurance the hard way. She purchased a home in central North Carolina in 2015 that flooded a year later during Hurricane Matthew. Without insurance, she spent $70,000, $25,000 of which was covered by FEMA, to fix things.Now, as the waters from Hurricane Florence receded from her doorstep, shes covered. She never realized when she bought the house that she would need flood insurance. This street should be demolished, she told Reuters recently. Houses should have never been put here.Her situation gets the heart of several issues regarding the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as residents in the Carolinas figure out how they will deal with the flooding. The Reuters report said that just 1 percent of homes in the inland counties of North Carolina are insured through the NFIP.We advocate for larger investment and resilience upfront of future disasters instead of just shoveling money out the door once a disaster happens, said Joel Scata of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Our view is that we know the risks and they are increasingly foreseeable and its time to address these vulnerabilities before peoples lives and property are destroyed.One of the key issues is the lack of knowledge of the risk. Everyone lives in a flood zone and with flooding being the most common natural disaster in the U.S., it is critical that property owners understand their level of risk, said Patty Latshaw, senior vice president of compliance and principal NFIP flood coordinator at Wright Flood.With NFIP nearly $20 billion in debt and $16 billion having been forgiven last year, many say the program needs to be reformed for viability. The NRDC advocates for improving the knowledge that homebuyers and renters have about their flood risks.Its a big problem, Scata said. Theres just not enough information out there to help people who face these risks, especially when youre moving into a new area, you should be fully informed about the flooding risk and a lot of this can be directly influenced by the NFIP.For one, homebuyers should know when they are purchasing a house, if it has been flooded before and if they are required to purchase flood insurance. There are no such disclosure laws, where the seller needs to disclose flood-risk information, in 21 states, according to a study done by the NRDC.The House of Representatives last November passed the 21st Century Flood Reform Act that would require FEMA to provide homeowners the homes flood history. Scata said FEMA has that information but lacks a means to disseminate it.NRDC would like to see an interactive database where people can log on and find out about the area they live in  the flood risks, if there are repeated damage claims and if the community is compliant with the NFIP.The more information people have, Scata said, the better people are in terms of papering on the front end instead of reacting on the back end.In the long run, we think its beneficial to FEMA because if a homeowner finds out the house has flooded, or they are required to buy flood insurance from FEMA, then theyll take up more flood insurance and that gets to the problem of underinsuring for flood risk in this country.To that point of purchasing policies, Latshaw wrote in an email that a new NFIP reauthorization bill must clarify that private policies should be accepted by lenders who require flood coverage because it would bring down the cost and help stabilize the program, while reducing the burden on taxpayers. One of the big consumer benefits to private flood coverage is the addition of broader coverage options, like additional living expenses or higher coverage limits, which are not available with the NFIP flood policy, she said.Another area where information needs to improve is flood maps, which have become out of date in most cases. A lot of flood maps are based on past flood events but give no indication of future risks. Modern maps should take into account climate change sea-level rise and extreme weather.Latshaw said flood maps usually map out large areas rather than specific neighborhoods. But with additional funding, maps can be more localized, giving homeowners a clearer view of their risks. She said if property owners could see how close they are to a high-risk flood zone, they are more likely to maintain the coverage needed to protect them from costly flood-related damages.More mitigation strategies that could would cost money on the front end by save money on the back end, include relocating residents from areas that are vulnerable instead of continuing to rebuild and fortifying and elevating properties.Congress spent $120 billion, after the fact, on disasters for 2017 and as the flooding from Hurricane Florence shows, natural hazards arent going away. It kind of begs the question, What are we buying with that money? Scata asked. Is it just to respond and build back to the status quo?
People stage a performance during a grand gathering held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region at Helan Mountain Stadium in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

YINCHUAN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Thursday congratulated Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on its remarkable achievements over the past six decades and wished the region a bright prospect of development.

He made the remarks when addressing a grand gathering in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the region's founding.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), led a central delegation to attend festivities marking the anniversary.

He said Ningxia, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, had achieved giant leaps in economic development, great improvement of people's living standard, and harmony and stability in the society over the past 60 years.

He called for further efforts to realize economic prosperity, ethnic unity, beautiful environment and a wealthy life enjoyed by people in the region, so that Ningxia will step into a comprehensive moderately prosperous society together with the rest of the country.

Wang stressed that Ningxia should always uphold the leadership of the CPC and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and be committed to the cause of national reunification and ethnic equality.

The region should also uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, keep working for common prosperity and development through joint efforts of all ethnic groups, and insist on law-based governance, he said.

At the gathering of some 21,000 people from all walks of life who represent all ethnic groups in Ningxia, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan read a congratulatory message by the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the CPPCC National Committee, and the Central Military Commission.

Jubilant spectators waving mini Chinese national flags filled a stadium where the gathering was held. The celebration included parades with floats adorned with huge "1958-2018" banners and slogans, as well as performances representing progress made across the region, once known for its large impoverished population living in the inhospitable environment.

The regional economy, measured by GDP, has expanded from 328 million yuan in 1958 to over 345 billion yuan (52 billion U.S. dollars) last year. The poverty rate was cut from more than 70 percent to six percent.

"We are living in a good time," said Zhao Naixiang, a resident of Jinfeng district of Yinchuan.

Zhao said the roads in her neighborhood used to be full of holes and lacked street lamps 15 years ago. "Now the environment has been improved with more trees and recreational facilities, just like a park. Every family uses clean natural gas to cook and many own cars," she said.

Residents in Zhao's neighborhood are from more than 10 ethnic groups including Hui, Han and Manchu ethnic groups. "We celebrate each other's festivals and share food and joy together on these occasions. We are like a big family," Zhao said.

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
(TNS)  About a dozen people this week called on the Board of Supervisors to act to prevent telecommunications companies from installing small cell antennas throughout unincorporated Marin.We are very concerned about the serious adverse health and environmental effects that may be caused by exposure to microwave radiation emitted by small cell facilities for 4G and 5G technology, said Sharon Rushton, who heads Sustainable TamAlmonte, a citizens group active in the Tamalpais Valley.Rushton and others spoke during the public open time portion of the supervisors weekly meeting. They asked that the supervisors put the issue on the agenda of an upcoming meeting for discussion.Large groups of people also have turned out recently at city council meetings in San Rafael and Mill Valley to call for stricter regulation of the new technology.Earlier this month, the Mill Valley City Council adopted an emergency ordinance that prohibits new wireless telecommunications facilities in areas zoned residential and requires annual EMF readings to ensure that wireless facilities are complying with federal and state laws.San Anselmo and Ross have adopted ordinances similar to Mill Valleys, and Fairfaxs planning commission will take up the issue when it meets Oct. 18.The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday will consider adopting new rules designed to speed deployment of small wireless facilities. The rules would limit the review of new installations by local jurisdictions to 60 days for existing structures and 90 days for entirely new facilities.In a report on the proposed rules, FCC staff stated 5G can enable increased competition for a range of services  including broadband  support new health care and Internet of Things applications, speed the transition to life-saving connected car technologies, and create jobs.The report estimates that wireless providers will invest $275 billion over the next decade in next-generation wireless infrastructure deployments, which should generate an expected three million new jobs and boost our nations GDP by half a trillion dollars.The report notes, Over the last few years, providers have been increasingly looking to densify their networks with new small cell deployments that have antennas often no larger than a small backpack.And it adds, To support advanced 4G and 5G offerings, providers must build out small cells at a faster pace and at a far greater density of deployment than before.That is just what opponents fear.If we allow millions of new antennas along the rights of way  very close to where people are working, living and going to school  it will be a health disaster, said Mary Beth Brangan of Ecological Options Network, a nonprofit based in Bolinas, another of the speakers on Tuesday.The FCC already has standards that are thousands of times higher than what triggers disease and cancer, according to thousands of peer-reviewed studies, Brangan said.I have 10 pages of epidemiological studies, peer-reviewed from all over the world, that show that people within 1,500 feet of a macro-tower experience blood abnormalities, depression, higher rates of suicide, all kinds of illnesses, Brangan said. Were not making this up.Leland Kim, a spokesman for AT&T, however, wrote in an email, We maintain power levels at our antenna sites that are at or below, and most of the time far below, the limits established by government regulations. Expert scientists and government agencies responsible for health and safety have stated repeatedly that wireless antennas in compliance with FCC regulations do not pose health concerns.Heidi Flato, a spokeswoman for Verizon, wrote, We ensure that all applicable federal, state and local regulations are followed. Emissions from small cells, which are low power, run at a small fraction of FCC-permitted levels.Speaking Tuesday, William Now of Inverness said he is worried about overloading utility poles with new equipment.Case in point, the Malibu fire, Now said. Theyve identified that over 20 percent of Southern California Edisons poles were overloaded and that was a contributing factor. That is a real issue for us.Another speaker Tuesday, Barry Smith of Point Reyes Station, used irony to make his point.Im very excited about the Internet of Things, Smith said. For example, Id love my neighbors to be able to walk their dog while theyre watching a movie on their device; Id love to be able to send email from my refrigerator; and my personal favorite, I cant wait to get a device that you can put in a babys diaper that alerts your phone when your baby pees.After the meeting, Supervisor Damon Connolly said that he and Supervisor Dennis Rodoni will serve on a new board subcommittee to study the issue.We will be working with our Community Development Agency to review our telecommunications policy and consider issues around 5G siting in areas of Marin County and related impacts, Connolly wrote in an email.Connolly has already fired off a letter to the FCC raising issues with the new proposed 60-day shot clock and the overloading of utility poles with equipment.Local jurisdictions, however, are somewhat limited in their ability to regulate antenna installations. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 pre-empts local decisions premised directly or indirectly on the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions.That is what makes me really angry, that democracy is being rolled over, Katharina Sandizell of Point Reyes Station told supervisors Tuesday. So we are asking you to stand up strong.
(TNS)  The Long Beach Police Department has suspended its use of a mobile texting application that permanently erases messages after civil liberties advocates and media outlets raised concerns that the app could be used to hide evidence useful to the other side in criminal and civil court cases.In a statement, the city said the decision to halt the use of TigerText came pending further review of whether the use is consistent with the citys record retention policy and administrative regulations for the use of mobile devices.Civil liberties advocates had warned that the app could be used to delete communications that could be requested during the discovery process in court cases.Records show the department began using the application in June of 2014, when Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell was still running the agency.In an interview Wednesday, McDonnell said the program was adopted at a time when the Police Department was trying to find a replacement for its BlackBerry phones and wanted an encrypted messaging system to use in criminal investigations. McDonnell said he was not aware that the application did not retain messages and he believed the application had been fully vetted by the city.Sometimes with emerging technologies we fail to recognize all the ramifications, McDonnell said. He said he wouldnt make the same choice of application again.The city moved to discontinue the app after a report in Al Jazeera on Tuesday in which two officers said they were instructed by superiors to use the app to have conversations with other officers that wouldnt be discoverable. Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna denied those allegations.A city document provided toby the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California describes the app as a secure messaging platform for criminal investigations and confidential communication. The document shows that each yearlong license costs $96. With the app implemented on more than 100 phones, it cost the city more than $10,000 per year to use, records show.According to the city, the TigerText application is installed on 145 of the 291 cellphones issued by the department. That includes the phones of the command staff, as well as homicide and internal affairs investigators. The law enforcement agency employs 1,214 workers and has used the app since 2014.The app deletes messages five days after they are sent, according to Luna.Mohammad Tajsar, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California, said it appears as though Long Beach is circumventing a California law that requires cities to preserve records for two years. He called on the department, along with the Los Angeles County district attorneys office, to investigate the use of the app.It might potentially throw into doubt the validity of a whole host of cases, Tajsar said. You have the prospect of destroyed evidence in a whole bunch of cases. Its very important, in fact critical, that the city conduct a thorough investigation into the use of TigerText  how its officers communicated using it, what they communicated and the impact of those communications on prior cases.In conjunction with Al Jazeeras reporters, Tajsar said the ACLU filed public records requests concerning the use of TigerText with 36 police departments in California. Long Beach police were the only agency they found to be using the application. Other large agencies, including the Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento police departments and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, do not use the app, he said.Tajsar was particularly concerned that the app was being used by Long Beach homicide investigators. If those investigators were using the app to discuss an officer-involved shooting, for example, Tajsar said their opinions would have been subject to discovery in a civil lawsuit.If the detectives use it to talk at all about what they find, their opinions about what they find, people that they find more credible than other people, thats all incredibly important information in discovery, he said.Tajsar said if all the department wanted was a secure method of communication, there were better options. Apps like Signal, Peerio and event Apples default iMessage system are all considered to be more secure than TigerText, he said. Luna said he also plans to review how the department vetted TigerTexts encryption compared with other applications.During an interview Wednesday, the chief said officers document any information that would be subject to criminal or civil discovery in police reports.From a standard and policy perspective there was no malice here, there was no intent to do anything wrong, Luna said.Luna also said the app will cause a phone to consistently send out an alarm until a message is answered, something that is critical for when commanders need to contact one another during a high-profile incident at odd hours.The app is billed on its website as a messaging solution for healthcare providers that is secure and compliant with federal patient privacy rules, with messages that automatically delete after a set amount of time. Its parent company, TigerConnect, launched seven years ago and has more than 3,000 clients. Its unclear how many more clients, if any, are law enforcement agencies.Calls to the companys offices in Santa Monica were not returned on Wednesday.The department plans to release more information about which officers and commanders were using the app, including their ranks and assignments, Luna said. Though he asserted that the department was not trying to hide anything, he said he understood how the agencys use of the app might look.I know people are concerned about it, he said. Were very concerned about it.8:30 p.m., Sept. 20: This article was updated with comments from Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell about the use of the application when he was police chief in Long Beach.1:30 p.m., Sept. 19: This article was updated with additional background about the Long Beach Police Departments use of the application.
(TNS)  WORCESTER, Mass.  The Central Massachusetts arm of the American Civil Liberties Union is planning to ask the city council to move forward with exploring body cameras for police and to consider mandating public oversight of police surveillance techniques.Local ACLU field director Chris Robarge discussed the effort Thursday with a small group of volunteers. He said he's reached out to multiple city councilors and hopes to propose ordinances within the next couple months.The city, Mr. Robarge noted, has yet to begin a pilot program for body cameras. He said now that Boston has decided to begin phasing in cameras following a pilot there, the time is ripe to press the issue in Worcester. Northeastern University study of the Boston pilot concluded cameras can improve trust with the public and provide evidence to ensure fairer results at trial.The ACLU also plans to push an ordinance that would grant the public much more oversight over the department's use of surveillance equipment.The idea  called Community Control Over Police Surveillance  or CCOPS, is being looked at in cities around the country, Mr. Robarge said, and has been adopted in Somerville.CCOPS regulations require the police department to provide detailed reports on how they would use surveillance tools and whether civil rights could be violated as a result.They require city councils to approve the purchase of surveillance equipment following public hearings. They also look to mandate that police file annual reports about their use of such equipment, among other requirements.Mr. Robarge said the public doesn't know enough about how Worcester police use the army of cameras it monitors at its Real Time Crime Center. He also said he's concerned about the use of automatic license plate readers, which can scan license plates at extremely high rates.In Worcester, such readers are located in fixed locations, Mr. Robarge said, such as north of Kelley Square and in Green Hill Park. He said he's worried about a reader located on Lincoln Street near AdCare out of privacy concerns for people who go there for treatment or AA meetings."We don't know what they use it for, we don't know how long they keep the data and we don't know who they share the data with," Mr. Robarge said. He said he would like to know, for instance, whether the department might share data with immigration officials.Worcester does not call itself a sanctuary city, but leaders have repeatedly said that it does not collaborate with the federal government in efforts to deport people here illegally.Mr. Robarge said if the city had CCOPS regulations, police would be required to explain how they use things like automated license plates readers.Mr. Robarge said a policy would ensure the public knows about and has a chance to reject surveillance technology it finds too intrusive. If the department was to use things like drones, for example, there would need to be public debate.The ACLU generally advocates against surveillance technology, arguing it is often used to keep tabs on activists  generally left-wing activists  for potentially political purposes.Mr. Robarge noted that over the weekend, Massachusetts State Police were criticized for accidentally tweeting an image that showed it had placed a number of left-wing activist group websites on its bookmark list State police deleted the tweet and issued a statement saying they need to prepare for "all large, public gatherings."Mr. Robarge said he was skeptical of that explanation, noting he didn't see any right-wing groups in the screenshot.Mr. Robarge argued the episode is one of many that show the public needs to be aware of the ways in which the police are monitoring them.
At the Apple Store in Singapore this week, Chinese phone maker Huawei handed out free Huawei power banks to the many customers waiting in line outside the store. Since Apple just announced the release of a group line of iPhones, these lines were exceptionally long. reports that Huawei handed out more than 200 of its 10,000mAh Supercharge power banks in Singapore.In London Thursday morning, a Huawei van rolled up to the long queue outside the Apple Store with a free charging station and juice drinks that contained no traces of apple. The two companies have been in close competition for the second-place spot as the largest phone seller in the world. Huawei surpassed Apple to claim that title this July.
(TNS)  Even though voting machines will once again be used by voters to cast ballots in the Nov. 6 general election, it took a ruling from a federal judge this week to decide whether voting would be done electronically or by paper ballot.Before the judges ruling, Baldwin County Elections Superintendent Todd A. Blackwell already had set the wheels in motion to push forward the way he has done for the past 16 years in preparation for an election in Milledgeville and Baldwin County.The ballot for the upcoming election has already been printed, Blackwell told The Union-Recorder during a Monday morning interview in his office at the Baldwin County Courthouse.Early voting will begin Oct. 15 and will end Nov. 2.He said he had not been concerned about what the court did or didnt do regarding the method of voting.What I have to do is go forward with the way have voted for the last 16 years with electronic voting, Blackwell said. If at some point in the future, there was an order [to] vote paper ballots only, I would have no problem doing that. That would not be an issue at all. I would then turn around and order additional paper ballots to cover that.He explained that he had to start the preparation for another election or otherwise he would be behind the eight-ball when it came time to be ready for the next election.Asked how difficult it would have been for him to prepare for a paper ballot election as opposed to an electronic method of voting, Blackwell declined comment.But what I will respond to though is this: If there is a court order that requires us, which would be all counties in Georgia, to vote a paper ballot, then well pull that off, Blackwell said. I dont have any concerns about that.The judges ruling Tuesday now gives clear direction as to what method of voting will be used in the general election.Were going to be ready when early voting begins Oct. 15, Blackwell said.Had the federal judge ruled that paper ballots would be used, it would have meant a more labor-intensive process, Blackwell said.It may have created lines at the precincts because voting on a paper ballot would certainly be slower for the voter, Blackwell said. It would take a longer period of time to calculate the results of an election, because instead of having the results computed by the machines, then we would be scanning each paper ballot individually.He pointed out that such a process would have been time-consuming.And instead of finishing an election with final unofficial vote tabulations by 9 or 10 p.m. on election night, results might not be completed until the next morning, Blackwell said.Officials of a group known as Coalition for Good Governance, a non-profit group that also represents several Georgia voters, had asked a federal court to decide how voters in the state would vote in the upcoming election.Attorneys representing that group, as well as attorneys defending Secretary of State Brian Kemp and others in the case presented testimony in U.S. District Court in Atlanta last Wednesday. Kemp is also the Republican nominee for governor.U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg made a ruling Tuesday, saying voting rights advocates who had sought the change to paper ballots had demonstrated the threat of real harms to their constitutional interests, but that she worried about massive scrambling that would be involved in the last-minute switch from electronic voting to paper ballots.She said state elections officials had buried their heads in the sand and warned them not to delay in tackling security concerns with voting machines and the elections system.Ultimately, any chaos or problems that arise in connection with a sudden rollout of a paper ballot system with accompanying scanning equipment may swamp the polls with work and voters - and result in voter frustration and disaffection from the voting process, Totenberg said in her ruling. There is nothing like bureaucratic confusion and long lines to sour a citizen.The judge expressed a general consensus among cybersecurity experts and federal officials about the insecurity of electronic voting machines with no paper trail or record. She specifically referred to a Sept. 6 report from the National Academy of Sciences report. That report contends that all elections should be conducted with human-readable paper ballots by 2020. The report emphasized that every effort be made to use them in this years general election.Advanced persistent threats in this data-driven world and ordinary hacking are unfortunately here to stay, Totenberg said.She pointed out that state elections officials will fail to address that reality if they demean as paranoia the research-based findings of national cybersecurity engineers and experts in the field of elections.During last weeks hearing, defense attorney John Salter said a conversion to paper ballots so close to election daywould damage and disable election security.A number of people testified during the hearing, including former Secretary of State Cathy Cox, whom Kemp succeeded.Cox said the possible switch to a paper ballot method of voting could cause a variety of problems, including disenfranchising voters.Another concern would be longer than usual lines at voting precincts, etc.The attorney representing some of the plaintiffs in the case, David Cross, meanwhile, contends that Georgia has been frozen in time.Cross was making reference to the states circa-2001 voting machines.Plaintiffs in the case contend that including paper in the process is the wave of the future. The group also has expressed concerns about the states security in its election process in wake of possible hacking threats of American elections by foreign governments.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) holds a dialogue with representatives from communities such as industry and commerce, finance, think tanks and media outlets attending the Summer Davos 2018 at Tianjin Meijiang Conference and Exhibition Center in north China's Tianjin, Sept. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

TIANJIN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday held a dialogue with representatives from communities such as industry and commerce, finance, think tanks and media outlets attending the Summer Davos 2018 in Tianjin.

At the dialogue, hosted by Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Li responded to questions about China's financial opening-up, intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, tax and fee reduction, entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as the reform of the world trade system.

Over 200 representatives from Europe and countries including China, the United States and Japan attended the dialogue.

Li said the opening-up of the financial sector of a nation was ly related to its development phase, economic level, and regulatory capacities.

"While maintaining financial stability, China is determined to further open up its financial services, fully implement the pre-establishment national treatment and the negative list system, and gradually remove limits on business licenses and foreign ownership," Li said.

Currently, China has removed the caps on the foreign ownership of banks. Foreign ownership caps on insurance and securities companies will also be lifted, he said.

With regard to tax and fee reduction, Li said, China saw an increase of tax revenues from the second half of 2017 to the first half of 2018, which indicates a steadily growing Chinese economy.

In the first half of this year, the profits of industrial enterprises increased by 15 percent, and there was a drastic rise in the number of market entities and sources of taxes.

As the effects of tax reduction policies started to kick in at the beginning of the second half of 2018, growth in the tax revenues of central and local governments have both been reduced.

"For the next step, we are going to reduce taxes and fees on a grander scale, including cuts in social security fees, which will unburden enterprises and facilitate their development," he said.

Special deductions of personal income tax should be implemented evenly and conveniently to elevate the purchasing power of residents. The government shall practice austerity, refrain from disturbing enterprises and help people live a better life, he noted.

In terms of entrepreneurship and IPR protection, Li said that fostering an innovative society needs to unleash the creativity of everybody.

A series of measures have been taken to ensure everyone enjoys equal opportunity in innovation, to inspire large enterprises to develop their own makerspaces and to welcome the participation of foreign entrepreneurs in China's development.

Using IPR protection as the foundation for the development of an innovative economy, China would intensify IPR protection as well as the punishment over IPR infringement, Li said.

Last year, Chinese companies took the lead in their spending on foreign patent licensing fees and royalties, he noted. "We will not allow any forced IPR transfer."

Regarding the reform of the world trade system, Li pointed out that, under the current situation, the foundation of the multilateral trade rules has been shaken by rising protectionism.

"The multilateral trading system and its rules, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, have been established through joint consultation based on the goal of maintaining free trade. Although reform is necessary and needed in the WTO, it doesn't mean creating a new system.

"The goal of trade liberalization shall not change. We need to accommodate the interests of developing countries, especially those of the least developed countries. We should discuss and deal with issues together so that everyone can benefit," Li said.

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Ardes Quinn, taking reservations in 2012. Photo: Piotr Redlinski/The New York Times/Redux

Update: After a temporary closing, it was announced that Cafe Loup will reopen for business on September 26.

Up until a few years ago, when it changed ownership, Cafe Loups adopted credo was printed and hung over the stand-up urinal in the Port-o-Letsize mens room. If you asked the bartender, hed even give you a copy-shop scrawl, rolled up in a tube:

Respect the elders, teach the young, cooperate with the pack, play when you can, hunt when you must, rest in between, share your affection, voice your feelings, leave your mark.

Alas, those words have now been flushed. As it has been feverishly reported this week, the deceptively sprawling space  a French bistro favored by the literary set and old-school bohemia, located on West 13th Street near Sixth Avenue  lost its legs, seized and shut down by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for open warrants ka-chinging to a balance of hundreds of thousands of dollars. (The new proprietor isnt solely to blame. For nearly a decade, the restaurants facade has been blocked by scaffolding beams, the result of some ongoing street infrastructure that was apparently non-fixable, like an art installation that was forever in the works.) The tax issue could be resolved, or Cafe Loup may be gone for good, but either way, the news was no shocker.

As a twice-a-week regular for over 25 years, Ive seen the writing on the wall. During my last visit, a month ago, when I asked the new owners why they had taken down the Wolf Credo placard, as well as the vanity mirror, they shrugged me off. A big what-ev. A friend says the placard had recently returned, but when I was there, only the smeary markings of the sign remained, a reflection of neglect that had set in at a place that had once meant so much more to its vast array of committed regulars.

Graydon Carter, a longtime West Village resident, says he initially went to Loup because it was there. My first apartment in New York was on 13th between Fifth and University. There were two bars, Cafe Loup and the Lone Star Cafe. Loup was closer, so that became my first local, the former Vanity Fair editor says. I would drop in from time to time over the years and each time it was a bit like Prousts madeleine  a moment in there just transported me back to my days as a goofy kid from Canada trying to make it as a writer at Time magazine.

Sloane Crosley, the essayist, novelist, and book critic, lives mere blocks away. Loup drew a lot of different crowds and a lot of different brands of hearing aid, but it was book-publishing central, she says. You didnt go to see business being done; you went to see publishing unwind. And you sure as shit didnt go for the food.

Yours truly loved it because its two house cats freely sauntered the bar like off-duty strippers, sniffing, but never eating, your dinner. The Continental-cuisine-leaning fare was marginal, the bread basket often stale. Best to stick to the salade verte (with garlic-anchovy dressing) and a massive burger with fries to split, mayonnaise schooner request, with a date or a wife.

The place had what you call class. The Chet Baker soundtrack and original Irving Penns on the wainscoted walls didnt hurt. A downtown haven for book editors, authors, poets, academics, and journalists, it was like a kinder, gentler Elaines, though it never received the attention of that fallen Lit Lion clubhouse on the Upper East Side. Yet Cafe Loup nonetheless packed them in. Regulars that the Wolf hosted over the years: the likes of essayists and authors such as Paul Auster (I sat next to him but was afraid to catch his Turner-sea, brooding eyes), Fran Lebowitz (cool and amiable), Susan Sontag, the novelist Lucinda Rosenfeld, Elaines regulars George Plimpton and Gay Talese (reverse nosebleeds, we dragged them down), as well as journalist-authors who didnt drink because they couldnt (Walter Kirn, the late David Carr). Playwrights like puckish Jonathan Marc Sherman and film director-screenwriters like snob-nerd Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, The Last Days of Disco) held court. Peter Dinklage often sidled up to the bar alongside pals like Ethan Hawke.

Another longtime Loup neighbor, former Post nightlife chronicler turned lifestyle reporter Jared Stern, utilized the bistro for both business and pleasure, often conducting interviews with Hollywood celebrities. It was like the also-closed Temple Bar, a place that put the precious at ease. I took Annabella Sciorra there, and Kate Winslet, for interviews, long before anyone knew who they were, and you were as likely to see Fran Lebowitz as Faye Dunaway any night of the week, but it wasnt a sighting  they were just there, he says. It was a refuge from all the assholes who made every other place in New York unbearable.

The late Vanity Fair columnist and author Christopher Hitchens was an early champion of Loup. An America Spectator column, published in 2001, was laminated and displayed in its front window. Calling it his true bar, he furthered that a watering hole should have an element of cafe-society to it; a place for newspapers and espresso as well as cocktails and basic food, and a place where you could bring your mother, if you had a mother, for a light lunch as well as your mistress or male lover, if you had a mistress or male lover, for a late-ish nightcap.

As I await the verdict on the euthanization or resuscitation of Cafe Loup, I decided to dig through my boxes of weathered clips and journalistic memorabilia, and found my own Wolf Credo scrawl. Regardless of what happens to the cafe, Im going to the shop tomorrow to get this framed, so I can hang it properly, in my own undersized bathroom.
Sport

Australia look to halt Pakistan juggernaut in T20 World Cup semi-final in Dubai

The Aussies made their first semi-final of the tournament since 2012 with four wins and a better run-rate than South Africa. But they are up against an unbeaten Pakistan who stormed into the final four with five wins in the Super 12 stage.




Haiti - Economy : Haiti's trade deficit with DR amounts to $816 million US





The National Statistical Office (ONE) of the Dominican Republic has revealed that in 2017, trade between the two nations of the island reached 852.53 million US dollars. During this period, imports from Haiti amounted to $ 36.31 million, a positive trade surplus for DR of $ 816.22 million.



"It should be noted that in 2017, Dominican exports to Haiti increased by 6.5% ($ 52.35 million) and 82.50% of goods were transported by road, while 17.44% by air and 0.06% by air," said Alexandra Izquierdo, National Director of ONE adding that exports from Haiti were made by road transport 98.04%, followed by martitime shipping 1.69% and by air 0.28%.



Main Dominican products exported to Haiti (2017) :



By road :

Cotton: 100.54 million (14.29% of the total exported by this route);

Plastics and manufactured goods: 92.40 million (13.14%);

Cast iron and steel: 54.96 million (7.8%).



Sea route :

Clothing and clothing accessories: $ 83.68 million (56.29% of the total transported by this means); Salt, sulfur, earth and stones, plaster, lime and cement: 27.07 million (18.21%);

Various food preparations: $ 12.66 million (8.52%).



By air :

Drugs: $ 0.41 million (79.79% of the total exported through this channel);

Paper and paperboard: $ 0.05 million (10.40%);

Boilers and machinery: $ 0.02 million (3.66%).



According to Miguel Vargas the Dominican Minister of Foreign Affairs Haiti is the 3rd largest trading partner of the Dominican Republic [year-on-year decline, with the 2014 export record of 1.4 billion dollars reached in 2014 because of the post-earthquake reconstruction.]



TOP 5 of DR exports (2016) :



1) United States: $ 4.78 billion;

2) Canada: 883 million;

3) Haiti: 799 million;

4) India: 643 million;

5) Switzerland: 346 million.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25557-icihaiti-economy-5-drop-in-exports-to-haiti.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - USA : Ambassador Sison calls professionals of the Diaspora to more commitment





At the annual awards ceremony for the top 20 young professionals of the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce in Florida, US Ambassador to Haiti Michele Sison called for more commitment from the Haitian diaspora, saying to a group of young professionals in Miami that businesses in Haiti can benefit from their mentorship and knowledge as successful entrepreneurs.



"They need your help, your advice in order to scale up their enterprises to the next level [...] Together, you are a strong force that could help shape the Haitian-American partnership in the years to come. We want to partner with Haiti in that."



Speaking to the public of Haitian professionals in the diaspora, Sison acknowledged that Haiti could do more to attract foreign and domestic investment, saying that many people with whom she spoke, said the Haitian government needed to improve the ease of Doing Business in Haiti by strengthening contract performance and contractual liability "Donor support to help Haiti with its development and broader social and economic needs is not enough [...] Haiti also needs increased domestic and foreign investment."



indicating that this is one of the first conversations she intends to conduct with the new Moise/Ceant Government.



In addition to highlighting diaspora participation, Sison touted some of the domestic revenue mobilization programs undertaken by the United States in Haiti to encourage elf-reliance and resiliency in Haiti. Among them, working with Haitian institutions, such as municipalities, to increase the revenue streams of the government through the collection of property tax and business tax https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24225-haiti-news-zapping.html



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24239-haiti-usa-partnership-of-the-united-states-in-the-south-department.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24225-haiti-news-zapping.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Baby giant panda "Long Zai" is seen at the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 20, 2018. The baby giant panda born here on July 12 made its first public appearance on Thursday. It weighs more than 3 kilograms and grows well. (Xinhua/Huang Guobao)

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[ Editor: zyq ]
The parliamentary group states in a press release that it does not approve of the anti-abortion remarks of Soini, but that it will also not allow the government to collapse over such an issue.

The National Coalition Parliamentary Group has ordered its members to support the government in a vote of no confidence against Timo Soini (BR), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the Parliament on Friday, reports Verkkouutiset.

The views of Soini are not in line with our values. This is not a vote on the abortion laws of Finland. That is a vote we won years ago. This is a veiled vote on the government staged by the opposition. We do not vote to approve the actions of Soini, but to support the government, said Kalle Jokinen, the chairperson of the National Coalition Parliamentary Group.

The government has a number of major issues on its agenda. We are committed to taking unfinished issues over the finish line, he added.

Verkkouutiset writes that the decision may result in some party members being absent from the vote, which is scheduled to take place at 1pm on Friday. Some of the National Coalitions female representatives said yesterday they will not be able to give a vote of confidence to Soini, as the minister for foreign affairs has neither apologised for his actions no promised to comply with the official position of Finland.

This reinforces my view that I cant give a vote of confidence to Soini, Saara-Sofia Siren (NCP) said on Twitter on Thursday.

Soini has come under a flood of criticism for repeatedly expressing his opposition to abortion and participating in anti-abortion events, including during an official visit to Ottawa, Canada, in May.

The Centre has similarly urged all of its members to vote against the motion of no confidence brought by the Green League, Left Alliance, Social Democrats and Swedish Peoples Party, according to Helsingin Sanomat.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi Suomi
Now its looking impossible, Antti Rinne, the chairperson of the poll-topping Social Democratic Party, retorted when asked about the possibility of forming a coalition government with the populist opposition party during a political debate hosted by Alma Media in Helsinki on Wednesday.

The Finns Party is hardly perceived as an appealing coalition partner by the leaders of the largest political parties in Finland.

Rinne had previously indicated that coalition co-operation with the populist party seems difficult.

The question was posed also to Petteri Orpo, the chairperson of the National Coalition, and Juha Sipila, the chairperson of the Centre.

Sipila called attention to the importance of the long-standing tradition of not excluding any party from the coalition formation negotiations before the elections. He, however, also conceded that it would be difficult to find common values with the Finns Party.

We dont yet know which group of people will be elected from the Finns Party, he reminded. I wont speculate on what the situation will be like in 2019.

Orpo, similarly, refused to rule out the possibility entirely but indicated that the differences between the values of the two parties may ultimately prove an insurmountable obstacle to coalition co-operation.

There has been no change [in terms of the values], he said. Well give them a chance to move closer to our values.

This section of the debate frustrated Sampo Terho, the chairperson of the Blue Reform. Terho warned the media against creating an impression of a two-party system by pitting all other parties against the Finns Party, saying it would play directly into the hands of Halla-aho.

Dont do it, he pleaded. [The Finns Party] is a medium-sized opposition party.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi Suomi
Iltalehti reported on Thursday that Elovaara has expressed her firm disapproval with the repeated, anti-abortion statements and actions of Soini. This really pisses off all liberals and feminists, such as myself, she wrote on social media.

Tiina Elovaara, a deputy chairperson of the Blue Reform, has shed light on the reason for her recent outburst against her fellow party member, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini (BR).

Soini, she stated, has staged an embarrassing political play that has put members of all ruling parties in a difficult position by insisting on publicly expressing views that are in line with neither the position of the Blue Reform nor that of Finland.

[Such views] dont enjoy the support of most Finns. This is a crusade for ones personal convictions, slammed Elovaara.

Elovaara on Friday reminded on Twitter that the Finns Party Parliamentary Group issued a warning to her after she voted, according to her own convictions, for gender-neutral marriage laws in December 2014.

I wish that people had supported my right to have a different conviction as strongly as theyre now supporting Soinis, she said, stressing that she is not seeking to exact revenge. You have to remember that our convictions are equally valuable. And if you expect others to support you, you shouldve supported others in similar situations.

The Finnish Parliament will vote on a motion of no confidence brought against Soini by the Green League, Left Alliance, Social Democrats and Swedish People's Party at 1pm on Friday. Elovaara will not participate in the vote as she is currently on an official visit to the United States.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi Suomi
Members of the Finnish Parliament turned down a motion of no confidence brought against Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini (BR) by a vote of 100 to 60. (Credit: Markku Ulander  Lehtikuva)

The Finnish Parliament has given a vote of confidence to Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini (BR).

Members of the Parliament voted this afternoon 10060 against a motion of no confidence brought against the minister for foreign affairs by four opposition parties: the Green League, Left Alliance, Social Democrats and Swedish Peoples Party.
A PUB in Henley town centre has a new landlord.

James Halsall, 33, has taken over the Three Tuns in Market Place from Mark and Sandra Duggan, who ran the Brakspear pub for seven years.

He has been in the hospitality industry for about 10 years and has worked at a number of local pubs.

Mr Halsall said: This is a fantastic pub that has been great in the past and Im trying to breathe life back into it with the support of Brakspear.

Ive always been passionate about pubs. Ive worked in many of the pubs in Henley, including the Anchor, the Golden Ball and the Little Angel. Mr Halsall, who grew up in Remenham and went to Shiplake College and The Henley College, says he always intended to run his own business.

He attended Oxford Brookes University, where he studied hospitality and business management.

After graduating, he worked as a chartered trainee accountant in Thame for three years.

He then spent three months as general manager of Loch Fyne in Henley before returning to Oxford Brookes to complete a masters degree in international hotel and tourism management.

After graduating again, he worked for Peach Pubs in Bicester for a year, running several of its sites, and then ran a 150-bed hotel and restaurant in Torquay, helping to turn the business around.

He then spent three years as a regional manager for global restaurant group Yum!, looking after its KFC brand in London with responsibility for 65 outlets.

After this he spent a year as operations and people director for Tossed, a salad fast food chain, and was then operations director for the UK and Ireland at food and catering firm Compass Group.

Mr Halsall lives in Wandsworth but since he took over the pub last month he has been staying with his parents John and Marilyn at the family home in Remenham.

His father, who is a member of Remenham and Wargrave parish councils and Wokingham Borough Council, has been helping his son behind the bar.

Mr Halsall has refitted the kitchen and introduced a new menu which includes runny Scotch egg, fish and chips, moules marinieres and halloumi fries.

Mr Halsall said: Its exciting  we have got a great team and the support from the locals has been incredible.

The pub will also host live music on Sunday evenings with resident musician Adam Isaac.
SANTO DOMINGO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Dominican Republic and China are working to increase mutual understanding so as to promote cooperation of mutual benefit, according to the Caribbean state's former trade representative in Beijing Rosa Ng Baez.

The two countries have stepped up exchanges since establishing diplomatic ties on May 1 this year. "We are in talks over ... deepening our mutual knowledge to achieve agreements and ties that benefit both sides," Ng Baez told Xinhua in an interview.

The former trade representative committed herself to the mission of establishing diplomatic ties between her country and China after first arriving in Beijing in 2011.

"I spent seven years in China working to make sure we took this step," Ng Baez said.

During her years in China, Ng Baez also got to know better about China's consumer market and found opportunities for such Dominican exports as pineapples, mangoes, cacao, tobacco products and organic coffee.

The establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties also benefits the Chinese businesses looking to expansion abroad. Ng Baez said Chinese companies can take advantage of a slew of incentives, the country's geographic location and its free-trade agreements with the United States and Europe to cater to the Caribbean as well as the U.S. and European markets.

The Dominican Republic is home to as many as 68 free zones or duty-free industrial parks, according to the National Free Zones Council.

"The Chinese can produce here and sell their products to the preferential markets that we have," she said, adding that "We benefit because these companies (in free zones) provide employment for Dominicans."

In her opinion, the relations between her country and China should be extended beyond trade and commerce. She said there are opportunities for cooperation in a wide range of fields.

For example, "There is much work to be done in the areas of sports, culture and academia. There are universities that would like to have exchange programs with educational institutions over there. We should give this type of exchanges all our support," said Ng Baez.

"There are no limits" to cooperation, she added.

On Thursday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi kicked off a three-nation tour through Sunday in Latin America, during which he will pay official visits to the Dominican Republic, Guyana and Suriname.

[ Editor: Xueying ]
The statement was made by Head of the Party Central Committees Theoretical Council cum Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMNAP), Prof., Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, at the event, which was held by the academy and the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi, to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties (September 21, 1973-2018).

Outstanding figures

Speaking at the event, Prof., Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, stated that through difficulties and challenges, the Vietnam - Japan friendship has been continuously developed, opening up new and effective cooperation frameworks at each stage along the way.

Speaking on the importance of boosting bilateral economic relations, the head of Central Theoretical Council pointed to the outstanding results of the strong business cooperation between the two sides.

In 2017, the total turnover from bilateral trade reached over US$33.84 billion. In just the first quarter of 2018, trade turnover between two sides reached US$8.7 billion, up nearly 16% over the same period last year. Japan is Vietnam's fourth largest trade partner and the country's largest trading partner in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership bloc.

By the end of the first quarter of 2018, Japan had nearly 3,700 investment projects in force in Vietnam with total registered capital of nearly US$50 billion. Japan is also the first country in the Group of Seven to recognise Vietnam as a market economy, showing its positive recognition of Vietnam's economic reforms.

For many years, Japan has always been the largest provider of official development assistance for Vietnam. A range of Japanese projects have been in effective operation in Vietnam, contributing greatly to its socio-economic development, such as Nhat Tan Bridge, Noi Bai Airport, Tan Son Nhat Airport, Can Tho Bridge, Lach Huyen - Hai Phong Sea Port, Cai Mep - Thi Vai Port, East - West Highway, Hai Van Tunnel, Thu Thiem Tunnel and Phu My Thermal Power Plant.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Umeda Kunio, emphasises the increasing strength of economic cooperation between the two sides. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung)



Sharing the same viewpoint, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Umeda Kunio, said that Vietnam-Japan relations have been expanded in all fields on the basis of an extensive strategic partnership.

Highlighting the strongly developed economic cooperation between the two sides, Ambassador Umeda Kunio revealed that in recent years, more and more Japanese enterprises have expressed their confidence in the Vietnamese economy, as seen when foreign direct investment from Japan to the Southeast Asian country reached US$9.1 billion in 2017, the highest ever. In the first six months of 2018, the figure reached a record high of US$6.5 billion, putting Japan as the No.1 investor in Vietnam. The number of Japanese enterprises investing in Vietnam has exceeded 3,100, up by 40% over the last four years.

Shaping the new-style strategic partnership

Sharing common strategic interests, Japan is looking forward to strengthening cooperation with Vietnam on the basis of a common perception that Vietnam's sustainable economic development and enhanced capacity in ensuring security is particularly important for the stability and prosperity of the entire region.

At a time when the world order is undergoing great changes, the Japanese diplomat said that strengthening the linkage between the two sides is becoming ever more important. From this point of view, Japan hopes to support Vietnam in administrative reform, human resource development and economic development, Ambassador Umeda Kunio stressed.

At the workshop, delegates and experts from the two countries assessed both the successes and limitations in the Vietnam-Japan relationship over the past 45 years, while pointing out requirements to adjust and direct the development of bilateral relations in the next period.

Head of the Party Central Committees Theoretical Council, Nguyen Xuan Thang, urges the two sides to promote cooperation towards shaping a new-style strategic partnership in East Asia and Pacific. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung)



According to Prof., Dr. Thang, in order to bring the two countries' relationship to a new height, the two sides need to continuously promote cooperation and deepen their extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia towards shaping a new-style strategic partnership in East Asia and Pacific, which is built on the basics of consolidating strategic trust, comprehensive cooperation and shared responsibility for regional and global issues.

In addition, it is necessary to continue to improve connectivity and economic cooperation in line with the trend of enhancing regional integration and the rapid evolution of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Along with that, Prof., Dr. Thang also urged for enhanced cooperation in the socio-cultural field; training, especially for leaders in management position; and promote people-to-people exchange, particularly among younger generations, in order to enhance common understanding and creating a firm foundation for deepening relations between the two countries in the future.

He expressed his wish that the achievements resulted from the friendship between the two countries over the past 45 years, together with high political trust, efficiency in cooperation, cultural similarity and historical cohesion for mutual benefit, serve as a solid foundation for Vietnam and Japan to continue to heighten their bilateral relations with a new strategic vision adapted to the rapid changes in each country, across the region and around the world.
>>> Ho Chi Minh City, Bulgaria foster economic cooperation

>>> Bulgaria pledges best conditions for Vietnamese firms to enter EU market

The statement was made by Bulgarian Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov at the Vietnam-Bulgaria Business Forum, held in HCM City on September 21.

Hosted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry branch in HCM City (VCCI HCMC), the event was held on the occasion of an ongoing visit by the Bulgarian Governmental mission and businesses to Vietnam, led by Minister Karanikolov.

Speaking at the forum, Minister Karanikolov affirmed that Vietnam is both a traditional and an important partner of Bulgaria in Southeast Asia. Regarding HCM City, the guest stated that the southern economic hub is the most advanced region in terms of socio-economic development in Vietnam, which strongly attracts foreign investment.

The visiting minister also expressed his willingness to support enterprises from HCM City to invest in areas such as IT, agriculture, services, transport and tourism in accordance with the Investment Promotion Act of Bulgaria.

More than 20 businesses from Bulgaria and HCM City discuss cooperation opportunities at the forum.



In particular, Bulgaria will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in the industrial parks and high-tech zones in the European country, Minister Karanikolov added.

Vo Tan Thanh, Director of VCCI HCMC, said that Vietnam and Bulgaria have developed close ties over many years. By 2017, the total trade turnover between the two countries reached over US$109 million, of which Vietnam's exports to Bulgaria accounted for US$38.36 million. In the first eight months of 2018, two-way trade turnover reached over US$55 million, with Vietnam's exports to Bulgaria hitting US$21.6 million.

Bulgaria has 11 FDI projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of US$58 million, covering the fields of processing and manufacturing, information and communication, science and technology, and services. In particular, Bulgaria also invested in projects related to treating waste oil to process it into industrial oil and oil for civil use.

The forum attracted more than 20 Bulgarian businesses and a large number of businesses in HCM City to exchange experience and seek cooperation opportunities.
The cooperative Blackfoot Lakota became a culture broker.

John Grass, a major Blackfoot Lakota leader, is often overlooked because his reputation was not based primarily upon his exploits as a warrior. Rather, it was his outstanding leadership ability that brought him recognition. He was the chief leader, along with great Hunkpapa war chief Gall, at the Standing Rock Reservation, which today straddles the boundary between the states of North and South Dakota.

The Blackfoot Lakotas and the Hunkpapas were two of the seven Lakota Indian tribes that shared this reservation with the Yanktonai Sioux.

James McLaughlin, Standing Rocks shrewd Indian agent during the 1880s and 1890s, recognized Grass effective leadership and tended to go to him first if there was a serious problem involving his Indian charges. Although McLaughlin usually praised Gall the most because of his widespread fame as a Lakota war leader who fought federal soldiers along the Yellowstone River and at the Little Bighorn, it was often Grass who spearheaded a solution for any problem McLaughlin faced.

Grass was a member of one of his tribes most influential families and bore a name that had been passed down for three generations. But like many Lakotas, he had other names, such as Jumping Bear and his warrior name Charging Bear. As a young warrior, he gained recognition fighting against such enemy tribes as the Crows and Mandans and probably the Assiniboines and Arikaras.

Whether Grass ever fought against federal troops with anything like the same determination he demonstrated fighting enemy tribes is open to question. There are claims that he fought in one or two battles against the Army during the intrusion into Dakota country in the early 1860s by forces under the command of Brig. Gen. Alfred Sully and Brig. Gen. Henry H. Sibley. Yet he is probably best remembered during this time for helping to return to her people a widely sought kidnapped white woman named Fanny Kelly in December 1864, five months after the Indians had battled General Sullys victorious troops at Killdeer Mountain.

Sitting Bulls nephew, White Bull, later claimed that Grass was with an 1865 war party in Wyoming that attacked Camp Conner (later renamed Fort Reno). He said that Grass was able to count coup there because he used his bow to touch one of three fleeing Omaha Indians serving as Army scouts. But a decade later he declined to join Gall when Gall left the Standing Rock Agency to join Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in the Great Sioux War. Gall would play a key role in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, a conflict in which John Grass probably had no part.

Although Grass and his wife were captured at the Battle of Slim Buttes on September 6, 1876, there is no hard evidence that he actually fought there. When troops under Brig. Gen. George Crook attacked a Minneconjou village at Slim Buttes, on the western edge of the Great Sioux Reservation, they inevitably encountered other Lakota Sioux, including Hunkpapas and Blackfoot Lakotas, encamped nearby.

Grass first response to the attack on Slim Buttes was to refuse Army pressures on him to convince his more intractable comrades to surrender, resulting in his arrest on September 10 by Lt. Col. W. P. Carlin. His subsequent incarceration in an Army jail apparently did not embitter him permanently. Like his father, the Grass, he eventually became an Army scout, serving as a corporal in General Crooks company of Indian scouts.

Grass was released a short time later with the understanding that he would convince a well-known fellow Blackfoot Lakota chief named Kill Eagle, along with other Lakota hardliners, to surrender. He succeeded in the case of Kill Eagle and some of the other intransigent warriors, thus preventing further casualties in the ongoing Great Sioux War.

By the mid-1870s John Grass had become what ethnohistorians and cultural anthropologists would call a culture broker, one who tries to bring opposing cultures together. In October 1877, he was the first Lakota leader at Standing Rock to speak to the Manypenny Commission, a panel established by the federal government to acquire the Black Hills. Although the eloquent Lakota leader agreed to cede the Black Hills to the government, he also stressed at this meeting the importance of having the necessary agricultural tools for farming as well as receiving their needed food rations. His strong leadership continued at the agency, where Grass worked as a Lakota headman in behalf of his band, or tiospaye.

Grass recognized earlier than most that the Indians at Standing Rock needed to use their partly arid land for grazing as well as for agriculture. Grass, like Gall, also served as a district or boss farmer and as a judge on the Court of Indian Offenses. Both of these positions involved teaching their people the knowledge and sense of order needed to adjust to their seemingly inevitable assimilation into the dominant white culture.

When Sitting Bull came to Standing Rock in 1883 after his surrender, the old chiefs resistance to almost all the strong-willed McLaughlins policies complicated his management of the agency. McLaughlin felt it was necessary to organize a faction to oppose Sitting Bull and his followers. John Grass and Gall were the natural leaders of this more cooperative group, along with Crow King, who died prematurely in 1884.

The major challenge facing these new leaders was the strong desire on the part of the government to reduce the size of the Great Sioux Reservation and open up its lands to white homesteaders. In 1883 a commission headed by Newton Edmunds, a former governor of Dakota Territory, made an unsuccessful attempt to partition the reservation. In 1888, following the passage of the Dawes Act, which made partitioning reservation lands much easier, a similar effort was made; Grass and Gall spoke forcefully against it, receiving support from McLaughlin, who also thought it was unfair.

After defeat of the 1888 measure, however, Congress passed another bill in 1889, again calling for the controversial land partition scheme and putting enormous pressure on McLaughlin to support it. McLaughlin turned to the reliable Grass, who made a crucial speech reversing the Indian position against the partition of the Great Sioux Reservation. The once-large reservation became six separate ones with such important agencies as Standing Rock and Pine Ridge now receiving more autonomy.

Grass support of the 1889 Sioux bill, along with Galls, made these two leaders controversial among an increasing number of Standing Rock residents. The loss of land to white homesteaders, which may have ultimately reached more than 9 million acres, was not only felt by the Indians at Standing Rock but also by those from the five other reservations that once comprised the Great Sioux Reservation. It was one of the causes, along with bad weather and poor health, that led to the divisive Ghost Dance. The Ghost Dance sparked the resistance that resulted in Sitting Bulls death and the Battle of Wounded Knee Creek in December of 1890. Grass and Gall, who would become Christian converts, opposed the Ghost Dance, an Indian religious movement that had spread panic among many whites living in the Upper Great Plains because of the incessant dancing and mournful chants that accompanied the rituals.

Yet, despite the bloody controversies that made the year 1890 such a stormy one, Grass influence among his people remained strong throughout most of his long life. When he died in 1918, at almost 80 years of age, outliving Gall by nearly a quarter of a century, his prestige had not diminished significantly; indeed, his grandson, Albert Grass, became the hereditary head chief of all the Blackfoot Lakotas at Standing Rock.

Originally published in the December 2007 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here.
Matt Baron/ShutterstockElton John has emerged victorious in a libel suit against a British tabloid.

According to the BBC, Elton, who has a long history of suing British tabloids and winning, said a report in The Sun that their dog had severely injured a young child during a play date was "false and seriously defamatory."

The front-page story, which ran in The Sun back in February, claimed that Elton's spaniel bit a five-year-old girl who was at his home for a play date in 2016. The story said that the dog inflicted "Freddy Krueger-like injuries" on the girl, that it was a "serious attack," and that Elton and his husband, David Furnish, "failed to make any attempt to find out how the little girl was" after the incident. The story was subsequently picked up by a number of other U.K. publications.

But Elton and David's lawyer told the judge, "The truth is that the injuries were not serious, and the claimants, far from ignoring the incident, made several inquiries about the girl's welfare to her father and nanny. Each time it was confirmed the girl was fine."

The lawyer said that the newspaper accepted the ruling that the allegation was untrue and that it would now apologize to Elton and David, reimburse their legal costs and pay them significant damages.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Nguyen Thanh Phong, Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee, made the suggestion at a meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov in the city on September 20.

Phong declared that the city is willing to work a bridge connecting Bulgaria with the ASEAN market and provide the European country with logistics services.

He affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City always attaches much importance to fostering cooperation with Bulgaria, adding that that the establishment of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the city in 2013 showed the countrys interest in developing trade and investment partnership with Ho Chi Minh City.

Phong expressed his belief that the visit of the Bulgarian Minister of Economy will help reinforce the collaboration between Bulgaria and the city, while promoting economic ties between the two sides.

He said the city welcomes Bulgarian firms to invest in the areas of its priority, including food processing and packaging, health care, pharmaceutical production, urban planning, renewable energy, and smart city building.

At the same time, tourism, education, trade are also promising sectors for Bulgarian investors, Phong said.

For his part, Karanikolov lauded socio-economic achievements of Vietnam over the past years.

He held that the bilateral economic and trade cooperation has yet to match potential and aspirations of both sides.

Bulgaria is willing to become one of the first European Union (EU) member countries to approve the free trade agreement between the EU and Vietnam with the hope that the deal will bring about more favourable conditions and opportunities for economic-trade and investment activities between the two countries, he said.

Karanikolov said that his country hopes to further bolster collaboration among localities of the two nations, especially in economy, tourism and culture. He vowed that Bulgaria will give optimal conditions for Vietnamese investors, including those from HCM City, to invest and do business in the country, while serving as a gateway for Vietnamese goods to enter Europe.

The minister also pledged to support Vietnamese investors in legal procedures in the country and Europe, while encouraging Bulgarian firms to invest more in Ho Chi Minh City.

Last year, trade between Ho Chi Minh City and Bulgaria reached US$21.8 million. Ho Chi Minh City imported chemicals and pharmaceutical materials and products from Bulgaria.

Currently, Bulgaria is running two projects in the city with combined investment of about US$1 million.
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Melnikov, also First Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) Central Committee, held talks with visiting Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man in Moscow on September 20.

During their discussion of numerous issues in bilateral ties, the two sides expressed their delight at development in the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, reflected through high political trust, increasing two-way trade and effective collaboration in defence, security, science, technology, education, training, culture and tourism.

Melnikov said Russia and Vietnam share similar stances in addressing regional and international issues, and Russia backs Vietnams efforts to increase its position in the international arena.

He suggested both sides pay more attention to educating young generations about their time-honoured friendship, and intensify their parliaments and social organisations supervision over the implementation of signed cooperative agreements.

He also expressed interest in the VFFs experience in serving as a bridge between the countrys political institutions and people.

For his part, Man emphasised Vietnam treasures its ties with Russia, and prioritises consolidating and enhancing its partnership with Russia.

He lauded close and effective cooperation between the two parliaments.

An overview of the talks. (Photo: NDO/Nam Dong)

The Vietnamese National Assembly supports and participates in inter-parliamentary cooperative activities chaired by Russia, such as the Eurasian Women's Forum, he stated, hoping the legislative bodies will continue coordinating closely within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

He proposed the two sides intensify cooperation and exchange experience in legislative affairs and increase the role of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Parliamentarians Group in stepping up ties between the two parliaments and countries.

The Vietnamese official expressed his gratitude to Russia for supporting the Vietnamese community in Russia.

He said he hopes Melnikov and Russian authorised offices will continue helping Vietnamese people consolidate their legal status and run business in Russia.

Acknowledging Mans proposal, Melnikov stated that in the time ahead, both sides can seek measures to address outstanding obstacles in bilateral ties, including issues related to the legal status of the Vietnamese community in Russia.

Mans visit to Russia will last until September 25.
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WASHINGTONTwo days before World Rhino Day, in a disgraceful action that disregards the precarious status of a critically endangered species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has granted approval for the importation of a black rhino hunting trophy into the United States from Namibia, where rhino poaching has dramatically increased in recent years. The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International, and the Humane Society Legislative Fund call on the agency to rescind its approval and deny any other trophy import permits to hunters seeking to import their kills of the worlds last remaining black rhinos.

It is shocking that the Fish and Wildlife Service has chosen to issue a permit when rhino poaching in Namibia has skyrocketed from zero in 2006 to 90 rhinos killed in 2015. The agency should not endorse the killing of a critically endangered species to cater to a wealthy few, said Iris Ho, senior specialist for wildlife programs and policy at Humane Society International. The rise of rhino poaching in Namibia shatters the claim that trophy hunting benefits conservation. The United States shouldnt indulge such pay-to-slay schemes by trophy hunters in search of gruesome prizes to take home. We call on the Fish and Wildlife Service to rescind this permit.

Sign the pledge to end trophy hunting.

Background information:

Two trophy hunting organizations, the Dallas Safari Club Foundation and Conservation Force, auctioned off the killing of the rhino in December 2016 for $275,000. The hunt took place on Feb. 26, 2017, at the Veronica Game Lodge in Namibia. Conservation Force filed the import permit application on behalf of the billionaire hunter on April 12, 2017, and the USFWS opened a 30-day public comment period on Jan. 4, 2018.

Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, it is illegal to import endangered species unless such action is determined to enhance the propagation or survival of the species or for scientific purposes. Given the increasingly precarious status of black rhinos and the fact that trophy hunting itself constitutes a threat to the species, this vanity import fails to meet that standard.

Fewer than 5,500 wild black rhinos are left in the world, with just 1,946 in Namibia. Poaching of black rhinos and white rhinos there jumped from zero in 2006 to 30 in 2014 and then tripled to 90 just one year later. The vast majority of rhinos poached in Namibia between 2014 and 2016 were black rhinos. According to the IUCN Species Survival Commission African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups and TRAFFIC, The geographical shift in poaching to Namibia over the last two years is worrying.

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Media contact: Nancy Hwa, 202-676-2337 (office), 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
Thinh stated that Vietnam has set specific targets in this field, including increasing the participation of women in management and leadership positions, narrowing gender gap in the economic and labour fields, offering more opportunities for poor women in rural areas and ethnic minority women, increasing the quality of female workers, and ensuring gender equality in all aspects and in the family.

The country has gained positive results, as seen in the rate of women holding positions in the National Assembly and all-level Peoples Councils reaching 26-27 percent, the rate of women participating in economic activities at 85 percent and the proportion of trained female workers at 55 percent.

Vietnamese women are taking the initiative and actively taking part in start-up and international integration, she added.

The Vietnamese leader appreciated contributions by the Eurasian Womens Forum to connecting women from different nations and cultures in Asia and Europe, promoting womens role in all aspects of social life, thus building a world of peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development.

She said that changes in the world situation such as the fourth Industrial Revolution and international integration have brought many opportunities to women. However, they are facing a lot of challenges caused by uneven development, conflict risks, terrorism, natural disasters, climate change and increasing protectionism.

This requires the international community, including the Eurasian Womens Forum, to join hands to solve these challenges.

Vice President Thinh called on women around the world to take the initiative to boost economic connectivity and international cooperation, and improve their knowledge by themselves to avoid being left behind.

Every nation should consider the ensuring of gender equality and women empowerment one of the priority tasks, she suggested.

She also expressed her hope that women will expand international collaboration to contribute more to the implementation of sustainable development goals.

On the sidelines of the forum, Vice President Thinh met Georgy Poltavchenko, Governor of Saint Petersburg, who affirmed his hope to boost cooperation between the city with Ho Chi Minh City and other Vietnamese localities and contribute to the Russia-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership.

He shared that his city is working with the Vietnamese side to build a museum on the US war in Vietnam and a Vietnam trade-culture centre in the city, and is willing to share its experience in city management, information technology, health, ship building, manufacturing, environment and tourism.

The first edition of the Eurasian Womens Forum was also held in Saint Petersburg in 2015.

This years forum, themed Women for Global Security and Sustainable Development, attracted about 2,000 delegates from more than 100 countries over the world.
'White Boy Rick': The Wild, Wild Midwest

My dad was a bench seat philosopher who, while a man of measured words, occasionally liked to opine from behind the wheel of our '51 Buick Roadmaster, the one with the Fireball 8 engine.

I look back at it as our quality time. Maybe it was a quick trip to Sears to buy some roofing material, or to get me some White Castle sliders on a night when my mom was just too tired to cook. Or perhaps it was my tutelage entirely planned. Looking through the windshield, Daniel Goldberger explained the passing pageant of humanity.

It could be a little man walking with a very tall woman: "See, there's someone for everyone."

And in a similar point of positivism that hadn't been discouraged by his several years in the Polish underground during WWII, we'd chuckle when he'd inevitably point out a very homely dog being walked by its obviously adoring owner: "See, there's always someone to love." But while he didn't leave out the bad stuff, like the crooked businessman, the thief or the scoundrel, he gave them only humorless short shrift, dutifully identifying them as a sorry fact of life.

Filling that category to our utter disgust is the social horror depicted in director Yann Demange's "White Boy Rick." Evoked in an entirely different context but nonetheless apt, the words, "the honesty's too much," from Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch," seems to blare from every sordid seam of this true story about how 15-year-old Rick Wershe Jr. became an FBI informant.

You scratch your head in disbelief, discomfort and disconsolation at the nightmare scenario that helped turn a disadvantaged, troubled life into a completely ruined one. This is tough duty in that while such realities must be put up in our face if we are to ever do anything about it, after nearly two hours spent in the underbelly of Detroit we want to take a shower, cry uncle and wish that we weren't part of a world that had this ghastliness in it. It is reason for anguish not merely because it exists, but because we keep sweeping its root cause under the carpet of indifference.

Not an innate malevolence, it is but a simple matter of the inequalities we ourselves breed by not cultivating and nourishing our democratic system.

Somewhere along the line, just after we happened upon the idea of universal suffrage, a detractor who doubtless had a vested interest started spreading the lie that our vote doesn't matter, that there's no difference between parties, that they're part and parcel of the same thing. "Oh, yeah," I say, "Have you looked out the window lately, pal?"

Granted, it's more complicated than that, and in detailing the snake pit of corruption that enveloped White Boy Rick, the director scathingly parses the colliding forces that wrought his tragedy.

Detroit, mid-1980s, is depicted as one ugly cauldron of ignorance, poverty, drugs, guns and those who would profit from the unholy mix. The Wershe family is the microcosmic example, with all the above-noted symptoms a driving factor in their lives. The aberrance of thought is frightful. In one scene, when Rick, superbly exacted by Richie Merritt, tries to talk dad into forsaking gun sales for drug hustling, Matthew McConaughey's abashed Richard Wershe Sr. responds that guns are protected by the Constitution, whereas there's no mention of drugs.

Trying to navigate his way through adolescence in the den of iniquity that is the Detroit ghetto, guided only by a dad that deals guns out of his car trunk and the unsavory drug kingpins he has fallen in with, Rick is soon rubbing elbows with Detroit's so-called legitimate power structure. Faustian alliances both elective and forced are struck. Thus it only makes sense that the FBI, seeing the opportunity to worm its way into the perfidious web of crime through its weakest link, extorts our boy. They have something on dad. What's a loyal son to do?

If you were already of the mindset that we regular folks are helpless at the hands of the moneyed interests both above and below ground, who are of course in cahoots, this film will throw further fuel on your fire of disgruntlement. Making it worse, we realize that beyond all the relevance and metaphors, the treachery depicted continues a tradition of keeping the poor just where they are: doing the fat cats' bidding and resigned, a la "A Tale of Two Cities," to sopping up what little wine might spill from the gentry's broken casks.

Alas, only the style and outward look of socioeconomic exploitation changes. The same goes for the justice system in its perennial tug of war between what's ethically correct and what those powers that be say is right. No amount of popcorn can make the sad truth less bitter. But in a cinema equivalent of graffiti, "White Boy Rick" unapologetically emblazons it all across the screen  perhaps challenging us Americans to do something about it.

"White Boy Rick," rated R, is a Columbia Pictures release directed by Yann Demange and stars Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt and Bel Powley. Running time: 111 minutes
In her own words, comedian Gilda Radner looks back and reflects on her life and career. Weaving together recently discovered audiotapes, interviews with her friends, rare home movies and diaries read by modern-day comedian (including Amy Poehler), the film offers a unique window into the honest and whimsical world of the beloved actress who became an icon on Saturday Night Live.
Southern Vermont College Board of Trustees Names New Member

BENNINGTON, Vt.  Nicholas T. Pinchuk, chairman and chief executive officer of Snap-on Incorporated, has been named to the Board of Trustees at Southern Vermont College. The appointment was confirmed at the college's September board meeting.



"It is a genuine honor for SVC and a stellar endorsement of our mission to have Nick join our board," said Dr. David Evans, SVC president. "He is an outstanding business leader, deeply thoughtful about education and workforce issues, and a highly respected voice on many critical matters. In addition, Snap-on Incorporated has a long history of supporting young entrepreneurs, helping them get started through thoughtful financial arrangements and skill development, which are absolutely in-line with our strategy at SVC. Snap-on under Nick's leadership has an impeccable reputation for excellence and quality with which it is marvelous to be associated."



Pinchuk said he was "deeply honored" to join the board.



"Education is the essence of our future and this unique institution has a long-standing reputation for guiding and inspiring students to learn, lead and serve," he said. "As a steward of one of the larger commercial enterprises in the country, I recognize the critical importance of collaboration between education and industry in moving America forward.



"Southern Vermont College is engaged in a noble endeavor affecting not only its students and community, but contributing to the ongoing prosperity of our nation. I'm excited to serve on the board in support of that endeavor."



Pinchuk joined Snap-on Incorporated in 2002 as senior vice president and president of Snap-on's Worldwide Commercial and Industrial Group. In April 2007, he became president and chief operating officer, as well as a member of the board of directors. In December 2007, he was elected chief executive officer and was named chairman of the company in April 2009.




iciHaiti - PNH : Message of Gedeon to 692 new police officers





This week, during the graduation ceremony of the 29th promotion of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) which has 692 agents including 188 women https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25581-haiti-security-graduation-of-692-new-police-officers.html Michel-Ange Gedeon, the Director General of the PNH addressing new police officers declared :



"Today marks both an end and a beginning. Know well draw the curtain to look well at the avenue of your future and take the right line in your institution, in your country. Because as we make our bed we go to bed. You will be the clever craftsman of your happiness or the infamous forger of your misfortune. The life of the present weaves that of the future to repeat Gustave Le Bon. Every act has its consequences. You choose !



Know how to cultivate and maintain the spirit of service. Never forget that it is the safety of the people, the protection of lives and property that give meaning to your work. It is a mission entrusted to us by the constitution in its article 269-1.



You will carry the arms of the republic on your forehead and on your shoulders; It is sacred. You will represent the state through the streets of our cities and the trails of our most remote corners. You will take on heavy responsibilities. So you have an image duty. The image of the PNH is the sum of the images of all its members in collective or solo. Be professional !"



IH/ iciHaiti






















iciHaiti - Politic : Important working session between Ceant and the head of Minujusth





Thursday, following the commitment of the United Nations Mission in support of justice in Haiti (Minujusth) to continue its partnership with the Haitian authorities https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25568-haiti-politic-the-minujusth-encourages-to-continue-the-efforts.html , Prime Minister Jean Henry Ceant received in his official residence, Ms. La Lime, the new Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Haiti and Chief of Minujusth https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25129-haiti-politic-new-special-representative-of-the-un-in-haiti.html



During this important working session, the issues relating to the strengthening of the judicial system and the National Police of Haiti (PNH), the protection of human rights, the problem of prolonged pre-trial detention and the organization of the forthcoming elections (renewal of one third of the Senate, parliamentary and municipal elections in October 2019 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25513-haiti-elections-jovenel-moise-met-with-the-members-of-the-cep.html ).



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25568-haiti-politic-the-minujusth-encourages-to-continue-the-efforts.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25513-haiti-elections-jovenel-moise-met-with-the-members-of-the-cep.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25129-haiti-politic-new-special-representative-of-the-un-in-haiti.html



IH/ iciHaiti






















iciHaiti - Education : 98% success at the National School Republic of Brazil





This year in the official 9th Year Fundamental (9th AF), the National School of Girls Republic of Brazil, reserved for the 3rd cycle located on the premises of the school Celie Lilavois on Capois Street, 240 participants in the official exams of 9th AF, 233 students were admitted to either a 98% success rate.



With a staff of more than 200 students in the last 5 years, the success rate of the School Republic of Brazil has never gone down of 95%. Faced with this rare performance that ranks this school among the most successful in the country Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet, Minister the Minister of National Education hailed this performance as a feat.



The National School Republic of Brazil, which has finally seen 13 teachers out of 15 receiving their letter of appointment and has very limited means, is still looking for its own building. Currently the school operates in 2 sessions, has 5 rooms made available by the Celie Lilavois School. One class accommodates 9th grade students (120 students per shift).



TB/ iciHaiti


















NDO/VNA - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong on September 21 sent a congratulatory message to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his re-election as President of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
When Anita Gaillards mother was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in 2002, she got straight to work. At the time, a friend of hers worked for the Indiana Alzheimers Association, so Gaillard sought out advice from her friend. From there, Gaillard attended the local annual conference the association holds, that was her official introduction to the organization.

Slowly, Gaillard began attending events, participating in fundraisers and telling anyone she could about the Central Indiana chapter of the Alzheimers Association. In 2008, she assembled a team for the annual Walk to End Alzheimers in downtown Indianapolis.

We treated it like a party, she recalled. We had food and music playing. We were cheering and just trying to be positive and excited about the event.

Gaillard and her family will participate in their 10th walk on Oct. 6. She also serves on the Greater Indiana Chapters board of directors as the chair of the public policy committee.

The Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimers Association has held its annual Walk to End Alzheimers fundraiser for more than two decades. The chapter raised more than $825,000 last year and wants to raise $950,000 at this years walk.

Alzheimers, a brain disease, usually diagnosed later in life causes mental deterioration over time. Although the disease was first discovered in the early 20th century, it still is not clear what causes the disease and there is currently no cure. Its the sixth leading cause of death in the country; families affected will spend an estimated $227 billion on the disease this year alone. Nationally, more than 5.7 million adults are living with the disease. In Indiana, 110,000 Hoosiers are living with the disease and 338,000 people are providing unpaid care for a loved one with the disease.

Its these numbers that drive the Alzheimers Association to not just focus on those with the disease, but also provide resources for caretakers, community education and finding a cure. Volunteers spend time with Congress in Washington, D.C., to lobby for more funding toward the disease in order to find solutions that slow or even eradicate Alzheimers. The organization is able to make this possible through generous donations and volunteers.

For more than two decades Ralph and Mollie Richards have been volunteering for the association in Indianapolis and in Rochester, New York. Theyve especially focused their volunteer efforts on African-American communities. Its estimated that African-Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimers twice as much as Caucasians.

We know that people who are diabetic and untreated have a higher chance of developing Alzheimers, smokers and people with high blood pressure are likely to be diagnosed, Ralph explained.

These are diseases that affect Black people at higher rates, which could explain why Alzheimers also affects this population in greater numbers. Ralph goes on to say that people who have sleep apnea tend to be diagnosed with the disease as well because it taxes the heart, which damages the brain too.

While living in Rochester, the Richardses began a program with their church Mount Olivette Baptist where theyd travel to other churches and give a presentation about Alzheimers disease, the early warning signs and how to seek care. Since moving to Indianapolis, theyve been able to keep the ministry going through Eastern Star Church.

If we dont do something about this epidemic, we will bankrupt the entire healthcare system, Ralph said. So many caregivers are depressed, theyre suicidal, they need help. We think churches are a great place to start, thats why we do this work.

The walk isnt the only way to get involved, the Greater Indiana chapter holds events weekly for families whose loved ones are at all stages of the disease. This includes in-person support groups and online chatrooms. The association also has a 24/7 hotline staffed by professionals who can answer any questions callers may have. These tools are what Gaillard believes helped her mom live with the disease for 15 years before passing away in 2016.

The association helped us anticipate what might happen with our mom, she said. Because of that info we werent devastated. We were told what might happen and when it did, we were able to point to what might happen next.

For those with a loved one suffering from the disease Gaillard and the Richardses encourage getting involved and asking for help no matter what stage of the disease your loved one may be at.

A lot of times as African-Americans we live in isolation, or we dont trust people easily, or we assume grandma is just senile, Gillard said. I want to be able to tell other families about the association so they can get the help they need. Even if you dont take the advice, its important to know the information so that you can make good decisions around the disease.

Walk to End Alzheimers

When: Oct. 6. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Opening ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m., and the walk will start immediately afterward.

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St.

Register: alz.org/Indiana/walk

Alzheimers Association 24/7 hotline: 800-272-3900

Alzheimers Disease
A plan to add modernize Martin University and create an economic vehicle for the states only predominately Black institution (PBI), faces an uphill battle as it seeks to add digital billboards within city limits. Indianapolis has long banned digital signs. The exception is state-owned property such as the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The Martin University Keyes Center, a collaborative project between Martin University and Keyes Outdoor Advertising, will be a multi-level facility for classes, a conference center and office space. It will also serve as the headquarters for Keyes Outdoor Advertising. The building will feature electronic signs on both the west side and east side to welcome people into the city. In addition, the signs will run 150 eight-second advertising spots for Martin as well as 150 eight-second spots for the city, emergency messages and Amber Alerts.

The reason we want to do it is we want to better market the university, and increase our visibility, Martin University President Dr. Eugene White said. We also want to create a revenue source.

The Metropolitan Development Commission will hold a hearing on the proposed project on Oct. 25.

White announced in August his plan to retire from Martin University effective June 30, 2019.

Initially, White and representatives from Keyes Outdoor Advertising were looking at ways to add a welcoming or gateway sign to Martin. As the discussion evolved, both groups realized a new building would benefit each organization and a partnership was born.

We were looking at having a student activity and fine arts center, but we cant support that and theres other priorities, White said.

White sees the building not only as an economic source for Martin, but also part of a larger effort to continue revitalizing the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood where Martin is located. Martin University continues to remove blight in the area by buying land and tearing down abandoned houses. The location of the signs, facing I-70 and Massachusetts Avenue wont affect nearby homes, as there arent any, White said.

Martindale-Brightwood Community Development Corp. Executive Director Josephine Rogers-Smith sees the building as an additional asset to the community that could serve as a conference center, meeting space and provide other opportunities for students and neighborhood groups.

The way I understand it is it isnt imposing on the neighborhood or interstate based on the way that its positioned, Rogers-Smith said.

While White and others in the community see the project as a good thing for the community, not everyone agrees. Critics say digital billboards blind drivers and create light pollution. Representatives of the Marion County Alliance Neighborhood Association oppose digital billboards in the city. McANA member Pat Andrews is the point person handling opposition to the Martin University project. Andrews, however, is out of the country. McANA President Cathy Burton could only speak in general about the issue.

We have long spoken against digital billboards, Burton said. Our current ordinance does prohibit them, but that ordinance is under review.

Light pollution from digital signs is a past issue as current billboards dont operate as they once did, said Nick Keyes Jr., vice president of development for Keyes Outdoor Advertising.

Thats really, I think, antiquated thinking, Keyes said. The digital signs that we purchase as a company all have what we call photocell. What photocell does is it measures ambient light that surrounds that board. The photocell is automatically dimming the sign in step with the ambient light levels surrounding it. That is why the technology today just far exceeds when it came onto the scene.

Contact Editor Oseye Boyd at 317-762-7850. Follow her on Twitter @oseye_boyd.

Want to learn more?

If youre interested in having Dr. Eugene White discuss his plans for a new building at Martin University with your neighborhood group, contact Lauren Hurse at 317-822-3489 or lhurse@martin.edu to schedule a meeting.

The Metropolitan Development Commission will hold a hearing on the proposed project on Oct. 25.

Martin University Keyes Center
Trump's Staff Overrides His Policies - They Are A Dangerous 'Resistance' By Moon Of Alabama September 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Three recent publications claim that U.S. President Trump is not allowed to make policies, that his staff is sabotaging him as much as it can. An anti-Trump author at the Washington Post, Greg Miller, just released a new book about Trump. The Post prints an excerpt: The Apprentice book excerpt: At CIAs Russia House, growing alarm about 2016 election interference Trumps admiration for the leader of Russia was inexplicable and never wavered after taking office. He praised the Russian leader, congratulated him, defended him, pursued meetings with him, and fought virtually any policy or punitive measure that might displease him. A trained intelligence operative, Putin understood the power of playing to someones insecurities and ego. On cue, he reciprocated with frequent praise for the president he had sought to install in the White House. In phone conversations with Trump, Putin would whisper conspiratorially, telling the U.S. president that it wasnt their fault that they could not consummate the relationship that each had sought. Instead, Putin sought to reinforce Trumps belief that he was being undermined by a secret government cabal, a bureaucratic deep state. Its not us. We get it, Putin would tell Trump, according to White House aides. Its the subordinates fighting against our friendship. The Putin quote is probably genuine. But is it "playing to someone's insecurity and ego"? Or is it simply the truth? A few lines later the author confirms that Putin is right. When Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May asked Trump to support her ridiculous 'Novichok' claims, Trump's underlings set out to further sabotage the relations with Russia: During a weekend retreat at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trumps advisers persuaded him to support a plan to expel 60 suspected Russian intelligence operatives from the United States, telling him that Washingtons move would be matched in magnitude by allies in Europe. Trump acquiesced, but his commitment unraveled on the trip back to Washington. Maybe we shouldnt do this, he said to deputy national security adviser Ricky L. Waddell during the short helicopter flight from Andrews Air Force Base to the White House on March 25. The expulsions were set to be announced the next day in coordination with allies in Europe  an international show of resolve  and Trump was balking. Late that evening, Waddell scrambled to pull together a Situation Room meeting to confer with other top advisers on how to salvage the plan. White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, who called in on a secure phone line, said that he would phone Trump at his residence. Ill convince him, Kelly said. Kelly succeeded. But when the expulsions were announced, Trump erupted. He had expected France, Germany and other countries each to match the U.S. total, rather than for the cumulative response from Europe to be roughly equal to that of the United States. Trump worried that Putin would see him as the aggressor and accused aides of misleading him. Trump's aids did exactly what Putin lamented about. They sabotaged the personal relations between Trump and Putin by convincing him to expel a too high number of Russian embassy officials. North Korea complained when Secretary of State Pompeo pressed for immediate nuclear disarmament. The Singapore Statement, signed by Kim Jong Un and Trump, foresees this as only the third step of a larger process. Kim Jong Un, similar to Putin, expressed his dismay over Pompeo's demands, while expressing confidence in Trump himself. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Also recently published was a book by Bob Woodward, which follows a similar theme as Miller's 'Apprentice': Jim Mattis Compared Trump to Fifth or Sixth Grader, Bob Woodward Says in Book Mr. Woodwards reporting adds another layer to a recurring theme in the Trump White House: frustrated aides who sometimes resort to extraordinary measures to thwart the presidents decisions  a phenomenon the author describes as an administrative coup detat. (Woodward's book was well received by the anti-Trump 'resistance'. But few mentioned that Woodward searched for, but did not find any evidence for the alleged Trump-Russia collusion.) The above book excerpts are confirmed by a quite ridiculous anonymous op-ed in the New York Times in which a senior officials in Trump's administration confirms that s/he and others sabotage Trump's policies: [W]e believe our first duty is to this country, and the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic. That is why many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trumps more misguided impulses until he is out of office. The op-ed names two specific issues on which the staff sabotages Trump's initiatives: [We] are trying to do whats right even when Donald Trump wont. The result is a two-track presidency. Take foreign policy: In public and in private, President Trump shows a preference for autocrats and dictators, such as President Vladimir Putin of Russia and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, and displays little genuine appreciation for the ties that bind us to allied, like-minded nations. Astute observers have noted, though, that the rest of the administration is operating on another track, one where countries like Russia are called out for meddling and punished accordingly, and where allies around the world are engaged as peers rather than ridiculed as rivals. On Russia, for instance, the president was reluctant to expel so many of Mr. Putins spies as punishment for the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain. He complained for weeks about senior staff members letting him get boxed into further confrontation with Russia, and he expressed frustration that the United States continued to impose sanctions on the country for its malign behavior. But his national security team knew better  such actions had to be taken, to hold Moscow accountable. This isnt the work of the so-called deep state. Its the work of the steady state. The deep state, the bureaucrats and policy minions who staff the White House and the government agencies, are actively subverting the elected president. They publicly brag about it. Trump campaigned for better relations with Russia. But as soon as he was sworn into office, an "administrative coup detat" happened and the policies reverted to the opposite. He said that he wanted the U.S. out of Syria and out of Afghanistan, but the "steady state" prevented that. Trump signed an agreement with North Korea that promises peace before disarmament. Then his staff went out and tried to turn it into the opposite. Trump is the elected president. It is his privilege and duty to determine the policies of his administration. Why is no public figure expressing concern about this subversion of democracy? How come no one protests? There are suggestions that Trump is only faking the discontent about his staff. That the effectively pursued policies are the ones he really wants. The three accounts above do not support that idea. This situation undermines Trump standing in international negotiations as nothing he signs can be taken for granted, unless his staff agrees to it. This sorry state of the state will also have repercussions in future elections. Why would anyone vote for Trump, or someone else, if an elected president is unable to enforce policies? Trump and his party pursue extreme right wing policies that I do not support at all. He might well have some dangerous impulses that could cause unforeseen damage. But is it really better to let these unaccountable policy operators override his choices? Should we trust certified hawks like Bolton, Pompeo or Mattis any more that him? Is war with Russia or North Korea preferable to peaceful relations? This article was originally published by " Moon Of Alabama " - ==See Also== Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here. 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 Dion Nissenbaum

September 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " -WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo backed continued U.S. military support for Saudi Arabias war in Yemen over the objections of staff members after being warned that a cutoff could jeopardize $2 billion in weapons sales to Americas Gulf allies, according to a classified memo and people familiar with the decision.

The move has fueled rising outrage in Congress, where a bipartisan group of lawmakers is trying to cut off American military aid for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in their three-year-old war against Iran-backed fighters in Yemen. More than 16,700 civilians have been killed or injured in Yemen, according to the United Nations, which says the Gulf nation is home to the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. The U.S. is backing the Gulf allies in Yemen, where the Trump administration is working to contain Irans allies and al Qaeda militants.

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Pompeo overruled concerns from most of the State Department specialists involved in the debate who were worried about the rising civilian death toll in Yemen. Those who objected included specialists in the region and in military affairs. He sided with his legislative affairs team after they argued that suspending support could undercut plans to sell more than 120,000 precision-guided missiles to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to a classified State Department memo and people familiar with the debate.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said she wouldnt comment on the deliberative process or allegedly leaked documents.

This article was originally published by " Wall Street Journal " -

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here.

Black Sabbath ~ War Pigs

==See Also==

Trump regime continuing support for Saudi-led operation against Yemen to protect US arms sales'

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 20, 2018 "

Information Clearing House

"

On September 13, Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard took to the floor of the House to rebuke the administration , accusing President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence of protecting al-Qaeda and other jihadist forces in Syria, all the while threatening Russia, Syria, and Iran, with military force if they dare attack these terrorists.

This, continued Gabbard, is a betrayal of the American people, especially the victims of Al Qaedas attack on 9/11 and their families, first responders, and my brothers and sisters in uniform who have been killed or wounded in action and their families. For the President, who is Commander in Chief, to act as the protective big brother of al-Qaeda and other jihadists must be condemned by every Member of Congress.

I spoke to Gabbard earlier this week about her opposition to Trumps Syria policy.

James Carden: In June you and Republican Congressman Walter Jones introduced HR 922, the No More Presidential Wars Resolution, which would both define presidential wars not declared by Congress under Article I, section 8, clause 11 as impeachable high crimes and misdemeanors as well as prohibit the president from perpetuating ongoing wars or from supplying, among other things, war materials, military troops, military intelligence, and financial support without first receiving congressional authorization.

While the policy of attacking Syria clearly fails on a moral, legal, and consequentialist grounds, it also will likely backfire on realist grounds. What is your view in terms of who would benefit and who would suffer from a US-led attack on Syria?

Tulsi Gabbard: In the short term, President Trump would benefit the most. The president loves being adored and praised, and despite his rants against them, he especially craves the favor of the media. Trump remembers very well that the only times he has been praised almost universally by the mainstream media, Republicans, and Democrats, was when he has engaged in aggressive military actions. Brian Williams, Fareed Zakaria and others could hardly contain their delight. CNNs Fareed Zakaria said, Donald Trump became president of the United States the moment the bombs started dropping. MSNBCs Brian Williams praised the launching of US missiles, saying, I am guided by the beauty of our weapons. The Washington Posts David Ignatius said that he thought that by taking this action, Trump restored the credibility of American power.

Right now, President Trumps approval ratings are dropping, and he craves positive reinforcement. He and his team are making a political calculation and looking for any excuse or opportunity to launch another military attack, so that Trump can again be glorified for dropping bombs.

Others who would gain the most are Al Qaeda and all the terrorist organizations who are wanting to keep alive the regime-change war against Assad. Their war to overthrow Assad is about to end. Theyre finally facing defeat. A US attack that significantly weakens the Syrian military and would be a gift to these terrorist groups who want to overthrow the government and set up a Sunni Extremist theocracy in Damascus. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar would be the beneficiaries.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The military-industrial complex and others who profit from the continuation of these regime-change wars will benefit.

Who would suffer the most? The Syrian people, who are pleading to be left alone so they can try to rebuild their country. When I visited Syria, people shared their desperation with me, asking me to share their message with the American people: Were not begging for your money or your help. We are simply begging you to stop supporting the terrorists who are destroying our country. Please let us live in peace!

A US attack will increase the likelihood of more US troop casualties, injuries, and suffering, and billions more dollars of taxpayer money wasted, that could instead be used to improve the lives of the American people.

JC: One of the problems with the conflict in Syria is in the language that is used to describe it. The media and many policy-makers tend to use deliberately vague or opaque language when describing what has been going on there for the past six to seven years. So today we hear that Idlib province is rebel held that is holding out against an imminent attack (possibly with the use of chemical weapons) by Assad. But describing those who control Idlib today merely as rebels seems to obscure more than it illuminates: Is it a peaceful, moderate band of rebels who are currently in control of Idlib? What do you suppose would happen to Christians, Druze, Alawites, and the non-practicing if such rebels were able, with the help of the US and Turkey (among others) to overthrow Assad and expand their control over Syria?

TG: I believe it would strike most Americans as absolutely insane that the president of the United States, his vice president, UN ambassador, secretary of state, and the mainstream media describe the very terrorist entities that were responsible for the attack on 9/11 as rebels.

Since we know that they know Al Qaeda is the primary force in control of Idlib, we can only conclude that they no longer consider Al Qaeda to be a terrorist organization or the enemy.

General Joseph Dunford, as well as the UN, have confirmed that Idlib is controlled by 20,000 to 30,000 Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Brett McGurk, the administrations special envoy to counter ISIS, said that, Idlib is Al Qaedas largest safe haven since 9/11.

So there is no ambiguity about the situation: The United States is acting as the big brother and protector of Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Syria.

The real question is why.

Weve been waging a regime change war in Syria since 2011. Central to that war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad, along with our allies Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, has been providing direct and indirect support to terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda who are effectively serving as our ground force in that regime-change war, enabling them to grow in numbers and strength in Syria.

Now, President Trump and his cabinet of warhawks are concerned that if Al Qaeda is defeated in Idlib, then our regime-change war to overthrow the Syrian government will be over.

There is no doubt that if the United States and its allies are successful in their war to topple Assad, the most powerful forces on the ground (Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups) would take over, and religious minorities or anyone who disagreed with Al Qaedas theology/ideology would be targeted. When I visited Syria, I met with Christian leaders in Aleppo who took me to a few of their historic churches that had been targeted and bombed to rubble by terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS who adhere to the extreme Wahhabi Salafi ideology, propagated by Saudi Arabia around the world, believing that unless you adhere to their extremist exclusivist ideology, then you must be killed or enslaved.

Just last week, President Trump and Vice President Pence delivered solemn speeches about the attacks on 9/11, honoring the victims of Al Qaedas attack on our country. Yet they continue to protect Al Qaeda and other terrorist forces in Syria, and have threatened dire consequences and an illegal war against Russia, Syria, and Iran if they dare attack these terroristspotentially putting our country on a path towards World War III. The Trump administrations continued protection of Al Qaeda is a betrayal of the American people, especially the victims of 9/11, first-responders, my brothers and sisters in uniform who have been killed or wounded in action, and their families. Its a betrayal of the American people who have had trillions of dollars taken from their wallets, ostensibly to defeat the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11, only to find Al Qaeda is stronger today than ever before.

This is not a partisan issue. Every AmericanDemocrat, Republican, independentmust condemn this betrayal by our commander in chief. This regime-change war in Syria and US alliance with Al Qaeda and other terrorists must end now.

JC: One will often hear neocons and liberal interventionists (surely by now a distinction without a difference) warn against over-learning the lessons of Iraq. Which is kind of an odd concern. In your years in Congress have you seen any evidence that those lessons have been actually been learned by the political and media establishments in the first place?

TG: No. Based on our countrys continued counterproductive regime-change war policies, it is clear that leaders on both sides of the aisle have not learned the painful lessons of decades of interventionist regime-change wars, most recently in Iraq, Libya, and now Syria. The result has been costly for the American people, in human lives and taxpayer dollars, and devastating for the people of these countries, where countless lives have been lost, humanitarian crises created, with refugees being forced from their homes, and the utter destruction of their way of life.

I recently fought to strip a provision from the 2018 defense-authorization bill that essentially authorizes the secretaries of state and defense to go to war with Iran. Only 60 members of Congress supported my amendment.

While many members of Congress and the Trump administration rail against Iran and are calling for US troops to remain in Syria indefinitely to counter Irans influence and presence there, they refuse to acknowledge the fact that the United States regime-change war in Syria has greatly strengthened Irans presence and influence in that country. In other words, the Syrian government of Assad has become much more dependent upon and beholden to Iran and Russia, due to our efforts to overthrow their government. This obviously does not serve the national interests of the United States or Israel.

Furthermore, Irans presence and influence in Iraq was zero before we overthrew Saddam Hussein. Now Iran is the dominant power in Iraq.

The problem is that our leaders are either extremely shortsighted, or theyre consciously working against the interests of the United States and our allies. The undeniable truth is that the direct result of our overthrowing the regimes of Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, and our efforts to overthrow Bashar al-Assad, has greatly increased the presence and influence of Russia and Iran, as well as Al Qaeda and other jihadists, in all three of those countries.

In short, we have spent trillions of taxpayer dollars and thousands of American lives in order to help those we consider to be our enemies or adversaries. Who needs enemies when we have leaders like this?

JC: President Trump has, over the past year with the addition of John Bolton and the elevation of Mike Pompeo to secretary of state, assembled what might fairly be called a war cabinet. Yet, with the notable exceptions of yourself, Representative Ro Khanna, Representative Walter Jones, and Senator Rand Paul, some, but not too may, voices have been raised against the specter of yet another disastrous war in the Greater Middle East. What do you think explains the the silence?

TG: I think there are a number of reasons for this. Some people mean wellthey see pictures of children suffering and are moved to want to do something to try to alleviate that suffering. But too often they are shortsighted, waging regime-change wars and dropping bombs, without realizing their actions will likely increase the suffering of the very people they say they want to help.

Others simply do not care that they will cause unnecessary suffering.

Others may be concerned about how speaking out against regime-change wars may impact their political career or campaign. They dont want to be slandered as being pro-dictator by the media and on social media. If you were against the regime-change war in Iraq, youre a Saddam lover. If you were against the regime change war in Libya, youre a Gaddafi lover. If you ask for evidence before launching a US military attack against a sovereign nation without congressional approval, you will have leaders like Howard Dean saying, This is a disgrace. This person should not be in Congress! Our politicians see leading Republicans and Democrats joining hands to smear anyone who stands up against regime-change wars.

Some remain silent because they dont have the strength to stand up against the corporate lobbyists.

Every politician wants to see themselves as great humanitarians. But sadly, and dangerously, many fail to realize that all too often the path to hell is paved with good intentions.

These well-meaning people make decisions based on emotions, without considering the consequences of their actions. If they see children suffering, and are told by the media that Mr. X is responsible for that suffering, they feel a moral responsibility to get rid of Mr. X.

But they do so without thinking through the consequences of their actions and the likelihood that their decisions will end up causing infinitely greater human suffering.

Just look at the situation in Libya. In order to save the Libyan people, we completely destroyed their country. Its a failed state. They are under the domination of terrorists and slave merchants where women and children are publicly sold in marketplaces. Its hell on earth. Yet we have not heard a single apology to the Libyan people from any American or European leader who was responsible for this regime-change war. These leaders are not interested in the wasteland that they left behindtheyre too busy planning and promoting new regime-change wars.

The proclamations being made by President Trump, Ambassador Nikki Haley, Secretary Mike Pompeo, and John Bolton about trying to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and civilian casualties in Idlib, Syria, ring especially hollow. They seem to have completely forgotten our attacks on Mosul and Raqqawhich resulted in many thousands of civilian casualties.

The Trump administrations proclamations of humanitarianism are just a pretext to protect Al Qaeda and other terrorist forces we have allied with in our quest to overthrow the Syrian government. The bottom line is we dont want them killed because they work for us. Their interests are our interests, and vice versa.

If the Trump administration and leaders in Congress really cared about preventing civilian casualties, they would end all US support for Saudi Arabia and condemn their genocidal war in Yemen that has killed thousands of civilians with bombs, caused millions to suffer due to forced starvation and cholera, creating the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

If they were truly concerned about human suffering, they would most certainly not take action to increase the likelihood of direct conflict with Iran or Russiawhich could lead to World War III and suffering beyond our imagination.

If they were truly concerned about the suffering of the Syrian people, then they would recognize that intervening to protect the terrorists who are trying to overthrow the Syrian government will simply prolong the war and lead to more suffering for the Syrian people.
Home Search ICH Generation Being Born Now Is The Last To Be Free Julian Assange in Last Interview Before Blackout. September 20, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Before his links to the world was cut by his Ecuadorian hosts, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gave an interview on how technological advances are changing humankind. He said global surveillance will soon be totally unavoidable. Before his links to the world was cut by his Ecuadorian hosts, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gave an interview on how technological advances are changing humankind. He said global surveillance will soon be totally unavoidable. The interview was provided to RT by organizers of the World Ethical Data Forum in Barcelona. Assange, who is currently stranded in the Ecuadorean embassy in London with no outside communication except with his legal team, has a pretty grim outlook on where humanity is going. He says it will soon be impossible for any human being to not be included into global databases collected by governments and state-like entities. This generation being born now is the last free generation. You are born and either immediately or within say a year you are known globally. Your identity in one form or another coming as a result of your idiotic parents plastering your name and photos all over Facebook or as a result of insurance applications or passport applications is known to all major world powers. A small child now in some sense has to negotiate its relationship with all the major world powers It puts us in a very different position. Very few technically capable people are able to live apart, to choose to live apart, to choose to go their own way, he added. It smells a bit like totalitarianism  in some way. The capacity to collect and process information about people has been growing exponentially and will continue to grow fast, he stated. With advancements in applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to big data, the next logical step is coming. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Look at what Google and Baidu and Tencent and Amazon and Facebook are doing. They are basically open-cut harvesting the knowledge of humankind as we express it, when we communicate with each other This classical model, which people in academia call surveillance capitalism has changed now. Its a really very important and severe economic change. Which is to take the surveillance capitalism model and transform it instead into a model that does not yet have a name, an AI model. Which is to use this vast reservoir to train Artificial Intelligences of different kinds. This would replace not only intermediary sectors most things you do on the internet is in a sense more efficient intermediation but to take over the transport sector, or create whole new sectors. Assange also predicted that the scale of hostile activities through cyberspace will see a breakout point as soon as AI is trained to sufficiently automate hacking attacks. There is no border [online]. Its 220 milliseconds from New York to Nairobi. Why would there ever be peace in such a scenario? he said. [Entities online] are creating their own borders using cryptography. But the size of the attack surface for any decent-sized organization, the number of people, different types of software and hardware it has to pull inside itself means that it is very hard to establish. I dont think its really possible to come up with borders that are predictable enough and stable enough to eliminate conflict. Therefore, there will be more conflict. WATCH FULL INTERVIEW: This article was originally published by " RT " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here. ==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.
Federal lawmaker Ben Murray Bruce has said react to news that Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communication also skipped National Youth Service Corps(NYSC).

According to Ben Bruce, it is shocking that people with high profile and high paying job skipped NYSC, whereas there are many graduates do not have jobs.

As I am reading the story on @PremiumTimesng about another @MBuhari minister who did not serve, I am struck by the sheer number of members of this administration who have high profile, highly paid jobs without serving, yet millions of youths are unemployed despite serving Nigeria  Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) September 20, 2018

The lawmaker was however criticised by his followers on twitter that he has no justification to speak on the matter knowing well that these ministers were also screened by the National Assembly.

Defending the Nass, the Senator said Nass only screens based on the information presented to it, by the Department of State Services. So, the fault is DSS not NASS.
Thinh made the affirmation while meeting with Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Valentina Matvienko during her trip to attend the second Eurasian Womens Forum held in Saint Petersburg.

The two sides expressed their delight at the dynamic development of the Vietnam-Russia cooperation, including the maintenance of the regular high-level political dialogue.

The Vietnam-Eurasia Free Trade Agreement has been implemented effectively, creating positive changes in trade exchange between the two nations. Meanwhile, cooperation in defence-security, science-technology, education-training, culture, and tourism, as well as connections between localities have been stepped up.

The two sides agreed to work closely together to successfully organise the Vietnam-Russia and Russia-Vietnam Year in the two countries on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam-Russia friendship treaty signing (1994-2019) and the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (1950-2020).

They also consented to continue close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, including the Eurasian Womens Forum.

At the meeting, Matvienko, on behalf of the Russian State and parliament leaders, extended deep condolences to the Party, State, and people of Vietnam over the passing away of President Tran Dai Quang.

President Quang made great contributions to Vietnams national construction and development as well as to consolidating and strengthening the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia, she said.

The Russian leader also spoke highly of the active and proactive participation of Thinh and the Vietnamese delegation in activities of the second Eurasian Womens Forum, which she said contributes to the success of the September 19-21 event.

Hailing the outcomes of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trongs recent visit to Russia, Matvienko affirmed that her country treasures the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam and will do its utmost to develop bilateral collaboration in a more effective manner, meeting the aspirations of each side.

Vice President Thinh thanked the Speaker for her sentiments towards the late President and highly valued Russias organisation of the second Eurasian Womens Forum, as well as the role of Matvienko herself in founding and organising the forums activities

She expressed her wish that Matvienko, in her current capacity, will continue efforts to help the forum further promote its role in bridging women of the two continents and enhancing their partnership in various fields.
Vanguard



THE entry of Dr. Mahmood Ahmed into the Adamawa State governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has changed the political permutation. Some aspirants and members appear jittery on the prospects of Ahmed picking the partys ticket.



The Nation



The Presidency yesterday lashed Senate President Bukola Saraki for disparaging President Muhammadu Buhari.Dr Saraki, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek the presidential ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described Buhari as lacking the vision and capacity to run the country.He spoke when he led his presidential campaign team to visit Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Daily Independent



P/Harcourt Against a widespread allegation, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has denied nursing any ambition of vying for the position of Vice President of the country as was speculated in certain quarters ahead of the 2019 elections. Governor Wike said though some of the presidential aspirants seeking his support have offered him the position

ThisDay



The All Progressives Congress (APC) has finally caved in to pressures from its governors, approving the use of indirect primary for the selection of the partys candidates for the

Guardian



The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its allies have begun mobilisation of relevant organs for the commencement of a nationwide strike action next Wednesday over the alleged suspension of new minimum wage negotiation by the Federal Government. NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja at the 40th anniversary of the Nation



The Sun

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has seized 6,669 bags of rice worth N90 million smuggled into the country through the land border. Addressing newsmen in Lagos yesterday, Deputy Comptroller and National Coordinator, Comptroller General, Strike Force, Mr. Abdullahi Kirawa, said the 

Daily Times



A Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Thursday declined to stay further proceedings in the matter brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Leadership

The Presidency has reacted to the crude speeches hitting the news from Senator Bukola Saraki who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party with the sole ambition of running as the president of Nigeria. According to a statement by the senior special assistant media to the president, Garba Shehu said in response the condemnable and extremely

Tribune



The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has given his royal blessings to the aspiration of Senator Iyiola Omisore to become the next Osun State governor, as the Social Democratic Party (SDP), staged the
Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, who is also an Oyo State governorship aspirant has also been accused of not participating in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

Barely one week after erstwhile Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun resigned, Premium Times who also broke the news has reported that Adebayo didnt do NYSC after graduating from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in 1978.

Shittu was said to have graduated at the age of 25, completed his programme at the Law School, and was elected into the Oyo State House of Assembly.

According to Premium Times, he graduated in 1978 at the age of 25, and finished Law school in 1979, the same year he was elected into the House of Assembly .

On his part, the Minister said he deliberately skipped NYSC, because The constitution provides for the qualification needed for state assembly members, NYSC is not there. I didnt need it to become a member of the state assembly, and that is already a service.

Nigerians have taken to social media to react

In #Nigeria, u r qualified 2 hold any public office (up to President) wt ordinary schl cert bt if u r a graduate u r disqualified unless u go tru #NYSC (service or exemption). So d system is designed to favour d less educated, no need asking why we r whr we are. Naija I hail o!  TAOPHEEK BABAYEJU (@TAOPHEEK) September 21, 2018

https://twitter.com/Rouvafe/status/1043066070729416704?s=19

That Adebayo Shittu, a minister in Buhari's cabinet skips NYSC even though he graduated at age 25 is no longer news. But his defence is news  he thought his first political post after graduation could suffice as national service. Adebayo Shittu is a lawyer  Miz Cazorla (@MizCazorla1) September 21, 2018

The people that said you must do NYSC before you can get a proper job didnt do NYSC.  Mazi Ibe (@MaziIbe_) September 21, 2018
The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has called for the immediate arrest of the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, following revelations that he dodged his compulsory one-year national service.

According to the opposition party, the revelation further validates our position that President Muhamadu Buhari has many persons of questionable character in his cabinet.

The party in a statement released on Friday accused President Buhari, of appointing fraudulent persons to hold key offices in his government  This, the party says has shown that he has a weighty integrity burden, contrary to the Mr. Clean posturing which his handlers had always wanted Nigerians to believe.

The PDP further urged the President to provide answer to allegations that such individuals are being used as henchmen to fritter away trillions of naira from our treasury to service All Progressives Congress (APC) interests and the Presidency cabal.

To this end, the opposition party asked that the police quickly arrest Shittu and charge him to court.
Real Madrid winger, Gareth Bale, is roaring to go at Espanyol in their next Spanish Laliga match. He scored a wonderful goal against AS Roma in their UEFA champions League match on Wednesday and is not looking at slowing down.

Real Madrid drew their last LaLiga match away to Atlectico Bilbao and are hoping to bounce back when they Espanyol visit them on Saturday.

The Welshman, who has taken to talisman figure since the departure of their former striker, Cristiano Ronaldo, took to social media to upload a video of his goal against Roma and captioned it We go again tomorrow.

See video below:
President-select Wendy Wintersteen speaks in the Memorial Union after being announced as the next President of Iowa State University on Monday. She was unanimously chosen by the Board of Regents. Wintersteen is the first female to hold the position of President at Iowa State.
Ever since Apple unveiled the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max earlier this month, Huawei has taken multiple potshots at the company. Now, in Singapore, Huawei was handing out free power banks to customers who had queued up outside of Apple store in Singapores Orchard Road to buy the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

Huawei distributed about 200 of its 10,000mAh SuperCharge power bank for free to customers who lined up to buy the iPhone XS. The power bank is priced at S$80 in Singapore.

Huawei is obviously taking an indirect potshot at the poor battery life of the iPhones by giving away customers a free power bank. Or the company is just being nice by making the lives of customers who have lined up to buy its competitors latest flagship device a wee bit easier and not worry about their existing phone running out of battery.

The craze for the new iPhones seems to be particularly high in Singapore where people started lining up outside of Apples flagship store in Orchard Road 24-36 hours before the release day itself.

Huawei managed to overtake Apple as the second largest smartphone brand in Q2 this year. The Chinese company has long been at the heels of Apple in terms of smartphone shipments, with its P20 series doing particularly well across Europe and China this time around. Huawei is scheduled to unveil its new flagship handset, the Mate 20 Pro, in London on October 16. The device will feature a triple camera setup, a 7nm Kirin 980 chipset, and a massive 4,000mAh+ battery.

[Via Mothership
In his speech at the Vietnam-Poland Economic Cooperation seminar held as part of his visit to the Central European country, Binh underlined that the Government encourages Vietnamese firms to land investment in the fields of IT and consumption goods in Poland to break into Polish and other European markets.

Laying stress on the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries, he said that Poland is currently the largest trade partner of Vietnam in Central Europe, with two-way trade hitting a record of US$1.05 billion in 2017.

There are already many Vietnamese businesses carrying out projects in Poland, he said, adding that the most noteworthy, worth US$3 million, is invested by dairy giant Vinamilk.

Regarding the Vietnamese economic situation, he said that the economy grew 6.81% in 2017, the highest level recorded during the 2011-2017 period. Binh also introduced Vietnams favourable business climate, potential, international integration, and modern-day reform progress in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the seminar.

Polish participants and businesses expressed their impression at Vietnams socio-economic achievement over the past few years. They said that they are interested in investment opportunities in Vietnam, while speaking highly of Vietnams important position in their business network in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific.

They lauded concerted efforts made by the Vietnamese Government in creating a welcoming business and investment environment and affirmed their determination to expand business in the country to capitalise on opportunities brought by the EVFTA.

Meanwhile, representatives from some Polish universities said that they want to enhance student exchanges, and recommended that Polish authorities create favourable conditions for Vietnamese students wanting to pursue studies in the country.

On the occasion, Deputy PM Binh held meeting with the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives from the Vietnamese community in the host nation, during which he hailed their efforts in citizen protection work and contributions towards consolidating the relations between Vietnam and Poland. He said that the community, enterprises in particular, should serve as a bridge to further cooperation and friendship between the two countries.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made the statement at a working session on September 21 with Ambassador Bruno Angelet, head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, and ambassadors of EU member countries in Hanoi.

Minh said he is delighted at the positive development of the Vietnam-EU relationship, especially both sides efforts to conclude legal reviews towards the official signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EUFTA).

He suggested Bruno Angelet and ambassadors of EU member countries work to develop the comprehensive partnership and cooperation between Vietnam and the EU as well as its member nations in a practical and effective manner in the time to come.

He expressed his wish that the EU countries will support Vietnams bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

The official affirmed that Vietnam has been making every effort to deal with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and proposed the EU soon remove its yellow card warning to Vietnams fisheries sector.

For his part, Bruno Angelet said Vietnam occupies a high place in EU's external policy and affirmed that he and the ambassadors of the EU member countries will try their best to deepen the Vietnam-EU cooperation, particularly pushing for the early signing of the EVFTA and bringing it into effect.

At the working session, Deputy PM Minh openly exchanged ideas with the EU ambassadors on priorities in Vietnams foreign policy as well as regional and international issues of common concern such as traditional and non-traditional security matters, sustainable development, promotion of human rights, and maintenance of peace, stability and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, addresses the national conference on organizational work held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday, July 3 to 4, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

BEIJING, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), called for focusing reforms on solving practical problems on Thursday.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while presiding over the fourth meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform, which he heads.

Both the importance and difficulty of reform lie in implementation, Xi said.

Saying that there are more and more favorable conditions for carrying out reforms and focusing on implementation, he called for putting more energy and efforts into implementation and focusing reforms on solving real problems.

Li Keqiang and Wang Huning, both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the reform committee, attended the meeting.

The meeting approved a number of documents:

-- a document on promoting high-quality development;

-- a document on establishing more effective mechanisms for coordinated regional development;

-- measures on supporting pilot free trade zones' efforts to deepen reform and innovation;

-- a guideline on improving regulation of systematically important financial institutions;

-- a document on reforming and improving the national vaccine regulation system;

-- a document on integrating systems of planning to make national development plans play a better role of strategic guidance;

-- a document on promoting the alignment of small farmers with the development of modern agriculture.

More efforts should be made to formulate policies that promote high-quality development in important areas including manufacturing, high-tech industries, service and infrastructure, and public services, and to put protecting the people's interests at a more prominent position, said a statement released after the meeting.

More effective mechanisms for coordinated regional development should be set up by sticking to the new development philosophy, giving play to comparative advantages of each area, and narrowing regional development gap, said the statement,

Pilot free trade zones should be granted more power to reform and further open up, as well as policy support to create a good environment for investment, boost trade facilitation, and make financial innovation serve the real economy, said the statement.

Policies should be clarified to put in place institutional arrangements for identifying, regulating and dealing with systematically important financial institutions, it said.

On vaccine regulation, strong measures should be adopted to enforce strict market access, strengthen market supervision, improve logistics and delivery, standardize vaccination management, eradicate regulation loopholes, and crack down on acts violating laws and regulations, it said.

More efforts should also be made to set up a policy system supporting small farmers' development, boost their level of organization, and improve their production and operation capabilities, to transform them from traditional small farmers into modern ones, according to the statement.
BEIJING, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the 17th Western China International Fair, which opened in the city of Chengdu Thursday.

As a major window for China's opening-up, the fair has created an important platform for China's western regions to jointly develop the Belt and Road as well as enhance communication and cooperation with countries around the world, Xi said.

Xi said the western regions, with vast landmass, rich resources, great opportunities and advantageous locations, have achieved significant development over the past years as China pushes forward the strategy to develop and open up western regions.

By actively participating in the development of the Belt and Road, more vitality will be unleashed in the western regions, making them an important part of the efforts to make new ground in opening China further through links running eastward and westward, across the land and over the sea, he said.

Xi emphasized that the fair, with the theme "New Era in China, New Advances in Western China" and a focus on jointly developing the Belt and Road, bears positive significance for the western regions to enhance external communication and cooperation.

He expressed the hope that participants at the fair can gain insight into western China, strengthen friendships, enhance cooperation and communication and share new development opportunities brought by opening-up.
MEDFORD, Ore.  A Cave Junction man faces federal charges after allegedly posting death threats online against the CEO and employees of tech giant YouTube, according to a statement from the FBI's Oregon branch.

35-year-old William Gregory Douglas of Cave Junction is tentatively set to make his initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge on Monday, September 24, 2018, on charges that he threatened employees of YouTube, according to the FBI.

FBI Agents arrested Douglas outside a convenience store in Cave Junction on Thursday, September 20 without incident.

According to the criminal complaint filed in this case, Douglas started making threats online on August 23, 2018, using the alias "LiamXmaiLRevolutionX". The criminal complaint alleges that Douglas posted a series of tweets that included language such as "I would kill the 100 YouTube employees," "you want a bigger mass casualty aka shooting let's see what I can do," and "return my channel you low life Sholes before someone else comes and shoots more of your employees."

On September 17, 2018, LiamXmaiLRevolutionX posted a message to @SusanWojcicki: Susan I'm coming for you today #pray." Susan Wojcicki is the CEO of YouTube.

The complaint also details three videos in which the subject identifies himself as William Douglas. In those videos, he provided long rants about the Deep State and stated he has been shadow-banned from YouTube, which he described as a government operation. In one video, he stated he has to go to Mountain View to visit people at YouTube. Approximately 700 people work at the YouTube premises in Mountain View, California.

Douglas faces charges of Cyberstalking and Transmission of Threats in Interstate Commerce to Injure Another. The FBI says that a criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and all defendants should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
ASHLAND, Ore. -- Freshmen moved into their dorms Thursday at Southern Oregon University.

Several check-in points were outside the dorms, minimizing the lines for students to recieve their key, and other materials.

Students say they are both excited and nervous.

"Im really nervous that classes are going to be way harder in college than they were in high school," freshman nursing major Valeria Stefanakis said. "They always say an 'A' student in high school is like a 'B' or 'C' student in college."

As these new students start their new chapter, parents are too.

"Its sad for parents," Steve Satnick, an new empty nester said. "We love having her around but were mostly excited for her. It seems like a great place to go to school."

Classes start on Monday.
GRANTS PASS, Ore.  Protesters and Pacific Power workers are expected to clash this weekend as an anti-smart meter group plans to protest the device at the energy company's upcoming workshop.

The workshop this weekend in Grants Pass is set to address concerns about the recent smart meter installation in the Rogue Valley. According to Pacific Power's online invite, customers will "meet with Pacific Power staff and smart meter experts, gather information and facts and see demonstrations."

The anti-smart meter groups is called "No Smart Meter." This isn't the first time the group has protested Pacific Power. Protesters with the group have voiced concerns on everything from the meter's capabilities to track more than power usage data to how smart meters could be impacting their health.

"Our goal is for public awareness for people to understand how these do pose a health risk to your home primarily... For them to see primarily that this is a way for the government [to invade] into [your] home," said "No Smart Meter" advocate Randal Barrett. "Putting a computer on your home and forcing you to pay extortion fees if you won't do it. Should put up a red flag for everybody."

Pacific Power has disputed those claims saying the meters are safe and that no additional information is taken with your meter reading. Opting out of a smart meter costs customers a $36 monthly fee to pay for someone to manually read the meter.

In response, Pacific Power released the following statement:

We want to be sure our customers know we are here to help them understand the benefits of the smart meter upgrade in Oregon, while also addressing their questions and concerns. These free workshops offer an in-person opportunity to have a conversation with us, learn about smart meters first hand, and gather facts and information, said Christina Kruger, Pacific Power regional business manager for Southern Oregon.

The Pacific Power workshop is this Saturday, September 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, Arts and Crafts Building.
BEND, Ore.  After a statement from Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) on Wednesday declaring that he had agreed to a televised debate on KTVZ in Bend with his opponent, challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner (D) responded with a full-page letter indicating that the agreement was not entirely mutual.

"In July, I agreed to debate my opponent and am upholding that commitment today," Walden said in a statement. "I appreciate News Channel 21s willingness to host this debate and accept their invitation to discuss the issues impacting Oregons Second District on October 5."

"This debate will provide the venue for a robust conversation on these important subjects and more in a central location that will solicit questions from the public, be broadcast to a wide audience in Oregon, live streamed on social media, and available for anyone interested to view online," Walden continued.

However, Walden's agreement may not have represented a direct response to his opponent's many offers. McLeod-Skinner has made no secret of her desire to debate Rep. Walden, but her campaign claims that their attempts to establish terms have long gone unanswered.

"Wires may have been crossed, or Walden wants to dictate the place and terms of debate, it remains to be seen," said Jay Lininger, Political Director for McLeod-Skinner's campaign. "Walden never has communicated with Jamie despite her repeated attempts at direct contact."

McLeod-Skinner issued her written response the same day:

"I learned on September 17 from KTVZ-TV in Bend that you agreed with them to appear at their studio at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 5th, for a 30-minute television broadcast exchange moderated by the station," McLeod-Skinner wrote. "A robust debate for public office includes an exchange on issues of concern to voters, in a venue that is accessible to the public, with a neutral moderator."

"My concern with KTVZ's proposed format is that it would not meet those OR the above criteria," McLeod-Skinner continued.

McLeod-Skinner's letter went on to suggest that the proposed debate format would not give either candidate time enough to give considered responses to questions and would not be open to the public. She also claimed that executives at KTVZ's parent company had donated to Walden's campaign  potentially, although not necessarily, poisoning the proverbial well.

Instead, McLeod-Skinner issued a counter-proposal.

"I was delighted to see the City Club of Central Oregon offer to host an impartially moderated debate, open and free to the public, with the opportunity for a live broadcast. I propose that we mutually agree to accept the City Club's invitation to debate, at the same time and location in the district when you have already said you are available," McLeod-Skinner said.

The alternative debate that McLeod-Skinner proposed would last 90 minutes, be open to voters and journalists, and could still be broadcast live on TV, radio and the internet. She also proposed two additional debates  one in eastern Oregon, and another in southern Oregon.

At the time of this article's posting, Walden's campaign had not responded with a request for comment regarding his opponent's letter and the proposal for an alternative venue.

Walden is the nine-term Republican representative for Oregon's U.S. Congressional District 2, which encompasses most of eastern, central, and southern Oregon. This is McLeod-Skinner's first bid for Walden's seat.

CLICK HERE for the letter of response from McLeod-Skinner's campaign.

Rep. Walden's campaign replied to a request for comment with the following statement on September 21:

News Channel 21 reached out to both candidates with a proposed format for a debate that will solicit questions from the public, be broadcast live to a wide audience in Oregon, live streamed on social media, and available online for anyone interested to view in its entirety after the debate concludes. Greg has agreed to this debate and informed the News Channel 21 that he has accepted their invitation.

This venue and format will allow for the fair, non-partial, and balanced platform for a debate that Greg agreed to in July. While this is a stark contrast to the one-sided forums hosted by groups like Indivisible that Greg's opponent has opted to participate in, we see no reason to object to a debate in the district's largest city moderated by a respected journalist. Greg looks forward to a productive and in-depth debate on the issues impacting Oregonians with his opponent on October 5.
FRESNO, Calif. (AP)  At least 30 immigrant men who are living in the United States illegally and have sex crime records remain in custody in California despite having completed their sentences and wanting to be deported, a newspaper reported Thursday.

The men committed crimes and served their prison sentences. But instead of being released, a state-mandated mental evaluation of sex offenders put them in Coalinga State Hospital, which houses sexually violent predators, The Fresno Bee reported .

Their predicament seems to be nobody's jurisdiction.

The Department of State Hospitals says it does not track patients' immigration status and only a judge can decide if patients are ready to be released. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement says the decision is up to the state.

Rudy Kraft, a San Luis Obispo attorney who has been representing sex offenders for nearly 20 years, said California is holding on to the men because it worries they would commit sex offenses in their home countries.

Kraft represents Leo Gutierrez, who was transferred to the Coalinga hospital when it opened in 2005.

"The state government takes the position that if he's deported, we cannot ensure that he's not committing sex offenses in his home country," Kraft said. "In a sensible system, we would work out a supervision program with the home country and let them decide how to keep an eye on him. But there's no consideration of that."

Gutierrez was convicted in 1998 and released early from prison for good behavior, serving three of six sentenced years. He was sent to Atascadero State Hospital before moving into Coalinga State Hospital, a maximum-security facility.

Gutierrez, whose kidneys are failing, said he would like to return to El Salvador, where relatives have offered their organs for transplant.

"I asked (ICE) why they don't pick me up. They said the hospital says I'm still paying for a crime. But that's not true. I finished my time in 2001," said Gutierrez, 49. "I don't know why I did what I did then, but I can't correct it. And all this time, I've been in this place."

The state's convicted sex offenders are referred to the Department of State Hospitals within six months of their parole to undergo a mental health evaluation to determine if they are sexually violent predators.

The 1,300 men at Coalinga have been diagnosed as having a mental disorder and being likely to reoffend, according to the state, which spends $250 million a year to operate the hospital.

While California law limits the state's cooperation with ICE, it doesn't apply when dealing with people convicted of serious or violent felonies, including sexual abuse and crimes endangering children.

An ICE spokesman said the state of California determines the custody of sexually violent predators.

"If ICE has an interest in an individual after being released from custody, our agency would review the case and make appropriate decisions regarding next steps," spokesman Richard Rocha said in an email.

Kraft is grim about the options for people like his client under current policies.

"There is no way out other than death," he said.
The coast of California and Oregon have many fault lines and plates.

Dr. Charles Lane a professor of geology at Southern Oregon University says "actually a mosaic of broken up pieces in here. Pacific plate going this way, you've got the north American plate going this way and so these things all adjust and readjust and they buckle and they slip and they change a little bit."

It's one of the reasons our region is prone to tremors. Dr. Lane says when we do get a swarm of earthquakes like we have it's normal.

Charles Lane says "So that stress being taken up and released just by some adjustments on the transform fault. It's doing some of this stuff just with the respect to the stuff that's being applied. It's a precursor to bigger faults, almost impossible to say."

The Klamath Basin is actually one of four high priority monitoring in Oregon.

That's because there are fault lines on both the right and left side.

There are actually multiple fault lines on the east side of the basin.

Charles Lane says "Klamath Basin is in between. Look what's at the very north end of the whole Klamath Basin and that's Crater Lake. "
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Sebelum Anda bermain, Anda perlu mengetahui apa yang Anda butuhkan untuk masuk ke dalam permainan roulette kasino online ini. Jika Anda sudah mendaftar di situs judi casino online dan sudah memberikan user ID, login terlebih dahulu dan pilih menu live casino yang tertera di situs judi tersebut. Pertama pilih dealer dan putuskan sendiri, lalu pilih meja atau kursi di dalam ruangan. Jika namanya tertera dan berwarna coklat, maka kursi tersebut sudah ditempati oleh pemain lain, dan pilihlah kursi kosong berwarna hitam.

Kasino Roulette adalah salah satu permainan paling populer di situs perjudian kasino. Jadi dalam permainan ini kamu harus menebak angka berapa yang akan keluar. Ada 36 nomor berbeda dalam permainan populer ini di mana sebuah bola kecil diputar dan dilemparkan ke dalam mesin roulette. Anda harus menebak dari mana bola kecil itu masuk dan di nomor berapa ia berhenti. Ada banyak jenis pilihan angka dari 0-36, dan mereka dihitung secara berbeda. Sebagai agen casino terpercaya, panduan permainan roulette ini juga memberikan informasi tentang jenis pilihan dan nama permainan roulette casino online sebagai berikut:

Jika Anda ingin bermain roulette di situs kasino online, caranya sangat sederhana. Anda dapat bermain di Kasino ION, Kasino Sbobet, dan Situs Kasino. Di bawah ini adalah artikel panduan bermain di mana Anda dapat mempelajari roulette langsung dan memainkannya di situs judi online mana pun.

tangkapan layar

Sebelum Anda bermain, Anda perlu mengetahui apa yang Anda butuhkan untuk masuk ke dalam permainan roulette kasino online ini. Jika Anda sudah mendaftar di situs judi casino online dan sudah memberikan user ID, login terlebih dahulu dan pilih menu live casino yang tertera di situs judi online tersebut. Pertama pilih dealer dan putuskan sendiri, lalu pilih meja atau kursi di dalam ruangan. Jika namanya tertera dan berwarna coklat, maka kursi tersebut sudah ditempati oleh pemain lain, dan pilihlah kursi kosong berwarna hitam.

Panduan Bermain Online Kasino Roulette

Kasino Roulette adalah salah satu permainan paling populer di situs perjudian kasino. Jadi dalam permainan ini kamu harus menebak angka berapa yang akan keluar. Ada 36 nomor berbeda dalam permainan populer ini di mana sebuah bola kecil diputar dan dilemparkan ke dalam mesin roulette. Anda harus menebak dari mana bola kecil itu masuk dan di nomor berapa ia berhenti. Ada banyak jenis pilihan angka dari 0-36, dan mereka dihitung secara berbeda. Sebagai agen casino terpercaya, panduan permainan roulette ini juga memberikan informasi tentang jenis pilihan dan nama permainan roulette casino online sebagai berikut:

1. Straight Up: Penempatan angka tunggal dari 0 hingga 36. Contoh perhitungan straight up adalah mengalikan taruhan dengan 35. Ini adalah jenis taruhan tertinggi dalam permainan roulette kasino, jadi 50 dikalikan dengan 35 memberi Anda 1750, mengapa jenis taruhan ini menghasilkan pengembalian yang begitu tinggi? Hal ini karena tidak mudah untuk memenangkan pilihan nomor dengan memilih hanya satu nomor dari banyak.

2. Taruhan split: Jenis taruhan yang ditempatkan pada dua angka atau di antara dua angka yang berbeda. Misalnya, menempatkan di sela-sela angka 9 dan 12 atau 13d dan 14 dihitung sebagai jenis taruhan split. Setiap nomor dapat ditempatkan dalam jenis ini selama nomor tersebut berdekatan dan persis seperti Gambar A dan B. Untuk taruhan ini, jika Anda memenangkan contoh dan mengalikannya dengan 850, Anda akan menerima jumlah taruhan yang dikalikan dengan 17. .

3. Taruhan jalanan: bertaruh dengan 3 angka ke bawah, misalnya 1,2,3 atau 10,11,12. Semua taruhan jalan akan menerima kemenangan dikalikan dengan 11. Misalnya, 50 dikalikan 550.

4. Taruhan sudut: Jenis taruhan di mana empat angka ditempatkan saling berhadapan, seperti 13,14,16,17 atau 19,20,22,23. Semua angka valid karena terdiri dari 4 angka yang diisi seperti kotak dan taruhan dikalikan 8 (misalnya 50 kali 800).

5. Taruhan baris: Atau, Anda dapat mengatakan bahwa ada 6 jenis taruhan yang terdiri dari 2 baris, tetapi 6 poin dengan 2 peregangan, seperti taruhan jalanan. Misalnya, jika Anda memilih angka 7 hingga 12 dan 13 hingga 18, taruhan 50 adalah 5 kali dan kemudian dikalikan dengan 250 kemenangan.

6. Kolom Inner Bet: Jenis taruhan vertikal dengan 12 poin berturut-turut, seperti kolom numerik 1,4,7,10,13,19,22,25,25,28,22,24,34 atau kolom lainnya. Dan jika dia memenangkan kolom, 50 taruhan digandakan dan 100 taruhan.

7. Lusin : Jenis taruhan menempatkan 12 angka tetapi menempatkannya pada kotak berbentuk seperti contoh Kolom A dengan angka 1 sampai 12 dan odds dengan kolom lain untuk dipilih dengan memilih 1 kotak pertama untuk Kolom A. Kalikan dengan 2, 50 taruhan 100.

8. Zero part : Cara bertaruh 0.1,2,3 sama persis seperti di gambar, karena berdekatan dengan angka 0, anda hanya bisa bertaruh 0.1,2,3. Menempatkan taruhan ini mengalikannya dengan 50. hingga 8.

9. Zero Corner: Bertaruh pada angka 0.1,2 atau 0.2,3 adalah dua pilihan karena Anda hanya bertaruh mendekati angka nol. Jenis taruhan ini dikalikan 11 jika taruhan menang.

10. Two Dozen: Jenis taruhan dengan hanya dua pilihan: 1-18 atau 19-36. Jika taruhan Anda adalah 50, itu dikalikan dengan 1 hingga 50 jika Anda menang.

11. Merah atau Hitam: Masukkan taruhan Anda dengan memilih Merah atau Hitam sebagai warna angka yang muncul saat taruhan 50.

12. Genap/Ganjil: Pilih angka yang menghasilkan jumlah jenis taruhan ganjil.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) holds a dialogue with representatives from communities such as industry and commerce, finance, think tanks and media outlets attending the Summer Davos 2018 at Tianjin Meijiang Conference and Exhibition Center in north China's Tianjin, Sept. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

TIANJIN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday held a dialogue with representatives from communities such as industry and commerce, finance, think tanks and media outlets attending the Summer Davos 2018 in Tianjin.

At the dialogue, hosted by Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Li responded to questions about China's financial opening-up, intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, tax and fee reduction, entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as the reform of the world trade system.

Over 200 representatives from Europe and countries including China, the United States and Japan attended the dialogue.

Li said the opening-up of the financial sector of a nation was ly related to its development phase, economic level, and regulatory capacities.

"While maintaining financial stability, China is determined to further open up its financial services, fully implement the pre-establishment national treatment and the negative list system, and gradually remove limits on business licenses and foreign ownership," Li said.

Currently, China has removed the caps on the foreign ownership of banks. Foreign ownership caps on insurance and securities companies will also be lifted, he said.

With regard to tax and fee reduction, Li said, China saw an increase of tax revenues from the second half of 2017 to the first half of 2018, which indicates a steadily growing Chinese economy.

In the first half of this year, the profits of industrial enterprises increased by 15 percent, and there was a drastic rise in the number of market entities and sources of taxes.

As the effects of tax reduction policies started to kick in at the beginning of the second half of 2018, growth in the tax revenues of central and local governments have both been reduced.

"For the next step, we are going to reduce taxes and fees on a grander scale, including cuts in social security fees, which will unburden enterprises and facilitate their development," he said.

Special deductions of personal income tax should be implemented evenly and conveniently to elevate the purchasing power of residents. The government shall practice austerity, refrain from disturbing enterprises and help people live a better life, he noted.

In terms of entrepreneurship and IPR protection, Li said that fostering an innovative society needs to unleash the creativity of everybody.

A series of measures have been taken to ensure everyone enjoys equal opportunity in innovation, to inspire large enterprises to develop their own makerspaces and to welcome the participation of foreign entrepreneurs in China's development.

Using IPR protection as the foundation for the development of an innovative economy, China would intensify IPR protection as well as the punishment over IPR infringement, Li said.

Last year, Chinese companies took the lead in their spending on foreign patent licensing fees and royalties, he noted. "We will not allow any forced IPR transfer."

Regarding the reform of the world trade system, Li pointed out that, under the current situation, the foundation of the multilateral trade rules has been shaken by rising protectionism.

"The multilateral trading system and its rules, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, have been established through joint consultation based on the goal of maintaining free trade. Although reform is necessary and needed in the WTO, it doesn't mean creating a new system.

"The goal of trade liberalization shall not change. We need to accommodate the interests of developing countries, especially those of the least developed countries. We should discuss and deal with issues together so that everyone can benefit," Li said.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Springfield police arrested a man accused of forgery, identity theft and other crimes Thursday after serving a search warrant.

Police said when detectives arrived to the residence on 8th Street, they found Mark Anthony Christian, 40, of Springfield in the process of developing a forged Oregon drivers license.

At the residence, police said detectives found stolen mail, forged drivers licenses, counterfeit checks, and computers and printers used to manufacture the forgeries.

Police also found a complete mailbox with mail inside and a stolen U-Haul flatbed trailer at the location.

Investigators are going through the mail to determine victims. Victims will be contacted as part of the ongoing investigation.

Christian faces charges of identity theft, first-degree forgery, first-degree possession of a forged instrument, possession of a forgery device, computer crime and possession of heroin.

More charges are expected.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Springfield police at 541-726-3721.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Two teachers with Eugene School District 4J are on paid leave as the district investigates what happened during an overnight camping trip back in June, and some students are defending them.

Kerry Delf, a spokeswoman for the school district, said Ray Cole and Steven Connelly are on paid leave and said the investigation is not a criminal matter.

Delf said the two teachers, along with a third, took 13 students on a trip to a campground in Lane County. The camping trip was part of an alternative high school program with the Early College and Career Option High School (ECCO).

At this time, it is unclear what spurred the investigation. Delf said the district does not comment on the details of ongoing personnel investigations.

Student safety is a top priority, whether at school or on school-sponsored trips, Delf said. We hold a high standard for student behavior and supervision at all times.

During a school district board meeting, current and former ECCO students told district leaders the two teachers should not be fired.

"I was a teen parent and I was homeless when I went to ECCO, former student Conon Rain said to the school board. They taught us life skills we probably would never have if we hadn't met them, and I know 100 percent that they care so much about their students."

In a strange twist, one of the teachers is now in trouble with the law. Eugene police report Connelly was arrested early Monday for criminal trespass. Officers said he was walking on the train tracks near 3rd Street in Eugene, and police warned him to get off the tracks, but he refused.

KEZI 9 News has reached out to the unions who represent teachers at 4J and the State Department of Education but at this time has not heard back.
ALBERT LEA, Minn.  The case of a missing teen has resulted in a guilty plea.

Oscar Harold Mehus, 47 of Albert Lea, pleaded guilty Thursday to contributing to the need for protection or services. He was charged after a New Richland teenager went missing on May 8 and was found in Albert Lea on May 10.

Law enforcement says Mehus met the girl, took her back to his home, and did not contact them about finding her.

His sentencing is set for December 14.
Bergen County Sheriffs Office(TRENTON, N.J.) -- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is calling for one of the state's sheriffs to step down after the sheriff was purportedly recorded making racist comments about New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, who is Sikh American.



Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino allegedly made multiple controversial remarks in a Jan. 16 conversation that took place after Murphy was inaugurated as governor, the recordings of which were obtained by WNYC.



In the recording, Saudino was discussing whether Murphy had made any appointments from Bergen County, according to WNYC. When an undersheriff in the room remarked that Grewal is from Bergen County, Saudino purportedly replied, "He didn't do that because of Bergen County. He did that because of the turban."



Grewal wears the turban due to his religious beliefs.



Saudino also purportedly said in the recordings that when the governor spoke about policing issues such as marijuana and better criminal justice reform, he was telling New Jersey residents that they could "do whatever the f--- they want."



"Christ almighty. In other words, let the blacks come in, do whatever the f--- they want, smoke their marijuana, do this, do that, and don't worry about it," Saudino said. "You know, we'll tie the hands of cops."



In another recording, Saudino purports to question whether Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver is gay, asking, "Is she gay? 'Cause she's never been married."



Grewal wrote on Twitter that he has developed a "thick skin" after being "called far worse." But, he described Saudino's apparent comments about the Black community as "wrong, racist and hurtful" and the comment on Oliver as "inappropriate and homophobic."



The source who provided the recordings to WNYC told the public radio station that they took place inside a county office building after he attended Murphy's inauguration. Two undersheriffs were also in the room, according to WNYC.



The governor said in a statement to ABC News that if it is Saudino speaking in the recording, he should resign.



"Without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office," Murphy said in the statement. "If indeed that is Sheriff Saudinos voice on the recording, he must resign."



Grewal also tweeted that he surmised it was Saudino's voice after listening to the recording.



In a statement, Saudino apologized, saying the remarks "are not representative" of who he is and are "in no way consistent with the manner" in which he has conducted his life personally and professionally, according to NJ.com.



"In an effort to repair the damage to the friendships that I have built with these communities I have reached out directly to several respected leaders in the communities I have offended and I have personally offered my apologizes and I have asked for their forgiveness and for their communities' forgiveness," he said.



Saudino did not mention in the statement whether he is going to step down.



A representative for the Bergen County Sheriff's office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.



Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco echoed Murphy's statement, saying that he was "shocked and disappointed to hear these comments" and that he has worked with the sheriff "for years."



"Bergen Countys diversity is our strength and his statements are clearly inconsistent with our values," Tedesco said in a statement to ABC News. "In the best interest of the public, he should step down."



This isn't the first time Grewal, the first Sikh in the country to hold office as attorney general, has dealt with racist comments made publicly.



In July, he was referred to as "turban man" by two conservative talk radio hosts on "The Dennis & Judy Show" on New Jersey 101.5 radio.



Grewal took to Twitter to respond to the radio hosts, saying he told his three daughters to turn off the radio the day they made the remarks.



Saudino, an elected official, is serving his third term, according to his biography on the Bergen County Sheriff's Office website. He became sheriff in 2011, has been working in law enforcement for 41 years, and has lived in Bergen County for 53 years, his biography states.



Bergen County is New Jersey's most populated county, and its sheriff's office is the largest law enforcement agency in the state, with about 600 employees -- all of whom are led by Saudino, according to WNYC. His responsibilities also includes assisting municipal police departments and running the Bergen County Jail, among others, WNYC reported.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Photo taken on Sept. 20, 2018 shows a scene of trial operation of Vietnam's first urban railway in Hanoi, Vietnam. Vietnam's first urban railway, constructed by China Railway Sixth Group Co. Ltd, started its trial operation on Thursday. TO GO WITH Feature: China-constructed urban railway in Vietnam on horizon (Xinhua/Ngo Minh Tien)

HANOI, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's first urban railway, constructed by China Railway Sixth Group Co. Ltd, started its trial operation on Thursday.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong elevated rail line in Vietnam's Hanoi capital is scheduled to run on a pilot basis for three to six months before commercial operation which is expected to start before lunar new year festival (early February 2019).

Urban railway is a new means of transport in Vietnam, transporting a large number of passengers in a convenient and comfortable way, Nguyen Ngoc Dong, Vietnamese deputy minister of transport, said on Thursday when he took part in checking and supervising its trial operation.

The trial operation is a milestone in the urban railway project before the rail line is put into use, he stated.

"I think that technical aspects will be OK. The only issue is management work, how to build up apparatus, master techniques and procedures needed to operate the rail line, and organize transport connections," the deputy minister said.

Hanoi has a big population, so it should develop at least three urban rail lines and more bus routes to link its urban transport systems, he stated.

Vietnam and China are cooperating to implement some programs and projects on railway development and connection.

"China has developed urban railways very quickly," and the country currently has up to 27,000 km of high-speed railway, accounting for nearly one half of the world's total, the deputy minister said while comfortably sitting in an air-conditioned green train to participate in evaluating its trial operation.

From Thursday, 13 four-carriage trains are scheduled to run on a pilot basis transporting passengers for a total distance of more than 13 km through 12 stations in the three districts of Ha Dong, Thanh Xuan and Dong Da in 30 minutes.

Trains run on both directions and they depart at interval of 10 minutes. Each train stops at each station for one minute.

An air-conditioned train, whose length is some 80m, can accommodate up to 1,000 people. Each carriage is some 19m long, 2.8m wide and 3.8m high.

After taking a short ride, the Vietnamese deputy minister got off the train at Van Quan Station, and entered a control room full of computers and technical boards on its walls.

One of the big boards bears a Vietnamese sentence "Diagram of Electricity Supply System for Urban Railway in Hanoi, Vietnam". Another board features buttons, switches and name tags which say "Escalator", "Anti-fire pump" and "Smoke-discharging fan".

Chinese technicians in the room, mostly handsome guys wearing short-sighted glasses, glued their eyes to computer screens, while Dong and Vietnamese reporters listened to presentations about technical issues.

According to Vu Hong Phuong, vice head of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong railway project management unit, the railway's trial operation is of significance because it ensures safe and sound commercial operation to serve people in the next few months.

"We are checking the smooth combination of equipment in the whole system. We are also completing final steps such as decoration and equipment, including stairways, escalators and elevators," Phuong said.

Regarding personnel for the urban railway, a number of Vietnamese people have been sent to China for training, and others have been trained in Vietnam, Phuong said, noting that they will gradually master relevant technologies and techniques to well manage, operate and maintain the whole railway system.

"The trains' average speed is 35 km per hour," although they can run at twice of that speed, he said, noting that the short distance of some 1 km between two adjacent stations make it hard for trains to travel at their maximum speed.

Inside one train on Thursday, many local reporters were busy taking photos, shooting videos, or livestreaming elevated trains and their trial operations. Major Vietnamese media outlets, including Vietnam News Agency and online newspaper VnExpress posted many nice photos and videos about the trains on the move.

Hu Suojin, commercial counselor of the Chinese embassy in Vietnam, said Vietnam's first urban railway, constructed by China Railway Sixth Group Co. Ltd using Chinese ODA and Vietnamese reciprocal capital, will help ease transport pressure in Hanoi, contributing to the r all-round cooperation between the two countries.

In August, during a test run of Cat Linh-Ha Dong rail line, many Vietnamese people were invited to board trains. They were eager to see designated areas for people with mobility disabilities. Seats for the elderly, pregnant women and children are highlighted in yellow color, while steel holders are there to make sure safe positions for standing passengers.

"The train is clean and cool. Unlike roads with traffic lights and frequent congestions below, it runs fairly fast and smoothly. I hope more urban rail routes like this will be built in Hanoi and other localities," Nguyen Anh Duc, an 11th-grade student of Cao Ba Quat High School in Hanoi's Gia Lam district, told Xinhua.

Duc, whose father works as a driver for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project, said he is studying hard to be admitted to the Automobile Technology Faculty of the Hanoi University of Industry.

"I want to develop advanced vehicles for both personal use and mass transport. I do not want people to think that going on roads in Hanoi is a nightmare. I want daily trips are relaxing," the young man boasted, grinning from ear to ear.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  A Howard County farmer is going to federal prison for cheating the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

David Pitz, 36 from Elma, pleaded guilty in April to one count of conversion of property pledged to a farm credit agency. Pitz confessed as part of his plea agreement to getting a $125,000 guaranteed line of credit from the USDA to help get a loan from a local bank. Pitz was required to use any farm-related income to repay that loan. Instead, he admits using $117,020.68 in crop sale proceeds for personal expenses.

Federal officials say after interest and other fees, Pitz owed the bank and the USDA over $177,000.

Pitz is sentenced to 10 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, and must pay restitution.
ROCHESTER, Minn.- Nearly two weeks ago, A John Marshall High Schooler's family saw their home go up in flames.

Today, fellow students at the high school are raising money in a one minute fundraiser.

It's where volunteers run into each classroom asking students and faculty to throw money into a bucket.

That money is going to help their classmate's family get back on their feet.

Mel Sadecki and Suad Mumin organized the fundraiser and say they want to help any way they can.

If it happened to any of us we would want someone to do something for us and like help us out we thought we should help her out in some way, said Mumin.

To donate to the family, Click Here.
MASON CITY, Iowa - Dozens of high school students gathed at the North Iowa Area Community College as they aim to make a difference as members of the United Nations.

The Model U.N. conference was held at the Mus-Norris Conference Center where students collaborated and debated on real-world topics.

Once all members were in agreement, they composed a position paper to send to the state level with hopes of ultimately reaching the United Nations.

One groups main concern is the crisis in Yemen and they are seeking ways to create a positive change in the lives of the impacted citizens there.

"We're talking about the people there - what they're dealing with, and what what they're having to go through, " said Rylee Krowioyz. "There's lots of children that are dying because of diseases that are easily preventable.

""We're creating amendments and stuff, giving some background information on what happened, and we also gave some amendments on ways to possibly fix it," says Wyatt Grady.

Model U.N. is an extra-curricular activity open to all students in participating schools.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  A second sentence is handed out for a North Iowa meth ring.J

Joseph Angel Luna, 28 of Mason City, was arrested on state charges after the search of a Forest City home in December 2017, but those were dismissed to allow him to be prosecuted in federal court alongside Brenda Ruehlow, 38 of Mason City, for conspiring to deliver methamphetamine in the Mason City area from January 2017 to April 2017.

Luna pleaded guilty to conspiracy and distribution of meth. He was sentenced Thursday in Cedar Rapids Federal Court to 10 years in prison and eight years of supervised release.

Ruehlow previously pleaded guilty and received 10 years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
JOICE, Iowa  An early-morning fire that caused significant damage to a Worth County library is being called devastating.

Joice Mayor Mark Thoma called Fridays fire a devastating loss for the small town, saying it was their community cornerstone.



KIMT photo KIMT photo

"The library is the focual point for the city of Joice, you know in small communities it's often the place where community members gather, get information and use the computers," says Thoma.

Crews from five communities battled the blaze at 201 Main St. after it began just before 3 a.m.

The building was engulfed in flames when authorities arrived. Fire departments from Joice, Fertile, Hanlontown, Forest City and Lake Mills were on scene as they dealt with a lack of water.

"You know this just goes to show what north Iowa is all about and southern Minnesota as well is just the response and volunteers and first responders, I can't thank them enough," says Thoma.

While it's unclear how the fire started, we do know the building was undergoing renovations. Thoma says that makes this loss even more disappointing.

"New roof, new windows, new lighting, new insulation, new siding, everything is getting worked on and fixed up as this is one of the focal buildings for the city. This is really a bummer to see this happen at this moment in time," he says.

No one was injured and the fire was contained to the building. Crews later called in an excavator to tear the roof off the building. The library had two roofs, the lower roof had a coat of tar on it which fire crews say would keep burning if they did not expose it and spray it down.

The Worth County Sheriff's Office was also on scene along with Worth County Emergency Management and Alliant Energy.

We will have more on this story as it becomes available.
MASON CITY, Iowa  Cerro Gordo County is suing the owner of Southbridge Mall for unpaid real estate taxes and interest.

County Treasurer Patricia Wright says a civil lawsuit has been filed against Southbridge Mall Realty Holding LLC. It states the real estate taxes due in 2017 and the spring of 2018 for the mall buildings and improvements were not paid.

My office has worked diligently over the past 18 months to collect the real estate taxes on the mall parcels, says Wright. The decision to file a lawsuit against a property owner is not one that my office makes lightly. However, my office has no other avenue to collect the unpaid taxes against the building parcels except through the civil action.

Wright says back taxes on buildings and improvements cannot be made up at the annual tax sale under state law.

According to the lawsuit filed in Cerro Gordo County Civil Court, Southbridge Mall Realty Holding LLC is accused of owing the county $152,776, with interest added on at a rate of 1.5% a month.
President of the KIT for another six years: Professor Holger Hanselka (Photo: Markus Breig, KIT)

Holger Hanselka will head the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) for another six years. Today, the KIT Senate confirmed the unanimous vote of the Supervisory Board with a very large majority. The 56-year-old mechanical engineer has been heading KIT since 2013. In his first term in office, he strategically aligned research, teaching, and innovation, structurally further developed the KIT, and with top-class appointments of internationally renowned scientists and important cooperation partners mapped out the path for the coming years. In his pioneering role and with the support of the federal and state governments, Hanselka in his second term in office intends to take 'The Research University in the Helmholtz Association' to a new level in order to fully exploit the synergies of this institution, which is unique in Germany.

Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek says: "The KIT Senates confirmation of Professor Hanselka deserving another term as President of KIT is a positive signal. With his personality and his outstanding expertise in the higher-education and research landscape, he is an asset for the KIT. I am convinced that the German government and the states of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria that are involved in the KIT will successfully shape the further development of KIT together with him in the coming years."

"I am very pleased that the Senate has confirmed the re-election of Professor Hanselka as President of KIT for another six years. Professor Hanselka will thus be able to continue his outstanding achievements as President of KIT and steer the fortunes of KIT beyond 2019. A decisive topic will be the shaping and completion of the KIT merger. I wish Professor Hanselka continued success in his manifold tasks," points out Minister of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Wurttemberg Theresia Bauer.

Chairperson of the Supervisory Board Professor Renate Schubert emphasizes: "The Supervisory Board unanimously re-elected Professor Holger Hanselka as President of the KIT. During his first term in office, Holger Hanselka has steered the KIT in the right strategic direction and further merged it into one unit. The very good results in the first hurdle of the Excellence Strategy, and the outstanding ratings in the program-oriented funding of the Helmholtz Association are proof of this. Professor Hanselka is the personality who will continue to successfully position KIT nationally and internationally. We look forward to further cooperation!"

The Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, Professor Renate Schubert, with the

President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka (photo: Markus Breig, KIT).

"I would like to thank the Supervisory Board and the KIT Senate for their trust," says KIT President Professor Holger Hanselka and adds: "I would also like to thank my colleagues from the Presidential Committee as well as from science and administration. For me, the re-election is confirmation that we are on the right track together. By joining forces, we will successfully further develop KIT as 'The Research University in the Helmholtz Association' over the next few years."

Hanselka's goal for the coming term in office is to work together with the federal and state governments to increase KIT's opportunities to use the funds made available for science in a targeted manner. An important objective is the consistent possibility of involving all scientists in program-oriented research in the Helmholtz Association. In teaching, the flexible integration of all scientists under the same framework conditions is intended to create excellent conditions of mentoring and supervision for students compared to the rest of Germany. All in all, KIT's innovative strength can thus be strengthened for the benefit of society. "With the support of politicians at federal and state level, I want to use the pioneering role of KIT even more to create a unique environment for research, teaching, and innovation," emphasizes President Hanselka.

Current Successes in Research, Teaching, and Innovation

With four cluster proposals, KIT is currently in the final round of the Excellence Strategy. In the program-oriented funding of the Helmholtz Association, more than 100 international experts have given the KIT excellent marks. KIT also regularly receives good results in rankings: In the most recent NTU ranking, which is an international ranking of the National Taiwan University (NTU) based on publication data, the KIT was ranked best German university in the natural and engineering sciences Link. In the current Shanghai ranking, KIT achieved top results and was among the 100 best universities in the world in 13 subjects Link.

In the founding radar of the Stifterverband, KIT currently ranks second among German universities. Strategic partnerships, among others with global companies such as ZEISS and Bosch, ensure that research results quickly lead to marketable products in order to advance society's major projects such as the energy revolution. For example, KIT coordinates the Copernicus project ENSURE of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in order to develop and test efficient and forward-looking structures for central and decentralized energy supply together with partners from industry to identify scenarios for future energy supply. With a current third-party funding ratio of almost 40 percent of the annual budget of 900 million euros, the KIT is very successful in attracting third-party funding from the public sector and from industry.

KIT was able to successfully recruit nine new tenure-track professorships in the federal-state program for the promotion of young researchers. Programs such as the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship or the Helmholtz Recruitment Initiative have brought renowned scientists from abroad to Karlsruhe in recent years. Today, more than 1000 foreign scientists research and teach at KIT.

About Professor Holger Hanselka:



Professor Holger Hanselka was born in 1961. He studied mechanical engineering at Clausthal University of Technology. In 1988, he joined the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as a research assistant, specializing in lightweight construction and fiber composites. After a professorship at Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg, he was appointed Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability and Head of the Institute for System Reliability and Machine Acoustics at TU Darmstadt in 2001. From 2006 to 2012, Hanselka was a member of the Presidential Council of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft and held the office of Vice President of TU Darmstadt from 2010 until he moved to Karlsruhe. Professor Hanselka is an expert in knowledge and technology transfer, in cooperation between science and industry, and in company spin-offs. In 2000, he was awarded the Science Prize of the Stifterverband for a BMBF lead project.

Holger Hanselka is a member of the German Academy of Engineering Sciences acatech. As Vice President, he heads the Energy Research Division of the Helmholtz Association. He is member of the steering committee of the Learning Systems Platform of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and is Vice President of the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF).

Hanselka's first term as President of KIT ends on September 30, 2019. Due to his re-election, he will head the Karlsruhe research institution through September 30, 2025.

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,600 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 23,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is getting very, very close to having to move forward on its trade deal with Mexico without Canada, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday.

There is just over a week to go before a U.S.-imposed Oct. 1 deadline to publish the text of a deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the United States and Canada have still not agreed on terms, Hassett told Fox News Channel.

Were still talking to Canada, and were getting very, very close to the deadline where were going to have to move ahead with Mexico all by themselves, said Hassett, who chairs the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Washington reached a bilateral trade deal with Mexico in late August and is threatening to exclude Canada if need be.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland left Washington on Thursday after two days of inconclusive talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Asked for a reaction to Hassetts comments, a Freeland spokesman pointed to her repeated comments that Canada will not be driven by a deadline but by reaching a good deal.

Investor concerns over the future of the 1994 pact, which underscores $1.2 trillion in annual trade, have regularly hurt stock markets in all three countries, whose economies are highly integrated.

A senior White House official on Friday said he hoped Canada would agree to join the U.S.-Mexico trade deal by the end of the month, adding he thought U.S. lawmakers would support a bilateral deal with Mexico if that did not happen.

But Canada says it does not believe U.S. President Trump has the power to unilaterally turn NAFTA into a two-nation agreement. U.S. business groups and some senior Democrats say NAFTA must be preserved as a trilateral grouping.

Access to Canadas dairy market, trade dispute settlement panels and U.S. demands for the ability to impose auto tariffs on its northern neighbor remain sticking points.

Im a little surprised that the Canadians havent signed up yet, Hassett said.

I worry that politics in Canada is trumping common sense because theres a very good deal that was designed by Mexico and the U.S. to appeal to Canada. And theyre not signing up and its got everybody over here a little bit puzzled.

Freeland and Lighthizer are due in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, but it was unclear if they would meet.
* Industry faces shortage of specialised workers* Only about 30 students enrolled in mining engineering in 2018

* Women account for 16 percent of Australian mining workforce

* Mining has lowest percentage of women of any Australian industry

By Melanie Burton

MELBOURNE, Sept 21 (Reuters) - When the song "Eagle Rock" played at a bar in an outback Australian mining town of Kalgoorlie late one night, a dozen young men scattered around a pool table dropped their trousers and heartily sang along in their underwear.

Later that night, they piled behind the counter of the bar attached to the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM), singing an anthem that began, "We are engineers," and finished with an obscene description of how they treat women.

The scenes, in the background of an industry conference, cut against a hard reality the sector faces: a dearth of skilled applicants, and a workforce hurting for diversity and struggling to hire women.

"If we could attract more women, it could go a long way to helping any future skills shortage," said Paul Cooper, regional chief executive of mining for recruiting company Sodexo, which is a key supplier to the industry and whose workforce is almost half women.

Without change, the outlook is grim. Enrolments in mining engineering courses across Australia have fallen to roughly 30 this year from more than 250 during the last boom a half decade ago. "We've solved crazier problems than this. This is seriously not hard if people have the will," said Sam Retallack, head of hiring at miner Independence Group .

It will require a "big philosophical shift," but miners must offer more flexible working conditions to attract the next generation of workers, she said.

The conversation is echoing around the industry. A WASM director, just hours before the carousing in Kalgoorlie, had delivered a pointed address about how the industry must change its testosterone-charged reputation.

"Mining has a dirty image," mining engineer Sabina Shugg of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mining Innovation Hub told a packed hall. "You can have a lot of talk about intent, but really it's all about outcomes."

Curtin University, of which WASM is a part, said it promotes equality and diversity, and actively works to enhance opportunities for women, particularly in mining.

Curtin said that it did not organise the event, did not receive any complaints and could not verify the reported behaviour.

"Curtin is very disappointed to receive this report of disrespectful behaviour," it said in a statement.

HIRING DIFFICULTIES

Even top global miner BHP Billiton, which has set an "ambitious, aspirational goal" of achieving gender balance globally by 2025, fell short of its yearly target, raising the proportion of female employees by 1.9 percent to 22.4 percent. In senior management positions, however, the proportion of women slipped by 1 percentage point.

"These results show we are making progress, although we did not achieve the 3 percent annual growth to which we aspire," BHP said in its annual report on Tuesday.

Large-scale layoffs after commodity busts in recent years and an environmentally challenged image have also harmed mining's reputation among potential hires, industry sources said.

Yet miners are hiring, with a big uptick in exploration investment. The industry spent A$547 million ($391.76 million) in the three months ending in June, an increase of 6.8 percent over the previous quarter and a jump of 28.9 percent for the year, according to Australia's Bureau of Statistics.

MARKETING IMAGERY

Part of the issue is the industry's marketing, which appeals to masculine stereotypes, said Gabriela Love, a mining engineer at ASX-listed Newcrest and chairwoman of Women in Mining and Resources Victoria.

"Mining is marketed as dirty and dull. You think of BHP and its ads are all trucks and high-vis gear; that's painting the industry in a certain way," she said. "But now we're in a digital age, with robotics, big data, high tech. Mining is all of that."

BHP declined to comment about its marketing.

Mining is the most male dominated-industry in Australia, with women making up 16 percent of the sector's national workforce for the past decade, according to government data on Friday.

"The sector faces an ongoing challenge to attract and retain the substantial number of additional women required to boost diversity and take advantage of a significant untapped workforce," the Department of Industry said in a report.

Women can feel isolated in the industry and less inclined to speak up, which undermines the benefits of diversity, Love said.

"When you're walking round the mess hall, it's a sea of men," she said.

Highly specialised positions that require workers to travel to a remote location for "fly in, fly out" work can be more difficult for parents in particular.

One geotechnical engineer, among the most sought-after specialisations, was laid off from a mining major last year as she prepared to return from maternity leave.

During her pregnancy, her manager had told her that if he gave her flexible working conditions, he'd have to give them to everyone.

"I was a senior engineer wanting to stay involved in the industry. When I needed the support, I found myself out of a job. I felt disillusioned with the industry and the company."

Offering the option to work remotely or on secondment in consulting from a big city would benefit workers and the company, she said.

To be sure, incremental changes at majors Rio Tinto and BHP are rippling through the industry, particularly after the companies set up remote work centres in Perth so fewer employees needed to be at mine sites.

Among other measures, Rio has also introduced a global paid parental leave standard, while BHP is moving to replace heavy physical labour with robots, and is working with suppliers to redesign equipment so it is more ergonomic for women.

"I think that the industry has a reputation that may not be well deserved in today's world," BHP's chief technology officer, Diane Jurgens, told Reuters.

"I think it's a lot to do with the perceptions of the industry. We need to change that," she said.

($1 = 1.3963 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Gerry Doyle)

+613 9286 1421; Reuters Messaging: melanie.burton.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Conservative candidates sounded alarms to their evangelical supporters on Friday about voter complacency that could allow a Democratic takeover of Congress and an undermining of President Donald Trumps agenda.

The admonition at the annual Value Voters Summit gathering in Washington came as some Republican strategists caution the partys voters are not worried enough about the risk that Democrats could gain control of Congress in the Nov. 6 elections, when a third of the Senate and all House of Representatives seats are up for a vote.

This is the most important midterm of our lifetime because its setting the direction of our country, and weve got to take it just that seriously over these next six and a half weeks, said Mark Harris, a Republican running for a U.S. House seat in North Carolina that is considered highly competitive.

During a panel about the elections, Harris and others asked for more help from activists.

Weve got to get out there and work very hard to stop this destructive anti-freedom agenda, said Mark Green, a Republican candidate for Congress in Tennessee.

The concerns echo those of Republican strategists who say they are seeing complacency across the country. Democrats are currently favored to take the House and have growing confidence of adding the two Senate seats that would give them control of that chamber.

They dont seem to grasp what is at stake, and they dont seem to believe the polls, strategist Ford OConnell said of Republican voters.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, disagreed, saying he felt voters were starting to sense the gravity of the situation.

Theyre beginning to see the numbers that this is a risk  look at the polling numbers, Congress is not in held in high esteem, said Perkins, whose group advocates for conservative social issues and organized the event.

Republicans are touting the strong U.S. economy and tax cuts passed by Congress in December, while Democrats are hoping anger at Trump, particularly among women and minority voters, will hand them victory.

Several attendees at the gathering seemed unconvinced that Democrats present a significant electoral threat.

Republicans are going to come out pretty good, said Jim Whitefield, 54, of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, who called polls and news reports that Democrats could win the House fake news.

David Smith, 49, a Christian minister from Chicago, Illinois, who attended the summit with his seven children, said conservatives risked getting complacent after winning political power but activists were working to make voters more engaged.

Im optimistic from what Im hearing that the blue wave may be overstated, he said.
People stage a performance during a grand gathering held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region at Helan Mountain Stadium in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

YINCHUAN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Thursday congratulated Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on its remarkable achievements over the past six decades and wished the region a bright prospect of development.

He made the remarks when addressing a grand gathering in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the region's founding.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), led a central delegation to attend festivities marking the anniversary.

He said Ningxia, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, had achieved giant leaps in economic development, great improvement of people's living standard, and harmony and stability in the society over the past 60 years.

He called for further efforts to realize economic prosperity, ethnic unity, beautiful environment and a wealthy life enjoyed by people in the region, so that Ningxia will step into a comprehensive moderately prosperous society together with the rest of the country.

Wang stressed that Ningxia should always uphold the leadership of the CPC and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and be committed to the cause of national reunification and ethnic equality.

The region should also uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, keep working for common prosperity and development through joint efforts of all ethnic groups, and insist on law-based governance, he said.

At the gathering of some 21,000 people from all walks of life who represent all ethnic groups in Ningxia, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan read a congratulatory message by the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the CPPCC National Committee, and the Central Military Commission.

Jubilant spectators waving mini Chinese national flags filled a stadium where the gathering was held. The celebration included parades with floats adorned with huge "1958-2018" banners and slogans, as well as performances representing progress made across the region, once known for its large impoverished population living in the inhospitable environment.

The regional economy, measured by GDP, has expanded from 328 million yuan in 1958 to over 345 billion yuan (52 billion U.S. dollars) last year. The poverty rate was cut from more than 70 percent to six percent.

"We are living in a good time," said Zhao Naixiang, a resident of Jinfeng district of Yinchuan.

Zhao said the roads in her neighborhood used to be full of holes and lacked street lamps 15 years ago. "Now the environment has been improved with more trees and recreational facilities, just like a park. Every family uses clean natural gas to cook and many own cars," she said.

Residents in Zhao's neighborhood are from more than 10 ethnic groups including Hui, Han and Manchu ethnic groups. "We celebrate each other's festivals and share food and joy together on these occasions. We are like a big family," Zhao said.
(Kitco News) - The gold market is off its daily lows but remains under pressure following preliminary mixed manufacturing and service sector sentiment data.

Friday, research firm IHS Markit said in its latest flash U.S. manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index for September dropped to a reading of 52.9 compared to Augusts reading of 54.7. Consensus forecasts showed economists were forecasting a reading around 55.1.

The report noted that sentiment in the manufacturing sector is at an 18-month low.

At the same time, the firms service sector PMI reading was stronger than expected, showing a reading of 55.6, up compared to Augusts reading of 54.8. Economists were projecting the index to remain relatively unchanged at 54.9.

Sentiment in the service sector is at its highest level in 4 months.

The firm's composite output index dropped to a reading of 53.4, down from August's level of 54.7. its lowest level in 17 months.

Any monthly reading above 50 points to an expanding sector, while anything below that shows contraction in activity.

The gold market has been ignoring recent economic data, taking its cues from U.S. dollar flows. The market has seen little reaction to the latest report. December gold futures last traded at 1,199.20 an ounce, down 1% on the day.

The report noted that some of the weakness in manufacturing sector could be weather related as some companies shutdown production ahead Hurricane Florence, which hit the U.S. last week.

With storms hitting the east coast, it was no surprise to see some disappointing survey data in September, with the flash PMI indicating that the pace of economic growth slipped to its lowest for almost one-and-a-half years, said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit. However, business activity remained encouragingly resilient during the month, commensurate with third-quarter GDP growing at an annualised rate approaching 3%.

In further headwinds for the U.S. economy, many business were concerned about the U.S. governments escalated trade war with China.

The escalation of trade wars, and the accompanying rise in prices, contributed to a darkening of the outlook, with business expectations for the year ahead dropping sharply during the month, said Williamson. While business activity may rebound after the storms, the drop in optimism suggests the longer-term outlook has deteriorated, at least in the sense that growth may have peaked.
ROME (Reuters) - Italys coalition made up of the far-right League party and the 5-Star Movement is on the right path towards drawing up the 2019 budget, the minister for relations with parliament said on Friday. Riccardo Fraccaro, a member of 5-Star, spoke after leaving the office of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte after a meeting called by Conte to discuss the budget with his top ministers. Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte, writing by Giselda Vagnoni

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
LONDON/ULAANBAATAR, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The Mongolian government broke laws during a controversial attempt to seize full control over the Erdenet copper mine, a local court said on Thursday, the latest ruling in a long-running ownership dispute over one of Asia's biggest deposits.

The Mongolian Copper Corporation (MCC) has been fighting for more than a year to stave off the government's attempt to gain control of the lucrative Erdenet mine by forcibly taking over the company's 49 percent holding for about $400 million.

The case was seen as another example of the risks of doing business in Mongolia, which has struggled to make the most of its massive reserves of coal, copper, uranium and gold amid disputes with investors and wider political concerns about how much foreign ownership should be allowed in its "strategic" mining projects.

The court said in a brief statement on Thursday that laws were broken during the attempt to implement a parliamentary resolution to take over MCC's stake in the project.

Further details of the ruling will be released within two weeks, a court spokesman told Reuters.

MCC said in a separate statement on Thursday that the latest ruling shows that Mongolia's nationalisation bid was illegal. It added that the Mongolian government must now respect the decision.

"The government needs to respect the rule of law and abide by this judgment," said Tsooj Purevtuvshin, MCC's chief executive, in an emailed statement to Reuters.

"The government talks a lot about making Mongolia a good place to invest; it is time they start respecting the rights of private businesses."

The legal fight has been watched closely by international investors hoping that Mongolia's massive copper potential can help meet increasing demand from the growing electric vehicle and power transmission sectors. Before this week's ruling, MCC said it was considering taking the case to international arbitration to protect its stake in the mine. Launched as a joint venture between Mongolia and the Soviet Union in 1978, Erdenet is one of the region's largest copper mines, producing about 530,000 tonnes of concentrate a year.

MCC purchased Russia's stake in the mine in 2016 with the approval of then-Prime Minister Chimed Saikhanbileg, though Mongolia's parliament said it never endorsed the sale.



(Reporting by Barbara Lewis and Munkhchimeg Davaasharav; Editing by David Stanway and Christian Schmollinger)

Reuters Messaging: barbara.hm.lewis.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
PRETORIA, Sept 21 (Reuters) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a raft of policy reform plans on Friday, including re-prioritising 50 billion rand ($3.51 billion) of public spending to boost economic growth and create jobs.

Ramaphosa fell short of announcing a stimulus package, saying there was no room to increase spending or borrowing.

"We have to resort to re-prioritising our budget and our spending," Ramaphosa said in Pretoria.

Africa's most industrialised economy entered recession in the second quarter for the first time since 2009, in a blow to Ramaphosa's pledge to turnaround the economy after a decade of stagnation.

($1 = 14.2354 rand)

(Reporting Olivia Kumwenda Mtambo and Nomvelo Chalimbura

Writing by Mfuneko Toyana Editing by James Macharia and Joe Brock)

Messaging: mfuneko.toyana.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday cast doubt on the woman who has accused his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, saying if the attack was as bad as she says it would have been immediately reported to police.

After days of restrained comments on the allegations by California professor Christine Blasey Ford, Trump took to Twitter to question her account of what happened between her and Kavanaugh at a party in 1982 when they were in high school.

The tweets came as a U.S. Senate committee was struggling with what to do about Kavanaugh, with Democrats demanding more scrutiny of him and Republicans trying to move ahead with a vote on his nomination in an increasingly volatile political climate.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had delayed a vote on Kavanaughs confirmation after Fords allegations emerged last week. Fords lawyers and committee staff were negotiating how she would testify.

Kavanaugh cannot be confirmed for a lifetime appointment to the nations highest court without approval from the Senate.

For Trump, approval of Kavanaugh would cement conservative control of the Supreme Court and advance a White House effort to tilt the American judiciary more to the right.

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents, Trump said. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay, Trump wrote, appearing to grow impatient with the appointees confirmation proceedings.

Ford told the Republican-led Judiciary panel that she would be willing to testify later next week. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley gave her until 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) on Friday to submit prepared testimony if she planned to appear at a hearing planned for Monday. He has said he offered a private hearing and other options for her to testify.

On Friday, it remained unclear how the hearing would proceed on Kavanaugh.

Democrats, who opposed the conservative federal appeals court judge even before Ford made her allegation, have accused Republicans of rushing the nomination before the Nov. 6 congressional elections. Trump and other Republicans, cautious of alienating women, have treated Ford carefully while calling for a quick vote.

CHANGE OF TONE

Trumps Friday tweets contrasted to comments earlier in the week when he said he Ford should be heard, even if it meant a delay in the confirmation process. At a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday night he had told supporters, Well let it play out, and I think everything is going to be just fine.

Ford has said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982 when both were high school students in Maryland. Kavanaugh has denied the allegation and pledged to testify at Mondays hearing.

Fords lawyers and committee staff spoke by phone on Thursday night, a panel spokesman said without giving details. A person familiar with the call said Ford could testify by next Thursday.

The telephone discussion ended with no decision, according to media reports. The reports also said Fords lawyers wanted Kavanaugh to appear separately first and that she wanted to be questioned by senators, not outside counsel.

Fords legal team has said she strongly prefers that her allegations are fully investigated before she testifies.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, who has encouraged Ford to be heard, said on CNN on Friday that Fords requests were a laundry list of demands.

The Senate panel must approve Kavanaughs confirmation before a full vote by the Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. Kavanaughs confirmation would be the second of the Trump administration and solidify conservative control of the nations top court.

Fords team has sought guarantees of her safety because of death threats. Kavanaugh and his wife also had received threats, a senior White House official said.

Supporters of Kavanaugh have also rallied behind him, while people backing Ford protested in Congress on Thursday.

Fords family has also moved to publicly defend her, including an open letter on Twitter.

Im sure shes preparing mentally to embrace her truth and kind of get past the things that have made her feel like she has to hide it and be silent, her sister-in-law Deborah Ford Peters told ABCs Good Morning America.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

In Beijing, the Chinese government expressed anger and demanded the sanctions be withdrawn.

The U.S. State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD), the military branch responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms exporter.

The sanctions are related to Chinas purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.

They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating in the U.S. financial system.

It also adds them to the Treasury Departments list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.

The U.S. also blacklisted another 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known as the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.

CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syrias civil war.

China expresses strong indignation at these unreasonable actions by the U.S. side and has already lodged stern representations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters in Beijing, adding the moved seriously harmed bilateral relations and military ties.

We strongly urge the U.S. side to immediately correct the mistake and rescind the so-called sanctions, otherwise the U.S. side will necessarily bear responsibility for the consequences, he said, without giving details.

China has normal military exchanges and cooperation with Russia, aimed at protecting regional peace and stability, which is not against international law or aimed at any third party, Geng added.

China will continue to work with Russia to promote strategic cooperation at an even higher level, he said.

Doing significant business with anyone on the U.S. blacklist can trigger sanctions like those imposed on China.

Some of those added to the list, which now contains 72 names, were indicted in connection with Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, a U.S. official said.

President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order intended to facilitate implementation of the sanctions.

A federal special counsel is leading a criminal investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election, and any possible cooperation with Trumps presidential campaign.

Trump has insisted there was no collusion with Russia. Moscow denies any effort to meddle in U.S. politics.

AIMED AT MOSCOW - OR BEIJING?

One U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.

The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia. CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country, the official told reporters on a conference call.

They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities, the official said.

In Moscow, Russian member of parliament Franz Klintsevich said the sanctions would not affect the S-400 and SU-35 deals.

I am sure that these contracts will be executed in line with the schedule, Klintsevich was quoted as saying by Russias Interfax news agency. The possession of this military equipment is very important for China.

Security analysts in Asia said the move was largely symbolic and would only push Moscow and Beijing closer together.

The imposition of U.S. sanctions will have zero impact on Russian arms sales to China, said Ian Storey, of Singapores ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

Both countries are opposed to what they see as U.S. bullying and these kind of actions will just push Beijing and Moscow even closer together, he said, adding that Moscow needed Chinese money and Beijing wanted advanced military technology.

Collin Koh, a security analyst at Singapores S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the sanctions would do little to counter the evolving research and development relationship between China and Russia.

China relies less on large big-ticket purchases from Russia, but Chinese defense industries are seeking expertise from Russia and former-Soviet states to plug knowledge gaps, he said.

The Trump administration is pursuing strategies to clamp down on China and faces growing pressure to respond strongly to U.S. intelligence agency reports that Russia is continuing to meddle in U.S. politics.

Members of Congress, including many of Trumps fellow Republicans, who passed the sanctions bill nearly unanimously, have repeatedly called on the administration to take a harder line against Moscow.

Administration officials said they hoped the action against EDD would send a message to others considering buying the S-400.

U.S. officials have been discussing the issue particularly with NATO ally Turkey, which wants to buy the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries.

Washington has expressed concern that Turkeys planned deployment of the S-400s could pose a risk to the security of some U.S.-made weapons and other technology used by Turkey, including the F-35 fighter jet.

U.S. officials have warned that Turkeys purchase of the system could contravene CAATSA.

We hope that at least this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors, another U.S. official said.
Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng (2nd L) and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean (2nd R) attend the signing ceremony of bilateral cooperation documents in Singapore, Sept. 20, 2018. Han and Teo on Thursday co-chaired the 14th China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation Meeting, the 19th China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council Meeting, the 10th China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council Meeting, and the second China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Joint Steering Council Meeting. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

SINGAPORE, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China and Singapore on Thursday set priorities for future cooperation and agreed to promote cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The pledge came out of a series of high-level cooperative meetings co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean in the island city-state.

The meetings include the 14th China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation Meeting, the 19th China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council Meeting, the 10th China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council Meeting, and the Second China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Joint Steering Council Meeting.

The meetings reviewed the implementation of consensus reached by the leaderships of the two countries and the process of bilateral cooperation in several areas.

Both sides had in-depth discussions on issues such as the Belt and Road construction, economic transition, financial cooperation, cultural exchanges, and inclusive and sustainable development, setting priorities for future cooperation.

Both sides hailed the new progress on exploring high-level opening up and innovation and promoting green and sustainable development and connectivity in the three major cooperative projects, namely the Suzhou Industrial Park, the Tianjin Eco-City and the Chongqing Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, reaffirming both governments' support for the three projects and the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City.

Both agreed that the Belt and Road cooperation has brought great opportunities to the development of China-Singapore ties, calling for efforts to enhance top-down planning and speed up Belt and Road cooperation from a strategic height and long-term perspective.

Both sides also called for better connectivity, financial support and third-party cooperation, pledging to make the construction of China-Singapore land and maritime corridor and third-party cooperation as new highlights of bilateral cooperation.

The two countries announced the launching of negotiations of Treaty on Criminal Judicial Assistance so as to provide legal assurance to the Belt and Road cooperation.

After the meetings, Han and Teo attended the signing ceremony of agreements on innovation, experience sharing, personnel training and culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Han arrived in Singapore on Wednesday for a three-day visit. He is scheduled to meet Singaporean President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong respectively on Friday.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Cloudy with heavy rain developing this afternoon. High around 60F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Rain ending this evening. Partial clearing overnight. Low 38F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Kim Jong-un meets Moon Jae-in on Sept. 18.

On Wednesday, Kim Jong-un, the top leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), and Moon Jae-in, President of South Korea, signed an agreement following their second round of talks in Pyongyang, DPRK.

The United States congratulated the two leaders on the successful outcome of their summit meeting. US President Donald Trump has said that he would like to meetwants another meeting with DPRK leader Kim Jong-un Un soon and Mike Pompeo, Trumpshis secretary of state, issued a statement saying that the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform US-DPRK relations.

At a regular press conference on Thursday, a reporter asked the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to comment on the recent developments.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang responded by quoting State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who said that China firmly supports and warmly congratulates the leaders of the DPRK and South Korea on the signing of the Pyongyang Joint Declaration of September 2018.

Geng said that China has taken note of the US sides positive evaluation of the summit meeting and the positive remarks regarding talks between the DPRK and the US, adding that China supports and looks forward to the efforts by the DPRK and the US to step up contact and negotiations, accommodate each other's legitimate concerns, enhance mutual trust, implement the consensus reached at the DPRK-US summit, and make new progress in the denuclearization of the Peninsula and the political settlement process.

China has always believed that constructive and sincere dialogue between the leaders of the United States and the DPRK holds the key to resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

In a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping in March, made at the request of the US side, Trump admitted that a high-level meeting between his country and the DPRK is good for all parties and acknowledged that dialogue with the DPRK is the right path.

US President Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un signed a historic agreement committing to work together to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula at the end of their summit in Singapore on June 12, a substantial step toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and its political settlement.

According to recent reports citing the president of South Korea, Kim Jong-un, the top leader of the DPRK, wants a second summit with the US president to happen soon to speed up the denuclearization process. The White House has previously said that it is open to the idea.

Regarding the possibility of a second DPRK-US summit, Geng said at a previous regular press conference that China is glad to see positive interactions between the DPRK and the US. It serves the common interests of all relevant parties, including the DPRK and the US, and meets the expectations of the international community to sustain the momentum of dialogue and detente and move forward peace talks.
Moe Nyo's "Poetic Poem Series, 1" / Courtesy of Hansae Yes 24 Foundation



By Jin Yu-Young



In the wealthy West, loneliness is prevalent. But in Myanmar, one of the poorest countries in the world, there is no place for loneliness, the annual cultural exchange exhibition hosted by Hansae Yes24 Foundation finds.



Since 2015, the foundation has hosted annual international cultural exchange exhibitions to promote the art and culture of Asian countries and introduce them to South Korea. This year it focused on Myanmar in its latest exhibition "An Aspect of Myanmar," which showcases the works of eight artists who have created pieces to represent the country's people and history.



Before this year's exhibition, the foundation showcased Vietnam in 2015, followed by Indonesia and Thailand in subsequent years.



Sim Sang-yong, the director of this year's exhibition, says loneliness is prevalent in the Western world.



"The West has discarded values such as the ability to act with a sense of resolve as well as dedication and spirit of self-sacrifice for the sake of liberty," he says in his introductory statement. On the other hand, in Myanmar, a country in which 85 percent of the population relies on farming as their primary source of income and is considered one of the world's least developed countries, loneliness has no place in its rich and dynamic culture.



One of the artists featured is Moe Nyo, who was born in 1976 and began his career in 2003. Five of his paintings are featured in the "Poetic Poem Series."



A Buddhist temple is the main subject of interest in all five works. His muted watercolors evoke an aura of serenity and his images put viewers in a meditative state.



In a world that places heavy emphasis on materialism and wealth, Moe Nyo shows us the tranquil beauty of a place in which these worldly desires do not exist.



Another artist in this exhibition is San Minn, who, born in 1957, is one of the founders of the Inya Gallery of Art. San Minn boldly expresses the darker sides of the country, such as gender inequality and the abuse of child soldiers, in his works, some of which were banned by the government and even led to his imprisonment in the late 1970s.



One of his paintings in the exhibition depicts a group of women in a flowered background. All appears well, except for a set of prison bars blocking the women from leaving the room. The painting is titled "They Lived in Prison."



In another work, "The Devils," San Minn paints soldiers with the faces of fantastic monsters. It is through these powerful paintings that he pushes the boundaries of what is deemed as appropriate as art subjects.



The other artists featured in this exhibition are Min Wae Aung, Lu Min, Tin Win, Aung Myint, Moat Thone, and Tin Htay Aung. By displaying the diverse works of these artists, we are able to gain eight perspectives and creative representations of Myanmar.



As the Hansae Yes24 Foundation strives in particular to highlight the artistic works of countries that are commonly overlooked by the more prominent art industries, such as those of the U.S. and European countries, it has successfully put Myanmar in the spotlight as a country with a rich art culture.



Jin Yu-young is a Korea Times intern.






By Dong Sun-hwa







K-pop titan BTS will make a three-minute speech supporting UNICEF's fresh youth agenda, "Generation Unlimited," on Sept. 24 at the Trusteeship Council Chamber of the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The team also will stage a gig.







It is the first time that a K-pop group has spoken at the U.N. headquarters.







South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will participate in the BTS event.







"Generation Unlimited" is a global partnership to create opportunities and boost investments for children and those aged between 10 and 24.







BTS also has been involved in the "LOVE MYSELF" project, which had raised 1 billion won ($891,000) as of June 2018. It was reported that the money would go to UNICEF for a campaign to eradicate violence against children around the world over two years.







The group is on a world tour after releasing its latest album "LOVE YOURSELF  'Answer'" on Aug. 24.


Joo Jae-sung, fifth from right, head of NongHyup Bank's digital finance, and Andrey Makarov, fifth from left, director of Gazprombank, pose for a photo with others from the Korean and Russian banks at NongHyup Bank headquarters in Seoul, Thursday. The two banks and their partners held a conference to discuss ways to cooperate in financial technology. Courtesy of NongHyup Bank
Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation Kim Hyun-mee speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex in Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap



By Nam Hyun-woo



The government will establish four to five new satellite towns around Seoul to cool down the overheated real estate market in the capital Seoul by supplying more homes, the land minister said Friday.



Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation Kim Hyun-mee said at a press conference that the government will supply land for 300,000 public homes in the capital area and start supplying them from 2021.



Of the total, 200,000 will be located in the four to five new towns which will be established in between Seoul and the existing satellite cities of Ilsan and Bundang in Gyeonggi Province, according to the plan.



"The real estate market in Seoul and some other areas have been oddly overheated recently, due to excessive concerns over a supply shortage and people's difficulties in buying their own house," Kim said.



"To prevent these, it is important for the government to suggest a vision that it will continue to provide affordable and quality homes to meet the real demand in the market, and make the home supply and demand chain stable."



According to the plan, each new town will be located on 3.3 square-kilometers. The government will finalize these by the first half of next year.



For the remaining 100,000, the government selected 17 sites for 10,000 homes in Seoul and 25,000 homes in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province.



Also, Kim said the government will supply 65,000 homes by allowing building on idling lands in the metropolitan area.



Drawing keen attention were the locations of new housing sites in Seoul.



In the plan, the government selected 11 sites in Seoul, including a former detention center site in Songpa-gu, eastern Seoul, and an old residential town in Gaepo-dong, southern Seoul. The remaining nine sites will be later disclosed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG).



Also newly selected were five sites in Gwangmyeong, Uiwang, Seongnam, Siheung and Uijeongbu, all in Gyeonggi Province, covering 17,160 homes and Geomam in Incheon covering 7,800 homes.



In selecting the Seoul sites, there has been tension between the metropolitan government, which expressed its opposition to the unlocking of greenbelt areas in the capital, and the central government, which is leaning toward tapping into the preserved areas.



The new plan did not include greenbelt areas, but Kim said the central government will "continue talks with Seoul over lifting the regulation," adding the ministry has the authority to unlock the areas.



The latest plan is a follow-up to the government's Aug. 27 measure, under which it will select 44 new sites to supply 362,000 homes in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province -- it first unveiled 14 sites that will have 62,000 homes.




State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert speaks during a briefing at the State Department in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Korea Times file



The United States on Thursday dismissed North Korea's conditional offer to dismantle a key nuclear site, saying denuclearization must come before concessions.



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed a willingness in this week's joint summit agreement with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to permanently shut down the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon if the U.S. took "corresponding measures."



Asked if the U.S. was prepared to comply, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. position has not changed.



"I think I'd just go back to what I've said about that very issue before, and that nothing can happen in the absence of denuclearization," she said during a regular press briefing. "Denuclearization has to come first."






United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gestures during a press conference leading into next week's General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 20 September 2018. EPA-Yonhap



Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday that negotiations between the two Koreas won't be successful unless there is simultaneous success in U.S.-North Korean negotiations to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.



The U.N. chief told a news conference that the results of this week's summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "were positive," but progress is also essential between Washington and Pyongyang.



"It is clear for me that there will not be success in inter-Korean negotiations if simultaneously there is not success in the American-North Koreanegotiations to achieve the full and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in the context of regional security," Guterres said.



While the leaders of the two Koreas have been building ties, diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea had gotten nowhere since the historic June summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.



Nonetheless, although Kim didn't commit to give up his arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that pose a threat to the U.S. mainland during this week's summit, he did make an offer that has kick-started new diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and North Korea.





In this Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, file photo, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greet to Pyongyang citizens after watching the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. Joint Press Corps




The moment South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook are greeted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju at Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang on Sept. 18 ahead of their third inter-Korean summit is broadcast live at Seoul Station. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



Seven out of 10 South Koreans expressed support for the outcome of President Moon Jae-in's latest summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a poll showed Friday.



In the survey on 501 adults conducted by pollster Realmeter, 71.6 percent of the respondents are supportive of the results of the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, while 22.1 percent gave a negative assessment.



President Moon visited Pyongyang from Tuesday to Thursday for his third summit with Kim, followed by summit talks in April and May.



Kim agreed to "permanently" dismantle a key missile testing site under the observation of international experts. He also expressed the country's readiness to close its nuclear complex in Yongbyon, depending on corresponding actions by Washington.






(From left) Hip-hop artist Zico, vocalist Ali, magician Choi Hyun-woo and vocalist Ailee, who are members of the South Korean cultural delegation to the third inter-Korean summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, chat while visiting Okryu Children's Hospital in Pyongyang, Sept. 18. Joint Press Corps



Arriving from North Korea where he performed on the sidelines of the historic three-day inter-Korean summit, rapper Zico has said he was impressed by North Korean audiences who musically responded to his hip hop performance.



Zico was part of the cultural delegation accompanying President Moon Jae-in in his visit for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Tuesday through Thursday.



Zico performed his 2017 hit song "Artist," a funky hip hop song filled with witty rap lines, during the dinner party thrown by Kim on the first day, along with his K-pop mates, Ailee and Ali.



Zico quoted First Lady Kim Jung-sook as calling him "the hottest person of the South Korean delegation" as she introduced him to Kim's wife, Ri Sol-ju, at the beginning of the three-day trip.



"I was concerned whether the unfamiliar genre of hip hop would fit the atmosphere," Zico recalled in a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency after his return on Thursday.



"But (the North Korean side) showed a sufficient response to brush off the concerns."





Scene from Zico's "Artist" music video
A foundation stick from French cosmetics giant L'Oreal SA has become a must-have for some after making its Asian debut in China this summer, thanks to a new policy adopted by the Pudong New Area for cosmetics imports that has significantly sped up approval processes.

The Shanghai Pudong New Area launched the new registration policy in March 2017 to greatly shorten waiting times for cosmetic imports approvals. To date, the policy has benefited a total of 1,680 imported items.

"The creative alteration of the import process has saved at least three months for our companies, as imports and sales activities can be undertaken right after registration. In the meantime, all the administration requirements for product safety have not been lowered or changed," said Tu Chunyi, vice-president for product safety, regulatory affairs and claims at L'Oreal Asia.

Shanghai is a center for cosmetic product research and development, manufacturing, sales and consumption in China, but the former approval procedures prolonged the time needed to import such products to China, becoming a bottleneck for Chinese consumers looking for new products, said Shen Jianhua, deputy chief of Pudong Market Supervision Bureau.

As a result, many foreign cosmetic brands failed to get their seasonal makeup products launched in Chinese stores on time, and domestic customers found the products available to them were not in season.

L'Oreal was one of the first companies to benefit from the new policy. According to Tu, up to 200 kinds of cosmetic products under various L'Oreal brands were imported via the new registration policy, enabling Chinese customers to enjoy the products at the same time as their global counterparts.

"The new policy has greatly shortened our products' launch time, allowing us to introduce our latest products to the China market more efficiently," said Tu.

The stick foundation's recent high sales and positive feedback have encouraged L'Oreal to bring more seasonal products to the Chinese mainland for their Asian debut in the future, added Tu.

A total of 237 overseas companies from 32 countries and regions had imported their non-special use cosmetic products through the registration system in Pudong as of end June. The products imported under the new registration policy in 2017 were valued at $28.91 million, and expanded to $73.12 million during the first six months this year, according to Shen.

Following Shanghai's successful trial in makeup imports, the innovative policy will roll out in the nation's other free trade zones in Liaoning, Zhejiang, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Guangdong, Chongqing, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, and Tianjin.

Shanghai contributes 58 percent of China's imported makeup trade volume. More than half of the country's nonspecial use cosmetics receive import approval in Shanghai.
Joon Bai tells the story of his journey back to North Korea, where he was born, during an interview with The Korea Times on Sept 13. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



Korean-American achieves dream of screening his film made in North Korea in the South



By Jung Da-min



Aspects of Joon Bai's life may resonate with many ethnic Koreans living overseas, in the United States in particular. Born in 1937 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province in North Korea, he fled to South Korea during the 1950-1953 Korean War, immigrated to the United States and became a businessman.



Bai, however, stands out in that he has returned to his birthplace to produce and shoot a film. It all began with one day in 1997 while he was driving in San Francisco, California, where he now lives.



"I remember that day so vividly," Joon Bai said in an interview on Sept. 13 at The Korea Times office, Seoul. "I was driving home from work and turned on the radio and they were saying that hundreds of thousands of people died of starvation in North Korea. I just could not shake that story and it would stay with me for days."



That's when Bai began making trips to North Korea.



Since then, he has been doing humanitarian work in the North, including building schools and providing relief goods like soap and agricultural supplies.



"I didn't do humanitarian work with any church organization or other international organizations such as agencies of the United Nations," he said. "It was just one man and I haven't told anybody about it until this moment, not to the media nor to my church members."





Joon Bai, left, during his visit to North Korea as a filmmaker. Bai says he was able to convince North Koreans of the film project after building trust as a friend while doing humanitarian work since the late 1990s, after the country was hit by a great famine called the "Arduous March." Courtesy of Joon Bai



Getting to know the people of the North, it struck him that he wanted to write a story that dealt with the real voices of North Koreans.



"I have gone to the North at least three or four times a year, like 20 to 30 times in the course of nine years from 1997 to 2015," he said. "As I did that, I got to know people there, farmers and children, and I felt such beautiful people had no way to speak their minds, or shout in front of the mountain or cry openly. So I thought somebody must speak for them."



In 2005, Bai wrote a screenplay about a North Korean woman who falls in love with a South Korean soldier and showed it to the director at the Overseas Koreans Aid Commission of the North.



When they met again, the director said he liked the story, and that was the start of seven years of making the film titled "The Other Side of the Mountain."



"I had courage, I knew the North Korean government can go there," he said.



But the first three years were difficult.



At the first reading with North Korea's screenplay association, one North Korean screenwriter, who was supposed to translate what Bai wrote in English and Korean into the North Korean dialect, said she could not imagine a North Korean girl falling in love with a South Korean soldier.





A scene from the movie "The Other Side of the Mountain (2012)." Courtesy of UMFF







"There were tears in her eyes and she was shaking with a red face, saying it cannot be done," Bai said. "I spoke to her all night in a conference room trying to convince her that it can be done, that people can love each other even though they are enemies. Finally, in the morning, she was fine, and as we were coming down the long escalator, she held my hand and said that she could start the work."



There were other hurdles. While North Korean authorities took it as a "golden chance" to show off the country to the outside world, Bai could not allow propaganda messages to be included in the movie.



"There were many times when I said to North Korean staff, 'I'm going to leave tomorrow by plane, I'm not going to get this project done.' I was sitting in my hotel room with nobody to talk to, but then the next day they came and said 'let's go back again,' because they liked the stories too."



The four years of filmmaking was an exciting experience for Bai and the North Korean staff.



"One evening, there were millions of stars in the sky and they were so bright," Bai said. "An actress asked me, 'Do you think someday our brothers and sisters in South Korea will see this film?' So I told her, 'I'm sure someday they'll see it.'"





North Korean actress Kim Hyang-suk during filming. Courtesy Joon Bai



President Moon Jae-in may have helped get the movie screened in South Korea, at the Ulju Mountain Film Festival (UMFF), Bai said.



"I wrote a letter to President Moon about three months ago where I told him how much I wanted this movie to be screened in South Korea, writing a page and a half of my life story and what motivated me to make the film," Bai, now 81, said.



He did not receive a reply from the presidential office. "But a month after I sent the letter, I received a letter from UMFF asking me if I would be interested in showing the film in Ulsan. So I really don't know whether there is a connection there, but that's how it started."



"The Other Side of the Mountain" was filmed in the North Korean mountains by a North Korean director, with North Korean crew and actors.



Bai says he could convince the North Koreans to participate in the film thanks to the trust he built as a longtime friend to them.



The film was completed in 2012 and since 2013, Bai has brought it to many international film festivals, including ones in Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, San Francisco and Chicago.





Crew work on the film. Courtesy of Joon Bai



While it had received media attention in the U.S., showing it at a South Korean film festival had not been possible until this year's UMFF, as it did not receive approval from the Ministry of Unification, with the National Security Law a hurdle.



Bai is still in touch with the North Korean crew and the actors and actresses.



The movie's stars Kim Ryung-min and Kim Hyang-suk married in real life by the time the film was completed and now have a daughter called Jin-ah.



"She is eight years old now and writes letters to me once in a while and tells me how much they miss me," Bai said. "She is my North Korean granddaughter."



The family now lives in Pyongyang.





Jin-ah with her parents Kim Ryung-min and Kim Hyang-suk, who starred in the movie "The Other Side of the Mountain." Courtesy of Joon Bai
North Korea's new United Nations Ambassador Kim Song, left, shakes hands with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the U.N. chief's office in New York. Yonhap



By Jung Da-min



North Korea's new Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song started working Thursday after the three-day inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang ended.



Ambassador Kim met U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the organization's New York headquarters to present his credentials.



Kim told reporters he was ready to "work with the U.N." on international affairs and that he would like to express North Korea's "supreme leader" Kim Jong-un's "warm greetings."






North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a hospital in Pyongyang in this 2014 file photo. North Korea is stepping up its fight against TB and malaria. Yonhap



By Jung Da-min



North Korea has set up an international fund to fight tuberculosis and malaria.



In downtown Pyongyang, the Korea Fund against TB & Malaria (KFTM) is an independent organization working closely with the Ministry of Public Health on TB and malaria control plans, the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Tuesday.



According to the KCNA, the fund aims to provide technical and financial help to public health organizations on TB and malaria control by relying on donations from home and abroad.



North Korea has been suffering from a high incidence and mortality from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. The number of cases detected in the country has been rising in recent years despite the international community's humanitarian aid.



In particular, many TB patients are suffering from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Experts say this is because North Koreans tend to abuse antibiotics, after the country's drug management system collapsed following the great famine called the Arduous March in the mid-1990s.



"The fund is now pushing forward such projects as ensuring medicines for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of TB and malaria, improving medical services, elevating the technical qualification of medical workers in the field of TB and malaria control and cooperating with them in their scientific researches," the report said.












By Yi Whan-woo



The scheduled summit between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. Donald Trump next week is anticipated to be a turning point for the U.S.-North Korea nuclear negotiations that have been in a stalemate, according to analysts, Friday.



Moon will give trump details of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang when he meets him, Sept. 25, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Kim will not attend the Assembly.



The President said he will also discuss with Trump the possibility of declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War, something repeatedly sought by North Korea in return for denuclearization.



Washington has been reluctant to declare the end of the war until after Pyongyang abandons its nuclear arsenal. But Moon has something that Trump may find tempting  a message from Kim that was not disclosed during the Pyongyang summit.



Kim, through Moon, is likely to list all the additional denuclearization measures he is willing to carry out, if the U.S. takes corresponding measures.



Among the possible measures mentioned in the joint statement between leaders of the two Koreas was the permanent dismantlement of the North's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon.



"Trump may possibly find Kim's message tempting and go for a declaration of the end of the war. This may dramatically change the course of U.S.-North Korea talks on denuclearization," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.



He speculated that the North may allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to enter the country and scrutinize its nuclear program sites.



"North Korea has been seen as untrustworthy because it has remained reclusive and deceptive, but international nuclear inspections can certainly change everything," he said.










By Jane Han







SEATTLE  When the symbolic photo showing the leaders of the two Koreas smiling and holding hands atop Mount Paektu headlined here in the U.S. Thursday morning, many Americans reacted by hashing over whether their own President Donald Trump should take credit for the Kodak moment.







"I saw the same picture flood my news feed first thing this morning," said Pippa Sanders, 44, a freelance programmer, who was picking up coffee at a local Starbucks in the suburbs of Seattle. "I immediately thought that Trump should stay out of the picture to keep up the warm peace mood in Korea.







"One bad tweet from Trump could ruin the progress."







Arianna Krogh, 38, a first-grade teacher, who has been following the inter-Korean summit news, agreed, commenting on the "brotherly connection" Kim and Moon seem to have.







"The two look so natural and comfortable to be in each other's company," she said. "Why should they need the U.S. involved? They're much better off on their own."







Moon ended his high-stakes three-day trip to Pyongyang, where Kim pledged to dismantle his nuclear facilities. The two leaders agreed to remove heavily armed guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone, renew efforts to reopen the joint industrial complex and establish cross-border road and rail links.







Just last year, war between North Korea and the U.S. seemed like a real possibility. But within months, the dialogue has drastically changed and many, including Moon, have given credit to Trump for bringing the communist dictator to the negotiating table.







And for some, this week's summit is also seen as an accomplishment made possible by Trump.







"I hear people saying that Trump should stay away from the two Koreas and let them deal with it on their own, but if it weren't for Trump, they wouldn't even be this far into talks," said David Lewis, 32, program manager at a tech firm. "Whether or not you're a fan of Trump, we have to admit that no other president has done what Trump has done so far with North Korea."







A similar debate was heated online where Trump supporters and bashers argued over Trump's contribution to inter-Korean relations.







"This is perhaps the crowning achievement for Trump,'' wrote Ken Elsman on a Facebook news page.







Another user, JD Daniel LeGault, wrote: "Thank you President Trump for beginning the process that is leading to peace."







Right up against these comments were those that read: "This has nothing to do with Trump."







"How is President Trump being praised for this? He didn't do nothing but attempt World War III,'' wrote Alvin Simangca.









Jane Han (

) writes from Seattle.




By Jung Hae-myoung



The government will revise regulations for foreign residents applying for naturalization by making clearer and more specified those regarding "good conduct."



The Ministry of Justice said Friday that it plans to amend the Nationality Act, with the new regulations taking effect Dec. 20.



The changes follow criticism that the standards for naturalization stated in the current regulations  a person should be of "good conduct"  are ambiguous. Due to the ambiguity, staff were allowed to make decisions on naturalization at their own discretion, causing controversy and in some cases even lawsuits.



Under the new regulations, foreigners who have failed to pay taxes or have violated domestic laws will not be allowed to apply for naturalization until after a certain time period has passed following these offenses.



The ministry will not approve naturalization applications if the applicant has failed to pay national or local taxes or customs duty; if less than two years have passed since an applicant received a suspended sentence for minor offenses; if less than five years have passed since an applicant paid fines; if less than seven years have passed since an applicant received a suspended prison sentence; and if less than 10 years have passed since an applicant finished a prison sentence.



A person who receives a "departure order" from Korea cannot apply for nationalization for five years from the day they leave the country; and 10 years if they receive a deportation order.



There have been disputes over naturalization application and rejection cases because of the unclear regulations.



In 2016, the ministry rejected a naturalization application from a Taiwanese-Korean in his 50s, citing his criminal record because he received a suspended prison sentence 21 years previously for drug use. The man filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Administrative Court, which ruled in his favor.



"The good conduct in the law should be reviewed when the application is made. It is too harsh that one past crime means a person cannot obtain naturalization permission for the rest of their life," the court stated.



According to the ministry, 867 among 5,138 applications for naturalization in 2017, or 16.8 percent, were refused because the applicants "did not conduct themselves well." In 2014, the rate was 21.2 percent, or 1,531 out of 7,221.



Many foreigners have filed lawsuits after their naturalization applications were rejected, with some even requesting the Constitutional Court to review the law. The court ruled in 2016 that the regulations were constitutional, but disputes have continued ever since.



"We expect the new regulations will reduce disputes over naturalization decisions," a ministry official said.



The National Assembly is expected to pass the revision to the Nationality Act soon. The ministry plans to come up with detailed regulations by the end of October which will then be reviewed by the Ministry of Government Legislation and the Cabinet.


A family moves through Seoul Station, central Seoul, Friday, to board a train to Masan, South Gyeongsang Province, to visit relatives for the Chuseok holidays. Korea Times photo by Shin Sang-soon



By Lee Suh-yoon



Chuseok, one of the nation's two biggest holidays, has come. And the nation's capital started emptying out Friday as people headed to their hometowns to gather with relatives or take advantage of the long weekend, which is extended to Wednesday, to travel abroad.



Over 18 million people are expected to move around the country during the five-day holiday, and more than 85 percent of them will use their own vehicles, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Traffic jams on inter-city highways  an annual occurrence on every Chuseok and Lunar New Year holiday  is expected to peak Sunday, as ancestral rites must be carried out Monday morning, the actual day of Chuseok.



Another 1.2 million will leave the country through Incheon International Airport, according to the airport corporation.






By Yi Whan-woo







President Moon Jae-in's approval rating jumped 11 percentage points this week, buoyed by his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, according to a survey released Friday.







In a Gallup Korea poll conducted from Tuesday to Thursday, 61 percent of the 1,001 respondents said they support Moon's job performance, up from 50 percent last week.







The survey coincided with the three-day summit that ended Thursday.







Moon's disapproval rating dipped 9 percentage points to 30 percent. The remaining respondents said they were not sure about the President's job performance.







This comes after Moon's approval rating hit record lows recently amid the prolonged economic struggle and controversy surrounding his economic policy, including the minimum wage increase.







"And it can be said the rise in his approval rating is attributed to the Pyongyang summit," Gallup Korea said.







Among those who supported Moon, 26 percent gave him credit for improving cross-border relations, 14 percent for holding the summit again, 12 percent for the North Korea and security policies, 8 percent for foreign policy and 5 percent for Moon's "utmost efforts" in state affairs.







Among those who disapproved of Moon's job performance, 44 percent referred to Moon's shortcomings in tackling economic difficulties, 14 percent to his "pro-North Korean policy," 7 percent to the minimum wage increase and 4 percent to his real estate policy.







By age groups, 70 percent of those in their 30s responded favorably, 66 percent in their 40s, 63 percent of those in their 20s, 58 percent of those in their 60s and 50 percent of those in their 50s answered the same.







The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) received support of 46 percent, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) 13 percent, the Justice Party 10 percent, the Bareunmirae Party 4 percent and the Party for Democracy and Peace 1 percent.







The DPK's approval rating rose 6 percentage points and LKP's 2 percentage points, while it fell by 4 percentage points for the Bareunmirae Party and 2 percentage points for the Party for Democracy and Peace.


By Doug Bandow



Last fall Washington and Pyongyang were exchanging insults and threats. A little over two months ago echoes of "Peace in Our Time" rang out in Singapore as President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un staged a friendly summit.



Now, to the cheer of Neocons who prefer war to compromise and Democrats who care only about discrediting the president, relations between the two countries appear to be rolling backward.



Which demonstrates that the biggest problem with President Trump's diplomatic style is not that it is unorthodox. With the Democratic People's Republic of Korea otherwise guaranteed to create a growing nuclear arsenal capable of hitting the American homeland  at least if the U.S. is unwilling to strike militarily, likely starting the Second Korean War  unorthodox diplomacy probably offered the only hope for success.



The chief challenge facing the president is ignorance. He almost certainly knows nothing about North Korea.



Which may have given rise to President Trump's belief that after receiving a strong handshake and few verbal assurances, the DPRK leader was prepared to give up his nukes. In fact, few Korea specialists believed the North was prepared to yield its nukes.



While Kim Jong-un could reasonably make a deal at the edges  halt missile and nuclear testing, cap the number of weapons, allow some forms of safeguards/inspections, adopt other tension-reduction steps  getting rid of everything was a long-shot under the best of circumstances.



Still, the possibility was there. But if so, it then behooves the president and his aides to pay attention to what Kim actually agreed to.



Contrary to the claims of National Security Adviser John Bolton and others, there is no evidence that Kim agreed to speedily hand over his nuclear arsenal on the basis of trust, expecting nothing in return until he had placed his country naked at America's feet.



What did Kim accept? As has been oft-noted, the U.S. and DPRK always have had a different definition of nuclear disarmament. The two governments look at the issue quite differently.



American policymakers mean CVID, or complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization. Pyongyang looks at U.S. power in the South and beyond the peninsula. The ultimate result might be CVID, but not likely without something more from America.



Moreover, the summit communique set forth what looks to be a logical process for disarmament. That is, the two leaders committed to forge a bilateral relationship, then establish a peace regime, and then achieve denuclearization.



This strategy actually makes sense if you are a small, vulnerable nation facing the global superpower which routinely, even enthusiastically, imposes regime change while being accountable to no one.



Kim knows that verbal guarantees and paper guarantees will not stop American military power. How to overcome Pyongyang's natural reluctance? Create trust, which is most likely to come out of creating a deeper bilateral relationship and peace framework for the peninsula.



If I was Kim I still wouldn't believe American policymakers, but perhaps events would convince him to move forward with denuclearization.



Alas, so far Washington has given the North Koreans little reason to move forward. Of course, the U.S. should not give up everything before getting anything. However, the only realistic strategy is to exchange advantage for advantage.



Kim's initial direct benefits have been small. Beyond that apparently have been broken promises. Alex Ward of Vox reported that the president promised to sign an agreement ending the Korean War, which would be a significant symbolic affirmation that what Pyongyang calls America's "hostile policy" was over. Failing to act raises trust issues and suggests that the administration is not prepared to change course.



The North could be play-acting, of course. I am one of many analysts who would still be saying that denuclearization was unlikely even as the last DPRK nuke was being turned over for destruction.



However, if there is any chance of negotiating away the North's nuclear arsenal, then Washington must convince Kim that he won't be betrayed. And so far the Trump administration appears to lack not only a strategy but any interest in increasing the North's trust.



President Trump was right to try to jump-start negotiations with North Korea. He should move forward to improve bilateral negotiations and reduce tensions on the peninsula. These are steps worth taking even if denuclearization proves to be pipe dream.



And maybe, just maybe, the president can prove we Korea cynics to be wrong. It's an effort worth making.





Doug Bandow (chessset@aol.com) is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. A former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of "Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire."




Embrace momentum created by Pyongyang Declaration



President Moon Jae-in returned home Thursday after his three-day trip to Pyongyang. Upon landing at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, the President headed to the main press center at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul to give a briefing about the outcome of his meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.



Moon and his entourage came home in a festive mood after an unprecedented trip to Mount Paektu, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, which carries a special meaning for the peoples of the two Koreas. With their wives at their sides, the two leaders took photos and engaged in friendly conversation like two old friends on the mountain that many South Koreans can only dream of going to some day.



Many South Koreans were moved by the growing trust between the two leaders following the multiple meetings they have had this year. The first Moon-Kim summit took place on the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjeom in April, and they met again in May. Both summits provided the impetus for the historic June 12 U.S.-North Korea summit between President Donald Trump and Kim in Singapore.



The third summit between Moon and Kim was timely in that it has recreated the momentum for Washington and Pyongyang to resume denuclearization talks. In late August, the U.S. cancelled a planned visit to the North Korean capital by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo amid a deadlock in bilateral negotiations over the North's denuclearization.



President Moon's Pyongyang trip was met with an optimistic reaction from President Trump who said that tensions with North Korea had "calmed down." In a statement released after the Moon-Kim summit, Secretary Pompeo proposed a meeting at the earliest opportunity with North Korean officials in Vienna where the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency is located. Pompeo has also invited North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho to meet with him at the UN General Assembly next week.



The latest survey showed that more than 70 percent of South Koreans supported Moon's Pyongyang trip, but there are still lingering concerns about the effectiveness of the Pyongyang Declaration in achieving complete denuclearization. In particular, it is worrisome that Kim stressed "corresponding measures" from the U.S. before taking stronger measures for denuclearization, such as dismantling the Yongbyon nuclear facilities. This necessitates negotiations down the road with the U.S., which is adamant that denuclearization must come first. Both sides should continue talking with each other for real progress in North Korea's denuclearization and to confirm a second U.S.-North Korea summit at an early date.




Shanghai released a plan on Thursday to make the municipality's numerous industrial sites more popular to tourists.

The three-year plan aims to develop industrial tourism, including industrial sites with local characteristics.

Shanghai is the birthplace of China's contemporary industry and a major modern industrial hub in the country. Local industrial tourist destinations will showcase the development of modern industries in Shanghai and in China at large.

According to the plan, Shanghai aims to attract 15 million visitors to the city's industrial sites by 2020, two million more than 2017. The sites include industrial heritages as well as modern plants of the city's leading manufacturing companies.

The city aims to upgrade several industrial sites and develop high-quality souvenirs for tourists.

According to the plan, Shanghai will promote the industrial tourist attractions to students. It will also coordinate with other cities in the Yangtze River Delta to develop industrial tourism.
By Jason Lim



No, I am not writing about one of the oldest and most frustrating questions in human history and a spiritual quest. I actually want to explore the topic of identity in the context of the coming 4th Industrial Revolution.



There are many visions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As a primary ambassador for this phenomenon, the World Economic Forum (WEF) proposes the following breathless vision: "The possibilities of billions of people connected by mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge, are unlimited. And these possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing."



But what the WEF says about the underpinning trends is more important: "The trends that underpin Industry 4.0 mean consumers are now on the cusp of a hyper-personalized era with fundamental changes in terms of choice, consumption, ownership and our overall experience of products and services."



In essence, hyper-personalization based on ubiquitous connectivity by a seamless and integrated suite of invisible sensors  driven by AI algorithms that can push out customized experiences through products and services  will be a defining capability of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



This is where the question, "Who am I?" becomes especially salient. Or rather, the better question is, "Am I who you think I am?" This is from the individual consumer's perspective who is the recipient of the hyper-personalized experience. Turn this perspective around to the providers, the question becomes, "Are you who I think you are?"



This is not an easy question. Identity management, from the provider's perspective, becomes a multi-pronged puzzle to solve.



First, you have to enroll the individual's identity into your system. But this involves identity validation whereby you assure that the person claiming to be someone is that someone. Currently, government issued credentials  like birth certificates, passports, and driver's licenses  serve this function. However, especially in the U.S., each state oversees its own identity validation process, which means that the overall quality of the identity validation process varies greatly. Some states are more stringent than others while some states enforce compliance better than others. And since federal identity credentials like passports rely mostly on state-issued credentials, the underlying credibility of identity validation isn't as solid as it seems.



The same goes for nation-states. There is no global body that I know of that certifies the validity of each member state's identity validation process for its own citizens against some universal standards. And what about citizens of failed states? What if there are no recognized governments that can issue such identity papers? Or, how would refugees who barely escaped with only the clothes on their backs validate their identities in their new countries without foundational documents?



Second, you have to assess the identity. By this, I mean that you have to collect relevant behavioral information on the identity that you enrolled and analyze it per your need to provide the hyper-personalized service or products. In essence, this is what the Amazon's of the world do already. Based on your previous browsing, purchasing, or driving patterns, companies can offer you just-in-time inducements for services that will greatly enhance your personal experience as you pass through their commercial service space.



This will be largely driven by Big Data and artificial intelligence engines, which means that privacy, data security, aggregation, profiling, along with other systems all become issues that would need to be resolved either through technology, education or regulations. Therefore, depending on the target population, the provider's solution architecture will have to be customized not just technically but governance-wise as well.



Third, at each point of contact or service with the target customer, the providers will have to verify the identity that has been enrolled and validated. This is where the majority of the current identity management discussion takes place, whether the verification is done through credentials or biometrics. This is actually the easiest part of the whole identity management value chain since it can be easily solved through technology.



However, identity verification is directly downstream to what happens upstream in identity enrollment, validation, and assessment, which means that you have to design your whole end-to-end identity management schema as a cohesive, strategic whole. You can't put solutions that have each been developed in isolation side-by-side and expect to create a seamless identity experience for your customers.



This may not be a huge deal for commercial service providers. The worst thing that could happen would be to provide the wrong personalized experience to someone. However, to nation-states and other similar institutions, the wrong identity management solution is actually a serious issue. Not knowing who your citizens are or who's coming and going within your boundary could turn into a national security issue, especially if there are vulnerabilities along the identity chain that bad actors could take advantage of.



In this brave new age, you are no longer automatically who you assert yourself to be. You are you only if you can be validated and verified as you. So, who am I again?





Jason Lim (jasonlim@msn.com) is a Washington, D.C.-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture.


Yun Kyoung-lim, second from right, head of KT's Global Business Office, poses with Ulugbek Mustafoyev, second from left, head of Uzbekenergo, after signing a contract to install smart meters in Uzbekistan during a ceremony held in Tashkent, Wednesday. / Courtesy of KT



By Baek Byung-yeul



KT will install 30 billion won worth of smart meters in Uzbekistan, according to the company Friday.



The Korean telecommunications firm said it secured the deal with the state-run power electricity supplier Uzbekenergo. With the deal, KT will install its smart meters in 360,000 households in the Jizzakh, Samarqand and Bukhara regions over the next two years.



The Korean company has implemented its smart meter business in the central Asian country since it won a 120 billion won contract in 2015.



It has so far installed the systems in 1 million households there. A smart meter is an electronic device that records consumption of electric energy and has a two-way communication feature between the device and the electricity grid operator.



The smart meters enable Uzbekistan's power authority to monitor energy use in real-time. With the smart meters, the power authority can disconnect the power supply to households that have not paid their electricity bills, KT said.



The company also said the smart meters allow the authority to control electric loads at peak times so that it can apply progressive rates for residential power use.



"KT has successfully carried out the smart meter installation business in Uzbekistan since 2016 and the smart meters have produced good results in effective energy management," Ulugbek Mustafoyev, head of Uzbekenergo, was quoted in a statement released by KT. "We also requested the company build an integrated smart meter system that can control the entire state."



Following the deal, the Korean telecommunications firm said it hopes to expand its smart meter business to nearby countries.



"The contract could be possible as KT has been recognized for its technological superiority in Uzbekistan and has built trust from the previous projects we have faithfully done," Yun Kyoung-lim, head of KT's Global Business Office, said. "Based on the know-how and experience we accumulated in Uzbekistan, we will accelerate our efforts to provide smart meter systems in the entire Eurasia region."


Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. Areas of dense fog. High 56F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. Low 47F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order to further implement a U.S. sanction act against Russia.

Named Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), the order "authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to employ all powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and certain sections of CAATSA for the implementation of certain sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation," said a White House statement.

In a separate statement issued on the same day, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that in line with this executive order, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken actions to implement his delegated authorities "and to further impose costs on the Russian Government in response to its malign activities."

According to the statement, Pompeo added 33 additional entities and individuals to the CAATSA List of Specified Persons "for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors" of the Russian government.

These sanction actions are "in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities," Nauert said, urging all countries to curtail relations with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors and claiming "both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide."

The U.S. Treasury Department in March announced a decision to sanction five entities and 19 individuals under the CAATSA.

The United States has been accusing Russia of interference in the U.S. presidential elections in 2016, hacker attacks against the United States, among others. Russia has repeatedly denied such allegations.
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Marion "Suge" Knight pleaded no contest Thursday to voluntary manslaughter, the Associated Press reports, for running over two men four years ago, killing one of them. The accompanying sentence: 28 years in prison.

He'd been charged with murder, attempted murder, and hit-and-run after fleeing the scene of a fight outside a Compton burger stand in January 2015.

Remember Snoop Dogg's "Death Row is the label that pays me" from "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang"? Knight was one of that label's three co-founders, alongside Dr. Dre and the D.O.C.

Knight got in a fistfight with Cle "Bone" Sloan, a consultant on the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton, ending with Knight clipping him with his pickup truck -- and running over businessman Terry Carter, who died from his injuries.

You can see video of the hit-and-run here:

Knight's side was that he was acting in self-defense, fleeing armed attackers.

The sentence includes 22 years for voluntary manslaughter, with an added six thanks to it being a third strike violation. The alternative was going to trial and facing up to life in prison for murder.

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 1996, file photo, rapper Tupac Shakur, left, and a founder of Death Row Records, Marion "Suge" Knight, attend a voter registration event in South Central Los Angeles. (Frank Wiese/AP, File)

Suge was a major force behind rappers like Dre, Snoop, and Tupac, though the label eventually ended up in bankruptcy, and he lost control of it. His previous felony convictions include armed robbery and assault with a gun.

He pleaded guilty way back in 1995 and was sentenced to five years' probation for assaulting two rappers in a Hollywood recording studio. He was sent to prison in February 1997 for violating his parole, getting in a fight at a Las Vegas hotel hours before Tupac was killed in a drive-by -- riding in Knight's car.

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No videotaking, no audio recordings and no photographs.

Those were the rules at a Palmdale Chamber of Commerce debate Thursday night featuring GOP incumbent congressman Steve Knight and his Democratic challenger, Katie Hill.

Even before the doors opened, the event generated controversy.

The chamber said it was not allowing any recording or pictures by either the media or the public.

The free event will be open to the first 300 people who arrive.

Given the limited and midweek scheduling, relatively few of the voters in the 25th Congressional District covering Lancaster to Simi Valley will get to hear the two candidates explain their stands on the issues.

Very long line here at the #CA25 debate in Palmdale. Was given a pink ticket and told that once they run out, theyve hit capacity. pic.twitter.com/SmcmfEgRFA  Austin Cross (@AustinCross) September 21, 2018

And the line continues... pic.twitter.com/q7f6VRZenX  Austin Cross (@AustinCross) September 21, 2018

Typically, political debates are made widely accessible to the public so voters get to know the candidates. They may be videotaped, audio recorded or streamed so those who can't attend in person can see or hear the candidates.

The Palmdale Chamber of Commerce's step of prohibiting video and audio recordings is unusual.

So why the ban on recording?

CEO Jeanna Huerta says the chamber's 21-member board made the decision back in August. She says allowing people to record events can be distracting.

"It's just, it gets in the way," she said, declining to comment on the details of the discussion that led to the ban. "We decided as a group that that was what we wanted. We did not want recording."

In an email, Knight's campaign said the chamber set the rules -- but he also did not ask they reconsider.

Hill's campaign did ask to allow recordings.

Thursday night's event was only the second general election debate between Knight and Hill. The first event took place at the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 10. That paid event was taped.

A third debate between the two candidates is set for October 13.

Knight, who is seeking a third term, is facing another tough reelection. Once a reliable Republican region, the district has been growing less conservative and more diverse.

The Cook Report, which evaluates congressional races, ranks the district as a toss-up.

The Palmdale debate is one of the latest examples of the public given limited access to debates in major races. Gubernatorial candidates Gavin Newsom and John Cox have only one announced debate before the election.

They will appear in a faceoff carried on radio station KQED based in San Francisco on October 8.

There are no scheduled debates between the U.S. Senate candidates, Democratic incumbent Dianne Feinstein and her Democratic challenger Kevin de Leon.

In Orange County, Republican congressional incumbent Mimi Walters and Democratic challenger Katie Porter have not yet agreed to a full slate of debates.

Republican incumbent Dana Rohrabacher has agreed to two debates. Democratic challenger Harley Rouda's campaign has agreed to one of them, although disagrees with the characterization of it as a debate, saying Rouda wants the candidates to meet in venues open to the public. The event that both campaigns have agreed to is a studio interview with Inside OC. That will tape Oct. 15 and be televised. No audience will be present.

The second debate, which Rouda's campaign has not agreed to, is an event at The Pacific Club slated for Nov. 1.

This story has been updated.
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By Lita Martinez & Emily Henderson with Lori Galarreta

Newport Beach police are getting in on the true-crime podcast craze by creating their own narrated series about an active investigation. It's called Countdown to Capture, with six episodes planned for release over the next two weeks.

The new podcast details the case against Peter Chadwick, a millionaire real-estate investor accused of killing his wife, Quee Choo Lim Chadwick, in 2012. When Chadwick was arrested in San Diego, he told police that a handyman murdered his wife, then forced him to drive to Mexico to dump her body.

Chadwick later posted a whopping $2.1 million bond in 2015, but never showed up to court. He's a naturalized citizen who was born in the U.K., but even with both passports suspended, authorities say that if he's still alive, it's likely that he fled the country.

The wanted poster for Peter Chadwick, issued by the U.S. Marshals Service (Courtesy U.S. Marshals/Newport Beach Police Department)

He's now on the U.S. Marshals Most Wanted List, and authorities are offering up to $100,000 for information leading to his arrest.

Newport Beach Police Chief Jon T. Lewis said at a news conference on Wednesday that he hopes the podcast will help spread the word about the case, noting that because of Chadwick's financial resources, he could be anywhere in the world.

It's not the first time the department has turned to new media to highlight an unclosed case. Over the summer, the department's official Twitter account marked the 45th anniversary of the murder of Linda O'Keefe by live-tweeting the 11-year-old's final hours.

You can think of Countdown to Capture as an audio-only version of America's Most Wanted, but without the dramatic reenactments. And instead of John Walsh as host, it's narrated by Newport Beach Police spokesperson Jennifer Manzella.

Manzella opens the series with this disclaimer:

"I'm not a reporter, and I'm not a true-crime enthusiast. And I'm certainly not a disinterested third party. I am the spokesperson for the Newport Beach Police Department, the agency that investigated this murder, and arrested Peter Chadwick: an agency that is very interested in where he is now."





"You can tell that the people involved in this project are fans of podcasts," he told me. "There's opening and ending music. The people behind the show are trying to incorporate storytelling elements into the podcast. And the sound quality is fine."

Needless to say, this new podcast didn't go unnoticed in the KPCC newsroom -- we are, after all, audio professionals, and we made a true-crime podcast of our own . James Kim from our on-demand team listened to the first two episodes and weighed in:

Will it be the next Serial? Is it a Portlandia sketch? You be the judge:

But while it's not unheard of for police departments to produce their own on-demand media (the LAPD also has a podcast series), Countdown to Capture is about an open case, something that Manzella acknowledges in the prologue episode.

"I'll be sharing as much information as I can, without compromising our investigation," she adds, "because catching Peter Chadwick is one thing. Putting him on trial and getting a conviction: that's the ultimate goal."

However, it's unclear whether the podcast will ultimately help or hurt investigator's efforts to do so. Talking about an active case is already a balancing act for law enforcement: giving up too much information could tip off a suspect or accomplice.

Manzella told KPCC's Take Two there's plenty of information about Chadwick's case out there already, and the details were vetted through the department's chain of command. "We're not actually saying a lot that hasn't already been said about the case," she said, "we're not concerned about it compromising our investigation."

On whether the podcast could hurt Chadwick's prospects of getting a fair trial, Manzella said, "We're not trying to convince anybody of Chadwick's guilt, that's not the purpose of the podcast."

She said the department is confident that its investigation can get them a conviction.

"We're not trying to do a trial by podcast," she said. "We're trying to run a manhunt."

If you have information about the case, you can call the Newport Beach Police Department tip line at (800) 550-6273.
Professor Catherine McMahon explains the theory of the anechoic chamber. (People's Daily Online/ Jingyan Liu)

Sealed with hundreds of sponges with no echo can be heard at all, the only anechoic chamber in the southern hemisphere -- the quietest room in the world is located in the Australian Hearing Hub at Macquarie University in Sydney.

We were very fortunate to have visited this place with the guide of Professor Catherine McMahon, Director of Audiology and Director of the Centre for Hearing Education Application Research at Macquarie University. As Professor McMahon introduced, the anechoic chamber is used for hearing diagnostic research, and performing hearing tests and hearing aid assessments by simulating real world listening conditions within a highly controlled environment.

Macquarie University has established itself as a global leader in Audiology education, research and clinical service delivery. With over 16 years of experience as a clinical researcher and a teacher of audiology, Professor McMahon is now a renowned professional in this area. Apart from teaching at Macquarie University, she is also a senior scientist and project leader of the HEARing Co-operative Research Centre, the largest translational hearing research group in Australia, and an associate investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence, Centre for Cognition and its Disorders. She also works with the World Health Organisation to develop the evidence-base for the World Report on Hearing, which will be released in March 2020.

In recent years, Professor McMahons clinical research mainly focuses on better understanding the relationship between hearing cognition and hearing loss, and measuring the benefits that hearing devices and hearing training can bring. Although audiology is a small field of study, she enjoys helping patients to solve the challenges they face, which is also the reason she chose this job.

If I helped somebody who has a hearing problem who can then either hear better, or when they get home, they dont feel as tired because of constantly listening hard to the conversation, it feels great!, says Professor McMahon.

Professor McMahon went to China in 2005 for the first time, to help Capital Medical University set up the first audiology education program, when Chinas audiology has just started. Since then she has been working with many universities in China in the area. Apart from doing research, she also teaches audiology and has quite a number of Chinese students. Her most impressive Chinese student completed her postgraduate and doctoral degree at Macquarie University, and now is a leader in audiology at Capital Medical University.

I think its really important when you are doing good research to make sure your research is in incorporated back into the educational program so that people who are coming into the field are learning the newest techniques, are learning the best ways to design care pathways, because our students are our future leaders.

Talking about how China and Australia can work together, Professor McMahon pointed out there are always opportunities to learn. One of the challenges Australia faces now is there are more and more people in the country speaking tonal languages, including Chinese. If we can collaborate with researchers and hospitals in China to develop and evaluate cochlear implant coding strategies for people with tonal language, the problem in Australia can also be solved.

The other thing we have in common is that we have populations that are spread over greater areas. We need to design hearing healthcare pathways that will cater to people that don't live close to a clinic that delivers this service. So, designing remote care pathways will be important for both China and for Australia.

Impressed by Chinas tremendous change in the past decades, Professor McMahon thinks the profile of hearing research in China is also lifting. With the fast development of technology, everybody is connected. In China, there are some very good researchers that have been trained not just within China, but also internationally, some of the worlds leading universities. The connectivity is very good. It allows people to really think and do things in a different way in China.

You know when I went to China, Ive always been very well received. I feel like the culture in China is very welcoming. So that hasn't changed, she added.

Professor McMahon believes the audiology research in China is improving, with more and more professionals and researchers emerging in the field, but a high-quality education program has to match with a high-quality research program. In China, the relationship between universities and hospitals is very good. You can develop an educational program for the knowledge development in universities and the clinical program in hospitals at the same time, which is necessary for a clinical program.

I think there is a lot to do in China and in Australia to address hearing loss and a lot can be done by people working together to try to solve the problem. This is really important, says Professor McMahon. (Peoples Daily Online/ Meng Xue)
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Everyone knows The Goonies -- the '80s fable from the mind of Steven Spielberg has a fond place in many a heart. And because Goonies never say die, it's coming to the stage in a live staged reading, filled with stars and seen through a 2018 lens.

The Goonies: Live brings actors like Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, and Haley Joel Osment together for a one-time-only event this Saturday night at the Montalban Theatre.

The partially gender and ethnically swapped casting includes Jane The Virgin star Rodriguez as the boisterous Mouth, SNL alum Noel Wells as quiet leader Mikey, and actress/comedian Nicole Byer as Chunk. Wells was always on Goonies: Live producer/director Molly Shalgos's shortlist for the part -- part of the effort to bring the production into the present.

"I thought it was important because, if we're updating it for 2018, I wanted to make sure it's not just a bunch of white guys on the stage," Shalgos said.

The script isn't being changed, so it retains some of its problematic pre-woke nature. But there are attempts being made in the casting to counteract that, Shalgos said, including Rodriguez playing the formerly white Mouth.

"Because the joke in the movie is, like, Mouth being just a crappy kid to Rosalita," Shalgos said. "And it's funny, but it's one of those jokes that hasn't aged well, because now it's just a s----- white kid making fun of the housekeeper."

Now it's recontextualized to being a kid playing a prank, without the racially tinged vibe behind it. That's not to say that there aren't still some problematic aspects, such as the Sloth character and some of the racial elements behind a character like Data. But Shalgos said she hopes to steer away from that in the direction.

"Hopefully the way that we're going to direct it, the way I'm going to talk to Joel [who plays Data] and Haley Joel [who plays Sloth], and the way I'm going to talk to Frankie [Quinones], who's reading Rosalita, we're going to be able to find some nuance and some sensitivity around that," Shalgos said.

Shalgos said she hopes the casting choices make the show a must-see.

"I wanted the cast to be unexpected, but also to make people go, 'Oh my God, I never would have thought of that, but now that you've suggested it, I can't imagine it any other way,'" Shalgos said. "Literally everyone we've got [cast], I've just stood up and done a little fist-punch at my office. My bosses think I'm going crazy."

The show came about thanks to Shalgos's efforts -- she's an aspiring writer who's worked as a Hollywood assistant. The Goonies: Live is serving as a fundraiser for immigrant legal services nonprofit RAICES. Shalgos was inspired to raise money for the organization after seeing the news earlier this year about children being separated from parents at the border.

"You can get butts in seats with something like the Goonies, but also I did feel like it was thematically relevant," Shalgos said. "At its heart, it's about kids watching their parents get destroyed by this outside force that they have no control over, and it's about fighting back and not giving up even when the foreclosure papers are about to be signed. And I just felt like that was the kind of the shout of hopeful optimism that I wanted to have when we were highlighting this cause."

Shalgos still has more work to do bringing all the pieces together. When we spoke with her Thursday, she was still trying to lock down someone to play Brand, the older brother brought to life by Josh Brolin in the original film. (Maybe they can have him reprise it if he's not too busy being a supervillain at the moment?) They also had to deal with their narrator, the Good Place's Marc Evan Jackson, dropping out of the production -- but in a stroke of luck, they landed original Goonie Sean Astin as the replacement.

The show is bringing together all the actors for one run-through -- then it's showtime. So if you're not attending Shalgos's archenemy, the Beyonce concert taking place the same night ("We're up against a frickin' Beyonce concert that night," Shalgos said), you can see 2018's Goonies trying to show everyone that they're good enough.

The Goonies: Live hits the Montalban Theatre's stage Saturday night at 8 p.m.

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LETS REVIEW:

At age 93, La Jolla artist Faiya Fredman well deserves being called the matriarch of San Diegos contemporary art scene, which is how Mark-Elliott Lugo, who curated her new exhibition at Oceanside Museum of Art, refers to her. The show, titled The Steel Goddess, features 70 of her notable works from the past 20 years, including large-scale steel sculptures, watercolors, lenticular prints, and mixed-media pieces, many of them created especially for this exhibit.

Since 1951, when she graduated from UCLAs Visual Arts Department, Fredman has been experimenting with a wide range of materials and techniques. The Steel Goddess refers to her continuing high level of fearless exploration as well as the steel goddess figures she began creating in the 1990s, inspired by her travels in Greece and Turkey and her lifelong fascination with ancient civilizations.

Curator Mark-Elliott Lugo poses at the entry to the exhibition. ( Maurice Hewitt )

I was able to tour the exhibit with curator Mark-Elliott Lugo shortly after its September 1st opening, several days before a special celebration of Fredmans 93rd birthday, and well in advance of the public reception on Sept. 22, which the artist will attend. Lugo has a decades-long relationship with Fredman, having first shown her work in 2004 at the Pacific Beach Library Gallery, where he was visual arts curator for 15 years. You can see a video interview he did with her at that time just outside the entry to The Steel Goddess.

The entry itself is impressive, flanked by two giant-size, wall-mounted steel goddesses. Faiya created them just for the show, and we had to rust them to her specifications, Lugo said. So for about a week, they were laid out on the floor, and I sprayed them with a spray bottle. It worked pretty well.

Fredman prefers weathered steel, which shows, like withered flowers, the passage of time. From an early age, she was interested in the process of decay and renewal, whether its a flower, a piece of steel, or a whole civilization, Lugo said. And all her pieces are untitled: she wants viewers to decide for themselves what theyre about.

Same goddess, two different media: a 9x12-inch watercolor and a 30-inch steel goddess. ( Maurice Hewitt )

Inside the gallery are a multitude of goddesses, beginning with a wall of 9-inch by 12-inch watercolors and going on to steel figures from nine inches to nine feet tall.

All the goddesses started out as quick watercolor sketches, Lugo said. And Faiya wanted to preserve their gestural quality in steel, which is very hard to do. The steel pieces are fabricated by a local shipbuilder, Miller Marine; shes been working with the same engineer there, Miguel Gonzalez, for 20 years.

And talk about cutting-edge techniques! They used to use torches to cut the steel but now its done with high-pressure water cutters, Lugo explained. Theyre much more refined, and capable of tremendous detail.

Fredmans lenticular prints are also tremendously detailed. She builds her compositions on a computer screen, layering scanned images of flowers, leaves, goddesses, masks and puppets. Then theyre sent to a lab in Fresno to be lenticularized  a technology that combines the images to produce a single piece that looks three-dimensional and seems to move as you view it from different angles. Walk slowly past each luminous print and youll see an emerging procession of puppets in one and interesting transformations in all.

One of Faiya Fredmans Botanical Series, including withered flowers and a blue goddess. ( Maurice Hewitt )

Like the Renaissance masters, Fredman has a team of workers who assist in the production of her work. She comes up with these wild ideas, and then has to find someone to help her realize them, Lugo said.

One of the museums volunteers called her current show jaw-dropping. Youll probably agree. And dont miss the gift shop, where there are translucent scarves, handbags and other Faiya-phernalia so you can walk out wearing her art. Im becoming a cottage industry! said the artist.

Happy birthday, Faiya! Cant wait to see what youll be doing at 95!

NOTE: Dont leave without seeing the new James Hubbell exhibit and the Maidy Morhous show upstairs, and Fred Tomasellis work in the other main floor gallery.

 IF YOU GO: The Steel Goddess: Works by Faiya Fredman 1998-2018, is on view through Jan. 13, 2019 at the Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. Public reception, 6-8 p.m. Sept. 22, 2018. Museum hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday: Cost: $5-$8. First Sundays free. (760) 435-3720. oma-online.org
Mo Huanjing, a nanny who set a fire causing the death of a mother and three children, was executed Friday morning, according to the People's Procuratorate of Zhejiang.

Mo Huanjing stands trial at Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court on Feb. 1, 2018, on suspicion of setting a fire which led to the deaths of four people. [File photo: China Daily]

Mo deliberately set the fire in an upscale apartment in Hangzhou on June 22, 2017. She planned to put it out to gain favor from her employer Zhu Xiaozhen with the hope she would help repay her gambling debts.

Instead, the fire spread too quickly, prompting her to flee the apartment.

Zhu and her three children, aged 6 to 11, died in the blaze.

Mo Huanjing was convicted and sentenced to death in early February.

Her appeal was rejected by the Zhejiang Provincial Higher People's Court in June.

Mo's execution was approved by the Supreme People's Court and was conducted under the supervision of prosecutors.
Consumers can now freeze their credit for free under a new federal law.

A credit freeze restricts access to your credit file, essentially halting anyone from opening any new credit in your name. The rules used to vary by state, but previously it could cost up to $10 to put a freeze in place. That fee often had to be paid again when someone wanted to unfreeze it for any legitimate uses.

But under a new law that took effect Friday, consumers anywhere in the United States can do so quickly and free of charge.

Congress passed the law in response to last years massive Equifax hack, which exposed the private information of more than 145 million Americans. President Trump signed it into law in May.

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The law requires that credit freezes be free for consumers across the country. If the request is made over the phone or online, the freeze must be completed within a day. If the request is made by mail, it must be done within three days of receiving the request.

Lifting the freeze is also free and must be done within the hour if the request is made by phone or online; three days if by mail.

Consumers who want to freeze their credit should visit the websites of all three credit reporting firms  Equifax, Experian and TransUnion  to make their request at each. The FTC also will have links to those pages on its identity theft information website, www.identitytheft.gov.

Additionally, the law allows for a free credit freeze for children under age 16, something that was not previously allowed in all states. This helps prevent criminals from creating fraudulent accounts under a childs identity, a problem that often goes undetected until the children are adults and seek credit of their own.

A credit freeze is considered one of the most effective ways to protect criminals from opening credit in your name. It is different than credit monitoring, which tracks peoples credit and alerts them of changes in activity.

Think of a credit freeze as a state-of-the art home security system that keeps the bad guys out, said Ted Rossman, industry analyst at Creditcards.com. Credit monitoring, he said, is more like that text message you got from your neighbor after someone already smashed through your living room window and walked off with your big-screen TV.

Although it does provide a layer of security, a credit freeze will not protect you from some other forms of identity theft, such as filing a fraudulent tax return in your name or making charges against an existing account.

And remember that if you freeze your credit, it stops everyone from opening an account  including you. You must use a PIN assigned online to unfreeze your credit if you want to get a credit card or loan down the line.
In years past, Six Flags Magic Mountains annual Halloween celebration isolated the monsters and ghouls to certain areas of the amusement park while keeping other parts, such as the kid-centric Bugs Bunny World, as a scare-free sanctuary for parkgoers who wanted no part of what the park calls Fright Fest.

Those safe zones are gone this year. During the 19-night Fright Fest, the entire park is turned over to costumed maniacs, bloodsuckers and creeps. Even Bugs Bunny World goes dark.

After 7 p.m., there are no more safe zones, Six Flags Magic Mountain spokeswoman Sue Carpenter said.

Halloween is such a monster hit for the theme park industry that operators must continually devise new ways to expand the autumn screamfest and scare up even more dollars from horror fans.

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This year, Southern California parks have added extra nights to Halloween celebrations  in some cases, well before falls official start  enlarged the events to engulf their entire parks and developed extravagant new dishes and alcoholic drinks to complement their spooky attractions.

And prices for almost everything have crept ever upward.

Tickets for the annual after-hours Halloween party for kids at Disneyland  Mickeys Halloween Party  are $130 each for peak demand days, up from $120 last year. At Universal Studios Hollywood, a single ticket to its Halloween Horror Nights is $97 for peak demand nights, compared to $95 last year. A single-night ticket for Knotts Berry Farms Halloween festivities is $82, up from $75 last year.

The Headless Horseman rides again at Disney California Adventure this year. (Hugo Martin / Los Angeles Times)

Prices are rising because demand for all things Halloween continues to surge.

In October, theme parks that otherwise resemble ghost towns in September are suddenly operating at near capacity, said Phillip White, co-founder of IsItPacked.com, a website that monitors crowds at popular tourist destinations.

The average wait time for attractions at Disneyland in September is about 20 minutes, he said. But wait times jump to as high as 90 minutes in October because of the parks annual Halloween celebration, White added.

Halloween fans dont appear frightened by the higher prices or longer lines, as long as admission tickets mean big gore and big scares.

Jonathan Green, a 33-year-old theme park fan from Santa Clarita, said he recently spent about $180 for food and an admission ticket to Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. Still, he praised the high level of detail that was put into the haunted mazes and the costumes worn by the scare actors in the park.

Theme parks are so expensive these days that its important to feel like you are getting something for your money, he said. The parks realize Hey, we need to put out a solid product.

Sadie Sink, left, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin stroll through the Stranger Things Maze during Halloween Horror Nights 2018 at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Joshua Blanchard / Getty Images)

A strong economy and demand for new, immersive experiences are fueling the popularity of Halloween events, theme park operators say.

The more experiential we become, the more popular we become, said Charity Hill, executive producer of Dark Harbor, the Halloween celebration at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. She said the event at the retired ocean liner recorded its highest attendance numbers last year.

During this Halloween season, Americans are expected to spend $9 billion, the second-highest amount in the 14-year history of the annual survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation. The survey said 21% of the nearly 7,000 Americans questioned said they plan to visit a haunted attraction this year, little changed from the previous year.

To take advantage of the demand, Disneyland Resort, where the scares are relatively tame to keep from frightening off families with small children, added eight days to its Halloween celebration, running from Sept. 7 until Oct. 31. It was launched Sept. 15 last year.

At neighboring Disney California Adventure, the entire park is sprinkled with Halloween decorations and spookified attractions. Until last year, only one specific area of the park  Cars Land  got a scary makeover. This year, the drop-tower ride, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, has been remade with an escaped monsters theme.

Warner Bros. Studios has expanded its Horror Made Here Halloween event to 13 nights. The celebration of Warner Bros. horror movies includes a creepy circus and a tram ride, among other attractions (Warner Bros. Entertainment)

Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, which jumped into the Halloween craze in 2016 with a two-night event, has expanded its scarefest to 13 nights, adding mazes, exhibits and a creepy circus, featuring a killer clown.

The main impetus to going bigger this year was the feedback we got last year from our guests, said Gary Soloff, marketing director at Warner Bros. Studios. The feedback was that it wasnt enough. They wanted more.

Universal Studios Hollywood, where Halloween Horror Nights extends from Sept. 14 until Nov. 3, is targeting foodies by offering six decadent dishes made specifically to complement one of the parks haunted mazes, which features creatures and scenes from the Netflix television series Stranger Things. The dishes include an Upside Down Burger and Elevens Waffle Extravaganza.

Like Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park has also expanded its scare zones  areas where guests are chased and menaced by costumed actors  to cover all areas of the 160-acre park.

Every inch of the park is covered, said Knotts Berry Farm spokeswoman Diana Bahena.

Dark Harbor, the Halloween celebration that runs from Sept. 27 to Nov. 2 at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, is targeting adult spook enthusiasts by doubling the number of cocktail bars hidden inside haunted mazes to four. Visitors to the mazes must find secret passageways to uncover the bars, where costumed bartenders serve Halloween-themed drinks.

I think people are being entertained on multiple levels, said Hill, noting that one of the hidden bars offers guests various Scotch whiskeys to taste.

Instead of fast food, she said the event is trying to tempt guests with high-end dishes such as lobster fries and tri-tip sliders.

We are trying to push the envelope on food and beverage, Hill said.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights offers parkgoers Elevens Waffle Extravaganza, a dish inspired by the television series Stranger Things. (Universal Studios Hollywood)

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.
Its easier than ever to get straighter teeth. Orthodontists think thats a big problem.

Where metal braces installed in a doctors office were once the only way to correct misaligned teeth, a new method that uses removable clear aligners can eliminate a visit to an orthodontist and save patients thousands of dollars. Thats what led Deniece Hudson, who always dreamed of having straighter teeth, to a start-up called SmileDirectClub.

Hudson, a 24-year-old Georgia Southern University graduate, visited one of the companys retail outlets in an Atlanta strip mall in February to have her teeth scanned. That experience would turn out to be her only in-person interaction with a medical professional during a nine-month journey through the growing field of tele-orthodontics.

From the scans, SmileDirectClub used 3-D printers to create 24 trays of transparent plastic braces, which were delivered by mail with instructions on when to switch trays. Dentists monitored her progress by looking at selfies she sent over the internet. The only thing she ever learned about the physicians treating her was their last names.

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I trusted the company enough to not actually give me someone who didnt know what they were doing, Hudson said.

The program cost $2,170, compared with the $5,000 to $8,000 for a traditional orthodontist using the industry-leading Invisalign system created by Align Technology Inc. With one month to go in her program, Hudson says shes satisfied with the results.

I used to be so nervous, but now Im always smiling, she said.

Hudson may be grinning, but a growing number of orthodontists arent. Instead, theyre warning consumers about the possible dangers of undergoing a complex medical procedure without the in-person supervision of a dental professional. The main orthodonists trade association has filed complaints against SmileDirectClub with 36 state dental boards and attorneys general, alleging regulatory and statutory violations.

Theres more to treating a smile than just moving visible portions of the teeth. Sean Murphy, American Assn. of Orthodontists associate general counsel

I dont think the diagnosis can happen with three clicks, said Hera Kim-Berman, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigans department of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry and the program director of orthodontic graduate training. These companies treat them as consumers, as clients, and thats really the major difference.

About 300 million people worldwide with teeth misalignment could benefit from straightening yet are unlikely to seek treatment through a traditional doctors office, according to a February securities filing by San Jose-based Align. The global orthodontics market, which includes traditional braces, is projected to increase to $2.6 billion by 2023, from $1.5 billion in 2016, according to Allied Market Research.

SmileDirectClub, which is closely held, is the most prominent of a growing batch of start-ups seeking to capture that market. Since launching in 2014, the company says it has treated more than 250,000 patients with custom-made aligners. It declined to disclose sales figures.

Two key factors are driving growth of the tele-orthodontics business. More sophisticated 3-D printing now enables companies to use digital scanning to create custom-made clear plastic aligners and retainers, which are replacing the metal braces used by orthodontists for decades. And last October, Invisalign lost its exclusivity on 40 patents that kept it as the leading clear-aligner brand, opening the door for newcomers such as SmileDirectClub.

A lot of our customers at one point had braces, they forgot to wear their retainers, their teeth shifted a little bit, said SmileDirectClub co-founder Alex Fenkell. And before SmileDirectClub, they were looking at $5,000 to address something that theyve already invested in. It just wasnt making sense to them.

The American Assn. of Orthodontists, which represents about 19,000 members in the United States and abroad, this year issued a consumer alert warning people of direct-to-patient orthodontic companies like SmileDirectClub, Candid Co. and SmileLove. Consumers should think twice before opting for a procedure without an in-person, pre-treatment evaluation or ongoing in-person supervision from a medical professional, the group said.

Theres more to treating a smile than just moving visible portions of the teeth, said the groups associate general counsel Sean Murphy. If you want to increase access to care, you have to make sure its in the best interest of patient health and safety.

SmileDirectClub says that although its customers never have to visit a doctors office, theyre never left alone during the process. The company partners with 225 licensed dentists and orthodontists across all 50 states  each of whom has had at least four years of Invisalign practice  to review customers teeth scans or imprints.

Its a shame because its a typical knee-jerk reaction from an established institution, Jeffrey Sulitzer, chief clinical officer at SmileDirectClub and a licensed dentist, said in response to the American Assn. of Orthodontists reaction. Were increasing access to care and driving patients into general dentists offices and orthodontist offices just because were increasing awareness of oral care.

Clear aligners are the largest and fastest-growing category in the global invisible orthodontics market, which includes products made by Align, 3M Co. and ClearCorrect. Within the category, Invisalign captures more than 80% of the market, having served more than 5.8 million patients to date. It makes more than 332,000 unique aligners a day.

Align shares have jumped more than fivefold in the last three years, spurred by a doubling in sales, and the company was among the best performers in the Standard & Poors 500 index in 2017. The stock closed at $380.84 on Thursday.

But key patents that protected Invisaligns design and manufacturing expired in October 2017, and many of Aligns remaining related patents will expire by 2019. The company has been fighting to maintain its market dominance, filing patent lawsuits and trade complaints against smaller rivals, including SmileDirectClub.

A 2015 suit against SmileDirectClub  then known as SmileCareClub  cited infringement on 14 patents related to manufacturing and sales. Align also alleged the companys do-it-at-home system lacked critical oversight and entirely eliminated the doctors role in treatment.

Less than a year later, Align dropped the suit as part of a $46.7-million deal that gave it a 17% stake in SmileDirectClub and made it a third-party supplier of a portion of its braces. It has since boosted the stake to 19% with an additional $12.8-million investment.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, Hudson is preparing to finish her treatment with SmileDirectClub on Oct. 10. Although she was aware of some negative reviews left by customers ahead of her teeth-straightening adventure, shes happy she chose to look past the doubt surrounding tele-orthodontics.

I know a lot of people are skeptical about SmileDirectClub, she said, but it worked for me.

Wolf writes for Bloomberg.
A Latvian computer programmer was sentenced to 14 years in prison for designing a program that helped hackers improve malware, including some used in the 2013 Target breach.

Ruslan Bondars, a 37-year-old Latvian citizen, was found guilty at a May trial in federal court in Alexandria, Va., during which a co-conspirator revealed the pair had worked with Russian law enforcement.

Hackers used their Scan4You program to see if antivirus programs would identify their software as malicious; it could be adapted into malware kits sold to cybercriminals. Bondars argued that there are legal uses for the product and that he was not responsible for when it was used illegally.

Our position protects all online businesses; all online businesses have legitimate and illegitimate users, defense attorney Jessica Carmichael said in court Friday.

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Its an interesting theory, but not one that applies in criminal cases, Judge Liam OGrady responded. He told Bondars, Theres zero chance that you didnt know the harm being done by the malware hackers used your service to perfect.

Prosecutors said it is common and perfectly legal to hold software developers liable for creating products that could be used for good as well as ill.

The defendant apparently thinks he is unique in being charged for creating and selling a computer product that had theoretical lawful uses. He is not. Malware often has theoretical lawful uses, Asst. U.S. Atty. Kellen Dwyer wrote in his sentencing argument.

Co-conspirator Taylor Huddleston made a similar argument in an interview with the Daily Beast last year, saying he was being prosecuted for designing software he never intended as malicious. Huddleston, 27, ultimately pleaded guilty to a hacking-related crime in Alexandria; one of his co-defendants testified against Bondars.

One Scan4You user was behind the 2013 theft of credit card information from about 40 million Target customers.

I feel ashamed that some of the website users used it for such terrible things, Bondars told the court in halting English on Friday.

Bondars argued in court filings that the service had little to do with the massive data breach, which cost Target hundreds of millions of dollars. He emphasized that the malware was also run through a mainstream virus-detection service and that Targets own security system saw the breach but it was ignored. Bondars product was not actually used to help get into Targets system or steal the information, according to court testimony. An expert from Verizon who helped investigate the hack said the files tested in Scan4You were probably used to figure out where payment information was stored.

Cybersecurity experts have said the hacker, identified in court as Profile 958, is probably a Ukrainian named Andrey Hodirevski.

Target is demanding restitution from Bondars; an amount has yet to be decided.

Although Bondars was never charged with direct involvement in any hacking and made little money from Scan4You, court documents show he had used malware to rob people and to trick people into buying antivirus services they did not need.

Services like Scan4You remain easy to find online; prosecutors say it was an innovation in malware that has inspired copycats.

At the beginning, Scan4You was so small, Bondars said Friday. It got much bigger very quickly; it happened so fast.

Weiner writes for the Washington Post.
Two members of Congress are calling on Google to address concerns that YouTube might violate childrens privacy.

Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a Nebraska Republican, sent a letter this week to Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai asking for more details about how the service collects data.

Their letter comes months after privacy advocates filed a complaint about YouTube with the Federal Trade Commission. The April complaint alleged that YouTube violates the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act, known as COPPA, which bans kid-oriented websites from collecting personal information from children under 13 without their parents consent.

The FTC hasnt said whether an investigation has been opened. It declined to comment Friday.

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Google says YouTube isnt for children under 13, which is why it created a separate app for them, YouTube Kids. The company said in a statement Friday that it will work with the lawmakers to answer their questions.

Advocacy groups have argued that YouTube, despite official terms of service stating its not for kids under 13, has long looked the other way as millions of toddlers, preschoolers and preteens spend hours watching popular content on it thats geared to young children. Its business model relies on tracking IP addresses, search history, device identifiers, location and other personal data about its users so that it can gauge their interests and tailor advertising to them. But the 1998 federal law prohibits internet companies from knowingly collecting such personal data from kids without parental permission.

While the YouTube Kids app provides stronger parental filtering options and privacy protections, its not as widely used as the regular service, where the same videos and channels can be found.

Advocacy groups said they hope the congressional attention will push the FTC to act.

Its great to have representatives asking these questions about Google because FTCs investigations are all done in private and we never know whats going on, said Josh Golin, director of the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, one of the groups that filed the complaint. There is concern the FTC has not been aggressive in enforcing COPPA.
For her exhibition at Von Lintel Gallery, Klea McKenna pressed items of vintage clothing into photographic paper and exposed the embossed surfaces to raking light. The resulting photograms are beautiful, unusual documents of womens clothing, but also ghostly records of bodily presence.

The series is called Generation, and McKenna purposely selected items from across a wide span of history and geography. Items date from the 1890s to the 1960s and represent womens wear from the U.S., India, Mexico, China and Europe. Most have some kind of raised embroidery, sequins or tassels. McKenna further documented the context and stories behind the garments in an artists book, also on view.

One of the more striking pieces is La China Poblana (2), a large photogram of a 1920s Mexican skirt, spangled with that nations eagle and snake emblem. Splayed out across the black-and-white image, tinged with touches of sepia, it looks like an alien Rosetta stone or an aerial view of an archaeological dig, seeming to speak in some mysterious, ethereal language.

McKenna chose items from the past in order to connect with women across generations. For her, the intimate process of pressing the clothing into paper echoes the bodily impressions of those who inhabited the items long ago.

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In the case of La China Poblana, she also uncovered some colonial fashion history. The look we associate with traditional Mexican womens clothing  a short-sleeved white blouse with a wide, decorated, circular skirt  is actually derived from the clothing of an enslaved East Indian woman (confused for Chinese) brought to Puebla in the 1600s.

Klea McKenna, Anonymous (1), 2018. (Von Lintel Gallery)

Culture is always more complex than it seems, and McKennas project suggests that a simple piece of clothing might carry history not just in the way it looks, but in the way it feels. Her photograms also capture the ridges and textures of handiwork, most likely created by women.

Anonymous (1) depicts the surface of a cutwork sampler from the 1910s, a practice piece of embroidery in which parts of the fabric are cut out and removed. The ridges and scratches in this image feel almost otherworldly, like Nazca Lines, but are, literally, a record of womens labor, tiny stitch by tiny stitch.

By pressing these garments directly into the paper, McKenna echoes the kinds of physical impressions left both by their creators and their wearers. Her project focuses on the minuscule textures of everyday life that typically fall beneath historical notice and are typically ascribed to women. Generation brings them into full, palpable, close-up view.

Klea McKenna, Ouroboros (2), 2018. (Von Lintel Gallery)

Von Lintel Gallery, 2865 S. La Cienega Blvd., (310) 559-5700, through Oct. 20. Closed Sundays and Mondays. www.vonlintel.com
In The Great War, the Dutch theater company Hotel Modern simulated the reality of the World War I battlefield in all its muddy, body-mangled horror through the projection of toy soldiers and miniature objects onto a screen.

Live animation  or more precisely, the theatrical creation of a live animation stage work  was able to accomplish what the vast literature on trench warfare has sometimes struggled to depict: The man-made hell that turned the natural landscape into an open grave for a generation of soldiers.

The group is back at REDCAT with an even starker historical mandate: to re-create a model of the Auschwitz death camp, where the grandfather of Hotel Moderns Pauline Kalker spent his final days.

The entire stage, filled with squat buildings, train tracks and barbed-wire fences, is transformed into a deathly sand-colored scale model of the extermination camp. Figurines are wordlessly manipulated by Kalker, Arlene Hoornweg and Herman Helle, the multimedia artists who go about their business with brisk, neutral efficiency.

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Arlene Hoornweg and others wordlessly manipulate figurines in a mini-re-creation of Nazi concentration camps. (Steve Gunther)

The daily routines of these inanimate figures are projected onto a screen, and its there that you can see the condition of the skeletal prisoners, as the camera closes in on their shaved heads, sunken eyes and hollowed cheeks.

The labor forced upon them by Nazi guards constitutes a form of physical torture that is excruciating to watch. When one prisoner collapses, a guard savagely beats him, the thud repeating mercilessly as the violence tears through cartilage into bone.

The gas chambers are re-created through the mountain of shoes and clothes that are left outside and the mysterious salts in containers with skull and crossbones labels that are poured before another group is rendered lifeless.

The sheer number of corpses defies comprehension. The trains roll in, and Jewish families are pulled out like inhuman cargo. Sickly hordes are marshaled at night under the lights for what resembles a zombie march. The bone and ash piles keep rising.

Hotel Modern returns to REDCAT with KAMP, a recreation in miniature of the stark horror of Auschwitz. (Steve Gunther)

The slurping that accompanies the dispensing of watery soup served out of a trash can is one of the most pitiful sounds Ive heard in a theater. But the most harrowing aspect of Ruud van der Pluijms sound design just might be the impervious wind that blows relentlessly through the camp. That sound was somehow even more terrifying than the boisterous carousing of drunken Nazis after another days murderous work.

Never forget. Our collective imperative has grown more difficult by the distance of time and the willfulness of denial. How many today have never adequately learned about the Holocaust or fully accepted the lessons that it teaches about the barbarism that even the most civilized societies are capable of?

KAMP isnt for the faint of heart. I gasped and groaned. At times, I had to look away. But I was grateful for the courage and the craft of Hotel Modern and for the timeliness of this historical re-creation.

It cant happen here? KAMP reminds us that the unthinkable can come to pass whenever humanity turns its back on the values upon which its own sanity and security rest.

          

Hotel Modern returns to REDCAT with KAMP, a re-creation in miniature of the stark horror of Auschwitz. (Steve Gunther)

Hotel Modern: KAMP

Where: REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., L.A.

When: 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday. Ends Sunday

Tickets: $27-37

Info: (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org

Running time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

charles.mcnulty@latimes.com

Follow me @charlesmcnulty
Movie recommendations from critics Justin Chang and Kenneth Turan.

Colette Well acted by Keira Knightley and Dominic West, Wash Westmorelands witty, spirited English-language biopic follows the great French writer Colette during her early marriage to a literary impresario who nurtured, exploited and ultimately betrayed her talent. (Justin Chang) R

Eighth Grade Starring a superb Elsie Fisher as a girl about to graduate from the eighth grade, writer-director Bo Burnhams debut feature paints a beautifully, painfully honest portrait of adolescent girlhood. (Justin Chang) R

Hal A lively and evocative documentary on the gifted filmmaker Hal Ashby, who directed seven memorable films in nine years during the 1970s, including perennial favorites like Shampoo, The Last Detail, Coming Home and Being There. See how he did it and what it cost him. (Kenneth Turan) NR

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Incredibles 2 There is good news in the world tonight: Writer-director Brad Bird has brought everyones favorite superhero family back to the big screen, and we are all better off for it. (Kenneth Turan) PG

Juliet, Naked A charming film of an engaging, adult nature about two very different people trying to press reset in their lives, it is impressively directed by Jesse Peretz and acted with verve, passion and great skill by Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke and Chris ODowd. (Kenneth Turan) R

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Led by a vivacious star turn from Lily James, Ol Parkers sequel to Mamma Mia! is a thoroughly unexpected delight, an ABBA jukebox musical that improves on its dreadful 2008 predecessor in every respect. (Justin Chang) PG-13

Searching A Bay Area dad (John Cho) looks for his missing daughter in this compelling and formally innovative thriller from first-time director Aneesh Chaganty, which unfolds entirely on the characters computer and phone screens. (Justin Chang) PG-13

The Sisters Brothers John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Riz Ahmed and Jake Gyllenhaal make superb company in French director Jacques Audiards English-language debut, a funny, sad, brutal western about outlaws and prospectors searching for gold and deliverance in 1850s Oregon. (Justin Chang) R

Sorry to Bother You Rapper-activist Boots Rileys joyous dystopian cackle of a directing debut stars a superb Lakeith Stanfield as an Oakland telemarketer who stumbles into that arrestingly surreal zone where racial identity, class rage and corporate malfeasance intersect. (Justin Chang) R

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

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Kanye West always wanted this.

Not having royalties and not being able to produce more sneakers were the main reasons he left Nike. And upon signing his deal with Adidas, which started in 2013, he made it clear that he wanted more people to have access to his sneakers. Today hes making good on that promise with the release of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in an all-white colorway that retails for $220. Customers will only be able to purchase the sneakers directly through adidas.com and the Yeezy Supply web site. They are reportedly releasing 1 million pairs of shoes.

Wests influence, along with scarcity, is what has bolstered the Yeezy footwear line. But what happens when a Yeezy Boost style becomes even more ubiquitous? Will it have the same trajectory as the Jordan brand, which lost market share and cache due to overproduction. WWD spoke with people in the sneaker industry to see if the release will hurt or help the brand.

Matt Cohen, vice president of business strategy and development at Goat, a sneaker resale app

What do you think of this release?

This is an interesting release because weve never seen something like this. For one, its a restock, but theyve changed the name of the sneaker. It seems like they are trying to appeal to a different customer. This is also the first time weve heard a sneaker brand be vocal about democratizing a release and making this coveted sneaker available to everyone.

How do you think it will affect resale prices?

This style has been trading actively in the market for 12 months at around $400 to $450, but that price has gotten lower with the announcement of this restock. We currently have thousands of pairs of this style already on the site. There has been less talk about the shoe because its been out for a while. The Yeezy brand is still hot, but [Boost] release has been overshadowed a little by the release of the Acronym x Nike Presto collaboration.

Is it a good or bad decision?

I can see both sides of the coin. Adidas is a public company and its main objective is to increase value for the shareholder. From that perspective Adidas is doing what their investors want, so if they have all this pent-up demand and can fulfill it, why not sell it? But Yeezy is Adidas premium line. So what happens to the second tier of product that retails around $180 when more people can get the premium sneaker thats priced at $220? Thats where things can get dangerous. There is a fine balance of making it more accessible but also maintaining the allure.

Bernie Gross, creative director at Extra Butter, sneaker boutique

What do you think of this release?

From the retailer point of view, we arent being allocated the product. Its exclusive to Adidas. Brands want to capitalize on making their margins and go direct to consumer. This is a profit initiative. From the sneaker consumers point of view, its an easy sell because its all white. This probably wouldnt work if it was any other colorway, but this is for the everyday consumer. Adidas has been doing this Yeezy exercise for three years now so maybe this is an exit strategy for this style. Maybe they are trying to capitalize on this style, generate revenue and put it to sleep.

Do you think its good or bad?

That depends on your perspective. The sneaker community has grown so much. Its great for Adidas and it speaks volumes on the power of Kanye. I think in todays age its all about inclusivity and transparency. Theres no point of using someone like Kanye to only make 5,000 pairs of shoes. You want to use that asset and captivate a huge audience.

Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2. WWD

DeeDee Negron, sneaker collector/influencer

What do you think of this release?

Im happy that hes releasing them this way. This was always his main goal. Resellers are upset because it drops the resale value. Hypebeasts are upset because they arent going to be the only one wearing the shoe. But I think its a good idea.

You spend a lot of time with other collectors. Is the brand still desirable?

People still want it. People are tired of the V2 model and they want to see new styles and colorways, but hopefully next year that will happen. But I think the brand has longevity. There have been rumors swirling that Nike is going to retro the Yeezys he released there and a lot of people want to know if thats going to actually happen.

Yu-Ming Wu, co-founder of SneakerCon

What do you think of this release?

As a fan of his and his sneakers and having been in the industry, I think its great. Resellers are saying its a foul play because they will lose money on the stuff they are holding on to, but even then, looking at the marketplaces we havent seen a big dip in resale prices. We are still in the $300 to $500 range. A lot of these shoes are going to sell and for the consumer you no longer have to jump through six hoops, run across glass and touch fire to get a pair of Yeezys.

Do you think it will have a negative impact?
The Palace Museum will open more areas for exhibition and will add a foreign cultural relics hall, Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, said recently, China News reported on Sept. 20.

Shan disclosed that foreign cultural relics will be exhibited at the Yanxi Palace, or the Hall of Prolonging Happiness, of the Palace Museum.

The furniture storage facility in the southwest section of the Forbidden City will also be revamped for furniture display in the future, according to Shan.

In addition, the museum will make efforts to allow more people all over the world to see the cultural relics in all their glory thanks to the internet and digital technologies.

For example, it will host more online exhibitions, enhance interactions with internet users on Sina Weibo and develop apps for users to learn about the relics, the director noted.

The Taihe Forum on Protecting the Worlds Ancient Civilization was recently held in the museum, attracting lots of visitors who got a good look at many classic Chinese paintings which were displayed using technology, Shan said.

He added that the museum will work with other institutions to select 100 pieces of Chinese art and calligraphy works for exhibition using technological means.

The museum has put great efforts into the renovation of cultural relics and ancient buildings.

Each of the 1,200 buildings of the Palace Museum boast a unique history, Shan noted, adding that renovation of every one involves in-depth research, and specific reports of the renovation is also published.

Furthermore, the museum has built the Relic Hospital, which is equipped with advanced technology and employs 200 trade masters trained to restore cultural relics, Shan noted.
Picking up from a few looks teased in February on the fall runway, Fendi is rolling out a capsule collection based on the Fendi/Fila logo created by Instagram artist @hey_reilly. Called Fendi Mania, the capsule will hit stores on Oct. 16 with special events planned for New York, Beverly Hills, Paris, London, Moscow, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Kuwait.

We are obsessed with Fendi and we want to share this obsession, said chief executive officer Serge Brunschwig with a laugh. The mania started with the fall show, but now its a more expansive and important capsule targeting men, women and children [ages three to 12], all together for the first time.

Brunschwig, who joined Fendi in February from Dior Homme, succeeding Pietro Beccari, said that after the FF Reloaded project and the brands revisitation of the FF logo, Mania was an interesting way to express the Fendi identity. Its a very luxurious collection, very creative and with plenty of our fur.

Looks from the Fendi Mania capsule. (Fendi)

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The bold Fendi Mania logo appears in two color combinations, red with blue and yellow with white, also with graphic diagonal stripes and is combined with the FF logo on precious mink coats and reversible bombers. The Fendi Mania logo also appears as an allover pattern on pleated skirts paired with coordinating tops.

The capsule has a Western feel when the logo is flanked by stars on sartorial denim blazers contrasting with HotPants and leather bomber jackets with fringes. The logo returns on mens staples, including a cozy sweater, a padded vest or dark indigo denim pieces.

This being Fendi, accessories stand out with a rich range of crocodile tote bags, a Peekaboo bag with a waterproof cover, logo cowboy boots and sock sneakers. In addition, the capsule includes a Momento Fendi Mania watch designed for both women and men with a silver-white dial and an embossed red and blue logo.

The special Fendi Mania T-shirt will available online starting Oct. 15. (Fendi)

Its a good moment and a nice opportunity for a common theme and a new logo, Brunschwig said. Asked about the plethora of logos and how they are trending, the executive said, There are always cycles, perhaps logos will be less relevant one day, but the Fendi logo is eternal, there are no more than three to five eternal logos. He also reiterated the importance of approaching customers with the drop of such capsules.

Fendi Mania will be available starting on Oct. 16 at Fendi boutiques and online and cannot be reserved in advance, although a special T-shirt will be exclusively launched online as a preview at 10 p.m. on Oct. 15.
There is a very good chance that the best-selling wine brand in California isnt from California. Its not Josh or Barefoot or Coppola, or Two Buck Chuck. Its an Italian import called Stella Rosa, created by the Ribolis, a fourth-generation wine family based in Lincoln Heights. IS IT OR ISNT IT CALIFORNIAS TOP SELLER? ARENT THERE STATS TO BACK THIS UP?

With the help of their Italian winemaking partners, the Ribolis debuted the product in 2003: Fifteen years later, according to data from the Nielsen Co, Stella Rosa is the top-selling import brand in the country. According to the industry analyst Market Watch, sales will exceed 2 million cases this year. The brand has been performing double-digit growth almost since its inception, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing.

You may not have tasted Stella Rosa wines (there are 22 different bottlings, or flavors) but you cant help but be familiar with the brand. You may have seen their float in the 2014 Rose Parade (theyll have one in 2019 also), or seen their airplane banners at the beach.

But youre probably most familiar with the brand if you drive in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego or Las Vegas, because then youve seen the billboards. There are 400 of them scattered across the country, the company estimates, extolling you to Taste the Magic and to Stellabrate, replete with imagery exalting a lifestyle that seems exceptionally upscale, shiny and happy. So if youve never stellabrated, perhaps its time to get acquainted.

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For more than a century, through four generations, the Riboli family has been making, importing and selling wine. Even through Prohibition, when they landed a contract to make sacramental wine for Roman Catholic masses, theyve made wine  all kinds of wine, from jug wines to appellation wines, from fruit sources all over California (much of it now comes from estate vineyards on the Central Coast).

IM UNCLEAR HOW THIS WORKS. ABOVE WE SAY THE COMPANY IS A TOP IMPORTER. THE GRAPES ARE GROWN HERE, THEN SHIPPED TO ITALY FOR THE WINEMAKING? NEEDS TO BE CLEARER

They sell these wines direct, in their bustling Lincoln Heights winery tasting room, which houses a restaurant, a gift shop, and doubles, quite naturally, as a front line for market research.

Fifteen years ago, Anthony Riboli and his father, Santo, noticed the rise in demand for a relatively obscure class of Italian low-alcohol sparkling wine called Moscato dAsti, made in the northern region of Piedmont. As winery owners of Italian heritage they knew these wines, and had long imported them.

Occasionally in the tasting room, the staff would take queries from patrons asking if there was such a thing as a red Moscato dAsti.

They were interested in the health benefits of red wine, says Riboli.

Riboli put the question to his Italian winery partners, Capetta and the Santero brothers. The wineries came back with a half dozen prototypical blends, and Stella Rosa red was born.

Stella Rosa wines come in at around 5.5% alcohol by volume, or less than half of an average bottle of wine. That arrested fermentation leaves plenty of residual sugar, and the wine is lightly frizzante, which gives them a more pleasant mouthfeel.MEANING TINGLE??

That first 1,000 cases of wine were sold in two weeks. The Ribolis re-upped immediately, and have been re-upping ever since, adding wines, flavors, testing different tiers, different colors, different flavor combinations.

Each morning, crowds file into the tasting room at 11 a.m., to buy Stella Rosa wines, t-shirts, tote bags, fans, scented candles, lip balms, and jars of Stella Rosa marinara. Cases are stacked chest high in the display room and are restocked daily.

Sales are particularly strong with women, as well as Hispanic and Asian buyers; Anthony Riboli will tell you that their tasting room is just like the melting pot that is Los Angeles, and in the several hours I spent there, I saw no reason to dispute this.

The success of Stella Rosa has been an unexpected boon to the Ribolis more serious winemaking efforts, affording them the capital to purchase vineyard land and facilities.

So how, you ask, does it taste? The Stella Rosa wines resemble wine, theyre reminiscent of wine, but no one who drinks wine regularly would mistake these flavors for wine. To my palate they have at least as much in common with soft drinks (Seven-Up comes to mind) as they do with, say, Robert Mondavi Cabernet.

But if you dont drink Robert Mondavi Cabernet, then this comparison may be meaningless to you. You may not be troubled by the rush of sugar, the jumbled terpenic flavors that frame the wine as a stand-in for the missing alcohol. And you may enjoy the sodapop sweetness, which ameliorates any perception of flaws, at least until the finish.

Residual sugar in wine, of course, isnt anything new  hundreds of more expensive wines, from Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve to Meiomi Pinot Noir and the Prisoner, employ it to make their wines taste more plush and seductive. And residual sugar inhabits literally thousands of wines from Germany, Austria, France, from all over the world.

Stella Rosa is decidedly better than Boones Farm, than Arbor Mist, than Almond Champagne or MD 20/20 Banana Red or any of the hundreds of concoctions with lurid colors, additives, and cloying sweetness that crowd supermarket and bodega shelves. Stella Rosa isnt as fake as any of these, but that doesnt make it altogether real, either.

Stella Rosa plainly occupies a niche that has been hiding in plain sight for decades. It serves to remind us that the wine market is at least two markets, one that takes itself very seriously, perhaps too seriously, that serves to distinguish itself from the mainstream beverage market. The other engages with that mainstream, seeks out commonalities with it, to sell wine that falls closer to its most common denominators.

The Riboli family  savvy, clever, and self-preserving  seems to move comfortably in both.

Food@latimes.com

@latimesfood
You wont find any chefs whites in Elmira Avetians cooking class. There are no mirror-polished, stainless-steel workstations or pre-weighed mise en place. Theres just Avetian in her snug Glendale kitchen, standing in front of a four-burner stove on a floor mat that reads Moms Kitchen Always Made With Love.

Avetian is one of the cooking instructors for the League of Kitchens, a unique cooking school where students learn regional specialties from immigrant women who happen to be exceptional home cooks. Founded in New York City in 2014, the idea came to founder and Chief Executive Lisa Gross after her Korean grandmother passed away. Gross longed for her grandmothers cooking and regretted not learning by her side. After trying to teach herself to cook from books and internet tutorials, Gross determined there was no substitute for the sensory cues that are often left out of recipes, so she set out in search of hired grandmas and aunties from all over the world  Nepal, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Argentina and Afghanistan  who could teach curious home cooks in the manner that daughters and sons and cousins have been taught for generations, standing alongside their elders at the stove.

This October, the League of Kitchens will launch its first workshops outside of New York, in Los Angeles with two instructors  the Tbilisi-born Avetian, who specializes in Georgian and Armenian cuisine, and Smitha Sindagi, who hails from Karnataka, a state in southwest India where she earned the title of roti-master in her family.

Elmira Avetian shows students of the League of Kitchens cooking class how to prepare the ingredients for a Georgian dish right out of her own home. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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The workshops, which range from 4 1/2-hour weekend immersion courses to shorter weekday sessions, are taught in the instructors home, which is why on a Sunday afternoon in July four students sat around a table in Avetians living room preparing Armenian tolma, wrapping young grape leaves around a mixture of rice and ground beef, scented with coriander and speckled with cilantro, parsley and dill.

You want to wrap them like a baby, Avetian instructed the students before taking a stack of swaddled bundles to the stove to steam. Its the type of gentle instruction that you can expect from her workshops, which marry the atmosphere of Sunday supper at your friends house with a full menu of new recipes and a slew of practical home-cooking techniques that are rarely taught in books or professional classes.

Need to keep a weight on those tolma while they boil on the stove? Use an upside-down dinner plate. Want to know the fastest way to peel tomatoes? Massage the edge of a paring knife along the outside of the fruit to separate the skin from the flesh before stripping away the outer layer. Have to clean a fish but dont want to scrub scales off your walls for the next two days? Fill the sink and scale the fish under water (a serrated paring knife does the job just fine).

Whereas other cooking classes emphasize the right way to do things, Avetians workshop is a master class in how to make exceptional food in a kitchen that might resemble your own, where counter space is limited, improvisation is inevitable and you have to contend with your 19-year-old son pilfering the occasional cup of beef broth from the stove.

A hallmark of the Georgian table, pkhali incorporates a mixture of ground vegetables. Avetians version is made from kidney beans with pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Recipe: Red bean pkhali (Georgian red bean and walnut pate) 

Every workshop includes a recipe booklet, but Avetian teaches with her senses. The Georgian ways of mixing things is with your hands and your eyes, she says, but the main tool is love. My grandma always said, if youre in a bad mood dont go to the kitchen.

Beyond advancing culinary skills, Gross ambition for the League of Kitchens is to better value immigrants knowledge and the richness of their cultures. We are recognizing women home cooks who have been doing this work for their whole lives, she says. Many of these women are taken for granted by their families and communities, but have incredible expertise thats not valued culturally or monetarily. They are just as unique and special as any French chef, and without the League of Kitchens, their knowledge wouldnt be accessible outside their own families.

While diners in Los Angeles have long championed immigrant cooking, rarely is it available to the public outside of restaurants, and in the case of Smith Sindagi, Karnataka-style cuisine doesnt exist in any bricks-and-mortar in L.A., so her kitchen may be the only place Angelenos can learn about usali, a sprouted bean curry with tomatoes, coconut and spices. Similarly, you wont find Avetians red-bean pkhali anywhere outside her Glendale kitchen. The mixture of ground vegetables  often beets, spinach or beans  with pureed walnuts, herbs and spices, is a hallmark of the Georgian table, and Avetians version made from kidney beans is fragrant with the quintessential flavors of her home country: cilantro, coriander and fenugreek.

Pkhali is one of six dishes that lands on Avetians dinner table when the workshop winds down and students gather over a feast of plump Armenian tolma, electric red borscht, Mediterranean salad and a whole trout baked with no less than a window box worth of tarragon.

Turkish coffee is prepared with Georgian dessert during a home cooking class. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

After the savory courses, Avetian will serve Armenian coffee with gata, a flaky sweet bread, and read everyones future in their coffee grounds, but for now she looks around the table and worries what will become of all the leftovers.

Youll have to come back tomorrow, she says to the students who laugh until her expression reveals that shes serious. You dont believe me, do you?

Classes offered

Type: Immersion

Price: $175 per person

Hours/days: 4.5 hours on weekends from 1 to 5:30 p.m.

Details: Hands-on cooking instruction for a group of six students

Type: Taste Of

Price: $120 per person

Hours/days: 2.5 hours on select weekdays, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 7 to 9:30 p.m., and weekends from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Details: Hands-on cooking instruction for a group of six students

Type: Shopping Tour*

Price: $95 per person

Hours/days: 2.5 hours on weekends from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Details: A guided tour where the instructor takes a group of six students to her favorite  and oftentimes secret  food stores, shops and eateries.

*This is a new workshop category for both New York and L.A.

To sign up for classes and to learn more, visit www.leagueofkitchens.com.

food@latimes.com
Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, in a tight race to retain his Orange County seat, ridiculed the decades-old allegation of sexual assault that has thrown the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh into turmoil, according to a recording acquired by Talking Points Memo.

This guy whos going to be our Supreme Court justice, he said, and he better be our Supreme Court judge, hes a perfect candidate. And what do they say? Well, in high school you did this. High school? Give me a break.

The recording appears to have come from a recent campaign event with young supporters, with Rohrabacher warning them that technology made it possible to track down and judge every phone call you make, every deal you make, every time you click something on . . .your home computer.

That brought him to the accusation against Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford, a Palo Alto professor, who said the judge assaulted her at a party, probably in 1982, when she was 15 and he was 17. In an interview with the Washington Post, she said Kavanaugh pinned her down on a bed, groped her, put his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet and fumbled drunkenly to remove her clothes, before she escaped.

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MORE: The GOP wants to know why Feinstein didnt come forward sooner with Kavanaugh allegation 

Kavanaugh has vehemently denied the allegation, and has offered to testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee next week. Ford said Thursday she also would agree to testify next week, on condition that the hearing is conducted in a fair manner and that her safety be guaranteed. Since she went public with her story, she says she has received death threats.

Rohrabacher, of Costa Mesa, a staunch supporter of President Trump, began his comments about Kavanaugh with a reference to the dystopian classic novel 1984.

George Orwell, he was so incredibly insightful and could see whats going to happen, he said. But thats the challenge youre going to have. At least I didnt have to worry about that.

After he mocked the allegation, a supporter joked about Kavanaugh cutting in line on hamburger day.

Rohrabachers campaign did not respond to requests for comment about the recording.

The congressman has held his seat in the 48th Congressional District since 1988, but changing demographics and Trumps low popularity in the area have prompted Democrats to launch a serious challenge. Polls have him and his challenger, real estate entrepreneur Harley Rouda, virtually tied, and most handicapping groups call the race a toss-up.

joe.mozingo@latimes.com

@joemozingo
The damage inflicted by Andrea DelVescos killer was wider and deeper than imaginable.

That much was evident as, one by one, about a dozen friends of the 21 year-old UCLA student addressed the judge  and the murderer  in a Los Angeles courtroom Friday.

Friends, including members of DelVescos sorority, shared through tears the deep impact the fourth-year psychology student had on their lives. They described her magic and ability to empathize and connect with others.

Today is my chance to fight back, friend Heather Hourdequin said through sobs. To my kooky friend, Andy: Thank you for wearing color as you danced in this world.

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Superior Court Judge Mark Windham listened, at times asking speakers to take their time because he wanted to hear each word, then pronounced judgment.

Alberto Medina was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole  three years to the day after he violently attacked DelVesco in the Westwood apartment she shared with about a dozen of her Pi Beta Phi sorority sisters. Medina, 25, was found guilty in May of murder, arson, burglary and animal cruelty in connection with DelVescos 2015 death.

Prosecutors say Medina, who was a student at Fresno State University, burglarized another unit in the Westwood complex before breaking into DelVescos apartment, stabbing her and setting her home ablaze to destroy any evidence.

Co-defendant Eric Marquez, 25, a UCLA student, was charged with one count of murder, two counts of burglary and a count of being an accessory after the fact. He pleaded guilty to one burglary count and the accessory count. He was sentenced in June to two years and eight months in prison. His attorney, Steven Cron, said Marquez was credited for time served and released.

Some of DelVescos friends took the hearing as an opportunity to recount their own trauma and frustration that despite three years worth of opportunities, Medina provided no answer to their persistent question  why such a gruesome murder?

DelVesco was stabbed 19 times, and her body was burned beyond recognition. Her dog, Shay Panda, who was by her side, also suffered burns and had to be euthanized.

Her friends and family pleaded with the judge to imprison Medina for life, because they feared for their safety and that of others.

I woke up early to the sound of helicopters, Elizabeth Matusov said of the morning of the killing. In that moment, the world I knew melted away.

DelVescos friends recalled desperately trying to extinguish flames in their apartment. They remembered waiting outside to hear the news she was alive, the ambulance stretcher still waiting for her on Roebling Avenue. And when police couldnt confirm, they recalled reading in disbelief news articles telling them what they didnt want to hear.

The anguish did not stop there. Throughout the years  in yoga, in student government meetings and at sorority events  they would feel visceral pain when learning more about the details of the murder, Hourdequin said.

They wore hoodies and jumped in a van to avoid the reporters following them to class.

And for many of them, Sept. 21, 2015, marks the day they lost their innocence of the evils in the world.

What if I was next? Matusov recalled thinking. To this day I wake up fearing for my life.

Another friend, Nicole Berggreen, said the date instilled in her a plethora of new fears, such as the fear of strange men and a discomfort in the world we live in.

Many speakers expressed a sense of guilt for not doing more to prevent their friends death. One speaker said she regretted that when she heard that police had come to inspect the area, she shrugged it off.

The Los Angeles Police Department was criticized for not inspecting the apartment more thoroughly after being called to DelVescos unit for suspicious activity in the early morning before the murder. Two officers who responded to the scene were fired.

Despite the maximum sentence, friends and family said justice would not be served unless Medina felt the same permanent and visceral pain they felt.

Leslie DelVesco, Andys mother, said Medina should at the very least tell the truth about what happened that morning and explain why he did it.

Where is his moral compass? Berggreen asked. He is a closed book. I thought Id see some emotion on his faceor at least a flinch.

Debra Werbel, Medinas attorney, asked the judge to remove the additional 12 years that the prosecutor asked be added to the life sentence, if only symbolically, because the murder was out of character for Medina.

He entered DelVescos apartment without a weapon, so the crime wasnt premeditated, she argued. And the murder was far from sophisticated, she said.

It was the opposite of sophisticated, she said, describing how Medina left a trail of evidence from the apartment to his home. Not a smart move on his part.

The judge did not grant her request. He added 10 years to Medinas life sentence.

He cant atone for taking Andreas life, Leslie Delvesco said after the sentencing. But he did receive the maximum sentence, so I feel relieved that he can never hurt another person.

Its what Andy would have wanted.

Times staff writer Marisa Gerber contributed to this report.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra

UPDATES:

6:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from the court hearing.

This article was originally published at 12:50 p.m.
Five years after the Golden State Killer had mysteriously stopped terrorizing California, a new serial rapist emerged.

For more than 15 years, fear spread across six counties in Northern California as word spread of a man who had broken into homes and raped at least 10 women. Law enforcement officials, already trying to hunt down one notorious rapist and killer, now had to hunt down another attacker.

He was dubbed the NorCal Rapist.

On Friday, standing with a row of men and women in suits and police uniforms, Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert identified Roy Charles Waller, 58, a UC Berkeley employee, as the suspect in the NorCal Rapist case.

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Schubert says her office used DNA and genealogy websites to zero in on Waller. His arrest comes five months after similar strategies were used to identify and arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, who is suspected of being the Golden State Killer, the East Area Rapist and Visalia Ransacker.

The last time we had a press conference here, it was ironic because it was National DNA Day, Schubert said. Today it is also ironic that it is National Forensic Science Week, so its fitting that we provide an answer to the NorCal Rapist case.

Authorities from various counties said they have reached out to victims to inform them about the arrest. The people they spoke to expressed relief and joy over his capture.

No one else has to worry about him anymore, said Sacramento Police Det. Avis Beery, who had been investigating the case for more than a decade. The victims in this case can stop looking over their shoulders.

Investigators said the NorCal Rapists crimes began in the summer of 1991 in Rohnert Park when a 21-year woman was raped in her home; her attacker got into the house through an unlocked sliding glass door.

The woman described her attacker as soft-spoken and apologetic, according to an interview she gave years later to the Press-Democrat. The woman said police didnt take her case seriously enough.

In December of that same year, another woman was attacked in Sonoma. Sexual assaults on women in several counties followed, including in Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Butte and Sacramento.

Investigators said that the assaults would last for hours and that the victims were blindfolded and sometimes bound with duct tape.

He would ransack their homes, and sometimes he would kidnap the victims and take them to an ATM where he would get money out of their accounts, Beery said.

A booking photo of Roy Charles Waller, 58, of Benicia, was released Friday following his arrest. Waller is suspected of carrying out a series of sexual assaults across Northern California from 1991 to 2006. (Sacramento Police Department)

In October 2006, a man spent six hours raping two women, ages 24 and 28, in Sacramentos North Natomas neighborhood. One victim walked past the attackers vehicle  identified as a 2001 to 2003 white Toyota 4Runner  before entering her home, where her housemate had already been attacked. A neighbors security camera caught the same SUV as it drove away.

The victims said the rapist knew his way around their home, suggesting hed been watching the women. And they gave police an up-to-date description of the rapist: He had gained 30 to 40 pounds since the crimes began years ago, developing a noticeable potbelly as he aged.

Those 2006 attacks appear to have been the last.

Waller was linked by DNA directly to the October 2006 attacks and matched the DNA profile of the NorCal Rapist, according to the Sacramento Police Department.

Contra Costa County Dist. Atty. Diana Becton said her office had filed a complaint in 2006 with the suspects specific DNA profile to preserve the statute of limitations for some of the criminal charges in its case.

Schubert, the Sacramento County district attorney, said Waller faces 12 counts of forcible sexual assault and allegations that he used a gun to commit some of the crimes. Those charges are connected only to the 2006 rape case in Sacramento. Overall, there are 10 victims and authorities say more charges may soon be filed against Waller.

In a statement, UC Berkeley officials expressed shock over the arrest of one of their employees and said campus police would review any open sexual assault cases to determine if any of them might be related to the wider crimes.

Waller worked in our Environment, Health & Safety office since 1992 as a safety specialist, university officials said. The duties include managing programs to help ensure safety and training regarding the use of equipment and machinery including forklifts, aerial lifts and respirators.

Waller, who remains in jail without bail, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Sacramento County Superior Court.

Times staff writer Laura Newberry and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

ruben.vives@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow @latvives on Twitter.

UPDATES:

6:30 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with background on the case and other details.

12:35 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from UC Berkeley.

This article was originally published at 12:05 p.m.
A longtime Pasadena police officer pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally dealing more than 100 guns across Southern California and, in one case, making false statements on government paperwork during a gun sale.

Vasken Gourdikian, a former lieutenant who also once served as spokesman for Pasadenas police force, entered his plea in downtown Los Angeles to the two felony counts. He faces up to 30 months in federal prison.

His defense attorney, Mark Werksman, said he planned to ask U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson for leniency at a sentencing hearing scheduled for February 2019.

He never meant any harm. And he found himself afoul of some very complex federal firearms laws that make it illegal to sell firearms in the volume that he did over a short period of time without a license, Werksman said. For $25, he could have purchased a federal firearms license and he wouldnt have been in trouble.

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In his plea agreement, Gourdikian, 48, acknowledged selling at least 108 firearms without a license from March 2014 to February 2017. Several of those firearms were off roster handguns  firearms that sworn police officers are eligible to purchase but are otherwise not directly available to the public from licensed dealers.

Gourdikian also admitted to submitting erroneous information when buying a Smith & Wesson pistol at a Brea gun shop in 2014, according to the plea agreement. Gourdikian claimed that he was the buyer when, in fact, he was purchasing it for an unnamed person who retrieved the gun in Ontario, according to court documents.

Much of his business relied on Calguns.net, an online forum for firearms enthusiasts. There, he advertised weapons for sale and arranged purchases, according to court papers.

Prosecutors contended that Gourdikian took advantage of his status as a police officer for the enterprise. As a cop, he was able to purchase more than one handgun in a 30-day period, and he secured special wavers from Pasadenas police chief that allowed him to bypass the states mandatory 10-day waiting period that civilians must obey.

Those who sell guns illegally need to be held accountable, especially those who abuse a position of public trust, U.S. Atty. Nick Hanna said in a statement earlier this year.

At least one of the firearms sold by Gourdikian was found at a crime scene, although it was not used in a crime.

Werksman, the defense attorney, said his client had provided exemplary service to Pasadena during 23 years as an officer. He portrayed Gourdikian as a hobbyist who believed his side gig was aboveboard.

When do you become a dealer? Theres no strict definition, Werksman said. Basically he got carried away with the volume over the period of time, and didnt realize he was crossing the line.

The attorney added: He takes responsibility for it and hes resolved the case in a responsible way.

A Pasadena police officer since 1994, Gourdikian was placed on paid administrative leave after agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives raided his Sierra Madre home in 2017 and seized a cache of guns. He stopped receiving a salary after he was indicted in March and later resigned.

As a condition of his plea agreement, Gourdikian agreed to forfeit ownership of dozens of the firearms seized from his home.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjourno
Hundreds of federal agents and local law enforcement officers conducted dozens of predawn raids across San Diego County on Thursday, arresting alleged gang members and others with suspected gang ties on drug, gun, racketeering and other charges, authorities said.

The raids were the culmination of a yearlong investigation targeting alleged members of several San Diego-area street gangs and the Mexican Mafia, a notorious prison gang. Federal charges were levied Thursday against 26 defendants.

During the probe, the regions Violent Crimes Gang Task Force seized nearly 230 firearms and seven pounds of methamphetamine, according to the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California.

The seizure of hundreds of firearms is a very significant strike against gang violence in our communities, U.S. Atty. Adam Braverman said in a statement.

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In total, six complaints were filed in U.S. District Court, with some of the 26 defendants named in just one complaint, and others in multiple complaints. The charges include racketeering, methamphetamine trafficking, a methamphetamine conspiracy charge, unlawful possession of a machine gun and other drug and gun charges.

Thursdays predawn Operation Sureno Sweep involved more than 200 agents from the FBI and other federal agencies, sheriffs deputies from San Diego County and police officers from San Diego, National City, Chula Vista, La Mesa and El Cajon.

The 20 defendants who were in custody Thursday  six remained at large  were arraigned in U.S. District Court. All pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors have asked a judge to order the defendants held until they are tried, with a hearing set next week for a judge to rule on that motion.

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com

Riggins writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Proposition 11 on the Nov. 6 ballot would make clear that emergency medical technicians and paramedics working for private ambulance services must remain reachable during paid work breaks so that they can respond immediately when needed. Its a sensible proposal that would maintain the status quo among emergency responders, and voters should support it.

The standard operating procedure for half a century has been that police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency responders remain on call during paid meal and rest breaks. Its a downside of this line of work that one may be interrupted mid-burger, but the occasional inconvenience is balanced by the often significant downtime between emergency calls.

This approach was thrown into question, however, after a security guard working for a private company sued for the right to turn off her radio during breaks. The California Supreme Court ruled in her favor in 2016, holding that requiring security guards to remain reachable during breaks violated state labor laws. Within months a number of paramedics and EMTs filed lawsuits claiming the ruling should apply to private ambulance services as well, even though these employees typically sign contracts agreeing to remain on call during breaks in exchange for pay and a break later.

Concerned about the cost and the ability to respond quickly to medical emergencies, companies such as American Medical Response, which contracts with more than a dozen of Californias counties to provide emergency medical service, pushed for legislation to preserve the current practice. Otherwise, the states legislative analyst estimated, these companies would collectively have to spend up to $100 million a year on the extra staff and ambulances needed to cover the gaps when EMTs and paramedics go dark on breaks. Private companies provide about 75% of the ambulance service in the state, and the cost would likely be passed on to local governments and private insurers  and their customers.

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But the proposed bill died in 2017 when the unions representing private ambulance workers objected, worried that the measure would wipe out their members lawsuits. The unions say their members dont have a problem remaining on call during paid work breaks, the same as other emergency responders, but they want to retain the right to seek compensation from their employers for imposing this requirement in the past.

AMR, the company that stands to lose the most, then spent millions of dollars to put essentially the same proposal on the ballot as Proposition 11. And even the union representing paramedics and EMTs is holding its fire; there is no formal opposition to the measure. (The public agencies that provide their own emergency medical services, such as the Los Angeles Fire Department, would not be affected by this ballot measure because it applies just to private-sector ambulance companies.)

This issue really should have been worked out by lawmakers. But it wasnt, so its up to voters. They should pass Proposition 11.

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Theres no doubt that low-income students are at a disadvantage when it comes to taking college admissions exams such as the SAT and ACT, and it is understandable that some school districts want to help them. But a bill that would allow districts to substitute one of those tests in place of the states own academic proficiency exam for high school juniors isnt the way to solve the problem. Gov. Jerry Brown should veto AB 1951.

School officials who are in favor of the change point out that affluent students often benefit from expensive test-prep tutoring for college entrance exams. If the SAT or ACT were substituted in for the current state exam, teachers could be focusing throughout the school year on the skills needed for those tests, which would help students score higher. It would also allow students to take the test for free. In addition, the substitution would mean one less test in a year that otherwise tends to be exam-packed.

But the states regular proficiency exams, administered from grades 3 to 8 and then grade 11, actually serve a purpose. They measure how well students are meeting the states own Common Core curriculum standards. A report by an independent organization this year found that despite the claims of the College Board, which produces the SAT, it is not that well aligned to the standards, which emphasize critical thinking skills.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

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As important as local school control can be at times, it is the states job to set learning standards and an accountability system based on them. California has already done that, and it shouldnt allow the College Board or any other outside testing organization to, in effect, guide instruction, especially considering how many California students attend community college or California State University, which dont require entrance exams.

In addition, the states tests give the public and parents an opportunity to compare academic achievement at different schools and provide state officials with a way of determining which schools need intervention from Sacramento to improve. Under AB 1951, some schools would require the state test and others would require the SAT or ACT, and there would be no meaningful way to reconcile scores on these different tests so that schools could be compared.

The University of California is considering whether to use the states 11th-grade standards exam as a factor in admissions, possibly allowing students to use it as an alternative to the SAT or ACT. It will take several years of study to see whether the state test is a good predictor of college success.

If it isnt, the state needs to have a serious discussion about why standards geared to college readiness, and a test to measure that readiness, fall short when it comes to gauging a students ability to handle university academics.

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iStock/Thinkstock(ROME) -- Following a troubling summer marred by clerical child abuse scandals, Pope Francis is heading eastwards to the Baltic States on his 25th trip as pontiff this Saturday. The four-day trip will take him to three Baltic States: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.



The papal trip is also an occasion to "pay homage to those who have suffered for their faith," Greg Burke, the Director of the Vatican press office, told reporters Wednesday.



All three countries are celebrating their original hundred-year anniversaries of independence from Russia, following World War I in 1918. During World War II, they were occupied by the Nazis and then lived under Soviet rule for almost 50 years until 1990; hard times when people were persecuted for their faith.



The countries, with historical ties to Europe and Russia, have also acquired a strategic importance after shunning Russia and joining large Western bodies such as the European Union and NATO.



Now proudly independent again and hoping for international attention with Pope Francis' visit, the states are vying to become a sought-after European tourist destination.



But although they have had similar recent history of occupations, the three states are very different in their religious fervor spanning from the deeply Catholic country of Lithuania where 80 percent of its inhabitants declare themselves Catholic, to Latvia with its 21 percent Catholic, outnumbered by Lutherans, to Estonia, a country where at least 75 percent of the population are declared atheists and the Catholic population is a small minority at just 1 percent.



Francis' visit will take him to Vilnius and Kaunas in Lithuania, Riga and Aglona in Latvia and Tallinn in Estonia.



However, the pope will return to Lithuanias capital Villnius each night to stay at the residence of the Popes representative in the country.



His packed schedule is filled with masses, visits to charitable services, Marian shrines, meetings with officials and two meetings, which promise to be lively, with representatives of all Christian religions present in the country.



During his trip, the Pope will visit places commemorating the countries fight for freedom, including a stop to pray on Sunday September 23 - the 75th anniversary of the destruction of the Vilnius ghetto by the Nazis -- at a memorial dedicated to the victims. During Nazi occupation, the approximately 40,000 Jews in the city were mostly taken in groups to the woods outside the city and shot.



In Vilnius, the pope is also scheduled to visit two cells and recite a prayer in the execution room at the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights. The museum is a former massive KGB building where people, including Lutheran and Catholic priests, were imprisoned and tortured during the Soviet era.



Pope Francis has never been to these areas, but he is the second pope to visit them. The Polish Pope, St. John Paul II, visited a quarter of a century ago, two years after the states had regained independence.



Vilnius Archibishop, Gintaras Linas Grusas, told Vatican News that there was enormous expectation in the country for the Popes visit.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

On August 21, Somalia's Ambassador to the UN Abukar Osman signed an agreement with Christian Bourge, executive director of Arizona-based lobbying firm Sonoran Policy Group. Under the deal, the government of Somalia will pay the firm $400,000 through the end of this year to help it regain military funding from the US.

Being viewed as a failed state, Somalia has no other choice but to make this move. Since US President Donald Trump took office, he has drastically cut aid to Africa. Early this year, he even referred to Haiti and African nations as "shithole" countries, triggering widespread outrage. In late March, in response to Rwanda raising tariffs on used clothing and footwear from the US, the Trump administration caught Africa's textile industry in the crosshairs of the president's global trade war, suspending and eventually cancelling duty-free privileges on eligible Rwandan clothing.

So, what is the political logic behind the Trump administration's policy adjustment on Africa?

In my latest book, The Stirred Strategy Bottom - Analysis of US Policy toward Sub-Saharan Africa and Its Evaluation after the Cold War (1990-2016), I analyzed how the US put its Africa agenda at the bottom of its foreign strategy and how it readjusted its Africa policy in response to factors outside the continent.

Washington's extensive involvement in African affairs started during the Cold War era. The US tried to control and woo Africa through political, economic and military means so as to gain an upper hand in the continent and squeeze the Soviet Union out.

After the Cold War and with the influence of the Soviet Union waning, the US government re-evaluated Africa's strategic value and placed it at the bottom of its foreign strategy. In face of continuous wars and humanitarian crises in Africa, Washington gradually pulled itself out. The US not only extricated itself from the humanitarian disasters there, but also turned a blind eye to its economic needs and cut aid to the continent.

As European countries re-established ties with African countries and emerging economies reached out to Africa, the US was prompted to refocus on the continent.

But the US' Africa policy that is driven by external pressures has congenital disadvantages. For instance, its security cooperation with Africa cannot turn it into a terror-free continent; the trade structure between the US and Africa is simplistic; development cooperation with Africa makes the US' image in African countries skewed.

Therefore, the US has always put competition with other countries above its relations with Africa. On the contrary, China has been developing ties with Africa out of needs from both sides. It shares its development experiences and pushes forward modernization of Africa by exploring the continent's development potential and cultivating its self-development abilities.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) just wound up in Beijing. China is set to coordinate its stance with African countries over the current international political and economic situation.

In face of common concerns like the prevalent trade protectionism, reduced aid to developing countries by developed ones and African countries' lack of funds during their modernization process, China and Africa will create opportunities for the economic development of developing countries and seek a way out.

During President Xi Jinping's visit to Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa and Mauritius in July, these countries showed their willingness to join China's Belt and Road initiative. FOCAC will address their needs.

In the future, the Belt and Road initiative can accelerate trade and infrastructure connectivity between China and Africa, push forward financial cooperation and speed up industrial capacity cooperation projects. It will help Africa better enjoy China's development dividends and experiences and create a joint community with shared future.

Then how will the US readjust its Africa policy? We would like to see the US government adopt a rational approach - getting rid of the mentality of the Thucydides Trap, realizing the limitation of its Africa policy driven by external factors, and exploring feasibility of China-US cooperation in Africa.

The author is an associate research fellow with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce of China. [email protected]
While the Trump administration has been dramatically limiting the number of immigrant visas the U.S. will issue, it has been quietly accepting more applicants in one particular category than any other administration over the last decade: the EB-5 Regional Center program, reserved for those who can pay up to $1,000,000 for a green card.

The EB-5 program  or, as I like to call it, the millionaires visa  is the only visa for which approval numbers have increased during the Trump presidency. It requires a minimum investment of $500,000 in a U.S. venture within a rural, high-unemployment area, or up to $1 million in a metropolitan region, and the project must create at least 10 American jobs. Successful applicants are granted permanent residency for themselves and immediate family.

The EB-5 program was created with the Immigration Act of 1990, so its not new. In fact, my mothers friend in South Korea applied for an EB-5 in the mid-2000s because she wanted her daughter to get an American education. Within six months, they moved to the East Coast. And within two years, they obtained permanent residency.

By contrast, I came to the U.S. from Seoul with my family through my fathers sponsored visa. Hed worked for 10 years under temporary employment sponsorships while waiting for our green cards, and my mother admitted it was hard not to feel some bitterness.

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EB-5s fast track seemed less objectionable when it existed alongside ample opportunities for the nonwealthy.

But EB-5s fast track seemed less objectionable when it existed alongside ample opportunities for the nonwealthy. Considering the drastic actions currently being taken against visa-seekers who arent unable to fork over half a million dollars, the shortcut looks more like an inequitable loophole. With the program up for renewal on Sept. 30, the administration should do right thing and let it die.

President Trump has drastically reduced the number of admitted refugees, arguably the most vulnerable group of legal immigrants. Last year, he set the overall cap at 45,000 refugees, a historic low. His administration is reportedly considering an even sharper cut for 2019.

Even the so-called genius visas, given to individuals of extraordinary ability (e.g., rocket scientists), have been reduced. In fact, in the quarter following Trumps Buy American, Hire American executive order last April, the denials went up to 8% for these and other employment visas for the highly skilled, compared with 6.2% the previous year. This despite Trumps calls for more merit-based immigration.

These cuts are in line with the administrations ominous immigration strategies. Last month, reports circulated of a plan to punish legal, tax-paying immigrants for accepting government assistance by making it harder for them to obtain green cards if they accepted noncash benefits, an unprecedented rule. In other words, young students receiving discounted school lunches and working mothers on Medicaid could be deemed unfit for citizenship.

The message is clear: The poor and downtrodden are no longer welcome; the underprivileged are undeserving of a shot at life in the U.S.

Wealthy foreigners, on the other hand, are finding their chances markedly improved under Trump. In 2016, before Obama left office, fewer than 82% of processed EB-5 applications were accepted. A few months later, under Trump, the approvals had jumped to more than 92%.

While the administration restricts immigration across the board, more rich foreigners are purchasing U.S. residency than any other time in recent memory. The American dream is pay to play.

And yet, those who are paying to play dont necessarily stick around in the long run. Our family friends who came on the EB-5 visa returned to Seoul last spring. The daughter had graduated from Parsons and worked briefly at a respected magazine in New York, but ultimately decided to move back. The venture funded with their visa money is no longer in business.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

A disproportionately high amount of EB-5 investment opportunities are subject to fraud. Though the regional investment centers that act as brokers between the U.S. and potential investors are verified by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the projects themselves are not.

The presidents own family was linked to potential EB-5 violations earlier this year, when the Securities Exchange Commission launched an investigation into Jared Kushners companies for attempting to secure low-interest EB-5 investments from China for luxury real estate projects in New Jersey.

If the president truly wants to make America great again, he should want to admit more of the industrious immigrants who made America great to begin with. At the very least, the administration should impose stricter oversight on EB-5 visas and the regional investment centers, and stop exacerbating an increasingly plutocratic immigration system.

After obtaining permanent residency, my parents opened their own business and now employ over a dozen Americans. They are here to stay and give back to the country we call home, like the countless others who worked long and hard for their right to pursue the American dream, regardless of the size of their bank account.

Yoonj Kim is a journalist and writer in Los Angeles. Find her on Twitter: @yoonjkim.

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The state of Indiana is planning to ask the Supreme Court to settle an abortion dispute involving a state law that could reopen the debate over Roe vs. Wade in the upcoming term.

The state said recently in court filings that it will ask the justices to consider whether a woman can be prohibited from getting an abortion because of the race, gender or health of the fetus.

The Indiana law, signed by Vice President Mike Pence when he was governor, had been struck down by the lower courts because it ran afoul of Supreme Court decisions that say states cannot prohibit abortion before a fetus is viable outside the womb.

It is far from certain whether the justices would agree to hear the case. But if they do, it would probably be just months after Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh is confirmed to the court. His nomination is embroiled in controversy over allegations of sexual assault decades ago. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

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Kavanaughs opponents predict he will serve as the fifth conservative justice to overturn or undermine the Roe decision. Several conservative states, with the support of anti-abortion groups, have brought legal cases that might make it easier to place restrictions on the procedure.

Because the Indiana law directly contradicts Roe, even accepting the case may suggest that justices are considering a change to the Roe precedent.

It would be surprising for the court to take the case, said Andrew Beck, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU working on the case for Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky. The Indiana prohibition violates law thats been the law for decades.

That said, its always worrisome, the prospect of the Supreme Court taking a case given that we know that the right to abortion is under attack, he said.

Indiana last week told the high court that the state plans to appeal the lower courts decision while asking for additional time to file its petition.

The court only agrees to hear a case when four justices vote to do so. There is no split in the lower courts on the issue, which is often a factor in determining whether a case makes it to the high court.

The latest from Washington 

jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com

@jenhab
As the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh hung in the balance, senators from both parties engaged in an extensive game of chicken this week on the issue of whether and when the public might hear from Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused him of a sexual assault years ago.

Neither side wants to take blame for blocking a hearing; both have come under intense pressure from activist voters to fight, making even minor compromises difficult. Trust between the two parties, already low, has ebbed.

As of Friday morning, the final resolution remained unclear although Democrats and their allies appeared to have succeeded in further delaying the GOP timetable for pushing Kavanaugh to confirmation.

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HIGH TENSION IN THE ERA OF #METOO

Until Sunday, Republicans appeared to be on track in their effort to move Kavanaughs nomination along a fast road.

The nominee had survived days of intense questioning from Democrats without saying anything that would force the few remaining relative moderates in the GOP caucus to break ranks. And in an added side benefit for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the nomination had created a tough vote for a few Democratic senators running for reelection in conservative states.

The one threat as of the end of last week was a confidential letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein that raised an allegation of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh. But the person making the allegation had insisted on anonymity, and the details remained under wraps.

That all changed in an instant on Sunday, when the writer of the letter stepped forward and revealed her identity in a detailed interview with the Washington Post, which she had initially contacted in July.

On Monday morning, a lawyer for the accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, a psychologist and professor at Palo Alto University, said she was willing to testify about her allegation that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her at a party when they were both in high school.

As Jennifer Haberkorn wrote, the offer immediately put Republican leaders in a bind. It threatened to recapitulate the fight a generation ago over Anita Hills allegations against Clarence Thomas, a battle in which the GOP won a nomination, but lost heavily in the next election.

The allegations also gave the remaining undeclared Democrats a way out of the dilemma in which McConnell had hoped to trap them.

The allegations forced Republicans to delay a vote on Kavanaugh for at least a week. For Democrats, it raised the tantalizing prospect that they might be able to defeat the nomination and, just maybe, hold the Supreme Court vacancy open until after the midterm election.

Both sides are keenly aware that Democrats have at least an outside shot at regaining the Senate majority. If they do, Trumps prospects for filling a seat on the high court could change dramatically.

That prospect has generated intense pressure on Republicans to move quickly to get Kavanaugh confirmed while they know they still can. But the allegation from Ford has presented an obstacle to speed.

Initially, some Republicans privately said they hoped Kavanaugh would bow out, giving President Trump time to quickly nominate someone else.

That talk faded, however, in the face of opposition from the nominee and his allies and polling that showed partisan voters on both sides strongly digging in. McConnell was said to worry that any sign of wavering on Kavanaugh would depress turnout of Republican voters in November.

At the same time, Republicans feared that if they appeared dismissive of Fords allegations, they would risk a #MeToo backlash from female voters, many of whom have already significantly soured on the GOP, Wire wrote.

The rest of the week was consumed with jockeying for position, as Haberkorn and Wire chronicled. As that proceeded, Republicans tried to blame their problem on Feinstein, saying she should have come forward with the allegation earlier. The senator also drew fire from some Democrats on the left, who said she had not been aggressive enough, Wire and Haberkorn wrote.

Meantime, on Thursday, Ed Whelan, a conservative legal activist and ally of Kavanaughs, took to Twitter to float a theory that Ford might be confusing Kavanaugh with a classmate who resembled him. His effort, which skirted close to defamation in naming the supposed look-alike, drew criticism from Democrats and some Republicans.

Friday morning, Whelan apologized for an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment.

At least some Republican senators privately hoped that Ford would not testify. They feared that a televised spectacle of her detailing her account, while a posse of middle-aged and elderly white, male Republicans questioned her, would cause them political damage and leave the Supreme Court nomination under a cloud. And that was the best-case scenario.

So far, polls show that most voters arent paying a huge amount of attention. Feelings about Kavanaugh have been sharply polarized along party lines, but for most Americans, the confirmation battle has not been a top priority issue. A high-profile, televised hearing could change all that.

Any hopes that Ford would simply refuse to appear, however, suffered a significant setback on Thursday when her lawyers wrote that she would testify, but set out several conditions.

Ford has considerable leverage: If the Senate Republicans appear intransigent and reject her conditions, television networks would surely bid for the opportunity to have her tell her story on air. On Friday, the negotiations were continuing, with the November election growing ever closer.

DECISION CALIFORNIA  THE MIDTERMS

While Republicans remain favorites to keep control of the Senate, Democrats have a clear edge in the House, where they need to pick up 23 seats to gain a majority.

At least six Republican-held seats are in play in California, the most of any state.

As Mark Barabak wrote, the Republicans at this point have largely given up on trying to campaign on the good economic conditions or other issues. Instead, in districts across the country, they are seeking to paint the Democrat as too far left.

A good example of this national strategy is unfolding in Orange County, Barabak wrote, focusing on the race between incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters and her Democratic challenger Katie Porter, a UC Irvine law professor. As Porter accuses Walters of being a rubber stamp for Trump, the Republican fires back that Porter is a dangerous liberal who favors higher taxes and open borders.

As that fight unfolds in the 45th Congressional District, which covers much of inland Orange County, another Republican appears to hold a slight edge in the neighboring 39th District, just to the north.

There Young Kim, the GOP candidate, and Gil Cisneros, the Democrat, seek to replace Rep. Ed Royce. A new poll from Monmouth University showed that neither is well known to voters, but found Kim with a small lead, within the polls margin of error, Michael Finnegan wrote.

While the congressional contests have gobbled up most of the political attention, the state does also have a race for governor.

The two candidates have adopted very different approaches to the race, Dakota Smith wrote. The Democrat, Gavin Newsom, who is the widely acknowledged favorite, has talked up the states role as a national leader on issues such as healthcare and climate change.

His Republican challenger, John Cox, has focused on smaller-bore topics, such as waiting lines at the DMV and repealing the states gas tax.

Keep track of all our coverage of this pivotal election in California on our Decision California page.

THE TRUMP-MATTIS SPLIT

Defense Secretary James Mattis was, for a time, the presidents favorite Cabinet member. But the days in which he talked fondly of Mad Dog are long past. Now, as David Cloud reported, Trump sometimes refers to his Pentagon chief as moderate dog, and military officials have begun to speculate over how much longer Mattis will last at the Pentagon.

One issue on which the two have clashed: Trumps plan to create a space force as a sixth branch of the military. A new report from the Air Force says the space force plan would cost $13 billion over five years.

TRADE DEFICIT WORSENING

The Kavanaugh fight overshadowed the latest escalation this week in the trade war with China. As Don Lee and Jim Puzzanghera reported, Trump imposed tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, including many household items.

The move had been telegraphed for weeks, but the White House had held off as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin argued for negotiations with Beijing.

Talks might still happen. Trump set the tariffs at 10%, but said theyd jump to 25% in the new year if no deal was in place. The White House portrayed that as an incentive to China to talk. Beijing, however, may see the move as an unacceptable threat.

Economists expect the tariffs to lead to price increases that American consumers will begin feeling in the spring.

Meantime, as Lee wrote, Trump notably didnt say much about the trade deficit in his announcement of the China tariffs. The president used to talk about the deficit numbers a lot; now he does so much less. That could be because the trade deficit has gotten noticeably worse since he took office.

Some of that worsening is temporary as importers have rushed to stock up on Chinese goods now before the new import taxes make them more expensive.

THE REST OF THE WEEKS NEWS

Trump visited the Carolinas to view hurricane damage. As Chris Megerian wrote, he got a warm welcome in an area where he remains popular.

The president also ordered the Justice Department to declassify records related to the FBIs surveillance of Carter Page, a former Trump campaign foreign policy advisor who the FBI suspected was a target of Russian intelligence. Some of Trumps allies on the right have long insisted that the files, if released, would show misconduct by the FBI.

On Friday, Trump backed down, at least in part, tweeting that he had met with Justice Department officials who explained that releasing the documents, some of which contain classified intelligence, could have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe and harm relations with U.S. allies. The Justice Department inspector general would review them, he said.

The administration also moved to sharply cut the number of refugees settled in the U.S. Some Republicans criticized the move, as Tracy Wilkinson reported.

And the State Department announced sanctions on 33 individuals, including Russians accused of interfering in the 2016 U.S. election. The sanctions were the latest example of the administrations bifurcated policy toward Russia in which Trump makes nice, even as his aides take a tough line.

LOGISTICS

That wraps up this week. Until next time, keep track of all the developments in national politics and the Trump administration with our Essential Washington blog, at our Politics page and on Twitter @latimespolitics.

Send your comments, suggestions and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

If you like this newsletter, tell your friends to sign up.

David.lauter@latimes.com

@davidlauter
To hear Katie Porter tell it, shes just your average Orange County mom, clipping coupons, shopping specials at the supermarket and puttering about with three kids in a Toyota minivan thats pushing 120,000 miles.

But turn on the TV and youre likely to see a more ominous portrayal, etched in shades of black and gray. Liberal Katie Porter, the advertisement intones, in a voice aquiver with indignation. Higher taxes. Open borders.

Saddled with an unpopular president and getting little or no traction from a robust economy, Republicans have settled on a blunt-force strategy as they struggle to hang onto the House in November: Paint the opposition as wild-eyed and dangerous.

In the stucco suburbs of Southern California, in the heartland city of Omaha, in Kentuckys horse country and beyond, the GOP and its allies are spending tens of millions of dollars attempting an epic feat of political re-engineering. They hope to turn the election from a classic referendum on President Trump into an up-or-down vote on challengers like Porter, a UC Irvine law professor battling two-term Republican Rep. Mimi Walters across the upscale subdivisions of inland Orange County.

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These races are very simple. We just need to let the voters know where the two candidates stand, said Corry Bliss, executive director of the Congressional Leadership Fund, a strategic arm of Republicans on Capitol Hill, which plans to spend more than $100 million in dozens of contests across the country. In a number of races, the Democratic nominee is too far left to win.

For their part, Democrats are counting on a November wave big enough to overcome ideology and sweep in candidates who, in a different election year, might stand little chance in areas normally favoring the GOP.

Republicans are kidding themselves if they think they can make this about the economy, about tax cuts, about deregulation, said Democratic strategist Garry South. Its about who has a D after their name, how much [voters] hate Trump and how much they want to pay Republicans back for enabling this guy.

Indeed, a staple of Porters campaign is a recitation of Walters voting record  nearly 100% in support of Trump, according to the data-crunching website FiveThirtyEight.com  in a district the president lost to Hillary Clinton by 5 percentage points. Although registered Republicans continue to outnumber Democrats, the 45th District is one of seven in California that Trump lost and GOP incumbents won, making several of them prime Democratic targets.

It doesnt matter the issue, it doesnt matter how much it hurts us, Porter told a recent gathering of Democrats at Laguna Woods, a 55-and-older community tucked in the hills of Aliso Viejo. Mimi rubber-stamps everything Donald Trump wants.

To the contrary, Walters responded. When I have disagreed with the president I have spoken up, including objecting to higher tariffs and a proposed increase in the federal gas tax.

My opponent may say Im a rubber-stamper, she said in an interview, but were moving the country in the right direction.

For the most part, candidates preferred by the Democratic establishment prevailed during the just-ended primary season, beating more left-leaning rivals who, strategists feared, would make for weaker competition in a general election. The most notable insurgent victories, by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley in New York and Boston, respectively, came in districts so overwhelmingly Democratic their November election was sealed.

GOP strategists portray Katie Porter as out of step with a district where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Still, Republican strategists believe enough liberal candidates slipped through to buoy GOP prospects by denying Democrats the 23-seat gain the party needs to take control of the House. (Historically, the party holding the White House almost always loses seats in a midterm election.)

In Omaha, for instance, Republicans are attacking nonprofit executive Kara Eastman as a reckless tax-and-spender. Behind Eastmans liberal agenda, asserts one ad supporting GOP incumbent Don Bacon, is a big price tag  more than $32 trillion alone for a government-run, universal healthcare program.

Amy McGrath, who faces three-term Republican Rep. Andy Barr in Lexington, Ky., is being portrayed as a radical environmentalist who would ravage the states cherished coal industry.

Its absolutely essential voters understand exactly where [candidates] are on the spectrum of moderate to progressive, said Jesse Hunt, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which placed the ad calling McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot, too liberal for Kentucky.

Here in Orange County, Porter defeated David Min, a faculty colleague at UC Irvines law school, who ran as the more moderate alternative and won the blessing of the state Democratic Party.

Fighting for the endorsement at the party convention in February, Porter  a protege of liberal Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren  insisted the contest against Walters was not just about electing any Democrat; its about electing a Democrat who will act like a Democrat.

Since emerging from the June primary, however, Porter has backed off such litmus-testing, making no mention of her Democratic affiliation in advertisements. I wont be afraid to take on leaders of both political parties, she vows.

Shes broken with many fellow Democrats by supporting repeal of a 12-cent hike in the state gas tax, even though Porter once praised lawmakers who voted in favor. That, she explains, was before learning there would be no significant road projects benefiting local residents.

She tiptoes around other issues that might highlight her leftward leanings.

Its absolutely essential voters understand exactly where [candidates] are on the spectrum of moderate to progressive. Jesse Hunt, a spokeman for the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee

In an interview, Porter did not explicitly support the establishment of sanctuary cities, in which law enforcement limits its cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but rather suggested local tax dollars would be better spent on other priorities. Several cities in the district have voted to oppose the states controversial sanctuary law.

(Porter does not, however, favor open borders, as Republican advertising claims. Every country needs to know whos entering and exiting, she said.)

Her advertising focuses less on her support for expanding government-provided healthcare, a heart-and-soul issue for those on the political left, and more on Walters vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and its popular provision requiring insurers to cover patients with preexisting conditions.

Asked a question originally put to her on Bloomberg TV, whether she is more a socialist or centrist, Porter once more declined to say. I dont find these kind of labels particularly helpful because everybody gloms onto them and uses them differently, she said.

But the 44-year-old Democrat doesnt spend her entire time soft-pedaling her philosophy.

In a turnabout  its usually Republicans who use taxes as a bludgeon  Porter assails Walters for supporting the sweeping new Republican law that limits deductions for state and local taxes, which is expected to hurt many in this high-income, high-cost stretch of Southern California.

We need a champion for tax fairness, Porter told the meeting of Laguna Woods Democrats, not someone who will sell out Orange County because Donald Trump and the House Republican leadership asked her to do so.

Walters, 56, countered by suggesting many residents will be spared the alternative minimum tax, which was drastically scaled back under the legislation, and will still be able to deduct as much as $10,000 in state and local taxes.

The election, she said, is a clear-cut choice between a person who supports big government and higher taxes ... versus someone who champions lower taxes and limited government.

Republican Rep. Mimi Walters leaves House Speaker Paul D. Ryans office after working on immigration issues. (Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call)

But for Dennis OConnor, a real estate agent in Mission Viejo, its a choice between a representative who promises to rein in Trump versus an incumbent not holding him accountable for extremely bad behavior.

When Mimi was in Sacramento, she did an outstanding job, said OConnor, 67, a registered nonpartisan who voted for Walters when she served in the Legislature and twice more when she ran for Congress. But now, he said, She doesnt represent Orange County anymore. Shes jumping at whatever bad idea Paul Ryan puts out that week. Ryan is the GOP House speaker.

Perspective matters. The way voters see the election  as a referendum on Trump or a clash between distinctly differing candidates  could well decide not just who wins here in Irvine but which party controls the House after Nov. 6.

mark.barabak@latimes.com

@markzbarabak
President Trump on Friday backed down from his order to declassify certain documents from the Russia investigation, including text messages exchanged among law enforcement leaders.

The decision will likely disappoint conservative House Republicans and media figures who had encouraged the president to release the materials. Some of the presidents allies have insisted the documents would undercut special counsel Robert S. Muellers probe into whether Trumps campaign conspired with Russians during the presidential election.

I met with the [Department of Justice] concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe, Trump tweeted on Friday.

Also, key Allies called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me  and everyone!

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Just four days ago, the president had ordered the immediate declassification of these documents despite resistance from top law enforcement officials who are reluctant to break with the longstanding practice of withholding records involving a live investigation.

Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington 

The materials include portions of an application to eavesdrop on Carter Page, a former Trump campaign foreign policy advisor, under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. A heavily redacted version of the application was released earlier this year.

Trump also wanted to publish text messages from, among others, former FBI Director James B. Comey and his former deputy, Andrew McCabe.

In addition, the president ordered the release of notes written by Bruce Ohr, a high-ranking Justice Department official, on his meetings with Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer who researched Trumps ties to Russia. Steele was paid by Fusion GPS, a firm hired by Democrats during the campaign, and his findings were compiled into a now-famous dossier that includes several unproven allegations about Trump.

It was unclear whether Trumps tweet on Friday will lead to any new steps by the Justice Department inspector general, who was already reviewing aspects of the Russia investigation, particularly the surveillance of Page.

After Page left the Trump campaign  and weeks before the presidential election  the Justice Department applied for a warrant to eavesdrop on him because officials suspected he was a Russian agent. A judge approved the warrant, and it was renewed three times, each time by a different judge. Page has not been charged with any crime.

Trumps decision to walk back his earlier order follows a pattern of his interactions with the Justice Department.

In May, he tweeted that he would demand a probe into whether his campaign was improperly infiltrated or surveilled before the election. The request threatened to further expose the role of a confidential informant who participated in the early stages of the Russia investigation.

But after meeting with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, Trump seemed to back down. The White House announced that the inspector general would review any irregularities, a step that had already been announced the day before by the Justice Department itself.

Trump also called on Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now in a tweet on Aug. 1. The presidents lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, later explained in an interview that the tweet was not supposed to be an order.

The president was expressing his opinion on his favored medium for asserting his 1st Amendment right of free speech, Giuliani said at the time.

chris.megerian@latimes.com

Twitter: @chrismegerian

UPDATES:

9:40 a.m.: This article was updated with more context on the presidents decision and more details about the documents in question.

This article was originally published at 8:55 a.m.
With an eye toward destructive wildfire as Californias most immediate climate emergency, Gov. Jerry Brown took action on Friday to broadly expand state prevention efforts while allowing utility companies to shift some fire-related costs to their customers.

The far-reaching proposal signed by Brown boosts government fire-protection efforts by $1 billion over the next five years, providing funds that could help clear thousands of acres of dense, dry forests and brittle coastal brush. The bills combination of cash and regulatory relief mark a major escalation in addressing what has been called the new normal of fire danger for the state, far beyond what has been spent on immediate emergency responses.

Wildfires in California arent going away, and we have to do everything possible to prevent them, the governor said in a written statement. This bill is complex and requires investment  but its absolutely necessary.

Negotiations over the details of the 112-page law dominated the state Capitol during the final weeks of the legislative session. The proposals fine points emerged just hours before the final vote on Aug. 31. While many lawmakers found parts of the proposal unpalatable, few were willing to be seen as not having done everything they could to protect the lives and property of their constituents.

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This new law is the most comprehensive wildfire-prevention and safety package the state has passed in decades, said state Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), the bills co-author.

The common thread in Californias wildfires: heat like the state has never seen 

The new law links together two distinct challenges for changing the trajectory of Californias fire future: controlled growth of fire-prone vegetation and reduced financial exposure for utility companies. In a less combustible year, opposition to either could have doomed the effort. But the topic was hard to ignore during a summer marked by a number of deadly blazes and weeks of wildfire smoke choking the skies above Sacramento.

Lawmakers from the states most threatened regions  rural foothills with forests overgrown from decades of fire suppression, and coastal communities with kindling-like chaparral  were adamant about expanding efforts to remove fire fuels. They pushed for $1 billion in funding, paid over five years from proceeds of Californias cap-and-trade climate program, so that government and landowners alike had the money needed to carry out the work.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials will oversee those dollars, generally divvied into two categories: $165 million a year for fire-prevention grants to landowners and for community prevention efforts, and another $35 million to continue Cal Fires year-round prescribed burns, research and monitoring.

Under the law signed by Brown, landowners will have new permission and help to reduce overgrowth by cutting down more small and mid-sized trees  a historic change, given that Californias logging limits on privately owned lands date back to 1973.

Timber harvesting permits for small landowners will be made cheaper and some property owners will be allowed to build temporary roads to reach otherwise inaccessible overgrown areas. In some instances, both small and large landowners will have new permission to sell that timber to help offset the costs of the fire-prevention activity.

Property owners who apply for new conservation easements  to preserve natural landscapes in exchange for tax incentives  will have to ensure the density and health of their trees dont exacerbate fire danger. The new law also allows a streamlined state review for tree-removal efforts on federal lands.

Californias Board of Forestry and Fire Protection will have an expanded role in setting regulations to lower fire risk while hiring more technical experts to ensure the rules actually work. Many of the new laws provisions will expire in five years unless the Legislature decides to continue or expand the programs.

The tree- and brush-removal provisions of Senate Bill 901 were subject to intense lobbying by environmental groups. But those disagreements paled in comparison to the bitter brawl over its concessions to municipal- and investor-owned utilities.

Downed power lines have sparked devastating fires across the state in previous years. Two of the states largest electricity providers  Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric  both face steep costs related to past wildfires. PG&E has yet to finish tallying the damages it must pay from fires in Napa and Sonoma counties last fall.

SB 901 makes two significant changes to determining how much utilities must pay. First, it enhances the wildfire-mitigation plans that companies must file with the California Public Utilities Commission. Utilities will have to provide new details on vegetation removal and electricity shutoff plans. Regulators will have to formally sign off on the wildfire-mitigation plans, ensuring more accountability in the aftermath of a devastating blaze.

The bill requires independent evaluation of utility compliance with mitigation plans, and doubles the amount of fines that can be levied upon a utility for failure to comply, Dodd said during legislative debate last month.

Second, utility regulators will be given new guidelines to help determine a companys liability. For fires that begin in 2019 and beyond, utility companies will be able to shift some fire-related costs to consumers  but only to the extent that regulators determine the company wasnt negligent.

For fires that burned in 2017  a year in which state investigators have linked PG&E equipment to at least a dozen Northern California fires  the utility will be allowed to borrow billions of dollars using ratepayer fees to pay it back, even if it was found to have acted improperly. The amount charged to customers would be determined after an independent analysis of the companys finances.

Utility officials have given a general rule of thumb: $1 billion in borrowing would result in a $5 annual surcharge for most customers, assessed every year until the loan is paid off. Some lawmakers insisted it will amount to an unfair bailout of companies such as PG&E.

Shouldnt we focus on requiring PG&E to improve the safety of their electric system that theyve been neglecting all these years? state Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) said during last months floor debate in opposing SB 901. Instead, this bill rewards their bad behavior.

Brown, who originally pushed for a more generous plan to lessen the industrys fire liabilities, insisted the states energy needs would be threatened by the specter of utility bankruptcy without some kind of concessions.

The utilities have to stay in business, Brown said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times last week. They have to make enough return to be a viable corporation.

Even so, the new law will not insulate PG&E from additional financial stress. Last week, Moodys Investor Service downgraded the companys credit rating, specifically citing the Legislatures refusal to go along with Browns proposal to revise the liability standard known as inverse condemnation.

Even if a utility prudently managed its infrastructure at the time of a fire, the utility could be held accountable for damages if its infrastructure was substantially involved in causing the fire, potentially exposing the states utilities to significant liabilities, Moodys analysts wrote.

While SB 901 was the centerpiece of the effort by lawmakers this year in responding to fire danger, Brown also signed several other bills on Friday designed to boost Californias fire preparedness.

Senate Bill 1260 gives Cal Fire a larger role in identifying risks as local communities turn undeveloped land into new housing. Assembly Bill 2911 expands a utilitys right to cross private land to reduce fire threats around power lines, and it sets in motion statewide efforts for new fire-resistant building standards.

Brown and lawmakers from both major political parties insisted the package of new laws are important, but only a first step toward preparing Californians for longer dangerous fire seasons in the years to come.

This year alone, 1.3 million acres of California have burned, said Assembly Republican Leader Brian Dahle of Bieber. The loss of life and property has been staggering. We are taking steps to ensure that this doesnt happen again.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast.
Representatives from between 100 and 120 universities, colleges and career services, along with the armed forces, are slated to be present Saturday for the 26th annual Burbank Unified College and Career Fair.

This is for everyone to come out and learn about college and about where you might want to go in the future, said Ani Aslanian, Burbank Highs college and career center adviser, who is in charge of the event. Were hoping to get as many students, parents and members of the community out as possible.

Aslanian said representatives from several Cal State and University of California institutions will be in attendance, while officials from institutions such as UCLA and Loyola Marymount will highlight regional schools.

Representatives from Glendale Community College, Los Angeles Valley College, Santa Monica College and other community colleges will also be present.

Aslanian confirmed that Kaplan, a for-profit provider of educational services, will be presenting seminars on preparation for the SAT and ACT tests, while a financial-aid presentation, courtesy of Los Angeles Mission College, is also on the schedule.

The advantage of attending such an event, Aslanian said, is getting a taste of the application process, while also getting ahead of the competition.

One thing that I tell students is that you should go introduce yourself and fill out an information card, Aslanian said. What happens is that, later, when youre applying for that school, your name pops up that youve tried to contact them and get information and thats a plus for them.

The event is not just geared for high school students, but also for those in middle school who are curious about the college selection process.

The younger they are, the better, Aslanian said. Its good to expose the kids as young as possible, in eighth grade. I had my son attend when he was in the seventh and eighth grade[s]. Its great that the kids see what theyre working for.

The college and career fair was once a mainstay of Woodbury University, but was moved to the high schools for financial reasons, said Mariela Campos, Burroughs Highs college career technician.

Burbank and Burroughs high schools take turns hosting the event, with the 27th annual fair set for 2019 at Burroughs.

We didnt take a head count at Burroughs last year, but I think you can estimate we had around 1,500 people there, Campos said. Im expecting around the same numbers this year at Burbank. We contacted not just our district schools, but also other area high schools.

Campos said it was difficult to put a number on the total number of schools participating because some never arrive, despite making a reservation, while others show up unannounced and are assigned a table.

For Campos, the fair offers an opportunity for community education outside the classroom.

Having the capability to work with these kids and having them discover, Hey, this is a school I never thought about, but maybe Ill be able to apply to get into, is rewarding, she said. Just opening those doors that perhaps they didnt know about is the biggest satisfaction for me.

The Burbank Unified College and Career Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the gymnasium at Burbank High, 902 N. Third. St.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports
When a 400-pound gorilla charges, the best line of defense is to crouch and eat leaves.

Odds are you will never need that bit of information.

But in Mireya Mayors line of work, it certainly applies.

You engage in feeding behavior because that makes you non-threatening, Mayor said, describing encounters with agitated apes. Nobody starts a fight when they are eating. They figure if you are eating, then you arent out to get them.

Mayor is a primatologist, explorer and Emmy Award-nominated wildlife correspondent for National Geographic. Trekking through treacherous terrains, discovering new species and being charged by those gorillas  as well as other beasts  has earned her the nickname the female Indiana Jones.

As part of a National Geographic lecture series, which is now on sale, Mayor plans to speak Jan. 13 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Mayors origin story is unusual in her field.

While studying prelaw at the University of Miami, the daughter of Cuban immigrants worked as a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. To fulfill a school requirement, she enrolled in an anthropology course.

We learned about primates, how little we knew about some, and their endangerment, said Mayor, now 44. It changed everything for me.

The eureka moment came when Mayor rented 1989s Gorillas in the Mist, the Sigourney Weaver film recounting famed naturalist Dian Fosseys work with mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

I realized that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, she said.

Mireya Mayor carries a rucksack as she treks through a river. The explorer will speak Jan. 13 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. (Courtesy of National Geographic)

Mayor earned bachelors degrees in anthropology and philosophy at Miami. She became a Fulbright Scholar, completing a doctorate in anthropology at Stony Brook University in New York.

Shes since traveled the world, studying animals in Africa, South America and Madagascar  her home away from home. She began regular visits to Africa in 2001 and in 2003 co-discovered a previously unknown mouse lemur species.

Mayor is constantly reminded of the inherent danger of working with wild animals. She is regularly charged by gorillas. Though the primates are known to bluff, there were a few times when she had to break protocol and run.

There is no guarantee when you are working with a wild animal of the outcome, Mayor said. You cant predict what they are going to do. I just always listen to my gut. We are animals at the end of the day and have instincts that you need to listen to.

On one particular day, a silverback leaped at Mayor. She dodged it, narrowly escaping. Later that day, while heading back to camp, she climbed a tree to evade a charging elephant.

I felt like the Congo was giving me a message: Its time to go back to your tent for the day, Mayor recalled.

For the explorer, curiosity conquers fear and apprehension.

Mayor isnt fearless. In particular, she hates heights. But when she was tasked with joining an expedition that would summit a table-top mountain in South America, a source of inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyles The Lost World, her thirst for discovery overcame that fear.

The team discovered several frog species and collected new plants for analysis.

I had never climbed before and was terrified of heights, Mayor said. But the reason I wanted to do it  I love the idea of exploring places that we know nothing about. It was the most treacherous and rewarding experience I ever had.

Mireya Mayor earned a doctorate and became an explorer after a stint as a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. Shes now considered the female Indiana Jones. (Courtesy of National Geographic)

Whatever inner mechanism fuels the need to discover, Mayor believes it is a trait bound to the character of a person, one that may be uniform among all of historys great explorers  David Livingstone, Robert Burke and John Speke, among others. Though separated by more than a century, Mayor feels communion with these men when reading their words.

Being an explorer is not something you do, it is who you are, Mayor said. When I read through the journals of other explorers, it is like reading my own journal. I instantly connect to their words.

Mayor sees a similar drive in one of her daughters, Ava Wolff.

During a recent expedition to Madagascar, the 10-year-old showed an affinity for the wild. Ava said that she felt she had come home, a sentiment her mother exclaimed two decades prior when she first arrived on the island.

With six kids, five of them girls, Mayor is hoping her story can inspire.

It makes a huge difference when a girl sees someone who they can personally relate to doing something they thought they could never do, Mayor, who lives with her family in Great Falls, Va., said. I hope that my story is ... inspiration for girls and women.

In a few weeks, Mayor will meet the other Indiana Jones.

Harrison Ford will present a conservation award to Russell Mittermeier, a formative colleague of Mayors, in  where else?  Indianapolis.

Ill finally get a picture with the real Indiana Jones, Mayor quipped, but I am going to tell him that I am the real Indiana Jones. Hes the male Mireya Mayor.

If You Go

What: National Geographic Live

Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine

When: Mireya Mayor at 4 p.m. Jan. 13; Hilaree Nelson at 4 p.m. March 3; Brian Skerry at 4 p.m. April 14

Information: Nelson was the first woman to climb Mount Everest and the neighboring peak Lhotse in 24 hours. She will speak about leading a team of elite mountain climbers up a treacherous peak in Myanmar. Skerry is a wildlife photographer who specializes in oceanic life.

Tickets: Single or package deals can be purchased at https://bit.ly/2OcL1R2

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter:@benbrazilpilot
An Orange County Superior Court judge determined Friday that local attorney Jerry Friedman is ineligible to run for city attorney in Huntington Beach, rejecting his attempt to have a city requirement ruled illegal.

Friedman, who earned his law degree at the University of West Los Angeles in 2013, was disqualified by City Clerk Robin Estanislau on July 30 because he didnt graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Assn., one of the citys four requirements to run for the office.

About a week later, Friedmans attorney, Christine Kelly, petitioned the California Supreme Court for an order to stop the city from enforcing the rule. She called the requirement unique, arbitrary and capricious and a violation of Friedmans fundamental right to hold elected office.

The case was passed down to the 4th District Court of Appeal and a hearing was scheduled in Orange County Superior Court for Friday, more than a week past the registrar of voters Sept. 11 cutoff date for the Nov. 6 ballot.

Kelly tried to move up the hearing, but Judge Robert Moss denied that request Sept. 7, making it likely Friedman would have to sit out this election even if he got a favorable ruling about Huntington Beachs ABA accreditation requirement.

During Fridays hearing, Moss officially denied Friedmans request to classify the requirement as unconstitutional and reinstate him as a candidate. Friedman and Kelly did not attend the hearing.

In a tentative ruling published Thursday, Moss said Friedmans arguments were without merit. Moss added that Huntington Beach has a valid interest in candidates qualifications because its status as a charter city imposes a wide range of responsibilities for an elected city attorney.

In cities with elected city attorneys, the city lacks the ability to vet candidates for the position, thus a requirement above and beyond State Bar admissions is both reasonable and desirable, Moss said. The fact that other cities have chosen not to impose such requirements, or have imposed different requirements, does not render the subject requirement void or unreasonable.

Moss also cited Clements v. Fashing (1982), in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled candidacy is not a fundamental right.

Friedman said in a statement Friday that he plans to appeal Moss ruling because it allows a city to discriminate based on the school someone attended rather than allow the voters to decide who should represent them based on the candidates merit.

Voters should not be prevented from voting for whom they want simply because of a schools statistic, Friedman added.

As it stands, Kelly said, if Friedman wants to run again for city attorney, he would have to hope the city changes its requirement or he must return to school and graduate from an ABA-accredited institution.

With Friedman officially eliminated from the election, City Attorney Michael Gates is running unopposed.

Gates has called Friedmans legal action politically motivated and inappropriate and said it didnt make sense to challenge only one of the citys four requirements.

Its the end of the road for Friedman challenging the city, Gates said Friday. We can focus on more important matters to the community and not nuisance cases.

In 2010, the city reviewed possible charter amendments proposed by the Huntington Beach Charter Commission to clean up obsolete language, according to Estanislau. Voter-approved amendments included stricter qualifications for the city attorney, city clerk and city treasurer.

This is Friedmans second run-in with the city this year. In April, Gates took legal action intended to stop Friedmans client Daniel Horgan from circulating a petition seeking to put a proposal on the local ballot to ban semiautomatic and automatic guns in Huntington Beach. Gates argued that Horgans proposal was unconstitutional, invalid and not entitled to a place on the ballot.

Friedman hit back in May by filing a motion accusing the city of violating his clients free-speech rights.

At the end of May, Gates asked the court to drop the citys lawsuit after learning that Horgan wouldnt submit signatures from his gun petition, making the case moot.

In July, Friedman filed a court motion seeking $14,385 from the city for 46 hours of work on behalf of his client. A judge denied his request Aug. 3.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella
Newport Beach is in line to snag about $1.7 million in state grant money to fund a water wheel trash-collecting vessel that will gobble garbage coming down San Diego Creek.

The City Council will consider budgeting the $1.68 million the California Ocean Protection Council has tentatively approved for Newports water wheel project and accept a study that shows the trash collector wont have significant, if any, negative impacts on the environment.

The Ocean Protection Council expects to adopt the grant award at its Oct. 25 board meeting.

The water wheel would be placed at the top of Upper Newport Bay by the Jamboree Road bridge to capture garbage flowing down San Diego Creek from inland Orange County before it can hit Newport Harbor or the Pacific Ocean.

From its stationary position, the wheel would funnel incoming debris into an onboard holding bin that would be emptied periodically.

The vessel would look like a snail with a paddlewheel or a conch shell crossed with a steamboat. It could be powered by a mix of solar and hydraulic energy.

Newport has already spent $20,000 on the environmental study, which the city needed before it could apply for further funding.

The city set aside $8,000 and the nonprofit Help Your Harbor contributed $12,000.

House variance review

In other business, the council will review the Planning Commissions approval of a new home in Corona del Mar.

The commission, on a 5-2 vote in August, approved tearing down an existing house at 3200 Ocean Blvd. and building a new, 7,276 square-foot home plus 688 square-foot three-car garage. The approval meant giving the property owner variances on setback requirements and floor area maximums.

Excluding the 2,748 square-foot basement, the home would be 5,216 square feet. Zoning code says the maximum floor area limit would be 4,234 square feet without a variance for the 5,445 square-foot lot.

The house would also encroach five feet into a required 10-foot rear setback, or the buffer between the house and the lot boundaries.

Councilman Jeff Herdman called for review, which brings the case before the City Council, which can override the Planning Commission.

When the commission allowed floor-area maximum and setback variances for new home construction  at a proposed blufftop house a few blocks away, at 2607 Ocean Blvd.  in December, a resident appealed to the state Coastal Commission, saying it violated the citys Local Coastal Program, which guides development closest to the shore. That case is pending.

Tuesdays council meeting starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD
HNX - 7/16/2020 4:33:00 PM

Pursuant to the Document No. 0607/2020/CV-GLS dated 6th July 2020 of Damac GLS Joint Stock Company regarding the cancellation of the shareholder list for attending 2020 Annual General Meeting, Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) would like to announce as follows:

Cancelling the shareholder list for holding 2020 Annual General Meeting on the record date of 21st July 2020

Reason for cancellation: The company has a change in personnel.
Oil has often been referred to as black gold.

Clark Magnet High School students hit their own sort of dirty, slimy pay dirt Wednesday morning in Long Beach.

Five members of the nine-person environmental geographic information systems class, led by instructor Dominique Evans-Bye, collected samples of underwater sediments throughout the Long Beach harbor area, beginning near the mouth of the Los Angeles River and extending outward.

The plan was to collect soil where previous mapping showed a high concentration of pollutants. Those samples were then tested for contaminants by Clark students at Long Beach States Institute for Integrated Research in Materials, Environments and Society.

The results are set to be available soon, while a small sample size will be turned over to Crescenta Valley High for DNA testing.

The cool thing is, this is the students project, not mine, Evans-Bye said. Theyre driving it, theyre leading it and theyre doing everything.

On top of the research, the science trip on Wednesday was also part redemption tour.

What we learned is that if a project fails a first time, it doesnt mean its the end of the world. Clark Magnet GIS Student Shreeja Guntireddy

Evans-Byes class was on its second journey to the river in just under a week. A voyage the previous Thursday resulted in no samples because of several setbacks, including the loss of a scooping bucket, the near choking of an engine propeller and the failed delivery of a digging apparatus.

What we learned is that if a project fails a first time, it doesnt mean its the end of the world, student Shreeja Guntireddy said. We always have a Plan B or a Plan C. This Monday, we talked about what we could do to make this trip better. Theres always something to learn.

The most pressing cause for Evans-Byes class, however, was the need to complete a land-and-water entry as part of the Lexus Eco Challenge contest by Oct. 15. The national competition is available for secondary students, and winning schools can earn a portion of $50,000 in prizes.

The group succeeded in securing 17 glass or plastic vials and jars, between 3 and 8 ounces, over a three-and-half-hour period while taking part in the Los Angeles County Office of Educations Marine Science Floating Laboratory program.

Evans-Byes class extracted samples from many locations, from Rainbow Bridge to Queens Gate, along Belmont Shore and around White and Freeman islands in the waters off Long Beach.

Capt. Chris Batts piloted a 63-foot catamaran christened Christopher from depths as shallow as 8 feet of water up to 35 feet. The trip was the first of the year for the county, which runs as many as four floating laboratories a week, according to educator Jim Matthews.

While the Christophers crew first utilized a Van Veen Grab Sampler, which is an underwater scooper, to secure sediments, students Shaye Holladay McCarthy and Emily Woods took control of the machine.

It was a new experience to get to do hands-on lab work, Woods said. This just isnt a preset lab. Were conducting our own research and coming up with our own findings.

The duo drenched their clothing in mud and even tiny krill, or small crustaceans, in the process of hauling in black and gray  sometimes claylike, sometimes gelatinous  muck, and cleaning off excess sediment.

It was a lot of fun, but maybe because Ive never had a problem getting dirty or dealing with weird textures like mud, Holladay McCarthy said. I know some people do, but the only problem was the smell. Once I got past that, it was a lot fun.

The location of each sample was recorded using latitude and longitude coordinates by the student team of Shelia Mgrtichian and Guntireddy, while student cartographer Paul Kim aided in various aspects.

The Los Angeles Fire Department requested that the Clark group follow up on a study conducted by Evans-Byes 2006-07 class. That school year, Clark students found that dozens of toxins, such as mercury and lead, were well above the safety limits for marine sediments.

Were looking forward to sharing the info with L.A. City Fire, Evans-Bye said. They dive in these waters, and they want to know what theyre being exposed to. Hopefully, the answer is nothing, but if something comes up, well find it.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports
Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we look into a couple of 2-year-olds taking the rest of the year off.

I was really looking forward to the American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita next Saturday. Its never too early to think about the road to the Triple Crown races. Last year, when the race was called the FrontRunner, Bolt dOro blew the doors off everyone, beating Solomini by almost eight lengths.

So, I, and everyone else, was really high on Instagrand, a $1.2 million purchase in the Jerry Hollendorfer barn. He won his first two races by a combined 20 lengths. Instagrand was set to run in closing day Del Mar Futurity but was pulled at the request of owner Larry Best .

Its no secret Hollendorfer wanted to run the colt, but when you have a big money client like Best, the trainer doesnt always win. Then, this week, Brad Free of the Daily Racing Form reported that Instagrand will sit out the remainder of the year at Bests request to freshen the horse up for his 3-year-old campaign. Hollendorfer told Free there were no physical issues.

Then later this week Baffert said that Roadster, who finished second to stablemate Game Winner in the Del Mar Futurity, was also going to take some time off.

Im going to give Roadster more like 45 days away from the track, Baffert told the Times. I didnt like his race down there [at Del Mar]. Hes very immature. Im just going to pass on the Breeders Cup. We want him ready for the Classic (Triple Crown) races.

Game Winner will be running and will have Joel Rosario back in the saddle. He rode him in his first race.

Mario Gutierrez , who is the regular rider for owner Paul Reddam , rode him in his last race when Rosario was unavailable. It was always clear that Gutierrez was not a long-term solution since Reddam also spends a lot of money to get to the Triple Crown races. Reddam and Gutierrez (and trainer Doug ONeill ) have won two Kentucky Derbies with Ill Have Another and Nyquist.

There will still be plenty of good horses in the American Pharoah but it will miss the, at this point, marquee names.

Dominating Woman engineered slow fractions to win the one mile $48,000 allowance feature for fillies and mares. She controlled the race, looked like she flattened in the stretch but re-rallied to win by a half-length over a game Rooms.

If you are looking to buy a horse, Los Alamitos is where you want to be on Thursday. With seven flat out claiming races and an eighth being an optional claimer, there are 54 horses with a tag on them. First post for the eight-race card is 2 p.m.

The feature is an allowance/optional claimer, a one mile race for horses 3 and up. The purse is $45,000 with seven starters. The 5-2 favorite is the 7-year-old gelding Solid Wager. Hes won nine of 44 races, including one of four this year. Hes run his share of stakes races, both graded and ungreaded. His last two race were a first and second at the allowance level. Peter Miller is the trainer and Higiberto Figueroa is the jockey.

The second favorite is lightly raced by comparison. Show Me Da Lute is one for seven lifetime and zero for three this year. He only raced twice last year and was off just short of a year before returning to the track this year. His past is filled with many graded stakes. Baffert trains and Joe Talamo rides. Talamo has really been Bafferts top rider this meet with Mike Smith taking some time away and Drayden Van Dyke racing back at Kentucky Downs and Churchill Downs. Van Dyke returns to Los Al this week to ride two horses on Saturday.

She was bumped repeatedly at the start, recovered to duel four-wide down the backstretch and around the entire turn. The top three finishers were well clear and Sharona Sunset faded to fifth after dueling and losing so much ground. She did outfinish fellow rivals Dashin Ashen and Creative Spark in that same race. If we ignore her wide trip last time out and her stakes effort three starts back, were left with solid form in her last four starts against similar fields. She gets a five pound weight break with the sharp apprentice Heriberto Figueroa taking the mount.

Thursdays result: Stay In Yo Lane broke to the left, rallied to near the front but didnt have enough left in the stretch to win, finishing third.

Jose Contreras is an excellent handicapper and well known on social media and familiar to racing fans watching on TVG. You can follow him on Twitter at @losponies or check him out at his website .

This weekly segment is in the hands of Orlando Gutierrez , marketing and media maven at Los Al. So, the floor is yours, Orlando.

Quarter-horse racing aficionados will find out on Friday night if Richard Frandsens Favorite Motion is the real deal when the Utah-bred gelding faces Governors Cup Futurity runner-up Favorite Wise Lady and Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity fourth-place finisher Dexxter in an $13,825 allowance at 330 yards.

Trained by Jose Flores , Favorite Motion moved to one of the top spots in the juvenile division at Los Alamitos when he broke his maiden by 1  lengths on Aug. 24. The son of Favorite Cartel showed big strides in the races and looked like 400 yards will be right up his alley later this season. He is eligible to run in the Golden State Million Futurity trials at 400 yards on Oct. 21. Hell start from the four and is 3-1 on the morning line. Howard Nichols Dexxter is the 2-1 favorite based on his solid fourth in the Ed Burke. The son of Corona Cartel had won his two previous starts.

The richest quarter-horse race of the weekend will take place on Sunday night with the Grade 1, $125,000 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap for distaffers. A full field of 10 will be led by Thermonuclear Energy, who has been assigned the high weight of 127 pounds. Thermonuclear Energy won the Matron Stakes on July 28 and the Ivan Ashment Handicap on June 23. Shell be taking on a strong field that also includes Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap winner Kiddy Up Cowgirl, AQHA California Distaff Challenge winner One Sweet Racy, and stablemate Jess Ravin and Jess Hawk, both Grade 1 stakes placed mares.

He certainly faces a stern challenge in his second lifetime start but Favorite Motion scored a daylight debut win while looking like a potential stakes star. He ran to his terrific 12.1 gate drill in his 1 -length victory from the rail post when leveling with big strides before galloping out strong. He faces Favorite Wise Lady, second in the Governors Cup Futurity and Dexxter, fourth in the Ed Burke Million, in this very strong allowance affair.

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter you can click here and sign up . Remember, its free, and all we need is your email, nothing more. Tell your friends, or even people you dont like that much.

Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com . You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa.

Los Alamitos Race Course Charts Results for Thursday, September 20. Copyright 2018 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Los Alamitos Race Course, Los Alamitos, California. 9th day of a 12-day meet. Clear & Fast

FIRST RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $17,000. Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Prices $12,500-$10,500. Time 22.25 45.62 57.39 1:04.01

Pgm Horse Wt PP St  3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 2 We Will Re Joyce 115 2 2 11 11 12 12 Espinoza 1.10 3 Atrevida 115 3 1 51 3 21 26 Figueroa 7.20 4 Myrcella 120 4 5 2hd 21 34 35 Hernandez 1.30 6 Baytown Juliet 120 6 3 31 51 41 41 Mt Garcia 43.20 1 Swallows Inn Gal 115 1 4 4hd 41 5hd 54 Payeras 10.40 5 Chiefs Lil Pearl 120 5 6 6 6 6 6 Pedroza 13.90

2 WE WILL RE JOYCE 4.20 2.60 2.10 3 ATREVIDA 6.00 2.60 4 MYRCELLA 2.10

$1 EXACTA (2-3) $9.60 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (2-3-4-6) $8.12 $1 TRIFECTA (2-3-4) $17.60

WinnerWe Will Re Joyce Dbb.f.3 by Kafwain out of Joyce and Me, by Discreet Cat. Bred by Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, LLC (CA). Trainer: Doug F. O'Neill. Owner: Ryan, Gloria, Suarez Racing, Inc., and O'Neill, Doug. Mutuel Pool $49,187 Exacta Pool $25,000 Superfecta Pool $13,535 Trifecta Pool $18,524. ClaimedSwallows Inn Gal by , Todd and Hess, Maria Elena. Trainer: Robert Hess, Jr. Scratchednone.

WE WILL RE JOYCE dueled inside, inched away into the turn, came off the fence on the turn and into the stretch, drifted in a bit in the drive and won clear under urging. ATREVIDA stalked between horses then outside a rival leaving the turn and off the rail into the stretch, also drifted in a bit and was clearly second best. MYRCELLA pressed the pace between horses then stalked off the rail, came three deep into the stretch, also drifted in some and bested the others. BAYTOWN JULIET prompted the pace three deep then stalked outside, dropped back on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and weakened. SWALLOWS INN GAL saved ground stalking the pace, continued inside in the stretch and also weakened. CHIEFS LIL PEARL chased outside then off the rail, came four wide into the stretch and gave way, then was not persevered with late.

SECOND RACE. 7 Furlongs. Purse: $18,000. Maiden Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $40,000-$35,000. Time 23.25 46.56 1:11.06 1:22.87

Pgm Horse Wt PP St   Str Fin Jockey $1 2 Street to Indy 124 2 4 41 51 22 12 T Baze 1.70 6 Git On Your Pulpit 120 6 1 2hd 31 11 25 Pedroza 2.60 4 Silver Fury 115 4 3 5hd 4 31 3ns Espinoza 6.10 1 Bank Walker 113 1 7 31 1hd 44 45 Figueroa 5.80 7 Tequila Blanco 115 7 2 62 62 52 53 Fuentes 3.20 3 Malibu Magic 124 3 6 7 7 6hd 63 Quinonez 46.10 5 Dude's Dude 124 5 5 1hd 2hd 7 7 Pereira 36.50

2 STREET TO INDY 5.40 3.00 2.20 6 GIT ON YOUR PULPIT 4.60 2.60 4 SILVER FURY 2.60

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (2-2) $12.00 $1 EXACTA (2-6) $9.30 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (2-6-4-1) $11.17 $1 TRIFECTA (2-6-4) $46.00

WinnerStreet to Indy B.g.5 by Street Sense out of False Impression, by A.P. Indy. Bred by KatieRich Farms (KY). Trainer: Thomas Ray Bell, II. Owner: Richard A. Bell. Mutuel Pool $75,864 Daily Double Pool $13,118 Exacta Pool $35,884 Superfecta Pool $19,162 Trifecta Pool $23,587. Scratchednone.

STREET TO INDY stalked a bit off the rail, came out for room leaving the turn and into the stretch, angled in past midstretch, bid inside under urging to gain the lead in deep stretch and won clear. GIT ON YOUR PULPIT dueled outside then three deep, gained the lead nearing the stretch, inched away in the drive but could not hold off the winner. SILVER FURY stalked between horses then outside, came four wide into the stretch and just got the show. BANK WALKER broke slowly, went up inside to duel for the lead, put a head in front on the turn, fought back leaving the turn and just lost third. TEQUILA BLANCO chased three deep then off the rail on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and weakened. MALIBU MAGIC settled a bit off the rail then chased inside on the turn, came out in the stretch and lacked a further response. DUDE'S DUDE had good early speed a bit off the rail, dueled between horses, fell back some into the stretch and weakened.

THIRD RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $40,000. Maiden Special Weight. 2 year olds. Time 21.96 45.75 57.82 1:10.14

Pgm Horse Wt PP St   Str Fin Jockey $1 1 Mucho Gusto 122 1 2 1hd 11 11 14 Talamo 1.00 4 Vantastic 122 4 5 31 31 2 23 Conner 8.70 6 Norski 122 6 7 7 62 41 31 Pereira 31.90 7 Platinum Nights 122 7 1 51 41 32 44 Gutierrez 10.10 3 Haydens Havoc 117 3 4 4hd 5hd 63 53 Figueroa 3.00 2 Two Fifty Coup 122 2 3 22 2hd 5hd 61 Bejarano 3.90 5 Weekly Call 122 5 6 6hd 7 7 7 Roman 20.50

1 MUCHO GUSTO 4.00 3.20 2.80 4 VANTASTIC 5.40 5.80 6 NORSKI 9.00

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (2-1) $13.60 $1 EXACTA (1-4) $13.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (1-4-6-7) $44.18 $1 TRIFECTA (1-4-6) $194.40

WinnerMucho Gusto Ch.c.2 by Mucho Macho Man out of Itsagiantcauseway, by Giant's Causeway. Bred by Teneri Farm Inc. &Bernardo Alvarez Calderon (KY). Trainer: Bob Baffert. Owner: Michael Lund Petersen. Mutuel Pool $69,969 Daily Double Pool $5,272 Exacta Pool $32,808 Superfecta Pool $17,689 Trifecta Pool $20,483. Scratchednone. $1 Pick Three (2-2-1) paid $13.00. Pick Three Pool $17,075.

MUCHO GUSTO dueled inside, inched away and came off the rail on the turn, drifted out into the stretch, kicked clear and proved best under some left handed urging and a hold late. VANTASTIC stalked the pace outside, came four wide into the stretch, drifted in some in the drive and was clearly second best. NORSKI settled between foes then outside a rival into and on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and gained the show. PLATINUM NIGHTS chased three deep, angled in on the turn, came out into the stretch, angled back to the inside and was outfinished for third. HAYDENS HAVOC stalked a bit off the rail then inside on the turn and in the stretch and weakened. TWO FIFTY COUP was sent between horses early, dueled outside the winner, stalked off the rail on the turn, came out into the stretch and also weakened. WEEKLY CALL chased between hoses then angled in leaving the backstretch, saved ground on the turn, came out into the stretch and had little left for the lane.

FOURTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $25,000. Starter Allowance. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $25,000. Time 22.12 45.43 57.14 1:09.75

Pgm Horse Wt PP St   Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Naughty Sophie 120 4 1 11 11 13 11 T Baze 2.00 3 Powder 124 3 4 6 6 3 24 Fuentes 3.20 6 Be a Lady 122 6 2 5 3hd 41 3nk Elliott 15.60 5 No Wine Untasted 120 5 6 41 21 2hd 4 Pedroza 4.90 2 C. C. Zipp 117 2 3 3hd 41 52 54 Espinoza 2.60 1 Revenue Virginius 122 1 5 2hd 5hd 6 6 Franco 6.20

4 NAUGHTY SOPHIE 6.00 3.60 2.80 3 POWDER 3.60 3.00 6 BE A LADY 4.20

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (1-4) $18.40 $1 EXACTA (4-3) $11.10 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-3-6-5) $23.65 $1 TRIFECTA (4-3-6) $42.30

WinnerNaughty Sophie Ch.f.3 by Horse Greeley out of Making Time, by Royal Academy. Bred by Michael T. Barnett (KY). Trainer: Peter Miller. Owner: Altamira Racing Stable and Littlefield, Chad. Mutuel Pool $61,069 Daily Double Pool $6,609 Exacta Pool $27,571 Superfecta Pool $13,476 Trifecta Pool $18,017. Scratchednone. $1 Pick Three (2-1-4) paid $18.40. Pick Three Pool $7,537.

NAUGHTY SOPHIE sped to the early lead, set the pace off the rail, came out into the stretch, drifted out from the whip in midstretch, kicked clear and held under urging. POWDER chased off the rail, swung four wide into the stretch and continued willingly to be second best. BE A LADY stalked outside then three deep on the turn and four wide into the stretch and edged foes for the show three wide. NO WINE UNTASTED hopped some at the start, stalked three deep then off the rail on the turn, drifted in between foes in the drive and was edged for third. C. C. ZIPP stalked between horses, angled to the inside in the stretch and also was outfinished for a minor award. REVENUE VIRGINIUS saved ground stalking the pace throughout and weakened in the stretch.

FIFTH RACE. 1 Mile. Purse: $48,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $62,500. Time 24.46 47.48 1:11.70 1:24.15 1:37.37

Pgm Horse Wt PP St    Str Fin Jockey $1 1 Dominating Woman 116 1 1 12 12 11 12 1 Figueroa 1.30 4 Rooms 124 4 2 2 2hd 22 23 24 Gutierrez 2.80 5 Morning Dance 121 5 5 5 41 43 32 35 Gonzalez 4.20 3 Life's Blessings 121 3 4 32 33 3hd 42 41 Talamo 2.50 2 Tizway That Way 124 2 3 41 5 5 5 5 Quinonez 20.30

1 DOMINATING WOMAN 4.60 2.60 2.10 4 ROOMS 3.40 2.20 5 MORNING DANCE 2.40

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-1) $12.20 $1 EXACTA (1-4) $8.30 $1 TRIFECTA (1-4-5) $20.90

WinnerDominating Woman Dbb.f.4 by Dominus out of Wet n' Reckless, by War Front. Bred by Lopez, Maybee & Tennant (KY). Trainer: Peter Miller. Owner: Gary Barber. Mutuel Pool $96,490 Daily Double Pool $7,175 Exacta Pool $39,569 Trifecta Pool $32,364. Scratchednone. $1 Pick Three (1-4-1) paid $10.10. Pick Three Pool $13,088. $1 Pick Four (2-1-4-1) 4 correct paid $39.90. Pick Four Pool $34,817. 50-Cent Pick Five (2-2-1-4-1) 5 correct paid $56.55. Pick Five Pool $163,936.

DOMINATING WOMAN sped to the early lead, set the pace along the inside, inched away again just off the rail in the stretch, drifted out in the final furlong but held. ROOMS bobbled some at the break, stalked between horses then just off the rail, angled in some a furlong out and finished willingly. MORNING DANCE broke out a bit, chased off the rail then outside a rival, angled to the inside on the second turn, continued toward the fence in the stretch and bested the others. LIFE'S BLESSINGS stalked three deep then outside a rival, continued off the rail on the second turn, came out into the stretch and weakened. TIZWAY THAT WAY saved ground stalking the pace, came a bit off the rail in the stretch and also weakened.

SIXTH RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $21,000. Maiden Claiming. 2 year olds. Claiming Prices $50,000-$40,000. Time 22.26 46.06 58.00 1:04.40

Pgm Horse Wt PP St  3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Principe Carlo 115 4 3 21 1hd 11 12 Fuentes 5.00 9 I Belong to Becky 122 9 7 4hd 32 2 2 Pereira 1.30 6 Stay in Yo Lane 122 6 1 31 2hd 35 310 Delgadillo 3.80 10 Calder Vale 122 10 8 10 5hd 4 42 Fuentes 3.80 1 Handsome John 122 1 4 6hd 4hd 52 53 Roman 8.60 5 Bonsail Treasure 122 5 6 5hd 6hd 6 64 Gutierrez 44.10 7 Nutty Sierra 122 7 2 81 9 73 77 E Garcia 61.50 8 Bob's Sniper 122 8 10 91 7 84 86 Quinonez 41.90 3 Street Punk 122 3 5 7hd 10 915 9 Bednar 101.40 2 Peter Alan 122 2 9 1hd 8hd 10 dnf Harvey 42.30

4 PRINCIPE CARLO 12.00 5.20 3.60 9 I BELONG TO BECKY 3.00 2.60 6 STAY IN YO LANE 3.20

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (1-4) $31.80 $1 EXACTA (4-9) $19.70 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-9-6-10) $21.85 $1 TRIFECTA (4-9-6) $104.00

WinnerPrincipe Carlo Dbb.c.2 by Coil out of Princess Ezra (GB), by Rahy. Bred by Richard Barton Enterprises (CA). Trainer: Marcelo Polanco. Owner: Polanco, Marcelo and Scialanga, Carlo. Mutuel Pool $97,218 Daily Double Pool $8,161 Exacta Pool $54,786 Superfecta Pool $32,663 Trifecta Pool $37,214. Scratchednone. $1 Pick Three (4-1-4) paid $43.90. Pick Three Pool $11,733.

PRINCIPE CARLO dueled three deep then a bit off the rail leaving the turn and into the stretch, inched away in the drive and won clear under urging. I BELONG TO BECKY stalked outside, bid three deep on the turn and four wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. STAY IN YO LANE stalked outside a rival then off the rail, bid between foes on the turn and into the stretch and was edged for the place. CALDER VALE chased off the rail then six wide on the turn and seven wide into the stretch and improved position. HANDSOME JOHN saved ground stalking the pace throughout and weakened in the drive. BONSAIL TREASURE stalked between horses, went three deep on the turn and four wide into the stretch and also weakened. NUTTY SIERRA chased between horses, went four wide on the turn and five wide into the stretch and gave way. BOB'S SNIPER chased off the rail, split horses five wide on the turn, came six wide into the stretch and had nothing left for the drive. STREET PUNK stalked between rivals, was in tight leaving the turn, came out into the stretch and gave way. PETER ALAN dueled between horses then inside, dropped back on the turn, steadied between foes leaving the turn, gave way, was pulled up in the final furlong and walked off.

SEVENTH RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $40,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Time 22.09 45.67 57.81 1:04.56

Pgm Horse Wt PP St  3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Great Ma Neri 120 4 4 22 11 12 13 Quinonez 27.50 8 Coco Kisses 120 8 6 41 41 32 2nk Fuentes 0.70 2 Lovely Finish 120 2 5 5hd 62 51 3nk Elliott 7.00 9 I'm Sassy 124 9 7 3hd 3hd 2hd 4nk Pereira 2.90 7 Envy 115 7 8 9 9 61 52 Figueroa 10.60 1 Gone Skyward 120 1 2 1hd 21 41 63 Mn Garcia 12.90 6 Rocketann 124 6 3 6hd 5 76 710 Pedroza 18.30 5 Slew the Waters 124 5 9 83 7hd 8hd 8 Jude 113.20 3 Monaco Girl 115 3 1 73 81 9 9 McDaid 123.70

4 GREAT MA NERI 57.00 16.00 7.20 8 COCO KISSES 2.80 2.20 2 LOVELY FINISH 4.00

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-4) $363.60 $1 EXACTA (4-8) $71.10 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-8-2-9) $169.44 $1 TRIFECTA (4-8-2) $515.90

WinnerGreat Ma Neri Grr.f.3 by Reagan Republican out of Geocel's Vismic, by Comic Strip. Bred by George J. Castanares (CA). Trainer: Lorenzo Ruiz. Owner: George J. Castanares. Mutuel Pool $113,696 Daily Double Pool $12,610 Exacta Pool $60,363 Superfecta Pool $39,634 Trifecta Pool $44,430. Scratchednone. $1 Pick Three (1-4-4) paid $219.60. Pick Three Pool $12,308.

GREAT MA NERI dueled outside a rival, inched away just off the rail on the turn and kicked clear under urging in the stretch. COCO KISSES stalked four wide between horses, split rivals leaving the turn, came three deep into the stretch and edged foes for the place between horses. LOVELY FINISH saved ground stalking the pace, came a bit off the rail in the stretch and got up for the show. I'M SASSY stalked five wide on the backstretch and outside on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and was edged for third. ENVY dropped back off the rail, came out four wide into the stretch, angled in and was edged for a minor award between foes late. GONE SKYWARD dueled inside, stalked along the rail on the turn and weakened in the stretch. ROCKETANN stalked between horses then outside a rival on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and also weakened. SLEW THE WATERS settled a bit off the rail, angled in and saved ground on the backstretch and turn and gave way. MONACO GIRL stalked between horses, dropped back outside a rival on the turn and between foes into the stretch and had little left for the drive.

EIGHTH RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $15,000. Maiden Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $20,000. Time 21.75 45.53 58.64

Pgm Horse Wt PP St 3/16 3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 5 Clifton Beach 119 5 7 6hd 51 52 1nk Espinoza 0.90 2 Billy the Hott 115 2 3 21 21 22 2 McDaid 12.70 7 Lucky Wally 120 6 4 3hd 3hd 31 34 Roman 9.60 4 The Chadinator 120 4 9 10 92 86 4 E Garcia 112.90 10 Sonic Boy 119 8 10 93 72 6hd 5nk Payeras 42.80 9 E Bradley Cooper 124 7 5 53 61 7hd 6nk Bednar 11.10 1 Chocolate Mess 120 1 1 1 1hd 1hd 7nk Quinonez 7.90 12 Serve Me a Double 124 10 6 4 42 4hd 811 Franco 3.20 3 For a Good Cause 115 3 2 8hd 8hd 9hd 9ns Franco 18.80 11 Crimson Charger 124 9 8 71 10 10 10 Harvey 153.80

5 CLIFTON BEACH 3.80 2.60 2.20 2 BILLY THE HOTT 6.20 3.80 7 LUCKY WALLY 4.40

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-5) $104.00 $1 EXACTA (5-2) $31.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (5-2-7-4) $438.89 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (NO WINNERS) Carryover $5,593 $1 TRIFECTA (5-2-7) $274.60

WinnerClifton Beach B.h.5 by Langfuhr out of Western Rush, by West by West. Bred by Keith Abrahams (KY). Trainer: John W. Sadler. Owner: Keith Abrahams. Mutuel Pool $128,061 Daily Double Pool $37,143 Exacta Pool $71,997 Superfecta Pool $52,864 Super High Five Pool $7,484 Trifecta Pool $53,024. ScratchedEleazar Warrior, Mystic Grey. $1 Pick Three (4-4-5) paid $224.10. Pick Three Pool $46,800. $1 Pick Four (1-4-4-5/6/8) 4 correct paid $339.20. Pick Four Pool $144,613. 50-Cent Pick Five (4-1-4-4-5/6/8) 5 correct paid $694.90. Pick Five Pool $101,882. $2 Pick Six (1-4-1-4-4-5/6/8) 5 out of 6 paid $56.00. $2 Pick Six (1-4-1-4-4-5/6/8) 6 correct paid $2,543.20. Pick Six Pool $24,228.

CLIFTON BEACH stalked between horses then a bit off the rail on the turn, split horses a sixteenth out and got up inside under urging on the line. BILLY THE HOTT dueled outside a rival, took a short lead past the furlong marker and was edged between foes late. LUCKY WALLY stalked between horses then off the rail on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and finished willingly outside the top pair on the line,. THE CHADINATOR dropped back just off the rail to the stretch and improved position late. SONIC BOY settled off the rail then outside a rival on the turn and into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. E BRADLEY COOPER stalked between horses then off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and also lacked a rally. CHOCOLATE MESS had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back in the stretch and weakened late. SERVE ME A DOUBLE stalked outside, came four wide into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. FOR A GOOD CAUSE dropped back a bit off the rail then inside, saved ground on the turn and into the stretch and gave way. CRIMSON CHARGER stalked between horses then dropped back into and on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and had little left for the drive.
Last years disastrous hurricane season, coupled with Hurricane Florences recent assault on the Carolinas, may be causing vacationers to think twice about booking a cruise in storm-prone regions, particularly the Caribbean.

Cruise industry representatives gathered Thursday to reassure passengers that the region is functional and beautiful, while reminding them that ships can always be rerouted in any future storms.

The remarks came during a news conference set up by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Assn., a year after the catastrophic 2017 Atlantic storm season that caused thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damages.

But the torrential rain and flooding brought by Hurricane Florence turned the conversation to the current storm season.

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Executives and reps declined to speak specifically about whether theres been a downturn in reservations, choosing instead to reassure potential customers that cruising is safe.

Carnival has been in the Caribbean for 45 years plus, said Arnold Donald, chief executive of the cruise corporation. Typhoons and hurricanes are part of the annual weather pattern on the planet. With 106 ships, were always dealing with it somewhere in the world.

Cruise ships avoid hurricanes, of course, rerouting to stay out of threatening seas. During Florences march across the Atlantic, several ships scattered to different ports to miss the storm.

Its easy for us to move our ships, said Donald. The Caribbean covers a million square miles and has many destinations.

Adam Goldstein of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. added: The Caribbean is open for business. Conditions of the ports are excellent. If there are storms, were in good condition to combat them.

travel@latimes.com
The Aug. 15, 1939, premiere of The Wizard of Oz in Los Angeles was complete with Munchkins at Graumans Chinese Theatre.

Actor Wallace Beery, kneeling, was joined by his daughter Carol Ann, center, Wizard of Oz producer Mervyn LeRoy, far right, and several actors dressed in Munchkin costumes at Graumans Chinese Theatre.

Beery almost played the Wizard in the MGM film but because of other commitments with the movie house, he was forced to turn down the role, according to his IMDb page.

This image appeared in the Aug. 16, 1939, Los Angeles Times. The movie opened nationwide on Aug. 25.

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See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here
British Prime Minister Theresa May challenged the European Union on Friday to break the impasse in Brexit negotiations after EU leaders threw talks into doubt by labeling Mays blueprint for leaving the alliance unworkable.

With British newspapers declaring that May had been humiliated by EU leaders at a summit in Salzburg, Austria, the prime minister used a televised statement at her official residence at 10 Downing St. to confront the EU over its position.

At this stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other sides proposals without a detailed explanation and counter-proposals, May said.

Declaring that we are at an impasse, she said the EU must lay out what the real issues are and what their alternative is.

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Until we do, we cannot make progress, May said.

The British pound fell after Mays comments, which seemed to make the prospect of an economically disruptive no deal Brexit more likely. The currency was down in trading a sharp 1.5% on the day, closing at $1.31.

Mays combative statement followed a fraught Salzburg summit, at which European Council President Donald Tusk said parts of Britains exit plan simply will not work. French President Emmanuel Macron called pro-Brexit U.K. politicians liars, saying they had misled the country about the costs of leaving the 28-nation bloc.

A rattled May insisted that her plan was the only one on the table  and that Britain was prepared to walk away from the EU without a deal if it was rejected.

Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect, she said Friday. The U.K. expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

The rocky EU summit dashed British hopes of a breakthrough in stalled talks, with just six months to go until Britain leaves the bloc on March 29.

The judgment of British newspapers was harsh. The pro-EU Guardian said May had been humiliated. The headline in the conservative Times of London said: Humiliation for May as EU rejects Brexit plan.

The Brexit-supporting tabloid Sun branded alliance leaders EU dirty rats,calling Tusk and Macron Euro mobsters and accusing them of ambushing May.

Despite all the heated British rhetoric, the EUs position is not new.

Mays Chequers plan  named for the prime ministers country retreat where it was hammered out in July  aims to keep Britain in the EU single market for goods but not services, in order to ensure free trade with the bloc and an open border between the U.K.s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

EU officials have been cool on the plan from the start, saying Britain cant cherry-pick elements of membership in the alliance without accepting all the costs and responsibilities.

Yet British politicians and diplomats were taken aback by Tusks blunt dismissal of the Chequers plan on Thursday  and by his lighthearted Instagram post showing him and May looking at a dessert tray and the words: A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries.

U.K. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said the bloc had yanked up the hand brake on the negotiations.

But anti-Brexit activist Gina Miller said British officials shouldnt have been surprised. She said the EU had made it very clear where they stand, and the U.K. has been so focused on its own infighting that they actually have not been listening.

Tusk said Thursday that an EU summit on Oct. 18-19 would be the moment of truth, when an agreement on separation terms and the outlines of future trade would be sealed or would fail.

The biggest single obstacle to a deal is the need to maintain an open Irish border. Failing to do so could disrupt the lives of people and business on both sides, and undermine Northern Irelands hard-won peace.

Britain and the EU have agreed on the need for a legally binding backstop to guarantee there is no return to customs posts and other border checks. But Britain rejects the EUs proposed solution, which would keep Northern Ireland inside the blocs customs union while the rest of the U.K. leaves.

In her statement Friday, May said she would never agree to any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K.

If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake, she said.

Dealing with the EU is only part of Mays problem. Her Chequers plan also faces opposition from pro-Brexit members of her Conservative Party, including former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who say it would keep Britain tethered to the bloc, unable to strike new trade deals around the world.

The Salzburg summit has given Britains pro-Brexit politicians new energy. When the Conservatives meet for their annual conference on Sept. 30, they plan to push May to ditch the Chequers plan or face a challenge to her leadership.

Pro-EU politicians dont like the Chequers plan either, saying it would cut the U.K.s vast services sector out of the EUs single market.

Despite the standoff, May hinted there could be a way forward.

We need serious engagement on resolving the two big problems in the negotiations  trade and the Irish border, she said. We stand ready.
Taiwanese authorities have arrested and jailed the owner of a Texas company that sells blueprints for untraceable 3-D-printed guns, who is suspected of having sex with a minor, an immigration agency spokesman said.

The Taiwan National Immigration Agency said Cody Wilson was arrested Friday at a Taipei hotel after the U.S. government voided his passport.

Taiwanese immigration officials now are negotiating with the de facto American embassy in Taipei on how to proceed on deporting Wilson to the United States, a spokesman for the agency said.

Because Wilsons passport is now invalid, he has no legal basis to stay in Taiwan under local laws, the agency said in a statement.

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Washington and Taipei do not have an extradition treaty that would facilitate a deportation, but the two governments do cooperate on security issues, and U.S. relations with Taiwan have improved under President Trump.

Our agency will coordinate with the American Institute in Taiwan (de facto embassy) to arrange for the travel documents to be issued as soon as possible and arrange for his return to his country as soon as possible in an appropriate manner, the Taiwanese agency statement said.

Authorities suspect that Wilson began talking to the 16-year-old girl on sugardaddymeets.com, which says that it requires users to be at least 18. The pair began exchanging messages before texting, according to the arrest affidavit.

At first, the victim did not know who Wilson was or how he had stirred a national debate over gun rights. She became curious and started researching online after Wilson told her he was a big deal, the affidavit said.

In the affidavit, Shaun Donovan, an Austin, Texas, police officer, said Wilson met the victim around 8 p.m. on Aug. 15 at a coffee shop and then drove to a hotel, where they had sex.

Surveillance video shows the pair stepping from an elevator on the seventh floor of the Archer Hotel and entering a room around 8:37 p.m., according to the affidavit.

Shortly after entering the room, Wilson had sex with the victim and then paid her $500 in cash, the affidavit said. They left the hotel together about 45 minutes later.

Its unclear why Wilson, who travels frequently for work, came to Taiwan.

Police began investigating Wilson on Aug. 22 when the victims counselor tipped them off about the alleged sexual assault.

Investigators said Wilson left the country shortly after a friend informed him that the victim had spoken to police.

Wilson faces a potential 20-year prison sentence if convicted.

UPDATES:

2:32 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from the arrest warrant.

This article was originally published at 9:35 a.m.
When German riot police began removing environmental protesters from treehouses perched high in a 12,000-year-old forest, they were met with an organic response: buckets of human waste raining down on their helmets and shoulders.

Two weeks later, most of the 150 activists have been removed from their redoubts in the oak and beech trees of Hambach Forest, a few miles west of Cologne. But the struggle over whether the woods should be cleared to make way for an open-pit coal mine has cast a spotlight on Germanys uneven efforts to meet its decades-old pledges to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

In keeping with its image as a clean energy leader, Germany promised in 1997 to reduce such emissions 40% by 2020 from the level in 1990. Much of the reduction resulted from unification with communist East Germany, whose heavily polluting industrial base quickly collapsed. Since then, Germany has made little further headway  with the total reduction amounting to 33%.

The Hambach Forest clearing, due to be carried out by a major power company, RWE, has been in the works for years to help meet the energy needs of the worlds fourth-largest economy. But it has met with stiff resistance from environmentalists who say their country is two-faced because it continues to allow the operations of 90 coal-burning power plants that account for nearly 40% of its electricity.

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The current protests have attracted widespread media coverage and growing support for the activists  even though some people believe the environmentalists have no right to be on property owned by a utility that long ago won state approval for its tree-clearing mine project.

There are two main goals: to preserve the forest and to ensure the brown coal lying in the ground beneath stays there instead of being burned for electricity, said Tobias Muenchmeyer, deputy director of Greenpeace in Germany.

In all, 51 treehouses, many of them connected by ropes about 70 feet in the air, dotted the ancient forest when a force of 400 police officers showed up to remove the 150 demonstrators inside.

It appears, though, that the authorities were taken by surprise by the response.

The canisters of waste hurled out of the blue skies splattered on the black uniforms of the riot police and forced them into a disorderly retreat. Adding to the barrage, some of the 150 activists  males and females ages 17 to 40  tossed rocks and at least one crude incendiary device, authorities said.

Coming from those heights, as you can imagine, it dispersed out over a rather large area, hitting quite a few officers, police spokesman Paul Kemen said. Its not only disgusting but inhumane and rather barbarous. It shows an utter lack of respect for human dignity.

You have the right to demonstrate, Kemen added. You can debate the issue of preserving the forest too. But what they did was just disrespectful.

As it turns out, the activists victory proved short-lived, with authorities bringing in a 120-foot-high crane topped with cherry-picking baskets to remove and charge them with trespassing and disturbing the peace. Of the 51 treehouses, only a dozen had yet to be cleared.

Work was hampered on Thursday when local company officials renting the cranes to the police canceled the contracts because they were appalled by the way the equipment was being used.

The battles, which have taken place mostly behind a police cordon, thrust a spotlight on a struggle pitting those fighting climate change against German industry and its seemingly insatiable energy needs.

While pointing fingers at other heavily polluting countries, Germany, critics say, has turned a blind eye to its support for its own coal-burning utilities  belching out 232 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, more than 25% of the nations total output last year.

Germany has only seven nuclear plants remaining and will switch those off by 2020; it also gets nearly 40% of its electricity from renewable sources. About 28,000 jobs nationwide still depend on its remaining coal-burning power plants.

The perilous situation in the treehouses was highlighted Wednesday afternoon when police said a man fell from one of the treehouses and later died from his injuries.

The 27-year-old, identified only by his first name, Steffen, was believed to be a blogger, artist and activist living in the trees who was attempting to take photos of police moving in to clear a treehouse when he fell from a crude rope bridge at a height of 80 feet.

The state government later suspended all further police efforts to clear the remaining treehouses for an indefinite period. We cant just go on as if nothing happened, said a state government official.

Just hours before the accident, one man in a treehouse expressed his fear that the end of the resistance was near.

Were losing this fight and the forest will be destroyed, said the distressed man, who declined to provide his name, in a brief cellphone interview. Its irrelevant if its legal or not that were trespassing. Were concentrating on whats legitimate. We say that what RWE is doing is not legitimate. We tried to save it, but were losing.

On Sunday in a nearby village, there was a large demonstration in support of preserving the forest. Police said about 3,500 people participated, while organizers said there were 7,000.

Germans have long had a rather romantic attachment to their forests; some remembering the victory of Germanic tribes over Roman forces in the Teutoburg Forest more than 2,000 years ago.

More recently, police and demonstrators engaged in fierce battles over a cluster of trees outside the train station in Stuttgart that a major construction project was due to destroy.

There are some powerful images for many Germans when it comes to their forests, said Thomas Jaeger, a political scientist at Cologne University, noting the Stuttgart fight resulted in the toppling of a conservative state government in 2011.

Germans see their trees and forests as sturdy, immovable objects that can withstand almost anything, Jaeger said. Its hard to overestimate their attachment to their trees and their forests.

Kirschbaum is a special correspondent.

UPDATES:

1:40 p.m., Sept. 23: This story was updated with information about a Sunday demonstration.

9:50 a.m.. Sept., 21: This story was updated with more information about the fatal fall, and other details.

This story was originally published at 3 a.m.
Maria Teresa Lira and her daughter were at work inspecting merchandise at a factory in downtown Mexico City when the ground started convulsing.

They stumbled toward the stairs, but before they could make it outside, the five-story building tilted and then collapsed onto them with a deafening roar.

At home four miles away, Liras son, Fernando Sanchez Lira, 51, began frantically dialing his sister Maria Elena Sanchez and his mother. He had nearly been knocked off his feet by the magnitude 7.1 temblor, and knew instinctively that it was the most powerful earthquake in decades. On television, he saw a city in crisis, with rescuers rushing to dozens of buildings that had fallen.

His phone calls rang and rang unanswered, so he rushed on bicycle toward the neighborhood where the women had worked. His throat grew tighter with each block.

He saw a collapsed building and realized it was the factory. Then he saw dust-covered bodies being pulled out.

The earthquake struck a year ago, on Sept. 19, killing 369 people in the capital and in neighboring states. In the months that followed, many people in the seismically risky region would grapple with key questions.

A photo of Fernando Sanchez Lira's mother and sister, who died during the earthquake, on a little memorial inside his home. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times) Fernando Sanchez Lira waters the plants at his house in Itzacalco neighborhood in Mexico City. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times) Left, a photo of Fernando Sanchez Lira's mother and sister, who died during the earthquake, on a little memorial inside his home. Right, Sanchez Lira waters the plants at his house in Itzacalco neighborhood in Mexico City. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times)

What does it mean to live in a place where you know the ground might move at any moment? Why stay?

Sanchez would have to answer those questions too while learning how to live with the heartbreak in his chest.

On Wednesday, the first anniversary of the earthquake, Sanchez woke up thinking about the last morning he spent with his mother. That day, he had woken up to the sounds of her stirring in the kitchen.

The youngest of four children, Sanchez had never married or had kids. He had moved home to help care for his mother after the death of his father several years earlier of emphysema.

Mother and son were unusually close, sharing a love of rock n roll, salsa music and the NFLs Pittsburgh Steelers.

She had light green eyes and a hearty laugh that was well-known in the working-class neighborhood of Juventino Rosas, where she took Zumba classes and volunteered with disabled students. She had filled her stylish, 1970s-era house with dozens of plants that she had proudly grown from seeds.

Fernando Sanchez Lira at his house in Itzacalco neighborhood in Mexico City. Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times

Last Sept. 19, she and Sanchez shared a breakfast of coffee and cereal, and then he drove her to a nearby metro stop so she could ride into work. She wore a black windbreaker and the wristwatch he had repaired for her the evening before.

When Sanchezs father was alive, he had forbidden his wife from working, saying a womans place was at home. After he died, Lira took a job at SEO Young, a jewelry business.

She earned just $10 a day. But she loved the independence the job gave her and the company of her colleagues in the building, which housed several other manufacturing firms. After a couple of years, she was joined at the job by her daughter, a mother of two and a grandmother of three who loved to talk about spirituality and God.

Lorena Elebee / Los Angeles Times

They worked on the third floor of a 74-year-old building not far from Mexico Citys central square. Originally built as apartments, the building had been illegally converted into factory space, according to investigations by local journalists.

Its owner had also improperly installed a heavy cellphone antenna on the roof. A 2004 report by Mexicos Center for Disaster Prevention warned that the antenna posed a risk because it had been placed out of alignment with the buildings structural support columns. The report also warned that many support beams were cracked.

When the earthquake hit shortly after 1 p.m., a survivor saw Lira and her daughter struggling toward the stairs. About three seconds later, the factory crumbled. Video of the collapse shows a massive plume of dust mushrooming in the air, as if a bomb had exploded.

When Fernando Sanchez arrived, neighbors were desperately digging through the rubble. Sanchez, who had a kidney removed several years ago, was not well enough to dig, so he phoned family members to come help. For hours, his nieces and nephews did backbreaking work, hauling away giant pieces of concrete in hopes of uncovering the buried members of their family.

Fernando Sanchez Lira at the empty lot in La Obrera neighborhood where a garment factory collapsed a year ago during the earthquake. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times) Fernando Sanchez Lira buys flowers at Jamaica Market in Mexico City to leave on the lot where his mother and sister died. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times) Fernando Sanchez Lira leaves flowers and does a prayer at the site where his mother and sister died. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times) Top, Fernando Sanchez Lira at the empty lot in La Obrera neighborhood where a garment factory collapsed a year ago during the earthquake. Left, Fernando Sanchez Lira buys flowers at Jamaica Market in Mexico City to leave on the lot where his mother and sister died. Right, Sanchez Lira leaves flowers and does a prayer at the site where his mother and sister died. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times)

In the end, it turned out that the bodies of Maria Teresa Lira, 70, and Maria Elena Sanchez, 55, had already been carried away.

About 11 that night, an official at a nearby government office that had become a make-shift morgue sent photos to Sanchez of the dust-covered bodies that had been recovered. His sister was among them.

Another body was covered in a sheet, one arm visible. Sanchez recognized the watch that he had fixed for his mother the night before.

In the months that followed, Sanchez rarely left the house.

He had been a happy person, who loved music and antiques and working on vintage bicycles, but now he was withdrawn and depressed, rarely seeing friends and seldom turning on the stereo.

He had his family  a sister in Mexico City and another living in San Jacinto, Calif.  but he felt alone.

He hadnt touched the house, except to place a wooden box containing his mothers ashes on the mantle. With its wood-paneled walls and 1970s terrazzo floors, the house felt like a monument to his mother. Each day he carefully tended to her houseplants.

Fernando Sanchez Lira, 51, gives a speech after having been given a flowered cross by group Damnificados Unidos de la Ciudad de Mexico, or Victims United of Mexico City. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times) A march in commemoration of the September 2017 earthquake goes through the streets of Mexico City. In the background, one of the buildings that were severely in the quake. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times) Left, Fernando Sanchez Lira, 51, gives a speech after having been given a flowered cross by group Damnificados Unidos de la Ciudad de Mexico, or Victims United of Mexico City. Right, a march in commemoration of the September 2017 earthquake goes through the streets of Mexico City. In the background, one of the buildings that were severely in the quake. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times)

An electrician and a tailor by training, Sanchez had found it difficult to resume work and spent much of his time obsessing over the earthquake. He knew another deadly quake could strike at any moment. The low drone of the earthquake warning alarm bell, which sounded several times those months during small temblors, triggered panic attacks. Sometimes, he wondered if he should leave the city.

The only place he found meaning was in his work with several nonprofit groups that were investigating why the factory collapsed.

He contributed to one report by the group Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity that said the building had been fragile as a house of cards. It blamed the buildings owner, Alberto Cojab Sacal, for its collapse, as well as authorities for not better regulating it.

Authorities have opened a homicide investigation into the incident.

The owner of the building could not be reached for comment this week. The phone numbers listed for two of his companies have been disconnected.

The fight, as Sanchez called his legal battle, had become his reason for getting out of bed. He wants justice for his mother and sister, as well as the 13 other people who died in the factory.

But as the anniversary of the earthquake neared  the radio and television retrospectives were hard to ignore  he started to wonder whether it might be time to turn the page.

On the morning of the anniversary, Sanchez gazed at the elaborate bouquets that filled one florists shop not far from his house. He shook his head.

The flowers were beautiful, but they were all white. My mother loved color, he explained as he crossed the street to another store.

After selecting a large arrangement that included pink and yellow daisies and roses in a shade of coral, Sanchez drove his car toward the site of the collapsed building.

The rush-hour traffic was terrible. Sanchez got stuck behind a truck hauling smelly onions. He angrily waved away a man who tried to wash his windshield in exchange for a few cents.

The citys manic energy could be infuriating, but it could also be inspiring. The wide highways and sprawling strip malls of Southern California, where his sister lived, always bored Sanchez when he visited there.

Mexico City was on unstable ground, built on a former lake bed in one of the most seismically active regions of the world. But it was home.

Fernando Sanchez Lira, center, together with his family at a Mass remembering his mother and sister who died in the earthquake. Jordi Ruiz Cirera / For The Times

He parked on the street and walked to the vacant lot.The foundation of the building remained, as did much of the light pink tile that had been on the ground floor. Twisted pieces of rusting rebar poked up from the ground.

The lot had become the site of a homeless encampment and was strewn with filthy clothes and rotting food. Sanchez cleared away some debris with his foot and put down the flowers.

He lighted two candles. He closed his eyes and said a prayer. He wiped tears with his scarf.

He had come to feel close to his mother and sister, but also to ask permission to move on.

I hurt a lot and I miss them, he said in a hoarse voice. But I dont want to stay this way.

It was time, he had decided, to try to be happy again.

Cecilia Sanchez in The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum
Exploring the various iterations of modern, fine craftsmanship through the work of some of Europes best artisans and designers, Homo Faber: crafting a more human future [Editor's note: 14-30 September] taps into that single undercurrent - in the words of Johann Rupert, chairman of the luxury group Richemont  that connects all that human beings can do better than machines.

Opening ceremony  SGP

Through Sep. 30, a quick vaporetto ride from the Palazzo Ducale across the lagoon, Homo Faber is deployed at the Cini Foundation on San Giorgio Maggiore, one of the islands of Venice, in a sprawling exhibition spread over 4,000 sq. meters of space on the site of a 16th-century monastery divided into 16 pavilions and a drained swimming pool.

Cutting the ribbon with Giovanni Bazoli (President of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini), Luigi Brugnaro (Mayor of Venice), Johann Rupert (Co-Founder and President of the Michelangelo Foundation), and Franco Cologni (Co-Founder and Executive Vice-President of the Michelangelo Foundation)  SGP

At the preview last Wednesday (Sep. 12), visitors marveled at exquisite objects that ran the gamut from a miniature watch movement, a leather-upholstered Vespa, a straw-encrusted couture jacket or a feather-wound bonsai tree, forming a spectacular ensemble that suggested less a walk down memory lane than a journey into the boundless imagination of man guided by the ingenious hands that feed todays luxury sector.

A Master of Miniaturization

In the pavilion titled Discovery and Rediscovery, the watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre, one of Richemonts maisons, demonstrates its mastery of micromechanics, in a booth dedicated to the history and evolution of its Caliber 101, the worlds smallest mechanical movement.

Inspired by the legendary Duoplan movement developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1925, Caliber 101 created in 1929 measured 14 mm in length, 4.8 mm in width, and only 3.4 mm in thickness. The first wristwatches integrated a watchs mechanism in jewelry for women, said Stephane Belmont, heritage director at Jaeger-LeCoultre, on site to share anecdotes and a few know-how secrets.

Calibre 101 Leaf closed  Jaeger-LeCoultre

Elegance and sophistication in the early 20th century called for smaller watches that revealed a certain refinement in which horology took a backseat to aesthetics, Mr. Belmont said.

The miniaturized Caliber 101 movement allowed Jaeger-LeCoultre to insert a watch inside a ring worn on a finger or in a brooch worn on a lapel, both shown in the watchmakers vitrines. Other historic timepieces like the Leaf secret watch with its unsuspected mechanism allowed the wearer to disguise the watch as a piece of jewelry in an era when looking at the time was viewed as tasteless.

Calibre 101 Leaf opened  Jaeger-LeCoultre

The winding system of the Caliber 101 is hidden to liberate the timepiece from the constraints of watchmaking, Mr. Belmont said That was a design innovation by Jaeger-leCoultre.

A reissued version of the Caliber 101 timepiece inspired by the historical model worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953, was elegantly sported by Catherine Renier, the maisons new chief executive, who was also here on opening day.

Calibre 101 Queen opened  Jaeger-LeCoultre

The Caliber 101 was a gift from the French president Albert Lebrun to Princess Elizabeth, a few years before her coronation in England, Mr. Belmont said. Protocol did not permit the princess to wear a wristwatch on that occasion, so she wore her discreet Caliber 101 watch as a bracelet.

Watchmakers and Jewelers Honored

Alongside Jaeger-LeCoultre, other luxury watchmakers are featured in Homo Faber.

Vacheron Constantin has an artisan on site to demonstrate, under the watchful eye of Christian Selmoni, its Style and Heritage director, the art of enameling and the magic with which, after multiple layers of color and successive baking sessions, a scene from a Tintoretto painting is transposed onto an enameled watch dial.

 Michelangelo Foundation

Just outside the Discovery and Rediscovery pavilion, moored off the island, the beautifully restored Eilean, a 1936 Scottish-built sailboat acquired in 2006 by the Italian watchmaker, Officine Panerai, welcomes visitors on board to see the artistry with which it has been reconditioned by the artisans of the Francesco Del Carlo shipyard in Viareggio, Italy. Panerai, a former supplier of professional diving instruments and timepieces to the Italian navy, has supplied Eileans new sailing instruments, namely a wall clock, barometer and marine chronometer, especially commissioned as part of this restoration project.

Van Cleef & Arpels is here showing the art of mystery-setting precious stones on rails.

Chanel is represented by its wholly-owned embroiderer, the Maison Lesage, responsible for some of the fashion houses more intricate metier dart watch dials. In Lesages booth, visitors can take a quick needlework lesson from a Lesage artisan and add their own beaded contribution to a large birds-eye view of Venice on a stretched toile.

In Defense of the Eternal

From mechanization to industrialization to artificial intelligence, machines have threatened man while easing his workload, a double-edged sword whose danger is perhaps nowhere more visible than in Venice where much of local handcraft, including glasswork from Murano, is nearly extinct, swept away by mass-produced, Chinese-made goods sold in shops all over the islands. Though locals insist that much of Venetian ancestral craft is still here, it has mostly retreated to upstairs showrooms without a storefront.

For many artisans of ancient crafts, handmade does not exclude using sophisticated tools.

What made the renown of Jaeger-leCoultre, and that of Swiss watchmaking, is that we have always invented machines to produce ultra-precise components to manufacture more reliable timepieces capable for being repaired, Mr. Belmont said. We work with the best of modernity to create traditional objects that reflect our capacity to innovate.

Set against the timeless beauty of Venice, Homo Faber, organised by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, a private Geneva-based nonprofit entity founded in 2016 by Mr. Rupert and Franco Cologni, a former Richemont executive, aims to preserve fine craftsmanship and attract new blood to some endangered crafts.

Johann Rupert  SGP

We chose Venice not only because it is a bastion of culture and a place of unequalled beauty, said Mr. Cologni, co-founder of the Michelangelo Foundation, but also because Venice is today and has always been a European hub for exchange and connection internationally.

The glorious mid-September day on San Giorgio Maggiore was an auspicious start for an event that is expected to become a biennial and could transform Venice, together with the contemporary art and the architecture biennials also held here, into a destination for both art and craft.

We are celebrating everything that is not ephemeral, said Alberto Cavalli, an executive director of the Michelangelo Foundation and general curator of Homo Faber, in his opening speech. And with that, we wish you a bella giornata.
New Delhi : In a no-hold-barred attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said people are now heard saying that the country's "watchman is a thief. The remark at a public meeting provoked immediate condemnation by the BJP with Union minister Smriti Irani telling reporters it showed that the Congress leader has no respect for the prime minister's post.

Gandhi was referring to the Prime Minister's silence on the Rafale fighter aircraft deal with France and the Modi government's failure to bring fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya to book. Modi had said he did not want to become the country's prime minister, but its chowkidar' (watchman), Gandhi recalled.

He added now it is heard on the streets that the country's chowkidar' is a thief. Galli galli me shor hai, desh ka chowkidar chor hai, he said in Hindi at a rally in tribal dominated Sagwara of Udaipur district. Assembly elections will be held in Rajasthan later this year. PTI
Kottayam : In a major breakthrough, the Kerala police on Thursday arrested Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal in connection with the nun abuse case. The arrest was made after the interrogation which continued for a third consecutive day. The investigation team is expected to request the custody of the Bishop for two days.

The Kottayam SP is expected to see the media shortly. Meanwhile, Franco Mulakkal has been temporarily relieved of his pastoral responsibilities by Pope Francis, the Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI) said Thursday.

The Pope appointed Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Bombay Agnelo Rufino Gracias as the Apostolic administrator of the diocese of Jalandhar with immediate effect, a CBCI statement said.

The 54-year-old clergyman was grilled for three days at the crime branch office in Thrippunitura on last day. Mulakkal joined the probe team at around 10.30 am at the crime branch office. Kerala police Chief Loknath Behra had earlier said that the probe team can decide on whether to arrest the Bishop or not after the interrogation.
Not 10 but 16 mayors from the Cordillera and Cagayan Valley regions, two of the hardest-hit areas of Typhoon Ompong, were given five days to explain why they should not be sanctioned for negligence for being away from their posts during the critical hours of the storm. In a TV interview, Interior Undersecretary for Peace and Order Bernardo Florece said they have already identified the 16 mayors but declined to divulge their names pending the results of an ongoing investigation. We started from 10 and when we validated, now we have 16all mayors, Florece said. Florece said they will determine from their explanation if their absence was justifiable. If not, we can file the complaint either through the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or the Ombudsman, he said. Penalties can range from a stern warning to dismissal from office. The Department of the Interior and Local Government realized the mayors were not at their posts when they tried reaching them for updates and developments during the storm.These mayors were nowhere to be found, Florece said. Florece said they are also assessing the performance of all other local chief executives to look at best practices that can be shared with other mayors. Before the storm struck, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano had warned all mayors to be on site or face sanctions. As mandated by the Local Government Code, the presence and support of mayors in their respective areas of jurisdictions is imperative for them to carry out measures to protect their constituents from the harmful effects of disasters and calamities, Ano said. If the mayor was out of the country on official travel, this would be a justifiable excuse, Ano said.
5 Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Luxury Car in Dubai

Dubai is one of the posh cities where you would find luxury cars of various brands taking stroll on the lavish streets. Well, this can be quite exciting and also thought-provoking at the same time. What are the procedures that are required to buy a luxury car in Dubai and what are the things to be kept on mind when you are investing in a luxury car while you are in Dubai.

People buy luxury cars because of the following reasons:

Status quotient

Most of the people would love to invest in luxury cars because they want to match their lifestyle with their neighbors or colleagues. While some people incline towards luxury, some of them would want to show-off their status. This can be one of the major reasons for people to buy luxury cars along with Car Insurance Online Dubai.

Investment

Some of you looking to buy a car in Dubai as an investment, you would need a financial advisors help to get tax benefits. Buying luxury cars along with the Car Insurance Online Dubai can be one of the best ways to make an investment.

Technology

A few of them would fall for the technology used in the luxury cars. The design elements, the advanced technology, the color, the speed and the range of the cars can thrill a few people to a greater extent. This can be one of the driving factors for people to invest in luxury cars.

Brand

Some people would be extremely passionate about having a car of great luxury and of a very particular brand for various reasons. They could either be fanatic for the technology, the design or the cost of the cars which a brand would manufacture. Also, a few people would invest in the cars because of the speed and also the mileage it offers.

Passion

Passion can be one of the driving factors for people to end up buying a luxury car. Some people would simply want to add to their collection of cars and they do not mind investing in them. Hence, passion can make people invest in some of the world-class cars. Everyone is crazy for one or the other and the same implies to car collections as well.

Buying these luxury cars can be quite easy but the 5 Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Luxury Car in Dubai is a must. We have listed them below for your benefits. Take a read through them and find out the importance of these 5 things all by yourself.

Cost on the insurance

The first and the foremost thing you need to know before owning any car in Dubai let alone the luxury cars is to have car insurance. Without your car being insured by some of the renowned car insurance companies by paying quite a huge amount you would not be allowed to take your beast outside. At times, be prepared to pay an annual premium on the insurance which is almost equivalent to the price of the car itself.

Check for the Residual Value Rating

When you know and have access to the Residual Value Rating of the car you would be able to get a clear picture about the retention value, actual price and also the quality of the vehicle. When you have access to Residual Value Rating you would also gain insights about the vehicles consistency and durability.

Utility of the vehicle

When you are planning to invest in a luxury car along with Car Insurance Online Dubai, you need to first check the use of this vehicle? Dubai is surrounded with beautiful desert and you need to buy a car which not only enables you to zoom across the hi-tech streets but also fits into the desert drive as well.

When you are driving to work, you would certainly be using the smooth roads but over a weekend, it is very important to take your vehicle out on some wild drive. Hence, you need to always buy a vehicle which is suitable for the region where you are placed at. It has to meet all the requirements easily and should be the best of breed as well. This is one of the most important things which you should be checking when you are buying a luxury car in Dubai.

Warranty on the vehicle

When you have a luxury car with premium insurance you need to also ensure that there is an extended warranty on the service. You need to also make sure that the repairs and the maintenance cost are covered as part of the warranty. Also, remember to get a warranty for the aesthetics as well and this should include the protection against rust, powertrain of the car, re-paint cost etc. When you have an extended car warranty it can be quite useful to you.

Economical

Its quite known that the fuel price in Dubai is way too cheaper when compared to the other parts of the world. But, that does not mean that you end up wasting it unnecessarily. As a luxury car owner, you should also be aware that these vehicles do consume more fuel than the ordinary vehicles. Hence, it becomes your responsibility to check for fuel economical cars with advanced technologies. These cars may be specific to certain brands hence, it is very important to do a thorough research on this aspect before you invest in the car of your choice.

Well, these are some of the things that have to be kept in mind when you are buying luxury cars in Dubai because investing in these cars is certainly not a matter of joke. Hence, before taking any hasty decisions you need to ensure to check for every single thing.

You need to have a thorough analysis done before choosing a luxury car of your choice. By checking all these things you would certainly be able to make the right choice.

By Justin Weinger

 2018 Copyright Justin Weinger - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Are Gold And Silver Going To Follow A Rebound In Asian Stocks? - Audio

Are Gold And Silver Going To Follow A Rebound In Asian Stocks?

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




China Is Building the Worlds Largest Innovation Economy

China is on its way to becoming the largest economy in the world.



In just one generation, something like 300 million+ people went from rural subsistence farming to urban industrial and technology jobs. This transition from rural poverty to export powerhouse to consumer goliath may be the most consequential economic event in centuries.



Yet this story is largely ignored in the US and in much of Europe. We hear about a few projects here and there, but we dont understand the extent.





John Mauldin Archive

On an export dollar per population, China out-exports the US at $2,263 billion dollars. Still, the US is second, Germany comes in third at $1,448 billion, and the Netherlands with a population of only 17 million people exports at $652 billion.Beijing sees this same data and realizes its leadership is not guaranteed. China needs to develop its own technology and through a combination of government edicts and profit-seeking, it is right now in a major effort to build its own innovation economy Beijing is forcing money into venture capital at an astonishing pace.My friend Peter Diamandis toted up the numbers last month.By end of 2017, 3,418 Chinese VC funds were launched within the year, raising a combined $243 billion USD or 1.61 trillion RMB.Of the $154 billion worth of VC invested in 2017, 40 percent came from Asian (primarily Chinese) VCs. Americas share? Only 4 percentage points higher at 44 percent.In the first three quarters of 2017, 493 state-backed funds were founded with a capital size of 114 billion USD (756.8 billion RMB).And as of two years earlier, Chinese VC coffers had surpassed a remarkable $336.4 billion USD.In a great push to scoop up intellectual property and drive growth in key tech sectors, Chinas VC scene is booming.As of 2016, Chinas Venture Capital investment had roughly caught up to US levels. Now, it is probably ahead.Source: VentureBeatPeter Diamandis says Chinese VC firms are targeting three segments: robotics, driverless vehicles, and biotechnology.Theres yet one more profound development in China underway.Financial Times recently reported Beijing plans to integrate former Western colonies Hong Kong and Macau with other nearby urban areas including Shenzhen and Guangzhou into this Greater Bay Area.Already, it accounts for 12% of Chinese GDP and 37% of the countrys exports. Beijing wants the GBA to lead the nations innovation and economic growth.To that end, the government is pouring infrastructure investment into the region, including a 22-mile bridge connecting Hong Kong and Macau (not cheap!) with the mainland and a new $11 billion rail link for Hong Kong. It also plans to eliminate some of the bureaucratic barriers that presently slow down commerce.The size of this region is hard to comprehend. With nearly 70 million people and $1.5 trillion GDP, it is economically bigger than Australia or Mexico. Guangdong (the mainland China part) alone exported $670 billion in goods last year. Three of the worlds ten busiest container ports are in the region. It will be Silicon Valley on steroids.For that matter, it could be the US on steroids, at least geographically.China has produced more scientists and engineers for decades than the West has combined. As a graphic illustration, here are the countries with the most STEM graduates:Source: ForbesHowever, many of us had suspicions about the quality of the universities and their degrees. They couldnt be as good as ours, could they? It turns out they are comparable and possibly even better in some areas.A recent study found that in 2016, roughly 24% of scientific papers had an author with a Chinese name or address. If you include Chinese-language papers, it jumps to 37%.Looking at it another way, China has 15% of global GDP but produces more than a third of the scientific papers. It seems those university degrees are beginning to pay off in actual research.My friend and New York Times best-seller Matt Ridley says human progress and prosperity make the greatest leaps when ideas have sex with each other. This creative process happens faster and more easily when the idea-holders share proximity.In the US, Silicon Valley often serves this purpose. Along with Austin, Dallas, Boston, New York, and others.China has abundant venture capital to fund research and large numbers of researchers cranking out ideas. It needs a central place for those ideas to have frequent sex with each other.The Chinese government is aware of this. And with massive infrastructure projects like the Greater Bay Area, China is gradually building its own innovation cluster.Economic growth is largely a numbers game: workers times productivity. China already has both ingredients and is working assiduously to enhance them further For now, the US is still ahead, but we shouldnt be complacent. Nothing requires the global economy to keep us in the lead, and we are not doing what we should to keep it.Sharp macroeconomic analysis, big market calls, and shrewd predictions are all in a weeks work for visionary thinker and acclaimed financial expert John Mauldin. Since 2001, investors have turned to histo be informed about whats really going on in the economy. Join hundreds of thousands of readers, and get it free in your inbox every week.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




There are now fewer than 200 days to go before the UK officially leaves the European Union and still no agreement has been reached over the terms of its departure. As Theresa May and many of her European counterparts meet in Salzburg, they will be hoping that with enough fudge they will be able to deliver a deal that survives a ratification vote in the British parliament. But the opposition of as many as 70 Tory MPs could be enough to shatter their proposals and send the UK crashing out of the EU without any deal on 29 March 2019.

Many are now speculating on what exactly could happen if May fails to get her compromise deal through parliament.

Recently, the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, warned that the economic impact of a no-deal Brexit could be as bad as the financial crash 2008. Meanwhile, in August, Chancellor Philip Hammond predicted that leaving the EU without a deal would erase as much as 7.7 percent from the UKs national income, relative to the maintenance of the status quo.

Labours stance

With such a prospect in view for British capitalism, the idea of having another referendum on Brexit  a Peoples Vote  has become increasingly prominent over the last few months.

In particular, this demand is being pushed ever harder in the run-up to Labour Party Conference, where many pro-EU campaigners hope the demand will be debated and even passed as party policy.

The demand for a Peoples Vote has become increasingly prominent over the last few months. In particular, it is being pushed ever harder in the run-up to Labour Party Conference / Image: Socialist Appeal

The question of Labours stance on a Peoples Vote is particularly important considering the weakness of the so-called centrists. As the Independent notes, if there is to be a Commons majority for a referendum, it will require the Labour opposition and Conservative pro-Europeans to join forces.

This belief is shared by Labour Remain: a group in the Labour Party calling for a second referendum, who state that Brexit can be stopped but only through the Labour Party. Indeed, Robert Shrimsley, the editorial director of the Financial Times has even advised Blairites to delay their inevitable split, as there is a fight to be had now over Brexit and any breakaway from Labour will weaken that battle.

But unfortunately for the Blairites, as much as they may take heed of Shrimsleys advice, they are too sidelined and discredited within the Labour Party to make a successful push themselves. If the right wing is to win its fight on Brexit, therefore, it will ironically need the support of the very Corbyn-supporting left that it has been slandering and expelling since 2015.

Consequently, the focus of campaigns for a second referendum (a Peoples Vote) has shifted from toxic figures such as Tony Blair to left-wing, pro-EU campaigns such as Another Europe is Possible.

This shift has also seen the cross-party campaign of entrepreneurs against Brexit, Best for Britain, donate 70,000 to Another Europe is Possible, despite fundamentally disagreeing with Corbyns programme. Meanwhile, much of the liberal media has been quick to promote the new left face of the anti-Brexit movement  when they arent attacking Corbyn and the left over anti-semitism, that is.

The last few weeks have also seen pressure building within the trade unions. Tim Roache, the leader of the GMB, has come out in support of a second referendum, with or without a general election. Meanwhile, both the recent Unite policy conference and the TUC Congress have passed motions that leave the option of campaigning for another referendum on the table, if it is not possible to force an early general election.

Inside the Labour Party, motions calling for a second referendum have been passed by over 100 CLPs. These are backed by a variety of campaign groups, including Another Europe is Possible, Labour for a Peoples Vote, Progress, Labour First, Best for Britain, Labour Remain, Labour4EU. This raises important questions for socialists in the Labour Party.

Who gains?

The first question which must be asked is: what exactly would be gained if the Labour Party were to campaign for a second referendum on the EU?

If the vote were simply between the Tory governments deal and no deal at all, campaigners would find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place. Instead, many Peoples Vote campaigners argue that a new referendum should include another option  to stay in the EU after all  and that Labour should campaign for this.

The main argument raised by prominent Remainers, such as Chuka Umunna, is that Brexit will have a catastrophic effect on British business and so it must be prevented in the national interest / Image: Socialist Appeal

But even assuming that such an option would win, which is by no means a foregone conclusion, at best this would represent a return to the same status quo that so many millions of people rejected back in 2016.

The main argument raised by prominent Remainers, such as Chuka Umunna MP, is that Brexit will have a catastrophic effect on the profitability of British business and so it must be prevented in the national interest.

This argument has also even been used on the left of the Labour Party. But it necessarily means that workers can only gain when business prospers. If this is the case, then no gains could ever be fought for during a crisis, because they would almost certainly harm the bosses profits, threatening a slump and rising unemployment.

Any programme that limits itself to only fighting for gains when times are good is like an umbrella full of holes: useless precisely when you need it.

Brexit is not the only risk posed to the British economy, even in the short term. While Carney has estimated that a no-deal Brexit could be as damaging as the 2008 crash (and not without reason), Gordon Brown has recently warned that the world is sleepwalking into a financial crisis like that of 2008.

Clearly, Corbyn cannot suspend his programme when threatened with this; in fact it would make a genuine socialist government more necessary and urgent than ever.

Defend workers

Trade union leaders such as Frances OGrady have highlighted the need to defend workers rights. But campaigning to remain in the EU is not the way to do this.

In her keynote speech at the TUC Congress, OGrady gave a ringing endorsement of the new plan for better working lives offered by Jacques Delors, who as the President of the European Commission addressed the TUC Congress in 1988.

At the TUC Congress, Frances OGrady gave a ringing endorsement of the new plan for better working lives touted by the EU Commission in 1988. 30 years later, this dream has not materialised / Image: Socialist Appeal

But 30 years on, this dream has not materialised. Today, after more than 40 years of membership of the EU and the Common Market, millions of workers face Dickensian working conditions, increasingly long hours, and low pay.

Real wages fell 5 percent between 2007 and 2015  a time when most people considered Brexit impossible. Over the last eight years, in particular, workers everywhere have seen their conditions and job security ruthlessly attacked by the bosses, who continue to make a killing. All the while, EU legislation hovers pristinely above the fray, neither enforced nor even noticed by many.

Elsewhere in Europe  in Greece, Italy and Spain  workers have come under ferocious attack, all under the direction of the EU and its institutions. For British trade union leaders to tie the fate of British workers to the EU would come across as highly ironic to the workers of these countries.

If OGrady is prepared to mobilise six million union members for anything, it should be to bring down the Tory government, put Corbyn in power, and end the suffering of British workers. Instead the TUC is lining up with the Blairites and big business in the hope of going back to the good old days of 2016.

As Mike Cash, general secretary of the RMT, said during the debate at the TUC Congress: How are you going to win a deal? It is to mobilise, it is to get on the streets, it is to fight back.

Divisive

The only power in society capable of winning a real improvement for all workers is the working class itself. Without an organised, militant fightback and an end to Tory rule, the onslaught on workers rights will continue to worsen regardless of the UKs relationship to Europe. But this can only be achieved on the basis of the strongest possible unity of the workers movement.

Nothing could do more to drive Leave-voting workers into the open arms of racist demagogues like Boris Johnson than to see the Labour Party working alongside pro-EU Tories to reverse the last referendum / Image: own work

If the leaders of the labour movement were to campaign not only for a second vote, but also to stay in the EU, in the face of the poorest and least-organised workers who voted to Leave, the working class as a whole would emerge weaker whatever the result.

Nothing could do more to drive millions of Leave-voting workers into the open arms of racist demagogues like Boris Johnson than to see the Labour Party working alongside pro-EU Tories to reverse the last referendum. This would be a tragedy of immeasurable proportions.

Leave voters cannot be won over by being told to vote again until they get it right, as Irish voters were patronisingly told in 2002 at the time of the Lisbon Treaty. Instead, we must win all workers over to Labours programme by offering a real alternative to the establishment politics and pro-capitalist policies epitomised by the EU.

Reform or revolution

The vast majority of Labour Party members clearly see an early general election and a Labour government as the partys main priorities, regardless of their position on Brexit. But it has been argued that a left-wing government in the UK could only carry out its programme successfully if it remains in the EU, or at least the Single Market.

As the Independent put it: a Tory hard Brexit would be so damaging for the economy that even an incoming Corbyn government could not end austerity.

But such an assertion conveniently neglects to mention that countries both firmly inside the EU (such as Italy) and outside it (such as Turkey) are also facing deep economic crises. The problem is the global crisis of capitalism, not simply Brexit.

The EU has just as much reason to fear Labours programme as the City of London. Corbyn would be unable to deliver his programme inside of it, without coming into direct conflict with it / Image: public domain

Elsewhere, Labour for a Peoples Vote has claimed that if a Tory Brexit deal is signed, a new Labour government will be unable to deliver on its promises.

The answer to this problem, according to Peoples Vote campaigners, is for Labour to campaign to stop Brexit and try to reform the EU from the inside.

But on what basis? The EU is an entirely capitalist institution, set up by and for the bosses of Europe against the workers of Europe and the world. Not only that, it is an institution in deep crisis, resorting to ever more brutal and undemocratic methods to protect its core interests at the expense of the rest.

If a Labour government were to try to carry out the fundamental and irreversible shift in the balance of power and wealth in favour of working people and their families, as promised by shadow chancellor John McDonnell, the EU would immediately see this as a threat  because it is threat.

The EU has just as much reason to fear Labours programme as the City of London. Far from being unable to deliver on his promises outside the EU, Corbyn would be unable to deliver them inside of it, without coming into direct conflict with its institutions and the giant capitalist interests that they were created to serve.

The election of a left-wing government does not change the class nature of society. The election of Syriza in Greece did not change the need of French and German banks to liquidate the Greek state to cover their own balance sheets. There is no reason to expect a different approach to a radical left-wing government anywhere else, least of all in one of the worlds largest economies.

For a socialist Europe

The task of a socialist Labour government should not be to try to patch up this broken system, but to wrench control of the economy out of the hands of the bankers and put it firmly into those of the workers.

Embed from Getty Images

Rather than trying to save Europe from itself, such a government would have to reach out to the workers of Europe and call on them to join in building a new socialist Europe, based on the joint international struggle of the working class: the very antithesis of the European project under capitalism.

The crisis of Brexit and all that it threatens cannot simply be reversed  it must be faced head on. With a socialist and internationalist programme, Labour can lead this fight and win.

This is why socialists should say No to a Peoples Vote, Yes to a socialist Labour government, and Yes to a Socialist United States of Europe.
Some leaders shine because they are effective team builders, rather than solitary stars. They are silent catalysts who propel their teams to success. A new book, The Catalyst Effect: 12 Skills and Behaviors to Boost Your Impact and Elevate Team Performance, looks into what makes them tick, and what others could learn from them. [email protected] spoke with two of the books coauthors: Jerry Toomer, who is an executive partner at Butler Universitys Lacy School of Business and an adjunct professor in its MBA program; and Craig Caldwell, associate dean for graduate and professional programs at the school. (Steve Weitzenkorn and Chelsea Clark are the books other two co-authors.)
The Cincinnati City Council voted this week to eliminate parking requirements in vast swaths of the downtown urban core.

Its healthy to move beyond a place where the automobile is the sun in which society rotates around, Council Member P.G. Sittenfeld said in support of the move, according to the Cincinnati Business Courier.

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Which one of these stories is different from the rest?

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Les membres du Cabinet ont pris note de lecriture du Animal Health and Livestock Production Bill, du financment du projet de concombre de mer a hateur de 12.1 millions de roupies, de la fermeture de la B104 Baie du Cap  Chamarel  Case Noyale  La Gaulette Road du 27 septembre pour une duree de quatre mois, de la nomination dAlain Jeannot comme part-time Chairperson de la National Road Safety Council.

1. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security issuing drafting instructions to the Attorney Generals Office for an Animal Health and Livestock Production Bill. The proposed Animal Health and Livestock Production Bill would provide, among others, for the following:

(a) setting up of a National Livestock Information System under the Animal Production Division;

(b) regulate the movement of livestock and mandatory identification of all livestock;

(c) ensure traceability of products of animal origin;

(d) an obligation for all individuals and organisations having livestock under their control or ownership to be officially registered with the Division of Veterinary Services and to have an approved Animal Health Management Programme in place;

(e) control over the authorisation, import, distribution and use of feed additives, premixtures and medicated feeds to address issues of residues in food of animal origin and anti-microbial resistance; and

(f) all establishments processing food of animal origin for human consumption to have a food safety management system based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles.

2. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare would organise two National Consultative Workshops with representatives of the public sector, private sector, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders on the draft Gender Equality Bill. The overall objective of the National Consultative Workshops is to have the views and comments of all stakeholders on the proposed provisions of the draft Bill to ensure its effective implementation, once enacted.

3. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of an Exchange of Letters with the Government of Australia, which would enable funds to the tune of Rs12.1 million from The Australian Food Aid Counterpart Fund Account to be disbursed for financing the Sea Cucumber Project. The Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, through the Albion Fisheries Research Centre, in collaboration with the University of Sunshine Coast of Australia. The University is assisting the Centre in developing a research programme for sea cucumber production, which includes devising new techniques for culture and farming, and carrying out specialised training for staff of the Centre. The project would be of three years duration and would enable Mauritius to improve its capacity for sea cucumber production.

4. Cabinet has taken note that Road B104 from Case Noyale to Chamarel would be temporarily closed in the context of the implementation of the Landslide/Slope Stability Treatment along Baie du Cap  Chamarel  Case Noyale  La Gaulette Road Project, as from 27 September 2021 for a period of about four months.

Alternative arrangements are being made for the provision of social and other facilities so as not to cause any inconvenience to the inhabitants of these localities.

5. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) and the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) Centre, India. The INFLIBNET Centre is an Inter-University Centre of the University Grants Commission that operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Education of India. It is involved in modernising university libraries in India by enabling them to use state-of-art technologies for the optimum storage and utilisation of information.

The Memorandum of Understanding provides that the MGI would partner with the INFLIBNET Centre mainly with a view to computerising its library using the Software for University Libraries.

6. Cabinet has taken note of the ranking of the Republic of Mauritius at the 52nd position in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021 Report, which has been released on 20 September 2021. The GII Report is co-published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, Cornell University of New York and Institut Europeen dAdministration des Affaires. It provides detailed metrics about innovation performance of 132 countries and economies around the world, including Mauritius. Mauritius maintains its first position not only in the Sub-Saharan region but in Africa.

7. Cabinet has taken note of the launching of an Inclusive Digital Literacy Programme by the National Computer Board. The programme would address the digital divide and encourage citizens to adopt the latest ICT technologies and fully utilise all online government services.

The objective of the programme is to promote safe use of digital technologies to access information, communication, e-Governance service, job skills, learning and financial services. The target audience for the programme would be senior citizens, housewives, children, unemployed citizens and people with disabilities. The programme would be launched in October 2021 and was expected to be completed by March 2022.

8. Cabinet has agreed to the Government of Mauritius making a donation of USD25,000 as an act of solidarity towards the people of the Republic of Haiti, following the declaration of a state of emergency by the Haitian Government, and international calls for support to humanitarian assistance and relief operations in the aftermath of the two natural disasters which hit the country in August 2021.

9. Cabinet has agreed to the National Land Transport Authority:

(a) waiving the Public Service Vehicle (Contract) Licence fees in respect of all individual contract bus operators involved in the conveyance of tourists for one year on the same line as for Destination Management Companies and other companies operating in the tourism sector, owning Public Service Vehicle Licences for their buses for a period of one year or for the ensuing year for those who have already renewed their licence;

(b) extending the delay for implementation of contract car licences up to 30 June 2022; and

(c) extending the delay for the replacement of contract cars up to 30 June 2022.

It is also proposed that the timeframe to implement a contract car licence be exceptionally extended up to 30 June 2022, in order to provide licencees with an additional delay for the implementation of their contract car licences. Contract car operators would also be granted a delay of up to 30 June 2022 to replace their vehicles. This extension of the delay would thus provide contract car operators with a reasonable timeframe to replace their fleet.

10. Cabinet has taken note of progress made in respect of projects and reforms being implemented by the National Housing Development Co. (NHDC) Ltd. The NHDC Ltd has, since June 2021, delivered 99 housing units, thus bringing the total number of housing units delivered to 1,050 for the period November 2019 to August 2021. Out of these 1,050 housing units, 92 have been earmarked for the National Empowerment Foundation to be allocated to its eligible beneficiaries. The NHDC Ltd has, for the period December 2019 to August 2021, disbursed some Rs172 million to 2,239 beneficiaries under the Casting of Roof Slab Grant Scheme.

11. Cabinet has taken note of the activities that the Ministry of Health and Wellness would organise in the context of World Heart Day 2021 observed, on 29 September. World Heart Day aims at raising awareness of individuals, families, communities and Governments about cardiovascular diseases. The theme chosen for this year is Use Heart to Connect. The activities would include:

(a) an official ceremony for the launching of activities on 29 September 2021 at Dr A.G Jeetoo Hospital, Port-Louis which would include the official launching of the 24/7 Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention;

(b) MBC TV and Radio programmes during the month of September and October 2021;

(c) screening and counselling for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) at worksites and in the community for persons aged 18 years and above;

(d) empowerment sessions for NCD patients on cardiovascular diseases and health related issues at regional level; and

(e) cooking demonstration (food plate models) on healthy eating.

12. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world. Some 231.3 million cases have been reported globally, of which 208 million persons have been successfully treated.

With regard to Mauritius, as at 23 September 2021, there were 1,904 active cases of COVID-19, out of which 45 were admitted at New ENT Hospital including four on ventilators. Over the period 18 to 23 September 2021, 19 deaths were attributed to COVID-19.

Cabinet has also taken note of progress in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. As at 23 September 2021, 849,326 persons had received a first dose of vaccine (representing 67.1 percent of the population). 793,269 persons had been fully vaccinated (representing 62.7 percent of the population).

A donation of some 50,400 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine from the Government of the Republic of South Africa reached Mauritius on 17 September 2021. Some 30,000 doses (Component II) of Sputnik V vaccines reached Mauritius on 21 September 2021 and 76,050 doses of Pfizer vaccine donated by the US Government were received on 23 September 2021.

The administration of the third dose of Sinopharm vaccine has started on 23 September 2021. Pfizer vaccines would be administered to adolescents aged between 15 and 17 years in educational institutions, as from 28 September 2021.

13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in the 21st annual Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting held virtually. The agenda of the meeting focused on the Commonwealths roles and contributions towards its Member States recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and building back better, including on health and vaccine equity, trade issues, and climate change, in particular the upcoming COP26 meeting in Glasgow. Ministers were provided with policy and operational updates.

The Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade expressed support to the call made by the Secretary-General on G20 members to urgently work with the Commonwealth and other partners for the adoption of a robust plan to vaccinate the worlds 42 smallest states and shield them from COVID-19. He also renewed the commitment of Mauritius to the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, hosted by Mauritius, which testified to the Commonwealths engagements to improve access by small and vulnerable countries to climate finance. He also expressed the support of Mauritius for the joint UN-Commonwealth Small States Advocacy Strategy, designed to mobilise global efforts for addressing the core vulnerabilities of small states.

14. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in the G-33 Informal Ministerial Meeting that was held virtually on 16 September 2021. The G-33 is a group of Member States of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with common positions on a number of issues relating to the Agriculture negotiations. The objective of the Meeting was to discuss the agricultural priority issues of G-33 and the way forward for the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC-12) scheduled from 30 November to 03 December 2021.

In his opening statement, the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia emphasised the key priority issues, namely a permanent solution for Public Stockholding for food security purposes, a meaningful outcome on Special Safeguard Mechanism, and a balanced outcome in agricultural domestic support. The meeting concluded with the adoption of the G-33 Joint Ministerial Statement reaffirming commitment for expeditious resolution of the WTOs mandated issues in agriculture. The meeting also called for satisfactorily addressing the development issues of developing countries and Least Developed Countries, with Special and Differential Treatment remaining an integral part of WTO system.

15. Cabinet has taken note of the appointment of Mr Rooben Maran as General Manager of the Central Water Authority.

16. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of Trustees of the Edgar Laurent Tuberculosis Foundation for a period of three years as from September 2021, with Dr Beerdarshansingh Caussy, Director, Health Services, as part-time Chairperson.

17. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the National Road Safety Council with Mr Alain Jeannot as part-time Chairperson.

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Dairy productivity priority for Thompson

Farmer groups should set productivity as the industry priority and push to be more involved in Dairy Australia's planning, while also striving for a new level of transparency and integrity in advocacy.
The Ministry of Antiquities mission to recover stolen and illegally smuggled antiquities has successfully seen the repatriation of a relief with the cartouch of King Amenhotep I.

Supervisor General of Antiquities of the repatriation department Shabaan Abdel Gawad explained to Ahram Online that the relief was first noticed by a foreign archaeologist a few months ago, when it was put on sale in an auction hall in London.

Gawad said the archaeologist realised that the relief is the same one that was stolen in 1988 from the open-air museum in Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, as the relief is carved in limestone and inscribed with the name of king Amenhotep I.

The archeologist then promptly reported the incident to the Ministry of Antiquities. The ministry then took all necesasary legal and diplomatic procedures to stop the sale of the relief, and return it to Egypt.

The relief, Abdel Gawad said, was handed over to the Egyptian embassy in London yesterday and is to set to come home within days.

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Welcome to Seven in Seven, where each week we typically take a look at shows coming to the region over the next week. And while venue doors are slowly opening again, due to the current pandemic they arent quite there...
Student survey, community forums planned as Pennridge continues looking at school start times
Letter to editor: Congress can get this right
September 21, 2018

Facebook Allies With U.S. Regime-Change Orgs For 'Fact Checking' In Foreign Countries

As this outlet concluded yesterday:

Unfortunately the anti-Russian and anti-Trump propaganda campaign has had serious consequences. Censorship in social media increased drastically ...

In consequence of the alleged manipulation of new and opinions during the 2016 election, Congress threatened to regulate social media. It demanded testimony by the owners of social media companies - Facebook, Twitter and Google - about their plans to weed out so called "fake news" distributed through their systems. Instead of defending the freedom of individuals and organizations to publish opinions deviating from the mainstream, the companies promised to increase their censorship capabilities. To avoid to make judgments themselves, they decided to outsource these to 'independent' fact checking organizations. Anything those deem "fake news" will then be censored.

Facebook Inc just gave such powers to two well known U.S. government regime change operators. These will now have the capabilities to censor content in foreign countries:

Facebook Inc on Wednesday said it would team with two U.S. non-profits to slow the global spread of misinformation that could influence elections,

...

The largest social network, under intense pressure to combat propaganda, said it would work abroad with the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, created in the 1980s and funded by the U.S. government to promote democratic processes.

The IRI and the NDI are sub-organizations of the infamous National Endowment for Democracy. They "promote democratic processes" to achieve regime change of governments the U.S. dislikes. The NED is an offshoot of the CIA:

The NED was set up in the early 1980s under President Reagan in the wake of all the negative revelations about the CIA in the second half of the 1970s.

...

Something had to be done. What was done was not to stop doing these awful things. Of course not. What was done was to shift many of these awful things to a new organization, with a nice sounding name  The National Endowment for Democracy. The idea was that the NED would do somewhat overtly what the CIA had been doing covertly for decades, and thus, hopefully, eliminate the stigma associated with CIA covert activities.

...

Allen Weinstein, who helped draft the legislation establishing NED, declared in 1991: A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA.

The Trump administration attempted to gut the NED but failed. In its 2019 appropriations Congress increased the "democracy promotion" budget that is used to "regime change" governments the U.S. does not like. The highlights of the bill include:

$2.4 billion for democracy programs, and an additional $170 million for the National Endowment for Democracy. This amount is $91.5 million above the FY2018 enacted level.

The NED, through its sub-organizations, finances and controls local entities that promote regime change.

From Poland's Solidarnosc to the anti-Chinese Tibetan Youth Congress, from the fascist Maidan Coup in Ukraine to regime change attempts in Venezuela - the NED had and has its fingers in each of these destabilization operations:

In a multitude of ways, NED meddles in the internal affairs of numerous foreign countries by supplying funds, technical know-how, training, educational materials, computers, faxes, copiers, automobiles, and so on, to selected political groups, civic organizations, labor unions, dissident movements, student groups, book publishers, newspapers, other media, etc. NED typically refers to the media it supports as independent despite the fact that these media are on the US payroll.

In 2015 the Russian government shut down dozens of NED front groups in its country that were trying to subvert its elected institutions. But Russian language content as well as other content presented to Russian users on Facebook, will now be shaped by these organizations.

By giving "fact checking" capabilities to these organizations, Facebook hands a global censorship tool to the U.S. government 'regime change' operatives.

All fact checking organization are already a dubious endeavor. Third-party fact-checking organizations accepted by Facebook Inc for the United States are the Associated Press, Factcheck.org, PolitiFact, Snopes.com and the Weekly Standard Fact Check.

PolitiFact once labeled obvious satire, published by the well known satirical Duffel Blog, as "fake news".

Snopes, a for profit fact checking organization, attacked Eva Bartlett for some of her well founded statements about the White Helmets propaganda organizations. In April 2018 Snopes attacked official Russian government assertions that no chemical incident took place in Douma, Syria. Snopes headlined the Russian statements as "Disinformation and Conspiracy Trolling". But the Russians were proven right. The OPCW went to Douma, took samples and found no nerve gas in them. Hospital personal as well as people living in the area were interviewed by several reporters. None of them had noticed a chemical incident. The opposition outlet Syrian Observatory did not report a chemical attack, but said that people died of suffocation after their shelter collapsed. There was no 'chemical incident' in Douma. The "fact checkers" were wrong. Moreover - when the OPCW report came out mainstream media lied about it, claiming that the OPCW found chlorine was used. The OPCW said no such thing. It found some chlorinated chemicals that can be found in any household cleaning agent. Some outlets, like the BBC and Reuters, had to correct their false claims. Snopes did not correct its false claims about the factual Russian assertions.

The Weekly Standard, a neo-conservative outlet edited by Bill Kristol played an important role in promoting war on Iraq, is now accepted by Facebook as fact checker. The Weekly Standard promptly rated a piece by Think Progress which was promoted on Facebook as "false" because of a slightly ambiguous wording in the headline of completely factual and truthful report.

Such "false" or "fake new" ratings by Facebook approved "fact checkers" have serious consequences:

Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF CONTENT I CREATED OR SHARED IS RATED FALSE or MIXTURE BY A FACT-CHECKER? A: First, that content's distribution is reduced. It will appear lower in News Feed, and will be accompanied by Related Articles from fact-checkers. If people try to share the content, they will be notified of the additional reporting. They will also be notified if content they have shared in the past has since been rated by a fact-checker. Second, in order to more effectively fight false news, we also take action against Pages and domains that share, and domains that repeatedly publish content which is rated False. Such Pages and domains will see their distribution reduced as the number of offenses increases. Their ability to monetize and advertise will be removed after repeated offenses. Over time, Pages and domains can restore their distribution and ability to monetize and advertise if they stop sharing false news. Third, Pages and websites that repeatedly publish or share false news will also lose their ability to register as a news Page on Facebook. If a registered news Page repeatedly shares false news, its news Page registration will be revoked.

Smaller news outlets like Think Progress depend on the traffic they receive through Facebook and other social media. Being falsely labeled as "fake news" outlet threatens their existence.

For foreign countries Facebook engaged with the Agence France Presse (AFP) and local organizations to check the validity of news sources. This is already a dubious choice. AFP tends to promote the French government's view. Its Beirut bureau is, for example, known to have deep relation with Jihadi 'reporters' in 'rebel' held areas of Syria and tends to promote their views. But now Facebook is handing censorship powers over foreign news to the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, organizations which were founded and are funded by the U.S. to promote regime change of governments the U.S. dislikes. It is obvious that they will mark reports on Facebook that reflect the view of the government of Venezuela as "fake news", while they will promote those 'independent' Venezuelan organizations the NED itself finances.

The fact checking Facebook uses is snake oil. Such fact checking promotes a one sided view on issues and events. At the same time no fact checking is able to prevent well organized influence operations by domestic or foreign organizations. There are for example Facebook groups with thousands of members who use a special application to secretly spread pro-Zionist propaganda in cooperation with the Israeli government:

The campaign, which targeted dozens of prominent international outlets, was organized through Act.IL, a smartphone app and website developed by former Israeli intelligence officers in collaboration with the Israeli government, and with financial backing from conservative American casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson.

...

Anyone can join Act.IL, and the platform is available on the web and as a smartphone app in the Apple and Google app stores. While its unclear how many active users there are, an affiliated Facebook group has more than 3,000 members worldwide. Once logged in to Act.IL, users are presented with a series of active missions they can take part in. Users earn participation points that can be redeemed to "get cool prizes, according to an introductory video.

Act.IL is part of a larger Israel Lobby effort to secretly subvert and influence the content of Facebook and other social media sites.

The best way to avoid such campaigns and censorship of so called social media is to avoid them entirely. One can still get an objective view of the world by looking for original news sources and by applying a skeptical view towards presented "facts". It on us to teach others how to do this.

Posted by b on September 21, 2018 at 11:02 UTC | Permalink

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Many Enlist, but Flood Coverage Still Falls Short

Even as flood water continue to sit in living rooms and kitchens across a large swath of North Carolina it is clear that most of those homes are not insured against the damage. Mary Williams Walsh, writing in the New York Times, says that in North Carolina and South Carolina, which suffered less widespread damage, only about 335,000 homes in total have flood insurance.

The Urban Institute (UI) reports that the number of policies homeowners purchased through the National Flood Insurance Program (NIP) has declined over the last ten years and the total is now just over 5 million nationwide. There are also some private insurance policies, but nowhere near enough to cover the affected homes.

Sarah Strochak, Jun Zhu, and Laurie Goodman used data from the Census Bureau's 2017 American Housing Survey to compile their report published in UI's Urban Wire blog. That survey reveals that just over one in 10 homeowners have flood insurance nationally although in areas more prone to flooding like Miami the number increases to one in three.

The AHS asked survey respondents whether they carried insurance and if so whether it was because it was required, they bought it after a neighbor did, or some other reason. The last two answers were counted as voluntary purchases. Of all homeowners who had a flood insurance policy in 2017, 60 percent chose to buy it on their own; 40 percent were required to do so by their mortgage lender. Homeowners who live in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated flood plains are required to carry insurance if their mortgages are guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA or the VA.

The UI authors say this high voluntary participation may be because mortgaged borrowers are highly conscious of the extreme damage that floods can cause or because FEMA's flood maps are outdated. It may also because homeowners without mortgages who purchase voluntarily are skewing the voluntary participation percentage.

Newer homes are more likely to be insured than older homes and also more likely to do so on a voluntary basis. Flood insurance coverage increases from about 11 percent for homes built in the 1980s with 59 percent purchased voluntarily to 14 percent and 64 percent for homes built since 2010. The authors say this trend may mean that owners of newly built homes, which are generally more expensive than existing homes, are more aware of the possibility of flooding and are looking to protect their investment.

Walsh, in her NYTimes piece says that if NIP worked as intended, more people would have coverage, but it doesn't work that way and she gives a brief recap of its history to explain why.

The program was established by Congress in 1968 in hopes of luring insurance companies back into the market they had abandoned after the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Flood insurance was essentially nonexistent over that 40-year time span and when floods occurred, all that victims could hope for was a federal bailout to keep families and businesses out of bankruptcy. Congress decided it would be less costly to taxpayers to identify properties likely to flood, require their owners to buy insurance, let a pool of reserves build up and pay flood claims from it.

Walsh says the program was originally a partnership between the government and about 130 insurers, but there were policy disagreements and by 1983 the companies were gone, and the government was running the program alone. Today the National Flood Insurance Program is part of FEMA.

According to some, the program doesn't work because the mandate to require insurance for homes in flood plains isn't enforced. Walsh quotes Howard Mills, a former New York State insurance superintendent, who says "There are lots of holes and gaps, and people just don't get coverage. Flood plains change as land is developed, and the government's maps become outdated. People buy houses without knowing they are on flood plains, or they pay off their mortgages and let their policies lapse. Those who inherit property may never have mortgages to begin with."

A study in 2017 recalculated flood exposure using newer techniques than those FEMA uses and found about 41 million people live in 100 year flood plains, more than three times the number enrolled in NIP. They expect this number to keep rising because of climate change and demographic trends and for the program's financial exposure to increase further because of home price gains. Congress has repeatedly cut funds for flood mapping, so it is unlikely that FEMA will update its technology.

The research report found FEMA's maps were fairly accurate in coastal areas but missed many inland risks which in some ways are more dangerous. The National Hurricane Center that hurricanes caused more than half of their deaths, from flash floods, mudslides, and drivers blundering into deep water, after they moved inland.

And it is these inland people who are least likely to have flood insurance. One estimate is that a quarter to a half of the people in the coastal Carolina's have coverage, probably because they are aware of the risks. Inland, there are places where the insurance is virtually non-existent.

And NIP itself must frequently resort to life-support. Congress lets the program lapse on a regular basis and it has been seriously underwater since Katrina, running an annual deficit averaging $1.4 billion since the storm. It currently owes Treasury more than $20 billion and that debt reflects the balance after Congress forgave another $16 billion. Taxpayers are still paying to bail people out after floods.

NIP needs more policyholders to spread risk over a larger group. One solution, especially as floods seem to be affecting increasing numbers of locations, would be to require it for all homes with federally guaranteed mortgages. Congress tried another alternative to balance the books a few years ago, taking away the federal subsidy for policyholders. Premiums shot higher, homeowners rebelled, and Congress backed down.

Preliminary estimates put loses from Florence as high as $13 billion. NIP has about $6 billion in cash on hand and a remaining $10 billion of its borrowing capacity from the Treasury. The end of this hurricane season is 48 days away. Assuming of course that Mother Nature owns a calendar.
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 []
We will demonstrate if you don...
Connecticut saw significant turnover among its constitutional officers in 2010, when Treasurer Denise Nappier was the only one of the five officers to seek re-election.

Voters are facing a similar scenario eight years later, with only two incumbents, Comptroller Kevin Lembo and Secretary of the State Denise W. Merrill, seeking to return to office.

Lembo said hes running for a third term because the comptrollers office is an ideal position for someone who likes dealing with numbers.

Its nice to have a job that you love, and it is a job that I love, he said during a visit Wednesday to the Record-Journal for an episode of the Morning Record. The people of Connecticut elected a data nerd into this big data job in 2010, and so Ive been working really hard on taking the states fiscal information and making it more transparent and digestible for people.

Lembo, a Democrat, is facing Republican nominee Kurt Miller, who is the first selectman of Seymour.

While incumbents typically have an advantage when it comes to name recognition, Lembo said few voters are familiar with the office or the official who occupies it.

Your ego really gets checked when you go out there and campaign, Lembo said.

The comptrollers main responsibilities include overseeing payroll and benefit payments to state employees and purchasing health care for the states plan.

The comptroller also monitors the budget, and serves as the arbiter whenever the governor and lawmakers disagree on whether the size of a deficit requires legislative action.

Lembo said the state has made efforts to keep insurance costs in-check by focusing on employee wellness and preventative care.

He said the state has made significant efforts to get state employee pension debt under control, but warns teacher retirement costs  under a different system  are still problematic.

The comptroller also has a seat on the State Bond Commission. Lembo has at times opposed Gov. Dannel P. Malloy proposals before the commission.

My job is to be independent  you elected an independent, and I have been independent and I always will be, he said. That means sometimes the Republicans are mad at me and sometimes the Democrats are mad at me and sometimes the governors mad at me, even if hes from my own party.

For more from Lembo, listen to the Morning Record, the Record-Journals daily podcast, at https://bit.ly/2NXAaxz

msavino@record-journal.com

203-317-2266

Twitter: @reporter_savino
WALLINGFORD  Masonicare Health Center serves more than 1,000 meals a day, and the new building administrator said she eats with residents at least once daily.

The Masonicare Board of Trustees hired Amy Pellerin earlier this month as long-term care administrator for the Masonicare Health Center, 22 Masonic Ave.

Masonicare is the largest not-for-profit provider of senior care in Connecticut. The Health Center houses 345 in-house patients currently, out of 366 total beds, 65 of which are short-term inpatient rehab. The rest are long-term care.

On the Health Center campus, there are 93 independent living rental apartments and a residential care home, licensed by the state for people on restricted incomes, which has 86 apartments.

Pellerin is responsible for day-to-day operations and oversees about 835 staff members, including nurses, managers, social workers, dining staff, housekeeping, laundry and maintenance staff, the volunteer department, chaplain services, recreation and therapy services.

We have a lot of layers, but you need it, Pellerin said.

Pellerin graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelors degree from the School of Family Studies and completed the Health Systems Management program in UConns School of Business Administration, with a concentration on long-term health care management.

This is a very big community, said Margaret Steeves, Masonicares vice president of communications, so searching for the right leader for a continuum of this size, we just really need somebody who can rock it.

Masonicare Chief Operating Officer Mark Garilli said in a statement that Pellerin makes a great addition to the leadership team.

We will benefit from her many years of experience in the field of nursing care and rehabilitation services, he said.

As the sole administrator of the Health Center, Pellerin said shes out on the floor a lot, checking in with residents, patients, staff at shift changes and clinical and building department heads .

My job is to oversee and make sure that everybody is doing what theyre supposed to be doing, she said.

Other duties include maintaining staffing, overseeing the quality of care and ensuring resident, patient and staff satisfaction.

I come from a for-profit world, she said, adding that Masonicare is the first organization Ive worked for that puts patient care first, above staffing numbers. Its nice to see the support services we have.

Masonicare offers a full health care continuum, from independent and assisted living to skilled nursing to hospice care. The Health Center includes an outpatient clinic, mid-level nurses and dental services.

Our patients dont have to go out to the hospital for x-rays, Pellerin said. They can go down the hall.

Of course, the duties of an administrator include dealing with patient insurance, government regulations and reimbursement issues.

Theres always changes that go on, she said. Theres rules and regulations, changes to the reimbursement system designed to not pay us for the services we provide, or to figure out a way to take back money, or not give increases for the care that we are providing.

Masonicare, she said, was an attractive employer because of the way the organization handles financial issues.

This organization has everything to take it into the next level of those regulations, she said, and to be a part of that, and know it can sustain those changes the federal and state government is throwing at us.

Pellerin lives in Middletown and has three daughters.

Masonicares continuum includes the Masonicare Health Center and Ashlar Village retirement community in Wallingford, which has nearly 600 residents, and retirement communities in Chester and Mystic. The organization offers home health care throughout the state.

LTakores@record-journal.com

203-317-2212

Twitter: @LCTakores
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The country's largest lender State Bank of India Thursday said it is not in a position to acquire more banks at the moment as it needs 2-3 years to see gains from the consolidation effected last year.

SBI last year merged with itself five of its subsidiary banks and taking over Bharatiya Mahila Bank, catapulting it to be among top 50 global lenders.

"We are not the right candidate to take over more banks, as we will need two to three years to see gains from consolidation of its associate banks last year," SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar told reporters here.

He said that SBI is the largest bank with a market share of 23 per cent and more consolidation will lead to monopoly of the bank.

However, Kumar said India needs to reduce the number of state-owned banks through consolidation for better management.

The statement comes after the government announced its intention to merge Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank earlier this week.

On Monday, 'Alternative Mechanism' (AM) headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley decided to merge three banks with a view to create global size lender, which will be stronger and sustainable.

The merged entity will have a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, making it the third largest bank after SBI and ICICI Bank.

It will have better financial strength.

The net NPA ratio will be at 5.71 per cent, significantly better than public sector bank (PSB) average (12.13 per cent).

To a question related to stressed assets in the power sector, the SBI chairman said that efforts were on with respect to resolution of all the cases.

"Lenders are convinced about the IBC process. There is no effort to consciously avoid IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code)," he said.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: A day after the RBI missive, brokerages believe the impending exit of Yes Banks CEO & MD Rana Kapoor in next four months will leave a void, and lead to challenges.

While Citi Research said the bank may have little time to scout for an external CEO, others noted that Kapoors exit could slow down growth, delay fundraising plans and result in material downsides for stocks.

Insider Rajat Monga, senior group president, appears to be the preferred choice to replace Kapoor, provided he gets the regulator nod. Failing which, the bank will run out of time to find an external candidate, said Citi Research. It downgraded the rating for Yes Bank to Sell from Buy, citing the premium attached to the stock due to Kapoors presence.

The banks Board will meet next Tuesday to decide on the future course of action. Kapoor, who co-founded the bank in 2002, has been the banks CEO since its inception. Others like IDFC Securities too downgraded the bank to Underperformer from Neutral, saying the reduction in Kapoors tenor was a big negative and his absence will slow down loan and fee growth.

Meanwhile, Edelweiss maintained its buy rating on the belief that the bank has a strong foundation on which the incoming leader can build on.

Similarly, Moodys Investors Service too affirmed its stable outlook on all Yes Banks ratings. According to Moodys, the banks funding structure improved significantly, because sticky current and savings accounts and retail term deposits have grown, making its liability mix granular and reducing dependence on confidence-sensitive wholesale funding.

It further added that profitability was strong, and Moodys expects it to maintain low credit costs next fiscal. This, along with growth in interest and non-interest income, will help it maintain profitability.

Though the banks asset quality is strong than Indian peers and anticipated annual loan growth of 35-40 per cent will outpace the industry average of 10 per cent, this aggressive growth strategy poses asset risks.

The banks capitalisation is adequate, but to maintain the current levels, itll need to raise capital, and could experience difficulty in raising external capital, impeding the banks ability to grow its loan book.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday after the Karnataka High Court allowed its request to give it three more days to complete filling all potholes in the city. The request was considered by the division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice S G Pandit after BBMP submitted that it had filled up 899 potholes overnight in all eight zones. Considering the significance of the case, the judges heard the matter even during the lunch break.

When the hearing began, the court posed questions to BBMPs counsel. What did you do yesterday? How many potholes were filled up last night? What was the size of potholes that were filled? In reply, BBMPs counsel V Sreenidhi submitted that 899 potholes were filled overnight.

The court then observed that the potholes are a result of BBMPs laxity, and added, You make the number of potholes zero by Monday. We hope it will be zero as there is three days time. If the number of potholes is more than zero, then there will be a problem. We will then want to know the names of contractors and engineers. The court then asked the registrar (judicial) to keep photocopies of the first and the last page of the measurement books of the pothole works.

Reiterating that potholes are one of the minor issues the BBMP has to attend to, the court added that there are several other issues that need attention. The court also observed that Bengaluru has started looking something better and was regaining its glory. It didnt look proper on the part of BBMP to let people file PILs to settle every civic issue and force the court to pass orders on issues like flexes, potholes, solid waste management, widening of roads, which were basic duties of the BBMP, the court said. One thing we are sure is that your engineers are not attending to public duty, resulting in bad quality of roads. They are answerable to the public, the bench said.

NO RECURRENCE

BBMP submitted an affidavit stating that continuous monitoring will be undertaken to ensure there is no recurrence of potholes in the city. In the affidavit, M R Venkatesh, BBMP Engineer-in-Chief (in-charge), stated that 1,655 potholes were yet to be attended to as on Wednesday. Between September 19 and 20, BBMP, in its eight zones and under the jurisdiction of its road infrastructure division, has filled 899 potholes as of 6 am on Thursday. On September 18, there were 1,655 potholes to be filled in eight zones of BBMP.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: About 85 women from villages in Salem, Tirupur and Kancheepuram have formed their enterprises, trained in business and entrepreneurship by a team led by the faculty of IIT-Madras, according to a statement issued by the institute.

This is part of the five-year skill development project funded by the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL) as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative, executed by the IIT-Madras faculty, with the support of the Development of Humane Action (DHAN) Foundation.

Over 200 participants were chosen, based on various parameters and given intensive technical training in tailoring, embroidery, jewellery-making, and IT skills among others, said V Vijayalakshmi, one of the two principal investigators of the project.

Women, who had an educational qualification of at least class 10, were picked and psychometrically analysed for entrepreneurial skills before they received training. They underwent a 15-day workshop with hands-on experience and skill tests along with a goal of creating a new product at the end of the programme. It also imparted basic skills such as starting and managing a small shop or facility, sessions on motivation, resilience and other qualities for becoming successful entrepreneurs, she said.

Of the 200 women, 85 went on to start their own business ventures either in a group or by themselves. While women from Tirupur preferred learning skills related to garment making, women from other districts were open to learning a variety of skills. They now make embroiled folders for events at the IIT-Madras, claimed Vijayalakshmi, who added the demand for their produce has been tremendous.

The participants were also given credits ranging from `18,000 to `25,000 through mudra loan.
By UNI

NEW DELHI: Avoiding traffic jams and inconvenience to motorists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chose to take a Metro ride to reach Dwarka near Indira Gandhi International Airport here at the venue of India International Convention and Expo Centre.

Mr Modi travelled in Delhi Metro's Airport Express Line to reach the venue of foundation stone laying ceremony of the Convention and Expo Centre in 14 minutes flat from Dhaula Kuan.

''The Prime Minister boarded the Metro train at Dhaula Kuan Metro station at 1513 hrs and travelled upto Dwarka Sector-21 Metro station, leaving the station at 1527 hrs,'' a DMRC spokesperson said.

On his return journey also, the Prime Minister took the Metro from Dwarka Sec-21 to Dhaula Kuan station at 1639 hrs and reached Dhaula Kuan at 1654 hrs, the spokesperson added.

This is not the first time that Mr Modi has taken a Metro train to reach his destination in the Capital.

He has often accompanied foreign dignitaries on Delhi Metro to travel to venues of his functions without causing any interruption in regular Metro train services or allowing his security cover to be obtrusive.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Scotch blended whisky Vat 69 and Smirnoff vodka both have been banned from sale in the national capital over the use of duplicate barcodes.

Stores in Delhi will not be able to sell these brands for a period of two years. In an order by the financial commissioner of the Delhi government, United Spirits Limited (USL) the manufacturer of the liquor has been blacklisted for allegedly using duplicate barcodes.

The actual directions for the ban came in May 2017 but the company challenged the order which was being heard by the Delhi government's excise department since then.

Now in September 14 order, financial commissioner Anindo Majumdar said USL had violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009 and Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 by using unauthorised and loose barcodes, which could be easily misused.

"I am of the view that the appellant violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009, Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, the terms and conditions of the license issued to it and the standard operating procedure framed by the Delhi Excise Department and that consequently the department has rightly imposed the penalty of blacklisting under Rule 70 of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 upon United Spirits LTD (USL), Aurangabad," the financial commissioner said in his order.

The excise department has blacklisted USL's, Aurangabad, and its additional source, Sangrur, Punjab."It is, however, established that unauthorised barcodes were used. Moreover, the existence of loose barcodes has been established. These loose barcodes could easily be misused and cause danger to public health" the order stated further. Response from Diageo was not available till the time story went to print.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: A six-member team from the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) led by Commodore Khamis Salim Sulaiman Jabri, Director General (Operations), on Thursday visited the Southern Naval Command (SNC) during the ongoing five-day visit to the country.

The visiting delegation held talks with SNC Chief of Staff Rear Admiral R J Nadkarni on further expanding cooperation between the two navies. They visited the Navigation and Direction School, Signal School and the Water Survival Training Facility at the Naval Base.

Besides, the delegation interacted with the four RNO trainees presently undergoing training in various units of the SNC. On Friday, the RNO personnel will set off for INS Shivaji - the marine engineering training establishment at Lonavala.
By PTI

LOS ANGELES: Actor Nicolas Cage has vented out his frustration over "Cage Rage" memes circulating on the web, saying they do "disservice" to his new film "Mandy".

The 54-year-old actor has long been a subject of internet jokes with many taking screenshots of his outlandish expressions from his films and turning them into hilarious memes, which are often termed as "Cage Rage".

In an interview with Indiewire, Cage said the memes are unfair to "Mandy", directed by Panos Cosmatos.

It features the actor as a revenge seeking lover.

"The issue is, with the advent of the internet, doing these mashups, where they pull these choice moments without the context of the whole film around it to support it, has created this meme-ification, if you will.

It's been branded 'Cage Rage', and it's frustrating.

Photo | Facebook

"I'm sure it's frustrating for Panos, who has made what I consider a very lyrical, internal, and poetic work of art, to have this 'Cage Rage' thing slammed all over his movie.

It's one thing for me, because I'd like to think I could continue to work with Panos, but the internet has kind of done the movie a disservice," the actor said.

Cage, however, admitted that he sometimes go over the board to fulfil "my abstract and more ontological fantasies with film performance, by playing people who were crazy, or by playing people who were on drugs, or supernaturally possessed".

"I had to find some sort of engine to attach it to, so it could coalesce, and gel, in some way. I chose to play Peter Loew (in 'Vampire's Kiss'), the literary agent who was losing his mind, to think he was Nosferatu so I could channel some Max Schreck-like acting.

Nic Cage in 'Bad Lieutenant'

"I chose Terence in 'Bad Lieutenant', who was high on coke, to be able to use drugs -- not literally -- so I can add more James Cagney into it. There's always some sort of a reason you can attach to it. It's all very thought out and carefully planned," Cage said.
By ANI

WASHINGTON: American actor Ashley Judd has been allowed by a judge to pursue her allegations against director Harvey Weinstein, who was accused of blackballing the former after she had allegedly refused a sexual favour.

In April this year, Judd sued Weinstein, alleging that he had ruined her career by asking director Peter Jackson not to cast her in 'The Lord of the Rings' in 1998, reported Variety.

However, U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez dismissed Judd's sexual harassment accusation against the producer, finding that it would be unprecedented to apply the law or ruling to a prospective employer.

"We are very pleased that today the District Court held that Ashley Judd can proceed with her lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and continue her effort to vindicate the wrongs he committed against her among so many other women. The law should not tolerate this abuse of power to damage another's career," said Judd's attorney Theodore Boutrous.

The 50-year-old actor was one of the firsts to raise voice against Weinstein. She first told the New York Times that the director had invited her to a hotel room in late 1996 or early 1997, and tried to massage her. He even asked her to watch him take a shower, but she declined the same and walked out.

Judd had revealed that she wanted to work in 'The Lord of the Rings' but she did not get the opportunity. After the scandal, Peter Jackson had said in an interview that Weinstein's film company Miramax had discouraged him from casting Judd and another actor Mira Sorvino, describing them as a "nightmare to work with."

Judd had also revealed that she only had a two-day role in the 1995 Miramax film titled 'Smoke' which went positive and she had no interaction with Weinstein during that time, and that's why Weinstein's comments were defamatory and demeaning.

However, Weinstein's lawyers argued that the allegations did not rise to the level of sexual assault and that the entire suit against him should be thrown out due to the statute of limitations. They also added that the producer had tried casting Judd in other roles, proving that he did not want to harm her career.

In his ruling, Gutierrez said that Judd's claims including defamation, interference with economic advantage, and unfair business practices are enough to proceed with the case.

He also dismissed the statute of limitations objections, finding that Judd did not know she had been blacklisted until the Jackson interview came out.

However, Gutierrez said that Weinstein's relationship to the actor as a potential employer on future projects is not covered by sexual harassment law.

The judge also granted the opportunity to Judd's lawyers to amend the harassment claim. An amended complaint is due to take place on October 19.

More than 80 women, including the actresses Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Rose McGowan have opened about similar stories against Weinstein. Some accused him of using physical force to compel them to have sex, while others said he tried to exchange parts in movies for sex or threatened to ruin their careers if they did not fulfill his demands.
By ANI

WASHINGTON: American actor Michael B. Jordan is all set to play late American novelist Tom Clancy's hero character John Clark in a new film series.

Paramount is developing two movies based on the Clancy books named 'Rainbow Six' and 'Without Remorse' and, in both the novels, Clark is the lead star. The 1993 novel 'Without Remorse' will be the first film, which will serve as an origin story for the character, reported Variety.

Jordan will also be producing the movie alongside Akiva Goldsman, Josh Appelbaum, and Andre Nemec. Paramount is currently in talks with writers and directors for the project.

This came after Amazon and Paramount TV recently released a rebooted 'Jack Ryan' series, starring John Krasinski, which received positive reviews.

Clark is an ex-Navy Seal-turned-operations officer for the CIA and had first appeared in the 1988 novel 'The Cardinal of the Kremlin' following which the character appeared in 17 novels. He was mainly seen as a secondary character who helps CIA analysis Jack Ryan with more of the physical elements of any mission. Clark finally got highlighted with 'Without Remorse', which tells the story of how he came to work for the CIA.

Clark was also be the main focus of 'Rainbow Six', which followed his new task force and its mission to save the world from the greatest threats of the terrorists.

In earlier films, Clark's character has been played by Willem Dafoe in Paramount's 'Clear and Present Danger' adaptation, which starred Harrison Ford as Ryan, and by Liev Schreiber in 'The Sum of All Fears', in which Ben Affleck starred as Ryan.

Jordan is one of the Hollywood's biggest stars currently. His movie Black Panther has done exceptionally well and earned more than USD 1.3 billion worldwide. Jordan will next be seen in 'Creed II' and is repped by WME.
Sudhir Srinivasan By

Express News Service

Saamy Square

Cast: Chiyaan Vikram, Keerthy Suresh, Aishwarya Rajesh, Bobby Simha

Director: Hari

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Our filmmakers, it seems, are re-reading Ramayana. We got Kaala, which looked to subvert the traditional depiction of Ravana as an evil king besotted with another mans wife. Walking out of Saamy Square, I couldnt but wonder what Ranjith would make of Saamy Square, whose Ravana is painted in the darkest of blacks, and as a depraved man whos not beyond having a pregnant woman go up in flames. Its anybodys guess why director Hari has taken inspiration from an epic for this sequel. I suspect its partly to try and imbue this film with a mythical quality.

Some of the original Saamys scenes have gone on to become part of our pop culture, and I realised with some surprise, the fondness I had for the 2003 film as rushes from that film got played during the title credits of Saamy Square. Be it the famous Oruchchaami line, or his practice of crushing idlis in beer, the nostalgia of the first allows Hari to draw some easy applause by simply invoking those visuals. The birth of Aarusaamys son, Ramasaamy  I wont ask you to note the obvious Rama prefix  seems like an exercise in masala mythmaking by itself. I wont spoil it for you, but its an unforgettably gory idea.

Ramayana inspirations can be seen in the 28-year-long exile of Ramasaamy in Delhi  twice as long as Lord Ramas time. Perhaps they should have tripled the exile duration, so Vikram could actually look the part. Ravana Pichai (Bobby Simha does his darndest to make the character interesting) is shown to have lived his life mainly in Sri Lanka, and speaks that dialect too. Ravana Pichai also has two siblings (Ahiravana, Kumbakarna?), one of whom is played by John Vijay, whose biggest contribution is to open his eyes wide in horror as Ramasaamy bears down on him in contorted fury. Given how little he has to do in the film, perhaps the character IS inspired by Kumbakarna, who is said to sleep on all but one day every year. Saamy Square is what Ramayana would have been, had Lord Rama wielded a pistol, been trigger happy and domineering. Of course, left to such filmmakers, Rama and Sita would likely have to dance in foreign locations to Devi Sri Prasads songs, and Lakshmana would, no doubt, get used as comic relief.

Adding to the efforts at mythmaking are the unintendedly hilarious scenes that show how Ramasaamy turns into a man possessed, upon any contact with a police uniform. At a wedding skirmish, a policeman is pushed, and Ramasaamy runs to help him. The moment he comes in contact with the mans uniform, Ramasaamy crackles to life. He bellows; he hurls himself at his hapless enemies. He turns into a short-haired version of Anniyan. Later, when Ramasaamy steps foot in Tirunelveli  which apart from being known for its halwa, is also known for being the birthplace of his holiness, Aarusaamy  a coconut crashes on the windshield of Ravana Pichais vehicle. Ravanas left eye begins twitching to forebode ill fortune. Hes a superstitious man, and never forgets to seek advice from his mother, who rolls cowrie shells to foretell if the situation is conducive for her beloved sons murderous tendencies. Lets just say she, much like her kind, is not particularly good at her job.

Hari tries hard to raise the stakes for Ramasaamy, who has quite a few motivations to take down Ravana Pichchai including vengeance and justice. Unfortunately for Saamy Square, the problems of the first film  stalling songs, track comedy, dull conflict resolution  seem to have squared this time around, while the redeeming elements  quality of songs and humour, punch lines, mass moments  have fractioned. Take the Aarusaamy takedown scene, for example. Youd think it would take superhuman effort to bring down this seeming invincible cop, but its all accomplished fairly easily. While on lazy writing, its impossible not to discuss the portions featuring Soori. Each of those attempts at humour has him getting beaten up. One bit has him running around with a siren on his head, and someone uses the words, Shakthimaan and Sirenman, in a sentence. Later, someone attempts to rhyme goorkha and oorga.

Theres a fair bit of inexplicable caste commentary that add nothing of value to this film  you could say this of all its Ramayana insprations too. A character expresses annoyance that caste is still a topic of conversation. Later, as Ramasaamy douses his idli in buttermilk, someone demands to know which caste he belongs to, and in true Hari style, we cut to a song about how he belongs to Police jaadhi. Saamy is shown being raised as a Brahmin, which means Vikram gets portions that let him channel his inner Ambi. In a seemingly momentous scene, his grandfather tells him its time to let go of his sacred thread, and to embrace his real identity. Later, Soori bizarrely trains everyone in Brahminspeak 101 in the name of comedy. Its hard to tell if any of this is supposed to serve a bigger purpose.

As for Keerthy Suresh, Nadigaiyar Thilagam has spoiled us all, I think. It may forever be hard to not feel let down, every time she plays one of these characters that allow her very little wiggle room. In Saamy Square, she plays Diya, who falls in love upon getting rescued, as countless other Tamil heroines have. She also gets slapped about, and it all makes sense when you pay attention to a line she sings in the duet, Adhiroobaney: Unai paarkumbothey bayam varum, needhaan aanin ilakkanam. Suddenly, I understood why barely a few seconds after getting slapped by Ramasaamy, she smiles at him.

As for the other heroine, Aishwarya Rajesh, given the insignificance of her characters scope in the film, they may as well have managed with Trishas portions from the first film. At least the universe would have felt more familiar, and the flashbacks more authentic.

Saamy Square is an attempt to leech off the first films iconic moments. Its most evident when Ramasaamy, in a fit of inspiration, begins the famous line: Oruchchaami Renduchchaami After a while, he finally arrives at Aaruchaamy! But obviously, hes not Aaruchaamy. So he continues, oda magan, Ramasaamy. I burst out laughing. It summarises where this film stands in comparison with Haris 2003 film.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra government told the Supreme Court Thursday that the five rights activists arrested in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case have "no vested right" to seek court-monitored SIT investigation.

It also sought the dismissal of the petition of historian Romila Thapar against the arrest of the activists, saying that the allegations made are "moonshine allegations" against the probe agencies.

The state government, in its written submissions, told the bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the accused be asked to surrender immediately to the investigating agency.

"It is clear that the said persons are seeking a dual remedy in the garb of a surrogate petition before this Court and the present petition is nothing but chance litigation," the submissions said.

Filing of two petitions for the same relief, one before the apex court and other before the Delhi High Court, "suffers from the vice of blatant and brazen attempt to abuse the process of law and amounts to forum shopping", the state government said.

"Persons arrested seek to make moonshine allegations against the investigating agencies on the ground that they are the 'activists' and, therefore, were 'hounded' in order to curb 'dissent'," it said.

It further said that there exists no right wherein the accused or the arrested person can seek to transfer the investigation to another investigating agency and cannot choose the mode, manner and the agency which will investigate his role in the alleged offence.

An investigation of an alleged offence is liable to be transferred to another investigating agency only where the investigation by the local state police lacked credibility, the state government said.

"Sufficiency or insufficiency of material is not and cannot be a ground for transferring investigation or ordering a monitored investigation.

It is submitted that the only grounds to seek a monitored investigation are proven/apparent malice, the inability of the investigating agency, ex facie doubt on the credibility of the investigation, lack of impartiality in the investigation," it said.

It added: "Once it is found that there is no illegality and/or violation of CrPC provision insofar as the arrest is concerned, it would not be with the arrested persons to approach this court to seek the relief which they are entitled to seek before the court in remand proceedings and/or bail proceedings."
By IANS

NEW DELHI: Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday took a dig at the government for agreeing to hold a meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session.

"Monday-No talks, says MoS Defence, Tuesday-No talks, says HM, Wednesday-No Talks, says Defence Minister, Thursday-FMs will meet says MEA. That is a lesson on 'How to make foreign policy?'," Chidambaram said in a tweet.

His attack came after the MEA announced that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will meet her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of UNGA session that begins later this month.

This would be the first such high-level interaction between the neighbours after three years. However, the government has said that the coming meeting was not resumption of the dialogue process between both the countries.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: Lambasting the Modi government's Pakistan policy and its "mishandling" of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting return of terrorism to the Valley, the Congress on Friday said the government had lost its right to continue.

Pointing to killing and abductions of security personnel and civilians in Kashmir as well as repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the party questioned the Modi government's silence that was resulting in "paranoia" among the security forces.

"It is laughable to talk about the government's Pakistan policy. It sounds like an oxymoron because there is no Pakistan policy which we can point to.

"The policy Modi government is pursuing is, no policy, it is knee-jerk, episodic, momentary, transient and depends on the mood of the moment," said Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

"Recently, for the first time in the last 70 years, Russia and Pakistan have conducted a joint military exercise. Russia is also selling MI-35 helicopters to Pakistan under a defence cooperation pact," he said.

Singhvi's remarks came as India called off the proposed foreign minister-level meeting with Pakistan saying Islamabad's "evil agenda" stood exposed.

Accusing the Modi government of using Jammu and Kashmir as a "laboratory experiment", Singhvi said there were apprehensions of terrorism making a comeback to the mainstream.

"It is shocking that 404 jawans (troopers) have been killed and 256 civilians died since the Modi government came to power. There has been a 500 per cent increase in ceasefire violations (by Pakistan).

"We spent 10 years bringing people into the mainstream but now they have been left midstream. Today one can feel that terrorism is being brought into mainstream in the state," he said.

Singhvi pointed to several Special Police Officers (SPOs) and cops resigning in the last 24 hours in the midst of threats from militants.

"We have three more policemen abducted and 10 policemen resigning. If this doesn't shake the government, what will? And we have hollow explanation from the Home Ministry saying the resignation is not out of fear. The home ministry wants to believe that police men are joyously resigning.

"The same state of Jammu and Kashmir, with the same Pakistan and under the same circumstances, was progressing till this power hungry and greedy government came to power.

"This government has no moral right to continue because it is playing with the crown of India (Kashmir) and has no right to continue for a single day," added Singhvi.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday named Somendra Nath Mitra as the new chief of West Bengal unit where the party is trying hard to regain ground against the ruling TMC.

Outgoing state unit president Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary has been made head of the campaign committee, while senior leader Pradeep Bhattacharya will be responsible for coordination among the state leaders.

The Congress also named Sankar Malakar, Nepal Mahatao, Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury and Deepa Dasmunshi as the four working presidents to assist the new state unit chief and keep the caste equations in balance, said AICC leaders.

Deepa is the wife former union minister late Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi.Abhijeet Mukherjee, son of former President of India Pranab Mukherjee will head the manifesto committee.

The revamp took place after Congress chief Rahul held a discussion with the state leaders and AICC managers. The local unit is divided over whether or not to join hands with the ruling TMC or go with the Left parties to take on the BJP, which has been trying to make inroads in West Bengal.

Over the past year the Congress has lost several of its MLAs to the TMC. The new team is expected to check unease within the state unit and energise the remaining leaders to regroup, said the sources.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: There were "serious differences" between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Dassault Aviation for production of Rafale jets in India when the UPA government was negotiating the deal with the French company, official sources said Thursday.

The previous UPA government in 2012 started negotiations with Dassault Aviation to buy 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA).

The plan was for Dassault Aviation to supply 18 Rafale jets in fly-away condition while 108 aircraft were to be manufactured in India by the company along with HAL.

However, the deal could not be sealed.

The sources said the HAL in a letter dated October 11, 2012, to the defence ministry brought out various disagreements pertaining to the work share between HAL and the Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale jets.

Subsequently, in July 2014, HAL in its letter to the ministry has also highlighted one major unresolved issue regarding responsibility sharing between Dassault Aviation and HAL for licence manufacture of the aircraft, the sources said.

They said observations by experts that the HAL was capable of manufacturing Rafale jets was incorrect.

"There were serious differences between HAL and Dassault Aviation when the UPA government was negotiating the deal with the French company," a source said.

Last week, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said negotiations for procurement of 126 Rafale jets under the UPA government fell through as HAL did not have the required capability to produce the jets in India in collaboration with Dassault Aviation.

After rounds of negotiations with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Dassault Aviation felt that the cost of the Rafale jets will escalate significantly if they were to be produced in India, she said.

The Congress has demanded answers from the government on why HAL was not involved in the new deal.

In 2016, the Modi government signed a government-to-government deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore.

The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the deal.
By Express News Service

RANCHI: A Research scholar of IIT ISM Ranjan Rathi committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling in his hostel Room in Dhanbad late in the night on Thursday.

According to the Registrar, Rathi is from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and was staying in the D Block of Jasper Hostel in the institute.

"It appears that he committed suicide in the night itself, midnight and so at around 3 am, but we got to know about it in the morning. Reasons of death are still not known," said Registrar of IIT ISM Colonel MK Singh. He was a research scholar at Mechanical Engineering Department and had joined the institute this year only, he added. He was alone in his hostel room when he committed suicide as his room partner had gone to Ranchi for some personal reasons, said the Registrar.

Also Read: India accounted for 37 per cent of global suicide deaths among women, 24 per cent among men in 2016

After completing M Tech from ISM Dhanbad, Rathi enrolled himself for PHD there only, he added. According to a student staying in the same hostel, when Rathi did not pick up the phone of his room partner, he informed other students in the Hostel and they knocked his door but did not get any reply. Hostel guard was called in who peeped into the room from the ventilator and found him hanging. The police were called in which took the body for postmortem to Patliputra Medical College and Hostel in Dhanbad. EoM
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Within a day after confirming to it, the government on Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York saying true face of Pak PM Imran Khan has exposed.

ALSO READ: Militants kill three abducted policemen in Jammu & Kashmir

The brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani were cited as the main reasons behind the strategic move.

Referring to the incidents, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that it has exposed the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

ALSO READ: Will take up 'barbaric' the killing of BSF jawan with Pakistan in 'appropriate manner': India

The government on Thursday accepted Khan's request for a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Since y'day's announcement of meeting of foreign ministers of India & Pakistan, 2 deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities & recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists: MEA pic.twitter.com/5rTVKmOxEn

The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said adding that both the "deeply disturbing" developments took place after Thursdays announcement by India to accept Pakistan's proposal for the meeting.

Reacting to the development, Foreign Minister Qureshi said its appeared India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year. Qureshi was quoted by Dawn as saying that it seems that India has priorities other than dialogue, adding there is a group in the New Delhi that doesnt want talks to take place.

The opposition Congress took on the government on its Pakistan policy after the killings. On September 19, 2018, USA clearly stated that Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba are main contributors to terror, they are linked to Al-Qaeda," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi. He also said that the government has betrayed each and every part of Jammu and Kashmir. The mutilations are unspeakable horror," he added.

Also Read: India calling off foreign minister-level meeting in New York unfortunate: Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi

Three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen Friday. Following the incident, opposition parties criticised the government and asked it to explain the rationale behind accepting such a meeting when Pakistan-based terror outfits are killing Indian security personnel along the border in J&K.

Kumar said India's decision to agree to Pakistan's proposal for the meeting was in response to the spirit reflected in separate letters from Khan and Qureshi. "The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia, bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism. Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office," he said.

The MEA spokesperson said any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless". "In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

The meeting between Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in New York was scheduled after PM Khan proposed a meeting between the two ministers in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The last formal engagement between the Foreign Ministers took place in December 2015 in Islamabad, which was followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modis sudden visit to Lahore.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Amidst an uproar over an advisory issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to universities and educational institutions, urging them to celebrate September 29 as Surgical Strike Day, the Jawaharlal Nehru University's vice chancellor, Jagadesh Kumar, said the varsity would observe the day.

"Observation of "Surgical Strike Day" on 29th September 2018 by universities is a welcome move to pay our tributes to the armed forces. JNU is proud of our defence forces, as the officers who graduate from India's six major defence institutes are our alumni," Kumar tweeted earlier in the day. "JNU is very closely related to the defence forces. When our alumni go and fight for us at the borders, as a university we must recognise their contribution," he said.

Kumar's response over UGC's advisory came amid a criticism by the Opposition, according to whom, the BJP-led central government is "politicising" surgical strike.

"The UGC direction to universities to mark September 29 as 'Surgical Strike Day' is a part of the BJP's political agenda and educational institutes in West Bengal will not observe the day," TMC leader and West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said on Friday.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Militants on Friday killed three Special Police Officers (SPOs), whom they had abducted along with the brother of a policeman during nocturnal raids in volatile south Kashmirs Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police sources said bullet-ridden bodies of three abducted SPOs were recovered from village Lamni-Wangan, adjacent to Kaprain village in Shopian.

Militants had conducted raids in the Kapran and Batagund villages of the Shopian district during the night and abducted three SPOs and brother of a policeman.

The abducted SPOs were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchay, Kuldeep Singh and Nisar Ahmad Dobai, all residents of Shopian while the brother of the abducted policeman was identified as Fayaz Ahmad Bhat.

The joint teams of Police, CRPF and army had launched a massive combing and search operation in Shopian villages in the morning to trace the abducted policemen. However, before they could reach to the

abducted cops, the militants shot dead the abducted SPOs.

Police suspect the hand of Hizbul Mujahideen militants behind the abductions.

The Hizb operational chief Riyaz Naikoo had recently warned the policemen to quit the police force or face consequences. Last month, militants had abducted family members of 11 policemen in a tit-for-tat reaction after policemen had detained family members of militants.
Anuradha Shukla By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Central governments ambitious bullet train project is now saddled with a fund crunch, after funding agency Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has refused to release further funds for it. The Japanese agency has demanded that the government first settles the farmers protest against the project, forcing the Centre to form a special committee to look into fund hurdles.

JICA had agreed to provide nearly Rs 80,000 crore for the High-Speed Rail Project (HSRP), the cost of which was estimated at Rs 1 lakh crore, but so far, only Rs 125 crore has been released. The project has already been delayed over various issues and its deadline extended by over two years.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project hit a fresh roadblock recently after a group of farmers approached the Gujarat High Court challenging the land acquisition for it. The farmers group had also shot a letter to JICA, citing that the government has overlooked social and environmental concerns while acquiring land for the project.

In their letter, the farmers had requested the agency to withhold any instalment to be given to the Government of India till the guidelines are complied with and had invited the Japanese ambassador to Gujarat to understand their plight.

According to official sources, JICA has subsequently stalled the payment.

The recent developments have miffed the Japanese agency. JICA, which is funding the project, has refused to release further instalments. The PMO has taken note of it and has ordered to form a special committee to look into it, a senior Finance Ministry official told TNIE.

According to the official, the committee will have members from NITI Aayog and Finance Ministry and senior officials from both the Gujarat and Maharashtra governments.

The fund issue is a big problem now. JICA has not released the scheduled funds. They have asked to settle the farmers protest first. This will pose a problem and will delay the project further. Even the state governments are facing a problem with funding. The Finance Ministry has already hinted that there is no room to increase the compensation to farmers, another Finance Ministry official added.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The External Affairs Ministry Thursday said it has not received any communication from the UAE government about the case related to AgustaWestland chopper deal middleman Christian Michel in a Dubai court.

Some media reports had said a Dubai court ordered Michel's extradition to India, but sources had later indicated there was no such specific court order.

"We have not received any intimation from the UAE government about the case," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said here at a press briefing.

The CBI had said Wednesday it was awaiting confirmation from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on reports about extradition of Michel, who is wanted in India in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal scam, from the UAE.

The External Affairs Ministry had asked its embassy in the UAE to find out all the details relating to the issue.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged he received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.

Michel is one of the three middlemen being probed in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Both the agencies had notified an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant.

On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal.

The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.

21 million (approximately Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million.
Manish Anand By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Even as the BJP maintains a studied silence on the construction of Ram temple, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday derided the delay in the decision on the Ramjanmabhoomi issue, while seeking to build the shrine at the earliest.

Bhagwat also decried at the idea of seeking proofs of the birthplace of Ram at Ayodhya, saying that the collective faith of the society cannot be questioned.

Janmabhoomi ek hi hoti hai (the birthplace remains the same). Yet, we witness attempts to question the faith of the people passed on for many centuries.

Ye aisa hi ki aa bail muje maar (Its akin to inviting trouble). On political grounds when truth and justice are delayed, it breeds injustice and leads to violence, Bhagwat said at the launch of two books on Ayodhya authored by journalist Hemant Sharma.

He drew a parallel between politics over the Ramjanmabhoomi movement and Mahabharat to argue that vested interests sow seeds of discords among social constituents.

BJP chief Amit Shah stated that the country has waged a silent struggle for five centuries since the demolition of Ram temple.

The Ramjanmabhoomi movement has been Indias biggest mass campaign since Independence. People from Kanyakumari to Gujarat are annoyed at not seeing the Ram temple during their pilgrimage to the holy city. Ayodhya is a testimony to the barbaric attack on the country, he added.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday asked whether the University Grants Commission would "dare" to celebrate November 8, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as 'surgical strike day'.

His remarks came in reference to the University Grants Commission (UGC) directive on Thursday to varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as 'surgical strike day'.

India had carried out surgical strikes on September 29, 2016, on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the Army saying its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"UGC directs VC's of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJP's political ends?" Sibal tweeted.

"Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihoods? This another jumla!" the former Union minister said.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar Friday said that the UGC communication is "patriotism not politics", and it is not compulsory for institutes to organise it.

Sibal also questioned the reasons behind agreeing for the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

"3 policemen kidnapped by terrorists in J&K (September 2018).

"India protest with Pakistani military for beheading of two soldiers in J&K (July 2018). Despite Modi's surprise birthday visit, Indo-Pak talks sidelined. Now Sushma will meet Qureshi on the sidelines of UN. Why?" he tweeted.
By PTI

PANAJI: The Opposition Congress in Goa on Friday gave a notice for removal of Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant.

The party, which has 16 members in the 40-member Assembly, also gave a 14-day notice for the convening of a session of the House for undertaking the process of removing Sawant from the post.

The move came days after the party staked claim to form an alternate government, contending that the BJP-led ruling alliance had lost the majority in the Assembly.

The government is headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is hospitalised in Delhi for a pancreatic ailment.

The notice for removal of Sawant was given under "Rule 243 of Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Legislative Assembly of Goa, read with Article 179C of the Constitution of India," Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

Rule 243 states provision for moving a resolution to ask for permission of the House to discuss about the impeachment of the Speaker.

Kavlekar, however, refused to specify on what grounds it wants Sawant to be removed as the Speaker, saying the reasons will be spelt out on the floor of the House.

The legislators said they propose to move the motion to remove Sawant from the office of Speaker of Legislative Assembly at the end of 14 days' notice period.

"We cannot discuss the grounds for giving notice right now. When it comes up for discussion on the floor before voting, we will disclose our grounds," Kavlekar said.

When contacted, Sawant said, "prima facie, I don't find any merit in such a resolution but for the sake of reasonability, I will check the legality of such a resolution when it is brought to my notice."

Earlier this week, the Congress party had met Governor Mridula Sinha and urged her to direct the BJP-led government to carry out a trust vote in the Assembly.

The party wanted a special one-day session of the Assembly to be convened for it at the earliest.

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.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The political heat in Karnataka went up several notches on Thursday with Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and BJP State president BS Yeddyurappa firing fresh salvos at each other and issuing threats and warnings.

The two leaders sparred over allegations of land grab and even threatened each other with investigations. Kumaraswamy warned, I have the government in my hand and by tomorrow morning I can open up his (Yeddyurappas) case files.

Not one to take such a warning lying down, Yeddyurappa reminded him that the BJP was in power at the Centre.

Escalating the war of words, Kumaraswamy accused Yeddyurappa of attempting another Operation Lotus- the infamous phrase used against BJP for allegedly attempting to poach MLAs.

Asserting that he is in the know of BJP approaching Congress and JD(S) MLAs, he said the BJP has been speaking of hijacking MLAs to Mumbai and Pune and bringing them back to Raj Bhavan with military force.

Also Read | Book Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy for sedition, says BJP

I know the BJP has been calling MLAs like Suresh Gowda and C S Shivalli. They have told them that 18 MLAs are ready to fly down to Mumbai or Pune and they need two more as backup. BJP has said that legislators will be brought down to Raj Bhavan with military force,

Kumaraswamy alleged even as he added that Nagamangalas JD(S) MLA Suresh Gowda was in talks with the BJP at a private club in Bengaluru. Kumaraswamy was speaking to the media after visiting minister D K Shivakumar who is currently recuperating from food poisoning at a hospital in Bengaluru.

Kumaraswamys stinging attack comes a day after Yeddyurappa accused the Chief Ministers family of grabbing land illegally.

Read | HD Deve Gowda and sons deserve Ph.D in land grabbing: Karnataka BJP leaders

Yeddyurappa is my senior in age and in politics but he should watch his words. He has called my father and me plunderers but he is the father of percentage politics in the state. He should stop calling us looters, Kumaraswamy said.

Kumaraswamy followed up his warning with a call for rebellion against BJP during a public address in Hassan later in the day.

Following Kumaraswamys call, youth Congress members tried to gherao Yeddyurappas house in Bengaluru  a move that the BJP deemed unconstitutional and demanded that the Chief Minister step down for instigating violence against Yeddyurappa.

Read | KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao blames media for 'misreporting' current political situation

Reiterating his allegations of land grab against Kumaraswamy and his family, Yeddyurappa said, Kumaraswamy is indulging in vindictive politics by threatening probe. His Chief Minister post is not permanent. I will not bow down to such threats. If you are in power at the state level, we are in power at the Centre.

Leaders of the BJP took to social media to accuse Kumaraswamy of instigating violence against Yeddyurappa. In a press conference later in the day, they claimed that JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his sons deserved a PhD in land grabbing. The party also urged the police to book Kumaraswamy under sedition charges.

Meanwhile, state Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao who returned from New Delhi after a meeting with Rahul Gandhi said that reports of 22 MLAs being flown to Maharashtra by BJP were false and all Congress legislators were with the party.

Read | Congress may give leeway to Jarkiholi brothers in Karnataka

The party intended to parade MLAs who have been speculated to have cracked a deal with the BJP to rubbish reports.

However, no such MLA was part of the press conference. Rao also warned his partys legislators against misguiding the media.

No legislators of our party should misguide the media and send across a wrong message, he said.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: After three days of interrogation and much drama, the arrest of Franco Mulakkal, the former bishop of Jalandhar diocese, who allegedly raped a nun, will be officially recorded on Friday, said Kottayam SP Hari Shankar, who is the investigation officer in the high-profile case.

"The arrest will be made today itself. The delay is due to the paperwork involved and tying all the loose ends," he told newsmen.

In a day of high twists and turns, police officers had confirmed to newsmen "off the record" that the arrest has been made only to be backtracked later.

Asked what was the grounds in which police was going ahead with the arrest, Hari Shankar said the police have found the allegation made by the nun has enough substance to proceed with the case.

It is likely that the announcement will be made before midnight, and the police will submit the former bishop for medical tests.

Following the announcement that arrest of Franco Mulakkal will be recorded on Friday itself, the nuns who have been staging a dharna and indefinite fast for the last 14 days at the High Court Junction, Ernakulam, and those who joined the strike expressing their solidarity, burst into a celebratory mood. However, they said they will continue their demand until the proper punishment is awarded to the former Jalandhar bishop.

Earlier on Thursday, the Vatican temporarily relieved Franco Bishop of his pastoral responsibilities, accepting his desire to step down.

Meanwhile, there was some confusion over the arrest after the CPM party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan reiterating his statement that the nuns' strike as ill-motivated. However, senior ministers EP Jayarajan and Mercykutty Amma clarified the government's position saying that they are "with the victim".
Arun M By

Express News Service

KOCHI: After nearly 14 hours of interrogation over two days, the investigation team has collected ample evidence to infer that Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal had committed the rape of the nun. Yet the police said his arrest will be recorded only after getting clarification on a few more points in his statements. The probe team issued him another notice under CrPC section 41 (A), directing him to appear at 10.30 am on Friday.

The decision was taken during a one-hour meeting of Kochi Range IG Vijay Sakhre with the Director General of Prosecutions office here. Thursdays interrogation ended by 7 pm. The investigation team has collected the timings of the bishops visit to St Francis Mission House at Kuravilangad where the alleged rape had happened. Earlier, the bishop had denied he visited the guest house at the time and dates mentioned by the victim, something he reiterated on Wednesday.

Sources said the probe team is looking for a clarification in this regard. The bishop had also submitted that in November 2016, a woman approached the Superior General at Jalandhar and orally complained the victim was having an illicit affair with her husband and she wanted the congregation to take action against her.

Later the woman sent a detailed e-mail with attachments to the Superior General narrating the entire incident. The woman also handed over the details of chat messages and also a photograph of the victims sister, which were all retrieved from the phone of womans husband. Based on the complaint, an inquiry was conducted and the victim was removed as Kerala in-charge of the Mission House. The investigation team will conduct a fact-finding examination in this regard.

There was widespread speculation that the bishop would be arrested on Thursday evening, but Kottayam SP Hari Sankar said: The bishop has been directed to appear at 10.30 am on Friday. A decision on his arrest will be taken only after receiving legal advice.

Short takes

Verification on 10 per cent of statements is required. Most of the facts stated by him were already known to us  Kottayam SP Hari Sankar

The police had prepared a fresh set of questions for Thursdays interrogation, which was recorded using multiple cameras

Anticipating a surge in the protests seeking the bishops arrest, more police personnel were deployed in and around the CB office
By Express News Service

KOCHI: With the police arresting Bishop Franco on Friday, the protest launched by Save Our Sisters (SOS) Action Council will continue till the victim gets justice by the punishment of the accused, said the protesters.

When the news of the arrest first started to trickle in, the venue, where the protest by the nuns entered the 14th day on Friday, was filled with joy. However, it soon gave way to disappointment when there was a lack of confirmation on the arrest.

The protest has been completely supported by each and every common man, who has been supporting our protest from day one. Everything has been scripted and stage-managed by the police. We are still worried about the future of the nuns who have been at the forefront of the protest from September 8.

The council will decide on the future mode of protests, which will take place in the coming days. The government is not taking the necessary steps. Even the opposition has not extended their strong support, said Stephen Mathew, member of Joint Cristian Council (JCC), who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past fourteen days.

Just a mere arrest is not sufficient. Justice will be served only once the accused is punished as per the law. There should not be another Franco. No women should undergo the fate of the victim. We sit here representing not only the victim, but the entire women facing such issues in the society, said Sr Alfi .

Sr Imalda, who has been supporting the protest by the nuns from the start, termed Kodiyeri Balakrishnans comments as shameful. A man occupying such a position should not have made such comments, she added.

Protests to go on

The SOS Action Council has decided to continue the protest in the days to come in different ways till justice is served to the nun. With the arrest, only one stage is completed. We will continue with the protest till the justice is served, said Fr Augustine Vattoly, Convener, SOS Action Council.

Ensure theres no loophole: VS

TPuram: The investigation team in the nun rape case and the prosecution should ensure the accused doesnt escape using legal loopholes, said Administrative Reforms Commission chairman and CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan. In a statement issued here on Friday, Achuthanandan said the protest by the nuns have become successful. With the arrest of the Bishop, the nuns should hopefully conclude their protest. Now the probe team and the prosecution should ensure that there are no legal loopholes, he said.

P C George accuses police of falsifying evidence

Kottayam: Kerala Janapaksham party leader P C George on Friday alleged the nun was a liar and presented some proof to support his claims. He also accused the police of forcing one of the witnesses to fabricate his statement. According to George, the photographer who had taken the photos during the bishops visit to the Missionaries of Jesus convent in Kuravilangad was asked by the police to say the nun in the pictures taken by him was someone else. He was made to state the nun who was in the picture is not the one who has accused the bishop of raping her, he said. George alleged the police are trumping up the evidence against the bishop. As for the notice sent by the National Womens Commission, George said, I respect the commission and sent a reply to them. They have called me to Delhi, but since the date coincides with my agitation against Sarfaesi act I will be sending a lawyer in my stead.

Kodiyeri attacks nuns protest again

TPuram: After criticizing the nuns agitation against Bishop Franco as ill-motivated, CPM state chief Kodiyeri Balakrishnan again came out against the protest. Kodiyeri alleged that there are attempts to turn the nuns strike into an anti-government agitation. In an article in party mouthpiece Desabhimani, Kodiyeri said there are moves to create political hatred against the CPM and the LDF government in the name of the nuns strike. Rejecting Kodiyeris allegations against the nuns strike, senior CPM leader and industries minister EP Jayarajan said the government always stands with the victim. Asked about Kodiyeris stance, Jayarajan said: You should ask him about it. The government stands with the victim. There will be action to bring the culprits before the law.

Kodiyeri flayed over anti-nun comments

Kasargod: Political statements to discredit the protest by nuns is highly condemnable, said human rights and social activist Shabnam Hashmi.She was reacting to CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnans statement calling the protest - demanding justice for a nun who was sexually assaulted allegedly by a bishop -- a political campaign against the Marxists. Hashmi said political parties in the country are steeped in patriarchy and the comments reflected this. Kodiyeri, who vowed to bring the accused before justice if the police probe found hard evidence against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, had claimed the protest by the nuns of Missionaries of Jesus had ulterior motives and the CPMs enemies are behind the campaign.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI:A day after the ruling AIADMK launched a scathing attack on the DMK over its alleged complicity in the massacre of Tamils during the Eelam war when the latter was part of the UPA government which had offered support to Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan echoed the same views, saying that the DMK and the Congress had committed war crimes.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, she also wanted reactions from DMK president MK Stalin, MDMK general secretary Vaiko and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan to the revelations of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa The protest announced by the AIADMK is for the right cause, she observed.

Rajapaksa had revealed that the UPA government, of which the DMK was an integral part, helped Sri Lanka in the Eelam war. So, the DMK and the Congress had committed war crimes, Tamilisai averred.

She sought to know how Stalin was going to react to the revelations of the former Sri Lankan President. What is Stalin going to tell? What are Vaiko and Thirumavalavan going to say? she asked.

DMK counters attack

Tamilisai Soundarrajans statement has evoked sharp reaction from the DMK, whose spokesperson KS Radhakrishnan said she was oblivious of the past and the fact that the DMK and its late president M Karunanidhi had been relentless in fighting for the cause of the Sri Lankan Tamils even before she was born.

Enlisting various initiatives taken by and protests spearheaded by Karunanidhi, he said, The term Eelam or its history did not begin from 2009 itself. Even before you (Tamilisai) were born, Karunanidhi had been raising voice for the people of Eelam.

It was well known to only those close to Karunanidhi how he felt pained over the final stages of the Eelam war, Radhakrishnan noted, saying that Tamilisai could better turn to her father Kumari Ananthan for getting enlightened on the issue because he knew well Tamil Nadus history and Karunanidhis concern for the Eelam Tamils.

He also questioned why Prime Minister Modi had shaken hands with Rajapaksa by visiting Sri Lanka and why he gave a warm welcome to Rajapaksa when he visited Delhi.Taking on the AIADMK, the DMK spokesperson ridiculed the protest announced by it, saying that it was queer to see that a ruling party protesting against an opposition party.
Donita Jose By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Initial estimates from Prisons Department in Telangana suggests that around 10 to15 entries would make their way to the National Database of Sexual Offenders (NDSO), launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs, on Thursday. The portal, which would be managed by the National Crime Records Bureau, would be recording crucial details like the name, address, photograph and fingerprint of those who have been found guilty and convicted of various sexual offenses starting from the year 2005.

The data would be accessible only to the law enforcement agencies to strengthen their scrutiny on repeat offenders. According to senior officials from the Prisons department of Telangana, there are less than 20 persons convicted for various sexual offences presently residing in the prisons in the State.

There are also many under-trials. However, the number of convicts presently is under 20. We are in the process of consolidating and uploading the data onto the new portal, informed A Narasimha, Inspector General of Prisons Department.

The Registry, at present, consists 4.4 lakh entries from across the country. It includes those convicted under charges of rape, gang rape, POCSO and eve teasing. Not only this, the state police have also been asked to update the database from 2005 onwards, to track past convicts. State police officials say the new database would help them in framing strong cases against repeat offenders.

There are provisions under the IPC which allow you to book a person for greater punishment if found to be a repeat offender. It would also allow us to put the person under PD act, said Swati Lakra, Inspector General of Police for Womens Safety in Telangana, who was present at the launch of the website via video call. Recruiters can approach police if they need to crosscheck a candidates background with the data, she said.
By PTI

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao will play an important role in national politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but would not "leave" the State, a key party leader said Friday.

B Vinod Kumar, the deputy floor leader of TRS in the Lok Sabha, also said the Caretaker Chief Minister, popularly known as KCR, would not hand over the reins to his son and Minister K T Rama Rao after the Assembly elections.

The Telangana Assembly was dissolved on September six on the recommendation of the TRS government, more than eight months before the expiry of its term, to pave the way for early elections.

The Election Commission is yet to announce the poll schedule.

"KCR will play an important role in Indian politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections", Vinod Kumar, who represents Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency, told PTI.

When asked about KCR's move to prop up a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front appearing to be not making much headway, he said: "You see after the 2019 elections, the role of regional political parties will be very, very important."

On whether KCR would hand over reins to his son Rama Rao after the Assembly elections, as is being speculated in some quarters, Vinod Kumar said: "No, not at all. KCR is fascinated by Telangana, he will not leave Telangana".

He dismissed criticism by the opposition Congress and BJP that the TRS is a "family party", and also the move to get the State's first Assembly dissolved prematurely.

"In this country, Indira Gandhi started it (early elections)...Congress started it, BJP implemented it, more or less all the political parties in this country one or other time, they went for early elections. Why criticism?," he said.

"This is not too-early elections, just three-four months before the schedule. Anyhow, elections may be held in the last week of November or first week of December. Naturally (in the normal course), the elections could have come in March end or April first week. It's a matter of three to four months early elections, that's all", Vinod Kumar said.

On TRS being dubbed as "family party" by opponents, he claimed every political outfit in the country -- right from the Congress to regional ones -- are led by some individuals and "they have their own family clout on it. I can't deny".

Citing Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-founded PDP and the DMK in Tamil Nadu, he said every political party right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari "is having that".

Claiming that the TRS would perform better than it did in the 2014 Assembly elections, he said the Congress, by joining hands with the TDP, the CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi for an electoral alliance, has already accepted its defeat in the polls.

"All political parties coming together means the Congress had accepted defeat. That's the reason they are searching for partners, more particularly TDP," Vinod Kumar said.

On BJP President Amit Shah attacking the TRS on different fronts during his recent visit to Telangana, he said: "Let Amit Shah show his show (of strength) in Telangana; the Telangana people are peculiar people, they won't accept any communal politics. BJP will show poor performance in the elections."
By Associated Press

ABERDEEN: A woman working a temporary job at a drugstore warehouse in Maryland got into an argument at work Thursday morning and began shooting colleagues, killing three before fatally turning the gun on herself, authorities and witnesses said.

Workers at the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland described terrifying moments of "crazy" gunfire and people screaming and running in all directions after the shooting. Others said they helped the wounded, one person tying blood-soaked jeans around a man's injured leg in a bid to stop the bleeding.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference that the woman was later identified as a temporary employee of the distribution center, Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County.

Maryland State Police stand near the perimeter of a scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen. (Photo | AP)

"She had reported for her workday as usual, and around 9 a.m. the shooting began, striking victims both outside the business and inside the facility," Gahler said. "We do not at this time have a motive for this senseless crime."

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, works at the facility and told her told her that the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a "town hall meeting."

"And she went off," she said.

"She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting," Watson said as she drove away from a fire station where relatives tried to reunite with loved ones.

The sheriff said the call about shots fired came in at about 9:06 a.m. and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes. The shooting began outside the business and continued inside, he said.

It appears only one weapon was used  a 9 mm Glock handgun that was registered in Moseley's name  and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Gahler said.

Walter Zambrano, 64, who described himself as a worker at the distribution center, said he was in the bathroom when shooting broke out and saw nothing as he hid, frightened for his life.

The person was "shooting like crazy," Zambrano said, speaking in Spanish.

He said the gunfire seemed to go on several minutes, and when it was over he sprinted outdoors. On the way out, he said he saw a female co-worker down on the floor. The scene, he said, was one of chaos.

ALSO READ | Pennsylvania gunman upset by divorce found dead after manhunt

"Everyone was screaming, running this way and that. I didn't know which way to run," he said.

The sheriff said three victims were fatally shot and three more were wounded but were expected to survive. They were not immediately identified. Moseley died at a hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Gahler said.

Area hospitals reported receiving five patients from the incident.

Susan Henderson, spokeswoman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the building where the shooting took place as a support facility adjacent to a larger building. The company said in a statement that the facility had been closed temporarily and grief counselors will be made available to workers.

The company didn't immediately respond to an inquiry about Moseley's employment history.

Law enforcement officials gather near the scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen. (Photo | AP)

Mike Carre, an employee of a furniture logistics operation next to the distribution center, said he helped tend to a wounded man who came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg. He called 911 from a bathroom before helping colleagues wrap the man's blood-soaked jeans above his injury to cut off blood flow.

Carre said the man told him the shooter "just came in in a bad mood this morning. He said she's usually nice. But today, I guess it wasn't her day. She just came in to pick a fight with someone."

"She pulled out a gun and she just started shooting at her co-workers."

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that, unfortunately, incidents like this are "becoming a too-often occurrence not only in Harford County but in the country."

The attack came nearly three months after a man armed with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper.

It came less than a year after a fatal workplace shooting less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the warehouse, in which five were shot, three fatally. And it followed another shooting Wednesday in Wisconsin in which authorities say a gunman shot four co-workers before being killed by responding officers.

On Thursday, 33-year-old Dominique Norton of Aberdeen, endured an excruciating wait of nearly two hours to be reunited with her mother, 62-year-old warehouse worker Irene Norton. Dominique Norton said she didn't know that her mother was unharmed until she got off a bus at the fire station and they tearfully embraced.

"I busted out crying. I was relieved and shaken," she said. "I am praying for all of the victims."
By Associated Press

EAST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP (PENNSYLVANIA): A Pennsylvania man who was apparently upset that his ex-wife had been awarded their home in their divorce was found dead early Thursday, several hours after he shot at her and later killed his own parents.

Bruce Rogal, 59, died after a manhunt and a police chase that ended when he crashed his car at the Glenmoore home he had shared with his wife, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said.

State police said at least one trooper shot at Rogal following the crash, but it's not clear if he returned fire. A gun was found in his car, authorities said, but a cause of death hasn't been determined.

No troopers were injured, authorities said.

Rogal had received an order finalizing the divorce on Wednesday and "that appears to be what set him off," Hogan said.

Rogal first went to the house where his ex-wife was staying, shot at her and missed. He then drove to a retirement center in East Goshen where he shot and killed his parents, William and Nancy Rogal, who were both in their late 80s.

Rogal then drove off, and police soon sent out an alert about the car he was driving. State police spotted the vehicle driving past the agency's Embreeville Barracks shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, and a chase ensued that also involved SWAT team members.

Aided by a police helicopter, the troopers were able to follow Rogal a few miles into the West Bradford neighbourhood where his ex-wife lives and where the initial shooting incident happened.

The chase ended when Rogal's vehicle crashed his car into the side of the house.
By AFP

NAIROBI: Tanzanian rescue workers scrambled Friday to find scores of people feared drowned after a ferry capsized in Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, killing at least 44 people.

The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers -- double the ferry's capacity -- when it capsized close to the pier on Ukara Island on Thursday afternoon, according to state media.

"Army and police divers have just resumed operations," George Nyamaha, who heads Ukerewe district council of which the island is a part, told AFP on Friday morning.

He said that 44 bodies had so far been recovered and 37 people rescued.

Rescue operations were suspended overnight and hopes are fading that more survivors might still be found, more than 18 hours since the vessel sank.

State television broadcast footage of onlookers crowding the pier, adding: "People are aware that the hopes of finding survivors are almost nil."

The broadcaster cited witnesses reporting that over 200 people had boarded the ferry at Bugorora Island at around midday.

Contacted by AFP, regional governor John Mongella said he could not confirm the number of passengers or the number still missing.

Tanzania's Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency, which is responsible for ferry services, said it was unknown how many passengers were aboard the MV Nyerere.

The ageing ferry was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement, when it overturned and then sank around 50 metres (55 yards) from Ukara dock.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame for such incidents.

Overloading and negligence

President John Magufuli was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and called on Tanzanians to "stay calm during these difficult times," according to spokesman Gerson Msigwa.

The country's opposition, however, accused the government of "negligence".

"We have often raised concerns about the poor condition of this ferry, but the government turned a deaf ear. We have repeatedly denounced this negligence," said John Mnyika, deputy secretary general of Chadema, the main opposition party.

Mnyika said overloading was "another failure of the authorities" and criticised "inadequate relief efforts as well as delays" in the rescue operation.

With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Capsizes are not uncommon in the massive lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many people in the region cannot swim.

The deadliest such accident in recent decades was in May 1996, when around 800 people died after their ferry sank on the way to Mwanza in Tanzania.

Waters in the lake can be rough and boats are frequently poorly maintained, while ferry operators often fail to record the number of passengers on board.

Around 20 people were killed in December 2016 when their boat overturned in Lake Victoria as it was carrying passengers to Uganda's mainland for Christmas holidays.

And in March 2012, only two survivors were found after a boat believed to be carrying around 60 people capsized on the lake in Uganda.
By AFP

KABUL: Moments after Afghan journalist Samim Faramarz wrapped up his live report on the latest suicide attack in Kabul, a car bomb exploded just metres away, killing him and his cameraman Ramiz Ahmadi.

Their colleagues at Tolo News choked back tears as they reported the deaths live on air -- cracking open a divisive debate on how Afghan journalists should operate in such a dangerous environment.

The deaths of Faramarz and Ahmadi on September 5 took the number of journalists and media workers killed in Afghanistan this year to 14, making the country the deadliest in the world for the media.

ALSO READ | Afghan official: Taliban attacks kill 5 in central province

Among the dead were 13 journalists -- the highest number killed in Afghanistan in a single year since the start of the war.

The losses have devastated the tight-knit community that faces the real prospect of tragedy every time they go to work.

"When we leave our homes we don't know whether we will go back alive," said 1TV reporter Hamid Haidary, who keeps a photo shrine of fallen journalists on a shelf above his desk.

Haidary had gone to the scene of the explosion that killed Faramarz and Ahmadi, but returned to his office minutes before the second bomb detonated.

"It is already too much for us," agreed Lotfullah Najafizada, director of Tolo, which is Afghanistan's largest private broadcaster.

As security in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, the fear and anxiety is ever-present, he added.

"It is not just about the blast site, it is going to a province, it is coming to the office or being in the office -- they all are attached to risks and it is difficult sometimes to minimise all of them to zero."

ALSO READ | 58 Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan

Sixty journalists and media workers have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime and enabled independent media to blossom in its wake -- an average of around three a year, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Afghan media support group NAI gave an even higher toll of 95.

But the departure of NATO combat troops at the end of 2014 marked a turning point, RSF figures show: 39 journalists and media workers -- over half of the total -- have been killed since then as a resurgent Taliban and the newly-emerged Islamic State group terrorise the country.

Media outlets have already scaled back coverage on the battlefield. But until this year, suicide attacks in urban centres remained a staple for newsrooms.

A double bomb attack in the Afghan capital on April 30 changed that.

Nine journalists, including Agence France-Presse chief photographer Shah Marai, were killed in the twin blasts -- the most lethal attack on the media since the fall of the Taliban.

ALSO READ | 32 killed in suicide attack on Afghan protesters: official

Less than three months later AFP driver Mohammad Akhtar was killed in another suicide attack on his way to work, followed in September by Faramarz and Ahmadi.

The deaths are forcing outlets to ask themselves hard questions about how they work, especially as the country braces for more violence ahead of parliamentary elections in October.

Whose fault?

Much of the blame for the journalist deaths has been heaped on the Afghan government and its beleaguered security forces for failing to protect them.

But media outlets also have been criticised for repeatedly putting their staff in danger.

"Losing journalists in similar events one after another and not learning from the mistakes is bad management both on the part of the media organisations and the government," said Sayed Ikram Afzali, executive director of Afghan advocacy group Integrity Watch.

Militants make headlines for killing civilians, security forces and first responders, including journalists.

But a total ban on covering suicide attacks "would be disrespecting the fallen", said BBC bureau chief Shoaib Sharifi.

The British broadcaster goes to great lengths to minimise the risks. "We literally evaluate and monitor every step outside the office," he said.

ALSO READ | 20 killed in Afghanistan as anti-Taliban leader mourned

For now Afghan broadcaster 1TV, which has had several people killed or wounded in this year's bombings, will continue to go to the scene of suicide attacks, said head of news and current affairs Abdullah Khenjani.

"I think people deserve to know what is happening in their country," he added.

But they no longer rush to be the first at the scene, and wearing flak jackets and helmets is mandatory.

The New York Times' "default position is 'don't go' unless ... we agree there is some exceptional reason why you should," bureau chief Rod Nordland said.

"In most cases we're saying there is no exceptional reason."

The newspaper instead goes to hospitals or the homes of victims' families to show the human suffering caused by such attacks, as it continues to seek ways of telling the story even without going to the scene.

Agence France-Presse has adopted a similar policy.

"The risk now of going to a bomb site, of getting hit by a second bomb... outweighs the journalistic value in doing that," Nordland said.
By PTI

GENEVA: Alcohol kills three million people worldwide each year -- more than AIDS, violence and road accidents combined, the World Health Organization said Friday, adding that men are particularly at risk.

The UN health agency's latest report on alcohol and health pointed out that alcohol causes more than one in 20 deaths globally each year, including drink driving, alcohol-induced violence and abuse and a multitude of diseases and disorders.

ALSO READ | Canada looks to restrict sweet alcoholic drinks after teen dies

Men account for more than three-quarters of alcohol-related deaths, the nearly 500-page report found.

"Far too many people, their families and communities suffer the consequences of the harmful use of alcohol through violence, injuries, mental health problems and diseases like cancer and stroke," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

"It's time to step up action to prevent this serious threat to the development of healthy societies," he added.

Drinking is linked to more than 200 health conditions, including liver cirrhosis and some cancers.

Alcohol abuse also makes people more susceptible to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV and pneumonia, the report found.

The some three million alcohol-related deaths registered globally in 2016 -- the latest available statistics account for 5.3 per cent of all deaths that year.

In comparison, HIV/AIDS was responsible for 1.8 per cent of global deaths that year, road injuries for 2.5 per cent and violence for 0.8 per cent, the study showed.

The latest numbers are lower than those in WHO's last report on global alcohol consumption, published in 2014.

There are "some positive global trends", the agency said, pointing to shrinking prevalence of heavy episodic drinking and of alcohol-related deaths since 2010.

But it warned that "the overall burden of disease and injuries caused by the harmful use of alcohol is unacceptably high," especially in Europe and the Americas.

Globally, an estimated 237 million men and 46 million women suffer from alcohol use disorders, WHO said.

Alcohol abuse affects nearly 15 per cent of men and 3.5 per cent of women in Europe, and 11.5 per cent of men and 5.1 per cent of women in the Americas, it pointed out.

Alcohol consumption overall is unevenly distributed around the globe, with well over half of the world's population over the age of 15 abstaining completely.

On average, the 2.3 billion people currently considered drinkers -- meaning they have drunk alcohol at least once in the past year -- consume 33 grammes of pure alcohol per day.

That is roughly equivalent to two glasses of wine, a large bottle of beer or two shots of spirits.

Europe clearly has the highest per capita consumption, which despite a more than 10-per cent drop since 2010 still registered a per capita consumption of 10 litres of pure alcohol or more per year.

WHO warned that alcohol consumption is also on the rise in all regions besides Europe, especially in Asia, with China and India registering significant hikes.

The UN health agency urged countries to do more to counter harmful drinking practices and to reach a goal of cutting global consumption by 10 per cent between 2010 and 2025.

"We would like to see Member States implement creative solutions that will save lives, such as taxing alcohol and restricting advertising," Tedros said.
By Reuters

SAO PAULO: Brazilian police have arrested a man designated by the US Treasury Department as a high-ranking Hezbollah financier after neighboring Paraguay sought his detention on identity theft charges, authorities in Brazil said on Friday.

In 2004, US authorities designated Assad Ahmad Barakat as one of Hezbollah's "most prominent and influential members."

They said he had long served as a treasurer for the group and was an associate of the then-financial director of Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon.

It was not immediately known if Barakat had a lawyer.

Brazilian federal police said in a Friday written statement that the country's Supreme Court authorized his arrest after Paraguayan authorities issued a warrant late in August.

Police also said Argentine authorities accused him of laundering $10 million through a casino in the border city of Puerto Iguazu.

Barakat was previously imprisoned in Paraguay from 2002 to 2008 on charges of tax evasion.

After his release, Brazilian police said, Barakat lived in Brazil, and carried out business activities in Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Christine Blasey Ford may testify against Supreme Court nominee

after all, her attorney said Thursday, breathing new life into the prospect of a dramatic Senate showdown next week over Ford's accusation that he assaulted her when both were in high school.

The preference would be for Ford to testify next Thursday, and she doesn't want Kavanaugh in the same room, her attorney told Judiciary Committee staff in a 30-minute call that also touched on security concerns and others issues, according to a Senate aide who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ford is willing to tell her story to the Judiciary Committee, whose senators will vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation  but only if agreement can be reached on "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety," the attorney said in an email earlier Thursday. In the call, she said Ford needs time to secure her family, prepare her testimony and travel to Washington. No decisions were reached, the aide said.

Brett Kavanaugh. (Photo | AP)

The discussion revived the possibility that the panel would hold an electrifying campaign-season hearing at which both Ford and President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee could give their versions of what did or didn't happen at a party in the 1980s. Kavanaugh, now a judge on the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, has repeatedly denied her allegation.

The accusation has jarred the 53-year-old conservative jurist's prospects for winning confirmation, which until Ford's emergence last week had seemed all but certain. It has also bloomed into a broader clash over whether women alleging abuse are taken seriously by men and how both political parties address such claims with the advent of the #MeToo movement  a theme that could echo in this November's elections for control of Congress.

ALSO READ | Supreme Court appointee Brett Kavanaugh's classmate denies knowledge of sexual assault: CNN

Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has scheduled a hearing for Monday morning, and he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have indicated it would be Ford's only chance to make her case. Republicans are anxious to move ahead to a vote by the committee, where they hold an 11-10 majority, and then by the full Senate, which they control, 51-49.

Taylor Foy, spokesman for Republicans on the panel, said after the call that Grassley "will consult with his colleagues on the committee. He remains committed to providing a fair forum for both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh."

Attorney Debra Katz said anew that Ford, 51, a psychology professor in California, has received death threats and for safety reasons has relocated her family.

"She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety," Katz wrote in the email, which was obtained by The Associated Press after first being reported by The New York Times.

In the call later Thursday, Katz asked the committee to subpoena Mark Judge, whom Ford has named as the other teen in the room at the time. Judge has told the committee he does not recall the incident and does not want to speak publicly.

Should Ford testify, especially in public, it would pit the words of two distinguished professionals against each other as television close-ups capture every emotion. Assessing them would be not just the committee's 21 senators only four of whom are women, all Democrats  but also millions of viewing voters.

ALSO READ | Donald Trump says FBI should not probe allegations against Brett Kavanaugh

Underscoring the sensitivity of all-male GOP senators grilling a woman who's alleged abuse, Republicans are considering reaching out to female attorneys who might question Ford, according to a person familiar with the situation but who wasn't authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

If Ford opts not to participate, Republicans could well dispense with the hearing to avoid giving Democrats a forum for peppering Kavanaugh with embarrassing questions. They would argue that they'd offered Ford several options for describing her accusation, but that she'd snubbed them.

Kavanaugh, who's been eager to testify, said he was ready to appear Monday.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., with Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, left, joined by former students from Holton Arms School, speaks to reporters in support of professor Christine Blasey Ford, who is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a decades-old sexual attack, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Photo | AP)

"I will be there," he wrote Grassley in a letter. "I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name."

Ford has contended that at a house party in Washington's Maryland suburbs, a drunken Kavanaugh tried undressing her and stifling her cries on a bed before she fled.

Grassley has said that in the interest of making Ford comfortable, he'd be willing to let Ford testify in public or private. He even offered to send committee aides to her California home to take testimony.

As the week has proceeded, Republicans have seemed to regain momentum toward approving Kavanaugh though his prospects have remained uncertain.

Even moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said it would be "unfair" to Kavanaugh if Ford decides to not appear, and others were urging leaders to proceed quickly to a vote. Still, the bare 51-49 Republican majority means they can lose just one vote and still approve him if all Democrats vote no. Vice President Mike Pence would break a tie.

Democrats have tried using the issue to demonstrate that Republicans treat women unfairly, their eyes on upcoming elections in which suburban, anti-Trump female voters could be pivotal in many races. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., a possible 2020 presidential candidate, said Republicans were "bullying" Ford by giving her a Monday deadline to testify.

ALSO READ | Trump's Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh denies 1980s sexual assault story

Ford went public with her accusation over the weekend in a Washington Post interview and said Monday through her lawyer that she was ready to testify. But Tuesday, she began insisting on an FBI investigation of her allegations and said other witnesses should also participate in a hearing. Those conditions had cast strong doubts on her willingness to appear, and it became unclear whether Republicans would even hold the hearing.

The email said Ford's "strong preference" remains that the committee allow a thorough investigation of her claim before she appears. But that wording fell short of a nonnegotiable demand.

Kavanaugh was spotted at the White House on Thursday, and allies said he is eager to address the accusation. Trump refrained from tweeting about his nominee.

Republicans have resisted all Democratic efforts to slow and perhaps block Kavanaugh's confirmation. A substantial delay could push confirmation past the November elections, when Democrats have a shot at winning Senate control, plus allow more time for unforeseen problems to crop up.
By PTI

UNITED NATIONS: President Donald Trump will talk about protecting US sovereignty, expanding relations with countries that share similar values and call for a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, his top diplomat to the UN has said.

Trump will participate in a number of UN General Assembly (UNGA) events and bilateral meetings from September 24-27.

Trump will hold bilateral meetings with Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, leaders of South Korea, Egypt, France, Israel, Japan and the UK on the sidelines of the UNGA.

In this photo provided by the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, left, delivers remarks Monday, Sept. 10, 2018, at a Security Council meeting on maintenance of international peace and security as he sits next to United States U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, right, who is also serving as president of the Security Council for the month of September, at UN headquarters. (Photo | AP)

Trump is "looking forward to talking about the foreign policy successes the US has had over the last year and where we are going to go from here. He wants to talk about protecting US sovereignty," and expanding relations with countries that share similar values, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told reporters here Thursday.

Haley cited the example of the US decisions to exit the UN's Global Migration Compact and the Paris Climate Change Accord, saying that "all of these things that we felt like were mandating things on the US, those aren't things we want to be involved in.

We really value sovereignty of the country.

ALSO READ | US President Donald Trump praises Korean summit, cites progress on North Korea

"She added that this is not saying that multilateralism cannot work, "but it's saying sovereignty is a priority over all of that. Anytime the US talks about sovereignty, it's always going to be the will of the American people and not the will of international community," the Indian-American diplomat said.

Haley said the President will also talk about foreign aid and how generous the US is.

"He will also lay down a marker that while the US is generous, we are going to be generous to those who share our values, generous to those who want to work with us and not those that try to stop the US or say that they hate America and are counter-productive to what we are doing.

" Haley highlighted achievements in the United States' September UN Security Council presidency and previewed the President's schedule and events for the other members of the Administration who will visit New York next week, as she previewed U.S. priorities for the 73rd UN General Assembly High-Level session, set to begin on September 24.

Haley said Trump will kick-off on September 24 the US global call to action on the world drug problem.

She said so far 124 countries have signed up and more will be added, showing how the world drug problem affects so many countries in so many different ways.

The focus is going to be on reducing the use of illicit drugs, cutting the supply off, expanding treatment and on international cooperation and how we deal with each other in reference to illicit drugs.

On September 26, he will preside over a Security Council meeting that initially was supposed to focus on Iran but will now be centred on non-proliferation.

Haley said with the issues of possible chemical weapons use in Idlib, assassination attempts on a British citizen and his daughter in the UK and reinforced sanctions on North Korea, the need was felt to have a "broader conversation on non-proliferation and what we can do as an international community to move forward" on the issue.

On Iran she said the country continues to be 'A problem'.

Every dangerous spot in the world, Iran seems to have its fingerprints in it.

The President and First Lady Melania Trump will also host all heads of delegation on Monday night as well as host a reception for current and next year's Security Council members, their foreign ministers and spouses on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. (Photo | AP)

Vice President Mike Pence will also participate in a high level meeting on Venezuela and migration hosted by Colombia, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will chair a Security Council meeting on North Korea.

Haley said that every single foreign minister will attend the SC meeting on North Korea, adding that "it's a conversation that needs to be had.

It will give a chance for us to look at what we have achieved and the progress on North Korea.

Other top Trump administration officials who will be in New York for the high-level week are Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and first daughter and senior adviser to the president, Ivanka Trump.

When asked about the Rohingya crisis, Haley said she will participate in a ministerial meeting hosted by the UK on the status of the Rohingyas where, we have to got to figure out how we are going to bring the Rohingyas back, to Myanmar in a way that is safe.

ALSO READ | Myanmar struggles to digest global anger over Rohingya crisis

"I dont think the government has done enough and I dont think the military has accepted responsibility, she said adding that the fact Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi acknowledged that the Reuters reporters were right to be detained and impriosned is a real problem.

"We have a communication issue right now with Burma in that what they are saying no one is understanding and what we are saying they are not hearing.
By UNI

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook Inc said on Thursday that it would no longer dispatch employees to the offices of political campaigns to offer support ahead of elections, as it did with U.S.

President Donald Trump in the 2016 race.

The company and other major online ad sellers including Alphabet Inc's Google and Twitter Inc have long offered free dedicated assistance to strengthen relationships with top advertisers such as presidential campaigns.

Brad Parscale, who was Trump's online ads chief in 2016, last year called onsite "embeds" from Facebook crucial to the candidate's victory.

ALSO READ | In Cameroon's election, social media plays key role in vote campaign

Facebook has said that Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton was offered identical help, but she accepted a different level than Trump.

Google and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests to comment on whether they also would pull back support.

Facebook said it could offer assistance to more candidates globally by focusing on offering support through an online portal instead of in person.

It said that political organizations still would be able to contact employees to receive basic training on using Facebook or for assistance on getting ads approved.

ALSO READ | Donald Trump to order sanctions against countries that interfere in US elections

Bloomberg first reported the new approach. Facebook, Twitter, and Google served as "quasi-digital consultants" to U.S. election campaigns in 2016, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Utah found in a paper published a year ago.

The companies helped campaigns navigate their services' ad systems and "actively" shaped campaign communication by suggesting what types of messages to direct to whom, the researchers stated.

Facebook's involvement with Trump's campaign drew scrutiny from U.S.

ALSO READ | American Civil Liberties Union files lawsuit against Facebook for hiding job advertisements from women

lawmakers after the company found its user data had separately been misused by political data firm Cambridge Analytica, which consulted for the Trump campaign.

In written testimony to U.S.

lawmakers in June, Facebook said its employees had not spotted any misuse "in the course of their interactions with Cambridge Analytica" during the election.
By AFP

YAOUNDE: Footage of abuses published on Facebook, politicians tweeting their every move: for the first time, the West African state of Cameroon is heading into a presidential election in which social media is taking a central role.

Nine candidates are contesting the October 7 poll, including President Paul Biya, who has ruled the country for 35 years and is hoping to be re-elected for a sixth time.

But this time, the 85-year-old broke with media tradition by announcing his candidacy on Twitter.

During the last election in 2011, only a handful of candidates were using social media. Today, almost all of them have a dedicated team to ensure they are very much present online.

Follow my campaign for the 2018 presidential election by subscribing to my page  @Biya2018, and my website  https://t.co/xo5wXq0475.

See you on 22 September 2018.#Biya2018#PaulBiya#237Vote#Cameroon pic.twitter.com/UnjglmHpBp  President Paul BIYA (@PR_Paul_BIYA) September 20, 2018

One of Biya's main challengers is Joshua Osih -- head of the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) -- who has taken to engaging with voters online.

When he came under fire for "unpresidential behaviour" after posting a picture of himself at the airport in Paris, he hit back immediately on Twitter, saying that was exactly the point.

"I want to break with protocol and everything to do with the myth around the presidency," he wrote.

"I want to be close to the people I rule and not shut up in a palace."

Much greater reach

For candidates, going online offers far greater exposure than traditional forms of campaigning, explains Julie Owono, executive director of Internet Without Borders, an NGO.

"There is much greater potential in terms of reach than when their words are communicated through the written press or the radio," she said.

It's nearly one week now since the launch of the "1000 faces for change " campaign.

Your enthusiasm is a testimony to the strength which we have to ignite change on the 7th of October 2018.

Watch the video below to learn how to do it yourself.#1000FacesForChange

#Osih2018 pic.twitter.com/P4grLK9vbU  Joshua Osih (@JoshuaOsih) September 20, 2018

For Owono, this increased presence online is the result of a significantly higher rate of internet connectivity in Cameroon.

Figures released earlier this month by the ministry of postal and telecoms services show connectivity jumped from a mere 0.24 per cent of the population in 2011 to 35 per cent last year.

"There has been a fall in the cost of internet access and network quality has also improved," she said.

Disinformation

Although the official launch of the election campaign is only due to start on Saturday, social media is already highlighting prominent topics, especially the security crisis in Cameroon's English-speaking regions.

Blighted by armed conflict, the two regions have remained largely inaccessible to the media and NGOs but those involved in the fighting have used social media to expose purported human rights violations by the other side.

Since the conflict began at the end of 2017, footage of alleged abuses involving both anglophone separatists and Cameroonian soldiers have been doing the rounds almost every day on social media.

A military policeman with his head cut off, villages burnt by the army, and even scenes of torture: all these excesses caught on camera are used by both sides to try and discredit the enemy.

Faced with the surge of horrific footage spreading online, the government has called for calm, denouncing the "inappropriate use of the internet".

Both the increase in hate speech and the proliferation of "fake news" are proving to be "a threat to our right to reliable information, above all in an election period," said Communications Minister Tchiroma Bakary.

In July, the minister dismissed out of hand a video purportedly showing abuses by Cameroonian soldiers in the country's Far North Region, where troops are deployed to root out Boko Haram jihadists from neighbouring Nigeria.

Several weeks later, an investigation was opened and several soldiers were arrested.

"The main challenge regarding the use of social networks is disinformation," said Janvier Ngnoulaye, who heads an NGO called Internet Society Cameroon.

Internet shutdown?

With less than three weeks until the vote, Biya's supporters -- who see him as best placed to handle the separatist crisis and the threat posed by Boko Haram -- maintain that footage of alleged abuses by the army was put online in order to sabotage his re-election bid.

"It's all about harming Biya's image," a security source told AFP.

In fact, the campaign has sparked an online war of images: when one side posts pictures of roads in disrepair, the other responds with photos of huge construction projects, such as the motorway between Yaounde and Douala.

Earlier this month, a misleading rumour began circulating on social networks suggesting that Yaounde was going to shut down internet access during the vote, as happened in Mali in August.

"Fake news," responded the communications minister.

But such fears are not entirely unfounded.

In early 2017, as the separatist protests multiplied in Cameroon's English-speaking regions, Yaounde sought to stamp out the unrest by cutting off internet access in the two areas for over three months.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: The United States Friday hailed India's acceptance of Pakistani proposal for talks between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ongoing annual UN General Assembly session in New York and termed it as a "terrific news".

"We saw that (reports of meetings between Indian and Pak leaders). I think that's a terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

On Thursday, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar announced that India has agreed to a meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Pakistan's request.

He, however, made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. (Photo | AFP)

Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

ALSO READ | China welcomes Pakistan-Afghan action plan for peace talks with Taliban

"We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and also Prime Minister Modi.

And we hope that the conditions will be set for a good strong relationship, a good strong bilateral relationship in the future," she said The United States has traditionally welcomed any talks between India and Pakistan, the pace of which, it has noted, depends on the leadership of the two countries.

"In general, the United States supports dialogue between India and Pakistan that can reduce tensions, and we understand and had frequent conversations with the Indian partners on the expectations that there would be demonstrable reduction in cross-border terrorism or infiltration that will help create the confidence for dialogue to take place," Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had told reporters during a conference call last week.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday said India has "priorities other than dialogue" and alleged that there is a group in New Delhi that does not want talks to happen, after New Delhi called off a meeting between him and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York, according to a media report.

India cited the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

ALSO READ | J-K cops' murder fallout: India calls off meeting with Pakistan

The Express Tribune quoted Qureshi as saying that India has not responded positively to Pakistan's invitation for dialogue.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," he said.

"Pakistan had asked for the talks in the larger interest of the region" he said.

Qureshi said that it seems that "India has priorities other than dialogue", adding there is a group in the New Delhi that doesn't want talks to take place.

He went on to say that if India doesn't want dialogue, then Pakistan also won't be in a haste either, " the Pakistani newspaper quoted Qureshi as saying.

But, he reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue, the report said.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

ALSO READ | Militants kill three abducted policemen in Jammu & Kashmir

He noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".
By Associated Press

NEW YORK: Reefer Madness has gripped Wall Street.

Investors are craving marijuana stocks as Canada prepares to legalize pot next month, leading to giant gains for Canada-based companies listed on U.S. exchanges. Some experts are concerned that the ending will be a buzzkill.

Billions of dollars have poured into the stocks in the last few months, and investors smell green (money, not leaves) in the air as they consider the opportunities these companies might have as the marijuana market in Canada grows, along with the possibility that the U.S. and other countries could follow suit.

The value of one company, British Columbia-based Tilray, has jumped tenfold since its initial public offering just two months ago. The company had $20 million in sales in 2017, but it's now worth considerably more than Macy's or Hasbro. With those huge gains have come extreme swings.

Wednesday was a trip for Tilray stock: after closing at $154 the previous day, it opened at $233 a share, soared to $300, and then plunged to $151 before rallying to close at $214. Trading was halted several times because of that volatility.

For some people on Wall Street, it's bringing back unpleasant memories.

"We just went through this eight months ago with cryptocurrencies," says investor Ken Mahoney, CEO of New York based Mahoney Asset Management. He said the investors buying these stocks at their current prices are already betting on enormous successes, but even if legal marijuana takes off, some of the companies will fail.

It's easy to see why investors are so optimistic. This week, Coca-Cola acknowledged it could one day offer cannabis-infused drinks. That came after reports Coke was in talks with Aurora Cannabis about drinks containing cannabidiol, or CBD, a marijuana component that isn't psychoactive. Aurora stock, which is listed in Canada, surged.

That would be a sort of return to Coca-Cola's roots, as the drink contained some cocaine when it was invented.

In August, Molson Coors said it will team up with Hydropothecary Corp. to sell marijuana-infused drinks, and Canopy Growth announced a $4 billion investment from Constellation Brands, the company that makes Corona beer.

The stocks jumped Tuesday when the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California San Diego said the government will allow it to import capsules containing cannabis compounds from Tilray so the center can study their effectiveness in treating tremors.

"The total global (cannabis) category could reach upwards of $200 billion, as suggested by Constellation Brands," said Stifel analyst Christopher Growe.

Canopy Growth has more than doubled in value this year, and another rival trading in the U.S., Cronos Group has jumped 78 percent. KushCo Holdings has surged 36 percent and GW Pharmaceuticals, which recently received government approval for a cannabis-derived drug used to treat seizures, is up 29 percent.

Growe said the value of the 22 largest marijuana companies trading in Canada has more than doubled since Aug. 15, when the Canopy-Constellation deal was announced.

Recreational marijuana will become legal across Canada on Oct. 17, and consumable forms of the drug will be legal in 2019. Marijuana remains illegal in the U.S. at the federal level, but it's legal for recreational use in nine states and Washington, D.C., and for medical use in 31 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Growe noted that governments considering marijuana legalization or similar policies are likely to move very slowly. And Mahoney said if there is a bubble, larger investors will protect themselves and won't overinvest in single companies, but smaller investors who see a chance to get rich quickly could suffer painful losses.

"The small investors always end up with the short end of the stick," he said. "They don't have the insight, they don't have the experience."

An investor who bought Tilray stock Wednesday might have agreed, as the shares fell 18 percent to finish at $176.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: There was no "deal" between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the release of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a top court suspended their sentences in a corruption case, a senior Pakistani minister has asserted.

ALSO READ | Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's arrest and release: A timeline

The Islamabad High Court Wednesday suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi.

"No country asked for his release. Nawaz Sharif is not so important for Saudi Arabia that they will talk about him," Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said, rejecting the impression that the three-time former premier and his family members were released from jail under a "deal" between the Imran Khan-led government and Riyadh.

The Islamabad High Court's verdict, ordering the release of the trio coincided with Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia, giving rise to speculation that the Sharif family members' release was a result of the Saudis' request, the Dawn newspaper reported.

But the report recalled that Saudi Arabia was a guarantor in a deal between the Sharif family and then military dictator Gen.

Pervez Musharraf in 2000 under which the Sharifs were released from jail and allowed to leave the country.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and whenever a leader wins an election in Pakistan, the first visit is always to the Gulf nation.

Nawaz Sharif never came under discussion during Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia where he had meetings with the oil-rich kingdom's rulers, Chaudhry said.

"He is not that important to be discussed during that visit," he claimed.

"Those who say that Saudi Arabia would have talked [about Sharif during Prime Minister Khan's visit] actually don't know what kind of relationship the Saudis have with Nawaz Sharif," the minister said Thursday without elaborating.

"There will be no deal and no concession with them (the Sharifs)," Chaudhry declared, adding that soon "they will be back to the place where they had been a few days back".

On July 6, an accountability court in Islamabad sentenced Sharif, Maryam and Safdar, to 10 years, seven years and one year in jail, respectively, in connection with the purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

"Nawaz Sharif will be in and out of jail. This thing will continue," he said, adding that the Sharifs had only been granted bail and the case was still pending against them.

"Those who were questioning the government for putting the names of the Sharifs on the Exit Control List (ECL) would have got the answer now.

"Had we not done so, they could have flown to London soon after their release, and where would we have looked for these princes then?" the minister said, justifying the decision of the Cabinet to place the names of the Sharifs on the ECL during its first meeting last month.

"We will not allow Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to leave Pakistan and at the same time we will not allow (former finance minister) Ishaq Dar, and Hassan and Hussain (the two sons of Sharif) to stay out of Pakistan," he said.

ALSO READ | Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, family reach Lahore after court reprieve

Chaudhry said that for them it was not important that how much time the Sharifs would spend in jail, as for the government bringing back the looted money of the people of this country was more important.

Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

The Avenfield case was among the three corruption cases filed against the ex-premier by the National Accountability Bureau on the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case.
By Online Desk

Pakistan has released a series of 'commemorative' postal stamps glorifying slain Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani as a freedom fighter. Wani was gunned down in an encounter with the Indian security forces on 8 July 2016 at the age of 22.

ALSO READ | J-K cops' murder fallout: India calls off meeting with Pakistan

The stamps were issued on 'Kashmir Martyrs Day' and carried the captions such as 'use of the chemical weapon', 'use of pellet guns', 'braid chopping' and 'mass graves' along with the images of the 'victims'.

All the stamps are available on e-bay and the prize of the stamp in Pakistan is Rs 8 per one.

Pakistan Post released a total of 20 commemorative postage stamps depicting Burhan Wani and some other slain ultras as victims of atrocities by Indian troops in Kashmir.

The caption on the postal stamp carrying the picture of Burhan Wani reads Burhan Wani (1994-2016) freedom icon.

ALSO READ | PoK remains breeding ground for Pak-backed terrorists: Kashmiri activists

Burhan Wani's death had sparked mass protests in Kashmir with more than 50,000 people congregated to mourn his death and joined his funeral processions.
In 1367, the Florentine money-changers guild commissioned the painter Andrea di Cione, generally known by the nickname Orcagna, to make a triptych of their patron Saint, the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. Orcagna, who was then running one of the busiest artistic workshops in the city, fell ill in the course of the work, and left it to be finished by his brother Jacopo when he died the following year. The emblem of the guild is seen at the top of the two side panels above the pinnacles.Its peculiar shape is owed to the fact that it was originally hung on one of the octagonal pillars of the famous church and guildhall known as the Orsanmichele . The central panel, which is mostly Orcagnas own work, shows St Matthew with a pen and the Gospel book in his hands, the latter identified as his by the opening words The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ In accordance with the convention of the times, the beautiful decorative carpet on which he is standing is vertical, so that it can be seen; this was probably done by Jacopo. In the pinnacles above him, angels hold the crown and palms of martyrdom.The side panels show four stories from the Saints life, running clockwise from the lower left. In the first one, Christ calls him away from the tollhouse, as described by Matthew himself in chapter 9 of his own Gospel. The Lord is accompanied by the four Apostles, Peter, Andrew, James and John, whose calling has already been described before this point, but the rest, who are named in chapter 10, are not yet with him.The remaining panels show stories from the life of St Matthew as recounted in the Golden Legend. In the second one, when he had gone to Ethiopia to preach the Gospel, he came to a place where two magicians had gained control of the populace, and were worshipped as gods. At Matthews preaching, the people were converted to the faith; the magicians therefore planned to punish them by turning two dragons loose on them. Signing himself with the cross, the Apostle went out to confront them, at which the dragons lay down asleep at his feet.In the third panel, he raises the son of a king named Hegippus from the dead, which the magicians were unable to do. This leads to the conversion of the king; furthermore, at St Matthews exhortation, his daughter embraces the state of consecrated virginity, a proposal in which she is followed by many other young women.Hegippus is then succeeded by his brother Hirtacus, who turns against Christianity, and has St Matthew killed at the altar when he had just finished celebrating Mass, as seen in the fourth panel. Iphigenia, who is seen at the lower right, is still named to this day in the traditional Martyrology of the Roman Rite.The story goes on that the people wished to avenge the Apostles murder by burning down the royal palace, but were restrained from doing so by the clergy, who rather celebrated his martyrdom. Since Iphigenia and the other virgins would not abandon their consecration, Hirtacus set her house on fire, but the Apostle turned the fire back on his house, which was destroyed. Hirtacus, afflicted with incurable leprosy, then kills himself, and is succeeded by Hegippus son, who effects the complete conversion of Ethiopia to Christianity, filling it with churches.
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy. Areas of patchy fog. High 61F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 52F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.
Reporter

Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
For ten years their bedroom has been closed because he has an erection problem. The reason is that he went out with many girlfriends unti...
She Gave the OK for Steel Used

in Navy Subs. Now, a Guilty Plea
(Newser)  Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt suspects there will be two separate Internets a decade from nowand you're not going to be able to Google "Tiananmen Square massacre" on one of them. Schmidt, who led Google from 2001 to 2011, told the audience at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday that the most likely scenario for the Internet fragmenting is a "bifurcation" into an Chinese Internet and a US-led "non-Chinese Internet," CNBC reports. "If you look at China, and I was just there, the scale of the companies that are being built, the services being built ... is phenomenal," he said. "Chinese Internet is a greater percentage of the GDP of China, which is a big number, than the same percentage of the US, which is also a big number."

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Schmidt predicted that we will see "fantastic leadership in products and services from China"but warned that there is a "real danger that along with those products and services comes a different leadership regime from government, with censorship, controls, etc." Schmidt's remarks come amid resignations at Google to protest the company's reported plans for "Project Dragonfly," a version of its search engine that censor results Beijing does not approve of, Tech Times reports. (Schmidt stepped down as chairman of Google's parent company last year.)
(Newser)  Eight people, including four immigrants in the US illegally, were killed in a head-on crash on an Arizona highway, authorities said Thursday. The crash occurred late Wednesday in a rural part of the state more than 120 miles north of the Mexico border. The Arizona Department of Public Safety declined to say whether an SUV involved in the collision was being used as part of a smuggling operation or may have been connected to a government immigration facility in nearby Florence, the AP reports. However, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said the immigrants killed were not detainees. Investigators don't know the cause of the crash on State Route 79.

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Officials say the SUV's driver and front-seat passenger were American citizens, but seven others in the vehicle were immigrants in the country illegally. The driver, front-seat passenger, and four immigrants in the SUV were killed. Three other immigrants were taken to hospitals. The driver and front-seat passenger in the other vehicle also were killed. Arizona has been the scene of a number of fatal crashes involving immigrants who were being smuggled, including one near the border nearly a decade ago in which 10 people died after an SUV rolled over on a highway. In Texas, five people were killed in June when an SUV carrying a dozen immigrants flipped while fleeing agents.

(Read more Arizona stories.)
(Newser)  "They gutted the stomach. And then they sliced it sideways and up and down." The victim was an inflatable Santa Claus, but more than just a balloon was harmed. A Cincinnati-area neighborhood has been troubled for days over vandals who had been stabbing Christmas decorations put up to bring cheer to a dying 2-year-old. Police say they've now arrested two teens who have admitted to damaging the decorations on Adair Court in the Colerain Township neighborhood, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 16- and 17-year-olds were apprehended early Thursday morning after a resident allegedly saw them in action.

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WKRC reports the boys have been charged with curfew violations and criminal damaging; one was hit with a charge of fleeing police. No motive was given. The New York Times reports the neighborhood had rallied around Brody Allen after the toddler's parents were told brain cancer would take his life within two months. Shilo and Todd Allen decided to decorate their home for Christmas, a holiday he loves, and neighboring houses did the same. They rallied again when the outdoor inflatables began to be stabbed, patching holes so they could once again come to life. (Read more vandalism stories.)
(Newser)  The alleged shooter who killed three people at a Rite-Aid distribution center outside Baltimore on Thursday before fatally shooting herself has been identified as Snochia Moseleyand her friends say she wasn't a "monster." Moseley was a 26-year-old temporary worker at the warehouse, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told reporters after the shooting. She "had reported for her workday as usual, and around 9am the shooting began, striking victims both outside the business and inside the facility," Gahler said, per the AP. The sheriff, who called the mass shooting a "senseless crime," said three injured people are expected to survive. Authorities say Moseley used a 9mm Glock handgun that was registered in her name, CBS News reports.

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Krystal Watson tells the AP that her husband, Eric, works at the Aberdeen warehouse and told her that Moseley, who had worked there for a few weeks, "went off" after an argument at a meeting and was "just shooting," with no particular target. Troi Coley, a friend who had known Moseley since high school, tells the Baltimore Sun that she "wasn't a monster, wasn't an angry person," though she sometimes felt the world was against her. "I just believe this was emotional distress," Coley says. "If she did this, it was her last straw." Moseley is identified as female in court records for traffic violations, though Coley showed the Sun Facebook messages in which Moseley discusses being transgender and reveals her plans to start hormone treatment. (Read more mass shootings stories.)
(Newser)  French authorities have seized more than 20 tons of mini Eiffel towers as part of a crackdown on the illegal sale of souvenirs. Nine people, including wholesalers, were arrested in connection with the sale of the trinkets, which are often sold near tourist attractions in the French capital by undocumented immigrants who flee at the first sign of police, the Guardian reports. Police worked with immigration officials to plan the raids on Chinese wholesalers, reports the BBC. A police spokesman says more than 1,000 boxes of souvenirs worth up to $800,000 were seized, along with note-counting machines, which "gives some idea of the scale of this market." (Read more Paris stories.)
(Newser)  The podcast's name is an aspirational one: "Countdown to Capture." The capture part is what the Newport Beach Police Department hopes will result from the six-part series, which it is releasing in a bid to finally catch their man. Details:

The crime: The Los Angeles Times reports officials have for years been trying to apprehend Peter Chadwick, a 54-year-old multimillionaire who lived in Newport Coast, Calif., and allegedly killed his wife, Quee Choo Chadwick. Her body was found in a gas station dumpster outside San Diego in 2012.

The Los Angeles Times reports officials have for years been trying to apprehend Peter Chadwick, a 54-year-old multimillionaire who lived in Newport Coast, Calif., and allegedly killed his wife, Quee Choo Chadwick. Her body was found in a gas station dumpster outside San Diego in 2012. The disappearance: Chadwick was arrested and released after posting a $1 million bail; he gave up his US and UK passports, made 13 court appearances, then vanished in 2015, per the AP. Chadwick is thought to have taken millions from bank accounts he had access to, and officials suspect he may have managed to leave the country.

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Curious reading: People reports that police perhaps tellingly found these books in his home: Surviving in Mexico, How to Change Your Identity, and How to Live on the Run Successfully.

People reports that police perhaps tellingly found these books in his home: Surviving in Mexico, How to Change Your Identity, and How to Live on the Run Successfully. The podcast: "We want to spread his picture and the story of his crimes far and wide," Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis says of the 15-minute episodes. (Part one is out.) "We want everyone to be looking for Peter Chadwick." The San Diego Union-Tribune points out that it's not just atypical for a police department to be the producer of a true-crime podcast; "to produce one on an active, ongoing investigation is even more unusual given the legal questions it raises for a case not yet brought to trial." A rep for the department said she's unsure of whether Chadwick's lawyer knew about it.

"We want to spread his picture and the story of his crimes far and wide," Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis says of the 15-minute episodes. (Part one is out.) "We want everyone to be looking for Peter Chadwick." The San Diego Union-Tribune points out that it's not just atypical for a police department to be the producer of a true-crime podcast; "to produce one on an active, ongoing investigation is even more unusual given the legal questions it raises for a case not yet brought to trial." A rep for the department said she's unsure of whether Chadwick's lawyer knew about it. Listening incentive: A $100,000 reward for information leading to Chadwick's capture was announced Wednesday.

A $100,000 reward for information leading to Chadwick's capture was announced Wednesday. Potential lead: Authorities say the British-born Chadwick might well be in an Asian country because of his previous travels there, reports Oxygen. Also, "he has a flavor for Asian prostitutes," says an official with the US Marshals Service. The hope is that the big reward will prompt someone who works in the sex industry to come forward.

Authorities say the British-born Chadwick might well be in an Asian country because of his previous travels there, reports Oxygen. Also, "he has a flavor for Asian prostitutes," says an official with the US Marshals Service. The hope is that the big reward will prompt someone who works in the sex industry to come forward. Another possibility: Chadwick also liked to travel in and around metro Vancouver, reports Canada's Global News.

(Read more podcast stories.)
(Newser)  Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, the country's No. 2 after the ruling Communist Party's leader, died Friday after a serious illness, the government said. He was 61 and had been in the role since April 2016. Quang passed away despite "utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese and foreign professors and doctors and care by the party and state leaders," the statement said. The state-run online newspaper VnExpress quoted the head of a national committee in charge of leaders' health, Nguyen Quoc Trieu, as saying that Quang had contracted a rare and toxic virus in July last year and had traveled to Japan six times for treatment. He did not specify the virus, reports the AP. Trieu said the president lapsed into a deep coma hours after being admitted to the National Military Hospital 108 in Hanoi on Thursday afternoon.

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"Japanese professors and doctors treated him and helped consolidate the president's health for about a year," Trieu said. "However, there are no medicines in the world that can cure the illness completely, instead it only could prevent and push it back for some time." Quang hosted President Trump during his first state visit to the communist country last year, and US Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink praised Quang for his contributions to promote relations between the two former foes. But the deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch said that Quang would be remembered for "a multi-year crackdown on human rights and putting more political prisoners behind bars in Vietnam than any time in recent memory." Some 97 activists have been jailed as of April this year, according to Amnesty International. The National Assembly is scheduled to convene a session next month and expected to elect a new president.

(Read more Vietnam stories.)
(Newser)  Marc van Bloemen has lived in the old town of Dubrovnik, a Croatian citadel widely praised as the jewel of the Adriatic, for decades, since he was a child. He says it used to be a privilege, per the AP. Now it's a nightmare. Crowds of tourists clog the entrances to the ancient walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as huge cruise ships unload thousands more daily. People bump into each other on the famous limestone-paved Stradun, the pedestrian street lined with medieval churches and palaces, as fans of the popular TV series Game of Thrones search for the locations where it was filmed. Dubrovnik is a prime example of the effects of mass tourism, a global phenomenon in which the increase in people travelling means standout sitesparticularly small onesget overwhelmed by crowds.

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As the numbers of visitors keeps rising, local authorities are looking for ways to keep the throngs from killing off the town's charm. "It's beyond belief, it's like living in the middle of Disneyland," says van Bloemen from his house overlooking the bustling Old Harbor in the shadows of the stone city walls. On a typical day, eight cruise ships visit this town of 2,500 people, each dumping some 2,000 tourists into the streets. He recalls one day when 13 ships anchored here. The problem is hurting Dubrovnik's reputation. UNESCO warned last year that the city's world heritage title was at risk because of the surge in tourist numbers. In 2017, local authorities announced a "Respect the City" plan that limits the number of tourists from cruise ships to a maximum of 4,000 at any one time during the day. The plan still has to be implemented, however. Read the full story.

(Read more Game of Thrones stories.)
(Newser)  A Texan who made his name as an activist for DIY guns has been arrested in Taiwan and will now face sex charges back in the US. Cody Wilson, who previously courted controversy by selling plans to make 3D-printed guns, was arrested in Taipei on Friday, reports Taiwan News. It seems the 30-year-old had just signed a six-month lease for an apartment, but the real estate agent who handled the deal alerted police when he saw news reports about Wilson. He faces charges of sexual assault involving a 16-year-old girl in Austin, reports the Austin American-Statesman. Authorities say he met the teen through the website SugarDaddyMeet.com and paid her $500 for sex.

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Police say Wilson flew to Taiwan after being told by a friend of the teen that he was being investigated for assault, reports the New York Times. When Wilson didn't return to the US on his scheduled flight, police in Austin got word to authorities in Taiwan. He is now in the hands of the National Immigration Agency and expected to be extradited. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Wilson as a "crypto-anarchist and antigovernment extremist." In addition to founding his 3D-gun company, Defense Distributed, he helped create the secretive but short-lived "Dark Wallet" cryptocurrency platform a few years ago. The SPLC reports that Wilson fled the US with an estimated $1 million in bitcoin. (Read more sexual assault stories.)
(Newser)  Prosecutors want inked footprints from Chris Watts, the Colorado man accused of killing his pregnant wife and two young daughters in August. The request came in the form of a motion filed on Wednesday, Denver7 reports. Investigators reportedly found barefoot impressions at the location where Chris Watts allegedly hid the bodies of Shanann Watts, 34, and daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3. In the motion, prosecutors say they have "developed possible barefoot impressions" from "items of evidence," according to the Denver Post. While the motion does not describe the evidence that yielded the possible footprint, People cites a source who says it is a "non-porous bag."

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The bodies were reportedly found last month on property belonging to Anadarko PetroleumShanann Watts was in a shallow grave, and her two daughters were found submerged in oil tanks nearby. Chris Watts, who claims he strangled his wife only after she killed both of the children, faces nine felonies, including three counts of first-degree murder. According to another People report from earlier this month, the 33-year-old is on suicide watch, with a source telling the magazine: "He's not doing well at all. The gravity of the situation has hit him like a ton of bricks. Depression is setting in, and he's despondent." (Read more Colorado stories.)
(Newser)  A "troubling decline" in the number of homicides solved by Chicago police is continuing, USA Today reports. According to data obtained by the paper, the city's homicide clearance rate was 15.4% during the first half of the year, meaning that a suspect was identified or arrested in fewer than one in six cases. The rate for 2017 was 17.1%. As of late August, there had been 365 killings in the nation's third-largest city, per the Washington Post. The clearance rate for nonfatal shootings is far lower at 5.6%, according to USA Today, with just 50 of 900 cases in the first six months of 2018 being cleared (the Post puts the number of nonfatal shootings so far this year at 1,600).

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"That's the norm in this city. We live amongst a lot of killers," Deangelo Norwood told the Post last month. Norwood was seriously injured and his brother was killed in a July 30 shooting. "Ain't nobody been locked up. And they ain't trying to solve nothing." Officials tell USA Today that part of the problem is the "interchangeable" nature of shooters and victims. "These are guys who are shooting back and forth at each other on a consistent basis," says Deputy Chief Brendan Deenihan. "They just want to get even with the people who shot at them." Homicide clearance rates are falling nationwide, USA Today notes, with the national rate dropping to an all-time low of 59.4% in 2016. As for Chicago, Deenihan says, "We live in a society today where people don't cooperate with the police." (Read more Chicago stories.)
(Newser)  A psychologist by the name of Walter Mischel died this month at age 88, and if the name doesn't ring a bell, a test he concocted in the 1960s just might. It's the "marshmallow test," and the premise is simple: Mischel presented young children with a marshmallow (or other treat) and offered a deal. If they could sit alone in a room with the marshmallow for a while without eating it, they'd get two when he returned, explains Quartz. As it turns out, only about 1 in 3 of the kids managed to refrain from eating it, notes the Washington Post. The test gained renown when Mischel followed up with the kids and found a striking correlation: Those who learned to master the art of self-gratification tended to be more successful later in life. But as Mischel himself would stress, the results often were misinterpreted in the mainstream.

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One key part of his test that often goes unmentioned, he once explained, is that some of the kids were taught strategies on how to keep from eating the marshmallow, while others were left to their own devices, reports NPR. The main lesson, then, was that people can teach themselves better habits rather than relying on sheer willpower. "People can use their wonderful brains to think differently about situations, to reframe them, to reconstrue them, to even reconstrue themselves," Mischel said. (See this video for the interview.) Another facet of Mischel's life: He grew up as a Jewish child in Austria before World War II, and he gave a 2014 interview to the Guardian in which he talks about the hardships he endured. Mischel's family fled to the US in 1938. (Read more obituary stories.)
Manama : Bahrain is the ninth most visited country as measured by per capita, according to a study conducted by TravelMag.com. The Kingdom receives 3000 visitors per annum every year. It fares as one of the most popular destinations in the world, taking into account the small population of the country. The study revealed that Bahrain is the ninth most visited country per capita. It was conducted by taking the annual visitor numbers to every sovereign country (with a population of at least 100,000) and comparing them against the total number of citizens. The data for the study was used from a report released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization(UNWTO) and alternate sources.

With 6,600 visitors per 1,000 citizens arriving in Iceland each year, the beautiful island nation emerged on top. The Central Mediterranean island of Malta was in second place with 5,300 visitors, while the Bahamas in the Caribbean completed the top three spots with 3,800 visitors, the report stated. Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Afghanistan and the Central African Republic were the least visited countries in the world.

At the other end of the spectrum Somalia, Yemen and Libya came out as the least visited counties, with less than one visitor per 1,000 citizens. While no UNWTO data was available for these destinations, tourist arrivals are close to zero according to various independent sources, TravelMag.com stated. While some of the most popular countries for tourism like France and the UK received many visitors, it still fared worse when compared to its population size. The UK has seen a big increase in tourism thanks to the pound sterlings drop in value after Brexit, but still only sees 569 visitors per 1,000 inhabitants.

France received more visitors than any other country in the world at almost 87 million, putting their total at 1,340 per 1,000. And as for India, the vast population (1.32 billion and climbing rapidly), coupled with pricey visas hampers the numbers greatly, with only 11.7 visitors per 1,000, it stated. More than 11 million people visited Bahrain last year. Most of the tourists (57 per cent) were on leisure trips, 23 per cent came for shopping, 9pc came to visit family and friends, 6pc for business and the remaining were transit passengers. The biggest spenders among tourists in Bahrain are Arab tourists. Last year, Bahrain earned BD1.6 billion from tourism. An average of BD1696 was spent by Arab tourists on a five-day trip.
Manama : Inspiring the world to dream about peace and harmony, Bahrain Ballet Centre celebrated Peace One Day in the Kingdom by performing a ballet on the song Imagine written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The ballet, Zilia Monteiro from Bahrain Ballet Centre told Tribune, celebrates an idealistic world without barriers, politics and the things which limit the world from being unified as one.

We are proud to express our interpretation of the song in the spirit of dancing for peace, she said while speaking to Tribune about the initiative which was held in association with Bahrain4All. Dance, she said, is an expressive art form, teaches students inner discipline, creativity, finesse and grace. Many of these qualities promote harmony and unity within individuals, acting as catalysts for change in the environments around them. The Bahrain Ballet Centre is the islands oldest performing arts studio set up in 1982 in Barbar. The centre focuses on providing professional training in the performing arts, specifically in the fields of dance and music.

Our motto here at the studio is Making the Stage Your World, through performance, Monteiro told Tribune expressing her pride at the variety of classes the centre offers. Here at the Bahrain Ballet Centre, we strongly believe in inclusivity - we have students of various ethnicities, age, gender and most importantly we include students with disabilities.

We pride ourselves on having qualified teachers who provide a mix of fun and disciplined classes for kids who will learn to build self-esteem, fitness, confidence and grace through dance, Monteiro. The centre holds classes for kids and adults in Ballet, Tap, Modern Theatre, Contemporary Jazz, Ballroom, Salsa etc. It has also started a top class for adults on Saturdays & Tuesdays.

In the future, we are looking towards more collaborations on the island & outside, said Monterio on her plans. When asked about upcoming performances, she said their last years 35th Anniversary show at Cultural Hall was a huge success. Our next show is going to be held on February 1st, 2019, as the Cultural Hall.

Details will be out in due course on our social media pages, Zilia added.
Manama : Ways to enhance Bahrain-Russia bilateral ties topped the agenda of a meeting held by Supreme Council for Women (SCW) General Secretary Hala Al Ansari on the sidelines of the second Eurasians Women Forum (EAWF) in St. Petersburg, Russia. The meeting with Valentina Matviyenko, the Russian Federation Council Chairwoman, focused on strengthening cooperation and exchanging expertise in the fields of women empowerment.

Al Ansari briefed Matviyenko on Kingdoms efforts to support and empower women with the support of the Wife of HM the King and SCW Chairperson HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa. Al Ansari invited Russian officials to take part in the HRH Sabeeka Award Global Award for Women Empowerment launched by the council at the United Nations Headquarters in New York last March. Matviyenko praised the efforts of the Kingdom and highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation between both countries in this area.
Many challenges are awaiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he won a third consecutive term as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in an election on Thursday.

One focal point in domestic affairs is whether he will raise the consumption tax rate from the current 8 pct to 10 pct in October 2019 as planned.

It is also crucial whether he will achieve results in efforts to resolve North Korea's nuclear, missile and abduction issues and a territorial dispute with Russia.

"I'll face up to the national crisis of an aging population and the raging waves of turbulent international situations," Abe told a news conference after winning the LDP leadership election.

He has so far postponed the consumption tax increase to 10 pct twice after raising the levy from 5 pct to 8 pct in April 2014. Another postponement could batter confidence in his administration.
A Japanese medical university mired in a bribery scandal and under fire for discriminating against female applicants is set to have its first woman president.

Tokyo Medical University says Yukiko Hayashi, chief professor of the department of pathophysiology, was elected at a faculty meeting on Wednesday. There were 2 candidates for the post.

She will officially become the university's first female president if her nomination is approved at a meeting of the board of directors next Tuesday.

Tokyo Medical University's president and board chairman resigned in July over a bribery scandal involving a senior education ministry official.

Prosecutors later indicted the university executives, saying they had the official's son unfairly admitted to the school. The official helped the university to qualify for the ministry's subsidy program in return.

The university in August also admitted manipulating its entrance exam scores to limit the number of female students.

Sources close to the university say that calls for a woman president may have grown at the school as a way to restore its reputation and regain public trust.
It may be a spring chicken compared to its film festival siblings in Tokyo, Yamagata and elsewhere, but the Kyoto International Film and Art Festival has reached an important milestone: its fifth anniversary.

The countdown to No. 5, which takes place from Oct. 11 to 14, officially kicked off at a press conference in Kyoto on Sept. 3, a day before Typhoon Jebi pounded the region.

Rain seems to be something of recurring theme: In an opening speech, Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa noted that during last year's festival, he attended a screening during a heavy rainstorm and "assumed no one would be there. But the seats were packed!"

The mayor also mentioned another theme that seems to run though the festival: the fact that Kyoto is sometimes referred to as "Japan's Hollywood." Many of the country's early film studios were founded there, and the city still serves as the setting for many jidaigeki period pictures.

To that end, it's fitting that the festival will feature the world premiere of "Tajuro Jun Aiki," a jidaigeki epic helmed by director Sadao Nakajima. "Tajuro Jun Aiki" is the first film in 20 years for the 84-year-old Nakajima, who also serves as the honorary chairman of the festival's executive committee.

On stage at the press conference, Nakajima described the film as a return to the epic chanbara swordfighting style of films for which he is known. He also made the connection to the city clear, stating the film features "the power of Kyoto filmmaking."

The festival hails the return of a master, but it also features plenty of fresh talent. That includes Kyoto-born director Ujicha (who goes by one name) and his film "Violence Voyager," an over-the-top splatter film shot using a style of lo-fi animation called "gekimation." On stage, Ujicha revealed he created the entire film virtually by himself.

As the name implies, the Kyoto International Film and Art Festival also features art, with exhibitions held throughout the city. Kenta Oka, the festival's art planner, explained that this year, he wanted to bring the film and art sections of the festival closer together. That inspired an exhibition at Kyoto Arts and Crafts University that will feature student-created works based on the jidaigeki films of Sadao Nakajima --- including "Tajuro Jun Aiki."
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Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is desperate to remain in power and that is why it is trying to shut down opposing voice in the country.He stated this in Ado-Ekiti on Friday while meeting Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegates to the coming national convention of the party.According to a press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Tambuwal, who is also one of the presidential hopefuls in the party, said the likes of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State were needed to take back the country from those that had hijacked it.The governor also faulted the Mohammadu Buhari administration for being insensitive to the feelings and plight of Nigerians.I wont be insensitive to the feelings and plight of Nigerians if elected the president of this country. I also promised to run an all inclusive government as the president. It is very important to provide dynamic leadership for our country. We are not ethnic jingoists.The government in power is desperate and are doing everything outside the law to ensure they remain in power.We need a great and united country and that is possible if we choose a leader that has a vision of one Nigeria. I have traversed the length and breadth of this country and have an idea of what the people want. I am in a good position to respect the sensibility and sensitivity of the people, he said.Tambuwal said he was in support of restructuring and that fiscal federalism must be allowed for every section to grow at their own pace.He, however, added that he would approach that issue by calling all parties to a roundtable for robust discussion of the issue at stake.The governor added that as a lawyer, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and now a governor, he is well placed to relate well with all arms of government.In his remarks, Governor Fayose said the Buhari government was only chasing shadows and deceiving the people in the guise of fighting corruption.He accused the government of favouritism and oppression and repression of the opposition.They have refused to give Ekiti our last tranche of the Paris Club refund and seized two months budget support money meant for us. APC is in power to oppress not to develop the nation. We have N11.8 billion remaining in the Paris Club refund not paid as they paid others. Because of Osun poll, they released money to them and three others. Buhari is not only old but outdated and dilapidated and those packcking him are doing that for their own benefits, he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the Bamigboye family on the death of retired Brigadier-General David Bamigboye, the first military governor of Kwara.The presidents condolence message is made available in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Friday.The president affirmed that Bamigboye, who was well respected for his versatility and leadership, would be long remembered for his service to the nation in a variety of roles.Buhari paid tribute to his enduring commitment to the development of Kwara during his tenure as military governor.He particularly acknowledged his far-reaching role in helping to lay the foundation for an effective education system and civil service in the State.The president prayed that almighty God would comfort his family, friends and associates in this period of grief and grant the soul of the departed eternal rest.
The coalition for United Political Parties, CUPP, has called on the Governor of Lagos State Akinwumi Ambode, to resist alleged preconditio...

The coalition for United Political Parties, CUPP, has called on the Governor of Lagos State Akinwumi Ambode, to resist alleged precondition for seeking re-election given to him by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the state.





According to CUPP, President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole were involved in Tinubus plot to make Lagos ungovernable if Ambode fails to sign the anti-people pre-condition for re-election support.





CUPP, in a statement signed by its first National Spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, and made available to reporters Friday morning, also called on the people of Lagos State to firmly resist those it described as  rampaging army of modern-day slavedrivers who misrepresent democracy with civilian tyranny.





The coalition called on the embattled Governor to take a stand by rejecting the terms which it alleged were being spelt for him by the party and its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for seeking reelection in office as governor.





We, therefore, urge Governor Akinwumi Ambode to take a stand and be counted among the democrats. He must realize that the fate of Nigerias commercial capital rests upon his shoulders and that he is ultimately answerable to a vast majority of Lagosians who will want to know why he jettisoned the mandate freely given to him without as much as a whimper, the statement added.





The people of Lagos must firmly resist the rampaging army of modern-day slave drivers who misrepresent democracy with civilian tyranny. Lagos is nobodys personal fiefdom.









The CUPP has watched with keen interest the unfolding political drama in Lagos State where the vaunting interest of one man is threatening the political stability of the commercial centre of Nigeria while the President watches uncaringly with toothpick in between his lips.





The same party which promised change; having a chairman with labour background and a President who undeservedly ascribes integrity to his name, idly stands by while one man sustains his stranglehold on Lagos; apportioning political offices and dictating who becomes and who does not become what in Lagos State. This is the colour of the APC democracy!





Reports emanating from several reliable sources from meetings held to tighten the grip of the National Leader of the APC on the treasury of Lagos State include such obnoxious conditions that Governor Akinwumi Ambode must sign an undated resignation letter which he would submit to the APC leadership before he would be supported to run for his second term in office.





The reverbrating silence that has greeted this inexplicable impunity shows that the highest echelon of the party including the President and the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole are party to this hideous violation of the agelong tenets of democracy.





Needless to mention the grand plot to sustain the institutionalized plundering of the resources of Lagos State.





The second condition is that the Governor would not be involved in the nomination process of all the candidates of his party for the House of Assembly. Such crude disenfranchisement insults the person of Ambode and denigrates the office of the governor. This is also to ensure that his impeachment goes through easily if he declines to sign the resignation letter.





While the last condition is that the Governor will always have to consult the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and obtain his approval whenever he wants to carry out any major project in Lagos State.





It is a sad day for democracy; and mostly unfortunate that our democracy has been so trivialized that it has been privatized with the stake and aspirations of the people of Lagos state rendered inconsequential.





Its neither surprising that the usually garrulous National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiohmole couldnt find words for the travesty playing out in Lagos state nor is it strange in the least that the President who feigns ignorance even in issues of national importance is mum to the ridiculing of democracy in Lagos state.





Apparently, it is convenient for the President to continue to play the ostrich in the misguided hope that Tinubu will be the political asset he needs to keep his doomed second term bid alive in the South West.





Soon Mr. President and his party will realize how much they have squandered their goodwill and abused the mandate given by Lagosians and Nigerians.





Sadly, under APC, Lagos has become a study in infamy. There is no better definition of voodoo politics than for a person who does not enjoy the mandate of the people to be the person dispensing the mandate. This is an all-time low and shows that the APC is a political party by day and a ravenous cult group by night.





Sitting comfortably to share the common patrimony of all Lagosians without batting an eyelid as to the feelings and reactions of Lagosians is the height of impunity.





It was such full-blown exhibition of arrogance and mean-spiritedness occasioned by the serial looting of the commonwealth of Lagosians that led the National Leader of APC to declare in one of their disorganized campaign outings in Osun State that he was richer than Osun State.





Expectedly, it is consequent upon this vile utterance and the blatant ineptitude of the APC across the country that the people of Osun State have resolved to punish the APC for the insensitivity of flaunting their squandermania mentality in a state as dignified as Osun state.





The CUPP hereby urges Lagosians and indeed voters all over the country to go and collect their PVC preparatory to enforcing the quit notice on APC in 2019.





No other party and no other time in history have our countrymen been visited with such pain, misery and despair as currently being served on our people by the APC.





The APC is undeserving of votes, and the sophistication of the good people of Lagos has been tasked and challenged by this devilish plot and we hope Lagosians will respond appropriately with their votes against the marauding anti-people forces of the APC.





We, therefore, urge Governor Akinwumi Ambode to take a stand and be counted among the democrats. He must realize that the fate of Nigerias commercial capital rests upon his shoulders and that he is ultimately answerable to a vast majority of Lagosians who will want to know why he jettisoned the mandate freely given to him without as much as a whimper.




The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in this Saturday election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has insisted t...

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in this Saturday election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has insisted that he has not stepped down for the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Senator Iyiola Omisore.





Adeleke maintained that the report of him stepping down for Omisore was false.





In a statement by his spokesman, Malam Olawale Rasheed, on Friday, Adeleke also dismissed claims that he met with former president Olusegun Obasanjo, where he was prevailed upon to step down for Omisore.





The statement reads, Ademola Adeleke has not stepped down for anybody. He remains the candidate of the PDP for the election.





Senator Adeleke did not attend any meeting with General Olusegun Obasanjo or Senator Iyiola Omisore. He did not have any pact with any of the personalities.




Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and its Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Association, PENGASSAN, have threatened to shut down the nations Petroleum industry of alleged plans to sack thousands of workers from its operations nationwide.Leaders of NUPENG and PENGASSAN have already directed their members nationwide to prepare to withdraw their services nationwide any moment from now, warning that they would not accept any sack of workers.The two unions in the oil sector specifically called on the National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Department of State Services DSS, and other relevant authorities to prevail on Chevron Nigeria Limited, to immediately stop the plan to sack workers in its operations nationwide to avoid industrial unrest.NUPENG and PENGASSAN, named the affected workers as thousands of their members who are contract workers on M15 and H15 Contracts in Lagos, Warri and Escravos, saying it is shocking that Chevron is planning to sack the workers in spite of the ongoing intervention by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as well as the established Labour Contract Staffing Guidelines in the oil and gas industry.In a statement jointly issued through Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa and Comrade Adamu Song, General Secretary of PENGASSAN and NUPENG respectively, the unions said they were worried over the manner Chevron management was executing the end of M15 and H15 Contracts, ostensibly laced with hidden plans and intentions to unilaterally and heinously sack thousands of contract workers in spite of the ongoing intervention of Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as well as the established Labour Contract Staffing Guidelines in the oil and gas industry.While Chevron has decided to close M-15 and H-15 contracts by October 31, 2018, it is really disturbing to see new contractors being engaged by Chevron management and whose Labour Contract will take effect on November 1, 2018, to start advertising all jobs, in spite of clear provision for roll over of the existing workers on the jobs, consequent upon which large numbers of the current workforce are most likely to be abruptly thrown into the Labour market in their own country.The leaderships of the two Unions in the oil and gas industry see such arrangement as cruel, callous and by all standards an affront on the Nigerian constituted authority and industry extant rules. Without sounding immodest, it has now become quite glaring that Chevron management is overstretching the good intentions of NUPENG and PENGASSAN (NUPENGASSAN) to entrench peaceful and harmonious industrial relations particularly at a critical time like this when the country is approaching an election year.Without mincing words, we are deeply bothered by the purported claims being peddled around by Chevron Management that their action of sacking Nigerian workers is a directive from National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPPIMS, and the Nigeria Contents Monitoring and Development Board, NCMDB. We then wonder if the role of these government agencies is to create jobs for Nigerians or to compound unemployment situation as already prevalent in the country.As proactive Unions, that have interest of the nation at heart, we found it appropriate to use this avenue to appeal to the National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Department of State Services, DSS, and other relevant authority to prevail on Chevron Nigeria Limited to follow the line of best practice by exercising restraints and engage in peaceful transition into new contract circle by strictly following established guidelines which provide for roll over of workers.At this juncture, we are further constrained to notify the general public that NUPENG and PENGASSAN will not hesitate to embark on nationwide industrial action on this matter and we have already placed our members on red alert should the Management of Chevron remains recalcitrant or adamant to rescind its anti-labour decision which is grossly injurious to Nigerian workers who are oil and gas workers and by extension the nations economy.
Prince Tony Momoh, ex-Minister of Information, on Thursday said former President Olusegun Obasanjos opposition will not stop President Mu...

Prince Tony Momoh, ex-Minister of Information, on Thursday said former President Olusegun Obasanjos opposition will not stop President Muhammadu Buhari from winning the 2019 presidential election.

Momoh said Nigerians, especially those from SouthWest and North will not listen to Obasanjo to vote for any particular candidate during the election.





Momoh recalled that Obasanjo attempted rigging the 2003 governorship election in Kano State in favour of Rabiu Kwankwaso but he was resisted by Buhari who was backing Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau.





When Obasanjo was president during the 2003 presidential election, we got 12 million votes. Obasanjo wanted results declared for Rabiu Kwankwaso in 2003, but Buhari supported Shekarau. Up till 3am, there was serious fight.





The Commissioner of Police said Look, we cannot declare this result because they will burn this house. They have to declare result for the winner, Shekarau.





As President, the whole country was Obasanjos constituency, he won but he couldnt win his own ward in the South-West.





So, Obasanjo is a credible fighter but he cannot stop Buhari. He himself knows that clearly. The only person who can stop Buhari is the person who has the votes. Which votes will Obasanjo deliver against Buhari in the North or South-West? Does he have the votes even in his own Egbaland to move against Buhari?





Obasanjo is now supporting ADC. Let us see how ADC will go far in the election because that will be the decider for Obasanjo. Because of Obasanjos influence, ADC should be able to take over from APC and PDP and become the ruling party in Nigeria.




The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Friday expressed joy over it recent visit to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, saying the encounter would go a long way towards cementing diplomatic relationship with the international community.The IPOB delegation was led by its deputy leader, Mazi Uche Mefor on September 14, the same day the pro Biafra group remembered the victims of the invasion of the home of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kany at Isiama- Afaraukwu, Umuahia in Abia State.IPOB media and publicity secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful said in a statement Firday that it was the first time in the post war history of Biafra that the leadership of any group, movement or people met with the United Nations face to face to discuss the issue of Biafra.The statement read: It was a historic encounter that will go a long way in cementing the diplomatic credentials of IPOB in the eyes of the international community. It was the very first time that United Nations had the opportunity to host Biafrans to a meeting and it is only appropriate that we appreciate all those working tirelessly with our diplomatic team based in London to accomplish this feat.We commend the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra (DOS-IPOB) under the leadership of Mazi Chika Edoziem, who accompanied our deputy leader to the historical meeting.The historic encounter with United Nations officials in Geneva has opened up avenues and opportunities for further engagement between IPOB and relevant UN agencies on the burning issues of human rights violations by the Buhari regime and enforcement of IPOBs universal right to self determination.With this meeting satisfactorily concluded, IPOB has gone where no other group of leaders before it dared go to. It will forever be recorded that for nearly 50 years and for the very first time in the history of Biafra, an interface was facilitated between representatives of the people of Biafra IPOB and the United Nations.Although IPOB said it was not at liberty to divulge every detail of what transpired during the encounter, it stated that the world had officially been placed on notice that IPOB, as a movement, was determined to carve a separate existence for the people of Biafra, comprising South East/South South, away from Nigeria.The organization, however, regretted that the Kanu family was denied representation at the meeting because the Swiss Embassy denied the family entry visa to Switzerland.
The Nigeria police on Thursday said they recovered $470.5m belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporations Brass Liquefied Natu...

The Nigeria police on Thursday said they recovered $470.5m belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporations Brass Liquefied Natural Gas hidden in some commercial banks in violation of the directives of the Federal Government on Treasury Single Account.

The force disclosed that another N8.8bn belonging to the NNPC/LNG which was also not remitted to the TSA was recovered.





The police spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.





The statement read: PRESS BRIEFING: EFFORTS OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE IN THE RECOVERY OF MONETARY AND NON- MONETARY ASSETS FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT





On the assumption of Office, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni created Special Units to handle high profile cases including Terrorism, Cyber and high-tech crimes, some of which includes the IGP Monitoring Unit, Special Investigation Panel (SIP) and Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism.





As a result of these efforts, the Nigeria Police Force recovered the following monetary and non-monetary assets for the Federal Government.





RECOVERY OF CASH ITEMS





i. The sum of Four Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Nine US Dollars and Ten Cent ($470,519,889.10) belonging to NNPC BRASS/LNG INVESTMENT hidden in some commercial banks after the directives of the Federal Government on TSA.





ii. The sum of Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Seven Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty Four Naira, Ninety Six Kobo (NGN8,807,264,834.96) monies belonging to NNPC BRASS/LNG INVESTMENT, that was not remitted to TSA Account of the Federal Government was also recovered





iii. The Sum of One Hundred and Fourteen Million, Two Hundred And Ninety Thousand Naira, (NGN 114,290,000.00) in relation to the December 10th, 2016, National And State Assembly Re-Run Elections in Rivers State Of Nigeria was recovered from twenty-three (23) INEC Electoral officials.





RECOVERY OF NON-CASH ITEMS





The Nigeria Police Force in the fight against Economic Sabotage and pipeline vandalism related crimes recovered two (2) Vessels, seven (7) Speed Boats, eight-three (83) Trucks, twenty-five assorted Cars including Jeeps, thirty-six (36) Buses, twenty-nine (29) Motorcycles, five Speed Boat engines and thirty-eight (38) pumping/Drilling Machines and Generators.





Summary of Monetary and Non-Monetary Assets recovered; The total recoveries of Monetary and Non-Monetary Assets of the Federal Government by the Nigeria Police Force are:





(a) MONETARY ASSETS





Four Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Nine US Dollars and Ten Cents ($470,519,889.10).





Eight Billion, Nine Hundred and Twenty-One Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Four Naira and Ninety-Six Kobo (NGN 8,921,554,834.96).





(b) NON-MONETARY ASSETS:





Two (2) Vessels





Seven (7) Speed Boats





Eighty-three (83) Tanker Trucks





Sixty-one (61) assorted Vehicles





Five (5) Speed Boats Engines





Twenty-nine (29) Motorcycles





Thirty-eight (38) Pumping/Drilling Machines and Generators.





The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni, on 21st February, 2018 directed the Commissioners of Police of all the State Commands of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and their Supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police of the Twelve Zonal Commands in the Country, and the Force Headquarters Joint Task Enforcement Team to immediately commence simultaneously throughout the Country, the mopping-up, recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunition and weapons in the possession of all suspected Militias, Bandits, Armed Herdsmen and Farmers, Vigilante groups, Neighbourhood watch and other groups or Individual(s) or Bodies bearing prohibited firearms and ammunition, illegal weapons and lethal devices whether locally fabricated, modified or otherwise fashioned to kill or that can cause harm or injury to persons or that can cause panic, fear, apprehension, security breach, breach of Public peace or that can cause threat to law and order anywhere in the Country.





Consequently, ultimatums of Twenty One (21) days at intervals were given by the Force for voluntary return of all prohibited firearms in the hands of members of the General Public, individuals and groups such as Vigilantes and neighbourhood watch groups in any of the Thirty Six (36) States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) including the Seven Hundred and Seventy Four (774) Local Government Areas of the Federation, Town Unions, Hunters and Watch night men or any group or association under any capacity or guise, other than Security Agencies recognized statutorily and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category; after the expiration of the grace period and ultimatums, the Commissioners of Police of State Commands, FCT and their Supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police and the Force Headquarters Joint Task Enforcement Team in compliance with IGPs directives and working on actionable intelligence, swung into actions and embarked on Mop-up, Seizure and Recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands, suspected Militias, Militants, Criminal/Unlawful Gangs through search, raid and seizure from identified premises, hideouts, dwelling houses, buildings and sites where these illegal/prohibited firearms were kept based on reasonable suspicion and intelligence and recovered the following prohibited/illegal firearms and ammunition:





RECOVERED PROHIBITED FIREARMS





Batch 1  No. of Firearms Recovered = 6, 527





No. of Ammunition Recovered = 14, 809





Batch 2  No. of Firearms Recovered = 3,130





No. of Ammunition Recovered = 12,185





Below are the categories of the prohibited/illegal firearms and ammunition, specified under Chapter F.28 LFN 2004 Fire Arms Act:





Prohibited Firearms; Artillery

Apparatus for the discharge of any explosives of gas diffusing projectile.

Rocket weapons

Bombs and Grenades

Machine-Guns and Machine-Pistols

Military rifles, namely; those of calibres 7.62mm, 9mm, .300 inches





Revolvers and Pistols whether rifled or unrifled (including flint-lock pistols and cap pistols).

Firearms such as Pump action gun of all categories

Any other firearms/lethal weapons fabricated to kill





This operation which is still ongoing among other purposes, is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons and will enable the Nigeria Police Force deal decisively with Herders/Farmers Clashes, Kidnappings, Armed Robbery, Cattle Rustling, Militancy and Terrorism etc.





While the Firearms Mop-up Operations and the recovery of monetary/non-monetary assets of Government are still ongoing, the Nigeria Police Force therefore implores Members of the Public with useful information that will assist the Police to report via the following contacts:





DIG Department of Operations: 08037025670





O/C IGP Special Investigation Panel: 08035891859





O/C IGP Monitoring Unit: 08032451594





O/C IGP Intelligence Response Team: 09098049333




Olusegun Agbaje, resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun state, says if vote-buyin...

Olusegun Agbaje, resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun state, says if vote-buying is not killed in Saturdays governorship election, the country is in serious trouble in 2019.





He said this at a press conference at the INEC office in Osogbo, the state capital, on Friday.





Agbaje asked Osun voters to be patient enough to devote at least two minutes of their time without phones for the election.





He wondered why Nigerians would switch off their phones for six to 10 hours while travelling abroad and would not accuse the flight crew of infringing on their fundamental human rights but would make the same accusation against INEC for two minutes of voting.





Agbaje said the commission did not give out uncollected permanent voters card (PVC) to politicians as claimed by some people.





The commission has put in place adequate preparation for the Osun state governorship election on Saturday, he said.





As we speak, I can confidently say that the commission is ready to make the election a model that will be applauded by Nigerians and the international community. Some of the things we have done include intensive voters education and public enlightenment campaign; stakeholders meeting and we have distributed non-sensitive materials to the 30 local government areas.





We have recruited 16,000 ad hoc staff from serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and staff of federal establishments in Osun state.





We have put in place adequate security arrangement for the peaceful conduct of the election. There will be three security agents at each polling units on election day as approved by the commission to maintain law and order. Through a painstaking process that involved data consolidation, automated fingerprint identification system, business rules for PVC, CVR and transfers resulting into the registration 807,598 (48%) male and 874,897 (52%) female making a total of 1,682, 495 registered voters in Osun state.





Then, we have issued 1,246,915 permanent voters cards (PVCs) representing (74.14%) to registered voters at the end of the PVC collection period on Spetember 19, leaving a total of 435,015 PVCs, that is (25.86%) yet to be collected by their owners and are being kept in the INEC strong room at the state office here in Osogbo.





All of us have been talking and complaining about vote-buying and the commission has put a strategy in place. We have a duty to protect the integrity of our elections. Bringing phones and other photographic devises is okay. INEC has benefited with what we have seen on social media during elections. But once you collect our ballot paper, you are now in our custody.





Nigerians should be patient enough to give INEC two minutes of their time, without snapping pictures. When you board a plane, they tell people to switch off their phones and for about six to ten hours if you are going to London or America, people dont see it as fundamental human rights abuse. But for two minutes that Nigerians will give to INEC, people are saying we are infringing on their fundamental human rights.




Chinese military industry companies are showcasing a wide range of weapons and equipment at the Africa Aerospace and Defence 2018 (AAD2018) expo being held in the city of Tshwane, South Africa from Wednesday to Sunday.

Chinese military experts say China is capable of delivering an entire national defense system to African buyers, and China's defense cooperation with African countries will contribute to regional peace and stability in the continent.

Led by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, six Chinese arms companies, including China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) and China Shipbuilding Trading Co Ltd (CSTC), are taking part in AAD2018, according to a statement the administration sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

The Chinese companies are showcasing a huge collection of products, including missiles, vessels, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, radar and ground force equipment that can fulfill the needs of ground forces, navies and air forces, the statement said.

"The Chinese lineup this year at AAD2018 is unprecedented," Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"It indicates the rapid development the Chinese arms industry has made in recent years and shows weapons and equipment made in China are being recognized by the global market," Wei said.

An air defense missile system, a multi-use frigate and a rotor wing unmanned aerial vehicle are among the favorites, as a huge crowd stopped in their tracks in front of the Chinese display of weapons and expressed interest, according to the statement.

"If a certain African country wants to comprehensively upgrade its military, Chinese products at the expo are enough to meet all their requirements," Wei said.

Many African representatives have already said they intend to make purchases, the statement said. AAD is Africa's biggest armament exhibit. It has been held every two years since 2000, according to the statement.

China's advantage

More than 300 companies from 37 countries and regions including the US and Russia are taking part in the expo, the statement said.

Xu Guangyu, a senior consultant at the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, told the Global Times on Thursday that the US, Russia and European countries are the traditional arms suppliers of African countries.

Chinese arms are attractive to African buyers as they are less costly, Xu said, noting that Chinese military industrial products have a unique advantage in price-performance ratio in the global defense market.

Wei said the militaries of many African countries are using outdated weapons and equipment and urgently need to upgrade their arsenals.

China's weapons for export have advanced features and are of high quality, Wei remarked.

Even after a purchase, "China can ensure the weapons' maintenance, repairing and personnel training. China will closely cooperate with African countries by sending experts there," Xu said, adding that Western countries usually charge high prices for similar after-sales services.

Serve to defend

"The cooperation between China and Africa is not limited to infrastructure construction, investment and trade, as national security is also an important aspect," Xu told the Gloabal Times on Thursday.

The arms trade is normal for a country to meet its needs for national security, and China follows all international norms and standards, Xu noted.

Wei said that none of the Chinese weapons and equipment being showcased is designed for aggression, but serve to defend.

"China is very careful about what weapons it sells. What China sells is actually beneficial to regional peace and stability," Wei noted.
Photographs of apparently modified Z-10 helicopters are trending on online military forums, prompting a Chinese analyst on Thursday to note the Z-10 is a cost-effective piece of military equipment with great potential to be sold on the global arms market.

The photos show helicopters in desert camouflage with "Z10ME001" stenciled on their tails, similar to a prototype publicized by Z-10 designer Aviation Industry Corporation of China (CAIC) in 2016.

The Z-10ME was an improved version of the Z-10 in use by ground and air forces of the People's Libration Army, according to a 2016 report published in Chinese military magazine Ordnance Industry Science Technology.

A new engine will be installed that may increase the chopper's maximum power from 935 kilowatts to 1,200 kilowatts, the magazine reported. The Z-10ME also has improved mobility, protection and firepower, the article said.

Z-10 medium attack helicopters can be adapted to the desert and the sea, military expert and TV commentator Song Zhongping told the Global Times on Thursday.

The Z-10 can also adjust to different weathers, Song noted.

"Many countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America are in need of medium attack helicopters cheaper than the US-made AH-64 Apache but with sufficient firepower," Song said.

Song referred to the Z-10 as a cost-effective choice, over which China enjoys full intellectual property rights. "Therefore, we (China) can offer effective after-sales service and even accept loans and some technology transfer," Song said.

The Z-10ME might debut publicly at the Zhuhai Air Show to be held in China's Guangdong Province in November, Song believed.

The PLA has had the Z-10 for about a decade, and it was "time to explore the global market," Song said.

Potential buyers include Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, according to Song.
LONDON, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming on Wednesday said that the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea has never been a problem, warning that no one should underestimate China's determination to uphold peace and stability in the region.

Liu made the remarks at the annual Commonwealth Diplomats Induction Program. His remarks came weeks after Britain's HMS Albion-class landing platform dock entered China's territorial sea of the Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands) without the Chinese government's approval. The Chinese navy identified and verified the British warship in accordance with law and warned and expelled it.

The ambassador said that thanks to the concerted efforts of China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the situation in the South China Sea has been improving.

"Relevant parties have returned to the right track of addressing disputes through negotiation and consultation," he said. "Relations between China and relevant countries have been sound and stable."

Liu stressed that countries in the region have the confidence, capability and wisdom to deal with the South China Sea issue properly and achieve enduring stability, development and prosperity.

"Yet to everyone's confusion, some big countries outside the region did not seem to appreciate the peace and tranquility in the South China Sea," he said. "They sent warships and aircraft all the way to the South China Sea to create trouble."

The senior diplomat said that under the excuse of so-called "freedom of navigation," these countries ignored the vast sea lane and chose to sail into the adjacent waters of China's islands and reefs to show off their military might.

"This was a serious infringement" of China's sovereignty, he said. "It threatened China's security and put regional peace and stability in jeopardy."

Liu stressed that China has all along respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and over-flight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"Freedom of navigation is not a license to do whatever one wishes," he said, noting that freedom of navigation is not freedom to invade other countries' territorial waters and infringe upon other countries' sovereignty.

"Such 'freedom' must be stopped," Liu noted. "Otherwise the South China Sea will never be tranquil."

He said that no one should underestimate China's will to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests and no one should underestimate China's determination to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea.
[Photo/VCG]

When Japan sent on Sept 13 its submarine Kuroshio to the South China Sea for a covert drill with the country's the helicopter carrier Kaga and two other destroyers, it was testing one of China's red lines.

It was the first exercise for the Kuroshio in the region.

On Sept 17, Japan's defense ministry made public the anti-submarine drill. Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Yutaka Murakawa called the sea area vitally important for Japan. The drill was supposed to sharpen the submarines capabilities to approach vessels without being detected.

The drill was held within the nine-dash line, the boundary of an area in which China claims jurisdiction. The Japanese navy had previously conducted anti-submarine drills only in sea areas around Japan.

In an interview with The New York Times, Narushige Michishita, director of the Security and International Studies Program at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, said Japan is sending "a signal that China cannot just do whatever it wants to do and get away with it".

Also, the Kuroshio, with a crew of 80, started a five-day port call at Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay on Sept 17. It was the first call by a Japanese submarine at the strategic naval base that faces the South China Sea since World War II.

Japan has been trying to make its presence in the South China Sea alone or along with the US navy in recent years. Japan and the United States have had bilateral exercises in the South China Sea since 2015.

In 2017, Japan sent its Izumo helicopter destroyer to the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean for a three-month tour in its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War II. Military officers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc boarded the Izumo.

JS Ise, a Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer displacing 13,950 standard tons, joined the US Carl Vinson Strike Group for a bilateral naval exercise in the South China Sea in March. The drill included practicing joint anti-submarine warfare operations and replenishment-at-sea with the USS Carl Vinson.

Since his return to office in 2012, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has visited all 10 countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and other senior Japanese government officials also made frequent trips to the region. Those trips saw a deepening of Japan's defense relations with Southeast Asian states.

In November 2016, Japan unveiled its first defense initiative for the ASEAN, known as the Vientiane Vision. Under the initiative, Japan will have defense collaboration with ASEAN as a whole rather than with select Southeast Asian states, be it increased resources targeted at boosting coast guard capacity-building as well as wider maritime law enforcement training in collaboration with other external partners like the United States.

While Japan, along with the United States and other allies, wants to poke its nose in the South China Sea, China and ASEAN states have been making progress in efforts to reduce tensions.

In early August, foreign ministers from China and ASEAN announced they had agreed on a negotiating text for the code of conduct for the South China Sea. Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan deemed the draft a "major achievement". And Foreign Minister Wang Yi also called it a major development. Without any disturbances from outside, Wang said, negotiations on the code of conduct will accelerate.

Chinese and ASEAN leaders will meet in November, with many people expecting that a final version of the code of conduct would be agreed on.

The China-ASEAN Maritime Exercise, initially proposed by China, was held on Aug 2-3 in the form of a tabletop exercise at Singapore's Changi Naval Base, in which more than 40 naval and other military officers from the 11 countries joined in. It was a precursor to an actual drill in October.

Improving their ties, China and ASEAN have been facilitating communications and building trust to deal with crises and contingencies.

The interference from countries outside the region will complicate the situation and increase the chances for contingences or clashes in the South China Sea. The Japanese submarine is a wrong signal.

The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief.
By Zhang Jie and Liu Yang

The official WeChat public account of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) recently revealed that its AV500 unmanned helicopter (as shown above) performed well in a recent military exercise of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Some analysts believe that the AV500's main performance is comparable to that of the famous US Fire Scout unmanned helicopter MQ-8.

Chinese experts said that as a supplement to fixed-wing UAVs, the AV500 is set to become an important component of the Chinese UAV corps.

Eye-catching Performance

According to AVICs WeChat account, the AV500 unmanned helicopter developed and built by AVIC was recently invited to participate in an actual-combat exercise of the PLA.

On the day of the exercise, with high-altitude wind speeds reaching 22 meters per second (79.2km/h), the AV500 simulated conducting defense penetration operations at mid and low altitudes. By virtue of its superior wind-resistant performance, precise route control, and stable flight attitude, the AV500 spanned a long distance of 180 kilometers with all parameters registered as normal in about two hours.

The results showed that the air-defense penetration combat capability of the AV500 lived up to expectations, successfully completing the air defense penetration exercise

China Aviation News reported on October 31, 2017 that the AV500 unmanned helicopter carried out a test flight at the Xiahe Airport in northwest China's Gansu Province at an altitude of 4,600 meters, and broke the flying height record of 5,006 meters, setting a new record for domestic UAVs. On November 18, 2017, the AV500 unmanned helicopter successfully completed its missile-armed flight and shooting test at a base in Golmud in northwest Chinas Qinghai Province.

Military experts said in an interview that the AV500 may not yet officially "join the army", but remain for now as a "guest" invited to participate in the military exercise.

Comparable performance to the US Fire Scout unmanned helicopter

The AV500 unmanned helicopter is reportedly a mature, light unmanned helicopter with a wide range of quasi-military and civilian benefits. Its maximum takeoff weight is 500kg with a payload of 190kg, and its flying height is capable of reaching 5,000 meters, boasting a maximum endurance of nine hours and a control radius of 200km.

The AV500 unmanned helicopter and its armed variant perform well on the plateau, boasting strong maneuverability, convenient deployment, superb reconnaissance and rapid response capabilities, and capable of accurately striking ground targets, such as light vehicles and personnel, making it especially suitable for operations in complex terrain like plateau.

Experts introduced that the demand of unmanned reconnaissance and attack helicopters for the takeoff and landing sites is relatively low, so they have their place in the field of unmanned reconnaissance and attack aircraft. A typical example is the MQ-8 series of unmanned helicopters developed by the US Northrop Grumman Corporation.

The MQ-8B unmanned helicopter has an empty weight of 940kg, a maximum takeoff weight of 1.4 tons, an endurance time of eight hours, and a flying height of about 6,000 meters.

Due to its vertical takeoff and landing characteristics, the RQ-8A Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is favored by the US Navy, enjoying takeoff and landing rights on ships above the frigate level, for reconnaissance, surveillance, missile relay guidance, and target indication. In view of its longer endurance time than manned helicopters, it can also play a role in increasing the detection distance for small ships.

Compared with the US Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, the AV500 has a smaller size, but performs comparably in certain aspects, including endurance time and flying height.

Whats more, the AV500 is even stronger in terms of post-equipment adaptability, making it very suitable for onboard installation, as well as for takeoff and landing in small land areas.

In addition, due to the helicopters slow flight speed, it is capable of hovering. Meanwhile, combined with its feature of weaker radar signals, it can even approximate invisibility in certain conditions.

Extensive uses

Air Force expert Fu Qianshao said that the development prospects for unmanned helicopters are much brighter with their wide range of uses. For example, the AV500 with a maximum takeoff weight of 500kg has a payload of 190kg, while current anti-tank missiles weigh dozens of kilograms each, so the AV500 is able to simultaneously carry out reconnaissance and assault tasks.

"Based on the general model, the AV500 can also be developed into a maritime version that meets the Navys shipboard demands. If the armored units of the Army are heavily equipped with such drones that can be released into the air at any time, the armored forces would be able to see even farther and also be able to conduct joint operations with ground forces. Furthermore, the Air Force can equip its relevant rescue forces with such unmanned helicopters, Fu added.

Fu believed that, starting with suitable usage of the AV500 unmanned helicopter at its present level, Chinese aviation industries can continue to develop unmanned helicopters of a thousand kilograms and even several kilograms.

Fu also believed that in the future, China can develop even larger unmanned transport helicopters. At the same time, after being verified, the technologies adopted on unmanned helicopters can also be applied to the field of manned helicopters.

Disclaimer: The authors are Zhang Jie and Liu Yang with the Global Times. The article is translated and edited from Chinese into English by the China Military online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article are those of the author from the Global Times and do not reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. Chinamil.com.cn does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. If the article carries photographs or images, we do not vouch for their authenticity.
Boy band Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, will make a speech at the UN General Assembly next week.

They will attend an event for a project called "Generation Unlimited" by UNICEF which is "dedicated to increasing opportunities and investments for children and young people" and give a three-minute speech in English on Sept. 24.
President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un voiced hopes that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Pyongyang and that a second U.S.-North Korea summit can take place soon.

Moon was briefing reporters at a press center in Seoul after returning from his three-day visit to North Korea. "North Korea asked us to mediate in talks with the U.S.," he added.

Kim "repeatedly voiced his strong desire for denuclearization," Moon said. "He expressed hope of achieving complete denuclearization in the near future if possible and focusing on economic development."

He also said that he and Kim discussed matters that were not included in their written agreements. "I plan to deliver the details to President [Donald] Trump when I visit the U.S." next week, he said. Moon said he aims to announce a formal end to the Korean War within this year. "I will discuss that again when I meet with President Trump."

The president defended a military agreement with North Korea to reduce armaments along the border. "If the military agreement is implemented successfully, we could move on to working to downsize more weapons like long-range artillery aimed at our capital and troops, which pose mutual threats," he said.

Moon added that Kim agreed to exchanges between lawmakers and provincial administrators from both sides of the border and to return assets owned by Hyundai Group at the North's Mt. Kumgang resort that were seized by the North in retaliation against the South's decision to halt package tours to the scenic resort after a North Korean soldier killed a South Korean tourist in 2008.


President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's "spontaneous" trek to symbolic Mt. Baekdu had in fact been a while in the planning, the circumstances suggest. Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters on Wednesday, "The trip to Mt. Baekdu came at the invitation of [Kim]" at the last minute. But photos of the visit show Moon, Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju wearing black winter coats and Moon's wife Kim Jung-sook in a black-and-white coat with a muffler. For an early autumn trip to Pyongyang such winter clothes would have been quite unsuitable, suggesting they knew full well what was coming.

President Moon Jae-in (center) dips his hand into the crater lake at the top of Mt. Baekdu on Thursday.

Then there is the question of the first lady's bottle of water. Kim Jung-sook brought a 500 ml bottle filled with water that she said came from Mt. Halla on Jeju Island. She poured half of it into the crater lake at the top of Mt. Baekdu and refilled it with water from the lake. That stunt too would have been impossible to achieve without prior notice. However, the business entourage seems not to have been informed in advance, since the Unification Ministry in a slightly farcical emergency maneuver shipped a huge consignment of mountaineering jackets to the North at the last minute. The jackets were manufactured by outdoor fashion company K2, which had a factory in the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex. Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Park Yong-man, SK chairman Chey Tae-won, Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong and LG chairman Koo Kwang-mo, who accompanied Moon and Kim up the mountain, had to be decked out in suitable clothes. The waterproof jackets worn by Park and others cost W189,000 each, and the down jacket worn by Lee W239,000 (US$1=W1,122).

Business leaders pose at the crater lake on Mt. Baekdu on Thursday. From right, Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong, Socar chairman Lee Jae-woong, LG chairman Koo Kwang-mo, SK chairman Chey Tae-won, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Park Yong-man and Hyundai Motor vice chairman Kim Yong-hwan

On Wednesday afternoon, the ministry placed an emergency order with K2 for 250 waterproof jackets and 250 slim down jackets. K2 picked them up from its warehouse in Yeoju south of Seoul and rushed them to an airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province at 10 p.m. to be flown to Pyongyang. The price for the 500 jackets was W107 million, but K2 gave the government a discount for the large volume and charged only W64.2 million. K2 seems to have been chosen because it was one of the South Korean companies which operated in the joint industrial complex, or probably because it was one of the very few firms that had enough in stock.
The U.S. Defense Department has pledged to "thoroughly review" a military pact the two Koreas signed on Wednesday, Radio Free Asia reported.

Spokesman Christopher Logan added the Pentagon has so far no preconceived opinion on the pact, but it is unusual for the department not to welcome a pact a U.S. ally has signed as a matter of courtesy.

"The UN Command will thoroughly review the details of the comprehensive agreement to ensure compliance with the Armistice Agreement and its implementation under current circumstances considering the spirits of the inter-Korean and Singapore summits," it said in a statement.

Some elements in the pact, such as a ban on aerial reconnaissance activities near the demilitarized zone, would directly affect the activities of the U.S. Forces Korea.

"We understand that the pact applies also to USFK reconnaissance aircraft and are discussing this with the USFK," a senior Defense Ministry official here told reporters. That suggests the deal was signed without full prior consultation with the USFK.

A USFK source complained that the South Korean government did not seem to try to reflect American forces' opinion in the agreement, and their communication felt more like a notification than a proper consultation.

Gen. Vincent Brooks, the USFK chief, has been forced into bizarre contortions since he is concurrently head of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and commander of the UNC, accepting the pact in one role but expressing concerns in another, according to a military source.

"It seems that the UNC, whose duty is to prevent accidental clashes, is welcoming the pact, but the USFK and the CFC, which will be restricted from carrying out operations, feel uncomfortable," the ministry official added.


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In the dynamic between subject and artist, we expect it's the person being painted, photographed, or rendered in some other medium who might be timid or nervous, and the person capturing them is confidently in control. For Toronto-based painter Kris Knight, however, it's quite the opposite: His self-proclaimed shyness often slows the necessary process of cultivating trust between subject and artist.

Maybe it's Knight's patience that imbues his work with such tenderness. The pastel tones of his portraits are soft and gentle, and the positioning of subjects feels intimate, like they were caught off guard without ever having realized it. Combining inspiration from 18th and 19th century styles  the theatricality of rococo, the more cerebral neoclassicism, and imaginative romanticism  recalls a period when portraiture was largely reserved for the rich and powerful.

Knight's subjects are "some of the most confident people," he notes, but the ultimate results often stray from a straightforward likeness. In the end, the subjects read as everyday people, mostly young men  but with their inherent loveliness foregrounded (even in introspective or more melancholy portraits), he elevates the quotidian to divine heights.

After falling for Knight's beautiful portrait of Troye Sivan included our new PAPER People Issue, we decided he deserved a showcase all his own. Below, learn more about how Knight's personality intersects with his process, his past collaboration with Gucci, his work ethic, and more. You'll get a bit of an art history lesson in the process, too.

Can you tell us more about your inspirations and how your style developed? Like many young artists I was drawn to historical art and artists as a way to learn technique  especially the portrait greats, but as I got older I started to dissect what I liked from each artist and applied bits and pieces to my process. I really don't know how I ended up with my style other than observing and realizing what I like and don't like about painting over the years. I know that I like quiet paintings; I like having the audience lean in, as opposed to yelling at them.

Your work reminds me of Chuck Oberstein's sad clowns at times, like with "Harlequin" and "The Unsuccessful Joke." I mean this as a compliment, of course. Is it completely off to see  in a way  your work as a romantic, soft, and queer update of those portraits? I have to admit that I am not a fan of Oberstein's clowns; I much prefer the Fete galante paintings of the rococo period to anything circus-like. Oberstein believed that clowns represented freedom, which I agree with, but the costumed and masked performers of Fete galante represented a search for intimacy and personal pleasure suffused with a theatrical air. I'm also a bit of a Watteau stan, to the point of celebrating my 37th birthday at the place of his death in France at the age of 37 but you didn't ask me about ghost-hunting.

I often paint the character of the Harlequin because he is the comedian whose job it is to entertain and make us laugh  the buffoon who can get away with throwing thinly veiled truths about the powerful and the audience itself because we are too afraid to. The harlequin has been a metaphor for artists for so long  from Romanticism to Picasso, artists often link their own ambivalent role in society to that of a clown  for me, I can position this ambivalence to my own queerness.

For that series, I was more interested in the role of the performer and exploring notions of performance in both and everyday and theatrical dimension, whether it is real or faked. It's the performance that gets one from A to B, especially in a culture like today's where we yell out successes on social media but hide our failures with all might. It's the balancing act of presentation  we rarely show our backstage because it makes us uncomfortable and [it's] uncomfortable for our audience. I often use theatre as a way to examine what's actuality from what is merely staged and what happens when these lines are blurred.

I've always been a quiet and shy person who prefers to look rather than be seen, so I am envious of those who can get up on stage and command an audience. Many of my paintings focus on the performer without an audience or the failed performer  and how they act when they don't have a spotlight to shine in. My work celebrates this underlying sense of tension and sadness and the desire to be distracted or to distract, but with bits of humor and sensuality, because who wants to be a complete downer?

"I like having the audience lean in, as opposed to yelling at them."

How do you choose your subjects? I've read that some are your friends, but sometimes you'll paint someone you think is your own creation, only to later realize you've encountered them a handful of times in your daily life. What do you think draws you to particular faces and bodies? My paintings are combination of reality and fantasy. I start each painting off with a sketch or collaged image before I paint on canvas. The majority of my characters are based on real people, mostly friends or acquaintances, but sometimes collaged references culled from historical photographs, fashion, porn, mug shots, self-portraits, as well as my imagination.

Over the years I have managed to convince a small group of friends to pose for me for every series; their likeness may change in each painting because I am too lazy to seek out new subjects, but also because it's taken me years to achieve a level of comfort and trust with these subjects. When I invite new friends to come pose for me in the studio, the first session of photos and sketches are usually a toss away because of my own awkwardness. I often project this nervousness onto my sitter; it takes some time before we are both relaxed and the positioning isn't so static, sometimes it doesn't happen and my paintings have a nervous tension to them that we simply couldn't overcome.

My subjects are often the most confident people I know or have been told of  handsome, talented and confident. When I photograph them for my work I usually use the still right after I say that "we got the picture"  this is when guards are let down and minds wander. It's the slip or comedown from an accomplished feat or a praised task.

When I don't use live models I make collages  often from historic photos of figures whose biographies I resonate with (often queer men with a tragic past) and embellish the rest, the costumes, the settings into something that helps stage my narratives.

'The Unsuccessful Joke,' Oil on Canvas, 16x12" 2017

You've said that your earliest memory is of drawing, and that to an extent, you were "groomed to be an artist." Yes, one of my first childhood memories was that of parent's excitement when they discovered that I had some drawing skills at very young age. I remember the pride in their voices and I had a desire to keep drawing from that point on. Some kids are into sports, or horses or action figures; I was into drawing and painting, so most of my birthday and Christmas presents were art related. In a way I was groomed to be an artist simply because it was easy gift giving. I do exactly that same thing now with my nieces and nephews.

Another reason why I've always been interested in art is because I am shy, quiet person, who as a kid, would much rather draw on the floor than go out and play with others. Like many gay kids who grow up in rural areas and small towns, I wanted to flee as quick as I could, so going to art school (aka next level misfit high school) in the city seemed like the logical choice. Fashion school was going to be my plan B if I didn't get into art school because I've always been a magpie for color, textiles and patterns.

What was it like to work with Frida Giannini on the Gucci pattern? Working with Gucci was a dream. When they approached me to reimagine their iconic Flora print I was very much overwhelmed but wanted to create something that was narrative and still very much about my practice. I was given a lot a research materials on the Vittorio Accornero's original Flora design that Gucci created for Princess Grace in the 1965, as well as access to the mood boards that Frida Giannini and her design team use to brainstorm their 2015 collections. In one of the mood boards, I saw a beautiful picture of a young Marianne Faithfull from the 1960s and her "Witches Song" started playing in my head  this sparked my initial ideas for my Flora print. I spent a lot of time writing the story behind my Flora print before I started sketching it onto canvas. I didn't want to create just a pretty floral print but something that had an element of enchantment, subversion and a touch of darkness. I wanted to create a story that takes place when the sun comes down by choosing plants that one doesn't typically see in floral paintings  especially floral prints. I wanted to create a subversive floral painting that had a strong feminist twist by using plants and flowers that women of ancient times used to command power over men  whether it was for healing, seduction or poisoning. I've always rooted for the underdog and the heroine, and chose to dedicate my floral print to plants that have significant historical importance but rarely get celebrated in the daylight. It's been a few years now since my print came out and I've watched it adapted countlessly and trickle from high end to fast fashion, but I still get a thrill and chuckle when I see people wearing my ultimately witchy and druggy flora pattern.

You seem to stay incredibly busy; you're constantly showing in solo and group exhibits. Your fountain of inspiration really seems like an bottomless reserve  but the intensity of creativity must ebb and flow at times, right? Can you give any insight into your work ethic? I'm a bit of workaholic and I am extremely lucky to be able to paint full time, so I do treat it like a job. Sometimes that job takes over and engulfs me completely, but I am learning to have a life outside of my studio. Art is my currency and I still love and am curious of everything about painting (except the toxic side effects from prolonged exposure!) and still get excited every morning to go to my studio, but I do realize that creative burnout is a real thing, so I am slowly coming out of my studio hermit shell and experiencing life beyond painting.

Are there any upcoming exhibits or projects you'd like to mention? Right now I am working towards my next solo exhibition that will be mounted in March 2019 at Galerie Alain Gutharc in Paris. It will be my second solo exhibition in Paris and I'll be showing a brand new series of paintings that shifts direction from the theatrical to the domestic.
Front pages of major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Friday are full of various issues from political, sociocultural and financial issues. The appointment of Navin Kumar Ghimire as the Chief of Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, ruling Nepal Communist Partys preparation to impeach Justice Deepak Raj Joshee, strike of transport workers against some provisions of new criminal code, unanimous elections of chairpersons of 10 committees of House of Representatives among others are key issues that have been featured on the front pages today. Likewise, the murder of a school principal in Sunsari district of eastern Nepal has also been covered significantly.

Following up over recent incidents of rape and murder, some newspapers have continued highlighting analyses about the cases.

Important

CIAA gets boss after seven months

While Nepals anti-corruption constitution body was headless since the retirement of Deep Basnyat in February, President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Thursday appointed Navin Kumar Ghimire, who was taking charge of the Commission as the Acting Chief, to the top position, according to newspaper reports.

The appointment follows endorsement of his name for the position by the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee.

Meanwhile, Ghimire took oath of office and secrecy from Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra and assumed his office yesterday, expressing commitment to taking action against everyone involved in corruption cases, report the newspapers.

Joshee adamant against resignation

Following reports that the ruling Nepal Communist Party began preparing signatures claiming it will file an impeachment motion against Justice Deepak Raj Joshee if he does not resign soon, the controversial judge says he will not, according to reports in Annapurna Post and Republica.

Rajdhani claims the ruling party is planning to wait for two more days before filing the motion to see if he will resign though it can easily get support of two thirds House of Representatives members to impeach him.

Meanwhile, Naya Patrika has analysed what problems will arise if Joshee continues his duty.

10 House panels get unopposed leaders

Gorkhapatra, Rajdhani, Nepal Samacharpatra, The Kathmandu Post and Republica report that all 10 thematic committees in the House of Representatives have elected their chairpersons unopposed on Thursday as only one lawmaker filed candidacy to lead each committee.

The unanimity was possible as the ruling Nepal Communist Party commands a clear majority in the House as well as all committees so that candidates without its support cannot win the race. Of 10 committees, one is being led by the main opposition Nepali Congress, one by the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal and eight by NCP.

Meanwhile, six chairs among eight NCP lawmakers are women.

Ignored

Nirmala Pants postmortem report suggests rape

The Seti Zonal Hospital in Dhangadhi has prepared the postmortem report of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant, who was murdered around two months ago, concluding she was strangled after rape, according to Naya Patrika.

The report informs that the murderer strangled her as there was no any bruise in other parts except neck.

Meanwhile, this case remains elusive for the lack of evidence and police are to blame for destroying them, the report claims.

Transporters withdraw plan to open pre-Dashain ticket booking

Karobar lead story informs that transport entrepreneurs have withdrawn themselves from an agreement reached with the government for opening advance booking of public bus tickets for upcoming Dashain festival from today. The entrepreneurs have put forth the withdrawal of hike in the price of petroleum products as a precondition for the opening of booking.

Official says India does not have any precondition for power purchase

The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aaayog)s Vice Chairperson Rajiv Kumar has says India does not have any precondition to buy electricity from Nepal, reports Abhiyan in its lead story.

Speaking at a function in Kathmandu yesterday, the official said there was no precondition though a guideline of Indian government requires at least 51 per cent Indian investment into the project to buy electricity from any foreign country.

Karobar has also covered his statement on the front page.

Nepal Army assures no delay in fast track

The Nepal Army, which has recently selected a Korean consultant to prepare a detailed project report for the Kathmandu-Terai fast track project, has claimed the ambitious project will be over in the given period of four years though 13 months have been passed without the DPR, according to a report in The Kathmandu Post.

Meanwhile, the national military organisaiton is preparing to sign an agreement with Soosung Engineering on September 29. The company will be given four months for the assignment.

Interesting

Six bases of national language

The Language Commission has identified six bases to give a status of national language at the provincial level, according to the anchor story in Gorkhapatra. The Commission has recently submitted its report to the government.

The bases are the number of speakers, linguistic identity, script, standardisation, acceptability and history, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the Commission has concluded that local governments can recognise local languages as official ones; but the Commission has to consent that.

Rudrakasha farms under CCTV surveillance

Rudraksha farmers in Bhojpur district of eastern Nepal have begun deploying CCTVs for surveillance of their cultivation as thieves began attacking the lucrative product used for religious purposes, reports Kantipur anchor story.

The farmers would guard the farms themselves till last year, but they have embraced the modern technology spending some thousand rupees now as the monetary benefit of the plant increased with the rise in its use, the report informs.
In a second major legal report this week we learn from Germany's patent analyst Florian Mueller that Qualcomm's Munich Spotlight cases have been defanged in three important ways.

Firstly some of the Qualcomm lawsuits will result in a non-infringement finding. There could be a minor monetary charge, but no infringement will be handed down.

Secondly, iPhones for the German market could be manufactured by Pegatron to side step infringement. Again there will be a cost paid to Qualcomm but completely side step an infringement finding.

Thirdly, Qualcomm's lead counsel, Quinn Emanuel's Dr. Marcus Grosch, conceded that iOS 12, at least in Germany (though purportedly not in other places), "works differently" with respect to the accused feature. When asked by the court whether iOS 12 keeps clear of infringement, Dr. Grosch stopped short of admitting that much, but he did reiterate that it "works differently."

Mueller thinks that this complicates matters for Qualcomm, with the charge of infringement against Apple not being able to stick. This is likely to translate to another win for Apple, though there could be a monetary penalty applied.

Further on this point, Mueller specifically wrote: "In the validity part it was easy to see why iOS 12 is apparently in the clear: in connection with a search for ways to contact a person, Spotlight in iOS 12--purportedly just for Germany--displays text, but not icons, when distinguishing between a given contact's phone number, email address, and other contact data. Does this sound ridiculous to you? It sure does to me. But Qualcomm's last straw for getting at least some valid, but significantly narrowed, claims at the end of the ongoing nullity and revocation against rests on the icon/text distinction. I don't know whether one should laugh or cry. Anyway, this makes the presence of icons critical for the infringement theory as well, but iOS 12 simply doesn't show icons to German users in that particular context.

So if Qualcomm were to obtain a German injunction, it would only be symbolic, but commercially irrelevant. Frankly, I can't even see how the patents will survive on that basis."

Towards the end, Mueller adds: "How could Qualcomm enforce its intellectual property rights without violating antitrust law? Apple mentioned different aspects and criticized Qualcomm for the selectivity of its attacks. In my opinion, the single most important part is that Qualcomm would recognize the antitrust implications of its actions and would seek only monetary damages, not injunctive relief."

On one last interesting point, Mueller asks the question: "Couldn't Qualcomm just work around it by means of privateering (selling patents to a troll who would then go after Apple)?"

In his opinion, Mueller writes: "It wouldn't work. In order for Qualcomm to leverage patent suits to force Apple to stop buying from Intel to and force it to return to buying baseband chips exclusively from Qualcomm again, Qualcomm would sooner or later have to tell Apple that certain troll lawsuits would also be withdrawn the moment Apple does so. So Qualcomm couldn't hide the fact."

A decision has been scheduled for December 20, 2018. For more on this, be sure to check out FOSS Patents' full report.

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Out on the interwebs, at least in the corners where I tend to hang out theres a lot of conversation about psychedelics and Buddhism and especially Zen.

I am not a relentless denier of their possible uses. But, I am more than slightly negatively inclined. Im especially disdainful of some sense that special experiences are particularly significant. That said, the truth of the matter is how more than one religion finds its source in what outsiders would call hallucinations.

As I said, me, Im past suspicious of any assertions grounded, if you will, in such things. Too often what is being packaged within the claims of these grand experiences is glaringly self-serving. One spiritual director I worked with suggested a pretty good way to tell whether any insight that presents itself, was if you liked the word, it probably is a lying spirit. While I find that useful, it doesnt factor in those spirits that tell you to go and kill people, which you may find abhorrent, but, hey, the spirit said to do it. Nor does that take into account those experiences where self and other collapse. All so messy.

Messy, no doubt. Messy.

As a spiritual tradition Zen tends to be very wary of such things. Possibly one of the reasons, secondary though it may be, why Zen remains so important to me. Within the Zen world the technical term for such things is makyo, which roughly translates as diabolic interference. Wariness about all of this just plain makes sense to me.

And at the same time Ive noticed such ecstatic eruptions also do contain truths. Sometimes sublime. Sometimes life changing. And a fundamental insight and a hallucination can look a lot like each other. And, sometimes one is wrapped up with the other. Sometimes it is not possible to untangle it all in any clear way.

And that needs to be acknowledged.

So, how to balance this? I think as a general rule of thumb we should look beyond the alleged source to the truth claims themselves. What in all the tearing at the edges of our shared reality might be helpful on our own quest? What seems to point true, and a lamp helping to light our way on the great path?

Which brings me to today, the 17th of September. Which in many branches of the Western Christian churches is celebrated as a festival for Hildegard of Bingen.

Hildegard was born in the vicinity of 1098 within our common era to a family of lower nobility, within the confines of the Holy Roman Empire in what is today Germany. Sickly and afflicted with visions from well before her adolescence her parents enrolled her as an oblate in the Benedictine order. As it happens this seemed exactly what she needed and at around fourteen Hildegard took her life vows. Between her mentor the anchoress Jutta von Sponheim and the monk Volmar, who examined her closely and both felt her visions did indeed contain truths and so they helped the young nun to live with them and through them.

Upon Juttas death, Hildegard was elected leader of the community. Eventually she would also found a second community. She became a powerful figure within the religious world of her day with influence that extended beyond her convents. Something it should be noted that was astonishingly rare for a woman in those days and in that place.

As to the visions, Hildegard reported her experiences started at the age of three. She called it the shade of the living light, and described this light as something experienced through her conventional senses. Some modern physicians including Olive Sacks reading her detailed accounts of her experiences diagnosed her as suffering from severe migraines. Actually that makes a lot of sense. But, these experiences also, in my opinion, allowed the results of her deeper reflections a means of expression, breaking through societal and religious barriers, and to erupt into consciousness, and, most importantly, given a voice.

These remained private revelations until 1141 when she felt the call to write them down, which she did. She also illustrated them. Critically, the pope Eugenius approved her publication of these visions. And with that approval her teachings began to be shared widely.

Her interests and the subjects of her visions were wide, ranging from medical considerations, to music, to ecology, to natural science, to writing, including among her theological speculations, what some consider the oldest surviving morality play. She continued to break past the conventions of gender and became a popular preacher, taking three major tours to lecture on her teachings. She became counselor to bishops and kings. She even had the popes ear.

Hildegard died on this day in 1179. She was quickly venerated as a saint by many. And, finally, in 2012 was declared a doctor of the church, a signal honor extended to only thirty-five people, and counting her only the fourth woman to be so honored within the history of the Catholic church.

Me, I place her roughly within the family of pantheists, and therefore part of the family I claim as my blood kin. Certainly she saw the power and beauty of the natural world, and whether she genuinely held the dualism inherent in the Christian tradition or it dissolved at some point in her giving herself over to the ecstatic moments of her visions, there is a sense to her that seems to me to sacralize the natural in a way not so common among her co-religionists.

And, you know, in my experience, and by my observation, we all fail in significant ways to find the balance. Although I would throw in it is actually at those spots of failure the way is revealed. We are to compound the mystery only able to ascertain the whole through or actually as our brokenness.

Such is life. Such is the way

And, all that said, Im so glad today is an opportunity to pause and recall one of the significant mystics of the Western world, one who looked deep into the broken and saw the beauty and the mystery of the whole.

A gift, actually, to the whole world.
Satirist Keyomars Marzban Arrested by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Held Incommunicado, No Access to Lawyer

09/20/18

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Keyomars Marzban, a 26-year-old satirist, has been held incommunicado in Tehran's Evin Prison and without access to counsel since the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested him on August 26, 2018.



Detained Iranian satirist Keyomars Marzban

"When he left Iran in 2009, he lived in Malaysia for a few years as well as a few months in the Republic of Georgia. He never traveled to the US," a source with knowledge of Marzban's case told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on September 19, 2018.

The sources that provided testimony for this report requested anonymity for security reasons.

"You couldn't find a more harmless and gentle person than Keyomars to frame?" tweeted fellow Iranian satirist Sharagim Zand on September 17.

"[President Hassan] Rouhani and his supporters say Iranian expats should come back to the country and work here but what they want is an easy target to prey on and fabricate charges against him in another putrid spectacle by the security intelligence establishment," added Zand.

Marzban is not a dual citizen. He did not experience any problems upon returning to Iran about a year ago to visit his ailing grandmother.

On September 12, a website affiliated with the IRGC, Edalatkhahan (Justice Seekers), claimed Marzban had traveled to the US with the intention of launching an anti-Iranian media outlet "aimed at inflaming the people and creating social divisions."

Edalatkhahan accused Marzban of working with Freedom House, a human rights organization based in Washington, DC, to attract Iranian artists and celebrities towards opposition causes.

Agents of the IRGC's Intelligence Organization took Marzban into custody at his home on August 26 and confiscated his laptop, mobile phone and other personal belongings. Since then he has made only one brief phone call to his family without mentioning his arrest, according to the source.

"Keyomars loves to write and although he's very young, he has matured a lot in recent years," one of his friends told CHRI. "He has no political sympathies toward any individual or political group and his main passion is writing and being involved in literary activities."

"We are shocked he has been arrested," added his friend.

On April 17, Marzban gave an interview to the state-funded Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) about his private writing classes and his experiences abroad.

"Iranians have very limited hopes and dreams," he said. "Their biggest dream is for the economic problems to be solved and all they think about is their daily affairs. But when I asked people in other countries about this, I realized that imagination and following your dreams is a very important thing."

Marzban began his artistic career making short films. While living in Malaysia, he hosted a comedy podcast called "Sangetab Radio" (Twisted Stone Radio) and in 2014 he published a book of short stories titled Kham Bodam Pokhteh Shodam Balkeh Pasandideh Shodam (I was Raw, I Became Ripe and Pleasant).

Satirist Mahmoud Farjami, who lives in exile in Europe, tweeted: "They arrested Keyomars Marzban? For what crime exactly? 'Misleading' celebrities? Those who accuse him of such ridiculous things, are they retarded? I won't ask if they've got a conscience... (By the way, Keyomars has never traveled to the US and he's only twenty-something.)"

           !              ... (           ) pic.twitter.com/CTi0ORwyvW  Mahmud Farjami (@meemfe) September 17, 2018

Iranian security forces have accused numerous citizens with links to foreign countries of spying with scant evidence, ultimately getting them locked up for years on trumped-up national security charges.

In March 2018, agents of Iran's Intelligence Ministry arrested Iranian citizen and British Council employee Aras Amiri and held her for two months without access to a lawyer.

At least 12 dual and foreign nationals, as well as foreign permanent residents, were imprisoned in Iran as of September 2018 according to research by CHRI.
Macaques Adapt After Maria

Published September 20, 2018

Onscreen : These monkeyssurvived Hurricane Maria. But were changed by it.

1800 rhesus macaques live on Cayo Santiagoa tiny island just off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Erica Dunayer : It's been a field site for over 80 years. So we know who's related to everybody, we know who has kids every year. And there's literally nothing like it in the entire world of primatology. You can look at their social relationships and look at their naturalistic behaviors.

Onscreen : Then Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, destroying buildings and infrastructure.

Alyssa Arre : The hurricane had done a lot more damage than anyone had even expected. Right after, a lot of people were asking what the condition of the monkeys were and it was with great relief that we could say that they were almost all fine. I have no lay theory about where the monkeys were during the hurricane. I don't know how they made it, honestly.

Onscreen : Only a few monkeys died in the storm. But Cayo Santiago was devastated.

Josue Negron : The sea literally passed all over the island. You have all that salt water that came in.

Dunayer : Cayo used to be lush and green and just filled with vegetation and the monkeys never had to worry.

Negron : It was basically woods. Now all of them are dead. All the trees and branches are on the floor, we basically don't have trees.

Onscreen : For years, researchers have been fed the animals monkey chow. But the monkeys relied on the trees for shade. After Maria, most of the shade here simply disappeared.

Daniel Phillips : The sun can get really hot here, and shade helps them not get sunburned or get dehydrated.

Onscreen : The lack of shade may have altered the monkey social dynamic.

Negron : Before the hurricane, they just get all together in a big bunch of monkeys, grooming each other, interacting with each other.

Onscreen : But now, it seems that some of the groups are more dispersed  fanning out in search of shade.

Phillips : They haven't been all together in one clump like before the hurricane.

Negron : They still have interactions, but not a lot like before.

Onscreen : Macaque society is built around social status. Before Maria, monkey rank was mostly about getting access to food and water.

Dunayer : It's typically the high-ranking individuals that get priority access.

Onscreen : But now, the monkeys also compete over shade.

Phillips : The alpha gets the first pick of the best shade while the lower ranking monkeys tend to get what's left.

Onscreen : Sometimes, these monkeys may try to squeeze into the smaller shady spots, putting them closer to the alpha.

Dunayer : What we are seeing that's a little bit different is that because the shade is so limited, the high-ranking individuals now might be hanging out a bit more with mid- and low-ranking individuals.

Onscreen : In addition, the hurricane may have shaped how baby monkeys think about the world.

Arre : We're looking at a whole cohort of babies born after Hurricane Maria to see whether development of their cognitive abilities is different from the baby monkeys that were born prior to the hurricane.

We approach either brand newborn babies that are still on their mom or nine-month-old infants born after the hurricane. And then we either show them photos or we present some sort of social cue for them.

Onscreen : This is a standard cognitive test given to the monkeys. And the question is  do babies born after Maria have the same cognition as babies born before?

Arre : It can go one of two ways. They can have deficient cognition. The brain takes a lot of metabolic energy. It may be that with a lack of resources, they haven't been able to develop the same abilities that previous babies have.

Onscreen : Alternatively, babies born after Maria may have accelerated cognitive development.

Arre : You can imagine that if you have to constantly be thinking about who you can trust and who can help you in an unstable environment that you would have to learn faster.

Onscreen : The study is ongoing.

Arre : In the next couple years, things might get more and more intense with climate change. We actually know very little about how animals respond to environmental stressors.

Onscreen : Which means that on a changing planet, the macaques of Cayo Santiago may have a lot to teach us.
Ghana and Cuba have taken their bilateral relations a notch higher by signing an agreement on political consultations.



By this development, the two countries have resolved to support each other on issues that will inure to the benefit of their peoples within the framework of South-South cooperation.



The agreement was initialled by Ghanas Foreign Minister and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Cuban Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bruno Parrilla Rodriguez in the Cuban capital, Havana.



The Cuban Revolution took off in 1959 and was led by Comrade Fidel Castro. Ghana was the first country in Africa to recognise the government of Fidel Castro.



Since then, relations between the two countries have grown significantly. Cuba is noted for its advancement in the medical field and has helped in training over three thousand Ghanaians in medicine.



Also, Cuba has over the last 59 years deployed thousands of its medical personnel to Ghana to man health facilities across the country. One of the successful medical campaigns launched in Ghana against Malaria dubbed the Roll Back Malaria from 2003-2008 was undertaken in collaboration with Cuba.



2019 will mark the 60-year anniversary of the Ghana-Cuba relations and in view of this Ghanas top diplomat, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey visited Havana, the capital of Cuba from September 13 to 18, 2018, to hold bilateral talks with her Cuban counterpart, Mr. Bruno Parrilla Rodriguez.



Hon. Ayorkor Botchwey lauded Cuba for the scholarship support to Ghanaian students but stressed that the potentials of the two countries are yet to be harnessed fully for the benefit of their citizens.



The Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister, recounted that in 2006 when President Akufo-Addo visited Havana as a Foreign Minister, the late Cuban President Fidel Castro told him he will one day become the President of Ghana. Mr. Rodriguez was therefore happy that the prediction of comrade Castro has come to pass.



Following the bilateral talks, an agreement on political consultations was signed, after which the diplomatic community in Cuba took turns to share pleasantries with the Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Ghanaian delegation.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Cuban Vice President, Mrs. Ines Maria Chapman has paid glowing tribute to Ghana for its contribution towards the emancipation of Africans not only on the African continent but also in the Caribbean.



She added that the impact made by Mr. Kofi Annan at the UN in improving the lot of humanity affirms that Ghana is a great nation.



The Cuban Vice President made the remarks when, Ghana's Foreign Minister, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey called on her in Havana, the Cuban capital.



Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds. Cubans are of mixed heritage including those of Spanish descent, Black African ancestry and Asians. At least 50 percent of the population is classified as mulatto- that is mixed African and European descent.



In February this year, the appointment of Mrs. Ines Maria Chapman and two other women of African descent to the Council was described by political analysts as the most diverse in Cuba's history.



Maria Chapman, 52, of Afro-Cuban descent, rose to prominence as head of Cubas leaky waterworks, where she has worked to repair infrastructure and supervised the allocation of water during a recent prolonged drought.



While on a working visit to the Latin American nation, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (MP) paid a courtesy call on the Cuban trained engineer, Mrs. Ines Maria Chapman.



The meeting, which was held behind closed doors, was centered on deepening bilateral ties and trade between the two countries.



The Cuban leader eulogized Mr. Kofi Annan and called for unity among developing countries in order to improve the livelihoods of their citizens.



On her part, Hon. Ayorkor Botchwey lauded Cuba for its support to Ghana's health and education sectors.



She said the resilience shown by Cuba even in the midst of economic challenges is an indication that with unity and a sense of purpose there was nothing that could hinder the aspirations of any nation.



Cuba is one of the closest nations to America among the Caribbean nations but has since 1959 been under economic blockade by the US after Fidel Castro led a revolt against Fulgencio Batista's government with guerilla warfare.







Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The police High Command has started scientific investigations into the mysterious disappearance of a policeman nine years ago.



The Policeman, Number 38222 L/Cpl Michael Odonkor Adamtey, then resident in Tema New Town, was the bodyguard of the then Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service, COP John Kudalor, who later became Inspector General of Police (IGP).



In an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante Apeatu, expressed his unreserved commitment to see through the investigation of this matter.



On September 22, 2009, the bodyguard prepared his uniform and boots ready for the days duty. According to his wife, also a police personnel and their marriage blessed with two children, she returned from the barracks common bath house to meet an empty room. The husband was nowhere to be found.



Meanwhile, his police accoutrements, service identity card and Ghanaian passport were intact in the room.



No stone was left unturned in the lookout for L/Cpl Adamtey, including spiritual searches, all to no avail. The family of the high ranked officer got involved by providing financial and physical supports to boost the investigation.



The police administration, as a procedure, declared him a deserter with an inquisition ongoing.



In 2011, two years after the disappearance, whilst workers of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) were desilting a choked gutter in Tema New Town, they discovered human bones in the manhole of an educational institution.



As part of the investigation, the bones were deposited at the Crime Laboratory of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.



The parents of the missing policeman were invited to the Forensic Laboratory, where their blood samples were obtained pending further action. The facility was to establish the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the bones, but for unexplained reasons, that did not happen.



The police boss, a renowned forensic scientist, stated that the administration will ensure that the needed assistance is given for the laboratory to determine the DNA of the found human bones. According to the IGP, a report from the forensic analysis would inform the next line of action, which could be the declaration of the disappeared policeman as dead, otherwise the search continues.



He stated that if that unfortunate situation arises, then the detectives would change their method from search to investigate murder.



The Chronicle will bring to the public up-to-date reports on the scientific investigations, as the Chief Constable has described it as being special case.

Source: The Chronicle









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Audio Attachment: Listen to Samuel Ofosu Ampofo on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo'

Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo says Ghana is teetering on the edge of the abyss of a total developmental wipeout under the Akufo-Addo government.



Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's Kokrokoo on Wednesday, September 19, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo was of the strong view that President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government have failed Ghanaians woefully, and cannot develop the country.



To him, the President's promises to turn the fortunes of the country around economically were mere rhetoric as two years of his reign have plunged Ghana into a state of near-comatose.



According to him, though the economy might be said to be growing steadily, government spending under control and foreign direct investment is flooding in, crucial structural problems still persist.



He cited the astronomical hike in petrol prices, the collapse of some seven indigenous banks, weak and underdeveloped capital markets and the poor state of the Komenda Sugar Factory among others as a major sign that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has nothing better to offer the citizenry.



According to Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, "this country is heading towards the wrong direction under NPP and Nana Akufo-Addo".



He believes the only Savior for Ghana is the NDC and so called on Ghanaians to vote massively for the party in the next elections to rescue them from the "jaws of this kind of super incompetence in the country today.



"The direction this country is going calls for a rescue mission and thats why the NDC is reorganizing itself to embark on this rescue mission", he added.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has slammed his deputy Koku Anyidoho for rejecting an appointment from the party.



According to Mr Nketiah, his contender and deputy declined the position on the grounds that hes campaigning towards the upcoming National Delegates Congress.



Asiedu Nketiah a.k.a General Mosquito in an interview with Adom TV stated that Mr Anyidoho may have rejected the committee appointment because he sees it as a trap for him to lose the position he is contesting him for.



My two deputies are supposed to chair some of the committees but what is painful is that when you call them to come and chair any of the committees they reject the appointment. Koku was told to chair one of the committees and he said the appointment is a trap by his detractors to get him to stay in the office and deny him the opportunity to campaign and interact with delegates across the country. He said he has no time to spare to sit in the office and become a committee Chairman.



The leadership of the largest opposition NDC on Wednesday, September 19, 2018, inaugurated various committees including 14 sub-committees to ensure a successful congress to elect new leaders to manage the party for the next four years.



The sub-committees include publicity, Transport, Grounds, Materials and Logistics, Legal, Procurement, Medical, Vetting, security, Accreditation and Media, feeding among others.



The election for the position of Youth Organiser and his two Deputies and that of the Womens Organiser and her two Deputies is slated for Saturday, October 20, 2018 at Pentecost Convention Centre located at Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region.















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Home  Just In  Indian rapper Badshah to enthral Kathmandu audience this weekend

Kathmandu, September 20

Indian rapper Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, popularly known as Badshah, is performing at the 14th Darbarmarg Street Festival in Kathmandu this Saturday.

It will be the second stage presentation of Badshah in Nepal after a musical event organised in Kathmandu in March 2016.

Jagdamba Motors, the authorised distributor of TVS two-wheelers for Nepal, will be organising the free-entry event.

Badshah is renowned for his Punjabi rap songs and music. He has produced a stream of number one hit songs including Chull, DJ WaleyBabu, DesiHiphop, Saturday Saturday and Wakhra Swag, among many others.

Meanwhile, Jagdamba Motors is offering VIP passes for the Darbargmarg 14th Street Festival to customers booking its new product, TVS Ntorq. According to the company, the first 50 customers of TVS Ntorq will get a chance to meet and greet the Indian rapper.
A large-scale wind energy project has been approved for southeast Saskatchewan as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Saskatchewan Energy Minister Dustin Duncan scrums with reporters at the provincial legislature, in Regina on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jennifer Graham
Kathmandu, September 21

As a part of its tax administration reform plan, the government has introduced the new Medium Level Tax Office under the Inland Revenue Department in Kathmandu.

The Office is responsible for taxation of businesses which have an annual transaction of Rs 400 million to Rs 800 million. Earlier, businesses worth annual transaction of Rs 400 million and above had to pay their tax to Large Taxpayer Office. Now, the Large Taxpayer Office will deal with the transactions above Rs 800 million per year only.

The Office informs that it has been assigned to collect Rs 18 billion tax in the current fiscal year. As two months of the year have been passed, the Office has collected Rs 500 million only because it too quite a long to setup office and staff team.

Chief Tax Administrator at the Office, Jhakka Parasad Acharya, says his team is committed to meeting the target.

In July, the government had introduced major reforms in Nepals tax administration by scrapping various small offices and reorganising their structures.
#Yoon Seok-youl Yoon apologizes for defending ex-President Chun on visit to Gwangju Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl traveled to the liberal stronghold of Gwangju on Wednesday and apologized in person for remarks seen as praising a former auth...
The Special Operations Unit with the Prince Georges County (MD) Police Department was executing a search warrant on Wednesday night when they came under fire as they entered the suspect's residence.

An armed individual inside the residence shot at the team, according to WTOP Radio. One officer was reportedly shot in the hand and the other was shot in the shoulder area.

One of the members of the nine-person team was reportedly a tactical medic, who "immediately assisted the two injured officers as the other officers entered the residence," according to WTOP.

The suspect surrendered and was taken into custody.
A Massachusetts man who allegedly placed an advertisement on Craigslist inviting would-be cop killers for drinks was taken into custody by Cambridge police, according to Newsweek.

"Sick of Somerville and Cambridge cops who live in Sudbury or some other f--- place? Lets kill them," the Craigslist post said.

"I want to see people killing cops and Uber drivers in and around Cambridge and Somerville and I'll buy you a drink," the advertisement said.

James Seawell was booked and charged with soliciting and threatening to commit a crime.
Hungary is the most vehemently anti-refugee nation - survey

Three years after a record 1.3 million migrants sought asylum in Europe, a majority of people in several European countries say they support taking in refugees who are fleeing violence and war, according to a Pew Research Center survey. The two exception that stand out are Poland, and particularly Hungary. Also, despite the general support towards taking in refugees, most people in these countries disapprove of the way the European Union has dealt with the refugee issue.

Discontent with how the EU handles the migration issue

About three-quarters or more of adults in Spain, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom support taking in refugees from countries where people are fleeing violence and war, according to a global survey conducted in the spring of 2018 that included 10 EU countries. Similar shares in Germany and Sweden - which saw large influxes of migrants seeking refugee status in 2015 and 2016 - back taking in refugees.Even though Greece and Italy have been the main entry points into Europe for migrants in recent years, they still have majority support for taking in refugees. Notably, people in these countries generally expressed negative views toward refugees following the 2015 migration surge, Pew Research Center said in a report People in Poland and Hungary are less likely to support taking in refugees. About half in Poland (49%) voice support, and only about a third (32%) say the same in Hungary, where thousands of migrants sought asylum in 2015. 54% of the Hungarians polled opposed taking in refugees. Poland was next with 36% rejecting accepting those who fled violence and war.In June, Hungarys Parliament passed legislation that made it a crime to assist asylum seekers and refugees - one reason why the European Parliament recently voted to pursue sanctions against Hungary for not upholding core EU values.While people in some EU countries support taking in refugees, there is widespread disapproval of how the EU has handled the refugee issue, the survey finds. In Greece, Sweden, Hungary and Italy, about eight-in-ten or more disapprove of the way the EU is dealing with the issue. In fact, across all 10 EU countries surveyed, majorities disapprove of how the EU is dealing with the refugee issue.Europeans were not asked what elements of the EUs actions on refugees they disapprove of. However, disapproval levels in Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden are at similar levels as in 2016, immediately following the migration surge.In Hungary, 80% of respondents said they disapproved of the EUs methods, up from 66% in 2017 and 72% in the spring of 2016.A previous Pew Research Center survey showed that majorities in most EU countries surveyed prefer that their national government, and not the EU, make decisions on migration issues.
In a world where the future of technology changes in an instant, talking about plans could help shape that future.

Rumman Chowdhury, an expert in artificial intelligence and world-renown data scientist, will speak from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Henry Ford Anderson Theater, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn.

Chowdhury, a senior principal at Accenture, works on cutting-edge applications of artificial intelligence and ethics. Her talk will be the third in a quarterly series of conversations about the Future of Information, sponsored by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Artificial intelligence is being called the fourth industrial revolution and thats not an understatement, She said. AI will have impact on every single human being and it already is. Were all aware of its impact.

Chowdhury received two undergraduate degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a masters degree in statistics from Columbia University and a doctorate in political science from University of San Diego, California.

She said that AIs impact affects the average person in many ways. Besides social media, it has a significant impact on prisoners getting a chance for parole, loan approval and the kind of jobs available to potential employees.

Another issue Chowdhury wants to face in the world of AI is the need for diversity of those working in the field. She said there arent enough women, people of color, members of the disabled communities or geographic representation.

What it results in is products that are not built for everybody, yet affect everybody, she said. So democratizing AI means at every single level, people being educated on what AI is and is not and what the capability is of AI to impact their lives.

The discussion also will include other speakers at the event. Those speakers include Diana Nucera, director of the Detroit Community Technology Project, and John Kwant, vice president of City Solutions at Ford Motor Co. The discussion will be moderated by Christy McDonald of Detroit Public Television.

Chowdhury warns of the dangers of AI that could cause potential direct harm.

She said if one person is looking for a job online, an algorithm may have set up for only certain people to see it. AI can nudge or push one into a direction and that person wouldnt know it like a job in engineering.

Because of demographics  theres algorithms based on historical information, she said. I wouldnt know that. I wouldnt know that this algorithm decided not to show me something.

Mariam Noland, president of the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan  one of the hosts of the event  spoke of the importance of having an information series like this come to the city of Dearborn.

With the Future of Information series and talks from experts like (Chowdhury), we are starting a new conversation about data privacy, media manipulation, artificial intelligence, and the future of community access to information, Noland said. We are proud to host this event in Dearborn at the Anderson Theater at The Henry Ford. The museum is a perfect place to talk about innovation.

Artificial intelligence runs in the background of so many critical applications that it impacts every single human being. This session focuses on ways that this technology can help our society.

* If you go: Rumman Chowdhurys talk on artificial intelligence will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, in The Henry Fords Anderson Theater, 20900 Oakwood, Dearborn. Admission is free, but registration is required, bit.ly/2MJwGKr. Detroit Public TV will live-stream the event at dptv.org/topics/leadership-public-affairs/future-information. For more information on the Future of Information series, visit futureofinfo.org. To know more about Chowdhury, visit rummanchowdhury.com.
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In Jiaxing, China, Shenzhen MicroMultiCopter Aero Technology Co., Ltd. (MMC) held a conference displaying a whole range of drone products including aircraft, components, flight controlling systems, payloads systems, data communication systems and propulsion systems. MMC also invited a new cooperation concept - win-win strategic cooperation for the entire drone industry.

Strategic Cooperation

Over 200 participants attended the conference including International ISO authorities from US, Germany, UK, Italy, Japan and South Korea, global drone purchasers, partners (Actiondrone, India Eye, SMD, TOPXGUN, YouUAV), system integrators and developers, world-famous companies (Siemens, Nokia, Alibaba Cloud), AEROSPACE, 5iMX, and journalists from Huanqiu.

MMC also announced its strategic cooperation with BSHARK, Artosyn and Alibaba Cloud to promote development of the entire drone industry.

Products

This conference exhibited 2 main drone models, 1 flight controller, 5 video transmitters, 2 ground stations, a whole pack of intelligent batteries and charger devices - all independently developed by MMC.

MX4-850, a foldable and detachable small size industrial drone with 51 minutes flight time, 5 km operation range of handheld remote controller and professional GSP24 control station with up to 10 km operation range.

A6 Plus, the most stable industrial drone with 70 minutes flight time, 10 kg payload capacity and compatible with different payloads.

FC1 Flight Controller with shock-absorbing structure and dual IMU redundancy design, 5 video transmission systems cover a 3 - 20 km communication range with the lowest latency and the most competitive price.

GSM1P Handheld Remote Controller and GSP24 Control Station with real-time HD transmission performance and intelligent batteries and charging device.

Cooperation Gifts

To expand drone applications and accelerate development of the commercial drone industry, MMC prepared 1,000 plug-and-play connectors as gifts to the guests.

"I believe a company can only thrive alongside the whole industry," said Mr. Lu, the president of MMC.

About MMC

Established in 2009, MMC has spent a decade boosting the growth of industrial drones. From the major airframe and crucial flight controlling system to the practical application related payloads, several global service centers have been built to bring convenient drone service to clients and meet their requirements in a timely fashion. MMC greatly appreciates its industrious staff and grants them stock. Every year, revenue doubles and the company has grown from 10 people to 500. www.mmcuav.com

Related Links

http://www.mmcuav.com



SOURCE MMC
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has honoured the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) as a "Knowledge Partner" on the sidelines of the General Assembly's meeting in New York City.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8408651-mbrf-named-knowledge-partner-by-un/

Honouring the Foundation marks 10 years of partnership with the UNDP and the first time any Arab organisation is named "Knowledge Partner". It recognises MBRF's many initiatives, most notably, the first Global Knowledge Index covering 131 countries, whose results were announced at the Knowledge Summit 2017.

MBRF's CEO H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb attended the ceremony, representing H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Foundation's Chairman, along with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner; H.E. Saud Al Shamsi, UAE's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN; and H.E. Mourad Wahba, UNDP's Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Regional Director for the Regional Bureau for Arab States.

H.E. bin Huwaireb underlined the strong partnership that has brought MBRF together with the UNDP for a decade, asserting that the collaboration was "guided by the vision of the UAE's leadership, who has long advocated both local and international partnerships to build knowledge societies founded on sustainability and investment in human capital."

H.E.'s speech highlighted the major milestones achieved during the decade-long partnership, namely: "Launching three Knowledge Reports since 2009 to study the realities of knowledge in the Arab world and the youth's role in its production, dissemination and localisation."

The MBRF CEO went on to cite the 2015 launch of the Arab Knowledge Index and Knowledge4All electronic platform, as well as the 2016 inauguration of the Arab Reading Index which "succeeded in systematically debunking misconceptions about reading in the Arab world," H.E. said, noting that the partnership began expanding beyond the Arab region in 2017 with the Global Knowledge Index.

For his part, Achim Steiner said that investing in knowledge should be a priority for any country trying to achieve the ambitious Vision 2030, noting that the MBRF-UNDP partnership is rooted in a shared vision centred around knowledge as a tool for sustainable development.

Meanwhile, Saud Al Shamsi noted that knowledge is the main engine for employment and economic growth. "The Global Knowledge Index offers a roadmap for reforms and investment in many sectors - from school enrolment to labour," he concluded.

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/747533/MBRF_UN_Knowledge_Partner.jpg )



Video:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8408651-mbrf-named-knowledge-partner-by-un/



SOURCE Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation
MONTREAL, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The Royal Canadian Mint has joined McGill University's First Peoples' House 17th Annual Pow Wow to unveil a vividly coloured silver collector coin celebrating the spectacular pageantry of the Fancy Dance, a modern Indigenous art form that is a powerful and captivating expression of Indigenous pride and heritage.

"This land's cultural heritage began with the art, music, dance, and traditions of Indigenous peoples, and it is exciting to see these traditions reflected in a new coin from the Royal Canadian Mint," said Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary for Crown-Indigenous Relations, who attended the coin's unveiling. "As we work toward meaningful reconciliation and a future where all Indigenous peoples have a real and fair chance at success, the inspiring design of the Mint's Fancy Dance coin reminds us of the importance of recognizing and celebrating Indigenous traditions."

"The Royal Canadian Mint prides itself on telling the fascinating story of Canada through coins and celebrating First Nations, Inuit and Metis cultures is fundamental to achieving that goal," said Jennifer Camelon, Interim President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Our beautifully coloured coin celebrating the dazzling art of the Fancy Dance is yet another opportunity for Indigenous artists from across Canada to share their talent, traditions and cultures.

The reverse image by Kanien'keha:ka artist Garrison Garrow captures the fast-paced energy of a modern pow wow dance style: the Fancy Dance. A male dancer dominates the reverse, where finely detailed engraving adds a sense of energetic movement while an application of colour highlights the intricate nature of his regalia. From the Thunderbird of the Plains peoples to the Iroquois design on the apron, the array of motifs, textures and traditional elements (including the sacred eagle feathers) strongly evokes the pow wow's cultural importance. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Limited to a world-wide mintage of 3,500, this 2 oz. fine silver coin retails for $189.95 CAD and can be ordered as of today by directly contacting the Royal Canadian Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at http://www.mint.ca. It will also be available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, at participating Canada Post outlets, and through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors as of October 2, 2018.

About the Royal Canadian Mint

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit http://www.mint.ca.

Images of this coin are available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/94toln3vsnthkpm/AACZazyH7Bdlxbso_FTnYwUma?dl=0

Media are asked to contact: Alex Reeves, Senior Advisor, External Communications, Royal Canadian Mint, Tel: +1(613)949-5777, reeves@mint.ca

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint
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Moscow court refuses to recover $4.9 million from Probusinessbank

 RAPSI

10:45 21/09/2018

MOSCOW, September 21 (RAPSI)  The Moscow Commercial Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two companies seeking to recover 327 million rubles ($4.9 million) from Probusinessbank as represented by Russias Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA), the court ruling reads.

The lawsuit was filed by VAY M and Neo Engineering companies, the banks creditors. Due to lack of evidence proving necessity of losses recovery as well as lack of proof for their existence and amount, the claim was dismissed by the court.

Earlier, the court dismissed a motion filed by the DIA seeking the seizure of assets of nine former governing board members of Probusinessbank totaling to 68.5 billion rubles ($1 billion).

The asset seizure motion has been lodged by the DIA as part of a petition for recovery of the banks debts from ex-top managers. The court ruled that the claimant had not furnished proof of necessity to adopt seize the defendants assets.

According to the DIA, the banks bankruptcy examination revealed that Probusinessbank top managers funneled fluid assets out of the organization by lending companies, which did not carry on business consistent with credit levels and did not have their own property and corresponding incomes. Moreover, the bank management did not take measures to prevent the financial organizations bankruptcy.

In August 2015, the Russian Central Bank revoked the license of Probusinessbank, acting upon the results of an inspection revealing that the banks management carried out large scale operations having markings of assets stripping of the bank.

In April 2017, ex-chief of the banks corporate finances department Nikolay Alekseyev was given 4 years in prison for embezzling 2.4 billion rubles (about $35 million at the current exchange rate) from the bank. Additionally, he was fined 1 million rubles (nearly $15,000). A court also granted a lawsuit filed by Probusinessbank seeking to collect over 2.4 billion rubles from the defendant.

In June 2017, ex-head of Probusinessbank department responsible for interaction with shareholders and subsidiary companies Marina Krylova was sentenced to 3.5 years in a penal colony for assisting with embezzlement of 2.4 billion rubles.

In December, Moscows Ostankinsky District Court returned the case against former vice-president of Probusinessbank Vyacheslav Kazantsev and 7 other persons allegedly involved in embezzlement to prosecutors.

According to investigators, from September 2014 to July 2015, the defendants conspired to embezzle funds belonging to Probusinessbank. Accomplices are believed to be unidentified managers and employees of the bank. They allegedly used their office positions to enroll their subordinates, employees of the financial group Life, and heads of sham companies.
CEO of Roscosmos contractor arrested in absentia on embezzlement charges

 RIA Novosti, Maksim Bogodvid

11:05 21/09/2018

MOSCOW, September 21 (RAPSI)  Moscows Basmanny District Court has issued an arrest warrant for Sergey Slastikhin, the owner of Engineering Systems company, a contractor of Roscosmos state space corporation, in absentia as part of an embezzlement case, the courts spokesperson Yunona Tsareva has told RAPSI.

Currently, Slastikhin is on the international wanted list. Under the court order, he is to be put in detention for two months immediately after his extradition or arrest in Russia.

The businessman, who has allegedly fled to the U.S., is charged with embezzlement. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Reportedly, Slastikhin is a defendant in several criminal cases connected with constructions of the space corporation.
Russian Supreme Court to review appeal of Bolotnaya activist after ECHR ruling

 RIA Novosti

12:03 21/09/2018

MOSCOW, September 21 (RAPSI)  The Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia will review the case of a Bolotnaya square riots case defendant Vladimir Akimenkov due to the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky has told RAPSI.

In February, ECHR dismissed a major part of the Akimenkovs appeal, recognizing only some of the violations.

The applicant claimed that Russian authorities violated Article 3 (Prohibition of torture) of the European Convention of Human Rights. The court found that there was a violation regarding conditions of his pre-trial detention but dismissed it in part regarding failure to provide competent medical assistance. In particular, ECHR found that there was a violation of Article 3 because of conditions during Akimenkovs transportation to the court and his placement in a glass cabin in the courtroom.

Also, ECHR found violation of the Article 5 (right to liberty and security) of the Convention regarding grounds for his placement in detention.

As a result, the court granted Akimenkov 10,000 euro in compensation.

Public protests erupted on Bolotnaya Square on the eve of Vladimir Putins inauguration for a third presidential term in May 2012. The rally culminated in clashes between protesters and the police. Over 400 people were arrested, and scores were injured when protesters briefly broke through police lines. Several criminal cases under Article 318 of the Criminal Code for using violence against officials were launched as a result.

Akimenkov was among some of the defendants that were subjected to the criminal amnesty in late 2013.
Russias Kogalymavia airline ordered to pay Egyptian plane crash victims $500,000

 RIA Novosti, Alexander Elistratov

15:41 21/09/2018

MOSCOW, September 21 (RAPSI)  The Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow on Friday collected over 32 million rubles (about $500,000) from Kogalymavia in favor of relatives of victims killed in the airlines plane crash in Egypt in 2015, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

The court also held to allot monthly allowance totaling to about 350,000 rubles ($5,300) for over 20 plaintiffs who lost a breadwinner in the crash. Each of them will receive from 4,000 to 30,000 rubles. Ten claimants were denied compensation.

The consolidated lawsuit filed by more than 100 victims relatives thus was granted in part. The case was heard behind closed doors.

The compensation was recovered only from the air carrier. Initially, four claims were lodged. Other defendants in the case were Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty, AerCap Holdings N.V., Ingosstrakh and Triomed company.

The Airbus A321, operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia, crashed into a mountainous area of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on October 31, 2015, leaving 224 people dead. The airliner was flying from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg in Russia.

A militant group linked to Islamic State terrorist organization, prohibited in Russia, said in a statement that it had brought down the plane in response to Russian airstrikes in Syria. As a consequence of the attack, Russia cancelled air travel and tourist visits to Egypt.
Russian Supreme Court to review sentence of Nikandrov in October

 RAPSI

16:43 21/09/2018

MOSCOW, September 21 (RAPSI)  The Supreme Court of Russia will review a ruling in the case of Denis Nikandrov, a former high-ranking investigator of Russias Investigative Committee, sentenced to 5.5 years in a penal colony for corruption, the courts database reads.

In August, the Moscow City Court sentenced Nikandrov to 5 years and 6 months in prison with no fine. The defendant was also prohibited from holding law enforcement posts for 3 years and deprived him of his General rank.

The trial was held behind closed doors due to secret information contained in the case documents. The case was reviewed without evidence examination and witness questioning as the defendant pleaded guilty and made a deal with investigators.

Ex-First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committees Moscow Directorate, General Nikandrov, former Deputy of ex-chief of the Investigative Committees Internal Security Directorate Mikhail Maksimenko, and his deputy Alexander Lamonov have been arrested and detained as part of a case over extortion of 8 million rubles (about $138,000 at the current exchange rate) that involved an alleged gang leader Zakhariy Kalashov.

In addition, investigators believe that they extorted 10 million rubles (about $170,000) from a head of a large joint-stock company. The defendants denied their communications with Kalashov.

On April 20, Maksimenko was found guilty of taking two bribes and received a 13-year prison sentence. The defendant was also fined 165 million rubles ($2.8 million).

According to prosecutors, in 2016, Maksimenko and his accomplice received $500,000 bribe for help with one of criminal cases. He was also charged with taking $50,000 bribe in 2015 for organizing unlawful criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers in the interests of a bribe-giver.

On July 26, the court sentenced Lamonov to 5 years in prison for corruption. Additionally, he was also fined 32 million rubles ($508,000) and lost his rank.
Only a few days after the warrant was issued, police arrest Cody Wilson in Taiwan because he no longer had legal travel documents after his passport was canceled by US authorities.

Why Was A Warrant Issued?

If you aren't up to speed on why Wilson was arrested, you can read our previous coverage of Wilson's arrest warrant or read the brief overview below.

On September 19th a warrant for Wilson's arrest was filed in Travis County, Texas for the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl. Wilson is accused of meeting the girl on a website called SugarDaddyMeet.com then exchanging nude photos with her. Per the affidavit, Wilson then took the girl to an Austin area hotel and had sexual intercourse and oral sex with her then paid her 500 dollars. Once the victim and Wilson left the hotel he drove her to a fast-food restaurant and she walked to a parked car.

Wilson in Taiwan

Wilson flew to Taipei, Tawan after allegedly being told by a friend of the victim that she had spoken to police and he was being investigated for sex with a minor. It is not known if the trip was planned prior to the investigation or why Wilson traveled to Taiwan.

According to Apple Daily, Taiwan's National Immigration Agency (NIA) says that Wilson arrived in the country on September 6th on EVA Air Flight BR11, telling the Agency that he was in the country for business. NIA officers checked with the 5-star Mandarin Oriental Hotel located in the Songshan District of Taipei on September 20th to find that Wilson had suddenly checked out on the 7th even though Wilson had booked the hotel for three days. Immigration Agents were unable to determine Wilson's location at that time.

Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) told Taiwan News that Wilson could not be arrested for a crime, but if he was caught he could be deported back to the US in accordance with their immigration laws.

The Apartment Lease

Taiwan News reported late yesterday that Taiwan Police had learned Wilson had used a website to search for apartments on September 19th. Police also learned that he had reached out to a real estate agent by email about renting an apartment in the Zhongzeng District of Taipei.

According to the police investigation, Wilson signed a contract with the real estate agency on the 19th, the same day that the arrest warrant was issued. Wilson agreed to rent a studio apartment for six months starting on September 21st, paying a deposit of $587.51 USD (NT$18,000) and a first month's rent of $620.15 USD (NT$19,000). Wilson had not been given the keys to the apartment at the time the lease was signed.

UDN reported that when Wilson signed the lease, he told the rental agency that he was an American student who was studying Chinese at a university in Taiwan. The rental agency stated that Wilson appeared to not be different from the average student. The apartment that Wilson leased is located on Section 2, Nanchang Road in the Zhongzeng District, within a kilometer of National Taiwan Normal University and several other schools.

Wilson Positively Identified

Employees of the agency were surprised when they saw Wilson on the news a day after he had agreed to lease the apartment and contacted the authorities immediately according to a Taiwan News report. Police showed photographs of Wilson to the employees and they positively identified Wilson as the man who had signed the lease.











Once Wilson was positively identified, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) informed the American Institute in Taiwan, a non-profit organization that is staffed primarily by US State Department employees and acts as a de facto embassy, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and other US law enforcement agencies.

Since the US agencies still needed to make a request for deportation, CIB did not place Wilson under arrest on the 20th. The National Immigration Agency was informed on the 19th that Wilson was wanted in connection with a sex crime in accordance with Megan's Law.

Police Arrest Cody Wilson & Deportation

On September 21st, police arrested Cody Wilson for being in Taiwan without legal travel documents in the Wanhua District of Taipei City according to a Taiwan News report. The news report also stated that the American Institute in Taiwan had canceled his passport, making his deportation from Taiwan to the United States possible.

Police learned that Wilson was suspected to be in a hostel located on Guangzhou Street in the Wanhua District according to the Central News Agency. After the police confirmed that Wilson was present, he was placed under arrest at 6 PM local time.

The National Immigration Agency released a statement after Wilson's arrest stating that Wilson had entered Taiwan legally without a visa. Since Wilson's passport was canceled, he was no longer legally in the country and was placed into custody. The Taiwanese Immigration Departement is currently working with the American Institute in Taiwan to secure the necessary documents to deport him back to the United States.

Once Wilson is back on US soil, he will undoubtedly be taken into custody by US Marshals and flown back to Texas.
How a chartered accountant won the battle against his company of interest on his PF dues

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Subhash Varghese Thomas, a chartered accountant, was employed with SKF Bearings as a credit manager in the finance department from September 1996 to September 1997.

In January 2013, Varghese discovered that the company had failed to pay interest amounting to Rs 53,306 under the pretext that his provident fund account was inoperative for three years.

His representations for interest payment fell on deaf ears.

Varghese then filed a complaint before the South Mumbai District Consumer Forum.

The company contested the case. It argued that the amount of Rs 334,885 in the provident fund account had been paid sometime in January 2013, so the complaint which was filed on May 17, 2016, was time-barred.

It also argued that since Varghese had approached the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), he could not approach the consumer forum with the same grievance.

The company reiterated its stand that no interest was payable on inoperative accounts.

The Forum noted that the company was an exempted establishment which had set up its own independent Provident Fund Trust.

Even though Varghese had resigned from the company in September 1997, his PF account had continued till January 1, 2013, when he was paid the amount of Rs 334,885 due to him.

In response to Varghese's representations, the company had replied on February 19, 2015, that it had applied for a variation of the scheme to provide for non-payment of interest, so limitation would begin to run from that date.

Hence the complaint filed on May 17, 2016, was held to be in time.

The Forum also rejected the plea of maintainability of the complaint by relying on various Supreme Court decisions where it had been held that complaints against the Provident Fund Commissioner are maintainable before the consumer fora.

So it held that the same interpretation would apply to the Provident Fund Trusts established by SKF Bearings.

On merits, the Forum found that the company had applied for a variation of the scheme for non-payment of interest on inoperative accounts, but the variation had not received approval from the government authorities.

So the Forum concluded that Varghese could not be deprived of interest on the basis of a clause which had not yet been approved.

Consequently, by its order of September 5, 2018, delivered by Sneha Mhatra presiding over the Bench along with D S Paradkar and M P Kasar, the Forum held that Varghese was entitled to receive interest.

Accordingly, SKF Bearings was directed to pay Rs 53,306 towards interest till the closure of the account.

In addition, a further amount of Rs 19,419 was awarded as penal interest at 10 per cent for wrongfully withholding and depriving Varghese of his legitimate entitlement.

The company was also ordered to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony, and another Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs.

The company was directed to make payment within 60 days of receiving the order.

Jehangir B Gai is a consumer activist
'The Jharkhand government is increasingly intolerant of voices of dissent.'

'Recently 20 persons, including activists, writers and academics, were booked for sedition.'

'Many of them have been critical of the government's apathy towards Adivasis,' notes Siraj Dutta.

IMAGE: A vehicle torched during a protest against the lynching of a meat trader in Ramgarh district, Jharkhand. Photograph: PTI Photo

Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000 to address the historical exploitation and marginalisation of Adivasis.

According to the 2011 Census, about 27 per cent of Jharkhand's population comprises scheduled tribes, 12 per cent are scheduled castes and 14 per cent are Muslims.

Backward castes account for some 40 per cent.

Even 18 years after its creation, large proportions of these communities live in extreme deprivation and insecurity.

Till a few years ago, many ascribed the state's backwardness to its lack of 'political stability'.

In its relatively short existence, Jharkhand has seen 10 governments and three stints of President's rule.

The current dispensation of the BJP and the All Jharkhand Student Union Party led by Raghubar Das, formed in 2014 with more than 50 per cent of the total legislative assembly seats, is likely to become the first government in the state to finish a full term.

The current regime claims that Jharkhand has grown economically at an unprecedented speed under its leadership.

IMAGE: Union Minister Jayant Sinha garlanded accused in the Ramgarh lynching case at his Hazaribagh home in Jharkhand.

The growing attacks on socio-economic rights and political and civil liberties of people tell a different story.

There have been both hunger deaths and incidents of mob lynching.

Since 2016, at least 11 persons have been killed or brutally assaulted on suspicion of carrying or consuming beef or being cattle thieves.

Nine of the victims were Muslims and two were Adivasis.

In many cases, such as the hanging of 15-year-old Imtiyaz in March 2016 or the murder of Almiuddin in June 2017, the mob included local leaders of the BJP or cow vigilante groups, who are still roaming free.

Is it any surprise that the state government and the BJP failed to take any action against two Parliamentarians of their party who extended support to some of the perpetrators?

Contrary to the government's repeated claims of economic development of the poor, at least 14 persons, including five Adivasis and four Dalits, have died of starvation or destitution since September 2017.

Their families were denied their rightful grain entitlement under the Public Distribution System for one reason or another  such as exclusion from the ration card list, cancellation of ration card not linked with Aadhaar, or failure of biometric authentication at fair price shops.

Some elderly victims were also denied their social security pensions thanks to Aadhaar-related issues.

Further, most of these families did not get work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the recent past.

IMAGE: Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das, left, with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at an event in Ranchi, June 26, 2016. Photograph: PTI Photo

In its quest for 'vikas', the government has been persistently trying to forcefully acquire land for non-agricultural purposes such as mining and infrastructure development.

It is not difficult to assess the impact of such policies on the livelihoods of the Adivasis.

To them, land is more than just livelihood. They survive on the produce, meagre or otherwise.

Jharkhand stands witness to thousands of displaced Adivasis living lives of destitution.

After just a year-and-a-half in office, the BJP government in November 2016 amended the state-level Acts related to ownership of land -- the Chhota Nagpur Tenancy and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Acts.

The changes included expansion of the list of uses for which the government could acquire land and enabling utilisation of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes.

It took eight months of protest by the people to get the amendments repealed.

Notwithstanding this setback, the government pushed through amendments in the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, to make the consent of Gram Sabhas irrelevant for acquisition of land.

It also initiated a process of creating a land bank -- a repository of land, primarily common lands of villages, considered unutilised by the state.

Investors can now get land from this bank.

A study in the Torpa block of Khunti district found that gram sabhas had no idea that their common lands consisting of their burial grounds, rivers and so on were earmarked for this purpose.

The Jharkhand government is also increasingly becoming intolerant of voices of dissent.

Recently 20 persons, including activists, writers and academics, were booked for sedition.

Many of them have been critical of the government's apathy towards Adivasis.

The first information report filed against them cites their Facebook posts as evidence of their 'anti-national' behaviour.

One of the cited posts -- 'The Catholic Church demands that Sarna Adivasis be given Sarna religion code - Bishop' -- incidentally has been a long-standing demand of a significant proportion of the state's Adivasis.

The recent raid on 10 human rights activists across the country, and the arrest of five of them on charges that most of them were not even aware of, shows that this phenomenon is not just limited to Jharkhand.

They too have been vocal about the growing attacks on rights of Adivasis and Dalits, and have been critical of the current national dispensation's policies.

Jharkhand's chief minister is repeatedly praised for the state's 'vikas' by the PM and the BJP leadership.

It is safe to assume that the party will contest the next assembly election, due in 2019, latching on to their notion of 'vikas.'

The Opposition parties are yet to take a firm stand on several issues discussed earlier.

They also seem far from a concrete alliance for a politically stable alternative.

Will 2020 be a new beginning for Jharkhand and its populace?

Or will it be just another chapter in the tale of fear and loathing that has come to characterise this land?

Siraj Dutta works on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and other welfare programmes in Jharkhand.
'In its history, the RSS has never seen success as it is seeing now. And it wants to extend its base.'

IMAGE: RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Mohan Bhagwat startled political observers with his remarks at a three-day event thsi week, 'Future of Bharat: An Indian Perspective', in New Delhi.

On Monday, September 17, he said, 'Our vision of Hindutva is not to oppose or demean anyone.'

At the conclave on Tuesday, September 18, Bhagwat said, Hindu rashtra doesn't mean there is no place for Muslims. The day it is said so, it won't be Hindutva any more.'

On Wednesday, September 19, referring to cow vigilantism, Bhagwat said, 'It is a crime to take the law into one's own hands.'

Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf spoke to Badri Narayan, social historian, cultural anthropologist and professor at the Gobind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad, on how the RSS is repositioning itself as an inclusive organisation.

"Today the RSS is concentrating more on social inclusion and uniting people," says Professor Narayan, author of Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation.

How do you view Mohan Bhagwat's statement about the RSS being inclusive and welcoming people from all communities

The RSS is changing as an organisation and are now trying to become flexible. It is trying to assimilate various groups and identities into one. It is working in that direction and the statement made by Bhagwat is a reflection of that.

Why do you think the RSS needs to change?

In its history, the RSS has never seen success as it is seeing now. And it wants to extend its base.

Why did it take the RSS so long to become so influential?

They spread in phases. First, the RSS spread on the basis of 'versus' (Hindu versus Muslim). That phase went on for a very long time. It held a particular group and became strong. That phase is over now and they have saturated.

Now it wants to include other groups too.

So, the question arises whether their earlier Hindu samaj will be upset. I don't think that will happen because the Hindu samaj itself gives importance to inclusive ideas.

I feel the RSS will not have any disturbance in their base community when it tries to bring in other communities into their organisation.

This is a new strategy of inclusiveness through discussion that the RSS is trying to adopt.

When the RSS talks of Hindutva including Muslims, what is left of Hindutva?

As far as I know, (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar always excluded Christians and Muslims from his brand of Hindutva as he believed their holy land is not India.

Hindutva has many forms. It has a religious form.

Secondly, there is cultural Hindutva -- like doing puja-paat.

Thirdly, it is on value-based (moolya ke aadhar par) system.

I feel the RSS is trying to include everyone in the Hindutva value-based system. But others (Muslims and Christians) will not do puja of Lord Ram or Lord Krishna, but the values will be followed.

This is what I am interpreting, but the real answer can be given only by Mohan Bhagwatji.

The RSS has a history of spewing venom against Muslims and Christians.

The RSS is changing a lot. It is changing its old fundamentals. There is a huge difference in the RSS of then and now. But if you ask them they will deny this and say that they are the same organisation.

I feel there is a difference in the working of the RSS compared to its earlier avatar.

IMAGE: 'The RSS is changing a lot. They are changing their old fundamentals. There is a huge difference of the RSS then and now.' Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters

The Opposition parties do not see this change in the RSS, but view it with suspicion.

They clash with the fundamentals of the RSS. They are still fighting with the old thoughts of the RSS.

Till they do not have an understanding of the new RSS, how can they criticise them? By criticising the old RSS, they will not gain anything.

If they want to take on the new RSS politically, then you have to have a better understanding of the activities of the RSS which is working at the grassroots.

M D Deoras was the first sarsanghchalak who included Adivasis and Dalits into the RSS fold. Do you think he was the first person to understand that the RSS needed to change its identity, and was in fact the first agent of change?

It is possible, but I have not followed the old RSS. How the old RSS was changing is a different issue to study.

There was a time when the RSS started praising Indira Gandhi. They did start changing then, but today the RSS is concentrating more on social inclusion and uniting people.

The image one had of the RSS was that it believed in 'the other'.

That is what I told you, it was 'versus'. But now that 'other' has become 'self'. This self is becoming very big in which everyone will assimilate.

In practice how far they will succeed, we will have to see. Right now it is being discussed; how far it will succeed in practice is a different matter.

Will Muslims and Christians accept the RSS?

We cannot say that at this moment. The RSS plays a very long innings. It will work slowly.

No one in the past had thought that the RSS would spread to the north east, but see the place the RSS has been able to carve out there. It helped form a government in Tripura.

The RSS is visionary and slowly it can influence Christians and Muslims, but right now it is not possible. It is a discourse that it has just brought in and as a political analyst I see that it will spread this new inclusive ideology slowly.

So what happens to 'secularism'? Will it collapse in this scenario?

Secular forces will have to work smartly and come out with new ideas.

Secularism will have to take a re-birth to survive and flourish.

The RSS has taken a new birth and secularism too will have to take a new birth, only then will it spread.

Till the time secular forces do not adopt a new language but work with the old language, they will be in trouble.

How did the RSS succeed in spreading the story that secularism meant minority appeasement?

It is very difficult to predict how the RSS works as the way it works is very deep. It gives time and works very patiently. It slowly settled down (in society).

When the RSS now talks of inclusiveness, will it be able to give up the Brahmanical cultural imperialism where it decides what people must eat, etc?

That will take time and that too will change. Take out the word Brahmanical as they have ritual base Hindutva, and that takes them to cultural imperialism.

I think they will have to change and dilute it. If they do not do that, then it will be difficult for them.
The Congress in Chhattisgarh has hit out at Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party for allying with former chief minister Ajit Jogis party for the upcoming state assembly election and claimed the pre-poll tie-up has the support of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

IMAGE: BSP supremo Mayawati and Ajit Jogi during a press conference to announce their alliance for assembly polls in Chhatisgarh, in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

The main opposition party was hoping for an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party to take on the BJP in upcoming polls.

It said the BSP has allied with Jogi, an ex-Congressman, as it was facing heat from central government agencies.

The Congress said the alliance between the BSP and Jogis Janta Congress Chhattisgarh has the support of the BJP, which is ruling the state since 2003.

The alliance between the BSP and the JCC was announced in Lucknow on Thursday by Mayawati, who said Jogi will be its chief ministerial candidate. According to her, the BSP will contest 35 seats and the JCC 55 in the 90-member House.

Pressure from the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate on the BSP has led to the creation of this alliance.

This alliance had been formed with the BJPs support and the people of the state had an understanding of it, state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel said on Thursday.

He claimed the BSP had been fielding candidates on the direction of the BJP in all elections in the state so far.

In the coming polls too, the BSP will field candidates as per the ruling partys choice. This time the party has been exposed by supporting Jogi who has acted as a B team of the BJP, Baghel said.

On the other hand, the BJP said it sees no threat from the BSP-JCC tie-up and is hopeful that the alliance will benefit it.

Hopes of the Congress were dashed as it had been trying for an alliance with the BSP. The political scenario emerging after the alliance between the BSP and the JCC reflects that the state will see a triangular fight in the coming election, state BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik said.

However, the BJP is not at all worried as it (BSP-JCC tie-up) will benefit the party and it will storm back to power for a fourth consecutive term, Kaushik said.

The BJP had been working on a mission to win 65 of the 90 assembly seats this time and it will achieve its goal, Kaushik said.

Political observers said the alliance has come as a jolt to the Congress, which was hoping to end the long reign of the BJP in the state.

The BJP and the Congress have dominated the bipolar political landscape in Chhattisgarh, which came into existence in November 2000, and there has been a very limited impact of smaller parties in elections.

However, the BSP-JCC alliance will make the contest triangular when the elections are held by the year-end.

The Congress has suffered a setback with the move as it was attempting to take the BSP to his side for the upcoming election in view of the latters hold among Scheduled Caste population, particularly the Satnami community, in districts like Janjgir-Champa, Raigarh and Bilaspur, veteran journalist Ramesh Nayyar said.

However, the development has made the BJP anxious, Nayyar said.

The BSP-JCC combination will prompt both the national parties to devise strategies to attract Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe voters, who comprise nearly 50 per cent of the population of the state, and Jogi has considerable influence among these sections, he added.

Ajit Jogis son Amit, a legislator, said only the BSP-JCC alliance is capable of stopping the BJP from coming to power in the state.

BSP chief Mayawati was well aware of the fact that the Congress is a sinking ship. She knows it is only the JCC which has the potential to snatch power from the ruling BJP, said Amit Jogi, MLA from Marwahi seat.

The people of the state will get a better alternative this time and very soon a joint programme of both the leaders (Mayawati and Ajit Jogi) will be held in the state, he said.

In the 2013 poll, the BJP had won 49 seats, Congress 39, the BSP 1 and Independent 1. The BJP had secured 41.04 per cent of the total votes polled, the Congress 40.29 per cent and the BSP 4.27 per cent.

Ajit Jogi quit the Congress in 2016 and launched his own party.
In a statement, the MEA said, The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways.

Barely 24 hours after agreeing to it, the government on Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps 'glorifying' Kashmiri terrorist Burhan Wani.

Announcing the cancellation of the meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the incidents 'exposed' the 'true face' of Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabads evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

India on Thursday accepted Khans request for a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

He said both the 'deeply disturbing' developments took place after Thursdays announcement by India to accept Pakistans proposal for the meeting.

Three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmirs Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen on Friday.

Following the incident, opposition parties criticised the government and asked it to explain the rationale behind accepting such a meeting when Pakistan-based terror outfits are killing Indian security personnel along the border in Jammu-Kashmir.

Kumar said Indias decision to agree to Pakistans proposal for the meeting was in response to the spirit reflected in separate letters from Khan and Qureshi.

The letter from the prime minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia, bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism.

Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office, he said.

The MEA spokesperson said any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be 'meaningless'.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Reacting to India's decision, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi alleged that there is a group in New Delhi that does not want talks to happen.

Qureshi was also quoted by the Express Tribune as saying that India has not responded positively to Pakistan's invitation for dialogue.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year...Pakistan had asked for the talks in the larger interest of the region," the report further quoted him as saying.

Qureshi expressed disappointment at the cancellation of talks, saying it was 'unfortunate'.

"It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. Indian has once again wasted an opportunity for peace," Qureshi said.

He said that it was important to sit and talk for the sake of peace and stability in the region.

"The refusal of India shows that Indian government is facing internal pressure," he said.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," Qureshi was quoted as saying

The Swaraj-Qureshi meeting would have been the first such high-level engagement between the two sides since suspension of dialogue between the two nations after the Pathankot air base terror attack in 2016.

India-Pakistan ties have nose-dived since then in view of a number of terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups. India retaliated by carrying out surgical strikes in September 2016 across the Line of Control. India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

Accepting the proposal for the meeting, India had, however, made it clear that it was not resumption of dialogue and the decision doesnt change the countrys position on cross-border terrorism.

Reacting to the government's decision, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said, "Better late than never. And sometimes credit should also be given to us."

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers was bad news as both the countries owed it to the people of the state to carry on the dialogue.

Calling off meeting between India & Pak's FMs is bad news for J&K. Both countries owe it to people of state & country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. Inspite of a historic mandate, it is media & not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda, she wrote on Twitter.
It is common for companies to organize various informal events where workers can come with their partners. One of those...
The poll watchdog faces two Herculean tasks -- to produce over a million VVPATs in time for the 2019 elections and to iron out glitches in the machines which are already in use, reports Sai Manish.

IMAGE: A polling official checks the serial numbers on Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines at a distribution centre ahead of the final phase of voting in Ahmedabad last December. Till July this year, 5,88,000 VVPATs were delivered. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

The scenario is tricky. The deadlines tight. The stakes even higher. The universal rollout of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail envisaged by the Election Commission of India for the 2019 elections faces two major hurdles. Firstly, there are manufacturing tweaks to be done on VVPATs to make them less prone to malfunction.

The second problem involves meeting the deadlines of manufacturing 1.6 million VVPATs. While the manufacturers of VVPATs plan to solve the first problem with a little bit of common sense, the second one looks as improbable as it looks daunting.

The daunting task first.

In May 2017, the ECI asked two public sector undertakings -- Bengaluru-based Bharat Electronics Limited and Hyderabad-based Electronics Corporation of India Limited -- to supply 1.6 million VVPATs to be used in all polling booths across India in the 2019 elections. It was during this period that the ECI held consultations with all political parties and decided to roll out these machines in all state and parliamentary elections in the near future.

This was also the month when Indias election watchdog was furiously defending itself against attacks from various quarters questioning the credibility and reliability of electronic voting machines. The ECI had set a deadline of November 2018 for the delivery of all these VVPATs. Till July this year, 5,88,000 VVPATs were delivered by the two PSUs. Most of these were produced by BEL.

An off-the-cuff calculation would show that if both these PSUs continue to manufacture VVPATs at the rate that they have been doing in the past, the ECIs target of rolling out these machines before pre-poll preparations for 2019 elections begin will not be achieved.

It was on July 25 this year that the ECI announced that only 5,88,000 VVPATs had been manufactured. In effect, it had taken both these public companies 420 days to manufacture the machines. Thats 1,400 VVPATs produced by both BEL and ECIL every day since that time.



When the ECI disclosed the number of manufactured VVPATs in July this year, both these public companies had another 127 days to achieve the target. If these companies were to keep producing machines at the same pace as they have done in the past, they would be able to manufacture only 1,77,800 VVPATs till the deadline expires before the end of November. Thats just 17 per cent of VVPATs that the ECI has asked for to install at all polling booths in the 2019 Parliamentary elections.

In other terms, if both public companies were to manufacture these machines at the same rate, it would take another 734 days, or two years, to meet these requirements.

Clearly, even if production was to be doubled, meeting the objective of installing VVPATs at all polling booths seems to be an improbable task -- at least for the moment.

While BEL officials declined to comment on record, there seems to be a great deal of positivity in their minds on not letting the Election Commissions targets slip come what may. Specific questions sent to the office of ECIL Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral Sanjay Chaubey (retired) did not elicit a response till the time of publication.



But despite the enormity of the task at hand, ECI officials were surprisingly confident of meeting the targets.

However, there remain serious doubts over the credibility of these machines. The ECI faced severe criticism after reports of large-scale defects in VVPATs during the Kairana and Bhandara-Gondiya bypolls held in May this year. The BJP lost both these bypolls to regional parties. There were reports that VVPATs failed to print the vote cast by a voter in these two constituencies.

The ECIs investigation found that this error was caused primarily due failure of the contrast sensor and length sensor installed in these machines. The ECI asked the manufacturers of these machines to examine the cause of the problems. The miserable performance of these machines was attributed to excessive exposure to sunlight or other bright sources of artificial light.

People privy to the manufacturing process of VVPATs said that the simplest solution to this problem was to cover these machines to reduce exposure to direct sunlight. While such common sense solutions to malfunctioning of VVPATs might solve certain problems, there are others that wont be solved quite easily given the logistical challenges of conducting elections in a country with a vast geography and challenging physiology.



An official with knowledge of the manufacturing process said, The VVPAT is not a military grade product and needed to be handled carefully. There is no technical glitch in a VVPAT. The malfunctions which are being reported are primarily on account of handling problems. After it leaves the factory, the VVPATs are transported across the country on anything from trucks and jeeps to bullock carts. These are transported in all kinds of weather from extreme heat, humidity and cold. At the end of the day, a VVPAT machine is a commercial grade product and it needs to be handled with certain amount of care failing which it can malfunction.



So if something as important as election equipment has to be made to military standards, then why is the ECI not pushing for it?

People familiar with the production process of election machines said that manufacturing military grade VVPATs would lead to massive cost escalation involving replacing the materials of all major components of a VVPAT. The costs of such an exercise would be extremely prohibitive. There are issues more than just handling precautions that need to be addressed about these machines.

Can a VVPAT be manipulated as has been alleged in the case of an EVM? Will a VVPAT print a vote other than what the voter has actually cast?

The official adds, The VVPAT machine has no intelligence of its own. It will print whatever command is sent from the EVM and whatever information is stored in the memory unit of the EVM. There is no question of VVPAT machine printing something different from the input received by the EVM. The information which is displayed on the screen is printed on the paper.

So even as Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah in the recent past and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat radio programme on August 26 again called for simultaneous elections, Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat expressed his apprehensions on such a massive exercise.

Rawat said, There are not enough VVPAT machines to conduct simultaneous polls in 2019.



In fact, reports suggest that the ECI now wants to keep a reserve stock of VVPATs to minimise the impact of malfunctioning machines on the credibility of Indian elections and has increased its demand for these machines to 1.74 million from the present 1.6 million.



As things stand, Indias top election body may struggle to get even the original order of VVPATs on time to hold a normal parliamentary election.
Cyclonic storm Daye hit the Odisha coast near Gopalpur early on Friday causing heavy rain and Malkangiri district, which bore the brunt, was virtually cut off from the rest of the state.

Special Relief Commissioner B P Sethi said no loss of life has been reported till 12 noon.

The SRC said, Malkangiri district was severely affected by the cyclonic storm and some people were left marooned in submerged areas, including Poteru.

Around 150 people have so far been rescued from some places in the district, the SRC said.

Immediate steps have been taken for distribution of relief materials in the affected areas and damage caused by the natural calamity was being ascertained, he added.

Rain water was flowing over major roads, submerging low-lying areas in the district that experienced a total rainfall of 1163.8 mm since Thursday, Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal said.

After reviewing the situation, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed the Malkangiri district administration to reach out to the affected people and extend all assistance to them, an official in the Chief Ministers Office said.

Patnaik also sanctioned gratuitous relief for seven days at Rs 60 per day per person and Rs 45 each for children below 12 years in the district, he said.

The cyclonic storm Daye over northwest Bay of Bengal crossed south Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh coast close to Gopalpur in the early hours of Friday, Director, Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, H R Biswas said.

The cyclonic system then moved west-northwestward with a speed of 26 kmph and weakened into a deep depression and lay centred over south interior Odisha and its neighbourhood, about 65 km east-southeast of Titlagarh.

After making a landfall, the storm triggered heavy rainfall in several places in Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput and Nabarangpur districts of the state, meteorological officials said.

WATCH: Parts of Malkangiri in Odisha have been flooded following heavy rainfall caused due to cyclonic storm Daye

Malkangiri, which recorded an average rainfall of 166.25 mm since Thursday, witnessed severe water-logging and disruption in road connectivity in many areas.

As major roads were submerged with rain water, connectivity with Jeypore, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh remained snapped, said an official.

Water level in the Balimela reservoir had also risen alarmingly, he said.

While rain water gushed into a health centre in Janbai, four persons who had been marooned in a forest nursery near Malkangiri since Thursday were rescued Friday, he said.

Incessant rainfall also left major rivers like Saleru, Saberi and Saptadhara in the district swollen, while power supply remained snapped.

Heavy rains also lashed nearby Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur districts.

The MeT centre forecast heavy to very heavy rain in several places in Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput and Nabarangpur districts till Saturday.

Heavy to very heavy rain is also likely to occur at some places in Balangir, Bararh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts till Saturday morning, it said.

The impact of the cyclonic storm was also felt in Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts, while districts like Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak were lashed by heavy downpour.

The state government has instructed officials in coastal districts and various departments to tackle any emergency situation, official sources said.

While the IMD had predicted damage to thatched hut, roads, crops and minor damage to power and communication lines in Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts at the time of landfall, the state government is in the process of assessing the damage, if any.

Taking the situation into account, the National Disaster Relief Force and the ODRAF have been deployed in different districts. One NDRF team each has been deployed in Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts with 17 boats and other emergency equipment.


Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: Police officials pay tribute to the three policemen who were killed by terrorists in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir.

Three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Tayiba on Friday, police said as a new page opened up in the three-decade chapter of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Based on initial probe, the police said the dastardly action has been carried out against the special police officers (SPOs) by the banned terror groups -- Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Tayiba.

The terror attack also shook the 1.2-lakh strong Jammu and Kashmir police force with at least six SPOs announcing their resignations on social media, officials said.

Hours later, the Union home ministry said in New Delhi that no policeman has resigned in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of three police personnel and described such reports as 'false propaganda' by 'mischievous' elements.

The bodies of the slain policemen -- identified as constable Nissar Ahmed and special police officers Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh -- were found in an orchard across a river, officials said in Srinagar.

A video purportedly from the Hizbul Mujahideen had warned all Kashmiri residents working as SPOs to tender their resignations. There are over 30,000 SPOs in Jammu and Kashmir.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani termed the incident cowardice and said 'the terrorists are desperate as they are feeling the heat from security forces'.

"We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike. Our tribute to the three martyred jawans. We will soon bring all the culprits before law," he added.

The three policemen were kidnapped early on Friday morning from their homes at Batagund and Kapran villages, police said.

The residents of Batagund village chased the terrorists and pleaded with them to not abduct the men. The abductors fired shots in the air and threatened the villagers, officials said.

The terrorists crossed a river in the area and shot them dead, the officials added.

A post on a Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group claimed responsibility for the incident. Security agencies also believe that Hizb terrorists are behind the killings.

The abduction of the policemen from their homes and the killing is the first in the three decades of militancy in the state. Earlier, policemen have been targeted on the road or during their duties.

The killings are believed to have triggered panic in the lower ranks of the police department with at least six policemen resigning. Two of them issued video messages dissociating themselves from the force.

"My name is Irshad Ahmad Baba and I was working as a constable in the police. I have rendered my resignation...," said one of them in a video being widely circulated on social media in Srinagar.

Tajalla Hussain Lone, an SPO, said he had resigned from the police department on September 17 and was issuing the video to put to rest any doubts that he had done so.

Police refused to comment on the resignations, saying they would verify the information.

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo has several times warned local policemen, especially SPOs, to resign from the force, saying that the government is using them.

In its statement, the Union home ministry said reports have appeared in a section of the media that some special police officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police has confirmed that these reports are 'untrue and motivated'.

"These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements," it said.

The ministry said Jammu and Kashmir has a professional and committed police force, which is fully geared up to meet the security challenges, including those related to the forthcoming panchayat and urban body elections.

"There are over 30,000 SPOs and their services are reviewed from time to time. Some mischievous elements are trying to project that those SPOs whose services are not renewed due to administrative reasons, have resigned," it said.

The ministry said terrorists are on the backfoot in Jammu and Kashmir and 28 militants have been neutralised this year alone in Shopian district, where the Friday incident took place.

"Due to pro-active actions of the state police, militants have been pushed to a corner and are being driven to desperation," it said.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti expressed her outrage on Twitter.

"Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims," she said.

The Centre's muscular policy, she added, was not working at all with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families.

'Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now,' she tweeted.

The policemen were abducted nearly three weeks after terrorists abducted relatives of policemen from various places in south Kashmir on August 30. The relatives were later released.

At least eight people whose relatives worked in Jammu and Kashmir Police were abducted.

Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of terrorists who were in police custody.

The latest round of killings comes soon after elections to panchayats and urban local bodies were announced.
IMAGE: Bishop Franco Mulakkal after being arrested by the Kerala police in Thrippunithura on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo



Bishop Franco Mulakkal, a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India, was arrested on Friday night amid mounting public outrage over allegations of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, police said.

He was arrested by Kerala police after intense interrogation over the last three days.

The development came a day after the Vatican relieved him 'temporarily' of all pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation to which the alleged victim also belongs.

The nun had accused the 54-year old clergyman of repeatedly raping and having unnatural sex with her between 2014 and 2016.

Inspector General of Police (Kochi Range) Vijay Sakhare told PTI that the arrest was recorded at 8 pm and the bishop would be produced in a magistrate court in Pala in Kottayam district on Saturday.

Mulakkal, who had been coming for the interrogation in the bishop attire, was taken to Tripunithura government taluk hospital in civil dress for medical examination and later to Kottayam.

People gathered there booed the bishop as he was being escorted out of the hospital.

Earlier, Kottayam district police chief Hari Sankar told reporters that the bishop has been slapped with charges, including rape, illegal confinement, unnatural sex and intimidation.

There were evidences to arrive at a reasonable suspicion that the clerygyman had committed the crime, he said.

During the interrogation, the accused was given reasonable time to narrate his version to the investigating team, he said.

The superintendent of police said the police will seek three day custody of Mulakkal. Potency test of the priest will be done, he added.

Members of various Christian reformation organisations as also the nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus, who were staging a protest close to the Kerala high court premises for the last 13 days for the bishop's arrest, erupted with joy as the news broke.

Fr Augustine Vattoli, Convenor of the Save our Sisters (SOS) Action Council, which spearheaded the protest, called off the hunger-strike.

The five nuns who were taking part in the protest welcomed the arrest of the bishop and said they would end their agitation for the time being.

They hastened to add that justice would not be done simply because of the arrest.

"Clear legal steps should also be taken to deliver justice. Law should take its correct course", a fellow nun of the survivor nun said.

The nuns said they would continue their struggle till 'complete justice' was done in the case.

They said in view of the arrest, more nuns were likely to come forward to complain against the bishop.

"More evidences are likely to come to fore as he is arrested now. Our struggle was not only for the victimised nun. It was for seeking justice for all women victims who were crying for justice", the nun said.

In her complaint to Kottayam police in June, the nun had alleged that Bishop Mulakkal raped her at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and later sexually exploited her on several occasions. She said she had to approach police as the church authorities did not act on her repeated complaints against the clergyman.

Earlier this month, she wrote to the Vatican's representative in New Delhi, alleging that the bishop was using 'political and money power' to 'bury' the case and seeking his removal.

The sleaze scandal got murkier when the bishop too filed a complaint against the nun, claiming he was being blackmailed by her for not extending her favours.

Outrage over the delay in the top clergyman's arrest, meanwhile, grew.

The protests by Christian reformation organisations escalated after some nuns of the religious order came out of the confines of their convent and joined the agitation.

As pressure mounted on police for action against Mulakkal, it asked him to present himself before the Special Investigation Team on September 19.

A day ahead of his scheduled appearance, Mulakkal filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Kerala high court claiming allegations against him were a 'cooked up story to wreak vengeance'.

In his petition, Mulakkal said he was 'absolutely innocent' and was 'falsely implicated' with an 'ulterior motive and vexatious intention'.

Mulakkal alleged that the nun had an illicit relationship with a relative and a complaint about it was received by her congregation.

"This crucial aspect needs to be considered along with the complaint made by her own cousin alleging the de facto complainant of having illicit relationship with her husband.

"This crucial aspect casts serious suspicion on the credibility of the allegations raised by the de facto complainant," Mulakkal said in his plea before the high court, which was to hear it on September 25.

Citing convention, some legal experts had said the bishop was unlikely to be arrested as his pre-arrest bail plea was pending before the high court.

However, since there was no legal bar on his arrest during the pendency of the petition, the police went ahead and detained him.
A political row broke out on Friday over the University Grants Commission communication to varsities to observe September 29 as surgical strike day with the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal saying it will not be followed in the state and joined the Congress to allege the move was part of the Bharatiya Janata Partys political agenda but the Centre asserted this reflected patriotism and not politics.

The Centre, however, said it is not compulsory for the universities and the higher educational institutions to celebrate the second anniversary of the surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. An advisory not a direction has been issued to universities, said Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Talk by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades by the National Cadet Corps and visit to exhibitions are among the prescribed events by the University Grants Commission for the celebration. Colleges have been asked to organise parades by the National Cadet Corps and lectures by ex-army officers.

On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control as a response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month. The army had said its special forces inflicted significant casualties on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.

West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee criticised the BJP-led central government for trying to malign and politicise the army and said educational institutes will not abide by UGCs directive.

This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda. We wont abide by the directions of UGC, Chatterjee told reporters in Kolkata.

We would have understood it had they asked us to observe the day in the name of sacrifices made by our soldiers. We have full respect for our soldiers and their sacrifices.

The Indian Army has always been kept above politics and controversies. But now we are seeing that the BJP is trying to malign and politicise the Indian Army. This is not right and we wont support it, Chatterjee said.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the TMC government has made it a practice to oppose each and every decision of the Centre.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal sarcastically asked whether the UGC would dare to celebrate November 8, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as surgical strike day.

UGC directs VCs of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJPs political ends? Sibal tweeted.

Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihoods? This another jumla! the former Union HRD minister said.

Javadekar said the UGC communication reflected patriotism not politics, and it is not compulsory for the academic institutions to organise any such event.

Javadekar, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, rejected the criticism by opposition parties as absolutely ridiculous and false.

He told reporters in Delhi the ruling BJP differed with the Congress as it only gave advise to institutes to follow a programme while the opposition party made its decisions compulsory when it was in power.

Where is politics? This is not politics but patriotism, Javadekar said, adding that students needed to be informed about the surgical strikes, and military and civil works soldiers do.

He claimed that students and institutes had made suggestions that the second anniversary of surgical strikes should be observed.

Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime.
'We are known political activists, so the police put our names in.'

Jyoti Punwani reports from Pune.

IMAGE: Santosh Gaekwad.

On March 13, 2018, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced in the Maharashtra Legislative Council that cases filed against Dalit protesters on January 2 and 3, 2018 would be withdrawn.

These protests were a reaction to the January 1 violence near Bhima-Koregaon.

The CM clarified that cases against history-sheeters and those who had indulged in serious violence would not be withdrawn.

In all, 620 cases had been filed, of which 300 to 350 were serious, Fadnavis said.

Six months after the CM's announcement, six Dalits received a notice from the Chaturshringi police summoning them to the police station in connection with a case filed against them on January 2, 2018.

These included Aundh residents and RPI (Athavale) activists Tukaram Gade, 52, and Satish Gaekwad, 34.

The notice mentioned CR 4/18, which was filed under sections 143 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 37 (1) (3) and 135 of the Bombay Police Act. These offences relate to being part of an unlawful assembly.

These are exactly the kind of minor offences for which the CM had promised action would not be taken.

According to the notice dated September 2, on January 2 at 11.15 am, one Satish Paval and 50 to 55 Dalits were shouting slogans near Dr Ambedkar's statue at Aundh, Pune.

When asked by the police whether they had taken permission for their andolan (campaign), they replied: 'We don't need permission to be here. Arrest us if you want.'

They then started shouting 'Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar cha vijay aso (Victory to Dr Ambedkar)' and other slogans. After the police persuaded them, they dispersed around 11.45 am.

Gade works as a painter and Gaekwad is a rickshaw-driver.

In their reply, filed through advocate Mohan Wadekar, they have pointed out that they are social workers, with no police record. In fact, says the reply, they are members of the Chaturshringi Police Station Peace Committee.

They further state that they were standing near the statue of Dr Ambedkar on January 2, but were not part of any andolan.

Complaining that their names have been added to the list of accused only on the basis of suspicion, they have asked the police to check the CCTV footage to verify their claim, and remove their names from the FIR.

Both Gade and Gaekwad said that in CR4/18, the name of Satish Paval and '50-55 others' is mentioned. Their names are not there.

"We are known political activists," they said. "So the police put our names in."

Many local Aundh residents often sit near Dr Ambedkar's statue, said Gade, since it is part of a busy market place. He often reads the newspapers there.

On January 2, he was sitting there and observing a group of Dalits raising slogans.

Gaekwad said he had always taken police permission to hold any programme. On January 2, he had gone near Dr Ambedkar's statue to see what was happening. "My community was protesting, I wanted to see what was happening," he said.

Both seemed unaware of Fadnavis' announcement about withdrawal of cases.

The chief minister made the announcement three months after violence broke out at Bhima-Koregaon on January 1, 2018.

Lakhs of Dalits had made their way to Bhima-Koregaon to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the battle between the British and the Peshwas, which the British won with Mahar soldiers fighting on their side.

However, their buses were stoned and many of them had to return without reaching Bhima- Koregaon.

A Maratha youth died and four were injured in the stone throwing. 60 policemen were also injured. 25 vehicles were burnt, 50 damaged. Dalit and Muslim properties were damaged.

The next day, there were protests by Dalits across the state, followed by a bandh on January 3. Apart from rasta and rail rokos, public buses including school buses, were vandalised on both days.

A Dalit teenager died in Nanded. His parents alleged that he died after a severe police lathi charge.

The first FIR on the January 1 violence, based on a complaint filed by Dalit activist Anita Sawale, blamed right-wing Hindu leaders Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote for the violence. However, the police did not arrest either.

Ekbote was arrested only on March 14 after the Supreme Court cancelled the interim bail it had granted him.

As for Bhide, Fadnavis gave him a clean chit in the assembly on March 28.

In May, five Left-leaning intellectuals were arrested for the January 1 violence. The government linked the violence to the speeches made at the Elgaar Parishad held on December 31, and blamed Maoists for backing the Parishad.

In August, five more activists were attempted to be arrested. They are still under house arrest.

Ekbote is out on bail. Bhide has not been arrested. And Fadnavis' promise on withdrawing cases against Dalit protesters has turned out to be hollow.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Sri Lanka : Christians

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date March 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Sri Lanka : Christians, March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba218167.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Christians in Sri Lanka made up 7.6 per cent of the population (6.2 per cent Roman Catholic and 1.4 per cent other denominations, primarily Protestant / Evangelical) (2012 Census). The Christian community, comprising Roman Catholics, traditional Protestant Christians and non-traditional or evangelical Christians, encompasses both Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups.

History

It is generally accepted that Roman Catholicism and Protestant Christianity were introduced by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, who invaded the island between 1505 and 1780. However, archaeological evidence indicates the presence of a Persian Christian community as far back as 500 AD.

The historical perception of Christianity as a tool of Western colonialism, perpetuated by ardent Buddhist nationalists in the years following independence, has led to Christians - particularly evangelical denominations - being viewed by many as a suspicious 'other' and a threat to Buddhism and Sinhala culture. Propaganda-driven attacks on religious minorities gained momentum in the 1980s, targeting Protestant Christians.

These incidents intensified with the emergence of Buddhist nationalist movements such as the SUCCESS (Society for Upliftment and Conservation of Cultural, Educational and Social Standards) movement, formed by prominent Buddhist clergy and laity in the 1990s, and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) in December 2003. Buddhist nationalists used accusations of proselytization to stoke animosity towards evangelical Christians. The JHU subsequently positioned itself as a political party, championing the establishment of a Buddhist nation and the introduction of laws prohibiting religious conversion, inciting further intolerance against the country's Christian community. That year also marked a significant increase in violent attacks against Christians, with 2004 recording the highest number of attacks to date. During the past 20 years, there have been over 900 documented incidents against Christians, including targeted killings of Christian clergy, physical violence and extensive destruction of places of worship and property.

Current issues

Hostility towards Christians, particularly evangelical Christians, has persisted for decades. The various manifestations of this hostility, however, have evolved over time: while there is a notable decrease in violent attacks causing physical injury or property, other instances not involving physical violence - such as harassment, threats, intimidation and discrimination - persist.

While Sri Lankan law does not require state authorization or registration of places of worship or religious bodies, the 2008 Circular consists of an instruction issued by the Secretary of the Ministry to provincial councils and divisional secretaries that the construction of new places of worship requires prior approval of the ministry. This is widely used to support the restriction or prohibition of Christian places of worship as illegal or unauthorized. Although the 2008 Circular clearly stipulates that it is applicable to new building construction and does not have retrospective effect, it is routinely misapplied by state actors to close down churches and forbid Christian worship, even in structures pre-dating the issuing of the circular.

The circular stipulates submission of documentary evidence by applicant religious bodies to prove their bona fides. However, it exempts 'traditional religions' from this requirement. What constitutes a 'traditional religion' is not explained in the document or elsewhere, allowing the various officials of relevant bodies to apply their own interpretation. The implication of a special category of 'traditional religions' inevitably cements the perception that religions which are viewed as 'non-traditional' consequently lack legitimacy. This encourages discrimination against evangelical Christians in particular, extending even to evangelical denominations incorporated by Act of Parliament as far back as 1947, who are nevertheless not accepted as 'traditional'.

Updated March 2018

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Sudan : Nubians

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date June 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Sudan : Nubians, June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba237167.html [accessed 10 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.

Nubians (not to be confused with Nuba) are descendants of the hunter-gathering culture near the site of modern Khartoum, c. 4000 BC, with much admixture from the Egyptian population to the north. Nubians have a very long history linked to the rise of agriculture, ancient states and urbanism, which parallels their association with ancient Egypt. Nubia was a source of gold, slaves, cattle skins, ivory, ebony, ostrich feathers, gum and incense which played a very important role in the basic accumulation of Egyptian wealth and power. When the Nubian kingdom was defeated by the Axumite kingdom it reorganized as three Christian kingdoms. This delayed the arrival of Islam until the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Some Nubians fled to remote locations in Darfur and Kordofan; other groups stayed in Nubia, retaining a tradition of religious scholarship and teaching.

Updated June 2018

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World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Sweden : Roma

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date April 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Sweden : Roma, April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba238a37.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Whilst historically nomadic, the majority of Roma in Sweden live sedentary lives. They represent a diverse population with approximately 20 dialects of the Romani language in use in Sweden today. Some 25,000 of the approximately 50,000 Roma living in Sweden are descended from an initial wave of migration in the early sixteenth century, with the rest of the population originating from several subsequent groups arriving since the beginning of the twentieth century.

Roma are one of five officially recognized minorities in Sweden, with the Romani Chib or language officially recognised as a minority language in Sweden. Despite this official recognition, Roma represent one of the most marginalized communities in Sweden.

Historical context

Roma have been in Sweden since at least the early sixteenth century. In more recent times there have been several waves of migration, including from Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century, Finland in the 1960s, Poland in the 1960s and 1970s, and most recently from locations such as the former Yugoslavia and Romania.

Between 1934 and 1975, the Swedish state implemented a policy of sterilization of people who were seen to be lacking capacity, whether from a mental, behavioural or physical standpoint. Along with a policy of forced removal of children, this policy was seen as having a significant ethnic bias inherent in its implementation, with Roma - especially travelling Roma - being actively targeted. Between 450 and 500 travelling Roma were forcibly sterilised, which meant that about a quarter of travelling Roma households included at least one person who was a victim of the practice. However, researchers consider that the real number may be far higher; they also emphasise that a quantitative focus underplays the negative impact of the policy on the Roma community as a whole, given the atmosphere of fear it created. Whilst claims that this was ethnically based have long been downplayed, a 2015 Ministry of Culture white paper entitled 'The Dark Unknown History' acknowledged the ethnic bias of these policies as part of a broader state culture of disdain for the Roma minority.

These policies did not however take place in isolation, with Roma subjected to registration and monitoring in many forms throughout the twentieth century. The targeted registering of Roma was performed with various different rationales, from concerns about their living conditions, to employment and child welfare. Behind such policies, though, there was an underlying political ethos of biological racism that saw Roma as inferior, unwanted and in need of eradication.

Whilst Sweden has struggled to come to terms with this history, some advances were made in the relationship between the Swedish state and the Roma community towards the end of the twentieth century and into the beginning of the twenty-first century. In 1999 along with several others, the Romani language was officially recognized as a minority language of Sweden under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Under this charter, the Swedish government is required to protect and encourage the use of the Romani language.

Most significantly, 2014 saw the Swedish government establish the Commission on Antiziganism to report on the Roma experience in Sweden. In the creation of this commission, the state acknowledged that Roma are 'victims of prejudice and discrimination' and that this has been 'expressed in forms such as acts of violence and harassment'.

Current issues

In recent years, with inclusion of new member-states into the EU, there has been an increased level of migration of Roma into Sweden, largely from eastern EU countries. This has inflamed both official animosity and social prejudice towards the Roma community.

In part due to this increased migration, but also due to significant underlying prejudices, Roma are notable targets of hate crimes in Sweden. Most commonly these hate crimes take the form of threats and abuse, and are not limited in where they take place. The number of hate crimes against Roma that are actually reported is low. According to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Bra), only 160 complaints concerning anti-Roma hate crimes were registered in 2016, out of a total of 6,415 incidents that year. However, Bra emphasises that this should not be taken as accurate picture of the prevalence of anti-Roma hate crimes. According to the third interim report of the Commission on Antiziganism, hate crimes often go unreported by the victims as there is a belief that they will not be taken seriously. This too is borne out by the large gap between the number of cases reported and those that are solved. According to the Commission on Antiziganism, only one per cent of cases lead to prosecution.

Roma are also the victims of more institutional racism. Racial profiling of Roma remains a significant concern in Sweden today. In 2013 it was revealed that police in Skane, southern Sweden had established a large database of people, the majority of whom had Roma heritage, though they denied that this was established based on ethnicity but rather was a measure to address criminality in the region. In 2015, the human rights organization Civil Rights Defenders, on behalf of members of the Roma community, filed and won a suit against the Swedish government over this database. Following an unsuccessful appeal by the Swedish state, in 2017, the Svea Court of Appeal found that it had engaged in ethnic registration and discrimination of members of the Roma community; the government was ordered to pay compensation.

Roma suffer from lower levels of education and high levels of unemployment than the wider Swedish community. In recognition of such discrepancies, the Swedish government launched a coordinated long-term strategy for Roma inclusion 2012-2032 with the professed goal to provide Roma youth with the same opportunities as their Swedish peers by 2032. This strategy prioritises areas of education, employment, housing, health, social care and security, culture and language, as well as Roma organisation and participation in civil society. Additionally, the government pledged SEK 58 million in additional funding between 2016 and 2019 for measures increasing engagement with the Roma community.

Updated April 2018

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World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Turkey : Syrian minority refugees

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date June 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Turkey : Syrian minority refugees, June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba23f9d7.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Turkey is hosting approximately 3.6 million Syrian refugees. While the country has a significant number of refugee camps, only 8 per cent of Syrians are residing in these, with the majority living in urban or peri-urban areas. A number of minorities are represented among the Syrian refugee community in Turkey, including Abdal, Dom, Christians and Kurds.

History

The influx of Syrian refugees into Turkey began with the outbreak of civil conflict in Syria in 2011 and has increased steadily since then. While initially housed in designated accommodation centres, the scale of new arrivals has meant that the majority has dispersed to various Turkish cities such as Istanbul.

The government's initial open-door policy towards refugees, buoyed by widespread sympathy towards displaced Syrians, has become increasingly closed as popular attitudes have hardened towards them.

Current issues

The growing population of Syrian refugees has faced increasing pressure from authorities as official policies towards them have hardened, with some politicians now calling for a resolution to the crisis and their return to Syria. Amidst a deteriorating economic situation and insecurity, there also appears to be increasing hostility among Turkish citizens towards Syrians and rising inter-communal tensions, at times spilling into violence. The number of violent incidents reportedly tripled in the last six months of 2017, compared with the same period in 2016.

Besides stigmatization and intimidation, the majority of refugees living across the country struggle with entrenched poverty: unable to secure formal employment, many are forced to take informal, low paid work in exploitative conditions. Despite Turkey allowing access to its public school system, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugee children mostly residing outside refugee camps are unable to attend school due to language barriers, issues with integration and a lack of resources to meet related costs such as travel. Parents are frequently unable to pay to send their children to school and children may also have to work to help the family survive.

Among the refugees are minorities such as Abdal and Dom, who are subjected to more discrimination than Arab, Turkmen and Kurdish refugees, while those who are Alevi are subjected to discrimination on multiple grounds. Studies show that the approximately 20,000 Abdal staying in Diyarbakr are housed in structures made of breezeblocks, some of which have no roofs at all, while others are covered with tarpaulins, with entire families staying in these basic single-roomed structures. Aid organizations have not provided aid to them because of their ethnic origin and religious beliefs, which is an indication of the discrimination at play. As a result of the efforts of certain NGOs, however, some aid organizations are now paying more attention to Abdal refugees. The majority of Abdal and Dom who fled from Syria to Turkey are staying in informal encampments, and on occasion the police raid their camps and take down their tents. A small number of refugees who are Roma or members of similar social groups stay as tenants in cheap rented accommodation. The cheap rent means that the places where they are staying tend to be flats, shops or construction sites that are far from the city centre and in unhealthy conditions. For financial reasons they may move often, meaning that they are in a constant state of insecurity. Such refugees do not stay in refugee camps but live near places populated by Turkish Abdal and Dom communities.

Updated June 2018

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - United Republic of Tanzania : Maasai

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date May 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - United Republic of Tanzania : Maasai, May 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba248c97.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Though the exact number of Maasai in Tanzania is unknown, the population has been estimated at around 430,000. Located primarily in northern Tanzania, their pastoralist way of life has been threatened by the encroachment of their communal territory by the Tanzanian government and foreign corporations.

History

The Maasai are a pastoralist people, whose traditional territories stretch from the Rift Valley lakes of Kenya across the Serengeti plains into Tanzania. They comprise 14 tribal groups, including the Kisongo, Purko, Loita and Mataputo. In 1884-85, the European colonial powers gathered at the Berlin Conference to divide up Africa between them. Maasailand was split into two areas - one lying in British-controlled Kenya and the other in the German colony of Tanganyika. While originally the majority of Maasai lands were on the Kenyan side, displacement in the early 20th century to make way for white settlers in Kenya means that today the greater part of Maasai territory lies in Tanzania. Restrictions on Maasai movement continued to increase throughout the century, as national parks and game reserves were created on both sides of the border.

Current issues

Maasai have had several ongoing disputes involving large areas of their customary lands with the Tanzanian government for over 30 years. In the 1980s, 10,000 acres of Maasai pastoral land in Loliondo district was sold to Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) to cultivate wheat and barley. Although the Maasai villages were offered no compensation and were not consulted regarding the land transfer, they were not prohibited from accessing most of the land to graze and water their livestock as TBL only used around 700 acres for cultivation. For 19 years the arrangement continued, and the Maasai community retained its customary ownership of the land. This situation ended in 2006, when TBL sold the entire acreage plus an additional 2,617 acres to Tanzania Conservation Limited (TCL), the Tanzanian subsidiary of US-based tourism company Thomson Safaris. Since that time, the community has been denied access to over 12,000 acres of land on which they have historically grazed their cattle and sustained their traditional livelihood.

With international support, the Maasai villages initiated legal proceedings in 2010 based on an adverse possession land claim in domestic courts against TBL and TCL. Not only did they seek to reclaim the land they once held, they also sought an injunction against land development for tourism pending the court's decision on the merits. Unfortunately, the Maasai's application was dismissed on procedural grounds in 2013, but the community re-lodged their case the same year, requesting the court to revoke the tourism company's illegally granted land title and award damages for the suffering endured as a result of their land exclusion. The case was pending until October 2015 when the Maasai community suffered a disappointing loss. Although the Arusha High Court acknowledged that 2,617 acres of the disputed land were indeed unlawfully acquired - it being added on to the 10,000 acres in the most recent land transaction without consent - the majority of the decision favoured the defendants. No actual damages were awarded to the Maasai, who remain prohibited from entering the land to use its resources.

The villagers are appealing the decision and hope to resolve this dispute in their favour. There continue to be reports of violence and intimidation against Maasai found grazing livestock on the land, as well as community leaders.

Meanwhile, Maasai in a neighbouring area, also in Loliondo district, have faced repeated violent evictions on account of a lease granted in 1992 by the Tanzanian government to the Ortello Business Corporation (OBC), which is owned by royals of the UAE. The lease granted hunting rights to 4,000 sq km land, which is home to over 60,000 Maasai. The area has repeatedly been the setting of forced evictions and violence. In 2009, for instance, 200 'bomas' (enclosed compounds) were burned down, and many Maasai were beaten and detained in an effort to evict communities from the area. The UN Special Rapporteur on indigenous peoples, James Anaya, reported that at least one Maasai woman was raped repeatedly by police, and four pregnant women suffered miscarriages as a result of the assaults.

In 2013, the Tanzanian government announced that it would create a 1,500 sq km exclusive 'wildlife corridor' for OBC. The decision would have displaced over 30,000 Maasai and would have effectively reduced the community land by about 40 per cent.

The government backed down from its 2013 plan following considerable international pressure, including an Avaaz.org online petition that quickly gathered over two million signatures. In 2015, the authorities reneged on their promise, burning down bomas and forcibly evicting Maasai from the area. Community activists reported that 114 homes were burned down in the space of just a few days in February alone, leaving 2-3,000 Maasai without shelter.

A commission to find a solution to the land dispute presented its findings in spring 2017, but loca Maasai activists informed MRG during the autumn that an eviction process nevertheless had commenced. By autumn 2017 they were reporting that, so far, hundreds of bomas had been burned and thousands of people had been displaced. Young Maasai men had also been jailed, and cattle had been confiscated and sold.

Just months after these reports of renewed violence, the Tanzanian authorities made a surprise announcement in November 2017 that it was revoking OBC's lease. The new Natural Resources Minister Hamis Kigwangalla had reported OBC's executive director to the government's anti-corruption bureau for trying to bribe him and colleagues. However, given the government's record of going back on its promises to the Maasai of Loliondo, it remains to be seen whether OBC will actually leave. In December 2017, prime minister Kassim Majaliwa announced that a 'special authority' would be created for the Loliondo area.

The loss of traditional herding lands as well as recurring drought contribute to Maasai urbanization. In Tanzania's capital Dar es Salaam alone, there are an estimated 5,000 Maasai youth attempting to make a livelihood in their new urban environment, according to Onesmo ole Ngurumwa of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, one group working to protect Maasai land rights. In 2016 another rights defender, Maasai leader Edward Loure, was awarded the Goldman Prize for his innovative approach to community land titling in resistance to safari and game park development. He succeeded in protecting over 200,000 acres of indigenous land and has continued his work, with the intention of reducing the threat of forced eviction and urbanization.

Alongside the loss of homes and livelihoods, the struggle to transmit the intangible aspects of cultural knowledge and sacred practices to younger generations remains a very real concern - not only in Loliondo, but right across Maasai territories in Kenya and Tanzania. And while the Maasai people's identity is under increasing threat, companies have been profiting from Maasai imagery by associating their products with the indigenous community to promote sales. Over the last few years, Maasai activists have made efforts to form a general assembly of elders to represent them in formal negotiations with such companies in order to safeguard their culture through intellectual property protections - an important step in the community's efforts to regain control of their lives.

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Yemen : Baha'i

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date January 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Yemen : Baha'i, January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba251e47.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Baha'is in Yemen, who now number around 1,000 people, have long been seen by the state as posing an ideological threat to national security. Persecution for their religious beliefs occurred during the reign of former President Saleh and continues to the present-day.

Current issues

While the Baha'i faith is distinct to Islam, Judaism and other monotheistic religions, sectarian and religious tensions - in particular those linked to geopolitical rivalries with neighbouring countries - have contributed to their persecution. In 2013, for example, Hamed Kamal bin Haydara, a Baha'i Yemeni, was arrested and accused of being an Iranian citizen working on behalf of the Israeli government to proselytize the Baha'i faith.

Antipathy towards Israel has also played a role in shaping attitudes towards Yemen's Baha'i community due to the location of the Baha'i World Centre, the global spiritual headquarters, in Israel. In January 2015, after more than a year of detention without trial and having reportedly endured torture by prison guards, a formal indictment was issued. Yet as of February 2017, Haydara, facing the death penalty, saw his trial postponed for the seventh time, underscoring doubts among many outside observers about the existence of evidence of his alleged crimes.

Their situation has also deteriorated since the intensification of Yemen's civil conflict, despite community efforts to avoid taking sides among any of the warring parties. A number of incidents have involved Houthi forces. In August 2016, Houthi security personnel raided a Baha'i youth workshop in Sana'a, arresting 65 people including women and children, and detaining 27 Baha'i attendees without charge. Most were reportedly freed under the condition of pledging to refrain from organizing or partaking in any activities publically drawing attention to the Baha'i faith. At the end of November 2016, the last detainee remained in custody without having been charged or given access to a lawyer. In early September 2016, authorities raided two community service organizations in Sana'a founded by Baha'i members, shutting the buildings, confiscating documents, and arresting staff. Personal property including computers and passports were also seized from the homes of three Baha'is. In April 2017, reports emerged of further crackdowns against the community by Houthi forces in Sana'a, with more than 20 Baha'i at risk of imminent detention.

Updated January 2018

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Yemen : Isma'ilis

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date January 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Yemen : Isma'ilis, January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba2524a7.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

There are thought to be around 15,000 Isma'ilis in Yemen, mainly concentrated in Jabal Haraz, near Manakha, west of Sana'a, but a few live on the Saudi border at Najran oasis, with a larger number inside Saudi Arabia. They are Musta'lis, following the line of al-Musta'li in the succession dispute with his brother Nizar in Fatimid Cairo in 1094. Most belong to the Sulaymani sub-branch, following another succession dispute in 1591; a few others adhere to the Bombay-based Daudi sub-branch.

History

Isma'ilis form another branch of Shi'a Islam that is distinct from both Twelver and Zaydi faiths. While Isma'ilis divide into various branches and subgroups, in Yemen they mainly belong to the Sulaymaniya and Dawoodiya (commonly known as Bohra) groups. Isma'ilis in Yemen have had a history of persecution dating back to the imamate, which at times prompted their exile within Yemen, mainly to Haraz, and to other parts of the world, including India where most Bohras are found today. As a result of the importance they place on their shrines, Isma'ilis have constantly been accused of polytheism. The secretive nature of their faith is largely a result of the denigration they suffered following the fall of the Fatimid dynasty, and continue to suffer to this day due to prejudices about their belief and practices.

Current issues

Isma'ilis have reportedly been marginalized, and were excluded from political representation in Yemen, including at the level of the 2013-14 National Dialogue Conference. A significant number have reportedly left the country for India since the outbreak of civil conflict in Yemen.

In July 2015, the Yemen branch of ISIS claimed an attack on a Dawoodi Isma'ili mosque in Sana'a, reportedly accusing Dawoodi Isma'ilis of supporting the Houthis. In a statement that followed the explosion, IS stated that the attack was part of a 'wave of military security operations in revenge for Muslims against the Houthi 'rejectors', and that the explosion targeted a 'temple belonging to the Isma'ili Bohra, who support the polytheist Houthis'. Attacks against Dawoodi Isma'ilis in Aden have also been reported, including threats and accusations made against them of supporting the Houthis, which prompted some of the city's Dawoodi Isma'ilis to leave the country for Djibouti. With the beginning of the war, the Indian government also evacuated thousands of Indians caught in Yemen, including at least 140 Dawoodi Isma'ilis who were in Aden on a pilgrimage, some of whom had family ties in Yemen. Incidents of kidnapping of Isma'ilis have reportedly been on the rise since the conflict started, some in Sana'a and others in Aden. While in a few cases the kidnappers had reportedly requested a ransom, the reasons for some of the kidnappings were unknown.

Updated January 2018

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Zimbabwe : Tshwa San

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date April 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Zimbabwe : Tshwa San, April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba2536c7.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Tshwa San live primarily in western Zimbabwe. Though the government does not keep official statistics on the population of indigenous peoples, it is estimated that there are around 2,600 Tshwa. Most traditional knowledge of hunting and gathering has been lost, however Tshwa continue to use veldfood as a form of sustenance.

Historical context

Until British colonization in 1890, Tshwa San primarily gained land through self-allocation. With the arrival of European settlers and the establishment of various game reserves, including Hwange National Park, many Tshwa were forcibly removed from their lands. The Land Apportionment Act of 1930 was an apartheid policy that limited the rights of land ownership for non-white populations. Traditional forms of land ownership in Zimbabwe were officially abolished in 1951 with the Native Land Husbandry Act, moving Tshwa to predetermined tracts of land. Following Zimbabwe independence in 1980, ownership of Tshwa land transitioned to local authorities.

Current issues

Some Tshwa San communities are struggling with food insecurity as laws banning hunting forced them to trade in their lives as hunter-gatherers for subsistence farming. However, most neither possess cattle or tools nor have the training to farm successfully, as they have been excluded from the government's 2009 farm mechanization programme. Some Tshwa elders have asked for readmission to the Hwange National Park to return to a life as hunter-gatherers, as the government seems to be unable or unwilling to aid Tshwa communities to become self-sufficient. In 2015, much of southern Africa was affected by severe drought and hunger. Many Tshwa had to eat the seeds they intended to use for the next season's planting, thus furthering the food shortage. The water shortage in the Tsholotsho District, where many Tshwa live was exacerbated through the closure of numerous water facilities due to a lack of diesel fuel and parts.

The Tshwa community has also criticized the government for failing to understand their culture and traditions, as the Constitution refers to their language as Khoisan, whereas the correct name of the language is Tjwao (also Tshwao). Tjwao is under particular risk of extinction, as some sources suggest that there are little more than a dozen people left who speak the language fluently, with the rest of the Tshwa community speaking a diluted version. One of the issues highlighted by Tshwa leaders is the fact that the few Tshwa children who are able to attend school are taught in Ndebele, and as a result many are increasingly separated from their own culture. Attempts to introduce a Tjwao curriculum are made more difficult by the lack of orthography and phonology for the language. Tjwao has no written records and is currently not systematically passed from one generation to the next. Additionally, the vocabulary reflects the Tshwa community's traditional way of life in the bush, and therefore lacks terminology for many aspects of contemporary living. Researchers working on preserving Tjwao and making it usable for younger generations of Tshwa have requested support from the Education Ministry to enable them to travel to Botswana and Namibia for learning visits to other San communities.

Highlighting the existence of prejudicial attitudes towards them at the highest levels of government, in 2015, President Mugabe expressed a belief that the Tshwa San reject integration with the rest of Zimbabwean society. This marginalization had material outcomes when flooding the previous year destroyed many homes in areas where Tshwa reside and left around 400 families displaced. The government's response to aid the community was slow and some families remained in need of adequate housing over a year later.

Updated April 2018

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Israel : Bedouin

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date August 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Israel : Bedouin, August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba34aff7.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

The Bedouin are an indigenous people of the Negev desert in southern Israel, referred to by themselves as the Naqab. They are a semi-nomadic community that historically engaged in animal herding and grazing and agriculture. They mainly identify as Palestinian Arabs but use the term Bedouin to refer to their nomadic way of life.

Out of the 92,000 Bedouin living in the Negev in 1947, only 11,000 remained after the foundation of Israel. The others were never fully accounted for. Those who remained were treated particularly harshly, uprooted time and again and forced to live in reservations. Currently there are around 200,000 Bedouin in Israel, including some 80,000-90,000 living in 35 'unrecognized villages' at constant threat of eviction or forced displacement by authorities.

Israel has emphasized their distinctiveness and allows Bedouins but not other Palestinian Israelis to serve in the military. In socio-economic terms there is no doubt they were in many respects different from the peasantry in 1947, but state transformation of both communities into a subordinate landless rural proletariat has eroded such differences.

History

Prior to the formation of the Israeli state in 1948, over 92,000 Bedouin lived in the Negev and owned land under a clearly defined traditional system of individual and communal land ownership. Since 1948, the Israeli government has implemented a series of policies designed to take over Bedouin land. First, the government forced Bedouin into a smaller territory in the Negev known as the 'Siyag', meaning 'the fence' in Arabic. Some Bedouin families already lived in this designated area and the arrival of displaced people caused confusion and friction within the community. The Siyag is an area of approximately 1.5 million dunams, compared to the territory of 13 million dunams in which the Bedouin had originally lived.

During and immediately after the 1948 war that followed Israel's declaration of independence, most Bedouin were expelled or fled their homes and moved to Jordan, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza. As a result, the Bedouin population in the Negev shrank from 92,000 to 11,000, representing just 19 of the original 95 tribes that lived in the area.

Between 1948 and 1966, the Israeli government passed laws that enabled the state to confiscate vast areas of Bedouin land for agricultural use, and to create nature reserves and military zones. For example, the 1953 Land Acquisition Law gave the state the right to register previously confiscated land in its name if the owner was not in possession of the property at the time. As Israel had by this time forcibly removed people from their traditional homes and/or into the Siyag, large amounts of Bedouin land were registered as state land under this law. Many people only discovered that they had lost their land when they attempted to return.

In 1965, Israeli authorities created a master plan for the development and urbanization of the Negev through the Planning and Building Law. No Bedouin representatives participated in this planning process. This plan did not recognize Bedouin land ownership but declared most of their land as state-owned property. Houses or other structures built on these lands were deemed illegal. The law also ruled that unlicensed buildings could not be connected to facilities such as water and electricity.

During 1960s the government moved Bedouin into planned townships in the Negev. The first three townships established were Tel Sheva, Rahat and Kseif. Subsequently, seven townships in total were constructed. The authorities used different tactics, in some cases coercion, to move people into these townships, which are the poorest in Israel. The majority of Bedouin who opted to live in these townships were families that had been internally displaced by the creation of the Siyag.

The Bedouin of Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank have been subject to a series of human rights violations, including forced displacement, since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. They have been classified as a 'security threat' and branded as 'squatters' on state lands. Successive Israeli governments have sought to expropriate their land and concentrate them into townships. The Israeli authorities refuse to recognize them as an indigenous people, thereby withholding from them the full range of rights of indigenous peoples under international law.

Current issues

Bedouin in Israel's Negev desert live in some of the poorest conditions in Israel, deprived of basic rights, including the right to water, shelter and education. They live with the constant threat of eviction and home demolitions, under enormously stressful conditions that have a serious effect on their health and well-being. Indeed, over the years tens of thousands of Bedouin have been displaced and lost their lands. The Israeli authorities have pursued a slow and steady process of suppressing Bedouin's most basic human rights by not recognizing their villages and withholding basic facilities such as water, electricity and transport.

The state has also disrupted the Bedouin's traditional semi-nomadic way of life by taking over their land and restricting their movement. This has had far-reaching consequences for Bedouin, from increasing poverty levels and already high levels of unemployment to a loss of traditional culture. Today the Bedouin live in impoverished conditions in the Negev desert. They are not recognized by Israel as an indigenous population and are therefore deprived of specific rights accorded to indigenous peoples under international law.

One key issue for Israel's Bedouin population concerns the lack of free, prior and informed consent, which is a cornerstone of indigenous peoples' rights. Bedouin who live in villages that are not recognized by the Israeli authorities face frequent home demolitions. Hundreds of families have to watch as Israeli armed forces come with bulldozers and flatten their homes. A recent pressing case is that of the Bedouin village of Umm al-Hieran, which the government intends to pave over with a new Jewish town. In January 2017, a Bedouin teacher and an Israeli police officer were killed during a police operation. The village was razed to the ground by the authorities in October for the 119th time since its first demolition in July 2010. The community finally signed an agreement in April 2018 to relocate to the nearby town of Hura, in order to avert further evictions and bloodshed.

The issue of the lack of meaningful participation as well as consent lay at the heart of Bedouin opposition to the Prawer-Begin Plan, proposed in 2011 and approved by the Knesset in 2013. The Plan was meant to pave the way for the destruction of the 35 'unrecognised' Bedouin villages and the displacement of tens of thousands of Bedouin. Meeting considerable criticism, the Plan was later shelved, although a subsequent five-year economic development plan focusing on recognized locations - but not mentioning the 'unrecognised' villages - has led to widespread suspicions that the Plan is being implemented in all but name.

Meanwhile, the government supports the expansion of Israeli settlements in Bedouin lands in the occupied territories. Settlers face no similar restrictions on how and where they can live. According to the narrative of the government and mainstream Israeli society, the Bedouin are 'squatters' on state land and are often portrayed as 'dangerous' and a 'security threat'. This perception continues to be used to legitimize the destruction of Bedouin communities.

Hundreds of Bedouin have also been put at risk of statelessness with the denial or annulment of their Israeli nationality, despite many having contributed military service and tax for decades as part of Israel's citizenry, due to historic administrative errors that could potentially leave thousands without Israeli citizenship.

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Israel : Ethiopian Jews

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date August 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Israel : Ethiopian Jews, August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba34c097.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Ethiopian Israelis, also known as Beta Israel, have been settling in the country for over three decades, with around a third of the approximately 140,000 community members born in Israel, yet they continue to experience acute discrimination on the margins of society.

History

Though the origins of Ethiopia's Jewish community are uncertain, their presence has been traced back more than 2,000 years to the Jewish migration from Egypt. Following the adoption of Christianity by King Ezana of Axum, in what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, a separate Jewish state was formed that over the ensuing centuries experienced regular confrontations with successive Christian empires. Nevertheless, despite fluctuating power balances in the region, Ethiopia's Jews remained in the area until increasing political instability and fears of persecution in the latter part of the twentieth century saw successive waves of emigration in the late 1970s and 1980s. The formal recognition of Ethiopian Jews by the Sephardic Chief Rabbi in 1973 paved the way for the arrivals of some 40,000 Ethiopians by the end of the 1980s.

The experience of immigration led to significant social change within the Ethiopian Jewish community, with traditionally defined gender roles for women and men: women were regarded as responsible for the household work while men remained the main decision makers in the family. These roles changed after their arrival in Israel. A related issue is the transformation that the traditional Ethiopian family unit since immigration, with children better placed to integrate and learn the language, while some older members of the community struggled to integrate. Inevitably this is linked to other problems and has contributed to a growing identity issue, especially among teens, who despite being born and raised in Israel are still confronted with racism and discrimination.

Current issues

Ethiopian Israelis remain one of the country's most marginalized communities. The figures speak for themselves: previous analysis of 2008-9 government data by the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute showed that poverty levels among Ethiopian Israelis were 41 per cent, compared to 15 per cent among the general Jewish population.

Some civil society organizations argue that this situation is the direct result of discriminatory government policies. For instance, programmes implemented by the Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption have tended to relegate the Ethiopian community to poorer neighbourhoods and continued to treat all of them as immigrants, despite the fact that 70 per cent of the community are no longer 'new immigrants', according to the normal definition of the term by the State of Israel. According to Fidel, the Association for Education and Social Integration of Ethiopian Jews in Israel, the term reflects the continued segregation of the Ethiopian minority, despite the fact that the majority have been resident in the country for more than 30 years.

It is hoped that better access to education could support a broader transformation of the community situation in other areas, such as employment. Though there have been some improvements over the years, the position of Ethiopian Israelis in the labour market remains significantly worse than that of the general Jewish population. For example, though a 2005 amendment to the 1959 Public Service Law stipulated that Ethiopian Israelis should be adequately represented at all levels of public office, the proportion remains disproportionately low. More generally, sizeable gaps in wages and professional occupations persist.

Nevertheless, in recent years there have been some sign of progress, including the election to Israel's parliament, the Knesset, in 2013 of Pnina Tamano-Shata - the first female Ethiopian-Israeli to win a seat - although she subsequently lost it in the 2015 election when her party won fewer seats. The community has also achieved greater visibility within Israel's popular culture, with Yityish Aynaw becoming the first woman of African descent to be crowned Miss Israel in February 2013.These are small but important steps towards greater inclusion and visibility for the Ethiopian-Israeli community.

Ethiopian Israelis' frustration at the inequalities they face came to a head following the beating of an Ethiopian Israeli soldier by two police officers in 2015. Thousands gathered at a rally in Tel Aviv; the demonstration began peacefully but ended in clashes between protestors and police when some of the demonstrators tried to enter the city's municipality building. At least 46 marchers and police were injured in the violence.

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Moldova : Roma

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date January 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Moldova : Roma, January 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba34eed7.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Roma represent one of the most vulnerable minority groups in the Republic of Moldova. Though the estimated population according to the 2014 census was around 9,000 (0.3 per cent of the population), Roma leaders believe that the actual figure is around 250,000.

Current issues

Roma are disadvantaged in many aspects of their lives, including employment, health and education. According to a 2014 report by UN agencies, 'Romani children face segregation at school, while many Romani families live in deprived and segregated areas with poor quality housing, lack of basic services and limited access to healthcare.' Instances of trafficking, domestic violence, child labour and child marriage are more widespread among this minority. Though the Action Plan 2011-2015 was adopted and the establishment of Roma Community Mediators at the community level is ongoing, the UN CEDAW Committee expressed concern about the insufficient resources available for the implementation of the Action Plan, with only 15 mediators appointed.

One positive milestone was the election in June 2015 of two Roma women to positions in municipal councils - a significant event given the profound institutional discrimination faced by Roma, particularly women.

Updated January 2018

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Zimbabwe : Doma

Publisher Minority Rights Group International Publication Date April 2018 Cite as Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Zimbabwe : Doma, April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ba359607.html [accessed 10 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.

Profile

Doma live primarily in north-central Zimbabwe. Though the government does not keep official statistics on the populations of indigenous peoples, it is estimated that there are around 1,250 Doma in Zimbabwe, but current information on Doma is very limited. Due to the relatively high prevalence of ectrodactyly (also known as split-hand/split-foot malformation or SHFM) within the community, Doma face severe discrimination as well as a lack of access to social services. Their separation from the rest of Zimbabwean society has led to the reinforcement of negative stereotypes regarding the group.

Historical context

Doma are traditionally hunter-gatherers. They have resided in the Mwanzamutanda Mountains for centuries.

Current issues

In recent years, many religious groups have moved into Doma communities in order to proselytize, a process which threatens traditional Doma culture and practices. Due to their geographical and social isolation, many Doma lack access to essential services such as water, sanitation and health facilities.

Legislation such as the Land Acquisition Act allows for the Zimbabwean government to expropriate any rural land that it wishes to use for other purposes. The government has seized land inhabited by Doma to establish the Chewore National Park and Dande Safari Area, prohibiting hunting in these areas. Doma communities rely heavily on hunting as a source of food and many in the area are at risk of starvation.

Updated April 2018

Copyright notice:  Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.
Greenlawn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2018 --Closing a corporation or winding up business operations is not an easy task. It is a complex process that requires several steps. Dissolving a corporation might require some decisions to be taken. Biz Value Ltd is one such company that helps business owners with the entire process of termination.



Dissolution can either be started voluntarily, by resolution of the shareholders or involuntarily, for not paying corporate taxes or some other action of the government. Irrespective of the rules concerning corporate dissolution, the company takes care of the process.



At Biz Value Ltd, they can provide the clients with a comprehensive understanding of what it is corporation dissolution in New York City and New York County NY, and also give them a correct and authentic financial analysis.



Usually, when the company is not making profits, one is acing partnership disputes or wants to start something new, one can dissolve this business and start something new.



The process of dissolution is done through the filling up of a form and then getting it approved by most of one's directors. Then, it is sent to the company's house, presented to the investors, creditors, employees, or shareholders. Within three months, the company will get closed if there has been no objection from anybody.



One of the best ways to ensure a peaceful business breakup is to decide on a few mutually desired outcomes. All the business partners must come to a few mutually agreeable conclusions and try to operate from the standpoint of mutual fairness to reach an amicable solution whenever a business partnership comes to an end. Regardless of what one has for one's business dissolution, one should get one's business evaluated.



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Fort Lauderdale, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2018 --Quality Air Conditioning is a well-known company that offers premium quality air conditioning repair, replacement and maintenance services. This company has been functioning since the year 1971, and it chiefly functions in the South Florida area, in addition to Broward and South Palm Beach County. By offering the best commercial air conditioning in Coral Springs and Boca Raton Florida repair services, Quality Air Conditioning intends to ensure that the employees and clients get the chance to stay in the room which is comfortable. Since the company has been in this field for more than five decades, it always ensures that the quick solutions are provided to the customers.



Quality Air Conditioning believes in offering customer-centric services to the customers, and therefore they plan to provide services at a price that fits into the budget of the customers. The trained and qualified technicians at Quality Air Conditioning can service air-conditioning systems of almost all brands and makes. These eligible staff members systematically inspect the present systems of their clients and then suggest effective options to address their specific concerns. Apart from offering best in class commercial air conditioning repairing services, the company also provides top quality residential air conditioning in Deerfield Beach and Coral Springs Florida. Thus, customers can rely on this company when it comes to repairing commercial or residential air conditioning unit.



All the technicians within the company receive training consistently, and thus they know how to use the latest technologies to solve any HVAC system related issue. For more information about the types of services that the company offers one can visit the website of Quality Air Conditioning. Besides this, one can also call the company at 954-971-1000 or can be reached via their toll-free number, which is 800-649-5415.



About Quality Air Conditioning Company

Quality Air Conditioning Company is a family owned and operated company that offers services for replacement, repair and maintenance in Broward, South Palm Beach County, as well as South Florida.
Plano, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2018 --Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas is a renowned roofing company which has been functioning since the year 1990. At present, the company serves the residents of Plano, Richardson, McKinney, Lewisville, Frisco, and the close by areas. Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas has been able to carve a niche as a roofing contractor because of the exceptional service that it offers. Additionally, Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas is a fully licensed, insured, and bonded company and it also carries the highly esteemed A+ Better Business Bureau accreditation. Besides, the company also offers roof replacement estimates at free of cost.



The roofing repairs and installations offered by Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas are covered by property insurance. The roof leak repair in Lewisville and McKinney Texas and replacement work that the company offers is just exceptional. Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas interacts with the insurance company directly, especially if the roof repair work or replacement is covered under the policy. All the roofing consultants at Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas are friendly, knowledgeable and they can get any roofing related issues fixed as fast as possible.



When it comes to roof replacement in Allex and Dallas Texas, Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas is the name to rely on. The company has the right kind of technicians who can help to get the roof replaced as fast as possible. Moreover, all the technicians of the company need to go through proper training which allows them to stay up to date with the current trends. To set-up an appointment with the company, one can log in to the website of Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas. One can call the company at 972-231-7663 to get solutions for the problem that they are experiencing. The customer care representatives here are always ready to assist customers.



About Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas

Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas is a top commercial and residential roofing services and top home remodeling company.
North Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2018 --Time is running short for taxpayers who requested an extra six months to file their 2017 tax return. As a reminder, Monday, October 15, 2018, is the extension deadline for most taxpayers. This is also the final date to file an FBAR or Form FinCEN 114 without penalties.



For taxpayers who have not yet filed, here are a few tips to keep in mind about the extension deadline and taxes:



1. Taxpayers can still e-file both tax returns and FBAR statements. Filing electronically is the easiest, safest and most accurate way to file taxes and information.



2. For taxpayers owed a refund, the fastest way to get it is to combine direct deposit and e-file.



3. Taxpayers who owe taxes should consider using IRS Direct Pay, a simple, quick and free way to pay from a checking or savings account using a computer or mobile device. There are also other online payment options. Please call the office if you need details about other payment options.



4. Members of the military and those serving in a combat zone generally get more time to file. Military members typically have until at least 180 days after leaving a combat zone to both file returns and pay any tax due.



5. Taxpayers should always keep a copy of tax returns and FBAR statements for their records. Keeping copies of documents can help taxpayers prepare future tax returns or assist with amending a prior year's return.



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US Tax Professionals provide tax services for dual American and Canadian citizens in Vancouver. Founded in 2013, they specialize in US tax preparation for individuals and expats, taxation and accounting for business, c ross-border taxation for Canadian citizens, as well as accounting and taxation of alternative investments, including private equity funds and hedge funds.



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Smiths Group plc (SMIN.L) reported pretax profit from continuing operations of 435 million pounds for the year ended 31 July 2018 compared to 601 million pounds, last year. Earnings per share from continuing operations was 69.1 pence compared to 142.3 pence. Headline earnings per share was 89.5 pence compared to 96.3 pence.

Fiscal year reported revenue was 3.21 billion pounds, down 2% primarily due to an adverse foreign exchange translation. Underlying revenue was up 2%, for the period.

The Board recommended a final dividend of 30.75 pence per share, to be paid on 16 November 2018 to shareholders on the register at close of on 19 October 2018. This will bring the total dividend for the year to 44.55 pence per share, a year-on-year increase of 3%.

In fiscal 2019, the Group anticipates at least sustaining the rate of underlying revenue growth. Smiths Group said, as in previous years, Group performance in fiscal 2019 is expected to be weighted towards the second half.

Smiths Group also announced that it has reached an agreement to sell Smiths Medical's sterile water bottling business to Amsino Healthcare (USA), Inc., for an enterprise value of $40 million. The deal is expected to complete in the first half of fiscal 2019.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Oil prices edged higher on Friday after falling the previous day as U.S. President Donald Trump urged OPEC to lower crude prices, days before the OPEC meeting in Algeria.

Global benchmark Brent crude for November delivery was up 75 cents or 0.95 percent at 79.44 a barrel while U.S. crude oil futures were up 0.71 percent at $70.81 a barrel.

Prices remained supported by concerns of supply shortages amid looming U.S. sanctions against Iran's petroleum industry, which are set to take effect in November.

Trump on Thursday called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to lower oil prices, saying on Twitter "the U.S. protects the countries of the Middle East, and it was unfair that they continue to push for higher and higher oil prices."

OPEC and its allies are scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss how to discuss production increases as U.S. sanctions restrict Iranian exports.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
The Republican Governors Association has released a new television advertisement in the Nevada governor's race, highlighting Democratic Party's gubernatorial candidate Steve Sisolak's support for raising property taxes on Nevada homeowners.

"Steve Sisolak has routinely supported higher taxes and fees, and now he wants to raise property taxes on Nevada's working families," said RGA Communications Director Jon Thompson.

39-year old Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt is the Republican Candidate in Nevada for the November mid term election.

GOP has enjoyed a two-decade-long stranglehold on the Nevada Governor's Office.

Thompson said that while Adam Laxalt has stood firm in opposing property tax hikes, Sisolak wants to force homeowners to pay more. "Nevada can't trust Steve Sisolak to lead," he added.

Meanwhile, Politico reported quoting Advertising Analytics data that the Republican Governors Association has cut its ad buys in Minnesota and Michigan, where President Donald Trump made a stunning performance in the 2016 election.

Democrat candidates for governor are surging back in the Midwestern states, according to the news outlet.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Cryptocurrencies started the week with losses as speculation of more trades by "whales", as traders with big crypto holdings are known, and regulatory worries damped market sentiment.



Bitcoin and peers recovered by Thursday as some positive news emerged. A prominent crypto bull Michael Novogratz predicted that cryptocurrencies are ripe for a rebound after several days of decline.

An eye-catching move this week was by Ripple, carrying the symbol XRP. The altcoin surged about 60 percent on Thursday on news that Ripple Labs is set to launch a service as early as next month that use the XRP digital currency.



As of 10.33 am ET, XRP was up 61.14 percent at $0.58 on CoinMarketCap where Ripple briefly displaced Ethereum to be second largest crypto after Bitcoin.

Markets were also likely encouraged by the US SEC to postpone a decision on the VanEck/SolidX Bitcoin exchange-traded fund as it sought more details, rather than an outright rejection.



Overall cryptocurrency market capitalization was $225.05 billion and the Bitcoin dominance rate was 51.8 percent as of 10.53 am ET on CoinMarketCap.

Here is a collection of the main news from the cryptocurrency and blockchain world this week.



UK Lawmakers Recommend Regulation For 'Wild West' Crypto-asset Market

A British parliamentary committee has called on the government to introduce regulation to protect investors from the current "Wild West" situation in the crypto-asset market. The Treasury Committee has made recommendations in a report published Wednesday on crypto-assets for its Digital Currencies inquiry.

Over 55% of Circulating Bitcoins Sitting In Investment Wallets: Diar

A report from digital asset market researcher Diar said the majority of circulating Bitcoins, 55 percent, are sitting in wallets that are valued more than $1.3 million at current prices. Further, more than a third of these Bitcoins have never made an outgoing transaction, the report said. This could be due to lost private keys, lowering real supply or simply holding for value appreciation or HODL.

China's CB Warns Of Risks In Cryptos; NY AG Cautions On Exchanges

China's central bank warned investors of risks in the Initial Coin Offerings or ICOs and cryptocurrency investments amid the increased activity by overseas operators. Elsewhere, A report from the New York Attorney General have laid bare several problems with cryptocurrencies exchanges, including some leading ones such as Coinbase and Kraken. A probe by the AG's office found that crypto exchanges were yet to implement strict measures to monitor and prevent abusive trading.



Binance To Open New Crypto-Fiat Exchange In Singapore

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 three days.

Hackers Loot $60 Mln Worth Cryptocurrencies In Japan

Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Zaif has lost 5,966 bitcoins worth 6.7 billion yen ($60 million) in a hacking attack, the company operating the exchange said on Thursday. This is the second major hack of cryptocurrency exchange in Japan this year.

US Reps Write To IRS Seeking Clarity In Cryptocurrency Tax Guidance



Five US Representatives has sent an open letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seeking provisional guidelines on how digital currency transactions and investments should be handled when tax payers file their income tax return. In a letter to IRS Acting Commissioner David Kautter, they strongly urged that the IRS expeditiously issue more robust guidance clarifying taxpayers' obligations when using virtual currencies. In addition, they asked the Government Accountability Office to undertake an audit on this matter.

UN Women To Use Blockchain For Cash Transfers To Refugees In Jordan

UN Women and the World Food Programme (WFP) are set to use blockchain to transfer cash to Syrian refugee women under the UN Women's cash-for-work programs running at the Za'atari and Azraq refugee camps in Jordan. UN Women is a United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Pharma Firm Verseon To Use Blockchain For Drug Development Funding

U.S.-based pharma company Verseon plans to use blockchain technology for drug development funding through tokenization of securities. The technology is developed by its unit, BlockRules Ltd. BlockRules' token platform supports the sale, launch, and trading of financial securities on a public blockchain.

Blockchain Solutions Can Fix Environmental Challenges: WEF

A new research by the World Economic Forum (WEF) says blockchain technology can be applied in more than 65 ways to address the world's most pressing environmental challenges. The research report, titled "Building Block(chain)s for a Better Planet," calls for new global platforms to incubate "responsible blockchain ecosystems" rather than just individual applications or companies.

Current Prices

As of 10.54 am ET, Bitcoin was up 3.48 percent for the week at $6,728.01 and Ethereum was higher by 8.17 percent at $230.19 on Coinbase.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Forex News
China has warned the United States will "bear the consequences" if it does not withdraw punishing financial sanctions it imposed on a key Chinese military organization for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles.

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert announced Thursday that the Secretary of State imposed sanctions on the Chinese military's Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its director, Li Shangfu, "for engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport," Russia's main arms export entity, which is on a U.S. blacklist.

China had purchased 10 Su-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and a first batch of S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018.

Washington imposed the sanctions under the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act," which was introduced to punish Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and alleged interference in U.S. .

The sanctions deny EDD of export licenses, prohibit foreign exchange transactions under U.S. jurisdiction and transactions with the US financial system. All these conditions are applicable to Li Shangfu, who also faces a visa ban.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it has lodged a stern complaint with Washington over the action.

"China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action by the U.S.," Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters at a daily news briefing. "We strongly urge the U.S. to immediately correct its mistakes and revoke the so-called sanctions. Otherwise, it must take all the consequences."

A U.S. official said the sanctions were to punish Russia, not harm Beijing, while a politician in Moscow said the U.S. sanctions would have no impact on the sales of its fighter jets and missiles to China.

Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Russian lawmaker Franz Klintsevich as saying that "these contracts will be executed in line with the schedule."

China's continued collaboration with Russia in defense and economic fields has long been an irritant in the U.S.-China relationship.

The State Department also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with Russian military and intelligence.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
President Donald Trump indicated in a post on Twitter on Friday that the declassification of various materials related to the Russia investigation will be delayed due in part to concerns raised by key U.S. allies.

Trump said the Justice Department inspector general will review the release of the materials but noted he could still ultimately decide to declassify the documents on his own.

"I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe," Trump tweeted. "Also, key Allies' called to ask not to release."

"Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at)," he added. "In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me - and everyone!"

On Monday, Trump made the unprecedented move to direct the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Justice Department to declassify documents related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application on former foreign policy aide Carter Page.

Trump also directed the Justice Department to publicly release all text messages relating to the Russia investigation by former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, and current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.

The president has repeatedly accused Comey, McCabe, Strzok, Page, and Ohr of orchestrating the Russia investigation that he routinely describes as a "witch hunt."

The move has been criticized by Democrats and some former intelligence officials, who note special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation is ongoing.

Congressman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, went so far as to call the decision to declassify the materials a "clear abuse of power."

A report from Politico on Thursday said Democratic operatives are concerned Trump could use the release of the documents as an "October surprise" to motivate his political base ahead of the midterm elections.

Politico noted the release of the documents could be spread out over the weeks leading up to the election, threatening to hijack several news cycles and giving Trump plenty to tweet about.

(Photo: Marc Nozell)

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Yemen's military musical band tours capital Sanaa's streets to celebrate Revolution Day [21/September/2018] SANAA, Sep. 21 (Saba)  The military musical band played several musical songs during a tour through the streets of the capital Sanaa to celebration the 4th anniversary of the Yemeni 21st September's Revolution Day.







Several chants, military National enthusiast marches and National peace was performed by the band , which expressed the Yemeni Great Revolution's importance that freed the Yemeni people of every foreign guardianship.







The citizens shared the band with dances to express they great joy of the occasion.











Ahmed Al-Mutawakel





Saba
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, during state visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to UAE, discussed strengthening economic cooperation and increasing bilateral investments and exerting all possible efforts to eliminate obstacles and overcome all difficulties that would obstruct the smooth flow of trade and investment between the two countries.



The two sides discussed joint cooperation in various fields of mutual interest and work closely to develop them to benefit the peoples of the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, particularly as the two countries are interlinked with common traditions and values and strong historical relations, a statement issued by Foreign Office here on Thursday said.



The meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed issues of regional and international dimensions, notably the fight against the spread of extremism and terrorism in the region and world by sustainable strategies to root out terrorism.



The Emirati side confirmed Pakistan is considered an important trading partner of United Arab Emirates and to maintain its efforts for development work in Pakistan. They also applauded the United Arab Emirates assistance to the Pakistani people through UAE Pakistan Assistance Program (UAEPAP).



The visit helped strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two countries and to reflect the depth of the historical relationship its establishment to the present day, a relationship that flourished to various partnerships, defined by the economic relations and trade exchanges over half a century.



The Crown Prince congratulated Prime Minister Imran Khan on the peaceful transition of government in Pakistan and his election. He wished him success in the implementation of his reforms agenda.



The initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to eradicate polio worldwide and the pivotal role of the United Arab Emirates in supporting global efforts to eradicate this menace were also appraised.



Taking note of the contributions made by Pakistani professionals as well as skilled and unskilled labour, the two sides acknowledged that they have been an important component of the UAEs success story.



The two sides discussed current issues of common interest in the region, both sides stressed on the importance of peaceful solutions to the crises in the region, the Pakistani side lauded the humanitarian role played by the UAE by providing generous assistance.



Both sides expressed their satisfaction over convergence of their views on issues of regional and global importance through the principles of tolerance, inclusiveness and the agenda focusing on development as guarantee to peace and stability in the region.



Prime Minister Imran Khan elaborated upon his vision of a peaceful neighbourhood and his governments efforts to assist Afghanistan for peace and stability in the country.



The prime minister also briefed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed on his desire for peace and stability in the region and especially for dialogue with India for the settlement of all disputes, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.



Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his sincere appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation. He extended an invitation to Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to visit Pakistan on mutually convenient dates, which the later happily accepted.



The visit of prime minister came in response to the invitation extended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.



The prime minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Ahmed, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.APP




Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC) proposed to be built on the periphery of the national capital over an area spread over 221 acres.

The facilities at the centre would be among the best in the world suitable for holding international and national events, meetings, conferences, exhibitions and trade shows, Modi said at the event.



"Ten thousand people will have seating at the centre. It will rank among the top 5 convention halls in the world and among the top three in Asia and the biggest indoor exhibition space in India," he said.





"This Centre would reflect India's economic progress, rich cultural heritage and our consciousness towards environment protection."



Noting that an investment of Rs 26,000 crore has been planned for the project, the Prime Minister said the centre would come up as an icon of changing India that is making its presence felt on the global stage.



"It will not only be an expo centre, but also a vibrant centre for trade...a mini-city which will have convention hall, expo, hotel, market, shops, recreation facilities...all in one," he said.



Noting that lack of adequate facilities is becoming an issue, with the capital's only Pragati Maidan exhibition complex also in need of renovation, Modi said a project of the scale of IICC would provide employment to five lakh youth and become an ideal platform for start-ups.



"India has become the second biggest ecosystem in the world for start-ups," he said.



The project will be developed in two stages. The first phase will be completed by December 2019, while the second one is slated for completion in December 2024.



The IICC complex will have a dedicated underground Metro station that is planned as an extension of the airport high-speed Metro corridor and is being constructed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corp.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Thursday that the Ram temple at Ayodhya should be built without delay and all sections of society should accept the "reality" of the issue.

Bhagwat was speaking at an event held to launch "Ayodhya Ka Chashmadeed" and "Yudh Me Ayodhya" books published by Prabhat Prakashan. The books written by journalist Hemant Sharma describe the major events of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement.



"It is a fact that the Ram Mandir was demolished... Everyone should accept this reality. Lord Ram is a symbol of our (Hindu) faith and if a proof has to be given of that, people will not accept it. The country wants to see the construction of Ram temple without delay. Once a temple is built, a big reason for mutual discord (between Hindus and Muslims) will disappear," Bhagwat said.





He said that justice should be delivered at the earliest.



"You can't delay it for too long. The society is supreme. There is a need to follow the path of truth and justice," he added.



Speaking on the occasion, BJP chief Amit Shah said that Ramjanambhoomi movement was the biggest after Independence which brought the people together.



"There was a feeling among the people for decades that took the shape of a movement," he said.



Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that "Ayodhya is facing an exile for the past 500 years".



"In such a situation, all communities should come together to give the symbol of national reverence its due place."



Bhagwat had on Wednesday said that the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya should be built "at the earliest" which would remove a major cause of discord between the Hindus and Muslims.


Militants kill 3 abducted policemen in J&K Militants gunned down three policemen on Friday, hours after they were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district, police said. A police officer told that locals discovered their bullet-riddled bodies in a village in the morning, triggering a widespread manhunt to identify their killers.



The slain policemen were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchai, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Kuldeep Singh.



The horrific incident comes days after militants issued threats by making announcements in some mosques in Shopian, asking the policemen to quit their jobs or face consequences.



Police said four people, including a policeman's brother, were abducted on Thursday night from their homes in Shopian -- a known militant hotbed in south Kashmir.



The four were abducted from Kapran and Batgund villages, surrounded by a thick cover of apple orchards.



The fourth abducted person, a civilian, was released unharmed.



"We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike. Our tribute to the three martyred jawans. We condemn this inhuman act and assure that all the culprits shall be dealt under law," Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted.



An operation has been launched in Shopian to trace the militants involved in the killings.



The victims were Special Police Officers (SPOs), engaged in counter-terrorism operation on a meagre remuneration of Rs 6,000 a month.



There are around 32,000 such cops working for the state police and there are demands that their services should be regularised.



Militants have been threatening SPOs in Kashmir to give up their jobs.



Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed "outrage" and "shock" over the the killings and asserted that dialogue was the only way out of the ongoing cycle of violence in Kashmir.



"Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims.



"Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, the Centre's muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now," Mufti tweeted.



The Friday killings are the latest in a series of attacks and abductions of Kashmir policemen and security men in south Kashmir.








Re: Why I think youre talking rubbish again

Anyway, the church communities in both N.Z. and Australia are traditionally known supporters of our airline.

Any publicity campaigns to promote the airline overseas are best sell through the church communities and thence the traveling public.

It is extremely bad marketing and ill advised to ignore the church community abroad, which is a direct uphill struggle to the airline and our island nation.

For those of you that understand and are familiar with my writing would surely concur that I am not a great fan of the government and its policies in most areas but this topic needs to be put to rest for the time being and allow both sides to take a breather before we reveal some sensitive information that can be counter productive to us as country and a people.

Cool heads will always prevail when the blood flows freely through the circulation and allow back channels the opportunity to work its magic.

Funds can be collected through other means without demolishing our own house to prove a point ie airfares, remittance, malagas etc... and mostly important no feelings are hurt.

The point is, if there are no winners then there are no loser too.

Mighty is he that rules his heart then the warrior that climbs the wall.

Steve
The Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (M.W.T.I.), Papalii Niko Lee Hang, has admitted making a mistake when he told the Samoa Observer the Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) had terminated the services of the Chief Executive Officer of M.W.T.I., Afamasaga Sua Pou Onesemo.

I was wrong, he said yesterday. I was under the assumption the contract has been terminated.

The information, which led to a front-page story titled P.S.C. terminates services of Public Works C.E.O. on Wednesday 19 September 2018, was relayed by the Minister during an interview at his Office on Tuesday.

The interview was at the request of the Samoa Observer for an update in the suspension and the investigation of allegations against Sua.

Yesterday, the Samoa Observer was informed that the P.S.C. had written to the Minister to remind him that they have not terminated the services of the C.E.O.

Repeated attempts to get a comment from the P.S.C. Chairman, Aiono Mose Sua, have been unsuccessful. Questions sent to Sua have also not been responded to.

Yesterday, the Minister contacted the Samoa Observer to say he had made a mistake.

When the P.S.C. sent me the letter, I assumed it was about the termination, given the context was asking me for comments on the C.E.O.s job description, Papalii explained.

The contract for the M.W.T.I. C.E.O. will be advertised in January. The process is that, submissions must be retained from Ministers, if there are any additional duties and functions for the contract.

So all along, when I received the letter asking if there are any additional information required under the duties and functions for the C.E.O. position, I assumed he (Afamasaga) was terminated.

I have already submitted my comments under the assumption the contract has been terminated.

I didnt ask for an explanation or whether he (suspended C.E.O.) was terminated. I received the letter and made the assumption.

The Minister would not give the Samoa Observer a copy of the letter.

On Tuesday after the interview with the Minister, the Samoa Observer contacted Afamasaga for a comment. Afamasaga, who remains on suspension, said he was not aware that his contract has been terminated.

[I] didnt get any notification of termination, said Afamasaga. He maintained his innocence vowing to fight the decision to terminate his contract.

Papalii said the error is regrettable. But he also hit out at the P.S.C. for not informing the public about the status of their investigation into allegations made against Afamasaga.

They should face the press and relay the correct information; this is why people suspect there is something fishy going on, said Papalii.

I want to make that clear, as I dont want Sua to think I terminated him without going through the proper process.

Asked if he had contacted Sua, the Minister said no.

No, I just want to make it clear that it was a wrong assumption by me.
The District Court has given a Court Officer a 12-month suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to the possession of utensils under the Narcotics Act.

The Court heard that in April this year the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration building Manager discovered that he had lost his personal cheque book and found out that the defendant had been using it to purchase goods.

District Court Judge, Fepuleai Roma Ameperosa, told the defendant of his admission to Court on his use of ice or methamphetamine and that he had a good level of education.

When further asked how you used the cheque book and funds in his account, you (Sua) admitted having used it on ice or methamphetamine.

You also told him how two of your fellow Court officers were involved. Later that afternoon, you handed him an item wrapped in an A4 sheet of paper, that item was a glass pipe, he said.

The Judge noted that the defendant had a good level of education with a Bachelor degree attained, while being employed by M.J.C.A. as a court officer.

You (Sua) are currently on suspension from work as a result of your offending and depending on the sentence this Court imposes. There is a real likelihood that your current employment will be terminated.

The Judge noted the application by defense counsel to seek the Courts approval to exercise its discretion under the law for a discharge without conviction.

Section 70 (sentencing act) however states that the court must not discharge without conviction unless it is satisfied that the consequences of a conviction to the defendant would be out of all proportion to the gravity of the offence.

Judge Fepuleai concluded that discharging a defendant without conviction obviously requires the Court to consider the facts and circumstances particular to each case.

In my view, to grant a discharge without conviction in the circumstances of your offending would be sending out a wrong message.

"On the charge of possession of a utensil for the purpose of committing an offence, you are convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon, ordered Judge Fepuleai.
The Attorney Generals Office is yet to indicate whether it has acted on Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaois directive to begin the process to extradite Malele Paulo or King Faipopo.

Last month the Prime Minister outlined, in a press release issued by the Press and Communications Division of his office, that he has given instructions for the extradition process to begin to bring Malele Paulo to Samoa to be charged under the Criminal Libel Act.

The Prime Minister's complaint centers on recent accusations posted by Paulo on YouTube and later posted on the Social Media via Facebook accusing Tuilaepa of murder and smuggling firearms.

The Prime Minister has also filed a criminal complaint with police to initiate the process, stated the press release.

The Attorney General Lemalu Herman Retzlaff did not respond to emails that were sent to him by the Samoa Observer, with an automated response indicating that he is currently overseas and all queries be referred to Acting A.G. Loretta Teueli. To date, Ms Teueli has not responded to the emails and messages left at the office.

Last month Malele Paulo posted a video on Facebook challenging the Prime Minister to go and get him in Australia.

I aint scared of anyone on this earth Tuilaepa Sailele. Dont try and scare me because I am not afraid of you and I have said it so many times I am only scared of God.

I have apologised to the country but you did not reply to my apology. I apologise to the country not you and you did not respond, he stated in the video.

As reported earlier, the Prime Minister has clarified that he is not meddling with people exercising their freedom of speech or freedom of expression, but said he took exception when his own rights are violated.

I take issue when the rights of the innocent, like myself are violated through lies and deceit. This kind of lying and attacking members of the community through social media is what the law was designed to prevent, he added.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

Tuilaepa is leading a Samoan delegation in China to attend the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2018, also known as Summer Davos.

The Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Fio Purcell, the C.E.O. of the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Agafili Shem Leo and the C.E.O. of Samoa Airways, Seiuli Alvin Tuala, are among the delegation.

Noting that Samoa was one of the first Pacific island countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, Premier Li hailed the development of bilateral ties and said China attaches great importance to developing relations with Samoa.

China appreciates Samoa's long-term and firm adherence to the one-China policy, said Mr. Li, adding that China supports Samoa's efforts to follow a development path in line with its national conditions and will strengthen cooperation with Samoa.

China will seek synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative with Samoa's development strategy and create more opportunities for cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, investment and infrastructure construction, said Li.

The Chinese premier called on the two countries to give full play to their respective advantages, strengthen cooperation in ports and tourism, and take more practical measures to promote people-to-people exchanges to deepen the bilateral friendship.

China values reasonable demands of Pacific island countries in dealing with climate change and is willing to continue to promote the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, said Li, adding that China will also strengthen coordination and cooperation with Samoa within such multilateral mechanisms as the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum, so as to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

Tuilaepa said that Samoa enjoys the close friendship with China, expressing appreciation of China's support and assistance to Samoa over the years.

Noting that bilateral cultural exchanges are close, Tuilaepa said the number of Samoan students studying in China has increased year on year.

Moreover, Tuilaepa said the Belt and Road Initiative has a positive effect on promoting trade, tourism and culture, expecting to sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with China and build a closer partnership between the two countries.

After the talks, the two leaders watched the signing of several cooperation documents between the two sides.
A group of students and teachers from Samoa College are currently on an education exchange programme in China and are looking forward to their 12-day programme.

They flew into Guangdong Province in central China on Wednesday as part of an education exchange programme from September 18-29 and were met at the airport by teachers from Huizhou Hualuogeng Secondary School.

The Huizhou Hualuogeng Secondary School is a key public high school funded by the provinces municipal government and is directly supervised by the Huizhou Education Bureau. It is also a national model secondary school in Guangdong Province. The school has 91 classes with more than 5580 students and 385 faculty members.

The group from Samoa comprises teachers Selu Tuala, Repeka Aluni, and Heseti Hakai and students Faatafao Toia, Nicolina Ah Kuoi, Marina Tolo, Masina Lia Avapalu, Paulo Setefano, Asiasiga Tautiaga, Henry Tuiafiso, and Nathan Malaitai.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Tuala said the weather in Huizhou City  which is where they will be based  is hot and feels like home.

It was a long flight but we thank God we have arrived safely and we are excited for the new experience which we are about to embark on.

It is my first time in China and I have to say that there are so many tall buildings everywhere I look.

It definitely feels like home due to how hot it is when we left the airport, Tuala said.

The students and teachers will participate in activities such as learning Chinese culture, participating in outbound activities with Huizhou students, visiting local scenic spots, historical sites, and participating in art activities.
Private school Ah Mu Academy yesterday marked its 10th anniversary with its students leading the celebrations through dance, song and drama.

Parents braved the early morning rain and converged on the school in Lotopa to see their children in grades 1-8 lead the commemoration, through the performance of various dance, song and drama items as well as a debate.

School principal Loretta Enoka Ulugia told the Samoa Observer that 10 years is a milestone for the educational institution as it was not easy in the foundation years when the school was established.

From what I heard, they (school founders) had to struggle in the beginning to get buildings up, to get money to establish the whole thing so its been a great journey for the ones who started here, she said.

But the hardship paid off over the years, she added with graduates from the school going on to the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) or getting scholarships for further studies.

They have turned out quality students from this very small school and now they are overseas, some of them are at N.U.S., some of them are in the colleges and we are still rolling out  hopefully  the same quality students that started this school.

When questioned on what the future holds for the school, Mrs Ulugia said the school strives to not only teach its students in line with the Samoa national curriculum, but prepare them to face life outside the classroom with confidence.

So we are not just looking at passing exams and things like that, but it is also to prepare the students to have self esteem so wherever they are, they can be able to go with the changes, applying the knowledge that they have learnt from the classroom, in order to survive in the world and make a change for themselves so that they can achieve their goals in the future.

The school today has 500 students attending classes in grades 1-8. It offers learning programmes sanctioned by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture (M.E.S.C.). It was previously run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (L.D.S.) and was later handed over to an independent board of trustees when it was relocated to Lotopa.

Mrs Ulugia also used the occasion to wish all the former students of Ah Mu Academy and their parents a happy 10th anniversary as they contributed to its development.
Samoan residents are encouraged to apply for the Commonwealth Secretary-Generals Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards.

The awards have been launched to celebrate the most outstanding innovators and innovations from any of the 53 Commonwealth countries. Samoa is a member of the Commonwealth.

With a total of 30,000 (T$104,000) available in prize money, the Awards seek to showcase impactful innovations and forward-looking solutions that are helping Commonwealth countries and people achieve sustainable development, while advancing the values in the Commonwealth Charter.

With a population of 2.4 billion, more than 60 per cent of whom are young people, the Awards also aim to inspire the next generation of pioneers across the Commonwealth.

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland opened the awards for applications during a special ceremony in the presence of members of the Commonwealth diplomatic community in London.

These awards will honour pioneering thinking and valuable examples of innovation that have been developed by Commonwealth citizens working in government, business or civil society, said Secretary-General Scotland.

Our hope is that by drawing attention to new ideas and eye-catching concepts we will encourage others to devise fresh approaches which can be catalysts to accelerate progress towards a common future that is fairer, more sustainable, more prosperous and more secure.

We hope too that the awards encourage concepts which aid progress to be adopted more swiftly and more widely in the Commonwealth, and will help inventors and innovators to attract support in order to upscale and achieve greater impact.

The competition is open to Commonwealth citizens and Commonwealth country-based organisations, including those in public, private or civil society sectors. Nominations, including self-nominations, can be made via an online platform from 20th September to 31st December. Women and young people are especially encouraged to apply.

An independent jury will select 15 winners, who will each receive a trophy, a certificate and 2,000 ($T7,000) in prize money.

Awards selection will be based on the impact or potential of the innovations to advance one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in Commonwealth countries. Five thematic categories of the competition include: improving the lives of people; boosting prosperity; protecting the planet, promoting peace; and building partnerships for development in the Commonwealth.

For more information about the Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards, or to enter the competition, please visit http://cominnowealth.org/the-commonwealth-innovation-awards/
Samoa is the preferred holiday destination for Sue Pope and Graham Seddon from Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Its their third trip to Samoa and they are already planning another one next year.

Sue has been travelling around the Pacific and reckons she has enjoyed Samoa the most out of all of them. The absence of the non-touristy parts of Samoa and the authenticity of Samoans and their culture continues to bring the New Zealand couple back to the island.

About four years ago they visited Samoa for the first time and have since then found their way back. They have noticed changes such as more infrastructure in town, traffic lights and more cars in Samoa. But it is the atmosphere, which they find appealing, as it makes the island different from the others.

It didnt change overall that much and I hope it never does not like Waiheke, where we live, he said.

Based on their own experiences from Waiheke, the couple said they can relate to Samoa being marketed as a tourism destination. The key is to find the right balance in terms of business, economics and tourists and still have that authentic experience.

The locals they need the income and job opportunities, Sue said.

As Samoa is in the early stages of its development as a tourism destination, Sue said locals and residents have not grown tired of seeing tourists like in Fiji. Therefore, locals and residents are authentically friendly, which according to Sue can make a lot of difference.

In terms of their safety, they said they felt safe walking around Apia, as there is a large police presence. The couple said Samoa is a relaxing destination and provides an opportunity to take a break and enjoy the warm climate.

It depends what expectation visitors bring in the country. There is probably enough to do but I guess in terms of advertising and giving out information there is still some improvement possible, Sue added.

The couple is staying at the Samoan Outrigger Hotel in Fales and plan to return to Samoa.
It was only yesterday when the Samoa Observer ran a front page story, which quoted a politician and a cabinet minister admitting that he was wrong, in assuming that a Chief Executive Officer had been terminated.

Getting a politician to admit that he or she is wrong is rare in this day and age, especially today with a lot of leaders refusing to accept criticism or come under scrutiny over their actions or decisions.

But there is no doubt that following the publishing of yesterdays story, the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (M.W.T.I.), Papalii Niko Lee Hang, got back some respect.

We do not have to look far to see how important it is for leaders to tell the truth. Just next door, in American Samoa, you have to wonder how the residents of the U.S. territory are feeling every time their President Donald Trump takes to twitter. Truth is becoming a highly sought after commodity, especially among and for those, who have been given the mandate to govern a community and a nation.

Therefore, we have to give it to Papalii, for admitting that he got it wrong and for having the courage, and the guts to call us to make the admission.

I was wrong I was under the assumption the contract has been terminated, he said in an interview.

The Ministers admission, hopefully, will have a ripple effect in the upper echelons of power and set the benchmark for Samoas leadership. If you make a mistake, admit it, learn from it and then move on for the benefit of the people. As they say Rome was not built in a day and Samoas path to prosperity will have challenges like any other democratic state.

Everyone has had a starting point to get to where they are today. In Samoa the founders of this nation professed in the Constitution that Samoa is founded on God and truth and the Word of God are intertwined and inseparable.

Therefore, when agents of Government give an undertaking to a particular section of the community, that there will be a consultation to give everyone the chance to have a say in the laws of the land, we expect them to reflect on the foundations built by the founders of this nation and make it happen.

Everyone wants to contribute to nation building in this great nation of ours, but when one arm of Government denies citizens that opportunity to participate then it calls into question the very foundations upon which this nation was built.

Hence it is tragic that the Ministry of Revenue (M.O.R.) has seen fit to cancel the consultation scheduled for September 21 with the business community. Data presented before the M.O.R. early this month confirms that the Alcohol Control Bill 2018 has loop holes and needs to be redrafted, factoring the concerns that the local manufacturers of liquor have highlighted in the last three weeks.

The proposed excise rates will have ramifications on their businesses and in fact has already led to job losses in some quarters.

Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry C.E.O., Lemauga Hobart Vaai, has not thrown in the towel. That is if the email he sent to his members on Wednesday is any indication.

We thank all our members who have called in with their issues over the past three weeks and have brought data to support our case and submission we handed in last Friday as agreed to by Government, and your Chamber echoes your disappointment and frustrations on how this has been handled and the negative effects this has on industry.

Your secretariat under the guidance of your council and with the issues raised by your membership will continue to fight on and lobby for a transparent process to ensure our voices are heard.

It is unacceptable for the M.O.R., the Cabinet and the Government to shut the door in the faces of these businessmen and women, who have worked hard and contributed to the development and the success of this nation. They too deserve the truth from the Ministry, Cabinet and the Government and honour their word and hold the consultative forum as promised.

The M.O.R., the Cabinet and the Government have probably forgotten that there are lives involved, and their decision to cancel consultations will now translate to families losing their ability to have food put on their tables due to being laid off by their employers.

Surely there is a champion out there who acknowledges the contribution of all citizens and is willing to create a level playing field for everyone. After all everyone wants a prosperous life and to live a life of truth. Have a beautiful Saturday Samoa and God bless.
Eight months after a massive landslide cut off the road access at Tuialamu, Saleapaga the Government is yet to start work to clear the debris and fix the road.

Motorists driving to Lalomanu Beach are currently using a temporary access, which was created by authorities closer to the seashore and further away from the high risk area, following the landslide in February this year. Authorities believe the landslide was triggered by heavy rain following Cyclone Gita.

Work to clear the landslide began in February but the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.) issued a stop order back then, and there has been no progress to date. This is despite a geotechnical assessment, which was funded by the New Zealand government, being done at different locations around the landslide to determine the risks to the public and the options available to restore access on the highway.

The Weekend Samoan approached the M.N.R.E. for an update, and was advised by the Ministrys Chief Executive Officer Ulu Bismark Crawley, that it is up to the Land Transport Authority (L.T.A.).

The matter is with them (L.T.A.) now we did our assessment and our work is done, he said.

The Ministry recommended back then that a temporary road access is created next to the seashore after the landslide, which Ulu indicated was just temporary.

L.T.A. Chief Executive Officer, Galumalemana Titi Tutuvanu-Schwalger, has not responded to questions sent to her in relation to this issue.

The New Zealand Government-funded geotechnical assessment was done by global engineering, architecture, environmental and construction firm G.H.D. Limited. Assessments were done at that time in seven different locations: the Leusoalii to Laulii landslide, Luatuanuu and Solosolo, Eva road damage, Falefa road damage, Lalomanu rock fall, Tuiolemu landslide and Lalomanu-Tuiolemu landslide.
The Office of the Electoral Commissioner is launching an app they hope will increase voter turnout at the next general election in 2021.

Following the 2016 elections, the office decided an app can provide better access to the information and the systems that make up elections here in Samoa.

Their locally built app, called Palota Samoa (Election Samoa) enables users to pre-register to vote, check their registration details, and eventually surf all the candidates and policies up for contention come 2021.

Voters will eventually have to go to the Office of the Electoral Commission to submit their biometric information like fingerprints, which ensures no one can abuse the app to register false identities.

Pre-registered citizens can skip long queues to go and quickly register their fingerprint, thus saving them and the officers time.

Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua Matthew Lemisio said his priority is to achieve free, fair and inclusive elections and he hopes the app will work towards achieving that.

Part of our work under the law is letting people know about the candidates, so this is another platform we can use for people to access that information, he said.

Currently we only use newspapers and TV, which can be limited.

Young and first time voters are of particular focus in the app design.

Youth participation is a low trend in the last elections, Mr Lemisio said.

We see a lot of youth issues happening in Samoa at the moment, yet we dont see enough youth participating in the process that will represent their voices in the highest level of decision making.

Beyond the app, the electoral commission is campaigning in high schools to help 18 year olds preregister to vote, as they will be eligible by 2021.

Next election, when nominations for candidates are confirmed, all their information will be available on the app.

Mr Lemisio said he hoped that will increase engagement in the election.

He also wants to include a map of ballot booths, and the app will be used to release the results of the 2021 election as they come in.

We are going to focus on the issues we know will improve the process, make the process more convenient to our people and go from there, he said.

Although he hopes the app will get more people involved in the election, ultimately Mr Lemisio believes voting is an individual responsibility.

We want to instill in our people that your vote is your own obligation, and your obligation as a citizen to execute that, he said.

Mr Lemisio said while communities can, and should value the opinions of their elders and leaders, voting should be the decision of the individual.

You vote on your own free will, without telling you who you should vote for, he said.
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP)  Hundreds of solemn people watched Friday as body after body was pulled from a capsized ferry that Tanzanian authorities said was badly overcrowded and upended in the final stretch before reaching shore. The death toll was above 130 but horrified witnesses feared that would rise as a second day of searching neared an end.

"This is a great disaster for our nation," President John Magufuli said. He announced four days of national mourning and urged calm in the East African country with a history of deadly maritime disasters. And he ordered arrests of all responsible as a criminal investigation began.

In a televised address, the president said the ferry captain already had been detained after leaving the steering to someone who wasn't properly trained, The Citizen newspaper reported.

The MV Nyerere's capacity was 101 people but the ferry had been overloaded when it capsized Thursday afternoon, the government's Chief Secretary John Kijazi told reporters.

At least 40 people had been rescued, he said, but the number on Friday barely rose. Dozens of security forces and volunteers wearing gloves and face masks had resumed work at daybreak after suspending efforts overnight, hauling bodies into wooden boats.

"More than 200 people are feared dead," based on accounts from fishermen and other witnesses, because passengers had been returning from a busy market day, Tanzania Red Cross spokeswoman Godfrida Jola told The Associated Press. "But no one knows" just how many people were on board.

It was obvious that more bodies were trapped in the overturned ferry, the president said, according to The Citizen report. He said even the cargo far exceeded the 25 tons allowed.

Tanzanian ferries often carry hundreds of passengers and are overcrowded, and shifts in weight as people move to disembark can become deadly. Images from the scene showed the ferry's exposed underside not far from shore.

Bodies were lined up on plastic sheeting as hundreds of people pressed near the water's edge, watching the search efforts.

Pope Francis, the United Nations secretary-general, Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of African leaders expressed shock and sorrow.

"His Holiness Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt solidarity with those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and who fear for the lives of those still missing," the condolence telegram said, according to the Vatican.

The MV Nyerere, named for the former president who led the East African nation to independence, was traveling between the islands of Ukara and Ukerewe when it sank, according to the government agency in charge of servicing the vessels.

Worried residents on Friday waited for any word of survivors.

"We try to make calls to friends, relatives," a local guide, Paschal Phares, told the AP. He recalled how crowded his trip on the aging ferry had been last month: "Most of us were standing up. It was full."

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition.

In 1996, more than 800 people died when passenger and cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria.

Nearly 200 people died in 2011 when the MV Spice Islander I sank off Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast near Zanzibar.
When Amazon arrived like Godzilla to the retail world, stomping out brick-and-mortar shops with speedy e-commerce delivery, small businesses suffered the brunt of the damage. But theres a new wave of savvy entrepreneurs who still compete with the giants of retail  even in saturated markets.

Jack Haldrup, a 31-year-old San Diegan, epitomizes this shift to small business 2.0. He makes $6 million a year selling a product thats been around since ancient times: plain and simple bar soap. In a retail world dominated by massive players like Procter & Gamble and Unilever, how is there room for yet another soapmaker?

Theres nothing particularly mind boggling about Haldrups soap, mind you. Its natural, made from lye, vegetable oil and a variety of scented essential oils. It comes as a bar wrapped in brown packaging, smelling very woodsy and wild in flavors like Pine Tar, Bay Rum and Spearmint Basil. The soaps schtick is that its made for men. More specifically, its for the manly chops-his-own-firewood male, who wants natural soaps but doesnt want to smell like lavender and patchouli.

Fittingly, the companys name is Dr. Squatch. As in Sasquatch  the hairy, ape-like figure from North American folklore who stomps around woods and lakes.

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In a few short years, Haldrup has gone from selling a few bars of soap per week out of his Midwest apartment, to shipping out 1,500 to 2,000 soaps a day. Today, the companys products are manufactured in Indiana and North Carolina, with distribution in Ohio. Craving the West Coast life, Haldrup moved to San Diego a couple of years ago and established his headquarters in Little Italy.

The small business has kept overhead low, Haldrup said, achieving profitability right off the bat. The vast majority of the companys sales are made online, with customers signing up for a monthly or quarterly subscription to receive Haldrups soap on a regular schedule to their doorstep. Dr. Squatch now has 17,000 active subscribers, with customers paying between $6 to $18 per shipment depending on how many bars they want.

Sasquatch magic

The soap may be average, but targeting this particular demographic is new. Marketers have long targeted females for these products, as women handle the bulk of purchasing decisions for everyday items like soap. But times are changing. Thanks to the Internet, everyone is online making purchases and Haldrup saw a gap in the market for guys like him.

Haldrup has a common autoimmune skin condition called psoriasis, which makes him a poor match for regular supermarket soaps. They burn his skin, leaving him feeling dry and irritated. He was forced into seeking out natural products that would be less harsh on his skin.

I ended up buying handmade soaps from farmers markets, and they made my skin feel great, Haldrup said.

But the average guy, he thought, isnt going to hunt down these products and buy them from a farmers market. And theyre also not shopping at health food stores, where these bars are widely sold.

Our customer is not the guy who already shops at Whole Foods and uses Dr. Bronners soap, Haldrup said. Our biggest audience turns out to be middle America. This is for the guy who would never normally consider buying natural products because he thinks theyre for hippies.

The company expected the product to take off in big coastal cities like San Francisco and New York.

But when we looked at the sales data, our biggest customers were coming out of places like Kentucky, Idaho and South Dakota, Haldrup said.

Jack Haldrup cuts a loaf of soap at his soap company called Dr. Squatch. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The new age of small business

Matthew Parvis, another San Diegan in his 30s, has a few things in common with Haldrup. He also launched a subscription company that ships out products targeted to men. His company, co-founded with his wife Melissa Parvis, is called Fresh Clean Tees, and they sell plain T-shirts to guys who want a regular in-flow of crisp undershirts in their wardrobe.

Parvis said men are waking up to the fact that there are more products available today tailored to their preferences. But more than that, he said, customers  women included  flock to brands like Fresh Clean Tees and Dr. Squatch because buyers have grown tired of interacting with faceless, giant corporations.

People want a more personal experience these days, Parvis said. If youre buying a Hanes T-shirt, you dont feel like youre a part of anything. Youre also not a part of anything when youre buying soap from Walmart or Target.

When you buy from boutique brands, however, customers join a little community, Parvis said.

Even though the small-business experience has gone away in a traditional sense, its rebounding in a different way, Parvis said. I love that entrepreneurs who are great at marketing are breaking through in spaces that are rather saturated, like soaps and T-shirts.

The marketing is the money

Haldrup, a former IT security consultant, isnt your typical marketing guru, however. He has no higher education in the field. His undergraduate degree is in finance and he has a masters in information systems. But he was savvy enough to see potential early on in Facebook Ads, committing most of his ad spend for social media.

My product is a terrible fit for advertising on Google, because no one is searching for mens natural soap, Haldrup said. But its perfect for Facebook Ads. Within a month of learning that, we tripled our sales.

Parvis said Facebook Ads is also critical for his companys success. About 90 percent of customer acquisition at Fresh Clean Tees comes from Facebook Ads.

Its been a huge platform of growth for us, Parvis said.

Dr. Squatch also invested big bucks in creating ads worth watching. Haldrup went out on a limb and paid $20,000 to a professional marketing agency to film a humorous video about their soap. And it paid off fast. The video spread around online, racking up 12 million views so far. The video alone grew Dr. Squatchs subscription base from 11,000 subscribers to 17,000 in only three months.

With social media marketing and their own online stores, Haldrup and Parvis have virtually no need for retail partners. Haldrup said getting his soap into retail stores is hardly worth his time.

Unless theyre a big box store, the volume they do is just so small, Haldrup said. It wont move the needle for us.

Expansion

Dr. Squatch has expanded into selling other hygiene products for men, like shampoo and conditioner, beard oil and shaving cream. The company employs just three people in San Diego, with some customer support people overseas.

Ten or 15 years ago, the only way to sell this product would have been to break into stores like Target or Walmart, Haldrup said. It would have been hard for a guy like me. Its amazing to live in a time when this is possible.

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brittany.meiling@sduniontribune.com 619-293-1286 Twitter: @BrittanyMeiling
Since he stepped down as chief executive of contract chip manufacturer Globalfoundries in March, Sanjay Jha has kept busy working with five startups, as well as sitting on the board of trustees of UC San Diego and the Salk Institute.

The 55-year-old San Diego resident, however, has recently been linked to one of the premiere job openings in tech.

The former chief operating officer at Qualcomm, Jha is among a handful of candidates under consideration to replace Brian Krzanich as CEO of Intel, according to a Bloomberg News report earlier this month.

Other candidates with Qualcomm ties also are in the running, according to Bloomberg. They include Anand Chandrasekher, who left Qualcomm in May; and Murthy Renduchintala, who spent a decade at Qualcomm before joining Intel in 2015.

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Jha declined to comment. But in his career, he has amassed broad-based technology industry experience.

He spent 14 years at Qualcomm, working his way up to COO. He left in 2008 to become co-CEO of Motorola, based in suburban Chicago.

When Motorola split into two companies, Jha became head of Motorola Mobility, which made mobile phones and set-top boxes. Google acquired Motorola Mobility in 2012 for $12.4 billion.

In 2014, Jha took over as CEO of Globalfoundries  the second largest global contract chip manufacturer for customers such as AMD, IBM and others. He left in March. Last month, Globalfoundries announced a shift in strategy, halting efforts to roll out next generation, 7-nanometer chip production technology.

Through his career moves, Jha has continued to reside in San Diego. He spoke with the Union-Tribune about his plans and the future of technology. Here are some excerpts.

Q: Are you looking for another opportunity?

A: I am. I am doing a bunch of things. I am involved with five startups, two in biotech and three in tech. I am very engaged with them, and I am very excited about some of the technology we are developing.

But if an opportunity were to arise at a large company where I can apply some of the learning over the years  having worked at a chip design company, having worked at a technology development and manufacturing company, as well as a systems company, Motorola  I think in the right platform that could be an interesting opportunity.

Q: Can you walk me through Qualcomm, Motorola Mobility and Globalfoundries, what were the key takeaways, the things you learned?

A: I would quote Irwin (Jacobs, Qualcomms co-founder.) Details matter. At every company, I think managers engaged with an understanding of what is going on in a detailed way make better decisions.

I would say the second thing is culture matters, leadership matters, and the credibility and trust in leadership matters a huge amount.

The only way to have trust and credibility in leadership is if you believe leadership is engaged with the same problems and has an understanding at a detailed level.

Q: With some of these maturing technology companies out there, where do you think things go wrong?

A: There is always a transition that you have to manage. Every time there is a big technology transition  as you saw from personal computers to mobile  you see the emergence of new companies.

It is because the economic incentives get misaligned. So at Intel, the average sales price at that time was probably $200, and we were selling our chips at Qualcomm for $15 or $20, and you say why would I sell a $15 chip? I would rather invest in increasing my average sales price from $200 to $250.

Then, of course, that $15 to $20 chip changes volume from roughly 300 million a year, which is what PCs used to be at the time, to 2 billion. Then it creates a new set of disruptive capabilities.

But the incentives are not there for you to invest in a lower price, lower profit business. Same thing from cell phones to the Internet of Things.

So I feel every time there is a big technology transition, you need the leadership to understand the potential benefits and the drawbacks of not investing in the new technology.

That is certainly one thing that goes wrong. Second, I think companies get much more focused on producing on time and making their quarters, and innovation certainly suffers at companies. And again, I think Irwin demonstrated at Qualcomm, the way to continue to innovate is for the leadership to send a clear message that they care about innovation.

Q: Where do you see the opportunities today in the tech space? Where are you making bets today?

A: So I am making bets in biotech, in artificial intelligence and in augmented reality and virtual reality. Those are the some of the bets that I think will lead to large returns over the next 10 years.

If you look at retail, this notion of being able to walk into a shop, pick up stuff and walk out and you are billed for it appropriately. There are a whole range of artificial intelligence in retail.

There is surveillance. There will be something like 15 billion cameras in the world, but each of the cameras will deliver data as opposed to just images. I think artificial intelligence and machine learning are going to change the way we view cameras.

Similarly in health care, in industrial automation, in automotive and in drones, as well as transportation -- I think there is a lot of value in artificial intelligence.

The second thing I would say is the device that I see as the successor to cell phones is really an augmented reality/virtual reality device, and there are multiple problems to be solved. Probably some of the hardest problems to solve in technology are in augmented reality/virtual reality.

When we went from PC to cell phone, we saw about a 20-times reduction in volume and a 10-times reduction in battery, and the requirement for the cell phone to last 24 hours.

Whereas if you now go to AR/VR, there is another 10 or 20 fold reduction in battery while there is a 30 to 50 times increase in processing power. I think the challenges that AR/VR present are of the same magnitude that we saw in cell phones relative to PCs.

Q: When you look at that, will 5G be able to power some of these things -- off-loading computing from the device and onto a low latency network box that will power some of this augmented reality/virtual reality?

A: Yes, I think so. I see 5G being very meaningful for augmented reality/virtual reality, for automotive, for drones, for robotics. Sub 6 gigahertz, I think certainly gets into cell phones fairly quickly, but above that, for low latency and very high throughput data rates, I think you do need 5G, and 5G clearly is an important development here for enabling these technologies.

Q: You managed to go from Qualcomm to Motorola Mobility to Globalfoundries and continue to live in San Diego. Have you ever seconded-guessed that decision?

A: I have never second-guessed that decision. There was a brief period in 2009 when I was at Motorola Mobility. With my family, we spent one summer in Chicago to see if we were ready to move to Chicago. The decision from my family was overwhelming. We are not leaving San Diego. We are part of the community, very engaged. I am on the board of trustees at UCSD. I am on the board of trustees at Salk. We love our neighborhood. We love the people we know here. It is a difficult place to leave.

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mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com;

Twitter:@TechDiego

760-529-4973
Almost everyone dies owing at least some debt. Sometimes its only last months ordinary bills plus final medical expenses. But there can be shocking surprises for survivors  debts unknown to the children and even to the spouse of the deceased. Heirs might discover large credit card balances, undisclosed home equity loans or gambling debts.

Creditors are entitled to payment, from the money and property (the estate) that your loved one left behind. But what if he or she didnt leave enough to get everyone repaid? Can the creditors come after you?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. With loans secured by property, such as mortgages, an heir has to keep up the monthly payments or else sell the property to cover the debt. Unsecured loans, such as credit card debt and student loans, are another matter. Your liability depends very much on the nature of the bill, the type of property and your states laws. But heres what I can say, generally.

Some money is protected. At death, unsecured creditors cannot collect from life insurance payments, pay-on-death bank or brokerage accounts, jointly held property that passes directly to the surviving owner, or retirement plans such as 401(k)s and IRAs that have named beneficiaries, says IRA expert Ed Slott of IRAhelp.com. Theyre safe  but only if they were handled right. By right, I mean that the deceased filled out a beneficiary form for each account, naming the people who were to inherit. If this step was skipped, the funds will be paid into the estate, where they can be used to satisfy the creditors.

At death, unsecured creditors cannot collect from life insurance payments, pay-on-death bank or brokerage accounts, jointly held property that passes directly to the surviving owner, or retirement plans such as 401(k)s and IRAs that have named beneficiaries, says IRA expert Ed Slott of IRAhelp.com. Theyre safe  but only if they were handled right. By right, I mean that the deceased filled out a beneficiary form for each account, naming the people who were to inherit. If this step was skipped, the funds will be paid into the estate, where they can be used to satisfy the creditors. Your signature matters. If you signed a joint application for a credit card, you owe the balance even if you didnt know how high it had grown. If you were merely an authorized user, however, most states dont require you to pay. (Note that authorized users shouldnt use the card after the owner dies if the estate is broke. Such spending could be considered fraud.) Spouses are generally not liable for any separate debts their mate incurred before the wedding or, in most cases, after. Rules in community property states, such as Texas and California, are different. Your community property can generally be tapped to pay a spouses debts. But creditors cant take your separate property, says Cathy Moran, an attorney in Mountain View, Calif. In any state, youll still owe any private debt you cosigned with the deceased, such as a student loan. Some private student lenders will forgive the loan, but most wont.

If you signed a joint application for a credit card, you owe the balance even if you didnt know how high it had grown. If you were merely an authorized user, however, most states dont require you to pay. (Note that authorized users shouldnt use the card after the owner dies if the estate is broke. Such spending could be considered fraud.) Spouses are generally not liable for any separate debts their mate incurred before the wedding or, in most cases, after. Rules in community property states, such as Texas and California, are different. Your community property can generally be tapped to pay a spouses debts. But creditors cant take your separate property, says Cathy Moran, an attorney in Mountain View, Calif. In any state, youll still owe any private debt you cosigned with the deceased, such as a student loan. Some private student lenders will forgive the loan, but most wont. You have to pay the doctor. Final medical bills are usually considered a spouses responsibility. If your mate entered a hospital, the admission papers you signed probably included a payment agreement. When theres no money, however, and the survivor has very little income, health providers might write off the account.

Final medical bills are usually considered a spouses responsibility. If your mate entered a hospital, the admission papers you signed probably included a payment agreement. When theres no money, however, and the survivor has very little income, health providers might write off the account. Get tough. Dont be talked into making a few payments on bills you do not owe. Creditors might claim that you willingly assumed the debt. Tell them, No, no, never. You know your rights.

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AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age.
Its been 75 years since Phyllis (LaVora Shaw) Ghio set foot on Camp Pendleton to begin her service in the Womens Reserves. Ghio was one of the first 95 female Marines who were assigned to Camp Pendleton during World War II to Free a Man to Flight. The first contingent arrived on base on Oct. 26, 1943.

Phyllis (Shaw) Ghio was one of the first 95 female Marines who were assigned to Camp Pendleton during World War II. (Photo circa 1943-45) (Courtesy of Phyllis Ghio)

Ghio, 95, who now lives in La Jolla, has not been back on base since she was honorably discharged in December 1945. But she is headed back Oct. 6 to meet with fellow Marines at the Camp Pendleton Historical Societys gala honoring the past 75 years of service of women Marines at Pendleton.

As one of Camp Pendletons trailblazing Women Reservists, she has a lot of history to share.

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Ghio left her clerical job at Convair Aircraft in the summer of 1943 to join the Women Marine Reserves. She had an uncle who was a Marine colonel and he inspired her. I joined the Marines because I admired my uncle and I wanted adventure, said Ghio, who was trained at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., before coming out to Camp Pendleton on a troop train. She was one of the 23,000 Women Reservists, aka WRs, nationwide who enlisted in active-duty military service during WW II.

The women arrived on base a little over a year after the base was dedicated in September 1942 and were welcomed by Maj. Gen. Joseph C. Fegan, the bases first commanding general. By 1945, more than 1,000 Women Reservists were based at Camp Pendleton.

We got waves and cheers, Ghio recalled. The men were happy to see us.

Each girl got a job, Ghio said. Jobs ranged from telephone operators, typists, clerks and bookkeepers to radar technicians, mechanics and truck drivers.

Sgt. Ghio and other Women Reservists marching in front of the Rancho Santa Margarita Ranch House, Camp Pendleton, circa 1944. (Courtesy of Phyllis Ghio)

Ghio had a job as muster role clerk, keeping records of all the women Marines on base. She had to type up the records, including names, ranks and serial numbers.

No mistakes were allowed, Ghio said. If I made a mistake, I had to start over. It was a hell of a thing to do. I usually worked at night when there was less distraction and it was quiet.

She also worked briefly as a clerk in the Post Exchange for women, which sold items ranging from lip stick and girdles to candy, cigarettes and perfume. It was one room and had a soda fountain, Ghio said. Later she served as acting first sergeant for Sgt. Maj. Alice Myers while she was on furlough. She worked in the Headquarters Office, Building 24.

When she first arrived, Ghio lived with several other women in a Quonset hut with bunk beds before moving into the barracks. The Women Reservists lived in wooden barracks at Camp Pio in the 24 Area in the vicinity of what is now Vandergrift Boulevard and Basilone Road, according to Faye Jonason, director of the Camp Pendleton History Branch. A fence surrounded the barracks to discourage male Marines, and was locked nightly when liberty expired.

In her off-duty time, Ghio boarded a liberty bus with several other WRs and went off base to places like the L.A. Hollywood canteen or around San Diego to La Jolla and Del Mar, stopping at a restaurant or bar or beach. She was briefly part of a traveling band and sold war bonds at concerts. A highlight, as she recalled, was attending USO dances. Of course enlisted girls could not date officers, but we did, Ghio said.

Ghio started as a private and rose to the rank of staff sergeant in 2  years. Toward the end of her service, she was named WR (Woman Reservist) of the Week and was featured in an article in the Camp Pendleton Scout newspaper in Dec. 3, 1945. The article stated: The HqCo office in 24-B-3 is going to be a great deal less colorful without the sportive Sgt. Shaw for whom there can be no such thing as a replacement. She was referred to as one of CampPens Old Guard WRs.

Im proud of the Women Marines, Ghio said. We did a good job.

Phyllis Ghio, on a trip to Nova Scotia, Canada when she was 92. (Courtesy of Phyllis Ghio)

The Camp Pendleton Historical Societys Gala, with the theme Celebrating 75 years of women Marines proudly serving at Camp Pendleton is from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Camp Pendleton Pacific Views Event Center. The event, open to military and civilians, includes a historic women Marines uniform pageant and women Marines exhibit, silent and live auctions and dinner with guest speaker. The Gala is open to all military and civilian personnel. Tickets are $60-$125. Reservations required by Sept. 29 at eventbrite.com/e/camp-pendleton-historical-society-gala-tickets-49249504594.
The National FFA recently announced the 2018 recipients of the American FFA Degree, who include nearly a dozen students from San Diego County.

The FFA, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, awards the distinguished honor to members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA and made significant accomplishments in their supervised agricultural experiences.

At the 2018 National FFA Convention & Expo taking place in October in Indianapolis, a record 4,255 FFA members will be recognized nationally. The degree is awarded each year to less than 1 percent of FFA members, making it one of the organizations highest honors. Requirements to earn the honor are lengthy.

The American FFA Degree went to 419 FFA students in California, and to 11 in San Diego County. Besides a degree certificate, each winner receives a gold American FFA Degree key.

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San Diego County winners: Audrey Greenwood, Fallbrook; Blake Jackson, Joseph Nyland, Anne Signore, Lakeside-El Capitan; John Tyler Phllips, Pine Valley-Mountain Empire; Erin Blucher, Katherine Golden, Alex Osmun, Poway; Sarah Drown, Ramona; Andrew Lloyd Curt, Emily L. Franko, Valley Center.

Visit www.ffanewhorizons.org.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
Mysterious Galaxy, one of San Diegos few remaining independent bookstores, announced Thursday it is seeking new ownership after 25 years in business.

Its time to pass the torch, owners Terry Gilman and Maryelizabeth Yturralde said in a statement.

The two also operate Creating Conversations, which sells books at events large and small throughout Southern California, and they are retaining that.

At this stage in our lives, we just dont have the bandwidth to effectively operate two businesses, Yturralde said in a phone interview.

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Gilman, Yturralde and Jeffrey Mariotte opened Mysterious Galaxy in May 1993 with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy and other speculative fiction, and that niche has helped it withstand the Internet-fueled winds that decimated more general-interest bookstores in recent decades.

Four years ago, it doubled in size, moving from longtime quarters on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard to a storefront on Balboa Avenue, just east of Genesee Avenue. The move gave it more room for author events, which have also been a key to its survival. The store hosts about 20 events every month.

Mysterious Galaxy also has something of a national reputation. In 2013, it received a community-service Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America in recognition of literacy programs that benefit schools, libraries and businesses.

Yturralde said the sale isnt a sign that the business is struggling, although she acknowledged that bookselling remains a challenging environment.

The ingredients for continued success are in place, the owners said: a loyal customer base, a dedicated, hard-working staff, the technological tools to remain current and relevant, and a beautiful environment that appeals to customers of all ages.

If no new owner is found, the store will remain open.

I genuinely believe there will be somebody excited to buy it, Yturralde said, but if not, we wont abandon our staff or our greater community.

Mysterious Galaxy opened a second store seven years ago in Redondo Beach. It never took off as a bricks-and-mortar site, but a side business providing books at various events evolved into Creating Conversations. It now does pop-up sales at everything from writers conferences to private book-launches.

Its been another way of doing what we love to do, which is connecting books to readers, without having an actual storefront, Yturralde said.

Anyone interested in buying Mysterious Galaxy can contact Gilman at terry@mystgalaxy.com.

john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com
When Wine Spectator unveiled in July its list of the 20 San Diego County restaurants that won its 2018 Award of Excellence, most of the names were to be expected.

Perennial winners Addison, Mille Fleurs, Humphreys, Vivace and Juniper and Ivy turned up, along with a surprise new addition: Belching Beaver Brewery Tavern & Grill in Vista.

Since its founding in 2012, Belching Beaver Brewery has built a small empire on its famous Peanut Butter Milk Stout beer and a near-constant stream of new flavorful stouts and inventive IPA beer releases.

So how did the whimsically named Vista brewery end up earning an honor that no other brewpub in America can claim? That credit goes to Ralph Lizarraga, a Level 1 sommelier who joined the company three years ago as its director of hospitality.

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Hes also director of wine at the companys 2-year-old Tavern & Grill in downtown Vista, which has more than 1,000 bottles stored in its wine vault. The wine list features 93 wines by the bottle and 15 to 20 wines by the glass.

The Vista resident said Belching Beaver is proud to have received the prestigious recognition from Wine Spectator, but getting the word out about its award-winning wine program remains a work in progress.

Not surprisingly, beer makes up nearly 80 percent of alcohol sales at the 280-seat restaurant. Wine competes with distilled spirits for the rest.

Belching Beaver may be unlikely to attract the lions share of North Countys wine-sipping crowd, but Lizarraga hopes some of his new sales, marketing and dining-related ideas will help.

Lizarraga was managing Trulucks seafood and steak restaurant in La Jolla in 2015 when he met Belching Beavers owner Tom Vogel. The enticement Vogel offered him to join Belching Beaver was impossible to turn down: the ability to create his own restaurant wine list from scratch.

The interior of Belching Beaver Brewery Tavern & Grill in downtown Vista. (Pam Kragen/San Diego U-T)

Lizarraga started drinking wine while a student at UC Santa Barbara, then got his first industry job at a wine bar in San Luis Obispo. In 2010, he joined Trulucks as a server and bartender before working his way into management.

At the time, Trulucks sold 100 wines by the glass, which gave him a golden opportunity to immerse himself in the study of wine, which led to him earning Level 1 sommelier certification.

When Lizarraga joined Belching Beaver, Vogel gave him just two rules  to stock his favorite wine, Caymus, and to not gouge customers with over-inflated bottle prices.

Thanks to the high volume of beer sales, Lizarraga said hes had the financial freedom to find bargains through bulk-buy discounts. As a result, most wines are priced at $30 to $50 a bottle, and all wines under $60 are half-price on Wednesdays.

The wine list is intentionally made up of mostly California wines along with selections from New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Chile and more, so that everything is in English and easy to understand.

I wanted my wine list to be not too intimidating so people arent afraid to ask questions, he said. My goal is for people to get a great bottle of wine thats affordable but really high-quality stuff.

Vogel said he likes having the wine program because its part of his company policy of serving customers what they want to drink, rather just than what the brewer wants to make.

Our customer is boss, said Vogel, a San Marcos resident.

Before the recession hit in 2008, Vogel was working in the real estate industry, but new lending restrictions made it tough to do business so he decided to try something new.

I wanted to find a business that was fun and the beer industry sounded like fun, he said.

In keeping with that theme, he named his 2012 startup Belching Beaver, a suggestion he heard at a cocktail party which was catchy, fun and lighthearted.

Five years ago, head brewer Thomas Peters joined the company. A home brewer whod worked before as beer buyer at Sublime Alehouse in San Marcos, Peters came to Belching Beaver as an unpaid trainee.

He started out cleaning brew tanks, but his beermaking genius was apparent from the start. Six months later, Vogel hired him as head brewer and nine months after that he won first place in the 2014 Alpha King Challenge, a national competition that attracted 170 breweries last year (when Peters won first place once again).

To keep up with demand for its beer, Belching Beaver now has five San Diego County locations, including breweries, tasting rooms and pubs. It will soon expand production into Orange and L.A. counties as well as Arizona, and by next spring its beers will be available in eight foreign countries.

Each year, Belching Beaver releases as many as 100 new beers, which equals the number of taps at the Vista restaurant. With so many beers to keep track of, the servers have scant time to study the wine list. Lizarraga said he runs a weekly wine education program to try and fill that knowledge gap.

Hes looking at adding less-expensive, half-bottle options to the wine list to encourage beer drinkers to give wine a try.

He also uses the restaurants wine vault  built inside a former bank branch vault  as a private dining and events room for added visibility.

Finally, this fall, executive chef Ramiro Guerra will introduce a new menu that will include, for the first time, suggested pairings of beers and wines for each entree. Guerra said wine pairings are easy compared to pairing beers with food because beers can have a complexity of flavors.

Belching Beaver Brewery Tavern & Grill

Where: 302 E. Broadway, Vista

Phone: (760) 295-8599

Online: https://belchingbeaver.com/menu

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Old Globe Theatre artistic leader Barry Edelstein has made a popular happening of his periodic Thinking Shakespeare Live! sessions, which help prep audiences for productions of the Bards plays by enlisting actors for scene demonstrations and spirited discussion.

Now, Edelstein  whos officially the theaters Erna Finci Viterbi artistic director (in memory of a late benefactor)  has readied a fresh edition of the book, and will be at Warwicks in La Jolla next week for a chat and signing.

Thinking Shakespeare  subtitled A How-to Guide for Student Actors, Directors, and Anyone Else Who Wants to Feel More Comfortable With the Bard  draws on Edelsteins three-plus decades of directing, teaching and celebrating the works of Shakespeare.

Those works form a key foundation of the Globe, which turned 83 this year and is named after the original Elizabethan-era theater built by the Bards own company in London.

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Barry Edelsteins Thinking Shakespeare

When: Reading/signing at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27.

Where: Warwicks, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla.

Phone: (858) 454-0347

Online: warwicks.com

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
A Florida inventor who made a fortune developing protective eyewear is giving UC San Diego $25 million to battle public health problems ranging from substance abuse to the sort of deadly hepatitis A outbreak that hit the county last year.

The gift from Herbert Wertheim of Miami represents seed money to create a school of public health, which is considered to be a missing piece at a campus that operates two major hospitals and separate schools of medicine and pharmaceutical science.

UC San Diego is also committing $25 million to the project and hopes to raise an additional $50 million toward the construction of a building.

Wertheim has donated more than $100 million over the years, mostly to promote health, medicine, engineering and the arts at universities in Florida. But he was moved by UC San Diegos efforts in health, which include getting nutritious foods to people in low-income neighborhoods.

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The most important thing we can achieve is making our communities healthier across the lifespan, and thus more productive, the 79-year-old Wertheim said in a statement. Prevention is, and always will be, the best medicine.

Some of the $25 million will support UC San Diegos research programs, in areas like communicable diseases. Part of the gift also will support education, like the work being done to promote vaccinations and healthy eating.

But the main goal is to create a school of public health, which would require the approval of the University of California system. The campus wants to emulate Harvard and UCLA, whose public health schools are famous for identifying threats and broadly helping people.

Schools of medicine train physicians how to care for individual patients, said David Brenner, vice chancellor of health sciences at UC San Diego.

Public health is about taking care of large populations, including those who are under-served, those who have incredibly high health care needs, and those who arent as sophisticated when it comes to using the medical system.

Thats where we can provide more help.

The proposed school of public health would help us determine what it means to have a healthy society, said Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, who teamed with Brenner to negotiate the Wertheim gift.

You connect that understanding with the cost of delivering health care to improve public health, and the longevity of people.

The school of public health would draw from the entire campus, particularly engineering, where researchers are developing wearable health devices, and computer science, where scientists are developing software that can spot health threats.

The university also has just opened a data science institute thats heavily involved in analyzing health and medical issues.

The new $25 million donation represents a bit of serendipity.

Brenner didnt become acquainted with Wertheim until a few years ago, when Wertheim arrived in San Diego aboard The World, a 644-foot private residential ship.

The two men were introduced at a social event, became friends and spent some of their time talking about Wertheims unexpected rise in business and science.

During childhood, Wertheim struggled in school because hes dyslexic. He spent less and less time on education and more on kicking around Florida, doing odd jobs, such as picking oranges with migrant workers.

He later joined the Navy and went through boot camp in San Diego. Wertheim received a good grounding in subjects like chemistry, physics and electronics.

After leaving the service, he earned a degree in optometry and began a clinical practice. He also founded Brain Power Incorporated, a leading manufacturer of ophthalmic instruments.

Wertheim is best known for using special dyes to coat eyeglass lenses, cutting down on ultraviolet light, which reduced the chance that a person would develop cataracts.

The invention helped Wertheim earn great wealth  money that he is now giving away. Like Bill Gates and Denny Sanford, he signed The Giving Pledge, an agreement in which a person pledges to give away the majority of his or her wealth.

I never set out to be wealthy, Wertheim told a magazine writer in 2014. The monetary rewards have always been secondary to doing my part to make the world a better place.
Charles Rappleye, a resolute Los Angeles investigative reporter and editor who wrote critically acclaimed books about historical figures, has died at 62.

Rappleye, who battled cancer for six years, had been working on a book about little-remembered President Zachary Taylor when he died at home in Echo Park on Saturday.

The overlooked were his specialty  be they mafia figures, slave-trading Founding Fathers, mistreated gang members or downtrodden journalists.

He was especially interested in telling the stories of the overlooked of Los Angeles, such as a gang member targeted for blowing the whistle on crooked cops. In 2002, he recounted in the L.A. Weekly how Carlos Oliva Menjivar was charged three times with resisting arrest, once after four officers manhandled him in his wheelchair, repeatedly slamming his head against a metal door frame.

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Rappleye castigated the Los Angeles Times in 1996 for trying to discredit a controversial series by journalist Gary Webb on the roots of the L.A. crack-cocaine epidemic, and used the pages of the Weekly to build on Webbs work.

It wasnt just about a good story with Charlie. He wanted to root out wrong, said Sue Horton, a senior editor at Reuters and a former editor in chief at the L.A. Weekly.

Born in Texas in 1956, Rappleye grew up in Cambridge, Mass., where he captained a top-rated high school rowing team, his brother Tim said. At the University of Wisconsin in Madison, he worked on the college paper and majored in economics, graduating in 1978. After moving to California, he became editor of the weekly Santa Barbara News & Review. He earned a masters degree in professional writing at USC in 1988.

His first book, published in 1991, All American Mafioso: The Johnny Rosselli Story, chronicled the life of a mobster who reached into Hollywood.

Rappleye worked for the L.A. Weekly as news editor, reporter and writer from 1994 to 2003, during the heyday of its investigative journalism. He helped break open, along with The Times, the Rampart police-corruption scandal.

Former Times investigative reporter Scott Glover described Rappleye as a dogged, tenacious reporter whose slightly disheveled, Columbo-like appearance made him the sort of guy people didnt see coming.

It made him a formidable competitor, said Glover, who now works for CNN. I opened up the L.A. Weekly more than once to see his byline above a story we wished wed done or one that we had in the works but had yet to publish. Put another way, thats called getting beat.

Rappleye next turned to writing historical biographies, beginning with Sons of Providence: The Brown Brothers, the Slave Trade, and the American Revolution, about the founders of Brown University  and the brothers conflict over the slave trade. The university made the book  which won numerous prizes  required reading for incoming freshmen in 2012. Rappleye also wrote books about Robert Morris, the financier of the American Revolution, and Herbert Hoover.

Just over a decade ago, he helped Tulsa Kinney, his wife of 15 years, launch the L.A. art magazine Artillery.

In addition to Kinney, Rappleye is survived by his mother, Ann Crompton; his children, Dexter and Kelly; and their mother, Gale Holland, his first wife, who is a Times reporter.

howard.blume@latimes.com

Twitter: @howardblume
When Ron Zurawski purchased his six-bedroom, six-bath Oceanside home in 2005, he said he did so for one purpose  to rent rooms to Marines.

The home, located in the Arrowood community just outside the San Luis Rey gate to Camp Pendleton, was yet to be built. Zurawski, an unmarried Navy veteran with no kids, said he had no other use for a house that size.

He began renting rooms. Finding that demand for affordable housing so close to base was high, he purchased another house in the same community in 2008, and began renting rooms there, as well.

Twelve years after he began renting out his first house, Arrowoods homeowners association found him in violation of the rules. Zurawski said the association has fined him thousands of dollars in order to compel him into compliance.

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Zurawski charges tenants $650 per month for a room, and $750 for one with a private bathroom. According to him, hes had no issues, either from neighbors, the city or his homeowners association, for years.

He currently has 12 tenants between the two houses.

Im trying to help these guys, he said. Theyre all young (and) trying to get ahead in life.

The residents at Zurawskis two Arrowood homes are all either on active duty or recently separated from the military.

Christopher Carter left active duty in the Marines after five years, transferring to the reserves and enrolling in college. He said when he left the Marines in 2017, his credit was in poor shape, and he wasnt sure hed qualify for an apartment.

Finding a place out here, with the amount of money I need just for a deposit...it made it really hard, he said. The only (way) Ive been able to get a place...is through direct favors.

Carter, who is now a full-time student at Mira Costa Community College, receives his housing allowance through the Post-9/11 GI Bill  $2,478 per month.

Other tenants include a recently retired Marine and three still on active duty.

Andrew Smith, a Marine staff sergeant, said hes close to getting out of the Corps. He moved into one of Zurawskis homes to save money.

I get out next year, he said, I didnt want to sign a lease with an apartment because I didnt want to break (it).

As a single E-6, Smith is entitled to a tax-free Basic Allowance for Housing of $2,166.

Marine Staff Sgt. Andrew Smith stands in the back yard of one of Zurawskis two Arrowood homes. Smith said he was leaving the Marines next year and moved-in to save money. (Andrew Dyer/ Union-Tribune)

Home rentals in Arrowood range from $3,300-$4,000 per month, according Zillow. The cheapest one-bedroom apartment listed on the website in the 92057 zip code was $1,600 per month, and more distant from the base entrance.

Zurawski says hes had no issues from neighbors, the city or his homeowners association for years.

However, in December 2017, he received a letter from the HOA notifying him he was in violation of association rules relating to rentals.

According to the HOA  the Arrowood Master Association  Zurawski was operating his houses as dormitories in violation of HOA regulations and was subject to fines until he brought his properties into compliance.

Zurawski says he is in compliance, citing discrepancies in the two HOA governing documents. He hired a lawyer and is planning on fighting.

In the meantime, Zurawski is accruing fines from the HOA of $1,000 per property per month. He said those fines currently total $12,000. The association has stripped him of his voting privileges and he expects them to serve him with a lawsuit any day.

Regardless, Zurawski said he will not evict his tenants.

These Marines cause no issues, he said. These are great tenants, these are great neighbors, these are great men and women that are serving our country and they deserve our thanks and support. They dont deserve to be evicted and (told) go find someplace else to live.

Smith said he did not understand why the HOA was targeting him and his roommates.

We havent been bad neighbors, we dont cause problems and we dont affect the daily lives of those trying to make us leave, he said. We dont affect them in any way, but their actions are going to affect us in a big way.

In a mediation brief prepared by Zurawskis attorney, he argues that two of the HOA documents governing rental property provide conflicting restrictions on renters.

The covenants, conditions & restrictions for Arrowood say each house is a single-family home, and are to be occupied by a single family.

Zurawskis contention is that his renters meet the CC&Rs definition of a family  individuals, related or not, who live as a single household in a residence.

However, the HOA is citing another document, the Community Guidelines, which defines a family as related or unrelated persons who jointly occupy and have equal access to all areas of a lot and who function together as an integrated economic unit.

Zurawski says the CC&R trumps the community guidelines.

For the first 10 years, they never approached me or asked for a master lease, Zurawski said of the HOA. On this issue, theyve crossed the line.

Carter said he had no contingency plan if he was evicted.

Finding available housing up here, if youre not from the area, is a pain, he said.

Through a spokeswoman, the property management company, FirstService Residential, said it was not the enforcement arm of the HOA. The company said it had notified the HOA board of the Union-Tribunes inquiry, but did not comment on Zurawskis case.

The HOA did not responded to requests for comment.

Contact Andrew Dyer via email or Twitter.
New details emerged Thursday afternoon about a gunfight in East L.A. that left two Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies wounded and a suspected gang member dead.

The incident began Wednesday evening when three people in a black BMW approached another trio at the intersection of Bonnie Beach Place and 6th Street in East L.A. and asked which gang the group belonged to, said Sheriffs Lt. Scott Hoglund. The trio replied that they were not part of a gang.

Hoglund said one of the passengers in the BMW pulled out a gun before the car drove off. The trio called the sheriffs station in East L.A. and reported an assault with a deadly weapon.

A short time later, about a mile from where the call originated, deputies spotted the BMW at Ruben F. Salazar Park on Whittier Boulevard. A sheriffs cruiser carrying a deputy and a civilian law enforcement technician, who was riding along as part of her training, followed the BMW into the park. Two other patrol cars were also approaching when the BMW came to an abrupt stop.

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The driver exited and began shooting, Hoglund said. The deputies began firing.

The BMWs driver, identified as Rene Herrera, 39, was shot and killed at the scene. A firearm was recovered under his body, Hoglund said.

A passenger, Fernando Cruz, 18, was struck by gunfire and remains in critical condition at a hospital, Hoglund said. Another passenger, 18-year-old Hector Martinez, fled and was later arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer. Authorities looked for a possible fourth suspect but determined there were only three.

Hoglund said Herrera had a long criminal history and that all three men were documented gang members from the area.

One deputy was struck in the jaw and remains in a hospital. Another deputy, who was shot in the upper chest, was released Thursday, officials said.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell said both deputies were in their 30s, each with more than 10 years of experience. The lawmen were not identified.

The presence of a civilian Sheriffs Department employee in one of the patrol cars became a focus of part of a news conference department officials gave about the shooting Thursday after a candidate for sheriff said the incident revealed understaffing in the department.

Retired Lt. Alex Villanueva, who is challenging McDonnell in the November election, alleged that the civilian was assigned to the patrol car so that the vehicle  which is meant to carry two deputies  would appear on time records to be fully staffed. The scenario would allow the department to avoid paying overtime to a deputy, Villanueva said.

Civilians are not equipped to do the job. They dont have vests, they dont have firearms, they dont have the means to defend themselves. And then it places the extra burden on the deputy because now the deputy has the risk in front of them, and then the liability next to him, Villanueva said at a separate news conference Thursday.

Chronic deputy shortages in the department have contributed to high overtime payments. This year, the department projected a $40-million deficit due in large part to personnel costs.

But McDonnell denied Villanuevas allegations and said his challenger was using the shooting for political advantage.

McDonnell said the civilian law enforcement technician was doing a routine ride-along after a deputy who normally would have been assigned to the patrol car called in sick. The law enforcement technician works at the East L.A. station as a call-taker and dispatcher, he said.

Tragically last night she was put in harms way because of the actions of some individuals that were out there at Salazar Park, McDonnell said. It has nothing to do with staffing. 

The civilian was riding in the patrol car driven by the deputy who was shot in the jaw, officials said. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

maya.lau@latimes.com

Twitter: @mayalau
A jury Thursday ordered Caltrans and the city of Los Angeles to pay $9.1 million to a man who suffered brain damage after he swerved to avoid debris and lost control of his bicycle on Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades.

Robert Jeffrey Watts was seriously injured in July 2014 as he rode toward his home in Topanga Canyon, following signs that instructed cyclists to ride on the shoulder of the highway between the travel lanes and the cliff.

Watts came across a pile of sand and rocks on the pavement, and steered into the travel lane to avoid the debris. He was struck by a trucks side mirror and lost control of his bicycle, resulting in a crash that left him with a significant amount of brain damage, according to a complaint filed in 2015 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Watts was an experienced bicyclist who rode to his office in Culver City for years to keep fit, said his attorney, Boris Treyzon. Watts, who ran a successful freelance camera company, was left unable to work.

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The $9.1-million judgment is one of the largest bicycle-related jury awards in Los Angeles history. The citys legal costs linked to bicycle crashes have skyrocketed in recent years, belying officials efforts to brand L.A. as bike-friendly.

The city promotes bike riding, but if they promote it, you have to expect that theyll keep it safe, Treyzon said. If you know that something is dangerous, shouldnt you fix it?

Sand and debris frequently roll down the cliff and onto the pavement in the area known as the Tramonto slide. State and local officials had been aware for years that the debris could create a dangerous condition along a route that is popular with bicyclists, Treyzon said.

Caltrans, which owns the highway, had hired Los Angeles to sweep the pavement at least once a month and keep it free of debris, but jury testimony and records left it unclear how often the work was performed, Treyzon said.

During the trial, he said, two city street sweepers testified that at the Tramonto slide, they would simply swing around  and ignore it, rather than remove the sand, gravel and rocks from the roadway.

The jury found the city 60% liable and Caltrans 40% liable for Watts crash, according to the jury verdict form.

A judge will decide how the $9.1-million judgment is split between the city and the state, said Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer.

We are reviewing all our options, including appealing, Wilcox said.

Caltrans spokeswoman Lauren Wonder said the state settled with Watts before the trial began. An appeal is moot, she said. The settlement was for $999,999, Treyzon said.

Watts legal team offered to settle with the city before the trial, but officials wanted to roll the dice, Treyzon said.

The injury to Watts frontal lobe has left him unable to remember the week that preceded or the month that followed the crash. He has sensitivity to light, short-term memory problems and no sense of smell, Treyzon said.

In the courtroom, the city blamed everyone but themselves, Treyzon said. Until the very end, they refused to take responsibility.

laura.nelson@latimes.com

For more transportation news, follow @laura_nelson on Twitter.

UPDATES:

Sept. 21, 1 p.m.: This article was updated with a new statement from Caltrans about its settlement agreement.

This article originally published Sept. 20 at 7:50 p.m.
Los Angeles County prosecutors are investigating the Long Beach Police Departments use of a controversial self-deleting messaging application, which has caused some to question whether the department violated rules on court discovery and records retention.

The district attorneys Justice System Integrity Division  which reviews matters of law enforcement misconduct, officer-involved shootings and deaths in police custody  has begun a review of the Police Departments use of TigerText, officials said.

On Friday, Long Beach officials announced they had hired an outside firm to review the departments use of TigerText. The firm will be tasked with looking into the origin and implementation of the app, and how it was used, by police officers, a statement issued by the city said.

A spokesman for the district attorneys office declined to answer questions Friday about what its review of the program would entail. Long Beach Police Cmdr. Eric Herzog said the city was actively searching for a firm to conduct the review but had not chosen one as of Friday afternoon.

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Long Beach police came under heavy criticism this week after an Al Jazeera report revealed the departments use of the app. In the report, two anonymous city police officers said they were instructed by superiors to use the app to have conversations with other officers that wouldnt be discoverable in criminal or civil filings.

Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna has denied those allegations and said officers using the app have been trained to document in police reports any information that might be relevant to a court proceeding. The department has suspended use of the app and is exploring how its approval was vetted, Luna said.

According to the city, the TigerText application is installed on 145 of the 291 cellphones issued by the department. That includes the phones of the command staff, as well as homicide and internal affairs investigators. The law enforcement agency employs 1,214 workers and has used the app since 2014.

Luna said the department began using TigerText in the hopes of finding a secure, encrypted method of communication on department phones after the agency switched its mobile devices from Blackberrys to iPhones in 2014.

Use of the app was approved by Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, who was running the Police Department at the time. In an interview with The Times this week, McDonnell said he did not know about the applications self-deletion feature and said he would not choose to use it again.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed records requests with a number of large police departments in California to see if others were using the application. The Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego police departments and the L.A. County Sheriffs Department have confirmed they do not use it.

The app deletes messages five days after they are sent, according to Luna. A city spokeswoman said the department planned to make public the ranks and assignments of all officers who were using TigerText, but it had not done so as of Friday morning.

Critics, including the ACLU, have pointed out that a number of other encrypted messaging services have long been available to police, including Signal, WhatsApp and the iPhones iMessage system. Those applications do not delete messages on their default settings and they can be used free of charge.

It cost Long Beach Police roughly $10,000 per year to use TigerText, according to city records.

In a letter sent Friday, the ACLU demanded that Long Beach police immediately discontinue their contract with TigerText and called for the agency to launch a thorough internal review to see if any civil litigants or criminal defendants were unfairly impacted by the departments use of TigerText.

In a statement, Mayor Robert Garcia praised Luna for suspending the use of the app and said he would strongly support the initiation of this independent review to understand how the system was used and to ensure that the city is complying with all applicable laws.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.

UPDATES:

3:25 p.m.: This article was updated with information about the city of Long Beachs independent review of the Police Departments use of TigerText, and comments from the mayor of Long Beach.

This article was originally published at 12:25 p.m.
Sometimes it seems that Californias two candidates for governor are running for different offices.

Democrat Gavin Newsom casts himself as the leader of the states resistance to President Trump, pushing big-ticket issues such as healthcare, education and climate change.

Republican John Cox has focused on pocketbook issues that are narrow in scope but emotionally charged  repealing Californias increased gas tax, and problems at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The contrast in approach shows how differently the candidates see the issues facing California, and the role they would play in addressing them.

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In this deep-blue state, Newsom leads in the polls and fundraising. That leaves Cox  who has never held elected office  to run an insurgent campaign as he tries to chip off Democratic and independent votes.

Cox is focusing on what he calls the forgotten Californians. He helped champion a ballot measure that would repeal the gas tax increase, spending $250,000 toward the effort to put the issue before voters on Nov. 6. He also handed out water bottles to voters in line at a DMV field office in Sacramento last month in an attempt to burnish his image as a man of the people.

Political strategists say the Republicans game plan is a smart move in left-leaning California, where some GOP voters may reject the presidents polarizing rhetoric or policies.

Trump endorsed Cox ahead of the June primary, giving the lesser-known Republican more visibility and, some say, a bump in the polls. But Cox hasnt spent much time discussing the president on the campaign trail and has avoided core Republican issues such as gun rights and abortion.

Cox is doing exactly what a Republican needs to do, which is to focus on issues that transcend partisanship, former state GOP Chairman Ron Nehring said. He is focusing on that teacher, that cop, that blue-collar union worker who is paying the gas tax increase, he said.

Cox is an honorary campaign chairman for Proposition 6, which would repeal the increase in the states tax on gas and diesel sales and a new annual vehicle registration fee that Democratic leaders, including Gov. Jerry Brown and Newsom, say are needed to pay for road and highway repairs.

Signed into law last year, the levies have proved unpopular with voters and have become a liability for some politicians, including former state Sen. Josh Newman of Fullerton, a Democrat who was targeted by Republicans and recalled this year over his support for the tax increases.

Four Democratic congressional candidates in California recently broke ranks with the party to oppose the new fees, which increased the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon and the diesel fuel tax by 20 cents per gallon. At least one of those candidates, Josh Harder of Turlock, is supporting the repeal effort.

Cox also called for an audit of the DMV and for the departments director to step down following revelations about hours-long wait lines and faulty voter registrations.

Department officials said this month that roughly 23,000 voters were registered to vote incorrectly by the DMV, including some who were assigned the wrong political party preference. Wait times at the DMV also shot up over the summer amid the rollout of new programs.

Californias DMV finds 3,000 more unintended voter registrations >>

On Friday, Brown announced plans for a performance audit of the agency, a review Cox called an important first step that I have been shining light on for months.

Bob Shrum, a former Democratic operative who is director of USCs Center for the Political Future, said people have been angry at the DMV for decades and questioned whether Coxs focus on an investigation would bring in votes.

How many people have marched to the polling booths under a banner that says audit? Shrum said.

With the states poverty rate hovering at 19%, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures, the Republican is trying to link Californians financial woes with the DMV and the higher gas tax.

The biggest issue of this campaign is affordability, Cox wrote in an email to The Times. Paying $700 a year more for gas, or waiting in line for hours at the DMV instead of being at work or with your family, those are all products of the affordability crisis faced by millions of Californians forgotten by the Sacramento political class.

California voters have a history of bucking higher fees. They revolted after Democrat Gov. Gray Davis 2003 decision to triple the state vehicle license fee, which helped fuel his recall and the election of Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Newsom, Cox spending much of their time campaigning for other candidates and causes in Californias race for governor >>

But Davis said in an interview that he doesnt see parallels between the gas tax and the license fee, because the recent tax increase is more modest than his fee.

Coxs campaign is predicated on the false assumption that policy issues will drive people to the polls who otherwise wouldnt vote. Thats never proven to be the case in California, with the exception of Prop. 13 in 1978, Davis said, referencing the state measure that capped property tax increases.

The effort opposing Proposition 6  which includes the California Chamber of Commerce  has raised more than $30 million, while those supporting the repeal have brought in more than $4.4 million, according to the California Secretary of States office.

On other issues, Cox has faced some criticism for a lack of detail on how he would implement his policy proposals. His website lists a host of topics, including homelessness, healthcare and the environment, but few solutions.

Newsom took a shot at his opponent last week, saying that some of Coxs plans have the form and substance of fog.

But the lieutenant governor has been criticized for his own stances on the issues facing California  in the primary, Democratic rivals accused him of flip-flopping or equivocating on some policy positions.

The former San Francisco mayor dismissed the notion that his campaign is focused solely on grand policy ideas and not the everyday problems of Californians. He said he has concrete plans to address affordable housing and ensure people in the state have access to adequate healthcare and child care, among other needs.

Those seem to be the manifestation of pocketbook issues, Newsom said in an interview last week after holding a rally for Harder.

Newsom released a new television advertisement Thursday that promises to renew the California dream to ensure that babies have quality prenatal care, toddlers can attend preschool, students have access to after-school programs and graduates can find jobs.

Still, questions remain over how hell pay for his big visions, which include universal healthcare in California. One high-profile proposal for statewide care through a state-run single-payer system would cost as much as $400 billion per year, according to a legislative estimate.

Newsom has argued that Californias healthcare system already costs that much. He cites the San Francisco universal healthcare system adopted in 2006 while he was mayor, but hasnt offered specifics on how a state plan would be funded.

Newsoms focus on Trump, not Cox, also allows him to highlight broad, national issues as he seeks to pivot away from his opponent. Womens reproductive rights, marriage equality, immigration, healthcare and more are under attack by an administration determined to move our country backwards, Newsom says in a video called California Values on his website. Lets show Donald Trump what our bold progressive future really looks like.

According to a Public Policy Institute of California poll in July, Newsom was supported by 55% of likely voters, Cox was backed by 31%, and 9% were undecided. A more recent poll by Probolsky Research found a much closer gap, with Newsom leading by 44% to Coxs 39%.

Veteran Democratic consultant Darry Sragow said Newsom is following the typical campaign strategy of a candidate leading in the polls  making sure he doesnt give his rival any chances to challenge him.

As the front-runner, Newsom doesnt have an obligation to engage with his opponent, Sragow said.

Because Cox hasnt held elected office, the Republican has the freedom to be more critical, Sragow said. Besides an aborted run for president in 2008, Cox also ran unsuccessfully for Congress twice in Illinois.

He can pretty much say or do anything because hes doesnt have a record that he has to worry about contradicting or defending, Sragow said. He can just take shots.

dakota.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @dakotacdsmith

Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.

UPDATES:

2:03 p.m.: This article was updated to include the total fundraising amounts for the campaigns to repeal and keep the gas tax, and to include information about Gov. Jerry Browns call for an audit.

8:22 a.m.: This article was updated to add that the fundraising amounts for the campaigns to repeal and keep the gas tax, respectively, are totals reported through June.

This article was originally published at 12:05 a.m.
An unauthorized immigrant accused  but never convicted  of severely injuring a 6-year-old boy in a drunken hit-and-run crash last year is going on trial a third time. Sort of.

Two Superior Court juries in Chula Vista were unable to reach verdicts as to whether Constantino Banda Acosta was behind the wheel when his work truck slammed into the Lake familys car on May 6, 2017. The charges were finally dismissed, and Banda was put into federal custody on charges of being in the country illegally.

Now, a San Diego federal judge has requested an evidentiary hearing, with witnesses and all, to determine whether the hit-and-run accusations should be factored into whatever sentence is imposed on the immigration violation.

The U.S. Attorneys Office is recommending a two-year sentence, much higher than the six- to 12-month guideline range.

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Are you saying a greater sentence should be imposed  because the defendant is a danger? U.S. Chief District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz asked the prosecution Friday.

Yes, exactly, answered Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lasater.

Bandas defense attorney, Timothy Garrison, urged the court to not consider the crash charges because there was no conviction.

Friday was supposed to be the sentencing hearing for Banda.

He has been deported to Mexico, or allowed to return there voluntarily, 17 times since 2002, according to records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

This is the first time hes been convicted of a crime related to his lengthy immigration history. He has pleaded guilty to being a removed alien found in the United States.

But the dispute over the relevance of Bandas hit-and-run arrest prompted the judge to delay sentencing until he can review the allegations.

I can tell you, a transcript would not cut it, Moskowitz said. Instead, he wants to see the witnesses, in person, for himself as the jurors did in the two trials to assess their credibility.

The juries hung 8-4 and 7-5 in favor of guilty in both trials, Lasater noted.

Although you say 15 jurors found the defendant had committed the offense, Moskowitz said, that means nine did not.

The Supreme Court has ruled that conduct that has not resulted in a conviction can be considered at sentencing.

The evidentiary standard for this hearing is lesser than in a criminal trial. In this instance, the prosecution must show clear and convincing proof  that it is substantially more likely than not to be true. In the criminal trials, the prosecution had to show proof beyond a reasonable doubt  that it is the only logical explanation and none other can be deduced from the evidence.

The hearing has been set for the afternoon of Oct. 3.

The crash occurred in San Ysidro on a rainy night as the Lake family was returning from Disneyland. Bandas Chevy Silverado ran a stop sign at an intersection, slamming into the familys car. Lennox Lake, in the back seat, suffered severe head trauma and other injuries.

Banda was arrested after Border Patrol agents found him in the trucks drivers seat, parked in a nearby neighborhood, according to testimony presented during the previous trials.

Banda had been drinking all day, first at his house, then at a Chula Vista restaurant that night, according to testimony. His estranged wife was also at the restaurant with friends, and he punctured her friends tires in the parking lot. An argument ensued, a male patron intervened, and Banda was laid on the ground with a punch.

Bandas employee, Jorge Adame Ariza, drove a bloodied Banda in Bandas work truck away from the scene, swerving, according to witnesses.

Adame testified that Banda switched places with him later and was the one driving when the crash occurred. Banda said he only got into the drivers seat after the crash.

On the stand, neither man came off as particularly reliable, and jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict. He was instead convicted of a few misdemeanor charges  vandalism, battery and driving without a license.

Adame  a key witnesses  has since been deported and will likely not appear to testify in the upcoming hearing.

Well have the hearing and see what happens, and Ill do the best I can to make a decision based on what is before me, Moskowitz concluded.

Lennoxs mother, Ingrid Lake, said outside the courtroom Friday that she was encouraged that the judge will be taking a closer examination of Bandas role in the crash before sentencing.

She said Lennox continues to recover and suffers from memory problems and anxiety.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
Brandon DeGuzman had barely turned 21 when he was shot in his head over a $30 drug debt.

His killer, Richard Gunner, was sentenced Thursday to spend 40 years to life in prison for first-degree murder, an allegation he used a firearm in the killing and for having two previous serious felony convictions.

Gunner, 25, pleaded guilty to the charges in April.

Superior Court Judge Daniel Lamborn in El Cajon sentenced Gunner to an additional, consecutive 12-year term for kicking a fellow jail inmate in the head until the man was unconscious in April 2017.

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A prosecutor said DeGuzman owed the $30 after buying drugs from Tristan Cowboy Klingensmith, who sent Gunner to collect the money or something of equal value.

Gunner showed up at DeGuzmans family home just outside of El Cajon, in the Bostonia community, on Sept. 24, 2016.

The men had been threatening to beat up DeGuzman, so he offered his uncles AR-15 rifle to pay the debt, Deputy District Attorney Jihan Maloney said.

She said DeGuzman and Gunner were going to take the gun to Klingensmith, but Gunner decided to cut DeGuzman out of the deal by killing him.

He left DeGuzmans body in the front yard and kept the rifle, Maloney said.

The courtroom was filled with family and friends of both young men.

DeGuzmans mother, Michelle Gary, said he was her only child and that he understood her like no one else could.

They cooked dinner together  he had wanted to be a chef when he was a teenager  and he called his mother his hero, she said.

He told me he loved me every day of his life, Gary said between tears as she addressed the judge. Ill never see him fall in love or get married. Who will I leave all my possessions to?

Grace Alanis read an emotional statement from her fiance  DeGuzmans father, Ricardo DeGuzman  who was in court but did not speak for himself.

The statement recalled special moments with his son: holding him as a baby the first time, fishing at Lake Cuyamaca on a cold day, eating out together one last time when his son revealed he was seeing someone.

At his sons death, the father wrote, My heart was ripped out of me.

Alanis said the young mans extended family is forever broken at his loss.

Gunner also read a brief statement, apologizing to DeGuzmans family and saying: I take sole responsibility. No excuse.

The prosecutor said Gunner admitted two prior convictions, for carjacking in 2011 and for choking a jail inmate nearly to death over a lunch in 2012. He served the five years in prison for the two crimes, got out in June 2016 and killed DeGuzman three months later.

Klingensmith pleaded guilty last year to voluntary manslaughter,possession of methamphetamine for sale and two weapons charges and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

City News Service contributed to this report.

pauline.repard@sduniontribune

Twitter: @pdrepard
A Catholic priest has been suspended from his duties at a Carlsbad church as he awaits trial over an accusation that he groped an adult seminary student earlier this year.

The Rev. Juan Garcia Castillo, 35, has pleaded not guilty to one misdemeanor count alleging sexual battery of the victim. The accuser, a man around Castillos age, quickly reported the alleged incident, which happened in early February.

Castillos attorney said Friday that his client absolutely denies the allegations made against him.

News of the criminal case against Castillo surfaced this week as the Roman Catholic church grapples with a new wave of reported sexual abuse by clergy members, and accusations that church officials covered it up.

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The local case also creeps into headlines a week after Bishop Robert McElroy, who leads the Diocese of San Diego, announced a town hall tour at local parishes to address the sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the church for years.

The Rev.Juan Castillo (Photo courtesy Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego)

As for Castillos case, officials and attorneys have been mum on the specifics of the allegation.

But church officials confirmed that McElroy removed Castillo from his assignment as an associate priest at St. Patrick Catholic Church on Feb. 4  the same day church officials learned of the credible allegation against him, a spokesman for the diocese said.

When we were informed of the allegations, we suspended him, said Kevin Eckery, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego.

In May, three months after the incident was reported to police and church officials, the District Attorneys Office filed one count against Castillo, charging him with misdemeanor sexual battery.

In a brief hearing Friday, a judge set a trial date for Dec. 11 in Vista Superior Court.

After the hearing, Castillos attorney, Victor Pippins, said his client absolutely denies he did anything inappropriate in this case.

We set a trial because my client has dedicated his life to the Catholic church, Pippins said. And obviously these allegations challenge his ability to remain with the Catholic church and really to live his dream of being a Catholic priest.

Pippins said his client is put in a disadvantageous situation given the resurgence of national news regarding allegations of priests molesting children.

But I feel very strongly about the facts of this case, Pippins said, and if I am able to keep the jury in this case focused on the facts of the case and the credibility of the witnesses, I am very confident of what the outcome will be because this is very different than the cases in the media right now.

Castillo started his assignment at St. Patrick in Carlsbad  a parish serving about 3,000 families  in 2011. The following year he was assigned to St. James in Solana Beach, then returned to St. Patrick in 2014.

When Castillo was suspended  without pay  he was also ordered to move out of the rectory. He did so immediately.

Eckery said Castillo is responsible for paying for his own legal representation in the criminal case.

The spokesman said St. Patrick parishioners were told in February that Castillo had left the parish, but church officials did not share the reason for his departure so as not to hinder the police investigation.

Eckery said parishioners will be told more about the Castillo matter this weekend.

News of the charge against Castillo first surfaced earlier this week in a story by the Catholic News Agency.

Sex abuse scandals have rocked the Roman Catholic church for years, after a 2002 Boston Globe investigative series uncovered allegations that  for decades  clergy members had sexually abused children, and church leaders covered it up.

The abuse scandal saw renewed national attention this summer with a Pennsylvania grand jury report alleging that more than 1,000 children had been abused by clergy in that state, and that church leaders had covered it up.

This summer also saw the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, for former archbishop of Washington, who was accused of sexually assaulting alter boys, seminarians and priests.

Those news stories prompted the Diocese of San Diego this month to add eight priests to the list of those believed to have molested children.

McElroy also announced a listening tour, with eight public forums in October and November to address the clergy sexual abuse scandal.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Congressman John Lewis urged a gym full of Morse High School students on Friday to vote, letting a generation largely unfamiliar with his sacrifices know he was beaten bloody while fighting for their right.

Never give up. Never give in, Lewis said to the students. Get registered and vote, and we must vote like weve never ever voted before. People gave their lives for it. Only thing I gave, I gave a little blood.

The 78-year-old civil rights leader came to Morse on Friday to talk about his graphic memoir March, a three-part book series in which Lewis recounts his life and civil rights activism, from his growing up in rural Alabama to his first meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr. to leading the march from Selma to Montgomery for black voting rights.

At Fridays assembly, Lewis said he wanted to read everything he could when he was young, but his family couldnt afford even a newspaper subscription.

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He described how he was barred from getting a library card because he was black. In 1998, he returned to that same library that had rebuffed him to sign copies of his first book, a memoir of the civil rights movement. He finally got his library card.

The speeches of Lewis and others at Fridays event also became rallying cries for youth to stand up to injustices that immigrants, in particular, face today.

1 / 15 Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his struggles for civil rights, visited Morse High School and discussed his experiences, urging the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 2 / 15 Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, left, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his civil rights struggles, gets a kiss from Twylah Tarkington, right, a special education assistant at Morse High School after his presentation. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 3 / 15 Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, right, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his struggles for civil rights, signs an autograph for 11th grader Isaiah Nacu, left, during a visit to Morse High School. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 4 / 15 Morse High School students, some clapping gave Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis a standing ovation at the end of his talk at the school. He is the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his struggles for civil rights. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 5 / 15 Students listen as Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy talks about his struggles for civil rights, during a visit to Morse High School, and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 6 / 15 Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his struggles for civil rights, poses for a photographs with Morse High School students after talking to students at the school. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 7 / 15 Congressman, and civil rights movement icon John Lewis the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his civil rights struggles, visited Morse High School and discussed his experiences, and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 8 / 15 Morse High School 11th grader, Ysaak Parflies, left, asks a question of Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, right, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his civil rights struggles, during a visit to the school. He discussed the fight for civil rights and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 9 / 15 Students listen as Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy talks about his struggles for civil rights, during a visit to Morse High School, and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 10 / 15 With co-authors of MARCH, Nate Powell, left, and Andrew Aydin, center, looking on, Congressman, and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his civil rights struggles, talks to students during a visit Morse High School. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 11 / 15 Students listen as Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy talks about his struggles for civil rights, during a visit to Morse High School, and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 12 / 15 Students listen as Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy talks about his struggles for civil rights, during a visit to Morse High School, and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 13 / 15 Students listen as Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy talks about his struggles for civil rights, during a visit to Morse High School, and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 14 / 15 Students listen as Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy talks about his struggles for civil rights, during a visit to Morse High School, and urged the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 15 / 15 Congressman and civil rights movement icon John Lewis, the co-author of MARCH, the comic book graphic novel trilogy about his struggles for civil rights, visited Morse High School and discussed his experiences, urging the students, who all have read MARCH: Book One, to be part of civic engagement. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune)

It doesnt make sense in our country for hundreds and thousands and millions of people to be living in fear, said Lewis, who has served Georgias 5th congressional district for more than 30 years. Its not right, its not fair and its not just, and history would not be kind to us.

While Fridays speakers, including Secretary of State Alex Padilla, urged Morse students to vote, they did not discuss the fact that some of those students would likely be barred from registering because of their immigration status.

March was co-authored by three Southerners with widely different life experiences. Lewis co-wrote the series with one of his congressional aides, Andrew Aydin, a son of a Muslim immigrant who grew up in Georgia. March was illustrated by Nate Powell, whose Arkansas high school never taught him about the civil rights movement that had happened just a decade and a half before.

Powell, who is white, said people around him were already taking for granted the civil rights work of activists like Lewis. Working on March was his personal way of reconciling that lack of acknowledgement that he saw around him, he said.

It was about reckoning with the lessons my parents had delivered to me, or failed to deliver to me on a certain level, he said during Fridays assembly. It was about kind of destroying that level of abstraction, that kind of unreality when teaching this history.

To Aydin, March is a road map for youth to stand up to injustices surrounding immigrant families like his own.

I know what it is to have the president not like you. I remember my colleagues on the Hill say, oh, but youre a good one, Aydin said to the students. I can assure you I am definitely not a good one. I am trying to conspire with you guys to stand up to all of these people. I am a rabble rouser and I am proud of it. And thats what you need to be.

The three authors words resonated with several students at Morse, a diverse high school in the San Diego Unified School District that is about 36 percent Hispanic or Latino, 34 percent Filipino and 14 percent black. Morse Junior Tracy Alexander-Simpson, 16, said Lewis words resonated with him as a young black man who still feels underestimated by society.

I thought it was rad, said Tracy, who plans to join the U.S. Marine Corps and is preregistered to vote. In preparation for Lewis visit, Morse High staff had been getting students to pledge and preregister to vote, which is allowed in California for 16- and 17-year-olds.

The authors visit to Morse was organized as part of KPBS One Book, One San Diego program, which highlights one book for critical discussions and events. Books for the program are selected for high literary quality, themes that resonate with people of all backgrounds and the ability to inspire conversations and action.

Kristen Taketa

Email: kristen.taketa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @Kristen_Taketa
The Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on 33 foreign individuals and businesses, including at least 25 Russian nationals previously indicted by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III on charges of interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

The sanctions, announced by the State Department, are the latest sign of the discordant U.S. policy toward Moscow, with President Trump repeatedly praising Russian President Vladimir Putin while other parts of the administration move to crack down on Russian abuses.

The latest list means 72 Russians have been sanctioned since Trump took office last year. In March, the administration also expelled 60 Russian diplomats, who it said were spies, in retaliation for the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy living in England.

The State Department said those named Thursday were a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Russian government. A division of the Chinese military also was blacklisted for buying Russian weaponry.

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The target list also included several Russian individuals and entities that the State Department says played a role in Russias 2014 invasion of neighboring Ukraine and its seizure of Crimea.

The sanctions are in direct response to Russias aggressive actions against our country, our allies and our partners, said a State Department official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity in keeping with department rules.

The list includes 12 Russians who were indicted by a federal grand jury in July for the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clintons presidential campaign in 2016. The Russians were identified as military intelligence officers in the indictment, which was handed down three days before Trump met with Putin in Helsinki, Finland.

The list also includes 13 other Russians who where indicted in February on charges of misusing social media in attempt to spread disinformation during the campaign.

The sanctions freeze any financial assets the targets have in U.S. banks or institutions, and bar Americans from doing business with them. It wasnt immediately clear those named had any such assets or businesses, so the impact is likely to be more symbolic that substantive.

The Chinese military entity was identified as the Equipment Development Department, the division responsible for weapons and equipment. Its director, Li Shangfu, was also blacklisted for conducting significant transactions with a leading Russia arms exporter, the State Department said.

At issue were Chinese purchases of 10 Su-35 fighter planes in 2017 and equipment for S-400 surface-to-air missile systems in 2018.

The State Department official said the goal was to punish Moscow, not Beijing, to prevent Russia from profiting from its arms industry.

The Russian government has routinely dismissed U.S. sanctions as senseless and ineffective. Putin said in Helsinki that he wanted Trump to win the 2016 election, in part to gain relief from sanctions.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter

UPDATES:

5:17 p.m.: This article has been updated with a new total of the number of previously indicted Russians now facing sanctions.

This article was originally published at 4:20 p.m.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe  catch an intruder by the toe.

A lion at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in California bit Julio Mendez, 38, on his foot as he was trying to break into the African Adventure exhibit by scaling an 18-foot high fence, according to KFSN news.

The African Adventure area features lions, cheetahs, elephants, rhinos, meerkats, and many more species in a spectacular, naturalistic exhibit.

There were two female lions in the enclosure at the time and neither of them were injured.

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This person got very lucky about the injuries they received, Chaffee Zoo director Scott Barton said.

We have a very professional and well-trained team.  This was brought about by human behavior, not by animal behavior.

Fresno Police Department Lt. Jennifer Horsford explained how difficult it is to trespass into the zoo.

He did have to jump over a fence that has a no trespassing sign and had to climb over the barbed wire that was on top of it to actually get into the zoo itself, she said.

Mendez is believed to have been under the influence of drugs and will be cited for trespassing.

Zoo staff is investigating current security procedures.
Whoever painted this plane mustve had their head in the clouds.

Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong-based airline, fessed up to an embarrassing gaffe this week in the form of a massive typo splayed across the livery of one of its planes.

The airline shared photos on Twitter of a grounded Boeing 777-367 proudly displaying the words, CATHAY PACIIC  and proved itself a good sport with a light-hearted tweet.

Oops this special livery wont last long! Shes going back to the shop! the tweet read.

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Oops this special livery wont last long! Shes going back to the shop!

(Source: HKADB) pic.twitter.com/20SRQpKXET  Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific) September 19, 2018

The plane came to Hong Kong from Xiamen in China and has been part of the fleet since 2004, according to the Guardian.

We did not intend to make it a big fuss in the first place, but photos went viral within the aviation enthusiastic groups, so we just shared the hilarious moment with everyone, a spokesperson for the airline told CNN.

While Cathay Pacific laughed it off as a mistake, an engineer for the airlines sister company Haeco told the South China Morning Post that the slipup didnt exactly appear accidental.

The spacing is too on-point for a mishap. We have stencils. Should be a blank gap in between the letters if it was a real mistake, I think, the engineer told the outlet.

The fix will reportedly cost Cathay Pacific thousands of dollars.
Authorities in Taiwan arrested the owner of a company that sells blueprints for 3D-printed guns, who has been accused of having sex with an underage girl at a Texas hotel and then paying her $500.

Taiwans National Immigration Agency and Criminal Investigation Bureau confirmed Cody Wilson was arrested at a Taipei hotel for entering the country illegally Friday after the U.S. government voided his passport, CBS reported. Authorities were able to pinpoint his location by proposing a business deal with his company online, according to local newspaper the Liberty Times.

An arrest warrant had been issued for Wilson earlier this week, after a 16-year-old girl told officers the 30-year-old business man paid her in exchange for sex. The victim said she created an online profile on SugarDaddyMeet.com and exchanged messages with Wilson, who wrote to her under the username Sanjuro.

Wilson eventually identified himself to the teen by name and described himself as a big deal, according to the arrest affidavit, filed in Travis County District Court on Wednesday.

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The pair met for the first time in August in the parking lot of Bennu Coffee and from there drove to Archer Hotel where she and Wilson engaged in sexual and oral intercourse. When they were finished, the Arkansas native allegedly paid her in five $100 bills.

According to court documents, there are hotel records and surveillance video that support the girls allegations. And a security camera outside the Austin coffee shop also captured the victim getting into a black Ford Edge, registered to Wilsons business, Defense Distributed.

The company has recently been center stage in the nations ever-tense gun control debate after a federal court in August blocked Wilson from posting blueprints online that would allow for others to print their own untraceable plastic firearms. Unlimited access to such information posed a threat to national security and the public, officials argued.

Wilson days later announced he would offer the prints for a price instead, contending the federal order prohibited from posting the blueprints  not selling them.

With News Wire Services
Colorado cops have arrested a 46-year-old man in a decades-old murder investigation.

James Edward Papol, who was only 15 at the time of the slaying, was busted in Pablo on Thursday for the 1988 murder of Mary Lynne Vialpando.

The 24-year-old Vialpando was found dead in an alley in Colorado Springs.

Witnesses last saw her at a bar after she had gotten into an argument with her husband. Its not known how Papol made contact with her.

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Papol, accused of raping, stabbing and fatally beating Vialpando, is currently being held without bond.

Due to how old he was, identifying information is unable to be provided, Colorado Springs Police Chief Pete Carey said at a press conference.

Mary Lynn Vialpando is pictured in an undated photo. (Handout)

However, I do anticipate this information will be released later after declaring some legal safeguards with the court system, Carey said, in reference to DNA testing.

District Attorney Dan May was the deputy DA assigned to Vialpandos case 30 years ago and he recalled being in the alley where she was found.

We believe its the first case in Colorado that it was actually discussed to collect DNA evidence for future testing, May explained.

DNA testing was introduced in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The Colorado Springs Police Department released a composite image of a suspect in 2017  but the image wasnt totally accurate due to the technology limitations.

In June, Vialpandos daughter Coral  who was 4 at the time of the murder  told the Colorado Springs Gazette she began losing hope that the killer would be found.

Im just trying to make sense why the case has gone on so long, Coral said.

Vialpandos sister, Cynthia Renkel, was surprised when she found out about Papols arrest.

I dont know why she would have known somebody like that because she was 24 and he was 15. Im just guessing that it was just random, Renkel told The Gazette. If the DNA connection hadnt been made, they probably would have never found him.

Carey is thankful the killer has been arrested, but knows this arrest will not bring closure to the family of Mrs. Vialpondo and the loved ones she left behind.

He said the investigation is ongoing and hopes it will bring some level of peace.

With News Wire Services
Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall claimed she is unable to fire Officer Amber Guyger because it could compromise the criminal investigation into her fatally shooting Botham Jean in his downtown apartment earlier this month.

Guyger admitted to killing Jean after she mistakenly entered his apartment  which is located exactly one floor above her own unit in the South Side Flats building  after working a long shift the night of Sept. 6. She told investigators she did not realize she was in the wrong unit and fired off two rounds at the 26-year-old accountant, thinking he was an intruder.

There is one overriding reason that I have not taken any administrative or employment action against Officer Amber Guyger. I dont want to interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation, Hall said in a statement released Thursday evening.

As an employer, DPD can compel Officer Guyger to provide a statement during a DPD administrative investigation and those statements given to DPD could potentially compromise the criminal investigation.

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Hall added a thorough criminal investigation is essential, and as soon as we are assured that conducting an administrative investigation will not impede on the criminal investigation, we will proceed.

In a town hall meeting earlier this week, Hall said there are both local, state and federal laws that prohibit me from taking action  but there have been several instances where officers with Dallas Police department have been fired amid both criminal and internal affairs investigations, according to WFFA.

Amy Wilburn, who shot a man in his car and Cardan Spencer, who shot a mentally ill man, were each fired by the police department before their cases were heard by a grand jury.

Guyger was put on administrative leave in wake of the shooting and charged with manslaughter, sparking fierce backlash from the Dallas community.

Jeans family and activists nationwide have have repeatedly called for Guygers charges to be upped to murder and that she be dismissed from the department. Lee Merritt, the attorney representing Jeans loved ones, accused Dallas police last week of trying to assassinate his character and slammed officers for a search warrant that uncovered marijuana in his apartment.

Twenty-six years without a blemish and it took being murdered by a white Dallas Police officer in his own home to make Botham Shem Jean a criminal, Merritt said in statement after the fatal incident.

The officer-involved shooting is being probed by the Dallas Police, the Texas Rangers and the Dallas County District Attorneys Office.
Frank Abagnale, Jr. has some competition.

A 22-year-old student pilot jumped a security fence at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Florida around 2 a.m. Thursday and boarded an American Airlines passenger jet that was undergoing maintenance, officials said.

Nishal Sankat was charged with criminal attempt to steal an airplane, a visa violation and criminal trespassing. (Facebook)

A maintenance worker saw Nishal Sankat, a student at the Florida Institute of Technology, and asked him for his access badge, which he did not have, spokeswoman Lori Booker told reporters.

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Two employees caught Sankat as he tried to enter the cockpit and held him down until police arrived minutes later.

He was taken to Brevard County Jail and is expected to be charged with criminal attempt to steal an airplane, a visa violation and criminal trespassing.

The FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are also involved in the investigation.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Sankat earned his commercial pilot certificate in January, which allows him to fly single and multiengine planes.

Sankat, who was born in Trinidad, is a part time student at the Florida Institute of Technology and studying aviation management, according to WESH.

The specific plane, the American Airlines Airbus A321, last flew out of Miami on Sunday and was scheduled to fly back at noon on Thursday, according to CNN.

Sankats motives are still unknown.

The airport was under lockdown for about five hours, delaying two flights.
Valencias vibe just got a whole lot more titillating and one conservative group isnt in the mood.

The Mediterranean city, located on Spains eastern coast, is making a splash with the installment of erotic artwork on its marina thats reminiscent of ancient Greece.

And the risque pieces have gotten folks at Family Forum all hot and bothered.

The exhibition in the street of these figures that depict (fellatio), masturbation (and) exposed genitals  with highly explicit sexual content could be a possible violation for the protection of minors, argues the association.

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It then complained unsuspecting children would view the images without prior warning and are inappropriate for their age, reported Agence France-Presse.

But local artist Antoni Miro, the creator of the erotic works, brushed off the criticism by stating his sculptures were inspired by a respected artistic tradition. The highly crafted art hearkens back to the stylized black forms with white outlines that were common on Greek vases and pottery.

Miro then went one step further, arguing most passersby had no issue with the art and appalled citizens might be behind the times.

The figures are a prelude to an upcoming cultural center opening soon in Valencia, a spokesperson for the consortium that manages the space told AFP.

A tourist hot spot, Valencia  with a population of about 780,000  attracted nearly 1.6 million visitors in 2015. Its the third-most populous Spanish city, trailing only Madrid and Barcelona.
A 34-year-old Indiana man was sentenced to 160 years in prison on Thursday for impregnating a 10-year-old girl, who courageously testified against him.

The girl took the stand in Grant County earlier this year, telling the jury that Nicholas Thrash molested her at least 15 times. She was 11 when she gave birth to a boy last year.

"(The victim) was foremost in our mind during this case, Grant County Prosecutor Jim Luttrull said after Thrash was found guilty of 10 counts of child molesting in August, according to the Chronicle-Tribune. We appreciate an enormous amount of people ... who offered their assistance to the victim, for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and all the work they provided in the case.

The conviction is something little compared to what (the victim) has gone through and what she will go through, deputy prosecutor Lisa Glancy told the newspaper.

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Thrash will have to serve a minimum of 132 of the 160 years, according to CBS 4 in Indiana.

The girls mother faces neglect and other charges, the Chronicle-Tribune reported earlier this year. Investigators say she discovered the pregnancy as her daughter was trying on dresses for a school dance, and told her to say a classmate is responsible.

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The lone female member of a Texas city council is pushing for the gruesome murders of four women to be classified as hate crimes.

Laredo City Councilwoman Nelly Vielma is calling for community action after a Border Patrol supervisor was charged with fatally shooting the sex workers, reported LMTonline.

Vielma helped organize a prayer vigil for the victims kin and friends on Wednesday. She has referred to the ongoing case as femicide.

Border agent Juan David Ortiz stands accused of picking up transgender woman Nikki Enriquez, Melissa Ramirez, Claudine Anne Leura and Griselda Hernandez Cantu, driving them to remote spots beyond city limits and gunning them down over a 12-day period ending Sept. 15, with the discovery of fourth victim Cantu, LMTonline reported.

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A Laredo arts complex, where the vigil was established, is believed to be the same area where the alleged killer met his would-be victims.

Ortiz, 35, is accused of attempting to kill a fifth victim, but Erika Pena claims to have fled his vehicle after he picked her up and pointed a pistol at her Sept. 14.

Vielma referred to Pena as a hero.

At a Sept. 17 press conference, Webb County Sheriffs Office Chief Fred Garza stated Ortiz attempted suicide by cop by holding his cell phone to resemble pointing a gun before his arrest.

Police have not disclosed a motive for the murders nor if Ortiz had presented one. The suspect faces four counts of murder, one count of aggravated assault and one count of unlawful restraint.
A Missouri man who fatally shot a neighbor over the bass of his TV has been sentenced to 24 years behind bars.

On Wednesday, James Blanton pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the shooting death of Yi-Ping (Peter) Chang, who had been watching a movie with his girlfriend when he was killed on Dec. 12, 2015.

The girlfriend, who was not identified, was not hurt.

The shooter lived in the same apartment complex in Maryland Heights as Chang when the lethal confrontation came to a boil.

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Blanton, 29, had originally been charged with first-degree murder, reported The Associated Press.

Responding officers noted Blanton demanded Chang to turn the bass down sometime before his death.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the shooter had griped to other neighbors about the bass in the past. Some of them believed Blanton was sensitive to noise, claiming he would become agitated when they shut their doors, which would prompt him to slam his in protest.

Blanton wore a bulletproof vest under a sweatshirt when he killed Chang, said authorities, who also reported finding a Web page on Blantons computer to a story with the headline: Man cites stand your ground law after shooting neighbor over loud noise.

Blanton was deemed competent to stand trial despite being labeled on the autism spectrum, noted lawyers and court documents.

After shooting Chang, cops discovered the killer on the victims landing, claiming to have shot him in self-defense.
The sheriff of New Jerseys most populous county resigned Friday after he was caught belittling the states Sikh attorney general and making racist remarks in a secretly-recorded conversation.

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino can be heard complaining Gurbir Grewal, the first Sikh American to serve as a state attorney general, was only appointed because of the turban.

Saudino also said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphys policies let the blacks come in, do whatever the f--- they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that.

The newly surfaced audio clips  obtained by WNYC  were recorded on Jan. 16, Murphys inauguration day.

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Sheriff Saudinos resignation is an important first step in repairing the relationship between the Bergen County Sheriffs Office and the diverse communities it serves, Grewal said in a statement Friday posted on Twitter.

Statement of Attorney General @GurbirGrewalNJ regarding the resignation of Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino: pic.twitter.com/bq6mmgTpIE  AG Gurbir Grewal (@NewJerseyOAG) September 21, 2018

Grewal  a former Bergen County prosecutor who once worked closely with Saudino  recalled far worse commentary from others in the past in a Twitter post on Thursday. But he added that the remarks about the African-American community are wrong and upsetting.

We can now begin the process of restoring faith in the Bergen County Sheriffs Office after so much of it was so quickly eroded, Murphy said in a statement Friday. And, we can begin the process of ensuring that the bigoted beliefs displayed by the former Sheriff are not given shelter in any corner of the Bergen County Sheriffs Office  now or in the future.

Word of Saudinos resignation came in a statement from his office. Four of Saudinos undersheriffs also resigned.

Press release: NJ Sheriff Recording Calls For Resignation & Training From Sikh Community. Reporters: more info & interviews https://t.co/NICcE9J7bN (Image: Bergen County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Saudino is pictured on left with AG Grewal) pic.twitter.com/zO53S3CMaW  Sikh Coalition (@sikh_coalition) September 20, 2018

The Sikh Coalition on Thursday had called on Saudino to resign.

We are also calling for cultural awareness and anti-bias trainings for all staff employed by the Bergen County Sheriffs Office on behalf of the communities impacted by Sheriff Saudinos remarks.

The ACLU of New Jersey tweeted Saudinos words are Demeaning to Black New Jerseyans. Denigrating to the AG, discrediting not just @NewJerseyOAGs accomplishments, but others in S Asian & Sikh communities and beyond.Contemptuous of LGBTQ folks.Degrading to @LtGovOliver.

In the recording, Saudino also questioned if Lt. Gov. Shelia Oliver was gay because she has never been married.

On Thursday night, Saudino spoke out on his racist commentary, but didnt address the calls for his resignation.

They are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County, his statement read.

In an effort to repair the damage to the friendships that I have built with these communities I have reached out directly to several respected leaders in the communities I have offended and I have personally offered my apologies and I have asked for their forgiveness and for their communities forgiveness, Saudino said.

Grewal  who was appointed Bergen prosecutor by former GOP Gov. Chris Christie, and was named attorney general by Murphy, a Democrat  was the object of bigoted remarks by two radio hosts over the summer.

In that incident, two hosts on NJ 101.5, a talk station, were suspended without pay for 10 days for repeatedly calling Grewal turban man.

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The Pentagon says the remains of three U.S. Marines killed when their helicopter was shot down during the Vietnam War will be buried next week at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced Friday that the remains of the three men. one of whom is a New Yorker, will be buried as a group with full military honors next Thursday.

The three men are: Capt. John A. House II, of Pelham, Westchester County; Lance Cpl. John D. Killen III, of Davenport, Iowa; and Cpl. Glyn L. Runnels Jr., of Birmingham, Ala.

The Pentagon says their remains were identified in March 2017.

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Military officials say House, the oldest at 28, was the pilot of the Sea Knight helicopter that crashed after being hit by enemy fire on June 30, 1967. Four others also were killed, including 18-year-old Killen and 21-year-old Runnels.
The shooter who gunned down co-workers at a Rite Aid facility in Maryland used a firearm purchased legally after she was diagnosed with a mental illness similar to schizophrenia, an official told the Daily News.

According to the investigation, she was diagnosed with a mental illness like schizophrenia, Harford County spokeswoman Cindy Mumby said.

The shooter, Snochia Moseley, 26, received the diagnosis in 2016, said Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler.

He said she appeared increasingly agitated during the two weeks leading up to her rampage at the distribution center in Aberdeen.

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Thats as far as Im gonna go with it at this point, Gahler said, declining to elaborate.

Moseley, a temporary employee hired this month as part of Rite Aids holiday season upstaffing, shot herself twice before police arrived on the scene, authorities said.

The first was a graze wound while the second was a fatal shot to her head.

Sunday Aguda, 45, Brindra Giri, 41, and Hayleen Reyes, 21 were killed in the attack, police said.

Acharya Purna, 45, formerly of Ridgewood was among the wounded victims, they said.

Purnas Facebook page is full of family pictures and snaps of him practicing Tae Kwon Do at a Maryland studio.

The other wounded victims were identified as Hassan Mitchell, 19, and Wilfredo Villegas, 45.

A mental health diagnosis alone is not enough to bar a Maryland resident from buying a firearm. Police said a potential gun owner must also show a propensity of violence toward oneself or others to trigger a rejection.

Gahler said Moseley used a 9 mm Glock handgun  which she purchased in March  to fire off a total of 13 rounds both outside and in the Rite Aid facility.

Moseley arrived at work as usual for her shift at 6:30 a.m. Thursday. She left a little less than an hour later for unknown reasons and returned again around 8:35 a.m., according to police.

She was in and out, and at 9:05 a.m., pulled a hooded shirt over her face and started shooting.

She fatally struck Aguda outside and then continued her spree inside the building, where 65 employees were working.

Walter Zambrano,64, said he was in the bathroom when he first heard the commotion. He remained in the washroom, fearing for his life while he listened to the gunfire.

The suspect was shooting like crazy, bam! Bam! Bam! he said. Everyone was screaming, running this way and that. I didnt know which way to run.

Krystal Watson said her husband Eric, who works at the center, told her Moseley argued with someone before the gunfire began.

She didnt have a particular target. She was just shooting, Watson said.

Police were on the scene within five minutes, but Moseley had already taken her life.

The motive in the shooting still remains a mystery, though authorities dont have any evidence to suggest it was a work-related.

Witnesses reported Moseley fought with someone about allegedly cutting a line at the facility, Gahler said, but its not clear if that played a role in the deadly attack.

Theres just no way to make sense of something so senseless, he added. Theres still a lot of questions that we dont know.

Tori Coley, a friend of Moseleys since high school, was shocked to learn a person she knew was the lone suspect in the case  especially when she learned it was Moseley. She told the Baltimore Sun that while her longtime friend often felt isolated, she was not a bad person.

She wasnt a monster, wasnt an angry person, Coley said. I just believe this was emotional distress. If she did this, it was her last straw.

Coley also shared a string of 2016 Facebook messages in which the pair discussed Moseleys intent to seek out hormone treatment.

I just started talking about [being transgender], Moseley wrote in messages obtained by the Sun. My sister is totally supportive, my brothers already had an idea, my mom and I havent gotten around to admitting it yet, but shes heard somehow.

Moseley, a 2011 graduate from Overlea High School, did not have a criminal record, according to authorities. Over the course of six days at the end of August and the beginning of September, she was stopped by Baltimore County Police three times, according to online court records.

Moseley was ticketed for, among other things, not having current registration plates, having suspended registration; failing to update her address and not having insurance.

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A Los Angeles street artist put Donald Trumps star in the slammer.

The guerilla artist, known as Plastic Jesus, installed prison bars on Trumps Hollywood Walk of Fame plaque Wednesday as his latest protest of the presidents policies.

Two years ago, he constructed a tiny wall around the star to denounce Trumps proposed wall at the U.S. border with Mexico.

Speaking to the Daily News by phone, the artist who prefers to remain anonymous said he used industrial strength double-sided tape and wood bars painted to look like metal.

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I wanted to get it on quickly and use something that wouldnt cause damage. I didnt want a $20,000 bill for the resurfacing of Hollywood Boulevard, he said with a laugh.

There are no Trump properties in Los Angeles, so the nearest focal point is his star. And its even better, really, because its an accolade and a privilege to get one. Defacing it sends a clear message that his style of government is not what this country stands for, he said.

The artist said a Trump supporter bent down to remove the bars shortly after they were installed.

By Thursday, the installation was completely scrubbed, but a photo of the piece went viral on social media.

It was retweeted by Star Wars star Mark Hamill in a post that garnered more than 6,660 likes as of Thursday evening.

Plastic Jesus is also famous for the life-sized gold statue of Harvey Weinstein that he and a collaborator perched on a casting couch outside the Oscars in March.

Trumps star, meanwhile, has been the target of several vandalism incidents that led to criminal cases over the last couple years.

Protesters Austin Clay and James Otis both used pickaxes to pulverize the star during separate plaque attacks in July and back in October 2016, respectively.
Two men were stabbed three hours apart Thursday night near the same City Heights intersection, leading gang detectives to assume the incidents were likely linked, an officer said.

Both stabbings occurred near Van Dyke and University avenues and were probably related  based on where they happened, San Diego police Officer Robert Heims told the Union-Tribune.

Gang detectives were handling both cases and trying to confirm the potential link, Heims said.

The argument and brawl that led to the first stabbing started around 5:30 p.m. when two groups of men began yelling at each other from across a street, according to Heims.

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The groups ended up in a physical fight, the officer said in a statement. During the fight  a suspect stabbed a 23-year-old male victim in the left side of the chest once.

After the stabbing, the victim and his friends fled north on Van Dyke Avenue, while the suspect and his group fled west on El Cajon Boulevard, according to Heims. The victim was later taken to a hospital with an injury not considered to be life-threatening.

Around 8:30 p.m., a 22-year-old man was standing on a street corner at the same intersection when three men approached and one of them punched him, knocking him unconscious, Heims said. As his friends picked him up, the victim regained consciousness and realized hed been stabbed near his right shoulder blade.

Family members took the victim to a hospital, where he was admitted with an injury that wasnt expected to be life-threatening, Heims said.

No suspect description was available in either case, and both stabbings remained under investigation late Thursday night.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

11:55 p.m.: This article and its headline were updated with details about the second stabbing.

This article was originally published at 8:50 p.m.
District Attorney Summer Stephan announced Friday that neither National City police officers nor San Diego Sheriffs deputies are criminally liable for the death of Earl McNeil, who stopped breathing, suffered brain damage and later died after he was arrested by police and taken to county jail in the early morning hours of May 26.

Stephan made the announcement Friday afternoon during a news conference at the downtown Hall of Justice, where reporters were shown video recorded during McNeils encounter with police  including body-worn camera and surveillance camera footage.

The video, at times excruciating to watch, depicted portions of McNeils two-hour long interactions with police that moved from the front steps of the National City Police Department to the back seat of a police cruiser, and finally to the concrete floor of the sally port at the downtown Central Jail.

Stephan concluded that McNeils death was not the direct, natural and probable consequences of the actions by police in their encounters with McNeil. She said there was no evidence that police intended to kill McNeil  which would be needed to support a murder charge  nor any evidence of criminal negligence, which would support a lesser manslaughter charge.

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Earl McNeil (courtesy of Tasha Williamson)

An autopsy report, unsealed Friday, concluded McNeil died of brain damage caused by cardiorespiratory arrest. The manner of death was listed as a homicide  or death at the hands of another. The report said this conclusion was reached because the actions that contributed to his respiratory failure were purposeful and potentially dangerous, and contributed to his death (although not apparently intended to cause his death)...

A toxicology report showed McNeil had a large amount of methamphetamine in his system at the time. The medical examiners report said he could have suffered a heart attack from the drugs, or from the lengthy, at times agitated struggles he had in police custody.

For long stretches McNeil was put in The Wrap, a device designed to restrain people so they wont hurt themselves or others but allows them to be in a seated position. Because he was spitting frequently on officers, he ended up having two spit socks placed over his head; later on his t-shirt was pulled up over his face, too. The combination of the Wrap and the spit socks created respiratory compromise that could have contributed to his heart stopping, according to the report.

A timeline of events released by Stephan showed that McNeil spent 1 hour 17 minutes in the restraint device while in the back of a police vehicle at the station. Stephan said the windows were open and air conditioning running, and McNeil was being monitored by police who eventually drove him to the jail, still in the restraint system.

District Attorney Summer Stephan speaks to the media after showing a police video of Earl McNeil, who died in police custody . (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Doug Applegate, the McNeil family attorney, questioned whether McNeil should have been confined for so long in the restraint, a stiff sort of blanket fastened around the legs to keep someone immobile. A chest harness holds the person upright.

Applegate said video recorded in front of police headquarters, and from officers body-worn cameras, showed at least four officers putting McNeil into the Wrap. The attorney said that video footage in the National City police sallyport was blurred out when it was shown to the family, so it wasnt clear if anyone checked on McNeil.

Applegate spoke at a news conference outside the Hall of Justice amid a small crowd of activists who have demanded more transparency in the death investigation.

Results of the review were given to McNeils family in a meeting with Stephan Friday morning, where they also viewed the videos, she said. She said the family was attentive and did not comment on her decision not to seek charges in a meeting she said was clearly difficult for them.

They were extremely wonderful people, she said.

Applegate, who was with some of McNeils aunts and cousins as they viewed the tapes, said . their reactions were what any family would have, watching a family member die for two hours.

There were tears, he said.

The attorney said he will be considering legal options, including filing a civil rights lawsuit in federal court in order to obtain a copy of all the video involving McNeil on May 26.

McNeil, 40, appeared outside the National City Police Department headquarters that day at 5:26 a.m. There was a warrant out for his arrest, stemming from a DUI arrest the previous September. McNeil had pleaded guilty and been placed on probation that included the condition he enroll in a program for first-time offenders.

But he had not enrolled and when he did not show up to court, a warrant was issued on May 22  just four days earlier.

Applegate said McNeil was in distress and seeking help from police. In a recorded call he made from a phone outside the station, McNeil said he wanted to turn himself in  but also that he killed someone and that he was high.

National City police officers who came out of the headquarters to speak with McNeil said he was talking irrationally and became combative when they attempted to detain him for being under the influence of drugs. In the videos, police immediately place him in handcuffs when they contact him, upsetting McNeil. They find methamphetamine and a small knife in his pockets.

At one point as they work to put him in the Wrap, McNeil grinds his front teeth on the cement, injuring his mouth, which begins to bleed. In the videos, an agitated McNeil talks about wanting to kill someone, kill himself, says he is high on drugs and has psychiatric problems.

He also repeatedly asks for help, though his requests are interlaced with belligerent comments to police. He also cries out that he cant breathe numerous times, and says he is having a seizure.

Stephan in the news conference noted that the medical examiner concluded that because McNeil could speak he was not having trouble breathing, and his seizures were faked.

Just after 7 a.m., the officers decided to take McNeil to county jail. Video from inside the police car shows McNeil talking nearly non-stop and repeatedly bashing his head against the Plexiglass screen separating the front seat from the back.

He talks about killing himself. He complains again that he cant breathe. At one point, he says he needs psychiatric help. I need a psychiatric evaluation, he says in the video. I have mental problems.

The officers did not respond to any of his actions in the back seat.

McNeil was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a youth and had a long history of mental health issues, according to court records.

At the jail, a nurse came out to examine him. At this point, the videos are taken from jail surveillance cameras mounted at a distance, with no audio.

Stephan said McNeil was agitated throughout the evaluation, and had a body temperature of 100 degrees and a elevated pulse of 120 beats per minute.

The nurse declined to book him into jail and instead an ambulance was called to take him for a medical and psychological evaluation. While waiting for the ambulance, McNeil continued to spit at the deputies surrounding the gurney and thrash around, Stephan said. Just before the ambulance arrived McNeil quieted down, still moving but no longer struggling.

He was loaded onto a paramedic gurney and lifted into the ambulance. It was 7:37 a.m. Inside the ambulance a now lethargic McNeils pulse weakened and within six minutes, he stopped breathing.

Paramedics took him out of the ambulance, performed CPR and got his pulse back. He was rushed to the hospital at 7:53 a.m.

Applegate said McNeil flatlined at 7:44 a.m. and was effectively dead before he reached the hospital. He was placed on life support for nearly two weeks.

The attorney said because not all law enforcement video was shown to him and the McNeil family, questions remain about why he wasnt given medial attention sooner, and whether anyone should be held civilly responsible for his death.

With family members and supporters behind him, attorney Doug Applegate speaks to the media after he and family members of Earl McNeil watched police videos showing McNeil on the day he was arrested by National City police. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

McNeils death sparked weeks of protests at City Council meetings in National City that led to several arrests, including three people who have been charged with misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer. The other arrests remain under review for potential criminal charges.

National City Mayor Ron Morrison, who saw a live stream of the District Attorneys news conference, said he felt the facts supported the findings.

I dont know how they could have reached any other conclusion, he said. There doesnt seem to be any evidence of any criminality.

McNeil had been an informant for prosecutors on at least one previous case, where he was paid nearly $30,000 in living expenses incurred because he had to be relocated out of the city for his and his familys safety. Stephan said at the news conference he provided information on two other cases, but did not testify.

Because of that connection, the McNeil family had demanded that the District Attorneys Office recuse itself from the death review. Stephan asked the state Attorney Generals Office for a legal opinion on whether such a move was necessary, but state prosecutors said there was no reason for the district attorney to step aside.

Applegate said he saw two good outcomes from Stephans review of the McNeil death. She said her office would begin giving official review of in-custody deaths to see if criminal charges should be filed against any officers involved.

Thats a step in the right direction, he said.

The other good outcome, Applegate said, was that Stephan acknowledged McNeils work with her office as an informant.

Staff writers David Hernandez, Alex Riggins and Teri Figueroa contributed to this report.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
Border Patrol agents staffing an interstate checkpoint on Wednesday near Campo discovered more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a cars gas tank, authorities said Friday.

It happened about 7:30 a.m. at the checkpoint on westbound Interstate 8 when a drug-sniffing dog zeroed in on a 2006 Nissan Maxima, Border Patrol officials said.

In a secondary inspection area, a second drug-sniffing dog also zeroed in on the Nissan, prompting agents to search the car, officials said in a statement. Hidden inside the gas tank, agents discovered 45 bundles of methamphetamine weighing just over 52 pounds.

The estimated street value of the drugs was $182,700, according to the Border Patrol.

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The Nissans driver was a 35-year-old Mexican national with a green card, the Border Patrol said. He was arrested and his car was seized by the Border Patrol.

The methamphetamine was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
Hundreds of federal agents and local law enforcement officers conducted dozens of predawn raids across the county Thursday, arresting alleged gang members and others with suspected gang ties on drug, gun, racketeering and other charges, authorities said.

The raids were part of a yearlong investigation targeting alleged members of several San Diego-area street gangs and the Mexican Mafia, a notorious prison gang. Federal charges were levied Thursday against 26 defendants.

Twenty of those suspects were in custody as of late Thursday afternoon, with those nabbed during the early-morning raids joining some others who were previously arrested. Six remained at large.

During the lengthy investigation  dubbed Operation Sureno Sweep  the regions Violent Crimes Gang Task Force seized nearly 230 firearms and seven pounds of methamphetamine, according to the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California.

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Also as part of the long-term operation, a gang suppression team from the San Diego Police Department intercepted a trio of armed suspects in June as they drove to kidnap a rival gang member, federal prosecutors said.

In total, six complaints were filed in U.S. District Court on Thursday, with some of the 26 defendants named in just one complaint, and others in multiple complaints. The charges include racketeering, methamphetamine trafficking, a methamphetamine conspiracy charge, unlawful possession of a machine gun and other drug and gun charges.

One of the complaints charged Robert Thomas Welsh with unlawful possession of a machine gun and possessing a firearm with the serial number destroyed. According to prosecutors, a search warrant executed by Special Enforcement deputies from the county Sheriffs Department turned up 228 firearms at Welshs Lakeside residence.

According to the complaint, Welsh told deputies hed been collecting guns for more than 15 years.

Authorities said Robert Thomas Welsh had at least 228 firearms in his Lakeside residence during a search on July 16, 2018. Allegedly included in the weapons stash were AR-15 rifles, silencers, guns with their serial numbers destroyed and high-capacity magazines. (Courtesy of U.S. Attorneys Office)

Included in the enormous stash of weapons, according to prosecutors, were AR-15 rifles, silencers, guns with destroyed serial numbers, high-capacity magazines  including a 50-round drum magazine  and a device known as a Glock switch that converts a semi-automatic pistol into an automatic pistol.

Prosecutors did not disclose Welsh alleged involvement or connection to the street gangs targeted in Thursdays sweeps. His private defense attorney, Marc Carlos, said Friday that he couldnt comment because hed yet to receive any documents or the governments purported evidence from prosecutors.

The seizure of hundreds of firearms is a very significant strike against gang violence in our communities, U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman said in a statement.

In another episode that was part of the investigation, a San Diego Police Department gang suppression team made a late-night traffic stop on a Hummer on June 13 on Jamacha Boulevard in Spring Valley. But according to prosecutors, this wasnt a run-of-the-mill traffic stop. It was an interception of three armed men on their way to rob and kidnap a rival gang member.

Investigators knew about the hit, which was ordered against a man known as Grizzly from Palm City, after listening in on conversations via court-approved surveillance, prosecutors said. The kidnapping was allegedly ordered on behalf of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, whose members believed the kidnapping target had stolen a laptop and other items from one of their associates.

Inside the Hummer during the high-risk vehicle stop, officers found suspects Fady Esho, Sergio Shaggy Sanchez and Jose Chapo Hernandez, prosecutors said. According to the complaint, Esho was carrying a loaded Sig Saur .40-caliber handgun in a concealed holster on his waist, two filled magazines in separate holsters and multiple zip ties in his rear pants pocket.

Three additional handguns were also found inside the Hummer, prosecutors said. Esho claimed all the guns were his.

Thursdays predawn sweep involved more than 200 agents from the FBI and other federal agencies, sheriffs deputies from San Diego County and police officers from San Diego, National City, Chula Vista, La Mesa and El Cajon.

The 20 defendants who were in custody Thursday were arraigned in U.S. District Court. All pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors have asked a judge to order the defendants held in custody until they are tried, with a hearing set next week for a judge to rule on that motion.

At least six defendants named in the federal complaint remained at large as of Thursday evening, prosecutors said. They were identified as Maria Caniglia, Christina Tovar, Farren Sweetpea Alcoser, Soledad Negra Mota, Tony Kiryakoza and Candice Baby Doll Apra.

Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts was asked to call the FBIs San Diego field office at (858) 320-1800.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

4:20 p.m. Sept. 21, 2018: This article was updated with information from Welshs attorney and an additional photograph.

This article was originally published at 11:35 p.m. on Sept. 20, 2018.
A man wielding a screwdriver attempted to rob a perfume shop Thursday in San Ysidro but was unable to open its register, police said.

The suspect walked into Sunny Perfumes, 660 E. San Ysidro Blvd., just after 6 p.m. and demanded money from employees, said Officer Robert Heims of the San Diego Police Department.

He tried opening the register after employees refused to hand him money but was unable to do so, Heims said.

The suspect fled on a bicycle and was last seen headed southbound toward the San Ysidro border crossing into Tijuana. He was described as Hispanic man in his 40s with a medium build wearing a blue hat and blue shirt.

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Robbery detectives from the Police Department were handling the investigation.

Staff writer Alex Riggins contributed to this report.
Authorities on Thursday identified a 24-year-old woman who was fatally injured  and abandoned by her companions while still fighting for her life  in a rollover crash Monday in Spring Valley.

Melanie Alexandra Feliciano was sitting on the center console between the driver and passenger when the 1999 Mercedes-Benz the trio was in swerved off state Route 94 and rolled, according to the California Highway Patrol and county Medical Examiners Office.

It happened about 1:50 p.m. on the eastbound side of the highway near the Campo Road and Sweetwater Springs Boulevard exit, the CHP said. The sedan struck the center barrier made of wood and steel, went airborne and landed upside down on the barrier, then rolled upright on the opposite side of the highway.

While Feliciano was trapped and injured, but still alive, the driver and another passenger fled from the badly damaged sedan, CHP spokesman Officer Travis Garrow said.

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Firefighters freed Feliciano and medics rushed her to Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, where doctors pronounced her dead at 3:09 p.m., according to the Medical Examiners Office.

Her companions were found injured and hiding in a canyon about 2:45 p.m. southwest of the highway off-ramp, Garrow said.

Rene Ruiz, 27, was identified as the driver of the car and taken into custody on suspicion of felony manslaughter with gross negligence, hit-and-run and driving under the influence of drugs, Garrow said.

Ruiz was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital with serious injuries, while the passenger he fled with, a 22-year-old La Mesa woman, was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest, also with serious injuries.

Ruiz, who was arraigned Thursday in an El Cajon courthouse, was booked into the San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter, felony hit-and-run and other felony charges. According to online jail records, the Spring Valley resident is being held without bail.

The Medical Examiners Office determined Feliciano died of blunt force injury to her head and neck. Footage from the scene showed the roof of the Mercedes-Benz crumpled in the center, where Feliciano was sitting without a seat belt before the crash, with head rests sticking out from where the back windshield had been.

Its got a tremendous amount of damage, San Miguel Fire & Rescue Department Battalion Chief Andy Lawler told OnScene TV on Monday. To survive something like that would be difficult. Its got severe damage to the top of the vehicle ... Two people are fortunate to have gotten out of the vehicle.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday ordered a performance audit of the state Department of Motor Vehicles in response to the public outcry over hours-long wait times and repeated computer crashes that delayed serving customers.

State Finance Director Keely Martin Bosler, who was appointed by Brown, notified the agency that her office will conduct the financial review amid concerns about the DMVs performance.

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 Friday to DMV Director Jean Shiomoto.

The audit by Boslers staff will look at issues including field office operations, the customer experience, computer problems and the DMVs governance structure. It will also examine an estimated 23,000 errors at DMV offices when people either were unknowingly registered to vote or had mistakes made in their registration status  problems that began during the rollout of the states new motor voter program.

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The review will cost about $800,000 and is expected to result in a report with recommendations to be released to the public in March, according to H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the Finance Department.

With Brown leaving office in January, the timing of the audit means any proposals for improving DMV operations will be considered by the next governor and Legislature.

Residents have complained in the last three months of waiting four to six hours at DMV offices as the agency deals with complications caused by Real IDs, a new drivers license and identification card design required for airline passengers starting in late 2020.

The delays have been worsened by frequent computer crashes, including one Thursday that interrupted operations at 68 of the DMVs 172 field offices for more than two hours.

Bosler credited the DMV with actions in the last few months to reduce wait times that include extending field office hours, opening more than 60 offices on Saturdays, setting up more self-service terminals and hiring hundreds of additional workers.

While these actions have already brought down wait times, recent developments have also underscored the need for further analysis, Bosler wrote to the DMV. The intent of the audit, she added, is to determine the facts in a manner that will not disrupt DMVs ongoing efforts to reduce response times.

The audit will identify customer service improvements and other operational efficiencies that will improve ongoing essential services, Bosler said.

When asked if the governor still has confidence in Shiomoto, a spokesman for Brown said, Right now our focus is on getting the problems fixed.

The DMV director said her agency will cooperate with the auditor.

We welcome the Department of Finances input into DMVs ongoing efforts to reduce wait times and improve customer service and stand ready to assist with the audit, Shiomoto said.

The audit is necessary to find solutions for deep and wide problems in the agency, said Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno, a leading critic of the DMV operations.

Patterson said DMV records indicate the agency has suffered 35 computer outages in the last 18 months, and he said Shiomoto has not taken the issue seriously enough.

I am very pleased that the governor recognizes that the people of California have been suffering because of a department that has demonstrated huge ineptness, said Patterson, who is vice chairman of an Assembly committee on government accountability.

Patterson had criticized the Democratic majority in the Legislature last month for killing a proposal to conduct a state audit of the DMV.

A report to the Legislature on Aug. 15 indicated that a shift in staffing at field offices allowed the DMV to reduce the average wait time for those without appointments to 137 minutes from 162 minutes the week before, with some offices experiencing much longer wait times.

On Friday, DMV officials said the average wait time for those without an appointment statewide has dropped to 53 minutes.

However, for the top 20 offices with the longest wait times, the average as of Wednesday was 61 minutes, ranging from 112 minutes at one office to a low of 18 minutes at another, the DMV reported.

Patterson said the states official goal is to allow DMV customers to complete transactions in an hour or less, and he hopes the audit allows that to be achieved at every field office.

Later in the day, Brown vetoed five bills that would have put new workloads on the DMV, including a measure that would separate citations for driving under the influence of marijuana from drunk driving so the state could determine the scope of the drugged driving problem.

Reducing wait times in field offices and addressing the urgent needs of customers is the top priority, Brown wrote in his veto message. The programming required to implement these bills will delay the departments ability to fully modernize its aging information technology systems.

John Cox, the Republican candidate for governor, has made the long wait times a major issue in his campaign against Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who also seeking the office.

Better late than never, Cox said of the audit announcement in a statement Friday. Its an important first step that I have been shining light on for months. The Sacramento political class has done a shameful job addressing these real problems plaguing millions of Californians.

The audit can build on information collected at recent public hearings on DMV problems held by the Legislature, according to Assemblyman Phil Ting, chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.

While wait times are improving at the DMV, the experiences of Californians at field offices across the state tell us that issues remain, said Ting, a San Francisco Democrat.

Coverage of California politics 

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99

UPDATES:

2 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on the audit and a quote from GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox.

This article was originally published at 1:25 p.m.
The fixer is pulling a fast one of his former boss.

Michael Cohen tweeted and quickly deleted a third-person message Thursday night that confirmed his critical cooperation against President Trump in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian election interference.

Good for Michael Cohen for providing critical information to the #MuellerInvestigation without a cooperation agreement, Cohen posted from his own Twitter handle. No one should question his integrity, veracity or loyalty to his family and country over @POTUS @realdonaldtrump.

Cohen, who pleaded guilty to fraud and campaign finance crimes last month, deleted the post within seconds, but not before it spread like wildfire across social media.

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Cohen did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the special counsel declined to comment.

Lanny Davis, one of Cohens attorneys, later took credit for his clients since-deleted tweet.

I wrote a Tweet congratulating Michael Cohen and sent text to him to Tweet to his much larger following  but was delayed posting myself so he posted first, Davis tweeted. All take a breath. I dont control or have access to Mr. Cohens Twitter account. He is my client and my friend.

Rudy Giuliani, Trumps top lawyer in the Russia investigation, claimed Cohen is lying to Muellers investigators.

He is a lawyer who lied to his client and recorded him in blatant violation of the attorney-client privilege, Giuliani told the Daily News, referencing tapes Cohen made of private conversations with Trump. He did it when he claimed to love his client. Imagine how he would lie once he no longer loved his client and he could reduce his time in prison.

Cohens mysterious message came on the heels of reports alleging he has sat down for several sessions with Muellers investigators over the past month, answering questions about Trumps business dealings in Russia, possible collusion with the Kremlin and discussions about pardoning criminally convicted associates.

The interviews with Cohen, some of which reportedly spanned several hours, took place in Washington and New York City and came around the same time Trumps former campaign chairman Paul Manafort cut a cooperation deal of his own with Muellers team.

Cohens cooperation agreement could pose a significant blow to the President.

The 52-year-old Long Island native served as Trumps attorney and personal fixer for years, acting as his legal bulldog and facilitating nondisclosure agreements with women who say they had sex with him.

Cohens guilty plea last month directly implicated Trump in campaign finance crimes over his knowledge and coordination of hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Cohens plea did not include a cooperation component, but that didnt preclude him from cutting a mutually beneficial deal later on, according to experts.

Even though he doesnt have a cooperation deal, attempting to cooperate will help Cohen at sentencing, tweeted Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor in Illinois. If Cohen can help Mueller, prosecutors could recommend a reduced sentence.
The education reform debate in America was kicked off by the release in 1983 of A Nation at Risk, a comprehensive study issued by a presidential commission that evaluated the problems facing schools. Among its key conclusions was that there was a profound need for ambitious state and national standards because decisions made at the local level so often reflected the needs of teachers and district employees  not students.

Yet in 2011, even as several states saw great progress with reforms based on this insight that emphasized accountability and the use of statistical evidence, Gov. Jerry Brown denounced the siren song of education reform. Instead, he embraced the idea of subsidiarity  a fancy term for local control of schools. This led eventually to a state law requiring each school district, no matter how small, to develop its own Local Control Accountability Plan for how it will educate students.

But as an in-depth 2017 CALmatters investigation showed, there is little evidence anywhere that local control has been good for students. The debate in reform circles is whether Brown sincerely believes local control works or if subsidiarity is just a cover for his attempt to insulate teachers unions  his powerful allies  from reforms meant to evaluate individual teachers on how much they help or hurt student performance.

On Thursday, alas, the governor doubled down on local control with a decision that is awful for student health. In vetoing SB 328  a bill that would have required middle and high schools to start their classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m.  Brown noted it was opposed by teachers and school boards, touted local control and knocked a one-size-fits-all policy.

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This is shameful. The same governor who rails against critics of his climate-change policies for ignoring massive scientific evidence is now himself ignoring massive scientific evidence. For one of decades of examples, in 2014, an American Academy of Pediatrics study documented that 59 percent of middle school students and 87 percent of high school students slept less than the 8.5 to 9.5 hours recommended by doctors on school nights. A lack of sleep correlates with a long list of negatives  starting with poor academic performance and higher rates of drug use, obesity, depression and automobile accidents. When high schools in Connecticut, Kentucky and Virginia adopted later start times, they saw test scores go higher and attendance improve.

These facts are simply ignored by many letter writers and online commenters who think later start times amount to coddling snowflakes and that students who need more sleep can easily just go to sleep earlier. Thats not how adolescents are biologically programmed.

But a governor who has built his entire career on the idea that hes unusually smart and able shouldnt be able to get away with not on my lawn vapidity. When it comes to sleep and the health of middle school and high school students, there is a one-size-fits-all policy that works. That would be later school start times.

Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky famously observed, You can judge a society by how well it treats its prisoners. Someday, a corollary will sink in with Americans: You can judge a society by how much it values the health of children. For Jerry Brown and much of the California education establishment, whats convenient for adults is what matters, not whats best for childrens health. Heres hoping the next governor isnt remotely as callous and anti-science.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion
Proposition 6 would repeal the fuel and vehicle-license taxes and fees that Gov. Jerry Brown got the Legislature to enact last year, reducing the excise tax on gasoline by 12 cents, among many changes. The Republican-touted measure is certain to appeal to the Californians who feel overtaxed. The exaggerated claims about how much this would save motorists and how certain it is that the $5 billion a year generated by the 2017 law will be diverted for non-transportation uses are also sure to round up votes. The inclusion of a provision that voters must approve any fuel and vehicle taxes going forward is also likely to attract those with a populist streak.

Nonetheless, The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board encourages a no vote on Proposition 6. The protections meant to ensure funds are used properly  for road and transit improvements  are substantive. And its obvious that the state has an immense backlog of transportation renovations that are needed to keep our economy strong.

But theres one reason to reject the measure that deserves more attention: Its that in a state in which many environmentalists believe cars are evil, the 2017 tax legislation amounts to an affirmation that our roads and freeways are and will be hugely important for many years to come. Nothing in Californias history suggests fixing these roads and freeways is feasible without it. Vote no on Proposition 6.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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Trump didnt mean to impugn all media

Re What were actually living through is a communications crisis (Sept. 13): Its difficult for any industry to hold a mirror up to itself and be objective, and Ruben Navarrettes article helps to do that for our media. But his mention that President Trump declared us the enemy of the people is not quite correct. Trump did say that fake news media was the enemy of the people - an important difference.

Navarrettes article supports the idea that some in the media have become so biased that they are generating fake news for their own political benefit, rather than the benefit of the citizenry at large. While said in a very Trumpian way, I think our president succinctly summed up the articles premise that any media complicit in this communications crisis are not acting as friends of the American people.

Brett Drury

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Escondido

Trump considers most outlets fake news

Re Trump didnt mean to impugn all media (Sept. 17): Writer Brett Drury makes a valiant attempt to defend Donald Trumps enemy of the people statement. Unfortunately, the writers explanation also falls into the fake news category.

Trump has used the expression numerous times, too many to count, sometimes with the adjunct fake, and many times without. He has also made it perfectly clear that what he regards as fake news is anything that he disagrees with or shows the narcissist-in-chief in a negative light. Basically this amounts to just about every news media worldwide other than Fox and Breitbart, both of which are his primary source of information for making national and international decisions, and his window on the very distorted parallel universe in which he lives.

Phil Kirk

Encinitas

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.
Re Proposition 1: Vote no on housing measure, which costs too much, does too little (Sept. 17): The U-T editors note that one in five Californians lives in poverty, which they believe is largely due to housing costs, and that millions more struggle to get by after paying the rent. But they oppose Proposition 1, which would fund more affordable housing. Their alternate solution? Stop pushing developers to pay prevailing wages to construction workers.

Perhaps it has not occurred to them that low wages in the construction industry contribute to the very poverty they purport to be concerned over. The real problems are wealth disparity and income stagnation at the lower levels, which leave many workers in poverty. We need to build affordable housing and pay those building it a decent wage.

B. Chris Brewster

Pacific Beach

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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.
State Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, seemed to hit his stride in recent months in his long-shot bid to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-San Francisco. He won the formal endorsement of the California Democratic Party, a sure sign of the former state Senate leaders appeal to the growing number of Democrats who have lost patience with the partys moderate voices. And in his second interview in recent months with The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, he came across as looser, more confident and even better-informed on a range of national issues than in his first. Perhaps this reflected the recent stunning primary defeats of respected Democratic House incumbents in New York and Boston by minority candidates with progressive agendas. De Leon said he had no problems with the defeated incumbents, but that their values  like Feinsteins  were not those of most Democrats in 2018. That may be true.

But isnt Feinstein more likely to be an effective lawmaker in Washington? Based on the events of recent weeks, her case for re-election has only grown stronger. The 85-year-old was already in the spotlight because of her role as ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering the Supreme Court nomination of federal appellate Judge Brett Kavanaugh. When the 25-year Senate veteran apologized to Kavanaugh after his initial testimony on Sept. 5 had been repeatedly interrupted by hecklers, de Leon expressed disbelief, writing to supporters, Are you kidding me? Then he expressed disappointment that no Senate Democrats had joined protesters in getting arrested. This is what deserves an Are you kidding me? reaction  not Feinsteins defense of valuable, much-needed Senate traditions of civility.

Now de Leons sneering at Feinstein has gone from dubious to contemptible. Last weekend, it was revealed that in July, the senator had received a letter from Christine Blasey Ford, a Bay Area professor who alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh in the 1980s when they were both attending private high schools in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Feinstein kept quiet about the letter at Fords specific request. It was only when Ford gave her the go-ahead that the letters existence was publicly revealed.

Yet De Leons campaign issued a statement blasting Feinstein for waiting months to hand this disqualifying document over to the federal authorities. In other words, de Leon ripped Feinstein for refusing to betray a request for confidentiality from a woman reporting she was the target of an attempted rape. Thats appalling, especially given the culture of sexual harassment that some exploited in Sacramento when de Leon led the Senate.

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Feinsteins strengths  her smarts and gravitas, her strong relationships with senators from both parties, her deep knowledge of national security issues, her history of getting things done instead of grandstanding  were on admirable display in her two recent interviews with the U-T Editorial Board. These strengths always were likely to secure her another term in the Senate. If voters prefer a male Democrat who would cruelly exploit a woman reporting a sexual assault for political purposes, then thats a step back for politics and the #MeToo movement. Vote Dianne Feinstein for U.S. Senate.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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The first of three free events this school year where local teens explain what they and their peers would like to share with their parents will be held on Tuesday evening.

The What I Wish My Parents Knew... community-based conversation provides parents in Poway Unified School District with insights into the stresses and issues their middle and high school students are experiencing.

A mix of school officials, experts and Poway Unified students will participate in panel discussions on a variety of topics. They include adjusting to high school, communicating with your teen, handling academic pressure, managing social media, establishing guardrails (aka parameters), drugs and alcohol, depression and suicide plus balancing commitments.

Since time restraints only allow parents to attend two of the workshop sessions per event, they often are repeat attendees. Daryl Nuss, one of the series founders, said tentative plans are to offer the event again in January and May. Dates and details will be announced later.

The 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25 event will be held at Westview High School, 13500 Camino Del Sur in Torrey Highlands. To attend, register at WhatIWishMyParentsKnew.com.

The community conversation series was founded in 2012 following the drugs- and alcohol-related deaths of several area teenagers. Nuss, CEO of the National Network of Youth Ministries and a long-time Poway resident, met with then-Poway High Principal Scott Fisher to see what could be done in response, according to the events website. Soon other community members became involved and a survey was conducted by local faith communities and Poway Unified high schools to learn from teenagers about the issues they were facing.

The survey showed teens were experiencing stress in many ways, including academic pressure, depression, self-harm, substance abuse and social media. The responses turned into founding the What I Wish My Parents Knew: Empowering Parents to Support 21st Century Teens series of community conversations.

Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com


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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/21/2018 -- The district cooling (DC) market report by Transparency Market Research provides in-depth analysis of the district cooling market globally. The report segments the market on the basis of application and geography. The report analyzes the global district cooling market in terms of both (cooling) energy sales volume (Tera Joules) and revenues (US$ Mn) for the years 20162024. For this research study, the base year is 2015, whereas the forecast is from 2016 to 2024. The report provides a comprehensive competitive landscape and features companies manufacturing district cooling systems.



This report includes the key dynamics affecting the district cooling market globally. The analysis in the report provides detailed insights of the global district cooling market. The drivers, opportunities, and restraints of the market were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report. The report also provides a detailed industry analysis of the global district cooling with the help of the Porters Five Forces Analysis model.



Get a Sample PDF at: https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1064805



The research report is studied on the basis of the application and the geography. Based on application, the market is segmented into residential, commercial, and industrial. Commercial application segment dominated the global district cooling market in terms of both energy sales volumes and revenues. Residential application segment closely followed commercial application segment. Residential application segment held around 40% market share of the global district cooling market in 2015.



Geographically, the global market is classified into five regions and further into 26 unique country sub-segments. The regional segments are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. The 26 countries which have been separately addressed in this report are the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Germany, France, Finland, Italy, China, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico. District cooling market in each country and region is further sub-segmented by application into residential, commercial, and industrial.



North America held the major share of the global district cooling (DC) market in 2015, accounting for around 50% of the global market share. Middle East & Africa was the second-largest market for district cooling systems, followed by Asia Pacific in 2015. Europe and Latin America held the fourth-largest and fifth-largest share of the global district cooling market in that year.



View Complete TOC with Tables and Figures at: https://www.researchmoz.us/district-cooling-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2016-2024-report.html/toc



Companies Mentioned in the Report



Some of the key market participants in the district cooling market are ADC Energy Systems LLC, Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER), Emirates District Cooling LLC (Emicool), Emirates National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed), Stellar Energy, Keppel DHCS Pte. Ltd., Logstor A/S, Ramboll Group A/S, Tekla Corporation, Shinryo Corporation, Dalkia, Veolia, Singapore Power (SP) Group, and Alfa Laval AB among others. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategies, SWOT analysis, and recent developments.



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/20/2018 -- Sodium borate also known as borax is a mineral, a boron compound and a salt of boric acid. Sodium borate is available in crystalline form and is water soluble. Sodium borate can also be easily converted to borates and boric acid. Borax decahydrate is the commonly used grade in the market. Some of the countries such as Turkey, the U.S., Chile and Romania have commercially important deposits of borax. Sodom borate is used in variety of end-user industries such as personal care, biochemistry, paints & coatings, metal processing, food processing, mining, paper processing, water treatment and ceramics among others. Sodium borate is also used as buffer solutions in biochemical processes and laboratories. Fire retardant is another major outlet for sodium borate and is likely to grow in years to come.



The market for sodium borate was mainly driven by end-user industries such as increasing demand from personal care, water treatment and disinfectant market. Huge demand for sodium borate as antiseptic solution from detergent, disinfectant and water treatment has been the major factor for the growth of sodium borate in past few years. Sodium borate is used in manufacturing of glass, ceramics, paints & coatings and coated paper among others. Sodium borate is also preferred as a flux in metal processing industry as well as in metal welding. In ceramics, sodium borate is used as ingredient in enamel glazes and as ingredient in ceramic slips. In agricultural chemicals, sodium borate is used in micronutrients to correct the boron deficiencies in the soil. In food processing, sodium borate is used as food additive, food preservative or to improve the rubbery texture of the food. Increasing demand for treated water thus driving the water treatment industry is likely to be major opportunity for the sodium borate market in upcoming years. In spite of so many applications, environmental and health regulations associated with sodium borate are anticipated to hider the growth of the market in next few years.



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In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading region in sodium borate market in 2013. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing markets for sodium borate due to increasing demand from agricultural chemicals, detergents, ceramics and water treatment in this region. The market for sodium borate in Asia Pacific was led by China. Other Asian countries such as India and Japan are likely to provide better opportunity for sodium borate market owing to increasing consumption from water treatment and agricultural chemicals end-user industries. Asia Pacific was followed by North America. Increasing demand from detergents, agricultural chemicals and water treatment industry is driving the demand for sodium borate in this region. U.S. had the largest demand for sodium borate owing to huge demand from end-user industries such as personal care, water treatment and ceramics among others. Europe had the third-largest demand for sodium borate market in 2013. Increasing demand for sodium borate from personal care industry coupled with chemical industry has been driving the market for sodium borate in Europe. Germany is one of the largest consumers of sodium borate in this region owing to the huge demand from ceramics and paper processing industry. Rest of the World market is anticipated to show positive outlook for the sodium borate market in near future.



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The market for sodium borate is highly oligopolistic in nature. Some of the key manufacturers in the sodium borate market are Etimine S.A., Larderello S.p.A., Quiborax S.A. and Rio Tinto Group among others.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/21/2018 -- Digital transportation of the financial facade is expected to unwind notable roadmap for growth of mobile financial services for telcos in Africa and Middle East. Evolution of fintech entities and embracement of recent technology such as person-to-person payments (P2P) has lend ample impetus to the growth of mobile financial services for telcos in Africa and Middle East. Further, the need to integrate unserved population into the banking loop also offers novel growth triggers to the market growth. Detailed evaluation of recent developments and their implications on the growth of mobile financial services for telcos in Africa and Middle East has been presented in a recent research report, 'Mobile Financial Services Market Opportunities for Telcos in Africa and the Middle East' collated in the repository of Market Research Hub (MRH).



Africa Financial Services Bank upon Mobile Network Operators to Translate Growth in Financial Services



Leading the advancement in mobile financial services in Africa, Kenya boasts of a well-knit financial landscape aided by the consortium of banking and telecom services. Ubiquity of smartphones and ongoing advances in internet connectivity further encourage telecom sector's amalgamation in mobile financial services. However, the trend is also catching up in other maturing markets such as Ghana. Markets in MEA and in Africa are constantly altered by diversified services and varying price models that impact the growth of mobile financial services in Africa and MEA.



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Mastercard- Bahrain Telecom Collaboration Unwinds Growth Triggers in Mobile Financial Services in MEA



To spearhead its dominance in mobile financial services in MEA region, Mastercard in association with Bahrain Telecom has entered into an alliance to launch bwallet, a unique digital mobile wallet, envisioning to provide revolutionary breakthroughs in in customer experience. The app is aimed to simplify transactions, favoring enhanced customer experience on various platforms inclusive of online, app, or in-store shopping spree. The development is a class apart development, attributed to mobile financial services growth opportunity for telcom stalwarts.



Orange Partners with Barclays to Penetrate Mobile Financial Services in Africa



Additionally, to cement its footing in the competitive landscape of mobile financial services for telcos in Africa, telecom behemoth Orange has justified its dominance with a new alliance. The joint venture between Orange and Barclays in African country Botswana is envisioned to spearhead mobile money transfer services by allowing Barclay's customers to transfer money via Orange money wallets. WIth this new diversification, Orange Money aims to scale new heights in the financial landscape of Africa.



The report entails crucial research attributes allowing readers to understand the impact of segments in steering growth in mobile financial services for telcos in Africa and MEA. The report enlightens readers' perception of the segment acknowledged as maximum revenue generator in the market. Additionally, the report also ascertains the impact of various marketing tactics and tricks implemented by leading market players across Africa and MEA to account growth, and their impact on customer response.



Browse Full Report with TOC- https://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/mobile-financial-services-market-opportunities-for-telcos-in-africa-and-the-middle-east-report.html



Competition Landscape: Mobile Financial Services for Telcos in Africa and MEA



Depending on research postulates documented in the report, this section of the report allows readers to gain primary insights on the impact of strategic business initiatives on end-user response such as their buying preferences and subsequent buying decisions. Market players can facilitate in-depth analytical review of these strategies to garner crucial insights based on which market players can implement lucrative business decisions to cement their lead in the competitive landscape.



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/20/2018 -- Rose Oil Market: Introduction



Rose oil, is an essential oil extracted from the petals of roses through extraction processes such as steam distillation, solvent extraction, or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Steam distillation is the most ancient and most widely used technology when compared with the other two and due to the requirement of heat in the steam distillation, the final product does not have the same characteristic smell as that of fresh roses owing to the denaturing of some of the compound extracted from the rose. While in solvent extraction technology doesn't require heat during the process hence the final product have the similar scent as that of fresh roses. Majority of rose oil is used in perfumery, however, rose oil also finds its application in skin care, medicine, and aromatherapy. Apart from its fragrance, rose oil also have anti-viral and bactericidal properties, which makes its more functional than the other aromatic essential oils, which has resulted in an increase in demand of rose oil in cosmetics and personal care industry, thus driving the growth of global rose oil market over the forecast period.



Rose Oil Market: Segmentation



Global Rose Oil market can be segmented on the basic nature, source, technology, application, distribution channel, and region. On the basis of nature, the Rose Oil market can be segmented into organic and conventional. The organic segment is expected to exhibit substantial growth rate in the global Rose Oil market owing to its preference by the ever-increasing health-conscious consumer base. However, the conventional Rose Oil segment is expected to dominate the market with moderate demand owing to its lesser cost.



On the basis of source, the Rose Oil market can be segmented into Rosa damascene, Rosa centifolia, and others. On the basis of technology, Rose Oil market is segmented into steam distillation, solvent extraction, and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Steam distillation technology is anticipated to dominate the market over the forecast period, however, the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technology segment is expected to exhibit substantial growth rate over the forecast period, owing to high efficiency and retention of the scent of roses, as no heat is required during the whole process. On the basis of application, the Rose Oil market can be segmented into personal care and cosmetics, perfumes and others.



On the basis of distribution channel, Rose Oil market is segmented into direct sale and indirect sale. Indirect sale is further segmented into modern grocery retailers, specialty stores, traditional grocery retailer, and online stores. Modern grocery retailer segment is further sub-segmented into hypermarkets/supermarket, mom and pop stores, and discount stores. Traditional grocery retailers segment is further sub-segmented into independent small groceries and others.



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Rose Oil Market: Dynamics



Increasing per capita spending on perfumes and personal care products in developing and emerging economies has led to an increase in demand for aromatic essential oil with added functionality, which is anticipated to drive the market of global rose oil market over the forecast period. Furthermore, health benefits associated with rose oil such as anti-inflammatory, acne-preventing, anti-aging, moisturizing, rejuvenating, stimulating, and harmonizing properties of rose oil is expected to fuel the growth of rose oils market in the developed market over the forecast period. However, improper alignment between supply and demand, as the majority of the cultivation of oil producing species of rose such as Rosa damascene is concentrated in few countries and the high cost of rose oil, when compared to other aromatic essential oil, is anticipated to hamper the growth global rose oil market over the forecast period.



Rose Oil Market: Regional Outlook



On the basis of the regional outlook, Rose Oil market is segmented into five different regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific. On analyzing the Rose Oil market at the global level, Europe and Asia Pacific are expected to dominate the Rose Oil market followed by North America, owing to increasing traction of rose oil products. In Europe, Bulgaria is the major producer of rose oil and exports around 30% of its total exports to France, which is then followed by United States, Japan, Ireland, and others.



Rose Oil Market: Key Player:



Some of the major players operating in Rose Oil market includes Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Ernesto Ventos, S.A, Alteya Organics, Givaudian, Firmenich, IFF, Symrise, Mane SA, Frutarom, Robertet SA, ALBERT VIEILLE SAS, BERJE INC, Bontoux S.A.S, Enio Bonchev Production Ltd, Albert Vieille SAS, Associate Allied Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd. and Lluch ESSENCE, S.L., among others



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One month after its successful launch, Parker Solar Probe  a NASAs robotic spacecraft designed to explore the Suns atmosphere  has collected and transmitted its first data.

All four instrument suites on Parker Solar Probe  WISPR, ISIS, FIELDS and SWEAP  returned data that not only serves for calibration, but also captures glimpses of what we expect them to measure near the Sun to solve the mysteries of the solar atmosphere, the corona, said Parker Solar Probe project scientist Dr. Nour Raouafi, from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab.

The missions first close approach to the Sun will be in November 2018, but even now, the instruments are able to gather measurements of whats happening in the solar wind closer to Earth.

As the only imager on the spacecraft, the WISPR (Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe) instrument will provide the clearest-yet glimpse of the solar wind from within the Suns corona.

WISPR was turned on in early September 2018 and took test images for calibration.

There is a very distinctive cluster of stars on the overlap of the two images. The brightest is the star Antares-alpha, which is in the constellation Scorpius and is about 90 degrees from the Sun, said WISPR principal investigator Dr. Russ Howard, a scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory.

The Sun, not visible in the image, is far off to the right of the images right edge. The planet Jupiter is visible in the image captured by WISPRs inner telescope  its the bright object slightly right of center in the right-hand panel of the image.

The left side of the photo shows a beautiful image of the Milky Way, looking at the Galactic center.

The ISIS (Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun) instrument suite aboard Parker Solar Probe measures high-energy particles associated solar activity like flares and coronal mass ejections.

ISIS two Energetic Particle Instruments cover a range of energies for these activity-driven particles: EPI-Lo focuses on the lower end of the energy spectrum, while EPI-Hi measures the more energetic particles.

Both instruments have gathered data under low voltage, making sure their detectors work as expected. As Parker Solar Probe approaches the Sun, they will be fully powered on to measure particles within the Suns corona.

The ISIS team is delighted with instrument turn-on so far. There are a few more steps to go, but so far everything looks great, said ISIS principal investigator Professor David McComas, of Princeton University.

The spacecrafts FIELDS instrument suite captures the scale and shape of electric and magnetic fields in the Suns atmosphere. These are key measurements to understanding why the Suns corona is hundreds of times hotter than its surface below.

FIELDS sensors include four 2-m electric field antennas as well as three magnetometers and a fifth, shorter electric field antenna mounted on a boom that extends from the back of the spacecraft.

FIELDS is one of the most comprehensive fields and waves suites ever flown in space, and it is performing beautifully, said FIELDS principal investigator Dr. Stuart Bale, from the University of California, Berkeley.

The SWEAP (Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons) suite includes three instruments: Two Solar Probe Analyzers (SPAN) measure electrons and ions in the solar wind, while the Solar Probe Cup sticks out from behind Parker Solar Probes heat shield to measure the solar wind directly as it streams off the Sun.

After opening covers, turning on high voltages and running internal diagnostics, all three instruments caught glimpses of the solar wind itself.

SWEAPs solar wind and corona plasma instrument performance has been very promising, said SWEAP principal investigator Dr. Justin Kasper, from the University of Michigan.

Our preliminary results just after turn-on suggest we have a set of highly sensitive instruments that will allow us to do amazing science close to the Sun.
As the world becomes increasingly diverse, local schools are aiming not just to be successful in a diverse global environment, but also to be leaders and catalysts for change.

Through educational opportunities, committees, events, and more, some of the best schools in Washtenaw County are also some of the most diverse in terms of student demographics, including race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. Heres a look at local schools that are working to build a more diverse and inclusive student body and staff while providing a quality education.

Creating 'change agents'

Washtenaw International High School and Middle Academy, Ypsilanti

In Joslyn Hunscher-Youngs social studies class at Washtenaw International High School (known as WiHi) in Ypsi, freshman students have shared the challenges they faced in interacting with students from different backgrounds, sometimes for the first time.

"They really felt like it was challenging for them to engage with people that are different from them because our neighborhoods are so segregated," Hunscher-Young says. "So they really viewed coming to (WiHi) as a chance for them to learn more about other people and other cultures and then also to build those relationships and connections."

Creating and fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment is at the heart of WiHi's rigorous, internationally recognized International Baccalaureate curriculum, according to principal Nhu Do.

The schools first assembly of the academic year was focused on equity and inclusion, Do says, and it addressed "that there are systems in place that promote inequity and it's really important as a school that we be the change agents in those inequities."

WiHi's student-led Diversity Alliance brings together leaders from several student groups such as the Muslim Student Association, the Pan-African Student Union, the Gay Straight Alliance, and more. Through the alliance, students plan Diversity Days when the entire school "focuses on ways that we can start to engage in honest and open discussion about the diversity that exists around us and the importance of ways that we can call each other in when difficult conversations come up," Do says.

Approximately 20 percent of students receive free and reduced-price lunches, Do says. And to help serve economically disadvantaged students, the schools PTO raises money and allocates more than $2,000 toward an anonymous scholarship program to help students who need a little extra help paying for extracurricular activities such as yearbook, prom, and other things that "contribute to a positive high school and middle school experience," Do says.

Last year WiHi started a pilot to take students to visit schools such as the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Eastern Michigan University, and Michigan State University.

"They essentially get to experience what students of privilege get to experience when they go to college visits," Do says. "We wanted to take away barriers and give them a chance to visit these schools."

WiHi at a glance:

Type of school: Public consortium International Baccalaureate high school and middle school for academically focused students enrolled in any Washtenaw County school district excluding Dexter.

Racial demographics: 52 percent Caucasian, 29 percent Asian, 13 percent African-American, 4 percent Hispanic

Languages spoken in students' homes: 25

Economically disadvantaged: 16 percent

'Planting seeds that will take root'

Greenhills School, Ann Arbor

Over the years, Greenhills School teachers Kelly Williams and Nadine Hall have seen the impact of what learning in a diverse environment can do for their graduates. There was the young white man who confronted racism after taking a leadership role in his fraternity by having conversations about how to make fraternity culture more inclusive. Then there was a young gay woman of color who graduated from Yale recently with a double major in economics and African-American studies. She now works for a high-powered consulting firm with the goal of focusing on diversity.

"One consistent refrain we hear from Greenhills alums is that they feel much more prepared than many of their peers in college to have discussions about diversity, equity, and social justice issues both inside and outside of the classroom," Williams and Hall told Concentrate in an email. "We like to think about the work of the diversity program at Greenhills as planting seeds that will take root and grow as students continue the path of lifelong learning into adulthood."

The two teachers are co-directors of the school's Office of Diversity. The school formally hired for the position in 2005 and since then its expanded to have two faculty members manage the office.

As co-directors, Williams and Hall design student-centered programming that aims to promote acceptance and awareness of diversity in the community and beyond. There are also opportunities for faculty professional development and community engagement.

Greenhills has many student clubs and affinity groups at both the middle school and high school level including Diversity in Action, Students Organized Against Racism, the Gay/Straight Alliance, African American Focus, South Asian Awareness Network, and LGBTQ+ Affinity Group. Students in these groups address diversity topics and personal experiences, help plan events and lunch conversations such as "Dine and Discuss" and the Martin Luther King Jr. Day all-school assembly, and hold organizational responsibilities for the school-wide Annual Diversity Symposium.

Faculty and staff also participate in diversity-related professional development opportunities. Last year, for example, teachers completed a three-hour workshop on how to support LGBTQ students that included better understanding pronoun use and the terminology that students use to describe their sexualities and gender identities.

Greenhills at a glance:

Type of school: Independent private school for grades 6-12

Students of color: 49 percent

Percentage of student body receiving financial aid: 17 percent

Annual tuition: $24,350 (middle school) and $24,900 (high school)

'Diversity is a strength'

Ann Arbor Public Schools

Every year, Ann Arbor Public Schools' (AAPS) Angell Elementary holds an International Night to celebrate the 40-plus countries students hail from. The event includes a world market, a food buffet, classroom exhibits and displays, and a Parade of Nations, in which students stand on stage with flags and share facts about their country.

Angell principal Gary Court recalls an exchange he had with a parent from Iran at an event years ago.

"He said that he was touched, moved, and greatly affected that as part of our Parade of Nations, his country was recognized and honored," he says. "He related that back in Iran, the USA was regarded as evil and an enemy and students of America would never be recognized or dignified. But here at this Parade of Nations, his children and his country were accepted and acknowledged."

Angell's students are 30 percent Asian, 15 percent multiethnic, and 3 percent Hispanic. But Court emphasizes that diversity in and of itself is not "a strength unless we share a common mission, or purpose, which for us is striving for outstanding student achievement for all students. Bringing together families or students who are very disparate is of little significance unless there is a unifying bond and agreed-upon core values."

At Huron High School, the student body is even more diverse  36 percent Caucasian, 21 percent Asian, 20 percent African-American, 15 percent multiethnic, almost 6 percent Latino, and 2 percent Arab-American. To address the achievement gap, AAPS offers the Rising Scholars program, which aims to create access and opportunity for underrepresented and high-achieving students and prepare them for life after high school.

The district also works not only to build a diverse and inclusive staff, but also to grow from within, according to superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift. This year AAPS is preparing to launch a new program for high school students interested in education by taking a social justice approach.

"We want ... teacher candidates out of our student group who really are ready to change the world and they want to do that right here in Ann Arbor," Swift says.

Swift says "diversity is a strength" for AAPS. She notes that diversity and inclusion arent taught so much as they are values that students embody by being "open and inclusive and welcoming and celebrating each other."

"It really is who they are and it gives us a tremendous amount of hope for the next generation that our children are growing and learning and developing," she says. "Whether they remain here in Ann Arbor or they ship off to work or live or grow somewhere else ... they're going to (make a difference) in their environment, wherever that may be."

AAPS at a glance:

Type of school: Public

Racial demographics: 50 percent Caucasian, 14 percent African-American, 15 percent Asian, 4 percent Hispanic, 17 percent other

Languages spoken in students' homes: 85 (1 in 10 students comes from a home where English is not the first language)

Students whose homes are impacted by poverty: 1 in 4

Dorothy Hernandez is a freelance writer and editor based in metro Detroit.

All photos by

Doug Coombe
The administrators of insurer CBL Corp have sold a second of the firms international subsidiaries.

UK-based European Insurance Services has been sold to Phenix Holdings, Brendon Gibson and Neale Jackson of KordaMentha said.

The terms of the sale, effected through CBL subsidiary Intercede 2408, cant be disclosed at this time, they said.

Auckland-based insurer CBL appointed KordaMentha voluntary administrators on March 2 after the Reserve Bank sought an interim liquidation of its New Zealand supervised arm and the Central Bank of Ireland made a similar move against its European division.

CBL Insurance - the New Zealand-based subsidiary - has been placed in interim liquidation and is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office, the Reserve Bank and the Financial Markets Authority.

In July KordaMentha announced the sale of CBLs UK-based professional fee protection business to Highbridge Principal Strategies and Madison Dearborn Partners. Terms of the sale, which was subject to regulatory approvals, were not disclosed at the time.

(BusinessDesk)

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There are few other actors in the younger lot who have created an impact like he has done, with his variety of characters played on screen. Yes, we are talking about Fahadh Faasil, who never seems to go wrong with his brilliance while performing. If you have any doubts, watch his latest release, Varathan, where he unleashes another terrific performance.





Its nothing new for the actor though. Fahadh was so convincing as a doctor with a roving eye in Diamond Necklace, as a soft spoken band player in Amen, as a local photographer in Maheshinte Prathikaram, a diplomat in Take Off or a petty criminal who is caught while snatching a chain in Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum.





Fahadh is currently busy with Anwar Rasheeds Trance, Sathyan Anthikkads Njan Prakashan and Madhu C Narayanans Kumbalangi Nights.





In a brief chat with sify.com, Fahadh Faasil talks about his films and more:





Your latest release, Varathan, has got a splendid welcome. What attracted you to the story?

Varathan literally means an outsider. When a person who is born and brought up here stays somewhere else for a certain period and come back, he becomes an outsider. I feel it is unfair. Of course, in the movie it happens within a timeline and at a set place. Well, that is my understanding of the film.





You are doing films like Njan Prakashan, Trance and Kumbalangi Nights now.

Yes, all those films are at various stages of production and I am excited about them, though I cant talk more about those films.





You are regarded as a powerhouse performer and your characters are so real. Do you have any references while doing characters like say, the chain snatcher Prasad in Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum?

As an actor you are actually creating a character and I enjoy that process. You observe people and become a listener. Even then, there have been some references that I have used while doing certain characters. Rasool in Annayum Rasoolum had some shades of one of my cousins. Prakashan from Njan Prakshan is a friend of mine.





How was the Velaikkaaran experience, which was your first film other than Malayalam?

I thoroughly enjoyed shooting for Velaikkaaran and I made a great friend during the process, Sivakarthikeyan. Also, it was wonderful working with director Mohan Raja. I have not seen a director who takes so much effort to get things the best way possible.





How was it working with director Thiagarajan Kumararaja in your forthcoming Tamil film, Super Deluxe?
Your friends will always praise you but if you want a true indication of your successes, you must listen to the curses your enemies hurl at you. If you go by what analysts in Pakistan, like the one above, write about R&AW, you would think of the organisation in the same way cinema lovers think of USAs CIA  omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.

In an article hatefully titled How RAW extends Indias evil agenda? , S Qamar Afzal Rizvi credited as an an independent IR researcher based in Karachi writes this about Indias foreign spy agency Research and Analysis Wing, (R&AW): To create a powerful tool within the organisation which could undertake covert operations in neighbouring countries, RAW became a blue eyed policy narrative of all the past governments in India. It has been in this background that RAW became an international actor by assuring its proxy role in collaboration with CIA, MI-6, BND, and the Mossad via Christo-Judo-Hindu alliance against Muslims.

But consider what one of our own writer Aakar Patel has to say: Unlike the ISI, many know little about RAW, which is secretive and low-profile. For this reason, it is also assumed to be competent, or at least effective To Indians I will say this: There are other things to be justifiably proud of as an Indian. Having a brutally effective spy agency should not be among them.

He is not the only one. Intelligence analysts, journalists and even former spies have written disparagingly of R&AW and its capabilities.

What is the truth then? Is R&AW dreaded or dreadful, effective or affectlessly irrelevant, a proactive shaper of Indias history and foreign policy or a bumbling reactionary force? As R&AW turns 50 today, it is worth investigating its past in search of an answer.

Like everything else about it, R&AWs origin is shrouded in mystery. When articles first began appearing in 1972 about R&AW, readers found it hard to believe that India had an agency in the footsteps of the infamous CIA. And would you blame them. Research and Analysis Wing sounds like the research division of some corporate and not the name of a secret service. Indeed, one of its first spies, K Sankaran Nair, in his memoir states that this was deliberately so.

The name has to do with the agency beginning as an organ of Intelligence Bureau (IB). It is commonly believed that its creation was necessitated by Indias intelligence failure in 1962 war with China and again the 1965 war with Pakistan where India barely survived. However, like everything to do with R&AW, this version has been contested by many analysts and spies.

However, it would take the will of a goongi gudiya, Indira Gandhi, to bring the agency to life from a blueprint prepared by a man who would, on 21st September 1968, become R&AWs first head - the tall, deceptively soft-spoken, Rameshwar Nath Kao (whose 100th birthday the nation conveniently forgot in May this year). Barely two and half years after its formation (which the IB begrudged and refused to part with what they needed), they would do something unprecedented in world history and whose details perhaps we will never really learn.

On the second anniversary of his ascent to power i.e. March 25, 1971, Yahya Khan unleashed a brutal crackdown on the population of East Pakistan, a sort of genocide and final solution never before or later witnessed in the world (who could dare target 75 million people and kill up to 3 million of them). Launching the military immediately wasnt possible for India not just because we were unprepared for warfare in swampy, wet condition that characterised East Pakistan, but also because the Pakistanis were well supplied with the latest armament from the USA and had political backing from most of the powerful nations of the world.

It was then that R&AW rose to the occasion. First, it coordinated the training of the many rebel groups  Mukti Bahini being the most famous one trained by BSF and Indian Army, while the others like Kader Bahini and Mujib Bahini were trained by R&AWs own military wing the Special Frontier Force (SFF) comprising Tibetan refugees which remains a well-trained and secretive commando force to this day. While the Mukti Bahini with nearly 100,000 recruits, would have numbers on their side, the most spectacular successes would be seen by the other groups (Kader Bahini is credited with killing 3000 Pakistani soldiers) whod become the nemesis for the Pakistani army, forcing them to retreat into their barracks thus perhaps saving thousands of Bengali lives, especially minorities like Hindus and Christians who became the main target of the Pakistani army as the months progressed.

Thus, when the Indian army rolled in post December 3, it managed a blitzkrieg attack that would baffle the world for the Pakistani army, living under a government run by the military, was one of the most well trained, maintained and equipped forces in the world.

Yet R&AWs most crucial role in Bangladesh was the intelligence network it had cultivated in both the wings of Pakistan and which it used to the hilt between April and December 1971. Sun Tzu, recognising the importance of espionage in 700 BC had written in The Art of War: Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men, is foreknowledge. R&AW provided foreknowledge and ensured that the Indian Army stomped through to victory in barely 14 days and led to the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers who had been responsible for the genocide of up to 3 million East Pakistanis in the preceding 9 months.

R&AW was able to provide the intel leading to key interventions in the war that turned the tides in Indias favour. Though most of it remains shrouded in mystery (perhaps when Kaos memoirs are declassified by R&AW well come to know a bit about it). But rumours have abound and provide some insight into the same.

It is believed that while Pakistan attacked 12 air bases on the evening of December 3, it could hardly do any damage to the Indian Air Force because they knew about the attack, thanks to R&AW.

R&AW is also said to have provided the intel on Karachi harbour to the Indian Navy allowing it to target it on the first day of battle literally crippling the Pakistani Navy.

When the Indian Army moved into East Pakistan, their speed was courtesy the network of spies believed to be spread till the village level, who provided precise intel about the Pakistani army, its formations and location.

R&AW is also credited with an alleged false flag operation relating to the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane by Kashmiri separatists in January 1971 which gave India the reason to ban Pakistani flights over its airspace. This would prove crucial since travelling between the East and West wings of Pakistan via Sri Lanka became a longer and painful affair for its armed forces, ensuring blockage of crucial reinforcements during war.

What is however lost in the jingoism surrounding the 1971 war victory is that India was fighting that war not just with Pakistan, but almost the whole of the rest of the world. Pakistan was actively supported by the USA  whose president Nixon provided them weapons in contravention of its own treaty with India and Pakistan  and China, who 9 years ago had humiliated India. Most of the western world and the middle eastern nations (except Palestine that rooted for India), were on Pakistans side.

Indeed, when it seemed that the Pakistani army was being routed, USA deployed its Task Force 74, a deadly naval armada led by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise into the Bay of Bengal. This move was countered only by the USSR deploying its own naval vessels and a nuclear submarine in Indias defence. The friendship treaty with Russia that led them to rush to our defence when the rest of the world did not, was aided by R&AW and its chief Kaos friendship with the KGB.

By the looks of it if the 1971 war had gone on longer, it could have led to a serious cold war crisis and a World War III situation. R&AWs intel and the resultant rapid movement of the Indian army aided by Indian Air Force and Indian Navy (the three have never before or hence worked in such harmony), prevented that and after the Pakistani defeat of December 16, the world came around to accept the new order and a new nation  Bangladesh. Indias prestige in the eyes of the world had never been higher before or since.

Ironically thus, in 1971  which was R&AWs crowning glory, very few Indians knew of its existence and stories of this shadowy organisation would start appearing in the press only since 1972.

Post 1971 the agency has had other successes. The most prominent being the peaceful merger (some would say annexation) of Sikkim into India. It is also believed that LTTE was first trained and armed by R&AW in an attempt to do a Bangladesh in Sri Lanka. This, however, backfired miserably for India as Prabhakaran  supposed to be one of the first to be trained, bit hard the very hand that fed it leading to decades of retaliatory bloodshed and violence not just in Sri Lanka but also India.

It is also believed that from time to time, especially after Pakistans massive support of the Khalistan movement and the separatist movement in Kashmir (which was in retaliation to Indias assistance of Mukti Bahini), R&AW decided to do a tit for tat and supported Balochi and Sindhi rebels in Pakistan resulting in death, destruction and destabilization of our neighbouring country. In this light it is interesting to read what analysts in Pakistan write about R&AW, blaming almost every ill in the country on the agency. While it is a convenient exaggeration, its not necessarily fully false either.

There are other tales of R&AW, and many dangerous and silly defections including many into the USA, some of which have come to light thanks to the many books written by former agents and office bearers of the agency. The number of publications on R&AW and its frequency have increased in the last two decades allowing the general public some view into the agency and its working. Yet, a lot about it lurks in the shadow world.

Take for example its budget (alleged to be unlimited) or number of personnel. No one seems to know them. And no one really knows what the extent of its operational mandate is? And what does its military force SFF do? Is it involved in covert military operations across the world and if yes of what sort? Despite the antagonistic past with IB, what all do the two intelligence agencies cooperate on? Is it like FBI and CIA? The truth is most Indians know more about FBI and CIA than we do about IB and R&AW. If R&AW is answerable only to the PM (unlike even CIA and Mossad who have to answer to their nations parliaments), what are the types of operations various PMs have used it for? The opposition in the 70s called RAW the mafia of the then PM Indira Gandhi (some claim files were burned in the R&AW headquarters on the day Indira Gandhi lost) and considering how she misused her powers in that decade, what are the details of the same? Is it misusing its power now against political dissidents? Or is it a sloppy organisation riddled with corruption and nepotism as a few former spies have alleged?

Like it is with most spy agencies, theres no way to tell the truth from fiction. However, there is one truth we can lay out with certainty: whether good, bad or ugly, in the last 50 years of its existence, R&AW has emerged as a type of quasi-governmental organisation that has had one of the biggest influences on the geopolitical affairs not just of India, but the whole of South and South East Asia. And the fact that we still know very little about R&AW attests to the agencys true prowess.

Perhaps the Pakistani analysts cursing R&AW arent too off the mark either.

(Satyen K. Bordoloi is a screenwriter, researcher, journalist based in Mumbai. He writes mostly on cinema and politics. He is currently writing a spec script on R&AWs 1971 exploits.)
China anti-graft agency probes head of energy administration



Beijing, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



The head of China's energy administration has been placed under investigation by the country's anti-corruption watchdog, the latest top official ensnared in the Communist Party's campaign against graft.

Nur Bekri, an ethnic Uighur, had worked his way up in his native Xinjiang, eventually rising to deputy party secretary and government chairman in the far western region, before receiving the post at the energy administration in 2014.

China's anti-graft agency, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said Friday that Bekri was under investigation for "serious violations of Party disciplinary rules and laws", a euphemism that usually means corruption.

Bekri also held the post of deputy head of China's state planner, making him one of the highest-ranking Uighur officials.

The mostly Muslim Uighur minority populates the restive Xinjiang region, where it faces a draconian crackdown in the name of combating terrorism and separatism.

Up to a million minorities are believed to be held in extrajudicial re-education camps in Xinjiang, rights groups say.

The energy industry has been the target of President Xi Jinping's anti-graft crackdown, with several top officials at China's state-owned oil companies coming under investigation in recent years.

Xi has presided over the much-publicised anti-corruption campaign since coming to power in 2012, which some have compared to a political purge.
WTO eyes China bid to slap stiff trade sanctions on US



Geneva, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



A World Trade Organization arbitrator will review Friday a Chinese request to impose more than $7 billion (nearly 6 billion euros) in annual sanctions on the United States over anti-dumping practices, a Geneva trade official said.

The decision to appoint an arbitrator was reached during a special meeting of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body convened to discuss developments in a five-year-old trade dispute between the world's top two economies.

Beijing had already warned earlier this month that it planned to ask the global trade body during the meeting for permission to impose $7.04 billion in annual trade sanctions on Washington in the case.

China's representative told Friday's meeting that measures taken by Washington had "seriously infringed China's legitimate economic and trade interests."

A source close to the WTO meanwhile said that the arbitration "was automatically triggered after the United States informed the WTO that it objected to the level of retaliation proposed by China."

WTO arbitration can often be a drawn-out process, and the results are not expected to be known for months.

China initially filed its dispute against the United States back in December 2013, taking issue with the way Washington assesses whether exports have been "dumped" at unfairly low prices onto the US market.

The use of anti-dumping duties are permitted under international trade rules as long as they adhere to strict conditions, and disputes over their use are often brought before the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body.

In this specific case, China alleged that the United States, in violation of WTO rules, was continuing a practice known as "zeroing", which calculates the price of imports compared to the normal value in the United States to determine predatory pricing.

In October 2016, a panel of WTO experts found largely in China's favour in the case, including on the issue of "zeroing".

The United States, which has repeatedly lost cases before the WTO over its calculation method, said in June last year that it would implement the panel's recommendations within a "reasonable" time frame.

This past January, the DSB set an August 22 deadline for Washington to bring its practices in line with the 2016 ruling.

According to WTO rules, the plaintiff in such cases can request permission to impose sanctions if the parties have not reached agreement on a satisfactory compensation within 20 days of the WTO deadline.
ABSTRACT

The field of nuclear agriculture is introduced very briefly. Nuclear agriculture research/development system in Pakistan is described highlighting the achievements of the system partners. Description and discussion are generalized in concluding remarks at the end of the article. This article is an experimental guide for a developing nuclear agriculture system.

Keywords:

Nuclear Agriculture, The PAEC, Crop Varieties, Hunger

1. Introduction to Nuclear Agriculture

Agriculture has been the backbone of the development throughout the human history. It helps us in the production of foods, clothing and the raw materials for the old and modern industry, details in the refs. [1] - [6] . Nuclear agriculture refers to the application of nuclear techniques and methods in the field of agriculture. It is an example of peaceful uses of nuclear technology. No residual radiation is left in the plants developed through radiation induced mutations. Generalized objectives in agriculture are high yield, wide adaptability and stability in performance, tolerance to diseases and abiotic stresses, e.g., drought, heat, cold, and salinity etc. Induced mutations are the least hazardous in developing resistance in plants against diseases and insect pests. Important aspects of mutation breeding include desirable plant characters, mutability, genetic manipulation and genetic analysis. Detection of rare genetic variants in large populations is difficult. Selection of genetic variants in mutation breeding is critical. Selection errors occur due to a number of reasons including wrong selection criteria, inadequate techniques, lack of accuracy and too low screening population. Mutations induced by radiation or chemical mutagens include a small fraction of useful genetic alterations. Very small fraction of induced mutants (<1%) get selected for yield trials and further only 1% of selected and evaluated mutants qualify official tests and obtain approval of commercial utilization in the form of a variety. Nuclear agriculture is an active area of research and development around the world. Use of nuclear techniques in agriculture is helping to provide food security to third world countries of Asia and Africa (photos in Figure 1).

2. Nuclear Agriculture Research/Development System in Pakistan

Nuclear agriculture is among priorities of Pakistans neighbors India and China. Pakistan is not behind its neighbors in nuclear agriculture and has developed close to 100 new varieties of various crops including wheat, cotton, rice, lentil, chickpea, brassica and sugarcane, etc. Developed varieties have higher yield potential and resistance against diseases and insect pests than their parent varieties. Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has paid considerable attention to promote the nuclear techniques for the development of agriculture sector in the country. PAEC and its agriculture research system of institutions include Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA), Tandojam, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Peshawar and National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad. They have played an important role in the development of new crop varieties by using the nuclear techniques in agriculture. Development of crop varieties is a slow process as it takes 12 - 15 years to develop new varieties and to achieve stability in performance.

Table 1 gives nuclear agriculture development in Pakistan. It shows start-up years of PAEC institutes working on agriculture and related fields. These institutes work in coordination and competition with each other compelling them to keep active in useful research and development (R & D) work. A number of crop varieties have been developed by PAEC institutes (Table 2). Wheat, cotton, rice and sugarcane are major crops on which breeding work through radiation induced mutations is being conducted at PAEC institutes. Varieties of 8 different crops are released which shows the broad scope of breeding work continued at PAEC agriculture centers. PAEC agriculture centres have developed new technologies, crop varieties and instruments/methods related to the agriculture. They have transferred the developed technologies to the end users or farmers. The released crop varieties have resulted in outstanding improvement in productivity and tolerance of the crops.

A number of varieties of above mentioned crops have been released by the PAECs agriculture institutes. These varieties cover significant fraction of crop areas in the country. NIAB-78, released by NIAB, Faisalabad, is a cotton variety which covered more than 70% of the area under cotton in Pakistan. Sarsabz (1985) and Kiran (1992), both released by NIA, Tandojam are very successful wheat varieties and covers more than 30% area under wheat in Sindh. Kiran still

Figure 1. (a) Hunger circumstances [7] and (b) agriculture as the food source [8] .

Table 1. PAEC Institutes working on nuclear agriculture and related fields.

Table 2. Crop varieties developed by the PAEC institutes.

*Consultation for data in this table: Dr. N. Iqbal, PAEC Headquarters, Islamabad; Dr. K.D. Jamali, NIA, Tandojam. Accessible data about the periods of crop varieties are mentioned in the text.

dominates in Sindh province covering more than 25% of land under wheat. Shandar is a rice variety, released by NIA dominates and covers more than 50% of area under rice in Sindh. NIA has released rice variety Shua for saline lands. Saduri is the best cotton variety released by NIA and it covers more than 25% of land under cotton in Sindh. NIA-2004 is a sugarcane variety, released by NIA, which is very popular in Sindh. Pakistan is an agricultural state where crop improvement can have a significant impact on the national economy. So, agriculture R&D in Pakistan is very important.

3. Concluding Remarks

Rising world population requires the increase of food production and decrease of crop losses. Nuclear techniques in agriculture can help in achieving the goal of matching food production with its demand by developing high yield and stress resistant crop varieties. Pakistan is applying scientific knowledge/experience in solving the problems of agriculture. Pakistan has produced a number of stress-resistant/tolerant crop varieties. Programs relating to insect control and soil management for better crops are active in the country. PAEC is doing nuclear R&D in 5 thematic programs of agriculture, plant breeding, soil science, plant protection, plant physiology and animal sciences. PAECs achievements in nuclear agriculture are admirable. Nuclear agriculture institutions in Pakistan have improved agriculture in the country through release of better crop varieties suitable for local conditions. Nuclear agriculture is helping in the fight against the hunger. Other breeding technologies are described in Refs. [9] - [12] and references therein.

Acknowledgements

Useful discussions with Mr. Muhammad Yousuf Memon (Director NIA), Dr. Nazir Ahmad, Mr. Abdullah Khatri, and Dr. Azeem Asad are gratefully acknowledged and appreciated. Author is basically a physicist who worked in agriculture as a visiting scientist during 2014-15.

Conflicts of Interest

The author declares no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Cite this paper

Rana, M.A. (2018) Reshaping Agriculture Using the Nuclear Techniques: The Pakistan Case. Agricultural Sciences, 9, 1168-1172. https://doi.org/10.4236/as.2018.99081

References
US criticizes treatment of Uighurs in latest China row



Washington, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



The United States on Friday denounced China's treatment of its Uighur Muslims in unusually strong terms, adding to a growing list of disputes in increasingly turbulent relations between the two powers.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced alarm after a United Nations report described the mass internment of Uighurs under the pretext of preventing extremism in the western Xinjiang region where the minority group is concentrated.

"Hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uighurs are held against their will in so-called re-education camps where they're forced to endure severe political indoctrination and other awful abuses," Pompeo said in a speech on the state of religious freedom around the world.

"Their religious beliefs are decimated," Pompeo said.

In a letter to Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, both Republican and Democratic members of Congress late last month called for sanctions on Chinese officials implicated in the internment of Uighurs.

Pompeo did not say whether the United States would take punitive measures.

Even so, the remarks were striking for their tone, with President Donald Trump's administration putting human rights on the back seat in relations with allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The Trump administration itself has faced criticism at home and abroad for its stance on Muslims, with the president as a candidate calling for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States and, soon after taking office, barring entry to citizens of several Muslim-majority countries.

Pompeo also expressed concern about the fate of Christians in China, who he said had been targeted in a government crackdown.

The government, he said, has been "closing churches, burning Bibles and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith."



- China defends treatment -



In an interview earlier in the week, Pompeo had described China as a greater threat to the United States than Russia, saying that Beijing was a "non-transparent government."

"It treats our intellectual property horribly, it treats its religious minorities horribly," he told Fox News.

China has rejected the findings of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said last month that the report was "based on so-called information that is yet to be verified and has no factual basis."

Hua added that China was doing what was needed to combat extremism and terrorism on its western frontier.

Uighurs have long complained of systematic discrimination in the region, which activists call East Turkestan, with tensions especially rife in areas that have seen large-scale migration from China's dominant Han ethnicity.

The Uyghur Human Rights Project, an advocacy group that uses an alternative spelling for the minority group's name, has estimated that an entire 10 percent of the population has been detained as part of an indoctrination campaign.



- Rising disputes -



The fresh focus on human rights comes as trade disputes mount between the world's two largest economies.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.

The two sides have already imposed tariffs on $50 billion in goods from each country.

Trump in his first year appeared to relish a chummy rapport with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he invited to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. But relations have wobbled as Trump takes an increasingly hard line to protect domestic industry.

Moving a step further, the United States said Thursday it was placing financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of China's defense ministry as well as its top administrator for violating sanctions on Russia by buying Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

Russia and China both lashed out at the move, with Beijing urging the United States to withdraw the sanctions or "bear the consequences."
Page Content

Each Year on September 21th, the United Nations celebrate International Day of Peace. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.





The theme for the 2018 Day of Peace is The Right to Peace - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70. The theme celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration  the most translated document in the world, available in more than 500 languages - is as relevant today as it was on the day that it was adopted.





Sustainable Development Goal 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions calls for promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. A peaceful society is one where there is justice and equality for everyone. Human Rights are instrumental to get and maintain peace.





It is time all nations and all people live up to the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human race. This year marks the 70th anniversary of that landmark document. -- Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated.





What is our Sint Maarten government intending to do on Peace and Justice for all?





Before 2010 Sint Maarten and Curacao have started to Build Strong Institutions, with the establishment of the High Council of State, The Ombudsman, The SER etc. If we look at the current Governing program 2018-2022, Building a Sustainable Sint Maarten, some key priority areas for development of the country are mentioned. The parts that refer to SDG 16, Peace and Justice, building strong institutions, are: Introduce Electoral Reform and Implement Integrity Chamber. Strengthen collaboration with Saint Martin and Kingdom partners are also to be considered falling under SDG 16. On action level: Develop a National Safety and Security plan and Be more safety smart, fall indirectly under Peace, justice for all.





The themes Transparency, Integrity, and Accountability are also highlighted in the St. Maarten Governing program, as also Electoral Reform. It states: We must consider that there is a fundamental public lack of trust in past governments.





We believe that both constitutional and electoral reform can contribute to the restoration of trust. While Sint Maarten enjoys free and fair elections, an increasing concern is, that there is still a need to educate the community of our electoral system. To this end we will review the laws governing elections, improve electoral awareness on all levels and where necessary improve the democratic process of electing a parliament and appointing a government to office.





Under Protecting Industries and Communities the Government of Sint Maarten is focusing on Crime prevention, and it states: To protect the people of Sint Maarten and visitors to our island, we must intensify the crime prevention practices in the Justice chain. Strategic and tactical deployment of our officers in critical business and residential districts are some of the much-needed deterrents against crimes. However, we must not see crime prevention solely from the standpoint of increasing police presence. There must be significant investments in our Youth to prevent juvenile delinquency.





To reduce crime in general we will strengthen our neighborhood crime watch programs, deploy more blue on the street, better equip and train the community police officers, finalize and extend the camera project. However, the task of crime prevention does not stop here and will have to include active identity theft programs and educate the community on the ills of the internet as it relates to private information.





The Right to Peace





The Universal Declaration states in Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. These elements build the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Yet, the Universal Declaration does not include a separate article on Right to Peace.





What does The Right to Peace mean to you? What can you do?





In the lead up to the International Day of Peace on 21 September, the UN calls upon all to act. You can support SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions by seeking peaceful resolution of conflict when disagreements arise around you. You can be part of the solution by taking small steps. You can prevent an injustice at school or in your community by adopting a non-violent approach to problem solving and reporting potential crimes, including online bullying.





You can promote human rights by collecting and promoting videos of as many articles as possible in as many languages as possible. Record yourself reading one of the 30 articles of the Declaration in any of the 135 languages currently available and share your video with your friends.





You can engage by speaking up when others are at risk and stand with others human rights at work, in school and around the dinner table.





You can share your ideas with the UN through #peaceday and #standup4humanright.





You can reflect how each of us can stand up for our rights, every day. Human rights are everyone's rights.





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




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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(0x7f3fd9d3af88)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c9450)', '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(0x7f3fd9d3af88)') 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(0x7f3fd93c9450)') 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(0x7f3fd9cffc20)') 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(0x7f3fd93c9450)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c9450)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c9558)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9c66bd8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9c66bd8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
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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(0x7f3fd9d0fc40)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9c66e40)', '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(0x7f3fd9d0fc40)') 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(0x7f3fd9c66e40)') 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(0x7f3fd9d27f68)') 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(0x7f3fd9c66e40)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9c66e40)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c9fc0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9ced1b8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9ced1b8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
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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

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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(0x7f3fd9baacf0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9cf82c8)', '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(0x7f3fd9baacf0)') 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(0x7f3fd9cf82c8)') 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(0x7f3fd9cce650)') 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(0x7f3fd9cf82c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9cf82c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c9ee8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd93c9bd0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd93c9bd0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

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/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(0x7f3fd9cfb0c8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9d215e0)', '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(0x7f3fd9cfb0c8)') 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(0x7f3fd9d215e0)') 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(0x7f3fd9d1cda0)') 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(0x7f3fd9d215e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9d215e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93ca510)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9bfab18)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9bfab18)') 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(0x7f3fd99114a0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c97e0)', '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(0x7f3fd99114a0)') 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(0x7f3fd93c97e0)') 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(0x7f3fd991ff40)') 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(0x7f3fd93c97e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c97e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c9510)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd991c378)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd991c378)') 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(0x7f3fd98feea8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9d2cd90)', '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(0x7f3fd98feea8)') 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(0x7f3fd9d2cd90)') 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(0x7f3fd9bf36b0)') 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(0x7f3fd9d2cd90)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd9d2cd90)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd93c9c78)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9c8caf0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd9c8caf0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Moon's nuclear diplomacy a 'dangerous gamble': analysts



Seoul, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



South Korean President Moon Jae-in has embarked on a "dangerous gamble", analysts said, after he secured only minimal concessions from Kim Jong Un to reboot the North's nuclear negotiations with Washington.

Moon flew to Pyongyang this week for his third summit with Kim seeking a concrete gesture to rekindle the stalled denuclearisation talks between the United States and the North.

But he returned Thursday with agreements that fell far short of US demands for a "final, fully verified denuclearisation" of North Korea.

The South Korean leader prioritised Seoul's trust-building process with Pyongyang over denuclearisation, said Shin Beom-cheol, an analyst at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies.

"It's a dangerous gamble," Shin said, adding that Seoul's emollient approach could facilitate efforts by the North to hold on to its nuclear weapons.

South Korea will be blamed if Pyongyang does not denuclearise, he said, adding: "It will put cracks in its alliance with Washington and Seoul will lose credibility."

Moon, who also met the North Korean leader in April and May this year, was instrumental in brokering the historic Singapore summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim in June.

Kim backed the denuclearisation of the "Korean peninsula" after meeting Trump, but no details were agreed and Washington and Pyongyang have since sparred over what that means and how it will be achieved.



- 'Sleight of hand' -



At the Pyongyang summit, Kim agreed to permanently close the North's Tongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch pad under the eyes of foreign observers.

Analysts quickly dismissed the promise, saying the facility was outdated and no longer needed as the already existing missiles were produced elsewhere.

The North Korean leader also offered to take further steps such dismantling the country's best known nuclear facility in Yongbyon, if the US carried out "corresponding measures".

Pyongyang is believed to have produced its plutonium at Yongbyon, which is also known to house a uranium enrichment plant.

But Sung-yoon Lee of the Fletcher School at Tufts University noted that Yongbyon has been mothballed before, only to be reactivated when negotiations with the US fell through.

"The closure of Yongbyon, even were it actually to take place, does not mean a major concession for Kim has alternate means to building more bombs by enriching uranium," Lee added.

Kim had already declared the North's nuclear development complete and the moves were "a sleight of hand for ensnaring the US... which will enable Kim to buy more time and money with which to perfect his own nuclear posture", Lee told AFP.

Rather than shuttering outdated testing facilities, North Korea needed to provide a comprehensive list of its nuclear assets, said Cha Du-hyeogn of the Asan Institute.

"Right now it's just offering to showcase known facilities and that's unacceptable," he added.



- Trump-Kim: Round Two -



The US welcomed Kim's latest promise, saying it was ready for immediate talks aimed at denuclearising the North with Trump quickly tweeting: "Very exciting!"

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- whose visit to Pyongyang last month was abruptly cancelled by Trump -- also praised Kim's "important commitments" and offered to meet his North Korean counterpart in New York, but analysts noted that Washington was acting with caution.

"The issue is whether Pompeo will return to North Korea but that's not immediately happening," Cha said.

But maintaining the momentum for denuclearisation talks was vital, said Kim Heung-kyu, a professor at Ajou University, calling the Pyongyang statement "a very significant achievement".

The new impetus will be a relief for Trump who is embroiled in multiple scandals ahead of the US midterm elections in November, he noted, saying developments with North Korea will help "divert attention".

Moon probably convinced Kim by telling him that there was not a lot of time left until Trump's political interest drifted elsewhere, he added. "If it wasn't for this, both Kim and Trump would not have budged."

The biggest challenge may come soon, if the two mercurial leaders reunite for a second headline-grabbing meeting.

Moon said after his Pyongyang trip that Kim was hoping for another summit with Trump "at an early date".

"The real problem is Trump himself is eager for a follow-up meeting with Kim," said Lee of Tufts University.

That "will entail more concessions", he added, such as "further relaxation of sanctions enforcement and normalisation of Kim's image and stature".
China warns US to withdraw sanctions on military



Beijing, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



Beijing called on the United States on Friday to withdraw sanctions it imposed on a Chinese military organisation for buying Russian weapons or "bear the consequences".

"The Chinese side expresses strong indignation over the above-mentioned unreasonable practices of the US side," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing.

Geng said Beijing had lodged an official protest with the United States.

"The US actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," Geng said.

"We strongly urge the US to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences."

The US State Department said Thursday it was placing financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese Ministry of Defence, and its top administrator, for the recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

Officials said it was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, and signalled the Trump administration's will to risk relations with other countries in its campaign against Moscow.

The move comes as the United States and China are in the heat of a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.

The two sides have already imposed tariffs on $50 billion in goods from each country.
China, Russia warn US of consequences over sanctions



Moscow, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



Moscow and Beijing lashed out Friday at Washington's new anti-Russian sanctions that also target China for the first time, warning the United States could face consequences.

The United States is "playing with fire", Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said, while Beijing voiced "strong indignation" over the move.

United in their resentment of America's global influence, China and Russia have sought in recent years to tighten up their ties and this month conducted week-long joint military drills, Moscow's largest ever war games.

On Thursday, China -- which is also locked in a trade war with Washington -- got caught up in the sanctions war against Russia as the United States announced a new raft of measures that would punish third countries for dealing with Moscow.

Stepping up pressure on Moscow over its "malign activities," the US State Department said it was placing financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese Ministry of Defence, and its top administrator, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.

Beijing on Friday urged the United States to withdraw sanctions or "bear the consequences".

"The US actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, adding Beijing had lodged an official protest with the United States.

"We strongly urge the US to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences."

US officials said it was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, signalling Donald Trump's administration will risk relations with other countries in its campaign against Moscow.



- 'Undermining stability' -



Moscow said Washington was rocking global stability and said sarcastically that placing sanctions on Russia has become Washington's favourite "pastime."

"It would be good for them to remember there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties," said Ryabkov.

"Playing with fire is silly, it can become dangerous," he said in a statement.

The State Department also announced it was placing 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist.

All of them -- defence related firms, officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation group -- have been on previous US sanctions lists.

Twenty eight of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating election meddling by Russia.

US officials said that the US could consider similar action against other countries taking delivery of Russian fighter jets and missiles.

Turkey is in talks to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia.

Ryabkov reiterated that none of the rounds of sanctions had managed to force Russia to change its course so far.

"It appears that it has become a sort of national pastime there," he added, noting the latest round of anti-Russian measures was the 60th since 2011.

For all of Russia's seemingly upbeat rhetoric the new measures can hurt the country's struggling economy.

Arms exports are an important source of revenue for the country and last year Russia sold more than $14 billion worth of arms overseas.



- Sanctions target only Russia? -



A senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted the ultimate target was Russia.

"CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country," the official said.

CAATSA, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, was passed in 2017 as a tool that gives Washington more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.

China's EDD and its director Li Shangfu became targets after taking delivery over the past year of the jets and missiles from Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms exporter already on the US blacklist for its support of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.

The US official said Washington had spent "an enormous amount of time" seeking to discourage prospective buyers of Russian arms.

The new sanctions came as the United States and China are in the heat of a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.
IS leader Baghdadi, world's 'most wanted', sought in Syria offensive



Paris, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



US-backed forces have launched an offensive on the Islamic State group's last stronghold in eastern Syria, but the man dubbed the world's "most wanted"-- IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi -- could yet again slip through the net, experts warn.

There have been recurring reports of Baghdadi being killed or injured, but the elusive leader, whose only known public appearance dates to July 2014 when he proclaimed a cross-border caliphate from the pulpit of a mosque in the Iraqi city of Mosul, is believed to be still alive.

In August, he resurfaced in a purported new audio recording in which he urged his followers to keep up the fight despite IS having lost around 90 percent of the territory it held at the height of its reign of terror.

He also urged them to continue waging lone-wolf attacks in the West.

In May, a senior Iraqi intelligence official told AFP that Baghdadi had been moving discreetly between villages and towns east of the Euphrates river in Deir Ezzor province, near the Iraqi border.

He was travelling in a small group of "four or five people" including male relatives, the official said.

Iraqi political commentator Hisham al-Hashemi, an expert on the Sunni extremist group, said his security sources told him Baghdadi was hiding out in the Syrian desert and regularly moved between al-Baaj in northwest Iraq and Hajin in Syria's southeast.

- The last bastion -



As the caliphate crumbled, Iraqi forces and coalition-backed forces in Syria have killed or captured several IS leaders.

On Wednesday an Iraqi presented as Baghdadi's deputy, Ismail Alwan Salman al-Ithawi, was sentenced to death by a court in Iraq after being apprehended in Turkey and extradited as part of a joint Turkish-Iraqi-US operation.

In May, Iraqi forces claimed to have captured five top IS commanders in a cross-border sting.

The US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance launched Operation Roundup last week, the third phase of a year-old operation to clear southeastern Syria of its last IS holdouts, in an area around the Euphrates extending around 50 kilometres (30 miles) into Syria.

"This is the last bastion for Daesh's mercenaries," Zaradasht Kobani, a Kurdish commander with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State.

"We will eliminate them here," he said.

But reeling in Baghdadi will not be simple, said Hassan Hassan, a senior research fellow at the Program on Extremism at the George Washington University in Washington.

"He and his group learned from previous mistakes that led to the killing of the top two leaders in 2010, (al-Baghdadi's predecessor) Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, and his war minister Abu Hamza al-Muhajir," Hassan told AFP.

"This means that only a very few and highly-trusted people know where he is."

The mountains, desert, river valleys and villages of the border area provide "several possible hideouts," Hassan noted.



- 2016 near miss -



The anti-IS coalition may be hoping Baghdadi again gives away his whereabouts by mistake, as in November 2016 when Iraqi forces fighting to retake Mosul from IS picked up on a short radio exchange between him and his men.

"He spoke for 45 seconds and then his guards took the radio from him," a senior Kurdish official who heard the call told Britain's Guardian newspaper, which revealed the near-miss in January.

"They realised what he had done," the official added, saying the call was traced to a village west of Mosul.

If Baghdadi does manage to outfox the coalition, he could join one of IS's underground cells in Iraq or Syria.

Al-Hashemi estimates that around 2,000 IS jihadists are still active in Iraq and around 3,000 in eastern Syria, a large proportion of them foreigners.

He believes Operation Roundup could drive hundreds of fighters back across the border into Iraq.

Iraq declared "victory" over IS in December 2017 after a three-year war against the jihadists, who once controlled nearly a third of the country.

But sleeper cells continue to stage attacks from sparsely populated areas.
China, Russia warn US of consequences over sanctions



Moscow, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



Moscow and Beijing lashed out Friday at Washington's new anti-Russian sanctions that also target China for the first time, warning the United States could face consequences.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman accused Washington of playing unfairly and using new measures to squeeze Moscow out of the global arms market, after the United States slapped sanctions on China for buying Russian warplanes and missiles and threatened to target its other clients.

"This is unfair competition, dishonest competition, an attempt to use non-market methods that run counter to norms and principles of international trade to squeeze the main competitor of US makers out of the markets," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov said that "Washington's continued sanctions hysterics" dealt a new blow to US-Russia ties but could not immediately say if Moscow would retaliate, or how.

On Thursday, Washington placed financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese Defence Ministry, and its top administrator, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.

It was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, signalling Donald Trump's readiness to risk relations with other countries over Moscow.



- Beijing warning -



Beijing -- which is locked in a trade war with the United States -- urged Washington to withdraw sanctions or "bear the consequences".

"The US actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

"We strongly urge the US to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences."

United in their resentment of America's global influence, China and Russia have sought in recent years to tighten up their ties and this month conducted week-long joint military drills, Moscow's largest ever war games.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia would act to end its dependency on the US dollar.

"We will do everything to stop being dependent on the countries who behave towards their partners in this way," Lavrov said on a visit to Sarajevo.

His deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, earlier said Washington was rocking global stability and said sarcastically that placing sanctions on Russia has become Washington's favourite "pastime".

"It would be good for them to remember there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties," said Ryabkov.

"Playing with fire is silly, it can become dangerous," he said in a statement, noting the latest round of anti-Russian measures was the 60th since 2011.

Arms exports are an important source of revenue for the country and last year Russia sold more than $14 billion worth of arms overseas.

US officials said that the US could consider similar action against other countries taking delivery of Russian fighter jets and missiles.

Turkey, which is embroiled in a dispute with Washington over the detention of a US pastor, is in talks to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia.



- 'Growing arms trade' -



Alexander Gabuev, head of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said the new US measures could bring Moscow and Beijing even closer.

"The move is very unlikely to stop growing arms trade between Moscow and Beijing," he said on Twitter.

The State Department also placed 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist.

All of them -- defence related firms, officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation group -- have been on previous US sanctions lists.

Twenty eight of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, the US Special Counsel who is investigating election meddling by Russia.

A senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted the ultimate target was Russia and not "the defence capabilities" of third countries.

CAATSA, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, was passed in 2017 as a tool that gives Washington more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.

The US official said Washington had spent "an enormous amount of time" seeking to discourage prospective buyers of Russian arms.

The new sanctions came as the United States and China are in the heat of a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.
Texan campaigner for 3D-printed gun arrested in Taiwan



Taipei, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



A Texas man who has played a central role in the US debate over 3D-printed weapons and is wanted for having sex with a 16-year-old was arrested in Taiwan on Friday, Taiwanese authorities said.

Cody Wilson advocates 3D-printed weapons as a bulwark against gun control and has caused panic by publishing firearm blueprints online. Critics warn that these weapons give criminals access to untraceable firearms.

Taiwan's National Immigration Agency said in a statement that Wilson was caught by the police earlier Friday and handed over to immigration authorities to process his deportation.

Austin Police Department announced Wednesday that the 30-year-old is wanted for sexual assault, saying he was in Taiwan and missed a flight back to the United States.

"The foreigner came legally to Taiwan visa-free but he no longer has a valid passport ... the agency will discuss with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to arrange the return to his country soon," the Taiwan Immigration Agency statement read.

AIT is the de facto US embassy in Taiwan as Washington officially recognises Beijing over Taipei.

According to Taiwanese authorities, Wilson arrived on the island on September 6 and attempted to rent an apartment in Taipei but was yet to move in.

The real estate company that he signed a contract with earlier this month contacted the authorities after watching news about his sexual assault case on TV, police said.

The US investigation into Wilson began after a counselor to whom the victim had spoken notified police "that a juvenile female under the age of 17 had reported having sexual contact with a 30-year-old male."

The victim met Wilson on sugardaddymeet.com, a website that bills itself as the "Best Sugar Daddy Dating Site for Attractive Women and Wealthy Men Seeking Mutually Beneficial Relationships."

Wilson and the 16-year-old had sex at a hotel, and he paid her $500, according to Austin police.

Before leaving the United States, Wilson was informed by a friend of the victim that she had spoken to police, they said.

Wilson published downloadable gun blueprints on his website after reaching a deal with President Donald Trump's administration in June that ended a multi-year effort by the federal government to block him.

But multiple states filed a joint lawsuit claiming Wilson endangered public safety through his actions, and a federal judge issued a temporary order prohibiting the distribution of the digital blueprints.

Wilson -- who subscribes to an anarchist philosophy that the free exchange of ideas on the internet is a check on government -- then said he interpreted the ruling as only barring the free online distribution of the blueprints, and began offering the files for sale.
Pompeo hopes for new Trump-Kim summit 'before too long'



Washington, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he hoped for a second summit between Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un "before too long" to press ahead with efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons.

"I'm hopeful that I get a chance to travel again to Pyongyang to continue these negotiations before too long," Pompeo told the cable network MSNBC.

"And then before too long ... I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredibly important issue for the entire world."

In separate remarks to Fox News, however, Pompeo cautioned there was "still a little bit of work to do left, to make sure that the conditions are right and the two leaders are put in a position where we can make substantial progress."

Trump earlier this month received a letter from North Korea's leader seeking a follow-up meeting after their historic summit in Singapore on June 12. The White House said at the time it was open to such a meeting and that preparatory work had already begun.

Speaking Thursday after a three-day trip to the North, South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said Kim had expressed hope for a summit with Trump "at an early date."

Talks on North Korean denuclearization had stalled since the Singapore summit, but new commitments made by Pyongyang at Wednesday's inter-Korean summit appear to have broken the logjam.

Pompeo has since declared Washington ready to "immediately" begin negotiating with Pyongyang, and has invited his North Korean counterpart to meet on the sidelines of next week's United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Hollande fuels Rafale fighter jet controversy in India



New Delhi, Sept 21 (AFP) Sep 21, 2018



Former French president Francois Hollande on Friday fuelled the controversy over India's multi-billion dollar purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets in 2016, reportedly saying France was given "no choice" on the Indian partner for manufacturer Dassault.

His comments stoked debate on a subject which has gained significant traction in India in recent weeks, since the opposition Congress party accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of favouring private conglomerate Reliance Group over a public company in the aircraft deal.

India's opposition party alleges Modi gave preferential treatment to industrialist Anil Ambani, the billionaire chairman of Reliance Group, to the detriment of state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Officials in India and France say aircraft manufacturer Dassault had freely chosen to partner with Reliance, despite Ambani having no previous experience in the field of aeronautics.

"We did not have a say in that," Hollande told investigative website Mediapart. "It was the Indian government that proposed this service group (Reliance), and Dassault who negotiated with Ambani.

"We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor who was given to us," added Hollande, who was president of France from 2012-2017.

The former French leader denied any conflict of interest with Reliance Group, which partially financed a film by his girlfriend Julie Gayet in 2016.

"That is why, moreover, this group (Reliance) did not have to give me any thanks for anything. I could not even imagine that there was any connection to a film by Julie Gayet."



- 'The PM has betrayed India' -



Contacted by AFP, France's embassy in New Delhi did not comment.

India's defence ministry wrote on Twitter that neither the Indian nor French government "had any say in the commercial decision".

The French foreign ministry later issued a statement saying that "the sole obligations of the French government were to assure delivery and the quality of the equipment".

Paris was "in no way involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners," the ministry added.

For its part Dassault Aviation said in a statement Friday that the contract was "a government-to-government agreement".

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who has led the opposition's focus on the deal, wrote: "Thanks to Francois Hollande, we now know he (Modi) personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani."

"The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers," Gandhi added.



- World's largest defence importer' -



Foreign manufacturers obtaining arms contracts in India are obliged to reinvest a portion of the sums collected in India.

Under the Rafale deal, France must spend amounts totalling around half the eight billion euros ($9.4 bn) paid by the Indian government.

Dassault has invested more than 100 million euros in its joint venture with Reliance.

The French firm had spent years negotiating a deal for 126 fighter jets to be manufactured in India with HAL, but talks had stalled.

On taking office, Modi's government cancelled the negotiations and decided to directly purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets made in France.

India -- the world's largest defence importer -- has been investing tens of billions in updating its Soviet-era military hardware to counter long-standing territorial disputes with its nuclear-armed neighbours, including a strengthening China.

It intends to use compensations payments such as in the Rafale deal to create a local defence industry.

amd/amz/pvh/dcr
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Pier Marton puts on a pair of disposable blue gloves on a weekday afternoon earlier this month, reaches into a plastic storage container and carefully pulls out rolls of film.

He places a sheet of 12 negatives under a camera, which allows him to record them digitally. One shows a picture of a young woman taken by his late father, Ervin Marton. He was part of the Paris arts scene of the 1950s and 1960s, and a Jewish member of the French Resistance against the Nazis.

He works diligently and, one after another, images that only his father, who died in 1968, had seen are revealed on a screen.

I call it a tunnel in time, says Marton, a former film studies professor at Washington University.

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Now, after just over a month of work at his home in University City, Marton and a visiting art historian from Paris have catalogued thousands of his fathers negatives, photographs and drawings, among other work. Marton hopes to arrange a permanent archive of his fathers work and exhibit some of it in museums. The historian intends to write a book and create an exhibit about Ervin Marton.

But aside from giving the public a chance to see more of his fathers work, Marton says, the project has brought him closer to his father, who died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage when Pier was 17.

Pier Marton also suffered a brain hemorrhage about a decade ago. Now largely recovered  but more emotional, he says  he has a better understanding of his father and the notion that time is limited.

Im more of a human being by having explored this, Marton says, his voice cracking. To be more of a human being is to be more alive and more in touch with humanity, to be closer to other people.

Ervin Marton was born in Budapest in 1912 and learned painting and sculpture in art school. He taught himself photography. Some of his work was displayed in shows and at the Hungarian National Museum, but still he felt the rise of anti-Semitism and fled the country for Paris in 1937. There, he was part of a community that included artists such as Picasso, and other Hungarian photographers who emigrated and became well known. Marton took portraits of notables such as Picasso and engaged in street photography of ordinary life around the French capital. His work has been exhibited at the Hungarian National Gallery, and a portrait of Picasso was included in an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

The French government also awarded him its Medaille de la Liberation (French Liberation Medal) for his time in the Resistance.

When his father died, Martons mother, Martha, and brother, Yves, left for Los Angeles.

I didnt know about death. I was the typical 16- or 17-year-old who didnt think about death, Pier Marton, 67, recalls.

He stayed in Paris but then a few years later had an anti-Semitic experience in my building with neighbors and decided to also leave the country, Marton said.

His family and much of his fathers collection lived in California while Marton moved around the country, teaching film studies at the University of California Los Angeles, the Chicago Art Institute and eventually, Washington University.

A couple of years after the hemorrhage, the head of his department at W.U. informed Marton, who was not tenured, that he would not be rehired after that academic year due to low enrollment in his classes, Marton told the Riverfront Times. His current and former students started a campaign for Marton to keep his job, and columnist Bill McClellan wrote about him in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

I feel like roadkill, Marton told McClellan.







Marton had become a notable creative force in his own right. For example, his documentary Say Im a Jew, about Jewish men and women born in Europe in the aftermath of World War II, was shown at the MoMA and at the Jewish Museum in New York and earned a positive review in The New York Times.

But the students campaign failed. When his mother died shortly after the hemorrhage, Marton brought the boxes of his fathers work with him to his basement in St. Louis. He didnt do much with them until he received a call earlier this year from a friend who told him that she and an art historian, Gabriella Cseh, were writing a book about Hungarian expat photographers like his father. Cseh received a grant from the Hungarian Ministry of Trade and Foreign Affairs and in August arrived in St. Louis to begin helping Marton sort through his fathers work.

She was fascinated by his time in the French art scene and in the Resistance, and by the the chance to explore this bounty of largely hidden art, said Marton, who acted as a translator.

The two operated with urgency, spending 10-hour days burrowed in boxes of art. More than 10 volunteers came and went.

As they made steady progress, Marton said, Im still in a shock of sorts because six months ago, I didnt even know she was coming.

They found, for example, shots of his father looking at the liberation of Paris during World War II, and street scenes of Roma people outside on sidewalks.

Cseh was surprised to find a photograph of Matyas Rakosi, a former leader of the Hungarian Community Party.

I think we will see a lot more surprises, said Cseh, who, like her subjects, moved to France from Hungary.

They found a nude photograph of a woman nicknamed Bubu whom the younger Marton had seen for years only in drawings, he said. She was his fathers first romantic relationship.

Because he died when I was 17, everything that I know about him I have to decipher, he said.

Marton has given a number of presentations at the St. Louis Holocaust Museum & Learning Center over the years. Daniel Reich, the museums curator and director of education, has picked up on how important Martons father is to him.

In the short blurbs in our flyer, [Pier] talks about his extensive arts background, but he always, always acknowledges his father and his medal of honor from the Resistance, Reich said.

Marton estimates he still has several months of work. After completing the first phase of digitally logging all the work, he wants to organize it into a database that allows people to cross-reference different pieces. Then he must decide where to archive the collection and continue talking with various institutions that have expressed interested in displaying the work.

Cseh left St. Louis for Los Angeles to review items stored at Yves Martons home and visit a gallery of Ervin Martons work. She will then return to Europe but hopes to come back to St. Louis and help Pier finish. She had said she wanted to finish before she left because she wanted to see what he had done and to see what he did. I have to see the totality of it, not just a partial work.

The picture of Bubu is just one picture, she said, but what happens if there are more pictures of Bubu in another box? Everything can be changed if you find something that unravels something else.
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., met with Andrew Rehfeld, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of St. Louis, on Sept. 14 to discuss policy issues of concern to both him and our community, Rehfeld wrote on Facebook.

The leader of the Jewish nonprofit told the Jewish Light that the three primary topics were immigration issues, senior services and the state of bipartisanship in the national discourse.

The meeting was not scheduled, but Blunt reached out to Federation because he had an unexpected gap in his schedule.

Rehfeld is a representative of an American Jewish community that leans Democrat. In 2016, 71 percent of Jews voted for Hillary Clinton, according to the Pew Research Center. Blunt defeated Jason Kander, a Democrat, in 2016 and has since largely supported President Donald Trump. He is the ninth-most conservative member of the Senate, according to Govtrack.us, a website that monitors legislative actions.

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Many of his views are significantly at odds with the community, said Rehfeld, who posted a photo of the two on Facebook. I know that. He knows that. The community knows that. Putting a picture of me with him I think is an important reminder that he values the Jewish community.

Blunt, who has identified as a Southern Baptist, is married to a Jewish woman, Last year, his son became a bar mitzvah at a Reform synagogue in Washington D.C., according to the congregations website.

On Facebook, a number of people commented on the photo with questions such as, Did you talk to him about family separation? Did you tell him that he is wrong on every issue other than Israel? and What a great opportunity. Did you ask him about the Supreme Court nomination?







The Trump administration received significant criticism  even from some members of the presidents own party  in June for its policy of separating children and parents in families entering the United States from Mexico to seek asylum.

In response, Blunt said that separating families does not meet the standard of who we are as a country.

Rehfeld said he and the senator talked about coming up with a coherent, bipartisan strategy to deal with a set of issues in the face of . inhumane tactics being deployed sometimes for what appear to be explicitly partisan and political reasons that are creating innocent victims who happen to be in the way.

Rehfeld declined to provide specifics on how Blunt responded to the issues he raised but said that he was candid, honest and forthright.

Blunt could not be reached for comment.

On bipartisanship, Rehfeld said the two discussed what it would take to move to a more civil and collaborative approach to the public good.

Blunt also met with leaders of Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, a Federation-sponsored nonprofit that focuses on public affairs, and toured the newly-renovated Federation building.
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Since late August Boko Haram has carried out several successful attacks against the military in the northeast. The number of soldiers killed is unclear because the army continues to provide misleading data on losses or no information at all. So most Nigerians are dependent on rumor and a few eyewitnesses. Disgruntles soldiers are often speaking up and in August one unit refused to go back to the northeast. Soldiers continue to complain of corruption among their superiors and insufficient equipment, weapons and support in general. One thing most everyone can agree on is that soldier morale in the northeast is poor and getting worse.

The recent increase in Boko Haram attacks is mainly due to another factional feud within Boko Haram. One of the more moderate (willing to negotiate) leaders, Mamman Nur, was deposed and killed on August 21st by more aggressive subordinates who also suspected Nur of getting large payments from the government and not sharing them. The new Boko Haram leader is willing to carry out more attacks, no matter what the risk is to the Boko Haram attackers. Nur was a key leader in the Barnawi faction of Boko Haram, which considers itself part of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). This faction not only attracts the more fanatic Boko Haram diehards but also many of the most paranoid ones. Mamman Nur was known as an effective leader and unlikely to be capable of accepting a secret ransom and keeping that quiet. The death of Nur triggered a number of large-scale attacks by the ISIL faction of Boko Haram and these raids got a lot of Boko Haram men killed or wounded. Since many of the attacks took place near the Niger border it attracted the attention of the Niger military which has sent more troops to the Nigeria border to seek out the base camps these Boko Haram factions are using. The Boko Haram knew enough to behave on the Niger side of the border and that worked until the Boko Haram violence on the Nigeria side of the border became too frequent to ignore.

Boko Haram persists in the northeast in large part because one of the two rival factions has adopted more effective tactics, at least until recently. The Barnawi (or Albarnawi) faction is recognized by ISIL and follows the current ISIL doctrine of concentrating attacks on security forces and government officials (preferably the corrupt ones). That makes it easier to extort (raise taxes) cash and other goods from the local population. The Barnawi faction has several thousand active gunmen and operates mainly in the far north of Borno state near Lake Chad and the Niger border. The smaller Shekau faction has about half as many armed men and operates further south near the Borno State capital of Maiduguri and the Sambisa Forest.

Money matters and one reason the Barnawi faction has been more successful is their emphasis on raising cash, especially via large ransoms for hostages, especially foreign hostages. There was never a specific demand made in public but the government paid for high-value captives, like the May 2017 agreement that got 82 of the Chibok captives (from 2014) released in exchange for the freedom of eight Boko Haram leaders being held and awaiting prosecution for mass murder, terrorism and so on. Many Nigerians believed these men should have at least stood trial before being traded for hostages. As expected some of the freed Boko Haram leaders promptly went back to Islamic terrorism. At the same time, Boko Haram had very visibly divided into factions. Back in March 2017, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video to boast that he was still alive and operating in the northeast. At that point, security forces had claimed Shekau was dead at least five times since 2011 but so far had always been wrong. In late 2016 there was hope that a recent split in Boko Haram might lead to Shekau getting killed by other Islamic terrorists but that hasnt happened either and the two main factions appear to have achieved some kind of truce with each other and continue to operate.

The Boko Haram split began in August 2016 when ISIL announced that it was replacing Shekau, who was accused of mismanagement, with Abu Musab al Barnawi. ISIL believed Shekau devoted too much effort to killing fellow Moslems (especially civilians) rather than the real enemies of ISIL (local security forces and non-Moslems in general). ISIL leadership was also unhappy with the Boko Haram use of children and women as suicide bombers. That has become an issue in Nigeria because the use of children as suicide bombers has tripled during 2017. While the new Boko Haram leader has concentrated attacks on the security forces and non-Moslems he has also used children, especially females, as suicide bombers. Barnawi is a son of Mohammed Yusuf, one of the ISIL founders. Barnawi was appointed the main Boko Haram spokesman in January 2015. Although Barnawi has developed a following in Boko Haram Shekau refused to accept the ISIL decision. The Barnawi faction has also been more successful at online recruiting (via encrypted messaging systems like Telegram and frequently shifting presence on social media sites like Facebook.) Barnawi was also more willing to delegate important tasks to subordinates, like Nur. That worked until it didnt and now many of the Barnawi factions appear to have gone rogue.

The national government has occasionally carried on unofficial talks with the Barnawi faction of Boko Haram. This faction is also known as ISWA (the Islamic State West Africa province) and has access to resources Islamic terror groups use help negotiate large ransoms for hostages, especially foreign hostages. These hostage negotiations apparently evolved into discussions about a peace deal but appeared to get nowhere.

September 17, 2018: The Red Cross reported that one of its personnel was killed after being held by Boko Haram for six months.

September 14, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State) Boko Haram attacked two villages 90 kilometers north of the state capital Maiduguri. Local defense volunteers tried to stop them but lost eight dead and four wounded. Boko Haram rounded up most of the livestock and fled with the animals. Soldiers and local militiamen arrived after Boko Haram had left.

September 12, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State) Boko Haram attacked an army base at Damasak and were repulsed losing seven dead. The soldiers had seven wounded and believe the Boko Haram attackers came from bases across the nearby border in Niger.

September 10, 2018: Nigeria signed several agreements with Chinese oilfield development companies for China to participate in exploring for oil in Nigeria in addition to developing new oil and gas fields as well as existing ones. Many Western companies will no longer do this work in Nigeria because of the lawlessness and corruption, which frequently cause oil operations to be shut down. Oil buyers have noted this as well and Nigerians complain that they are losing sales to American producers, who use fracking to produce so much oil that the U.S. is again a major exporter. The quality of the U.S. and Nigerian is similar and the prices are often lower. In April-June Nigerian production was 1.84 million BPD (barrels per day), which was down from two million BPD during the first three months of the year. By the end of 2017 Nigerian oil production had hit 2.03 million BPD and so far 2018 looks like it will average 1.8 million BDP because of long-delayed maintenance and refurbishment of the oil production facilities in the Niger River Delta (where most of the production is). At the end of 2016 Nigerian oil production was rising to levels not seen for years. That has been the trend for most of 2017 because the new government had negotiated a peace deal with the local rebels (who opposed corruption and bad treatment of locals in general). Production rose and is on the way to the goal of 2.5 million BPD by 2020 but achieving that level of production depends on keeping the peace in the Delta. Continued corruption and rampant oil theft makes it difficult to increase production and sustain those higher production levels.

September 7, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State) soldiers tracked down a group of Boko Haram who had ambushed a convoy two days earlier and kidnapped 21 civilians. After a brief gun battle 14 Boko Haram were dead, four soldiers wounded and 21 civilians rescued.

Elsewhere in Borno several hundred Boko Haram attacked the town of Gudumbali, which is halfway between the state capital Maiduguri and where the borders of Niger and Chad meet. The fighting went on overnight and several hundred civilians fled to Maiduguri where they gave different accounts of what happened during the overnight fighting. Many civilians thought Boko Haram was going to overrun the town again and kill all the soldiers and many civilians. The army reported that they had repulsed the attack. Many civilians insisted that Boko Haram had overrun parts of the town and nearby military base and looted before troops forced them out.

August 31, 2018: In central Nigeria (Plateau state) Fulani herders have been particularly aggressive during the last week of August, bringing their livestock into farming areas so their cattle can fatten up on crops. The armed Fulani often get away with it and when soldiers or police do show up and seize the cattle the Fulani have to pay compensation to the farmers to get their cattle back. Some of these Fulani go after local farmer leaders. These are often Christian clerics, as most of the farmers are Christian. The violence has left several dozens dead in a week and considerable damage to crops. To make matters worse the troops are often reluctant to go after the Fulani, who are heavily armed and willing to fight the soldiers.

Further north, in Zamfara state there is similar violence but everyone involved is Moslem. This area is also undergoing an upsurge in fighting between Fulani herders and Hausa farmers. To make matters worse the area is notorious for groups of bandits that steal cattle as well as raid farming villages. That, plus the Fulani violence has caused at least 3,000 deaths in the last two years. Most of the attacks are raids for the purpose of looting and leaving. The Fulani raiders often run into Hausa self-defense militias and the resulting battles leave many on both sides dead or wounded. The Fulani raids are usually after cattle and other loot. Both Hausa and Fulani are Moslem so religion is not a factor here. Moslem leaders want attention paid to the growing tribal feuds between Moslem tribes, especially like the battles between Fulani and Hausa in Zamfara. The violence in Zamfara state has led to the national police sending in hundreds of additional paramilitary personnel to deal (or try to deal) with that situation. The police have not had much impact and usually, leave after conducting some operations that are avoided by the local bandits.

August 30, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State) a Boko Haram attack on an army base near the Niger border left over 40 soldiers dead.
Chinese arms manufacturer Norinco has been seeking export orders for another clone of a successful Western (actually South African) weapon (the MGL-130). The Chinese version is the LG6 40mm revolver grenade launcher that Chinese troops began receiving in 2011. LG6 is 103cm (40.5 inches) long and weighs 4.8 kg (10.6 pounds) empty. The LG6 can use a six round drum magazine or be belt fed. It can fire up to five rounds a second. The LG6 is actually the latest version of lightweight magazine fed grenade launchers that have been around for decades. In the 1990s Norinco developed such weapons using 30mm grenades (long popular with the Russians) and, when it was apparent that the export market favored 40mm, developed the LG4 (a lighter LG6 that could only fire from a six round drum magazine) and, in 2014, the LG5 (a longer barrel version of the LG4 for longer range precision shooting). The LG4 and LG5 were mainly marketed to police and paramilitary organizations for firing non-lethal (tear gas and the like) rounds. But both of these, and the LG6 can fire the lethal military rounds. One attraction of the 40mm grenade is that there are dozens of different types of grenades available, both lethal and non-lethal.

Six shot, "revolver" type 40mm grenade launchers have been around since the 1980s. But the U.S. military never adopted them until 2006 when Marines in Iraq got some. This was the original, the MGL-140 and had been used by police and military organizations since the early 1980s. This 40mm, six shot grenade launcher was renamed the Mk14 by SOCOM in 2011 and the M32 by the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006. The marine adopted the SOCOM version of their M32 as the M32a1 in 2015.

The MGL-130 is, literally, a shotgun size revolver that fires standard American 40mm grenades. Thus it has a minimum range of 30 meters and a maximum range of 400 meters. The weapon is 81.3cm (32 inches) long, and weighs six kg (13.2 pounds) empty, and 9.2 kg (20.3 pounds) loaded. The 40mm rounds weigh about .54 kg (19 ounces) each. Like any 40mm grenade launcher, it can fire lethal and non-lethal (tear gas, Etc.) rounds, and fire all six of them in a few seconds. The M32 also has a rail for mounting various types of aiming devices (day and night scopes). The M32s cost about $6,000 and both the marines and SOCOM distribute them as needed to units, depending on what kind of operations the unit was involved in.

Marines and soldiers have used their single shot, 40mm grenade launchers, a lot since 2001, and with much success. The single shot 40mm launchers have been around since the 1960s, and the Marines wanted to try something new. The U.S. Navy SEAL commandos (which are part of SOCOM) noted the M32 and by 2011 had in service a customized version called the Mk14. This was the same weight as the M32 but with a shorter (by 10cm to 20cm) barrel. The barrel was stronger, to handle high-powered (and faster) 40mm grenades used in automatic grenade launchers. The Mk14 was more compact (61.3cm/28 inches) long and that made it easier to handle in combat. In 2015 the Marines adopted this version as the M32a1. The Mk14 is made by the same firm that developed the MGL-140.

Before the MGL-130 there were other multi-shot 40mm grenade launchers. In 1967 the U.S. Navy developed a magazine equipped 40mm grenade launcher called the China Lake for the SEALs. This weapon looked like a pump shotgun and that is what it was based on. The tube magazine carried three round, plus one in the chamber. While successful it never went into production and only 22 were produced. Although the China Lake was never officially adopted it was used by SEALs, Army Special Forces and Marine Force Recon troops in Vietnam. In the 1990s work was revived on the China Lake and in 2004 it competed with the MGL-140 to become the M32. The MGL-140 won out. China Lake was lighter, weighing 3.7 kg (8.2 pounds) empty and 4.6 kg (10.2 pounds) loaded. It was 875mm (34.4 inches) long and used pump action to reload.

Norinco has a long record of copying successful Russian and Western weapons and then sometimes developing variants based on user feedback. The Norinco models are often superior to the Russian originals and in the case of Western designs, the quality is often lower but high enough to attract buyers because of the lower price and capabilities that make up for the lower quality. Moreover, the Chinese weapons are gradually closing the quality gap and creating some serious competition for some Western manufacturers.
It was reported this week that the Gibraltar government has been holding direct talks with Spain about Brexit and their relationship after Britain leaves the European Union, but in fact this was quite old news. It did, however, seem to come as a surprise at the Liberal Party conference in Brighton, UK, where Gibraltar's deputy chief minister and leader of the Gibraltar Liberal Party, Dr Joseph Garcia, addressed those attending the traditional government reception.

He explained that Gibraltar has been having "discrete bilateral dialogue with Spain" which began when the Partido Popular were in power, with the aim of ensuring that Brexit works well for all affected parties.

Considering that previous Spanish governments have insisted on bilateral talks with the UK because they said they do not recognise Gibraltar as an authority in its own right, this is being seen as very positive news, and it was backed up by chief minister Fabian Picardo in a TV interview this week, when he explained that the discussions began a few months ago. However, he stressed that the negotiations over Brexit in general are being carried out between the UK government and the EU, and the talks between Gibraltar and Spain are only on certain local issues.

He was also adamant that Gibraltar has red lines which the government will never allow to be crossed, such as sovereignty, jurisdiction and control, and said that over issues such as the airport, over which Spain previously demanded joint control, there would be "absolutely no concession whatsoever".

Picardo also warned that the next six weeks will be crucial in the Brexit negotiations between the UK and EU: "There will be peaks and troughs," he said, "good news and bad news in the media. This is a time of negotiation".
If all goes according to plan, by the end of 2019 the French town of Dax will make history by becoming the second place on the planet with a type of commune for Alzheimer's sufferers. It will have a community of 120 patients, living in a place which bears no, or practically no, resemblance to the special centres we are used to seeing.

In this 'Alzheimer's village', just over 100 professionals including doctors, nurses, gerontological assistants, psychologists and psychotherapists, will look after the patients, and it is the fulfilment of the great dream of the late Henri Emmanuelli.

The President of the French National Assembly, and several times Secretary of State with Mitterand, as well as being head of the Department of the Landes for 35 years, Emmanuelli dedicated his later life to bringing this project to fruition; it was inspired by the Dutch Weesp model, which was created in 2009.

The objective, say those who have taken over from this famous socialist politician, is to enable people with dementia to have an ordinary social life for as long as possible, with no white coats in sight, but they will still have to take their medication.

Independence

The village will be organised as a type of country house, with a huge lobby containing communal rooms and services such as hairdresser, supermarket, restaurant and doctor's surgery. The site, which will cover just over five hectares, will be divided into four districts, each with eight homes with room for seven or eight patients.

The Alzheimer's village was born with the idea of being a place of innovation and a benchmark for other institutions and companies which provide services to people who have lost their memory and, with it, their signs of identity. In fact, a collaboration agreement has already been signed with the Faculty of Medicine in Bordeaux so that Daz will be an experimental centre where non-pharmacological methods to treat patients will be evaluated. Around 50 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's, and if predictions by scientists are correct, by 2050 the number will have risen to 130 million.

"What we will do," explains Jean Francois Dartigues, one of the neurologists who will run the centre, "is compare the effects of living like this with the evolution of patients who are treated in conventional centres".

In Spain, professionals such as Pascual Sanchez Juan, director of the Cognitive Deterioration Unit at the Valdecilla hospital in Santander, think the idea is fantastic.

"It is the ideal form of treatment, because it wants to help patients live as independently as possible for as long as possible. Normally, with dementia cases, the families want to protect their relative so they stop them doing things and keep them indoors, and that is bad for the brain. Just like with any other muscle, if you don't use it then it deteriorates faster," he says.

He admits, however, that in Spain there are important limitations when considering aspiring to something similar, because for a start there is no National Dementia Plan here as there is in other countries, and of course there is the matter of money.

"Regrettably, all this sounds like something out of science fiction for us at the moment. We ought to make efforts to explain to society that we are looking at an illness which already costs the authorities more than any heart condition or cancer," Dr Sanchez Juan points out.

The Dax project will cost 28 million euros, and there will be annual running costs of nearly seven million. The cost per patient is 60 euros a day, which is equivalent to a traditional nursing home.
World Alzheimer's Day has been celebrated on 21 September since 1994. The awareness day was launched at the opening of the annual Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) conference (held on that date in 1994 in Edinburgh) to mark the tenth anniversary of the organisation. In 2012 the whole of September was declared Alzheimer's Month "to enable associations worldwide to extend the reach of their awareness programmes over a longer period of time", explains ADI on its website.

ADI is a London-based umbrella organisation that unites and empowers 94 Alzheimer's associations around the world and is officially linked with the World Health Organisation.

As with other international awareness days and months, ADI says that the initiative serves to unite opinion leaders, people with dementia, their carers and families, medical professionals, researchers and the media from all around the world.

"Having a globally coordinated awareness sends a strong message to governments and policy makers alerting them of the fact that dementia is a serious health issue which will have serious implications on services and health systems around the world as the world's population grows older. In addition, by focusing on a different message each year, the month can be used to educate and challenge people's misconceptions about dementia," says ADI.

The theme for this year's Alzheimer's Day and Month is Every Three Seconds (the frequency with which someone in the world develops dementia) to bring home the global impact of dementia.

In its World Alzheimer Report published in 2016 ADI estimated that that there were 46.8 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2015 and that this number would reach 131.5 million in 2050. The new 2018 World Alzheimer Report is due to be launched today.

The chronic neurodegenerative disease named after German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer, who identified the first case in 1901, is the cause of between 60 and 70 per cent of all cases of dementia, according to the WHO.

Symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, difficulty in finding the right words or understanding what people are saying, difficulty in performing previously routine tasks and personality and mood changes, explains ADI.

While the disease mainly affects older people there are cases of individuals under the age of 65 developing young onset dementia.

One of the main aims of World Alzheimer's Day and Month is to fight the stigmatisation and misinformation that surround dementia through greater awareness.

Today, 21 September, is the chance for Alzheimer's associations around the world to challenge those myths and misconceptions through events that involve the entire community.
The Andalusian minister for Tourism, Francisco Javier Fernandez, has announced a plan of action in response to the figures released last month that showed a slump in tourism in July.

Statistics from Malaga airport reveal an even greater fall of 2.5% in August compared with the same month last year. Figures from rented holiday accommodation confirmed the downward trend, pointing to the end of a cycle after 2017 broke all records as the Costa del Sol's best year for tourism since records began.

The decline, however, is not the same across the region. Figures for the cities of Seville and Granada actually increased significantly in contrast the first symptoms of poor health shown on the Costa del Sol, which represents 40% of the region's tourism industry.

While passenger figures at Malaga airport for this year up to August increased by just 1.2%, figures for Seville airport increased by more than 25% during the same period (to a total of 4.1 million), and by 23% in July when the Costa's figures fell. Only Malaga and Almeria lost passengers in July.

Similarly Granada airport saw an increase of 31% in passengers in July.

"They will be examining a complete cross section of figures, including data from the tourists' countries of origin and other figures that can give scientific weight to some of the arguments being put forward to explain why some destinations have gone up and others have come down," said Fernandez.

The minister's plan involves initially establishing the causes of the decline and then deciding what new action to take and whether any tourism promotion activities already scheduled need modifying.

A group of experts, formed to work on the diagnosis, held its first meeting last Friday. Their task will involve comparing different statistics before finding a solution to reverse the downward trend.

"It's not a question of ringing alarm bells, but we can't sit back and do nothing. We want to detect why the growth in previous years has come to a halt, although we all know that we are comparing this year with a record-breaking 2017," said the minister.

The working group is formed by professionals from the analysis and statistics service for the Andalusian tourism industry known as SAETA (Sistema de Analisis y Estadistica del Turismo de Andalucia), specialists from the airline sector and the head of Big Data development, as well as officials from the Junta's Tourism Department.

The aim is for the study to be complete by the beginning of October, after which a meeting will be held with all the tourist boards in the region as well as business owners in the industry.

"Our aim is to make sure that this trend does not take hold in any of the markets, acting both in the short and long term," said Fernandez, adding that action could be taken as soon as the next World Travel Market (WTM) in London in November if necessary

The British market, which provides more than 30% of business for holiday accommodation on the Costa del Sol, is at the head of those showing signs of recession, along with the German market. One of the reasons put forward is the increased competition from Mediterranean competitors such as Turkey and Tunisia.
Just 47 of the 240 pupils due to start at the Rincon de la Victoria secondary school, in Torre de Benagalbon, attended the first day of classes on Monday.

Parents refused to send their children to the school, as they are not satisfied with the condition of the prefab classrooms that first, second and third-years (aged 12 to 15) are having to use while building work to the fourth secondary school in the Rincon de la Victoria area continues.

The school's parent-teacher association, AMPA, supported the protests and said that parents had been denied access to the five mobile classrooms to check their suitability and safety before the term started. President of AMPA, Lydia Montes said that access was denied "despite confirmation" given during a meeting with provincial Education chiefs on 4 September that parents would be allowed in.

Montes added that the 47 pupils that showed up on Monday only did so because of their parents' work commitments, leaving them with no choice other than to send their children to school.

Among the complaints made by parents were the state of toilet facilities, of which only one was in working order, loose cables, construction materials lying around and the fact that the correct licences had not been issued ahead of the start of classes.
Improvement works being carried out at the Ritz Hotel in Madrid have been marked by tragedy as one worker died and 11 were injured, two of them seriously, when five floors of scaffolding collapsed and crashed into the courtyard, taking part of the structure with it and hitting the workers below.

The incident occurred at 4pm on Tuesday. Four workers were buried under the rubble, including the 42-year-old who was killed. Of the 11 injured, five were treated on the scene and the other six were taken to different hospitals in the city. The two most seriously injured, who are aged 31 and 41, were admitted to the 12 de Octubre and Gregorio Maranon hospitals with multiple injuries. One was said to be in critical condition.

The head of the Madrid fire service, Eugenio Amores, says that the victims under the rubble were calling for help, so that enabled them to be located. The Sanjose construction company has begun an internal investigation into the accident.

In June, it was announced that the Mandarin Oriental and Olayan Group, which owns the Ritz Hotel, had contracted the Sanjose company to carry out the modernisation works. The hotel, which was inaugurated in 1910, will have fewer rooms and more suites, and the communal areas and meeting rooms are being improved. The hotel, which is in Plaza de Canovas del Castillo, closed on 28 February and the works, estimated to cost 99 million euros, are expected to take 18 months to complete.
Pedro Sanchez's Socialist-led government came up against criticism from all sides last week when it made a U-turn over its halting of a shipment of precision bombs to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this month the Defence Ministry halted the delivery of 400 laser-guided missiles and started proceedings to cancel the contract and return the 9.2 million euros paid for the weapons.

The ministry argued that the bombs could have been used against civilians in Yemen, and said that all similar "sensitive" contracts would be reviewed.

The plan to review all Saudi contracts raised serious concerns for Cadiz shipyard workers

Just days later, however, the government announced that the contract would be honoured and the missiles delivered as planned. The reasons given were that there were no irregularities in the contract and that it was satisfied that there was no danger to civilians due to the nature of the weapons. "The bombs are high precision and so they are not going to kill Yemenis by mistake," said cabinet spokesperson Isabel Celaa last Friday.

The Sanchez government's initial announcement of the review of contracts caused outrage among workers at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, about to start work on a 1.8-million-euro order from Saudi Arabia for five corvette warships.

The Socialist leader of Andalucia, Susana Diaz, headed calls for her party in Madrid to honour the contract and not make decisions that would put the jobs of 6,000 people in Cadiz, a province already hard hit by unemployment, at risk.

The government's U-turn was heavily criticised by political groups on all sides as well as NGOs. This week it emerged that the government received a report from the UN in 2017 confirming that 292 Yemeni civilians had been killed by the so-called "intelligent" precision bombs used in ten Saudi air strikes.
Michael O'Leary, chief of budget airline Ryanair warned on Thursday that should the UK leave the EU without an agreement in place, it would cause "chaos".

"We're selling tickets for flights between the UK and Europe that may not even happen," he said. "Frankly, if there is not a deal in place by November, there will never be one." O'Leary also expressed his concerns about a "frictionless" Irish border.

Despite this month reaching an agreement with the Irish pilots' union, Forsa, next Friday, 28 September, there will be another cabin crew strike affecting staff based in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium.
As the countdown towards Brexit begins, Spain's minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, said this week that the government is working on minimising the negative effect which the UK's withdrawal from the European Union could have on tourism, and is "optimistic" that the EU and London will come to an agreement over Brexit.

"It will make a difference, with Britain going from being part of the EU to no longer being in it. We are all aware there will be a negative impact, so we have to try to minimise it," said Maroto during a working breakfast in Madrid which was organised by the Club Dialogos para la Democracia.

"We are concerned about it," added the minister, who explained that "top level" meetings are taking place with representatives of the British government, who are working on agreeing a deal so there will be "calm" during the transition period.

"We are optimistic. Our role now is to work with the institutions so that agreement becomes reality," she said, while stressing that at the same time the Spanish is government is working with companies on "contingency plans".
Spain is holding onto financial whistleblower Herve Falciani for the time being. When he was arrested by Spanish police in April in Madrid, Falciani faced an extradition request from Swiss authorities on charges of "aggravated financial espionage". Although this grand-sounding misdemeanour is a crime in Switzerland - a country known for its Fort-Knox-style banking secrecy - it isn't in Spain; so this week, Spanish courts denied Switzerland's extradition request, just as they did in 2012 when Falciani was arrested in Barcelona.

French-Italian national Falciani was an IT engineer at the Swiss offices of HSBC's private bank, which offers financial services to wealthy individuals. In 2008, he leaked data pertaining to more than 100,000 HSBC clients allegedly involved in complex tax avoidance schemes; his motivation, as he said at the time, was to expose the workings of a "broken banking system".

Although Swiss authorities claim that the information passed on by Hervini was stolen and therefore legally invalid, several countries launched investigations on the back of his data. Spain is among them and, since 2009, the Spanish courts have been working with Falciani, using the "Swiss Leaks" to secure thousands of convictions.

HSBC has had to pay two fines since the data-leak: one of forty million Swiss francs (35 million) to Swiss authorities in 2015, for "organisational failings" resulting in money laundering; and another of 300 million to French authorities last year, to settle allegations that clients of its Swiss private bank had evaded taxes (tax evasion is legal but morally ambiguous. Tax avoidance is straightforwardly illegal).

So as far as the Spanish courts are concerned, then, Hervini is not a financial spy (or he is, but for the good).

But might there be another reason that Spain is reluctant to extradite the French whistleblower just now?

In the spring, Catalan separatist Marta Rovira fled to Switzerland. The deputy of ERC, a leftist pro-Catalan independence party, Rovira exiled herself to avoid charges relating to her role in organising last October's illegal Catalonian independence referendum. She's still in Switzerland, awaiting a decision by the Swiss courts on whether she can be extradited back to Spain; if they rule that she can, Rovira faces charges that could land her decades behind bars. Her boss, ERC leader Oriol Junqueras, has been in custody in Spain since last November, awaiting trial on similarly grave allegations.

The Spanish government have denied a role in Falciani's most recent arrest, but you can't help wondering whether a politically-motivated swap is on the cards. Switzerland, a country that prides itself on financial discretion, is itching to make an example of Hervini. And Madrid wants to punish Rovira for her role in causing a constitutional crisis that's still unresolved. Whether either country will see these as grounds for a mutually-beneficial exchange remains to be seen.
Around a hundred thousand people are expected descend on Torremolinos this Sunday (23 September) to enjoy the colourful Romeria de San Miguel.

In what is one of the biggest urban pilgrimages in Spain, more than 60 decorated gypsy-style caravans and floats, many pulled by oxen and horses, will trundle through the town, followed by excited revellers who dance and sing their way along the streets.

The romeria began in the 1940s and has continued uninterrupted along the same route ever since; however, this year, the itinerary has been changed due to the renovation work currently in progress in the centre of the town.

As usual, the event will start at 10am in the Avenida Los Manantiales, but it will then move to the church of the Buen Consejo in Plaza Picasso, instead of heading to the Plaza Costa del Sol and the Avenida de Mallorca. Following a short blessing outside the church, the procession will then pass along Avenida Isabel Manoja, Calle Joan Miro and Avenida Rafael Quintana Rosado, before continuing through El Calvario and onto the pine forest next to the fairground.

This popular and festive pilgrimage precedes the town's annual fair, which begins on Wednesday 26 and continues until Sunday 30 September.
This July, AIDS United detailed the Trump administration's cynical and inhumane use of unspent Ryan White program money from Fiscal Years 2015 and 2016 to pay for the detention of thousands of undocumented immigrant children whom they had separated from their parents. This week, we were dismayed to learn that the Trump administration is not only taking money from federal HIV programming and other vital spending to help our nation's most vulnerable populations to pay for their draconian immigration policies again, but that they are doing so using money from the current fiscal year.

In a letter that was sent to Congressional appropriators earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar stated his intent to reallocate $266 million in funds within HHS to be used in the detention of immigrant children through the Unaccompanied Alien Children program within the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Included in that $266 million of transferred funding was more than $9.5 million in federal HIV spending, as well as more than $1 million in funds from the CDC's Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infection, and Tuberculosis programs; $2.2 million from Maternal and Child Health programs; and over $12.1 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the National Institutes of Health, which could contain significant HIV-related spending.

As it concerns the federal HIV programs that are being targeted for cuts, Secretary Azar and the Trump administration have gone after funding that is of vital importance to the lives of people living with or affected by HIV in the United States. Most jarringly, the Trump administration has signaled their intent to pay for the skyrocketing costs of their detention of immigrant children by transferring $5.75 million in funds for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program that are needed to provide life-saving medications for people living with HIV. A further $2.6 million in HIV prevention and surveillance funding was also moved from the CDC that would have been used to help prevent another HIV outbreak like the one in Scott County, Indiana and to increase the utilization of game-changing interventions like PrEP. Secretary Azar's transfer request also demands the transfer of more than $1 million from SAMHSA's Minority AIDS Initiative, $131,000 from the Secretary's Minority AIDS Initiative Fund, and $5.3 million from substance use disorder Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment.

AIDS United has spoken with a person with knowledge of the Trump administration's process concerning the transfer of fiscal year 2018 funding, who intimated that the HIV money targeted for transfer would have otherwise been appropriately spent before the end of the fiscal year on programs related to HIV treatment and prevention. Regardless, the funds will now be used to support the Trump administration's ideologically-driven escalation of the detention of immigrant children. On Sept. 19 of this year, there were 13,312 immigrant children being held in detention by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, roughly a 550% increase over the immigrant child detention rates in May of 2017. This massive increase has been attributed both to the Trump administration's policy of forcibly separating undocumented immigrant families and to the extended periods of time children are spending in detention due to the administration's use of the immigrant child placement process to arrest undocumented adults who come forward to sponsor the children.

Any removal of federal HIV funding for purposes not related to caring for the 1.2 million people living with HIV in this country is unacceptable, but taking away federal HIV funding in order to detain immigrant children after separating them from their families is appalling and cannot be tolerated.

We call on everyone in the HIV community to speak out and demand that the Trump administration keep their hands off federal HIV funding and to end their inhumane policy of child separation. Click here to join in AIDS United's action alert to tell your representatives in Congress to protect HIV funding and immigrant children.

[Note from TheBody: This article was originally published by AIDS United on Sept. 21, 2018. We have cross-posted it with their permission.]
From an email message that I recently received:

LEGAL METHODS POSITION

Widener University Delaware Law School is hiring a full-time Legal Methods Professor. Legal Methods faculty typically teach 2 sections per semester of one of the three required Legal Methods courses, or their equivalents. Legal Methods faculty work closely together and leadership and innovation is invited and appreciated; Legal Methods faculty are eligible to qualify for five-year presumptively renewable contracts. Class sections for Legal Methods generally run 20-25 students.

Qualified candidates will have strong academic credentials; at least three years of legal-practice experience; and excellent analytical, writing, and research skills. Candidates should demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching legal writing; prior experience is strongly preferred. Candidates should also be able to interact well with students, as Legal Methods involves substantial engagement with students and rigorous evaluation of student work.

Delaware Law School is the only law school in Delaware and serves students from throughout the nation and across the globe. In addition to the JD program, Delaware Law School also offers LLMs and SJDs in a variety of areas. The Law School is located in the Brandywine Valley, known for its cultural, historic, and commercial significance as well as abundant natural beauty. It is close to Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and easily accessible from Washington DC and New York.

Please submit a CV and letter of interest (including three references) to Professor Erin Daly, Chair of the Search Committee, at paburns@widener.edu. Include in the subject line Legal Methods Position. Individuals who desire accommodations in the application process should include relevant information in their email. Widener University Delaware Law School is committed to achieving diversity among faculty, staff, and students. University is an equal opportunity employer. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

CRIMINAL LAW/CRIMINAL DEFENSE CLINIC POSITION

Widener University Delaware Law School in Wilmington, Delaware, seeks to hire a full-time, tenure-track faculty member to teach Criminal Law and Evidence and to teach in and supervise students in the Criminal Defense clinic. The faculty member would also participate in the activities of the Taishoff Advocacy, Technology and Public Service Institute. We are seeking candidates with evidence of and potential for outstanding legal practice, clinical education, and scholarly achievement.

Qualified candidates will have a J.D. degree or further academic qualifications, strong academic credentials and at least five years of experience in fields involving criminal practice and procedure. Candidates should also have excellent analytical, writing, and research skills and should demonstrate a commitment to building a national reputation in the field of Criminal Law and Clinical Legal Education.

Delaware Law School is the only law school in Delaware and serves students from throughout the nation and across the globe. In addition to the JD program, Delaware Law School also offers LLMs and SJDs in a variety of areas. The Law School is located in the Brandywine Valley, known for its cultural, historic, and commercial significance as well as abundant natural beauty. It is close to Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and easily accessible from Washington DC and New York.

Please submit a CV and letter of interest (including three references) to Professor Erin Daly, Chair of the Search Committee, at paburns@widener.edu. Include in the subject line Criminal Law Position. Individuals who desire accommodations in the application process should include relevant information in their email. Widener University Delaware Law School is committed to achieving diversity among faculty, staff, and students. University is an equal opportunity employer. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
TORONTO, Sept. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Hon. Vic Fedelis speech at the Economics Club tomorrow morning will reveal the contents of Gordon Campbells fiscal review.



The Ontario Health Coalition expects that amid the hand-wringing, without even considering the option of cancelling the tax cuts for the wealthy or raising revenues to ensure that needed public services are protected for Ontarians, we will be subjected to yet another attempt to sell the public on the same tired formula of change management we have been through before in which they create a crisis in order to soften up the public for cuts and privatization, said Ontario Health Coalition Executive Director Natalie Mehra.

The appointment of Gordon Campbell deserves more public scrutiny than it has been afforded to date, said Natalie Mehra. Campbell is an arch-privatizer, enemy of public health care, and fomenter of fiscal-crisis driven cuts and roll backs of progressive policy in his province. First, he claimed he was elected to bring fiscal prudence to the province, even though he inherited a surplus, then he made staggering cuts to public services across the board which he termed as thoughtful and innovative.

Under Campbell, British Columbia fell into a deficit and increased its debt significantly, while tax cuts that benefited the rich.

Many have reported that he turned a blind eye as private hospitals (called clinics) charged user fees in the thousands of dollars to sick and elderly patients in violation of Canadas Public Medicare laws that prohibit such charges to patients in need, acting only when absolutely forced to do so by patients who were charged thousands of dollars for needed surgeries.

A couple of months ago, Campbell signed an affidavit to help private clinics in their attempt to bring down public medicare and usher in two-tier medicare, said Mehra. This is the man whom Doug Ford has brought in to do the so called Financial Inquiry in Ontario and like Ford, Campbell never mentioned in the election his planned fiscal crisis and massive cuts and privatization regime.

September 6, Health Minister Christine Elliotts comments and a speech to the Ontario Hospital Association were reminiscent of Gordon Campbells public messages. She said the Ford government was elected to bring financial order to Ontario, that they are going to make tough decisions, be innovative, and find efficiencies.

The cuts have already started. Programs and services that would have created equity and improved living standards for the middle class and lower income Ontarians have come under Fords axe.

This summer, the Ford government made multiple announcements per day, systematically cutting and rolling back the progressive reforms and funding improvements that were in the 2018 provincial budget. In health care, OHIP+ was cut, promised mental health funding increase was cut by $380 million. In poverty-reduction, social assistance was cut in real-dollar terms and the basic income pilot project was cancelled.

We are warning the Ford government that Ontarians have no appetite for cuts, hospital mega-mergers and restructuring, privatization, or further downsizing vital care staff. We will not fall for sugar coating the attack on public health care under a rubric of efficiencies. We have been through this too many times before and the support for protecting our local public health care services is deep and crosses all party lines. There is no mandate for cuts and we will fight any attempt to attack public health care, said Mehra.

For more information: Dana Boettger, Communications Manager (416) 441-2502 (office) or Natalie Mehra (416) 230-6402 (cell).



Background

To read the Ontario Health Coalition analysis of Gordon Campbells record on health care, click here.
Singapore , Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia (BSA) employees, including Managing Director Osafumi Kawamura, brought cheer to the hearts of the underprivileged elderly this mid-autumn festival at the Lions Befrienders Senior Activity Centre (Bendemeer). The staff took half-day off from work today to bake 200 pcs of mini baked lotus mooncake which will be distributed to the underprivileged elderly together with goodie bags on that day.

We hope to bring warmth to the elderly and bring more inclusivity so that they are able to enjoy the festive occasion, said Osafumi Kawamura, Managing Director of Konica Minolta BSA. Through our staff effort, we hope to bring care and make some positive impact to the community.

Nellie Wee, an event participant, said: "We appreciate their hard work in making so many handmade mooncakes for us seniors here at the Lions Befrienders SAC at Bendemeer. Looking forward to their next event here!"

This event is in line with Konica Minoltas corporate social responsibility agenda to contribute to the betterment of local communities through inclusive and collaborative activities. It encourages employees to volunteer more and supports the Singapore Governments initiatives to encourage more citizens to give back to the community.

About Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia

Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia is a leader in print and enterprise content management focusing on optimisation, productivity and information sharing via its broad range of office and production printing solutions and services. Backed by strong service standards and proficient support staff, Konica Minolta has won numerous awards and recognition, including placement in the Leaders Quadrant on the Gartner 2014 Magic Quadrant for Managed Print Services (MPS) and Managed Content Services (MCS). Konica Minolta, Inc. has also been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for five years in a row. For more information, please visit: http://www.konicaminolta.sg/business/.
Police are asking for help in finding several men suspected of robbing a jewelry store at 80 Bowery on Tuesday afternoon.

The robbers threatened employees of Lucky Diamonds, shot at the glass doorway and fled with $100,000 in jewels. More details from Crime Stoppers:

It was reported to police that on Tuesday September 18, 2018, at approximately 2:15 p.m. inside of 80 Bowery (Lucky Diamond Corp.), one of the individuals displayed a firearm while the second male jumped over the stores counter and placed approximately 123 pieces of jewelry inside of a bag. The male with the firearm fired one round through the stores front glass door when they were unable to open it. The second male kicked the glass down and both ran out of the store. They fled inside of a light colored 4 door sedan southbound on Bowery and then Brooklyn bound on the Manhattan Bridge. Two other males acted as lookouts on the outside of the store during the robbery. One male fled on foot southbound on Bowery and the other fled inside of a dark colored four door sedan northbound on Bowery. One of the cars is described as a light colored four door BMW sedan. The other is described as a dark colored four door Nissan Maxima sedan.

A jewelry designer who works in the store, Ka-Lai Wong, told Channel 7, The gunman had said to his partner, Do what you gotta to do, do what you gotta do, and he was just stuffing the bag with the trays of jewelry out of the window Only afterwards did I think, this could have been really disastrous for all of us inside.

This week, City Council member Margaret Chin renewed her plea for NYPD security cameras at the intersection of Bowery and Canal Street. In 2013, she allocated funding for cameras here and elsewhere in Chinatown. In this area, she said, we have seen numerous robberies and other crimes that threaten our small businesses and our communitys sense of security. I am asking NYPD to install this camera before someone is seriously injured or killed in another incident. We cannot afford to wait any longer.

Anyone with information about the most recent robbery should call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
uni

red brick

Children chanting Prince Williams name as he left campus today. What a great experience for them! pic.twitter.com/QSzaSnKpKF  Uni of Birmingham (@unibirmingham) 18 September 2018

He was attending the first graduation ceremony of his National SkillForce award which he set up last year.The program aims to help children between the ages of 6 and 14 build their resilience, confidence and character in preparation for adulthood.When launching the program last year the Prince stated that the 'development of personal skills puts a young person in better stead for education, future employment and for life. The ceremony marked the first successful year of the award and was presented by British comedian David Walliams, who introduced the Prince jokingly with lower your expectations. Hes not the ginger one, hes the other one. He is the most important one even though George Clooney didnt show up for his wedding. The Prince even injected some humour into the ceremony himself by beginning his speech with the joke, Im not sure whats scarierbeing up here after David Williams or those trousers, pointing to a man on stage next to him who apparently had donned a pair of garish pink trousers for the ceremony. In his speech the Prince acknowledged how the award has flourished over its first year, positively impacting the lives of almost seven and a half thousand children.' He also took time to thank the instructors of the award, many of whom have previously served in the Armed forces. The event was held in the Great Hall of the Aston Webb building on the uni's famouscampus. Students and locals came out to welcome the Prince to Birmingham and the campus was abuzz with excitement. Children were chanting the Princes name when he departed.Later in the day, the Prince visited the Acorns Childrens Hospice in Selly Oak, which was opened 30 years ago by his late mother. Staff who were present for the opening and were also there to welcome the Prince on Tuesday said they remembered Lady Dianas visit like it was yesterday.'
The international pop star positioned himself by The Queen Victoria Memorial, which stands in front of Buckingham Palace, and could have easily been mistaken for a London busker. Tourist and German student, Karlin Michael, was sightseeing the area when he saw the Grammy award winner casually leaning against the well-known fountain with his guitar in hand.Speaking to The National Student, he said: It was really calm, there were no fans, no screaming or anything, No one really recognised him, I guess because of his hoodie, he added. Justin had the hood of his quirky tie-dye sweatshirt up. He also had his guitar case laid out open in front of him, just like any busker would, allowing him to go slightly unnoticed. Karlin and his cousin, who had not planned on visiting Buckingham Palace, were both drawn to the fountain after noticing a somewhat unusal and unfamiliar scene.There were his bodyguards and his van, so I noticed that there was a VIP, but then I recognised his voice, Karlin told TNS. Bieber performed a short acoustic set, which included a cover of his 2016 collaboration with Major Lazer and M, "Cold Water," and Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car". Karlin said that Bieber even took song requests. Justin announced prior to performing that the songs were for the love of his life, dedicating them to Hailey. The couple have been in London since Monday, coming for Haileys Adidas fashion show. Upon watching footage of this week's event, some fans may experience Deja vu as Bieber performed his hit Baby in the exact same spot eight years ago.
Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here

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2018 Field Trip: Focus on North America and

Maxxam Analytics, a Bureau Veritas Group company

Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, September 21, 2018 - Bureau Veritas held yesterday a Field Trip to Maxxam Analytics, a Bureau Veritas Group company, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

The Group offered the opportunity to attending analysts and investors to visit its state-of-the-art Environmental and Food laboratories.

Natalia Shuman, Executive Vice President, Commodities, Industry & Facilities - North America, presented the expected progression of the Group's activities in North America through to 2020. Buildings & Infrastructure, Agri-Food and Power & Utilities activities are expected to drive this development and support Bureau Veritas in achieving the diversification of its portfolio. The initiatives taken in the region to support the digital strategy, thereby illustrating the progress made in the Group's transformation, were highlighted.

Donna Garbutt, Canada Country Chief Executive, presented the operations of Maxxam Analytics, a Bureau Veritas Group company. Maxxam Analytics was acquired in 2014 and is the Canadian leader in Environmental, Oil & Gas and Food testing services. The presentation highlighted the unique know-how and strong digital component of operations and services offered by Maxxam Analytics.

The presentation is available on the Group's website www.bureauveritas.com under Investors section.
English Lithuanian

AB Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius (hereinafter  the Company or ESO), code 304151376, registered office address Aguonu St. 24, Vilnius. The total number of the registered ordinary shares issued by AB Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius is 894 630 333; ISIN code  LT0000130023.

The Company hereby informs that on 21 September 2018 it concluded a transaction on sale purchase of business segment whereby ESO as of 1 October 2018 shall transfer the business segment of the public supply of electric energy with the related assets, rights and duties (hereinafter  the Business segment) to Lietuvos Duju Tiekimas, UAB (hereinafter  LDT), legal entity code 303383884, registered office address Zveju St. 14, LT-09310. Vilnius, Lithuania.

The Decision of the Board of the Company regarding the conclusion of the contract on the sale of the public electricity supply operations with LDT was approved by the Supervisory Board of the Company on 29 August 2018 on the basis of positive opinion of the Audit Committee of the parent company Lietuvos Energija, UAB.

The Business segment being sold under the contract is the operations of the public supply of electric energy. Having sold the operations of the public supply of electric energy to LDT, The Company will continue generating proceeds for the distribution and guarantee supply of electric energy and natural gas, operation, maintaining, control and development of electricity and natural gas grids, ensuring their safety and reliability. No tangible assets owned by ESO will be used for carrying out the operations of the Business segment under the sale contract.

The ownership rights to the Business segment being sold will be transferred to LDT as of 1 October 2018, upon a signature of the Transfer - Acceptance Statement between Company and LDT.

As it was informed earlier the value of the Business segment being sold was determined by an independent property valuer UAB Ernst & Young Baltic. According to the opinion of the independent valuator the market price of the Business segment was set at EUR 30,520,000 (thirty million five hundred twenty thousand euros).

Given that the public supply electricity operations constituting the Business segment are continuous which causes changes in the Business segment in the period from the cut-off balance sheet of 30 June 2018 until the transfer of the Business segment on 1 October 2018, the price of the Business segment as specified below can be adjusted.

The transaction was concluded with a view to ensuring more transparent operations of the distribution system operator and refining the operations regulated by the State.





Information is not confidential.





Representative for Public Relations of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB Tomas Kavaliauskas, tel. +370 61751616, e-mail.: tomas.kavaliauskas@eso.lt
By Shabana Gupta

guptasha@grinnell.edu

The Department of Alumni Relations and the Center for Careers, Life and Service (CLS) collaborated to bring alumni who work in the arts back to Grinnell for a two-day event, the Artists as Activists Symposium. Alumni returned to participate in panel discussions and run workshops, in addition to connecting with current students and members of the Grinnell community.

One of the main goals of this event was to help student artists become more active in their communities. Rachel Harvith, director of the Arts, Media, and Communications Career Community, said, One of the things thats never changed [in Grinnell] is the commitment to social justice, and I feel that one of the groups left out of that change is artists.

Everyone was welcome to join in the events, ranging from panel discussions to a concert held in the Stew. During these events, Harvith wants people to hold conversations that focus on how art is able to make a difference in the world, not only the Grinnell community.

We wanted to focus on how to use your skills for social change, connecting to Grinnellians present and past and creating an exciting atmosphere, Harvith said.

Soar is one event that was created in collaboration with artist Nancy Belmont, who specializes in projects that bring together communities. People wrote their burdens on rocks and hung origami birds to the rocks to symbolize the burdens being let go.

The keynote speaker, Dave Loewenstein 88, works with communities to create murals that express the essence of a community. His collaborative process includes talking with community stakeholders, showing them drafts and getting feedback. Once everything has been decided, Loewenstein opens the project to the community, where different members come in and paint, including children. Loewenstein has a mural in Grinnell from 2001 called Eclipse on the north side of the Grinnell Railway Express building. He is a successful muralist around the world, with pieces in Ireland, South Korea and Brazil.

Loewenstein will speak today on how to go about making art with large groups, as well as his own printmaking and mural painting process.

Many of the events allowed people to show and practice their own creativity. We also wanted to have not just talking about art but also practicing it, so we wanted to have a place where everyone can be part of that, Harvith said. The majority of projects were held in Bucksbaum, where people could come and go as they pleased.

Rachel Eber 21 played at the Stew in a solo performance. Katie In 13 asked Eber to play this year. Eber has experience around campus, playing in tiny dorm concerts, Showvember and the Grinnellian.

Multiple students and alumni volunteered their work to the closing reception, giving a mixture of art, music and stories for people to peruse. The work will be going up in the Bucksbaum Rotunda as posters, containing information about the artist and the piece, displayed with a photo of the piece. The showcase is for all students, not only those practicing in art through the college.

This can be anyone who considers themselves an artist and whatever that means to you, Harvith said. We want to bring visibility to students who are doing creative work on campus.

Brooke Vonderheide, assistant director of Donor and Alumni Relations for career programs, believes the panel discussion will open room for students with interests outside of art to join the discussion. I think its going to be a really wonderful way to invite alumni and students into the conversation, Vonderheide said.

Students will be able to have meals with alumni artists where they can chat and ask questions about how to do meaningful work. Events are wrapped up for Thursday, but will continue today.
By Hope Yi

yishuhan@grinnell.edu

On Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace, the Peace and Conflict Studies Program (PACS) will hold an informational session about the Davis Project for Peace.

The Davis Project for Peace is a $10,000 prize to support a students winning proposal. Over the summer, the winner will use the funds to implement a project aimed at promoting peace.

Angela Frimpong 20, whose Aspiring for More project won last years Davis prize, will discuss her project and her experience at the informational session.

Frimpongs project aimed to make educational resources such as internet more accessible to students in Jamestown, Ghana. The project provided 140 students from four schools with accessible educational resources, encouraging students to pursue their dreams.

In the summer of her gap year in 2015-2016, Frimpong visited many local schools in the community and noticed that the lack of computers in many schools prevented students from accessing educational resources online. Seeing the lack of connectivity to the internet motivated Frimpong to act. With funds from Vodafone Ghana, Frimpong began to think of a long-term plan to expose students to more educational resources.

I [wanted] to motivate them to pursue high levels of education, Frimpong said. Because in low-income areas, I saw education as a tool for them to move up the social ladders.

The real challenge [was] connecting that project to peace, Frimpong said. What I did was, [look] at the area I [was working in]: the business, the stress, and I found the students without educational resources end up becoming thieves, and some may be in prison, somewhere that seclude them from society, and that definitely wont create community.

I helped them realize the importance of school, and provided them with resources in the meantime. Then, the students with resources will be able to educate their friends and will continue building a sense of community. This was my connection to peace, and this makes me see peace differently, Frimpong said.

Recalling her passionate and sometimes rough journey to successfully implementing her project, Frimpong stated that the most valuable lesson the experience offered her is a new definition of peace and humanity.

Humanity is not only an intuitive to love, but also a core ability to listen humbly to different people, being present and offering help, Frimpong said. Peace is not only the absence of war; its community.

According to Frimpong, International Day of Peace is not simply a special day to promote world-wide awareness of peace, but a medium through which people can disseminate love and kindness. For her, peace is not just about ending warfare, but in its essence, a sense of community.

It is the day for us to think how far weve come and how far we are on our journey to end sexism, racism, poverty and to build a real community, Frimpong said.

Frimpong will be discussing her project as part of the Davis Project for Peace informational session on Friday, Sept. 21 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in JRC 101.
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LONDON, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ethiopia was the worlds fastest-growing economy in 2017, but over recent years, historic issues in sub-Saharan Africa have too often obscured the story of the countrys remarkable economic progress.



While Ethiopia faces systemic problems around its infrastructure and energy, its charismatic leader, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is expected to propel the country to new heights. Elizabeth Matsangou explains why Ethiopia is poised to become a regional hub in terms of manufacturing, transportation, energy and economic leadership in the latest edition of World Finance magazine.

Elsewhere in the magazine, Barclay Ballard examines Germanys reluctance to increase military spending. Although the country possess the European Unions largest economy, biggest population and most substantial trade surplus, the shadow of Germanys history looms over its military. However, facing hostility from Russia and an isolationist agenda from the US, Europe may well need a strong German military to help maintain stability.

Meanwhile, Courtney Goldsmith weighs the benefits of nuclear power against the rising costs of the complex technology. With the price of wind and solar power plummeting, can the worlds decarbonisation goals be achieved without taking on the huge cost of new nuclear projects?

Topics covered elsewhere in the autumn issue of World Finance include whether impact bonds can be a sustainable way to finance international development programmes, what the post-Castro era has in store for Cubas economy and how one Russian bank has prospered in an industry full of enormous challenges.

To read about all of this and more, pick up the latest issue of World Finance magazine, available in print, on tablet and online now.

www.worldfinance.com

World News Media is a leading publisher of quality financial and business magazines, which enjoys a global distribution network that includes subscriber lists of prominent decision-makers around the world.
TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Toronto & York Region Labour Council is pleased to announce that it is endorsing Jennifer Keesmaat for mayor of Toronto.



Canadas largest city can only prosper if there is a strong foundation of public services, affordable housing and affordable, accessible public transit. Toronto will need strong leadership to tackle the key challenges the city faces, and Jennifer Keesmaat has shown a keen understanding of the issues combined with a bold vision for the future.

Working people are being pushed out of this city because they cant afford to live here. We need a mayor who is actually going to act on this issue. Jennifer Keesmaat has laid out a comprehensive and credible plan to put city land to work, creating thousands of new rental apartments that are reasonably priced, that an ordinary family can afford, said Labour Council President John Cartwright.

Many people spend hours trying to get around the city on our crowded transit system. We need to dramatically expand fast, dependable transit to every corner of the city, particularly for those who work in the service sector, said Andria Babbington, Vice-President of the Labour Council.

Jennifer Keesmaats transit plan stands in sharp contrast to the stalled SmartTrack scheme.

Torys track record on a number of important areas has been disappointing  his plans to sell off Toronto Hydro and contract out solid waste collection were stopped at City Council, while his complicity in the lockout of workers at Exhibition Place soured both the CNE fair and the annual Labour Day celebration.

Tory also strongly promoted giving $364 million in tax grants this summer to wealthy downtown developers. Jennifer Keesmaat, on the other hand, recognizes that the Tax Increment Equivalent Grants program is out of touch with Torontos needs, giving millions to big corporations instead of funding critical community programs and services.

Since 1871, the Labour Council has been working for social and economic justice in this city, said Cartwright. We want to see leadership at City Hall that will inspire people of all walks of life to step up and engage in building a great city, serving every neighbourhood and creating good jobs in a sustainable economy in which every community feels genuinely included.

Labour Council went through a rigorous process in deciding whether to endorse Jennifer Keesmaat for mayor, said Maureen OReilly, of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union and chair of Labour Councils Election Planning Committee. We had a number of meetings engaging her in vigorous discussions, and finally a full debate among the Council Delegates to arrive at this decision.

The Toronto and York Region Labour Council is a central labour body that combines the strength of over 150 local unions representing 208,000 women and men and who work in every sector of the economy.

For information visit labourcouncil.ca and follow @torontolabour on Facebook and Twitter .

Toronto & York Region Labour Council Media Contact:

John Cartwright, President, Toronto & York Region Labour Council

(416) 999 5663 or jcartwright@labourcouncil.ca
DENVER, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TrackX Holdings Inc. (TSX.V:TKX) (TrackX or the Company), a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based enterprise asset management solution provider, announces that CEO Tim Harvie will present the Companys investment thesis at two upcoming investor conferences. For investors looking to attend the conferences see the links below in the About sections below.



On October 1, 2018, Mr. Harvie will attend the MicroCap Conference in New York City. He will host a full day of one-on-one meetings with investors and present on behalf of the Company at 10:30am on Track 5.

On October 4, 2018, Mr. Harvie will present at the StableView TECH18 conference in Toronto, Canada at 10:55 am.

Im looking forward to updating current TrackX investors as well as sharing our story with people new to our Company, said Mr. Harvie. MicroCap Conference and StableView TECH18 are ideal events that draw investors who see value in innovative technology companies with high growth potential. Id like to thank the organizers of both events for hosting TrackX.

About MicroCap Conference

The MicroCap Conference is an exclusive event in New York City for investors who specialize in small and microcap stocks. It is an opportunity to be introduced to and speak with management at some of the most attractive small companies, learn from various expert panels, and mingle with other microcap investors. For more information, please visit https://microcapconf.com/ .

About StableView TECH18

Now in its 5th year, StableViews technology conference is first and foremost an educational event -- an opportunity for investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders to learn firsthand from more than 50 of Canadas most promising technology companies about the issues and challenges they face. For more information, please visit https://stableview.ca/events/ .

About TrackX

TrackX, Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TKX), based in Denver, Colorado, is an enterprise asset management company deploying SaaS-based solutions leveraging multiple auto-ID and sensor technologies for the comprehensive tracking and management of physical assets. TrackX's Global Asset Management for Enterprises (GAME) platform enables the IIoT by providing unique item level tracking, workflow processing, event management, alerting and powerful analytics to deliver solutions across a growing number of industries. TrackX delivers significant value to a growing list of Fortune 500 companies and for customers in industries such as transportation, beverage, brewery, healthcare, hi-tech, hospitality, mining, agriculture, horticulture, manufacturing and government.

For more information, please contact:

Gene McConnell, TrackX Holdings Inc.

investor@trackx.com

303-325-7300

Sean Peasgood, Sophic Capital

Sean@SophicCapital.com

647-361-8358

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements that address future plans, activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur including the Companys anticipated pipeline and value of current and customer deployments and future opportunities are the managements best estimates and cannot be guaranteed or relied upon and is forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Stockholm, September 21st, 2018 - Today ContextVision held a company presentation at Norne Securities' Vekst & Verdi Aksjesminar in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Ann-Charlotte Linderoth, CFO at ContextVision, gave a presentation of the company and its development, and shared the company's future direction. Please find a PDF-version of the presentation attached.

The presentation will also be published on the company's website.

For further information, please contact ContextVision's CFO, Ann-Charlotte Linderoth, at ann-charlotte.linderoth@contextvision.se or visit www.contextvision.com.

###

About ContextVision

ContextVision is a medical technology software company that specializes in image analysis and artificial intelligence. ContextVision is the global market leader within image enhancement and is a software partner to leading medical imaging manufacturers all over the world. Its cutting-edge technology helps doctors accurately interpret medical images, a crucial foundation for better diagnosis and treatment.

As an industry pioneer for more than 30 years, ContextVision is significantly investing in R&D to develop new applications of the latest artificial intelligence technologies and expanding into the growing digital pathology market. The release of its first product, supporting the diagnosis of prostate cancer, is planned in the near future.

The company is based in Sweden, with local representation in the U.S., Russia, Japan, China and Korea. ContextVision is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker COV. For more information please visit www.contextvision.com.
If approved in expected timeframe, Luxturna* (voretigene neparvovec) will be first and only gene therapy available in EU to treat a rare inherited retinal disease



Children and adults living with inherited retinal disease caused by RPE65 gene mutations nearly all progress to complete blindness



93% of patients treated with Luxturna in the Phase 3 clinical trial had improved vision at 1 year

The digital press release with multimedia content can be accessed here:

Basel, September 21, 2018 - Novartis today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion for the approval of voretigene neparvovec, a one-time gene therapy for the treatment of patients with vision loss due to a genetic mutation in both copies of the RPE65 gene. Luxturna was developed and is marketed in the US by Spark Therapeutics. If approved, voretigene neparvovec will be commercialized by Novartis in markets outside the U.S.

Inherited retinal diseases are a group of rare conditions that can lead to total blindness, often disproportionally affecting children and young adults[1]. 50% of people with mutations in both copies of the RPE65 gene will be legally blind by the time they're 16 years old[2]. Voretigene neparvovec provides a working copy of the RPE65 gene to act in place of the mutated RPE65 gene[1]. This working gene has the potential to restore vision and improve sight[1]. Outside of the US, there are currently no approved pharmacologic treatment options for vision loss caused by RPE65 mutations.

"Inherited retinal diseases are a heterogenous group of degenerative conditions that represent the major cause of blindness in childhood and active working life. This opinion represents a hopeful milestone for current and future patients who may ultimately benefit from gene therapy," said Christina Fasser, president of Retina International, an umbrella organization of more than 43 patient organizations worldwide promoting research to find treatments for inherited retinal degenerative diseases.

"Today's positive CHMP opinion represents a significant step in our journey toward advancing potentially life-changing cell and gene therapies in ophthalmology," said Paul Hudson, CEO, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. "We look forward to working with Spark Therapeutics and the EMA to establish access and reimagine care for people in the EU who face the threat of total blindness from this inherited retinal disease."

The positive CHMP opinion is based on data from a Phase 1 clinical trial, its follow-up trial, and a Phase 3 trial that together enrolled 43 patients with inherited retinal disease caused by mutations in both copies of the RPE65 gene[1]. The Phase 3 trial was the first randomized, controlled Phase 3 gene therapy trial for an inherited disease[1].

A marketing authorization decision from the European Commission is anticipated within approximately two months of the positive CHMP opinion. If approved, the authorization will be valid in all 28 member states of the EU, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

About RPE65 mutation-associated inherited retinal disease

Inherited retinal diseases are a group of rare blinding conditions caused by more than 220 different genes, often disproportionally affecting children and young adults[1]. Mutations in both copies of the RPE65 gene affect approximately 1 in 200,000 people[3].

Mutations in both copies of the RPE65 gene can lead to blindness. Early in the disease patients can suffer from night blindness (nyctalopia), loss of light sensitivity, loss of peripheral vision, loss of sharpness or clarity of vision, impaired dark adaptation and repetitive uncontrolled movements of the eye (nystagmus)[4]. Patients with mutations in both copies of the RPE65 gene may be diagnosed, for instance, with subtypes of either Leber congenital amaurosis or retinitis pigmentosa[5].

About the Novartis and Spark Therapeutics licensing and supply agreement

In January 2018, Spark Therapeutics entered into a licensing and supply agreement with Novartis covering development, registration and commercialization rights to Luxturna in markets outside the US. Commercialization rights in the EU/EEA will be transferred to Novartis upon successful completion of EU registration and issuance of marketing authorization. Novartis already has exclusive rights to pursue development, registration and commercialization in all other countries outside the US, and Spark Therapeutics would supply the gene therapy to Novartis.

About Novartis in ophthalmology

For more than 70 years, patients, caregivers and healthcare providers worldwide have looked to Novartis for state-of-the-art treatments in eye diseases. We continue to invest in science as well as in strategic alliances to help ensure patients have access to screening, diagnosis, and our eye medicines. Our commitment to vision extends globally across ages, from premature infants to seniors, from rare diseases to those affecting millions, from eye drops to gene therapies. Our aspiration: reimagining eye care to help everyone see possibilities.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 1 billion people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 125 000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com

* Luxturna is a trademark of Spark Therapeutics in the United States and is registered in the EU

References

[1] Russell S et al Efficacy and safety of voretigene neparvovec (AAV2-hRPE65v2) in patients with RPE65- mediated inherited retinal dystrophy: a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial. The Lancet 2017; 390:849-860.

[2] Novartis. Data on file. 2018

[3] Novartis. Data on file. 2018

[4] Astuti GD et al. Comprehensive genotyping reveals RPE65 as the most frequently mutated gene in Leber congenital amaurosis in Denmark. Eur J Hum Genet 2016; 24: 1071-79.

[5] Morimura H et al. Mutations in the RPE65 gene in patients with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa or Leber congenital amaurosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998; 95: 3088-93.

Novartis Media Relations

Central media line: +41 61 324 2200

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com

Eric Althoff

Novartis Global Media Relations

+41 61 324 7999 (direct)

+41 79 593 4202 (mobile)

eric.althoff@novartis.com Amy Wolf

Global Head, Ophthalmology Communications

+41 61 696 5894 (direct)

+41 79 576 0723 (mobile)

amy.wolf@novartis.com

Novartis Investor Relations

Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944

E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com
Athens is greatly appreciated as a holiday destination for its visitors, with "great archaeological and cultural interest" as its strongest asset, according to a study conducted by the Athens Attica and Argosonic Hotel Association and GBR Consulting and presented during the associations 48th annual General Assembly.

The survey, held from the end of June to early September, asked 1,500 visitors staying at an Athens hotel to rate their experience in the Greek capital and was supported by City Contact and the University of Western Attica.

Tourists staying in Athens gave the Greek capital a score of 7.9 out of 10 while almost all of the visitors (96 percent) said they would recommend to their friends to visit Athens and about half of them had come to the city before.

Most Europeans and Americans of all ages elected Athens for recreation and holidays (up to 79%), a fact which proves that the Greek capital is an established holiday destination with "great archaeological and cultural interest" for 81% of its visitors.

Furthermore, the percentage of recurring visitors reaches 45%, a very satisfactory index for a city break destination. Modern Athens as a pole of attraction does not particularly impress visitors (15% -27% depending on their age), but the fact that it excites young people aged 18-30 is promising.

The Athens coastal front and the Attica Riviera also attract younger ages (up to 60%) and are very popular for swimming (up to 82%) even though 50% of the respondents did not know that Athens has a coastal front.

Overall, the experience of Athens for the majority of its visitors was better than their expectations.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
The Ministry of Culture dismissed on Thursday allegations by Greek archaeologists that a series of archaeological sites are to be privatized.

In a statement it noted that properties of archaeological interest are not for sale.

Our cultural heritage cannot be traded, it stresses in response to allegations by the Society of Greek Archaeologists that a list of monuments in Chania, Crete has been transferred to the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), the countrys privatization agency.

The HRADF only mission is to maximize the countrys revenues by developing and/or selling the assets transferred to the fund.

The archaeologists claim that among the sites are big portions of the trench of the citys Venetian fortifications, the trench of the Byzantine wall, buildings that contain important Minoan architectural finds, the Firkas fortress, and parts of the Venetian pier.

They argue that the move is unprecedented in the history of managing Greeces cultural heritage and warn that it will stir up strong reactions both domestically and abroad.

New Democracy vice-president Adonis Georgiades stated that he has tabled a motion in parliament asking the ministry to release the document allegedly containing archaeological sites destined for transfer to the HRADF.

Read more at greekreporter.com

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: C messier License: CC-BY-SA
Children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience more frequent and often more severe relapses than adults with the disease, hindering their development and ability to take part in everyday life



Positive opinion is based on the landmark Phase III PARADIGMS trial, which showed Gilenya (fingolimod) substantially reduced the debilitating impact of MS in young patients



If approved, Gilenya is expected to be the first and only oral disease-modifying therapy approved for children and adolescents in Europe

Basel, September 21, 2018 - Novartis today announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended approval of Gilenya (fingolimod) for the treatment of children and adolescents 10 to 17 years of age with relapsing remitting forms of multiple sclerosis (RRMS). If approved, Gilenya is expected to be the first oral disease-modifying therapy indicated for these patients based on a randomized controlled clinical study[1]. The younger patient population experiences two-to-three times as many relapses as adults, often leading to a more severe prognosis and earlier disability compared to adult-onset MS[2]. If approved, Gilenya would address the urgent need faced by these young people. This market authorization would expand the age range of Gilenya, one of the most prescribed MS treatments worldwide. Gilenya was previously approved for adults with RRMS aged 18 years and older in Europe.

"The lives of kids are immensely impacted by the early onset of MS, from playing sports, going to school or enjoying time with friends and family. We need to address the urgent need for new and effective treatments, and with Gilenya, we may now have an option that can make a substantial difference for young patients", said Paul Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. "This CHMP positive opinion is a testament to our relentless dedication to reimagining MS care across all generations. We are very excited to be a step closer to bringing this much-needed treatment to young MS patients across Europe."

"Today's CHMP positive opinion is a momentous advancement for the children and adolescents impacted by MS," said Pedro Carrascal, President, European Multiple Sclerosis Platform. "Young European patients and their families, who have long been hoping for an effective disease modifying therapy, could soon have a new treatment option to alleviate the devastating impact of this condition."

The CHMP positive opinion is based on the PARADIGMS trial, a first-of-its-kind clinical study in MS specifically designed for children and adolescents aged 10 to 17 years[3]. Results from the double-blind, randomized, multi-center Phase III study of Gilenya vs. interferon beta-1a show that compared to interferon beta-1a, Gilenya significantly reduced the annualized relapse rates by 82% (relative difference to interferon beta-1a, p<0.001) and delayed the time to first relapse[4]. Furthermore, it also significantly reduced the number of new or newly enlarged T2 lesions up to 24 months by 53% (p<0.001) and the annualized rate of brain volume loss (brain shrinkage) by 40%[4]. The full PARADIGMS data was recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The European Commission will review the CHMP opinion and is expected to deliver its final decision within three months. The decision will be applicable to all 28 European Union member states plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Gilenya received FDA approval for the treatment of children and adolescents 10 years of age and older with MS on May 11, 2018.

About the Phase III PARADIGMS Study

The Phase III PARADIGMS study (NCT01892722) is a flexible duration (up to two years), double-blind, randomized, multi-center study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral Gilenya compared to injectable interferon beta-1a in children and adolescents with a confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), followed by a five-year open label extension phase[4]. The study enrolled 215 children and adolescents with MS, from 10 to less than 18 years of age with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score between 0 and 5.5[4]. Patients were randomized to receive once-daily oral Gilenya (0.5 mg or 0.25 mg, dependent on patients' body weight) or intramuscular interferon beta-1a once weekly[4].



The primary endpoint of the study was the frequency of relapses in patients treated up to 24 months (annualized relapse rate)[4]. Secondary endpoints include the number of new or newly enlarged T2 lesions, Gadolinium enhancing T1 lesions, safety and the pharmacokinetic properties of Gilenya, all measured throughout the treatment period[4].



The PARADIGMS study enrolled 215 patients at 80 centers in 25 countries and was designed in agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency and the International Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that disrupts the normal functioning of the brain, optic nerves and spinal cord through inflammation and tissue loss[5]. In adults, there are three main types of MS: relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS)[6]. Approximately 85% of people with MS have relapsing-remitting MS, where the immune system attacks healthy tissue[7]. In children, RRMS account for nearly all cases (approximately 98%)[8].

About Novartis in Multiple Sclerosis

Alongside Gilenya (fingolimod, an S1P modulator), the Novartis multiple sclerosis (MS) portfolio includes Extavia (interferon beta-1b for subcutaneous injection) which is approved in the US for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. In Europe, Extavia is approved to treat people with relapsing-remitting MS, secondary progressive MS (SPMS) with active disease and people who have had a single clinical event suggestive of MS.



Investigational compounds include BAF312 (siponimod), under investigation in SPMS, and OMB157 (ofatumumab), a fully human monoclonal antibody under investigation in relapsing MS. OMB157 targets CD20, and is currently being investigated in two Phase III pivotal studies. In the US, the Sandoz Division of Novartis markets Glatopa (glatiramer acetate injection) 20 mg/mL and 40 mg/mL, generic versions of Teva's Copaxone*.



*Copaxone is a registered trademark of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 1 billion people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 125 000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at www.novartis.com.

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References

[1] Gilenya (fingolimod) Full Prescribing Information. East Hanover, New Jersey, USA: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; [May 11, 2018].

[2] Gorman MP et al. Increased relapse rate in pediatric-onset compared with adult-onset multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol. 2009;66(1):54-59.

[3] Chitnis T et al. PARADIGMS: A randomised double-blind study of fingolimod versus interferon -1a in paediatric multiple sclerosis. Abstract no. 276. Oral presentation at 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting, Paris, France, October 25-28, 2017.

[4] Chitnis T et al. Fingolimod versus Interferon Beta-1a in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis. NEJM 2018; [PARADIGMS NEJM reference - to be added once confirmed].

[5] PubMed Health. Multiple sclerosis (MS). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0024311/. Accessed September 2018.

[6] Multiple sclerosis international federation. Types of MS. https://www.msif.org/about-ms/types-of-ms/. Accessed September 2018.

[7] Multiple sclerosis international federation. Atlas of MS 2013. http://www.msif.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Atlas-of-MS.pdf. Accessed September 2018.

[8] Waldman A et al. Pediatric multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2016;87(9):74-81.

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Based on provisional data by the Bank of Greece, the balance of travel services in July 2018 showed a surplus of 3,218 million, compared with a surplus of 2,776 million in July 2017. More specifically, travel receipts in July 2018 rose by 14.4% to 3,384 million, from 2,957 million in July 2017, whereas travel payments decreased by 8.0% (July 2018: 166 million, July 2017: 181 million). The rise in travel receipts is attributed to a 7.7% increase in inbound traveller flows, as well as to a rise of 6.6% or 37 in average expenditure per trip. Net receipts from travel services accounted for 85.8% of total net receipts from services and more than offset (188.5%) the goods deficit.

In January-July 2018, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of 6,980 million, up from a surplus of 5,924 million in the same period of 2017. This development is attributed to an increase, by 17.0% or 1,198 million, in travel receipts, which were partly offset by travel payments, up by 12.7% or 142 million. The rise in travel receipts mainly reflected a 14.6% increase in inbound traveller flows and, to a lesser extent, an increase in average expenditure per trip by 14 or 2.7%. Net receipts from travel services offset 60.0% of the goods deficit and accounted for 74.4% of total net receipts from services.

Travel receipts

In July 2018, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 14.4% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 15.0% to 2,249 million, while receipts from outside the EU28 also rose, by 14.5% (July 2018: 1,060 million, July 2017: 926 million). The higher receipts from within the EU28 were due to increases in receipts from euro area residents by 12.5% to 1,376 million and in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries by 19.2% to 874 million (July 2017: 733 million). Among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany rose by 20.1% to 495 million, whereas receipts from France fell by 8.0% to 189 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom decreased by 8.8% to 345 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia fell by 12.2% to 98 million, while receipts from the United States rose by 75.1% to 215 million.

In January-July 2018, travel receipts totalled 8,232 million, up 17.0% relative to the same period of 2017. This development was driven by a 23.4% increase in receipts from residents of the EU28, which came to 5,671 million, and by a 5.9% rise in receipts from residents outside the EU28 to 2,347 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents increased by 22.4% year-on-year to 3,504 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries also rose by 25.0% to 2,167 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany rose by 35.2% to 1,467 million, as did receipts from France, by 2.9% to 465 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also increased, by 1.2% to 1,052 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia decreased by 18.2% to 197 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 27.0% to 503 million.

Inbound traveller flows

The number of inbound visitors in July 2018 rose by 7.7% year-on-year to 5,539 thousand. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 10.6%, as did visitor flows through road border-crossing points, by 1.9%. This increase in flows is attributed to higher visitor flows from within the EU28 (up 12.9%), as visitor flows from outside the EU28 declined by 2.5%. In greater detail, the number of visitors from within the euro area increased by 15.7% to 2,011 thousand, while visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries also rose, by 9.9% (July 2018: 1,846 thousand, July 2017: 1,679 thousand). Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany rose by 31.7% to 677 thousand, while visitors from France increased by 8.6% to 298 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom fell by 11.2% to 497 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, visitors from Russia edged down by 0.8% to 125 thousand, whereas visitors from the United States increased by 81.3% to 213 thousand.

In January-July 2018, the number of inbound visitors rose by 14.6% to 14,995 thousand, compared with 13,082 thousand in the same period of 2017. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 15.4%, as did visitor flows through road border-crossing points, by 13.4%. In the period under review, the number of visitors from within the EU28 rose by 21.0% year-on-year to 10,582 thousand, as did the number of visitors from outside the EU28, by 1.8% to 4,413 thousand. Visitors from within the euro area rose by 19.8%, while visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries increased by 22.2%. Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany increased by 36.5% to 2,133 thousand, as did the number of visitors from France, by 10.1% to 756 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom also increased, by 2.5% to 1,555 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, the number of visitors from Russia fell by 11.5% to 277 thousand, whereas the number of visitors from the United States rose by 34.8% to 560 thousand.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Dimboukas License: CC-BY-SA
For Greeks there is an unspoken cultural law that orders generosity and courtesy to strangers

The Greek word Philoxenia, literally translated as a friend to a stranger, is widely understood to be synonymous to hospitality.

For Greeks it is much deeper than that. It is an unspoken cultural law that orders generosity and courtesy to strangers.

Greeks are very generous when inviting others to their home, or being invited themselves. In villages, it is not uncommon for villagers to show up at the door of a resident foreigner (or even a temporary visitor renting a room) with a sack full of fresh tomatoes, or even a bottle of local olive oil.

Philoxenia nowadays can be as simple as a smile, helping a stranded motorist, buying a meal for a homeless person, or opening your home to friends and family.

Zeus Xenios

This cultural law has its roots in Ancient Greece. The Greek god Zeus is sometimes called Zeus Xenios  as he was also a protector of travelers. He thus embodied the religious obligation to be hospitable to travelers.

The wonderful story written by the Roman poet Ovid in 8 A.D of Zeus and Hermes disguised as poor travelers, narrates the sacred relation between host and guest, embodying the ancient Greek tradition.

The two ancient Gods, the story says, visited many villages in search of refuge for the night. A poor elderly couple  Baucis and Philemon welcomed them as guests in their home and generously served them food and wine.

After refilling her guests cups many times over, Baucis noticed that the wine jug was still full. Philemon then realized the visitors were actually gods and she offered to kill their only goose to feed them. Touched by this gesture, Zeus rewarded their generosity by transforming the humble cottage into a impressive stone temple.

Zeus also granted the couple their ultimate wish: to be the guardians of the temple, die at the same time, and stay together for eternity as they were turned into trees, guarding each side of the temples door.

Trojan War

According to legend, even an event as momentous as the Trojan War started because of a guests violation of xenia. The Trojan prince Paris was a guest of King Menelaus of Sparta when he abducted Menelaus wife, Helen.

Both the Odyssey and the Iliad are filled with episodes in which xenia is either honored or ignored and the subsequent consequences are notable. For instance, when Odysseus sails to the island of the cyclops, the monsters treatment of Odysseus and his sailors is a violation of the custom of xenia. The cyclops is punished for the transgression. Odysseus blinds his host and escapes. The cyclops episode depicts an abuse of xenia.

In another chapter, Odysseus wife Penelope is forced by custom to entertain an entire household of suitors. The guests not only make unreasonable, burdensome requests that were impolite for guests but they do so with the assumption the host himself is no longer alive. The conclusion of the poem involves Odysseuss slaughter of the suitors. This violent ending can be seen as retribution for an egregious abuse of xenia, or conversely, a violation of its very precepts.

Reasons for philoxenia

There are several possible reasons why hospitality was more prevalent in those times.

Traveling in Homers time was much more extensive and lengthier than in modern times. Because of this, many more nights were spent away from home in many different locations. Also, there were no hotels or inns where travelers could pay and stay the night.

Because of this, travelers had to rely on the hospitality of others for shelter, food, and protection. There was, nevertheless, some payment for this hospitality in the form of a gift exchange.

Another possible reason for this hospitality was the fact that there were not nations that would permit travelers to enter their territory safely. Without such hospitality, strangers could be captured or even killed for entering a foreign land.

Another possible explanation for the amount of hospitality shown is that the Greeks believed the gods wanted them to show hospitality to anyone who came to their homes. It was also believed that turning away someone and not providing them this hospitality would result in some form of punishment from the gods.

Finally, hospitality could have been used to spread one's name and bring them a sense of fame if they provided a high standard of hospitality to strangers. It also could have been a way to indicate how wealthy one was.

Read more at greekreporter.com

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: DIRECTMEDIA License: CC-BY-SA
NEW YORK  A neighborhood staple in Astoria, Frankys Souvlaki, a food truck owned and operated by Franky Englezos and his family is a finalist for the 2018 Vendy Awards.

Englezos father started out selling hot dogs from a cart in 1970, but began selling souvlakia in 1979 and the business has been booming ever since at the same corner of Steinway Street and 31st Avenue.

Englezos said in his Vendy Awards video that he was born into the business and is continuing his fathers legacy, adding that we love what we do. He noted that, I call this my first home and my home, my second home.

It means a lot to me that my customers nominated me for the Vendy Awards, Englezos said, Im dedicated to win for my customers. I have a good feeling that Im going to represent for Frankys Souvlaki. I have a very good feeling and Im ready to show up.

In 2015, the family upgraded their cart to a food truck and expanded their service to Long Island City. Frankys Souvlaki serves souvlaki on the stick and on pita, gyros, Franky Fries, and other traditional Greek favorites flavored with seasonings imported from Greece.

The 14th Annual Vendy Awards take place on Saturday, September 22, 12:30-5 PM, on Governors Island. Twenty-five of New York Citys best street and market vendors, nominated by the public, compete across five different categories  best dessert, best rookie, best market, best breakfast (new for 2018) and the ultimate prize  The Vendy Cup. Tickets include unlimited food and drink and are available online at Eventbrite. Prices start at General Admission: $100 and Kids (ages 8-12) $60.

Each ticket is a tax deductible donation to the Street Vendor Project of the Urban Justice Center a 501(c)(3) charity.

Read more at thenationalherald.com

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Australias first recording of hymns and psalms from the Greek Orthodox ecclesiastic tradition in Byzantine music, aptly named Byzantium, has been re-released more than 18 years after it first made its debut when it sold out within weeks.

Performed by the Australian Byzantine Choir and recorded live in the crypt of St Marys Cathedral Hyde Park in Sydney Australia, the 13-track CD album comes with an 8-page booklet in English with historical notes on each piece. Tracks feature:  ,  ,  ,  ,  .

I am certain that all who hear this CD will experience more than a few moments of spiritual recreation. Indeed, for those who belong to the Orthodox tradition, there will also be a sense of pride in the Lord that young members of the Church know how to bring the riches of Tradition in such a lively way to our often confused and culturally disorientated world,notes His Eminence, Archbishop Stylianos, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia.

According to its producer, in this re-released limited edition of BYZANTIUM by the Australian Byzantine Choir, the music lover will experience the stirring beauty and distinctive character of the Byzantine chant; a legacy which has continued for more than a millennium with unfading significance until the present.

The strictly vocal repertoire will give the music lover a glimpse of the demanding and complex nature of the music.

Byzantine music exists as both secular (instrumental) and religious (strictly vocal), inheriting from the ancient Greeks a musical philosophy and a complex musical script system (Parasemantics).

The music and art have been kept alive across the centuries, thanks to their custodian, the [Greek] Christian Orthodox Church.

The album is currently in CD format but will be made available on iTunes later in 2019.

Read more at greekcitytimes.com

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
SGX Proposes New "Trade at Close Session

Singapore Exchange (SGX) is seeking public feedback on the proposed introduction of a new trading session for the securities market, the trade at close (TAC), which will take place after the closing auction routine ends.

During the five-minute-long TAC trading session, participants will be able to execute orders only at the closing auction price set during the closing auction routine. The TAC session will apply to the ready and unit share markets.

The introduction of the trade at close session will allow investors to trade at a fixed price, namely the closing price of the security, while preserving the integrity of the price discovery process. This is part of SGXs ongoing commitment to bettering its market structure and enhancing trading for both existing and potential participants, said Nico Torchetti, Head of Market Services.

With the TAC session, SGX will shorten the trading phase preceding the closing routine by five minutes to 4.55pm on a normal trading day, or 11.55am for half-day trading. This will allow the market closing time to remain at 5.06 pm and 12.06 pm respectively.

SGX is proposing three main features for the TAC trading session:

The TAC session will not occur if there is no closing auction price; Orders will match at only the closing auction price and according to time priority; and Orders can be amended but must all be priced at the closing auction price.

The closing auction price will increase in importance following the introduction of the TAC session. SGX will continue to be vigilant on the surveillance front.

The public can submit feedback on the proposal to introduce the TAC trading session till 11 October 2018. Full details of the public consultation including the questions posed are found here. If adopted, SGX will implement the proposed TAC session in July 2019.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
Transportation Research Board > Blurbs > Seismic Performance of Integral Abutment Highway Bridges in Illinois





Seismic Performance of Integral Abutment Highway Bridges in Illinois





E-Newsletter Type: E-Newsletter Type: University Research News



This Summary Last Modified On: 9/20/2018 The Illinois Center for Transportation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has released a report that examines the seismic behavior of typical integral abutment bridges (IAB) in southern Illinois and explores improvements to IAB seismic designs. IABs lack of expansion joints between the superstructure and abutment leads to decreased environmental damage at the abutment seat. However, elimination of expansion joints can also lead to development of complex soil-structure-interaction limit states at the abutment and its foundation when an IAB is subjected to lateral loads. Text Size:
Positive opinion is based on comprehensive data confirming that Sandoz biosimilar pegfilgrastim matches the reference medicine in terms of safety, efficacy and quality

Sandoz seeks approval in the same indication as the reference medicine, to reduce the duration of neutropenia and the incidence of febrile neutropenia due to chemotherapy, some of the most serious side effects of cancer chemotherapy[1]

Sandoz is the global leader in biosimilars and continues to improve patient access and support sustainable healthcare with seven approved biosimilars

Holzkirchen, September 21, 2018 - Sandoz, a Novartis division and the pioneer and global leader in biosimilars, today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion for marketing authorization of its proposed biosimilar pegfilgrastim,*** a long-acting version of supportive oncology care medicine filgrastim.

"The burden of cancer and its treatment - specifically chemotherapy - is something Sandoz has worked tirelessly to address for more than three decades," said Mark Levick MD, PhD, Global Head of Development, Biopharmaceuticals, Sandoz.

"While pegfilgrastim is a proven effective and safe treatment for febrile neutropenia-related infections, many cancer patients throughout Europe are not treated with this medicine. Our biosimilar medicine is expected to match the reference medicine in terms of safety, efficacy and quality. If approved, we will do our best to provide this critically-important option to all patients who stand to benefit from it."

Sandoz is committed to increasing patient access to high-quality biosimilars, with five marketed and seven approved biosimilars in Europe.

Pegfilgrastim is a long-acting form of filgrastim, a biosimilar medicine that stimulates the production of white blood cells and stem cells[2]. Sandoz is seeking approval for use of biosimilar pegfilgrastim in the same indication as the reference medicine, to reduce the duration of neutropenia and the incidence of febrile neutropenia due to chemotherapy. The comprehensive data package, submitted as part of the Marketing Authorization Application, includes analytical, preclinical, and clinical data, which demonstrate that Sandoz biosimilar pegfilgrastim matches the reference medicine in terms of safety, efficacy and quality[3].

Febrile neutropenia is a serious and possibly life-threatening condition that can develop in people with cancer who receive chemotherapy. Despite treatment advances, febrile neutropenia may pose risks to a person's chemotherapy treatment plan, with consequences such as dose reductions, discontinuation of treatment or changing to a less effective regimen[4],[5],[6].

The European Commission (EC) takes binding decisions on the authorization of medicines valid throughout the EU. It bases its decisions on scientific assessments by the CHMP, ensuring that medicines comply with high quality, safety and efficacy standards. If approved by the EC, the centralized marketing authorization will be valid in the 28 countries that are members of the EU. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as members of the European Economic Area (EEA), will take corresponding decisions based on the EC's recommendation.

About pegfilgrastim

Pegfilgrastim is a long-acting version of filgrastim and belongs to a group of proteins called cytokines. It is similar to a natural protein (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) produced by a person's own body, and may be used to reduce the duration of neutropenia (low white blood cell count) and the occurrence of febrile neutropenia (low white blood cell count with a fever). Febrile neutropenia is caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy (medicines that destroy rapidly growing cells); white blood cells are important as they help your body fight infection. Preventing febrile neutropenia is essential because the condition itself can delay and interrupt cancer treatment, and cause serious infections, such as sepsis, and ultimately death.[2]

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "positive opinion," "recommendation," "proposed," "potential," "can," "will," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "portfolio," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved biosimilar products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that, if approved, such biosimilar products will be approved for all indications included in the reference product's label. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; competition in general, including potential approval of additional biosimilar versions of such products; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Sandoz from selling its products; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Sandoz

Sandoz is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. As a division of the Novartis Group, our purpose is to discover new ways to improve and extend people's lives. We contribute to society's ability to support growing healthcare needs by pioneering novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicine. Our portfolio of approximately 1,000 molecules, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2017 sales of USD 10.1 billion. In 2017, our products reached well over 500 million patients. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, in Germany's Greater Munich area.

Sandoz is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Sandoz_global at http://twitter.com/Sandoz_Global.

Follow our blog at www.sandoz.com/makingaccesshappen.

References

[1] J. de Naurois, on behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Working Group. Management of febrile neutropenia: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines. Annals of Oncology, Volume 21, Issue suppl_5, 1 May 2010, Pages v252-v256, https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdq196. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/annonc/article/21/suppl_5/v252/193896. Accessed July 5, 2018.

[2] European Medicines Agency. Neulasta European Public Assessment Report (EPAR) summary for the public. (2011). Available at: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/human/medicines/000420/human_med_000924.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058001d124. Accessed September 18, 2018.

[3] R Nakov, S.Gattu, J Wang, M Velinova and A Skerjanec. Proposed biosimilar pegfilgrastim LA-EP2006 shows similarity in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to reference pegfilgrastim in healthy subjects. in American Association for Cancer Research Vol. 78 (Cancer Research, San Antonio, 2018).

[4] Lyman, G. Risk of Mortality in Patients With Cancer Who Experience Febrile Neutropenia. Cancer December 1, 2010. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/cncr.25332. Accessed July 5, 2018.

[5] Schwenkglenks M, Jackisch C, Constenla M, et al. Neutropenic event risk and impaired chemotherapy delivery in 6 European audits of breast cancer treatment. Support Care Cancer. 2006;14:901-909.

[6] Chang J. Chemotherapy dose reduction and delay in clinical practice. Evaluating the risk to patient outcome in adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2000;36 (suppl 1):S11-S14.

***Neulasta is a registered trademark of Amgen, Inc.

*European Economic Area (EEA). The European Economic Area (EEA) provides for the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital within the internal market of the European Union (EU) between its 28 member states, as well as three of the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

# # #

Novartis Media Relations

Central media line: +41 61 324 2200

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com

Eric Althoff

Novartis Global Media Relations

+41 61 324 7999 (direct)

+41 79 593 4202 (mobile)

eric.althoff@novartis.com



Chris Lewis

Sandoz Global Communications

+49 174 244 9501 (mobile)

chris.lewis@sandoz.com



Michelle Bauman

Sandoz Global Communications

++1 973 714 8043 (mobile)

michelle.bauman@sandoz.com

Novartis Investor Relations

Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944

E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com
| By Mary T. Phelan

Rebecca Wiseman, PhD 93, RN, associate professor and chair of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) at the Universities at Shady Grove, has been awarded a $265,467 Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) grant to establish the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).

Rebecca Wiseman, PhD 93, RN, has been awarded a grant to create the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which will help to address workforce needs.

Funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), the grant will fund the project over two years.

Through the project, Wiseman will ensure the state of Maryland is meeting the recommendation in the Institute of Medicines (IOM) 2010 Future of Nursing report calling for improving collection methods of workforce data. To plan for future workforce needs and to measure the success of programs and initiatives related to the reports recommendations, an accurate and comprehensive data set is essential. The Maryland Nursing Workforce Center will be responsible for compiling and reporting this data.

"It is difficult to secure accurate and adequate data on workforce-related issues and to measure the states progress on the IOM Future of Nursing recommendations when we do not have baseline data. In Maryland, there are pockets of data, but this data is not readily available to all constituents," Wiseman said. "The Maryland Nursing Workforce Center will provide a centralized repository of data to use for projections of future nursing resource needs, understanding diversity of the workforce, planning for educational programs to meet current and future requirements, identifying geographical distribution of nursing resources, and grant writing."

The Maryland Nursing Workforce Center will enable the state to gather critical data in three key areas: faculty, pipeline, and practice. Faculty data will focus on statistics related to the number of faculty positions available, projected faculty needs, areas with the most faculty vacancies, and educational background of faculty members. Relevant data for the pipeline includes the number of nursing students currently in nursing programs, graduation rates, National Council Licensure Examination pass rates, projected need for new nurses, recruitment and retention initiatives, number of qualified nursing school candidates denied admission, student diversity, and clinical placements. The practice data details projected nursing demands, current workforce numbers, nursing shortage locations, and diversity within the workforce.

"We are grateful to the Nurse Support Program II for funding this project to establish a Maryland Nursing Workforce Center and thank Dr. Wiseman for her significant leadership on this undertaking," said UMSON Dean Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, who also serves as co-chair of the Maryland Action Coalition (MDAC), established in 2011 to address the Future of Nursing reports recommendations. "This center is an important outgrowth of the ongoing work of MDAC and its commitment to advancing the recommendations of the IOM report. Along with my MDAC co-chair, Patricia Travis, PhD, RN, CCRP, we applaud this important step in providing a much-needed source of statewide nursing workforce data. The centers work will support long-range planning on the need for nurses and nurse faculty and will allow for coordination of nursing workforce development throughout Maryland. We are confident it will provide an important resource for nursing leaders, policymakers, and regulatory bodies in our state. And it is a critical step in ensuring that in the years ahead, all Maryland residents have access to high-quality care that fosters better health and well-being."

NSP II grants aid in increasing the capacity of nurses in Maryland by implementing statewide initiatives to grow the number of nurses prepared to serve effectively in faculty roles. MHEC offers a number of educational grant programs, funded by state general funds, special funds, and federal funds, designed to address Marylands economic and workforce development needs, campus reform initiatives, student preparation for post-secondary education, faculty and student diversity goals, and teacher professional development objectives.

The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the United States and is in the top 10 nationally for all of its ranked masters and DNP specialties. Enrolling nearly 1,900 students in its baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral programs, the school develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.
Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF has $1.1B Invested in Cannabis Sector

TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aleafia Health Inc. (TSXV: ALEF; OTCQX: ALEAF, FRA: ARAH) (Aleafia) or (the Company), one of Canadas leading, vertically integrated cannabis companies, is announcing that it has been added to the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (HMMJ:TSX).



HMMJ is the world's first and largest Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) offering direct exposure to North American publicly listed life sciences companies with significant business activities in the marijuana industry.



With net assets in excess of $1.1 billion, HMMJ will allow for increased exposure to investors for Aleafia.



Aleafia Operational Update:

160,000 sq. ft. Niagara greenhouse retrofitting on schedule and expected to be complete in late 2018

Fully funded annual growing capacity of 38,000 kg of cannabis flower to be reached in 2019

Reached milestone of 50,000 individual medical cannabis patients under the Canabo Medical Clinic network

Planning of Aleafias 150,000 sq. ft. Port Perry expansion underway, with all production options on the table, including an innovative, ultra low-cost outdoor grow

Secured first medical cannabis sale in companys history, only days after securing Sales Licence from Health Canada

Partnered with Cronos Group on joint medical cannabis study to treat insomnia

Aleafias inclusion in the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF is a significant milestone for Aleafia, which has been made possible by the rapid progress made by our team, said Aleafia Chairman Julian Fantino. We welcome the increased exposure to the investment community that this will bring to Aleafia.



Aleafia now boasts two modern cannabis production facilities, along with a medical cannabis clinic network that has attained 50,000 unique patients, said Aleafia CEO Geoffrey Benic. Our team has worked diligently to execute our successful business strategy, and we are very pleased to see those efforts result in Aleafia now qualifying for inclusion in the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF.

For Investor Relations, please contact:



IR@AleafiaInc.com



For Media Relations, please contact:



Nicholas Bergamini, VP Public Affairs

Media@AleafiaInc.com



About Aleafia Health Inc.:

Aleafia is a leading, vertically integrated cannabis company with a unique focus on delivering quality patient care from seed to sale. The company operates the largest brick and mortar medicinal cannabis clinic network in Canada under the Canabo Medical Clinic brand, which is staffed by licensed, practicing physicians. Aleafia has obtained over 50,000 unique patients and maintains the largest medical cannabis patient data set in Canada. Aleafias state of the art production facilities will allow for the production of high- quality strains at low cost. Aleafias production will focus on securing the highest- quality medicinal product for its growing patient base.

Neither 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 release.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release includes information relating to the implementation of Aleafia Health's business plan. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with the implementation of Aleafia Health's business plan and matters relating thereto, risks associated with the cannabis industry, competition, regulatory change, the need for additional financing, reliance on key personnel, the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors, and the volatility of the Company's common share price and volume. 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. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.
New Delhi, Sep 21 (UNI) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has returned to the national capital after successfully concluding a three-nation official visit to Serbia, Malta and Romania from September 14.

The visit was characterised by 'extremely cordial discussions' with Heads of Governments, PMs and other

senior political leaders and helped in deepening bilateral ties with each of these three countries, a release of the

Vice President's office said.

The Vice President was accompanied by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, three Rajya

Sabha members Prasanna Acharya, Ms Vijila Sathyananth, Ms Saroj Pandey and Lok Sabha member

Raghav Lakhanpal and other officials, the release said.

Leadership of the three countries extended support for Indias aspiration to be on UNSC and taking forward

UN reforms as well as endorsement of Indias stand on terror and support for early adoption of United Nations Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

New Delhi also received strong support for resuming EU-India trade agreement after Romania assumes EU

Presidency. The business forums generated enthusiasm among the industrialists and businessmen in every

country as the Vice President outlined Indias transformative initiatives and growth story.

It entered into MoUs relating to plant protection, tourism, air services, oil research, diplomatic training and

maritime cooperation.

In all the three countries, there was considerable interest in Yoga and Ayurveda and in Romania, the Vice President launched two books on Ayurveda and inaugurated an Ayurveda Information Centre.

The Vice President was accompanied by Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, the Minister of State in Ministry of Finance, three Members of Parliament from Rajya Sabha - Shri Prasanna Acharya, Smt Vijila Sathyananth, Ms. Saroj Pandey and one Member of Parliament from Lok Sabha - Shri Raghav Lakhanpal and other officials.

Leaders in all the three countries expressed unequivocal admiration for Indias economic growth and were

eager to engage and partner with India politically, economically and culturally. In Romania, there was a

special interest in space and aerospace. Malta expressed its desire to join the International Solar Alliance.

There was a clear demand for Parliamentary friendship groups and frequent visits by Parliamentarians, the delegation found.

Banquets hosted by the President of Serbia and Malta as well as by the President of Senate of Romania

provided an opportunity for sharing views on bilateral and multilateral issues with rare candour. Mr Naidu's

address to the Serbian Parliament was well received and the admiration for India as the largest democracy

and he received a standing ovation at the end of his address.



UNI SD 1507
Haryana: Gang involved in oil theft from HP pipeline busted 11 Nov 2021 | 12:53 AM Chandigarh, Nov 10 (UNI) Haryana Police has busted a gang involved in oil theft from Hindustan Petroleum (HP) pipeline after it arrested three people from Fatehabad district. see more..

Randhawa releases compendium of circulars for Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank 11 Nov 2021 | 12:45 AM Chandigarh, Nov 10 (UNI) Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Wednesday released a Compendium of Circulars of the Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank (PSCADB). see more..

Daily income of Punjab Transport Department increases to Rs 1 cr: Raja Warring 11 Nov 2021 | 12:42 AM Chandigarh, Nov 10 (UNI) Punjab Transport Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Wednesday said that the daily income of the department has started increasing by more than Rs one crore after crackdown on tax evaders, illegal activities and without permit bus operators. see more..

Police busts gang of thieves, arrests kingpin and seize weapons 11 Nov 2021 | 12:37 AM Phagwara, Nov 10 (UNI) Continuing its crackdown against criminals, the CIA staff on Tuesday busted a gang of thieves and arrested the kingpin. see more..
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sable Resources Ltd. (TSXV:SAE) (Sable or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Haywood Securities Inc. (Haywood) as sole underwriter, pursuant to which Haywood has agreed to purchase, on a "bought deal" private placement basis, 8,000,000 units of the Company (Units) at a price of $0.25 per Unit (the Issue Price) for total gross proceeds of $2,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share (a Common Share) in the capital of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a Warrant) of the Company. Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share (a Warrant Share) at a price per Warrant Share of $0.35 for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering. The expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated by the Company at any time prior to the expiry date of the Warrants if the volume-weighted average trading price of the Companys common shares is greater than $0.50 for any 20 consecutive trading days, at which time the Company may accelerate the expiry date by issuing a press release announcing the reduced warrant term whereupon the Warrants will expire on the 30th calendar day after the date of such press release. Haywood has been granted an option to purchase up to an additional 2,000,000 Units, exercisable in whole or in part at any time prior to the closing of Offering.



Sable is also pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated August 27, 2018, the Company has received gross proceeds of $2,095,975 from the exercise of 8,383,900 share purchase warrants at $0.25 per share pursuant to its early warrant exercise incentive program (the Program). As an incentive for the early exercise of their share purchase warrants, warrant holders received an additional 4,191,950 new share purchase warrants (each an "Incentive Warrant"). Each Incentive Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance of such Incentive Warrant, at a price of $0.35. The Incentive Warrants are subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance. The balance of the 18,821,600 warrants not exercised under the Program will remain outstanding and continue to be exercisable for common shares of the Company on their current terms, with an expiry date of September 8, 2019.

The net proceeds received by the Company from the Offering and the Program will be used for exploration at the Companys properties in Mexico and Argentina and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about October 11, 2018, and is subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. As consideration for its services, Haywood will receive a cash commission equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering. The Company will also issue non-transferrable compensation options to Haywood in an amount equal to 6.0% of the number of Units issued under the Offering. Each compensation option will be exercisable into one Common Share at the Issue Price for a period of 24 months following the closing of the Offering.

The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction.

For further information on Sable, please contact:

Tom Obradovich

President & Chief Executive Officer

tobradovich@sympatico.ca

Tel (416) 985-7140

www.sableresources.com

About Sable Resources Ltd.

Sable owns numerous mineral projects in British Columbia, Canada, Mexico, and Argentina including 142 square kilometers of mineral tenure and mining leases in the Toodoggone mining district of north-central British Columbia which hosts the past-producing Baker and Shasta mines, and the 250-ton-per-day Baker mill and tailings facility. In addition to that, Sable's activity in Argentina includes developing the Don Julio high sulphidation epithermal project in the San Juan Province.
Locust: The Opera Theme for UWs Saturday University in Jackson Sept. 29

Locust: The Opera, a one-hour chamber opera written by two University of Wyoming professors, will premiere in Jackson Sept. 28-29. And to celebrate the performance, a special session of Saturday University -- the half day of college lectures and discussion offered by UW -- is scheduled Saturday, Sept. 29, in Teton County Librarys Ordway Auditorium.

The original opera production will be performed Friday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 29, at 1 p.m. at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. A reception follows the evening performance. People are encouraged to sign up for free tickets at www.bit.ly/LocustsOpera. A $20 free-will donation is suggested.

The chamber opera is based on UW Professor Jeff Lockwoods acclaimed book Locust: The Devastating Rise and Mysterious Disappearance of the Insect that Shaped the American Frontier. Anne Guzzo, a UW associate professor of music, composed Locusts score, while Lockwood, a professor of natural sciences and humanities, wrote the lyrics. The art director is Ashley Hope Carlisle, a UW art associate professor of sculpture.

The three UW professors will be the guest lecturers for the Saturday University program that begins with coffee and doughnuts at 8:30 a.m., followed by the program 30 minutes later.

Participants may attend one, two or all three lectures.

During the fall and spring terms, Saturday University visits locations throughout Wyoming discussing todays most captivating topics, says Saturday University Coordinator Paul Flesher, a UW religious studies professor.

In its 11th year, Saturday University is a collaborative program that connects popular UW and Wyoming community college professors with lifelong learners. Offered nine times a year -- twice each in Jackson, Gillette and Sheridan, and once in Rock Springs, Pinedale and Cody -- Saturday U is sponsored by the university, Wyoming Humanities, Wyoming community colleges and local communities. The program is presented locally by UW, the Wyoming Humanities Council, Central Wyoming College and Teton County Library.

Listed below are program topic descriptions and professors lecturing:

-- 9 a.m.: How to Swoon for a Swarm: Creating Characters and Narratives for the chamber opera Locust, Anne Guzzo, UW Department of Music associate professor.

Guzzo says, in a song, music distills, crystallizes and intensifies the lyrics. In an opera, the lyricist tells the story while the composer dramatizes it. The music animates the characters, identifying them and evoking their personal qualities -- warmth, depression, energy, humor, steadfastness, etc.

While the music carries the central narrative forward, it also can tell an additional story -- one that may align itself with the main tale or perhaps contradict its words or maybe even tell its own story, Guzzo says.

She will discuss the inner musical workings of the environmental murder mystery opera Locust, written with Lockwood, the productions lyricist.

-- 10 a.m.: The Locust Opera: Set Design as Art Installation, Ashley Hope Carlisle, UW Department of Art and Art History associate professor.

We often think of art as static, standing in a traditional gallery space or hanging on a wall in a home, Carlisle says. But what about art which is used, which people interact with?

Carlisle will discusses the conceptualization, visualization and creation of the costumes and set for the interdisciplinary opera Locust.

-- 11 a.m.: The Rocky Mountain Locust: From Magnificent Profusion to Mysterious Extinction, Jeff Lockwood, UW professor of natural sciences and humanities.

In 1875, approximately 3 trillion Rocky Mountain locusts formed a swarm stretching 1,800 miles. Yet, less than 30 years after causing such widespread devastation, the locust had disappeared. How did this locust fall from ecological triumph to extinction so rapidly?

The scientific sleuthing that answered the question began with local historical accounts and obscure maps and extended to ice core analysis from Wyomings remote glaciers, Lockwood says. The killer lacked a motive and used the simplest of means; the extinction was an incredible accident. This fortuitous collision of humans and nature provides powerful lessons for the modern world.

For more information about Jacksons Saturday University program, call Flesher at (307) 766-2616 or email pflesher@uwyo.edu.

For more information about Saturday University, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/saturdayu/index.html.
UWs Saturday University Planned in Pinedale Sept. 27

A special edition of Saturday University -- the half day of college lectures and discussion offered by the University of Wyoming -- is scheduled Thursday, Sept. 27, in Pinedale.

Three UW professors will lecture on a wide range of topics at the Sublette County Library, located at 155 S. Tyler Ave., beginning at 6 p.m. The Thursday University program is free and open to the public.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and a light meal and snacks will be provided. Participants may attend one, two or all three lectures.

During the fall and spring terms, Saturday University visits locations throughout Wyoming discussing todays most captivating topics, says Saturday University Coordinator Paul Flesher, a UW religious studies professor.

In its 11th year, Saturday University is a collaborative program that connects popular UW and Wyoming community college professors with lifelong learners. Offered nine times a year -- twice each in Jackson, Gillette and Sheridan, and once in Rock Springs, Pinedale and Cody -- Saturday University is sponsored by the university, Wyoming Humanities, Wyoming community colleges and local communities.

Thursday University is presented locally by UW, the Wyoming Humanities Council, Sublette BOCES and Sublette County Libraries.

Listed below are program topic descriptions and professors lecturing:

-- 6 p.m.: Keeping the Story Going: The Land of Oz and the Power of Performance, Kent Drummond, UW College of Business associate dean and associate professor of marketing.

Over a century after L. Frank Baum created the Land of Oz, the Oz stories and their characters live on. But how and why?

The answers come not only from the books engaging characters, but also from Baums almost constant promotion of them, Drummond says. He kept Oz before the public in plays, musicals, slide shows and film -- producing many powerful performances as well as flops.

The productions came not only from his creative drive, but also from a keen approach to marketing Oz, he adds. Drummond will bring a marketers perspective to explain how Oz continues its current popularity.

-- 6:50 p.m.: The Rocky Mountain Locust: From Magnificent Profusion to Mysterious Extinction, Jeff Lockwood, UW professor of natural sciences and humanities.

In 1875, approximately 3 trillion Rocky Mountain locusts formed a swarm stretching 1,800 miles. Yet, less than 30 years after causing such widespread devastation, the locust had disappeared. How did this locust fall from ecological triumph to extinction so rapidly?

The scientific sleuthing that answered the question began with local historical accounts and obscure maps and extended to ice core analysis from Wyomings remote glaciers, Lockwood says. The killer lacked a motive and used the simplest of means; the extinction was an incredible accident. This fortuitous collision of humans and nature provides powerful lessons for the modern world.

-- 7:40 p.m.: Desperately Seeking King Arthur: History, Myth and Tourism, Susan Aronstein, UW Department of English professor.

King Arthur is good business, Aronstein says. The monks at Glastonbury Abbey knew this in 1191 when they discovered Arthurs tomb. The Earl of Cornwall knew it in 1233 when he built Tintagel Castle on a rocky coast with no value besides its connection to a mythical king.

Medieval and modern tourists want to step into Camelots story, to draw the sword from the stone, to battle might with right, to seek the grail, Aronstein says. Arthur belongs to the mythos that makes England a preferred destination for American tourists.

Her discussion visits two towns -- Glastonbury and Tintagel -- that have blurred the lines between history and legend to offer tourists a real King Arthur. Aronstein will explain how their connections to Arthur have transformed the landscapes and economy, and how they exemplify the increasing role that heritage tourism in general plays in shaping British identity.

For more information about Pinedales Thursday University program, call Flesher at (307) 766-2616 or email pflesher@uwyo.edu.

For more information about Saturday University, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/saturdayu/index.html.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Cardiff Lexington Corp (OTCQB): Cardiff Lexington will host a Shareholders conference call at 11am Eastern time. To access the conference call, please dial 800-719-6100 and use the conference ID 9752769#.



The purpose of this conference call is to increase communication and relationship with the shareholders who believe in Cardiff Lexingtons mission. The information that will be provided is not forward-looking statements; rather, it will overview current events indicating managements philosophy and approach to company operations.

Cardiff Lexington received approval from a majority of the shareholders by written consent without a special meeting of the shareholders for an amendment to its Articles of Incorporation that increases the number of shares of common stock authorized from 1 Billion to 2 Billion (the "Amendment"). Florida law requires a simple majority approval for this action and the Company sought only the votes of its directors and executive officers, and shareholders affiliated with them, rather than conduct a costlier outreach to all shareholders.

CEO Alex Cunningham stated the Board of Directors believe the increase in authorized shares available is perfectly aligned with the companys mission to drive dramatic growth through acquisitions, sell additional shares of stock in potential private placements, and potential debt restructuring initiatives. The shareholders approved the Amendment upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors. The Amendment became effective on September 17th, 2018 following acceptance of the filing of a Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Florida.

About Cardiff Lexington Corporation: Cardiff Lexington is a public holding company, much like a cooperative, leveraging proven management within private companies that become wholly subsidiaries. Our focus is not industry or geographic-specific, but rather proven management, market, and margin. Cardiff Lexington targets acquisitions of mature, high growth, niche companies. Cardiff Lexington's strategy identifies and empowers select income-producing middle market private businesses, and commercial real estate properties. Cardiff Lexington provides these companies both 1) the enhanced ability to raise money for operations or expansion, and 2) an equity exit and liquidity strategy for the owner, heirs, and/or Investors. For investors, Cardiff Lexington provides a diversified lower risk to protect and safely enhance their investment by over time continually adding assets and holdings. Cardiff Lexington is led by strong and talented team of executives and advisors providing expert acquisition, market guidance and added value for subsidiaries and investors.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: This news release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks include the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the Company's contracts, the Company's liquidity position, the Company's ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources, and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2021 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam....
Samsung is one of the biggest investors in Vietnam, with several billion-dollar projects

The conference on 30 years of FDI mobilisation in Vietnam will take place on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at the National Conference Centre (NCC), 1 Thang Long Avenue, Me Tri ward, South Tu Liem District, Hanoi.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will attend and chair the conference, which will welcome the speakers, including leaders of ministries and provinces, business associations, domestic and foreign investors, and foreign direct investment (FDI) experts to discuss the strategy, directions, and future solutions for FDI in Vietnam.

On the side-lines of the conference, the exhibition on 30 years of FDI achievements will also take place, including various images, graphics, maps, and artefacts to give the audience a general overview of the achievements made during the past 30 years (1998-2018), with special focus on the accomplishments of the Doi Moi Renovation and international integration.

The exhibition will share information about the strengths and new investment opportunities in Vietnam. Special attention will be given to initiatives in the fields of economics, tourism, and services, which have enhanced the competitiveness and the investment environment of Vietnam.

The conference is an opportunity to promote and share the governments strategy with the business community and global investors on the future directions for FDI, as well as share information on the development of specific industries and localities, including investment opportunities.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investments Foreign Investment Agency, as of the end of August 2018, there were 26,438 valid foreign-invested projects with the total registered capital of $333.83 billion across 19 of 21 economic sectors. Of these, the processing and manufacturing industry made up the largest proportion with around 57 per cent of the total investment, followed by real estate (17 per cent) and the production and distribution of power, gas, and water (6.8 per cent).

There are 129 countries and territories operating foreign-invested projects in Vietnam. South Korea and Japan are the two biggest investors, with the total investment capital of nearly $117 billion, capturing 33 per cent of the total investment, followed by Singapore, Taiwan, the British Virgin Islands, and Hong Kong.
An Giang will call for investment in eight projects in the agriculture sector. - Photo news.zing.vn

At the investment promotion conference, An Giang Province will give investment certificates to about 23 projects with total capital of VND27 trillion (US$1.15 billion) in five sectors, including agriculture, trade-service-tourism, industry, construction and health.

At the same time, the provincial authorities will also give certificates on investment commitment for seven investors with total estimated capital of VND101 trillion.

Seeking connection opportunities and successful cooperation, the An Giang Investment Promotion Conference in 2018 is an important event for the province.

Le Van Nung, vice chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said this conference was an opportunity for An Giang to introduce its potential and strengths in investment as well as the provincial authorities support for investment projects. An Giang expects to mobilise investment resources from domestic and foreign economic sectors.

The conference is expected to be a chance for discussions between authorities and enterprises that plan to invest in the province.

An Giang will call for investment in eight projects in the agriculture sector. They include a project of developing a solar power plant combining high-tech agriculture in An Cu Commune, Tinh Bien District and a project developing aquaculture in Cu Lao Gieng ecotourism region. The two projects will call on capital of VND6 trillion and VND2 trillion, respectively.

In the field of tourism, the province will develop services including spiritual, cultural, ecological, community, urban tourism services with a list of 24 projects in trade, service and tourism that need investment.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (TSX-V: NVO; OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to announce that it has finalised the transaction with Pioneer Resources Limited (Pioneer) as described in the Companys news release dated September 17, 2018. Completion of the transaction was subsect to TSX Venture Exchange approval which has been obtained.



The consideration payable by the Company to Pioneer includes AUD $200,000 in cash and the issuance of 100,000 common shares (the Pioneer Shares). The Pioneer Shares are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on January 19, 2019.

The Company also reports that it has issued 1 million common shares (the Creasy Shares) to Mark Gareth Creasy pursuant to an agreement signed between Mr. Creasy, the Company and Karratha Gold Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the Company.

The Creasy Shares are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on January 7, 2019. Immediately subsequent to the issuance of the Creasy Shares, Mr. Creasy and his entities will in aggregate hold approximately 7.4% of the Companys outstanding common shares.

About Novo Resources Corp.

Novos focus is to explore and develop gold projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and Novo has built up a significant land package covering approximately 12,000 sq km. For more information, please contact Leo Karabelas at (416) 543-3120 or e-mail leo@novoresources.com

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Novo Resources Corp.

 Quinton Hennigh 

Quinton Hennigh

Chairman and President

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Willian grabbed the only goal in Greece as Chelsea reeled off a sixth straight win in all competitions. (Photo: AFP/Sakis Mitrolidis)

Aubameyang has struggled to hit top gear in the Premier League so far with just one goal in five starts, but the Gabon striker opened the scoring in London after 32 minutes of the Group E encounter.

Danny Welbeck nodded in a second just after half-time and Aubameyang curled in the Gunners' third, with Mesut Ozil also on target before a lapse in concentration saw Vorskla hit back with two late goals.

"I think we played well in the first half and in the beginning of the second as well," Aubameyang told BT Sport.

"We have to improve and try to fight not to concede a goal like we did in the last minute."

Premier League leaders Chelsea made a winning start to their Group L campaign as Willian's seventh-minute effort was enough to see off PAOK at a hostile Toumba Stadium.

Eden Hazard was omitted from the Chelsea squad at his own request due to fatigue, but manager Maurizio Sarri fielded a strong side as the Blues extended their winning run to six games in all competitions.

"We were in control of the match for 90 minutes. We had a lot of opportunities. We missed them and so I'm very happy with the three points, very happy with the performance, but not very happy with the result," said Sarri.

"When it's time to kill the match, we have to kill the match."

Steven Gerrard's Rangers acquitted themselves well on their first appearance in the group stage of a European competition since the 2010-11 Champions League, as they came away with a 2-2 draw against Villarreal.

A disastrous start for the Glasgow side saw Carlos Bacca fire Villarreal ahead inside 60 seconds, but Scott Arfield turned home a cross from Daniel Candeias to level on 67 minutes.

Gerard Moreno put the hosts back in front almost immediately, only for Kyle Lafferty to again hit back for Rangers as Gerrard's men made a solid start in Group G.

RED BULLS COLLIDE

Leigh Griffiths hit a late winner for Celtic in a 1-0 home victory over Rosenborg, a team Brendan Rodgers' side knocked out in this season's Champions League qualifying rounds.

Salzburg triumphed in the clash of Red Bulls in the other Group B fixture as Fredrik Gulbrandsen scored a minute from time to give the Austrian club a 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig.

Marseille, last season's runners-up, slumped to a 2-1 home defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in Group H as Luka Jovic grabbed an 89th-minute winner for the reigning German Cup champions.

Lucas Ocampos opened the scoring early for Marseille, who were playing behind closed doors at the Stade Velodrome after numerous crowd incidents last season.

But Lucas Torro levelled on 52 minutes for Eintracht before Jovic's late strike won it.

Dudelange, the first Luxembourg team to play in the Europa League group stage, made seven-time European champions AC Milan work hard for a 1-0 win in Group F.

Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were in the crowd as Dudelange, who have a dozen non-professional players in their squad, succumbed to a deflected second-half goal by Gonzalo Higuain.

Record five-time winners Sevilla launched their Group J campaign with a 5-1 rout of Standard Liege, as Ever Banega and Wissam Ben Yedder both netted twice for the Spaniards.
Foreign firms' need to be careful of what activities constitute as having a permanent establishment in Vietnam

Meanwhile, the tax authorities in many countries are paying increased attention to and have aggressive policies on issues related to Permanent Establishment (PE), especially since the release of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action Plan by Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2015. Therefore, one of the potential common tax exposures that international and global enterprises encounter in their normal course of business, is the situation in which an unintended taxable presence, for example, PE, is created in a jurisdiction.

PE might be created through the business activities of corporations in the host countries and they are not easy to recognise in some circumstances. Consequently, failure in managing PE risks when doing cross-border business might result in unexpected negative impact on the tax position and worldwide business results of international and multinational corporations (e.g. tax claw-back, penalty, and interest).

What is Permanent Establishment?

The creation of a PE is determined by the application of domestic laws, relevant tax treaties entered into by the countries, and recently-released BEPS Actions.

The current Vietnamese regulations stipulate the following three conditions to identify whether the foreign companys business activities constitute a PE in Vietnam:

A business establishment is maintained (e.g. branches, executive offices, plants, and a location in Vietnam where natural resources are exploited or construction sites, installation or assembly works, establishments providing services, agents, and representatives, buildings, vehicle, machinery or equipment or merely a specific place without an identifiable management system);

The business establishment must be fixed. This means that it must be established at a specified place in Vietnam and/or maintained on a permanent basis. However, the definition of fixed does not necessarily mean that such establishment must be located in a specific place for a specific time;

The business activities in Vietnam are partly or wholly conducted by a foreign company through this establishment.

Meanwhile, the PE definition, in most Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs), is generally a fixed place of business through which the foreign entity carries out partly or wholly its business activities.

In the event there are different provisions on the definition of a PE provided under a DTA, these provisions shall take precedence over domestic regulations.

PE creation in Vietnamsome specific cases

In practice, there are cases where foreign companies are reluctant to identify whether their activities trigger PE risks according to the Vietnamese tax authoritys strict view. Below are some common specific scenarios where foreign companies are considered to have a PE in Vietnam:

In Official Letter 1934/TCT-HTQT issued by the General Department of Taxation, the company in Vietnam performs activities such as managing purchase orders, following-up and collecting debts for the foreign parent company. The foreign company also has the right to check all files and documents of the local company. Correspondingly, the tax authority re-affirms the existence of a PE in Vietnam of the parent company through the local company.

Another notable case of PE exposure is related to the delivery activity from a bonded warehouse. The foreign company is deemed as having a PE in Vietnam, based on the following conditions: The foreign company maintains a bonded warehouse not only to store the goods but also to actually carry out its regular delivery of goods from the bonded warehouse to its customers, which is regarded as part of its trading activities rather than pure storage of goods; The foreign company has a representative in Vietnam responsible for controlling its inventory and delivery from a Vietnamese bonded warehouse;

Potential PE risk also arises in the operation of a Representative Office (RO) in Vietnam of a foreign company. The reason is that the RO is not allowed to perform business activities in Vietnam, and in the event it carries out supporting services, which are not included in its function as stipulated by the law, the tax authority may assess the ROs supporting roles and deem it as its parent companys PE in Vietnam.

For example, in case the RO maintains (i) an engineering team to provide maintenance services for customers who purchase the goods from the parent company, or (ii) a sales team to assist the parent companys sales activities in Vietnam (i.e. sales promotion, product launch/endorsement), those activities might trigger a PE exposure.

A foreign company assigns its employees to provide services (e.g. maintenance services, consultancy services, technical support, sales) in Vietnam over a prolonged period. Accordingly, the local tax authority may deem PE existence for service provision through the assigned employees due to revenue generation.

Tax implications on PE and Tax Treaty protection

With an aim to provide a clear definition of PE, imposition of tax on PEs, and to avoid or eliminate double taxation on the same income (such as revenue attributed to the PE) in two countries, the tax protection under DTA signed between Vietnam and approximately 75 countries could be applied.

In general, most DTAs stipulate that when a foreign company with a PE in Vietnam derives income from its home country and has paid tax under the provisions of the tax treaty and under its home countrys domestic laws, Vietnam may still tax such income, which is attributed to the PE in Vietnam.

However, simultaneously, the methods for elimination of double taxation could be applied so that the taxpayer does not have to pay double tax. In Vietnam, DTA impacts corporate income tax (CIT) and personal income tax (PIT) only. Accordingly, a foreign enterprise with a PE in Vietnam will pay:

Foreign contractor tax (FCT) comprising of CIT and value added tax (VAT) on all income arising in Vietnam regardless of whether the income is related to the PE;

And CIT on foreign income arising in Vietnam that is attributable to the PE; and then may be able to apply tax treaty protection to deduct CIT liability associated with the PE in Vietnam from the tax liabilities imposed on that income in the home country.

Notwithstanding, the tax amount paid in Vietnam is likely not to be accepted for full tax credit in the home country and vice versa based on the domestic laws. In general, when a foreign entity is taxed in Vietnam on its PEs revenue, it is permitted to subtract an amount equal to the tax paid in Vietnam from the tax imposed on income of the PE by their home countrys tax regime. Such tax credit, however, cannot exceed that part of the tax, as computed, before the deduction is given, which is levied on such income derived from Vietnam.

On the other hand, a foreign enterprise without a PE in Vietnam is subject to FCT (including CIT and VAT) only on income arising in Vietnam. Likewise, the DTAs provide tax protection in the case when a foreign company is able to apply a DTA for tax exemption in Vietnam without paying CIT, or still pays FCT in Vietnam, and submits the certification of tax declaration and payment in order to enjoy a tax credit against the relevant tax liability, in its host country.

Tax treaty claims are not automatically granted to beneficiaries even if the conditions for tax exemption/reduction are satisfied. The application dossier is required and subject to the assessment of the tax authority.

Conclusion

In light of the above, the PE situation might cost companies more tax. Moreover, in case the home country has not signed an agreement with Vietnam, it seems that the foreign company must bear double tax in both countries on the same income related to the PE.

Consequently, it is the responsibility of the taxpayer to prove that the local activities are preparatory or auxiliary in order to avoid triggering a PE. Additionally, given that the tax authorities generally target to increase revenues in their own jurisdictions, the multinational and international companies should take the following into account when doing business across borders to minimise the unexpected financial burden caused by unexpected PE issues:

Perceive tax exposures related to the creation of a tentative taxable presence in a jurisdiction;

Pay attention to the likelihood of constituting a PE;

Proactively manage the creation of a potential taxable presence to mitigate tax risks.

This article is of a general nature only and readers should obtain advice specific to their circumstances from professional advisors.

For more updates on the market, please visit the www.grantthornton.com.vn website.
The rapid growth of palm oil plantations has been blamed for the destruction of tropical forests that are home to many endangered species, and forest fires that occur every year during the dry season due to illegal slash-and-burn clearance AFP/JANUAR

The moratorium effectively halts any new land being made available for plantations in the world's top producer of the edible vegetable oil, a key ingredient in many everyday goods, from biscuits to shampoo and make-up.

President Joko Widodo signed the instruction, which will last three years, on Wednesday, Prabianto Mukti Wibowo, a deputy minister at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, told AFP.

"(The moratorium) is to improve the governance of sustainable palm oil plantations, provide legal certainty, increase the productivity of smallholder palm oil plantations, maintain environmental sustainability and contribute to the reduction in greenhouse gases," he told AFP in a WhatsApp message.

Plantations on Sumatra island, Papua and the Indonesian part of Borneo have expanded in recent years as demand for palm oil has skyrocketed, bringing huge profits to companies and healthy tax revenues to the government.

But the rapid growth has been blamed for the destruction of tropical forests that are home to many endangered species, and forest fires that occur every year during the dry season due to illegal slash-and-burn clearance.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment, Walhi, welcomed the moratorium.

"The presidential instruction is a good first step in restructuring natural resource management, especially in the palm oil sector," it said in a statement, adding ideally it would be in place for 25 years.

The moratorium was first proposed in 2015, following devastating blazes that cloaked large stretches of Southeast Asia in toxic smog for weeks.

A moratorium on conversions of new peat lands was established in 2011 to improve management and reduce fires, but campaigners say this is sometimes ignored when local governments grant concessions.

Poor spatial data and overlapping forestry maps are a major hindrance for authorities trying to enforce regulations governing them.

In 2015, the government banned new development on all peat lands after swathes of carbon-rich peat were drained for use as plantations in recent years, creating highly flammable areas.

The decision comes as Indonesia and Malaysia battle a move by the European Parliament to ban the use of palm oil in biofuels.

It voted earlier this year voted in favour of a draft law on renewable energy that calls for the use of palm oil in biofuels to be banned from 2030, amid mounting worries about its impact on the environment.

Indonesia and Malaysia will be hard hit as they are the world's top exporters of palm oil.
The Ukrainian town of Lviv, where regional lawmakers voted to ban Russian-langauge arts such as books, films and songs Sep 19, 2018, is seen in December 2017. (Photo: AFP/Sergei Supinsky)

Lawmakers in Lviv's regional parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly backed an open-ended moratorium on the public use in any form of Russian-language "cultural product".

The regional assembly said the moratorium would last until the end of Russia's "occupation" of Ukraine, referring to Moscow's annexation of Crimea and support for separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.

The move has prompted ridicule from Moscow and Western diplomats and even a member of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's ruling party.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists on Thursday that "we regret that officials in Ukraine are fighting a war on language too, and this is a war with their own people."

Oleksiy Goncharenko of Poroshenko's party wrote on Facebook that the deputies were apparently going to absurd lengths due to upcoming legislative and presidential elections.

"The closer the elections, the more absurdity," he said, stressing that Russian is used by many Ukrainian writers and Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who is currently on hunger strike in a Russian penal colony.

'JUST PLAIN DUMB'

Canadian and British ambassadors to Ukraine also strongly criticised the move.

The terms of the Lviv region's ban are "narrow-minded, discriminatory and #justplaindumb," Canadian Ambassador Roman Waschuk wrote on Twitter.

"C'mon Lviv (region), you're better than this," British Ambassador Judith Gough wrote, adding the hashtags #tolerance and #diversity.

Ukraine already has a nationwide ban on films judged to glorify Russia's military. It has imposed entry bans on Russian pop stars who have backed the annexation of Crimea and travelled there directly from Russia.

The regional body that voted for the ban is dominated by the party of President Poroshenko and the pro-Western Samopomich party. But it also has members of the Svoboda nationalist party including the bill's author, a former national parliament deputy speaker.

The Soviet Union occupied western Ukraine at the outbreak of World War II in 1939 and anti-Russian sentiments have traditionally been very strong there.

Lviv is a popular tourist destination with its Central European-style architecture and cafe culture. The region borders Poland in the European Union.

The Ukrainian language is already used much more than Russian in the region, but many Ukrainians use both languages in daily life.

A copy of the bill published on the parliament's website says that it aims to "protect the Ukrainian information space from the hybrid influences of the aggressor state and overcome the consequences of prolonged linguistic Russification".

The decision will affect cafes, restaurants and any public transport playing Russian-language music, two deputies from Svoboda nationalist party told AFP on Thursday, on condition of anonymity.

It will also affect books, films and public readings, they said.

But the decision, whose wording was drawn up by Svoboda party, was "advisory in nature" and "does not specify any time limits or the mechanism of implementation and punishment," they added.

Ties between Kiev and its former master Moscow were shredded after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and supported a separatist uprising in east Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed more than 10,000 lives.

Ukraine and its Western allies have accused Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border, but Moscow has denied the claims despite evidence to the contrary.
NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire  BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF; TSX: BCT.V) (BriaCell or the Company), an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company with a proprietary targeted immunotherapy technology, announces that it has selected NetworkNewsWire ("NNW") to assist the Company with its corporate communications initiatives.



BriaCell is currently developing a targeted immunotherapy for advanced breast cancer patients.

Phase I/II study (NCT03066947) of Bria-IMT(Trademarked) in advanced breast cancer patients is ongoing and the interim data is expected in 3Q2018. Additionally, BriaCell is enrolling advanced breast cancer patients in a combination therapy trial (NCT03328026) of Bria-IMT with Keytruda (Keytruda is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.) or Yervoy (Yervoy is a registered trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company).

BriaCells ultimate goal is to develop and market the first off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy for the treatment of advanced breast cancer.

NetworkNewsWire is a multifaceted financial news and publishing company that delivers a new generation of social communication solutions, news aggregation and syndication, and enhanced news release services. NNWs strategies help public and private organizations find their voice and build market visibility. As part of the Client-Partner relationship with BriaCell, NNW will leverage its investor-based distribution network of over 5,000 key syndication outlets, various newsletters, social media channels, blogs, and other outreach tools to generate greater brand awareness for the company.

BriaCell is backed with exciting proprietary immunotherapy technology, strong research and development capabilities, and an experienced management team that has been involved in more than 10 drug approvals, states Sherri Franklin, Director of Client Solutions for NNW. While BriaCell focuses on addressing unmet needs in advanced-stage breast cancer, we will launch a corporate communications campaign that will place its progress in front of shareholders and potential investors.

About BriaCell

BriaCell is an immuno-oncology-focused biotechnology company developing targeted and safe approaches for the management of cancer.

BriaCell is currently conducting a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of Bria-IMT(Trademarked), its lead candidate, in patients with advanced breast cancer. This trial is listed in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03066947. Additionally, the FDA recently approved a combination study of Bria-IMT with pembrolizumab [Keytruda; manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.] or ipilimumab [Yervoy; manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company]. The combination study is listed in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026.

BriaCell is developing Bria-OTS(Trademarked), an off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy, for advanced breast cancer. Bria-OTS immunotherapy treatments are personalized to match the patient without the need for personalized manufacturing. Bria-OTS, which is expected to cover over 90% of the patient population, is designed to produce a potent and selective immune response against the cancer of each patient while eliminating the time, expense, and complex manufacturing logistics associated with other personalized immunotherapies.

For additional information on BriaCell, please visit website: http://www.BriaCell.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation which involves known and unknown risks relevant to the Company in particular and to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in general, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. These risks are more fully described in the Companys public filings available at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

BriaCell Contact Information

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp.:

Farrah Dean

Manager, Corporate Development

Email: Farrah@BriaCell.com

Phone: 1-888-485-6340

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets, (3) enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime . As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in todays market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

For more information, please visit: https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com .

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer .

Corporate Communications Contact:
Kusuma Trust Holds Data Protection Workshop

On Wednesday 19th September, Kusuma Trust Gibraltar hosted a data protection workshop for local charities. The half-day session was delivered in collaboration with the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) and Isolas LLP.

The focus of the workshop was the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into effect on 25th May this year, and introduces a number of new data protection obligations for organisations and new rights for individuals.

Representatives from over thirty local charities attended and were given practical, expert advice on how GDPR affects local charities and what measures need to be taken in order to ensure compliance with the legislation and avoid penalties or fines.

The workshop was hosted by local law firm Isolas LLP and was followed by an informal networking lunch which enabled individuals to raise specific queries and concerns with the panel of experts.

Bradley Tosso, Head of Information Rights at the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, commented: We are grateful to Kusuma Trust for this initiative on behalf of the charity sector and the Commissioner's office was delighted to be able to participate and provide guidance. The event was very engaging and useful, both as an opportunity for local charities to learn about the new legislation, but also for us to hear about the issues that charities deal with regard to data protection here in Gibraltar. Collaborating and working together to help ensure compliance and build trust is key.

James Montado, Managing Associate at Isolas LLP, added: Charities face many of the same GDPR challenges as other sectors. We were happy to share some useful insight in relation to the impact of GDPR on the charities sector as well as some practical advice on how charities can achieve compliance. As a firm, we take pride in having a long tradition of supporting charities and charitable causes and we were delighted to be able to support and assist the Kusuma Trust with their latest initiative.

Kusuma Trust Gibraltar is a family led philanthropic organisation that supports education programmes, community projects and the work of local charities to benefit those living and working in Gibraltar. Kusuma aims to inspire excellence in education, enhance opportunities of education outside curriculum and support and provide matched grants to support community initiatives that make a lasting difference. It is currently accepting applications for its Professional Development Award, which supports individuals working in Gibraltar to undertake professional development courses where there is no funding available from the Government or their employer. Recipients of the funding must be working in areas that directly benefit those living and working in Gibraltar. The closing date for applications is Friday 28th September.

Kusuma Trust Gibraltar would like to thank the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority and Isolas LLP for their support in delivering the workshop. For any charities that would like to be kept informed of future Kusuma Trust initiatives, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For further information about Kusuma Trust please visit www.kusumatrust.gi
Jersey Shore Family Vacation The Designation Season 2 Episode 6 Editors Rating 2 stars * *  Previous Next DJ Pauly D. Photo: MTV

Ladies and gentlemen, almost a decade into studying guidos and guidettes in the wild in the greatest sociological experiment of our time, it is rare that we see something entirely new and undocumented. Welcome Joey, who is certified as the worlds very first gay guido. What do we call him? A Gaydo? Guiday? Homo He Wrecked Us? How about we just stick with Joey. That should work for now. Before we get into the very specific traits and impact of Joey on the rest of the young people in this experiment, let us take some time and look at some of the words that the guidos use that might be confusing to newcomers.

Debaucherary: This is a portmanteau of the words debauchery and ordinary. It is when a woman of ill-repute, such as the creature known as Trash Bags, jumps up in DJ Pauly Ds arms and wraps her legs around him in the club. Yes, this behavior constitutes cheating, but the guidos consider any man or woman showing another man or woman any sort of amorous attention, regardless of whether lips or genitals meet, as cheating. Because such behavior is both outlandish and totally expected at the same time, it earned this term.

Tarantula: We hear Snooki call Joey this while hes literally rolling out of a cab while drunk. While the guidos love riffing on an animal name (see hippos, hamsters, and gorillas), it is unclear if this is an insult or just a descriptor. It could mean someone who is so messy that, while drunk, he appears to have eight limbs rather than four. It could also mean a large, hairy man similar to a large, hairy spider. It could also mean a gay guido in general. More study needs to be done to determine the precise origins of the term.

Vegases: The Situation repeatedly refers to the town in which they are on vacation as Vegases. The guidos often pluralize the name of something that they have little time or respect for. Mike is sick of the town and all its debaucherary behavior and wants to return home to his fiance. Therefore he uses this derogatory mispronunciation. Its similar to how Mike calls Trash Bags Angelinas or Snooki calls her Angeliners.

Now, back to Joey. The gay guido is very interesting because he is a man in a very macho culture, but also a man who subverts the very essence of GTL by seemingly doing none of these things to preen for women. He is a man who is not on the hunt for women at all, which makes him self-identify as one of the girls. Like the girls, he gets wasted and flirts with all of the guys. He goes so far as to tell The Situation that if he were to get naked and wet in the shower, The Situation would actually be turned on.

This is a curious statement, because if Joey were a slim, hairless twink with big, fake pairs of lips and breasts, I could see how this would be the case. However, he is a larger, more hirsute figure, so even if he could get The Situation to think that he was a woman, he wouldnt be the type of woman The Situation would like anyway. But coming on to men like this seems to be some kind of power play. He makes them all incredibly uncomfortable, especially Ronnie, who says that he does not like Joey grabbing his junk. Im not a piece of meat, Ronnie says. I have feelings, too. The irony of this is totally lost on Ronnie, who often treats women the way Joey treats him, but far be it from the guido to learn anything through empathy.

Joey definitely seems to not fit in with this group. He is not really one of the girls, though he pretends to be, and he is also not one of the guys. When a guido does not fit in with the rest of the pack, he compensates for this by drawing attention to himself and being extra AF. Just as Angelina takes a bite out of Cheese Vinny  DJ Pauly Ds milk-based golem of his one true love  just to get a rise out of everyone, Joey does the same by showing his tits at the club, rubbing his naked sweaty torso all over The Situation, and then pouring the remainder of the champagne bucket over his head like a bad outtake from Daniel Franzeses Ice Bucket Challenge video. The irony is that this strategy actually only further ostracizes this person from the majority of the group.

The most obvious example of this is when Joey decides that hes going to be the clown for the entire group and gets in the man-made surfing machine thing at the Planet Hollywood pool. He gets in there and watches as the gang ridicules him for falling down while body surfing, his physical size, and also exposing his private parts after the water tears off most of his clothing. There is no way that poor Joey can win.

Joey is always going to be an outsider from this group but also from gay people. Because he wears the clothes of a guido (note how he sleeps in Nike shorts and an oversized T-shirt just like the other guidos) he will never be part of the monolithic cis gay male culture but because he is gay he will also never be fully indoctrinated into the guido hierarchy.

We see this most prominently when Joey picks up another gay man at the pool. A queer theorist would call this man a bear and he looks very much like Joey, something that totally disgusts the guidos. That is because the big and beefy guido is always on the lookout for his opposite, a guidette who is skinny and petite (though both are equally obsessed with their appearance and usually resort to either steroids or surgery to get their desired results). If the guidos were gay they would realize that boyfriend twins are actually very common in the gay male ecosystem. But they have no interest in looking outside of the savannah of their own guido-ness to understand other cultures. If the guidos have one fatal flaw, it is this one.

The other fatal flaw might be how much alcohol they consume. DJ Pauly D gets so wasted that he is grinding with Trash Bags in the club. He even tells her that if she wanted to have sex with him he would totally do it. He must have been completely wasted to go so far and you could tell she was thinking about it. Angelina would have considered it such a victory to hook up with another of the dudes in the house that I think it might have been worth it for her to lose her fiance just for this.

Speaking of Pauly D and Angelina, something about these episodes of our favorite experiment has seemed extremely disjointed, like it was thrown together at the last minute, or it was all a bad idea. Deena is pregnant and couldnt come to Vegas. JWOWW decides to leave early because Snooki wasnt in her Mothers Day video or something. Vinny, through no fault of his own, had to return to Staten Island for a funeral and then rushes back so the producers could film one more boys weekend. Ronnie has been off the entire time dealing with baby momma drama.

When I saw Pauly, Mike, and Snooki by the pool together as PMS, I thought, This is what were left with? That is what we were left with. Other than them, it was Angelina and Joey, and it seemed like we were watching all of the understudies in a play that used to be a masterpiece and is now trotted out in various revivals just to make a shit ton of cash. Instead of partying and antics  or even just the crew being their comedic selves together  were left with JWOWW and Deena sharing salads in a New Jersey strip mall. This is not the experiment I signed up for, and I dont think that is going to lead us to any really interesting or profound new discoveries.
Sally Field and Justin Theroux in Maniac. Not pictured: The Sucktube. Photo: Michele K. Short / Netflix

While writing Maniac, creator Patrick Somerville and director Cary Joji Fukunaga invented an ordinary enough character: Dr. James Mantleray, a doctor who oversees a mind-bending pharmaceutical trial that aims to cure mental illness, until it all goes terribly wrong. Then, they decided to cast Justin Theroux.

They admitted, We really want someone with a point of view and a take on it, Theroux told Vulture ahead of Maniacs premiere, adding that aside from the basic story line, Mantleray wasnt very defined on the page. So, of course I was like, I want some glasses, I want to be bald, and I want a weird wig.

Still, Theroux admits he did tiptoe Fukunaga and Somerville into making his character the raw bundle of tics and mommy issues that he became on the Netflix limited series. Mantlerays toupee was born out of a wig-fitting for a hairpiece that looked way too much like an actual wig  It was so bad I thought, Wouldnt it be funny and good for the character if we just played it as an actual wig?  and his glasses were chosen to match the wire frames worn by his colleague Dr. Fujita (Sonoya Mizuno), as the two are supposed to be a reflection of each other.

Justin Theroux and Sonoya Mizuno twinning in Maniac. Photo: Michele K. Short / Netflix

At various points throughout the series, Mantleray appears in instructional videos for Neberdine Pharmaceutical and Biotech, the company conducting the experimental drug trial. For those, Theroux deployed a deliberately awkward speaking voice, and requested a teleprompter so it felt like he was, well, reading his lines off of teleprompter. His first work on Maniac was actually shooting those goofy scenes, but as we found the character and the voice and the attitude, he says, we ended up having to go back and reshoot the instructional videos because it wasnt the same guy.

As Maniac goes on, it becomes clear that Mantlerays anxieties developed thanks to his toxic relationship with his mother, Greta (Sally Field), a famed, insufferable pop-psychologist who represents everything that he opposes. When I first met her, she immediately launched into our backstory, Theroux said of working with Field. How I was probably too coddled  I probably slept in bed with her until I was far too old to be sleeping in bed with her. She really likes to go deep on that stuff.

Nearly all of Mantlerays anxieties on are display in Therouxs first big scene in the third episode, where Dr. Fujita interrupts some virtual-reality sex hes having with a blow-job robot referred to as the Sucktube. (His Oculus-like VR headset is called a Suckulus.) In his fantasy, Mantleray has giant, anime-style hair, which Theroux credited to the character trying to assimilate into his Japanese companys corporate culture  and, of course, his great anxiety about his baldness. Once Fujita makes her presence known in Mantlerays slobby apartment, the robot hangs against his pelvis as they carry out serious conversation about a former colleagues sudden death.

The Sucktube in action. Photo: Netflix. The Sucktube in action. Photo: Netflix.

According to Somerville and Fukunaga, the idea of a fantasy sex experience came from writer Mauricio Katz, who heard a woman talking about erotic fantasies about Atlantis. Then, Maniacs specialty props designer Steven Brower built the actual Sucktube device, while the writers had to clear the name itself to make sure some actual company hadnt branded it. Sucktube was the easiest thing to clear, Somerville said. We just thought we should get the name now, too, Fukunaga added.

The Sucktube continues a trend of dick jokes about Therouxs TV characters, after the third season of The Leftovers included a scene where his penis unlocked a door. But thats just a coincidence, he insists. It wouldnt be a Justin Theroux vehicle if it didnt have some sort of  He trails off. No, it was one of those things. All of this was just so wildly different and insane.
Suge Knight. Photo: David McNew/AFP/Getty Images

Suge Knight has accepted a plea deal in his 2015 murder case just days ahead of what wouldve been the start of his trial in Los Angeles, the Associated Press reports. The notorious rap mogul pleaded no contest on Thursday to voluntary manslaughter for running over two men with a car on the set of a Straight Outta Compton promotional video shoot at a Compton burger stand in January 2015 and fatally injuring his associate Terry Carter. (Knight was depicted unfavorably in the NWA biopic.) Per the terms of his deal, Knight, 53, will serve 28 years in prison with credit for time served  he has been awaiting trail for over three years, with delays due to health issues  and will receive three years of parole following his sentence. Knight had been charged with murder, attempted murder, and hit-and-run; his lawyers argued that Knight acted in self-defense. He would have faced life in prison if convicted at trial.
Photo: New York Times

A High School Assault, the September 20 episode of the New York Times podcast The Daily, was a quiet, bracing, and emotionally powerful half hour. It was, in part, an adaptation of I Believe Her, an essay by Caitlin Flanagan that appeared on The Atlantics website on Monday, in which Flanagan tells the story of her own sexual assault in high school back in the 1970s, how she suffered for it, and how, years later, her assailant apologized and she forgave him. Flanagans essay was published against the backdrop of Christine Blasey Fords accusations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, which allegedly took place when they were teenagers.

If Fords story is true, Brett Kavanaugh never apologized, Flanagan wrote in the essay. He never tried to make amends, never took responsibility for what he did. In my case, the near-rape  as awful as it was at the time and in its immediate aftermath  didnt cause any lasting damage. But by Fords account, Kavanaughs acts did cause lasting damage, and he has done nothing at all to try to make that right.

In The Dailys telling of Flanagans story, listeners are made to go deeper into the broader questions she raises: what it means to have made a mistake in the past, and what it means for the present. In contrast to the essay, The Dailys version doesnt strongly evoke the Kavanaugh-Ford story, choosing instead to push more into the universal issues of the story at hand. Vulture spoke with Theo Balcomb, The Dailys managing producer, about the process of putting the episode together, why they decided to respond to the news cycle with a deeply personal story, and what it takes to produce an evocative daily narrative news podcast.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Story

To understand The Dailys decision to build an episode around Flanagans essay, you have to look at the way the team has been tackling the Brett Kavanaugh assault accusation story, and news cycles more generally. The show had already featured two episodes on the subject this week. On Tuesday, they brought in congressional reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg to walk audiences through the tick-tock  thats journalism-speak for a piece that unspools a chronological sequence of events  and on Wednesday, they spotlighted White House reporter Peter Baker to provide a measured insight into how various political players would approach Fords accusations.

It was our style of, were going to take you through what happened, and hit you with this information, and then you can have your own reactions about the story, Balcomb said. But we came in on Wednesday morning thinking, okay, weve laid out the facts for people, now lets have a feeling. We want to hear from a real person who can help us grapple with the story.

Another producer on the audio team, Andy Mills (who you might remember as the co-host of Caliphate), had sent out Flanagans essay in the teams Slack channel the day before. The essay struck them as exactly the type of story that would help the audience feel through the complexities of the issues. We were all grabbed by her story, but we had to walk this fine line, Balcomb said. We didnt want to draw too many parallels with the Judge Kavanaugh story, because hes denied the accusations and because it was important to stay grounded in the facts.

The choice to pick up Flanagans essay was ultimately driven by a sense that the story was much bigger than the Kavanaugh accusations. We came around to the idea that, in a way, you dont have to talk about Dr. Blasey and Judge Kavanaugh to talk about this moment, Balcomb said. To some extent, the debates were having arent really about them. They are, instead, about questions: What does it mean to make a mistake when you were young? What does it mean when the mistake reemerges 30 years later? What does it mean to have been wronged by somebody, to have kept it a secret, and to begin sharing it decades later?

Of course, what was brilliant about Caitlins story is that it gets into all these questions, and it also introduces the idea of forgiveness, Balcomb said. How can somebody make it right? How can somebody make it right to the person who they wronged and also in the court of public opinion?

Step 2: Adapting the Essay

By the time The Daily decided on Flanagans essay, it was already widely read across the internet. That informed the way they thought about approaching the episode. We think a lot about the overlap between what our audience has seen and whats popular on the Internet, Balcomb said. We know were going to reach people who arent on Twitter all day.

The team focused on how they could add value to the telling of Flanagans story. The essay was structured in a way that felt like a memoir, which gave them a firm thread of building blocks. The impetus rested on figuring out how to go deeper into Flanagans experience and flesh out aspects that werent as pronounced in the written piece. (In this case, those aspects included the darker elements of the essay, like Flanagans suicide attempt.) Similarly, a major factor that defined the episodes storytelling was the choice to ground the narrative in the gauzy haze of emotional memory around high-school experiences. I think some of the magic of the piece came from those little high-school moments. It was that time where youre wanting people so desperately to sign your yearbook, and like, when Caitlin was at a point in her life where she was reading Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret, Balcomb said.

What were always trying to do is something in a way that feels natural, but also adds a sense of narrative drama to the proceedings, she said. And we dont want to hit you over the head with something. Thats the trick of The Daily: Were able to unfold something that holds your attention, feels cinematic, but doesnt come off like a shtick. Were not doing this for dramatic effect. Were doing this to tell you a story.

Step 3: Producing the Segment

The process began with Annie Brown, a producer on the Times audio team who collaborated with Balcomb on the episode, working on an initial script. It was Brown who came up with the idea of using Flanagans yearbook as a framing device, which they requested she bring into the studio when she recorded her interview. The script was then passed on to executive Lisa Tobin, who refined the document in pursuit of a stronger narrative structure: how the story would move, when it would turn, how it would shift through time. Balcomb notes that its a deeply collaborative process; almost all of it takes place on a living Google Doc where changes, edits, and choices are made in real-time during the flow of production.

Brown and host Michael Barbaro were in Los Angeles for a series of live events slated to take place this week, but in a fortunate turn of events, Flanagan also happened to be in the city at the same time, which meant they could record the interview in-person. Balcomb noted that the team would have typically conducted the interview remotely, and that she believed the segment would have turned out to be effective that way. Nevertheless, she argued that part of the distinct power of the episode lay in the fact that you can very clearly hear that Barbaro and Flanagan were in the same space together. It was a happy accident, she said.

When Barbaro conducts an interview, he tries to create an intimate emotional space for the guest, but he does this while actively monitoring the script, which continues to evolve as the production listens in, makes adjustments, and changes directions based on whats happening.

One of the core challenges the team faced producing this episode lay in the fact that Flanagan had to relive a deeply personal trauma in front of a microphone. A baseline familiarity with the show, and Barbaro as a host, helped tremendously. We had an advantage  and I dont think Caitlin will mind me saying  is that shes a huge fan of the show, Balcomb said. I think she already felt pretty comfortable with Michael because shes listened to him every day and knows the lengths the show goes to embrace nuance and to give people ample time to share who they are.

Nevertheless, it was an incredibly sensitive scenario. You can hear in the interview that she felt surprised about how emotional she got, Balcomb said, adding, I think Michaels really good at listening and just being quiet  thats something that we, as audio producers, know pretty well, and have worked with him from the beginning on. You need to fill the space and let people be.

Step 4: Editing, Refining, Listening

After completing the recording process, the team divides up the work. The Daily is currently made by around 12 producers, and typically two or three producers work on an episode at the same time; in this case, Brown produced the beginning and Balcomb produced the end. They began by creating a live log of the interview, which they then collectively reviewed for pieces to be used and talk through how things fit together. A lot of this involves the hard work of omission  There were so many beautiful, heart-wrenching stories, but we knew we could only have one, Balcomb said  and a lot of it involves feeling out a sense of balance. How much do they want to discuss Kavanaugh and Ford in the context of the story? Do they want to talk about that at all?

Once the story pieces are selected, the process shifted towards the meat-and-potatoes of audio production: cutting tape with Pro Tools, deciding where everything gets put together, and so on. It wasnt a very difficult story to edit, Balcomb said. But, of course, the hardest part was making sure the segment felt like it had the right length, and that it retained many of the little gems that we remembered loving from the interview.

The episode was then collaboratively reviewed and edited multiple times. A slight touch of scoring was added  I didnt think it needed a heavy hand, Balcolb said  and a final listen was conducted before the audio file was handed to the teams engineer in London, who then published the episode in the early morning, Eastern Standard Time.

The team is particularly proud of the end product. Just the idea that weve made a thing where this kind of rumination can live makes me so proud of the show, Balcomb said. Were able to bring this womans experience to millions of people, and I should say, the reaction has been overwhelming. There were so many people who wrote saying, Thank you for being brave enough to share this, and, you know, Im reconsidering some of the experiences Ive had and how I can make them right or how I can talk to people about them. Im thrilled about it.

You can listen to the episode here.
Tony Danza and Josh Groban in The Good Cop. Photo: Michele K Short/Netflix

I wouldnt have predicted that the creator of Monk would follow up that beloved hit with a buddy-cop comedy-mystery about a straight-arrow detective and his father, a retired detective who did prison time on corruption charges. But here we are  and the most striking thing about Netflixs The Good Cop is how much it feels like old-fashioned, lovable TV comfort food, despite having one of its two main roles played by the sort of character whos constantly showing up in real-life headlines for doing things that chill the blood.

Executive-produced and mostly written by Andy Breckman and based on the same-named Israeli series by Erez and Tomer Aviram, The Good Cop stars Josh Groban, for some reason, as Italian-American police detective Tony Caruso Jr., a by-the-book homicide detective whose father, Tony Sr. (Tony Danza), is a legendary (or notorious) detective who just got out of the joint after being the main target of a police corruption investigation so specifically damning that its known as the Caruso Commission. When one of Tony Sr.s old colleagues turns up dead, his son quickly becomes the main suspect because the body, which was discovered in a public park, was riddled with six bullets fired by Tony Jr.s gun. This is a fine hook for a mystery plot in that Monk/Sherlock Holmes tradition, and the pilot, written by Breckman and directed by Monk veteran Andy Zisk, has a pleasing if sometimes too solicitous tone (complete with a reflective, jazz-flavored, kinda Monk-ish score by Pat Irwin, of Bored to Death and Nurse Jackie). After a few twists and turns, the show wraps things up, and by the following episode were onto a new mystery, as if its the 20th century and a television show doesnt have to commit to ten hours or nothing.

Still, the character of Tony Sr.  who shares a house with his son for wacky sitcom energy purposes  left this viewer with an uneasy feeling. Danza, who often plays characters named Tony, makes the elder cop a lovable lug, a father who may be disreputable but who often does turn out to know best. There are constant hints that he might not be guilty of the specific offenses that sent him to prison, but by his own admission, hes guilty of plenty else, from beating up suspects (he calls the beatings tune-ups) to robbing drug dealers stash houses. In a tense moment in a later episode, when Tony Sr. finds himself bound in the basement of the house with another man (played by the great character actor John Carroll Lynch, in a role Id rather not describe because of plot-giveaway fears), a brick of cash falls out of a hole in the ceiling and he quips, Oh, I forgot about that.

Groban is likable, if not exactly dazzling, in a Matthew Brodericklike part that mainly requires him to look emotionally constipated and fret over the fact that his beloved rules and laws dont really register with his dad. The show seems to be going for the sort of energy youve encountered in films like The In-Laws and Midnight Run, and as the series goes on, it starts to nail it, though it does this mostly by resolving not to think too much about the implications of presenting Tony the Elder as a hilarious wild card who doesnt play by the rules but who loves his tight-assed son and would do anything to save his life or reputation. Dont worry, kid, Tony Sr. says. The devil takes care of his own.

Dont misunderstand: My objection here is not to the essential nature of the character. Some of the great TV characters are, shall we say, complicated when it comes to their sense of ethics and morals. But I prefer it when such a show approaches the contradictions of that character in an open, uninflected manner, striving whenever possible not to reassure that hes really a good person at heart and that the worst things youve heard about him might not be true, and that its okay to write off his bad qualities because at least hes not worse. (Tony Sr. advances this very line of argument early in the pilot, when he assures his son that hes illegally beaten people but never committed murder, because that would be crossing a line.)

Danza plays Tony Sr. with the sort of leathery machismo thatll ring true to anybody with an elder ex-cop in the family. (The older he gets, the more his delivery is reminiscent of the late Nicholas Colasanto on Cheers.) But hes not an especially deep actor, and neither he nor the show seem inclined to do anything thatll really rattle us and make us ask if its okay to like this guy and think of him as an essentially good-hearted eccentric who has many useful things to teach us if only wed listen. That safe approach, coupled with the wacky high jinks and the were having a grand time here score, makes The Good Cop sometimes feel like a defense of the kinds of police whose terroristic activities make people on the receiving end of their behavior feel like targets rather than citizens. Tony Sr. is absolutely part of a long tradition, in popular culture as well as the real world, of lionizing the tough or even dirty cop who doesnt play by the rules and irritates his straitlaced colleagues, but has a sense of honor and justice and gets the job done his way. I wish the show had the self-awareness to ask us, and itself, whether endorsing that kind of attitude is a good thing.
NANAIMO, British Columbia, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATLAS ENGINEERED PRODUCTS LTD. (Atlas or the Company) (TSX-V: AEP) today reports its record financial results for the year ended May 31, 2018. The financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis (MD&A) can be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .



Revenue for the year ended May 31, 2018 was $11,597,176, up from $8,076,027 for the previous year, representing an overall growth in revenue from the prior year of 43.6%. Revenue for the year ended May 31, 2018 from the Companys business in Nanaimo, BC was $10,340,571, representing year-over-year organic growth of 28% from the year ended May 31, 2017. Revenue from acquisitions for the year ended May 31, 2018 was $1,256,605 (2017  nil), representing 10.8% the Companys revenues for the year.

Revenue for the quarter ended May 31, 2018 was $3,987,449, which is 93.3% higher than for the same quarter in the previous fiscal year. Revenue achieved during the quarter ended May 31, 2018 recognizes the full impact of the Clinton acquisition. Based on these quarterly results, management anticipates annualized revenues of approximately $18.1 million combined for the Atlas and Clinton operations.

Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended May 31, 2018 was $1,413,140, representing a 12% Adjusted EBITDA Margin, compared with $1,790,954 Adjusted EBITDA and 22% Adjusted EBITA Margin for the prior year. (See Non-IFRS Financial Measures).

During the year ended May 31, 2018, the Company absorbed $966,886 in new costs for filing and transfer agent fees, management and professional fees, shareholder communication, and travel. Most of these expenditures were incurred in connection with the Companys acquisition and integration activities and for corporate costs.

The cost of sales for the twelve months ended May 31, 2018 was $8,725,350 compared to $5,987,828 for the twelve months ended May 31, 2017 due to increased sales and an increase in raw material costs. Gross margins slipped slightly from 25.9% to 24.8%, notwithstanding a significant increase in lumber costs. The Company was successful in passing on most of these increased costs through price increases.

The Company recorded a net loss of $4,954,765 ($0.16 per share) for the twelve months ended May 31, 2018 compared to a net loss of $793,043 ($731.73 per share) for the twelve months ended May 31, 2017. The increase in net loss is mainly the result of listing expenses of $4,864,786 recognized as a result of the Reverse Takeover (RTO) with Archer Petroleum, which is a one-time accounting entry and is not reflective of the Companys ongoing operations.

Mr. Guy Champagne, President of Atlas explains that We are very pleased that our growth and financial results to date have met or exceeded our 2018 stated objectives, which are right on plan. The Annualized Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA margin targets we have been communicating to the investment community are $50 million and 15%, respectively. We consider these very achievable and expect to enter 2019 at that annualized revenue threshold as we continue to make accretive acquisitions of good companies whose revenues we can grow organically as well.

About Atlas Engineered Products Ltd.

Atlas Engineered Products is a leading supplier of trusses and engineered wood products. Atlas was formed over 18 years ago and operates manufacturing and distribution facilities in British Columbia and Ontario to meet the needs of residential and commercial builders. Atlas has expert design and engineering teams, multiple-shift state-of-the-art truss manufacturing operations, and large inventories of engineered beam and flooring components. Atlas aims to grow its base of business across Canada by pursuing an aggressive acquisition and consolidation and product diversification strategy. Atlas will bring its construction industry partners across Canada unparalleled excellence in service, product, and support and is committed to supplying them with the full array of components and assemblies they might require for their projects  from design to lockup.

For further information please contact:

Atlas Engineered Products Ltd.

Guy Champagne, President

Phone: 1-250-754-1400

Email: info@atlasep.ca

Unit 102, 6551 Aulds Road

Nanaimo, BC V9S 5X9

www.atlasengineeredproducts.com

For investor relations please contact:

Rob Gamley

Phone: 1-604-689-7422

Email: rob@contactfinancial.com

Contact Financial Corp.

810  609 Granville St.

Vancouver, BC V7Y 1G5

Forward Looking Information

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect managements current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Companys control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company including those to be described in the Annual Information Form filed by the Company on June 1, 2018 and the Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the Companys fiscal year ended May 31, 2018 filed by the Company on September 20, 2018, both on www.sedar.com. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements in this news release also include future-oriented financial information and financial outlook information (FOFI) regarding the Company and its prospective results of operations, cash flows and components thereof. The FOFI contained in this news release is subject to the same assumptions, risk factors, limitations and qualifications set forth in the Companys MD&A for the year ended May 31, 2018 relating to other forward-looking statements. The FOFI contained in this news release is provided for the purpose of providing information regarding managements assessment of the Companys anticipated business operations, and may not be appropriate for other purposes

Forward-looking statements, including FOFI, contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise except as required by securities law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

*NON-GAAP / NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES

Certain measures in this news release do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and, therefore are considered non-IFRS or non-GAAP measures. These non-IFRS measures are used by management to facilitate the analysis and comparison of period-to-period operating results for the Company and to assess whether the Companys operations are generating sufficient operating cash flow to fund working capital needs and to fund capital expenditures. As these non-IFRS measures do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The non-IFRS measures used in this news release include EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA Margin. EBITDA is calculated as revenue less operating expenses before interest expense, interest income, amortization and depletion, impairment charges, and income taxes. EBITDA Margin is EBITDA expressed as a percentage of revenues. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA after adjusting for share-based payments, foreign exchange gains or losses and non-recurring items. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is Adjusted EBITDA expressed as a percentage of revenues.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
Photo: Universal PIctures

If you are interested in seeing Cate Blanchett shoot demonically possessed jack-o-lanterns with a purple laser-gun umbrella, then by all means, get out to a screening of The House With a Clock in Its Walls posthaste. Eli Roths witchy kid adventure, produced by Steven Spielberg, has the kind of kooky old-school texture that feels right out of a well-worn library chapter book, one populated with arbitrarily whimsical characters like Blanchetts Florence Zimmerman.

Based on John Bellairss 1973 young-adult mystery, the film opens with the young, tragically orphaned Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro) arriving in New Zebedee, Michigan to live with his eccentric Uncle Jonathan. Uncle Jonathan lives in a creepy old house that is very obviously haunted from the get, but he seems nice enough in an anarchic way, and he and his neighbor Mrs. Zimmerman have a kind of acid-tongued platonic camaraderie (the tween set will come away from House certainly knowing what platonic means, as well as a host of other dictionary words Lewis is obsessed with  long live edutainment!) Pretty soon they can no longer hide from Lewis the fact that they are magic practitioners  and they have been bedeviled by a curse left in the house by its former owner and their late friend, the dark magician Isaac Izard (Kyle MacLachlan, born to play a dark magician).

The cast in House is exceedingly fancy, but they never seem to connect; Blanchett and Black are about as awkward a pairing as they sound on paper, engaged in two irreconcilable ways of going about their performances. Its a lot to ask of young actor Vaccaro to bring them together, and while his Lewis is a sweet, believably awkward little weirdo, theres not a lot of oomph to him, which makes sense for scaredy-cat Lewis, but leaves the trio feeling a little out of sync. The film doesnt trust Lewiss point of view enough; this is a kids movie that prioritizes the machinations of the adult characters, and throws in some left-field darkness to add real-world weight to a story that wasnt necessarily asking for it. (The film is set in 1955, and more than one of the adult characters survived World War II.)

The film feels long, though I dont claim to know how much it can hold young peoples attention spans  I found my attention wandering. Perhaps someone along the pipeline anticipated this, and threw in at least three different gags in which an enchanted topiary lion poops dead leaves, often in the faces of our protagonists, with a long, blustery flatulence sound accompanying it. These and other cheap gags are an unfortunate, if predictable blemish on an otherwise innocuous adventure tale. If a second Lewis Barnavelt film, or one about his plucky insect-loving friend Rose Rita (both of whom have multiple books around them) gets greenlit, heres hoping Roth or whoever else takes the reins has more faith in their oddball young protagonists to sell all the magic and whimsy.
Tiffany Haddish, who is always a delightfully entertaining late-night guest, on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Photo: CBS

Javier Bardem doesnt know who the Kardashians are, just ask him. Apparently in Spain, the Kardashians are not famous. This week on Conan, Bardem worked very hard to establish the narrative that he wishes to be excluded from the Kardashian narrative.

Javier Bardem is very invested in you knowing what he doesnt know: who the Kardashians are, how to empathize with ugly people. Heres the thing though  you cant not know who the Kardashians are. I dont care how from Spain you are. You have to work at not knowing who the Kardashians are. You have to plug your fingers in your ears and go Lalalalala I cant hear youuuu at the majority of culture to not know who the Kardashians are. The amount of effort it would take to willfully ignore the Kardashians would be better spent doing anything else. Learning how to juggle, perhaps. Or voting. But whats even more galling is that Bardems lack of knowledge demonstrated some cursory knowledge. When Conan restated incredulously that he 100 percent did not know who the Kardashians are, the Jeffrey Dean Morgan look-alike replied Why should I? Have they invented any vaccines that I should know of? Bardem knew enough about the Kardashians to know that vaccine inventor was an improbable source of fame for them. Hedy Lamarr invented Wi-Fi and Karlie Kloss loves to code, so we know that fame and science arent mutually exclusive. Bardem knew that the Kardashians werent famous for something he holds in esteem, and that in itself is knowledge of the Kardashians.

This was a long, roundabout way into the thesis of this story: Talk-show guests, try harder. I am a very busy woman and the world is on fire. If you want me to find you charming, you are going to have to work for it. Willful ignorance of the Kardashians stopped being cute right around the divorce from Kris Humphries. You can be exhausted with them, you can have cursory knowledge, but a blanket Mariah Careystyle I dont know her is simply not going to cut it in 2018. Kim hasnt invented a vaccine, but she did get someone freed from prison. The world is so dumb that even smart people have to know dumb shit. Get with the times, Javier Bardem.

I found myself constantly disappointed with the mechanisms of charm that talk-show guests employed this week. Maybe it was the repetitive nature of jokes on the Emmys (faux banter lol, these awards wont fix you lololololol), maybe it was Norm Macdonalds looming shadow, or maybe it was the actual news being full of flippant dismissal of sexual assault, but I am fucking tired of people not trying.

I am always on edge, always worried that someone Ive admired for years is a secret predator or secret supporter of public predators. I am going to need you to at least try to entertain me when youre on a talk show. That is the first step in making me feel safe  engaging in the social contract that says you care if Im enjoying myself. Contempt for the audience is a sign that you cant be trusted, that you already dont value me. So if you go on Jimmy Kimmel Live to throw shade at your fan base, Peter Dinklage, it stresses me out.

The iconography of (especially male) celebrity always traces back to the Rat Pack. Justin Timberlake did it, the Oceans guys too. Everybody is either a Frank, a Dean, a Sammy, or a misc (Joey Bishop/Peter Lawford/Shirley Maclaine/Don Rickles). Dean Martin gave no fucks. Frank Sinatra gave so many fucks, but pretended not to give any. Sammy Davis Jr. knew his position was tenuous, looked at the bigger picture, cared somewhat, and generally worked extremely hard. To put it in Sex and the City terms, Dean was a Samantha, Sammy was Miranda, and Frank was a Charlotte who thought he was a Carrie. The greatest tragedy of them all.

Javier Bardem and Peter Dinklage were Franks this week. They pretended not to care, but it was boring. True chill is compelling, but it needs accessories. Dean Martin always worked best in contrast to people working harder than he did. Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra were perfect foils to Dean Martins drunken apathy because they were anxiously seeking acceptance. Watch this clip of Dean and Frank together on Deans show.

Deans belief that the audience was on his side was balanced by his partners putting in the effort. Franks performative nature was balanced by Deans confidence. Dean flubs words, Frank adds extra words. Its about balance. Now watch Ice-T and Mariska Hargitays joint interview by Seth Meyers.

Ice-T talking about the checks clearing wouldnt be as fun if Mariska hadnt been seeking laughs with jokes about getting so blackout drunk that she didnt remember acting with a dog. You need hot and cold, sweet and savory. So if youre a lone guest, you gotta bring both flavors. Give me some effort, give me some confidence.

Give me Tiffany Haddish.
Wallace State Community College in Cullman is being awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration to build a Technical Education Center.

The center will create 68 new jobs and cost nearly $7 million in total. It is intended to help workers gain new skillsets and will have a welding program and business incubator.

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said the new facility will provide an education needed to compete for jobs in the economy.

"Workforce development and training are of the utmost importance as some workers continue to struggle in communities across the United States, Ross said.
Sue Noah, a kindergarten teacher at iAcademy at Athens Elementary School, has been selected as a finalist for the 2018 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

The award honors K-12 mathematics and science teachers, and Noah is one of the three elementary mathematics finalists in Alabama. The teacher awarded nationally will receive $10,000 and a trip to Washington D.C.

Athens Elementary School principal, Cindy Davis, says Noah is committed to her students.

Mrs. Noah exceeds expectations every day with her students," Davis said. "She is a passionate educator who cares deeply about the success of her students."
Firefighters in Florence have now been moved out of Station 5 where mold was found in the ductwork and the air conditioning unit is broken.

Florence fire officials tell us the firefighters have been moved to their training facility on Chisholm Road within Station 5's district while the ductwork is removed and the new air conditioning unit installed.

The air conditioning unit went out last Friday, and Florence fire administrators say the lieutenants on staff told them everything was fine. Fire officials tell me they overrode that decision today and moved them to the training facility for their safety.

Florence Deputy Fire Chief, Tim Anerton, tells us he has concerns about the repairs.

"Most of the ceiling tiles have to be taken down. That's the point where I'm not comfortable," Anerton said. "Just as a safety and a backup, I made that decision and said okay we are moving, and that's where we are."

Anerton said there will be no lack in response time despite the move.

"There should not be any difference as far as initiating the response. We have another station in District 3 that will be supporting them. Yes, geographically they are not ideal," Anerton said.

Some people in Florence said the firefighters shouldn't have spent almost a week with no air conditioning.

"They shouldn't have to be like that," said Brianna Roadlander.

It's going to cost about $17,000 to replace the ductwork and cover the cost of the new air conditioning unit. Anerton said the safety of his firefighters is the top priority, and they are working around the clock to get this issue resolved.

"What I want to be sure to communicate is that these guys out here are my number one priority and their safety and well being," Anerton said.

According to fire officials, the company working on the ductwork told them the mold they found was not living, and they have no indications that mold is anywhere else in the building.

It is still unclear if they plan to have the mold found in the ductwork tested.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Hospital Associated has launched a campaign to push for Medicaid expansion in the state.

The Hospital Association began a campaign Thursday that it said will highlight the "importance of expanding Medicaid."

The hospital group said that expansion would provide health care coverage for 300,000 uninsured Alabamians, create 30,000 jobs and $28 billion in new economic activity.

More than 30 states expanded the number of those who can qualify for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Danne Howard of the Alabama Hospital Association said almost one out of every 10 hospital patients is uninsured. Alabama has had 12 hospitals close since 2011.

She said expanding Medicaid would be a significant investment in the state's "fragile health care infrastructure and would help maintain access to care for everyone."

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

9/20/2018 11:46:49 AM (GMT -5:00)
Pharmacists from Walgreens will be administering free flu shots at the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library on Tuesday, September 25 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and October 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Downtown Huntsville Library's front entrance.
Decatur Police arrested two women they say robbed a man at knife point outside the El Madrerense Mexican Grocery Store on Austinville Road on Wednesday. Both 22-year-old Alana Tribble of South Haven, Mississippi and 26-year-old Heather Wallace of Athens are charged with First Degree Robbery. Bond is set at $60,000 each.

According to the victim, the two women drove up next to him as he left the store, pulled out a knife and demanded his money. The victim identified Wallace as the robber. A subsequent investigation by police led to the arrest of Tribble as her alleged accomplice.
Falls Church, VA, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inova Health System has been recognized as one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America.

The top one hundred workplaces were honored at the Fitbit Captivate Conference in Chicago on September 20th. The winning organizations were honored for their commitment to employee health and exceptional corporate wellness programming. Over 1,000 of Americas top wellness programs were evaluated for this award across the country.

Award applicants were evaluated across six key categories: Culture and Leadership Commitment, Foundational Components, Strategic Planning, Marketing and Communications, Programming and Interventions, and lastly, Reporting and Analytics. Applicants were evaluated with the proprietary Healthiest Employers Index, a 1-100 rubric for wellness programming. These organizations have achieved lasting success through a wide array of employee wellness initiatives and corporate wellness programs.

By winning this award, Inova is recognized as one of the best of the best in worksite health nationally. The Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America award culminates the conclusion of the year-long wellness awards program that Healthiest Employers hosts in over 40 cities across the United States. Each of the winning companies is considered an exemplary leader for the effectiveness of their population health and wellness initiatives.

As a healthcare system, the health and well-being of our employees is at the heart of what we do. Our health and wellness programs are a cornerstone of our corporate citizenship and our commitment as to be the best place to work. The Inova Well team designed programs to cover the full spectrum of health  mind, body and spirit. The programs accommodate our caregivers 24/7 work schedule and are affordable, at multiple locations and flexible schedules, said Dr. Jones, Inovas President and CEO. Inova strives to improve the health of the diverse community we serve and we believe that the health and wellness of our team, our caregivers and advanced practice providers are an essential of this commitment. We are proud to be considered one of the 100 Healthiest Workplaces.

This years winners comprise our strongest class of healthy workplaces since we launched the program nine years ago, said Rod Reasen, co-founder of the Healthiest Employers Award Program and Springbuk. This years Healthiest 100 Workplaces include organizations as small as 19 full-time employees and as large as over 150,000 employees. They span nearly every industry, size, geography and include both private and public organizations.

# # #

About Inova

Inova is a global leader in personalized health, which leverages precision medicine to predict, prevent and treat disease, enabling individuals to live longer, healthier lives. At Inova, we serve more than 2 million people each year from throughout the Washington, DC, metro area and beyond. We are shaping the future of health through our integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services and destination institutes. Inova is home to world-class researchers, expert medical specialists and renowned scientists who are driving innovation to improve patient care, prevent disease and promote wellness. Our commitment to health and wellness is further reflected in our sustainable practices. For more information, visit www.inova.org, or find Inova on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Springbuk, Inc.

Springbuk is a health intelligence software that empowers everyone in an employers health ecosystem to glean actionable insights to improve their populations wellbeing and contain claims costs. Their software is leveraged by employers, insurance brokers, onsite clinics, Third-Party Administrators, and wellness vendors to identify avoidable medical and Rx spend. These insights allow every stakeholder to make smarter decisions regarding the health of their employee populations. Each year, Springbuk administers the Healthiest Employers Award Program across the US to honor the nations most dedicated employers in bettering their worksite health and wellness programs. Learn more at www.Springbuk.com.

# # #
The WCO conducted a Workshop on Developing a National Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme and Validation Techniques from 11 to 13 September 2018 at the Customs Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada, Abuja (Nigeria), with support from the Korea Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF-Korea).

The workshop was designed to provide participants with a better understanding of various instruments related to implementation of the SAFE Framework of Standards and AEO Programme, together with associated requirements and validation techniques. This was a follow-up to the May 2018 Sensitization Workshop to support the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in preparing for the launch of the pilot project. It brought together around 60 participants, including Customs officers and private sector stakeholders wishing to engage in the AEO Programme.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. ACG EDIKE, E. C. B., Commandant of Nigerias Customs Command and Staff College, speaking on behalf of the Comptroller-General of NCS, underscored the importance of the AEO Programme for enhancing the integrity of security management in the trade supply chain and for the Customs clearance of legitimate goods. He then expressed his gratitude to the WCO for organizing this relevant and timely workshop, given that it aimed to set the stage for collaboration between the Customs Administration and the private sector. He also extended his appreciation to the WCO official and the accredited AEO experts from Korea for assisting with the early adoption of the AEO Programme in Nigeria, before encouraging participants to give their full attention to the workshop and to share knowledge.

The WCO team described the WCO tools for implementation of the AEO Programme and SAFE Framework of Standards. They also imparted know-how and considerations to be borne in mind when designing an AEO Programme tailored to the needs and expectations of NCS officers and the private sector. Through the course of the workshop, the experts introduced the concepts of AEO requirements, validation techniques and benefits while the participants carried out case studies and practical exercises to gain an understanding of these concepts. In order to conduct an effective security management review of AEO-certified companies, the WCO team and participants shared their views on specific techniques for on-site validation. The participants also entered into group discussions to find ways of implementing AEO pilot projects in the near future. The WCO team apprised NCSs AEO Committee of the measures to be taken to prepare for the pilot project. Nigeria committed itself to meeting the planned target of launching the pilot AEO Programme in November 2018, and asked the WCO for the additional support needed to enact requirements, issue circulars and develop validation techniques.

The workshop proved to be very informative, as the vast majority of stakeholders in the AEO Programme were able to identify potential problems at this stage and were also empowered to play an even greater role in the economy. Another useful and meaningful outcome of the workshop was that it increased understanding of the steps required for adoption of the AEO Programme and SAFE Framework.
STEINHAUSEN, Switzerland, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG) announced today that the newbuild, harsh environment semisubmersible Transocean Norge was awarded a six-well contract (estimated 300 days) with Equinor in the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The contract is expected to commence in July 2019, following the shipyard delivery of the rig in early 2019.



Transocean will operate the Transocean Norge and has a 33% interest in the joint venture that owns the rig, with the remaining 67% interest owned by Hayfin Capital. The contract backlog is approximately $89 million, excluding a bonus opportunity and other services. The contract is denominated approximately 55% in U.S. dollars and 45% in Norwegian kroner.

Additionally, the contract includes four one-well options.

We are very pleased to have so quickly secured a contract for the Transocean Norge, which we recently acquired through our joint venture with Hayfin, said Jeremy Thigpen, Transoceans President and Chief Executive Officer. This contract provides further evidence of the strong demand for high-specification, harsh environment semisubmersibles, and of the relationship and history of solid performance that we have with Equinor.

About Transocean

Transocean is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The company specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on deepwater and harsh environment drilling services, and believes that it operates one of the most versatile offshore drilling fleets in the world.

Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in, and operates a fleet of 41 mobile offshore drilling units consisting of 23 ultra-deepwater floaters, 12 harsh environment floaters, two deepwater floaters and four midwater floaters. In addition, Transocean is constructing two ultra-deepwater drillships; and one harsh environment semisubmersible in which the company has a 33 percent interest. The company also operates one high-specification jackup that was under a drilling contract when the rig was sold, and the company will continue to operate the jackup until completion or novation of the drilling contract.

For more information about Transocean, please visit: www.deepwater.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements described in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements contain words such as "possible," "intend," "will," "if," "expect," or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, estimated duration of customer contracts, contract dayrate amounts, future contract commencement dates and locations, planned shipyard projects and other out-of-service time, sales of drilling units, timing of the companys newbuild deliveries, operating hazards and delays, risks associated with international operations, actions by customers and other third parties, the future prices of oil and gas, the intention to scrap certain drilling rigs, the benefits, and other factors, including those and other risks discussed in the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, and in the company's other filings with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the SEC's website at: www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize (or the other consequences of such a development worsen), or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the company or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which we become aware of, after the date hereof, except as otherwise may be required by law. All non-GAAP financial measure reconciliations to the most comparative GAAP measure are displayed in quantitative schedules on the companys website at: www.deepwater.com.

This press release, or referenced documents, do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and do not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of Transocean and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of Transocean.

Analyst Contacts:

Bradley Alexander

+1 713-232-7515

Diane Vento

+1 713-232-8015

Media Contact:

Pam Easton

+1 713-232-7647




ATLANTA, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlueLinx Holdings Inc. (NYSE:BXC), a leading distributor of building and industrial products in the United States, today announced that Susan OFarrell, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will participate at the Zelman & Associates 2018 Housing Summit on Thursday, September 27, 2018, at The InterContinental Hotel in Boston, MA. A copy of the presentation materials that will be used at the conference will be available before the conference in the investor relations section of the company's website at http://www.BlueLinxCo.com .



About BlueLinx Holdings Inc.

BlueLinx (NYSE: BXC) is a leading wholesale distributor of building and industrial products in the United States with over 50,000 branded and private-label SKUs, and a broad distribution footprint servicing 40 states. BlueLinx has a differentiated distribution platform, value-driven business model and extensive cache of products across the building products industry. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, BlueLinx has over 2,500 associates and distributes its comprehensive range of structural and specialty products to approximately 15,000 national, regional, and local dealers, as well as specialty distributors, national home centers, industrial, and manufactured housing customers. BlueLinx encourages investors to visit its website, www.BlueLinxCo.com, which is updated regularly with financial and other important information about BlueLinx.

Contacts:

Investors:

Susan OFarrell, SVP, CFO & Treasurer

BlueLinx Holdings Inc.

(770) 953-7000



Mary Moll, Investor Relations

(866) 671-5138

investor@BlueLinxCo.com
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Partly cloudy. High near 75F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 62F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Shooting victim said he pointed his gun at Rittenhouse
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 20, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 20, 2018 | 08:01 PM | PADUCAH

On Friday, the University of Kentucky College of Engineering Extended Campus at Paducah will celebrate its 20th anniversary.



As founders and donors reflect on the campuss history and values, theyll remember how it all began: a problem encountered by Steve Polston.



In 1992, Polston worked as the plant manager of the Lockheed Martin Uranium Enrichment Plant in Paducah. Each year, about 20 percent of his engineering staff would leave, typically moving to obtain the continuing education necessary to advance their careers.



Getting engineers there in the first place was a challenge, and we often paid bonuses to move people to Paducah, says Polston. Then, with no place nearby to go for an engineering education, they would leave. It was breaking us and crippling the region as a whole.



In the face of a serious economic crisis for an important region of the Commonwealth, Polston came up with a seemingly questionable solution, an engineering school in Paducah.



Immediately, Polston got two key players on his side: Fred Paxton, the owner of Paxton Media, and Len OHara, the president of Paducah Community College. Together they led the initial drive, meeting with lieutenant governor Paul Patton and pitching the idea to the local Chamber of Commerce. The playing field then shifted to Frankfort, as they lobbied with state legislative committees, many of whom staunchly opposed the idea.



It seemed impossible at the time, and no one thought we could do it. There were many hurdles, says Polston. All my life, I have tried to push good causes as far forward as I could, and this was one of them.



To tackle this challenge, the men understood the need to get influential leaders on their side. They met with UK president Charles Wethington and College of Engineering dean Thomas Lester, earning their essential support. Lester took a lead role in the action.



I was responsible for identifying and hiring faculty and staff, securing program approval and preparing the programs for accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission and approval by the state's Council on Higher Education, says Lester. I also contacted companies and individuals interested in financially supporting the program, and worked with civic and political leaders in convincing the members of the General Assembly to authorize $1.3 million per year for the program's operation.



Six years later, the Paducah campus opened its doors. Today, 200 students call it their home. The campus offers undergraduate degree options in chemical and mechanical engineering, as well as several graduate student options for mechanical engineering. Located on the West Kentucky Community and Technical College campus, Crounse Hall, the Crisp Building and the Fred Paxton Engineering Research Wing, the campus houses thousands of square feet of classroom space, award-winning offices, and advanced research facilities.



We originally focused on attracting and educating students from the Purchase Region for positions in local industrial plants and engineering firms. I am happy to say that more than 70 percent of graduates have secured employment in the Purchase Region, says Lester. Local industries continue to thrive and to seek engineering employees from the Paducah engineering program.



The UK Paducah program will celebrate 20 years of success and value to the local region with a reception and ceremony. Director David Silverstein has been planning the event for the past two years.



We have invited those whose vision and passion for the economic development of the Purchase region resulted in the programs creation, says Silverstein. And, well be honoring the individuals who were critical in that process, without whose leadership there would be no Paducah program.



During the event, Silverstein plans to discuss the programs achievements and cast a vision for its future.



The success of our graduates as they meet and exceed employer expectations is the strongest evidence of the success of the Paducah programs, says Silverstein. As we celebrate the past 20 years, we look forward to advancing the UK Paducah Engineering programs to new heights to impact our students, our region, our state and beyond.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 20, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 20, 2018 | 09:22 PM | PADUCAH

The public's assistance is being requested by Kentucky State Police in finding a man suspected of stealing a truck.



In early September, 45-year-old George West of Paducah borrowed a friend's truck and failed to return it. When Kentucky State Police were notified, they spoke to West by telephone, and he agreed to return the truck. However, he has failed to do so.



Troopers obtained an arrest warrant for West for auto theft. Police located the truck on Friday afternoon but West has not been found.



While police are asking for the public's help, they have also learned that West has made what they call suicidal statements on his Facebook page. Troopers say he has used the term, "suicide by cop," online.



Anyone knowing of the whereabouts of West, should not approach him, but contact the Kentucky State Police at 270-856-3721. Callers may remain anonymous.
Golden Ocean Group Limited (the "Company") advises that the 2018 Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of the Company was held on September 21, 2018 at 09:30 a.m. at the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, 76 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton HM CX, Bermuda. The audited consolidated financial statements for the Company for the year ended December 31, 2017 were presented to the Meeting.



In addition, the following resolutions were passed:

To re-elect John Fredriksen as a Director of the Company.

To re-elect Ola Lorentzon as a Director of the Company.

To re-elect Gert-Jan van den Akker as a Director of the Company.

To approve the increase of the Company's authorized share capital from US$7,500,000 divided into 150,000,000 common shares of US$0.05 par value each to US$10,000,000 divided into 200,000,000 common shares of US$0.05 par value each by the authorisation of an additional 50,000,000 common shares of US$0.05 par value each.

To reduce the share premium account of the Company to nil, and to credit the amount resulting from the reduction to the Company's Contributed Surplus account, with immediate effect.

To re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers AS as auditors and to authorise the Directors to determine their remuneration.

To approve remuneration of the Company's Board of Directors of a total amount of fees not to exceed US$600,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018.



Hamilton, Bermuda

September 21, 2018
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 21, 2018 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 21, 2018 | 10:04 AM | PADUCAH

McCracken County Property Valuation Administrator Nancy Bock has resigned.



An employee at the McCracken County PVA office told West Kentucky Star Friday morning that Bock had issued her resignation on Thursday. Larry Geibe has been appointed interim PVA.



Bock's attorney, Mark Bryant, said she was indicted Friday on five counts of theft and one count of forgery, related to her use of state credit cards on personal trips over several years.



Bryant said Bock will turn herself in on Monday, post bond, and pay full restitution. He expects Bock to enter a guilty plea at an arraignment at some point in the future.



Kentucky State Police began investigating Bock in March, after receiving a criminal complaint against her. Special Prosecutor Mike Stacy requested in July that her case be sent to a grand jury.



Bryant said, "Nancy worked for the PVA for some 40 years. She was PVA here and never had a hint of scandal, and a very nice person. She is extremely sorrowful for it, and she is making restitution for it. We had hoped that we could come in and make restitution today, but they don't know exactly who the money is supposed to go to."



Bryant said the total amount of non-reimbursed charges on the cards was $5,200. He said Bock used the cards on trips to see family in Mississippi.



He said, "If she had paid it off back then it would not have been a crime, but now, after several years of not doing that, the Grand Jury heard it and decided that was beyond just making a mistake every once in a while, that was criminal conduct."



Bock won the May Democratic primary and was unopposed in November. McCracken County Clerk Julie Griggs told West Kentucky Star Friday that after speaking with a state election official at a workshop she was attending, she will now confer with County Attorney Sam Clymer on Monday to determine how to proceed with electing someone as PVA. She said they will notify the public about the process.




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By Bill Hughes

Sep. 21, 2018 | PADUCAH

By Bill Hughes Sep. 21, 2018 | 02:14 PM | PADUCAH

The man who was facing numerous charges for allegedly driving the wrong way in a garbage truck on I-24 in March of 2017 has entered guilty pleas and been sentenced.



Dalton Lampley was facing two counts of 1st degree assault, nine counts of criminal mischief, 25 counts of wanton endangerment, and one count each of reckless driving and fleeing or evading police. He appeared in court Friday before Judge Tim Kaltenbach.



Lampley's attorney, Jeremy Ian Smith, said the 1st degree assault charges were class B felonies with a sentence of 10-20 years if convicted. They are also violent offenses, requiring the offender to serve 85 percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole. Instead, Smith said Lampley plead guilty to amended charges of 2nd degree assault, which are class C felonies with a sentence of 5-10 years in prison. In addition, Smith said Lampley would only have to serve 20 percent of the sentence before parole eligibility.



Lampley waived a formal sentencing, and received a sentence of 20 years in prison.



Multiple law enforcement agencies pursued Lampley from Paducah to Marshall County, where he was arrested. He still faces additional charges there.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 21, 2018 | 10:39 AM | MAYFIELD

A motorcycle crash early Friday morning in Mayfield sent the operator to an out of state hospital.

The Mayfield Police Department says the accident happened around 4:30 am on the KY 121 bypass, near the Mayfield Water Treatment Plant. Officers said Steven Oxx-Albright, of Mayfield, was traveling north when his motorcycle ran off the road.

Oxx-Albright was treated at the scene, and later flown by Air Evac to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville for treatment of his injuries.
Frontline Ltd. (the "Company") advises that the 2018 Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of the Company was held on September 21, 2018 at 10:00 ADT at the Hamilton Princess Hotel and Beach Club, 76 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton HM CX, Bermuda. The audited consolidated financial statements for the Company for the year ended December 31, 2017 were presented to the Meeting.

In addition, the following resolutions were passed:

1) To re-elect John Fredriksen as a Director of the Company.

2) To re-elect Georgina E. Sousa as a Director of the Company.

3) To re-elect Ola Lorentzon as a Director of the Company.

4) To re-elect Robert Hvide Macleod as a Director of the Company.

5) To re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers AS of Oslo, Norway as auditors and to authorise the Directors to determine their remuneration.

6) That the remuneration payable to the Company's Board of Directors of a total amount of fees not to exceed US$600,000.00 be approved for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Hamilton, Bermuda

September 21, 2018
San Diego, CA, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TargetSolutions, a Vector Solutions brand offering the leading operations and training management software for public entities, is excited to announce the launch of more than 1,500 new premium training courses for local governments. The new courses are released just in time for the 2018 IPMA-HR International Training Conference scheduled Sept. 23-25 in Phoenix.

TargetSolutions online course library already featured more than 1,000 courses for cities, counties and municipalities, including 250 hours of Fire & EMS continuing education units (CEUs), 240 hours of Law Enforcement training, 60 hours of Water & Wastewater recertification training, and 50 hours of OSHA safety training. Now, TargetSolutions is introducing valuable CEUs for Facility Maintenance & Management, Municipal Power & Utilities, Municipal Architecture, and Engineering & Construction.

These courses address important topics for municipalities, said TargetSolutions Director of Product Jen Jones. By accessing these premium training bundles, public entities can provide training to agencies under their oversight from a single platform. Adding topics surrounding facility maintenance and management, municipal power and utilities, and municipal AEC, adds to TargetSolutions robust catalog for public entities and gives platform managers confidence important training is scheduled, assigned and tracked from a single interface across their entire organization.

In addition, public agencies can now deliver dynamic cyber security training that addresses the classifying and safeguarding of data for corporate and personal use, security awareness essentials, social engineering and end-user best practices.

This new training educates a local governments personnel, said Jones. Training like this will improve their performance and increase overall safety while helping local government agencies achieve compliance with mandatory training requirements. With training catalogs specific to every department in a local government, TargetSolutions improves the delivery, tracking, and reporting of training.

If you are attending the IPMA conference, please stop by booth No. 109 to learn more about this dynamic training content.

About TargetSolutions

TargetSolutions, a Vector Solutions brand, delivers award-winning, real-time training and record-keeping solutions to the fire services, emergency medical services, risk pools, cities and municipalities, law enforcement and public works industries. The company provides engaging, accredited online training courses, cutting-edge software applications, and dynamic performance management solutions to help make organizations safer, more capable, and more compliant. For more information, visit www.targetsolutions.com. Follow us on Twitter @TargetSolutions and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/TargetSolutions.

About Vector Solutions

Vector Solutions, a leader in eLearning and performance support, provides award-winning SaaS solutions for the architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), industrial, facilities management, public safety, IT and education fields. Its brands, RedVector, TargetSolutions, and Scenario Learning, deliver continuing education (CE), training, technology and performance management solutions using the latest innovations in learning technology to create safer, more capable, more compliant organizations. Its extensive online and mobile learning library exceeds more than 7,000 courses written by 250 subject matter experts and reaches over 7 million professionals worldwide. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit www.vector-solutions.com. Follow us on twitter @VectorPerform and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/VectorPerformance.

Attachment
TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- dynaCERT Inc. (TSX VENTURE: DYA) (OTCQB: DYFSF) (DAX: DMJ) ("dynaCERT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received an initial $1 million subscription toward the first tranche closing of the Company's $3 million financing being led by PI Financial Corp., as previously announced on September 18, 2018.



The Company has submitted approval request materials to the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") in respect of the Offering and the first tranche closing is expected to be completed promptly upon receipt of approval from the Exchange. An aggregate of 4,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") will be issued under this initial subscription at price of $0.25 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share (a Share) of dynaCERT and one half (1/2) of one common share purchase warrant at a price of $0.25 per Unit. Each whole warrant (a Warrant) shall entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.50 for a period of 24 months from the date of closing.

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for international marketing of dynaCERTs line of HydraGENa Technology products in Europe, South Asia and the Middle East and general working capital purposes.

The Offering is expected to be completed in multiple tranches and is subject to the completion of formal documentation, receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the Exchange and other customary conditions. All of the securities sold pursuant to this Offering will be subject to a four-month plus one day hold period starting from the date of issuance.

Pursuant to the Offering, the Company, through PI Financial, will continue to offer Units. The Units will be offered to institutions and other accredited investors in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia and such other jurisdictions in Canada as PI Financial and the Company may agree, subject to certain exemptions and regulatory approval. The Units and the Shares and Warrants underlying the Units will be qualified investments for RRSPs, RRIFs, DPSPs, RESPs and TFSAs.

The securities offered hereby have not and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act) and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless the securities have been registered under the 1933 Act, or are otherwise exempt from such registration.

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 completion of the first tranche closing, completion of additional tranches under the Offering, and the uses of the proceeds of this Offering. 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
OAKVILLE, Ontario, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For those who take the risk of driving after drinking or doing drugs, there could well be no tomorrow. That is the hard-hitting and emotional message delivered in a new School Assembly Program from MADD Canada and generously supported by LCBO.



The program, titled No Tomorrow, educates Ontario students in Grades 7  12 about the risks and consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

No Tomorrows year-long tour of Ontario schools will be highlighted with a special screening at Middlefield Collegiate Institute in Markham on Tuesday.

Media are welcome to attend the screening and speak with special guests, students and staff.

Date: Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at 10:05 a.m. Location: Middlefield Collegiate Institute, 525 Highglen Avenue, Markham, ON Guests: Jennifer Bell, Vice President, Communications & Corporate Affairs Patricia Hynes-Coates, MADD Canada National President



Thanks to the LCBOs generous customers and staff, the organization supports about 1,400 presentations at Ontario schools, enabling MADD Canada to deliver the education program to more than half a million Ontario students at absolutely no cost to the schools.



No Tomorrow tells the story of bandmates Marcus, Corey, Trevor and Lee. After winning a contest to record a demo, they get an incredible chance to audition for a music school. Before their audition, Trevor has a few drinks. He is affected more than he thinks, and makes mistakes during the audition. Marcus is offered a spot at the school right away, and Corey and Lee are given an opportunity to re-apply next year. But Trevor, who was obviously impaired during the audition, is not offered a spot or chance to re-apply. The school has a zero tolerance policy for alcohol or drugs. Trevor storms off to the car. Marcus tries unsuccessfully to take the keys. Realizing he cant stop Trevor from driving away, Marcus jumps in the car. What happens next changes all of their lives forever.



This fictional story is followed by powerful interviews with real-life victims who talk about their loved ones who were killed or seriously and permanently injured in impaired driving crashes.

For more information, or to check out a clip from No Tomorrow, please visit https://madd.ca/pages/programs/youth-services/school-programs/no-tomorrow/ .

To RSVP for the event or to arrange an interview with a MADD Canada spokesperson, contact:

Deb Kelly, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 240.
First South African fossil hunters

Public Lecture series to celebrate Heritage Day will focus on the earliest fossil hunters in Southern Africa and their findings.

The Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits together with a number of partners invite you to a public lecture series in celebration of Heritage Day.

The scientific relevance of the wealth of fossils from South Africa is internationally acknowledged, however little is known about the fossil discoveries that took place before the scientific era, particularly in pre-colonial times. The public lecture series seeks to raise awareness about the earliest fossil hunters of southern Africa among academics and students by presenting evidence of early fossil findings made by early European settlers and indigenous people.

Held on Tuesday, 25 September 2018, from 8.30am to 3.30pm in Senate Room in Solomon Mahlangu House, the lecture series will include talks by Prof. Anusya Chinsamy-Turan from the University of Cape Town on The relevance of the South African fossil record: where do we stand?; Dr Sharad Master from the Wits School for Geosciences on the First fossils discovered in South Africa between 1652-1850; Dr Cammeron Penn-Clarke from the Iziko Museum in Cape Town and the Wits Evolutionary Studies Institute (ESI) on Pre and early colonial fossil discoveries in the Cape Supergroup of South Africa.

These will be followed by a presentation from Dr Charled Helm from the African Center for Coastal Palaeosciences on Interest in Geological and Palaeontological curiosities by non-western societies of Southern Africa; followed by short talks by current palaeoscience students  Aviwe Matiwane, a PhD student from Rhodes University, Kimberleigh Tommy from the Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences and Cebisa Mdekazi from the ESI  on the future of palaeosciences.

According to Julien Benoit, the organiser of the lecture series, the archaeological record of fossil findings can be traced back to Early Homo sapiens in Africa (Morocco, 300 000 years ago) and early European settlers were trying to account for the existence of fossils some 200 years before Darwin published his theory of the Evolution of species.

These lectures will focus on the international relevance of South African palaeontological research, says Benoit. In this respect, the three students will be presenting their current research projects and how their work is going to affect the future of South African palaeosciences. In this way, the lectures will summarize the past, present and future challenges of palaeosciences in South Africa.

For more information, contact Julien Benoit.
Republican Rep. Mike Coffman is sitting in a church communicating with a group of Spanish-speaking parishioners in their native tongue with a heavy American accent.

He quietly listens to their questions, answering them slowly and methodically. The parishioners are constituents he desperately needs to vote for him if he has any chance of winning re-election in his suburban Denver seat in November.

Colorado's 6th District is the ultimate battleground. For years, Democrats have poured millions of dollars in here to try to beat Coffman, but always fall short. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won here by 9 percentage points, but Coffman still won re-election by more than 8 points.

This year, Democrats on a national level are looking to this district as a bellwether, and the party has a poster candidate for a nominee -- Jason Crow, a combat veteran. If Democrats can finally win here, strategists say, they feel confident about taking back the House.

For Republicans, the race is a test of whether an incumbent congressman who has crafted a strong personal brand in an increasingly diverse district can survive an election where the enthusiasm is clearly on the Democratic side.

So Coffman is relying on his political survival skills that have helped him win against all odds in the past. Being there for his diverse district is Coffman's calling card.

To signal a kinship with his Mexican and Salvadoran American constituents, Coffman hired a Spanish tutor, with whom he studies every Sunday for two hours. She sits with him at his event, and he turns to her when he needs a language lifeline.

The Hispanic community is just one of the large ethnic enclaves in his district, and Coffman knows it. He had just come from a visit with the Chinese community, and is next headed to an Ethiopian celebration, where he will be greeted as a rock star because of the time and effort he has spent helping combat human rights abuses in Ethiopia.

"With this President, this midterm is going to be rough for Republicans. It's those members of Congress that have established a brand in their district, that is independent of quite frankly, of the party in Washington, DC, that are going to survive this," Coffman told CNN in an interview here.

"They don't see me as a Republican, or they don't see me in a partisan way. They just see me as their congressman," Coffman said.

The Trump factor

Crow is taking every opportunity he has to tie Coffman to President Trump, whose immigration policies, chaotic approach to governing, and often crass tone has made him unpopular with key voting blocs here -- from ethnic groups to independent suburban women.

He's never run for office before, which is something he emphasizes as he goes door to door making his pitch to voters.

"I'm a first-time candidate, I've never run for anything before but I feel really strongly about the direction our country is going in," Crow tells Esperanza Valle, while standing on her front stoop.

He won't take PAC money and is running hard against everything Washington, even his own party leadership.

"From day one of this campaign, I've been very clear, this is about bringing the new generation of leadership to Washington to turn the page and to move us forward as a country. We have this culture of partisanship that has delivered dysfunction and lack of progress, right? And this applies for Democrats and Republicans, right?" Crow tells us in an interview.

"I will not vote for Nancy Pelosi," he says.

But Crow insists he will be able to beat Coffman this year -- something previous Democratic candidates failed to do in the past four elections -- for one reason: the man in the White House.

"We live in a very different world than we lived in just two years ago. Donald Trump is President of the United States," Crow said flatly.

In television ads blanketing the airwaves, Democrats paint Coffman in grainy black and white footage as a Trump puppet.

Coffman has worked hard to distance himself from Trump -- on everything from immigration policies to the President's twitter tirades.

"When they were separating families on the border, I certainly was one who protested that -- against the administration -- went down to the border to see what was occurring myself with those families, and the Administration stopped that policy," Coffman told us.

"When the President went to Europe I did statements of support, when he talked to the Europeans. Statements of opposition when he met with Putin in private."

But even so, he admitted, Trump is a big drag on his candidacy.

"There are people that are going to be swept up in a partisan lens, that probably there's not a whole lot I can say," he said.

"It's less about his policies than it is about his tone. College educated independent women, just really are offended by his tone and his mannerisms in the office. So it's baked in now." Coffman said, with resignation in his voice.

Independents are the majority here

Maybe more than any other race this year, it is all about independents in Colorado's 6th district. The district is growing so much, so fast, they now outnumber both Democrats and Republicans here.

John and Meredith Brackney were registered Republicans, but left the party after Trump was elected, and say they're not alone.

"We personally know dozens of them, well respected Republicans [who left the GOP]. They want nothing to do with that man," said John Brackney.

He was a local GOP elected official in this suburban district, has known Coffman for years and is leaning towards voting for him. But he also says it's "conceivable" that he will not.

"The only question is, is my disappointment in the President so significant that I wanna vote all the way down the ticket against Republicans," Brackney said, explaining his struggle.

His wife Meredith, who has voted for both Republicans and Democrats all of her life, is surer about her approach this year.

"I'm probably voting for the Democrat. I'm hoping for a blue wave. I think we need checks and balances, and right now we don't have any. And so, I'm planning on pretty much all Democrat," said Meredith Brackney.

Independent voter Ann Santos says she's still undecided about whether to vote Republican or Democrat in the House race here in November, but also says her vote is really going to be a protest against President Trump.

"He is so destructive, he is so divisive," Santos says of the president.

She also expresses a sentiment building for years among voters -- especially independents. She is disgusted with the chaos of Washington, and wants a change, and likes the fact that Crow has never run for office before.

"That is a plus for me. 'Cause that means that he is still wanting my vote, he is very interested in what the regular person wants. I guess yeah, I think he would be more in touch with the everyday person," Santos said.

Same goes for Dayna Kreutzer, another independent voter here who says Coffman has done a good job for the district, but thinks it's time for fresh ideas in Washington.

"I think it's time for a change. I think we're getting too set in our ways, and we need to make changes," said Kreutzer.

Battle tested

First-time candidate Crow, the Democrat, plays up his military service on the campaign trail and weaves it into his narrative.

"This is a battle for the soul of America. Two very different visions of what America is about and who we will become. I learned what the soul of America is when I served with my fellow soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. When I think of America, the faces of those young men and women pop into my mind," Crow told a group of supporters before they fanned out to knock on doors on his behalf.

Though Coffman doesn't talk about it as much, he, too, is a veteran. He is the only member of Congress to serve in both Iraq wars, first in the Army, then the Marines.

He says he is falling back on his Marine training for much needed stamina in this political race. He tries to do 500 pushups each day and dropped and gave us 20 for our camera.

But it's his experience on the front lines of politics -- being in a neck-and-neck race in this district several times before -- that he hopes really makes a difference.

"In a bad political environment, [we] are more likely to survive than people that suddenly find themselves in headwinds that they've never experienced before," he told us.

Coffman calls it being "battle tested."

As competitive races go, Coffman believes he is doing everything he can. Republicans in Washington say he is doing everything right.

But this year, it may not be enough -- thanks to President Trump. He says it used to drive him crazy that his own fate is so tied to Trump, whom he says he did not vote for.

Now?

"You know at this point, I'm resigned to it," Coffman said.




Hamilton, Bermuda (September 21, 2018)

Archer Limited (the "Company") advises that the 2018 Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of the Company was held on September 21, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, 76 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton HM CX, Bermuda. The audited consolidated financial statements for Archer Limited for the year ended December 31, 2017 were presented to the Meeting.

In addition, the following resolutions were passed:

1) To re-elect Giovanni Dell'Orto as a Director of the Company.

2) To re-elect John Reynolds as a Director of the Company.

3) To re-elect Dag Skindlo as a Director of the Company.

4) To elect Kjell-Erik stdahl as a Director of the Company in place of Alf Ragnar Lvdal, who is not standing for re-election.

5) To re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors and to authorize the Directors to determine their remuneration.

6) That the remuneration payable to the Company's Board of Directors of a total amount of fees not to exceed US$500,000.00 be approved for the year ended December 31, 2018.



This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.




Shelter employees shave more than two pounds of matted fur off a neglected poodle.

Posted: Sep 21, 2018 9:25 AM
Christine Blasey Ford opened the possibility she would testify before Congress about her accusation of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

An email her lawyers sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee said Ford "would be prepared to testify next week" if the senators offer her "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."

The message came a day ahead of a 10 a.m. Friday deadline set by Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa for Ford to decide whether she would appear before a hearing he set for Monday.

Testifying Monday, however, "is not possible and the Committee's insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event," Ford's lawyers wrote.

"As you are aware, she has been receiving death threats, which have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and she and her family have been forced out of their home," the email said. "She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."

The New York Times first reported the email.

A Republican source familiar with the matter told CNN that Republicans were looking into bringing in an outside counsel -- who is female -- to question Ford, if a hearing actually happens. Such a move could help the GOP overcome its lack of female senators on the committee.

Ford attorneys, committee staff hold call

Ford's attorneys and Senate Judiciary Committee aides held a conference call later Thursday, which a source told CNN lasted an hour.

Sources familiar with the call said Ford's legal team laid out some of its stipulations for testifying before the committee.

The biggest concerns raised by Ford's lawyer on the call were her safety and the Monday hearing date, according to one source with knowledge of the call.

"She was not willing to do Monday," the source said.

Also, her attorney suggested that senators -- not an outside counsel or lawyer -- do the questioning, according to a senior congressional source with knowledge of the call.

Ford's team is skeptical about using an outside counsel, which Republicans are considering hiring to do the questioning, likely a woman to help with the fact that no Republican women sit on the committee.

And Ford's lawyer made clear that at no point during any potential hearing could Ford be in the same room as Kavanaugh, the senior congressional source said.

There was also a request that Kavanaugh testify first at the hearing -- which a separate source said the committee Republicans were unlikely to grant.

Yet multiple sources said the requests -- beyond not appearing in the same room as Kavanaugh and guaranteeing her safety -- weren't viewed as red lines by Ford's camp. Instead, they were perceived as initial asks, as part of the negotiations.

Adding additional witnesses remained a point of dispute as well, with direct questions over whether Mark Judge -- a Kavanaugh friend whom Ford says was in the room when the alleged assault happened -- could testify -- or why not.

Another source said Ford would like the committee to subpoena Judge and other alleged witnesses.

Ford's lawyer proposed next Thursday as a potential date for the hearing. No commitments were made, but GOP staff plans to report to Grassley, who will then talk with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other committee members.

The hearing date remains the biggest holdup, that source says.

"More problems could arise, and there's a lot more to iron out," but the call "was an important first step," the source said, indicating things are moving toward the hearing happening next week.

"There were some agreements, some disagreements," the source familiar with the call said. "But we're talking now."

That source added, "We want this to work."

One show of good faith, the source said, was that Ford's attorneys canceled cable news interviews for the evening, which showed all sides were working toward crafting an agreement for the testimony.

A source with knowledge of the call told CNN there was no specific resolution or conclusion reached after the call and that negotiations would continue between the committee and Ford.

Kavanaugh: 'I will be there'

Kavanaugh has denied the accusation he sexually assaulted Ford while drunk at a party in his high school years and said he would be willing to appear before the committee to refute it. He was at the White House on Thursday for the fourth consecutive day, as he prepares for possible testimony.

The White House released a letter on Thursday evening from Kavanaugh, where he said he would be at the planned hearing on Monday.

"I will be there," Kavanaugh said. "I look forward to the opportunity to testify before the Committee."

Kavanaugh said further that he spoke with committee staff last Monday, the day after Ford went public, and requested a hearing for Tuesday.

"I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name," Kavanaugh wrote. "Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity."

Ford had said in a letter through her lawyers on Tuesday evening that she wanted an FBI investigation into the matter before she appeared before the Senate committee tasked with reviewing Kavanuagh's nomination.

After Grassley rebuffed the request for an FBI investigation and President Donald Trump downplayed the notion, Ford's attorney Lisa Banks said on Wednesday that "the rush to a hearing is unnecessary, and contrary to the committee discovering the truth."

McConnell expressed confidence on Thursday that Kavanaugh will ultimately be confirmed. The Kentucky Republican responded affirmatively when asked if he had confidence that Kavanaugh would be confirmed, telling CNN, "Oh, yeah."

Full email to committee

Here is the full email from Ford's lawyers:

"I would like to set up a call with you later today to discuss the conditions under which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford would be prepared to testify next week. As you are aware, she has been receiving death threats, which have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and she and her family have been forced out of their home. She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety. A hearing on Monday is not possible and the Committee's insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event. Dr. Ford has asked me to let you know that she appreciates the various options you have suggested. Her strong preference continues to be for the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow for a full investigation prior to her testimony."
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) -- Purdue students took part in a state-wide plea to U.S. senators to vote no to Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court.

Members of the Greater Lafayette's Younger Women's Task Force, as well as other activists, held a banner and passed out flyers on Purdue's campus Thursday afternoon.

They were urging people to call senator Joe Donnelly and tell him to not vote for Kavanaugh.

The coalition of activists said their main concern is that Kavanaugh will vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"Health-care is a really important issue to us, we think that every American should have access to it and the fact that a Supreme Court Justice wants to eradicate it is a little concerning to us," said Purdue student and activist, Viviana Tsangaropoulos.

The group has other concerns as well.

"The sexual abuse allegations against Kavanaugh is deeply disturbing for a lot of us as well as the endorsement that he just got from Roy Moore today is also a little disturbing," said Tsangaropoulos.

Similar rallies were held in Indianapolis, Bloomington and Fort Wayne on Thursday. A rally is planned for South Bend on Sept. 22.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  A bill that passed in the US House that would require Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to work is causing concern for some Hoosiers. The House's version of the farm bill calls for able-bodied adults ages 18 to 59 to work 20 hours a week or participate in job training to maintain their benefits.

There are exceptions for seniors, pregnant women, parents with children under sic or people with disabilities.

Some Indiana state lawmakers are in support of the changes. Stating it will save taxpayers up to 20 billion dollars over 10 years.



SNAP provides food assistance to low and no income people and families living in the United States. The program is a federal aid program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), however, distribution of benefits occurs at the state level. In Indiana, the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) is responsible for ensuring federal regulations are initially implemented and consistently applied in each county.

Lawmakers will need to compromise soon because the current law expires the end of this month. President Trump has already shown support for the work requirements.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - A local medical resource for low income people is celebrating 30 years of service in our community. Dr. Wendell Riggs first opened Riggs Community Health Center in 1988.

The purpose of the center is to provide adequate health care to those in our community who may not be able to afford it.

Every person needs good health care, said Chief Operating Officer Don Phillips. It's a human right."

The vision of the Dr. Riggs still lives on and continues to grow.

It originally opened with the goal of providing health care to pregnant mothers. Now they have expanded to offer dental care, behavioral health, and general adult medicine.

According to the Riggs website, it is estimated that they serve more than 13,000 people in Tippecanoe and surrounding counties. Riggs has even expanded its reach into Boone County with a small clinic.

Not everyone in our community was able to afford when Riggs Community Health Center first opened thirty years ago.

"There were about 23,000 people in Tippecanoe County that were uninsured," said former Riggs CEO Sally Waltington.

Today the employees of the center are celebrating the legacy that Dr. Wendell Riggs first started.

All because he saw the need for helping the medically underserved.

"Oh he saw it because he was taking care of babies whose mothers did not have proper prenatal care and that was a really difficult to do for the doctor, said Watlington.

Phillips has been the Chief Operating Officer for the past seven years. He said they continue his legacy by making an effort to be a place people want to come to get help.

Not just a place where people look at us like a last resort because we do offer top notch health care just like all the other health care and primary health care facilities here in town, he said.

It's estimated community health centers like Riggs saves the national health care system as much as $17.6 billion each year.

What started as a 600 square foot prenatal clinic has grown to three operating facilities and expanded health care services to include dental care, behavioral health, and general adult medicine.

"Why not have a wide variety of those resources integrated into one place where they can come and from the moment they walk in the doors they know they are going to get the high quality health care that they deserve," said Phillips.

Something that will continue in honor of the center's namesake.

"That was Wendell Riggs' goal: high quality health care," said Watlington.

"I think if he was alive today, he would be proud, said Philips. This is just following in his footsteps, what he started. Very small, grassroots but he was very passionate and very dedicated and we try to imitate that example and to perpetuate what he started. he said.

Workers at Riggs are looking forward to 30 more years of serving this community.
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP)  Higher natural gas rates for Northern Indiana Public Service Co. will take effect Oct. 1 and cost the average residential customer about $8 more per month when fully phased in.

NIPSCO said Thursday the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the new rates this week after the company reached an agreement with the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor and industrial customers.

The agreement cut NIPSCO's original request by $48.9 million, limits the monthly residential customer charge increase to $3 instead of a proposed $8.50, and phases in the new rates over the next two years. The utility had proposed raising the average residential customer's bill by $10 per month.

NIPSCO's electric rates are not affected.

NIPSCO serves about 820,000 natural gas customers and 460,000 electric customers across 32 counties.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) -- Purdue officials broke ground Friday on a new electrical engineering research facility.

Washington-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) is building a 100,000 square foot facility near the intersection of US 231 and State Street in West Lafayette.

The laboratory will bring more than 300 new jobs to the area as well as provide more opportunities for Purdue students and staff.

The employee-owned company's work includes researching, developing and manufacturing of electric power systems.

SEL founder, president, and chief technology officer Edmund Schweitzer III said he is looking forward to hiring lots of interns from Purdue.

"We just know that once we start working together that they will want to become full-time employee-owners when they graduate," said Schweitzer.

Schweitzer's ties to Purdue go back to 1898 when his grandfather Edmund Schweitzer graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. Twice a Purdue grad himself (BSEE '68, MSEE '72) Schweitzer said it's good to be back in the area.

"I love the Midwest. I grew up in the Chicago area, love Lafayette, love Indiana and love Purdue so it feels like home," said Schweitzer.

Construction is expected to begin as soon as possible. The facility should be up and running by the fall of 2019.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  It is still unclear what the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office should do in a fictional ICE situation we brought during Wednesday night's debate.

So, we wanted to get the answer for you.

"Would you honor an ICE detainer request for a person whose criminal custody has ended? Why or why not?" asked News 18's Kayla Sullivan.

"To be honest with you that isn't something I experienced," said Democratic Sheriff Candidate Bob Goldsmith. "I would work with our jail commander, the county attorney and the prosecutor's office and if their criminal time is expired, we'd have to look at it."

"If that's a valid order from a judge to hold that person the law in Indiana is that we shall assist our federal partners," answered Republican Sheriff Candidate Jason Dombkowski. "That's a state law and I would follow that law."

The good news is, they're both right, according to the interpretation of Tippecanoe County attorney Doug Masson.

We asked him to look into the matter Thursday after the debate.

The question came from the league of women voters.

Masson said, "State law (IC 5-2-18.2) generally requires local government to cooperate with federal officials with respect to their enforcement of federal immigration laws while the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution requires probable cause to detain an individual without a court order. If there is a court order requiring continued detention of the inmate, then the Sheriff's Department would simply do what the court order requires. In the case of a detainer request not associated with a court order, the Sheriff's Department would have to review the details of the request. To continue holding an individual, the Fourth Amendment requires probable cause to believe that an individual is committing or has committed a crime. If the detainer request provides information forming the basis of such probable cause, then the Sheriff's Department could continue to detain the individual under the Fourth Amendment."

Immigration laws are a hot topic right now politically. But when it comes to the job of the sheriff, both candidates agree, it's not as complicated.

"As a sheriff, it's very easy, you follow the law," said Dombkowski.

"Totally agree," responded Goldsmith. "It's a court order, it's a law, we have to enforce it."

If you'd like to watch the full debate, click here.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The skies may be blue again over the coastal Carolinas, but they are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

Evacuation and water rescues are continuing throughout the Carolinas one week after Hurricane Florence made landfall. Dealing with the aftermath of the storm is leaving the American Red Cross in need of help.

People are deal with flooding, food shortages, and an estimated 220,000 are currently without power.

More than 72 Hoosiers have been deployed to help, but there are ways those of us here can help the cause.

The donations in the southeast region have been impacted but the need for blood continues, said Angelique Zobitz, Board Member for the West Central chapter of the American Red Cross. So if there are individuals who can help with disaster relief donations which take care of food, shelter, emergency supplies.

She says there is still a need for help, and there will continue to be a need for the next upcoming months.

Disaster relief is an ongoing thing, she said. When individuals are struck by disaster we are looking at things like their livelihoods, their homes may be impacted so it's not a one time thing.

She emphasized that they are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall in southeast Texas, and Hurricane Maria, which landed in Puerto Rico. Both caused devastation that is still being dealt with.

She also said they are continuously dealing with providing aid to those suffering in our own community.

Zobitz said they are in dire need of money and blood donations. There are multiple ways to donate money to the Red Cross, both generally and specifically for Florence relief efforts.

Either go to the Red Cross website, call 1-800-redcross, or call FLORENCE-0999. To learn more about how to give blood, click the "Give Blood" tab at the top of the Red Cross website.




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ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corent Technology, a leader in Azure cloud migration, optimization and SaaSification technology, today confirmed that Calligo, the data optimization and privacy specialists and Corent Technology partner, has successfully migrated its first customer to Azure Stack.



The SurPaaS platform from Corent gives Calligo the ability to analyze their customers on-premise or pre-existing cloud applications and workloads, optimize them for the cloud and ultimately migrate them to new, more appropriate environments. In this instance Calligo migrated a legacy customer environment hosted in Bermuda to a new Azure Stack service deployed in Toronto, Canada.

Calligos public and hybrid cloud platforms were the first to be designed with data privacy and sovereignty at their core, rejecting the industrys myopic focus just on cloud basics such as uptime and scalability. Calligo is one of the first independent cloud service providers to offer Microsoft Azure Stack and has datacentres in the United Kingdom, Jersey, Guernsey, Switzerland, Canada, Singapore and Luxembourg.

We are delighted to see this migration outcome delivered by our partner Calligo, said Feyzi Fatehi Corent CEO. Both companies have a total commitment to support and service customers with Azure Stack, and it is great to see the success of Calligo in this market, powered by SurPaaS.

Our client has a wealth of experience in cloud technology and platforms, making precise and reliable delivery essential, commented Julian Box, Founder and CEO, Calligo. It is a very positive sign for our ongoing relationship with Corent that this migration was a success, and we are looking forward to equally positive joint client engagements and projects in the future.

Corent's SurPaaS is a fully integrated platform to automatically Analyze, Migrate, Cloudify, Paasify and if desired - SaaSify - practically any software application.

About Corent Technology:

Corent Technology, Inc. is the provider of SurPaaS platform - the emerging platform for Cloud migration and management. Corent is managed by a team of Silicon Valley veterans from Microsoft, IBM, HPE, Cisco, EMC, Oracle, and WMware among others. For more information about Corent, please visit: www.corenttech.com and to contact Corent please drop a note to info@corenttech.com .

Corent Media Contact: Dan Chmielewski, Madison Alexander PR

(949) 614-0634

info@corenttech.com

About Calligo

Calligo is a data optimization and privacy specialist. Calligo believes that data privacy is the starting point to any interaction with data. Its unique collection of services covers the entire data journey, from capture and storage to analysis, monetization and archival - with data privacy embedded at every step. These services include public & hybrid cloud, data analytics, artificial intelligence and archival & erasure services, all supported by privacy-first data management consultancy and specific assistance with national, international and industry-specific data protection obligations. Calligos public and hybrid cloud platforms were the first to be designed with data privacy at their core, rejecting the industrys myopic focus on cloud basics such as uptime and scalability. Calligo is one of the first independent cloud service providers to offer Microsoft Azure Stack and has datacentres in the United Kingdom, Jersey, Guernsey, Switzerland, Canada, Singapore and Luxembourg. Calligo's data analytics and artificial intelligence services will be available on either a typical subscription basis, or through an innovative utility computing consumption model, making these transformative technologies accessible to all businesses regardless of size or in-house expertise.

Calligo Media Contact: Julian Box, Founder & CEO

+44 330 124 2496

Julian.box@calligo.cloud

A graphic accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef08d46a-3ccb-4faa-878c-5b05b1ed5a13
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orthotics Solutions, (Orthotics or the Company), the developer of Lumbrella, a new class of prefabricated customizable Lumbosacral Orthosis designed to bridge the gap between traditional prefabricated bracing and custom fabricated spinal bracing, today announced the official US launch of Lumbrella will take place on September 26, 2018 as part of the Companys participation at the 2018 American Orthotic Prosthetic Association (AOPA) National Assembly. The event is being held September 26-29 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Company may be found at booth 330.



Scott Hinshion, Orthotics Solutions Chief Executive Officer and Founder stated, We look forward to the upcoming launch of Lumbrella at this years AOPA National Assembly. We believe this product represents a disruptive entry into a sizeable market. Lumbrella is a first-of-its-kind LSO that utilizes innovative design features and micro-adjustable Boa components to deliver the support of a custom orthosis with the adjustability and comfort of a prefabricated LSO.

Lumbrellas patented technology creates a number of industry firsts.

The Dynamic Lumbar Panel (DLP) is a clever combination of material deformation and a micro adjustable Boa Fit lacing system that achieves a perfectly conformed contour to fit every lumbar curve, just by turning a dial. Once set, the DLP becomes a static posturing element.



The unique design of the Inner Belt allows it to be tightened independently from the Outer Belt through the use of another Boa Fit system. The Inner Belt is attached to the Dynamic Abdominal Panel and the combination of components acts as a true 3 Point Force system, another first.

Christian Weidner, Orthotic Solutions Chief Operating Officer added, Were excited to introduce Lumbrella, we believe it has the potential to serve an unmet need in the market while providing improved quality of life for patients. Based on a 2015 Medicare report, there were approximately 195,000 pre-fabricated LSOs allowed with a total US market of approximately 630,000.

About Orthotic Solutions

Orthotic solutions is the developer of Lumbrella and a pioneer in developing and introducing innovative products and services that focus on outcome based patient care. For more information, please visit: www.lumbrella-os.com

About AOPA

The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) is a national trade association committed to providing high quality, unprecedented business services and products to O&P professionals. Since our founding in 1917, we have worked diligently to establish ourselves as the voice for O&P businesses. Through government relations efforts, AOPA works to raise awareness of the profession and impact policies that affect the future of the O&P industry. AOPA membership consists of more than 2000 O&P patient care facilities and suppliers that manufacture, distribute, design, fabricate, fit, and supervise the use of orthoses (orthopedic braces) and prostheses (artificial limbs). Membership in AOPA represents a professional milestone; it is recognition of leadership and achievement in the O&P community. For more information, please visit http://aopanet.org/about-aopa/ .

CONTACT

Christian Weidner

612-799-1051

christian@lumbrella-os.com

Scott Hinshion, CO

612-327-6016

scott@lumbrella.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/191ffa10-d11a-4f54-898d-a3a6e9b1aeeb
Coleg Cambria and UK forestry giant sign deal to combat huge demand for woodland workers

This article is old - Published: Friday, Sep 21st, 2018

A leading agriculture college has joined forces with the UKs largest forestry and timber harvesting company to meet a growing demand for woodland workers.

Coleg Cambria Llysfasi and Tilhill Forestry unveiled their new partnership  the first of its type  at the APF 2018 show held at Ragley Estate in Warwickshire yesterday.

The aim of the Tilhill Diploma in Forestry and Woodland Management is to bring the forest industry an increase to its next generation of managers and operators by way of offering a unique blend of education, industrial experience and bespoke training underpinned by the National Apprenticeship Scheme.

Llysfasi head Iain Clarke said there is a skills gap in the forestry industry and a crucial need to develop a highly-skilled workforce to take the industry forward.

With the continued introduction of new technologies to the already sophisticated and highly integrated timber production and supply chain, future managers need to have a broader range of skills than ever before, said Mr Clarke.

He went on to say: Whether it is forest operations, technical support or management, companies frequently have difficulties in recruiting staff with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience needed to manage and maintain the forests of the future.

Unfortunately, not enough young people are choosing to train and work in forestry and the supply of new entrants has diminished leading to challenges when replacing retiring staff and to expand and push the industry forward.

Lecturer Andy White, who will lead the programme, said forestry in the UK is a growing business and the union of these two pioneering organisations could not have come at a better time.

This exciting partnership between Tilhill Forestry and Llysfasi aims to provide a direct career path into forest management in a way never offered before, said Mr White.

Training begins with technical knowledge and skills development at Level 3 and proceeds to management skills at Level 5, with opportunities to enter the work place at the end of each stage.

Mr White added that learners will benefit from the technical input, support, mentoring, and vast amount of knowledge and experience of Tilhill Forestry staff, as well as tailored work placements, while studying at Llysfasi.

With the backing of Tilhill Forestry we will be able to deliver the very best of modern forestry training and education. We are all extremely excited to be part of this new partnership and are encouraged by the interest and support already received, he said.

Managing Director of Tilhill Forestry George McRobbie added: We have been looking for a partner to drive this development for the industry for some time.

In the past our new entrants have tended to be forestry graduates. By teaching people from an earlier age they can enter the sector sooner and, we hope, stay longer. Its a win win.

Our parent company BSW has invested heavily in apprenticeships at our mills and it makes sense to widen the opportunities to work for Tilhill through apprenticeships too. We will also be helping further by sponsoring some students through bursaries.

The APF 2018 exhibition attracts more than 22,000 visitors to Alecester, Warwickshire, over two days every year for the UKs largest forestry, woodland, arboriculture, fencing and biomass show.

For more information, visit www.cambria.ac.uk. Visit www.tilhill.com for more on Tilhill Forestry.
School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti recently conducted a series of community water meetings to discuss the water crisis that emerged in the Detroit public schools system after his August 26 announcement that the water in all 106 schools in the district would be shut off due to high levels of lead and copper. However, the meetings raised more questions than they answered.

Vitti, who was appointed last year, and his staff have been trying to minimize the significance of the discovery of deadly toxins in the schools water. He described his decision to shut off the drinking water at all 106 schools in response to the findings that 16 of 24 schools tested had high levels of lead and or copper as using an abundance of caution.

Starting September 10 and running through September 18, meetings were held at four different high schools around Detroit. Vitti made the case that his administration acted proactively to come up with what he called a permanent solutionthe installation of hydration stations at all 106 schools. At a cost of $2 million, one station would be put in place by next school year for every 100 students, providing filtered water for drinking and filling water bottles. In the meantime, water coolers and bottled water would be supplied.

Considering that the district serves some 45,000 students, turnout for the community water meetings was sparse. Questions that were asked by teachers, parents and residents expressed skepticism over Vittis glib presentation of what is certainly a catastrophic situation given the demonstrated harmful effects of lead and copper in drinking water.

Some expressed concern not just about the schools, but also about the quality of the water throughout the city. A teacher asked how could educators take responsibility for educating the children without knowledge of factors like lead poisoning. Others wanted to know how the bankruptcy proceedings in Detroit affected the safety of the drinking water.

Vitti feigned empathy with the concerns expressed by parents, but asserted several times that his administration has no authority beyond the district all the while touting his own response.

During Tuesdays meeting, teacher Katrina Brown challenged Vittis claim of proactivity. She pointed out that when six Detroit schools had their water shut off due to the discovery of elevated lead levels last spring, teachers and students at the rest of the schools werent informed, allowing them to drink tainted water at the end of the school year and over the summer. We had a right to know, she said.

In response, Vitti claimed that Brown had her facts wrong and that they had no information about the rest of the schools before late August, so they could not have taken any action.

On Wednesday, however, 33 additional schools were found to have tainted water, bringing the total, after some 70 percent have been tested, to more than half of all schools.

Socialist Equality Party congressional candidate Niles Neimuth also spoke at Tuesdays water meeting. He made the point that it was untenable to claim to solve the problem of water contamination with the shortsighted plan being presented. A full study of Detroits water system should be commissioned to guide a vast public works project to rebuild the infrastructure and ensure that every citizen had access to clean safe water.

Another SEP member pointed out that the claim that there was no money to address such a project was a lie and that the resources of the multibillionaires, such as Dan Gilbert and Ilitch family in Detroit could and should be confiscated to finance it. Vitti responded with bile. What we need is for the people who spout rhetoric about political revolution, to get a job. They need to wake up every morning and work to better the lives of our children.

Vittis response, a mixture of arrogance and indifference, was a pathetic attempt to deflect attention away from the criminal neglect by the entire corporate-controlled political establishment in Detroit, long dominated by the Democratic Party, of the health and safety of the public.

The lead crisis in Detroit schools goes back several years. In 2010, 58 percent of the 40,000 Detroit children tested for lead in their bloodstream had over 5g/dL (micrograms per deciliter), the limit above which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers an elevated blood level.

At the time, poisoning of children was attributed to lead in paint, soil and the environment that surrounds poor, urban youth, with old, poorly maintained housing. Despite the fact that houses and buildings in urban areas contained a high percentage of lead pipes (as it was only in 1987 that federal laws banned their use) the CDC at the time was just beginning to acknowledge lead-contaminated water as a significant factor in poisoning children.

Lead is one of the deadliest neurotoxins. When ingested, it enters the bloodstream and makes its way into bodily systems, having the most devastating impact on infants and young children, whose developing bodies are more susceptible to the toxin. From the bloodstream, lead tricks the body into absorbing it though it were calcium, particularly damaging the synapses of the brain. Many times this results in learning disabilities, behavior and emotional disorders and often criminal behavior.

There is no cure for lead poisoning. And its effects can be life-long.

After the Flint water crisis made millions more alert to the dangers of lead-contaminated drinking water, schools began to more carefully monitor their water. In 2016, Detroit school officials announced that nearly one-third of all elementary and middle schools tested for lead and copper were above the US Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb), one school testing at 1,500 ppb! The water at 15 schools was shut off as a result.

Experts say the extent of the health risks are underestimated. Dr. Marc Edwards, the Virginia Tech professor who conducted the independent testing of the water in Flint, was quoted in the Detroit Free Press to say the EPA standards are inadequate. They're voluntary and out of date by 30 years, he said.

Katrina Brown filed a lawsuit against Mayor Mike Duggan and other officials claiming she and others at J.R. King Academy were poisoned and that she faced retaliation when she raised opposition to the way the water crisis was being handled. She claimed she was pressured into leaving her job at that school.

Her experience leaves her disinclined to let Vittis claim stand of abundance of caution.

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) claims the source of the lead and copper is internal to the school buildings themselves, a statement that is accepted as fact by school administrators without further questioning. DWSD Director Gary Brown claims that the water leaving the treatment plant is in pristine condition and that there is no lead in either the transmission or distribution systems.

This assertion cannot be trusted. In conjunction with the Detroit bankruptcy, the DWSD was ravaged. In the interest of monetizing Detroits most lucrative asset, it was dismantled and broken up into the regionalized Great Lakes Water Authority while over 80 percent of its employees were terminated.

Detroits Emergency Manager could not find a buyer to purchase the DWSD flat out. That would have forced any private company to accept too much responsibility for maintaining the vast system. Instead, the strategy became to cut costs by firing its workers and subcontract with water companies who employ cheap labor to operate and maintain the system.

This reinforces the call by the WSWS for the independent mobilization of parents and teachers against the catastrophic conditions in the schools, a product of the looting of societies resources by the super-rich, through the building of workplace and neighborhood committees. The demand must be advanced for a massive infusion of resources to adequately fund the schools and repair the decayed and failing infrastructure.

Mehring Books has recently published an account of the Flint water crisis titled, Flint: A crime of capitalism, available for purchase here.
The broad-based opposition to massive austerity in education has provoked a threatening directive from the UK Conservative government to school staff to stay silent on the terrible impact the cuts are having on education.

An update issued by the governments Department for Education (DfE) to all schools as they returned from the summer breakbilled as departmental advice for school leaders, governing bodies and local authoritiescontained a new paragraph with a blunt statement in a staff management section.

In the document titled, Staffing and employment advice for schools, the section reads: All staff have a responsibility to ensure that they act appropriately in terms of their behaviour, the views they express (political views) and the use of school resources at all times, and should not use school resources for party political purposes.

A DfE spokesman added, This update simply brings  guidance in line with the law, which makes clear that headteachers and local authorities must not promote partisan political views in school.

The warning, first reported by the Schools Week newspaper, comes after campaigns by school leaders over budget cuts since 2016, which included lobbies of parliament by head teachers and letters sent to parents across the UK informing them of the impact of cuts, and calling on them to lobby MPs.

The government reaction, to what is a very limited opposition organised by the trade unions, must be seen as a warning, that not only will school cuts continue unabated, but that the government will move forcefully against any attempts to block their agenda.

Austerity has had a devastating impact on sectors in education across all regions.

Research has found that more than one in three schools in England ran an operating deficit last year, with hundreds of schools having dipped into their reserves for three or four years in a row.

The education unions updated their campaigning website, School Cuts, to include the new national formula and found that nearly nine out of 10 schools would see cuts in real terms by 2020.

According to the unions calculations, a typical primary school will be worse off annually by 52,546, and a typical secondary school will have lost 178,000 each year since 2015.

There have been cuts of 2.8 billion since 2015, with a 45.4k average cut to primary schools and 185.2k average cut to secondary schools. Per pupil funding has been cut by almost 8 percent since 2010, and compared to last year, schools have 5,400 fewer teachers, 2,800 fewer teaching assistants and 2,600 fewer support staff.

According to the Association of School and College Leaders, schools require a further 2 billion a year between now and 2020 if they are to be able to deal with previous budget cuts. Since 2015 alone, schools have suffered a real-term cut in funding of 2.7 billion.

Jules White, a headteacher behind the Worth Less? national group of school leaders that has organised letters critical of the government on the funding allocation to education, said: If expressing political views is about biased and ill-judged grandstanding by heads and teachers, then I fully support the DfEs views.

If, on the other hand, the DfE wishes headteachers to be gagged as they simply tell the truth about the financial and teacher supply crisis that our schools are facing then this is unacceptable.

Last year, Worth Less? organised 5,000 headteachers to lobby the government, while White and his colleagues oversaw a letter sent to an estimated 2.5 million households via pupils from thousands of state schools.

The directive takes place under conditions of growing opposition to attacks on wages and conditions by teaching staff. The school year opened with a major recruitment crisis in the sector. Forty thousand teachers quit in 2016 and there is a shortage of 30,000 currently in the sector. The government has ignored the pay review bodies recommendation of a paltry 3.5 percent pay rise, after years of wage freezes.

This has resulted in Englands teachers receiving the second biggest pay cut among teachers in the developed world.

Only teachers in Greecewhere the education budget has been slashed by more than a third over a decade of austerity cutshave taken a bigger hit than in England, where teacher pay fell 10 percent between 2005 and 2017, according to OECD reports.

The directive was met with an angry response by headteachers and teaching unions have said they will defy any attempts by the Department for Education to block criticism.

While the unions claim they will support the democratic right of teachers to speak out against the onslaught on public education, educators must view such claims with extreme caution. The teaching unions have done nothing to mobilise their members, who are angered by the dire crisis in school age education and have repeatedly overturned strike ballots in favour of organising lobbies and petitions that have done nothing to prevent the governments agenda being enforced.

The governments reaction, in seeking to curtail basic democratic rights, reveals how futile the token campaigns organised by the unions are.

The move by the government to censor teachers must be opposed by all teachers. If such draconian measures are imposed, they will no doubt be expanded to clamp down on workers opposition throughout the public sector.

Opposition to this cannot be entrusted to the unions, who, despite posturing against the cuts, have organised no unified offensive to oppose them. No concrete campaign has been outlined by the unions or Labour Party to oppose an unprecedented attack on the democratic rights of hundreds of thousands of education workers.

Quoted in the Guardian, Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, played down the authoritarian measures being imposed, merely stating, It is perfectly reasonable for school leaders and teachers to be able to articulate their concerns  and it is clearly in the public interest for them to have a voice. You cannot disenfranchise 450,000 teachers from talking about education.

On behalf of the Labour Party, Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner issued a perfunctory response, noting that the government may hope to silence teachers, but they cant get away from the fact that they will have cut 3bn from school budgets by 2020.

The struggle to defend education must be based on a unified campaign amongst teachers, parents and the wider community, based on rank-and-file committees established independently of the unions, against austerity and privatisation and based on socialist policies.
Independent Tankers Corporation Limited (the "Company") advises that the 2018 Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of the Company was held on September 21, 2018 at 11:30 ADT at the Hamilton Princess Hotel and Beach Club, 76 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton HM CX, Bermuda. The audited consolidated financial statements for the Company for the year ended December 31, 2017 were presented to the Meeting.

In addition, the following resolutions were passed:

1) To re-elect Inger M. Klemp as a Director of the Company;

2) To re-elect Georgina E. Sousa as a Director of the Company.

3) To re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers AS of Oslo, Norway as auditors and to authorise the Directors to determine their remuneration.

4) That the remuneration payable to the Company's Board of Directors of a total amount of fees not to exceed US$30,000 be approved for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Hamilton, Bermuda

September 21, 2018
Michael Moore has a long history as a documentary filmmaker (Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Capitalism: A Love Story) and a left-liberal supporter of the Democratic Party.

His new film Fahrenheit 11/9 is an attempt to explain how the election of Donald Trumpa reactionary, know-nothing billionaireas president of the United States was possible and how the American population might extricate itself from the crisis produced by his coming to power.

If Moore could provide serious and convincing answers to these vexing and pressing problems, and perhaps indicate a way out of the present situation, he would be rendering an enormous political and moral service.

Many of the issues he touches uponthe fascistic character of the Trump White House, the sharp turn to the right by the Democratic Party leadership, the Flint, Michigan water disaster, the depths of poverty in America, the epidemic of school shootings, the cruelty of the governments treatment of immigrants, the opioid crisis, vast social inequalityare strong arguments for workers to reject the existing economic and political system and adopt a socialist program and outlook.

However, despite various criticisms of prominent Democratsamong them Hillary Clinton and Barack Obamaand the American liberal establishment, including the New York Times, Moore urges his viewers to retainor perhaps regainconfidence in the Democratic Party and to save, as he admits, the America [i.e., the benevolent American capitalism] weve never had.

Donald Trump projected on the Empire State Building in Fahrenheit 11/9

In interviews, Moore stresses that Fahrenheit 11/9 (a play on the title of his 2004 film, Fahrenheit 9/11, and the dateNovember 9, 2016on which Trump was declared the winner of the presidential election) is designed to help obtain votes for the Democrats in the midterm elections in November. He has told audiences at premieres of the new film that the upcoming vote may be the last chance to oppose Trump. Moore warns of the direst consequences, If he isnt stopped, now, in the mid-terms, with impeachment, whatever it takes  (Deadline Hollywood). He commented on Real Time with Bill Maher: Im finishing my movie and getting it out before the midterms because I want millions of people to get to the polls. Were going to bring Trump down.

The documentary maker advances a pitiful and misnamed handful of progressive Democratic candidates and politicians, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York, Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and Richard Ojeda in West Virginia, as the basis for the false and reactionary contention, in the words of one of his interviewees, that the left should not give up on the Democratic Party, one of Americas two big-business parties, but take it over.

Fahrenheit 11/9 proceeds in Moores customary impressionistic and intellectually careless manner, often praised as non-elitist and populist.

The film takes note of the smugness of the Clinton camp on election eve in November 2016 and the certainty of the American media punditry in general that Trump did not stand a chance of victory. Once the unthinkable happens and the Republican candidate is declared the winner at 2:29 a.m. on 11/9, Moore asks, How the f--- did this happen?

With legitimate sarcasm, Moore first suggests it must have been the work of the Russians and the FBIs James Comey (whose October 28 letter announced that the law enforcement agency was reopening its investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server as Secretary of State). By way of a side note: the little time Fahrenheit 11/9 devotes to the anti-Russian and #MeToo campaigns, although it vaguely endorses both, indicates that Moore is well aware of how little interest the broader public has in these upper middle class obsessions.

After a brief excursion into Trumps quasi-criminal history, his psychological perversity and the demagogic character of his election campaign, Moore turns abruptly to the Flint water crisis. He charges Republican governor Rick Snyder with poisoning the citys citizens through the decision to draw water in April 2014 from the horribly polluted Flint River. A native of the area, Moore speaks forcefully about the tragic situation and interviews Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician and public health advocate, in regard to the dire effect of lead on children.

Fahrenheit 11/9

Moore, however, presents the water crisis as first and foremost a racial question, in contradiction to elementary demographics. The citys population is approximately 57 percent African American and 37 percent white, and the scenes of protests in Fahrenheit 11/9 reveal crowds of various ethnicities. The logic of the false claim flows from Moores general orientation and participation in identity politics circles, where race and gender, not social class, are treated as the categories around which society revolves.

Moore sharply condemns Snyder and stages various stunts to embarrass the governor, for example, hosing the grounds of the latters mansion with Flint water and briefly attempting to carry out a citizens arrest of Snyder at the Michigan state capitol. But the filmmaker omits entirely the critical role of Democratic Party officials, including State Treasurer Andy Dillon, the mayor of Flint and members of its City Council, as well as Obama appointees in the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Later, Moore takes Obama to task for his widely unpopular May 2016 appearance in Flint, where the president sipped from a glass of water and arrogantly dismissed residents concern with the comment, The kids will be just fine. However, Moore seems primarily concerned with the harmful impact Obamas performance had on voter turnout in Flintand thus Democratic Party prospectsin November of that year.

The filmmaker has his ear close enough to the ground to know that a mass radicalization is under way in America. He comments that the US, in fact, is a leftist country, offering a series of poll figures on various issues to back up his contention. Fahrenheit 11/9 also takes note of the increased popularity of socialism. Why is this not reflected in the political process, he asks?

Michael Moore and Jared Kushner in 2007

Moores response is superficial and sidesteps the central questions. He takes note of the obvious shift to the right by the Democratic Party hierarchy. Proceeding farther along this left path, he suggests that the Trump presidency has been decades in the making and points to the right-wing records of both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He argues that Trump outflanked Hillary Clinton to the left on various social issues and war during the 2016 presidential campaign, but observes that, in any event, nonvoters, 100 million of them, were the single biggest bloc on Election Day.

Moores voiceover continues: As the Democrats became more like the Republicans, so did the entire liberal establishment, led by the paper of record [the New York Times ]: catering to Big Business, minimizing social movements like Occupy Wall Street and cheerleading every war we got into, while also trying to dictate elections.

Fahrenheit 11/9 gives far too much credit to the individual figures of Bill Clinton and Obama, whose administrations not only pushed the Democratic Party to the right but reflected the shift of the entire political establishment. The source of the reactionary turn by both big-business parties lies in the objective crisis of American and global capitalism. The Republicans and Democrats have tactical differences and divergent political styles, but the American ruling class is united in its determination to impose the consequences of the intractable crisis on both its economic rivals and allies abroad and the working population at home.

The implication of Moores viewpoint is that the Democratic Partys decades-long repudiation of its reformistNew Deal past is a mere policy choice carried out by misguided individuals that can be corrected by pressure exerted from below. This is a reactionary and utopian fantasy.

In his voiceover, Moore argues that Obama paved the way for Trump and offers a partial list of the Obama Administrations accomplishments: the locking up of whistle-blowers, the murderous drone program, the deportation of a record number of immigrants, enhanced surveillance, endless wars, etc. Why doesnt the filmmaker call a halt right there? Why should any worker or anyone with a conscience support a party capable of such filthy acts? But Moore, like the entire liberal-left, can stomach anything by now.

Donald Trump in Fahrenheit 11/9

Like the man he supported in early 2016, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, the filmmaker denounced Hillary Clinton as a warmonger in the pocket of Wall Street during the Democratic primaries, then turned around and endorsed herhelping, in fact, to channel popular anger and frustration behind Trump! Moore incorporates Sanders miserable endorsement of Clinton at the Democratic National Convention into his film, without comment. What comment could he offer, having chosen the same abject route?

Fahrenheit 11/9 wanders on. It contains images of the important West Virginia teachers strike and the March For Our Lives against gun violence organized by high school students. The scenes of social devastation in West Virginia are telling and Moore comments, There are multiple Americas. However, his interview with Richard Ojeda, Democratic Party politician, West Virginia State Senator and candidate for Congress, is another sham. Ojeda is a capitalist politician and former Army officer, who boasts on his website about the years he spent fighting the war on terror and serving alongside the bravest men and women I have ever met. Needless to say, Moore doesnt question Ojeda about the bloody US-led wars the filmmaker claims to oppose.

In a move that has aroused controversy, Moore, toward the end of Fahrenheit 11/9, compares Trump to German fascist dictator Adolf Hitler and implies that the former may be preparing some fake terrorist incident, along the lines of the February 1933 Reichstag Fire, that will enable him to proclaim himself president for life.

There are great risks in the present situation and Trumps various references to staying in the White House after his term of office has expired are not to be taken lightly. American democracy is largely in ruins and the ruling class is moving inexorably in the direction of authoritarian rule. But this is not Trumps innovation. The malignant levels of social inequality are incompatible with anything resembling democratic norms and the ruling elite as a whole is preparing to fight it out physically with the working class.

Michael Moore and Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg

But Moore offers no serious insight into the emergence of Nazism, and in particular the roles performed by the Social Democratic and Stalinist Communist parties in Germany, who paralyzed the masses and opened the door for Hitler. To do so would point toward a fundamental truth about the present American political situation that Moore is either blind to or consciously seeks to suppress: that the greatest danger to the working class is represented by its subordination to the Democratic Party, whose relentlessly pro-corporate and right-wing policies discourage and demoralize wide layers of the population and propel a portion of them into the arms of Trump and the ultra-right.

In reality, Moore is raising the specter of Hitlerism principally to frighten his audience into voting for the Democrats in November, a cheap and tawdry tactic, which can only cause further confusion and disorientation. As we have noted before, the filmmakers unserious and pragmatic approach is typical of American radical petty bourgeois thinking, renowned for its inconsistency, lack of principle and disdain for history.

Fahrenheit 11/9 is Moores attempt to make a leftist film. He does this under the Republicans. He was essentially silent for 8 years under Obama, whose victory in November 2008 he greeted in this fashion: Who among us is not at a loss for words? Tears pour out. Tears of joy. Tears of relief. A stunning, whopping landslide of hope in a time of deep despair.

The hope now Moore expresses near the conclusion of the work that we might get rid of the whole rotten system that gave us Donald Trump is empty and meaningless, in so far as he continues to support one of the principal props of that rotten system, the Democratic Party. Whatever occasional insights and striking imagery it might offer, Fahrenheit 11/9 is false and dishonest at its core. Those who want to fight and defeat the capitalist system should accordingly beware.
Ontarios Court of Appeals has green-lighted Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Fords plan to slash Toronto City Council by almost half just weeks before the October 22 municipal election.

In a highly political decision, the Appeals Court stayedthat is set aside pending the outcome of an appeallast weeks ruling that Fords plan was unconstitutional, thereby obviating the need for his government to invoke the Canadian constitutions antidemocratic notwithstanding clause to force it through.

On September 10, Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba found the Conservatives Better Local Government Act (Bill 5) violated the constitutions Charter of Rights and Freedoms, specifically Toronto voters and candidates right to free of expression, by slashing the number of councilors from 47 to 25 and redrawing ward boundaries in the midst of an election campaign.

Ford reacted aggressively to Belobabas decision. Within hours, he announced that his government would use the controversial and seldom used notwithstanding clause to annul the court ruling striking down Bill 5. Moreover, he vowed that he will make use of the notwithstanding clause whenever needed to enforce the peoples will, i.e., his governments class-war agenda.

Adopted as part of the 1982 reform of Canadas constitution, the notwithstanding clause empowers a federal or provincial government to pass legislation that violates the rights guaranteed under the constitutions Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Hitherto, only the Quebec and Saskatchewan governments have ever invoked it.

The three Appeal Court judges went out of their way in Wednesdays unanimous ruling to discredit Justice Belobabas ruling, calling it dubious and saying he likely erred in law. Virtually prejudging the appeal that Attorney General Caroline Mulroney has launched of Justice Belobabas ruling against Bill 5, the Appeal Court judges wrote, We have concluded that there is a strong likelihood  that the Attorney Generals appeal to this court will succeed.

In their ruling, the judges said they had taken note of the government lawyers pledge that if the stay was granted it would not proceed with Bill 31, the legislation invoking the notwithstanding clause. However, the judges insisted this played no part in (their) decision.

What is indisputable is that the Appeal Court judges were keenly aware of the controversy unleashed by Fords breaking of the political taboo on deploying the notwithstanding clause.

Among the public it was widely recognized to be an authoritarian measure; one moreover, entirely in keeping with the Conservatives drive to further enrich the few at the expense of the many. Meanwhile, within the ruling class, there were fears that a clash between the government of the countrys most populous province and the judiciary would weaken the ruling elite and its state under conditions of growing social discontent and class struggle.

Wednesdays ruling was carefully crafted to diffuse the political crisis, underscoring the judiciarys role as an implacable and highly conscious defender of the capitalist order. That it did so by handing Ford a victory, while keeping his powder dryallowing him to brandish the notwithstanding clause to threaten opponents, without actually invoking itis a further sign of the rightward lurch of the ruling elite as a whole.

The growing ruling class constituency for authoritarian measures

Polls indicated that Fords intention to run roughshod over Charter rights was highly unpopular.

However, the right-wing populist premier found substantial support for his plan to invoke the notwithstanding clause among a ruling elite that is increasingly frustrated by the popular opposition to its push for the dismantling and privatizing of public services, further tax cuts for big business, and rearmament and greater Canadian involvement in the US wars and strategic offensives aimed at asserting North American global hegemony.

Christy Clark, the former Liberal Premier of British Columbia, declared Fords invocation of the notwithstanding clause a good thing for Canada, because we are in a moment where Canadians are looking around and saying, Hey, Why cant anything get done? Well, Premier Ford has shown there is a way  to get things done in spectacular fashion.

Neoconservative commentator and one-time media mogul Conrad Black labeled Fords resort to the notwithstanding clause the best thing that has occurred in Canadian politics since the defeat of the Parti Quebecois in the provincial election in Quebec four years ago. Black went on to make clear that he viewed the Toronto City Council issue to be little of importance. But, he argued, the taboo on the use of the notwithstanding clause needed to be broken so it could be used to suppress public sector strikes and militant natives.

Saskatchewans current and former rightwing premiers, respectively Scott Moe and Brad Wall, also applauded Fords plan to annul the adverse court ruling. Federal Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer was somewhat more circumspect, merely noting that Ford was exercising rights accorded his government under the constitution.

The enthusiasm for Fords actions expresses the growing support within Canadas ruling elite for authoritarian measures. Under conditions of a rapidly accelerating global capitalist crisis, expressed above all in the advanced breakdown of the postwar economic and geopolitical order and the eruption of trade war, ever-wider sections of the ruling class favor abrogating core democratic rights in order to pursue their interests more forcefully on the global stage and at home.

In the three months since coming to office, the Ford government has dramatically intensified the assault on the working class. This has included slashing welfare benefits, imposing a public-sector hiring freeze, laying the groundwork for billions in social spending cuts, and outlawing a strike by York University teaching assistants. Ford has also launched a xenophobic campaign aimed at scapegoating refugees for the appalling social conditions in Ontario brought about by the decades of austerity implemented by all three major capitalist parties; and cultivated the support of the police with new law and order measures and by reducing civilian oversight.

For its part, the Trudeau Liberal government, behind a posture of concern about rising social inequality, has followed on from the Harper Conservative government, slashing health care spending, increasing military spending by 70 percent by 2026, and maintaining, with only a few cosmetic changes, the sweeping new powers awarded Canadas security-intelligence apparatus under Bill C-51 in 2015.

The trade union bureaucracy and their pseudo-left allies are working to politically disarm the working class in the face of this ever-widening assault on its social and democratic rights. Summing up the perspective of the union bureaucracy, which has connived with governments and corporate bosses over the past three decades to slash wages, attack workplace benefits, and smother strikes, Ontario Public Service Employees Union President Warren Smokey Thomas recently hectored his members for pressing the union to organize protests and strike against the Ford government. He claimed it was still unclear what the Conservatives intend to do, then boasted that the unions are in talks with Ford and his ministers.

Deeply hostile to the emergence of a mass movement of the working class and speaking on behalf of a privileged section of the middle class, the pseudo-left works to keep workers tied to the pro-capitalist unions and bourgeois political parties. In connection with Fords latest actions, this perspective was articulated most crudely by Leo Panitch, the principal theoretician of the Socialist Project, in an article for the Toronto Star. The fact that Panitch, a self-declared Marxist, chose to publish his comment in the Star is itself significant, given that this newspaper is the principal voice of the liberal Toronto establishment and the staunchest supporter of the Trudeau government.

Titled Authoritarian Fordism in Ontario Trumps the Far Right Elsewhere, Panitchs article makes no mention of Fords attack on the working class. Nor does it warn that by moving to invoke the notwithstanding clause to push through his reform of Toronto City Council, Ford was laying the ground for suppressing a working-class challenge to his government. Rather it celebrates the supposedly remarkably broad-based opposition to Ford, encompassing activist groups, as well as the powers-that-be so deeply entrenched they dont need to be very visibly active, including other levels of government.

A second Socialist Project article is even more explicit in calling for joint action to defend democracy with the pro-war, pro-austerity Liberals.

Long the Canadian ruling elites preferred party of government Canada, the Liberals under Trudeau are simultaneously seeking to expand Canadas alliance with a Trump-led US, while covertly cheering on the campaign being spearheaded by the US military-intelligence apparatus to drive him from office though a palace coup so as to ensure there is no let-up in the US offensive against Russia.

The reality is, the antidemocratic and authoritarian turn to the right is rooted in the crisis of capitalism and involves the entire ruling elite. It can be opposed only by the working class, mobilized as an independent political force, in conscious and irreconcilable struggle against big business and all those who seek to tie it to alliances with the progressive wing of the bourgeoisie in the name of fighting for democracy.
In Hambacher Forest near Cologne, occupied by protesters seeking to prevent the forest being razed to the ground, a journalist was killed this week when a suspension bridge between two tree houses broke and he fell 15 metres to his death. The 33-year-old blogger died at the scene of the accident, although rescue workers had tried in vain to resuscitate him.

The action alliance Hambi remains, which is coordinating the occupation of the forest, called for an immediate end to the police evictions. We urge the police and [energy conglomerate] RWE to leave the forest immediately and stop this dangerous operation. No other lives should be endangered, it said in an initial statement.

The brutal actions of the police are indeed life-threatening. Since September 6, police have been removing protesters from what is left of the 12,000-year-old forest, where some dozen activists are trying to prevent the forest clearance. On Sunday, about 8,000 people gathered there for a forest walk to demonstrate against the clearance and the reckless police operation.

About 3,000 police officers have been present for a week, to deal with the minimal number of those seeking to protect the forest. Entire police units march into the forest, cutting down clearings among the trees, some of them over 300 years old, and advancing with water cannons, lifting platforms and other heavy equipment. Bit by bit, they are destroying the more than 50 tree houses and huts that the forest protesters have built over about six years. The RWE energy company will commence wide-scale forest clearance on October 14 to amalgamate the area with its lignite (brown coal) mine Garzweiler II.

In the meantime, several dozen people have been arrested since the weekend alone in operations using pepper spray and truncheons. Four people, two women and two men, are still in custody in Aachen. They are mainly accused of resisting law enforcement officials.

RWE claims that clearing the forest is necessary to secure the production of electricity. Even a short-term suspension would call into question the work on the open mine and production at two power plants, said RWE CEO Rolf Martin Schmitz. This is a lie, as a report by broadcaster Deutsche Welle shows, based on documents from the BUND environmental association and RWE maps. Even without the forest clearance, existing supplies to RWE power plants would be enough for more than three years.

The company is above all trying to create a fait accompli before the federal governments coal commission decides on the future of lignite mining later this year. The German government is under pressure, as it lags far behind official global warming targets, while climate change due to drought, forest fires and devastating tropical storms has since become obvious to everyone. RWE also wants to forestall a court ruling. A renewed court case by BUND could lead to a ruling that the Hambacher forest is worth protecting under EU directives.

The North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) state government of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Free Democratic Party (FDP) has clearly aligned itself with RWE. However, it is not just about enforcing the profit interests of the energy giant. Above all, the CDU-FDP regime wants to set an example against any form of left-wing and anti-capitalist protest. While in Chemnitz, Kothen and other cities, neo-Nazis are hunting down and terrorising immigrants unhindered by the police, the Dusseldorf state government is mobilising thousands of police against the peaceful forest protesters.

They dont want to save trees, but abolish our state, blustered state Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) against the activists. Therefore, it was important to enforce our zero-tolerance line. Similarly, Paul Kemen, spokesman for the Aachen police headquarters, told broadcaster ARD on Monday, These people obstruct the monopoly on the use of force, adding, We are allowed to use physical violence. Also means such as batons and pepper spray. That is expressly granted to us.

At the end of August, state Premier Armin Laschet (CDU) claimed his government would not intervene in the dispute over the Hambach Forest. Shortly thereafter, NRW Minister for Construction Ina Scharrenbach (CDU) said that the huts and tree houses in the Hambach Forest had to be cleared immediately due to lack of fire protection. Thereupon the police operation began, which was also supported by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SPD).

The actions of the police in the Hambach Forest are a direct part of constructing a police state. Like the state governments in many other regions, the NRW executive also presented a new state police law in July. It removes the right to freedom of movement and establishment, the right to self-determination over ones own data and the right to strike and assembly, and opens the door to arbitrary police action.

In Baden-Wurttemberg, the state government led by the Greens also tightened up its police law in November 2017, and a stricter police law is planned in Brandenburg, where the SPD and the Left Party form the executive. In Hesse, where the Greens govern as junior partners with the CDU, the state is also massively increasing its powers: In future, police officers will be able to patrol with military weapons such as assault rifles.

More than 20,000 people demonstrated in Dusseldorf in July against the NRW police bill, and the protests have not stopped. In Munich, 40,000 demonstrated against the new Bavarian police law, while in Hanover there was another demonstration of about 10,000 people.

However, the NRW state government wants to pass its police law this autumn; and the SPD opposition in the state parliament has expressly offered its cooperation.
HHS lost track of another 1,500 immigrant children

For the second time this year, the Department of Health and Human Services has notified Congress that it cannot locate about 1,500 children taken into custody by immigration authorities and transferred to the jurisdiction of HHS to provide the needed care. HHS officials told Senate staffers that case managers could not locate 1,488 children when they called placement centers and foster families between April and June. The figure represents 13 percent of all unaccompanied children processed by the federal government during that period.

In April, HHS revealed that it had lost track of 1,475 children in late 2017, in a scenario reminiscent of the current one. These children too were unaccompanied minors placed with foster families or foster care agencies through the United States.

The fact that HHS, which placed these unaccompanied minors with sponsors, doesnt know the whereabouts of nearly 1,500 of them is very troubling, Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, chairman of the Senate committee overseeing HHS, said, stating the obvious. Many of these kids are vulnerable to trafficking and abuse, and to not take responsibility for their safety is unacceptable.

An HHS spokesman claimed that most of the children had been placed with family members, and that these adult sponsors had not responded or could not be reached. Left unstated was that many of the sponsors are themselves undocumented immigrants, who could have been seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or have moved to avoid ICE persecution. An ICE official told the committee that 80 percent of the sponsors are themselves undocumented.

Portman and Democratic Senator Tom Carper are cosponsoring largely cosmetic legislation that would give HHS authority and legal responsibility for the welfare of these children even after they are released from custody. Currently the HHS can wash its hands of the children once it classifies them as lost, which could be nothing more than a disconnected telephone.

Funds diverted from AIDS and cancer research to jail immigrant children

A September 5 letter from HHS Secretary Alex Azar to Democratic Senator Patty Murray, obtained and made public by The Hill after its existence was reported by Yahoo News, reveals that the department is planning to reallocate about $180 million in health care funds to pay for the detention and processing of immigrant children. All detained immigrant children are transferred by immigration agencies to the jurisdiction of HHS.

Despite having this notification for more than two weeks, Murrays office did not make any public announcement to alert the public and especially those opposed to the Trump administrations persecution of immigrants.

HHS wants to divert $80 million from other refugee support programs, and research programs at the National Cancer Institution, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some $5.7 million would be diverted from the Ryan White HIV-AIDS program, which has already had $16 million diverted this year. NIH would lose the most, $87.3 million overall, while $16.7 million would be cut from CDC, $16.7 from Head Start, $9.8 million from Medicare and Medicare operations, $13.3 million from the National Cancer Institute, and $2.2 million from maternal and child health programs.

The number of children held by federal officials and transferred to HHS skyrocketed this spring, after the implementation of the Trump administrations zero tolerance policy, which effectively means that all undocumented immigrants, including those claiming refugee status, are imprisoned and held in custody until their status is determined.

ICE held nearly 1,500 US citizens as aliens

A lengthy feature report in the Los Angeles Times Monday night revealed that Davino Watson, the American citizen held illegally in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement for 1,273 days, was far from the only citizen subjected to such horrific abuse of power. More than 1,480 people detained by ICE since 2012 have been released from custody after their citizenship claims were confirmed, according to agency figures.

The newspaper wrote: Victims include a landscaper snatched in a Home Depot parking lot in Rialto and held for days despite his sons attempts to show agents the mans U.S. passport; a New York resident locked up for more than three years fighting deportation efforts after a federal agent mistook his father for someone who wasnt a U.S. citizen; and a Rhode Island housekeeper mistakenly targeted twice, resulting in her spending a night in prison the second time even though her husband had brought her U.S. passport to a court hearing.

The Times investigation confirmed that there is no presumption of innocence for those detained by ICE, but rather the opposite, a presumption that pervades U.S. immigration agencies and courts that those born outside the United States are not here legally unless electronic records show otherwise. Several victims were arrested despite being in possession of their passports, and one was actually arrested on two different occasions, each time on suspicion of being undocumented.

Among the cases detailed was that of Sergio Carrillo, a 39-year-old landscaper born in Mexico, who became a citizen as a teenager in 1994 when his mother became a citizen. He has a certificate of citizenship and a passport, which would have been evident in any ICE search of federal databases. He was arrested in Rialto, California and held for nearly a week.
One day after Hans-Georg Maaen, the former president of Germanys domestic intelligence service (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, BfV) was relieved from his post and promoted to State Secretary in the Interior Ministry, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (Christian Social Union, CSU) announced Maaens new responsibilities.

Maaen sparked popular outrage and mass demonstrations when he publicly defended last months neo-Nazi riot in Chemnitz, denying that the fascists had attacked foreigners. Maaens fascistic statements drew demands that he be fired from his post. But instead, he has been promoted.

At a press conference, Seehofer first praised the ex-intelligence chief for the close and trusting cooperation of the past few months and said Maaen had demonstrated high merit as head of an important agency. He then announced that Maaen, in his new position as State Secretary at the Interior Ministry, would take over responsibility for three key areas of internal securitythe federal police, cyber security and public security.

Maaen will therefore control key areas of the security apparatus and have even more political influence than at his previous job. He will not, however, take over supervision of the BfV. This had been agreed in the coalition committee, Seehofer said. This responsibility will be taken over by another state secretaryHans-Georg Engelke. Such a division of labor by no means lessens Maaens future influence in the intelligence services. Both Maaen and Engelke are longstanding members of the Christian Democratic Union and have worked closely together in the past.

In order to make way for Maaen in the Interior Ministry, another State Secretary has been forced into temporary retirement. The man replaced by Maaen, Gunther Adler, is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), previously responsible for construction and housing. Adler stems from former East Germany, had worked closely with the former SPD federal president Johannes Rau and had made a name for himself as a social reformist. The SPD has protested against Adlers retirement, but Seehofer stated that he alone decides the appointment of state secretaries in his ministry.

A number of media commentaries have criticised the promotion of Maaen and the reorganisation of the Interior Ministry. The Suddeutsche Zeitung described the events as a stimulus program for political disenchantment. The taz referred to Berlins Days of Chaos and Die Zeit warned of the consequences of an unsatisfactory compromise, complaining that the federal government threatened to lose any sense of feeling for the popular mood.

No one, however, has explained what is actually going on. Hans-Georg Maaen is a right-winger and supporter of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Just a few days ago, he told the Interior Committee of the Bundestag he had been a member of the CDU for over 30 years, only confirming the close relationship between the AfD and the CDU. Now the AfD will be able to expand its influence with support from the executive levels of the other Bundestag parties, leading media outlets and the state apparatus. Before taking over as head of the AfD, Alexander Gauland was a member of the CDU for 40 years.

Maaen used his executive post at the BfV to strengthen the AfD and the extreme right-wing circles. He met leading AfD politicians on a number of occasions to give them advice. He swept aside suggestions from some state BfV agencies to name the AfD in the annual secret service report as right-wing extremist and commence surveillance of the party. In fact, it is apparent that he discussed the contents of the BfV report with AfD officials prior to publication.

The AfDs man, Maaen, now has a central post in the Interior Ministry. This strengthens the influence of the AfD in the government and the state apparatus and at the same time underlines the right-wing character of the grand coalition government.

Maaen now assumes responsibility for the federal police, cyber security and public security. In the past, he has repeatedly emphasised that the entire security apparatus must be strengthened and centralised.

Maaen is now the strongman in the Interior Ministry, committed to centralising the different areas of the security apparatus and building up police-state structures.

A glance at the debates and decisions of the Conference of Interior Ministers last year makes clear what this means. The conference agreed to set up a Joint Counter-Terrorism Center (GTAZ) in Berlin, where representatives of over 40 German security agencies work under one roof.

But leading figures in the grand coalition have demanded even more police-state measures. In particular, they said, more had to be done in the sphere of digital intelligence and a model police law should be adopted. The aim is to connect all the databases used by authorities to spy on all persons and groups considered to be suspicious in any way. With the security laws passed last year, it is possible to create entire secret databases that are beyond any democratic oversight.

Another planned measure is so-called online search. It allows the authorities to read hard disks by hacking the computers of suspects without the need for physical access. Unlike a house search, involving the confiscation of the disks of suspects, now the person concerned will not know of the online search and therefore be unable to legally defend himself against it.

In future, Maaen will be responsible for this area, so-called cybersecurity. All the information and data collected will land on his desk. He can have them evaluated and passed on to his friends at the AfD, who are already compiling lists of all those opposed to war, critics of capitalism and socialists.



These measures evoke the ghosts of Germanys past. When the Nazis came to power in January 1933 and a short time later carried out mass arrests, they were able to rely on lists drawn up long before, during the crisis years of the Weimar Republic. No one should believe such a comparison is exaggerated. Today, the greatest danger is to think that the return of a far-right Nazi-type dictatorship is not possible.

Last year Maaen was involved in developing a so-called CDU security paper. Under the title A strong rule of law for the security of our citizens, it proposes a catalog of measures that would make any dictator proud. The paper begins with the sentence: Optimum cooperation between the federal government and the federal states, especially the police, intelligence services and the judiciary, is the key success factor for security in our country.

The separation of the intelligence services and the police, and their decentralization, was one of the principles of the post-war order in Germany and is specifically ignored in this document. This separation of powers was the main conclusion drawn from the fall of the Nazi regime and the criminal role played by the Gestapo.

The German bourgeoisie did not voluntarily come to this conclusion at that time; instead it was insisted by the Allied powers in 1949 in the so-called police letter. Since Germany regained its full sovereignty with reunification, the validity of such a separation of powers has been increasingly called into question and rejected.

A few weeks after the devastating terror attack on the Berlin Breitscheidplatzwhich, as we know today, was carried out under the noses of the BfVthe then Interior Minister, Lothar de Maiziere, called upon the government at the beginning of January last year to set up a controlling authority over all of the security agencies. The powers of the federal Criminal Police Office and federal police are to be expanded, the state BfV agencies dissolved and integrated into a centralized domestic intelligence service.

In future the federal police, a paramilitary force which emerged from the federal Border Police and was originally responsible only for border security, is to be empowered to carry out nationwide operations. The German army is also to have more power to intervene domestically. The debates may have been understandable earlier. Now, no more, threatened Interior Minister de Maiziere.

Maaen has now taken over responsibility at the Interior Ministry for advancing and enforcing this right-wing agenda of police-state rearmament. The fact that he is not formally responsible for overseeing the BfV does not alter the fact that he maintains the closest connections to the secret service.

While thousands protest on the streets against Maaen, Seehofer, the AfD and their right-wing racist policies, the ruling parties have agreed to implement this right-wing agenda and establish a police state to suppress growing resistance. The right-wing conspiratorial nature of the grand coalition in Berlin could not be clearer.
On Thursday morning, a gunman opened fire at a Rite Aid distribution center in Aberdeen, Maryland, killing three people and injuring three more. The suspected shooter, Snochia Moseley, was found dead at the scene and is believed to have fatally shot herself.

According to accounts of coworkers given to police, Moseley was a disgruntled employee at the distribution center. Previously a security guard at the facility, she was working as a temporary worker at the same location at the time of the shooting. Her exact motives remain unclear.

The Rite Aid distribution center is a large warehouse, sitting next to an Amazon warehouse of similar size. While the conditions at Amazon warehouses are particularly egregious, the same exploitation, in different degree, exists in other warehouses.

Politicians responded by piously lamenting the tragedy without providing any explanation of the regularity of mass violence in the United States. Republican Governor Larry Hogan tweeted Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders. The State stands ready to offer any support.

Democratic Senator Ben Cardin echoed this in his own tweet, saying Details are still emerging, but I've met with the Harford County Executive and Sheriff to offer my sincere condolences. I wanted to be there in person to thank them, as well as the many first responders and federal law enforcement on the scene for their swift responses.

He also put forward gun control as a palliative for these shootings. Cardin continued, There is no rational reason we should not close the loophole that allows some gun purchases to occur without a background check or reinstate the assault weapons ban, but had no other ideas for combating gun violence.

Images and video of police raiding the warehouse with shotguns and assault weapons and of police individually patting down employees appeared on the Washington Post .

Shootings also occurred this week in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. In Wisconsin, software developer Anthony Tong shot four people at his office on Wednesday, seriously wounding three, before being killed himself in a shootout with police. He had worked at WTS Paradigm, and his motive remains unknown. A nearby shopping center was placed on lockdown at the request of the police.

The Middleton police chief responding to the shooting said, I think a lot less people were injured or killed because police officers went in and neutralized the shooter.

In Pennsylvania, Patrick Dowdell shot three people at a courthouse where he was due to appear for domestic violence charges on Wednesday. He was shot and killed by police at the scene as well.

These recent episodes of gun violence are only the latest in a long line of mass shootings in America. That three separate shootings occurred in the space of two days is not exceptionally rare is a testament to the frequency of gun violence in the US.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, There have been 262 American mass shootings (4+ shot or killed in the same incident, not including the shooter) in the 263 days of 2018. There have been 1,800 mass shootings in the US since 2013.

That mass shootings have become a near-daily phenomenon is a symptom of a society in deep crisis. Political figures issue the standard laments after each tragedy, accompanied by inevitable calls for increasing the powers of the state. These eruptions of violence, however, cannot be separated from the glorification of militarism and the general brutalization of social relations in America, promoted by the entire political establishment.

In the most unequal country in the world, the most psychologically fragile snap and erupt in violence. Mass shootings are only one of the more palpable consequences of this larger trend.
An initial trickle of reports by Amazon workers of injuries and resulting hardship is turning into a deluge.

When Tammy Edgar saw Amazon worker Shannon Allen speak on an online video about becoming homeless after getting injured at Amazon, she broke down in tears.

I thought I was alone until I saw her story. It also happened to me. Ive been wanting to speak up for a long time. I have nothing to lose.

Tammy lives in the Waco, Texas area and started working at an Amazon fulfillment center in San Marcos in September 2016.

Like most workers, she never thought she would become homeless. But when a loose machine flew off a table at her workstation toward her head one day in December 2016, everything changed. She fell over backward and took a breath. Something was not right. She noticed the pain in her back, her neck, and the left side of her body, including her shoulder, her wrist, and her arm.

She was glad she was alive, but in that moment, she had no idea her injury would change her life. She says Amazon denied her requests for help and ignored witnesses who were available to testify about her injury.

A few months later, she says, she was living in her car at a campsite after staying with various family members in different places. When a stranger on a camping trip heard her story, he gave her cash for a motel room. She broke down crying. I was grateful but it was humiliating. I was miserable. How was this happening to me? How did I even get here?

Tammys story shows the impact of decades of attacks on the living standards of the working class.

Her father painted airplanes for a living in Kansas and her mother was a registered nurse. Like all working class families in the post-World War Two period, the family went through periods of hardship and worked hard for what they had, but she never dreamed that she could become homeless.

She grew up in Oklahoma, a state that only a generation or two before she was born was devastated by the deathly combination of the Great Depression and drought. Hundreds of thousands of workers and poor farmers fled to the west in search of a better life. Her family stayed.

Tammy has worked all her life. We just always worked. Thats how I grew up. As a young woman, she wanted to take care of people and got a job as a home health caregiver. After thirty years caring for seniors on and off, she wanted a change of pace. Amazon was hiring. She was making $10.50 an hour, slightly better than at her home care job.

She describes the inside of her massive fulfillment center.

I started out packing orders, then I got moved downstairs on the bottom floor in shipping. We had to load the tractor trailers by hand up from the floor to the ceiling. The boxes could be 50 pounds, sometimes a little more. Then I went back up to packing.

Tammy was often told the company made sure maintenance fixed broken machines to prevent worker injury. As a packer, one of the machines at her workstation was a wrapping machine with a roll of plastic bubble wrap material that she would use to pack items coming down the line.

One day, she noticed a piece of debris or trash on the ground left by a previous shift. The company failed to keep the floors clean. Tammy thought, I need to pick this plastic tube on the floor up because Ill slip and fall.

Tammy describes what she says happened next:

As I was bending back from picking the tube up, my right shoulder barely bumped this basket attached to this three-foot table. The machine was not bolted down on the table even though it is supposed to be.

This machine, with a full row of plastic wrap that hasnt been aired-up, comes flying off the table toward my head. So I swung my left arm around immediately. It happened so fast. I pushed the machine with the palm of my hand away from my face with this full row of plastic. My body bounced back toward my work station. I was like, what just happened?

A team leader and a co-worker ran over to make sure she was alright. They knew it had been a close call. The team leader went and got her manager who brought her to Amcarea special triage unit set up by Amazon. Amcares purpose is to take workers statements without an attorney present to be used against them in workers comp proceedings. Tammy didnt know that about Amcare at the time. She does now.

The Amcare employee wasnt paying much attention to Tammy and was gossiping about an ex-boyfriend, Tammy says. She was in tremendous pain and they gave her a pack of ice. Despite the pain, she wrote a handwritten report of what took place as Amazon requested. She specifically wrote down the names of the two witnesses that saw her injury. They told her they would vouch for her and she knew she could rely on them.

Now, Tammy says, Amazon claims those documents are nowhere to be found. They would not allow me to have any copies of my handwritten documents even though I asked. I even went to HR [human resources] and asked for copies but the HR guy said, we already filed those and they are already put away. To date, Tammy says she still has not been granted access to her own handwritten report with the names of the two witnesses.

Tammy reports: When I eventually got copies of Amcares report on my injury from the workers compensation doctor, I was stunned by the lies. Amazon said there were no witnesses and that my injury happened on a 40-hour workweek. Those were lies. I put those witnesses down and it happened on a 60-hour workweek and I was on my sixth day of working.

She kept working after her injury for fear of losing her much-needed income. Amazon took her off light-duty and back onto her heavy-duty job less than a week after her injury.

I just was in so much pain, she said. I was swelling up a lot. Six days after my injury they wouldnt let me do light duty anymore and they put me back on the station I was workingheavy duty. I tell you whatI lifted one item and it took my breath away. I said, I cant do this. I went downstairs to get treated and said something is really not right here.

Amazon reportedly sent Tammy to a workers compensation doctor who is a part of Amazons approved network of company doctors. Many workers say Amazon requires them to travel long distances to these doctors who often downplay their injuries or tell them their injuries pre-existed their work accidents.

In Tammys case, she reports that her Amazon-approved doctor told her she merely had whiplash and that all she needed was physical therapy. She says her doctor told her she did not need an MRI or X-ray and that the physical therapy made her condition worse.

Im fed up at this point because I was at the point where I couldnt even turn my head to the left because of the swelling and pain. I have cervical spine injuries, my left arm, nerve damage, left shoulder, a tear in my left wrist. I have two ganglion cysts, one behind the other, from pushing that machine away from me. I had to do it so speedily or that machine would have killed me.

She hired an attorney who recommended an impartial doctor. Tammy says this doctor was just shaking his head when he heard the Amazon-linked doctor initially diagnosed her with whiplash. The new doctor thought it was unbelievable and told her she had serious injuries that she will have to deal with for the rest of her life.

She says Amazons assessor, Sedgwick, fought to deny her the right to go to an orthopedic surgeon. Different doctors were fighting over her impairment rating, an equation used to determine how injured she is and how much money she is entitled to through workers compensation.

Tammy went to court and appeared before an administrative judge. She soon learned how the court system is rigged against the working class.

I went to a couple hearings, she says, and at my third one I wasnt allowed to tell my story or say anything that happened to me. I wasnt allowed to say anything about the handwritten documents that were never presented in my case. There wasnt even a court reporter.

I asked the judge, Can I please speak over and over again. May I tell my story? I asked. The judge wouldnt even look at me. You are only allowed to answer the questions, she said. I felt like I was a criminal or something instead of the victim. Im the victim. It was humiliating. This whole system has let me and so many people down.

The Amazon lawyer, she kept saying I was more capable of working. There were a lot of lies in there. They wouldnt let me go back on light duty and I needed to have an income.

She reports that the judge gave her a workers compensation award amounting to a little over $1,000 per monthnot nearly enough to live on. She only takes home $856 per month because she has to pay her attorney fees. To receive payments, she says she is required to perform five job searches each week for a year. So, the judge awarded me an impairment rating at 15 percent but now I have to go earn the money? It makes no sense at all.

She says the judge did not require workers compensation to pay for her to see an orthopedic surgeon to treat her injuries: My attorney said Ill have to go get insurance and pay out of pocket. I cant afford insurance and I dont even qualify for Medicaid. Isnt that terrible?

It is very rough living on that little, she explains. For a long time, I wasnt getting anything. When I did, Ive been staying in motels, Ive lived in my car, I was in Wal-Mart parking lots, I was at a campsite for a while and I had no electric, no water. Ive had to move in and stay with different family and friends from time to time trying to get my way through this.

Now, Tammy says she pays $575 per month for a cheap motel room, far more than half her workers compensation payments.

I do not eat three meals a day, she says. I have gone to pantries but there is only so much you can do. I cant keep food, I dont have a stove to cook on. She is currently in a motel. My son put me in the motel because I was sleeping in the parking lot by the emergency room. I felt safer there. I always made sure I parked near a big light, I had my windows down just a little even though it got hot, my doors locked with my keys and my cell phone in my hand.

She was approved to drive with the ride-sharing program Lyft, but I was not making any money and I could only drive a few hours here and there because of my injury. I didnt even make enough money to cover the rental on the car. I ended up sleeping in the Lyft car.

Now, Tammy says the corporation that handles Amazons long-term disability payments is trying to force her to pay $12,700 in back payments. Since she partially won her workers compensation case, the company says she is not entitled to previous long-term disability payments.

I said, I dont have the money. I had to pay bills, I was so in debt. Im injured but I have to pay them back? I was like, Did you not realize I had to move out of my place and in with family and then I was homeless? I told this lady, You have it all figured out dont you. Its all part of Amazon. She did not say one word back to me.

Tammy says Amazon has since fired her. When her workers compensation payments end, she isnt sure what she will do next. Adding insult to injury, Amazon says when she is fully healed she can try to get her old job back. She has set up a Go Fund Me page to help get by.

The whole system is for the big corporations. Its not fair. Our lives are important. It hurts me physically to even hold my granddaughter, who was an infant when I was first hurt. I couldnt even be around her because she is too beautiful and I am tempted to hold her. They make me feel like a burden on my family but I cant help it. I hate the lies. More than anything I hate Amazons lies.

Any last words? we asked.

We have to speak out.
Europe

Turkish refinery workers strike

Workers at Turkeys only oil refinery, Tuprass Aliaga, went on strike on September 14 following two previous two-hour strikes. They were protesting planned shift changes and managements failure to implement an agreed collective working agreement.

Rail staff at London station vote to strike

Staff at St. Pancras station in London are to hold a 48-hour strike beginning midnight on Saturday September 29. St. Pancras is the UK Eurostar terminal for services to the continent.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union members are protesting dangerous working conditions due to overcrowding at the terminal. They have taken previous action and this time are set to be joined by Eurostar train managers.

Further strike by rail staff at northern UK rail franchise

Rail conductors at Arriva Rail North will hold a 24-hour strike on Saturday, with another strike planned for the following weekend. Arriva North runs services in northern England.

Rail, Maritime and Transport union members are opposed to plans by Arriva to introduce driver operated only (DOO) trains, threatening 6,000 guards jobs and passenger safety.

At Arriva, as with other rail franchises, the RMT has limited action to regional, short-term strikes in order to isolate and dissipate struggles, without fundamentally affecting rail operations. It has already sealed deals with rail franchises at ScotRail and Greater Anglia over DOO.

RMT and Arriva Rail management were due to meet on Wednesday for talks under the auspices of Acas, the government conciliation service.

Staff at Bolton hospital in northwest England vote to strike

Hospital staff employed by Bolton iFM, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bolton Hospital, voted by over 90 percent to strike. The Unison trade union members, responsible for cleaning, portering and catering, are protesting a 2 percent pay rise compared to offers of more to staff working directly for the NHS.

Scotland: Glasgow council staff strike vote

Over 2,000 women workers employed by arms-length council service provider, Cordia, have voted by a 98 percent majority to strike. Their roles include home care, catering and cleaning.

The GMB union members are seeking to resolve a 10-year-long dispute over equal pay and to be paid the same rate as men performing similar roles. Unison is balloting its 3,000 members over the same issue.

UK hospitality workers to strike at three companies

Workers at some branches of JD Wetherspoon, McDonalds and T.G.I. Fridays are to take coordinated strike action on October 4 for 10 an hour and union recognition.

The strike will include workers from a number of McDonalds branches in London and two branches of pub chain Wetherspoon on the south coast.

The organisations involved are seeking to confine any protests, with planned strikes causing as little disruption as possible to the companies involved. Among those organising the token action is the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union. The Guardian reported that in Brighton the ballots were sent to just 20 employees, while others taking part in the strike are expected to include McDonalds workers from four London restaurants and workers from TGI Fridays branches.

Cypriot teachers strike

Around 4,000 primary, middle and high school teachers struck in Cyprus Tuesday and Wednesday over employment terms. They are protesting poor infrastructure, assessments and health and safety problems. Their main grievances are teaching times, retirement lump sums and the right of union representatives to act during working hours.

Talks failed to resolve the dispute, leading to a previous strike by OELMK, POED, OLETK members on July 13.

Finnish trade unions members oppose government employment legislation

On Tuesday, Finnish services union PAM announced an overtime ban. It is the latest union to take such action in opposition to plans of the right-wing coalition government to make it easier to sack workers in businesses comprising no more than 20 staff. No date has yet been set for the action.

Workers in the AKT transport union and the PRO union body are already carrying out an overtime ban over the same issue. Members of TEHY, the health and social care staff union, together with nurses in SUPER, are due to begin a three-day overtime ban and refuse to swap shifts beginning September 26.

Strike threat by Irish bus company drivers

Drivers at Irish bus company Bus Eireann are seeking a pay rise and threatening to strike. They want an increase in line with other transport workers of between 2.5 to 3.75 percent.

Members of the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) and the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union held a three-day strike in March last year. The company forced through work practice changes because of financial strictures.

NBRU general secretary Dermot OLeary said the company is now expanding its services but Bus Eireann staff have not had a pay rise in 10 years.

Ballot of staff at Irish IT firm

Staff working for the Indian owned IT services company HCL are to be balloted for strike action. The Communications Workers Union members are protesting derisory redundancy terms being offered. HCL is to lay off around 650 staff after Eir, the Irish telecoms company, announced it was to bring around 900 customer service jobs back in-house. They had previously been outsourced to HCL.

Maltese ferry workers action

Gozo Channel ferry staff were due to begin industrial action Monday. The members of the UHM union were protesting different working conditions for contracted workers. Cabin attendants were instructed not to clean toilets while sailors were instructed not to tie up the ship at the pier.

Middle East

Sickout by Israeli train drivers

Train drivers working for Israel Railways conducted a sickout on Sunday, with 35 calling in sick.

The drivers are seeking improved pay and better working conditions. They returned to work Tuesday after Histadrut, the general federation of labour, intervened.

The action saw the cancellation of 13 trains. On Monday, 21 trains were cancelled between Rishon Lezion and Lod and nine between Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem.

Africa

Nigerian public servants to strike over unpaid wages

Local government workers in Ekiti state, Nigeria are to begin indefinite strike action Friday over seven months unpaid wages.

The state government and Joint Accounts Allocations Committee reneged on a wage agreement signed September 4.

The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) opposed a state government proposal to employ a further 2,000 workers, while their present employees are owed months of unpaid wages.

Workers responded angrily to the cancellation of a previous strike call by NULGE for August 23, after the intervention of the Local Government Service Commission. Adamawa State NULGE President Hammanjumba Gatugel said the strike was suspended because the Local Government Service Commission and the commissioner  are our custodians, we want to give them the benefit of doubt.

Swaziland public sector national strike vote

Public sector workers in the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland voted for a three-day national strike starting Tuesday to demand a pay increase this year. The vote was held after negotiations for a 6.5 percent pay rise failed.

Angry teachers stayed away from classes across the country as they crowded into meetings to vote for industrial action.

Another 500 teachers missed school to attend a court hearing in Manzini to support arrested colleague Maxwell Myeni, accused of violently assaulting a police commander. The approach to Manzini court house was lined by 200 members of the Royal eSwatini Police Service and prison warders.

After the Swaziland National Association of Teachers visited the court, the court appearance was postponed until November.

Sierra Leone special teachers in dispute over vacation bonus

Sierra Leone teachers responsible for Senior Secondary School pupils from level 3 to 4 (GCE level) threatened a sit-down strike from September 17.

The 10 teachers contracted to give extra catch-up lessons from mid-July until August have not been paid their holiday bonus for five years. Sierra Leones minister of education claimed this was because they have neither bank accounts nor pin codes.

South African student halls security staff strike

Security staff employed by South Point Buildings (SPB) South Africa struck on September 11 for a wage increase.

SPB provides security and other services to university and college halls of residence in Johannesburg.

Security workers want an increase to R8,500 (US $570) from around R3,000 (US $200) a month and improved work conditions.

Students joined a demonstration by guards complaining that staff have been sacked, with services previously provided not carried out.

South African mortuary workers boycott work over lack of safety gear

Mortuary workers are staying away from work at the Germiston mortuary in Ekurhuleni, South Africa because of lack of safety equipment.

The stay-away is causing trauma to families wanting to bury their relatives, and who have demanded a meeting with the mortuarys chief executive.

The members of the South African Liberated Public Sector Workers Union and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union said they were not on strike, but boycotting work until supplied with protective equipment.

South African university bus drivers and cleaners strike

South Africa Cape Town university Jammie Shuttle bus drivers joined cleaners in a strike over pay and recruitment last week.

The shuttle is a free bus service provided to students travelling to and from Cape Town University and the airport.

Bus drivers joined resident cleaning service workers, who are striking to demand additional payments for seasonal cleaning of residences.

Cleaners demand an extra R1,200 (US $80) to clean student dwellings during the vacation period.

As reported in IOL, the Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union (DETAWU) claim the transport manager is using his position to employ friends and people he knows to drive the shuttles.

South African ex-Pikitup workers continue protest over job losses

Refuse collection workers previously employed at Pikitup in Johannesburg, South Africa continue to protest the refuse company that took away their jobs.

Pikitup employed over 3,000 workers until recently when it reduced staff numbers to 1,400.

The workersforced into unemployment to join the already 50 percent of the countrys adults without workhave been protesting over the sackings over the last month.

The ex-employees are being held responsible for rubbish-strewn streets, irrespective of the more than halving of the workforce.

Pikitup now employs the protection service of the South African Police Force as it does its rounds.
GRENADA COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - Law enforcement in Grenada County arrested a man after he tried to rape a woman during a home invasion, according to sheriff's investigators.

William Barry faces multiple charges, sheriff's investigators added. He is out on a $30,000 bond.

The incident happened just before 6 a.m. on Saturday at a home south of Holcomb.

Investigators said the victim was able to escape.
Clarington, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) congratulates the OPG Darlington Refurbishment team on successfully passing the half-way mark on the Unit 2 Darlington Refurbishment Project, with 65 per cent of the work completed and safely executed.

In support of the Darlington Refurbishment Project and plant operations, OCNI held its second successful vendor day at the Darlington Energy Complex on Wednesday September 19th with more than 85 suppliers from the nuclear industry and more than 600 attendees.

Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster also congratulated OPG Darlington for excellent performance on a project that will provide clean cost-effective power to the Province for 30 years while bringing and strong economic benefits to the local community.

Our supply chain is critical to OPGs continued success because they deliver the quality and innovation needed to deliver bi projects like the $12.8 billion Darlington Refurbishment, on schedule and on budget. said Steve Gregoris, Senior Site Vice President for OPG Darlington. Steve added: the project will allow Darlington to provide 30 more years of safe, reliable baseload power with virtually no smog or carbon emissions; and will have a huge economic benefit to Ontario. The Conference Board of Canada estimates the Refurbishment project will boost Ontarios GDP by approximately $89 Billion and create an average of 14,200 new jobs per year over the same period.

The Darlington Refurbishment Project is a good news story for the Canadian nuclear industry, the Province of Ontario, the environment, the economy and for the many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that comprise much of Ontarios nuclear supply chain said OCNI President and CEO Dr. Ron Oberth. This multi-year project will create thousands of quality and sustainable jobs in engineering and skilled trades over the next 15 years.

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Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) is an association of more than 200 Canadian suppliers to the nuclear industry that employ more than 14,000 highly skilled and specialized engineers, technologists, and trades people. OCNI companies design reactors, manufacture major equipment and components, and provide engineering services and support to CANDU nuclear power plants in Canada as well as to CANDU and Light Water Reactor (LWR) plants in offshore markets.

Attachments
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Legislation which creates harsher penalties for animal abusers is set to go into effect Oct. 1.

The measure known as Ponces Law is named for a 9-month-old Labrador retriever puppy found beaten to death in Volusia County last year.

The new law allows a judge to bar someone convicted of animal cruelty from owning a pet.

The legislation also increases the severity ranking of animal abuse related crimes, making it more likely that an offender would go to jail upon conviction.

Kate MacFall with the Humane Society of the Unites States hopes the new law will allow judges to make sure those who mistreat animals are not allowed to repeat the cycle of abuse.

It gives that judge discretion to say they cant have any contact with animals during their probation," said MacFall. "It clarifies that, and gives the judge the authority to have that as part of the sentencing, so that the criminal cannot have contact with animals during their probation.

In addition to dealing with animal cruelty, the new law also creates policies and procedures for animal shelters to use following a natural disaster like a hurricane in order to return lost pets to their owners.

The Florida legislature unanimously passed the measure during the 2018 session.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee man, who helped law enforcement find a wanted man, is speaking out.

He first saw the story about the attempted burglary right here on WTXL Wednesday.

He's just a concerned citizen who wants to see less crime on the streets where he lives. The man, who didn't want to show his face on television, led Leon County deputies right to their suspect.

"Being an American and wanting to stand behind your country is to also watch out for your neighborhood and your neighbors," said the concerned Tallahassee resident. "So you're going to watch out for even the stores, the businesses, the people."

In this case, 33-year-old Howard Hughes is accused of trying to break into the Capital City Bank early Wednesday morning.

Arrest documents say Hughes admits to damaging the bank's window telling deputies he "saw dead people."

When we aired this story on Wednesday morning, one of our viewers recognized the face in the video and started looking around his neighborhood.

"And we found him and I picked up the phone, called 911. He heard me, he took off in route eastbound on Orange Avenue. I took off in chase," said the concerned Tallahassee resident.

A couple minutes went by and he saw Hughes outside a convenience store in the area and called the police again.

Deputies arrested Hughes half a block away.

The Leon County Sheriff's Office urges you to be cautious if you're ever faced with a similar situation.

"So, if you see somebody obviously say something, but give us a call and let us know. We don't recommend that people try to chase somebody down because you never know what's going to happen," said LCSO Deputy Dave Teems. "We're happy that it worked out this way and obviously that we caught him."

Hughes is charged with damaging property, as well as possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man has been arrested in connection to trying to break into the Capital City Bank on South Monroe Street.

Howard Hughes, 33, was arrested by the Leon County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday.

LCSO states they got a tip from a resident who recognized Hughes after they saw the video on our website.

The police report states Hughes was sitting outside at King Food Store when law enforcement arrived on scene.

Tallahassee Police officers were on scene first, and after watching the bank video, saw that Hughes matched the description and was wearing the same clothing as shown in the video.

When officers asked Hughes about the incident, he stated he "saw dead people" inside the bank.

TPD contacted LCSO when they apprehended Hughes.

After he was apprehended, officers found a bag containing one gram of weed in Hughes' pocket.

Hughes was taken to the Leon County Sheriff's Office, where he was then interviewed by deputies.

Hughes admitted to damaging the window of the bank because he saw dead people and had a problem with a "person" with no arms, no legs, and one tattoo working in the bank, who he claims was there at the time of the incident.

He denied entering or having the intention to enter the bank.

Based on the evidence, he is being charged with damaged property over $200 less than $1,000 and possession of marijuana (not more than 20 grams).

He was taken to the Leon County Detention Facility and his bond has been set at $500.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Leon County deputies need your help identifying a man caught on camera trying to break into the Capital City Bank on South Monroe Street.

According to the Leon County Sheriff's Office, the crime took place last Wednesday around 3 a.m.

You'll see a man wearing a black shirt, black pants and white shoes while throwing a brick at the drive-thru window.

The suspect then walks around to the other side of the building and tries to kick the front door.

If you know who this is, contact the Leon County Sheriff's office.

There's a $3,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. The reward is to be paid by the Big Bend Crime Stoppers.
TALLAHASSEE, FL (WWSB) - Florida News Service is reporting that new legislation that creates harsher penalties for animal abusers is set to go into effect October 1.

According to Florida News Service, the measure is known as 'Ponce's Law' and is named after a 9-month-old Labrador Retriever puppy found beaten to death in Volusia County last year. The new law allows a judge to bar someone convicted of animal cruelty from owning a pet. The legislation also increases the severity ranking of animal abuse related crimes, making it more likely that an offender would go to jail upon conviction.

Kate MacFall with the Humane Society hopes the new law will allow judges to make sure those who mistreat animals are not allowed to repeat the cycle of abuse.

It gives that judge discretion to say they cant have any contact with animals during their probation. It clarifies that, and gives the judge the authority to have that as part of the sentencing, so that the criminal cannot have contact with animals during their probation," said Kate MacFall.

In addition to dealing with animal cruelty, the new law also creates policies and procedures for animal shelters to use following a natural disaster like a hurricane in order to return lost pets to their owners. The Florida legislature unanimously passed the measure during the 2018 session.

Copyright 2018 WWSB. All rights reserved.
ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. (WSB-TV) - Parents in one Georgia school district are up in arms claiming white students are not being allowed to sit on the school bus.

Those parents say they have the video to prove it.

"There is clear seats to the right of the students, and only the white students are being made to stand up," parent Aaron Chase said.

Chase said the photo showing his two boys standing on the bus makes him furious.

Several other parents said they have been complaining about the bus driver for weeks. They said there are safety issues with children standing and claimed the minority students never have to do it.

Channel 2's Matt Johnson spoke with Chase's 11-year-old son with his dad's permission about what bus rides to and from Davis Middle School have been like for the past six weeks.

"We have to hold onto the seats pretty tight so we don't fall over," the child said.

Johnson looked up Georgia law that allows for 20 percent above the designed seating capacity on school buses.

But some kids said attempts to sit in open seats are denied.

"She says, 'Young man, get out of the seat or we're not going to go nowhere,'" the child said.

Johnson contacted the school district and they sent the following statement.

"We certainly do take all allegations seriously and will give it the necessary time to completely investigate and find the facts of the situation."

The mother of a child seen on video throwing punches on the same bus said her son was punished indefinitely for just defending himself.

"The bus driver told him he has to sit in the very front seat, that no one can sit there with him, that no one can speak to him," she said.

While the investigation is underway, Chase said he worries about the message getting through to children.

"She has demonstrated that it's OK to do this to other kids," Chase said.

Chase's two sons have been assigned a new driver this week, but they say they worry about the other kids that are still have to ride with the bus driver.
TIFT CO., GA (WALB) - Seven students were arrested from a fight that caused a three-hour lockdown at Tift County High School, according to school officials.

The school district posted to its Facebook page that the high school was on a code red lockdown. The lockdown occurred immediately following two groups of students fighting Thursday morning at the start of school in the hallways, officials said. A total of 11 students were involved in the incident, officials said. The lockdown lasted approximately three hours, according to school officials. Our staff and our students knew what to do," said Stacey Beckham, Director of Communications for Tift County Schools. "They knew where to go, and knew how to get into those proper positions so that everyone was accounted for, and so they begin calling in the students they immediately had seen fighting and then they were also able to review security footage, to see if there were any other students involved to try and resolve all of that." Beckham said the biggest problem the school faced was trying to keep parents from trying to pick up their kids during the lockdown. When you got so many people in one area, you need to know where they are and having people that you dont know coming in and out is a safety hazard," Beckham said. "When we are on lockdown, we want to know where your child is and if someone is being checked out then we dont know necessarily when, or are they already gone? It causes some many more questions and so much more confusion. Copyright 2018 WALB. All rights reserved.

TIFT COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL/WALB) - A lockdown that went into effect early Thursday morning at Tift County High School has been lifted, according to school officials.

TIft County High School was on a Code Red lockdown Thursday morning.

"All students are safe and not in danger," according to a Facebook post.

Several students had an altercation in the hallway during a class change, the post said.

The lockdown lasted approximately three hours due to an altercation involving nearly ten students, according to school officials. There were no weapons involved in the fight, but the school was placed on lockdown in order to help aid the search for all suspects involved.

Students are being questioned by Tifton Police, officials said.

School officials said students involved in the incident are facing disciplinary consequences that include expulsion.

There is still a police presence at the high school.

"We are still investigating exactly what caused the issue, but it appears to stem from issues that began in the community (outside of school hours and off campus) and spilled over into our school," the Facebook post said.

Parents were told not to attempt to check students out because "our first priority is safety and knowing exactly where each of our students are. We will update you throughout the morning. Thank you for your patience."




A Leader in Science Based Cannabis Health Technologies Positioning for a Pharma Acquisition

San Diego, CA, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- MyDx, Inc. ( OTC: MYDX ), a leader in science based cannabis health technologies, has been working diligently over the past four months on implementing a strategy designed to have it become a highly desired acquisition target for big pharma or another entity interested in the powerful data MyDx is accumulating in the emerging global cannabis market.

CannaDx Market Adoption

MyDx has continued to see further geographical penetration and market adoption of the CannaDx Analyzer with continued sales in the US and Canada as well as new countries coming online as Cannabis becomes more popular globally. Visitors to the www.mydxlife.com website have been coming from the following countries in order of highest volume of visitor traffic: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Israel, India, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Poland, Denmark and Chile.

Amongst our growing demographic of customers, we have received orders from government agencies such as the Department of Fish & Wildlife as well as from a major university that plans to use the CannaDx Analyzer and App in their upcoming HIV study.

To support our growing customer base, we have recently launched a new MyDx Native Android Application to address technical issues experienced by our customers who were using our legacy non-native Android App.

MyDx has sold out of its existing analyzer inventory and is now backordered in Q3. Due to this backorder, we want our loyal and diligent shareholder base to take note that our Q3 and Q4 analyzer revenues might be affected accordingly.

MyDx360 and The EcoSmartPen

We are proud to announce that we are working very closely with one of the premiere San Diego based Cannabis Vape brands who have been operating under Prop 215 to date. As a MyDx360 client, we are providing them an easy one stop solution to transition to the legal Prop 64 cannabis marketplace through licensed manufacturing and distribution. Because all Cannabis brands need to transition to the legal prop 64 Cannabis Market by January of 2019, we have several other brands in the pipeline we are working closely with who are interested in becoming MyDx360 and EcoSmartPen business customers.

We have also rebranded the EcoSmartPen and, as can be seen from the images on our Instagram Page , we have been consistently presenting a powerful lifestyle brand for our existing and future consumer marketplace.

We are also confident that we have built a great engineering foundation for the customizable EcoSmartPen hardware and tracking application. This is critical to support our brand partners who will white label branded EcoSmartPens for their target markets.

Intellectual Property

The MyDx Analyzer is supported and backed by over 30 international patents listed on our technology page . We continue to innovate as a leader in cannabis health technologies as we secure more IP in the field related to the EcoSmartPen and its capabilities with our patent pending application already submitted with the support of our development partners.

Health Canada and Medical Device Designation

In order to secure a medical device designation for the EcoSmartPen with Health Canada, additional development work on the MyDx side is needed to meet the requirements. Dr. Heiner Dreismann, head of the MyDx executive advisory board, successfully introduced an ideal Fortune 500 medical manufacturing partner to help us produce both a Health Canada and FDA Compliant Medical Device for the EcoSmartPen. In order to succeed with this process and with the budgets quoted, we will require additional financing before we can proceed.

The opportunity of partnering with this manufacturer to submit one of the first smart pens into this category is an exciting one. Doctors would have the ability to track dosage usage, patient feedback, prevent abuse and ensure patients are receiving formulations with hopefully better ongoing results. We recognize this path will strengthen our ability to achieve our future pharmaceutical exit.

Clinical Trials

In alignment with our plan of remaining a leader in science based cannabis health technologies, we have now completed our initial documentation, pain formulations, and samples of the EcoSmartPen devices that will be submitted to the Ministry of Health in Israel for approval of our clinical trial. This process has produced a very large body of work that we believe represents a pivotal point of maturity for MyDx as a company. Should this trial prove successful, then our business model of gathering data, receiving anecdotal crowdsourced feedback on its effects, and from this creating specific cannabis formulations for treatment will be proven medically for the first time by a federal health agency. Should these results be favorable, we feel very strongly that our value in the pharmaceutical industry will be recognized.

The Reverse Split and Company Financing

With regards to the reverse split, while this was already approved, our objective is to do this concurrent with a sufficient capital raise as management continues to evaluate the best options for its shareholders. In the meantime, we could require additional short term financing which could create additional dilution. We do not expect any additional restructuring expenses and have concluded all of our restructuring engagements.

MyDx Social Media Wins

MyDx has been rebranding its product suite as well as further engaging in social media marketing and growing our fan base to further solidify our strategic objectives as a leader in cannabis health technology. In the past months MyDx has continued to grow its social media followings on both Instagram and Facebook and we are proud to share how much continued engagement the brand is receiving. Our MyDx Facebook Page has grown to over 75,000 page likes, and our Instagram account has over 250,000 followers. Were looking forward to continuing this growth with MyDx and seeing the value it can bring to our sales and brand through increased deeper consumer relationships.

I want to thank our loyal and engaged audience for sticking with us and helping us get closer to achieving our vision. Although weve experienced some turbulence on our journey, much of the progress outlined in this release will put us one step closer to securing our position as a company of interest in the pharmaceutical industry, stated Daniel Yazbeck, former Pfizer Scientist and CEO of MyDx. We look forward continuing to focus on innovation and product development as well as market adoption as we secure additional capital partners to help accelerate our ability to achieve our goals, concluded Mr. Yazbeck.

About MyDx, Inc.

MyDx, Inc. ( OTC: MYDX ) is a leader in science based cannabis health technology with a focus on implementing a strategy designed to have it become a highly desired acquisition target for big pharma or another entity interested in the powerful data MyDx is accumulating in the emerging global cannabis market. MyDx is working on implementing this vision by creating some of the most advanced consumer smart devices, applications and services all working together towards creating one of the largest and intelligent crowdsourced consumer feedback databases that ties physiological effects to specific cannabinoid and terpene profiles. This is the kind of database that can drive the future of medicine for the global cannabis industry.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements may contain certain forward-looking statements pertaining to future anticipated or projected plans, performance and developments, as well as other statements relating to future operations and results. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be considered to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "intends," "goal," "objective," "seek," "attempt," or variations of these or similar words, identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements by their nature are estimates of future results only and involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to risks associated with the uncertainty of future financial results, additional financing requirements, development of new products, our ability to complete our product testing and launch our product commercially, the acceptance of our product in the marketplace, the uncertainty of the laws and regulations relating to cannabis, the impact of competitive products or pricing, technological changes, the effect of economic conditions and other uncertainties detailed from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at http://ir.cdxlife.com/all-sec-filings or www.sec.gov .




(WTXL) - Zaxby's all over Southwest Georgia joined in with more than 630 Zaxby's across the nation for a supper-time fundraiser to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Texas.

Ten percent of sales between the hours of 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. were donated to the American Red Cross.

The fundraiser comes just after Hurricane Florence struck the U.S. coast, leaving thousands displaced.

In 2017, Zaxby's raised more than $200,000 for hurricane disaster relief after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.
Guillermo Malpica Soto, head of the trade and NAFTA office for Mexico's Ministry of Economy in Washington D.C., delivers a keynote speech at the 25th North American Logistics & Manufacturing Symposium in Laredo, the United States, on Sept. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Liwei)

LAREDO, the United States, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- The growing protectionism in the world is a big challenge for global trade and economy, Mexican official said here Wednesday.

Guillermo Malpica Soto, head of the trade and NAFTA office for Mexico's Ministry of Economy in Washington D.C., made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the 25th North American Logistics & Manufacturing Symposium in Laredo, an American city on the border with Mexico.

"There are many challenges. One of the main challenges as you can see is the growing protectionism in the world," he said, adding that "it's important to stand for free trade. We need to be clear that trade benefits all."

Talking about tariffs that the United States imposed on Mexican steel and aluminum and Mexico's retaliatory measures, Soto said countries with trade disputes should seek resolution through international organizations rather than putting tariffs.

"The result of tariff does not lead to healthy market, does not lead to profit. We need those issues to be addressed in the international trade organizations," he said.

"We are committed to having a solution on the steel and aluminum tariffs. We will be able to stop the (U.S.) tariff on the Mexico sector and at the same time to withdraw our retaliatory measures," he said.

With the theme of "Supply Chains in the New Global Reality," this year's symposium focused on the impact of rapidly changing political climate on the international trade, transportation, and manufacturing sectors for both the short and long term.

Around 200 politicians, businessmen and scholars from the U.S., Mexico and Canada attended the two-day symposium.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 01:00:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LONDON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The foreign policies of U.S. President Donald Trump amounted to "the restoration of the U.S. as a selfish state" and "this realpolitik can be self-defeating," a signed article published by a major British newspaper said Thursday.

"Because he is so peculiar, we cannot credit that Donald Trump's project is the normalisation of his own country," the Financial Times newspaper said in the signed article on the newspaper's opinion page.

The current U.S. foreign policy "misses the national interests that are served through such nominally high-minded works as the Paris climate accord," it said.

Trump's decision in June last year to pull the United States out of the climate agreement, the landmark global accord, has sparked a wave of anger and dismay at home and also a chorus of disapproval abroad.

"For all their shock value, that is what his foreign policies amount to: the restoration of the U.S. as a selfish state among selfish states," said the article, entitled "America can no longer carry the world on its shoulders."

"There is no demand for isolation," the article said. "There is plenty for a focus on interests over values. Mr. Trump's is the first (and therefore the worst) attempt to service that demand."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 01:05:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RIGA, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Latvian parliament on Thursday supported in second reading the proposal to make vote for the country's president open.

The draft amendments to the country's constitution were passed in the second reading by 81 votes for to three against and one abstention.

Under the current legislation, the parliament elects the president of Latvia in a secret ballot. To win the election, the candidate has to secure the votes of at least 51 of Latvia's 100 parliamentarians.

The opposition Association of Regions proposed the constitutional amendments, arguing that open voting in presidential elections would ensure greater transparency in the parliament's work. Also, presidential elections now remain the only procedure of this kind requiring a secret ballot, as all other top state officials are elected in open voting.

For the amendments on open voting in presidential elections to take effect, the parliament still has to pass them in one more reading and incumbent President Raimonds Vejonis has to sign them into law.

The amendments were supported in the first reading two weeks ago.

The parliament will hold election of the president next summer when Vejonis' four-year term in office will end. Vejonis, a former defense minister, has not announced yet if he will run for a second term.

Proponents of the new regulation hope that the bill will be adopted no later than on Oct. 4 when Latvia's current parliament convenes for its last session ahead of a forthcoming parliamentary election, scheduled for Oct, 6.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 03:15:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GENEVA, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to use digital technologies for internationalization, they must be connected to ICT (information and communication technology) and transport infrastructure, the head of the International Trade Centre (ITC) said on Thursday,

Arancha Gonzalez, executive director of the ITC, released the SME Competitiveness Outlook 2018: Business Ecosystems for the Digital Age at the World Trade Organization (WTO) here.

"Currently, around 1 billion people in low-income countries live more than 2 kilometers from an all-weather road," said Gonzalez .

She said about half of the world's population - 3.9 billion people, or 90 percent of them in the developing world and they do not use the internet.

"New technologies are emerging with the potential to reduce infrastructure costs," said Gonzalez.

She noted, however, that "old problems such as inadequate hard infrastructure and connectivity issues remain."

She cited new technologies such as advanced robotics, 3D-printing, big data, and the internet are rapidly changing the way firms do business.

The far-reaching nature of the transformation has led many to identify it as a fourth industrial revolution, or 4.0 for short.

"A strong business ecosystem is necessary to manage this change," said the ITC head explaining that this year's SME Competitiveness Outlook proposes how to create it.

She said the report focuses on technological changes related to digitalization and the rise of the platform economy.

"The digital platform revolution has greatly altered the way firms connect to others, be they buyers, suppliers, peers or supporting institutions at home and abroad," the report says.

It could be said it is entirely reshaping the business environment, or ecosystem, of SMEs that export or intend to export.

"Most of the potential benefits of changes in the ecosystem will be inaccessible if SMEs are not connected to physical and digital infrastructure," says the report.

SMEs without internet connections cannot take advantage of services provided through the platform economy, adds the report.

The Group of 20 leading economies organized its first digital ministerial meeting in 2017. The UN Secretary-General established a High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation in July 2018.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 03:15:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JERUSALEM, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday threatened Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah with a "crushing blow" if the Shiite militia attacks Israel.

His remark came in response to Nasrallah's earlier statement that Hezbollah had acquired "precision missiles" despite Israel's extensive efforts to prevent it from acquiring these weapons.

"It has been done. The resistance now owns precision missiles," Nasrallah said in a televised address during the key Shiite Ashura day, the 10th day of the first month of the Islamic calendar.

"If Israel imposes a war on Lebanon, it will face a fate that it never would have expected," the Hezbollah leader warned.

Netanyahu responded to the warning during a bible study session at the Prime Minister's Residence in the disputed holy city of Jerusalem.

"If he (Nasrallah) confronts us, he will receive a crushing blow he can't even imagine," the Israeli prime minsiter vowed.

Earlier in September, Israel admitted carrying out more than 200 strikes over the past 18 months in war-torn Syria, where Hezbollah is fighting alongside Iranian forces in support of the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 03:40:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Alessandra Cardone

ROME, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Italian universities on Thursday made a collective apology to the Jewish community for obeying racial laws and expelling Jewish teachers and students under fascism.

The deans of Italy's 86 major universities gathered in Pisa in central Tuscany to take public responsibility for having accepted and implemented those provisions at the time.

It was the first time ever the country's academic institution took such a collective stance, and the location for the event -- which was broadcast live -- was not a random choice.

It was indeed at the outskirts of Pisa that the then-Italian king signed the first of the decrees "For the Defence of the Race" in 1938.

In a matter of weeks, at least 448 Jewish professors were forced to leave their teaching role, and further 727 scholars were kicked out from academies and research institutes.

The same happened in Italian primary and secondary schools.

Jewish students suffered an identical fate -- with the first racial decree, they were immediately expelled, and banned from enrolling for that year and the next six.

"That decree was implemented without exception by all deans in all universities in Italy," Pisa University rector Paolo Mancarella stressed in his opening address.

"They all obeyed, and that collective expulsion did not spark indignation nor protests from their colleagues," he acknowledged.

The scholar recalled that 20 professors and 300 students were expelled from the university of Pisa, one of Italy's most ancient academic institutions.

At Thursday's ceremony -- officially marking the 80th anniversary of the racial laws -- academics sat with representatives of Italy's Jewish communities, intellectuals, and public officers.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella sent his message.

Overall, the racial laws enacted by Mussolini's regime progressively discriminated the Jews from all aspects of the public life, and, during World War II, some 8,000 Italian Jewish were sent to concentration camps, and at least 7,172 of them died.

Italy's academia finally acknowledged its connivance with those policies, although the Dean of Pisa admitted begging pardon 80 years later felt somehow "improper and insufficient."

Yet, academics deemed it a necessary step, although late.

"By endorsing those laws, the Italian entire academic institution betrayed its role as guarantor of the freedom of critical thinking and of the respect for ethical values," said Pietro Pietrini, Director of the IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca.

Furthermore, taking responsibility for the past collusion might assume a relevant meaning in current times as well, according to the scholars.

"It is clear this 80th anniversary is especially relevant, and we (the Tuscan universities) have started preparing for this event more than one year ago," the rector of Pisa told Xinhua.

"Yet, it is meaningful that this collective act of responsibility has coincided with a historic phase in which we are seeing some clouds darkening the sky of Italy and of Europe."

"The ceremony marks a very clear message: we reject any kind of discrimination," Mancarella said.

Among scholars expelled from universities, or overall forced to leave Italy due to anti-Semitism under fascism were many eminent scientists, such as Emilio Segre (Physics Nobel Prize 1959), economic history scholar Angelo Segre, physicist Bruno Rossi, microbiologist Salvador Luria (Medicine Nobel Prize 1969), and neurobiologist Rita Levi Montalcini (Medicine Nobel Prize 1986).
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 05:25:54|Editor: Liangyu

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 20, 2018. Leading with a plea for implementation of the recent bilateral breakthrough to spare Idlib, Syria, Antonio Guterres said on Thursday his "overriding concern" is for international, multilateral diplomacy. The Syria remark was the lead item at a press conference Guterres held at the UN headquarters, a few days before the annual General Debate in the General Assembly where leaders from around the world will gather to speak their minds. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Leading with a plea for implementation of the recent bilateral breakthrough to spare Idlib, Syria, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday his "overriding concern" is for international, multilateral diplomacy.

"I call on all the parties to implement the (Turkey-Russia) agreement with a strong commitment to the protection of civilians, and to ensure humanitarian access, adhere to international humanitarian law and work urgently for greater progress in the Geneva process," he said, referring to the recent accord on buffer or safe zone in Syria.

It was feared a Russia-supported Syrian government attack on the last-stand, rebel-held Idlib would create a bloodbath among the 3 million residents.

The Syria remark was the lead item at a press conference Guterres held at the UN headquarters, a few days before the annual General Debate in the 193-member General Assembly where leaders from around the world will gather to speak their minds.

After citing in his opening statement a list of his concerns, the UN chief said, "let me note one overriding concern in our increasingly globalized era: multilateralism is under attack from many different directions precisely when we need it most."

"I will use my meetings and other opportunities next week to press for renewed commitment to a rules-based global order and to the United Nations, the world's indispensable forum for international cooperation," the UN chief said.

"The presence of 84 Heads of State and 44 Heads of Government is eloquent proof of the confidence of the international community in the United Nations," Guterres said.
St. Petersburg, Florida, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centricity, the service and protection powerhouse, will have two members of its leadership team participate at the 9th Annual Extended Warranty & Service Contract Innovations National Forum. The event will be held in Nashville, TN, from October 1st  3rd, and will feature everything from navigating the complex world of customer service to disruptive technology and marketing.



Centricity President Dawn Morris will moderate a panel on "Branding and Customer Perception." The discussion will focus on strategies and examples of how to accomplish successful branding and monitor customer perception. The panel includes Steve Gusa of Sears Holding Corporation, Dan Tafel of AIG Warranty, Lindsey Davis Mannix of Samsung Electronics America, and Darius Bullock of Electrolux North America.



Managing a customer-centric service contract program helps to positively impact a companys brand story, so that consumers who are choosing which brand to buy, may now consider your product and your ownership experience, said Bullock.



Fellow panel member Lindsey Davis Mannix added, To change consumer perception, we must change the way service contracts are viewed. One way to do that is by creating day one benefits that dont involve a customer having a product failure. Drive for a premium, day one experience that will keep customers coming back to your brand time and time again.



Centricity Vice President of Partnership Strategy Jocelyn Getson and Ally Financial Insurance Operations Executive Vice President Angie Tuglus will moderate an inventive new panel titled, The Future of Service and Support, headlined by some of the major innovators of the service and protection industry. The panel will feature Michael Robinson, Lead Innovation Strategist at IBM Watson and Scott Weigel, Vice President of Business Development at HomeAdvisor and Angies List.



Weigel believes that technology is shaping the future of the service and support industry. With the adoption of mobile phones and AI accelerating, businesses are becoming more dynamic, responsive and innovative, and ultimately better at understanding and serving our customers.



Additional panelists include Claimbot Founder Miguel Fernandez and Microsoft Director of Product Management Nathan Banks. Banks shared, the future of service and support can only occur if the organization is focused on creating a culture that emboldens the passions of the people within the company. The result is a nimble, egoless strategy that scales quickly and provides the best experience for the customers in their time of need.



Along with the panel, Getson will present "Industry News Flash  Consumer Trends in 10, which will explore the new and exciting motivators known to convert customers into brand advocates and loyalists.



The Extended Warranty & Service Contract Innovations National Forum is an annual premier event. Voted the best Warranty industry event, attendees unanimously rave about the content, networking opportunities, venue, and the breadth of speakers representing multiple industries.



For registration details, please visit the Warranty Innovations site. For more information on Centricity, please visit www.centricity.com.
An Israeli tank patrols on Israel-occupied Golan Heights in southwestern Syria, on May 9, 2018, ahead of an Iranian missile attack on Israeli targets in the area. (AFP file photo)

JERUSALEM, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israel has upgraded and reinforced its nuclear facilities in the wake of Iranian threats, an Israeli official said Thursday.

"Israel cannot ignore the repeated and explicit threats, made by Iran and its proxies, to attack Israel's nuclear sites," a statement by the prime minister's office cited Israel Atomic Energy Commission Director General Zeev Snir as saying.

Snir made the remarks in a speech at the 62nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Tuesday.

"These outrageous threats require Israel to take action and continue to protect and defend its nuclear facilities," Snir said.

"These facilities are constantly upgraded and reinforced, in line with IAEA safety guidelines, in order to withstand any attack," he added.

The Israeli atomic chief also urged the IAEA to conduct "a robust verification of Iran's clandestine activities."

"The covert Iranian nuclear weapons program is a documented fact," the statement noted.

Israel runs two official nuclear sites. Under its long-held "ambiguity policy," Israel has never confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 05:46:00|Editor: Yamei

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Photo taken on Sept. 20, 2018 shows a bronze statue to commemorate Chinese workers in the First World War in Paris, France. The statue was installed on Thursday in front of Gare de Lyon, one of the largest railway stations in Paris, with a height of more than two meters, presents the image of an ordinary farmer of the origin of China's Shandong Province, from where many Chinese workers in WWI came. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

PARIS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- A bronze statue was installed on Thursday in front of Gare de Lyon, one of the largest railway stations in Paris, to commemorate Chinese workers in the First World War.

The statue, with a height of more than two meters, presents the image of an ordinary farmer of the origin of China's Shandong Province, from where many Chinese workers in WWI came.

"This statue embodies a Sino-French common memory," said Zhai Jun, the Chinese ambassador to France, while addressing the ceremony. "I hope it will establish a stronger link between the French and the Chinese who live thousands of miles from here."

Catherine Baratti-Elbaz, mayor of the 12th arrondissement of Paris, told Xinhua: "I am convinced that what we are doing today, to express memories for the Chinese workers of the First World War, will contribute to peace for today and tomorrow."

Between 1916 and 1918, some 140,000 Chinese workers had arrived in Europe to provide logistical services to the Allied forces, of which about 20,000 had lost their lives during the war. After being forgotten by the West for a long time, the contribution made the Chinese laborers is recalled more and more now.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 05:46:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SANTIAGO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Thursday put forward a project to reduce violence in schools following the outcry from teachers and staff over aggression they face at work.

The president explained that the Secure Classroom Initiative would give school directors extra powers to "deal with those who commit acts of grave violence" on school grounds.

He confirmed that the initiative, to be debated by Congress, will permit directors to expel any student who acts violently at school.

"The government is not going to tolerate this situation. We will take any necessary measures to bring about peace and create an environment favorable to learning in our classrooms," said the president.

Pinera called on school authorities to "take adequate measures" to prevent and punish those responsible for violence.

The president condemned the actions of masked groups at the National Institute in Santiago, one of the country's oldest and most prestigious schools, who sprayed staff with the carcinogen, benzene, a few weeks ago.

He also presented a national education quality plan, including plans to teach digital literacy and create centers of innovation.

"We are convinced that nothing can improve the quality of education if, inside schools or colleges, there is violence against teachers or the school community," stated Pinera.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 07:21:17|Editor: ZD

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese artist is trying to promote his philosophy of ecological restoration among the U.S. public to raise people's awareness to save the planet.

Zhu Renmin, ink painting artist and director of joint research center for ecological restoration at Zhejiang University, brings more than 100 pieces of his artworks to Silicon Valley for permanent exhibition, which is expected to open at a gallery in Sunnyvale, California, on Sunday.

The artworks, including paintings, sculptures and sketches, all stem from Zhu's philosophy of a hands-on ecology through art and artistic interventions to save the planet, he said.

Zhu has been engaged in ecological restoration projects in China for the last four decades. His projects include Lotus Island, an island ecological landscape restoration in the East China Sea, the Lake Mingcui National Wetland Park, a desert ecological landscape restoration in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Gushui street, the Grand Canal ecological landscape restoration in Zhejiang Province.

During a seminar, entitled "Art Saves Ecology," hosted by the art and art history department of Stanford University on Wednesday night, Zhu introduced to the U.S. audience his accomplishments through those projects.

He said his process of ecological restoration includes three phases: spiritual ecology -- meditating on the projects, natural ecology -- completing the projects in the environment and cultural ecology -- spreading this philosophy to the younger generation.

Trained as a traditional Chinese painting artist, Zhu said "My art should serve the mankind and environment" when he realized that the environment was devastated.

He said he used his own money to build the Putuo Lotus Island, which had almost disappeared because of land reclamation. Now it is a free visitors' destination and open to the public.

Economic development activities have caused more than 700 islands to vanish due to various reasons, which damaged the marine environment and triggered natural and cultural problems, said Zhu.

He then purchased the Lotus Island, and it took him 15 years of planning, design and construction to complete the project in what he called "the embodiment of my conception of spiritual, natural and cultural ecology."

Zhu said he might be the first person in the world to integrate ecological restoration with art and he believed that his philosophy and artworks, with strong traditional characters, would appeal to the international audience and benefit the mankind.

Having a permanent show in Silicon Valley, the birthplace of U.S. innovation, Zhu also said he would employ new tools of high-tech and even robotics, in his future projects.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 07:26:18|Editor: ZD

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BOGOTA, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Dissidents of Colombia's disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) killed three geologists working for a Canadian gold mining company, the Colombian military said on Thursday.

The attack, which also left four people injured, occurred at a work site run by the multinational, Toronto-based Continental Gold, in northwestern Antioquia Province.

"They attacked a group who was conducting exploration work under Continental Gold in a cowardly, indiscriminate manner," the military said, adding that at the moment of the attack, the workers were resting.

The military said security procedures are in place and they are working with local police to find and detain those responsible.

The military rejects and condemns this type of terrorist attack, which infringes on human rights and acts against civilians and businesses bringing progress and economic stability to the region, the military said.

The FARC signed a peace deal with the government in 2016 and has since renounced violence and transformed into a political party. But a small number of soldiers refused to give up their criminal activities.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 07:26:18|Editor: Yang Yi

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Egyptian actress Layla Elwi attends El Gouna Film Festival in the town of El Gouna, north of Hurghada City, Egypt, on Sept. 20, 2018. The 2nd El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) kicked off on Thursday in Egypt's Red Sea resort town of El Gouna, hosting over 400 film celebrities and filmmakers and set to screen dozens of movies from over 30 countries. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

HURGHADA, Egypt, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 2nd edition of El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) kicked off on Thursday in Egypt's Red Sea resort town of El Gouna, hosting over 400 film celebrities and filmmakers and set to screen dozens of movies from over 30 countries.

The festival, which will run until Sept. 28, will screen 80 films, including 11 world premieres and feature a multitude of workshops and panels.

A selection of the 80 films will participate in the festival's three main competitions: short films, documentaries and the feature narrative. A number of movies will be screened outside of the competition.

"This is the second edition of the GFF and I'm really proud to see last year's success ... we have a long way to go before we reach the level of Venice, Canne and Berlin festivals," Egyptian business tycoon and GFF co-founder Samih Sawiris told Xinhua on the red carpet.

The billionaire said this year's edition has more sponsors, more international actors, adding that the edition has notably been upgraded.

Sawiris expected that the Asian cinema will be present at the GFF next year, stressing "the more we will become international, the more we will appeal to Asian cinema."

"I will not be surprised if next year we will have one of the great actors from China. I hope that Chinese producers and filmmakers would submit their movies next year," he added.

The GFF will convene 16 outstanding professionals from various disciplines of film-making to award the feature narratives, documentaries and short films in competition at the second edition.

The awards will be announced during the closing ceremony of the festival on Sept. 28.

Hollywood action legend Sylvester Stallone is expected to be one of the festival's attendees. The Rambo star will receive El-Gouna's Career Achievement Award.

Superstar Owen Wilson will also be attending the festival, where he will hold his masterclass, "A Conversation With Owen Wilson."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 07:36:19|Editor: ZD

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CARACAS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's government on Thursday rejected the findings of a report on global terrorism in 2017 which was released by the U.S. State Department this week.

In a statement posted on its website, the Foreign Affairs Ministry questioned the validity of the report issued by what it called a "leading proponent of terrorism."

"Venezuela does not recognize such a unilateral and arbitrary practice that pretends to evaluate and grade other countries, more so when the purported assessor is nothing less than the world's leading proponent of terrorism," the statement said.

U.S. threats of military intervention against Venezuela, along with economic and financial sanctions, "constitute undeniable ways of inflicting terror and inflicting suffering on peaceful societies," the government said.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has piled sanctions on the South American country, one of the few in Latin America that have not aligned themselves with Washington.

The ministry accused the United States of backing violent anti-government factions in Venezuela, including helping to plan and finance a failed assassination attempt against President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela will continue to fight international terrorism "with more firmness and conviction until it is completely eradicated," the government said.

The U.S. State Department's annual report on global terrorism, published on Wednesday, alleges Venezuela does not cooperate "fully with U.S. counterterrorism efforts" and makes other charges.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 09:16:31|Editor: Liangyu

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order to further implement a U.S. sanction act against Russia.

Named Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), the order "authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to employ all powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and certain sections of CAATSA for the implementation of certain sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation," said a White House statement.

In a separate statement issued on the same day, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that in line with this executive order, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken actions to implement his delegated authorities "and to further impose costs on the Russian Government in response to its malign activities."

According to the statement, Pompeo added 33 additional entities and individuals to the CAATSA List of Specified Persons "for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors" of the Russian government.

These sanction actions are "in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities," Nauert said, urging all countries to curtail relations with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors and claiming "both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide."

The U.S. Treasury Department in March announced a decision to sanction five entities and 19 individuals under the CAATSA.

The United States has been accusing Russia of interference in the U.S. presidential elections in 2016, hacker attacks against the United States, among others. Russia has repeatedly denied such allegations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 09:26:32|Editor: Liangyu

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MANILA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the landslide in Naga City in the central Philippines has reached 22, a local official said on Friday.

Garry Cabotaje, the spokesman for Naga City government, expressed hope that more survivors will be rescued a day after the tragedy struck the mountainside community.

"We are still hoping that many villagers will be rescued today," Cabotaje told Xinhua in a telephone interview.

As of 12 midnight Thursday, Cabotaje said that 22 bodies have been recovered while nine survivors have been rescued.

The landslide occurred on Thursday morning, burying more than 50 houses.

Authorities blamed the landslide to heavy downpours that apparently loosened the soil, causing parts of the mountain to collapse.

According to the local media, the victims refused to leave the landslide sites despite the government's stern warning.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 09:36:33|Editor: Liangyu

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Thursday announced the schedule of Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, during the upcoming UN General Assembly(UNGA), and outlines U.S. priorities during the meeting.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press briefing that the United States has priorities falling within five "overarching themes", such as addressing the global threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, global initiatives to defeat terror groups, drug problems and "meaningful and lasting" UN reform.

Particularly, the first theme includes the proliferation of chemical, biological, nuclear weapons as well as ballistic missiles, Nauert said, noting that "you can expect considerable discussions of North Korea, Iran and Syria in this category throughout high-level week and beyond."

During his stay in New York, Pompeo will "speak out against Iran -- Iran's proliferation in an event" on next week's Tuesday, and host the annual Trans-Atlantic Dinner.

On Wednesday, he will participate in an African Union meeting regarding the peace process for South Sudan; on Thursday, he will meet with some of the U.S. Middle East partners to address shared security goals.

Senior officials who will also be in New York next week included U.S. special representative on the issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Stephen Biegun, and special representative on Iran issues, Brian Hook, Nauert said.

Earlier in the day, the White House announced the schedule of U.S. President Donald Trump while in New York.
SMITHFIELD, Va., Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following historic flooding and devastation in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Florence, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is donating 480,000 servings of protein through its Helping Hungry Homes initiative to two local food banks and has committed $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support ongoing disaster-relief and recovery efforts in the state.



The company has mobilized their signature hunger-relief initiative, Helping Hungry Homes  , to donate 120,000 pounds of protein, equivalent to 480,000 servings, to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina and Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina , which serve the communities impacted by the storm.

Smithfields contribution to the American Red Cross will support the disaster-relief agencys efforts to provide food, shelter, and relief supplies to the hundreds of thousands of individuals across the state who have been impacted by the storm and are in need of immediate aid.

The Red Cross is working hard to deliver help and hope where it is most needed, including working with partners to move volunteers and supplies, said Barry Porter, regional CEO of the Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina. We couldnt do our work without gracious donors like Smithfield Foods who truly support our community.

Smithfield will continue to work with response organizations to assess and support both the regions immediate and ongoing recovery needs. In the state of North Carolina, the company has more than 10,000 employees across seven facilities and 200 company-owned farms.

Our hearts go out to those affected by Hurricane Florence, including many members of our Smithfield Family in North Carolina. We are immensely grateful for their safety and well-being in the wake of this historic storm, as well as for the tireless efforts of all the first responders, said Keira Lombardo, senior vice president of corporate affairs for Smithfield Foods. Recovering from devastation of this magnitude requires an ongoing collective effort, and were proud to provide resources to our neighbors in need in the communities we call home.

About Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the worlds largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathans Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cooks, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curlys, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus, and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com , and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn .

Media Contact:

Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Diana Souder

dsouder@smithfield.com

(757) 357-1675

A video accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f7b444f-8028-429e-a696-2d7a0b6c2c4e
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 09:46:36|Editor: Liangyu

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SYDNEY, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The former operators of a fast-food chain in Australia's Queensland state have been fined more than 72,000 Australian dollars (52,500 U.S. dollars) for underpaying their non-English-speaking staff, authorities said on Friday.

The case involved a 71-year-old employee who was born and raised in China working at a "Wok Me" outlet in Rockhampton city, where he was underpaid nearly 13,000 Australian dollars (9,480 U.S. dollars) over four months in 2016 by former outlet owner and operator Luke McGrath and his company, the Fair Work Ombudsman government workplace relations regulator said in a statement.

"The significant underpayment over such a short period was a result of the worker not being paid any wages for eight of the weeks he worked," it said.

"Overtime, annual leave and superannuation entitlements were also underpaid and record-keeping and pay slip laws were breached. The worker has now been back-paid in full."

"Mature age employees can be vulnerable in the workplace as they face fewer opportunities and are often reluctant to complain. The Fair Work Ombudsman took court action against Wok Me because we prioritize matters involving the underpayment of vulnerable employees," the regulator's head Sandra Parker said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 10:06:43|Editor: Liangyu

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Thursday said the denuclearization of Pyongyang has to come first before the U.S. side gives any corresponding reciprocal measures.

When asked about Pyongyang's demand put forward during the just-concluded inter-Korean summit or corresponding measures to dismantle its nuclear complex, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told a press briefing that "Nothing can happen in the absence of denuclearization. Denuclearization has to come first."

During his Sept.18-20 trip to Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in held talks with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un. The inter-Korean summit was the third of its kind this year, following those held on April 27 and May 26.

The top leaders of the two Koreas signed after their talks the Pyongyang Declaration on further steps towards the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization and concrete measures to end hostile acts near inter-Korean border areas.

"Denuclearization is something that has to come," Nauert said at the U.S. State Department press briefing, adding that "any time that we have our government sitting down and talking with their government, that we have President Moon talking with Chairman Kim, it is a step in the right direction; a step in the right direction to start to have regular dialogue."

She said that to allow inspectors from the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the DPRK's nuclear dismantlement, a measure not mentioned in the paper signed during the Pyongyang inter-Korean summit, is part of "a shared understanding."

"Anytime you have a nuclear situation like this where there is a dismantlement ...the expectation is that IAEA inspectors would be a part of that," she added.

"Sanctions must continue to be enforced ... in order to get to the denuclearization," Nauert said.

Moon said Thursday that Kim had expressed his hope to rapidly hold his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump during the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang.

Addressing to the people at the Seoul press center for the Pyongyang summit, Moon said he also hoped that the DPRK-U.S. dialogue would be resumed rapidly, noting that conditions were created via the Pyongyang summit to restart the talks between the DPRK and the United States.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (front) arrives at a court in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, Sept. 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was charged Thursday with more than 20 counts of corruption and money laundering in connection to the case of state investment fund 1MDB.

The prosecutors charged Najib with four counts of abuse of power, saying he used his position as prime minister, finance minister and the chairman of 1MDB's advisory board from 2011 to 2014 to obtain gratification of some 2.3 billion ringgit (556.2 million U.S. dollars).

He was also hit with 21 counts of money laundering, related to receiving, using and transferring illegal money.

Najib has denied all charges and was granted bail.

The former prime minister was arrested again by the Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission (MACC) on Wednesday related to the 1MDB case before being transferred to the police for questioning on money laundering earlier Thursday.

1MDB was set up by Najib after he became prime minister in 2009 to facilitate economic growth. But allegations emerged several years later that large sums of 1MDB's money were misappropriated and some 681 million U.S. dollars were deposited into Najib's personal account.

Najib has denied wrongdoing, insisting the money was legal political donations from the Middle East, most of which has been returned.

Prosecutors has earlier charged Najib with criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering, all of which linked to a 42-million-ringgit (10.3-million-U.S. dollar) deposit transferred into his personal bank account by SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB.

Najib has pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 10:41:49|Editor: Liangyu

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- More than 100,000 formal jobs were created in Brazil in August, President Michel Temer said Thursday.

It is more than double the number of jobs created in July, which stood at 47,319, the best result for the month since 2012, according to data from the minister of Labor and Employment's General Register of Employed and Unemployed..

"This is the proof that Brazil is on the right course, and in full recovery," Temer said on his Twitter account.

If this trend continues through the end of the year, Brazil will have halted three consecutive years of declines in job creation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 11:01:51|Editor: ZD

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SHANGHAI, Sept.21 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai released a plan on Thursday to make the municipality's numerous industrial sites more popular to tourists.

The three-year plan aims to develop industrial tourism, including industrial sites with local characteristics.

Shanghai is the birthplace of China's contemporary industry and a major modern industrial hub in the country. Local industrial tourist destinations will showcase the development of modern industries in Shanghai and in China at large.

According to the plan, Shanghai aims to attract 15 million visitors to the city's industrial sites by 2020, two million more than 2017. The sites include industrial heritages as well as modern plants of the city's leading manufacturing companies.

The city aims to upgrade several industrial sites and develop high-quality souvenirs for tourists.

According to the plan, Shanghai will promote the industrial tourist attractions to students. It will also coordinate with other cities in the Yangtze River Delta to develop industrial tourism.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 11:26:56|Editor: Yang Yi

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TIANJIN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The just concluded Summer Davos in Tianjin has seen a stronger sense of global community building, with participants engaging in cross-cultural, cross-industry and trans-regional talks.

Wherever participants gathered over the past three days, be it an innovator hub, ideas lab, exhibition booth, beta zone or studio, inclusiveness and open attitudes have kept conversations flowing even when there are competing ideas involved.

In a panel discussion over the future of artificial intelligence (AI), some panelists hailed a world where AI applications could empower the less capable to access better healthcare and improve finance and education, others, however, paid more attention to the negative side, such as the misuse of data.

At a time when data have become the oxygen for machine learning or AI, an alarm was sounded by the panel over the balance between anonymity and open access and other ethical issues.

Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba, said at the meeting that the fourth industrial revolution would sweep all sectors in an increasingly faster speed and make a greater impact on everybody in every sector.

"People worry about lots of different things, and such worries will make our society even more anxious. Facing them head-on with positive thinking would be better," he said.

Ma gave credit to Klaus Schwab for devoting so much time to making the World Economic Forum (WEF) "a feast of ideas" to provide insight on how the world is changing and what the world's future will hold.

At the meeting, Schwab announced that the WEF would open a Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in China and integrate it into its Beijing Representative Office to promote global technology cooperation.

Eleven years after it was established by the WEF, the Summer Davos Forum has seen its influence ever growing. This year, a record high of more than 2,000 elites from business, academia, and governments attended the Tianjin event to brainstorm a number of frontier issues from Tuesday to Thursday.

With about 200 sessions, the forum has been as hectic and informative as ever and covers a broader scope of issues from factories of the future, digital enterprises, the internet of things, smart drugs, mapping the brain to the virtues and vices of a digitally connected society.

Knowledge-sharing has been an important part of the event. For instance, a second-generation European coffee grower can easily consult with an African entrepreneur specializing in smart tractors about how to equip farmers with blockchain technology to improve productivity and increase the transparency of farm produce trade in international markets.

In another discussion, overseas panelists exchanged views with Chinese researchers about the possible impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on human mobility and migration patterns as well as the key challenges facing relevant projects, especially regarding sustainable financing, ethical investing and transparency.

"We are meeting here at a time when the world is at a crossroads of either being consumed by tensions and conflicts or being able to shape its future through innovative, inclusive and collaborative efforts for which we aspire here in Tianjin to be a role model," said Schwab, founder of the WEF.

He said that the fourth industrial revolution, characterized by unprecedented interconnectivity, would systemically make the world even more so, and not less global.

"This means we need more globalization, not less," he said.

When addressing the audience at the Nankai University of Tianjin, Schwab stressed the need to shape a new framework for global cooperation.

"We need a renewed sense of common interests and values to encourage people and states to accept common rules in engaging with one another. We need agreements, to protect the oceans for example, which address the challenges of the global community," he said. "In a multi-polar world, such agreements cannot just be imposed by the most powerful countries any more. To ensure both efficacy and legitimacy, they must be both co-designed and co-created."

When addressing the opening plenum, Premier Li Keqiang commended the Summer Davos Forum for "the forward-looking insights" it had contributed to "the quest for new pathways and engines for global growth and transformation."

"As no one can thrive on his own in the new industrial revolution, we must draw on each other's comparative strengths and act together to nurture and promote innovation for shared benefits," Li said.

Dai Wenyuan, founder and CEO of the Fourth Paradigm Data and Technology Company, said the forum offered a valuable platform for exchanges.

"Technical advancement during the Fourth Industrial Revolution would be results of global cooperation. It would be hard to distinguish them by countries," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 13:22:09|Editor: Yang Yi

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LAREDO, the United States, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Laredo, one of the largest inland ports of the United States, is seeking a stronger trade relationship with China, an official said.

The two-day annual North American Logistic & Manufacturing Symposium closed Thursday in Laredo, a city built up along the border between the United States and Mexico.

At the symposium, Olivia Varela, president and CEO of Laredo Economic Development Corporation, told Xinhua that China is one of the major trading partners of Laredo with the top trading commodities being electronics, textiles and automotive parts.

"One of our major trading partners is China, last year with a 5 percent increase in trade coming in from China into the United States through this port of entry. So we considered China one of our strongest trading partners that is critical to this region."

Imports and exports worth more than 557 billion U.S. dollars passed through the city in 2017, according to the Laredo Economic Development Corporation. Mexico was the top trading partner of all those goods, and China was the second.

Commenting on the ongoing trade frictions between the United States and China, Varela said she hoped those issues would be resolved as soon as possible.

"We fully expect that once all of these issues are resolved, we will have a much strong relationship and anything that is currently being put on hold will just continue to move forward. We have a very positive outlook for once this is all resolved that we're going to see probably a much more significant growth than that 5 percent in our trade," she said.

With the theme of "Supply Chains in the New Global Reality," this year's symposium focused on the impact of the rapidly changing political climate on international trade, transportation, and manufacturing sectors in the short and long term.

Around 200 politicians, businessmen and scholars from the United States, Mexico and Canada attended the two-day symposium.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 13:42:11|Editor: Yang Yi

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TAIPEI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's export orders grew 7.1 percent year on year in August, slower in comparison to the 8-percent rise registered for July, according to data released by the island's economic authority.

Export orders for August stood at 43.68 billion U.S. dollars, up 4.5 percent from a month earlier.

In August, orders from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong totaled 11.7 billion U.S. dollars, a record high for a single month or 7.3 percent year on year.

During the same period, orders from the United States stood at 12.44 billion U.S. dollars and those from Europe were worth 7.21 billion U.S. dollars.

From January to August, the export orders totaled 323.91 billion U.S. dollars, a record high and up 6.9-percent year on year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 14:12:15|Editor: Chengcheng

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Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor speaks in an interview with Xinhua in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 18, 2018. Lam highlighted the significance of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway, which is to be launched on Sunday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

by Gao Jie, Zhu Yuxuan

HONG KONG, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam has highlighted the significance of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong highspeed rail, which is to be launched on Sunday.

"The Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong highspeed rail is only 26 kilometers long, but it links Hong Kong into the 25,000-kilometer national highspeed rail network. The linking is of great importance," Lam said in an interview with Xinhua.

During the interview at the Office of the HKSAR Chief Executive, Lam talked about her personal experience of traveling for three hours by highspeed train from Shenzhen in southern Guangdong Province to Guilin in southwest Guangxin Zhuang Autonomous Region for holiday.

"I like traveling by highspeed rail very much, because I can do many things on the train and it is comfortable to ride a highspeed train," she said.

Upon the commissioning of the Hong Kong section of the highspeed rail, passengers can travel from Hong Kong's West Kowloon Station directly to 44 destinations in the Chinese mainland, including six short-haul destinations in Guangdong Province and 38 long-haul destinations in other provinces or cities.

This, according to Lam, "really makes it far more convenient" for people in Hong Kong to travel.

"You can imagine that in future there will still be roughly three hours from West Kowloon Terminus directly to Guilin, and I don't need to get off the train and board another train in order to reach the destination," Lam said.

"That's my personal experience, and I'm sure many people in Hong Kong will particularly favor and prefer using highspeed train for this sort of distance. So traveling to Guilin, Kunming and Xiamen will be very convenient in future."

Besides boosting tourism in both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, Lam said the significance of the highspeed rail link "takes many forms"- It will be more convenient for Hong Kong businessmen to travel to the Chinese mainland for business activities, as well as for an increasing number of Hong Kong young people who go to the Chinese mainland for study or work.

The highspeed train will also be a travel choice for Lam in her future visits to many cities in the Chinese mainland, especially cities that are relatively closer to Hong Kong.

"I often go to Shenzhen for meetings, and it will only take less than 20 minutes to travel by highspeed train from West Kowloon to Futian Station in Shenzhen, probably less than it will cost when I go from here to my other office in Hong Kong."

"The significance and attraction of the high speed rail, as far as I understand, is more for a sort of medium of journeys," she said.

Besides promoting Hong Kong's economic development and improving people's livelihood, "in a way you can say that it shortens the distance between the two places and between people and communities of the two places. I'm expecting there will be far more exchanges, cooperation in all respects with the commencement of the highspeed trains."

To unleash the full benefits of the highspeed rail for future passengers, a co-location arrangement has been applied at West Kowloon Station to speed up cross-border passengers' journeys. Both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland port areas have been set up at the station, which allows one-stop clearance procedures for passengers to save their time.

On July 25, 2017, the HKSAR announced to implement the co-location arrangement at the West Kowloon Station by adopting a "three-step process," including reaching a cooperation arrangement with the Chinese mainland, having the cooperation arrangement endorsed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and completing local legislation on the co-location arrangement. In less than a year, the three steps were finished and the co-location arrangement was implemented.

"Without the co-location arrangement, the highspeed rail might fail to provide maximum benefits to the whole society," Lam said, "To achieve this desirable goal, we have to face up to difficulties."

Having strong confidence in the co-location arrangement at West Kowloon Station, Lam said: "The most important thing is, rather than by administrative means, the co-location arrangement is implemented through legislative process and therefore is supported by sound legal basis."

On the future operation of the highspeed rail, Lam pointed out that since the Hong Kong section is a part of the national highspeed rail network, the coordination between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland railway operators is very important.

"According to our experience in the construction, trial operation and ticket pre-sales of the Hong Kong section of highspeed rail, we can confidently say that the two sides have established an effective mechanism for communication and coordination," she said.

At least two more large-scale cross-border infrastructure construction projects are about to be completed between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland - the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in the west of the Hong Kong SAR and Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point in the northeast of the Hong Kong SAR.

Lam expects the two projects, together with the upcoming highspeed rail link, will help form a "one-hour living circle" around Hong Kong and enhance Hong Kong's position in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, so that Hong Kong can "be better integrated into the national development."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 14:27:17|Editor: Lu Hui

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HANGZHOU, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Mo Huanjing, a former nanny who had been sentenced to death for starting a fire that killed four family members in 2017, was executed Friday in east China's Zhejiang Province, a local court said.

Mo's death sentence has been reviewed and approved by the Supreme People's Court (SPC), the country's top court, according to the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court.

Before the execution, the Hangzhou court notified Mo's close relatives of the right to a meeting, which they forfeited.

"Mo's motive was abhorrent, highly vicious and dangerous to others. The consequences of the crime were severe and detrimental to public safety," said the SPC.

Despite Mo's confession to the arson after her arrest, the nature and severity of the crime, as well as its social consequences, did not support granting leniency for her, said the SPC.

"The evidence was factual and sufficient, and the sentencing was appropriate," the SPC ruled.

Mo was a gambling addict and had long been in debt. She started working for the family of Zhu Xiaozhen and Lin Shengbin in September 2016.

From March 2017 to June 2017, she stole jewelry and watches from the family and borrowed money from Zhu, but gambled the money away.

On June 21, 2017, Mo decided to further gain Zhu's trust by lighting a fire and putting it out. The fire, however, spread fast and Zhu and her three children died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Mo was also convicted of theft.
Toronto, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Senecas new Indigenous centre at Newnham Campus officially opens today during an awakening ceremony.

Named after the Anishnaabe word Odeyto  which translates to the good journey  the multipurpose facility is the new home of FirstPeoples@Seneca. It is also accessible to members within the broader Indigenous community.

We are proud of what we have achieved with Odeyto. As an Indigenous teaching, learning and gathering space, its a much-needed expansion to accommodate the important work of our staff and faculty supporting our Indigenous students, says David Agnew, Seneca President. It also represents the journey our Indigenous students have chosen, coming to Seneca as a temporary stop on their lifes journey.

Equipped with an office space, a computer lab, a kitchen and dedicated space for Indigenous elders, Odeyto is the only Indigenous hub of its kind between Highway 401 and Barrie, Ontario.

Indigenous culture influenced various aspects of the facility, from its general exterior shape to the details of its interior decor.

The structure looks like a canoe resting on its side and the curvature of the roof mimics the position of the sun on June 21, the annual National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada, adds Mark Solomon, Associate Dean Student Services and Indigenous Education. A neon sign created by the Cree visual artist Joi Arcand is among the Indigenized features inside Odeyto. Its truly a home for our Indigenous students.

The awakening ceremony also includes activities such as the planting of a tree of peace, drumming and medicinal bag giveaway, with attendees being treated to traditional Indigenous refreshments.

About Seneca

Combining career and professional skills training with theoretical knowledge, Senecas expert faculty provide a polytechnic education to 30,000 full-time and 60,000 part-time students. With campuses in Toronto, York Region and Peterborough and education partners around the world, Seneca offers degrees, graduate certificates, diplomas and certificates in more than 300 full-time, part-time and online programs. Senecas credentials are renowned for their quality and respected by employers. Co-op and work placements, applied research projects, entrepreneurial opportunities and the latest technology ensure that Seneca graduates are highly skilled and ready to work.

Find out more at senecacollege.ca.

Follow us on Twitter.

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Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 14:32:18|Editor: Liangyu

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Among the presidential candidates to run in Brazil's October elections, Jair Bolsonaro is favored by the rich while Fernando Haddad of the left-leaning Workers' Party (WP) is popular among the poorest voters, according to a poll released on Thursday.

The poll by Datafolha showed Bolsonaro of the right-wing Social Liberal Party (PSL) as the overall leader with the support of 28 percent of those polled. He was followed by Haddad with 16 percent, and Ciro Gomes of the Democratic Labor Party (PDT), with 13 percent.

In the poll, Geraldo Alckmin of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) had 9 percent support, and Marina Silva of the Sustainability Network Party had 7 percent.

At the same time, among those earning twice the minimum wage, Haddad led with 20 percent, versus 19 percent for Bolsonaro.

Among Brazilians earning more than 10 times the minimum wage, the poll showed Bolsonaro had 40 percent support, while Haddad had 15 percent.

In the northeast part of the country, or the WP's traditional vote bank, Haddad is in the lead with 26 percent support, while Bolsonaro and Gomes are tied at 17 percent. In the southern region, the poll showed a completely different situation, with Bolsonaro in the lead with 37 percent support, and Haddad and Gomes tied at 10 percent.

The Datafolha poll was carried out on Sept. 18-19 among 8,601 people from all over Brazil. The upcoming presidential elections are scheduled for Oct. 7.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 15:02:22|Editor: Li Xia

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SHENYANG, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) - When you first put on the VR headset, you're suddenly immersed in a gray and decaying cityscape surrounded by an ocean of pink balls. This exhibition, recently opened in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, invites visitors to "immerse" themselves in the works of artists, hoping to make people reflect on the evolution and decay of urban cities.

As something of a novelty in China, such immersive and interactive art exhibitions have become quite popular among artists and art enthusiasts over the last year or so.

"In the exhibition, each visitor can have direct access to artistic works," said Wang Xin, the designer of the show.

Artists and organizers introduce cutting-edging technologies such as visual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to express their ideas through interactions with the audience.

Visitors took photos, videos, and even shared their experience online via a live broadcast during their visits. "It's about getting involved in the show, rather than a conventional visit to an exhibition," Wang added.

In May this year, inspired by this new art trend, the Palace Museum launched a digital exhibition of renowned ancient Chinese paintings using AR and VR technologies. Visitors took seats in a theater equipped with 3D stereo surround sound to view the vivid images and videos of the paintings. The first month saw over 350,000 visitors.

"New technology makes our collections glow again," said Shan Jixiang, curator of the museum, during the opening ceremony of the digital display. "They offer a vivid and unique experience for the public."

In 2017, immersive shows began to catch the attention of young people in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other first-tier cities in China.

Teamlab's show was one of the earliest and most popular immersive exhibitions in Beijing. Viewers walked into the space and became part of the holographic projection.

The show refreshed the public understanding of art exhibitions after its debut. The sought-after exhibition soon became a hot topic on social media platforms.

According to statistics, Teamlab's Shenzhen stop in 2017 attracted 400,000 visitors in its first month, with an average of 2,667 visitors each day.

"The relationship between art and the audience are considered 'static' according to traditional aesthetic ideas," said Wang Chunchen who works with the art gallery of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. "In contrast, immersive exhibitions emphasize dynamic connections between the two sides."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 15:37:27|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BEIRUT, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Caretaker Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani said that the rate of cancer patients in Lebanon has increased by 5.5 percent yearly from 2005 to 2016, local newspaper Asharq Al Awsat reported Friday.

"We assess the number of cancer patients based on statistics of people who come and register at the health ministry for treatment, so the real number is probably higher," said Hasbani.

Hasbani noted that the rate of cancer patients in Lebanon is similar to or higher than rates in Europe.

The most common reasons of cancers in Lebanon, according to Hasbani, are air pollution, waste burning and contamination of groundwater and irrigation water.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Fadi Alameh told Elnashra, an online independent newspaper, that the lack of food security in Lebanon is one of the direct causes of cancers in Lebanon.

He added that Lebanon does not properly dispose industrial waste.

According to local news agency Al Markazia, the World Health Organization estimated over 17,000 new cancer cases in 2018 in Lebanon and 242 cancer patients for every 100,000 Lebanese.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 15:42:31|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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ASSADABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Five militants affiliated to the hardliner Islamic State (IS) group were killed as fighting aircrafts targeted the insurgents' hideout in the eastern Kunar province on Friday, an official of the Afghan National Army (ANA) Brigadier Mir Wais Safi said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 16:07:35|Editor: Li Xia

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TIANJIN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- On Sept. 19, 2018, following his address at the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2018 held in Tianjin, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council took a question from Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab. On Sept. 20, Premier Li sat down for a dialogue with representatives of international business leaders attending the Annual Meeting.

Below is a transcript of these interactions:

Professor Schwab: Premier Li Keqiang, thank you for this very comprehensive presentation of your government's policy. I also feel there are many messages in your speech which are certainly reassuring for foreign and Chinese leaders present here. I want to thank you for taking the time to develop in such a detailed way your policies and your intentions. You developed a concept on how China will keep up reform and opening-up. Now many of the business leaders are concerned about the credit situation and the financial situation, the financial risk of the country, particularly related to the issue of deleveraging. What is your response here?

Premier Li Keqiang: True, China's macro leverage ratio is not low by global standards, but it's not the highest either. An important objective factor is the high savings rate in China and the lack of smooth channels of direct financing. The past few years have indeed seen a relatively fast increase in China's leverage ratio. To ensure sustainable development in the long run, we have taken measures to stabilize the leverage ratio, which has led to a moderating increase in leverage in the first half of this year. The deleveraging we pursue is structural in nature, as the leverage ratio has become quite high in some sectors. Recent statistics have indicated the beginning of its downward trajectory in these sectors.

At the same time, though, we have taken note of the difficulties facing businesses, particularly micro and small businesses, in accessing affordable financing. We have endeavored to address this scarcity by rolling out a host of measures targeting micro and small businesses. We will also expand channels of direct financing by fostering the capital markets. For example, when we discovered inappropriate tax levies on venture capital funds recently, the State Council took swift steps to rescind these levies. We encourage the development of venture capital funds, which will offer more channels for direct financing.

Everything has both upsides and downsides. As an ancient adage cautions, one cannot have both the fish and bear's paw, which essentially means that many decisions entail difficult trade-offs. The reason we have gone thus far is that we have made enormous efforts to minimize the trade-offs and achieve simultaneous progress of sometimes conflictual objectives. Continuing to do so would be a challenge and a test of our wisdom. We do hope distinguished guests present and insightful people around the world will contribute wisdom to us in meeting the challenges. The journey ahead may be tortuous, our goals will be achieved through steadfast efforts.

Stein Eric Hagen, Chairman of Orkla: My name is Stein Eric Hagen. I'm from Orkla, Norway. Mr. Premier, under the context of China-US trade frictions, a lot of countries such as Europe, the United States and Japan have started negotiations on bilateral free trade zones. The global trade governance system based on the WTO is facing great challenges. How does the Chinese government respond to this change and what measures will be taken to safeguard China's status as a global trade power? Thank you.

Premier Li: Bilateral and multilateral trade talks are like two wheels, which should be complementary. It has been a long tradition of developed countries to engage in trade negotiations among themselves. They also have free trade talks with some developing countries. China, though being a developing country, has also been involved in bilateral FTA negotiations with some countries. We welcome any trade negotiations and wish them well so long as they are consistent with the trend of globalization and the basic principle of free trade.

Having said that, we cannot ignore the rising trend of protectionism in the world today, which has eroded the foundations of the multilateral trading regime. As we see it, the multilateral trading rules were negotiated and have been followed by the overwhelming majority of countries for many years. And at the heart of these rules is the principle of free trade. Bilateral trade negotiations in whatever form should serve to uphold this fundamental principle.

In the last few decades, mankind has come a long way in creating material wealth. We owe this, to a large measure, to a peaceful international environment and to free trade. As we live on the same planet, we should all abide by common precepts and agreed rules. Any action, which only benefits a small group of people at the cost of undercutting the rules formulated by the majority, will only end up hurting the interests of all. Our world is, after all, one of coexistence and interdependence.

I am not suggesting that the existing multilateral trading rules are above reform or improvement. In the process of globalization and free trade, problems of one kind or another have indeed cropped up and some countries may have complaints about them. In this case we need to sit down and discuss how to improve the multilateral trading rules to make them more responsive to the needs of world development and inclusive growth. Yet, this doesn't mean that we should start all over again; what we need is to make improvements to the multilateral trade rules. In this process, we need to take care of the concerns and interests of all stakeholders, particularly those of developing countries and the least developed countries. The world can hardly be a tranquil place when a considerable number of people still live in abject poverty.

China takes a positive attitude toward reform of WTO rules. At this year's China-EU Summit, the two sides agreed to set up a joint working group on WTO reform. When it comes to matters concerning all of us, the interests of all parties would be best served through discussions among all stakeholders.

The task before all countries is to both promote development and improve fairness and equity by helping those in need. The international community as a whole needs to do the same: we need to sustain the momentum of global recovery and promote development and prosperity and at the same time endeavor to narrow the North-South gap.

Jay Flatley, Executive Chairman of Illumina: I was very pleased yesterday to hear your remarks about opening up the Chinese markets. In particular, you discussed the financial markets and there's been tremendous progress over the last few years in China opening up the financial markets. Yet many barriers remain here, and so I would appreciate if you could discuss the timetable for the opening-up of the financial markets in China and what opportunities that may provide to foreign corporations.

Premier Li: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. Compared with where we came from, the breadth and depth of China's opening-up have gone far beyond our expectations, and those of our foreign friends. Since we have benefited from opening-up, we will only open wider to the world.

China is now a big trader in goods. We do run a trade surplus in goods, but that's not our intention. What we want is more balanced trade. At the same time, China is running a deficit in trade in services, which has continued to widen year by year, including in the financial services sector.

Be it trade surplus or trade deficit, I believe the state of a country's trade balance is mainly the result of its role in the international division of labor and position in the international industrial chain. As we do not deliberately seek surpluses or avoid deficits, we need to carefully weigh our choices: should we open up the services sector even wider or try to reduce the trade deficit in services? We have opted for the former. China will be firmly committed to opening up the services sector, even if it means a bigger deficit. Although this will present a greater challenge for our regulatory capacity, at the end of the day, opening the services sector will boost the competitiveness of Chinese companies, which is beneficial in the long run, and will provide more choices and be fairer for Chinese consumers.

The financial sector is a special case in that the level of its openness is closely linked to the development stage, economic sophistication and regulatory capacity of a country. For a major economy like China, maintaining financial stability is crucial not only to ourselves, but also to the world. That is why we will both stay firmly committed to opening up the financial sector, and at the same time ensure orderly progress.

Our goal going forward is to further open up the financial services sector. Just as we have removed foreign ownership caps in the banking sector, we plan to take similar steps in the insurance and securities sectors in the next few years and phase in full-license, full-ownership operation in an orderly way. Naturally, an important precondition for this would be qualifications, which is a must for financial service providers in any country.

That said, we are prepared to gradually introduce pre-establishment national treatment for foreign-invested companies in the financial sector. We are making preparations for such reforms. I hope in three years' time, there will be a number of foreign ventures qualified for full-license, full-ownership operation in the financial sector.

Takeshi Niinami, President of Suntory Holdings: While China has strengthened IPR protection over the years, there are still some companies facing IPR infringement. In your opinion, how to effectively protect IPR both institutionally and legislatively? What specific measures will be taken in the future?

Premier Li: In your question you underscored the need for China to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) in the process of expanding reform and opening-up and attracting foreign investment. As a matter of fact, protecting IPR is our consistent policy. We are doing this not just for the sake of attracting foreign investment but also to serve our own needs of promoting innovation-driven development. Without proper IPR protection, it would be almost impossible for us to achieve economic transformation and upgrading and move from the medium-low to the medium-high level of industrial development. This is something we must do as it serves our own interests and conforms to international rules.

While strengthening IPR protection, China has toughened punishment for acts of infringement. In the past 5 years, more than 1.4 million cases of infringement were investigated and handled. Going forward, we will mete out even more severe punishment and impose even bigger fines, so that violators will face crippling penalties and find it hard to survive in their business sectors and even in the whole marketplace.

When we started to develop the market economy, we understood that property rights are the very foundation of a market economy. Likewise, protecting IPR is fundamental to the development of our innovation-driven economy. Such an understanding must be the consensus of the whole society. I have made this clear on many occasions. During meetings with foreign business leaders, I often ask them to report cases of IPR infringements directly to me or to the relevant departments. But for various reasons, they would normally not raise such issues during meetings with me. As you just pointed out, there are still some complaints in this area. I would again encourage all of you to speak up. Mishandling of complaints on the part of competent government departments would be dealt with.

On this matter, talking the talk is not as good as walking the walk. I hope and I trust that you can see China's redoubled efforts to build a more rigorous and effective regime of IPR protection. Naturally, cooperation with various parties would be helpful. On the other hand, just like other countries, we support fair and equitable IPR transactions based on market rules. Royalties for patents and technologies paid by Chinese companies to overseas proprietors ranked high in the world last year, and may increase further in the future. Forced IPR transfer will never be allowed in China.

Sandra Wu, Chairperson and President of Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd: My question is about tax reform. During the "Two Sessions" in March, you mentioned further tax relief. And in early July, we witnessed the merge of state and local taxation bureaus, which strongly indicated smooth progress of China's tax reform to promote free competition. And so in the future, what other measures will the Chinese government take to make sure this reform will move forward and lessen the burden on enterprises?

Premier Li: You seem to know quite a lot about what is happening in China. A few years ago, faced with considerable downward pressure on the economy and declining fiscal revenues, the Chinese government made the decision to substantially cut taxes. We abolished the business tax that had been in place for sixty years and adjusted the value added tax (VAT) rate to reduce tax burdens on small and medium-sized enterprises and encourage corporate R&D spending. These measures have paid off.

From the second half of last year to the first half of this year, tax revenues have increased notably and grown faster than GDP. This is mainly because of China's steady economic performance, which has contributed to an over 15% increase in the profits of industrial companies in the first half of this year. What's more, thanks to our reform of transforming government functions, our tax source has been expanding at a rate of 200,000 newly registered market entities every month. These factors have largely contributed to the fast increase in fiscal revenue. Given all this, our priority remains to ensure the effective delivery of tax reduction measures on the ground.

In the second half of this year, we are seeing significant decreases in both central and local government revenues as a result of further cuts in VAT and other taxes which became effective on May 1. In view of the complicated international situation and internal challenges facing China's development, we will enact more significant cuts in taxes and fees, including further lowering the VAT rate and implementing the personal income tax deduction scheme in a fair and expeditious way to boost household spending. As a further step of institutional reform, we will transfer the responsibility for collecting social security contributions to the taxation authorities. As taxes and contributions are two different levies, existing policies on the collection of contributions will remain unchanged for the time being, and forced payments of contributions arrears will not be allowed.

Given that the aforementioned institutional reform may lead to more efficient collection of social security contributions, we will consider meaningfully lowering the contribution rate, so that this reform will not add to business burdens, as this would be just the opposite of our intentions. The government should tighten its belt rather than shift the burdens onto businesses. Only in this way can we deliver a better life for our people.

Let me stress that all enterprises registered in China, be they foreign-invested, privately-invested or of any ownership types, will receive fair treatment in benefiting from administrative rollback and tax and fee cuts. If you encounter any case of unfair treatment, please feel free to file complaints.

Elisabet de los Pinos, Founder and CEO of Aura Biosciences: The Chinese government has set out the guidelines for innovation and entrepreneurship, which lay out the importance of innovation in the development strategy. So we are interested to know what is the progress in these programs, and more importantly, how the international business community can better address and participate in this process.

Premier Li: Innovation lies at the center of our efforts to promote economic development and foster new growth drivers. Over recent years, we have made enormous efforts in this area with effective results. For example, we have promoted the mass entrepreneurship and innovation campaign and introduced reform of government functions. These efforts have resulted in a surge of new market entities, with the number of companies registered on an average day increasing from over 1,000 to 18,000 in August this year. And the number of business entities in China has exceeded 100 million.

The nationwide entrepreneurship and innovation drive in China originated from the belief that everyone has the capability and opportunity to make innovations. If each of the 1.3 billion Chinese and every member of our 900-million-strong labor force can be incentivized to innovate, we can well imagine how powerful this wave of innovation will be. To quote the theme of this year's Annual Meeting, "Shaping Innovative Societies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution", I believe an innovative society is one which taps into the creativity of every individual.

Second, in promoting innovation, we need to create equal opportunities for every individual. We are advancing the reform to streamline administration, delegate powers, strengthen compliance oversight and improve government services. All these are aimed to allow every individual an equal opportunity to make innovations, which will help to make a big difference in the lives of many and to better achieve efficiency and fairness.

Third, innovation is taking place against the backdrop of globalization. As China embraces the world with open arms, we also welcome entrepreneurs, scientists and people in other sectors around the world to participate in China's development with an open mind, so that together, we can make joint contributions to the progress of humanity. Let me reassure you that China is firmly committed to protecting IPR, as we know that innovation is supported by ideas, which generates property rights.

Here in China, you will see that hundreds of millions of people have pooled their wisdom and strengths to engage in innovation empowered by the Internet Plus model. I believe that your interactions with innovators in China will give rise to brilliant new inspirations. As entrepreneurs, you need to make profits, but I trust you also have your own career goals to pursue. I hope that your participation in China's innovation drive will help realize your goals.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 17:37:47|Editor: Li Xia

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by Mahmoud Fouly

ISMAILIA, Egypt, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Suez Canal University is one of the largest cooperation projects and a model of fruitful educational collaboration between Egypt and China, Atef Aboul-Nour, president of Suez Canal University, told Xinhua in an interview.

"This is seen through the many activities carried out by the university in cooperation with China," he added.

The university chief cited several areas of cooperation between the university and China, including a new joint technological college to be opened soon in the university starting from the academic year 2018/19.

"We will open this year the Egyptian-Chinese Applied Technology College, the first technological college all over Egypt. We hope it will make a quantum leap in the field of technology in the country," Aboul-Nour told Xinhua.

The new college will offer a technical bachelor's degree in three majors: communication technology, electronic technology and mechatronic technology.

The university president added that some 125 outstanding students have already been registered to attend its first academic year, stressing that the establishment of the college is meant to help make up for the shortage of technological and technical talents in Egypt.

Opened in April 2008, Confucius Institute in Suez Canal University also attracts hundreds of Chinese language learners from Ismailia and nearby provinces.

"Confucius Institute is another example of Egyptian-Chinese educational cooperation, as it plays a cultural, educational and enlightening role in the whole Suez Canal region through spreading the Chinese language and culture," the university president said.

The Fish Farming and Technology Institute of Suez Canal University, which was established by a Chinese grant and opened in May 2014, is a main center for the development of fish and aquatic resources sector in the Arab world.

"Since its establishment, the institute has been holding training courses and workshops to spread the fish farming culture in the Suez Canal region," said Aboul-Nour, noting that most workers in the aquaculture field in Egypt have already received training in the institute.

On Wednesday, a 21-day Chinese workshop on fish farming techniques and the production and processing of live aquafeed kicked off in the Suez Canal University with the purpose of bolstering aquaculture techniques in Egypt.

The training course, delivered by Chinese experts in the field, will include theoretical and practical lectures on new techniques for a massive production of live aquafeed, such as algae and zooplanktons, on which fish farming projects are generally based.

Aboul-Nour said that his university staff also pay regular visits to the Chinese companies operating in the Suez Canal region and holds through Confucius Institute training courses on human resources for their Egyptian workers delivered by Egyptian and Chinese experts.

He described the bilateral relations between Egypt and China as "distinguished and deep-rooted," adding that Egypt is a focal point in China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

"Egypt is a prominent country in the Belt and Road Initiative as it is in the middle of Africa, Asia and Europe. It overlooks key maritime routes in the world and its Suez Canal is a vital waterway for most of the Chinese trade heading to Europe," the Suez Canal University president told Xinhua.

Aboul-Nour explained that there are plans for expanding cooperation between his university and the Chinese side, noting that he has recently met with Chinese education officials in China where they agreed to enhance relevant collaboration between the two sides.

"I also visited Nankai University in Tianjin and discussed with the university officials the possibility of issuing joint accredited certificates in various fields," he continued. "We really hope to boost educational cooperation between Egypt and China."

He added that his university attaches a great importance to education and tries to apply all new educational programs, expressing appreciation for the support of China "as it spares no effort in helping us with upgrading the sectors of education and research in our university."

"Cooperation between our university and China is massive and diversified, and we hope it will further increase in the years to come," the university chief told Xinhua.

The university, established in 1976, is located in the Ismailia province northeast of the capital Cairo.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 17:52:49|Editor: zh

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Cathy Engelbert, CEO of Deloitte, speaks during Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit in New York, the United States, Sept. 20, 2018. The U.S. economy stands to be hurt in the long term by the imposition of unilateral tariffs on its major trading partners including Mexico, Canada and China as the punitive measures are always the last resort in dealing with trade disputes, business leaders said. TO GO WITH Spotlight: Business leaders say U.S. to be hurt in long term by unilateral tariffs (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Li Feihu

NEW YORK, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. economy stands to be hurt in the long term by the imposition of unilateral tariffs on its major trading partners including Mexico, Canada and China as the punitive measures are always the last resort in dealing with trade disputes, business leaders said.

"Obviously tariffs should be the last resort," said Cathy Engelbert, CEO of Deloitte, when asked about the U.S. tariffs battle with its trading partners at Yahoo Finance's second annual All Markets Summit held here Thursday.

The U.S. move "affects a lot of different things," "the cost of productions will be going up, companies don't have time to change supply chains," said Engelbert.

A lot of jobs will be affected too. "One in five American jobs are related to import and export trade. It's really an important issue raised up here," said the chief of one of the Big Four accounting firms.

In a statement issued Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his government would impose 10-percent tariffs on roughly 200 billion U.S. dollars' worth of imports from China starting on Sept. 24, and expand the levy to 25 percent beginning Jan. 1.

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, believes the United States is "a big winner" in the tariffs spat with its trading partners only "in the short run."

The latest report by the American Action Forum, a Washington-based nonprofit issue advocacy organization, showed that the upcoming tariffs could raise overall costs for both U.S. consumers and businesses by roughly 19.7 billion dollars per year.

"In the short run, the United States is a big winner," said Fink in his talk with Andy Serwer, editor-in-chief of Yahoo Finance. BlackRock's 6.3 trillion U.S. dollar assets under management make the New York-based firm one of the most influential voices in investing worldwide.

"If you look at what is being proposed in NAFTA in the short run, it looks like it's beneficial for the United States. What is being negotiated with Canada, in the short run it looks good. All the actions with China in the short run, it's good," he said.

"What I'm worried about is the long term," said Fink. "In the long run, does the U.S. behaviors impair the world vitality?"

The head of the world's largest asset manager said that business and political leaders in Europe and Asia he has met are concerned by the U.S. unilateralism.

"Does it change relationships, does it change allies, does it change the course of how we resolve problems?" Fink said.

He said the world is economically less safe as multilateralism is breaking down and populism is rising, which "create more volatility and greater problems."

In a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative by 150 industrial associations earlier this month, the organizations representing agriculture, retailers, manufacturers, technology and other industries said that "continuing the tit-for-tat tariff escalation with China only serves to expand the harm to more U.S. economic interests, including farmers, families, businesses and workers."

Kewsong Lee, co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, said his company does not have a plan to change its strategy in China though they are keeping a close eye on the escalating trade tensions between the United States and China.

"We're quite bullish on opportunities in China over the long term," said Lee. "There are lots of great investment opportunities there."

The Washington D.C.-based group is a prominent private equity firm with more than 200 billion U.S. dollars of assets under management. It has 10 percent of its assets exposed to China.

Noting that China is "a great partner," Lee said: "It's very important to the global economy for China to continue to grow."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 18:02:52|Editor: Li Xia

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ABUJA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sixty-one people have been confirmed in cholera-related deaths and 50 others hospitalized in Nigeria's northeastern state of Yobe, the government said on Friday.

A total of 906 fresh cases of cholera have been recorded in the past two months, according to government data.

The government of Yobe declared an outbreak of cholera on Friday, saying six local areas have been so far affected by the water-borne disease.

Cholera is a highly virulent disease characterized in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhea that can lead to death by severe dehydration.

In a statement, the state commissioner for health Muhammad Kawuwa said cases of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) were initially reported in some parts of the state and later confirmed to be cholera after laboratory tests.

"Some of the AWD cases were caused by Vibrio bacteria which causes cholera," Kawuwa said.

According to him, the absence of sanitation facilities in the affected local communities and flooding of water sources by recent heavy rains are likely causes of the outbreak.

The official said over 795 patients were successfully treated and discharged in the past two months.

The World Health Organization, Nigeria Center for Disease Control and other local health bodies are working to authenticate the cause of the outbreak and scale up response, he added.

Cholera outbreak is common in Nigeria due to poor water supply systems, especially in densely populated areas.

More than 16,353 cholera-related cases have been recorded so far in Nigeria since the beginning of the year, according to data by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 18:02:53|Editor: Li Xia

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TOKYO, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The top bureaucrat at Japan's education ministry resigned on Friday to account for a string of bribery cases involving its officials that have rocked the ministry.

Kazuo Todani's resignation comes on the heels of two other former senior ministry officials who were arrested and indicted over the bribery cases.

Todani's departure marks the second time a vice education minister has been forced to resign in less than two years.

Following the arrests of the two former senior ministry officials, the education ministry launched a probe into the scandals led by a team of lawyers.

The probe, which was expanded to all ministry employees, subsequently revealed that Todani and two bureau chiefs were wined and dined by former corporate executives, likely in return for favors, in violation of the code of ethics for national civil servants.

Prosecutors believe Todani was involved in the wining and dining by the executives and have since searched his office.

Todani, who was disciplined Friday for his involvement in a bribery case, apologized to the public for adding to rising mistrust in the education ministry.

"I take my punishment seriously and am deeply sorry for causing public mistrust," Todani told a press briefing.

Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also apologized for the scandal, stating he would work to restore faith in the ministry.

"I want to apologize sincerely. We will work to regain trust," Hayashi said.

Todani took over from Kihei Maekawa, who himself was forced to resign in January last year after the ministry came under fire for its inherent practice of "amakudari," or descent from heaven, a practice in which senior ministry officials are helped by ministry insiders to land plum jobs after they retire.

Such practices, which incense the public here, are in violation of the national public service law and last year alone 43 ministry officials were reprimanded for being involved in helping retired public servants secure lucrative jobs.
World Health Organization (WHO) team educate locals on hygiene and preventive measures during a house-to-house search for new cholera cases in Mubi town, Adamawa state, Nigeria, June 6, 2018. Cholera cases in northeastern Nigeria's Adamawa state have risen above 1,000 with 18 deaths since the outbreak of the water-borne disease, heath authorities said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/NAN)

ABUJA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sixty-one people have been confirmed in cholera-related deaths and 50 others hospitalized in Nigeria's northeastern state of Yobe, the government said on Friday.

A total of 906 fresh cases of cholera have been recorded in the past two months, according to government data.

The government of Yobe declared an outbreak of cholera on Friday, saying six local areas have been so far affected by the water-borne disease.

Cholera is a highly virulent disease characterized in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhea that can lead to death by severe dehydration.

World Health Organization (WHO) officials monitor water chlorination during a house-to-house search for new cholera cases in Mubi town, Adamawa state, Nigeria, June 6, 2018. (Xinhua/NAN)

In a statement, the state commissioner for health Muhammad Kawuwa said cases of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) were initially reported in some parts of the state and later confirmed to be cholera after laboratory tests.

"Some of the AWD cases were caused by Vibrio bacteria which causes cholera," Kawuwa said.

According to him, the absence of sanitation facilities in the affected local communities and flooding of water sources by recent heavy rains are likely causes of the outbreak.

The official said over 795 patients were successfully treated and discharged in the past two months.

World Health Organization (WHO) team conducts house-to-house search for new cholera cases in Mubi town, Adamawa state, Nigeria, June 6, 2018. (Xinhua/NAN)

The World Health Organization, Nigeria Center for Disease Control and other local health bodies are working to authenticate the cause of the outbreak and scale up response, he added.

Cholera outbreak is common in Nigeria due to poor water supply systems, especially in densely populated areas.

More than 16,353 cholera-related cases have been recorded so far in Nigeria since the beginning of the year, according to data by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.
Fairfax, Virginia, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yesterday at the Angelika Film Center Mosaic, Give an Hour and Healthy Minds Fairfax kicked off their new partnership with a screening of the film, "Into the Light" and a panel discussion focused on the global effort to change the culture surrounding mental health so that those in need are able to get the care and support they deserve. The conversation also put a particular emphasis on how local youth will benefit from this new partnership. The panel discussion was moderated by Charles Stuart, Director of Into the Light and included Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, Founder and President of the Give an Hour and Dr. Diane Hoekstra, Give an Hour/Healthy Minds Fairfax Provider.



Moving forward, this new partnership with Healthy Minds Fairfax (HMF), Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, Virginia will provide no-cost mental health services to income-eligible children and youth between the ages of 5 to 21.



We are proud of our partnership with Health Minds Fairfax  and of the opportunity to expand our model to reach those young people  and their families in need here in these communities, said Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D., President of the Give an Hour. In order to accomplish our mission, we invite all mental health professionals to join us to give an hour of time each week to address the mental health needs in our communities. We all have skills and expertise to give.



"Into the Light" is an inspiring film that shares the story of Brendan OToole, a former Marine from Fairfax County, as he struggles to assimilate back into his community after his return from combat. The story also follows Dr. Barbara Van Dahlens efforts to change the culture around mental health, mental illness, and emotional well-being as she realizes that she too has an important story to tell.



Healthy Minds Fairfax is excited about this unique opportunity for Fairfax Countys children, youth, young adults and their families and the expansion of quality mental health services to our residents in an accessible manner, said Betty Petersilia, LCSW, Healthy Minds Fairfaxs Childrens Behavioral Health Collaborative Manager.



To learn more about Into the Light, click here and visit giveanhour.org to learn how you can volunteer and become involved.

ABOUT GIVE AN HOUR

Founded by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area- Give an Hours mission is to develop networks of skill-based volunteer professionals capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions prevalent within society. Since 2005, the nonprofit organization has provided free mental health services to U.S. service members, veterans, and their families. In 2015, Give an Hour expanded efforts to address the mental health needs of other populations including at-risk teens, survivors of gun violence, victims of human trafficking and those affected by natural and man-made disasters. In addition, Give an Hour is now working internationally to provide information and services to address the needs of those who are in emotional pain around the world. Through the generosity, compassion, and expertise of Give an Hours skilled volunteers, we are able to increase the likelihood that those in need receive the support and care they deserve. Thus far, the U.S. network of nearly 7,000 licensed mental health professionals has provided more than 265,000 hours of care and support to those in need. Learn more at www.giveanhour.org and www.changedirection.org.

ABOUT HEALTHY MINDS FAIRFAX

Healthy Minds Fairfax coordinates a full range of mental health and substance abuse services for children and youth across multiple agencies, the school system, and private treatment providers. The goals are to help youth and families access mental health and substance abuse services and to improve the quality of those services.

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Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 18:56:01|Editor: Li Xia

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Papercutting artist Qiu Ting (2nd R) and pupils present a harvest-themed papercutting at Tengzhou Experimental Primary School in Tengzhou City, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 20, 2018. Qiu spent over two months in creating the 2,018-centimeter-long papercutting to greet the first Chinese farmers' harvest festival, which falls on the Autumnal Equinox, or Sept. 23 this year. (Xinhua/Sun Zhongzhe)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 18:32:58|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TEHRAN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The international community should pressure Israel to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Iranian envoy to the UN nuclear watchdog was quoted by Press TV as saying on Friday.

Making Israel abide by the directives of the the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the only way to bring peace to the Middle East, Kazem Gharibabadi, the Iranian ambassador and permanent representative to the IAEA, said.

Gharibabadi made the remarks in a Thursday address to the 62nd Annual Session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna.

He also criticized the IAEA for what he called "giving in" to the Israeli pressures and for not following up on Israel's "dangerous" nuclear activities, according to the report.

Gharibabadi pointed to a longstanding UN-driven proposal to prohibit nuclear weapons in the region which was passed in 1974 and is named the Middle East Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, saying that a "lack of political will" had kept regional states from implementing such international decisions.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 19:18:06|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have appealed to further strengthen international cooperation in space exploration, aiming to reduce the risk of near-Earth objects.

Compared to global issues like food security, energy shortage, climate change, cyber attacks and environmental pollution caused by human activities, more serious threats to our globe may come from space, said Chen Jiansheng, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and a senior astronomer, at a conference promoting science literacy.

There are more than 18,000 near-Earth asteroids - around 800 have a diameter greater than 1 km. Researchers have discovered 180 giant impact craters on our planet, which exhibit the formidable power that a small celestial object could generate when hitting the Earth.

Evidence found in the strata in Kamba County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, showed that Earth suffered a major asteroid impact about 65 million years ago, which might have led to the extinction of dinosaurs.

Ouyang Ziyuan, a CAS academician and first chief scientist of China's lunar probe project, also believes that the danger from small celestial objects "is worth attention while we are devoted to building a community with a shared future for humanity."

"Scientists around the world should cooperate to monitor near-Earth asteroids," said Ouyang, noting that modern space technologies are capable of defending Earth from their threat.

"We can land a propeller on a potentially hazardous asteroid and with a very small force, push it away from the orbit that crosses Earth's path," Ouyang said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 19:28:08|Editor: Xiang Bo

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TIANJIN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Jack Ma said he would rather die on the beach than in his executive office at Alibaba, so he chose to retire as the chairman of the board of Alibaba on Sept. 10, 2019.

The decision, though a surprise to many, was a well-thought-out one for him, said the 54-year-old in a public dialogue at the Summer Davos Forum which concluded on Thursday.

"At the age of 54, I am a bit old in the Internet industry, but quite young for many other sectors," he said.

"In the next 15 to 16 years, there's still a lot of things I can do. I know it would be difficult for people at the age of 55 or 56, say 60, to leave. By then you would no longer be sure about your future, and you would hang on," he said.

In Ma's words, the retirement decision announced 11 days ago was anything but a retreat. It is actually "a step forward" for himself and the company.

PAPA of BABA

As the co-founder of the Internet giant (NYSE: BABA), Ma likes to describe his relationship with Alibaba as that of a parent to a child.

These days, he and his company are going through what he calls a weaning process.

The day Ma announced the decision, the stock market responded with price declines.

Shrugging off the fluctuations, Ma said the market would adapt to the change, and so would the company.

"It's like weaning a child. It's good for both the mother and the child. Even if her kid cried, she would not budge, as she knew it was a wise decision and a process of growing up," he said.

Ma said his coming retirement had been planned for years.

Ma's first major "letting-go" took place in 2013, when he stepped down as Alibaba's CEO.

The decision was part of Ma's succession plan for Alibaba, a company that he hoped could stay in business for at least 102 years, according to previous interviews.

Founded in 1999, Alibaba has grown into one of the world's most profitable companies, valued at more than 400 billion U.S. dollars.

As the company is about to enter its second decade, Ma knows he has to delegate power to the younger generation.

"I've been fortunate to make it where I am today, but luck will not always accompany you. The best way to increase your luck is to give more opportunities to young people," Ma said.

Considering the scale and influence of Alibaba, he said the company needs to be steered by someone who excels in systematic thinking, composure, and leadership.

Ma's successor is Daniel Zhang who has been Alibaba's CEO since 2015. "I was very touched when he agreed to take the post, as it is not an easy job," Ma said.

"If the company runs into a problem, I'll take a look and talk with them, but things are now in their hands," he said.

A SEA OF GOSSIP

Rumors spread on the heels of the news of Ma's retirement. Skeptics said he was forced to step down, while others claimed he had already shifted a large number of assets to other countries, planning to leave China.

"Gossip has been around us every day for the past 19 years. For someone who has a dream for the future, gossips, rumors, hardships and frustrations will always be part of your life," he said.

No matter what people say, Ma says he does not care about the rumors. "To friends, you don't need to explain. To non-friends, the more you explain, the worse the situation becomes," he said.

Ma doesn't want himself to be glorified. However, Alibaba's success does not come without doubts and setbacks.

In 2000, Alibaba started to recruit workers. "We couldn't get staff as the name of the company sounded strange, and many people thought e-commerce had no future in China."

Attributing the company's success to the good fortune which came from its desire to promote the progress of the society and help small enterprises and employees grow, Ma said he was lucky to find a competent team.

Depicting himself as a man without professional business and technology education, Ma said his experience of being a teacher played an important role in turning him into an entrepreneur.

Before starting Alibaba, Ma studied at Hangzhou Normal University after twice failing the national college entrance exams and became an English teacher after graduation.

"As a teacher, I know how to discover the potential in students, train them and cultivate them. Over the past 19 years, I spent a lot of time discovering talent, training and cultivating them as well," he said.

"I'm most proud of Alibaba's talent cultivation and cultural development," Ma said.

An unparalleled legacy of Ma could be what he called "a legion of capable corporate leaders." "If I am among the company's first-generation leadership, we already have a blueprint for the fifth-generation leadership," he said.

In his eyes, an extraordinary company is often made through the tough times.

Without surviving economic cycles, natural and man-made disasters, a company could hardly become "valuable," he said.

"Over the past 19 years, too many people have just noticed our achievements, not knowing we have suffered many more setbacks than others," he added.

"Being confident does not mean persuading oneself into believing tomorrow will be good. It means being capable of surviving when tomorrow is bad," he said.

BE YOURSELF

After Ma's retirement news was released, curious netizens made a name card for him with many titles, such as teacher, charity volunteer and chairman of Alibaba's poverty relief fund.

"The name Jack Ma is really like an IP (intellectual property)," he said.

Over the years, people have defined Jack Ma in many different ways, but for him, those definitions are not so relevant.

"I'm just an ordinary person who was born, grew up, started a business and developed it in Hangzhou," he said. "Sometimes I just feel I was blessed and lucky enough to work with a group of amazing people to be able to get where we are today."

Many of his colleagues say the spirit of a honey badger lives inside Ma. The animal has great perseverance in adverse conditions and is fearless.

"If you ask me to fight with somebody, don't tell me how many people there are and who they are. Just tell me the time and place. I'm never afraid of challenges," Ma said, adding that entrepreneurs should be courageous and never give up.

"Be the best version of yourself, not Jack Ma or anyone else."

Ready to get back to where he started, Ma said if he was asked to make a name card for himself, it would be related to education.

Educators can share the most beautiful things in humans with others, and tell people how to deal with failure and face challenges. "This is the essence of education."

Ma has met many people who are interesting, extraordinary or despicable. He said all their different personalities made him reflect on why they got to where they are today.

"Entrepreneurs should understand that knowing others is wisdom while knowing yourself is enlightenment," he said.

In Ma's opinion, education doesn't have to be serious. Instead, it could be done in an interesting way. China's liquor culture, for instance, is something worth learning. Other than that, Ma likes to engage in many other areas that make him happy, including public welfare and developing his new computer chip business.

As for Alibaba, Ma said he would never truly leave.

"An ordinary employee gives 12 hours a day to Alibaba while a vice president devotes 24 hours a day. For a partner like me, your whole life belongs to Alibaba," he said.

"If I'm still around at the age of 80 or 90, and I sit on the beach, listening to the radio, and a news broadcast says that Alibaba had a good year, I think I will be very proud."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 19:28:08|Editor: xuxin

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People look at a poster made for the 150th anniversary of Australia's discovery at National Library of Australia, in Canberra, Australia, on Sept. 21, 2018. Two hundred and fifty years after James Cook set off for his first voyage to the Pacific, the National Library of Australia launched an exhibition to commemorate the captain who discovered the land. The exhibition, Cook and the Pacific, which runs from Sept. 22 until Feb. 10, 2019, tells the stories of Cook's voyages in the Pacific and the rich cultures he encountered. (Xinhua/Pan Xiangyue)

by Xinhua Writer Bai Xu

CANBERRA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Two hundred and fifty years after James Cook set off for his first voyage to the Pacific, the National Library of Australia launched an exhibition to commemorate the captain who discovered the land.

The exhibition, Cook and the Pacific, which will run from Sept. 22 until Feb. 10, 2019, tells the stories of Cook's voyages in the Pacific and the rich cultures he encountered.

"There are many stories associated with his voyages," said Dr. Susannah Helman, curator of the exhibition. "They are incredibly well documented in words, in arts, in objects collected during the voyages."

"We aim to present an exhibition that does something different, an exhibition that highlights many voices in the voyages on the ships and shores, the voyages of meeting with people of friendship, misunderstandings, peace and sometimes violence, and sometimes extraordinary conversations and exchanges," she said.

Captain Cook, born in Yorkshire in 1728 to a farm laborer, was apprenticed to a ship owner and sailed coal ships in the North Sea, English Channel, Irish Sea and Baltic Sea. In 1768, he made a lieutenant and given the command of the Bark Endeavor. On Aug. 25, 1768, he set sail from England, bound for Tahiti in his first of three voyages.

In an interview with Xinhua, Helman said that one of her favorite of the 180 exhibits was a wooden dagger which was believed to be the weapon that killed Cook.

"Although there are accounts that Cook was killed by an iron dagger, stories have persisted that a carved swordfish-bill dagger was used," she said.

The one on display was collected by naturalist Andrew Bloxam in 1825, who noted it was "probably the dagger used in the death of Captain Cook." Traces of red are visible on one side of the weapon.

The dagger was identical as the one in the painting next to it, Death of Captain Cook by George Carter in 1781, which showed the dramatic moment of the confrontation. In that version Cook was shown on the attack, using his inverted gun as a club as he confronted a Hawaiian chief.

Another highlight of the exhibition are Cook's journals. This is the first time that Cook's three voyage journals, one from the National Library of Australia and two from the British Library, were put together to tell a complete story.

Extraordinary numbers of botanical specimens were collected on Cook's voyages, among which more than 1,000 were previously unknown to Europeans. Among the exhibits were specimens of Myrtaceae Callistemon citrinus and Proteaceae Grevillea pteridifoia, collected in 1770.

The exhibition also brought together manuscripts, works of art, maps, posters, books as well as objects he used on the voyage. "They are not only our collection, but also from the Australian collections and around the world," Helman said.

Helman and her team spent a couple of years preparing for the exhibition.

"We had been on a journey ourselves in developing this exhibition, both literally and metaphorically," Helman said. "In the past we tend to isolate Cook from the context."

After the research, she got to know the enigmatic figure better. "He was complex," she said. "He was talented with perseverance. He was fascinated by getting to the bottom of things."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 19:38:10|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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RAMALLAH, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian Authority (PA) official welcomed on Friday the announcement of Spain voicing its readiness to recognize a Palestinian state.

Josep Borrell, the Spanish Foreign Minister, said Thursday that his country's recognition of the state of Palestine is "on the table," adding that he would launch an "intensive" process to establish a European consensus on the matter.

Reyad al-Malki, the PA minister of foreign affairs, said in an emailed statement that the Palestinians are pleased with Spain's serious approach to the recognition of the state of Palestine.

The encouraging statement made by Borrell brings optimism, said al-Malki, revealing that he held talks with his Spanish counterpart two weeks ago on the issue.

He said that the recognition of a Palestinian state could be either collectively by a consensus of the European Union or individually by a single country.

He added that each European country "is entitled to take the decision it deems appropriate if consensus cannot be reached."

Malki said he will keep in contact with Borrell "to speed up the measures in favor of the recognition of the state of Palestine," and to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week.

The Palestinians seek the EU recognition of an independent Palestinian state on the borders occupied by Israel in 1967, as it underscores the two-state solution.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 19:58:13|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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CAPE TOWN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday unveiled a comprehensive economic stimulus plan with a focus on restoring investor confidence.

The measures outlined in the plan give priority to those areas of economic activity that will have the greatest impact on youth, women and small businesses, Ramaphosa said.

"It is generally agreed that in order for our economy to grow at a rate that will lead to job creation on a meaningful scale, we need to significantly increase levels of investment," the president said.

The plan, he said, is designed to help rapidly accelerate the implementation of key economic reforms that will unlock greater investment in important growth sectors, which include immediate changes approved by the cabinet on Thursday in South Africa's visa regime.

Within the next few months, amendments will be made to regulations on the travel of minors, the list of countries requiring visas to enter South Africa will be reviewed, an e-visas pilot will be implemented, and the visa requirements for highly skilled foreigners will be revised, according to Ramaphosa.

"These measures have the potential to boost tourism and make business travel a lot more conducive.

"Tourism continues to be a great job creator and through these measures we are confident that many more tourists will visit South Africa," he said.

The plan also makes it imperative that South Africa restores investment and exploration levels in the mining sector.

This will revitalize the mining industry and provide certainty to investors while charting a sustainable path towards a transformed and inclusive industry, said Ramaphosa.

Mining and mineral beneficiation activities have significant potential to drive long term growth, exports and job growth, Ramaphosa said.

Parliament will be requested in terms of its rules not to proceed with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act Amendment Bill, which has contributed to a lot of uncertainty in the sector, according to Ramaphosa.

The bill, which has long been delayed, has met with strong opposition from the mining industry because it requires mining companies intending to export minerals to apply for written consent from the Minister of Mineral Resources, who might apply certain conditions.

Separate legislation for the regulation of the oil and gas industry will be drafted through the government's legislative process, Ramaphosa said.

To reduce the cost of doing business, to boost exports and to make South African industry more competitive, the government has begun a review of various administered prices, starting with electricity, port and rail tariffs, Ramaphosa said.

Other measures to be implemented include expanding procurement from small business and cooperatives, as well as using trade measures - within WTO rules - to protect poultry and other sensitive sectors and a vigorous crackdown on illegal imports, according to Ramaphosa.

The plan also re-prioritizes government spending towards activities that have the greatest impact on economic growth, domestic demand and job creation, with a particular emphasis on township and rural economies, women and youth.

"Our government has limited fiscal space to increase spending or borrowing, it is imperative that we make sure that the resources that we do have are used to the greatest effect," the president said.

Re-prioritized funding will be directed towards investments in agriculture and economic activity in townships and rural areas, he said.

The government will make interventions to ensure that black commercial farmers increase their entry into food value chains through access to infrastructure like abattoirs and feedlots, Ramaphosa said.

As part of the plan, the government will set up a South Africa Infrastructure Fund, which will fundamentally transform its approach to the rollout, building and implementation of infrastructure projects.

The Fund will reduce the current fragmentation of infrastructure spend and ensure more efficient and effective use of resources, according to Ramaphosa.

The private sector will be invited to enter into meaningful partnerships with government in this fund, he said.

The contribution from the fiscus towards the Infrastructure Fund over the medium-term expenditure framework period would be in excess of 400 billion rand (about 27 billion U.S. dollars).

"Together, we are taking bold and concrete measures to ensure a clear and sustained improvement in the lives of all South Africans," Ramaphosa said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 21:03:22|Editor: Li Xia

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CHONGQING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Zuncheng (Chongqing) Logistics Chain Management Co., which provides international logistics solutions for clients in West China, now offers more price competitive transport.

"Earlier, it took over 30 days for cargo to be shipped downstream on the Yangtze River to Shanghai and then to Southeast Asia," said Yang Ming, president of Zuncheng. "Now it saves about 20 days as goods are first transported to a port in southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region by train and then shipped to Singapore by sea."

The faster Southern Transport Corridor is an important part of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, the third intergovernmental cooperation project between the two countries.

Han Baochang, director of the demonstration initiative's administration bureau, said the regular rail-sea transit route was an international trade logistics passage built by western Chinese inland regions and Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore.

Sept. 25 marks the first anniversary of the route launch. Freight trains had made 268 trips by July and further connected 107 ports in 55 countries and regions.

"The Southern Transport Corridor has become the most convenient way to connect the western Chinese regions by sea and is reshaping the logistics industry," said Li Muyuan from the China Communications and Transportation Association.

Li said earlier that longer and more costly logistics through the eastern route to the sea was one of the bottlenecks that hindered the development of China's western regions.

The Southern Transport Corridor is of bigger significance. The China-Europe freight train service and the corridor connect the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Maritime Silk Road.

"The larger transport corridor connects Central Asia and Europe to the west, and ASEAN members to the south, further linking South Asia, the Middle East and Australia," said Zhai Kun, professor of international relations at Peking University. "All the countries and regions along the corridor can thus share capacity and market."

Over the past year, the Southern Transport Corridor has boosted economic and trade exchanges between west China and Southeast Asian countries.

Both the export and import volume and goods variety have increased, said Han. Agricultural products, auto and motorcycle parts, and electricity generators are moving south while clothing, agricultural products and mineral products from Southeast Asia are moving north.

The southern corridor brings market opportunities for businesses in west China.

Li Jingsen, president of Lanzhou Pump Co. in northwest China's Gansu Province, said the company earlier focused on Central Asia in its export strategy, but now gave similar attention to Southeast Asia.

The corridor has become a platform for Southeast Asian countries to share the opportunities of the B&R Initiative.

Goods from Vietnam start by moving to Chongqing and then take trains bound for Europe. This takes about 19 days, much shorter the over 40 days for shipping by sea.

"Southeast Asian countries can use the transport corridor for easier and faster links with Central Asia and Europe to share opportunities brought about by the B&R Initiative," said Gordon Tan, an official with Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Chinese and South Sudanese engineers are seen during the launch of the newly built power poles factory along Yei road in Juba, capital of South Sudan, April 16, 2018. The South Sudan government on Monday launched a factory producing concrete poles that will facilitate an ambitious project done by a Chinese company to rehabilitate and expand the Power Distribution System in Juba, its capital. (Xinhua/Denis Elamu)

JUBA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan will harness power connection from neighboring countries and build additional hydro power dams to boost its development and growth.

Dhieu Mathok, the minister of dams and electricity, told Xinhua on Thursday that the government will implement deals on power extension previously signed with Ethiopia and Uganda besides working with China to fund the construction of the 1,080-megawatt Fula hydro dam located at Nimule border town with Uganda.

"We are prioritizing electricity and roads. We are currently erecting and rehabilitating electricity network in Juba and the surrounding states. The medium term goal is to connect South Sudan to the region. We are extending electricity from Sudan to Malakal," he said in Juba.

He disclosed that President Salva Kiir's recent visit to Beijing during the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit resulted into the two countries signing an agreement on developing the nascent energy sector in the world's youngest nation which has been disrupted by over four years of conflict.

"We are going to prepare feasibility study and we are going to approach China to see how we can start work on the Fula dam," he said.

The Fula project was supposed to have taken off with support from Norway under Public-private partnership but stalled due to outbreak of conflict in late 2013.

Last year, South Sudan and Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will see Addis Ababa extend electricity to the Eastern parts of South Sudan.

Workers go about their work at a power plant site, in Juba, capital of South Sudan, April 19, 2017. South Sudan on Thursday installed machines at the newly built 100 MW power plant in the capital that will increase access to electricity from the meager one percent to 21 percent by 2020. (Xinhua/Denis Elamu)

In October 2017, South Sudan reached agreement with neighboring Uganda to extend 15 KV of electricity to the three border areas of Kaya, Nimule and Kajo Keji.

South Sudan is largely a generator-driven economy with continued electricity blackout in the wake of the collapse of the generator power plant operated by the South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC) in 2013.

Mathok also said that the ongoing work on rehabilitating and upgrading the power distribution system in Juba by Power China Company will end by November and will extend to the regions.

The Juba Power Distribution System Rehabilitation and Expansion Project was funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), which has extended a grant totaling 33 million dollars to help South Sudan expand access to cleaner energy sources.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says that United States should drop its "hostile" policies towards the Islamic republic. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

TEHRAN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Friday denied that the Islamic republic has offered a meeting proposal between the U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of an upcoming UN meeting in New York.

The news about "a request from the Iranian side to meet the U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting is absurd," Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Baharm Qasemi, said.

Such news is aimed at creating a "psychological climate" and it is denied, Qasemi said.

On Thursday, a Western report claimed that the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had asked for a bilateral meeting with Trump.

Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the United States over the enduring thorny issues in the near future.

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.

Trump has voiced readiness to meet with Iran's leadership over the persisting issues between the two countries.
English Italian

Mestre (Venice, Italy), 21 September 2018  In September, IFIS NPL acquired from UniCredit, Deutsche Bank Group and one of the leading Italian consumer credit companies three portfolios of distressed loans for a total of  1.26 billion (nominal value) corresponding to more than 70,700 positions. All of them are receivables purchased on the Italian primary market. Below are details of the transactions:

The most significant portfolio purchased by IFIS NPL is of an unsecured banking type and includes, amongst others, personal guarantees and mortgages of a degree higher than the first. The portfolio, of a nominal value of  1.09 billion (more than 30,000 positions), was sold by UniCredit and is made up of receivables claimed from SMEs.

The second purchase, of a nominal value of approximately  155 million, is attributable to the primary banking market and consumer credit and was sold by the Deutsche Bank Group. The portfolio, which is made up for 78% of the nominal value of bank receivables and for the remaining 22% by impaired receivables deriving from credit cards, corresponds to more than 37,500 positions.

The last purchase transaction regards a portfolio sold to IFIS NPL, on the primary market, consumer cluster, by one of the leading Italian consumer credit companies. The nominal value is approximately  21 million (more than 3,250 positions), of which 75% are personal loans, 25% credit cards.

Following the purchases made, the proprietary portfolio of IFIS NPL amounts to more than  14.7 billion (nominal value), for a total of more than 1.57 million positions.



* value of the portfolio al 31 December 2017
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 21:18:26|Editor: Li Xia

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PARIS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- A statue of a Chinese farmer has been installed in front of Gare de Lyon, one of the French capital's largest railway stations, to pay tribute to Chinese workers in World War I.

With more than 2 meters of height, the bronze statue represents an ordinary farmer of China's Shandong province, from which most of the Chinese workers of the World War I came.

"This statue embodies a Sino-French common memory ... I hope it will establish an even stronger link between the French and the Chinese...," said Zhai Jun, ambassador of China in France.

For her part, Catherine Baratti-Elbaz, mayor of the Paris 12th district told Xinhua "I am convinced that what we are doing today to express memories for the Chinese workers of the World War I, will contribute to peace for today and tomorrow."

Between 1916 and 1918, some 140,000 Chinese workers had arrived in Europe to provide logistical services to the Allied forces. About 20,000 of them had lost their lives during the war.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 21:23:26|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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NEW DELHI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- India Friday called off foreign minister-level talks with Pakistan that were scheduled to be held in New York later this month, officials said.

The talks were scrapped a day after New Delhi agreed to Islamabad's proposal of holding talks between the foreign ministers in New York.

"Since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place," India's foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told media.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was initially scheduled to meet her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly later this month, according to Raveesh Kumar on Thursday.

The two countries are currently at loggerheads with each other. There has been no considerable improvement in the relations of the two countries or resumption of bilateral relations ever since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India in 2014.
Workers make felt carpets at a factory in a poverty alleviation industrial park in Tongxin County, Wuzhong City of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, June 23, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's precise poverty reduction strategy is inspiring as the world's "multidimensional poverty" hits children worst, a senior expert said here Thursday.

Sabina Alkire, director of Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), said that China's government-led fight against poverty is a good example to the developing world as China's anti-poverty struggle is on a village-to-village, country-to-county, and district-to-district basis, making the country's poverty reduction more efficient.

Official statistics from China shows that from 1995 to 2005, 268 million people were lifted out of poverty in China, while figures from the World Bank from 1990 to 2000 are roughly the same magnitude, she said, who was here to introduce the latest index by the UN Development Program (UNDP) and OPHI.

According to the 2018 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), while only 1.4 percent of the Chinese people live under the income poverty line of 1.9 dollars (purchasing power parity), some 4 percent are dimensionally poor.

The MPI, introduced in 2010 by the UNDP, looks beyond income to understand how people experience poverty in multiple and simultaneous ways.

It identifies how people are being left behind across three key dimensions: health, education and living standards. Those deprived in at least of a third of the MPI's components are defined as multidimensionally poor.

Meanwhile, the index shows that a significant number of people living in poverty are younger than 18 years old, according to estimates by the 2018 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).

The new figures, by UNDP and OPHI, show that of some 1.3 billion people living in multidimensional poverty in 104 primarily low and middle-income countries, 662 million are children.

The 2018 figures cover almost three-quarters of the world's population.

Of the 1.3 billion multidimensionally poor people, almost half -- 46 percent - are thought to be living in severe poverty and are deprived in at least half of the dimensions covered in the MPI.

On an optimistic note, Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator, said also at the index release that "Although the level of poverty -- particularly in children -- is staggering, so is the progress that can be made in tackling it."

In India, the first country for which progress over time has been estimated, 271 million people moved out of poverty between 2005/06 and 2015/16; its poverty rate was nearly halved, falling from 55 percent to 28 percent over the ten-year period, said Alkire.

Although similar comparisons over time have not yet been calculated for other countries, the latest information from UNDP's Human Development Index C released last week shows significant development progress in all regions, including many Sub-Saharan African countries.

Multidimensional poverty is found in all developing regions of the world, but it is particularly acute -- and significant -- in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

In Sub-Saharan Africa for instance, some 560 million people (58 percent of the population) are living in multidimensional poverty, 342 million (61 percent of those living in multidimensional poverty) of them severely so.

In South Asia, 546 million people (31 percent of the population) are multidimensionally poor, 200 million of them (37 percent) severely so.

The data show that in addition to the 1.3 billion people classed as poor, an additional 879 million are at risk of falling into multidimensional poverty, which could happen quickly if they suffer setbacks from conflict, sickness, drought, unemployment and more.

The 2018 edition of the MPI covers 104 countries comprising 5.5 billion people, or about 74 of the global population.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 21:43:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng (L), also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob in Singapore, Sept. 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

SINGAPORE, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Friday met respectively with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, pledging to further promote bilateral ties.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is in the city-state for a three-day visit starting Wednesday.

Han said China and Singapore have viewed each other's development as opportunities for themselves, and innovatively forged a relationship featuring mutual learning as well as being mutually beneficial for a win-win cooperation.

The two countries established an all-round cooperative partnership progressing with the times when Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Singapore in 2015, ushering the bilateral ties in a new era, said Han.

The leaders from both countries have met several times this year and reached important consensus on bilateral cooperation in the new era, Han added.

He called on both sides to fully implement the consensus, prepare well for following high-level exchanges, enhance strategic communication and top-level planning, set priorities for future cooperation and strengthen cooperation on the Belt and Road construction so as to further advance bilateral ties to progress with the times.

Under the current complicated and changing circumstances, both sides need to intensify coordination on international and regional affairs, jointly address challenges and safeguard common interests, said Han.

Noting Singapore as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, which is also the 15th anniversary of forging strategic partnership between China and the ASEAN, Han said China is ready to work with Singapore to take the opportunity to build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and jointly safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading system so as to contribute to regional and global stability and prosperity.

For their part, Halimah and Lee said Singapore-China ties have entered a new stage while the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has brought great opportunities for all-round pragmatic cooperation.

Both sides need to advance with the times and improve bilateral cooperation, they said.

Singapore stands ready to enhance alignment of development strategies with China, accelerate connectivity construction and explore cooperation in the third-party market, they said.

Singapore is willing to play a constructive role in promoting ASEAN-China ties, they said, adding that the Singapore-China mutually beneficial cooperation will contribute to regional stability and development.

Stressing that international trade should not be a zero-sum game, the Singaporean leaders said Singapore firmly supports free trade and open market, and is willing to jointly safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading system.

During his stay in Singapore, Han also co-chaired four bilateral high-level cooperative meetings with Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and met with Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Han and Teo visited a monument commemorating late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping as this year marks the 40th anniversary of Deng's visit to Singapore.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 21:48:33|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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KABUL, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The people of the militancy-plagued Afghanistan observed Ashura ritual in a peaceful environment on Thursday amid tight security and cooperation between security forces and people, locals said Friday.

"Thank God that we observed Ashura in a peaceful environment on Thursday and the credit goes to the cooperation between security forces and people," a Kabul resident, Qurban Ali, told Xinhua.

To ensure a peaceful environment for the mourners of Ashura, the government had put all necessary security measures on place ahead of Ashura in big cities including Kabul. Security forces also arrested 16 militants affiliated to the Islamic State (IS) group in Kabul and unearthed their hideouts a couple of days ago.

In efforts to ensure peace during Ashura, the Ministry of Interior deployed police in all sensitive areas including mosques and asked people to work in harmony with police to foil any possible terrorist attacks.

In addition to security forces, Ashura mourners also arranged their own security teams to protect the mourners' processions in the fortified Kabul and other cities.

"No security incident had been reported on Thursday to disrupt the Ashura processions and therefore we are thankful to our police and sister security entities," another Kabul resident, Asghar Ali, told Xinhua.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani also praised the cooperation between security forces and people on the Ashura day.

"The harmony between people and security forces had thwarted the vicious designs of the enemies during Ashura," Ghani said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 21:48:33|Editor: Li Xia

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HANGZHOU, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Police in east China's Zhejiang Province arrested 21 suspects for stealing more than 10 million pieces of data including customer information from Alibaba's delivery arm Cainiao Network.

In June, police in Hangzhou received reports from the logistics company that barcode scanners used in its distribution stations had been infected with malware that transfered the collected data to remote cloud servers.

The data included the names of the logistic firms, user names, phone numbers and parcel tracking numbers, according to Cainiao.

From July to September, local police launched raids in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong, and arrested the suspects. They also confiscated 10 cloud servers, and over 30 phones and computers used in the case.

Police said the suspects were service providers to local Cainiao's distribution stations. They used this advantage to install the malware on the scanners and collected the information for promoting commercial content on their social media accounts.

The malware was first developed in August 2017. As of June, more than 10 million pieces of data had been collected, according to police.

Cainiao said the loopholes have now been fixed.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:03:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BERLIN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier (CDU) wants to increase the speed of the expansion of electricity grids in the country.

"We need more power grids and we need them quickly," said Altmaier on Thursday night after a meeting in Berlin.

Altmaier called for measures to accelerate the network expansion at the meeting of the economics ministers of the federal states of Germany.

"We want to use modern technologies to increase the capacity reserves in existing grids on the one hand and ensure that electricity grids are expanded more quickly on the other," stated the minister.

The so-called Energiewende, Germany's transition to renewable energy sources, is well under way.

According to numbers published by the German Solar Association (BSW), the solar sector for example expects record figures with 40 billion kilowatt hours of electricity generated in the first three quarters of 2018. The same amount of solar energy was produced during the entire year 2017. Also, all German nuclear power plants will be shut down by 2022 and a so-called coal commission has been set up to develop plans for phasing out of the use of coal energy.

Wind energy is the most important source of renewable energy in Germany. It contributed a total of 16.3 percent to the entire German electricity supply mix in 2017 and is the second largest source of energy after brown coal.

One of the biggest challenges for the German energy transition is to transport the electrical power generated by wind energy from the coast in the north to the south where many large industrial sites are located. To facilitate the necessary expansion of power grids in Germany, two new major power lines called Suedlink and Suedostlink are expected to be completed by 2025.

According to information from the German network agency, only 950 of the 7,700 kilometers of power lines required for the expansion of the network are currently completed. A further 1,750 kilometers have been approved.

An action plan of Altmaier seeks to simplify the approval procedures for the construction of power lines and to involve citizens in the planning process. The German government will make a final decision on the proposal by the beginning of next year at the latest.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:18:41|Editor: Yamei

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DHAKA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 35 people are missing after four fishing boats capsized off Bangladesh, a police official said Friday, sparking a major search effort in the Bay of Bengal.

"At least 35 fishermen were missing after the boats sank yesterday," Khalilur Rahman, a senior police official, told Xinhua from a station at Kuakata in southern Patuakhali district, 204 km away from the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.

He said rescue efforts are still ongoing.

Stormy winds have caused the fishing boats to capsize along the coast of Kuakata on Thursday, he said.

Five fishermen of the capsized boats reportedly managed to return ashore Friday and narrated about the accidents.

As the sea was turbulent, the survivors said nearby vessels could not rescue them.

Rough weather still hampers search and rescue efforts on Friday, said the official.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:23:42|Editor: Yamei

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BUDAPEST, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian Constitutional Court has blamed the Sargentini report adopted by the European Parliament for its lack of prior consultations, official sources told here on Thursday.

"The importance of international constitutional dialogue has been emphasized in the context of the Sargentini Report," Tamas Sulyok, President of the Hungarian Constitutional Court, declared in a press release published following the meeting of the Constitutional Court and ambassadors.

The Sargentini report, adopted by a two thirds majority of the European Parliament, enumerates a number of concerns about the rule of law in Hungary, its electoral system, changed without the approval of the opposition parties, the independence of the judiciary, corruption issues, freedom of expression, assembly and religion, as well as the rights of minorities and asylum-seekers and issues connected with equal opportunity.

Sulyok stressed that "Europe faced more complex challenges today than ever, and regular exchange of experience, opinions and information was indispensable in the shifting global political, economic and social context."

"Unfortunately, the current counter-example is the Sargentini report, the authors of which have formulated statements that negatively affect the integrity, autonomy and authority of the Hungarian Constitutional Court, however, all preliminary consultations with the Constitutional Court were omitted," he added.

Sulyok also informed that by introducing the notion of "genuine constitutional complaint", the basic law allowed the claimants to turn to the Constitutional Court directly for remedies if their fundamental rights were violated.

The European Parliament voted on Sept. 12 on the Special Report on the Rule of Law in the Republic of Hungary.

According to the document prepared by Green Party member Judith Sargentini, there is a risk of serious and systemic damage to EU values in Hungary, which justifies the initiation of a procedure under Article 7 of the EU Treaty.

If a member state is seen as being at risk of breaching basic EU values, EU institutions can recommend a process that can ultimately end with the suspension of a government's voting rights.

This option remains very unlikely, as it requires a unanimous decision of the heads of states and governments of the EU. Poland, Hungary's ally, has already said it would veto any such sanctions.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:28:47|Editor: Li Xia

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BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, on Friday sent a message of condolence to Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, over the passing away of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.

"We are shocked to hear that comrade Tran Dai Quang, president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, passed away," Xi said in the message. "On behalf of the CPC, the Chinese government and people, as well as in my own name, I extend the deepest condolences to you and to the CPV, the Vietnamese government and people through you."

"We are deeply saddened by his passing away," Xi added.

Comrade Tran Dai Quang was an outstanding party and state leader of Vietnam, and made great contributions to the development, renovation and opening-up of Vietnam, the Chinese president said.

As a close comrade and friend of the Chinese people, Quang committed himself to inheriting and carrying forward the China-Vietnam traditional friendship and actively promoted the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries, Xi noted.

Xi said he believes that under the strong leadership of the general secretary, the CPV, the Vietnamese government and people will transfer their grief into strength and constantly make new achievements in the cause of socialist construction.

The Chinese president also extended his deepest condolences to the family of Quang.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A majority of proven voters in New Mexico support a bill to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales for adults 21 and over, according to a new poll from the Albuquerque Journal.

Altogether, 60 percent of proven voters support cannabis legalization, 32 percent are opposed, and 8 percent either didnt know or would not say if they are supportive. The poll, conducted by Research & Polling Inc., was based on a sample of 423 registered New Mexico voters who participated in the 2014 and 2016 general elections and indicated they would participate in the upcoming election.

Among different parts of the state, survey results still showed a majority of voters in support of legalization with results ranging from 73 percent in north-central New Mexico and 52 percent in eastern New Mexico.

The Albuquerque Journals survey results are in line with the national average, with 63 percent of American voters supporting nationwide cannabis legalization, according to a poll released by Quinnipiac University in April.

The new survey results are also in line with a survey released in May 2018, also conducted by Research and Polling Inc. The May poll found that 63 percent of adult New Mexicans support statewide cannabis legalization, with approval rising to 67 percent if cannabis tax revenue would be allocated toward health care and alcohol/drug rehabilitation programs.

Its no longer a question if New Mexico will legalize cannabis for social use,  said Duke Rodriguez, CEO and President of Ultra Health. It is now an issue of when. Cannabis legalization is more popular than any candidate currently running for a statewide or national office in New Mexico. There is a clear mandate for the legalization of cannabis.

Contact: Marissa Novel 480-404-6699

marissa@ultrahealth.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/66b5dac2-b23f-4878-b637-7863b703cfb5
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:33:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KIGALI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Officials on Friday called on the Rwandan youth to contribute to preserving peace in the country.

The youth should be part of solutions and engage in fighting injustices, reporting any violence, all geared towards building lasting peace, said UN Rwanda Resident Coordinator Fode Ndiaye at a youth conference of marking the International Peace Day in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda.

Rwandan Minister of Youth Rosemary Mbabazi urged youth to think critically on what they are told and what they read especially on social media platforms in order to maintain lasting peace.

The youth need critical thinking skills in order to be able to assess what they are talking about in efforts for the promotion of peace, she said.

Fidele Ndayisaba, executive secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission of Rwanda, encouraged Rwandans especially youth to join hands for the promotion of peace, adding that peace-building is not a one man activity.

As part of the celebrations of the International Peace Day, the conference was co-organized by the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission and non-governmental organization Never Again Rwanda with emphasis on "critical thinking for peace."

It aimed to reflect on how and when critical thinking can contribute to tolerance, healing and social cohesion among community members in the context of the post-1994 genocide Rwanda.

The International Day of Peace is observed around the world on September 21 every year. The UN General Assembly declares this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:38:50|Editor: Yurou

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Wu Yuliang (1st R), deputy head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Raphael Tuju (2nd L), Secretary General of the ruling Jubilee Party of Kenya, in Nairobi, Kenya, Sept. 19, 2018. At the invitation of Kenya's ruling Jubilee Party, a Communist Party of China (CPC) delegation led by a senior CPC official paid a three-day visit to Kenya, which ended on Friday. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

NAIROBI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Kenya's ruling Jubilee Party, a Communist Party of China (CPC) delegation led by a senior CPC official paid a three-day visit to Kenya, which ended on Friday.

Wu Yuliang, deputy head of the CPC Central Committee Organization Department, met with Justin Muturi, speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, and Raphael Tuju, Secretary General of the ruling Jubilee Party respectively on furthering relations between the CPC and Jubilee Party and China-Kenya ties.

Muturi and Tuju spoke highly of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism With Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, saying that Kenya was willing to deepen cooperation with China and boost the development of bilateral ties and the relations between the CPC and Jubilee Party.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:53:54|Editor: Chengcheng

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SHENZHEN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Charities on the Chinese mainland received record donations in 2017, totaling nearly 150 billion yuan (around 22 billion U.S. dollars), according to a report released Friday.

The amount represents a 7.68 percent increase year-on-year and a 385 percent surge compared with donations received a decade ago, according to the report released by the China Charity Alliance at an event in Shenzhen.

Donations from enterprises and individuals reached 131 billion yuan, constituting 87.5 percent of the total. Enterprises in the country donated 96.3 billion yuan, with private enterprises contributing more than half.

The report also noted a rise of more than 20 percent in donations from foreign-funded enterprises and companies in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, a faster increase than previous years.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 22:58:57|Editor: Chengcheng

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ISTANBUL, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Bulent Sefer, a flavor genius skilled at making cocktails, was making coffee based on a new recipe behind the bar of his company's booth at a coffee festival in Istanbul.

Sefer added ice, some flavored syrup and activated carbon into a pitcher of cold coffee, which has been brewed with gold dust for 18 hours, and then he served his creation with a slice of orange at the top.

Hundreds from the coffee industry, including producers, importers, coffee machine manufacturers and baristas who represent over 100 domestic and international brands, are joining the fifth Istanbul Coffee Festival which kicked off on Thursday.

"This year, cold and iced coffee made with different kinds of flavored syrup and sauces is the newest trend," Sefer told Xinhua, noting the cold brew coffee with gold dust inside is the most interesting product of his Irish company, Da Vinci Gourmet.

"We are catching up all the new trends from around the world to create our own outstanding beverage menu," he added.

Sefer is expecting the Istanbul coffee festival, the second biggest of its kind across Europe, to attract over 50,000 visitors this year.

Oktem Kaygin, the category manager of Koza Food, a Turkish importing company, said that natural and healthy ingredients are becoming increasingly dominant.

"For example, in preparing our cold brew beverages, including espresso-based drinks, smoothies and shakes, we are now using sugar-free syrup in our recipes," he explained, saying the drinks are all made from the essence of fruits with no additives.

In his opinion, the industry has to upgrade itself and improve the quality in line with the expectations of customers.

This year's coffee festival, which lasts until Sunday, is organized under the main theme of "The Source, The Journey, The People," during which seminars and contests like "Best Barista," "Best Brewing," "Best Roasting," "Best Latte Art" and "Best Kettle" are set to be held.

"This is a very delicious event especially for coffee lovers, like me, who want to learn more about coffee and taste new flavors," said Filiz Ertekin, a visitor, as she was taking a sip of her gold-dusted coffee.

"Until recently, all we knew was about our traditional Turkish coffee," she said. "Now we are talking about brand-new expressions of our coffee, such as gold-dusted coffee, cold brew coffee, decaf coffee and many more."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:14:01|Editor: Chengcheng

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JAKARTA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Education Minister Muhadjir Effendy said on Friday that the government has set a target to make 4,000 schools connected with the internet by 2019.

The minister said that efforts to comply with the target through the government's Universal Service Obligation (USO) scheme have been underway. At present 1,472 schools across the country have internet connections.

"But this is still far from the target. I would ask my subordinates to double the efforts so as to make the target compiled by next year," the minister said in his office here to open the Information Technology (IT) training and handing over the IT equipments to representatives of schools.

Through the USO scheme, the government provides sets of high technology devices, including servers and computers, to support internet connections in schools, he added.

The internet-connected school program, which is co-organized by the national education and communication and informatics ministries, was highly expected to make teachers and students more savvy with information technology and develop their competences in the sector.

In the future, the ministry said, online-based education system would be enhanced so as to allow students and teachers in remote and rural areas have the same quality of the education as the ones in urban areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:14:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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British Prime Minister Theresa May (front) arrives for an informal EU summit in Salzburg, Austria, Sept. 20, 2018. European Union (EU) leaders on Wednesday kicked off a two-day informal summit in the Austrian city of Salzburg, focusing on the controversial issues of migration and Brexit. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

LONDON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May gave her first full reaction Friday following a two-day bruising meeting with EU leaders in Salzburg, making it clear she rejected any Brussels proposals that would mean a border to keep Northern Ireland as part of EU rules and regulations.

In a seven-minute speech in Downing Street, May said she rejected the proposal by the EU for Britain to be part of an EEA area that would tie Britain to all EU rules, including free movement of people.

MAY ASKS FOR EU RESPECT

Media in London reacted to the meeting in Austria, describing the way May had been treated as an ambush.

About the way she had been treated in Salzburg, May said she and British negotiators had always acted with "nothing but respect" and she expected the same from Brussels.

May said it was now up to the EU to explain why they were rejecting her proposals and it was now up to them to put forward their proposals.

She also gave an assurance to the 3 million EU citizens living in Britain that even if there was no deal, their rights to stay would be assured.

At the heart of the wrangle is the so-called Chequers Plan, May's blueprint for Britain's future relationship with the EU after next March. Her plan was drawn up at a meeting of her ministers in the summer at her country retreat, Chequers.

In a stark warning to Brussels, May said: "The EU should be clear, I will not overturn the result of the referendum nor will I break up my country. We need serious engagement in resolving the two big problems in the negotiations and we stand ready."

The June 2016 referendum, she said, was the biggest democratic exercise in British history.

BREXIT TALKS DEADLOCKED

The Salzburg meeting ended with European Council President Donald Tusk saying that although there were some positive elements in May's proposals, the framework she suggested for economic co-operation will not work as it undermined the European single market.

May said the EU Council president "didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse."

The prime minister admitted that two issues stand in the way of a future relationship deal with the European Union.

The first, said May, is the economic relationship after Britain leaves the EU next March, and the second issue is that both sides need to agree that a withdrawal agreement must include a backstop to ensure that if there's a delay in implementing a new relationship, there will not be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

On an economic relationship after Britain leaves, the EU is still only offering Britain two options, said May.

The first option would involve Britain staying in the European Economic Area (EEA) and a customs union with the EU, which means Britain still has to abide by all the EU rules with uncontrolled immigration from the EU and couldn't do the trade deals with other countries.

The second EU option would be a basic free trade agreement for Britain that effectively mean Northern Ireland remaining in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, which May said would permanently separate Northern Ireland economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.

"Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal We will never agree to it," she added.

Pressure has been mounting on May on her leadership over Brexit talks. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's main opposition Labour Party, said: "Theresa May's Brexit negotiating strategy has been a disaster. The Conservatives have spent more time arguing among themselves than negotiating with the EU."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:14:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan (C, rear) visits the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Sept. 20, 2018. Wang made an inspection tour to Shanghai and Jiangsu Province from Tuesday to Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Vice President Wang Qishan has called for implementing the new development philosophy and lifting the level of scientific and technological innovation.

Wang made the remarks during a visit to Shanghai and Jiangsu Province from Tuesday to Friday.

To promote high-quality development, the key lies in balancing the relationship among speed, structure, quality and efficiency by means of technological innovation and organizational and institutional innovation, Wang said.

He called for more effort to establish and improve the institutional environment, strengthening intellectual property rights protection, and setting up effective mechanisms of incentives and constraints.

Highlighting the importance of a global vision in planning and promoting innovation, he called for integrating into the global scientific and technological innovation system and increasing exchanges with other countries.
File Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L), accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, speaks to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, July 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Thursday announced the schedule of Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, during the upcoming UN General Assembly(UNGA), and outlines U.S. priorities during the meeting.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press briefing that the United States has priorities falling within five "overarching themes", such as addressing the global threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, global initiatives to defeat terror groups, drug problems and "meaningful and lasting" UN reform.

Particularly, the first theme includes the proliferation of chemical, biological, nuclear weapons as well as ballistic missiles, Nauert said, noting that "you can expect considerable discussions of North Korea, Iran and Syria in this category throughout high-level week and beyond."

During his stay in New York, Pompeo will "speak out against Iran -- Iran's proliferation in an event" on next week's Tuesday, and host the annual Trans-Atlantic Dinner.

On Wednesday, he will participate in an African Union meeting regarding the peace process for South Sudan; on Thursday, he will meet with some of the U.S. Middle East partners to address shared security goals.

Senior officials who will also be in New York next week included U.S. special representative on the issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Stephen Biegun, and special representative on Iran issues, Brian Hook, Nauert said.

Earlier in the day, the White House announced the schedule of U.S. President Donald Trump while in New York.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:44:06|Editor: zh

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John LaRue, executive director of the Port of Corpus Christi, receives interview with Xinhua in Laredo of south Texas, the United States, on Sept. 19, 2018. The tariff dispute between the US and its trading partners may potentially affect the port trade, causing an increase in the construction costs, John LaRue said. (Xinhua/Liu Liwei)

LAREDO, the United States, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The tariff dispute between the United States and its trading partners may potentially affect the port trade, causing an increase in the construction costs, a U.S. port official said.

John LaRue, the executive director of the Port of Corpus Christi, made the remarks at a two-day annual symposium which closed Thursday in Laredo, a city built up along the border between the United States and Mexico.

In the North American Logistics & Manufacturing Symposium, LaRue told Xinhua that his port has a lot of new industrial plants under construction. The tariffs, he said, especially the steel tariffs, will increase the costs.

When talking about the ongoing collaboration with China, LaRue said the port has been working closely with the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, mainly with Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area and Tianjin Pipe Group Corporation.

"We have a memorandum of understanding with the Tianjin port to try to share, not physical properties but intellectual, and work on different activities that we both do as ports," LaRue said.

"We see the potential for more growth between our port and our community and China especially Tianjin," he said, with a positive attitude toward the future collaboration with China.

"I know things are difficult right now but we're hopeful that they will get resolved," LaRue said. "We see the opportunity for more products coming in through our port from China."

Port of Corpus Christi is the fourth largest port in the United States by tonnage, well over 120 million tonnes a year, according to LaRue. It is located on the western side of Gulf of Mexico with a 36-mile (57,936-meter) deep channel and serves as a major gateway to international and domestic maritime commerce, the port's official website said.

Seeing the ongoing and future trade activities, LaRue said they have added a lot of new docks in the last four or five years to handle products related to energy.

With the theme of "Supply Chains in the New Global Reality," this year's symposium focused on the impact of the rapidly changing political climate on international trade, transportation and manufacturing sectors in the short and long term.

Around 200 politicians, businessmen and scholars from the United States, Mexico and Canada attended the symposium.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:49:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GENEVA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- A World Trade Organization (WTO) arbitrator will review China's request for imposing an annual trade sanction of seven billion U.S. dollars on U.S. goods, said a Geneva trade official on condition of anonymity Friday.

The arbitration was automatically triggered after the United States informed the WTO that it objected to the level of retaliation proposed by China earlier this month.

China proposed the retaliation due to the U.S. failure to comply with an earlier WTO ruling.

China won the WTO ruling in 2016 in the dispute on certain assessment methods used by the United States during its anti-dumping proceedings.

The ruling was later confirmed by an appeal last year, setting Aug. 22 the deadline for the United States to comply with the ruling.

Under WTO rules, if the member concerned objects to the level of retaliation, the matter shall be referred to arbitration and the arbitration is to be completed within 60 days after the date of expiry of the reasonable period of time.
CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tailwind Capital Corporation ("Tailwind") (TSX Venture: TW.P) is pleased to announce details concerning its proposed arm's length qualifying transaction involving a proposed business combination with Synergy Disc Replacement Inc. ("Synergy"), a private company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario.



Synergy is a Canadian based medical device company that provides innovative solutions to treat degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine. Synergy's patented flagship technology, Synergy Disc, is a third generation cervical disc replacement prosthesis that restores natural motion, while also restoring natural alignment. This unique feature of the Synergy Disc solves a major clinical issue that current cervical discs on the market see with loss of alignment or unpredictable alignment. In addition, the restoration of alignment feature allows the Synergy Disc to potentially treat patients with a straight spine or slight deformity, which surgeons are not comfortable treating with other discs available on the market. Accordingly, the addressable patient population for the Synergy Disc could be almost double that of the current cervical total disc replacement market. The Synergy Disc is CE-marked and is currently being sold across Europe and Australia.

Tailwind has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent with Synergy dated September 21, 2018 (the "LOI") pursuant to which Tailwind and Synergy intend to complete a business combination (the "Transaction") to form a new company ("Newco") called "SDRi Surgical Solutions Inc.". Pursuant to the proposed Transaction, (i) the issued and outstanding common shares of Synergy (the "Synergy Common Shares"), collectively having a deemed value of USD$45,000,000, will be exchanged for an aggregate of 23,164,376 common shares of Newco, having a deemed value of USD$45,000,000 (the "Newco Common Shares"); (ii) the outstanding options to acquire 1,567,719 Synergy Common Shares will be exchanged for replacement stock options issued by Newco with the same terms; (iii) each nine and nine-tenths (9.9) issued and outstanding common shares of Tailwind (the "Tailwind Common Shares") will be exchanged for one (1) Newco Common Share; and (iv) each nine-tenths (9.9) outstanding stock options and agents' options of Tailwind will be exchanged for one stock option or agents' option of Newco exercisable at $0.99 per share.

It is intended that the Transaction, when completed, will constitute Tailwind's "Qualifying Transaction" in accordance with Policy 2.4 of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). A more comprehensive news release will be issued by Tailwind disclosing details of the Transaction, including financial information respecting Synergy, the names and backgrounds of all persons who will constitute insiders of Newco, and information respecting sponsorship, once an agreement has been finalized and certain conditions have been met, including:

i) approval of the Transaction by Tailwinds Board of Directors; ii) satisfactory completion of due diligence; and iii) execution of the definitive agreement.

Shareholder approval is not required with respect to the Transaction under the rules of the Exchange. However, the structure of the Transaction has not yet been finalized so shareholder approval under corporate law may be required. In the event a final agreement is not reached, Tailwind will notify shareholders. Trading in the common shares of Tailwind has been halted and is not expected to resume trading until the Transaction is completed or until the Exchange receives the requisite documentation to resume trading. If the Transaction is completed Tailwind expects to be listed on the Exchange as a technology issuer.



Summary of the Proposed Qualifying Transaction

Pursuant to the LOI, and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, Tailwind and Synergy have agreed to complete the Transaction to form Newco.

Pursuant to the LOI, the parties have agreed to use their "commercially reasonable efforts" to cause Synergy to complete a private placement (the "Synergy Private Placement") of Synergy Common Shares or subscription receipts exercisable into Synergy Common Shares (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price per Synergy Common Share to be determined after consultation with prospective agents for the Synergy Private Placement (the "Agents"). It is intended that the minimum gross proceeds of the Synergy Private Placement will be $4,000,000 and that the Agents will be paid a cash commission and will be granted broker warrants. Further particulars of the Synergy Private Placement will be disseminated in a press release to be issued upon finalization of consultation with prospective Agents. The parties have agreed that the proceeds from the Synergy Private Placement will be held in trust pending closing of the Transaction.

Forward Looking Information

Statements in this press release regarding Tailwind's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, such as terms and completion of the proposed transaction. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, execution of a binding definitive agreement relating to the Transaction, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

For further information, please contact:

Kevin R. Baker, Q.C.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Tailwind Capital Corporation

Telephone: (403) 476-7010

Email: kbaker@baycorcapital.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:49:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KAMPALA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Uganda government employees on Friday converged at different locations across the country in a nationwide drive aimed at planting more than 10 million trees.

The drive was spearheaded by the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to restore the country's fast declining forest cover.

NFA figures show that Uganda has lost three million hectares of forest cover in the last 25 years.

Tom Okello, the executive director of NFA, told reporters earlier that the drive aims at restoring about 136,000 hectares of forest cover annually, and that by 2040, the deforestation trend would have been reversed.

Okello said deforestation is one of the "most critical environmental crises" facing Uganda.

While officiating at the launch of the tree-planting exercise at Mabira Forest in central Uganda, Jennifer Namuyangu, the minister of state for local government, said conservation issues must be taken seriously.

Namuyangu challenged Ugandans to commemorate every marriage, death, birth, and graduation by planting trees.

"Imagine every marriage, death, graduation and more are celebrated by a tree being planted. Surely we would have many trees planted," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:49:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The White House on Friday announced the upcoming visit of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera to discuss bilateral ties and the issue of Venezuela later this month.

In a statement, the White House said that U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome Pinera for a working visit on Sept. 28, when they "will build upon the strong partnership between their nations in pursuit of a more prosperous, secure, and democratic Western Hemisphere."

The leaders were expected to discuss a shared commitment to pro-growth policies, combating corrupt and illicit networks, strategic partnerships in energy and cyber security, and efforts to "restore democracy in Venezuela," the statement read.

Members of Lima Group, including Chile, announced earlier this year that the group had decided to withdraw the invitation for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to attend the Summit of the Americas held in Peru in April.

A day later, the U.S. State Department endorsed the decision, as well as the group's rejection of the Venezuelan government's alleged "unilateral" decision to set a date for presidential elections.

Also, several U.S. media outlets reported earlier this month that the Trump administration has talked secretly with rebellious Venezuelan military officers several times to discuss their plans to stage a coup in the South American country.

Trump said in August of last year that he would not rule out a "military option" in Venezuela "if necessary," despite his aides' opposition.

The U.S. side has also announced several rounds of sanctions against Venezuelan government officials ever since.

For its part, Venezuela has slammed the "warmongering" declarations of Trump as "threats to peace" and a "violation" of UN and international laws.

Maduro has also instructed the military to prepare to "shoulder arms" in case of a U.S. invasion.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:54:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOSCOW, Sept 21. (Xinhua) -- New U.S. sanctions reflect unfair competition on the part of Washington, in particular in the weapons market, the Kremlin said Friday.

"We can see an attempt to oust the main rival of American producers from the markets by non-market methods, by methods that are contrary to the rules and principles of international trade," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The products of the Russian military-industrial complex are not just competitive, but often super-competitive," Peskov added.

On Thursday, Washington imposed sanctions on 33 Russian entities and individuals as well as some purchasers of Russian weapons.

Peskov said that the new restrictions demonstrate continued sanctions hysteria in Washington, which "does not provide an opportunity to soberly assess the prospects for the development of bilateral relations."

These "hostile and unpredictable" actions will continue to cause harm to the relationship, which is already in a miserable state, Peskov said.

On the day updating the sanctions, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that the sanctions are "in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities."

However, Russia has long denied the allegations of interference in the U.S. presidential elections and hacker attacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-21 23:54:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Wang Yang (R, front), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visits an industrial park for poverty alleviation in Guyuan City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Sept. 21, 2018. Wang Yang on Friday visited Guyuan in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region where celebrations for the region's 60th anniversary are in full swing. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

GUYUAN, Ningxia, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Friday visited a city in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region where celebrations for the region's 60th anniversary are in full swing.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, led a division of a central delegation to Guyuan.

They visited an industrial park for poverty alleviation, a museum dedicated to the history of the Long March, rural families, and a polytechnic college, where they interacted with locals to learn about their work and life.

Attending a symposium with people in Guyuan, Wang said: "The sea-changes in Guyuan are a microcosm of Ningxia's extraordinary achievements over the past six decades, testifying to the success of the Party's policies concerning ethnic groups and the system of regional ethnic autonomy."

He called for effort to maintain good work in ethnic and religious affairs and use the poverty relief campaign as an initiative to lead new rounds of social and economic development while strengthening the protection of ecology and environment.

Four other divisions of the central delegation - all led by senior officials - visited other areas of Ningxia on Friday.

The delegation arrived in Ningxia on Wednesday for the anniversary celebrations, and left for Beijing after Friday's visits.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 00:19:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JUBA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's peace monitors on Friday urged warring parties to fully comply with a peace agreement signed recently so as to build trust and confidence.

Thomson Fontaine, deputy chief of staff of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), said full compliance by the signatories to the peace agreement, signed last week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will help build confidence and aid economic recovery after over four years of conflict.

"Full compliance to the agreement is very critical to build confidence and provide an enabling environment for the much-needed focus on the growth of the economy among other things," he said in a statement issued in Juba.

He expressed confidence that the compromises taken by both parties were in good faith and that the parties will work together moving forward.

President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in-opposition (SPLA-IO), agreed to the final peace deal mediated by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an east African bloc.

Fontaine appealed to the people of South Sudan to embrace working together for the good of the country.

"As we celebrate the International Day of Peace, may we all embrace the spirit of togetherness and agree that there are no beneficiaries to the conflict," he said.

He said millions of people are living in refugee camps in neighboring countries and that the world is watching with eagerness as to whether the sides will honor their commitment to the implementation of the peace agreement this time around.

"The people of South Sudan are watching; the mothers and children who are tired of the suffering are watching; the young people without jobs and struggling to make a living are watching," he said. "Everyone is watching!"

"We must not let the gains of the last 15 months go to waste. We must ensure that we allow the children and youth in the country to enjoy the benefits of peace and prosper in the country, celebrating unity in diversity," he added.

Fontaine said the JMEC will continue to fully discharge its mandate to vigorously monitor and evaluate the implementation of the revitalized agreement.

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.

The world's youngest nation has for the third year running been ranked as the deadliest for aid workers to operate.
File photo shows the newly expanded crude dock at the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, April 10, 2014. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

LAREDO, the United States, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The tariff dispute between the United States and its trading partners may potentially affect the port trade, causing an increase in the construction costs, a U.S. port official said.

John LaRue, the executive director of the Port of Corpus Christi, made the remarks at a two-day annual symposium which closed Thursday in Laredo, a city built up along the border between the United States and Mexico.

In the North American Logistics & Manufacturing Symposium, LaRue told Xinhua that his port has a lot of new industrial plants under construction. The tariffs, he said, especially the steel tariffs, will increase the costs.

When talking about the ongoing collaboration with China, LaRue said the port has been working closely with the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, mainly with Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area and Tianjin Pipe Group Corporation.

"We have a memorandum of understanding with the Tianjin port to try to share, not physical properties but intellectual, and work on different activities that we both do as ports," LaRue said.

"We see the potential for more growth between our port and our community and China especially Tianjin," he said, with a positive attitude toward the future collaboration with China.

"I know things are difficult right now but we're hopeful that they will get resolved," LaRue said. "We see the opportunity for more products coming in through our port from China."

Port of Corpus Christi is the fourth largest port in the United States by tonnage, well over 120 million tonnes a year, according to LaRue. It is located on the western side of Gulf of Mexico with a 36-mile (57,936-meter) deep channel and serves as a major gateway to international and domestic maritime commerce, the port's official website said.

Seeing the ongoing and future trade activities, LaRue said they have added a lot of new docks in the last four or five years to handle products related to energy.

With the theme of "Supply Chains in the New Global Reality," this year's symposium focused on the impact of the rapidly changing political climate on international trade, transportation and manufacturing sectors in the short and long term.

Around 200 politicians, businessmen and scholars from the United States, Mexico and Canada attended the symposium.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 00:24:16|Editor: Chengcheng

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ISTANBUL, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- While eliminating the threat of a refugee influx into Turkey, the deal with Russia to create a demilitarized zone in Syria's Idlib risks confronting Turkish troops with radical rebels as well as settling the jihadists nearer the Turkish border, analysts cautioned.

Turkey and the Turkish troops would become a target of the jihadist groups as they apparently need to intervene to disarm the rebels under the deal, Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat, told Xinhua.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin concluded the deal on Monday for the establishment of a demilitarized zone of 15 to 20 km deep in Idlib along the contact line between the Syrian troops and the rebels.

"Turkey has assumed a critical responsibility," Ulgen said, noting it is Turkey's obligation to separate the terrorist groups from those so-called moderate ones and collect the heavy weapons from the rebels.

According to press reports, some al-Qaida-linked terror groups in Idlib said that they would not hand over their heavy weapons and that they would not leave their positions, in a gesture that means the rejection to the establishment of a demilitarized zone in Idlib province.

The Ankara-Moscow deal requires that all the rebel groups designated as terrorists leave the demilitarized zone by Oct. 15, while all the heavy weapons such as tanks, artillery and rocket launchers shall be withdrawn from the zone by Oct. 10.

Putin said at the summit in Russia's Sochi that he and Erdogan agreed that all the rebel groups would hand over their heavy weapons.

Russia expects Turkey, a supporter of moderate groups in Idlib, to persuade the rebels to act in line with the Sochi deal, which aims at preventing the rebels from posing a threat to Russian military positions in Syria and keeping Idlib as a de-escalation zone while settling the issue through diplomacy.

It would be no exaggeration to say the deal would turn the area right next to the Turkish border into a zone where terrorists would swarm, Cahit Armagan Dilek, a former staff officer in the Turkish military, told Xinhua.

In case the deal does not work, the rebels would attempt to flee to Turkey or areas under Turkey's control in northern Syria when faced with an all-out Syrian offensive, observed Dilek.

The demilitarized zone mainly covers the southern and eastern parts of the Idlib province, while Turkey and the areas under its control borders Idlib in the east and north.

Much of the Idlib province falls under the control of the al-Qaida-linked Tahrir al-Sham alliance, while Ankara-backed rebels control the rest of the territory.

The deal with Russia came following Turkish efforts to avert a looming Russian-backed Syrian army offensive to retake the province, as Ankara fears, among others, the attack could send millions of refugees to the Turkish border when it has already had 3.5 millions Syrians on its soil.

From Ankara's perspective, the biggest success of the deal is that the Syrian offensive and the security risk posed by a potential huge refugee influx have been suspended for now, said Ulgen, who currently chairs the Istanbul-based Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies.

Idlib, the last remaining bastion for the rebels in the seven-year-old Syrian war, is home to around 50,000 armed rebels.

Dilek, who heads the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute, highly doubted that the deal would work, under which Turkish and Russian military police will jointly patrol the demilitarized zone.

Noting some radical rebels already said they would not respect the deal, Dilek warned that Ankara would find itself in a difficult position if some rebels fire a rocket on a Russian base or troops on patrol.

Based on a deal with Russia and Iran, Turkey's partners in the Astana process, the Turkish military has set up 12 observation posts in Idlib. Under the Sochi agreement, Turkey shall reinforce its forces at the observations posts and monitor the demilitarized zone by drones like Russia did.

Turkey seems happy to send reinforcements and obtain the right to fly drones over Idlib, remarked Dilek. "That implies that Turkey is planning to remain in Idlib and at the table in Syria whether the (Sochi) deal works or not," he explained.

While the Turkish government appears to be mainly focusing on Idlib for now, it has often been criticized at home for failing to take necessary steps against the Kurdish entity in northeastern Syria along Turkey's border.

The Kurdish militia, known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), has managed to control nearly 30 percent of the Syrian territory during the war thanks mainly to the U.S. support.

It has been too late for Turkey to intervene to prevent the emergence of a YPG entity in the eastern part of the Euphrates River, stated Dilek.

Given that Turkey is currently busy with Idlib, it can no longer be expected to deal with the U.S.-backed Kurdish militia at the same time, he argued.

Ankara has often accused Washington of trying to carve out a Kurdish state in Syria, calling it an existing threat to Turkey. Turkey is concerned that the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish zone on its southern border could set a precedent for its own nearly 20 million Kurds.

Arguing the United States has so far made considerable progress in its policy to make Turkey accept the YPG presence in Syria, Dilek said that "Turkey will in the end have to accept the entity there."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 00:44:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department said here on Friday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had spoken by phone with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Thursday to discuss the denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

According to a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, Pompeo and Kono discussed "the ongoing pressure campaign to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong Un in Singapore."

"They also talked about the upcoming UN General Assembly and global security issues of importance to the U.S.-Japan alliance," read the statement.

The White House on Thursday announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will during the UN General Assembly next week meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, among all leaders.

During his Sept. 18-20 trip to Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in held talks with the top leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un, and signed the Pyongyang Declaration on further steps towards the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization and concrete measures to end hostile acts near inter-Korean border areas.

However, the U.S. State Department on Thursday said the denuclearization of Pyongyang has to come first before the U.S. side gives any corresponding reciprocal measures.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 00:54:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KATHMANDU, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), a body formed to carry out post-earthquake reconstruction in Nepal, told the international donor community on Friday that Nepal needs additional 600 billion Nepali Rupees (5.16 billion U.S. dollars) to complete the reconstruction works.

The deadly quake in April 2015 killed 8,790 people and injured more than 22,300. It was also disastrous in terms of damaging houses and buildings with at least 498,852 private houses and 2,656 government buildings destroyed, while another 256,697 private houses and 3,622 government buildings were partially damaged.

The Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) conducted by the Nepali government a few months after the quake had estimated the need for 6.69 billion U.S. dollars to complete the reconstruction. As per the revised needs assessment, it will require 938 billion Nepali Rupees (8.05 billion U.S. dollars) to complete the reconstruction works, according to the NRA.

The Nepali government is expected to spend around 2.89 billion U.S. dollars by the end of the current fiscal year that began in mid-July. So, around 5.16- billion-U.S dollar more resources will be required to complete all the reconstruction works, the NRA said in a statement on Friday.

NRA Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyewali told a gathering of various donor organizations and countries on Friday that the NRA would take initiatives at the national and international levels to manage resources to meet the financial requirement to complete the post-earthquake reconstruction.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 00:59:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BANGKOK, Sep. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Consulate-General in Thailand's Songkhla told Chinese media late Friday that a Chinese female tourist was found dead in Songkhla Province on Thursday.

The Chinese Consulate-General in Songkhla said Thai police was informed that a body was found in Ton Nga Chang, or "ivory tusk" Waterfalls, a tourist attraction in the province.

CCTV records showed that she bought a ticket and entered the waterfall area on Wednesday.

The Chinese consulate-general said they have already asked Thai police to investigate into the case and find out the cause of her death in time as well as to persevere her body and they also contact her family members for funeral procedures.
NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that a federal securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against Pretium Resources, Inc. ("Pretium" or the "Company") (NYSE: PVG or TSX: PVG) on behalf of shareholders who suffered losses on shares purchased between July 21, 2016 and September 6, 2018, inclusive (Class Period).



Investors who have incurred losses in the shares of Pretium Resources, Inc. on either the New York Stock Exchange or the Toronto Stock Exchange are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. You may obtain additional information concerning the action on our website, www.whafh.com.

If you have incurred losses in the shares of Pretium Resources, Inc. you may, no later than November 6, 2018, request that the Court appoint you lead plaintiff of the proposed class. Please contact Wolf Haldenstein to learn more about your rights as an investor in Pretium Resources, Inc.

The filed complaint alleges 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:

that the Brucejack Project is not a high-grade, high-output mine; and



that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and/or misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

On September 6, 2018, Viceroy Research published a report alleging, among other things, that the Company's "reported grades and reserves are significantly inflated, a much greater amount of waste is being dumped into local lakes, and more explosives are being utilized." The report also alleged that "management is scrambling to find consistent, high-grade ore to maintain the charade that its debt and equity are viable."

On this news, shares of Pretium Resources fell $0.77 USD per share, or nearly 10%, to close at $6.94 USD on September 6, 2018.

Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation.

If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com , or visit our website at www.whafh.com.

## Follow the firm and learn about newly filed cases on Twitter and Facebook. ##

Contact:

Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP

Kevin Cooper, Esq.

Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis

Email: gstone@whafh.com , kcooper@whafh.com or classmember@whafh.com

Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 01:14:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DAMASCUS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Two loud explosions were heard in Syria's northern city of Aleppo on Friday, in what appeared to be rebels' rocket fire targeting residential areas, a war monitor reported.

The explosions were heard in the Hamadaniyeh neighborhood and the 3000 Housing Project area west of Aleppo, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said there is no information on casualties yet.

The state-run al-Ekhbaria TV said that a rocket slammed the 3000 Housing Project area, spelling no details on victims.

This comes as clashes erupted Friday between the Syrian army forces and the Turkey-backed rebels in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, according to the Observatory.

The Syrian forces fully retrieved the provincial capital of Aleppo in late 2016, but the northern countryside is largely out of control, particularly those close to the Turkish border.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 02:04:36|Editor: Chengcheng

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MUSCAT, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The economic cooperation between China and Oman is in full swing at a time when China and Arab countries are forging ahead with closer ties, experts said.

"China's relationship with Oman is one of the most distinguished relations that China has with a foreign country in the world in general and the Arab world in particular," Jalal al Lawati, director of promotion and marketing at the Duqm Special Economic Free Zone, in Al Wusta Governorate in eastern Oman.

He commended the rising diplomatic, political and economic cooperation between China and Oman, citing the Chinese Industrial Park, built by the Chinese-owned WanFang Company in the Duqm Special Economic Free Zone, as the clearest evidence.

The park is built on an area of 11.7 hectares with investments estimated at 10.8 billion U.S. dollars by its completion.

Al Lawati said that the Chinese Park is in full swing as the first phase is under way currently. "This project represents one of the big Chinese investments abroad, especially in the Arab countries," he said.

"The relations between the two countries are historic, as the diplomatic ties started in 1978," he said.

Also, an agreement was signed to prevent double taxation in 2002, followed by the establishment of the joint Omani-Chinese Committee and the Oman-China Friendship Association. The exchanges of visits by officials from both countries have been continuing, al Lawati noted.

At the end of 2016, the volume of Chinese investment in the Sultanate reached about two billion dollars, while the volume of the bilateral trade reached 17.2 billion dollars.

Moreover, Omani oil exports to China reached 237 million barrels, which accounts for 77 percent of its total oil exports, and 10 percent of Chinese oil imports. Also, Oman's non-oil exports to China amounted to 192 million dollars.

Al Lawati also mentioned that Oman and China are working on the development of a seaport in Tanzania, which indicates the depth of cooperation between the two countries.

WanFang Company, which includes an umbrella of all Chinese companies investing in Duqm, has been making efforts to promote the friendly ties between the two countries.

The Chinese company has been sponsoring Omani students' studying trips to China.

Suror al Junaibi, one of the students who have studied in China on a fellowship provided by WanFang in cooperation with Duqm Special Free Economic Zone, praised the role played by Chinese companies in regard to social responsibility.

"We are a group of young men who benefited from WanFang grants. The company sponsors all our study fees, accomodation, travel tickets, and even pocket money," al Junaibi told Xinhua.

He said that 88 students have earned the sponsorship from WanFang Company, with the first group of 38 students enrolled in Ningxia Polytechnic College.

"We studied for two years in special fields like renewable energy, oil equipment, computer applications, economic administration, petrochemical engineering, and construction materials," al Junaibi said.

He added that the second group included 50 students who were chosen through examinations and personal interviews.

"We shall all get jobs in Duqm after finishing our study," he added.

Nasser al Ghufaili, another student sponsored by WanFang, said he learned a lot while studying in China.

"We also found out that the faculty are serious and caring as they helped us to adapt to the Chinese way of life on the first day of our arrival," he told Xinhua.
A Russian flag flies next to the US embassy building in Moscow on March 27, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP)

MOSCOW, Sept 21. (Xinhua) -- New U.S. sanctions reflect unfair competition on the part of Washington, in particular in the weapons market, the Kremlin said Friday.

"We can see an attempt to oust the main rival of American producers from the markets by non-market methods, by methods that are contrary to the rules and principles of international trade," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The products of the Russian military-industrial complex are not just competitive, but often super-competitive," Peskov added.

On Thursday, Washington imposed sanctions on 33 Russian entities and individuals as well as some purchasers of Russian weapons.

Peskov said that the new restrictions demonstrate continued sanctions hysteria in Washington, which "does not provide an opportunity to soberly assess the prospects for the development of bilateral relations."

These "hostile and unpredictable" actions will continue to cause harm to the relationship, which is already in a miserable state, Peskov said.

On the day updating the sanctions, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that the sanctions are "in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities."

However, Russia has long denied the allegations of interference in the U.S. presidential elections and hacker attacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 02:19:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- A senior leader of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was killed in a raid in Yemen's southeastern province of Shabwa on Friday, a security official told Xinhua.

Acting on tip-offs from citizens and intelligence officers, the Elite Yemeni Forces backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) raided a hideout of the al-Qaida group in Khawrah area of Shabwa and seized the place after confrontation with the terrorists, local security source said on condition of anonymity.

The AQAP commander named as Nayif Tarmum was killed after refusing to surrender himself to the troops, according to the source.

A government official based in Shabwa confirmed to Xinhua that the UAE-backed forces seized explosive materials, several booby traps to be used in roadside bombs, hand grenades, dozens of electronic detonators, and other explosive devices found in the area.

Local medical sources said that 10 soldiers of the UAE-backed Yemeni troops were injured in the operation.

Elsewhere in Yemen, two newly-recruited soldiers were killed in southern Abyan province.

"Suspected al-Qaida gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Abyan's area of Lawder, killing two soldiers and kidnapping two others after the attack," an army officer said.

The AQAP network, active mainly in eastern and southern provinces, is responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces in the country.

Since the U.S. President Donald Trump approved the expanded military operations against the group, the U.S. military has carried out several airstrikes against AQAP fighters in different provinces of the war-torn Arab country, including intensified overnight airstrikes and ground military raids against the al-Qaida hideouts in the mountainous areas of al-Bayda and southeastern province of Shabwa.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch, seen by the United States as the global terror network's most dangerous branch, has been exploiting prolonged deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels to expand its presence, especially in the south.
File Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shakes hands with Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono before a breakfast meeting in Tokyo, Japan, July 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Reuters)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department said here on Friday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had spoken by phone with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Thursday to discuss the denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

According to a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, Pompeo and Kono discussed "the ongoing pressure campaign to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong Un in Singapore."

"They also talked about the upcoming UN General Assembly and global security issues of importance to the U.S.-Japan alliance," read the statement.

The White House on Thursday announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will during the UN General Assembly next week meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, among all leaders.

During his Sept. 18-20 trip to Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in held talks with the top leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un, and signed the Pyongyang Declaration on further steps towards the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization and concrete measures to end hostile acts near inter-Korean border areas.

However, the U.S. State Department on Thursday said the denuclearization of Pyongyang has to come first before the U.S. side gives any corresponding reciprocal measures.
Chile's President Sebastian Pinera arrives at La Moneda Presidential Palace in Santiago, Chile March 11, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The White House on Friday announced the upcoming visit of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera to discuss bilateral ties and the issue of Venezuela later this month.

In a statement, the White House said that U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome Pinera for a working visit on Sept. 28, when they "will build upon the strong partnership between their nations in pursuit of a more prosperous, secure, and democratic Western Hemisphere."

The leaders were expected to discuss a shared commitment to pro-growth policies, combating corrupt and illicit networks, strategic partnerships in energy and cyber security, and efforts to "restore democracy in Venezuela," the statement read.

Members of Lima Group, including Chile, announced earlier this year that the group had decided to withdraw the invitation for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to attend the Summit of the Americas held in Peru in April.

A day later, the U.S. State Department endorsed the decision, as well as the group's rejection of the Venezuelan government's alleged "unilateral" decision to set a date for presidential elections.

Also, several U.S. media outlets reported earlier this month that the Trump administration has talked secretly with rebellious Venezuelan military officers several times to discuss their plans to stage a coup in the South American country.

Trump said in August of last year that he would not rule out a "military option" in Venezuela "if necessary," despite his aides' opposition.

The U.S. side has also announced several rounds of sanctions against Venezuelan government officials ever since.

For its part, Venezuela has slammed the "warmongering" declarations of Trump as "threats to peace" and a "violation" of UN and international laws.

Maduro has also instructed the military to prepare to "shoulder arms" in case of a U.S. invasion.
Armored vehicles move during a joint anti-terrorist exercise held by China and Kyrgyzstan frontier forces in Kizilsu Kirgiz Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 27, 2017.

BISHKEK, Sept. 21 ( Xinhua) -- The Kyrgyz special services detained a leader of a cell of the Hizb ut-Tahrir religious extremist organization, the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic said Friday.

The 44-year-old detainee, who was previously convicted and served a sentence in a colony settlement, is one of the leaders of a cell of the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization in Kyrgyzstan's northern Karakol town, according to the press service of the committee.

During the authorized searches at the residence of the detainee, the security officers seized a large number of banned extremist materials of the Hizb ut-Tahrir activities, it said.

A criminal case has been initiated, the committee said.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is a religious extremist organization, which describes its ideology as Islam and its aim as the re-establishment of the Islamic Caliphate or Islamic state to resume the Islamic way of life.

The organization has been banned in many countries including China, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 03:04:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JUBA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese Vice President James Wani Igga said on Friday concerted efforts to eradicate illiteracy is key to ending the cycle of political crises in the country.

Speaking at an event marking World Peace Day in Juba, Igga said education is the only thing that will end the culture of violence in the world's newest republic.

"It is when this high illiteracy is reduced that it will be possible for the government to execute its mandate," Igga said.

He said many South Sudanese are easily misled because they are not educated, and end up becoming part of the culture of war.

"South Sudan has developed a bad culture, a culture of violence, a culture of war," said Igga.

The conflict in South Sudan erupted in 2013 after forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar engaged in combat.

A 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again 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.

The warring sides signed a fresh peace agreement last week in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.
File Photo: People cross a pedestrian bridge at the international border port in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Jan. 28, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

LAREDO, the United States, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Laredo, one of the largest inland ports of the United States, is seeking a stronger trade relationship with China, an official said.

The two-day annual North American Logistic & Manufacturing Symposium closed Thursday in Laredo, a city built up along the border between the United States and Mexico.

At the symposium, Olivia Varela, president and CEO of Laredo Economic Development Corporation, told Xinhua that China is one of the major trading partners of Laredo with the top trading commodities being electronics, textiles and automotive parts.

"One of our major trading partners is China, last year with a 5 percent increase in trade coming in from China into the United States through this port of entry. So we considered China one of our strongest trading partners that is critical to this region."

Imports and exports worth more than 557 billion U.S. dollars passed through the city in 2017, according to the Laredo Economic Development Corporation. Mexico was the top trading partner of all those goods, and China was the second.

Commenting on the ongoing trade frictions between the United States and China, Varela said she hoped those issues would be resolved as soon as possible.

"We fully expect that once all of these issues are resolved, we will have a much strong relationship and anything that is currently being put on hold will just continue to move forward. We have a very positive outlook for once this is all resolved that we're going to see probably a much more significant growth than that 5 percent in our trade," she said.

With the theme of "Supply Chains in the New Global Reality," this year's symposium focused on the impact of the rapidly changing political climate on international trade, transportation, and manufacturing sectors in the short and long term.

Around 200 politicians, businessmen and scholars from the United States, Mexico and Canada attended the two-day symposium.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 04:19:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that he hopes to travel to Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) soon to prepare for the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un.

"I'm hopeful that I'll get a chance to travel again to Pyongyang to continue these negotiations before too long," Pompeo said in an interview with MSNBC. "And then before too long - and in relatively short order - I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredible, important issue for the entire world."

"Ultimately, that'll be a decision for the president," Pompeo said, referring to the second summit between Trump and Kim.

Noting that the United States has the "patience and determination" to achieve its goal on Korean Peninsula's denuclearization, he added that the sanctions against the DPRK would remain until the Asian nation denuclearizes.

"Those economic sanctions will remain in place until we get to the end, till we get to that final denuclearization," Pompeo said.

In a separate interview with Fox News, Pompeo said that regarding the Trump-Kim meeting, there is still "a little bit of work" to do "to make sure conditions are right and that the two leaders are put in a position where we can make substantial progress," Pompeo said.

The White House said on Sept. 10 that it has received a letter from Kim Jong Un, requesting another meeting with Trump, noting that it was "open to" the meeting and is already "in the process of coordinating that."

The U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton also said earlier that the possibility of another meeting between the leaders of Washington and Pyongyang "obviously exists."

At the conclusion of the historic Trump-Kim summit in June in Singapore, the two sides issued a joint statement, agreeing to improve bilateral relations and work together to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the peninsula.

However, the current U.S.-DPRK talks have been stuck in an impasse due to their differences in the scale of denuclearization, U.S. sanctions, and whether to issue a war-ending declaration.

In August, just one day after Pompeo announced his visit to the DPRK, Trump tweeted that he had asked Pompeo not to go due to the insufficient progress with the DPRK.

During his Sept. 18-20 trip to Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in held talks with Kim, and signed the Pyongyang Declaration on further steps towards the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization and concrete measures to end hostile acts near inter-Korean border areas.

Pompeo said later in response that the United States is ready to transform its relations with the DPRK immediately.

He added that "I invited my counterpart Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho to meet in New York City next week where we are both already scheduled to be in attendance at the United Nations General Assembly meeting."

"Likewise, we have invited North Korean representatives to meet our Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, in Vienna, Austria at the earliest opportunity," Pompeo noted.

However, the U.S. State Department said one day later that the denuclearization of Pyongyang has to come first before the U.S. side gives any corresponding reciprocal measures.

In a related development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Wednesday that China welcomed the consensus reached by South Korea and the DPRK.

"China, as a close neighbor, always supports the efforts of the north and south of the peninsula to improve their ties and push forward reconciliation and cooperation through dialogue and consultation," Geng said, noting that China hopes that the two sides will continue to implement the consensus, endeavor to promote interaction and cooperation and play a positive role in achieving a political solution to the peninsula issue as well as lasting peace in the region.
New York, NY - September 21, 2018 - Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) today announced that it has completed its registered public offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (CUSIP Number 460690 BM1), $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.750% Senior Notes due 2021 (CUSIP Number 460690 BN9), $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.650% Senior Notes due 2028 (CUSIP Number 460690 BP4) and $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.400% Senior Notes due 2048 (CUSIP Number 460690 BQ2) (collectively, the "Notes"). The net proceeds were approximately $1.978 billion after discounts, commissions and estimated offering expenses. The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with borrowings under its July 2018 term loan agreement, to fund the previously announced acquisition of the Marketing Solutions business of Acxiom Corporation, to repay certain outstanding commercial paper borrowings and for general corporate purposes. The acquisition is expected to close on or about October 1, 2018, subject to customary closing conditions.

# # #

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. A shelf registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is effective. A written final prospectus for this offering describing the terms of the offering and meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933 has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and may be obtained for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.

About Interpublic

Interpublic is one of the world's leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services companies. Major global brands include Craft, FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding), FutureBrand, Golin, Huge, Initiative, Jack Morton, MAGNA, McCann, Momentum, MRM//McCann, MullenLowe Group, Octagon, R/GA, UM and Weber Shandwick. Other leading brands include Avrett Free Ginsberg, Campbell Ewald, Carmichael Lynch, Deutsch, Hill Holliday, ID Media and The Martin Agency. For more information, please visit www.interpublic.com.

# # #

Contact Information

Tom Cunningham

(Press)

(212) 704-1326

Jerry Leshne

(Analysts, Investors)

(212) 704-1439
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 04:25:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley) Friday expressed "shock" over one of its employees who was accused of suspected several rapes that took place throughout multiple counties in northern California for more than a decade.

The university said in a statement that it was shocked to "learn that a campus employee was arrested in connection with a series of rapes that occurred more than a decade ago in several Northern California communities."

It identified the suspected employee as Roy Waller, who was taken into custody by police and is on investigative leave.

Waller has worked as a safety specialist in the university's Environment, Health and Safety office since 1992, whose duty was managing programs to help ensure safety and training regarding the use of machinery equipment such as forklifts, aerial lifts and respirators, said the university.

UC Berkeley released a statement shortly after police authorities in Sacramento, capital of California state, announced early Friday Waller's arrest on suspicion of a series of rapes in several assaults over a 15-year period beginning in 1991.

Police said 58-year-old Waller committed the crimes in multiple cites and counties in northern California, including Rohnert Park, Sonoma, Vallejo, and Martinez. Investigators said genealogy test results helped link Waller's DNA to the crimes.

UC Berkeley quoted police sources as saying that there is no indication that any crimes occurred within the campus community, which suggested that Waller was not a rape threat to students and employees living at its Berkeley campus.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 05:05:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LUSAKA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Zambian Vice-President Inonge Wina on Friday rejected reports in some international media outlets that the southern African nation is currently in an economic crisis.

"There is no crisis in the economy of Zambia. Even the World Bank has confirmed that," she said in remarks delivered in parliament during a question and answer session.

People spreading falsehood about an economic crisis in the country have ulterior motives, bent on destroying Zambia's image on the international scene, Wina said.

International organizations such as the World Bank have already reported that Zambia has no debt crisis, she said.

The country's debt issue is being used as a camouflage by some capitalist imperialists to ignite rage among citizens in order to force a regime change, Wina said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 05:15:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KHARTOUM, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sudan and South Sudan on Friday reiterated commitment to cooperation for sustainable peace and stability in the two countries.

The two countries held joint talks on Friday at the presidential palace in Khartoum, co-chaired by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

"Al-Bashir reiterated the importance of the visit and stressed a basic meaning that Sudan and South Sudan are two countries including one people, and this was the fundamental basis for addressing the South Sudan Peace Agreement and seeking to achieve it," Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed, Sudan's foreign minister, told reporters following the talks.

"The two sides voiced commitment to work together to achieve sustainable peace and enhance bilateral relations," he noted.

South Sudan's Information Minister Michael Makuei said that "there are strong historical ties between our two countries. We are one people in two countries."

"We still ask Sudanese government to continue supporting us and remove difficulties of implementing the deal," added Makuei.

Makuei reiterated stability of the security situations in South Sudan, pointing out that "the effect of the permanent cease-fire has already started despite the fact that a cease-fire monitoring mechanism has not yet been formed. All parties are committed to the cease-fire agreement."

Mayardit arrived in Khartoum on Friday for a two-day official visit to hold talks with al-Bashir.

On Sept. 13, South Sudan's conflicting parties signed the final peace deal in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa in presence of heads of state and government of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development in Africa (IGAD).

The deal was reached through talks brokered in Khartoum by Sudan government with a mandate by the IGAD.

The final deal includes Khartoum peace agreement on South Sudan, which was signed last June, and the agreement on power-sharing and security arrangements, which was signed last August.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 05:55:21|Editor: zh

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Kojo Annan, son of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, addresses a memorial tribute to his father at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- "The United Nations and Kofi Annan (the late UN secretary-general) were inseparable; it is impossible to say where one ended and the other began," the current UN chief, Antonio Guterres, said on Friday.

Guterres led a list of diplomats, staff and family members speaking in the UN General Assembly Hall at a memorial tribute to Annan, who died on Aug. 18 in Geneva after a short illness, a Nobel laureate and native of Ghana.

"Kofi Annan was uncommonly warm, accessible and of the people -- but above all he was principled and forceful in battling for the values of the UN Charter," said Guterres. "He was charming and wise, kind and courageous. But he also knew how to deliver the barb -- in his masterly subtle way."

"And sometimes, people were so captivated by his presence that they did not realize that they were being admonished!' said Guterres, who Annan appointed High Commissioner for Refugees in 2005.

But, "Throughout his tenure Kofi Annan urged us never to be bystanders in life," the UN chief said. "He summoned us all to act against bias, brutality and bloodshed."

"He was a multilateralist through and through, a true UN-blue believer in a rules-based global order," Guterres said. "And, I must say, his loss cuts even deeper because we have never needed that faith and inspiration more."

This was a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's history of snubbing multilateralism for his bilateral approach to international relations.

"Kofi Annan called the United Nations the 'last best hope of humanity," said Guterres. "He burned with the flame of human rights, dignity and justice."

President Maria Fernanda Espinosa of the 73rd General Assembly session, which just began last week, said it is "eminently fitting that we remember him (Annan) on this day -- a day fixed by this Assembly 17 years ago, on his watch and with his strong support, as International Peace Day. For no one labored more tirelessly or consistently in the cause of peace than did Kofi Annan."

"Kofi Annan was a great Secretary-General because he understood that peace cannot be achieved in isolation," she said.

Nane Annan said her late husband, "died too soon," shortly after returning from witnessing elections in Zimbabwe, just another one of the many missions he was on since "retiring" at the end of 2006.

"The rebel on the 38th floor," where the secretary general's office is located, had a "glowing aura" and was known for thinking "outside the box," she said, expressing gratitude for the memorial and adding, "We shall cherish this moment."

The late UN chief's son, Kojo Annan, in stepping behind the green marble podium where heads of state and government will stand next week to deliver speeches during the assembly's annual General Debate, said, "this is hallowed ground."

Hallowed, because it is "the only place on the planet" considered "home" for all world leaders, he said.

Recalling his father's legacy and afforded the privilege of being called a "World Citizen," Kojo Annan said it meant "completely embracing the common humanity of all of the world's citizens; it's about seeing potential in anyone and helping build a world where anything is possible for that someone."

"It's literally unfathomable that an obscure young man born in Kumasi, Ghana's second city, 19 years before Ghana's independence and who had never left the country before he was 18, would rise one day to become the 7th secretary-general of the United Nations, and yet that was my father's story," he said.

Ghana Ambassador Annan Cato, speaking for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, president of Ghana, said "the outpouring of tributes to the life and work of Kofi Annan this morning has again reminded us of some of the contours in the foot-prints he left as he walked the globe."

"It is Ghana's hope that these foot-prints will serve as a guiding light for future generations," Cato said. "It is also our hope that a fitting tribute and memorial to Kofi Annan will be the reinforcement of our collective commitment to the urgent work of the United Nations in addressing the challenges of today's world."

Citing the opening words of the UN Charter the Accra envoy said, "We the Peoples' was Kofi Annan's mantra."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 06:00:22|Editor: xuxin

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A doctor takes a famine-suffered child to be weighed as he receives treatment at al-Sabaeen hospital in Sanaa, Yemen, on Sept. 24, 2018. UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock on Friday warned of the danger of widespread famine in Yemen amid an economic meltdown and fighting that threaten the lifeline of supplies for civilians. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock on Friday warned of the danger of widespread famine in Yemen amid an economic meltdown and fighting that threaten the lifeline of supplies for civilians.

"The Security Council has asked for an update today on the humanitarian situation in Yemen. In a word, it is bleak," said Lowcock. "We are losing the fight against famine."

The situation has deteriorated in an alarming way in recent weeks, he told the Security Council. "We may now be approaching a tipping point, beyond which it will be impossible to prevent massive loss of life as a result of widespread famine across the country."

Some 18 million of the 29 million Yemenis, including a high proportion of children, are food insecure, and more than 8 million of them severely food insecure, meaning they do not know where their next meal will come from and they need emergency food assistance to survive, said Lowcock.

The already dire humanitarian situation was battered by a marked economic deterioration, symptomized by the depreciation of the Yemeni rial by some 30 percent in the last month or so, said Lowcock.

Because almost all the food consumed in Yemen is imported, that depreciation translates directly into a sharp increase in the price of food for some 10 million Yemenis who are food insecure but who are not reached by international aid.

"We are already seeing pockets of famine-like conditions, including cases where people are eating leaves because they have no other form of sustenance," he said. "We estimate that an additional 3.5 million people may soon be added to the 8 million already severely food insecure."

The intensification of fighting in recent weeks around the Red Sea port of Hudaydah is choking the lifeline which the aid operation -- and the commercial markets -- rely on, he said.

The main Hudaydah-Sanaa road -- the principal artery used by commercial importers and humanitarian organizations to move commodities to people across the country -- has been cut off by fighting. Other routes are heavily damaged and increase transport times and therefore the cost for humanitarian organizations and private companies, he said.

Lowcock asked the Security Council to take immediate measures to stabilize the economy and support the exchange rate.

That includes useable liquidity for the central bank, and the implementation of long-standing commitments to pay key public-sector salaries across the whole country, so that more people have the wherewithal to buy food and keep the commercial markets alive. It is, at the same time, essential to avoid any policy measures that would damage "the already paper-thin confidence" of commercial importers any further, said Lowcock. International aid cannot replace the commercial markets, he noted.

Meanwhile, all stakeholders must uphold their obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and facilitate access to vulnerable people, he said.

"We have to keep all ports open; we have to keep main roads open; we have to keep them functional; we have to keep them safe. No humanitarian site should be used for military purposes. The lifeline through which the aid operation runs now hangs by a thread."

He asked all parties to the conflict to find practical solutions to key issues, including the opening of an air bridge for civilians to seek medical treatment outside Yemen for diseases no longer treatable inside the country.

And of course, the parties need to get around the negotiating table and engage seriously with the UN mediator on a positive path toward peace, he said.

Yemen has been in civil war in the past three years, pitting Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Representatives of grossroots community organizations hold pictures of "Comfort Women" during a rally on the sidewalk in front of Japanese Consulate General in San Francisco, the United States, on Aug. 14, 2017. The "Comfort Women" Justice Coalition organized a rally here on Monday to mark the International Memorial Day for "Comfort Women". (Xinhua/Xu Yong)

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- A retired village teacher and a film director from China will be honored by a U.S. comfort women organization for their painstaking efforts to seek justice for those women.

Zhang Shuangbing, a retired elementary school teacher in Shanxi Province in northern China, and Zhang Yueping, director of the film Great Cold, are currently visiting San Francisco at the invitation of the Comfort Women Justice Coalition (CWJC), a San Francisco-based advocacy group consisting of more than 30 multi-ethnic community organizations.

The CWJC will present the award at a rally on Saturday to celebrate the first anniversary of the installment of a comfort women memorial in the city.

Zhang Shuangbing, 65, is called "China's first comfort women researcher" because he started interviewing comfort women survivors when he was 29 in 1982.

In the past 36 years, he has talked to between 300 and 400 comfort women survivors, mostly in Shanxi province, and 127 of them agreed to come out of shadow and tell their heart-wrenching stories.

He also helped 16 of the comfort women victims to sue the Japanese government in the past 16 years. Without money or other resources, Zhang solely relied on sponsorships.

Though they lost the lawsuit, Zhang said he would continue the fight until the Japanese government lowers its head and formally apologizes for their wartime atrocities.

"He used 36 years of time to get to know each and every one of the 127 comfort women survivors. He persuaded them to tell their stories, to put themselves out to file a complaint against the Japan government," said Julie Tang, co-chair of the CWJC, at a press conference on Thursday.

"So that's why even in the faraway America, when we hear about it, we are so touched. We want to bring them here to meet them personally and let them tell their side of story to non-Chinese people," she said.

All of the 127 women Zhang had interviewed were no longer alive with the last one, Cao Heimao, passing away in August at the age of 97.

Cao was also the real-life figure of a lead character of the film Great Cold, which was released in China in January. The film tells the plight of the former comfort women, the misery inflicted on the victims and Japan's refusal to face up to its wartime past.

"We have seen a lot of South Korean movies (on comfort women), some Filipino movies, but this is one of the first movies made of Chinese comfort women," said Tang.

The film will be screened following the rally on Saturday and the film director will answer questions from the audience.

"This information is highly valuable to our movement, highly unique to our experience of what comfort women history is about. They have so much to offer to us by taking this trip here," Tang said.

"Whatever we take to sponsor them is a drop in the bucket compared to what they can offer to us and how they can inspire us," she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 06:05:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Mauritania pledged Friday to expand bilateral cooperation.

This vow was made during talks between Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani and Mauritania's Foreign Affairs Minister Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, according to a statement from prime minister's office.

Speaking on this occasion, El Othmani praised the "solid" ties between the two countries, highlighting the promising prospects for the two countries, as well as the possibilities of co-ordination in different areas, including agriculture and fisheries, in addition to the exchange of experience in the fields of vocational training and higher education.

For his part, the Mauritanian foreign minsiter lauded the depth of relations between the two countries, while underlining the need to develop bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-22 06:10:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Entente Setif of Algeria held title holders Wydad Casablanca to a goalless draw in the second leg of their African Champions League quaterfinals encounter on Friday to advance to the semifinals.

In the first leg, Entente Setif defeated Wydad Casablanca 1-0 in Setif.

At Mohammed V Complex, the Moroccan team largely dominated the match and created numerous attempts, but they were unable to convert any of their clear chances into goals.

Twice champions Wydad were hot favourites to reach the semi-finals at the expense of Setif, who had the least impressive record of the eight survivors in the premier African club competition.

Setif lost three matches en route to the last-eight stage, while Wydad were among six clubs beaten only once.

Entente Setif joined Angola's Primeiro de Agosto and Tunisia's Esperance to African Champions League semi-finals.

The Algerians will now face the winner of the last quarter finals encounter between Al Ahly of Egypt and Horoya of Guinea.
The Hungarian public still knows practically nothing about what went on at the informal summit of the European Council in Salzburg. The little information that reached Budapest came from Antal Rogan, who had a telephone conversation with MTI, Hungarys news service.

He covered two topics. The first was the creation of a 10,000-strong border police under the aegis of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.

Although earlier Viktor Orban had championed for a common defense of the European Unions borders, as soon as the decision was made to officially propose it, he changed his mind and arrived in Salzburg to make clear that Hungary wont relinquish its right to defend its borders to Brussels and Frontex. The Hungarian borders will be defended by Hungarian soldiers and policemen.

At the summit, according to Rogan, Viktor Orban won. The proposal was discussed, and those sections that would have infringed on national sovereignty were thrown back, I guess to those who proposed them in the first place.

But, Rogan added, the battle hasnt ended; the proposal will be discussed again between now and the end of the year. Can anyone tell from this description what actually happened in Salzburg? No one knows. Yet most of the government papers simply republished the short MTI story.

The most innovative reporting came from Origo with an article titled The events of the last few days confirm the victory of Viktor Orbans viewpoint. What is this victory all about?

The answer was ingenious. The very fact that border defense was discussed at all at the summit is an enormous victory for the Hungarian prime minister.

Moreover, Origo insists that several EU member states stood by our homeland regarding the necessity of border defense.

As it turned out, Origo meant Bulgaria and Slovakia, two countries that support the Hungarian position.

The news about Bulgaria was incorrect at the time the article was written. Earlier in the day, the Bulgarian prime minister announced that his deputys previous information had been incorrect.

The other country that allegedly supported Hungarys position was Slovakia, whose prime minister declared that Frontex should have only a supplementary function in the defense of the borders. But he also said that European politicians should support every solution that can contribute to the defense of the Unions borders.

That doesnt sound like a support for Orbans position, which would reject the presence of any Frontex personnel in member states.

In addition, the article contained a few ambiguous sentences about the position of Sebastian Kurz under the subtitle Sebastian Kurz recognized that Viktor Orban is right. In what respect? After embracing Viktor Orbans point of view, he announced that the decision to strengthen border defense was a forward-looking step.

As if, with the exception of Viktor Orban, all other EU politicians wanted to open up the borders and welcome millions of refugees and migrants. All in all, Origo managed to write a glowing report about Orbans performance in Salzburg when it seems that nothing really happened there.

The second piece of news that Rogan reported to MTI was that Jean-Claude Juncker failed to convince members of the European Peoples Party (EPP) to expel the 12-member Fidesz delegation from its caucus.

We have known, at least since September 8, that if it depended on Juncker, Fidesz wouldnt be a member of the EPP, but I didnt realize that he was actually ready to campaign for Fideszs expulsion. Yet this is what happened, according to Rogan.

It is also interesting that Fidesz kept the existence of an EPP summit quiet. At least no news of it can be found anywhere. Rogan revealed that Juncker waited with his suggestion to get rid of Fidesz until just after Orban had to leave for a face-to-face meeting with Sebastian Kurz.

The meeting, scheduled earlier, between Kurz and Orban wasnt announced either, but we knew that Kurzs position on the Sargentini Report infuriated Orban. The prime minister was counting on Kurzs support, but instead he, as chairman of the Austrian Peoples Party, instructed the Austrian members of EPP to vote for the Sargentini Report.

Orban apparently was beside himself and called him a slippery labanc. Labanc is an insulting term from the late seventeenth century for supporters of the Habsburgs. Eventually, he calmed down somewhat, and in his Friday radio interview he tried to excuse Kurzs abandonment of him as a youthful misstep.

So, we have a fair idea what this tete-a-tete between Kurz and Orban was all about, and I assume that it was not exactly pleasant. Not only does Kurz have a critical view of the state of Hungarian democracy, but he is in favor of a united front as far as the defense of the Schengen borders is concerned.

Magyar Idok came out with an editorial late tonight in which the author, Tamara Judi, describes Kurzs efforts in this respect as close to impossible. We ought to keep in mind that since July Austria has been assuming the duties of the presidency of the European Union, and therefore the creation of a large force of border police must be overseen by Kurz and his team.

The article intimates that Kurz was co-opted and now stands on the same platform as Juncker and Angela Merkel. This is a real mistake on his part because Viktor Orbans supporters are many. All four of the Visegrad countries in addition to several other countries will not be cowed by Merkel, Juncker, and Kurz, the slippery labanc.

It is highly unlikely that Orban will convince the Austrian chancellor to join the kuruc Hungarians led by Viktor Orban. The Austrians had plenty of opportunities to learn that the marriage between the two countries was more often than not rather on the rocky side.



MTI Photo: Szecsodi Balazs
INDIANA, Pa., Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- T. Michael Price, President and CEO of First Commonwealth Financial Corporation, has been selected to serve on the National Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC) for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. Price currently serves on the CDIAC of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.



The CDIAC, which includes one member from each of the countrys twelve Federal Reserve Bank Advisory Councils, will meet twice a year with the Federal Reserve Board in Washington to discuss insights and conditions that affect community banks with assets of less than $10 billion.

Our District CDIAC provides us with a wealth of information on the state of banking and business conditions throughout our territory, said Guhan Venkatu, Group Vice President of Regional Analysis and Outreach at the Cleveland Reserve Bank. Mr. Price has been a valued member of our District Council since 2016, and will now have an opportunity to share his insights at a national level.

Price was selected to the position in September 2018. He will officially begin his service at the CDIACs first meeting in 2019.

With more than 30 years of management experience in the financial services industry, Price has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of First Commonwealth Financial Corporation since March 2012. He first joined the company in November 2007 as President of First Commonwealth Bank. Prior to his role at First Commonwealth, Price worked at a larger financial institution in Ohio, where he held various titles, including Branch Manager, Commercial Lender, Head of Business Banking and Regional CEO.

About The Federal Reserve Systems Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC)

The CDIAC was established in 2010 by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) to provide input to the Board on the economy, lending conditions, and other issues of interest to community depository institutions. Members are selected from representatives of banks, thrift institutions, and credit unions serving on local advisory councils at the twelve Federal Reserve Banks.

About First Commonwealth Financial Corporation

First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (NYSE:FCF), headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania, is a financial services company with 140 banking offices in 22 counties throughout western and central Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as Corporate Banking Centers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. The company also operates mortgage offices in Wexford, Pennsylvania, as well as Hudson and Dublin, Ohio. First Commonwealth provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking, mortgage, wealth management and insurance products and services through its subsidiaries First Commonwealth Bank and First Commonwealth Insurance Agency. It is through these services that the company strives to execute on its mission to improve the financial lives of its neighbors and their businesses.

Media Relations

Kristine N. Levan

Vice President / Marketing and Communications Manager

Phone: 724-463-4777

E-mail: KLevan@fcbanking.com
This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company.

As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism.

We hope you are equally as excited as us.

This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers.

Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited.

In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy.

Happy shootin' my friends!

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Fotbal: Italianul Jorjinho (Chelsea) spune ca nu ar fi o tragedie daca nu ar castiga Balonul de Aur

Mijlocasul italian al echipei Chelsea, Jorginho, spune ca daca ar castiga Balonul de Aur ar fi un "stimulent" pentru jucatorii care evolueaza pe alte posturi decat cel de atacant si care nu marcheaza [citeste mai departe]
U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester; Evan Malone, president of NextFab; and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick at NextFab's main South Philly location last fall. Read more

NextFab, the for-profit cool-tools "makerspace" studio network started by Evan Malone, Ph.D. in West Philadelphia in 2009, plans to temporarily close its three-year-old, 4,000 square foot jewelry and textile studios at 1227 N. Fourth St. later this year in preparation for a move to much larger quarters in a 21,000-square-foot space at 1800 N. American St. in late 2019.

The shutdown should last "one to three months," while the firm moves machinery, Malone said. Members who need space between the shutdown and the planned new opening can move to NextFab's 21,000 sq. ft. Washington Ave. tech-tools location in South Philly or its 10,000 sq. ft. Wilmington location, or collect refunds, according to NextFab.

The new facility, like the 4th St. location, will be headed by jewelery-industry veteran Melissa Guglielmo.

Philadelphia has been trying to redevelop the blocks along wide American St. in the former west Kensington factory and food-industries corridor since the 1980s. Instead of the job-intensive production facilities the city once envisioned, the neighborhood, which adjoins the Northern Liberties residential and restaurant district, has attracted artists and artisan shops in recent years.

In a statement, Malone noted the new site's neighbors including Crane Arts, the Provenance Cos. architectual-salvage business, Clay Studio, Colorspace Labs and Paperbox Studios, among others.

"I love NextFab. I'm going to join today," said Bob Beaty, a veteran Philadelphia construction recycler who runs another architectual-salvage business on N. American St., on hearing the company will soon be a nearer neighbor.

(The size and opening date for the new space have been corrected from an earlier version of this item.)
If someone is stealing your company's secrets, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain wants to hear from you.

In the span of a couple weeks, McSwain's office secured two guilty pleas from two scientists who admitted taking part in a conspiracy to siphon cancer drug research from GlaxoSmithKline's Upper Merion offices, destined for a company that had financial backing from the Chinese government. Prosecutors say this type of research typically costs more than $1 billion.

The case involves the rarefied world of biopharmaceuticals and the quest to develop complicated products, such as a monoclonal antibody, intended to wipe out or slow down cancer. But nearly six months into his tenure, McSwain said the case is also emblematic of his broader focus on theft of trade secrets, and on a white collar crime agenda that has "100 percent support" from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

The pilfering of a company's proprietary work comes down to "economic warfare," McSwain said. "It's simply not fair for this information to be stolen and then for people to lose their jobs because of it."

And he doesn't believe GlaxoSmithKline is the only target in the region. "We suspect and the FBI suspects  that there are a lot of cases like this that don't come to our attention and get swept under the rug," McSwain said. He likened research endeavors across universities, the private sector, and other institutions to the "crown jewel of our city and our district."

Prosecutions involving trade secrets theft and economic espionage  in which a foreign power is implicated  ticked up under the Obama administration. And that interest remains strong in the Trump administration, said Perkins Coie partner Barak Cohen, a former prosecutor in the Justice Department's criminal division.

The risk of theft "affects all industries," Cohen said. "If it involves any kind of technology, whether it's biotechnology or nanotechnology, it potentially involves trade secrets theft or economic espionage."

This past March, an investigation by the United States Trade Representative, focused specifically on China, estimated that "Chinese theft of American IP currently costs between $225 billion and $600 billion annually"  a figure that includes industrial espionage, among other practices. The report gave President Trump the justification to put tariffs on about $50 billion worth of Chinese goods.

But trends in prosecutions have also drawn criticism for unfair targeting of Chinese nationals. Here in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Attorney's Office withdrew a wire fraud case against Temple University physics professor Xiaoxing Xi, who was arrested in 2015. He filed suit last year against the FBI, alleging that he was targeted due to his ethnicity.

McSwain pointed out that the dismissal predated his arrival. He said the two guilty pleas in the theft of GlaxoSmithKline's proprietary information "confirms it's a very strong case."

"We're not going to be deterred or slowed down in any way in going after these kinds of cases, based on any sort of prior history," McSwain said, adding that the cases center on behavior, not ethnicity: "We're not targeting any particular background or ethnicity here. We're only targeting behavior, and we've seen that the behavior has sometimes involved China."

McSwain said the Justice Department has also voiced its support for white collar enforcement, including trade secrets theft. He spent two days in Washington earlier this month for a convening of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee, where he sits on the white-collar subcommittee.

Other subjects get more media attention as enforcement priorities, he said, running through a list: violent crime, opioids and other drugs, immigration, and national security. But during his trip to Washington, McSwain said, "We met with the attorney general and with the deputy attorney general for a long time, separately. And we talked about how white collar crime is a priority for the Department of Justice."

In trade secrets cases, McSwain said prosecutors depend on cooperation with the company that says it's been victimized. The company provides witnesses and helps decode what's going on. Yet it can also be embarrassing for a business to come forward and "expose to the world that your information was stolen," he said.

"The hard question for the company is not, 'Boy, did we have a breach here?' The hard question for the company is, 'Do we go to law enforcement?'"

But he said the deterrence effect  for the company, and as a public service  makes such cases worthwhile. "If they don't get that message out, and they don't try to have this behavior punished, they are going to suffer economically," he said.

Beyond trade secrets, McSwain said he expects his office to bring more securities cases. He feels fortunate to have nearby a "large, active" regional office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and said he's long known the office's director, Jeffrey Boujoukos.

"We want to do all we can to make the markets fair and to safeguard the integrity of the markets, and protect retail investors and everyday investors," McSwain said. Last month, his office pressed charges against former Eagles player Mychal Kendricks in an insider trading case. Kendricks admitted to the crimes and apologized for them in a statement from his attorney at the time. He pleaded guilty in court earlier this month.

On the opioids front, the Eastern District is also getting more funding, along with three prosecutors from the DOJ, to be embedded here in Philadelphia. They're part of a regional strike force that will be "going after both illegal opioid prescriptions and opioid distribution, as well as traditional health care fraud," McSwain said.

As his office pursues white collar cases, McSwain said jail time is "absolutely" on the table.

"We want to make sure that the executives of companies understand that if they engage in or condone criminal behavior, there's going to be criminal consequences," he said. "If people know that they individually could go to jail, they're going to make sure their company doesn't do anything improper."
DENVER, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the request of IIROC, Pure Energy Minerals Limited (TSX VENTURE:PE) (OTCQB:PEMIF) (the Company or Pure Energy) wishes to confirm that the Companys management is unaware of any change in the Companys circumstances that would account for the recent increase in market activity.



About Pure Energy Minerals Limited

Pure Energy Minerals is a lithium resource developer that is driven to become a low-cost supplier for the growing lithium battery industry. The Company is developing the Clayton Valley Project (CV Project) in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The Company is also exploring a lithium brine project in the Lithium Triangle of South America, the Terra Cotta Project (TCP). The TCP is located on Pocitos Salar in Salta, Argentina, where it enjoys some of the best infrastructure and access of any lithium brine exploration project in Argentina.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Patrick Highsmith

Chief Executive Officer

Telephone  604 608 6611, ext 3

Pure Energy Minerals Limited (www.pureenergyminerals.com)

Email: info@pureenergyminerals.com



Cautionary Statements and Forward-Looking Information

The information in this news release contains forward looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this release may include: the potential for future low-cost production from the CV Project, future exploration on the CV Project and the Terra Cotta Project. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Dear Readers,

Our objective in producing today's special story package, Corporate Philanthropy, is to spotlight how the Philadelphia area's businesses and nonprofits are contributing to our community. We believe that the stories here will both educate and inspire our readers.

The cornerstone of Corporate Philanthropy is an interview with Eagles defensive end Chris Long, who last year donated his salary, first, to allow two children to attend his alma mater, then to bring educational equity to disadvantaged youth in Philadelphia, St. Louis and Boston. Long exemplifies the philanthropic spirit that is the heart of this section.

RELATED STORIES: Will tax cuts lead to more donations? | Eagles' Chris Long: 'Fans can be the backbone' of charitable work | Choosing the right charity | How companies can set philanthropic strategies | How top volunteers make a difference | Future looks bright, thanks to cooperation | Transformational giving helps people get a slice of the pie

All the stories are designed to educate and inspire: Choosing the charity that fits your business model. Philanthropic strategies for companies. Who are the top volunteers in the area? How the new tax law will impact charitable giving. And why Philadelphia's giving lags behind other cities  including Pittsburgh.

Twenty-five nominated companies  including notables like Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and Bank of America  and individuals will be recognized at the inaugural Corporate Philanthropy Conference & Awards. Presented by M&T Bank and sponsored by the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, the event is Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crystal Tea Room. Chris Long is the keynote speaker, plus there will be a panel discussion about philanthropy, a nonprofit expo and an awards ceremony. Click here to register.

All proceeds from the conference will support The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the nonprofit organization whose mission is to sustain top-quality local journalism. Founded in 2016 by philanthropist Gerry Lenfest, the Institute recently announced that it is participating in a $20 million program with the Knight Foundation to support the Inquirer and other Philadelphia journalism organizations.

Hope to see you tomorrow!
After sitting as a vacant lot for nearly 20 years, Southern Land Company is expected to begin construction this fall on a 599-foot tower in Rittenhouse Square. It will include million-dollar condos, market rate apartments, and workforce housing. Mixed-use commercial will be on the ground floor. Read more

It was, at first, an ordinary Philadelphia development story.

When Southern Land Co. made its second foray into Philadelphia in 2015, the Nashville-based developer had a big idea: It would purchase the last developable swath in Rittenhouse Square, 1907-1915 Walnut St., and build a glass skyscraper there. To achieve its vision, the company said, it would demolish three historic buildings and replace them with ground-floor retail. On top, 425 apartment and condo units would occupy a 599-foot tower  making it the tallest residential-only building in Philadelphia's skyline. Underground, plentiful parking could be accessed from a less-busy Sansom Street.

Southern Land  which at the time was finishing its first Philadelphia project, across town in University City  believed the planned development at 1907-1915 Walnut St., would be transformative for the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.

There was one problem: Their plan wasn't the kind of transformation residents were seeking.

According to complaints in 2015, the proposed all-glass tower was out of place with the neighborhood's centuries-old architecture. Residents questioned why the historic buildings on the 1900 block of Sansom Street  the Rittenhouse Coffee Shop, the Oliver H. Bair Funeral Home, and the Warwick apartments  had to be razed. The garage on Sansom Street, some thought, would derail efforts to make the corridor more walkable. Many, meanwhile, simply took issue with the building's size.

If Southern Land were a different developer, and if Rittenhouse Square any other Philadelphia neighborhood, this story likely would have ended the way countless others have: Both sides dig in, threats are made, a century-old building comes down, perhaps, or lawsuits are filed. Most times in Philadelphia, both residents and developer leave embittered and exhausted, neither getting what they want.

Rittenhouse Square residents knew that game firsthand, even at this site. In the late 1990s, the neighborhood vehemently opposed a plan by the Philadelphia Parking Authority and Moreland Investments to build a movie theater, a Stephen Starr restaurant, and a nine-story parking garage on the site  and won. They had the connections and resources to fight again for the 14,280-square-foot swath, which had sat vacant for years after a 1994 fire.

Still, Rittenhouse Square neighbors chose a different tactic when Southern Land bought the land in 2015 for $30 million  one that they had tested just a few months before. Rather than working against the development company, residents wondered, could they actually work with it? So, they dropped their pitchforks and took up handshakes, abandoned their lawyers and brought in architects.

Turns out, it worked.

Rather than using the traditional registered community organization process, the neighbors formed a "stakeholders committee" to negotiate with Southern Land. To join, businesses, homeowners associations, and even individuals could buy "shares" for $1,000 each, which would allow a vote on the final project design.

In the end, the committee amassed $21,000  a sum that Southern Land matched. They used the money to hire local architects to advocate for residents.

It was a daunting prospect for Southern Land, which had faced little resistance when it proposed 3601 Market, a luxury apartment tower in University City, only a few years before.

"I thought, 'This will be really rough,'" said Tim Downey, the CEO of Southern Land. "We have 10 different community groups that are going to be meeting with us at one time and everyone will have a different opinion. It was scary. I really didn't know what to expect."

"But when [they] called me and said, 'Here at this group, we don't lawyer up, we architect up,' I thought, 'That's pretty unique.'" Downey continued. "And from that moment on, I worried a bit less."

The strategy had worked once before, at 19th and Chestnut Streets, where Pearl Properties had planned to build a tall tower where the 1920s-era Boyd Theater once stood. Using their stakeholders committee, residents hired local architect Cecil Baker to negotiate a different approach. Ultimately, the tower was shortened and the design improved. The 24-story apartment tower, dubbed the Harper, is currently under construction.

"It became a model to take up with [Southern Land]," said Rick Gross, who founded and spearheaded the committees for both projects. "And we are looking at it as a template with development going forward."

Across economically diverse Philadelphia, the poorest big city in America, convincing residents that they should buy into having a seat at the table  literally  would likely be a tough sell outside of Rittenhouse. Still, Gross said, it was an effective strategy with Southern Land. In initial meetings, the company stressed it wanted to create something "extraordinary," Downey said, and build a tower tall enough to provide a financial return. The stakeholders wanted improved architecture, a different parking entrance, and the historic buildings saved. Most notably, the committee told Southern Land, they wanted some affordable housing.

In the end, Southern Land decided it could save two of the historic buildings entirely  the Warwick apartments and the Rittenhouse Coffee Shop  and could even incorporate them into the project. Consulting with Cecil Baker and John Randolph, local architects hired by the stakeholders, Southern Land changed the design of the building, giving its Walnut Street entrance a look that better blended with the neighborhood, plus a more dynamic tower design. They moved the underground garage onto 20th Street, saving Sansom and Moravian Streets from heavy traffic.

Plus, Southern Land said, it would include affordable housing, in exchange for a density bonus.

"There is a real workforce housing crisis in this country for people who work so hard for the city or the police or as waiters and cooks in these nice areas, but can't afford to live in them," Downey said. "To include them in the development  it makes the community more diverse and more interesting."

Southern Land plans to put eight workforce housing units in its tower, which will stand at 599 feet  still keeping it as the tallest residential-only tower in the city. An additional 30 units will be available as affordable housing in the now-vacant Warwick apartments on Sansom Street. According to Downey, Southern Land will either develop and manage the Warwick apartments itself, or give Project Home, a Philadelphia nonprofit, $4 million to do so. Details on that arrangement, Downey said, are still being worked out.

Southern Land's workforce housing will be available to residents earning 60 to 80 percent of area median income, or $36,708 to $48,944 for a single person.

"At the end of the day, this project is better because we have an affordable component," said City Council President Darrell Clarke, whose district includes Rittenhouse Square.

"And one thing that stands out is that this is self-subsidized,'" he said, calling it a "template" for affordability in privately developed housing.

As for the rest of the project, Southern Land's tower will stand 48 stories tall and include 74 condominiums on floors 27 through 48, with 177 market-rate apartments below. The 26th floor will have a posh amenity floor for condo owners only, featuring a pool, sauna, and fitness center, among other attractions. Renters and condo owners will share other amenities in the development.

The condo portion of the tower  called the Laurel  will have unobstructed views and ultra-luxury finishes, such as marble walls in the bathroom, said Brian Emmons, Southern Land's development manager in Philadelphia. Each unit is expected to sell for more than $2 million.

So far, the company has received 12 deposits, with agreements of sale ranging from $2.5 million and $6.5 million. The tower's two 9,100-square-foot, full-floor penthouses remain available, and are currently designated as raw space.

The tower's estimated completion is 2021.

"The most important thing that we are working on right now is finding good commercial anchor tenants that are going to be appropriate for the building and add value," Emmons said. "Being the last building on the square, it's so important that we do this right, and we are being very careful and very conscious of that."
Lennox Abrams (left), 15 months, plays with her friends Arianna Luciano (right), 14 months, and Arianna's twin sister, Giulia, at the twins' home in Philadelphia. Retailers are embracing the theme of female empowerment. Read more

When she was three months pregnant with twin girls, Eleonora Barbieri marched in Philadelphia, like millions of others across the world, surrounded by people carrying signs proclaiming that women's rights are human rights.

Now her girls are 14 months old and Barbieri, an Italian immigrant, has dressed them in outfits with messages like "Strong Woman" and "Miss Independent."

"I want them to learn their self-worth," said Barbieri, 31, of Brewerytown, whose husband is Dominican. "So if they ever encounter anyone who talks to them like the president talks to the world, they can hold themselves [firm] and know that's not right and they deserve better."

>> IMAGE GALLERY: From 'Thank You Rosa Parks' to 'Every Girl is a Super Hero,' female empowerment gets screen printed

As the female-empowerment message goes mainstream, retailers are increasingly stocking their shelves with shirts like "Girl boss," "Never underestimate the power of women and girls," and "She believed she could so she did"

"Culturally, we are in an accelerated time of women questioning the assumptions that others have about them," said Americus Reed, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. "Retail is often a looking-glass sense of culture."

The amount of positive messaging apparel from the countrys top childrens wear retailers doubled compared with last year and the term girl power increased 67.4 percent, according to an analysis by Edited, a retail technology and data company. In the last three months, theres been a 100 percent increase in positive messaging apparel, Edited found.

For Barbieri, the merchandise she buys reflects her own form of activism. She worries about a president who, she said, has signaled that it is acceptable to disparage immigrants, the LGBTQ community, women, people of color, and those who are disabled.

To others, these empowering messages are no more than a straightforward way to reaffirm to their children that they should grow up to be confident, regardless of political leanings.

And while there are feminist scholars and activists who think "femvertising"  or brands using feminism to sell products  is disingenuous, this messaging surge comes at a time when some women feel compelled to reaffirm their values and take action.

That may mean attending a women's march. Or sharing a story of sexual assault and harassment with the hashtag #MeToo. Or joining the flood of women running for public office.

Or, it might mean simply buying their children a shirt that says "Smart girls will change the world."

From tiaras to capes

Robin Falco still remembers the day her 3-year-old daughter, Ada, informed her that girls can't be superheroes. Ada hadn't seen women among the superhero coloring-book and comic-book pages that featured men. That was 3 years ago  before the Wonder Woman movie and before Ada decided she was going to become an engineer for NASA.

"There's been just a push back against the way things have always been done, and I think a lot of women were frustrated the way I was. They either were discouraged of liking things or for liking things that weren't traditionally feminine, or went into these fields and struggled," Falco, 39, of King of Prussia, said, adding that her daughter no longer remembers a time when she thought girls couldn't be superheroes. Now Ada loves wearing capes.

"Female empowerment" related searches and purchases on the website Etsy increased 440 percent in the last year, according to Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy's trend expert. In June, "kids pride T-shirts" were among the platform's top-selling items and Johnson expects this messaging will continue to grow.

This trend is also a reflection of millennial shoppers who, as parents, care more about a brand's values than other generations and, in larger numbers, shop at stores they feel reflect their social or political views, according to a National Retail Federation report.

Some parents, like Sarah Theis, 45, of Malvern, said they aren't fans of gendered messaging. Instead, Theis, who has a 10-year-old son, would prefer to see fewer shirts proclaiming "girl power" and more positive messages that could work for any child.

Still, these tees are the first step toward activism for many of the high school students that Michelle Legaspi Sanchez has worked with in her role at the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls, where she is executive director. It may be hard for students to articulate their beliefs about female empowerment, she said, but wearing a shirt can bring the girls confidence and make them feel like part of a collective. Sanchez said that regardless of the girls' political stances, messages about young women believing in themselves and using their voices to take action has been "unifying."

"We feel like the apparel is really a part of a larger conversation. I think there is a connection to activism, but I think apparel is really a tool to activism.  It helps give voice and spark dialogue." Sanchez said. "It crosses political lines. The focus is really on them and their growth and our programming. That's what we support. We want them to be able to explore this no matter their stances and their opinion."

Syreeta Scott and Shanti Mayers, co-owners of the Sable Collective in the Swampoodle neighborhood of North Philly, said their experience as black, working single mothers influenced how they raise their children and what they buy them. In their store, which Scott said features vendors who are mostly other black women, they sell shirts that say "love her," "protect us," and "trust black women."

"Particularly for black people or people of color who are often underrepresented," Mayers said it's important to see empowering messages on shirts in the retail space that are able to "reflect our culture and to reflect our mission."

The appropriate pendulum swing

Kesha Leets' daughter is only 3 months old, but Leets, who lives near Rittenhouse Square, proudly posted a photo on Instagram of her wearing a "Wild Feminist" onesie. To her, dressing her daughter like that says to the world that the word feminist should be normalized and has nothing to do with a political party.

"It was absolutely fantastic," she recalled upon seeing the onesie. "I just thought, what a cool way to raise your kid to be that open, I guess, about empowering girls and empowering females, without having to sit down and articulate to a 3-month-old something you can't articulate."

When used incorrectly by companies, said Jess Weiner, CEO of Talk to Jess, a brand strategy firm, and who advised Mattel on Barbie's inclusive redesign, commodifying feminism and the broad messages of empowerment could minimize serious inequities. She works with brands to make sure their practices are anchored in the messaging so they avoid the missteps of inauthenticity. Audi, for example, ran an ad during the 2017 Super Bowl about the gender pay gap, causing some consumers to criticize the company for employing few women on its executive team.

This opinion of "femvertising" is a "proper critique," she said, but one that is "too prescriptive and black-and-white."

"I would rather see some commercialization of feminism than a bunch of billboards of a bunch of body parts on it," Weiner said. "We've been seeing women pulled apart in pieces in advertising for decades." Brands emphasizing "girls' intelligence, their wits, their smarts, their power," she said, "feels like the appropriate pendulum swing to bring us back to an equilibrium."

Litty Paxton, the former director of the Penn Women's Center, said that although these shirts can be positive in that more people will see this messaging, she thinks their popularity is bittersweet. As she sees it, it proves how much more work is needed.

"If there is so much of this girl power, why do we need it on a T-shirt? Patriarchy never needed a T-shirt for it to become successful," said Paxton, the associate dean for undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication. The 2016 presidential election "suggests smart girls don't rule and there are a lot of problems when women try to rule the world," Paxton said. "The notion that girls can do anything crashed into the largest glass ceiling ever."

Melissa Bocage, 38, of Passyunk Square, isn't sure what she thinks of these shirts. Bocage could imagine her 5-year-old daughter, who is very literate for her age, seeing a shirt calling girls smart and wondering why that would need to be affirmed.

"It just means the conversation I have to open is 'Yes, honey, you're smart and some people think boys are smarter than girls,'" Bocage said, "but that's just not a conversation I'm going to have over a shirt the Children's Place sold me."

For her 5-year-old daughter, Bocage gravitates toward books with broader lessons or items that, when bought, also donate to a charity. One of their favorite books is "What Do You Do With an Idea?," which Bocage says starts a conversation about how her daughter's thoughts matter and can make a difference. They also enjoy the book "I Am Jazz," a story about a transgender child.

And if companies really believe girls can do anything, Bocage said, she would like to see them make girls pants with larger pockets. That way, Bocage said, her daughter can stuff them full of the rocks and twigs she collects on the playground  just the way the boys do in their cargo shorts.
A "two-in-one" Samsung Galaxy Book lets you write notes on the screen (with the S Pen) then send the editorially improved content along to friends and colleagues. Read more

Of late, it has been looking as if the death of handwriting might be upon us, as a screen-obsessed society texts, tweets, and Instagrams its way through every situation. Old writing tools? Drying up in the pen-itentiary.

But as one who still takes notes with ballpoint pen and paper pad, I find it comforting to see growth in hybrid products that marry new and old forms of data entry, such as tech tools that let you enhance electronically generated pages with handwritten comments or digitally share your on-paper scribbles with the internet.

Decorating the new book: The just spawned Samsung Galaxy Book ($1,129 and up) is one of those curious, new-breed, two-in-one computers that function as both a full-fledged Windows 10 PC and as a tablet. The switcheroo is simply done by separating the 12-inch tablet screen from its magnetically attached keyboard/cover/stand. When the two are attached, the gorgeous OLED display can sit at four different angles, including as a one-foot-deep laptop, and works better in that regard than a similarly configured (Core i5 chip) two-in-one Microsoft Surface Pro (starting at $999 without keyboard/cover). The Samsung's rubberized keyboard also beats the Surface Pro in tactile responsiveness and spill resistance. I foresee these things being used a lot as a kitchen computer that you can instantly fold up and stash away with the place mats.

Samsung also is pushing family connections, as content and communications are easily transferred between a Galaxy Book and a Galaxy smartphone.

But what really got to me was the included S-Pen and custom software, which are terrific for annotating documents and for personalizing online articles that you want to share with others. The S-pen writes and erases without an on-board battery. It can also drag and drop links and images into your missives, though not quite as elegantly as with the three-button, battery-operated Surface Pen featured with the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book.

Open your IRIS: Smart pens, which internally store and then post text and imagery through most connected computers, remain works in progress.

The best known, Livescribe pens still capture only stuff drawn on special graph paper.

IRISNotes, by contrast, works with any piece of paper up to the size of a standard office letter (A4). It works by using two rechargeable components  the smart ballpoint IRISNotes pen that you write with and a small receiver that clips on the top of the page.

For transferring stuff and charging, the receiver has to be plugged into a computer (or Bluetooth-linked to a smartphone or tablet) preloaded with IRISNotes 3 software. The program then converts your previously inked words to computerized text, able to work in 30 languages.

But be forewarned: The system setup is still poorly explained. And neatness counts when doing the original note-taking on paper with the IRIS smart pen. Otherwise you'll wind up staring at a converted-to-computer-text document that looks as if it's riding up and down a hilly road and has hit several large objects along the way. An IRISNotes 3 costs $149.99 at Amazon.com. The similar-looking SmarsonPen sells on the same site for $79.95.

What the kids are digging: While not quite as hot as a Fidgit Spinner, the Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook is pretty cool for students and teachers alike, said Alex McDonnell, the tech integration specialist (and international relations teacher) at Friends' Central School. "We live in this climate of iPads and notebook computers, which is great for some students, but can be a distraction for others. I like the idea of the Rocketbook as a useful alternative. It gives you a way to electronically save your work, organize the work, back up the work, and share it if you want."

Billed by the maker as "the world's first smart, microwave-to-erase and reuse notebook" a $27 Rocketbook comes with a special app for Android and iOS products that lets users snap a digital picture of whatever they have written or drawn on a Rocketbook page and then send it to Google Docs, Dropbox, iCloud, Evernote, Box, or email. And if you've used a Pilot FriXion pen as the writing implement, you can erase the Rocketbook and reuse it at least five more times, just by placing the spiral-bound, 80-page book inside a microwave, along with a cup of water, for a few seconds. This is all possible because FriXion pen ink turns clear when heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

So what's also hot, we asked the techie teacher, with smart-stylus note taking?

McDonnell recommends that iPad-toting students use the PDF annotation tool Notability to take and trade notes. He also sees potential in the Google Keep app, which "will convert script to text if you write really neatly." And he gives high marks to the Acer Chromebook Spin 11, a convertible (flip over) notebook/tablet launching soon at $329.99 with a low-cost, eraser-equipped stylus included. Asus will also offer a similar Chromebook Flip C213.
Republicans are trying to turn Democrat Scott Wallace's wealth into a political liability. Wallace is running against Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in the Bucks County-based First Congressional District. Read more

Democrat Scott Wallace wants President Trump to release his tax returns. But he isn't so eager to hand over his own.

Wallace, a multimillionaire philanthropist running to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in the Philadelphia suburbs, has campaigned on a promise to introduce legislation to require all presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns.

He also tweeted that Fitzpatrick was a "prime example" of Republicans' insufficiently condemning Trump's buddy-buddy attitude toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that "requiring Trump to release his tax returns could be a good start."

So why hasn't he coughed up his own tax returns?

Asked that question at an Inquirer Editorial Board meeting, Wallace said that "when we have disclosure at the top, then maybe we can talk about the vice president and maybe about senators," adding that "the disclosure of tax returns is not a commonplace thing" and "I don't know that any other congressional candidates have done it."

The only problem with that: Some candidates for Congress and other offices have released their tax returns. In fact, Gov. Wolf has handed over his, and the state Democratic Party has chided his Republican opponent, Scott Wagner, for not doing the same.

Wallace also said that "you all have access to my financial disclosure form, which shows every single company I have shares of stock in."

That's true. Wallace's disclosure statement shows that his wealth is between $127 million and $309 million.

But we have access to Trump's financial disclosure statement, too. If that's not good enough for Wallace, why should it be good enough for us?

Wallace added, "Releasing tax returns does open a Pandora's box of questions of everything. My tax return, of course, is a fraction of the size of Donald Trump's."

We, of course, have no way of knowing whether that's true.

Fitzpatrick, for his part, wasn't any more transparent. Back in July, he said Trump and Wallace should both release their tax returns. He asked if Wallace was a "tax hypocrite" for asking for Trump's files but not releasing his own.

The Fitzpatrick campaign didn't provide his tax return when we asked for it this week.

Seems like Wallace isn't the only tax hypocrite in Pennsylvania's race for the First District.

GOP congressional candidate: I havent bought into the entire global warming issue yet

You know what scientists say about climate change: It's not a sure thing!

Just kidding. In fact, as the Associated Press has written, "The world's scientific organizations say that the world's climate is changing because of the buildup of heat-trapping gases, especially carbon dioxide, from the burning of coal, oil and gas. This is supported by more than 90 percent of the peer-reviewed scientific literature."

But Republican congressional candidate Marty Nothstein seemed to suggest climate change science was still up for debate in a recent forum.

Nothstein was asked about the issue this month at a discussion among candidates for Pennsylvania's Seventh District, which was moderated by Alan Jennings, executive director of Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley.

"What is your position on whether and how we save ourselves or at least our grandchildren at this point?" asked Jennings.

Nothstein replied that "we have some extremes now in our weather patterns," and "it's something that is still being studied tremendously."

He also said: "I will say this, I haven't bought into the entire global warming issue yet. You do look at extremes at times and we might see certain highs a year or two ago. But if you look back at the previous temperature at that point or previous snow storm, it's 50, 60 years before that."

Asked about it Thursday, Nothstein backtracked. A little.

"As to my views on climate change: I believe it is real and that human activity plays a role in it," he wrote in an email.

He added, "It is unclear how much of a role humans play, as many doomsday predictions have wildly missed the mark. As we confront this challenge going forward, it would be disastrous to abruptly abandon all use of fossil fuels. It would wreck our economy and vastly change our standard of living."

We're going to keep having this debate until we're all underwater, aren't we?

Super PAC could spend well into the six figures on state races

Under President Obama, Democrats lost more than 900 seats in state legislatures across the country.

Forward Majority, a super PAC, is trying to win them back before congressional districts are redrawn in 2021.

Philip Shulman, a spokesman for Forward Majority, shared details with Clout about the group's plans for Pennsylvania.

He said the organization is "looking at over 20 races" here and could spend "somewhere well into the six figures, if not more."

He specifically mentioned a few state Republicans who may be in the super PAC's bull's eye: Martina White, Thomas Murt, Rosemary Brown, and Duane Milne. As opposed to focusing on the Philadelphia suburbs alone, where Democrats hope to make gains, Shulman said their targets are "all over the place."

Theres a lot of flippable seats, Shulman said of Pennsylvanias legislature. There need to be checks and balances. Thats whats driving a lot of enthusiasm.
In this June 12, 2018, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at the conclusion of their meetings at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island in Singapore. Read more

President Trump appears eager to declare that peace has come to the Korean peninsula.

The president has deluded himself that North Korea is well on its way to getting rid of its nuclear weapons. Last week, he excitedly tweeted: "North Korea recommits to denuclearization  we've come a long way."

We haven't.

Yet Trump looks eager to overrule his top advisers who warn of the risks of declaring peace before North Korea gets serious about eliminating its nuclear arsenal.

>> READ MORE: Trump thinks his personal relationships with dictators will save the world. He's wrong | Trudy Rubin

Instead the president may listen to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, whom he will meet at the United Nations next week, as well as North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Both are urging a U.S. peace declaration by the end of the year as a first step to superseding the 1953 Korean armistice with a peace treaty.

Kim wants Trump to hold a second summit at which the peace declaration could be forthcoming.

"North Korea wants a summit with Trump in order to decouple Trump from the rest of the administration, because it sees him as an easy mark," says the Heritage Foundation's Bruce Klingner, a 20-year intelligence agency veteran who specializes in North Korea. Kim hopes that Trump will disregard the lessons learned from decades of U.S. negotiations with North Korea.

Here are four reasons why a premature peace declaration is unwise:

1. A peace declaration should not precede progress on the nuclear issue.

Pyongyang should first demonstrate willingness to give up its nuclear arsenal. Contrary to Trump's proclamations, Kim has made only puny gestures since the Singapore summit in June.

Indeed, the vague statement Trump procured from Kim in Singapore is far less concrete than past pledges North Korea has made (and broken), notably under President Bill Clinton. As the Brookings Institution's Korea expert, Jung Pak, tweeted Sept. 19: "We should recognize that 13 years ago, they agreed to far bigger concessions.  These are minuscule moves on Kim's part. "

True, the North Korean leader has toned down the warlike rhetoric, as has Trump, which is good. And Kim has gone 10 months without testing missiles or nuclear weapons.

But North Korea has halted nuclear tests before for lengthy periods. Moreover, Kim has made clear he thinks more tests aren't needed for his intercontinental ballistic missile program.

As for Kim's pledge to dismantle a key nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, that facility has been partly dismantled and shut down on several occasions, only to be restored and restarted.

>> READ MORE: At the Singapore summit, President Trump got played | Trudy Rubin

In other words, Kim is playing Trump, giving gifts that don't touch on the main issue, destroying his large nuclear arsenal. (He distracted attention by returning the remains of 55 missing Americans, which is welcome. But recall that the United States received remains of 629 Americans prior to 2005.)

2. Further concessions may help Kim keep part of his arsenal.

No expert I spoke with believes Kim intends to give up all his nuclear weapons. Rather, his goal is to slowly acquire recognition as a nuclear power.

"What we have seen so far is [only] a North Korean commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula," says Klingner. "But the North Koreans have a very different definition of what that means from the U.S. definition."

While Washington seeks the elimination of all of Pyongyang's nukes, North Korea defines the phrase to mean the initial removal of U.S. troops and nuclear umbrella from South Korea  before fully addressing its nuclear program. Even then, Kim believes he needs an arsenal to ensure his survival.

"North Korea wants to be accepted as a nuclear weapons state, the Pakistan of East Asia," says Klingner. Pakistan conducted major nuclear tests in 1998 and has managed to keep a large nuclear arsenal, despite intense U.S. and global pressure. Kim wants to do likewise, with sanctions removed and economic largesse from South Korea and elsewhere. A premature peace would help Kim achieve his goal.

3. A premature peace will undercut pressure on North Korea.

Since the Singapore summit, China and Russia are already weakening their adherence to sanctions against North Korea. Why not, since Trump said (incorrectly) in Singapore that North Korea "was no longer a nuclear threat"?

A peace declaration could spark political pressure from factions inside South Korea for withdrawal of U.S. troops and the end of the alliance with Seoul. And Kim will play on Trump's expressed desire to bring U.S. troops home soon.

But weakening the U.S.-South Korean alliance before eliminating the North's arsenal would leave South Korea at the mercy of an aggressive and unreliable Pyongyang, a nuclear-armed dictatorship that maintains vast concentration camps at home.

4. Lifting pressure on Kim could plunge Washington back into a nasty standoff with Pyongyang.

Eventually, Trump will be forced to realize that Kim has no desire to fully eliminate his nukes. At that point, the president may revert to aggressive rhetoric and threats.

Neither the United States nor North Korea is likely to start a preemptive war, but the room for dangerous mistakes would be vast, especially if Trump feels humiliated. So let's hope the president's advisers persuade him to press Kim to provide detailed data on Pyongyang's arsenal and permit international inspections  before engaging in further peace fantasies. Otherwise, a premature peace may lead to a premature end of the Kim-Trump bromance.
Parents wait for their children after a stabbing at the William Dick K-8 Public School on the 2400 block of Diamond Street in North Philadelphia on Friday. Read more

A 13-year-old boy was stabbed Friday by a classmate at a North Philadelphia school during an argument in science class, officials said.

The victim, who was stabbed in the stomach with scissors, was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. The stabbing occurred at William Dick School, a K-8 institution with 524 students at 24th and Diamond Streets, according to Philadelphia police.

Police and Lee Whack, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia School District, said a 13-year-old girl was arrested and the weapon was recovered.

Two eighth graders had been arguing during science class, Whack said, and as class was wrapping up just before 11 a.m., "the teacher was working to de-escalate the argument, but a female student produced a pair of scissors and did stab the male student."

The scissors were class equipment, Whack said.

Police were immediately called; the school nurse accompanied the male student, whose name was not released, to the hospital.

School staff were preparing a letter to go to all parents, and calls would also be made to students' homes, said Whack.

The matter remains under investigation, but the assailant will be subject to discipline.

"Violence like this is unacceptable," Whack said. "Our hearts and thoughts are with the student who was injured, for his speedy recovery."

At midday, a steady stream of parents arrived to take their children home early. School remained in session.

Angelica Gonzalez didn't know what was going on, but when she saw a line of police cars outside her daughters' school, she made a beeline for William Dick.

"Oh, my God," she said, putting her hand over her mouth, when she heard that a student had been stabbed inside. "We're moving  next year."

Gonzalez said that before Friday, she was pleased with the school, where her three daughters, in kindergarten and first and third grades, had good teachers and were learning a great deal.

Jayanah Gonzalez, 6, said she knew something was wrong.

"I heard helicopters, and my teacher saw the ambulance," said Jayanah. "She opened her mouth wide when she saw it, because she was surprised."

Aliyyah Daniels walked out of the school, a brick building with a colorful mural painted on the front facing Diamond, with her stepson, Faakhlyr. When she heard that a stabbing had occurred, she was frantic, Daniels said.

"I just wanted to know if it was my kid who got stabbed," said Daniels. Faakhlyr transferred to William Dick last year, she said, and in that time, "I never saw violence."

But she was rattled, Daniels said.

"I'm thinking about finding a new school for him," she said.
(Left to right:) Jake Heston Miller as Gustave, Meghan Picerno as Christine Daae, and Sean Thompson as Raoul in the national tour of "Love Never Dies," Oct. 2-7 at the Academy of Music. Read more

If you're a lover of sequels, there are two biggies this fall in Philly theater. You have Lucas Hnaf's A Doll's House, Part 2 coming up at the Arden Theatre Company. And there's the national tour company of Love Never Dies  the Andrew Lloyd Webber sequel to Phantom of the Opera  Oct. 2-7 at the Academy of Music, part of the Kimmel Center's Broadway Philadelphia series.

Another sequel-lover, Sean Thompson, plays Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, in Love Never Dies, and is he ever a Philly guy par excellence. He gives his bona fides: "Born and raised in Mayfair, across the street from Greenman's Deli and down the street from the original Chickie's and Pete's. Archbishop Ryan High School, studied theater and English at Temple. Went to New York, moved back to Philly in 2016  and promptly landed a role in Sunset Boulevard on Broadway. That show closed just a month before Love Never Dies got rolling. "I am very fortunate and grateful for that timing," he says.

Love Never Dies is set 10 years after Phantom. Christine is now a big diva who is invited to perform in the United States. Our setting is the Phantasma, a venue at Coney Island where Christina has been summoned to sing. Raoul, the moneybags and patron of the Paris opera in Phantom, is now a dissolute, gambling failure as a husband and a father.

"I never aspired to play Raoul in Phantom," says the baritenor. "He's the archetypal hero who saves Christine, but he's not that interesting. But in Love Never Dies, there's so much more to his story. He comes to realize that, although he loves music, he doesn't understand it, and he can't give Christine the gift of music, the thing she wants and needs the most  but the Phantom can." Yes, that masked man turns up again. In fact, in the number titled "Devil Take the Hindmost," the two have a head-to-head showdown of sorts.

True, this is the lesser-known sequel to Phantom, that most mega of mega-musicals. And Love did not get much love in its 2010 London debut. So how have audiences been reacting? "They've been very, very positive since we started last fall in Detroit," Thompson says. "I think the music is wonderful, and this is a production that looks and sounds like nothing else." Gabriela Tylesova's set design, especially, has made jaws drop around the world. "It's an amusement park feeling, with no straight lines, very creepy," Thompson says.

Thompson is "a huge horror-movie fan" who is really into sequels. "Friday the 13th Part 2 was so great, and I just loved Scream 2 because I loved Scream so much," he says. "It's just so much fun to have a sequel to something you really love, and that's what you'll get in Love Never Dies."
Sean Giambrone (right) with Hayley Orrantia (center) and Sam Lerner on the sixth season premiere of "The Goldbergs," airing on ABC at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26 Read more

Sean Giambrone is only 19  and a young-looking 19 at that  but he carries within him the nostalgic memories of a man in his 40s.

That man is Adam F. Goldberg, whose Jenkintown boyhood is still being mined for material as ABC's 1980-something-set sitcom The Goldbergs returns for its sixth season Wednesday, Sept. 26, with an episode that includes both a tribute to the 1984 John Hughes film Sixteen Candles and a re-creation in Redondo Beach, Calif., of Atlantic City the way Goldberg, the show's creator, remembers it from family vacations.

"It's weird. I get super-nostalgic about certain songs that come on because  some big personal moments happen on the show, and so hearing a song can bring me back to those. So now I'm nostalgic in this hybrid now [and] '80s time as well," Giambrone said in an interview during an ABC event in Beverly Hills last month. "It's bizarre."

It doesn't hurt that he's grown up in an era in which the pop culture of the past is never more than a click or two away. "Since technology allows you to see music of all time, I generally gravitate toward [music from the] '70s  '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s," he said.

Still, it's telling that when the Giambrone, who grew up in Michigan, was asked what he saw on a visit to Philadelphia last year, he replied: "I went into a Wawa."

And, OK, Giambrone, a history buff, also visited Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Elfreth's Alley, but the experience that clearly stuck was the stop in Jenkintown, where, beyond the iconic convenience store, he got to see such Goldbergs landmarks as the Hiway Theater and Kremp Florist, which is owned by the real Goldberg family's former neighbors. "It was cool to see their operation," he said.

>>READ MORE: Which Philly tourist attractions are worth it? A newcomer and a native debate.

"Seems like a really nice area," Giambrone said of his character's hometown. "I would've liked to have had lunch there or something, but it was just a quick scurry about."

Working on The Goldbergs, whose stories are often drawn from incidents in the real Adam's life that were immortalized in his home movies, "it becomes your favorite stories are his childhood," Giambrone said.

"Your celebrities are like his mom [portrayed on the show by Wendi McLendon-Covey]. When she walks on set, that's a celebrity," he said. "You just hear about them so much, you know them. It's a similar feeling to seeing someone you see on TV and thinking that you know them."

Plus, "hearing any information about his childhood just gets me super-excited."

Super-excited is probably the quality that most links the actor and the man whose adolescence he's portraying. What got Giambrone hired, Goldberg told me last year, was that "in his audition he talked about his love of video games.  No other kid who auditioned gave any kind of normal story."

They're joined, too, by an early interest in filmmaking, Giambrone having begun at 7 or 8 making action movies at home with his older brother.

"Making like an adult production would just be super-cool," said the actor, who's trying to take advantage of time spent on the show's Culver City, Calif., set.

"I've been shadowing editors and I've been shadowing a couple of other people on the set, but I think because I really want to shadow a director I've been kind of procrastinating about asking about it," he said. "The group of directors that they bring in are just wonderful. And they're all super-sweet people, so I'd love to learn how to be as cool a person as they are and create the product they're able to."

Watch this

The Goldbergs. 8 p.m. Wednesday, ABC.
Some brands using #MeToo to market have gone as far as applying for trademarks and issuing press releases, whether their brand is related to sexual harassment or not. Read more

Some companies could pay out millions of dollars to victims of sexual harassment as a result of the #MeToo movement.

But others might actually make a buck off it.

Employment lawyers, insurance companies, motivational speakers, authors  even self-defense instructors  are finding ways to use the anti-harassment social movement to market a product or service. The particularly tone-deaf examples: a makeup company that applied to trademark #MeToo and a California children's adventure camp that used the movement as a launch point to market itself in a news release.

Branding and marketing experts agree: Companies should tread lightly. Even the most well-meaning brands run the risk of coming across as exploitative when they use sensitive issues for the purpose of marketing, said Cassandra Bailey, the CEO of Philadelphia-based Slice Communications.

"If fighting harassment is not core to the fiber and function of the business," she said, "you have no place in the public conversation about it."

Perhaps companies looking to capitalize on cultural moments is just the next phase of #MeToo. Started 10 years ago by former Philadelphian Tarana Burke as a way to empower survivors, the movement gained traction last fall with allegations of sexual assault against film producer Harvey Weinstein. It has since expanded to include "Time's Up" organizers in Hollywood. (Even former White House strategist Steve Bannon said recently that the "anti-patriarchy movement" is going to "unfold like the tea party, only bigger.")

Backlash for marketing such a sensitive topic for seemingly unrelated and superficial campaigns has been swift. The makeup company Hard Candy in January ended up withdrawing an application to trademark #MeToo for the purpose of cosmetics just a day after TMZ reported on the application. Even though the company later said it intended to donate the revenue, the branding didn't go over well with customers.

Federal records show several pending applications to trademark #MeToo, including one by a social-networking firm and another from a Virginia law firm. Last week, the federal Patent and Trademark Office denied a Georgia woman's application to trademark "metoo" to make bracelets because, among other reasons, the phrase "is a commonly used message that is used to help demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment."

Kate Allison, CEO of the Philadelphia strategic communications firm Karma Agency, said she would never recommend a client wade into a sensitive or controversial issue such as #MeToo unless its product or service is directly related to that issue. She said a company aiming to make money off of something such as #MeToo is "disturbing."

"It is doubtful these kinds of organizations are really looking at the issues with any true and deep understanding of them and really trying to figure out a way to help solve a problem," she said, "rather than just capitalizing on a problem."

Brands that seem as if they're taking advantage of a painful experience run the risk of facing significant resistance, particularly in the age of social media, which allows for outrage to quickly spread. Last year, Pepsi quickly pulled a commercial featuring model Kendall Jenner offering a Pepsi to a police officer at a protest after the company was widely accused on social media of appropriating the Black Lives Matter movement.

Jeff Jubelirer, vice president of Philadelphia-based Bellevue Communications, said brands must understand that, today, social media "leads" and "everything is instantaneous." So a lack of authenticity can be "very dangerous" and can lead to quickly spreading outrage, he said.

Jubelirer recommended that if a company believes it offers a product or service that's reasonably related to a controversial social moment such as this one, its marketers should test the ad or messaging with  at least  a subset of employees. Then, he said, those in decision-making positions should be prepared to listen and ensure that "those decisions aren't made in a closed boardroom."

Allison said there were certainly times when brands can appear opportunistic and get away with it. Take the Eagles' Super Bowl win, for instance. You'd be hard-pressed to find a local company criticized for aiming to make a buck off the Birds. There's a difference, she said, between being strategic and "unconscionable."

"Who among us didn't take the opportunity to get on the bandwagon and find a way to advance our own brand?" she said of the Super Bowl. "But in my mind, there should never be a time when a company capitalizes on an issue as universally negative as sexual harassment."

Jubelirer had a final tip for brands that still want to plunge into controversial social movements: When it's something such as #MeToo, a company had better be confident it's practicing what it's preaching. That means ensuring the company has a culture that allows for employees to feel comfortable coming forward with complaints about sexual harassment or gender-based inequality.

"If you're going to wade into something as sensitive as harassment," he said, "you'd better not have any skeletons in your organizational closet."
NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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 rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 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 Companys 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 Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose that: (1) the FDA would find Ampios 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

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 9980
Cody Wilson, the 30-year-old Texan who sparked national attention for his legal battle over 3D-printed gun designs and who appeared to flee this month to avoid prosecution for an alleged sex crime in his home state, has been arrested in Taiwan, according to news reports.

International authorities arrested him in a Taipei hotel and canceled his passport, BuzzFeed News reported Friday morning.

Wilson was charged Wednesday in Austin, Texas, with having sex with a 16-year-old whom he allegedly paid $500.

That same day, Wilson reportedly signed a six-month lease on a studio apartment in Taipei and paid the first month's rent. But he didn't show up to pick up the keys on Friday. The real estate agent called local police after seeing reports about Wilson on TV, Taiwan News said.

Wilson had arrived in Taiwan on Sept. 6, BuzzFeed said.

It's not clear if or how the criminal prosecution could impact the lawsuit over Wilson's distribution of 3D-printed gun designs, currently pending in federal court in Seattle.

The attorneys general of Pennsylvania and New Jersey were among 20 who sued Wilson after he posted the files, one of which can be used to create a working gun with a 3D printer.

Last month, the federal judge banned Wilson from posting designs online until the court case is decided. Wilson had announced on Aug. 28, just days after the alleged assault and before his trip to Taiwan, that he would sell the files instead.
A Philadelphia company selling T-shirts and greeting cards espousing "woke" values, like "Gender is a construct" and "Consent is mandatory," is facing a public campaign for customers to pull their support after its founder fired almost his entire staff  days after being confronted about his own history of sexual abuse.

It's a story that calls to mind recent revelations about men in positions of power who purport to support women but also simultaneously abuse them.

After a Facebook post raised questions about CEO Alan Javier Martofel's history with women, the staffers at Feminist Apparel dug into the issue and were shocked to find a Facebook post in which Martofel admitted to a history of abuse and used it to promote his then-fledgling company, the website Refinery29 reported.

"We've all either faced this firsthand, seen it, heard a firsthand account of it, or are guilty of it ourselves," Martofel wrote in the 2013 post. "I'm someone who's guilty of it. I've grinded up on women on buses and at concerts without their consent. I've made out with 'the drunk chick' at a party because it was easier. I've put a woman's hand on my d while she was sleeping."

>> READ MORE: Brands trying to make a buck off of #MeToo

In his 2013 post, Martofel said he was starting the company as a "humble" attempt to fix rape culture. The company's nine staffers felt misled  that wasn't the origin story he had told them or reporters.

In a Facebook post, former Feminist Apparel sales and marketing manager Loretta Gary said she thought she had found her dream job, intoxicated by the prospect of working for a company that seemed to align with her values.

"Alan sold me a story of inclusion, collaboration and an eventual revolution within the garment industry that I so deeply wanted to believe in," she wrote.

But now, Gary said, "I'm disgusted, saddened and overwhelmed by the ways in which toxic masculinity, misogyny, white supremacy and capitalist power-dynamics were all too present in a supposed 'safe' 'feminist' work environment."

It's been a "wake-up call" about how little rights workers have, she said.

Several other personal Facebook posts from Feminist Apparel's former staffers are included in a Tumblr recounting of recent events, which also show a conversation from the company's private Slack channel.

After his staffers confronted him, Martofel stepped down as CEO but remained part of the company. Ten days later, he fired his staff. The company is now looking for new leadership, according to its Facebook page. According to Refinery29, the only people left working there are Martofel and a consultant.

>> READ MORE: Feminist Apparel CEO Alan Martofel called out for past behavior says: 'Is feminism an inclusive movement or not?'

On the company's blog, Martofel explained his decision:

"Sadly, in the meeting that took place with my now-former employees last Friday, I was made aware that they, unequivocally, do not share my views on either business or feminism.  After much deliberation, and in accordance with both state law and our employee handbook, I made the difficult decision to proceed without them."

He did not respond to a request for comment from the Inquirer and Daily News.

The company's Facebook is now full of comments from the company's followers tagging other fans of the page and alerting them to the news.

This is not the first time Feminist Apparel has been the subject of controversy: In 2014, a group of women began the #NotBuyingFA hashtag when they accused the company of stealing slogans and Martofel of not using "his privilege to support the people that his company claims to help."

Even though Gary is dismayed by her experience at Feminist Apparel, she says it's not her goal to get the company to fold.

"The staff, the artists, and the community  all did a lot of positive work that I hope continues on in a more truthful and impactful way," she said in an interview.
Book deliveries to prisons across Pennsylvania were terminated this month as part of a multi-pronged security overhaul meant to eliminate avenues for drug smuggling. That meant an abrupt end to direct donations from programs like Books Through Bars, as well as orders shipped from Amazon or publishers.

The Department of Corrections says inmates will still have abundant access to books, including prison libraries and, coming soon, a mechanism by which inmates can request that staff purchase books for them. It also trumpeted inmates' access, as of Sept. 18, to a library of 8,500 e-books that inmates, who make as little as 19 cents per hour, can purchase and read on $149 tablets provided by the vendor GTL.

But an initial review of that library left some unimpressed, both by the prices and the offerings. Many of the books are public-domain titles that are available free through Project Gutenberg  which GTL links in its press materials as the source of e-books  but that cost anywhere from $2.99 (Moby-Dick) to $11.99 (The Federalist Papers), all the way up to $14.99 (Joseph Conrad's The Rescue). Many more recent titles also are priced far higher than the same Kindle e-books. For instance, Stephen King's prison tome, The Green Mile, costs 66 percent more on prison tablets than out in the free world.

More surprising, perhaps, is what's not available  including many of the titles that make it on lists of most-read books in prison. The Autobiography of Malcolm X didn't make the cut, though The Autobiography of Tony Bennett did. Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl isn't available, but interested parties can download Diary of a South Beach Party Girl. Also missing are modern-day carceral memoirs: Erwin James' A Life Inside, Jeffrey Archer's A Prison Diary, and Piper Kerman's Orange is the New Black.

Michelle Alexander's study on mass incarceration, The New Jim Crow, which has been banned in other state prison systems, was omitted as well.

There are no titles by John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, or Donald Goines  all cited as popular authors in prison libraries. There are, however, four volumes from the oeuvre of Tori Spelling.

Amy Worden, a Department of Corrections spokesperson, said the selections were "just a first step," and that other titles may be added based on demand.

Books Through Bars' most-requested books are dictionaries and legal dictionaries, which are not available on the tablet. Another frequent request is the Quran, said Rebecca Makas, a member of Philadelphia Books Through Bars who has a doctorate in religion concentrating in Islamic studies. She was alarmed to see the translation GTL offers is a "nonstandard" version not commonly used in academic or religious settings and containing departures that would be "extremely offensive to most observant Muslims."

"What we see on the list is, wow, there's an entire page of Louisa May Alcott and a page of Jane Austen. There's two pages of Trollope, which is absurd," said Keir Neuringer, another member, noting that he could not recall an inmate's ever requesting Austen. "It's heavily weighted toward books that are readily available for free, that nobody wants anyway."

Of course, the tastes of inmates vary widely.

A few years back, the New Yorker published a rather lyrical account of the literary consumption of Daniel Genis, a one-time publishing assistant who read 1,046 books while incarcerated in a New York state prison.

"I started out with books that helped me make sense of the situation around me," Genis explained  Solzhenitsyn's gulag narratives, like One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, and Ted Conover's memoir, Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing. (Neither is available on Pennsylvania inmates' tablets.) Then he moved on to histories of authoritarianism  "awful stuff that made me feel better by comparison"  and studies of morality, like Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. (That one they have, at $3, $6 or $15, depending on the edition.)

Worden said GTL had created the book list and negotiated the prices. She said the Department of Corrections was not aware of access to free Project Gutenberg titles, but would look into it. GTL referred questions about the e-book library back to the Department of Corrections.

Worden emphasized in an email that the e-books are not inmates' only means of accessing literature. "Lost in this discussion of e-books and book donations is the fact EVERY prison has a full-service general interest library and a law library," she wrote.

But inmates cite an array of reasons they may opt not to use the library. To visit it may require requesting a pass and visiting at a set time that may conflict with other obligations. And losing a book can result in discipline in addition to fines. One inmate said that years ago, at the Camp Hill prison, he received 45 days of in-cell confinement for returning a book late; he promised himself never to risk borrowing from the library again.

In response, Amistad Law Project on Sept. 21 is organizing its second mass call-in event to lawmakers and state officials asking for the restrictions to be lifted.

Stephen Wilson, an inmate at State Correctional Institution Smithfield, wrote an open letter that the need is urgent: "We are effectively being prevented from learning, making connections to and communicating with the outside world."
Did a large plane flying around Center City give you a scare Friday morning? You're not alone.

But there's no cause for concern  the Air Force's C-17 gliding above Market Street was a part of Fox 29 Salutes the Military, an event that pays tribute to members of the military, according to tweets from the Fox affiliate.

But for those who didn't know about the event, which temporarily closed the 300 block of Market Street, the sight was a bit jarring. Some on social media said they thought the plane was flying a bit too close for comfort.

The Fox Salutes flyover was coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administraion, according to a spokesperson. The agency's minimum safe altitude guidelines for flying over congested areas say "an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft" is needed.

Christian DeLuca, a spokesperson for the 514th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, said the C-17 Globemaster III flew in around 9 a.m. at about 1,500 feet.

DeLuca said the aircraft, a cargo plane that's big enough to fit tanks and helicopters and is typically used for moving troops and equipment, was slowed down for a longer flyover, making it louder.

Fox29 did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia police said the department didn't receive any calls.

Fox 29 celebrated its 10th "Salutes the Military" event Friday.
Douc langur's are found in the rainforests of Vietnam and Laos and are considered an endangered species, the zoo said. Read more

Toi, a 21-year-old female red-shanked douc langur monkey  the last of her species in North America  was euthanized Wednesday at the Philadelphia Zoo because of failing health, the zoo said Friday.

"Toi was a favorite of many. Her gentle demeanor and unique behavior of covering her eyes with her hand endeared her to staff and visitors alike," Andy Baker, the zoo's chief operating officer, said in a statement. "We are truly saddened by this loss, Toi's long and healthy life was a testament to the excellent care she received here from the keeper team and veterinary staff."

Toi was born in 1997 at the San Diego Zoo and came to the Philadelphia Zoo in 2009. Douc langurs are found in the rain forests of Vietnam and Laos, and are considered an endangered species, the zoo said.

"Their striking features"  golden faces with white ruff and powder-blue eyelids  "and distinct personalities made them excellent ambassadors for all of the highly endangered primates of Southeast Asia," the zoo said Friday.

Toi, one of the oldest ever of her species in the United States, had recently experienced a loss in mobility and appetite, and her behavior had started to worsen, the zoo said. Veterinary staff tried to treat her but determined she had a low chance of recovery. They concluded that euthanasia "was the most humane option," the zoo said.
President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge, arrives before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, for the second day of his confirmation to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. Read more

President Trump is taking a more aggressive stance against the sexual assault allegations made about his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

During an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity Thursday night, Trump rhetorically asked, "Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?" And on Friday morning, the president openly questioned the credibility of Christine Blasey Ford's allegations, suggesting on Twitter the then-15-year-old should have reported the attack to police if it was "as bad as she says."

The tweet prompted to many survivors to use the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport to share their own stories on Friday.

"I want to congratulate the White House staff for keeping the president under wraps for as long as they have," Eleanor Holmes Norton, the D.C. delegate to the House of Representatives, said on CNN Friday morning. "The last thing you want to do is to attack a woman who at 15 years old didn't go and report that she had been raped  The president is undermining all that Republicans and Democrats are doing to give her a fair hearing,"

Trump's shift in tone came after Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of groping her at a party when the two were in high school, said in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee that she was prepared to testify next week about her allegations, provided the senators offer her "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety." Those conditions reportedly include security, testifying after Kavanaugh and not being forced to be in the same room as the Supreme Court nominee.

Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the allegations though statements issued by the White House, most recently saying, "I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone." Kavanaugh has also said he would testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in order to respond to the allegations.

Here are other updates surrounding the Kavanaugh nomination, and potential testimony that could take place next week:

Pennsylvania senators weigh in

Pennsylvania's senators weighed in on the controversy surrounding Kavanaugh in separate interviews with the Inquirer on Friday.

Democrat Bob Casey called for an investigation into Ford's claims of sexual assault. Republican Pat Toomey, meanwhile, said Senate should vote on the nominee soon after the chamber hears from Kavanaugh and his accuser.

Key Republican appalled by Trumps remarks about accuser

Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate from Maine who is a key vote if Republicans hope to confirm Kavanaugh, said she was "appalled" by Trump's decision to unleash on Ford and publicly question her credibility.

"I was appalled by the president's tweet," Collins said at an event in Portland, Maine, according to the Portland Press Herald. "First of all, we know that allegations of sexual assault  I'm not saying that's what happened in this case  but we know allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist. So I thought that the president's tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong."

Both Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski are considered the most-likely swing votes on Kavanaugh's confirmation. With no Democrats signaling they'd vote in favor of his nomination, Republicans would need either Collins or Murkowski to vote yes to garner the 50 votes necessary (along with Vice President Mike Pence's tie-breaking vote) to land Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.

Republicans have a counteroffer to accusers testimony conditions

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have agreed to meet some  but not all  of Ford's conditions to testify in front of the committee, according to multiple reports.

Among the conditions senators have agreed to meet include providing additional security and preventing both Ford and Kavanaugh from being in the same room at the same time.

But Republicans have offered her the opportunity to testify to the committee on Wednesday, rather than Thursday, as she requested. They also don't appear ready to budge on her request to testifying last, insisting that Kavanaugh has the right to defend himself against any allegations brought up during the hearing.

A Republican spokesman for the Judiciary Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FBI to reportedly interview accuser about death threats

Ford will be interviewed by the FBI this afternoon in San Francisco about death threats she has received since publicly accusing Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her, her lawyer Lisa Banks told the New York Times.

The FBI will not investigate Ford's sexual assault allegations unless ordered by Trump, who has falsely said the "FBI doesn't do that" and instead called on senators to handle any investigation into her claims.

Both Ford and Kavanaugh have received a number of death threats in recent days. Kavanaugh, who is married with two daughters, has received protection from U.S. Marshals since he became Trump's Supreme Court nominee in July.

Prominent conservative sorry for appalling and inexcusable conspiracy theory

Ed Whelan, an influential conservative, former law clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia and longtime friend of Kavanaugh, apologized for rolling out an "appalling and inexcusable" conspiracy theory in an attempt to explain away the sexual assault allegations.

"I take full responsibility for that mistake, and I deeply apologize for it. I realize that does not undo the mistake," Whelan wrote.

Whelan, the president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C., floated the theory in a series of reckless tweets Thursday night. His baseless theory suggested that Ford was assaulted by a different classmate who, in Whelan's view, could easily have been confused with Kavanaugh.

As part of the series of now-deleted tweets, Whelan not only revealed the public identity of the former classmate, he also shared the man's home address.

Ford immediately dismissed the wild theory shortly after it began to circulate, telling the Washington Post in a statement that not only did she know the former classmate Whelan floated, she had also once visited him in the hospital.

"There is zero chance that I would confuse them," Ford told the Post.

>> READ MORE: Allegations against Brett Kavanaugh feel like Anita Hill 2.0. But there are key differences.

But the conspiracy theory was given new steam on Friday morning's Fox & Friends, which Trump often watches and tweets about in real time. Host Steve Doocy casually outlined the conspiracy theory to co-host Ainsley Earhardt and fill-in host Ed Henry, Fox News' chief national correspondent, who quickly noted Ford's statement to the Post. Later in the show, Doocy did read Whelan's tweet where he apologized for releasing the baseless theory.

Fox News host suggests accuser could have been hypnotized

During an appearance on Hannity Thursday night, Fox News host and ardent Trump supporter Jeanine Pirro suggested Ford could have been hypnotized by her therapist.

"My understanding is, didn't they say that this came out for the first time in couples therapy in 2012?" Hannity asked, referencing notes taken by Ford's therapist and reviewed by the Washington Post, where Ford claims 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."

"Yeah and what was that about, and when was the first time Kavanaugh's name came up? And what about, is this hypnosis? Is this confabulation?" Pirro speculated in a video flagged by progressive media watchdog Media Matters. "This is all stuff that is contrary to what the law calls for."
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., questions witnesses before the Senate Judiciary Committee during the final stage of the confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Sept. 7, 2018. Read more

Sen. Cory Booker has been outspoken in opposing President Trump's nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, warning that his confirmation would endanger the rights of women and minorities.

During confirmation hearings earlier this month, he invited Republicans to bring ethics charges against him in a dispute over confidential documents. And when a woman came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct dating to Kavanaugh's high school years, Booker joined fellow Democrats in calling for further delay of the confirmation proceedings so that the FBI could investigate the matter.

Now that Kavanaugh's once-clear path to confirmation has been thrown into doubt, conservatives are pointing to Booker's decades-old disclosure that he groped a friend in high school while he and the girl kissed.

A spokesperson on Friday dismissed the criticism, given that Booker disclosed the episode himself in a 1992 column in Stanford University's student newspaper.

The column reflected on Booker's attitudes around sex and alcohol on campus, and suggested his disillusionment with a culture that saw sex as a "game." He called for respect and sensitivity.

"Senator Booker's Stanford Daily column has been the focus of disingenuous right-wing attacks that have circulated online and in partisan outlets for the past five years," spokesperson Kristin Lynch said in a statement, first reported by the Washington Post.

"These attacks ring hollow to anyone who reads the entirety of the column, which is in fact a direct criticism of a culture that encourages young men to take advantage of women  written at a time when so candidly discussing these issues was rare  and speaks to the impact Senator Booker's experience working to help rape and sexual assault survivors as a college peer counselor had on him," the statement said.

The conservative website the Daily Caller unearthed Booker's column during his first run for U.S. Senate in 2013. Booker, then the mayor of Newark, won that special election and was reelected the following year to a full six-year term. Today he's considered a possible contender for the White House in 2020.

The column boomeranged around the internet again last week amid debate over the allegations made against Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford, a college professor in California. She says Kavanaugh attempted to rape her during a high school party in the early 1980s.

Kavanaugh has denied assaulting anyone or even attending such a party as Ford described.

Conservative headlines about Booker last week include " 'Spartacus Had Roamin' Hands': Cory Booker Admitted To Groping High School Friend Without Consent" and "Booker Facing Criticism for Kavanaugh Reaction After Admitting to Groping Friend in High School".

By Friday, mainstream news organizations like CNN and the Washington Post were covering the debate.

In the column, titled "So much for stealing second," Booker describes what happened on New Year's Eve in 1984, when he was 15 years old.

"As the ball dropped, I leaned over to hug a friend and she met me instead with an overwhelming kiss," he writes.

Booker, who grew up in suburban Harrington Park, N.J., writes of remembering debating his next " 'move' as if it were a chess game."

"With the 'Top Gun' slogan ringing in my head, I slowly reached for her breast. After having my hand pushed away once, I reached my 'mark,' " the column reads. (For the record, Top Gun was not released until 1986.)

It continues: "Our groping ended soon and while no 'relationship' ensued, a friendship did."

Booker goes on to describe learning about sex during his adolescence as a "game," adding that a friend in high school encouraged drinking as a means to get in bed with women.

He writes that he encountered similar attitudes in college, but began to question them after becoming a peer counselor.

"You see, I had begun listening to the raw truth from men and women discussing rape," Booker writes, describing the experience as a "wake-up call."

"I see myself at 15 trotting around the bases and stealing second. I now see the crowds, no, not the spectators, but the thousands, the millions who are rarely seen or heard. I've seen enough."

Staff writer Jonathan Tamari contributed to this article.
A fifth floor hallway at the Academy at Palumbo, where drainage problems and heavy rains led to major flooding and a controlled collapse of the cafeteria ceiling. Read more

To know what the Academy at Palumbo is, you have to know how the kids talk about the Academy at Palumbo.

I've worked there, and I've worked with kids who wanted to go there, and I've seen the high quality of education that the school provides. It's the kind of school that Philadelphia's middle schoolers hope to get into, and that they don't want to talk about too loudly as not to jinx it. To get in is not only to symbolize your achievement  it's to keep your head above water in a school district that chews students up and spits them out. It's a chance.

Earlier this month, Palumbo, where I worked as a substitute teacher last year, was flooded after heavy rain. The photos and videos are brutal; The ceiling was entirely underwater, and debris was floating across the floors as if it were monsoon season in Thailand. School was dismissed early. But if you had read Palumbo's school maintenance report, which ranked Palumbo very highly, you'd have thought the building was in pristine condition.

>> READ MORE: Days of rain cause major flooding, ceiling collapse at a S. Philly HS

Now, there's a lot to say about a building condition system that rates a school that can't sustain a few days of wetness roughly as an 89 out of 100. Philly's neighborhood schools are falling apart, as they are, on average, 66 years old, and the situation is an infrastructure disaster.

We're hurtling into a climatically absurd 21st century with our kids placed in aging fortresses that are not ready to match a hotter, wetter, and generally crappier future. The hallways are jungles, the floors are swamps, and fixing these schools would cost a jaw-dropping amount of money  if many of them weren't just destined to be shut down to make way for upscale condos.

It's not just a local crisis, it's a national one; according to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the 2008 recession has led to a massive crunch in the capital funds that sustain school repairs, and thus to "accelerating deterioration of heating, cooling, and lighting systems." As of last year, it was estimated that it would take at least $4.5 billion to make sufficient repairs to Philly schools.

That's before one of South Philly's marquee educational facilities flooded and schools across town had to dismiss early for almost an entire week because it was too hot and the schools don't have adequate climate control.

But that grim and seemingly inescapable cataclysm, while predestined, isn't what sits on the shoulders of Philadelphia's students right now.

They're not scared that Palumbo or Furness might shut down some time in the deep, dark future. They're brought down by the painful environments in which they have to try to learn. Studies have repeatedly proven that academic achievement is negatively affected when schools are in disrepair.

Such is the life of many a middle schooler in South Philadelphia. They bust their humps to get into Palumbo, only to see it flood with rain water, drop ceilings sliding down the hallway. In some schools, they see massive black roaches. In others, the students sulk through the halls in absurd humidity in late August and hear the mice scurry around as the class silently does a test.

I've worked in Philadelphia and Camden schools for about a year now, first as a substitute and now as a teacher, and I've learned to redefine what a hostile learning environment is.

It's not just bullies and uptight teachers and rampant testing. It's the perceived reality of your relative worth in the educational system. It's waking up every morning knowing that your school has less, and will never have more, and that the poverty you experience at home will be mirrored at school.

Students are perceptive. It's not as if they don't have benchmarks for what good schools look like. They have cousins in the suburbs. They watch shows about their contemporaries on TV. They know what schools should and can look like, and they know they don't have them  and that they have less and less of them every year.

There's a lot of discussion around self-stereotyping in education, and its incredible corrosiveness. Every teacher in Philadelphia and Camden has had a student who, at some juncture, has said, "I can't, because I was born into this and it's destiny." It's obviously wrong, and a painful thing to hear, but if the school of your dreams floods, or has hallways too hot to inhabit, it becomes infinitely more difficult to fight back against the notion.

Want kids to invest in their own education? Invest in them. And not in laptop carts or iPads. Invest in dry floors and AC units and capable custodial and maintenance crews. Make students know they matter and they're worth it.

Quinn O'Callaghan is a teacher and freelance writer. His books are represented by Dystel, Goderich and Bourret Literary.
Keir Neuringer and the bins of unmailed packages of books that were supposed to go out to PA prison inmates but were held back because of a lockdown, at his Philadelphia office Thursday September 13, 2018. DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer . Read more

After what can only be described as a bizarre wave of incidents over the last few months in which prison staff were sickened by alleged exposure to a drug, on Aug. 29 the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections declared a statewide lockdown. When the lockdown was lifted, a new policy was put in place as a part of the "drug-elimination efforts" of the DOC  friends, families, and volunteer groups are no longer allowed to send books to people incarcerated in Pennsylvania state prisons, because the DOC argues that books were used to smuggle in drugs.

The changes are going to cost Pennsylvania taxpayers $15 million even though many experts believe that mass hysteria is a more likely explanation than actual poisoning  in one incident at SCI Mercer, six "exposed" staffers experienced seizures and became unresponsive even though toxicology testing confirmed they were not exposed to a controlled substance.

Aside from being an attack on the humanity of people in prison and their ability to connect with the world outside the prison walls, the ban on books attempts to solve the wrong problem.

>> READ MORE: 'Paper soaked in loved ones' tears': How mail helps Pa. prisoners stay grounded | Perspective

The issue is not how people are smuggling substances into prisons but why they do it in the first place. By definition, addiction manifests in drug-seeking behaviors despite harmful consequences. Without access to effective addiction treatment, which includes medications that are not accessible in Pennsylvania prisons, people in addiction turn to drastic measures such as smuggling drugs and risk more years in prison and losing visitation privileges. Sometimes, the drugs smuggled are actually medications for the treatment of addiction.

The DOC took to social media to explain its book ban. In one tweet, the department posted a picture of "a Bible shipped from a major bookseller containing multiple strips of the drug suboxone."

Suboxone is not a drug, it is a medication.

Suboxone is the brand name of a mix of two medications  buprenorphine and naloxone. The first, buprenorphine, is actually an opioid that is long-acting and prevents craving. Like methadone, it is one of the medications that are often referred to as MAT  medication-assisted treatment. There is a large body of evidence that shows people in opioid addiction who receive buprenorphine are less likely to relapse or overdose than those who do not. Naloxone, the other component of Suboxone, is an opioid-overdose reversal medication, and is in the medication to prevent abuse by making people who inject Suboxone sick.

Dr. David O'Gurek, an associate professor of family and community medicine at Temple who runs a buprenorphine program out of his family medicine practice, explains that "one of the big issues with any substance-use disorder is not the actual use. It is sort of what happens between uses." The harmful behavior that is associated with addiction comes from the worry that people in addiction have about being well  by using again  once the levels of drugs in their body start to drop. By taking Suboxone which does not lead to euphoria but satisfies the physical craving for opioids, O'Gurek explains, a person in addiction "avoids that cycle of developing euphoria and falling into that fear state that you are going to get sick, or what is going to happen if you get sick, that you need to use to get better."

>> READ MORE: Philly doctor: I'm one of 4% of physicians nationwide to provide office-based opioid treatment | Perspective

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Health says that the state does not track buprenorphine in the blood of people who died of overdose, but that the chemical composition of Suboxone  the existence of naloxone  makes it " very difficult to overdose on."

There are close to 50,000 people in Pennsylvania state prisons. According to the DOC, about 65 percent  more than 32,000 people  need some level of "alcohol and other drug treatment." Not a single person of those 32,000 is treated with Suboxone. Only pregnant women are treated with methadone. Anyone else suffering from an opioid-use disorder will not get the evidence-based gold standard of addiction treatment.

Currently, the state prisons provide only Vivitrol, which is, in essence, a long-lasting opioid-reversal medication that is injected once a month, but the treatment is used only upon release from prison and back to the community  about 1,000 people receive it currently. The DOC is going to start a buprenorphine pilot in the next couple of months with an injectable form.

Steven Seitchik, the MAT statewide coordinator at the DOC, says the current situation is unacceptable: "If you're on methadone, if you're on buprenorphine, and you have to go to jail, there is no reason in the world that you should not be afforded the ability to continue those medications while you are incarcerated." In fact, the situation that Seitchik describes is not only unacceptable but might be illegal.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit this week against a county jail in Massachusetts on behalf of a man who used methadone to treat his addiction for two years and then was incarcerated in a county jail which, like Pennsylvania prisons, does not provide methadone (or buprenorphine). According to the lawsuit, denying the treatment forces people to undergo painful withdrawal, which constitutes a cruel and unusual punishment  a violation of the Eighth Amendment. Further, barring treatment might be a violation of the American with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disabilities including chronic illnesses such as addiction. Similar lawsuits have been filed in Maine and Washington state.

Seitchik's goal is to have medication available for people during their time of incarceration in all Pennsylvania prisons but says it will take time to get to that point.

>> READ MORE: Philadelphia women's prison tries bold move to save lives: Give inmates a treatment opioid

Meanwhile, if there are no treatment options, all incarcerated people in addiction have left is to try to practice self-care. A recent study published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine found that in Rhode Island, the main motivations for people in addiction to buy diverted Suboxone  i.e., Suboxone that was not prescribed by a physician  were the "management of withdrawal symptoms" and "self-treatment of opioid-use disorder." The researchers conclude that the use of diverted Suboxone "indicates a shortage in treatment capacity and inaccessibility of existing services."

The exact same dynamic happens in Pennsylvania prisons.

For Seitchik, the solutions to diversion of Suboxone in state prisons are simple, "if you would treat individuals for their substance-use disorder, you would likely reduce the black market."

If Pennsylvania prisons did not offer insulin to people with diabetes, and then banned books after people tried to smuggle insulin in, there probably would have been public outrage. However, society wrongly still views addiction differently. Instead of investing $15 million in isolating the people incarcerated in its prisons, a more humane and effective strategy to end drug smuggling into prison is to actually treat addiction.
Chris and Markela Sourovelis at the National Constitution Center. Chris is the lead plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit against Philadelphia over civil forfeiture practices. Read more

Police and prosecutors should not treat people like ATMs. But for years, Philadelphia cashed in with a program that systematically stripped people of their property and constitutional rights. Last week, the Institute for Justice announced a settlement that, if approved by the court, would bring such practices to an end.

Four years ago, Chris and Markela Sourovelis faced the crisis of their lives. Their son, secretly struggling with addiction, was arrested for selling $40 worth of drugs outside their North Philadelphia home. The city took a bad situation and made it worse. On the day Chris took his son to rehab, police arrived at the couple's home, evicted them, and said they would lose their home forever.

Despite their innocence, Chris and Markela found themselves trapped in a rigged system where prosecutors held all the cards and kept all the spoils. At its center was "Courtroom 478," a misnomer since this court had no judge. Instead, prosecutors called the cases and ran the proceedings. If individuals missed even a single "hearing," prosecutors could sell their property and use the proceeds for any law enforcement purpose they wished.

>> READ MORE: Philly agrees to overhaul civil forfeiture program to settle lawsuit

That legal procedure is called civil forfeiture. With civil forfeiture, it is a person's property  not the individual himself  that is on trial. Many people ensnared by Philadelphia's forfeiture machine were never even charged with a crime. From 2002 to 2014, that machine stripped tens of thousands of Philadelphians of more than 1,200 homes, 3,500 vehicles, and $50 million in cash. It used more than 35 percent of those proceeds on salaries, including the salaries of the very officials tasked with seizing and forfeiting property.

This practice was not only wrong, it was unconstitutional. Chris, Markela, and other property owners teamed up with the Institute for Justice to mount a federal class-action lawsuit to end these abuses once and for all. And now  after four years of litigation  that lawsuit has resulted in a landmark settlement that would, if approved, overhaul the city's forfeiture practices and stop police and prosecutors from spending forfeiture proceeds as they see fit.

The settlement is composed of two consent decrees. In the first, the city agrees to sweeping reforms of the Orwellian way forfeiture proceedings are conducted. Among other things, it would greatly restrict when money and other property could be seized or subjected to forfeiture. It would ensure that judges  not prosecutors  control forfeiture proceedings and monitor settlements for fairness. And it would provide owners with prompt and meaningful opportunities to challenge the seizure of their property.

The second consent decree would end law enforcement's unconstitutional financial incentive to seize private property. It would ban the district attorney and the Police Department from using forfeiture proceeds on salaries or other law enforcement purposes. Instead, proceeds would go to community-based drug prevention and treatment programs.

The settlement would also establish a $3 million fund to compensate forfeiture victims. Everyone forced to navigate Philadelphia's forfeiture machine since August 2012 would be eligible for up to $90 in recognition of the violation of their constitutional rights. People who forfeited property, but were not convicted of a related criminal charge, would get up to 100 percent of the value of their property back, while people sent to a diversionary program for first-time, low-level offenders would get up to 75 percent. A portion of funds not used to compensate victims would go to nonprofit groups that are helping those communities hit hardest by forfeiture.

>> READ MORE: A Philadelphia story: Falsely declared dead, home stolen and no one will help

This is truly a landmark settlement.

So, Philadelphians, remember Chris and Markela Sourovelis and your other neighbors who spurred this sea change. Remember that, even after they saved their own homes and property, they kept fighting to protect thousands of Philadelphians. And remember that, should this settlement receive the court's blessing, no one will ever have to suffer through what Chris and Markela endured four long years ago.

Darpana Sheth is a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice, which challenged Philadelphia's abuse of forfeiture, and director of IJ's National Initiative to End Forfeiture Abuse.




NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Lannett Company, Inc. (Lannett or the Company) (NYSE: LCI) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and docketed under 18-cv-3635, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired Lannett securities between February 7, 2018 through August 17, 2018, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover 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, against the Company and certain of its top officials.



If you are a shareholder who purchased Lannett securities between February 7, 2018, and August 17, 2018, both dates inclusive, you have until October 26, 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 rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 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]

Lannett develops, manufactures, packages, markets, and distributes solid oral (tablets and capsules), extended release, topical, and oral solution finished dosage forms of drugs that address a wide range of therapeutic areas. Lannett also produces, through its subsidiary Cody Laboratories, Inc., active pharmaceutical ingredients. Lannett derives the majority of its revenue from the sale of drugs that are bioequivalent to certain patented drugs once their patent expires.

At all relevant times, Lannett has had an exclusivity agreement with its primary supplier, Jerome Stevens Pharmaceuticals (JSP), owned and operated by the Steinlauf family, set to expire on March 23, 2019. JSPs products have historically accounted for at least one-third of Lannetts sales.

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 Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose that: (i) Lannett faced a substantial risk of the loss of its exclusivity agreement with JSP; (ii) accordingly, Lannetts reported revenues were unsustainable, and (iii) as a result, Lannetts public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On August 20, 2018, prior to market open, Lannett announced that its distribution agreement with JSP will not be renewed upon its expiration in March 2019. Lannett stated that it intend[ed] to redouble our continuing efforts to explore options for addressing our capital structure.

On this news, Lannett's share price fell $8.15, or 60.3%, to close at $5.35 on August 20, 2018.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 9980
This is the former Sunoco oil refinery now owned by Philadelphia Energy Solutions along the Schuylkill River, in South Philadelphia. The Platt Bridge is in the background. in South Philadelphia. Sunoco Inc. was getting sold to a Texas pipeline company for $5.3 billion. Read more

The refining industry has long been an integral part of Greater Philadelphia's regional economy. Hard-working refinery employees produce the gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and other products our country runs on, and their good-paying jobs help sustain our communities. These refineries, however, are facing substantial economic challenges due to the significant compliance costs associated with a federal mandate that requires the blending of corn-based ethanol into finished fuels. While this issue has gained attention in recent months, now is the time to turn words into policy actions.

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was intended to reduce air emissions and diversify the nation's fuel mix. Unfortunately, the regulation has yielded unintended and harmful consequences. In order to comply with the RFS, refiners of all sizes must ensure that a specific amount of renewable fuels are blended into all gasoline and diesel. Refiners submit tradable compliance credits, called Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs, to prove the required amount of renewable fuel has been blended. However, some independent refiners cannot do the blending themselves, so they must purchase the required amount of credits in lieu of blending.

>> READ MORE: Buying American can help keep the Philly shipyard afloat | Opinion

Unfortunately, the cost of buying these credits has increased dramatically in recent years.

When the program started, credits cost just pennies, yielding annual compliance costs that were manageable. Today, independent refineries spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year to comply with the requirement. Earlier this year, the company that runs a major Philadelphia refinery, which provides refined fuel for much of the East Coast, declared bankruptcy. It cited the high cost of RINs as the number one reason for its economic hardship. RINs now cost the refinery twice the amount of paying its entire workforce.

Today, the refinery provides 1,100 direct jobs, thousands of indirect jobs, and is the largest on the East Coast. The loss of those jobs and production would be a terrible detriment to the region and nation.

>> READ MORE: N.J. tax hikes hit residents and businesses who already pay some of the nation's steepest levies | Opinion

This year, energy companies both large and small met with President Donald Trump to express concern about this expensive regulatory mandate. At the urging of U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.), Ted Cruz (R., Texas), and others, the president and his administration reportedly arrived at a solution to help refiners as well as the farmers who grow the corn that is used to make the renewable fuel, ethanol. The proposed resolution would attach compliance credits to U.S. exports of ethanol, adding more credits into the available supply. This would boost the incentive to grow the U.S. ethanol export markets and simultaneously help reduce the price of the credits. The president also expressed support for the year-round sale of higher-level ethanol fuel at retail fueling stations, which also helps Midwest farmers.

I applaud President Trump and Sen. Toomey for recognizing the importance of this issue to our economy by finding an equitable solution to save jobs in Philadelphia and support our nation's renewable energy supply. I urge the administration to act as soon as possible to implement this fair and reasonable solution that will protect American jobs, enhance fuel security, and support both farmers and refiners. As each day passes without enacting the proposal, independent refiners continue to operate in a market that is stacked against them.

Rob Wonderling is president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
Its little wonder, then, that Iran has banned Iranian Kurdish organizations from the country. They have instead set up shop in other places, predominantly the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq. Strategic Logic Last summer, well before he joined the Donald Trump administration as national security adviser, John Bolton wrote a brief at the behest of then-White House chief strategist Steve Bannon advising the administration on its Iran policy. In it, Bolton recommended [announcing] U.S. support for Kurdish national aspirations, including Kurds in Iran, Iraq, and Syria and [providing] assistance to Balochis, Khuzestan Arabs, Kurds, and others. Could the U.S. be following through on that advice?

There were rumors during the presidency of George W. Bush that the U.S. was aiding the PJAK against Iran. Iranian media made similar claims about U.S. and Israeli supplies of weapons and funding to the PJAK during President Barack Obamas tenure.

Theres also a certain strategic logic to it. The Iranian government is dealing with increasing opposition and persistent protests at home. Its also under fiscal stress as it tries to both fund its foreign adventures and provide sufficient domestic investment to assuage protesting Iranians. Yet none of this has altered the regimes defiance in the face of U.S. economic pressure. (Though its true that the most crippling of the U.S. sanctions  a ban on Irans export of petroleum products  wont go into effect until early November.)

Given all the threats the Iranian regime is already facing, an uptick in violence by Iranian Kurdish militias would be more than simply a thorn in the regimes side. The U.S. is already applying pressure to the Iranian economy; supporting the Kurdish insurgency would enable it to pressure its security establishment too. The United States goal is not necessarily regime change. Rather, the U.S. interest is in forcing Iran to abandon its efforts to build influence through proxies throughout the Middle East. A growing, coordinated insurgency  and indeed, the PDKI has reportedly been adding to its numbers of peshmerga fighters in Iran throughout the year  with U.S. support would tie up the regimes domestic security forces, potentially forcing it to divert resources that for the past four years it has had deployed abroad.

The logic checks out, but how does it look on the ground? A United and Serious Force In 2006, the U.S. State Department set up the Office of Iranian Affairs, whose goals include to reach out to the Iranian people to support their desire for freedom and democracy. In its 12 years, no head of the OIA had met with the leadership of the PDKI  the Iranian Kurds oldest and largest organization, remember  until this summer. PDKI Secretary-General Mustafa Hijri was in Washington in mid-June at the invitation of the Trump administration  a fact that is not on its own unusual. But then he met with Steve Fagin, then-director of the OIA. A few days after their meeting, Fagin was appointed consul general of the new, sprawling consulate that the U.S. is building in Irbil  the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, where Irans Kurdish groups have a large presence. It isnt a meaningless posting: When completed, that consulate will be the largest of its kind in the world (51 acres, with an anticipated construction cost of $600 million).

Meanwhile, the U.S. is believed to be expanding its footprint at the Bashur Airfield, located in Harir in Irbil province, only about 40 miles (65 kilometers) from the Iranian border. This despite the fact that the U.S. is purportedly looking to draw down its military presence in Iraq. According to Kurdish media outlet Roj News, there was a protest July 20 in Harir after the U.S. banned travel into the mountains overlooking the airfield. The protesters said the local government was taking possession of fields they used for farming and grazing, forcing them to sell their livestock, and turning the land into a U.S. military camp. Some residents believe that the U.S. is planning to build a military barracks at the location in addition to the airfield.

Regarding Hijris visit, an unnamed source from an American think tank who was familiar with the discussions told Al-Monitor news site that the U.S. wanted to know if the Kurds are a united and a serious force. (The PDKI, the source said, wanted to gauge Washingtons seriousness about its aggressive stance on Iran.) If its unity the U.S. is hoping for, it may be in luck. Days before Hijris trip, the PDKI reportedly met and discussed the establishment of some sort of inter-institutional entity that would enable different Iranian Kurdish organizations to more effectively coordinate their activities. Several groups already in 2017 formed a joint commission to better handle intelligence sharing, so this initiative would presumably go above and beyond what has already materialized.

We would be remiss if we didnt mention that a couple of weeks after Hijris trip, the PJAK also proposed greater cooperation and unity among Kurdish Iranian groups, including the establishment of a media agency to cover all Kurdish Iranian parties (each party currently has its own media organization), and was shot down by the PDKI and others. But based on its earlier actions, the PDKI clearly isnt opposed to unification. More likely, it is opposed to unification on the PJAKs terms. The groups have different visions for the insurgency. It wont be easy to overcome these differences, but with Iran weak and the U.S. potentially spurring them on, their chances now are as good as ever.

Syrian Kurds, Turkish Kurds and Iraqi Kurds have played prominent roles throughout the recent wars in the Middle East. Now, it appears that Irans Kurds, too, will come to command the attention of states that wish to tip the balance of power in the region.
New Delhi: One the most-awaited releases of the year, 'Thugs of Hindostan' is all set to set the screens on fire this November. The film stars legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh in lead roles. After keeping most of the details about the film under the wraps, the makers have finally started unveiling first looks of the main characters. So far we have seen Amitabh Bachchan as Khudabaksh, Fatima Sana Shaikh as Zafira and Hollywood actor Lloyd Owen as John Clive.

Now, Katrina Kaif's look has been unveiled and we must say, she will make you go week in the knees! The name of her character is Suraiyya and she is here to steal your heart.

Check out the motion poster here:

Produced by Yash Raj Films, 'Thugs of Hindostan' is helmed by 'Dhoom 3' director Vijay Krishna Acharya. The film is reportedly based on Philip Meadows Taylor's 1839 novel Confessions of a Thug and the film is set to be released on Diwali this year.

It is slated to hit the screens a day after Diwali, on November 8, 2018. Earlier, the film was slated for release on November 7 but Aamir reportedly pushed it by a day.

According to a report in After Hrs, Aamir did not want to release his film on the day of Lakshmi Pujan because people would be busy with Puja at their homes. Hence he decided to postpone the release by a day.

We can't wait to see first looks of the remaining characters!
SONIPAT: Instead of dedicating a Surgical Strike Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit the Border Security Force (BSF) jawan's home, who was tortured and killed by Pakistan troops, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The best way to celebrate surgical strike day wud be for the PM to visit the family of Sh Narendra Singh, who was tortured and slain by Pak this week. PM shud assure the nation that Pak wud be given such befitting reply that it wont dare do it again, tweeted the Aam Aadmi party president.

The best way to celebrate surgical strike day wud be for the PM to visit the family of Sh Narendra Singh, who was tortured and slain by Pak this week. PM shud assure the nation that Pak wud be given such befitting reply that it wont dare do it again https://t.co/S3FnGShP7W  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 21, 2018

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal visited the family of BSF Head Constable Narendra Singh at their home in Sonipat.

Haryana: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal met the family of BSF Head Constable #NarendraSingh Singh at their home in Sonipat today. The Head Constable had gone missing after an exchange of fire with Pakistan in Jammu's Ramgarh sector on September 18 and was later found dead. pic.twitter.com/8Lo3vKPsJy  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

BSF head constable Narendra Singh, who went missing after an exchange of fire with Pakistan in Jammu's Ramgarh sector on September 18, was later found dead.

The slain BSF jawan's throat was slit by the Pakistani troops, a government official was quoted as saying by PTI.
Washington: India is likely to resist the American pressure on complying with the reimposed Iranian sanctions as it has been a traditional policy of New Delhi to enforce only UNSC-authorised sanctions, a Congressional report has told lawmakers.

The Trump administration has threatened entities and countries with consequences if they do not bring down their import of Iranian oil to zero by November 4.

India, one of the biggest importers of Iranian oil, is unlikely to do so given its huge energy needs. The Trump administration is currently in talks with India on issues related to Iranian sanctions.

"India's position has generally been that it will only enforce sanctions authorised by UN Security Council resolutions, rendering it likely that India will resist US efforts to compel it to comply with reimposed US sanctions such as those that mandate cuts in oil purchases from Iran," the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in its latest report on Iran.

In its report meant for US lawmakers to take informed decision, the CRS said India and Iran have overlapping histories and civilisations, and they are aligned on several strategic issues.

Tens of millions of India's citizens are Shiite Muslims. Both countries have historically supported minority factions in Afghanistan that are generally at odds with Afghanistan's dominant Pashtun community, said the report dated September 11.

According to the CRS, as international sanctions on Iran increased in 2010-2013, India sought to preserve its longstanding ties with Iran while cooperating with the sanctions regime.

In 2010, India's central bank ceased using a Tehran-based regional body, the Asian Clearing Union, to handle transactions with Iran. In January 2012, Iran agreed to accept India's local currency, the rupee, to settle nearly half of its sales to India, it said.

During 2011-2015, India reduced its purchases of Iranian oil, at some cost to its own development, in order to receive from the US administration exemptions from sanctions, the CRS said.

India has increased oil purchases from Iran to nearly pre-2012 levels after sanctions were lifted, and in May 2016 India agreed to transfer to Iran about USD 6.5 billion that it owed for Iranian oil shipments but which was held up for payment due to sanctions, it said.

The CRS said some projects that India has pursued in Iran involve not only economic issues but national strategy.

"India has long sought to develop Iran's Chabahar port, which would give India direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia without relying on transit routes through Pakistan," the report said.

Noting that India had hesitated to move forward on that project because of US opposition to projects that benefit Iran, the CRS said. India has said that the implementation of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) sanctions relief in January 2016 paved the way for work to begin in earnest on the Chabahar project.

India, Iran and Afghanistan held a ceremony in May 2016 to herald the start of work on the port based on an Indian pledge of USD 500 million investment in it, with Iran to provide the remaining USD 500 million.

Work was slowed by the difficulty equipment suppliers had in obtaining financing for the project, a consequence of hesitancy among banks about whether the US might still try to sanction the project.

The CRS report said that during a visit to India in June 2018, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said the Trump administration might consider providing exemptions to US sanctions to enable the Chabahar work to continue because the project is vital to Afghanistan's development and reducing its dependence on Pakistan.

India has already begun shipping wheat to Afghanistan through this new port. During Iran President Hassan Rouhani's visit to India in February 2018, he and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed memoranda outlining future expanded energy cooperation, the report added.

The US, which is renewing sanctions on Iran, reimposed some of the financial sanctions from August 6, while those affecting Iran's petroleum sector will come into effect from November 4.
Washington: The World Bank has endorsed an ambitious five-year framework for India under which it is expected to receive USD 25-30 billion in financial support for its transition from a low-middle income to a high-middle income country, a senior official from the global lender said.

The Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for India is aimed at supporting the country's transition to a higher middle-income country by addressing some of its key development priorities -- resource efficient and inclusive growth, job creation and building its human capital.

It is expected to bring between USD 25-30 billion in financial support for India from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

"With a fast-growing economy, global stature, and its unique experience of lifting the highest number of poor out of poverty in the past decades, India is well-positioned to become a high middle-income country by 2030," said Hartwig Schafer, World Bank South Asia vice president.

"It's a five-year framework that commits the Bank's engagement in India, both in areas where what we'll do, how we will work in these areas and the level of financial commitment. This is the first country partnership framework written with India," Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank, India, told PTI in an interview.

"The CPF was preceded by a systematic country diagnostic (SCD) that offered a narrative about India," Ahmad said.

Soon after the World Bank endorsed the CPF for India, Ahmad said, the Bank recognises the incredible growth and development of India over the last several decades.

"It recognises that India has gone from a low-income country status to a low-middle income. And now India is entering the economic transformation from low-middle income to high-middle income (country). This CPS is about how can the Bank support this transition," he said.

Noting that both the SCD is a highly consultative document, Ahmad said, the CPF is a joint document with the Indian government.

"I complement the World Bank Group for aligning the CPF with India's development and investment objectives of high, sustainable and inclusive growth," said Subhash Chandra Garg, Economic Affairs Secretary, in a statement.

Observing that the SCD basically said India's big story is steady growth from very low several decades back to a steady growth of seven per cent plus, Ahmad said, this document also showed that the growth is quite diversified.

"Some of it is based on export. A lot of it is based on an internal consumption and investment, unlike say China, which is highly export led growth. So India's is more broad based, diversified growth path," he said.

"Over time, this growth has become more stable and is resilient. Recently there were shocks on the economy, which included demonetisation and the GST implementation and there was this fall in the growth. But it is now rebounded, and not only has it gone back to seven per cent, this quarter it is at eight per cent," Ahmad said.

Based on the SCD goal of taking the Indian growth rate to eight per cent plus, the World Bank argued that there were several areas of engagement that were very important: natural resource management, jobs and competitiveness, and human development, he said, adding that the framework addresses these issues.

"The first point we make is that India needs to unleash the power of markets and private sector. It needs to leverage the private sector and in particular private capital. The challenge for the Bank is how do you take the little amount of money ultimately you're putting into the country and you go from being a lending bank to being a leveraging bank," Ahmad said.

He said to complement the transformational national programmes, the Bank will also develop strategic state partnerships to address state-specific development priorities and support implementation capabilities at the state and the local level.

"The future of India lies in the states of India. The country's transition to high middle-income status will be determined in large part by the effectiveness of India's federal compact. In this context, an important focus of the CPF will be to deepen engagement with India's states and invest in the institutions and capabilities of the states and local governments to address their development priorities," Ahmad said.

He said the Bank was going for a "Lighthouse India" approach. "Lighthouse India basically means learning from the innovation of the states and sharing with other states. We also recognise that the learning is what India also has to offer the rest of the world. As it goes from low-income to middle-income to high-middle-income, its learning over its development path is going to be very valuable for other nations," he said.

"The Indian economy has evolved to a level where the private sector can be counted on to close large developmental gaps. Through this the CPF, the World Bank Group will help India leverage additional resources from the private sector to help India realise its full potential," said Jun Zhang, Country Head, IFC, India.

India is the largest IBRD client of the World Bank. Between 2015 and 2018, the World Bank lent around USD 10.2 billion to India.
Raipur: BJP president Amit Shah on Friday accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of supporting "urban Naxals" plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to clarify his stand on the issue to people in poll-bound Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Shah's comments come in the wake of the Maharashtra police arresting five human rights activists late last month for their alleged links with Maoists.

Addressing party workers, Shah also mocked Gandhi, calling him "Rahul baba" and saying he is "day-dreaming" about the Congress' victory in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, BJP-ruled states where elections are due by year-end. He said "Rahul Gandhi and company" were supporting "urban Naxals" plotting to assassinate the prime minister.

"Shouldn't those who were plotting to assassinate the prime minister be arrested?" Shah asked. "Rahul baba should make his stand clear on the issue of urban Naxals to the people of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," he said.

He exhorted workers in Chhattisgarh to ensure that the party wins more than 65 seats in the 90-member assembly in the state and the Congress is decimated. Anything below the target of 65 seats should not be considered a win, the BJP chief said.

The saffron outfit currently has 49 MLAs in the state, where it has been in power since 2003.

Mocking Gandhi for predicting a Congress win in the three poll-bound states, Shah said, "Rahul baba is dreaming in broad daylight with his eyes open."

The BJP chief also highlighted the achievements of the Narendra Modi government in the last four years. "Since 2014 when Narendra Modi became PM, the Congress has lost each and every state election. You (Rahul) ask us what the BJP has done in four-and-a-half years...Our government is working for the poor, youth and farmers who were neglected during your family rule. When Pakistan-based terrorists attacked us, (then PM) Manmohan Singh remained quiet. But, under Modi, our security forces conducted surgical strikes after Uri attack," Shah said.
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday sought to take credit for the government's decision to call off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The BJP, however, maintained that it has been the government's stand that talks and terror cannot go together and asserted that the Indian Army will give Pakistan a befitting reply.

Barely 24 hours after agreeing to it, the government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Asked about the decision to call off the talks, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi told a press briefing, "Better late than never. And sometimes credit should also be given to us."

BJP spokesperson Bizay Sonkar Shastri said it has been the central government's stand that talks and terror cannot go together. He said that the Pakistan Army, its spy agency ISI and Kashmir-based separatists backed by them appear to be working to vitiate the atmosphere.

Earlier, the Congress had slammed the government for agreeing for the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session next week.

"It is laughable to talk of government's Pakistan policy. When the government of India talks about policy on Pakistan, it sounds like an oxymoron, a contradiction. Simply because there is no policy which we can point out.

"The great policy which Mr Modi's government has perfected is the policy of 'No Pak policy'. It is knee-jerk, it is episodic, it is momentary, it is transient, it depends on the mood of the moment," Singhvi said.

CPI's D Raja said the Modi government lacks clarity and consistency in the conduct of its foreign policy, especially to its neighbours.

Reacting to the development, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "Calling off meeting between India & Pak's FMs is bad news for J&K. Both countries owe it to people of state & country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. In spite of a historic mandate, it is media & not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda."

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said, "Has our BJP government decided to accept my advice not to talk or interact with Pak UN? If so it shows democratic flexibility."
New Delhi: The controversy over the ongoing Rafale deal took a new direction when former French president Francois Hollande said that Dassault Aviation was given no choice but to partner with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence for the offset clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

In an interview to a French media house, Hollande on a question about who selected Reliance as a partner and why, said it was the Indian government that proposed Reliance's name and Dassault had no choice but to take the company given to it, as reported by news agency ANI.

Quoting an article, published by French journal Mediapart, ANI reported, "We did not have a say in that. The Indian government proposed this service group, and Dassault negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor we were given," said Hollande. The interview was published in French and excerpts of Hollande's interview were tweeted by French Newspaper LeMonde journalist Julien Boissou.

Hollande's reported statement contradicts Indian government's claim that the agreement between Dassault and Reliance was a commercial pact between two private parties and the government had nothing to do with it.

Leaders of the Congress, the Left and the Aam Aadmi Party among others lashed out at the government soon after Hollande's comments were reported.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi led a blistering opposition attack on PM Modi accusing him of betraying India and dishonouring its soldiers. Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "The PM personally negotiated & changed the Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Fran?ois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani. The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers."

"In the NDA-negotiated Rafale aircraft deal, we have got no aircraft, we have got only lies. What is the new lie that the government will put out in response to Mr Hollande? Defence Minister has been called out again! This time by then President of France, Mr Hollande," Congress leader P Chidambaram said.

The Ministry of Defence said in a tweet that it is verifying the "Hollande's statement that GOI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale". "It is reiterated that neither the government of India nor the French government had any say in the commercial decision," it added.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said "this is serious, if accurately reported".

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Modi "hid behind the smokescreen of web of lies that he had weaved". "Truth always prevails. Congress President Rahul Gandhi asked the Prime Minister in Parliament to look him into his eye and tell the truth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not dare to look straight. PM Modi looked away," he said.

He alleged that not only did the prime minister lie, but he made the defence minister, the finance minister and the law minister lie along with him.

"The collusion, the conspiracy and the complicity of the Modi government in denying a Rs 30,000 crore contract to public sector undertaking HAL in favour of Modi ji's crony friend has now been exposed by the former French President.

"Truth is now out in the open for everyone to see and adjudge. It is now clear that chowkidar hi gunahgar hai (the watchman is the culprit)," Surjewala said

Congress leader Manish Tewari said, "President (Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crores in 2012 to 1690 crores in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crores. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate."

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yachury accused the government of lying and misleading people. "This Rafale deal is a scam if there was one. The Modi govt has lied and misled Indians. The whole truth must come out now. Why was the Indian government batting for one corporate house with no experience in defence manufacture?" Yechury tweeted.

In a swipe at Modi, AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked the prime minister to come clean. "The country wants to know the truth. Complete truth. Everyday Indian government's comments are turning out to to false. People have started believing that something bad has really happened. Why else the government will lie everyday," he tweeted.

Responding to Congress attacks on the government for keeping Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) out of the Rafale deal under offset clause, both Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been constantly stressing that Dassault and Reliance got into an agreement on their own.

Former chairman and managaing director (CMD) of HAL, T Suvarna Raju, in an interview to a media house claimed that Dassault and HAL had signed the mutual workshare contract and given it to the government. He further said that the life-cycle costs of the aircraft would have been cheaper if the aircraft were made in India.

However, contradicting this, defence sources on Thursday claimed disagreements between HAL and Dassault Aviation had led to the collapse of negotiations between the two in the Rafale fighter plane deal during the UPA term.
In a new allegation, Congress on Friday accused ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of calling people and threatening them from his hospital room.

"He may be in the hospital yes. I hope you (Parrikar) are very well but I am getting messages that while sitting in the hospital, you are calling people, threatening them," said Congress observer for Goa A Chellakumar. This is the first direct assault by the Congress.

The party also demanded a medical bulletin on the status of the Chief Minister, who after being hospitalised in Goa, Mumbai and New York over the last few months, is now being treated for advanced pancreatic cancer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital.

The allegation comes a day after Vijai Sardesai, President of the Goa Forward Party, a coalition ally, told the media that Parrikar spoke to him over the phone on Thursday over administrative matters.

Chellakumar also said that in view of the Chief Minister`s alleged involvement in a Rs 1.44 lakh crore illegal mining scam which is being probed by the Goa Lokayukta, he should assure the people that he would forfeit his properties if he is found guilty.

"I pray to God even now, let Manohar Parrikar get well soon. Let God give him a long life, but it is my duty also to remind him. All these days you initiated so many actions on so many former ministers. In all the corruption charges, you filed complaints. Moreover, you have attached some of their properties also. Now it is your turn," Chellakumar said.

The Goa Lokayukta is probing the mining lease allotment scam, in which former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who succeeded Parrikar and held office from 2014 to 2017, is one of the key accused.

Parsekar in his affidavit filed before the anti-corruption body has said, that he renewed the bulk of the mining leases by adopting processes put in place by his predecessor and that the renewals were done in adherence to a formal policy, on advice from the advocate general and were in sync with a High Court ruling.

The BJP has denied the allegations, calling them "baseless and unsubstantiated".

The Congress observer is in Goa to monitor political developments following Parrikar`s hospitalisation that has raised doubts over the continuance of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government.

With ruling allies and several Independent MLAs stepping up pressure on the BJP for a greater role in governance as well as on issues related to the choice of a leader of the coalition, the Congress too claims that it is in touch with disgruntled non-BJP MLAs, who Chellakumar said, are keen on a switchover.

But he clarified that the Congress is not in a hurry to form a government in the coastal state.
In a major reshuffle, the Congress on Friday appointed Somendranath Mitra as the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president replacing Congress MP from Berhampur Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. Chowdhury has been appointed as the chairman of the campaign committee.

Political analysts feel that Chowdhury has been removed for his anti-Mamata stand. He was known for taking an anti-Mamata stance. While Chowdhury had been pushing for an alliance with the Left Front in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he raised questions each time the Congress central leadership joined hands with the Trinamool Congress.

When the matter of uncontested seats in the Bengal Panchayat polls reached the Supreme Court and Bengal Congress was a party to it, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi had represented the state of West Bengal in the apex court. Chowdhury had openly criticised the move by the central leadership.

"I was not even informed by the central leadership about my removal. On six occasions I had personally told Rahul Gandhi that if he feels that the state leadership is not doing well, he may as well remove me. I'm not saddened by my removal but I only feel that I should have been informed. I have always stood my ground and will continue to do so," Chowdhury told Zee Media over the phone from Berhampur, Murshidabad.

However, rumours are also rife that Chowdhury is in touch with some senior leaders of the BJP.

Mitra was the chairperson of the Pradesh Congress Committee in Bengal during 1992 and 1998. During his tenure, Mamata Banerjee who was a part of Congress, quit the party and formed the Trinamool Congress. During the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, Congress managed to secure only one seat. Later, he quit the party following the party's loss in the state and went ahead with forming the Progressive Indira Congress in 2008.

In 2009, he joined the Trinamool Congress and contested the general elections on a Trinamool Congress ticket from the Diamond Harbour seat and won. In 2014, Somen Mitra returned to Congress after resigning from the post of TMC MP.

Political analysts also feel that it could be a strategy by the Congress central leadership to make way for a pre-poll alliance with the Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2019 polls as Mitra would take a softer stance on Mamata Banerjee.

However, Mitra after taking over as the PCC President on Friday said that the Congress must distance itself from the Trinamool Congress.
Srinagar: The Centre on Friday denied all reports of Jammu and Kashmir policemen resigning under pressure from militant groups in the wake of Friday's killing of three police personnel by terror group Hizbul Mujahideen.

Reports have appeared in a section of media that some Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned. J&K Police have confirmed that these reports are untrue and motivated. These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements, said a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs, as reported by ANI.

Earlier in the day, bodies of three policemen  two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a constable  who went missing on Thursday, was recovered. They have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kuldeep Singh and Fayaz Ahmad Bhat.

They were allegedly abducted by terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. The outfit had earlier sent an audio threat saying SPOs should resign from their jobs.

Barely hours after the cops' bodies were recovered, reports of several J&K policemen submitting their resignations emerged.

Zee News spoke to three such policemen  SPOs Tajalla Hussain, Shabir Ahmad Thoker and Constable Mohd Irshad Baba  who resigned from Jammu and Kashmir Police department.

Last month, nine people, whose family members are working in the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army, were kidnapped by terrorists from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora in the state.

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of terrorists who were in police custody.
Geneva [Switzerland]: Referring to the recently elected Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan as 'Taliban Khan', human right activists told the United Nations Thursday that Islamabad is misleading international community.

"Now, with the new government in Pakistan, the situation is going to be bad to worse because of Imran Khan. Although he went to Oxford, going to Oxford doesn`t make any difference. He is called as `Taliban Khan` because a man who can give Rs. 30 crore from the official budget of the KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) to madrasas, which is known as Taliban university, you can see how much he has given unofficially. And how much support he is giving it to these fundamentalist groups, whose duty is to kill or convert people," human rights activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Dr Shabir Choudhry said during an event on the sidelines of the 39th Session of the UN Human Rights Session in Geneva.

Other PoK activists expressed concern over growing extremism and terrorist activities in the PoK.

PoK has remained a hub of terrorism for decades. Pakistan`s agencies have created terrorists` infrastructure in the area to carry out terrorist activities in other parts of the Kashmir. It has become a launching pad, said Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled chairman of United Kashmir People`s National Party.

We have complete information that Pakistan has not changed its policies, it is merely statements by them to mislead the international community, but terrorist camps are running under the patronage of state of Pakistan," he added.

"They have got a license to intimidate and frighten people. If need to be, they kill them," said Dr Choudhry while referring to ongoing protests in Muzaffarabad and other parts of PoK against Pakistan`s exploitation of water resources in the region.

The construction of Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project on River Neelum has created environmental issues and severe water crisis in the capital Muzaffarabad.

"When the tunnels were opened to divert the flow of Neelum River, we raised the issue at the United Nations citing that it will impact the life of people in Muzaffarabad. But, Pakistanis have called it propaganda by India, but now the people of Muzaffarabad have realised the truth as their life is getting destroyed day by day, Kashmiri said.

Kashmiri added, "Not only in Muzaffarabad, but protests are also happening in Rawalakot, Tararkhel, Kotli and other areas, which has taken a shape of a movement `Save Neelum River, Save Muzaffarabad`. I believe India should interfere on this issue because it had an agreement to save the lives of Kashmiri people. India should pressurise the international community to protect the rights of oppressed and vulnerable people".

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to meet her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. Confirming the development.

The announcement of a meeting comes hours after a letter by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported. In the letter, the Pakistani PM had called for a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries to improve ties between the neighbouring countries.
Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday expressed disappointment at India calling off a meeting between him and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York and alleged that "internal pressure" forced New Delhi to make the "unfortunate" move.

India cited the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

Qureshi expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the foreign minister-level talks, saying it was "unfortunate." "It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. Indian has once again wasted an opportunity for peace," Qureshi told the media here. He said that it was important to sit and talk for the sake of peace and stability in the region.

"The refusal of India shows that Indian government is facing internal pressure," he said. "It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. He said Pakistan sincerely wants resolution of all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, with India through negotiations.

Pakistan has always extended an olive branch to India for the resolution of problems and enhancing bilateral ties in an amicable manner, but New Delhi does not come out of its "internal politics", state-run Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying.

The minister said Pakistan can only wish India to come to the negotiating table, but "we can neither pressurise anybody nor will accept the same for this purpose."

Qureshi said the world wants connectivity and promote regional trade, but India is creating problems. He said India's "stubbornness" is also adversely affecting future of the SAARC countries, the Radio Pakistan report said. But, Qureshi reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue.

"We said that we want dialogue - but in a dignified manner," he added.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said. He noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said. Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

Former High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit said he was surprised by India's move as New Delhi should not have agreed for it in the first place due to forthcoming elections but after agreeing for a meeting it was more surprising that it backed out.

Former advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz said that it was "unfortunate" that India cancelled the meeting as it would have created an environment for peace.

Former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri said the cancelation reminded him of the Agra summit when everything was ready for joint statement but India backed out at the last minute.
In a big development, the meet scheduled to take place between India and Pakistan in New York on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly has been cancelled, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday. The meet was to take place later this month.

The decision comes from the Indian side in the aftermath of the killing of a BSF soldier along the border and the release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "Since yesterday's announcement of the meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities and the recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists."

The MEA said in a statement, "The decision to agree to Pakistans proposal for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister of Pakistan. The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism."

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office. Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless. In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," added Kumar.

Earlier on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had confirmed that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be meeting her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York.

Raveesh Kumar said: "I can confirm that on the request of the Pakistani side, a meeting between EAM and Pakistani foreign minister will take place on the sidelines of the UNGA at a mutually convenient date and time."

"This is just a meeting, not talks or resumption of dialogue," the MEA spokesperson added.

The announcement of a meeting comes hours after a letter by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported. In the letter, the Pakistani PM had called for a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries to improve ties between the neighbouring countries.
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Friday said calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan was bad news as both the countries owed it to the people of the state to carry on the dialogue.

"Calling off meeting between India & Pak's FMs is bad news for J&K. Both countries owe it to people of state & country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. Inspite of a historic mandate, it is media & not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda," Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

Barely 24 hours after agreeing to the engagement, the government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Announcing the cancellation of the meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks. He added that talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

Mehbooba had earlier welcomed the proposed meeting between the two foreign ministers. "Accepting peace overtures of Pakistan's PM Imran Khan by agreeing to a meeting between India & Pakistan's Foreign Ministers is a welcome step. Even though it has come towards the fag end of NDA's tenure, better late than never," she had earlier said on Twitter.
India is verifying a report that claimed former French president Francois Hollande saying that Dassault Aviation was given no choice but to partner with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence for the offset clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal. The Ministry of Defence spokesperson, however, reiterated that neither India nor the French government had any say in the commercial decision.

Taking to Twitter, Ministry of Defence Spokesperson said, "The report referring to fmr French president Mr Hollande's statement that GOI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified. It is reiterated that neither GoI nor French Govt had any say in the commercial decision."

The report referring to fmr French president Mr. Hollande's statement that GOI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified.

It is reiterated that neither GoI nor French Govt had any say in the commercial decision.  Defence Spokesperson (@SpokespersonMoD) September 21, 2018

Earlier, news agency ANI had reported quoting a French media house saying that Hollande on a question about who selected Reliance as a partner and why said it was the Indian government that proposed Reliance's name and Dassault had no choice but to take the company given to it.

READ: India gave name of Reliance Defence for Rafale offsets, says former French president Francois Hollande

Quoting an article, published by French journal Mediapart, ANI reported, "We did not have a say in that. The Indian government proposed this service group, and Dassault negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor we were given," said Hollande.

The interview was published in French and excerpts of Hollande's interview were tweeted by French Newspaper LeMonde journalist Julien Boissou.

Hollande's reported statement contradicts Indian government's claim that the agreement between Dassault and Reliance was a commercial pact between two private parties and the government had nothing to do with it.

Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday immediately retweeted this article and asked Hollande, "President (Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crores in 2012 to 1690 crores in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crores. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate."

Responding to Congress attacks on the government for keeping Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) out of the Rafale deal under offset clause, both Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been constantly stressing that Dassault and Reliance got into an agreement on their own.

Former chairman and managaing director (CMD) of HAL, T Suvarna Raju, in an interview to a media house claimed that Dassault and HAL had signed the mutual workshare contract and given it to the government. He further said that the life-cycle costs of the aircraft would have been cheaper if the aircraft were made in India.

However, contradicting this, defence sources on Thursday claimed disagreements between HAL and Dassault Aviation had led to the collapse of negotiations between the two in the Rafale fighter plane deal during the UPA term.
Hours after the bullet-ridden bodies of three cops were recovered from Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday morning, DGP Dilbag Singh condemned the incident calling it an act of desperation on the part of the terrorists. Terming it an unfortunate incident, the DGP said the cops appear to be soft targets for the terrorists.

"It has been a very unfortunate incident that 2 SPOs and a police constable has been shot dead. It's an act of desperation on part of militants outfit. They appear to be soft targets to them. It's highly condemned," said Dilbag Singh.

Following the incident, reports surfaced that two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a constable submitted their resignations.

However, DGP Singh refuted such reports calling them rumours. Singh said, "Police work for the public, not to hurt anyone. Rumours should not be spread about them. If any such incident happens, we will look into it. Our SPOs have been doing their duty very well. They are an important part of our security forces."

The Centre too denied all reports of Jammu and Kashmir policemen resigning under pressure from militant groups in the wake of Friday's killing.

Reports have appeared in a section of media that some Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned. J&K Police have confirmed that these reports are untrue and motivated. These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements, said a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs, as reported by ANI.

Earlier on Thursday night, two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a constable, went missing and on Friday morning their bodies were recovered. They were allegedly abducted by members of Hizbul Mujahideen. The outfit had earlier sent an audio threat saying SPOs should resign from their jobs.

"Three bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from Kapran village in the morning. The slain policemen have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kuldeep Singh and Fayaz Ahmad Bhat," police sources said.

In August, nine people, whose family members are working in the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army, were kidnapped by terrorists from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora in the state.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik on Friday vehemently condemned the killing of the three cops and termed it a barbaric act.

Blaming Pakistan for it, Malik said that Pakistan is habitual of doing such acts and those involved will be punished properly, as reported by news agency ANI. "I condemn it. It's barbaric. Pakistan is habitual of doing it. We will punish them properly," he said.

He said that those who have resorted to firing will not be welcomed by flowers but they will be served bullets too.

Malik, also said that the panchayat elections will take place at the scheduled time and every sarpanch will have an insurance of Rs 10 lakh. In addition to this, they will be provided security and will be given a place of residence
NEW DELHI: A day after a Jet Airways flight made an emergency landing after the passengers on board fell sick, the crew has been booked for attempt to murder. A complaint was lodged against Jet Airways staff and crew members of Mumbai-Jaipur flight No. 9W 0697 for dereliction of duties amounting to attempt of murder of travellers on board.

At least 30 passengers onboard the flight fell sick, some bled from nose and ear, after the attending crew failed to turn on a switch that controls cabin air pressure. Several passengers also complained of headache.

Five of the passengers were diagnosed with "mild conductive deafness" which is caused due to a change in air pressure. Nanavati Hospital's chief operating officer Rajendra Patankar said their health condition was stable and they did not require admission.

"The five patients, all males, have mild conductive deafness, a temporary condition which is likely to take a week or 10 days to heal. They are advised not to fly till then. Whatever medication is required for the treatment of mild deafness, has been advised," Patankar said.

The Mumbai-Jaipur flight was carrying 166 passengers and five crew members on board. The Boeing 737 aircraft returned to Mumbai due to "loss of cabin pressure" and the pilots have been taken off duty pending investigation, a Jet Airways spokesperson said.

"During climb, the crew forgot to select bleed switch due to which cabin pressurisation could not be maintained. As a result, oxygen masks got deployed," the official at aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said.

Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu ordered a safety audit of all scheduled airlines and airports.

Recounting the ordeal, he said about 15 to 20 minutes after the takeoff, the oxygen masks got deployed from the overhead compartments but there was no instructions on whether to use it or not. "There was no announcement from the pilots or crew whether we were going ahead or landing. The crew members panicked more than the passengers," he claimed, while talking to reporters outside the hospital.

"Suddenly, we smelt like a wire was burning. The pressure was so high that we were covering our ears and holding the oxygen mask with our hands but it was still intolerable. Still, there was no announcement from pilots or crew members as to what exactly was the problem," Kala said. He further said that during landing, there was extreme pressure in the flight and he kept covering his ears and holding the mask, and fell unconscious for 10 to 15 seconds.

"When I removed my mask it was full of blood. I told my co-passengers that I am bleeding and waved to the air hostess, but she told me to remain seated and that all is normal," Kala said. He said after landing, there was no proper medication at the airport and that there were two compounders who cleaned the injuries with cotton.
Bishop Franco Mulakkal, a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy, was arrested on Friday night by the Kerala police over allegations of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, Kottayam Superintendent of Police (SP) Hari Sankar confirmed.

The 54-year old Mulakkal was arrested by Kerala police after intense interrogation over the last three days. He would be produced in a magistrate court in Pala in Kottayam district tomorrow, said Inspector General of Police (Kochi Range) Vijay Sakhare.

Addressing the media, Sankar said, "On basis of the evidence collected so far and the interrogation that continued for three days, we arrested Bishop Franco at 8 pm today in regard to the petition filed against him. We are taking him for the medical examination. The subsequent investigation will continue and he'll be produced before a magistrate court tomorrow morning."

The Kottayam SP refused to disclose the evidences found against the Bishop, saying, "Evidences cannot be disclosed at this stage because the matter is under investigation and it has to go through a trial process, but the investigating officer has reached a reasonable conclusion that there is evidence in this case and we have decided to arrest him."

SP Sankar further stated the charges that Bishop Mulakkal has been found guilty of. They are rape and unnatural sexual intercourse, criminal intimidation and illegal confinement.

When asked if the investigation team will take action against those who came out in support of Bishop Mullakal, Sankar stated that separate cases have been registered in such matters, and are being investigated, adding that arrests will be made when the evidence is ample.

The development came a day after the Vatican relieved him "temporarily" of all pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation to which the alleged victim also belongs.

The nun had accused the clergyman of repeatedly raping and having unnatural sex with her between 2014 and 2016, a charge denied by him.
New Delhi: In the wake of Bishop Franco Mulakkal`s arrest, the Catholic Bishop`s Conference of India (CBCI) on Friday expressed its confidence in the Indian judicial system.

A statement from the CBCI read, "We have learnt from the media about the developments in Bishop Franco Mulakkal`s case. It is a sad moment for all of us. We pray for all involved: Bishop Franco, the nun concerned, the diocese of Jalandhar and the Congregation of the Missionaries of Jesus."

"We have full confidence in the judicial system of our country. As said before we expect the law to take its course and for the truth to emerge. At this moment, our prayer is for the healing," the statement added.

The statement comes hours after the police arrested Bishop Franco Mulakkal following three days of questioning in connection with the rape of a Kerala nun.

According to Kottayam Superintendent of Police (SP) Hari Sankar, Mulakkal will be produced before a magistrate court tomorrow morning and the subsequent investigation will continue.Mulakkal has been arrested on the charges of rape and unnatural sexual intercourse, criminal intimidation and illegal confinement.

On Thursday, Bishop Mulakkal, in charge of the Jalandhar diocese, was relieved of his pastoral duties by Pope Francis after he wrote to the Pope, expressing his desire to `temporarily step aside` from the responsibilities of the diocese to fight his case.

The senior Catholic priest was accused of raping the nun as many as 13 times between 2014 and 2016. He, however, refuted the allegations, terming them "baseless and concocted."
Hours after former French President Francois Hollande's reported remarks on the Rafale deal, the Opposition launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he has "betrayed" the country and endangered national security by hiding crucial facts.

The slamming followed after a French media report quoted Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal. Hollande said that Dassault Aviation was given no choice but to partner with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence for the offset clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

In an interview to a media house, Hollande on a question about who selected Reliance as a partner and why, said it was the Indian government that proposed Reliance's name and Dassault had no choice but to take the company given to it.

Quoting an article, published by French journal Mediapart, ANI reported, "We did not have a say in that. The Indian government proposed this service group, and Dassault negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor we were given," said Hollande.

Who said what after the report surfaced:

The PM personally negotiated & changed the #Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Francois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani. The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 21, 2018

The Truth of Rafale exposed! Our Statement -: pic.twitter.com/qTuS761Gwm  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) September 21, 2018

By hiding crucial facts on Rafale deal, is Modi govt not endangering national security ? Former French President's statement directly contradicts what Modi govt had been saying so far. Can the country be taken for a ride any further ?  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 21, 2018

After ex-French President Hollande's statement exposing Shri @narendramodi's direct involvement in the Rafale scam, what do you think will happen next?

#ModiRafaleLiesExposed  Niranjan Patnaik (@NPatnaikOdisha) September 21, 2018

Read the entire report by a reputed French paper of what former Pres Hollande said about how Ambani's Reliance came into the Rafale deal, at the instance of Indian government.This thoroughly exposes the lies of Sitaraman& Jaitley in defence of Modi in thishttps://t.co/2dz9FdUk4U  Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) September 21, 2018

Former French President Francois Hollande said Dassault Aviation was given no choice but to partner with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence for the offset clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal.Why PM Modi compromised the national security involving his corporate friend in the deal? https://t.co/BhpCBUDaso  Tarun Gogoi (@tarun_gogoi) September 21, 2018

Defence Minister has been called out again! This time by then President of France, Mr Hollande.  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 21, 2018

PM Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with the then French president Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris. The opposition has been accusing the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.
NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed universities to mark September 29 as "Surgical Strike Day". As part of its notification, it has also all higher educational institutes with NCC units to organise a special parade on 29 September. The NCC commander will also address the cadets on the modalities of protection of the borders.

University Grants Commission (UGC) issues circular to vice chancellors of all universities, provides list of activities which maybe undertaken on 29th September following Govt of India's decision to celebrate it as 'Surgical Strike Day'. pic.twitter.com/eJ3PxCRdFY  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

The UGC has said that the students can pledge their support for the armed forces by writing letters and cards, which may be produced in both physical and digital format. These letters and cards will be shared with PRO, Defence and PIB for publicity across various media, including social media.

Here is the full text of the UGC notification dated 19th September for the institutes.

Dear Sir/Madam.

As you may be aware, the Government of India has decided to observe 'Surgical Strike Day' on 29th September 2018. To celebrate this occasion in a befitting manner, following activities / programs may be undertaken

1. All HEIs with NCC units shall organize a special parade on 29th September, after which the NCC commander shall address them on the modalities of protection of the borders.

2. The universities/colleges may organize a meeting, calling ex-service men who will sensitize the students about the sacrifices made by the armed forces in protecting the borders

3. A Multimedia Exhibition would be organized around India Gate on 29th September, 2018. Similar Exhibitions may be organized at all the state capitals / UTs and important towns / cantonments all over India. The Exhibition will be a public event and HEIs may encourage its faculty and students to visit these Exhibitions.

4. The student shall pledge their support for the armed forces by writing letters and cards, which may be produced in both physical and digital format. These letters and cards will be shared with PRO, Defence and PIB for publicity across various media, including Social Media

5. The physical letters so received can be given to the nearest Cantonment or can be presented to the Army officials visiting various colleges for short meetings with the students. It will also provide Photo-Ops for the students.

All HEIs are requested to initiate action on the above mentioned activities. In case of any clarification/assistance, please contact, Col Vikas, Joint Director (Publicity & PR), NCC Directorate. Ministry of Defence.

The activities undertaken may be uploaded on the University Activity Monitoring Portal on UGC website i e www.ugc.ac.in/uamp
SRINAGAR: Bodies of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a constable, who went missing on Thursday night has been recovered. The third missing person, a civilian, has been released.

The four went missing in South Kashmir's Shopian. They were allegedly abducted by members of Hizbul Mujahideen, added sources. The outfit had earlier sent an audio threat saying SPOs should resign from their jobs.

"Three bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from Kapran village in the morning. The slain policemen have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchai, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Kuldeep," police sources said.

Police officials, however, remained tight-lipped about the abductions. A police spokesman said the information was being verified from the ground.

Jammu & Kashmir: Three policemen who were kidnapped by terrorists in south Kashmir's Shopian, found dead. pic.twitter.com/OV9xwHrDBn  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

Those abducted were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey and Kuldeep Singh  both residents of Batgund Shopian, and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, residents of Kapran.

Nisar Ahmad is the brother of a policeman and was released a short while ago.

Last month, nine people, whose family members are working in the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army, were kidnapped by terrorists from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora in the state.

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of terrorists who were in police custody.

The August 30 abductions happened after the NIA arrested the second son of globally-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group.

Salahuddin's son was arrested on charges of receiving secret funds.

The development comes a day after Kashmiri human right activists expressed concern over growing extremism and terrorist activities in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

PoK has remained a hub of terrorism for decades. Pakistan`s agencies have created terrorists` infrastructure in the area to carry out terrorist activities in other parts of the Kashmir. It has become a launching pad, said Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled chairman of United Kashmir People`s National Party.

With agency inputs
Mumbai: Arjun Kapoor seems to be a very emotional person, and his tweets prove the same. The hunk of an actor, who is very attached to his sister Anshula, took to Twitter to express his love for her through a series of tweets.

Arjun wrote: "Guys, today is throwback Thursday. Today I genuinely felt so conflicted as I woke up wondering if all the madness, the chaos is worth it if ur loved ones arent ok and arent a 100 percent. The world ceased to exist for me when my sister wasnt well for the last few days.

I missed my mother even more because I felt vulnerable & helpless sitting in Pokhara trying to be professional because thats what an actor is supposed to be in that moment. I realised this week I can handle & face the world as long as my world is fine and the people I care for are ok... Otherwise everything kind of feels pointless. This post is just a rambling of thoughts because I realised that we are so caught up in trying to run, we forget to sometimes just stand breathe & take it all in. Im grateful n thankful for a lot of things. I've seen highs & lows, good days and bad days but I know I want to be a more positive person and believe that after the dark comes the light.and as long as u are by my side, I can face it all @anshulakapoor. Love u and love this really amazing hairstyle u got going back in the day.

Ps - all u guys reading this, go hug ur parents n siblings even if they get confused with the sudden burst of love n affection (sic)."

Guys, today is throwback Thursday. Today I genuinely felt so conflicted as I woke up wondering if all the madness, the chaos is worth it if ur loved ones arent ok and arent a 100 percent. The world ceased to exist for me when my sister wasnt well for the last few days.(1/5) pic.twitter.com/plXnm4EDn9  Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) 20 September 2018

I missed my mother even more because I felt vulnerable & helpless sitting in Pokhara trying to be professional because thats what an actor is supposed to be in that moment. I realised this week I can handle & face the world as long as my world is fine (2/5)  Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) 20 September 2018

and the people I care for are ok... Otherwise everything kind of feels pointless. This post is just a rambling of thoughts because I realised that we are so caught up in trying to run, we forget to sometimes just stand breathe & take it all in. (3/5)  Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) 20 September 2018

Im grateful n thankful for a lot of things. I've seen highs & lows, good days and bad days but I know I want to be a more positive person and believe that after the dark comes the light (4/5)  Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) 20 September 2018

and as long as u are by my side, I can face it all @anshulakapoor. Love u and love this really amazing hairstyle u got going back in the day.

Ps - all u guys reading this, go hug ur parents n siblings even if they get confused with the sudden burst of love n affection. (5/5)  Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) 20 September 2018

Arjun, son of producer Boney Kapoor, lost his mother Mona to cancer on 25 March 2012, a couple of months before the release of his film Ishaqzaade. He is very close to his family and is very protective of them.

The actor is gearing up for the release of his film Namaste England co-starring Parineeti Chopra, which is slated to release on October 19, 2018. He has another film with her titled Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. Apart from this, he has 'India's Most Wanted' and 'Panipat' in his kitty.
New Delhi: India's biggest digital payments company Paytm has flagged concerns over rival Google Pay's privacy policy, saying it allows collection and disclosure of users' personal data with group companies.

The Alibaba and SoftBank-backed company also alleged that Google's privacy policy allows the American giant to utilise a user's personal data for advertising and promotional purposes, without any additional consent from the user.

"This is a clear disregard for a consumer's need for privacy," Paytm said in a recent letter to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

As the battle to capture market share in the booming Indian digital payments space intensifies, One97 Communications owned-Paytm has alleged violation of basic privacy norms in the tech titan's policy.

In its two-page letter, Paytm said Google Pay's privacy policy allows it to access user's navigation, logs and correspondence data while also reserving the right to collect, store, use and read user's communication.

When contacted, a Google spokesperson said the company does not use any individual UPI transactions data for any monetisation purpose, including advertisements.

"Google Pay shares user data as may be required for the purpose of processing transactions or providing Google Pay Services with our authorised partners... Sharing of this information is in accordance with the applicable laws and requisite consent obtained from the user and in conformity with standard industry practice," the spokesperson said.

These partners, the spokesperson said, include banks, banks on UPI infrastructure, bill aggregators, merchants on the Google Pay for Business programme and others with whom the user transacts.

Interestingly, Google and Paytm have taken contrarian views on the data localisation issue.

While Paytm has been in favour of storing and processing critical data like payments within India, Google's stance has been to allow free flow of data.

"...Google Pay...Has the scope of using their customer's data for their monetary gains with complete disregard of the user's need for privacy," Paytm argued.

It alleged that critical payments data collected by Google "is being processed and stored outside of India which can have severe security implications in case of a data breach as their policy states that this data is also being disclosed with advertisers and third parties".

It hoped that NPCI "would re-visit the payments policy of Google Pay for India". A copy of the letter has also been marked to IT Secretary, Ajay Sawhney.

Paytm has also written to industry body IAMAI emphasising its stance that India has taken a bold step in strengthening data sovereignty through dynamic measures like data localisation.

It has asked the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) to incorporate Paytm's views in the final submission to IT Ministry on the draft Personal Data Protection Bill.
Mumbai: The drama inside the house of Bigg Boss will never cease to exist. After a dramatic captaincy task, the contestants will have a new shocker in store for them. Bigg Boss is in no mood to go soft on the inmates in season 12. He has some of the harshest punishments for them, it seems.

Kriti and Roshmi are the first captains of the house but Srishty and Saba aren't quite pleased with their behaviour. The Khan sisters weren't happy at all when Kriti and Roshmi were given the command for captaincy. And this is definitely going to backfire.

Srishty and Saba feel humiliated after Kriti commands a cup of tea in a stern voice. Saba confronts Kriti while Shishty starts crying for being treated so badly.

Bigg Boss then gears up to drop a Kaal Kothri bomb. To know what it is watch tonight's episode.
Houston: The ruling Republican party in the US has apologised to the Hindus after a newspaper advertisement featuring Lord Ganesha to woo the minority community voters in Texas ended up "offending" them.

The advert, on the occasion of the 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival, included the imagery of Lord Ganesha with the text, "Would you worship a donkey or an elephant? The choice is yours".

The elephant is the party symbol of the Republicans while Democrats have donkey as their party's symbol.

The Indian-American community described the political advertisement of the Grand Old Party in an Indian-American newspaper as "offensive" for featuring Lord Ganesha.

The party's county unit, Fort Bend County Republican Party which published the ad, apologised and clarified that it "was not meant to disparage Hindu customs or traditions in any way".

The ad, with arrows pointing to the body parts of Lord Ganesha, listed out qualities such as 'A BIG HEAD, TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX', 'BIG EYES TO LOOK BEYOND WHAT YOU SEE', 'LARGE EARS TO LISTEN TO OTHERS ATTENTIVELY', 'LARGE STOMACH, TO PEACEFULLY DIGEST ALL THE GOOD AND BAD IN LIFE' among others.

An advocacy group, the Hindu-American Foundation (HAF) of Houston, called on the Fort Bend County Republican Party to apologise for the advert about the celebration of the 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival.

"While we appreciate the Fort Bend County GOP's attempt to reach out to Hindus on an important Hindu festival, its ad - equating Hindus' veneration of the Lord Ganesha with choosing a political party based on its animal symbol - is problematic and offensive," said Rishi Bhutada, HAF Board Member and Fort Bend County resident.

Using religious imagery in order to explicitly appeal for political support should best be avoided by any political party, he said.

"The implication regarding the worship of animals as gods was also disheartening to the HAF leaders, as that is a common misconception taught in US schools, which frequently ends up becoming a taunt used to bully Hindu students," the HAF said.

Bhutada also called upon the Fort Bend County Republican Party to apologise for the offensive and inaccurate reference, not to run the advert again and for elected officials in the County to send the same message to the Party as well.

Sri Preston Kulkarni, the Democratic candidate for the US Congress from District 22 in Texas, seized on the Republican advert, calling it offensive in a tweet on Tuesday.

"Asking Hindu-Americans if they would rather vote for a donkey or an elephant by comparing Ganesha, a religious figure, to a political party is highly inappropriate. The Fort Bend County Republican party must retract this ad," he said.

Meanwhile, the Fort Bend Republican party responded and said: "The ad was not meant to disparage Hindu customs or traditions in any way. We offer our sincerest apologies to anyone that was offended by the ad. Obviously, that was not the intent".

In a letter, chairman Jacey Jetton, the first Korean-American to lead the Fort Bend County Republican Party said: "The ad was meant to be part of the celebration to acknowledge the 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival of September 13".

"This ad was created with input from those of Hindu faith so that we could properly pay respect to the sacred festival. This highlights the difficulty in outreach that can be positive for one group but not for another in the same community.

"We offer our sincerest apologies to anyone that was offended by the ad. Obviously, that was not the intent. The ad was not meant to disparage Hindu customs or traditions in any way," Jetton said.
LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday Brexit talks with the European Union had hit an impasse, defiantly challenging the bloc to come up with their own plans a day after the bloc`s leaders savaged her proposals.

At a summit in Austria on Thursday, EU leaders rejected May`s "Chequers" plan, saying she needed to give ground on trade and customs arrangements for the UK border with Ireland.

The British media said the response had left her proposals in tatters, and May angrily struck back in a televised address from her Downing Street office, saying neither side should expect the impossible from the other.

"Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect," May said. "The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it."

Sterling extended its losses as May spoke, falling to as low as $1.3080, about 1.4 percent on the day, putting it on course for its biggest one-day drop this year, over growing fears Britain could leave the EU without any deal.

May has said the Chequers proposals for trade with the EU, which would resolve arguments over the border of Northern Ireland with the Irish Republic, were the only way forward. EU leaders in Salzburg repeated their view that the plans would undermine their cherished single market.

After the summit, EU leaders said they would push for an agreement next month, but both sides have warned they are planning for a no-deal scenario. "It`s not acceptable to simply reject the other side`s proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals," May said. "So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are, what their alternative is, so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress."

May, who commands a majority in parliament only with the support of a small pro-Brexit Northern Irish party, said she could not agree to any deal which treated Northern Ireland differently to the rest of the United Kingdom.

The EU insists that there can be no hard border between the British province and the Irish Republic, with Northern Ireland remaining in the bloc`s customs union or effectively establishing a border in the Irish Sea if no alternative deal is reached.

"WE STAND READY"

"I will not overturn the result of the referendum nor will I break up my country," she said. "We need serious engagement on resolving the two main problems in the negotiations and we stand ready." However, she said no matter what happened, the rights of three million EU citizens living in the United Kingdom would be protected.

Earlier, her Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said some EU leaders had shown unstatesmanlike behaviour in Salzburg. "We`ve already compromised hugely with the Chequers proposals," Raab told BBC TV. "What we`re not going to do is be salami sliced throughout this negotiation in a typical style that the EU engages in without movement on the other side."

For the British media, the message from Salzburg had been clear. "Your Brexit`s broken," the Daily Mirror newspaper said. Newspapers led their front pages with a Reuters picture showing May, dressed in a red jacket, standing apparently aloof and alone from a mass of suited male EU leaders.

May faces a fight with angry Conservative lawmakers at her party`s annual conference from September. 30. Many have voiced opposition to her plans, which they said would bind Britain into much EU regulation in return for free trade, and some would prefer a no-deal "hard Brexit" in March, despite warnings that would ravage the British economy.

"Theresa May`s Brexit negotiating strategy has been a disaster," opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said. "The Tories have spent more time arguing among themselves than negotiating with the EU.

"The political games from both the EU and our government need to end because no deal is not an option."

In response to May`s statement, the Confederation of British Industry and other business bodies said they wanted to see constructive dialogue, not rhetoric.

Last week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan added his voice to those including union and business leaders who said there should be a second Brexit

referendum. Scotland`s top court ruled on Friday that the European Court of Justice should consider whether Britain could unilaterally change its mind on Brexit.

"The referendum was the largest democratic exercise this country has ever undergone," said May, who has repeatedly ruled out a second vote following the original 2016 referendum. "To deny its legitimacy or frustrate its result threatens public trust in our democracy."
SAP vs. NABU is like a Santa Barbara soap opera: fights, radically different versions, a car accident, and conflict of competence

112 Agency

Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office against National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine "SAP vs. NABU"

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), or, rather, their leaders, have been in conflict for a long time. The first series of the conflict occurred in March. The second, on September, 19th. Both were extremely epic. But first things first.

Previously on SAP vs. NABU

In the office of the head of SAP Nazar Kholodnytsky, an audio surveillance was found (on the aquarium).

Later it turned out that Kholodnytskys affairs were being investigated by the NABU employees (in particular, they talked about the possible incitement of witnesses to give false testimony, about disclosure of information of pre-trial investigation to persons who are not related to the relevant criminal proceedings).

The head of the NABU has initially denied the fact of audio surveillance, but when asked for how long these devices have been there, he said that for about a month. The media were actively reporting about Kholodnytskys resignation, but it did not take place. At the end of August, it became known that the case against the head of SAP (concerning bribery), on the basis of which he was auditioned by NABU, was closed. Kholodnytsky has walked away with an admonition. NABU decided to challenge such an easy form of punishment in the Supreme Court.

Episode 2

The conflict escalated on September 19. The scene is close to the SAP building.

Actors (and services):

- Department of State Protection (DSP)

- Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP)

- National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU)

- National Police

- Security Service (SBU)

- Bus

- Nazar Kholodnytsky (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office head)

- Artem Sytnyk (Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine)

SAP says that the employees of the DSP found in the yard of the building a bus with the employees of the NABU, who allegedly were running wires for audio surveillance. SAP decided that they were going to bug them.

Employees of SAP have called the police, and they have blocked the bus. Special Forces of the NABU were called for deblocking those blocked. During this procedure, a fight broke out. The Special Forces have pulled Kholodnytskys driver out of the car (later the head of the SAP said that the driver had been beaten) and drove the car away and provoked a car accident.

Representatives of the Security Service (SBU) came for the investigative actions. At this time the Special Forces had already left the stage.

SAP

Nazar Kholodnytsky was the first to follow the results of the incident. His theses:

- An illegal wiretapping and a bus with employees of the NABU have been detected.

"When the police arrived, suddenly the NABU Special Forces came in. The SAP driver was pulled out of the company car by the force and a NABU worker took his place, and, as far as I understand it, deliberately led a minibus on workers, as I understand it, the DSP workers, and on all people. There was an accident involving Pajero and two other cars. Now, the law enforcers are registering the accident."

-He will insist on a qualitative investigation.

"I will insist and I will ask the leadership of the SBU and the police to conduct a qualitative investigation of each of these factories - on the fact of wiretapping, deliberate road accident, car hijacking, which was recorded on video, on the fact of illegal actions of each member of the special forces of NABU that were involved in this operation."

SAP statement:

"In order to save employees from exposure, from revealing illegal and unregistered means of collecting information. Artem Sytnyk used the force unit of NABU, which had firearms and used violence against the law enforcement officers, damaged property of the citizens, and prevented the conduct of the investigative actions"

NABU

Artem Sytnyk and his theses:

Employees of NABU conducted "investigative actions" in that area.

"I can not disclose them completely (investigative actions, - Ed.), because this is the secret of the pre-trial investigation."

He did not understand the reasons for the blocking of the bus.

"Our special operations officers were riding, they were blocked by the cars of the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office. The reasons for this blockage were not explained, and then our employees took measures to remove this blockage and go ahead to carry out their official duties."

NABU statement:

"Information about attempts to install equipment to listen to the office of the SAP head is not true.

In response to the statements of Nazar Kholodnytsky, we inform that the employees of NABU did not conduct any actions on the territory of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office and in its yard. But in the territory of the childrens hospital, there were legal and sanctioned events in accordance with the current legislation, the essence of which cannot be disclosed yet."

What is next?

It seems that the second episode is not the last one. There were no detentions following the results of this series, but SAP opened a number of criminal cases. At the same time, NABU continues to seek a more severe punishment to Kholodnitsky on the basis of the wiretapping. The conflict continues.

Read the original text at 112.ua.
The initiative to transfer Ukraines Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem was registered at the session

The Verkhovna Rada has renewed the composition of the Central Election Commission. This victory was "bitter," because on the eve, the decision to increase its membership from 15 to 17 was made with a violation of parliaments regulations.

The draft amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on the course of Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO, have been sent for consideration to the Constitutional Court. It was decided to finalize the initiative to restrict parliamentary immunity within two months.

Here are the most important decisions of the Parliament for September 18-21:

Increased and renewed Central Election Commission

The Parliament, in the beginning of the plenary week increased the composition of the Central Election Commission from 15 to 17 people, and in a day dismissed 13 former members of the commission with an expired term of office and appointed 14 new ones. Thus, one seat in the CEC is vacant.

Initiative to write Ukraine's course on entering the EU and NATO into the Constitution sent to the Constitutional Court

Another parliamentary week brought one step towards changing Ukraines Constitution, its preamble, actually, to anchor countrys intention to enter NATO and EU. The Constitutional Court will decide whether the initiative is in line with the basic law. However, it is not known how soon it will happen.

Sentsov was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

Ukrainian Parliament adopted the draft resolution appealing to the Norwegian Nobel Committee to nominate Oleg Sentsov for the Nobel Peace Prize for his courage, for defending human rights; for readiness to sacrifice his life for the sake of others' freedom.

Oleg Sentsov, the Ukrainian political prisoner, has been starving in Russia penal colony of Labytnangi for over 130 days now. He announced a hunger strike in May 2014, demanding to release him and the rest of Ukrainian political prisoners illegally held by the Kremlin.

Parliamentary immunity will not be limited in the coming few months

It was decided to finalize the initiative to restrict parliamentary immunity on the recommendation of the Legal Committee, which drew attention to the admonition of the Constitutional Court. It expressed doubt whether Ukraine could ensure the independence of deputies.

After all, the amendments will be proposed and the committees will process them at least two months. In addition, the deputies chose the presidential bill to amend so that the changes do not take effect earlier than 2020.

Servicemen from occupied Donbas and Crimea will be able to receive housing again

The military servicemen who were loyal to the oath and moved to a Ukraine-controlled territory together with their relatives will be able to receive new housing from the state, having formally refused from the property in the temporarily occupied territories.

Representatives of extractive industries were required to report payments to the state

Companies that extract minerals are obliged to report all payments to the state.

"This standard is used in countries with a high extracting rate of such resources as gas, oil, ore, coal, etc. The extractive industries are particularly risky in terms of possible corruption and "special" rules for certain companies," the bills author Olha Belkova wrote on Facebook.

Parliament wants to increase fines for unfastened seat belt

Now, the penalty is 2 dollars. The amount is intended to be raised to 30 dollars.

Raised fines for violations by officials of licensing authorities

Fines for violations by the licensing authorities are to be introduced. The penalty can be from 12 to 67 dollars, depending on the gravity of the violation.

Deputies elected two judges of the Constitutional Court

Iryna Zavhorodnya and Oleh Pervomaisky became the judges of the Constitutional Court, under the parliamentary quota.

The entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to defend themselves against unlawful actions or inactivity of the investigator or prosecutor.
Russian mercenaries also fired mortars of various calibers

On September 21, pro-Kremlin illegal armed gangs attacked Ukrainian positions in Donbas 22 times. The governemnt forces took casualties in the action. The HQ of the Joint Forces Operation reported that on Facebook.

Russian occupants used the Minsk-banned weaponry three times. 122 mm artillery shells hit Shyrokyne, while 82 mm mines landed near Ukrainian emplacements near Lebedynske and Shyrokyne. 120 mm mines hit Krymske.

In other cases, the enemy used mostly small arms, grenade launchers and heavy machineguns. Firing incidents were observed in Krymske, Mariinka, Novotroitske, Hnutove, Vodyane, Lebedynske and Shyrokyne.

The Ukrainian military intelligence reported that two enemy fighters deceased, another four sustained combat injuries.
Open source

Over the past 24 hours, Russian mercenaries attacked Ukrainian military emplacements in Donbas five times. The enemy used mostly mortars, heavy machineguns and grenade launchers. The Joint Forces Operation HQ reported that on Facebook.

'The adversaries opened adjusted fire fron grenade launchers of various kinds, heavy machineguns and small arms in the areas of Krymske and Shyrokyne. The enemy shelled positions of Ukrainian troops near Lebedynske, using 82 mm mortars', reads the message.

None of the Ukrainian soldiers were wounded or killed in action.
Vitaliy Masol was the Head of Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic and the third Prime Minister of independent Ukraine

Open source

Vitaliy Masol, ex-Head of Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic and the third Prime Minister of Ukraine died at the age of 90, as Arsen Didur, Deputy Head of Chernihiv Regional Council, said.

Sad news. Vitaliy Masol died at the age of 90. He was a prominent public figure and a politician, a wise, highly professional and generous person, whom I knew personally, whom I respected. Many experts consider the honorary citizen of Chernihiv region, a politician, who headed the government of two states  USSR and Ukraine  the most professional executive of our state. Sincere condolences to Vitalys relatives. Eternal memory, the official wrote.

Vitaliy Masol was born on November 14, 1928 in Chernihiv region. He headed the government twice: USSR in 1987-1990 and in independent Ukraine  1994-1995. He was also the peoples deputy of Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic of the 9-11 callings, and of the USSR (1989-1991).
The crisis in Azov Sea is the subject of particular attention, as Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Darius Skusevicius claimed during the meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Olena Zerkal.

It is noted that the sides stated the necessity to strengthen the sanctions against the Russian Federation, particularly, in the context of the construction of Kerch Strait Bridge.

"The escalation of the situation in the waters of the Azov Sea in the results of Russia's actions is the subject of particular attention of the EU," Skusevicius noted.

He also confirmed the readiness of official Vilnius to assist the promotion of priorities of the Eurointegration of Ukraine and maintenance of the greater attention to EU initiative "Eastern Partnership".

"The common position of Ukraine and Lithuania on the danger of the political project of Russia "Nord Stream 2" for the energy security of the EU countries was confirmed as well as the commitment over the continuation of the efforts on the blocking of its implementation," the message said.

Over the past three months, Russia's activity in the Azov Sea has increased significantly. The Russians do not allow commercial vessels going to and leaving Ukrainian ports to pass through the Kerch Strait without hindrance. In this regard, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko instructed the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff and the Ukrainian Navy to take measures to stop Russian provocations with regard to blocking the entry of ships into Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea. The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine has developed a set of measures in response to Russia's actions. At the same time, it was reported that the package of measures includes, among other things, restrictions on passenger traffic with Russia.

Moreover, in July, Russia detained 148 ships for inspection in the Sea of Azov. Due to this, Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, entrusted the Defence Minister, the Head of the General Staff and Command of Ukraines Naval Forces to take measures to stop Russian provocations concerning the blockade of Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov.

Ukraine also supports the imposition of sanctions against Russian Black Sea ports due to the blockade of the Sea of Azov.

Related video:
Ukraine will be raising the issue during the discussions, Foreign Minister says

Open source

The current situation in the Sea of Azov will be one of the key issues, which Ukraine is to promote during the session of UN General Assembly. Pavlo Klimkin, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine said this during the briefing on Friday.

'As for the UN General Assembly, this (the situation in the Sea of Azov, - 112 International) will be one of the major issues that we promote', Klimkin said.

The minister added that at this point, there's an ongoing procedure of the international arbitrary court, which looks into the violation of Ukraine's rights in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, and due to the illegal construction of the bridge over Kerch Strait.

As we reported earlier, the 73rd session of UNGA will be running through October 1; President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko is expected to address the Assembly on September 26.
Russian citizens Aleksandr Petrov and Ruslan Boshyrov, the suspects in the case of poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury, were previously arrested in the Netherlands. This is mentioned in the joint investigation by The Insider and Bellingcat.

The Insider marked that the two visited the Netherlands in April 2016, when the Dutch held a referndum on the EU-Ukraine Association in Ukraine.

'Sources in the Dutch law enforcement agencies told The Insider and Bellingcat, without specifying the actual dates, that Betrov and Boshyrov were earlier arrested in the Netherlands', the story says.

The investigators surmised that only one such episode was highlighted in the press. In spring 2018, the prosecutor's office of the Netherlands detained two Russians as they headed to a lab in Spitz, Switzerland; it conducts investigations into chemical attacks in Syria and the poisoning of the Skripals. The men carried tools used to hack the computer networks. The investigation also found that they broke into the network of WADA.

Read the full story here.
Dmytro Bratyshko, Colonel of the Ukrainian Army took command over LitPolUkrbrig, the international military brigade. Ukraine's defensive ministry released the respective statement on Friday.

Bratyshko and other authoritative representatives of Ukrainian, Polish and Lithuanian armies signed the official protocol in Lublin, Poland on September 20.

The Ukrainian officer assumed the command over the brigade from his predecessor, Polish Brigade General Zenon Brzuszko.

'This is a hallmark event, and a very responsible one; Ukraine, represented by Ukrainian commander and another seventeen officers of the HQ are obliged to supported the operational opportunities of commanding LitPolUkrbrig and developing the tight cooperation in the format of this multinational military unit', Bratyshko said.

The agreement on the creation of the brigade was signed in September 2014. The Ukrainian Parliament ratified the document in February 2015. The HQ was opened in Lublin in early 2016.
The restrictions are due to the CAATSA regulations and the Kremlin's interference with the 2016 presidential election

Open source

The U.S. government has introduced personal sanctions against 33 individuals and entities from Russia, which have ties to this country's defense industry and military intelligence. This is mentioned in the fact sheet released by the U.S. Department of State.

'Today (September 20), the President issued a new Executive Order Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act to further the implementation of certain sanctions in the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA) with respect to the Russian Federation. In addition, the Secretary of State is taking two actions today to implement his delegated authorities pursuant to section 231 of CAATSA and to further impose costs on the Russian Government for its malign activities. (...) the Secretary of State added 33 additional persons  a person is either an entity or an individual  to the CAATSA section 231 List of Specified Persons (LSP) for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation', the fact sheet says.

Recently, U.S. leader Donald Trump put his signature on the decree about the increased sanctions pressure against Russia - for the ongoing aggression in Ukraine. The White House's press service reported that on Thursday evening.

The document enhances the sanction mode, yet it does not impose any additional limitations.

The decree envisages blocking the property and assets. as wel as the ban on any financial operations with the individuals that are close to the Russian government.
The Israeli soldiers presented in Moscow the conclusion on the situation with crash of Russian aircraft

The Israeli soldiers passed the data on downed IL-20 to the Russian side as well as the information about the activity of Iran in Syria as Israel Defense Forces reported.

"The Israeli military commanders presented the report on the situation on the Russian aircraft downed by the Syrian air defense systems," the message said.

Additionally, the Defense Forces spoke about the current attempts of Israel to establish its military presence in Syria and pass the strategic armament to the terrorist organization "Hezbollah".

Earlier several airstrikes were launched at Syrian port Lattakia. Russian Defence Ministry informed that IL-20 with 14 military servicemen got lost. It supposed to have been back at the Russian base Humaimam, Syria.

Russia accused Israel of this incident as IL-20 was downed over the Mediterranean Sea by Syrian air defense system as Israeli F-16 fighter aircrafts hid behind the Russian aircraft. Moreover, Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned Harry Koren, the Israeli Ambassador, due to the crash of Russian IL-20 in Syria.

Reportedly, as a result of Russias airstrikes at Syrian province Idlib 13 people died. Later, Russia claimed to be continuing bombardments in Idlib, if necessary.

Related video:
Open source

If illegal actions will be applied against Russian Timur Tumgoev who was extradited, Ukraine reserves a right to appeal to the international court demanding his return, as Andriy Lysenko, the Spokesperson of Prosecutor General Office, said at the briefing, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.

Tumgoev was transferred. But the Prosecutor General ordered Ukrainian Consulate in Russia to set contact and control over those he communicates with. If illegal actions will be applied against him, Ukraine will appeal to the international court to have him back, he noted.

Lysenko added that the Prosecutor General Office have doubts concerning the obligation of the legislative norms during extradition of Tumgoev.

Tumgoev was extradited to Russia on the basis of the data which were received during the extradition inspection. But now we have doubts, so we started a pre-trial investigation to define the truth and those people who were behind the extradition, he said.

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.
Belarusian Paritet Bank have yet been refused from the regulator in May 2018

Open source

The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) refused Belarusian Paritet Bank in agreeing on the purchase of Sberbank in Ukraine. The press office of NBU reports.

The National Bank of Ukraine refused in agreeing of indirect purchase of a significant stake in the amount of 100% of the authorized capital of JSC Sberbank to Open Joint-Stock Company Paritet Bank, the majority owner of which is the State Property Committee of the Republic of Belarus, reads the message.

It is noted the Committee for Supervision and Regulation of Banks, Supervision (Overstay) of Payment Systems of NBU adopted the relevant decision on September 14, 2018, in connection with failure to provide sufficient documents and information for the eligibility confirmation of the applicant with the requirements of the legislation of Ukraine.

At the end of 2017, Belarusian Paritet Bank applied for the purchase of the Ukrainian branch of Russian Sberbank - JSC Sberbank but the claim was rejected in May 2018.

In June 2018, Paritet Bank once more submitted an application in NBU for the purchase of the Ukrainian subsidiary of Sberbank.
Kateryna Handziuk, Kherson Governor Advisor, underwent 11 surgeries on removing the dead tissue and skin transplantation over the past 50 days after the attack, as her husband Segiy Denisov said, Human Rights Information Centre reports.

Its hard to say how many more surgeries she needs, it is under discussion. Its a very complicated case because of such acid injury, Denisov said.

It remains unknown whether she will continue treatment abroad.

It is hard to speak of treatment abroad, as her condition is unstable and each day is like a new one, with new changes, new problems, he said.

Among successful results of the treatment - her eye is saved, so the vision is preserved, skin was partially transplanted and established, the condition of the victim is generally better.

Yet, the doctors do not exclude possible risks, and consequently threat to life because of a tiny infection, which can impede the treatment and recovery, so Kateryna is still in the intense care. Her condition needs constant support, Denisov said.

Kateryna Handziuk, Adviser of Kherson's Mayor was attacked near her place. The attacker soaked her with acid. the woman was hospitalized.

30 percent of her body was burned: head, arms, legs, chest and left eye.

The attack on the employee of the City Council of Kherson was reclassified from "Hooliganism" to "Serious physical injuries committed with the aim of intimidation", and after a while - on "Attempted murder with a special cruelty."

Yuriy Lutsenko took the case under his own control. He reported that the attack on the adviser was a part of the plan to destabilize the situation in the south of Ukraine.

Suspected in the attack was detained on August 3. He name is Mykola Novikov, previously detained for robbing and illegal weapons handling. He is a member of one of the criminal organizations in the Kherson region. According to Anton Gerashchenko, obviously, the detainee was fulfilling someone's order. Whereas, Gerashchenko added that they approximately know who was the proponent.

The Police have already published the picture of the second possible suspect in the attack on Kateryna Handziuk, Adviser of Kherson's Mayor.
Donbas conflict zone, Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia, Tumgoev, corruption, MH17, sanctions - news for the week on one page

***

About Donbas

The first working meeting of Serhiy Nayev, Joint Forces Commander, and OSCE SMM headed by Aleksander Hug was held.

Mariinka checkpoint has been modernized and furbished, and now it continues working.

Fighters of Ukraine's Armed Forces are checking the roadway from Avdiivka to Opytne for explosives.

U.K. Secretary of State for Defense Gavin Williamson visited the zone of the holding of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO).

***

About extradition of Timur Tumgoev

Ukraines Prosecutor General's Office on September 13 extradited Ingush Timur Tumgoev to Russia on the request of the Russian FSB. All because Russia considered him a terrorist. Despite Tumgoevs statement that he had been subjected to persecution in Russia because he was a Salafi Muslim and asked for asylum in Ukraine twice.

On september 17, the activists of Ukraine's far-right political forces tried to attack the building of Prosecutor General's Office in Kyiv in protest of extradition. Around 400 protesters from National Corps and National Forces organization gathered. Seven police officers were injured in the clashes.

***

About changes in Ukraines Constitution

Another parliamentary week brought one step towards changing Ukraines Constitution, its preamble, actually, to anchor countrys intention to enter NATO and EU. Before the vote, President addressed the MPs, spoke of fails, Crimea, Russia, Tomos, peace doves and many other things.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appointed new members of the Central Election Commission, including 13 people with the expired term of office as 112 Ukraine reported. Read how the CEC is working in Ukraine here.

***

About corruption. NABU VS SAPO

Another conflict between the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) started on September 19, when SAP Head Kholodnytsky claimed another wire, set by NABU officers. The wire cable was set from the Okhmadet building to SAP.

On the same day, NABU Head Artem Sytnyk stated that the bureau did not wiretap SAP Head Nazar Kholodnytsky. He also is not aware of the reasons for the blockage of NABU car by SAP officers. He said NABU was conducting legal procedural activities on the territory of Okhmadet.

On September 20, Shevchenkivske Police Department of Kyiv registered a criminal proceeding on a stretch of authority due to this incident.

In addition, it is not the first time two of the agencies have conflict.

***

About anti-Russia sanctions

On September 21, the U.S. government has introduced personal sanctions against 33 individuals and entities from Russia, which have ties to this country's defense industry and military intelligence.

Moreover, Ukraines President at his annual speech in the Parliament stated that anti-Russian sanctions might ease off.

Ukraines Government intends to address the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine with a request to introduce sanctions against Russian publishing offices, which disseminate anti-Ukrainian propaganda, as it was reported on September 21.

***

About Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia

Russian authorities ruled Roman Sushchenko, a Ukrainian journalist, convicted in Russia, is allowed to make six phone calls and meet with his relatives. Earlier, the Russian Supreme Court dismissed the complaint against Sushchenko's sentence, which is 12 years behind bars.

Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmyla Denisova turned to Russia's Ombudswoman Tatiana Moskalkova with a demand to allow her to visit Volodymyr Balukh in the remand center.

The Ukrainian Parlaiment adopted the draft resolution appealing to the Norwegian Nobel Committee to nominate Oleg Sentsov for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Kolchenko, who is kept in Chelyabinsk prison, spent three days in a punishment cell for non-observance of the dress code.

***

About crash of MH17 Boeing flight

Russia made an outrageous statement, according to which, it was a Ukrainian missile that downed the civilian aircraft over the occupied part of Donetsk region in 2014.

Ukraine denied the statement immediately. The Foreign Ministry stated that the court would soon officially indict those behind the tragedy. The Joint Investigation Team said it would look into Russias statement.

***

About Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Omelyan

Ukraines Minister of Infrastructure is under investigation on suspicion of illegal enrichment.

***

About Ukraine-Hungary relations

A video where a number of Ukrainian citizens receive Hungarian passports and take an oath of allegiance to Hungary in Zakarpattia was published. Ukraine announced about the possible decision to expel Hungarian Consul due to this.

In its turn, Hungary threatens to delay the integration of Ukraine to the European Union.

The spokesperson of the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration reported that the Hungarian consulates in Berehove and Uzhhorod of Zakarpattia region, have been granting Hungarian citizenship to local Ukrainian citizens of for seven years.

***

About Sea of Azov

Ukraine intends to create a naval base in the Sea of Azov by the end of this year.

On September 17, Ukrainian Foreign Minister said 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.

Since April, Russia detained 120 EU vessels in Sea of Azov. Current situation in the Sea of Azov will be one of the key issues, which Ukraine is to promote at the session of UN General Assembly.

The crisis in Azov Sea is the subject of particular attention of the EU, according to Lithuania's Foreign Vice-Minister Darius Skusevicius.
Lawyers for President Petro Poroshenko said the allegation is untrue and "strikes at the core of his personal dignity and integrity

The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko sued British media company BBC for slander, as The Telegraph reported referring to the lawyers of the Head of Ukraine.

The BBC story claimed that intermediaries acting for Mr Poroshenko made a secret payment to Michael Cohen, then Mr Trumps personal lawyer, to set up talks between the two leaders, the news agency reads.

In particular, it was noted that the payment composed around $400,000.

Lawyers for President Petro Poroshenko said the allegation is untrue and "strikes at the core of his personal dignity and integrity, the message says.

According to the lawyers, BBC journalists made a very strong and serious announcement, yet they had no evidence of any payment or secret talks between the representatives of the U.S. and Ukraine Presidents.

Mr Poroshenko has been seriously injured in his reputation and has been caused substantial distress and embarrassment. It has also caused him considerable distress and embarrassment since the allegation strikes at the core of his personal dignity and integrity, the news agency reads.

At the same time, they also noted that after this publication, BBC refused from responding the Presidents Administration of Ukraine and the material is still in the public domain. Poroshenkos Administration insisted that the revealed information is a slander and fake.

First Poroshenko-Trump meeting was held on June 20, 2017 in the White House in Washington. After the meeting, Poroshenko said that the U.S. supported Ukraines territorial integrity, reforms in the state, and the country intended to cooperate in the military-technical and economy spheres. According to Trump, it was a very good discussion and a significant progress was reached.
Open source

Ukraines Foreign Ministry sent a note to Russia on the non-extension of a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership, as Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraines Prime Minister, said at the briefing, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.

Today, we have passed, as we said, a relevant note to Russia. I can show it to all of you. Its a very important moment as this note has detail description of Russias violations, and I stress, of all the essential statements of this treaty. It concerns Russian armed aggression against Ukraine, Russian hybrid aggression against Ukraine, economic pressure, human rights violations. This treaty is fundamentally violated by Russia, so it can not be prolonged, Klimkin said.

The Foreign Minister noted that the treaty does not provide a mechanism of actions if the deal was violated.

None of the disputes settlement procedure provided. If Russia violated the treaty, as a rule, there are regulations on what courts to appeal. As it was a friendship treaty, this wasnt even predicted, Klimkin said.

The Foreign Ministry prepared a bill to suspend the treaty. Then, it has to be agreed, the Parliament has to vote for it.

When the relevant decree of the President was revealed Weve prepared the bill even before that. On that day, I signed it and began a procedure of an interstate concord. We will carry it out with our lawyers and partners. There are no demands to do that in October or November. It should be done before the date when the treaty expires. This law is simple, there are a few lines. We understand what is it about. It will be taken through the process of the interstate concord and will be presented. I dont see any difficulties or specific politics, Klimkin said.

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.
The Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs initiates the blacklinsting of companies of Russia, Cyprus and Switzerland

The Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs of Ukraine offered to impose sanctions against companies connected with the production and sale of the chemical production from temporarily occupied Crimea as the ministry reported on Facebook.

Particularly, it initiates the blacklinsting of such companies as "Letan Investments Limited" (Cyprus), "Titanaktiv" (Russia), "Center of best technologies" (Russia), "Ohna Holdings Limited"(Cyprus), "Khimkomsnab" (Russia) and "Tolexis Enterprises AG" (Switzerland).

"The chemical production made in the violation of the established legal regime of the temporarily occupied territories and with the use of the illegally extracted mineral resources from the subsurface owned by the Ukrainian people, particularly, the natural gas and water of the underground sources and exactly this production threatens the lives and health of the citizens of Ukraine at the controlled and uncontrolled territories," the ministry said.

Now the draft order on the imposing of the sanctions sent to the bodies of the state authority for the negotiation. It should be considered by the government and the Council of National Security and Defense.

The ministry reminded that "Titan investments" company is a producer o the chemical products in Crimean Armyansk has already faced the sanctions.

Earlier Ukraine's Foreign Ministry claimed that it prepares the project of appeal to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons because of the chemical emission in Crimea and would send it after gathering evidence.

As we reported, an unknown substance was discharged in the air in Armyansk, North Crimea. A greasy mud with a yellow shade appeared on metallic objects, roofs, and leaves on the trees.

Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Crimean Tatars Mejlis claimed that the evacuation of the children due to the emission of the unknown substance has begun in Armyansk.

Earlier it was reported that the hit of the shells at the technological tanks during the training of the detachments of the Armed Forces of Russia became the reason for the chemical emission at the plant Crimean Tytan.

On September 6, it was reported that the plant on the production of the titanium dioxide, the subsidiary of Titanium investments in Crimean Armyansk will completely stop to work on Sunday, September 9.

Reportedly, 61 Ukrainian border guards were affected by the emission of chemicals. Five of them have been hospitalized. They are in Odessa Clinical Hospital of State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS), the results of their tests will be known today.

Related video:
After the conclusions of the department, the decision on the further fate of the petition will be made

The Prosecutor General's of Ukraine (GPU) really got the petition on the lifting of the immunity from Ihor Mosiychuk, the MP from Radical Party submitted by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). Larysa Sargan, the spokeswoman of the GPU claimed this as Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

"Yes, the GPU got the petition from the SAPO on lawmaker Ihor Mosiychuk. The prosecutor General passed the document to the Legal Support Department for the analysis," Sargan claimed.

After the conclusions of the department, the decision on the further fate of the petition will be made.

"After the conclusions of the department, the decision on the future fate of the petition will be made: it can be signed and passed to the Verkhovna Rada or returned to the SAPO for the elaboration," Sargan noted.

Earlier Nazar Kholodnytsky, the Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, filed a petition to the Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko concerning the lifting of immunity of Igor Mosiychuk, the peoples deputy from the Radical Party.

In his turn, Mosiychuk claimed that he does not own information on such document and he will file a request to the GPU.

Earlier, in September of 2015, the Verkhovna Rada voted for prosecution, detention and arrest of Igor Mosiychuk. He was accused of bribery, hooliganism, threats and violence against an official, interference in the activity of the judiciary, threats and violence against the judge. The court arrested Mosiychuk for two months without a right for a bail on September 18, 2015. The deputy announced a hunger strike as a protest. On November 17, Ukraines Supreme Administrative Court found the decision of the Verkhovna Rada on lifting the immunity and arrest of Mosiychuk illegal. The Supreme Court of Ukraine confirmed this.

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The tests of new Ukrainian weapons and military equipment were held at the military firing range of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine claimed this, the press office of the Council reported.

According to Turchynov, they held the tests of the new operative-tactical unmanned complex, which is capable to carry out reconnaissance, coordinate the firing, provide resistant to the electronic warfare means communication at the operational depth up to 200 km, be in the air for up to 24 hours. Also, the combat unmanned complex, which can carry a powerful high-explosive or thermobaric war charge and accurately hit targets in the rear of the enemy was tested. The Secretary of the NSDC stressed that Ukrainian armorers in cooperation with foreign partners designed these unmanned complexes.

Moreover, the aircraft performance of Ukrainian light multi-purpose helicopters Skyline SL-231 and Aerokopter AK1-3 were demonstrated. According to Turchynov, these helicopters are capable to carry out border protection tasks, reconnaissance and rapid communication in the army.

Also, the tests operation of ZU-23-2 upgraded anti-aircraft mount were carried out.

The combination of the anti-aircraft mount with the electronic system of automatic target detection and control of firing allows to securely destroy air and ground targets, in particular, Unmanned aerial vehicle consisting in service of the Russian Federation, Turchynov stressed.

New ammunition of Ukrainian manufacture was demonstrated and tested at the firing range. In particular, RS-80 missiles usable in different situations, and high-explosive fragmentation shell for the popular in the army cannons MT-12 "Rapira.

All new tested developments of the Ukrainian Defense Industrial Complex demonstrated high efficiency and after we take them into force, they will significantly reinforce our military potential, the Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine noted.
One of the injured Ukrainians is still in severe condition in an intensive care

Open source

Ukrainian driver died in a hospital after a car accident in Voronezh region, Russia. Serhii Pohoreltsev, Director of the Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine claimed this, Unian reports.

'The driver of the "Opel" VAN, the citizen of Ukraine received severe brain-trauma in a car accident, he was in a coma and after six-hours surgery he died,' the diplomat claimed.

Related: Kholodnytsky: NABU personnel causes car accident after installation of wiretapping

The body of the driver was referred for a forensic medical examination. The relatives of the dead yet arrived in the hospital.

According to Pohoreltsev, two injured Ukrainians have already left the hospital.

'Yet three Ukrainians are in the hospital, one of the is in a serious condition in an intensive care,' the Representative of the MFA added.

Related: Arrest of perpetrators of deadly car accident in Kharkiv extended for two months
As a consequence of the so-called "restoration works" held by occupation authorities at the territory of Khan's Palace in Bakhchysarai, there is a real threat of the loss of its historical and cultural authenticity

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) claims about the deterioration of the situation with the protection of the cultural heritage in Crimea annexed by Russia. The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported this citing UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

The document presents facts on the rude violations of the rights of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars in the sphere of education, use of native language and provision of the mass media freedom by the occupation authorities.

"Despite the order of the UN International Court dated April 19, 2017, that obliges Russia to provide the availability of the education in the Ukrainian language; the occupation authorities continue the destruction of the education system for the Russian-language population. Thus, the number of pupils who study in the Ukrainian language decreased by 98% in the comparison with 2014," UNESCO reported.

The report states the absence of the possibility for Ukraine for access to its objects of the cultural and architecture memorials, museums, biosphere reserves and scientific centers. Also, the facts of the illegal archaeological sites, removal of the cultural values from Crimea are spotted.

The preservation of Khan's Palace in Bakhchysarai that was put on the preliminary list of the UNESCO cultural heritage raises special concern. As a consequence of the so-called "restoration works" held by occupation authorities at its territory, there is a real threat of the loss of the historical and cultural authenticity of this object.

The document notes the necessity of the establishing of the effective monitoring mechanism of the situation in occupied Crimea and reports on the consultation between Ukraine and UNESCO Secretariat on the format of the holding o the monitoring in the competence sphere of the organization.

Earlier UNESCO also declared a deterioration of the situation with the protection of cultural heritage in the annexed Crimea.

As we reported Ukraine and UNESCO agreed on the monitoring of the situation in the annexed Crimea.

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PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
Hundreds of Brooklyn residents packed the auditorium of PS 133 in Boerum Hill on Thursday evening to voice their opposition to the Citys proposed expansion of the Brooklyn Detention Complex. The new jail proposal is part of the Mayors plan to close the violence-plagued Rikers Island and replace it with four smaller borough jails by 2027.

We cannot achieve the types of reforms necessary on Rikers, stated Dana Kaplan of the Mayors Office of Criminal Justice at the start of the hearing. The plan requires that the jails population, currently hovering just below 9,000, be decreased to 5,000. The borough jails will have a total capacity of 6,000.

The Citys plan for a new Brooklyn jail requires demolishing the existing Brooklyn Detention Complex and constructing a new building of nearly 1.5 million gross square feet, including ground floor retail space and underground parking, and would nearly double the number of beds from 815 to 1,510. City officials did not say how many stories the new jail would be. The maximum zoning height is 430 feet, which would make the new jail the boroughs 12th tallest building.

But Thursday nights tone was markedly different than last weeks town hall in Chinatown, where residents drowned out the Citys speakers with their opposition. Though the majority in attendance opposed the proposed larger jail, they allowed city officials and Eric Fang of Perkins Eastman, the architecture firm designing the new jails, to present their slides with only some interruption.

Elected officials, from Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon to Senators Velmanette Montgomery and Brian Kavanagh, spoke against the mayors plan, decrying the lack of community engagement during the process and calling for the city to withdraw their scoping plans. Only City Councilmember Stephen Levin, who supported the plan for more humane and efficient facilities, was repeatedly drowned out by a chorus of No and boos.

While the citys presentation addressed issues like parking (there would be plenty), it did not touch on concerns about the buildings size, safety inside the new jail, or how the city planned to shrink (and maintain) the current jail population.

Many of the residents and members of local business associations who voiced their opposition supported closing Rikers, but were outraged by the citys lack of engagement with them before designing and unveiling the new jail. And they questioned the need for such a large and towering structure.

It doesnt have to be that dense, said Peter Bray, the executive director of the Brooklyn Heights Association as he handed out copies of a rendering of the proposed jails size against the surrounding buildings. Residents later held these renderings aloft during Fangs presentation of the proposed new building.



A person objecting to a new Boerum Hill jail building holds up an unofficial rendering made by opponents of the city's proposal. (Victoria Law / Gothamist)

The problems that exist on Rikers exist in the borough jails, testified Mariam Fishman, who lives on a neighboring street. She worries that the violence and abuse that have long plagued the island-jail complex will simply spread to all of the other facilities.

Kei Williams agrees. Williams, a Brooklyn resident, former organizer with Black Lives Matter and member of the #NoNewJails campaign, noted that the jail has seen a dramatic spike in slashings over the past three years. How can the city explain to Brooklynites like myself how expanding this facility and developing three additional ones would not result in more dangerous situations like this? What is the guarantee that we will not end up with four new jails that are simply new Rikers? Williams asked.

Bryan Welton, who lives in Flatbush and is also a member of #NoNewJails, agrees. During his brief stint at the Brooklyn jail, he said that officers repeatedly denied requests for water. That was not a design problem, he pointed out. That was the guards exercising their power. Building borough jails does not eliminate these capricious abuses of power, Welton said. Instead, it simply spreads the problems to other sites.

Devante Tate is an organizer with VOCAL-NY and a resident of East New York, where police routinely stop and harass young African-American men. He questioned how the city planned to reduce the numbers of people held in the jails, a key element for closing Rikers. I have yet to see a plan to cut down the numbers, Tate said. Theres no plan with the NYPD. Thats the first point of contact. Theres no plan with the district attorneys office. Without plans in place for fewer arrests and fewer prosecutions, he said, none of this will work.

Seems like even people who support building these new jails dont think the DOC should run them. One woman who just spoke said Mayor de Blasio needs to clean up the DOC before even thinking about building a new jail because of the culture of violence so prevalent amongst COs.  Ash J (@AshAgony) September 20, 2018

At 9 p.m., having patiently waited through scores of testimonies, Akeem Browder took the mic. He introduced himself as the brother of Kalief Browder who, he reminded the half-filled auditorium, spent three years on Rikers awaiting trial for allegedly stealing a backpack. Bail had been set at $3,000, an amount that their family could not afford. His incarceration was marked by nearly two years in solitary confinement as well as violence at the hands of both staff and other incarcerated men. He later died by suicide.

Opening up four moreor any morejails is not something we can stand by, said Browder. Youre proposing to put people in another jail so they [staff] can abuse another Kalief, so they can neglect another Kalief, so they can starve another Kalief, and then watch another Kalief try to hang himself to escape the torture. That is not okay.

The public comment period will be open until Monday, October 15th. The City hopes to certify their plans by the end of 2018, so that the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure can begin.

Corrections: This story initially stated that the meeting's end time was 8 p.m. when in fact, the meeting had no scheduled end. It also stated that ULURP would begin in mid-2019, but the process technically begins with certification of the plans.
Facing increasing public and financial pressure over allegations of sexual misconduct within New York's parishes, Cardinal Timothy Dolan on Thursday announced the appointment of an outside investigator, who he says will be given "complete access" to archdiocese records on how abuse claims were handled.

The probe will be led by Judge Barbara Jones, a former federal judge in Manhattan for almost two decades, who more recently reviewed documents related to the case against Michael Cohen. She was promised full independence, she said during a news conference on Thursday, and instructed to "leave no stone unturned."

In his own statement, Dolan said that he'd asked Judge Jones to "conduct an independent, scrupulous review to see if there are gaps, if there are things we should be doing and are not, and, hopefully, to affirm that we are doing our best to live up to the promises we bishops made to our people in 2002."

In response to the sexual abuse crisis currently confronting the Church, I introduce Judge Barbara Jones, former Federal Judge and prosecutor, who has accepted my invitation to serve as Special Counsel and Independent Reviewer for the Archdiocese of NY: https://t.co/4WneS4anDc  Cardinal Dolan (@CardinalDolan) September 20, 2018

But in the view of some victims of church abuse, Dolan's promise of independence rings hollow. "If he controls the information, then it's not independent," said Tim Lennon, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "It's a sham, it's window dressing on top of the thing that they're trying to deflect attention away from...I think it's bullshit."

"Archbishop Dolan is pointing at this bright object, saying, 'look here, look here at this judge,' when at the same time he's sitting on information," Lennon continued, ticking off a list of bishops who have withheld key information about abusive priests after promising full disclosures. A list of accused clergy released by the Diocese of Buffalo in March, for example, was recently revealed to be significantly incomplete. The Pennsylvania Grand Jury report, likewise, exposed numerous holes in statements made by dioceses across the state.

Notably, Dolan's comments made no mention of New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood's own investigation into the state's eight Catholic dioceses, launched earlier this month. Nor did the Archbishop refer to the historic settlement reached on Tuesday between the Diocese of Brooklyn and four men who were sexually assaulted by a church teacher in Clinton Hill between 2003 and 2009.

The Archdiocese has repeatedly sought to distance itself from that scandal, despite the fact that the young boys were abused on church property by a prominent church leader who lived in the church's former schoolhouse. A document accompanying Dolan's statement on Thursday declared, "the vast majority of clerical sex abuse took place before 2000."

While the Archdiocese has attempted to paint the abuse scandal as a thing of the past, Dolan did acknowledge on Thursday that recent months had been a "Summer of Hell" for the Catholic Church. "Autumn can't come fast enough," he added. Yes, starting tomorrow this whole scandal will be in the rear view mirror...
Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported a Brooklyn woman who has lived in the U.S. for three decades to Mexico on Tuesday night, without giving her family members any notice.

According to NY1, Gloria Hernandez Suarez arrived in the United States 33 years ago, in 1985. The 61-year-old has reportedly spent the past two months in a detention center in New Jerseya state that's making millions every month off its agreement to hold detaineesafter ICE agents showed up at her door and arrested her in mid-July. She allegedly used a fake ID to reenter the country after a visit to Mexico in 2001, and her family says ICE took notice due to a filing mistake by her former attorney. According to NY1, her former attorney also told her she didn't need to attend the hearing set for her. She was later arrested at her home.

"She was failed by her prior attorney," her current attorney, David Mullins, told the NY Post. "She was failed by the immigration [system], all at the same time, in a terrible way."

"It's a shame," he added. "And it shows a lack of real basic human decency on the part of ICE."

#RaviRagbir introduces @RevMicahBucey of @judsonchurchnyc

Our friends have been dehumanized, theyve been denied, detained, & many times they have been deported. At press conference to denounce the unjust deportation of Gloria Hernandez. #abolishICE #familiesbelongtogether pic.twitter.com/FFRCgP3xwU  New Sanctuary NYC (@NewSanctuaryNYC) September 19, 2018

The rest of Suarez's familyher husband, four children, and their childrenare U.S. citizens. Her daughter, Nancy Aquino, spoke at a press conference outside ICE's Manhattan office on Wednesday. She told attendees that her mother had called her on Monday night, and sounded "very anxious" that "something bad was going to happen." The next night, unbeknownst to her family, authorities put Suarez on a plane.

"My mother is not a criminal," Aquino said. "The only thing she wanted was to be in this country with her familywith her kids, her grandchildren and her husband."

UPDATE: The New Sanctuary Coalition tells Gothamist that Suarez's trouble began after her husband went to her former immigration lawyer seeking to sponsor his wife, and although he did not specifically ask about asylum, that's the route the attorney went. "He filed an asylum application for her knowing that it [would] be denied and she [would] end up in deportation proceedings," an NSC spokesperson said.


A day after being arrested for fatally stabbing a man in midtown Manhattan last year, James Jackson allegedly admitted he killed the black victim for "practice," because he wanted to kill even more black people in Times Square.

Just before midnight on March 20th, 2017, Timothy Caughman, 66, staggered into the Midtown South Precinct with stab wounds, the result of an unprovoked attack near West 36th Street and 9th Avenue. He died of his wounds at Bellevue an hour later. The next day, Jackson, 29 at the time, turned himself into police in Times Square, allegedly saying, "You need to arrest me. I have the knife in my coat."

Jackson allegedly selected Caughman as his victim because he was black. During a pre-trial hearing on Thursday, prosecutors, who had charged him with murder as an act of terrorism, played his interview with police.

According to the NY Times, Jackson said "he stabbed Timothy Caughman repeatedly with a 'Roman short sword' that he drew from a scabbard tucked into his pants. He said his ultimate goal was to murder several black men  preferably younger black men in the company of white women  because of his hatred of interracial dating. 'Thats the main crux for me' said Mr. Jackson, now 30, saying that mixed-race couples were 'an insurmountable problem' for him..."

I was going for something a bit bigger, Mr. Jackson told his interrogators, explaining that over the course of several days in New York, with a hotel in Times Square as his base, he walked around Manhattan actively stalking between 10 and 15 individuals or groups with the thought of killing them. He said he almost carried out other attacks, using two knives hidden in his pockets, but hesitated. Its more complicated than you think, he said. He said he felt kind of bad that his victim was an older man  but only because he wanted to kill somebody younger. When Detective Barbara asked him if he felt any remorse, Mr. Jackson said, No, adding, Hes a homeless black guy. Mr. Jackson said his next step was to move on to a larger attack in a city that he called the center of the media universe. I wanted to basically influence the national conversation, he said.

He also told police that he was going to email the NY Times or CNN about his motives after an attack.

When announcing the upgraded charges against Jackson last year, Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance said, "James Jackson prowled the streets of New York for three days in search of a black person to assassinate in order to launch a campaign of terrorism against our Manhattan community and the values we celebrate. Last week, with total presence of mind, he acted on his plan, randomly selecting a beloved New Yorker solely on the basis of his skin color, and stabbing him repeatedly and publicly on a Midtown street corner."
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Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: A nuestras FF.AA. les decimos que no estan solos en su combate contra el terrorismo y el narcotrafico, su lucha es tambien la de todos los peruanos. #EstamosJuntosEnEsto pic.twitter.com/VwITaynvDF
Therefore, the population will be able to voice its opinion on the concerning issues later this year.

"They will approve them; I have no doubts about it; that's what institutions are for, that's what commitments are for," the Peruvian leader expressed.

"() It's a compromise with the 30 million Peruvians ," he pointed out.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Today, the Third Republic of Armenia is celebrating its 27th anniversary of Independence.

27 years ago the Armenian people said its decisive yes through a referendum to declare independence.

99,5% of voters voted in favor of Armenia being a democratic independent state outside the USSR. Two days later, on September 23rd, the Supreme Council declared Armenia an independent, sovereign republic.

The declaration of the newly independent Armenia gave the start of the Third Republic of Armenias history. For 27 years already, the bearers of the Armenian statehood are the people of Armenia.

The first Constitution of the third republic was adopted on July 5, 1995 through a referendum.

The active Constitution was adopted in November, 2015, again through a referendum.

September 21st is a day of national pride. The centuries-old dream of the Armenian people of having an independent country is reality for already 27 years.

Numerous celebrations and festive events are expected to take place today in the country.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. September 21st, the Armenian Independence Day, is a holiday not just for civilians, but also the men in uniform.

Defense ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan told ARMENPRESS that celebrations are expected in military bases.

Holiday treats will be served in the military bases on the occasion of Independence Day, and the reveille and night bugle call will sound an hour later than usual. Commanders of military bases will deliver remarks, he said.

In certain bases concerts are expected, according to Hovhannisyan.

He said a military parade will not take place this year since the anniversary isnt a jubilee.

Today, the Third Republic of Armenia is celebrating its 27th anniversary of Independence.

27 years ago the Armenian people said its decisive yes through a referendum to declare independence.

99,5% of voters voted in favor of Armenia being a democratic independent state outside the USSR. Two days later, on September 23rd, the Supreme Council declared Armenia an independent, sovereign republic.

The declaration of the newly independent Armenia gave the start of the Third Republic of Armenias history. For 27 years already, the bearers of the Armenian statehood are the people of Armenia.

The first Constitution of the third republic was adopted on July 5, 1995 through a referendum.

The active Constitution was adopted in November, 2015, again through a referendum.

September 21st is a day of national pride. The centuries-old dream of the Armenian people of having an independent country is reality for already 27 years.

Numerous celebrations and festive events are expected to take place today in the country.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. On the occasion of the National Day of Armenia, the Independence Day, President Armen Sarkissian visited today the Yerablur Military Pantheon to pay tribute to the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the independence of their country, Sarkissians office said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is highlighting the fact that all political forces running for the Yerevan City Council have remained within the law during their campaigning events.

Speaking to reporters today after visiting the Union of Veterans, the PM said that debates and high passions are normal things during campaigns. Passions get high during campaigns and debates happen in any democratic country. What matters is that we all remained within the limits of the law, the PM said.

He added that he is aware that the mayoral candidate from the Prosperous Armenia party had expressed concern over online insults. I would like to express full support to her and say that indeed it is inadmissible for any citizen of Armenia to interact with another citizen with insults. Certainly, it happens sometimes when you lose nerves, it too can be understood, but, overall, we must do our best to maintain the atmosphere of mutual respect. At this moment I would like to express my support to Naira Zohrabyan, the PM said.

Naira Zohrabyan, the MP who is running in the Yerevan elections from the Prosperous Armenia party, had earlier expressed concern about online insults targeting her. She applied to the Ombudsman of Armenia about the insults and threats. The materials were forwarded to the general prosecution for studies and proceedings.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Candidate for Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan and his My Step bloc are rallying in downtown Yerevan as part of the City Council election campaign.

During the march, Marutyan told his supporters that he will hold a rally near Swan Lake in central Yerevan at 19:00 tonight.

He called on citizens of the Armenian capital to actively participate in the upcoming City Council election on September 23. I am asking everyone, I am urging to go to the elections on Sunday and affirm and record the peoples victory at the polling stations. September 23rd is a very important day for Armenia. Not only for Yerevan, but the entire Armenia. This is the first election since the victory of our people, Marutyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia met with mothers of fallen soldiers today at the Yerablur military cemetery.

The women told the Prime Minister that the 1000 dram fund, the military insurance fund dubbed so because of its mechanism of collection whereby 1000 drams are kept from each employed citizens monthly wage, is working only for the families of killed soldiers who died in incidents which took place after January 1, 2015.

In response, the PM said that when the law was passed it was decided that emopoyed citizens will pay 1000 drams a month to the fund. Initially it was planned that the [compensations] payments will cover incidents which took place after January 1, 2017. I ordered to check the available amounts on the fund and see whether it is impossible to amend the law and make in January 1, 2016. I was told that it was even possible to make in 2015 January 1. Now the law is covering incidents which took place after January 1, 2015. The problem isnt simply setting this, the problem is to be able to continue giving these amounts. If we were to say that we will give to everyone but then be unable to do so it will be insulting. Now we are saying, the much money is collected in this fund, we will gradually go back towards 2014 and so on. When this law wasnt covering 2015-2016 much more people were feeling insulted. We are currently going for it step by step, the PM said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Director of AGERPRES, Romanias national news agency, Alexandru Giboi has been elected Secretary General of the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA), on Friday, during the EANA conference held in Warsaw, Poland.

The meeting of EANA news agencies heads took place in Warsaw in the period 20-21 September, when they also elected the new leadership of the Alliance.

The current challenges in media, collaboration strengthening among member agencies as well as the directive on copyright were also discussed during the conference.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov has urged Azerbaijan to stop firing at bordering communities and civilian facilities of Armenia. ARMENPRESS reports Khachaturov has issued a statement over the situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border, which runs as follows,

We express serious concern over the shootings on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, as well as the shootings at the settlements and civilian facilities located at bordering areas of Armenia that have become frequent in the recent period and have claimed lives.

We are confident that militaristic rhetoric leads to further escalation of the situation and subverts the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Taking as basis the information provided by Armenia's Permanent and Plenipotentiary Representative to the CSTO which was presented during the September 21 session of the CSTO Permanent Council, we urge to cease the fire and escalation of tension in the CSTO area for preventing the rising threat to CSTO member state Armenia.

Translated and edited by Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Yerevan, Armenia, from October 11 to 13, to attend the XVII Francophonie Summit and take part in a bilateral visit.

ARMENPRESS reports the theme of this year's Summit is "Living together in solidarity, shared humanistic values, and respect for diversity: a source of peace and prosperity in La Francophonie." During the Summit, the Prime Minister will highlight the importance of working together to address shared challenges, grow economies that work for everyone, and promote diversity and inclusion.

Prime Minister Trudeau will also underline how important the International Organization of La Francophonie is to Canada, and emphasize the vital role that Francophone communities have played throughout Canada's history.

Following the Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau will also take part in a bilateral visit to the country. The visit will be a chance to discuss the important relationship between Canada and Armenia and explore ways to work together more closely to further strengthen our commercial and economic ties.

Quick Facts

This is Prime Minister Trudeau's first official visit to Armenia.

Diplomatic relations between Canada and Armenia were formally established in 1992. Since then, Canada and Armenia have regularly worked together in multilateral forums, including the United Nations and La Francophonie.

Armenia joined the International Organization of La Francophonie in 2004 as an observer and obtained full member status in 2012.

In 2017, Canada's exports to Armenia totalled $9.3 million and imports from Armenia reached $26 million.

Canada is host to an Armenian community of more than 60,000 people.

The Summit is hosted every two years. It is an important opportunity for leaders of La Francophonie member states to meet and work together to advance shared priorities.
Since 2016, Australia has slipped behind 11 countries when it comes to social progress.

Every year, US-based not-for-profit organisation Social Progress Imperative ranks more than 100 countries in terms of social progress, which is defined by three core pillars: basic human needs, foundations of wellbeing, and opportunity  and Australia is starting to drop in the ranks.

Also read: Four economic problems Sydney needs to overcome

Two years ago, Australia trailed only Finland, Canada, and Denmark.

But since then, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Japan Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, Ireland, and the United Kingdom have overtaken Australia.

Last years winner, Denmark, lost out to Norway which had a score of 90.26 this year, followed by Iceland at 90.24 and Switzerland at 89.97.

Australia is the highest-ranking country among tier 2 countries with a score in the high eighties at 88.32.

On paper, were not doing badly at all  its just that other countries have stepped up their game, says Deloitte Australia chief strategy and innovation officer Rob Hillard.

Australia hasnt performed badly, he pointed out.

It is just that our gains have been modest and other nations had recorded a greater improvement in key areas, pushing us from 9th to 15th place on the Index.

Also read: Why millennials have a poor opinion of capitalism

We are still a country with an enviable standard of living and score highly in diverse areas such as for our clean water, education, freedom of expression.

But the Index notes Australias high greenhouse emissions and marks us down for the refugees being held on Manus Island and Nauru, Mr Hillard said.
By Lauren Young

NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Reuters) - When Reuters photographer Lucas Jackson headed to Greenland in June, he traveled with a heavy, oversized rolling bag containing a crucial piece of equipment to document climate change.

Jackson, one of a handful of Reuters photographers licensed to operate a drone, spent seven rainy days camped alongside Greenland's Helheim glacier, near the small seaside village of Tasiilaq.

Using an Inspire 1 Pro drone, Jackson captured more than 700 gigabytes of footage and images in Greenland (https://graphics.reuters.com/CLIMATECHANGE-GREENLAND-CHALLENGES/010080EH0V0/index.html).

Drones are an emerging tool for newsgathering, but they potentially pose several legal and ethical challenges, including the violation of privacy.

Until now, Reuters has used drones only on rare occasions. But Greenland provided a perfect opportunity since a drone is inexpensive to operate. By contrast, renting a helicopter can cost thousands of dollars per day.

The drone offered Jackson the ideal way to procure bird's eye shots and video of icebergs and glaciers as well as footage of scientists monitoring rising sea levels, without disrupting their research.

"People are tempted to use a drone just to use a drone," Jackson says. "They should be used to get a perspective at an elevated angle that would be too risky or costly to get without a drone."

Reuters has a detailed policy on drone usage, as outlined in the Reuters Handbook of Journalism (http://handbook.reuters.com/index.php?title=A_Guide_to_the_Newsgathering_Use_of_Drones). That includes steering clear of people, homes, protests or densely populated areas.

"We should apply heightened consideration and sensitivity to ensure our use of drones does not stalk, harass, or intimidate any person, including any subject of our coverage," the handbook says.

According to our rules, drones must be used in daylight hours, at specific altitudes and at a safe distance from an airport. As a result, our use of drones so far has been limited. Reuters journalists still typically take overhead shots from helicopters.

Story continues

However, drones can shoot images at a lower elevation, often offering more granular details since they can hover in one spot without much movement.

In July, photographer David Gray used a drone to document extreme drought along with its devastating effect on cattle and crops in Eastern Australia. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-drought-widerimage/australias-drought-is-like-a-cancer-eating-away-at-farms-and-families-idUSKBN1KL34C).

The drone let him quietly capture images of farm animals, such as cattle gathered in parched paddocks, without scaring them away.

Any Reuters journalist who uses a drone for newsgathering must be trained and properly credentialed. To obtain a license from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Jackson studied weather patterns, flight maps and federal drone laws. He also practiced flying a drone with a Reuters colleague in a park in Flushing, New York.

Drones can keep journalists out of harm's way, so they may seem ideal for covering natural disasters, such as a volcanic eruption or hurricanes. But even in these circumstances, Reuters will continue to use drones sparingly because their flight can interfere with search and rescue missions.

For Jackson, the biggest challenge in Greenland was preserving battery life. The drone lost power after 10 minutes, and it took another hour to recharge.

"I didn't have time to experiment," Jackson said. "I had to know which shots I wanted." (Reporting by Lauren Young Editing by Toni Reinhold)
Twelve villagers were killed and 14 wounded in an attack by suspected jihadists on a village in a gas-rich region of northern Mozambique, a local source told AFP on Friday. Since October, government plans to exploit the country's gas reserves have been thrown into doubt by an explosion of bloodthirsty assaults in the region where the industry plans to base its hub. "Ten people were shot (dead) by firearms and two burnt (to death)," the source said of the violence which took place late Thursday in Paqueue village which lies close to the Quirimbas tourist archipelago. One of the shooting victims had also been beheaded and the attackers had burnt 55 houses, the source said. Medics said another 14 people were wounded in the attack. In a separate incident further north, gunmen attacked a military convoy near the Tanzanian border on Thursday night, killing a senior army officer, a police source said. "The attackers wore military uniforms and had large-calibre firearms," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Since October, more than 40 people have been killed in brazen machete and gun assaults on unarmed villagers in the coastal region. - Terrified locals - Security forces have rushed reinforcements to the area yet seem powerless to stem the attacks. Terrorised, many civilians have fled their homes and a cloud hangs over the great expansion plans. Back in June, while visiting Palma, one of the areas worst hit by the attacks, President Filipe Nyusi vowed the security forces would be "firm and ruthless" in pursuing the jihadists. The region has been relatively quiet in recent months but the latest attack was likely to raise fears that the nascent insurgency had regrouped. Police did not return calls for comment on the latest bloodshed. Locals and authorities call the assailants Al-Shabaab, although the group has no known link to the notorious Somali Islamists of that name, nor has it issued any claim of responsibility or demands. According to academic researchers, the group wants to impose Sharia law in the Muslim-majority province. The attackers are believed to have staged their first attack on a police station and military outpost in the northern town of Mocimboa da Praia in October 2017. Two officers died and 14 attackers were killed. In the following weeks, at least 300 Muslims were arrested, some of them Tanzanians, and several mosques shuttered -- and then suspicion began to fall on the region's residents. After 180 trillion cubic feet (5.1 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas were discovered off its northeastern shores, Mozambique entertained dreams of following Qatar down the path towards prosperity. The government even predicted that by 2035, GDP per head could increase sevenfold. Suspected jihadists have torched scores of homes and killed many in previous attacks near the coast in northern Mozambique
A Sudanese military jet has crashed near the city of Omdurman, killing the two pilots on board, the army said on Friday, in the latest accident to hit its ageing fleet. The plane, which was on a training mission, crashed late on Thursday north of Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum on the west bank of the Nile. "Two pilots who were on board were killed in the crash," said military spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa Shami in a statement released on Friday. "The plane crashed after it had taken off for a training mission." On Monday, a military helicopter had crashed in the war-torn region of Darfur as it was landing after a routine mission. All passengers on board were rescued even as the helicopter caught fire, the army said, without giving any details of how many people were on board. Most of Sudan's fleet consists of Russian-manufactured aircraft, and in recent years has suffered several crashes, with the military frequently blaming technical problems and bad weather. In June 2017, four crew members on board a military helicopter were killed when it crashed in Northern State. In April 2016, a Soviet-era Antonov An-26 transport plane crashed while landing in El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan state. All five crew members on board were killed. In June 2013, two air force crew died when their helicopter crashed in war-torn Blue Nile state, just a week after one went down in South Kordofan state, another war zone. The military has extensively used air power in its campaign against rebel groups in Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur. Rebels often claim to have shot down military aircraft in Sudan's conflict zones. Planes take part in a flyover during a joint Sudanese-Saudi air force drill at the Marwa air base around 350 kilometres north of Khartoum on April 9, 2017
A schoolboy died after suffering an allergic reaction when someone allegedly chased him with cheese before throwing it over him, an inquest has heard.

Karanbir Cheema, 13, was rushed to hospital on June 28 last year after suffering a cardiac arrest at William Perkin Church of England High School near London, The Independent reported.

The schoolboy allegedly had cheese thrown over him at William Perkin Church of England High School near London. Source: Google Maps

Emergency services found the boy was in a state of anaphylactic shock at the school and died 10 days later, St Pancras Coroners Court heard.

Kieran Oppatt, the first paramedic on the scene, said a member of staff told him someone may have chased the teenager with the cheese before throwing it down his shirt.

Mr Oppatt said he was struggling for air and appeared to be showing signs of an allergic reaction.

His skin was red and there appeared to be hives, he said.

The 13-year-old had severe allergies to wheat, gluten, all dairy products, eggs and all nuts.

Mr Oppatt and his colleague performed CPR on Karanbir before giving him adrenaline.

Karanbir Cheema was allegedly chased with the cheese before it was thrown down his shirt. Source: Getty, file.

While waiting for further medics to arrive, they also used defibrillators in a bid to save him.

He was rushed to hospital but died over a week later on July 9.

His mother said his death was even the more devastating due to her sons strenuous efforts to control his allergies.

He was extremely bright. He knew very well how to manage his condition. I brought him up by myself. I trained him to read all about his condition. We want answers, she said.

Another 13-year-old boy was arrested at the time but was released by police without charge.

Detective Sergeant Christian Rodgers said the alleged incident was pupil on pupil.

The inquest continues.
Relations between the EU and Britain have always been a bit prickly, but EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday that the Brexit negotiations are beginning to resemble the courtship of two hedgehogs. "We're not at war with Great Britain," Juncker told the Austrian daily Die Presse in an interview published a day after British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan was rejected as unworkable and unacceptable by the bloc's other 27 members at an informal summit in Salzburg. "We have to be careful, like two hedgehogs who love each other," Juncker said. "When two hedgehogs embrace, they have to watch out that they don't get scratched." Juncker insisted that the two sides were "moving closer." Nevertheless, "the Irish border question is very difficult," he said. The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is the main sticking point, because when Britain leaves the European Union, it will become an external EU border. If Britain leaves the bloc's customs union and single market, as it says it wants to, border checks would be required. But both London and Brussels have pledged to avoid any physical infrastructure, a so-called "hard border". May said in Salzburg she would "shortly" bring forward new proposals on the so-called backstop on how to carry out regulatory checks on goods going in and out of Northern Ireland. - 'Brexit means Brexit' - Juncker told Die Presse that it was "also clear that there can be no leaving the EU while retaining the privileges of the community. Brexit means Brexit." Asked whether the British people should have another say on the exit deal once it had been agreed, Juncker said May had made it clear in Salzburg "that there will no second referendum. "Nevertheless, the British parliament must vote on the exit deal, and the EU parliament, as well. And not everything that London likes is liked by the EU parliament. One has to look closely for common ground." Juncker said the situation between Britain and the EU should not be "overdramatised". Britain "will remain an important partner in trade and security for the EU. But with the British, we're losing a bit of pragmatism. That is why the exit deeply saddens me," Juncker said. Turning to the other main topic of the Salzburg summit, increased protection of the EU's external borders, Juncker complained that individual member states were complaining about a plan to bolster the Frontex border agency. "For the past three years there have been calls all over Europe for increased protection of our borders. Now the EU has put forward some suggestions and some countries are campaigning against them," Juncker said. In particular, the EU has to overcome scepticism in frontline states, such as Italy, Spain and Greece, the main landing points for many refugees fleeing across the Mediterranean, Juncker said. "We must continue to canvass, explain and convince," he said. Using the prickly analogy of courting hedgehogs, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker insisted the EU and Brexit-bound Britain were "moving closer," despite indications both sides are at odds
Moscow and Beijing lashed out Friday at Washington's new anti-Russian sanctions that also target China for the first time, warning the United States could face consequences. President Vladimir Putin's spokesman accused Washington of playing unfairly and using new measures to squeeze Moscow out of the global arms market, after the United States slapped sanctions on China for buying Russian warplanes and missiles and threatened to target its other clients. "This is unfair competition, dishonest competition, an attempt to use non-market methods that run counter to norms and principles of international trade to squeeze the main competitor of US makers out of the markets," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Peskov said that "Washington's continued sanctions hysterics" dealt a new blow to US-Russia ties but could not immediately say if Moscow would retaliate, or how. On Thursday, Washington placed financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese Defence Ministry, and its top administrator, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. It was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, signalling Donald Trump's readiness to risk relations with other countries over Moscow. - Beijing warning - Beijing -- which is locked in a trade war with the United States -- urged Washington to withdraw sanctions or "bear the consequences". "The US actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. "We strongly urge the US to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences." United in their resentment of America's global influence, China and Russia have sought in recent years to tighten up their ties and this month conducted week-long joint military drills, Moscow's largest ever war games. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia would act to end its dependency on the US dollar. "We will do everything to stop being dependent on the countries who behave towards their partners in this way," Lavrov said on a visit to Sarajevo. His deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, earlier said Washington was rocking global stability and said sarcastically that placing sanctions on Russia has become Washington's favourite "pastime". "It would be good for them to remember there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties," said Ryabkov. "Playing with fire is silly, it can become dangerous," he said in a statement, noting the latest round of anti-Russian measures was the 60th since 2011. Arms exports are an important source of revenue for the country and last year Russia sold more than $14 billion worth of arms overseas. US officials said that the US could consider similar action against other countries taking delivery of Russian fighter jets and missiles. Turkey, which is embroiled in a dispute with Washington over the detention of a US pastor, is in talks to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia. - 'Growing arms trade' - Alexander Gabuev, head of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said the new US measures could bring Moscow and Beijing even closer. "The move is very unlikely to stop growing arms trade between Moscow and Beijing," he said on Twitter. The State Department also placed 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist. All of them -- defence related firms, officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation group -- have been on previous US sanctions lists. Twenty eight of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, the US Special Counsel who is investigating election meddling by Russia. A senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted the ultimate target was Russia and not "the defence capabilities" of third countries. CAATSA, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, was passed in 2017 as a tool that gives Washington more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions. The US official said Washington had spent "an enormous amount of time" seeking to discourage prospective buyers of Russian arms. The new sanctions came as the United States and China are in the heat of a trade war. The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products. The United States announced a new raft of measures that would punish third countries for dealing with Moscow A Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile launching system on display in 2017 at a military equipment forum outside Moscow Analysts say the latest US sanctions could push Russia and China even closer. Russia's President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had a friendly meeting earlier this month in Vladivostok
Few places are more peaceful than the gentle slopes of France's Alsace wine region -- but should any heinous crimes like grape theft occur, Jason the horse is on hand to catch the perpetrators. Jason, a handsome black-maned chestnut, is part of a "green brigade" charged with environmental protection in the Haut-Rhin region bordering Germany and Switzerland. "Horses are the best way of getting around places where you can't go by car," says his rider, 52-year-old Nicolas Krust. Over the course of a day, Krust and his equally uniformed patrol partner Daniel Dagon amble 40 kilometres (25 miles) around the little town of Soultz-Haut-Rhin on the lookout for delinquents among the vines. "It's rarely big heists," admits Dagon, who is about to celebrate 10 years riding his gelding Seigneur. "But thefts of a few bunches of muscat grapes often get reported." Wine grapes tend to have thicker skins than those grown for the table and are less crunchy, but the muscat variety is popular for both eating and wine-making. The picking season for grapes used in Alsace's sparkling cremant wine may be over for the year, but the harvest is still in full swing for many other varieties in the region, leaving the vines vulnerable. People caught stealing grapes face a fine of up to 500 euros ($585) and an official report is sent to local prosecutors, who decide whether to follow up with an investigation. Home to around 6,000 people, Soultz-Haut-Rhin, about 50 kilometres from the German border, is not exactly a hotbed of crime -- Krust sees one or two such cases go to police every year. "You still need to be there to witness it," he said. Roland Martin, the mayor of neighbouring Wuenheim, thinks it's thanks to the patrols that the local community sees so little crime. "For several years we haven't had many problems with theft which is linked to the presence of the green brigades," he says. - Vineyard ID checks - Founded in 1989, Haut-Rhin's green brigade counts 63 officers, 16 of them on horseback. Their remit ranges from patrolling the forests to preventing litter. "They have a deterrent effect that prevents vandalism and theft," said Denis Meyer, a town councillor in Soultz. Stopping to nibble on the weeds or even to help themselves to some grapes, the horses meander through different plots -- some growing aromatic gewurztraminer vines, others light pinot or sweet muscat. With no crimes to report this morning, Krust and Dagon take on the role of ambassadors for environmental protection, chatting to joggers, cyclists and hikers who stop to give the horses a pat. In August, Soultz and Wuenheim ban cars from the small rural roads serving the vineyards until the end of the picking season, apart from those of the growers themselves. "This allows growers to work freely in the fields and limit the risks of thefts facilitated by a car," said Martin, the mayor. The patrollers flag up cars parked illegally near the vines -- "the bulk of our work during the picking", according to Krust. "Every year we hand out between 50 and 100 tickets for bad parking." This morning there's a car blocking their path, and nearby, a straw hat poking out of the rows of red muscat grapes. The brigadiers approach to investigate. Veronique Zimpfer, owner of both the hat and the vines, is quite happy to submit to an ID check. "If there are no checks, people will just act as they please," says Zimpfer, who owns around 100 hillside vines in Soultz. She adds that the fields see more petty crime than you might think: grapes pinched, whole vines uprooted, and even cases of abandoned drug syringes. "We can't always be here, so we don't always know what's happening during the picking season," she says. "It's reassuring to know that someone's watching over us." Members of Alsace's "green brigade" riding through a vineyard near Soultz-Haut-Rhin in northeast France To protect the vines, the two-man horseback patrol covers about 40 kilometres (25 miles) a day around the little town of Soultz-Haut-Rhin on the lookout for delinquents People caught stealing grapes face a fine of up to 500 euros ($585) and an official report is sent to local prosecutors, who decide whether to follow up with an investigation Founded in 1989, Haut-Rhin's green brigade counts 63 officers, 16 of them on horseback, and their remit ranges from patrolling the forests to preventing litter
Tanzania declared the whole nation was in mourning Sunday as the first dozen bodies were buried from a devastating ferry capsize on Lake Victoria that left people 224 dead. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa led "national funerals" on the island of Ukara, where the MV Nyerere had been coming in to dock on Thursday. He spoke of "great mourning by the whole nation" as the first coffins were placed in individual graves, many of the victims unidentified. The remainder of the dead were to be buried later or taken away by families wishing for privates funerals. The prime minister said a memorial would be built on Ukara. Hopes had faded of finding any more survivors three days after the disaster, even after rescuers pulled out an engineer on Saturday who had holed up in an air pocket in the upturned vessel. But Majaliwa said divers would continue the grim search in the waters around the boat. The ferry would also be refloated. He updated the death toll to 126 women, 71 men, 17 girls and 10 boys. Just 41 people survived. - 'Overloading' blamed for tragedy - Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe said 265 people had been on board the ferry, which had an official capacity of around a hundred passengers. The prime minister said initial investigations suggested overloading was one of the causes of the accident. "We have already arrested all those people in charge of operating and supervising the MV Nyerere. Questioning has begun," he said. A broader commission of inquiry into the disaster would also be set up, Majaliwa added. Witnesses told AFP that the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock. Others blamed the captain, saying he had made a brusque manoeuvre. The Tanzanian presidency announced on Sunday evening that the inquiry had been "entrusted to the defence and security authorities". Transport minister Kamwelwe said on Saturday that 172 of the bodies had been identified by relatives. - Grief and anger - Dozens of wooden coffins had lined the shore on Saturday, waiting to be seen by families as police and volunteers sought to keep hundreds of curious locals at bay. Aisha William came to collect the body of her husband. "He left on Tuesday around noon, but he never came home. I do not know how I am going to raise my two children," she said. Ahmed Caleb, a 27-year-old trader, railed at a tragedy "which could have been prevented. "I've lost my boss, friends, people I went to school with," he said. The ageing vessel, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible above water, was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement, when it capsized. With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. It is not uncommon for ferries to capsize on the lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many local people cannot swim. In 1966, more than 800 people lost their lives on Lake Victoria when the MV Bukoba sank off the mainland town of Mwanza, according to the Red Cross. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa led "national funerals" on the island of Ukara, where the MV Nyerere had been coming in to dock on Thursday The ageing ferry, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible above water Those victims not buried at the funerals on Sunday were to be lain to rest later or taken away by families wishing for privates funerals Maps of Lake Victoria and the MV Nyerere ferry disaster
Former FARC rebel commander and Colombian senator Victoria Sandino has told AFP that the hard-won peace deal between Bogota and the leftist guerillas risked being derailed. Sandino said she had travelled to Geneva to issue her warning to top United Nations human rights officials, including deputy UN rights chief Kate Gilmour, whom she is due to meet on Friday. "I wanted to stress that the progress made towards peace in Colombia with respect to stopping the fighting and the bloodshed... has stopped," Sandino said in an interview. "We are in a very complex and very difficult phase" for the implementation of 2016 deal to end a half-century of conflict, added Sandino, who helped negotiate the pact. The ex-rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, now a political party, has criticised the Bogota government over a lack of promised resources to help reintegrate former guerillas into civilian life. A complicating factor for the deal was the election earlier this year of rightwing President Ivan Duque, who has vowed to fix "flaws" in the agreement negotiated by his predecessor, Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos. Duque has in particular criticised the FARC deal as being too lenient in allowing former rebels accused of atrocities to serve as lawmakers. "Our concern is huge," said Sandino, 53, commenting on Duque's approach to the peace deal. "There is a lot of scepticism and despair, even among those who lived through the conflict," she added. Part of her mission to Geneva involves meeting with diplomats from countries that backed the peace process to ensure they help see the implementation through. The deal has led to a decline in violence but unrest has persisted, notably in the border areas particularly infested by cocaine traffickers. Colombia remains the world's largest producer of cocaine, much of it destined for the United States. Some dissident groups also refused to participate in the four-year peace process hosted by Cuba and have continued to fight government forces. Sandino claimed that 76 former FARC guerillas have been murdered since the deal was signed, while another six have disappeared and 20 relatives of former rebels have been killed. She did not assign blame for those deaths but warned that the overall human rights situation in Colombia was deteriorating, with activists and civil society leaders facing increased violence. Amid continuing unrest, Victoria Sandino, a former FARC commander and now senator, said she was greatly concerned after new Colombian President Ivan Duque vowed to fix "flaws" in the peace deal negotiated by predecessor Juan Manuel Santos
Greece has begun transferring hundreds of migrants from chronically overcrowded camps on islands in the Aegean Sea after NGOs highlighted poor conditions, sources said Friday. "A hundred people were transferred Friday morning from Moria camp on Lesbos and another camp on that island to that of Filippiada at Ipiros, in the mainland's northwest, with a view to transferring a total of 2,000 people by the end of next week, 500 on Monday," a camp official at Moria told AFP. The official added a transfer was contingent on first attending an interview with asylum services. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had Monday warned of the health consequences brought on by chronic overcrowding at camps on Lesbos, adding its personnel had seen multiple cases of suicide attempts and self-harm. Government data showed the same day that Lesbos was housing more than 11,000 refugees and migrants, including nearly 9,000 in Moria, almost triple the nominal capacity of Europe's largest camp, prompting Migration Minister Dimitris Vitsas to promise action. The Samos Volunteers group said meanwhile in a social media post that 350 people had been transferred from that island to camps on the mainland since the start of the week. "The people transferred to the mainland were families, young persons, single men and people that had been there for a few months up to two-and-a-half years," the group told AFP, adding that "this transfer was long overdue." The Samos camp had been bursting at the seams, housing 3,600 people at a facility designed for 650, according to official figures. European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas met Greek officials Wednesday and Thursday in Athens for talks on migration, three years after Lesbos found itself at the heart of Europe's greatest migration crisis since World War II. Maas emerged to say Thursday that the situation was "anything but satisfactory," as migrants continue to head to the Greek islands from the nearby coast of Turkey, the world's largest refugee-hosting country with over three million Syrians and up to 300,000 Iraqis. The German minister also noted after meeting Avramopoulos that "we must reflect on how better to apply the EU-Turkey pact" concluded in March 2016 and designed to stem the flow of migrants reaching Europe via Turkey. Under the deal, illegal migrants arriving in Greece would be returned to Turkey while for each Syrian returned to Turkey one already in Turkey would be resettled in Europe. Greece began transferring refugees and migrants from Moria camp and another facility on the island of Lesbos after Doctors Without Borders warned of severe consequences of overcrowding
Israel's coordination with Russia on its attacks in Syria remains unchanged despite the deadly downing of a Russian plane and the Jewish state retains its right to decide on military actions, an Israeli official said Friday. "There have been no changes to the deconfliction mechanism as a result of this unfortunate event," the military official said on condition of anonymity, referring to Monday's downing following Israeli air strikes. He said the two sides had committed to the "very effective" mechanism but stressed that Israel's "freedom of movement is paramount". The arrangement was agreed by Israel and Russia in 2015, when Russian forces intervened alongside the regime in Syria to avoid clashes between their militaries inside Syrian territory. Israel regularly carries out strikes in war-torn Syria against the Syrian government, its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Iranian targets. But Syrian air defences on Monday night mistakenly struck a Russian Il-20 military plane after an Israeli raid on a Syrian army facility, killing all 15 crew members. The Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences", saying they reserved the right to respond. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, later adopted a more conciliatory tone, saying the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances". An Israeli military delegation travelled to Moscow on Thursday to express sorrow over the deaths and to share information with Russian counterparts on the incident. A photo showing a Russian Il-20 plane landing at an unknown location, the same kind of plane shot down by Syrian air defences on Monday
Spinner Ravindra Jadeja took four wickets and skipper Rohit Sharma smashed a successive half century to help India rout Bangladesh by seven wickets in Asia Cup match in Dubai on Friday. Jadeja finished with four for 29 to wreck Bangladesh to 173 all out in 49.1 overs at Dubai stadium. Sharma then launched another assault on the bowlers during his 104-ball unbeaten knock which was studded with three sixes and five boundaries as India chased down the target in 36.2 overs. Sharma put on 61 for the opening stand with Shikhar Dhawan (47-ball 40 with a six and four boundaries) before easing towards the target with another 64-run stand for the third with Mahendra Singh Dhoni who made 33. It was another comfortable victory for the title holders who eased through their big match against Pakistan by eight wickets on Wednesday. The arch rivals meet again in the Super Four match in Dubai on Sunday. Sharma praised his bowlers. "We bowled very well and we always knew it was going to be better batting under the lights," said Sharma. "Once you're in, you got to make sure you bat as long and as deep as possible. "Tomorrow is a day off. Hope to repeat the same performance against Pakistan." Bangladesh skipper urged his batsmen to show guts. "Our batsmen need to take responsibility, especially after failing to score in back-to-back matches. The next match is against a tough team with good bowlers," said Mortaza whose team plays Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Jadeja, playing his first one-day international for over a year, was at his best after India sent Bangladesh into bat on a flat pitch. He only came into the squad as a replacement for all-rounder Hardik Pandya who was ruled out of the tournament with a back injury. Pacemen Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-32) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-37) were also ruthless as Bangladeshi batting couldn't get going with tail-ender Mehidy Hasan top-scoring with a 50-ball 42 with two sixes and two boundaries. Bangladesh, who were bowled out for a mere 119 against Afghanistan on Thursday, were once again off to a disastrous start during which they lost half the side for just 65 runs. Mushfiqur Rahman, who scored a brilliant hundred against Sri Lanka, managed 21 while star batsman Shakib Al Hasan failed yet again with 17. It could have been worse had Mehidy not put on a fighting 66-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Mashrafe Mortaza who made 26 with two sixes. Top two teams from the Super Four will play the final in Dubai on September 28. Indian team captain Rohit Sharma (left) celebrates with Ravindra Jadeja after he dismissed Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim
At least 44 people died and scores were feared missing after a ferry capsized in Victoria, Africa's largest lake, with a desperate search for survivors set to resume in Tanzania on Friday. There were "more than a hundred passengers" on board the vessel when it sank Thursday afternoon near Ukara Island in the southeast of the vast lake, which also extends into Uganda and Kenya, a local official said. "It is feared that a significant number have lost their lives," said George Nyamaha, the head of Ukerewe district council of which the island is a part. Regional governor John Mongella said late Thursday the toll had reached 44 while 37 others had been rescued, though some of the survivors were in "a very bad condition". He added that rescue operations had been suspended and would continue on Friday morning. A statement from Tanzania's Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency said it was unknown how many passengers were aboard the MV Nyerere. The ferry was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize and cement, when it overturned close to the dock. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame for such incidents. President John Magufuli's spokesman Gerson Msigwa also said on state television TBC 1 that the death toll stood at more than 40. With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland. Capsizes are not uncommon in the massive lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many people in the region cannot swim. The deadliest such accident in recent decades was in May 1996, when around 800 people died after their ferry sank on its way to Mwanza in Tanzania. Waters in the lake can be rough and boats are frequently poorly maintained, while ferry operators often fail to record the number of passengers on board. Around 20 people were killed in December 2016 when their boat overturned in Lake Victoria as it was carrying passengers to Uganda's mainland for Christmas holidays. And in March 2012, only two survivors were found after a boat believed to be carrying around 60 people capsized on the lake in Uganda. Lake Victoria is the source of the White Nile, one of the main two tributaries of the Nile, which stretches north over nearly 6,700 kilometres into Sudan and Egypt. Capsizes -- often caused by overloading -- are not uncommon in Victoria, Africa's largest lake Map of Tanzania locating Lake Victoria, where a ferry capsized Thursday.
Thirty-five years ago, Father Sigitas Tamkevicius was detained and repeatedly interrogated at a KGB prison for protesting Soviet religious discrimination. On Sunday, Pope Francis will visit the Lithuanian Catholic priest's cell in what is now a museum in central Vilnius to pay tribute to those who challenged the Soviet regime. "When I was sitting in that cell deep underground, if someone had told me the pope would come here... that would have been incredible," Tamkevicius, now 79, told AFP. "The pope's visit to this place and tribute to the sacrifice for freedom cannot be overestimated," he added. After Lithuania regained independence in the 1990s, Tamkevicius was appointed an archbishop. Back in the 1980s however, he was accused of spreading anti-Soviet propaganda for having founded and edited the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania. Founded in 1972, the underground periodical covered the repression of Catholics. In classic samizdat fashion, it was smuggled across to the West, where it was picked up by sources including Vatican Radio and Voice of America. Arrested and imprisoned in 1983, Tamkevicius served time in Soviet labour camps, including a spell in Siberia, before his release. "We thought that if we got more freedom for the church, it would also bring more freedom to Lithuania," he said. "Everybody knew that the church was fighting not only for its own rights but also for the nation's rights." Tamkevicius said he was heavily motivated by the then pope -- later saint -- John Paul II's public solidarity with the "silent Church" in countries where faith was discouraged at the time. Dissidents in Lithuania and fellow Baltic states Estonia and Latvia were also encouraged by the fact that the Vatican had refused to recognise the Soviet occupation of the trio. The Soviets had handed Tamkevicius a 10-year jail sentence. In the end he was freed after six, in 1989, during the so-called perestroika reforms instituted by Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev. But many of those detained decades earlier never left the Vilnius prison alive. Carved into its stony walls are the names of dissidents killed there under Soviet rule. Vilnius estimates that more than 50,000 Lithuanians died in camps, prisons, and during deportations between 1944 and 1953. Another 20,000 partisans and supporters were killed in anti-Soviet guerilla warfare. - Moral authority - The pope will also pay tribute to Holocaust victims at the Vilnius ghetto memorial. Nazi Germany all but obliterated the once-vibrant Jewish community of the capital, known as the "Jerusalem of the North". "We feel honoured by the pope's visit -- no matter that we have different religions -- and appreciate that he will honour the victims exactly 75 years after the ghetto was liquidated," community leader Faina Kukliansky told AFP. "I believe his thoughts will also be with the Christians who saved Jews, including those who saved my family." Around 200,000 Lithuanian Jews died at the hands of the Nazis and local collaborators under the 1941-44 German occupation -- nearly the entire Jewish population. Today there are only around 3,000 Jews left in the EU and NATO member state of 2.9 million people. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said church support for dissenting voices helped it preserve a strong moral position in the country. "The church was one of our pillars of resistance, alongside our language, culture and songs," she told AFP. "We see the difficulties and challenges that the church faces in other countries but we are glad it preserved moral authority here." Lithuanian Catholic priest, Father Sigitas Tamkevicius, was accused in the 1980s of spreading anti-Soviet propaganda Pope Francis will visit the Lithuanian Catholic priest's cell in what is now a museum in central Vilnius to pay tribute to those who challenged the Soviet regime The church was one of the pillars of resistance to occupation, says Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite.
Maldives strongman Abdulla Yameen seeks a second term as president Sunday in a tourist paradise that has become a battleground for influence between regional giants India and China, and a source of global alarm over political oppression and a muzzling of the media. With all his main rivals in prison or in exile, the odds appear stacked in the Beijing-friendly incumbent's favour, and warnings of punitive action from the international community have been flowing in even before a single ballot has been cast. The EU has said it is ready to slap travel bans and asset freezes on individuals "if the situation does not improve", while the US has warned it would "consider appropriate measures" against people undermining democracy and rule of law. India, long influential in Maldives affairs -- it sent troops and warships in 1988 to stop a coup attempt -- has also expressed misgivings. But with China bankrolling Yameen's regime to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in loans, his grip on the honeymoon archipelago of nearly 1,200 coral islands appears unlikely to loosen. Battered by years of violent intimidation, spurious arrests and enforced exile, the opposition has united behind a joint candidate -- the little-known Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. But voters would be hard-pressed to notice, with heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions stifling a media already fearful of doing anything to offend the president of the Muslim nation of 340,000 people. The government has used "vaguely worded laws to silence dissent and to intimidate and imprison critics", some of whom have been assaulted and even murdered, according to Human Rights Watch. "The election campaign reporting is severely restricted by the defamation law. This is not fair reporting, but we have no choice," one local journalist told AFP, preferring to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions. Even publishing photos of people wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the faces of jailed politicians is off-limits. Few foreign journalists seeking to cover the election have been granted visas, and in many cases only at the last minute, anecdotal information suggests. Activists told HRW that new rules could also hamper the ability of observers to follow the counting process, raising fears that the election will be rigged, the watchdog said. - 'Assault on democracy' - The accusations follow a familiar pattern for Yameen, 59, who was accused of grabbing power in controversial circumstances in 2013 when the Supreme Court annulled a vote count he was losing. A subsequent poll was then delayed twice as Yameen forged new alliances before narrowly winning a contested run-off against ex-president Mohamed Nasheed -- now in exile following a 2015 terrorism conviction. Meanwhile Yameen has used cheap Chinese credit to invest in infrastructure, like the new "China-Maldives Friendship Bridge" and a major expansion of the main airport that originally India was to undertake. Flanked by Chinese officials at the $200-million bridge's inauguration in August, Yameen hailed "the dawn of a new era". But his close ties has raised fears that, like other countries enjoying Beijing's "Belt and Road Initiative" largesse, the Maldives may find itself in a Chinese debt trap. Last year Sri Lanka, which like the Maldives straddles east-west maritime trade routes, granted China a 99-year lease on a new, $1.4-billion deep-sea port because it couldn't pay its debts. Since taking office Yameen has also cracked down on dissent, imposing a 45-day state of emergency in February described by the UN human rights chief as "an all-out assault on democracy". The drastic measures, taken after a court ordered that sacked MPs be restored and dissidents freed from jail, were seen by opponents as a move to head off attempts to impeach him. Even family members have not been spared, with Yameen's half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom -- who was president from 1978 to 2008 -- subsequently arrested, along with the Maldives' chief justice and Supreme Court judges. There have been allegations of corruption too, with a report this week claiming Yameen benefited from the lucrative leasing of islands and lagoons to developers. He has denied any involvement. Nasheed said on Friday in Colombo that Yameen means to steal the election. "Mathematically, it is not possible for Yameen to win because all opposition parties are united against him," he told reporters. "But the results they will announce will be different to what is actually in the ballot boxes." Maldives President Abdulla Yameen's grip on the honeymoon archipelago of nearly 1,200 coral islands appears unlikely to loosen with Sunday's poll The opposition has united behind Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, but heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions are hampering his campaign Yameen has used cheap Chinese credit to invest in infrastructure, like the new "China-Maldives Friendship Bridge" Since taking office Yameen has also cracked down on dissent, imposing a 45-day state of emergency in February seen by opponents as an attempt to head off his impeachment
More than 150 works by American artist Alexander Calder, including his famous mobiles, will go on display starting Friday at Montreal's Museum of Fine Arts, Canada's first retrospective dedicated to the influential sculptor. New York's Guggenheim and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, museums in two cities the artist called home, contributed works to the exhibit titled "Alexander Calder, Radical Inventor," which is set to run until February 24. The show dedicated to the artist who "made sculpture move" includes some two dozen of the mobiles that launched Calder to fame. Once a day, a museum attendant will set the delicate works, which will be suspended from the ceiling, into motion. A collection of the artist's sculptures, paintings and jewelry will also be on display. Trained as an engineer, Calder used a wide variety of media to make more than 22,000 works before he died in 1976. Montreal is home to Calder's monumental sculpture "Trois disques," known colloquially there as "Man." The massive work of abstract public art insinuating human and technological progress stands 22 meters (72 feet) high and was installed in the city's Parc Jean-Drapeau for the 1967 World's Fair. The monumental work is comprised of overlapping arches of stainless steel -- and as a "stabile," the opposite of a mobile, the sculpture is stationary while creating plays of shadow and light that depict movement. Alexander Calder's "Blue Flower, Perforated Red" is displayed at Christie's in New York
A series of haunting text messages a mother sent to her daughter after a warehouse employee opened fire and killed three people have emerged.

A 26-year-old temporary employee is understood to have fired several rounds following a disagreement at a Rite Aid warehouse in Aberdeen, northeastern Maryland in US, on Thursday (local time), killing three and injuring several others before taking her own life.

Alexi Scharmann told WBAL-TV 11 News she received several messages from her mother inside the building, who believed they could be her final words.

I love you both more than u will ever know. There is a shooter in the building, her mother sent.

Officers patrol the business park in Maryland where the woman opened fire on Thursday. Source: Getty

I am hiding. I love you. Be good an take care of daddy an (sic) the pets if something should happen.

Ms Scharmann said the shooting was a massive shock due to the employees tight-knit community.

The suspects name was not immediately released.

A mock image of the texts messages Ms Scharmanns mother sent her. Source: WBALTV

It appears only one weapon, a handgun, was used and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference.

The shooter used a 9 mm Glock that was registered in her name, he said.

He said authorities did not know her motive.

Witness reveals build up to shooting

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, worked at the facility and told her the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a Town Hall meeting.

And she went off, she said.

Watson said her husband told her the shooting started in a break room.

She didnt have a particular target. She was just shooting, Watson said as she drove away from a fire station where relatives tried to reunite with loved ones.

She didnt aim. She just shot, Watson said.

A family member of a man working in the building reacts to the news of the shooting. Source: AP

Area hospitals reported receiving five patients from the incident.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore said it was treating four patients with gunshot wounds. Two were in stable condition and two who were seriously injured.

A spokesman for a health system that includes Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, said one patient was being treated there.

Story continues

Christiana Care Health System spokesman Hiran Ratnayake said the person was in serious condition.

Sheriff Gahler said the call about shots fired came in about 9.06am, and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes.

Mike Carre, an employee of a furniture logistics operation next to the distribution center, said he helped tend to a wounded man.

Dozens of survivors begin leaving the warehouse as armed officers stand by. Source: AP

Mr Carre locked the doors of his workplace after the injured man came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg.

He called 911 from a bathroom before helping colleagues wrap the mans blood-soaked jeans above his injury to cut off blood flow.

Mr Carre said the man told him the shooter just came in in a bad mood this morning.

He said shes usually nice. But today, I guess it wasnt her day. She just came in to pick a fight with someone, he said.

She pulled out a gun and she just started shooting at her co-workers.

Anxious wait for relatives

At a nearby fire station, family members were waiting to be reunited with loved ones.

Police blocked off the road outside but were waving in cars driven by people who said they were there to meet up with people who were at the distribution center.

Reggie Rodgriguezs mother works at the distribution center. His wife had tried calling her numerous times but got no answer.

I was calling her all morning. It went to voicemail because they keep their phones in lockers, Kelly Rodriguez, 40, said.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler addressed media following the shooting. Source: Reuters

When they finally reached his mother Thursday afternoon, Reggie Rodriguez said: Thats all I wanted to do: Hear her voice.

His mother was uninjured. He said she sounded relieved the crisis was over.

A law enforcement official said authorities were working their way through the distribution centre to clear the facility.

We obviously need to methodically go through the entire complex, ensure there are no other victims inside, ensure that there is no one that was hiding from violence and ensure that there were no other suspects, Christie Hopkins, communications director for the sheriffs office, said.

At this time, we are confident that the suspect acted alone. And that person is in custody. We do not believe there is any further threat to the community now, but we still have to completely clear that building.

Maryland faces second tragedy in three months

The attack came nearly three months after a man armed with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members.

Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper.

Susan Henderson, spokesman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the warehouse as a support facility adjacent to a larger building.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that unfortunately, incidents like this are becoming a too-often occurrence not only in Harford County but in the country.

With AP
The head of Romania's riot police and three senior officials have been charged over the use of violence to break up an anti-government protest in Bucharest that left hundreds of people hurt, prosecutors said Friday. The use of violence against protesters, including children, during the demonstration last month, was "unjustified", prosecutors said in a statement. More than 80,000 people, many of them Romanians living abroad, marched in the Romanian capital on August 10, accusing the leftwing government of corruption and calling for its resignation. Police used water cannon, tear gas, pepper spray and batons to disperse the crowd. More than 450 people, including 30 police, were hurt and around 30 arrested. The police was widely criticised for the way they handled the situation and nearly 800 criminal complaints were filed in the weeks that followed. A month later, the riot police itself filed a complaint saying there had been an "attempt to change the constitutional order", echoing accusations of a "failed coup" from within the ruling party. As well as the head of the riot police, two other senior officials in the force and an interior ministry state secretary have been charged with abuse of office. In a letter to the EU, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila defended the police, saying that the protests had been "an attempt to overthrow a legitimate government with violence". Last month's clashes between protesters and riot police left hundreds of people hurt including 30 officers
Saudi Arabia is trying shut down a UN-backed war crimes investigation in Yemen, Human Rights Watch said Friday, calling it a "blatant attempt to avoid scrutiny" of its conduct in the country. The group's allegations are backed by rival resolutions on Yemen proposed at the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. A resolution led by a group of European countries and Canada calls for a one-year extension of the inquiry that last month reported evidence of possible war crimes by all sides in Yemen, including the Saudi-led coalition. A second text, led by Tunisia on behalf of the group of Arab states, makes no mention of extending the probe but calls for Yemen's often-criticised National Commission of Inquiry to continue studying the conflict. Saudi Arabi and its ally the United Arab Emirates are both members of the Arab group on the 47-member rights council. "The Saudi-led coalition's campaign to discredit and undermine a UN investigation into abuses by all Yemen?s warring parties is yet another blatant attempt to avoid scrutiny of the coalition's own actions in Yemen," John Fisher, HRW's Geneva director, said in a statement. "The Human Rights Council cannot afford to fail Yemeni civilians. States should renew the mandate of the (probe) or risk the Council's credibility," he added. Diplomatic haggling over the rival texts is like to continue before the current rights council session closes next week. The resolution that first set up the inquiry followed a years-long diplomatic fight. At the 11th hour, Saudi diplomats threatened economic retaliation against states that voted for the project. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's government against Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Yemen has since descended into what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 10,000 people killed and millions at risk of starvation. The coalition has been accused of bombing multiple civilian targets, including buses and hospitals. Huthi rebel fighters inspect the damage after a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition in Sanaa in December 2017
A gadget to "translate" dog barks for humans, a "babypod" that plays music inside the mother's vagina for unborn babies and the world's first self-colonoscopy method were among the whacky inventions on show Friday at a new Tokyo exhibition. The museum celebrates weird and wonderful inventions created by real scientists for the Ig Nobel Prize -- or "anti-Nobels" -- designed to make people "laugh first and think later." Japanese medic Akira Horiuchi, 57, was among the winners last week of the tongue-in-cheek prize, organised by the satirical science journal "Annals of Improbable Research", for his do-it-yourself colonoscopy. Horiuchi demonstrated his technique to AFP at the museum from his 2006 study "Colonoscopy in the Sitting Position: Lessons Learned from Self-Colonoscopy." The researcher said he had never found his method embarrassing. "I knew the importance of colonoscopy and that the number of colon cancer patients was increasing," Horiuchi told AFP. The latest research shows that cancer of the colon is the most prevalent form of the disease among Japan's 870,000 cancer sufferers, according to the National Cancer Center. "Not many people took the test... so I wanted to create an examination that would be accepted by everyone," said Horiuchi. Another exhibit was the dog-language interpreter "Bowlingual", which classifies barks into six emotional categories -- frustration, menace, joy, sorrow, desire, and self-expression. The babypod is a speaker inserted into the vagina that creates a "concert" for unborn children, after research showed this was more effective than playing music on the belly. Japanese researchers have won Ig Nobel prizes for 12 years in a row. The winners include a team who developed Bowlingual and researchers who discovered female insects endowed with a penis. Prize founder Marc Abrahams told reporters in Tokyo Friday that Japan had so many winners because there were "many eccentric people" in the country. "In most of the world, when people behave in very eccentric ways, that's considered to be a very bad thing." "In Japan and also in the UK, it's different," Abrahams said. "You don't kill your eccentrics. You love them," he said, adding that is why Japan and the UK have long been "inventing so many clever, crazy, wonderful things." Horiuchi agrees. "I thought I was an eccentric. But I now know there are many people like me in Japan." Behold the do-it-yourself colonoscopy tube
Brazilian police on Friday arrested a Lebanese citizen on suspicions of raising funds for Lebanon-based Shiite military group Hezbollah, which the United States considers a terrorist group. Assad Ahmad Barakat, 51, was arrested on Brazil's three-way border with Argentina and Paraguay close to the world-renown Iguazu Falls, accused of carrying fake identity documents, federal police said. "Members of the Barakat Clan made purchases worth $10 million, without declaring their value, at a casino in the Argentine city of Iguazu," Brazilian police said, "with the view to laundering the organization's money." The money was allegedly destined for Hezbollah's coffers, but the funds and other assets were frozen by Argentine authorities, Brazilian police said. Barakat spent six years in a Paraguayan prison for tax evasion but was released in 2008, after which he moved to Brazil. In 1989 he had obtained Paraguayan nationality but was stripped of it in 2003 following his conviction. Yet in April he was issued a Paraguayan passport, according to Asuncion, which says it is investigating that case. In 2006 Barakat was added to a US list of individuals and groups operating in the triple border area and financing Hezbollah, which has close links to Iran's regime. The US Treasury Department described Barakat as a "global terrorist," and said his network was a "major financial artery to Hezbollah." Around one million people live in three cities that converge on the triple border, an area US officials suspect of harboring dormant Islamic terror cells. As well as a military group, Hezbollah also has a political wing that features prominently in Lebanon's governing coalition. While Washington considers the whole group a terrorist organization, the European Union only designates its military wing as such. Ahmed Assad Barakat (in handcuffs) has been described by Washington as a "global terrorist"
Hanna Lewis had only been driving for three months when the crash happened (Wales News Service)

A 17-year-old girl killed a pensioner in a head-on crash just three months after passing her test.

Newly-qualified Hanna Lewis ploughed into the car of 79-year-old Bryan Smithers on a sharp bend after a day at the beach with friends.

Mr Smithers died at the scene of the crash near the beach at Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire, in August last year. One of Lewis friends was also seriously injured.

Hanna Lewis has since turned 18 (Wales News service)

Prosecutor Sian Vaughan said: This is a tragic set of circumstances. She approached a bend on the wrong side of the road and it was a head-on collision.

She had perhaps been distracted by friends having been to the beach earlier with them.

Mr Smithers lived with his wife in the nearby village of Llanybri, and was an active member of the community as treasurer of the local hall committee.

Lewis, of Llandovery, admitted causing death by dangerous driving in her Audi A1.

Defence solicitor Gareth Walters said she was an inexperienced driver.

He said: She passed her test in May and the collision was at the end of August.

With Miss Lewis inexperience and lack of knowledge of the road there is no doubt this was a tragic incident.

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District Judge James said: A lack of driving experience contributed, it seems, to the causality of the collision.

Lewis, now 18, will face sentencing at Swansea Crown Court in October and was remanded on bail by magistrates at Llanelli.
A Turkish court ordered an Austrian student and journalist to be kept in jail ahead of a trial on terror charges following his detention last week, his lawyer said on Friday. Max Zirngast, who writes for the far-left German-language magazine Re:volt, was detained in Ankara on September 11 and formally arrested by the Ankara court late Thursday, his lawyer Tamer Dogan told AFP. Zirngast, 29, was charged with being a member of an extreme leftist terror organisation, Dogan added. He had previously published articles on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984. The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. The Austrian has been in Turkey for three years and was a masters student at Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in the political sciences department. He is accused of being a member of the Turkish Communist Party (TKP)/Kivilcim group, which is banned by Turkey as a terror organisation. Two other suspects, Hatice Goz and Mithatcan Turetken, were also kept in jail by the court in the capital on the same charge. But the lawyer and student claimed such an organisation "doesn't exist". "Max has no links with any illegal organisation," Dogan said, adding that the student rejected the allegations against him. "He is a journalist working in the scope of the law," the lawyer insisted, saying Zirngast had also written for jacobinmag.com and leftist German daily junge Welt. Zirngast defended himself in Turkish, refusing a translator. Police asked Zirngast about books he had by leftwing intellectuals but he insisted he also had books of different political stances and literature texts, according to court testimony obtained by AFP. Lawyer Dogan said the student had researched Hikmet Kivilcimli, a Turkish communist leader and Marxist intellectual, and was asked by authorities why he conducted such research. He said it was for a university presentation. Since the July 2016 attempted coup and subsequent arrest and conviction of journalists for alleged terror links, rights activists have condemned Ankara's violations of freedom of expression. The arrest of Zirngast further risks increasing tensions between Ankara and Vienna, which has angered Turkey by calling for a freeze in its EU membership talks.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday said he hoped that Myanmar's government will pardon two Reuters journalists who were sentenced to seven years in jail after they reported on massacres in Rakhine state. Guterres said it was "not acceptable" for Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, to be jailed "for what they were doing" as journalists in Myanmar. "It is my deep belief that that should not happen, and I hope that the government will be able to provide a pardon to release them as quickly as possible," he told a press conference at UN headquarters in New York. Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week said that the two journalists were not convicted because of their work but because they broke the law. "They were not jailed because they were journalists" but because "the court has decided that they had broken the Official Secrets Act," she said in her first direct comments on the issue. The Reuters reporters had denied the charges, insisting they were set up while exposing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims in the village of Inn Din in September last year. The case has sparked an international outcry and is seen as an attempt to muzzle reporting on last year's crackdown by Myanmar's security forces on the Muslim Rohingya minority in Rakhine state. UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet has said the jailing of the pair "sends a message to all journalists in Myanmar that they cannot operate fearlessly, but must rather make a choice to either self-censor or risk prosecution." UN chief Antonio Guterres said it was "not acceptable" for Reuters journalists Wa Lone (front) and Kyaw Soe Oo (C-back) to be jailed in Myanmar for doing their jobs
What are pollinators and why are they important? That question was asked of students on the yellow trail at Conservation Field Days held this week at Emerson Park. Before we explore that question, an explanation of Conservation Field Days.

Conservation Field Days is organized by the Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District and has been providing local sixth-grade classes a hands-on experience to complement their classroom learning for several decades. Each class moves from station to station on one of three trails, where instructors provide a 25-minute presentation on conservation-related topics. Instructors are conservation-minded community volunteers and staff from nature centers or educational institutions.

This year, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County had three staff instructing: Do You Eat Like a Cow? presented by 4-H youth educator Dorothy Slegle, Pollination Parade by me and Conservation vs. Preservation by agriculture educator Keith Severson.

So, now that youve had time to ponder the question posed to sixth-graders earlier this week on the yellow trail, lets take a look at pollinators and their importance.

Hopefully, we all recall that plants flower at some point in their life cycle in order to reproduce. Not all flowers are pollinated in the same way. Flowers have evolved over time and developed specialized parts, shapes, colors, scents and other characteristics to attract pollinators.

The special characteristics of flowers will attract different pollinators. Pollinators include, but are not limited to animals, birds and insects that spread pollen from flower to flower. Globally, insects are the most common pollinators, moving pollen from plant to plant. Bees and butterflies are most often identified as pollinators, but there are other insects that also function as significant pollinators as well.

Unbelievably, beetles are credited to be the earliest prehistoric pollinators and are thought to have been doing so for about 150 million years, which is about 50 million years earlier than bees! Beetles that frequent primarily magnolia and water lily flowers for pollination purposes have been observed to chew and eat parts of the plants they pollinate.

Cayuga County students learn in nature at Conservation Field Days OWASCO  For Pat Burke, speaking to children about nature is one thing, but he believes stu

Some species of wasps visit flowers. Wasps are considered to be less efficient pollinators when compared to their cousin the bee, as they do not have body hairs, which bees have to help carry pollen from flower to flower. Worldwide, there are some very specific wasps pollinating flowers. The most notable is the fig wasp, which pollinates tiny flowers inside the developing fig fruit. Without the fig wasps, there most likely would not be any figs to eat!

Most people consider flies to be a pest, especially at a picnic. Yet there are many flies that prefer to feed on flowers, providing pollination services when visiting these flowers. There are some colder regions in the world, like the Arctic regions and high mountain ranges, where bees are not active and flies become the main pollinators.

Also, midges are a type of fly often the size of a pinhead. There are two families of midges that are responsible for the pollination of the cacao flower from which chocolate is produced. In other words, without these two types of midges, we would have a world without chocolate!

Another pest that we might not associate with pollination are mosquitoes. Both male and female mosquitoes will drink the sugary nectar from flowers for energy; in doing so, they will collect pollen and transfer it to the next flower they visit for nectar. In the tropics, there are specific mosquitoes that pollinate specific species of orchids.

In addition to bees, butterflies are given most of the credit for pollination but their moth cousins are good pollinators as well. Most moths are active at night and will pollinate flowers that are open at night. Most of the evening, flowers provide a sweet fragrance to help attract the moths. The jasmine flower is a good example. Along with moths, after dark, bats will pollinate flowers in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands; fruit bats come to mind in this case!

Finally, everyones favorite small migratory bird, the hummingbird, is well-known as a pollinator looking for flowers that have deep tubes to insert their tongues for nectar while gathering and transferring pollen to other flowers they visit.

Flowers have been attracting pollinators for a long time and have developed specialized ways to attract them. Without the assistance of pollinators, most plants cannot produce fruits and seeds that are an important food source for both people and wildlife.

Judy Wright is a senior resource educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County. For more information, visit cce.cornell.edu or call (315) 255-1183.

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AUBURN  The Auburn City Council unanimously approved a contract to pay the Auburn Downtown Business Improvement District $90,000 to operate the the Equal Rights Heritage Center from its scheduled opening at the end of October through June 2019.

BID Executive Director Stephanie DeVito will work at the center as the operations manager, in addition to her role as head of the BID. She will oversee the operations of the building and the staff members.

The city budgeted $147,365 in general funds for the current fiscal year's budget to run the center. Of that, $90,000 will go the BID, $30,000 will be for utilities, $10,000 to pay city staff to maintain the building and $5,000 for operating supplies, City Clerk Chuck Mason explained to The Citizen on Monday. About $10,000 has been set aside in case of unforeseen expenses. In April, the city received a $50,000 grant from the state to put toward operating costs.

Most of the money paid to BID will go toward hiring one full-time visitor experience manager and between two and six part-time and seasonal staff members, Mason said Thursday during the city council meeting.

"Being that it's a visitor information center and tourism center, it's a people business and will require hiring people to be able to work and be in the building," Mason said.

Following the meeting, DeVito that interviews have been completed for the management position, but no job offer has been made. Once the BID board of directors approves the agreement on Tuesday, DeVito said she will make a decision. The city hired a staffing firm, Hire One, to find qualified candidates, DeVito said, and city employees were part of a committee that interviewed candidates.

The contract between the city and BID will go into effect on Sept. 25 and expire on June 30, 2019.

"A lot is going to be learned over the next nine months," Mason said. "That's why we recommend that this contract be written between now and June 30 because when we go back to sit down next spring to talk about future operations, we're going to take everything that we've learned in the first six months and come up with a contract for the second year and beyond. We anticipate a lot of things will change."

Councilor Jimmy Giannettino said he has heard many city residents question why this welcome center is necessary.

Tourism is the county's largest economic driver, bringing millions of dollars into the local economy. The center, Giannettino said, will bring tourists to Auburn and Cayuga County. In July and August of this year, over 6,000 people from all over the United States and even some from overseas came to visit the Harriet Tubman National Park, he said.

"I don't think we can say enough how important those numbers are, how important that revenue is, how important telling the story we have to tell across multiple (historic and cultural) sites is," Giannettino said.

In other news

 The Auburn Fire Department will be getting a new truck and new equipment.

The department was awarded a $635,290 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase a new rescue truck, as well as a $15,910 grant from the same agency to purchase new breathing apparatus.

Both of those grants require a 10-percent city match, so the city will have to provide $63,529 for the truck and $1,590 toward the equipment to receive the grants. The equipment grant will allow the department to purchase new breathing masks for the every firefighter.

The total cost of the new rescue truck is just under $800,000, Chief Joe Morabito said, so the city will be responsible for paying the remaining $165,000 the grant does not cover. The truck has an estimated lifespan of 30 years.

Morabito acknowledged that it is a lot of money to spend, but pointed out that the truck was not scheduled to be replaced until 2022 and by that time, the cost would be much higher than it is now, probably close to $1 million. He said steel tariffs put in place by the federal government have driven up the cost to manufacture fire trucks.

"We're not asking for anything spectacular with the truck," Morabito said. "We're asking for pretty much a basic truck that will allow us to do what we do for another 30 years."

The new rescue truck will be used to respond to calls that involve hazardous materials and rope rescue, as well as ice and swift-water rescue.

The chief said he has already received an inquiry from a fire department in Ecuador who wants to purchase the old truck once the new one arrives, which Morabito said will likely be by next October. Money from sale of the old truck will be used to offset the cost to the city.

Staff writer Natalie Brophy can be reached at (315)282-2239 or natalie.brophy@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie.

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A Cortland County farmer pleaded guilty Friday to a variety of child labor violations in connection to the death of a 14-year-old boy crushed by heavy machinery while working at the dairy.

In court Friday, Luke Park, owner of the Park Family Farm, admitted in Cortland County Court court that the boy, Alex Smith, was killed while operating a piece of equipment with a hydraulic lift and fork attachment, which is explicitly prohibited by child labor laws.

Park Family Farm pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child, the willful failure to pay a contribution to the unemployment of insurance fund and the prohibited employment of a minor, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced in a release.

"This incident is a tragic reminder that child labor laws exist for a reason. My office will continue to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who puts a minor in harm's way," Underwood said in the release.

Smith's body was found pinned underneath the lift and a bale of hay, with the machine's engine still running, Park admitted, according to the release.

Park also admitted to to employing Smith and other minors on the dairy farm and requiring them to work approximately 60 hours a week, which the release notes exceeds the 48 hour per week maximum for 16- and 17-year-olds when school is not in session.

A majority of Park's employees were also paid off-the-books, resulting in underpayment to Unemployment Insurance Contributions of approximately $10,500, according to the release.

"Of all the labor violations we see, those against children are some of the most abhorrent. Endangering the welfare of New York's children by violating labor laws is absolutely unacceptable," said state Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon in the release. "Children are our most valuable asset and compliance with the Child Labor Law is not discretionary  it's mandatory."

Park is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Jan 3., 2019.

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An educator who dealt with an American tragedy first-hand is set to speak in Weedsport.

Frank DeAngelis, who was the principal of Columbine High School in Colorado at the time of the 1999 shootings, will hold a community forum Wednesday at Weedsport Junior-Senior High School, according to a press release. DeAngelis speaks internationally to various school and professional audiences about recovery in the wake of a school tragedy. He will also speak to the students and staff before the forum.

The shootings, in which two gunmen killed 12 students and one teacher, sparked a cultural conversation on gun control, school safety and violence in popular culture.

National mass shooting research expert Jaclyn Schildkraut will also speak with students and staff earlier in the day Wednesday but will not be speaking publicly. Weedsport principal Brett Fingland said in the press release he is pleased DeAngelis and Schildkraut are coming to the school.

In todays climate, you can never be too careful when it comes to student and staff safety. And this is just another measure were taking to educate ourselves and our learning community," Fingland said.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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AUBURN  New permits governing large livestock farms in New York being developed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation in response to a lawsuit over federal clean water rules will not affect Cayuga County.

The DEC recently unveiled a draft version of new permits for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs, developed in response to a ruling from the state Supreme Court that found existing permits violated the federal Clean Water Act.

The complaint centered around the fact that CWA CAFOs were required to develop nutrient management plans but were allowed to have those plans both developed and checked for compliance by private contractors instead of state experts. The groups also alleged the permits did not sufficiently ensure manure be kept out of surface water.

The new draft would require CWA CAFOs to submit their nutrient management plans for review and approval prior to implementation.

With the public comment period on the draft opened on Sept. 7 and set to close Oct. 11, many local groups involved in water quality and concerned with the potential impact of manure discharge from such large farms sought to provide their input on the rules.

But any changes made to CAFO Clean Water Act permits will have no bearing on Cayuga County, as none of the farms in the area, or in the nine-county Region 7 the DEC includes Cayuga in, are governed by such permits.

In fact, just 21 farms throughout the state are permitted under the Clean Water Act CAFO General permit, according to the DEC. The remaining 477 CAFO farms are covered under the state Environmental Conservation Law General permit.

Multiple members of the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council were surprised to learn this when meeting Tuesday, with several expressing concern that the new requirements for CWA CAFOs weren't being applied across the board.

After some discussion, the council voted unanimously to draft a letter to submit to the DEC, as well as state and federal representatives, asking for the new rules to apply to both types of permit.

The primary difference between whether a farm is permitted under the CWA or ECL revolves around manure discharge.

ECL permits are issued to CAFOs with a point source that is, according to the DEC website, "designed, constructed, operated and maintained to not discharge manure or process wastewater..."

CWA permits, on the other hand, are required for any CAFO with a specified point source for manure discharge.

A point source, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is "any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack." Nonpoint sources are defined as resulting from more general sources like land runoff, precipitation, drainage, seepage or other factors.

For example, a similar system requires municipalities to notify the state and the public when wastewater is discharged, as the city of Auburn did earlier this month after a heavy rain event.

Both types of permits were developed with significant input from both the agricultural and environmental communities, according to the DEC, and both have multiple requirements designed to ensure proper management of nutrients to protect water quality.

In the event of any manure discharges, overflows or any other incident, CAFOs are reported to inform the DEC regardless of the permit type.

Also, in contrast to the proposed requirements in the CWA draft permit, ECL CAFOs are not required to submit nutrient management plans, but must keep them onsite and provide them to DEC staff during inspections for review.

Tonya Van Slyke, executive director with the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, which represents several dairy CAFOs in Cayuga County, said the state's ECL permits already come with more rules and requirements than the federal permit.

"In order for a state to have its own permit, they have to design a permit that's stricter and more robust," Van Slyke said.

For example, according to the DEC's fact sheet on ECL CAFOs, the permit requires farms to develop Wet Weather Standard Operating Procedure Plans, determined by a certified planner, that prevents discharges to surface waters up to, and including a 100-year, 24-hour storm event. Likewise, waste storage structures are required to be designed, operated and maintained to standards for a 25-year, 24-hour storm.

During the many public presentations and discussions on water quality in Cayuga County in recent years, local farmers often cite the other measures they take to reduce manure runoff, frequently cited as a contributor to harmful algal blooms.

Greg Rejman, of Sunnyside Farms dairy, for example, said in July that Cayuga County has the highest concentration of farms using manure injection, which helps prevent surface runoff, in the state.

Environmental advocates, however, say the ECL permits still aren't enough.

Peter Lehner, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization that represented several complainants in the CWA case, said the requirements for manure lagoons in particular were inadequate and outdated, and state law wrongly even required nutrient management plans not be disclosed in some instances.

"How can a community protect itself if the biggest source of pollution is not public about the information?" Lehner said in a phone interview.

Lehner, along with associate attorney Alexis Andiman, pointed specifically to the recent tropical storm, which the New York Times reports caused 110 manure lagoons to either discharge or be at risk of doing so, with multiple others either giving way or overflowing.

"The big storms are coming more frequently and lagoons that are designated under standards that are frankly antiquated are going to discharge more often, but they are still claiming they don't discharge," Lehner said.

Additionally, Lehner expressed concern at the recent change in the number of CWA CAFOs. According to approximate numbers from the DEC, 238 CAFOs were covered by the CWA permit versus 279 by the ECL permit, compared to 21 and 477, respectively, today.

The public comment period for the draft is set to close on Oct. 11. CAFOs under the CWA permit will need to re-apply for coverage, but can continue to operate under the current version until July of next year.

The ECL CAFO General permit is set to expire in 2022, at which time the state will consider revisions to that permit.

Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin.

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Union members continued to express concerns about possible restrictions to attending Cayuga Community College Board of Trustees' monthly meetings in light of the college's new meeting time change.

The board approved a resolution last month to alter the meeting time from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. At the new morning time Thursday, Lorelee Lardear, typist and switchboard operator for CCC's Fulton campus and a member of the Educational Support Professionals union, criticized the decision at the public comment portion of the meeting.

Though she said she considers the college her "home away from home," she believes the meeting change limits employees' and community members' ability to attend. Lardear and many of CCC's trustees and administration were at the college's Fulton campus, as the meeting was being simulcasted.

Board chair Linda Van Buskirk said she sympathized, but said the decision was made to ensure every trustee could attend each meeting. She said at the last meeting that the 5 p.m. time made it difficult for trustees Stephanie Hutchinson and Pat Mahunik to attend. She said she hopes difficulties with the time change can be worked out.

"All the trustees serve many hours for absolutely no compensation, and the evening meeting holds substantial familiar hardships to their own personal families," Van Buskirk said.

The 5 p.m. time had been in place since it was changed from 6 p.m. in December 2017. Trustee John Camardo opposed the change at the August meeting, citing concerns over 8 a.m. being too unmanageable for union members and community members. Jo Ann Harris and Debbi Purcell, the professionals union president and vice president, respectively, said at the time they were worried the move would effectively shut the union out of meetings.

After Thursday's meeting, Purcell said her understanding of the situation was that the administration would allow unions to be able to bring in two representatives for the meetings. She also said that her understanding is that employees would have to use compensation or personal time to be able to go to the meetings. She doesn't think she will be able to continuously attend meetings by using her time.

Purcell said she feels that going to the meetings would be cutting into her work time, and that she feels trustees should adjust their schedules to meet the time commitment the positions require.

"Nobody covered my tush when I had children and I had to find day care for evening meetings," Purcell said.

CCC president Brian Durant said the administration wants employees to feel "engaged and informed" and not excluded from meetings. He said the college has reached out to union representatives to find ways unions can still be involved. He said the college posts meeting times and puts meeting agendas and minutes online, and will make webcasts of meetings available online in the future. Durant said he hopes using technology will help increase public engagement on trustee happenings in the future.

In regard to the possibility of community members being unable to attend the meetings due to the 8 a.m. start, Durant said public attendance to meetings has been consistently minimal, and said he and trustees are available if people have concerns with the college.

While the meeting time will remain this year, Durant said, the college will be listening to public opinion and could revisit the time change in the future.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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Three people were killed Thursday morning in a shooting at a Rite Aid distribution center in northeast Maryland, officials said.
City

 Tabitha N. Ferguson, 37, 10636 Shortcut Road, Cato, was charged Sept. 17 with petit larceny.

 Hector O. Cabrera, 36, 28 Florence St., Auburn, was picked up Sept. 18 on an arrest warrant and charged with second-degree criminal contempt.

 Alexandria M. Barnard, 27, 37 Olympia Ave., Apt. B31, Auburn, was picked up Sept. 18 on an arrest warrant and charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

 Jennifer L. Dakota, 29, 14 Seymour St., Auburn, was charged Sept. 19 with second-degree burglary, petit larceny and three counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

 Nicole L . Errico, 29, 3 Mattie Place, Auburn, was charged Sept. 20 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

 Brianna L. Bell, 20, 54 N. Division St., Auburn, was picked up on a warrant Sept. 20 and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny with

 Aiden B. Rubeck, 20, 101 Quill Ave., Apt. W132, Auburn, was picked up Sept. 20 on a bench warrant.

State

 Reginald C. Townsend, 46, Port Byron, was charged Sept. 17 with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

 Brian M. Williams, 22, was charged Sept. 17 with petit larceny.

 Tiffany A. Garrigan, 30, Union Springs, was charged Sept. 17 with petit larceny and third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

 Matthew D. Oropallo, 24, Auburn, was charged Sept. 17 with third-degree grand larceny and first-degree falsifying business records.

 Mary V. Oliver, 43, Marietta, was charged Sept. 19 with driving while intoxicated first offense and operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of at least .08 of 1-percent.

 Caitlyn J. Mahar, 26, Cato, was charged Sept. 19 with second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest.

 Chad P. Clements, 22, Cato, was charged Sept. 20 with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

 Charles J. Gordon, 49, Port Byron, was charged Sept. 20 with first-degree operation of a motor vehicle impaired by drugs.

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I am absolutely appalled that Visiting Professor Dana Balter has refused to step down from the radical left group, CNY Solidarity Coalition, following its unwarranted protest of workers at Syracuses Lockheed Martin. For years, Lockheed Martin has been critical to central New Yorks economy, providing good-paying jobs that have support hundreds of families in the district.

Despite this reality, Dana Balter, a principle founder of CNY Solidarity Coalition, has failed to denounce this groups troublesome left-wing antics and has instead elected to quietly endorse the protest of these workers livelihoods.

Any candidate who is serious about representing this district should be encouraging jobs, not showing patronage to a group whose values clearly run counter to central New York.

If this is any indication to how Balter would operate if elected to Congress, voters shouldnt be surprised if she uses her official authority to continue shaming workers and employers in central New York.

James McKeen

Auburn

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An experimental film by the Hong Kong based director Scudthe name used professionally by filmmaker Danny Cheng Wan-Cheung, whose Chinese name reportedly translates in English as Scudding Cloudschronicles, as The Chicago Reader described, a hapless, down-on-his-luck actor in Beijing as he becomes a popular gay porn star.

The movie, Adonis, will receive a rare United States screening on September 25 at Reeling 2018, the second-longest running LGBTQ+ film festival in the world, premiering queer-centric films that can't be found anywhere else, according to the Readers description of the event. This year, the festivals 36th, began yesterday, September 20, and runs until September 30 at various movie theaters and locations around Chicago.

According to Steve Warren, film critic at Chicagos LGBTQ newspaper The Windy City Times, the story spans the 30 years of Yang Ke (played as an adult by Adonis He Fei), but in random order. There's a recurring scene where he's naked in the woods, surrounded by 30 men who are also naked except for face paint and masks. There are flashbacks to Ke's early life with his mother.

In an interview last year with the site FilmDoo, Scud took a more philosophical approach to the subject matter of his film, then titled Thirty Years of Adonis.

The film visualizes and envisions Tibetan Buddhisms fundamental values and its version of life and afterlife, the director, who is one of Chinas most-acclaimed LGBTQ moviemakers, said. Ive found them closest to my belief so borrow to explore the ultimate question of life: what do we live for after all?

In addition to He Fei, who plays the lead character, the cast also includes the well-known Chinese gay porn star Eric East in a supporting role.

You will never find another man like him, Scud told the Chinese gay news site GagaTai. Although he only appears for a few minutes, he plays a very important role. I need the audience to recognize him.

Scud himself will be on hand for the screening, which will mark the films North American Premiere, September 25 at 7 p.m. Central Time. For more information on tickets and screening locations for Reeling 2018, visit the festivals site at this link.

Photo of Scud by Artwalker Limited/Wikimedia Commons
On Thursday, Ed Whelan, president of a conservative think tank and longtime friend of Brett Kavanaugh, swooped onto Twitter to defend Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee from an attempted rape allegation against him, an allegation that threatens Kavanaughs chances of confirmation to the highest court in the nation.

But in his lengthy Twitter thread, Whelan named a third person whom he claimed bore a strong physical resemblance to Kavanaugh, and who Whelan claimed may have committed the attempted rape. But apart from the alleged physical resemblance and the fact that the other man was a high-school classmate of Kavanaugh, Whelan presented no evidence to connect the third person to the attack.

By Friday morning, Whelan had deleted his thread, and posted on Twitter with an apology of sorts.

I made an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment in posting the tweet thread in a way that identified Kavanaugh's Georgetown Prep classmate. I take full responsibility for that mistake, and I deeply apologize for it. I realize that does not undo the mistake, Whelan wrote.

The Whelan claims, however, had already created what Vox.com called a second Kavanaugh scandal.

"This isnt a case of a fringe conspiracy theory. Whelan is a well-connected guy in Republican legal circles with a long history of working on judicial nominations," wrote Vox.com reporter Zack Beauchamp. It raises serious questions as to whether anyone in the White House or Congress knew about or helped coordinate the potentially libelous tweetstorm. Its even possible that Kavanaugh himself was involved."

There have been signs that Kavanaugh may have been involved with formulating the mistaken identity defense that ended up accusing a presumably innocent person of a sexual assault that Kavanaugh has been accused of committing. According to The Washington Post, Kavanaugh and his allies have been privately discussing a defense that would not question whether an incident involving Ford happened, but instead would raise doubts that the attacker was Kavanaugh, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

In addition, two days prior to Whelans tweetstorm, a top aide to Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, a longtime member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, posted to his own Twitter account saying, Keep an eye on Eds tweets the next few days.

Hatch himself told reporters on September 17 that he believed that Kavanaughs accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, was mixed up and mistaking Kavanaugh for another man. According to CNBC reporter John Harwood, Kavanaugh floated [the] mistaken-identity theory to Orrin Hatch two days before Whelan tweeted details.

Blasey Ford flatly denied that she had mistaken Kavanaugh for the other man, telling The Washington Post that she knew them both, and that there was zero chance she would have confused the other man for Kavanaugh.

Conservative political author Max Boot said in a Washington Post op-ed that Kavanaugh himself must answer for Whelans unfounded accusations.

This is McCarthyism reduxand if Kavanaugh is revealed to have any connection to the propagation of this loathsome falsehood, he should be voted down overwhelmingly by the Senate, Boot wrote.

Another conservative author and Naval War College professor, Tom Nichols, also called for Kavanaughs nomination to be withdrawn if he had anything to do with Whelans tweets.

Kavanaugh can clear this part of the current crapstorm up by saying: I had no part in this thing Whelan did, I do not endorse it, and have never suggested anyone take such a story forward, Nichols wrote. If he can't say that, he should be done.

Steve Schmidt, who ran the 2008 presidential campaign of Republican nominee John McCain, also said that Kavanaugh should be held accountable for Whelans accusations, adding that if the Supreme Court nominee knew anything about them in advance, it utterly and irrevocably disqualifies him as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court. I hope.

But Donald Trump also registered his opinion on Friday, ignoring the Whelan Twitter scandal, and instead attempting to cast doubt on Blasey Fords accusations.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents, Trump stated on Twitter. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!

But unreported rapes and rape attempts are common. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, more than 200,000 rapes and sexual assaults go unreported each year. The many reasons why victims would not report a rape or sexual assault, according to a report by Psychology Today, include fear of consequences, shame, and even denialwith the victim persuading herself that the attack wasnt a big deal.

Photo via Executive Office of the President of the United States/Wikimedia Commons Public Domain
Krispy Kreme has partnered with soft drinks brand Vimto to create two limited-edition doughnuts for Halloween.

The Vimto Shimmer will be filled with Vimto flavour frosting while the Vimto Ring features a signature Krispy Kreme ring doughnut hand-dipped in Vimto icing. It is the first time the global doughnut brand has partnered with a soft drinks brand.

Available from 15 October across all UK Krispy Kreme stores and cabinets, the doughnuts will be baked fresh each morning.

The duo will be accompanied by Krispy Kremes Halloween range, which features a new purple-iced doughnut for the occasion.

Emma Colquhoun, Krispy Kreme chief marketing officer, added: We target an audience who we define as live-a-lotters  people who celebrate fun, special moments and live their taste experiences to the full. This certainly aligns to the Vimto spirit and were delighted to partner with them for these great additions to our range.

The launch will be supported by marketing activity, including a social media campaign, digital content, in-store POS and sampling.

It comes a few days after Krispy Kreme announced a collaboration with Lotus Biscoff on a Smores doughnut.
Operations at Irwins Bakery in Northern Ireland will not be impacted by a workers strike over pay, chief executive Michael Murphy has said today (21 September).

Members of the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) voted to strike following a postal ballot over rates of pay and changes to the companys sick pay scheme.

The industrial action is scheduled to start next Wednesday (26 September) and last a week.

Irwins Bakery has been in close liaison with the BFAWU in recent weeks with the aim of resolving a query, brought by the 80 union members of our workforce. Of this group, 42 employees voted in favour of industrial action, said Murphy.

We are confident the planned industrial action will not impact upon our business operationally and we have sufficient resource in place to ensure there is no disruption to our customer base.

He added that the business has 330 employees and hopes union members will recognise Irwins commitment to working with them on the specific concerns of their members.

Union members had rejected changes to the company sick pay scheme and an offer of 21p on all pay rates, said Laura Graham, Northern Ireland regional officer for BFAWU.

She added that, while the offer seems to be in line with current pay increases, workers are on a consolidated hourly rate that includes overtime and most statutory holidays. These members have decided that this rate is no longer benefiting them and the increases being applied are not keeping up with the National Living Wage.

Further talks are taking place with Irwins and a union meeting of members is happening this weekend ahead of the planned action.

The door is open for negotiations and I am hopeful we can reach an agreement, added Murphy.
Suicidal Chocowinity Man Apprehended on Vidant Property, Highland Drive

Publisher's note: I was out this morning, returning to my office, at around 9:00 am, and saw the incident occurring just outside of the right-of-way on Highland Drive. What I observed, as I rode by on Highland Drive, was a confrontation of about 8 officers, with weapons drawn, triangulating the possible assailant (possibly to himself). I'm happy it was resolved with no one losing their life.



Press release:



On Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at about 3:00 pm Beaufort County Deputies took custody of a 59 year old suicidal Chocowinity man. After securing the necessary court order the man was taken to Vidant Beaufort for a psychological evaluation.



At about 9:00 am Thursday the same man was released from Vidant Hospital and shortly after Vidant Police found themselves in a standoff with the man who was armed with a knife and again threatening suicide. Beaufort County Deputies responded to Vidant's call for assistance and after a brief standoff, using a taser Deputies were able to disarm him. During the incident the unidentified man was not injured. He was returned to Vidant for further evaluation.



Contact: Lieutenant Jim VanLandingham

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office  Criminal Investigations Division



210 N. Market St.

Washington NC, 27889

Cell (252) 943-1507  Office (252) 946-7111


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Illinois Clean Energy and Nuclear Plant Subsidies Upheld

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld subsidies passed by the state of Illinois in 2016 to support clean and nuclear energy producers in the state.

The state law, as the challengers alleged, allowed in state energy producers to undercut out of state producers in the federally regulated interstate energy auction markets, thereby violating a federal law preventing states from interfering with interstate energy commerce. However, as the appellate court found, the Illinois law didn't infringe upon the interstate energy trade as much as it just gave in state producers more of an incentive to produce clean energy.

Interference Versus Effect

While the appellate and district courts recognized that the Illinois law certainly has an effect on the interstate auction market, it noted that there is a difference between passing a law that helps in state producers compete and passing a law designed to manipulate the federal auction market.

The appellate court explained that, following Hughes, there is "a line between state laws whose effect depends on a utility's participation in an interstate auction (forbidden) and state laws that do not so depend but that may affect auctions (allowed)." In this case, that line was not crossed.

As industry insiders explain, if the case had gone the other way, there could have been significant ramifications nationwide, as many states have clean energy programs that could be seen as interfering rather than just having an effect on the interstate energy trade.

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Pennsylvania Gambling Contributions Law Struck Down

Gambling has come a long way in Pennsylvania, once known more for Amish settlements than for casinos.

Today, Pennsylvania takes in more tax dollars from casinos than any other state in the country. It's a multi-billion dollar business.

Lawmakers got a little nervous about potential corruption and banned political donations from the gambling industry. A judge said they can't do that -- at least not that much.

Attenuated Connection

Judge Sylvia Rambo struck the donations ban, but left the door open for the Legislature to revise the law.

"The court holds only that the ban in its current form goes much further than necessary to achieve its stated purpose of eliminating corruption and the appearance of corruption," she said.

Rambo said lawmakers could more strictly define who is subject to the ban. In its current form, the law bans contributions of any amount by people with "even an attenuated connection" to the industry."

The law came in when the state legalized casinos in 2004, but the state Supreme Court struck down the ban in 2009. The Legislature restored it months later, and today there are 12 casinos and one under construction in the state.

The Sands and Lady Luck

According to reports, Pennsylvania is second only to Nevada for gross revenue from commercial casinos. With $1.4 billion in the last fiscal year, the state took in the most tax revenue from casino gambling anywhere in the United States.

The latest challenge to the Pennsylvania law was filed by local casino owners. Pasquale Deon owns a stake in the Sands Casino, and Maggie Hardy Magerko's family owns the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort with the Lady Luck Casino.

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Young Brett Kavanaugh belonged to a wild fraternity at Yale that was reviled for misogyny and drunken woman-degrading antics.

Allegations of sexual assault follow more than half a dozen DKE members, including its president. And now, Brett Kavanaugh.

This archival photograph from the year Kavanaugh was a sophomore at the University, and already inducted into the fraternity, kind of says all you need to know about rape culture.

This photograph appeared in the Yale Daily News on Jan. 18, 1985. You can view a higher resolution version on the Yale Daily News website.

Kavanaugh does not appear in the photograph. DKE pledges are "fondly known as 'buttholes,'" according to the caption.

The Yale Daily News says the photo shows Brett Kavanaugh's DKE fraternity brothers "waving a flag woven from women's underwear as part of a procession of DKE initiates marching across Yale's campus."

DKE is a Yale fraternity known for misogynist antics, and the more than half a dozen sexual assault allegations against its members, including the fraternity's former President.

In a Facebook comment on the YaleWomen page, Jennifer Lew '87, a classmate of Kavanaugh's, says DKE frat bros used to raid women's rooms when they were in class to collect their bras and panties.

Psychologist Dr. Christine Blasey Ford says Kavanaugh tried to sexually assault her at a high school party almost 40 years ago.

Although the flag may seem shocking by today's standards, the photograph appeared in 1985 under the tongue-in-cheek headline "DKE AT PLAY." At the time of the escapades, Kavanaugh  who does not appear in the photo  was a sophomore, already inducted into the fraternity. In a letter to the editor published in the News three days later, a Yale student, Rachel Eisler '86, charged that DKE's pledge antics "demean women." She wrote that she approached one of the pledges carrying the flag to ask whether any briefs or jockstraps were affixed to the pole. "Well, I didn't make it," the pledge responded, according to the letter. He then said he doubted that any "guys' stuff" would be woven into the flag. "'But hey,'" he told the female student, according to the letter. "'Your panties might be here!" Steve Gallo '88, a member of DKE's 1985 pledge class, said on Wednesday that the flag "was just somebody's stupid idea" and that the underwear was "obtained consensually." During the fraternity's "pledge week," he recalled, the frat's upperclassmen would send the new recruits out "for fun to talk to Yale women on their behalf." Occasionally, he said, DKE brothers would send new recruits on "scavenger hunts" to find specific objects on campus. "Pledges might ask for help from women they knew  or maybe the guy who sent them knew  to complete an item on the list," Gallo said. "I am almost certain that is where any women's undergarments would have come from  women people knew donating them willingly to play along." In addition to DKE, Kavanaugh also belonged to Truth and Courage, one of Yale's secret societies for seniors. Among some students, the all-male club, which was popular with athletes, was known by the nickname "Tit and Clit." Truth and Courage fizzled out of existence in the early 2010s. But since Kavanaugh's graduation in 1987, DKE's reputation for mistreating women at Yale has only grown. Yale banned DKE from campus for five years in 2011 after videos circulated of fraternity recruits chanting "no means yes, yes means anal" in front of the University's Women's Center.

As the article notes, there doesn't appear to be any record of Kavanaugh speaking publicly about his time in the DKE fraternity.

But Kavanaugh did give a speech to Yale Law School's Federalist Society in 2014 in which he recalled "falling out of [a] bus onto the front steps of the Yale Law School at about 4:45 a.m." after a night of bar-hopping in Boston, according to a partial transcript.

PS: While we're at it:

A top professor at Yale Law School who strongly endorsed supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as a "mentor to women" privately told a group of law students last year that it was "not an accident" that Kavanaugh's female law clerks all "looked like models" and would provide advice to students about their physical appearance if they wanted to work for him, the Guardian has learned.
Jordan Peterson, the Jungian psychologist, vaguely Gorean guru of the "masculine spirit" and crusader against political correctness, has threatened to sue author Kate Manne and Vox.com over an interview where she described portions of his book as sexist.

Manne is an author and Cornell University assistant professor. Howard Levitt, Peterson's lawyer, demanded that the interview, posted as "A feminist philosopher makes the case against Jordan Peterson", be removed from the internet.

Irin Carmon reports:

Among the statements Levitt objected to: Manne's contention that Peterson's book included "some really eyebrow-raising, authoritarian-sounding, and even cruel things," as well as her observation that "it doesn't seem accidental that [Peterson's] skepticism about objective facts arises when it's conveniently anti-feminist." The lawyer and his client were equally unhappy with this line: "I also suspect that for many of Peterson's readers, the sexism on display above is one tool among many to make forceful, domineering moves that are typical of misogyny."

I haven't read the book Manne discussed, but among the other things Peterson is famous for is suggesting that women who wear makeup to work are hypocrites if they then complain about sexual harassment. He works, in this respect, as a gooey strand of connective tissue between the superficies of academia and the little feminine things that enrage weak men everyday.

Vox has no plans to remove its interview with Manne.

Vox's Sean Illing wrote that he interviewed Manne precisely because she, "unlike many Peterson critics, actively engaged with his ideas." Says Illing of Peterson's saber-rattling, "I found the request absurd and forwarded it to our legal advisers, who confirmed that it was baseless, and then I happily ignored it. We did not alter the piece and we did not take it down."

Peterson is posed often as a free-speech warrior and this threat makes a hypocrite of the poser. But the only people who ever took Peterson seriously as an advocate for free expression are children on Reddit and Bari Weiss.

Instead, this seems to have more to do with another lawsuit Peterson filed, against a Canadian university, over a meeting where a teaching assistant was chastised for using Peterson's videos in class. Peterson said he hopes that this "combination of lawsuits" will make critics "more circumspect in their words"  advice to consider even behind closed doors.

Peterson's threat to Manne is strategic, to make sure that the chill he hopes to impose on one particular academy is fully felt by individual academics eslewhere. He's making sure that everyone is paying attention.

Previously: Jordan Peterson is really easy to make fun of.
Hurricanes Irma and Maria left Puerto Rico in tatters, but it would be a mistake to blame the weather for Puerto Rico's suffering; Puerto Rico was put in harm's way by corrupt governments doing the work of a corrupt finance sector, then abandoned by FEMA, and is now being left to rot without any real effort to rebuild its public services so that they can be privatized and used to extract rent from the island's residents.

As Naomi Klein writes in The Intercept, this wasn't an "Act of God." Men  greedy men  laid off the skilled electrical workers who were needed after the storms; greedy men gave relief contracts to politically connected grifters who pocketed the money and did little or nothing for it; greedy men switched Puerto Rico from growing substistence crops to cash crops, leaving them starving when the island's only port closed; greedy men decided to make the island dependent on fossil fuels rather than solar, wind and waves.

That is why dozens of Puerto Rican organizations, under the banner of JunteGente, are standing together to demand a different future. Not just a little bit better but radically better. Their message is a clear one: that this storm must be a wakeup call, a historic catalyst for a just recovery and just transition to the next economy. Right now. That begins with auditing and ultimately erasing an illegal debt, and firing La Junta because its very existence is an affront to the most basic principles of self-government. Only then will there be the political space to redesign the food, energy, housing, and transportation systems that failed so many  and replace them with institutions that truly serve the Puerto Rican people. This movement for a just recovery draws on local brilliance and protected knowledge to make the most of the richness of the soil, as well as the power of the sun and wind. Today I am reminded of the words of Dalma Cartagena, one of the great leaders of Puerto Rico's agro-ecology movement: "Maria hit us hard. But it made our convictions stronger. Made us know the correct path."



There's Nothing Natural About Puerto Rico's Disaster [Naomi Klein/The Intercept]
- The Trump administration will reduce the ceiling for refugee admission from 45, 000 to 30,000

- This will be the lowest ceiling to be set by the US since 1980

- Of the current 45, 000 refugees allowed into US, 19, 000 spots were allocated to African refugees

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African refugees suffer another blow as the Trump administration plans to lower the admission of refugees in to the United States of America (USA) from beginning of the next fiscal year in October 1, 2018.

In what is expected to be the lowest ceiling for refugee admission since 1980, the numbers will be reduced from the current 45, 000 to 30,000.

READ ALSO: Kelly Khumalo feeling lush: "Jehovah season that is my superpower"

In what is expected to be the lowest ceiling for refugee admission since 1980, the numbers will be reduced from the current 45, 000 to 30,000. Photo: Business Insider

Of the 45, 000 refugees admitted in to the states, 19,000 come from Africa, a number now set to be reduced further, Council on Foreign Relations reported on Thursday, September 20.

Unfortunately, the breakdown of the new admissions for the upcoming fiscal year is not yet available.

Although it is usual for the number of refugees admitted to the US in a given year to approach or even surpass the ceiling, the admissions made in the 2017 fiscal year are reported to be below the ceiling

In what is expected to be the lowest ceiling for refugee admission since 1980, the numbers will be reduced from the current 45, 000 to 30,000. Photo: Business Insider

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The countries from which the largest number of refugees were admitted in the previous fiscal year running from October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018, were the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 6,820, followed by Ethiopia with 261.

Somalia came in third with 250, Burundi came in fourth with 157, and Central African Republic with 136, putting the totals at 9,007.

It was also reported of the total allocated for Africans, 5,000 spots had been allocated to Congolese living in Rwanda and Tanzania, and another 500 allocated to asylum seekers from certain countries with immediate family in the US.

In what is expected to be the lowest ceiling for refugee admission since 1980, the numbers will be reduced from the current 45, 000 to 30,000. Photo: Business Insider

At present, the countries from which refugees were allocated asylum are Burundi, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.

While admission to the States as a refugee is a difficult and time consuming process, eligibility for consideration for admission is determined by U.S. officials on a case by case basis.

The applicant is also required to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution based on criteria such as race, religion, or political or social affiliation.

Having established eligibility, a refugee applicant is vetted by multiple government entities, including the Departments of State and Homeland Security and several security agencies.

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Source: Briefly.co.za
- EFF leader Julius Malemas attempt to have the State retract an incitement case against him suffered a blow

- Malemas lawyer failed to serve the Pretoria High Court with a proper notice to challenge the apartheid era Riotous Assemblies Act

- The matter has been postponed until 12 December 2018

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Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malemas challenge of the constitutionality of the apartheid era Riotous Assemblies Act suffered a minor blow on Thursday. Malemas lawyer failed to serve the Pretoria High Court registrar with the proper notice to challenge the act.

According to the rules of the High Court Malemas lawyer was meant to serve the notice to challenge to the Registrar on time. The notice to challenge is according to court rules meant to be on display for at least 20 days in order to allow other parties to join the challenge. The notice should also detail the nature of Malemas challenge.

READ ALSO: Bathabile Dlamini slams ANC, opens up about patriarchy in the ruling party

The full bench of the Pretoria High Court was forced to postpone Malemas challenge until 12 December because of the missing notice and the strict implementation of court rules and guidelines.

Briefly.co.za gathered that Malemas challenge of the so-called apartheid act stems from two charges of criminal incitement pending against him.

Timeslive.co.za reported that the first charge dates back to shortly after Malema was elected as president of the then relatively young EFF in 2014. The second charge was brought against Malema in 2016.

IOL.co.za reported that the charges relate to Malema allegedly inciting EFF members to occupy land. During his acceptance speech in 2014, Malema told EFF supporters that they should occupy vacant land if they needed land.

At the time Malema said he and his Seshego branch would occupy vacant or unused land in Mpumalanga and he urged his supporters from other regions to do the same. This led AfriForum to lay criminal charges against Malema.

The second charge relates to two alleged instances in 2016 when Malema again urged his supporters in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal to occupy land. Malema immediately moved to challenge the constitutional validity of the act which dates back to 1956.

The EFF leader has always claimed the criminal charges were little more than a political ploy carried out by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Malema publicly criticised the NPA for using an outdated apartheid-era law in a post-democratic South Africa.

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Malema initially asked the High Court to declare the Riotous Assemblies Act unconstitutional in November 2016 but the motion failed to pass muster.

Malema could still be dealt a financial penalty for the delay in the form of a cost order if the court rules that his lawyer was in breach of court rules by failing to give proper notice as set out in rule 16 (A).

The EFF noted that the two pending incitement cases against Malema could not proceed until the High Court had ruled on the constitutionality of the act. The party said if the court agreed that the act was unconstitutional the charges against Malema would be scrapped.

READ ALSO: ANC warns South Africa: Vote for the EFF at your own peril

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Source: Briefly.co.za
News / National

by Staff reporter

THERE is need to change people's work culture and ethics and bury the "no hurry in Africa" attitude if the country is to achieve development targets set by President Mnangagwa in his 2030 vision.Speaking during a meeting with heads of Government departments and other stakeholders on Monday in Mutare, Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba said it was time people changed their work culture and ethics to meet national expectations.Dr Gwaradzimba vowed to work hard to change the fortunes of the province saying Manicaland should be an economic model."I think what is important is to really understand what we are here for, what we have been put in our offices to do and that we have a commitment to the national assignment and agenda," she said."Laziness, sluggishness and insubordination is not my style. We are going to change culture and work ethics to bring the change that people have been yearning for over a long time."Talk of civil servants - they are associated with sluggishness, bossy attitudes and pomposity, uncaring behaviour and arrogance. People dread to come to our offices and they shy away. The kind of feeling that we have among our people is a feeling hopelessness. They have since lost hope in us and that is why the masses of Zimbabwe decided that we need to have change through Operation Restore Legacy."Dr Gwaradzimba said under the new dispensation people were full of hope and anxiety to see how the President and his team would deliver.She said there was need to have equitable distribution of resources and shun corruption."We want people who are accountable," she said.Dr Gwaradzimba said people should be guided by the President's vision of achieving a middle income economy by 2030 as they executed their duties in their various capacities. She said she had embraced the idea of devolution adding that Manicaland was endowed with abundant resources.Meanwhile, Chipinge Town Council is making concerted efforts to provide clean water to its residents in a move designed to curtail possible outbreaks of cholera resulting from water shortages,reports our Mutare correspondent Wimbainashe Zhakata Chief internal auditor in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Mr Angel Nyoni said this recently in an interview with The Herald.His remarks came on the heels of a tour to assess progress on the projects the town is running. Internal auditors from his ministry were part of a team undertaking the monitoring and evaluation processes. Mr Nyoni observed that the efforts being made by Chipinge to provide safe and clean water to its residents were commendable."In terms of its service delivery mandate, Chipinge Town Council's efforts to provide clean water to the people were highly visible and evident in the tested and commissioned five mega- litre sedimentation tank," he said.Mr Nyoni said the recent audit was part of the Ministry's Performance Audit of the 100-day quick win projects."The ministry recognises local authorities as engines for development and service provision to the people and business communities in areas within their jurisdiction. The completion of the five-megalitre sedimentation tank is an indicator of the council's commitment to provide clean water and reduce water-borne diseases," he said.Manicaland provincial administrator Mr Edgar Seenza has also expressed his appreciation for the efforts being made by Chipinge Town Council in providing water for the people despite limited resources. Said Mr Seenza: "Given the limited resources, Chipinge Town Council is doing well in their projects. They completed installing one water point, which is now working and the other one is to be completed by the end of November."There, however, is need to purchase more pipes for the one that is about to be finished. The completed project in Usanga was worth more than $38 000."Mr Seenza urged Chipinge Town Council to try and complete projects such as the installation of water networks and servicing of Aerodrome's 100 stands that they were doing within the targeted timelines.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has rescheduled its 19th anniversary celebrations to next week at Gwanzura Stadium after a ban on public gatherings due to a cholera outbreak.Chamisa, last week, called off plans to mark the party's 19th anniversary and concomitantly hold a mock inauguration to name himself as the country's president in a bid to highlight claims that the July 30 election was rigged.MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume told the Daily News yesterday that the party's National Standing Committee met in its inaugural sitting this week and decided to have the anniversary celebrations on September 29."We are going to have our anniversary celebrations on the 29th of September. We are going to seek permission but if they refuse, we are going to court."Before the anniversary, our organising committee led by the organising secretary is going to move around the country, conducting meetings with our structures and opinion leaders on the way forward."We want to deal with this legitimacy issue because the country's economy is burning. Zanu-PF is clueless on how to solve the current crisis," Mafume said.The police had earlier on given the MDC the green light to hold its rally but made a volte-face after realising that it may provide a fertile ground for the spread of the disease.Last month, the police also barred the MDC from holding a rally in Kwekwe, citing the outbreak of typhoid in Gweru.Government had also warned Chamisa against swearing himself in as president, saying he risked arrest if he proceeded to do so.This followed Chamisa's declaration recently that he would convene an assembly that would swear him in as president and proceed to announce an alternative cabinet.Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister Ziyambi Ziyambi had responded by rebuking Chamisa, who still insists that the July 30 vote was rigged in favour of Mnangagwa despite the ruling by the Constitutional Court, which threw out his electoral challenge."The Chief Justice is the one who is mandated to do that (swearing-in). It's a serious breach of the law. He will be arrested for that," said Ziyambi."It is unfortunate that he can't accept reality and move on as an opposition leader."We need to be united as a countryHe thinks he can break our laws and get away with it."We are a serious government, we can't allow people to breach the law and cause the suffering of innocent Zimbabweans."We are going to arrest him if he does that. Those who are mandated to maintain peace and law are ready to arrest him."
Opinion / Columnist

They reflect the views of the democratically-elected Head of State of an African country. Who - just as with other African Leaders in respect of these matters affecting their countries - has never been consulted by Germany or the European Union on his views of their calling Eritreans to come to Germany and/or Europe. Just as the African Union and other African leaders are also not considered part of this "European solution" to "look after" these African citizens in order to take care of the "African problem".

The writer is a former Strategic Geopolitical Consultant, resident in London, who is experienced in European and African affairs. He has previously provided Geopolitical Consulting Services to Governments and International Organisations in Eastern and Western Europe, and written geopolitical and Op-Ed articles for international publication. His name has been withheld from this article on request. He and his bona fides are known to editorial staff of The Citizen

Picture it. The aftermath of a national election, where senior international observer from a leading European country declares of the election process he has just witnessed: "In all the many election observations I've been on, I have not seen anything that comes close to how undemocratic the voting system is"; and then goes on to say "It is just so far beneath anything remotely resembling European election standards, or anything we would allow, even in Eastern Europe."Combine those comments with incidences in the same election of election officials at voting stations being drunk, ballot papers of some political parties not being available in voting stations, ballot papers for the different political parties being in different colours and having to be selected openly so that everyone in a voting station can see who someone will be voting for when they select their papers, and "family voting" - whereby groups of people are allowed to go into the voting area together.Add to that the fact that if anyone wishes to lodge any complaint against any of these events, the only entities that they can go to in order to complain are the municipalities in charge of the elections. These being the very same municipalities that set up and controlled the voting process in their municipalities in the first place - which are all run by persons who are members of the political parties in charge of those municipalities.These are just some of the issues that presented themselves. Other issues included an extraordinarily high number of "spoiled ballots", political party members bragging on Twitter how they had removed and thrown away the ballot papers of competing parties, allegations of promises (or requests) for business and social programmes from political parties in return for votes, election officials - including a pregnant woman - being openly abused or threatened with physical violence at polling stations, etc. It is a long - and credible - list.Not only does the above reflect a complete ignorance of the most fundamental requirements for even a basic attempt at a democratic voting system, it also leaves the field wide open for complete abuse of the system in hand. At best, the implementation and management of this process represents crass incompetence, and at worst, it illustrates a textbook example of a corrupt and corrupted political system, in chaos.Africans are, by now, very used to European countries and their representatives making negative comments on what they sometimes sarcastically refer to as "African Democracy" (i.e. corrupt democracy). Given that, one could assume that the above examples of a clearly corrupt and corrupted system would be the introduction to yet another in the long-running paternalistic criticisms levelled at African leaders, political parties and countries.But it isn't.All of the above statements and events - and the clear evidence of a total lack of understanding of even the basic requirements for a democratic election process - or even of the basic principles of democracy itself - occurred in Sweden, in the Swedish General Election of September 2018.The quotes shown above are from the Election Observer Michael Aastrup Jensen - a former Danish politician and current member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe - and the examples are from articles written by the Swedish journalist Ingrid Carlqvist, and answers to questions given by the Chief Executive of the Swedish Electoral Authority - Anna Nyqvist.Given this situation - and the fact that the process described above is just a "business as usual" repeat of all the preceding elections in that country - the question needs to be posed as to from what moral, factual, educational or experience-based perspective have Swedish government or political figures previously presumed to lecture African countries, leaders or political parties on "Democracy" and "Democratic Processes" - or anything related to these - in the past (or present).More saliently, based on what experience or legitimate standing - in terms of personal experience or ability to pass any credible judgment whatsoever - are Swedish personnel given credence to act as political or election monitors in South Africa (or any African country)? How could they when their own system is so flawed, corrupted and not fit for purpose so as to render it - in the words of a highly credible and experienced election monitor - such that he has never ".. seen anything that comes close to how undemocratic the voting system is" and "..so far beneath anything remotely resembling European election standards"This extraordinary double-standard that exists towards Africa - as clearly exhibited by the Swedish example, whereby one can have a totally flawed and corrupted system oneself, yet presume to lecture Africans on their systems, and presume to take a "superior" stance in terms of providing "advice" or making "pronouncements" on others' systems and processes - is symptomatic not just of Sweden. It is rather symptomatic of a general revival in Europe of a mindset that represents a very potent form of Passive Racism - one that is in lockstep with the most strident forms of Colonial Racism.This is the mindset whereby it was considered perfectly fine to pillage and destroy whole countries because one was "bringing them a better standard of living" (and who decides on "standards"?), "ultimately giving them a better lifestyle" (and who decides what lifestyles are "better" or "worse"?) or "raising them up out of ignorance." (and who decides what "ignorance" and "learning" are?).For crystal clear evidence of this, one need look no further than the policy towards Africans exhibited by Germany over the last few years.In the same way that the British Raj in India was presented for the longest time as a situation where poor and suffering "undeveloped" people (the Indians) were "elevated" and "helped" out of their abject poverty and/or ignorance by the "developed" people (the British) - which narrative sought to apply a benign veneer to a malignant intent - so a similar situation, guided by absolute Passive Racism, now exists among the governing political parties in Germany.Contrary to the popular narrative - as distributed by the government-supporting media in Germany - the German situation in respect of their "helping" what they have euphemistically chosen to call "refugees" represents a very similar situation to the creative British Empire narrative of the British Raj, and has come about due to a combination of - amongst other things - the endemic passive racism that exists among the elite figures of Germany's ruling parties.Indeed, the depth of this problem, and the ongoing nature thereof, is what caused the President of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki, to declare in 2017 - in response to these German government policies - that the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, was a "mentally disturbed person" (a view widely shared, although not openly stated, among other African leaders, as a result of her actions towards Africa since 2015).Before addressing this matter though, the identification of - and calling out of - the phenomena of Passive Racism should be addressed.Passive Racism is, in fact, the most dangerous form of racism. Whereas people who are openly racist are open about their views and can be engaged with knowing in advance their stance, Passive Racists are far more dangerous in their views. Their racist views or views of racial superiority and inferiority are so entrenched in them that they do not even realise that they are expressing them. Most Africans who have been exposed to this are acutely aware of this phenomenon - just as those who exhibit this characteristic are blissfully unaware of it.Through this, every act that they carry out is geared solely around the deeply-held perception that their relationship with Africans is one based on superiority (theirs) and inferiority (the Africans'), because there is absolutely no treatment of Africans as equals. Instead, the African is always treated like the child-like person who needs to be looked after / protected / catered for / spoken for by them, as they must be incapable of doing it themselves to the same level.Similarly, African leaders and organisations are treated as if they either simply did not exist, or if they did, they can just be completely disregarded as though they did not exist, or as though their voices / views / comments are of such an unworthy and irrelevant nature as not to even merit a second's worth of consideration, at all.And here are the examples:Germany - and the European Union - constantly talk about "the problems of Africa". Ignoring the fact that "Africa" is a continent (not a country) with multiple countries that are very different, and multiple nations within the artificial colonial borders of each country that are also very different - and all of these countries and nations are very different, with differing issues. There is not just one "Africa" (whatever that may mean in the minds of the people who make such statements).Just as "Europe" has countries that are very different with very different "problems" (i.e. Greece, Germany and Albania are very different), so is Africa. South Sudan is not the same as Swaziland, and Botswana is not the same as Burundi - and neither are their governments, citizens, internal issues or considerations the same.One will not expect even a common African citizen to be so ignorant as to alight from an aircraft in Germany (in Europe) and address, collectively, a German, Frenchman and Italian by saying to them "Hello. Do you speak White, or do you speak European?" - yet European Heads of State talk about "Africa" as though it is just one monolithic entity where everything and everyone is the same - with the implication also that this monolithic sameness is also uniformly inferior to anything in any European country.This is why these (seemingly extremely ignorant) European Heads of State ceaselessly talk about "African problems" (problems in whose view, and in what countries in Africa?). They then go on, in Germany and other European Union countries, to speak as though it is they who are (for some reason - superiority perhaps?) in charge of seeing to the "problems" of "Africa", and to the welfare of the citizens of African countries.The clue of whose business is what lies in the names of the International Organisations that are tasked with the welfare of countries on a Continental basis. The EUROPEAN Union is supposed to look after issues relating to EUROPE - not Africa. Africa has the AFRICAN Union. What's wrong with the AFRICAN Union looking after the best interests of Africans and African countries?However, one never hears a word about the African Union in the European political or public discourse.No. It is just the European Union that spends its time obsessing about African issues.In this, the classic example of Passive Racism is abundantly clear. It is a case of: "We - the European Union - will see to the problems of Africa and Africans. The Africans themselves cannot". The European political elite cannot even see how imbued their views and actions are with a Passive Racist mentality - discarding the views of the African Union and elected African heads of State and Political parties as if they are too inferior or useless to be left to competently and professionally manage and direct the issues of their own Continent and Countries.Imagine if the President of any African country made a blanket announcement to "Europeans" to come to country X, and then also - because that African country had a stronger economy than most European countries - offered the people who would come better pay (just by going onto social security) then they could ever get in their own countries.Of course this would lead to many people leaving "Europe" to go to that African country. Who wouldn't in a case where they could get more money just by going on social security than working? Would that not be a ridiculous situation - even potentially able to be considered a hostile act towards "Europe" or a European country? Indeed it would be. Yet this is exactly what has been done - and is being done - against Africa and African countries, by the European Union in General and Germany in particular.In order to provide a blanket of legitimisation to this process, it is being couched in terminology which refers to all persons coming to Germany and Europe as "refugees", even though it has been absolutely clearly established that well over 90% of all such persons are not refugees at all, but rather economic migrants - spurred on by Angela Merkel's international and well-publicised call to them to come to Germany.The fact that the false term "refugee" is being incorrectly applied as the express policy of those applying indicates with clarity that they wish to camouflage their intent. This is just like the "we brought them civilisation" / "we uplifted them" / "we civilised them" narrative tactic to camouflage the actual intent - and consequences - of the occupation of India by the British Raj.The point is also this. What does this process do to the African (and other developing) countries that are being selectively depopulated of their (predominantly young and able) populations?Well, here's what President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea said about this - as a fact, not speculation.In a national address on Eritrean television in 2017, he lashed out at Europe for what he said is its role in economically sabotaging his country and depleting its human capital.He specifically described [at that time] French President Francois Hollande and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, as being mentally disturbed - stating that they were among those who encouraged the massive movement of Eritrean youth to Europe.He went on to say that the exodus of the youth of Eritrea to Europe is the result of a deliberate policy fomented by the foreign powers to weaken Eritrea with a systematic recourse to economic sabotage "with the aim of creating poverty and famine", and that "Trafficking in human beings has been used to disperse and weaken the country's human capital.". He also asked the extraordinarily obvious question, which was "Why doesn't the EU give us the money to train our youth in our country instead?"Whatever one may think of these statements, the facts are that:A clearer illustration of the "White Man's Burden" racist attitude that drives this Passively Racist approach could not be provided if it were tried.Indeed, no comment from any African Leaders is published or even spoken about in Germany or Europe.Rather, it is various European countries' leaders who grandstand before a European media that is clearly also similarly Passively Racist in its insular depiction of the fate of millions of Africans. These Africans who come from functioning African countries that have their own elected Presidents and Leaders - at the urging of the German Chancellor - are now referred to as "a European PROBLEM" by the political and media elite of Europe?In which parallel universe do these people live?What, actually, does the fate of citizens of functioning African countries have to do with the leaders of European countries or their media, and why, exactly, is this "problem" at all - let alone a "European problem"?Why - in the European Continent of countries that have debt running between 80% to 200% of GDP, of unemployment higher than 15% in some of these countries, of weakening currencies, of war in Ukraine, of bombing of Middle Eastern countries, of geopolitical strife with Russia and many other serious problems - do they not concentrate on sorting out their own European problems? Instead they focus on, obsess on, talk about and interfere in the affairs of Africa?Is it simply a tactic of deflection away from their own problems, or are there other reasons?There are probably several answers to this.One reason for this erratic and unbalanced behaviour by the ruling political and media elite in these countries is, most certainly, very endemic Passive Racism. The interference by the European Union and European countries in the African Union and African countries affairs and populations - without the common courtesy to even give a voice to, let alone leave decisions on their own Continent and countries to the elected Leaders of Africa - illustrates this clearly.-Exhortations by the political leaders in these European countries to their own citizens also illustrates this mentality of entrenched passive racism - particularly in Germany.Angela Markel's exhortation to German citizens of "Wir schaffen das" ("We can do this") in respect of "looking after" African migrants coming to Germany in their millions implies - quite categorically - that common German citizens can do what Presidents and Leaders of African countries cannot do. If not, why was she not rather exhorting, and supporting, elected African Leaders and governments to "Wir schaffen das" with their own African citizens, or listening to people like the President of Eritrea - and others - who were asking her not to deplete their countries of their Human Capital. Similarly, the common citizens who participate with a "Wir schaffen das" mentality also illustrated their endemic Passive Racism. That is a "We as common European citizens are far more able to do that which elected African Presidents and governments can't do" attitude.Another reason appears to be simple incompetence and the degradation of the capacity to think ahead - or even to think clearly - among the ruling political classes in European countries.This is particularly the case in Germany where - because the two largest opposing parties, the CDU/CSU Alliance on one hand and the SPD on the other, have been in a political alliance in Government for over 12 years now - it has been an effectively one-party state for more than a decade.This inability to think ahead is shown by how this entire matter has been (un)planned and (idiotically) implemented. Adult people who do not speak the national language and therefore do not have the skills required to participate in the economy have been brought there en-masse - even though there are already significant levels unemployment among existing citizens.Those who are now recently encouraged to come to Germany are then not allowed to work - because they cannot speak the language and/or because they have not been specifically recruited they do not have the required specialist skills to participate in various specialist activities. They are therefore put into "refugee camps" or areas, on social welfare, to do nothing.There is therefore no equality of opportunity (impossible under such circumstances) or any realistic or meaningful future prospects for these people - at all. That is unless an underclass is specifically being created, to do jobs that locals do not want to do - because otherwise there is no logical or normal reason for such an undertaking to occur - ever or at all.This is especially in light of the opposition by the Presidents and governments of African countries to these policies of the Merkel government.Even her recent three-day visit to three African countries - Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria this year to try to obtain support these policies from African Presidents and governments met with failure. For example, in the press conference after her meeting and discussions with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, the primary focus of his comments was on his and his government's opposition to this policy.Notably, he stated at the joint press conference with Merkel that: "This administration is very clear: We do not support illegal migration", and "I guess many of my countrymen and women illegally struggle to find their way to European countries through the deserts and the Mediterranean because they feel there are greener pastures there, whether they are prepared for it or not."He added: "About three weeks ago, we repatriated 3 000 Nigerians from Libya. They wanted to travel to Europe illegally. We do not support this and anybody caught is at his or her own risk."Any Nigerian found in Libya or anywhere on his way to Europe through illegal means will be brought home and we will send him back to the local government."Merkel pointedly ignored these comments and did not even address this issue at the joint press conference. Her primary comments followed a typically condescending "preaching to Africans" themeShe said: "I appeal that the forthcoming elections in Nigeria should be free, fair and credible. It shouldnot result to chaos or complete breakdown of law and order. A credible election is an important aspect of democracy and good governance."Really? She and her government did not say one word about the chaos of elections in Sweden - and it is right on her doorstep. Why, therefore, did she travel all the way to Nigeria to lecture their President, government and people on matters that have nothing to do with her?Did she do it because they are "African" (actually they are Nigerians - specifically Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw and other Nations within the colonial borders of Nigeria), and therefore it's fine to lecture their President and government on self-evident matters but it's not fine to lecture the "European" Swedes.A third reason for this seemingly unbalanced policy from Germany appears to be more sinister.Here, for example, is a quote from the former German Minister of Finance - Wolfgang Schaeuble - who was at one time tipped to succeed Angela Markel, and who was a very senior member of the ruling clique in the German government. When questioned on the German government's views and reasons for this policy in 2016, he was unable to explain it in any rational or logical manner. His primary comment on the motivation for this policy was - other than to echo Angela Merkel's vague and passive-racist comments that "Africa will be our problem, we have to assume this task" - that non-implementation of this policy would lead Germans and Europeans to "degenerating into inbreeding."That sounds remarkably similar to the statements of Slave Owners in the Americas in the 1800s, who constantly asked Slavers to bring in slaves from different countries. This was also so that the Slave Owners could - in their view of themselves as the superior Social Engineering determiners of peoples' fates - not have their own slave stocks degenerate as a result of "inbreeding".Different Century - same mentality.What an unbelievable view to be taken by the Merkel government in the 21st century. That the value or worth of African human beings is determined by their capacity to act as stud breeding animals.A final reason for this situation appears to be - as with the example of the Swedish election - the simple breakdown of law and order in Germany as in Sweden, and the similar degradation of the ruling political elite.Consider this. If one arrives at an airport in Germany by aircraft from South Africa (or any other country from which a visa to visit Germany is required) without a visa, one will be denied entry and sent back - or arrested. However, if one had walked across the border without even a passport - as literally millions of people have done from 2015 until now - you would be welcome.This is an utter repudiation of the laws of the country and of the foundations of a Legal State, selectively applied just because one person decided - in her personal opinion - to do it. Utter illegality due solely to the personal selection of what laws can be applied, and when, by a single person - and the time of Emperors and Empresses in Europe was supposed to over?This is one of the results of Germany's de-facto one-party rule - combined with a media that is virtually a component part of the ruling elite - for over 12 years.Symptomatic of this was a comment of one of the prime figures of the German Government involved with the formulation, implementation and management of this policy - Angela Merkel's right-hand man Peter Altmaier.During the implementation of this policy, he appeared on one of Germany's primary State Television Stations, and when questioned as to the logic and motivations behind the government's policy he answered (and this was, really, his serious answer) "Just look at TV". By this he implied that people should look at the (State) TV's broadcasts of the "refugees" entering Germany on foot.In other words, the German government was setting its policy not based on thorough planning, experience, research, economics, ability, weighing up of the pros and cons of the situation and all of the other considerations that one expects a developed government to apply. It was rather setting its National Policies - and policies with serious ramifications for multiple African countries - by watching TV.Well, the general consensus among Geopolitical and Political figures and consultants outside of the ruling elites of the German government at that response - by Angela Merkel's right-hand man and one of the most senior figures in the German government - was that the level of discourse and policy of the German government had finally degenerated to the level of Banana Republic.Indeed, the joke that made the international geopolitical rounds at the time was that in the event of economic decline, Germans had better hope that Peter Altmaier wasn't a fan of the TV programme"Breaking Bad", because otherwise he'd advise all Germans to respond to any economic crisis by starting drug-producing labs in their garages.These preceding examples of the absence of the basic requirements of and for Democratic Process, or the strong presence of Passive Racism, in Sweden and Germany, are but two of many examples of the deterioration, non-existence (or existence) of factors in Europe which are acute, but which Europeans from multiple countries nevertheless historically and currently seek to preach to Africans about.The time has come for European political and other leaders - whether from Sweden, Germany or any of these other European Union countries - to stop their lecturing of "Africa" (whatever that term may mean in their minds) and African Leaders and countries when it comes to matters of "Democracy", "Democratic Processes", "Racism" or other aspects of societal or political organisation or governance.The African Continent and its leaders have had enough of this "Do as I say, don't do as I do" approach from the European political elite, and, frankly, it is time for the leaders of these European countries to take the Amazon rainforest of trees out of their own eyes before criticising the splinters in the eyes of others.Fortunately, as Sweden and Germany are luring so many Africans to their countries, perhaps in the future the Africans who are resident there will be able to properly instruct them on how to conduct proper Democratic Elections, or on how to eradicate the very powerful scourge of Passive Racism.Until then, if the ruling political elite in those countries seek to find solutions for their policies and problems, they can always go to find them by watching TV with Peter Altmaier.
Opinion / Columnist

Fresh from securing a new mandate to lead Zimbabwe for the next five years, President Emmerson Mnangagwa arrived in New York to participate in various meetings and engagements ahead of his inaugural address of the world body. The President is expected to address the United Nations General Assembly on 26 September 2018.In a show of his commitment to tackling the various economic challenges facing the country, the President is accompanied by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Prof Mthuli Ncube and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr John Mangundya. This is unlike previous visits to the General Assembly meetings by the previous Government of former President Robert Mugabe, where he would be accompanied by huge delegations. President Mnangagwa is living up to his word of reducing unnecessary Government expenditure on non-core activities.Sources in Government indicate that, during his stay in New York, the President is expected to hold several meetings and engagements with various financiers and other Heads of State and Governments as the country seeks to deepen its re-engagement thrust.Since his initial inauguration in November 2017, President Mnangagwa has prioritised economic revival and ending the country's decade-old international isolation. He has reached out to the Commonwealth and processes for the country's re-admission into the grouping are underway. He has instituted various reforms in the operation of Government departments.His election has been widely endorsed by all progressive forces worldwide.
6 Ways to Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox like the Ancients

Summers heat is (hopefully) almost over, and leaves are turning gold. Praise the goddess: the Autumnal Equinox is here (September 22, to be precise). Since ancient times, the first day of fall has been a celebration of transitions: longer nights, bountiful harvest, and readily-available apple cider. BUST is here to help you give the equinox the party it deserves. 6 suggestions inspired by the druid, pagan, witch-y babes of yore.

1. Burn, baby, BURN

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For pagans, Mabon was a time to honor the Goddess for the fruits of her earth, and ensure her help in the coming winter. It was also a time to pay respect to the balance of dark and light; neither can be appreciated without the other. For this, pagans lit grand bonfires. They believed circling the fire held transformative powers. So, if possible, grab some kindle, light up a pyre, and dance before the flames with your sisters. But, if you happen to live in a city and sudden infernos are frowned upon, candlelight works too.

2. Cleanse the bad vibes

The equinox is about balance within nature, but if your inner sanctum is out of wack thats a problem. Before the party starts, do some smudging. Smudging is the burning of sacred herbslavender, sage, rosemaryto renew the positive energy of a dwelling and body. Do this: Open a window, light your smudge stick of herbs and walk the perimeter of your room repeating a personal mantra designed to center yourself. The smoke will carry the bad juju out the window

3. Build a monument

Stonehenge has long been HQ for spiritualism. During the equinox, neo-druids and Arthurian followers (Medieval-esque druids who adhere to King Arthurs mythology) gather at Stonehenge to bask in the stones primordial powers. Most of us probably cant get out to Wiltshire, England, but we can build our own structure of power. Gather meaningful objectsphotos, jewelry, incenseand some plentiful bounty. Priestesses would use fresh fruit and wheat, but a veggie plate works.

4. Reclaiming (like in The Craft, but without the murderous witch drama)

Reclaiming is a one of the best known American pagan rituals, meant to invoke the spirits and ask they bless you with power. The rituals usually began with a spiritual cleansing and grounding, then drawingor "casting"of the circle. The group leader (again, think Nancy Downs) will lead the invocation. Traditionally, they sought to invoke deities by first calling the four directions. For you, try calling forth the change you hope to inspire in yourself this fall: confidence, bravery, sexuality. Also, the ancient ritual closed with hella wine-drinking.

5. Decipher the stars

For millennia during the Autumnal Equinox, people made pilgrimage to the Kokino megalithic observatory in the northwestern town of Kumanovo, Macedonia. According to NASA, the 3,800-year-old station is the fourth oldest observatory in the world. Take a cue from the dedicated neo-druids and a make a date with your local observatory. Or, find an open field with bright, visible stars and explore the constellations.

6. Make time for solitary mediation

Ancient Greeks believed that winter was caused by Hades trapping Persephone, daughter of the Goddess of Harvest, Demeter, in the Underworld. So, while the Autumnal Equinox was cause for gathering, observers understood the necessity of reflecting on the summers failures and triumphs. Find a resolution to carry you through the long nights ahead.

Top Image: Wikimedia Commons

More from BUST

Happy Ostara, Thank Goddess It's Spring!

5 Ways To Bring In Spring: Celebrating The Equinox This Weekend

17 Witchy Instagrams To Inspire And Bewitch You

Tessa is a puertorriquena / Syrian gal interested in race, women, and the arts - more specifically, their intersections. Follow her on Instagram @tessa.sol and Twitter @tessa_solo. She lives in Brooklyn.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Four children were killed and two people were wounded when a train struck a "cargo" bicycle, widely used by Dutch parents to transport their children, police said on Thursday. The accident occurred in the eastern city of Oss, near the German border. Police said the cargo bike was electrically powered and had been transporting the children from a pre-school center to school when the accident occurred. There were numerous witnesses, including other school-age children, police said. The two injured people have been taken to a nearby hospital, where they are in critical condition. "We have informed the families involved of this terrible news," police said in a statement. "We are investigating how this could have happened." (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
A French court has ordered far-right leader Marine Le Pen to undergo a psychiatric assessment as it probes her decision to publish graphic images of Islamic State executions on social media.

The 50-year-old head of the National Front  recently rebranded as the National Rally  posted three gruesome photos on Twitter in December 2015 after a journalist told a French television program that her party shared a "community of spirit" with the extremist group.

"ISIS is THIS," Le Pen wrote in an outraged response to the accusation, attaching pictures of a man being burned alive, another being run over by a tank, and the headless corpse of American journalist James Foley.

Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

French law prohibits the dissemination of "violent messages that incite terrorism or  seriously harm human dignity."

Le Pen, a former member of the European Parliament, was only put under formal investigation in March after that body voted to strip her of immunity as part of an unrelated fraud investigation. If convicted, she faces up to three years in jail and a fine of 75,000 ($113,000 Cdn).

Today, Le Pen reacted angrily to the court's assessment order, posting a photo of the legal papers on her Twitter account and calling the decision "crazy."

Later, speaking to reporters, she suggested that the evaluation is part of a wider attempt to silence her and the party, and said that she will skip the tests.

"I'd like to see how the judge would try and force me do it," Le Pen said.

Legal experts were quick to point out that such an assessment is in fact required under the law to establish whether she suffers from any mental illness that might have diminished her capacity to understand what she was doing when she posted the images. The psychiatrist will also determine whether she poses a risk to herself or the public.

Other European populists were quick to leap to her defence.

"A court orders a psychiatric assessment for Marine Le Pen. Words fail me! Solidarity with her and with the French who love freedom!" said Matteo Salvini, Italy's interior minister and leader of the far-right League party, in a statement.

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The National Front/Rally and its leader have suffered a number of setbacks since Emmanuel Macron resoundingly defeated Le Pen in the run-off election for France's presidency in 2017.

Eric Gaillard/Reuters

French banks, which had denied her requests for campaign loans, closed her personal and party accounts last fall. Le Pen denounced the moves as political "persecution."

And she has been ordered to repay almost 300,000 euros ($455,000 Cdn) to the European Parliament after an internal investigation determined that she improperly used her office budget to pay aides to do non-parliamentary work for the National Front.

Le Pen, who maintains that she did nothing wrong, is appealing the findings and has refused to pay up.

But the EU has been playing hardball, garnishing her salary and obtaining a temporary order from a French court to stop her party from receiving 2.35 million ($3.6 million Cdn) in state subsidies.

"The investigating judges are applying a death sentence by confiscating our public grant," she complained in July.

A final decision will handed down Sept. 26.

Le Pen has been busy trying to turn all those controversies to her advantage and whip up public sympathy.

"Our political adversaries want us to fail," she told a rally in the the northern town of Henin-Beaumont earlier this month. "And when I hear the president of the Republic say that the National Rally is not a political opponent but an enemy, I can only conclude that he is doing everything within his power to break us down, to make us disappear from the country's political life."

And Le Pen is already campaigning for next spring's European elections, trying to form alliances with other far-right parties and tap into "The Movement," a new Steve Bannon-organized venture to raise funds and support for European populists.

Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

The strategy may be working.

As Macron's popularity plummets amidst the scandal over his former bodyguard's physical assault of anti-government protesters, Le Pen's fortunes are rising.

A poll last month put the National Rally "coude a coude" with the president's En Marche party, both with 21 per cent support for the coming European vote.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Washington's Gulf Arab allies should be included in proposed treaty negotiations with Iran over its ballistic missile program and regional behavior, a senior Emiriati official said on Thursday. Brian Hook, U.S. special envoy for Iran, said on Wednesday the United States is seeking to negotiate a treaty with Iran to include Tehran's ballistic missiles and its regional behavior. Iran has rejected U.S. attempts to hold high-level talks since President Donald Trump tore up a nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers earlier this year. Anwar Gargash, United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, described Hook's comments as "important". "It is essential that the Gulf Arab states be a party to the proposed negotiations. It is prudent for Tehran to avoid sanctions and to take these proposals seriously," he tweeted. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain swiftly backed Trump's decision in May to withdraw from the nuclear accord and reimpose sanctions on Tehran. The Sunni Muslim-ruled states are at loggerheads with Shi'ite Iran, fighting a proxy war that has influenced conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The Gulf Arab states were not party to the nuclear accord, and while they were consulted by Western powers during the talks that led up to it, they played no direct role in those negotiations. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listed a dozen demands in May that he said could make up a new agreement, although Hook referred to a treaty, which would have to be approved by the U.S. Senate. (Reporting by Hesham Hajali, Writing by Stephen Kalin, Editing by William Maclean)
A massive landslide buried dozens of homes near a central Philippine mountain on Thursday, killing at least 21 people and sending rescuers scrambling to find survivors after some sent text messages pleading for help.

The slide surged down on about 30 houses in two rural villages after daybreak in Naga city in Cebu province, Roderick Gonzales, police chief of the coastal city, told The Associated Press by telephone as he helped supervise the search and rescue. Seven injured villagers were rescued from the huge mound of earth and debris.

Some victims still managed to send text messages after the landslide hit, Gonzales said. He said elderly women and a child were among the dead.

Nimrod Parba, 26, said a relative trapped in a house beneath the rubble managed to call Thursday morning and begged to be rescued. The calls stopped, however, and the relative could not be reached hours later, Parba said.

Kristine Vanessa Chiong, mayor of Naga city, which has a population of over 100,000, said by telephone that at least 64 people remained missing.

"We're really hoping we can still recover them alive."

The landslide hit while several northern Philippine provinces were still dealing with deaths and widespread damage wrought by Typhoon Mangkhut, which pummelled the agricultural region Saturday, and left at least 88 people dead and more than 60 missing. A massive search was still underway for dozens of people feared dead after landslides in the gold-mining town of Itogon in the north.

Unstable ground

Cebu province was not directly hit by Mangkhut, but the massive typhoon helped intensify monsoon rains across a large part of the archipelago, including the central region, where Naga city lies about 570 kilometres southeast of Manila.

Rescuers were treading carefully in small groups on the unstable ground to avoid further casualties.

"We're running out of time. The ground in the area is still vibrating. We're striking a balance between intensifying our rescue efforts and ensuring the safety of our rescuers," Naga city Coun. Carmelino Cruz said by phone.

Story continues

The Associated Press

Cristita Villarba, 53, told AP by phone that her husband and son were preparing to leave for work when the ground shook and they were overwhelmed by a roar.

"It was like an earthquake and there was this thundering, loud banging sound. All of us ran out," Villarba said. She said her husband and three children were shocked but unhurt.

Outside, she saw the house of her elderly brother, Lauro, and his family was buried in the landslide.

"Many of our neighbours were crying and screaming for help. Some wanted to help those who got hit but there was too much earth covering the houses, including my brother's," she said.

Many houses buried

Nearly 20 people lived in her brother's home, mostly his family and grandchildren, she said.

A few days ago, Villarba said she felt sorry for the landslide victims in the country's north.

"I had no idea we will be the next."

Elsewhere in the landslide-hit community, a father and his young daughter were found dead in each other's embrace in a house, volunteer rescuer Vic Santillan said.

It's not clear what set off the landslide, but some residents blamed limestone quarries, which they suspect may have damaged and caused cracks in the mountainside facing their villages. Villarba said a light rain stopped when the landslide hit and there was no rain on Wednesday.

The quarry nearest the landslide-hit villages was abandoned about a year ago, but a company still runs a government-authorized quarry not far away, and villagers also profit from the limestone business, Angeline Templo, an assistant to the mayor, said by phone.

The Philippines is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. It is lashed by about 20 storms each year and is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Poverty has forced many to live on or near volcanoes, steep mountains and storm-vulnerable coasts, often leading to disasters.
A 22-year-old student pilot suspected of boarding a vacant passenger plane at a central Florida airport early Thursday has been charged with criminal attempt to steal an airplane, officials said.

The Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating and trying to determine a motive, according to Lori Booker, an Orlando-Melbourne International Airport spokesperson. She told news outlets the student pilot, whose name hasn't been released, also faces a visa violation and criminal trespassing charges.

The man, who was born in Trinidad, and entered the United States through Canada.

The incident started with the man driving to a curb outside the airport, leaving his car running, and then hopping a fence and boarding an Airbus 321 American Airlines aircraft sitting in a maintenance facility, Booker said.

An avionics technician was in the plane's galley when he saw a shadow, she said.

"He turned around and said, 'Who are you? Show me your badge,'" Booker told news outlets. She said the technician was among airport workers she dubbed heroes.

He grabbed the man and, with help from another technician, got him off the plane. Booker said that while one technician held the man down, the other called Melbourne airport police. The man broke free and ran along the airfield before police took him into custody about two minutes later.

After the man was arrested, officials conducted a sweep of the airfield before reopening the airport. All employees and passengers were removed from the terminal during the incident, which caused two flight delays and interrupted airport operations for about five hours.

Police searched the student pilot's car with a robotic arm to make sure no explosives were inside, Booker said. The car was then towed from the airport.

The airport returned to normal operations after five hours.

Booker said the man has a Florida driver's licence. She did not know whether he was enrolled in a local school.

Melbourne is 112 kilometres southeast of Orlando.
Victims of sexual misconduct not treated in 'respectful manner' by military, says auditor

Canada's military is reopening investigations into nearly two dozen cases of sexual assault after reviewing 179 old cases that had been closed as "unfounded."

In each of those 23 files, investigators will conduct additional interviews, seek better documentation or use other investigative tools to review the cases.

Senior military commanders decided to comb through the old cases after an internal review found that nearly a quarter of cases filed between 2010 and 2016 concluded with an "unfounded" label  a rate higher than the rate for cases investigated by civilian police forces.

Reviews by the military and RCMP were launched following an in-depth 2017 Globe and Mail report on unfounded sexual assault cases across Canada.

Of the 179 military police files reviewed in an 18-month period from early 2017 to July 2018, 43 cases were deemed to have been "misclassified" and have been re-coded to "reflect more accurately the findings of the investigations," according to a release from National Defence.

Another 113 cases will remain labelled as unfounded  14 per cent of the 757 sexual assault cases in that six-year period.

In a statement, Lt.-Col. Kevin Cadman, commanding officer of the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, said the review was "beneficial in many ways" and that best practices will be assessed continually to ensure National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces receive the "highest standard of policing service."

The release said the average unfounded rate has been declining; it dropped to eight per cent in 2016 from 17.6 per cent in 2010. The average unfounded rate for Canadian policing is about 19 per cent.
The illegal ivory trade is a global industry worth $4 billion US annually. Now, research from the University of Washington is closing in on the biggest cartels in the business using genetics.

The new study, released yesterday in Science Advances, used genetic analysis to track the origins of 38 large ivory seizures made around the world between 2006 and 2015.

Scientist were able to match up many pairs of ivory tusks through gene analysis. They were then able to trace back to where the tusks were taken.

"In every case, the two shipments with matching tusks passed through a common port. They were shipped close together in time and they showed high overlap in the genetically determined origins of the tusks," said Samuel Wasser, conservation biologist and senior author on this study from the University of Washington.

"These three characteristics suggest that the same major trafficking cartel was actually responsible for shipping both of the shipments."

Three cartels control 70 per cent of ivory

Researchers determined that three different cartels control 70 per cent of all ivory shipments, based in Entebbe, Uganda; Mombasa, Kenya; and Lome, Togo in West Africa.

This information is crucial for prosecutors and law enforcement that now have a better idea of the scale and locations of the cartels that control the shipping. The focus is now on the small number of brokers and shippers that move the majority of ivory out of Africa and into Asian markets.

Karl Ammann

From 2011 to 2014, during the height of the illegal ivory trade, almost 40,000 elephants were killed. That's 10 per cent of the remaining elephant population in Africa.

Scientists are now working closely with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, through a department called Homeland Security Investigations, to establish networks with the other wildlife officials across Africa and Asia to try to tighten the net around trafficking operations.

'We have the opportunity to build a much stronger case'

Story continues

In 2016, a major player in the ivory trade, Feisal Mohamed Ali, was convicted in Mombasa for trafficking one shipment of ivory. Previous data gathered by Wasser aided in the prosecution. But last month his conviction was overturned because of irregularities in his trial.

"He was tried. The data that we provided was important to that case. But he's since appealed and [was] acquitted," said Wasser. "Now, because of the connections that we've continued to gather, we have the opportunity to build a much stronger case against him, as well as his co-conspirators, all of whom were acquitted."

While some of the evidence from the original conviction has since been lost or destroyed, Wasser is confident that the body of evidence gathered through this research will help to convict the traffickers.
Photo - Sophie Gray, Bake for Bibles

New Zealand nationally-known cook, author, Destitute Gourmet founder and Food Director of Bauer Media, Sophie Gray says Bake for Bibles is a great project for kids, friends and the whole family. And very importantly, the cookies are delicious!

Bake for Bibles is a new fundraising initiative recently launched by Bible Society New Zealand where volunteers bake Noahs Ark animal cookies, ice them and sell them to friends and family. This year every cookie sold at two dollars each provides the paper to print one Bible in China.

Participants are given a free Bake for Bibles pack which contains cookie cutters, a Noahs Ark presentation box, cookie packets, a booklet (including the recipe), a poster and a colouring-in sheet.

Sophie says, I think its a really fun and accessible way to get the kids involved in a baking project. The animal theme is very relatable and Noahs Ark is a familiar and popular story, whether youve grown up in a household of faith or not.

So you can invite the neighbours kids in to help bake the cookies and tell the Noahs Ark story and talk about whats going to happen to the money being raisied.

Sophie also believes Bake for Bibles is a great inter-generational activity for grandparents, aunts and uncles, and Godparents who may have more patience than parents when icing gets sloshed around the kitchen by little children. Instead they will just enjoy the moment and the connection, she said.

Talking about the fundraising aspect of Bake for Bibles, Sophie says, Selling baking for money is a time-honoured tradition in the Western World from bake-sales to cake-stalls.

A Christian since primary school, Sophie likes the idea of getting the Bible to people who need it. I feel the Bible is almost a symbol of freedom. And the freedom to know God and explore faith isnt something thats accessible to everyone in the world.

So what this project does is put the freedom I have into the hands of others who wouldnt otherwise have it by giving them a Bible, she says.

For more details on Bake for Bibles go to www.bakeforbibles.nz or call Bible Society New Zealand on 0800 424 253.

Photo - Sophie Gray, Bake for Bibles

Sarah Richards is the Bible Society New Zealand media manager
Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Arturo Fuente Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration. This is a cigar we previously assessed back in October 2016.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Havana

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia

Short Churchill: 6 1/8 x 47

At the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, Arturo Fuente Cigars unveiled a new blend under its Casa Cuba line known as Divine Inspiration. This was a project conceived by Carlos Fuente Sr. According to Arturo Fuente Cigars, Fuente Sr. had a dream about a modified version of the Casa Cuba blend. Fuente Sr became inspired to make what he dreamt about into reality. At that time, Fuente Sr. was not well enough to travel to the Dominican Republic to work on the blend, but he was able to phone into the factory and give direction on what needed to be done. The end result was the Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration cigar. What many did not know is that Fuente Sr. would pass away a few short weeks after the Divine Inspiration was unveiled.

Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration is a limited production cigar coming out of the Fuentes Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia factory in the Dominican Republic. It features an Ecuadorian wrapper over Dominican binder and filler. Arturo Fuente Cigars has said this is a different blend than the original Casa Cuba; however to what extent, we do not know. Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration is available in a 6 1/8 x 47 Short Churchill. The cigars for this assessment were acquired a little over a year ago.

The Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration started out with a mix of cedar, natural tobacco, fruit, herbs, and white pepper. There was a good amount of sweetness early on thanks to the combination of the natural tobacco, cedar, and fruit. As the cigar moved through the first third, the fruit notes diminished into the background and were replaced by bakers spice. There was also a slight salty component in the background too.

By the second third, the earth and herbal notes took over as the primary note. This was complemented by notes of cedar, bakers spice, pepper, and still some of the salty component. By the last third, the herbal notes diminished into the background, joining the other notes.

The Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration is a bolder smoke from Arturo Fuente. After starting out as a medium to full-bodied smoke, the flavors got more robust and moved into full-bodied territory. As for the strength level, it remained medium to full throughout the smoke.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

There are two things the Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration doesnt lack  and that is complexity and power. This is a cigar with a lot of nuances and robust flavors. The only place where I think this cigar falls a little short is the way the flavors mesh together. Previous smokes of the Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration delivered a much better synergy and balance of the flavors. Im not sure whether it was the additional age in my humidor that took the balance of this cigar off-kilter or not.

This is a cigar Id position for a more experienced cigar enthusiast as it is a bolder smoke. As for myself, there was still enough going on with this cigar where I would buy one, but Id be more inclined to smoke it right away once I get it.

Summary

Key Flavors: Cedar, Natural Tobacco, Herbal Notes, Fruit, Earth, White Pepper, Bakers Spice

Burn: Excellent

Draw: Very Good

Complexity: Medium to High

Strength: Medium to Full

Body: Medium to Full (1st Third), Full (Remainder)

Finish: Good

Rating

Value: Buy One

Score: 89

References

Previous Assessment: Arturo Fuente Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration

News: Arturo Fuente Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration Arrives at Stores

Price: $9.00

Source: Drew Estate

Brand Reference: Arturo Fuente

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
Cigar Rights of America has authored a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on the importance of the cigar industry in the United States and how regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) being imposed on the industry could cripple it.

In particular, the tobacco-growing operations in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Kentucky, Florida, and Louisiana are highlighted. If regulations are allowed to advance, it could lead to an overall consolidation in the cigar industry, and ultimately less tobacco will be available from growers in these states.

Ultimately the goal is to get Secretary Perdues support from the Department of Agriculture in the inter-agency review process as the FDA re-evaluates how to regulate premium cigars.

The text of the letter appears below.
La Aurora S.A., the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic, is celebrating its 115th anniversary  and there will be a commemorative cigar to mark the occasion. At the 2018 Inter-Tabac Trade Show in Dortmund, Germany, La Aurora showcased the La Aurora 115th Anniversary Series.

The La Aurora 115th Anniversary is being released in three formats  the La Aurora 115 Anniversary Edition, the La Aurora 115 Anniversary Limited Edition, and the La Aurora 115 Anniversary Jar Edition. The 115 Anniversary Edition will be available in four formats: Robusto, Belicoso, Gran Toro, and Churchill. The Belicoso size will be available in the special La Aurora 115 Anniversary Limited Edition, with a total of 3,000 boxes produced. The La Aurora 115 Anniversary Jar Edition will feature the Gran Toro with a total of 800 jars produced.

Dominican tobacco from the Cibao Valley makes up the wrapper, binder, and filler. There is also some additional Brazilian tobacco in the filler.
Rocky Patel Premium Cigars (RPPC) has a release that is aimed at the international market outside the U.S. At Inter-Tabac 2018, the company will be showcasing a line known as the Rocky Patel Grand Reserve.

The Grand Reserve actually had a soft launch back in April at a private three-day event known as Mountain on Fire. Held in Solden, Austria, this event is described as a three-day luxury experience with 120 guests in attendance, including company president Rocky Patel. 300 boxes of the Grand Reserve were brought to the event and sold out. As a result, the decision was made to subsequently release it.

The reception to this unique brand was overwhelming, commented Rocky Patel in a press release. Everyone at Mountain On Fire enjoyed this balanced, elegant, medium-bodied cigar. And we sold out of all 300 boxes that weekend! We cant wait for the rest of the world now to try it.

Details of the blend have not been disclosed, other than the Gran Reserve is rolled in Nicaragua at the Tavicusa factory. It will be available in three sizes (Robusto, Toro, and Sixty) with each packaged in 10-count boxes. Pricing will be approximately 9 and 11 per cigar.

Our distribution abroad has seen extensive growth over the last 10 years, and we wanted to honor these worldwide business partnerships with an exclusive brand that international retailers can call their own, said Mark Weissenberger, Vice President of Marketing for RPPC.

Plans are for the Rocky Patel Gran Reserve to ship to global distributors in mid-September. Retailers in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands will receive the first shipments which should land on shelves by mid-October.

At a glance, here is a look at the Rocky Patel Gran Reserve:

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Not Disclosed

Binder Not Disclosed

Filler: Not Disclosed

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: Tavicusa

Vitolas Offered

Robusto: 5 1/2 x 50

Toro: 6 x 52

Sixty: 6 x 60
Noa Richard a Ransom Everglades graduate, has been named a Barack Obama Scholar by Occidental College, recognized as an exceptional student committed to the public good, in keeping with the principles advanced by the liberal arts colleges best-known alumnus.





As an inaugural Obama Scholar, she will receive a four-year scholarship that will meet the entire cost of her education, in addition to summer enrichment programs and access to the programs advisory council.





Noa Richard

"Noa was selected for her kindness, her creativity and her sensitivity to issues of social and environmental injustice, says Wendy Sternberg, Occidentals vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. Noa has found her passion and voice with social causes, activism and volunteerism. She is a compassionate, intellectual activistan amazing young woman."





Noa is interested in becoming a writer and journalist and in pursuing the critical theory and social justice major at Occidental. At her high school, she was president of the Natural Rights Initiative, dedicated to raising awareness of and acting against human rights violations globally and in the Miami community; the founder of W.I.N. Miami, an organization that supports women at domestic abuse shelters; and a mentor at Achieve Miami, teaching reading to elementary-school students with low literacy levels in disadvantaged neighborhoods. She also created, directed and filmed a documentary, Syrian Women in Miami, using proceeds awarded from a fellowship grant, in which she interviewed recently arrived Syrian refugee women.





Launched last year, the Obama Scholars program represents Occidentals investment in students who aspire to become change agents but may lack the opportunity to fully realize their goals, and continues the legacy of leadership embodied by President Obama, a member of the Occidental Class of 1983.





My years at Occidental sparked my interest in social and political causes, and filled me with the idea that my voice could make a difference, President Obama said. Im proud of the Obama Scholars mission to identify promising young people from all backgrounds, not only to give them access to higher education, but to train the next generation of leaders and active citizens, and fill them with the conviction that they too can change the world.





Obama Scholars will have the opportunity to take full advantage of Occidentals wide range of academic programs, hands-on experiences such as working at United Nations-related organizations in New York or on a major political campaign, full access to summer internships, support in conducting research projects and study abroad.




FRIDAY, Sept. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Contact lens wearers everywhere need to be on the lookout for a rare, but potentially blinding, eye infection, British researchers warn.

In southeast England, cases of the infection, called Acanthamoeba keratitis, have tripled since 2011, a new study found.

The illness is typically tied to poor contact lens hygiene use.

The infection combines a tiny single-cell amoeba with the bacteria keratitis. Once the eye is infected, it causes the the cornea to become painful and inflamed due to this cyst-forming microorganism.

For one in every four of people infected, the disease results in a loss of most of their vision or blindness and they face prolonged treatment, the research team said.

While rare, outbreaks have also occurred in the United States, one ophthalmologist said.

"There have been a few outbreaks in the U.S., most notably from improper disinfection of contact lenses," said Dr. Jules Winokur, who practices at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He wasn't involved in the new study.

"In clinical practice, we see cases of acanthamoeba on a regular basis, " he said. "Most often, these cases present in patients wearing contact lenses who have been exposed to contaminated water, which could be from swimming pools, water parks or even showers at home."

"The treatment of acanthamoeba can be prolonged and difficult," Winokur explained. "Toxic medications and even corneal transplantation may be necessary treatments."

The British study was led by Dr. John Dart, from University College London's Institute of Ophthalmology. His team collected data on patients seen from 1985 to 2016 at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

They found an increase in cases of the disease from the eight to 10 a year seen in 2000 -2003, to 36 to 65 cases per year more recently.

Overall, 25 percent of those affected required corneal transplants to treat the disease or restore vision, the researchers said.

Dart's team also conducted a second study, this time in people who wore reusable contact lenses daily. The study compared those 63 diagnosed with Acanthamoeba keratitis with 213 people who went to the eye hospital for any other reason.

Dart's group found that the risk of developing the disease was more than three times greater among people with poor contact lens hygiene. This means people who didn't always wash and dry their hands before handling their lenses, or those who used a now discontinued disinfectant product containing Oxipol.

In addition, people who wore their contacts in swimming pools or hot tubs were also at risk, as were those who showered or washed their face while wearing their lenses, the study found.

"People who wear reusable contact lenses need to make sure they thoroughly wash and dry their hands before handling contact lenses, and avoid wearing them while swimming, face washing or bathing," Dart said.

"Daily disposable lenses, which eliminate the need for contact lens cases or solutions, may be safer and we are currently analyzing our data to establish the risk factors for these," he added in a university news release.

Dart stressed that "this infection is still quite rare, usually affecting fewer than 3 in 100,000 contact lens users per year in South East England, but it's largely preventable."

"This increase in cases highlights the need for contact lens users to be aware of the risks," he added.

Dr. Matthew Gorski is an ophthalmologist at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. He agreed that proper contact lens hygiene could prevent most cases of Acanthamoeba.

According to Gorski, that includes:

Washing your hands with soap and water before handling contacts.

Properly disinfecting, cleaning and storing your contacts, including never using tap water to clean contacts.

Removing contacts from your eyes before water exposures such as swimming, showering or bathing.

Removing contacts immediately and seeing your eye doctor if you have any eye pain, sensitivity to light, red eye or change in vision.

The study was published Sept. 21 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

More information

For more on Acanthamoeba keratitis, visit the American Optometric Association.
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September 21, 2018

His Excellency Honorable President Abdul Hamid

Presidents Office

Bangabhaban, Dhaka

Bangladesh

Sent via fax: 88-02-9585502

Dear Mr. President,

The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent press freedom advocacy organization, is deeply concerned about the Digital Security Act that was passed on September 18 by the Parliament of Bangladesh, and urge you to return it for review. CPJ is concerned that this legislation, if allowed to become law, would violate constitutional guarantees of freedom of the press, and would create extensive legal dangers for journalists in the normal course of carrying out their professional activities.

CPJ respectfully urges you to exercise your constitutional authority to return the legislation to Parliament for revisions that would eliminate these dangers. Specifically, we ask that legislators address the concerns that have been expressed repeatedly by the community of journalists in Bangladesh, as outlined below.

One of the most worrisome provisions of the Digital Security Act is an amendment added at the last minute in Section 43, which will allow police to arrest or search individuals without a warrant. In addition, the Digital Security Act includes problematic aspects of Section 57 of the Information and Communications Technology Act, despite public promises by government ministers to eliminate it. Section 57 has been repeatedly used to imprison journalists in defamation cases. Government ministers had previously acknowledged that police have misused Section 57, and had promised that procedures would be established to prevent this. Instead, journalists continue to be subject to the danger of arbitrary arrest in the normal course of their activities.

Also of concern is the inclusion of the colonial-era Official Secrets Act in the Digital Security Act, which seems to contradict the Right to Information provisions included elsewhere in the legislation. The extension of the Official Secrets Act into the digital sphere escalates the hazards faced by investigative journalists who play a vital role exposing corruption in government.

The extremely heavy fines and punishments, up to 50 million taka (US$600,000) and life imprisonment depending on the offense, threaten to make journalism an unacceptably hazardous profession and will result in a timid press that cannot play the important role required to support a vital democracy in Bangladesh. CPJ is similarly concerned that the vague descriptions of potential offenses, such as hurting religious values or causing a deterioration in law and order, would invite arbitrary use and misuse of the law to restrict the media.

Bangladesh has a proud 56-year history as a secular democracy with strong affirmations of human rights and freedom of speech and the press. This legislation promises to damage that tradition, and to severely harm Bangladeshs standing among the community of democracies as a defender of press freedom.

We urge you to take action to prevent this, and ensure that the next bill the legislature sends you adheres to the guarantees made in Bangladeshs constitution as well as to international norms.

Respectfully yours,

Steven Butler

Asia Program Coordinator

Committee to Protect Journalists
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Nairobi, September 21, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists today urged Ethiopian authorities to ensure internet is available, including during times of unrest when access to information provided by journalists is crucial. Mobile internet was unavailable in the capital, Addis Ababa, from September 17 to the morning of September 19 amid protests and clashes, according to media reports and Berhan Taye, who leads Access Nows #KeepItOn campaign against internet shutdowns, of which CPJ is part.

Berhan told CPJ on September 18 that she was able to verify access to the internet had been cut by analyzing traffic data and speaking with about 20 people across the city. Ethiopian authorities did not to respond to CPJs questions about whether they ordered access to be cut.

The shutdown came the same day as protests in Addis Ababa over clashes in which ethnic minorities were targeted, according to these same media reports and Atnafu Berhane, an Addis-based journalist who spoke with CPJ.

Restricting access to the internet stifles press freedom by making it difficult for journalists to communicate with sources, to distribute news, and to verify information. It cuts off members of the public from the critical information they need to make decisions during times of crisis, said CPJ Sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo. We urge Ethiopian authorities to keep to the path of greater press freedom forged in recent months, and to desist from future shutdowns.

Berhan told CPJ that residents who use fixed lines to access the internet could still go online. However, many Ethiopians rely on mobile technology to access the internet, and Berhan said that the shutdown made it harder for journalists to verify what was happening and for citizens to access information on safety. Belay Manaye, an Ethiopian journalist and blogger, told CPJ he believes that the protests in Addis Ababa would have better covered had mobile internet been available.

CPJs calls and messages to the communication affairs minister, Ahmed Shide, and ministry spokesperson, Mohamed Seid, went unanswered on September 19. Fitsum Arega, the prime ministers chief of staff, told CPJ on September 19 that mobile data was back on in Addis Ababa, but when asked what led to it being cut he referred CPJ to the state-owned phone telecommunications company Ethio Telecom, for an explanation.

When CPJ called Ethio Telecoms internet-listed phone numbers, an individual who answered said that there had been a problem with the internet on those dates. When CPJ asked to be transferred to an official spokesperson who could elaborate, the individual said that they did not know the appropriate person to respond. CPJs September 20 email to Ethio Telecom spokesperson Abdurahim Ahmed was not answered. Abdurahim could also not be reached on his mobile phone and a text message to the same line went unanswered.

The shutdown came amid protests in Addis Ababa on September 17 over clashes that had left at least 23 people dead in the capitals outskirts, according to media reports. Amnesty International said in a September 17 statement that at least 58 people had been killed in the clashes, including five people shot dead as police dispersed protesters. The Amnesty report and Berhan both said that hate speech had been observed on social media during the clashes.

Despite Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds inauguration promises to respect free expression, authorities have previously cut access to the internet. Authorities temporarily blocked access to the internet during a political crisis in the countrys Somali region in August, according to research by Access Now and reports.

[EDITORS NOTE: The eighth paragraph has been updated to correct the spelling of Berhan Tayes name.]
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Nairobi, September 21, 2018Police in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia, should rigorously investigate the killing of Abdirisak Said Osman, a reporter and photographer with the privately owned radio station Codka Nabada, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Abdirisak died on September 19 in the city of Galkayo while receiving treatment for injuries sustained in a September 18 attack, according to a statement by the Media Association of Puntland (MAP) and Codka Nabada director Ahmed Mohamed Ali, with whom CPJ spoke. MAP chairman Mohamed Dahir told CPJ today that the motive for the attack was still unclear.

Authorities in Puntland must leave no stone unturned in investigating the killing of Abdirisak Said Osman. They should quickly establish if his work as a journalist was in any way connected to his death and prosecute those responsible, said CPJ sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo. A rigorous and transparent investigation will go far in demonstrating Puntlands commitment to ensuring the safety of journalists.

In its statement, MAP said that Abdirisak was on his way home from work when he was attacked by a group of unknown people at around 11:00 p.m. on September 18. Police told MAP that the journalist was stabbed with knives and beaten with sticks and died of internal bleeding, according to the same statement.

Osman Abdi Yusuf, Puntlands deputy commander of the Criminal Investigations Department, told CPJ today that six people had been arrested in connection to the attack on Abdirisak. However, he declined to provide substantial comment on the case or the motive of the attack, saying investigations were still ongoing.

MAP said it rejected conclusions or assumptions that the attackers were bandits, pointing out that the journalists phone had not been stolen. The organization urged authorities to investigate whether his profession could have been the motive.

Codka Nabada director Ahmed Mohamed Ali told CPJ that Abdirisak, 30, had recently reported a series of stories on insecurity in Galkayo, interviewing members of the public on their concerns about criminal gangs and terrorists. The director said that some of those interviewed had identified militant group Al Shabaab as being the cause of insecurity. However, Ahmed said that he did not know whether the attack on Abdirisak was connected to this reporting, saying that investigations were still ongoing.

According to CPJs research, Somaliaincluding semi-autonomous Puntland and the breakaway region of Somalilandhas some of the highest levels of impunity for murders of journalists.

Editors Note: The caption with this alert has been updated to clarify the location.
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Bamakos governor, Colonel Deberekoua Soara, indefinitely suspended Renouveau FM, a privately owned radio station in Bamako, Malis capital, on August 1, 2018. The station was accused by Soara of alleged incitement to hatred and revolt on a popular current affairs show, the broadcasters director, Sidi Mohamed Dicko, told CPJ. The station was back on the air 11 days later after Malis media regulator, the Haute Autorite de la Communication (HAC), nullified the governors suspension, although the regulator ordered the program canceled, Dicko said.

Soara cited the need to preserve public order and tranquility and suspended the radio station indefinitely because of remarks made on July 31, 2018, on the popular current affairs show Carte sur Table, hosted by Youssouf Mohamed Bathily, also known as Ras Bath, according to a local news report. The suspension order, seen by CPJ, did not indicate which of Ras Baths remarks were deemed to be offensive.

Carte sur Table was known for its criticism of the government, according to Kassim Traore, the president of the Malian chapter of the Union of Francophone Press Clubs. Its July 31 show related to alleged fraud and the stuffing of ballot boxes in the first round of Malis presidential election on July 29, 2018, according to another local news report. In addition to hosting a radio program, Ras Bath is an activist leader of the opposition movement Collectif pour la defense de la Republique (CDR), which supported presidential candidate Soumaila Cisse, said Togola Hawa, chief editor of the independent online web TV, Kunafoni.com. Cisse lost Malis August 12 presidential runoff election to incumbent Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Privately owned online news outlet Bamada.net reported on August 13, 2018, that Minister of Information and Digital Economy Harouna Modibo Toure told reporters it was up to the regulator to punish a media outlet if it was necessary to do so and not the governor.

Renouveau FMs case was transferred to the regulator, who overruled the governors decision on August 11, 2018. Renouveau FM was reopened because the governor has neither the right nor the legitimacy required to decide on the suspension of a media outlet, Dicko told CPJ.

Hameye Cisse, a member of the nine-member regulator, told CPJ that the regulator nullified the governors decision because he did not have the authority to make such a decision in terms of Decree No. 2012-19 of March 12, 2012, relating to private communication services. Only the regulator or the Minister of Territorial Administration with advice from the regulator may proceed to a closure or suspension of a media outlet, but in the latter case it must be motivated by interference with the interests of national defense or national unity and not for the maintenance of public order as stated in the governors decision, Cisse said. However, Carte sur Table was found to have violated the code of good conduct for media during elections because of alleged incitement and the broadcaster was ordered to suspend it, he said.

Because the regulator did not sanction Ras Bath, Renouveau FMs management decided to start a new current affairs program, Les Grands dossiers, with Bath as its host, said Dicko. The weekly show began on August 22, 2018.

CPJs repeated calls to Bamakos governor, Colonel Deberekoua Soara, went unanswered. CPJ contacted Minister of Information Toure by email, but he declined to comment and referred CPJ to Soara.
Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has launched Indias National Database of Sexual Offenders (NDSO). With this, India became the ninth nation to maintain such thorough database. NDSO will not be available for general public but only to law enforcement agencies for effectively tracking and investigating cases of sexual offences

National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO)

NDSO is initiative under National Mission for Safety of Women aimed at curbing crimes against women and children. It will mainly include database sexual offenders in the country convicted under charges of rape, gang rape, POCSO and eve teasing 2005 onwards.

It will have database of containing key details of convicted sexual offenders such as their names, residential address, photographs, fingerprints, DNA samples, Aadhaar numbers and Personal Account Numbers (PANs).

It will be maintained by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for regular monitoring and tracking by State Police. The database will not compromise any individuals privacy. At present database contains 4.4 lakh entries. State Police will regularly update the database from 2005 onwards. As of now, it does not have records of juvenile offenders, but they are likely to be included in at later stage.

NDSO will maintain database of cases classified as posing low danger for a period of 15 years. The database of cases, which are classified as moderate danger, will be stored for 25 years. The data for cases involving repeat and habitual offenders, criminals, convicted gang rapists and custodial rapes will be stored permanently.


India: 96% coverage in issuing biometric cards to fishermen:Centre

September 21,2018 | Source: Business Standard

India has achieved 96 per cent coverage in issuing biometric cards to fishermen across the coastal regions of India, the Centre said Tuesday. Briefing reporters at the end of the 28th meeting of Southern Zonal Council held here, Union Home minister Rajnath Singh, who chaired the meeting, described it as "very successful and very fruitful."



Of 27 agenda items, 22 were successfully resolved. The rest would be resolved at the next meeting to be held in Tamil Nadu, whose date has not been fixed, Singh said. "The zonal council provides for a common meeting ground for states to promote and facilitate coordinated efforts for fostering economic and social development," he told reporters.



R Buhril, secretary, inter-state council in the Home ministry of home affairs, said, "96 per cent of biometric cards have been given across the country. The Home ministry is very particular about this because it involves coastal security. This will help identifying whether those fishing in high seas are our legitimate citizens or not," he said. Besides state governments, the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and other security agencies have been provided with card readers, he explained.



Issues of scholarship to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes were also deliberated. Matters related to running a peninsular tourism train, touching all the tourist destinations of south India, was also discussed. The issue of curbing red sanders logs' smuggling was also taken up, but the states could not arrive at a decision and it was later decided to set up a committee to look into the issue, Burhil said. The official said matters that could not be resolved included the land dispute between Puducherry and Tamil Nadu hindering the Puducherry airport project and fishing in Pulicat lake on the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu border.



Modernisation of police forces and issues relating to augmenting drinking water supply to Chennai city were also discussed.

"There were issues relating to coastal fishing in terms of use of antibiotics so that they are used properly, otherwise consignments, particularly for exports, will be rejected. So, some norms and guidelines have been finalised by the ministry, which is being circulated and the states were requested to adopt these guidelines," Burhil said. Besides Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, his Puducherry counterpart V Narayanasamy was also present. Representatives of other southern states too participated.
Pakistan: Seafood exports decline 9.5 percent to 13,301 tons in July-August

by Shahid Shah

September 21,2018 | Source: The International News

Pakistans seafood exports declined 9.5 percent to 13,301 tons during the first two months of FY2019, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed. In dollar terms, the seafood exports dropped 17 percent to $29.53 million against $35.562 million in the corresponding period of the last year. Pakistans fish and fish preparation exports increased to 7,849 tons in August, up 44 percent against 5,452 tons exported in July. However, exports remained 14 percent low against 9,091 tons exported in August 2017.



China is one of the largest buyer of Pakistans fish and fish preparations. Other buyers included Hong Kong, Indonesia, Egypt, Middle East, UK, Thailand, South Korea, Bangladesh, etc. Pakistans fish and fish preparations export are fetching per unit price of $2.27 to $2.5, which is lowest in the region, where the average price is around $7, said Faisal Iftikhar, former president of the Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association. Our prices show that we export more fish meal and our prices are lower than quality fish meal price, which fetches $3/unit. We are going behind low quality exports.



Quality seafood stocks are depleting in Pakistani waters because of overfishing and use of destructive nets, he said, adding that Pakistan mostly exports to China at lower rates, while EU lifted ban from two factories only amid political pressure without inspection of these factories on the ground. Revival of exports to the EU had no significant impact over Pakistans total seafood exports, Iftikhar said. Pakistans seafood export has resumed to the EU, but only one factory, of the approved two factories, is exporting to the EU member countries. However, prices by the EU remained low.



The prices are similar to China, which are very low, said Capt Akhlaque, who is the only exporter of seafood to the EU. We are not in a bargaining position. India is controlling the prices, whose 200 factories are exporting seafood to the EU. According to Marine Fisheries Department, there are around 150 fish and seafood exporting firms in Pakistan, of which 35 operate in the premises of Karachi Fisheries Harbour. Akhlaque said that Pakistan still has commercial fish stocks due to breeding season and complete ban on fishing during June and July, which helps in developing fish stocks. This year too, the country expects better fishing stocks due to complete ban on fishing during June and July, he added.
Pakistan: Disruptive marine weather lowers catch for small-scale fishermen

by Jan Khaskheli

September 21,2018 | Source: The International News

The declining fish catch in September has disturbed Sindhs fishermen, who are unable to recover even the cost of operating boats along the 350 kilometre provincial coastline. September is a prosperous month for fishermen who catch more fish, adding to their stock on their traditional landing sites. But this year, the rough sea weather, that started in June and July has now extended to September, impacting marine life, a community activist said. Usually violent tides start in June and July, which normalise up to August 15, he added.



Information gathered from community activists from the coastline of Thatta and Sujawals Keti Bunder, Kharo Chhan and Shah Bunder areas reveals that this new phenomenon emerged quite recently during the month of September. The two months of June and July are considered breeding season of the most important commercial species of shrimps, and the provincial government always bans fishing activities during the time to avoid loss of juvenile fish, and give rest to the sea.



The new fishing season starts on the first of August. After lifting of the ban crew members leave their local jetties on the boats for fishing in the open seawaters. But this year boats are coming with low catch compared to the previous years, creating a tough situation for the boat owners and workforce, because the catch they bring is not enough to recover operating cost of boats, including fuel, ice, food and other things used in routine practice.



Community people link these challenges to overall global warming, climate change, degradation of habitat, increasing marine pollution, and changing temperature. Pakistan is rich in seafood products, and the industry provides livelihood to more than 300,000 families directly or indirectly. The countrys coastline is spread over 1,050km, from where fishing activities take place.



There are 800 marine species, out of which 120 species are commercially important. These species are brought to the market and processing zones in Karachi from different areas. Community people on the coast of Sindh, who have been dealing with both commercial and non commercial marine species, say that the number of both commercial and non commercial species is declining. They have not been able to catch large quantities of commercial marine species this year so far. Their operating boats are of different sizes. Bigger boats stay out in the open seas for a few days, sometimes weeks, depending on catch and weather situation. Small boats have short-range target and move to the sea early morning and return back in the evening with little catch for sale. Elderly fishermen endorse that the operations of smaller boats are more sustainable. These methods have been in practice through generation. These small boats do not create a burden on the marine environment, they say.



They claim that the different approach and policies of the government, which allow bigger boats with larger commercial operations to exploit the sea, have impacted their smaller, more sustainable operations. These larger fishing vessels with huge capacity and net size, are wiping out available fish stocks, they said. Majeed Motani, an elderly captain, and owner of fishing vessels that operate from Ibrahim Hydri, Karachi, blames the overall weather changes, which have impacted fishing activities as well as marine life.



For instance, he said small-scale fishermen owning little boats were still reluctant to start their activities because of rough sea weather, which has continued till September this year. These small boats usually harvest fishing nets along small waters and stay there for the whole day. But this year, they could not move their vessels out to the sea for routine activities, due to the poor weather conditions.



This phenomenon has also forced mid-sized boats to stay anchored at the harbour and jetties, with an occasional trip here and there. The weather has badly affected the livelihoods of hundreds of community people, who have been associated with fishing for generations. Talking about the much-talked government's fisheries policy, Motani said, There are no criteria, who should be allowed to invest in purchasing larger-capacity boats with huge sized nets and operate in the sea. These alien people, hailing from different areas of the country, have joined the fishing profession, but they do not know the sensitivity of the sea, as the sea also needs rest.



These people operate huge vessels 24 hours a day, seven days of week without break. The over fishing has also impacted the fish catch, exploiting available fish stocks. In this situation, only small-scale fishermen face hardship, despite being natural custodians of the sea for generations. Elders also speak of the depleting water share from Indus River, which flows downstream Kotri, recharging the marine ecosystem. They blame the low downstream water of destroying the natural marine resources as well.



The community elders urge the government to understand that after agriculture, fishing was a major source of livelihood for a large portion of Sindhs population. Local activists also remind about the time when low river water flow forced a large number of coastal farmers to join fishing for survival. These farmers were accepted in fishing and now share resources in the coastal areas. However, the situation is changing now. Licensed factory trawlers operate fishing nets in the provincial jurisdictions, marginalising the local and indigenous fishermen of Sindh. This has impacted alarmingly on resources, leaving small-scale fishermen to stay idle at home without any earnings.



Marine scientists believe that like other species, fish have good sense about the extreme weather and avoid frontline wind pressure. These species move to the bottom to avoid the cold water. Presently there is no exact data about registered boats operating in marine waters. Local jetties are crowded, while others are being established along coastal villages to have additional and separate space for landing products and operating boats. This is happening despite the hue and cry of the community against exploitation of fishing grounds.
Myanmar: To send fishing workers to Thailand this month

by Shine Lin Aung

September 21,2018 | Source: Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar will officially send workers for the fishing industry in Thailand in the third week of September, according to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population on September 18. The labour minister of Thailand came to Myanmar in late August and offered to recruit Myanmar workers for the undermanned fishing industry in Thailand.



Both countries will open one stop service centers Kawthoung in Myanmar and Ranong in Thailand after they have reached an agreement on the official recruitment of Myanmar workers. Win Shein, Director-General of the Labour Department said: Fishing workers reunion and reacceptance camps will be opened in Ranong. Myanmar will open one stop centers where workers will sign contracts. We will send workers only for on-shore fishing vessels installed with GPS devices.



Priority will be given to Myanmar workers who have experiences of working in fishing industry. MoU workers will enjoy the minimum salary from at least 10,000 to 12,000 Thai baht according to the law in Thailand. The Thai Labour Ministry has guaranteed that Myanmar workers are entitled to rights, social security and remittance according to the Thai Labour Protection Act.
Maldives: Fisheries industry suffers due to false rumours: fisheries minister

by Lujine Rasheed

September 21,2018 | Source: The Edition

Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr. Mohamed Shainee stated the spreading of misinformation was the basis of distress experienced in the Maldivian fisheries industry. While speaking at a press conference, Dr. Shainee stated that the fisheries industry will prove itself to be of precedence but that it only will be made possible through sustainable means. He disappointedly pointed out that politicians with the moral obligation to address the industry have not been upholding it.



Dr. Shainee's statement was aimed at the opposition coalition's presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu)'s statements towards the fisheries industry. While speaking at an opposition coalition campaign stop in Thinadhoo, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, Ibu stated that there are 100 unlicensed foreign sea vessels fishing from Maldivian seas. Ibu pledged to provide marine security in order to protect the Maldivian seas from any illegal foreign vessels, should he come to power.



Responding to these comments, Dr. Shainee pointed out the discontinued authorization of foreign vessels to fish in Maldivian seas since the early 2000's. However, the sea vessels that were given authorization before the discontinuation, carried out their trials. Furthermore, he stated that the current government does not have the authority to permit foreign vessels to fish in Maldivian seas. "No foreign vessels will be permitted to fish in Maldivian seas", said Dr. Shainee. Additionally, Dr. Shainee refuted Ibu's claims of unauthorized foreign vessels in Maldivian seas and vehemently claimed the vessels currently in Maldivian seas as being 100 percent Maldivian.



"Previously, the authorization of sea vessels was available through a localized system. However, the regulations were changed in order for it to cater only to local vessels. The new regulation stipulates the revoking of the old licenses, as well as the changing of its ownership. The current government is the first to implement regulations as such", said Dr. Shainee.



"Spreading of misinformation like this by a fellow Maldivian is unacceptable. These actions affect the fisheries industry negatively", said Dr. Shainee. Continuing his speech, Dr. Shainee stated the Maldivian sea vessels fishing in the Indian Ocean as subscribing to an extremely delicate market, and that any hindrances faced by the market will gravely affect the fishermen of Maldives. Therefore, Dr. Shainee urged everyone to refrain from spreading any misinformation about the fisheries industry.
Highly controversial and widely criticized in the EU and around the world, the death penalty continues to be legal under the Belarusian constitution and justified by the Belarusian people in cases of grave crimes. Whether it is morally acceptable or ethically wrong, the issue of capital punishment has thrown a spanner in the works of Belarusian politicians vying for a seat in the Council of Europe, with Belarus being the only European country to allow the executions of its prisoners.





History of the death penalty in Belarus





The death penalty has been a part of the countrys policy since it gained independence from the Soviet Union. Article 24 of the National Constitution prescribes this punishment for grave crimes that occur against the state or against individuals. A number of non-violent crimes can also be punishable by death. Under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus these crime include terrorism (both domestic and international), treason, sabotage, conspiracy to seize state power, aggressive warfare and violation of war laws, genocide, acquisition of weapons of mass destruction and crimes against humanity, murders of a police officer or of a diplomat, as well as murders of civilians committed under aggravating circumstances. Statistically, the last one is the most common charge brought against those that would later find themselves on the death row.





Over the years the number of crimes punishable by death has been reduced excluding a number of economic crimes, however, terrorism has since been added to the list. On March 1, 1994, the decision was made to pronounce women ineligible for capital punishment. As of January of 2001 same goes for persons under the age of 18 at the time when they committed the crime or over 65 at the time of sentencing. Furthermore, under Article 84 of the Constitution, the president of the Republic of Belarus may grant pardons to convicted citizens. There is reliable information that President Lukashenko granted at least 2 presidential pardons in his time in office.





The retention of the death penalty in Belarus has for years been criticized by European officials and institutions. In 2000 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe issued the following statement:





We condemn in the strongest possible terms the executions in Belarus and deplore the fact that Belarus is currently the only country in Europe where the death penalty is enforced and, moreover, is regularly and widely enforced.





By choosing to abstain during the vote on the UN Moratorium on the Death Penalty (adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December 2008) the Republic of Belarus showed its intention to pursue its own national interests and avoid taking steps towards abolishing capital punishment.





Belarus is known as the only European country to have carried out executions in the 21st century. This issue has been quoted as the reason for Belarus being denied a seat as a temporary or honorary member of the European Council, as its current members have suggested a number of times that Belarus should abolish capital punishment before it can apply for membership in the Council.





Furthermore after the abolishment of death penalty in Uzbekistan on January 1st 2008 Belarus remains the last post-Soviet state where this kind of penalty is still utilized.





In its yearly review, presented in May 2008, the international human rights organization Amnesty International called Belarus the last hangman in Europe. Over the years the organization has often addressed the Belarusian authorities with the urge to refrain from the death penalty, criticizing both its presence in the legal system and the procedure of its implementation, as well as quoting the Belarusian Constitution. Article 24 proclaims Everyone has the right to life. The state protects human life from all unlawful attempts.





Methods and number of executions





The precise details of the executions are usually kept secret, yet it is certain the official method used to carry out the death sentence in Belarus is execution by shooting. On the day of the execution the death-row inmate is believed to be transported to a secret location, where he is told that his appeals were rejected. The procedure is thought to be quick with no relatives in attendance. Doctors on sight pronounce the inmate dead, give out the death certificate and the body is then buried, once again, in an undisclosed location. The family members are later notified of the fact that the execution has taken place in an official letter, omitting the details of the execution and of the site of the offenders grave.





Such method of execution does not sit well with many European officials and human rights groups, who have previously called such practices inhumane.





There is as much mystery surrounding the exact number of death penalty sentences carried out annually. Some reports suggest the number has varied from 2 to 9 persons a year in the last two decades.





The website of the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs provides the following information:





Time period ........ Number of executions

1990-1995..........148

1996-2000..........139

2001-2005..........19

2006-2010..........19

2011-2015..........9

2016...................4

2017...................Not known





There is speculation that the official numbers may be inaccurate due to the lack of transparency on the part of Belarusian authorities and their desire to avoid death penalty related publicity. What is undoubtedly true, however, is that the number of executions has dramatically dropped since the 90s and briefly in 2012-2015 while the negotiations with Europe were underway the executions almost stopped.





Public opinion





President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has multiple times reminded the Belarusian people and the rest of the world that the Belarusian citizens themselves at the 1996 referendum overwhelmingly voted for the retention of the capital punishment. According to the Belarusian Constitution issues and proposals approved and implemented by a referendum may only be overturned by another referendum. Lukashenko has said that he is certain that if there were a new vote the result would be the same as back in 1996.





According to some reports the support for the retention of the death penalty surged even higher after the terrorist attack on the Minsk metro that took place on the 11th of March 2011 and shocked and devastated a traditionally secure and peaceful country. The terrorist attack left 15 dead and 203 injured sending Belarusian people into mourning and disbelief.





The investigation and manhunt that followed kept the country on its toes and the sigh of relief was palpable as two alleged culprits were apprehended. Both of them were found guilty and sentenced to death. The Belarusian authorities promptly after the sentencing officially announced that the executions had been carried out.





The reactions to these executions were mixed with human rights groups and opposition parties expressing their concern about some of the practices employed by officials during the investigation, yet a large number of Belarusians admitted to feeling safer after the threats were neutralized.





UNDP Conference Death Penalty: Transcending the Divide





On March 10th 2016 Minsk together with the United Nations hosted the Death Penalty: Transcending the Divide conference with the aim of building bridges between Belarus and Europe. The conference was a landmark event, according to the EU Special Representative for Human Rights Stavros Lambrinidis. He noted that the 20th century saw a considerable increase in the number of countries that chose to abandon capital punishment, including moratoriums and full prohibition (as of 2017 more than 150 countries). According to Lambrinidis, it is essential that life sentences become the most severe form of punishment. He added that in many countries, the majority of the population was against abandoning the death sentence but the leaders made a political decision to go through with it, and with time, the citizens got on board.





Belarus plays an important role in resolving international crises, Andrea Rigoni, PACE rapporteur on Belarus, said at the conference. Mr. Rigoni then stated that he wanted Belarus to return to the Council of Europe. I consider it necessary to move in this direction with greater determination in order to accelerate the process of rapprochement of Belarus with the Council of Europe and with the values of the Council of Europe. It is a long process and we are here to protect our views, our values and to support a moratorium on the death penalty, which is one of our fundamental values. Having started this process together, we should keep moving together, making small steps towards our common goal. I believe that the EU should have more influence on this process and make more of an effort to see the results, Andrea Rigoni said. Meanwhile, he noted that the position of the Council of Europe on the death penalty is that it should be fully abolished. Rigoni added that the moratorium could allow Belarus to return to the PACE as a special guest.





As of 2017, the future of the capital punishment in Belarus is unknown. The arguments presented by the supporters of life sentences, such as the assumption that a life sentence may be a more severe form of punishment on the offender, do not seem to have resonated with the Belarusian public or statesmen. The pressure from the outside and the media campaigns did little to sway the majority or bring enough attention to the issue for it to be discussed in offices or households. Although there is talk of potentially addressing the issue on the governmental level or holding a state-wide referendum, as of 2107 no definite steps in this direction have been taken.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Two inmates face executions next week. Troy Clark is scheduled for lethal injection on Wednesday, Sept. 26. Daniel Acker is due the following evening.





Both men claim they had no hand in the murders for which they were convicted, but for Clark, that insistence seems to have fallen on deaf ears.





The most recent filing in his case was last November when the U.S. Supreme Court denied his appeal.





Clark, from Tyler, Texas, was found guilty of the 1998 murder of Christina Muse, who was beaten and drowned in a bathtub, before her body was shoved into a barrel of lime and cement mix.





According to the Houston Chronicle, Clark and some friends dumped the barrel in a remote area of the property that he lived on.





When law enforcement found Muse's remains, they located a 2nd body decomposing nearby.





Clark's original appellate lawyer Craig Henry argued that Clark's trial lawyer was "deficient" in his counsel, but Clark's second appellate attorney Jeffrey Newberry argued the same thing about Henry.





In a 2014 appeal, Newberry wrote, "Henry's failure to present the mitigating evidence [to the appeals court] prevented the Fifth Circuit from considering ... evidence that transformed Clark's ... claim to such a degree that it was no longer the claim presented." But it's not clear what Newberry has since done to continue legal efforts on Clark's behalf.





Today, anti-death penalty groups are calling on Gov. Greg Abbott and the Board of Pardons and Paroles to halt Clark's execution, including Dead Man Walking author Sister Helen Prejean.





Acker, however, is in the throes of last-minute appeals. On Tuesday, Sept. 18, the Court of Criminal Appeals denied his latest request for relief as well as his motion for a stay.





Though his clemency application is still pending, his attorney Richard Ellis confirmed Tuesday that he'll continue to fight for Acker's life, and said an appeal to SCOTUS is likely his next step.





Acker, from Hopkins County, was convicted of capital murder in 2001 for the strangulation and dumping of his girlfriend Marquetta George's body.





Since his arrest, Acker has held that George jumped out of his moving vehicle during a heated argument and was likely hit by another car.





His most recent appeal alleges his innocence and argues that his due process was denied by the trial court's exclusion of evidence, as well as "false," "misleading," and "error"-filled testimony.





Specifically, Acker's counsel claims it would have been all but impossible for him to strangle George while driving. The prosecution's trial argument relied heavily on the strangulation theory, but the state and its medical examiner later disavowed the possibility during a 2011 federal evidentiary hearing.





The doctor suggested George was never strangled, and the prosecution then "contended that Mr. Acker pushed Ms. George from the truck, a theory that was never presented to Acker's jury." But that wasn't enough to sway the CCA.





If last-minute relief is not granted, Clark and Acker will be the ninth and 10th inmates executed in Texas in 2018.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Prosecutors will seek the death penalty as punishment for an Oklahoma City father accused of killing his 7-month-old son and leaving the body in a trash can.





Victor Manuel Minjarez told police he "bagged up" his son after watching the baby take his last breath, an Oklahoma City police inspector testified Wednesday during a preliminary hearing.





Minjarez, though, maintains his innocence, claiming the boy died after being laid too close to a heater. However, the baby, Jody Minjarez, suffered blunt force trauma to the head, a skull fracture and brain bleeding, the state medical examiner reported.





Minjarez, 31, is charged with 1st-degree murder and desecrating a human corpse. At the conclusion of Wednesday's hearing, Oklahoma County Special Judge Kathryn Savage found enough evidence to send Minjarez's case to trial.





At trial, prosecutors will seek the death penalty on grounds that the victim's death was heinous, atrocious or cruel and that Minjarez is a continuing threat to society.





Minjarez was arrested March 7, just hours after authorities issued an Amber Alert. Later that day, Oklahoma City police found the victim in a trash can outside a vacant house where Minjarez had been hiding with his son.





That night, police inspector Robbie Benavides questioned Minjarez, who said his son died about a week before.





Minjarez told the inspector he got into a physical fight with the boy's mother on Feb. 19 at her home in Norman and then took the baby. Days later, Minjarez sent a text message indicating the boy's mother "ain't ever going to see my son again. I made sure of that," the inspector testified.





Minjarez told police he stayed at various locations before hiding at the vacant house in Oklahoma City. The house was under construction, and no one was living there at the time.





One cold night, Minjarez and his son were lying on a mattress inside the house. The father said his son was getting sick so he found a heater and put it close to the baby, the inspector told the judge.





Minjarez later woke up and found the baby with blisters all over his face. The father said he rolled the baby over and fell back asleep. In the morning, he found the child making "bubble noises," the inspector testified.





Minjarez said he heard his son say, "Dada," before the baby took his last breath. The father then "smacked" his son a few times to try to wake him up, the inspector told the judge.





Minjarez said he didn't call 911 because he knew he was wanted by the police. The father admitted he then placed his son in the trash, the inspector testified.





A police lieutenant who discovered the victim's body during a search of the vacant house also testified Wednesday. The lieutenant said the victim had been wrapped in a blanket and then was "double-bagged" in black trash bags. Police found another black trash bag containing baby clothes.





Minjarez also was ordered to trial on a 2nd-degree burglary offense.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
The horrific rampage of former Marine Jorge Torrez began in a park in his hometown of Zion, Illinois, when he was just 16 years old. In May 2005, he fatally stabbed Laura Hobbs, 8, and her friend Krystal Tobias, 9, in a case that attracted national attention, particularly after Laura's father was wrongfully charged with the girls' murder.





Jorge Torrez graduated from high school a year later, never a suspect in the killings, and joined the Marines. By 2010 he was stationed at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia, while working at the Pentagon. That's when he attacked 2 women coming home from a Saturday night out, bound them with electrical cords inside their apartment, then took one of the women in his SUV, raped her, choked her and left her for dead. Police soon found Torrez, took his DNA and entered it into a national databank. And then the full scope of his crimes became apparent.





First, in July 2010, the DNA linked him to the killing of Laura and Krystal 5 years earlier.





Then the DNA linked him to the 2009 strangulation of Amanda Jean Snell, a 20-year-old Navy petty officer also stationed at Fort Myer. While in the Arlington County jail for his initial sex-crimes arrest, Torrez told a fellow inmate that he'd committed all three murders. The inmate was wearing a recorder. Federal prosecutors took the case, and won a rare death sentence from a jury in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2014.





Illinois prosecutors soon extradited him back to Lake County. And on Tuesday, he admitted killing Laura and Krystal on Mother's Day 2005, as part of a plea deal in which he was sentenced to 100 years in prison, on top of his death penalty for killing Snell and 5 life sentences for the attacks on the women in Arlington.





"Within each of us, there is a divine spark of goodness. But not for you," Lake County Circuit court Judge Daniel Shanes told Torrez, according to the Chicago Daily Herald. "You are a serial killer."





Torrez did not speak during the plea and sentencing other than to answer the judge's questions. As part of the plea deal, Torrez will be transferred from the Red Onion State Prison in southwest Virginia to a federal prison where he will await execution. His federal conviction and death sentence were upheld by the Fourth Circuit federal appeals court last year, and the U.S. Supreme Court is now considering Torrez's case.





"I just want to say we're glad it's over," said Marina Tobias, Krystal's mother, according to the Lake County News-Sun. "It has been a very long time, and this ensures he'll never do anything like that to anyone else."





The attack on the 2 women in Arlington shocked prosecutors with its brutality. After forcing the women into their apartment in the Ballston area, Torrez drove one of the women to a secluded area, raped her, then tightened a scarf around her neck.





"I screamed, 'What are you doing?'" the victim testified in 2011. "He responded, 'What do you think I'm doing?'" Torrez kept tugging on the scarf, and the woman later awoke to find herself face down in the snow near a highway in Prince William County, Virginia.





Virginia was the 1st state in the nation to authorize the taking of DNA from prisoners even before they were convicted of a crime. Doing so with Torrez quickly connected him to 3 homicides.





While Torrez was awaiting trial in Arlington for abduction and rape, he met fellow inmate Osama el-Atari, a flashy former restaurateur in jail for fraud. El-Atari knew of the pending murder cases against Torrez, and, while wearing a wire, asked Torrez if he felt any remorse.





"Does a lion feel remorse when it kills a hyena?" Torrez can be heard telling El-Atari during the taped conversation.





"You don't feel bad?" El-Atari asked during another conversation.





"Nope," Torrez responded.





"At all?" El-Atari asked again.





"Nope," Torrez repeated.





After a federal jury convicted Torrez of killing Snell inside Henderson Hall at Fort Myer, prosecutors introduced evidence of the Zion killings of Krystal and Laura to convince them that Torrez deserved to die. Torrez instructed his attorneys not to contest the penalty phase of the case, and none of the witnesses were cross-examined by the defense. The jury took only 4 hours to agree on a death sentence.





Torrez's defense team did fight the murder charges in Illinois for several years before finally reaching a plea agreement. Judge Shanes told him, "Your murder of these 2 girls was reprehensible. What you did is repugnant to every moral of civilized society."

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
US had also welcomed the exchange of messages between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: India on Friday called off a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi citing Friday's terror activity in Jammu and Kashmir.

Ministry of External Affairs' Raveesh Kumar while announcing India's decision said, "Since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place."

He added that "latest brutal killings of India's security personnel by Pakistan entities and recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists" were the reasons behind the decision.

"It's obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to world in his first few months in the office"

The meeting was scheduled to take place in New York later this month on the sidelines of UN General Assembly session.

India, however, had made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue.

The meeting would have been a first such high-level engagement since the suspension of dialogue between the two nations after the Pathankot air base terror attack in 2016.
Mekong Capital, a Vietnam-focused private equity firm, specializing in consumer-driven businesses, lately announced that its Mekong Enterprise Fund (MEF) has divested its final remaining investment, a garment manufacturing company called Minh Hoang.

This divestment follows the recent sale of the final investments in both Mekong Enterprise Fund II and Vietnam Azalea Fund.

With the completion of this divestment, all of the investments in Mekong Capitals first three funds have been fully exited, making Mekong Capital one of the first private equity funds in Asia to have fully divested three funds.

In total, Mekong Capitals funds have completed 33 private equity investments in Vietnam, of which 26 have been fully exited.

All investments currently managed by Mekong Capital are held in its latest investment vehicle, the Mekong Enterprise Fund III (MEF III), which has so far announced seven investments including lending firm F88, logistics companies Nhat Tin and ABA, restaurant operator Red Wok, Ben Thanh Jewelry, Yola Education, and mattress retailer Vua Nem.

With the exit of Minh Hoang, we are so delighted to have completed the divestments of all of our first three funds," said Chris Freund, Partner at Mekong Capital.

He added: "This enables us to focus on our newer investments in Mekong Enterprise Fund III, partnering closely with each of those companies to ensure they each achieve their vision."
Le Hoang Diep Thao has been reinstated as deputy director of Vietnam's top coffee corporation Trung Nguyen. Photo by VnExpress

A court ruled Thursday that the estranged wife of Trung Nguyens boss should be reinstated as deputy general director.

Le Hoang Diep Thao had filed a lawsuit against her husband Dang Le Nguyen Vu's decision to dismiss her as coffee giant Trung Nguyen Group's deputy general director, preventing her from taking part in running and managing the company.

In her lawsuit, Thao said that as Vu's wife and co-founder of Trung Nguyen, she was a member of the group's board of directors and owned 10 percent of its charter capital, as well as 50 percent of her and Vu's common assets.

In May 2006, Thao was appointed Trung Nguyen's deputy general director, allowing her to manage the company under Vu's authorization.

Under her management, Trung Nguyen's charter capital increased from VND150 billion ($6.5 million) to VND2.5 trillion ($108.7 million) and both the company's annual revenue and profit grew significantly, Thao claimed.

However, in July 2014, Vu signed a decision to dismiss Thao as deputy general director without the board of directors' approval. He also instructed his employees to demolish her office and block her from entering the company's headquarters, Thao alleged.

Furthermore, he prevented Thao from performing her rights and responsibilities as Trung Nguyen's shareholder and a board member, prompting her to file the lawsuit.

After failing to reconcile the couple, the HCMC People's Court in September 2017 accepted parts of Thao's requests and voided the decision Vu issued in 2014, reinstating her as Trung Nguyen's deputy general director and ordering Vu not to prevent her from managing the company.

Both Vu and the Trung Nguyen Group appealed the ruling. Vu asked the court to quash the ruling and suspend the case while Trung Nguyen claimed that the issue was an internal dispute, not a commercial one for the court to adjudicate on.

At the Appeals Court on Thursday, Vu's lawyer insisted that documents showed he had not prevented or hindered Thao from running the company.

The lawyer also claimed that Vu had already withdrawn the decision to dismiss Thao following the trial court's ruling in 2017. As the object of the lawsuit no longer exists, the case is no longer under the court's jurisdiction and should be suspended, she argued.

Thao's lawyer, meanwhile, pointed out that the defendant's claim that "the object of the lawsuit no longer exists" contradicts the decision to appeal the ruling.

He also asserted that Thao being prevented from running the company was evident from the fact that she was rarely invited to meeting and was not allowed to get involved in company's contracts or meet its partners.

In addition to the lawsuit on deputy general directorship, Thao and Vu are also involved in several other legal disputes including their divorce, management rights over the Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee Company and a case filed against the head of the Business Registration Office under Binh Duong Province's Department of Planning and Investment.
The VBS 2018 connected international entrepreneurs to local businesses and government bodies to promote trade and investment. Photo by VnExpress

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry feels a network of businesses, especially startups, will catalyze regional growth.

VCCI chairman Vu Tien Loc told VnExpress that the forging of links between local and international entrepreneurs was a highlight of the Vietnam Business Summit (VBS) held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF) in Hanoi from September 11 to 13.

What were the salient features of WEF on ASEAN 2018?

This is the second time Vietnam was hosting a WEF event. I think it was one of the most successful economic forums in the region. It attracted a lot of leading businesses, international organizations and the media. The sessions were professionally organized and the content was of good quality.

In this edition of the WEF, we promoted entrepreneurship and the fourth industrial revolution. These are new motivations for the worlds economy. Today, a cheap workforce or abundant resources are not the key factors for development. Entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity are most important. All successful businesses are based on these factors.

WEF on ASEAN 2018 spreads this spirit to ASEAN economies, including Vietnam.

This is the first time a business summit was hosted alongside the WEF. What is the significance of this?

Hosting the WEF was an opportunity for Vietnam to discuss global economic topics, catch up with latest trends in the economy, technology and management to identify development strategies and business models.

But Vietnam also needs to meet, interact and discuss specific business opportunities with global partners. Local businesses need to listen to suggestions from global partners on how to develop Vietnams economy.

The VBS allowed us to achieve those goals. First, local businesses were able to listen to suggestions for strategies to develop the country. Second, the event connected international entrepreneurs to local businesses and government bodies to promote trade and investment.

How would you evaluate the VBS?

The VBS was organized very professionally. It focused on locating Vietnam in the global value chain and finding solutions for the country to grow in it.

Vietnam is not an island. It must grow in a relationship with the world by participating even deeper in the global value chain. The sessions at the summit made these points clear.

What are the opportunities for Vietnams small and medium businesses to develop in the current period?

E-commerce and digital technology are assisting SMEs. With only a smartphone or a laptop, an SME nowadays can connect with global partners, access markets and perform business transactions.

The power of an SME does not depend on its scale but its ability to meet international standards and apply technology. This is a great opportunity for them. In a digital economy, the world is shrinking and SMEs are growing. SMEs are always the backbone of every economy.

I hope that Vietnam can implement good policies to upgrade SMEs, giving them the ability to compete in the international market. It will take a long time for Vietnam to have businesses on the same scale as top global firms, but it only takes a short time to help SMEs meet global standards. In the modern world, high standards will always have more advantages than size.

What polices does VCCI espouse in terms of supporting businesses to grow in the fourth industrial revolution?

The Vietnamese government has deployed many methods to develop the ecosystem in order to apply digital technology in the country. Multiple policies have been issued, but there needs to be more resourceful responses from the society.

VCCI, business associations and social organizations need to join hands with the government and the business community in helping SMEs.

VCCI has the SMEs Support Center, the Institute of Information Technology for Business and the Startup Nation Program to support these businesses. We are carrying out several research projects and establishing programs to support SMEs. Our goal is to raise awareness and provide SMEs with the foundation to digitalize.

We are also active in the network of businesses and international organizations. Top global firms like Google, Facebook and Microsoft have recently closely cooperated with VCCI. We are a reliable destination for businesses to approach and apply 4.0 technology and digitalization.

Many ASEAN leaders shared their business ideas at the WEF. Which one do you think was the most important?

I was impressed with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs idea on digitally connecting ASEAN countries. I think this is the foundation for other connections in the region and the world. This was also mentioned multiple times at the VBS.

My hope is that VCCI will establish an ASEAN network of startups to develop digital connections, promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the region, thus coming together to build a vibrant and innovative ASEAN economy.

How can we establish this ASEAN network of startups?

We already have the global network of startups, in which VCCI is Vietnams representative. Establishing a network of startups that can connect regional nations is very much possible.

Google, Facebook and Microsoft highly appreciate this idea and are willing to cooperate with us in the future.
Saigon One Tower is one of the first properties auctioned to recover debts. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Banks are selling hundreds of millions of US dollars worth of collaterals to recover debts.

The National Assemblys Resolution 42/2017/QH14 on dealing with bad debts of credit institutions seems to have created a more efficient mechanism for disposing of collaterals to recover bad debts.

According to analysts, the most prominent feature of Resolution 42 is the favorable mechanism it has given rise to for handling collaterals.

It allows credit institutions to seize and sell assets at market prices through simplified legal procedures.

Sacombank is now offering a number of properties for sale, including four land plots worth hundreds of millions of US dollars.

The largest, the Phong Phu Industrial Park in Binh Chanh District, HCMC, has an auction reserve price of VND7.6 trillion ($327 million).

Located on Nguyen Van Linh Road with 134 hectares for factories and services, it has 50 years to run on its lease.

Another property, offered at VND6.7 trillion ($289 million), is a 530,000-square-meter land plot in Tan Binh District.

The third, a residential project measuring over 600,000 sq.m in the Mekong Delta city of Can Thos Binh Thuy District, is worth VND4.57 trillion ($197 million).

The last one is also a residential project with 164,950 sq.m in Long Binh Ward, District 9, HCMC, costing VND1.8 trillion ($77.54 million). Land clearance and compensation payment have been completed.

Besides, the lender is set to auction several other properties in HCMC valued from hundreds of thousands to several millions US dollars.

Agribank and Agribank Asset Management have also been auctioning more than 10 land plots worth a total of VND470 billion ($20.25 million) this month.

Also going under the hammer are a workshop and machinery of Vietnam Life Pro Joint Venture Company worth VND257.4 billion ($11 million).

BIDV is seeking to sell the assets of the Thuan Thao Nam Sai Gon Joint Stock Company and 95 related individuals, whose total outstanding loans as of the end of last year were nearly VND2.3 trillion ($99.1 million).

The loans were secured with the company's head office in District 1 and two land lots measuring 22 ha in Binh Chanh District, HCMC, which are worth about VND845 billion ($36.4 million).

VietinBanks Thu Duc branch plans to auction collateral to recover a debt of VND6 billion ($259,000) from Gia Phu Real Estate.

Between 2012 and last June VND786 trillion ($33.7 billion) worth of bad debts have been recovered, according to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

In the first six months of this year Vietnams credit institutions recovered VND58.8 trillion ($2.53 billion).

The SBV said that in the one year since the National Assembly passed Resolution 42 on June 21, 2017 they had recovered VND138 trillion ($5.94 billion).

The current bad debt rate at credit institutions is a little more than 2 percent, it said, but admitted the rate could be as high as 6.6 percent if their off-balance sheet debts, including those with the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC), are included.
Many overseas Vietnamese talents are using the Come Home Pho Good campaign to carve out fulfilling careers in Vietnam.

Travelling around the world to find our way back home

"We travel overseas to find our way back home," said Nguyen Le Tung.

The 37-year-old market development manager at Boston Scientific, a leading manufacturer of medical devices with offices across 100 countries, studied and worked abroad for many years.

He got his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology from Webster University, Thailand, and got a scholarship from Arizona State University, the U.S., where he got a Masters in Biomedical Engineering. He spent eight years in the U.S.

After returning to Vietnam, he moved to Singapore to work for four years. He gained valuable insights into different working environments and cultures, and this experience has helped excel no matter where he goes.

But, "each time I returned, I deeply felt that I was miles away from where I originally started. Since 2009, Vietnam has gone through significant changes in working environment and quality of life, which definitely offers more favourable conditions for talented people to return and develop."

"Each time I returned, I deeply felt that I was miles away from where I originally started", said Tung Nguyen.

Another reason for returning to Vietnam, he said, is that he has young children. "My wish for them is to be fluent in Vietnamese and English. They should understand their roots better."

Sharing and contributing

Some may say that returning home to share his experiences is a pretentious rationale, but Huy Nguyen's (born 1982) story says otherwise.

He is currently Creative Director at Infinity Blockchain Labs, a pioneer in blockchain R&D in Vietnam. This field is still rather new, and local professionals are yet to gain new information and acquire new skills. Finding professional developers with high skill levels is a demanding task, many firms and headhunters have said.

Huy Nguyen is currently Creative Director at Infinity Blockchain Labs, a pioneer in blockchain R&D in Vietnam.

With more than 10 years of work experience in Graphic, UX and UI design in Singapore, Huy Nguyen's decision to return was based on the growth potential of blockchain in Vietnam, and the motivation of sharing his experience and knowledge with the next generation of developers.

"I don't mind organizing training workshops at least once a month for my colleagues. I find satisfaction in knowing that I'm helping my country from simple and small acts like that."

Millennials finding themselves

Lace Nguyen, 24, studied Comparative Literature at Washington University and graduated with a high GPA of 3.82, but her passion was fashion. After interning with big fashion houses including Armani, Bottega and Veneta, she began working as fashion copywriter in New York for luxury retailer Bloomingdale's.

With these kinds of horizon widening experiences, settling in the promised land" has been the dream for many Vietnamese students. However, getting the post-study visa and getting a job in America is a challenging task for international students.

Lace Nguyen chose not to pursue the dream. She returned home, determined to put her writing skills to use. Working closely with Robert Walters with the "Come Home Pho Good" campaign, Lace has found a dream job as a copywriter at Anduin Transactions within a short period of time.

Lace Nguyen returned home, determined to put her writing skills to use.

The company is a start-up with headquarters in San Francisco and a broad network across Asia. Working in a dynamic environment, and being surrounded with passionate colleagues, Lace feels happy and satisfied with her decision to come home.

"To find your passion, you need to find what you're good at and what makes you feel fulfilled. The energy from my colleagues and their trust, together with open career opportunities have been worth it," said Lace Nguyen.

The stories of Lace Nguyen, Tung Nguyen or Huy Nguyen are a few examples of many Vietnamese returning home from around the world through the Come Home Pho Good campaign launched by Robert Walters Vietnam.

With a global network across 28 countries and a dedicated customer relationship management system, Robert Walters Vietnam works very closely with its offices across the world to connect with Vietnamese professionals living abroad.

Since the campaign was launched two years ago, Come Home Pho Good has reached out to more than 5,000 Vietnamese talents. At least 1,200 of them have shared their desire to return home and find a suitable job.

"To meet the rising demand for local talent, we reach out via various channels such as newsletters, market updates, job alerts, a microsite, media coverage and networking events.

We invite overseas Vietnamese professionals to meet with Robert Walters consultants in our office to discuss opportunities back home in Vietnam," said Tra Tran - International Candidate Manager for Robert Walters Vietnam.

This return of human capital is important for the mid to senior level labour market and for the Vietnamese economy as a whole.

"We aim to be the first touch point for overseas Vietnamese professionals who are looking to establish a career in Vietnam and match their skills and experience to the roles that our clients are looking for in a market short of candidates, she added.
Vietnam-Japan University and Ibaraki University in Japan have signed an MOU to offer a joint masters degree in climate change.

Vietnam is among the countries dealing with the fallout of climate change, especially the greenhouse effect, according to Professor Nobuo Mimura, director of Ibaraki University, who visited Hanoi earlier this month for the signing.

The two universities will offer a masters program in climate change and development in Vietnam with the goal of training students to resolve climate problems and get related jobs.

Vietnam-Japan University principal Furuta Motoo hoped the cooperation between the two universities would generate opportunities for students and foster the development of education in both countries.

On the orientation day for the programs first ever batch, Mimura and other representatives of Irabaki University discussed with students various ideas related to fighting climate change.

Japanese professor Nobuo Mimura talks to students on orientation day. Photo by VnExpress

"Ibaraki University will invite leading experts on climate change in Japan to teach at Vietnam-Japan University, Mimura said.

We will also incorporate our teaching methodologies and provide students with access to our research and technology.

Ibaraki University has a long history of researching into and training in climate change and coming up with measures for climate change adaptation in Southeast Asia and elsewhere.

It set up an institute for this in 2006, the Center for Global Change Adaptation Science.

Mimura said responding to climate change is essential. What is needed is to bring together qualified professionals who are capable of forecasting and foreseeing climate change so that timely measures can be taken.

Thus it is imperative to train professionals and researchers, he said.

The new masters program is the first of its kind between Japan and Vietnam that specifically tackles the global issue.

Vietnam is among countries most affected by climate change. A United Nations report in January said rising seas from global warming could displace tens of millions in Vietnam, Bangladesh and other countries with densely populated river deltas.

Japan, meanwhile, has seen devastating impacts from diasters this year, with climate change blamed as a factor. The resilient country has seen typhoons, floods, heatwaves, landslides and earthquakes that were deadlier than ever. Many citizens used to decades of natural disasters may be underestimating the risk posed by stronger climate change-related phenomena, experts said, as cited in an AFP report earlier this month.
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang died Friday morning of a serious illness.

Nguyen Quoc Trieu, head of the National Commission of Health Services for Officials, said the president passed away at 10:05 a.m. at the 108 Military Central Hospital in Hanoi.

Quang was native of Quang Thien Commune, Kim Son District, Ninh Binh Province, south of Hanoi.

A professor with a doctorate degree in Law, he held several high-ranking positions before being selected to the countrys highest office.

He was Director General of Department of Security Advisory and Director General of the Directorate of Security. He served as Deputy Minister of Public Security from 2006 to August 2011, and Minister from August 2011 to March 2016.

He graduated from the People's Police University and the School of Foreign Languages under the Ministry of Home Affairs, now the Ministry of Public Security.

Quang was a member the Politburo, the decision-making body of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

During this period, he also worked as deputy head of the Central Steering Committee on Corruption Prevention and Control.

He assumed office as Vietnam's president on April 2, 2016.

Trieu from the health commission said Quang was afflicted by a serious disease for which doctors have found no cure yet.

The president fell sick in July 2017 and had traveled to Japan six times for treatment, he said.

"Experts and doctors from Japan have been treating the president for around a year. But there's no medicine to cure the disease completely; it could only be slowed down," Trieu said.

He said the presidents condition worsened recently and he was admitted to the military hospital on Thursday afternoon. He went into a coma at around 5 p.m. and never recovered.
Pictorial highlights of Tran Dai Quangs tenure as the President of Vietnam.

President Tran Dai Quang takes the oath on April 2, 2016, after he was elected to the post by a secret parliamentary vote. His nomination got 452 of 483 votes.

The very same night, President Quang took part in a conference to collect public opinion on delegates elected to the Vietnamese parliament, the National Assembly as well as local legislatures for the 2016-2021 term. The meeting was held at the Nam Thang Long 1 residental area in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi.

The late president delivers a speech on the opening day of the Cultural Festival of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups on April 19 in 2016 in Hanoi.

President Quang at a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the People Security Academy on June 26, 2016 in Hanoi.

On November 12 last year, U.S. President Donald Trump was given a red carpet welcome by his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang. In this picture, they are inspecting the Guard of Honor.

"Since the normalization of relations two decades ago, leaders and people of the two countries have shelved the past, overcome differences, built on similarities, looked to the future, and unceasingly forged bilateral friendship and cooperation, Quang said at a state dinner he hosted for President Trump.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Daniel Kritenbrink, expressed sincere condolences on President Quangs passing.

"Our sympathies go out to his family and the people of Vietnam at this sad time. President Tran Dai Quang was a friend of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship, he said.

We honor his legacy and mourn his loss alongside his family and our friends, the people of Vietnam, the U.S. envoy said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Quang at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi when the former visited Vietnam in November 2017.

President Quang frees birds during Vesak, the most important Buddhist festival, marking the Buddha's birth and enlightenment, at the Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi on May 21 this year.

On August 14 this year, Quang attended the Diplomatic Conference in Hanoi.

In one of his last acts in office, President Quang beat the drum to mark the start of the new academic year on September 5 at the Chu Van An High School in Hanoi.

Half a month later, the Vietnamese President passed away at 10:05 a.m. on Friday at the 108 Military Hospital in the capital from a serious illness that doctors could not cure.
Are moon festivals the same everywhere in Asia?

Though originated from China, distinctive Moon Festival celebrations across Asia add up to the diversity of humanity as a whole.

Japan

Japan has two moon festivals every year, following lunar calendar. Zyuyoga is associated with the traditional customs of "Otsukimi" (meaning watching the moon on the full moon day in autumn). For the people in the land of the rising sun, the festival is the time for them to honor the moon in the fall, the only time the moon is at its fullest.

In the Otsukimi festival, the Japanese often make Dango, a type of rice dumplings (mochiko). It is quite similar to mochi and is served with tea.

On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the Japanese personally hand mix flour with water, pound it to create that structure-builder before proceeds to baking.

Dango cake is presented with a Susuki grass vase during moon festivals. Also known as tail flower, susuki is a perennial tall grass that blossoms in the autumn. The moon watching ritual cannot be done without dango cake.

Dango cake and susuki grass. Photo courtesy of Katorisi on Wikipedia

The legend of Dango cake is traditionally passed on from one generation to the next on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month.

When the Jade Emperor descended from Heaven to Earth, he accidentally encountered a rabbit. The Jade Emperor was too hungry and asked for food, but the rabbit had nothing to give him. The bunny ended up jumping into the fire to become food for the Jade Emperor.

Touched by the generous act, the Jade Emperor brought the animal to the moon. From then on, on every full moon day of the eighth lunar month, the rabbit would make Dango cake on the moon and give to people on Earth.

South Korea

Moon Festival is not simply a celebration of full moon in South Korea. Chuseok festival, which literally means Autumn Eve, is also referred to as Korean Thanksgiving. This is the time when all family members reunite under one roof.

The harvest festival is considered one of the biggest and most important holidays in South Korea. It falls on August 15th in the lunar calenda. Traditionally, the whole family cooks together and enjoys traditional dishes like songpyeon (cresent-shaped rice cake), and sindoju wine (made with new crop rice on Chuseok).

A plate full of songpyeon, the representative Chuseok food. Photo courtesy of Joe McPherson/ZenKimchi

On Chuseok, Koreans mold flours into crescent shapes. Instead of making a round cake that symbolizes full moon, Koreans believe that because crescent always becomes full moon, the shape symbolizes fertility, prosperity and happiness. After the flour is crescent molded, green beans are inserted as stuffing. The final stage involves steaming the dough with some fresh pine leaves.

Korean songpyeon comes with many colors. Apart from the typical white songpyeon, pink rice cakes get their color from strawberry, while dark green cakes from wormwood leaves, and yellow from pumpkin.

According to the legend, single women who can make beautifully shaped and delicious rice cakes will meet a compatible life partner, while married women will be blessed with wonderful offsprings.

Thailand

The people of the land of golden temples celebrate Moon Festival with a lot of lanterns. They gather in traditional costumes and release the sky lights up in unison, as a way to pray for good wishes.

10,000 lanterns flying in Yee Peng festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Photo courtesy of CFP

On the moon festival tray of tributes to the ancestors, Thai people always have pomelo fruit, which symbolizes reunion. Most Thai houses traditionally install an altar. Above the altar, a peach and moon cakes are placed.

By offering the peach, Thai people believe that after the Bodhisattva of Compassion receives the peach, the Gods will bless them with good things in life. That is why moon cakes in Thailand are peach-shaped.

Today, one of the most popular moon cakes in the country is the grilled moon cake with durian and salted egg stuffing, signifying the full moon.

North Korean moon festival food. Photo courtesy of Daedong River Club on Naver Blog

North Korea

Also known as Autumn Night festival, the special occasion for North Koreans is also watching the full moon together. North Koreas traditional sweet treat is crescent-shaped muffins made of rice flour. The stuffing varies, which can be green beans, jam, or apples. Alike other cultures that celebrate Moon Festival, North Koreans also gift one another moon cakes.

The fillings vary, ranging from jam, cashew nuts, to almond nuts and many more. Photo courtesy of VnExpress/Tran Thu Thuy

Vietnam

Unlike other cultures, Moon Festival in Vietnam is often thought of as a festival for kids. Vietnamese people organize a tray of different goods to pay tribute to the moon. When the moon is at 12 oclock direction, kids sing and together dig in the tray for delicious treats while watching the full moon. The moon watching ritual is a result of a fictional characters journey, Cuoi.

One day, a banyan tree was suddenly lifted into the air in Cuois village. He grabbed on its root and tried to pull it back to earth, but to no avail. Cuoi and the banyan tree together flew to the moon. Today, adults tell kids that whenever they look at the moon and see dark areas that are shaped like a big old tree with someone sitting at its foot, that is Cuoi and the banyan tree.

Grilled moon cake and sticky rice moon cake are typical Moon Festival delicacy in Vietnam, which reflects a heavy influence of Chinese moon cakes. They have a round or rectangular shape which embodies sky and earth together  a symbol of affluence and wholeness. Grilled moon cakes have a golden hue, while sticky rice moon cakes have an ivory-like white color - each carries its distinctive flavors.

Homemade moon cakes with bold designs and colours are done with artistic details and on the rise of popularity. Moon Festival to Vietnamese people is also the festival of reunion. It does not matter where everyone is, they are called home by the full moon every year.

In Vietnam, the Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival this year will take place on September 24.
Today, on the 27th anniversary of Armenias independence, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian issued the following statement, in which he says that The new Armenia must be a victorious Armenia.

Dear Citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

Dear Compatriots,



On this day in 1991, we publicly stated our right to speak out. Today, as an independent nation, we confidently speak through the voice of the Right.

We proved that dreams may come true. Today, we have new aspirations which come forth every day, in each and every one of us. We should be willing and ready to make them come true in the New Armenia. The first thing that comes to mind in todays Armenia should be the understanding that this is a new environment which is to be formed by us all. We are compelled to do this because we remember the people who sacrificed their lives for freedom, who brought it closer but didnt live to see it. We owe it to them.

A lesson of our history proves that we win when we are united.

The New Armenia must be a victorious Armenia.



Dear Fellow Citizens,



Taking pride in the achievements of the past and present, we should approach the future with a greater vigor and creativity.



Our ideas and ability should precede our emotions, and we should make our country move in step with the world. The time is pushing us forward and indicates that as a state, as a nation we have no right to lag behind. We should take the course of progress with the unconditional respect towards our Constitution, with the great sense of responsibility towards the state on behalf of the public, civil society institutions, and all branches of power.



On the international arena, we stand as one: Armenia-Artsakh-Spyurk.

Which means we have much greater potential and abilities than we imagine.

Lets make it all the moving force behind our future victories, lets do it all together, all citizens of Armenia, Armenians all over the world, pan-Armenian.



Dear Citizens,



We are used to celebrating our family holidays together and united. Our national holiday is a holiday of our great family, the modern Republic of Armenias birthday; its a holiday for us all  young and old, soldier and worker, scientist and student.



I congratulate us all on the occasion of this pan-national and pan-state holiday  Armenias Independence Day. I wish you all peace, prosperity, happiness and optimism.
Villagers in Minh Tan Commune, Binh Duong Province, have discovered a new route to prosperity: growing the edible birds nests.

When she found some birds nests in her house, Vu Thi Tuat thought it was a good omen.

It was much more. She had stumbled on a gold mine.

In 2010, the 58 year old resident of Minh Tan Commune in southern Binh Duong Province discovered six bird nests on the third floor of her house. She thought it was a good omen and let the birds be.

A few months later, during an agriculture training session, the trainer spoke about the highly lucrative business of raising swifts for their nests.

Tuat immediately thought of the nests in her house and talked with her husband about investing in this new business, closing down their rubber and construction materials division.

"I thought to myself that I was old, my kids have settled down and I should find something else to do so I can rest more, but still earn some money," said Tuat.

Luckily, her husband backed her and she started researching the new venture. She learnt that this bird preferred to live 500 meters above sea level amid vegetation or on the coast. Her village fitted the former description.

Once Tuat learnt more about bird farming techniques, she was ready to give it a go.

She has never looked back.

Vu Thi Tuat earns more than $21,000 a month from selling swift nests, once the preserve of royalty and still very expensive.

In the second and third floors of her house, she made wooden shelves, installed a surveillance camera and a sound system to replicate swift chirps, a ventilation hole, and a hole in the wall for the birds to enter and leave.

In the first few days, we did not see any birds coming in on the camera, she told VN Express.

The six swifts that had once nested also flew away and we were very disheartened thinking we were not going to make it. To console me, my husband told me to think of it as an experiment.

But our patience paid off on the 10th day when a flock of birds flew into our bird houses and made nests. We were delirious and kept jumping up and down like kids.

A year went by.

Their house had become so popular with the birds that there was no more space left for newcomers. The couple then decided to renovate their outdoor storage to accommodate more birds.

Within no time theyd recouped their investment of VND120 million ($5,170).

Thousands of swifts have made Tuats house their home. She has built seven more birdhouses. She collects 50 nests a month. and sells them at VND20-30 million ($860-1,290) per kilogram.

Orders flood her desk every month and she never needs to advertise her products.

Freshly harvested birds' nests.

Tuat says swifts prefer temperatures of 27-30 Celsius, humidity of 70-85 percent and light of 0.2 LUX. They are cautious and often fly in flocks and build nests in safe, hidden places that protect them from predators, she explains.

In 2016 she was awarded a certificate of merit by the Prime Minister. Now people visit her in droves to learn her techniques. Her children too are following in her footsteps.

Pham Quang Khai, chairman of Minh Tan Commune, said Tuat's family boldly risked their old career to create the communes first bird nest houses. Now more than 200 households are in this business, though the pioneer continues to be the most successful.

Rural transformation

The road to Minh Tan Commune passes through kilometers of rubber plantations on both sides. It is a typical rural scene, except for thousands of birds, swifts, flying, swooping and chirping.

Led by Tuat, villagers here have discovered a new route to prosperity: growing the edible birds nests.

These highly nutritious nests were once a luxury item reserved only for kings and emperors. Now, in the modern era, more people have access to them, though not everyone can afford them at VND20-100 million ($860-4,300) a kilo.

Today, Tuat epitomizes the success of Minh Tan Commune, where more than 200 families have latched on to the lucrative vocation of breeding swifts nests.

With earnings of more than VND500 million ($21,500) a month, Tuat has blazed a trail for others to follow.
Days of heavy monsoon rains caused a steep slope of limestone and soil to collapse into at least 10 homes in Tina-an. Photo by AFP

Twelve people were killed and dozens missing after a landslide unleashed by monsoon rains struck in the central Philippines Thursday.

The new tragedy comes just days after 2018's most powerful storm, Typhoon Mangkhut, pounded the nation's north with heavy winds and rain, sparking a separate landslide that left dozens dead.

Emergency workers in helmets and locals with shovels rushed to search for survivors of the new disaster, which happened in the village of Tina-an on the popular tourist island of Cebu.

Days of heavy monsoon rains caused a steep slope of crumbly limestone and soil to collapse into at least 10 homes early Thursday when many people would still have been in bed.

"Even four-storey houses are buried," said witness John Rhay Repuesto Echavez, who also saw the human toll of the slide.

"(My neighbour) was crying right in front of her sister's house. There was nothing left, not even the rooftop was visible," he told AFP. "Her sister's whole family was buried."

Injured survivors were wheeled into the back of ambulances and the dead were laid on pews at a local church.

"We have 12 dead now," civil defence spokesman Julius Regner told AFP, adding at least 50 people were still believed missing.

"There are more than 100 rescuers on the site. They are using backhoes (excavators) and other heavy equipment," he added.

Civil defence officials in the region said landslides are fairly rare on Cebu, an elongated island with low hills that did not take a direct hit from Mangkhut.

People weep next to the bodies of victims of a landslide in Naga City, on the popular tourist island of Cebu. Photo by AFP

Most of those killed in the storm died in landslides in the Cordillera range, which includes Itogon and other towns in a region known for gold mining.As Thursday's search for survivors unfolded, efforts continued in the hunt for bodies in the mining area of Itogon in the mountainous north of the Philippines, which was the area worst hit by the typhoon.

Police said on Thursday that the death toll rose to 88, primarily due to corpses recovered from the Itogon slide.

Mangkhut swamped fields in the nation's agricultural north and smashed houses when it tore through at the weekend.

Itogon is one of the country's oldest mining hubs, with known gold panning activity stretching back to before the 17th-century Spanish colonial conquest.

Thousands of people from all over the country still flock to the upland town seeking their fortune in largely unregulated mining, which is accompanied by periodic deadly accidents.
Sukhoi Su-35 multi-role fighters of the Sokoly Rossii (Falcons of Russia) aerobatic team fly in formation during a demonstration flight at the MAKS 2017 air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, Russia, July 21, 2017. Photo by Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia.

The U.S. State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD), the branch of the Chinese military responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms exporter.

The sanctions are related to Chinas purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.

They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating the U.S. financial system. It also adds them to the Treasury Departments list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.

The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.

CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syrias civil war.

Doing significant business with anyone on that list can trigger sanctions like those imposed on China.

Some of those added to the list, which now contains 72 names, were indicted in connection with Russian interference in the U.S. election, the official said.

Earlier on Thursday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order intended to facilitate implementation of the sanctions.

A federal special counsel is leading a criminal investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election, and any possible cooperation with Trumps presidential campaign. Trump has insisted there was no collusion with Russia. Moscow denies any effort to meddle in U.S. politics.

Aimed at Moscow - or Beijing?

One U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.

The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia. CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country, the official told reporters on a conference call. They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities.

In Moscow, Russian member of parliament Franz Klintsevich said the sanctions would not affect the S-400 and SU-35 contracts.

I am sure that these contracts will be executed in line with the schedule, Klintsevich was quoted as saying by Russias Interfax news agency. The possession of this of this military equipment is very important for China.

The measures come as the Trump administration pursues a variety of strategies to clamp down on China and faces growing pressure to respond strongly to U.S. intelligence agency reports that Russia is continuing to meddle in U.S. politics.

Members of Congress, including many of Trumps fellow Republicans, who passed the sanctions bill nearly unanimously, have repeatedly called on the administration to take a harder line against Moscow.

Administration officials said they hoped the action against EDD would send a message to others considering buying the S-400.

U.S. officials have been discussing the issue particularly with NATO ally Turkey, which wants to buy the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries.

Washington has expressed concern that Turkeys planned deployment of the S-400s could risk the security of some U.S.-made weapons and other technology used by Turkey, including the F-35 fighter jet. U.S. officials have warned that Turkeys purchase of the system could contravene CAATSA.

We hope that at least this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors, another U.S. official said.
The IMF has been pushing Ukraine to raise household gas prices.

An IMF mission has left Ukraine without announcing a deal on new aid but a top central bank official said on Thursday he expected an agreement "in the near future" that would help preserve financial stability during 2019, an election year.

Analysts expressed surprise at the lack of an IMF statement at the end of the visit, which ran from September 6 to 19, Reuters said.

An IMF spokesman in Washington later said discussions were ongoing, without saying when they might be completed.

Read alsoNaftogaz CEO: Ukraine's government, IMF agree on gas price hikes for households

The IMF has been pushing Ukraine to raise household gas prices, which have been kept artificially low since Soviet times, to market levels. It was not immediately clear whether the two sides had made progress in their talks on this issue.

"There are productive negotiations on the new programme. Significant progress has been made. We expect results in the near future," Deputy Central Bank Governor Oleh Churiy told Reuters, in the first public comments by a senior Ukrainian official a day after the mission concluded its visit.

"(There are) talks on a new IMF programme that will allow Ukraine to pass the election year freely and maintain financial stability," Churiy said.

A new agreement would give the government some breathing space to manage its debt payments, which are set to peak over the next two years. It would help keep the currency stable and retain the confidence of investors and Ukraine's foreign allies.

It would replace a $17.5 billion aid-for-reforms programme that has propped up Ukraine's economy since 2015 through a sharp recession following Russia's annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of separatist fighting in the Donbass region.

"We've had a staff team in Kyiv, discussing with the Ukrainian authorities the continuation of our efforts to support policies and reforms, support macroeconomic stability and growth in Ukraine, and on possible financial assistance from the Fund," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters.

"I don't have any further detail on those discussions, which are ongoing as I said, and I don't have a specific date for the conclusion."

He did not say whether the IMF had offered Ukraine a new standby agreement or whether the conditions for such a deal would differ from the old one.
The government wants to attract foreign investors, but there are some familiar risks.

Gleaming silos, towering container cranes and hulking cargo ships docked at quaysides in Europe's biggest corn and sunflower producer should be a symbol of an agricultural exporting powerhouse.

Instead, it's a cautionary tale of how Ukraine may squander another opportunity to plug the former Soviet republic into the global economy and give safe harbor to the world's biggest investors, Bloomberg wrote.

It's not just Ukraine's increasingly forgotten four-year civil conflict that's an issue here along the Black Sea. It's also about whether authorities are committed to modernizing a nation that sits astride Russia and the European Union. The risk is that it falls back to the cronyism and corruption that has plagued the country even after two post-communist uprisings.

Read alsoUkrainian seaports post profit decline in H1 - Xinhua

The government is moving ahead with a plan to complete the privatization of its maritime cargo handling system, which now handles 66 percent of all goods exported. While the land underlying 13 separate ports will remain state-owned, the government is pushing a to hand over the final 25 percent of cargo handling to professional stevedores  or, local handlers fear, the nation's well-connected businessmen.

The running of the ports is "worse than an old Soviet pig farm," said Oleksiy Vadaturskyy, the owner of Nibulon Ltd., a central Ukrainian farming company that handles its own grains for export in the port city of Mykolayiv.

No one doubts the present system, held together by a maze of obtuse leases and other arrangements developed since Ukraine's independence in 1991, needs to be streamlined.

The aim is to bring in investment to the ports over the next two decades. A new law on port concessions passed the first reading in Parliament and the country's infrastructure minister said on Wednesday he hopes the second reading will take place in October. President Petro Poroshenko urged lawmakers to finalize the law before the 2019 elections.

But while the government claims it wants to attract international investors, there's a lot of baggage.

Ukraine ranks 130th in Transparency International's latest Corruption Perceptions Index, the lowest in Europe except for Russia and at a par with Myanmar and Sierra Leone. Then there's geography: Russia's takeover of the Crimea peninsula has hampered flows in and out of the Ukrainian port of Mariupol 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of the embattled city of Donetsk.

"Whoever wants to invest in these ports, they are going to have to really think about it significantly because there is quite a big risk attached to it," said Amanda Paul, a senior policy analyst at the European Policy Centre.

The 13 ports in Ukraine, a nation of 44 million people, handled a combined 133 million tons of cargo last year, falling since 2014 because of a drop in business with Russia. It's less than a third of the cargo handled by Rotterdam, the busiest port in Europe.

The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority will invest at least 15 billion hryvnia ($528 million) by 2023 to strengthen quays, dredge ports and transport links as an incentive, said Raivis Veckagans, its chief executive officer.

Read alsoUkraine's property fund expects to get US$71 mln from sales of small-scale privatization facilities

The first ports targeted for sale will be Olvia and Kherson, with Yuznyi and Chornomorsk coming later. The state will look for commitments totaling a combined $200 million, he said.

On Wednesday, potential investors gathered in Kyiv to discuss the first concession projects. The Infrastructure Ministry said on its website that among those attending were representatives of System Capital Management, the holding company for billionaire Rinat Akhmetov's steel interests, Nibulon, Mitsubishi Corp., China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. and companies from Turkey, Qatar and Korea.

"Let's say I'm an investor in the port business and I'm thinking about expanding," said Mykhailo Granchak, an economist at Kyiv-based Dragon Capital, which was commissioned in 2015 to survey port investors. "I don't have a chance to invest in a port in Europe. And here in Ukraine, as an investor, I have this chance."

Even so, some existing stevedores are concerned the law may force them to give up operations to newer, larger bidders or sign new agreements under unfavorable conditions. The few companies that have opted out of dealing with the state entirely, such as Nibulon, are afraid they may be pressured to take part in the restructuring.

On a recent day in Yuzhnyi, the largest and deepest dry cargo handling port in Ukraine, containers the size of trucks were being hauled onto ships by TIS Group, a Ukrainian handler. CEO Andriy Stavnitser, whose father founded the firm as the Soviet Union dissolved, is optimistic, provided the concession process is managed fairly.

"Think about it as the Wild West," said Stavnitser. "And this is going to be a more civilized environment. It will happen in any case. The government can never be fully efficient, full stop. Still, this is Ukraine," he said.

Indeed, some of Ukraine's richest men are keen to get a piece of it. Akhmetov's SCM is "prepared to help the state to modernize and develop" the port system after the law is passed later this year. "As long as the state offers transparent and adequate conditions," it said in a response to Bloomberg questions.

A hazy line between what is private and state property reflects decades of changes in the government's approach to ownership rights.

Farming group Nibulon spent $2 billion to buy a chunk of harborside property next to the state facility, creating a complex of silver silos and elevated pipes and a ship-building facility. But Vadaturskyy was once summoned to Kyiv to meet with a government official, who proposed folding Nibulon's private facilities into the adjacent state-owned Mykolayiv port.

"We invested all these years, we built an entire system  the fleet, the vessels, the buildings, the plant, the logistics," Vadaturskyy said. "Why do I have to be managed by them?"
President Sarkissian congratulates on Independence Day

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has congratulated the people of Armenia on the Independence Day: "Dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia, Dear countrymen, On this day in 1991, we publicly exercised our right to vote. Today, as an independent state, we are confidently speaking with the voice of right. We proved that dreams can come true. Today we have new aspirations which are born every day, in each of us. We must feel ready and capable in making them reality in New Armenia. The first perception of todays Armenia should be that it is a new environment which should be formed by each of us. We are obliged by the memories of those people who sacrificed themselves for independence, who brought it closer, but didnt manage to see it. We are in debt before them. One of the lessons from our history is that we have achieved victories when we stood united. New Armenia must be an Armenia of victories. Dear countrymen, By being proud of our previous achievements we must approach the future with greater excitement and creativity. Our minds and skills should get ahead of emotions and make our country more harmonious with the worlds pace. Time is constantly pushing us forward, making us understand that as a state, as a people we dont have the right to be late. We must move on the path of advancement, with unconditional respect towards the Constitution, and realization of great responsibility towards the society, civil society institutions and all branches of the government towards the state. As Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora, we are one whole in the global environment. Therefore, we have far greater potential and opportunities than we imagine. Lets make this all the moving force of our future victories, lets make it together, with all citizens of Armenia, all Armenians in the Diaspora, with Pan-Armenianism. Dear countrymen, We usually celebrate family holidays together and united in our families. Our national day is the holiday of our big Armenian family, the birthday of todays Republic of Armenia, the holiday of the seniors and the youth, the soldiers and the workers, academicians and students, all of us. I congratulate you all on the occasion of the pan-national holiday, the Independence Day of Armenia. I wish peace, welfare, happiness and optimism to you."
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

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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

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Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

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"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
One of the signers made a statement about how the letter came together so quickly when suspicions arose, CBN News reports:

But one of the signatories, Meghan McCaleb, is making it clear that the outpouring of support was a testament to Kavanaugh's character and that neither the Senate Judiciary Committee nor the White House had a hand in coordinating the letter.

"My husband and I have known Brett Kavanaugh since high school," McCaleb said in a new statement. "Last Thursday afternoon, September 13, a reporter contacted my husband asking about news reports that Senator (Dianne) Feinstein had referred to federal authorities an allegation from a woman to the effect that Judge Kavanaugh had acted improperly toward her during high school."

"Having known Brett well in high school, my husband and I were shocked by these news reports," she continued. "We agreed that we needed to inform the Judiciary Committee of Brett's high character and integrity from high school through the present day. We reached out to one of Judge Kavanaugh's former law clerks to discuss preparing a letter from the women who knew Judge Kavanaugh best during his high school years."

"Through a group effort with other friends of Judge Kavanaugh, we prepared the letter that ultimately was released," McCaleb recalled, noting that the missive "was not coordinated with anyone at the White House or the Senate Judiciary Committee."
Ararat Zurabyan: New government just needs dolls, so that it can scare people through them (video)

According to Ararat Zurabyan, candidate for Yerevan mayor, the process of this year's campaign is unique. "It was in the post-revolutionary phase, there were new shades." According to the mayor candidate, some forces are participating in Yerevan City Council elections to test their potential in the upcoming elections. "I think these elections refer only to Yerevan, and I urge the citizens to remember it." Ararat Zurabyan suggest counting the number of campaign posters in the city, taking into account the availability for equal conditions for the campaign. "We see that there are forces that have spent 10 times more, I do not compete with Nikol Pashinyan, but he competes with everyone." Touching upon the announcement about Robert Kocharyan's return to politics, the mayor's candidate notes that he has never been in politics. "This new government just needs dolls, so that it can scare people through them, Civil Contract party has good intentions, but is unable to deal with many issues, I want it to become a good force."
Nikol Pashinyan does not return from World War II (video)

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has visited the Union of Veterans today and met with its members. President of the union Simon Yesayan briefed the PM on their activities and addressed various issues of concern to the veterans. The Prime Minister congratulated the veterans on Independence Day and noted that he views the three republics of Armenia as phases of establishment and development of the peoples statehood, phases which the people had to pass through unavoidably. I myself was born in the second republic, my grandfather, whose name was also Nikol, surname Pashinyan, and I was named after him, hasnt returned from World War II, and due to these circumstances I feel myself here in an atmosphere of close people and I am grateful for this warmth, he said. He emphasized that the state should duly value the contributions of veterans to the country. It is very important and we will try to gradually solve the problems. I came here today to pay homage to you, your path, your contribution in both war and work, both public and political life, and to say that the Armenian government, without any doubts, has the warmest feelings for you, veterans of war and work, for all those people who during their lives have laid brick on brick, people who have endangered their lives for their country, and those who today are wishing the best future to their children, grandchildren and for whom the Armenian independence, sovereignty are the supreme value. This sovereignty and independence not only doesnt get into contrast with our past and history, but we view it as its logical continuation, Pashinyan said
Nikol Pashinyan: Cooperation with the IMF is valuable (video)

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received head of IMF mission to Armenia Hossein Samiei. The official website of the Prime Minister of Armenia reports, the PM highlighted the productive cooperation with the IMF and the continuous assistance of the Fund to the economic reforms in Armenia. Pashinyan emphasized that tax reforms are a priority for the Government that are aimed at simplification of tax administration, improvement of business environment and fostering investments. According to the PM, the Government pursues a policy of structural changes in economy, which will be based on high technologies and IT. The head of IMF mission to Armenia expressed confidence that joint work will foster the economic reforms in Armenia. Hossein Samiei added that the IMF is ready to continue the assistance to the Armenian Government for pushing ahead the reforms and is interested in the implementation of productive projects. The interlocutors exchanged ideas on a number of issues on the agenda of bilateral cooperation.
State-owned enterprise (SOE) Ukrspecexport, part of the Ukroboronprom State Concern, plans from 2019 to switch to international financial reporting standards (IFRS) after an independent financial audit of the company conducted by Baker Tilly, the press service of Ukroboronprom reported on Friday.

According to the report, the audit found that the financial accountability of the special exporter for 2017, compiled with Ukrainian Accounting Standards, reliably reflects the financial condition of the company, its financial results and cash flows for the period in all material aspects, apart from the issues described in the section "Basis for expressing a qualified opinion."

Ukroboronprom said that SOE Ukrspecexport was the first company of the public concern among large SOE incorporated in the concern that conducted an independent financial audit. The choice of the audit company was made in accordance with the criteria for state-owned enterprises of the first group approved by government resolution No. 390 dated June 4, 2015.

"At present, independent financial audits at different stages are held at other companies of the concern. The auditors are given access to all required information and reporting," the concern said.
Ukraine will not allow Hungary to hand out its passports to Ukrainian citizens and will continue the dialogue with Hungary on the extension of the transitional period of the law on education, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said.

"The consequences [of the video on the Internet about the procedure for issuing Hungarian passports to Ukrainian citizens] will be very simple. We will sit with the Hungarians again. We will talk about the extension of the transitional period of the law on education. This is important to them. We have the subjects of a conversation with the Hungarians, but in principle there is a red line - they will not give out citizenship for no particular reason, and they will not manipulate," Klimkin said live the 1+1 television channel early on Friday.

According to the minister, he plans to discuss with his Hungarian counterpart "how Hungary finances Ukrainian citizens" of Hungarian descent. He said that 22,000 Ukrainian citizens of Hungarian descent received assistance from Hungary last year alone.

"This means that one in five, every family receives this assistance," Klimkin said.

He also said that Ukraine is currently checking "how, in what amount of money, through what mechanisms" this assistance is being provided.

While commenting on the video confirming that Hungary issues its passports to Ukrainian citizens, Klimkin said: "Some people think that the problem with this video is only in the distribution of citizenship, but the problem is in this call [...] In fact, this is a call for violation of our legislation and manipulation."

According to him, Ukraine does not have a "clear strategy" for Ukrainian citizens of Hungarian descent.

"We do not really have a clear strategy on how to support our Ukrainians of Hungarian descent [...] We must be present there [...] We must understand them and help them, not the Hungarians, but we, and in extreme cases we, together with the Hungarians, but not the Hungarians themselves, as is happening today [...] We must do it together and not allow Hungary to do it itself."
Russian-led forces have opened fire on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 22 times over the past 24 hours, with no casualties recorded among Ukrainian servicemen, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters has said.

"Russian invaders opened fire on the positions of our troops 22 times, using weapons banned by the Minsk agreements on three occasions. Russian occupation forces fired at the positions of the Joint Forces in the areas of Krymske, Maryinka, Novotroitske, Hnutove, Vodiane, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne," the JFO HQ said in a report on its Facebook page early on Friday.

According to the report, illegal armed groups fired from 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and small arms.

In the Mariupol sector, the enemy shelled Ukrainian positions from 82mm mortars in the vicinity of Lebedynske and Shyrokyne.

In the Luhansk sector, the enemy used a 120mm mortar near Krymske.

In addition, on Thursday morning, illegal armed groups used 122mm artillery near Shyrokyne.

There are no casualties among Joint Forces servicemen and the local population.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, two militants were killed and four others were wounded.

On Friday, the enemy used grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms to fire four times at the positions of the Joint Forces near Krymske and Vodiane. The Ukrainian army sustained no losses, the headquarters said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has forwarded a note to Russia to notify it of the non-extension of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between the two countries, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said.

"We delivered the relevant note to Russia today," Klimkin said at a news briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

This treaty does not even contain a provision regulating the settlement of disputes between the two states, he said.

Ukraine will not allow "Russia to manipulate the suspension of a number of bilateral agreements," Klimkin said.

A bill on the non-extension of the treaty will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada after interagency clearance inside Ukraine, he said.

"As soon as the relevant presidential decree was made public, even before its publication, we had drawn up the draft. I signed it the same day and started the internal interagency clearance procedures. There is such a procedure, and we will unhurriedly carry it out now with our lawyers, including with our partners. [...] This must be done before the date the treaty expires. This legislation is very simple. In fact, it consists of several lines," he said.

The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council decided on September 6 to support President Petro Poroshenko's proposal that the treaty not be extended for another ten years. Poroshenko told the Council he would instruct the Foreign Ministry to forward a note to Russia on terminating the treaty as soon as possible.

Poroshenko promulgated the National Security and Defense Council's decision on September 17.

The Council resolved that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry must inform the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and other international organizations of Ukraine's desire to terminate the friendship treaty with Russia and of the reasons of its termination.

The treaty was signed on May 31, 1997 for a period of ten years (with subsequent automatic prolongation of the document unless the parties took steps to prevent it). The Verkhovna Rada ratified the document on January 14, 1998, and the State Duma ratified it on December 25, 1998. The treaty took effect on April 1, 1999.

The treaty outlines the principles of strategic partnership, inviolability of existing borders, respect for territorial integrity, and mutual obligation not to use the other country's territory to jeopardize its security.
Crimean Tatar activist Asan Chapukh, held by Russian law enforcement agencies in the Simferopol detention center, has stopped his hunger strike, Liudmyla Denisova, the Verkhovna Rada authorized representative for human rights, said.

"After six days of refusing to eat and without being provided with proper treatment, his state of health has worsened. He stopped his most violent and most complex of all protests - a hunger strike," the ombudswoman wrote on her Facebook page.

Sixty-five year-old Chapukh was illegally accused in the so-called "case of the Vedzhie Kashka" by the Russian authorities.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko proposes a note on Ukraine's decision not to extend the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with the Russian Federation be circulated as an official document of the UN General Assembly and Security Council.

"On Monday, I am leaving for New York City to attend the UN General Assembly. The day before yesterday, the committee supported the Ukrainian draft resolution on Crimea, and I instructed that the message, the note of Ukraine on the non-extension of the Treaty be circulated as an official document of the UN General Assembly and Security Council so that no one had any doubts that Ukraine has finally left the Soviet legacy, the Russian Empire behind, and our fantastic people returned to the family of the peoples of the European Union," Poroshenko said during an official ceremony of issuing 10 millionth biometric passport in Kyiv on Friday.

As reported, on September 6, 2018, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine supported the initiative of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to not extend the Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation with the Russian Federation for 10 years. At the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Poroshenko said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine would be instructed to send a note to the Russian side as soon as possible to inform that the Treaty would not be extended: "Based on the results of the NSDC meeting, there will be a decision and an instruction to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send the note to the Russian side in the shortest possible time."

On September 17, the president by his decree introduced the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of September 6, 2018, not to prolong the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, signed on May 31, 1997.

According to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, the Foreign Ministry should inform the UN, the OSCE and other international organizations about Ukraine's plans not to extend the Treaty of Friendship with Russia, as well as the reasons for this decision.
On Wednesday, September 26, at 10.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference titled "Prospects for Development of Wood Electronic Management System as a Tool for Monitoring its Harvesting and Sale," where a new module of the Wood Electronic Management (WEM) system will be presented - a certificate that will automatically issue certificates of origin of wood and check the entire supply chain of wood - from raw materials (round timber) to the final product. Participants include Director General of the State Enterprise Ukrainian Forestry Innovation and Analytical State Centre Viktor Melnychenko; representatives of the developer of the WEM system - Austrian company Latschbacher GmbH Volodymyr Molochko, Andriy Vorony; Head of the Trade Department of the Austrian Embassy Gabriele Haselsberger; representatives of the European Business Association (8/5-A Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation.
In a letter from McMillans campaign to Manars campaign manager, Paul Peters, the McMillan campaign extended an offer to debate in each of the five counties in the 48th District that could accommodate a debate (Christian, Macon, Macoupin, Montgomery, Sangamon).

TAYLORVILLE Outsider candidate for the 48 th Senate District, Seth McMillan, challenged Senator Andy Manar to a series of five debates Thursday, offering voters a clear, unfiltered opportunity to hear directly from the candidates hoping to represent them in the Illinois State Senate.

The people of the 48th District dont want to hear talking points or fancy television commercials, they want and deserve a chance to hear exactly what their candidates believe on critical issues facing our state, said McMillan. This isnt political grandstanding. This is an honest request of Andy Manar to put his record up for scrutiny, and Im certainly ready to put mine up for debate, too.

McMillan hopes the candidates can debate either in public locations with a live audience or on a live television or radio broadcast.

McMillans campaign has offered to meet with Manars campaign to mutually agree on dates, times, locations, and potential moderators.

Im willing to do this as fairly as possible, said McMillan.

McMillan, a small business owner from Taylorville, is an outsider running for the Illinois State Senate. He is seeking a better business environment to help create good paying jobs, infrastructure spending, and controlled spending in Springfield.
NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (Reuters) -

India's Chennai Petroleum will stop processing Iranian crude oil from October to keep its insurance coverage once new sanctions by the United States against Iran go into effect, three sources familiar with the issue said.

Iran's Naftiran Intertrade Co Ltd, a trading arm for state-owned National Iranian Oil Co, owns a 15.4 percent stake in Chennai Petroleum, which has two refineries with a total combined capacity of 230,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd).

In May, U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of an international nuclear deal with Iran and announced new sanctions against the country, the third-largest producer among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Washington is pushing allies to cut Iranian oil imports to zero once the sanctions on the petroleum sector start up on Nov. 4.

United India Insurance has informed Chennai Petroleum that its new annual policy that is set to take effect from October will not cover any liability related to processing crude from Iran, the three sources said. This has forced the refiner to cancel a scheduled loading of 1 million barrels in October, they said.

Indian insurers do not fall directly under the sanctions, but need to hedge their own risk on the Western reinsurance market, which will not accept Iranian exposure.

"It is quite complicated.. reinsurers are quite apprehensive about extending cover for Chennai Petroleum," said one of the sources, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Chennai Petroleum's reduced demand will further cut India's imports from Iran to about 10 million tonnes in October, lower than previous estimates reported by Reuters. .

"Reinsurers have said they can not provide full 100 percent cover. They have agreed to provide support for only 85 percent cover," said a second source, who also declined to be identified.

Chennai Petroleum, a subsidiary of the country's biggest refiner Indian Oil Corp (IOC), has a deal to buy up to 2 million tonnes, or 40,000 bpd, of oil from Iran in the fiscal year 2018/19.

IOC imports oil on behalf of Chennai Petroleum.

Chennai Petroleum and United India Insurance did not respond to requests for comment.

With Chennai's absence, Iran is left with just two Indian clients, Managalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd, and IOC.

State-owned refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp has already halted purchases due to insurance problems, while Bharat Petroleum Corp boosted Iranian purchases earlier this year and expects to sharply cut Iranian flows once the sanctions take effect.

Nayara Energy is also preparing to halt Iranian imports from November, while Reliance Industries and HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd have already stopped buying Iranian oil.
Jerusalem, Sept 21, 2018 (AFP) -

Israel's coordination with Russia on its attacks in Syria remains unchanged despite the deadly downing of a Russian plane and the Jewish state retains its right to decide on military actions, an Israeli official said Friday.

"There have been no changes to the deconfliction mechanism as a result of this unfortunate event," the military official said on condition of anonymity, referring to Monday's downing following Israeli air strikes.

He said the two sides had committed to the "very effective" mechanism but stressed that Israel's "freedom of movement is paramount".

The arrangement was agreed by Israel and Russia in 2015, when Russian forces intervened alongside the regime in Syria to avoid clashes between their militaries inside Syrian territory.

Israel regularly carries out strikes in war-torn Syria against the Syrian government, its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Iranian targets.

But Syrian air defences on Monday night mistakenly struck a Russian Il-20 military plane after an Israeli raid on a Syrian army facility, killing all 15 crew members.

The Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defenses", saying they reserved the right to respond.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, later adopted a more conciliatory tone, saying the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances".

An Israeli military delegation travelled to Moscow on Thursday to express sorrow over the deaths and to share information with Russian counterparts on the incident.
Iran appears to have come under mounting international pressures over its regional ambitions, its destabilizing role in the region and its ballistic missile program days before its President and foreign minister go to stand face to face with world leaders at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

US Department of State's spokesperson Heather Nauert said during a press briefing on Thursday September 20 that the United States holds the Iranian regime responsible for last week's attacks on some American establishments in Iraq.

"We recognize that Iran continues to be a destabilizing element in the region. They continue to try to attack other governments and individuals through their proxy militias. We will hold them responsible for any loss of American life. I just want to be clear about that," Nauert said.

The United States had previously warned against any attack by Iran-backed Iraqi militia against US targets in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Iranian official news agency IRNA quoted the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Bahram Ghassemi as having said on Friday September 21 that " Iran has not requested a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump."

This was apparently in response to an un-named news agency report which said Iran had requested such a meeting to take place during the United Nations General Assembly which began this week, citing U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

Earlier reports quoting the Iran Action Group Chief Brian Hook suggested the idea of US negotiation with Iran to sign a new treaty to limit Tehran's nuclear activity as well as Iran's ballistic missile program, which are a cause of concern for Iran's neighbors and other regional countries.

Although thanks to a reported change in the plans for the UN Security Council meeting chaired by President Trump, Iran is no longer supposed to take part in the meeting, the issue of Iran's destabilizing measures in the region is still on the meeting's agenda as one of the main topics which include North Korean and Syrian issues.

In the meantime, Iran's regional allies' statements does not seem to have helped rectify Tehran's already damaged image as a result of its own deeds.

This comes while Israel said on Thursday that it was stepping up security around its atomic sites as a precaution against threats from Tehran and its regional allies.

The Israeli statement came in response to the leader of Lebanese Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah's claim about the group's access to precision rockets.

Nasrallah who previously acknowledged that all of its weapons and financial resources come from Iran, threatened in a televised address on Thursday, " "If Israel imposes a war on Lebanon, Israel will face a fate and a reality it has never expected," any time before, adding that " the resistance possesses precision and non-precision rockets and weapons capabilities."

In a statement on Thursday, Israeli official Zeev Snir warned: "We cannot ignore the repeated and explicit threats, made by Iran and its proxies, to attack Israel's nuclear sites. These outrageous threats, require Israel to take immediate action and continue to protect and defend its nuclear facilities."

By mentioning "Iran's proxies" the official was referring to Hezbollah's role in the Syrian civil war, where backed by Iran, it has played a critical role in supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Iran also backs several militia groups, most notably Hashd al-Sha'bi, in Iraq and supports Houthi rebels in Yemen in a war against Saudi Arabia and its regional allies.
Sept 20 (Reuters) - Carmaker Volkswagen AG rejected on Thursday a report suggesting it had decided against doing business in Iran after coming under pressure from Donald Trump's ambassador to Germany, saying its position on the country had not changed.

U.S. sanctions against Iran, introduced by President Trump after his decision to pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, have forced companies in Germany and across Europe to reconsider their investments there.

Ambassador Richard Grenell has appeared to take credit for this shift in a series of tweets and interviews over the past weeks, announcing the withdrawal of German blue chips like Siemens, BASF and now Volkswagen, to the surprise of the companies themselves.

A Bloomberg News story on Thursday, quoting Grenell, said he had led talks with Volkswagen over the past weeks, hammering out the final details of its new Iran stance on Tuesday.

However, a company source said there had been no talks with Grenell on Iran. And a VW spokesman told Reuters that the company's position had not changed in recent weeks.

Asked about the VW response, U.S. embassy spokeswoman Christina Higgins said: "The U.S. ambassador has been speaking for quite some time to CEOs and industry leaders urging that they comply with U.S. sanctions."

VW has no major investments in Iran, although it had been considering establishing a sales network for imported cars. Its Spanish division Seat announced last year that it had abandoned exploratory plans to enter Iran.

Grenell, a former U.S. spokesman at the United Nations and outspoken defender of Trump, has ruffled feathers since arriving in Germany in May.

Within hours of landing he sent a tweet warning German firms to halt all activities in Iran. Weeks later he drew fire from German politicians for telling right-wing website Breitbart News that he wanted to empower "other conservatives" in Europe.

His remarks on Thursday about Volkswagen's Iran plans triggered more criticism.

Bijan Djir-Sarai, foreign policy spokesman for the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) in parliament, said it was ridiculous to think that German companies would make decisions based on pressure from the U.S. ambassador.

"The policies coming out of Washington are having an impact. But this has nothing to do with the ambassador," he said, urging Grenell to be more careful in his choice of words.

"The German and European economies are strong. We don't need to take orders as if we were an occupied zone."
Iranian satirist and cultural activist Kioomars Marzban has been arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), human rights groups report.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), IRGC intelligence agents stormed Marzbans residence, arrested him, and confiscated his laptop, cellphone, and teaching materials.

The New York based HRW says the 26-year-old has been held incommunicado without access to an attorney at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison since his arrest, and that undisclosed charges have been filed against him.

Meanwhile, another New York based human rights group, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), says Marzban used to live in Malaysia but returned to Iran one year ago to care for his ailing grandmother, and until now has not had any run-ins with security agents. Friends and supporters of Marzban believe he was targeted by security agents because of his long stay abroad.

Iranian security forces have used scant evidence to accuse numerous citizens with links to foreign countries of spying, ultimately locking them up for years on trumped-up national security charges, CHRI says.

[President Hassan] Rouhani and his supporters say Iranian expats should come back to the country and work here, but what they really want is an easy target to prey on and fabricate charges against in another putrid spectacle by the security intelligence establishment, tweeted fellow Iranian satirist Sharagem Zand.

On September 12, a website affiliated with the IRGC, Edalatkhahan (Justice Seekers), claimed Marzban had traveled to the U.S. with the intention of launching an anti-Iranian media outlet aimed at inflaming the people and creating social divisions.

Edalatkhahan accused Marzban of working with Freedom House, a human rights organization based in Washington, D.C., to attract Iranian artists and celebrities to opposition causes.

Kioomars loves to write and although hes very young, he has matured a lot in recent years, one of his friends told CHRI. He has no political sympathies toward any individual or political group and his main passion is writing and being involved in literary activities. We are shocked he has been arrested.

Satirist Mahmoud Farjami, who lives in exile in Europe, tweeted, They arrested Kioomars Marzban? For what crime exactly? Misleading celebrities? Are those who accuse him of such ridiculous things retarded? I wont ask if theyve got a conscience (By the way, Kioomars has never traveled to the U.S. and hes only twenty-something.)

On April 17, Marzban gave an interview to the state-run Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) about the private writing classes he offers and his experiences abroad.

Iranians have very limited hopes and dreams, he said. Their biggest dream is for the economic problems to be solved, and all they think about is their daily affairs. But when I asked people in other countries about this, I realized that imagination and following your dreams is a very important thing.

Marzban began his artistic career making short films. While living in Malaysia, he hosted a comedy podcast called Sangtab Radio, and in 2014 he published a book of short stories titled kham bodam, pokhteh shodam, balk eh pasandideh shodam (I was Raw, I Became Ripe and Pleasant).
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

A new print edition of the AZERNEWS online newspaper was released on September 21.

The new edition includes articles about Baku, Astana eager to broaden relations, Baku to welcome European festival of cultural heritage, Hotels revenues totaled nearly $100M, History of national animated films, Sefcovic: Azerbaijan, Caspian region important partners of Europe in energy sector etc.

AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

The online newspaper is available at www.azernews.az.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

AZAL President Jahangir Asgarov met with Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to Azerbaijan, Philipp Stalder.

During the meeting, the sides discussed issues related to the new Baku-Geneva-Baku flights, which are scheduled to start on October 30 this year.

Jahangir Asgarov said that the flights to Geneva 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.

In his turn, Philipp Stalder thanked AZAL President for opening the flights to this destination and expressed willingness to provide any related support to the Azerbaijan Airlines in promoting this flight.

The parties agreed to make joint efforts to attract passengers to this flight and increase the tourist flow, as well as came to a decision to continue negotiations on this issue by involving officials from both countries tourism departments.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 88 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Sept. 21.

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. 21

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Armenia grossly violated international conventions and documents regarding civilians taken hostage during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, reads the final presentation of the project Investigating the violated rights of civilians (women and children) taken hostage during the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The presentation was held by Hesret Yolu - Public Association for Assistance to War Prisoners and Hostages with the assistance of the Council on State Support to NGOs under the Auspices of the President of Azerbaijan.

As part of the project, a survey was conducted among persons aged 28-70, who were children during the conflict, those presently living in Baku, Absheron peninsula, in villages and settlements of Agdam district, in the Ashagy Agjakend settlement of Goranboy district.

Referring to the results obtained on the basis of processed information resources and other information, as well as on the basis of the appropriate analysis methodology when implementing the project, it was established that the Armenian side, during the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories, violated international conventions and documents with respect to the civilian population taken hostage.

Thus, Armenia violated the articles 2, 3, 5, 9 and 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948, the requirements of the Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict adopted on December 14, 1974, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted on December 9, 1948, the Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces and the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Part IV of Protocol (I) dated June 8, 1977 additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and devoted to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts.

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 (headline changed, first version posted on Sept. 20 at 17:59)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 20

Trend:

First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva met with a delegation led by Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller on Sept. 20.

Mehriban Aliyeva noted that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with NATO, adding that the country attends various meetings of the Alliance.

She underlined that Azerbaijani peacekeepers have been serving in Afghanistan shoulder to shoulder with NATO servicemen since 2002, saying that in January 2018, Azerbaijan increased the number of its servicemen in the Resolute Support mission by 30 percent, bringing it to 120 people.

Our country also provides financial support to the Afghan national army and assistance in addressing logistical and transport problems, and organizes training for the personnel of the Afghan army, the first vice-president said.

Hailing successful development of high-level dialogue between NATO and Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs participation in the NATO Summit in Brussels this July and his meeting with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg contributed to the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the organization.

The first vice-president said Azerbaijan highly appreciates NATO member states unequivocal support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Mehriban Aliyeva also emphasized that Azerbaijan lauds NATOs great attention to gender issues, and the issues relating to women, peace and security.

We are very happy that a conference on this issue has recently been held in Azerbaijan, said the first vice-president, adding that gender equality is one of the key priorities of state policy in Azerbaijan.

She said that one of the steps taken by the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic 100 years ago was granting women the right to vote.

"We are proud that at the beginning of the twentieth century the Azerbaijani women achieved this equality before a number of developed countries, she said.

Mehriban Aliyeva pointed out that the Azerbaijani women have been actively involved in the countrys public and political life after the restoration of independence.

She noted that 17 percent of the members of parliament in Azerbaijan are women, expressing hope that the figure will increase in the future.

The first vice-president noted that 1,600 women are serving in the Azerbaijani army along with men. She underlined that women in Azerbaijan have enjoyed great respect for centuries, adding that this tradition lives on.

Mehriban Aliyeva emphasized that Azerbaijan is a peaceful country, which built relations with its neighbors and other countries on the basis of mutual respect.

However, it is for 25 years that we have been suffering from Armenia's policy of aggression, Mehriban Aliyeva said. As a result of this policy the internationally recognized territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and its seven surrounding districts have been occupied, more than one million people have become refugees and IDPs, hundreds of Azerbaijani women have been killed and captured during the conflict, and over 600 people, including women and children were brutally murdered during the Khojaly tragedy.

The first vice-president mentioned that although the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions on immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territories 25 years ago, this occupation still continues.

Noting that Azerbaijan wants the conflict to be solved in a fair manner in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva said Azerbaijan's territorial integrity must be restored, the refugees must return to their homeland, and only then peace will be established in the region.

"Peace, security are the factors that ensure mutual understanding among peoples," said the first vice-president, adding that NATO's humanitarian activity is highly praised in Azerbaijan and that the country is ready to work closely with the organization in this field.

You can rest assured that we have taken notes of your statements, said Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller.

She expressed satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan.

Gottemoeller noted that "Women, Peace and Security" conference in Baku coincides with remarkable days for the country as it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament.

She also spoke of the beauty of Baku, and hailed the countrys achievements.
Its hard to go to downtown Chicago without running into some kind of strike, march, or protest. This week I watched a group of hotel workers protest in front of the Westin on Dearborn in River North. The workers are on strike asking for more compensation, specifically more health care benefits. The groups ramp up their efforts by banging drums, chanting, and blowing whistles. They can heard from blocks away and from the inside of buildings. The concept of a peaceful protest is taking on new meaning.

As of Thursday, Marriott Hotels came up with an agreement to end part of the strike.Hyatt Hotels say they are in ongoing negotiations. The strike continues at 18 other hotels.

Drake Hotel

On another front in the discussion of organized labor, about 50 people protested an appearance by Mark Janus Thursday, who spoke to the Elgin Township Republican Organization.

The Supreme Court decision Janus v AFSCME, the court ruled that public sector union workers could opt out of joining a union and paying union dues. Mark Janus is now working for the Liberty Justice Center, which represented him in the Supreme Court case, and is speaking to groups about his case and the decision.



Photo by Jim Economos (Route 31 in Elgin)



AFF's Eric Kohn and Mark Janus

Last week I heard Mark Janus speak at an event downtown sponsored by the Americas Future Foundation. There were no protesters there, but it was not a highly publicized event. Janus mentioned that unions are attempting to avoid this Supreme Court decision.

Some feel these hotel workers should just go to a different job for more money. After all, it is a free country, at least they used to say that. In addition, Cook County just voted to increase the minimum wage so these workers are all making more money. Labor unions support political parties with much of the dues collected from employees mostly going to pro-union Democrats. I imagine these protests will continue forever.

Many feel public sector unions have become too powerful demanding more compensation, only pushing property taxes to unsustainable levels. In Illinois many tax payers wish they had somebody representing their interests. For conservatives there are many issues dragging down the local economy and contributing to people leaving the city and the state. Of course, taxes are the main drag, but the issue of right to work is right up there with it.



Weyermuller and Mark Janus
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

A solemn meeting marking the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament has kicked off at Milli Majlis.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the meeting.

The head of state made a speech at the meeting.

Then photos were taken.

The meeting continues its work.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov has met with the delegation led by Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message.

The minister of defense noted the successful development of Azerbaijan-NATO relations and stressed the importance of the Alliances position on security in the South Caucasus for peace and stability in the region.

Touching upon the military-political situation in the region, Hasanov noted the importance of achieving a solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and in accordance with the norms and principles of international law.

Hasanov highly appreciated NATOs position on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan and expressed confidence that the Alliance will continue with assistance in this issue.

During the discussion of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 "On Women and Peace and Security" Hasanov, noting the interest of Azerbaijan in fulfilling the requirements arising from this document, brought to the attention of the guests that there are more than 10,000 women who are serving in the Azerbaijani army.

Hasanov added that soon it is envisaged to establish the post of the referent of the minister of defense dealing with the problems of women servicemen and civil servants.

Gottemoeller noting the position of Azerbaijan in this issue as worthy of approval, stressed that Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of NATO and highly appreciated the participation of Azerbaijan in the fight against terrorism and the cargo transportation carried out for peacekeeping operations, as well as the contribution made by Azerbaijani peacekeepers to international security within the framework of the operations in Afghanistan.

Gottemoeller expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani side.

An extensive exchange of views on the issues of Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation within the framework of the Partnership for Peace and other programs, the implementation of projects, the current state and prospects for the development of relations was also held during the meeting.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

In the course of activities conducted to combat illegal migration, 119 foreigners have been detained over the past four days, the State Migration Service of Azerbaijan said in a message on Sept. 21.

The message states that 13 foreign citizens did not reside at the place of registration, six were engaged in work that was not compatible with the stated purpose of the visit and one was engaged in illegal labor activity.

Another foreigner was earlier expelled from Azerbaijan and restricted to entry the country. Later his documents were changed and he again entered Azerbaijan. The remaining 98 foreign citizens illegally resided in the country.

With respect to 85 of the detained foreigners, administrative decisions were made. On the other hand, appropriate measures are taken to expel the rest of them from Azerbaijan.

The State Migration Service continues measures to combat illegal migration.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) and its parliament in 1918 was a manifestation of the statehood potential of the Azerbaijani people in new historical conditions and realization of the dream of independence, Speaker of Azerbaijan's parliament Ogtay Asadov said Sept. 21 at a solemn meeting dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament.

"Implementation of the parliamentary republic system, confident steps on the path to democratic and secular statehood opened a new page in the political life of not only Azerbaijan, but the entire Muslim East, the speaker said.

Asadov noted that the progressive legislative acts adopted by the ADR parliament in the political, economic, social, cultural and military spheres created conditions for the effective activity of the state.

For the first time in the East, the ADR enshrined equal suffrage for men and women, he said. Azerbaijani parliament carried out its activities on the basis of democratic principles. This legislative body represented all political forces and trends, representatives of various nationalities in Azerbaijan. The ADR played an important role in the development of the ideology of statehood and political culture in our country. The successful activity of that parliament testifies that the Azerbaijani people are able to create a national state based on democratic principles.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

The national seminar on "The role of sustainable agriculture and food industry in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Azerbaijan" will be held in Baku on September 24 in order to improve the capabilities for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in the country.

The aim of the seminar is to analyze multilateral and multi-purpose links between agriculture and Sustainable Development Goals in Azerbaijan.

The seminar is aimed at state (ministries, state agencies and committees) and non-state (civil society, private sector) institutions engaged in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in Azerbaijan, especially in the fields of agriculture, food industry, forestry and fisheries.

The three "acceleration platforms" have been defined for Azerbaijan in the MAPS (Merger, Acceleration and Policy Support) report: inclusive labor market, promotion of green growth, delivery of developed public and social services. The agriculture can play a significant role in at least two "acceleration platforms" related to labor markets and green growth.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations supports the government of Azerbaijan in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in the agricultural and food sector.

The project entitled as "Enhancement of support for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in Azerbaijan", implemented with the technical and scientific support of the Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, is aimed at ending poverty, hunger, to ensure gender equality, clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, combating climate change, protection of the marine ecosystem, protection of the Earth's ecosystem.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Azerbaijan is a country that has reached important achievements in many spheres, Chairman of the Kuwaiti National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanim said.

Al-Ghanim made the remarks in Baku on Sept. 21 at a ceremonial meeting dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament.

"On behalf of the Kuwaiti people, I cordially congratulate the Azerbaijani people on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the parliament, he said. We will never forget that after the restoration of independence, Azerbaijan always supports the rights of Kuwait within international organizations.

Azerbaijan always supports us, he added. Azerbaijans support for Kuwaits membership in the UN Security Council testifies to that. Therefore, we feel proud that we are among our brothers and friends."

Speaking about the relations between the two countries, Al-Ghanim stressed that important achievements have been recently reached in the political, economic and cultural spheres between Azerbaijan and Kuwait.

There are great opportunities for further expansion of these ties, he added.

"We are interested in developing relations with such an important country as Azerbaijan playing the role of an economic and cultural bridge between East and West, Al-Ghanim said. The development of relations with such an important country as Azerbaijan is of exceptional importance. First of all, Azerbaijan is a country that has achieved important success in many spheres.

In 2017, 20,000 Kuwaitis visited Azerbaijan, but we intend to double this figure, he said. This will positively affect the trade turnover and the process of making investments between the two countries. At the same time, we intend to intensify cooperation between the two countries in the cultural sphere. We are also interested in cooperation in the sphere of youth and sports."

Al-Ghanim stressed that the Kuwaiti National Assembly is interested in strengthening cooperation with the Azerbaijani parliament.

There are good opportunities for cooperation both within the parliamentary organizations and at the level of interparliamentary friendship groups, he said.
Details added (first version posted on 13:19)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Binali Yildirim.

The head of state thanked Binali Yildirim for attending a solemn meeting marking the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament.

President Ilham Aliyev noted the importance of Binali Yildirims first official trip as speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to Azerbaijan, hailing the fact that Binali Yildirim is visiting the country again.

The sides recalled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans recent visit to Azerbaijan. They described the grandiose parade marking the centenary of liberation of Baku as a brilliant example of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.

The successful development of Azerbaijan-Turkey friendly and brotherly relations in all areas, including interparliamentary cooperation was underlined during the meeting. They expressed confidence that bilateral relations between the two countries will continue strengthening and expanding.

Speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Ogtay Asadov also attended the meeting.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with newly appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov on September 21, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a message.

Congratulating the ambassador on the beginning of diplomatic activity in Azerbaijan, Hasanov wished him success regarding the expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia.

Hasanov stressed that bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, like in many areas, are successfully developing in the military, military-technical spheres and in the field of military education.

Noting that the Azerbaijan-Russia relations have rich history, Hasanov expressed confidence that the relations will continue to develop successfully.

Expressing satisfaction with the beginning of activity in Azerbaijan as ambassador, the diplomat assured that he would make every effort to develop the Azerbaijan-Russia relations, in particular, cooperation in the military sphere.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the military-political situation in the region, the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and other issues of mutual interest.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

The self-evaluation level 1 (SEL-1) of the Azerbaijani armys helicopters was held in Baku as part of NATO Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback Program (OCC E&F), Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message Sept. 21.

The conformity of the equipment, communication assets and other necessary operational capabilities of the helicopter pair with NATO standards, as well as the fulfillment of tactical tasks during various operations, were evaluated in the course of the exercise.

The NATO Monitor Team and the Turkish Air Force specialists observed the evaluation of the helicopters.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

By Jeyhun Alekperov  Trend:

The maximum permitted speed on the Alat-Astara-Iran border highway, put into operation on September 18 with the participation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, has been set - 120 kilometers per hour, the State Motor Road Agency of Azerbaijan said in a statement Sept. 20.

While the total length of the existing Alat-Astara-state border with the Islamic Republic of Iran road was 243 kilometers, the length of the new road is 204 kilometers. The road corresponds to the first technical category.

The width of the roadway of the four-lane road, which is built up to date, in accordance with all requirements, is 15 meters.

Overall, 24 bridges, 66 underground passages, 25 overpasses and traffic interchanges, 4 tunnels have been built along the main road, the concrete drainage ditches have been laid along the 51 km roadside, 5 recreation parks have been laid out, the concrete security fencing has been installed on the 166-km-long median strip and the protective metal fences, drainage pipes, road signs and billboards have been installed on 140-miles-long roadside, the road marking has been applied.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

On November 10, Sadhguru (Jaggi Vasudev), a recognized Indian yogi and mystic, is set to appear for the first time at the Heydar Aliyev Center. The subject of his presentation is Inner Engineering: Technologies for Wellbeing.

The subject constitutes a comprehensive system derived from centuries-old yoga studies aiming at profound and sustainable personal transformation. This includes techniques to accomplish harmony by bringing together human body, mind, senses, and energy to the culmination. No physical training or knowledge of yoga is required, and the techniques are easily adaptable to any lifestyle.

The presentation elaborating on smart ways to manage human body, emotions, and inner energy will be followed by the Q&A session.

The event will also present Sadhgurus new book with copies signed by the author.

One of Indias 50 most recognized personalities, Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic and a bestselling author dedicated to the improvement of human spiritual and physical condition. He was decorated with the Padma Vibhushan Indian National Award for his exceptional services. Insightful and logical presentations won Sadhguru the worldwide recognition as a speaker. With his precise and clear vision of existing problems on a global level along with specific approaches to improve human wellbeing, Sadhguru was invited to speak at a number of international forums, including the UN Headquarters. He is a frequent presenter at the World Economic Forum, addressing a broad audience through TED conferences.

Leading educational institutions inviting Sadhguru include Oxford, Stanford, Harvard and Yale Universities, Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other worldwide recognized institutions. In 1992, he founded the Isa International Foundation seeking to improve the global wellbeing.

Tickets for Sadhgurus presentation at the Heydar Aliyev Center are available at the Centers Ticket Office, as well as through iTicket website. The price ranges from 10 to 20, 50 and 100 AZN.

The presentation will be offered in English with simultaneous translation into Azerbaijani and Russian languages.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Rector of UNEC, professor Adalat Muradov met with the students who had awarded the presidential scholarship in the 2018/19 academic year.

The rector, congratulating the students on the results of the entrance exams, wished them success in their education.

The rector noted that, along with being trained as highly qualified professionals, all the necessary conditions have been created at UNEC for the formation of a worthy citizen who loves his country and nation. He stated that, being the student centered university, all the decisions made at UNEC are based on the interest and benefits of the students.

The rector noted that, the UNEC was the first in the country in terms of the number of presidential scholarships in the II specialty group in the recent years, and he was proud that this year 63 percent of applicants, scoring over 600 points were the UNEC students.

A.Muradov emphasized that, the International School of Economics, where the presidentials scholars were trained, was the richest and non-competitive faculty on economics in the country teaching in the English language.

During the meeting, the students were talked about the dual degree program of UNEC with the London University/London School of Economics, the University of Montpellier in France, the exchange programs with European, Turkish and Russian universities, as well.

The applicants, enrolled in the UNEC with over 600 points were said that they were awarded the special scholarship in the amount of 100 manats, and 15 students, getting the highest scores each semester on the faculties were awarded the second excellent scholarship.

The rector advised the students to benefit from the advantages that UNEC has created for them, to be active in the science and research, startup projects, international Olympiads, conferences and social life of the university.

In the end, the presidential scholars were presented the souvenirs and scholarship holder cards.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey is testing new tram lines in Istanbul, the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure told Trend on Sept. 21.

The testing began on September 21. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan will also participate in the process.

According to the ministry, construction of a new tram line in Istanbul will improve and expand passenger transportation.

"Subsequently, work will continue to improve the transport system in Turkey," the ministry said.

The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure plans to introduce new systems as part of improving the transport system of Turkey.

In Turkey, public transport system began to function for the first time in Istanbul in 1927. The first tram line was laid in Istanbul in 1939.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

The Vice-President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Wencai Zhang confirmed ADB's support for the Uzbek government's development and reform program, and expressed confidence in the country's economic prospects during his four-day visit to Uzbekistan on September 19-22, "UzDaily.uz" reported.

Zhang met with Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, First Deputy Prime Minister Achilbay Ramatov, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee for Investments and Governor on the part of ADB Sukhrob Kholmuradov, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov, and other senior officials.

The ADB is preparing a new five-year Partnership Strategy with Uzbekistan to build a stronger foundation for inclusive, diversified and sustainable economic growth, improved governance and institutional capacity, and to promote regional cooperation and connectivity.

The strategy of partnership with the country for 2019-2023 will be aimed at supporting the national development strategy and priorities of the government of Uzbekistan. The ADB plans to mobilize more than $1 billion per year over the next three years in order to improve water supply and sanitation, to develop transport infrastructure, energy production and distribution, youth employment, to create jobs in rural areas, to expand access to modern health care services, and to support the government's reform program aimed at improvement of economic governance and social protection.

Since joining ADB in 1995, Uzbekistan has received 67 loans totaling $ 7.0 billion, including two loans allocated to the private sector totaling $ 225 million. ADB has also allocated $6 million in the form of equity investments, $218 million - in the form of guarantees, and $83.6 million - in the form of technical assistance grants. In 2018, the ADB signed loan agreements totaling $750 million in order to improve the efficiency of electricity generation and to support ongoing reforms through more efficient management of the country's economy.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received President of the Islamic Development Bank Bandar Hajjar, who arrived in the country heading a delegation of the leading Arab funds of the Coordination Group, Gazeta.uz reported.

The head of state noted that today the portfolio of mutually beneficial cooperation between Uzbekistan and the IDB Group includes projects in various sectors of the economy.

They cover such areas as modernization of road transport, energy and municipal infrastructure, housing construction in rural areas, development of drinking water supply system, health and education, support for entrepreneurial entities and others.

The prospects of expanding cooperation with the IDB were considered during the conversation.

The great potential and, most importantly, the mutual desire to further strengthen cooperation, as evidenced by the Strategy of Partnership between the Islamic Development Bank and the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2018-2021, signed within the "Day of the IDB Group" in Tashkent, were emphasized.

Hajjar noted that Uzbekistan is a key partner in the region for the IDB Group.

He praised the large-scale reforms in Uzbekistan, stressing that the bank is ready to expand all possible support for reforms in the country and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

The "Toshshahartranskhizmat" (Tashkent City Transport Services) company has announced the completion of the pilot project on introduction of electronic travel cards in public transport, which has been carried out beginning from June, the Gazeta.uz" reported.

Since September 20, only paper travel cards have been sold at the points of sale of travel cards. The electronic (plastic) travel cards will be valid until the end of the month.

By the end of the year, the company plans to start implementing a full-fledged automated fare collection system. The negotiations with suppliers of such systems from South Korea, Singapore, Russia, Belarus, Japan and other countries are underway, the message on the "Toshshahartranskhizmat" company's website says.

On August 28, at a meeting, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev criticized the fact that the introduction of electronic fare collection system in Tashkent had been slowed down for as long as the third year in a row.

He instructed to develop the concept of radical modernization of the passenger transport system in the capital city.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

Hamkorbank JSCB offers entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan loan products from financial institutions and credit lines of foreign banks, the Uzbek bank's press service said on Sept. 21.

These offers are presented in accordance with the decrees of the president of Uzbekistan and the Cabinet of Ministers, according to which commercial banks of the country should conduct work on realization of the funds of international financial institutions and organizations.

Entrepreneurs are offered credit lines from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Dutch investment organization Triple Jump, the Swiss investment company Blue Orchard, and the International Development Association.

Funds under the EBRD's credit line of up to $1 million are provided for development of small businesses for a period of 18 months for working capital and 32 months for investment purposes.

The loan amount by ADB is up to $300,000 in soum equivalent for a period of 18 months for working capital and 60 months for investment purposes.

All loans have grace periods for the repayment of funds.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Chief Executive of UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UKs export credit agency, Louis Taylor made his first working visit to Uzbekistan September 18-21, Podrobno.uz reported.

The main purpose of the visit was to promote trade relations between UK and Uzbekistan. Earlier this year, UKEF signed a memorandum of understanding with Uzbekneftegaz company.

During his visit, Taylor met with Deputy Chairman of the Uzbek State Committee for Investments Shukhrat Vafayev, First Deputy Chairman of Board of Uzbekneftegaz Ulugbek Saidov, Deputy Minister of Health Gulnara Urmanova and other officials.

Taylor also held meetings with UK companies operating in Uzbekistan and Uzbek commercial structures.

The UK Export Finance chief executive said that he really liked his first visit to Uzbekistan and discussed a number of issues, including economic reforms and foreign investments.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sep. 21

By Ilkin Shafiyev  Trend:

The work is underway to design an exploration well at the Shafag-Asiman block of fields, BP Azerbaijan told Trend.

The work is based on 3D seismic survey, the company said.

"It will be possible to talk about further plans after drilling the first well, in case if successful results are achieved, that is, if the field is explored," the company noted. "As for the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project, it has an infrastructure of regional and even global importance. SGC will be able to transport all the gas volumes from Azerbaijani fields."

SOCAR and BP signed a contract on the Shafag-Asiman block of fields for a period of 30 years in October 2010. The exploration period is four years with possibility of extension for three more years. Two wells are to be drilled within the first phase. Two more wells will be drilled within the second phase, if necessary.

Shared participation in the contract between BP and SOCAR is 50 to 50 percent.

The forecast reserves of the Shafag-Asiman block stand at 500 billion cubic meters of gas and 65 million tons of condensate.

A ceremony to launch the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor project was held in Baku on May 29.

The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline.

The Southern Gas Corridor, which costs more than $40 billion, is one of the priority projects for the EU and provides for the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyev
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

Azerbaijan's close cooperation with the European Charter, in particular Azerbaijan's entry into the International Energy Charter (IEC), will expand the prospects for investment opportunities and also contribute to the creation of a legislative framework that meets modern requirements, the ex-head of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, economist Sabit Bagirov told Trend.

Bagirov was speaking on the prospects of Azerbaijan joining the International Energy Charter and chairing the forthcoming conference in 2020.

Cooperation with the European Charter promises great benefits to Azerbaijan, according to Bagirov.

"Azerbaijan is actively working to develop the energy market. To this end, a new draft law "On the regulation of energy markets," is prepared in order to bring the country closer to modern requirements and standards in the energy sector," Bagirov said.

According to Bagirov, efforts aimed at bringing Azerbaijan closer to the Energy Charter, including the adoption of new laws, will bring the country closer to the high standards of the international energy market.

"It is expected that the new law will coordinate the activities of the independent energy regulator, work of all market participants and will also affect private and public enterprises, electricity generation, transportation and distribution. The Energy Ministry conducts detailed work on the launch and implementation of energy efficiency projects, thereby making a great contribution to the future of the energy sector. And I believe that the work aimed at finding economical and profitable ways of using energy resources, their export and effective implementation will yield positive results in the future," Bagirov added.

Earlier, the Secretary General of the Energy Charter Urban Rusnak, speaking at a conference on energy efficiency in Baku, had said that Azerbaijan and the International Energy Charter expect fruitful cooperation in many areas.

Azerbaijan will chair the Energy Charter Conference in 2020. The country has been a member of the European Energy Charter since 1998.

In May 2015, the European Energy Charter was granted international status.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

The first public testing of 5G networks will be held in Uzbekistan as part of Mobicon 2018, a major mobile conference to take place October 11 in the country, Uzbek media reported.

In comparison with previous technologies, the promising communication standard brings the data transfer speed of hundreds of megabits per second, ensuring high speed simultaneously for millions of devices. The testing will be conducted by Beeline Uzbekistan mobile operator on Huawei equipment.

All visitors of the conference will be able to freely test the new communication standard, which should appear in Uzbekistan on a commercial basis in the medium term. Presently, residents of Uzbekistan have the opportunity to use 4G networks, which are supported in all major cities of Uzbekistan.

The event is organized by the Ledokol Group advertising agency, which has been also organizing the USENET Internet Conference since 2011. The general sponsor of the conference is Beeline Uzbekistan. The general information partner is the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Bakcell, the First Mobile Operator and Leading Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan has been recognized as the Fastest Mobile Network in Azerbaijan.

The Company has become the winner of prestigious Fastest Mobile Network Speedtest Award for the period of Q1Q2 of 2018! This award, presented by the world-famous Ookla company, recognizes Bakcells commitment to delivering fastest speeds to customers all across Azerbaijan.

During the award period, Ookla has compared user-initiated tests taken on the Speedtest iOS and Android mobile apps from all the major mobile carriers in Azerbaijan to determine who showed the fastest mobile network speeds. According to results, Bakcell network has the best Speedtest score in all the measured categories. Thus, it was confirmed that Bakcell has the best average download speed in the country, as well as the lowest average latency time on the market. This information, issued by most reliable network testing and analysis authority in the world, is based on almost 80 000 test counts (via the Speedtest platform) done by Azerbaijani users from more than 18 000 unique devices.

We are very proud to yet again receive recognition of our networks superiority from a global leader in the area of network testing and analysis. Bakcell network is the fastest on the local mobile telecoms market and we are glad to see that our work brings convenience and satisfaction of our customers. We will do our best to preserve our leadership and improve our services even further, to continue providing Bakcell customers with the best and fastest mobile network and the most innovative and unprecedented customer experience on the market, said Bakcell CEO Nikolai Beckers.

The data of all three local mobile operators was compared and Bakcell achieved a Speed Score of 27.93 with average speeds of 31.95 Mbps for download and 11.75 Mbps for upload on LTE-capable devices, which is ultimately the BEST result in the country.

Speedtest Intelligence data is comprised of millions of consumer-initiated tests performed on web and mobile Speedtest platforms. All providers in Azerbaijan are represented in Speedtest Intelligence data, with significant volumes of tests nationwide. We can confirm that Speedtest Intelligence data supports Bakcells award for Azerbaijans Fastest Mobile Network. Our methodologies are widely and often accepted as the global industry standard and we stand behind Bakcells award and would like to congratulate Bakcell for being named Azerbaijans Fastest Mobile Network, said CEO of Ookla Doug Suttles.

Speedtest.net is a web service that provides free analysis of Internet access performance metrics, such as connection data rate and latency. It was founded by Ookla in 2006. With more than 21 billion tests taken to date, Ookla data includes information about 100% of countries. Speedtest by Ookla application has been downloaded more than 100 million times on Google Play Store and App Store.

With more than 7000 base stations, Bakcell network covers 99% of the population and 93% of the land area of the country (except for the occupied territories). In 2017, Bakcell network has been recognized as the Best in Test in Azerbaijan by P3 Communications, being one of the most trusted independent authorities in mobile benchmarking.

Bakcell, the First Mobile Operator and Leading Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan, offers a wide range of products and Services to users of modern mobile communications Services. The company provides its customers with the best-in-class 4G mobile internet.

For more information about Bakcell products and services, please visit www.bakcell.com or call 555.

If you are not a Bakcell subscriber, but wish to find out about Bakcell and its products and services, please call 012 498 89 89
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC-Kazakhstan) has announced a tender to overhaul the TK-B001 reservoir at Atyrau oil pumping station.

Work is carried out on the territory of Kazakhstan.

Deadline for applications: October 24, 2018.

E-mail: [email protected]

When sending an application, it is necessary to send its copy to: [email protected]

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

On September 19, Director General of Uzbekistan Airways Bakhtiyor Khakimov held talks with Senior Vice-President of the Korean Air Samsug Noh, UzDaily reported citing the press service of Uzbekistan Airways.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on further development of cooperation between Uzbekistan Airways and Korean Air. In particular, the cooperation in passenger and cargo transportation were discussed.

Also, the heads of airlines considered the prospects for further cooperation in general and expressed their intention to consolidate mutual efforts for further development and strengthening of international air transportation between the two countries.

The history of cooperation between Uzbekistan Airways and Korean Air extends back for many years, during which the companies worked to expand partnership in development of new markets, development of logistics infrastructure in Uzbekistan, exchange of experience in management of civil aviation and training.

Together with Korean partners, a number of projects have been implemented, including the establishment of an international intermodal logistics center at the Navoi airport, which is one of the most high-tech cargo complexes in the region today and is designed to become a leading hub connecting Europe with Asia.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Charter flights from Baku to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, will open in the winter season of 2018-2019, the Azerbaijani State Tourism Agency said in a statement Sept. 21.

This will be the second charter flight regularly implemented by the Azerbaijani side. The first flight was organized to Montenegro.

The flights will be operated once a week on Thursdays from November 8, 2018 to April 4, 2019. The flights will be implemented by Pasha Holidays and Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL).

The flights between the two countries will give impetus to expansion of tourist exchange and strengthening of tourism ties, pave the way for the development of business ties.

The Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport issues visas to tourists on the spot.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, trade turnover with Egypt in 2017 amounted to $8.05 million, of which $1.48 million fell on the export of Azerbaijani products to that country.

Egypt's Air Cairo opened direct flights from Baku to Sharm El-Sheikh in June 2016, thereby creating conditions for increasing the tourist flow from Azerbaijan. Later, however, the airline decided to temporarily suspend the flights from the resort city to Baku.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Tajikistans trade turnover with the CIS countries increased by 17.8 percent for the eight months of this year compared to the same period in 2017, the TajikTA news agency reported.

For the eight months of this year, Tajikistans trade with the CIS countries totaled to over $1.5 billion, according to the Agency on statistics under the President of Tajikistan.

Russia ranked first among Tajikistans trade partners with a total turnover of $651.9 million. Russia is followed by Kazakhstan with a total turnover of $553.3 million.

Tajikistan is actively developing trade with Uzbekistan. Compared with last year, the growth rates of the trade turnover between the two countries increased 2.3 times. Its value for the eight months of 2018 stood at over $192.6 million.

More than $11.8 million of this amount accounted for imported goods. Exports to Uzbekistan for the same period amounted to over $80.8 million.

Tajikistans trade with Kyrgyzstan increased 2.1 times, with Azerbaijan - 2.2 times. Tajikistans trade turnover with these countries amounted to $43 million and $4.4 million, respectively.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's working visit to New York to participate in the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly is scheduled for September 29, Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry said in a message on Sept. 21.

Top-level meetings are also planned, according to the visit's agenda.

In accordance with the priority positions of Turkmenistan, at the UN General Assembly's session, Turkmenistan will propose to declare 2019 "Year of Peace and Confidence" and hold a conference on disarmament in Ashgabat.

Turkmenistan also proposes to establish a global partnership to protect the interests of young people. In this regard, Turkmenistan is ready to host an international youth forum. One of the main topics of the forum will be the preparation of proposals on the structure, composition, methods of work and other issues of the new organization.

Last time Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the session of the UN General Assembly in September 2015.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Heavy floods caused by rainfall damaged cars and roads in over 10 provinces across Iran with at least five people reported as slightly injured, an official with the Rescue and Relief Organization said.

The flash floods have hit the provinces of West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Hamedan, Golestan, Sistan-Balouchestan, Semnan, Zanjan, Khuzestan, Northern Khorasan, Isfahan and Ardabil, Morteza Salimi told ISNA.

He added that five people have been injured, and excavators and emergency services have arrived at the affected sites to help more than 1,000 people and clean-up the streets.

Roads were seen partly destroyed, with damaged vehicles, some covered in mud, deserted along the streets. The first floors of dozens of homes were also flooded.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.17

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

OPEC and non-OPEC, looking at the current production situation, will not be able to fully offset falling Iranian supply around November 2018, Cyril Widdershoven, a Middle East geopolitical specialist and energy analyst, a partner at Dutch risk consultancy VEROCY and SVP MEA-Risk, told Trend.

He pointed out that the latter situation, taking out most probably a vast part of the Iranian oil exports, and gas too, is leading to a possible supply crunch.

"The well documented but overstated capabilities of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq and non-OPECs Russia or US shale are still an issue. At present, Saudi Arabias expected spare production capacity is still seen as the main solution, while the last decades Saudi has never been producing at higher levels than current. The documented spare capacity is not proven, but only on paper," said the expert.

He noted that the existing oil export and transport infrastructure is also not ready to cope with a higher supply of 12.0-12.5 million bpd. "Looking at last months, Saudi Arabia has only been partly exporting higher figures than before, which also have been supplied by existing oil in storage."

Iraq, UAE and other OPEC producers capabilities are also at present overestimated or politically induced reported. Some increases could be done still, but infrastructure issues and potential other political situations, such as currently in Iraq, will have a negative impact soon, according to Widdershoven.

Libya and Venezuela could also still have a direct negative impact, only leading to additional shortages in the short- and midterm, he said.

"US shale is not a swingproducer, while shale companies are already facing a hefty financial debt situation. Additional volumes are maybe still possible, but real question here is will they be able to reach the market or global clients. Infrastructure to transport in US is not available and already filled to the top."

At the same time, Widdershoven believes that analysts should have a real look at the particular quality of Iranian crude oil.

"According to last assessments these volumes and qualities will be hard to supplied by others, especially when looking at Asian clients. Available spare capacity is not Iranian quality at all."

He believes that not trying to start an intra-OPEC war, Saudi Arabia, UAE or even Iraq, would be very interested to fill in the gaps.

In contrast to OPEC statements, when Iranian oil will disappear from the market, other OPEC suppliers will be filling in the gaps, said the expert. "Possible gains are already calculated in for Aramco in Europe and Asia, while Russia, even if a supporter of Iran, is also bidding for additional volumes in Europe or Asia, taking over former Iranian clients."

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, September 21

By Azer Ahmadbayli  Trend:

More and more countries are getting involved in a unique South Gas Corridor (SGC) project that will enable Europe to strongly improve its energy security.

On his visit to Croatia in early September, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stressed at a press-briefing with his Croatian counterpart that his country can make its gas capacities available to the world and Europe in an even greater volumes.

Azerbaijan has very large gas reserves. Confirmed gas reserves stand at 2.6 trillion cubic meters. This indicates that we will take additional steps to increase gas production and we also intend to expand the geography of our exports, President Aliyev said.

At a time when the whole volume of gas from Shah Deniz Full Field Development (FFD) within the SGC project has already been contracted, Azerbaijan is working over the other promising gas projects in order to be committed to its energy partnership and to meet its own interests as well.

On September 14, President Ilham Aliyev received Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Total Patrick Pouyanne. Progress of the current activities on the joint development of the Absheron gas field as well as opportunities for joint development of other offshore fields were discussed during the meeting.

Earlier in September, Total, which is the field development operator, told Trend news agency that the first gas is planned to be obtained in 3Q2020.

Joint drilling operations with Total will be completed next year. The first production from the field is expected in 2020-2021.

Based on Total's estimates, the fields reserves amount to 326 billion cubic meters of gas and 108 million tons of condensate.

The President of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev said on Sept. 19 that the company has reached agreements with a number of foreign companies on identification and initial exploration of promising structures in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.

He noted that in 2020, drilling of a new well will start from the second platform of the Umid gas condensate field.

The well will be commissioned in 2021, SOCAR president said.

A risk service contract for exploration and development of an offshore block includes the Umid gas field and the promising Babek structure in the Caspian Sea.

According to SOCARs data and the results of drilling of the first exploration well, the field contains over 200 billion cubic meters of gas and 40 million tons of condensate.

The reserves of the Babek structure may stand at 400 billion cubic meters of gas and 80 million tons of condensate, according to preliminary data.

As for the appraisal well at Karabakh oil and gas field, it is planned to be drilled by Dede Gorgud rig in 2019. The first gas is expected to be received in 2021, Abdullayev said.

In May, SOCAR and Norwegian Equinor (former Statoil) signed a Risk Service contract for the development of the Karabakh field.

On Sept. 19, SOCAR Vice President Suleyman Gasimov told reporters in Baku that 221 million manat out of total 663 million (some $390 million), envisaged in the 2018 state budget to increase the companys authorized capital regarding drilling operations at the Umid-Babek and Karabakh fields, have already been allocated .

In addition to Absheron, Karabakh and Umid fields, where exploratory drilling is currently in progress, other prospective structures and gas condensate fields such as Shafag-Asiman or ACG deep-laying gas, are waiting in the wings.

In parallel with Azerbaijan, potential European buyers are working at the other end of the new gas supply chain.

Croatia expects to receive around 2.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year via the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), Croatian Ministry of Environment and Energy told Trend on Sept.19.

IAP is a proposed natural gas pipeline in Southeastern Europe (SEE) that will stretch from Albania through Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Split in Croatia. It will be connected with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)  an integral part of SGC. The capacity of the pipeline will amount to five billion cubic meters of gas per year.

The next meeting of Project Management Unit (PMU) for the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) will be held in October 2018, the ministry said.

IAP is the second gas pipeline, in addition to IGB (Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria), which branches off from the main route of SGC.

Thus, it is clear that Baku decided it would not limit itself with only Shah Deniz gas and with only Greece and Italy as last destination points.

One day natural gas from newly developed Azerbaijani fields will appear somewhere in Montenegro or Croatia. SGC can provide such an opportunity.
Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), praised the progress in the economic growth of Georgia after she met with Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze in Washington, a statement from the IMF said, TASS reports.

"Prime Minister Bakhtadze and I discussed the good progress under Georgias economic reform program supported by the IMFs $285 million Extended Fund Facility," the statement quoted Lagarde as saying.

"The Georgian economy is showing strong signs of recovery, supported by prudent macroeconomic policies," the IMF chief stated.

"We also discussed the importance of advancing Georgias ambitious reform agenda to support investment, education, and competitiveness, with the ultimate goal of achieving sustainable and inclusive growth, which will benefit all Georgians," Lagarde said. "I reiterated the Funds commitment to support Georgia and its people."

The Georgian parliaments members approved 36-year-old Bakhtadze for the post of the countrys prime minister on June 20.
International aid agencies are losing the fight against famine in Yemen, where 3.5 million people may soon be added to the eight million Yemenis already facing starvation, the UN aid chief warned, AFP reported.

A sharp drop in the value of Yemen's currency that has sent fuel prices spiraling compounded with renewed fighting has led to a worsening of what the United Nations already considers the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

"We are losing the fight against famine," Mark Lowcock, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told the Security Council.

"We are already seeing pockets of famine-like-conditions -- including cases where people are eating leaves because they have no other form of sustenance," he said.

The council was meeting at Britain's request to discuss the worsening crisis in Yemen.

Lowcock said the situation had deteriorated "in an alarming way in recent weeks" and that the crisis may be approaching "a tipping point, beyond which it will be impossible to prevent massive loss of life."

The stark warning came ahead of next week's gathering of world leaders at the United Nations for the annual debate on global issues that will feature meetings on Yemen.

After a lull in fighting, Saudi-backed government forces this week launched a series of attacks on rebel-held Hodeida, the Red Sea port city that also serves as the entry point for humanitarian aid deliveries.

The fight for Hodeida, which the Huthis seized in 2014, was put on hold for 11 weeks as the United Nations struggled to bring warring parties to peace talks in Geneva.

But the talks collapsed earlier this month after the northern Yemeni rebels refused to attend.

Three quarters of Yemen's population -- or 22 million people -- are in need of humanitarian aid, including eight million who need food relief to survive, according to UN figures.

The Yemeni rial has lost 30 percent of its value over the past month, driving a sharp increase in the cost of food, almost of all of which is imported.

Lowcock called for council support for immediate measures to stabilize the economy, support the exchange rate and keep all ports and main roads open.

"The lifeline through which the aid operation runs now hangs by a thread," he said.
Chinas Foreign Ministry on Friday said it strongly urged the United States to withdraw sanctions on the Chinese military, after the Trump administration imposed the penalties for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, Reuters reports.

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comments at a daily news briefing in Beijing.
Britain will leave the European Union without a deal unless the blocs leaders soften their position on the Irish border, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told the BBC, Reuters reports.

EU leaders abruptly cautioned May on Thursday that unless she gave ground on trade and the Irish border by November they are ready to cope with Britain crashing out.

At the moment what the European Union is asking in and around Northern Ireland is simply impossible for any UK government to accept. And actually if they stick with that position, there will be no deal, Grayling said.

Theres tough language and actually a deal is done at the last. And Im still confident that we will reach agreement, he added.

Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, yet little is clear: There is, so far, no divorce deal, rivals to May are circling and some rebels have vowed to vote against a possible Brexit deal.
Indonesian Education Minister Muhadjir Effendy said on Friday that the government has set a target to make 4,000 schools connected with the internet by 2019, Xinhua reported.

The minister said that efforts to comply with the target through the government's Universal Service Obligation (USO) scheme have been underway. At present 1,472 schools across the country have internet connections.

"But this is still far from the target. I would ask my subordinates to double the efforts so as to make the target compiled by next year," the minister said in his office here to open the Information Technology (IT) training and handing over the IT equipments to representatives of schools.

Through the USO scheme, the government provides sets of high technology devices, including servers and computers, to support internet connections in schools, he added.

The internet-connected school program, which is co-organized by the national education and communication and informatics ministries, was highly expected to make teachers and students more savvy with information technology and develop their competences in the sector.

In the future, the ministry said, online-based education system would be enhanced so as to allow students and teachers in remote and rural areas have the same quality of the education as the ones in urban areas.
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed on Thursday with permanent members of the Russian Security Council the security issues of the Russian military personnel in Syria, as well as the results of the September 9 elections in Russia, cooperation with Belarus and a number of other topics, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Sputnik reports.

"The agenda included the issue of raising the level of security of Russian servicemen in Syria after the crash of the Russian Il-20 plane near the Hmeymim base," Peskov said.

"There was an exchange of views on the results of the elections in Russia that took place on September 9," he added.

According to the Kremlin spokesman, the participants of the meeting also discussed current issues of Russia's social and economic development, as well as Russian-Belarusian cooperation ahead of Putin-Lukashenko meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi on September 21.

Previously this week, Russian military lost contact with the crew of a Russian Il-20 military aircraft during an Israeli attack on Syrian targets in Latakia. The Russian Ministry of Defense accused the Israeli military of deliberately creating a dangerous situation and using the plane as a shield against Syrian air defenses.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov thanked American people for their condolences expressed in regard to 15 victims of Russias military aircraft Il-20, downed over the Mediterranean Sea earlier in the week, TASS reports.

"We would like to thank all Americans who shared with us the grief of the loss of IL-20 with Russian officers in Syria on September 17," Antonov was quoted as saying on the Russian Embassys accounton Facebook social network.

"They gave their lives, protecting the world from terrorism," Antonov added.
The development of industry in Russia and China and their cooperation in this sphere draws dissatisfaction from the Western countries, said Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov in the city of Kunming (southwest China) on Friday, TASS reports.

"You can see for yourself the difficult geopolitical and economic situation in which our countries are. It is chiefly due to the fact that we produce large volumes of competitive products - it concerns iron and steel industry and nonferrous industry, in particular aluminum," Manturov said at a press conference on the results of a meeting of the Russian-Chinese subcommission on industrial cooperation.

"The stronger the Chinese and Russian industries become, the more dissatisfaction it draws from our Western colleagues, in particular the US," he stated.

"However, it only motivates us all the more to cooperate in the areas we discussed today. These are, in particular, metallurgy industry, aluminum, radio-electronic industry, pharmaceutics, automobile industry and new groundbreaking spheres," Manturov reported.

"Pressure, sanctions and certain bans by the Western countries and the US push us once again toward cooperation and a search for joint solutions and products," the Russian industry and trade minister concluded.
Russias foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that the United States control over the eastern bank of the Euphrates river posed the main threat to Syrias territorial integrity, Reuters with reference to the Interfax news agency reported.

He also said that Russia and Turkey have agreed on the borders of an Idlib demilitarized zone and that Nusra front fighters should leave the zone by mid-October.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was not angry with Syrian President Bashar Assad over the Ilyushin-20 incident and for this reason refused to answer his phone calls, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said to dismiss rumors in the Israeli media, TASS reports.

"This has nothing to do with the reality, do not believe these speculations," he said.

Peskov added that Putin is aware of the clarification concerning the downing of the Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, provided by the Israeli Air Force.
Moscow and Washington did not make any plans of a possible new meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, TASS reports.

"No plans yet," he said, answering the question on the prospects of a new meeting between the two leaders.

Asked about the Kremlins response to the invitation to visit France sent to Putin, Peskov said that he will report on the taken decision later.
Issues of international security and bilateral relations were in focus of a telephone conversation between Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti, the Russian defense ministry said on Friday, TASS reported.

"On September 21, 2018, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and First Deputy Defense Minister Army General Valery Gerasimov had a telephone conversation with NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti," the ministry said.

"The sides exchanged views on the pressing issues of international security and the current state of Russia-NATO relations," the ministry said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

Trend:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit the US on Sept. 23-27, where he will address the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly and take part in a high-level meeting on migration issues, the Turkish presidential press service said in a statement Sept. 21, RIA Novosti reported.

As part of the session, on Sept. 24, Erdogan will attend a high-level meeting on migration issues, the statement said.

He will deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly on Sept. 25. On the sidelines of the session, Erdogan will also hold bilateral meetings with the UN secretary general, heads of state and government of several countries, meet with representatives of business circles of the US, Muslim and Turkish communities.

Erdogans Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said that the issue of the Turkish presidents meeting with US President Donald Trump hasnt been decided yet.
North Koreas Kim Jong Un wants a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump soon to hasten denuclearization, but a key goal is declaring an end this year to the 1950-53 Korean War, the Souths President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Moon said he and Kim spent most of a three-day summit discussing how to break an impasse and restart nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington, which are at odds over which should come first, denuclearization or ending the war.

Kim, who recently proposed another summit with Trump after their unprecedented June talks in Singapore, said the North was willing to permanently dismantle key missile facilities in the presence of outside experts, and the Yongbyon main nuclear complex, if the United States took corresponding action.

The joint statement from the summit stipulates his commitment to a verifiable, irreversible dismantlement of the nuclear programs, and ending the war would be a first U.S. reciprocal step, Moon said.

Chairman Kim expressed his wish that he wanted to complete denuclearization quickly and focus on economic development, Moon told a news conference in Seoul, shortly after returning from the summit with Kim in Pyongyang.

He hoped a second summit with Trump would take place in the near future, in order to move the denuclearization process along quickly.

Moon said Kim was also open to inspection of a nuclear test site in the northwest town of Punggye-ri, which he called the Norths sole existing facility for underground detonations.

While Pyongyang has stopped nuclear and missile tests this year, it failed to keep its pledge to allow international inspections of its dismantling of the Punggye-ri site in May, stirring criticism that the move could be reversed.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he had invited North Koreas foreign minister to meet in New York next week and other Pyongyang officials to Vienna for talks with nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun.

Asked on Thursday if those meetings would take place, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said invitations had been sent and added: We certainly stand ready to meet if they are able to.

Nauert said Washington looked forward to a formal readout of the North-South talks in meetings with the South Koreans next week, which will include one between Trump and Moon on Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

Asked about Pompeos statement on Wednesday welcoming plans for the dismantlement of all facilities at Yongbyon in the presence of U.S. and IAEA inspectors, Nauert said Moon and Kim had talked about inspectors.

Having IAEA inspectors and United States inspectors be a part of anything is really just a shared understanding, she said.

Any time you have a nuclear situation like this where there is a dismantlement, the expectation is that the IAEA would be part of that, so that would be just the normal course of doing business. We have that shared understanding with the countries.

Asked why this detail was not in the document signed by Moon and Kim, Nauert replied: We have had conversations ... with the government of North Korea and that is our mutual understanding; that is also the understanding between (South) Korea and North Korea. That was one of the things discussed, according to my understanding of it, over the past few days.

Nauert did not respond when asked if the United States was willing to take corresponding measures, except to say: Nothing can happen in the absence of denuclearization; denuclearization has to come first.

The North Korean ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, did not reply when asked by reporters on Thursday if his foreign minister would meet Pompeo on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly next week.

Kim pledged to work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula during two meetings with Moon and his encounter with Trump, but follow-up negotiations on how to implement the vague commitments have since faltered.

Washington calls for concrete action, such as a full disclosure of North Koreas nuclear and missile facilities, before satisfying Pyongyangs key demands, including an official end to the war and the easing of international sanctions.

The war ended in an armistice, rather than a peace treaty, meaning U.S.-led United Nations forces, including South Korea, are technically still at war with the North.

But there have been concerns in South Korea and the United States that ending the war would ultimately prompt China and Russia, if not North Korea, to demand that the United Nations Command (UNC), which overlaps with U.S. forces in South Korea, be disbanded and leave.

Seoul aims to jointly announce with the United States an end to the war within this year, a measure Moon said he would discuss with Trump when they meet next week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

An end-of-war declaration would not affect the presence of U.S. troops and the UNC in the South, Moon said, adding that Kim shared his view.

It would be a political declaration that would mark a starting point for peace negotiations, Moon said.

A peace treaty would be sealed, as well as normalization of North Korea-U.S. relations, after the North achieves complete denuclearization.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 21, 2018 - 16:05 | All, World

Japan asked Estonia on Friday to strengthen cooperation in cybersecurity as the country prepares to review its defense guidelines towards the end of the year.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told his Estonian counterpart Juri Luik in their meeting in Tokyo that coordinated efforts among friendly nations to defend against cyberattacks are "extremely important," according to a Japanese defense ministry official.

Estonia has been one of the most successful countries in integrating digital technology across social infrastructure.

Earlier in the year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Estonia as part of his European tour and sought cooperation in cybersecurity in his meeting with Estonian counterpart Juri Ratas as Japan steps up preparations for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo.

Luik welcomed Tokyo's plan to dispatch personnel to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in the Estonian capital Tallinn.

The defense ministers exchanged views on regional security, with Luik saying it was hard to understand Russia's aim in conducting a large-scale military exercise dubbed "Vostok 2018" in the Far East and Siberian regions earlier this month.

They agreed to continue urging North Korea to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding an end to its nuclear program and dismantle its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

The two ministers met in Estonia in May.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 21, 2018 - 20:40 | All, Feature

The government gave the green light Friday to a plan for blood transfusions including platelets created from artificially derived stem cells to patients with intractable diseases.

A team of researchers from Kyoto University will begin a transfusion trial using so-called induced pluripotent stem cells. It will be the 4th clinical test plan using iPS cells approved by the health ministry and the first using blood components.

(Blood transfusions including platelets from iPS cells appproved at a health ministry panel)

Researchers are expecting such cells to become a new source for platelets, replacing transfusions of donated blood that tend to be deficient.

"We will prepare for the tests steadily and take every step carefully," said Koji Eto, a Kyoto University professor at a news conference held in Tokyo after the approval.

According to the plan, researchers will generate platelets from the iPS cells of the individual with aplastic anemia, a disease that diminishes red blood cells and platelets, and transfuse them to the individual three times, gradually increasing the number of platelets transfused up to 100 billion in the final round.

They aim to initiate the clinical trial in a year and it will take another year to confirm its safety.

Individuals with aplastic anemia are usually treated by receiving transfusions of other people's blood, but the individual in the trial cannot receive such treatment due to rejection, according to the researchers.

Apart from the approved plan, the researchers are trying to create platelets from the iPS cells of healthy people stored at the university to transfuse to several individuals.

Among other clinical tests with iPS cells, the government-backed Riken institute conducted the world's first transplant of retina cells grown from iPS cells to an individual with a serious disease in 2014.

Osaka University, which is planning a clinical test for treating heart failure by using a heart muscle cell sheet created from iPS cells, and Kyoto University, which is planning to treat Parkinson's disease with iPS cells, have also received government approval.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 21, 2018 - 19:25 | All, Feature

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Friday met disaster victims in the areas of western Japan devastated by torrential rains in July that caused floods and mudslides and killed over 220 people.

The couple visited Seiyo, Ehime Prefecture, and Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, and gave words to cheer them up.

They had visited Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, last week but postponed their trips to other areas due to poor weather. The three prefectures of Ehime, Hiroshima and Okayama were hit the hardest by the rain disaster.

(Pool photo)

In Seiyo, where five people were killed by the disaster, the imperial couple saw the flooded river and collapsed houses from a patio of a building and was briefed about the situation of the city from the mayor.

The couple also visited temporary housing for the victims and met about 100 residents there.

"I admire your efforts to protect your children," the emperor told Kazuya Kodama, 33, and his 32-year-old wife Kaori. Their 5-year-old and 3-year-old daughters shook hands with the emperor.

"We can't go back to the life before the disaster, but it was an encouraging day today and we will stay strong as a family," Kaori Kodama said.

In Kure, where 25 people died, the imperial couple met disaster victims at a park near temporary housing units. The emperor encouraged them, saying, "It must have been hard after the disaster, but I wish you would get through it with energy."

They had expressed their wish to visit the areas affected by the rain disaster shortly after it occurred and canceled their planned summer retreat and another private trip.

The 84-year-old emperor, who is set to abdicate next April 30 as the first Japanese monarch to do so in 200 years, and his 83-year-old wife have been working rigorously to comfort disaster victims.

Related coverage:

Emperor, empress postpone visit to rain victims in Hiroshima, Ehime

Japanese emperor visits July deluge victims in Okayama
KYODO NEWS - Sep 21, 2018 - 11:18 | All, World, Urgent

North Korea understands that international inspectors need to be present for verification when it dismantles its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, the U.S. State Department said Thursday.

"Having IAEA inspectors and United States inspectors be a part of anything is really just a shared understanding," department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said at a press briefing, in reference to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Nauert made the remark a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in a joint declaration with South Korean President Moon Jae In, expressed willingness to permanently dismantle Yongbyon, but without any explicit mention of expert international oversight.

In comparison, Kim pledged to permanently dismantle the North's key missile test site in Tongchang-ri "under the observation of experts from relevant countries," according to the declaration issued after the two-day inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang.

(A TV report on the dismantlement of N. Korean nuclear test site in May)

Asked about the difference, Nauert stressed that Washington, Pyongyang and Seoul, understand the importance of verifiable denuclearization.

"Anytime you have a nuclear situation like this, where there is a dismantlement, the expectation is that IAEA inspectors would be a part of that," she said. "So that would just be a normal course of doing business."
KYODO NEWS - Sep 21, 2018 - 22:25 | All, Japan

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will likely retain key ministers in an upcoming Cabinet reshuffle following his re-election as Liberal Democratic Party president, a senior government official said Friday.

Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko, and economic revitalization minister Toshimitsu Motegi are likely to remain in their posts, according to the official.

Within the LDP, policy chief Fumio Kishida, who earlier gave up his bid to enter the leadership race, is also likely to stay in the post, the official added.

But Abe is set to replace farm minister Ken Saito, who belongs to an intraparty group led by former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the sole rival defeated in the LDP leadership race on Thursday, the official said, adding no lawmakers from Ishiba's faction will likely be offered Cabinet posts or key executive positions in the ruling party.

Asked about the reported policy for the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Ishiba showed displeasure, telling reporters, "We're the same LDP fellows. It's absolutely wrong to judge by who (the candidates) supported and it's not sincere to the country and people."

In a press conference after the LDP election, Abe said he will reshuffle his Cabinet and the party leadership after returning home later this month from New York, where he is scheduled to attend the U.N. General Assembly.

The government is arranging the Cabinet reshuffle on Oct. 1 or 2, the official said.

Abe has indicated he would not appoint Ishiba or his faction members, apparently bearing in mind their differences over an amendment to war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution, a key issue in the election campaign, according to the premier's aides.

Saito drew attention by saying at a meeting in Chiba on Sept. 14 he had been "pressured" by a lawmaker backing Abe to write a letter of resignation if he wanted to support Ishiba. But Saito did not specify the lawmaker.

Among other key spots, Abe will likely retain heavyweights such as Finance Minister Taro Aso, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai in the planned reshuffle, according to party sources.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 21, 2018 - 09:39 | All, World

New North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song submitted his credentials to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday, officially taking up his new post at the country's mission to the international body.

Kim, who had previously served at the mission as a counselor, replaced Ja Song Nam, who was Pyongyang's top U.N. representative between February 2014 and July 2018.

At the U.N. ceremony to recognize Kim, Guterres expressed his hope for continued positive momentum in developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula, saying, "These are very exciting times in which, of course, we are extremely hopeful."

Kim said he looks forward to working with him. He did not answer questions posed by reporters who trailed him as he walked back to his mission, which is located nearby.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho is scheduled to attend the annual debate at the U.N. General Assembly that kicks off Tuesday and deliver a speech on Sept 29.
The state cabinet decided on Wednesday to set up the committee to deal with inter-state (river) water disputes.
The great and gorgeous Bollywood Diva, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who was Miss World 1994 and also had a flourishing modelling career in her professional front will soon be going back to ramp. She is in full swing to walk the ramp for gem couturier, Manish Malhotra. This is the first time when Manish will present his fashion show Doha, Qatar. Aishwarya being a part of the opening Fashion Weekend International (FWI), will surely add a glamour from her unique style and fashion sense.

Working with the evergreen beauty, Manish talked about the upcoming fashion show and having Aishwarya as his showstopper. Manish shared his thrill to showcase the first fashion show in Doha, a enthralling city. He added that his collection will be festive, fun and vibrant.

Keeping in mind the upcoming season, Manish further opened up about showstopper who is his dear friend, Aishwarya Rai, describe her timeless icon of beauty. Manish told that Aishwarya carries effortless style. He is pleased to share this special moment with her. Aishwarya had earlier walked for Manish in August 2015 during his fashion show in the national capital Delhi.

B- town Celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma were also showstoppers on fashion show of Bollywood's favourite fashion designer in recent past.

Just a few days ago Aishwarya was recently conferred with the inaugural Meryl Streep Award for Excellence at the first Women in Film and Television (WIFT) India Awards. The award ceremony held in Washington, D.C. Aishwarya accompanied by her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan graced the event and her pics hit the internet.
Hookworms exploit a live fast/die young strategy in their South American fur seal pup hosts, report Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Georgia. As a result, they often kill their host, rather than finding a happy equilibrium. Scientists are concerned that this type of hookworm infection could eventually pose a risk to critically endangered populations of fur seals.

The research, recently published in the International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, showed that by adapting to the seals' breeding cycles, this Uncinaria species has evolved to live only 30 to 65 days in the pups' intestines. This forces the worms to feed at a constant rate before they produce eggs and die. The result is high levels of anemia in pups, with more than 20 percent dying of parasitic infections every year.

"Usually we find that most parasites will try and find an equilibrium with a host, so they will extract just enough resources for their own transmission and their own reproductive success," said Dr. Mauricio Seguel, a research fellow at the University of Georgia. "What we found is a very unusual relationship, but one that is well synchronized to a short window of time."

The team studied a reproductive colony of about 3,000 South American fur seals on Guafo Island, in southwestern Chile. During the 2014 and 2015 birthing seasons, the team measured, weighed and took blood and fecal samples from the same randomly selected newborn pups every five to 10 days for 10 weeks. The sampling allowed researchers to follow infections beginning at initial transmission, as well as monitor the pups' health status.

The study showed hookworms feed from their hosts at a constant rate, regardless of how many other hookworms are in the intestine. Further, despite reaching high within-host densities, female hookworms do not decrease egg output. Pups with a higher burden of parasites experience anemia and mortality and release more hookworms into the soil through their feces.

Fur seal pups acquire hookworms during their first days of life, through their mothers' colostrum. Before this, larvae live in the soil, then penetrate a female's skin and live in her subcutaneous tissue until she is pregnant, when they migrate to her mammary glands.

Researchers believe the hookworms' short lifespans have evolved to synchronize with the fur seals' reproductive cycles. Due to the harsh environment on Guafo Island, hookworm larvae survival time in the soil is very limited as storms will wash many to sea. During birthing season, though, fur seals congregate in large groups on the beach. If hookworms can produce as many eggs as possible, as soon as possible, during this time, they provide greater the chances for their larvae to find a female's skin to penetrate.

"This study really allows us to know our enemy. Now that we better understand how these parasites live, we can begin to learn how to control the problem to avoid the worst consequences," said Dr. Kelly Diehl, Morris Animal Foundation Interim Vice President of Scientific Programs. "This particular population is stable, but other populations of fur seals are critically endangered. If they were infected with this disease, we now know when we could potentially intervene to protect fur seal pups and increase survival."

###

About Morris Animal Foundation

Morris Animal Foundation's mission is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. Founded by a veterinarian in 1948, we fund and conduct critical health studies for the benefit of all animals. Learn more at morrisanimalfoundation.org.
The California state governments political watchdog has ruled that candidates will not be allowed to receive donations for political campaigns with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

The Fair Political Practices Commission, a five-member non-partisan commission that functions as the states campaign watchdog, has voted to ban cryptocurrency donations for candidates running for public offices in the state. The vote on Thursday was 3-1 in favor of a ban, the Associated Press reports, with authorities citing concerns in tracking the origin of crypto donations and their transparency in the political sphere.

The vote follows a staff report submitted to the Commission earlier this month wherein the latter sought to ascertain the approaches taken by other states toward campaign contributions in cryptocurrency.

Beyond the gathered research, the staff also outlined four draft regulations with varying outcomes.

Option one expressly forbade all contributions in cryptocurrency. Two  permit crypto contributions as cash donations up to $100 wherein the cryptocurrency had to be converted to cash upon receipt before its deposit into the campaign bank account. Option three allowed for in-kind contributions with crypto-to-cash conversion while the last option allowed for in-kind cryptocurrency contributions without any fiat conversion wherein campaigns see the funds transferred to their own cryptocurrency wallet.

The option to prohibit all crypto contributions, the staff report explained, is consistent with campaign activity FAQs from 2014 which determined that the staff has done extensive research on the topic and recommends that committees not accept bitcoins or other digital currency as campaign contributions at this time..

This, despite a 2014 ruling wherein the Federal Elections Commission continues to allow political campaigns and political action committees (PACs) to accept cryptocurrencies as in-kind donations.

A guideline from the FEC reads:

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A committee can receive bitcoins as contributionsBitcoins may be received into and held in a bitcoin wallet until the committee liquidates them.

Earlier in May, Brian Forde, a former Obama aide and Californian democrat running for Congress saw a political attack from a rival for accepting bitcoin contributions for his political campaign.

In August, North Carolina moved to forbid campaign donations in cryptocurrencies while the likes of Colorado have permitted crypto donations with a limit.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post California Watchdog Bans Bitcoin Donations in Political Campaigns appeared first on CCN.


By Tatiana Bautzer and Carolina Mandl

SAO PAULO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Netherlands-based Paper Excellence will argue in arbitration over its attempted takeover of Brazil's Eldorado Brasil Celulose SA that surging pulp prices played a big part in Eldorado's owners canceling the deal, according to documents seen by Reuters and two people with knowledge of the matter.

J&F Investimentos SA, a holding company owned by brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista, agreed to sell flagship asset Eldorado to unlisted Paper Excellence in September 2017 for 15 billion reais ($3.7 billion), with roughly half the payment due immediately and the rest a year later.

The Batista brothers, the largest shareholders in meatpacker JBS SA, were under pressure to sell assets after agreeing to pay a 10.3 billion-real fine for their role in corruption scandals. The pair were also arrested in September last year and held in jail on suspicion of insider trading.

But pulp prices have surged 41.5 percent in local currency terms since the initial agreement and the Batistas were released from jail without charge early this year.

In court documents seen by Reuters for a lawsuit that preceded the arbitration, Paper Excellence alleged that rising pulp prices played a big part in J&F wanting to call off the deal because J&F wanted a higher price.

The company plans to use the same argument in the arbitration, the sources said.

On Aug. 26, people close to Paper Excellence say, J&F representatives demanded an additional payment of 6 billion reais for Eldorado at a Los Angeles meeting, potentially raising total deal value to 21 billion reais.

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For its part, J&F said in a statement to Reuters the dispute centers around collateral issues and not pulp prices.

J&F also denied the account of the meeting, calling it an "informal and preliminary conversation" at Paper Excellence's request to discuss the basis for a new contract as a Sept. 3 expiration deadline approached for the initial one.

The dispute marks the second time in the past year that Paper Excellence's quest for a key Brazilian pulp asset has been frustrated. Earlier this year the company owned by Indonesia's Wijaya family, which also controls Asia Pulp and Paper Group, lost out on a bid to acquire Fibria Celulose SA.

In a statement, Paper Excellence said it will seek the rights to acquire Eldorado foreseen in the sale agreement.

'FOOT DRAGGING'

In August, Paper Excellence sued J&F, accusing it of dragging its feet on closing the transaction. Brazilian Judge Eduardo Pellegrinelli found in late August that the case had to be decided via arbitration.

J&F formally canceled the sale of the remaining 50.59 percent stake in Eldorado this month, citing issues regarding 8.1 billion reais in collateral that J&F had to offer to secure 5.5 billion reais in bank loans to the pulp company.

Paper Excellence had initially agreed to free up that collateral, which included JBS shares, as a condition of its acquisition of the remainder of Eldorado. But the parties split on exactly how that would happen.

The dispute over the collateral was also a central issue that prevented both parties from closing the deal, three sources from both sides said.

Paper Excellence suggested that the collateral could be released via a capital injection in Eldorado or by the company lending money to the Brazilian pulpmaker which could be used to repay the bank loans.

J&F, however, did not agree with Paper's money going into Eldorado's coffers before having collateral freed up, saying the proposed deal could change the company's capital structure before the deal is concluded.

In a statement to Reuters, J&F said it would not accept a capital injection in Eldorado under any circumstances. Their preferred solution was for Paper Excellence to swap J&F's collateral for its own or repaying the loans directly.

In his ruling compelling arbitration, Pellegrinelli also denied Paper Excellence's request to inject funds into Eldorado, saying it could alter the balance of power between the partners.

The arbitration is continuing and it is expected to last up to two years. ($1 = 4.0787 reais) (Editing by Christian Plumb and Susan Thomas)
Foreign government hackers continue to target the personal accounts of U.S. senators and their aides  and the Senates security office has refused to defend them, a lawmaker says.

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, said in a Wednesday letter to Senate leaders that his office discovered that at least one major technology company has warned an unspecified number of senators and aides that their personal accounts were targeted by foreign government hackers. Similar methods were employed by Russian military agents who used them to influence the 2016 elections.

Wyden did not specify the timing of the notifications, but a Senate staffer said they occurred in the last few weeks or months. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

But the senator said the Office of the Sergeant at Arms , which oversees Senate security, informed legislators and staffers that it has no authority to help secure personal, rather than official, accounts. A spokeswoman for the office said it would have no comment.

This must change, Wyden wrote in the letter. The November election grows ever closer, Russia continues its attacks on our democracy, and the Senate simply does not have the luxury of further delays.

Wyden has proposed legislation that would allow the security office to offer digital protection for personal accounts and devices, the same way it does with official versions to extend that assistance to personal accounts and devices. His letter did not provide additional details of the attempts to pry into the lawmakers digital lives, including whether lawmakers of both parties have been targeted.

Google and Microsoft, which offer popular private email accounts, declined to comment.

The Wyden letter cites previous Associated Press reporting on the Russian hacking group known as Fancy Bear and how it targeted the personal accounts of congressional aides between 2015 and 2016. The groups prolific cyberspying targeted the Gmail accounts of current and former Senate staffers, including Robert Zarate, now national security adviser to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, and Jason Thielman, chief of staff to Montana Sen. Steve Daines, the AP found.

Story continues

The same group also spent the second half of 2017 laying digital trapsintended to look like portals where Senate officials enter their work email credentials, the Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm TrendMicro has reported.

Microsoft seized some of those traps, and in September 2017 apparently thwarted an attempt to steal login credentials of a policy aide to Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill , the Daily Beast discovered in July. Last month, Microsoft made news again when it seized several internet domains linked to Fancy Bear , including two apparently aimed at conservative think tanks in Washington.

Such incidents only scratch the surface of advanced cyberthreats faced by U.S. officials in the administration and Congress, according to Thomas Rid, a cybersecurity expert at Johns Hopkins University. Rid made the statement in a letter to Wyden last week .

The personal accounts of senators and their staff are high-value, low-hanging targets, Rid wrote. No rules, no regulations, no funding streams, no mandatory training, no systematic security support is available to secure these resources.

Attempts to breach such accounts were a major feature of the yearlong AP investigation into Fancy Bear that identified hundreds of senior officials and politicians  including former secretaries of state, top generals and intelligence chiefs  whose Gmail accounts were targeted.

The Kremlin is by no means the only source of worry, said Matt Tait, a University of Texas cybersecurity fellow and former British intelligence official.

There are lots of countries that are interested in what legislators are thinking, what theyre doing, how to influence them, and its not just for purposes of dumping their information online, Tait said.

In an April 12 letter released by Wydens office, Adm. Michael Rogers  then director of the National Security Agency  acknowledged that personal accounts of senior government officials remain prime targets for exploitation and said that officials at the NSA and Department for Homeland Security were discussing ways to better protect them. The NSA and DHS declined to offer further details.

Guarding personal accounts is a complex, many-layered challenge.

Rid believes tech companies have a sudden responsibility to nudge high-profile political targets into better digital hygiene. He said he did not believe much as been done, although Facebook announced a pilot program Monday to help political campaigns protect their accounts, including monitoring for potential hacking threats for those that sign up.

Boosting protection in the Senate could begin with the distribution of small chip-based security devices such as the YubiKey, which are already used in many secure corporate and government environments, Tait said. Such keys supplement passwords to authenticate legitimate users, potentially frustrating distant hackers.

Cybersecurity experts also recommend them for high-value cyber-espionage targets including human rights workers and journalists.

In an ideal world, the Sergeant at Arms could just have a pile of YubiKeys, said Tait. When legislators or staff come in they can (get) a quick cybersecurity briefing and pick up a couple of these for their personal accounts and their official accounts.

___

Bajak reported from Boston. Satter reported from London.
FILE PHOTO - A Goldman Sachs sign is seen above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shortly after the opening bell in the Manhattan borough of New York January 24, 2014. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Discount brokerages Charles Schwab Corp (SCHW.N) and TD Ameritrade Holding Corp (AMTD.O) filed suit against Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) in New York state court on Thursday over the investment bank's bid to end a 17-year-old stock-sharing agreement.

The suit alleges that Goldman Sachs is violating a 2001 agreement reached when it acquired Epoch Partners, an online investment bank that Schwab, TD Waterhouse and Ameritrade founded for their investors to buy into initial public offerings.

Investment banks like Goldman Sachs make big money advising companies on IPOs, and in exchange they get a portion of shares to sell to their own clients or to other firms.

At the time of the acquisition, Goldman agreed to continue giving Schwab and TD some IPO and secondary public offering shares going forward, but Goldman is now trying to end the contract, saying it expired in 2007, lawyers for Schwab and TD wrote in the complaint.

Goldman spokesman Michael DuVally said the firm had the right to end the stock-sharing agreement, which he said the bank honoured "well past a reasonable term."

"In filing this lawsuit, plaintiffs are seeking to preserve a windfall entitlement they have enjoyed for over a decade under the theory that 'reasonable' means perpetual," DuVally wrote in an emailed statement.

TD and Schwab's agreement with Goldman enabled their mainstream clients to buy into newly listed companies at the same time as Goldman's ultra wealthy clients, an opportunity TD Ameritrade spokeswoman Becky Niiya said is "increasingly rare."

"It's standard practice for investment banks such as Goldman Sachs to control who gets access to IPOs, often reserving their allotment ... for their ... clients," Niiya wrote in an email. "This exclusionary process effectively serves to shut out smaller individual investors."

Schwab spokesman Peter Greenley said the firm would fight Goldman's attempt to reserve the shares of these IPOs for its own clients. He said this would not affect clients' access to the broader publicly traded markets Schwab offers.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Dilts; Editing by Tom Brown)
Heres a look at some of the companies the Yahoo Finance team will be watching for you.

Another top executive is leaving Tesla. Bloomberg says the VP of supply management, Liam OConnor, has left. OConnor joined Tesla from Apple in 2015. According to Tesla short-seller Jim Chanos, At least 42 executives have left the company so far this year.

New pressure on Google to protect kids data online. Two members of Congress have sent a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, asking about how YouTube collects data on kids. Back in April, several advocacy groups filed a formal complaint, arguing YouTube was violating federal law by collecting data on children under age 13. Google insists it is in compliance.

One of the biggest suppliers for Amazons Whole Foods stores is feeling the pinch of rising costs. United Natural Foods fell short in its latest earnings report. That sent the stock skidding in the pre-market, down more than 10%. The CEO says higher than expected freight costs, plus shifting customer demands, drove down revenue.

Texas Instruments is spreading the wealth after its good quarter. The chipmaker is boosting its quarterly cash dividend by 24%. The board has also authorized a $12 billion dollar stock buyback. Texas Instruments says boosting dividends, and buying back stock, is integral to its strategy.

And Uber Eats has set its sights on Europe. Bloomberg says Uber is in talks to buy Deliveroo in a deal that could top $2B. Deliveroo currently operates in 12 countries including Italy, Australia and Hong Kong. Just last year it raised nearly $500M from investors.
New York Police Department officers arrested a female "babysitter/worker" after three newborn babies were stabbed at a childcare center (AFP Photo/KENA BETANCUR)

New York (AFP) - Three newborn babies and two adults were stabbed during a pre-dawn attack at a suspected illegal childcare center in New York on Friday, allegedly carried out by a female employee, police said.

The injured infants ranged from three days to one-month old, police said. One woman suffered multiple stab wounds to the torso, while a man received a stab wound to the leg.

The motive was not immediately clear.

A 52-year-old female "babysitter/worker" at the in-home center was arrested, police said. The stabbing took place in the borough of Queens shortly before 4:00 am (0800 GMT).

The suspect had a slash wound to her left wrist, police said. Two knives were recovered at the scene and all the injured were taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition, police told reporters.

Police told AFP earlier that the suspect attacked two baby girls and a baby boy, leaving one of the girls in a serious condition. None of the victims' lives was in danger, police said.

The wounded female victim worked at the daycare, while the other was the father of one of the babies.

Nine babies and some of their parents had been at the home at the time of the attack, police said.

Officers found the suspect in the basement of the center with a self-inflicted cut to her wrist.

A police spokesman earlier told AFP that the childcare center appeared to be an "illegal" facility for members of the city's Asian community, but officers later clarified that its status was unclear.

The in-home center appears to have functioned for several years, as police responded to a noise complaint from neighbors in 2011.
In a concerted effort to curb carbon emissions, three major U.S. oil companies namelyExxon Mobil Corporation XOM, Chevron Corporation CVX and Occidental Petroleum Corporation OXY have finally joined the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), which was formed in 2014. Notably, these are the only American companies to join the initiative, which aims at pooling promising technologies and business models to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ExxonMobil, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum will become official members of OGCI on Sep 24. Each of these three companies carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



The initiative currently includes 10 members including supermajors like BP plc BP, Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A and TOTAL S.A. TOT, Equinor, Petrobras, Repsol SA, Eni SpA, Saudi Aramco, China National Petroleum Corporation and Pemex Oil. Following the addition of the three companies, OGCI will account for 30% of global oil output. The addition of U.S. companies will also widen the global reach of OGCI, which currently includes companies from China, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.



In a bid to shift toward a low carbon economy, OGCI has created a $1 billion fund to support clean technologies. Members of the initiative are committed to collaborative efforts to reduce methane and carbon emissions along with improving energy efficiency by providing advanced technologies and practical solutions to address the adverse impacts of climate change.



Notably, in June 2017, American President Donald Trump pulled the country out of the landmark Paris climate change agreement, which was expected to bring an end to the fossil fuel era. Trump stated that the deal would hurt the economy, cut jobs, weaken American sovereignty, and put the country at a permanent disadvantage to other countries. While Trumps decision was lauded by the industry advocates, it received major backlash from green crusaders.



Many companies have been accused of damaging the environment, with various states filing lawsuits against supermajors. However, many such cases have been dismissed. The plaintiffs have held fossil fuel companies accountable for rising sea levels, changing landscapes, higher global temperatures and increased risk of storms and droughts.



Oil companies, of late, have been under immense pressure from investors and green campaigners alike to mitigate climate change risks. Interestingly, the latest move marks a 180 degree turn for ExxonMobil and Chevron that have been reluctant in joining OGCI since its creation. ExxonMobil has especially been criticized many a times of publicly downplaying climate change facts stated by its own scientists. Acknowledging the goals of the Paris Climate Deal, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum will contribute $100 million each to the OGCI fund as their first endowment.



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Discover Financial's (DFS) arm pairs up with PXP to expand the acceptance of its digital payment service worldwide.

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  September 21, 2018  Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Wells Fargo WFC, Schlumberger SLB, Biogen BIIB, American Express AXP and Illinois Tool Works ITW.

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Thursdays Analyst Blog:

Top Research Reports for Wells Fargo, Schlumberger and Biogen

The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Wells Fargo, Schlumberger and Biogen. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.

You can see all of todays research reports here >>>

Wells Fargos shares have underperformed the Zacks Major Banks industry over the past three months (+1.5% vs. +4.2%). Further, the company possesses a disappointing earnings surprise history, having beaten expectations in only one of the trailing four quarters.

Following the sales scandal and other issues, Wells Fargo has been slapped with new sanctions, including a cap on the assets position by the Federal Reserve. Recently, the bank has been charged with a penalty of $2.09 billion by the U.S. Department of Justice. The Zacks analyst thinks the crisis related to the revelation of illegally opening millions of accounts in 2016, auto-lending issues and impact of other malpractices will take some time to alleviate.

Recently, the companys chief financial officer, John Shrewsberry, revealed a dismal picture for the banks loan book as well. However, lower tax rate, easing of regulations and expansions will likely support the banks growth profile.

Story continues

(You can read the full research report on Wells Fargo here >>> ).

Shares of Schlumberger have outperformed the Zacks Oil and Gas - Field Services industry over the past year, losing -10.1% vs. -13.8%. Schlumberger is the largest oilfield services player in the world with presence in every energy market.

The Zacks analyst thinks being the leading provider of technology for complex oilfield projects, Schlumberger is better placed than most peers to take up new offshore projects in the shallow water basins. In fact, the company is expecting more drilling activities to ramp up in the offshore resources, that will meet the growing demand for crude in the world.

Moreover, the firm has been persistently rewarding shareholders with higher dividend yield than the industry over the past 15 years. However, we are concerned about Schlumbergers rising project startup costs since the company is starting up many new developments outside North America.

(You can read the full research report on Schlumberger here >>> ).

Biogens shares have outperformed the Zacks Biomedical and Genetics industry year to date (+6.3% vs. -4.8%). Biogen has a strong position in the MS market with a wide range of products including Avonex, Tysabri, Tecfidera and Plegridy.

The Zacks analyst likes its efforts to diversify beyond MS to other areas like Alzheimers, Parkinson's and stroke, among others. Meanwhile, its newest drug Spinraza has multi-billion dollar potential. Biogens efforts to regularly in-license assets to build its pipeline are encouraging. It has many assets in its pipeline, which have transformative potential.

Multiple data readouts are expected this year. However, the launch of Ocrevus by Roche is beginning to have a negative impact on MS franchise sales in the United States. Also, Spinrazas moderating trends in the United States is a concern.

(You can read the full research report on Biogen here >>> ).

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include American Express and Illinois Tool Works.

Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?

Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.

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Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>.

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The foreign ministers of archrivals India and Pakistan will hold a rare meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month, Indias Foreign Ministry said on September 20.

The announcement comes after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote to his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, seeking to resolve outstanding disputes between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, including the issue of the divided region of Kashmir.

Raveesh Kumar, Indias External Affairs Ministry spokesman, told reporters that diplomats from both countries will work out the details of the meeting between the foreign ministers.

Kumar said the meeting will take place at Pakistans request.

Khan wrote: "We owe it to our people, especially the future generations, to peacefully resolve all outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

He said Pakistan is ready to discuss the issue of terrorism, a top priority for India.

High-level talks between India and Pakistan are rare. India has long accused Pakistan of arming rebel groups in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. It also blames Pakistan for financing the deadly 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir, divided between the two countries but sought by each in its entirety.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP
China races to get goods to U.S. before tariffs hit
Ron Stallworth still carries his 1979 Knights of the Ku Klux Klan membership card in his wallet.

Bam! said the Black Klansman author, removing the worn red card from his wallet to show more than 600 people gathered Thursday at Pikes Peak Community College for Stallworths first appearance here since the film BlacKkKlansman was released Aug. 10.

The red card is proof that Stallworth, the first black detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department, investigated the KKK in southern Colorado in 1977.

He kept the tale of that investigation to himself until 2013, when he started writing Black Klansman, now a New York Times best-seller. His book led to the Spike Lee-directed film BlacKkKlansman, which still is playing at local theaters, including Kimballs Peak Three, and has grossed $65 million.

Now retired from a 32-year career in law enforcement in Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming and Utah, Stallworth proudly recalled serving in the CSPD from 1972 to 1980.

Its a very progressive department. Colorado Springs Police Department is one of the finest I worked with and for. Be proud of your department, he said.

The department remains largely white. Two years ago, more than 81 percent of the 510 CSPD officers were white. That left 93 minorities, including 25 blacks, 52 Hispanics, 13 Asians and three Native Americans. That year, more than 1,300 people applied for the police academy, including 126 blacks.

Asked if the number of black officers is healthy for the community, Stallworth said the question is: Why arent blacks flocking to join? Do they have a negative culture toward minorities? I dont know. I do know the opportunity is there.

When a PPCC student asked about the current state of policing in America, Stallworth said its overall good.

But as an example of abuse of authority, he cited a 2015 case in South Carolina in which an unarmed black man, Walter Scott, was fatally shot by a white police officer who allegedly then placed a taser on Scotts body to suggest the victim had a weapon.

I am a police officer. I will defend my brothers in blue to the death, Stallworth said. But when theres a dirty cop, I will call out that dirty cop. I will stand up for Black Lives Matter and commend all others doing the same.

Stallworth praised Fletcher Howard Jr., who was a rookie cop when Stallworth left CSPD and in 2008 became the first black commander, the third-highest rank in the department. Howard retired in 2016 after 38 years with CSPD.

The community is more diverse now, and the Police Department has grown and has more black officers. It says a lot about the direction the city has gone, said Stallworth, who lives in El Paso, Texas.

Ive always loved it here. The only thing I didnt like is the damn weather. Its too cold!

His wife, Patsy, to whom he dedicated his book, sat in the first row at PPCCs Centennial Campus with his sister Nanci Lorenia Stallworth, a Colorado Springs resident. She told The Gazette shes very proud of Ronnie, whom she said called their mother every day and visited monthly until she died in 2009.

During a Q&A, his sister asked where he learned self-respect, to which he replied, From our mother. Their mother, Betty, didnt play, he said. She told me if anyone called me a (racist epithet), You better hit em, you better teach them to call you the right way. You are not a (n----); you are a young black man. That was in the 60s. America was different, our society was different.

I got kicked out of school three times because of that. Mom simply said, Did you whup his ass? each time. I lied twice and said yes, but Im happy to say they never called me the N-word again.

Stallworth said its a disgusting, disgraceful term that should never be used  by blacks or whites or anyone else for that matter, including Donald Trump.

Although ordered by his chief at the time to destroy evidence of his KKK investigation, Stallworth said, he held onto his Ku Klux Klan membership card and a couple of notebooks.

It was morally and ethically wrong, and I knew it at the time I did it  But I also knew that no would would believe that I, a black man, was a member of the KKK. I knew no one would believe that story without proof.

By the way, David Duke endorsed my story and said he liked and respected me, Stallworth said, referring to the former Grand Dragon of the KKK, whom he duped by phone during the investigation, posing as a white KKK member.

The local KKK at the time took a unanimous vote to make Stallworth a leader. They were not the brightest light bulbs, he said with a chuckle.

How many in here have bought my book? Stallworth asked the crowd filling the 391-seat theater, with the talk broadcast to three overflow rooms. And how many have seen the movie? he followed up. More raised their hands for the latter.

The movie has taken some liberties with my story, but I can live with what they did, he said. Ninety percent of the book is in the movie. Ive seen it 16 times, being on tour. Each time I see it, it never fails to move me at the end. ... Its just by the grace of God my story was so unique that Hollywood came calling.

Stallworth moved with his mother and siblings to Colorado Springs from Chicago in July 1972 to be closer to his aunt, who was married to a soldier at Fort Carson. That year he became the citys first black police cadet, then first black patrolman, and then first black detective.

Whenever youre the first black anything in this country, theres a ton of pressure on you, he said. We should be way past recording that as an accomplishment. I shouldve been just another cop on another assignment.

Stallworth became an officer to help pay for college. He attended El Paso Community College, which in 1978 became PPCC, for a few semesters with the intention of becoming a high school P.E. teacher. He stayed with the police force because he was having so much damn fun.

It took me 36 years from my high school graduation in 71 to get my degree, said Stallworth who ultimately earned associates and bachelors degrees in criminal science from Missouris Columbia College program in Salt Lake City. Dont make the mistakes I did. Get your education, and get it while youre young.

Asked how he feels when people say he sounds white, which is how he fooled Duke and the KKK, Stallworth said he takes offense.

What do I sound like to you? he asked the crowd. I can get into the jive routine and act like a fool. I did it when I worked on Colorado Avenue. ... but I know how to sound like a person who knows how to speak.

After his presentation, Keith Barnes, PPCCs executive director of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department, presented him with The Crystal Trophy distinguished service award. Stallworth went on to sign 60 books purchased by that department.

We really wanted to give (the books) to the students, a lot of whom are low-income, first-generation college students, Barnes said.

We knew the college bookstore had sold out of their copies of the book.

Nicole Shirley, a sophomore studying criminal justice, waited in a line of dozens to get a book signed after Stallworths talk. I did really relate to what he was saying, she said.

Tiffany Ferriman, an Ellicott High School student in the Career Start program, which allows high school students to take college classes and earn credit, said her criminal justice class attended the talk.

I just think its so interesting, being in the criminal justice field, how he overcame discrimination and how his investigation skills helped him overcome that discrimination.

Maria Wright, a PPCC freshman also studying criminal justice, said she was in line because she just really wanted to shake his hand.

Stallworth participated in a panel discussion at PPCC later in the afternoon and was to speak at Colorado College at a private evening event. The two colleges partnered to bring Stallworth to Colorado Springs.

Contact the writer, 476-1602.
ABDERDEEN, Md.  An employee at a Rite Aid warehouse opened fire at work Thursday, killing three people before taking her own life, authorities said. Several other people were wounded.

The suspect was a 26-year-old temporary employee at the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told a news conference. She had been taken into custody in critical condition that morning. Her name was not immediately released.

It appears only one weapon, a handgun, was used and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Gahler said.

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, works at the facility and told her told her that the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a "Town Hall meeting."

"And she went off," she said.

Watson said her husband told her the shooting started in a break room.

"She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting," Watson said as she drove away from a fire station where relatives tried to reunite with loved ones.

"She didn't aim. She just shot," Watson said.

Area hospitals reported receiving five patients from the incident.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore said it was treating four patients with gunshot wounds. Two were in stable condition and two who were seriously injured.

A spokesman for a health system that includes Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, said one patient was being treated there. Christiana Care Health System spokesman Hiran Ratnayake said the person was in serious condition.

Gahler said the call about shots fired came in at about 9:06 a.m. and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes.

Mike Carre, an employee of a furniture logistics operation next to the distribution center, said he helped tend to a wounded man.

Carre locked the doors of his workplace after the injured man came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg. He called 911 from a bathroom before helping colleagues wrap the man's blood-soaked jeans above his injury to cut off blood flow.

Carre said the man told him the shooter "just came in in a bad mood this morning. He said she's usually nice. But today, I guess it wasn't her day. She just came in to pick a fight with someone."

"She pulled out a gun and she just started shooting at her co-workers."

At a nearby fire station, family members were waiting to be reunited with loved ones. Police blocked off the road outside but were waving in cars driven by people who said they were there to meet up with people who were at the distribution center.

Reggie Rodgriguez's mother works at the distribution center. His wife had tried calling her numerous times but got no answer.

"I was calling her all morning. It went to voicemail because they keep their phones in lockers," said Kelly Rodriguez, 40.

When they finally reached his mother Thursday afternoon, Reggie Rodriguez said, "That's all I wanted to do: Hear her voice." His mother was uninjured. He said she sounded relieved the crisis was over.

A law enforcement official said authorities were working their way through the distribution center to clear the facility.

"We obviously need to methodically go through the entire complex, ensure there are no other victims inside, ensure that there is no one that was hiding from violence and ensure that there were no other suspects," said Christie Hopkins is communications director for the sheriff's office.

"At this time, we are confident that the suspect acted alone. And that person is in custody. We do not believe there is any further threat to the community now, but we still have to completely clear that building."

The attack came nearly three months after a man armed with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper.

The FBI described the Aberdeen incident as an "active shooter situation" and said its Baltimore field office was assisting.

In a tweet, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said his office is monitoring the situation in Aberdeen and that the state stands ready to offer any support.

Susan Henderson, spokesman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the warehouse as a support facility adjacent to a larger building.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that unfortunately, incidents like this are "becoming a too-often occurrence not only in Harford County but in the country."

___

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Michael Kunzelman in Havre de Grace, Maryland, contributed to this report.
Colorado Politics senior political reporter

Joey Bunch is the senior correspondent and deputy managing editor of Colorado Politics. His 32-year career includes the last 16 in Colorado. He was part of the Denver Post team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 and he is a two-time finalist.
A suspect has been arrested in Tuesdays shooting death of a man outside the Pine Creek Village Apartments in southeast Colorado Springs.

Jeremy Dewayne Jones, 41, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Colorado Springs resident Raymond Daniel McCall, police said.

McCall was found shot outside the complex, 720 Chapman Drive, about 10 p.m. Tuesday. No other details have been released.

McCall is the citys 25th homicide this year. At this time last year, there were 21 homicides.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call police at 719-444-7000.

To remain anonymous, call Pikes Peak Crime Stoppers at 719 -634-7867 or 1-800-222-8477.

Contact the writer at 719-636-0362 or find her on Twitter: @njKaitlinDurbin.
Gazing south of Colorado Springs, the antennae atop the rock-festooned summit have captured eyes and inspired only wonder. Until now.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park is set to open the Dixon Trail on Tuesday, granting hikers access to the high, eastern flank of the Pikes Peak regions second-most famous mountain.

Announced in a news release Friday, the park said users should expect to find crews putting final touches on the trail. Volunteers have been working almost daily this month, a park official told The Gazette last week, while Rocky Mountain Field Institute expects to return to the site for 10 days starting Oct. 3. The contracted Rocky Mountain Field Institute said the job was taking longer than expected because several rock steps and retaining walls needed to be built to prevent erosion.

Hikers should avoid crews and stay uphill of any trail marking they encounter, the news release reads. All flags, stakes and ribbons should be left alone so trail crews can finish their work as quickly as possible.

But Tuesday, almost a decade after volunteers first cut Dixons tread, the anticipation will end.

Park Manager Mitch Martin said the state was looking for a crown jewel to add to its preserved roster when the granite behemoth and prairies around it were acquired in 2000. And this was the crown jewel trail envisioned all along  a back-country journey up the storied mountain.

The journey is not to be taken lightly, though. From the Limekiln parking lot, the Talon Trail connects to the North Talon Trail, ending about 3 miles later on the craggy ridge of the Dakota Hogback, where the Dixon Trail begins.

The summit path runs about 4 miles, gaining nearly 2,500 feet to a vast meadow with mature aspen stands. Here, the wooden remains of Thomas Dixons homestead can be found along with the metallic debris of a 1957 T-33 jet crash.

Hikers can continue on the 1.4-mile Top of the Mountain loop and try the short Dragons Backbone, where the trail seems to disappear on the exposed, jagged spine above NORAD.

Park officials urge users to be prepared for a long day, with no water along the way and no alternate return route. The trail is hiking-only, as sections are not yet suitable or safe to ride, reads Fridays news release.
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaneh Bosm BioTechnolgy Inc. (CSE:KBB)(FWB:8K51)(OTC:KNHBF)(Kaneh Bosm or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has engaged Volare, a leading Lesotho based infrastructure and development consultancy firm. Volare will assist the Company with local development support, as well as the acquisition of land earmarked for Cannabis cultivation, storage and manufacturing facilities. Volare has identified a portfolio of key land parcels that are well suited for agriculture and manufacturing development. The identified parcels are equipped with the necessary onsite utility resources and are located in close proximity to transportation hubs.



Kaneh Bosms portfolio company CanAfrica, holds licenses for medical Cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, transport, research and import/export in the Kingdom of Lesotho (see Kaneh Bosms news release dated June 20, 2018). In 2017, Lesotho became the first African Nation to issue licenses for medical Cannabis operations. Lesotho is a favourable jurisdiction for Cannabis cultivation due to its rich soils, ideal climate, skilled agricultural workforce, low cost labour, and access to key infrastructure. Lesotho has also signed numerous international trade agreements. These trade agreements permit the unencumbered export of Lesothos Cannabis products to various jurisdictions worldwide. It is anticipated that Lesotho will act as a staging ground for access to larger African markets that may yield greater demand potential.

Kaneh Bosms Chief Executive Officer, Eugene Beukman, states, "Kaneh Bosms African developments mirror industry peers such as Canopy Growth Corporation, Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. and Aphria Inc. Earlier this year Canopy acquired Daddy Cann Lesotho PTY Ltd. for $28.8 million. Daddy Cann and Kaneh Bosms CanAfrica have been awarded identical medical cannabis licences by the Kingdom of Lesotho. In March of 2018, Supreme Cannabis invested $10 million for a 10 percent stake in Lesothos MediGrow Holdings PTY Ltd. Kaneh Bosm would like to also mention Aphria Inc.s recently announced Joint Venture with Lesotho based Verve Dynamics. The Company believes that it is well positioned to capitalize on its flagship African asset while maximizing shareholder value.

Kaneh Bosm also pleased to announce that Company representatives have visited the Kingdom of Lesotho to initiate development efforts and advance regional relationships. The Company continues to complement its existing African cultivation and distribution footprint. Most recently the Company acquired South African based Aricannabis BioTech Corp (see Kaneh Bosm news release dated August 26, 2018). Aricannabis works on an exclusive basis with NuCare Health to provide Cannabis products to over 2,800 independent and corporate pharmacies across South Africa. South Africa has a population of 55 million people and have announced plans through the Medicines Control Counsel for medical Cannabis distribution to South African patients.

The Company looks forward to providing additional updates on its Lesotho initiatives in the coming months.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Kaneh Bosm Biotechnology Inc.

Michael Martinz

Michael Martinz

President, Director

mmartinz@kanehbosmbiotech.com

THE CSE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words anticipate, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, would, project, should, believe and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this News Release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Companys disclosure documents which can be found under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com
MIAMI, FL, Sept. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Amazonas Florestal, Ltd. ( the Company) ( www.azflusa.com ) (OTC: AZFL), a natural resources company dedicated to innovative, sustainable forest management, Industrial High CBD Hemp and the certification and sales of carbon credits, today announced that the Company has rehired the firm of Monte Waldman CPA to complete its pending 2016-2017 audits that will consolidate the financial requirements necessary to achieve funding facilities proposed for its present business plans and business direction. The Company also announced that it has incorporated a new division named AF Cannabis Corp. in Canada. The newly formed Canadian company will be structured as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and will operate in growing and marketing of Medical Marijuana in Canada.



The Company further announced the completed Business Plans for a Colorado Industrial High CBD Hemp Plantation and products laboratory that will be presented to qualified investors through crowd funding platforms, where it has already begun to attend inquiries from private investors interested in providing facilities to fund the project.

Ricardo Cortez, Company Chairman of Amazonas Florestal, Ltd said, Company management is very pleased to have rehired the professional services of its previous accountants at Monte Waldman CPA to perform our pending 2-year audit. This is the same firm that completed our last audits through December 2015 to satisfaction and we expect their diligent efforts once again in completing this requirement by no later than October 15th. The completion of these audits will bring our financial records and filing obligations to date and will give the Company investors the needed assurance that they require in order to complete funding facilities for funding of the high CBD Hemp Lab in Colorado and Carbon business in Brazil.

In other company news, Mr. Cortez said, We have incorporated a new division in Canada, aptly named AF Cannabis Corp. ( AFC), that will be dedicated to growing and marketing Medical Marijuana in the Toronto area and expand beyond to other Canadian states. The Company expects to expand its CBD brand to include Canadian products sold to the Canadian public. We have found the right business combination there and are applying for licensing with the proper Health and Public authorities. The intention of this new venture, if and when it becomes successful, would be to register shares with the Canadian Security exchanges.

Also, the Company Managers announced that the Company continues the market development of its brand, Balance CBD in 500 mg and 1000 mg strengths, as its spearhead products for placing CBD on the market in preparation for the increased amounts of CBD products that will likely become available for the Company to market next year from new plantations it will develop as part of the lab project.

Company CFO Mr. Carlos Martinez expressed, All of the financial aspects of the company are being re-organized, including putting audits up to date, to complete all of the requirements that have been outlined to the Company by new investors interested in providing funding facilities that will enable the Company to fund its business plans and potentially achieve revenues before the end of this fiscal year 2018. Mr. Martinez further stated, I am personally very satisfied to have been given the opportunity to form an intricate part of this team and to utilize my experience in Bank Management in setting up the systems and financial processes that should allow Amazonas access to funding these very interesting projects.

About Amazonas Florestal Ltd.

Amazonas Florestal Ltd. is a natural resources company dedicated to innovative, sustainable management of large tracts of land in the rainforests of Amazonas, Brazil, that include the certification and sale of carbon credits and the growth, harvesting, research and development of Industrial Hemp and related high CBD products in the U.S. and internationally.

Headquartered in Miami, FL, Amazonas's goal is to become a leader in sustainable forest management and preservation, creating revenue while protecting the biodiversity of the rainforest ecosystem and enhancing the lives of the people who live in it. Through a strategy of selective harvesting, certification and sale of carbon, biomass and biofuel production, and conservation incentives, Amazonas Florestal Ltd. intends to help protect one of the world's greatest natural resources and show how its preservation can be a profitable activity. Visit the Company at: www.azflusa.com

Forward Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this release regarding Amazonas Florestal Ltd. are made pursuant to the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of the Company's products, increased levels of competition, new products and technological changes, the Company's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.




TORONTO, Sept. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On behalf of the Board of Directors of Grand Challenges Canada (GCC), Chair Guylaine Saucier today announced that Ms. Jocelyn Mackie and Dr. Karlee Silver have been appointed as co-Chief Executive Officers. Their appointment is effective immediately.



Innovation is the defining DNA of Grand Challenges Canada and we have opted for an innovative approach in both the model and the individuals we have selected to lead this organization forward through its next stage of growth and transformation, emphasized Mme Saucier. In Dr. Silver and Ms. Mackie, we have chosen two strong leaders who combine an incomparable knowledge of GCCs operations with a detailed plan for change and growth. In presenting their shared vision for a co-CEO model, the board was struck by the ambition, pragmatism and dynamism of their plans for GCC.

As co-CEOs, Ms. Mackie and Dr. Silver are being handed a mandate to build on GCCs success by leading a new era of scaling in global health innovations, and catalyzing innovations within humanitarian settings and among Canadas Indigenous communities, as well as fortifying the financial, operational and external-facing profile of the organization over the long-term. Their appointment distinguishes GCC as one of the few research and impact-investor organizations worldwide to be led by women  at both the executive and board level.

The opportunity to take Grand Challenges Canada into its next stage of maturity and growth is one that we approach with energy and confidence, stated Ms. Mackie and Dr. Silver. Supporting Bold Ideas with Big Impact remains the essence of what GCC will do in the future. Working together, we have a clear vision for how to build on established success and pursue this success in new areas  in pursuit of helping to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through innovation

The Boards decision comes after an extensive and competitive open search and review process, led by the Boards CEO Search Committee and administered by an international executive search firm.

Please see attached for biographic information about Dr. Silver and Ms. Mackie.

ABOUT GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA: Grand Challenges Canada is dedicated to supporting Bold Ideas with Big Impact. Funded by the Government of Canada and by other partners, Grand Challenges Canada funds innovators in low- and middle-income countries and Canada. The bold ideas Grand Challenges Canada supports integrate science and technology, social and business innovation  known as Integrated Innovation. One of the largest impact-first investors in Canada, and with a feminist investment approach, Grand Challenges Canada has supported a pipeline of over 1000 innovations in more than 80 countries. Grand Challenges Canada estimates that these innovations have the potential to save up to 1 million lives and improve up to 28 million lives by 2030. Grand Challenges Canada is hosted in Toronto at the Sandra Rotman Centre at the University Health Network.

In the past year, Grand Challenges Canada has initiated two new Grand Challenges including Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge in partnership with USAID and DFID UK, and the Indigenous Innovation Initiative in partnership with the McConnell Foundation and Johnson & Johnson.

BIOGRAPHIES

Dr. Karlee Silver DPhil

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Karlee Silver is Co-CEO of Grand Challenges Canada, giving leadership and oversight to all aspects of the organizations activities together with Co-CEO Jocelyn Mackie.

Prior to being appointed co-CEO, Dr. Silver was VP Programs where she set strategy for development and humanitarian innovation initiatives, and enabled the programs, investments, and knowledge management teams to source, support, and transition to scale promising innovations for social impact in low- and middle-income countries. She represents Grand Challenges Canada in the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA) and in the Grand Challenge network, and advises on a range of global initiatives aligned with womens and childrens health and development and global mental health. She is the Chair of the Every Woman Every Child Innovation Marketplace Steering Committee.

Dr. Silver has been with Grand Challenges Canada since it launched, and led the process of selecting the organizations prioritized grand challenges. Prior to joining Grand Challenges Canada, Dr. Silver trained in the laboratory of Dr. Kevin Kain at the Sandra Rotman Centre in Toronto where she helped to identify host responses of malaria infection in pregnant women to harness for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Dr. Silver received her doctorate in 2006 from the University of Oxford, where she attended as a Rhodes Scholar and trained in genetics and immunology. An accumulation of inspirations, including traveling through southern Africa after Oxford, led to a refocus towards global health. Witnessing both the strength of women to sustain their families and communities, and the vulnerability of these same women to the consequences of poverty inspired Dr. Silver to apply herself to empowering women and girls.

In her spare time, Dr Silver explores the outdoors with her dog, practices yoga, and studies wine tasting.

Ms. Jocelyn Mackie MSc, JD

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Jocelyn Mackie is Co-CEO of Grand Challenges Canada, giving leadership and oversight to all aspects of the organizations innovation platform, together with Co-CEO Karlee Silver.

Prior to being appointed co-CEO, Ms. Mackie was Vice President Operations & General Counsel at GCC where she led the Finance, Operations, Legal, and Communications teams, providing leadership and oversight on the organizations operations, funder relations, deal structuring and negotiations (on grant and non-grant financing deals), financial accountability and risk mitigation management, as well as providing legal and compliance oversight.

Prior to joining GCC, Ms. Mackie provided legal and strategic advice to pharmaceutical and technology companies at a boutique law firm with offices in Toronto, Washington and New York. She specialized in intellectual property law and litigation, as well as lobbying for legislative change in Washington and Ottawa. Ms. Mackie started her academic pursuits studying languages and international development, and spent time digging latrines and helping to set up a self-sustaining micro-enterprise for rural women in Honduras.

Ms. Mackie has a MSc from the University of Toronto, where she jointly authored a book on ethical decision-making and corporate social responsibility in the bioscience industry. She has a JD from the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, and an honours business degree (HBA) from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. She is called to the Ontario Bar and the New York State Bar.

When not focused on saving and improving the lives of the most vulnerable, Ms. Mackie spends time with her entrepreneurial husband, three children and two step daughters (aged newborn to 18) at their home in Toronto, family cottage and cattle farm. In her spare time, she stays grounded by taking dance classes, and is active in her community church and childrens school.
Amsterdam, 21 September 2018 --- AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. ("AMG", EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") is pleased to announce that AMG Superalloys has entered into a multi-year agreement with rsted to purchase 100% of its power requirements from renewable sources, starting in October 2018. The contracts cover the full power requirements of AMG Superalloys' production sites across England and Wales.

Based in Rotherham, UK, AMG Superalloys is a leading provider of specialty metals, alloys, and materials. AMG Superalloys is a highly specialized manufacturer of specialty products to the aluminum, steel, superalloy, hard-facing, welding, and glass industries. The company manufactures, among other products, chromium metal, ferrotitanium, ferroniobium, nickel, niobium, aluminum powders, and cerium oxide-based glass polishing powders.

About AMG

AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO 2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets.

AMG Critical Materials produces aluminum master alloys and powders, titanium alloys and coatings, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, lithium, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal. AMG Engineering designs, engineers, and produces advanced vacuum furnace systems and operates vacuum heat treatment facilities, primarily for the transportation and energy industries.

With approximately 3,300 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, the United States, China, Mexico, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Mozambique, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan (www.amg-nv.com).

About rsted

rsted develops, constructs and operates offshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and innovative waste-to-energy solutions and provides smart energy products to its customers. Headquartered in Denmark, rsted employs 5,600 people, including over 900 in the UK. For more information on rsted, visit orsted.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

For further information, please contact:

AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 293 5804

Steve Daniels

Senior Vice President

sdaniels@amg-nv.com
English Latvian

Consolidated Results of 8 months and August, 2018

Preliminary consolidated Olainfarm Group sales results in August of 2018 have reached 9.1million euros and that is 13% more compared to corresponding period of 2017. Largest sales growth was reached in Italy and Kirgizstan where due to the low base in 2017, sales have increased by 11650% and 292% respectively. Sales declined at most in Turkmenistan and Russia, 31% and 9% respectively. In August JSC Olainfarm Group s largest sales markets remained the same - Russia, Latvia and Belarus.

August 2018, consolidated sales Sales, thsnd. EUR Share in total sales Year on year change in sales Latvia 2 701 30% 15% Russia 2 396 26% -9% Belarus 1214 13% 50% Ukraine 970 11% 97% The Netherlands 339 4% 183% Kazakhstan 292 3% 19% Turkmenistan 133 1% -31% Tajikistan 128 1% 27% Kirgizstan 118 1% 292% Italy 94 1% 11650% Other 723 8% -1% Total 9 108 100% 13%

In August 2018 the sales of JSC Olainfarm Pharmacy network Latvijas Aptieka LTD, with 69 pharmacy sales points, reached EUR 1.9 million and that is by 20% more than in the same period last year. Silvanols LTD turnover in August 2018 was registered EUR 0.42 million, reaching 13% increase compared to August 2017. Tonus Elast LTD, producer of elastic medical products, increased its sales by 21%, reaching EUR 0.88 million in August

Consolidated results of the first eight months of 2018 show that JSC Olainfarm sales reached EUR 79.5 million that is by 4% more than in the same period last year. Fastest sales increase was demonstrated in Tajikistan (+51%) and Belarus (+ 42%), and some decrease was reached in Russia (10%) and Poland (4%). Russia, Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus remain among the largest sales markets of the Company.

8 months of 2018, consolidated sales Sales, thsnd. EUR Share in total sales Year on year change in sales Latvia 22 578 28.39% 17% Russia 22 357 28.11% -10% Belarus 9 953 12.5% 42% Ukraine 7 838 9.9% 23% Kazakhstan 2 296 3% 1% Uzbekistan 1 585 2% 26% Germany 1 294 2% 10% Lithuania 1 216 2% 25% Tajikistan 961 1% 51% Poland 941 1% -4% Other 8 523 11% 2% Total 79 542 100% 4%

During first 8-month of 2018 Latvijas Aptieka LTD sales increased by 21%, reaching EUR 16 million. Silvanols LTD turnover reached EUR 3.7 million and that is 8% increase compared to respective period in 2017. Tonus Elast LTD sales results retained on the same level - EUR 5.4 million compared to the 8 months of 2017.

Non-consolidated results of 8 months 2018

The unconsolidated results of August 2018 show that JSC Olainfarm sales reached EUR 6.8 million, and that is 12% increase compared to August 2017. The highest sales increase due to low base in 2017 was reached in following markets: in Italy, where sales volumes increased by 11049%, in The Netherlands by 182% and in Ukraine by 140%. Decrease in sales by 31% was registered in Turkmenistan. Significant products volumes were delivered to Poland. Russia, Latvia and Ukraine that are remaining among the largest sales markets.

August 2018, unconsolidated sales Sales, thsnd. EUR Share in total sales Year on year change in sales Russia 1 842 27% -19% Latvia 1 329 19% 16% Belarus 1099 16% 41% Ukraine 964 14% 140% The Netherlands 339 5% 182% Kazakhstan 223 3% 12% Turkmenistan 133 2% -31% Tajikistan 109 2% 7% Italy 94 1% 11049% Poland 93 1% N/A Other 603 9% 13% Total 6 828 100% 12%

The unconsolidated results of 8 month of 2018 show that JSC Olainfarm sales reached EUR 60.3 million, that is slight 1% decrease compared to same period of 2017. Fastest growth was registered in Japan, with 321% sales increase, and in Tajikistan with 52% sales increase. Sales in Russian market experienced slight decrease by 15%, however remaining among the largest markets together with Latvia, Ukraine and Belarus.

8 months of 2018, unconsolidated sales Sales, thsnd. EUR Share in total sales Year on year change in sales Russia 19 284 32% -15% Latvia 10 764 18% 15% Belarus 8 577 14% 24% Ukraine 7 693 13% 24% Uzbekistan 1 585 3% 26% Kazakhstan 1 476 2% -11% Germany 1 294 2% -12% Lithuania 1 162 2% 46% Tajikistan 926 2% 52% Japan 731 1% 321% Other 6 837 11% 13% Total 60 329 100% -1%

According to the estimates of JSC Olainfarm, approved on 5th of June 2018 by supervisory Council of JSC Olainfarm, the unconsolidated turnover of the company in 2018 could reach 96 million euros, while the consolidated turnover - 130 million euros. According to the preliminary turnover figures published here, in the 8 months of 2018, 63% of the total unconsolidated turnover planned for 2018 and 61% of the planned annual consolidated turnover has been achieved.

JSC Olainfarm is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Latvia with 45 years of experience in production of medication and chemical and pharmaceutical products. A basic principle of company's operations is to produce reliable and effective top -quality products for Latvia and the rest of the world. Products made by the Group are being exported to more than 50 countries of the world, including the Baltics, Russia, other CIS, Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.

Information prepared by:



Inga Krukle

Member of the Management Board

JSC Olainfarm

Phone +371 28698449

Email: Inga.krukle@olainfarm.com






IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them.





They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country.





However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia.





"Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination.





Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia.





They should be lovingly helped.





Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948.





To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts:





While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 :

Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell.

The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites.



A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught.



The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers.



Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites."



Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers.









There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks.





This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work.





It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter.





In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam.













In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir.





" The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life."





An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir .





In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance).





Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed).





Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance).









Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam.





It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way.





A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah.





Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs).









Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life".





Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology.





Islam is a supremacist ideology.





Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism.





Islam is a civilization.

Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization.





Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life.

It has a say about every conceivable human act .





Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam.

























The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic.





Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111).





A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44)





Muhammad himself said:

I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30)









Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad.




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
Northern Italy-based filter production company Filtrec announced it will locate the companys North American headquarters in Indiana.

The firm plans to invest more than $1 million to build its new headquarters in the town of Daleville.

The announcement comes at the start of a three-day economic development trip by Gov. Eric Holcomb to northern Italy.

Filtrec launched a sales operation in Delaware County earlier this month, and the company says itll build a small headquarters to start and expand over time.

The Indiana Economic Corporation says the company will receive a $275,000 tax incentive package when jobs are filled by Indiana workers.

Filtrec officials promised to hire 25 workers at the Daleville plant in the next four years.
As a form of protest, hunger strikes often succeed in garnering significant attention, especially when they are protracted over a period of weeks or involve highly prominent personalities.

However, it is comparatively rare for them to elicit actual concessions from Iranian authorities, who sometimes resort to deception or false assurances in order to bring a halt to protests and impede the growth of public sympathy.

There are two prominent hunger strikes underway at this moment, each of which has surpassed three weeks. And although these are certainly not the only protests of their kind, they were separately featured in reports this week by IW and CHRI.

Both cases reflect similar issues in the Islamic Republic, not limited to the issues of prisoner abuse and the general state of the Iranian criminal justice system.

In the first place, IW reported on Tuesday that Farhad Meysami was nearing the 50th day of his hunger strike, which began on August 1 as a protest against illegal handling of his own case and against all cases based on trumped up charges in recent years, according to a statement from a personal friend.

Meysami also sought to draw specific attention to the lack of due process in criminal proceedings, particularly those in which political detainees are barred from selecting any attorney other than those included on a pre-approved list provided by the judiciary.

His initial arrest was apparently based upon his previous social activism and particularly his advocacy for the rights of women. A case was then built against him based in part on the confiscation of badges from his home that read, I am against forced hijab.

In this way, his case is closely related to that of Nasrin Sotoudeh, the human rights lawyer whose hunger strike was highlighted on Tuesday by CHRI. In recent months, she too has been targeted by security forces on the basis of her advocacy for women who have protested against forced veiling, as well as other prisoners who have been refused access to their chosen attorneys.

Both Meysami and Sotoudeh began their actions as wet hunger strikes, but after 37 days of inattention from regime authorities, Meysami began to refuse fluids as well. Sotoudehs hunger strike has surpassed three weeks, but Meysamis has now reached the 50-day mark and he recently communicated with loved ones in order to implore them not to urge him against continuing.

Friends and relatives of both these political prisoners have reportedly been subject to pressure from regime authorities, and on September 4, they arrested Reza Khandan at his home and charged him with collusion against national security, propaganda against the regime, and encouraging women to remove their hijabs. His arrest is significant to both of the aforementioned cases, as he is Sotoudehs husband and a close personal friend of Meysami.

But although this and other instances of harassment are evidently intended to compel the hunger striking prisoners to end their protests, it is quite possible that they will have the opposite effect.

According to IranWire, which spoke to Khandan before his arrest, when his wife was asked what would cause her to end her hunger strike, one of her first demands was Meysamis release. Conversely, when Meysami set September 23 as the date of his dry hunger strike, he cited Khandans arrest and the harassment of his sister and two fellow civil rights activists as leading motivators.

Such stories are seemingly indicative of a broader pattern of defiance that has prevailed within the Iranian activist community, in the face of rising levels of domestic repression.

This pattern extends to much of the population, given that anti-government protests have continued throughout numerous cities and towns over the past several months, despite the fact that a nationwide uprising that began in December was largely suppressed by mid-January following 8,000 arrests and more than 50 deaths.
In reporting upon the speech and the relevant policy initiatives, Reuters made reference to 12 specific demands that had previously been made of the Iranian regime by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Now, in light of Hooks remarks before the foreign policy think tank, the Trump administrations defined goal is to pursue commitment to these changes in the form of a treaty between the US and Iran.

Such an agreement would require approval by the US Senate, effectively making it immune to the sort of unilateral withdrawal that President Trump initiated with regard to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in May.

The withdrawal set into motion the re-imposition of suspended sanctions, a process that will be concluded in November with sanctions on the banking sector and oil industry, by which time the White House hopes to secure multilateral agreement on the need for a high-pressure strategy aimed at comprehensively changing the behavior of the Iranian regime.

Among the objections that Trump and others used to justify withdrawal from the nuclear agreement was the fact that it failed to address arguably related issues such as the Iranian ballistic missile program, which could theoretically be used to provide the delivery mechanism for a nuclear bomb.

The new White House policy initiatives outlined by Pompeo and clarified by Hook specifically address this issue along with the Iranian regimes financing of militant proxies in Syria and Yemen, and its human rights abuses against minorities and dissidents inside the Islamic Republic.

Naturally, many critics of the Trump administration doubt the ability of the White House to secure the envisioned treaty, in light of Irans prior condemnation of the US for pulling out of an agreement with which Tehran was supposedly complying.

The ongoing commitment to that agreement by its other signatories  the UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China  is a further complication. But Reuters and other news outlets have consistently depicted the administration as being confident in its ability to put pressure directly on Iran to negotiate, and on the USs traditional partners to join in forcing such negotiation.

Indeed, notwithstanding the European Unions efforts to limit the effects of US sanction while incentivizing the Iranian regime to remain in compliance with the nuclear deal, many European companies have already ended their relationships with Iranian counterparts over fear of penalties that could be imposed by the US.

Of course, Irans persistently provocative behavior may be a factor in this decision-making, as well, and the same may be true of policy decisions within leading European capitals.

Politico acknowledged some level of uncertainty regarding the long-term European responses to the developing American strategy on Wednesday, albeit in the context of an article anticipating significant defiance of that strategy during meetings and speeches at the United Nations General Assembly, which began this week.

If such defiance does emerge, it will be in response to tough language from the US president and his foreign policy principals, who have confirmed that they will place strong focus on Tehrans malign behavior both at the General Assembly and at the concurrent meeting of the UN Security Council, which will be chaired by the US.

Politico claimed that the Europeans do not believe the Trump administrations repeated claims that it is not seeking regime change in Iran.

But it is not clear whether this perception of broader-than-acknowledged aims will seriously affect whether the European cave into pressure from the US, as the administration expects them to.

For many critics of the Iranian regime, this goal and the acknowledged goal of changing the regimes behavior are indistinguishable, since the worst of the existing regimes behaviors are arguably ingrained in its structure and ruling philosophy.

This is, in fact, a point that the Trump administration has recognizably been striving to emphasize in its public statements and dialogue with fellow world powers.

The Washington Post noted on Wednesday that the State Department had released a report identifying the Iranian regime as the worlds leading state sponsor and specifically as having a near-global reach including operatives inside the US, some of whom have been arrested in recent months.

The report quoted counterterrorism coordinator Nathan Sales as saying, Iran uses terrorism as a tool of its statecraft. It has no reservations about using that tool on any continent.

Such language is reminiscent of reports issued by non-governmental opponents of the Iranian regime such as the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which has mad particular efforts to highlight the terrorist role of Iranian diplomats in the wake of a foiled plot to blow up the NCRIs international rally outside Paris on June 30.

The revelation of that plot suggests that relevant statements by both the White House and the Iranian Resistance may prove persuasive to France and other potential European targets of Iranian terrorism, regardless of their ongoing commitment to the nuclear deal.

Politico indicated that European policymakers are sensitive to some of the Trump administrations warnings about Iran, especially those involving the regimes support for terrorist groups that are active across Europe. And this sensitivity has already had at least a modest influence on policy.

Another report published by Reuters on Wednesday indicated that France has declined to appoint a new ambassador to Tehran following the summertime departure of the previous occupant of that post.

One diplomatic source declared that the appointment was suspended specifically as a result of the foiled terror plot, and that the position would likely remain open at least until the Iranian government provided substantial information to France about the incident.

Furthermore, in August, the French Foreign Ministry instructed its diplomats to indefinitely postpone all non-essential travel to the Islamic Republic, a move that was more recently emulated by the United Kingdom, according to a report by The Independent.

The UK also extended that recommendation to all of its citizens, and both countries appeared to be acting in response to hardening attitudes among the Iranian leadership, accompanied by widespread unrest as the country contends with a worsening economic crisis, accompanied by foreign pressure on the clerical regime.

A spokesperson for the UKs Foreign Office indicated that practically any behavior by Western nationals in the Islamic Republic could be criminalized  a point that is underscored by the cases of existing political prisoners such as the Iranian-British charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was apparently targeted for arrested more than two years ago largely on the basis of her former employment by the charitable arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation, whose Persian service is banned in Iran.

The spokesperson went on to say, The threat to travelers is likely to be higher if theres any national unrest, terrorist incident or an increase in tensions between Iran and the international community.

Such remarks almost certainly express recognition of the domestic unrest that has been spanning the entirety of the Islamic Republic since the end of last year, when a nationwide uprising gave rise to chants of death to the dictator and other recognizable calls for regime change.

But the Foreign Offices reference to increased tensions could also be perceived as setting the stage for more broad-based international pressure on the Iranian regime, involving participation from the European governments that have been most subject to US lobbying.

Brian Hooks speech to the Hudson Institute on Wednesday suggested that that lobbying has come to emphasize the US governments strong, clear, robust support of the Iranian people in a conflict against their repressive, theocratic government.

While the nations of Europe might have been understandably worried about a shift in Iran policy that seems to promote regime change by means of foreign intervention, they may prove to be more receptive to a policy that specifically endorses a change of government driven by the Iranian people themselves.

In any event, this prospect is certainly of concern to the Iranian regime, and it is presumably driving the observed shift toward greater repression of dissent, more stringent anti-Western attitudes, and even an upsurge in terror plots and acts of espionage against foreign targets affiliated with the Iranian Resistance.

Those behaviors may in turn push Western governments further in the direction of assertive policies like those currently being pursued by the Trump administration.

This is somewhat ironic since the long-term effect is only to increase the prospect of the very outcome that is dreaded by the clerical regime.

A report by Think Progress quoted Michael Elleman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies as saying of the Trump administrations assertiveness, If Im Iran, I look at it as a prelude to regime change.
On Wednesday, September 19, Ambassador Richard Grenell told Bloomberg News: We are pleased with this decision because Iran diverts its economic resources away from its people to spread violence and instability across the globe.

He said that US officials and Volkswagen finalised their agreement on the withdrawal on September 18, following weeks of talks.

Under the agreement, the German automaker will be allowed to conduct some business in Iran for humanitarian reasons.

Neither Volkswagen nor the White House has commented on the matter at the time of writing.

Back in May, Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, which gave sanctions relief to the Gulf nation in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme.

Trump said that the deal did not go far enough to stop Irans other malign behaviours, like human rights abuses, and that it failed to prevent Iran from eventually developing a nuclear weapon. Trump also said that Iran had violated the spirit of the accord by supporting terrorism and launching ballistic missiles.

The first runs of sanctions came into force in August, weakening the Iranian economy further, causing further drops in the value of the Iranian rial, and inspiring more protests in the streets.

The European signatories to the deal (Germany, France, and the UK), along with other EU countries are sticking with the nuclear accord and oppose the sanctions. Theyve even put in place laws to punish European companies who withdraw from Iran and allowed them to sue the US for lost profit.

Despite this, many European companies have already pulled out of Iran, including French oil firm Total, German carmaker Daimler, and Deutsche Telekom, as they fear US secondary sanctions much more than EU fines.

These sanctions cut off the Iranian mullahs access to funds that would be spent on terrorism, missiles, or regional interventionism, which make them very important to the international community.

But they also reduce the amount of money that the mullahs can spend on domestic repression, including the arrest, torture, and execution of protesters and other political prisoners, which is why the Iranian people support the sanctions.

These sanctions are punishing the Regime, not the people, and more companies should abide by them.
as admitted by Iranian Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif and the regimes Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad.

Zarif and Baeidinejad recently said that the threatening tactics around the MEK residence in Albania and the smear campaigns by Channel 4 and Al-Jazeera English were ordered by the mullahs regime.

On September 16, Zarif called on social media sites to remove the accounts of MEK supporters, a likely reference to the Al-Jazeera programme.

Just an hour later, Baeidinejad said: Shortly after Dr. Zarif referred to the bitter reality of the existence of a massive network of fake tweet production and replication, the UKs Channel 4 and Al-Jazeera broadcasted documentary programs that revealed the hidden face of this bitter reality.

He then claimed that the MEK produces millions of messages in the form of hashtags calling for the overthrow [of the regime] using the most advanced information technologies every day and urged Twitter to act upon the official request of Dr. Zarif to close the fraudulent accounts that sent hashtags calling for an overthrow against Iran.

It is worth noting that the Iranian Regime already denies access to a free and fair internet to its 80 million citizens, so this act of requesting that MEK supporters around the world also be denied internet accounts shows how scared the regime is.

This is further proof that the lies broadcast in these programmes were just the mullahs vengeful repetition of their previously debunked claims against the MEK.

These anti-MEK claims were merely designed to divert attention from the cyber crimes of the Iranian Regime that were recently uncovered by cyber security firms and led to the removal of hundreds of Iran Regime-linked social media accounts that formed part of an apparent Iranian influence operation targeting internet users worldwide [that] is significantly bigger than previously identified.

In a similar vein, back in 2002-3, right after the MEK had revealed the Iranian Regimes nuclear weapons programme to the West, the Regime hired mercenaries to claim that Iraqs weapons of mass destruction  which, as time has shown, did not exist  were hidden inside the MEK headquarters in Iraq. Its a matter of diverting attention from the real crimes of the Regime.

The programmes

Channel 4 secretly filmed the MEK residence in Albania and sent the footage to the regimes intelligence agents in early September, before broadcasting the programme, which claimed that the MEK was engaged in online propaganda.

On September 16, Al-Jazeera English, with the help of known regime agents claimed that the MEK had changed the views of major media organizations through hashtags calling for regime change, but claimed that the MEK had no support in Iran, which is not true.

The National Council of Resistance of Irans Security and Anti-Terrorism Committee said in a statement: Despite the dirty tricks of ministers, ambassadors, agents and mercenaries of the clerical regime, every day further dimensions of the Iranian regimes internet terrorism are exposed.

Yesterday, the cyber security firm FireEye announced that a hacker group linked to government institutions in Iran had launched massive attacks against Middle Eastern oil companies and other targets as oil sanctions loom.
In its annual survey on global terrorism, released on Wednesday, September 19, the State Department said that Iran and its proxy militias are responsible for escalating multiple conflicts in the region, as well as undermining US interests there.

The report read: Designated as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1984, Iran continued its terrorist-related activity in 2017, including support for Lebanese Hezbollah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various groups in Syria, Iraq, and throughout the Middle East.

The survey also explained that the Iranian Regime used its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Qods Force to provide support to terrorist organizations, provide cover for associated covert operations, and increase instability in the region.

The State Department survey specifically said that Iran was responsible for causing violence in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. It even said that Iranian fighters and Iran-backed militias, (i.e. Lebanons Hezbollah) have come out of the Syrian civil war, where Iran was supporting dictator Bashar Assad, emboldened and with valuable battlefield experience they seek to leverage elsewhere.

The State Department report also warned of a robust offensive cyber program run by the Iranian Regime, which has in the past sponsored cyber attacks against foreign government and private sector corporations (i.e. petrochemicals, defence contractors). This lines up with warnings earlier this week from cyber security firm FireEye who said that Iran could be plotting another cyber attack on the US in response to sanctions that will be imposed in November.

The State Departments survey reported a 24 per cent decrease in terrorist attacks across the globe between 2016 and 2017, which is largely due to a sharp decline in the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, which has been largely defeated. Their members are regrouping in Asia and Europe, but they are still much less of a threat than Iran.

This new information from the State Department proves that sanctions are the right way to deal with the mullahs. By cutting off their access to the global financial markets and preventing them from selling their oil, which is 70% of their exports, the world can limit the amount of money that Iran can use to fund its terrorist operations.
- Actor Carlo Aquino answered netizens questions on why he visited Angelica Panganiban in her house

- This is after several photos of them in the actress house circulated in social media

- Carlo explained that they also had fun bonding during the visit

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Kapamilya actor Carlo Aquino disclosed the reason why he and his family went to the house of ex-girlfriend Angelica Panganiban.

KAMI learned of the said visit when a netizen posted some photos of the actor and his mother together with Angelica.

After creating buzz in social media, Carlo finally broke his silence and explained why they dropped by the house of the Kapamilya actress.

He said they just went to Angelicas place because they wanted to get the pet cat that they temporarily handed over to the actress.

The Magic Temple star stressed that he decided to go straight from the airport to the house of his ex-girlfriend for the said reason.

He also clarified that his parents were with him during the much-talked-about visit because they were the ones who picked up the actor at the airport.

Parents ko ang nagsundo sa akin sa airport. Sinama ko na sila (pag punta kina Angelica), eh hindi pa nila nakikita ang bahay ni Angge, he quipped.

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Carlo further detailed that they just had a fun bonding during their stay in Angelicas house.

He also shared that he wanted to see the mom of the That Thing Called Tadhana star and that night was his opportunity to do it.

Kuwentuhan lang tapos pinakita lang ni Angge kung gaano kalaki ang bahay nya, he pointed out.

Siyempre masaya kasi hindi ko pa nga nadadalaw si Tita Annabelle (mommy ng aktres), balak ko rin gawin yun antagal ko na siya hindi napupuntahan, he added.

In a previous article by , Carlo felt that he really has a place in showbiz because of the people who came into his birthday celebration.

Born on September 3, 1985, Carlo is a Filipino actor and musician. He already starred and gained critical recognitions in classic films including Bata, Bata... Paano ka Ginawa, Hiling, and Kokey.

This time, he is working with ex-girlfriend Angelica for the upcoming film, Exes Baggage.

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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
- Today marks the 46th anniversary of Martial Law as declared by former President Ferdinand Marcos

- Some known politicians commemorated the day through a mass

- While others participated in rallies at Luneta Park

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Today, September 21, 2018, marks the 46th anniversary of Martial Law declaration by former President Ferdinand Marcos which changed the Philippine history since then.

Hundreds of protesters gathered to rally all the way to Luneta Park and Mendiola in Manila. Meanwhile, some known politicians were commemorating the day through a mass.

As reported by Manila Bulletin, members of Liberal Party were seen attending a mass at De La Salle University in Manila. Vice President Leni Robredo, former President Benigno Noynoy Aquino III, Senator Bam Aquino and Senator Kiko Pangiinan were seen seated together to commemorate the 46th anniversary of declaration of Martial Law.

KAMI has learned from Rappler that groups from different universities such as University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, Polytechnic University of the Philippines have been joining the protests. On that note, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University released a joint statement to express their thoughts regarding Martial Law.

In the statement they said, It took many years of struggle before the nation was awakened and our people mustered enough courage to stand against his evil rule.

And so we say today, with even more fervor, never again! they added.

Photo from Rappler

Source: Facebook

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Other protesters are marching from Espana heading to Mendiola. They brought with them an effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte, Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They said that the will burn the effigy to show how they condemn the alliance between Duterte, Arroyo and Marcos.

It has also been reported by Manila Bulletin that the police in Lucena City, Quezon held almost 350 passengers in eight buses who were allegedly heading to protest at Luneta Park. According to Chief Inspector Liza Capistrano, that some of the buses did not have any plate numbers. However, some were alleged fake plates and others did not have proper documents at hand.

The passengers also had different answers when they were asked about their whereabouts. Some even said they did not know where they were heading and were just asked to join.

President Duterte and the police have been preparing for this day and took all the precautionary measures to lessen casualties.

In this episode of our series of pranks in the Philippines 2018, our host will ask strangers to hold his plastic cup for a while. And then several passersby will put coins in it Are you ready to make some fun? - on KAMI HumanMeter Youtube channel!

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-Today marks the 46th year since former President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972

-The hashtag never again spreads as some Filipinos remembered how some suffered from the declaration

-There were numbers reported which counted the total victims of Martial Law

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On September 23, 1972, former President Ferdinand Marcos appeared on television and under Proclamation 1081, supposedly signed on September 21, formally declared martial law nationwide.

The hashtag never again spreads on the 46th anniversary since Marcos declared Martial Law in the Philippines today.

According to Rappler, the increasing threat of communism was the reason for the declaration.

But there were facts that Filipinos should know, according to Amnesty International, about 70,000 people were imprisoned while 34,000 were tortured, and 3,240 were killed during Martial Law from 1972 to 1981.

The report said, despite the seeming peace and order, was something dark beyond the gates of Military camps.

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With power given to the military to save democracy, they were able to commit a number of human rights violations.

But more detailed numbers were given by the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines.

2,668 incidents of arrests

306 total number of arrested individuals

398 disappearances

1,338 salvagings

128 frustrated salvagings

1,499 killed or wounded in massacres (Magsaysay 1999)

But these are just alleged numbers, we can never account for the real number since some families chose to be silent to save their lives.

Psychological and emotional torture happened by isolation to instill fear and shake one's principle, according to reports.

Senators Benigno Ninoy Aquino and Jose Pepe Diokno were the first ones to be arrested the night Martial Law was implemented.

Many suffered physical torture like an electric shock, beating, pistol-whipping, water cure, cigar burns, flat iron burns, animal treatment, and even women were abused.

According to MindaNews, there were at least two massacres reported between 1972 and 1981, the Palimbang massacre or the Malisbong massacre in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat and the second massacre happened in Bingcul village in Mindanao on November 12, 1977.

The two reported massacres weren't true according to Juan Ponce Enrile, the former Martial Law administrator

Still, many people remembered Marcos' regimen because life was not hard at that time. Many feared the 'dictator' that imposed discipline nationwide. There were peace and order.

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!

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Lahore: Molvi Rafiq Ahmad Mufti, who along with four other associates hijacked an airplane in 1976, died at 64 on Monday evening in Lahore.

Mufti, a resident of Shopian, and his four young comradesAbdul Hameeed Deewani, Mohammad Ahsan Rather, Ghulaam Nabi Itoo and Ghulam Rasoolhad on 10 September 1976 hijacked the Mumbai-bound airliner with 83 passengers on board from Delhi airport. The plane, on their directions, touched down at Lahore airport.

On late Monday evening we got to know about his demise through social media, said Mohammad Yaqoob, brother of Mufti.

Mufti was pursuing his graduation from the Government Degree College, Bemina, Srinagar, when one day in 1976 he suddenly vanished. It was after the hijacking of the Boeing 737 that his family got to know about his whereabouts.

We were completely oblivious about his plans. No one in the family, not even his close friends in the town, had an inkling that he was going to take such a big step, Yaqoob said.

It is said that Molvi and his comrades had hijacked the plane as a protest against the1975 Indira-Sheikh accord. The release of JKLF leader Mohammad Maqbool Bhat was also on the list of their demands.

They also wanted to take the plane to few other countries after filling it up at Lahore to capture the attention of world towards the freedom struggle of Kashmir, said a senior citizen of Shopian, adding that the young men were unhappy with the 1975 accord.

The skyjackers, however, were captured at Lahore airport and were jailed for three years while the plane was sent back to India.

They walked out of jail after Zia-ul-Haq took over as the president of Pakistan, said a relative of Mufti.

Mufti is survived by his wife and two sons. Pertinently on 30 January 1971, Hashim Qureshi and his associate Ashraf Qureshi had hijacked a Jammu bound plane to Lahore. They later set the plane on fire at Lahore airport.
2018 National Essay Contest on the Film DROP for Youth, Ages 12-18 years Cash Prizes for Winners!

Black Women for Positive Change (BW4PC) announces a 2018 National Essay Contest about the film, DROP: A Story of Triumph. Contestants can write a 1 page essay, produce a 2 minute Rap or submit a poem to express their views about the message in DROP about the choice of staying in school or dropping out.

The DROP Essay Contest is part of the annual 2018 Week of Positive Change, Non-Violence and Opportunities, October 13-21, 2018. In a joint statement, BW4PC National co-chairs Dr. Stephanie Myers and Daun S. Hester stated, We must convince youth that dropping out of school is a pipeline to prison and violence. They must stay in school and earn their high school diploma or GED to prepare for success.

All youth ages 12-18 are eligible.

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The film stars actor Tray Cheney, of HBOs The Wire, Bounce TVs Saint and Sinners, and local actors. We produced DROP to reach high school and middle school students. They can see themselves in our film and we hope this encourages them to trust us and take our advice to stay in school, says Karen Carrington-Washington, chair, DROP Essay Committee. Sponsors are Saint and Streetfighter Foundation, and American Family Insurance.

DROP NATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST

WHO: Youth ages 12-18 years DEADLINE: October 26, 2018

WHAT: National Essay Contest: DROP: A Story of Triumph.

YOUTUBE FREE VIEWING:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AasVeQTqTYg&t=2s

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HOW TO APPLY: ON-LINE

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSccX5_chFWaylYTE9-Ux6iB4fGlxOO_axomx1uEF-vdcCfvLg/viewform

PAPER APPLICATION AT: www.blackwomenforpositivechange.org

SUBMIT PAPER APPLICATION: [email protected]

WHAT: Students can submit: (1) One-page Essay; (2) a 2-minute Rap, or (3) Poem/Spoken Word.

CASH PRIZES: High School and Middle School Winners in each category. First Place $250; Second Place: $150 and Third Place: $75.

About Black Women for Positive Change

Black Women for Positive Change is a national interfaith, multicultural network of women, Good Brothers and Millennials from California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, New York, Texas and Virginia. Partners include Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Moms Demand Action for Common Sense Gun Control; Next Generation Action Network; American Family Insurance Company, Highmark, Inc; Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh; The 100 Fathers Inc.;

The mission of BW4PC is to: (1) Strengthen and expand the American Middle/Working class, with an emphasis on the African American community; and (2) To Change the Culture of Violence in America, and the World.

Social Media:

Email: [email protected]

[email protected] ***Email to submit essay Contest entries***

http://weekofnonviolence.org/

Twitter: #Dropofopportunity

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Climate Summit Predicts Floods Across the Globe

All eyes were on a powerful storm as it sent water cascading into swollen rivers and raised fatalities at the beginning of the week to 25.

That was Nigeria. This week, from the Carolinas to the Nigerian Delta, from the Philippines to Hong Kong, weather unlike anyone can remember has been pounding the planet. Preparation for super-typhoons in Asia, the storm of a lifetime in the Carolinas, or the annual rainy season in Nigeria appear to have softened the blow even while escape routes were closed and roads turned into raging rivers.

Nigerias fatalities occurred when the countrys two major rivers  the Niger and the Benue  burst their banks.

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Flooding was attributed to blocked drainages, constructions along water channels and illegal mining along river banks.

The U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists wrote: Global warming is making heavy rain more frequent in many areas of the country. With human alteration of the landlike the engineering of rivers, the destruction of natural protective systems, and increased construction on floodplainsmany parts of the U.S. are at greater risk of destructive floods.

This past week, a Global Climate Action Summit was held in San Francisco, California.

Summit organizer California Gov. Jerry Brown warned: Were running out of time. Theres been some backsliding since Paris  our summit aims to increase the commitments that have already been made in Paris, to make them even greater, and thereby build the momentum going into the Conference of the Parties at Poland.

Leaders from all sectors of society were there to demonstrate how they are taking ambition to the next level with a wave of fresh and brave climate action announcements that, if implemented will generate over 65 million new, low-carbon jobs by 2030.

The event was also attended by protestors who chanted Tell Jerry Brown to keep it in the ground and held signs reading Dont drill. There were scuffles as police attempted to remove several protesters. Inside, protesters interrupted former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg, chanting: Our air is not for sale.

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Browns critics claim Californias cap-and-trade emissions system, which allows major polluters to trade emissions allowances and offsets, is overly generous to fossil fuel interests.

They have also attacked the governor for allowing more than 20,000 drilling operations during his tenure.

We are experiencing huge economic losses due to climate change. said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. But the Global Climate Action Summit has brought together actors demonstrating the vast opportunity afforded by climate action. They are betting on green because they understand this is the path to prosperity and peace on a healthy planet.
Presidents Son Nabbed With $12 Million In Jeweled Watches

What does a suitcase full of million dollar watches look like?

Well, its blinding for one and it caught the eye of police at the Sao Paulo Viracopos airport in Brazil who confiscated the gem-encrusted time pieces found in the luggage of the son of the long-time ruler of Equatorial Guinea.

In a second bag belonging to Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue, vice president and son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, $1.5 million in cash was found, allegedly for medical treatment far from home.

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While Brazilian law prohibits people from entering the country with more than $2,000 in cash, the VP may have diplomatic immunity although the 11-member delegation traveling with him does not.

Its not the first brush with the law by the presidents son. Last year, a French court delivered a guilty verdict in a case involving embezzlement and money laundering. Teodorin received a three-year suspended sentence. His assets  a 101-room mansion on the exclusive Avenue Foch, two Bugatti Veyrons, the most expensive car in the world, a Porsche Carrera, an Aston Martin and a Mercedes Maybach  were confiscated.

In 2014 Teodorin agreed to pay $30 million for properties in the U.S., Michael Jackson memorabilia and a private jet using money from the public treasury.

At the time, Teodorin was the countrys agriculture minister, earning an official annual salary of less than $100,000.

Despite the countrys significant wealth from oil, roughly half the population lack clean drinking water and half of all children who begin primary school never complete it. Some metrics, such as vaccination and school enrollment rates, have deteriorated since the start of the oil boom.

Tutu Alicante, founder of the local human rights group EG Justice, questioned the rationale for carrying cash for medical reasons. Why should the VP of Equatorial Guinea travel to Brazil for treatment when his father claims to have built Central Africas best hospital in Equatorial Guinea?

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Meanwhile, a visit by the International Monetary Fund to review a staff-monitored program has found progress on needed reforms but urged that the poor and vulnerable be shielded from any adverse effects of economic adjustment and social protection be strengthened.
Diarrhoea kills Girl, 4; many sick

Diarrhoea outbreak at Jaleshwor Municipality 12 in Mahottari district has killed a child and left scores of others ill over the past week.








Education Readings





By Allan Alach





Every week Bruce Hammonds and I collect articles to share with teachers to encourage a creative approach to teaching and learning. I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz









The Importance of Curiosity and Challenge in Education

What should matter is that school should become a place where curiosity is developed in individuals no matter what factors have led to its decline. Whether school is the direct reason why kids lose curiosity over time shouldnt matter.in individuals no matter what factors have led to its decline.





Why are Americans so bad at math?

This is very relevant all over and not just restricted to the USA

he way math is taught in schools and how its conceptualized as a subject is severely impairing American student's ability to learn and understand the material. Research shows that tand how its conceptualized as a subject is severely iand understand the material.





The Global Search For Education: The Need to Play

Giving children meaningful, quality, free play opportunities in this period of exponential brain growth is the best, most cost-effective way to prepare them with the skills required to live in our modern society.   Marcus Veerman





What if a bird went to flying school?

We all know how birds learn to fly. The mother and daddy bird





Marae style teaching spaces  a good fit for tamariki

Newton Primary School is seeing fast progress in te reo Maori learning by its bilingual and full immersion students. The school has a new teaching block with flexible spaces for the students, and the school is taking the opportunity to explore what it means to have a Maori learning environment. l is seeing fast progress in te reo Maori learning by its bilingual and full immersion students. The school has a new teaching block with flexible spaces for the students, and





The art of unlearning

how often do we give thought to how much we need to unlearn. As Russell Ackoff says, the only thing thats harder than starting something new, is stopping something old. We often talk about our learning, but. As Russell Ackoff says, 





What makes a good school culture?

Most principals have an instinctive awareness that organizational culture is a key element of school success. But like many organizational leaders, principals may get stymied when they actually try to describe the elements that create a positive culture. t of school success.like many organizational leaders,





Why this time is different  the big picture of educational change

look at the bigger picture, which tells the story of school reform over the past hundred years and highlights why this time is different. Most importantly, it also gives meaning to the work of those who have gone before. Its a question that weve all struggled with from time to time, however, I do think the answer becomes a lot clearer if we step back andMost importantly, it also.





How curious are you?

Im curious about curiosity. Its not something we have talked enough about in the past, but in a





Should we review the New Zealand Curriculum?

The Minister has invited us to have our say on Education as many aspects are up for review. Should the New Zealand Curriculum be one of them?There is ongoing debate about whether our curriculum really meets the aspirations of our tamariki to be active citizens now and in their future so that they are well prepared for the task of making this world the best they possibly can for all people. as many aspects are up for review. Should the New Zealand Curriculum be one of them?re so that they are well prepared for the task of making this world the best they possibly can for all people.





From Bruces goldie oldies file:





Savant s: beautiful minds

Savants are very special individuals that have one amazing passion. Possibly the most well known savant was featured in the film Rain man portrayed by Dustin Hoffman. The programme made viewers wonder about the amazing potential that lies within us all. that have one amazing passion. Possibly the most well known savant was featuredportrayed by Dustin Hoffman. The programme





Natural born learners .

I had written, a while ago, that children, given the right conditions, had the attributes of young scientists. A comment, from the Netherlands, suggested I ought to read the book  The 'Scientist in the Crib' because it provided up to date research about how children learn to back up what I had written.

Great advice.
We present the second of three parts of the short story "Benito Cereno." It was written by Herman Melville.

Last week, we told how African slaves on a Spanish ship rebelled in seventeen ninety-nine. They killed most of the Spanish sailors. Only the captain, Benito Cereno, and a few others were left alive.

The leader of the rebellion was a slave named Babo. He ordered Captain Cereno to sail the ship back to Senegal, the slaves' homeland. But food and water were low. So the ship stopped at an island off the coast of Chile to get the needed supplies.

When it arrived, an American ship was in the harbor. The American captain, Amoso Delano, thought the Spanish ship might be in trouble. He would offer help.

Babo decided to remain close to Captain Cereno and act as if he were the captain's slave. Babo would kill him if he told Captain Delano the truth about what happened.

Now, here is Shep O'Neal to continue our story.

As Captain Delano came up in his whale boat, he saw that the other ship needed scraping, tarring and brushing. It looked old and decayed. He climbed up the side and came aboard. He was quickly surrounded by a crowd of black men. Captain Delano looked around for the man who commanded the ship.

The Spanish captain stood a little away off against the main mast. He was young looking, richly dressed but seemed troubled and tired with the spirit gone out of him. He looked unhappily toward his American visitor. At the Spanish's captain side stood a small black man with a rough face.

Captain Delano struggled forward through the crowd, went up to the Spaniard and greeted him. He offered to help him in any way he could. Captain Benito Cereno returned the American's greeting politely, but without warmth. Captain Delano pushed his way back through the crowd to the gangway. He told his men to go and bring back as much water as they could, also bread, pumpkins, sugar and a dozen of his private bottles of cider. The whale boat pushed off.

Left alone, Captain Delano again observed with fresh surprise the general disorder aboard the ship. Some of the men were fighting. There were no deck officers to discipline or control the violent ones. And everyone seemed to do as he pleased. Captain Delano could not fully understand how this could have happened.

What could explain such a break down of order and responsibility? He asked Don Benito to give him the full story of his ship's misfortunes. Don Benito did not answer. He just kept looking at his American visitor as if he heard nothing.

This angered Captain Delano, who suddenly turned away and walked forward to one of the Spanish seamen for his answer. But he had hardly gone five steps when Don Benito called him back.

"It is now 190 days," Don Benito began, "that the ship sailed from Buenos Aires for Lima with a general cargo. Pedigree, tea, and the like, and a number of Negros, now not more than a 150 as you see, but then numbering over 300 souls. The ship was officered and well-manned, with several cabin passengers. Some 50 Spaniards in all. Off Cape Horn we had heavy gales."

Captain Cereno coughed suddenly and almost collapsed. He fell heavily against his body servant. "His mind wanders," said Babo. "He was thinking of the disease that followed the gales. My poor, poor master. Be patient senor, these attacks do not last long. Master will soon be himself."

Don Benito recovered, and in a broken voice continued his story.

"My ship was tossed about many days in storms off Cape Horn. And then there was an outbreak of scurvy. The disease carried off many whites and blacks. Most of my surviving seaman had become so sick that they could not handle the sails well. For days and nights we could not control the ship. It was blown north-westward. The wind suddenly left us in unknown waters with oppressive hot calms. Most of our water was gone.

"And we suffered terribly, especially after a deadly fever broke out among us. Whole families of blacks and many Spaniards, including every officer but myself, were killed by the disease."

Don Benito paused. He looked down at the black man at his side. Babo seemed satisfied. The Spanish captain saw him take his hand from the knife hidden under his shirt.

Captain Delano saw nothing. His mind was filled with the terrible tale he had just heard. Now he could understand why the other captain seemed so shaken. He took Don Benito's hand and promised to give him all the help possible.

He would give him a large permanent supply of water, and some sails and equipment for sailing the ship. And he also promised to let Don Benito have three of his best seamen for temporary deck officers. In this way, the San Dominick could without delay start for Concepcion. There the ship could be fixed and prepared for its voyage to Lima.

Don Benito's face lighted up. He seemed excited by Captain Delano's generous offer. But, Babo appeared troubled.

"This excitement is bad for master," Babo whispered, taking Don Benito's arm and with soothing words gently drawing him aside. When Don Benito returned, Captain Delano observed that his excitement was gone.

Captain Delano decided to talk of other matters. But the Spanish captain showed no further interest. He answered Captain Delano's questions with sharp words and suddenly with an angry movement he walked back to Babo.

Captain Delano watched the two men whispering together in low voices. It made an ugly picture, which Captain Delano found so extremely unpleasant that he turned his face to the other side of the ship. Their actions made Delano suspicious of Captain Cereno. He began to wonder about him. His behavior. His coughing attacks. His weakness. His empty wild looks. Was he really half mad or a faker playing a part?

One moment Captain Delano had the worst suspicions of Don Benito. But the next he would feel guilty and ashamed of himself for having such doubts about the man.

Presently, Don Benito moved back toward his guest, still supported by his servant. His pale face twitched. He seemed more nervous than usual. And there was a strange tone in his husky whisper as he spoke.

"May I ask how many men you have on board, senor?"

Captain Delano became uneasy, but answered. "About 25 all total."

"And at present, senor, all on board?"

"All on board," Captain Delano answered.

"And will be tonight, senor?"

At this last question, Captain Delano looked very seriously at Don Benito, who could not return the look but dropped his eyes to the deck. Captain Delano could think of only one reason for such a question. But no, it was foolish to think that these weak and starving men could have any idea of seizing his ship. But still he remained silent.

"And will they be aboard tonight?"

Again the question from Don Benito.

Captain Delano decided to answer truthfully. Some of his men had talked of going off on a fishing party about midnight. And he told Don Benito this.

As he answered, Captain Delano again looked straight at Don Benito. But the Spanish captain refused to meet his eyes. Then as before, he suddenly withdrew with his servant. And again the two men began whispering to each other in low voices.

Captain Delano tried to push the worry from his mind. But what were those two strange men discussing?

That will be our story next week.

Download activities to help you understand this story here.

What do you think of this story? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

QUIZ

Quiz - Benito Cereno by Herman Melville, Part Two Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

collapse - v. to fall down or become unconscious because you are sick or exhausted

senor - n. a title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking man, corresponding to Mr.or sir.

recover - v. to become healthy after an illness or injury : to return to normal health

scurvy - n. a disease that is caused by not eating enough fruits or vegetables that contain vitamin C

survive - v. to remain alive; to continue to live

equipment - n. supplies or tools needed for a special purpose

temporary - adj. continuing for a limited amount of time : not permanent

faker - n. a person pretending to be something they are not


The novelist Isabel Allende does not like to discuss her legacy.

I dont think women think in terms of legacy very muchPeople and things are forgotten. I am just very happy to have so many readers right now, the writer told the Associated Press by telephone.

Known for writing The House of the Spirits, Allende was born in Peru. She is the first Spanish language writer to receive the honorary National Book Award from the National Book Foundation based in New York City.

The foundation announced Thursday that Allende will be given the medal for her contribution to American letters.

In past years, the prize has gone to American writers such as Toni Morrison, who also received the Nobel Prize for Literature, and Pulitzer Prize winner Arthur Miller. Allende has lived in the United States since the 1980s.

In a statement, Lisa Lucas, the book foundations director, said Allendes work never makes the experiences of her characters unimportant. She added that Allendes work proves that artistic excellence can also be very popular.

Writer Luis Alberto Urrea, who is best known for the novel The Devils Highway, will present Allende with her medal. The ceremony will take place at the National Book Award dinner in Manhattan.

At the age of 76, Allende is among the worlds most popular Spanish-language writers. More than 60 million of her books have been sold. She is famous for her stories about many generations of people that often include magical realism. That is a kind of storytelling that presents magical things as facts. Her stories of love and politics have been set everywhere from Chile to the San Francisco area.

Allende has been translated into more than 30 languages. Many of her books have been made into operas, plays and films. They include the movie The House of the Spirits starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons.

She has received other American honors. They include a Presidential Medal of Freedom, given in 2014, and, two years later, a lifetime achievement award from the literary group PEN Center USA.

She has written more than 20 books although her first did not appear until the year she turned 40.

Her life, she said, was full of love and violence.

Born in Peru, she lived in Bolivia and Beirut, Lebanon, as a child before moving to Chile, where her stepfather was a diplomat.

Allende was also a cousin of Salvador Allende, Chiles president in the early 1970s. She fled to Venezuela when he was overthrown by the military in 1973. She worked for the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional for several years.

Then her life changed. As her grandfather was dying, she began writing a letter to him that became The House of the Spirits. It was published in 1982 after many publishers rejected it.

Her other books include Eva Luna, The Stories of Eva Luna, Of Love and Shadows and Island Beneath the Sea.

Allende has long seen her novels as a way of saving history. She is now working on a novel based on the actions of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. During the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, Neruda organized a boat to take Spanish refugees to South America. One of those refugees is now a friend of Allendes.

To me this (novel) is recent history, because I know someone who is still alive. I can get a sense of it, touch it, in ways I cannot with the remote past, she said.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

novel  n. a long written story usually about imaginary characters and events

legacy  n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past

character  n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie

medal  n. a piece of metal often in the form of a coin with designs and words in honor of a special event, a person, or an achievement

contribution n. a piece of writing that is published as part of a larger work, or to a whole group of works

magical  adj. a power that allows people (such as witches and wizards) to do impossible things by saying special words or performing special actions

translate  v. to change words from one language into another language

opera  n. a kind of performance in which actors sing all or most of the words of a play with music performed by an orchestra

remote  adj. far away in time, happening a long time ago or far into the future


Philippine officials are calling for a review of mining activities in the countrys mountains.

The investigation was ordered after two deadly landslides struck hillside communities where mines were operating.

Both landslides came after a powerful storm hit the Philippines on September 15. Officials say Typhoon Mangkhut killed more than 80 people nationwide.

The first landslide was in the northern mining town of Itogon. It happened shortly after the typhoon struck. The Itogon landslide buried about 60 people, most of them miners and their family members.

Philippine officials said the landslide affected an area where a gold mine was operating illegally. Illegal mining can weaken hillsides, increasing the chance of landslides, they said. People living near the gold mine ignored warnings from police and disaster officials to leave the area before the storm hit.

A second landslide struck in the central province of Cebu on September 20. It affected two villages, burying 30 homes. Local officials said more than 20 people were killed. The area was near several mining operations.

The typhoon did not reach Cebu, but caused heavy rain across much of the Philippines.

After the first tragedy, Environmental Secretary Roy Cimatu said the government would begin deploying soldiers and police to six mountain provinces. He said the move was aimed at reviewing the safety of mining activities and ending illegal operations.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte also called for investigations into the dangers of mining.

We have a problem with the mining industry, Duterte said in a statement on his official website. It has not contributed anything substantial to the national economy.

The president added that the mining industry was operating uncontrolled and had hurt the economy. That mining thing has really contributed a lot of heartaches for the Filipino people, he said.

Antonio Contreras is a political scientist at De La Salle University in the Philippines. He says the government had learned from earlier disasters how to better prepare for powerful storms. This time, he said, officials were very ready and took more systematic steps to get people out of dangerous areas before the typhoon.

About 150,000 people were already in temporary shelters when Typhoon Mangkhut hit. Officials say this helped to keep the number of deaths low. Five years ago, a powerful typhoon killed 6,200 in the Philippines.

Contreras says most of the criticism after the storm has been directed at the nations mining industry. Some people have blamed mining operations for causing openings on hillsides that may have caused the landslides after heavy rains.

Herman Kraft is a political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Manila. He says he thinks the government should have done a better job enforcing orders for people to leave.

There should be a point where you dont give them any choice anymore, Kraft said.

On the mining issue, Kraft said Duterte and others are seeking an investigation into how mining operations are affecting local communities. The question thats being raised now is the extent to which mining companies have actually undermined the land, he said.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Ralph Jennings reported this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted his report for Learning English, with additional material from the Associated Press and other sources. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

review  n. an investigation or study

contribute  v. give something in order to provide or achieve something together with other people

heartache  n. extreme sadness

extent  n. the size or importance of something

undermine  v. make someone less confident or make something weaker
People across Vietnam are remembering President Tran Dai Quang.

Vietnamese state media reported that Quang died Friday after a serious illness. He was 61 years old.

Vietnam Television said he died in a military hospital in Hanoi. It added that Vietnamese and international doctors had worked to bring him back to health.

Quang had been sick for months, said former health minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu. He told the Reuters news agency that Quang went to Japan six times for treatment.

One of the presidents last public appearances was last week, during a visit to Hanoi by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Quang appeared unwell and had difficulty taking steps.

Quang was from a small farming community 115 kilometers south of Hanoi. Before he became president in April 2016, Quang had been minister of public security.

The United States ambassador to Vietnam praised Quang for his efforts to improve ties between the two countries. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink noted U.S. President Donald Trumps state visit to Hanoi in November. He added that the trip helped advance the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership to new heights.

Human Rights Watch had critical comments of the Vietnamese leader. The groups Phil Robertson said that Quang would be remembered for a crackdown on human rights and putting more political prisoners behind bars in Vietnam than any time in recent memory.

The Communist Party does not permit challenges to its one-party rule and often jails people for peacefully expressing their views. Vietnam, however, says it only puts law breakers in jail.

Vietnam is officially led by four pillars: its president, its prime minister, the chief of the Communist Party and the national assembly chair.

Vietnams constitution says the vice president is to perform the duties of the president in the event that the president is unable to work.

A Vietnamese lawyer told Reuters that current Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh will serve as president until the National Assembly elects a new one.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Ashley Thompson adapted this story based on reports from Reuters and the Associated Press.

____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pillar - n. a basic fact, idea, or principle of something

advance - v. to move (someone or something) forward

crackdown - n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something that is not allowed : an increased effort to enforce a law or rule

illness - n. a condition of being unhealthy in your body or mind

behind bars - expression. in prison
Google jumped into virtual reality in a low-cost, low-key way a few years ago when the company introduced Cardboard: a platform that literally let you put a smartphone into a cardboard headset to experience 360-degree videos and other basic VR content.

The company stepped things up a bit in 2016 with the launch of the Daydream platform featuring a higher quality headset, a motion controller, and minimum system requirements.

This year Lenovo and Google launched the first standalone Daydream headset that doesnt require a phone at all, and which added support for position tracking.

Now Google has unveiled three experimental features for Daydream that could make the Lenovo Mirage Solo and similar devices feel more like true competitors to virtual reality devices from HTC and Oculus.

First up is support for a new set of 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) motion controllers.

The Mirage Solo already supports 6DoF head-tracking, but the handheld controller that comes with the headset only features 3DoF position tracking.

Google has created experimental new 6DoF controllers that can track movement and position in space without relying on external cameras. The company says this can enable more natural hand movements when youre interacting with VR apps.

You cant buy the new controllers yet, but some developers have already started testing them, and Google is accepting applications from additional developers who want to give them a try. Its unclear if or when the new controllers will be available to the general public.

Another new feature is support for using smartphone android apps in virtual reality. Up until now, if you wanted to use an Android app in a Daydream device, you needed to find apps that were designed for Daydream/Cardboard virtual reality systems.

This experimental new feature makes it possible to run 2D apps on a virtual screen that floats in your field of vision while wearing a headset.

Based on clips shared by Google, smartphone apps running in Daydream look similar to Windows 10 desktop apps running in a Windows Mixed Reality headset.

Developers will still need to add Daydream VR support to their 2D apps before you can run them. But that should be a lot simpler than creating 3D versions of those apps, so the bar for entry is lower. That could dramatically increase the number of apps you can use while wearing a Daydream virtual reality device.

A new See-Through Mode lets use the Lenovo Mirage Solos cameras to see the real world without taking off your headset.

The feature could also be used for augmented reality apps, allowing you to overlay virtual objects on real-world environments. There are already a bunch of apps that let you do this using a smartphones camera and display. But the experience should be much more immersive when youre wearing a VR headset.

Google says see-through mode and smartphone app support will be available for developers to test soon. Its unclear when the new features will be available for end users.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad A285 is a business-class compact laptop with a 12.5 inch display and a staring weight of about 2.5 pounds. Its also powered by an AMD Ryzen Pro processor.

After showing up briefly on the Lenovo website in May, the ThinkPad A285 went on sale this week in Japan.

Theres no word on when youll be able to buy one in other countries.

Lenovo will offer the laptop with AMD Ryzen 3 Pro 2200U, Ryzen 5 Pro 2500U, and Ryzen 7 Pro 2700U processor options, and the computer is available with up to a 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS touchscreen display, up to 16GB of DDR4-2400 RAM, and up to 512GB of PCIe NVMe storage.

It features two USB 3.1 Type-C ports, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, HDMI 1.4, headset jack, microSD card reader, and a fingerprint sensor.

The laptop is currently on sale for about $885 and up in Japan although thats a promotional price. List prices start at $1,550. for a model with a dual-core processor and a 1366 x 768 pixel non-touch display. But its worth keeping in mind that laptops prices are almost always higher in Japan than in the US or Europe, so its likely that the starting price will be significantly lower if and when Lenovo brings the ThinkPad A285 to other markets.

via AnandTech

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Friends in high places

Five South Asian countries come together to conserve shrinking mountain glaciers
Furniture and Furnishing Expo opens its doors

The 6th edition of the Furniture and Furnishing Expo 2018 kicked off today at the premises of Bhrikutimandap. The five-day event has been organised by the Nepal Furniture and Furnishing Association (NFFA).
Puppies are adorable. They make everything seem cute. A new video on the internet is melting hearts.

Adorable golden retriever puppies, who will grow up to serve as police dogs, were part of a military parade to celebrate Chile's 208th Independence Day. And no doubts, they stole the show.

Pictures and videos which have now gone viral on social media show the cute balls of fluff snuggling in neon green pouches worn by police trainers during the parade. The puppy unit is followed by a group of men in uniform, walking adult golden retrievers and labradors - all dogs wearing little boots.



The dogs belong to the Canine Unit of the Carabineros de Chile, the country's national police force.

Puppies steal the show at Chilean military parade pic.twitter.com/rNCSRv2cvg  Reuters Top News (@Reuters) September 20, 2018

Since being shared online, the pictures and videos have made people go 'aww'. Here are some of the best reactions

OMG!!  So many cute babies!!   Mckabe (@Mckabe3) September 20, 2018

Stole the show?!... they stole my heart   Domingo Montoya (@Domennicou) September 20, 2018

Puppy PARADE!? Im dead from cuteness!!!  Tina Olson-Wilkins (@tinaolson) September 20, 2018
Germany pledges Rs7.5b new grant to Nepal

The Federal Republic of Germany has pledged fresh grant of Rs 7.55 billion or 55.6 million euros to Nepal during the two-day negotiations on development co-operation that concluded in Berlin on Thursday.
Minneapolis police have finished their initial investigation into a sexual assault allegation against Chinese billionaire Richard Liu and have turned the case over to prosecutors for possible charges, prosecutors announced yesterday.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said his office will review the evidence and make a charging decision. There is no deadline for that decision.

The founder of the Beijing-based e-commerce site JD.com was arrested Aug. 31 in Minneapolis on suspicion of felony rape. A police report doesnt provide details of the alleged incident. Liu was released the next day and he returned to China.

Liu is a student with the Carlson School of Managements doctor of business administration China program and was in Minneapolis to attend a residency from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1. The four-year program is geared toward high-level executives in China and is a partnership with Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management.

JD.com has said Liu was falsely accused. His defense attorneys in Minneapolis have said he is innocent.

Liu, known in Chinese as Liu Qiangdong, is a prominent member of the Chinese tech elite, with a fortune of USD7.5 billion.

JD.com purchases goods directly from suppliers and delivers using a fleet of thousands of bright red electric delivery vans emblazoned with its logo, a cartoon dog called Joy. The company has a workforce of 158,000 and operates 486 warehouses. It says its drivers can reach 99 percent of Chinas population.

The high cost of doing everything itself means JD.com has struggled to make a profit despite explosive sales growth. It reported a 2.2 billion yuan ($334 million) loss for the quarter ending in June while revenue rose 31 percent over a year earlier to 122.3 billion yuan ($18.5 billion). AP
The race is on to get Chinese goods into the U.S. before President Donald Trumps tariffs bite.

At sea and in the sky, the U.S. presidents trade war with China has ignited a freight frenzy. Hyundai Merchant Marine Co.s vessels leaving China for the U.S. are full, deliveries to California ports are surging, and cargo rates for journeys across the Pacific are at a four-year high.

The levies that kick in Monday have amplified the busy pre-holiday season as Chinese manufacturers rush everything from toys to bikes to car parts into American stores before tariffs hit. At Air China Ltd., freight to the U.S. is booming.

In Jiangsu province on Chinas east coast, E.D. Opto Electrical Lighting Co. dispatched a batch of car lights by sea to Los Angeles in late August, earlier than planned.

It takes about 25 days, so I hope we can make it, said export manager Melissa Shu. The company is racing to complete an order for another U.S. customer whos prepared to pay extra for air freight if it means dodging the new tariffs, she said.

Consumer benefit

Starting Monday, a 10 percent duty applies to USD200 billion of Chinese imports  Trumps biggest salvo yet in a trade war between the worlds largest economies that now directly hits U.S. consumers. After that, American importers have until the end of the year to stockpile Chinese products before the tariff leaps to 25 percent.

As companies accelerate shipments from China to beat those deadlines, American consumers could get a leg-up: anticipated price hikes on household goods at retailers like Walmart Inc. and Target Corp. might be held off in the short term. In China, this front-loading of exports helped push Chinas trade surplus with the U.S. to a record in August.

Trump has threatened duties on a further $267 billion of made-in-China goods, which would hit nearly all other consumer products including mobile phones, shoes and clothes. That escalation could spur U.S. companies to preemptively load up on those goods, too, Deutsche Bank AG said in a report this week. The National Retail Federation in the U.S. warned that duties will lead to higher prices and even product shortages.

Toy shipments

In the industrial hub of Dongguan in southern China, toy maker Lung Cheong Group  which supplies Hasbro Inc.  is getting squeezed by American customers watching their calendars.

More clients in the last two months are asking if we can deliver goods ahead of the scheduled time to avoid the upcoming tariffs, said Chairman Lun Leung. For small high-tech toys that have higher retail selling prices, some clients are willing to upgrade from sea freight to air, he said.

Such expedited orders are helping to fill ports along the U.S. West Coast. Imports to northern Californias Port of Oakland surged 9.2 percent in August. That was the busiest August in the ports 91-year history. At the Port of Long Beach, imports of containers rose 9.4 percent this year through August. That comes after a record 2017.

Rush game

Concerns about the trade dispute is also spurring last-minute shipments across the Pacific for Ocean Network Express Pte., a combination of the container operations of Japans three biggest shipping firms, it said.

We have a rush game with the tariff, said Rahul Kapoor, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence in Singapore. He said hed heard of cargo being left behind at Chinese docks because America-bound ships were so full.

While Mondays tariff may come too soon for some U.S. companies importing Chinese products, they still have a window of more than three months before duties surge on Jan. 1.

Ralph Bradley, chief executive officer of a small automotive lighting manufacturer in Fort Worth, Texas, has more than $300,000 of products coming to the U.S. on a boat from China. Theres not much he can do about paying the 10 percent duty, or $30,000, on those vehicle-lighting parts.

But Bradleys firm, Jammy Inc., is considering bringing extra goods into the U.S. from China before the tariffs more than double, he said. Im anxiously awaiting any word that Congress might fix this situation, Bradley said.

For some businesses, theres no way to sidestep Trump. Hannah Kain, CEO of Alom Technologies Corp., which helps companies manage their supply chains, said clients have been fast-tracking orders for months in an effort to avoid the tariffs. Yet, many products have lead times stretching to two years.

There is really no way to navigate it, said Kain, whose clients have included Ford Motor Co. You just have to be very reactive, as far as you can. Kyunghee Park, Daniela Wei and Matt Townsend, Bloomberg
A group of elderly residents hand-delivered a petition to the government yesterday afternoon to protest the relocation of some 500 greyhounds to their Coloane neighborhood, which they say has brought problems of noise and odor.

Led by spokesperson Sister Beatrice Ip, the group resides at Asilo Vila Madalena in Coloane village, home to approximately 80 senior citizens, many of whom are over 90 years old.

Ip said the first batch of the greyhounds from the Canidrome rehousing program began on Wednesday and that the residents are already concerned about the animals noise and smell.

As many as 500 dogs are expected to be housed at the Coloane site, which is very close to Asilo Vila Madalena, once their relocation is complete.

The smell and the noise of the dogs will disturb the whole village, Ip told the media yesterday outside of the government headquarters. When one dog starts to bark, the others do too. Then the street dogs start barking. If the whole place is filled with dogs, we will not be able to sleep. It will become very loud.

Most of our elderly ladies cannot move so much; only these few [present at the meeting yesterday] could come out. If there is any problem, it will be difficult for these elderly people to do something about it, she added.

The groups petition seeks answers from the authorities on whether the project was approved by the relevant government departments, and whether the Canidrome or the government should have consulted with residents in the area.

Ip added that other people in the neighborhood are [also] not happy about it [the situation] but they havent fully understood the outcomes yet.

In the petition, the senior citizens and their relatives described the situation as an emergency and requested an urgent meeting with the government, as well as a written reply within 10 days.

Last week, the Social Affairs Bureau director, Vong Yim Mui, said that his bureau had sent staff to the senior citizens home to learn their opinions and to provide assistance if necessary.

The greyhounds are being relocated after the Macau (Yat Yuen) Company concession for greyhound racing expired on July 20. The company had operated in Macau for more than half a century.
The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Leong Vai Tac, told reporters yesterday that there was no specific regulation in Macau currently enabling the government to order a blanket suspension of casino operations in the city.

In view of the adverse weather conditions caused by Typhoon Mangkhut, gaming operations in all of Macaus casinos were suspended from 11 p.m. on September 15. Gaming operations resumed at 8 a.m. on September 17.

In a bid to minimize the impact of Typhoon Mangkhut, the civil protection management team recommended suspending the citys casino operations to ensure the safety of casino employees, visitors to the city and residents. The recommendation was approved by the Chief Executive and agreed by the citys six gaming concessionaires and sub-concessionaries.

Leong said the temporary suspension of casino operations was a result of the ongoing cooperation between the government and the citys gaming operators.

Meanwhile, Leong said he hoped gaming operators would streamline the process of suspension and resumption of casino operations in the event of a public emergency.

On Wednesday, the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association also called for a mandatory suspension of casino operations during strong typhoons.

The government said that it will heed opinion from the public and from members of the Legislative Assembly regarding the potential introduction of a mandatory city-wide suspension of casino operations during public emergencies.

On Monday, the Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, also said that the government had yet to consider such mandatory casino closures.

According to Wong, Macau does not have a law requiring casinos to close during strong typhoons. The gaming concession contract also does not stipulate casino closures during emergencies.

Such a provision is, however, included in a government proposal to overhaul Macaus civil protection system. A public consultation on the proposal was concluded in August.
The contrast between Apple Inc.s ascension to a USD1 trillion stock and the share performance of its biggest iPhone assembler just got even starker.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. has surrendered its position as Taiwans second-biggest stock after six years. Concern is mounting for some Taiwanese Apple suppliers, which are struggling to adjust to a new dynamic of higher-priced iPhones because their revenue relies on the number of devices sold.

Hon Hai has slipped behind Formosa Petrochemical Corp., the islands only publicly traded oil refiner, which has a market cap of NTD1.32 trillion ($43 billion), according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the worlds biggest contract chipmaker, has a value of NTD6.74 trillion.

Apple unveiled its new iPhone XS and XS Max devices earlier this month, though preorders are weaker than those for the iPhone X, according to Rosenblatt Securities Inc. Taiwans Apple suppliers have seen their share prices fall as shipment growth has stagnated.

Hon Hai has slumped 38 percent since hitting a record price in the middle of last year and is trading at its lowest level relative to the MSCI ACWI/Information Technology Index since 2002.

Investors are shifting funds to defensive stocks like Formosa Petrochemical because of macro uncertainties including the China-U.S. trade war, said Reliance Securities Investment Consultant Co. vice president Richard Lin.

The downward trend could continue for Hon Hai, Capital Investment Management Corp. vice president Alan Tseng said. Apple suppliers are bearing the risks of possible disappointing sales of the new iPhones, he said. Yu-Huay Sun, Bloomberg
A sacred volcano at the heart of North Koreas founding mythology. The ruling partys headquarters, said to be a potential target of South Korean and U.S. military attacks. An art studio that produces giant propaganda statues. And a 150,000-seat stadium in Pyongyang where the countrys unique mass games are performed.

The places South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited during his three-day trip to North Korea are glimpses into the country and how it sees itself.

A look at what Moon saw:

MOUNT PAEKTU

Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the picturesque active volcano on the North Korean-Chinese border yesterday and took a cable car to the crater lake called Chonji where they strolled together.

North Korean documents say national founder Kim Il Sung, the current leaders grandfather, had an anti-Japan guerrilla base on the slopes of Paektu during Tokyos colonial rule. The official biography of Kim Jong Il says the second-generation leader was born on Paektu when a double rainbow filled the skies. The Norths state media have described Kim Jong Un visiting the mountain days before significant events such as the execution of his powerful uncle in 2013 and his New Years Day speech this year in which he suggested the Koreas cooperate during the Winter Olympics that were held in South Korea in February.

Moons Paektu trip was arranged at Kims suggestion. During their April summit, Moon told Kim that a Paektu trek was one of his unrealized wishes.

Paektu is the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, and climbing the mountain from its Chinese side is popular among South Korean tourists.

THE WORKERS PARTY HEADQUARTERS

Moon and Kim held the first of their summit talks Tuesday at the Pyongyang headquarters of the ruling Workers Party. Its where Kims office is located, and South Korean media dub it the heart of North Korea. Kim rules North Korea in his capacity as the partys chairman, one of his many official titles such as supreme commander of the Norths 1.2 million-strong Peoples Army.

South Korean and U.S. militaries have designated the headquarters among their targets to attack in the event of war on the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korean media.

Moon is the first South Korean leader to hold a summit at the building. The leaders who went to Pyongyang for summits in 2000 and 2007 met with Kims father at the Paekhwawon guesthouse where they stayed.

MANSUDAE ART STUDIO

Thousands of government artists work in the huge studio complex to produce everything from propaganda-themed paintings, huge bronze statues and mosaics to watercolor tigers. The studio is on the U.N. sanctions blacklist and subject to an asset freeze and travel ban because of its dispatch of artists and other workers abroad to do projects to generate revenue for the Kim government. African countries are Mansudaes main overseas market for its socialist-style monuments and statues.

During his visit Wednesday to the studio, Moon looked at paintings of Paektu, an ancient Pyongyang pavilion and the scenic Diamond Mountain where the Koreas once ran a joint tourism project.

He also looked at paintings of Pungsan dogs, the same breed as Moons pet, Maru, who lives at the presidential palace in Seoul.

In a guestbook, Moon wrote, I wish that art would become a bridge connecting South and North Korea as one.

MAY DAY STADIUM

On Wednesday evening, the two leaders went to the 150,000-seat May Day Stadium to watch a Glorious Country mass performance.

The performers moved in unison to display handshakes between Kim and Moon and an undivided Korean Peninsula.

Moon delivered an emotionally charged speech to the crowd, saying that We lived together for 5,000 years and lived in separation for 70 years. I now propose that we completely eliminate the hostility of the past 70 years and take a big step forward in peace so that we can become one again.

It was the first public speech by a South Korean president in North Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

The mass games embody socialist ideals, and North Korea revived them for its 70th birthday last month after a five-year hiatus.

In 2000, Kims father took visiting U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to a mass performance. The show included a giant mosaic displaying a flying rocket, and Albright later said she was spellbound by the precision of the performance but felt uncomfortable with its glorification of the North Korean government. Kim reportedly told Albright at the time, This will be our last missile. Hyung-Jin Kim, Seoul
As you know, Macau just went through another suspenseful event of facing a Super Typhoon. Although innocently named after the Thai word for the fruit Mangosteen, the devastation caused by Mangkhut was not so innocent. It flooded many parts of Macau, caused dozens of injuries and closed all casinos in Macau for the first time. Thankfully, there were no casualties.

One thing that you would have noticed if you were in Macau during the typhoon was the extraordinary amounts of tape applied to the windows all around the city. Although some window-tapers opted to create patterns that resemble the Christian cross, the taping is not a superstitious attempt to protect the homes against the typhoons relentless winds. Its a supposedly practical method that with purposes: to serve as reinforcement for the window panes against the high winds and flying objects, and failing that, to prevent the windows from shattering into a million tiny pieces.

Watching the nervous people of Macau holding their breath and diligently taping away at their windows before the typhoon, I had to wonder  Does it actually work?

A simple Google search revealed the unanimous opinion of the disaster experts of the internet. According to them, not only is taping a completely ineffective method of window protection in a super typhoon scenario, it is actually a net negative. Firstly, the tape does little to nothing to actually reinforce the window itself, no arguments. Secondly, if the window does shatter, the tape can hold the shards together and create an even more dangerous scenario for the inhabitants the tape failed to protect in the first place. Large pieces of glasses taped together and flying at you at super typhoon level speeds is not exactly something you dream of.

Lastly, even if the window luckily doesnt break (with no thanks to the tape), you are left with the absolute worst-case scenario of having to remove sticky tape residue from your window. It might just be the most difficult thing the good people of Macau would have to endure in their adult lives.

I was joking about the last point, but more importantly, if tape doesnt help then what can you actually do to protect yourself during a typhoon?

According to Business Insider, one DIY option that would help is boarding up your windows with plywood and caulking the perimeters to keep out the water.

To me, this sounds like it might work, but a bit overambitious for the average typhoon survivor. A more practical method might be to save the tape and simply remove yourself and your valuables away from the windows and places exposed to falling objects. Oh, and another thing. Get insurance. Always have insurance.

Property investment presentations and discussions are offered by JML, if you are interested in learning more please do contact me.

Sam Lee is a marketing manager and property consultant at JML Property. JML was established in 1994 and offers Investment Property & Homes. It specializes in managing properties for owners and investors, and providing attractive and comfortable homes for tenants.

www.JMLProperty.com

info@JMLProperty.com
Taiwan said yesterday it is looking for the owner of a Texas company that makes untraceable 3-D printed guns who is wanted on an arrest warrant tied to an accusation that he had sex with an underage girl and paid her USD500 afterward.

The National Immigration Agency and Criminal Investigation Bureau confirmed that Cody Wilson was in Taiwan after arriving on the island earlier this month.

Division Director Kan Yen-min was quoted by the official Central News Agency as saying the bureau has yet to receive intelligence from the U.S. regarding Wilson, but will continue seeking more information about the case.

Taiwan and the U.S. do not have an extradition treaty but cooperate extensively on legal and security matters.

Austin, Texas, police Cmdr. Troy Officer said Wednesday that his department is working with national and international law enforcement agencies to find Wilson, whose last known location was Taiwans capital, Taipei.

Officer said its unclear why Wilson went to Taiwan, but he is known to travel extensively. He said before Wilson flew there, a friend of the 16-year-old girl informed Wilson that police were investigating the accusation that he had sex with the youth.

Wilson is identified in the affidavit as the owner of Austin-based Defense Distributed. After a federal court barred Wilson from posting the printable gun blueprints online for free last month, he announced he had begun selling them for any amount of money to U.S. customers through his website.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia sued to stop an agreement that the government reached with Defense Distributed, arguing that the blueprints for how to print plastic guns could be obtained by felons or terrorists. AP
Govt team shuts down 4 slaughterhouses in Lalitpur

The government on Friday monitored five slaughterhouses in Lalitpur and shut down four of them after finding them operating without standard guidelines.
Gyawali meets senior EU official in Brussels

Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali discussed a range of issues during his meeting with Neven Mimica, European Union Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, at the latters office in Brussels on Thursday.
Indra Jatra begins (In photos)

Indra Jatra, known as the biggest festival of the Kathmandu Valley, formally began on Friday with the erection of a wooden ceremonial pole (lingo) and the fluttering of a flag named after the Hindu God Indra at Hanumandhoka.
Facing incurable breast cancer at age 55, MaryAnne DiCanto put her faith in "precision medicinein which doctors try to match patients with drugs that target the genetic mutations in their tumors. She underwent repeated biopsies to identify therapies that might help.

"She believed in it wholeheartedly," said her husband, Scott Primiano of Amityville, N.Y., a flood-insurance broker. "You live on hope for so long, it's hard to let go."

Around this point in the average news story, readers would learn how DiCantomother to a blended family of fivetook a chance on an experimental drug that no one expected to work.

She would be the scrappy protagonist whose determination to "keep fighting" enabled her to beat the oddsallowing us to celebrate the triumph of modern science and worry a bit less about our own mortality.

But there's a serious problem with talking about precision medicine for cancer this way.

It misleads the public.

In spite of DiCanto's high hopes, none of it helped. DiCanto died last year at age 59.

Doctors and hospitals love to talk about the patients they've saved with precision medicine, and reporters love to write about them. But the people who diepatients like DiCanto, who succumb to advanced cancer despite the advanced testingstill vastly outnumber the rare successes.

"There are very few instances in which we can look at a genomic test and pick a drug off the shelf and say, 'That will work,'" said Dr. Nikhil Wagle, a cancer specialist at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who helped develop precision-medicine tests. "That's our goal in the long run, but in 2018 we're not there yet."

Reflecting on his family's experience with "precision" treatment, Primiano said, "You think it's going to be more precise, like a laser versus a shotgun. But it's still a shotgun."

There has been real progress, of course.

Testing for genetic mutations has become the standard of care in lung cancer, melanoma and a handful of other tumor types. But the number of people with advanced cancer eligible for these approaches is just 9 percent to 15 percent, experts estimate. These targeted therapies help about half of patients who try them, said Dr. Vinay Prasad, an associate professor at Oregon Health and Science University.

Targeted therapies tend to be less successful in patients like DiCanto, who have exhausted all standard treatments. In a large study published last year in Cancer Discovery, precision medicine failed to help 93 percent of the 1,000 patients who signed up for the study.

At the most recent meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncologythe largest cancer meeting in the worldresearchers presented four precision-medicine studies. Two were total failures. The other two weren't much better, failing to shrink tumors 92 percent and 95 percent of the time.

The studies received almost no news coverage.

Some experts, including Dr. David Hyman of New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, say that such testing should be available to everyone with advanced cancer, because no one can predict which individual might have a rare mutation that can be targeted with a new or experimental drug. When patients respond to these drugs, they tend to do very well, and some survive much longer than expected.

But Hyman acknowledged that many people who pursue precision medicine will be disappointed, because testing won't lead to a new treatment. Precision medicine "is not addressing the needs of the majority of cancer patients," he said.

Many of the doctors I interview as a health care reporter are uncomfortable talking about patients who don't survive.

While acknowledging that not all patients are helped by tumor sequencing, they quickly pivot to talking about people they've saved. They rush past the disappointing present and fast-forward to a future in which every patient gets the treatment she or he needs. If you don't listen carefully, you could easily be led to believe those future cures are already here.

Hospitals promote their precision-medicine programs by showcasing the stories of long-term survivors. Companies such as Foundation Medicine, Caris Life Sciences and Guardant Healthwhich sell the tests that look for cancer mutationshighlight only the best-case scenarios on their websites. In drug company marketing, patients are cheerleaders for the latest treatment fad.

Against this backdrop of hope and desperation, how are patients supposed to make informed decisions?

DiCanto gave precision medicine everything she had, including biopsies from her lungs and liver, where her cancer had spread. Over 2{ years, her doctor sent seven blood and tissue samples to specialized labs for "next-generation sequencing," which can quickly scan hundreds of genes. The tests aim to locate a cancer's Achilles' heela genetic vulnerability that can be targeted with a drug.

DiCanto's first genomic test matched her to a newly approved drug she would have tried anyway, Primiano said. When it stopped working, she had another biopsy.

That time, tests matched her to a different drug approved for breast cancer. But it proved so toxic that it "nearly killed her," Primiano said.

Additional tests matched DiCanto to drugs available only in clinical trials. Eligibility criteria for clinical trials are notoriously strict, however, and often exclude people who've been heavily treated with other medications. DiCanto wasn't eligible for any of them. Even when patients are eligible for trials, many turn them down. They're just too frail and sick to travel to the metropolitan areas where most trials are run.

Although DiCanto benefited from standard cancer treatments, none of the targeted therapies recommended through genetic testing extended her life, Primiano said.

"She didn't give up," Primiano said. "Her body gave up. Her body just couldn't take it anymore."

Primiano said patients should remember that precision medicine is in its infancy. Although scientists have identified tens of thousands of genetic "variationschanges from normal DNA that could play a role in cancerdoctors have only a few dozen drugs with which to target them. In the majority of cases, genetic mutations are of "unknown significance"; they're essentially useless, because scientists don't know if they affect how patients respond to drugs.

Even when drugs are a good match for a specific mutation, they don't always work. A targeted therapy that works in melanoma, for example, doesn't help people with colorectal cancereven when patients have the exact same mutation, said Wagle, a member of the medical advisory board for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a patient advocacy group in which DiCanto was active.

Paying for tests and treatment poses its own hurdles. Insurers often tell patients that next-generation sequencing is unproven. Even when insurers agree to cover the testing, they won't necessarily cover nonstandard or experimental treatments that sequencing companies recommend.

Primiano, an insurance broker, said his family was able to handle the costs: $500,000 out-of-pocket on his wife's cancer care over 13 years. But managing his wife's cancer "was a full-time jobdoing the research, finding the clinical trials, dealing with the insurance companies, managing the money."

He worries about people with fewer resources, especially patients tempted to drain their savings account to pay for a treatment with little to no chance of working.

The very words "precision medicine" suggest a high rate of success, Primiano said. While its successes should be celebrated, its failures must be acknowledged and tallied, reminding us how much is left to learn. When patients and their families have so much on the line, they deserve to understand what they're paying for.

"Let's not pretend this is something it isn't," Primiano said. "I'm not saying we shouldn't try it. I just don't want people to have false hope."

Explore further Targeted cancer treatments far outperform traditional methods

2018 Kaiser Health News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A Loyola Medicine study demonstrates that an educational curriculum for physicians in training improves their emotional intelligence, which may help protect against burnout.

Before and after completing this educational intervention, doctors took a test measuring their emotional intelligence. There were significant increases in their scores for overall emotional intelligence, stress management and overall wellness.

The study by Ramzan Shahid, MD, Jerold Stirling, MD, and William Adams, Ph.D., is published in the journal Advances in Medical Education and Practice.

Teaching emotional intelligence skills "may improve stress management skills, promote wellness and prevent burnout in resident physicians," the researchers wrote.

Physician burnout has reached alarming levels, with one study finding it affects at least half of all doctors. Burnout is defined as overwhelming exhaustion, cynicism, detachment from work and a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others and to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. People with high emotional intelligence have more effective coping strategies, enabling them to be more resilient and better able to manage stress. And unlike IQ, emotional intelligence can be taught.

The Loyola study included 20 pediatric and 11med-peds residents at Loyola who completed a 133-item emotional intelligence survey before and after undergoing emotional intelligence training. The survey is called Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0, EQ-i 2.0.

(A resident is a physician who, following medical school, practices in a hospital under the supervision of an attending physician. A pediatric residency lasts three years. A med-peds residency, which combines pediatrics and internal medicine, lasts four years.)

The emotional intelligence training was integrated into the resident educational curriculum and focused on self-awareness (being aware of your emotions), self-management (ability to manage your emotional reactions to situations and people), social awareness (ability to pick up emotions in others) and social skill. The educational intervention included didactic teaching, discussions and videos.

"Our emotional intelligence curriculum may serve as a prototype for other residency programs that are developing their own approaches to promoting wellness and preventing burnout in their trainees," Drs. Shahid, Stirling and Adams wrote.

It also may be beneficial to incorporate emotional intelligence education in medical schools, the authors wrote.

Dr. Shahid is an associate professor and vice chair of education and Dr. Stirling is professor and chair of Loyola's department of pediatrics. Dr. Adams is an assistant professor the departments of medical education and public health sciences of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Their study is titled, "Promoting Wellness and Stress Management in Residents Through Emotional Intelligence Training."

Explore further Emotional intelligence helps make better doctors

More information: Ramzan Shahid et al, Promoting wellness and stress management in residents through emotional intelligence training, Advances in Medical Education and Practice (2018). Ramzan Shahid et al, Promoting wellness and stress management in residents through emotional intelligence training,(2018). DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S175299
Mahara says freedom of press law can be amended

Lower House Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara on Thursday said some legal articles that limit the press freedom could be amended.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Researchers from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and physicians from Spectrum Health have identified for the first time in a human patient a genetic disorder only previously described in animal models.

The disorder is caused by mutations in a gene known as ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1) and is defined by a number of clinical features including large birth weight, enlarged head size, hair loss, reduced muscle strength, skin lesions, hearing loss and developmental delays. The disorder is, as of yet, unnamed, and its long-term effects, which include impacts on the neurological system, are not completely known.

Their study is published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A.

"This remarkable case represents the first human example of a disorder that was described by researchers in a transgenic mouse model more than 20 years ago," said senior author Andre Bachmann, Ph.D., Michigan State University professor and associate chair for pediatric research.

"The ODC1 gene plays an important role in a number of physiological and cell developmental processes including embryo and organ development," said lead author Caleb Bupp, MD, Spectrum Health medical geneticist. "The long-term impacts of this disorder are not completely known."

Researchers also theorize that the ODC inhibitor DFMO, a water soluble, FDA-approved drug, may serve as a disease-modifying drug, and an early therapeutic trial in a new diagnosis may prevent some of the clinical symptoms. DFMO has been used for many years in the treatment of trypanosomiasis, a tropical disease transmitted by biting insects and more recently entered clinical trials for pediatric neuroblastoma and colon cancer. DFMO prevented hair loss and also partially restored hair growth in mice and is considered a well-tolerated drug.

The female patient was examined at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at 11 months of age. Blood samples for testing were drawn at age 19 months and 32 months. Two developmentally normal, age/gender matched patients that were being sedated for outpatient same-day procedures served as controls. The parents of the patients provided written informed consent and the protocol was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of Spectrum Health.

Bachmann and Bupp were joined in the study by MSU research assistants Chad Schultz and Katie Uhl and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Medical Director of Research and critical care physician Surender Rajasekaran, MD.

The original ODC1 mouse model was developed by the late Dr. Thomas G. O'Brien in 1995 at the Lankenau Medical Research Center in Pennsylvania.

Explore further New drug for neuroblastoma shows promise in phase I study

More information: Novel de novo pathogenic variant in the ODC1 gene in a girl with developmental delay, alopecia, and dysmorphic features, American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/fu  10.1002/ajmg.a.40523 Novel de novo pathogenic variant in the ODC1 gene in a girl with developmental delay, alopecia, and dysmorphic features,

Provided by Spectrum Health
The probability of dying from NCD4 between 30 and 70 years of age. Credit: NCD Countdown 2030

People in the UK, US and China have a higher risk of dying early from conditions like cancer, heart disease and stroke than people in Italy, France, South Korea and Australia.

These are the findings of the most detailed global analysis of deaths from so-called non-communicable disease (NCDs) - chronic conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes.

The research, led by Imperial College London, World Health Organization and NCD Alliance, reveals that a 30-year-old woman in the UK has a 9 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDscancer, cardiovascular disease (which includes heart disease and stroke), chronic respiratory disease and diabetesbefore her 70th birthday, compared to a 12 per cent chance for a woman living in the US, and 6 per cent for a woman living in Japan. Meanwhile a 30-year-old man living in the UK has a 13 per cent chance of dying from an NCD before age 70, compared to 11 per cent for a man living in Switzerland, and 18 per cent for a man living in the US.

The analysis, published today in The Lancet, also revealed the majority of the world's nationsincluding the UK, US and Chinalook likely to fall short of the United Nations (UN) target for reducing the number of premature deaths from NCDs.

Professor Majid Ezzati, from Imperial's School of Public Health, who led the study, said: "Non-communicable diseases are the main cause of premature death for most countries. Poverty, uncontrolled marketing of alcohol and tobacco by multinational industries, and weak health care systems are making chronic diseases a larger danger to human health than traditional foes such as bacteria and viruses."

Too many people dying too soon

Non-communicable diseases kill nearly 41 million people a year, making up seven out of ten deaths globally, 17 million of these deaths are classed as premature (i.e. before the age of 70).

The new research is published ahead of a key UN meeting on NCDs next week. In 2015, the UN set the goal of a one-third reduction in premature deaths (between the ages of 30 and 70 years) from four key NCDscancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetesby the year 2030.

The group behind this research, who are collectively known as NCD Countdown 2030, warn that their findings suggest the UN target will be missed in all but 35 nations for women and 30 nations for men.

The study also reveals men and women in most countries around the world have a higher risk of dying prematurely from NCDs than from infectious diseases such as malaria or HIV.

US, UK and China falling short

The researchers analysed data on deaths from NCDs for more than 180 nations. Their findings revealed the lowest risks of dying early from NCDs were seen in high income countries, especially in South Korea, Japan, Switzerland and Australia.

But other high-income countries are lagging behind the leaders, including the UK (which ranks 17th for men, 27th for women), the US (53rd for men, 44th for women) and China (80th for men, 76th for women).

Overall, women in South Korea, Japan, Spain and Switzerland were least likely to die prematurely from the four key NCDs. The countries with the lowest risk for men were Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway.

In contrast, men in central Asia (Mongolia, Kazakhstan) and eastern Europe (Russia, Belarus) were among the most likely to die from the four key NCDs before the age of 70. For women, parts of sub-Saharan Africa (Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire), Guyana, Afghanistan, Yemen and Papua New Guinea were among those with the greatest risk of premature death from the four key NCDs.

The study reveals that only 35 countries are on track to meet the UN target for women and only 30 countries for men.

Some of those countries on track to meet the UN target for both men and women include Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and South Korea, as well as Brazil, Iran and some of the high-risk eastern European countries. By comparison, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, India and China will fail to hit the target for both sexes.

The authors say if NCD deaths decline slightly faster in a further 50 countries (for women) and 35 countries (for men), they too would achieve the target.

According to the analysis, the situation is deteriorating or stagnating in 15 countries for women, including the US, and 24 for men.

Katie Dain, from the NCD Alliance, said: "We are sleepwalking into a sick future because of severely inadequate progress on non-communicable diseases. Post the UN High Level Meeting, NCD Countdown 2030 will assist in holding governments and donors accountable and help to ensure that the opportunity before us next week to renew, reinforce, and enhance commitments to reducing the burden of NCDs, translates the rhetoric into reality."

Solutions to help countries reduce deaths

Professor Ezzati explained: "While much of the world is falling short of the UN target to alleviate the burden of chronic diseases, dozens of countries could meet this goal with modest acceleration of already-favourable trends. This requires national governments and international donors to invest in the right set of policies."

Professor Ezzati added: "Treatment of hypertension and controlling tobacco and alcohol use alone can prevent millions of deaths from cancer, heart disease, stroke and other NCDs. But there is also a need for affordable high-quality care to diagnose and treat chronic diseases as early as possible."

The team points out the findings are limited by the available data, citing major gaps in the completeness and accuracy of data in some countries. They explain that improving death registration in countries could improve accuracy.

James Bennett, the lead author of the study from the School of Public Health, said: "It's important that international aid agencies and governments are held to account for their commitments to global targets for health. Improving the quality of health data from countries will help us identify which countries are performing best in reducing deaths from chronic diseases, as well as those that need additional help."

Regional summaries (data from 2016)

World

For women, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDscancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabeteswere seen in some African countries such as Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire. In these countries, 30-year-old women had a one in three chance of dying from these diseases before their 70th birthday.

The lowest risks of premature death in women were in South Korea and Japan, at 5 to 6 per cent chance.

For men, the highest levels of premature death from the four key NCDs were seen in central Asia, Eastern Europe and some Pacific Islands, for example in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Fiji. In these countries, 30-year-old men had a more than a one in three chance of dying from these four diseases before their 70th birthday. The lowest levels were in Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway, where men had a 10 to 11 per cent chance.

The UK

30-year-old women in the UK had a 9 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 27th lowest risk in the world and 19th lowest among 40 countries in Europe.

30-year-old men in the UK had a 13 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 17th lowest risk in the world and 9th lowest in Europe.

The chance of dying from the four key NCDs declined in the UK at the 74th fastest rate in the world for women, and the 27th fastest in Europe (relative to the starting level in 2015).

For men, the rate of decline in the UK was 45th in the world and 25th in Europe.

Europe

For European women, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs were seen in Moldova and Ukraine (17 per cent and 16 per cent). The lowest levels were in Spain and Switzerland, with risk of 6 per cent and 7 per cent.

For European men, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs were seen in Russia and Belarus (37 per cent and 35 per cent). The lowest levels were in Iceland and Switzerland, with risk of 10 per cent and 11 per cent.

The US

30-year-old women in the US had a 12 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 44th lowest risk in the world but the highest among all high-income nations, and worse than Vietnam, Turkey and Panama. There has been a small increase in risk of death from these diseases among American women since 2010.

30-year-old men in the US had a 18 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 53rd lowest risk in the world but the highest among all high-income nation, and worse than Liberia, Mexico and Angola. There has been virtually no change in the risk of death from these diseases among American men.

Explore further Heart disease and cancer kill more people in developing nations than in Western countries

More information: 'NCD Countdown 2030: worldwide trends in non-communicable disease mortality and progress towards Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4'' by NCD Countdown 2030 Collaborators is published in The Lancet. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan  (18)31992-5/fulltext 'NCD Countdown 2030: worldwide trends in non-communicable disease mortality and progress towards Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4'' by NCD Countdown 2030 Collaborators is published in ncdcountdown.org/TEMP-NCD2030/ Journal information: The Lancet
Professor Florian Mormann from the Department of Epileptology at the University of Bonn. Credit:  Rolf Muller/UKB-Ukom

How do we know if we're looking at three apples or four? Researchers at the Universities of Bonn and Tubingen are now one step closer to answering this question. They were able to demonstrate that some brain cells fire mainly for quantities of three, others for quantities of four and others for other quantities. A similar effect can be observed for digits: In humans, the neurons activated in response to a "2" are, for instance, different from the neurons activated for a "5." The results also demonstrate how humans learn to handle number symbols in comparison to quantities. The study is published online in the journal Neuron.

People are born with the ability to count. Shortly after birth, babies can estimate the number of events and even perform simple calculations. But what exactly happens in the brain? And do we process abstract numbers differently from concrete quantities? Researchers from the Department of Epileptology at the University of Bonn and neurobiologists from the University of Tubingen have investigated these two questions. They benefited from a special feature of Bonn University Hospital: The epileptology clinic located there specializes in brain surgery. The clinic's doctors seek to cure epilepsy patients by means of an operation in which they remove the diseased nerve tissue. In some cases, they first have to insert electrodes into the patient's brain in order to ascertain the location of the epileptogenic focus. As a side effect, researchers can use this to watch patients think.

In the current study, surgeons inserted extremely fine microelectrodes into the temporal lobes of nine epilepsy patients. "This enabled us to measure the reaction of individual nerve cells to visual stimuli," explains Prof. Dr. Dr. Florian Mormann, head of the Cognitive and Clinical Neurophysiology group. The scientists showed their subjects a different number of points on a computer screensometimes only one, sometimes four or even five. "We were able to demonstrate that certain nerve cells fired primarily in response to very specific quantities," explains Esther Kutter, lead author of the study. "For example, some were activated mainly by three dots, others by one."

Each quantity therefore creates a specific activity pattern in the human brain. "We have written a classification algorithm that evaluates this pattern," Mormann explains. "This allowed us to use the arousal state of the nerve cells to read how many points our respective subject could see."

The scientists also observed an interesting effect: Although the neurons were "set" to a certain quantity, they also responded to slightly different quantities. A brain cell set to quantities of three also fired in response to two or four points, but weaker. With one or five points, however, it could hardly be activated. Experts call this the "numerical distance effect." Prof. Dr. Andreas Nieder from the University of Tubingen, co-supervisor of the study, demonstrated the same phenomenon in experiments on monkeys. "Numbers are processed in our brains in exactly the same way as in the brains of monkeys," he says. "This confirms monkeys as an indispensable model for research into the processing of quantitative information."

How we process digits, i.e. symbols that represent quantities, cannot be answered with the help of animals. The scientists have now been able to show for the first time that this works in principle in a similar way as with quantities: When we see a certain digit, certain brain cells fire. However, the digit neurons and the quantity neurons are not identical: The digit "3" excites completely different nerve cells than a quantity of three points.

Another observation is even more exciting: "The digit neurons also have a numerical distance effect," says Mormann. "They are also stimulated not only by the exact digit, but also by its neighborsbut only very weakly." Nevertheless, this phenomenon shows that we learn digits differently from simple characters. In a sense, the neurons have learned that the value of a 3 is only slightly different from a 2 or a 4otherwise, they would not also respond to these two digits. Digits therefore seem to be firmly interwoven with a certain idea of quantity.

The researchers hope that their results will also contribute to a better understanding of dyscalculia, a developmental disorder accompanied, among other things, by a poorer understanding of quantity.

Explore further Nerve cells use brain waves to judge importance

More information: Esther F. Kutter et al, Single Neurons in the Human Brain Encode Numbers, Neuron (2018). Journal information: Neuron Esther F. Kutter et al, Single Neurons in the Human Brain Encode Numbers,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.08.036
Motorists line up for fuel amid disruption

Gasoline lines returned in Kathmandu on Thursday due to a disruption to fuel supplies after tanker drivers went on strike to show solidarity with drivers of public vehicles who have launched a countrywide protest against an amendment to the Criminal Code. Fuel deliveries have stopped from Wednesday, spreading panic among motorists.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled the governments plan to grow the economy.

Speaking at the Union Buildings in Pretoria this morning, Ramaphosa said the economic stimulus and recovery plan is aimed at creating new jobs and growing the economy.

In terms of the ICT sector, he stated that in the next few weeks, the government will start a process to release and assign high-demand radio frequency spectrum.

This will lead to lower mobile data costs, and improve the competitiveness of the economy, said Ramaphosa.

The statement follows Ramaphosa declaring at the start of September that the Department of Telecommunications must speed up its decision on the allocation of critical radio frequency spectrum for wireless networks.

The Presidency said they will allocate spectrum in the 2.6GHz, 700MHz, and 800MHz frequency bands.

Once allocated, ICASA will be able to invite network operators to apply for licences to use the spectrum.

The 700MHz and 800MHz fall within the digital dividend, however, and these frequencies will be available when South Africa completes its migration from analogue to digital TV broadcasting. This process has been delayed for years.

Mobile networks have been calling for additional spectrum for several years, stating it will let them bring down data prices and provide better coverage to users.

Networks have also stated that if South Africa does not release additional wireless network capacity in the form of radio frequency spectrum, mobile carriers will not be able to launch 5G services in the country.
Oli leads delegation for 73rd UN session

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will travel to New York on Saturday, leading the Nepali delegation to the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
AAD 2018 is taking place at Waterkloof Airforce Base from 19-23 September, showcasing what the biggest military players have to offer.

The Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) is Africas only aerospace and defence expo that combines both a trade exhibition and an air show.

It is also the only international defence exhibition and conference in the African region demonstrating the latest technology across land, sea, and air, added the organisers.

Held biennially in the City of Tshwane, the AAD Expo is one of South Africas largest contributors to the countrys GDP and is regarded as a national asset, states its website.

Images of the event from Fridays show day are posted below.

Vehicles

Aircraft

Weapons and Equipment

Transformers

Now read: Huawei launches new Mate 20 Lite in South Africa
Whole Foods and two related entities will pay $1.64 million to settle a civil law enforcement action alleging that it violated California laws for the safe storage, handling and disposal of hazardous waste over a five-year period, prosecutors said Thursday.

According to the complaint filed in Yolo County by Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley and 21 other district and city attorneys, Whole Foods Market California Inc., Mrs. Gooch's Natural Food Markets Inc. and WFM-WO Inc. unlawfully handled and disposed of various hazardous wastes and materials throughout the state over that period.

The prosecutors said the hazardous wastes and materials included batteries, electronic devices, ignitable liquids, aerosol products, cleaning agents and other flammable, reactive, toxic and corrosive materials.

"We remain ever vigilant in the protection of our natural resources and the proper disposal of hazardous waste is vitally important in safeguarding the environment from toxic pollutants that pose a threat to the health of humans, wildlife and plants," O'Malley said in a statement.

Prosecutors said the investigation of Whole Foods began when Yolo County regulators found the company's documentation of employee hazardous-waste training to be incomplete. They said a statewide check confirmed that those deficiencies were systemic.

Prosecutors said the judgment is designed to prevent Whole Foods stores from committing similar hazardous-waste violations in the future.

The judgment requires Whole Foods Market California Inc., Mrs. Gooch's Natural Food Markets Inc. and WFM-WO Inc. to properly label, package, and store hazardous waste to minimize the risk of exposure to employees and customers and to ensure that incompatible wastes do not combine to cause dangerous chemical reactions.

The judgment also requires the companies to properly document their hazardous waste and dispose of their hazardous waste at authorized disposal facilities.

The settlement calls for the Whole Foods entities to pay $1.2 million in civil penalties, $202,800 to reimburse the costs of the investigation and $237,900 to fund supplemental environmental projects.

In addition, the Whole Foods entities must improve the training of their staff and management in the handling of hazardous waste and hire an employee to strengthen their hazardous waste programs.

There are five Whole Foods markets in Alameda County and all five are subject to the terms of the civil settlement, O'Malley said.

Whole Foods didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement.

Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton praised the company for reaching the settlement, saying in a statement, "I would like to mention that the Whole Foods companies were cooperative throughout our investigation and prosecution while we worked toward a fair resolution to their previous deficiencies."
Champagne may suggest a celebration, but you know its a real party when the sabers come out.

At an anticipated moment during ZD Wines 50th anniversary weekend on Sept. 7-9, owners Robert and Brett deLeuze raised glinting Champagne swords to the necks of a ZD sparkling wine specially made for the occasion. The brothers were flanked by their similarly armed winemaking team. With multiple cracks and pops, corks were soon flying across the crush pad at the Rutherford winery.

It was a fitting tribute to one of Napa Valleys longer-lived labels. If the mood was festive when the day began, by 3 p.m., it had turned downright Game of Thrones wrap party.

ZD isnt the oldest wine estate in the Valley or the first to pull off a big event. But as more 70s-era wineries get set to celebrate half-century milestones in the next few years, they can take a cue from the deLeuze family on how to do it the right way  with a combination of enthusiasm, generosity and imagination to infuse a lively, three-day shindig.

Our staff have been working their tails off for almost a year to meet the expectations here today. Theyve done a terrific job, ZD President Brett deLeuze said on the recent Saturday morning as he welcomed about 45 guests to the winery. Theyd gathered for a special tasting of Cabernet Sauvignons and a lunch afterward prepared by Yountville chef Chris Kollar. Theyre going to continue to be a part of everything that we do here, and theyre the reason youre going to feel as we do about the success.

The last 50 vintages have, indeed, been a successful run for ZD Wines. Brett and Robert are partners in the winery founded in 1969 by their parents, Norman and Rosa Lee deLeuze, and Normans fellow aerospace engineer, Gino Zepponi (thus the ZD, which, in a convenient twist, is the engineering acronym for zero defects and is the winery mantra).

The two men worked rocket propulsion day jobs in Sacramento while they and Rosa Lee created a wine brand from scratch at their original facility, a rented farm building in Carneros. Their efforts paved the way to acquisition of the Rutherford property a decade later.

Today, ZD is a high-profile, 30,000-case winery with organically farmed estate vineyards in both Rutherford and Carneros. From upstairs at the Rutherford facility, the newly renovated Vineyard View Room provides visitors with a sweeping vista across the Valley. With the tasting room downstairs about to go through its own redesign, its an important piece to ZDs hospitality program, especially to longtime Retail Sales Director Barbie Jamieson.

Longtime vineyard manager

The ZD Carneros Estate just south of Napa is less accessible to visitors. A painstakingly restored 1897 colonial home is set among 30 acres of certified organic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines that have been worked since the early 1980s by Rafael Llamas. When Norman and Rosa Lee bought the property in 1996, the Jalisco native came over to ZD as vineyard manager. He has been one of the winerys key people ever since.

From that time, 1996 to right now, Im working with them, Llamas said a few days after the anniversary, pointing out sections of the vineyard from the homes elevated porch. Its really amazing, the change when I started working with Norm. He showed me how to be a better person, because he said, Were going to be different. Now were going to be organic. We arent going to use any other things that arent organic.

Llamas son, Rafael Raf Jr., grew up in Carneros and has worked at ZD since high school. He proudly backed up his fathers expertise.

I think hes been here for so long because hes been doing something that has been working for ZD, especially with the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir programs, he said. I mean, this is our baby, and theres nobody who knows the property as well as my dad.

While the Carneros vineyard contributes significantly to the winerys production, the stately home is only used for special events. To date, none have been more important to the deLeuze family than the anniversary weekend. It was an opportunity to bring ZDs guests  among them charity auction winners, distributors from around the U.S., and longtime friends  up to speed on the current state of the winery and vineyards.

Three-day celebration

The three-part event began Friday evening at the Carneros Estate and was capped the next night in downtown Napa with a party for 500 on CIA at Copias picturesque back lawn. St. Helenas Chris Cosentino was guest chef that night. He has been friends with Brett deLeuze for several years and goes back even further with the ZD wines.

A long line of guests waiting to sample his pork and duck pate en croute kept Cosentino at his table throughout the evening, but the Acacia House chef nonetheless observed everyone enjoying themselves.

There was great music, tons of people, and it was a beautiful space, he said.

As a complement to his rustic dish, he added that ZDs wines represent the vintage and the grape  which is similar to our philosophy and approach to the food at Acacia House.

The evenings most meaningful moment came when the deLeuze Family Foundation presented checks totaling $100,000 to benefit three charities, including the UC Davis deLeuze Family Professorship for a Non-Toxic Cure for Lymphoma. In the early 2000s, Norman developed a close relationship with his UC Davis Cancer Center oncologist, Dr. Joseph Tuscano, while battling lymphoma. Several months before he passed away from the disease in 2007, he and his family created the Professorship. The deLeuzes continue to support it through yearly ZD-driven fundraisers.

I mean overall, I think that it went really well, CEO Robert deLeuze said in a call a week later. Taking a break from harvest preparations, the head of winemaking at ZD shared that it was really nice that we had the fantastic response from our partners in the business and from our customers who attended.

We were basically oversold on every event, and it made it a little more challenging. But also, you know, its rewarding. Weve got some people out there who appreciate what were doing, and thats nice to know. I think there are always challenges with events like that. So we kind of overcame, and it all went well. I think a lot of people had a lot of fun.

This included the Saturday morning tasters. To their delight, Robert and Brett pulled four vintages of ZD Reserve Cabernet from the winery library, going back to the great 1987, and added the rare 10th and 20th bottlings of ZDs standalone red wine, Abacus.

Dont screw up!

Senior winemaker Chris Pisani was tasked with introducing the lineup to an enthusiastic audience. He explained over a microphone that we really look to have our wines made in such a way, with really good balance, that, when theyre first bottled, they should taste amazing, and the way we made them, they should last 30 years, no problem.

Pisani works closely with Roberts son, Brandon, his associate winemaker. When it came time to introduce the signature red wine  ZDs unique, multi-vintage bottling of reserve Cabernet  the younger deLeuze was amusingly humble.

I was asked to talk about Abacus, Brandon announced, barely concealing a smile. Usually my dad does this talk. And what he said is, Brandon, its really hard to describe Abacus, and its going to take a long time. Dont screw up! If his fathers advice reminded him at that moment of the zero defects mantra, it probably wasnt an accident.

Back in his office after the big weekend, Brett reflected on ZDs past half-century. But he was mainly excited about the present and future.

Theres been a great transition in our winemaking as we move forward, he said over the phone, and from a sales perspective, theres also been a great transition.

He described the next generation at ZD: not just Brandon, but also his niece, Jill deLeuze, and her husband, Scott Billeci, the winerys regional sales manager. Raf Llamas and Hospitality Director Dustin Moilanen also figure into Bretts equation for future success.

From an extended family perspective, theyre all pushing us hard! he said with a laugh. I mean, beyond being just a winemaker, Brandons very focused on quality, which comes from his dad. My dad was a little more casual about certain things. But from our winemaking and marketing perspective, they all care about the details  down to everything.

A toast to the future

The anniversary weekend showed that ZDs sales channels and relationships have stood the test of time. Brett built this infrastructure alongside his mother, who passed away in April, and their 20-year Vice President of Sales, Teresa DAurizio. To help guide the next generation, he and DAurizio can trace the arc of ZD as a national wine brand.

For our story moving forward, I totally wish my mom and dad were still here, he said. Theyre sorely missed. But you know, we move on. I got used to saying that there are three generations of us working together. Its two now, unfortunately, as of April. But their legacy is huge.

During the sparkling wine ceremony on the crush pad, Robert briefly choked up recalling this important legacy. It was the only time the sabers would come out. ZDs Anniversary Cuvee, a blanc de blancs produced from the Carneros Estate, will only be released, and sabered, once  at least until the next milestone.

Everyone was served a portion of this precious ZD wine, and Robert raised his glass.

As I always do, I would propose that this year we make better wines than we have ever made, and that we have fun doing it, and that we do it safely, he said. Cheers.
Leaders from Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties assembled in Novato on Thursday to begin setting the stage for a regional approach to climate change -- one that Edward Quevedo of the California-based Foresight+Innovation Lab said he thought has the potential to resonate throughout the world.

"From this place today we have a chance to create resonance," Quevedo said to the crowd of nearly 100 officials gathered in the Buck Institute on Aging. "A reverberating sound and set of actions that people around the world will study 25 to 30 years hence and say, 'What did they do in Novato on the 20th of September 2018 that led to this remarkable regional partnership that led the way for the world?' "

Novato Mayor Joshua Fryday said while the North Bay would not solve every issue in that single day, he said the summit is an opportunity to learn what works in other communities, to ask hard questions and develop relationships to build off of.

"We have no option: our communities are counting on us to succeed and succeed together," Fryday said to the attendees.

Following the initial speeches, attendees were able to break off to attend two of three workshops focusing on different aspects of climate change.

One workshop focused on transportation and mobility to discuss changes to city vehicle fleets, public transit systems and working conditions. Another workshop tackled carbon sequestration and regenerative agriculture. Discussions on carbon-free cities, renewable energy, zero-energy buildings and other topics were discussed at a 'Built Environment & Energy' workshop.

The workshops were facilitated by Quevedo, Robert Gould of the Marin Climate Action Network and Aleka Seville of the Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority.

Quevedo said from these discussions, a common line is drawn that can act as a starting point for future efforts.

The summit was both a follow-up to the Global Climate Summit held in San Francisco last week and also a reaction to what many see as a rollback of environmental protections by the federal government.

Congressman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, was the keynote speaker at Thursday's summit, but said most of what he had to talk about was bleak. From pulling the U.S. out of the 2016 Paris Climate Accord to as recently as rolling back methane emission rules on industries this week, the Trump administration's efforts to undermine and censor discussion and policies on climate change underscores the need for local action, Huffman said.

"The biggest problem I have to report from Washington is that all these fights mean we're losing time," Huffman said to the crowd. "And to bring it back to what you're doing here and what I hope to be a call to action and not despair, it underscores the importance of all of you doing as much as you can right now, right here in our community. We are absolutely counting on you."

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A series of ads has been running for several weeks on TV channels reaching North Bay viewers with the case for cork.

The TV spots, which feature a handful of area winemakers offering their support for cork, have aired across Sonoma, Napa and Santa Rosa, appearing on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Food Network and HGTV.

The ads are the work of the Portuguese Cork Association, backed by a grant from the Portuguese government, and mark the countrys latest push to promote its cork industry, one of the largest in the world.

Peter Weber is executive director of the Cork Quality Council, a Sonoma-based nonprofit dealing mostly with issues of quality standards. For more than a decade, the group has also helped the Portuguese get the word out about cork on wine country turf.

The campaigns are revived every few years and tend to be relatively small, Weber said, but serve an important role for the Portuguese in trying to promote cork, one of their most significant industries. This year marks the groups first foray into TV, with each spot essentially working as a very high-quality billboard, Weber said.

The group filmed interviews with a handful of area winemakers, mostly from Sonoma producers like Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Jordan Winery, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards and Dry Creek Vineyard, but also Richie Allen of Rombauer Vineyards in Napa Valley.

The local market is pretty advantageous to us, because we ran in the summer where we have a lot of tourists in, Weber said. We also have winemakers also watching, so we thought it was a good buy.

But what is the case for cork?

In one of the ads, Allen, director of viticulture and winemaking at Rombauer Vineyards offers, Nothing ages the same way as a cork and nothing has the lifespan of a cork.

In another, Maggie Kruse, associate winemaker at Jordan Winery, says, We find that the cork is really the best closure and the wine tastes the best at the end of that aging period.

People tend to underestimate cork, Weber said. They underestimate the sustainability of it.

At tasting events, hes often surprised by how many people believe cork is made by toppling cork forests. So I explain thats not how it works. We take the bark off the trees. It actually lasts longer.

Cork, Weber said, is not only viable, but growing in market share. Its sustainable, its good for the wood; its not just tradition. According to the Portuguese Cork Association, seven out of every 10 bottles of wine worldwide are bottled using natural cork.

But what about the growing presence of wine in cans or bottled with screwcaps? According to Weber, the difference comes down to air.

How a wine develops under cork is markedly different from how it develops under alternatives, he claims.

To him, cork has been unfairly considered a highly inconsistent barrier between oxygen and wine. He argues that the dose of air that comes from cork can be more beneficial to boosting a wines aromas over time than alternatives.

And while many screwcaps are sold with permeable closures to let some oxygen seep in, the air is still not corks air. Weber explains, Corks air doesnt come from the outside. It comes from inside the cork.

Essentially, he said, cork is composed of millions of cells filled with air, diffusing anywhere from 1.5 to 3 milliliters of oxygen into the wine over several months. After that diffusion, he noted, the wine is sealed and receives no more oxygen.

But in the case of permeable screwcaps, Weber said, However much oxygen you have in the wine is going to depend entirely on how long the wine has been sitting in the bottle.

So, he posits, wine and cork may be a better long-term match for wines one wants to age. It will be basically the same amount of oxygen at three years as it was at two years.

The counterargument, he cedes, is research citing cork as less consistent than alternatives. His counter-counter argument however, is that the measurements are taken during the months that the cork is still letting off air. On a scale of years, he argues, the oxygen levels from cork prove much more consistent.

Whatever the case may be though, in a modern market where the majority of wine is bought and consumed within a 24-hour period, the difference as far as aging is unlikely to mean very much to the everyday wine drinker.

So, his case to consumers circles back to corks sustainability, how its renewable, recyclable, and, he adds, How its a beautiful product that makes the wine taste better.

Because the Cork Quality Council is a nonprofit and does not sell any cork, its unable to track the success of the TV ads by sales. Nonetheless, Weber said he feels the campaign has been a success.

I dont think were headed to the Super Bowl, he said. But it was a nice little thing.

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In a surreal setting, cradled in between the Vaca Mountain range, vineyards and giant oak trees, we sat down for a tasting of the current releases of Wilson Foreigner wines. David and Christine Wilson graciously led me through their wines on this ideal afternoon at Rancho Chimiles.

This vineyard dates to 1940s when Davids parents, Terry and Virginia Wilson, made the decision to plant several acres of Valdeguie, a varietal also known as Napa Gamay.

it is a varietal that eventually gave birth to the Wilson Foreigner brand. Terry Wilson, a former surfer and professional photographer, had the vision of planting grapes when Virginias family acquired the ranch in the early 40s. The two had met at the Fillmore Theater in San Francisco in the 1960s while attending a show, and the rest is history.

Rancho Chimiles is now a well-established vineyard that serves as source for a number of Napa Valley wineries from Pahlmeyer Vineyards to Andy Ericksons own Favia Wines with varietals ranging from Napa Valleys King Cabernet Sauvignon to Spains Tempranillo.

Currently, Wilson Foreigner produces three wines with a well-defined focus on the so-called New California approach, a movement that champions exciting wines from historic varietals with a compelling and balanced approach to winemaking.

The project launched with two wines in 2015; the Wilson Foreigner Valdiguie from Rancho Chimiles, where David grew up, and the Wilson Foreigner Albarino from the historic Rorick Vineyard in Calaveras County. Later, they came across a fascinating source for Zinfandel planted in the early 1900s at the foot of Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County.

The story of Wilson Foreigner was born when David spent some time in Swartland in South Africa in 2005 making wine. During this period, he met Chris Alheit, a South African native who shares Davids passion for wine. The two hit it off immediately and started planning for the brand that now produces less than 600 cases annually.

The wines we tasted that afternoon are part of the current offerings, including the 2017 Wilson Foreigner Albarino, Rorick Vineyard, Sierra Foothills ($28). The vines were planted in 2013 in soils that David describes as a mosaic of layers including limestone, schist, granite and volcanic soil types making it ideal for Albarino. These vineyards stand at 2,000 feet elevation with a cool climate and eastern exposure. The wine is simply stunning, with hints of orange marmalade, an ocean mist layer, saline and cleansing.

Also sampled was 2017 Wilson Foreigner Zinfandel Del Barba Vineyard Contra Costa County ($30); some of the oldest vineyards planted in California at 108 years old, A rare and exciting sighting when you first come across this landscape of head trained bushy and ancient vines, David said with excitement.

We were very lucky to have access to this unique vineyard, he adds. The notes on this wine are extensive and generous, starting with plum, blueberry jam and bramble leading into a lush and velvety mouthfeel with elegance and sculptured finesse.

Lastly, the wine that made me a lifelong fan and believer of this varietal, 2017 Wilson Foreigner Valdiguie, Rancho Chimiles, Napa Valley ($33) a production of only 160 cases from old and healthy vines that make a wine exploding with violets, grapefruit and white pepper with silky tannins and a long and cleansing finish, unique in my world. This wines nature allows it to be enjoyed either at cellar temperature or a recommended slight chill. The pairing possibilities are endless, from a holiday dinner to picnic fare in the beach.

The wines were graciously orchestrated by Christine to pair with an array of dishes from Foodshed in Napa where the Wilson Foreigner wines can be spotted.

An array ranging from a summer beet salad to rustic Italian style pizza paired perfectly with the wines.

There are many reasons Wilson Foreigner wines are amongst my top-rated California expressions. In a few words  honest, expressive and worth sharing with friends.

Eduardo can be reached at eduardo@sakedrinker.com.
Along with the rest of the world, Bhutan is also celebrating the World Peace Day.

On this occasion, former Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay, tweeted the fact that last year Bhutan was ranked 13th most peaceful country in the world in 2017 by the Global Peace Index.

He added in his tweet, Most international observers would be amazed given that Bhutan is just a developing country. We Bhutanese take peace, unity and stability for granted given the enlightened leadership of our beloved Kings.

The ranking is given based on 23 indicators clubbed under three domains of ongoing conflict both international and local, internal safety and security, and levels of militarization.

The most interesting factor for Bhutan is although the country has a low or USD 500 per capita income, it has managed to create peace better than the top 20 countries in the GPI that have more than USD 10,000 per capita income per annum.

In the long term, Bhutan has to focus on the factors that actually create peaceful society like on levels of corruption, functioning of government and equitable distribution of resources so that there is conducive environment for peace.
Opposition 'Armenia' faction's Gegham Manukyan: Come to Republic Square tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Karabakh President expresses gratitude to Russia's Putin again

Luxembourg calls on govt to not endorse deepening of Azerbaijan-EU relations until repatriation of Armenian POWs

Armenia Security Council Secretary; All to-be-unblocked infrastructures will be under sovereign control of given state

Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's statement on 60 Armenian soldiers encircled in Sev Lake is disinformation

Armenia Security Council Secretary: Azerbaijan to set up customs points on Goris-Kapan motorway starting today

Sweden PM resigns

Turkey Parliament approves extension of mandate for Turkish soldiers to be in Azerbaijan

TIME magazine names first Armenian Robin the robot one of the best innovations of the year

Armenia FM meets with French counterpart, issues related to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict discussed

Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US Ambassador

Karabakh President convenes consultation over security issues

Karabakh's parliamentary speaker receives Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan

Armenia PM chairs consultation over economic priorities

Armenia Judicial Department chief sues Public Council ex-chairman Styopa Safaryan

Armenia President meets with outgoing UN Resident Coordinator

Armenia defense minister attends session of Council of Ministers of Defense of the CIS in Moscow

Armenia minister states periods for construction of new energy bloc of nuclear power plant before 2036

Zakharova: It is time to implement the programs for launching '3+3' regional mechanism

Russian MFA Spokesperson on work of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and their visits to region

NEWS.am daily digest: 10.11.21

Armenia Deputy PM's assistant sacked

Statue of Peacekeeper unveiled in Nagorno-Karabakh

First Orthodox church opened in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia police identify man who beat woman on the street

Erdogan: Turkey is engaged in ongoing process in Caucasus

Armenia FM meets with France Senate speaker (PHOTOS)

Dollar goes down in Armenia

Armenia PM appoints deputy provincial governor to Armavir

Artsakh ombudsman: 2 civilians, 9 soldiers killed as result of Azerbaijan criminal actions after war

Azerbaijan plans to spend over $2,500,000,000 on defense in 2022

Xi Jinping: China is ready to work with US under condition of mutual respect

Russia hopes old Europe won't allow entanglement in confrontation with Moscow and Minsk

CIS countries' defense ministers discuss improvement of unified air defense system

Azerbaijan trying to include Artsakhs occupied Armenian Shushi in UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Armenia to tax electronic services provided by foreign companies

Possibility of 44-day war inquiry committee work boycotting being discussed, says Armenia opposition MP

Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan, Turkey are taking action to provoke Russia military

Armenia premier receives outgoing UN Resident Coordinator

Russia, France to discuss joint efforts as Co-Chairs of Minsk Group

PACE rapporteurs: Armenia has emerged successfully from serious political crisis

How many Karabakh residents are in Azerbaijan captivity?

January 2 to also be non-working day during Armenia New Year holidays

8 kids hospitalized in Yerevan on suspicion of food poisoning in satisfactory condition

Gyumri man, 32, dies in hospital without regaining consciousness after falling from 4th floor

1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh

Karabakh village man, 72, commits suicide by hanging himself

Parliament factions: Artsakh Armenians living safely in homeland is possible only in case of Artsakh recognition

Natural gas fees to not increase in Armenia on January 1

Water tariff to increase for most Armenia consumers?

9 kids from Yerevan child development center hospitalized on suspicion of food poisoning

Los Angeles City Hall is illuminated in Armenia flag colors

1,675 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Artsakh state minister delivers lectures at Fletcher School, Harvard University

Mayor of Armenias Kasakh village to be arrested

Biden-Xi virtual meeting could take place next week

US concerned about meeting between UAE FM and Syria President

Newspaper: Criminal cases against Armenian ex-military officials making no headway

Newspaper: Armenia parliament opposition calls PM Pashinyan to legislature

Japan ex-nurse who killed 3 patients gets life sentence

Azerbaijanis open fire at tractor in Khachik village of Armenia's Vayots Dzor Province while it was moving

US Department of State condemns violence that caused death of Armenian civilian near Shushi

Polish authorities believe situation on Poland-Belarus border will escalate

UN says it is ready to help solve issues of migrants on Poland-Belarus border

ARF-D representative: If House of Lords adopts Armenian Genocide bill, it will become a law for the government

EU Special Representative: We remember all who were killed and suffered during more than 30 years of conflict

Lavrov discusses Nagorno-Karabakh issue with Paul Gallagher

UK House of Commons adopts Armenian Genocide bill in first reading

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
Project report delay wont hit expressway works, says Army

The Nepal Army, one-year into building the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway without the detailed project report, has said preparations for the DPR will not affect progress of the national pride project to be completed within four years.
The mayor of Yerevan should not nonpartisan. Reformists Party mayoral candidate Artur Avetyan expressed such a view at a press conference on Friday.

Avetyan noted that he is a nonpartisan candidate for mayor of the capital city of Armenia.

I believe that a nonpartisan mayor should head Yerevan, since our objective is to improve Yerevan, and not getting involved in a political battle, he explained.

Avetyan noted that none of the other political forces running in Sundays snap election for the Yerevan Council of Elders is an opponent of the reformists because all the contenders have but one goal: to work for the capital city.

The mayoral candidate assured that his team intends to present its program with work, and not by words.

Karen Vardanyan, a Reformists Party candidate for the Yerevan municipal council, added that they plan to run in the snap parliamentary election too.
Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
Opposition 'Armenia' faction's Gegham Manukyan: Come to Republic Square tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Karabakh President expresses gratitude to Russia's Putin again

Luxembourg legislature calls on govt to not endorse Azerbaijan-European Union relations until Armenian POWs' return

Armenia Security Council Secretary; All to-be-unblocked infrastructures will be under sovereign control of given state

Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's statement on 60 Armenian soldiers encircled in Sev Lake is disinformation

Armenia Security Council Secretary: Azerbaijan to set up customs points on Goris-Kapan motorway starting today

Sweden PM resigns

Turkey Parliament approves extension of mandate for Turkish soldiers to be in Azerbaijan

TIME magazine names first Armenian Robin the robot one of the best innovations of the year

Armenia FM meets with French counterpart, issues related to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict discussed

Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US Ambassador

Karabakh President convenes consultation over security issues

Karabakh's parliamentary speaker receives Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan

Armenia PM chairs consultation over economic priorities

Armenia Judicial Department chief sues Public Council ex-chairman Styopa Safaryan

Armenia President meets with outgoing UN Resident Coordinator

Armenia defense minister attends session of Council of Ministers of Defense of the CIS in Moscow

Armenia minister states periods for construction of new energy bloc of nuclear power plant before 2036

Zakharova: It is time to implement the programs for launching '3+3' regional mechanism

Russian MFA Spokesperson on work of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and their visits to region

NEWS.am daily digest: 10.11.21

Armenia Deputy PM's assistant sacked

Statue of Peacekeeper unveiled in Nagorno-Karabakh

First Orthodox church opened in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia police identify man who beat woman on the street

Erdogan: Turkey is engaged in ongoing process in Caucasus

Armenia FM meets with France Senate speaker (PHOTOS)

Dollar goes down in Armenia

Armenia PM appoints deputy provincial governor to Armavir

Artsakh ombudsman: 2 civilians, 9 soldiers killed as result of Azerbaijan criminal actions after war

Azerbaijan plans to spend over $2,500,000,000 on defense in 2022

Xi Jinping: China is ready to work with US under condition of mutual respect

Russia hopes old Europe won't allow entanglement in confrontation with Moscow and Minsk

CIS countries' defense ministers discuss improvement of unified air defense system

Azerbaijan trying to include Artsakhs occupied Armenian Shushi in UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Armenia to tax electronic services provided by foreign companies

Possibility of 44-day war inquiry committee work boycotting being discussed, says Armenia opposition MP

Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan, Turkey are taking action to provoke Russia military

Armenia premier receives outgoing UN Resident Coordinator

Russia, France to discuss joint efforts as Co-Chairs of Minsk Group

PACE rapporteurs: Armenia has emerged successfully from serious political crisis

How many Karabakh residents are in Azerbaijan captivity?

January 2 to also be non-working day during Armenia New Year holidays

8 kids hospitalized in Yerevan on suspicion of food poisoning in satisfactory condition

Gyumri man, 32, dies in hospital without regaining consciousness after falling from 4th floor

1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh

Karabakh village man, 72, commits suicide by hanging himself

Parliament factions: Artsakh Armenians living safely in homeland is possible only in case of Artsakh recognition

Natural gas fees to not increase in Armenia on January 1

Water tariff to increase for most Armenia consumers?

9 kids from Yerevan child development center hospitalized on suspicion of food poisoning

Los Angeles City Hall is illuminated in Armenia flag colors

1,675 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Artsakh state minister delivers lectures at Fletcher School, Harvard University

Mayor of Armenias Kasakh village to be arrested

Biden-Xi virtual meeting could take place next week

US concerned about meeting between UAE FM and Syria President

Newspaper: Criminal cases against Armenian ex-military officials making no headway

Newspaper: Armenia parliament opposition calls PM Pashinyan to legislature

Japan ex-nurse who killed 3 patients gets life sentence

Azerbaijanis open fire at tractor in Khachik village of Armenia's Vayots Dzor Province while it was moving

US Department of State condemns violence that caused death of Armenian civilian near Shushi

Polish authorities believe situation on Poland-Belarus border will escalate

UN says it is ready to help solve issues of migrants on Poland-Belarus border

ARF-D representative: If House of Lords adopts Armenian Genocide bill, it will become a law for the government

EU Special Representative: We remember all who were killed and suffered during more than 30 years of conflict

Lavrov discusses Nagorno-Karabakh issue with Paul Gallagher

UK House of Commons adopts Armenian Genocide bill in first reading

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
Scores injured in Nawalparasi bus-truck collision

At least 32 people were injured after a passenger bus collided head-on with a truck at Kusunde in Madhyabindu Municipality-11, Nawalparasi early Friday morning.
On Friday, September 21, 2018, the Republic of Armenia celebrates the 27th anniversary of its independence.

Senior officials on Friday visited Yerablur Military Pantheon in capital city Yerevan.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President Armenian Sarkissian, National Assembly President Ara Babloyan, government members, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) President Bako Sahakyan as well as Minister of Defense and Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, and several other senior officials visited Yerablur.

https://news.am/eng/news/472144.html

PUTIN, TRUMP CONGRATULATE PASHINYAN

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received congratulatory message from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I am confident that with joint efforts we will be able to ensure the future development of allied relations and multilateral cooperation, as well as partnership in the sidelines of Eurasian integration processes. This is undoubtedly in the interests of the peoples of Russian and Armenia and is for the benefit of the strengthening of regional security and stability, Putin said.

Peaceful, peoples movement opened a new era in Armenia and we are ready to work with you to help establish your peoples will, US President Donald Trump said in his congratulatory message on Independence Day.

Opportunities are being created these months for peaceful regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict which in its turn may open new opportunities for Armenian-American partnership. As OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country the USA is ready to work with you toward finding peaceful and long-lasting solution to the conflict, Trump stressed in his message.

Director of National Security Service Arthur Vanetsyan confirmed that former Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan was questioned over the Yerevan Foundation fraud case.

He noted that Margaryan has a witness status in this case. According to Vanetsyan, at this point we have 1 billion and 807 million-dram (approx. US$3,763,400) misuse at Yerevan Foundation.

The director of the Yerevan Foundation has already given written consent for the recovery of these amounts, he said.

At this moment, it is relatively stable at the border with Azerbaijan, Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan said Friday.

As a result of the measures taken, at this moment, it is stable at the border, the minister said.

In recent times, Azerbaijan frequently fires shots toward the border villages of Armenias Tavush Province. Consequently, a Koti town resident was injured several days ago.

Tonoyan also commented on the participation in the humanitarian action in Syria.

The humanitarian action will be taken under the call by the UN.How can female doctors get involved in the conflict? Or the deminer if he is participating in a humanitarian action?

September 21 marks the last day of the Yerevan mayoral campaign, as September 22 is the day of silence when campaigning is prohibited by the law.

According to different forecasts, three political forces  My Step, Prosperous Armenia and Luys alliance  are deemed to be front-runners. During the entire campaign, political forces failed to agree on holding debates. However, on the last day of the campaign public television organized debates and invited all 12 political forces. But, only ten appeared. Prosperous Armenias number one candidate Naira Zohrabyan refused to come justifying it by wrong format of the debates, while another candidate refused to continue his campaign because of personal reasons.

The polling stations will open at 8am on Sunday and will close at 8 pm.
At the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi, Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, who is in Russia on a working visit, Kremlin reported.



"We are glad to see you in Russia. Not so long ago Mr Lukashenko and I met here in this place, spoke about our current affairs and the future of the integration associations in which we are taking an active part. We spoke about our bilateral relations and agreed to meet in an expanded format, all the more so since substantial changes have taken place in the Belarusian Government.

We must make sure we are on the same page on a number of issues and we need to finalise some other questions. Quite recently, there were many disputes on agriculture and we should dot the i's on energy issues. Therefore, we agreed to meet in an expanded format.

We are very happy to see you in Sochi. We will now have this opportunity," Putin noted.

"We strictly abide by our agreements and commitments, both Belarusians and Russians and you and me, of course.

You rightly noted that we agreed to meet here in an expanded format. This is exactly the attendance  at that time we determined which officials would take part in these talks.

However, I have to tell you that both the Belarusian and Russian governments carried out serious work after that. The Prime Minister reported to me after his latest meeting with the Prime Minister of Russia: there are very interesting ways of resolving many issues and if we move in this direction, I am certain we will resolve practically all issues by the end of the year.

They are not so complicated although financially some of them are difficult because they involve large cash flows. Nevertheless, they must be resolved and much has been done to resolve matters in agriculture and the oil and gas sector, which you have just mentioned.

I do not see any special difficulties in resolving these issues. I think we should simply make decisions," noted.
When most people think of banned books, images of the bonfires made by Nazi soldiers come to mind. For Adolf Hitler and his supporters, anything that smacked of anti-German sentiment was suspect. More than 4,000 books were banned and burned in Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945.



What may surprise many is that in the United States, everyones favorite wizard Harry Potter has been banned from libraries by many churches, community groups and individuals claiming the series by English author J.K. Rowling promotes witchcraft and sorcery. Other writers banned in the U.S. include Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison, suspense writer Stephen King and Judy Blume, the childrens writer.



In 2006, a childrens book, Vamos a Cuba, was banned from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools libraries when a parent objected, saying it contained deceptive information about the island.



To raise awareness to the censorship of books, the University of Miami Libraries will participate in national Banned Books Week, starting on Sept. 24. At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 25, a Read Out panel will be held in the Learning Commons of the Otto G. Richter Library, on the Universitys Coral Gables campus.



The event participants will read from books that have been banned in the U.S., said Lauren Fralinger, Learning and Research Services librarian for UM Libraries and one of the main organizers. A cabinet with banned booksincluding Beloved by Morrison and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Leewill be displayed in the area.



When people think of books being banned they think it happens in other countries or a long time ago, Fralinger said. It happens here and it happens all the time.



That is why it is important to highlight the issue, she said.



This week we are celebrating the freedom to read, said Kelly Miller, associate dean of Learning and Research Services. We hope to raise awareness about attempts to limit that freedom. And we hope to bring attention to voices that have been silenced because of these attempts.



One of those voices is that of Samantha Phillips, a senior lecturer of English Composition at the College of Arts and Sciences, who will read from a book she co-authored, Real Girl, Real World. A parent in New Jersey challenged her book. The book explores issues of body image, emerging sexuality and feminism in teenage girls based on interviews of more than 70 girls.



The judge denied the challenge but someone wanted to control what teenagers had available to read in the library, said Phillips. We had been very careful in researching and writing the book and we felt that is exactly what teenagers needed.



Fortunately, the First Amendment protects Americans from an outright banning of books by the U.S. government, but each year many books are challenged and taken to court to prevent schools or libraries from carrying the titles. Most books are challenged because of sexual content, offensive language or because the content is deemed unsuitable for the age group.



The American Libraries Association is at the forefront of freedom of expression and promotes Banned Books Week nationally.



Libraries are sitesboth physical and digitalfor the free and open exchange of knowledge and information, said Miller. Americans love expressing themselves. And that some of our most influential works of literature, music, and art are precisely those that have challenged us to see the world from someone elses point of view. I believe that encountering such works helps us to grow and become more kind and understanding.



Other participants who will read from banned books are: Jacqueline Galante, a graduate student of Liberal Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences; Saghar Leslie Naghib, lecturer, Intensive English Program, Division of Continuing and International Education; and Roxane Pickens, assistant director of the Learning Commons, UM Libraries. The Read Out event is free and open to the public.



Throughout the week, there will also be a selection on view of banned and challenged music at the Marta and Austin Weeks Music Library. The Librarys entrance will feature works by Beyonce, John Lennon, Madonna, Queen, and Rage Against the Machine.
Slowdown in agricultural growth will delay prosperity: Prime Minister Oli

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Thursday said that a slowdown in agricultural growth was worrisome because it would make it difficult for Nepal to achieve economic prosperity as the sector provides livelihoods for two-thirds of the population, but accounts for only one-third of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Statement Attributed to NIM Deputy Leader Warns Tribesmen from Cooperating with Enemy Forces
Two girls raped in Rautahat

Two minor girls in Rautahat district were raped in separate incidents in the past two days, police said.
VP Pun urges China to invest in Nepal

Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, who is on an official visit to China, paid a courtesy call on Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua on Wednesday evening.
Its TREASON! Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff and Warner now engaged in open insurrection against the United States of America

Its time to call for the arrest and prosecution of top Democrat lawmakers for treason. Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff and Mark Warner have all signed a letter demanding the FBI and DOJ defy the declassification orders of the U.S. President. They are demanding this in order to hide their own criminality, of course. Its a desperate move for deep state Democrats to prevent the truth from coming out about their complicity in the illegal spying on Trump campaign officials throughout 2016, 2017 and even 2018.

All across government, Democrats now think they alone get to decide who runs the country, even after they lost a democratic election in 2016. Every one of these Democrats knows that the power to declassify documents rests with the sitting U.S. President. Obama had the same power, and he used it at will. When Obama called for documents to be declassified, such orders were obediently followed by government workers. But now that President Trump seeks to exercise the same power, high-level Democrats are demanding a deep state coup against the President, insisting that no one follow his orders.

Heres a screen shot of the letter in question:

An attempted coup is now under way in America

President Trump now needs to issue arrest orders for these traitors, all of whom are heavily implicated in the documents about to be released. What this is in an attempt at a coup, said Judge Janine Pirro on Lou Dobbs tonight (see the video below). Its not just obstruction, it is an attempt at a coup. And if you know the Rules of the Radicals, one of the main [tactics] is to create havoc it is akin to treason. It is outrageous.

Brighteon.com/5837350041001

Take action NOW: Demand the full release of unredacted documents

Call your representatives in Washington D.C. at (202) 224-3121.

Demand the traitors be arrested and subjected to military tribunals for plotting a deep state coup against the President of the United States.

The Democrats have now confirmed the existence of their deep state conspiracy to overthrow Trump. The corrupt, criminal Democrats and their deep state operatives inside the federal government are now engaged in open insurrection against the United States of America.

See this video which has gone viral:
Human Element Key

Results Alone Dont Always Attract Science Press

Photo: Greg Lavine

When Washington Post reporter Sarah Kaplan evaluates a science pitch, she wants something more. She talked to attendees at an annual retreat for the NIAMS Intramural Research Program recently about how a human element can make a big difference.

Kaplan recalled her story about three curious graduate students working under cover of darkness on a secret project. The young scientists at the California Institute of Technology had a running debate over whether jellyfish sleep.

Taking matters into their own hands, they went to their laboratory after hours to gather data. The effort produced a science paper proving that jellyfish sleep.

I might not have covered this story had it not been the story of the people involved with it, Kaplan explained.

She offered tips on how to pitch stories to science reporters, including:

Lose the jargon. When aiming a story for the public, avoid insider terms.

Dont oversimplify. Readers can digest complex ideas if they are explained using plain language.

Make it visual. Graphics and photos help draw in readers.

Put it in context. Explain how a finding fits into a fields bigger picture.

Tell the story behind the science. A human element behind a finding can connect readers to the science.

If a reporter is interested in a story, it is helpful for experts to know that not all science writers have a scientific background. Kaplan studied international affairs and came to science writing while working on the Posts night shift. She discovered that many scientists stayed up late and were willing to talk.

The challenge can be getting scientists to speak plainly.

My editor always tells me to pretend youre talking to a really precocious 14-year-old, Kaplan said. A 14-year-old is smart and can pick up on ideas pretty fast, but also doesnt necessarily have the vocabulary or background knowledge an adult who is a specialist might have.

Dr. Sarthak Gupta, an NIAMS researcher, came on stage to test drive that advice with a practice interview. Gupta works on sex differences in autoimmune diseases such as lupus.

Tell me about the most recent experiments youve worked on, Kaplan asked.

We wanted to assess whether there are actually any differences in gene expression profiles Gupta began.

Kaplan quickly interrupted with and gene expression is?

After a few halting attempts at a definition, he laughed. Gupta shared how hard he found it to define something his colleagues take for granted.

Kaplan said she is energized talking to scientists, who are often excited to share their research.

Theres a lot of commonality between scientists and journalists, she said. Were [both] trying to get at the truth. Were [both] trying to understand how the world works and why the world works the way it does.

Sometimes the smallest question, like whether jellyfish sleep, can be just enough to bring journalists and scientists together.
Women to head half of parliamentary panels

In a major fillip to womens leadership, 50 percent committees of the federal parliament will be headed by female lawmakers.
When I first saw GGs I was like "fuck no" but then I saw them on ppl and thought they were cute...so then I went to try them on...and now they're the only thing I wear. BUT I don't have the taped ones I have the Superstars with a little glittery star on them. They're so comfy.

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Okay, but what makes them worth so much? Do they actually have features that make them extra well made or comfortable, or is the price mostly reflective of the perceived 'value' in the fashion aspect?

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well first i must mention that the ones above are fucking hideous and should never see the light of day. second I have to say that I'm a sucker for shoes... and i mean, they're just cute shoes imo. the leather is good quality, so it's not a fabric like converse or vans. it's more sturdy. and there's some support in them so they're not just flat. truly once you wear them in a little they're sooooo fuckin comfy.

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Gross.



Recently I was looking at clothes online and came across a pair of jeans that came with a rip right under the buttcheek. Like ???? I got rid of my favorite jeans when they frayed at that exact same spot.



ONTD, what current fashion trends do you hate?



Most of them tbh. For the most part fashion is so ugly rn.

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Way too many people have to suffer for "fashion" and it's hard to stomach.

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those just look so uncomfortable, i feel like the plastic or whatever it is would just feel all sticky and hot

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I bet she got swamp ass from this

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How's that work when she farts? Does it steam up or...?

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Now with free yeast infection.

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reminds me of this:





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ripped jeans are going to be the trend this decade that people will look back on 10 years from now and cringe

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Most of them tbh. For the most part fashion is so ugly rn.



This, I usually don't give two sh*ts about fashion, but I look at some of this stuff and think; WTF?!

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I was going to say, what's the difference between these kicks and jeans that are faded and have rips and are made to look old and worn and cost $700? Everyone has been selling those for the past 5 years and I haven't seen protests. They're "fashion" and these sneakers aren't?

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lol the most shocking thing about these comments is the insinuation ripped jeans are a new trend. they were huge when i was in middle school - over 15 years ago, and even then people were rolling their eyes and saying how you have to "earn" the rips by wearing quality jeans for a long time. it was ugly then and it is ugly now.



i can't remember if i ever liked anything trendy, each year just seems like a horrible trainwreck to me and none of it ever looks good on my body anyway.

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a rip right under the buttcheek



ngl, I kinda like that trend, I think it's sexy. I would totally wear one, if I lived in a bigger city and had a better ass

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I liked ripped up jeans but ripped at the ass is definitely my limit XD

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I love it because for once it's so easy. All I have to do is ask myself "Is this truly hideous?" If the answer is yes, it's in style.

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It's dying out now but cold shoulder tops.



Also shorts that expose your butt cheeks.

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They were still wearing the cold shoulder look to the Emmy awards a couple of days ago, and Keira wore them to the TIFF premiere of Colette. Donna Karan ushered in that look in 1992 and it's still going.

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Yea I love them, I have great shoulders and collarbones so I love showing them off lol.

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I hate cold shoulder tops!

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loooool

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Im so over the tiny-frame glasses revival

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Those tiny-frame glasses are hideous, no one looks good in those.

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Edited at 2018-09-21 03:24 am (UTC) Um Keanu Reeves/Carrie Anne Moss would like to have a word with you!

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imagine paying hundreds of dollars for... that lmao

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At this rate, someone is gonna make this bit from Zoolander an actual unironic thing:





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came in just to see if this was posted.

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Were basically already there. Or hell remember heroin chic?

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Oh God, I hope that trend NEVER comes back. And the fashion industry still adheres that all models need to be that unhealthy level of thin.

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This is so dumb and ugly. I hate clothes (usually jeans) with rips in them as well. Why would i pay for destroyed shit. /oldmanyellingatcloud

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This is so trash and they knew exactly what they were doing.



The fashion I hate the most at the moment is the giant clunky ugly sneaker. Why

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Dad sneakers should not be fashionable. Actually, all the brands my 60 year old parents used to wear should not be fashionable

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It KILLS me that people act like that shit is cute. Demna needs to be guillotined

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lol for real? Like is it meant to be ironic or anti fashion because I don't get it. It looks so bulky

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Yeah this is def the trend I like least. Sf ugly

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Well I'm not crazy about bike shorts being worn as regular clothes

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oh god i didn't realize this was a thing until the other day when i went to disneyland and saw no less than 3 girls walking around with the shorts & matching bra/top, plus a giant oversized jacket (2 of them work in the off the shoulders style ala Ariana.)



I was just like "???? nooooo this cannot beeeee!"

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omg the off the shoulder jacket annoys me so much. ARE YOU COLD? ARE YOU HOT? Are you not annoyed at holding up your jacket around your biceps constantly? Like I can't imagine walking around Disney all day holding my jacket around me in a specific way in order to stay on trend.

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This is funny to me because the last time I was shoe shopping at Nordstom, a couple in bike shorts came in and they left nothing to the imagination. It was too much. Put some freaking clothes on if you're going to go shoe shopping in a mall.

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Lol I remember it being popular in the 90s and I used to wear them when I was kid.

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Fashion has been going downhill for years now, how much worse is it going to get?

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Wait till the recession hits

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Spoken like someone who didn't live through the '80s.

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You know, I had a dream just the other night that shoulder pads were making a comeback and I was like...NO! NO, NOPE, world of no, all of the no. I was genuinely angry when I woke up, lol.



But yeah, 80s fashion was terrible and NONE of that ever needs to come back t b h.

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I did, and everything was better than this. Not to mention at least you got what you paid for quality-wise back then.

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People were actually designing then though, not adding a rip to a denim skirt that looks identical to those abercrombie sells and calling it a design and selling it for a thousand bucks. (IA 80s was one of the worst decades for fashion).

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This is fucking stupid, b like when hollister and a&f would sell those raggedy ass jeans

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I feel like I hear about their shoes every year. That said, theyre ugly and I hate the ironic streetwear trend. So over Vetements, Balenciaga, Off White, etc. putting household shit and Helvetica on ugly shit and selling it as fashion chic shit. This shouldve ended the second those $800 DHL t-shirts came onto the scene.

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Vetements and Off White are such a joke, those people aren't designers.

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For real, Virgil at LV is a gag already but Demna at Balenciaga after Ghesquiere (even after Alexander Wangs hot minute) is a straight-up scam.

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lol im a designer at nike and all my coworkers go apeshit when the off white collabs drop



so ugly

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vetements and off-white are awfully overpriced ugly shit.

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ugh yes, they're the worst

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Lol.



This was gonna be the next evolutionary step from ripped tees and jeans.

Both of which I cannot stand.

No denim should have rips in it.

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I hate all the trends tbh. I started watching capsule wardrobe videos a few years ago and its really changed the way I look at clothes, I buy so much less and I like all my clothes now

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Links please!

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https://www.youtube.com/user/signe2605





https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5QXMUx1tT7odhtBdDyEA



https://www.youtube.com/user/1onestar



Tbh her capsule wardrobe is kinda bullshit because she just about buy a whole new wardrobe every season and shes partnered up with Topshop and buys a lot of stuff but the beginning videos were helpful

https://www.youtube.com/user/ViviannaDoesMakeup



Ive learn so much about quality in clothing from watching her videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChxkFSjTE7nLCHsDk8_pRhg Shes my favorite and does ethical brands tooTbh her capsule wardrobe is kinda bullshit because she just about buy a whole new wardrobe every season and shes partnered up with Topshop and buys a lot of stuff but the beginning videos were helpfulIve learn so much about quality in clothing from watching her videos

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i love double stuf golden oreos, tbh

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FAVORITE

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i am convinced the ppl who like those are reptilians

pls take me with u to your mother planet when the apocalypse comes

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we will consider it as we are a merciful people. :P

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The spelling of "Stuf" is still so weird to me.

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I coulda swore Oreo's already had this flavor

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Maybe it was just limited cause I remember that too.

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I still see it at my grocery stores. I much prefer the Dairy queen cookies and cream blizzard flavor. I miss those

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They do. I think the packaging is what's limited and new release.

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They did/do

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Cute.



Target had really cute Disney stuff for the summer.



Anyway, I probably wont be buying any flavored Oreos. The last ones I bought were the cherry cola with pop rocks and... it was ok....

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12 for $3 and all of them I get to eat myself?!!?! YASS BITCH I have been LOOOOOOVING these sea salt caramel/dulce de leche ice cream sandwiches from walmart:12 for $3 and all of them I get to eat myself?!!?! YASS BITCH

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Oh, my god! That looks divine! I'm going to be getting these later on today. Thanks for posting this!

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I've bought one box a week since I've discovered them and they are HEAVEN!



Something about the salt keeps the cookie just the right amount of crunchy even if the ice cream melts a bit.

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i read this as 3 sandwiches for $12 and i was like ??? i need a nap

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Damn those look good. 



If eating them is wrong, I dont want to be right.

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I never go to Wal-Mart, but this may be enough to get me to step in there

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omg those look so good. Canada probably doesn't have them, we never get the fun stuff.

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Yeah these are amazing. Caramel ice cream is easy to make tho, look up an eggless recipe if you don't wanna wait long

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Because they're both overrated?

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oreos need to chill the fuck out.



also, this was already a flavor?

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so basically they're repackaging their gross birthday cake flavour... cool, I guess.



I liked that firework oreo they had tho

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LOVED the fireworks one!

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Birthday cake is already a flavor. It's in stores as we speak.

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i had the apple pie flavor. it was not worth the cost.



this is a bad post for me though, i've just cut all sugar from my diet and i'm craving.

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I tried their lemon pie flavor and it was so disgusting and it barely tasted like lemon pie

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their swedish fish oreos were the WORST. i left an almost full bag on the break room counter and it never got emptied.



that never happens lol

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Its what you deserve for buying them

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Nabisco needs to stop. Every time I go to the grocery store I see some gross looking flavors like candy corn or Swedish fish

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So cute! I love Mickey and I want these, except I just started working out and cant eat badly anymore.

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I've only had regular oreos. IDK store bought "baked goods" have never been my thing, maybe bc my mom made the best chocolate chip cookies, I always had kids offering to trade me for them at lunch growing up lol

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Happy Birthday to our monopolizing king. When will our faves? Too late, Disney bought them!

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I would try these if they were the original Oreo flavor. I don't think I have ever tasted a good flavored Oreo.

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Its about that time again. WTI hits $70 per barrel and the tweet-rage is back.

We protect the countries of the Middle East, they would not be safe for very long without us, and yet they continue to push for higher and higher oil prices! We will remember. The OPEC monopoly must get prices down now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 20, 2018

OPEC does have a meeting in the coming days in Algiers to assess the state of the oil market, and decide on next steps. But one of the largest near-term challenges for OPEC is balancing the oil market in the wake of lost barrels from Iran  a key factor driving up prices and also a fact that seems to be lost on the American President.

There are no clear solutions for OPEC+ that leave the oil market satisfied while also maintaining group cohesion.

The obvious course of action is to allow for higher production levels. But there is no way to do this while also getting all parties on board. Irans oil minister said that any change to Tehrans allotment would be blocked. I will definitely veto any decision that threatens our national interest, Bijan Zanganeh said in an interview with reporters from S&P Global Platts and Bloomberg News. Anyone who says they will compensate for the shortfall in the market is speaking against Iran. This is a 100% political statement, not economic. Because any OPEC agreement requires unanimous consent, Iran could block any changes to the formal oil production cut deal.

Iran still holds a little bit of leverage because the specifics of the June agreement, which called for increased production on the order of 1 million barrels per day (mb/d), were not hammered out. In all likelihood, Saudi Arabia and Russia would realistically take on a greater share of output, mostly because they are the only ones that have the ability to choose to produce substantially more.

But formalizing those increases is politically tricky. After all, Iran is taking tangible losses because of U.S. sanctions. Those missing barrels have to be made up elsewhere. Saudi Arabia, Russia and a few Gulf States are the only countries that can increase output on a large scale. But even if Riyadh can physically replace the gap left over by Iran, Iran would never vote in favor of such a scenario. No consensus on this issue is likely, Commerzbank wrote in a note.

Nevertheless, a de facto increase in Saudi production in lieu of supply losses from Iran is the only realistic outcome. The end result could be no formal agreement on specific allotments that take into account falling production from Iran and Venezuela. But the shift in market share may happen anyway, whether or not OPEC+ approves it. Related: Mexico Aims To Become The Energy Hub Of Latin America

It amounts to a sort of co-presidency between Riyadh and Moscow, the two largest producers within the OPEC+ group, but it certainly will diminish group cohesion. They are sacrificing OPEC, they are destroying OPEC and slowly, slowly, without directly saying so, they want to gather some names together to create a forum to replace OPEC and manage the market, Zanganeh said.

He also said that Saudi officials should fess up to their real motivations. If they want to produce excessively, we cannot stop them, Zanganeh said. There is no forcible instrument in OPEC. But they shouldn't do it in the name of OPEC. They should come out and say, 'The U.S. has phoned and told me to increase output. And I have no other way but to do so.'

Not only are Saudi Arabia and Russia taking on a greater role in the current moment to ensure market stability, but they are also looking to institutionalize the arrangement for the long-term. Related: Ex GM Boss: Tesla Headed For The Graveyard

In the near-term, the U.S. seems to be counting on Saudi Arabia and Russia, along with American shale drillers, to offset the losses from Iran. Saudi Arabia has added about 400,000 bpd since May, while Russia has added about 300,000 bpd. But covering the accelerating losses from Iran wont be an easy task. Iran could lose as much as 1.4 mb/d by the end of the year, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics. Venezuela could lose another 250,000 bpd.

Saudi Arabia is the only country with the ability to increase production on the scale of what we are talking about here, but any ramp up in production necessarily cuts into spare capacity, which is already at relatively low levels. The oil market will welcome more barrels from Saudi Arabia, but oil traders will nonetheless grow jittery as spare capacity dwindles.

Reports from earlier this week that Riyadh was content letting oil prices rise above $80 per barrel are perhaps a sign that Saudi officials are acknowledging the challenge of keeping a lid on prices at a time when Iran is seeing significant disruptions. As a result, it wont be surprising if Saudi Arabia increases output in the months ahead, but that the effort fails to prevent oil from moving higher.



By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Irans Air Force and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps began on Friday fighter jet drills over the waters near the worlds most important oil chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, Irans IRNA news agency reported on Friday.

Aircraft including nine F-4, six Sukhoi, and four Mirage started the war games in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman waters, IRNA said.

The maneuver is a warning that Irans enemies will face a stern response if they show ill-will toward Tehran, the AP quoted the official Iranian news agency as saying.

Earlier this year, Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz for all tanker traffic if the U.S. drives Iranian oil exports to zero.

As the first round of U.S. sanctions on Iran kicked in last month and the second round of sanctionsincluding on Iranian oil exportsis set to snap back in early November, the Islamic Republic has recently stepped up rhetoric about controlling the most vital oil flow chokepoint in the world.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rebuffed Irans claims saying in a statement posted on Twitter: The Islamic Republic of Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Related: Saudi Oil Inventories Continue To Plummet

The Strait of Hormuz is the worlds most important chokepoint, with an oil flow of 18.5 million bpd in 2016, the EIA estimates. The Strait connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is the key route through which Persian Gulf exportersSaudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrainship their oil. Only Saudi Arabia and the UAE have pipelines that can ship crude oil outside of the Persian Gulf with additional pipeline capacity to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which is a route of more than 30 percent of the daily global seaborne-traded crude oil and petroleum products and more than 30 percent of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows.

Some 80 percent of the crude oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz goes to Asian markets, the EIA has estimated using data from Lloyds List Intelligence tanker tracking service. China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Singapore are the largest destinations for oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Bullish news on both the supply and demand side sent oil prices up again on Friday morning, with Brent falling back after flirting with $80.

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Oil prices gained this week on outages in Iran and data showing demand from the United States in August was the highest since 2007. Exports are already down quite a bit and will probably continue to fall, from both Iran and Venezuela, UBS Group AG analyst Giovanni Staunovo told Bloomberg. Meanwhile, strong U.S. demand is helping the market to stay in a deficit. In early trading on Friday, Brent was flirting with $80 per barrel.

OPEC+ meets in Algiers. OPEC+ is set to meet in Algiers this weekend to discuss some of the details stemming from the June decision to increase collective output by 1 million barrels per day. Irans oil minister has vowed not to attend in protest of what Iran views as a Saudi attempt to take over market share from Iran, in collusion with the United States. Ultimately, the meeting might not amount to much, and Saudi Arabia could increase production anyway, offsetting declines in Iran. Its likely to be a meeting high on politics and low on decisions, said Ole Sloth Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S, according to Bloomberg. The producers that count are producing at will.

India to hedge oil to avoid rupee volatility. Indias government may ask its state-owned oil companies to lock in oil at hedged prices, both to avoid the possibility of a price spike as Iran sanctions bite, but also because of the uncertain value of the rupee. India imports about 80 percent of its oil, and the sharp depreciation of the rupee this year has magnified the cost of imports. Meanwhile, India will use rupees to pay for oil from Iran beginning in November after U.S. sanctions take effect.

Russian oil producers rise to all-time high. Russias oil companies are enjoying a bonanza due to higher oil prices but also a weaker ruble. With costs in rubles but earnings in U.S. dollars, the cash is pouring in, pushing an index of Russian oil companies to a record high. The danger is that American sanctions related to the chemical poisoning attack in the UK or election interference in the U.S. could target Russian companies. "All investors are asking themselves -- OK, the Russian companies look attractive right now, but what about the next six months, what about the next 12 months?" Alexandre Dimitrov, head of Emerging Europe EQ Funds at Erste Sparinvest Kap Mbh, told Bloomberg.

Iraq oil exports breaking new records. Iraqs oil exports through its southern port at the Persian Gulf could once again break a new record. Exports for the first three weeks of September average 3.6 million barrels per day, up 20,000 bpd from the 3.58 mb/d posted in August, which is the current record high. The progress comes even as protests have rocked the oil-rich but deeply unequal southern city of Basra. There were fears that the protests would get to the terminal, an Iraqi source told Reuters. But so far, there is no impact.

Related: Saudi Oil Inventories Continue To Plummet

Chevron pursues factory model for shale drilling. The Wall Street Journal reported on the new large-scale drilling techniques pursued by Chevron (NYSE: CVX). The factory model for drilling consists of master planning an entire region of small shale wells by locking up labor, building infrastructure and securing sand and other needed materials, all at once, the WSJ says. Economies of scale for large companies like Chevron give them an advantage over smaller drillers. They can transfer technology and skilled people across assets and parts of their portfolio from North America to Argentina, Andrew Slaughter, executive director of the Center for Energy Solutions at Deloitte LLP, told the WSJ. These bigger companies have the scale to build or finance infrastructure and secure the best equipment and supplies. They have come to shale in quite a material way.

New data on EPA biofuels waivers. In a nod to the outraged biofuels industry, the EPA published data detailing its expanded use of waivers for oil refiners, freeing them of biofuels blending requirements. Biofuels and refiners have been in a fierce war during the Trump era, as the EPA has made decisions favorable to the refining industry. The new data shows that the EPA granted 29 waivers to small refineries in 2017, up from 19 in 2016 and 7 in 2015. The waivers have been a boon to refiners but have undercut the market for biofuels and biofuel credits.

Bakken drillers move to periphery. Bakken drilling has increased significantly this year, but higher activity levels means that drillers are being forced into less desirable locations. As a result, the majority of wells in the Bakken could shift from having a peak monthly production of 1,000 bpd to a majority of wells with just 500 bpd of peak performance, according to a study from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority. In other words, drilling activity may need to double to keep output levels consistent in the years ahead.



Bullish outlook affects hedging. As the oil market outlook takes on an increasingly bullish tone, oil companies have pared back their use of hedging, hoping to gain exposure to higher prices. Meanwhile, major consumers, such as airlines, have boosted their hedging to protect themselves from the risk of higher prices. The reshuffling of the hedging mix is affecting the oil futures curve. The major story for oil right now is not $80 a barrel, but whats happening at the back end of the forward curve, Thibaut Remoundos, co-founder of Commodities Trading Corporation, told the FT. Hedging by oil producers in Brent-linked contracts is dropping off in expectation of higher prices in the future, while major consumers like airlines have been rushing to buy for the same reason. You would need to go back to 2007 to see this level of hedging from consumers.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

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Members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) blocked on Wednesday the airfield of the Wafaa oil field in southwestern Libya, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Thursday, noting that it could be forced to shut in all operations at the 40,000-bpd oil field should the blockade continue.

The airfield servicing the oil field was blockaded on September 19, in an attempt to blackmail Mellitah Oil and Gas Company into awarding an unwarranted catering contract, said the Libyan national oil firm, which is a joint venture partner in the Mellitah company together with Italys oil and gas major Eni.

Mellitah Oil and Gas Company produces around 40,000 bpd of crude oil, and condensate, and 400 million cubic feet of natural gas, dedicated entirely to power plants, NOC said.

If the blockade continues, the company will be forced to suspend all operations in the Al-Wafaa field and evacuate all employees. A shutdown in the afternoon of September 20th will result in the cessation of gas supply from Al Wafaa to the Al Ruwais power plant, NOC said, adding that it demands the immediate end to the blockade and the re-opening of the runway without precondition.

The PFG and other guards at Libyan oil fields are paid by the state to protect them, and regularly use blockades to extort more money and benefits from the Libyan authorities.

The latest incident at a Libyan oil field highlights the fragile state of the oil industry in the North African OPEC member, where attacks and blockades on oil facilities have frequently shut in oil production and exports.

Earlier this month, several gunmen stormed NOCs headquarters in Tripoli, killing two employees and injuring 25 others.

A port closure for more than two weeks in June-July blocked 850,000 bpd of Libyas oil (nearly all Libyan production) from being exported from four ports.

Libyas July oil production slumped to just 670,000 bpd, as per OPECs secondary sources. In August, production recovered to average 926,000 bpd, according to OPECs latest monthly report, but the security situation in the country is still fragile, making Libya one of the wild cards in predicting supply in a tightening oil market.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Mexicos state energy company Pemex and a consortium led by U.S. Talos Energy have agreed to evaluate whether a field discovered by Talos in the Gulf of Mexico extends into a neighboring block, where the exploration rights belong to Pemex, a joint statement of the companies said.

The evaluation will continue for two years. It is the first deal of this kind for the Mexican state oil company.

The Talos-led consortium recently made headlines again as the newly elected Mexican government began a review of oil contracts that president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledged on the campaign trail.

Talos Energy holds 45 percent in the venture, which also involves Premier Oil with 10 percent and Mexican independent Sierra Oil & Gas, with 45 percent. The chief executive of the Mexican company welcomed the review.

They should check everything, Ivan Sandrea told Reuters. Along with the entire industry, Im most interested that they clear up all of their thoughts that there was manipulation.

The consortium was among the winners of exploration rights to Mexican oil and gas blocks in the first tender of Enrique Pena Nietos government. It won the rights to two blocks and later announced a discovery that could hold 1.2 to 1.8 billion barrels of crude in Mexicos shallow waters.

No wonder then, that Pemex wants to know if some of these barrels are part of its block. According to the statement, the consortium and Pemex will immediately form a working group with the objectives of maximizing operational and informational efficiencies, defining activities on each tract that optimize the collection of data in the area, and reducing any potential hazards, all to maximize the benefits for Mexico.

The President-elect has big plans for Mexicos oil, chief among them an increase in production. However, this will be delayed as all oil and gas tenders have been temporarily suspended until the contract review is completed.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Indias Reliance Industries has shut down an oil and gas field in the offshore Krishna-Godavari basin after its production rates began to decline several months ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. The field yielded first oil back in 2008.

The Indian heavyweight partnered on the field with BP and Canada-listed Niko Resources.

Production from the field had been under natural decline and facing continuous challenges due to high water production and sand ingress. The field has cumulatively produced about 0.53 trillion cu ft of gas and 31.4 million barrels of oil and condensate and had no remaining reserves, the statement read.

Indias government has been putting a lot of efforts recently to increase the domestic production of crude oil as it seeks to reduce its overwhelming dependency on imported crude, which accounts for more than 80 percent of the national consumption.

The problem has become particularly pressing in recent months as rising oil prices combined with a falling rupee to cause Indias imported oil bill to balloon and spark protests against high gas prices at the pump.

India is also Irans second-largest oil client, which means that U.S. sanctions that return in early November would further aggravate the situation as local refiners seek ways to continue importing Iranian crude, which sells as a considerable discount.

Regarding Reliances decision to stop pumping oil from the MA field, Reuters recalls how, when the company decided to enter the oil and gas sector, its chief, Mukesh Ambani, had promised that Reliance would produce 45 percent of Indias oil by 2010, saving the country some US$20 billion from imported oil.

Despite the MAs production decline, the company is not leaving the Krishna-Godavari basin altogether: in its annual financial report released in May, Reliance said it will invest, together with BP, some US$4 billion in new exploration, planning to produce 35 million cu ft of natural gas daily between 2020 and 2022.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The United Stateswhich is pushing to have all Iranian oil customers stop importing crude from Tehranis looking for alternative oil supplies for its allies whose imports will be disrupted by the U.S. sanctions on Iran, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing a senior U.S. administration official.

While during the previous U.S. and EU sanctions on Iran between 2012 and 2015, the U.S. Administrations had issued waivers for Iranian oil imports for some of its allies like South Korea, Japan, and India, this time the Trump Administration has adopted a much tougher stance and is pushing to bring Iranian oil exports down to zero.

After a meeting with Indias most senior politicians earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States would consider waivers where appropriate, but reiterated that the United States eventually expects to bring Iranian oil exports to zero.

We have told the Indians consistently, as we have told every nation, that on November 4th the sanctions with respect to Iranian crude oil will be enforced, and that we will consider waivers where appropriate, but that it is our expectation that the purchases of Iranian crude oil will go to zero from every country, or sanctions will be imposed, Secretary Pompeo said, noting that many countries would need a little bit of time to unwind.

South Korea, Japan, and India are all negotiating waivers, but until they receive clarity on the issue, South Korea and Japan are not risking sanctions in case they wont get exemptions.

South Korea did not import any Iranian oil in August, compared to 194,000 bpd in imports from Iran in July, according to tanker-tracking and shipping data compiled by Bloomberg.

Japanese refiners have temporarily suspended oil imports from Iran, buying alternative supplies and watching the situation closely should waivers be forthcoming, the president of the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ), Takashi Tsukioka, said on Thursday.

Looking to win waivers, India is reportedly significantly reducing Iranian oil purchases this month and next. Indias imports from Iran are expected at 360,000 bpd-370,000 bpd for September/October compared to 658,000 bpd for April-August, according to data from trade sources obtained by Reuters.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Latvian and Lithuanian neo-pagans have called on Pope Francis to end local Catholic opposition to their quest for religious recognition in the Baltic states, ahead of the pontiff's visit to the region Saturday. Latvia's Dievturi congregation and Lithuania's Romuva community expressed respect for the pope in a joint message. But they said that some in the Catholic hierarchy have been blocking their bid for the official status of a religion. "We sincerely hope that, while you visit, You will urge the brothers and sisters of Your religious beliefs to respect our own religious choice and cease impeding our efforts to achieve national recognition of the ancient Baltic faith," the groups said in a letter to the pope seen by AFP on Friday. Ramunas Karbauskis, a farming tycoon and leader of Lithuania's governing Peasants and Green Union party, is widely regarded as having masterminded moves to accord Romuva legal status in the predominantly Catholic country. The move would give pagan marriages and baptisms the same civil status as Christian, Jewish or Muslim ceremonies. But the Lithuanian parliament has postponed examining the issue, a move some commentators attribute to the pope's visit. The Romuva community numbers more than 5,000 followers, according to the 2011 census -- more than the 3,000 Jews who enjoy legal status. There are no equivalent statistics available for the Latvian pagan community.
The sultan of the southern Malaysian state of Johor has commuted the death sentences of three Mexican brothers who were set to be hanged for drug trafficking crimes, Mexico said. After years of lobbying by Mexican diplomats, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor -- one of Malaysia's most powerful and wealthiest state rulers -- commuted the men's death sentences to life in prison, Mexico's foreign ministry said Thursday. "This was the result of a long process and intense dialogue with Malaysian federal authorities," it said in a statement. The brothers -- Simon, Luis Alfonso and Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal -- were arrested in a raid on a methamphetamine lab in Johor in March 2008. The brothers, who hail from the Mexican state of Sinaloa -- home to jailed drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's Sinaloa cartel -- insisted they were innocent, saying they had been hired to clean the building and were unaware what was being made inside. But a Malaysian court sentenced them to hang to death in May 2012. The conviction was upheld on appeal the following year. Mexico, which does not use capital punishment, neither accepted nor rejected the court's guilty verdict, but pushed for the death sentence to be commuted.
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A quickly growing student population of dual-language learners tends to have much lower high school graduation rates as well as reduced outcomes on measures of reading comprehension and vocabulary, and an interdisciplinary team led by Amy Crosson is researching why that particular population is a vulnerable one.

Crosson, assistant professor of education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in Penn State's College of Education, is working in conjunction with a group of people in the College's Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education (EPCSE). The team is in the third year of a three-year, $1.5 million grant; they have a no-cost extension period which will enable them to continue working together to analyze the data next year.

The most desirable conclusion of the study, Crosson said, would be to have an impact on overall language development and comprehension outcomes across disciplines and opening up access to engaging in academics across the disciplines for the students.

"There's all of this research on bi-literalism and bi-literacy showing all of these advantages to learning more than one language," Crosson said. "There's that body of research, but there's this other body of research looking at educational outcomes of students who are bilingual at U.S. public schools and they tend to be overall very poor. There is this disconnect and we know there is so much potential.

"For the most part we're not serving the kids the way we need to because they're not doing well enough; there are too many kids not graduating from high school and not reading at grade level, etc."

Discovering what can be done about the issue is paramount. "We know that limited word knowledge in English is one of the major obstacles," Crosson said. "What we're trying to do here is intervene and that's with a relatively small, very powerful set of academic words and also some generative word-learning skills to help address that issue of vocabulary knowledge.

"Vocabulary knowledge is the strongest predictor of reading comprehension; it's really critical for comprehension. We know it's an area of need but the question is how can we intervene in a way that will promote deep, rapid word growth?"

EPCSE personnel bring invaluable measurement expertise, according to Crosson. Her expertise is in word learning and cognition and the social and cognitive aspects of learning in middle school environments and also bilingualism and second-language learning.

"They (EPCSE) are the critical measuring people; we can't do our work without them and they can't do their work without us," Crosson said. "That's where the synergy is and that's really important."

The middle-school intervention study is addressing general academic vocabulary, according to Crosson. "It's addressing a set of words that students are going to encounter across disciplines," she said.

"It will really help comprehension and reading and writing across disciplines," added Crosson. "Words like 'innovative' and 'ambiguous' and 'analyze,' those kinds of words that are discipline-specific, but you really have to know what they mean to be able to make sense of what you're reading in different content areas."

Crosson said the project is a development studya series of design-based studies in which intervention has been developed and implemented with different classes of English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Salt Lake City School District.

"I had a relationship with the director of ESL in Pittsburgh Public Schools and I knew about the population there," Crosson said. "In Salt Lake City, my co-PI, Margaret McKeown, knew people at the University of Utah reading clinic who are also very interested in these issues, so that's when they came up as part of the team.

"In Pittsburgh, we have a linguistically diverse group of students and in Salt Lake City we have a majority of Spanish speakers. Part of our question is, how does the intervention play out in these two different contexts? Based on what we learn from that intervention from that experience, we redesign the intervention and then we try it again. We study the results, redesign it, try it again and this year we're doing a pilot study," she said.

Intervention testing will be done versus a control group; thus, reliable, precise measures are vital, according to Crosson.

"We don't want to just know is the intervention effective or not, we want to understand for whom it is effective and in what aspects  in what ways does it have an impact?" she said.

The interdisciplinary aspect helps ensure accuracy. "To address real problems of practicereally meaningful big problems of practiceany single angle of expertise to address educational problems that kind of by their nature are so sticky and large and the issues at play that there are so many, any one angle can't do justice to addressing major educational issues," Crosson said.

"For me, I haven't had the training to have the kind of expertise that Pui-Wa Lei has for data analysis. At the same time, someone can have very advanced statistical knowledge but they don't understand the conceptual importance of word learning and some of the issues around instruction and learning processes  then all of that knowledge about data analysis is for what purpose?  So I see them coming together," she said.

Crosson cited the College of Education for encouraging the building of collaboration across departments. "When somebody who does work that's interesting to me that I know is a little bit different from what I do but it's connected, I know that will be supported if I reach out and try to build a connection," she said.

Crosson also is involved with EPCSE assistant professor Elizabeth Hughes (special education) as well as the Center for Language Science about understanding word knowledge and different aspects about word knowledge and language processing in relation to mathematics.

"We started a really small-scale project but we are working together in really interesting ways to look at multiple-meaning words in math and we're looking at several different populations," Crosson said. "We have English language learners and we're also working with students with learning disabilities or learning difficulties."

Explore further Study shows approach can help English learners improve at math word problems
Killeen, TX (76540)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 54F. S winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
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More private banks are offering sustainable investment options to wealthy clients. How do these products differ from one another? And do the banks' advisory services meet the expectations of investors? A study by the University of Zurich into the products and services of the 15 leading European private banks shows that most still have room for improvement.

Less than 1 percent of the global population controls more than 50 percent of wealth. All over the world, these wealthy investors have an increasing interest in investing their wealth sustainably, in accordance with socially responsible, environmentally friendly and ethical principles. This flow of capital could be a decisive factor in ensuring sustainable development. Many banks are aware of this growing segment of clients and have developed corresponding investment strategies. But how helpful are the sustainable products and services of the individual banks really? And how well are clients informed about these investment opportunities?

Analysis of mission statements, portfolios and services

Two researchers of the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth of the University of Zurich have now addressed these questions. In their report, Taeun Kwon and Falko Paetzold analyzed the sustainable offerings aimed at wealthy clients of 15 European banksfrom French BNP Paribas and Dutch Triodos Bank to UBS, Credit Suisse, Zurcher Kantonalbank and Edmond de Rothschild private bank. Their analysis focused on the banks' mission statements, their range of offers as well as associated services.

"Good sustainable investing offerings exist in the market. However, the difference between banks is large and the number of sustainable products offered can be as low as five, or as high as 108," explains Taeun Kwon, first author of the study and head of the private banking program. "Some banks are in the process of integrating sustainability into all of their investment options, while others offer complementary sustainable products. However, those offers that are really interesting to investors and that are strategically thought through and have a significant positive effect are still few and far between." In the study, Globalance Bank from Switzerland and Triodos Bank from the Netherlands, both of which specialize in sustainability, achieved the best marks. Other banks in the study, including UBS and Credit Suisse, roughly correspond to the industry average, with individual strengths and weaknesses.

Limited influence

However, the banks' products fall short where there might be the largest interest and impact for investors. "Many banks buy shares and funds for their clients and hope for the price to go up and integrate sustainability aspects into the relevant products. But very few actively engage with their investees and achieve meaningful impact," says Falko Paetzold, founder and managing director of the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth. According to the study, only half of the banks offer voting services on shares, which under certain circumstances would enable investors to shape the business policy of the investees with regard to sustainability. While this is possible for private investors explicitly looking to actively engage with companies on issues of sustainability, this option is still largely unavailable for most products, according to the authors of the study.

Relationship managers often lack training

Private investors in particular are often interested in sustainability topics, but have to rely on relationship managers when it comes to investing their wealth. And here the study has identified a key issue: "We often hear that wealthy clients leave their bank because their relationship managers say the bank does not have a sustainable investing offering, although we know that the bank does have such products," says Taeun Kwon.

According to the report, only one in two banks include sustainable investing as part of their mandatory training for relationship managers. And even where sustainable investing is covered in the training, it is limited to two to four hours. "Relationship managers need more training to feel comfortable about leading a professional conversation on the topic," concludes Kwon. Relationship managers also need more organizational support from their bank. When it comes to services, Lombard Odier and Pictet in particular achieved good results, along with the two specialized banks. However, all of the banks participating in the study are aware of the fact that they need to better train their relationship managers about their sustainable product offerings.

The report "Sustainable Investing Capabilities of Private Banks" of the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (CSP) of the University of Zurich offers guidance for both private investors and private banks interested in sustainable investing. It includes leading private banks such as UBS and Credit Suisse and provides a representative overview of the sustainable investing offering in private banking in Europe. The individual bank profiles are of particular interest to private investors who want to review their own banks or other potential banks. For private banks, the report offers an overview of their own capabilities and those of other players, and case studies of good practices.
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When Gov. Jerry Brown said California should launch its own satellite in the 1970s, the plan was considered so far-fetched that critics dubbed him Gov. Moonbeam.

But on Friday, Gov. Moonbeam struck back. Brown concluded his climate change summit promising the state would send its own satellite into orbit to track the formation of pollutants that cause climate change.

The announcement was the most audacious of dozens of pledges political and business leaders made at a conference that sent a clear signal to the world: Either get on board with the fast-moving transition or get left behind.

"We're under attack by a lot of people, including Donald Trump, but the climate threat still keeps growing," Brown said as he capped off the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. "So we want to know what the hell's going on, all over the world, all the time. So we're 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."

A statement from his office said the initiative will make it possible to "pinpointand stopdestructive emissions ... on a scale that's never been done before."

If there was one obvious takeaway from this unprecedented gathering of leaders from local, state and foreign governments as well as the private sector, it was that they are not going to let Washington impede their plans. The attendees made clear they intend to carry the world toward meeting the goals of the Paris agreement on climate changewhich President Donald Trump has disavowedeven if it means states must launch their own space programs.

The landmark summit also aimed to put on notice leaders in the public and private sector hedging on climate action, giving them warning that they could face consequences more immediate than a warmer planet some decades from now. They also risk short-term stagnation, economic and environmental.

The governor's summitand the Trump administration's reluctance to pursue robust climate researchopened the door wide for Brown to pull a version of his satellite idea out of the archives and announce what would be California's first space launch.

The state will develop the satellite with the San Francisco-based Earth imaging company Planet Labs, a company founded by ex-NASA scientists in 2010. California may ultimately launch multiple satellites into space, according to the governor's office. The California Air Resources Board is in the process of developing the monitoring technology used by the satellite. No date has been set for the launch, but it will probably be several years away.

Officials at the air board discussed the possibility of the satellite at their July meeting, where they expressed concern that the Trump administration had mothballed plans to use innovative technology to monitor the pollutants from space.

Robbie Schingler, co-founder of Planet Labs, said the project will inform "how advanced satellite technology can enhance our ability to measure, monitor and ultimately mitigate the impacts of climate change."

The state hopes to put the satellite to use in locating the sources of climate pollutants, which would enable it to refine its regulatory approach and better understand how to confront warming. Data from the satellite would be made available to the public through a partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, which is launching its own pollution-monitoring satellite in 2021. The nonprofit's spacecraft will focus exclusively on monitoring methane emissions coming out of 80 percent of the world's oil and gas production facilities.

"We need to see who is emitting how much greenhouse gas," Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, said in an interview at the summit. "Having an eye in the sky allows us to find out who is releasing how much."

He said space technology offers new methods to track whether companies are complying with environmental laws and keeping to their commitments to cut emissions.

"These technologies that make monitoring less expensive are turbo-driving environmental efforts," Krupp said. "It gives us hope."

The more aggressive engagement of technology in all fronts of climate action was a major theme of the summit. In the case of the satellite project, it is part of a broader international data-sharing effort that officials hope can drive the elimination of greenhouse gases equaling that spewed by 200 million vehicles each year.

California's satellite project will be funded by donors, including Dee and Richard Lawrence and the Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust. The state is recruiting more partners.

The space-age commitment was the splashiest of the three-day summit, but it was just one of several dozen climate pledges made by the cities, states and businesses participating.

The commitments add up to a formidable acceleration of the global clean economy, which is growing to encompass everything from the cars we drive to the food we eat to the buildings we inhabit.

"Our world is in the early stages of a sustainability revolution," former Vice President Al Gore said in a speech Friday. "It has the magnitude of the Industrial Revolution and the speed of the digital revolution."

Plans were put in motion to install 3.5 million more electric-vehicle chargers worldwide within the next seven years. There are currently fewer than half a million.

California will impose emissions targets on the ride-share and autonomous vehicle industries, accelerating the production of electric cars.

The state of Minnesota, which relies heavily on coal power, was among several big states and cities around the world joining a coalition vowing to go coal-free in the near future.

Walmart and Unilever made major forest sustainability pledges. McDonald's is among the nearly 500 companies now working with a nonprofit to slash the carbon footprint of everything it doesfrom beef production to packagingto conform with the Paris goals.

The summit highlighted how the American states that are most rapidly embracing these changes are already showing stronger economic growth than those hewing to the Trump administration's approacha stark counterpoint to the White House narrative that boosting fossil fuel dependence is key to prosperity.

"The states in the U.S. Climate Alliance have had greater economic growth while this group has been in existence than the states that are not in this group," said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a member of the group of 17 governors that banded together after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris agreement.

Alliance members are vowing to meet the emissions reduction targets in the international accord nonetheless.

"If we were a separate nation, we would represent the third-largest economy in the world," Inslee said.

Explore further US to miss Paris climate pact target by a third

2018 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Helmeted hornbills also benefit from FFIs tiger protection work in Sumatra. Credit: Thipwan/Bigstock

The many threats to our planet's biodiversity posed by illegal wildlife trade are as varied as they are daunting, and you could be forgiven for feeling deflated after reading the first installment of this two-part blog. But that was only half the story. Encouragingly, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has met with considerable success in its efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade and secure the future of numerous threatened species worldwide  including Sumatran tigers, elephants, rhinos and other charismatic large mammals.

In this follow-up, however, we focus specifically on how FFI is safeguarding some of the less familiar species that might otherwise go under the radar and, crucially, how we are empowering those living closest to these species to take action against illegal activities.

Parrot patrol

On the Nicaraguan island of Ometepe, one of the last strongholds of the yellow-naped amazon, up to 40% of this parrot's nests are known to have been plundered in recent years to supply the illegal pet trade. Today, FFI is working with ornithologists on the island, who have set up a community group to help protect this endangered species. Survey work to assess the parrot population has led to the identification of four key roosting and nesting areas. Community-led patrols are being put in place to combat poaching at every known active nest site, working closely with local authorities. Meanwhile, community outreach is building local support in Ometepe for the protection of these birds.

Scales of justice

The sterling anti-poaching work of FFI's Tiger Protection & Conservation Units on the Indonesian island of Sumatra is not only safeguarding one of the world's most threatened big cats but also helping to disrupt the illegal trade in critically endangered Sunda pangolins and helmeted hornbills; their investigations have contributed to over 60 arrests and almost as many successful or ongoing prosecutions against wildlife criminals, including several notorious pangolin traders. In 2017, the recorded poaching threat fell by 90% as a direct result of this strategic law enforcement against key individuals.

Community-led anti-poaching initiatives are helping to safeguard Georgias sturgeons. Credit: Thomas Hasenberger/Adobe Stock

On the other side of the globe, in St Vincent and the Grenadines, we are working with forestry staff and residents to develop a conservation strategy for the spectacular, diminutive and vanishingly rare Union Island gecko. This miniature Caribbean jewel is a prime target for unscrupulous collectors worldwide. However, the presence of community wardens, supported by FFI, and increased coordination with law enforcement agencies is now helping to protect it and 2017 saw the first arrest and conviction of a reptile poacher. Work is now under way to transform the gecko into a mascot for Union Island.

Citizen science

FFI's conservation programme in the Caucasus includes pioneering work to protect one of the world's most endangered fish. Georgia's Rioni river is home to six sturgeon species, all of which are being driven to the brink by illegal fishing and trade. FFI is improving enforcement strategies, building government capacity for law enforcement at borders, developing targeted responses to poaching activities, and engaging with traders and restaurants to put an end to the sale of wild sturgeon. Government staff and 'citizen inspectors' drawn from local villages are being trained to use SMART technology (a spatial monitoring and reporting tool) and deployed as anti-poaching teams. The citizen inspectors in particular have proved to be effective and highly motivated; some have independently initiated small-scale action in their own villages.

Tree musketeers

Rosewood is one of the world's most trafficked wild products. This tropical timber tree generates more revenue than elephant ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts combined. Honduran rosewood, which is highly coveted for the production of musical instruments, has suffered a precipitous decline following a surge in international demand. Through the Global Trees Campaign, FFI is supporting its partner in Belize, Ya'axche Conservation Trust, to protect high-priority populations of this valuable tree. Ya'axche's ranger teams are working jointly with government rangers to patrol key areas of tropical rainforest in southern Belize to deter and investigate illegal activity, helping to significantly reduce the threat from trade-driven illegal logging.

Thorny seahorse, one of seven threatened seahorse species found in Cambodian waters. Credit: Zafer Kizilkaya

Rays of hope

We are supporting national efforts in Myanmar to conserve sharks and rays by strengthening legal protection, improving compliance through awareness raising and enforcement, demonstrating solutions to reduce shark by-catch, and increasing protection of important habitats for threatened shark and ray species.

In Cambodia's Koh Rong Archipelago we have helped establish the country's first Marine Protected Area, which is already contributing to a reduction in illegal fishing. In this hotspot for seahorse diversity we are also researching local seahorse trade and developing strategic actions to protect them. The government has now asked FFI for support in replicating this model in other priority areas.

In the Indonesian province of Aceh in northern Sumatra, FFI has been helping local fishing communities to manage their waters, resulting in dramatic reductions in the use of fishing with cyanide at key sites. Looking ahead, we will be working with these groups to identify and safeguard important spawning grounds for fish regularly targeted to supply the live food trade.

Springboard for action

Tackling illegal wildlife trade is high on FFI's agenda. The October 2018 conference in London provides an ideal platform for us to highlight the breadth of species affected, as well as to share lessons from our decades of experience in protecting these species  both terrestrial and marine  from what is one of the most serious global threats to their survival.

Explore further An island of hope for the yellow-naped parrot
The prototype was deployed and tested to extreme conditions on the 20th of April during the EuroMoonMars2018 simulation at ESA  ESTEC. The origami structure was designed as a gateway and sub-system between the exo-habitat, airlock system and exo-laboratory. Credit: Anna Sitnikova

Origami and high-performance textiles are transforming architecture plans for smart human habitats and research stations on the Moon and Mars. Initial field tests of the MoonMars project's origami prototype will be presented at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin by Dr. Anna Sitnikova.

MoonMars is a collaboration between the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG), ESA-ESTEC, research institutions and textile architect studio Samira Boon. The MoonMars team have incorporated origami structure into digital weaving processes to sculpt complex forms that are compact to transport and easy to deploy through inflatable, pop-up or robotic mechanisms in extraterrestrial environments.

"Origami structures made of textiles can be unfolded into a myriad of different shapes. They are lightweight. They can be easily deployed and re-used in different configurations and sizes for flexible spatial usage. Structures remain functional in changing circumstances, thereby extending their useable life-span," said Sitnikova, who leads the MoonMars project on behalf of the ILEWG.

In the hostile environment of space, high-performance textiles and the flexibile nature of origami can provide unique architectural advantages. The angled facets of origami structures mean that incoming micrometeorites are less likely hit surfaces at 90 degrees, dissipating the energy of potential impacts and the risks of penetration, thus protecting astronauts inside habitats. Solar panels embedded in shape-shifting textiles can follow the Sun to gather more energy through the day. Transparent and opaque facets can change direction to alter internal lighting and climate conditions.

Studio Samira Boon has created woven self supported origami structures from a single sheet of fabric and woven self supportive arc. Credit: Studio Samira Boon

Following initial tests of a prototype entrance tunnel during the EuroMoonMars simulation at the European Space Agency's ESTEC facility in April 2018, the MoonMars team is now planning an ambitious series of trials for 2019. In June, the IGLUNA project, led by the Swiss Space Center, will include tests of an origami habitat in the glacier above Zermatt in Switzerland. In September 2019 the team will travel to Iceland to participate in a campaign inside a lava-tube cave system.

"We've just returned from a scouting trip and have selected the cave systems of Stefanshellir and Surtshellir, which has large galleries and a very elaborate tunnel system. We are provisionally looking at setting up a small habitat, implementing knowledge from previous demonstrations of our origami tunnel and woven domes," said Sitnikova.

Studio Samira Boon has created a woven self supported origami dome from a single sheet of fabric and woven self supportive arc. Credit: Studio Samira Boon

The next design milestone will be a self-deployable origami habitat.

"Origami for space architecture promotes cross-disciplinary approaches and applications, providing state-of-the-art production and design methods," said Sitnikova. "Habitats enhanced by such structures are temporal and alive as they are able to transform and redefine themselves in resonance with human and environmental factors."

Freeform Origami Software by collaborator, Tomohiro Tachi, allows the team to sculpt or generate complex origami forms while altering the crease pattern of the model. Credit: Tomohiro Tachi

Explore further How origami might reshape the future of everything

Provided by Europlanet
Credit: magic pictures, Shutterstock

Migration continues to be a frequently debated subject, with 68 percent of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, according to a U.N. report. Although well-managed migration could be beneficial for economies and societies, it could also create challenges for policymakers in areas such as housing, education, health services, infrastructure and social cohesion. Therefore, it's crucial to predict the flow of migrants. A study, partially supported by the EU-funded SoBigData and CIMPLEX projects, has shown that people from smaller cities are more likely to migrate than those from larger ones.

The findings were published recently in PLOS ONE journal. The researchers said: "We observe that individuals from small cities tend to migrate more frequently, tending to move to similar-sized cities, whereas individuals from large cities do not migrate so often, but when they do, they tend to move to other large cities."

Internal migration and city size

Summarising the research, a press release by University College London (UCL) states that "the size of origin and destination cities play a crucial role in the behaviour of people who move from one place to another." Quoted in the same press release, UCL Ph.D. student and lead researcher Rafael Prieto Curiel said: "The results could have an impact on future integration policies as governments can more accurately predict where citizens are likely to move from and to within their country." He emphasised that migrants contribute to the prosperity of their destination with skills and activities, "but migration requires integration policies and social support systems to allow newcomers to settle into a new environment and therefore fully contribute locally."

In the press release, co-author Prof. Steven Richard Bishop from the Department of Mathematics at UCL explained: "The new scaling model has not previously been used to identify migration patterns. It applies a mathematical formula to migratory patterns relative to city size." Prof. Bishop also noted that the model could be used to "more accurately predict population movement as it corrects biases which occur in other methods. This is an important, data-led development in revealing how communities and regions will grow and develop in the future."

The study focused on internal migration patterns across the United States. It considered a city as having a population of over 50,000. Anything less than this figure was referred to as a rural area.

The ongoing SoBigData (SoBigData Research Infrastructure) aims to create a research infrastructure "for ethic-sensitive scientific discoveries and advanced applications of social data mining to the various dimensions of social life, as recorded by "big data"," according to the project website. It provides facilities for large-scale social data analysis and simulation experiments.

SoBigData's vision of examining various aspects of societal complexity from a data- and model-driven perspective is also shared by CIMPLEX (Bringing CItizens, Models and Data together in Participatory, Interactive SociaL EXploratories). One of the objectives of CIMPLEX, which ended in 2017, was to produce fundamental theoretical, methodological and technological advances. It also aimed at combining these on a broadly usable ICT platform, the project website states.

Explore further City size plays crucial role in migration patterns

More information: Rafael Prieto Curiel et al. Gravity and scaling laws of city to city migration, PLOS ONE (2018). Journal information: PLoS ONE Rafael Prieto Curiel et al. Gravity and scaling laws of city to city migration,(2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199892
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The building blocks of matter in our universe were formed in the first 10 microseconds of its existence, according to the currently accepted scientific picture. After the Big Bang about 13.7 billion years ago, matter consisted mainly of quarks and gluons, two types of elementary particles whose interactions are governed by quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of strong interaction. In the early universe, these particles moved nearly freely in a quark-gluon plasma. Then, in a phase transition, they combined and formed hadrons, among them the building blocks of atomic nuclei, protons and neutrons.

In the current issue of Nature, an international team of scientists has presented an analysis of a series of experiments at major particle accelerators that sheds light on the nature of this transition. The scientists determined with precision the transition temperature and obtained new insights into the mechanism of cooling and freeze-out of the quark-gluon plasma into the current constituents of matter such as protons, neutrons and atomic nuclei. The team of researchers consists of scientists from the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, and from the universities of Heidelberg and Munster (Germany), and Wroclaw (Poland).

A central result: The record-breaking high-energy experiments with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the research center CERN produced matter in which particles and antiparticles coexisted in equal amounts, similar to the conditions in the early universe. The team has confirmed via analysis of the experimental data theoretical predictions that the phase transition between quark-gluon plasma and hadronic matter takes place at the temperature of 156 MeV, 120,000 times higher than that in the interior of the sun.

"Snowballs in hell"

The physicists analyzed the yields of a number of particles and antiparticles. "Our investigations revealed a number of surprising discoveries. One of them is that light nuclei and their antiparticles are produced at the same temperature as protons and anti-protons, although their binding energies are about 100 times smaller than the energy corresponding to the transition temperature," explains Prof. Dr. Anton Andronic of the University of Munster. The scientists presume that such "loosely bound objects" are formed at high temperature first as compact multi-quark objects that only later develop into the observed light nuclei and anti-nuclei. The existence of such multi-quark states was proposed a long time ago, but no convincing evidence was found.

"Confinement": Charm quarks travel freely in the fireball

Another remarkable observation concerns a phenomenon long known but poorly understood: Normally, quarks are confined into the interior of protons and neutrons; isolated quarks have never been observed, a property which scientists describe as "confinement." In the interior of the fireball formed during nuclear collisions at high energy, quarks are deconfined. The new study shows that charmonium states such as J/psi mesons, consisting of a pair of charm and anti-charm quarks, are produced far more often at LHC energies compared to observations at lower energies, such as at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider in the U.S.

Because of the higher energy density at LHC, a reduction of J/psi mesons through dissociation was expected. However, enhancement was predicted 18 years ago by two of the team members (Prof. Dr. Peter Braun-Munzinger, GSI, and Prof. Dr. Johanna Stachel, Universitat Heidelberg) because of deconfinement of the charm quarks. The consequences of the prediction were worked out in detail in a series of publications by the whole team. The observations of enhanced production of J/psi particles confirms the prediction: J/psi mesons can only be produced in the observed large quantities if their constituents, the charm and anti-charm quarks, can travel freely in the fireball over distances of a trillionth of a centimetercorresponding to about 10 times the size of a proton. "These observations are a first step toward understanding the phenomenon of confinement in more detail," says Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Redlich of the University of Wroclaw (Poland).

In the ALICE experiment, scientists from 41 countries investigated the state of the universe within microseconds after the Big Bang by observing collisions between two lead nuclei. The highest-ever man-made energy densities are produced in such collisions. These result in the formation of matter (quarks and gluons) as it existed at that time in the early universe. In each head-on collision, more than 30,000 particles (hadrons) are produced that are then detected in the ALICE experiment. The actual study also used data from experiments at lower energy accelerators, the Super Proton Synchrotron at CERN and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at the US-Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York.

More information: Anton Andronic et al, Decoding the phase structure of QCD via particle production at high energy, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Anton Andronic et al, Decoding the phase structure of QCD via particle production at high energy,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0491-6
Formation of the Te-Te dimers due to charge disproportionation on Au sites. Credit: S. V. Streltsov et al./PNAS

Scientists from Russia and Germany have shed light on the crystalline structure of calaverite, foretelling the existence of a new gold compound previously unknown to chemists. The results of their study were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A gold tellurite with the chemical formula AuTe 2 displays high modulation in the positions of gold and tellurium atoms in its crystals. This means that calaverite's crystal lattice cannot be explained by Hauy's law, which describes the crystals of most minerals. Calaverite and other incommensurate crystals have long been a mystery for crystallographers. In the 1970s, scientists found a way of describing their structures using 4-D space instead of the customary 3-D space in their calculations. However, researchers have been clueless as to the reasons for the weird behavior of calaverite crystals.

Research teams from the RAS Institute of Metal Physics (led by Professor Sergey Streltsov), the University of Cologne (led by Professor Daniil Khomsky), Skoltech and the Moscow Institute of Physics Technology (MIPT) (led by professor Artem Oganov) cracked the mystery of incommensurate calaverite crystals, gaining insights into the electronic spectra obtained in the experiments and their superconducting capability created by pressure or additives.

"The simple reasoning suggests that gold should be divalent in this compound in much the same way as iron is in FeS 2 , known as "fool's gold." Any chemist understands that divalent gold is extremely unstable and tends to become monovalent and trivalent, but there lies the rub: First, 3+ is too high a valence. Second, there is no way to place monovalent or trivalent gold (assuming it exists in the first place) on calaverite's triangular lattice with the pattern repeating in each direction. Therefore, nature dictates the compromise by smoothly changing the valence of gold in the crystal. Tellurium's environment responds to the change and this results in bizarre crystal lattices," explains Sergey Streltsov

The scientists also relied on the USPEX, an advanced evolutionary algorithm created by Artem Oganov and intensively used by crystallographers worldwide to predict all the known stable tellurides of gold and a new telluride, AuTe, unknown until now.

"There's quite a story behind calaverite. Apart from its marked impact on the Gold Rush, the mineral has been a headache and a great paradox for crystallographers for decades. The deeper you dug into it, the more new questions came up. Our team has succeeded in interlacing all the oddities of calaverite within a simple model, so experimenters can now hunt for the new compound we predicted, AuTe, which I'm sure is full of new riddles," says Professor of Skoltech and MIPT Artem Oganov.

Explore further Scientists elucidate the crystal structure of sodium boride

More information: Sergey V. Streltsov et al, Old puzzle of incommensurate crystal structure of calaverite AuTe 2 and predicted stability of novel AuTe compound, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Sergey V. Streltsov et al, Old puzzle of incommensurate crystal structure of calaverite AuTeand predicted stability of novel AuTe compound,(2018). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1802836115
Female House Sparrow, Bairnsdale Australia. Credit: Wikipedia.

A new study of house sparrows' genes has found the first evidence of animals adapting to lead contamination in heavily polluted areas of Australia.

House sparrows have been in the mining towns of Broken Hill, NSW and Mount Isa, Queensland for around 100 and 50 years respectively, providing a unique opportunity to examine how the introduced species has adapted to these environments.

Led by researchers from Macquarie University, the study compared the genomic data of sparrows from these areas of high lead concentrations with sparrows from other regional and urban centres.

The study found 12 genetic variants in the birds from the mining areas that have been previously associated with lead exposure in laboratory studies.

The presence of these outlier genes suggests the sparrows in Broken Hill and Mount Isa have adapted to avoid the uptake of lead into the body and to counter its negative impacts on neural and bone development.

This can be achieved by down-regulating the lead transporters on the surface of the body to reduce the amount of lead absorbed or by preventing it accumulating in the organs.

These genes and their associated pathways provide targets for observing how well other animal species are adapting to lead contamination.

"Adaptation to pollutants is vital to the future health of ecosystems in areas affected by human activity like mining, but we currently have very limited understanding of how animals can evolve to mitigate the negative impacts," said lead author Samuel Andrew.

"House sparrows generally live in areas with humans, and have been in some mining towns for up to 50 generations, so they're a perfect example to start analysing how wildlife more generally might be changing to cope with a contaminated environment".

"We found clear indications of similar genetic adaptation in two separate populations in Broken Hill and Mount Isa, showing parallel evolution even after this relatively short period of time."

Explore further Toxic metals exposures lower school scores and slow childhood development

More information: Samuel C. Andrew et al. Signs of adaptation to trace metal contamination in a common urban bird, Science of The Total Environment (2018). Journal information: Science of the Total Environment Samuel C. Andrew et al. Signs of adaptation to trace metal contamination in a common urban bird,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.052
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

France's recent decision to pass a law banning the use of cellphones, tablets and smart watches at school for children under 15 is just the latest example of moral panic around new digital technologies, according to a University of Alberta education researcher.

Suzanna Wong, an adjunct professor in the Department of Elementary Education, said digital devices are subject to the same backlash provoked by everything from the printing press to ballpoint pens, based on the reflexive distrust of a paradigm-shifting tool.

"It doesn't matter what tools you have, it's the pedagogy. How are you going to use that tool? How are you going to teach with it?" Wong said.

"I can see [a smartphone] as a very powerful teaching and learning tool. You have a camera so you can do video, you can document what you've learned, you can share what you've learned, you can explore what you've learned. I think teachers have to think of it that way, rather than as a disruption."

Wong said many students are bringing some level of technological savvy to school with them, and not building on that existing knowledge would be a missed opportunity for teachers and learners alike.

"I think we have to do a mind shift here. Teachers used to be the knowledge keepers standing at the front of the classroom. I think now you have to collaboratively learn with students," she said.

Wong's research involves finding out how children are using digital devices in their daily lives in order to develop effective ways of integrating them in classroom learning. She also works with elementary education professor Linda Laidlaw in her Makerspace Literacy Lab, where they provide opportunities for future and current educators to explore how the multimedia functionality of these devices enables what she calls "multi-modal expressions of learning.

"Pre-service teachers need those kinds of introductions, and in-service teachers in their professional development need to have playing time to see how you can use iMovie to make a book report or to share what you've learned," Wong said.

She added that, though they may be in the minority right now, she knows many teachers who are doing innovative work integrating digital technology into their daily lessons.

"I know a young Grade 2 teacher who actually taught her students to use a cellphone to record what they were thinking about their math lessons, about their writing, and to send the message to her, because she couldn't always get to every single child while working in a group. It was amazing."

Wong recently returned from an early childhood educators' conference in Budapest, Hungary, where she said she heard many colleagues express concerns about the addictive aspects of mobile technology. Though she agrees these may be legitimate concerns, she said she doesn't think they should outweigh the potential educational benefits. Integrating digital devices into classroom learning would also offer an opportunity to instil in students the critical thinking they'll need to safely navigate the digital realm.

"As a teacher, I would be really keeping an eye on where students are getting their information from," Wong said. "I would need to teach them critical literacy skills. What are you reading and how do you know if it's true? That's really lacking in the classroom, and I'm not sure how many teachers are confident with those critical literacy skills."

Explore further Six ways that tablets really can transform teaching
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.

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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.
5 hours ago

With high-profile backers, EV startup Rivian goes public

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP)  Shares in Rivian Automotive are set to trade publicly Wednesday, and the world should get a better idea of just how excited investors are about the electric vehicle market. Rivian, the EV startup backed by Amazon and Ford, hopes to raise about $12 billion with the sale of 153 million shares, which would top the $8 billion Uber raised in its IPO in 2019.

Read Article
By Ritah Kemigisa.

The Uganda Law Society has promised to private prosecute errant UPDF soldiers.

The army officers have been on the spot for allegedly brutalizing opposition politicians and journalists.

Now according to the societys president Simon Peter Kinobe, the society is taking all evidence against any officer and are also welcoming complaints from affected people.

He says this is because the UPDF leadership has since kept silent despite the various reports about the conduct of their army officials.

However recently the Director of Human Rights affairs of the UPDF Charles Wacha said a report on the brutality of police and army officials would be out before the end of this week.

The president had earlier tasked the forces to investigate what happened in Arua and the general conduct of the forces and come up with a report.
Up until recently, short-sellers have been having a field day with cannabis stocks, but its now becoming a prohibitively expensive and extremely volatile game as Canadas official legalization of recreational marijuana nears and the deal field in the pot sector sizzles.

The biggest news earlier this week was Tilroy (TLRY), which overtook industry favorite Canopy Growth to become the biggest pot stock by market cap. On Monday and Tuesday, Tilroy gained a whopping 29 percent, giving it a market cap of over $14 billion.

But the biggest number was this: Tilroy has seen an 800-percent gain since its July IPO.

Its push further upwards on Tuesday came as it gained approval as the first cannabis company to export legal week to the U.S. for a clinical trial at the University of California, San Diego.

But volatility rules this roost.

On Wednesday, Tilroy gained another 40 percent in pre-market trading, but later that day it lost over 11 percentand trading was halted five times throughout the day because of volatility. Related: UK Unicorn Eyes Flying Taxis By 2022

By Thursday, Tilroy was trading down 18 percent, but as of early morning trading Friday, Tilroys market cap was over $16 billion, even as it was trading down over 17 percent.

(Click to enlarge) The short-sellers are still playing this game, and Tilroy has a small number of shares outstanding, which means that there arent many investors around who can lend to short sellers, increasing the stocks wild volatility, according to Market Watch.

Put another way, these massively inflating pot stocks are now worth more than, Macys, American Air or Clorox.

In the meantime, Canopy Growths market cap as of early-morning trading Friday was closing in on $12 billion.



(Click to enlarge)

Tilray may be the new top dog in the cannabis pack, but it is also what short-sellers are looking at with this overnight sensation: The company has little by way of revenue.

But the bulls in the room see this: Tilroy has a big international strategy, producing medical cannabis in Canada and Europe and supplying products in 10 countries on five continents. They see the tens of thousands of patients already on the receiving end becoming many, many more. They see some 30 countries with legalized medical marijuana; and they see that number improving rapidly.

They like Tilorys long-term goal:

Our long-term vision is if a patient walks into any pharmacy in any country in the world that has legalized cannabis, that patient should be able to obtain a Tilray product. Thats our global goal, Bloomberg cited CEO Brendan Kennedy as saying earlier this week.

The bulls also like that this company is generally thought to have a very strong management team and the backing of billionaire investor Peter Thiel.

But Canopy Growth itself issued a warning this week, with CEO Bruce Linton saying Theres too much hype too soon, equating it to the dot-com bust.

But that doesnt mean there isnt huge opportunity here.

Related: Coca-Cola Hints At Cannabis Product

You've got to look at this as a really ginormous, unbelievably accelerated global opportunity. There will be a company that, instead of talking about a billion-dollar market cap, you'll be talking about a billion dollars in revenue. And then you'll be talking about multiple billions of revenue, and it will be coming from diversified areas that go from the basic product -- the basic ingredient in cannabis flower -- to the clinical-trial results and medical outcomes with highly durable margins, he said in an interview with The Street.

Its not, however, Tilroy that investors should be worried about. Tilroy may have gotten a little bit ahead of themselves in valuation, but thats not their fault. There are a number of not real businesses that want to get real rich in and out quick. Those are the ones to be cautious of, Linton said.

For Canopy Growth, another catalyst this week is the launch of trading of Canopy Rivers, its venture capital arm, which takes minority stakes in smaller, private companies and which is set to begin trading today on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

By Josh Owens of Safehaven.com

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Upon the granting of a divorce, the court has the general power to order the division of any matrimonial assets. Alternatively, the court could also order for the sale of such assets and for the resulting proceeds to be divided between the parties according to the proportions the court thinks

Upon the granting of a divorce, the court has the general power to order the division of any matrimonial assets. Alternatively, the court could also order for the sale of such assets and for the resulting proceeds to be divided between the parties according to the proportions the court thinks is just and equitable.

Definition of Matrimonial Asset

Under the Womens Charter, matrimonial assets include any asset of any nature acquired during the marriage by one or both of the parties to the marriage. The Womens Charter also clarifies that assets acquired by one or both of the parties before the marriage can also constitute the parties pool of matrimonial assets if they were:

Ordinarily used or enjoyed by both parties or their children for shelter or transportation or education, recreational or social purposes while the parties were residing together; or

Substantially improved upon during the marriage by the other party or by both parties to the marriage.

However, any asset acquired by one party to the marriage by way of a gift or inheritance which has not been substantially improved by the other party or both parties to the marriage, is excluded from the parties pool of matrimonial assets. However, this exception does not apply to the parties matrimonial home.

Pertinently, the definition of matrimonial assets in the Womens Charter does not differentiate between assets located in Singapore and those located overseas. Nevertheless, the Singapore courts have in numerous cases regarded assets located abroad to fall within the definition of matrimonial assets and thus included for division. Overseas assets, particularly immovable property such as real estate, have been recognised for division.

Thus, as long as the overseas assets falls within the definition of a matrimonial asset, they will be liable to be included for division between the parties.

Issues with Enforcement of the Court Order for Division of Overseas Assets

Story continues

After determining the proportions that each party should receive of their matrimonial assets, the court will issue a court order. The enforcement of the order, which is a necessary pre-requisite to the actual division, might present a challenge when the assets include property that is located overseas. This is because:

Courts will usually decline to deal with property situated overseas, especially immovable property.

Further, given that the Singapore court order must be enforced in the overseas jurisdiction where the asset is physically located, there is a possibility that the overseas jurisdiction might not give effect to the foreign court order concerning property within their jurisdiction.

Legally, whilst the Singapore courts are not precluded from making orders to include overseas property in court orders, judges may use their discretion and not make an order on the foreign property itself.

Steps Taken by the Court to Circumvent the Enforcement Issue

It is important to bear in mind that the courts do not physically divide up the assets between the parties when dealing with the issue of division. Rather, the courts deal with the value of all matrimonial assets liable to be divided, including any assets located overseas. In doing so, the court undertakes the following steps:

Ascertain the current value of the matrimonial asset, whether situated locally or overseas from evidence submitted by the parties. Deduct value corresponding to the part (if any) of the matrimonial asset which both parties do not legally own. This usually applies to property subject to mortgage. Accordingly, the mortgaged value is deducted from the current value of the asset.

The remaining net value of the matrimonial assets, whether held locally or overseas, will then be divided in just and equitable portions between the parties. Thereafter, the court has two options in respect of foreign assets:

Order for the sale of the foreign asset and for the resulting sale proceeds to be paid in the proportion ordered to the other party; or Include the value of the foreign asset into the calculation of the total value of the pool of matrimonial assets available for division, before making any orders affecting local property only.

Option (a) is less favoured as there may be difficulties with regards to enforcement as the party might not comply with the order. On the other hand, option (b) is preferred due to the ease of execution of orders made against the more accessible local property.

Option (b) was the approach of the Singapore Court of Appeal in a 2011 case where a property in Gold Coast, Australia was included as part of the pool of matrimonial assets liable for division. Ultimately, the wife was awarded a share of the total value of the pool of matrimonial assets. In implementing this order, no transfer of any part of the Gold Coast property itself was required.

Thus, despite the problems with enforcing a Singapore court order that deals with property located overseas, there are other options available to the Singapore courts to practically effect a division of the value of the foreign property without dealing with the foreign property itself.

Dealing with a divorce and the subsequent division of assets may be complex, more so if it involves property located overseas. Experienced lawyers will be able to guide you through the process and provide practical recommendations that solve the situation amicably for all parties involved.

The post What Happens to Property and Assets Located Overseas Upon a Divorce in Singapore? appeared first on SingaporeLegalAdvice.com.
Bianca Jagger once defended the Sandinista revolution of Daniel Ortega. But today, the Nicaraguan rights campaigner wants to see the controversial leader leave office in her homeland. Jagger, the ex-wife of the legendary Rolling Stones frontman, also wants the United States, Canada and the European Union to sanction key members of Ortega's government and cut off all aid to Managua. "Daniel Ortega is maybe even worse than Somoza," the 73-year-old Jagger told AFP in an interview, referring to the onetime dictator of the troubled Central American country who was ousted in 1979 by Ortega's guerrillas. Jagger says she feels "betrayed" by Ortega, who has faced months of upheaval sparked in April when his government, backed by armed paramilitaries, cracked down on relatively small protests against now-scrapped social security reforms. More than 320 people have been killed in the subsequent unrest, according to rights groups. At least 500 opponents of Ortega's regime have been arrested in connection with the protests, rights watchdog CENIDH says. "Ortega is killing children who are unarmed," Jagger said in the interview, held on Thursday before she delivered a speech at the Americas Society/Council of the Americas in New York. The dual British-Nicaraguan citizen, president of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, decried the "terror" brought on by Ortega and the "merciless persecution... of all those who raise their voices against his government." Ortega is due in New York next week for the annual United Nations General Assembly debate. Jagger says the international community needs to "think of ways to support the Nicaraguan people" and put pressure on Ortega to release all political prisoners. - 'War criminal' - Before her speech in New York, Jagger was in Washington for talks with senior government officials and lawmakers, lobbying them to pass legislation that would cut off economic aid to Ortega and sanction members of his government. That draft could come before the US Senate for a vote next week, she says. A similar bill is before the House of Representatives. For Jagger, the administration of US President Donald Trump is doing a decent job in its handling of the crisis. "There are people (in the US government) who are doing important work in defense of human rights in Nicaragua," she said, singling out Washington's ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, for praise. She also met with the State Department's highest-ranking official for Latin America, Francisco Palmieri, the acting deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. Jagger says she does not think a national dialogue of reconciliation will work in Nicaragua but acknowledges that "all avenues must be explored." As to whether Ortega should be tried, or simply pushed to leave office, Jagger replied, "It would be very difficult for me to say, 'Let's ignore the crimes against humanity committed by Daniel Ortega.'" "We must find an effective way for Daniel Ortega to leave power and for new elections to be held -- but not under his direction," Jagger said. "Daniel Ortega is a war criminal."
China has protested over the US unreasonable decision to slap punitive sanctions on a Chinese military unit for buying Russian fighter jets and surface-to-air missile equipment.

China expressed strong indignation towards the unreasonable move by the United States, and has made solemn representation, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Friday.

The US has seriously violated the basic norms of international relations and disturbed the relationship between China and the US. We strongly call on the US to remedy the mistake and cancel the sanctions. Otherwise, the US has to bear the consequences.

The protest was in response to Washingtons announcement that the Chinese defence ministrys Equipment Development Department (EDD) violated US sanctions on Russia by buying the jets and missile equipment. Both the EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, were named in the sanctions.

The US Department of State said the sanctions were invoked under Section 231 of the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 for engaging in significant transactions with persons on the [List of Specified Persons].

The transactions involved the purchase of Russian Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment.

Under the sanctions, the EDD will be denied US foreign export licences, banned from making foreign exchange transactions within US jurisdictions and prohibited from using the US financial system. Any of the EDDs property and interests within US control will be blocked.

Similar restrictions apply to Li, who will also not be able to get a US visa.

Geng said China would continue defence cooperation and development of strategic ties with Russia.

The cooperation between China and Russia is aimed at helping the two nations protect their legitimate interest and maintain regional peace and stability. It does not violate international laws or target at any third party, he said.

This article China hits back at American sanctions over Russian fighter jet and missile purchases first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
Dozens of Indonesians who served jail time for corruption are set to run for public office, the country's electoral agency said Friday, as the world's largest Muslim-majority nation kicks off campaigning at the weekend. The ex-convicts are among more than 8,000 people vying for seats in parliament and regional councils with 186 million registered voters eligible to cast a ballot in national polls on April 17. Election campaigning starts Sunday. Indonesia is riddled with corruption at all levels of society and its House of Representatives is widely viewed as one of its most graft-riddled institutions. However, the Supreme Court ruled last week that 38 people previously convicted of graft could run for office, despite their criminal records. The decision came after Indonesia's electoral agency tried to block their eligibility. "We were actually against this, but since the Supreme Court gave them the green light to run, there's nothing we can do," General Elections Commission head Arief Budiman told AFP on Friday. Voters must have access to details of candidates' criminal records so they can make an informed decision, said Titi Anggraini, executive director of pro-democracy group Perludem. "The election commission should be transparent -- upload the candidate's life history on their website so everybody knows. But so far they haven't done this," she said. In July, Tommy Suharto, the youngest son of late Indonesian dictator Suharto, said that he planned to run for a seat in parliament, despite being convicted in 2002 of ordering the assassination of a Supreme Court judge who convicted him of corruption. And ex-parliamentary speaker Setya Novanto was jailed this year for taking millions of dollars in kickbacks and bribes.
BY NOBERT ATUKUNDA.

New statistics from the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council have revealed that over 18,000 nurses and midwives both in the public and private sector have invalid practicing licenses.

According to the acting Registrar of the council Rebecca Nassuna, the nursing profession is on the market and thus many desire to join yet they do not meet the criteria.

Out of the enrolled midwives and nurses over 4,180 and 5,760 respectively ha e invalid practicing licenses.

Nassuna now blames the chief administrator officers (CAOs) for failing to coordinate with the council in weeding out such culprits.

To mitigate this practice, the council has set up satellite centers at regional referral hospitals in different regions where they easily renew their practicing licenses.

Yesterday the new board of the nurses and midwives council was inaugurated by the health minister Ruth Aceng at their headquarters in Kikumikikumi.
Voters in the African kingdom of eSwatini, previously known as Swaziland, cast ballots Friday in an election where political parties are banned and winning candidates are sidelined by a monarch who wields absolute power. In the largely rural country that suffers grinding poverty, the election process divides the 1.3 million population, with critics calling it a sham but supporters saying it is a unique blend of tradition and politics. At more than 300 well-organised polling stations in schools and community halls, Swazi citizens chose from individual candidates who are almost all loyal to King Mswati III. The king is one of the world's last absolute rulers, with complete control over parliament and government as well as the judiciary, civil service and security forces. Mswati, who has 14 wives and more than 25 children, has a reputation for lavish spending on private planes and royal palaces, while 63 percent of his subjects live below the poverty line. Without warning or consultation, he changed the country's name from Swaziland to eSwatini ("land of the Swazis") in April. As she waited to vote, Zodwa Mabuza told AFP that the absence of political parties fostered a closer link between citizens and elected representatives. "We know the person we are voting for," she said in the western constituency of Lobamba Lomdzala. "The issues are job opportunities, proper roads and more food packages for the elderly." But another voter, who declined to be named, said that "the parliament can talk all they want, but at the end of the day there is only one boss". Pholile Dlamini, deputy chair of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, dismissed criticism from opposition groups, donor nations and rights activists that the elections were not credible. "To the critics, it is important to say that there is no 'one size fits all' democracy or system of government," said Dlamini. "This system is a perfect fit because eSwatini is a modern-day country that has chosen to preserve its very rich cultures and traditions." - 'Wisest of us all'? - Winners from the 59 constituency ballots will take seats in parliament's lower house, along with 10 lawmakers that the king appoints directly. He can veto any legislation, appoints the prime minister and cabinet, and is constitutionally above the law. He also selects 20 of the 30 senators in the upper house. "The election is a farce, of course," said Bheki Makhubu, editor of The Nation magazine, who spent 15 months in jail from 2014 to 2015 for contempt of court after exposing misconduct among judges. "The king is the executive authority of all things, based on the presumption he is the wisest of us all. Political parties were banned by the king's father in 1973, and still face severe restrictions despite a 2005 constitution that, in theory, guarantees their rights. Election campaigning was discreet, with no rallies, no manifestos and just a handful of candidate posters on main road junctions outside the capital Mbabane. The Pudemo party, which was designated a terrorist organisation under draconian new laws in 2008, called for a boycott of the vote, describing it as "fixed" by the king. Underlying tensions surfaced this week as thousands of protesters joined two days of trade union marches calling for public sector wage increases. The demonstrations were broken up by riot police using tear gas and water cannons, leaving several people injured. "The key causes of public dissatisfaction are fiscal mismanagement, private spending by the king and widespread poverty," Michael Jones, an analyst at the London-based Fitch risk consultancy, told AFP, adding that the election offered little hope of policy change. - 'Crude window-dressing' - The Southern African Development Community bloc and African Union deployed observer missions. The EU and Commonwealth did not send teams after issuing reports criticising the 2013 election. The Communist Party described the vote as "crude window-dressing" for an autocracy. But after voting in the village of Mahlanya, former MTN telecoms executive Themba Khumalo said that "people understand the election, and it works for us". "I have travelled around the world and there are many democracies -- why can't we come up with our own as Swazis, as Africans?" he asked. With 530,000 eligible voters, early results are due Saturday. The king is expected to appoint the prime minister within the next month.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen expressed outrage Thursday after being ordered to undergo psychiatric tests for tweeting pictures of atrocities committed by the Islamic State group. Le Pen shared the gruesome images in December 2015, a few weeks after IS jihadists killed 130 people in attacks in Paris, sparking widespread condemnation in France. The 50-year-old leader of the National Rally (formerly the National Front), who lost to Emmanuel Macron in last year's presidential vote, was stripped of her parliamentary immunity over the pictures and charged with circulating violent messages that can be viewed by minors. On Thursday, she tweeted copies of a court order requiring her to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Dated September 11, it calls for the tests to be carried out "as soon as possible" to establish whether Le Pen "is capable of understanding remarks and answering questions". "It's crazy," fumed Le Pen, herself a trained lawyer. "I thought I had been through it all: well, no! For having condemned Daesh (IS) horrors in tweets, the 'justice system' is putting me through psychiatric tests! Just how far will they go?" she asked, repeating her view that it was part of a government plot to discredit her. - 'I won't go!' - Speaking to reporters in the halls of the National Assembly, Le Pen said she felt "persecuted" by the state and would defy the order. "Of course I won't go and submit myself to this psychiatric evaluation," she declared, daring the investigating magistrate to "force" her. Under French law there is no legal mechanism for forcing a person to comply with such an order. The prosecutor's office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where the court is located, said such tests were routine in cases involving the dissemination of violent messages. But there were howls of indignation from Le Pen's supporters and allies. Italy's powerful far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted his sympathy for Le Pen. "A prosecutor has ordered psychiatric tests on Marine Le Pen. There are no words. Solidarity with her and those French people who love liberty," wrote Salvini, whose League party is in an alliance with Le Pen's faction. Her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded the National Front before being pushed out by his daughter as she sought to marginalise his more inflammatory style, came to her support. "The insolence of some magistrates has no limits," he said of the ruling. Donald Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon, who wants to form a pan-European right-wing movement, said in a statement: "I've said for years that when the elites can't beat your ideas, they try to beat you down as a person -- to call into question your trustworthiness or intelligence or stability." "The psychiatrisation of political opposition was a common tactic in the USSR, reflecting more on the sickness of the regime than its target," he added. Even some of Le Pen's fiercest opponents also expressed misgivings about the tests. Her leftist nemesis Jean-Luc Melenchon, the France Unbowed leader who once called Le Pen "half-demented", tweeted his "total disagreement" with the court order. "It's not these kind of methods that will drive back the far right," wrote Melenchon. - Party 'risks death' - Le Pen shared the IS images in response to a French journalist who drew a comparison between the jihadist group and her party. One of the pictures showed the body of James Foley, an American journalist beheaded by the Sunni extremists. Another showed a man in an orange jumpsuit being run over by a tank and the third showed a Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage. "Daesh is this!" Le Pen wrote in a caption, using an Arabic acronym for IS. She later deleted the picture of Foley after a request from his family, saying she had been unaware of his identity, but she has denounced the case against her as a violation of her freedom of expression. If convicted, she faces up to three years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($87,000). Another National Rally lawmaker, lawyer Gilbert Collard, has also been charged for tweeting pictures of IS atrocities. The furore over the psychiatric tests comes as Le Pen attempts to rally support for her cash-strapped party ahead of European elections next spring, in which she is hoping to rebound from her presidential defeat. Last week, she repeated warnings that her party's existence was at stake if it didn't manage to win back two million euros in subsidies seized as part of an inquiry into claims it misused millions' worth of European Parliament funds.
Hong Kongs main free-to-air broadcaster Television Broadcasts won a copyright infringement case in Australia on Thursday, in which the Federal Court will order the countrys internet service providers to block the use of set-top boxes.

Australian telecoms including Telstra, Optus, Vocus and TPG are ordered by the court to take action within 15 days to block their customers from using illegal set-top boxes, devices used to stream TVBs copyright content, according to a statement by TVB.

The company brought the case to the Australian court in early 2018. The main purpose of the illicit streaming set-top boxes was to facilitate copyright infringement by making such material available in Australia without the consent of the copyright owners, and many viewers who have used such devices to stream TVB content were not fully aware of the fact that they were infringing copyright with this action, said Justice John Nicholas in his judgment.

With pirate content widely distributed on set-top boxes, apps and the web, copyright infringement can bring about losses up to hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars to the company annually, said Desmond Chan, deputy general manager of legal and international operations of TVB.

Piracy content imposes great damage to our business-to-customer offering, the legitimate set-top box TVB Anywhere, and also our business-to-business segment as our licensing partners cannot charge the viewers as they deserve to do, Chan said.

It is not the first victory for the citys oldest television station in their fight against piracy. In 2015 the company joined China Central Television and other broadcasters in suing the manufacturer and retailers of set-top box TVpad in the US. The US District Court for the Central District of California ruled that TVpad should compensate TVB and other broadcasters for copyright infringement, and halt their the illicit retransmission.

After the win over set-top boxes, the company is also seeking to block pirate content websites in Australia, Singapore and other overseas markets. TVB is also in talks with the Hong Kong government to push similar site-blocking in Hong Kong, Chan said.

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TVB reported in August an 18 per cent rise in first-half profit driven by strong income from drama serials co-produced in mainland China and higher advertising income. Net profit climbed to HK$201 million (US$26 million) for the first six months of this year, from HK$170 million in the same period last year. Revenue increased 10 per cent to HK$2.2 billion.

Overseas pay TV and TVB Anywhere brought in HK$73 million in the first half of 2018, down from HK$75 million from the same time last year, accounting for 4 per cent of the total revenue.

This article Hong Kong broadcaster TVB wins case to block illicit streaming in Australia first appeared on South China Morning Post

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Respected author and Chinese childrens literature pioneer Huang Ching-yuen has died at the age of 98.

A written message released by her daughter, Chow Mat-mat, said the writer died at Princess Margaret Hospital on Thursday with her children and grandchildren at her bedside. The cause of death was not mentioned, but a family friend said Huang had been ill.

Cheng Ming-yan, a friend of Huangs daughter and a retired journalist in Hong Kong, said he was shocked and deeply saddened by the news.

Chow told me her mothers health had been rather OK, and Huang was still practising calligraphy until recent months, he said.

It is a big loss to the literary circle of Hong Kong.

Cheng said that under her mothers influence, Huangs daughter developed an interest in writing when she was little and was now a famous childrens author in her own right.

It is a big loss to the literary circle of Hong Kong

Cheng Ming-yan, retired journalist

In 2009, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council selected Huang as one of the winners of the best artist award.

Born in Hong Kong in 1920, Huang, also known as Wong Hing-wan, had a masters degree from the Teachers College of Columbia University in the United States.

Highly respected as the pioneer of childrens literature in Hong Kong, she founded Modern Childrens Magazine in 1941. The bi-monthly publication was the only Chinese childrens magazine in Hong Kong and China that remained in print during the second world war.

One of its most distinguished features was Letters to Big Sister Wan, Huangs section for correspondence with her young readers. She not only explored difficult questions about life and struggles in wartime with them, but used the section to encourage them to study hard.

She also invited them to become children correspondents of the magazine and send in their short stories, poems and drawings. These contributions helped illuminate the lives of children in Hong Kong and China during the war.

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The magazine was however shut down in 1948 by the British colonial government because of the editorial boards alleged links to the Chinese Community Party.

Huang moved to Guangzhou during the 1940s and chose to stay behind after the Communist Party took power. She was the vice-president of the Guangdong Writers Association and vice-chairman of the PEN International Guangzhou Chinese Centre.

She returned to settle down in Hong Kong in the late 1980s and was still active in the literary circle, Cheng said. But in the political circle, she was better known as the mother-in-law of Lo Hoi-sing.

Lo was a key man in Operation Yellowbird, which sought to get Chinese dissidents out of China after the Tiananmen Square crackdown. He was arrested for this in 1989 and was later freed on parole in 1991.

Los father was late leftist Hong Kong journalist Lo Fu.

This article Hong Kong pioneer of Chinese childrens literature Huang Ching-yuen dies at 98 first appeared on South China Morning Post

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Spinner Ravindra Jadeja took four wickets and skipper Rohit Sharma smashed a successive half century to help India rout Bangladesh by seven wickets in Asia Cup match in Dubai on Friday. Jadeja finished with four for 29 to wreck Bangladesh to 173 all out in 49.1 overs at Dubai stadium. Sharma then launched another assault on the bowlers during his 104-ball unbeaten knock which was studded with three sixes and five boundaries as India chased down the target in 36.2 overs. Sharma put on 61 for the opening stand with Shikhar Dhawan (47-ball 40 with a six and four boundaries) before easing towards the target with another 64-run stand for the third with Mahendra Singh Dhoni who made 33. It was another comfortable victory for the title holders who eased through their big match against Pakistan by eight wickets on Wednesday. The arch rivals meet again in the Super Four match in Dubai on Sunday. Sharma praised his bowlers. "We bowled very well and we always knew it was going to be better batting under the lights," said Sharma. "Once you're in, you got to make sure you bat as long and as deep as possible. "Tomorrow is a day off. Hope to repeat the same performance against Pakistan." Bangladesh skipper urged his batsmen to show guts. "Our batsmen need to take responsibility, especially after failing to score in back-to-back matches. The next match is against a tough team with good bowlers," said Mortaza whose team plays Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Jadeja, playing his first one-day international for over a year, was at his best after India sent Bangladesh into bat on a flat pitch. He only came into the squad as a replacement for all-rounder Hardik Pandya who was ruled out of the tournament with a back injury. Pacemen Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-32) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-37) were also ruthless as Bangladeshi batting couldn't get going with tail-ender Mehidy Hasan top-scoring with a 50-ball 42 with two sixes and two boundaries. Bangladesh, who were bowled out for a mere 119 against Afghanistan on Thursday, were once again off to a disastrous start during which they lost half the side for just 65 runs. Mushfiqur Rahman, who scored a brilliant hundred against Sri Lanka, managed 21 while star batsman Shakib Al Hasan failed yet again with 17. It could have been worse had Mehidy not put on a fighting 66-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Mashrafe Mortaza who made 26 with two sixes. Top two teams from the Super Four will play the final in Dubai on September 28.
Singapore state courts (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

He downloaded a mobile application for the purpose of chatting with young girls and began sexually grooming a girl who was believed to be 15 years old.

Muhammad Syazili Muhammad Noor Aal Toha, a 53-year-old Singaporean, later asked the girl to send a photograph of her private parts to him.

On Thursday, the technician was jailed for four months after pleading guilty to one count of attempting to procure the commission of an indecent act by the girl through the photo request  a breach under the Children and Young Persons Act  and one count of sending an obscene photograph of his private parts to the girl.

The case was unique in that the police were unable to identify the supposed teenage girl. In May this year, a trial was called to determine if Syazili had a case to answer to given that the girl could not be identified and the court ruled that the case should proceed. However, instead of taking the stand, Syazili decided to plead guilty.

Sometime in late 2016, Syazili downloaded the social application Tagged on his phone to talk to young girls. He began chatting with the girl through the app on 8 December. The girl told him then that she was 15 years old.

Syazili then started talking to the girl about his profile picture, which was of a sex toy, and told her how to use it.

The man told the girl to call him daddy and he would address her as baby. He also claimed that he would teach her sex education.

Syazili tried to arrange a meetup with the girl, telling her about the sexual acts they could engage in. He then sent her a picture of his private parts and asked for a nude picture in return. The girl sent a picture of her private parts to him.

To avoid detection, Syazili used the wi-fi at his mother-in-laws home to chat on Tagged.

The police received information about the case through an unknown informant.

During the course of investigations, Syazili told the police that he preyed on young girls as they are easily to be tackle (sic) with when I talk about sex topics with them. Syazili admitted that he would delete messages and photographs to hide his interaction with the girl.

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Deputy Public Prosecutor Michael Quilindo sought a five-month jail term for Syazili. He said Syazili was deliberately seeking out a minor for sexual gratification. Syazilis actions were the very epitome of a predator lurking in the dark recesses of the Internet.

In addition, Syazili had engaged in moral corruption and used vulgar terms with the girl, said the prosecution.

Syazilis lawyer, Gino Hardial Singh, asked for the maximum fine of $10,000 or a prison sentence of not more than three months to be imposed. He said Syazili is supporting his family financially and has to care for his ailing mother-in-law.

Noting that the girl has not been identified, the lawyer said the alleged minor was not in a position of special vulnerability with respect to Syazili and that she had consensually engaged in online chats with Syazili.

For attempting to procure the commission an indecent act by a child, Syazili could have been jailed up to five years and/or fined $10,000 on a first offence.

Other Singapore stories:

Housewife who caused maids head to hit the toilet wall jailed 13 months

Singapore government should pass laws against fake news: Select Committee

Not right to compare Singapores political situation with Malaysias: Anwar Ibrahim
AFPTV

From Bangladesh to Britain to Nigeria, many young campaigners on the front lines of the global fight against climate change face a new problem: the impact the crisis is having on their mental health. As thousands of delegates converge at the COP26 summit in Glasgow to discuss ways to tackle the environmental emergency, AFP spoke with three youth activists around the world who spoke candidly of their experience of climate anxiety and how they are turning these fears for the future into action.
Ousted Hong Kong lawmaker Lau Siu-lai has announced a bid to re-enter the legislature in a November by-election.

Lau, one of six lawmakers removed from the Legislative Council for improperly taking their oaths, vowed to return to Legco to stand for justice and strive for our future.

She will contest the poll for the Kowloon West constituency.

At a rally on Thursday afternoon, Lau said she never supported Hong Kong independence. She said her previous calls for self-determination had to do with genuine universal suffrage and autonomy in livelihood issues, such as a universal pension.

She said she could not tell if she would join the ranks of pro-democracy activists barred from elections.

The regime has been using unreasonable excuses to bar candidates that it does not like, she said. In such a ridiculous situation, we cant tell how likely I am to be barred.

Lau said she would hand in her papers once the nomination period begins on October 2, to allow more time for the pro-democracy camp to deploy a backup plan, should she be blocked. The 42-year-old social science lecturer at Polytechnic Universitys Hong Kong Community College recently joined the Labour Party, whose former chairman Lee Cheuk-yan was understood to be the plan B candidate.

The last thing I want is to execute the plan B, as that means the election has turned very unfair, Lee said at the rally. Beijing has no reason to screen out candidates.

Lau, who won her first Legco election with more than 38,000 votes in Kowloon West in 2016, spent eight minutes delivering her Legco oath in October that year, pausing for five to seven seconds between every word. She was unseated in July last year in a High Court ruling, alongside three other pro-democracy lawmakers, including Edward Yiu Chung-yim.

Declaring her comeback in Sham Shui Po, Lau appeared to be focusing on policy, rather than calling for a backlash to the disqualification.

More than 10 pan-democrats attended the rally, including the Civic Partys Alan Leong Kah-kit and Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, the Democratic Partys Roy Kwong Chun-yu and Demosistos Joshua Wong Chi-fung.

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Laus latest strategy was seen as an effort to learn from what happened to Yiu, who lost to pro-Beijinger Vincent Cheng Wing-shun in a March 11 by-election for a seat in the same constituency. Yiu became the first pro-democracy candidate to lose a Legco by-election to a Beijing loyalist since the citys handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997. After the defeat, critics said Yiu did not do enough on-the-ground campaigning or coordinate well with other pro-democracy parties.

Lau may face former television news anchor and political assistant Chan Hoi-yan in the November 25 by-election. The Kowloon Federation of Associations, an umbrella organisation of about 200 pro-Beijing groups, fired a campaign salvo last month by renting a 25-metre billboard outside one of the citys busiest cross-harbour tunnels, featuring Chan as its health ambassador.

Separatist Andy Chan drops legal fight over money worries

After raising public attention, Chan resigned from the role last week.

On Thursday, Chan said she had no updates on a possible election run. Sources said Chan would probably announce her bid later in the nomination period, which ends on October 15.

Meanwhile, Frederick Fung Kin-kee, a former pro-democracy lawmaker, has said he would consider joining the race if Lau were to be barred from running.

Several applicants have been barred from elections in recent years, based on officials judgments that their beliefs are incompatible with Hong Kong being an inalienable part of China, as is stipulated in the Basic Law, the citys mini-constitution. Most notable among them are localist Edward Leung Tin-kei, Agnes Chow Ting of Demosisto, and Andy Chan Ho-tin, leader of the Hong Kong National Party.

This article Ousted pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmaker Lau Siu-lai announces bid to return to the Legislative Council in by-election first appeared on South China Morning Post

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Russia and Turkey have agreed on borders of a demilitarised zone in northern Syria, Russia's top diplomat said Friday, part of a deal that could check an assault on the last rebel enclave in Idlib. "Just yesterday or the day before, the militaries of Russia and Turkey agreed the concrete frontiers of the demilitarised zone," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Bosnian counterpart Igor Crnadak. Moscow says the demilitarised zone would help stop attacks from Idlib on Syrian army positions and Russia's military bases in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed the establishment of the 15 to 20 kilometre (9.3-12 miles) buffer zone on Monday after talks that lasted more than four hours. Security in the zone, which includes parts of Idlib and neighbouring provinces including the city of Aleppo, will be overseen by Turkish contingents and Russian military police. The agreement will prevent military action against the city of Idlib, Russia's defence minister said. "It's an intermediate step... but a necessary step," Lavrov said of the zone. "By mid-October, all (fighters of the Al-Nusra Front) must leave this demilitarised zone, and all heavy military equipment must be pulled out of there," he said. Russia is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, helping the Syrian government establish control over most of the country's territory after intervening in the multi-front conflict in 2015. Turkey, however, backs opposition fighters seeking to oust the Syrian leader. It has said a large-scale offensive against the rebels could trigger a mass exodus towards its border. Turkey has asked France to help "consolidate" the agreement within the UN Security Council, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the daily Le Monde in its edition to appear on Saturday. Le Drian said that international pressure and warnings of a looming humanitarian crisis in Idlib had proven effective in checking an all-out assault by the Syrian regime. The Russian-Turkish accord could be validated by a resolution or declaration by the Security Council, which includes France among its permanent members, a French diplomatic source said, adding that talks in that direction were now underway in New York.
The Chinese embassy in Bangkok has issued a safety warning to tourists travelling to Thailand during next months Golden Week holiday, after six drowning incidents involving Chinese visitors there in August.

Sea activities pose the highest safety risks for tourists in Thailand, the embassy said, urging visitors to take particular care when visiting three popular destinations in the south of the country.

Golden Week, in the first week of October, coincides with the end of the monsoon season at Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi. The weather can still be changeable, sea winds strong and the water conditions complex, the embassys warning notice said.

About 7 million Chinese will travel abroad during Golden Week, up from more than 6 million during the same period last year, according to Chinese travel website Ctrip.

For the first time, the company said, its bookings show that Japan has surpassed Thailand in popularity as a destination for the October holiday.

Thailand has been in the top three overseas destinations for Chinas outbound tourists for a long time, behind Hong Kong and Macau, according to China Tourism Academy, an official research institute under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

In the first half of this year, 5.93 million Chinese visited Thailand, up 26 per cent from the same period last year, Ctrip said.

In August Thailand opened dedicated lanes for Chinese tourists in five airports across the country, staffing each one with Mandarin-speaking officials.

However, the growth of mainland tourism to Thailand may have been undermined in the summer holiday period, following the deaths of nearly 50 tourists, most of them Chinese, when their boat sank after it was hit by five-metre (16 feet) waves in early July.

According to another China travel agency, Lvmama.com, which did not provide more details, many mainlanders had adopted a wait-and-see attitude about travelling to Thailand following that incident.

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The warning notice from the Chinese embassy reminds travellers that waves can reach more than two metres during monsoon season, from May to October, and that swimming and sea trips are not appropriate.

The embassy also reminded Chinese tourists to follow the rules while in Thailand and stay out of the water when authorities put red flags on beaches, indicating the marine situation is dangerous.

On August 21, a Chinese woman died while snorkelling in Phuket, according to news website Huanqiu.com.

Her mother, who had stayed on the beach, contacted police after waiting a long time for her return. She then watched as rescuers pulled her daughter from the water unconscious and tried to resuscitate her. Her daughter was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

In another incident near a Phuket beach on August 13, according to the same website, a 30-year-old Chinese woman drowned when she was dragged away by strong waves. Her companion, a 33-year-old Chinese man, was rescued.

This article Safety warning issued to Chinese tourists after drownings in Thailand first appeared on South China Morning Post

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Saudi Arabia is trying shut down a UN-backed war crimes investigation in Yemen, Human Rights Watch said Friday, calling it a "blatant attempt to avoid scrutiny" of its conduct in the country. The group's allegations are backed by rival resolutions on Yemen proposed at the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. A resolution led by a group of European countries and Canada calls for a one-year extension of the inquiry that last month reported evidence of possible war crimes by all sides in Yemen, including the Saudi-led coalition. A second text, led by Tunisia on behalf of the group of Arab states, makes no mention of extending the probe but calls for Yemen's often-criticised National Commission of Inquiry to continue studying the conflict. Saudi Arabi and its ally the United Arab Emirates are both members of the Arab group on the 47-member rights council. "The Saudi-led coalition's campaign to discredit and undermine a UN investigation into abuses by all Yemens warring parties is yet another blatant attempt to avoid scrutiny of the coalition's own actions in Yemen," John Fisher, HRW's Geneva director, said in a statement. "The Human Rights Council cannot afford to fail Yemeni civilians. States should renew the mandate of the (probe) or risk the Council's credibility," he added. Diplomatic haggling over the rival texts is like to continue before the current rights council session closes next week. The resolution that first set up the inquiry followed a years-long diplomatic fight. At the 11th hour, Saudi diplomats threatened economic retaliation against states that voted for the project. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's government against Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Yemen has since descended into what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 10,000 people killed and millions at risk of starvation. The coalition has been accused of bombing multiple civilian targets, including buses and hospitals.
Scotland's Test plans have been dealt a blow after Glasgow full-back Stuart Hogg was ruled out for up to three months following ankle surgery. The British and Irish Lions star is facing a recovery period of 10 to 12 weeks after suffering the injury against Munster earlier this month. And that is likely to see him sit out all four of the November internationals against Wales, Fiji, South Africa and Argentina. "I'm gutted to be missing some important games for Glasgow Warriors and Scotland over the next few months," said Hogg. "My focus just now is working hard and getting fit, so I can play my part in what is a long season." Hogg had travelled with the Glasgow squad for their Guinness Pro 14 double-header against the Cheetahs and Southern Kings this week and hoped to play some part in the second clash with the Kings in Port Elizabeth. But he was forced to return to Scotland after it became clear his ankle injury was worse than first feared.
Apple fan Jack Lim with his iPhone XS Max. (PHOTO: Abdul Rahman Azhari/Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore)

Apple fans in Singapore finally got their hands on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max on Friday morning (21 September) at the flagship Apple Orchard Road store.

As reported by Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore yesterday, a large crowd of people had already begun queuing outside the store a day prior to the new phones release. Some 350 people were seen lining up.

Vietnamese Le Thang, who was first in line, said he was happy with his new purchase. This is a special day for me, said the 20-year-old, who had come to Singapore especially to queue for the latest iPhone XS Max.

The iPhone XS Max costs up to S$2,349 in Singapore. The iPhone XS starts at S$1,649, while the cheaper iPhone XR  available from next month  starts at S$1,229.

The Singapore sales launch of the latest iPhone XS at the Apple Store in Orchard Road on Friday, 21 September 2018. (Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore/Abdul Rahman Azhari)

Likewise, Jack Lim, 28, said that he felt honoured to be one of the first few customers in Singapore to pick up Apples latest iPhone. He pre-ordered the iPhone XS Max a week prior to the launch.

Said the university student, who considers himself an iPhone enthusiast, I feel very excited because Ive been using the iPhone since it started.

On whether the high price of the new iPhone model had deterred him in any way, he said: To me, for every amount that I have paid, the quality has been there. Apple has been proven to have good quality products.

Ill never let it (his iPhone) go, he said.

In a clever marketing strategy by Apples competitor Huawei, representatives clad in Huawei t-shirts handed out free powerbanks to those in the queue outside Apples store ahead of the launch.

Find the Yahoo Story Contest question: iPhone prices have now exceeded S$2,300, and a flagship Samsung phone can cost over S$1,700  many times what a budget Android smartphone costs. In your opinion, what is the best reason to buy an expensive smartphone  or not? [Contest is closed]

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Huawei trolls Apple by giving out free powerbanks at iPhone launch

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Despite insane iPhone XS and XS Max prices, insanely long queues have formed outside the Apple Store
Muzika is a Korea-based blockchain startup with a unique rewards system for artists and users

NEO Global Capital Strategic Partnerships of the NEO Foundation has made an investment to Korea-based music blockchain startup Muzika. The fund by the Singapore-based strategic investment company will support the companys incubation and provide resource integration from both parties.

Also Read: Ping An targets Crazy Rich Asians with launch of wealth app in Singapore

Muzika is an autonomous, self-sustaining ecosystem driven by music artists and their fans in tandem, where compensations and rewards will become proportional to the level of devotion put into musical creations and ecosystem behind them. With this premise, fans will be rewarded with MZK coins for their effort to support their favorites, and musical artists, in turn, will get 90 per cent of the profit their creation deserves.

Muzikas team has demonstrated business management capabilities and domain expertise in the music industry. They have an edge in technology infrastructure and ecosystem interoperability. NGC believes Muzika can do well and establish a better ecosystem for the global music industry, said Tony Gu, founder of NEO Global Capital.

Also Read: Indonesian coffee startup Fore Coffee has bagged seed funding from East Ventures

Muzika currently has an existing user base of 2 million and investments from top-notch crypto and blockchain investment groups like T3 Ventures, Everest Ventures Group, 256 Ventures, and now from one of the largest owners of cryptocurrency in the Asia Pacific region, NEO Global Capital.

Muzika now reportedly has begun planning for expansion into various markets.

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Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

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Transcelestial proves an ambitious idea can get support in Singapore, having received US$1.83 million in seed funding

Part of our job at e27 involves meeting a lot of companies, and sometimes it can feel like we are remixing the same song.

Then, a company like Transcelestial comes along to remind us that being jaded helps nobody.

Transcelestial is a Singaporean company that wants to provide commercial-grade internet speed to the whole world. The startup wants leverage lasers and nano-satellites to build a Space Laser Network that would greatly improve internet connections to even the most remote of areas.

Currently, our internet is moved around via transcontinental high bandwidth undersea cables, which are extremely expensive. A Google-built cable between the US and Japan in 2016 cost about US$300 million to complete.

We started Transcelestial because we saw an exciting future for humanity in the next 100 years but no action plan to build a scalable, underlying infrastructure needed, either on the planet or in deep space, to support that, said Rohit Jha, the CEO and co-founder of Transcelestial.

Also Read: Unfazed by 3 failures, this 20-year-old is building a new startup, with some big names backing it

He added that as internet technology continues to improve, we need to figure out an infrastructure shift that will support the technology over the next century.

For Trancelestial, this means looking skywards and leveraging satellites.

Funding an unknown

One of the common refrains in Singapore is that investors are stuck on the tried-and-true leading to risk-averse decision making. Transcelestial is proving that truism wrong.

The company raised S$2.5 million (US$1.83 million) back in December 2017 and just revealed the information today.

The deal was led by Wavemaker Partners in partnership with SEEDS Capital. Airtree Ventures also participated in the round.

The angel investors involved in this deal are impressive. They are as follows:

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Michael Seibel  Y Combinator CEO

Jonathan Schiff  A Partner at WI Harper Group

Charlie Songhurst  The Former head of Corporate Partnerships at Microsoft

Josh Manchester  a General Partner at Champion Hill Labs

The company is backed by Entrepreneur First, SGInnovate, and Sparklabs Global Ventures.

That support group is about as good as it gets for a seed-funded company, implying that futuristic companies in Singapore can find investment.

The money was used to build a small office in Chinatown that was transformed into a laser communication lab.

Also Read: Do Chinese companies understand Southeast Asias tech ecosystem well enough?

Currently, the company is testing a terrestrial version of the technology that it hopes it can sell to corporates before working towards its grander ambitions. The company tested its technology on a library in South Korea and said it improved speeds by 20x.

The company will be at TIP Summit 2018 in London to explain what is next.



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A Texas man who has played a central role in the US debate over 3D-printed weapons and is wanted for having sex with a 16-year-old was arrested in Taiwan on Friday, Taiwanese authorities said. Cody Wilson advocates 3D-printed weapons as a bulwark against gun control and has caused panic by publishing firearm blueprints online. Critics warn that these weapons give criminals access to untraceable firearms. Taiwan's National Immigration Agency said in a statement that Wilson was caught by the police earlier Friday and handed over to immigration authorities to process his deportation. Austin Police Department announced Wednesday that the 30-year-old is wanted for sexual assault, saying he was in Taiwan and missed a flight back to the United States. "The foreigner came legally to Taiwan visa-free but he no longer has a valid passport ... the agency will discuss with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to arrange the return to his country soon," the Taiwan Immigration Agency statement read. AIT is the de facto US embassy in Taiwan as Washington officially recognises Beijing over Taipei. According to Taiwanese authorities, Wilson arrived on the island on September 6 and attempted to rent an apartment in Taipei but was yet to move in. The real estate company that he signed a contract with earlier this month contacted the authorities after watching news about his sexual assault case on TV, police said. The US investigation into Wilson began after a counselor to whom the victim had spoken notified police "that a juvenile female under the age of 17 had reported having sexual contact with a 30-year-old male." The victim met Wilson on sugardaddymeet.com, a website that bills itself as the "Best Sugar Daddy Dating Site for Attractive Women and Wealthy Men Seeking Mutually Beneficial Relationships." Wilson and the 16-year-old had sex at a hotel, and he paid her $500, according to Austin police. Before leaving the United States, Wilson was informed by a friend of the victim that she had spoken to police, they said. Wilson published downloadable gun blueprints on his website after reaching a deal with President Donald Trump's administration in June that ended a multi-year effort by the federal government to block him. But multiple states filed a joint lawsuit claiming Wilson endangered public safety through his actions, and a federal judge issued a temporary order prohibiting the distribution of the digital blueprints. Wilson -- who subscribes to an anarchist philosophy that the free exchange of ideas on the internet is a check on government -- then said he interpreted the ruling as only barring the free online distribution of the blueprints, and began offering the files for sale.
The bodies of three policemen abducted by militants were recovered in Indian-administered Kashmir on Friday, police said, as tensions mount ahead of local civic polls. Police officers, many of them local Muslims, have been increasingly targeted in recent months in the territory rocked for decades by violence. The increased focus on policemen seems to be in response to what appear to be new police tactics of detaining the family members of prominent militants. Kashmir has been divided since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 but both India and Pakistan claim the former Himalayan kingdom in full. India has about 500,000 soldiers in the zone it controls, where separatist groups demand independence or a merger with Pakistan. The latest incident saw groups of armed militants raiding the homes of at least 11 policemen in the twin villages of Kapran and Batgund in southern Kashmir valley. They abducted three Special Police Officers (SPOs), as well as the brother of a police constable, police and witnesses said. "Three bullet-riddled bodies of the SPOs were found lying in the fields," a police officer told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. The brother of the constable was released unharmed. The SPOs are the lowest-rank police officers who are often deployed for counter-insurgency duties. Police authorities recently advised officers not to visit their homes without security and not for more than two hours at a stretch. Last month militants abducted 11 police officers and their relatives, after police detained family members of prominent militants and allegedly set ablaze the homes of two rebel leaders. All of them were released the next day without harm, but a commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant group warned of "an eye for an eye" next time if government forces did not stop harassing families of militants. On Wednesday an audio statement surfaced on social media in which HM commander Riyaz Naikoo was heard demanding the SPOs quit or face death. Several SPOs publicly resigned after the warning. Tensions in the region have been rising since India's Supreme Court began hearing a case challenging Article 35A of the Indian constitution this year -- a provision which bars Indians from outside the disputed territory buying land there. Civic polls slated for October and November have added to the tension, with two of the main pro-India political parties saying they would boycott the vote. HM is the largest of the local militant groups fighting the Indian military in the disputed region, demanding independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan. The fighting has left tens of thousands of people dead, mostly civilians.
Amazon makes new investment in India to strengthen its grocery service offerings, while a US-based cloud company makes it entry to Asia

Blockchain infrastructure service Splend launches in Indonesia  DailySocial

US-based blockchain infrastructure provider Splend launched its entry to the Indonesian market through a strategic partnership with local cyber security company XecureIT, DailySocial reported.

The two companies aims to provide high-security blockchain infrastructure with seamless, faster, and cost-effective connectivity for corporations in the country. The solution is claimed to be able to solve issues such as scalability, security, and latency.

Splend CEO Rick Bleszynski, an Indonesian citizen who has been living and working in Silicon Valley, explained that the company decided to enter Indonesia as they consider corporations and government institutions in the country to be ready for blockchain technology adoption in their business process.

Splends products include Integrated Blockchain Architecture (IBA), Universal CryptoWallet (UCW), and CryptoTransfer Blockchain Service.

Alibaba launches new partnerships in smart mobility  Press Release

Chinese tech giant Alibaba announced several new partnerships in smart mobility with leading auto brands and tech service providers at The Computing Conference, the companys largest technology showcase, in Hangzhou.

The companys cloud computing arm Alibaba Cloud teams up with global supplier of tech services Bosch to introduce Automated Valet Parking (AVP) solutions in China; its AI product development department Alibaba AI Labs also announced that it is upgrading its Tmall Genie Auto product by partnering with Volvo Cars and adding car-to-home AI services.

Through the upgraded solution, Volvo Cars drivers with a Tmall Genie-compatible device will be able to monitor and control their smart-home devices from their cars, starting next year.

Alibaba also teams up with auto giant Ford to confirm that Kuga SUV customers will be able to order the car, which has a 10.4-inch center screen and software powered by AliOS, later this year.

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Also Read: Todays top tech news, Sept 13: Jack Ma seals Alibaba deal on new Russian e-commerce platform

Amazon, Samara Capital invest in Indian supermarket chain More  Dealstreet Asia

E-commerce giant Amazon and India private equity firm Samara Capital announced that they are making a joint investment in Indian supermarket chain More, Dealstreet Asia reported.

The companies did not disclose the size of its stake in the company.

As a supermarket chain, More operates in smaller Indian cities and towns. The investment could potentially help Amazon expand its grocery services, such as Prime Now, beyond the four large cities it currently serves.

Cloud provider Pareteum enters Asian market through Singapore launch  Channel Asia Singapore

US-based cloud service provider Pareteum has made its entry to the Asian market by opening an office in Singapore and appointing Manjot Mann as its CEO of Asia.

Pareteum delivers cloud-based mobile solutions, and the company partners with vendors such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, Ribbon Communications, NetNumber, Oracle and Microsoft.

Prior to joining Pareteum as CEO, Mann was the CEO of Lebara Limited in London for four years. He was also the CEO of Hutchison Telecommunications in Jakarta for eight years.



Image Credit: Ben Sweet on Unsplash

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What Russian weapons are being bought by China?

China, which was targeted by US military sanctions on Thursday for buying Russian fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles, is one of Russias key arms customers.

Russia sold around US$15 billion worth of weapons to the Chinese in 2017, maintaining a similar level of sales to the previous year, according to Rosoboronexport, the Russian agency responsible for military exports.

The US has said the sanctions, which relate to the purchase of Su-35 combat aircraft and an S-400 surface-to-air missile system, mainly target Russia and it has no intention of undermining the defence capacity of other nations.

Russia is the worlds second biggest exporter of arms behind the United States, who together account for more than half of all global arms exports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

China accounts for six per cent of all sales and is among the top five importers of arms, along with India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia.

US slaps sanctions on Chinese military unit for buying Russian jets, missiles

Here are some of the military items Russia sells to China:

SUKHOI SU-35

The US State Department said China received 10 Su-35 combat aircraft in December 2017, becoming the first foreign country to purchase Russias upgrade to its Su-27.

The Su-35 is powered by two AL-117S turbofan engines and fitted with thrust-vectoring nozzles enabling it to perform post-stall manoeuvres at low speeds.

The Su-35 also features a multifunctional radar capable of tracking up to 30 targets simultaneously.

Beijing flexed its military muscle in May against Taiwan, flying Su-35 fighters with H-6K strategic bombers across the Bashi Channel between the self-ruled island and the northern islands of the Philippines.

S-400 AIR DEFENCE MISSILE SYSTEM

The State Department also said China bought an S-400 system this year, the first regimental set delivered as part of a contract signed in 2014.

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As one of the worlds top air defence systems, the S-400 includes missiles with different ranges, from 40km to 400km, which can hit targets from altitudes of 10m to 30km to form a multi-layer full coverage of defence.

The S-400s advanced radar capability improves detection of stealth aircraft and the ability to counter electronic jamming.

One S-400 system features 384 missiles and up to 72 launchers. It can track 300 targets at the same time and attack 36 at once. It can hit a target travelling at a maximum speed of 4,800 metres per second, or Mach 15.

Russia is also set to sell the S-400 to Turkey, which has raised concerns within Nato.

KAMOV HELICOPTERS

China bought seven Kamov Ka-32A11VS multirole helicopters in 2016, and two more in 2017 from Russian Helicopters holding company. The contracts included training for Chinese pilots.

The multipurpose helicopters are suitable for a wide variety of missions, including firefighting, search and rescue operations, and patrolling.

The Ka-32 is a highly versatile craft, capable of carrying cargo inside its fuselage as well as externally. Its coaxial rotor allows it to make precise landings in mountainous terrain or dense urban environments.

It can also be equipped with a range of special equipment, such as water cannons for fire fighting, and performs well in the face of dense smoke or dust. It is also suitable for high altitude construction and cargo transport.

AL-31F ENGINES

China has also ordered 150 AL-31F turbofan engines from Russia. By the end of last year, 100 had been delivered, according to Sweden-based think tank SIPRI.

China placed this order primarily for its Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark carrier-based fighters, a made-in-China modification of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter. The AL-31 series is the basic engine developed for the extensive Su-27 family.

China is believed to have built a few dozen J-15 fighters which are understood to be in service on-board the Liaoning aircraft carrier.

In addition, some AL-31FM engines have been fitted to early test types of the Chengdu J-20, a fifth generation stealth fighter.

Later versions of the J-20 have used home-made WS-10 engines but neither engine could fully meet the need for speed, manoeuvrability and stealth of Chinas most advanced fighter jet.

China has also bought nearly 400 AL-31FN engines for its home-made Chengdu J-10 fighters and 10 AL-41F-1S engines have been ordered as spare parts for the Su-35 fighters.

D-30 ENGINES

The Soloviev D-30 (PS-30) is a Soviet Union era two-shaft low-bypass turbofan engine, used to power aircraft such as the Y-20 military transport and H-6K bomber.

The H-6K bomber, which entered service in October 2009, has a claimed combat radius of 3,500 kilometres with the D-30 engines.

Additional reporting by Teddy Ng

This article What Russian weapons are being bought by China? first appeared on South China Morning Post

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The worlds tallest statue of Confucius will be officially inaugurated on Monday in the east China birthplace of the ancient philosopher and teacher.

Made of brass and reinforced with steel, the giant effigy stands 72 metres (236 feet) tall on a hillside overlooking the city of Qufu, Shandong province.

The main body is supported by eight internal pillars and its base covers an area of 7,800 square meters (84,000 square feet).

The height of the statue coincides with the number of sages among Confucius disciples, Hu Yantao, who headed the construction project was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Although the statue was first unveiled to the public in 2016, Hu said his team had continued to carry out refinements.

The [polished brass] outer appearance has been perfected over the past 18 months, he said.

The formal unveiling on Monday coincides with Chinas annual Mid-Autumn Festival.

Despite its great size, the Nishan Confucius ranks only 16th on a list of the worlds largest statues, which is headed by the Spring Temple Buddha in central Chinas Henan province, which stands 128 metres.

Who was Confucius?

The great sage is thought to have been born in 551BC into a lesser noble class. In his lifetime, he gained a reputation as an adviser to leaders and teacher to disciples.

Coming of age during a time when the strict social structure of the unified Zhou dynasty (c1046-256BC) had been upended, Confucius conceived of a theory of ethical and moral behaviour that would engender social harmony in an uncertain world. He believed that only through adhering to ritual propriety could people be aligned with a heavenly moral order. But he was much more concerned with what that propriety meant for daily life than he was with the abstract or heavenly.

On this point, he was once recorded as asking: We don't know yet how to serve men, how can we know about serving spirits?

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Confucian influence

The thinker has been influencing Chinese culture since the 5th century BC, when his moral teachings sparked a philosophical tradition of ethics that would go on to play a defining role in Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese philosophical traditions.

In more recent times, his name has crossed into popular usage as a purveyor of adages and, more recently, as the namesake of the controversial Confucius Institutes, set up around the world to fund the study of Chinese language and culture.

What is Confucian philosophy?

Confucian thought revolves around following good taste in aesthetics and manners, and a strict observance to the hierarchy of social relationships.

The scholar believed that acting ethically in situations relating both to the family and state would create social harmony, and that it was the job of rulers to emulate and spread ethical behaviour, just as it was childrens duty to venerate their parents and continue their traditions, codifying the filial piety that continues to define familial relations across Asia.

His teachings are preserved in Analects, a book that takes the form of structured into conversations between Confucius and his followers.

His place in Chinese history

Confucius thoughts have had a significant effect on governance throughout Chinese history, not least because his texts have featured prominently throughout the centuries in the content of Chinas imperial service examinations, a system which allowed for meritocratic advancement in government for young men.

Subscription to Confucian thought has ebbed and flowed throughout Chinese history, often taking hold during times of dynastic stability, where philosophies of ethical order were more likely to be embraced. Yet Chinas major rulers were largely in the Confucian mould up until 1911 when imperial government ended.

While Confucius was rejected during the Cultural Revolution, his teachings and cultural imminence have been embraced again in China as an integral facet of its national identity and heritage.

Promoting Confucian thought

As well as the massive statue, Confucius hometown of Qufu is slated to host Chinas first teachers museum, plans for the construction of which were released earlier this year, according to local media reports.

Confucius is believed to be the founder of Chinas first public schools.

Smaller statues of the sage can be found around the world, including several in the United States, Australia and one that was unveiled in Ukranian capital Kiev last month.

This article Worlds largest Confucius statue gets final polish as east China hometown prepares to honour ancient sage first appeared on South China Morning Post

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In August, the launch of an online accessory store in Singapore called Ivory Lane sparked immense outrage in the country. The website featured a range of jewellery it claimed was made from vintage ivory. This spurred an outburst of anger from netizens, who inundated its Facebook page with hundreds of enraged comments that the business was supporting the poaching and slaughter of elephants.

Just a few days later, the World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore revealed that Ivory Lane was a publicity stunt to raise awareness about a key shortcoming in the countrys wildlife laws  ivory that entered the market before 1990 is still permitted for sale. While the shop itself is fictional and does not actually have any ivory products, vintage or otherwise, it does mirror reality.

Despite the common perception that the sale of ivory is banned in Singapore, there are still more than 40 bricks-and-mortar shops in Singapore as well as online stores that sell ivory products, with many claiming that they sell pre-1990 ivory. Many of these shops, the WWFs investigators found, are traditional ornament shops in Chinatown, with owners freely offering advice on how ivory products can be taken across borders undetected.

In many places it is easy to buy ivory of illegal origin that has originated from recently poached elephants

Elaine Tan, CEO, WWF Singapore

While Singapores domestic market may seem small, it creates a loophole that could continue to fuel the international illegal ivory trade, despite the recent ban on all local sales of ivory in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong by this year, 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Recently poached ivory could masquerade as vintage ivory, says Elaine Tan, chief executive officer of WWF Singapore. It takes lab testing to determine the age and source of ivory. The onus lies with the buyer to establish the legality of the ivory piece before it is bought, and lab tests are not available to the man on the street. In addition, one cannot rely on the assurances of the vendor  or the appearance that the sale outlet appears respectable  as an indication of the legality of the ivory in question. In many places it is easy to buy ivory of illegal origin that has originated from recently poached elephants.

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In addition, as Singapore is a globally connected hub, it inadvertently facilitates shipments of illegal ivory trade around the region, says Tan. For instance, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has documented 150 large-scale seizures over the past decade, which gives an indication about the volume of undetected ivory that does get traded.

This illegal ivory trade has already resulted in a 20 per cent drop in African elephant populations in the past 10 years.

Peter Knights, CEO of WildAid says, Beyond being known for their intelligence and complex social interactions, elephants also play an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which they live. For example, when they dig for water in the dry season, these small watering holes provide water for other animals. When they eat, they create gaps in vegetation, which allow new plants to grow.

As Chinas ban on the sale of ivory has come into force, it has driven collectors abroad in the pursuit of ivory, Knights observes. People from China are purchasing ivory mainly as tourists in Vietnam and Laos. Vietnam has technically banned sales of ivory since January, but has not enforced its new penal code with regard to ivory yet, he says.

Although the volume is small compared to pre-ban Chinese consumption, Laos is becoming the worlds fastest growing ivory market, according to a 2017 report from Save the Elephants, which says the shops are focused on Chinese clientele.

Closing all the loopholes that continue to allow the proliferation of the illegal ivory trade will require nothing short of collective action with strong laws, effective enforcement and a reduction in public demand, says Tan.

Harrison Kamande, a ranger and representative of the Kenya Wildlife Service says, The poaching crisis is a problem we all share. For people in Singapore and Asia, I hope they understand that behind every illegal wildlife product is an animal that has lost its life  and sometimes even the rangers too.

This article WWF exposes loophole in Singapore ivory trade laws that allows illegal trade to prosper first appeared on South China Morning Post

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Robert Venturi did not like Boston City Hall. Its all a big symbol, though it wont admit it, the architect told writer Paul Goldberger in 1971 of the hated Brutalist landmark that opened in 1968. How ridiculous trying to make a piazza publico, like an Italian citystate! If they really wanted to make it so monumental, they should have built a plain loft building and put a sign up top saying, I Am a Monument. That would have been appropriate to todays American city.

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It was not an idle proposal. Previously, perhaps joking a little, he had written that the very concept of the plaza was un-American. Americans feel uncomfortable sitting in a square, he wrote. They should be working at the office or home with the family looking at television. The next year Learning From Las Vegas, the book that made him as famous as an architecture theorist could be, included just such a sketch of a building and its sign, labeled recommendation for a monument.

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It was classic Venturi: funny, irreverent, maybe a joke but maybe something he would really do. In 1992, fresh off his winning the Pritzker Prize, architectures most prestigious award, his firm designed the Childrens Museum of Houston. The entrance looks like a toy Greek temple, painted blazing yellow, and for a frieze are big red letters spelling out MUSEUM.

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Venturi, who died Tuesday at 93, might have been the most influential architect of his era. Alongside his wife and partner, the architect Denise Scott Brown, he helped lead a rebellion against the austere stylings and grandiose pretensions of midcentury American architecture. If Mies van der Rohe, doyen of the International Style, counseled less is more, Venturis riposte was less is a boreor as he wrote, using the positive language of the practicing architect he was: More is not less.

His buildings are not widely admired. If Postmodernism is due for the Instagram-friendly rehabilitation that Brutalism has recently enjoyed, its unlikely that the projects he designed for Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates will lead the charge. His best-loved creations, like the house he built for his mother in suburban Philadelphia, were modest and precise. The wildest of them, for better or worse, were never built. The firms 1994 proposal for the Midtown Manhattan Westin included a giant pink starburst crown, like a roosters comb, prompting critic Witold Rybczynski to observe that architectural jokes quickly get stale.

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Venturis greatest legacy is his writing. Learning From Las Vegas, a study of the Strip that Venturi and Scott Brown wrote with the architect Steven Izenour, was an ode to Americas gaudiest landscape. The book is one of the defining documents of Postmodernism, the sprawling movement that would encompass everything from Phillip Johnsons corporate skyscrapers to Ettore Sottsass effervescent Memphis furniture to Ricardo Bofills astounding housing projects in the suburbs of Paris. It was theory, but it was lighthearted. Rigorous maps documented the locations of wedding chapels, or the words on signs that could be seen from the Strip.

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Las Vegas famously laid out a dichotomy of ducks and decorated sheds: Boston City Hall, for example, was a ducka building that was itself a symbol. A better model in most situations, Venturi thought, was a conventional structure to which symbols could be easily affixed. I Am a Monument was a decorated shed. Architecture, the authors argued, should be less concerned with space and structure and more with signs and symbols. Up with the ordinary and the ugly, down with the heroic and the original.

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As theory goes, it was populist. Like Jane Jacobs, Venturi and Scott Brown valued the old buildings that most Americans lovedthey met working to save the University of Pennsylvanias Furness Libraryand decried the arrogance of their peers who advocated razing city centers and starting fresh. Not surprisingly, they won praise in Tom Wolfes like-minded but sloppy anti-modernist book From Bauhaus to Our House. Wolfe, in turn, had helped lay the groundwork for Las Vegas with his Esquire essay, Las Vegas (What?)  LAS VEGAS (Cant Hear You! Too Noisy)  LAS VEGAS!!!!

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Its hard to ignore that the things people like best are the weird ones.

Modern architecture was intolerant, the pair believed. The study of the commercial landscape of the American highway, they wrote in the Las Vegas preface, could be as important to architects and urbanists today as were the studies of medieval Europe and ancient Rome and Greece to earlier generations. After Scott Brown introduced Venturi to Las Vegas, they led a class of architecture students to the Strip where they stayed in comped rooms at the Standard. The students smoked weed, and the professors flew around in Howard Hughes helicopter taking photographs. Students took to calling the course the Great Proletarian Cultural Locomotive. The second edition of the book, printed in 1977, was half the size so it could be cheaper to buy.

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The same year that St. Louis detonated the PruittIgoe housing project, the academys architectural hubris incarnate, Las Vegas questioned what architecture could really do for America. Symbol dominates space. Architecture is not enough, they wrote. Architecture defines very little: The big sign and the little building is the rule of Route 66. These days, this kind of elite fetish for Americana might feel trite; at the time, it was still iconoclastic. Venturi was for mess, compromise, hybrids, distortion, ambiguity, richness, and vitality. The Strip delivered.

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For five decades, Venturi and Scott Brown put their ideas into practice. Critics, supporters, and journalists all tended to credit the theory and execution to Venturi while ignoring his wife. He issued periodic reminders that the work belonged to them both (Las Vegas was her idea, after all). Still, in 1991, the Pritzker Prize was awarded to him alone. In protest, she declined to attend the ceremony; it was not until 2004 that the Pritzker was awarded to a woman, the late Zaha Hadid. A 2013 petition (which Venturi signed, along with a number of other prizewinners) to recognize Scott Brown was rejected. In 2016, the couple was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal Awardthe first ever given to a collaborative pair, and the first to a living female architect. Venturi had refused to accept it alone.

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To their critics, their analysis was crass, kitschy, consumerist, apolitical, oblivious. To Venturi and Scott Brown, those people were snobs. Reading Learning From Las Vegas, Aron Vinegar and Michael Golec have suggested, requires the kind of mental dualism about America that allowed Lawrence Ferlinghetti to decry a concrete continent spaced with bland billboards illustrating imbecile illusions of happiness and in the same volume confess, I have ridden superhighways and believed the billboards promises  I have risked enchantment.

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The images in Las Vegas now appear historic. The iconic sign welcoming visitors to Sin City is still there and all over Vegas marketing, but its a calculated nostalgia act now. The forest of signs lining the Strip is as outdated as the brick-painted ads and illuminated marquees and hanging restaurant names that characterize old photos of New York and Chicago. Today, Las Vegas has reverted to corporate modernism, and while the signs are no less blaring, there are fewer of them. There are, Venturi be damned, piazzas. Why, Alissa Walker asked in Curbed last year, is the Strip trying so hard to be just like the boring city you left behind?

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Still, the ideas persist in a Las Vegas of the mind. New cityscapes today feel less decorated than ever, bound up by market-sensitive developers (if not by city laws). Its a world as faceless as the one Venturi rebelled against. Billboards are now antiques. Branded skyscrapers outmoded. Its not even clear, as navigation increasingly occurs between visitor and phone, that communication (except in an abstract sense) is any longer the architects responsibility.

In 1994, Venturi Scott Brown won a competition to design the new Manhattan terminal for the Staten Island Ferry. Their proposal: a barrel vault higher than Grand Central Terminal, adorned with a 10-story clock said to be the worlds biggest. Outrageous, said the Staten Island borough president. To have a Disneyland clock sitting right in the middle just destroyed the ambiance of the wonderful skyline. Then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani cut the budget, VSBA dropped out, and an entirely forgetful terminal was completed some years later.

Looking back, confronting the Serious Face of the New York waterfront, its hard to ignore that the things people like best are the weird ones: The lighted advertisements for toothpaste and soda that have become landmarks; the lurid, colossal statue of a woman with a torch; the overbuilt stone suspension bridge. The tastemakers did take over. Perhaps Venturis work has something in common with Boston City Hall after all: With its columns and colors and jumbo labels, it could widen your eyes, even from a speeding car.
Like Robin Williams, Gilda Radner was the rare comedian who was both inherently funny and inherently lovable. Neither a taboo-buster like Sarah Silverman or a razor-sharp satirist like Samantha Bee or Tina Fey, Radner specialized in creating vivid, universally recognizable characters. Her humor arose, she once noted in an audiotaped journal, from dealing with her personal anxieties. I always felt my comedy was just to make things be all right, she says. I could be people that I really wasnt. I could produce comedy to be in control of my situation.

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So it is perhaps hardly surprising that Love, Gilda director Lisa DApolitos affectionate, well-crafted portrait of the late Saturday Night Live star focuses primarily on Radners personal journey. Clearly a trusted pair of hands (she has made films for Gildas Club, the charity set up in Radners memory), DApolito was given unprecedented access to family and friends, as well as a wealth of archival material including rare performance footage, handwritten notebooks, home movies (even footage of Radner in the hospital preparing for chemo), and that taped journal, which provides the films only narration. The result, like much of Radners comedy, is entertaining, appealing, and more soft-centered than challenging or acerbic.

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Radners fame rests on a surprisingly small body of workprimarily her standout appearances on five seasons of Saturday Night Live as part of the legendary original cast. To bolster her continuing relevance to audiences born after the comedian died in 1989, DApolito enlists more recent SNL alums and comedy stars like Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, and Melissa McCarthy to read from Radners journals and muse on how she influenced them and her legacy to comedy in general.

But the work has to speak for itself and, while glimpses of classic characters like loudmouthed consumer reporter Roseanne Roseannadanna, girl nerd Lisa Loopner, and angry little old lady Emily Litella convey how funny and charming Radner was, they are only snippets, presumably aimed at her original fans, yesterdays hip young things turned todays senior citizens, along with some younger viewers who know the material via best-of collections and Nick at Nites reruns of the early SNL years. For anyone else, the excerpts are more like prompts to check out the full sketches on YouTube.

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Like much of Radners comedy, the movie is entertaining, appealing, and more soft-centered than challenging or acerbic.

Throughout the film, Radner defies the stereotype of the comedian as disgruntled outsider. She had no trouble making friends of both sexesin school, in Second City (an era during which she shared a house with Eugene Levy and Martin Short, a boyfriend), with the notoriously clannish National Lampoon crowd, and at SNL. Raised in an affluent Detroit family, she had a secure childhood, at least until her beloved father died when she was 14, introducing the distrust of unalloyed happiness without which a comedian cannot be created. Around the same time, she developed the eating disorder that would plague her throughout her life.

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One of the most interesting, if somewhat unexplored, internal contradictions that emerges is the discrepancy between Radner the ambitious pioneering only girl in the room (in writer Nell Scovells phrase) who forged sisterly alliances with SNLs female writers in order to get more of their work into the final broadcast, and Radner the mans woman who dropped out of college to follow her Canadian sculptor boyfriend, who didnt like her being funny, to Canada. Similarly, after she married Gene Wilder (who liked her being funny), she restricted her work life to appearing in movies he co-starred in.

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But even if Radner was not an outspoken feminist, she stuck up for herself by less confrontational means. For example, when she realized her male co-creators on The National Lampoon Radio Hour liked her pitches but werent including any of her ideas in the show, she suggested why dont I do the typing while you guys think of the ideas? Naturally this appeal to stereotypical roles worked, with Radner cannily realizing that by controlling the flow of the discussion she could get her ideas in.

Within its mandatepresenting a sympathetic portrait of Radner as she wrestled with bulimia, insecurity, fame (being famous is almost as bad for dating as being funny, she observes), burnout, and finally, ovarian cancer with courage and above all humorthe film succeeds brilliantly. But I couldnt help wishing for a greater sense of what was going on in the outside world, as well as in comedy in general, and how she bounced off these.

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For instance, Radners time at the University of Michigan is swiftly dealt with, but its never mentioned that Ann Arbor was a hotbed of radicalism at the time, nor how she felt about it. My friends would try to get me into political things and I would say, no, I have to do this play, as she told Rolling Stone in 1978. Similarly, we never find out whether Radner was influenced by frequent SNL guest host Lily Tomlin, early 70s comedy idol and character comedian extraordinaire. Perhaps Tomlin was too cerebral; a bigger influence was Lucille Ball, who shared Radners predilection for physical comedy and fearless goofiness.

In the end, Love, Gilda is one for the already converted, not a revelation of the unknown. But no one can fail to be moved by Radners final television appearance, on Its Garry Shandlings Show, in which she jokes about her terminal disease by declaring, My jokes are my only weapon against this fucker. Radner may have been sweet, but she could be tough as hell when it counted.
Take two minutes out of your hectic Friday morning to watch todays Google Doodle, which marks the 51st anniversary of Fred Rogers taping his first episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood. The Google Doodle video features a stop-motion animated model of Rogers wearing one of his trademark sweaters and doing pretty much what the live-action Rogers did in real life: greeting the neighborhood, making friends, and bringing smiles to kids faces. The whole thing is set to the Mister Rogers Neighborhood theme song, Wont You Be My Neighbor, sung by the man himself.

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The video is sprinkled with references to Rogers upbringing, his career, and his show. The Pennsylvania native taped episodes of Mister Rogers Neighborhood at WQEDs studio in Pittsburgh, where the neighborhood of Make-Believe is located, and one of the letters that flits by has a drawing of Daniel Tiger, who continues to spread Rogers message for todays kids on Daniel Tigers Neighborhood. Google put out a behind-the-scenes video on Friday about how the Doodle came to life, with commentary from Cathy Cohen Droz of Fred Rogers Productions and Melissa Crowton, one of the videos directors:

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Rogers legacy was also celebrated earlier this year in the less whimsical but still equally irresistible documentary Wont You Be My Neighbor?
On Thursday night, The Daily Show imagined a future where no one makes unnecessary 911 calls on black people. But this doesnt happen through a decline in racist suspicion: science fiction has to be grounded in some kind of truth. Instead, Roy Wood Jr.s shadow force, the PreCops uses underwater technology to trigger psychic visions of white people getting nervous.

In the past, the show has confronted police brutality by addressing the problem directly and speaking to guests about their experiences. Thursday nights skit took on a lighter tone, but the set-up also expresses the sense of growing frustration that despite growing activism and conversation, unpunished police brutality against people of color is still common.

The Minorities Report follows one man waddling in and out of a pool and running around NYC to stop the police from ruining innocent lives. This includes everything from saving a black guy just trying read the newspaper in a park to stopping someone from calling the cops on a young girl selling lemonade (a similar event actually happened in San Francisco).

But how long does Wood Jr. have before they come for him?
The Seward Park Library on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is where I met Andrew Fairweather, a librarian whose impassioned plea on behalf of libraries gave me the title for my book about social infrastructure. Theres a term you dont hear these days, Fairweather told me, one you used to hear all the time when the Carnegie branches opened: palaces for the people. The library really is a palace. It bestows nobility on people who cant otherwise afford a shred of it.

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Seward Park was just one of the libraries I visited while writing my book Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life, which includes a section on the many roles that libraries play in American society. These photos were taken by Joey OLoughlin at the library between Aug. 30 and Sept. 7, 2018.

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Morning Routine

Neighbors start to gather on this bench an hour or more before the Seward Park Librarys 10 a.m. opening. Some come early to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi, which they can access if theyre close to the building. Others are there to get first dibs on foreign language newspapers, to get heat or air conditioning, or to use the restroom.

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Peter Chen and his daughters, Nora, 9, and Angela, 5, wait patiently, reading the papers and snacking. Peter is a teacher who currently lives in Taiwan, while the girls stay in New York City with their mother. When Peter visits, he spends hours at the library, tutoring the girls to make sure their skills are to his standards.

Opening

Librarian Michael Messina unlocks the door and welcomes the first patrons. Libraries are open to everyone, regardless of age, ability, or citizenship status. While other local establishments, such as cafes and diners, ask people to pay for access to a shared gathering place, libraries are free for all. Theyre founded on a principle thats out of sync with our contemporary ethos: that everyone, by virtue of their humanity, deserves access to our shared cultural heritage.

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Story Time

For children, morning classes in the library involve singing, dancing, and storytelling in three languages: English, Mandarin, and Spanish. The classes give children and caretakers with different backgrounds a regular occasion to spend time together. When they end, small groups of friends often continue their play in the main childrens area or on the playground outside.

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Window Seat

The window seats are always occupied. Susan Raggio reads the latest New Yorker magazine. She lives in the neighborhood and is a regular visitor, as are dozens of older people who, were it not for the library, might well wind up staying home alone.

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First Library Card

Samiyah Pointer, first-grader at Manhattan Charter School, just got her first library card. For Samiyah and countless other children, the library card is the first badge of responsibility and step toward independence. Starting on this day, shell choose which books to bring home, and shell soon learn that being part of a community means returning them in good condition so that other children can read them too.

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Karaoke

Seward Park is one of many New York Public Library branches that offer karaoke sessions. They are especially popular with older Asian and Asian American patrons, some of whom travel together from branch to branch to sing as often as possible. Here some regular participants wait for their turn to perform.

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Sanctuary

Not everyone goes to the library for social connection. Nicole Cheung, 30 years old, lives with roommates in the crowded Lower East Side. She goes to the library for the reasons Andrew Carnegie, who funded construction of the Seward Park Library and 2,800 other libraries around the world, originally supported them: to enjoy a quiet space, privacy, and time to read and reflect. The soaring windows in the Carnegie-era building provide ample light and bring the magnificent trees of Seward Park into the reading rooms.

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Social Life With Screens

Dozens of kids spend their summer days at the library while their parents work. They read, play board games, do crafts, and play on computers. Parents and grandparents check in and out through the day, sometimes in person, sometimes by phone. The kids at Seward Park are remarkably well-behaved, but some librarians worry they need supervision that the library cannot provide.

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Braiding

Li Quin Li has just learned how to do sophisticated braiding, and shes practicing on her daughter, Xiao Xiao Chan, and her daughters friend, Xinping Xu, while they read and play. The girls, both 7, spend many summer hours together at the library. Their mothers and grandparents share caregiving responsibilities.

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Bubbles

Some feel that bubbles at Story Time inspire lifelong devotion to libraries.

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Respite

Melanie Berrios Billilo browses cookbooks while her kids Francesca and Zachary manage the livestock. Melanie, a freelance tech designer for the fashion industry, has been bringing her children here since they were small. Its more occasional now, as a stop along the way after school pickup or, on a day like today, when the library offers a cool, peaceful place in unbearably hot weather.

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Knitting

The knitters gather every Friday afternoon. All are welcome, even those who crochet. The more experienced teach the newcomers; younger and older participants collaborate with humor and grace. Here, Ellen Chen (in a cap) offers Joan Frier (with gray hair) some friendly advice.

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Teen Time

Officially, librarian Samantha Jackson is the young adult information specialist. More than that, she offers thoughtful attention to hundreds of teens who spend long hours in the branch. Samantha has developed strong relationships with teenagers who seek her out for book recommendations and other advice. Shes also the resident manga and anime aficionado.

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Making Memories

Librarian Andrew Fairweather is in charge of building an archive of neighborhood history and culture to preserve memories in one of the fastest-changing neighborhoods in New York. He also organizes other activities at the library, including a regular Tea Time. Tea Time is one of the best ways that the library can express faith in people, Fairweather told me. People need to have nobility and dignity in their lives. And you know, they need other people to recognize it in them too. Serving tea doesnt seem like that big a deal, but the truth is its one of the most important things I do.
The former police chief of Biscayne Park, a suburb of Miami, pleaded guilty last week to charges that he had conspired in 2013 and 2014 to frame three black men for robberies they had nothing to do with. Three other former officers, in the preceding couple months, also pleaded guilty for their roles in the schemes.

It began when Raimundo Atesiano, the former police chief, decided he wanted his department to reach a 100 percent success rate for burglariessomething the department achieved in 2013, falsely.

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One officer even reported that the police chief and a second officer instructed him multiple times to pin cases pending on anyone black walking through the streets at night, according to an internal affairs report commissioned in 2014. He said that another officer relayed that message to him as well, and that officer told him, If you see anybody black walking through our streets and they have somewhat of a record, arrest them so we can pin them for all the burglaries.

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Police claimed one of the framed men, Banmah Erasmus, had confessed to breaking into five cars; another 16-year-old victim was framed for four house burglaries. Both had their charges dropped against them.

But a man named Clarens Desrouleaux, a 41-year-old legal immigrant from Haiti who has lived in the country for more than 20 years, ended up serving five years for grand theft and a burglary he never committed, according to the Miami Herald. When he was released, he was deported to Haiti, according to a federal lawsuit filed last week.

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When police arrested Desrouleaux on suspicion of forging a check, Atesiano told the arresting officers to charge him with two unsolved burglaries. They claimed he confessed to the crimes, and Desrouleaux, facing the prospect of 30 years in prison, took a plea deal.

In August 2017, when he completed the sentence, he was deported, according to the lawsuit. A judge vacated his convictions, but Desrouleauxs attorney says he is still not allowed to return to the United States, where his family and two children live.

According to the Herald, under federal sentencing guidelines, Atesiano faces between two and two and a half years in prison for his crimes.
Senate Republicans are in a double bind when it comes to defending Brett Kavanaugh. Backed by President Trump and conservative activists, theyve dug in, signaling their plan to go forward with a confirmation vote if Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party they attended as teenagers, chooses not to testify at the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. Ford wants the FBI to investigate the incident, which might not confirm her exact account but could fatally threaten Kavanaughs denials.

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Their commitment is rational. Republicans are achingly close to cementing a conservative majority on the Supreme Court for the next generation, which will almost certainly deliver an effective end to Roe v. Wade and other legal bugaboos of the conservative movement.

But there are also short-term stakes. Presidents and parties can lose battles for the Supreme Court and still recover, but the pain will linger. A Kavanaugh collapse would worsen an already-perilous midterm environment for the GOP, demoralizing Republican voters just weeks before voting. But a Kavanaugh confirmation could prove dangerous as well. In a political moment shaped by womens anger, from the Womens March to the #MeToo movement, putting Kavanaugh on the court despite a credible allegation of sexual assault could prove disastrous for Donald Trump and the Republican majority in Congress.

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Justice Kavanaugh might be a partisan accomplishment so toxic that it backfires on Republican politicians.

Brett Kavanaugh wasnt the only name on Trumps short list for the Supreme Court. The president had options. There was Amy Coney Barrett, a former law professor confirmed to the 7th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals last year with bipartisan supportand likely firm vote against Roe. There was Thomas Hardiman, a runner-up for the seat held by Neil Gorsuch and judge on the 3rd U.S Circuit Court of Appeals. There was Joan Larsen, a 6th Circuit judge and former clerk for Antonin Scalia with sterling conservative credentials. And there was Amul Thapar, also on the 6th Circuit, with strong backing from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.*

Options for Trump are also options for Senate Republicans, who could reject Kavanaugh and still confirm a replacement before the end of the year. But the political risks of rejecting the presidents favored nominee now are too high. Conservative evangelicals backed Trump in hopes of winning an anti-abortion majority on the Supreme Court. They are his most reliable constituency, one reason his job approval hasnt collapsed entirely, and key factor if Republicans plan to survive a blue wave in the fall. They want Kavanaugh, and if Republicans fail to put him on the court, their support may waver.

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One of the political costs of failing to confirm Brett Kavanaugh is likely the loss of the United States Senate, said evangelical leader Ralph Reed to the New York Times. Reed and his peers have urged the White House to push forward and ignore the allegations against Kavanaugh, under threat of political disaster. If Republicans were to fail to defend and confirm such an obviously and eminently qualified and decent nominee, Reed said, then it will be very difficult to motivate and energize faith-based and conservative voters in November.

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Confirming Kavanaugh might preserve Republican turnout, but it could also energize Democrats.

Even before Ford levied her accusation of sexual assault, Brett Kavanaugh was one of the most unpopular Supreme Court nominees in recent memory. In July, according to Fox News, 38 percent of Americans said they would vote to confirm him for the court, versus 32 percent who said No and 30 percent who were unsure. In August, after a month of debate, 45 percent of Americans said they would vote to confirm versus 46 percent who said they wouldntjust 9 percent were unsure. His numbers were similarly low at the start of September: 38 percent support, 39 percent opposed, and 23 percent undecided, according to CNN.

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Much of this reflects attitudes toward President Trump, whose popularity sank in the last weeks of summer, dropping from a rough average of 42 percent job approval to a rough average of 40 percent approval, a significant decline in an era of high partisanship and rigid polarization. Still, Kavanaughs numbers make him the least popular Supreme Court nominee since Robert Bork, rejected in 1987 by a bipartisan group of senators for his right-wing views on civil rights as well as his role in the Watergate Saturday Night Massacre.

Fords accusations have worsened Kavanaughs standing. Reuters/Ipsos shows a 6 point increase in opposition since its last poll in August. A Gallup poll also shows rising skepticism of Kavanaughs nomination. A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey has Kavanaugh below water with votersa first in that polls history.

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To confirm Kavanaugh in the face of deep unpopularity and serious controversy is to make a Democratic Houseand a Democratic Senatemore likely. Like the tax cutswhich were similarly unpopularJustice Kavanaugh might be a partisan accomplishment so toxic that it backfires on Republican politicians, especially with college-educated suburban women, who are already leaving the GOP in droves. The only other option is to drop Kavanaugh for another nomineeand risk a deadly blow to conservative enthusiasm in November.
One of the most surprising things about the Democratic Socialists of America is that there are democratic socialists in America. That was perhaps under the radar until Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez started making headlines. On a recent episode of The Gist, Mike Pesca spoke with Maria Svart, the national director of the Democratic Socialists of America. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Mike Pesca: Lets go to 2011 and 2012. Paint a picture of what a DSA national meeting looks like, how many people show up, whats the demo, whos involved.

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Maria Svart: So lets just say that in 2015, when we had our national convention and we had 125 people, we were thrilled. DSA meetings were much smaller than they are now. The New York City DSA now has over 4,000 members, and they have hundreds of people coming to general membership meetings. In 2011, we might get 20 people to come to a meeting.  It was mostly baby boomers.

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Do you find that youre converting mostly Democrats?

Probably a handful of Republicans, and certainly many Democrats are enraged about the Democratic Party and its leadershipthe Wall Street Democratsand their frankly complete inability to stand up to Trump and unwillingness to do what it will take to win. But frankly, were reaching out to people who arent Democrats or Republicans.

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When we organize, and we go out there to canvas for our candidates, when we talk about tenants rights and landlords, were actually deliberately trying to reach poor and working people, and many of them have stepped out of the political system because they dont feel that the Democrats are actually helping them. So its not so much trying to go after the elusive middle or bring over the Republicans so much as [reaching] the about 46 percent of people who didnt vote in the last presidential election and are frustrated.

Where does DSA differ with the Greens?

DSA has one foot in the Democratic Party and one foot outside of the Democratic Party. We dont see ballot lines as a question of political purity; we see them as a question of strategy and tactics, and we know that the political system is rigged against anybody other than the Democrats and the Republicans. So rather than spinning our wheels, were sort of experimenting.

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We have candidates running on the Green Party line and people are running as Democrats, and theyre all members of DSA. We are organizing people, and we are giving people the tools to analyze their local community and decide whats strategic, about which ballot line to run on, and how to build an organized base of politically aware people to just be smart about it rather than dogmatic.

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I would say the primary difference between us and the Greens is that  theyre a political party, and we are not a political party, and were trying to build power both in the political system across different parties and also outside the political system. So we have our Abolish ICE campaign. We have tenants organizing. We have the Medicare-for-all campaign. We have all this other work that were doing, which will last well beyond the election cycle.

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Listen to The Gist via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

Define what democratic socialism is.

We believe that people should have the ability to live a dignified life and that its possible in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Democratic socialism is the idea that we make the economy run, and so we should control it. We should own and control our workplaces. We should actually have real democratic control over public investment decisions. Other aspects of our society should be run democratically. 

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The employees should own workplaces. Why shouldnt we have a voice in how we manage things? So if we had a union, we might say, You pay us about 10 percent of what we produce. We want 20 percent. With socialism, we would say, Actually, we should run the bike shop. We should own the bike shop. We do the work. We know how it works. We should be actually invested in it and control it.

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When I talk about public investment, there are certain things that shouldnt be left to the market and do need to be democratically controlled.

Nationalized.

Right.

If you own the bake shop, if I own the bike shopMikes Bikes, Marias Muffinswe are individuals, and we say we have this great idea, and we start it, and it goes pretty well, and were the only employees. Then we hire someone else, and the profits rise, and were good to our employees. At what point are we allowed to stop? Or are we mandated that we stop owning our business?

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One of the roles of democratic socialists is to pull the political debate back to where it needs to be.  Maria Svart, DSA national director

People often dont know how to take democratic socialism, because we dont actually believe we have a full blueprint. We believe that we need to make the road by walking, so we could talk about: What does it look like today? What would we like to have it tomorrow or in five years? The long-term vision is that we actually have true democratic control, but we cant exactly articulate what that looks like, because people have to decide.

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There are many economists who have thought about this. There are plenty of people who have written whole books on it who are members of DSA, but it all comes back down to this principle that we should control our labor, and we should control the fruits of our labor, because people do the work. People should own their workplaces. 

The thing about DSA is were what is called a big-tent organization. So we have some people who would be satisfied with Scandinavian social democracy.

Are those the moderates within your organization?

Yes. Thats the idea that nobody should be starving in the streets, but we could have a mixed economy, and thats a way to tame capitalism.

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A lot of other folks in DSA would say that if you look at the social-democratic countries of the world, and other countries that have experimented, the market continually undermines public provision and social-democratic reforms. Thats because the nature of the capitalist system is that the drive for profit is not about individual people being greedy; its about the fact that if you are a good employer and you are competing against an employer who is not, who doesnt really care about his workers, you inherently must start exploiting your workers to squeeze as much out of them so that you can reinvest, because youre competing against somebody who doesnt have scruples. Its the nature of the system, that there needs to be constant profit that can be then reinvested and used to push into new markets.

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There are a couple critiques of the democratic-socialist idea, and one from Democrats is, Hows that different from just what Democrats should be? Whats your answer to that?

I think a lot of people in the Democratic Party actually have a much broader political vision than theyve been forced into by this system, which the two parties have set up so that they can control the debate. What the capitalist class does is try to control what the discussion is, what political possibility is.

I think that there are plenty of people who have this alternative vision. In schools and in the mainstream media and everywhere, its not even that were told that theres no alternativeits like this is the air that we breathe, and we are trained to believe that this is how things have to be. We have to constantly be in competition with one another. Everything is about competition and individualism, and there is no sense of collective, theres no sense of community, theres no sense of shared destiny, and thats just the way the world is, and thats human nature.

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When you talk about what the so-called American dream is, we can talk about how its based on colonization and slavery, and it was never really intended to work for most people, but the reality is, the American dream is we all can live a dignified life. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has this really great quote: I believe that in a modern, moral, and wealthy society, no person in America should be too poor to live.

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It seemed like a good phrase, and it got a big round of applause. Who would object to that? I bet you that if you woke up Paul Ryan in the middle of the night, hed actually sign on to that.

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I dont think he would. The Republicans are becoming more and more clear that they actually dont believe that people have the right to eat.

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He really thinks that people should not be so poor to live, and his solutions for that are market solutions. He also would argue that he doesnt think that people are too poor to live in America right now. You probably disagree with that. But its so full of ambiguous phrases that I think your definition of what democratic socialism is puts a little more meat on the bones than hers does.

If Ocasio-Cortez is articulating that version, which is a more moderate version of what you stand for, how good is that for you guys?

Its incredibly important. Its like Bernie Sanders running for president and getting millions of votes.

They are the most moderate versions of what you are. Theyre not actually the exemplars of your philosophy. Is that a problem?

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Theyre the most moderate version of what we as an organization think of as democratic socialism, but compared to the American political system, they are super far-left. One of the roles of democratic socialists is to pull the political debate back to where it needs to be, because the Republicansand theyve been aided and abetted by the Democrats over the yearshave pulled and pulled and pulled the debate to the far right, to the point where even basic social-democratic ideas were beyond the pale.

Ocasio-Cortez confronting, much like how Bernie Sanders confronted, this neoliberal capitalist consensus that the market was a solution to all problems is incredibly important. It shows that another world is possible. She speaks with a visionary language that resonates with millions of people in the same way that Bernie Sanders did. That is, in a country where we are, as I said, fed along with mothers milk, this idea that endless competition with each other is the only way that we can live, endless isolation from each other, and loneliness. There is no alternative. That is incredibly important.

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There are probably people listening to this show who are big fans of Bernie or Ocasio-Cortez. One of the things they say is that thats what the Democratic Party should be. These people probably get quite offended when theyre painted with charges like, Oh, Bernie wants to nationalize the means of production. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesnt believe in private ownership. However, youre telling me that DSA means a whole lot of stuff way to the left, if you will, of that.

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Whats the problem with that?

That people who are backers of those two candidates either arent on board or it would give them pause to know there is legitimacy in the criticism of those two candidates as being adherent of a philosophy that is way to the left of where their fans are or where even those two politicians are.

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We really believe in people, and we actually believe that many people in this country are much more dissatisfied with the status quo than you might think from the way the mainstream media, even liberals and progressives, talk about it. We are not concerned, because they actually believe that most people know that something is terribly wrong. They know that were going off the climate cliff. They know that there are a few winners and a whole lot of losers in our economy.

If they are introduced to a set of political ideas that help crystallize why this is happening, then thats fine, and thats actually a good thing, and that is the role of a socialist organizationto introduce ideas that have been squeezed out of the mainstream debate.

When I was a college student, I became a member of DSA because I was a feminist activist. Im biracial. Im a woman. My family struggled with money growing up, so I knew the world was not there. I did not have an understanding of why it was that way until I met socialists. We want more people to understand who is running our economy, more people to understand what the answer is, and thats a mass movement of people standing up together across our differences. All of these ways that we are divided against one another is a deliberate strategy. We need people to have a political consciousness. People are smart, and theyre going to understand whats happening.
On Thursday morning, a Politico reporter wrote that Ed Whelan and Leonard Leokey figures in the circle of conservative Federalist Society activists who have guided the Trump administrations judicial nominationswere on the verge of releasing information that would prove conclusively that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh did not sexually assault Christine Blasey Ford:

But three people who have spoke to Whelan and Federalist Societys Leonard Leo in recent days say they are 100 percent confident theyve obtained information that will exonerate Kavanaugh - https://t.co/C6xlnGXOZL  Eliana Johnson (@elianayjohnson) September 20, 2018

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The imminent release of the information was treated as a blockbuster event in right-wing circles. Conservatives close to Kavanaugh were tantalized by Whelans research, Politico wrote. A staffer for Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, one of the senior Republicans on the Judiciary Committee, which is vetting Kavanaughs nomination, posted the following:

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Whelan was hyped as a source of nearly godlike intellect and authority:

Ed Whelan is the model of careful, discerning legal analysis and commentary. Its why all of us who know him take everything he says and writes so seriously, said Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, where Whelan writes on judicial issues.

On Thursday night Whelan released his exoneration material, which turned out to be a wildly speculative casemade on the basis of Google Maps images, Zillow floorplans, and old yearbooksthat Ford may actually have been assaulted by a different student at Kavanaughs high school. Heres an example of Whelans work:

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A bedroom and a bathroom on the same floor of the same house? What are the odds???

Incredibly, Whelanwho is a lawyer!went on to name and post a photo of the random Kavanaugh classmate who hed just insinuated to have been the perpetrator of a sexual assault. The classmate, it turns out, is now a middle school teacherand, according to a statement that Christine Blasey Ford made almost immediately to the Washington Post, she knew him when she was a teenager and is sure he is not the person who assaulted her. While its impossible to say a statement is libelous or defamatory in a legal sense without litigating the matter, Whelans tweets were at the least recklessly accusatory in the laypersons sense of the term, and Republicans began backing away from him immediately. Heres Orrin Hatchs staffer:

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Deleted this earlier (from yesterday) because I didnt want to promote a thread that dragged an unrelated private citizen into this unfortunate situation



I had no idea what Ed was planning (weve never spoken) beyond what he had tweeted about having info exonerating Kavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/r453gdPmfo  Matt Whitlock  (@mattdizwhitlock) September 21, 2018

Heres spokesman for the Republican-run Judiciary Committee, many of whose members have worked with Whelan in the past:

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To reporters asking: The Senate Judiciary Committee had no knowledge or involvement. https://t.co/MBmqrwMyp5  Garrett Ventry (@GarrettVentry) September 20, 2018

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The Washington Post reported that White House officials likewise sought to distance themselves from Whelans claims and said they were not aware of his plans to identify the former classmate. By Friday morning, Whelan himself had deleted his thread and apologized:

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I made an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment in posting the tweet thread in a way that identified Kavanaugh's Georgetown Prep classmate. I take full responsibility for that mistake, and I deeply apologize for it. I realize that does not undo the mistake.  Ed Whelan (@EdWhelanEPPC) September 21, 2018

Whelan has further asserted that he didnt coordinate his work with White House Counsel (and judicial nominations guru) Don McGahn or Kavanaugh himself:

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"I have not communicated at all with Don McGahn or anyone at the White House, or Judge Kavanaugh, about the topic of the Twitter thread," @EdWhelanEPPC tells me just now, in a brief phone interview.



Whelan declined to answer further questions.  Robert Costa (@costareports) September 21, 2018

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This raises a big question, though: How, then, did Whelan come up with the idea to look up the plans for a house that Kavanaughs classmate lived in decades ago? Even if it were logistically possible, it doesnt make sense to imagine that Whelan looked up housing information and yearbook photos for each of Kavanaughs male classmates before settling on the one he named; almost everyone Kavanaugh went to high school with, obviously, lived in a house that had a bedroom and a bathroom, and many of them probably vaguely resembled Kavanaugh.

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The Times Maggie Haberman, incidentally, says Kavanaugh allies have been floating a mistaken-identity theory for days:

Deleting tweets of my own that included his thread for that reason. This is something Kavanaugh allies had privately said could be the case for days but doing it this way, as an apparent reaction to Ford likely testifying, suggests a level of panic. https://t.co/zRt2fELDaU  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 20, 2018

Haberman doesnt say, however, that these allies were circulating the name of the specific classmate that Whelan outed.

So, who tipped off Ed Whelan?
In what seemed like a certainty after his office was raided by federal officials and records seized, President Trumps personal attorney Michael Cohen has reportedly been cooperating with Robert Muellers investigators, including multiple meetings in D.C. and New York City over the last month, ABC News reports. So far, according to sources familiar with the meetings, Cohens hours of participation have reportedly been voluntary without any assurance of leniency or immunity. But Cohen and his lawyer Lanny Davis have appeared to be angling for a deal of some sort since Cohens shady post-election deals were revealed, leaving him facing years in prison with more potentially to come.

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The fact that Cohen served as Trumps fixer for a decade, including into the campaign and the Trump White House, makes his cooperation an extraordinary legal threat to the president. Cohen is already involved in a number of legal matters involving his work with Trump and beyond; last month he pleaded guilty to eight felonies as part of plea deal stemming from the investigation into hush payments made to Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal ahead of the 2016 election. What Cohen knows about Trumps Russia dealings, however, is more of a matter of conjecture at this point, although it seems reasonable to assume he has an intimate knowledge of Trumps dealings with Moscow before and during the campaign.

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Unsurprisingly, Muellers team zeroed in on Cohens knowledge of the Russia connection, touching on all aspects of Trumps dealings with Russiaincluding financial and business dealings and the investigation into alleged collusion with Russia by the Trump campaign and its surrogates to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, according to ABC News.

Cohen, of course, was mentioned in the Steele dossier as having traveled to Prague months before the election to meet with Kremlin officials to discuss alleged cash payments for the Clinton campaign email hack. It is a charge that Cohen has denied and Davis, his lawyer, denied again last month.

Cohens known Russia ties dont stop there however, he also clumsily made overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, sending an email to a generic Kremlin email address in January 2016 soliciting help on a Moscow real estate project the Trump Organization was pursuing. Over the past few months I have been working with a company based in Russia regarding the development of a Trump Tower-Moscow project in Moscow City, Cohen wrote to Putin aide Dmitry Peskov. Without getting into lengthy specifics, the communication between our two sides has stalled. As this project is too important, I am hereby requesting your assistance. I respectfully request someone, preferably you, contact me so that I might discuss the specifics as well as arranging meetings with the appropriate individuals. I thank you in advance for your assistance and look forward to hearing from you soon, Cohen wrote.
Remember earlier in the week, when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was suggesting that he took Christine Blasey Fords allegation against Brett Kavanaugh seriously? How he wanted to give the accuser an opportunity to be heard? Well, he couldnt maintain this facade for more than a few days before conceding publicly that he views the allegation as little more than a public relations blip that would be plowed right through.

In a speech to the annual Values Voter Summit on Friday morning, where the pious assembly was piping mad about how an allegation of attempted rape was impeding its political goals, McConnell laid down a marker. In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court, the majority leader said. So, my friends, keep the faith. Dont get rattled by all of this. Were going to plow right through it and do our job.

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Were going to have Judge KavanaughJustice Kavanaugh, he said toward the end of the speech, after boasting of how he compelled Democrats to accept tens of lower court judicial confirmations by threatening to keep them off the campaign trail. (Thats correct: McConnell admitted to these cynical political reasons for setting the Senate schedule the way he did, right there in the open.)

McConnell doesnt typically go out on a limb like this without knowing where the votes are. There is no hedging, no we hope that prefacing in the very near future here. But McConnell also knows that when he says something like this, political reporters will write analyses like, McConnell doesnt typically go out on a limb like this without knowing where the votes are. He may want the impression to get out there that this thing is in the bag, perhaps because it would then give a certain accuser the impression that its not worth testifying.

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McConnell cant know for certain that hell have the votes next week, since this is a developing story. More reporting about Kavanaughs history could come out. The president, dying to smear Ford, could tweet something ugly that forces Republicans to make further concessions to Fords team in the ongoing negotiations over when, and how, she might testify. (Oh look, thats already happening.) It could be that two of the three most-watched senatorsSens. Susan Collins, Jeff Flake, and Lisa Murkowskihave made commitments to McConnell to support Kavanaugh if the process of offering her a chance to testify is obeyed. And those commitments could change if unforeseen developments compel them to.

Since the day Brett Kavanaugh was nominated, its never been wise to bet against him.

But dont believe its over just because Mitch McConnell tells you so.
On Friday, the New York Times reported that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussed invoking the 25th Amendment process for removing an incapacitated president in the chaotic aftermath of FBI Director James Comeys May 2017 firing. The paper also says that Rosenstein, who supervises Robert Muellers special counsel investigation of Trump-Russia connections, also discussed on multiple occasions the idea of secretly recording Trump.

Rosenstein told the Times its story was inaccurate and factually incorrect and that he does not believe there are 25th Amendment grounds to remove the president; one or more Rosenstein-friendly sources have already told a number of outlets that the deputy AGs comments about wearing a wire were made in jest. Trump supporters in the hard-right media have nonetheless called for Rosenstein to be fired:

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Rod rosenstein shld have been fired long ago for being part of the resistance and not providing documents to congress in order to save his corrupt pals. NOW HE MUST BE FIRED.  Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) September 21, 2018

With Trump having admitted just this week that he sometimes does things just because someone on Fox News asked him to, the possibility that the Times report will trigger Rosensteins firing is a serious oneand one that the Times anonymous sources for the story must have anticipated. So who might have been motivated just right now to leak a story that makes a Rosenstein firing more likely? Lets look at the suspects:

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 Andrew McCabe. Fridays Times report says its account of Rosensteins behavior was derived in part from sources who had been briefed on memos written by F.B.I. officials, including Andrew G. McCabe. McCabe is the former high-level FBI official who was fired in March over allegations that he circumvented former FBI Director James Comey to leak information to the press and then lied about doing so to internal investigators. The process that led to McCabes firing was supervised by current FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, both of whom have generally appeared to be allies of Rosensteins. Might McCabe have fed the contents of the memoswhich he wrote after meetings that involved Rosensteinto the Times to get revenge on the Sessions-Rosenstein-Wray DOJ? It seems unlikely; for one, McCabes attorney told the Times that McCabe turned over his memos to the special counsels office and left copies of them at the FBI but has no knowledge of how they came to be shared with the press. For another, whoever might replace Rosenstein at DOJ would presumably be a Trump patsy whod shut down or undermine the Trump-Russia investigationwhich McCabe by all accounts supported aggressivelyand who would possibly seek to prosecute McCabe over the incident that led to his firing.

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 Trumps attorneys. Heres a line in the Times piece that sticks out:

In the end, the idea [of recording Trump] went nowhere, the officials said. But they called Mr. Rosensteins comments an example of how erratically he was behaving while he was taking part in the interviews for a replacement F.B.I. director, considering the appointment of a special counsel and otherwise running the day-to-day operations of the more than 100,000 people at the Justice Department.

The idea that the Mueller investigation is intrinsically illegitimate because it was launched by biased individuals is one thats been hammered in recent months by Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. The idea of Rosensteins Mueller appointment being the result of erratic paranoia would support this fruit of the poisoned tree theory. The Times team that broke Fridays story has also done previous reporting that suggests a working relationship with Trumps legal team. But its not clear how Trumps lawyers would have gotten briefed on McCabes memosand even if they had, one imagines theyd want to sit on any information gleaned therefrom until it became legally relevant rather than using it to goad Trump into firing Rosenstein, a move that would potentially constitute obstruction of justice. Trumps advisers, legal and otherwise, have generally sought to keep him from firing Rosenstein and/or Sessions for fear that it would create legal liability and/or trigger a backlash among midterm voters whod perceive such a move as an act of corruption.

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That leaves:

 Hard-liners in Congress. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and Freedom Caucus Reps. Mark Meadows, Jim Jordan, and others have been attacking Muellers investigation for more than a year now out of what appears to be little more than pure, base-stoking tribal spite; some Freedom Caucus members even tried to impeach Rosenstein in a move that was blocked by moderate GOP leaders. As national security writer Marcy Wheeler notes here, Jordan has been particularly involved with House Judiciary Committee efforts to force the DOJ to disclose internal documents about Trump and Russia that would be used to argue that Mueller and the FBI are irredeemably biased against Trump. The Judiciary Committee is in regular contact with DOJ officials about the documents theyre seeking to have disclosed; the existence of McCabes memos, meanwhile, has been public knowledge since March.

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Heres what Jordan wrote after the Times story broke Friday:

Rosenstein denies the NYT story.



Mr. Rosenstein, give Congress the McCabe memos that we asked for in July and all the other documents weve requested so we can all judge for ourselves.https://t.co/dHOgL73paP  Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) September 21, 2018

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It appears that the House hard-liners, then, had both the means and the motive to leak potentially damaging information about Rosenstein from the McCabe memos; they also dont seem to care much about how a potential firing would affect Trump politically, generally behaving as if the imperative to #MAGA overrides any other considerations. The Times wont ever reveal the identities of its anonymous sources, of course, so theres no way to confirm it, but for now at least signs point to Trumps right-wing army in the House being behind Fridays act of headline-worthy tattletalemanship.
In 2016, the internet broke a little. Major sites like Twitter, Netflix, and Reddit went down after being hit with the Mirai botnetmalware that took advantage of routers and security cameras with poor security to cause distributed denial-of-service attacks. It was made possible because owners of the affected devices hadnt updated the factory-default usernames and passwords.

In 2017, there were about 20 billion connected devices worldwide, according to Statista, which projects that that number will be more than 75 billion by 2025. More gadgets are inundating our living rooms, more internet of things devicebased attacks are occurring; three times more such attacks have happened so far this year than in all of 2017, Channelnomics reported.

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Now California is considering legislation that would institute stricter password security for the network of smart physical devices that collect and share data that they acquire from users and their surroundings.

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This policy comes at a time when IoT is taking over every inch of our homeson Thursday, Amazon introduced about 15 new Alexa-enabled products, including microwaves, clocks, and car gadgets. With it comes the increased risk of hackers abusing that collected data.

SB 327 addresses that flaw. It requires manufacturers of a connected device to equip it with a reasonable security feature or features, beginning from Jan. 1, 2020. The bill also mandates that manufacturers must provide default passwords that are unique to each device or prompt the user to generate a new password before using the product. The bill was approved by the California Assembly and Senate in August and is in its final stage, waiting for Gov. Jerry Browns final approval.

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Milos Prvulovic, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technologys School of Computer Science, said the bill would improve security for most people. A surprisingly large number of people dont change the default password when they buy a new device, like a router, Prvulovic points out. Most of these default passwords are easily searchable on Google. If manufacturers are mandated to create unique passcodes for each device, even if they are default ones, this will decrease the impact of large-scale, automated attacks by botnets. Prvulovic said that it would be even better if users were prompted to create their own passwords prior to using any smart device.

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Of course, it doesnt stop users from making terrible passwords on their own, said Jamie Winterton, director of strategy at Arizona State Universitys Global Security Initiative. But at least takes us away from a situation where we all have the same password. (Disclosure: ASU is a partner with Slate and New America in Future Tense.)

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But the bill still has some drawbacks.

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What Im worried about is that this will lull people into a sense of false security, said Prvulovic. You should still change your password, and there are many reasons for it. For example, the manufacturer will most likely have a database of all the unique passcodes for each device. This can eventually be hacked or leaked.

Moreover, the bill should have required encryption, said Winterton. If you encrypt the data collected by these devices, the information will make no sense to somebody who doesnt have the decryption key.

Some cybersecurity experts, like Robert Graham of Errata Security, have pointed out that much of the bill is vague. For instance, a reasonable security feature could mean a lot of things. In his analysis of the bill, Graham says it is impossible for any company to know what these words mean and impossible to know if they are compliant with the law.

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But perhaps thats the point. You need some freedom to innovate to be embedded in the law, so it dictates what kind of thing is needed without implementing how it should happen, said Prvulovic.

Having a vague legislation is crucial also because of how fast technology changes. If you customize [the legislation] to what we have today, its not gonna work for changes in technology, even next year or a couple of years down the road, said Winterton.

If Gov. Brown signs the bill, it could have a big impact across the country.

California is a large marketIm pretty sure if this becomes the law [there], its gonna happen everywhere else anyway, Prvulovic said. Home to several giant tech firms, California often leads the way in technology policy, particularly on protecting consumers. In March, for example, California introduced a bill to reinstate some of the net neutrality protections taken away by the Federal Communications Commission. The bill would stop internet providers from blocking or deterring certain websites and ban them from providing faster access to websites that pay more money. In March, April Glaser wrote:

Californias net neutrality law may have ramifications that stretch beyond the states borders, since applying rules within one states lines alone isnt always feasible when it comes to the relatively borderless internet. This is what happened in 2003 with the passage of the California Online Privacy Protection Act, which required websites to publish privacy polices when they collect data about users.

Whether or not the bill passes, its imperative for you to change your passwordsand not to 123456, password, or qwerty.
The sale of Time magazine to Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and his wife, Lynne, is only the latest example of prominent figures in the technology industry using their fortunes to buy legacy media companies. There was Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes 2012 purchase (and 2016 sale) of the New Republic, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos 2013 purchase of the Washington Post, Laurene Powell Jobs 2017 purchase of a majority stake in the Atlantic, and biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiongs 2018 purchase of the Los Angeles Times.* They surely wont be the last: The news business isnt getting less tumultuousnor any less essential to a functioning democracy.

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What should we make of these tech titans turned media patrons, and should we worry about their intentions? To figure that out, we recently interviewed Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan on If Then, Slates technology podcast. A former editor in chief of the Buffalo News and public editor of the New York Times (as well as a current employee of one of those tech billionaires), she discussed the Bezos era of the Washington Post, what the new media barons have in common with the newspaper bosses of yesteryear, and what it will take for media organizations to survive the next financial crisis.

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Read or listen to our conversation below, or get the show via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

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April Glaser: We often hear tech execsmostly from Facebook and Google, not Salesforce, to be fairbelabor the point that they are not media companies. Still, Benioff does come from the same worldview at the center of the American technology industry. Can you help us understand what this means, to have tech executives buy media companies? Is there something that we really need to be thinking about here?

Margaret Sullivan: Well, I can talk about it directly as being an employee of the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, and its been a very, very positive thing for the Post.

The Post was, I think you could say it was troubled as lot of newspapers were, and was really trying to be a local newspaper and Bezos has sort of switched that around, so that the Post has very big national and even global ambitions. One of the interesting things about Bezos Washington Post is that by all accounts he keeps his hands off the editorial product, which is run by Marty Baron and was when Bezos came along. Marty hadnt been there very long, but he remains, and of course hes an extremely well-respected editor. And he has said multiple times that Bezos doesnt say Do run this story or Dont run this story. But it does seem like thats what you would want. You want the editorial content left alone and run by journalists.

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Is that always the case? Probably not. And there are billionaires who are not all going to be respectful of that. Benioff says directly that he will be, that he doesnt want to tamper with the news product at Time. I guess well see about that. He also has said that he thinks that Time aligns with his values. I think that all sounds perfectly OK. I dont know how great wed feel if some other billionaires started talking about how theyve bought a legacy magazine or newspaper and theyre happy because they want it to align with their values. It might not always sound so great.

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You want the editorial content left alone and run by journalists.  Margaret Sullivan

Will Oremus: Thats a good point. Let me ask a little bit more about the case of Bezos and the Post because that does seem like, at least on the surface, an example of the upside of this kind of arrangement. The Post is doing very well. Does a tech executive like Bezos just bring the money? You talked about the Posts widened ambitions, the reach of their journalism is greater now, The scope of their journalism is greater. Is that just him saying, Heres a ton of money, go do good stuff with it? Or is there something else that he is bringing? Is it a management style? Is there any actual technological expertise? Does it take a tech executive like this bring to, say, a company like Time, Hey look, heres how you build a platform at scale, heres how you hire top software engineers, that kind of thing.

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Sullivan: I do think that Bezos has changed the culture of the Post and stressed that it needs to be very customer-oriented and customer-centric, and nimble and technologically agile and all those things. So I dont think its justthe phrase that Bezos used when he first bought the Post was he wanted to give it runway. He wanted to give it the financial stability so that it could get going and take off. But he also, I think, has contributed to the culture and in fact to the technological direction of it. I cant tell you exactly how involved he is on that end, but I think he is. So I think that theres a potential upside there for legacy companies that are trying to figure out what to do in the post-print world.

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And certainly Time magazine is one of those. Its a great brand, its an iconic brand, as Benioff said. And it still has that cachet: When Time magazine does a cover on someoneor has a very interesting or sort of funny depiction of Donald Trumppeople do pay attention to that cover. We know that President Trump that pays a lot of attention to how many times hes been on the Time cover and that sort of thing. So it still carries that weight, but its struggling. It is profitable, I understand, but it certainly is less profitable than it used to be. And it is struggling with the demise of print advertising.

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Glaser: Right. And Benioff and his wife Lynne did say they are going to help with some of the digital transition stuff, similar to how Bezos has so far treated the Washington Postkeep their hands out of the editorial process and just let the business run as it would. It seems like this is a better arrangement than, say, a group of venture capitalists swooping in and buying it, because then theyre going to be working the kind of lowest-common-denominator interest of all of the people who co-own the paper through the venture capital firm, which would be to profit. It seems like with these tech executives, they areI dont know if this is a pet project for them, but at least they have some level of values that theyre adopting these publications with.

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Sullivan: Absolutely. One of the really difficult and bad developments in journalism in recent years is that hedge funds have bought up a lot of regional and small to medium-size and even large local newspapers. Like Alden Global Capital, which is one of the big villains that has bought a bunch of papers, including probably most famously the Denver Post, and taken their newsroom numbers down to the point where they really cant cover their communities. I think with the billionaires were talking about, they seem to be invested in trying to keep the quality of the product that theyve just bought. Theyve bought it, its hard to say why. Im sure there are a variety of reasons. Is it a pet project, as you said? Is it a vanity project? Or is it because they really want this publication to succeed and they can both sort of do well by doing good. So Im sure that theres a sort of a whole range of reasons, but I do think its all a lot better than having to please the shareholders by keeping the profit margin up at all costs.

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Oremus: Right. And if you look at the history of media ownership, its certainly not a new thing to have business magnates or billionaires coming in and buying a media empire partly as a vanity projectthats not necessarily a bad thing. And if you go back in history, some of those moneybags who were media kingpins used their publications as organs to advance their agenda or to advance their political careers, or things like thatstart a war, in a famous case. What is it like when you work for Jeff Bezos? You must feel some pressure not to write something agitating for antitrust action against Amazon. How do the Washington Posts business reporters think about their obligations when Bezos is their owner, even if hes not standing at their side saying, write this, dont write that? There must still be an imaginary Bezos on their shoulder when theyre covering his company.

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Sullivan: So just in the past week or so, Ive had the opportunity to hear Marty Baron talk about that very thing because I was in a group of international press fellows. And they asked him that question and he cited a number of pretty tough stories that the Post has done on Amazon and again, well, as you said, its not going to be a phone call, Dont do this story. But is there self-censorship? Do you hold yourself back? I dont know. I dont work in the business department, but I do see pieces in the Post, whether on the opinion pages or on the business pages, that are very far from being positive coverage or puff pieces. Now, are they going to be the big takedown of Amazon that the New York Times did a couple of years ago, in which it described the brutal workplace and so on? Maybe not.

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But I think that certainly covering the news and looking a step further is not at all frowned on or impossible to do. And I should say, this is my second billionaire. I spent a long time at the Buffalo News as a reporter and all kinds of editors, and then eventually the top editor. And our chairman was Warren Buffett. And I can tell you that in the 12 years that I was editor of the paper and I also was on the editorial board, so had some say over the opinion pages as well as the news pageshe never ever got involved, it was not ever that he said, and he was a Hillary supporter and a Democratic donor and all of that. But we made endorsements and we didnt say, What would Warren think about this? It really is very possible that there just isnt a presence on that side. And they make a commitment not to be, and they live that way.

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But I think that certainly covering the news and looking a step further is not at all frowned on or impossible to do.  Margaret Sullivan

Glaser: One thing that strikes me about this kind of new class of media baron thats coming from the tech industry is that they became so wealthy and so big thanks to all kinds of regulatory restraint from the government, a homogenous investor culture that overwhelmingly awards money to companies that are owned by white men, sometimes a dependence on production via inhumane factory labor abroad, and a philosophy of innovating first and cleaning up the negative consequences later. Theyre also kind of at the heart of a lot of the political issues that are boiling over right now, whether its Cambridge Analytica or the 2016 elections disinformation problem or antitrust. Im curious if you have thoughts about so many owners coming from this one particular industry. Yes, we have seen billionaires own media properties throughout the past 100 years. Thats not a strange thing. And they have shown different levels of respect for keeping their hands off those, but in this case we see one industry buying media properties in this kind of short amount of time.

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Sullivan: Yeah. And I think its untested at this point, or not fully tested. We dont know, when the rubber hits the road, to what extent their ownership make a difference, and is that in the back of some of their minds when they do buy these properties up. Now, Its a little hard to think that Time magazine is going to be crusading for any of the issues that the Benioffs would care about. But again, we really dont know. This is all very recent. So I think its going to play out and well see what happens.

Oremus: When Chris Hughes bought the New Republic, there were a lot of high hopes in the industry that this was a new modelthat a wealthy savior from the tech industry would come in, take over a struggling but editorially worthy publication, and give it the infusion of cash and resourcesthe runway, to use your wordsthat it needed to get going again. But that one actually did not end well. Hughes clashed with, I think, some of the magazines leadership. There was an exodus, there was a lot of staff turnover. And then a little while after he got there, he said, you know what, we actually do need to make money and were not making any money. So lets make a bunch of changes that could put us on that path, and that I think went against what some peoples expectations were. And so do these tech executives expect to eventually make money, do you think? And if and when the rubber meets the road on that, could things still go awry?

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Sullivan: One difference with Chris Hughes was that he certainly did not keep a hands-off approach. I mean, I remember he did a big interview with Obama and he was a presence on the editorial side of the magazine. So theres that difference right away. I suspect that for a lot of the new buyers, theyre not reallythis is my gut feeling, I dont really knowbut I doubt that they care tremendously if their publication makes a lot of money. I suspect they would like it not to be a continual and endless cash drain. So if they made a dollar a year, maybe that would be OK. And of course it would be great if they could make it profitable and really make it work as a business. But I dont think that thats the primary motivation here, and its probably more Just dont let it be a disaster. And the magazine business is tough right now: The transformation from print to fully digital is underway. But a lot of the revenue is still coming from print, and once we have a recession, which is inevitable, a lot of that still-hanging-around print advertising revenue could easily go away and force a crisis.

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Oremus: Im glad you brought that up, because the backdrop here is tough times in the media business and its been tough times of one sort or another for the past 10, 15 years. But it really seems like nobodyfor all of the experimentation and all of the actually worthy innovations that have gone on, companies like BuzzFeed or Gawker, all sorts of new models, Axios, Politico that have sprung upit doesnt seem like there has emerged a steady path to profitability or sustainability in all that time. And so were kind of back to just like hoping a billionaire buys a media company and hope and youll let it lose money.

Sullivan: Right? I mean, I do think that, Ive certainly studied the New York Times and the Washington Post as much as I can. And I think in those cases, so both of those publications are profitable, they have turned their attention, the Times maybe a little bit earlier, certainly the Post now too, less about digital advertising revenue and much more about subscriptions. So getting people to really feel a strong, strong connection with these newspapers, or whatever were going to call news organizations, to the point where they just feel like, I dont want to run up against that pay wall. I want to have free access, total access to it every day and therefore Im willing to pony up and pay the money. And I think that the ones that will make it probably will be able to have that kind of really strong bond. They may have other forms of revenue, but theyre going to have to rely on their readers or their customer base to be a major source of supporting them. I dont think theres any way around that.

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Glaser: One question I have left is about Bezos relationship to the union at the Washington Post. I know that there have been tense contract negotiations between the editorial staff and management under Bezos, and Im curious if you have any update or comment on that.

Sullivan: I dont really have a lot of detailed knowledge about it. There has been a contract that was approved. I know that people arent tremendously happy with it, and they certainly made the case that because Bezos is so rich that he should be able to do more for the union members in terms of 401(k) and so on, and they have settled. So of course thats going to be a pressure point.
Russia complicates Slovak helicopter repair contract with Afghanistan

Criticism of the general repairs carried out by a Slovak company could be an attempt to sour the deal.

One of the three Mi-17 helicopters arrived in Trencin in November 2016. (Source: TASR)

An agreement that may guarantee Slovakia dozens of millions euros might be in danger. The Russian state-run company Vertoloty Rossii has cast doubt on the quality of the repair work carried out by Slovak technicians from the Letecke Opravovne Trencin (LOTN) company on the first Afghani Mi-17 helicopters earlier this year, the Dennik N daily reported.

The Russian firm disclaimed all liability for the further safe operation of this rotorcraft and has good reason to refuse to provide service support for this helicopters operation, as it wrote on its website.

In the companys opinion, LOTN has not mastered the overhaul of this type of rotorcraft in due order. Moreover, it was carried out under the repair/overhaul documentation developed by LOTN without the participation and supervision of the designer and manufacturer.

Vertoloty Rossii also informed that updated overhaul and design documentation, spare parts and group kits for overhaul were never supplied to the Trencin-based firm. It even enrolled the Slovak firm on the list of aircraft repair facilities performing unauthorized overhaul of military-transport rotorcraft of the Mi-17V-5 type.

Russian reaction poses threat to Slovakia

The repair of Afghani helicopters is paid for by NATO and the USA. It, among other things, gives international prestige to LOTN, which runs under the Slovak Defence Ministry, Dennik N wrote.

Read also:

Read also: Slovak company wins big order for repair of NATO helicopters Read more

Since the company aids the west in helping Afghanistan to battle the Taliban, the project is monitored by professional foreign media. This is why they immediately made the Russian statement public, according to the daily.

LOTN appears to be in a tough position. The reaction might only be a tactic aiming to obtain more benefits from the Slovak contract, but it could also result in Slovakia losing the agreement. The reason being that when military helicopters are repaired, the work cannot be carried out without the cooperation of the producer who provides the necessary certificates and original spare parts, Dennik N wrote.

Victory in international competition

LOTN won the international competition organised by NATO in the autumn of 2016, defeating for example the companies from the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Lithuania.

Its one of the biggest orders in the history of the repair company, said Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (Slovak National Party) in November 2016, as quoted by Dennik N.

The ministry subsequently increased the companys basic capital by 30 million to help it prepare for the project, according to the daily.

The volume of the agreement has never been published, Dennik N wrote.

What will happen next?

The first three helicopters arrived in Trencin in November 2016. The repair of the first one was completed this summer and the helicopter was subsequently sent to Afghanistan. The other two are expected to be repaired next year.

Dennik N wrote that the problem is not in the low-quality of repair works. It is more probable that the company failed to receive the necessary certificates from the Russians, who are now using the fact.

A source told the daily that one of the motivations of the Russians might be competitive and political. Vertoloty Rossii, which unites all helicopters producers in Russia, is not only a partner, but also competition for the Slovaks. The Russians tried to win the repair contract for the Afghani helicopters, but this was unacceptable to both the US and NATO, the source told Dennik N.

The fate of the deal will not depend on the Americans and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, but the ordering parties.

21. Sep 2018 at 6:24 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Study shows construction of Eastring gas pipeline is feasible

Construction of the interconnector may begin in 2022.

The Eastring bi-directional gas pipeline interconnector is expected to increase energy security in the region of south-eastern Europe and make for more vibrant competition on the gas market. This could also translate into more advantageous prices for end consumers, European Commission Vice-president for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said in Bratislava on September 20, during the presentation of the feasibility study for Eastring offering a direct transmission route between West EU liquid hubs and the Balkan region/Turkey.

The feasibility study shows that several alternatives are technically, as well as economically feasible, Rastislav Nukovic, general director of the pipeline operator Eustream said in an interview with Euractiv. The feasibility study recommends the 1,208 km route while the price tag is estimated at 2.6 billion.

Read also:

Read also: Construction of Slovak-Polish gas pipeline link launched Read more

If the project for the pipeline connecting Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia wins final approval, construction could start in 2022 with the pipeline becoming operational at the beginning of 2025, said Nukovic.

The positive outcomes of the feasibility study represent an important milestone in common project development and move us closer toward investment decisions, he added, as cited by Reuters.

The interconnector would have a capacity of 20 billion cubic metres a year during the first phase and this would be expected to double during the second one.

Read also:

Read also: Slovakia and Hungary sign memorandum on Eastring project Read more

The pipeline will reduce south-eastern Europes reliance on Russian supplies and its initial demand would be 12 billion cubic metres, according to the feasibility study.

Tomas Marecek, chair of the board of directors at Eustream, specified that it will be primarily the customers set to use the pipeline who will be involved in the projects financing via long-term contracts adding that part of the sum will be covered by the EU and a loan from the European Investment Bank or the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Finally, a portion of resources will also come from companies due to participate in the construction: Eustream in Slovakia, FGSZ in Hungary, Transgaz in Romania and Bulgartransgaz in Bulgaria.

21. Sep 2018 at 6:05 | Compiled by Spectator staff
President Kiska: Smers plan to have parliament elect constitutional judges dangerous

He fears that without proper checks and balances the Constitutional Court will be under the control of Parliament.

President Andrej Kiska perceives the plans of the ruling party Smer to make the election of Constitutional Court judges an exclusive right of Parliament alone to be dangerous and wonders about its true purpose.

After Kiska met with representatives of coalition parties earlier in the day, he accentuated that a proper system of checks and balances guarantees that power wont be concentrated in a single set of hands and that the Constitutional Court wont have to serve the interests of the current parliamentary majority. Kiska also added that he perceives no insurmountable obstacles that would hinder the coalition and opposition from arriving at a deal on changing the rules guiding the election of Constitutional Court judges.

At the end of the day, the success or its lack thereof, in revisiting the rules governing the election of Constitutional Court judge candidates will be determined by the willingness to do the right thing. The willingness to have a quality and trustworthy Constitutional Court by improving the rules governing the election of judges, said Kiska, who personally considers the current motion on the table to be insufficient, as cited by the TASR newswire.

Aside from other issues, Kiska objects to increasing the candidates minimum age from 40 to 45.

Kiska also pointed out that if the rules are not changed, then the current governing coalition and incumbent president will appoint two-thirds of the Constitutional Court judges.

And if we dont introduce continuous replacement of the judges, then the Parliament - which we will elect ten years from now - will vote on 12 out of 13 judges and, hence, acquire absolute control over the staffing of the Constitutional Court, said Kiska.

On Thursday, September 20, Kiska met with representatives of the coalition parties. Following the talks, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Martin Glvac (Smer) unveiled the motion sponsored by Smer to have Constitutional Court judges elected directly by Parliament with 90 votes.

Currently, Parliament elects candidates for Constitutional Court judges and submits them to the president, who subsequently appoints them to the bench. Glvac refers to the statement by the Venice Commission as an argument to back the change. Justice Minister Gabor Gal (Most-Hid) has not commented on whether he would endorse such a proposal.

21. Sep 2018 at 5:54 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Lucia Zitnanska leaves Most-Hid party and its parliamentary caucus

She cites no progress in the investigation of Kuciaks murder or in solving the other problems bedevilling Slovakia as the reason.

MP and former justice minister Lucia Zitnanska (2016-18) is leaving the minor ruling party Most-Hid.

I already announced before the summer break that I will not vie for any elected office nor run in the next general election, Zitnanska posted on Facebook. Today, however, Im also losing any reason to maintain strictly official ties with the current governing coalition, and, therefore, I have decided to leave the Most- Hid caucus and, hence, the Most- Hid party.

Zitnanska writes that half a year into the government of Peter Pellegrini, none of the problems bedevilling Slovakia - the investigation of journalist Jan Kuciaks murder, the trustworthiness of the police and the Interior Ministry, the independence of the police internal affairs team or the need to address land-related scandals - have seen progress tangible enough to assuage the concerns harboured either by the public or herself.

Read also:

Read also: What is Lucia Zitnanskas legacy? Read more

On the contrary, she perceives only an effort to maintain the status quo and downplay the problems.

Im talking about the tenures of [former Police Corps President] Tibor Gaspar and [former NAKA head] Robert Krajmer at the Interior Ministry, evasive and misleading statements by the Interior Ministrys leadership on the investigation into the kidnapping of a Vietnamese manager, verbal attacks against the media and noteworthy deviation from the unequivocal pro-European and pro-Atlantic orientation, represented particularly by one specific coalition partner, she wrote.

Most-Hid wrote in its response that co-operation inside any coalition is challenging and has its own set of written and unwritten rules.

In the latest period, views of the party, the caucus and Ms. Zitnanska began to diverge, reads the Most-Hids press release. Therefore, we see her decision as a natural evolution of this state. We respect her choice and thank her for her prior cooperation.

Zitnanska joined Most-Hid in 2014, jumping ship from imploding SDKU. She served as Justice Minister three times. After her departure from the Most-Hid caucus, the party will be whittled down to just 13 MPs in Parliament.

21. Sep 2018 at 6:32 | Compiled by Spectator staff
The official end of summer is tomorrow, but the official end of the Build-Outs of Summer is right here, right now. Its sad to see it go back into its nine-month hibernation, but thats just the way these things go. Sunrise. Sunset. But we arent leaving without giving you one last extremely beautiful cafe to behold: Treeline Coffee in Bozeman, Montana.

With an eye towards the outdoors (how could you not in a place as lovely as Montana), Treeline wants to fuel you up for your next adventure, all within of a clean-designed wonder of a space. Working with THINKTANK Design Group, Treeline is a mix of minimalism and warmth. And it is the perfect way to end the 2018 Build-Outs of Summer. Its been a wild ride; we cant wait to see what yall have in store next year. But for now, lets take in the splendor that is Treeline Coffee in Bozeman, Montana.

As told to Sprudge by Natalie Van Dusen.

For those who arent familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Treeline was born in the mountains of Bozeman, MT. We are a small batch, artisan coffee roaster in pursuit of an unforgettable cup of coffee. We pride ourselves on sourcing excellent coffees seasonally and roasting each bean to highlight the unique flavors that make for a rich and dynamic cup of coffee.

Yes, we are coffee lovers, but we are also adventurers, travelers, and outdoor enthusiasts! Treeline is built on the idea that your coffee should fuel you to do the things you love. With that as our motto, we have gone to great lengths to explore creative and innovative coffee solutions that allow our customers to take their coffee on-the-go. Whether its Bozeman or Bali, hotel or hut, we think coffee can be the ultimate travel and outdoor companion.

Driven by curiosity, intuition, and honesty, we seek to create an unforgettable coffee experience from farm-to-cup.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

This summer we finished building and opened our second Treeline Coffee Roasters location in Bozeman! The new Treeline Coffee was key element in the design of The Lark Hotel expansion located on Main Street in downtown Bozeman. As a modern reinterpretation of a 1960s motor lodge, the hotel sets a new standard of what a hotel experience can be by creating public gathering spaces for locals and hotel guests to interact. Treeline Coffee is at the heart of this interplay.

Housed in a warm, sustainable shell of exposed Cross Laminated Timber, Treeline Coffees inviting open-air entrance utilizes a large panel door to blur the indoor/outdoor connection. The space features brightly colored custom furniture by local artisans, contemporary lighting, and a steel barista counter whose design was born from a collaboration between the Treeline baristas, local craftsmen, and THINKTANK Design Group.

The barista counter is made from cold rolled steel and houses three pour-over stations, coffee grinders, brewers, Modbar expresso machines, a custom water tap, and a custom-made display rack for fresh pastries.

Guests cruise past display cases to the transaction counter in the middle of the bar where they can experience the creation of the drinks. The space and layout of the baristas equipment is spaced and grouped so they are ergonomically efficient and visually appealing to the clientele.

Treeline Coffees downtown location is roughly 700 square feet and serves fresh, locally-roasted coffee in the heart of Bozeman. In its opening weeks in July 2018, the coffee shop has experienced a large amount of traffic due to its uniquely bold, yet refined design, and of course tasty coffee.

Whats your approach to coffee?

We approach coffee like we approach our adventures: with enthusiasm and an end goal of an awesome quality experience. The attention to detail in each cups starts well before the brewing process and begins with sourcing.

From the beginning weve been traveling to meet with farmers and develop long lasting friendships and relationships. This allows us to better understand their growing practice and approaches to sustainability.

We purchase our beans seasonally and design unique roast profiles to match each bean so we can offer a rotating and unique lineup of coffees.

Our baristas, who are coffee professionals and true crafts(wo)men of their trade, then take the freshly roasted beans and pull shots on our Modbars or provide-pour overs on our v60s. Each barista treats every cup with the respect it deserves, keeping in mind the entire coffee story and truly completing the farm to cup experience for our customers to enjoy.

Additionally, the more we learn about coffee the more we realize we dont know and strive to keep learning. As a team we are always looking for ways to grow and expand our coffee knowledge and craft.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

So much fun equipment in this shop! We are continuing to use Modbars for our espresso but weve switched our grinders to the Nuova Simonelli Mythos One Clima Pro and are loving the upgrade!

We have a three station pour-over bar with Hario v60s. The coffee for our pour-over bar and our batch brew is ground using the new Mazzer ZM.

We spent a bunch of time sourcing awesome cupware. We have a mix of mugs from Loveramics, Acme, and notNeutral.

Whats your hopeful target opening date/month?

We opened July 1, 2018

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that youd like to mention?

THINKTANK Design Group, Townsend Collective, and other local Bozeman artisans.

Thank you!

Thanks for considering us!!!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.
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
Friday, September 21, 2018



Reihan Salam, photo by Larry D. Moore

Melting Pot or Civil War?: A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders is a forthcoming book (Sept. 25 release date) by National Review executive editor Reihan Salam.

The Wall Street Journal has an excerpt from the book and it's quite the read.

Salam is a member of the second-generation, the child of immigrants from Bangladesh. Salam confronts the "ways that rapid demographic change has affected Americas political psyche."

Here is the first eye-popping paragraph: "we need to recognize that the immigration debate isnt really about immigrants. In truth, its about the children of immigrants."

Salam notes that if the U.S. implemented a guest worker program for single individuals with high skill levels, something akin to programs in Singapore or Qatar, immigration wouldn't be a hot button issue. "But thats not how America works," Salam writes. "If we welcome you in as part of the flock, we also welcome your offspring."

So, if the immigration debate is about the children of immigrants, and fears that those children will outnumber the children of "natives," what should be done? Salam argues that "The key to averting a civil war over immigration is for the U.S. to do everything in its power to make sure that the children of natives and the children of immigrants alike are incorporated into a common national identity and, just as importantly, that theyre in a position to lead healthy and productive lives as adults. We need, in short, to make America a middle-class melting pot."

How does he propose doing this? He has three steps. First, "the key policy priority has to be integration, as opposed to opening our borders. This would mean, in the first place, an amnesty for the long-settled unauthorized immigrant population."

Second, "This amnesty must be contingent, however, on the adoption of a more selective, skills-based immigration system. The U.S. needs to give priority to the earning potential of applicants over their family ties, thus breaking with our current approach. Doing so will help to ensure that new arrivals are in a position to thrive in a changing U.S. labor market and that they can provide for their children without relying on programs meant to help the poorest of the American poor, not those who have chosen to make their homes here."

"Finally, and most important, we must invest the time and money it will take to ensure that all of Americas youth can grow up to lead decent lives. If that means higher taxes on the high-income professionals who have profited so mightily from immigrant labor, so be it."

Interesting!

-KitJ

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2018/09/from-the-bookshelves-melting-pot-or-civil-war.html
Our deputy prime minister cuts a prominent figure on the Luxembourg political scene. Requiring unceasing stamina to maintain his many ministries, has he done enough to prove himself and LSAP to the electorate?

If you'd like to watch our full interview click here:

VIDEO: Election Special - Etienne Schneider - long form The third episode in our series of interviews with political party leaders in advance of the election in October.

"Looking at your figures you don't even need an election campaign"

...say his European counterparts. But Schneider knows the Luxembourg voter, and knows there is no time for resting on results alone.

In the 2013 elections, LSAP won the second largest number of seats: 13 out of 60. However, it's popularity has been waning since a peak in 1984. In the most recent coalition of DP, LSAP and the Greens, Schneider has juggled the role of deputy prime minister, and managed the ministries of the economy, internal security and defence.

He is proud of the changes brought about to increase the number of police, and the Rifkind report, looking at strategies to grow Luxembourg's economy in different ways.

Naturally, representing the socialist party LSAP, Schneider wants to ensure that this wealth is shared across all people of Luxembourg.

"Everything we have has been build up together with foreign people."

It was this government which believed in and tried to open up a referendum to allow non-Luxembourg nationals the right to vote. Schneider looks on the 80:20 result against the right to vote as a stance against the government at that time, not entirely a reflection of what people feel about non-Luxembourg nationals living here. He recognises that Luxembourg's growth and success has depended on foreign workers living here and bringing their unique skills to enhance the iron ore industry, followed by the finance industry and now the space sector. This referendum outcome is his worst memory of what the government tried to achieve.

For the five years ahead, Schneider has the dedication necessary to just 'keep going', and believes his party, LSAP, have a workable plan for everyone.

The election interviews

The video interviews are left in long-form, rather than short sound-bites, to get a better sense of the person, their sincerity to lead their parties and possibly Luxembourg.

The focus is on getting to know the person behind the politics. Many of the political websites are not in English. For fairness, we have asked similar questions of all leaders. The interviews are being published in the same order as the parties on the voting lists.

For more information on how the election process works in Luxembourg go to Knowledge Bites Election.

Lisa Burke
Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacation
Thursday, September 20, 2018

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced sanctions in a number of matters.

Highlights

In re WARREN BALLENTINE III, Attorney Number 6276358



Mr. Ballentine, who was licensed in 2002, was disbarred. After a four-day federal jury trial, he was found guilty on one count of fraud, one count of mail and wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and two counts of making false statements to financial institutions. He acted as a lawyer in real estate closings that involved more than two dozen fraudulent loans that bilked lenders out of almost $10 million. He was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court on October 21, 2015.

In re WALTER RYAN HAYBERT, Attorney Number 6289703



Mr. Haybert was licensed in Illinois in 2006 and in California in 2008. The Supreme Court of California disbarred him following a misdemeanor conviction of contempt of court for violating a protective order requiring him to stay at least 100 feet away from his ex-wife. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and disbarred him.

In re SCOTT THOMAS KAMIN, Attorney Number 6226855



Mr. Kamin, who was licensed in 1995, was suspended for ninety days. He dishonestly accepted service of a complaint and summonses for the subtenants in his office suite, who, along with Mr. Kamin, were defendants in an eviction action filed by his landlord. After he accepted service on behalf of the subtenants, he concealed the lawsuit from them. When he appeared in court for the case, he failed to inform the court that he had not been authorized to accept service or appear on behalf of the subtenants. The suspension is effective on October 11, 2018.

One we had reported involving on line misconduct

In re DREW RANDOLPH QUITSCHAU, Attorney Number 6278288



Mr. Quitschau, who was licensed in 2002, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court. He created an account and false profile for another attorney on the website Match.com, and enrolled that lawyer in online groups, including the Obesity Action Coalition, Pig International and Diabetic Living, without that lawyers knowledge or permission. He also created a false Facebook profile account and posted false reviews of that lawyers legal abilities on three other websites.

A breach of the duty of confidentiality

In re LAURA LEE ROBINSON, Attorney Number 6216755



Ms. Robinson, who was licensed in 1993, was suspended for ninety days and must complete the ARDC Professionalism Seminar within one year. She entered into an agreement that improperly prohibited her client from reporting any aspect of her representation to the ARDC. Approximately nine months later, after her client informed her that he no longer wanted her to represent him, she drafted a letter that disclosed information about her clients criminal history, and that levelled accusations against him, including that he wanted to bribe the court and was a con man. She thereafter filed the letter with the court without her clients consent. The suspension is effective on October 11, 2018.

The gurus of Illinois discipline can illuminate

For additional information concerning these disciplinary orders contact:

James J. Grogan or Ari Telisman, Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Chicago.

312.565.2600 or 800.826.8625

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/09/the-illinois-supreme-court-has-announced-decisions-in-a-number-of-matters-highlights-in-re-warren-ballentine-iii-attorney.html
In a colorful artisans village nestled in the plains adjacent to the Nairobi National Park, a 90-year-old Jewish man recites the Shema prayer every night. Dr. Eric Krystall, born in South Africa, has dedicated his life to promoting social justice through education, first as a member of the anti-apartheid movement, then at historically black universities in the United States, and for the last five decades in Kenya, where he founded a movement to use puppetry to create awareness of key social and health issues.

Krystall, who earned his doctorate in population studies and sociology, stayed connected to his Jewish heritage by traveling each year from his home in Kitengela on the Athi-Kapiti plains south of Nairobi, to services at the Nairobi Hebrew Synagogue, but this year, a broken leg prevented his attendance, so his adult son, Paul, a yoga teacher on Kenyas east coast, represented him. As the synagogue, established in 1904, does not have a permanent rabbi, two visiting Chabad rabbinical students, Mendel Plotkin of Toronto and Mendel Banon of Montreal, both 21, conducted services

When Paul told the visiting students about his fathers situation, they arranged to visit him after the holiday. According to the map, Kitengela seemed to be about a 50 minute drive away, says Plotkin. The trip turned out to be twice as long as expected, with multiple twists and turns on rough dirt roads and prolonged delays for sheep crossings.

They finally arrived at the home of Dr. Krystall and his wife, Nani Croze, a stained glass artist and muralist who founded Kitengela Glass in 1981, training local artisans in the craft and creating a magical village of mosaics, sculptures, and various forms of glass art. Their household includes dogs, horses, camels, exotic birds, and other creatures.

Jewish-themed art in Kitengela Village, Kenya

Krystall, whose autobiography, Swimming Through Life: The Abiding Optimism of an African Development Worker, is about his work creating social transformations in Africa, was excited to see the young rabbinical students. It wasnt quite what I expected, he says. Usually the rabbis who are sent to conduct the High Holiday services are older, with long beards. These young men were quite refreshing, and it was fun. They sang and danced, and one of them enjoyed riding our camel.

Growing up in South Africa, Krystall and his parents were affiliated with Reform Judaism, which had arrived in the country when he was a young boy. His bar mitzvah at age 13 did not include tefillin. I knew about tefillin, but we had never used them. When the two Mendels discovered I had never put on tefillin, they put them on me, and we celebrated a sort of second bar mitzvah, he says.

Wrong Turn or Right Turn?

The young men told me they wanted to meet every Jew in Kenya, said Krystall. So they welcomed the wrong turns they took on on their way to Krystalls home as providential. On one of these detours, they encountered a young man who works in the Hungarian embassy. His mother, he told them, is Jewish, but that was about all he could say about his affiliation with Judaism. After chatting a while, he appreciated the opportunity to wrap tefillin for the first time.

Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, who established Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa (CLCA) in 1991 and lives in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, is responsible for dispatching pairs of visiting rabbis throughout Central Africa. These emissaries positively impact these communities by creating an exciting Jewish ambiance and a strong and visible Jewish presence, he said. Chabad is on good terms with the Nairobi community, he added. We work together with the heads of the community and send visiting rabbis for almost every holiday.

Bentolila was pleasedbut not surprisedto hear about Banon and Plotkins encounters with Krystall and other Jewish people in isolated areas. Living out here, its not the first time I have heard stories like this. CLCA covers 13 countries in Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Republic, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, Namibia, Gabon, Ivory Coast , Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mali, and Senegal.

Prolonged delays for sheep crossings en route to to Kitengala

Rabbinical students Mendy Banon and Mendy Plotkin wrap tefillin on a member of the Hungarian consulate in Nairobi
On 60 Minutes this Sunday Perth GP Alida Lancee will go on the record as having helped one of her patients die, as part of a wider campaign to change euthanasia laws.

And she names the patient.

The Confession.

Alida Lancee is a very brave Perth GP whose life is about to change. On 60 Minutes she will make a very serious confession which will put her reputation, her livelihood and, most of all, her freedom on the line. She will publicly admit to helping one of her patients die, and she will name that patient. Its an admission which will likely lead to a police investigation and a possible charge of murder. Dr Lancee is taking this action because she says euthanasia laws need to be changed to ease the suffering of terminally ill Australians. She says if she has to pay an enormous price for her beliefs, then so be it.

Reporter: Tara Brown

Producer: Joel Tozer

Politicians Behaving Badly

Heres a question. Do we ever get any answers in Question Time? Its supposed to be an important part of the parliamentary process, a chance to keep the government accountable on important issues of the day. In reality, its become a screaming match of insults and abuse, and a grubby window through which weve witnessed a decade of brutal politics and the career execution of four prime ministers. As a result, people outside the Canberra bubble are increasingly cynical about out of touch MPs, mostly men, who seem to seem to delight in bullying each other and their female colleagues. In a special report for 60 Minutes, the Nine Networks political editor Chris Uhlmann speaks with former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop who reveals Australian politics has become an international joke, the coup capital of the world. But there is some positive news. Free from the constraints of her jet-setting ministerial position, Ms Bishop has committed to an even more significant leadership role: improving behavior in the Australian parliament.

Reporter: Chris Uhlmann

Producer: Howard Sacre

Hit Man

If ever proof was needed of how time flies while youre having fun, just look at Rod Stewart. Its hard to believe, but hes been making hit records for more than 50 years now and his latest album, his 30th, will be released next week. Its an extraordinary career which clearly shows a hard drinking  and loving  life of rock-star excess agrees with him. Rods 73, but looks and acts decades younger, and as Liam Bartlett discovers from the passenger seat of Rods canary yellow Lamborghini, success means never having to slow down.

Reporter: Liam Bartlett

Producer: Laura Sparkes

8:30 Sunday on Nine (its never 8:30).
The United Kingdom has again called for public entries for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Public submissions will be considered together with leading professional songwriters for the 64th contest to be held in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Public entries will be shortlisted by a representative panel of official UK Eurovision Fan Clubs 1,000 members.

Greig Watts says: The Eurovision Song Contest just gets bigger and better and more exciting for me each year, and Im sure Israel will deliver another amazing contest. Im so happy to be involved this year for the UK; it really is a dream come true, and Im looking forward to working with the team to get the strongest possible song and result we can for the UK, like we do on the world music stage. Theres no guaranteed song-writing formula for Eurovision as each year something different wins. Im looking for melodic songs with impact for the arena as well as on TV. Songs that instantly hit you and never leave your brain!

A final shortlist of songs, will again be voted by the public in Eurovision: You Decide.

This years entry Storm performed by SuRie finished 20th, praised for keeping her cool during a stage invader.
Film director James Ricketson has been given a royal pardon in Cambodia, after being sentenced last month to six years in prison for espionage.

Ricketson, 69, was arrested in June last year, for flying a drone over a political rally without permission. He had been making documentaries in Cambodia for more than 20 years.

Government-friendly media outlets had named him as an important spy in a US-led plot to foment a colour revolution and overthrow Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than 30 years.

Ricketson is one of the 18 founding members of the Australian Directors Guild, whose body of work includes feature films: Third Person Plural (1978), Candy Regentag (1989), Blackfellas (1994). He also directed one of the four episodes of the miniseries Women of the Sun and was a producer on ABC series Chequerboard.

The Australian Directors Guild were amongst those calling on the Australian Government to intervene, whilst directors Peter Weir and Philip Noyce had also been actively supporting his bid for justice.

A royal pardon was signed by Cambodias Senate president Say Chhum, who is the acting head of state in the absence of King Norodom Sihamoni, who is reportedly visiting China.

Pardons are normally issued at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Source: ABC
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Its official.

Kristen Bell will return as private investigator Veronica Mars in a revival with creator Rob Thomas penning the first episode.

Hulu has picked up eight episodes in the US to air in 2019. An Australian broadcaster is yet to be confirmed.

BREAKING NEWS out of Mars Investigations!  A new #VeronicaMars series is comin atcha via @hulu. Thank you to all the marshmallows for staying excited and to @Hulu for giving Veronica a chance to wear her big girl pants. I hope were still friends after I taser you. pic.twitter.com/z2EufrjMpX  Kristen Bell (@KristenBell) September 20, 2018

The new season will once again delve into the class divide in Neptune, California, that ran throughout the original 3 seasons from 2004. No other cast are attached as yet.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, spring breakers are being murdered, imperiling Neptunes tourist industry. The family of one victim hires Mars Investigations to find their sons killer, and Veronica is drawn into a mystery that pits the towns wealthy 09ers, whod just as soon see the spring break crowd go away, and working-class residents who rely on the money spring break partiers spend.

Bell will continue on The Good Place which screens in Australia through Netflix.
A multi-ethnic society, South Africa is known for its eclectic array of traditions and cultures and this past week, the country is reported to have legalized the use of cannabis; a decision that has attracted a lot of conversation from both sides of the platform. Cannabis, locally known as Dagga in South Africa is known to be used for medical purposes but not without causing side effects.

Throughout the legalization of cannabis in South African households, one thing was clear; the countrys law did not explain any rules and regulations that should be followed by the common men while using the drug.

Although the action taken of decriminalizing cannabis use by high Court is said to be limited to personalized use (meaning people can have possession of cannabis in their private spaces), it gives no guarantee that it doesnt lead to the high industrial cultivation of the drug across South Africa.

#dagga #ConCort The Cannabis Development Council of South Africa (CDCSA) has welcomed the Constitutional Court's ruling regarding the private cultivation and use of cannabis.



Read more: https://t.co/HImxMxzGCg



: Bhekikhaya Mabaso/ African News Agency (ANA) pic.twitter.com/OGDeRo60rX  IOL News (@IOL) September 18, 2018

So what does this mean for South Africa's future?

Lets have a look at some possible consequences that may arise as the country moves forward with the new law.

Crime ratio increase across the state:

Any kind of cannabis practice is illegal in most of the countries of the world. After its legalized cultivation in South Africa, its trading would be increased across the states which can lead to a high rate of crime. Vendors are now allowed to trade openly, and the drug is no longer a black market item.

Pro-cannabis campaigners lit pipes and rolled joints outside court to celebrate the news https://t.co/AN4zVYR24p  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 18, 2018

Inevitably, access to the youths and the general population is increased; and so are the negative effects when used such as unwise decision making (petty crimes truancy, etc.).

The nation faces the issue of cannabis dependency and addiction; a condition that affects 4 million Americans and millions of others worldwide.

Cannabis: Health Hero?

On the other hand, cannabis can do wonders if used in a right amount and for right purposes. Its use for the medicinal purpose becomes effectively easy after its clarification by the South African Government. Direct ingestion of cannabis or intake by smoke has been shown to be effective for treating multiple diseases such as cancer, chronic pain, and multiple sclerosis and may even decrease the progression of the Alzheimers disease. The South African population dealing with these medical issues will welcome the ease of access.

Cannabis gets the green light in South Africa https://t.co/Hpj2vaQsjs pic.twitter.com/SBkw4kK7Wr  Reuters TV (@ReutersTV) September 19, 2018

However, having no restrictions on the usage of the drugs by the individual can lead to its excessive use.

Any person in the country can use the drugs according to their personal discretion which can be highly corrosive for their health. The drug is also being used in many other ways.

A component of the drug, cannabis oil is being used widely for medicinal purposes such as a cost-effective treatment of neurological diseases. It helps in controlling epileptic seizures, improves heart health, can be helpful with insomnia and can relieve anxiety and stress.

Children in danger:

It can be argued that children adopt what is seen from their elders actions rather than their teaching. This raises the point of children committing and viewing the use of drugs with a dismissed level of caution and maybe exaggerated confidence which can highly destructive.

As the people celebrate the legalization of cannabis, the future of South Africa may be at stake due to not presenting any restrictions on its usage. While it certainly is a step forward in the medical world, the plans for regulation of its use remains to be seen; a factor that may very well make the difference in South Africa's future.
South Africa will allegedly scrap the child visa requirements after visitor number declined by "1.5% year-on-year in the first seven months of this year," Business Tech SA reported. The official announcement is expected to be detailed by President Ramaphose on Friday. According to a statement issued after a Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday, 20th September, a number of changes will be implemented in the country. One of those pertains to the controversial law that was implemented in 2015. The current requirement is for children to be accompanied by one natural parent, and an original certificate displaying both parents names.

The law, introduced in 2014, was originally part of a plan to try and prevent child trafficking. Business Tech notes that a drop-off of visitors to the country could be why the laws are to be amended. Full confirmation as to the extent to the law change is not official as yet. However, sources told the news outlet that the amendments will take place and are scheduled for October this year.

Visa negotiation to relax requirements to visit South Africa

Following the Ministry of Home Affairs report to the Cabinet, other restrictions should ease for potential tourists and business people wanting to go to South Africa. These include "negotiations on visa waivers and relaxation of visa requirements for certain countries."

South Africa is not a very easy country in which to conduct business, which may be the driving factor.

Plus, nervous jitters accompany reports of seizure of land without compensation, bringing to mind the economic debacle of neighbouring Zimbabwe. That, coupled with an unsteady monetary Rand, a near recession, and a loss of business confidence may be behind falling numbers.

Many western holiday-makers sit on the fence about visiting.

They have concerns about the high crime rate and reports of endangered animal poaching. Violent service protests outside the gates of places like Kruger National Park recently scared people away from returning.

Next up on #CarteBlanche: the Lowveld tourism industry is under threat from service delivery protests that block key access routes to iconic destinations, including Gods Window and the Kruger National Park, with branches and burning tyres. @clairemawisa reports. pic.twitter.com/oY9C8tbyyg  Carte Blanche (@carteblanchetv) September 16, 2018

Target countries are China and India with massive tourist numbers

The government seems to be amending the rules to attract more business investment and tourists from countries like China and India.

News24 reported that these two countries have the largest outbound tourism numbers in the world. It was noted by the Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom in July, that "China accounted for 130 million travellers globally, with India forecast [to] have 50 million people travelling abroad by 2020."

According to Business Tech, the new visa amendments will make it much easier for leisure and business travellers. The changes should include online visa applications, fewer requirements for certain skilled workers, and multiple entry visas. However, the details of the extent of the amendments to the child visa requirements after the visitor fall-off, have not yet been officially confirmed.
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish cannabis firm StenoCare is preparing to list shares in Copenhagen next month, the first in Europe to launch an initial public offering (IPO) to take advantage of a surge in investor interest.

Scientists say evidence is growing that cannabis can ease epilepsy and other conditions - such as chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and chemotherapy-induced nausea - prompting renewed interest in the field.

Denmark is one of several European countries, which also include Germany, Britain, the Czech Republic and Italy, that have allowed the prescription of medicinal cannabis oil.

Denmark, which legalised the medicinal use of cannabis from Jan. 1 this year, is also one of the few European nations to legalise its local production as well.

StenoCare, the first Danish company to get permission to import, produce and sell cannabis oil in Denmark, says it will raise money to launch its own production facility, allowing it to serve its local market and export to other European markets.

"There are concerns in Germany and other countries about security of supply, because the global production capacity is not big enough to meet demand," Chief Executive Thomas Skovlund Schnegelsberg told Reuters.

"In order to secure supply to Denmark and other European markets, we need to have our own production," he said.

The company said the IPO would be the first of its kind in Europe.

StenoCare now imports cannabis from Canada's CannTrust, with first deliveries to Danish pharmacies and hospitals this month. Canada in June became the second country in the world, after Uruguay, to fully legalise marijuana.

Recreational use of cannabis is still prohibited in Denmark, even though the capital's district of Christiania is famous for its cannabis-selling booths, which are illegal although the authorities rarely clamp down on the activity.

Interest in the use of cannabis in health and consumer products has spiked recently. This week, Coca-Cola Co <KO.N> said it was closely watching the fast-growing marijuana drinks market for a possible entry.

Story continues

StenoCare, founded last year by CEO Schnegelsberg and Chief Operating Officer Soren Kjaer, plans to raise 18.6 million Danish crowns ($2.9 million) on Copenhagen's Spotlight exchange.

The company plans to use an existing building in Denmark for production before the end of the year and start growing cannabis next year.

The subscription period for the IPO begins Sept. 24 and ends on Oct. 9 with trading planned for Oct. 26. Shares are offered at 8.80 Danish crowns per share, valuing the firm at 59.7 million Danish crowns (7.1 million).

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Edmund Blair)
Pumpjack is seen at the Sinopec-operated Shengli oil field in Dongying, Shandong A pumpjack is seen at the Sinopec-operated Shengli oil field in Dongying, Shandong province, China January 12, 2017. Picture taken January 12, 2017. REUTERS/Chen Aizhu

By Jessica Resnick-Ault

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices were up slightly in heavy, seesaw trading on Friday, giving back most earlier gains after news that major producers would consider additional supply a day after U.S. President Donald Trump again blasted the cartel.

Investors grappled with whether the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC producers will offset a shortfall from Iran once U.S. sanctions go into full force Nov. 4. Major producers are scheduled to gather in Algeria on Sunday.

"The question is just how much oil is going to be taken off the market with U.S. sanctions on Iran," said Gene McGillian, director of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut. Compounding declining production in Venezuela, Iran's production cuts could lead to a much tighter supply picture, he said. "I think that the market is building up energy for another try at multiyear highs."

Global benchmark Brent crude <LCOc1> settled 10 cents higher at $78.80 a barrel. U.S. light crude <CLc1> rose 46 cents to $70.78 a barrel, more than $1 below the session high of $71.80.

U.S. crude rose 2.5 percent in the week and Brent posted a 0.7 percent weekly gain.

In early trade, supply worries sent Brent $1.00 higher to $80.12 per barrel. Prices retreated after a source told Reuters that OPEC and its allies were discussing the possibility of raising output by 500,000 barrels per day. Then prices rebounded as investors bet Iran's production cuts would be too great to be fully offset.

The market again reversed course, with traders citing worries U.S. crude would come under pressure in the fourth quarter as inventories build after driving season ends.

On Thursday, Trump linked American support for Middle Eastern countries to oil prices and again urged OPEC to lower prices. His tweet, the coming OPEC meeting and concerns over looming sanctions on Iran made for jittery trading on Friday.

Story continues

Prices jumped early after a report said OPEC and non-OPEC producers pumped less oil in August than July due to a drop in Iranian supply.

"Iranian crude exports are coming (down) earlier and bigger than expected, at a time seasonal demand is strong. With spare capacity also falling sharply, the market remains exposed to supply-induced price shocks," ANZ Bank analysts said in a note to clients.

Investors piled into the trade, betting OPEC cannot compensate fully for the loss of oil from its No. 3 producer Iran. Traders also fretted that sanctions could prompt Iran to try to curtail crude transport on the strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards and army carried out a joint aerial military drill in the Gulf on Friday.

The news that OPEC may increase production by a half-million barrels quickly quelled those concerns.

Jason Gammel, analyst at U.S. bank Jefferies, said he expects Saudi Arabia to try to keep the market well supplied into 2019, "but at the cost of spare capacity," which he said "could fall below 1 percent of demand by year-end if Iranian exports fall below 1 million barrels per day, as now seems likely."

Global supply worries minimized the market impact of weekly data showing energy companies cut U.S. oil rigs for a second week in three. The count dropped by one rig to 866, General Electric Co's <GE.N> Baker Hughes energy services firm said.

Hedge funds and other speculators cut their bullish wagers on U.S. crude futures and options to the lowest level in about one month in the week to September 18, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday.

The speculator group cut its combined futures and options position in New York and London by 15,972 contracts to 342,839 during the period.

(Reporting By Jessica Resnick-Ault; additional reporting by Christopher Johnson in London, Jane Chung in Seoul and Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo; Editing by Marguerita Choy, David Gregorio and Diane Craft)
By Teis Jensen and Pamela Barbaglia

COPENHAGEN/LONDON (Reuters) - Danske Bank's <DANSKE.CO> money laundering scandal spread on Friday to Britain where the National Crime Agency (NCA) said it is investigating the use of UK-registered companies.

Concern about the extent of possible money laundering involving Danske Bank's Estonian branch is mounting and European Union Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager joined a growing chorus of calls for a clampdown on the billions of euros alleged to have been "washed" through several European banks.

"This is a giga scandal," Vestager said, as Danske Bank's already battered shares fell a further 3.9 percent.

Britain's NCA said it was "aware of the use of UK registered companies in this case and has related on-going operational activity", adding that the threat posed by the use of UK-registered companies for money laundering was "widely recognised" and that Britain was working to restrict it.

British and Russian entities dominate a list of accounts used to make 200 billion euros (180 billion pounds) in payments through Danske Bank's Estonian branch between 2007 and 2015, many of which the bank said this week are suspicious.

By 2013, the number of UK-registered customers in its non-resident portfolio topped 1,000, Danske Bank's report revealed, ahead of Russia, the British Virgin Islands and Finland.

We are following and analysing the situation closely... Samu Kurri, head of financial analysis and operational risks at Finland's Financial Supervisory Authority told Reuters.

Investor concerns over the potential penalties Danske Bank could face have increased, with particular focus on what action U.S. authorities might take after an investigation commissioned by the bank exposed control and compliance failings.

The bank faces Danish and Estonian criminal inquiries following complaints filed by U.S. fund manager Bill Browder, who is campaigning against corruption in Russia.

Story continues

So far the United States has not said whether it is investigating and while Danske Bank Chairman Ole Andersen said that the lender had made an assessment of whether it violated any U.S. laws, he declined to share its conclusion of this.

"We need to do more to prevent money laundering from happening," Vestager told reporters in Copenhagen following the resignation on Wednesday of CEO Thomas Borgen, who was in charge of Danske Bank's international operations including Estonia between 2009 and 2012.

Danske Bank's tiny Estonian branch accounted for as much as 10 percent of group profit during the period when suspected money laundering was conducted via its operations there.

Borgen said on Wednesday that he had been "personally cleared from a legal point of view", while Danske said its board had not breached their legal obligations.

The European Commission last week recommended banking supervision changes, including bolstering national authorities, but stopped short of setting up a new financial crime agency called for by the European Central Bank.

Denmark's central bank said on Friday that it supported a proposal for tougher laws to prevent money laundering agreed by politicians on Wednesday and called on the management of Danish financial institutions to ensure none took place.

"As the largest bank in the country, Danske Bank is of major importance to the reputation of the financial sector and hence the financial stability of Denmark."

The left-wing Red-Green Alliance has summoned business minister Rasmus Jarlov to an open parliament committee meeting on Tuesday to discuss the "political aftermath" of the case.

"We must discuss if we should continue to have banks that are as big as Danske Bank, who with their irresponsible behaviour pose a threat to the economy and financial stability, or if they should be split up into smaller units," the Red-Green party's business spokesman Pelle Dragsted said.

Jarlov has so far rejected calls to split up Denmark's largest banks, which also include Nordea <NDA.ST>, Nykredit [FRNYKR.UL] and Jyske Bank <JYSK.CO>.

Although credit ratings agency Moody's said on Friday that it saw no reason to date why Denmark's AAA rating should be affected, it lowered Danske Bank's outlook to negative from stable, citing risks related to the scandal such as "further investigations and regulatory penalties".

'DEEPLY REPREHENSIBLE'

Within Denmark, which often tops surveys as one of the world's least corrupt countries, the saga has stirred a political storm and prompted a backlash against Danske Bank.

"We don't think it's appropriate, with the things that have been unearthed, that Thomas Borgen is still heading the bank," Anders Schelde, head of investments at MP Pension, told Reuters. The Danish pension fund, which holds Danske Bank shares worth around 600 million Danish crowns, will not buy any more shares in the bank while Borgen, who will stay on until a successor is appointed, is still in charge.

Meanwhile, the charity CARE Danmark said it was severing ties with Danske as its main bank.

"We've decided to drop Danske Bank due to the money laundering scandal which is incompatible with the values our organisation stands for, and what our members expect of us," CARE Danmark CEO Rasmus Stuhr Jacobsen told Reuters.

Denmark's largest NGO, the Danish Refugee Council, said it is also considering dropping Danske Bank, Secretary General Christian Friis Bach told online media outlet Altinget.

And the mayor of Aalborg, Denmark's third largest municipality, said he would discuss its partnership with Danske Bank at its next committee meeting, but noted that there were only two Danish banks able to handle a municipality its size.

"Danske Bank has been involved in money laundering which is deeply reprehensible and outrageous but Nordea has been involved in tax havens, so the entire bank sector needs to clean up for us to have a trusting collaboration with the banks," Thomas Kastrup-Larsen said.

(Reporting by Pamela Barbaglia and Teis Jensen; Additional reporting by Emil Gjerding Nielson and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; writing by Alexander Smith; editing by Jason Neely)
At least 136 bodies were retrieved Friday, a day after a ferry capsized near Lake Victorias Tanzanian shore, according to local officials.

The MV Nyerere ferry sank with an unknown number of passengers aboard on Thursday afternoon near Ukara, the lakes biggest island, which is part of Tanzania.

Initial estimates indicated that the MV Nyerere was carrying more than 300 people onboard. It went down just a few metres from the dock in Ukerewe district, according to national ferry services operator TEMESA.

But it was hard to establish the precise number of passengers on board since the person dispensing tickets had also drowned with the machine recording the data lost.

"There were more than a hundred passengers on board when the ferry sank, it is feared that a significant number have lost their lives," said George Nyamaha, the head of Ukerewe district council.

The ferry was also carrying cargo including sacks of maize and cement when it capsized close to the dock.

Reporting for FRANCE 24 from Tanzania, Emmanuel Makundi noted that while the cause of the accident was not immediately clear, he had interviewed a witness who was on the lake shore at the time of the accident: He said that as the ferry was approaching the shore, many people tried to reach the gate and that led a car that was onboard the ferry to tipple over. That led the ferry to list on one side, causing the accident.

In 1996, a ferry disaster on Lake Victoria in the same region killed at least 500 people.

In 2012, at least 145 people died in a ferry disaster in Tanzania's semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, on a vessel that was overcrowded.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini survived a no-confidence vote in parliament on Friday over his attendance at an anti-abortion vigil while on an official trip to Canada.

One hundred lawmakers voted in support of Soini, while 60 voted to oust him. The motion was brought by four opposition parties.

Most members of the three parties in the government supported Soini as toppling him would have brought down the coalition.

Finland has been a pioneer in gender equality. Its law allows abortion and the government is committed to promoting women's rights in its foreign and security policy.

(Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  The Latest on the arrest of a fugitive priest from New Mexico on child sexual abuse charges (all times local):

3:50 p.m.

A fugitive priest suspected of child abuse decades ago in New Mexico has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of abuse.

Arthur Perrault entered his plea Friday in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque following his arrest in Morocco and return to the U.S.

The 80-year-old Perrault is facing charges of criminal aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact in incidents that federal authorities say happened at Kirtland Air Force Base and Santa Fe National Cemetery in the 1990s.

Perrault vanished in 1992, just days before an attorney filed two lawsuits against the archdiocese alleging Perrault had sexually assaulted seven children.

___

12:15 p.m.

The FBI says a fugitive priest suspected of child abuse decades ago in New Mexico was taken into custody by U.S. agents in Morocco.

FBI Special Agent in Charge James Langenberg said Friday in Albuquerque that two agents flew to Morocco and took custody of 80-year-old Arthur Perrault on Thursday.

Officials say Perrault had been held by Moroccan authorities for about a year after the FBI determined he was in that country. He was later transferred to U.S. custody.

An arrest warrant filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque says Perrault was formally arrested in New York within hours after his return to the U.S.

He is facing charges of criminal aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact in incidents that federal authorities say happened at Kirtland Air Force Base and Santa Fe National Cemetery. It was unclear if he has a lawyer.

___

10:45 a.m.

A fugitive priest suspected of child abuse decades ago in New Mexico has been arrested.

Court documents show 80-year-old Arthur J. Perrault was arrested Thursday in New York, and has been charged with criminal aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact in assaults that federal authorities say happened at Kirtland Airforce Base and Santa Fe National Cemetery.

Story continues

He is scheduled for a first federal court appearance Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Perrault had been a chaplain at the base in Albuquerque.

He vanished in 1992, just days before an attorney filed two lawsuits against the archdiocese alleging Perrault had sexually assaulted seven children at his parish.

Perrault turned up last year in Morocco, working at an English-language school for children, where he was subsequently fired.
Two men suspected of poisoning an ex-Russian spy were detained briefly in the Netherlands earlier this year, according to research by investigators Bellingcat.

An unnamed security official was quoted by Bellingcat as saying that Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov were released without being charged.

Dutch authorities have not yet confirmed the report and said that they were assessing a request for comment.

Petrov and Boshirov have been named by Britain as the prime suspects behind the attempt to kill Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with the Soviet-designed nerve agent novichok.

They were both found slumped on a bench in Salisbury in March and were critically ill in hospital. They have since been discharged.

It was reported last week that two unidentified Russian spies were arrested on Dutch soil and deported.

Leaked police information linked the arrests with attempts to smuggle hacking equipment to Switzerland.

It was also claimed that Petrov had made previous visits to the UK in 2016 and 2017.

The British government concluded that the men were from Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU

Russian president Vladimir Putin earlier this month said that the suspects had been identified and they were civilians not linked to the government.

Mr Putin said: "We know who they are, we have found them. There is nothing special or criminal about it, I can assure you."

The Russian president denied they worked for the military and described them as "civilians".

Last week, Petrov and Boshirov denied being Russian operatives or being involved in the Skripals' poisoning.

They told Russia Today they were only in Salisbury as tourists to visit the cathedral and nearby Stonehenge.

Police published a detailed photographic account of the men's movements while in the UK.

An Interpol "red notice" and a European arrest warrant have been issued for their arrest should they try to leave Russia.
At least 136 people have died after an overloaded ferry sank as it prepared to dock on an island in Lake Victoria, say Tanzanian police.

The MV Nyerere capsized on Thursday afternoon around 50 metres from the dock at Ukara island.

Officials said the ferry's capacity was 101 people but more than 200 people had reportedly boarded the vessel at Bugolara, on Ukerewe Island, the largest island in the lake.

The craft was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement for market.

As well as overloading, it is thought passengers rushed to one side, unbalancing the ferry, as it prepared to dock.

Tanzania's top police official, Simon Sirro, said 136 bodies had been found as rescue teams, boosted by the addition of more personnel, searched for survivors on the morning after the disaster.

At least 40 people have been pulled alive from the water, said the government's chief secretary John Kijazi, but many more are missing and it is feared more than 200 people in total may have drowned.

Mr Kijazi said that those responsible will face charges.

Officials could not confirm the precise number of people on board at the time, but it is believed as many as 300 were on board the boat when it sank, three times its capacity.

The ageing ferry's rusting hull and propellers were all that could be seen of the ferry as rescue efforts, which were stopped overnight, resumed on Friday.

People gathered on the shore waiting for news of missing loved ones.

Tanzania's president John Magufuli was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and called on Tanzanians to "stay calm during these difficult times".

The country's opposition, however, accused the government of "negligence".

Lake Victoria, which is roughly the size of Ireland, is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Capsizing is not uncommon in the massive lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many people in the region cannot swim.

At least 500 people were killed when a ferry capsized in Lake Victoria in 1996.
Donald Trump suggested building a wall across the Sahara desert to solve Europe's migration crisis, a Spanish politician has claimed.

The US president made the suggestion to Spain's foreign affairs minister Josep Borrell, according to Spanish media reports.

The conversation between the two politicians is believed to have taken place when Mr Borrell visited the States with the king and queen of Spain in June.

Mr Trump is said to have cited his own project to construct a divide with Mexico, which is yet to get off the ground itself, to stop illegal migrants from crossing the border into the US.

The wall was one of Mr Trump's dominant campaign promises, but few believe building it along 2,000 miles of the US border is realistic or feasible.

"The border with the Sahara cannot be bigger than ours with Mexico," the president reportedly told Mr Borrell.

However, if Spain was to build a wall as suggested by Mr Trump, it would be complicated by the fact that it would have to be built on foreign territory.

Spain has two enclaves - Melilla and Ceuta - on the north African coast.

Both are separated from the Spanish mainland by the Strait of Gibraltar and share a border with northern Morocco.

They are situated a considerable distance north of the Morocco/Algeria border - across which the Sahara lies.

The world's biggest desert stretches 3,000 miles across several international borders in North Africa - including the Morocco/Algeria border.

A total of 33,611 migrants have arrived in Spain by sea so far this year, according to figures released this week by the International Organisation for Migration.

Europe has yet to work out ways to implement proposals agreed in June to set up centres in Europe and north Africa to separate genuine refugees from economic migrants who could be deported.

Mr Borrell said at the time: "This is a shared problem and it has to be treated as a shared problem."

The migrant crisis continued through a summer which saw Italy's anti-migrant government close its ports to NGO ships, as well as its own coast guard, carrying people rescued at sea.

Hundreds of migrants spent days at sea or aboard boats while EU countries argued over who should take them.
Telit Communications has parted ways with chief executive Yosi Fait after the two reached an agreement for him to relinquish his directorship in the firm with immediate effect.

While Telit begins the search for its next CEO, new chairman Paolo Dal Pino will take on the role of executive chairman on an interim basis.

The decision to remove Fait came shortly after a group of shareholders asked whether or not Fair and Simon Duffy should be removed from the group's board.

Telit also revealed it has appointed Suvi Linden, Finland's ex-minister of communications, Gil Sharon, Adam Power and Harald Rosch to the board as non-executive directors.

Dal Pino said: "I am confident the appointment of four highly qualified non-executive directors will strengthen the board. This will enable the company to reinforce its leading position in the global industrial IoT space."

"On behalf of the business as a whole, I would like to thank Yosi for his contribution to Telit over many years. We wish him the best for the future."

As of 0840 BST, Telit shares had ticked up 1.31% to 162.10p.
Water saving technologies developer Xeros Technology Group has signed a 10-year contract with Le Farc , to convert its re-tanning operations in Leon, Mexico to use Xeros' patented polymer technology, it announced on Friday.

The AIM-traded firm said that with a weekly production of 5,000 hides, Le Fard is a globally recognised tannery producing leather for shoes, supplying brands such as Timberland and Wolverine.

It said it anticipated leather produced by Le Farc using its technology to be incorporated in consumer products after March next year.

The contract followed extensive trials, which Xeros said demonstrated material reductions in process inputs and effluent production, and radically improved the sustainability of production, while maintaining high quality leather output.

This contract with Le Farc confirms that our tanning technologies are viable and play a valuable role in the production of leather, said Xeros Technology Group chief executive Mark Nichols.

In partnership with our customers, we can radically improve sustainability whilst sharing in the value our innovative technology creates.

Nichols said the firm had successfully validated its technology through re-tanning trials for more than 40 different recipes, with multiple tanneries in Europe and Mexico.

The considerable interest we are seeing from leading tanneries is a strong indication of the potential to increase rapidly the deployment of our technology in what is a global scale industry - we expect to secure further contracts into the future.
Nestle announced on Thursday it is considering selling its skin health division and its price of the sale could reach up to 7bn.

The division that reported 2.3bn in sales in 2017 and employs almost 5,000 people, "lies outside the groups strategic scope". Nestle said it wanted to focus more on food, beverage and nutritional health products.

Nestle's skin health that manufactures from acne treatments to face fillers is now being considered for sale or flotation. This move will reverse the step the company took into skin health under Paul Bulcke, former CEO.

Mark Schneider, the chief executive who took charge in January last year is under pressure from activist investor Dan Loeb to reshape the portfolio more quickly. Nestle has other candidates to let loose according to Bloomberg, including all or part of its US frozen food business and its joint ventures with General Mills in cereals and R&R in ice cream.

Nestle also agreed this week to sell its Gerber Life Insurance business for $1.55bn, while it could also be bidding for GlaxoSmithKline PLCs Horlicks drink.

Schneider set a profit target for the first time recently, Nestle now aims to achieve a profit margin of between 17.5% and 18.5% by 2020.
China has demanded that the US remove sanctions placed on a defence agency and its director for purchasing Russian weapons.

Li Shangfu, the director of Chinas equipment development department (EDD), was sanctioned by the US State Department on Thursday for allegedly engaging in the purchase of 10 Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and a S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia's state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport.

They argued that the measures were not put in place to undermine the Chinese military but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the US election process, the countrys actions in Ukraine and "other malign activities".

Beijing did not join in with the sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and its Western allies in the wake of the Crimea crisis and China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that the actions by the US on Thursday were "unjustifiable".

Shuang added that the Chinese government was already engaged in "solemn negotiation" with Washington.

The EDD and Shangfu have both been added to a blocked persons list, meaning any assets they hold in the US have been frozen and that American citizens are "generally prohibited" from doing business with them.

Thirty-three Russians were also added to the list on Thursday, bringing the total roster to 72 people.

With Asia accounting for 70% of the market for exports from Russian arms producers, the move is likely to be seen as an attempt to discourage others frequent customers such as India and Vietnam from following through with major Russian purchases.
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Page: 1 2 Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia spo snouou

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Post: #1 Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

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Modern GOP ideology has converged with Putinist ideology. American Republicans and Putinists in Russia relentlessly work to achieve the same form of government  one where an..

2) extraordinarily wealthy and powerful few control all government and corporate institutions, and rank & file citizens are left fighting over the crumbs left over.



Enrich the ruling elites, suppress the working classes into poverty. This isnt anything new  class warfare..

3) has been around since before recorded history. To be sure, I estimate that 75% of recorded history itself is class warfare. The other 25% is technological advances and human achievement. My two cents, of course.



But we need to understand that it doesnt matter if the..

4) government takes over corporations or corporations take over government. The end result is the same.



The Putinist (and Stalinist) model is one in which the government forcibly took control of farms and corporations. The modern GOP model is one in which the corporations...

5) clandestinely took over government. But the models are merely different means to the same end  a privileged, wealthy, powerful few with their feet on the throats of the masses fighting for health and survival.



6) avoidance of debates with their Democratic challengers.



GOP incumbents wont hold town halls with their constituents, preferring instead to hold closed, obscenely expensive fundraisers for the wealthy and corporate donors.



If it seems like the..

7) GOP doesnt give a rats ass about average working Americans, its because it doesnt.



Money buys power; power changes the rules to make more money. Lather, rinse, repeat.



Its happening in America like it happened in Russia. The details are different, but the result..

8) is exactly the same.



If the heavy-hitters in Russia and the US are able to pool their money, power, and influence, all the better for them. The wealth and power can then be collected and concentrated from a global set of resources instead of just a national one.



more:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/10428...reshed=yes Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia, and no one is really talking about it.Modern GOP ideology has converged with Putinist ideology. American Republicans and Putinists in Russia relentlessly work to achieve the same form of government  one where an..2) extraordinarily wealthy and powerful few control all government and corporate institutions, and rank & file citizens are left fighting over the crumbs left over.Enrich the ruling elites, suppress the working classes into poverty. This isnt anything new  class warfare..3) has been around since before recorded history. To be sure, I estimate that 75% of recorded history itself is class warfare. The other 25% is technological advances and human achievement. My two cents, of course.But we need to understand that it doesnt matter if the..4) government takes over corporations or corporations take over government. The end result is the same.The Putinist (and Stalinist) model is one in which the government forcibly took control of farms and corporations. The modern GOP model is one in which the corporations...5) clandestinely took over government. But the models are merely different means to the same end  a privileged, wealthy, powerful few with their feet on the throats of the masses fighting for health and survival.6) avoidance of debates with their Democratic challengers.GOP incumbents wont hold town halls with their constituents, preferring instead to hold closed, obscenely expensive fundraisers for the wealthy and corporate donors.If it seems like the..7) GOP doesnt give a rats ass about average working Americans, its because it doesnt.Money buys power; power changes the rules to make more money. Lather, rinse, repeat.Its happening in America like it happened in Russia. The details are different, but the result..8) is exactly the same.If the heavy-hitters in Russia and the US are able to pool their money, power, and influence, all the better for them. The wealth and power can then be collected and concentrated from a global set of resources instead of just a national one.more: LoP Guest

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Post: #2 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

uranium one, bit*h spo snouou

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09-21-2018 10:10 AM



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Post: #3 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

Profiles in Cowardice: Republicans Dodge Debates as Midterms Approach



From coast to coast, Republicans are refusing to debate their Democratic opponents. A race-by-race rundown of the most egregious cases of debate-dodging.



Cover art by Jessica Iraci (modified by DemWritePress). Find more of Jessicas art here.



The holding of public debates between candidates is a time-honored tradition in this country, but of course in the Trump era many of our traditions are collapsing under the weight of cynicism and corruption. So, too with debating: dozens of high-profile Republican incumbents and even some first-time GOP candidates are brazenly ignoring or deflecting calls to debate in open, public & unscripted forums before their own constituents. Rohrabacher. Nunes. Jordan. Walden. Brady. McCaul. The list is extensive.



Democrats arent giving up without a fight, however. Here is a race-by-race breakdown of some of the most high-profile and egregious instances of GOP debate dodging.



Indiana 9th: Trey Hollingsworth vs. Liz Watson



Ohio 4th: Jim Jordan vs. Janet Garrett



California 48th: Dana Rohrabacher vs. Harley Rouda



Illinois 6th: Peter Roskam vs. Sean Casten



California 22nd: Devin Nunes vs. Andrew Janz



Oregon 2nd: Greg Walden vs. Jamie McLeod-Skinner



Alabama 5th: Mo Brooks vs. Peter Joffrion



Michigan 2nd: Bill Huizenga vs. Rob Davidson



Washington 3rd: Jaime Herrera Buetler vs. Carolyn Long



Ohio 7th: Bob Gibbs vs. Ken Harbaugh



Tennessee 7th: Mark Green vs. Justin Kanew



Texas 22nd: Pete Olson vs. Sri Preston Kulkarni



West Virginia 3rd: Carol Miller vs. Richard Ojeda







The List of Republican debate-dodgers Goes On and On



Kansas 4th: Ron Estes vs. James Thompson



Debates are like job interviews. If he wont show up for the interviews, he wont show up for work and should not get the job. The people deserve to hear where Ron Estes stands on issues. Hiding from constituents and hoping the letter behind your name gets you elected is cowardly politics.



James Thompson (D), KS-04



Illinois 16th: Adam Kinzinger vs. Sara Dady



Rep. Adam Kinzinger: you cant represent people if you dont talk with them.



Sara Dady (D), IL-16



Missouri 4th: Vicky Hartzler vs. Renee Hoagenson



Vicky Hartzler is calling me a bully for demanding that she face constituents. Ill take it. This is a representative who hides from the voters and actively works against their interests. I will do what it takes to hold her accountable and if she wont show up, then more people will see her contempt for the democratic process.



Renee Hoagenson (D), MO-04



Pennsylvania 12th: Tom Marino vs. Marc Friedenberg



Tom Marinos refusal to participate in a debate weakens our democracy. I understand why he feels tempted to refuse: his views are incredibly unpopular, and he doesnt want to shine a spotlight on that. Hes failed us again, though. Im prepared to speak with any voter, at any time, and I look forward to speaking with thousands of them between now and November 6.



Marc Friedenberg (D), PA-12



Arizona 5th: Andy Biggs vs. Joan Greene



Biggs was booed off the stage on April 11, 2017 and hasnt been back since. If you are brave enough to make a vote your constituents dont want you to make, you should be brave enough to answer for it. If you arent trying to kill the people, steal from them or bankrupt them, you should not fear doing a town hall.



Joan Greene (D), AZ-05



Texas 8th: Kevin Brady vs. Steven David



I have personally handed a debate invitation to Kevin Brady, as well as mailed one to his campaign office. He has not responded.

Steven David (D), TX-08

Texas 10th: Michael McCaul vs. Mike Siegel



Here in TX-10, League of Women Voters chapters in both Austin and Houston offered to moderate debates. My opponent has ignored all requests so far. This is consistent with his general approach. Michael McCaul hasnt held a public town hall in over ten years.



Mike Siegel (D), TX-10



New Jersey 4th: Chris Smith vs. Josh Welle



Chris Smith refuses to answer numerous calls to show up for debates or town halls. He hasnt had a town hall in 25 years.



Josh Welle (D), NJ-04

Texas 14th: Randy Weber vs. Adrienne Bell



We have requested that Randy Weber debate. We sent four certified return receipt letters, two were returned. No response.



Adrienne Bell (D), TX-14



And its not just US Congressional Races. This is a problem at state and local levels as well:



Pennsylvania HD-152: Tom Murt vs. Daryl Boling



From my proposed Townhall event at Bryn Athyn College, to a Moms Demand Action sponsored candidates forum on September 26 (the invite still stands for his attendance), Tom Murt time and time again has declined opportunities for voters to meet with both of us and ask open questions about the issues that concern them. Any day and anytime the offer still stands.



Daryl Boling (D), Pennsylvania HD-152





Indiana SD-49: Jim Tomes vs. Edie Hardcastle



The Courier & Press and WNIN have invited us both to debate the issues so the public can learn more about what we stand for, but Jim Tomes has refused all three opportunities. I think Hoosiers need someone who is willing to stand up and answer questions about education, wages, and health care. What is he afraid of?



Edie Hardcastle (D), Indiana SD-49





Kentucky HD-88: Bill Farmer vs. Cherlynn Stevenson



Bill Farmer claimed a conflict when he was asked to join me in a forum for the League of Women Voters, which would also be broadcast locally on PBS. This forum happens every single election and has for years and years.



Cherlynn Stevenson (D), Kentucky HD-88





Arizona LD-23: Jay Lawrence vs. Eric Kurland



Jay Lawrence does not understand that being a Representative is a promise and not a suggestion; a job description and not just a job title.



Eric Kurland (D), Arizona LD-23

https://demwritepress.com/2018/09/18/pro...cowardice/ From coast to coast, Republicans are refusing to debate their Democratic opponents. A race-by-race rundown of the most egregious cases of debate-dodging.Cover art by Jessica Iraci (modified by DemWritePress). Find more of Jessicas art here.The holding of public debates between candidates is a time-honored tradition in this country, but of course in the Trump era many of our traditions are collapsing under the weight of cynicism and corruption. So, too with debating: dozens of high-profile Republican incumbents and even some first-time GOP candidates are brazenly ignoring or deflecting calls to debate in open, public & unscripted forums before their own constituents. Rohrabacher. Nunes. Jordan. Walden. Brady. McCaul. The list is extensive.Democrats arent giving up without a fight, however. Here is a race-by-race breakdown of some of the most high-profile and egregious instances of GOP debate dodging. (This post was last modified: 09-21-2018 10:12 AM by spo snouou .) D3VILSR3J3CT

...

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Post: #4 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

... (This post was last modified: 09-21-2018 10:11 AM by D3VILSR3J3CT .) spo snouou

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Post: #5 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

California bans bots secretly trying to sway elections



New law will force businesses or individuals using automated programs to reveal their artificial nature if they attempt to influence political opinion.



https://www.cnet.com/news/california-ban...d=57615701 New law will force businesses or individuals using automated programs to reveal their artificial nature if they attempt to influence political opinion. KingBum

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10-02-2018 06:15 AM



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Post: #6 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

Well project war hammer wasn't exactly free, we needed assets in Russia while the wall was coming down and when we ran off with all their securities promises had to be made. Idealism is the fools shepherd and the braggarts laurels.



Its time to stop pointing fingers, finger pointing gets us nowhere...Steve.



504100 - My number when not logged in. spo snouou

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Post: #7 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

KingBum Wrote: (10-02-2018 06:15 AM) Well project war hammer wasn't exactly free

yeah.. that game would of been at least $80 when it came out?











yeah.. that game would of been at least $80 when it came out? MESSENGER

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Post: #8 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

spo snouou Wrote: (09-21-2018 10:01 AM) Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia, and no one is really talking about it.



Modern GOP ideology has converged with Putinist ideology. American Republicans and Putinists in Russia relentlessly work to achieve the same form of government  one where an..

2) extraordinarily wealthy and powerful few control all government and corporate institutions, and rank & file citizens are left fighting over the crumbs left over.



Enrich the ruling elites, suppress the working classes into poverty. This isnt anything new  class warfare..

3) has been around since before recorded history. To be sure, I estimate that 75% of recorded history itself is class warfare. The other 25% is technological advances and human achievement. My two cents, of course.



But we need to understand that it doesnt matter if the..

4) government takes over corporations or corporations take over government. The end result is the same.



The Putinist (and Stalinist) model is one in which the government forcibly took control of farms and corporations. The modern GOP model is one in which the corporations...

5) clandestinely took over government. But the models are merely different means to the same end  a privileged, wealthy, powerful few with their feet on the throats of the masses fighting for health and survival.



6) avoidance of debates with their Democratic challengers.



GOP incumbents wont hold town halls with their constituents, preferring instead to hold closed, obscenely expensive fundraisers for the wealthy and corporate donors.



If it seems like the..

7) GOP doesnt give a rats ass about average working Americans, its because it doesnt.



Money buys power; power changes the rules to make more money. Lather, rinse, repeat.



Its happening in America like it happened in Russia. The details are different, but the result..

8) is exactly the same.



If the heavy-hitters in Russia and the US are able to pool their money, power, and influence, all the better for them. The wealth and power can then be collected and concentrated from a global set of resources instead of just a national one.



more:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/10428...reshed=yes

Not much chance his twitter account will be banned.



. Not much chance his twitter account will be banned. spo snouou

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10-02-2018 09:00 AM



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Post: #9 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

MESSENGER Wrote: (10-02-2018 08:23 AM) spo snouou Wrote: (09-21-2018 10:01 AM) Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia, and no one is really talking about it.





more:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/10428...reshed=yes

Not much chance his twitter account will be banned.



.

for? for? LoP Guest

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10-02-2018 09:03 AM











Post: #10 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

spo snouou Wrote: (09-21-2018 10:01 AM) Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia, and no one is really talking about it.



Modern GOP ideology has converged with Putinist ideology. American Republicans and Putinists in Russia relentlessly work to achieve the same form of government  one where an..

2) extraordinarily wealthy and powerful few control all government and corporate institutions, and rank & file citizens are left fighting over the crumbs left over.



Enrich the ruling elites, suppress the working classes into poverty. This isnt anything new  class warfare..

3) has been around since before recorded history. To be sure, I estimate that 75% of recorded history itself is class warfare. The other 25% is technological advances and human achievement. My two cents, of course.



But we need to understand that it doesnt matter if the..

4) government takes over corporations or corporations take over government. The end result is the same.



The Putinist (and Stalinist) model is one in which the government forcibly took control of farms and corporations. The modern GOP model is one in which the corporations...

5) clandestinely took over government. But the models are merely different means to the same end  a privileged, wealthy, powerful few with their feet on the throats of the masses fighting for health and survival.



6) avoidance of debates with their Democratic challengers.



GOP incumbents wont hold town halls with their constituents, preferring instead to hold closed, obscenely expensive fundraisers for the wealthy and corporate donors.



If it seems like the..

7) GOP doesnt give a rats ass about average working Americans, its because it doesnt.



Money buys power; power changes the rules to make more money. Lather, rinse, repeat.



Its happening in America like it happened in Russia. The details are different, but the result..

8) is exactly the same.



If the heavy-hitters in Russia and the US are able to pool their money, power, and influence, all the better for them. The wealth and power can then be collected and concentrated from a global set of resources instead of just a national one.



more:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/10428...reshed=yes

TL;DR





Because America doesn't want to get fucking nuked.



That's why. TL;DRBecause America doesn't want to get fucking nuked.That's why. LoP Guest

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10-02-2018 09:04 AM











Post: #11 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

spo snouou Wrote: (10-02-2018 06:12 AM) California bans bots secretly trying to sway elections



New law will force businesses or individuals using automated programs to reveal their artificial nature if they attempt to influence political opinion.



https://www.cnet.com/news/california-ban...d=57615701

And 8n the same breath, California allows illegals to vote to sway elections, And 8n the same breath, California allows illegals to vote to sway elections, spo snouou

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10-02-2018 09:09 AM



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Post: #12 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

spo snouou Wrote: (10-02-2018 06:29 AM) KingBum Wrote: (10-02-2018 06:15 AM) Well project war hammer wasn't exactly free

yeah.. that game would of been at least $80 when it came out?













ah.. no?



perhaps you are talking about





Operation Warhammer - the European invasion of the United States





This says a lot more about grooming vulnerable people than any real plan for invasion in the 90's



sounds like burning Agenda 21 psychops to me..



chuck another log on the barbie ,love. ah.. no?perhaps you are talking about this: Operation Warhammer - the European invasion of the United StatesThis says a lot more about grooming vulnerable people than any real plan for invasion in the 90'ssounds like burning Agenda 21 psychops to me..chuck another log on the barbie ,love. LoP Guest

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10-02-2018 09:12 AM











Post: #13 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

the universe is eternal and doesn't care at all about republican or democrat



politics is temporal and designed to distract and divert our true potential from ever becoming realized and achieved.



step back, . .see for your self, . .



all antiginism is b.s. and both political parties spew the same venom that is poisoning our collective soul.



the war is not out there, it is within our heart, . .

declare a truce, . .be at peace.

love shall bloom. TimeZoned

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10-02-2018 11:25 AM



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Post: #14 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

Meanwhile back in your own country..





LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 465657

10-02-2018 11:50 AM











Post: #15 RE: Theres a good reason that the GOP is soft on Russia

Another pro-war race thread. Advertisement


















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CMC Markets analyst David Madden said: "The tariffs that were announced by both sides during the week were deemed to be not as harsh as originally suspected. The US in particular showed restraint, but that was partially so the Trump administration would have more ammunition should they feel it is required down the line. Now that the latest series of tariffs are out of the way, investors fell back into their bullish routine."

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Amanda Blanc, chairwoman of the ABI hit out at the industrys progress on gender diversity and said:  It is simply not good enough that in 2018 there are 60% fewer women at board level than at entry level.

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Jeremy Corbyns plan to put up taxes to fund an increase in spending for public services has received a boost after research showed that 60% of people thought the government should do just that. The British Social Attitudes survey found that the proportion of people who believed the government should raise taxes to fund more public spending was at its highest in 15 years, following almost a decade of austerity. - Guardian

Uber is in talks to buy the British food delivery start-up Deliveroo for a sum in excess of $2 billion. The owner of the worlds most popular taxi-hailing app is in early stage talks to buy Deliveroo for several billion dollars, according to Bloomberg. - The Times

Local authorities will collect a whopping 79million from 77,000 landlords this month as new licensing rules come into effect. HMO licensing - which stands for houses in multiple occupation - already applies to landlords who rent their properties to five or more tenants from two or more different households where the property is three or more storeys. - Daily Mail

The American retail industry was bracing itself yesterday for a new onslaught by Amazon, amid reports that the ecommerce giant could open as many as 3,000 high-tech inner-city grocery shops by 2021. The $940 billion company, whose main businesses are online retailing and cloud computing, was said to be considering a wider expansion of Amazon Go, a grocery shop concept that has no cashiers and uses an artificially intelligent motion-tracking system to record what shoppers buy. - The Times

The bike shop chain Evans Cycles is urgently seeking a buyer as the retailer battles to survive amid tough high street trading conditions, including the rise of online competition and the cost of running stores. The retailers management team needs to find 20m to fund a rescue plan, but its backers and bankers were understood to be unwilling to provide the extra cash. - Guardian

Only four years after apparently giving its consumer goods business a mini-makeover, Nestle has put its skin health division up for sale. The Swiss-based maker of Kit Kat and Nescafe said that it had decided to sharpen its focus on its food, beverage and nutritional health products  and that as a result its Nestle Skin Health division increasingly lies outside the groups strategic scope.

An Aim-listed oil explorer is nearing a billion-dollar deal to buy BPs ageing oilfields in Egypt. SDX Energy confirmed yesterday that it was in talks with the oil major about a significant package of assets in the country, after a report by Bloomberg. - The Times

A British technology consultant and former adviser to David Cameron has held talks with the owner of Fortune about buying the American business magazine, it is understood. Ian Osborne, an early investor in Snap, owner of the Snapchat messaging app, is believed to have discussed the purchase of Fortune with Meredith, the publisher, on behalf of a group of investors. - The Times
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Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel Archangel

Michael

User ID: 441975

09-21-2018 06:45 PM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #1 Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

Advertisement [ ] Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel [/size]





Published: September 21, 2018

Share | Print This





Source: Mint Press News  by Whitney Webb



TEL AVIV  A new report from the Emirati news website Al-Khaleej Online has revealed that many of the mercenaries leading the assault against the Yemeni port city of Hodeida were trained in Israel by Israeli soldiers, shedding light on Israels covert role in the war in Yemen.



According to U.S. officials close to the House Intelligence Committee with knowledge of the operation, hundreds of mercenaries from various nationalities that fight on behalf of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Yemen had recently received instance combat training at training camps in the Negev desert that were created through a secret agreement was reached between the UAE and Israel. Mercenaries at the camp were trained under the personal supervision of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).



The camps creation was spearheaded by UAE Security Adviser Mohammed Dahlan, who has personally overseen the recent hiring of a fresh force of foreign mercenaries, the majority of whom are Colombian or Nepalese, to fight on the UAEs behalf in Yemen.



Dahlan, a Palestinian, was a central figure in the U.S.-backed plot funded by the United Arab Emirates to arm and train militias to overthrow Hamas after they won Gaza elections in 2007. Dahlan has since lived in exile in the UAE where he has developed a close relationship to the Emirati royal family and now serves as one of their advisers. Dahlan also has close tiesto Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.



The report noted that Dahlan had personally visited the training camps in Israel on more than one occasion in order to supervise the training received by mercenaries from the IDF. Al-Khaleejs sources also stated that Dahlan had chosen the Negev desert as the site for the camps due to the similarities the region shares with Yemen in terms of its climate, environment and tribal structure.



These mercenaries, trained at IDF-led camps in Israel and funded by the UAE, are now leading the renewed assault on the Yemeni port of Hodeida, which began earlier this week on Tuesday. The UAE/Saudi Arabia coalition had previously launched an assault in Hodeida in June but that effort failed to make headway despite the coalitions superior firepower. The new assault was launched after the coalition recently succeeded in cutting off the main road between Hodeida and the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.



Over 90% of Yemens food is imported through Hodeida, prompting the UN and several NGOs to warn that any disruption to food and fuel supplies coming through the Hodeida port could cause starvation on an unprecedented scale as the countrys humanitarian crisis  a direct consequence of the coalitions actions  is now more dire than ever.

An Open Secret: Israels Covert Involvement in Yemens War



Notably, the revelation of the Israel-based UAE mercenary training camps is not the first indication of covert Israeli involvement in the Yemen conflict. Indeed, when the war first began in 2015, the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAEwere known to use Israeli-made weapons.



In addition, paperwork seized by the Saudi Embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa that same year revealed that the U.S. was seeking to build a military base near Yemens Bab al-Mandab strait in order to ensure the security of Israel, suggesting a strong motive for the U.S. and Israels support for the coalition.



More recently, rumors about new Israel-Saudi weapons deals, including alleged plans to sell Saudi Arabia the Iron Dome missile defense system, have received press attention, suggesting that the covert sale of Israeli weapons to the Saudi-led coalition continues to the present.



Al-Khaleej Online had previously reported that Israel had covertly sold weapons and ammunition to the Saudis, including internationally prohibited weapons that have since been used in the coalitions brutal bombing campaign in Yemen that consistently targets civilian infrastructure. Just last month, 43% of the coalitions targets were civilian structures, despite the fact that the U.S. now directly aids the coalition in choosing its strike targets as part of an alleged effort to reduce civilian casualties in the war.



While Israeli involvement in the war in Yemen has thus far been covert, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated last month that he would consider sending Israeli troops to Yemen to fight on behalf of the Saudi-led coalition if the Yemeni resistance gained control over the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait, which serves as a chokepoint on Saudi oil exports and other important Red Sea commerce.



Given Israels support for countries involved in genocidal wars in the past and its own treatment of Palestinians, it is unlikely that Israels government would feel constrained by any moral dilemmas if it chose to formally join the coalitions war in Yemen despite the humanitarian crisis that war has provoked.



The humanitarian crisis in Yemen, considered the worst in the world, has brought 17.8 million Yemenis to the brink of starvation including 5.2 million children. In addition, 66,000 children in Yemen die annually from preventable diseases due to the coalitions blockade of Yemen which has also allowed the worst cholera outbreak in history to proliferate.



Despite the huge death toll that has resulted from the coalition blockade and airstrikes, the mastermind of the conflict, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, has vowed to continue to target Yemeni civilians, including women and children, in order to leave a big impact on the consciousness of Yemenis [for] generations.



Top Photo | UAE has hired Colombian soldiers to fight its war in Yemen.

Published: September 21, 2018

Share | Print This Published: September 21, 2018Share | Print ThisSource: Mint Press News  by Whitney WebbTEL AVIV  A new report from the Emirati news website Al-Khaleej Online has revealed that many of the mercenaries leading the assault against the Yemeni port city of Hodeida were trained in Israel by Israeli soldiers, shedding light on Israels covert role in the war in Yemen.According to U.S. officials close to the House Intelligence Committee with knowledge of the operation, hundreds of mercenaries from various nationalities that fight on behalf of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Yemen had recently received instance combat training at training camps in the Negev desert that were created through a secret agreement was reached between the UAE and Israel. Mercenaries at the camp were trained under the personal supervision of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).The camps creation was spearheaded by UAE Security Adviser Mohammed Dahlan, who has personally overseen the recent hiring of a fresh force of foreign mercenaries, the majority of whom are Colombian or Nepalese, to fight on the UAEs behalf in Yemen.Dahlan, a Palestinian, was a central figure in the U.S.-backed plot funded by the United Arab Emirates to arm and train militias to overthrow Hamas after they won Gaza elections in 2007. Dahlan has since lived in exile in the UAE where he has developed a close relationship to the Emirati royal family and now serves as one of their advisers. Dahlan also has close tiesto Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.The report noted that Dahlan had personally visited the training camps in Israel on more than one occasion in order to supervise the training received by mercenaries from the IDF. Al-Khaleejs sources also stated that Dahlan had chosen the Negev desert as the site for the camps due to the similarities the region shares with Yemen in terms of its climate, environment and tribal structure.These mercenaries, trained at IDF-led camps in Israel and funded by the UAE, are now leading the renewed assault on the Yemeni port of Hodeida, which began earlier this week on Tuesday. The UAE/Saudi Arabia coalition had previously launched an assault in Hodeida in June but that effort failed to make headway despite the coalitions superior firepower. The new assault was launched after the coalition recently succeeded in cutting off the main road between Hodeida and the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.Over 90% of Yemens food is imported through Hodeida, prompting the UN and several NGOs to warn that any disruption to food and fuel supplies coming through the Hodeida port could cause starvation on an unprecedented scale as the countrys humanitarian crisis  a direct consequence of the coalitions actions  is now more dire than ever.An Open Secret: Israels Covert Involvement in Yemens WarNotably, the revelation of the Israel-based UAE mercenary training camps is not the first indication of covert Israeli involvement in the Yemen conflict. Indeed, when the war first began in 2015, the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAEwere known to use Israeli-made weapons.In addition, paperwork seized by the Saudi Embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa that same year revealed that the U.S. was seeking to build a military base near Yemens Bab al-Mandab strait in order to ensure the security of Israel, suggesting a strong motive for the U.S. and Israels support for the coalition.More recently, rumors about new Israel-Saudi weapons deals, including alleged plans to sell Saudi Arabia the Iron Dome missile defense system, have received press attention, suggesting that the covert sale of Israeli weapons to the Saudi-led coalition continues to the present.Al-Khaleej Online had previously reported that Israel had covertly sold weapons and ammunition to the Saudis, including internationally prohibited weapons that have since been used in the coalitions brutal bombing campaign in Yemen that consistently targets civilian infrastructure. Just last month, 43% of the coalitions targets were civilian structures, despite the fact that the U.S. now directly aids the coalition in choosing its strike targets as part of an alleged effort to reduce civilian casualties in the war.While Israeli involvement in the war in Yemen has thus far been covert, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated last month that he would consider sending Israeli troops to Yemen to fight on behalf of the Saudi-led coalition if the Yemeni resistance gained control over the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait, which serves as a chokepoint on Saudi oil exports and other important Red Sea commerce.Given Israels support for countries involved in genocidal wars in the past and its own treatment of Palestinians, it is unlikely that Israels government would feel constrained by any moral dilemmas if it chose to formally join the coalitions war in Yemen despite the humanitarian crisis that war has provoked.The humanitarian crisis in Yemen, considered the worst in the world, has brought 17.8 million Yemenis to the brink of starvation including 5.2 million children. In addition, 66,000 children in Yemen die annually from preventable diseases due to the coalitions blockade of Yemen which has also allowed the worst cholera outbreak in history to proliferate.Despite the huge death toll that has resulted from the coalition blockade and airstrikes, the mastermind of the conflict, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, has vowed to continue to target Yemeni civilians, including women and children, in order to leave a big impact on the consciousness of Yemenis [for] generations.Top Photo | UAE has hired Colombian soldiers to fight its war in Yemen.Published: September 21, 2018Share | Print This LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 460895

09-21-2018 06:49 PM











Post: #2 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

Archangel Wrote: (09-21-2018 06:45 PM) [ ] Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel [/size]





Published: September 21, 2018

Share | Print This





Source: Mint Press News  by Whitney Webb



TEL AVIV  A new report from the Emirati news website Al-Khaleej Online has revealed that many of the mercenaries leading the assault against the Yemeni port city of Hodeida were trained in Israel by Israeli soldiers, shedding light on Israels covert role in the war in Yemen.



According to U.S. officials close to the House Intelligence Committee with knowledge of the operation, hundreds of mercenaries from various nationalities that fight on behalf of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Yemen had recently received instance combat training at training camps in the Negev desert that were created through a secret agreement was reached between the UAE and Israel. Mercenaries at the camp were trained under the personal supervision of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).



The camps creation was spearheaded by UAE Security Adviser Mohammed Dahlan, who has personally overseen the recent hiring of a fresh force of foreign mercenaries, the majority of whom are Colombian or Nepalese, to fight on the UAEs behalf in Yemen.



Dahlan, a Palestinian, was a central figure in the U.S.-backed plot funded by the United Arab Emirates to arm and train militias to overthrow Hamas after they won Gaza elections in 2007. Dahlan has since lived in exile in the UAE where he has developed a close relationship to the Emirati royal family and now serves as one of their advisers. Dahlan also has close tiesto Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.



The report noted that Dahlan had personally visited the training camps in Israel on more than one occasion in order to supervise the training received by mercenaries from the IDF. Al-Khaleejs sources also stated that Dahlan had chosen the Negev desert as the site for the camps due to the similarities the region shares with Yemen in terms of its climate, environment and tribal structure.



These mercenaries, trained at IDF-led camps in Israel and funded by the UAE, are now leading the renewed assault on the Yemeni port of Hodeida, which began earlier this week on Tuesday. The UAE/Saudi Arabia coalition had previously launched an assault in Hodeida in June but that effort failed to make headway despite the coalitions superior firepower. The new assault was launched after the coalition recently succeeded in cutting off the main road between Hodeida and the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.



Over 90% of Yemens food is imported through Hodeida, prompting the UN and several NGOs to warn that any disruption to food and fuel supplies coming through the Hodeida port could cause starvation on an unprecedented scale as the countrys humanitarian crisis  a direct consequence of the coalitions actions  is now more dire than ever.

An Open Secret: Israels Covert Involvement in Yemens War



Notably, the revelation of the Israel-based UAE mercenary training camps is not the first indication of covert Israeli involvement in the Yemen conflict. Indeed, when the war first began in 2015, the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAEwere known to use Israeli-made weapons.



In addition, paperwork seized by the Saudi Embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa that same year revealed that the U.S. was seeking to build a military base near Yemens Bab al-Mandab strait in order to ensure the security of Israel, suggesting a strong motive for the U.S. and Israels support for the coalition.



More recently, rumors about new Israel-Saudi weapons deals, including alleged plans to sell Saudi Arabia the Iron Dome missile defense system, have received press attention, suggesting that the covert sale of Israeli weapons to the Saudi-led coalition continues to the present.



Al-Khaleej Online had previously reported that Israel had covertly sold weapons and ammunition to the Saudis, including internationally prohibited weapons that have since been used in the coalitions brutal bombing campaign in Yemen that consistently targets civilian infrastructure. Just last month, 43% of the coalitions targets were civilian structures, despite the fact that the U.S. now directly aids the coalition in choosing its strike targets as part of an alleged effort to reduce civilian casualties in the war.



While Israeli involvement in the war in Yemen has thus far been covert, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated last month that he would consider sending Israeli troops to Yemen to fight on behalf of the Saudi-led coalition if the Yemeni resistance gained control over the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait, which serves as a chokepoint on Saudi oil exports and other important Red Sea commerce.



Given Israels support for countries involved in genocidal wars in the past and its own treatment of Palestinians, it is unlikely that Israels government would feel constrained by any moral dilemmas if it chose to formally join the coalitions war in Yemen despite the humanitarian crisis that war has provoked.



The humanitarian crisis in Yemen, considered the worst in the world, has brought 17.8 million Yemenis to the brink of starvation including 5.2 million children. In addition, 66,000 children in Yemen die annually from preventable diseases due to the coalitions blockade of Yemen which has also allowed the worst cholera outbreak in history to proliferate.



Despite the huge death toll that has resulted from the coalition blockade and airstrikes, the mastermind of the conflict, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, has vowed to continue to target Yemeni civilians, including women and children, in order to leave a big impact on the consciousness of Yemenis [for] generations.



Top Photo | UAE has hired Colombian soldiers to fight its war in Yemen.

Published: September 21, 2018

Share | Print This IDEAS

Trumps Dirty War in Yemen

The president is aiding Saudi Arabia in an unlawful, unpopular, inhumane bombing campaign at odds with the foreign policy that he promised Americans. IDEASTrumps Dirty War in YemenThe president is aiding Saudi Arabia in an unlawful, unpopular, inhumane bombing campaign at odds with the foreign policy that he promised Americans. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 460895

09-21-2018 06:50 PM











Post: #3 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

Sunni Saudi Arabia bombing Shia in Yemen will lead to an all out assault on Saudi Arabia by Iran. Archangel

Michael

User ID: 441975

09-21-2018 06:53 PM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #4 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (09-21-2018 06:50 PM) Donmeh Crytpo Jew ran Saudi Arabia bombing Shia in Yemen will lead to an all out assault on Saudi Arabia by Iran.

Fixed it for you....



. Fixed it for you.... LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 463552

09-21-2018 08:15 PM











Post: #5 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

Yeah Saudis and Israelis only pretend to be enemies. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 463552

09-21-2018 08:16 PM











Post: #6 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (09-21-2018 06:50 PM) Sunni Saudi Arabia bombing Shia in Yemen will lead to an all out assault on Saudi Arabia by Iran.

Yazidi not Shia. A religion that pre-dates Islam. Yazidi not Shia. A religion that pre-dates Islam. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 459078

09-21-2018 08:21 PM











Post: #7 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

It's more profitable to goto Cape Town and fight for gold instead of oil. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 459078

09-21-2018 08:26 PM











Post: #8 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

Krav Maga, come at me bro. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 463546

09-21-2018 08:50 PM











Post: #9 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

Has ISIS attacked ISISreal, yet?



No?



How many times has ISIS attacked, say Belgium or some place NOT bordering ISISrael?



None?



Some coincidence given how far they will travel to blow up infidels.

Maybe they have some reason to think ISISrael is not infidel with their wahabist beleifs?> LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 463546

09-21-2018 09:08 PM











Post: #10 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (09-21-2018 08:15 PM) Yeah Saudis and Israelis only pretend to be enemies.

SOMEONE ELSE finally gets it SOMEONE ELSE finally gets it general mishka

lop guest

User ID: 441771

09-21-2018 09:11 PM











Post: #11 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (09-21-2018 08:15 PM) Yeah Saudis and Israelis only pretend to be enemies.

Whats the old saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend



I don't doubt for a minute Israel and Saudis despise each other, but they will carve up the Shia before addressing their mutual grievences Whats the old saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friendI don't doubt for a minute Israel and Saudis despise each other, but they will carve up the Shia before addressing their mutual grievences Archangel

Michael

User ID: 441975

09-21-2018 09:24 PM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #12 RE: Mercenaries Leading Assault on Yemen Port City Were Trained by IDF in Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (09-21-2018 08:50 PM) Has ISIS attacked ISISreal, yet?



No?



How many times has ISIS attacked, say Belgium or some place NOT bordering ISISrael?



None?



Some coincidence given how far they will travel to blow up infidels.

Maybe they have some reason to think ISISrael is not infidel with their wahabist beleifs?>

Israel's war on Europe is well known. It is Israel who flooded Europe and all predominately White Nations with a sea of darker races, to destroy the Culture of those lands.







. Israel's war on Europe is well known. It is Israel who flooded Europe and all predominately White Nations with a sea of darker races, to destroy the Culture of those lands.
















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'Restless times' exhibition features Germany's latest archaeological finds ALADIN

* weird wizard1*

User ID: 456668

09-21-2018 10:20 PM



Posts: 5,423









Post: #1 'Restless times' exhibition features Germany's latest archaeological finds

Advertisement



Weapons, art and jewelry over the millennia are on display at the "Restless Times, Archaeology in Germany" exhibition in Berlin. Europeans, that much is clear, were constantly on the go.







13 recent archaeological finds in Germany

A 'forged' sky



The Nebra sky disc is a sensational archaeological find: It features the world's oldest known depiction of a cosmic phenomenon. It was found by treasure-hunters with a metal detector in Saxony in 1999. Estimated to be 3,600 years old, the bronze disk with gold symbols reveals an impressive understanding of astronomical phenomena combined with the religious beliefs of its time.







13 recent archaeological finds in Germany

A mighty hat



The exhibition at Berlin's Gropius Bau museum shows three of the world's four known Golden Hats from the Bronze Age (1000 BC). They served as a symbol for deities and priests in a sun cult that was practiced in Central Europe during that period. Made of thin gold leaf, the hats are presumed to have covered a similarly-shaped headdress made of organic material.







13 recent archaeological finds in Germany

The treasures of Cologne's wharf area



Archaeologists uncovered thousands of finds  including these oil lamps from the first century A.D.  in the mud on the site of the former Roman port in Cologne. At the time, the newly established Roman settlement was an important trade center, where one could easily find goods from North Africa, Pompeii or Aquitaine. A 1,900-year-old Roman boat was also discovered in Cologne in 2007.







13 recent archaeological finds in Germany

The secrets of a Celtic princess



At the end of 2010, a complete early Celtic tomb of a noblewoman was retrieved from the earth near the southern German town of Herbertingen. It contained bronze and gold jewelry that were imported from afar. The find provided further evidence that trade with the rest of Europe was already strong by the sixth century BC.



https://www.dw.com/en/restless-times-exh...a-45591330



It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a ma s k on their nose and mouth ... 'Restless times' exhibition features Germany's latest archaeological findsWeapons, art and jewelry over the millennia are on display at the "Restless Times, Archaeology in Germany" exhibition in Berlin. Europeans, that much is clear, were constantly on the go.13 recent archaeological finds in GermanyA 'forged' skyThe Nebra sky disc is a sensational archaeological find: It features the world's oldest known depiction of a cosmic phenomenon. It was found by treasure-hunters with a metal detector in Saxony in 1999. Estimated to be 3,600 years old, the bronze disk with gold symbols reveals an impressive understanding of astronomical phenomena combined with the religious beliefs of its time.13 recent archaeological finds in GermanyA mighty hatThe exhibition at Berlin's Gropius Bau museum shows three of the world's four known Golden Hats from the Bronze Age (1000 BC). They served as a symbol for deities and priests in a sun cult that was practiced in Central Europe during that period. Made of thin gold leaf, the hats are presumed to have covered a similarly-shaped headdress made of organic material.13 recent archaeological finds in GermanyThe treasures of Cologne's wharf areaArchaeologists uncovered thousands of finds  including these oil lamps from the first century A.D.  in the mud on the site of the former Roman port in Cologne. At the time, the newly established Roman settlement was an important trade center, where one could easily find goods from North Africa, Pompeii or Aquitaine. A 1,900-year-old Roman boat was also discovered in Cologne in 2007.13 recent archaeological finds in GermanyThe secrets of a Celtic princessAt the end of 2010, a complete early Celtic tomb of a noblewoman was retrieved from the earth near the southern German town of Herbertingen. It contained bronze and gold jewelry that were imported from afar. The find provided further evidence that trade with the rest of Europe was already strong by the sixth century BC.
















Katy Waldman in The New Yorker:

Sally Horner was a widows daughter, a brown-haired honor student, from Camden, New Jersey. In 1948, hoping to impress some popular girls, she nicked a notebook from a dime store and was accosted by a man, Frank La Salle, posing as an F.B.I. agent. La Salle, who told Horner his name was Frank Warren, informed the eleven-year-old that he was placing her under surveillance. Then he commanded her to take a bus with him to Atlantic City, and from there they embarked on a cross-country road trip. Like Humbert Humbert, the protagonist of the novel Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov, La Salle concealed his predations by posing as his victims father. (In the book, Humbert actually becomes Dolores Hazes stepfather.) After enduring twenty-one months of rape and abuse, Sally finally opened up to a neighbor, Ruth Janisch, and found the strength to telephone her family back in Camden; the F.B.I. recovered her from a trailer park in Southern California and arrested La Salle, who confessed and went to prison for the rest of his life. In 1952, two years after her rescue, Sally was killed in a car crash.

The Real Lolita is Sarah Weinmans attempt to pull back the veil on the kidnapping that may have helped inspire Nabokovs novel.

More here.
Erica Klarreich in Quanta:

In a report posted online today, Peter Scholze of the University of Bonn and Jakob Stix of Goethe University Frankfurt describe what Stix calls a serious, unfixable gap within a mammoth series ofpapers by Shinichi Mochizuki, a mathematician at Kyoto University who is renowned for his brilliance. Posted online in 2012, Mochizukis papers supposedly prove the abc conjecture, one of the most far-reaching problems in number theory.

Despite multiple conferences dedicated to explicating Mochizukis proof, number theorists have struggled to come to grips with its underlying ideas. His series of papers, which total more than 500 pages, are written in an impenetrable style, and refer back to a further 500 pages or so of previous work by Mochizuki, creating what one mathematician, Brian Conrad of Stanford University, has called a sense of infinite regress.

Between 12 and 18 mathematicians who have studied the proof in depth believe it is correct, wrote Ivan Fesenko of the University of Nottingham in an email. But only mathematicians in Mochizukis orbit have vouched for the proofs correctness, Conrad commented in a blog discussion last December. There is nobody else out there who has been willing to say even off the record that they are confident the proof is complete.

More here.
Ohios Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate and Democratic nominee for governor didnt agree about much when it came to health care at Thursdays Politico-AARP election event in Columbus. But both said they support protecting people with preexisting medical conditions from having to pay more for their health care.

U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, a Republican, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown, said he supports the preexisting-condition protections in the Affordable Care Act and the provision that allows children to remain on their parents health policies until they turn 26. But Renacci, a former auto-dealership owner, said he stands by his vote to repeal the ACA, calling it the unaffordable Care Act. The congressman said average Americans cannot afford the high premiums and high deductibles that come with the law.

Democrat Richard Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general and state representative and the first director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), fully supports the ACA and said Americans shouldnt have to return to the way medical coverage was before the law was passed in 2010.

People dont want to go back, Cordray said. They dont want to lose the key protection for having a preexisting condition if you have asthma or high blood pressure or cancer. To know that you could lose your health care or have your premiums jacked up because you are a higher risk  nobody wants to go back to that.

An AARP nationwide survey this summer of voters age 50-plus found that 84 percent believe it would be unfair to force individuals with preexisting health conditions to pay more for their insurance.

Thursdays event was the third election forum sponsored by Politico and AARP as part of a collaboration aimed at demonstrating how important the 50-plus vote is in determining the makeup of the Senate and House of Representatives and state races across the country. The other two sessions were in Miami and Los Angeles. The partnership also includes a series of public opinion polls and a Politico Magazine series called The Deciders.

Politico and AARP invited Brown and Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine, Ohios current attorney general and former U.S. senator, to attend, but both declined. DeWine and Cordray are vying for the seat being vacated by Republican Gov. John Kasich, who is termed limited.

Cordray complimented Kasich for expanding Medicaid in Ohio. While Renacci said he supports the availability of Medicaid for the indigent, the elderly, the disabled, he did not say whether he supported the expansion. A Politico/AARP poll taken in Ohio earlier this month found that 72 percent of registered voters and 73 percent of voters over age 50 in the state want the Medicaid expansion preserved.

Cordray was also asked about his solution to the high cost of medications. We need to negotiate more aggressively as a state to bring down prescription drug prices, particularly for seniors, he said. Our job in health care is to put money back in peoples pockets, keep our costs down and improve the [ACA health insurance] exchanges, which have never worked well in Ohio. In the Politico/AARP survey, 61 percent of Ohio voters over 50 said prescription drug prices are a very important issue they will consider when they go to the polls in November.

Older voters are uneasy about their future, their finances, their health care, and they are up for grabs, Randolph Baxter, AARP Ohio state president, said at the forum. If you are interested in Ohio politics or politics anywhere in America, this is a crucial group of voters to understand.
House conservatives come up short in blocking Senate redistricting map

Months of work by the South Dakota Legislature on the decennial process of re-dividing the state into legislative districts finished Wednesday.
Jupiter Bokondji is enjoying his time off in France.

The musician has one week off since returning from tour in South America.

And then hes headed to Albuquerque to perform as part of Globalquerque! at 9 tonight at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

To top that off, hes also got a new album  Kin Sonic  to pull new songs from.

We wanted to capture in the studio what we do on stage, Bokonkji says. We were already playing a number of songs from the album during the two years we were working on the album.

Bokondji comes from Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He and his band, Okwess, play music that feels both African and American, with his musical tastes inspired by The Jackson 5, James Brown and Kool and the Gang, as well as the sounds of Motown.

He says its the music he heard while traveling back and forth with his family between and East Berlin.

His father was an attache at the Congolese Embassy there.

Bokondji also was influenced by the Congolese rumba, which is the popular dance music from as early as the 1940s.

It is not too dissimilar from some Cuban music of the day.

Of course, the message of my music is also about the politics of the region, he says.

Bokondji says the process for making music changes with each song, though it remains similar.

We find the source of the music and bring in the traditional rhythm, he says. We work together at mixing the ingredients. We let it simmer and see what comes from the process. Usually, its something rich in all aspects, from the lyrics to the music.

Bokondji and the band will make their debut in Albuquerque.

Over the past couple of years, the band has been getting more exposure in the United States.

The goal now is to get more exposure and we are working on new songs, he says. Everybody is trying to rest so we can travel and get the tour going. Its always fun to experience a new place and its culture.
The best of the best in New Mexico dining were recently recognized by the New Mexico Restaurant Association.

Awards were given in many categories, including Restaurateur of the Year, Restaurant Neighbor, Chef, and Manager during the The 2018 Hospitality Industry Awards on Sept. 10 at Embassy Suites.

Restaurateur of the Year, which is our biggest award, always has been  this is either a singular restaurant owner or a manager or a couple if they own and manage a restaurant together  and it is someone who has contributed to their community, helped the industry and exemplified excellence in employee relations innovation, said Carol Wight, CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association.

Rowena and Adolph Baca, owners of the Owl Bar & Cafe in San Antonio, N.M., took the highest honor this year. The cafe, known for its green chile cheeseburger, has been in operation since 1945. It has received many accolades and national attention on the Travel Channel, the Food Network, and print publications.

If you have visited the Owl Cafe, youve noticed dollar bills attached to the wall, according to a New Mexico Restaurant Association news release. The story behind these bills says a lot about the Baca family. They dont keep that money. Every year a few weeks before Christmas, they take down the money and donate to charities, such as Make-A-Wish New Mexico, Carrie Tingley Childrens Hospital, and New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches. To date, they have donated over $30,000 to the various charities.

The Restaurant Neighbor Award was presented to Dominos Team Bailey. Its charitable events have helped groups and individuals in New Mexico, including a Clovis-area veteran diagnosed with cancer, a Las Cruces mom in need of a transplant and a Shiprock-area child born with brain complications, according to the news release.

Chef Michael White of The Point Grill in Rio Rancho won Chef of the Year. White created The Kitchen Kids Inc., a charity that provides cooking classes and guided recipe instructions to children of all abilities, according to the news release. Manager of the Year went to Steve Silva of Anaheim Jacks in Ruidoso, who was also recognized for giving back to children in Ruidoso and New Mexico.

Chef of the Year is really about the dining experience, Wight said. Are their creations creative, delicious, remarkable food? And those are things that we look for, plus, are they known in the state and well-respected? For Manager, thats just looking for those people that are up and coming in our industry and looking after our restaurants serving as team leaders.

For the first time, Peoples Choice awards were given for favorite New Mexico distillery, winery and brewery. The public was able to vote through social media.

Three Rivers Brewery and Distillery in Farmington won Most Wanted Distillery, St. Clair Winery was awarded Most Wanted Winery, and Red River Brewing Co. in Red River was named Brewery of the Year.
I love the Solana Center shopping area. Talk about one-stop shopping. You can drop off your laundry, get a reflexology foot massage, a body massage, a haircut, a hairdo, your nails done, shop at La Montanita Co-Op, do some pilates and dance at Santa Fe Thrive, get some sushi or Vietnamese noodles, grab a bouquet of flowers, a quick cup of coffee, and if youre feeling a little flush, you can pop into the Womens Health Services clinic.

Whew!

So much to offer just west of St. Francis on Alameda, and a place we really dig is Valentinas, offering real family-style, no-nonsense Mexican and northern New Mexican dishes.

From the vibrant orange walls and colorful checkered plastic tablecloths to the Frida Kahlo-esque-copies-with-a-twist on the walls (including one particularly fun surrealist still-life of flowers), ones disposition is immediately improved.

In a quirky way, it seems we were already familiar with Valentinas by way of a typo on their menu. The Baggel Sandwich, we noticed one morning, is the same offered on the menu of one of our favs, El Comal, way down on 3571 Cerrillos Rd. A coincidence? Nope. As it turns out, both restaurants, and Lucias at 2411 Cerrillos, are all owned by the Aboytes family, originally from Queretaro, Mexico. Alberto had worked in El Comal for 20 years (!) before taking over the business in 2013, and opening Valentinas and Lucias (run by brother Pedro and named after the mater familias) soon after.

So, its a family affair and no better way to begin our appraisal of Valentinas (and by extension, in a way, of El Comal) than the aforementioned Baggel Sandwich ($4.75), one egg done to order, cheese and 2 big strips of bacon (or ham, or sausage) toasted in a bagel. Or baggel, if you prefer. Definitely, one of the best breakfast values in Santa Fe, and one I have enjoyed many times.

We popped into Valentinas for breakfast recently and reflected that it had been too long. Cheery and mutedly sunlit, we ordered up some classic huevos. Our amigo went for the Papas Rancheras ($10), diced potatoes, topped with two eggs, cheese, chile, sour cream, beans and sopaipilla or tortilla.

Our cuate averred them to be the best Papas Rancheras in Santa Fe since Cafe Dominic closed, and that was a long time ago. A breakfast good and generous enough to get you to supper.

We were tempted by the Migas ($10.25), but had to have the Huevos Rancheros ($8.95) and were not disappointed. Like the papas plate, all the ingredients were fresh, great diced breakfast potatoes, very northern New Mexico style smothered in cheese and chile. We went Christmas again just to compare. The red is dusky with a touch of mole? The green was surprisingly mild this day, but no problem. Absolutely primo and another great value.

Valentinas has a sizeable menu full of northern New Mexico classics and favorites from Old Mexico, mole, seafood and steak, tortas, menudo and migas. (Going back for the migas soon.)

The front portal and 4-6 p.m. happy hour (all beers $2.50) are inviting, and the Wednesday and Thursday night happy hour features mariachi band Buena Bentura from 6:30-7:30 p.m.. Oh, and gotta love the bucket specials with dinner, $12.95 for a sixer of your choice in a bucket of ice.

Classic family style and dining delivered by familia Aboytes. Primo!

Valentinas

3 stars

LOCATION: Solana Center, 945 West Alameda, Santa Fe, N.M., 505-988-7165

HOURS: Every day, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Happy Hour: Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m.

FOOD: Classic family-style, homemade northern New Mexico and Old Mexico favorites.

ATMOSPHERE: Cheery, informal, colorful.

SERVICE: Excellent. Wine and beers available.
This story has been changed from the original version to accurately reflect the Rio Grande Foundations position on the transit tax.

Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Voters in four counties this November are being asked to reauthorize a one-eighth of 1 cent gross receipts tax that goes to support the Rail Runner Express commuter train and an expansive regional bus system serving communities in northern New Mexico.

Headquartered in Espanola, the North Central Regional Transit Districts services stretch from as far as Farmington in the northwest corner of the state to Costilla on the Colorado border, and as far south as Edgewood, with many points in between.

According to the NCRTD, a record-breaking half million passengers utilized the districts largely fare-free bus service during the past fiscal year  more than half of them (284,285) on NCRTD-operated routes, and the rest on local routes in Los Alamos and Santa Fe that also receive funding from the GRT revenues.

A 2016 rider survey looked at who used the buses. It says just shy of half of the passengers on the NCRTDs signature blue buses are going to or from work, while 26 percent use them to go shopping and 23 percent are going to or from a medical appointment.

If the question appearing on the November general election ballot does not pass in each of the four counties, the NCRTD will cease to exist, Jim Nagle, a spokesman for the transit district, flatly stated.

But not until after 2024. Thats when the tax is scheduled to sunset in each of those four counties.

And its not just the bus system operated by the NCRTD that is supported by the tax. Thirty-nine percent of the NCRTDs operating costs fund the Rail Runner Express, which runs daily between Santa Fe and Belen, and bus services in Los Alamos and Santa Fe.

If the reauthorization of the tax isnt approved, Rail Runner service could also be jeopardized.

If the tax is not reauthorized, Rio Metro would have to adjust the Rail Runner Express Service to bring it in line with the budget impact, Terry Doyle, transportation director for Rio Metro Regional Transit District, which operates the Rail Runner, said in response to questions emailed to him by the Journal. This would likely eliminate some of the service.

Doyle said that in order to maintain current service levels, the transit district would have to seek a replacement for the GRT funding source.

Rail Runner funding through the GRT appears to be secure on the southern end of the route. Doyle said Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia counties have a similar tax in place, but they dont have sunset dates.

Doyle said Rio Metro supports the NCRTDs efforts to reauthorize the tax.

NCRTD provides vital public transportation connections in northern New Mexico, and provides vital funding for the Rail Runner, ensuring the availability of connections to Albuquerque, he said.

According to Rio Metro, revenues from the GRT increments generate $14.5 million annually, or roughly one-quarter of its total revenues.

Its ridership data indicate that more than 285,000 passengers boarded the train at one of the four train stops in Santa Fe County in 2017.

But the trains ridership overall fell 23 percent over a recent five-year period. Opponents have occasionally broached the idea of shutting down the train and selling it.

The sooner the better

The NCRTD began operations in 2007, a year after the Rail Runner got up and running. In 2008, voters in Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Taos counties approved the one-eighth of 1 cent gross receipts tax to finance operational costs and capital expenditures in the regional transit district. The counties agreed to a 2024 sunset to give voters a chance to revisit the tax.

At the time, the tax was supported by 64.1 percent of voters in Taos County and by 66.3 percent in Los Alamos County. Support for the tax in Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties was 55.2 and 53.3 percent, respectively.

When developing the NCRTDs long-range strategic plan in 2015, it was decided it was best to seek reauthorization this year, rather than waiting until 2022 or holding a special election in 2023.

NCRTDs Nagle said it came down to the sooner the better.

Especially when dealing with grants, you could be looking at them from a couple of years out, he said. As you get closer to the end of the time frame, it will become detrimental if its not resolved.

Thirty percent of the NCRTDs $12 million operating budget is made up of federal grants, while state grants make up 1 percent. Matching funds from local entities provide about $500,000, or 4 percent, of the operating revenues.

Most of the operating budget  63 percent, or $7.57 million  comes from tax revenue.

On the expense side, 31 percent of the budget goes toward personnel expenses, including salaries and benefits for its 78 employees. Eighteen percent is dedicated to capital expenses and another 12 percent goes to operating expenses. The remaining 39 percent  $4.7 million  goes to the Rail Runner and Santa Fe Trails (the city of Santa Fes bus line) and Los Alamos Countys Atomic City Transit.

The NCRTDs blue buses connect the Rail Runner to those bus lines, as well as New Mexico Park and Ride, the Chile Line, which serves the Taos area, and Red River Miners Transit. The NCRTD has 25 fixed and flex routes covering hundreds of miles throughout northern New Mexico.

Plenty of time for give and take

The question that will appear on November ballots asks voters to repeal the 2024 expiration date, effectively allowing the tax to remain in place indefinitely.

Yvonne Chicoine, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Santa Fe County, says that shouldnt be allowed to happen.

Repealing the sunset clause makes the 2008 tax increase permanent, it unnecessarily and inappropriately deprives future taxpayers of a voice, and it makes it easy for government officials to avoid their responsibility to make sure the tax dollars they collect continue to deliver value to the community, she told the Journal in an emailed statement.

The Rio Grande Foundation, a libertarian-leaning think tank, also opposes renewing the tax.

Weve never been big fans of the Rail Runner, generally speaking, Paul Gessing, the foundations president, said in a phone interview. When the Rail Runner was in discussion, the Rio Grande Foundation was saying, why not buses? Theyre more cost efficient and flexible.

Gessing said voting down the tax would not mean the end of regional transportation in northern New Mexico.

That doesnt mean political leaders wont come back with something else, he said, noting the tax doesnt expire for another six years. We have plenty of time for give and take to take place.

Gessing said there are other ways to fund a transit system besides gross receipts taxes.

Gross receipts are a regressive, economically harmful tax. We would like to see voters, even if it were to send a message, turn down these tax rates, he said, adding that gross receipts taxes  which consumers pay on purchases of goods and services, similar to a sales tax  have done nothing but increase in most counties. Voters should give this a really hard look.

The NCRTD has taken its own hard look. It commissioned a survey to assess community support for the tax. Published in April, the survey was conducted by Research & Polling, an Albuquerque-based market research and public opinion research company. The results showed heavy support for the tax.

Overall, four-in-five voters say they either strongly support (54%) or somewhat support (27%) extending the tax beyond 2024, compared to just 9% who are opposed to the tax extension, the firm said in the executive summary of the survey.

Eighty percent or more in each individual county supported extending the tax. The survey suggests support could be even higher if voters knew how the NCRTD was funded and that the GRT was set to expire in 2024.

While there is strong support for the tax extension, this could grow even stronger if voters are informed of all the different public transit operations the tax funds are subsidizing, it says.

The survey showed that when respondents were informed that the tax supported regional bus service and the Rail Runner, 54 percent said they would be more likely to support the tax, 34 percent said it made no difference to them and 6 percent said theyd be less likely to support it.

Bolstering efforts to get voters to approve reauthorizing the tax, the NCRTD has hired a public relations firm, Albuquerque-based Griffin & Associates, to get the word out about the ballot question.

With this, the District desires to create greater awareness amongst constituents and stakeholders to ensure that voters are better informed and understand what the upcoming ballot question is all about, the NCRTD says on its website. The program will also work to inform voters of the fact that this is not a new tax, but simply a reauthorization to keep the current one in place.
After a pregnant woman gave him a black eye, Fabian Gonzales cried to his gang-connected brothers and then sent text messages to the woman alluding to a drive-by shooting, referring to her children and threatening her boyfriend, prosecutors say.

Defendant made himself a target and then deliberately moved (Victoria Martens), unprotected, into the crosshairs, prosecutors Greer Rose and James Grayson wrote.

In state District Court filings Thursday, prosecutors highlight the facts that they believe support a child abuse resulting in death charge against him in the Martens homicide case.

Gonzales is expected in court today, and in documents filed Thursday, the state dropped a charge of conspiracy to commit child abuse count and narrowed the focus of the charge of child abuse resulting in death by saying that the crime was committed recklessly. Gonzales attorney has asked the court to dismiss that count.

In a response to his request, prosecutors explain what happened in the days after Gonzales was beaten up at a barbecue on Aug. 21, 2016, and before Victoria was strangled by an unidentified man in her familys northwest Albuquerque apartment two days later.

It was disrespect and threats from Gonzales set into motion the events that led to the homicide of Victoria Martens, prosecutors say.

Immediately after the fight, prosecutors say in the filings, Gonzales called his brothers and cried about being (beaten) up.

The pregnant woman has said that Gonzales and his brothers were affiliated with Thugs Causing Kaos.

In a 2015 Summit on Community Violence, presenters said TCK was likely the most violent street gang in Albuquerque. Andrew Romero, who shot and killed a Rio Rancho police officer, had the gangs insignia tattooed on his neck.

The state has filed notice that it intends to bring up Gonzales gang affiliation at his trial. But Gonzales attorney Stephen Aarons says introducing gang hyperbole could lead jurors to convict his client based on the propensity of purported gangsters to kill anyone and everyone for whatever reason.

Aarons could not be reached for comment Thursday.

In the hours after the altercation, Gonzales sent messages to the pregnant woman saying that he hoped she died, and alluding to a drive-by shooting, and threatening the womans gang-member boyfriend, prosecutors said. That night and the next day, Gonzales searched for guns online and contacted more TCK members.

Gonzales knew the code of the street and the consequences of his threats, prosecutors wrote. In an earlier filing, prosecutors said Gonzales was also using and selling methamphetamine around that time and had brought drug users to the Martens home. Shortly before Victorias death, Gonzales asked the girls mother to leave the apartment with him, and said that they should leave Victoria behind with Jessica Kelley, who had been using meth.

Kelley says that while she was watching the girl, a stranger walked into the apartment, killed Victoria and told her that the homicide was Gonzales fault. The man told Kelley that she and Gonzales needed to clean up the mess, and both are accused of cleaning up the crime scene and mutilating the childs body. Prosecutors say that Gonzales did so because he recognized his role in her death.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

The independent Albuquerque police monitor told a federal judge that a group of high-ranking officers within the department is trying to thwart reform efforts, and because they are part of the police union they remain in their positions.

Chief Michael Geier said he has also noticed some old-school resistance to reforms. But he said he replaced certain commanders with others who agree with police reforms, so matters should improve.

Monitor James Gingers and Geiers comments were made earlier this month during a telephonic status conference before U.S. District Judge Robert Brack, who is presiding over the reforms underway at the Albuquerque Police Department.

Ginger said he referred to the group of officers as the counter-CASA effect. CASA stands for the Court Approved Settlement Agreement between the city and the Department of Justice, which outlines a series of reforms that APD has agreed to make in response to a DOJ investigation, which found police had a pattern of excessive force.

Ginger described the groups attitude as certainly ambivalent to the reform effort.

The ones Im speaking of are in critical areas and that ambivalence, alone, will give rise to exactly the sort of issues that weve seen in the past at the training academy, Ginger said. So while its not overt, you know, theres nobody sabotaging computer files or that sort of thing, its a sort of a low-level processing, but nonetheless, it has an effect.

According to a transcript of the Sept. 10 conference call, Ginger said the sergeants and lieutenants in the group are part of the police union, so they still have important positions with the police department that are protected as a condition of their collective bargaining agreement between police and the city.

Its a small group, but its a widespread collection of sworn personnel at sergeants and lieutenants levels with civil service protection that appear to be, based on my knowledge and experience, not completely committed to this process, Ginger said.

Officer Shaun Willoughby, president of the Albuquerque police union, said all Albuquerque police officers throughout the ranks have bought into the reform effort and that it would be ludicrous to think some sergeants and lieutenants are trying to stop the process.

It gets to a point of being so frustrating that its almost comical.  It makes it sound like theres an insurgency, he said. Officers have done so much work (at reforms). They have done the heavy lifting.

Willoughby said sergeants and lieutenants who werent following APD policies and complying with reforms would be sent to internal affairs and disciplined.

Though he was critical of some police officers, Ginger during the conference call spoke favorably about other aspects of the department.

He credited officers for creating a Compliance Bureau and said hes noticed improvements with the police training academy.

Geier said hes made changes to several commander positions, which over time will ensure that the entire chain of command is buying into the new APD.

Weve recognized from day one that culture change is an important part of APD reform. Thats why Chief Geier demoted or replaced supervisors who failed to make progress, Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesman, said in an email. Were getting resistance on some of the other changes related to use of force we want to implement because of the collective bargaining agreement, so were taking those issues to arbitration. In the meantime, were continuing to work with the Department, with support and input from Dr. Ginger, the Department of Justice and the community, to continue to change the culture at APD.

As an example, Geier said he hired Angela Byrd, who was the chief of Bosque Farms police, to be the commander overseeing the training academy. John Sullivan had been the commander over the academy until he retired.

It is something that is deep-seated and its a little harder to find a quick fix or solution to it, but I think, in the long term, by having this foundation with new leadership and a new direction from the top down, we should be able to get through this and survive it, Geier told Brack during the phone call.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

By nearly a 2-1 ratio, New Mexico voters say they would support legislation to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana sales to adults, according to a Journal Poll.

A majority of voters in all five geographic areas of the state  from liberal north-central New Mexico to the more conservative eastside  say they would support a measure to legalize marijuana.

Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc., which conducted the survey, said the results reflect a broader change in public opinion over the years on a variety of social issues.

Imagine asking this question 10 years ago in eastern New Mexico, Sanderoff said in an interview. We would have found support levels much lower in these conservative strongholds.

Altogether, the survey shows 60 percent of likely, proven voters in New Mexico would support a bill to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana sales to adults 21 and over. Thirty-two percent said they were opposed, and the rest had mixed feelings, didnt know or wouldnt say.

Support levels varied in different parts of the state, but a majority of those polled in every region said they would support legalizing marijuana. The results ranged from 73 percent support in north-central New Mexico to 52 percent in eastern New Mexico.

But there were stark differences based on party affiliation.

Seventy-four percent of Democratic voters said they supported marijuana legalization, while just 18 percent were opposed.

Among Republicans, meanwhile, 53 percent were opposed and only 40 percent were in support.

Unaffiliated voters, or those registered with other parties, offered strong support, with 67 percent in favor and 29 percent opposed.

A majority of every age group surveyed also said they would support a bill to legalize marijuana, but the percentage of support dropped among older voters.

Among voters 18 to 34, 79 percent were in support. Among voters 65 and older, 51 percent were in support.

Both Hispanic and Anglo voters said they would support marijuana legalization. The sample sizes for other racial groups were too small to report their results with accuracy.

Support appears to be growing over time.

In 2014, a Journal Poll that asked a similar question found that 50 percent of likely voters opposed legalization. Forty-four percent were in support.

New Mexico already allows medical marijuana.

But proposals to legalize and tax recreational use have repeatedly failed to make it through the Legislature.

Democrats hold majorities in both chambers, but conservative Democrats have joined Republicans to block the legislation.

Advocates, however, say the political environment is changing. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, who opposes legalization, cannot run for re-election because of term limits, and her two potential successors are split on the issue.

Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham said she would support legalization of recreational marijuana under certain circumstances. The legislation would have to protect patients access to medical cannabis, address workplace intoxication, include provisions to keep marijuana away from children, and meet other standards, she said.

Republican Steve Pearce has opposed legalization. After legalizing marijuana, he said, other states have struggled with some downsides, such as driving while intoxicated and use by young people.

The Legislature, in any case, remains a barrier to legalization unless key Democrats change their minds. The entire House is up for election this year, but senators arent on the ballot until 2020.

I think eventually the day will come in New Mexico when marijuana is legalized, Sanderoff said. But there are still some powerful legislators who are skeptical.

The Journal Poll is based on a scientific sample of 423 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 (64 percent) and landlines (36 percent) of proven general election voters were used.
The countrys largest real estate and housing group asked the government to form a full-fledged department to address the perennial and increasing housing backlog. The Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Associations Inc. made the call after the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council announced that the housing shortage reached at least 6.57 million units last year. The backlog couldnt have risen to this level had Crebas long-proposed Department of Housing and Urban Development bill been enacted into law. Only a full-fledged department can consolidate government efforts to attain our national housing goals with a Housing Secretary clothed with ample powers, functions and corresponding administrative accountabilities implementing a clear and sustainable housing vision, said Creba national chairman Charlie Gorayeb. The DHUD bill has been pending in Congress for more than two decades. Gorayeb said while several Philippine presidents certified the creation of a housing department an urgent bill, the proposed measure lagged behind in the legislative mill.Creba national president Noel Toti Carino said housing and urban development was not just about the creation of residential structures and communities. It involves planning, finance, regulation, resource allocation, administration, production, and many other activities to ensure a highly-beneficial, cost-efficient, growth-oriented and sustainable national housing program, he said. The two Creba leaders said that with only a coordinating council at the moment, the national housing program was losing the keen attention and priority it deserved. A study by the Asian Development Bank showed that government spending for housing was less than one percent of its total budget and the lowest in Asia.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  When it comes to spending an unprecedented revenue windfall, New Mexico lawmakers should prioritize public schools and teacher salaries, a new Journal Poll found.

Sixty-one percent of proven general election voters surveyed cited education as the best use of $1.2 billion in new money thats projected to be available in the budget year that starts in July 2019.

New money is defined as projected incoming revenue in excess of the states current $6.3 billion budget.

Its not surprising that a majority of likely New Mexico voters would like to see these extra funds spent on education, said Brian Sanderoff, president of Albuquerque-based Research & Polling Inc., which conducted the poll.

In part, that could be because of a high-profile lawsuit that recently challenged whether New Mexico spends enough money to ensure public school students  and specifically Native American, Hispanic and other at-risk students  receive an adequate education.

A state district judge ruled in July that the state was failing to meet that requirement and ordered the Legislature to come up with a plan by early next year. The administration of outgoing Gov. Susana Martinez has said it plans to appeal the ruling.

New Mexico already spends nearly half its budget  about 44 percent  on K-12 schools, and lawmakers approved a bill this year to increase minimum starting teacher pay to $36,000 annually. It had been previously been set at $34,000 a year.

But the state has continued to perform poorly in national education rankings, and a 2015 study found that about half of new teachers in New Mexico ended up leaving the profession within five years.

In addition, New Mexicos high school graduation rate hit a record high of 71 percent for 2016, but that figure was still the nations second-worst, according to U.S. Department of Education data.

Crime, public works

Although education easily outpaced other spending areas, crime-fighting efforts and public works projects also received broad support as potential funding targets from the states revenue boom.

Twenty percent of likely voters surveyed said New Mexico lawmakers should spend the additional funds on hiring more law enforcement officers or other crime-focused programs, while 16 percent mentioned building or repairing roads, bridges and highways statewide. In addition, 13 percent mentioned water-related infrastructure projects, such as dams and sewer systems.

Voters in the Albuquerque area and north-central New Mexico were more likely to mention law enforcement, while those in the states energy-rich eastside were more likely to prioritize infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, voters surveyed in the poll also cited numerous other potential uses for the states revenue windfall: improving the economy, homelessness, the states public retirement systems, early childhood education and mental health services each received multiple mentions.

About 6 percent of likely voters surveyed said state lawmakers should not spend the new money and should instead save it  voters ages 65 and older were especially likely to give that answer  and about 3 percent said the funds should be distributed to taxpayers via rebate checks.

One voter even suggested that lawmakers should use the $1.2 billion in new money to plant more trees in forests around the state.

The states unprecedented revenue growth is based primarily on taxes and royalties associated with oil drilling in southeastern New Mexico, a historically volatile revenue source.

The surge in oil drilling in the Permian Basin has made New Mexico the third-highest crude oil producing state  behind only Texas and North Dakota  and is expected to continue for at least the next several years, according to legislative and executive economists.

Poll methods

The Journal Poll asked voters how the state should spend the extra money projected for the coming budget year. It allowed voters to give up to three responses, but did not prompt them to give more than one.

The poll is based on a scientific sample of 423 registered voters who cast ballots in the 2014 and 2016 general elections and said they were very likely to vote again in this years election.

The poll was conducted September 7-13 by professional interviewers, with multiple callbacks to households that did not initially answer the phone. The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.8 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples.

Both cellphone numbers (64 percent) and landlines (36 percent) of proven general election voters were used.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  A self-described shamans healing rituals came to an end when he grabbed a plainclothes cop and tried to unzip her jeans during an undercover operation on Tuesday, a police report says.

Ricardo Perzabal-Ibanez is now a suspected sexual molester after the sting operation at the small curio shop he and his wife operate in downtown Santa Fe.

Perzabal-Ibanez, 60, on Tuesday was charged with two misdemeanors: criminal sexual contact and attempt to commit fourth-degree felony criminal sexual contact. He has since been released from the Santa Fe county jail on $2,500 bail.

According to a criminal complaint, Santa Fe police officer Jacqueline Rowell used the word plaza to alert a team of officers listening in on her interaction with Perzabal-Ibanez that he had committed a crime against her at Mexican Curios. The store is in the Santa Fe Village shopping mall in the 200 block of Don Gaspar Avenue, about two blocks from the citys historic Plaza.

The sting operation came after three women had reported incidents to police, including one a week earlier.

In at least two of those cases, women reported paying Perzabal-Ibanez for performing his healing rituals before they left, despite their allegations of improper groping.

According to police reports, shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday, officer Rowell began browsing in the store and was approached by Perzabal-Ibanez, who had her try on a bracelet.

He told her he could tell she had a good energy and asked her if she knew anything about chakras, energy centers in the body that are sometimes part of meditation or yoga.

He then allegedly led her to a backroom, and had her close her eyes and hold out her hands. While whispering a mantra and saying things relating to Mother Earth, according to the complaint, he began rubbing smooth rocks on her hands and brushed her palms with a feather.

Later, he allegedly forcefully grabbed her rear end, leaned into her and went after the jeans zipper, according to the complaint. Thats when Rowell alerted her fellow officers by saying plaza, and they swooped in to arrest him.

Officer Rowell said she thought the male was going to unclothe her and was frightened at that point. Officer Rowell said she was extremely disturbed by the males actions and was scared he was going to try to penetrate her once he unzipped her pants, the complaint says.

The complaint details three previous reports of incidents involving Perzabal-Ibanez, the first allegedly occurring in August 2017.

A woman reported that a man working at the shop and matching Perzabal-Ibanezs description portrayed himself as a shaman and allegedly performed acts similar to those described by Rowell. She began crying and began to leave the store, but he insisted she owed him money.  He told her he charged $20.00 to her credit card and she left the store, the complaint says.

She told an officer that she didnt want to pursue charges but wanted police to be aware of the incident.

In July, another woman went to the store, apparently seeking the services of a healer. A man matching Perzabal-Ibanezs description performed a similar ritual on her, and it made her feel uncomfortable. When a customer walked in, the so-called shaman left the room, giving the woman an opportunity to send a text message to her husband: Almost done come save me. When her husband showed up, she said she had to leave and did, but only after she paid the healer $100.

Another report came on Sept. 11, one week before the sting operation. A woman said that with her eyes closed and her head tilted back, the man at the shop grabbed her hands and began rubbing them on what she believed were his private parts. She opened her eyes and her suspicions were confirmed.

The woman told police she was tricked and was in shock after the incident. But after she had time to reflect and discuss the incident with her mother, the woman decided not to pursue charges, but reported it to police to prevent the male from violating other females in the future.

Mexican Curios was closed Thursday. Efforts to reach Perzabal-Ibanez and his wife, Cynthia Kiecker, were unsuccessful.

According to various news reports, the couple were accused of murdering a 16-year-old girl in Mexico in 2003. They had been held in jail in the city of Chihuahua for 18 months before a judge dismissed the charges.

Their case was featured in the first episode of Paradise Lost, a documentary-style television series that aired on the Discovery Channel in 2008. Their case also got mention in the 2003 book Mexico. Muertes Intolerables (Intolerable Deaths), which focused on sexual violence and the disappearances of women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua.

Ricardo Perzabal-Ibanez
ALAMOGORDO  An Otero County jury found a 35-year-old Alamogordo man guilty in 12th Judicial District Court Wednesday of repeatedly molesting a child between 2011 and 2016.

The jury found Christopher Mitchell guilty of one count of first-degree felony criminal sexual penetration of a child under 13 years old and seven counts of second-degree criminal sexual contact with a minor.

Mitchell was accused of having sexual contact with the girl beginning when she was 11 and continuing until she was 17.

Mitchell was returned to the Otero County Detention Center following the two-day trial pending his sentencing hearing thats scheduled for later this year.

Mitchell was already incarcerated on previous felony abuse charges involving with the same victim.

The victims mother testified she was increasingly worried about the nature of the relationship between Mitchell and her daughter based on behavior she observed while the three were living together.

Officers from the Alamogordo Police Department and the Otero County Sheriffs Office testified they spoke with the victim and the victims mother on numerous occasions between 2011 and 2015 but that no sexual activity between Mitchell and the girl was divulged.

However, Mitchell was arrested and charged with child endangerment and possession of methamphetamine in October 2015 after Mitchell was found in a storage shed with the victim, said Alamogordo Police Detective Kyle Graham.

According to court documents, Mitchell was released on bond in January 2016 and fled the area.

The victim and her mother contacted police in 2016 after Mitchell sent them threatening text messages, court records state. The victim then revealed to police that Mitchell had been abusing her for years, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Scot Key.

Mitchell was arrested and returned to New Mexico in early 2017, Key said.

Officers testified that text messages retrieved from three cellphones revealed Mitchell discussing plans to marry and have children with the victim. Officers also testified that journals containing the handwriting of both Mitchell and the victim chronicled instances of abuse that spanned years.

Key argued on Wednesday that written evidence and testimony overwhelmingly indicated Mitchells guilt. Mitchell exercised undue influence over the victim, he said.

We have to look at what happened to her through the eyes of a 12-year-old, he said. Its clear that her normal was skewed by his behavior and his manipulations.

Jason Montclare, Mitchells attorney, argued that there was no physical evidence that abuse had taken place and that the messages retrieved from the cellphones did not contain any admission of sexual activity between Mitchell and the victim.

The writing in the journals was a fantasy, Montclair told jurors.

How could the lack of physical evidence not make you hesitate to find my client guilty? he said.

Mitchell denied having sexual intercourse with the victim but testified that drug abuse did affect his judgement and behavior.

The drugs blurred the lines and boundaries I never should have crossed, Mitchell told jurors.

Jurors took approximately an hour and a half on Wednesday evening to find Mitchell guilty on all eight counts.

Key asked the judge to delay sentencing so that the state could determine if Mitchells previous felony charges can be factored into his sentence.

The first-degree felony charge carries a mandatory sentence of 18 years and the second-degree charges carry a maximum of 15 years each, Key said in an interview this week. An additional year can be added to each count because Mitchell is a habitual offender, he said.



2018 the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.)

Visit the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.) at www.alamogordonews.com

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Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

After 26 years on the lam, 80-year-old Arthur J. Perrault stood before a U.S. magistrate judge Friday to face newly unsealed federal criminal charges of sexual molesting an 11-year old boy while he was a military chaplain at Kirtland Air Force Base from 1991 to 1992.

Perrault, who also served as pastor at St. Bernadettes Church before he fled Albuquerque in 1992, is one of the most notorious of the Roman Catholic priests accused of child sexual abuse in New Mexico.

He had been teaching at the American Language School in Tangier, Morocco, for the past two decades. But Moroccan officials have kept Perrault in custody since a secret federal grand jury indictment was issued a year ago in Albuquerque. That indictment led to his arrest this week by the FBI, whose agents returned him to Albuquerque on Friday afternoon.

Bringing Arthur Perrault back to New Mexico took a lot of patience and perseverance but the FBI and our partners were determined to make sure he faced justice, no matter how long it took or how far we had to go to get him. We also owed it to the victim, said James C. Langenberg, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division.

Perrault appeared before U.S. Magistrate Karen Molzen on Friday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to six counts of federal aggravated sexual abuse and one count of sexual contact. He will remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing set for Tuesday.

The criminal charges contend Perrault repeatedly molested the boy at Kirtland Air Force Base and at the Santa Fe National Cemetery  federal property that gave the U.S. Attorneys Office jurisdiction to prosecute him.

At a news conference Friday morning, U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson and Langenberg said Perraults arrest culminated an FBI investigation that began in early 2016.

This man was widely perceived as mentor to young people and a respected figure in the community, Anderson said. Although the indictment alleges that Perrault committed these acts many years ago, this indictment should make clear that the U.S. Attorneys Office will pursue justice for victims despite the passage of time or the many years that this defendant sought to put between him and these alleged offenses.

Two FBI agents from the Albuquerque office traveled to Morocco this week to pick up Perrault, Langenberg said. Perrault arrived on a commercial flight about 1:30 p.m. Friday, and disembarked from the plane onto the tarmac. Agents led him directly to a black SUV, which quickly drove away.

With more than a dozen alleged victims and their families watching in the courtroom Friday, the disgraced priest walked into the courtroom with the assistance of a cane. He showed little emotion during the hearing, during which he was told that if convicted of the most serious of the charges, criminal aggravated sexual abuse, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Civil lawsuit

State court documents filed in a civil lawsuit allege Perrault abused at least 38 victims in New Mexico over a 30-year period  from the mid-1960s until he fled the state a month before several victims reported him to the Albuquerque Police Department in October 1992 for criminal sexual penetration of a minor.

Perrault initially fled to Canada and was living in Morocco when the Albuquerque law firm of attorney Brad Hall, which has filed dozens of civil cases against accused pedophile priests, located him in 2016.

Its very therapeutic for victims and survivors everywhere, said Hall, after he attended Perraults court hearing Friday. Whenever theres any step taken that increases transparency and accountability when it comes to child sexual abuse, that helps protect kids everywhere.

Perraults arrest led the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to issue a statement Friday, which said in part: Over the past year, the archdiocese has fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorneys Office and the FBI during the federal grand jury investigation which ultimately led to these criminal indictments against Perrault. The archdiocese was informed after Perraults arrest was initiated.

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe began its own canonical process of investigating these allegations in 1992. The accusations against Perrault were reported immediately to the Albuquerque civil authorities.

The archdiocese has cooperated fully with all law enforcement agencies investigating the allegations and will continue to support the judicial process as it runs its course. We ask all to cooperate and respect the legal proceedings and for prayers for all victims and those affected by these very serious charges.

Perraults other church assignments in Albuquerque included Queen of Heaven, Annunciation and St. Pius High School  where he was assigned after his release from the Servants of the Paraclete center for pedophile priests in Jemez Springs in 1966.

New Mexicos decades-long clerical sex abuse crisis has resulted in an unknown number of confidential settlements of civil claims of child sexual abuse, but the federal criminal indictment of Perrault marks one of the few criminal prosecutions of a priest accused of molesting children while serving here.

Typically, Hall said, there are state statute of limitations obstacles even for filing civil lawsuits years after alleged child sexual abuse occurred.

U.S. Attorney Anderson said there are no statute of limitation issues in Perraults case. Federal law was amended in 2003 to make criminal prosecutions of child sexual abuse possible for the lifetime of a victim.

Same allegations

Halls firm in 2016 represented a former altar boy who sued Perrault personally for damages. The allegations in that civil lawsuit mirrored those in the newly unsealed federal criminal indictment. But Hall said he doesnt know whether his client, Kenneth Wolter, is the victim in the federal prosecution. Wolters lawsuit contended he was sexually abused while he was an altar boy, and contended that molestations occurred in various locations, including on the premises of Kirtland where Perrault was an Air Force chaplain.

In response to the lawsuit, Perrault wrote a letter from Tangier to the state district judge in the case in which he denied molesting anyone.

Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd entered a default judgment against Perrault in early 2017 and awarded the victim, Kenneth Wolter, $16 million in damages against the priest.

In his Nov. 25, 2016, letter to the judge, Perrault wrote of the allegation involving Kirtland, This is pure fantasy!

He stated that he and the boy never went to Kirtland together, and I did not abuse him on the premises.

Perrault added, If he was abused 25 years ago, It wasnt by me. There are 2 victims here: Wolter and Perrault.
FORT WORTH, Texas  A man from El Salvador has been sentenced to four life-prison terms in Texas after being convicted of snatching a 6-year-old from her home and sexually assaulting the girl.

A judge in Fort Worth on Friday sentenced 37-year-old Edis Leonel Alas. Jurors on Thursday convicted Alas of aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault in the October 2016 attack.

Prosecutors say Alas didnt know the Fort Worth family. The girl was kidnapped while sleeping on the living room couch. Her parents awoke and couldnt find her.

The child was located the next day in a park. Alas was hiding nearby. Prosecutors say DNA evidence from him was on the victim.

Investigators later determined Alas, who doesnt speak English, was in the U.S. illegally.

An interpreter was used at trial. Alas didnt testify.
WASHINGTON  Federal health officials are reshuffling nearly a half-billion dollars this year to cover the expense of sheltering a record number of migrant children in the departments custody, according to government documents and officials.

In a recent letter to several members of Congress, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the department is moving up to $266 million to house children from other countries who are on their own, diverting money originally intended for biomedical research, HIV/AIDS services and other health-care purposes.

HHS also has given its unaccompanied alien children program all $180 million available from a discretionary pot of public health money  a fund the Obama administration used to help implement the Affordable Care Act, a law that President Donald Trump has sought to undermine.

These figures, for the fiscal year that ends this month, provide a first glimpse into how much the Trump administration has been spending on migrant children in government custody, who arrived unaccompanied by an adult or were separated from their parents at the border. Congressional Democrats have been asking for this information for months, and the administration still has not disclosed an overall amount.

The reshuffled sums fall within the HHS secretarys authority to move money among the programs within the sprawling department, and even critics say it is not improper. Federal figures show that the department has transferred money into its programs for migrant children refugees four years since 2012.

But the shifting of $446 million to shelter immigrant youngsters this year is greater than the combined total during the past half-dozen years  and more than double the previous largest transfer, in 2017.

Notably, the spending has escalated even though the U.S. has not been seeing a spike in unaccompanied children arriving at the countrys southern border, as occurred in 2014 and 2016.

Still, the number of children in custody of HHSs Office of Refugee Resettlement is at an all-time high  now more than 13,300, according to department figures, more than triple the number when the administration began.

An HHS spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity without authorization to discuss the trends publicly, said that zero tolerance, the administrations now-ended policy this spring that separated children from parents by Border Patrol agents, is not driving the need for additional beds for migrant children in government-contracted shelters. The policy, which Trump ended days before a judge ordered HHS to reunify the families, led to nearly 2,600 children being placed in shelters. Most by now have been returned to parents, though nearly 200 remain.

According to both HHS officials and the administrations critics, the larger factor behind the increase has been longer stays in the migrant childrens shelters.

Azar, the HHS secretary, said this week that the growth reflects the broken immigration system and the continued influx of unaccompanied minors. Speaking at a briefing for reporters, he said the transfers reflect one-quarter of one percent of the departments funding and that certain priorities, such as efforts to lessen rampant opioid addiction, have been walled off from having money diverted.

Critics say the administrations immigration policies are fueling the increase in children in the refugee offices custody.

Migrant advocacy groups and Obama-era HHS officials warned months ago that the number would grow markedly because the administration was making it more difficult for potential sponsors of the children  usually a parent or other relative  to take them while their own immigration cases went through the court system.

In April, HHS and the Department of Homeland Security agreed to share more details about children taken into custody after arriving at the border. The agreement instituted a new requirement that any potential sponsor must provide fingerprints of themselves and any adult in the household to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency within DHS.

ICE officials have said that 80 percent of sponsor households have at least one undocumented adult in the household. Groups working with migrants cautioned that potential sponsors would be unlikely to provide ICE with information that could lead to deportation, slowing the process of finding homes for children in the shelters.

The increased cost for the programs have been driven by the choices that the administration has made, both from family separation and by policy decisions to ramp up on immigration enforcement, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committees subcommittee that deals with HHS spending.

As the caseload grows, the refugee office lacks enough beds in permanent shelter facilities with which it contracts across the country. In June, it opened a temporary 400-bed tent facility at a port of entry in Tornillo, Texas, just outside El Paso, along with another in Florida.

The Trump administration quietly expanded Tornillos capacity twice in August, first to 500 beds and then to 1,200. Earlier this month, HHS announced that Tornillo would be expanded to 3,800 beds and remain open at least through the end of the year. This week, HHS said in a notice in the Federal Register that it will pay up to $367.9 million between mid-September and Dec. 31 to the San Antonio-based nonprofit that operates Tornillo.

Rep. Will Hurd, a Texas Republican whose district includes Tornillo, said the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent at the tent detention facility could be better spent addressing root causes of child migration from Central America and speeding up the processing of their immigration cases.

Imagine if you had that money working on how you address violence and corruption in the Northern Triangle . . . rather than spending that money on a symptom of the broader problem, Hurd said.

  

Moore reported from El Paso.
A suspect awaiting trial in a July shooting is behind bars again after police say he shot a man several times outside his home in Southeast Albuquerque on Thursday evening.

Mariano Gallegos, 18, is charged with aggravated battery with great bodily harm in the shooting of 20-year-old Enrique Gonzalez, who is in critical condition.

Gallegos is also the suspect in a July 25 shooting during which police say he fired several shots into a truck with a family inside, striking the driver in the hand.

Prosecutors asked that Gallegos be held until trial in that case, but Judge Cristina Jaramillo denied the motion and released him with conditions.

Second Judicial District Attorneys Office spokesman Michael Patrick attributed Gallegos release to his lack of a criminal history.

Now within weeks of his release Gallegos has escalated his level of violence shooting a second victim twice, leaving him clinging to life in a local hospital, Patrick said.

As part of his release, Gallegos was required to stay away from guns, drugs and not leave his home  except for school a few hours a day  which is where police say he shot Gonzalez on Thursday evening.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, Gonzalez pulled into the McDonalds at San Pedro and Lomas NE, honking his horn and asking bystanders to call police because he had been shot before getting out of the car and falling to the ground.

Police say Gonzalez was taken to the hospital where he told officers Gallegos had shot him at his house down the street from the McDonalds.

According to the complaint, officers set up a perimeter around the home on the 300 block of Cagua NE and called out several people from inside, including Gallegos.

Gallegos told police he was in Gonzalezs car outside his house earlier when Gonzalez showed him a gun.

Police say Gallegos told officers he went back inside the house because he didnt want to be around any guns due to him being on probation.

Gallegos told police he heard the gunshots and didnt know what happened but that Gonzalez most likely shot himself.

Police say Gallegos mentioned that the two were friends but Gonzalez was upset with him because he had sex with his girlfriend.

Another man at the scene told police an argument occurred with Gonzalez in front of the house before he heard gunfire but would not give any other details.

Gallegos arrest comes on the heels of another shooting police say he committed on July 25 and faces a slew of charges including shooting at or from a motor vehicle, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and drug possession.

Police say Gallegos shot into a truck with a family inside, including a 14-year-old boy, as they drove near Central and Wyoming SE.

The driver was shot in the hand and officers used police dogs to track down Gallegos in a backyard a few blocks away.
PRAGUE  When Czech entrepreneur Robert Hasek began jogging with his dog, Darwin, the three-mile runs were making the bull terrier sick with fatigue.

Hasek was surprised, thinking his dog led a healthy lifestyle. To solve the mystery, he strapped a Fitbit to Darwin and discovered he was actually active only in his presence. Otherwise, Hasek says, he is lying, sleeping and doing nothing. Hes lazy!

The businessman sensed an opportunity and developed one of the worlds first dog fitness trackers. His product is part of a growing industry of gadgets for pets that includes GPS trackers, automatic feeders, ball-throwing machines for dogs to fetch, and self-cleaning litter boxes for cats.

People in the U.S. will spend $72.1 billion this year on pet products and care, up 3.6 percent on the year in an industry that has grown steadily since the mid-90s, according to the American Pet Products Association. Worldwide spending in 2017 was $109 billion, according to Euromonitor International.

Hasek first sought funding on Kickstarter and then reached out to private investors. He moved to San Francisco for three months and tracked down Czech manufacturers.

Two years later, production and sales of the Actijoy fitness trackers have begun, with one unit costing about $300. On top of the GPS tracking device that a variety of pet collars already offer, it tracks the intensity of the dogs activity and comes with an internet-connected bowl that monitors food and water consumption.

It faces competition from a range of products, from the more basic fitness monitors to more advanced technologies. The Wagz, for example, is also able to record and stream HD video from the collar. It sells for $495 apiece.

That may be a lot for a collar, but some pet owners are willing to splurge. Among them are millennials who put off having kids and have the extra income to spend, says Harrison Forbes, a dog trainer and pet products expert.

Pet tech has been a hugely explosive part of the industry the past five or six years, he said while attending the Superzoo industry conference on pet products in Las Vegas, Nev. Technology for pets has tended to follow innovations that were meant for humans and this is an example of that, he says.

Actijoys COO, Jana Rosenfelderova, says they are marketing these collars not only to people who have overweight pets, but also to those who want to avoid health problems in the first place. Monitoring water consumption, for example, can reveal if a pet is drinking unusually large amounts, a sign of kidney problems or diabetes.

Our (ideal) customer is a dog owner that wants to prevent, she says.
Thermal insulation company Kevothermal is investing $4 million to expand its Albuquerque manufacturing operations, boosted by $300,000 in Local Economic Development Act funding.

The company is moving from its current 17,000-square-foot facility near the Albuquerque International Sunport to a 36,000-square-foot space at the Mesa del Sol planned development community in south Albuquerque, said Mark Connell, Kevothermal technical director of temperature assurance. The expansion will create 20 new jobs.

The company makes vacuum insulation panels for a range of uses, including packaging, stationary refrigeration, refrigerated transportation, electronics and more. Its a wholly owned subsidiary of the North Carolina-based packaging solutions company Sealed Air Corp., a global firm with $4.5 billion in sales in 2017.

Kevothermal, a wholly owned entity of Sealed Air, has been in the Albuquerque area since 2007 and we are pleased to continue our growth and further intrench our roots here, Connell said in a statement.

The companys technology was originally developed at the University of New Mexico and brought to market by NanoPore Insulation, a local startup that launched in 1993. Sealed Air formed a joint venture with NanoPore in 2007 to market thermal insulation products, and then acquired the Albuquerque startup in 2012, Connell said.

The technology uses insulation materials with tiny holes, or nanopores, contained in a vacuum space. That boosts insulation efficiency and reduces energy costs when keeping things cool.

NanoPore Inc. continues to operate independently, applying its thermal insulation technology to other products in different markets.

NanoPore Inc. still exists, but NanoPore Insulation does not, Connell told the Journal.

NanoPore Inc. representatives could not be reached for comment.

The state will provide up to $300,000 for the expansion through the LEDA closing fund, with Bernalillo County acting as the fiscal agent. County commissioners are scheduled to vote on the award Wednesday, said state Economic Development Department spokesman Kevin Kelly. It includes clawback mechanisms mandated by state law to ensure Kevothermal meets its employment and other obligations.

Economic Development Secretary Matt Geisel said Kevothermals expansion is another example of state development tools helping to retain and grow firms in New Mexico.

While Kevothermal may now be part of a global corporation, its roots are New Mexican, Geisel said in a statement. The technology was developed in UNMs Department of Engineering and it is rewarding to see the renewed fruits of New Mexican entrepreneurship and innovation.
City officials are giving more than 50 local artists access to the Albuquerque Rail Yards this weekend with their supplies and equipment to document the historic site before redevelopment begins.

During a Friday news conference, Mayor Tim Keller spoke of the Artists Days project, an effort to preserve and archive the current state of the property, which began Friday and continues today. He also outlined plans on proposed improvements to the site that was once a major maintenance facility for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

We have to document in a community-driven way where this space is now, Keller said. As much as were going to try to retain everything we have, retain historically and optically in that special way that you see around us, we also have to make a lot of changes. Were working with our artists and folks in the community to essentially make this, not only a community art project, but also as a historical documentation project.

The city is taking over efforts to remediate and revitalize the Rail Yards after breaking ties with Samitaur Constructs, a California-based contractor hired in 2012 to redevelop the property.

The citys next steps include increasing security with 24-hour protection, cleaning the site and improving access, repairing roofs and installing utilities and preparing for demolition of small buildings not historically significant.

Planning Department Director David Campbell used the saying, If you dont know where youve been, you cant know where youre going in both English and Spanish to explain the purpose of Artists Days.

This is the citys opportunity to take the before pictures, Campbell said. Someday very soon, we hope, we will be able to celebrate the after pictures  the ones that tell us how this place has been transformed. We are so fortunate to have not only the Rail Yards, but to have artists and photographers to document this.

Keller earlier in the week said the city would stick to a previously approved master vision for the 27.3 acre property and break that 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.

Keller said he plans to ask for help from the City Council, the Legislature and the governor. He estimated remediation would cost around $8 million and rehabbing the second building would be another couple of million dollars.

He 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.

The rail yards are just south of Downtown, between the Barelas and South Broadway neighborhoods. The city bought the site in 2007 for about $8.5 million, with a commitment that redevelopment would include some mixed-income housing and a permanent place for the Wheels Museum. The site consists of 18 surviving buildings erected between 1915 and 1925.
DBP to support 2,500 scholars

posted September 21, 2018 at 07:10 pm by Julito G. Rada September 21, 2018 at 07:10 pm

State-run Development Bank of the Philippines, the eighth-largest lender in terms of assets, strengthened its corporate social responsibility program for education through a new scholarship initiative that targets underprivileged high school graduates across the archipelago. DBP president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said the bank would support the education of more than 2,500 scholars in the next five years through the DBP Resources for Inclusive and Sustainable Education which is financed by a P500-million seed fund. As one of the top government financial institutions, the DBP is being tasked to do more so that the administrations poverty alleviation efforts will be felt by more Filipinos, Borromeo said.DBP Rise is one project which can make a substantial difference in the lives of many of our poor countrymen, she said. Borromeo said that with DBP Rise, the bank would support students enrolled in courses such as accountancy, engineering, education, and information technology. DBP will shoulder tuition fees, board and lodging expenses, living allowance, cost of apprenticeship, residency training and expenses during review for board exams.

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Three paintings from the spiritual father the Taos Society of Artists were recently donated to the New Mexico Museum of Art.

The paintings by Joseph Henry Sharp were donated by Lore Thorpe. She is the daughter-in-law of Kathryn V. Thorpe, the owner and manager of Santa Fes Bishops Lodge from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Kathryn Thorpe was a friend of Sharp, a museum news release states, and bought the paintings directly from the artist.

Sharp, known as one of the founders of the prolific and famous Taos society and for his paintings featuring Native Americans, first came to New Mexico in the 1890s. He lived in Taos for most of the early 20th century and died in 1953.

The 12-member Taos Society of Artists, whose members mostly painted northern New Mexican scenes, acted as a channel to promote the work of its artists through traveling exhibitions. The organization was around from 1915-1927.

The three donated paintings were created around 1935. Two of them are of floral arrangements, Flowers on Rio Grande Blanket and Marigold-Calendula and one was of fall landscape, Taos Canon.

The Museum of Art currently holds 16 works by Sharp in its permanent collection, but these are the first two flower paintings and they are gorgeous, Museum of Art Director Mary Kershaw said. We are grateful for this significant donation to the Museum from the Thorpe family and proud to supplement our collection of works from the man considered the spiritual father of the Taos Artists Society.

The paintings were passed along to Kathryns son  and Lores husband  James following her death in 1979. They were left with Lore after James passed away in 1992.

Im very happy these beautiful paintings are going to be in a place where they will be honored and respected, Lore Thorpe said in the release. And that the public is going to be able to see these paintings because they are truly exceptional.
Amazon Studios has announced its signing of an overall television deal with Emmy Award-winning producer and director Reed Morano (The Handmaids Tale). Morano made history by being the first woman to ever win the Emmy and DGA Award in the same year for a dramatic series  both for her work on The Handmaids Tale and was the first woman to win an Emmy in the Drama series category in 22 years. She will exclusively work with Amazon Studios to create original series which will be made available on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.

Reed is a creative powerhouse whose distinct point of view shines through her immersive, emotional storytelling and commanding cinematic style, said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. Were honoured to partner with her to exclusively create originals for the global Prime Video audience. Im thrilled to be working with the pioneers at Amazon, said Morano. Jen Salke is known for elevating content and her unwavering support for the filmmakers vision. We share the same passionate enthusiasm for breaking the mould with provocative storytelling, and I couldnt be more excited about what weve been planning to create together.
Dentsu One, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has launched a new campaign, Forget The Toys for Honda City whose main objective is to drive consideration by re-affirming the leadership high ground of the Honda City with young sedan intenders. For over 20 years, the Honda City has consistently built relevance for sedan intenders. The task for this campaign, therefore, was to appeal to the desires and ambitions of the younger, progressive, more assertive Indian. Young sedan intenders aspire to have a point of view thats decidedly worlds ahead and want to assert their leadership rather than being swayed by style and glamour. The idea therefore, was to pitch the Honda City as the sedan of choice for these customers.

The campaign, Forget the Toys is a statement thats reflective of not being swayed by superficial pomp and making choices that are truly in keeping with ones ambitions  and that make one stand head and shoulders above the rest. The campaign is led by a film that shows the protagonist looking down at the cars below from his high office.

Rajesh Goel, Sr VP and Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India said, The new campaign of Honda City has been rolled out during the peak festival buying season. The campaign celebrates the aura of the Honda City being the most aspirational car brand with a 20 year legacy, over 7.35 lakh customers and has been an epitome of quality. It resonates aptly with the City buyer who makes his smart choices and is more direct and assertive about them.

Titus Upputuru, National Creative Director, Dentsu One said, I was standing in my office by the window when this idea struck me. When you look at the world below, you see that everything is so tiny. The ad then sort of wrote by itself. Its a bold stance and we thought its time the brand had a clear perspective on the world around. Only Honda City could say Forget the Toys

Abhinav Kaushik, Executive Vice President, Dentsu One said, The Honda City is a true legend that needs no introduction. It is one of the longest running brands in India and therefore keeping the client brief in mind we looked at the brand truth and played on its unique rich legacy, thereby clearly asserting its leadership position. There is a lot of pride in owning a Honda City among the consumers and this pride has been well reflected in the campaign.
Telugu action and drama hit Sakshyam, starring Bellamkonda Sreenivas and Pooja Hegde as leads will premier on September 23rd at 5:30 PM on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD.

Sakshyam is story about Vishwa, a rich NRI who is a video game designer, and falls in love with Soundarya in New York. He later chases her to India to confess his love to her. Vishwa was born to a rich family in an Indian village where his entire family was killed by a gang of four evil goons led by Munuswamy (Jagapathi Babu) who leaves no evidence of the murder. However, Vishwa was miraculously saved by a cow and was later adopted by a NRI business man in New York. To his realization, Vishwa lands up to the same village where he witnessed the tragedy as a toddler, while pursuing his love in India. While the villains are unware of Vishwas escape from the incident, what follows next is how the five elements of nature come together to serve revenge to Munuswamy.

The movie is directed by Sriwass and focus on action sequence and portrays the concept of Karma by showcasing all the elements of nature coming together to punish a bunch of goons for their crimes.
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PHirst Park Homes Inc., a joint venture of Century Properties Group Inc. and Mitsubishi Corp., plans to spend P28 billion to launch 15 master-planned communities in Calabarzon and Central Luzon. PHirst Park Homes president and chief executive Ricky Celis said during the formal launch of the newly-formed joint venture that while company would initially launch projects in Luzon, it would also expand to the Visayas and Mindanao once it established technical and market scale. The joint venture company earlier announced plans to roll out 33,000 units with total sales value of P57 billion. The housing projects will primarily cater to the broader market of first home buyers. PHirst Park Homes launched its first housing project in Tanza, Cavite. The projects first phase was already sold out with 1,200 units valued at P1.4 billion. Around 600 units of townhomes and single attached models are expected to be completed this year. The company also launched PHirst Park Homes Lipa, a 20-hectare development in Lipa City, Batangas with 1,867 units valued at P2.8 billion.We are pleased to announce this new chapter in the companys history of serving the housing needs of our Filipino first home buyers in a much larger scale. It has always been Centurys desire to contribute to nation-building, and through PHirst Park Homes we will provide the increasing middle-class segment with quality homes that inspire pride of ownership, said Century Properties chairman and chief executive Jose Antonio. Mitsubishi Corp. has been instrumental in PHirsts initial success in Tanza, Cavite. We thank Mitsubishi for its continued trust and confidence in CPG and we look forward to working with them on more projects in the future, said Antonio. Mitsubishi Corp. senior vice president Takuya Kuga said the joint venture partnership would help address the housing backlog in the Philippines. The joint venture company is 60-percent owned by CPG and 40-percent controlled by Mitsubishi.
ALEPPO, Syria  The past few weeks have witnessed unprecedented cooperation and coordination between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions of the armed opposition in northern Syria. This has been in tandem with the threats by the Syrian regime and Russia to attack Idlib.

The FSA has been in ongoing contact with Turkey, and the opposition factions are relied on to stop a possible attack by the regime and its allies in Idlib. In addition, the FSA factions have been preparing for a possible battle, which they believe could be the hardest and perhaps the final confrontation.

The FSA factions held their last meeting Sept. 12, at the invitation of the opposition-affiliated Syrian Interim Government. The National Consultative Conference was held at the government headquarters in the city of Azaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo. The meeting was attended by officials from the local councils in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib, officials from the interim government as well as leaders and officers of the FSA-affiliated national army operating in the Euphrates Shield area in the Aleppo countryside. The head of the interim government, Jawad Abu Hatab, delivered the meeting's closing speech.

On Sept. 5, the interim government held a meeting with a Turkish delegation at its headquarters in the city of Azaz. During the talks, the two sides discussed the situation of the opposition-held areas in Aleppo and Idlib, and actions vis-a-vis the different scenarios that might occur in northern Syria, in the event of an attack by the regime and Russia.

"Several dignitaries and officials from the local councils of Aleppo and Idlib were present at the meeting, as well as lawyers, judges, teachers, doctors and pharmacists from the different areas under the control of the FSA. The attendees looked into the coordination processes between the various sectors and channels of aid in case of an attack by the regime and its allies, Abu Hatab told Al-Monitor.

He said, We must do everything in our power to support our brothers in Idlib. We greatly value the help of the Turkish government, which is known for its support of humanitarian positions and for standing by the Syrian revolution. We believe that there have been great efforts to prevent a battle from taking place in Idlib. The Turkish government is throwing its weight behind this and we appreciate this great effort. However, this does not mean that the opposition institutions  civil or military  in northern Syria should not be fully prepared for any surprise, and of course in coordination with the Turkish side."

Abu Hatab added, The international community must make a greater effort to prevent massacres and forced displacement, stop the shelling and pressure the regime and Russia to abide by the agreement to ease the tension.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at the end of their meeting on Sept. 17 an agreement to establish a buffer zone in Idlib and its surroundings. This zone would separate the opposition forces and the Syrian regime.

The safe zone agreement enters into force on Oct. 15, provided that heavy weapons are withdrawn from the area by Oct. 10. The zone will stretch across an area of 15-20 kilometers (roughly 9-12 miles).

Intensive preparations by the FSA and the Turkish army for an upcoming confrontation were underway a few days before the agreement. But, despite the agreement, the opposition fears that the regime would not comply with its terms, as had been the case in eastern Ghouta, Daraa and other areas, where there had been agreements with the regime and Russia to prevent any invasions, but to no avail.

The Syrian regime forces have been deploying more troops on the confrontation lines with the opposition forces in the Euphrates Shield area in the northern and northeastern countryside of Aleppo over the past few days. New reinforcements have been supplied for fear of an attack by the opposition on the positions of the regime forces there if the battle were to begin in Idlib.

The FSA factions in the Euphrates Shield area, backed by the Turkish forces, sought to enter regime-controlled areas in the countryside of Aleppo if the regime launches its offensive on Idlib.

The Turkish army also sent large numbers of troops during the past week, most of them stationed at the Jabal al-Sheikh Aqeel base near the city of al-Bab. Others are stationed at the Turkish military bases deployed along the confrontation lines from the south of Jarablus to the city of Azaz. Additional Turkish military convoys are also deployed in the area.

Al-Monitor met with Col. Haitham Afisi of the FSA-affiliated national army in the Euphrates Shield area, who attended the consultative conference in Azaz. He told Al-Monitor, The national army is ready to support our people in Idlib in any possible confrontation. Cooperation between the different opposition factions should continue. We hope that there will be no battle in Idlib for the sake of the millions of civilians living in the FSA-held areas. But we are ready to defend Idlib in case of an attack. We are relying on the agreement between Russia and Turkey, and we really hope it will work.

The FSA factions in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib and the opposition institutions, such as the interim government and the local councils, believe they have played a major role in stopping Idlibs invasion, along with the Turkish efforts. They believe that their coordination and cooperation in the past few weeks have been a concern for the regime and Russia, which made them rethink military action in Idlib.

Al-Monitor also met with Capt. Naji Mustafa, the spokesman for the FSAs National Liberation Front based in Idlib, who said, The FSA factions in the Euphrates Shield area in Aleppo countryside as well as the interim government and the local councils have been making intensive efforts to support Idlib. Committees have been formed to look into ways to provide assistance in case of an attack. Delegates from the National Liberation Front have attended several meetings that were held in the northern countryside of Aleppo in the past period.
SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq  Iran not only bombed its Kurdish opposition in Iraq earlier this month, it demanded the "terrorists" be handed over, and threatened more attacks in Iraq to eliminate them.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) approved the Sept. 8 bombing of the offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Iran (KDPI) in the Iraqi city of Koy Sanjaq near the Iran border. Considered a terrorist organization by Iran, KDPI operates largely out of neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan.

The missile attack killed at least 12 party members and wounded about 30 others.

Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said the attack was justified. Targeting the [KDPI] headquarters was a forced option in response to the attacks of the armed party and the killing of Iranian border guards a few weeks ago," he said during a Sept. 10 press conference.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry responded Sept. 9 with a statement saying it refuses to allow the KDPI to use its land to threaten the security of neighboring countries, meaning Iran and Turkey. However, the Foreign Ministry categorically rejects the violation of Iraqi sovereignty by bombing any target inside Iraqi territory, without prior coordination with Iraqi authorities, to spare civilians the repercussions of such operations, the ministry added.

In a statement issued by his office, Iraqi President Fuad Masum condemned the bombing as a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the countrys security. The statement added, [The] president of the republic is deeply saddened and worried that the incident has killed and injured many civilians, mostly women and children.

A spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil told Al-Monitor, The Kurdish opposition parties are present in the Iraqi Kurdistan region as per agreements dating back to the 1980s and therefore they can't be extradited because they are considered refugees within the Iraqi territories.  International laws and regulations that protect asylum [seekers] must be respected, especially since problems can't be solved by means of arms. Negotiations between the concerned parties must be carried out to resolve disputes.

The KDPI is a socialist political party founded in 1945 under the leadership of Qazi Muhammad with the aim of achieving a federal system in Iran. This turned into armed action in the 1960s. KDPI disputes with the Islamic regime in Iran culminated in 1979, the year of the Islamic Revolution, when Kurds were not granted autonomy. The party declared a cease-fire with the Iranian regime unilaterally in 1996, but took up arms again in 2016 to achieve its demands.

According to Iranian Fars News Agency, the missiles fired at Kurdish targets inside Iraq were Fateh-110s, with a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles); Fateh-313s and Mubeen, 500 kilometers; Zulfiqar (700 kilometers); and Khalij Fars and Hormuz, 300 kilometers. A Fateh-11 warhead weighing 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) was launched from the common border.

The KDPI, however, said Iran has developed missile platforms at Mount Surin in the Sulaimaniyah governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan, and stressed, Tehran will bring in troops to the heights of the mountain, where they will camp with a missile platform.

A team of US security investigators found that the missiles used in the attack were fired from locations only 20-40 kilometers from the targeted areas, taking advantage of the launch pads that Iran had deployed within the borders of the city of Sulaimaniyah.

According to the investigation results, published by various media outlets, the information disclosed by Iran's IRGC about the missile launch pad was misleading and inaccurate.

In any case, the Iranian attack on the opposition sites in Iraqi territory was foreseeable, especially after the June clashes between the armed elements of the Kurdish opposition parties and Iran's IRGC on the border between Iraq and Iran, which killed and injured dozens of the guards.

The KDPI said these attacks were in response to Iranian authorities' execution of Kurdish opposition members.

What's worrisome isn't only the military confrontations between Iranian forces and the Kurdish opposition within Iraq, but also the proliferation of these forces and their weapons, especially the sophisticated missiles inside Iraq.

This could trigger confrontations with the United States, as Washington has warned it would respond swiftly and decisively to any attack by Tehran or its proxies in Iraq that could harm Americans or damage US facilities.

Israel also threatened to target Iranian forces inside Iraq. According to the Jerusalem Post, the Iranian bombing of KDPI headquarters in Kurdistan was a message to the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel. As Washington is pressuring Iran, the missile threat is Tehrans response to the US sanctions, it reported.

Until Iraq forms a new Cabinet, can stand firm against foreign interference in Iraqi affairs, and can deter attacks, Iraq will witness further escalation between the major stakeholders in the region, notably Tehran and Washington.
You will destroy democracy, Knesset member Shelly Yachimovich of the Zionist Camp shouted at Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of HaBayit HaYehudi on Sept. 17 during a special recess debate called by the opposition. The title the opposition chose for the debate was The justice ministers attack on the High Court and the danger to democracy, but it soon became clear that much more was involved than an assault on the High Court.

Standing behind the podium at the plenum, with shouts and interjections from center-left Knesset members in the background, Shaked again and again tried to deliver the message that all her work is practical, respectful and never personal  in contrast with her critics on the left.

Yachimovichs statement crystallized the cold and considered conduct of the justice minister, who is systematically, quite fundamentally and resolutely succeeding in changing the face of the judicial system in Israel. Shaked is not tempestuous like Minister of Culture Miri Regev, most of whose declarations are empty. Shaked comes to work with an organized list of tasks, and the results speak for themselves.

That the opposition tried to place the 42-year-old minister on the stake, rather than the prime minister as usually occurs at such forums, attests to how central Shaked has become in the political system.

Shaked is undoubtedly the woman of the year in politics. Shes the new Netanyahu, the heir of the prime minister as the leader of the right, according to all public opinion polls. In fact, she is far more popular than any minister in the Likud and more popular than the chairman of her own party, Education Minister Naftali Bennett. This is a remarkable achievement, especially since shes a relatively young woman in her first term as a minister and since she serves in the No. 2 spot in a religious, right-wing, medium-sized political party.

On Sept. 17, center-left Knesset members came up to the podium one by one and warned of Shakeds big and dangerous plan. In one thing the justice minister is right, its either us or them.  Its either a messianic, nationalist, religious and occupying Israel or an open liberal democracy that extends a hand to peace and grants equality to all its citizens, Meretz party leader Tamar Zandberg said.

As Shaked sat relaxed, whispering with governing coalition whip David Amsalem, Yachimovich sarcastically asked the justice minister, Have you heard of separation of powers? Have you heard of judicial independence? Have you heard that democracy is not only the rule of the majority but also preserves the rights of the minority?

In a TV interview Sept. 6, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak said, It cannot be that a justice minister who has done nothing in her life threatens the High Court. That a senior figure such as Barak discusses Shaked attests to her great power and her potential for advancement. She, like Netanyahu, her first teacher in politics (she served as his chief of staff when Netanyahu headed the opposition), has successfully leveraged the attack against her and turned it into a battle of left versus right, thus winning more sympathy.

During the debate in the plenum, Shaked told Knesset members from the left who had assailed her, Your crass statements turn this discussion into a farce.  As long as it [the court] is aligned with your [opinions] it is the source of justice; the second it proposes an approach that is slightly different you are ready to burn down the clubhouse, nothing less. Armed with recent examples, she spoke of how left-wing figures, including Knesset members, excoriated the High Court when it authorized the demolition of the Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran.

In this way Shaked has succeeded in turning the debate on the character of the judicial system in Israel into the main ideological argument between left and right. The diplomatic stagnation of recent years between Israel and the Palestinians has very much diminished the centrality of the debate between the Israeli political camps regarding the two-state vision. In this respect Shaked not only has talent, but also luck, since she entered the vacuum left by the diplomatic desert.

Shaked received the Justice Ministry in spring 2015. From that moment, mostly under the radar, she started an in-depth action to change the face of the judicial system. Reducing the power of the High Court was in her sights, as well as changing the ranks of judges, including in lower courts, with the goal of turning the courts conservative and less interventionist in Knesset legislation.

Even before her appointment as justice minister, Shaked, when she was a new member of the Knesset, was a partner to legislative initiatives in this spirit. She did this along with Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, who was one of the first to raise the flag of the battle against the High Court. This all happened nearly a decade ago. Levin then argued that the court leaned left and was therefore dangerous. The battle Levin started in 2009, along with Knesset members from the extreme right in the Likud, was then considered esoteric and slightly crazy. There were then ministers in the Likud, including Benny Begin, Dan Meridor and Miki Eitan, who steadfastly fought this group. Even Netanyahu would defend the High Court. Begin is the only one left as an active Likud Knesset member from these figures opposing his own camp's attack on the judicial system.

It soon became clear that Shaked would be the perfect executor of this agenda. She brought charisma and a practical style, and has proven unyielding in her wrangling with the former president of the High Court, Justice Miriam Naor. Shaked succeeded in overpowering Naor in the appointment of new judges, and during Naors term six new judges were appointed to the 15-member High Court with Shakeds support.

A year and a half after her appointment Shaked published a 17-page manifesto of her beliefs. The document presented a conservative Thatcherite world view, bent on empowering the Jewish elements in Israeli democracy, reducing the intervention of the High Court in legislation and introducing bills to strengthen the Jewish status of the state. In a heated and shallow political climate Shaked has managed to spark an essential debate on principles.

Being a practical person, these words have been translated into results. The controversial Nationality Law (anchoring the Jewish nature of the State of Israel) that Netanyahu advanced and she backed has ultimately made her one of the main enemies of the left, along with the prime minister.
Omar Razzaz was sworn in as Jordan's new prime minister on June 15 after a week of nationwide protests against a controversial income tax bill that ended in the dismissal of the government of Hani Al-Mulki. Three months later, Razzaz is now facing harsh criticism over a new draft of the same law, unveiled Sept. 11 following intense deliberations with the International Monetary Fund.

Passing a new income tax law that expands tax brackets and controls tax evasion is part of a fiscal reform program with the IMF intended to offset Jordans budget deficit and facilitate foreign loans to support the state treasury.

Razzaz was quoted by the Jordan Times on Sept. 11 as saying, The amended tax law was not imposed by anyone or any entity, whether from inside Jordan or outside. He went on, It is not easy to sell the law to the public in light of the current difficult economic conditions and we stress that it [will affect] well-to-do companies and individuals.

The draft law seeks to generate 280 million Jordanian dinars ($395 million) in additional revenues in 2019, of which 180 million dinars ($253 million) will be collected as a result of expanding the tax base, while the rest will come from containing tax evasion. But critics wasted no time in pointing to similarities between the proposed draft and the one that Mulkis government had referred to the parliament in May.

The new draft exempts from income tax families whose yearly income does not exceed 18,000 dinars ($25,000), an increase from 16,000 dinars ($22,500) under the Mulki draft. It also exempts individuals whose yearly income does not exceed 9,000 dinars ($12,600), compared to 8,000 dinars ($11,200) in the previous version. Like the previous draft, it eliminates 4,000 dinars ($5,600) in education and health deductions allowed in the current law.

It also maintained the income tax rates on heavy industry and mining that were raised by the previous government, while hiking them for telecommunications and electricity companies. Ironically, it lowered a proposed tax rate on the banking sector from 40% to 35%, only to promise to raise it again to 38% after coming under public pressure.

The draft law is expected to be sent to the Lower House in a few days, but the parliament will not debate it until it convenes in November. Negative reactions to the draft bill have prompted the government to initiate a series of discussions with citizens in various governorates. On Sept. 16, a ministerial delegation was heckled amid calls for the government to be sacked by angry residents of the Tafilah governorate in southern Jordan. Similar boycotts took place in Mafraq and Maan a day later. And in Zarqa on Sept. 19, ministers had to call the dialogue off after verbal altercations with an angry public.

In all these meetings, citizens called on the government to concentrate its efforts on fighting corruption and repatriating billions of dinars from corrupt officials instead of relying on the peoples pockets to raise additional income. Jordans economy has been under pressure for years due to regional crises and economic mismanagement by former governments.

Research published May 15 by the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan showed that income tax levels in Jordan are lower than international levels, but the tax burden is larger than that at the world level, noting, The tax burden was 15.5% last year. The three-month study concluded that a new income tax law should take into consideration the entire tax system to avoid overtaxation and negative impacts on economic growth.

Critics of the proposed law believe that it will hurt middle and low-income Jordanians. They point out that someone whose monthly salary is 750 dinars ($1,000) will end up paying between 5% to 10% income tax, while pensioners making 3,500 dinars ($4,900) will be exempted.

In addition, the proposed draft does not differentiate between a family of two and larger families in terms of exemptions, especially now that education and health deductions have been removed. The government said that it will study the possibility of tying exemptions to family size.

Business columnist and Maqar editor Salameh Darawi pointed out other irregularities in the proposed law that could end up hurting the investment environment. In a Sept. 18 article for Addustour, he wrote that in special development zones designed to encourage businesses to invest in less developed governorates, the tax rate will jump from 7% to 20%. How would the government be able to convince future investors to invest in governorates without offering incentives? And what would happen to someone who has already invested based on reduced tax rates? he wrote.

Darawi criticized another article that calls for free zones to pay 6% income tax on foreign exports and up to 20% on exports to local markets. Free zones all over the world are tax-free. This is what is meant by free zones, he added.

The largest cell phone operator in the kingdom, Kuwaiti-owned Zain Co., expressed in a Sept. 17 statement concerns that the new income tax bill will affect the telecommunications sector. It said that for every dinar that consumers spend on telecommunications services, the government levies over 65% in fees and taxes, the highest in the world.

Meanwhile, professional unions, whose rejection last May of the previous draft law triggered nationwide strikes and protests, have yet to declare their position. So far they have refused to meet with the government to discuss the new draft. The largest opposition bloc in parliament, the Reform Bloc, called on the government to adopt a wide-ranging tax reform plan. A spokesperson said on Sept. 12 that it will work with other blocs in parliament to oppose the proposed bill.

On Aug. 3, Deputy Prime Minister Rajai Muasher, who drafted the new law, said once the government approves it, it is the responsibility of the parliament to initiate dialogue over the proposed bill. But following the negative reception of the draft law by the public and by representatives of various economic sectors, the government may introduce further amendments to avoid a clash with deputies.

Despite the public outrage, there have been no calls by parties and professional unions for protests. But the government is walking on thin ice and an unpopular parliament may seek to regain credibility by voting down the new bill, thus putting the kingdom on a collision course with the IMF and international creditors.
Municipal elections held Sept. 16 presumably constituted a new attempt by Damascus to showcase internal stability. Official accounts say about 40,000 candidates competed for over 18,000 council seats in regions long controlled by the government. Authorities said the ostensibly high turnout made them extend voting nationwide five hours; it ended at midnight instead of 7 p.m.

Curiously, the official information about the turnout was mentioned only after the results were announced by the Higher Judicial Committee for Elections. Losing candidates can challenge the results within five days after the official announcement of the results. However, the stipulation is but a mere formality since the elections were clearly biased toward the Baath Party and the outcome was expected. The formal victory of the ruling party makes it even less likely that officials in Damascus will promote political diversity when the final stage of the armed confrontation with the rebels is over.

The municipal elections are a message to the world that Syria has won and the Syrian people have returned to a state of normalcy, Prime Minister Imad Khamis said. Hussein Makhlouf, a Syrian local administration minister and head of the Coordination Agency for the Return of Displaced Syrians, said the elections are central to the efforts to boost Syrian stabilization and reconstruction.

Opposition sources said the turnout was rather low as most Syrians considered the elections to be of no real value. The sources said that only those who could not abstain from voting and were forced to go to polling stations  they mostly were civil servants  went to cast ballots. People were markedly intent on distancing themselves from the voting process in Daraa province, brought under the control of the regime following recent military offensives and agreements involving external actors, the sources said.

The underlying logic is apparent, even though the results of the elections were a foregone conclusion: The earlier they are held, the more convincing Damascus victory is. In 2016, parliamentary elections were held amid an entirely different military situation. Despite the fact that they were clearly rigged, the regime needed the polls to extend its term in office as well as to simulate political life. Damascus hoped the elections would help provide some political legitimacy. And when that vote occurred, the Higher Judicial Committee for Elections also reported that voting had been extended until midnight because of the mass influx of citizens to polling stations.

The council elections in general should serve to produce crucial popular support for the regime from various social groups. For Damascus, the backing of local government bodies is a practical way of stimulating efforts aimed at reconstruction, addressing social needs and creating jobs. However, the local authorities elected Sept. 16 have a lack of real power; in Syria, only the special services and the army carry real weight.

The Syrian elections received little, if any, media coverage in Russia. The press only provided sketchy information, with news reports confined to highlighting how stable the situation was.

Local elections had been due as early as in 2016, and Damascus could have postponed them further. A source close to the Russian diplomatic corps said the need to hold municipal elections was brought up in Moscow in the run-up to the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in the autumn of 2017. The very fact that Syria had elections is seen as a valuable card at the Geneva talks for pointing to the regimes legitimacy and the weakness of the opposition. The elections also could help show how feasible the Russian political stabilization plan is. Tehran can reap certain benefits from the municipal elections as well since the vote allows local pro-Iranian forces to secure a position in Syrian society and further integrate into the system of power. For instance, the Liwa al-Baqir group (affiliated with the Local Defense Forces) operates its own fleet of minibuses and runs transport businesses.

Moreover, local elections orchestrated by the Baath regime deprive citizens of an opportunity to vote for the political opposition in the near future; other elections for local governments in areas outside the control of Damascus could be blocked on the basis that local elections have been held.

The elections once again brought to the fore the problem of Syrian Kurdistan, whose authorities refused point-blank to take part in the election campaign. The Syrian Democratic Council, the ruling body in the Kurdish regions, said a firm no to elections on its territory. Representatives of the Kurdish authorities say they want a federalized Syria. They say Damascus should respect the autonomy of the countrys north and safeguard the rights of national minorities. The Syrian Kurds demonstrated their resolve when members of the Democratic Union, the most influential party in the north, held dozens of candidates captive and forced them to quit the race for seats in the local government. However, this reaction was predictable and the Syrian regime counted on it; the regime used the elections to boost its activities in territories beyond its control and to demonstrate that people there were willing to participate in the electoral process.
TUNIS, Tunisia  Tunisias ruling party, Nidaa Tunis, froze the membership of Prime Minister Youssef Chahed on Sept. 14. The decision came after Chahed refused to answer a questionnaire by Nidaa Tunis clarifying the nature of his relationship with the party.

A week earlier, on Sept. 8, eight parliamentarians from Nidaa Tunis' bloc of 56 parliament members submitted their resignations from the bloc. Parliament member Mohammed al-Rashdi, one of the eight, told the Tunis-Afrique Presse news agency that they will join the National Coalition, a new bloc initially composed of 33 parliament members supporting the government of Youssef Chahed.

The National Coalition bloc was formed Sept. 7 by independents and resigning members from political parties such as Machrouu Tunis and Free Patriotic Union.

The 217-seat Tunisian parliament is made up of eight blocs; Ennahda bloc is at the top with 69 seats, followed by Nidaa Tunis. With the eight outgoing parliament members who joined its ranks, the new National Coalition bloc supporting Chahed is expected to form the third force in parliament. The group resignation brought the number of the new coalition to 41. This could change the balance of power within the countrys parliament.

Parliament member Jalal Ghadira, one of the eight outgoing parliament members, talked to Al-Monitor about his breakup with the bloc along with seven of his colleagues. Our step comes in light of the arbitrary decisions of the son of President Beji Caid Essebsi, Hafedh Caid Essebsi  Nidaa Tunis executive director  that undermine government stability, said Ghadira.

He added, As parliament members with Nidaa Tunis, we gave our confidence to the government of Youssef Chahed. We were against the decision to dismiss him in light of the government's economic recovery in sectors such as tourism and agriculture and the promotion of investments. But we were surprised by the unilateral decision of the partys executive director calling for Chahed to resign and step down from the premiership.

Ghadira confirmed that by leaving Nidaa Tunis to join the new National Coalition bloc, the eight parliament members aim to support government stability.

In turn, National Coalition parliament member Noureddine Mourabeti confirmed in a statement to the Anbaa Tounes news website on Sept. 7 that the bloc will support government stability.

Walid al-Jallad, another member resigning from Nidaa Tunis, told Al-Monitor that the new parliamentary bloc submitted to parliament on Sept. 17 the official file of its constitution. Our coalition is likely to outnumber Nidaa Tunis parliamentary bloc in early October with the start of the parliamentary session. Other parliament members will be joining us, he said, adding, The coalition will not be part of the opposition, but rather will support government and state institutions through constructive criticism.

Commenting on the suspension of Chahed from Nidaa Tunis, Jallad said, Essebsis political decisions in Nidaa Tunis are absurd. They have no effect on the government's work. The competent authority is the parliament, not the political parties, he said.

Observers of the political scene in Tunisia expect the National Coalition to strongly back Chahed at the political level and inside parliament. They believe it will keep him in power in light of talks about more resignations within the ranks of Nidaa Tunis' parliamentary bloc.

In this regard, journalist and political analyst Ziad al-Hani noted that Chahed succeeded in breaking what is left of Nidaa Tunis unity and forming a parliamentary bloc loyal to him. He managed to win over parliament members to his side from Nidaa Tunis and other blocs to support his governmental decisions, Hani told Al-Monitor, adding, This will allow him to easily pass laws inside parliament  especially the 2019 budget law.

Hani added, Chahed had dealt a heavy blow to Hafedh Caid Essebsi when he accused him of making wrong choices that undermined the unity of Nidaa Tunis and pushed some of its members and leaders to resign and join other rival parties and blocs.

He pointed out that the pro-Chahed National Coalition might in the coming days form a parliamentary alliance with Ennahda, which in turn wants Chahed to remain at the top of the government until the elections in 2019. This would ensure Chahed a comfortable majority that wards off the specter of constitutional dismissal and secures him parliamentary protection, said Hani.

Hafedh Caid Essebsi had previously lashed out at Chahed, attacking his government in an unprecedented manner. In a statement on May 29, Essebsi said, The current government has turned into a political crisis. It is no longer a government of national unity.

In a televised speech airing on Television Tunisienne 1 on the same day, Chahed replied to Essebsis attack and accused him of destroying the ruling party of Nidaa Tunis.

The executive director of Nidaa Tunis, Hafedh Caid Essebsi, and his entourage destroyed the party and led it from one defeat to another, Chahed said, adding, His policies pushed many of the founding leaders and competences to leave the party and resign. Chahed said, It is time to reform the party to allow it to regain the Tunisians confidence.

In the wake of the resignations, the partys executive director issued a statement on Sept. 8. Hafedh Caid Essebsi slammed Chahed for receiving a group of Nidaa Tunis parliament members to ask them to resign from the partys bloc and join the National Coalition.

The head of the current government is preoccupied with political maneuvers and measures aimed to break the unity of political parties and parliamentary blocs as a top priority instead of focusing on the country's accumulated problems, the statement said. It also accused the prime minister of exploiting state institutions to put pressure on parliament members and push them to resign in order to serve his political projects.

For his part, founding leader of Nidaa Tunis Ridha Belhaj accused Chahed of leading a coup within Nidaa Tunis and fragmenting the party for his own political gain.

Chahed won several parliament members from Nidaa Tunis over to his side by adopting the carrot-and-stick approach, Belhaj told Al-Monitor. He added, This approach was especially efficient in attracting some parliament members who are businessmen and businesswomen and would follow anyone who would guarantee their interests.

However, Belhaj contested that Chahed will not break Nidaa Tunis or be able to lure over its remaining parliament members. He stressed the party's determination to implement deep reforms to remedy mistakes and rearrange its ranks.

Some observers believe the prime minister has succeeded in turning the table against the son of Beji Caid Essebsi by securing parliamentary protection. It seems that this falls in tandem with a political project being patiently prepared by Chahed to run the presidential elections in 2019. Others believe that the battle between Chahed and Hafedh Caid Essebsi is far from over.
The intimate relationship that developed between Qatar and Turkey in light of the Syrian crisis and Gulf tensions has assumed a new dimension, with a Boeing 747-8 that landed at Istanbuls Sabiha Gokcen Airport on Sept. 12 set to join the fleet of VIP planes belonging to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The unequipped plane  said to have cost some $400 million  was purportedly a gift to Erdogan by Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. There is speculation that Turkey bought the plane, which was at first auctioned at the Basel-based AMAC Aerospace Group website. British newspapers had predicted sale of the plane for $500 million.

Opposition deputy of the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) Gamze Tascier raised the issue in parliament that at least $400 million was paid for the plane. Meanwhile, Turkeys state-run TRT television reported that the emir of Qatar had presented this specially equipped Boeing 747-8 out of his affection for Erdogan, but it took Erdogan five days to finally say, Qatar was selling this plane for about $500 million. We became interested. When the emir of Qatar heard of our interest, he donated the plane to Turkey. He said he wont take money from Turkey. I am giving it as a gift to Turkey, he said. That plane is not mine but belongs to the state of Turkey.

Two basic questions need to be answered. First, if Turkey paid for the plane, then why is the government spending so much money on a luxury item in times of severe economic crises, at a time when measures are being discussed to save money and people are being asked to change their foreign currencies to Turkish liras, and when companies that increase prices are being punished? Erdogan didnt need such an expensive, fancy plane; he already has 11 planes and three helicopters at his disposal.

Second, if it was a gift, what was it in return for? Moreover, such an expensive gift has no place in interstate relations. The plane has seven bedrooms with private baths, a 14-seat dining room, offices, a theater and a small medical clinic.

Turkey had purchased in 2016 an Airbus A340-5000 designed for Tunisian despot Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and an A319 also produced by Airbus, and put them at Erdogans disposal.

Now, he is annoyed by the CHPs determination to keep the issue on the agenda and is threatening that those who are speculating on the matter will face consequences.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, CHP deputy Tascier said she had spoken with an AMAC Aerospace official in Switzerland and confirmed that the plane was sold, but she still didnt know whether it was a gift or a sale because there was no paperwork available. Tascier said Turkey has been advertising for pilots to fly the Boeing 747-8 because Turkish pilots dont fly that type of plane.

Erdogan says it was a gift but did not show a document; I am told that we bought the plane. Payment could have been made through a company within the Asset Wealth Fund. There is no official information. We will pursue it until we learn. Erdogan doesnt want it to be discussed and is trying to shut us up. But why? If the transaction was routine and legal, why is the president upset to the extent of threatening us with legal action? If it was a gift, we want to see the document, Tascier added.

Tascier said keeping the plane in inventory would be an economic burden. That plane costs $400 million without equipment. Equipped, it will be twice as much. Moreover, that planes upkeep is very expensive. Trump is using a similar plane. With fuel, crew and maintenance, that plane needs $200,000 an hour to fly, she said. When you consider how much more we pay for fuel, that cost could easily reach $300,000. Whether the plane is a gift or a purchase, it is going to be a burden on the country. We never had such a gift in our history. What is Qatar going to get in return for such a gesture? We hear that there are plans to sell our PTT [postal service] or [Turkish Airlines] to Qatar. Then we have to ask what concessions are we going to offer Qatar. We cannot defend such a practice.

Last year, Turkey had become a shield for Qatar against the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. But Ankara felt betrayed because Qatar did not offer to help fluctuations in the Turkish economy and felt this was not compatible with friendship. It was then that Thani after a long meeting with Erdogan  caused a sensation and promised to invest $15 billion in Turkey.

Aren't there rules and precedents for such gifts between allies and friendly countries when millions of dollars in gifts exchange hands?

Former Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen said it is routine to exchange gifts  especially in defense industries. But there has never been a case of a plane as a private gift.

Gifts are subject to rules and traditions. This VIP plane is a full-fledged scandal. It is not a gift. If it had not been exposed, they would not even have reported it. What we have done is behave like a desert kingdom. Yes, you can give buses, garbage trucks, ambulances and fire engines to poor countries, but a VIP plane? Turkey claims to be a major state, Selcen told Al-Monitor, adding, Why did Qatar give [Erdogan] this plane? When Sheikh Thani wants something next time, will Erdogan be able to say no? We have created a serious case of gratitude.

Unlike the United States, which has strict rules on gifts and donations, Turkey has no such legislation. Tradition requires registering such gifts, but the Justice and Development Party doesnt even bother to explain where the gifts come from. For example, in 2008, persistent questions about valuable gifts that the king of Saudi Arabia had presented to then President Abdullah Gul were never answered.

Complacency about gifts to leaders was also the case during the reign of late President Turgut Ozal in which the issue ultimately became a topic of humor. But today, even joking about it could mean being summoned by the state prosecutor.
Cairos historical Zawya Cinema has been the scene of long queues for the last 10 days since it began screening the restored films of Egypts legendary director Youssef Chahine.

An hour before screening began on Sept. 15, more than 400 people lined up in front of the cinema on the upscale Emadeddin Street in downtown Cairo. The film was his 1958 hit, Bab al-Hadid (Cairo Station); most of the tickets were already sold out.

"If Youssef Chahine were alive today, he would have shed tears of happiness," Ahmed Shehab, a young Egyptian who waited his turn in the long queue, told Al-Monitor. Shehab recalled the big fiasco when the movie first came out in 1958. At the time, some spectators who were displeased with the content of the film went on a rampage and destroyed some movie theaters. The movie, which was about a crippled newspaper vendors sexual obsessions, was not shown again for two decades.

Over the last 10 days, Zawya Cinema has screened 22 of Shahin's restored films  an homage to the director who died 10 years ago. Aflam Masr El Alamia, the company that manages Zawya Cinema, restored the films in collaboration with France's Cinematheque, making sure that Shahine's internationally famous films, such as "Al-Massir" (Destiny), "Bab al-Hadid," "Al-Ard" (The Land), "Adieu Bonaparte" and "Al-Mohajer" (The Emigrant), were included.

Zawya Cinema director Marianne Khouri told Egyptian satellite channel OnEnt that they have restored the films by improving the visual and audio quality. "The processes of restoring the quality of the films was troublesome. It is extremely hard to re-create the sounds, which were badly damaged, said Khouri.

Despite difficulties, the restored films enabled new generations to see the works of Chahine, said Arwa Tageddin, a cinema critic and writer in Al-Film Magazine. Tageddin added, "The event gave new generations an opportunity to rediscover the works of Youssef Chahine on the big screens at high quality and clear sound.

Chahine, born in 1926 in Alexandria, was the 50th annual Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997. He has made 42 movies, starting in 1950 with Daddy Amin and ending with Chaos a year before his death in 2008.

Mohsen Mohyeddin, who was one of the key protagonists in several works directed by Chahine, lauded the festival. At a discussion held following the screening of Iskendria, Leeh? (Alexandria, Why?), he said, "Youssef Chahine is still alive. His works immortalize him. [The films] reflect the problems we still experience.

After the screening of Bab al-Hadid, Shehab said, "I felt as if I am watching the film in its premiere. Screening Chahine's movies on the big screen is totally different than watching them on computers or TV."

"The turnout at Zawya has beaten our expectations," said Zawya Cinema deputy director Ismail Ahmed to Al-Monitor. The audience has their own special understanding of the works. They come to watch films of high artistic quality and sublime themes, even if they are not produced in the present.

Ever since it was founded in 2014, Zawya Cinema has been trying to carve a niche by screening independent and experimental films and documentaries.

"To attract good audiences, we should present good content. This is what Zawya Cinema is working toward, Ahmed added.

Rasha Hosny, a member of the board of directors of the Egyptian Film Critics Association, told Al-Monitor that there are very few movie theaters keen to cater to an audience interested in art films rather than blockbusters. She added, "The audience of Zawya Cinema is different. They are looking for meaningful themes and top-quality cinematography."

Zaywa Cinema has continued to grow since its first showroom housed 170 theater-goers. Since its relocation to Emadeddin Street, the cinema has expanded to include two halls that house 450 people. It has attracted theater-goers interested in European films not seen in other cinemas, and it continues to attract audiences through festivals such as the week-long European Panorama, a showing of five European films that drew about 17,000 people last November.

Zawya's choosing of Emadeddin Street as a venue for its new headquarters is aimed to revive the street's rich artistic heritage. It was once the heart of the cinema industry in Egypt. Ahmed said that many cinemas in the streets have closed their doors, such as Cinema Studio Egypt. Theaters on the same street, like Naguib al-Rihani Theater, also closed because of economic reasons.

"Our coming to the street sends a message that the industry could flourish once again," Ahmed said hopefully.
Banana exporters urged the government to pursue bilateral talks with South Korea over the unresolved issue of high import tariff imposed on Philippine Cavendish. The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association said the planned Preferential Trading Agreement with Seoul should include the long-standing issue on banana import tariff. We understand the government is in current negotiations with Turkey and Chile for respective bilateral trade issues. Although we are not intentionally undermining the importance of such negotiations with our other trade partners, we are still urging Malacanang to immediately and seriously look at the plight of the countrys second-largest agricultural export being charged with atrociously high import tariffs in South Korea, said PBGEA executive director Stephen Antig. The Trade Department raised the possibility of forging a bilateral PTA with South Korea to improve market access for the countrys banana exports. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez raised anew the Philippines request for lower tariffs and greater market access for bananas during his meeting with Korean Trade Minister Kim Chun during the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership meetings in Singapore in August. We have an open discussion and we are considering options on a better process moving forward, either bilateral thru a Preferential Trade Agreement or under the Asean-Korea Free Trade Agreement, said Lopez. Antig said the industry was ready to give its full cooperation with Philippine trade representatives to draft a mutually beneficial proposal that would be submitted to Seoul.The banana exporters said waiting for the conclusion of the highly ambitious RCEP agreement to settle the tariff concern would be very tedious for the industry. The route of RCEP will be far too long and circuitous. Multilateral discussions on this trade pact started in 2012 and is still going on. Who knows when it will be done, Antig said. The banana group said the industry could lose the Korean market long before RCEP could be concluded. Philippine banana exporters are already battling it out in South Korea with competitors granted concessionary import tariff rates. We cannot afford to wait while this happens. This issue must be immediately taken up on a bilateral basis and specific to bananas, Antig said. Peruvian bananas have been enjoying 0-percent tariff since 2015 while other banana-exporting countries like Colombia are bound to see the drop in tariff to 0 percent by 2020. A bilateral agreement between Manila and Seoul is the only way for the countrys banana exports to have a fighting chance against competition in South Korea, said Antig.
A Woodville man has been charged with first-degree kidnapping and murder in the death of a missing man found in Jackson County Sept. 14, according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

Brandon Blaine Berry, 31, was arrested and charged Thursday. He was already in the Jackson County Jail on unrelated charged when the warrant was served around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sheriff Chuck Phillips said in a news release

Bond has been set at $25,000 for the kidnapping charge and $200,000 for the murder charge, officials said.

Lawmen found the body while serving warrants at a home and two campers on Jackson County Road 86 in Woodville Friday, Phillips said last week. The remains were found buried in a wooded area near the search location, he said.

Authorities have not released the victim's identity. Phillips said the body will be sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for autopsy.
A 73-year-old man has died after his vehicle caught fire at his Forestdale home and he was unable to escape.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Grear Fred Ellis. The incident happened at 2:40 p.m. Thursday outside the victim's home in the 2100 block of Forestdale Bend Road.

Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said Ellis had been having trouble with his vehicle for some time and was in the driveway trying to do repairs. While he was sitting in the vehicle, it rolled down the driveway, became wedged between two trees and caught fire.

A witness - believed to be a neighbor - tried desperately to free Ellis from the burning vehicle but was unsuccessful.

Forestdale firefighters responded to the scene and extinguished the blaze. Ellis was pronounced dead on the scene at 2:47 p.m.

Authorities do not suspect foul play but the investigation is ongoing by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the Alabama State Fire Marshal's Office.
A central Alabama mother, her husband and her mother are under arrest after a 13-year-old boy was found naked and chained in the home.

The Autauga County Sheriff's Office on Thursday received an anonymous call of possible child abuse in the 2500 block of County Road 46 in Prattville, Sheriff Joe Sedinger said in a press release. The caller told police they had information that a juvenile was being abused in the home by being restrained with chains.

Deputies and investigators responded to the home where they found the boy naked with chains padlocked around his ankles. The chains were attached to a door preventing the juvenile from normal movement, Sedinger said.

The investigation showed the boy had been restrained by this method over a long period of time. Authorities did not elaborate, but court records state the child's mother and grandmother told investigators they had chained him up the previous night because he had kicked his 5-year-old brother. The younger brother showed no visible signs of injury.

Two other children - ages 12 and 5 - were also removed from the residence along with the teen victim. All three children were turned over to the custody of the Department of Human Resources.

Those charged with torture/willful abuse of a child under the age of 18 are: Danielle Nicole Martin, 32; Joshua Daniel Martin, 26, and Vickie Seale Higginbotham, the victim's 58-year-old grandmother. All three were booked into the Autauga Metro Jail with bond set at $15,000 each.

Prosecutors on Friday filed a court motion asking that the charges be upgraded to aggravated child abuse, which is a Class B felony and would bring higher bond. Records do not reflect that motion has been decided.

The investigation is ongoing, and more charges could be filed.
An Auburn man was killed Thursday morning in a five-vehicle crash in Montgomery County.

The crash happened at 7:30 a.m. on Interstate 85, about four miles north of Montgomery. Alabama State Troopers identified the victim as 51-year-old David Ronald Self.

Authorities said Self was killed when the 2008 Hyundai Elantra he was driving was struck by a 1994 Chevrolet C1500. A 2015 Honda Accord, 2018 Ford Fiesta and a 2012 Peterbilt tractor trailer were also involved in the crash.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Honda and Ford were injured in the collision. The crash remains under investigation.
A 33-year-old Birmingham man was stabbed to death in an Alabama prison Thursday.

Rogarius Bray, who was convicted of murder when he was 18, was injured during an altercation with another inmate at St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville, Alabama Department of Corrections officials said Friday.

The altercation happened in a housing area at 10:27 p.m. Bray was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Prison officials have identified 42-year-old Brandy Harris as a suspect in the stabbing. Harris will be charged with first-degree murder. The circumstances leading to the altercation and fatal stabbing are unknown at this time.

Brandy Harris will be charged in Bray's death.

Bray was serving a life sentence for a 2003 first-degree robbery and murder conviction in Jefferson County. He was convicted in the 2002 death of William "Bill" Swain during a robbery at a Chevron gas station in the 4100 block of Third Avenue South.

Bray was originally charged with capital murder, but jurors found him guilty in November of the lesser charge of murder. Evidence at trial showed that Bray shot Swain once in the neck before stepping over his body to grab a few hundred dollars to complete the robbery.

He also was convicted and given a life sentence for another robbery at a service station that was a few miles from Swain's store. That holdup happened he robbed a nearby Texaco station.

Bray robbed Swain in the 4100 block of Third Avenue South about an hour after Bray robbed a Texaco gas station. Two other defendants, both of whom pleaded guilty before Bray's trial, accompanied him on the robberies but prosecutors argued Bray was the instigator. His defense attorney at sentence argued that Bray was mildly retarded.

Harris is serving a 50-year sentence for a 1997 murder conviction in Walker County. He also pleaded guilty in 1999 to murder in Jefferson County, for which he was sentenced to 20 years to run concurrent with the Walker County sentence.

Efforts to obtain details of Harris' crimes weren't immediately successful.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office will become the first law enforcement agency in Alabama to equip each of its patrol cruisers with an automated external defibrillator.

In a Thursday announcement, Sheriff Mike Hale said each sheriff's marked unit will have a Heart-Sine(r) Samaritan(r) PAD 360P AED. "We're here for public safety, our job is to protect all of our citizens,'' Hale said. "Investing in AEDs is just one more step in providing our officers with a tool that can save someone's life."

The devices will be purchased from Cardiac Solutions. The current plan is to buy enough defibrillators - initially 164 - to equip every sheriff's marked unit beginning Oct. 5. "We want the public to be aware of this in case they are with someone having a cardiac episode and see a sheriff's marked unit they can flag them down and save time when seconds may be the difference in life and death,'' he said.

According to a report from the American Heart Association, there were 326,000 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest incidents reported in the United States in 2015. Of those events witnessed by a bystander where the victim had a shockable heart rhythm, 31 percent survived. An automated external defibrillator is a device that can be used to establish a regular heart rhythm in a person who has suffered some form of cardiac arrest.

Hale said AED's can and do save lives. "In a cardiac emergency when seconds count, deputies equipped with these devices will be able to intervene in a situation to assist in saving the life of someone experiencing a cardiac episode,'' Hale said. "This will be important all across Jefferson County where a deputy may be available before medical personnel has arrived. Deputies working anywhere in the county, be it downtown Birmingham or rural Jefferson County, will be trained to take immediate life-saving action when on a scene prior to medical personnel arriving."

"It is not only important to have this equipment when responding to calls for assistance," he said, "but often cardiac emergencies occur without warning. Having these devices in the field when a sudden cardiac emergency occurs will undoubtedly save lives."

Deputies are completing training with the new equipment this week. "When the citizens see a marked sheriff's vehicle, there's going to be an AED inside and a deputy trained to use it,'' the sheriff said. "It's a life-saver."

Jon Seale of Cardia Solutions praised the sheriff's commitment and initiative. While many law enforcement agencies have some defibrillators, the sheriff's office is the first to put them with every patrol deputy.

"Today's a great day for Jefferson County,'' Seale said. "It's something truly remarkable. "
A 13-year-old Montgomery student was arrested Friday morning after school officials say he made an anonymous call to police saying there was a gunman on the campus of a middle school.

Montgomery Public Schools spokesman Tom Salter said Montgomery police received a call shortly after 8 a.m. Friday from an anonymous male reporting that a man wearing a ski mask and carrying a gun was on the property at Bellingrath Middle School. Police responded quickly but found no threat.

Police quickly developed a suspect and have now arrested the 13-year-old male student from Southlawn Middle School. Salter said the teen was not at the school, but supposedly made the call from a residence. He has been charged with making a terrorist threat.

"We are grateful to MPD for not only their quick response to the report, but to their rapid arrest of the suspect," said Superintendent Ann Roy Moore. "We have to help everyone understand that reporting a bomb threat, or any false information about a criminal event at a school is not a joke. It doesn't matter if you are a student or an adult. You will be caught and arrested."

Montgomery Public Schools security department assisted in the investigation.
A report of a suspicious vehicle early Friday morning led to shots fired at Jefferson County sheriff's deputies and then more shots fired at the suspect by Birmingham police.

It began shortly before 3 a.m. in the 4500 block of Bonnett Way in the Grayson Valley area. A deputy was called to investigate a report of a suspicious vehicle that had driven and parked in the neighborhood.

After arriving, the deputy found that the car had been reported stolen to the Birmingham Police Department on Sept. 6. It was unoccupied.

As the deputy was inspecting the vehicle he heard 3 gunshots from nearby, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. The deputy called for assistance.

Additional Jefferson County deputies, and nearby Birmingham police officers quickly responded. K9 Units were also called to the scene to search for the suspect. During the search, Birmingham police encountered a suspect nearby behind a home in the 1700 block of Sonia Drive.

"While the suspect was running across the yard he pointed the gun at an officer and the officer discharged his weapon,'' Christian said in a prepared statement. "At that point the suspect who was not hit surrendered."

The suspect was taken into custody without further incident and his handgun seized. The 23-year-old male suspect, who is from Birmingham, was turned over to sheriff's deputies and is being questioned by sheriff's detectives. His identity is being held pending formal charges."

The one suspect captured was taken from the Sonia Drive scene shortly after 4 a.m. The perimeter was released about 5 a.m. but multiple investigators remained on the scene.

Formal charges have not yet been announced. Christian thanked the Birmingham Police Department for its quick response.

"We're truly grateful there was no loss of life or serious injury,'' Birmingham Police Sgt. Bryan Shelton said. "It's a harsh testament to the work law enforcement does everyday."
A Birmingham man has been formally charged after authorities say he fired on Jefferson County sheriff's deputies who were investigating a suspicious vehicle early Friday.

Derick Izel Brown, 23, is charged with two counts of attempted murder, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. Additional charges are expected in relation to the stolen vehicle at the scene which was taken in a carjacking.

Christian said sheriff's detectives will also work with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to seek federal firearm charges as Brown has a lengthy criminal record.

Court records show Brown has been arrested on 47 criminal charges of theft and unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle since 2013. He pleaded guilty in 2016 to felony theft was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. He again pleaded guilty to felony theft just six months ago and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with two years to serve. It wasn't immediately clear if he actually went to prison, and if he did, when he was released.

The incident began shortly before 3 a.m. in the 4500 block of Bonnett Way in the Grayson Valley area. A deputy was called to investigate a report of a suspicious vehicle that had driven and parked in the neighborhood.

After arriving, the deputy found that the car had been reported stolen to the Birmingham Police Department on Sept. 6. It was unoccupied. It is believed the suspect was in the area to break in cars. Clothing taken from a vehicle that had been broken into nearby was found near where the suspect was apprehended.

As the deputy was inspecting the vehicle he heard 3 gunshots from nearby, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. The deputy called for assistance.

Additional Jefferson County deputies, and nearby Birmingham police officers quickly responded. K9 Units were also called to the scene to search for the suspect. During the search, Birmingham police encountered a suspect nearby behind a home in the 1700 block of Sonia Drive.

"While the suspect was running across the yard he pointed the gun at an officer and the officer discharged his weapon,'' Christian said in a prepared statement. "At that point the suspect who was not hit surrendered."

Brown was taken into custody without further incident and his handgun seized. The investigation is ongoing.
The state's highest court won't review the case of a north Alabama man awaiting execution.

The Alabama Supreme Court denied a writ of certiorari, or a request to review the case, for Jordaan Stanly Creque in its weekly order list issued Friday. None of the justices issued an opinion on the case.

Creque, 28, was convicted in 2013 of capital murder during the course of a robbery for the slaying of Jeffrey Mark Graff and Jessie Jose Aguilar. Both men were killed while working their shifts at the Krystal fast-food restaurant in Morgan County.

He was sentenced to death, and in 2014 was denied a new trial.

The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Creque's case earlier this year. "We have searched the record for any error that might have adversely affected Creque's substantial rights and we have found none. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm Creque's capital-murder convictions and sentences of death," the appeal's court order said.
The National Telecommunications Commission is inviting local and foreign telecommunication companies to submit bids for the right to become the third major player in the country on Nov. 5 this year. Under the final terms of reference issued by NTC and the Department of Information Communications and Technology, the potential bidders will be chosen based on the highest committed level of service for over a period of five years. The three criteria are national population coverage with a weight of 40 percent, minimum average broadband speed of 25 percent and capital and operating expenditure with 35 percent. The rules stated that the minimum population coverage for the first year should be 10 percent, a figure that should reach 50 percent in the fifth year. The new player is expected to invest a minimum of P40 billion in the first year and P140 billion in five years. The selection committee will use a point system based on the documents submitted by the potential players. The bidders should post a participation fee of P700 million, or equivalent to 0.5 percent of the minimum capital and operational expenditure at the end of the commitment period. NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba told reporters the rules would take effect on Oct. 6 and the bid documents could be purchased for P1 million each from the agency.Interested bidders should really work double time, he said. He said the submission and opening of bids would be set on Nov. 5. After the evaluation of the documents of the highest bidders, which include the roll-out plans, the new major player is expected to be identified in December this year. Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio earlier said China Telecom, LG Uplus Corp., Korea Telecom, Vietnam Telecom, AT&T, Telenor [of Norway] and a Japanese telco company expressed interest to join the bidding. Local telco players that were also keen on joining the selection process included Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp., Converge ICT, Transpacific Broadband Group Inc., EasyCall Communications Phils. Inc. and TierOne. The NTC will assign the frequencies 700 megahertz, 850 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2010 MHz, 2.5 GHz, 3.3 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 10.5 GHz to the new major player. The entry of new major player in the Philippine market was a mandate given by President Rodrigo Duterte to DICT to address the paramount national interest on the quality of internet connection in the country.
Five of Alabama's woman mayors joined 85 other woman mayors and community leaders at the White House Thursday for the Woman Mayors of America White House Conference.

Guntersville Mayor Leigh Dollar, Hobson Mayor Alberta Cooley McCrory, Wadley Mayor Donna McKay, York Mayor Gena Robbins and Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson attended the event, the White House said.

The event focused on improving federal-local relationships, workforce and economic development, housing, improving infrastructure, the opioid epidemic and tax reform, the White House said in a statement.

Several women working in D.C. spoked and hosted discussions at the event.
Embattled U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is returning to Alabama, for a day at least.

Sessions is scheduled to give remarks Monday morning at the Justice Department's National Public Safety Partnership Symposium at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover. Sessions is scheduled to speak at 8:30 a.m. Monday, along with other Justice Department officials.

The National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) was created in response to President Donald Trump's Executive Order on a Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety, which emphasizes the role of the U.S. Department of Justice in combating violent crime.

According to the

, the partnership "provides an innovative framework for

DOJ

to enhance its support of state, tribal, and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the investigation, prosecution, and deterrence of violent crime."

Though Sessions was an early supporter of Trump's presidential campaign and was nominated by the president to be attorney general, Trump has become increasingly critical of Sessions in a number of recent comments, saying this week "I don't have an attorney general."

Monday's event will be open to the media.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer said Thursday he is providing "critical information" as part special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance and other charges last month, said he is providing the information to prosecutors without a cooperation agreement.

Trump's longtime fixer-turned-foe could be a vital witness for prosecutors as they investigate whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Russians. For more than a decade, Cohen was Trump's personal lawyer, and he was a key power player in the Trump Organization and a fixture in Trump's political life.

Cohen pleaded guilty in August to eight federal charges and said Trump directed him to arrange payments before the 2016 election to buy the silence of porn actress Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy model who had both alleged they had affairs with Trump. It was the first time any Trump associate implicated Trump himself in a crime, though whether -- or when -- a president can be prosecuted remains a matter of legal dispute.

On Thursday night, Cohen tweeted: "Good for @MichaelCohen212 for providing critical information to the #MuellerInvestigation without a cooperation agreement. No one should question his integrity, veracity or loyalty to his family and country over @POTUS @realDonaldTrump."

The tweet was deleted almost immediately and was later reposted by his attorney, Lanny Davis, who said he wrote the tweet for Cohen and asked him to tweet it because he has a "much larger following." Davis said he was delayed posting the tweet on his own account, so Cohen tweeted it first.

ABC News reported earlier Thursday that Cohen has met several times -- for several hours -- with investigators from the special counsel's office.

The television network, citing sources familiar with the matter, said he was questioned about Trump's dealings with Russia, including whether members of the Trump campaign worked with Russians to try to influence the outcome of the election.

Davis had asserted last month that his client could tell the special counsel that Trump had prior knowledge of a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer, Trump's son-in-law and Trump's eldest son, who had been told in emails that it was part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign. But Davis later walked back the assertions, saying he could not independently confirm the claims that Cohen witnessed Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., telling his father about the Trump Tower meeting beforehand.

In the last two weeks, the special counsel secured the cooperation of Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; signaled that he has obtained all the information he needs from former national security adviser Michael Flynn -- who was also a government cooperator; and dispensed with the case of the campaign aide who triggered the Russia probe.

The president has continued a very public battle against the Mueller investigation, repeatedly calling it a politically motivated and "rigged witch hunt." He has said he is going to declassify secret documents in the Russia investigation, an extraordinary move that he says will show that the investigation was tainted from the start by bias in the Justice Department and FBI.

By MICHAEL BALSAMO, Associated Press. Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.
A commission appointed to help clarify the Alabama ethics law is moving closer to making recommendations to the Legislature.

The Alabama Code of Ethics Clarification and Reform Commission will vote on proposals at its next meeting in October.

The proposals include changes to a definition cited as a potential cause of uncertainty for the vast number of people covered by the ethics law.

The current law defines the term "principal" as a business or person who employs a lobbyist. That has raised a question: Which individual employees and board members of a business that hires a lobbyist are considered principals?

The definition is important because the ethics law places restrictions on principals like it does on lobbyists, such as prohibitions on giving money or gifts to public officials. Violations of the law can carry felony penalties.

The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals recommended that the Legislature clarify the definition in its ruling in August upholding 11 of 12 felony ethics convictions against former House Speaker Mike Hubbard. The court said it believed the law was applied correctly in Hubbard's case but that it could envision other cases where the definition was problematic.

The 23-member commission met for about two and a half hours today and discussed the definition and other issues, including limits on what lobbyists can spend on a meal for public officials.

Commission members agreed to vote on specific proposals at their next meeting, set for Oct. 18. They will pick between two new definitions of principal.

A definition drafted by a subcommittee of the reform commission says the term includes an employee or board member who individually has the authority to fire or direct the company's lobbyist. An employee or association member with no involvement in lobbying activities would not be a principal.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Joseph Boohaker, a commission member, proposed an amended version of that definition.

Ethics Commission Executive Director Tom Albritton said he believes both versions address the concern raised by the Court of Criminal Appeals.

"Both definitions encompass the idea that the Court of Criminal Appeals noted, which is that there are individuals within a business that should be responsible. And so the discussion really has centered around how do we define who those individuals are," Albritton said.

Albritton said getting the definition right is important to prevent unintentional violations involving employees who have no connection with lobbying.

Albritton and Attorney General Steve Marshal are co-chairmen of the commission, which includes legislators, prosecutors, lawyers, lobbyists, a judge, representatives of county and city officials and others. The Legislature created the commission last year. The goal is to recommend changes for the 2019 legislative session, which starts in March.

Current law allows lobbyists to buy meals for public officials valued at up to $25 or an aggregate total of $150 in a year. The proposal that will be up for a vote next month leaves that allowance in place.

Commission members debated whether it would be better to eliminate that allowance and flatly prohibit lobbyists from buying meals for public officials.

Boohaker said the public would better understand a flat ban.

"Nobody buys me lunch and everybody knows that they are not to buy me lunch," Boohaker said.

Others said the $25 allowance was reasonable and low enough that it shouldn't cause concerns about undue influence.
A Section High School student was taken into custody today after posting a "disturbing" video about a gun, authorities said.

The 15-year-old student was taken to a juvenile detention center on a misdemeanor charge of harassing communications, said Jackson County Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen. Because of the student's age, his name isn't being released.

Harnen said deputies started investigating after the Section principal told them about the video that was posted on YouTube.

In the video, the student talked about hiding an AR-15 rifle under his jacket because it would be too big to fit in his locker, Harnen said.

"We found it quite disturbing," the chief said.

Deputies said the student did not have the gun on campus.

"But we have a zero-tolerance policy," Harnen said. "Kids can't be saying this stuff online. We don't make exceptions."
A Daphne entrepreneur's plan to help the "accidental project managers" of the world has earned her an invitation to take part in an extremely selective Google development campaign.

Thkisha "DeDe" Sanogo will spend the week of Sept. 23-28 in Durham, N.C., developing her startup -- Panoptic Project Solutions -- with support from Google for Entrepreneurs. The potential benefits are vast. She won't just get mentoring and training on exactly what it takes to pull in seed funding: She and the other participants will get the opportunity to pitch their projects directly to investors, in a setting where more than half the past participants have won capital investment.

She goes in with a slogan that's as encouraging to someone panicking over a local fundraiser as it is to a corporate worker who's just been volun-told to handle something big and potentially messy: "Never Start A Project From Scratch Again."

Google for Entrepreneurs is an international campaign by Google to help innovators "build the future, grow your economies, and launch the next generation of innovative companies." If they happen to use Google products along the way, so much the better. The program is active in 125 countries, according to promotional information, and is heavily involved with 10 "startup communities" in the United States.

The third annual Google For Entrepreneurs Exchange for Black Founders will take place at the American Underground startup community campus in Durham. It's described as "a week-long immersion program focused on addressing the funding gap for startups led by Black Founders," and an attempt to "move the needle on diversity."

This is no come-as-you-are convention for dreamers short on specifics. Panoptic is one of 10 teams chosen. Sanogo said the application process was "intense." Your concept had to be well along the way to market-ready, for example with a beta version operating. And Sanogo said that as the finalists were narrowed down, their founders were vetted for the depth of their business knowledge as well.

Just being selected is a big deal. "I was very emotional when I heard the news," Sanogo said.

Sanogo said she's been working for several years to develop Panoptic. She's a certified project management professional, and her background includes a job at a large Mobile institution where she found herself with a big role helping organize a major shift to a new data-handling system. While that experience taught her that she had a love of project management, she freely admits that it was a bumpy ride that also showed her the need for a handy way for newcomers to educate themselves on what takes to avoid the major pitfalls of project planning.

One of the most common mistakes she sees is that "they don't spend enough time in the pre-planning phase," she said. If you dive in without figuring out what resources and you'll really need, you may find yourself stuck mid-project with too little money or not enough helpers.

If that sounds painfully familiar, the help you'll find at www.panopticprojectsolutions.com (which is free, for now) starts with milestone lists for similar or identical projects. There's also a "smart tool" that helps you keep track of the next milestones and celebrate the ones ahead.

If that were it, Panoptic would be a pretty passive affair -- a service you'd visit only to download what you need, when you need it. But Sanogo's vision is to use a range of social-media tools to make it a community experience. Among these aspects is a series of videos in which Sanogo interviews various people, such as a short film maker, about their experiences.

It's a level of content that can help pull people in and keep them coming back. In the long run, Sanogo envisions a reward system in which people who contribute their expertise to the Panoptic resource library then earn commissions when other people use their project plans.

"Now people can get paid for content they're creating all the time," she said.

As she's recruited early adopters, she said, she's found interest from teachers and school systems. How to organize a STEM research project, for example, is something that's been of interest. But that's in keeping with what Sanogo sees as her target audience. There are project planning tools out there for professionals, she said. She wants to help the amateurs. Projects such as weddings, funerals and community fundraisers are all fair game.

Ironically, her biggest competitor might be Google itself. After all, she has to convince potential clients that signing up at Panoptic is better than just punching "How do I plan my family reunion" into a search engine.

She thinks it is.

"You get a million hits" that way, she said, and you have to evaluate which information is relevant and solid, then synthesize your own plan. "When you're in Panoptic, you get right to the source," she said. The milestone lists will be provided by people who've done what you're trying to do, and you'll be able to see which plans have proven popular with other users.

Helping one-time and occasional project managers still could add up to a lucrative market niche. But getting the startup to that point Sanogo envisions will require investment. The Google for Entrepreneurs Exchange is all about helping creators position themselves to win that investment, and even introducing them to investors who might provide it.

An important distinction is that while the program targets black founders, it doesn't support only projects tailored for a minority audience. Most of the ten finalists, like Panoptic, do not. They involve topics such as solar power, communication between teachers and parents, an app to handle payments from parents to kids for household chores.

"Google does this for everybody," Sanogo said. But this particular program exists in part because of studies that show startups founded by minority entrepreneurs draw less investment than the average. That creates a vicious cycle: it makes ventures less likely to succeed, but it means founders may trade away more equity to get funding and end up with less ownership of the ones that do succeed. "It shouldn't just be about the face," said Sanogo. "But sometimes it is."

Simply being picked as one of the 10 finalists provides some significant validation, she said. "Being female in tech, generally, it's very hard."

If she succeeds in Durham, she said, she wants to share that validation with Mobile's whole startup community.

"It's hard to establish a network here in Mobile, when everyone's in Silicon Valley," she said. "I want to bring it back here ... I want to provide some kind of resource here, to say we're starting something."

It won't take long to find out how Sanogo fares in Durham. Naturally, she plans to funnel her upcoming Google experience into the social side of Panoptic. Look for updates at www.instagram.com/gurldede.
Derrick Dearman

Derrick Dearman, the man charged with killing five people, one of whom was a pregnant women, and kidnapping his estranged girlfriend and an unrelated infant, has been found guilty of 10 counts of capital murder, according to the Mobile County District Attorney's Office.

The jury recommended the death penalty, according to the DA's office.

Dearman was charged with six counts of capital murder and two of kidnapping, and entered an initial plea of not guilty on Aug. 31, 2016. In March 2017, a grand jury indicted him on multiple counts of capital murder, both for murders committed during a burglary and a murder involving multiple victims. Dearman pleaded not guilty to the charges in May 2017.

BREAKING: A jury has found Derrick Dearman GUILTY of 10 counts of CAPITAL MURDER and recommended a sentence of death. State represented by DA Ashley Rich and ADA Johana Bucci. #MobileDA #FallTrialSchedule #Justice4Victims pic.twitter.com/gc6LzCvrtn  Mobile DA's Office (@MobileDAoffice) September 20, 2018

The bodies of five adults were found in an isolated home on a dirt road west of the Citronelle on Aug. 20, 2016. Law enforcement officials allege Dearman entered the home in the early hours of the morning; attacked the sleeping residents using an axe and at least one firearm. Police say he killed five adults including a pregnant woman; and kidnapped his estranged girlfriend and an unrelated infant, eventually freeing them after he took them to a relative's home in Mississippi.

Questions about Dearman's competency to stand trial arose and a change in council happened last fall, AL.com journalist Lawrence Specker reported.

Dearman objected to any mental evaluation, according to court filings from earlier this year. Records also say that "At the present time, Mr. Dearman has not indicated that he will introduce evidence of this nature at trial and has not raised the issue of 'not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect,' his competency to stand trial or any claims regarding his intelligent quotient."
Amrita Lakhanpal & Mei Mei Sun

This is an opinion column.

Mei Mei Sun was well aware of the disparity in resources between schools in poor neighborhoods and those serving wealthier families in nearby areas long before her family, natives of China, moved to Birmingham when she was 10 years old.

Because she lived it.

As an even younger child Mei Mei (pronounced MAY MAY) was raised by her grandmother in an impoverished area of Liaoning, a province in northeast China. She attended schools with barely the minimal necessities needed to serve she and her fellow students.

As her family migrated from city to city throughout the U.S. before settling in Birmingham, in Vestavia Hills, she was "shocked" that schools in nation perceived as a land of wealth and opportunity offered similar disparity.

Now a senior at Vestavia Hills High School, she calls the "quality and availability of education, the very foundation of prosperity, hideously inequitable."

Then, she did something about it.



Amrita Lakhanpal saw the gap, too. Of Indian heritage, her parents moved to Birmingham when she was two months old. She was just an eighth-grader at The Altamont School a few minutes from downtown Birmingham teaching computer classes to first- and second-graders at EPIC Elementary on the city's Southside. The schools sat less than five miles apart, but the gap between the tools she had at her disposal at Altamont and those provided to the youngsters at EPIC was cavernous.

There weren't enough computers to give each child the fingers-on-the-keyboard time they needed to effectively learn skills indispensable in the increasingly technology-driven world that awaits them. And many were aged beyond any reasonable lifespan of dependability.

Now a senior at Altamont, she says: "It seemed like every time I went [to E.P.I.C.] there would be a new computer issue to solve."

It would have been easy for Amrita to ignore the gap, to teach the children best she could and retreat to the lushness of Altamont, ignoring the lifelong impact the dearth of resources would inevitably have on the youngsters' lives.

Instead, she did something about it.



These two young women embody the spirit of giving, the spirit of sharing, Birmingham needs right now. The kind of spirit we--as well as urban and their surrounding communities throughout the state--need right now to ensure that gaps between our poorest and richest neighbors do not grow.

The kind of spirit, especially, that heart that fully seeks to equip our children who are living each day in the challenging conditions many of us cannot fathom with every resource, tool, textbook, computer, uniform, mentor, counselor--whatever--they need to learn, grow, and excel.

As a high-school sophomore, Mei Mei conceived and later launched Books4Bham, a nonprofit that collects those expensive college-prep test books from students from well-to-do families at Vestavia Hills, Indian Springs and Mountain Brook highs schools who no longer need them (as well as children's books) and donates them to students at students at schools in the greater Birmingham area where buying such books may not be in the family budget.

Thus far, Books4Bham, Mei Mei says, has distributed 5,000 children's and test-prep books across the city.

You may have been introduced to Amrita in March 2017. As a participant in Altamont's C. Kyser Miree Ethical Leadership Center, she was required to create a project that benefited the surrounding community. Based on her experience teaching computer skills to elementary students at EPIC, she launched Screens for Schools.

She raised $18,000 from 30 donors to purchase 60 chrome books for the students, along with two charging carts and professional development for the teachers. Last fall, she raised another $13,000 to buy 60 chrome books and two charging carts for students at Central Park Elementary. Now, she's seeking to another $13,000 to give 60 chrome books and two charging carts to students at Martha Gaskins Elementary.

Mei Mei and Amrita are motivated, simply, to do what they could to help students with fewer resources rather than wait for someone else to do it.

Or just complain about it.

"In this day and age, computer education is essential for learning, period," Amrati says. "I could tell how excited the kids were to learn, but if the computers didn't work, it was not an effective class. This was a big problem and decided to take matters into my own hands."

"I've always noticed the dark undercurrent of racism implicit in my school system," Mei Mei says, "and though we're on the way to progress, I wanted to work to not only mitigate the effects of systemic racism, like poor test performance but also cultivate interschool and intracommunal dialogue to begin work to dismantle the system."

Both of these young women are likely to leave Alabama to attend college--unless one of our esteemed institutions deign to persuade them otherwise. But both are working to ensure their programs live even if they leave by empowering other students to take the baton they've carried.

"I have some potential candidates in mind," Mei Mei told me. "I'd like to keep the leadership positions designated for young women of color with an authentic, sustained passion for education and equity."

Amrita is focused on raising funds to be able to supply the children of Gaskins Elementary with chrome books. Then she'll seek to find another student willing to sustain Screens for Schools.

And a child shall lead. Or more specifically:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.

--Isaiah 11:6

Those more educated in the scriptures than I will say this Word speaks to what God has in store for a fallen, violent world--a place where adversaries live in harmony.

As we await that world, let's continue to celebrate this spirit of giving and sharing.

Let's celebrate--and support--hearts, and efforts that want to close the gaps.

Efforts like what my AL.com colleague Jonice Starr Dunigan called the "snowballing act of kindness" that led to the Mountain Brook High School marching band donating its old band uniforms to the Woodlawn High School band.

Or create your own.

If you want to contribute to Books4Bham, do so here.

If you want to contribute to ScreenforSchools, contact Amrita at amrita@screensforschools.com

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/.
By Del Marsh, an Anniston Republican who is the President Pro Tem of the Alabama State Senate

Saturday (Sept. 22) is our nation's 46th annual National Hunting and Fishing Day.

As co-chair of the Alabama Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus and as a member of the 48-state National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses, I am proud to take time to celebrate the time-honored traditions of hunting and angling. I am also pleased to recognize the historical and ongoing contributions of our state's original conservationists -- sportsmen and sportswomen.

Alabama hunters and anglers are the primary source of conservation funding for the Yellowhammer State. Through the purchase of licenses, tags, and by paying self-imposed excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing tackle, motorboat fuel, and other equipment, hunters and anglers drive conservation funding in Alabama and the United States, through the American System of Conservation Funding, a "user pays public benefits" system.

Last year alone, this system, combined with hunting and fishing license sales, contributed over $47 million to fund state conservation efforts administered through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. All Alabamians benefit from these funds through improved access to public lands, public shooting ranges, improved soil and water quality, habitat restoration, fish and wildlife research, private and public habitat management, hunter education, boat access area construction and many other projects.

Hunting and angling are also a significant economic driver for our state. Alabama sportsmen and women spend roughly $2 billion per year on their outdoor pursuits, supporting nearly 40,000 jobs in the state and contributing over $165 million in state and local taxes.

Hunting produces countless benefits for our state's conservation funding and economy, therefore it is important that Alabama sportsmen and women invest time and effort to encourage future participation by the next generation in these time-honored traditions. This effort to increase hunter participation is called recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3), and over 450 individual R3 programs nationwide have had regional success.

R3 programs, as well as many others, need your support, and it's going to take the involvement of every Alabama hunter, regardless of age, to ensure the future of the outdoor pursuits we celebrate on National Hunting and Fishing Day. Our hunting and angling heritage should not be taken for granted, and getting the next generation of Alabama's sportsmen and women involved in the outdoors will help ensure the conservation of our abundant natural resources for the future.

More information on National Hunting and Fishing Day is available at www.NHFDay.org or on the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation website at www.congressionalsportsmen.org/policies/state/national-hunting-and-fishing-day.
THE Department of Justice on Thursday reiterated its plea for the Makati City Regional Trial Court to issue hold departure order and alias warrant of arrest against opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and subsequently proceed with the stalled trial of the coup detat charges against him. In a 10-page reply, the DoJ asked Judge Elmo Alameda of the Makati City RTC Branch 150 to grant its motion for the issuance of an HDO and alias warrant of arrest against Trillanes. The DoJs reply signed by Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon stressed that Trillanes failed to show received copy of duly accomplished amnesty application form during the RTC hearing, and news reports indicated he refused to admit guilt over 2007 Manila Pen siege. The DoJ noted that during the Sept. 14 court hearing on its motion, Trillanes failed to present proof of his duly accomplished amnesty application form with stamp received by the Department of National Defense, which processed the amnesty applications, contrary to his claim that he faithfully complied with said requirement. As aptly pointed out by this honorable court during the motion hearing, the best evidence that accused could submit to prove his claim is a copy of his application form bearing the receiving mark/stamp of the DND. This, the accused failed to do, stated the reply also signed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, and Assistant State Prosecutors Josie Christina Dugay and Evee Eunice Keyser. As to the requirement of admission of guilt, the DoJ explained that Trillanes also failed to comply with this based on a media interview he gave where he was quoted to have said, I would like to qualify that we did not admit to the charge of coup detat or anything we filed because we believe those were not the appropriate charges against us, the DoJ prosecutors said. According to the DoJ, Trillanes failure to comply with the minimum requirements set for by law pertaining to the grant of his amnesty led to the voiding of the reprieve. Since Proclamation No. 572 declared void ab initio (from the very beginning) the amnesty granted to accused Trillanes for being flawed and/or defective for reasons solely attributable to him, it is as if no amnesty was granted to him. Thus, the dismissal of the case was a void judgment, the DoJ said. The Justice department also argued that the lower court had jurisdiction to hear and rule on its motion for issuance of allias warrant and HDO per Supreme Court September 11 resolution.This honorable court has the authority to issue a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against accused Trillanes. It has not lost jurisdiction over the case. No less than the Supreme Court en banc, in its resolution dated Sept. 11, 2018, acknowledged the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Courts of Makati to hear and resolve the pleadings/motions filed by the parties, the DoJ said. The DoJ also submitted more evidence to beef up their argument to grant their appeal. In addition to the documentary evidence submitted hereto and the request for their marking as Peoples exhibits, the prosecution reserve its right to prevent additional evidence in the course of the trial, the DoJ said. The Makati City RTC Branch 150 handled the rebellion case against Trillanes and other Magdalo soldiers over the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007. However, the case was dismissed after former president Benigno Aquino III issued an amnesty to Trillanes and other Magdalo rebel soldiers. In Proclamation 572, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the amnesty given to Trillanes as void ab initio. In his comment opposing the motion for HDO and warrant of arrest, Trillanes insisted that the case against him had been dismissed seven years ago and that it could no longer be revived by a mere proclamation and a motion by the DoJ. After the submission of all the pleadings, the court said the case was deemed submitted for resolution.
World leaders will descend on New York and tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. Whats expected?

World leaders will meet at the United Nations General Assembly from September 25.

Representatives from almost 200 countries convene to discuss the most important political and policy issues affecting the world today.

Al Jazeera explores where the world stands on some of those subjects, and whats expected at General Assembly:

The Rohingya

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called last month for Myanmar to be held accountable for one of the worlds worst humanitarian and human rights crises following the publication of a UN investigation into alleged atrocities against the Rohingya.

The report recommended that the countrys military leadership be prosecuted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rakhine State last year, where around 700,000 Rohingya were forced to flee their homes.

US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has called for strong and immediate action against the Myanmar leadership, while Chinese ambassador Wu Haitao has urged a softer approach based on constructive assistance.

World leaders meeting next week at the General Assembly in New York have a golden opportunity to send a strong message and pave the way for justice for the Rohingya and for ethnic minorities under attack in northern Myanmar. Sherine Tadros, head of the UN office for Amnesty International

The International Criminal Court has said it has jurisdiction to bring an indictment against military leaders but the countrys government has denied this, and rejects all claims of atrocities.

The UN will be eager to progress with a controversial deal struck with Myanmar in June to return displaced Rohingya, but human rights groups say the safety of returnees cannot yet be guaranteed.

Bangladesh, which has struggled to host the vast numbers of refugees, will be a focus point.

Donations towards the assistance of Rohingya refugees have not reached the one billion dollars the UN has called for.

World leaders meeting next week at the General Assembly in New York have a golden opportunity to send a strong message and pave the way for justice for the Rohingya and for ethnic minorities under attack in northern Myanmar, says Sherine Tadros, head of the UN office for Amnesty International in New York.

States must see through Myanmars repeated lies and deception, and establish an independent mechanism to gather and preserve evidence of crimes under international law before its too late.

Syria

The UN has warned of unprecedented levels of internal displacement in Syria as government forces advance to re-take swaths of the country still under the control of rebel groups.

The Syrian army, backed by Russian air power, is preparing for an assault on the northern province of Idlib, which holds three million civilians.

A Syrian child tries an improvised gas mask made by his father as part of preparations for any upcoming raids in the rebel-held Idlib provinces village of Maar Shurin, on September 11, 2018 [Omar Haj Kadour/AFP]

The UN has warned the centurys worst humanitarian catastrophe could result. UN officials have called on all parties to ensure that civilian casualties are avoided, but there are no signs of these warnings being heeded.

Should we see three million of the people headed to the Turkish border, this is a scenario that by far outweighs the capacity of all the humanitarian organisations put together, the UNs regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, Panos Moumtzis said last week.

Idlib is expected to feature heavily through high-level meetings at this years General Assembly.

UNRWA

The future of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was thrown into doubt last month when the US announced it would pull all funding for the agency, which provides support for five million Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

UNRWA was established in 1949 following the expulsion of Palestinians during the Nakba, and has been a lifeline for Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and neighbouring countries like Jordan and Syria.

The US has historically been its leading donor, but since the election of Donald Trump, its funding has dropped precipitously.

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Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner wrote in a leaked email that UNRWA is corrupt, inefficient and doesnt help peace and criticised its support for Palestinian refugees right to return.

The price is already being felt by Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories as UNRWA has laid off 158 teachers and 194 contract workers. The operation of many schools, hospitals and other facilities has also been jeopardised.

The Palestinian National Council has called on governments across the world to use the General Assembly to oppose the US.

Turkey has already quadrupled its contributions since the US ended its support, but the UN will need to solicit far more to plug the agencys deficit of $217m.

If we cannot meet this deficit by the end of this year, all UNRWA services will be at stake, whether educational, medical or social, said UNRWA spokesperson Huda Saeebi.

Iran

US President Donald Trump used his first General Assembly address last year to rail against Iran, labelling the country a corrupt dictatorship and blasting its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah.

It seems unlikely Trump will hold his hold his tongue this year following his dramatic withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal in May. Combative rhetoric against Iran could anger European allies, who are determined to salvage the historic agreement.

Those seeking rapprochement with the West, the reformists and pragmatists, believe that if Rouhani didn't attend the General Assembly, it would hurt Iran's diplomatic standing. Holly Dagres, nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is due to appear in New York, which has in itself provoked debate within Iran, with hardliners calling for the leader to pull out in protest at the US, and reformists urging him to present a message of peace and diplomacy.

Hardliners would like nothing more than for Iran to become more internationally isolated, says Holly Dagres, nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council. On the other hand, those seeking rapprochement with the West, the reformists and pragmatists, believe that if Rouhani didnt attend the General Assembly, it would hurt Irans diplomatic standing.

Dagres expects Rouhani will repeat some of his past statements in New York.

This includes how the United States is becoming more isolated due to the Trump administrations policies  the impact of sanctions, and the claim that Iran is a resilient country which has endured far worse. Rouhani will also focus on regional issues including how Tehran fought ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

The Iranian president can also expect heat from Israels Benjamin Netanyahu, who last year warned delegates that the countrys expanding influence risked an Iranian curtain  descending across the Middle East.

North Korea

If any moment defined last years General Assembly, it was surely Trumps threat to totally destroy North Korea unless Kim Jong-un backed down in what was then a dangerously escalating war of words.

This past year has seen major developments on the Korean Peninsula, including a historic peace agreement between North and South Korea in Panmunjom in April and a meeting between Trump and Kim in Singapore in June, where both pledged to work towards Pyongyangs complete denuclearisation.

The deal was light on detail and relations have been unpredictable since.

In August, Trump cancelled US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos planned trip to North Korea citing a lack of progress towards denuclearisation.

The change of tone and atmosphere regarding the North Korea issue will be 180 degrees different from last year. Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies-Americas

Then, on September 6, Trump tweeted enthusiastically: Kim Jong Un of North Korea proclaims unwavering faith in President Trump. Thank you to Chairman Kim. We will get it done together!

South Korean President Moon Jae-in met Kim this week in Pyongyang, where both vowed to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.

The warm glow of the Pyongyang Summit between North and South Korea will surely continue through the [General Assembly], says Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies-Americas.

President Moon will meet with President Trump in New York and seek to persuade him to respond positively to the steps outlined in Pyongyang [and] to undertake the corresponding steps that were ambiguously referred to in Pyongyang as a condition for North Korea to permanently close the Yongbyon nuclear site.

In other words, the change of tone and atmosphere regarding the North Korea issue will be 180 degrees different from last year.
It has been 10 years since the Maldivians shook off a three-decade-long dictatorship and chose to walk down the path of democracy. In October 2008, long-term Maldivian leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom left power peacefully, after a popular opposition movement challenged his power and forced him to hold the Maldives first multiparty presidential vote.

Over the past 10 years, the country has held regular multiparty elections and in just a few days, on September 23, Maldivians will head to the polls to choose their president for the third time since 2008. The incumbent Abdulla Yameen is running against long-term legislator Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, endorsed by a coalition of opposition parties.

In any young democracy, an election would be celebrated as an expression of democratic life, but in the Maldives today, the upcoming vote is just another indication of the death of its democracy.

There is currently little hope that the flawed electoral process and the vote on September 23 will change the current tendencies towards an authoritarian relapse in Maldivian politics.

A short democratic moment

When popular protests erupted in September 2003, following the brutal killing of an inmate in Maldivian prison, hopes for meaningful change in the country ran high. A coalition of opposition parties, led by Mohamed Nasheed from Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rode the wave of public discontent and managed to force Gayoom to open up the political system and hold free elections.

In 2008, Nasheed, backed by a coalition of parties, defeated Gayoom in a runoff and became the Maldives first freely elected president. Two years later, the international watchdog Freedom House listed the country as an electoral democracy for the first time in its history.

But that newly acquired status did not translate into practises on the ground. The Maldivian political class did not give up their predatory behaviour and unprincipled politics.

The new political parties, their leaders, parliamentarians, the judges, and those who pump money into politics did not fully embrace democracy.

Nasheed himself made authoritarian moves, including arresting officials and opposition politicians to deal with mounting political and economic challenges.

Instead of trying to make the democratic transition work despite disagreements, the opposition sought to end Nasheeds government by any means. He was forced to resign in February 2012 after sections of the police and the military mutinied and backed the demand of the opposition for his resignation.

Then in 2013, Gayooms Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) nominated his half-brother, Yameen, to run against Nasheed in the presidential race. It then entered into a coalition with the Jumhooree Party and Islamist Adalat Party, both of which backed the MDP against Gayoom back in 2008.

This alliance helped Yameenhe win the vote with 51 percent.

Maldives first democratically elected President Mohamed Nasheed walks through the guards of honour during his swearing in ceremony in Male on November 11, 2008 [Reuters]

Descent into a new despotism

Soon after he took power, Yameen, too, veered off the democratic path. He gradually took control of various institutions, hollowed them out and made them subservient to his political agenda, all the while talking about democracy, rule of law, and development.

The judiciary has been one of the main targets of Yameens authoritarian assault on state institutions. Soon after he took power, he used his partys legislative majority to change the law regulating the composition of the countrys top court.

Using these amendments, the president managed to remove the chief justice and lower court judge, both of whom were known for their relative independence. This effectively made the judiciary dependent on the executive branch.

In the following years, all major political rivals to Yameen were imprisoned on various charges, including former President Nasheed, his own half-brother  Gayoom, his own vice president  Ahmed Adeeb, Adalat Party leader Imran Abdullah, and the countrys richest man, Gasim Ibrahim.

Similarly, when his despotic adventurism estranged his coalition partners and the president lost their legislative majority, the courts and the elections body stripped 12 opposition MPs of their seats.

And when, in a surprising turn of events, in February this year, the top court ruled to free all opposition leaders, the security apparatus arrested the chief justice and lower court judge.

A month later, parliament changed the law again and paved way for the removal of the two judges. Yameen thereby regained control over the court.

His type of despotism, of course, still leaves pockets of space for political and civic activism. Parties still function; there is still part of the media that can be critical; there is some freedom of expression, especially on the internet; and there is a sense of a vibrant public sphere.

However, the effect of ever-changing laws and hijacked institutions is that even those freedoms can be taken away whenever Mr Yameen wants. This type of regime is what Australian political thinker John Keane calls new despotism: governments, backed by democratic rhetoric and election victories, massively expand their executive powers by means of economic nepotism, media controls, strangled judiciaries, dragnet surveillance and armed crackdowns on their opponents.

Police detain an injured opposition supporter during a protest demanding Maldives President Yameen Abdul Gayoom resign and jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed be freed, in Male, Maldives on May 1, 2015 [File: AP/Sinan Hussain]

Elections without hope for democracy

It is amid such political circumstances that Maldivians will be voting on September 23. There are already signs that the electoral process is flawed. Several candidates were not allowed to contest the election because of politically motivated prison sentences.

The independence of the election commission and the Supreme Court are also in doubt. Elections have been postponed before several times and the results of the 2013 vote annulled.

And even if the election is free and fair on September 23, what is on offer are two bad options: Yameen and the promise of deepening authoritarianism; or Solih and the prospect of an unstable government of warring factions.

Solih is backed by Nasheeds MDP and its unholy alliance with Jumhooree Party and Islamist Adalat Party (which went against him in 2012) and with his former rival, Gayoom, who was pushed out of the PPM.

This coalition is currently held together by their common enemy  Yameen. If they win and Solih comes to power, there is no guarantee that they will stick together. In fact, the recent past shows that these political parties are quick to abandon their alliances whenever their narrow self-interest is in danger.

If, unlike his predecessors, Solih tries to stick to democratic processes and negotiations to resolve political disagreements, he would find it difficult to do so in the face of a predatory political culture and widespread corruption which have eroded any serious commitment to democratic norms and principled politics.

In other words, whether Yameen or the opposition wins this election, there is little hope the country would be put back on the democratic track.

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Maldivian presidential candidate backed by the opposition coalition, waves as he stands next to his supporters during the final campaign rally ahead of the presidential election in Male, Maldives on September 22, 2018 [Reuters/Ashwa Faheem]

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Another 30 were wounded in the early morning crash in Bakwa district of Farah province.

At least 15 people were killed when a bus collided with a truck in western Afghanistan, officials said, in the second major traffic accident this month.

Another 30 were injured in the early morning crash in Bakwa district of Farah province, provincial police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib told AFP news agency.

The bus had been travelling from Herat province to the southern province of Kandahar when the accident happened.

At least three women and two children were among the casualties, said Nasir Mehri, spokesman for the Farah governor.

The dead were all bus passengers, he added.

It was not clear how the crash happened but accidents involving long-distance passenger buses are common in Afghanistan.

Earlier this month, at least 13 people were killed and another 25 wounded in an accident involving a bus and a truck in Kandahar province.

In 2016, at least 73 people were killed when two passenger buses and an oil tanker burst into flames in a head-on collision in eastern Ghazni province, in one of the countrys worst road accidents.
Canadian legislators have unanimously voted to declare crimes committed against Rohingya Muslims by the Myanmar military to be genocide.

The House of Commons endorsed on Thursday the findings of a UN fact-finding mission on Myanmar that found crimes against humanity have been committed against the Rohingya and that these acts were sanctioned by top Myanmar military commanders.

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In a motion, Canadian legislators said they recognise that these crimes against the Rohingya constitute genocide.

Rights organisations have accused Myanmar military of committing extrajudicial killings, gang rape, and arson during their bloody campaign launched in August last year after army posts came under attack from Rohingya rebels.

More than 700,000 Rohingya people have forced to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh, where they now live in cramped refugee camps.

They also urged the UN Security Council to refer the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC), while also calling for Myanmars generals to be investigated and prosecuted for the crime of genocide.

I want to underscore how tragic, how horrific the crimes against the Rohingya are, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said. We are leading an international effort for justice and accountability for the Rohingya.

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A significant milestone

Todays unanimous motion is a very important step in that effort.

Human rights observers called the declaration as a significant milestone.

The UN report published last month said military generals, including Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, must face investigation and prosecution for genocidal intent in Myanmars northern Rakhine State, as well as crimes against humanity and other war crimes in the states of Kachin and Shan.

Myanmar denies any organised abuses.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement last year to repatriate the Muslim minority  but it has stalled as the Rohingya fear to return to Myanmars Rakhine State without their safety and rights guaranteed.
Beijing warns of consequences if Washington does not cancel sanctions on Chinese military for purchase from Russia.

China has urged the United States to withdraw punitive sanctions imposed on the Chinese military over its purchase of fighter jets and missiles from Russia or bear the consequences.

On Thursday, the US State Department said Chinese purchases of SU-35 aircraft and S-400 surface-to-air missiles breached a US sanctions law targeting Russia over its alleged meddling in the 2016 US election and actions in Ukraine.

But Beijing, on Friday, warned of consequences for Washington if it does not cancel those sanctions.

The Chinese side expresses strong indignation over the above-mentioned unreasonable practices of the US side, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told journalists.

Moscow also warned that Washington was playing with fire and accused the US of trying to squeeze Russia out of the global arms market.

This is unfair competition, dishonest competition, an attempt to use non-market methods that that run counter to norms and principles of international trade to squeeze the main competitor of US makers out of the markets, said President Vladimir Putins spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.





The sanctions target Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its director, Li Shangfu, and have increased tensions between Washington and Beijing amid an escalating trade dispute.

The Trump administration also blacklisted 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence services, adding them to a list under the 2017 sanctions law known as the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

The expansion of the Russian blacklist, which now has 72 names, includes 28 people and entities indicted by the special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

While being added to the blacklist does not trigger sanctions, anyone doing business with a blacklisted person or entity could face penalties like those imposed on China.

US officials said the imposition of penalties on China was the first time that a third-party country was punished under CAATSA and suggested the White House could use the law in the future against countries purchasing equipment from Russia.

The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia, a senior US administration official told journalists, insisting on anonymity. CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country. They are aimed at imposing costs on Russia in response to its malign activities.

Turkey is in talks regarding the purchase of S-400 missiles from Russia and India has also expressed interest in purchasing S-400s, moves which the US opposes.

You can be confident that we have spent an enormous amount of time talking about prospective purchases of things such as S-400s and Sukhois with people all around the world who may have been interested in such things and some who may still be, the US official added.

We have made it very clear to them that these  that systems like the S-400 are a system of key concern with potential CAATSA implications.
Colombias coffee workers despair over low wage

Coffee producers are calling on leading high-street companies like Starbucks and Nestle to subsidise farmers who are struggling.
Theresa May faced headlines on Friday detailing her humiliation at an EU summit in Salzburg over her Brexit proposal.

An angry Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday demanded the European Union make a new offer on Britains withdrawal from the bloc.

Speaking at 10 Downing Street in London, May said it was not acceptable that the EU had rejected her plan without offering alternatives following talks with EU leaders in Salzburg on Thursday.

So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them, May said. Until we do, we cannot make progress.

She challenged European Council President Donald Tusk who said on Thursday Britains proposals would undermine the single market.

He didnt explain how, in any detail, or make any counter-proposal, May said. So we are at an impasse.

Tusk said at a summit in Salzburg that Mays plan would not work.





Expect respect

May said both sides want a deal, but remain far apart on key issues of future trade relations and the Irish border. She called for serious engagement to solve the problems.

Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect, she said. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

The pound fell on Mays comments, which seemed to make the prospect of an economically disruptive no deal Brexit more likely.

May faced headlines on Friday detailing her humiliation at an EU summit in Salzburg, where she was given just weeks to strike a Brexit deal acceptable to the bloc and hardliners at home.

The embattled British leader gave a defiant press conference before leaving Austria, insisting her plan for a UK-EU free trade area just for goods was the only proposal on the table.

Cabinet colleagues reiterated her message on Friday.

She is sticking up for Britain, sticking up for what will work for our country, Housing Secretary James Brokenshire told BBC radio.

These are tough negotiations  that is what this is all about. I think we will still get a deal  notwithstanding the situation weve seen yesterday.

Euro mobsters

Euro-sceptic publications accused European leaders of mafia-style behaviour.

Popular tabloid The Sun even mocked up pictures of Tusk and French President Emmanuel Macron as Euro mobsters under the headline EU Dirty Rats.

Tusk and Macron tore into Mays so-called Chequers plan, which they believe will fragment the blocs prized single market and not work.

EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker conceded on Friday the Brexit negotiations were prickly  likening them to the courtship of two hedgehogs  but insisted the two sides were moving closer.

Later this month, May faces the annual conference of her Conservative party, which includes a euro-sceptic faction that is strongly against her plan, with some legislators angling for a new leader.

Simon Usherwood, politics professor at the University of Surrey, told AFP news agency May irked EU leaders with an uncompromising article on Wednesday for German newspaper Die Welt, followed up by a similar summit dinner speech and an unproductive sideline meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

Yesterday was really about irritation and bad tempers that the UK really hasnt got the measure of this properly, Usherwood said.

The EU has proposed that Northern Ireland, a British province, continue to follow many EU trade rules and regulations to maintain the status quo with Ireland, a remaining bloc member.

But London strongly rejects treating any province in Britain differently and ruled out having any internal customs checks.
More than 500,000 voters will elect 55 members to parliament with the final authority remaining with the powerful king.

The African kingdom of eSwatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has gone to the polls that critics describe as a sham but supporters say are a unique blend of tradition and politics.

More than 500,000 registered voters will elect 55 parliamentarians to the House of Assembly on Friday. Political parties, however, are banned from the election.

King Mswati III, eSwatinis powerful monarch, will appoint the remaining 10 to make up the lower house of 65 representatives. The elected MPs will then choose 10 senators for the upper house, while the king will select 20 more.

With a wide range of powers allowing the king to summon and dissolve parliament or declare a state of emergency, eSwatini  home to around 1.4 million people  is ranked among the worlds last remaining absolute monarchies.

The candidates came together to our village to market themselves, a voter, Zodwa Mabuza, told the AFP news agency on Friday as she lined up to vote with her husband and daughter in the western constituency of Lobamba Lomdzala.

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We know the person we are voting for. The issues are job opportunities, proper roads and more food packages for the elderly.

Another voter who declined to be named said, The parliament can talk all they want, but at the end of the day there is only one boss.

The authorities say that the absence of political parties puts local constituencies at the heart of the vote, and fosters a close link between citizens and elected representatives.

To the critics, it is important to say that there is no one size fits all democracy or system of government, Pholile Dlamini, deputy chair of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, told AFP.

This system is a perfect fit because eSwatini is a modern-day country that has chosen to preserve its very rich cultures and traditions.

Voting stations opened in schools and community halls across the largely rural country, with results expected over the weekend.

The Southern African Development Community bloc and African Union have deployed observer missions.

But the EU and Commonwealth have not sent teams after issuing reports that criticised democratic deficits in 2013s polls.

Farce election

The election, meanwhile, has been labelled a farce by Bheki Makhubu, editor of The Nation monthly magazine, who spent 15 months in jail from 2014 to 2015 for contempt of court after exposing misconduct among judges.

The king is the executive authority of all things, based on the presumption he is the wisest of us all. It is rule by divine knowledge, not by facts, said Makhubu.

Swazi people either try to win royal attention to seek reward, or they keep their heads down  but the economy is very depressed and the government is non-functional.

Political parties were banned outright by the kings father in 1973, and still face severe restrictions despite a 2005 constitution that, in theory, guarantees their rights.

Underlying tensions in eSwatini surfaced this week as thousands of protesters joined two days of trade union marches calling for public sector wage increases.

The demonstrations, which centred on the second city Manzini and were broken up by riot police using tear gas and water cannon, left several people injured.
After progress between Pyongyang and Seoul, analysts highlight difficulties ahead for US to achieve denuclearisation.

One year ago, US President Donald Trump mocked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as rocket man and threatened to totally destroy his country. This week, after positive inter-Korean talks in Pyongyang, Trump tweeted that progress there was very exciting!.

It is remarkable how, in just 12 months, relations have swung around from threats of atomic Armageddon to red carpets, warm embraces and arms reduction talks  especially given the dogged personalities of those involved.

But analysts told Al Jazeera while South Korean President Moon Jae-ins three-day trip to North Korea yielded dividends, stark divisions remain between the main players, and the peace process could yet unravel, as happened in previous efforts.

The progress suggests that Kim is serious about reducing inter-Korean tensions and moving closer to peaceful coexistence. Crucially, Moon got enough cooperation from Kim on denuclearisation to add some momentum to US-North Korea talks, Scott Snyder, author of South Korea at the Crossroads, told Al Jazeera.

But there are still big questions, including the relationship between inter-Korean economic cooperation, tension-reduction and denuclearisation, as well as Pyongyangs final asking price for the measures proposed.

North-South talks

The mood was upbeat throughout Moons visit across the 38th parallel (the line that demarcates North and South Korea)  two leaders of a divided peninsula hugging each other, brass bands, saluting children and crowds of North Koreans shouting reunification of the fatherland!.

The high point, quite literally, was a photo opportunity of Kim, Moon and their wives atop Mount Paektu, in front of the sacred volcanos glistening crater lake on Thursday, after the leaders had inked deals on transport, trade and curtailing military activity.

Their joint declaration outlined new road and rail links and the reopening of Kaesong industrial complex shut down in 2016 and Mt Geumgang Tourism Project in a bid to promote trade and economic ties.

Kim said he would visit Seoul soon, which would be a first for a North Korean leader. As well as making it easier for Korean families separated by the war to reunite, they announced plans to jointly host the 2032 Summer Olympics.

They also agreed to work to prevent accidental military clashes and to withdraw 11 guard posts from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that has separated the two countries since the 1950-53 war ended with an armistice but not a peace treaty.

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One of Moons other goals was to revive denuclearisation talks between the US and North Korea, which gained traction at a Trump-Kim summit in Singapore in June but have since floundered amid fears that Pyongyang continues to stockpile nuclear weapons.

Moon secured a pledge from Pyongyang that it would allow foreign observers to watch as a missile engine test site at Tongchang-ri is permanently dismantled, and another to shutter the Yongbyon nuclear complex if the US undertook unspecified reciprocal steps.

It is unclear what corresponding measures Kim had in mind, though they likely relate to a peace treaty to formally end the decades-old war, relief from crippling sanctions and the 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea to deter North Korean attacks.

Despite this caveat, there was enough progress to revive the fledgling talks between Washington and Pyongyang. Trump was upbeat. His Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said the US is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform the relationship.

Pompeo also set a specific deadline on North Korean denuclearisation, giving a January 2021 end date. He invited North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho to meet in New York next week on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly meeting of world leaders.

Periphery concessions

All eyes are now on the UN, where Trump referred to Kim as a rocket man a year ago. In New York, Moon is set to debrief Trump on the summit, and Pyongyang could yet deploy a senior envoy. Pompeo will also chair a Security Council meeting on North Korea on September 27.

Upon returning to Seoul on Thursday, Moon spoke of a second summit between Trump and Kim to take place in the near future in comments that were widely viewed as a signal that the ball is now in Washingtons court.

Trumps enthusiasm for the talks is not matched by some officials lower down in his administration, many of whom have watched past initiatives fail and doubt Pyongyang has any intention of bargaining away its hard-won nuclear deterrent.

There is nothing the North has offered so far that would constitute irreversible movement toward denuclearisation, however you define that, by January 2021 or any other time, a US intelligence official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity.

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Others point to Kims negotiation prowess  driving a wedge between Washington and Seoul, and nudging Trump to make concessions before he dismantles nuclear-tipped missiles that are feared by the US and its allies, South Korea and Japan.

Larry Niksch, an expert with the Library of Congresss Congressional Research Service, told Al Jazeera that Moon had only extracted periphery concessions from Kim and that it remained unlikely that Pyongyang would scrap its nuclear programme.

What worries me most is that we see no progress on the verification issue, which means getting an inspection organisation implanted into North Korea with broad-ranging powers and authorities to inspect sites without being interfered with in any way, said Niksch.

Wendy Sherman, a top official in the State Department under the Obama administration, said Trump was undercutting his own arms control talks by levying tariffs on imports from China, one of the few countries with leverage over Pyongyang.

In Shermans analysis, the US views denuclearisation as Kim scrapping his nukes, while Pyongyang envisages American forces leaving the peninsula. Likewise, both Pyongyang and Seoul call for reunification, but each wants a united Korea on its own terms.

At some point  efforts are going to come to a resounding  Im sad to say  crash, she said.
Rescue efforts continue as death toll hits 136 after boat suspected of carrying too many people capsized.

The death toll from Tanzanias ferry disaster hit 136 on Friday as hopes faded for more people being pulled out alive from Lake Victoria.

Thirty-seven people were rescued after the MV Nyerere sank on Thursday near Ukerewe island on Africas largest lake.

People are aware that the hopes of finding survivors are almost nil, Tanzanian state television reported.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame for such incidents.

The number of dead was expected to rise, according to witnesses.

More than 200 people are feared dead, based on accounts from fishermen and others nearby, because passengers had been returning from a busy market day, Tanzania Red Cross spokeswoman Godfrida Jola told The Associated Press.

But no one knows just how many people were on board, she said.

Rescue workers at the scene of the ferry disaster on Friday [Reuters]

President John Magufuli said he ordered the arrest of all those involved in the management of the ferry.

It appears clear that the ferry was overloaded. The arrests have already begun, he said in a speech on TBC One public television, also referring to negligence.

The ageing ferrys hull and propellers were all that remained visible after it overturned.

Davita Ngenda, a victims relative, had already received bad news. My son is among the bodies recovered, she said, weeping.

While the boat had a capacity of 100, it remained unknown exactly how many people were on the vessel.

George Nyamaha, head of Ukerewe district council, said more than a 100 passengers were on board when the ferry sank. Local media, quoting witnesses, reported numbers as high as 400 to 500.

Stay calm

Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi, reporting from Nairobi in neighbouring Kenya, said the boat was also carrying cargo when it went down.

People are saying that this ferry was just going to dock when people rushed towards one side of that ferry and that is what might have caused it to topple, she said.

Magufuli was deeply saddened by the disaster and called on Tanzanians to stay calm during these difficult times, according to spokesman Gerson Msigwa.

The countrys opposition, however, accused the government of negligence.

We have often raised concerns about the poor condition of this ferry, but the government turned a deaf ear. We have repeatedly denounced this negligence, said John Mnyika, deputy secretary-general of Chadema, the main opposition party.

Mnyika said overloading was another failure of the authorities and criticised inadequate relief efforts as well as delays in the rescue operation.

With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres, oval-shaped Lake Victoria is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Accidents such as these are not uncommon on Lake Victoria and overloading is often to blame.

In 1996, a ferry disaster in the same region killed more than 500 people. In 2012, 145 people died in a ferry disaster in Tanzanias semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, in the Indian Ocean, on a vessel that was overcrowded.
Pag-IBIG Fund is offering a one-time opportunity for delinquent and unregistered employers who were previously disqualified from availing themselves of the Funds penalty condonation programs to settle their obligations. Among President Rodrigo Dutertes directives is prioritizing workers benefits. It is important that Filipino workers enjoy government benefits like those from Pag-IBIG Fund, said Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Chairman Eduardo del Rosario. Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive officer Acmad Rizaldy Moti added, The ongoing Penalty Condonation Program or PenCon is specific to employers who deducted their employees monthly members savings but did not remit these to Pag-IBIG Fund. We encourage these employers to take advantage of the PenCon and comply with the program, and enable their employees to avail of Pag-IBIG Fund benefits and services. The Penalty Condonation Program gives employers the opportunity to comply with the mandate of Republic Act 9679, or the Pag-IBIG Fund Law of 2009, to register their employees with Pag-IBIG Fund and remit their employees members savings. Also covered under this program are employers who have pending applications for the plan of payment. Employers who opted for the plan of payment will be granted a discount on the total assessed penalties.A 70 percent discount on the TAP will be given to employers who will fully settle their total unremitted monthly mandatory savings, deprived dividends, and the remaining 30 percent of the TAP. Other employers who signified their intent to pay in full but later on opted for a plan of payment will be granted discount based on the settlement term.
Cancellation came a day after rival South Asian nations decided to meet in New York City next week at UN summit.

Barely 24 hours after India agreed to talks with Pakistan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, the government reversed its position, triggering a sharp reaction from Islamabad, which called the decision ill-considered and wastage of a serious opportunity.

A statement released on Friday by the Indian foreign ministry said the cancellation of talks followed the latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of twenty postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism.

Pakistan recently issued postage stamps of Burhan Wani, a young Kashmiri rebel commander killed by Indian troops in July 2016, whose death sparked a wave of violent protests in India-administered Kashmir.

It is obvious that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of [the] new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to [the] world in his first few months in the office, the statement said.

While the Indian foreign ministrys statement did not specify which killings it was referring to, a border guard in India-administered Kashmir was killed earlier this week, with New Delhi accusing Pakistani forces of mutilating his corpse.

Manoj Joshi, senior analyst at Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, said India should have factored in Pakistans frequent provocations before it agreed to resume talks.

Now with the back-tracking, it seems New Delhi did not think through its options rigourously. There is a history of such provocations, whenever India and Pakistan announce or sit down to talk. So they should have been prepared for this, Joshi told Al Jazeera.

Deeply disappointed

Pakistan said it was deeply disappointed by Indias decision to cancel the UNGA talks, and said the reasons cited by India were entirely unconvincing.

Rejecting allegations of killing and mutilating an Indian border guard, a statement issued by Pakistans foreign ministry on Friday evening called it a motivated and malicious propaganda.

Defending the release of postage stamps in the memory of Wani, Islamabad said, By falsely raising the canard of terrorism, India can neither hide its unspeakable crimes against the Kashmiri people nor can it delegitimise their indigenous struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination.

The Pakistani foreign ministry statement also reacted strongly to Indias unfortunate references of its newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan.

We choose not to further comment beyond saying that these comments are against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication, the statement said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had, in his first public comments after his electoral success, outlined a forward-looking vision of Pakistan-India relations. He had clearly stated that if India took one step forward, Pakistan would take two, it added.

Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi blamed Indias internal politics for the decision.

Some elements dont want resumption of talks between India and Pakistan. The elections in India are near and it appears that internal politics have influenced the government, he told the local Samaa TV channel.

An Indian general election is due by May.

Kashmir question

The cancellation of talks, the first planned high-level meeting between India and Pakistan since 2015, also came hours after three policemen were killed by rebels in Kashmirs Shopian region early on Friday.





India has long accused Pakistan of arming rebel groups in Kashmir, a Himalayan territory divided between the two countries but claimed in full by both.

The two countries have fought three wars over the territory so far.

Indias ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which is gearing up for elections early next year, has long advocated a tough stance towards Pakistan.

India insists Pakistan act against anti-India rebel groups that operate from its soil before it can resume peace talks to resolve long-standing differences over Kashmir and other disputes.

Pakistan denies aiding and abetting attacks in India and says it is fighting armed groups for its own security.

Prospects for India-Pakistan ties are not particularly good. We have a government in Islamabad which has already lost ground to the military. In India, there is a government which finds it electorally useful to keep on attacking Pakistan on the issue of terrorism, said Joshi.

Zeenat Saberin contributed to this report from New Delhi
Incumbent president has a double-digit lead over his closest rival, Prabowo, whom he defeated in 2014.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has launched his re-election campaign, hoping to win over the countrys millennial and Muslim voters as Southeast Asias biggest economy tackles its many political challenges.

With the launch of his campaign on Friday in the run-up to elections due on April 17 next year, Widodo seeks to repeat his defeat of Prabowo Subianto, a retired special forces commander, in 2014 when the former furniture salesman had won a narrow victory after a fierce battle.

Each leader is pushing a nationalist economic platform, but issues of race and religion loom large in the battle to run the worlds largest Muslim-majority country.

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Differences in voting are fine, but dont forget our unity as a people, as a country, Widodo told reporters in capital Jakarta.

Most opinion polls give Widodo a double-digit lead over Prabowo, but some show the gap narrowing as the campaign begins.

Both sides are battling for the support of Indonesias roughly 80 million millennials, who form more than 40 percent of Indonesias voters.

Widodos advisers have pored over surveys of millennials and one, who declined to be identified without authorisation to speak to the media, said sports, music, and film were being targeted for their appeal to the group.

Indonesians are avid users of social media, which is crucial to election canvassing in the sprawling archipelago.

A video featuring the 57-year-old president in a motorbike stunt last month, when he appeared to roar into the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, proved wildly popular.

Wooing the hardliners

By contrast, the opposition is deploying its online slogan #GantiPresiden2019 (Change the President in 2019) to highlight growing economic pressure, including the rupiah currency, which plunged nine percent this year.





The opposition accuses Widodo of failing to reduce income inequality and deliver on a 2014 campaign pledge of seven percent growth.

But the most incendiary attacks have targeted Widodos religion and ethnicity, including accusations that he is a Christian and the son of Chinese communists.

To blunt such claims, Widodo chose as his running mate Maruf Amin, a conservative leader from Indonesias largest Muslim group, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), boasting of around 40 million members.

Some Widodo supporters, however, took issues with Amin, 75, to whom they attribute a key role in driving the rising intolerance. As head of a council of Muslim leaders, Amin issued fatwas condemning minority groups.

By contrast, Prabowo chose 49-year-old Sandiaga Uno, a US-educated businessman who ran successfully last year to be Jakartas vice governor, before resigning to be the oppositions candidate.

Prabowo, who has also long-courted conservative Islamic groups, this week accepted an endorsement by hardline Muslim leaders who were behind mass protests last year that brought down Jakartas then-governor, an ethnic Chinese Christian.
Constant fighting and the destruction of infrastructure has created severe protracted crisis in Libya, says Red Cross.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has called the deteriorating situation in Libya as desperate, citing constant fighting, the collapse of the economy, and the destruction of basic infrastructure.

In a series of tweets, the ICRC said these factors have caused a severe protracted crisis that has led to the increased vulnerability of hundreds of thousands of Libyans.

Collapsed economy and infrastructure has made life impossible in Libya, the ICRC tweeted.

Seven years of war in Libya has driven over 500,000 people to flee their homes, the organisation continued.

-Constant fighting across the country.

-Half a million people forced from their homes.

-Destruction of basic infrastructure. All these have created a severe protracted crisis in Libya. The result? Hundreds of thousands of Libyans are increasingly vulnerable.  ICRC (@ICRC) September 20, 2018

For Libyans trying to return home, theres not always much to return to. Houses, schools are often destroyed completely.

The group also cited the sabotaging of health facilities, water and electricity supplies, as well as the dangers of unexploded remnants.

Fighting in Tripoli resumes

As one of the few humanitarian organisations active in Libya, the ICRC has worked on distributing food and aid to internally displaced people across the country, which has been gripped by tribal and factional fighting nearly seven years after the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

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The existence of two rival legislatures  the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and the House of Representatives (HOR) based in eastern city of Tobruk  each with its own central bank and national oil company  highlights another challenge in the countrys plight to enact the necessary reforms and, ultimately, hold elections.

On September 10, armed men stormed the headquarters of Libyas National Oil Company in Tripoli, engaging guards in a deadly gun battle that left at least four dead, including two National Oil Company employees.

Last month, rival armed groups clashed in the capital Tripoli, resulting in dozens of people being killed.

The fighting was initiated by the Seventh Brigade, an armed group based in Tarhouna, 65km southeast of the capital, which launched a surprise offensive against rival militias and went on to seize control of the capitals only functioning airport, Mitiga.

At least 63 people were killed and 159 others  mostly civilians  were wounded.

A state of emergency was declared on September 2, before a UN-backed ceasefire was reached two days later.

However, fighting has since ensued and nine people including two civilians were killed on Thursday in the capitals southern outskirts, according to emergency services spokesperson Osama Ali.

Thirteen others, including four civilians, were also wounded.

Last week the UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, had already reported 14 ceasefire violations.

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday issued an appeal on Twitter urging the armed groups to abide by the ceasefire.
1MDB corruption scandal was atrocious and stiff action must be taken, prominent politician says.

Malaysias likely next prime minister condemned the former leader over the countrys ongoing corruption scandal, calling it one of the worst cases of graft the world has ever seen.

Anwar Ibrahim, president-elect of Malaysias Parti Keadilan Rakyat party, commented on the corruption charges looming over former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

It is atrocious, Anwar told Al Jazeeras UpFront host Mehdi Hasan. This is one of the worst financial scandals involving any government.

It is, therefore, imperative that stiff action be taken. But this new government has said and ensured investigations will be professional. Prosecution must not be malicious and the judiciary must be independent.

Allegations over the misappropriation of state funds at 1MDB emerged in 2015 as the public learned $4bn had gone missing, and nearly $700m was allegedly transferred into Najibs bank account.

Anwar was also asked if he held Najib totally responsible for the 1MDB scandal.

Yes, he said. I first raised this issue in parliament in 2011 and I stood by it throughout the years until I was arrested and in prison in 2015.

Its time





Speaking about his own political ambitions, Anwar explained why he changed his mind and decided to run for parliament so soon after being released.

I was in prison a total 10 and a half years. What do you do? Read and relax, he said.

Now, four months have passed since the last elections  and I think its time for me to re-enter parliament to assist in parliamentary reform.

In what were widely seen as politically motivated and trumped-up charges, Anwar was twice sent to prison under Malaysias controversial sodomy law. The current penalty for breaking it can result in up to 20 years imprisonment and public whipping.

This is not only archaic, it is British colonial laws, introduced in India and replicated in Malaysia. It is completely unjust because one can be just accused, and without any proper evidence, Anwar said.

The laws must be amended to ensure theres justice in the process and is not a matter of sexual orientation, he added. Its what you perform or you display publicly, which is against the norms of the majority of Malaysians not only Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists alike in this country.

During the interview, Anwar also commented on the recent public caning of two women accused of attempting to have sex in Malaysias northeastern state of Terengganu.

I have condemned even the caning of lesbians by the Islamic party state of Terengganu, he said. I thought this was clearly unjust. Although they use sharia (Islamic law) as a basis, we cannot defend such action.

With regards to the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Partys proposed bill to enhance the powers of Islamic courts in Kelantan state, Anwar said: It is their interpretation that is being introduced, and we reject that. At least allow a forum to discuss this.

So, well have to re-look at the whole issue of this narrow obscure interpretation of the sharia, which we cannot endorse.
Police destroy underwater sculptures at Fairmont hotel as president puts Islam at center of re-election campaign.

Male, Maldives  Guests on a five-star honeymoon resort in the Maldives caught a rare glimpse of the decades-long political and religious tensions rocking this island nation when policemen  armed with axes, concrete saws and ropes  stormed the Fairmont Maldives to destroy model human figures that had been deemed un-Islamic.

The unprecedented raid on Friday came as President Abdulla Yameen railed against what he said was a plot by the Western-backed opposition to undermine Islam in the Maldives in advance of a highly charged election on Sunday.

Standing in a tropical storm on the tarmac in a half-completed airport in the northern Maldives, Yameen lambasted his opponents for promoting Western standards that are intolerable to our society and values.

I bring you development and prosperity, he declared as the rain and wind whipped coconut palms in the distance.

What does the opposition offer? They talk of democracy  What do they do in the name of Western-backed democracy? They protest to seek rights for homosexuals.

He made no mention of the police raid on the resort.

Breaking News: Qanoonaa khilaafah Siirufenfushee ga bahattaafaivaa budhu thah negumuge amalee masahkaiy Dhivehi Raajje ge salaamathee baaruthakun fashaifi. pic.twitter.com/h0m0cwUgXE  PSM News (@psmnewsmv) September 21, 2018

Yameen, who is seeking re-election after five years of rule marred by allegations of human rights abuses and corruption, had ordered the removal of the nearly 30 statues from the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi in July, citing significant public sentiment against them.

That was after several Muslim leaders warned against the sin of worshipping idols when the Fairmont hotel opened the art gallery, called a coralarium, to the public.

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The Candian hotelier called it the worlds first semi-submerged gallery, and Jason deCaires Taylor, the British-Guyanese artist behind the installations, said his aim was to raise awareness for the protection of Maldives coral reefs, which are under threat from warming oceans associated with climate change.

On Thursday, police said the civil court had issued a ruling ordering the resort to take down the sculptures, saying the installation undermines Islamic faith, peace and order in the country.

The judgment ordered the police and the army to remove the human models if the resort failed to do so within five hours, the police said in a statement.

A video posted on Twitter by the state-owned Public Service Media showed policemen cheering as one statue was pulled off its plinth into the lagoon. The broadcaster described the figures as illegal.

The police, also in a post on Twitter, said all human model sculptures in the coralarium were cleared out by 5:45pm on Friday evening.

Sirru Fen Fushi resortgai hedhifaiva Coralrium gai insaanunge soora sifa vaagothah behettifaiva sculpture thah naga coralarium vany miadhuge 17:45 gai huskurevifai. pic.twitter.com/Yamgw4evCn  Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) September 21, 2018

Shortly after the raid, Jamiyyath Salaf, a religious organisation that lobbies for the death penalty and strict Islamic law, declared its support for the president.

Shahindha Ismail, executive director of human rights group Maldivian Democracy Network, described the polices actions as a destructive and desperate attempt by the president to court the religious vote.

She said Yameen, who is facing sanctions from the European Union over alleged rights violations, began his re-election bid by putting Islam at the centre of his campaign.

Indeed, after facing criticism from Western powers and neighbouring India over a wideranging crackdown on dissent, Yameen has sought to portray himself as defending sovereignty and religion in the Sunni Muslim nation. He quit the Commonwealth, and fostered close ties with China and Saudi Arabia, praising the two countries for funding his development agenda without interfering in the countrys affairs.

As his running mate this year, he chose a Muslim leader with close ties to the Saudis, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed.

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His opponents, however, accuse him of politicising Islam in order to deflect criticism over rights abuses.

Over the past five years, Yameen has jailed or forced into exile nearly all of his political rivals, suspended parliament, shuttered critical and independent media, and declared two states of emergencies over alleged threats to national security.

He has presided over a crackdown on liberal voices even as scores of young men and women left the country to join armed groups in various conflicts in the Middle East, including fighting with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Meanwhile, a journalist was disappeared, a blogger was killed, and several rights activists received death threats for criticising street crime and religious violence.

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the oppositions joint candidate, has promised to investigate the attacks, restore democracy, release dissidents and investigate corruption allegations against Yameen.

Ismail, of the Maldivian Democracy Network, said those who seek to promote human rights and democracy in the country have been branded anti-Islamic ever since prison riots in 2003 led to a democratic uprising.

Successive governments have used religion to legitimise authoritarian actions since then, she said, which has empowered far-right religious actors in the country.

That is why the art installation at the Fairmont became a flashpoint, she said.

The hotel did not respond to calls for comment.

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Ibrahim Muaz Ali, Yameens spokesman, denied any link between the taking down of the statues and the upcoming vote, but refused to answer additional questions.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Nihan, parliamentary group leader of the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives, posted a tweet with police destroying the statues and the hashtag #YameenShaheem2018.

He had previously thanked Yameen for the removal order.

Sirrufenfusheega E Thanuge Management in Behetti Budhu Thah Dhivehi Sarukaarun Nagaa Nimmaifi. #YameenSaheem2018 pic.twitter.com/dZB7mfdmxY  Ahmed Nihan (@ahmed_nihan) September 21, 2018

A similar outcry occurred in 2011 during a meeting of South Asian leaders in the Maldives southern Addu City over the installation of statues gifted by the countrys neighbours.

Several monuments, including a bust of Pakistans founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, were torched, while the head of Sri Lankas lion statue was decapitated.

The police eventually took down all the monuments.

Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, spokesman for the Maldivian Democratic Party, which leads the four-party alliance seeking to remove Yameen, declined to comment on the removal of the statues from the Fairmont hotel.

Isha Afeef reported from Male. Zaheena Rasheed reported and wrote from Colombo.
Nigerias young daughters are sold as money wives

Girls as young as five are being sold to settle their parents debt as part of a tradition known as money marriages.
Quarrying operations suspended in parts of Philippines after a new landslide kills dozens in Mangkhuts wake.

The Philippines has suspended all mining operations in seven regions of the country after a new landslide killed at least 29 people near a limestone quarry on Cebu island.

Rescue operations resumed on Friday after a hillside collapsed and surged down on about 24 houses in two rural villages in Naga city on Thursday.

DPA news agency quoted an official from the provincial disaster risk reduction office as saying as many as 67 people were still believed buried by the debris.

Police said more than 1,200 people had been evacuated, most of them forcibly, from the area on Thursday night, according to The Associated Press.

Relatives of those buried pleaded for more backhoes to be brought in as many rescue workers were using shovels to dig.

They are still under the rubble, they are still there. They are covered in shallow earth, we need a backhoe, resident Nimrod Parba, who had 13 relatives entombed by the landslide, was quoted as saying.

Many workers were using shovels to dig on the second day of the rescue operation [Bullit Marquez/The Associated Press]

A spokesman for the Naga city government said many of the rescuers were digging manually because it is dangerous to use heavy equipment.

Worst storm of the year

The landslide happened just days after Typhoon Mangkhut wreaked havoc in the Philippines, leaving at least 95 people dead nationwide.

Many of the deaths occurred in Itogon, in northern Benguet province, where the worlds strongest storm of the year set off a major landslide that hit a bunkhouse where people were taking shelter from the typhoon.

While Mangkhut, locally called Ompong, did not directly hit the central Philippines island, it intensified monsoon rains that could have played a role in destabilising the mountainside in Naga city.

Philippines Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Friday announced the 15-day suspension of quarrying operations in parts of the country pending safety assessments.

It could also happen in other quarries all over the country, Cimatu told a media briefing in Naga city.

I ordered the review and assessment of all quarry operations all over the country to determine the safety of the quarry operations.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he wanted to put an end to all mining activity in the country.

If I were to do my thing, I will close all mining in the Philippines, he said.

The Philippines is one of the worlds most disaster-prone countries.

It is lashed by about 20 tropical storms each year and has active seismic faults where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. Poverty forces many people to live in vulnerable areas, making natural disasters more deadly.
Syrian opposition fears Bashar al-Assad will cement grip on power.

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Thousands still without adequate shelter or reliable electrical power a year after deadly hurricane ravaged the island.

Puerto Ricans gathered in the US territorys capital, San Juan, on Thursday to remember the thousands who died in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria one year ago.

Religious leaders and government officials recalled how Puerto Rico was ravaged by the Category-4 storm that killed an estimated 2,975 people and caused more than an estimated $100bn in damage.

Tens of thousands remain without adequate shelter or reliable electrical power, Governor Ricardo Rossello said on Thursday.

After that catastrophic experience, we acknowledge how complex and difficult it is to prepare for a hurricane of that magnitude and fury, Rosello said.

The best tribute we can give these people, these brothers that weve lost, is to build a better Puerto Rico for their sons, their grandsons and their families.

Dignitaries and guests attend a remembrance ceremony convened by the Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rossello at the San Cristobal Castle, on the anniversary of Hurricane Maria, in San Juan [Carlos Giusti/AP Photo]

Inexplicable

A year after the storm, major power outages are still being reported, tens of thousands of insurance claims are still pending and nearly 60,000 homes still have temporary roofs unable to withstand a Category-1 hurricane.

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I think its inexplicable, Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty Internationals secretary-general, told The Associated Press during a visit to the island on Thursday. Theres no justifiable reason I can see for this gross level of negligence.

Across the island, people marked the one-year anniversary with gatherings large and small, solemn and anger-tinged  and at times, even hopeful.

In the coastal fishing and farming village of Yabucoa, the strains of one of Puerto Ricos most beloved songs filled the air at 6:15am, the exact moment the storm made landfall there one year ago.

Tarps still covered many homes that have yet to be rebuilt in the town of 37,000, even as the nostalgic strains of Amanecer Borincano  Puerto Rican Dawn  resonated at the spot where Maria first unleashed its fury.

I am the light of the morning that illuminates new paths, a choir sang as dozens of local officials and residents gathered there. I am the son of palm trees, of fields and rivers.

Wilson Reyes attaches a solar lamp to a clothesline outside his home, as his neighbourhood was still without power nine months after Hurricanes Irma and Maria battered the island [File: Alvin Baez/Reuters]

In San Juan, the crowd of worshippers gathered at the 230-year-old San Cristobal fort sang and prayed along with pastors and musicians on stage, with music echoing through the forts heavy walls as the sun slowly sank into the sea behind them.

Pastor Elder Gonzalez said he and other volunteers who flew to Puerto Rico after the hurricane to help were shocked at what he saw from up high.

To see the island of enchantment was a deep and painful experience, he said. No one on the plane said a word.

Obstacles remain

Government officials argue that many changes have been made to better prepare Puerto Rico for future storms, but they acknowledge that significant obstacles remain.

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Jose Ortiz, director of Puerto Ricos Electric Power Authority, told reporters that 20 percent of repairs made to the power grid need to be redone. He said crews did not have access to the best materials at the time or were forced to rely on temporary fixes, such as using trees as makeshift power polls after Maria destroyed up to 75 percent of transmission lines.

In addition, municipal officials have complained that reconstruction efforts are too slow. Ariel Soto, assistant to the mayor of the mountain town of Morovis, said that 220 families there remain without a proper roof.

Were still waiting for help, he said. This hit us hard.

In San Juan, among those still living under a blue tarp during the peak of hurricane season was Sixta Gladys Pena, a 72-year-old community leader.

You worry, because you think its going to fly off like it did before, she said. Weve lost an entire year and nothing has been resolved. You feel powerless.

On Thursday, Ben Carson, secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced in San Juan that $1.5bn was being released to Puerto Rico as part of the overall $20bn pledged for rebuilding, the largest in the agencys history.

Officials said the priority is to help people still living under tarps, as well as those in low and middle-income housing. The money will be used to repair and rebuild homes, relocate people and help them obtain property titles if needed.

The path forward is challenging and will be measured not in months, but really in years, Carson said.

In recent weeks, Puerto Ricans have become increasingly angry and frustrated as President Donald Trump touted what he said was a fantastic response to Hurricane Maria, calling it an unsung success as he denied the official death toll without presenting any evidence.

A closed business is seen at a touristic area of Condado, a year after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

On Thursday, Trump issued a one-sentence statement on the one-year anniversary of Maria. We stand with Puerto Rico, and we are helping them to rebuild stronger and better than ever before, it said.

Nivia Rodriguez, a 60-year-old retiree whose uncle died a week after Maria, is among those disgruntled by Trumps comments, as well as by videos of rescue crews responding to Hurricane Florence in North Carolina.

They saved five dogs that were drowning, she said of the rescue effort after Florence hit, adding that she feels Puerto Rico didnt get the same treatment. That hits you.

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Like many, Rodriguez hoped that after Thursday, she would no longer be bombarded by photos and videos that make her feel like shes reliving Hurricane Maria.

Its too much, she said.

But others felt that Marias tragic legacy still needs to be acknowledged, even long after the anniversary has passed. Among them was a group of artists unveiling an exhibition called simply, 6:15 AM

Artist Omar Banuchi, who organised the exhibit, said he was reluctant at first, in part because he didnt know how to approach the subject. Its something that affected all of us and keeps affecting us, he said.

He said the exhibition walks a fine line, with some paintings showing beautiful landscapes alongside trailers set up by Puerto Ricos forensics institute as part of the effort to try to identify the bodies of those who perished in the storm. There also will be live music that will incorporate sounds of the hurricane hitting the island.

The point is for people to have a good time, Banuchi said. But there will be certain uncomfortable moments  Maria is still a difficult topic.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said concrete frontiers of the demilitarised zone set to help stop attacks.

Russia and Turkey agreed on borders of the demilitarised zone around Syrias Idlib, part of a deal aimed to prevent a military assault on the last rebel enclave, Russias top diplomat said.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the announcement on Friday as his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said he and Lavrov would meet Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in New York City next week to further discuss the situation in Syria.

Just yesterday or the day before, the militaries of Russia and Turkey agreed the concrete frontiers of the demilitarised zone, Lavrov told reporters during a visit to Sarajevo.





Moscow said the demilitarised zone would help stop attacks from Idlib on Syrian army positions and Russias military bases in the region.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the establishment of the 15-20km zone.

Security in the area will be overseen by Turkish contingents and Russian military police. The agreement will prevent military action against Idlib, Russias defence minister said.

Its an intermediate step  but a necessary step, Lavrov said of the zone.

By mid-October, all [fighters from Hayet Tahrir al-Sham] must leave this demilitarised zone, and all heavy military equipment must be pulled out of there, he said.

According to the diplomatic sources in Ankara, a coordinated feasibility study on the zone is being held by the Turkish and Russian military and intelligence officers. It is planned to be completed by September 30 and then presented to Putin and Erdogan.

Newly displaced Syrians arrive at a refugee camp in Idlib last week [Reuters]

Cavusoglu said he will join Lavrov and Zarif in a trilateral meeting on Syria in New York, on the sideline of the UN General Assembly meeting.

Russia and Iran are key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime, helping the Syrian government establish control over most of the countrys territory after intervening in the multifront conflict in 2015.

Potential for fighting persists

Turkey, however, backs opposition fighters seeking to overthrow the Syrian leader. It has said a large-scale offensive against the rebels could trigger a mass exodus towards its border.

Dr Oytun Orhan, coordinator of Syria studies at the Ankara based Center for Middle Eastern Studies, told Al Jazeera that Turkey might need to take military measures against fighter groups in case of a confrontation threat, particularly against formerly al-Qaeda-affiliated Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). He said especially foreign fighters within the HTS have the potential to sabotage the zone deal.

In Idlib, protests continue in the rebel-held province calling on the international community to stop the bloodshed, while demanding the removal of Assad.

Syrian activist Alaa el-Ahmed told Al Jazeera there is a feeling among the opposition that they have been abandoned by the world.





We are concerned because some countries are now moving closer to the regime. Europe and the US, for example, they have not taken any real stance against the crimes committed by the regime, Ahmed said.

An estimated three million Syrians live in Idlib, half of them already displaced from cities and towns under state control.

Meanwhile, Jan Egeland, a UN humanitarian aid official for Syria, warned he still sees great potential for a lot of fighting in Idlib  despite the recent accord between Russia and Turkey.

Egeland said its not over and air raids and ground offensives are likely to continue against UN-listed terrorist groups whose fighters live near civilians.

Egeland said some armed groups were prepared to fight to the end and urged talks with them to end the conflict without bloodshed for civilians.

Additional reporting by Sinem Koseoglu in Istanbul
The Sandiganbayan has ordered the imprisonment of a former mayor in Davao del Sur who allowed firecrackers to be sold in the public market in his town. Former Mayor Edwin Granada Reyes of Bansalan, Davao del Sur was sentenced to six to 10 years imprisonment by the anti-graft courts Seventh Division. Reyes was also barred from holding public office for graft. He was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Reyes co-accused, former Bansalan chief of police Solomon de Castilla and then-Business Permits and Licensing officer Rita Domingo, were also meted the same sentence.In its decision, the Sandiganbayan said prosecutors proved that Reyes issued a Mayors Permit for the sale of firecrackers in the Bansalan Public Market, which was razed by fire in December 2009 when a cigaret butt ignited the stored fireworks in Building 2 of the market. The incident led the filing of a graft charge against Reyes and his co-accused due to their failure to implement Municipal Ordinance 357 that prohibits the display of firecrackers in the public market and the lack of a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate from the vendors.
The Saudi-led military coalition has been accused of bombing multiple civilian targets, including hospitals.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of attempting to shut down a UN-backed war crimes investigation in Yemen where thousands of civilians have died in the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday said Saudi Arabia was making a blatant attempt to avoid scrutiny of its conduct in Yemen, where a Saudi and UAE-led coalition intervened in 2015 to support President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadis government against Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The allegations follow two rival resolutions on Yemen at the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

A resolution led by a group of European countries and Canada calls for a one-year extension of the inquiry that last month reported evidence of possible war crimes by all sides in Yemen, including the Saudi-led coalition.

A second text, led by Tunisia on behalf of the group of Arab states, makes no mention of extending the probe, but calls for Yemens often-criticised National Commission of Inquiry to continue studying the conflict.

Saudi Arabi and the United Arab Emirates are both members of the Arab group on the 47-member rights council.

The Saudi-led coalitions campaign to discredit and undermine a UN investigation into abuses by all Yemens warring parties is yet another blatant attempt to avoid scrutiny of the coalitions own actions in Yemen, John Fisher, HRWs Geneva director, said in a statement.

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The Human Rights Council cannot afford to fail Yemeni civilians. States should renew the mandate of the [probe] or risk the councils credibility, he added.

Diplomatic haggling over the rival texts is likely to continue before the current rights council session closes next week.

In their first and only report issued on August 28, the UN experts cited rights violations in Yemen including deprivation of the right to life, arbitrary detention, rape, torture, enforced disappearances and child recruitment by Yemeni government forces and their Saudi and Emirati allies.

It said the Houthi rebels were also responsible for the same abuses.

UN standoff

The standoff comes three weeks after UN investigators issued a scathing report, saying the governments of Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates could be responsible for war crimes.

The looming face-off is a familiar one at the 47-member UN rights body.

The Dutch and Canadians have repeatedly sought over the years to ensure that UN-backed investigators get access to as much of the country as possible  including areas hit by air attacks by the Saudi-led coalition.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly blocked such efforts and pushed instead for a national rights commission, supported by the Yemeni government, to carry out such investigations with advice from and consultation with the UN rights office. But the commission hasnt had access to rebel-held areas.

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Last year, Saudi Arabia gave its support to a consensus resolution creating the eminent experts group, after a diplomatic letter emerged in which Riyadh warned at least two other countries that any support for international independent investigators could negatively affect trade.

In its war in Yemen, the Saudi-led coalition receives military hardware and support from the United States, Britain and France. The coalition forces have also been criticised for air attacks that have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties.

At least 10,000 have died in fighting in the impoverished country in what the UN has called the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.
Al Jazeera speaks to 28-year-old Shin, who ran for Seoul mayor in June, about sexism and obstacles in politics.

Seoul, South Korea  When South Koreans went to polls for location elections in June this year, out of the 71 candidates vying for 17 local government positions, only six of them were women.

Two of the female candidates were from Green Party Korea which was launched in 2012 and has no members in the National Assembly.

Shin Ji-ye, another of the female candidates, ran for mayor of Seoul, one of the most important political positions in the country.

Shin launched her campaign only six months prior to the elections. Her feminist stance attracted huge opposition, including cyberbullying, online threats and her campaign posters were destroyed.

She finished fourth in the race, winning almost 83,000 votes (1.67 percent).

Al Jazeera spoke to the 28-year-old about Korean politics, the male dominance and the obstacles that block aspiring female politicians from coming forward.

Al Jazeera: Why did you decide to enter politics?

Shin Ji-ye: I started my journey in 2016. I realised that certain laws needed to change and, in order to do that, I wanted to become a politician, change the laws and make peoples lives a bit happier. In the beginning, I thought we needed a typical politician, someone middle-aged with experience. But then I thought, in Korean society, in 2018, we dont need that.

The most important task in politics today is about equality, including gender. Until now, Korean politics was focused on economic growth and that needs to change.

Al Jazeera: So youre saying the current politicians are not doing what the country needs right?

Shin: I cant say its going the right way. Were still fighting discrimination law, abortion law and the like. Weve been fighting but the laws are not changing.

Al Jazeera: What obstacles did you face when you announced you were running for Seoul mayor?

Shin: I gained so much attention because Im young and female. Everybody treated me like a young girl. They asked me how old I was and what my mothers job was. In Korea, at this age, females usually do supportive jobs. So, I had to explain why I was capable and why I can do this. Also, running in the elections is very expensive here in Korea.

I also experienced a lot of cyberbullying, got threats online  someone threatened to cut off my breasts  and my campaign posters were ripped off. People around me were scared but I never had second thoughts about it.

Al Jazeera: Female candidates werent able to win any positions. Their numbers are the highest in the National Assembly but still low in comparison to the rest of the world. Why is that?

Shin: In Korea, men have more power in politics. Our politics is centred around these men. The dominant parties are not really interested in gender equality. Also, because of the recommendation system, women cant get in easily. Its made up of mostly men. If you resist or appeal, they wont recommend you the next time. You can try and complain but it usually doesnt work. Nobody takes it seriously and the democracy within the parties is not working.

Choo Mi-ae (former ruling party chairperson) was a judge and was selected by Kim Dae-jung (former president). Thats a typical route for females to get into politics: a powerful male selects a woman and she becomes popular.

According to Shin, she got so much attention because she was a young female candidate [Faras Ghani/Al Jazeera]

Al Jazeera: Does Korea have enough female politicians?

Shin: Right now, we have the highest numbers in the National Assembly (17 percent). Weve been fighting for our rights for a long time. Our aim was to get up to 30 percent. Theres a long way to go but because I ran for the elections as a young woman, I heard more females are now interested in politics.

If you get into the internal politics of a party, its not easy for female politicians and for those who want to fight back. If they want to go higher, its not very easy. The structure doesnt make it easy for female politicians and female alliances to fight back.

Even if theres a strong demand in society for more female politicians, the request goes into the party and gets sidelined due to internal politics. One solution is to have someone inside who can make the change. Otherwise, the country needs a party fighting for womens rights to get into the National Assembly.

One reason why I think the feminist movements cant get bigger in Korea is because of strong male alliances in society. Its going to take a while, maybe 100 years, until society has gender equality.

Al Jazeera: One hundred years? Why continue if you think it wont change in your lifetime?

Shin: The reason why we are where we are is because of people before us. They made it possible. Its our duty to improve things for the next generation. Its going to be a long fight. Its a matter of persistence. Strategically, in the short term, my joining the DPK (ruling party) wouldve been better but Im with the Green Party because of the system and culture.

Al Jazeera: Why did you not join the DPK?

Shin: Because if Im part of the DPK, I feel like Im part of the current system. And its that system that needs to change. And it wouldnt have been easy for me to change that system being part of the DPK.

Al Jazeera: What does Korea need more of? Whats your message?

Shin: We need a change in the paradigm. Our main focus has always been economic growth. Female, LGBTI and poverty-related issues have been sidelined. Korea has a very high suicide and elderly poverty rate.

I want to suggest a paradigm of equality. A country where citizens can be happy. Some people have called Korea hell. I think its time for a miracle of equality.

Translation by Min Jung Kim.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Thailand military govt partially lifts ban on political activity

Since the coup that removed Thailands largest party from office, political gatherings of five people or more have been outlawed.
They want an FBI investigation of an individual who won't talk to the FBI of 36-year-old allegations of a drunken party she doesn't remember the exact date or location of; how she got there; how she got home; who was there; or why, after she allegedly feared for her life, she didn't even tell her parents.

Using the hashtag "#DearProfessorFord," the "sentence first, trial later" accusers of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have been pouring out tweets expressing sympathy for the ordeal of Professor Christine Blasey Ford, the liberal Democrat activist.

No sympathy is expressed for Kavanaugh's wife and two daughters or where he is going to go to get his reputation back. How about a "Dear Mrs. Kavanaugh" letter expressing regret to her and her daughters for the slime her husband is being dragged through over charges that are less specific than most sightings of Bigfoot?

Bill Clinton rape accuser Juanita Broaddrick never got a letter expressing sympathy for her ordeal, nor did any of the other "bimbo eruptions" wife Hillary took care of with scathing attacks and organized threats and harassment. She has an idea: if Ford does not want to testify, Broaddrick is quite willing to show up and tell the Senate Judiciary Committee just what credible charges of assault look like:

Juanita Broaddrick, whose Twitter profile reads, in part, "rape survivor of Bill Clinton," has been watching the allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh unfold and is surprised by the accuser's refusal to tell her story. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school, has yet to accept the invitation to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. The committee has even offered her concessions and are [sic] willing to speak to her in her home state of California, but still she has not accepted. Well, Broaddrick said Wednesday that if Ford is not willing to testify about her allegation, she sure is.

She said in a tweet:

Just a thought If Christine Ford declines to be interviewed Monday... I'm available to answer questions about my Rape by Bill Clinton.

She is disgusted by the double standard that says women who bring forth assault charges should be immediately deemed credible, a standard that seems to apply only to liberal Democrat women, and noted that Sen. Dianne Feinstein had absolutely no interest in what she had to say about Bill Clinton assaulting her. As Broaddrick said on The Ingraham Angle recently:

Oh, it makes me go back to 1999, when Dianne Feinstein, along with every other Democrat, refused to read my deposition to the independent counsel[.] ... They would have nothing to do with it. That shows you the difference in the double standard that existed back then and still does today.

Broaddrick does not accept the psychobabble being expressed in defense of Ford  her alleged trauma and repressed memory. Ford is not an infant, despite attempts by Democrats to portray her as wounded, scared, and vulnerable. She is a professional woman, an accomplished professor in liberal academia, who should be quite able to remember and specifically articulate her allegations against Kavanaugh:

One psychologist told the Post that it "may be challenging to recall peripheral details of an assault years later... but that should not detract from a victim's veracity 'if she can clearly and consistently articulate central details of what happened, such as the who, what and where.'" Broaddrick does not agree. She told the Daily Caller she doesn't believe the leftist psychology professor, and for the same reason that some do. Broaddrick "cited Ford's timing and lack of firm details in her retelling of the account." ... Of particular note to Broaddrick  who, unlike Ford, told friends about Clinton's attack right afterward  was Ford's inability to remember where the party was or who was there. When I went through her accounting of what had happened, I cannot imagine not knowing where you were and who was there and when it happened," she told The DC. "I remember everything that had happened to me. Friends found me immediately after the rape and witnessed the condition I was in. I remember all the specifics, the exact time it happened, 8:30 in the morning." Ford said she can't remember how she got to the party or who drove her home.

Women do lie about sexual assault, and false accusations of rape and sexual assault are not uncommon in a media obsessed with the mythical "war on women" by conservatives like Judge Kavanaugh. One need only remember the infamous and false Rolling Stone story about an alleged rape at the University of Virginia, the story a key part of the portrayal of an alleged "rape culture" rampant on college campuses.

And then there's the Duke lacrosse team's ordeal after being accused of assaulting a stripper at a party, a story pushed by an ambitious prosecutor, Mike Nifong, and a media all too eager to condemn the culture enjoyed by these obvious beneficiaries of "white privilege." Three Duke players were falsely accused of assaulting a black girl, and Nifong admitted pursuing the false charges for personal political gain.

We remember what happened to Herman Cain, successful black American businessman and conservative, the Democrats' worst nightmare. Out came the accusations against the man who threatened liberal orthodoxy and the liberal power structure, unproven and unprovable allegations of misconduct. As soon as he abandoned his presidential run, his accusers vanished back into the woodwork from whence they came, their mission accomplished.

Justice may be blind, but it is not brain-dead. If Ford does not show up to testify and prove her case, a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination should be held. And maybe we should just accept Juanita Broaddrick's offer.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
" J'accuse " was the title of an editorial published in France in 1898 exposing a military cover-up of a French army captain falsely accused of espionage, later exonerated, but with the army suppressing the new evidence, concealing the army's erroneous conviction. Eerie parallels can be drawn from this story to current events involving President Trump and the Deep State.

Two and a half centuries of legal precedent in the United States is based on the assumption of "innocent until proven guilty." The law provides for due process, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, trial by a jury of one's peers, and other measures preventing conviction based solely on an accusation.

J'accuse, meaning "I accuse," has become the new legal standard in America, at least for Supreme Court nominees. Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination is in jeopardy based on the accusation of one woman, claiming sexual misconduct over thirty years ago when both were in high school.

She doesn't remember when the alleged assault occurred, or where it took place, who else was present, or any other information that would support her accusation. She doesn't want to publicly state her case to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the nation. Instead, she hides behind her desire for privacy and anonymity, despite this entire stunt being planned, including the accuser hiring an attorney and taking a polygraph test at least a month before she "reluctantly" went public with her accusations.

In other words, Kavanaugh is guilty simply because Christine Blasey Ford cries, "J'accuse," then runs and hides behind the skirts of her attorney and her #MeToo compatriots. There is only that one word serving as judge, jury, and executioner, throwing due process out the window.

One hundred women know Judge Kavanaugh and stand behind his honor, decency, and integrity. There is no pattern of boorish behavior, as is typically seen with sexual predators  Harvey Weinstein, Bill Clinton, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Keith Ellison, to name just a few examples. There may, however, be a pattern to Dr. Ford's accusations, as there are rumors of a similar letter she wrote regarding Neil Gorsuch ahead of his confirmation.

Who needs evidence or proof of allegations when the accusation alone is enough? That's the opinion of Ford's attorney, Democrat activist Debra Katz, who said "it is not her client's job to corroborate her claims." Who needs evidence or corroboration? J'accuse is enough.

Even Senator Dianne Feinstein acknowledges, "I can't say everything is truthful." Well, isn't that grand? The grand inquisitor can't even confirm that her grand inquisition has merit.

Hillary Clinton weighed in as well, saying, "Christine Blasey Ford deserves the benefit of the doubt in her accusation that Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court, sexually assaulted her when the two were teenagers." J'accuse is adequate, in other words.

What about the benefit of the doubt for Judge Kavanaugh? Despite the overwhelming preponderance of evidence being on his side, it's suddenly his responsibility to prove his innocence, to disprove what a single Democrat activist claims in her j'accuse letter to Senator Feinstein.

Mrs. Clinton forgets that her husband had a string of accusers, not just a single one, meaning a pattern of behavior. Did those women receive the benefit of the doubt? Hardly. Mrs. Clinton and her "bimbo eruption team" viciously attacked the accusers and investigators, demeaning and physically threatening them.

Not only did they not have their own j'accuse moments, but they also did not even have due process. Mrs. Clinton must have a short memory.

My local newspaper, the liberal Denver Post, also stands by j'accuse legal doctrine, saying: "Kavanaugh must now clear his name if he is to be confirmed." By the paper's standards, he is guilty until he proves himself innocent  quite the opposite of the standards of American jurisprudence.

Let's play this out in a few different ways and see what the responses might be.

J'accuse Barack Obama of being a Muslim born in Kenya, not a natural-born citizen, ineligible to be president.

J'accuse the government of orchestrating 9/11, deliberately setting explosives in the towers, including Building 7, which was not hit by a plane.

J'accuse the government of orchestrating the Sandy Hook school shooting in order to advance its gun control agenda.

J'accuse the Clintons and their hired muscle of murdering dozens of people who were either in their way or threatening to expose Clinton crimes.

These are all considered conspiracy theories. Promoting them will get you banned from social media platforms, ostracized, and called names like "birther" or "truther," despite there being enough evidence out there to at least give one pause before declaring them total nonsense. Just ask Alex Jones.

Why can't j'accuse apply to accusations problematic for or damaging to the left rather than only to nominees to the Supreme Court from Republican presidents? Clarence Thomas a generation ago went through the same thing Brett Kavanaugh is going through now: an unsubstantiated accusation without corroborating evidence, in sync with Democrat senators and the entire media, designed to subvert judicial precedent and the constitutional prerogative of the president to make nominations to the Supreme Court.

Kavanaugh has had half a dozen FBI background checks and sits on the second highest court in the land, with nary a peep about him being a closet rapist until days before his confirmation vote. Why now?

Today we have two legal doctrines. Republicans are guilty until they prove themselves innocent. Brett Kavanaugh is a rapist and predator based on a single flimsy accusation, and the burden is on him to prove a negative.

Democrats, on the other hand, are innocent even when proven guilty. James Comey detailed how Hillary Clinton mishandled secure emails and classified information, charges that normally lead to a long prison term, and concluded his findings by declaring her innocent.

J'accuse is a true witch hunt. Remember the presumed witches of Salem, who were put to death over a simple accusation. Or the millions of Soviets and East Germans finding themselves in a gulag or a grave over the accusations from a neighbor.

Adding insult to injury is the response of Republicans. Few are coming to Kavanaugh's defense; instead, they are wringing their hands, talking about fairness, acting like cowards in the face of hypocrisy and injustice. These same Republicans are a single j'accuse away from having their careers and families ruined over the standard of justice they acquiesce to.

GOP senators are being played as patsies. Democrats change the rules and goalposts every hour regarding who will testify and when and under what circumstances. They will stall and try to run out the clock until they can invoke the Biden rule, pushing off any Supreme Court nomination as long as possible, hoping for an intervening miracle like the Democrats winning the Senate in November.

Or they will stall until a few other scorned women can be paid or convinced to fabricate memories of Brett Kavanaugh's wild and crazy high school antics  with the media cheerleading each new revelation until a few squishy senators abandon honor and principle, throwing the judge overboard.

Appeasement of the j'accuse movement will only feed the beast, encouraging further such behavior. Republicans are too cowardly or clueless to recognize this.

Brian C Joondeph, M.D., MPS is a Denver-based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Wars, Patriots, and Traitors: Recalling Korea and Vietnam

I was released from the Army reserve in January 1961, having served in Korea during the war. The timing was lucky for me, but not for the next generation of draft-age men because it was the year that a simmering stew in Vietnam was boiling over into warfare. This time. it was against the Communists under Ho Chi Minh, based in Hanoi. The conflict in Vietnam is a sordid tale of political plots and maneuvers, backstabbing, fall-guys, and the murder by insiders of South Vietnamese anti-communist leader, Ngo Dinh Diem. To identify the perpetrators of this bloody war that took the lives of more than 58,000 of our young men would require two fingers  one pointing to Moscow, the other to Washington. Whether President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) was a culpable agent in this military holocaust, something historians were too eager to prove, the fact remains that the Vietnam War was Americas most unpopular war. It ignited protests and demonstrations not witnessed since the Civil War. Men burned draft cards and fled to Canada to escape the draft. Open defiance by draft-dodgers in the performance of duty to country was something that I and my generation could not justify. In our world, such flagrant disrespect for the law was inexcusable  not because we could be sent to jail if we refused to heed the draft call, and not whether it was fact or fiction that we were pawns in games of chess played by power-hungry rulers. The draft call was obeyed because serving ones country was the right thing to do  as was serving ones family and serving God.

This authentic American morality [1] was echoed in a comment on war movies, made some years ago by Clyde N. Wilson. A good war film, he said, shows Americans coming together to sacrifice their lives for their country. For their country: because it is...the right thing to do. [Emphasis added.] LeRoy Eaton, a fellow Korean War veteran, put it this way: No sane person wants to go to war. But the war happened and...so it was our job to go to Korea. That was pretty much how we felt...We knew what was expected of us and hoped that we were able to give what was asked. Most of us went to Korea for Honor and Country...I grew up to believe that a person who fails or refuses his country is called a traitor Most others at that time thought like I did. They went to Korea to do as their country asked without complaining. The honorable action displayed by the vast majority of military service members rests on the bedrock of this genuine morality, fast against the erratic currents of passion and politics. Though it was not clear to me at the time, the split in loyalties in America initiated by the Left, in tandem with violent demonstrations by ignorant social rebels seizing every opportunity to turn the country on its head for outrageous claims to a better world, a better life, would be the beginning of Americas social revolution. Sober reflection on the rebels claims revealed that they came straight out of communist dogma and instructions for revolutionary maneuver and takeover. The rebels had friends in the news media [2]. The most damning commentary of this period is that while GIs were dying in Vietnam, tens of thousands of their peers were rocking in Woodstock, high on drugs and deep in debauchery  a shameful episode in American history that has been celebrated by the mainstream press. Night after night, in fact, Americans got front-row seats to gruesome battle scenes on television. TV news outdid anything shown in horror movies. These you-are-there, graphic, in-your-face reports departed radically from the matter-of-fact TV coverage of the Korean war or the sober radio and film broadcasts of World War II. The horrid scenes, dripping with morbid commentary, were sickening not because they showed that war is hell (ask any war veteran)  a cinch to point out in a short clip or two  but because the constant delivery of bloody war scenes into every home, with politically-barbed words, was obviously calculated to saturate ones head with the idea that war  any war  is unjustified. Anti-war editorializing in the news served to indoctrinate the public, a violation of a reporters duty to keep ones opinions out of the news. Although this may seem strange to a great many reporters today, a journalist worth the title still presents the available facts, free as possible of personal or political bias. The valid reporter leaves commentary and opinion to the viewer/reader and to editorial columns and commentary sections of the news media. I can hear howls of laughter. Those who dont know that opinion and news are not synonymous have an enormous lesson to learn. In one sound bite: Love of fellow human beings, love of family and country, love of freedom of mind and person are what motivate men and women to stand against traitors of civilized order and freedom. [1] Judeo-Christian morality, to be specific, is the morality that the United States was founded upon  its heart heart and marrow of culture and supporting laws  a fact despised by the Left. [2] The Soviet Union provided $1 billion to the US anti-war movement. This was an enormous sum in the 1960s. Image credit: Manh Hai, via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
First, we heard all about crazy radical leftist Fr. Michael Pfleger during the Obama years, probably the biggest social justice warrior the Church has in its ranks, a guy who consorts with Louis Farrakhan. Now we learn of a priest who must be about as far away from that end of the spectrum as possible: Fr. Paul Kalchik.

Kalchik made headlines by burning a rainbow gay banner in a ceremonial church fire pit, in defiance of his own archdiocese, which forbade him from doing it. His aim was to protest the Church pedophilia and pederasty scandals, whose victims were overwhelmingly male, bringing up the taboo of homosexuality in the clerical ranks, which he argues is at the heart of it, and the archdiocese is not addressing. According to the Sun-Times:

A North Side priest who says he "can't sit well" with Cardinal Blase Cupich burned a gay-friendly flag outside his Avondale church last week  against the wishes of the cardinal he claims is trying to minimize the clergy sex-abuse crisis. Rev. Paul Kalchik says the banner, featuring a cross superimposed over a rainbow, had been featured prominently in the sanctuary at Resurrection Catholic Church but had been taken down and was forgotten in storage at the parish at 3043 N. Francisco for more than a decade. Kalchik led seven parishioners in a prayer of exorcism Friday, and the flag was burned inside a portable fire pit placed the schoolyard next to the church. The ashes of the flag now rest in a church compost heap.

It's a tough issue, because Catholics are not anti-gay, nor do they wish ill on the gay community. Yet Church teachings remain that homosexual acts are sinful (same as heterosexual acts outside marriage), and now there's a vast scandal engulfing the Church with mostly male victims, the elephant in the room  which suggests there may well be a "lavender mafia" at work at the highest levels of the Church. Cardinal McCarrick, for one, who preyed on young male seminarians, certainly sounds like the kind of guy who might have run one.

And with the Church putting out a lot of signals suggesting that homosexual activity is "wink-wink" O.K.  such as the rather politicized rainbow banners at the altar and the homoerotic murals abroad  at a minimum, it seems there's a pretty significant failure from the Church's leaders  and they still don't want to address it. They'd rather carry on as they always have, as well as retain the high esteem of secular gay activists, and never mind that the gay aspect of the scandal probably needs to be at least discussed openly.

So Kalchik's protest comes across as just the sort of mop in the face they actually need.

The startling thing is that protests of this kind never happen in the Church. We are polite in our church; we don't even talk in the pews. (A Catholic visiting a Protestant church is always startled by the talking in the pews.) This looks like something redolent of the "build my church" radicalism of St. Francis, who pretty well challenged the complacent Church hierarchy gone decadent in a bid to return it to holiness. It looks as though the challenges of St. Teresa of Avila against the soggy Church bureaucrats, or the challenge of St. Cajetan of Naples, who went after clericalism as a means of heading off Martin Luther.

By some reports, the archdiocese has called Kalchik crazy and in need of a psychologist, which illustrates its inability to address the points he's raising without ad hominem attacks. We can probably expect more of this stuff from those running the archdiocese, because it changes the subject instead of addresses the issue.

Kalchik may well be unbalanced in some ways  he says he was the victim of two gay abusers himself, one of them inside the Church. But it's such people, when radicalized, who can throw the ball into motion. Kalchik's act was amazingly radical, and it's being talked about. What's more, it's done against a complacent Church bureaucracy that simply wishes the particular nature of the problem Kalchik is bringing up would go away and they can get back to their award dinners.

All I can think is, big things have happened in the Church when little guys have talked back. There has been a lot of talk in the Church about getting input from the laity, yet we all expect that they will find a way to silence us in this era, and they'll go back to doing things the way they always do. This wild and crazy act in Chicago suggests that the silencing is over and a giant is awakening. The little guy is talking back. It's radicals like this who make history, and that's why this case is worth watching.
In subsequent editions, publishers kept the violent rhetoric along with images of long knives on the covers. After Solanas shot artist Andy Warhol in 1968, sales of her anti-male treatise promoting the elimination of all men, the overthrow of capitalism, and the establishment of female supremacy skyrocketed.

Remember SCUM? In 1967, a seriously mentally-ill radical feminist, Valerie Solanas, self-published the original SCUM Manifesto . Despite Solanas's later insistence that SCUM was not an acronym, an ad she penned for The Village Voice used the subtitle, "Society for Cutting Up Men."

Today, feminists pay homage to the tract and its author.

Feministcurrent.com urges its followers to "bone up on your righteous man-hating" by reading the manifesto. One commenter in July 2017 wrote: "What I love about this book is how it promotes straightforward man-hating. Blaming men for the ills of the world is underrated. Women have been under siege for centuries, and resistance feels exhilarating..."

Solanas's manifesto opens up with the following declaration:

Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females only to overthrow the government, eliminate the money system, institute complete automation and destroy the male sex.

Later in her text, Solanas goes nuclear, suggesting that the "thrill-seeking" women act like "hateful, violent b given to slamming those who unduly irritate them in the teeth, who'd sink a shiv into a man's chest or ram an icepick up his a as soon as look at him, if they knew they could get away with it."

The manifesto's premise is clear. Men are scum and deserve to die.

If anyone thinks Solanas's words don't hover over the #MeToo movement, just ask Judge Roy Moore, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, and the rest of the power players if they felt the ice pick when they were accused of unprovable decades-old crimes.

Like Solanas, the thrill-seekers of #MeToo want blood. Madonna said she wanted to "blow up the White House."

Kathy Griffin held up President Trump's severed head.

Fifty years after the publication of the manifesto, the #MeToo movement, funded and incited by the political left, is filled with Solanas's "hateful and violent b" shouting for powerful, mostly white men "to shut up."

Spurred by writer Ronan Farrow, a gay former Obama intern and son of Rosemary's Baby actress Mia Farrow, #MeToo is cutting up famous men via accusations of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. The movement's mouthpieces in D.C., New York, and Hollywood use all three interchangeably.

In October 2017, actress Alyssa Milano tweeted a challenge to sexual abuse victims to post "Me Too" on their social media accounts. At the same time, Farrow wrote his New Yorker piece, "From Aggressive Overtures to Sexual Assault," condemning, without a trial, producer Harvey Weinstein. Game on. When Kavanaugh's nomination came up, George Soros's millions were available.

This was all followed by another more chilling and dangerous hashtag: #Ibelieveher. Translation? If you are a male, you are guilty and not entitled to due process.

On Thursday, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) illustrated this horror perfectly. Weighing in once again on the Kavanaugh versus Ford circus, Gillibrand shouted (yes, shouted): "I believe Dr. Blasey Ford because she's telling the truth."

Can't you just hear the deranged Solanas cackling from the grave as she listens to a female senator sworn to uphold the rule of law, on fire with anger and hate, verging on psychosis, condemn Judge Kavanaugh sans any evidence, because all males are scum?

Poor Judge Kavanaugh never had a chance with these pink pussy hat #MeToo fanatics. He is in their crosshairs because he is not only a constitutional conservative opposed to killing babies in the womb, but a loving Christian father in a nuclear family.

God help men who are pro-life and who have the audacity to show up at a confirmation hearing with their beautiful children and loving wives. Solanas wrote, "[F]athers corrode the world with maleness. The male has a negative Midas touch  everything he touches turns to s."

If anyone dismisses Solanas's 20th-century misandry as just the deranged meanderings of a paranoid schizophrenic, remember the lying female who ruined the lives of innocent Duke lacrosse-players or "Jackie," who lied about being gang-raped at UVA by male students, or listen to Hawaii's Senator Hirono (D) this past week or the militantly ignorant Joy Behar or those who attended the Women's March.
Malacanang on Friday refuted opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros destabilizer-in-chief remark against President Rodrigo R. Duterte, saying the chief executive continues to gain high public acceptance. It is ironic that Senator Risa Hontiveros, who spends so much of her time undermining the efforts of this administration, would refer to the President as destabilizer-in-chief, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement. Last Thursday, Hontiveros hit Duterte for accusing the opposition of plotting moves to unseat him. Roque defended Duterte, saying the President has made significant strides in his election promises to fight illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption. There is high public appreciation and acceptance of his actions, Roque said. Many Filipinos agree that when there is peace and order, the economy thrives. Adult joblessness as well as crimes are decreasing, he added.Roque emphasized the need for all government officials to focus on helping the Filipino people, particularly those affected by landslides in Itogon, Benguet and Naga in Cebu. During this challenging time when the nation must stand as one because of the tragedies that befell our farmers from Northern Luzon, the miners of Itogon, Benguet to the residents of Naga, Cebu, what our people expect is a moratorium from excessive politicking from our elected leaders, Roque said. Duterte is set to visit on Friday afternoon the victims of a landslide in Naga, Cebu that reportedly killed 15 people. Reports said dozens remained missing in the landslide set off by heavy rains last Thursday. Last Monday, the President visited the victims of Typhoon Ompong-triggered landslide in Itogon, where the death toll has risen to 43 while scores of others are still missing.
Thus, any systematic effort on the part of Google to bias search results is of great concern, placing substantial political power in the hands of an entity that can serve its own interests  for example, the availability of work visas for foreign nationals it would like to employ for lower compensation than Americans might demand.

It must be heady to be a senior executive at Google, the fabulously profitable king of Silicon Valley, and the biggest source of information in the world. Tucker Carlson (below) calls it "the most powerful company in the history of the world" [i] . Google can control what information becomes available to those searching for it, so it is not an exaggeration to suggest that it can heavily influence voting behavior, and therefore influence decision-makers in democratically elected governments.

Yesterday, two media outlets, the Wall Street Journal and Tucker Carlson, revealed that they had seen internal Google emails that seem to confirm that the company openly discussed advancing its own interests in the matter of visas via biasing search results. There was some concern expressed by one P.R. executive about being perceived as politically biased, and in response to media inquiries, Google flat-out denied that it has ever biased its search results, calling the emails "brainstorming"  as if open discussion of an idea that might be illegal (in-kind political contributions, for instance) is no big deal.

I must note that of late, when I search various topics related to conservative concerns, Google search results contrast sharply with those from other search engines, such as DuckDuckGo and even Bing (owned by Microsoft), providing me almost entirely progressive and left sources on the first page. But this is impressionistic evidence, awaiting more systematic research to be useful.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, John D. McKinnon and Douglas MacMillan explain the emails and their context:

The Google emails were written on Sunday, Jan. 29, two days after Mr. Trump signed the first version of his travel order, which generally restricted immigration to the U.S. from several majority-Muslim countries. One of the emails, from an employee of the Search Product Marketing division, explained that there was a "large brainstorm" going throughout the company's marketing division over how to respond. "Overall idea: Leverage search to highlight important organizations to donate to, current news, etc. to keep people abreast of how they can help as well as the resources available for immigrations [sic] or people traveling," the email says. The email included a compilation of specific ideas that individual company officials had already floated. Some apparently involved finding ways to "actively counter" Google searches that produced anti-Islamic and anti-Hispanic search results. Others centered on Highlights, the code name for an experimental project Google has tested that allows influential people, like politicians and musicians, to post text updates that appear directly in search results. The list of ideas included: "Actively counter islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms 'Islam', 'Muslim', 'Iran', etc." "Actively counter prejudiced, algorithmically biased search results from search terms 'Mexico', 'Hispanic', 'Latino', etc." "Can we launch an ephemeral experience that includes Highlights, up-to-date info from the US State Dept, DHS, links to donate to ACLU, etc?" the email added. Several officials responded favorably to the overall idea. "We're absolutely in...Anything you need," one wrote. But a public-affairs executive wrote: "Very much in favor of Google stepping up, but just have a few questions on this," including "how partisan we want to be on this." "To the extent of my knowledge, we'd be breaching precedent if we only gave Highlights access to organizations that support a certain view of the world in a time of political conflict," the public-affairs executive said. "Is that accurate? If so, would we be willing to open access to highlights to [organizations] that...actually support the ban?"

Last night on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show, the host also discussed the emails:

Attorney General Sessions is set to meet with 24  almost half  of the attorneys general of the states to discuss breaking up the hi-tech monopolies, and Silicon Valley's own newspaper, the Mercury News, warned of the movement to break up Google specifically. With their unimaginable wealth and power, it would be understandable if the tech lords considered themselves invulnerable. I wonder how many of them regard the Bible as a source of eternal wisdom. I wonder if any of them takes seriously the warning of the Book of Proverbs, 16:18 (KJV): "Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."

More than a century ago, when the Industrial Revolution was transforming life then the same way the Information Revolution is transforming life now, Rockefeller's Standard Oil near monopoly reigned in the production of hydrocarbons. That assemblage of oil companies was broken up by the antitrust laws its dominance, arrogance, and monopolistic practices provoked. That's something that some of those Tesla-drivers in Mountain View ought to think about. I doubt they have any concept of how much resentment they have provoked already. As subpoenas from state A.G.s and discovery from James Damore's suit over his firing for his political views provide more internal evidence, there may well be serious consequences.
Iran is deteriorating faster than we thought, almost to the point of no return. The Iranian people are aware that after 40 years of complete devastation by the rulers of the Islamic regime, they no longer want the Islamic Republic.

History is recorded daily, whether we like it or not. History isn't what happened, but the stories of what happened and the lessons these stories include.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Reza Pahlavi remarked, "We all know that regime change is the ultimate formula." Mr. Pahlavi is a harsh critic of the clerical rulers who have dominated Iran over the last four decades. "[T]hat's what the Iranian people are asking [for]. It's not going to be because the U.S. says so, or the British say so, or the Saudis say so, or the Israelis say so. It's because it's what the Iranian people want."

Mr. Pahlavi is doing what he can with the limited funds available to him.

After 40 long and draining years since the arrival of Ayatollah Khomeini, I am mystified as to why political activists and groups have never compromised or found common ground to work with one another for the sake of Iran in order rescue her from a further drift into the abyss.

I would like to relay what Mr. Pahlavi said in his recent interview with Mr. Mehdi Falahati. He was asked what has he done and what plans he envisions for the future. He also spoke at length to Israel National News.

Mr. Pahlavi asserted, "Let me make one thing clear, so that my compatriots understand my goal. I don't have the slightest ambition or personal desire to capture power. However, I feel committed and obligated as an Iranian so that it is my national duty to support and fulfill the will of my people  and, even more important than this, the rights of its citizens to decide their own destiny."

"This forty-year battle has been arduous and unpredictable. What has changed today is that we have a new generation in Iran who cannot be blamed for the calamity of the 1979 revolution. Today, clearly, they are searching for their own path in life. They also have arrived at the same conclusion that if this regime [stays] in power, Iran will never see daylight anytime soon."

The battle against these inhuman oppressors in Iran has been arduous and long. It is the battle of the true sons and daughters of Iran and the rest of mankind. It remains our duty to work our hardest to remove these leeches from power.

Today, with each passing day in the Iranian streets, the popularity of Reza Pahlavi is growing. He has solidified his position as the only person who can bring change to Iran. People across Iran call his name daily. They write his name on Iranian money, on the walls, on bridges, and on anything they can get their hands on to show their solidarity with this man. He has proven to be a highly knowledgeable and respected leader, not only to the Iranian population in Iran, but to many opposition groups abroad.

"What I call upon is a process of civil disobedience, which is a method of change. How? We must bring domestic pressure into the system. If enough people refuse to cooperate, like Indians in India when Britain ruled there, then they can paralyze the system by massive sustained labor strikes across the nation, and not shooting bullets in the streets," says Pahlavi.

In short: The people of Iran have already made up their minds. Europeans and Americans should do the same.
So are the Democrats cheering the good news? No, they are destroying themselves with their obsession to defend Roe v. Wade at any cost.

Another Friday, another good report about the lowest jobless claims since 1969 , the month "Sugar Sugar" was on Top 40 Radio.

The latest example is the circus around Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Once upon a time, a man with his credentials would have been confirmed to the Supreme Court on a voice vote. There would have been no controversy at all.

Well, that was then, and this is now, as the editorial in the New York Post reminds us:

Democrats on Tuesday proved they're not out to carefully consider Christine Blasey Ford's accusation against Judge Brett Kavanaugh. They just want to use it as the pretext to keep the circus running for weeks. Led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, they're now demanding a long, drawn-out investigation into Ford's sexual-assault allegation. But what's to investigate? She can't give a specific time and place for the event; is the FBI supposed to track down everyone who attended a high-school party in the DC suburbs in 1982? Meanwhile, the accuser still hasn't responded to numerous requests from the Senate Judiciary Committee to arrange the testimony she claims she wants to give  raising questions about whether she'll even show up at Monday's hearing.

This is a circus, a travesty, and any other term you might think of.

This is not justice or good for the many women in the country who are real victims of sexual misconduct.

Senator Feinstein and her colleagues are obsessed with a 36-year-old accusation that can't be proved or disproved but overlook recent charges against Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Keith Ellison, running for attorney general in Minnesota.

This storm will pass, and Judge Kavanaugh will soon be Justice Kavanaugh. My anger, and that of many "fellow red-wavers," will have its day on the first Tuesday of November.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Time to call out Democrats for the liars they are

Amazingly, some conservative and Republican sources are acting as though Christine Blasey Ford isn't either delusional or lying through her teeth. If the Democrats and the left had a history of being honest, believing that there might be a shred of truth in Blasey Ford's statements would be understandable, but given the simple fact that Democrat politicians, left-wing commentators, and the entire fake news media do nothing but lie, it's insane for anyone to treat Blasey Ford better than the Democrats are treating the woman who is accusing Keith Ellison.

We all know that Anita Hill was a liar because the fact that she followed Judge Clarence Thomas when he moved to a new job shows that she wasn't that offended by anything he did. The Democrats have learned their lesson, so Christine Blasey Ford is someone who apparently met Kavanaugh only once and who doesn't remember any details about the event that could be used to discredit her charge. Anyone who thinks the Democrats won't produce a woman who will claim that whomever Trump nominates tried to rape her is clinically insane. And if Trump nominates a woman, they'll find some other fake charge, like that she belongs to a "cult," to smear her. It's time to call out publicly and repeatedly the massive lies of the Democrats and their propaganda arm, the fake news media. Republicans should take a lesson from Trump: don't pretend modern Democrat politicians are decent, honest men who disagree. Rather, call them out for being the racist liars they are. Democrats lie about caring about blacks. Democrats do nothing to end the slaughter of blacks in Democratic-run cities.

Democrats lie about global warming. The climate models are all wrong because data show the Earth warming 2.7 times slower than the rate the climate models claim.

Democrats lie about Trump colluding with the Russians. They knew from the beginning that the Steele dossier was a bunch of unverified gossip from Russian sources.

Democrats lie about abortion. Science tells us that the unborn are human beings, but Democrats lie about that all the time.

Democrats lie about the transgendered. Democrats just want to empower this insanity even though people who have so-called sex-change surgery are much more likely to commit suicide than sane people.

Democrats lie about gays. Democrats tell us that the gay lifestyle is great and in the next breath tell us that we must spend billions on curing AIDS.

Democrats lie about what Trump says. Trump condemns fake news media and the media say he's condemning the idea of a free press. Trump says some illegals are criminals (on top of illegally entering the country), and the Democrats say he said all illegals are criminals (beyond entering the country illegally).

Democrats lie about welfare. They continue to push the same old failing welfare programs long after it's clear they've failed.

Democrats lie about caring about women. All of the monsters who have been outed by the #MeToo movement have been Democrats. It's time for every Republican to declare that it's a sad day that we can't trust a woman claiming to have been assaulted because of the nonstop lying by Democrats on every issue under the Sun. We need to shout from the rooftops that the clearly political staging of Blasey Ford's claim undermines the public's trust in women who were in fact assaulted, and as such, Democrats are working hard to undermine women. We will not win if we continue to act as though modern Democrats with their fake news media propaganda are good people. Because if we don't stand up and shout out the truth, the average American won't comprehend the mendacity of the Democrat politicians. You can read more of Tom's rants at his blog, Conversations about the obvious, and feel free to follow him on Twitter.
Many landlocked countries with no access to the open ocean maintain navies, which might seem odd at first. But once you realize that aside from oceans, lakes and rivers too form national borders for many countries, the idea will not seem so absurd.

For example, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijanthree landlocked countries, all maintain their own naval fleet on the enormous lake, Caspian Sea, which they border. Paraguay has armed patrol boats on the country's major rivers because any hostile nation can reach the heart of Paraguay by travelling upstream via these rivers from the open sea through Argentina. Switzerlandhistorically neutral, yet one of the most armed nation in the worldalso has armed patrol boats keeping watch across its many lakes. Hungary maintains a full armada of vessels including warships and minesweepers. All these nations have legitimate reasons for defending their inland waterways. But Mongolia is another story.

Mongolia is surrounded on all sides by land. Photo of the Mongolian map by Jason Kolenda/Shutterstock.com

Mongolia is the most landlocked country in the world with its borders more than 600 km away from the nearest coastline. In terms of size, it is the world's second-largest landlocked country behind Kazakhstan.

Mongolia's only international water border is a 10-km-long zigzag across the northeastern end of Uvs Lake, a tiny portion of which crosses into Russian territory. Realistically speaking, the chances of Russia invading Mongolia through this narrow corridor is extremely low. Nevertheless, if Mongolia wants to defend its water boundary, so be it. But thats not the reason why Mongolia has a Navy. As a matter of fact, Mongolias Navy isnt even on Uvs Lake. Its on another water bodyLake Khovsgolthats entirely inland. The Russian border is more than 13 km away from the lakes shores and separated by a lofty mountain range.

Mongolias token navy is the result of the countrys vain attempt to keep alive a lost heritage. Eight hundred years ago, the Mongols, led by Kublai Khan, had the worlds largest navy. The Mongolian Empire at its widest reach stretched across Central Asia and Eastern Europe, with maritime presence along the Sea of Japan, the East and South China Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf. Twice in the late 13th century, Genghis Khan led a fleet of more than 4,000 ships across the Sea of Japan to attack the island nation. Both invasion fleets were destroyed by devastating typhoons, that the Japanese called the divine wind, or kamikaze. Centuries later, thousands of World War II pilots known as kamikazes would crash their planes into enemy ships in suicide missions to protect Japan.

A 19th-century painting by artist Issho Yada depicts the sinking of Kublai Khans fleet. Photo credit: Koji Nakamura/Nat Geo

By the end of the 13th century, the Mongol Empire had fractured into a number of independent empires. Eventually, with the Chinese conquest of the Mongol Empire, the nation was pushed further and further back from the coastline to its current landlocked state.

In the 1930s, the Mongolian Navy was reborn when the Soviet Union presented the country a single tugboat, the Sukhbaatar. The current vessel, Sukhbaatar III, is manned by a crew of seven. According to a documentary produced by Litmus Films, only one of the crew members know how to swim.

I would like to see the real sea someday, muses a sailor of the Mongolian Navy. I imagine itd be gentle and peaceful. Here on Lake Khovsgol, the water is very rough and cold.

Sukhbaatar III doesn't see a lot of combat duty. Lake Khovsgol, where it sails, is completely surrounded by Mongolian territory. During the communist days, the tug boat used to transfer oil from the south of the lake to its northern tipa journey that takes 8 hours to complete, as opposed to 4 days by horse. There is no motor-able road. But when the post-communist government moved its oil hub elsewhere, the navy lost its purpose. The navy has since been privatized and abandoned by the government. The crew now struggles to stay relevant by hauling cargo and ferrying tourists across the lake.

Sukhbaatar III. Photo credit: Nyambayar Turbat/Flickr

Lake Khovsgol. Photo credit: Felix Filnkoessl/Flickr
In short: Android users need and want more socially impactful apps, Google told developers earlier this week, having also released a study illustrating that phenomenon. The infographic below summarizes the main takeaways from the survey, identifying access to health resources, personal safety issues, and fundraising as the three most common social impact needs that Android users experienced at least once. The Mountain View, California-based technology juggernaut also released a short video on how Android developers can make a difference with its platform and the Google Play Store marketplace, encouraging the industry to partake in such activities moving forward.

Background: Google is no stranger to using technology in order to promote social consciousness, though the company has been ramping up its efforts to do so in recent years. Even a number of its consumer-grade products such as Android Go and Google Cardboard have been primarily envisioned as helping some of the most financially challenged individuals in the world experience contemporary technologies. To date, Google launched products and services meant to support education, healthcare, Internet connectivity, emergency responses, and a broad range of other segments traditionally associated with the quality of being socially impactful. The Alphabet-owned firm is now calling third-party developers to follow suit en masse and help make the world a better place while simultaneously contributing to Androids sustainable growth.

Impact: By positioning the Android ecosystem as a tech vehicle for social change, Google is not only promoting it right now but building it for the next decade and beyond. By nearly every definition, the Android platform has been a massive success for years now and is already the most popular operating system on the planet, so while its still in the process of diversification, Google is now also thinking about it in non-technical terms, reminding developers why their work matters even outside of the ever-lasting hunt for profits.
In short: Facebooks repeatedly delayed smart speaker lineup is finally scheduled to be unveiled next week, Cheddar reports, citing sources close to the Menlo Park, Caliornia-based company. The display-equipped gadget will debut with support for Amazons artificial intelligence assistant Alexa and be available in two sizes, with prices ranging from roughly $300 to $400, insiders claim. The Portal has been internally tested over the last several months and was already pitched to major retailers around the world, though its still unclear how many will end up carrying the series. A privacy shutter designed to cover its wide-angle camera will be part of the package so as to reduce some privacy concerns about the device following Facebooks Cambridge Analytica scandal and other recent concerns about the firm. The feature is a late addition to the product family thats ironically referred to as brand tax at Facebook, as per the same report.

Background: AndroidHeadlines discovered the likely design of at least one of Facebooks first smart speakers earlier this week, with the product concept being visually similar to Amazons Echo Show. The pricing details cited by the new report suggest the company opted for a lower introductory price given how it previously considered a $500 entry point, insiders claimed earlier this year. Its still unclear whether both devices will be advertised as the Portal given how they have been developed as standalone products code-named Aloha and Fiona.

Impact: Facebooks push into consumer electronics is unlikely to see the company generate a large side business in the near future; the growing competition in the segment coupled by privacy concerns surrounding the firm, as well as the relatively high price tags it reportedly plans to attach to its smart speakers will all likely limit the commercial potential of the upcoming gadgets. Still, with the company apparently being unwilling to count its losses and going ahead with a 2018 launch despite everything that transpired in the global privacy debate in the meantime, its unlikely that these smart speakers are a one-off and should instead be interpreted as a sign of Facebooks growing ambitions in the consumer electronics segment.
In short: The Google Pixel 3 XL isnt quite done leaking out ahead of its October 9 unveiling. Twitter user Ishan Agarwal has gotten his hands on some pictures of the Google Pixel 3 XL in the white color, which also apparently has a mint-colored power button. Agarwal states that these pictures were sent to him from a source of his that has the device in hand. He also stated that the backside is frosted glass and the sides feel like they might be plastic. Though it is also possible that the sides are metal but painted like the Pixel 2 and 2 XL were last year. Whats interesting here is the mint-colored power button. It definitely looks cool, but its also not that surprising to see, seeing as Google used an orange power button on the white and black (often referred to as the panda) version of the Pixel 2 XL last year.

Agarwal also has some screenshots from the phone, which shows some of the camera specs. There is supposedly still a 12-megapixel rear camera that can do 4K video at 30fps. And the front-facing camera is a 8-megapixel sensor that can do full HD video. The camera UI also appears to be a bit different compared to the Pixel 2 XL camera interface. With the modes being just above the shutter button, instead of being tucked away in a hamburger menu in the upper left-hand corner.

Background: The Pixel 3 XL has leaked out a ton in the past month or so, and that is partly Googles fault, but also partly due to a shipment of Pixel 3 XLs getting stolen in Russia and sold on the black market for about $2,000 a piece. Because of this, we have seen just about every angle of the Pixel 3 XL, and even seen full reviews of the device. Google has also been leaking different aspects of the devices as of late, which is common for smartphone makers to do, before an announcement, to drum up some hype for the phone.

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Impact: Google is still expected to announce the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL at its annual hardware event on October 9 in New York City. Of course the Pixel 3 may not be the star of the show, as Google typically releases a ton of other hardware at these events now, especially for the smart home and Google Assistant market.
In short: IMDEA Networks Institute researchers want to create an incentive-based smartphone resource sharing program built on the blockchain called DisCoEdge, according to a recent announcement from the organization. The system would work as a market broker, allowing smartphone users to sell their unused resources to create an edge-driven IoT that shares storage, memory, and processing. That would allow various businesses, projects, and services to spread the workload out over millions of devices worldwide that simply arent fully utilizing the hardware in their smartphone or other portable connected devices. With funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, DisCoEdge would also be able to enhance individual experiences by spreading those tasks over a wider network where available. As of this writing, there dont appear to be exact dates, localization information, or other details available for the ongoing endeavor.

Background: In the meantime, there are several recent and at least one long-standing technological advancements that have led to the concept of DisCoEdge. From a chronological standpoint, neither edge computing or the inspiration behind the idea  Moores Law  are new. However, as computer hardware and optimizations continue to be enhanced year after year, many users are unable to use all of the potential found in a modern handset. Manufacturers achievements and boosts to performance, battery life, storage, and other aspects of a smartphone may be slowing but the steady march of technology is certainly not stopping. Edge computing is a newer concept but recent upticks in its use are being driven primarily by increasing competition in implementing 5G mobile networking. That and blockchain-based solutions are basically the two technologies that would ultimately allow something like DisCoEdge to work in the real world.

Thats because a user-driven network of storage and processing resources really requires both top-of-the-line security measures and a very fast connection rate. 5G networks are both expected and being shown to surpass current portable networking speeds and reliability by leaps and bounds. Those will also bring latency down substantially if current testing translates to real-world use. Meanwhile, the tamperproof digital ledgers that blockchains are comprised of offer a security benefit that could be incorporated to prevent or discourage malicious activity, IP theft, and many other possible misuses of DisCoEdge.

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Impact: Of course, this is not the first time that distributed computing or resource sharing has been put forward by a company. For example, the Berkeley SETI Research Centers mobile and PC applications allow users to share some of their memory and processing power to collectively assist its scientists in looking for strange radio signals or extra-terrestrial life. The mobile application for that project has been available since 2013. However, this is the first time a company has proposed a multi-device network of more general use over blockchain. Whats more, devices arent limited to smartphones but can include any connected smart device with resources to spare. So theres a good chance more news will be forthcoming on DisCoEdge at some point in the next couple of years, as partnerships are formed and the solution is further refined and built out.
In short: IoT solutions will drive the global hi-tech production market to as much as $16 trillion in 2030, according to new research revealed by Euromonitor International at IP EXPO Nordic 2018. In fact, although the two technologies often seem totally interconnected, the firm says that as many as 60-percent of IT experts polled place the importance and impact of IoT above that of AI. Additionally, that growth wont necessarily be unilateral on the global scale. Euromonitor International instead indicates that the US, Singapore, and the Netherlands are more prepared to implement the technologies behind the growth but that other countries lead in other related areas. Telecoms could reach $4.3 trillion at a growth rate of 84-percent thanks to IoT innovation. Thats a market, along with Machine-to-Machine communications and other communications technology, where Scandinavian countries are currently in the lead. The growth is also expected to spur a 122-percent growth for computer services  landing at around $5.9 trillion in 2030.

Background: Given the meteoric rise of smart home technologies and solutions aimed squarely at improving enterprise business metrics through interconnected systems, the expectations set by Euromonitor International dont seem too high. Thats especially true since each of the companies is continuously doubling down on efforts to dominate the connected home segment. In the US and several other global regions, for example, Amazon and Google are currently going head to head in the consumer market for IoT with their smart home ecosystems. Amazon, in particular, has consistently paved the way for average users to connect new products that interact with one another via its Alexa digital assistant. Among some of its achievements is its screen-enabled central control hub for smart home appliances and devices. Thats being used in conjunction with new API such as the robotics focused Alexa Gadget Tools and more.

Google isnt far behind either and is expected to launch its own response to some of those devices at its upcoming hardware event. In the meantime, the analytics firm estimates that 100 to 150-billion IoT devices will be connected in the given timeframe. Although a lot of that will be driven in the markets already listed here, much more will likely be geared toward enterprise solutions as companies compete in terms of efficiency and big data marketing.

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Impact: In effect, the concept of an IoT centers around devices that communicate with each other with or without human interaction and across narrow or wide networks depending on the application of the technology. That means systems can be designed for the average users convenience but also for use by big businesses and small businesses alike. That will almost certainly create renewed competition for dominance of each companys respective market whether thats represented by a focus on retail, shipping, customer care, or virtually anything else. Behind all of that, meanwhile, there will be a huge number of companies supplying hi-tech components, networking, and other goods and services making the IoT possible to begin with.
The Palace on Friday criticized the International Peoples Tribunals ruling against President Rodrigo Duterte, saying it was propaganda that must be dumped and ignored. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a radio interview that the ITP was a kangaroo court. That court doesnt have the power to judge against anyone, Roque said. There is not even a law to create that, so no one gave them the mandate other than the Left to hear the alleged crimes of President Rodrigo Duterte. Roque said the tribunals decision had no effect as it was only propaganda. In simpler terms, they only brought their criticisms about the President in Europe. They asked their allies abroad for help and that was the decision made, Roque said.A decision was handed over after two days, what kind of judicial proceeding is that? he said, adding only the United Nations could give a mandate in the field of international law. Since they [IPT] dont have a mandate, that needs to be trashed and disregarded, Roque said. Asked on how to balance Dutertes strong leadership with the growing concerns on the alleged human rights violations under the administrations war on drugs, Roque urged Dutertes critics to use the rule of law. If theres someone complaining hes a victim of human rights violations, then file a case. The problem with the Left is that they will do propaganda [instead of] filing a case even though they have lawyers.
In Short: It seems like HMD Global started sending out invites for its October 4 event in London, and judging by recent leaks and rumors, the company will probably announce the Nokia 7.1 Plus during that event, its new Android One smartphone. The invite itself is included down below, and as you can see, the event will begin at 5PM BST. HMD Global actually refers to this event as an exclusive gathering, so it will probably be a smaller presentation of some sort.

Background: The Nokia 7.1 Plus has been leaking quite a bit in the last couple of weeks, and the most notable leak actually surfaced yesterday, showing off the device itself. The Nokia 7.1 Plus will almost certainly be identical to the Nokia X7 as far as the design is concerned, and yesterdays leak more or less confirmed that. The Nokia X7 is a smartphone that was introduced in China a while back, and the company will simply include different software in that device and optimize it for global markets with the Nokia 7.1 Plus it seems. The Nokia 7.1 Plus will be a mid-range smartphone, as it is expected to sport similar specs to the Nokia X7 as well. Speaking of which those specs did leak out, and if accurate, the device will sport a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2280 x 1080) display, along with 4GB / 6GB of RAM and 64GB / 128GB of native storage. Qualcomms Snapdragon 710 64-bit octa-core processor will fuel the phone, while the device will come with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, and were looking at stock Android here. 12 and 5-megapixel cameras will be included on the back of the device, while a single 16-megapixel camera will sit on its front side. A 3,300mAh battery is also expected to be a part of the package, while Qualcomms Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging will also be included.

Impact: The Nokia 7.1 Plus will be a mid-range smartphone, and its expected to be quite affordable. Many people will see stock Android as a plus for this phone, and as long as its price is right, and it ends up being available in all the right places, it may prove to be a success for HMD Global. This phone is made out of metal and glass, and it does come with a display notch, but its a nice-looking phone, overall, which is also something that goes in its favor. It remains to be seen what will happen, though.
In short: Samsung started testing a custom implementation of Android 9 Pie meant to be pre-installed on Galaxy S10-series devices, with the move leading to three model numbers leaking online  SM-G970F, SM-G73F, and SM-G975F. The SM-G70F and SM-G975F are expected to launch as the direct successors to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, respectively, whereas not many details about the SM-G973F are yet available, though the handset is said to feature the same 5.8-inch display panel found on the basic model. The largest device is rumored to be sporting a 6.44-inch Super AMOLED panel and five cameras in total  three on the back and two on the front.

Background: A known industry insider leaked four Galaxy S10 codenames earlier this week, reiterating one previous report about the series consisting of four devices, not accounting for variations of the thereof based on memory and chip configurations. Besides the three handsets whose model numbers emerged online earlier today, the product family will also consist of a special variant of the Galaxy S10 Plus featuring 5G capabilities, though that particular device may not be available outside of Samsungs home country given how next-generation networks arent expected to be offering 5G coverage prior to 2020, meaning consumers in most parts of the world would have little reason to pay extra for the very best model. The Galaxy S10 series is expected to be announced in the first quarter of 2019, most likely at the next iteration of Barcelona, Spain-based MWC.

Impact: Between four Galaxy S10 models, a foldable handset, and the Galaxy Note 9 series, consumers will be presented with a record-high number of Samsung made flagships next year. How that approach pays off for the company in the long term remains to be seen, especially given how the Galaxy S series already showed some signs of losing momentum over the course of this year, as per Samsungs own admission.
In short: Verizons next-generation router lineup will be advertised as 5G One or One 5G, as indicated by a number of intellectual property filings reviewed by AndroidHeadlines. The hardware in question should launch as part of the 5G Home service the telecom giant announced earlier this month, confirming the seminal network is set to go live in select U.S. cities in October. Some of the routers and other accompanying hardware enabling 5G Home will be manufactured by Samsung, as suggested by the growing wireless partnership between the two companies.

Background: Verizon is already expected to market its first next-gen telecom offering as a 5Genius service, especially given how the company now appears to be on track to win the 5G race in the U.S. Its seminal network wont be a truly mobile service given how first 5G-enabled handsets arent scheduled to become available for purchase before early 2019. Instead, much like its name implies, 5G Home will be a fixed wireless access solution meant to serve as a broadband alternative. Verizon is the only major player in the stateside telecom industry thats presently pursuing FWA tech, whereas all of its rivals remain solely committed to mobile 5G. AT&T will even be launching a truly wireless 5G service later this year but without handsets capable of supporting it natively, its customers will initially have to rely on pucks or hotspots to access next-generation speeds and latencies.

Impact: Regardless of any official monikers attached to it, Verizons 5G Home will go down in history as the first consumer-grade 5G service launched on any significant scale. Starting at $50 per month, the solution will allow customers in select cities to experience unprecedented speeds, capacities, and latencies. The largest network operator in the U.S. is also bundling a choice between Google Chromecast and Apple TV with the new service, in addition to giving three months of YouTube TV to all of its subscribers, all of which should help it build an early 5G lead over its rivals in terms of customers.
The Supreme Court has denied a petition by the late former solicitor general Frank Chavez to reverse a lower courts decision clearing former first lady Imelda Marcos of stashing millions of dollars in offshore bank accounts, particularly in Switzerland. In a 53-page decision written by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the high courts Third Division sustained the ruling of the Court of Appeals that denied Chavezs petition seeking the inhibition of Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of the Manila City RTC, whom he accused of being biased in the handling of the government case against Marcos. When Pampilo turned down Chavezs plea for his inhibition in 2007, Chavez brought the case before the Court of Appeals, which also denied his petition. Chavez then filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to reverse the appellate courts decision. In ruling against Chavez, the high court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeals that upheld the ruling of Judge Pampilo not to inhibit from the case. It said there was no concrete proof of the judges personal interest in the case. There was nothing remarkable about the denial of the Motion to Inhibit, the high court said. It was not hasty, and whether to deny it orally in court is the prerogative of the judge, who could have decided it as soon as its factual basis had been clearly laid. The claim that [Chavezs] testimony would have saved the prosecutions case is baseless. In 2008, Pampilo absolved Marcos and Hector Rivera of the charges on grounds of reasonable doubt, citing various failures of the prosecution.The Manila court found the governments evidence deficient and based on hearsay, noting that despite the case being anchored on documents from Swiss authorities, only two witnesses with no personal knowledge of the papers were presented. Thus, the Regional Trial Court found that the prosecution failed to present competent proof of the alleged offense and of the conspiracy among the accused, the high court said. Chavez also attacked the judgment of the Manila City RTC clearing Marcos and her co-accused of the charges. However, the appellate court ruled that Chavezs challenge on the ruling of the Manila City court clearing Marcos and her co-accused of liability was improper since his original petition did not cover it. The court said Chavez failed to provide a legal basis to support his argument that Pampilo violated its injunction by promulgating the ruling that acquitted Marcos. The high court said the appellate court ruling that denied Chavezs petition for inhibition carried with it a contrary order dissolving the injunction. The Supreme Court also rebuked the government prosecutors for what it described as their lackadaisical resolve to prosecute Marcos. The lower courts liberality in granting the various continuances does not seem to have been met by the presentation of evidence with a depth and quality that would have shown the diligence and seriousness of the prosecution, the high court said.
BarcelonaToday Catalan president Quim Torra has urged Carlos Lesmes, the president of Spains General Council of the Judiciary, to step down following the leak of shocking internal messages where members of the institution several judges and magistrates use offensive language against Catalonias independence leaders. In their chat, which started back on October 1 last year, the judges accuse the Catalan leaders of staging a coup, and they call them Nazis, germs and viruses while they argue against holding talks with them.

Speaking from Barcelonas Palau de la Generalitat, president Torra announced that a legal brief is being readied with a view to lodging a complaint and that he has urged the Spanish authorities to name the judges who wrote the messages because slurs, insults and hatred aimed at politicians and the general public who support independence indicate a bias that should disqualify them. On this point, the Catalan president announced that he would be speaking to Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez later today so that the Public Prosecutors office may launch a probe in order to hold those responsible to account.

Speaking in strong terms, Torra decried again the lack of independence of Spains justice system. Whatever little confidence Spains justice system used to inspire, is gone for good now. Independence supporters are afforded no legal security in Spain, he remarked. In fact, he stated that in a democracy, it is unacceptable for members of the judiciary to mock and threaten citizens and he emphasised that a large segment of the judiciary is not independent. The Catalan leader referred to the messages published by several papers today as proof that there is a total lack of impartiality, which undermines the pillars of the rule of of law.

Once again, Quim Torra declared that the member of the Catalan government and all the indicted in the October 1 case will not get a clean and fair trial and he stressed that there are no other similar cases in Europe. For this reason, he demanded the release of the political prisoners and the free return of the exiles and that all charges be dropped. He also called on Europe to take action to stop Spains authoritarian drift because the lack of freedom and an independent justice is a European problem and keeping quiet [about it] will merely encourage other European countries to act in the same manner [as Spain]. He added that he will file a complaint with the European Commission urging it to take a stand.

The Judiciary Power remains silent

The General Council of the Judiciary remains tight-lipped on the controversy about the e-mail messages and has not made any comments about Torras request for Carlos Lesmes, the president of the Council, to step down. Sources in the judiciary have mentioned to this newspaper that the board of the Council held a meeting this morning, but the agenda did not include anything to do with the matter, as reported by Mariona Ferrer. They also pointed out that they have received no complaints in months about the e-mail messages published by eldiario.es and elmon.cat. If an investigation were launched, the same sources claim that it would be a lengthy process because all the parties involved would have to be heard. If any sanctions were deemed necessary, it would not be decided overnight, they added.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol on Friday slammed some vegetable traders who, he claimed, had been manipulating market prices after Typhoon Ompong hit farmlands over the weekend. The prices of vegetables usually rise in Metro Manila whenever bad weather affects the supply in the farming communities in other regions. The high price of food items in the market is not indicative of lack of supply. That price is artificial. That is exploitation, Pinol told ABS-CBN News. In other developments:  Senator Francis Pangilinan has told Agriculture Pinol is to get his act together to address the rice crisis after control of the National Food Authority was returned to the Agriculture department. He said this was a crucial time when the government should implement sound policies and show decisiveness in reforming the NFA. Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia Villar said once passed into law, the bill liberalizing the importation of rice would help reduce the price of rice and provide enough support for local farmers who would be affected by the influx of cheaper rice from abroad.  Government agents intercepted a shipment of smuggled red onions from China worth P16 million. To monitor the availability, visibility, and accessibility of NFA rice in Metro Manila markets, the National Food Authority has deployed market watchers in all major and minor markets in Metro Manila, including the provinces of Rizal and Cavite.  The government has awarded to 21 suppliers the importation of 100,000 metric tons of rice for Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi area after a successful auction conducted by LandBank and the National Food Authority Council on Sept. 20 at the LandBank head office in Malate, Manila. Pinol said the price of carrots in Bukidnon remained at P35 per kilo even after the area experienced bad weather due to the southwest monsoon. Opportunist businessmen are just maneuvering the prices because they thought the government could not do anything to address the problem after Typhoon Ompong. The Agriculture department held a two-day Vegetable Festival in San Andres, Manila, to show that market items could still be cheap after a typhoon when sourced from the areas spared from calamity. Red chili could be bought for P300 per kilo, just a third of the P900-per-kilo price in the markets, Pinol said. The department is now planning to put up malasakit stores or community stalls that would sell fish and vegetables at near-farm gate prices, he said.
The republican politicians and Catalan pro-independence leaders as well as their voters have been called Nazis by judges who are members of Spains General Council of the Judiciary [CGPJ in Spanish]. This is a point Id like to emphasise as, according to Article 122 of the Spanish Constitution, the CGPJs main duty is to safeguard and guarantee the independence of judges and courts of law, in the exercise of their function, from the other state powers and before everyone.

Some might claim that judges do not exercise their judicial function when they exchange messages in a private chat where they give their own personal views. And they might bring up the subject of their privacy, which might have been infringed upon in the case of these judges by online newspapers El Mon and eldiario.es publishing their private conversations. This is a matter precisely for a court of law to decide and barristers will no doubt show off their legal footwork.

However, what makes these electronic messages an unprecedented scandal in the EU is a question not of a legal nature, but social and political. Even cultural, I might add. For example, it is unthinkable for judges working in the UKs Courts and Tribunals Service to exchange messages, not even private ones, calling Scotlands independence leaders Nazis, let alone the Scottish people at large.

The crux of the matter is this: there is a sizeable, significant part of Spains judiciary that identifies with the nationalist far right. Once again, this is hardly surprising in a country like Spain that pretended to stage a most natural transition from a dictatorship to a democracy and paid a toll for this pretence by taking onboard the state structures of the Franco regime. In other words, they filled the ranks of the states institutions and the bodies that govern them with individuals whose loyalty to the totalitarian regime had been unwavering and these have perpetuated themselves through their ideological and sometimes even biological offspring throughout these forty years of formal democracy. In short, Spains state powers have been rotted by authoritarianism.

You might argue that everyone is entitled to their own ideas and judges are no exception. The question here is whether that also includes holding antidemocratic views, such as the ones that ooze from the messages that have been leaked. Referring to their opponents as Nazis and disparaging them with slurs has become the trademark of Spains far right and it is unfortunate that a politician should engage in such practices. However, when it is a judge who does, the consequences are devastating: as president Quim Torra has pointed out, it means that there is no legal security in Spain. And not just for independence supporters. Nowadays Spain is a country that fails to provide legal security to all its citizens because it is largely run by the same old far right as ever.
Former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who once confessed to staging an attack on himself to justify the declaration of martial law 46 years ago, said Friday that an alliance between the Liberal Party and the communists drove then President Ferdinand Marcos to impose military rule over the entire nation. In an interview with the late dictators son, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Enrile said he learned about the coalition government being planned by the two parties from then senator Benigno Ninoy Aquino Jr., a leading opposition figure at the time. One of the reasons why President Marcos declared martial law is there was a working coalition between the Liberal Party and the New Peoples Army-Communist Party of the Philippines led by [Jose Maria] Sison at this point, Enrile said in a video entitled BBM x JPE, Witness to History Episode 1 of Martial Law, posted on Marcoss Facebook page. When questioned if it was a formal agreement, Enrile said, Yes. I met with Ninoy Aquino in the house of Ramon Silay. Paul Aquino is still alive. He was the one who reported that to me. He also divulged that Paul Aquino  Ninoys brother and father of incumbent Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, discussed the forming of a coalition government with CPP leaders during a meeting. He [Paul] was a member of the Liberal Party, Enrile said. Enrile, who was defense secretary at the time, said Marcos then realized that the country was too fragile and that it had very limited capability to contain the problem. At the start of the interview, Marcos Jr. said he had chosen to talk to Enrile about martial law because he was the most authoritative person on the matter. He noted He noted that Enrile was not only a part of the action during the martial law regime but also part of the decision-making. It was also Enrile who along with Fidel Ramos turned against President Marcos in 1986, sparking the Peoples Power revolt that overthrew the dictator. The young Marcos said he came out with the video after receiving e-mail questions and inquiries on social media from millennials who wanted to know the reasons behind his fathers declaration of martial law in 1972. In his opening statement, the 95-year-old Enrile said history was totally distorted to favor one group. But Enrile expressed hope that little by little, the truth will come out to correct the distortion in history. Enrile also said he is willing to challenge anyone to debate with him about the events surrounding martial law. I remember President [Emilio] Aguinaldo all the way to President [Rodrigo] Duterte. Thats my advantage over most of the people in this land now. Ive seen history from the time of the Americans all the way now, he said. The Liberal Party denied such an agreement with the communist rebels took place, saying it was a lie that Marcos used to justify his desire to stay in power. That was the lie peddled by Marcos to justify his desire to perpetuate himself in power to include the staging of the fake ambush of Enrile, which he himself admitted to during the onset of the EDSA People Power Revolution, said LP president Senator Francis Pangilinan. The partys vice president, former Quezon Representative Erin Tanada, in an interview on News To Go, said it is unfair for Enrile to make such an allegation since most of the people supposedly involved in the negotiation are all dead. We cant verify such statement. For us, it might be fake news. Thats when they need to come out with evidence, he said. The former Marcos defense chief also said before martial rule, there were only 50,000 men in the armed forces, including the Philippine Constabulary. He said the firearms in the hands of civilians were more than those of the armed forces.Through martial law, he said the the government harvested some 600,000 guns from across the country. He also debunked reports that they killed a lot of people during martial law, insisting that only the drug lord Lim Seng was executed. He also laughed off reports by historians that 70,000 others were arrested during the martial law years. Name me one that we executed other than [suspected drug lord] Lim Seng. There was none. Name me one person who was arrested because of political or religious belief. None. Name me one person who was arrested simply because they criticized President Marcos. None, Enrile said. Enrile said they could have this number if jaywalkers and violators of curfew were included. He recalled that during the first two or three years of martial law, it was so peaceful one could open the window and leave the house and nobody would touch it. Enrile, who also served as justice minister, said the millenials have been vocal against martial law because of the inaccurate facts they heard and read. What they know is what theyve read or heard based on inaccurate facts, he said. Enrile said those who were arrested for their political stand were later on released and suffered only inconvenience. Jovy Salonga was a member of the Light a Fire Movement. Yes, they were arrested, but they were released. They were just inconvenienced for a while. But they were released later, he said. Pepe Diokno, he did not want to be released. I told him, sign anything, just get out of here, Enrile said. Former President Benigno Aquino III hit Enrile, and questioned his credentials, saying he was part of the misrule for such a long time. He is not the expert in terms of governance, he said. Pardon me if I dont want to listen to him. Enrile angered Aquino by saying his mother, President Cory Aquino, knew nothing about governance. The first of the two-part video interview was posted on Marcoss Facebook page. The second part will be posted on Sept. 22. During the interview, Enrile said Mrs. Aquino, widow of slain senator Benigno Aquino Jr., did not know anything about governance. When I joined the first Cabinet meeting with Cory, she did not make any decision. I realized that the President did not know anything about governance, he said. He also blamed Mrs. Aquino for the communist insurgency problem. We emasculated the communists when we declared martial law. But after the Edsa [Peoples Power], she released all the leaders even Fr. [Conrado] Balweg, Enrile said.
Most firms in Australia and New Zealand that have adopted new technology have observed increased productivity, a new study has found.

For the What is Shaping the Future Firm? study, GlobalX and the Australian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA) gathered responses from 211 firms in Australia and 32 in New Zealand.

The study also found that most firms are concerned about cybersecurity, and that some may be caught unaware by compliance requirements of the new Notifiable Data Breach Scheme.
The acquisition is expected to be completed in November. Primary has agreed to pay $75m up front, and $20m no earlier than 1 July 2019, subject to conditions. Further earn-outs may be payable for a total consideration of up to $138.5m.

Cooper Grace Wards team was led by partner Charles Sweeney. Partner Clinton Jackson, special counsel Andrew Corkhill, lawyers Adelaide Hayes and Nick Ward, and graduate David Lee Lewes also provided expert advice.

Montserrat has been a long-standing client, the firm said.
AMG

Initially believed to bear the name LT7, the 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 in the full-size luxury sedan is called GF18. But for the general public, Cadillac refers to the eight-cylinder engine as the Blackwing. In an e-mailed statement to Roadshow , the automaker announced the name of the V8 and a class-leading 627 pound-feet of torque.The closest eight-cylinder competitor that we can think of is the Mercedes-S63, which uses the wet-sump version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that debuted in the GT line of coupes and roadsters. And if you were wondering, the M177 is torquier thanks to 664 pound-feet at 2,750 rpm.Were still scratching our heads, trying to understand what Cadillac is trying to imply with the class-leading swagger. Even in the American full-size sedan segment, the Charger SRT Hellcat dishes out 650 pound-feet. On the other hand, no American automaker has a twin-turbocharged engine in this segment.Turning our attention back to the Blackwing, the hot-V configuration promises minimal turbo lag and reduced packaging compared to the conventional layout of a twin-turbocharged engine. Technologies also include electronic wastegate control, twin throttle bodies, dual-independent camshaft phasing, variable-pressure oiling system, Active Fuel Management, and stop/start.Assembled by hand at the Performance Build Center in the Corvettes stomping ground of Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Blackwing is also described as a Cadillac-exclusive engine. Knowing General Motors, that wont be the case in the long run, not when Chevrolet is out and about, testing the C8 Corvette Instead of an ending note, heres a question for you. If it were your money, would you spend them on the Cadillac CTS-V (650 horsepower) or the CT6 V-Sport (550 horsepower)? As far as aural pleasure is concerned, wed go for the small-block engine in the CTS-V every single time.
This time around, the pedal-happy folks over at Motor Trend have brought together a lineup that ranges from the Honda Civic Type R to the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye, with the latter packing more than twice the muscle of the first.As for the big boy league, this is where we have the McLaren 720S and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Oh, and let's not forget the Lamborghini Huracan Performante and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 , which is here in both high- and low-wing trim.However, the shenanigan isn't limited to the quarter-mile run. Sure, the 1,320 feet sprint does take place (it couldn't be omitted), but the adventure also includes a half-mile brawl.This involves a few changes in the lineup, which you'll get to check out in the piece of footage below. However, the YouTube video doesn't involve the actual half-mile race, with this requiting an MT subscription to watch.Now, some people might be all that happy about us delivering the following numbers here, but since not all of you are ready to subscribe, we can throw two spoilers from the half-mile battle.For one thing, the McLaren once again topped the Porsche, but this time around there was one car between them.Oh, and as for the 2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye , this came in last, with a trap speed of 153.3 mph.Then again, these are just numbers and the cars we have here deliver such a strong emotional punch that they are hardly defined by just figures, so the thrills of watching them race is greater than simply checking out the podium.
According to EuroNews , authorities only came to reclaim the abandoned truck after people complained about the awful smell emanating from it. It is believed that the 157 bodies were victims of cartel violence, which could no longer be housed at local morgues because they were at full capacity.Still, not a single official could offer an explanation as to how the trailer ended up in the field or whether there were ever any plans to come back for it and have the bodies stored properly. One theory is that the truck was en route to a mass grave site, plans for which fell through when residents complained it was being built too close to their homes.As the story of the finding broke, the trailer was recovered and taken to another place  but authorities again refused to say where.Meanwhile, Luis Octavio Cotero, the head of Jaliscos Institute of Forensic Sciences, the body responsible for handling the human remains, has been dismissed. Aristoteles Sandoval, the Jalisco governor, says serious omissions that must be sanctioned have taken place. It is evident that those who were in charge of the transfer procedure altered the protocol without notifying their hierarchical superiors.Outraged residents told the media that the trailer was on the field for days before they smelled anything, so presumably, its cooling system was still working. They also revealed it took them several attempts to get authorities to come and retrieve the vehicle with its cargo.Various groups are urging authorities on social media to identify the victims, accusing them of lacking humanity and compassion for the victims families. Just last year, over 30,000 died in Mexico because of cartel violence, the highest number since official recordings started in 1997.
The incident happened in Compton, on the set of the Dr. Dre-produced movie Straight Outta Compton, where Knight came to fight over what he believed was an unfair portrayal of his actions in the film. The film tells the story of the group N.W.A., founded by Dr. Dre , Easy E and Ice Cube, and Knight wanted some details clarified about how hed be portrayed in it.He ended up backing his truck and hitting one man Cle Bone Sloan, then rolling over another, Terry Carter  both in reverse and forward. The hit and run occurred after a violent verbal spat, so all signs pointed to a voluntary act on behalf of the rapper and music executive.Because of the severity of his crime, which was captured on CCTV cameras, Knight was refused bail. He also had a prior record of violent offenses and this was his third strike. His jury trial was supposed to start on October 1, and he was facing life in jail without the possibility of parole if he was found guilty. People Magazine reports that his attorney reached out to prosecutors and struck a plea deal. Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter. Under the plea deal, he was sentenced to 22 years in state prison on the manslaughter charge, 5 years for this being his third strike and 1 year for assault with a deadly weapon  his truck, in this case.However, Knight also gets credit for time served. So, adding the issue of overcrowding and the time hes already spent behind bars, hes looking at a release after about 10 years or so. Its considerably less than his sentence, but Knight also has serious health issues, so it will stilllike forever to him.
HanoiVietnams President Tran Dai Quang, a former police chief known as a tough politician with little tolerance for dissent, died Friday at age 61 after a serious illness, state media reported. His death is not likely to dramatically alter politics in a country where the communist state oversees almost every facet of society-salthough the death of a sitting leader is rare. Coverage on state media was sombre Friday, with a Vietnam Television anchor dressed in all black as she announced the news of the leaders death, first reported by the official news agency. He passed away from a serious illness despite devoted treatment by professors and doctors, the official Vietnam News Agency said. A member of Quangs staff confirmed his very sad death to AFP. In office as president since April 2016 after more than four decades at the powerful Ministry of Public Securityincluding five years as minister until 2016Quang had a reputation as a hardliner and dedicated communist party member. Though he held one of the countrys top four positions and was officially the head of state, his role as president was seen as largely ceremonial, greeting visiting leaders and hosting diplomatic events in a bid to boost Vietnams profile on the world stage. Quang, also a politburo member, had appeared thin and pale in public in recent months, and was unstable on his feet last week when he hosted a welcoming ceremony for Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Hanoi. His last public appearance was just two days ago at a meeting with visiting Chinese politicians and foreign dignitaries in Hanoi. State media celebrated Quang for his devotion to public service and commitment to the party, which he joined in 1980. Born October 12, 1956 in northern Ninh Binh province, Quang joined the police academy as a young man and went on to study at the College of Foreign Language in the capital. His long career in the security ministrythen known as the Interior Ministrystarted in 1975 and Quang spent much of his tenure climbing the ranks of the shadowy yet powerful institution, which heads up the countrys secret police and intelligence.As head of MPS, Quang had a reputation as tough and influential in the inner circles of the communist party, though he often appeared uncomfortable in the public eye and lacked the charisma of some of his peers in the partys upper echelons. In an interview with AFP in 2016 ahead of a visit by the former French leader Francois Hollande, Quang read from a prepared statement and was quickly escorted from the room by staff when questions went off-script. His time in office was dominated by a simmering conflict with Beijing over the South China Sea, a long-running dispute between the communist neighbors that escalated on several occasions. Vietnam canceled at least one oil drilling project in the resource-rich region during Quangs tenure in an apparent bid to quell tensions. He was the administrations most public face at a series of high-profile events, most notably at an APEC meeting in Danang in November last year where he hosted a bevy of world leadersincluding US President Donald Trump and Chinas Xi Jinping. As president, he oversaw a crackdown on dissidents that rights groups have decried as a chokehold on free expression. Some 100 political prisoners were behind bars as of April with more than 40 jailed this year alone, according to Amnesty International. It is a bruised reputation that is likely to resonate among critics outside Vietnam, even as his legacy will be celebratedalbeit tightly controlledat home. He was basically at the top of the apparatus of repression that silences voices for human rights defenders, government critics, bloggers and members of civil society, Andrea Giorgetta of the International Federation for Human Rights told AFP after his death Friday. He is survived by his wife and two sons. There was no immediate announcement about when his funeral will take place, though the government is certain to host a state service for him.
Image: EAA

In partnership with the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) hosted a three-day Experimental Accident Investigation course this week. According to EAA, attendees were primarily FAA field office staff who work with the certification of experimental and light-sport aircraft and investigate accidents. The course, which is held at EAAs headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, includes lectures, site visits to local aviation businesses and a tour of the EAA Aviation Museum.

EAA has been participating in this course for more than fifteen years, said EAA government relations director Tom Charpentier. Every time we host TSI, it is a tremendous opportunity to speak directly to the front-line FAA field staff that will be interacting with our members. We hope that the accident investigation skills we are teaching will rarely be used in practice, but we are confident that they will lead to more accurate reports and insights when accidents do happen.

TSI is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation and is tasked with providing safety, security and environmental training for the department. EAA says it will be partnering with TSI for two additional courses this year and has four more planned for 2019.
The Republican Party is suffering an identity crisis that poses acute short- and long-term risks: President Trump, with 38% approval in Gallup, is giving the party a constricted appeal, with the danger of continuing high-profile defections.

Why it matters: In a 50-50 nation, marginal defections can incapacitate a party.

The GOP, long synonymous with conservatism, is now effectively the Trump Party  in policy, branding and support.

long synonymous with conservatism, is now effectively the Trump Party  in policy, branding and support. That leaves some swaths of traditional conservatives without a major-party home, and endangers Republican electoral fortunes.

some swaths of traditional conservatives without a major-party home, and endangers Republican electoral fortunes. And two of the party's mega-donors renounced the GOP last week: hedge fund manager Seth Klarman, once Republicans' biggest donor in New England, and Les Wexner  the wealthiest GOP donor in Ohio, and founder, chairman and CEO of L Brands, which includes Victoria's Secret.

For now, this is a crisis of the intellectual and power elite: "Morning" Joe Scarborough; his frequent guest Steve Schmidt; N.Y. Times columnist Bret Stephens; WashPost columnists George Will, Michael Gerson, and Max Boot.

But its slowly spreading,

The danger for Republicans is that they get clobbered in November, and a trickle becomes a steady stream.

Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, 46, a rising star in the party, continues to flirt with leaving the party  a small sign of a talent crisis that could lie ahead for the GOP.

Sasse recently fired off a quartet of tweets praising a devastating critique of the right's current straits: "America Desperately Needs a Healthy Conservatism," by Andrew Sullivan of New York Magazine.

a quartet of tweets praising a devastating critique of the right's current straits: "America Desperately Needs a Healthy Conservatism," by Andrew Sullivan of New York Magazine. "In todays America, [traditional] conservatism is completely under siege," Sullivan writes. Trump "assaults the norms that conservatives revere, has contempt for existing institutions and sees the rule of law as a means to advance his own interests, rather than that of the society as a whole."

Gallup's most recent gauge of party identity has 28% of Americans considering themselves Republicans, 27% calling themselves Democrats and 43% identifying as independents.

It's that big middle group where you see the looming threat to the vitality of the GOP: Some Trump policies are so polarizing that independents are likely to be increasingly inaccessible to the Republican Party, giving Democrats a potentially overwhelming advantage in the pool of voters they can activate.

A former White House official told me: "Shifting demographics have been a problem for Republicans for a long time. Paradoxically, while Trump likely exacerbated that problem in the long term, he also postponed its consequences because he carved out a new path to 270, in large part thanks to his trade rhetoric."

"The problem post-Trump is that what he did is not replicable."

Be smart: High profile defections like the ones above won't change the electoral math of the heartland, where GOP presidencies are won. The danger is Trump's alienation of quiet conservatives: They won't make big announcements. They just won't show up.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has urged Yerevan residents to vote overwhelmingly for his political team in Sundays municipal elections, saying that its landslide victory is critical for forcing snap parliamentary elections in Armenia.

The My Step alliance dominated by Pashinians Civil Contract party is widely expected to win a majority in the new city council that will fill the vacant post of Yerevan mayor. The margin of its victory remains an open question, though.

I want to stress that by voting for the My Step alliance in these elections you will also vote for the dissolution of Armenias current National Assembly and the holding of pre-term parliamentary elections, Pashinian told a campaign rally held in the citys Arabkir district late on Thursday.

I want to get your mandate to negotiate with the parliament, the parliamentary forces on the date and the venue of the pre-term parliamentary elections, he said. It is very important that you give me a strong mandate in the Yerevan council elections so that I go and solve that issue.

Pashinian controls only a handful of seats in the current 105-member parliament that appointed him as prime minister in May after weeks of street protests that toppled Armenias previous government. Snap elections are therefore seen as crucial for his political future.

Under the Armenian constitution, they can be called only if the prime minister steps down and the parliament fails to choose his replacement.

Pashinian indicated that in his push for the parliaments dissolution he will resort to the kind of popular pressure which he put on lawmakers when they first refused to elect him prime minister on May 2.The parliament majority reluctantly accepted his candidacy six days later, after renewed protests and road blockades paralyzed much of the country.

The Pashinian governments policy program approved by the parliament in June says the general elections should be held by June 2019. Pashinian on Thursday again did not give possible election dates.

Some senior lawmakers from former President Serzh Sarkisians Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), which has the largest parliamentary faction, have spoken out against the idea of fresh polls.

Leaders of other parliamentary forces, which are represented in the government, implicitly threatened this week to reconsider their support for such a vote after being harshly criticized by Pashinian during the Yerevan mayoral race. The premier on Wednesday warned them not to go against the people.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 88 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Sept. 21.

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.

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By Rashid Shirinov

The documents declassified by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan have once again confirmed that the policy of Armenia has always been based on the ideology of seizing foreign lands and territorial claims to neighboring states, as well as on ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, Turks and other peoples, the well-known Turkish political scientist, professor Togrul Ismayil told Trend on September 20.

He noted that the history of Armenian occupation and the development of anti-Turkic sentiments in Armenia have their roots in the 17-19th centuries.

Since then, a consistent policy of resettlement of Armenians in the Turkic lands has been carried out, resulting in the seizure of those lands and the creation of Armenian statehood in foreign territories, Ismayil said.

He stressed that numerous falsifications, oppression and mass extermination of the Turkic peoples in the region are a purposeful act, and the discovery and dissemination of such important documents by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan reveal the true goals of Armenian Nazism and the nature of the tragedies that have occurred.

The expert further said that the population of Armenia has always been used by the ruling regimes of this country, by different politicians for the realization of their personal selfish goals.

At the same time, Armenians have always been perceived as a tool in the hands of strong states to promote goals against the Turkic peoples, including the Azerbaijanis and Turks. This policy continues to this day, the political scientist noted.

He added that the aggressive actions of the Armenian Nazis were punished both in the Ottoman Empire and in the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

This was clearly demonstrated by the fighting in Karabakh, which showed the power and strength of the Azerbaijani Army, its professional training. Nevertheless, Armenia continues its stubborn policy by making territorial claims against Turkey, manipulating the concept of genocide and continuing the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, thus violating the norms and principles of international law, Ismayil said.

He further noted that this kind of policy of the Armenian leadership shows the world that the ideology of terrorism and fascism is an integral part of the state policy of modern Armenia.

Earlier, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan distributed archival documents confirming the terrorist attacks of the Armenian Dashnak forces. The documents prove that they used the dirtiest methods to achieve their insidious goals.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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By Laman Ismayilova

From children to adults, people around the world cannot get enough of animated films.

Do you remember how we were filled with worry and concern about our favorite characters? Now we are grown-ups, but many of us still enjoy watching our favorite animated films and series.

Animation films also have educational aspects. They play a significant role in their intellectual and emotional development. Moreover, animation films have positive effects on kids brain development.

Animation splashes a wide palette of colors and harnesses music that boosts brain organization and ability.

The inventor of the viewing device called a praxinoscope (1877), French scientist Charles-Emile Reynaud, became known as the First Motion Picture Cartoonist.

The earliest cinema animation was composed of frame-by-frame, hand-drawn images. When combined with movement, the illustrator's two-dimensional static art came alive and created pure and imaginative cinematic images - animals and other inanimate objects could become evil villains or heroes.

The creation of animated films in Azerbaijan began in the 1930s.

In 1933, "Azerbaijanfilm" studio carried out preparatory works for making this kind of cinema in advance, and brought materials from Moscow.

During the shooting of documentary films "Lokbatan" and "The Symphony" (directed by B. Pumpyanski) they used technical animation.

And the instruction film "Cat" was fully animated. Thus, the film was considered as the first work in making of cartoon films in Azerbaijan.

The film was demonstrated on the screens of the Soviet Union until 1938. After release of the film a group of initiators in the studio for the first time decided to make animated film.

The theme for the film was taken from Azerbaijani folk tales. A. Papov wrote the script. The scenario called "Unluckiness of Abbas" was directed by E. Dikaryov.

The animators included G.Khaligov, J. Zeynalov, M. Magomayev and A.Mirzayev. The film operator was G. Yegiazarov. In addition, a little before the start of the Great Patriotic War the preparation was made for shooting the 2nd animated film "Sindbadthe sea traveler". However, the beginning of the war suspended the work and it remained uncompleted.

In the late 1960s, Azerbaijanfilm studio was provided with necessary facilities to make animations.

The shootings of animated film "Dwarf-Jirtdan" on the motives of folk tale of the same name were completed on February 28, 1969. Thus, by the shooting of Dwarf the 2nd phase in history of animated films in Azerbaijan began.

Over 20 animation films were produced in Azerbaijanfilm studio during the 1970s.

In 1970, animators presented three animation films, two of which were microfilms "Bear and mouse" and "Lion and bull" under Seyid Azim Shirvani's same-titled work. The latter was included in all-union anthology "Caleidoscope-71".

It was the first full-featured animated film shot by the Azerbaijanfilm after the restoration of the animated film workshop. The film "Fitna" was a color application film. This film was shot basing on motives of same name tale of great Azerbaijani poet N. Ganjavi.

"Jackal of jackals" puppet film (1972, film director M. Rafiyev) is the first and only wide-screen animation film in Azerbaijan.

Many artists played a great role great in the creation of animated films in Azerbaijan.

Nazim Mammadov laid the foundation for multiplication in Azerbaijan with "Bear and the Mouse". He was the director and artist, as well as the animator of the film. The film talks about not to forget kindness and goodness.

Mammadov had also been involved in painting, graphics and illustrations to more than 400 children's books.

The Azerbaijan Animation Museum named after Nazim Mammadov was established in 2015 with the support of the Youth Foundation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan and at the initiative of the Azerbaijani Consulate of Art.

Over 30 animated films were produced in the film studio in the 1980s, including "Spring games", " Story of pomegranate tree", "Chrysanthemum leaf", "Difficult issue", "Man is coming to the forest", "My chickens", "Magic tree", "Flying Giraffe", "Strange dragon", "Magic kerchief" and other works.

About 19 animation films such as "Once somewhere...", "Lovely Fatma", "Caravan" were created during the 1990s.

Nowadays, animation in Azerbaijan is being continue its development with great success.

In 2013, only two to three animation films were screened in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's first national animation film "Jirtdan and Tapagoz" made in 3D format was released in 2012.

Baku to host 1st International Festival of Animation Art

The first International Festival of Animation Art (ANIMAFILM) will be held in Baku on October 19-21.

The project aims to develop creative and production activities of filmmakers, film and animation studios of the country, review various genres of professional animation by foreign directors and exchange experience.

More than 80 applications from 22 countries have been submitted for participation in the festival, Trend Life reported.

Among them are films from France, the U.S., Iran, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Spain, Japan, etc.

The festival will feature several contests: "Azerbaijan Animation", "Best Short Animation Film", "Best Short Animated Azerbaijani Film", "Best Animated Social Animation", "Best Advertising Animation", "The Most Original Screenplay for Animation."

Winners will be determined by two members of the international jury. Among the jury members are well-known Azerbaijani animator Elchin Hami Akhundov, writer Sevinj Azimova, head of the Guild of Georgian Animators Ketevan Janelidze, Czech animator Miroslava Janicatova, Iranian filmmaker Leila Novruyi and others.

Thematic evenings, seminars and master classes, presentation of the book "Azerbaijan Animation", children's programs and other surprises await guests of the festival.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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By Naila Huseynli

It is planned to create a unique mound archaeological park in Azerbaijan for the first time in the world, said Parviz Gasimov, head of Public Relations Department of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of ANAS.

He said that the archaeological park is planned to build around Ganja city.

It is envisaged that the top cover of the mound will be covered with a transparent, plastic coating after being investigated. Thus, tourists can get familiar with the shape of the grave chamber, and the burial customs of the Bronze Age, he added.

The head of the department mentioned that in 2015, the expedition team of the Institute conducted archaeological exploration activities in Ganja city and surrounding areas. The GPS coordinates of the mound-type grave monuments discovered from the Ganja airport to the cemetery called "Yeni Sabzikar" and from the city entrance to the administrative borders of Goygol region were taken and mapped. It is believed that mound type monuments belong to the Bronze Age.

At present, the Azerbaijani-Italian expedition team conducts research in one of the mounds. The graves will be museumized after a thorough research, Gasimov stated.

This work will take long. The numbers of explored mounds will be increased from year to year. Accordingly, copy of the exhibits for the museum will be created by architects, he said.

Gasimov noted that the creation of this park will provide more detailed information about the history of Azerbaijan.
By Laman Ismayilova

The presentation of the Dede Korkut Chamber Orchestra, organized under the auspices of the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation, was held at the International Mugham Center on September 20.

The event, which was attended by representatives of diplomatic corps accredited in the country, representatives of international organizations, well-known figures of science and culture, public figures, musicians, was held as part of the 10th Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival.

Addressing the event, President of the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Efendiyeva spoke on the work done by the organization. The International Turkish Culture and Heritage Fund has been established with the support of the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. The Foundation works to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples. At present, the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation is working on various projects aimed at protecting and promoting the historical and cultural heritage of the Turkic-speaking peoples.

It was stressed that one of such projects is the creation of the Dede Korkut Chamber Orchestra. The Dede Korkut Chamber Orchestra, which is named after the main hero of " The Book of Dede Korkut ", the most famous epic of the Turkic world, unites musicians from the Turkic world.

At the 6th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States held in Kyrgyzstan earlier this month, this initiative was reflected in the Declaration signed by the heads of the member states. The art director and conductor of the orchestra is People's Artist of Azerbaijan, Professor Yalchin Adigozalov. The orchestra works to promote the rich culture and art of the Turkic world, folk music and works of great composers. The orchestra aims t perform the music of Turkic peoples on the international platform in this direction.

Gunay Efendiyeva said that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Caucasus Islamic Army. The spectacular parade that we saw a few days ago once again demonstrated the eternal friendship and brotherhood between the two Turkic-speaking states.

It was noted that this year also marks the 95th anniversary of the great national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, who always supported the unity of the entire Turkic world and strived for its development and strengthening. At the same time, the 90th anniversary of the great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, the 100th anniversary of prominent Azerbaijani composer Gara Garayev is celebrated with a series of events. Each of them is the giant figures of the Turkic world.

The President of the Foundation expressed her gratitude to the people of Nakhchivan for saying that several concerts will be held in Nakhchivan on September 22 as it was declared the capital of Islamic culture for 2018.

First Deputy Minister of Culture Vagif Aliyev spoke about the importance of the music festival named after genius composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli. The geography of the festival, which has already been held for the tenth time this year, has expanded. Famous music collectives have joined the festival.

He stressed that the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation has done a great deal of work in the shortest possible time. The Foundation, which has signed new projects aimed at the realization of its goals.

Further, the guests enjoyed the works of Azerbaijani, Turkish, Kazakh and Kyrgyz composers.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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By Trend

The 71st anniversary of the U.S. Air Force was celebrated in Baku, the US embassy in Baku said in a message on Sept. 20.

Military attache of the embassy, Colonel Adam Kavlick greeted the guests and spoke about the military cooperation between the U.S. and Azerbaijan.

Representatives of the Azerbaijani Air Force also attended the celebration.

The US intends to continue the important cooperation with Azerbaijan in such areas as activities in Afghanistan, combating global terrorism and ensuring regional security, Kavlick said.

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In the wake of the thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings resulting from President Dutertes murderous war on drugs, lawyer Jude Sabio filed last April 27, 2017 the first communication and complaint against the President before the International Criminal Court. Sabio argues in his complaint that the deaths of thousands of Filipinos in a brutal war on drugs is Dutertes method of controlling crime, and that he used the tactic effectively during his 22 years as the mayor of Davao City in the south of the country. He wants Duterte arrested. A 45-page supplemental communication was thereafter filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes and Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano to provide updates to the submitted communication of Atty. Jude Sabio. Trillanes explained: The case of crimes against humanity against Duterte is very solid. He repeatedly, explicitly and clearly pronounced a national policy of killing drug suspects and the PNP executed it. Moreover, the Philippines, being a state party and Duterte being a Filipino, satisfy jurisdictional requirements. Any Filipino lawyer who says otherwise, should read the ICC policy papers first. Last Aug. 27, 2018 a second Communication and complaint was filed against Duterte before Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of the International Criminal Court. The complainants are the Rise Up for Life and for Rights, a network of church people, human rights advocates and the victims and families of the affected communities in the Philippines working in defense of life and protection of human rights particularly against drug-related killings, and six victims of Dutertes war on drugs. Thankfully, the victims of the massacre of the poor have finally risen up to make Duterte accountable for what his government has done and what it has failed to do. This column is the first of a series based on this latest communication. I have no knowledge of the state of the preliminary examination currently being conducted on the Philippines case and whether or not the prosecutor will decide to bring this case to the next level of a formal investigation that will eventually lead to the issuance of an arrest warrant against Duterte and other officials. But my sense is that this could come to a head soon. Doing this article is thus a public service to help people understand why President Duterte is so afraid of the ICC and what this process is all about. The 50-page Communication and Complaint charges Duterte with committing Crimes Against Humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court for: I. the acts of Murder under Article 7, paragraph 1 (a) for the extrajudicial killings of thousands of Filipinos; and II. other Inhumane Acts under Article 7, paragraph 1 (k) for causing great suffering to the victims and their families. Complainants aver that President Duterte is guilty of Crimes against Humanity, specifically murder and other inhumane acts constituted by: (a) Widespread and systematic attacks against civilians in the form of murder of thousands of civilians proscribed under Article 7, paragraph (a) of the Rome Statute through his publicly-pronounced policy against drug suspects, through police directives Oplan Double Barrel, Oplan Tokhang2, Oplan Double Barrel Alpha, and Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded, resulting in the death of at least 4,410 persons in police operations (as of July 31, 2018) to up to 23,000 since he assumed office on June 30, 2016; and, (b) Widespread and systematic attacks against civilians in the form of inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or mental or physical health proscribed under Article 7, paragraph (k) of the Rome Statute under his anti-drug policy and anti-criminality campaign including Oplan Double Barrel and its permutations, and Oplan Tokhang.Complainants assert that the President is guilty of crimes against humanity, for the above acts: President Rodrigo Duterte is criminally responsible and liable for the above mentioned murders, and other inhumane acts, under Article 25, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Rome Statute being the most senior leader and most responsible for these crimes. And that the President is criminally responsible, under the principle of command responsibility under Article 28, paragraphs (a) and (b), being the commander and superior authority over the police and other state security forces who committed the above mentioned acts of murder, inhumane acts, and other forms of persecution in the implementation of his policy against suspected drug and crime suspects. Complainants further argue that they have satisfied the admissibility requirements under the Rome Statute because firstly, the extrajudicial killings, mass arrests, and other inhumane acts committed by and under President Duterte are so grievous and so heinous that is of sufficient gravity to justify further action of the Court; Secondly, President Duterte is not being investigated or prosecuted and he has not been previously investigated or prosecuted for the extrajudicial killings that he ordered and allowed to persist during the period of his presidency, nor has he been previously tried for conduct which is subject of the complaint. The complainants assert that the Philippines deposit of a written notification with the United Nations to withdraw from the ICC is of no moment and does not deprive the ICC of jurisdiction. Based on the Rome Statute, according to complainants, a partys withdrawal, as what the Philippines supposedly did under the present administration, shall not take effect until one year from its deposit of the notification of withdrawal or until March 16, 2019. Since the Complaint is filed during the period that the Philippines is a State Party, the Court is not ousted of its jurisdiction by such notice of withdrawal. Furthermore, according to the complaint, the provision is clear that said withdrawal shall not prejudiceany matter which was already under consideration by the Court prior to the date on which the withdrawal became effective, on or before March 16, 2019. In the next columns, I will provide more details on the case against Duterte while reserving my personal assessment on the case for the final column.
By Trend

Bulgaria shows great interest in the global projects being implemented by Azerbaijan.

This statement was made in Baku on Sept. 20 during the meeting between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov and Chairperson of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Tsveta Karayancheva, who is on a visit to the country to participate in the solemn event on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament.

Azerbaijan and Bulgaria have strong friendly relations, Mammadov said, adding that these relations have reached the level of strategic partnership.

"Currently, political relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are at a high level, he said. Our countries are also successfully cooperating within the international organizations. Of course, interparliamentary cooperation also plays an important role in expanding our relations."

The prime minister touched upon the trade and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria and stressed that the trade turnover between the two countries has greatly grown during the eight months of this year.

Mammadov also said that a number of important issues are planned to be discussed at the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in Sofia.

Chairperson of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Tsveta Karayancheva congratulated Mammadov on his appointment to the post of prime minister and expressed gratitude for the invitation to participate in the solemn events on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament.

Karayancheva said that the mutual activity of the parliaments of the two countries plays an important role in the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria.

The commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is an important event, she said, adding that Bulgaria shows great interest in this project.

The special significance of the "Southern Gas Corridor" project was stressed during the conversation. The views on the construction of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria were exchanged.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the possibilities of cooperation in the field of agriculture, food industry, tourism, investments and implementation of joint infrastructure projects, as well as in other areas of mutual interest.

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By Trend

Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov has met with the delegation led by Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message.

The minister of defense noted the successful development of Azerbaijan-NATO relations and stressed the importance of the Alliances position on security in the South Caucasus for peace and stability in the region.

Touching upon the military-political situation in the region, Hasanov noted the importance of achieving a solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and in accordance with the norms and principles of international law.

Hasanov highly appreciated NATOs position on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan and expressed confidence that the Alliance will continue with assistance in this issue.

During the discussion of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 "On Women and Peace and Security" Hasanov, noting the interest of Azerbaijan in fulfilling the requirements arising from this document, brought to the attention of the guests that there are more than 10,000 women who are serving in the Azerbaijani army.

Hasanov added that soon it is envisaged to establish the post of the referent of the minister of defense dealing with the problems of women servicemen and civil servants.

Gottemoeller noting the position of Azerbaijan in this issue as worthy of approval, stressed that Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of NATO and highly appreciated the participation of Azerbaijan in the fight against terrorism and the cargo transportation carried out for peacekeeping operations, as well as the contribution made by Azerbaijani peacekeepers to international security within the framework of the operations in Afghanistan.

Gottemoeller expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani side.

An extensive exchange of views on the issues of Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation within the framework of the Partnership for Peace and other programs, the implementation of projects, the current state and prospects for the development of relations was also held during the meeting.

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By Trend

Azerbaijani troops have conducted combat firing at various training ranges at night and in conditions of reduced visibility, according to the plan of large-scale exercises, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a message on Sept. 21.

The troops involved in the exercises fulfilled their assigned tasks, destroying all the targets of the imaginary enemy using modern weapons and military equipment.

Azerbaijan launched large-scale operational-tactical exercises 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 fighter and bomber aircraft, as well as up to 20 army aviation units.

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By Sara Israfilbayova

Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan detained two men for illegal hunting in the territory called Kalmas, in Salyan region.

During the proceedings it was revealed that they are citizens of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mohammed Ali Al-Murry and Faezal Shah.

Each of the guilty persons was administratively fined in the amount of 2,000 manats ($1,170).

Earlier, it was reported that employees of the regional department of ecology and natural resources of the Ministry detained three citizens of Saudi Arabia in the territory of Uzunbala village of Neftchala region, trying to engage in illegal hunting.

Three hunting rifles and 50 cartridges were seized. Each of the guilty under an administrative order was fined in the amount of 2,000 manats ($1,170).

Moreover, during the raids conducted over the past three months, 35 people engaged in illegal hunting in Azerbaijan were detained.

The Ministry reported that 29 hunting rifles, cartridges and various hunting gear were confiscated.

In respect of these persons, protocols were drawn up and a fine of 40,441 manats ($23,788) was imposed.

The Ministry of Ecology conducts regular raids to study the situation with observance of the requirements of the laws On hunting and On fauna.

In May the Ministry reported that a new draft decision on increasing the amount of fines against individuals who conduct illegal hunting has been prepared in the country.

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Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

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By Trend

More and more countries are getting involved in a unique South Gas Corridor (SGC) project that will enable Europe to strongly improve its energy security.

On his visit to Croatia in early September, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stressed at a press-briefing with his Croatian counterpart that his country can make its gas capacities available to the world and Europe in an even greater volumes.

Azerbaijan has very large gas reserves. Confirmed gas reserves stand at 2.6 trillion cubic meters. This indicates that we will take additional steps to increase gas production and we also intend to expand the geography of our exports, President Aliyev said.

At a time when the whole volume of gas from Shah Deniz Full Field Development (FFD) within the SGC project has already been contracted, Azerbaijan is working over the other promising gas projects in order to be committed to its energy partnership and to meet its own interests as well.

On September 14, President Ilham Aliyev received Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Total Patrick Pouyanne. Progress of the current activities on the joint development of the Absheron gas field as well as opportunities for joint development of other offshore fields were discussed during the meeting.

Earlier in September, Total, which is the field development operator, told Trend news agency that the first gas is planned to be obtained in 3Q2020.

Joint drilling operations with Total will be completed next year. The first production from the field is expected in 2020-2021.

Based on Total's estimates, the fields reserves amount to 326 billion cubic meters of gas and 108 million tons of condensate.

Also, SOCAR has reached agreements with a number of foreign companies on identification and initial exploration of promising structures in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, Abdullayev said on Sept. 19.

He noted that in 2020, drilling of a new well will start from the second platform of the Umid gas condensate field.

The well will be commissioned in 2021, SOCAR president said.

A risk service contract for exploration and development of an offshore block includes the Umid gas field and the promising Babek structure in the Caspian Sea.

According to SOCARs data and the results of drilling of the first exploration well, the field contains over 200 billion cubic meters of gas and 40 million tons of condensate.

The reserves of the Babek structure may stand at 400 billion cubic meters of gas and 80 million tons of condensate, according to preliminary data.

As for the appraisal well at Karabakh oil and gas field, it is planned to be drilled by Dede Gorgud rig in 2019. The first gas is expected to be received in 2021, Abdullayev said.

In May, SOCAR and Norwegian Equinor (former Statoil) signed a Risk Service contract for the development of the Karabakh field.

On Sept. 19, SOCAR Vice President Suleyman Gasimov told reporters in Baku that 221 million manat out of total 663 million (some $390 million), envisaged in the 2018 state budget to increase the companys authorized capital regarding drilling operations at the Umid-Babek and Karabakh fields, have already been allocated .

In addition to Absheron, Karabakh and Umid fields, where exploratory drilling is currently in progress, other prospective structures and gas condensate fields such as Shafag-Asiman or ACG deep-laying gas, are waiting in the wings.

In parallel with Azerbaijan, potential European buyers are working at the other end of the new gas supply chain.

Croatia expects to receive around 2.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year via the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), Croatian Ministry of Environment and Energy told Trend on Sept.19.

IAP is a proposed natural gas pipeline in Southeastern Europe (SEE) that will stretch from Albania through Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Split in Croatia. It will be connected with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)  an integral part of SGC. The capacity of the pipeline will amount to five billion cubic meters of gas per year.

The next meeting of Project Management Unit (PMU) for the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) will be held in October 2018, the ministry said.

IAP is the second gas pipeline, in addition to IGB (Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria), which branches off from the main route of SGC.

Thus, it is clear that Baku decided it would not limit itself with only Shah Deniz gas and with only Greece and Italy as last destination points.

One day natural gas from newly developed Azerbaijani fields will appear somewhere in Montenegro or Croatia. SGC can provide such an opportunity.

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By Trend

On September 19, Director General of Uzbekistan Airways Bakhtiyor Khakimov held talks with Senior Vice-President of the Korean Air Samsug Noh, UzDaily reported citing the press service of Uzbekistan Airways.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on further development of cooperation between Uzbekistan Airways and Korean Air. In particular, the cooperation in passenger and cargo transportation were discussed.

Also, the heads of airlines considered the prospects for further cooperation in general and expressed their intention to consolidate mutual efforts for further development and strengthening of international air transportation between the two countries.

The history of cooperation between Uzbekistan Airways and Korean Air extends back for many years, during which the companies worked to expand partnership in development of new markets, development of logistics infrastructure in Uzbekistan, exchange of experience in management of civil aviation and training.

Together with Korean partners, a number of projects have been implemented, including the establishment of an international intermodal logistics center at the Navoi airport, which is one of the most high-tech cargo complexes in the region today and is designed to become a leading hub connecting Europe with Asia.

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By Kamila Aliyeva

About 60,000 tons of cotton was harvested in Tajikistan as of September 18 from the beginning of cotton harvest season, Tajik media outlets reported.

"Cotton harvesting in Tajikistan began in late August in the southern regions of the republic, the press center of the Tajik Agriculture Ministry reported.

The cotton growers of Khatlon region as of September 18 collected 45,759 tons of cotton, which is 18.3 percent of the forecast figure for the current year.

In Sughd region and districts of republican subordination, 12,404 tons (12.5 percent) and 1,250 tons (1.8 percent) were collected respectively.

Since the beginning of the cotton harvest season, as of September 18, 59,413 tons of cotton or 16.2 percent of the planned amount has been harvested.

As many as 185,817 hectares of land was allocated in Tajikistan for the cultivation of cotton this year. Specialists of the industry noted that the decision to increase cotton crops was made by the government of the country in connection with the growth of market needs. Thus, cotton fields were expanded at the expense of grain and fodder crop areas.

In 2017, Tajik farmers managed to meet the Agriculture Ministry's forecast for the first time over the past several years. Thus in 2017, 380,000 of cotton was harvested in Tajikistan, 5.2 percent more than in 2016.

Until the middle of the 2000s, cotton was considered one of the two main export goods of Tajikistan (along with aluminum). In the 1980s, about 800,000 tons of cotton was harvested annually in Soviet Tajikistan.

At the same time, most of the cotton fiber produced in the country is exported as raw materials. The processing of these products within the country is insignificant.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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By Kamila Aliyeva

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) confirmed its support for the Uzbek government's development and reform program.

This became known following a four-day visit of ADBs Vice President Wencai Zhang to Uzbekistan.

In the course of the visit, Zhang held meetings with a number of countrys top officials including Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, First Deputy Prime Minister Achilbay Ramatov, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee for Investments and ADB Governor Sukhrob Holmuradov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov.

He congratulated the government of Uzbekistan on bold and far-reaching state reforms to strengthen macroeconomic stability and sustainability, as well as to promote comprehensive and sustainable development.

This is an important stage in the history of Uzbekistan, Zhang said. ADB appreciates long-standing partnership with Uzbekistan and shares the government's intention to ensure prosperity for the people of the country.

ADB is preparing a new five-year Partnership Strategy with Uzbekistan to create a more solid foundation for comprehensive, diversified and sustainable economic growth, improved governance and institutional capacity, and to promote regional cooperation and connectivity.

The Partnership Strategy for 2019-2023 will be aimed at supporting the national development strategy and priorities of the government of Uzbekistan. ADB plans to mobilize more than $ 1 billion a year over the next three years to improve water supply and sanitation, develop transport infrastructure, produce and distribute energy, employment youth, create jobs in rural areas, expand access to modern health care, and support the government reform program in the field of improving economic governance and social protection.

Uzbekistan joined the ADB in August 1995. Since joining ADB, Uzbekistan has received 67 loans totaling $ 7 billion, including two loans to the private sector for a total of $ 225 million.

ADB also provided $ 6 million in equity investments, $ 218 million in guarantees and $ 83.6 million in technical assistance grants.

In 2018, ADB signed loans totaling $ 750 million to improve the efficiency of electricity generation and to support ongoing reforms through better management of the country's economy.

Since 2001, thanks to ADB projects, more than 4.5 million Uzbeks have gained access to water and sanitation services. Since 2011, the rural housing development program, funded by ADB, has provided affordable housing with modern infrastructure to over 41,000 families in Uzbekistan living in rural areas.

The ADB program in Uzbekistan has provided loans, grants and technical assistance to grow the countrys economy and improve the lives of people, particularly the poor, women, children and other vulnerable groups.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The kickoff of the 49th annual Texas Rice Festival will include a BBQ cook-off, a press release said.

The week-long event begins with a weekend celebration beginning Friday, September 28, at the Winnie-Stowell Park. The weekend will be colored with a BBQ cook-off, a fajita jackpot, washer tournaments, gospel jubilee and Wright's Amusement Carnival.

The Festival officially begins on Wednesday, October 3, and will run through Saturday, October 6.

Vendors, carnival rides and endless amounts of eateries will be just some of the many features of this year's festival. Musical performances throughout the week will include, Pea Patch Orchestra, Brian Jack & the Zydeco Gamblers & Lost Bayou Ramblers, and Category 6.

Admission is $10 or $5 for students 18-years or younger, and free for children under 5-years and senior citizens 65-years or older.

Friday, October 5, is youth day. Admission for all kids under 18 will be free until 5 p.m.

Winnie is located off Interstate 10 at exit 829 between Beaumont and Houston.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed the agreement reached between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Vladimir Putin of Russia earlier this week, to create a demilitarized buffer zone in Idlib.

In a statement to journalists in New York, Guterres appealed to all the parties to implement the agreement, and highlighted the need to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian access.

If properly implemented, this could save three million civilians  including one million children  from catastrophe, he said.

International humanitarian law must also be respected and everyone involved in the more than seven-year conflict should work urgently for greater progress in the Geneva process to find a political solution to the situation.

Guterress comments followed a meeting earlier Thursday of the Humanitarian Access Task Force on Syria, led by Senior Adviser to the UN Jan Egeland.

Echoing the UN chiefs comments, Egeland said in Geneva that the deal between Russia and Turkey was a welcome development, before appealing to armed militants there not to fight to the last civilian.

The agreement between Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russias President Vladimir Putin reportedly creates a 15-20-kilometre-wide de-escalation zone in Idlib to be patrolled by Russian and Turkish troops.

The Special Advisor to the UN highlighted the dangers of further violence in Syrias last opposition-held area, where half of Idlibs population of nearly three million are internally-displaced civilians and a million are children.

Some 10,000 fighters in Idlib are classified as terrorists by the UN.
The release of "extraordinary amounts of water" from the Toledo Bend Reservoir Dam 2.5 years ago destroyed downstream communities, an attorney representing affected residents said, arguing Thursday morning that the Sabine River Authority should be held accountable for damages.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of nearly 100 residents from Newton, Orange, Tyler and Jasper counties, was taken to the Ninth Court of Appeals in Beaumont after a state District Court judge dismissed the claims last year, ruling in favor of the river authority.

The authority opened nine spillway gates in early March 2016 "in order to save" upstream property, the lawsuit contends, while taking "real property and personal property" from residents living downstream.

"Plaintiffs' homes were destroyed, their personal belongings were lost, their vehicles were disabled, their livestock was killed, and they have now been displaced (some many miles from their work, children's schools, and residences) while they are rebuilding their homes, which are now uninhabitable," the lawsuit states.

The residents' claims were dismissed last October by state District Judge Michael Schneider in Orange County for not proving intent and causation. The residents appealed his ruling.

The river authority did not open the flood gates with the intent of "harming or taking someone's property," Austin attorney Donald H. Grissom said on behalf of the residents, pointing to two large maps showing record flood levels.

But the SRA "knows what the results will be," he argued.

A record amount of water flowed out of the Toledo Bend Reservoir in March 2016 at a rate of 207,644 cubic feet per second, about half of the amount flowing over Niagara Falls during its high season.

When released, the "huge amount of water above" at the Toledo Bend Reservoir Dam brought "record flooding below" to the downstream communities of Burkeville, Bon Weir and Deweyville, he said.

The "causation" of the damage is simple, Grissom told the three justices.

Representing the Sabine River Authority of Texas, Charles W. Goehringer Jr. described the downpour at issue as a "torrential rainfall." Sabine County, bordering its namesake river on the east, typically receives 52 inches of rain a year, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

In March 2016, the county received 20 to 25 inches in just three days, he said.

It was a "huge amount of water that Mother Nature dropped," Goehringer said.

Grissom said rains from Tropical Storm Harvey never reached the March 2016 levels. In mid-March, river levels at Burkeville, Bon Weir and Deweyville had reached record levels.

Nine thousand Orange County residents and 3,500 Newton County residents were ordered to evacuate.

It's a "good thing" that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, regulates operations between the Texas and Louisiana divisions of the Sabine River Authority, according to Goehringer.

The federal commission has come under fire in the past for its regulations, with community members trying to change reservoir thresholds in 1999 and as recently as 2014, he said.

Ann Galassi, the river authority's assistant general manager, told the Enterprise in February that the Toledo Bend Spillway Operating Guide, as approved by FERC, requires the SRA to release water from the reservoir once it reaches 172.5 feet. The reservoir is full at 172 feet and will spill over the gates at 173 feet, she said.

This February, Dewey-ville residents braced for a downpour projected to bring the the city's third flood in three years. Many longtime residents said at the time that an adjustment to SRA rules could alleviate the flooding problem. The rainfall was not as heavy as forecast.

According to Goehringer, FERC has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer to study and find the "balance" between the needs of residents living both up and downstream. The "flat topography" below makes it challenging, he said.

The federal agency has refused to change guidelines on how the project operates, he said, arguing that in order to prove wrongdoing, the plaintiffs needed to prove that FERC was wrong.

"And we know they're not," Goehringer said.

Goehringer said there was no proof the SRA caused the damages, saying that flooding below the dam would've been "much worse" if not for the dam initially holding some of the water back.

Phoebe.Suy@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/PhoebeSuy
The Texas Education Agency on Thursday appointed the executive director of Beaumont's Chick-fil-A restaurants to join Beaumont ISD's school board as a manager.

Alexandrew Seale, 30, of Beaumont was appointed by Commissioner of Education Mike Morath to fill the vacancy left as board secretary Vernice Monroe stepped into former president Joe Domino's seat. Domino resigned from the district on Aug. 16.

A 2006 Clifton J. Ozen High School graduate, Seale would "represent Beaumont very well," said Jeff Cottrill, the TEA's director of governance.

Seale "started wiping tables" at Chick-fil-A when he was 14, he said. As executive director of the Dowlen Road and College Street locations, he said he hopes to take his company's "core values" of community relations and development into his position on the school board.

Seale said he looks forward to being "visible and available" on BISD campuses, where he said students would grow to become future community leaders and business owners.

Seale's appointment to the school board is part of an ongoing "transition to local control" with more appointments to come in February, Cottrill said. The final state appointments will take place in February 2020.

Elected trustees were ousted in 2014 as part of a state takeover.

Morath added managers Angela Corbin Brans-ford and Mitch Templeton in August 2017 after former board president Jimmy Simmons and members Lenny Caballero and Jack Carroll stepped down in July of last year.

Templeton now is the Republican candidate for a state judgeship in the 172nd District, potentially leaving another vacancy on the school board. He is running against Melody Chapell, a former Beaumont ISD attorney.

Trustees Nathan Cross and Denise Wallace-Spooner, who were elected in May 2017, were added to the board by Morath in February 2018. They'll serve through the end of their elected term, unlike the managers, who are installed and removed by Morath, unless resigning first.

Wallace-Spooner, an at-large trustee, will be up for re-election in May 2019, and District 5 representative Cross will be on the board through 2021. Trustees chose between two-and four-year terms by drawing lots last summer, as required by state law.

In a letter sent to the district this February, Morath formally initiated the multiyear transition process to replace the appointed managers with elected trustees.

One-third of the elected officials will replace one-third of the managers gradually over the next two years until the board is entirely made up of elected officials in 2020.

Morath could have replaced Domino with another manager, who would serve under his appointment, or with one of the remaining elected trustees, who have been sidelined since they were elected last spring.

The incoming board president, Monroe, is an associate professor emeritus of social work at Lamar University. She served as special assistant for university multicultural enhancement to former Lamar president Jimmy Simmons current president Kenneth Evans.

At-large trustee Mandie Peel and Kevin Reece, who represents District 4, have less than a year remaining before their seats are up for re-election in 2019. Their terms could expire before Morath seats them.

Zenobia Bush, who was elected to represent District 2 and was a trustee before the 2014 state takeover, and District 3 trustee Thomas Sigee could be seated for at least a year before the 2021 election.

The District 1 trustee seat remains open after Charles Daleo resigned because he moved out of the district following Tropical Storm Harvey. TEA previously said managers have the authority to name his replacement, but the board has not yet made that announcement.

With reporting by Liz Teitz.

Phoebe.Suy@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/PhoebeSuy
German carmaker Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) Thursday dismissed U.S. claims that it has agreed, in accordance with Washingtons trade squeeze on Tehran, to withdraw from business in Iran.

A Blomberg report, quoting U.S. envoy to Germany, Richard Grenell, indicated Thursday that the German carmaker, following a series of talks with the U.S. diplomat, allegedly agreed to pull out from Iran as U.S. sanctions weigh on the Shia-dominated country.

Grenell; a staunch aid of President Donald Trump since taking office in his host country in May has sent out a series of Tweets calling on German companies to end operations in Iran following Trumps May decision to walk out of the 2015 nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers.

Over the past few weeks, the U.S. diplomat took Siemens and BASF by surprise announcing in interviews and tweets that the companies would withdraw from Iran.

A source at Volkswagen Thursday however noted that no talks were ever held with Grenell on Iran. VW spokesman told Reuter that the German firm has not changed its plans on Iran.

The German car behemoth has been considering major investments in Iran but has not rolled out the expansion plan.

Following U.S. renewed May sanctions, European companies including several German ones announced plans to exit from the Iranian market.

Berlin, Paris and London all signatories to the nuclear accord have been battling to protect the deal in a bid to enable their firms to continue dealing with Iran. They are also looking to provide security for them against U.S. sanctions.
Turkish court of appeal ruled Thursday for the release of a leading opposition lawmaker who has been serving a five-year prison sentence on espionage charges.

Enis Berberoglu, a lawmaker from main opposition party Republican Peoples Party (CHP), reunited with his family and the partys leadership after the court of appeal ordered that he remains free for the remainder of his term as a CHP lawmaker, state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

Berberoglu, who was re-elected in June, was arrested amid President Recep Tayyip Erdogan-led purge in the wake of the July 2016 failed coup.

The 62-year old politician and lawmaker was initially sentenced to 25 years in prison after being charged for leaking to a local pro-opposition newspaper a video purporting Turkish intelligence forces supplying weapons to rebels in Syria. He denied the charges.

In February this year, the sentence was reduced to five years and 10 months.

Out of his Istanbul cell, Berberoglu was welcomed by CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu who, in July 2017, led a 450-km-long march to Istanbul to demand the CHP members release.

We will continue to chase justice for everyone, Kilicdaroglu said on Thursday.
Irving, Texas-based Northstar Anesthesia filed a lawsuit alleging Blue Island, Ill.-based Metrosouth Medical Center refused to pay for more than $1.25 million worth of anesthesia services provided, Cook County Record reports.

Here are three details:

1. Northstar Anesthesia filed the lawsuit against Blue Island Hospital Co., which is doing business as Metrosouth Medical Center.

2. The anesthesiology services company filed the complaint Sept. 4, citing alleged breach of contract.

3. Northstar Anesthesia requested a trial by jury and is seeking $1.25 million plus late fees, interest, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
Little Rock-based The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Gastroenterology Clinic added Stephan Dehmel, MD, to its staff, Arkansas Money & Politics reports.

Here's what you should know:

1. Dr. Dehmel will join a team of specialists at the clinic.

2. He will also join UAMS as an assistant professor in the internal medicine department.

3. Dr. Dehmel was a physician and educator in the United Kingdom and Germany for more than 20 years.

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How Carilion Clinic's Dr. T.K. Miller plans to grow his practice + best advice for new surgeons

Outpatient spine  Key trends and opportunities from Dr. Bobby Bhatti

3 ways patient financing improves patient satisfaction
The following hospital and health system credit rating and outlook changes and affirmations occurred in the last week, beginning with the most recent.

1. S&P downgrades Nash Health Care System to 'BBB' on deteriorating finances

S&P Global Ratingsdowngraded Rocky Mount, N.C.-based Nash Health Care System's long-term rating to "BBB" from "BBB+," affecting $67.5 million of debt.

2. S&P hits Verity Health System with downgrade, negative outlook after bankruptcy filing

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Redwood City, Calif.-based Verity Health System to "CC" from "CCC," affecting about $325 million of debt.

3. Fitch assigns 'BBB+' issuer rating to NYU Winthrop Hospital

Fitch Ratings assigned its "BBB+" issuer default rating to Mineola, N.Y.-based NYU Winthrop Hospital. In addition, the credit rating agency affirmed its "BBB+" rating on the hospital's series 2012 revenue bonds, affecting $130.2 million of debt.

4. Fitch affirms 'BBB-' rating on Oaklawn Hospital, assigns positive outlook

Fitch Ratings affirmed its "BBB-" rating on Marshall, Mich.-based Oaklawn Hospital's $63.5 million series 2016 revenue bonds. Concurrently, Fitch assigned the hospital an issuer default rating of "BBB."

5. Fitch upgrades Frederick Memorial Hospital to 'A-'

Fitch Ratings upgraded Frederick (Md.) Memorial Hospital's series 2012A revenue bonds to "A-" from "BBB+." Concurrently, Fitch assigned the hospital an "A-" issuer default rating.

6. Moody's affirms Cooper University Health Care's 'Baa1' rating

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Baa1" rating on Camden, N.J.-based Cooper University Health Care, affecting $236 million of outstanding revenue bonds.

7. Fitch assigns 'BB+' rating to John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital, issues rating watch negative

Fitch Ratings assigned its "BB+" issuer default rating to Marshall, Mo.-based John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital.

8. Moody's assigns 'Aa2' to Mayo Clinic's bonds

Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Aa2" rating to Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic's proposed $200 million series 2018 revenue bonds. Concurrently, Moody's affirmed its "Aa2" rating on the health system's $3 billion of outstanding debt.

9. Moody's affirms 'A2' rating on Renown Health

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A2" rating on Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health, affecting $448 million of rated debt.

More articles on healthcare finance:

Frontier Airlines chairman donates $25M to Mayo's new medical school

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Medicare auditors saved program $214M in FY 2016 and 7 other things to know
Several individuals and area businesses pledged $40 million to support an expansion of the Huntsman Cancer Institute at Salt Lake City-based University of Utah Health.

The lead donors were Spencer and Kristen Kirk, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints and doTERRA International.

The $40 million will go toward a 100,000-square-foot expansion that will house 50 inpatient rooms and workspace for oncology specialists. The project's estimated cost is $80 million.

"This expansion reflects HCI's continuing commitment to serve cancer patients and to provide access to the compassionate, state-of-the-art care of our comprehensive cancer center," said HCI's CEO, Mary Beckerle, PhD. "Growth of our facilities is critical to allow us to reach the patients and families in need of our services. We are extremely fortunate to have the passionate support of so many generous donors for our lifesaving work."
Massachusetts insurers are seeking an independent study on the financial effect of the proposed November statewide ballot initiative to mandate nurse staffing ratios in hospitals.

The Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, which represents 16 health plans, penned a letter to the state's health policy commission, asking the commission to "estimate what, if any, increase in spending would result from passage of the" ballot initiative, as well as "the likely per member per month impact."

The association said it also "would like to understand how increases in better quality of care might offset this spending."

"It is critical we have a credible, independent analysis that evaluates the true impact of the [ballot] question as it relates to costs, quality of care, access to care and the overall patient experience," the letter states. "Since no robust independent study has emerged in Massachusetts to provide these details, it is our belief that the HPC is in the best position to provide this analysis in a fair and thorough way."

Question 1, proposed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, calls for mandated nurse staffing ratios that would vary by unit, floor or department.

Supporters argue mandated nurse staffing ratios will improve patient care, and opponents say the ratios will worsen nurse care delivery, lead to longer emergency room wait times, and hurt community hospitals and mental health facilities.

The Massachusetts hospital industry and Massachusetts Nurses Association have differing views on the estimated financial effect of Question 1. Hospital executives opposed to the ballot initiative cite a study by Mass Insight Global Partnerships and BW Research Partnership. The study, commissioned by the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, estimated mandated nurse staffing ratios would cost the state's healthcare system $1.3 billion in the first year and at least $900 million per year after that.

The union cites a study it backed by Judith Shindul-Rothschild, PhD, RN, a nursing economist at Boston College, which estimated mandated nurse staffing ratios would cost Massachusetts acute care hospitals between $35.1 million and $46.8 million.

Massachusetts insurers said that if higher cost estimates are near accurate, "the question could significantly hamper our state's efforts to control cost and would threaten our state's ability to meet the healthcare cost benchmark."

The association requested that the health policy commission complete an analysis before Oct. 16-17.

More articles on healthcare finance:

Frontier Airlines chairman donates $25M to Mayo's new medical school

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Medicare auditors saved program $214M in FY 2016 and 7 other things to know
Rett J. Grover has been named the CEO of the Birmingham, Ala.-based UAB Callahan Eye Hospital & Clinics.

Mr. Grover joined UAB Callahan Eye Hospital & Clinics in 2012 as the operations administrator and went on to serve as COO and interim CEO before being named permanent CEO. He previously worked as the director of business operations in the department of orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

We are very fortunate to have someone of Retts experience and capabilities to lead the important work of the Callahan Eye Hospital, said Reid Jones, COO of the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation. "The Callahan Eye Hospital has a rich history of outstanding patient care, and I look forward to working with Rett in this new capacity as the organization continues to provide excellent care to those we are entrusted to serve."

Mr. Grover is a member of the Alabama Hospital Association Birmingham Regional Council and serves as a board member for the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Ophthalmology Services Foundation and the Eyesight Foundation of Alabama.
Becker's Hospital Review asked healthcare executives to share how their leadership style evolved over the years. Read about their leadership styles below, in their own words.

David Flicek

President and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

"As my career has progressed, a certain level of steadiness has become more apparent when I am faced with obstacles and challenges. With my team, I encourage careful discernment and seeking other viewpoints in order to obtain a more robust direction and alignment with the decision at hand."

Terry Hudson-Jinks, MSN, RN

Interim Co-CEO and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at Tufts Medical Center (Boston)

"For the past 33 years I have been fortunate to do what I love: care for patients and their families. While my responsibilities have grown over time, I try to always lead with the passion that attracted me to this work, knowing that passion can often inspire. I've learned that reflecting on the 'why' in day-to-day events, even when it's hard, is the key to personal and professional growth. I also choose to look at the positive and how to make it even better. Instead of focusing on what is 'broken,' why not shine a light on what is working and then ask, 'What's missing?' Leading from this perspective can create an environment that builds confidence, allows imagination and innovation, and brings out the best in everyone."

Kelly Linden

Chief Executive of Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center (Burbank, Calif.)

"Like most healthcare leaders, my day is filled with meetings, phone calls, reports, decisions and quick responses to immediate needs  all the factors we leaders have learned while studying business, finance and strategy. But it's the intangibles I've learned over my 25-year healthcare career that have continued to shape my role as a servant leader, a role I'm certain will continue to evolve through my career.

"My leadership style is a reflection of those I lead  their talents, their values, their drive to provide the best possible care and their innovative ideas for continued improvement upon excellence. Intimately understanding the role each of our caregivers plays in our ministry enhances my ability to lead effectively in a mission-inspired setting. That, coupled with knowing the community we serve, brings reality to the difficult decisions and the depth necessary in strategic planning. Presence and connection truly are the essence of effective leadership."

Steve Roach

President and CEO of UMass Memorial-Marlborough (Mass.) Hospital

"Early in my career, I used to follow the adage that I could get anything done myself.  That was in my early 30s as a CEO, and I've learned a lot over the last 10 to 15 years  that if you hire the right people and you have the right team, use them. They're smarter than I am. They have the ability to challenge my thinking so that we get a better answer and a better solution. It's much more effective to climb the mountain than to go around the mountain.

"As your career progresses, your personality and your approach changes. I was much more aggressive and assertive in my younger years, and as I've worked more and more with different types of teams and different types of individuals. I've seen much more opportunity to go at problems and to go at challenges and the environment that we face in many different ways. There's not just one solution to each issue. There are many solutions. Not all of them are correct at the right time, but you have to  pick one and try it and if it fails, have the ability to pull away from it and get some additional insight from your team or from some other individuals who've gone through it to get a better answer and a better approach."

Ann Taylor, JD

Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Connecticut Children's Medical Center (Hartford)

"As I have become more comfortable in the role of a leader, my style has grown from one with a narrower focus of getting the work done to a broader, big-picture view. I see myself as a convener, making others more comfortable when there may be tension in a room by bringing into focus the real reason for the work we are doing. In alleviating some of the stress, we are often able to inspire one another, performing at a much higher level and enjoying our work."

Julie Taylor, MSN, RN

CEO of Alaska Regional Hospital (Anchorage)

"I am far more purposeful in my efforts to develop leaders in my organization who are motivated by the right 'why,' and who have the emotional capacity to lead with that conviction. We need leaders who can create a followership if we want to move forward effectively. In my experience, leaders who lack in those capacities end up struggling."

More articles on leadership and management:

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Adventist Health Bakersfield (Calif.), a 254-bed facility, said it plans to cut 13 to 15 duplicate jobs, according to The Bakersfield Californian.

The layoffs, effective Nov. 16, primarily affect laboratory assistants who do blood draws.

Hospital communication manager Teresa Adamo told The Bakersfield Californian duties of the affected laboratory assistants will be taken over by other hospital employees. She said the hospital expects some laid-off employees will find other jobs at the hospital or within the Adventist Health system.

Hospital President Sharlet Briggs attributed the layoffs to necessary restructuring.

"It is a balance between keeping our focus on current needs, while also having an eye toward future, long-term sustainability," she said.

Adventist Health Bakersfield has about 2,000 employees.

More articles on leadership and management:

Healthcare executives rank top challenges for next year

AHA, CHA leaders fire back at emergency room cost op-ed

The healthcare professional's guide to giving: 15 ways to help the Southeast rebound from Florence
Morocco was elected Thursday as member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), at the 62nd session of the General Conference of the Agency, held in Vienna.

Morocco, which has received unanimous support from the African group, will sit on the Board of Governors for a two-year term from 2018 to 2020.

This election to the IAEA Council of Governors reinforces Moroccos position within the United Nations system. The Board of Governors is one of the two policy-making bodies of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference of IAEA Member States.

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Morocco to the IAEA in Vienna, Lotfi Bouchaara, who presented on Wednesday the Kingdoms candidacy during the General debate, affirmed that Moroccos mandate is meant to serve Africa and all Africans, the Moroccan Embassy in Vienna said in a statement.

Thanks to the support of the IAEA, Morocco has developed its national expertise in various fields, which allow it today to exchange its experience with other Member States, particularly African countries, the diplomat added.

The Kingdom of Morocco seeks through its membership to the Board of Governors to continue resolutely its commitment to support the role of the agency in technical assistance especially for African countries, he said according to the statement.

Morocco will spare no effort to promote dialogue, negotiation and multilateral action at the Board of Governors in the areas of nuclear technology transfer, nuclear safety, security and technical cooperation, Bouchaara pointed out.

The Board examines and makes recommendations to the General Conference on the IAEAs financial statements, program and budget. It considers applications for membership, approves safeguards agreements and the publication of the IAEAs safety standards. It also appoints the Director General of the IAEA, with the approval of the General Conference.
Specifically in healthcare, providers' clothing signifies everything from authority to cleanliness to patients and other staff members. The white laboratory coat, in particular, is most commonly associated with physicians and surgeons. But does a physician's attire  both the coat and the clothing underneath  even matter to patients?

Here are five thoughts on physicians' attire and the history of the traditional white coat, according to U.S. News and World Report:

1. During the 17th century, physicians wore full-length overcoats, wide-brimmed hats, gloves and a beak-shaped mask with pungent herbs, believing the attire would prevent the contraction of deadly diseases affecting patients, including the plague. As society's notions of how disease spread changed, physicians proceeded to wear formal garments in black, which was believed to more effectively convey physicians' solemnity for caring for the ill.

2. Physicians eventually shifted to adopt white coats to help the profession seem more scientific, according to Michael B. Edmond, MD, chief quality officer and an infectious disease specialist at the Iowa City-based University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

"Initially the white coats were worn only in the operating room. Then in the early 1900s, physicians started wearing them outside the operating room because at that point in time, medicine wasn't considered to be scientific. The profession was viewed negatively by the public, so the concept was doctors would wear white coats because it reinforced the notion that they were scientists," Dr. Edmond told U.S. News.

3. In 2008, the National Health Services in the U.K. adopted a policy under which healthcare workers went "bare below the elbow," opting not to wear lab coats and long sleeves in favor of scrubs. Doing so would supposedly reduce the chance of providers' clothing coming into contact with patients' skin and other surfaces containing bacteria and other infectious agents, Dr. Edmond said.

4. However, there is debate among members of the scientific community as to how big of a role sleeves have in transmitting infectious agents. Dr. Vineet Chopra, associate professor of medicine and chief of the division of hospital medicine at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine, told the publication that while "there is a theoretical risk that infections could be transmitted by white coats," that risk is relatively small, as long as proper hand-washing and hygiene systems are in place.

"Studies have isolated bacterial pathogens from white coats, ties, and it's for these reasons that nations like the U.K. have a 'bare below the elbows' policy. However, it is also true that if you simply swab hands of physicians, you can isolate bacteria," Dr. Chopra said. "What is most important to prevent infection is the basics of safe practice: washing hands before and after patient contact, making sure we adhere to best infection control practices, such as wearing gowns and gloves when appropriate. A little bit of hygiene is all that it takes."

5. Dr. Chopra and a team of researchers composed a study to determine if physicians' attire is important to patients and if it may influence how satisfied patients feel with the care they receive. In the study, participants examined photos of physicians in seven forms of attire and rated their appearance on how comfortable that attire made them feel as patients and how knowledgeable and approachable the physician seemed. Participants over the age of 65 tended to favor the traditional white coat. Scrubs with a white coat and formal attire without a white coat were also ranked highly.

"Our study shows that the majority of patients feel that how their doctor dresses affects their satisfaction with care. We didn't ask for outcomes, specifically and  as this was largely a survey-based study using pictures  that would be hard to assess. But the key point is this: First impressions matter. True in fields outside of medicine  and from what we have found  true in medicine as well," Dr. Chopra said.

To access the full report, click here.
University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington has reached a tentative contract agreement with the union representing about 1,800 licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and nurse practitioners.

The three-year tentative agreement, reached Sept. 19, includes a 16 percent average base salary increase over the life of the contract, according to hospital officials. They said raises for ambulatory nurses will be retroactive to the first pay period in September.

Additionally, the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals conceded on its previously proposed increases to certain shift differentials as part of the deal.

The tentative agreement comes after six months of bargaining and demonstrations by nurses, including a 48-hour strike in July. Both sides said they were pleased they were able to make progress.

"We are looking forward to implementing the many positive changes that result from the new contract, which will enhance patient care, provide additional support for nurses and allow for new opportunities to advance the nursing profession," hospital officials told Becker's.

Molly Wallner, lead negotiator for the union, said: "We are proud of the unity, strength and perseverance our nurses have shown. This has been a long and difficult road for all of us, and we are proud of what we have accomplished. Our fight for patient safety is not over, and we will continue that fight through the [state] legislature."

Nurses are expected to vote on the tentative agreement soon.

More articles on human capital and risk:

Kaiser Permanente workers oppose proposal to outsource 60 gardeners

Michigan Medicine nurses OK option to strike

Ohio nurses ratify labor deal with Steward

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Two South Carolina representatives want to meet with Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and several urgent care centers to address what they argue is an attempt by BCBS to limit competition among urgent care centers, according to the Greenville News.

The dispute revolves around urgent care centers in upstate South Carolina that are part of American Family Care's national 200-center network. The centers claimed they were barred from entering BCBS' preferred provider network. Jeff Harris, MD, a medical director and an investor in five of the AFC urgent care centers, told the publication the health insurer is not accepting new centers.



However, BCBS rejected those claims. A spokesperson from the insurer, Patti Embry-Tautenhan, told the Greenville News: "We take great exception to and umbrage at their unfounded attack on our ethics and integrity. Our constant business challenge is the effective balancing of cost and access."

"Currently, there is a proliferation of urgent care centers," she said. "That fact must be considered as we negotiate on behalf of our members. We look forward to communicating directly and educating the representatives about the complexities of the health insurance market."



BCBS added it is in active negotiations with the centers, but did not provide details to the Greenville News. As of now, patients with BCBS plans have to pay out-of-network rates to use the AFC centers.
Data collected by healthcare companies could help make flu forecasts more accurate, according to new research from the University of Texas at Austin and published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology.

Lauren Ancel Meyers, PhD, a professor of integrative biology, and postdoctoral researcher Zeynep Ertem, PhD, evaluated multiple datasets to determine which were the most predictive of flu incidence. Their goal was to create more accurate forecasts for when the next flu season would peak, how long it would last and how many people would get sick.

The researchers reviewed more than 600 flu-related datasets, and said the best predictions came from the athenahealth EHR. According to their analysis, information from athenahealth  such as as how many patients receive flu vaccinations, positive flu test results and flu-related prescriptions  combined with traditional surveillance data from the CDC improved flu forecasts by 15 percent.

Although the researchers were granted access to athenahealth's data, most researchers and public health agencies are unable to access similar information from healthcare companies on an ongoing basis. However, athenahealth does a form of flu tracking using data from its network. Athenahealth's flu dashboard can be found here.

"The message is that we should think more systematically about the data that fuel our disease forecasts," Dr. Meyers told ScienceDaily. "With powerful  and sometimes surprising  combinations of data, we can make earlier and more accurate predictions about emerging threats."
Researchers led by Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Cambridge in the U.K. identified measures healthcare organizations can use to encourage employees to speak up about patient safety concerns.

The study, published in Academic Medicine, looked at what stopped employees from raising patient safety concerns. To encourage employee voice, Johns Hopkins leadership first identified barriers by interviewing 67 administrators and front-line staff members about raising patient safety issues at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Some staff members said they didn't know how to report their concerns, and others worried about hostile responses or being labeled a bad team player. Even when they did speak up, nothing appeared to happen in response, employees said.

Many employees also expressed concern about senior staff members who engaged in poor conduct but did not face consequences, leading employees to think raising concerns would go nowhere.

To address these concerns, Johns Hopkins leaders implemented interventions from fall 2014 through summer 2016, including clear definitions of acceptable and unacceptable behavior, well-coordinated reporting mechanisms, leadership training on difficult conversations and consistent consequences for unacceptable behaviors.

Johns Hopkins leaders designed Safe at Hopkins, a program to address and investigate concerns, to make everyone feel comfortable, the researchers said. As opposed to relying on individual accounts of events that may be disputed, Johns Hopkins leadership will investigate an entire clinical unit.

During the study period, employees made 382 individual reports of disruptive behavior that led to 55 investigations in which officials interviewed an entire clinical unit.

"It's not enough just to say you're committed to employee voice. Healthcare staff must genuinely feel comfortable speaking up if organizations are going to provide safe, high quality care," said lead study author Mary Dixon-Woods. "Even when reporting mechanisms are in place, employees may not report disruptive behaviors if they don't feel safe in doing so and don't think their concerns will be addressed."
Merchant Square is one of many new office developments in Belfast

Belfast has double the amount of space it needs for economic growth over the next 15 years, a major new strategic document has revealed.

And planners say the Belfast Local Development Plan has brought into focus the need for more residential and leisure space in the city centre.

New office-related developments in Belfast include Merchant Square at Wellington Place.

The public are being encouraged to have their say on the range of policies before November 15, which cover the development of living spaces, economic areas, infrastructure and the environment.

The proposals, expected to come into force in 2020, will ultimately form the basis of planning decisions in Belfast City Council up to 2035 and beyond.

It's the first time the council has produced a local development plan in almost 40 years.

Among the stand-out findings is the 550,000 sq m of floorspace planners believe will be needed to meet economic growth in the city over the next 15 years.

It includes 330,000 sq m in the city centre, 82,000 sq m in Belfast Harbour and 138,000 sq m throughout the rest of the city.

But assessment of current and projected 'employment sites' reveals there is 612,000 sq m of an oversupply.

Compiled with Ulster University's Economic Policy Centre, the figures are based on vacant spaces, 'opportunity sites' and zoned lands within the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP).

Speaking at the document's launch at Belfast City Hall yesterday, town planner Dermot O'Kane said: "We've looked at the existing zoning identified in BMAP, we've looked at the vacancy rates, we've looked at some of the opportunity sites, where there has been clearance and there is car parking.

"That's identified that we have probably double the amount of land that we need for economic growth that we need for going forward."

The oversupply has refocused attention on the need for more residential development.

"Because it's a holistic plan, we started thinking if it's not needed for employment use, is it better used for leisure, hotels, residential, which we see as being absolutely critical to the city's development," Mr O'Kane added

Between 1971 and 2011 Belfast's population fell by more than a third.

It left a 'doughnut effect' on the city. Around 100,000 people travel into Belfast chiefly for work every day.

Belfast City Council's projects will have 66,000 new residents by 2035, with ambitions of 46,000 more jobs being created by then.

Mr O'Kane explained that the plan is for many of them to live in the city centre itself.

"We want to move away from what has been happening over the last 20 or 30 years, where people have tended to move out into the metropolitan area or further beyond and then leave that doughnut effect in the centre of the city, and the dereliction that followed.

"We see it as key in terms of sustainability for that population to be encouraged back in to live in Belfast again, for people to walk or cycle to work and avail of healthier forms of transport that aren't as onerous in terms of car journeys and pollution and various things associated with it," he said.
Catalyst Inc has announced the appointment of its new chief executive.

Steve Orr, who is the current director of Connect, will take the helm at the Titanic Quarter complex on November 1.

He replaces Dr Norman Apsley, who announced his retirement in June after holding the position for 18 years.

A graduate of Business Information Technology from the University of Northumbria, Mr Orr's career in tech has taken him from Buckinghamshire to San Diego and San Francisco.

In 2000, he co-founded Kineticom Inc, a technical talent firm based in San Diego.

In 2006 Kineticom was ranked number 33 on the Inc 500, the list of the fastest growing privately held companies in the USA.

In 2008, Mr Orr returned to Northern Ireland to Catalyst Inc, setting up Connect, a community-led innovation ecosystem to support entrepreneurs 'to aim higher and succeed faster'.

From a disused site in the Titanic Quarter, the Northern Ireland Science Park, later rebranded as Catalyst Inc, has rapidly expanded in recent years. It is now a tech hub for 200 companies, with around 3,000 people.

In a tribute to its outgoing chief executive, a spokesperson for Catalyst Inc described Dr Apsley as "an advocate of the talent and ambition of innovators and inventors".

They said: "Dr Norman Apsley has devoted his career to enterprise promotion. His focus is unashamedly on the development and growth of what we term the knowledge economy; that is an economy built upon innovation, entrepreneurship and the intellectual capital within NI."
Discounter Poundland has said it's not ruling out including Northern Ireland as it prepares to take over a tranche former Poundworld stores. (Poundland/PA)

Discounter Poundland has said it's not ruling out including Northern Ireland as it prepares to take over a tranche former Poundworld stores.

The retailer announced it was taking over 20 of the outlets run by its rival, which went into administration earlier this year.

Poundworld operated 12 stores here, including in Belfast's Donegall Place.

It collapsed in June with the loss of 188 jobs.

Poundland's plans will create 400 posts.

But it issued a stark warning to high street landlords to "change their expectations" as regards rent to reflect the tougher retail environment.

Poundworld's fall into administration resulted in the closure of all 335 of its shops and the loss of 5,000 jobs.

Now Poundland is to reopen the doors of at least 20 of the outlets next month under its own banner.

The first phase will see the branches in Edinburgh (Cameron Toll), Killingworth (Tyne & Wear), East Kilbride and Ayr back in operation.

There are no further details of other openings, but a spokeswoman said it was not ruling out reopening some old Poundworld stores here.

The chain also reiterated its offer of a guaranteed job interview to any former Poundworld staff member.

The sites taken on by Poundland are all larger units, which the company said are needed to accommodate its budget clothing range Pep&Co. There is a Poundland featuring Pep&Co in Belfast's Ann Street.
The Ulster Bank apologised but said no one was left out of pocket after its online services were hit by problems on Friday morning.

The bank said the issue had been resolved just after 10am.

In an earlier tweet the bank said it was aware of issues with its Anytime and Mobile Banking services and was working hard to fix them.

It said telephone banking and cash machines were still available. The bank's website was also unavailable. Problems were also reported in the Republic of Ireland.

A number of people vented their frustrations on social media sites about not being able to access their accounts. Millions across the UK and Ireland were said to be affected as the issued also affected Nat West and RBS customers.

In a statement to the Belfast Telegraph, the Ulster Bank said: "We would like to apologise to customers who experienced issues logging into their online and mobile banking accounts this morning. The issue has now been resolved and no customer will be left out of pocket as result of this.

Were aware of some issues on our Anytime and Mobile Banking services and are working hard to fix them. Telephone Banking and ATMs are available. Sorry and thanks for your patience.  Ulster Bank Help (@UlsterBank_Help) September 21, 2018

Have you been affected? Contact digital.editorial@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

The problem arose as RBS and Nat West - which is part of the same group as the Ulster Bank - also said their online services were down.

In a statement sent to customers Nat West said: "We are sorry if you are having trouble getting into our online banking or mobile app.

"We are working hard to resolve the issue. You can still access your account through telephone banking or alternatively you can visit one of our ATMs."

The glitch came a day after some Barclays customers were left struggling to log in to their accounts due to a technical problem.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Tayto's acquisition of a rival pork snack company

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Tayto's acquisition of a rival pork snack company.

The Northern Ireland crisps and snacks giant bought The Real Pork Crackling Company Limited in June 2018.

It represented the second pork scratching product in the portfolio of the Tandragee-based company.

Tayto already owned Mr Porky prior to the acquisition.

However, the CMA confirmed yesterday that it was probing the merger.

It followed an initial enforcement notice served on Tayto Group Limited and its parent company Manderley Food Group Limited on July 18, 2018.

The CMA said it had "reasonable grounds for suspecting that it is or may be the case that Tayto Group Limited and The Real Pork Crackling Company Limited have ceased to be distinct".

The body said it was considering whether the merger resulted, or may be expected to result, in "a substantial lessening of competition in any market or markets in the UK".

Yesterday the CMA issued a fresh statement confirming that it had "sufficient information" in relation to the merger to allow it to launch an investigation.

It said it would decide by November 15, 2018 on whether to make the merger subject to what it calls a "phase two investigation".

At the time of the merger in June Tayto said that the former owner of The Real Pork Crackling Company, Chris Cunliffe, would continue to lead the business.

It added that he would be taking on a wider role as chief operating officer for pork products within the Tayto Group.

The merger came on the back of Tayto's purchase of Maghera popcorn company Pop Notch, with production moving to Devon, where it already owns Portlebay Popcorn.
Morocco and Mauritania have both lauded the strong relationship existing between the two countries, while expressing their shared resolve to give a new momentum to their cooperation.

This came during the talks held this Friday in Rabat between head of the Moroccan Government Saad Eddine el Othmani and visiting Foreign Minister Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.

The two sides lauded the strong relations binding the two countries and highlighted the promising prospects for consolidating their cooperation in different areas, including in agriculture and fisheries, the exchange of experience in the fields of vocational training and higher education.

The Mauritanian official hailed the brotherly and historical links binding the two countries, noting that the positive synergy between them on a number of major issues can lead to further development of their cooperation in various areas.

Means to consolidate relations in the commercial, economic and security fields, promote the interests of their respective expatriates in either country and improve their stay conditions were also discussed at the meeting held Thursday between the Mauritanian Foreign Minister and his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.

In a press briefing following the talks, the two officials expressed satisfaction at the positive momentum marking bilateral relations that are based on geographical proximity, strong historical ties and brotherly bonds between the two peoples.

Besides, the two countries have shared interests and challenges at the level of the Maghreb and Africa, they said.

Bourita, who underlined that Rabat and Nouakchott are prompted by a strong desire to promote their bilateral relations, said the talks were a good opportunity to discuss ways to revive bilateral mechanisms such as the High Joint Committee, which did not convene since 2013.

The two sides agreed to hold the committee meeting next year and also to revive political coordination mechanisms between Rabat and Nouakchott, he said.

Bourita, who congratulated Mauritania on the success of its legislative, regional and municipal elections, held in-depth political consultations with his Mauritanian counterpart, which touched on several bilateral, Arab, regional and international issues.

The two ministers agreed to coordinate the positions of Rabat and Noukchott on issues of shared interest, particularly at the level of regional and international organizations.

When discussing the situation of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), the two sides stressed that Maghreb integration is dependent upon strong bilateral relations between the five member countries of the Union. Bourita and his Mauritanian peer reiterated their condemnation of terrorism, under all its forms, emphasizing the importance of strengthening cooperation and dialogue, and consolidating security coordination between the two countries to fight this scourge.
Ruth Wilson is used to alarming audiences. She played the deeply unsettling Alice Morgan on BBC's hit drama Luther on and off for six years. But her new film, The Little Stranger, an adaptation of Sarah Waters' 2009 novel of the same name, offers more than just a parent-killing psychopath.

It is instead a chilling Gothic thriller set in a sinister house where mysterious writing appears on walls and bells ring without human intervention.

And for Wilson, the source of the mystery at the heart of the story proved endlessly fascinating.

"There is something about repression in this society, and the repression of feelings, repression of desires, that exists in all the characters on the screen," she says.

"If you repress something that much, it might come out in some kind of energy or form emanating from something darker in individuals.

"I don't think it's a physical being necessarily doing things, it's something supernatural.

"It's odd but it's not defined so it's left to the audience."

Set in the summer of 1948, the story follows Faraday, a doctor played by Domhnall Gleeson, who is summoned to the stately Hundreds Hall to examine a young maid.

It is the first time he has seen the house since he attended a fete there as a child in 1919.

At the time, the working-class boy was overwhelmed by its grandeur and beauty and jealous of the beautiful little girl who lived there, so much so that on impulse he snapped off a plaster acorn from one of the mouldings in the ornate entrance hall.

On his return, he finds the house has fallen into disrepair and has been neglected over the years and indeed the Ayres family who occupy the house have themselves seen better days.

They are part of the landed gentry subjected to the high taxes of the new Labour government and Wilson plays Caroline Ayres, who is attempting to keep the house going alongside her brother Rod, played by Will Poulter, who has been left badly disfigured by fighting in the war.

As Faraday becomes more closely entangled with the family and more enthralled by the house, unsettling things begin to happen.

And while the story can be seen as a haunted house story, Wilson discovered new depths to it after she finished filming.

"Actually this is about patriarchy, about the oppressive environment that the class system created and still does and what women were oppressed by and in," she says.

"Caroline, she has just been in the war and tasted freedom and had economic freedom, and then is suddenly thrust back into a social construct which she wanted out of, having to go back to traditional female roles.

"Even this man, that she thinks might be her escape route, is also trying to impose those constraints on her."

She pauses for a moment.

"There is something about property and ownership too. This house is falling apart and these people can't look after it anymore and they can't afford to keep it up.

"Faraday is determined at whatever lengths to have this place or to maintain it and to have ownership over it.

"There is something about not caring about whether this property needs to be maintained or if it would be better if it just got destroyed and built as something else.

"But he goes in there and wants to take it as it is."

Watching the film back now, in a post-Weinstein world, the storyline smacks of toxic masculinity.

"When we were doing it, it didn't really strike out to me that that was what it was about," she says thoughtfully. "But watching it, I was like, 'That is definitely a theme that is inside it' and of course Sarah was dealing with that in the book. It's just now that we are all becoming much more aware of that and alert to those kind of attitudes."

Gleeson agrees, saying: "There is a lot happening at the moment in an effort to reverse some of the toxic masculinity that is in society and when this happened it was even more rampant than it is now.

"There were very few ways out for a woman in Ruth's character's situation and this is something that Faraday subconsciously becomes involved with.

"It's right there in the novel, we haven't put it into the film. Sarah Waters is gifted and knew what she was doing when she wrote the novel. But obviously it's become a much bigger part of the conversation publicly now, which is brilliant."

Wilson compares the themes to another of her films, Dark River, directed by Clio Barnard.

"Clio talked about the countryside and the way the countryside is seen.

"We always glamorise it or we make it look beautiful and actually the reality of it is very much more raw and edgy and dark than that.

"It's the same way that we put women on a pedestal and make them be something they are not.

"There is something interesting about that, maintaining something that isn't that anymore.

"It's not that beautiful image, it's falling and declining and we have to renew it and let it breathe as something else."

But the film also paints a brutal portrait of the class system in post-war Britain.

Faraday, a country doctor, is treated like the help by friends of the Ayres who come for dinner.

Caroline's mother makes it clear he should know his place.

"Our country is completely defined by class and still is," Wilson says.

"It's something that, even if we aren't conscious of it, we are definitely part of and involved in.

"This was a time when landed gentry were being taxed much more heavily post war and so they were declining, they were unable to maintain the lifestyle they had lived before.

"Everything was going through change, the middle class were growing.

"Class is something that you are born into and that creates division and that creates envy, creates anger and also creates frustration.

"You have no choice and the film shows that is really divisive and violent-making."

The Little Stranger is at cinemas now
A Belfast woman has told how she was put on hold for 12 minutes on 999 after she spotted a teenager convulsing on a road.

Catherine told the BBC Radio Ulster Nolan Show she listened to a recorded message before anyone answered her emergency call.

The incident took place in the Finaghy area on Tuesday. Catherine was driving when she saw a young boy, aged around 16 or 17, who'd collapsed at the side of the road and was having seizure.

She got out of the car to help and rang 999. After being put on hold other people arrived to help.

"He wasn't alert and I wasn't sure what was happening," Catherine said.

"I was quite scared, this was a young boy and he needed help, when I rang for help there was no answer, there was nobody there at the end of the line to help.

"Someone put him in the recovery position and kept him calm. I thought it might be a problem with my phone so I ran across the road to a local business and they also rang 999 and got the same message.

"On this occasion the patient is fine but you just wonder what if it was something else, what if someone had seriously been injured. When you ring 999 you want to be sure someone will be there.

Catherine said once her call was answered the ambulance arrived quickly and the staff "absolutely brilliant".

"I think it's really scary, I mean who do you call when you need help? It could have been a child choking, it could have been a road traffic accident. It could have been someone on their own crying out for help and 12 minutes is a long time to wait for someone to help you," Catherine added.

Brian McNeill, director of operations for the Ambulance Service told the Nolan Show he was "embarrassed and very disappointed". He stressed that should anyone have to wait after calling 999 they should not hang up and try again as this would put them at the back of the queue.

"This is totally unacceptable, we failed the person who made the call and the patient. We are doing a full investigation to ensure it doesn't happen again."

In a statement the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service apologised to Catherine for the incident.

"We apologise to the patient for the unacceptable delay in sending them an ambulance," the statement read.

The NIAS confirmed that Catherine queued for 12 minutes and said that they have a "call queue because on occasion calls outnumber the call takers available to answer them".

"We have various contingencies in place in the event that there are more of those calls coming in than we can take.

"When we have calls queueing we allow our callers to complete other calls quickly and we also have a buddy system with the Scottish Ambulance Service where the calls that are queued here can be answered by one of them and vice versa.

"There has clearly been a failure in our contingency system and we are now in the process of completing an investigation."
Ireland's only human milk bank was forced to suspend operations due to the potentially deadly Pseudomonas bug, it has emerged.

Last week it was learned the service had been put on hold after 259 litres of donated breast milk destined for babies in need had to be disposed of after issues arose with how it was handled and processed.

However, the Belfast Telegraph has learned the problem was due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa at the Co Fermanagh facility.

The milk bank has been operating since 2000 and is managed by the Western Trust. For the past 18 years it has provided human milk for thousands of needy babies across Ireland, many of whom would have died without this help.

The trust admitted that it encountered difficulties achieving processing standards during a recent relocation of the milk bank from Lisnaskea to the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, and donor milk had to be disposed of.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is found widely in soil and stagnant water and can cause infections in the chest, blood and urinary tract. It also poses a risk to elderly people with weak immune systems.

While Pseudomonas is not infectious, because it exists in water or moisture, patients can carry it on their skin. It can be treated with the right antibiotic.

Similar incidents at hospitals here in late 2011/early 2012 led to the deaths of four babies.

Three died in the Royal Jubilee Maternity Unit, and the other at Altnagelvin Area Hospital.

A subsequent report said there were delays in sharing information between health trusts.

Infected taps were blamed for the scandal by then Health Minister Edwin Poots and measures were put in place in hospital wards across Northern Ireland to prevent a similar tragedy happening again.

The milk bank provides over 1,500 litres of lifesaving breast milk to more than 900 ill or premature babies annually.

It also helps babies with major gut or heart problems by providing milk to their homes, as well as those cared for in hospices.

However, it relies on breastfeeding mothers from all across Ireland for donations.

The milk bank relocated to Enniskillen from leased premises in nearby Irvinestown on January 29 this year.

The Western Trust said: "As part of the relocation, routine water testing was carried out on the incoming cold water supply in the cooling cycle of the pasteuriser.

"Pasteurisers returned positive water results for Pseudomonas aeruginosa."

The trust said it immediately contacted various hospital neo-natal units which have been in receipt of donor milk advising them of the situation and requesting that all unused milk be disposed of.

"Pasteurisation ceased whilst essential remedial work is being carried out," it added.

"At all times the milk bank operated within NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidance.

"Nevertheless, the trust has utilised this opportunity to enhance these standards for our service."

The trust confirmed that no milk was supplied to baby units during the relocation period, therefore no babies would have come to harm as a result of this issue.

It said it was "working diligently to achieve the high standards required to recommence this service".

Breast milk has been imported by the Royal Maternity Hospital in Belfast in order to feed ill babies here.

The Belfast Trust said last week: "We are importing milk from England as an interim measure.

"We can reassure the public that there is no shortage of milk in the neo-natal unit."
Police have appealed for information.

Police have appealed for information after an arson attack on a car in Co Antrim.

A car was set alight at Tiree Street around 3:30am on Thursday morning.

The fire spread to a nearby fence causing considerable damage.

Police enquiries are ongoing and any witnesses are asked to call the 101 number.
Theresa May speaks to the media at the conclusion of the summit of leaders of the European Union in Salzburg, Austria

The DUP's Nigel Dodds has said Theresa May "must not be bullied by the unreasonable and inflexible approach of the EU to Brexit negotiations" after it was revealed the Prime Minister is set to make a major new compromise in a bid to break the deadlock over the Irish border.

The Independent reported that under proposals to be brought forward by the UK government, Britain is expected to accept some checks taking place between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

But North Belfast MP Mr Dodds said: "The DUP is focused on ensuring the preservation of the political, constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom. That is the absolute priority for us."

Mrs May remains wedded to her Brexit plan despite being told it "will not work" at a summit of European Union leaders.

The Prime Minister said her Chequers blueprint is the only proposal on the table as the deadline approaches, with the next leaders' meeting in October set to be a "moment of truth".

But she indicated the UK will unveil new measures on the future status of the Irish border in a bid to break the deadlock.

Speaking at the end of the two-day EU summit in Austria - during which she had a meeting with Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar - Mrs May said the UK will "shortly" come forward with new proposals on the so-called "backstop" arrangements for implementation at the border if no long-term solution is found.

She said she is working towards an October date but privately told Mr Varadkar she did not think she could have proposals on the backstop ready for then. At their bilateral she was told time is running short and was pressed to bring forward her alternative as soon as possible.

But Mr Dodds warned: "Amid some speculation coming out of Salzburg about border issues, people need to remember that the December Joint Report, which is the basis for the so-called backstop through Article 49, also contained an explicit commitment in Article 50. "This states that the United Kingdom will ensure that no new regulatory barriers develop between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom."

One possible concession revealed by the Independent could see customs compliance checks away from Irish Sea ports, but not regulatory checks. The EU has also suggested that "most checks can take place away from the border at the company premises or in the markets".

The combination of concessions - with Britain accepting regulatory checks at ports and the EU moving some customs checks in-land - appears to clear the path for a potential solution.

However, DUP leader Arlene Foster has said previously that trade barriers put up between Northern Ireland Great Britain is a red line for her.

Speaking after a meeting with European Council president Donald Tusk, the PM said: "We both agree there can be no withdrawal agreement without a legally-operative backstop. But that backstop cannot divide the United Kingdom into two customs territories, and we will be bringing forward our own proposals shortly.

"On the economic partnership, there is no solution that will resolve the Northern Ireland border which is not based on the frictionless movement of goods. Our White Paper remains the only serious and credible proposition on the table for achieving that objective."

Mr Varadkar didn't want to comment on potential UK concessions without having anything in writing, but spoke of "there being verbal briefings and being promised that certain things would happen then when the documents arrive they are not quite what we expected..."
Germanys power Siemens will operate and maintain Egypts three power plants for eight years, under an agreement signed with Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC), Trade Arabia reports.

Under the agreement, Trade Arabia notes, Siemens will provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services (O&M) for the Beni Suef, New Capital and Burullus power plants.

The plants, each with a power output estimated at 4.8GW, produce 40 per cent of Egypts power needs. The three currently supply power to 40 million Egyptians.

The scope of the agreement also requires that Siemens implements its services portfolio to improve asset visibility, reliability and availability of the three power plants.

The German experienced firm will also take charge of on-site equipment including 24 gas turbines, twelve steam turbines, 36 generators, 24 heat recovery steam generators and three 500 kV gas-insulated switchgear systems, according to the agreement.

Aside of Egypt, Siemens is currently present in 17 countries where it manages more than 25 GW.
Theresa May has said she will work to ensure there is no hard border in Ireland, even in the event of a no deal Brexit.

Following the rejection of her Chequers plans by EU leaders in Salzburg Mrs May said the EU "did not respect" that Northern Ireland would remain part of the UK after Brexit.

She reiterated there would never be a border in the Irish Sea.

Mrs May demanded the EU come up with new proposals to break the current "impasse".

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In a defiant final message, the prime minister said: "The EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country.

"We need serious engagement on resolving the two big problems in the negotiations. We stand ready."

The move comes after European Council President Donald Tusk ripped up Mrs Mays blueprint for Brexit on Thursday, saying it risked the integrity of the EU single market and the Northern Ireland border.

Mrs May, speaking inside 10 Downing Street, said: "I have always said that these negotiations would be tough, and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight.

"While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that despite the progress we have made there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart."

Mrs May said the first issue was Britain's economic relationship with the EU after Brexit. She said the EU standpoint would see a border in the Irish Sea, something she could not countenance and something which parliament has already rejected.

She said: "We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if there's a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still won't be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

"But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the customs union.

"As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country."

Mrs May added the negotiations were at an "impasse", saying: "Yesterday, Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse."

On the post Brexit economic relationship, she added: "Here the EU is still only offering us two options. The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU.

"In plain English, this would mean we'd still have to abide by the all EU rules: uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn't do trade deals we want with other countries.

"That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago."
Parents should look on the bright side when they see their children off to university

All this week, across Northern Ireland, the childhoods of thousands of young people are coming to an end. If that sounds melodramatic, wait until you witness it for yourself. It's an eye-opener, for all concerned.

The farewell ritual is similar for many families. First, the drawers and wardrobes of teenage bedrooms are stripped bare as an unfeasible amount of clothes, shoes, games consoles, books, posters and other precious possessions are crammed into suitcases and boxes, to be sealed with parcel tape and marked with a strange new address. The carpet, long unseen because it's usually covered with unwashed jeans, empty cereal bowls and cast-off pizza boxes, may gradually re-emerge as everything gets packed away.

Then there's the inevitable trip to Ikea for towels, duvet covers and cheap kitchen supplies, which to your son or daughter's mind may well include vital essentials such as a cocktail-making kit.

After that, there's the journey by sea or air to the English, Scottish or Welsh university where they will spend most of the next three years, far away, on their own, over the water. There will be the swift unpacking, and maybe a last dinner together. It's disorienting to see all their familiar stuff arranged in a new room, a new city. And then before you know it, you've had the tearful goodbye hugs (on your part, if not on theirs), you've doled out the last words of advice, and you're back on the plane or the ferry, travelling home without them.

When you get home, you go to their room, which is shockingly silent and bare, and there you finally see it: the empty nest.

And you know what? That's a good thing. You have done your job, the one you've been working at since they were born, 18 years ago. You have raised an independent, self-sufficient human being who can go out into the world and create a life for him or herself.

It's not easy for parents, of course. Some - especially mothers, I suspect, though fathers are often startled to find themselves deeply affected too - find the process of accepting that their child has reached maturity very difficult indeed, to the extent that they become seriously depressed: this is the so-called empty nest syndrome. The pain of letting go is understandable. In fact, it would be strange if it didn't hurt. But it is a necessary process of adjustment for all concerned, both parents and children.

I do think the wrench is more challenging for parents whose youngsters choose to go across the water for third-level education.

This year, according to the latest UCAS figures, 4,950 school-leavers from Northern Ireland are beginning university in Britain this September, with 9,120 enrolling in universities here.

My son went to university in Dublin, and while I missed him badly, I consoled myself with the thought that at least he was still on the island. But four years later, when my daughter accepted a place at an English university, I had to reconcile myself to the physical barrier of the Irish Sea between me and my youngest. I fully supported her choice, but she seemed that much further away.

The plane ride back to Belfast, after we left her at her new halls of residence, was the hardest part. Three of us had gone out there, but only two of us were coming home.

But life soon settles into a new rhythm, only now with enhanced opportunities for parental city breaks, as well as other pleasant freedoms. And because university terms are relatively short, it's never long before they are back again, blowing into the house like a hurricane, bringing with them a blast of fresh air from the wider world. It's exciting to see how they have changed and grown, even after a short time, revelling in their new-found sense of independence.

It is customary to deplore the annual exodus of young people to British universities as some kind of lamentable 'brain drain'. That's far too simplistic. It assumes that only the most intellectually gifted students leave Northern Ireland, or that they are only departing because they have no alternative, since there isn't the same range of courses and opportunities here.

In reality, our children fly the family nest because that's the right and natural thing to do. Some fly further than others, it's true, but they go because the time has come for them to try out their wings. All we can do is watch and marvel as they soar away.
A west Belfast woman and around 20 Protestant men are all suing the UK state over their internment during the Troubles, it emerged on Friday.

Evelyn Gilroy's legal action is to be grouped with the so-called loyalist cases in all future reviews at the High Court.

A judge was told one of the claims they were unlawfully imprisoned without trial is now at an advanced stage.

Mr Justice Maguire has now asked lawyers to identify all writs issued in connection with the policy.

He said: "I will initiate a review relating a group which I will call internment cases."

Detention without trial was introduced in 1971 as the conflict raged in Northern Ireland.

Nearly 2,000, most of them Catholic, were held over the next four years.

Claims have been brought against the Northern Ireland Office, PSNI, Ministry of Defence and Secretary of State.

Ms Gilroy alleges she was subjected to inhuman conditions during her arrest and imprisonment in May 1974.

She was held for three days in an RUC station before being transferred to Armagh prison where she was held until Christmas that year, according to her claim.

Internment had been introduced as the conflict raged in Northern Ireland.

Nearly 2,000 people, most of them Catholic, were held without trial between 1971 and 1975.

Ms Gilroy is seeking damages for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, negligence, breach of statutory duty and misfeasance in public office.

In court today it emerged that writs issued by around 20 men from the other side of the community are continuing.

They claim the British Government abused its power by locking them up in a bid to balance mass Catholic internment.

One of that group was arrested in 1973 and spent more than a year in custody.

Their case includes allegations they were interned because of their religion, in order to demonstrate the British state was not just detaining Catholics under that system.

More than 300 people were initially held in what was then called the Long Kesh prison camp outside Lisburn, County Antrim.

They were accused of involvement with the IRA.

It would take another 18 months before anyone from a loyalist background was interned.

Barrister Paul McLaughlin, for the authorities being sued, confirmed as many as 21 legal actions have been commenced.

"Most are loyalists who say there was an unlawful policy to intern them from 1973," he told the court.

Eugene McKenna, representing Ms Gilroy, predicted the same discovery would be required in all the cases.

He added: "This plaintiff (Ms Gilroy) is the only matter with proceedings issued who was a member of the nationalist population at that time."

Following submissions Mr Justice Maguire agreed to group all the actions together for future, regular reviews.
A man charged with the murder of a young father beaten to death in west Belfast is under threat, the High Court heard today.

Panic buttons have been installed at the property where 21-year-old Lee Smyth is currently living as part of increased security measures, prosecutors disclosed.

Smyth, originally from the Dunmurry area of the city, is one of three people charged with murdering Christopher Meli, 20, in December 2015.

He was re-released on bail last month to an address outside Belfast which cannot be reported.

But at a review today Mr Justice Maguire was told Smyth has since been "flaunting" conditions by failing to sign with police on time.

He also did not come to the door when officers called at that address.

Crown lawyer Kate McKay said Smyth subsequently explained that he was on sleeping tablets and had slept through attempts to rouse him.

The court then heard two specific threat messages were delivered to Smyth last month.

"Police are taking these seriously and as a result have installed panic buttons in the (bail) home of the applicant," Mrs McKay said.

"They have increased police patrols in the area and reinforced the security at the house."

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Smyth is one of number of people currently facing charges related to Mr Meli's death.

Detectives believe up to 20 people were involved in a number of violent confrontations that led to the victim suffering fatal head injuries at Doc's Lane in the Twinbrook estate.

Previous courts heard he was set upon by a large group of both males and females, and subjected to "a sustained, savage attack."

Smyth, who denies the murder charge against him, went to police later that day to give an account of his alleged involvement in the wider incident.

He claimed to have exchanged blows with Mr Meli in a "fair fight" where both were on the ground as others set upon them, a judge was told previously.

He spent nearly two years in custody before being granted bail.

Mrs McKay confirmed that any trial is unlikely to begin before next summer.

Defence barrister Tom McCreanor argued that Smyth has complied with electronic tagging and curfew conditions.

"Although tardy and unsatisfactory, he has not failed to attend and sign for bail," counsel added.

With Smyth not present for the review, Mr Justice Maguire adjourned the hearing.

He directed the accused to attend court next week and provide an explanation for each alleged breach of bail.
Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  M1 Motorway is closed westbound from Black's Road Dunmurry and east bound from Saintfield Road due to fallen cables. Motorists should seek alternative routes. Saintfield Road is also closed at the junction of the old Ballynahinch Road due to a fallen tree. Motorists are advised to exercise extreme caution in adverse weather conditions. Police are advising motorists to stay in their vehicles.

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk 19/9/2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Graham Curry Strong winds on the Ards peninsula this morning as Storm Ali hits the Portaferry Road on the outskirts of Newtownards in Co. Down

A tree down on the main A44 into Ballycastle. Pic Ben Tucker

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th September 2018 Belfast City council closes public parks across the city due to adverse weather conditions as Storm Ali hits Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

PACEMAKER BELFAST 19/9/2018 The m1 near Lisburn is a standstill due to fallen cable which closed the motorway in both direction causing major delays to motorists. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th September 2018 Belfast City council closes public parks across the city due to adverse weather conditions as Storm Ali hits Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Belfast City council closes public parks across the city due to adverse weather conditions as Storm Ali hits Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  Lorry hit by falling tree on Osbourne Park, Belfast. Driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  Lorry hit by falling tree on Osbourne Park, Belfast. Driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  Clear up begins in Bedford Street Belfast as storm Ali takes it's toll.

Clear up begins in Bedford Street Belfast as storm Ali takes it's toll. Pic Freddie Parkinson Presseye

Pacemaker Press 19/08/2018 A fallen tree hits a oil lorry on Osbourne Park near the Lisburn Road in Belfast during the heavy winds on Wednesday. Thirty-two thousand homes across Northern Ireland are without electricity as Storm Ali intensifies. An amber weather warning is in place and wind gusts of up to 65mph are expected inland. Higher gusts are likely in the north west and north coast. The storm is due to reach its peak before 12:00 BST. Pic Colm Lenaghan /Pacemaker

19th September 2018 General views of a tree that has fallen at the Albert Clock in Belfast as Storm Ali batters the province. Mandatory Credit  Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

19th September 2018 General views of a tree that has fallen at the Albert Clock in Belfast as Storm Ali batters the province. Mandatory Credit  Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

Wednesday 19th September 2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye  General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province.

Wednesday 19th September 2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye  General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province.

Wednesday 19th September 2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye  General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province.

General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province. Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye 

Emergency Services attend the scene at the Entrance of Slieve Gullion Forest Park outside the village of Meigh in Co Armagh. An engineer died after a tree fall. Pic Newraypics.com

A fallen tree hits a lorry on Osbourne Park near the Lisburn Road in Belfast during the heavy winds on Wednesday. Pic Colm Lenaghan /Pacemaker

Around 160 properties are still without power in Northern Ireland after Storm Ali caused chaos on Wednesday.

Over 90,000 homes were without power during the storm.

Throughout Friday teams and equipment were deployed by NIE Networks from the North and West into the worst hit areas of Mid Ulster and the South East.

Teams are working on the remaining 300 faults. Around half of these affecting single customers.

Two people were killed in the storm, NI Water worker Matt Campbell died when a tree fell on top of him at Slieve Guillion Forest Park, while Swiss holidaymaker Elvira Ferraii was in a caravan blown off a cliff in Co Galway.

A spokesperson for NIE Networks, said, We are grateful for the patience of all of the customers who lost power due to Storm Ali. The storms strong gusts, combined with trees still in leaf, caused considerable damage to the electricity network and left us with faults which were time consuming and labour intensive to repair.

Our teams will continue to work through the night until the last customer has power restored.

On Thursday a helicopter was deployed to help restore power by surveying harder to reach parts of the electricity network.
A Nobel Peace Prize winner from Northern Ireland has said that if the DUP and Sinn Fein cannot make a deal to restore Stormont, the British and Irish governments should hold talks with the other parties instead.

Mairead Maguire also suggested the two main parties were entrenching sectarian divisions for party political gain.

Ms Maguire and Betty Williams co-founded Women for Peace, which later became the Community for Peace People, to encourage a peaceful resolution of the Troubles.

They organised massive peace demonstrations after Ms Maguire's sister Anne's three children were killed by an IRA getaway car, whose driver had just been shot dead by a soldier in August 1976. They were awarded the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize.

Since then, Ms Maguire has dedicated her life to promoting peace. Writing on the Peace People website, Ms Maguire argued that the future was being squandered in Northern Ireland.

"It is astonishing to me that some of our political representatives know full well that their refusal to sit around the Executive Table and the Assembly in Stormont Parliament means a political stalemate and a vacuum of power," she wrote.

Ms Maguire said MLAs' refusal to represent those who elected them was leading to unemployment, homelessness and poverty.

"I believe the problem lies in the older generations who have suffered terribly on all sides through violence and fear," she wrote. "My generation has a responsibility to not restrain the youth by our bigotry and division. It is my hope that in the future we will have non-sectarian elections in a Parliament of left, right and centre."

She said that "it is time to put aside egos, individual and collective, for the sake of the youth".

"If this scenario of dysfunctional politics continues, we are each challenged to ask the question: are Sinn Fein or the Democratic Unionists (DUP) pursuing divisionary politics in a quest for continued power? We can see this in the more centralised votes leaning away from moderate and towards hardline parties over the last 20 years," she wrote.

"At this point in our history, faced as we are with important decision regarding Brexit and the question of a soft/hard border, it is even more important that all our elected politicians be present at the table to speak on behalf of the people.

"It is also important that our political representatives work for a full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the healing and reconciliation of our society.

"Unfortunately, if the two parties are not able to reconcile their differences then it is the responsibility of the British and Irish governments to hold talks with remaining parties willing to govern in Northern Ireland."
PSNI officers are said to be "furious".

The head of Northern Ireland's policing union has said that police officers are "furious" at an upcoming 1% cut in pay.

PSNI officers had been due to receive a 2% pay increase from September 1 in line with rises for police in England and Wales.

Members had sought a 3.4% rise. The Home Office decided to award a 2% increase, below the level recommended by independent advisers.

However, due to the lack of a Justice Minister at Stormont the pay rise can not be signed off.

Secretary of State Karen Bradley announced earlier this month that she would be introducing legislation to allow civil servants to make key decisions while Northern Ireland remains without a government.

A landmark court judgment rejecting the Arc 21 incinerator planning permission in Co Antrim because it had been unlawfully authorised has left civil servants unable to make major decisions in the absence of ministerial oversight.

PSNI officers have seen a 1% pay cut since the end of last month as half of last year's 2% pay increase was time limited and only lasted until the end of August.

From September current PSNI officers will see their payslips cut by 1%.

Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI) Mark Lindsay called on the United Kingdom Government to intervene and "sort out the mess".

Police leaders in Great Britain, led by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, have rounded on the government, describing the pay award as a punch on the nose. In Northern Ireland, the situation is much worse with pay actually cut by 1%," Mr Lindsay said.

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This is unacceptable and it has to be fixed. What we are seeing is a disgraceful show of indifference towards officers.

The officers I represent are furious over this situation. They want this mess sorted out. At a time when officer workload is at an all-time high, it is unacceptable that they have to put up with a wait and see approach."

Mr Lindsay said that decision-making powers must be given to civil servants as soon as possible.

We have heard how steps are being taken to empower Permanent Secretaries in our Government departments to make decisions. One of the first decisions the Permanent Secretary in the Department of Justice needs to make is to sign off on this paltry pay award," he said.

Last year, we had to wait eight months to get the pay award implemented. We dont want to see a repeat of that delay this year.

Probationary constables earn 23,124, rising to 38,382 after seven years of service.

The Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance of 3,225 is also payable.
Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  M1 Motorway is closed westbound from Black's Road Dunmurry and east bound from Saintfield Road due to fallen cables. Motorists should seek alternative routes. Saintfield Road is also closed at the junction of the old Ballynahinch Road due to a fallen tree. Motorists are advised to exercise extreme caution in adverse weather conditions. Police are advising motorists to stay in their vehicles.

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk 19/9/2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Graham Curry Strong winds on the Ards peninsula this morning as Storm Ali hits the Portaferry Road on the outskirts of Newtownards in Co. Down

A tree down on the main A44 into Ballycastle. Pic Ben Tucker

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th September 2018 Belfast City council closes public parks across the city due to adverse weather conditions as Storm Ali hits Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

PACEMAKER BELFAST 19/9/2018 The m1 near Lisburn is a standstill due to fallen cable which closed the motorway in both direction causing major delays to motorists. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th September 2018 Belfast City council closes public parks across the city due to adverse weather conditions as Storm Ali hits Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Belfast City council closes public parks across the city due to adverse weather conditions as Storm Ali hits Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  Lorry hit by falling tree on Osbourne Park, Belfast. Driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  Lorry hit by falling tree on Osbourne Park, Belfast. Driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  Clear up begins in Bedford Street Belfast as storm Ali takes it's toll.

Clear up begins in Bedford Street Belfast as storm Ali takes it's toll. Pic Freddie Parkinson Presseye

Pacemaker Press 19/08/2018 A fallen tree hits a oil lorry on Osbourne Park near the Lisburn Road in Belfast during the heavy winds on Wednesday. Thirty-two thousand homes across Northern Ireland are without electricity as Storm Ali intensifies. An amber weather warning is in place and wind gusts of up to 65mph are expected inland. Higher gusts are likely in the north west and north coast. The storm is due to reach its peak before 12:00 BST. Pic Colm Lenaghan /Pacemaker

19th September 2018 General views of a tree that has fallen at the Albert Clock in Belfast as Storm Ali batters the province. Mandatory Credit  Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

19th September 2018 General views of a tree that has fallen at the Albert Clock in Belfast as Storm Ali batters the province. Mandatory Credit  Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

Wednesday 19th September 2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye  General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province.

Wednesday 19th September 2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye  General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province.

Wednesday 19th September 2018 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye  General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province.

General views of a tree that has fallen at the Robbs Road Dundonald, Belfast ,as Storm Ali batters the province. Picture by Leah Matthews Press Eye 

Emergency Services attend the scene at the Entrance of Slieve Gullion Forest Park outside the village of Meigh in Co Armagh. An engineer died after a tree fall. Pic Newraypics.com

A fallen tree hits a lorry on Osbourne Park near the Lisburn Road in Belfast during the heavy winds on Wednesday. Pic Colm Lenaghan /Pacemaker

Storm Bronagh is set to batter parts of the UK and Ireland today, a day after two people were killed during Storm Ali.

The Met Office and Met Eireann have warned of the possibility of a danger to life and damage to buildings.

Storm Bronagh developed across parts of Wales and south-west England yesterday evening, before spreading further eastwards across England.

Heavy rain and gale force winds were expected, but it looks like Northern Ireland will escape the worst this time around.

The Met Office said today would see a cloudy start in Northern Ireland with some showery rain, briefly heavy in places.

It will then brighten up, with a few brief showers, mainly in the north and west, with brisk north westerly winds.

It will feel cool, with a maximum temperature of 14C.

The outlook for Saturday to Monday is bright and breezy with the odd passing shower.

It will become dry and more settled by Monday.

Meanwhile, NIE Networks said around 4,000 customers here were still without power last night.

Emergency teams had restored electricity to over 90,000 customers over the last 24 hours. The company said that although it expected the majority of customers to be back on supply by last night, those with isolated faults affecting less than 10 properties may be off into today and in rare cases into tomorrow.

A spokesperson for NIE Networks said: "Now that we have fully surveyed the network we are finding electricity lines with over 40 individual faults.

"This is a repeating picture across Northern Ireland, presenting significant logistical and technical challenges that require large numbers of resources to repair.

"At any one time we have over 500 employees focused on restoration efforts and this level of intensity will be retained until all customers have power restored.

"Customers can continue to contact us online, over the phone or on social media."

A helicopter has been monitoring the electricity network in the east of Northern Ireland as restoration efforts continue to reconnect the remaining customers without power.

The aircraft worked its way across Northern Ireland over the course of yesterday, targeting areas where there was known network damage.

By flying over the powerlines engineers can quickly identify damage in hard-to-reach areas.

Teams were deployed from first light to deal with faults on the main electricity lines.

These faults had to be repaired first in order to restore the backbone of the network before attention turned to smaller and more isolated faults.

A spokesperson for NIE Networks said many of the faults dealt with yesterday "require significant work and multiple teams to cut and remove fallen trees, excavation, pole replacement and restringing of lines. This takes time and resources".

Over 50 contact agents are responding to customer enquiries online, over the phone and on social media.

Meanwhile, friends of a woman killed on the west coast of Ireland during Storm Ali have said she seldom left Switzerland and was looking forward to her time in the west of Ireland.

Mother-of-three Elvira Ferraii (56) died when the caravan she had been sleeping in at a campsite in Clifden, Co Galway, was blown off a cliff and onto a beach during gale force winds.

"We are deeply shocked by this tragic accident," her friend Rolf Weber told Swiss newspaper Blick.

Ms Ferraii had recently moved to the Steinmaur area in the canton of Zurich and had separated from her husband 14 years ago.

It is understood Ms Ferraii had travelled to Ireland alone for five weeks to attend an English language course.

A neighbour in Steinmaur where she had bought an apartment said she was well liked and was "extremely nice as well as sporty".
A day after Storm Ali blew out of Northern Ireland, the political tempest that has surrounded Ian Paisley MP since his suspension from Westminster also seemed to have fizzled out.

Efforts to force a by-election in North Antrim failed after a petition of recall fell short by 444 signatures.

Walking around Ballymena, all appeared calm, but some people, including DUP voters, were still in a bluster over the result of the recall petition.

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These included local man Rodney Quaite who said: "I was disappointed at the result. I signed the petition and I am someone who voted for the DUP.

"I think it was terrible.

"I think he should still step aside and have an election.

"I don't know if it would make a difference but at least it would leave it in the hands of his constituents. I think he has been rubbish for Ballymena - in fact I think the DUP is a joke now. "I think they should step aside and give someone else a try."

A disappointed Trevor Spiers, from Ballymena, didn't expect the petition to fail.

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"I was surprised at the result. I didn't vote myself but I thought there would have been enough to pass it. He knows himself what he did, he was caught and I think he should still step down and go for re-election."

Betty Graham, also from the town, admits she doesn't take much interest in politics but she believes Ian Paisley is a good MP. She said: "I find politics too depressing, I can't be annoyed with it all, but personally I think Ian Paisley has been doing a good job.

"He is always in the forefront of trying to make things better and he stands up for the people of Ballymena.

"He stands up for what he believes in and for what he thinks we believe in so I am very happy he is still our MP."

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Ross McCauley from east Antrim was in Ballymena for a bit of shopping with his wife. He said: "I was aware of it (petition of recall) but it didn't interest me in the least, it is a matter for the people here in North Antrim to make the decision. All anyone can say about the whole thing is he was caught out."

Rose Scullion, who is from the Toomebridge area, within the North Antrim constituency, signed the petition.

She said: "The result was very disappointing but I think there were a lot of people who thought there was no point in signing the petition.

"I think people who are not DUP voters think he will just get in again with a big majority every time.

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"We go and register our vote for our party but it never makes any difference so our voices are never going to be heard.

"I signed the petition because I thought it was important to register what I thought, but it looks like there will be no sanctions from the DUP so he will just waltz back in again."
Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill has accused the DUP of endorsing "a gross lack of integrity in public office" after it lifted Ian Paisley's suspension from the party.

She was speaking yesterday after the DUP announced it had concluded its internal investigation into the North Antrim MP and had readmitted him into the party.

"After six weeks of silence the DUP announced today that its investigation into Ian Paisley had concluded and his suspension from the DUP had been lifted," she said.

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"No further details have been provided, despite the very serious nature of the scandal that Ian Paisley has been engulfed in over his links to the Sri Lankan regime."

Ms O'Neill said Mr Paisley had lobbied to prevent the UN investigating war crimes against the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan regime. "He displayed a gross lack of integrity in public office through these actions. Despite this, there was no hint of an apology from the DUP to either the people of North Antrim or the Tamil population," she said.

"Instead, he has been welcomed back into the DUP fold. That represents another failure on behalf of the DUP and is an effective endorsement of his actions.

"The DUP is very fond of pontificating to others, but when it came to dealing with its own wrongdoing it failed to take the appropriate action, which would have been to sack Ian Paisley."

A petition of recall, which would have unseated Mr Paisley as North Antrim MP, failed to secure the necessary 10% support among the electorate.

Sinn Fein North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan said the result shouldn't be read as an endorsement of Mr Paisley's actions, but "rather as an indictment on the Electoral Office who did not do enough to facilitate the people of North Antrim who wished to sign the petition".

He continued: "They had the option of opening as many as ten locations where people could sign the petition, yet they inexplicably opted to go for just three, in Ballymena, Ballymoney and Ballycastle.

"A number of parties - not just Sinn Fein - expressed concerns that many people did not feel comfortable attending some of these locations because it would be obvious that the only reason they were there was to sign the petition.

"The lack of an effective public awareness campaign and the restrictive opening hours of the signing centres were also major factors."

The Electoral Office has defended the arrangements it made and pointed out that postal votes were available. TUV leader Jim Allister said he accepted the petition's outcome. "Whereas points can be made about the lack of signing centres - only three compared to 51 polling stations in an election - the result is the result," he said. "My hope is that Ian Paisley will learn from this experience and in consequence be more circumspect in his behaviour. My fear is that he will be emboldened to think he can get away with anything. Indeed, boasting already on his social media profile of beating the petition is not a good sign."

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The Paisley family at home in 1988. From left to right Ian Junior, Cherith, Rhonda, Kyle. Pic Pacemaker Ian Paisley hurdles a fence during canvassing for 2010 election. Pic Charles McQuillan Pacemaker Ian Paisley with Donald Trump. The North Antrim MP has supported the US president. Ian Paisley and Ian jnr eating buns in the campaign trail in March 1982. Ian Paisley at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena after retaining his seat in the 2015 general election Kevin Scott / Presseye Ian Paisley junior left pictured with his father during the Drumcree stand off in 1996. PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/04/98 Ian Paisley MP at a Remembrance Day commemoration in Kenya Pacemaker Belfast - Archive Ian Paisley Jnr with "Justice for the UDR Four " at his Ravenhill office. 19-12-90 1053-90-BWC Ian with Arlene Foster after she was made DUP party leader 9 / 6 / 17 PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jr celebrates with his son Matthew and wife Fiona after winning his seat for North Antrim in the UK Parliamentary Elections. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jnr, whose father founded the DUP in 1971, says, 'everybody hates us but we've got the cash' [Photo: Marc McKormick, www.independent.co.uk] Ian Paisley with his late father. Credit: Stephen Davidson/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST. Ian Paisley and Ian Junior in Studio. 16/8/94. 704/94/bwc PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 14/1/2011: Ian Paisley Junior pictured at the Adelaide Racer awards at the Ramada hotel PICTURE BY CHARLES MCQUILLAN Paisley with Miss North West 200 Jillian Frew 3/5/2010. PACEMAKER BELFAST. IAN PAISLEY JR POSES FOR THE OFFICIAL ELECTION ARTIST, SIMON ROBERTS WHILST CANVESSING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OUTSIDE BALLYMENA THIS AFTERNOON. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. Pacemaker Press Belfast 22-03-2013: Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Jr, MP is the Member of Parliament for North Antrim and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party and an author. He is the son of the DUP's founder and former leader, Ian Paisley. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Ian Paisley Jr met Amari Wijewardene, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, in Parliament to discuss a post-Brexit trade deal PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 11/7/2018: North Antrim MP, Ian Paisley at motorcycle racer William Dunlop's funeral at Garryduff Presbyterian church outside Ballymoney. Dunlop was killed in a crash during practice for the Skerries 100. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/04/2017 Ian Paisley speaks to the Irish Times at Stormont Hotel in Belfast, about his father. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press Ian discusses the legacy of his father Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press Ian Paisley Getty Images Pacemaker Belfast 18-06-2007: Junior Minister Ian Paisley Junior pictured at photocall at Stormont where ministers were encouraging people to cycle to work. PACEMAKER BELFAST. Copy pics from the book about the early years of the life of Ian Paisley. 13/8/86. 1197/86/bw PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015:DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena . PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON A picture posted by Ian Paisley (right) of Arron Banks (second left), Sammy Wilson (second right) and Leave.EU campaigner Andy Wigmore Pacemaker press 21/4/15 The Democratic Unionist Party MP Ian paisley Junior launches election manifesto at Wrightbus in Co Antrim. Picture Mark Marlow/pacemaker press Paisley with Melania Trump Ian Paisley Junior PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015:DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena . PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena in the May 2015 General Election. Picture Stephen Davison Pacemaker 8/5/2015. PACEMAKER BELFAST. Ian Paisley and Ian Jnr. PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015: DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena by singing the National Anthem. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015: Ian Paisley arrives at the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena with his wife, Fiona. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON 9 / 6 / 17 PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jr celebrates winning his seat for North Antrim in the UK Parlimentary Elections. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS 3/5/2010. PACEMAKER BELFAST. IAN PAISLEY JR AND IAN PAISLEY SR IN HARRYVILLE, BALLYMENA. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. Pacemaker Press 8/5/2017 DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr during the Launch of the DUP's General election campaign launch at the Castlereigh Hills Golf in East Belfast on Monday, ahead of the election on the 8th of June. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015:DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena . PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON Pacemaker Press: 22th December 2017: Ian Paisley Jr pictured with his new and old Passport Picture By: Arthur Allison. Ian Paisley Pacemaker Press Belfast 31-03-2014: Launch of North-West 200 road races at Titanic Belfast . Pictured at the launch Ian Paisley, Jr. and Arlene Foster, MLA Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. PICTURE BY: STEPHEN DAVISON Pacemaker Press Belfast 31-03-2014: Launch of North-West 200 road races at Titanic Belfast .Pictured at the launch Ian Paisley, Jr. and Arlene Foster, MLA Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. PICTURE BY: STEPHEN DAVISON 9 / 6 / 17 PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jr celebrates winning his seat for North Antrim in the UK Parlimentary Elections. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Paisley family at home in 1988. From left to right Ian Junior, Cherith, Rhonda, Kyle. Pic Pacemaker

Mr Allister said the "real losers" were the North Antrim electorate, who would be "without a voice and a vote" in any knife-edge Brexit votes in coming weeks in Westminster due to Mr Paisley's parliamentary suspension, which runs until November.

UUP leader Robin Swann said he respected the outcome and there had been "no appetite for a by-election" in the constituency. He cautioned Mr Paisley "not to see this as some sort of victory or endorsement of his actions in acting as a paid advocate for a foreign government and bringing North Antrim and the House of Commons into disrepute".

He continued: "Rather, I would urge him to use the time that he has been suspended from Parliament and the DUP, to reflect on the severity of what he has done and the embarrassment he has brought on Northern Ireland.

"He should demonstrate some humility. He`s the first Member of Parliament to be suspended from Westminster under the new rules, which is nothing to be proud of, and he has received the longest suspension since 1949.

"Trust in politics is at an all-time low and Mr Paisley`s actions and that of his party have played a major role in that."

SDLP chief whip Colin McGrath expressed his party's disappointment that the petition failed. He said the DUP should have removed Mr Paisley from the party. "Arlene Foster and the DUP leadership now have a duty to the public to act upon the official investigation that found Ian Paisley Jr had accepted lavish gifts from the Sri Lankan Government, which he failed to declare and in turn lobbied on their behalf," he said.

"Given the heat around the ongoing RHI investigation, it was imperative for Mrs Foster to help restore public confidence in politics by acting swiftly to remove Mr Paisley from the party. The conduct of political representatives must always be above reproach, and anything short of that is simply unacceptable."

Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said Mr Paisley shouldn't be "celebrating a victory" after retaining his seat.

"In any other part of the UK, Ian Paisley would have had to resign in disgrace," she said.

"But the fact he was allowed to get away with his actions relatively scot-free shows many people here are still too focused on the divisions in our community at the expense of everything else."

Ms Armstrong continued: "This is not a victory for Ian Paisley. Talking about his 'endorsement' from the electorate shows he may not have learned anything, but the fact is he remains an MP - a disgraced one. He has nothing to be proud of and should show some humility from this entire sorry episode."
@samanthajgross

Rep. Matt Caldwell, Republican candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, challenged his Democratic opponent on Friday morning to debate  but Fried's campaign contended they've already offered dates to debate that the Caldwell campaign declined.

In a letter to Fort Lauderdale attorney and marijuana lobbyist Nikki Fried, Caldwell proposed two debates: one on CBS4 in Miami, and the second at an undetermined location.

The Miami date, which will be moderated by CBS4 reporter Jim DeFede, has not yet been set.

Voters deserve to know where we stand, Caldwell wrote. I challenge you to two debates ahead of the November election so that voters can determine which candidate best represents their views and values.

But Fried spokesman Max Flugrath said Friday that the Democratic candidate had already offered dates to debate that had been rejected: Nikki Fried stands ready to debate the issues and in the past week alone, agreed to two dates on which to do just thatyet on both, the Caldwell campaign declined any availability."

Caldwell must answer for why as Chair of House Government Accountability Committee, he chose not to investigate the failures and corruption of the concealed weapons permitting system, and explain to voters why he opposed and obstructed the medical marijuana amendment that 71% of Floridians supported," he added.

Caldwell spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez said their campaign had not previously discussed debate dates with the Fried camp before Friday's letter letter. "We're thrilled that the Fried team has agreed to our debate challenge," she said. "It's important to Florida voters."

Caldwell and Fried have different track records, policy platforms and upbringings. Caldwell comes from rural Lee County, while Fried was born and raised in Miami. Caldwell has spent a large part of his career in the Florida House, while Frieds career time as a public defender, commercial litigation attorney and a lobbyist for foster children and medical marijuana.

The two candidates prioritize different policy reform  Fried for expanding access to medical marijuana, Caldwell for cleaning up Floridian's waterways and defending the Second Amendment.
A woman was caught drink-driving when a safety device in her Ford Focus car automatically called the police when she hit a tree late at night on a rural road in Co Antrim

A woman was caught drink-driving when a safety device in her Ford Focus car automatically called the police when she hit a tree late at night on a rural road in Co Antrim.

Selina McCartney (30), of Pennyhill Drive in Ballymena, had been driving at Greenfield Road near Kells around 11.30pm on July 3 when she crashed and airbags were deployed.

When police arrived at the scene the defendant was complaining of pains in her neck and arms and was slurring her words.

She was taken to Antrim Hospital and had a blood/alcohol level of 175 - more than twice the legal limit.

At Ballymena Magistrates Court yesterday the defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of having driven with excess alcohol in blood during the incident.

Defence solicitor Stewart Ballentine said his client was the only occupant of the car which collided with a tree after a "tyre blew out".

The lawyer said "some sort of a safety device" in the Ford Focus vehicle had "notified the police" and officers then came to the scene.

Mr Ballentine said the defendant wished to apologise for her actions.

Banning McCartney from driving for 16 months and fining her 300, District Judge Nigel Broderick said: "What aggravates this is the high reading."

He told the defendant: "You are very lucky that there weren't more significant injuries. When a car collides with a tree usually that results in serious injuries but thankfully you are here now."

Many new cars have emergency call - 'eCall' - functionality which will automatically contact the emergency services in the event of a serious accident without the need for a Bluetooth-connected smartphone.
It is understood the incident happened near the Glenshane Tourist Services in Maghera. Credit: Google Maps

An eight-year-old boy has died after after he was struck by a vehicle in Co Londonderry on Thursday night.

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service told the Belfast Telegraph it received a report a young male child had been involved in a road traffic collision at 7.59pm on Thursday. Two ambulances and a doctor were sent to the scene.

The spokesman confirmed the young boy had died as a result of the incident and that no one else was taken to hospital.

The PSNI was closed the road for its investigations. It has since reopened.

Inspector Andy Harvison said: We are investigating the circumstances of the collision and would like to hear from witnesses or anyone who may have captured dashcam footage. Please call 101, quoting reference number 1212 20/09/18.

The incident happened near a Petrol Station beside the Oak Leaf Restaurant.

Its believed the boy was a pupil at Kilronan Special School in Magherafelt.

Sinn Fein councillor Brian McGuigan said the entire community will be devastated by the tragedy.

This is heartbreaking and my thoughts are with the family of this young boy, my thoughts and prayers go out to them, he said.

The entire community here will be waking up to horrible news which will leave them completely devastated.

All we can do is come together and offer our support to a grieving family.

The Sinn Fein representative said the fatal collision took place on a very dangerous stretch of road.

It is the main route from Belfast to Derry and is always busy with cars travelling at high speed, he said.

That means it is always dangerous, but especially when its dark.

Something like this is always horrendous, but it is so much worse when it happens to someone so young.

The boy was the 37th person to die on Northern Irelands roads this year.

A total of 42 people were killed on roads here at the same time last year.
Royal Bank of Scotland has apologised after NatWest, Ulster Bank and RBS customers were locked out of online and mobile accounts.

Users on Twitter began reporting issues in the early hours of Friday, saying they were unable to access the app or online banking services.

RBS confirmed that customers across its three consumer brands were affected by the outage, which started at around 5am.

Were aware of some issues on our Digital and Mobile Banking services and are working hard to fix them. Telephone Banking and ATMs are available. Sorry and thanks for your patience.  Royal Bank (@RBS_Help) September 21, 2018

The banking group has nearly eight million customers who use mobile and online banking.

It assured that users were still able to use its telephone banking service, branches and ATMs.

In a statement, RBS said: We are aware that customers are currently experiencing issues logging into their online and mobile banking accounts.

We would like to apologise for the inconvenience.

We are aware of the problem and are working to fix the issue. Customers can still use ATMs and telephone banking.

Expand Close The screen that greeted NatWest customers (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Customers hit out at the banks on Twitter, with one saying: Natwest app down again. Not really acceptable for our 24 economy! How can we trust you with our money?

Earlier this month, RBS announced plans to swing the axe on another 54 branches, 14 of which are the last bank in town  meaning there are no other bank or building society branches in those areas.

The latest glitch came a day after some Barclays customers were left struggling to log into accounts due to a technical problem.

Barclays said it has since fixed the issue.

The banking problems follow TSBs huge IT meltdown earlier this year, after a botched IT switch saw millions of customers locked out of accounts.
Eight-year-old Daniel Bradley, who died in Co Londonderry following a road crash on Thursday. Photo credit: Kilronan School/PA Wire

The parents of eight-year-old boy Daniel Bradley who was killed after being struck by a vehicle in Co Londonderry have paid tribute to their son.

Daniel died following the incident on the Glenshane Road near Maghera on Thursday evening.

In a statement released through the PSNI, Mr Bradley and his wife Janice said: Daniel taught us to step into his world.

"A world filled with challenges and differing perspectives. He taught us to embrace autism and we quickly learned from him that different is not less. We love you. Dan the Man - Forever in our hearts.

Well-known singer-songwriter and mental health campaigner James Bradley also posted a video to social media of little Daniel singing along with him to the Coldplay song 'Fix You'.

Mr Bradley wrote: "Fly High Dan The Man, Till we meet again."

Fly High Dan The Man Till we meet again.  Posted by James Bradley on Thursday, September 20, 2018

Daniel, who was autistic, was a pupil at Kilronan School.

Writing on their Facebook page the school said that they learned of Daniel's death with "great shock and sadness".

"Daniel was a much-loved member of our school community. He was lively, full of fun and popular with all who knew him," it said.

"We extend our deepest sympathy to his parents, sisters, grandparents and wider family circle at this very sad time and we ask that you would keep them in your thoughts and prayers."

Expand Close The scene of the fatal accident on the Glenshane Pass in Co Londonderry, close to Maghera. Picture Margaret McLaughlin / Facebook

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SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone expressed his deepest sympathies to the family of Daniel.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this young boy as they come to terms with this terrible loss," the Mid Ulster MLA said.

Most of us cannot begin to imagine what the family are feeling upon receiving this devastating news.

I am confident the local community will rally to support them at this deeply sad time.

Police are investigating the crash.
The eating of humble pie ended with the petition of recall defeat. Ian Paisley was soon back to his bold, brash self after the result which meant he wouldn't have to face a by-election.

His Twitter account profile was swiftly changed: "Freeman, City of London. M.P. for North Antrim DUP 2010-15, 15-17 & 17- present returned with highest recorded vote in NI. 90.6% support from recall petition."

He told the BBC that those 90.6% cent were saying, "We are keeping you, big fella, we like you". He added: "I can't help the reasons why I am in the news....I could be a shrinking violet...I am not prepared to do that."

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In the eyes of his political critics, Mr Paisley will be insufferable now. To his supporters, there is every reason for the bravado and it's why they love him.

Despite the outrage across the political divide and the wall-to-wall media coverage, only 9.4% of the North Antrim electorate were bothered enough to go out and sign the petition to unseat Mr Paisley. It is an exaggeration to say that everyone who stayed at home supports the MP. But he clearly remains immensely popular in the constituency regardless of what luxury foreign holidays he takes or the human rights abuse allegations facing the government paying for them.

The plain people of North Antrim like him and didn't care too much about what parliamentary rules he broke.

Mr Paisley was swiftly welcomed back to the bosom of the DUP with the party issuing a statement saying his suspension had been lifted. Only the naive would believe such a move would have happened had the petition gone the other way.

Despite rumours that the party may have selected MLA Paul Frew, DUP sources insist Mr Paisley would still have been the party's candidate in a by-election but penalties would have been imposed on him before he returned to the fold.

Arlene Foster will breathe a huge sigh of relief that a North Antrim by-election has been avoided. It's the only good bit of news her party has received in recent months. The unionist electorate proved to be relatively nonplussed about the allegations against Mr Paisley.

The DUP may now hope that despite some initial displeasure, they will be equally switched off regarding the claims facing her party at the ongoing RHI Inquiry.

When the North Antrim MP was suspended by the House of Commons, some pontificated that he would be "chastened" by the experience and be easier for his party leadership to handle in future. The failure of the petition of concern makes that an unlikely prospect. Mr Paisley has effectively received a resounding endorsement from his voters and he won't be shy about letting the DUP upper echelons know that over time.

There has been criticism of the Electoral Office for opening only three polling stations for the petition of recall.

But the reality is that only Sinn Fein put any effort into campaigning against Mr Paisley.

The party's North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan worked tirelessly during the six weeks but the other parties registered to campaign didn't match his efforts.

Although their leaders personally signed the petition, the TUV and the UUP didn't register and just sat back and watched. If they wanted it to succeed, they needed to get out and knock doors.

The parties may have believed that Sinn Fein would successfully do the heavy lifting on this one.

They clearly feared they would be 'contaminated' in the eyes of their own electorate if they joined in. They have paid the price for that decision. Mr Paisley's position in the constituency has been greatly strengthened.

His unionist opponents have missed out on the chance of a by-election which would have been turned into a referendum on sleaze. The failure to topple the MP is very depressing news for Sinn Fein, but even more so for the DUP's unionist rivals.
The petition of recall which gave North Antrim voters the chance to unseat Ian Paisley as MP is expected to cost up to 188,000 of public money.

Northern Ireland's Chief Electoral Officer Virginia McVea said the projected budget for the petition which involved opening three polling centres in the constituency for six weeks.

The bill may come in under that amount.

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The figure was revealed as Mr Paisley's suspension was yesterday lifted by the DUP and he was readmitted to the party.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Ian Paisley meeting members of the public PA Ian Paisley meeting members of the public Stephen Hamilton/Presseye Ian Paisley meeting members of the public Stephen Hamilton/Presseye Ian Paisley meeting members of the public Stephen Hamilton/Presseye / Facebook

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The decision was announced just hours after he survived the attempt to oust him from the seat his father once held - by just 0.4% of the vote.

Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill denounced the DUP decision and said the party leadership was effectively endorsing his actions.

It came as the PSNI said it was investigating comments on social media linked to the recall petition. Mr Paisley confirmed he has made three complaints to police over allegations electoral law was broken over the process.

The MP yesterday said he was "humbled and privileged" by the electorate's decision and praised his family and "true friends" for standing by him.

"I was asked to make an apology, I gave that apology, and I believe that 90.6% of the electorate who had the opportunity to say 'we don't accept that apology', I believe they said 'we do accept that apology, and we are prepared to move on'," he said.

"I must say I am delighted with that, delighted with the unwavering support I have received from my constituents. Hopefully now we can move on and get on with the real job I am elected to do."

Mr Paisley said his political opponents had failed, adding: "My detractors had every opportunity to achieve a very low threshold of 10% of the electorate, they had every opportunity to gang together from across parties, which they did, and they couldn't muster 10% of the electorate to sign that petition.

"This was the easiest process to be involved in, you could have done this from your living room, you didn't have to go out to a polling station.

"Of course there will be a menu of reasons for why they took that view but I think people thought we are going to stick with the MP we have. I do take that as an endorsement but I don't take it as a 'congratulations, well done'."

He continued: "I will go back to Westminster on the second week of November and all of the crucial votes post-Brexit will be after that anyway, so I do miss the 30 sitting days and I lose my salary for that, which is my financial punishment and I have to accept that.

"I will continue to do the job I have been elected to do and I hope the people will respect me for doing that."

Mr Paisley also revealed he had contacted the PSNI over alleged breaches of the electoral law.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The Paisley family at home in 1988. From left to right Ian Junior, Cherith, Rhonda, Kyle. Pic Pacemaker Ian Paisley hurdles a fence during canvassing for 2010 election. Pic Charles McQuillan Pacemaker Ian Paisley with Donald Trump. The North Antrim MP has supported the US president. Ian Paisley and Ian jnr eating buns in the campaign trail in March 1982. Ian Paisley at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena after retaining his seat in the 2015 general election Kevin Scott / Presseye Ian Paisley junior left pictured with his father during the Drumcree stand off in 1996. PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/04/98 Ian Paisley MP at a Remembrance Day commemoration in Kenya Pacemaker Belfast - Archive Ian Paisley Jnr with "Justice for the UDR Four " at his Ravenhill office. 19-12-90 1053-90-BWC Ian with Arlene Foster after she was made DUP party leader 9 / 6 / 17 PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jr celebrates with his son Matthew and wife Fiona after winning his seat for North Antrim in the UK Parliamentary Elections. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jnr, whose father founded the DUP in 1971, says, 'everybody hates us but we've got the cash' [Photo: Marc McKormick, www.independent.co.uk] Ian Paisley with his late father. Credit: Stephen Davidson/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST. Ian Paisley and Ian Junior in Studio. 16/8/94. 704/94/bwc PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 14/1/2011: Ian Paisley Junior pictured at the Adelaide Racer awards at the Ramada hotel PICTURE BY CHARLES MCQUILLAN Paisley with Miss North West 200 Jillian Frew 3/5/2010. PACEMAKER BELFAST. IAN PAISLEY JR POSES FOR THE OFFICIAL ELECTION ARTIST, SIMON ROBERTS WHILST CANVESSING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OUTSIDE BALLYMENA THIS AFTERNOON. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. Pacemaker Press Belfast 22-03-2013: Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Jr, MP is the Member of Parliament for North Antrim and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party and an author. He is the son of the DUP's founder and former leader, Ian Paisley. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Ian Paisley Jr met Amari Wijewardene, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, in Parliament to discuss a post-Brexit trade deal PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 11/7/2018: North Antrim MP, Ian Paisley at motorcycle racer William Dunlop's funeral at Garryduff Presbyterian church outside Ballymoney. Dunlop was killed in a crash during practice for the Skerries 100. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/04/2017 Ian Paisley speaks to the Irish Times at Stormont Hotel in Belfast, about his father. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press Ian discusses the legacy of his father Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press Ian Paisley Getty Images Pacemaker Belfast 18-06-2007: Junior Minister Ian Paisley Junior pictured at photocall at Stormont where ministers were encouraging people to cycle to work. PACEMAKER BELFAST. Copy pics from the book about the early years of the life of Ian Paisley. 13/8/86. 1197/86/bw PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015:DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena . PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON A picture posted by Ian Paisley (right) of Arron Banks (second left), Sammy Wilson (second right) and Leave.EU campaigner Andy Wigmore Pacemaker press 21/4/15 The Democratic Unionist Party MP Ian paisley Junior launches election manifesto at Wrightbus in Co Antrim. Picture Mark Marlow/pacemaker press Paisley with Melania Trump Ian Paisley Junior PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015:DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena . PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena in the May 2015 General Election. Picture Stephen Davison Pacemaker 8/5/2015. PACEMAKER BELFAST. Ian Paisley and Ian Jnr. PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015: DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena by singing the National Anthem. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015: Ian Paisley arrives at the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena with his wife, Fiona. PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON 9 / 6 / 17 PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jr celebrates winning his seat for North Antrim in the UK Parlimentary Elections. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS 3/5/2010. PACEMAKER BELFAST. IAN PAISLEY JR AND IAN PAISLEY SR IN HARRYVILLE, BALLYMENA. PICTURE CHARLES MCQUILLAN/PACEMAKER. Pacemaker Press 8/5/2017 DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr during the Launch of the DUP's General election campaign launch at the Castlereigh Hills Golf in East Belfast on Monday, ahead of the election on the 8th of June. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 8/5/2015:DUP's Ian Paisley celebrates his victory in the North Antrim constituency count in Ballymena . PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON Pacemaker Press: 22th December 2017: Ian Paisley Jr pictured with his new and old Passport Picture By: Arthur Allison. Ian Paisley Pacemaker Press Belfast 31-03-2014: Launch of North-West 200 road races at Titanic Belfast . Pictured at the launch Ian Paisley, Jr. and Arlene Foster, MLA Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. PICTURE BY: STEPHEN DAVISON Pacemaker Press Belfast 31-03-2014: Launch of North-West 200 road races at Titanic Belfast .Pictured at the launch Ian Paisley, Jr. and Arlene Foster, MLA Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. PICTURE BY: STEPHEN DAVISON 9 / 6 / 17 PACEMAKER PRESS Ian Paisley Jr celebrates winning his seat for North Antrim in the UK Parlimentary Elections. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Paisley family at home in 1988. From left to right Ian Junior, Cherith, Rhonda, Kyle. Pic Pacemaker

There are strict rules over what can be said or published during the six weeks the petition is open which, if broken, can carry potential fines and prison terms.

The Electoral Office contacted Sinn Fein North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan over a video he posted to social media earlier this week. Mr McGuigan denies any wrong-doing.

Mr Paisley said: "A number of people have breached section 124 of the election law and I have raised at least three specific complaints about individuals with police.

"It's up to police now to take that forward. I know if I had breached the law in that way, the same people would be asking questions."

A PSNI spokesman said: "Police have received a report in relation to comments made on social media. Enquiries are ongoing."

Mr Paisley was suspended from Westminster for failing to declare two luxury holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

The DUP announced that Mr Paisley had been readmitted to the party on Tuesday but would be barred from holding office within the party for a year.

"The internal processes surrounding these matters have been completed," a party spokesman said.

"On Tuesday, September 18 Mr Paisley was readmitted to membership of the party following a suspension of 57 days and upon readmission he is subject to a number of conditions including a ban on holding office within the party for 12 months.

"The party will be making no further comment on these matters."
Road traffic collison on the main A26 Between Ballymena and Ballymoney. PICTURE STEVEN MCAULEY/MCAULEY MULTIMEDIA

Two people were rushed to hospital after a two-vehicle collision on the A26 Crankill Road outside Ballymena.

The collision  involving a car and a lorry belonging to Craigavon- based transport industry firm Allen Logistics  took place just before 2.45pm on Friday, according to a spokesman for the NI Ambulance Service (NIAS).

The incident disrupted traffic in both directions for several hours on the busy arterial route.

Two Accident and Emergency Crews were dispatched too the scene, the NIAS spokesman said.

Two patients were taken to Antrim Area Hospital, both suffering from non-life-threatening injuries."
A Co Tyrone man accused of having guns, explosives and items for use in terrorism has been granted High Court bail.

Brian Carron is to be released from custody on conditions including a ban on leaving Northern Ireland.

The 34-year-old, of Colliers Lane in Coalisland, was arrested in connection with alleged offences between May 2010 and April 2011.

He is charged with possessing quantities of Semtex, rocket propellant, home grenade initiators, glucose powder, improvised power units and incendiary devices, eight detonators, and component parts of an improvised rocket system.

Carron also faces a count of having firearms with intent to endanger life, namely four AKM assault rifles, six loaded magazines and a quantity of 7.62mm short ammunition.

A third charge relates to the alleged possession of two mobile phones and four vehicles in preparation for an act of terrorism.

The Courts Service confirmed Carron was granted bail following today's hearing.

He is to abide by a curfew, electronic monitoring and must surrender his passport.

Cash sureties of 10,000 are also to be lodged as part of the bail conditions.
A Democratic Super PAC says it plans to spend $3.7 million on digital ads promoting Andrew Gillums bid for Florida governor and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelsons reelection campaign.

Priorities USA Action has cut ads largely targeting young, black and Hispanic voters. The spots, which highlight healthcare, wages and get-out-the-vote messaging, are in English and Spanish.

They will run statewide on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, and on Telemundo, according to the organization.

Gonna get serious fam. We need better wages in Florida, a young man says in one ad, shot to look like hes talking into his own smart phone. Our teachers are some of the lowest paid in the country and we have a racist Stand Your Ground law.

Other ads released by the political committee focus on healthcare. Ads that are specifically tailored to Nelsons Senate race against Florida Gov. Rick Scott are also being funded by Senate Majority PAC, according to Priorities USA.

Locked into a tight race with former congressman Ron DeSantis, Gillum is running to be Floridas first African-American governor. Early indications are that he upset a crowded field of better-funded primary opponents thanks in part to turnout from younger and less frequent voters. Democrats are hoping a similar surge in November will help Nelson beat Scott.

With healthcare, fair wages and the environment on the ballot in this election, the stakes could not be higherand Bill Nelson and Andrew Gillum know it, said Matt Lopez, spokesperson for Priorities USA Action. Priorities is proud to launch this campaign to empower voters to stand with Nelson and Gillum and to take the fate of their state and their country back into their own hands.
Victims of the Bloody Sunday shootings are set to commence a legal battle for damages.

Claims against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) brought by the families of two of those killed and one of those wounded will get underway at the High Court in Belfast next week.

Thirteen people were shot dead when British Army paratroopers opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in Derry in January 1972.

One of the others wounded on the day died later.

In 2010 a major inquiry chaired by Lord Saville said those killed or injured on Bloody Sunday were innocent.

Following those conclusions the then British Prime Minister David Cameron issued a public apology for the actions of the soldiers.

He described the killings as "unjustified and unjustifiable".

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Law firm Madden & Finucane has now been instructed in 21 civil actions taken on behalf of people either shot dead or wounded.

Three of the writs have been selected as test cases and are due for trial hearings on the issue of damages. Those bringing the actions are:

:: Michael Quinn, a 17-year-old schoolboy in 1972 who was shot and seriously wounded in the face in Glenfada Park.

:: Gerard McKinney, a 35-year-old married father-of-eight shot dead at Abbey Park in the city.

:: Michael McDaid, a 20-year-old single man who was shot dead near a barricade on Rossville Street.

Ahead of the start of the hearings, Peter Madden of Madden & Finucane said: "In January 2011, I wrote to the then Prime Minister David Cameron asking for his proposals on how to properly compensate the families and wounded and reminded him that he had told the world's media that the events of Bloody Sunday were both unjustified and unjustifiable.

"A reply was received some weeks later from an official within the MoD stating that they would like to resolve this issue as 'quickly and efficiently' as possible.

"The families are disappointed that the MoD have not fulfilled that commitment and that they have to go to court and relive the events of the day."
Paschal Donohoe (right) and Leo Varadkar want Ireland to become the tech capital in Europe (Brian Lawless/PA)

The governments vision of Ireland becoming the tech capital of Europe has received a boost thanks to a five million euro (4.4 million) programme which will look at how financial technology is transforming business.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced details of the financial technology (FinTech) research programme.

The ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology will lead the new FinTech Fusion project, which hopes to advance innovations in Blockchain and FinTech research.

The academic and industry research partnership launched on Friday in Dublin will encourage breakthroughs in payment, regulation and insurance technologies by funding data-driven research.

Coupled with our open economy and strong background in both technology and financial services, this will add to the opportunities already available for the creation of higher value jobsMinister for Finance Paschal Donohoe

FinTech Fusion says the programme will address how financial technology is transforming business in finance and technology, along with the retail and wholesale financial sector.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Donohoe said: The collaboration between industry and third level institutions in research programmes, such as FinTech Fusion, gives Ireland an early advantage in emerging technologies.

Coupled with our open economy and strong background in both technology and financial services, this will add to the opportunities already available for the creation of higher value jobs.

The investment in ADAPT, from Science Foundation Ireland, is part of the Irish Governments wider effort to invest in research, support innovation and build Irelands knowledge and skills, creating a global hub for digital content technologies.

Professor John Cotter, director of FinTech Fusion at the ADAPT Centre, said the research could have huge economic benefits for the country.

The marriage between finance and technology offers huge growth opportunities for Ireland both in research reputation and economic impact, he said.

This funding allows us to take advantage of these opportunities. This will create new opportunities for Ireland, our researchers, and our industry partners.

The announcement comes just days after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told a Data Summit in Dublin that Ireland was well on the way to becoming Europes tech capital.

During the summit, Mr Varadkar added he wants to keep Ireland at the forefront of technological developments.

Science Foundation Ireland will provide two million euro (1.77 million) of the funding for the new research programme, with the balance coming from research agreements with industry partners bringing the total project in excess of five million euro.

FinTech Fusions academic researchers will work with more than a dozen companies including Deutsche Borse, Fidelity Investments, Microsoft, Gecko Governance, FINEOS and Zurich to develop innovations that will have the potential to impact economies, markets, companies and individuals.

The research programme will run for four years from 2018 to 2022.
Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in Downing Street in the aftermath of the Salzburg summit, saying that the EU must respect the UK in Brexit talks.

Prime Minister Theresa Mays stern statement to the European Union has been both praised and dismissed across the Irish Sea.

Democratic Unionist Party deputy leader Nigel Dodds welcomed Mrs Mays rejection of a border in the Irish Sea, while Sinn Fein President Mary-Lou McDonald said it was nothing but tired rhetoric.

Speaking at Downing Street on Friday following an EU summit in Salzburg, Mrs May said the United Kingdom and the European Union remain a long way apart on two big issues around Brexit.

She said she rejected a proposal by the EU to keep Northern Ireland in the customs union while the rest of the UK was out of it.

That is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country, Mrs May said, challenging the EU to offer an alternative option.

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The Prime Minister also reaffirmed the Governments commitment to no hard border in Northern Ireland, before ending on a strident note.

The EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country, she said.

DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds welcomed the Prime Ministers reassurances on the Northern Ireland border issue, but called for her to now stand up for the UKs interests.

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It is time now that the Prime Minister demonstrates publicly, privately and to everyone in her own party and to Europe, to Parliament, that she is going to stand up for the UKs interest, including in Northern Ireland, that she is not going to be pushed around by Europe, shes not going to be bullied, shes not going to be coerced into either doing a bad deal for the United Kingdom or breaking the United Kingdom, Mr Dodds told the BBC.

The North Belfast MP also revealed his party had been in regular contact with the Government over recent days and weeks.

I think the Prime Ministers very firm reiteration of not breaking up the United Kingdom, of the importance of what she has described as our precious union, is coming across very, very strongly, he added.

Mrs McDonald gave a very different reaction, accusing Mrs May of deflection.

Theresa May made a statement today which was billed as a major one in respect of Brexit negotiations. It was, regrettably, no more than an exercise in tired rhetoric, she said.

Rather than accepting that her so-called Chequers Plan fails to resolve fundamental issues, Theresa May has engaged in deflection.

Her focus has unfortunately remained on infighting within her own party and her pact with the DUP, instead of coming to an acceptable negotiating position.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood accused Mrs Mays government of belligerence.

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The Prime Minister is doubling down on her already unworkable take it or leave it belligerence as a tactic to deliver Brexit, he said.

Despite the EU attempting to give the UK encouragement to take steps that will be in the best interests of our citizens the Prime Minister has chosen to continue with her failed strategy.

In failing to adequately respond to the mess of their own making the UK Government have left the people of Northern Ireland in an extremely vulnerable position.

However, Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann gave a strong welcome to Mrs Mays statement.

The single sentence  I will not overturn the result of the referendum nor will I break up my country indicates that the Prime Minister has grasped fully what the result of agreeing to any deal which involved special status or a separate set of arrangements for Northern Ireland would really mean, he said.

As the Ulster Unionist Party has said before, Brexit cannot and must not be used to establish an internal border within the United Kingdom of any form. The referendum was about whether or not the UK left the EU, it was not about whether or not Northern Ireland left the UK.

Unionists will be reassured by the Prime Ministers comments today and her commitment to ensuring that Northern Ireland will not be used as a bargaining chip in the Brexit negotiations.
British Prime Minister Theresa May smiles when arriving at the informal EU summit in Salzburg, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

Theresa May is to issue an update on the ongoing Brexit negotiations in the wake of the rejection of her Chequers plans by EU leaders in Salzburg.

The Prime Minister will make a statement to cameras at 10 Downing Street.

The move comes after European Council President Donald Tusk ripped up Mrs Mays blueprint for Brexit on Thursday, saying it risked the integrity of the EU single market and the Northern Ireland border.

Key EU leaders including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron also said significant progress was needed by the European Council summit on October 18 if agreement on the UKs withdrawal deal was to be reached.

Mrs May has indicated that she will come forward shortly with new proposals on the thorny issue of the Irish border, which has emerged as the main obstacle to progress.

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Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab earlier vented his frustration over the Salzburg summit, accusing EU leaders of putting the handbrake on negotiations.

Mr Raab, appearing on the BBCs Politics Live, said: Weve been rebuffed on our plans without any coherent explanation as to why, theres these sort of rather dogmatic pleas to the single market unity but our plans were very carefully crafted around that.

He added: Were going to hold our nerve, stay calm and keep negotiating in good faith.

Weve revved up the motor of these negotiations, Ive been out there a lot more frequently to get motoring, to make progress and the EU have just yanked up the handbrake and for the negotiations to go forward theyre going to have to take their hand off the handbrake.

Mr Raab also criticised Donald Tusk for posting a picture on social media of himself offering the Prime Minister a cake with the caption sorry, no cherries.

He said: I think some of the way that it was done, social media against the Prime Minister didnt feel like very statesman-like behaviour.

The Brexit Secretary went on to praise Mrs May, telling the BBC that she was a very stoic, resilient character.

He added: Theres a big question mark about whether the EU is really serious about the substance of these negotiations.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is duplicitous and a hypocrite when it comes to tackling racism within his party, Scotlands Justice Secretary has said.

Humza Yousaf launched a fierce attack on Mr Corbyn and Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, saying they both completely failed to deal with a Labour councillor who made racist comments about him in March.

Councillor Jim Dempster apologised after he said of Mr Yousaf  who was then the transport minister  that no-one would have seen him under his burka to Transport Scotland officials.

Mr Yousaf hit out on Twitter, saying six months had now passed since Mr Dempster was suspended from the party after he admitted Islamophobia.

To @jeremycorbyn & @LabourRichard - it's easy to turn up to anti-racism demos & take pics with minorities. Real test is fighting plague of racism & bigotry that exists within your own movement, on that measure you have both completely failed. You should be ashamed of yourselves.  Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) September 21, 2018

The Justice Secretary said: He should have been expelled. What have Labour done in 6 months? Zero, zilch, nada.

Lets call Corbyn out  he is utterly duplicitous when it comes to tackling racism in his own Party.

He says many warm words then fails miserably to follow it up with any action. He is a hypocrite and has been exposed as one time and time again.

Mr Yousaf challenged Labour leaders north and south of the border to act, tweeting: To @jeremycorbyn & @LabourRichard  its easy to turn up to anti-racism demos & take pics with minorities. Real test is fighting plague of racism & bigotry that exists within your own movement, on that measure you have both completely failed. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Ps: Im usually a pretty calm guy, but yeah Im pissed off. Demonstrates once again structural bias that exists in society. Switch my race with Dempsters and imagine it was a White Govt Minister that had been racially abused by an Asian Cllr  he wouldve been expelled long ago.

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At the time Mr Dempster said he was deeply sorry for the comment, and told how he had requested further diversity training and had visited a local mosque  although Mr Yousaf dismissed this as a tokenistic photo opp.

Mr Dempster has now been referred to Labours National Constitutional Committee, after an internal party investigation into the matter.

It is understood Mr Yousaf and others were not contacted as part of this as Mr Dempster admitted the remark.

Mr Corbyn told BBC Scotland the case was being dealt with, stressing Labour do not tolerate racism in any form in our society.

He added: The issues that face us all are the need to be united and not allow racism to fester any more than we would allow the far-right to rise anywhere across this country.

A Scottish Labour spokesman stated: The Labour Party takes any allegation of racism extremely seriously.

All complaints about Islamophobia are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.
Amazon has refreshed its line-up of Echo smart speakers  with three redesigned speaker and hub devices.

The new Echo Dot, Plus and Show have all been redesigned, had their speakers improved and support the latest features of virtual assistant Alexa.

But how do the new devices compare to their rivals in the smart speaker market?

 Echo Dot

Priced at 49.99, the new Echo Dot keeps its compact size but has been given a larger built-in 1.6-inch speaker to boost audio output.

Given its small size, the Dot can be placed almost anywhere around the home, and can also be used as a smart extension for existing speakers, which it can connect to via Bluetooth or audio cable. The Dot also houses four far-field microphones built-in to the device to pick up voice commands.

 Echo Plus

The Plus is Amazons flagship smart home speaker, thanks to the built-in Zigbee smart home hub which automatically detects and links up with other smart home devices it finds in the home.

It houses a separate woofer and tweeter for high-end audio quality and the latest version also includes a temperature sensor for the first time.

It is priced at 139.99.

 Echo Show

Amazons screen-driven Echo comes with a 10-inch HD display as well as a built-in camera for video calling.

Amazon has also confirmed it is adding support for Ring video doorbells to the Show later this year, meaning users will be able to check their Show to see who is at their front door.

It also comes with new dual speakers for better audio output.

At 219.99 it is the most premium of Amazons Echo devices.

 Google Home

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Powered by the Google Assistant, Home has the knowledge of Google search at its disposal. Priced at 129 it is also cheaper than its main Amazon counterparts.

Housing a driver and dual radiators as its speaker system also ensures high-quality audio output, while the touch controls on top of the device make it easy to interact with beyond voice commands.

Googles smart home library of devices is also growing, with the ability to control a wide range of home appliances, lighting and other systems also possible.

 Apple HomePod

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The most expensive of the flagship smart speakers at 319, but HomePod does come with the biggest and best audio system with its seven tweeters, each with their own amplifier.

The speaker is powered by Apples virtual assistant Siri, but music streaming via voice command on the HomePod is limited to Apple Music, unlike its rivals which support multiple platforms.

It also requires an iOS device to complete set-up, but it does offer the richest sound of all the smart speakers featured here.
Jeremy Corbyn has launched a new attack on the water companies, accusing them of paying millions of pounds in dividends to shareholders based in offshore tax havens.

On the eve of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, the party released figures which it said show offshore businesses earned 246 million in dividends from the water industry in 2017.

It said shares in six companies  Anglian, Northumbrian, South West, Southern, Thames and Yorkshire  worth a total of 14.5 billion were held by businesses based in tax havens.

They included companies based in Luxembourg, Bermuda, Hong Kong, Jersey and Delaware.

We'll end water being run in the interest of private profit, not people. pic.twitter.com/gXFxPgg4oI  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) September 21, 2018

Mr Corbyn said the figures show why Labour is right to commit to taking back the companies into public ownership.

The privatised water industry has shelled out over 13 billion in dividends since 2010, and now its clear that much of this money is extracted by businesses that are ultimately based in tax havens, he said.

Rather than the scandal of rip-off prices and huge dividend payments, we will bring them into public hands, so we see more investment and lower bills.

The next Labour government will end the privatisation of our public sector, and stop households being ripped off by freeloading water companies.

Industry body Water UK said the sector has invested 150 billion since privatisation, with recently announced plans for a further 10 billion to improve the water network.

In making the investment needed by the industry to tackle the big challenges posed by climate change and an increasing population, its not clear that government-owned water companies would win the fight for taxpayers money every year in competition with health and education, a spokesman said.
The 48-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene (David Cheskin/PA)

A man has been charged in connection with the death of a man in a wooded area behind a Lidl store.

Emergency services were called to Gorgie/Dalry Community Park in Edinburgh at around 2am on Thursday.

A 48-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Scotland said a man aged 50 had been charged in connection with his death.

He is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday.
A cyber-force unit that will combat terrorist groups and domestic gangs is to be set up, it has been reported.

The Times said it understands the 250 million unit will be set up by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and GCHQ.

The newspaper said experts will be recruited from the military, security services and industry.

A Government spokesman said on Thursday night: The MoD and GCHQ have a long and proud history of working together, including on the National Offensive Cyber Programme.

We are both committed to continuing to invest in this area, given the real threats the UK faces from a range of hostile actors.

In July, a parliamentary committee warned that ministers are failing to get to grip with the shortage in cyber security experts despite the potentially severe implications for national security.

MPs and peers said the situation is of serious concern, but the Government response lacks urgency.

In a report, they warned the WannaCry attack in May 2017, which hit the NHS, showed the need to protect critical national infrastructure (CNI) from cyber threats.

But the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy said: We are struck by the Governments apparent lack of urgency in addressing the cyber security skills gap, which is of vital importance to both national security and the economy.

The committee said the Government and private sector was affected by the shortage in skilled cyber security workers.

Developing cyber security skills strategy should be the Governments first priority, the committee said.

It is a pressing matter of national security that it does so, it added.

In July, a Government spokeswoman said: We have a 1.9 billion National Cyber Security Strategy, opened the world-leading National Cyber Security Centre and continue to build on our cyber security knowledge, skills and capability.
A Cabinet minister has said there are no changes on the table at the moment to Theresa Mays Brexit plan, amid blunt warnings from EU leaders.

Leave-backing Transport Secretary Chris Grayling insisted Britain is preparing hard for a no-deal Brexit, although he predicted a sensible agreement will be reached with Brussels.

But European Council president Donald Tusk stressed that economic aspects of Mrs Mays Chequers proposals will not work, while former Brexit secretary David Davis disclosed a rock-solid core of up to 40 Tory colleagues could vote against the Governments favoured approach.

The Prime Ministers minority government allies the DUP also pressed her to demonstrate a determination not to be bullied by the EU in what is shaping up to be a tense final month of negotiations as time runs out to reach a deal.

Mrs May remains wedded to the Chequers blueprint, noting it is the only proposal on the table as the deadline approaches, although she indicated the UK will unveil new measures on the future status of the Northern Irish border in a bid to break the deadlock.

She has flatly rejected a European Commission backstop proposal for Northern Ireland to remain within the EU customs area after Brexit, arguing this would draw a border down the Irish Sea.

The PMs remarks came following an eventful two-day EU summit in Austria, which also saw German Chancellor Angela Merkel talk of the need for substantial progress over the next four weeks and French President Emmanuel Macron describe leaders of the Brexit campaign who told British voters it would be easy as liars.

Mr Grayling said the Government would not drop its Chequers plans in the face of tough language, adding the EUs demands on Northern Ireland are impossible for the UK to accept.

Im still confident we will reach a point where there is an agreement, says transport secretary Chris Grayling on Brexit negotiations.#newsnight pic.twitter.com/6rj4663xGn  BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) September 20, 2018

Asked whether he would stay in Cabinet if concessions were made on Chequers, Mr Grayling told BBC Twos Newsnight: Im not going to comment on specific changes to Chequers.

There are none on the table at the moment. There are things that I wouldnt personally accept, but nor would the Prime Minister.

The PM has set out red lines that this country is not going to stay in the single market, were not going to stay in the customs union  I agree with her on those, thats the Governments position.

Were not going to accept a border between NI and the rest of the United Kingdom.

We are now preparing hard for the option of a no-deal Brexit. We dont want to get there, we dont expect to get there. But our European partners if they want to reach a deal, have to find a way of understanding that there are some things we cannot accept.

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Mr Tusk appeared to mock Mrs May after posting on Instagram a photo of the pair looking at cakes with the caption: A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries.

Irish deputy prime minister Simon Coveney, asked if this was an attempt to humiliate Mrs May in Salzburg, told Newsnight: I certainly hope not.

The Irish relationship with the United Kingdom is one that we value.

The next major milestone in the Brexit process is fast approaching, with the October 18 summit labelled a moment of truth by Mr Tusk.

An additional Brexit summit could be held in November, but only if a deal is within reach.

With the Chequers plan facing resistance from the EU and a bitterly divided Conservative Party, a no-deal Brexit remains a potential outcome.

Tory MP Mr Davis, speaking to HuffPost UK, said of the strength of the Tory rebels: Every group in any political party has differences, egos and so on.

But with Labour voting against, the critical size of the voting bloc is quite small, its basically a dozen people.

The rock-solid core of the [European Research Group] is a multiple of that. Im not even an ERG member. Its probably 30, 40.
A total of 18 migrants on board the White Scanner had to be rescued (National Crime Agency/PA)

A gang of people smugglers who hatched an alarmingly amateur plot to bring migrants across the English Channel on jet skis have been jailed.

Seven men, including Kent-based trafficking criminals and their Albanian travel agents, were said to have scant regard for safety during a string of bungled operations.

At least 18 Albanian migrants were transported from near Calais to Dymchurch in Kent in 2016, using dangerously overcrowded inflatable boats designed for six.

When the rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) got into trouble, ran out of fuel and had to be rescued, the plotters bought a three-person jet ski for their next mission.

A National Crime Agency-led surveillance operation put a stop to the unlikely plan, which would have taken migrants across the worlds busiest shipping route.

The men were arrested and convicted of conspiracy to breach immigration law.

On Friday, Judge Mark Dennis QC sentenced father and son Leonard Powell and George Powell as the organisers and controlling figures of the conspiracy.

Leonard Powell, 66, from Dartford, was found guilty after trial in August, while son George Powell, 42, from Farningham in Kent, pleaded guilty to the same offence in May.

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They were sentenced to nine years imprisonment and six years and nine months imprisonment respectively during a hearing at the Old Bailey.

Mr Powells other son Alfie, 39, of no fixed address, was said to have held a non-organisational role and received a six-year jail sentence.

They were joined in the dock by Sabah Dulaj, 24, of south-east London and Artur Nutaj, 39  said to be leading figures in the plot, who provided the link between the smugglers and migrants in Europe.

Mr Dulaj, who was of previous good character, received seven years in prison while Mr Nutaj received a sentence of seven-and-a-half years.

Co-conspirators Wayne Bath, 39, of Sheerness, Kent, and Albert Letchford, 42, of Dartford, received six years for their roles in the plot.

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The judge said: The execution of the smuggling operation at times proved to be alarmingly amateur and could have resulted in tragic consequences at sea.

The seven defendants were sentenced in front of a packed public gallery of family and friends, who waved goodbye and yelled love you as the men were led from the dock.

The court heard that migrants, including men, women and children, were charged up to 5,500 each to journey across the English Channel.

This would have amounted to 99,000 for the trip with 18 passengers.

Clearly, a very lucrative trade, prosecutor Timothy Probert-Wood QC said on Friday.

All defendants except Dulag had previous convictions, the court was told.

The criminals had little boating experience or knowledge of the danger to which they were exposing passengers.

They are believed to have carried out one successful trip in an RHIB called Rebel, which was found abandoned by border officials in Kent.

On May 26 2016, French police spotted a group of people signalling a boat in the water off Cran dEscalles beach near Calais.

Gathered migrants began to wade out to meet it but the Antares RHIB left after a parked car signalled using its headlights.

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Mr Probert-Wood told jurors during the trial that the group were clearly not there for a day on the beach.

Two days later, the gang attempted again to reach French shores with the newly acquired White Scanner RHIB, under the watch of NCA agents.

The White Scanner picked up 18 migrants from France  including two children aged 16 and 17 and a woman.

On the return journey, they ran out of fuel and the passengers were forced to start baling out as the vessel flooded with sea water.

The group were in extreme fear for their lives, the prosecutor said on Friday, with one sending a desperate text message reading: We are in England, tell police, we are drowning.

The Coastguard helicopter and RNLI launched a rescue operation and found the inflatable vessel.

One female migrant had been overcome by hypothermia and required immediate attention, the Old Bailey heard.

The judge said: Scant regard was had for the safety of the migrants being transported by boat, there were no life jackets provided for the 18 migrants.

The migrants on the Scanner were left stranded in the dark in a heavy swell, many fearing they were going to drown.

In July 2016, the White Scanner two-man crew of Mark Stribling, 35, from Farningham, Kent, and Robert Stilwell, 33, from Dartford, Kent, were jailed.

Undeterred by the failed Scanner operation, the gang bought another larger boat from Southampton in 2016  referred to as The Boat With No Name.

NCA operatives planted a bug on the boat to listen in as the gang plotted their next migrant run.

On August 13, the NCA secretly filmed a meeting of the Kent gang and their Albanian partners in a pub car park.

They went together to buy a 1,900 jet ski with a view to using it to transport migrants from France to Britain.

The NCA moved in to arrest them over safety fears if the jet ski was brought into use.

A clear inference from the purchase of the jet-bike was that that was also to be used for the purposes of trafficking  clearly something that would have been a grave risk for everyone, the prosecutor said on Friday.

Brendan Foreman, of the NCA, said: What this group were attempting was reckless and wilfully negligent of the risks associated with crossing one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes.

But, as the events of 28 May 2016 clearly demonstrated, they were quite happy to risk lives for the sake of profit, using vessels that were not fit for purpose.

The severity of what these men were involved in is reflected in the sentences handed down today.

Emma Moore, Border Force chief operating officer, hailed her officers role in rescuing those on board.

She said: On 28 May, in dreadful sea conditions, Border Force officers launched their RHIB from the relative safety of the Border Force Cutter Valiant multiple times to rescue all of those who were on board the smugglers boat.

If it had not been for that bravery and exceptional seamanship I am convinced there would have been fatalities.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described Theresa Mays statement on the Brexit negotiations as dreadful as she branded the Chequers proposals a dead duck.

Mrs Sturgeon said a no deal or no detail Brexit was not acceptable following the Prime Ministers update.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who spoke to Mrs May after Friday afternoons statement, said she welcomed her commitment to continue working to resolve this impasse.

1/ PM statement was dreadful. The EU view was bluntly expressed yesterday but not new - she just hasnt been listening. If her tactic now is to double down on the Chequers dead duck, and then blame EU for a no deal, she will do huge damage to all those she is supposed to serve.  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) September 21, 2018

Ms Sturgeon said: The Prime Ministers statement was dreadful. The EUs view of the Chequers plan was bluntly and clearly expressed in Salzburg yesterday, but should not have come as a surprise to the UK Government, given that it was not a new position.

Clearly, the Prime Minister has not been listening  Chequers is a dead duck but if her tactic now is to try and double down on those proposals and then seek to blame the EU for a no deal outcome, then she will do huge damage to all of those she is supposed to serve.

What the latest development shows more clearly than ever is that the only remotely workable way for Brexit to happen is for the UK to stay in the single market and customs union.

If the Prime Minister is not prepared to do that, then Brexit shouldnt happen. A no deal or no detail Brexit are simply not acceptable  particularly for Scotland, where we did not vote for any of this.

The Prime Minister is right to reaffirm her commitment to the integrity of the United Kingdom and to seek to continue intensive negotiations ahead of October's European Council. A deal can still be achieved. Statement here: pic.twitter.com/ObIXBuJg31  Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonPC) September 21, 2018

Ms Davidson said the Prime Minister had been unequivocal on the importance of the integrity of the United Kingdom and had reaffirmed her commitment to negotiating in good faith.

She said: As we seek to find a way through the current impasse, I hope such good faith and respect will be reciprocated.

It is in everyones interest for a deal to be agreed between the UK and the EU, to facilitate free trade and mutual co-operation.

I do not wish for the UK to leave the EU without such a deal.

However, I am pleased that the Prime Minister has given categorical reassurance to EU citizens living in Britain that, should such a scenario come to pass, their rights remain intact.

There is still time to agree a deal on the future relationship between the UK and the EU. My wish is for all sides to return to negotiations in order to deliver one.

After today's statement its clear that May cannot deliver a #Brexit that will work #ForTheMany. She is a lame duck PM with no room to manoeuvre. Jobs, businesses, and communities will suffer. Lets get a Labour government that will seriously negotiate with the EU. May must go. pic.twitter.com/T7lV1EsfPT  Neil Findlay (@Neilsocialist) September 21, 2018

Scottish Labours Brexit spokesman Neil Findlay said Mrs May was incapable of delivering a Brexit deal.

He said: Rather than negotiating constructively with Brussels, the Tories seem more comfortable fighting among themselves, while Ruth Davidson has done nothing but pay lip service to a Prime Minister wildly out of her depth.

Meanwhile the prospect of a no deal Brexit grows more likely by the day. That is unacceptable and risks our economic future.

.@theresa_may called an election she didnt need and lost. She said Brexit meant Brexit when she didnt know what it meant. She picked her own cabinet which split. And shes had two years to convince Europe but has failed. Shes had her chance, we now need a #PeoplesVote  Willie Rennie (@willie_rennie) September 21, 2018

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie added: Theresa May called an election she didnt need and lost.

She said Brexit meant Brexit when she didnt know what it meant. She picked her own cabinet which split.

And shes had two years to convince Europe but has failed. Shes had her chance, we now need a Peoples Vote.
Despite its emphatic rejection by EU leaders in Salzburg, Theresa May has refused to ditch the Brexit plan agreed by the Cabinet at Chequers.

But as the scheduled date for UK withdrawal from the EU on March 29 draws nearer, she is likely to come under intense pressure to change course. What are the options open to her?

Stick with Chequers

A lot has been said about the Chequers agreement, the White Paper and what it actually means for Brexit. PM @Theresa_May explains what the government has agreed, and what this means for us leaving the EU. pic.twitter.com/85KsAyLizq  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 18, 2018

In her Downing Street statement, the Prime Minister insisted the blueprint agreed at her country retreat is still the only credible plan for Brexit.

She has promised to tweak her proposals for the Irish border in time for next months Brussels summit in the hope of making it more palatable for the EU, but this would still leave massive differences over trade.

The EU has a record of taking negotiations to the wire before agreeing a compromise at the last minute, and this may be what the PM is pinning her hopes on. But even then, she would struggle to get a package based on Chequers through Parliament.

Free trade agreement

There is growing pressure from Eurosceptic Conservatives, including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, for Mrs May to switch tack and go for a simple Canada-style free trade agreement with the EU.

But critics fear a deal like this would disrupt industrial supply chains and limit access to European markets for financial services. And it might not resolve the Irish question, as Brussels could still demand the North remains in the EU customs area to avoid a hard border.

Soft Brexit

Labour is urging the Prime Minister to opt for the closest possible relationship with the EU after Brexit, through membership of a customs union and an internal market arrangement. The Scottish National Party, which opposes Brexit, says that customs union and single market membership are the only way it can be made workable. But Tory critics dismiss this Norway-style option as Brexit in name only, and Mrs May gave it short shrift in her Downing Street speech.

Divide and rule

In the face of inflexibility from Brussels chief negotiator Michel Barnier, the UK has attempted a charm offensive to win support for its position in the 27 EU capitals. But despite some helpful noises from Hungary and Poland, this tactic has so far borne little fruit.

Key EU power-brokers Angela Merkel of Germany and Emmanuel Macron of France were among the most dismissive of the PMs position at Salzburg and other leaders stressed the premium they place on maintaining unity.

Hopes of forging a coalition of sympathetic states to overrule Mr Barnier and offer Britain a generous deal at next months summit appear slim.

Expand Close Angela Merkel was among the most dismissive of the PMs position at Salzburg (Matthias Schrader/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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No deal

The nuclear option. Mrs May has always said that no deal is better than a bad deal, and the Government insists it is well on the way to preparing for departure without an agreement.

But experts warn that an abrupt withdrawal on March 29 could cause chaos, with speculation over gridlock at the Channel ports, empty supermarket shelves, a collapse in the value of the pound and even aeroplanes being stopped from flying.

Brexiteers argue that the UK could save its 40 billion divorce bill by leaving without a deal, but this could be challenged by the EU in the courts.

Pause Article 50

Article 50 of the EU treaties allows two years for negotiations after a member state has signalled its intention to leave. For the UK, this deadline runs out on March 29, 2019, when all EU treaties, rules and regulations will cease to apply to Britain from 11pm London time.

The deadline can be extended by unanimous agreement of the remaining 27 members, and some of the PMs critics have called on her to request a pause to allow more time for talks. But it is far from clear that the EU27 would agree to any such request, particularly if it took the negotiation period past the date of European Parliament elections in May 2019.

General election

After throwing away her majority in the disastrous 2017 snap election, Mrs May is likely to be wary about going to the country again.

But if she believes she could secure a solid majority in the Commons this time round, she may see it as a way to shore up her position, giving her the authority to force any deal she reaches through Parliament.

Resignation

With her plans apparently in tatters, Mrs May could decide that it is time to step back and let another leader have a go at finding a way to make Brexit work.

A swift resignation would give time for a Brexiteer like Mr Johnson to attempt to secure the clean withdrawal which many Tories would prefer. But Mrs May has time and again shown her determination to soldier on after setbacks which would have floored other politicians, and few in Westminster think she is ready to throw in the towel now.

Second referendum

Mrs May has repeatedly stated that there will be no re-run of the 2016 poll in which the UK voted to quit the EU. But pressure is building for what supporters call a Peoples Vote on the final deal.

If she faces deadlock in the Commons over any agreement she reaches with Brussels, Mrs May could opt for a fresh poll to give her a mandate to force it through. And if the prospect of leaving without a deal proves too terrifying to contemplate, a second referendum may offer a way out.
French President Emmanuel Macron was one of the leaders not to support Theresa Mays Brexit plan (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Theresa May said there were two big issues behind an impasse in the Brexit negotiations: the UKs economic relationship post-Brexit and the Irish border. Heres a look at why they are causing a rift.

What is the economic relationship issue?

Mrs May said the European Union were only offering two options regarding trade: the UK staying in the European Economic Area (EEA) and a customs union, or a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain with checks at the border.

By staying in a customs union, Mrs May said Britain would have to abide by all the EU rules  and, crucially, would not be able to strike the trade deals the Government wants with other countries.

She said this would make a mockery of the referendum.

Mrs May said the second option, a basic free trade agreement, would keep Northern Ireland in the customs union and parts of the single market, separating it from the rest of the UK with a border down the Irish Sea.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly said such a division is something she would never agree to, as it goes against the Good Friday Agreement.

What is the Irish border issue?

The second issue also relates to the risk of a division on the Irish border, but more specifically over a backstop.

Both the EU and the UK agree the need for backstop arrangements for implementation at the border if no long-term solution is found, and both are keen to ensure there will not be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

But the UK has rejected the EUs proposal to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the customs union.

Mrs May said this was something the UK would never agree to as it would mean breaking up our country.

How can the impasse be broken?

Mrs May called on the EU to provide counter proposals.

She said it was not acceptable to simply reject the UKs suggestions without a detailed explanation, adding that until they provide an alternative, progress cannot be made.
Emergency services declared a major incident and Prezzo and the surrounding area was sealed off (Ben Mitchell/PA)

A woman who was taken to hospital with her husband after a nerve agent scare at a Salisbury restaurant has said she was not involved in a hoax and her fears were genuine.

Anna Shapiro and her husband Alex King were taken to hospital after apparently becoming ill at the Prezzo Italian restaurant on Sunday.

Emergency services declared a major incident and the restaurant and surrounding area were sealed off, in scenes reminiscent of the nerve agent poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in March.

Ms Shapiro, who was born in Russia, later told a newspaper she feared she and her husband had been the victims of poisoning.

Expand Close A major incident was declared by emergency services and the area was sealed off (Jonathan Brady/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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The pair tested negative for Novichok and have since been discharged from hospital.

A police source told the BBC one line of inquiry could be that the incident was a hoax.

But a statement from Janes Solicitors, on behalf of Ms Shapiro, said: There has been some media speculation that our client may have participated in an elaborate hoax as regards her fear of her husbands poisoning at Prezzo Restaurant on Sunday 16th September and its possible cause.

She has asked Janes Solicitors to emphasise that she was not involved in any hoax and that her fears were genuine, both as to the poisoning and her suspicion of foul play.

However, as the incident is now being investigated by the Wiltshire Police force, it is not appropriate to comment further at this stage.

Update on incident at Prezzo in Salisbury on Sunday evening: We can confirm that both people have been interviewed and our enquiries are ongoing. We would ask people not to speculate whilst these enquiries continue. When we have further updates we will keep the public informed. pic.twitter.com/eNzjAMqSpu  Wiltshire Police (@wiltshirepolice) September 20, 2018

We ask that the media respect our clients privacy whilst she recovers from her ordeal.

Wiltshire Police said both Ms Shapiro and Mr King have been interviewed and there have been no arrests made as the investigation continues.

A spokesman for the restaurant, which reopened on Thursday, said its staff had been brave and resilient during the very difficult incident.

He added: As you will understand, we will not speculate any further on the individuals involved: this is now a matter between them and the police.
Two suspects in the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy were briefly detained in the Netherlands earlier this year, according to research by Bellingcat, an investigative group.

Bellingcat quoted an unnamed security official saying that Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov were detained in the Netherlands earlier this year and released without being charged.

Dutch authorities did not immediately confirm the report, saying on Friday that they were assessing a request for comment.

Skripal Suspects Confirmed as GRU Operatives: Prior European Operations Disclosed via @bellingcat https://t.co/FJoZL2n54r  Bellingcat (@bellingcat) September 20, 2018

Britain has named Petrov and Boshirov as suspects in an attempt to kill Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok.

Media reports last week said two unidentified Russian spies were arrested on Dutch soil and deported, and leaked police information linked the arrests with attempts by them to smuggle hacking equipment to Switzerland.

The report also claims that Petrov had made previous visits to the UK in 2016 and 2017.
The head of Australias navy has described a wreck found off the Rhode Island as very exciting as researchers seek to establish whether it is Captain James Cooks ship, the Endeavour.

Experts have identified a site off the coast of US state Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project, which is leading the search effort, and the Australian National Maritime Museum identified the site in the harbour near Newport, Rhode Island.

Archaeologists were meeting on Friday in Newport to talk about their recent fieldwork.

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Early indications are that the team has narrowed the possible site for the wreck of HMB Endeavour to one site, which is very promising, said Kevin Sumption, director and chief executive of the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project also described the site as promising but said it will still take a lot more work and money to identify it.

Nearly 250 years ago, Cook ran aground on Australias Great Barrier Reef during a voyage to the South Pacific.

His ship was the Endeavour, an awkward little vessel that improbably helped him become the first European to chart Australias east coast.

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He used the Endeavour to claim Australia for the British during his historic 1768-1771 voyage.

Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, chief of the Royal Australian Navy, said he went diving at the Rhode Island site with researchers.

He measured one of the cannons so the dimensions can be compared to historical records, and they took samples of the wood.

They're very, very confident that the Endeavour is in the siteMichael Noonan, Vice Admiral of Royal Australian Navy

He is hopeful the wreck is the Endeavour.

Certainly its a very exciting discovery in absolute terms, he said on Friday.

Theyre very, very confident that the Endeavour is in the site.

Expand Close HM Bark Endeavour, a full-scale replica of Captain Cooks ship (Danny Lawson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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The Endeavour was also part of the fleet of 13 ships the British scuttled during the Revolutionary War in 1778 to blockade Newport Harbour from the French.

It was listed in the records under a different name, the Lord Sandwich.

The non-profit Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project located documents in London identifying the groups of ships in that fleet and where each was scuttled.

It has been studying the wrecks in Newport Harbour since 1993.

It announced this week that it had narrowed the search for Endeavour to one, or possibly two, archaeological sites.
Despite public statements by the Attorney General and some others, it is clear that there is widespread opposition to any formal amnesty and that anything of the kind is not a practical possibility in Northern Ireland.

But I am concerned that the Draft Bill on which the British Government has been consulting since May contains nothing that would provide an incentive for those involved in the conflict to come forward, tell about their part in what happened, and offer an apology to those who have suffered as a result.

There is a human rights obligation to investigate State-caused deaths and a right to justice for victims. The Belfast Guidelines on Amnesty and Accountability, however, make it clear there are other equally important human rights objectives, notably those of truth for the wider public and other forms of accountability than prosecution and punishment.

Even if the broad outlines of the Draft Bill and the Stormont House Agreement of 2014 which it seeks to implement must be accepted, there are some ways in which this lack of provision might be addressed.

One would be explicit provision for perpetrators and their commanders to receive less than the standard two-year prison sentence or a community service order in return for acknowledgement and apology for their crimes. Many lawyers believe that the heavy concentration in the Draft Bill on procedures for criminal prosecution and disciplinary sanctions over contested deaths is likely to generate continued legal disputes about proof of guilt and whether there is sufficient evidence to justify convictions.

The actual result may be disappointment and anger on the part of families and survivors and continued antagonism on all sides rather than reconciliation. Supporters of the security forces will be angry that those accused have been put through long periods of suspicion and anxiety in a largely futile process for attempting to do their duty or obey superior orders. On the other side the families of victims will continue to suspect an Establishment cover-up.

In 2005 Government proposals in the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill would have allowed perpetrators on all sides to make formal acknowledgement of their crimes before a judicial tribunal without further sanction. This was dropped following widespread political opposition here and at Westminster. A similar recommendation for a process of acknowledgement and apology was included in the Haass/O'Sullivan proposals in 2014. But nothing of the kind is included in the Draft Bill.

Under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, implementing the Good Friday Agreement, those convicted of murder would face a maximum effective sentence of two years. For most other offences judges might impose minimal sentences in recognition of guilty pleas and explicit apology. But this is an uncertain outcome that is unlikely to encourage those who wish to acknowledge and apologise for their part in the conflict to do so.

A specific provision in the Bill to permit and encourage judges and disciplinary bodies to reduce prison sentences or impose appropriate forms of community service would help to encourage this form of reconciliatory admission.

Another would be explicit provision for State and paramilitary bodies to make public acknowledgement and apology on behalf of their members or volunteers before a formal reconciliation panel. Many national truth and reconciliation commissions, as in South Africa, have made provision for statements of this kind. There is nothing equivalent in the Draft Bill, despite the reference in the Stormont House Agreement to such acknowledgement by the British and Irish Governments and the expectation that others might follow suit.

In addition some of the work of the Implementation and Reconciliation Group (IRG) could be postponed for at least five years while the procedures for investigating deaths by the Historical Investigations Unit and confidential information for families by the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval worked through and final reports submitted.

Statements of governmental acknowledgement made in the aftermath of the Saville Inquiry and also statements by paramilitary bodies have been widely regarded as helpful. Provision would be needed to encourage the IRG to receive statements of this kind in advance of any potential five-year delay and to ensure that they would be granted immunity from use in formal criminal or disciplinary proceedings.

Detailed statements from leaders in security bodies or leading paramilitary positions, such as the 'on the runs', who have in practice been immune from prosecution, could help to replace repeated denials of any illegal or improper conduct with something more truthful and helpful.

This would be particularly important in respect of collusion and undercover operations. It is often unclear whether various forms of collusion are criminal or how they are to be dealt with in disciplinary proceedings. Many undercover operations that might otherwise be unlawful can be rendered lawful by executive decisions by politicians or superior police officers. Explanation and acceptance of responsibility for these decisions and their impact on the wider conflict in advance of the completion of the rest of the programme would set a good example to all others involved in the process.

A third significant change would be for the Implementation and Reconciliation Group to be led by persons appointed by the two Governments and international experts rather than dominated by political appointees. The provisions in the Bill, as in the Stormont House Agreement, for the IRG to be dominated by representatives of the political parties is equally questionable. Leadership by the two Governments and international experts was crucial in negotiating the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement and in the associated bodies for decommissioning and the Disappeared.

Allowing the work of reconciliation to be dominated by political appointees (three DUP, two Sinn Fein and one each from SDLP, UUP and Alliance) and for reports on thematic issues to be postponed until the investigation of deaths and informing families of the results are completed runs counter to this experience. It is right for appointees of the main parties to be involved in the IRG. This does not mean they should control its operations. The current stand-off over the formation of an Executive makes this particularly relevant.

The composition of the IRG should be settled by the two Governments and should have a majority of independent members. This would prevent the academic work on patterns and themes from being blocked by political appointees or delayed or restricted until final reports have been submitted by the other bodies. It would also permit more direct consideration of the need for reconciliation with those who still suffer the effects of injuries as well as deaths during the conflict.

The process of promoting reconciliation in the aftermath of the conflict is not an exclusively political matter. In fact, one of the primary objectives is to promote reconciliation and shared understanding between the main political parties as well as between the two main communities and others.

The terms of the Stormont House Agreement and the Draft Bill to implement them are based on too limited an understanding of all that is required to deal with the legacy of the past.

Tom Hadden is an Emeritus Professor at the Queen's School of Law, a former member of the NI Human Rights Commission, and a co-signatory of the Belfast Guidelines on Amnesty and Accountability
Short of tweeting pictures from a Sri Lankan beach, Ian Paisley Jnr could hardly have been more bullish yesterday.

The North Antrim MP basked in the apathetic adulation of 90.6% of his constituents, who heroically failed to show up at council offices to unseat him.

Never has doing nothing received such praise. Paisley's recovery from a near-death political experience counts as one of the more remarkable escapes from danger. Houdini looked on enviously as North Antrim became the by-election that never was.

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And to cap a fine couple of days, the DUP lifted Paisley's suspension from the party. Just fancy that. Alas, we'll never know whether the DUP found anything in the party's exhaustive inquiries beyond the House of Commons Committee on Standards' 98-paragraph report.

Not that the DUP had any choice but to back Paisley, of course. If the good citizens of North Antrim did not want rid, the DUP could hardly say goodbye. Paisley is forbidden from holding office within the DUP for a year.

Amid the bad jokes and recriminations, what are the implications for Paisley and the DUP? For Paisley, it's a case of still feeling the love.

He enjoys genuine popularity within his constituency, the affection towards the brand name showing no sign of waning. Since Paisley Snr captured the seat in 1970, the Paisley majority has never been less than five figures. Jnr's 20,643 majority in 2017 was the largest yet of the three occasions he has fought the seat. Whatever the level of opprobrium elsewhere towards his Sri Lankan ventures, Paisley is viewed as a good, hardworking constituency MP who cares deeply about the people he represents.

A by-election would only have got interesting had there been a three-way split in the unionist vote between Paisley the Independent, a new DUP candidate and the TUV's Jim Allister; 35,000 unionist votes split three ways. Paisley would have been favourite, but not an absolute certainty.

Some nationalists wanted to run a unity 'anti-Brexit' candidate, hoping that the 13,000 non-unionist votes in 2017 could combine to win - but that would have needed a neat three-way split in the unionist vote.

All academic now of course. Prospects for a by-election were hardly enhanced by interesting - other adjectives are available - petition rules. Nationalists must have relished the thought of an afternoon out in Ballymena, heading to the council office, asking publicly 'Where do I go to unseat the second most popular man ever to draw breath in this constituency?' and then having to wander along corridors past quizzical eyes - 'We know why you're here' - to reach the room to sign the petition. Top day out, eh?

The irony is that the very public and awkward petition signing was accompanied by preposterous wartime levels of secrecy regarding how the process was proceeding, under threat of legal action: "Don't mention the petition", "Put that opinion poll out", "Careless talk costs parliamentary lives", etc.

This is not to denigrate the poor council and election officials saddled with a difficult, one-off task and hidebound by a restrictive legal framework, but the conduct of the exercise ought to invite reflection.

Paisley's triumph of the unwilling was not due merely to procedural oddities, though. The bigger political message to be inculcated - yet again - is that political parties in Northern Ireland are largely impervious to the damage that would be wreaked upon them in a more normal political system by their antics.

The former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mike Nesbitt, declared the 2017 Assembly election a "referendum on RHI". Rightly outraged by the scandal but wrong in his electoral calculations, Nesbitt came up against a DUP whose share of the unionist vote remained unchanged by RHI. In other words, Arlene Foster's party was undamaged electorally by its alleged conduct. The same may yet hold true whatever the ultimate RHI verdict.

The idea that Paisley's support for the Sri Lankan government would disturb DUP loyalties in North Antrim was always far-fetched. The MP is normally on the side of those in the north-east corner of an island resisting being absorbed into a unitary state, but clearly the Sri Lanka versus Tamil case was different for him.

In the grim whataboutery that passes for daily political life, the last time I was in the constituency (in Harryville) one local resident argued to me that "if plenty of nationalists could support Sinn Fein when they were pro-IRA, why should I stop my support for Paisley because of a couple of free holidays?"

Successive Northern Ireland election studies have shown that most people that vote continue to do so on constitutional issues and not on other matters - be they RHI, social or moral issues, or Sri Lankan holidays. Non-constitutional issues may matter hugely and generate lots of noise and passion but those most exercised by them are the least likely to vote.

So, it's as you were politically. Come on - even the Secretary of State knows this by now...

Jon Tonge is Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool
India on Friday called off a meeting between its foreign minister and her Pakistani counterpart in New York, claiming such efforts would be meaningless after the killing of three police officers by suspected militants in Kashmir.

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistans top diplomat Shah Mehmood Qureshi were to meet on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly later this month, but Indias external affairs ministry said the meeting had been cancelled.

Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless, Raveesh Kumar, spokesman of the external affairs ministry, said in a statement.

New Delhi also cited Islamabads decision to release postage stamps glorifying slain top Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani as another reason. Wani, 23, was a poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), the oldest separatist faction in Kashmir, which has been demanding freedom from Indian rule or a merger with Pakistan since 1989. He was shot dead by Indian security forces on July 8, 2016.

In Islamabad, Qureshi told reporters he was disappointed at India's decision to cancel the foreign minister-level talks, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).



It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. India has once again wasted an opportunity for peace, PTI quoted Qureshi as saying. "It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. India has once again wasted an opportunity for peace."

Officers abducted, killed



Police recovered the bullet-riddled bodies of the three policemen on Friday, hours after they were abducted by suspected militants from their homes in south Kashmirs Shopian district.



HM, the largest rebel group fighting against Indian rule in the region, claimed responsibility.

Our operatives started operations against the police officers early this morning. We will kill all policemen who did not sit in their homes and follow our orders, HM leader Riyaz Naikoo posted on Twitter. We will abduct and kill any policeman, anytime, anywhere.

Officials said they sounded a high alert in the region and launched a manhunt to track down the attackers.

We lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike, police said in a statement. We condemn this inhuman act and assure that all the culprits shall be dealt under law.

Weeks earlier, suspected militants abducted 11 policemen and their family members. HM claimed responsibility for the abductions but later freed the abductees, authorities said.

Since the partition of the Indian Sub-Continent in 1947, India and Pakistan have been locked in a territorial dispute over predominantly Muslim Kashmir. A de facto border called the Line of Control divides Kashmir, which is claimed in its entirety by both sides.

An outbreak of insurgency on the Indian side has claimed more than 70,000 lives since the late 1980s. A majority of the fatalities have been civilians.

In June this year, the United Nations issued its first-ever report on human-rights violations in the region, slamming India and Pakistan for alleged abuses in areas they rule and called for a major investigation into such violations.

In the 49-page report, U.N. rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein described a situation of chronic impunity for violations committed by security forces from both sides.

India, which has deployed about 500,000 soldiers in the territory it controls, accuses Pakistan of arming and training Kashmiri rebel groups, but Pakistan denies the charges.
In what could be seen as a sign of the growing inclusion of religion in government affairs, the mayor of an Indonesian city told senior civil servants to pray at their neighborhood mosque every morning or face dismissal, an official at the mayors office said Friday.

Harnojoyo, who recently was re-elected as mayor of Palembang on Sumatra island, launched an initiative called Dawn prayer assembly movement, as part of his pledge to make the city more religious.

The mayor, who like many Indonesians uses one name, issued a directive on Wednesday requiring senior staffers to perform dawn Islamic prayers, known as subuh, in their local mosques, said spokesman Abu Bilal.

The mayor hopes that by praying together with neighbors, officials will be able to listen to peoples aspirations better, Bilal told BenarNews. This is part of efforts to make Palembang a Darussalam.

Darussalam is an Islamic term which literally means abode of peace, but also refers to a place where Muslims have a privileged status to practice their religion.

The order affects all 16,000 of the citys civil servants. Sanctions, which could be in the form of a reprimand, demotion or dismissal, apply only to about 1,600 officials, Bilal said.

A mobile phone app is being developed so morning activities can be monitored with the help of Google Maps, Bilal said.

While announcing the directive on Wednesday, Harnojoyo pledged to visit 107 villages in the city and pray at local mosques.

All officials in the village must come. If not, heavy sanctions will be meted out. There are many who want their jobs, Harnojoyo told local media.

Bilal said the mayor starts his day at 3.30 a.m. by visiting a village, praying with locals and having breakfast with them.

Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Saifuddin declined to comment on the mayors move, saying he was studying the directive.

Local leaders in other parts of the country, including in Aceh and Depok, near Jakarta, have launched similar initiatives.

Islamic teachings call for praying together as a congregation being preferable to praying alone.

Indonesia is the worlds largest Muslim-majority country, about 85 percent of its population of 260 million.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who is seeking a second five-year term in next years election, has picked a senior Muslim cleric known for anti-gay and anti-pluralistic views as his running mate. His choice of Maruf Amin has been seen as an attempt to fend off accusations from conservative Muslims that he is not Islamic enough.
The Indonesian government imposed a three-year moratorium on new palm oil plantations, an official said Friday, amid charges by environmentalists that companies supplying some of the worlds biggest brands are responsible for forest destruction.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Wednesday issued an executive order establishing the moratorium and calling for a review of existing plantation permits, according to Prabianto Mukti Wibowo, deputy for natural resource management at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy.

Governors and regents are ordered to re-evaluate permits and delay the opening of palm oil plantations to reduce conflicts, Prabianto said.

The order is aimed at improving the sustainability of palm oil plantations and protecting the environment, he said.

Jokowi took action after Greenpeace on Wednesday said 25 palm oil groups destroyed 130,000 hectares (321,000 acres) of Indonesian rainforest since 2015, about 40 percent of which was in the eastern province of Papua. The environmental group said the area destroyed was almost twice the size of Singapore.

Twenty of the palm oil groups supply 12 global brands including Unilever, Nestle and Colgate-Palmolive, according to the report, Final countdown: Now or never to reform the palm oil industry.

It documented what Greenpeace said was evidence of exploitation and social conflicts, illegal deforestation, development without permits, plantation development in areas zoned for protection and forest fires linked to land clearance.

Greenpeace said the destruction has halved the Bornean orangutan population in just 16 years. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that there are now about 104,700 Bornean orangutans in the wild.

The government hopes the temporary ban will improve productivity of small plantation holders and help clarify land ownership, Prabianto said.

Request for 25 years

Indonesian environmental group Walhi welcomed the moratorium, but called on the government to extend it to 25 years to allow for reforestration.

Walhi is calling for legal action to be taken against big corporations for their violations, director Nur Hidayati said.

She also said the government must have enough manpower to ensure that the moratorium is enforced, saying that there was a gap in its monitoring capability.

Palm oil plantations in Indonesia covered an area of 22 million hectares (54 million acres) as of 2017, a sharp rise from 16 million hectares (39.5 million acres) the previous year.

The chief of the Association of Indonesian Palm Oil Producers (GAPKI), Joko Suriyono said he hoped that the moratorium would end regulatory overlaps that have hurt businesses.

With this decree, all parties should sit together to solve the lingering problems, he said.
Filipinos protest in Manila against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as they mark the anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos' martial law declaration in 1972, Sept. 21, 2018.

Thousands of Filipino activists launched a nationwide protest Friday to mark the 46th anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos declaring martial law and compared him to President Rodrigo Duterte, a self-declared fan whose crackdown on drugs had left thousands dead.

In Manila, protesters paraded a huge poster of Duterte and Marcos to the citys main park, where students, activists and members of the politically influential Catholic Church joined opposition politicians.

They hoisted banners that read Never Again, Fight Dictatorship, and No To Martial Law while chanting anti-Marcos slogans.

We were there in the darkest days. We struggled and survived. At the sunset of our lives, we will not bow down to another rising tyranny and dictatorship, said Trinidad Herrera-Rapuno, leader of Selda, a group of former activists jailed during Marcos reign as president from 1965 to 1986.

The Filipino people have already witnessed how we toppled a tyrant. There is no doubt that we can do it again, she said.

Herrera-Rapuno, who was an urban poor leader in Manila at the height of military rule in the 1970s, survived extreme torture. The dictators henchmen had brutalized her, electrocuting her fingers and breasts.

Many of Seldas members cannot participate in long marches so they waited for the crowd to converge at the Luneta park.

We want to show our fellow people, especially the younger ones, that our warm bodies are testament that martial law is and never will be good, she said. It will always be used to suppress and oppress the people, who, in the first place, have all the reasons to rise up and protest.

She called on the public to protest the current governments war on drugs, launched by Duterte when he took office in 2016.

More than 4,400 suspected drug addicts and pushers have been slain in police operations over the past two years, data from the Philippine National Police show. This is on top of the 4,800 deaths under investigation including those blamed on pro-government vigilantes who cardboard signs on their victims.

Human rights groups claim thousands more have been killed.

Contrast this to the figures during Marcos martial law  more than 3,200 extrajudicial killings, 35,000 cases of torture and about 70,000 activists jailed.

Since taking office, Duterte has placed the entire southern region of Mindanao under martial law, which he used to defeat Islamic State-linked militants after they occupied Marawi city last year. But critics claim that it should have been lifted in October 2017, when the government declared victory.

Critics fear Duterte could expand military rule in the whole of the Philippines as he moves to stifle political dissent. Already, a senator who has been a leading critic of his drug war has been jailed on alleged drug charges.

Duterte also ordered the military to bring in a former navy officer turned senator who has emerged as his staunchest opponent.

Leftist Sen. Risa Hontiveros challenged police on Friday for raising widespread fears of alleged bomb plots to disrupt the days protest.

Undeniably, President Duterte is the real destabilizer. He has destabilized our country's democracy, economy, peace and institutions of governance, she said, adding that the country needed a reliable leader and not one who was fear mongering.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque stressed that Duterte, who was democratically elected, does not plan to follow Marcos lead.

This martial law in Mindanao was asked by the people in Mindanao, Roque said. This is not like martial law in the past that was used to suppress human rights.
Wu Yuhua (left), is shown with supporters after being released on bail in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 21, 2018.

Updated at 5 p.m. ET on 2018-09-21

A Thai appeals court on Friday granted bail to Chinese dissidents Wu Yuhua, who was released, and Yang Chong, who face charges of violating Thai immigration law despite holding United Nations documents describing them as refugees.

Wu, who is also known by her nickname Ai Wu, was detained by police in Bangkok with her husband Yang on Aug. 29 and locked up in an immigration detention center. Unlike his wife, Yang has not been able to raise the required bail to leave the detention center.

"Because we do not have enough money to pay the bail, my husband, Yang Chong, is still detained by police. We cannot bail him out at this time," Wu told Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews.

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 judge at the Pathumwan Municipal Court read out an appeals courts ruling that the couple deserved bail because of the nature of the relatively lenient charges and the good behavior of the couple, a BenarNews reporter heard in the courtroom.

The bail bond for each is 300,000 baht ($9,240), said the judge, overruling a lower courts denial of bail last week. They are not allowed to leave the country without courts approval.

Clad in a prison uniform and a surgical mask, Wu Yuhua looked sickly but brightened when a translator informed her of the bail grant around midday.

Yang, jailed in Bangkok Remand Prison, appeared healthier but was chained around the ankles during the court appearance.

They were initially targeted by Chinese police after taking part in the press freedom protests in the southern city of Guangzhou in January 2013.

Existence without papers

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 countrys 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.

Lawyers from advocacy group Center for Asylum Protection posted bail for Wu at midafternoon. A group member who refused to give her name told BenarNews supporters of the couple had been able to raise only half the total amount.

An official at Central Womens Correction Institute on the outskirts of Bangkok informed BenarNews by phone at around 8:30 p.m. that Wu had been released. Other sources said Yang's supporters were trying to raise funds to make his bail.

In a related development, a senior official at the Lumpini police station in Bangkok told the court that police will charge Wu for illegal entry and Yang for overstaying a visa. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.

We will file the lawsuits Wednesday, Police Lt. Wiwat Naklada told the judge.

When asked why they were arrested, Wiwat said: They made disturbance at the New Zealand Embassy so they were caught by the security guards and they were sent over to the police station.

Wu and Yang were detained on Aug. 29 along with another Chinese national named He Weiyi outside the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok where they had hoped to persuade New Zealand officials to consider them for resettlement.

Thai laws violated

Police determined they had violated Thai immigration laws, regardless of their UNHCR status, she said.

The man entered Thailand legally with tourist visa via Suvarnabhumi Airport but the visa was expired three years ago, she told BenarNews, citing immigration records. He will face overstaying visa charge.

Then woman will face the charge of illegal entry and illegal staying. We dont see any records to show that she entered the country legally, she said.

Lawyers with the Center for Asylum Protection declined to comment on Wednesdays scheduled court action, saying they had not seen the case file.

Wu is prepared to go to court.

"I guess the police will charge us. If he (Yang) is charged in the court, he will be put in the immigration jail and he will lose hope for a bailout," Wu said.



Thailand has sent refugees from 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 6-year jail term, while Dong was sentenced to 3 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 suffers harsh repression under Chinese rule.

Radio Free Asia contributed to this report.
Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the truth about kids and the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Media Advisory, September 20, 2018



Contact: Brytnee Miller, (631) 870-9925, bmiller@biologicaldiversity.org

Protesters to Greet Interior Secretary Zinke Saturday at Grand Canyon

Zinke's Destructive Policies Overshadow Public Lands Day PR Stunt

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will face protesters when he visits Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday to recognize the 25th anniversary of National Public Lands Day. The protest will focus on Zinkes many anti-public lands policies, which include rolling back protections for national monuments, ramping up fossil fuel extraction and endangering public health and wildlife.

Zinke is the biggest threat to public lands this country has ever seen, said Brytnee Miller of the Center for Biological Diversity. He claims to care about wildlife and wild places, but his actions speak louder than words. Zinke has consistently served up destructive policies that benefit the fossil fuel, mining and timber industries. His actions prove that hes only interested in public lands if something can be extracted from them.

What: Protest against Interior Secretary Ryan Zinkes visit to Grand Canyon National Park on National Public Lands Day

When: Saturday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m.

Where: South Rim Visitor Center, S Entrance Road, Grand Canyon Village, AZ

Who: Center for Biological Diversity members, public lands supporters

Media Availability: Protesters will be available for interviews before, during and after the event.
"And, from old devices to new, most of the important devices will carry Indian standardisation from the BIS"

A range of medical devices, old or new, will soon have an 'Indian standard' and nearly 1,000 products are presently being benchmarked.

NITI Aayog member V K Paul, in his address at a conference MedTekon 2018, said the standardisation is expected to be completed in the next two months.



"We don't have any Indian standards (for medical devices). As we speak, about 1,000 products' standards are being completed, and the deadline for that is about two months from now.

"And, from old devices to new, most of the important devices will carry Indian standardisation from the BIS," he said.



The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standards body of India working under the aegis of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.



The conference MedTekon 2018 -- MedTech Vitalising Ayushman Bharat, organised by Medical Technological Association of India (MTaI) was also attended by Swedish envoy Klas Molin.





Molin said Sweden, both at government and company-level, would like to engage with India when it comes to health and life sciences.

Paul, a key architect of the Centre's flagship health scheme Ayushman Bharat, also urged Sweden to partner with the country in this mission and asked the private medical technology companies of India to be "catalyst of change" in this "revolution waiting to happen".

The 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme aims to holistically address health (covering prevention, promotion and ambulatory care) at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.



MTaI welcomed the move by the government to bring Indian standardisation, but cautioned that it should not "dilute the existing" global standards that companies adhere to.

MTaI Chairman Pavan Choudhary and other members said that several Indian med-tech firms are already following global best standards.

"The new standards would help bring into those players who do not confirm to such standards. But, the Indian standards, once they are brought in, will need a lot of harmonising with the existing global norms," said Probir Das, director of MTaI.
As many as 27 states and Union Territories are ready to join the ambitious healthcare scheme Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana

As many as 27 states and Union Territories are ready to join the ambitious healthcare scheme Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana after its launch on Sunday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Niti Aayog member said.

Over 15,000 hospitals, both public and private, across the country have expressed their willingness to be empanelled for the scheme which aims to provide 107.4-million poor families health insurance, Niti Aayog member V K Paul, who is the chief architect of the scheme, told PTI in an interview.

"The Prime Minister will launch the scheme on September 23 but effectively it will become operational from September 25 on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay," he said, adding that in the current fiscal, the burden on the Centre is likely to be around Rs 3,500 crore.

"With the launch by the prime minister, 26-27 states and UTs are likely to immediately commence the PMJAY," Paul added.

The Niti Aayog member said that five or six states have not signed, so obviously the scheme will not be implemented in those states till they come on board.

"Remaining states that have signed (MoUs with the Centre) should hopefully be in the process of actual launch of (PMJAY) in the next 2-3 months," he noted.

Paul also said that the government expects thousands of new hospitals to come up in the next five years in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

"We have received applications from 15,000 hospitals for being empanelled. Out of this half, that means 7,500 applications for empanelment are private hospitals," he said, adding that in some states process for empanelment is yet to start.
Starting 25th September 2018, the government plans to provide health insurance to 10 crore families and also strengthen the network of primary health centers in the country.

Leading industry bodies representing medical technology sector recently came together at MTaI MedTekon 2018 to discuss ways to strengthen healthcare delivery under Ayushman Bharat scheme, a government programme to enable the bottom 40% of Indias population access healthcare for free.

Representatives of Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI), Advance Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), AmCham Medical Devices Committee, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI), underscoring their solidarity, huddled up with government officials, doctors, investors and patients groups to chalk out a roadmap for the industry to contribute effectively to the worlds largest healthcare reform programme.

Starting 25th September 2018, the government plans to provide health insurance to 10 crore families and also strengthen the network of primary health centers in the country. Most secondary and tertiary treatments will be covered under the scheme. As per statistics, health insurance has spread only to 27% of the population-the cover being sparse-and more than 80% of healthcare expenditure is incurred by individuals from their own pockets.

We admire the vision of inclusion behind Ayushman Bharat and the programmes massive scale. It has the ability to stimulate the economy due to its impact on the health of the labor force as well as provide a new ecosystem in healthcare business which can sprout a thousand new ladders of commercial success. MTaI Chairman Pavan Choudary said.

For the scheme, the government has recommended maximum allowable costing for 1363 health procedures. Probir Das, Senior Vice President, Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH), said: The cost structure still needs work. While for many procedures the cost may be optimum, for several, it may require a re-think. The ideal way to resolve this problem will be to keep the cost of medical devices outside the procedure costs. Also, given the fact that international MedTech companies use their global network to train physicians and develop modern therapies in India, they should be considered as a vital pillar for consultation and programme development.

Badhri Iyengar, Chairman of FICCIs Medical Devices & Equipment Committee, said: Medical devices and diagnostic services are very important in health treatments. By the virtue of this, we feel that the medical technology industry is an important stakeholder for Ayushman Bharat. We are committed to contributing in letter and spirit to the successful implementation of the pathbreaking scheme. Todays deliberations have been important in paving the way for this.

Madan Krishnan, Chairman, AdvaMed, said the next stage of todays constructive dialogue is industry-government dialogue to enhance impact and success of the programme. MedTech industry can actively partner with the government and providers to transform healthcare in India by structuring effective patient care pathways along with outcome based models.

Diwaker Rana, Co-Chairman MTaI Medtekon said: A comprehensive view of the healthcare industry should be taken to make it rewarding for all stakeholders. This will poise it for success.

The Ayushman Bharat Scheme will significantly bring down the out of pocket healthcare expenses and have an indirect impact on individual wealth which will lead to economic growth of the nation. The other longer term and most important impact of the scheme will be the data repository through AB-NHPM, it will facilitate research and evidence-based decision making in future. added Himanshu Baid, Chairman of Medical technology Division, CII.

The summit was inaugurated by Dr. Vinod K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog. In his speech, Dr. Paul said Ayushman Bharat is based on three pillars: Primary Health, Diagnosis and Health Insurance. The scheme at present takes care of lowest two quintiles of our population. It is an integrated healthcare scheme where we have integrated the public and private sectors and given patients the power to decide where they want to access the healthcare services from. To me, it is an anti-poverty measure which prevents people from falling into poverty due to healthcare requirements. I believe if we save a healthy life for a year, we can add 1.5% to the GDP.

Dr. Paul urged the international fraternity to suggest how they can contribute to Ayushman Bharat scheme. The international fraternity can help us strengthen the scheme going forward. They have a strong R&D, can bring investments for Make in India, set up health and wellness centres through their CSR centers and train healthcare professionals. I would like to ask the fraternity to come up with ideas on how they can contribute to the scheme, he added.

During the summit, MTaI unveiled a theme paper entitled MedTech  The Keystone for Ayushman Bharat. The paper presents Ayushman Bharat scheme in summary and points out the concerns of stakeholders which need to be dovetailed to ensure success. The theme paper also brings out the possible solution to these concerns.

For the success of the Ayushman Bharat programme, it will require the coordinated action of all stakeholders in the complex healthcare industry including health insurers and TPAs, providers, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical device & diagnostic industry Ayushman Bharat has the potential to transform the perception of the Indian public towards government healthcare schemes. It will be no small feat to achieve the core objectives that it has set for itself and if the scheme is implemented in a methodical, systematic and well researched manner, the Healthcare landscape shall truly be transformed. the paper states.
PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Judge Charles R. Breyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California was notified early this morning with a personal call from Justice Anthony M. Kennedy that he will be the recipient of the prestigious 34th Annual Devitt Award, our nation's highest honor bestowed upon a Article III federal judge. The ceremony and celebration will take place on November 7, 2018 at the Supreme Court of the United States in the presence of the Supreme Court Justices and 100 invited guests. As brother of Justice Stephen Breyer, this is the first time that a relation of any Justice of the Supreme Court will receive the Devitt.

Justice Kennedy chaired this year's selection committee which included Judge Raymond Kethledge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Lucy Koh of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The committee deliberated over two days in New York City along with the award sponsor, the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation executives.

"I am grateful to Justice Kennedy and the esteemed judges who reviewed an unprecedented number of highly impressive and fiercely dedicated nominees from all across the country," Julie C. Opperman said, the Foundation chairman.

"The committee and I are fascinated and inspired by the integrity, the commitment and the dedication of federal judges throughout the country," Devitt Committee Chairman, Justice Kennedy stated. "The committee noted that in addition to his nationwide reputation as being a skilled and fine trial judge, he has contributed to the judiciary in many ways including being on the panel for multi-district litigation and on the United States Sentencing Commission. Most important of all is the great respect that Judge Breyer enjoys among his own colleagues, members of the bar and the community at large. He honors us all by his continued commitment to the Rule of Law and the Constitution that it sustains."

Judge Breyer said in response, "I am honored to accept the Devitt Award." He added, "Even more so, I feel very privileged to have worked with so many selfless and dedicated colleagues over the past two decades. Their work in promoting the Rule of Law is the true award."

"Judge Breyer's exemplary record of service illustrates well the prestigious nature of the Devitt Award," said Judge Raymond Kethledge. Judge Lucy Koh continued, "He generously shares his time and wisdom with lawyers and judges in need of guidance. Judge Breyer volunteers to take extra cases to help his colleagues as well as assisting other districts in need."

After attending college at Harvard and law school at Berkley, Judge Breyer entered public service, joining the Army Reserve and working as a line prosecutor in the San Francisco attorney's office. In 1973 he joined the Watergate Special Prosecution Force in Washington and then returned to San Francisco where he went into private practice. In 1998, he was appointed as a district judge in the Northern District of California.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/judge-charles-r-breyer-to-receive-the-nations-highest-judicial-honor-award-300717068.html

SOURCE The Dwight D. Opperman Foundation
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Canada NewsWire

MONTREAL, Sept. 21, 2018

MONTREAL, Sept. 21, 2018 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mint has joined McGill University's First Peoples' House 17th Annual Pow Wow to unveil a vividly coloured silver collector coin celebrating the spectacular pageantry of the Fancy Dance, a modern Indigenous art form that is a powerful and captivating expression of Indigenous pride and heritage.

"This land's cultural heritage began with the art, music, dance, and traditions of Indigenous peoples, and it is exciting to see these traditions reflected in a new coin from the Royal Canadian Mint," said Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary for Crown-Indigenous Relations, who attended the coin's unveiling. "As we work toward meaningful reconciliation and a future where all Indigenous peoples have a real and fair chance at success, the inspiring design of the Mint's Fancy Dance coin reminds us of the importance of recognizing and celebrating Indigenous traditions."

"The Royal Canadian Mint prides itself on telling the fascinating story of Canada through coins and celebrating First Nations, Inuit and Metis cultures is fundamental to achieving that goal," said Jennifer Camelon, Interim President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Our beautifully coloured coin celebrating the dazzling art of the Fancy Dance is yet another opportunity for Indigenous artists from across Canada to share their talent, traditions and cultures.

The reverse image by Kanien'keha:ka artist Garrison Garrow captures the fast-paced energy of a modern pow wow dance style: the Fancy Dance. A male dancer dominates the reverse, where finely detailed engraving adds a sense of energetic movement while an application of colour highlights the intricate nature of his regalia. From the Thunderbird of the Plains peoples to the Iroquois design on the apron, the array of motifs, textures and traditional elements (including the sacred eagle feathers) strongly evokes the pow wow's cultural importance. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Limited to a world-wide mintage of 3,500, this 2 oz. fine silver coin retails for $189.95 CAD and can be ordered as of today by directly contacting the Royal Canadian Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca. It will also be available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, at participating Canada Post outlets, and through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors as of October 2, 2018.

About the Royal Canadian MintThe Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.

Images of this coin are available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/94toln3vsnthkpm/AACZazyH7Bdlxbso_FTnYwUma?dl=0

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint


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The Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma has defended President Uhuru Kenyattas foreign trips saying they have helped project Kenyas image globally and to promote the country as an investment destination of choice.

Speaking Wednesday while presenting the ministrys third quarterly press briefing, Juma revealed that President Uhuru has made 49 foreign trips since 2013, all of which she said have helped consolidate Kenyas relevance internationally.

Looking back to the last six years, I can confidently confirm that the high-level diplomacy paradigm has yielded manifold outcomes in three broad spheres; Kenya has established solid and productive relationships across the world  in Africa, Middle East, Americas, Europe, Asia and the other parts of the world, she said.

Juma added: Nairobi has become one of the most visited capitals for foreign heads of state and heads of government and preferred destination for international meetings and conferences, and most fundamentally, interest and investment in our country has grown a thousand fold  translating into economic growth.

The CS said this year alone the president has had six high-level foreign trips that were aimed at fostering engagements that support the economy particularly the Big 4 agenda, social development; as well as regional peace and security.

She said one of the trips, the one to Cuba between March 14 and 17, saw the president strike a deal for the deployment of 100 Cuban medical specialists to Kenyas public health facilities.

The deal also saw 50 Kenyan medical practitioners travel to Cuba for post-postgraduate training.

Another notable foreign trip that Uhuru has made this year is the one to the US between August 24  27 where he struck two business deals worth Sh23.7 billion.

Uhurus most recent foreign trip was to Beijing for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit.

During the trip that ignited public debate about Kenyas dalliance with Chinese loans, Uhuru secured Public Private Partnership for two infrastructural projects  a 30 km expressway from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Westlands and the Development of Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zones in Mombasa.

Kenya also secured a deal to benefit from Sh6 trillion announced by President Xi Jinping to support development in Africa as well as Sh1 trillion Chinese Private Sector investment in Africa, among others.

Besides the specifics outlined above, the engagements offered the opportunities for closer bilateral collaboration with the countries involved in line with the aspirations of Kenyas Foreign Policy as Kenya strives to entrench her leadership as an economic power within the region as well as achieve a desirable competitiveness globally, CS Juma said.

According to Juma, Kenyas exports have been on a gradual increase as a result of the countrys growing foreign economic partnerships.

She said Kenyas foreign exports across the world grew by 3.8 percent to Sh5.7 trillion between 2013 and 2017 and registered almost one percent growth between 2016 and 2017.
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Another case of domestic violence has ended tragically after a man allegedly threw his three-year-old son into a burning furnace following a quarrel with his wife in Mau Summit, Nakuru County.

Joseph Ndirangu, a 30-year-old casual labourer, is said to have burnt their first born child after the quarrel with his wife, Margaret Wairimu.

Confirming the Wednesday evening incident, Molo police boss Mr Bernard Kioko said Ndirangu was burning charcoal in his homestead before he left for a drink at a local pub.

At around 7.30pm, he is said to have returned home while drunk before picking a quarrel with his wife over a petty family issue.

The police boss said that instead of resolving the dispute, Ndirangu picked their three-year-old boy who was asleep inside the main house and threw him in the burning furnace which was outside the homestead.

He said the wife quickly followed the husband and tried to rescue the child but it was too late.

She cried for help attracting irate residents who lynched Ndirangu.

The deceased went to a drinking spree and when he got back home, he quarreled with his wife. He would later throw their child who was asleep in a burning furnace, said Kioko.

The bodies of the deceased were moved to the Molo mortuary.
A man who walked into the wrong home while in a meth-induced stupor and pointed a firearm at the homeowner trying to hold him until police arrived will be spending another year in jail.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/9/2018 (1146 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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A man who walked into the wrong home while in a meth-induced stupor and pointed a firearm at the homeowner trying to hold him until police arrived will be spending another year in jail.

Lawrence Daniels, 20, pleaded guilty in Brandon provincial court on Thursday to multiple charges including assault with a weapon, being unlawfully in a dwelling house, mischief and using an imitation firearm.

On Jan. 21, police received a 911 call from a resident on Cornwallis Crescent reporting a break and enter in progress, Crown attorney Marnie Evans told the court.

The caller told the dispatcher there was a man on his back deck trying to jimmy the lock, and the same man shot at his kitchen window and broke it.

When officers arrived, the man had fled the scene heading south, the caller advised.

When asked if the man had a weapon on him, the homeowner said, "for sure he had a gun, or at the very least a BB gun."

Officers later found a pellet wedged between the panes of broken glass where the window had been shot, Evans said.

Police set up a perimeter in the area and called the K9 unit to help track down the man, who was later identified as Daniels.

While searching the area, officers heard yelling coming from another home down the street, Evans said.

The residents in that home had a guest staying on the couch when Daniels entered the home through the unlocked backdoor.

The house guest started yelling at the homeowners that a man had just come in uninvited, Evans said, and one of the homeowners confronted Daniels in the kitchen.

She grabbed hold of Daniels while the other resident called the police, Evans said, while Daniels tried to pull away saying, "I need to go, I need to go."

The other resident locked the door to prevent Daniels from leaving, Evans said, and in response Daniels took out the BB gun and pointed it at her.

The residents let Daniels go and he unlocked the door and fled, only to be picked up by police a few minutes later.

After his arrest, Daniels did co-operate with police in telling them where he had ditched the BB gun when he took off, Evans said, which was found in one of the eavestroughs on the house.

"This was an incredibly serious incident  I think we are in the situation where Mr. Daniels is incredibly lucky that nobody was injured during this incident, which must have been a terrifying experience for many civilians inside their homes  a place of sanctuary, a place of safety," Evans said. "It must have been a horrific experience."

Daniels hadnt slept for several days due to the consumption of methamphetamine, Defence lawyer Bob Harrison told the court, and was on his way home from a friends house and entered into a residence he thought was his own.

While in custody, Daniels has taken programming to treat his addictions, Harrison said, and is looking toward a better future.

"Rehabilitation has to be a factor here  hes only 20 years of age," Harrison said. "This has been a huge wake-up call and he wants to get off drugs."

"I take full responsibility for what I did  I am sorry that I did that," Daniels said.

Judge John Combs sentenced Daniels to a total of two years in jail to be followed by 18 months probation. After credit for time already served, Daniels has been in custody for one year already, leaving him with one year left to serve going forward.

"One can only envision the trauma and terror which this action inflicted upon the members of that household," Combs said. "These are the types of incidents that are becoming far too common in this community. The use of firearms and property-related offences related to the use of methamphetamine is a huge concern."

 edebooy@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @erindebooy
The Kenya Pipeline Company has taken action on top officials following a fuel mix up at the Kisumu depot on Tuesday.

Kisumus Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) depot manager Eng. Herman Munga has been suspended indefinitely. Assistant depot manager Allan Engote has also been suspended alongside two others, including a controller and a laboratory officer.

Sources at the Kisumu depot told Radio Ramogi that the suspension letters were dispatched from the KPC headquarters in Nairobi.

The four will remain suspended for two weeks and a new management team is expected to temporarily take over running of the busy Kisumu plant.

On Wednesday, Petroleum CS John Munyes visited the depot where he announced that a team had been set up to investigate the fuel adulteration that occurred at the depot.

This follows the Tuesday incident where 14 trucks were loaded with water instead of fuel.

Munyes, who was with Kenya Pipeline MD Joe Sang and Petroleum CAS John Musonik, said no adulterated fuel was offloaded in the market after the incident.

He denied claims that the incident could have been as a result of sabotage.

Munyes pledged a comprehensive report on the incident once investigations are completed.
The Minnedosa Lions Club has always been a strong supporter of the community of Minnedosa. Approximately 20 months ago, the club made the decision to support the new Minnedosa Primary Care Clinic with a donation of $25,000.00. Research led the Club to LCIF (Lions Club International Foundation).

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/9/2018 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SUBMITTED From left is Wayne Hopkins (Minnedosa Legion), Wayne Mansell (Minnedosa Legion), Minnedosa Mayor Ray Orr, John Mendrikis and Ray Morgan( Minnedosa Primary Care committee members), DG Gareth Boys (representative for LCIF),Gordon Lane (Minnedosa Primary Care chairperson), Catharine Gijsbergs (Minnedosa Lions), Roberta Galbraith ( Minnedosa Rotary Club), Ken Black (Rapid City Lions Club), Paul Richcoon (Erickson Lions Club), Reg Nylen (Erickson Lions Club). They are pictured presenting a cheque for $231,000 to the Minnedosa Primary Care Clinic.

The Minnedosa Lions Club has always been a strong supporter of the community of Minnedosa. Approximately 20 months ago, the club made the decision to support the new Minnedosa Primary Care Clinic with a donation of $25,000.00. Research led the Club to LCIF (Lions Club International Foundation).

The Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) provides grant funding to assist Lions districts in developing and implementing large-scale humanitarian projects. These humanitarian grants help Lions expand their outreach and increase their impact within local and global communities to serve even more people in need around the world.

The club applied to the foundation with the hopes of doubling the donation to $50,000. Lion Catharine Gijsbers headed the committee and started the long process of filling out paperwork. Once started, we realized that if we included more Lions Clubs we could receive a larger grant, as LCIF will match the money raised by the Lions Club(s) to a maximum of $100,000.00 USD. The Lions Clubs of Sandy Lake, Rapid City and Erickson were approached to add their clubs donations to the grant, as those communities are also served by the Minnedosa Health Services. This brought the total amount raised by the four Lions Clubs to $51,000.00.

The club then approached the Minnedosa Rotary Club and the Minnedosa Legion in hopes of reaching the $100,000.00 maximum. Over the next year, the Minnedosa Lions Club worked with LCIF on the grant application.

With the commitment of all of the clubs, $101,000 was raised.

On May 12 at the Minnedosa Lions 40th Anniversary, Lion Catharine Gijsbergs had the privilege of announcing that LCIF had approved the grant application with a matching grant of $100,000.00 USD ($130,000.00 CDN)

Working together with one goal in mind the groups came together and are making a difference in our community.

 Submitted by the Minnedosa Lions Club
Update 10.20am: The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has said its members want to examine how any cuts to discretionary and administrative overtime will impact core policing services.

The Garda Commissioner said the force will significantly exceed the budget for this year and this is not a sustainable position.

Commissioner Drew Harris said overtime will still be available for specific policing security operations, but only with approval.

John Jacob, General Secretary of the AGSI, said: "I think we need to examine it closely, we haven't had a chance as an association to examine what the commissioner has issued.

"We have to be sure that the cut in overtime does not impact on the delivery of core policing services which do not require overtime."

Digital Desk

Garda chief sparks alarm after bringing hatchet down on overtime

Earlier: Directives are being issued to divisions nationwide and specialist units as part of a plan by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to cut the overtime bill by 30%.

Senior sources said the commissioner has brought the hatchet down on overtime after Garda HQ figures showed the overtime bill was 15.5m in the red by July and would hit 30m by the end of the year.

The day after taking office, Mr Harris said he was looking at bringing the overspend back in line.

Directives have been issued in the Dublin region, the eastern region, and by Special Crime Operations, which covers six national bureaus. Similar directives are expected in remaining regions in the coming days.

The Garda Representative Association called it an extraordinary development, saying it would impact on all gardai doing their job, in particular, those investigating crime gangs.

A number of sources said the overtime ban would impact specialist high-profile operations, including Thor (burglary gangs) and Hybrid (Kinahan-Hutch feud).

Garda HQ said this will not be the case, while assistant commissioner for Dublin Pat Leahy said clarity has been sought regarding operations such as Hybrid and Thor and public-order weekend patrols.

In his directive, Mr Leahy said: With immediate effect, all discretionary expenditure is hereby cancelled.

One source said Armed Support Unit patrols in Dublin have dropped from seven last year to five in January to three now.

A directive issued in the eastern region said: In an effort to bring the national Garda overtime budget in line by the end of the year the national budget allocation shall be corrected by 30%.

A directive issued by the assistant commissioner for Special Crime Operations to serious crime units said: With immediate effect all discretionary expenditure across all subheads is hereby cancelled.

Overtime is to be sanctioned only for non-discretionary duties, such as courts and examination of scenes of crime.

Mr Harris said the organisation must work within the annual budget.

He said: This has been stressed continually to Garda managers throughout 2018. Regrettably, An Garda Siochana will significantly exceed the budget this year. This is not a sustainable position. To minimise the impact on policing and security activity, while reducing the excess spend before the end of the year, I have cut discretionary overtime and administrative overtime.

"Overtime will still be available for specific policing/security operations, but only with approval.
Drugs worth an estimated 489,000 were seized from a house in Blanchardstown this morning.

As part of an operation targeting organised crime and the sale and supply of illegal drugs in the Dublin 15 area, gardai found heroin worth 435,000, cocaine valued at 54,000 and also a number of shotgun cartridges when they searched the residence.

A man in his 20s was arrested and is being held at Blanchardstown garda station under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act.

The operation was carried out by gardai from Blanchardstown, the K-Community Action Team, and the District Drugs Unit.

Digital Desk
Gardai are investigating after a number of shots were fired during an altercation on the north side of Cork city yesterday evening.

The incident happened around 10.30pm in the Chapelgate area of Ballyvolane.
Veteran musician Hubert Nakitare, famously known as Nonini, has put pen to paper on a lucrative partnership with Telecommunications giant Safaricom.

The 35-year-old joins Safaricom as a creative brand ambassador on a six-month partnership.

The deal was sealed and announced on Thursday and it will have Nonini heavily involved in Safaricom brand campaigns which will include the use of his image, voice, and content.

Speaking on the deal, Nonini said: I appreciate this chance to work with Safaricom and also look forward to learning more about the work Safaricom Foundation does. I am very passionate about Corporate Social Responsibility, and as part of the partnership I hope to participate in as many activities as I can.

Safaricom Acting Director Charles Kare welcomed the partnership saying Nonini, who runs the Colour Kwa Face Foundation that advocates for the rights of people living with albinism, was the ideal fit for their Twaweza brand spirit.

We settled on this partnership with Nonini because he is a pioneer of new-age Kenyan music popularly known as Genge, is passionate about artistes rights through his involvement with PRISK and other organizations that fight for artistes rights. His passion for helping those in need goes in line with our brand spirit of Twaweza and we look forward to working with him on various projects, said Charles Kare.

The deal will also see Nonini educate his fellow artistes on monetizing their songs and creative endeavours by registering and joining SKIZA.

The partnership comes a little over a month after Nonini resigned as the Chairman for Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) claiming that the body no longer serves the interest of Kenyan musicians.
The final report into Search and Rescue Aviation Operations in Ireland has found confusion among the different agencies involved.

Twelve recommendations have been put forward in the review which was sparked by the fatal Rescue 116 helicopter crash off the Mayo coast last year.

This independent report was commissioned by the Department of Transport following the crash that claimed the lives of Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormbsy and Ciaran Smith.

However, the review did not examine the circumstances of the crash itself and the authors warned that there is no intention to establish any causal link between their findings and the accident.

The report found "confusion" and "potential conflicts of interest" between the different agencies involved in the management of air-based search and rescue in Ireland.

They found "several sources of confusion and potential conflicts of interest" amongst the agencies and warned that this has resulted in a "lack of a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities" in the oversight of rescue operations.

One of the key recommendations is to review Search and Rescue oversight and procedures as arrangements can be a mix of maritime and aviation depending on the circumstances.

Recommendations include clearly assigning the Irish Aviation Authority with responsibility for civil aviation search and rescue missions.

Continuous improvement of safety management and engagement with the EU to standardize search and rescue operations are also recommended.

The Transport Minister Shane Ross has called for the speedy implementation of the report.

He said: I fully accept the findings and recommendations of this comprehensive review of search and rescue aviation oversight by a team of international experts, which I appointed at end of May.

"I have instructed that all necessary steps be taken without delay to ensure speedy implementation of all of the recommendations.

"We now have an opportunity in Ireland - and a blueprint  to make meaningful improvement to our current oversight structures and in doing so set a benchmark for other jurisdictions.
Update 11.44am: Transport Minister Shane Ross has denied disowning his ministerial brief by agreeing to make public submissions by those concerned that they would be "cut off" by the new Bus Connects plan.

Speaking on Today with Sean O'Rourke, Minister Ross said that it was "absolutely proper" that he makes submissions to the NTA about worries of his constituents.

He said this was not political interference.

"What I said was I didn't draw the map, and I won't be re-drawing the map" @Shane_RossTD tells #TodaySOR in relation to comments he made to his constituents at a meeting on Wednesday night in relation to the #Busconnects plan.  Today with Claire Byrne (@TodaywithClaire) September 21, 2018

He said he is charged with policy and legislation but had no part in drawing the map proposing the new bus routes and does not "micro-manage" transport issues.

"What I said was I didn't draw the map, and I won't be re-drawing the map".

He said the plan can be changed if that's what people want.

"Get involved in this public consultation process.

"That map which you see in front of you was certainly not written by me.

"Get it changed because that's what's going to happen - that's what I recommended in the Dail and Seanad and to the residents."

Minister Ross was challenged on the subject by Green Party TD Catherine Martin and Fianna Fail Cllr Shay Brennan who accused him of "completely inappropriate" disengagement from the plan.

Ms Martin said the minister had "distanced himself completely from his responsibilities" and told people he would not take questions about the bus plan or the NTA "as it does not come under his remit".

Mr Brennan said that the minister sounded as though he was in denial that he is the Minister for Transport.

Minister Ross said Bus Connects will bring more buses and greater frequency to Dublin "but there are problems that must be ironed out".

Digital Desk

The NRBU is causing confusion about Bus Connects plan says designer

Earlier: The designer of the Bus Connects plan for Dublin has accused the NBRU of causing confusion about the plan.

The Government is continuing to face opposition to it's planned overhaul of the bus network in Dublin.

A number of protests were held around Dublin against Bus Connects while Fianna Fail have also launched a motion aimed at blocking the overhaul.

Fianna Fail have also launched a motion aimed at blocking the new scheme.

It comes as Minister for Transport Shane Ross distances himself from the plan claiming it has nothing to do with him..

Jarrett Walker, lead design consultant of the redesign, said: "It was my understanding that the MTA's role was to develop the plan for the minister..."

He added: "There has been a pretty intense campaign to confuse and enrage people that has come from one of the two unions representing the bus drivers - I am referring to the National Bus and Rail Union.

"They have been putting out alarming and misleading information almost from the time the plan came out."

Labour Spokesperson on Transport Kevin Humphreys has criticised Minister Rosss comments in which he claims he has nothing to do with Bus Connects

Senator Humphreys said: Minister Ross seems to have a gross misunderstanding of his role if he believes the largest review of public transport seen in Dublin in decades has nothing to do with him.

It is worth noting that the Minister's distancing of himself form the BusConnects plan comes after a day of severe criticism for the plan in Dail Eireann. I would ask the question that if it is not the job of the Minister for transport, who in the cabinet is responsible?

Elected representatives and members of the public across Dublin have been working since July to put to together submissions to the NTA on this proposal. It has been a huge issue for many local areas since its publication at the beginning of the summer. Hours of work has gone into these submissions.

Considering also that the purposed 2 billion budget marks one of the biggest investments in public transport in Dublin since the economic crash of 2007, the Minister's comments are even more inappropriate.

It strikes me that the Minister is asleep at the wheel on Bus Connects.
TG4 has apologised a after clip before the news on Wednesday showed a caravan being kicked off a cliff into the sea.

It came just hours after a woman died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff onto a beach near Clifden in Galway during Storm Ali.
Take That have announced a 'greatest hits' tour to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary next year.

The massive UK and Ireland stadium tour will come to the 3Arena in Dublin on April 29.
That man Nyakundi is at it again! This time, his beef is with State House spokesperson Kanze Dena, whom he accused of being a thief.

According to the infamous blogger, the former Citizen TV Swahili news anchor landed the job at State House because she is a thief like her benefactors.

While making the sensational allegations on social media, Nyakundi claimed that Kanze, while working at Royal Media, defrauded the staff who worked behind the popular weight-loss show, Slim Possible.

Kanze Dena was in-charge of Slimpossible at Citizen TV a while back. This [expletive] did not pay the people who worked as instructors, trainers, and the likes. She just kept taking them round in circles. These are guys who spent their own money for transport, airtime, etc, wrote the blogger.

Nyakundi further described Kanze as hypocrite owing to her religiousness

Yet when you see her on social media, shes always waxing religion, invoking Gods name whenever she can. [Expletive] hypocrite! If you want to know a fraudster, look at the person who speaks about God a lot, even when its not necessary, declared the controversial blogger.

At the same time, Nyakundi called out Corporate managers in Nairobi claiming that Safaricom staffers colluded with promoters to steal money meant for Tiwa Savage.

Corporate cartels in Nairobi are very awful. We recently saw Safaricom staffers collude with rogue promoters to steal money meant to pay Tiwa Savage. Corporate managers are the biggest scammers in Nairobi. Why? Because jobs in Nairobi are awarded based on sexual favors, cronyism, nepotism and the likes. So nearly 100% of employees in Corporate offices dont deserve to be there. To survive their positions, they have to constantly steal ideas from unsuspecting people who innocently share their time and ideas.

The solution?

Do you have an idea? Dont share it with anyone working in Corporate Nairobi. Did they call you for a meeting? Dont go. Those meetings end up wasting your time and money in transport costs, only to get a regret letter, but later seeing your idea implemented without your input. Wachira Waruru of Royal Media is very notorious at this, said Nyakundi.

He concluded saying: Kenyans stop being exploited ati just because someone is famous or on TV and you think youre so important just because they gave you an appointment. Treat corporate Nairobi brokers like the garbage that they are.
Update - 13.09pm: The death toll has risen above 100 after a ferry capsized and sank on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported.

President John Magufuli urged the country to remain calm.

It is not clear how many people were on board.

People are seen standing on the hull of the ferry capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania. Multiple have been killed in the accident https://t.co/8K0zYRExKB pic.twitter.com/YFlI3EEAcR  Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) September 21, 2018

No foreigners have been found among the dead, Mwanza police commander Jonathan Shanna said today.

Earlier: Death toll rises to 86 as ferry capsizes on Tanzania's Lake Victoria

The death toll has risen to 86 after a ferry sank on Lake Victoria in Tanzania, officials said.

John Mongella, commissioner for the Mwanza region, said the toll is likely to rise as search and rescue operations resume.

The government said the passenger ferry MV Nyerere was travelling between Ukara and Bugolora on Thursday when it sank.

Such ferries often carry hundreds of people and are overcrowded. Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often old and in poor condition.

Earlier: 44 dead as Tanzania ferry capsizes on Lake Victoria

At least 44 people died when after a passenger ferry capsized on Lake Victoria, a Tanzanian official has said.

The death toll was expected to rise when rescue efforts resumed at daybreak.

Thirty-seven people were rescued after the sinking on Thursday afternoon, Mwanza regional commissioner John Mongella said.

"I cannot speculate" how many people had been on board, he said. "Right now our focus is on rescue."

Such ferries often carry hundreds of people and are overcrowded.

The Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical and Electronics Services Agency, in charge of servicing the vessels, urged patience in a statement as rescue efforts began.

The ferry was travelling between Ukara and Bugolora and capsized near the area of Mwanza, the agency said.

Lake Victoria file photo

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition.

In 1996, more than 800 people were killed when the passenger and cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria.

Nearly 200 people died in 2011 when the MV Spice Islander I sank off Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast near Zanzibar.
The insurance industry was ripe for a regulatory overhaul well before the extent of its damning practices were exposed by the royal commission into financial services.

Insurance more than any other financial services sector has avoided a lot of scrutiny thanks to being partly self-regulated. This is surely set to change.

Senior counsel assisting the commission, Rowena Orr QC, managed to obliterate the defences of ICA chief Robert Whelan and FSC boss Sally Loane. Credit:Internet

Yet again, galvanised by the embarrassment of being shown up for inattention to the insufficient regulation around insurance, the government is now chest-beating about its desire to clean up the industry and introduce tougher laws.

Newly minted Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says his government was responsible for including the insurance industry in the commissions terms of reference. He failed to mention that his government fought hard against having the royal commission at all.
Commissioner Kenneth Hayne now has until the end of this month to deliver his interim report on the first four rounds of hearings  into consumer lending, financial advice, small business and regional lending - to the government. One more fortnight of public hearings will be held in November to assess policy reforms, when bank CEOs are expected to be finally hauled into the witness box. Analysts at Citibank have called it Judgement Day. After 12 weeks of hearings, more than 120 witnesses and almost 9000 public submissions, Haynes must now deliver his first verdict on what criminal and civil findings of misconduct may be found against financial institutions, along with his policy recommendations to stamp out such behaviour. With several industries  including aged care and energy - now staring down the barrel of royal commissions, Samuel says the Hayne Commission has already delivered a wake-up call to corporate Australia which, he says, must take ultimate responsibility for changing its toxic culture of complacency. The importance of the royal commission is to shock business out of their complacency. No industry with public interest considerations ought now to consider itself exempt or secure from a detailed inquiry of some form or another. The fundamental lesson to boards, to senior managers and to middle managers is you might be next to have to sit before a Senate inquiry or royal commission to answer questions under oath.

As to policy remedies, Samuel says suggestions by senior counsels assisting, Rowena Orr and Michael Hodge, of potential criminal and civil findings suggest a regulator missing in action. What thats really saying is that the laws are there to have been broken. The problem is no ones prosecuting them, no ones bringing them to account. That tells me theres a fundamental cultural challenge at the regulator. Commissioner Kenneth Hayne during the hearings. Credit:Eddie Jim Samuel is scathing of relevant regulators, including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, for whom he conducted his inquiry. We need tough cops, he says. The regulators have got to be totally feared, for their independence, their rigor, their commitment and their intolerance to bad behaviour, and they have not been feared for that  neither ASIC nor APRA. Samuels predecessor at the competition watchdog, Allan Fels, is similarly damning of ASICs role: From my point of view, it has been failing for 20 years and I have no reason to believe its going to get better.

Some within ASIC fear the regulator will emerge as the ultimate whipping boy of the commission, which  being of a legal mind  may give higher weight to recommending more criminal prosecutions as a deterrent to bad behaviour, rather than reforms to abolish underlying incentive structures which drive bad behaviour, such as conflicted remuneration. Fels wants radical action on this front, too: The depth and severity of the problems uncovered point to the need for deeper solutions  solutions that address serious conflicts of interest. As first revealed earlier this year by Fairfax, Fels still wants structural separation of banks from their financial advisory arms  a move which all big banks, excluding Westpac, have announced they intend to pursue - amid revelations of the deep conflicts that arise from having an issuer of financial products also purporting to provide independent advice about which products clients should buy. Fromer ACCC boss Allan Fels. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Fels says the industry has demonstrated it cannot be trusted to clean up its own act: The whole system of remuneration needs review and the answers are not simple. I think probably the best way forward is to have an independent Productivity Commission inquiry."

Banks' compensation schemes for customers they have wronged also require reform, says Fels: "Its pretty clear that when things go wrong, the banks dont have very good schemes, remedies and repayments and compensation. I would suggest that more needs to be done. It cant be left in the hands of banks. On lending standards, many expect the commission will recommend that the tougher best interests test that applies to financial advice be extended to mortgage brokers. The thorny issue of commissions paid by lenders to mortgage brokers will also be scrutinised, with ASIC finding such fees encourage mortgage brokers to issue bigger loans than otherwise. Loading On insurance, the exemption of claims handling processes from some consumer protection laws is also likely to be revisited. Penalties for companies who fail to notify the regulator of breaches of the law are also likely to rise, from just $50,000 now. Finance sector executives may also face stricter penalties. The government has already introduced a new Banking Executive Accountability Regime, which includes provision for the deferral of bonuses. Currently, it only deals with bad behaviour that threatens prudential stability. This could be extended to also cover misconduct, and the regime could also be extended to all financial services executives, not just banks.

At the end of the day, Samuel says ultimate responsibility for reforming bad bank cultures lies with executives, overseen by their boards: Its the work of boards and chairs and CEOs, and if they dont feel up to it, they have got to really consider their positions. Samuel says chairpersons must do more to reform the male club culture of company boards and recruit more talented women. Heads have already begun to roll, most sensationally at AMP, but also at NAB, which this week announced the most senior banking executive to so far front the commission, NABs Andrew Hagger, will head for the exits. From now, it is Commissioner Hayne who will come under the public spotlight, to see if he can come up with the solutions needed to restore broken trust in Australia's financial system. Fels hopes Hayne is up to the job: Hes a very able judge, we all know that. However, he faces some very difficult policy questions which even those with years and years of policy experience would find hard to answer. I am worried about the ability of the royal commission to step into that breach.
A bumper snow season has underpinned record property sales in Australias alps that will see one of the regions best known watering holes, Mt Bullers Kooroora Hotel, demolished next month to make way for a $40 million development.

The snowfields pub which opened in 1953 is affectionately known as the Hoo Ha and famously plays the Dean Martin classic Thats Amore before closing its doors at night.

The old Kooroora Hotel will be demolished.

Owned by the Grollo family, it was original built by Mt Buller identities Ernest and Aurel Forras before it burned down in 1961 and was replaced by the current hotel.

Mt Buller, about three hours drive north of Melbourne, is the closest resort to the city. The states two other large snowfields, Mount Hotham and Falls Creek, lie about five hours drive north.
Delta, Ohio is ground zero for winners in Donald Trumps trade war.

As tough talk and tariffs roil markets and worry policymakers the 3000 residents of this town, which sits just outside Toledo and in the orbit of once-mighty industrial centre Michigan, are seeing not much in the way of downside.

Rolled coil at Bluescope's Port Kembla works in Australia Credit:Adam McLean

The biggest problem we have in this general area is that, as of last count, we have 1250 employment opportunities available that we could not fill, Delta Village administrator Brad Peebles tells Fairfax Media.

So if you have anybody in Australia that wants to work, send them over.
Electric vehicles will be the new mobile phone, going from where people cant imagine why theyd want one to being unable to imagine life without them, says the head of a global energy technology firm.

Schenider Electric head Jean-Pascale Tricoire told Fairfax Media that Chinas rapid push for electric vehicles will flow onto Australia and the market will transform in the next five years.

China's demand for electric vehicles will drag Australia along, as it makes EVs more affordable. Credit:AP

China has clearly embraced full-on electric vehicles, around 10 per cent of all vehicles sold have to be electric. China wants to be electric, Mr Triocoire said during the Schneider Innovation in Singapore.

We saw what China did to solar, it made it affordable within five years. They are making [electric vehicles] affordable. China is forcing change on the market.
Viewed the way economists see things, there are two key problems. As behavioural economists (and social psychologists) have long known, humans tend to be overconfident. Almost all of us think were good drivers, its just those other drivers that are causing the problem. The second problem is that, when we drive badly and cause accidents, we dont bear the full cost of the damage we do. Economists call the part we dont pay for ourselves a negative externality. Almost all of us think were good drivers, its just those other drivers that are causing the problem. And if someone else is paying, why should we worry? Economists call this moral hazard.

Insurance is obviously a good idea, a way of sharing risk. Those people whose house didnt burn down make a small contribution to the cost of building a new house for the person whose did. The downside of all insurance, however, is moral hazard. Why should I worry much about ensuring my house doesnt burn down, its insured? Insurers have ways  usually fairly primitive  of trying to reduce moral hazard. Say, you get a discount on your premium if you have smoke alarms fitted. And on other insurance policies theres a deductable, where you bear the first part of the claim yourself. And, of course, the no-claim bonus. Car accidents are on the rise. Credit:Rob Homer With car insurance, however, a lot of the cost of accidents is borne by neither the insurance company nor the policy holder. A fair bit is borne by the general taxpayer  the need to maintain many traffic police, ambulances and hospital emergency departments.

But the biggest cost is one thats hard to measure in dollars but is very real: the grief, pain and suffering caused by avoidable deaths and disablement. Whatever price we put on a human life, its safe to assume it would be a whole lot higher than $200,000  which is what Tooth says is the average cost paid via insurance. Loading Hes concerned that our system of dividing highly regulated compulsory third-party insurance (which covers injury to people) off from general vehicle insurance (which covers damage to property, plus other things such as theft) makes it hard to give drivers a greater monetary incentive to avoid driving riskily. With a few exceptions, the state-government run CTP schemes charge people a flat premium that bears no relationship to how carefully they drive. Which, when you think about it (as an economist would), means the schemes effectively tax the low-risk drivers so as to subsidise the high-risk drivers.

That, of course, is the wrong way round if were trying to discourage rather than encourage risky driving. And thats Tooths point. He says we should do what most other advanced countries do and allow insurance companies to offer policies that cover third-party bodily injury in a package with property damage and other risks. The CTP component could remain compulsory and the other components remain voluntary. This would allow the companies to charge premiums based on the individuals assessed risk of having an accident, as is happening increasingly in Britain. It would better align insurance companies motivation to reduce claims with the communitys desire to reduce road death and injury. It would mean higher premiums for drivers who were young - or very old. But technological advances have made it possible to assess risk more accurately than just via the drivers age. People using advanced driver assistance systems, such as autonomous emergency braking, would pay less. Young people driving cars with such assistance systems would get bigger discounts than older drivers.

And then theres telematics, such as onboard devices that record the way a car has been driven  hard braking, swerving and so forth. Such UBI  usage-based insurance  is very big in Britain. According to Tooth, research shows this can reduce crash risk by at least 20 per cent overall, and by up to 40 per cent among young drivers. He believes risk-based insurance premiums can influence whether people drive (young people may delay becoming drivers, with ride-sharing apps helping this choice), what they drive (safer cars or cars with added assistance systems) and how and when they drive. But Tooth would like us to go one better than the Brits (and anyone else). The government could internalise the externality of the intangible costs of death and disablement on society by imposing a commensurate charge on insurance companies, which they would pass on to customers having accidents in which theyre at fault. The government could use the proceeds to build safer roads or for some other worth cause. The real purpose of such a tax would be to encourage people to avoid it by driving more carefully. Is this ringing any bells? Putting a price on bad driving follows the same logic as putting a price on carbon.
Police have issued a warning to motorists against the use of high-powered LED lights in their cars as this is unlawful and insensitive to other motorists.

Through its Twitter account, the National Police Service noted that brake lights modification by private motorists and PSV owners is on the rise.

We have noted that brake lights modification by private motorists and PSV owners is also on the rise and has been reported to cause untold suffering to other motorists, this is unlawful and insensitive too.

It further warned against other types of modifications on vehicles such as mounting of bull bars on unauthorized vehicles, loud music, and enhanced exhaust systems.

In the past, ntsa_kenya has sensitized motorists against illegal modifications that include mounting of bull bars on unauthorized vehicles, use of high powered led lights, loud music & modified exhaust systems. All these modifications and others not listed here are unlawful.

This is to inform motorists and the general public that all these unlawful modifications will be dealt with as provided for in the Traffic Act.

The warning comes after a Kenyan on Twitter, @ArcherMishale, shared a video of a vehicle that had modified brake lights.

I had a migraine by the time I got home last night coz of this nonsense.@ntsa_kenya @NPSOfficial_KE @Ma3Route pic.twitter.com/lQ4ks7jsnk  Yuri (@ArcherMishale) September 19, 2018




This weeks school funding announcement is not just bad policy and contrary to the national interest of improving our education performance but is outrageous in its bald-faced audacity. All those who care about equity and fairness should be outraged, but it is poorer Catholics who should be especially upset about this deal.

The first egregious element of this package is that it is completely partisan. No mention of the public school sector other than to say it is getting increased funding. Well, the non-government sector is also getting more money so nothing new there. This is purely a political fix to shut down a powerful lobby group.

The federal government's new funding deal has little to recommend it. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Second, neither the Commonwealth nor the Catholic sector are even pretending this is fair or needs-based or that any of the extra money is going towards improving student outcomes. There has been no mention of how any of this extra money would help schools like St Josephs Catholic School in Hillston in the state's west or children from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds.

The National Catholic Education Commission makes it clear it was upset the Gonski 2.0 funding model was going to affect schools in higher SES areas and that it was concerned it would lose enrolments in those wealthier suburbs.
Australia's self-inflicted cane toad invasion may soon be over after scientists cracked the deadly amphibian's DNA code.

International scientists working with the University of NSW, the University of Sydney and Deakin University have unlocked more than 90 per cent of the invasive amphibian's genome.

Scientists hope viruses in the cane toad's DNA could be weaponised to turn the tables on the pest. Credit:University of New South Wales

The poisonous toads have wreaked havoc on northern quolls, freshwater crocodiles and several species of native lizards and snakes since their introduction in Queensland in 1935 to help control cane beetles.

Millions of toads now occupy more than 1.2 million square kilometres of Australia following a seemingly unstoppable march across the top end.
New Cities Minister Alan Tudge has met with mayors from south-east Queensland to discuss their bid to sign a major intergovernmental planning and investment deal.

City Deals bind federal, state and local governments as a group to agree to a 15-year rolling funding program of infrastructure projects.

City Deals open up more investment for the relevant cities. Credit:Fairfax Media - Bradley Kanaris

Australia has three such deals backed by the federal government and signed in the past three years: Townsville, Launceston and Western Sydney.

South-east Queensland's mayors want Australia's next City Deal to cover their fast-growing region, stretching from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast and west to Toowoomba.
Doctors' groups have warned ACT Health staff may not participate in a planned review unless the government calls a board of inquiry with full protections.

Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris released the terms of reference for the upcoming independent health review on Friday, calling for an end to calls for a board of inquiry.

Minister for Health Meegan Fitzharris has announced details of the Independent Review into workplace culture within the ACT public health care system. Credit:Jamila Toderas

But the release of the review's terms of reference has not diffused the concerns of some stakeholders who say only a judicial inquiry will be able to fully hold ACT Health to account.

A board of inquiry is the ACT's version of a royal commission and has the powers to compel witnesses, include public and private hearings and provide clear legal protections for witnesses.
Kate Baker had worked in sculpture, photography and ceramics but something happened when she was given the chance to work with glass about 15 years ago.

"I was very seduced by glass," Ms Baker said.

"I guess what's exciting about it is at the end of the day it's a liquid. That way you can feel its potential because it's not a static material, it's a malleable material."

Ms
The Donnybrook Berries business had a low profile in the area until a few years ago. But it has rapidly taken a significant role in the local industry after Mr Cufari spent more than $6 million in the last 2 years buying strawberry farms and related property near the packing plant and at Stanthorpe on the Queensland-NSW border. Lionel Sach, who runs the growers co-operative at Elimbah, said Mr Cufari would visit the area about once a year, but otherwise stayed in Victoria. Loading Neighbours said the Elimbah business was by far the busiest fruit operation in the district, with dozens of semi-trailers and B-doubles moving in and out daily and around the clock. Local grower Gavin Scurr said the business had become the biggest grower in the local industry.

Donnybrook Berries was one of three brands first identified as having been contaminated with parts of sewing needles last weekend. The other two, Berry Obsession and Berry Licious, are run out of two small farms, one of which is a few hundred metres from the Donnybrook plant and the other a 10-minute drive away. Kevin Tran, who runs the Berry Obsession and Berry Licious brands, said he had had nothing to do with the Donnybrook operation and handled all of his own berries. "I pack them myself," he said. Mr Tran said he faced financial ruin as a result of the contamination scare and could no longer bear even to look at media reports. "Im just thinking: 'Who can do something like this?' Its just terrible," he said.

"I really cant watch or listen to any more, every time I see my name, or my brand, or strawberry on there, I just cant look." Another local grower, Ray Daniels, said the Donnybrook operation handled other brands through its packing operation but would not say which ones. A Coles spokesperson said Mr Cufaris operation was a major supplier to the supermarket chain. He was quoted in a press release issued by Coles last month, before the contamination crisis broke, praising the chain for dropping the price of strawberries at stores in NSW to $1 a punnet, which Coles said would "help (Mr Cufari) move a mountain of berries that would otherwise go to waste". A video of a truckload of strawberries being dumped was widely shared on social media and reported in mainstream outlets this week.

While there was very little visible activity this week at local farms, most of which pack their own fruit and all of which have been severely affected by the contamination scandal, neighbours said the Donnybrook packing operation had re-started operations on Tuesday. Loading On Tuesday, Fairfax Media counted more than 60 cars parked at the packing shed. Workers were seen coming and going in and out of the shed and office. "Thats a quiet day," one neighbour said. "Theres normally much more than that."

The Queensland detective leading the investigation into the contamination, Acting Chief Superintendent Terry Lawrence said: "We are looking at all of the supply chain, and whatever shakes loose from that, we will have a look at." Superintendent Lawrence confirmed as many as 100 officers were involved in the operation. He declined to say whether there had been any breakthrough in the investigation. Neighbours at a property overlooking the Donnybrook packing plant, who did not want to be identified, said the only police activity they had witnessed at the site was a marked patrol car arriving last Friday afternoon, entering the Donnybrook property and leaving 10 minutes later. In a written response to Fairfax Medias questions, Victoria Police said officers were investigating reports of contaminated fruit in Belgrave, Sydenham and Echuca amongst other locations. "Any strawberries which are found to have sewing needles inside will continue to be investigated by Queensland Police Service, with Victoria Polices Fraud and Extortion Squad detectives assisting, police said.

"Any other fruit contamination will be investigated by the local police. We're not in a position to confirm each specific location at this stage. Company records show Pasquale Cufari is the sole director of Donnybrook Berries Property Holdings Pty Ltd, a Mildura-registered company that owns the 64-hectare farm at Elimbah, where the packing operation is located. Companies owned by him and registered at his Mildura address own the majority of the shares. A company that records show owns a minority shareholding, PH Pty Ltd, is also registered at the same address. Neighbours said the Elimbah business was by far the busiest fruit operation in the district. Credit:Fairfax Media Donnybrook Berries Property Holdings paid $2.35 million for the farm in late 2016, then in 2017 spent a further $4 million buying a larger fruit farm a few kilometres east near Bribie Island and another at Thulimbah near Stanthorpe near the NSW border, where the colder climate means the strawberry season can be extended into the summer.

The operating company at Elimbah, which runs refrigerated trucks as well as hiring the casual labour needed for strawberry picking, is MJC Farms Pty Ltd. Australian Strawberry Growers Association president Luigi Cocco declined to discuss Mr Cufari's business or background. "This is sensitive," he said. "Im not in a position to talk about that." "This is not about history or background. The strawberry industry all just want to be left in peace now," he said. Mr Cocco said police had told him he was "not allowed to talk" but Superintendent Lawrence disputed this.

"Thats news to me," he said. Pasquale Cufari was previously of interest to police and other criminal investigators. Mr Cufari was a target of investigations in the 1990s by the National Criminal Authority, the forerunner of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, into any influence of the Calabrian Mafia in Mildura. In 2003, Pasquale Cufari was named in a confidential Australian Crime Commission report on organised crime in Australia. Pasquale Cufaris business activities suffered a lull in the mid-1990s while he served five years of his seven-year jail sentence, but picked up significantly in recent years.

In 2016, his company Sylina Property Holdings Pty Ltd paid $6.6 million for an office block in central Adelaide. Mr Cufari hails from Plati in Reggio Calabria in southern mainland Italy, a stronghold of the NDragheta, or "Honoured Society" organised crime group. Alleged members of the group in Australia have been closely associated with the fruit trade, especially at the Victoria Market in Melbourne. In 2014, criminologist Anna Sergi, an expert on the Mafia, warned a Victorian parliamentary committee NDragheta clans in Australia were becoming increasingly involved in Australia. Dr Sergi told the committee that Italian investigators were concerned about a lack of intelligence-sharing on the issue between Australian and Italian authorities.
A woman who wants to conceive a child using donor sperm has won the right to access IVF without her estranged husband's consent, despite an existing law prohibiting her from doing so.

In a landmark decision which could set a legal precedent for similar cases in the future, the Federal Court has ruled in favour of allowing the woman to undergo in-vitro fertilisation to become pregnant, using her own eggs and donor sperm.

Victorias current reproductive treatment laws, introduced in 2008, prohibit any such procedure being provided to a woman who is married unless her husband consents.

But Judge John Griffiths ruled that legislation was "invalid and inoperative" in this case and that it discriminated against the woman on the basis of her marital status.
Australia's decision to ban Chinese telecoms firms from building its next-generation mobile phone network is a model for other nations, according to America's former chief cyber warrior.

Retired US Admiral Mike Rogers said that China was stepping up its internet intrusion efforts across the board as "the great equaliser" to offset US advantage in conventional warfare.

Admiral Mike Rogers was simultaneously director of the National Security Agency and the head of the Pentagon's US Cyber Command. Credit:Bloomberg

"And because the Chinese use such a wide spectrum of activity" in penetrating other countries for economic as well as military purposes, "there's no single answer" to countering them, he said in an interview with Fairfax Media.

"No one is levelling or decreasing their investment in cyber capability, everybody is trying to increase it," he said.
"Send reinforcements, we are going to advance". That through being "altered in transit" was relayed as "Send three and four pence, we are going to a dance". Same principle as the parlour game Chinese Whispers.

World War One? Apocryphal? Possibly. But it was a very real problem as sensitive military messages were transmitted from sub-station to sub-station. The submarine cable that ran from Darwin, through the Indonesian archipelago and on to "Mother England" during the First World War left Australia's communications, to say the least, vulnerable.

Ernest Fisk receiving PM Billy Hughe's message, 1918. Credit:Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd.

Billy Hughes, prime minister at the time, worried about it. Before the war Marconi, credited as the inventor of radio, had offered to personally come to Australia to advance Australia's communications but hostilities prevented that.

Ernest Fisk, born in England, was sent to Australia to establish Marconi operations locally and became managing director of Amalgamated Wireless (Australia) Ltd.
What that business was became a matter of conjecture among locals and of interest to the then National Crime Authority.

Which is why he built a 900-square-metre luxury home in Mildura with gold taps in the bathroom, a massive polished staircase, huge spa, giant TV and all the trimmings you would expect for a young man who had found a rich vein of business success.

When I popped up to have a look at this most impressive structure nearly 30 years ago I did not receive the welcome Kevin McCloud gets on that most excellent television program Grand Designs. Instead of a tour and a short black, 'Pat' threw lumps of dried yellow clay (the sculptured garden was not yet complete) at our car and yelled something that was not a welcome.

A quick check showed the house was valued at $1 million when the average price in Melbourne was a tad over $100,000.

Loading

The whispers about Pats rich income stream in this arid region didnt seem to worry him, as he owned a top-of-the-range Mercedes with the personalised plates CUFARI and his wife drove another Merc. (One of his younger relatives in the district drove a Porsche and bragged to police, I paid cash too".)

Years earlier, he had been charged over the cultivation of 3000 cannabis plants, but the case collapsed when the main witness against him refused to testify. When that man was released from jail, Cufari employed him as a tradesman to work on his mansion, proving that you can never have enough good help and Pat doesnt hold a grudge.
Polycarp Igathe has been promoted just five months after joining Equity Bank as the chief operating officer.

The former Nairobi deputy governor has been named the Managing Director of Equity Bank Kenya to mark the completion of the Groups strategy of separating the management of its subsidiaries from that of the Holding Company.

Dr James Mwangi, who has been the managing director of both Equity Bank Kenya and Equity Group Holdings, will now only head the parent company as Chief Executive and Managing Director providing overall strategic direction and oversight to the Group.

While unveiling the changes on Thursday, Mr Mwangi hailed Igathe as having distinguished himself as a results-oriented and committed business leader.

Polycarps strong values and passion have enabled him to quickly fit well in the Equity Group organisational culture, said Mwangi.

He is renowned for fostering productive partnerships with external stakeholders and customers, resulting in delivery of outstanding company results

He added: We believe he has the skills, competence, capability, and vision to retain Equity Bank Kenya in its leadership position while taking it to the next level.

Equity Bank Kenya holds the lion share of the Groups business and contributes over 80pc of the profitability.

The changes effected by Equity are part of reforms being undertaken by Kenyan multinational banks to boost management focus of the subsidiaries and their supervision by their parent companies.

Other banks that have started or completed similar operational and management changes include KCB Group, I&M Holdings, and NIC Group.
The man allegedly involved in a shooting spree in Queanbeyan is to set to face court in December.

He is allegedly involved in a shooting in the early hours of last Saturday morning on Monaro Street.

The man faced the Queanbeyan Local Court on Friday where he was refused bail and charged with three counts of shoot at with intent to murder.

He had been released from Canberra hospital on Thursday where he was arrested by ACT police, taken to the ACT Watch House and charged with a NSW court warrant.

The man then fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday where he was extradited to NSW to face charges in Queanbeyan.
Journalist Tracey Spicer, actors Angela Scundi and Erika Heynatz, and entertainer Tim Maddren will give evidence next year at a defamation trial brought by actor Craig McLachlan, a court has heard.

McLachlan, 53, is suing the ABC and Fairfax Media after an investigation published in January aired allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct made against him by female performers in the 2014 stage production of the Rocky Horror Show.

Craig McLachlan in The Rocky Horror Show. Credit:Janie Barrett

The actor is also suing Christie Whelan Browne, who performed alongside him in the production and spoke to journalists for the stories.

A trial, to be heard with a jury, is due to start on February 4.
A 15-year-old boy has died after the car he was a passenger in veered off the road, hit a parked car and crashed into a house on Brisbane's northside.

The two other occupants of the car fled the scene. One of them was later found injured and police said they know who the other occupant was and will seek a formal statement from them.

The scene in Stafford during the early hours of Saturday. Credit:Nine News Queensland - Twitter

The car careered off Appleby Road in Stafford about 2am, crashed through a fence and hit the front of a house.

The 15-year-old boy was declared dead at the scene. Another teenage boy who was in the car was later found and taken to Lady Cilento Children's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The 12-year-old victim of the second shark attack off the north Queensland coast has been named as Hannah Papps, who remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

The Melbourne girl was flown to Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane on Friday afternoon and her family issued a statement a few hours later.

Cid Harbour off Whitsunday Island, where a 12-year-old girl and 46-year-old woman were bitten. Credit:Tourism and Events Queensland

"We would like to thank everyone who has helped and cared for Hannah, including the police, emergency services and the hospital teams," the statement said.

"We ask that everyone, including the media, please respect our familys privacy during this very difficult time so we can focus our energies on Hannahs recovery.
Two men have been found guilty of importing 90 kilograms of cocaine into the Gold Coast via a luxury yacht.

Martin Mayers and Jordan Antic were on Friday convicted by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury over the Miami Vice-style smuggling operation but their co-accused Victor Jocic was acquitted.

A 90-kilogram cocaine haul arrived in Australia via the yacht Solay in 2015. Credit:Australian Federal Police.

UK citizen Mayers imported 66.5 kilograms of pure cocaine and Antic attempted to possess 29 kilograms of the drug before their arrest at a Gold Coast roadhouse in August 2015.

They will be sentenced at a later date.
Two pedestrians have been injured when a driverless freight train derailed in northern Tasmania.

TasRail alerted police at 9am on Friday that the automated train was out of control in the Devonport wharf area and would derail but, as was reported soon after the derailment, it did not know when or where.

The train, which was carrying cement and did not have any passengers, was travelling about 50km/h when it left the tracks near Formby Road about 9.10am.

It hit a fence opposite the Post Office, about 300 metres from the Harbourmaster Cafe, sending material flying.
Police are investigating whether a manager at a major bus company was for five years secretly selling spare bus parts for a profit.

A workshop manager at the Keysborough and Heatherton depots of Transdev was sacked on Thursday last week, after the international corporation detected potential theft and referred the man to police.

Transdev has referred the matter to police. Credit:Daniel Pockett

Under the scheme, the manager allegedly ordered surplus spare bus parts for the company and privately sold them on, pocketing the cash.

Police are investigating incidents that allegedly took place at locations across Melbourne between 2013 and 2018.
It has been more than a week since thieves broke into Boris Siguenzas home in the dead of night while he, his wife and their two-year-old son slept, and made off with his familys two cars.

One of the cars  his wife Emma's beloved Herbie replica  has been spotted by Cranbourne residents since then, but police have not yet recovered the VW Beetle or made any arrests.

The statistics show it is unlikely the family will get the car back  almost two-thirds of the states aggravated burglaries were not solved last year.

Of the 3075 residential aggravated burglaries reported in Victoria in the last financial year, 64 per cent remained unsolved as of June 30, along with 76 per cent of the 13,787 car thefts, figures from the Crime Statistics Agency show.
"If politicians inflate their qualifications they are named and shamed. However, few people are aware that in 1770 James Cook was a lieutenant not a captain in the British navy. Does Australias honour require his posthumous elevation to captain?"

Painting of Captain James Cook by John Webber.

So wrote Diana Wyndham of North Sydney in an unpublished letter to the Herald. A plaque on a statue to Cook in the industrial town of Whitby (HMB Endeavour started life as bulk coal carrier the Earl of Pembroke), has him as lieutenant on the first voyage of discovery.

So was he entitled to the honorific "captain", which seems to be used with some abandon? Be forewarned that nothing to do with the British Admiralty in the second half of the 1700s was entirely straightforward.

Even the BBC in a recent audio series describes the great navigator's maritime endeavours as The Three Voyages of Captain Cook.
The serious concerns of teachers and parents about the demise of play-based learning in West Australian primary schools appears to have been recognised, with play now a priority for 2019.

WA Education Department Acting Director General Jennifer McGrath's new Focus 2019 document for schools instructs administrations to emphasise the role of play-based learning in a balanced curriculum for kindergarten and pre-primary students.

Education experts, teachers and parents had previously warned the demise of play-based learning for Australian four and five year olds in schools was a crisis demanding attention.

In a growing number of schools young children were under too much pressure and teaching styles were too rigid, disregarding best practice in an effort to chase better test scores.
Nairobi based Tanzanian music producer Dr Sappy has finally spoken up on the beat down he received from Redsan earlier this week.

According to the beat maker, the bone of contention was copyright and royalties on The Baddest album, which Redsan launched last Saturday. Sappy says he had agreed with Redsan to have a sit down with Sony Music before the launch but the Shoulder Back hitmaker did not come through.

We agreed to work on the album and afterwards, well figure out issues to do with copyright. The agreement was that we would have a sit-down with Sony Music (where Redsan is signed) on Friday 14 before the Saturday performances to figure out the matter.

The agreement was that we would go for the band practice, appearances and interviews together but that was not to be, Sappy said.

He further claims that even after the album dropped on Saturday, Redsan was yet to communicate with him.

I figured that with the Tiwa Savage saga, he was probably under pressure and hed explain later as to why he went silent. On Sunday, Redsan called me but I did not receive his calls as I was out of town. I travelled back to Nairobi on Monday, Sappy said.

He continued: Come Monday, he caught me off-guard as he showed up at my studio demanding to know why I did not receive his calls.

Nikamuuliza ni nini bro? Mbona wakuja hivi? Sijapokea simu ni simu yangu, naeza pokea ama nisipokee.

Sappy said that Redsan accused him of being spiteful yet he (Redsan) had played a vital role in his(Sappy) career.

Their verbal confrontation turned physical after Redsan slapped Sappy.

I was left wondering why he beat me up yet I hadnt spoken negatively about him to the press or insulted him, lamented the producer.

Sappy now says he will not take legal action against Redsan over the assault as it is a non-issue. He is, however, working with his legal team to seek legal redress for his work on the album.
At a family gathering recently, we had a bit of a laugh about the different aspirational values embedded in the language of high-school mottos.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:Fairfax Media

"Let Your Light Shine", my year 7 son proclaimed with some pride. That's a good one, we agreed about his co-ed school's motto. My daughter, a year 8 student at an all-girls school, winced as she revealed, "That I May Serve". It turns out that her older cousin, who went to a different girls-only school, had the same motto. The boys attending the "brother" school of my daughter's must feel invincible by comparison, given they had "Hand on the Torch of Life".

As her aunt directed the girls to practise their service-centric motto and make us all a cup of tea, we continued the impromptu survey. My sisters and I had attended a country Catholic boarding school and could instantly summon the Latin version of "Virtue is the Way of Life". My brother-in-law, meanwhile, was encouraged to "Fight the Good Fight" at a boys' school in Wollongong. (I should have gone to that school.)

My brothers, who attended a boys-only boarding school, were told to "Strive for Better Things" (particularly in sport). My American-Jewish husband, who went to a Christian school in Atlanta, Georgia, couldn't remember his school motto. But he was certain it wasn't in Latin, like ours. A tipping point came with a timely call from a childhood friend: "Oh, fed if I can remember, but I'm sure it had something to do with being a virgin," she quipped.
The National Capital Authority will not allow pill testing at the Spilt Milk festival, which is held on Commonwealth-managed land. The NCA's board members are essentially business folk, with, to my delicate mind, perhaps a little too much background in aspects of making money from property development. I am sure that each deeply loves Canberra in her or his own way, but their history within it, background in its concerns, or expertise in moral, criminal or social concerns does not make obvious any capacity to make sensitive judgments on drug policy. According to the NCA website, the chairman is Terry Weber, who, when away from his work on the Canberra Raiders board, is a partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers who "provides specialist guidance in the areas of property, infrastructure, and facilities management, financial management and service delivery models for Australian and international governments and major corporate organisations". Also on the board is Chris Faulks, the former chief executive of the Canberra Business Council, an organisation "that forms strategic alliances with industry and government to support Canberra's economic development". Glenn Keys, a former Defence officer now also at the business council and the chief executive of Aspen Medical, "one of the leading providers of outsourced healthcare solutions"; and Dennis Richardson, another member of the Raiders board, who has at various times headed the Defence Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and ASIO. I should say in Richardson's defence that he was neither at ASIO nor on the NCA board when, in the NCA's second-weakest hour, it abandoned all of its functions and raison d'etre to supinely approve the construction of the Lubyanka, glassily glowering to the south along Constitution Avenue. NCA boards have never before agonised "about the safety of people attending events on national land", the words used by a spokeswoman to justify the intervention. If she was speaking for the Commonwealth as opposed to the little old NCA, she might have said so.

I cannot recall any similar concern for public safety during the Canberra Hospital implosion, where a young girl died, or when the parliamentary triangle was made a noisy racetrack for powerful cars. Perhaps it learnt something from both debacles, though if that was boldness in the public or the national interest it has not otherwise been evident. A supposedly independent statutory authority, subject to an independent board, capable of being bent to the government's will only by written direction, might well be named the National Carpet Authority. That one of its former chief executives is now on the ACT government payroll, spruiking the success of the West Basin real-estate development, accentuates the authority's lack of clout and status. Loading I expect that the minister to whom the board kowtows is Sussan Ley, a former Canberra citizen, and, until she became involved in Gold Coast property matters, a former health minister. While federal health minister Greg Hunt is not "owning" the NCA's decision, he has said the Commonwealth will not reconsider its opposition to pill testing. The board's silence as to whether it is following direction damages it and the NCA generally. Many people want a more powerful and better funded NCA, with guts and a strong sense of its proper purpose. But that will falter if it decides to become a second chamber of the ACT Legislative Assembly. An activist NCA with views on political, as opposed to planning, issues will quickly run out of authority and legitimacy.

A revived NCA focused on its real function might be able to rescue us from an ACT government seemingly bent on destroying many of the national capital's best features. If there is no NCA to insist on fidelity to good planning concepts, good design, good architecture, quality building standards and the preservation of both the built and the natural environment, who will? With self-government 29 years ago, the NCA was given powers to override the ACT government on land planning matters. The NCA was to be a trustee for the interest of all Australians in the quality of the national capital. By contrast, many feared that the ACT government would be full of short-termist and greedy politicians, who might end up dealing with the ACT's city, land and environment like local government councillors in NSW. When, in due course, just such tensions arose, the advocates for letting everything rip, including all too often their federal representatives, tended to suggest that this proved the dual system could not work. To the contrary, it proved it was working, and, as it happened in early days, mostly for the benefit of the nation and Canberrans. It was an American-style check and balance. Canberra, particularly in its national capital aspects, was for the ages. The vision, plan and broad environment deserved firm stewardship against those who willing to drop standards, to compromise the territory's birthright or environment, or to destroy the city's setting, systems of roads and streetscapes, and core features, including the lake, key roads and primary national buildings. Even those who had expected that local government would create an ethical and moral for-profit environment like that regularly found in Sydney and Wollongong municipalities could hardly have imagined the triumph of mateship, cronyism and secrecy that developed, or its resistance to any notion of transparency, public consultation or accountability. It was by no means the only deliberately inbuilt tension between mother and child. Another involved the allowance given to the departing child. Canberra did not get self-government primarily because the arguments of people favouring the idea of a right and a duty of Canberra citizens to govern themselves prevailed. We were thrown out of the nest. Federal (Labor) ministers thought that sustaining the costs of managing the territory was a burden, and that more of those costs should be imposed on Canberrans. If we wanted silk roads, we should tax ourselves to pay for them. Likewise with schools, health facilities and local government services of very high quality, being paid, it was said, by ordinary Australians without access to such quality. That many Canberrans sensed that self-government would mean fewer services and higher taxes, and probably second-rate politicians and bureaucrats, was one reason many people opposed the idea of self-government. Alas for them, that wasn't a choice.

The Canberra Times has tended to support the view of the NCA when it has come into conflict with territory planners. This was from hostility to Canberra's growth and development, or to change in how the city was organised. It comes from a feeling that a long view of the future of the city and its citizens is preferable to short-term thinking, posited on the idea that development, any development, meant jobs and was thus unopposable. It also comes from some pride that while the Canberra we knew had sometimes failed to excite or to lead, it had seldom settled for the inferior, the second-rate, reduced standards, or a quality of amenity lower than had been enjoyed here for generations. Still less did Canberra depend on massive appropriations of public property from the public into the private sector, before, after massive profits had been extracted, passage into the hands of hapless citizens. Over the first 75 years of federation, Liberal as much as Labor politicians had deplored land speculation in the ACT, declaring that there was profit enough to be made from improvements on the land. My outrage at the NCA trick is not founded on the notion that it is for the people of the ACT, not the nation as a whole, to decide about social policies such as pill clinics. I myself think the ACT government position better (and braver) on this one, but it is not necessarily a matter of local sovereignty as a matter of principle. Those saying local sovereignty is a fundamental principle use such arguments only when it suits them. I was recently reminded that Labor teamed with smaller parties in the Senate to quash legislation by Gary Humphries' (Liberal) government that would have converted 99-year leases to 999-year leases. Amen to that. My objection is to abuse of a power given for another purpose. It was T. S. Eliot, I think, who spoke of the last temptation as the "greatest treason  to do the right deed for the wrong reason". Or the wrong deed for the wrong reason. And all the more detestable when it is mere posturing, or what today's conservatives sometimes call "virtue signalling".
Scholarly, agonising, mind-wankers, trained by intellectual giants like me to examine every opinion you have, are a total, impossible pain in the bum for pollsters. Here, Ill show you what I mean. Ill pretend to be a Fairfax/Ipsos pollster and to ask you Mondays poll questions while you pretend to be one of the plain polled.

But how do the pollsters know to avoid me? How do they know Im an intellectual? I marvelled.

Im not entirely sure, Socrates said, because we didnt have social media in ancient Athens. But it may be that like artful advertisers they harvest some of this new-fangled granular data about you, from your social media habits, and know who and what you are. Your arty-farty YouTube habits are a real giveaway. All that pretentious opera and art. Your eggheadedness sticks out like the proverbial. But lets get going. Im the pollster, youre the polled. Ready?

Almost three intellectually exhausting hours later, with a drawn-out pollster/polled interview designed to take only a snappy 10 minutes, Socrates and I were still not finished.

With every Fairfax/Ipsos question put to me Id been incapable of a ready, snappy answer. Id uttered many a Can I get back to you on that one tomorrow after Ive thought about it? I had often mused to my pollster that, well, it all ill depended on what was meant by concepts such as competence, openness to ideas, trustworthiness.
When Prime Minister Scott Morrison called his surprise royal commission into the aged-care sector on Sunday one of the most striking reactions was on the stockmarket.

Shares in the four largest listed aged-care companies plunged amid fears the commissions probe will result in more regulation on the sector and reduced profitability.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt address the media this week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Its one marker of how much the aged-care sector has changed over the past 25 years. Another is the emergence of Uber-style online platforms that connect aged-care consumers with mobile home-care workers.

Like many social services, markets have played an increasing role in the delivery of aged-care services, including more competitive methods to allocate public funds.
London: A defiant Theresa May has demanded respect from EU leaders and ordered they come up with a way to resolve the impasse in the Brexit negotiations and reminded that she would opt for a no deal scenario rather than accept a bad one.

In contrast to her shaky performance at Salzburg where EU leaders rejected her Chequers proposal, a stern-sounding May warned EU leaders against demanding the unattainable from Britain - specifically anything that would create a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland which would risk the north leaving the United Kingdom.

While she did not directly address Instagram stories posted by Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, in which he was pictured offering her a cake with the caption "sorry, no cherries", the Prime Minister demanded the EU show her the respect that she has always given them.

"Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same," she said. "A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it."
A Justice Department spokeswoman also provided a statement from a person who was present when Rosenstein proposed wearing a wire. The person, who would not be named, acknowledged the remark but said Rosenstein made it sarcastically. But according to the others who described his comments, Rosenstein not only confirmed that he was serious about the idea but also followed up by suggesting that other FBI officials who were interviewing to be the bureau's director could also secretly record Trump. Donald Trump's erratic behaviour is said to be the catalyst for Rod Rosenstein's extreme suggestion. Credit:AP McCabe, who was later fired from the FBI, declined to comment. His memos have been turned over to the special counsel investigating whether Trump associates conspired with Russia's election interference, Robert Mueller, according to a lawyer for McCabe. "A set of those memos remained at the FBI at the time of his departure in late January 2018," the lawyer, Michael R. Bromwich, said of his client. "He has no knowledge of how any member of the media obtained those memos."

Caught by surprise Days after ascending to the role of the nation's No. 2 law enforcement officer, Rosenstein was thrust into a crisis. Loading On a brisk May day, Rosenstein and his boss, Sessions, joined Trump in the Oval Office, where the President informed them of his plan to oust Comey. To the surprise of White House aides who were trying to talk the President out of it, Rosenstein embraced the idea, even offering to write the memo about the Clinton email inquiry. He turned it in shortly after.

A day later, Trump announced the firing, and White House aides released Rosenstein's memo, labelling it the basis for Comey's dismissal. Democrats sharply criticised Rosenstein, accusing him of helping to create a cover story for the president to rationalise the termination. "You wrote a memo you knew would be used to perpetuate a lie," Senator Christopher Murphy wrote on Twitter. "You own this debacle." The President's reliance on his memo caught Rosenstein by surprise, and he became angry at Trump, according to people who spoke to Rosenstein at the time. He grew concerned that his reputation had suffered harm and wondered whether Trump had motives beyond Comey's treatment of Clinton for ousting him, the people said. Loading A determined Rosenstein began telling associates that he would ultimately be "vindicated" for his role in the matter. One week after the firing, Rosenstein met with McCabe and at least four other senior Justice Department officials, in part to explain his role in the situation.

During their discussion, Rosenstein expressed frustration at how Trump had conducted the search for a new FBI director, saying the President was failing to take the candidate interviews seriously. A handful of politicians and law enforcement officials, including McCabe, were under consideration. To Rosenstein, the hiring process was emblematic of broader disfunction stemming from the White House. He said both the process and the administration itself were in disarray, according to two people familiar with the discussion. Rosenstein then raised the idea of wearing a recording device or "wire", as he put it, to secretly tape the President when he visited the White House. One participant asked whether Rosenstein was serious, and he replied animatedly that he was. If not him, then McCabe or other FBI officials interviewing with Trump for the job could perhaps wear a wire or otherwise record the President, Rosenstein offered. White House officials never checked his phone when he arrived for meetings there, Rosenstein added, implying it would be easy to secretly record Trump. Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein (right) reportedly said he could convince his boss, Attorney-General Jeff Sessions (left), to invoke the 25th Amendment. Credit:AP

The suggestion itself was remarkable. While informants or undercover agents regularly use concealed listening devices to surreptitiously gather evidence for federal investigators, they are typically targeting drug kingpins and Mafia bosses in criminal investigations, not a President viewed as ineffectively conducting his duties. In the end, the idea went nowhere, the officials said. But they called Rosenstein's comments an example of how erratically he was behaving while he was taking part in the interviews for a replacement FBI director, considering the appointment of a special counsel and otherwise running the day-to-day operations of the more than 100,000 people at the Justice Department. Rosenstein's suggestion about the 25th Amendment was similarly a sensitive topic. The amendment allows for the vice president and majority of Cabinet officials to declare the president is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office". Loading Merely conducting a straw poll, even if Kelly and Sessions were on board, would be risky if another administration official were to tell the president, who could fire everyone involved to end the effort.
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Credit pressure remains on Australias banks, according to global ratings agency S&P.

This warning comes despite the agency revising its outlook on the Commonwealth of Australia from negative to stable.

The revision reflects the reduced likelihood of one of the downgrade scenarios for the four major Australian banks and Cuscal Ltd. which S&P Global Ratings had previously included.

However it said the pressure remains on government supportiveness for Australian banks. It has kept the outlooks on all four major banks as well as Cuscal and Macquarie Bank Ltd. as negative.

S&P Global Ratings assigned each of the majors a long-term issuer credit rating three notches above their respective stand-alone credit profiles (SACP). This is due to the view that the Australian government is likely to provide timely financial support, if needed, to each of the banks.

The long-term issuer credit ratings on Macquarie Bank and Cuscal are two notches above their respective SACPs, due to the belief these institutions would also be potential recipients of timely financial support from the Australian government, if required.

In the statement S&P Global Ratings said, A lowering of our sovereign rating on Australia would have resulted in a downgrade of each of the major Australian banks and Cuscal, reflecting the sovereign's diminished capacity to support the institutions in that scenario.

We now consider this to be a low probability scenario, as reflected in the revision in our outlook on the Australian sovereign to stable from negative.

Nevertheless, we consider there remains a one-in-three risk of a downgrade of the four major Australian banks, Macquarie Bank, and Cuscal over the next two years because we may revise our assessment of the government's tendency to support systemically important private-sector banks in Australia to supportive from highly supportive during this time.

This downgrade scenario has already been a part of our negative outlook on the six institutions listed above.

The group listed likely triggers which would prompt them to review the assessment of government supportiveness:

 Government or regulatory announcements indicating a possible diminution in the government's appetite to support a failing bank;

 Development of a bank resolution framework that envisages statutory bail-in of senior debt;

 Introduction of a total loss absorbing capacity framework; or

 A further shift in global landscape toward a reduction in government support for banking systems.
Muranga Senator Irungu Kangata last Saturday said I Do to his soul mate Mary Wambui in a colourful wedding graced by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The wedding, held at Gathinja Catholic Church in Kahuhia constituency, Muranga county, solemnized their union of eight years.

Speaking about Uhurus presence at his wedding, the Senator said: It is rare that he attend weddings, so I dont take that for granted.

He added that his wedding benefitted his Muranga constituents in Kahuhia, with Uhuru splashing millions as a wedding gift to the newlyweds.

I was also happy for Muranga people because they also got some benefits from my wedding. As a gift for my wedding, the President gave goodies worth Sh5 million to the people of Gathinja Day School, a bus to the neighbouring Mukangu Day School and promised to tarmac a road for them as well, said Kangata.

The wedding also saw Kangata honour his ailing fathers wish.

Although my parents are very sick, they are very proud of me and the far I have come. My father has a terminal illness that we have decided not to even disclose to him, while my mum is diabetic and also suffering from a heart attack. She is immobilised and cant move on her own. They are under medication and we are wishing them well, he said.

According to the Senator, he met the love of his life when she was still in high school.

I met my wife in 2007 when she was a form four student at Mugoiri girls. She was a frequent visitor to her aunt in the area who was a secretary., recalled Kangata.

After she finished high school, we started dating while I was still a young lawyer in a law firm called Gacheru and Company, in Muranga county.

The couple started living together while she was still in university and had a customary marriage after she became pregnant while in the third year.

Wambui is an accountant and they have three children: Rita, Eun, and Etan.

Some photos from the wedding:
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Its a triple-cantilever threat!

The Brooklyn Heights Promenade  the historic walkway that some say makes the Heights the Heights  will become a speedway for Brooklyn-Queens Expressway traffic, sending cars, trucks, and buses zipping by at eye-level during the reconstruction of the crumbling roadway beneath, transit leaders announced on Thursday.

In order to get the job done by 2026, the city must shift all traffic on the decrepit roadway to a temporary elevated one at the promenade level for at least three years  half the time it will take to finish the job  while contractors build a new triple-cantilever structure, according to Tanvi Pandya, project manager with the citys Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the repairs.

And Pandya did not mince words when describing the effects the new route will have on the quiet neighborhood.

That is a dramatic impact, she said.

To make way for the cars, workers would have to erect columns along Furman Street, tear out the existing Promenade and its trees, and lay down enough blacktop to make a six-lane roadway  something that could take a year and a half to pull off, thus closing the park to the public well before cars make it their home.

Traffic would then shift from the current roadway to the temporary one while workers build the new tiered, cantilever structure, before bringing it back down to the rehabbed BQE, according to Pandya.

On the bright side, the new Promenade will be 35 feet wider after work is finished, according to Pandya, who said the city would try to incentivize the yet-be-selected contractor to finish as quickly as possible. The roadway below would feature wider lanes and shoulders  something missing from he 1950s-era highway.

Alternatively, the city could close the Promenade for a shorter period of time and not move cars to it if it chooses a plan that would refurbish the triple cantilever on a lane-by-lane basis. But that plan would take until at least 2029  three years past the believed end of life for the present highway, when experts warn it could start collapsing under the weight of the thousands of trucks that traverse it daily.

The incremental reconstruction plan, which the city is calling the traditional approach, would cost between $3.4-and-$4-billion and wreak havoc on local streets, causing backups for up to 12 miles, according to Pandya, who said more of the work would be done in the middle of the night and on weekends.

Work to rehabilitate the 1.5-mile stretch of expressway from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street can start as early as 2020 and wrap by 2026, now that state lawmakers passed a budget authorizing use of the streamlined design-build process for the city-led job, which will allow the Department of Transportation to solicit one bid for both the design and construction phases of the project, instead of contracting separate firms for each.

Transit leaders will present the two options to the community throughout the fall  the first during a public meeting on Sept. 27  until selecting a design-build team, which will ultimately decide the best approach for rehabilitating the old infrastructure, according to Pandya.

Officials believe there are more benefits to doing all the work in one fell swoop, even if that means closing the nearly 70-year-old Promenade, which was constructed by New York City master builder Robert Moses as a comprise with Heights residents who didnt want homes in their neighborhood demolished to make way for his beloved highway.

Ive had Brooklyn Heights residents say to me, We know Robert Moses built the thing on the cheap and this day would come when it would need to be replaced, reconstructed, and rehabilitated, said Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.

And that day has come.

Public meeting on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway at the National Grid Auditorium (1 MetroTech Center, 2nd floor) Sept. 27 at 6:30 pm.

Reach reporter Julianne Cuba at (718) 2604577 or by e-mail at jcuba @cngl ocal.com . Follow her on Twitter @julcuba.
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president will hold a dialogue with eminent academicians Saturday as part of attempts to reach out to all sections of society ahead of the 2019 polls.

The event will be held in the Siri Fort auditorium here and several leading academicians from across the country are expected to participate in it, sources said.

The event was to be held on August 18, but was postponed following former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's demise on August 16.
The Congress Friday stepped up its attack on the alleging that the government's "complicity, collusion and conspiracy" to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "crony friend" has been exposed following former French President Francois Hollande's reported comments.

Hollande was quoted by the French media as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 580-billion Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.



"Cat's out of the Bag!!! Complicity, Collusion & Conspiracy of Modi Govt in denying the PSU, HAL a 30,000 Cr (Rs 300 billion) 'offset contract' to benefit PM's crony friend exposed!" Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.

In a jibe at Modi, he said the "watchman" is not only just party to corruption, but is the "real criminal".



Cats out of the Bag!!!



Complicity, Collusion & Conspiracy of Modi Govt in denying the PSU, HAL a 30,000 Cr offset contract to benefit PMs crony friend exposed!



     



  - ,   ,   pic.twitter.com/CH5oyYqTro  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) September 21, 2018

Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "In the NDA-negotiated Rafale aircraft deal, we have got no aircraft, we have got only lies. What is the new lie that the government will put out in response to Mr Hollande?"

"Defence Minister has been called out again! This time by then President of France, Mr Hollande," he said.



In the NDA negotiated Rafale aircraft deal, we have got no aircraft, we have got only lies.

What is the new lie that the government will put out in response to Mr Hollande?  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 21, 2018

The Congress, from its official Twitter handle, said the former French President had exposed "the web of lies" spun by the Modi government.



Former President of France Francois Hollande exposes the web of lies spun by the Modi Govt. The Modi Govt compelled Dassault to tie up with the Reliance group.https://t.co/lXdYIL0VAr#ModiRafaleLiesExposed pic.twitter.com/DLyvGjNAeD  Congress (@INCIndia) September 21, 2018

"President (former) should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crore (Rs 5.9 billion) in 2012 to 1,690 crore (Rs 16.9 billion) in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1,100 crore (Rs 11 billion). I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari tweeted.



President ( Former) should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crores in 2012 to 1690 crores in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crores. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate @jubouissou @fhollande https://t.co/j9aJbc6EAy  Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) September 21, 2018

Another Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged that "Rafale Minister" and "Reliance Defence's Publicity Minister" colluded to throw HAL out of the deal and hand it over to their dear friend.

" Security can go take a hike. Yaara Teri Yaari, Desh se zyaada Pyaari," she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris.

The opposition has been accusing the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.
The on Friday hailed India's acceptance of Pakistani proposal for talks between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session in New York and termed it as a "terrific news".

"We saw that (reports of meetings between Indian and Pak leaders). I think that's a terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

On Thursday, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar announced that India has agreed to a meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Pakistan's request. He, however, made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue.

Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister

"We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and also Prime Minister Modi. And we hope that the conditions will be set for a good strong relationship, a good strong bilateral relationship in the future," she said



The has traditionally welcomed any talks between India and Pakistan, the pace of which, it has noted, depends on the leadership of the two countries.

"In general, the supports dialogue between India and Pakistan that can reduce tensions, and we understand and had frequent conversations with the Indian partners on the expectations that there would be demonstrable reduction in cross-border terrorism or infiltration that will help create the confidence for dialogue to take place," Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had told reporters during a conference call last week.
Adding fuel to the ongoing Rafale controversy, former French President Francois Hollande in an interview to a media house said that Dassault Aviation was given no choice but to partner with Anil Ambani-led for the offset clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

In an article published by French journal Mediapart, Hollande on a question about who selected Reliance as a partner and why, said it was the Indian government that proposed Reliance's name and Dassault had no choice but to take the company given to it.

"We did not have a say in that. The Indian government proposed this service group, and Dassault negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor we were given," said Hollande. The interview was published in French and excerpts of Hollande's interview were tweeted by French Newspaper LeMonde journalist Julien Boissou.

Hollande's reported statement contradicts Indian government's claim that the agreement between Dassault and Reliance was a commercial pact between two private parties and the government had nothing to do with it.

Responding to the interview, spokesperson tweeted: "The report referring to former French President Mr. Hollande's statement that GoI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified. It is reiterated that neither GoI nor French Govt had any say in the commercial decision."



The report referring to fmr French president Mr. Hollande's statement that GOI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified.

It is reiterated that neither GoI nor French Govt had any say in the commercial decision.  Defence Spokesperson (@SpokespersonMoD) September 21, 2018

Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday immediately retweeted this article and asked Hollande: "President (Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 5.9 billion in 2012 to 16.9 billion in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 11 billion. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate."

President ( Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crores in 2012 to 1690 crores in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crores. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate @jubouissou @fhollande https://t.co/j9aJbc6EAy  Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) September 21, 2018

Verified Timothy or a panic effort to head off @fhollande from telling the full story of why and how a 590 crore Rafale aircraft was bought for 1690 crores. As @ambkcsingh rightly said when it rains it kinda pours. 1100 crore X 36 = 39,600 crores ! Lots at stake ! RUSH https://t.co/rvKlwDBoEy  Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) September 21, 2018

Responding to Congress attacks on the government for keeping Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) out of the under offset clause, both Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been constantly stressing that Dassault and Reliance got into an agreement on their own.

Former chairman and managaing director (CMD) of HAL, T. Suvarna Raju, in an interview to a media house claimed that Dassault and HAL had signed the mutual workshare contract and given it to the government. He further said that the life-cycle costs of the aircraft would have been cheaper if the aircraft were made in India.

However, contradicting this, defence sources on Thursday claimed disagreements between HAL and Dassault Aviation had led to the collapse of negotiations between the two in the Rafale fighter plane deal during the UPA term.
continued to soar as oil marketing companies revised the rates on Friday morning. saw an increase of 10 paise per litre in New Delhi and in were hiked by 9 paise per litre.

However, remained unchanged for the fourth consecutive day across the four metros - New Delhi, Mumbai, and Petrol now costs Rs 82.32 per litre in New Delhi and Rs 89.69 per litre in Similarly, diesel is priced at Rs 73.87 per litre in New Delhi and Rs Rs 78.42 per litre.

On Thursday, saw a hike of 6 paise per litre in three metropolitan cities - Delhi, and - to be sold at Rs 82.22, Rs. 89.60, Rs 84.70, respectively.

Price of a litre of petrol in was increased by 7 paise to be sold at Rs 85.48.

The have been witnessing a steep rise since the past few weeks. Earlier, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had blamed international factors for the hike in the prices of petroleum products. Meanwhile, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) Chairman Mukesh K Surana has said that the Centre is working to increase local production of oil and gas to soften the impact of zooming Petrol
chief led a blistering opposition attack on Prime Minister on Friday over the Rafale deal, accusing him of betraying India and dishonouring its soldiers, after former French president Francois Hollande's reported remarks contradicting the Indian government's stand.

Hollande was quoted by a French publication as saying that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the partner for in the Rs 580 bn Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.

Leaders of the Congress, the Left and the among others lashed out at the government soon after Hollande's comments were reported.

tweeted, "The PM personally negotiated & changed the behind closed doors. Thanks to Franois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers."



The chief has been repeatedly targeting the government over the fighter aircraft deal, alleging corruption and cronyism.

"In the NDA-negotiated Rafale aircraft deal, we have got no aircraft, we have got only lies. What is the new lie that the government will put out in response to Mr Hollande? has been called out again! This time by then President of France, Mr Hollande," leader P Chidambaram said.

The ruling BJP did not offer any official comment immediately while the said in a tweet that it is verifying the "Hollande's statement that GOI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the in Rafale".

"It is reiterated that neither the government of India nor the French government had any say in the commercial decision," it added.

BJP MP said "this is serious, if accurately reported".

Congress' chief spokesperson alleged that Modi "hid behind the smokescreen of web of lies that he had weaved".

"Truth always prevails. Congress President asked the Prime Minister in Parliament to look him into his eye and tell the truth. Prime Minister did not dare to look straight. PM Modi looked away," he said.

He alleged that not only did the prime minister lie, but he made the defence minister, the finance minister and the law minister lie along with him.

"The collusion, the conspiracy and the complicity of the Modi government in denying a Rs 300 bn contract to public sector undertaking HAL in favour of Modi ji's crony friend has now been exposed by the former French President.

"Truth is now out in the open for everyone to see and adjudge. It is now clear that chowkidar hi gunahgar hai (the watchman is the culprit)," Surjewala said



The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yachury accused the government of lying and misleading people.

"This is a scam if there was one. The Modi govt has lied and misled Indians. The whole truth must come out now. Why was the Indian government batting for one corporate house with no experience in defence manufacture?" Yechury tweeted.

In a swipe at Modi, leader and Delhi Chief Minister asked the prime minister to come clean.

"The country wants to know the truth. Complete truth. Everyday Indian government's comments are turning out to false. People have started believing that something bad has really happened. Why else the government will lie everyday," he tweeted.
On the first Sunday of this month, Temsuyanger Longkumer arrived in Kerala and walked around Fort Kochi, which was once home to the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and then the English. I walked around in the sun so much that I almost got a sunstroke, says the London-based multimedia artist, laughing.

In town to see the sites that could potentially host his work, Longkumer is among the first batch of artists who have travelled to Kerala in preparation for the fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale that kicks off on December 12. Last week, when 46 tourists from ...
Minister Thursday ordered a safety audit of all scheduled airlines and airports, amid recent incidents related to the safety of passengers.

The development assumes significance as it comes on a day when at least 30 passengers on a from Mumbai to Jaipur suffered nose and ear bleeding after the crew "forgot" to turn on a switch that controls cabin air pressure.

The minister has also ordered a probe into the incident, which is being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), an official statement said.

In recent times, there have been incidents of mid-air engine failures, involving the Pratt and Whitney (P&W) engine-powered Airbus A320 neo planes being operated by domestic budget carriers IndiGo and GoAir.

The minister has directed officials concerned to prepare a comprehensive safety audit plan, which involves assessment of safety parameters of all scheduled airlines, aerodromes, flying training schools and MROs (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Organisations) immediately, the statement said.

This comes weeks after the aviation regulator conducted a comprehensive financial audit of and Jet Airways along with special safety audit of scheduled commuter airlines and

"Minister has further directed that safety audit should be commenced forthwith and a report to this effect should be submitted for his perusal within 30 days," the statement added.

Last month, Prabhu asked the to submit a report on the status of these planes after IndiGo grounded five of its A320 neos due to non-availability of spare P&W engines.

At that time, he had asserted that the security of passengers is of paramount importance and it should not be compromised at any cost.

On the other hand, Jet Airways has reported as many as three incidents, including the one that took place Thursday, involving its pilots.

On August 6, the suspended flying licence of two of its pilots pending investigation after the commander attempted a take-off from a taxiway at Riyadh airport.

This resulted in the Boeing 737 aircraft, with 141 passengers on board, exceeding the the taxiway on to the unpaved area and ending up close to the exit of the taxiway.

ALSO READ: Income tax department conducts survey operation at Jet Airways

On August 25, a Jet Airways Boeing 777 flight which was taxiing for take off for London from Delhi reportedly came to a sudden halt as the pilot did not have the ATC clearance.

Subsequently, both of its pilots were taken off from flying duties till investigations were completed.
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.



In Beijing, the Chinese government expressed anger and demanded the sanctions be withdrawn.



The U.S. State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on China's Equipment Development Department (EDD), the military branch responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in "significant transactions" with Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms exporter.



The sanctions are related to China's purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.



They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating in the U.S. financial system.



It also adds them to the Treasury Department's list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.



The U.S. also blacklisted another 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known as the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.



CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syria's civil war.



"China expresses strong indignation at these unreasonable actions by the U.S. side and has already lodged stern representations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters in Beijing, adding the moved seriously harmed bilateral relations and military ties.



"We strongly urge the U.S. side to immediately correct the mistake and rescind the so-called sanctions, otherwise the U.S. side will necessarily bear responsibility for the consequences," he said, without giving details.



China has "normal" military exchanges and cooperation with Russia, aimed at protecting regional peace and stability, which is not against international law or aimed at any third party, Geng added.



China will continue to work with Russia to promote strategic cooperation at an even higher level, he said.



Doing significant business with anyone on the U.S. blacklist can trigger sanctions like those imposed on China.



Some of those added to the list, which now contains 72 names, were indicted in connection with Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, a U.S. official said.



President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order intended to facilitate implementation of the sanctions.



AIMED AT MOSCOW - OR BEIJING?



One U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.



"The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia. CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country," the official told reporters on a conference call.



"They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities," the official said.



In Moscow, Russian member of parliament Franz Klintsevich said the sanctions would not affect the S-400 and SU-35 deals.



"I am sure that these contracts will be executed in line with the schedule," Klintsevich was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency. "The possession of this military equipment is very important for China."



Security analysts in Asia said the move was largely symbolic and would only push Moscow and Beijing closer together.







REUTERS


Rupee traded strong as the Fed statement of not being so keen to increase rates early has put pressure on the dollar index, says an analyst
An employee at a Rite Aid warehouse opened fire at work, killing three people before taking her own life, authorities said. Several other people were wounded.

The suspect was a 26-year-old temporary employee at the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told a news conference.

She had been taken into custody in critical condition that morning. Her name was not immediately released.

It appears only one weapon, a handgun, was used and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Gahler said. The shooter used a 9 mm Glock that was registered in her name, he said. He said authorities don't know her motive.

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, works at the facility and told her told her that the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a "Town Hall meeting." "And she went off," she said.

Watson said her husband told her the shooting started in a break room. "She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting," Watson said as she drove away from a fire station where relatives tried to reunite with loved ones.

"She didn't aim. She just shot," Watson said.

Area hospitals reported receiving five patients from the incident. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore said it was treating four patients with gunshot wounds. Two were in stable condition and two who were seriously injured.

A spokesman for a health system that includes Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, said one patient was being treated there. Christiana Care Health System spokesman Hiran Ratnayake said the person was in serious condition.

Gahler said the call about shots fired came in at about 9:06 a.m. and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes. Mike Carre, an employee of a furniture logistics operation next to the distribution center, said he helped tend to a wounded man.

Carre locked the doors of his workplace after the injured man came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg. He called 911 from a bathroom before helping colleagues wrap the man's blood-soaked jeans above his injury to cut off blood flow.

Carre said the man told him the shooter "just came in in a bad mood this morning. He said she's usually nice. But today, I guess it wasn't her day. She just came in to pick a fight with someone." "She pulled out a gun and she just started shooting at her co-workers." At a nearby fire station, family members were waiting to be reunited with loved ones. Police blocked off the road outside but were waving in cars driven by people who said they were there to meet up with people who were at the distribution center.

Reggie Rodgriguez's mother works at the distribution center. His wife had tried calling her numerous times but got no answer.

"I was calling her all morning. It went to voicemail because they keep their phones in lockers," said Kelly Rodriguez, 40.

When they finally reached his mother Thursday afternoon, Reggie Rodriguez said, "That's all I wanted to do: Hear her voice." His mother was uninjured. He said she sounded relieved the crisis was over.

A law enforcement official said authorities were working their way through the distribution center to clear the facility.

"We obviously need to methodically go through the entire complex, ensure there are no other victims inside, ensure that there is no one that was hiding from violence and ensure that there were no other suspects," said Christie Hopkins is communications director for the sheriff's office.

"At this time, we are confident that the suspect acted alone. And that person is in custody. We do not believe there is any further threat to the community now, but we still have to completely clear that building." The attack came nearly three months after a man armed with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper.

Susan Henderson, spokesman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the warehouse as a support facility adjacent to a larger building. Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that unfortunately, incidents like this are "becoming a too-often occurrence not only in Harford County but in the country.
employees discussed how to counter President Donald Trump's 2017 travel ban by modifying search functions to help people contribute to immigration advocacy groups and contact lawmakers, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

They began the email discussion two days after Trump signed the first version of his travel ban targeting people from seven mainly Muslim countries, the paper reported.

Staff discussed how to tweak search functions and work against "islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms 'Islam', 'Muslim', 'Iran', etc.", the Journal reported.

They looked at similar measures for the search terms 'Mexico', 'Hispanic', 'Latino', etc."



An email from an employee of the Search Product Marketing division referred to brainstorming inside over how to respond to ban.



Trump's controversial measure was challenged in court and underwent several iterations before ultimately being upheld by the US Supreme Court. The report is certain to anger Trump, who has accused of blocking conservative viewpoints in its search results.

Google told the Journal that none of the ideas discussed were ever implemented.

"Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideology -- not in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trump's executive order on immigration," it said in a statement.



"Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies," it added.

Google was among 100 tech that filed a friend-of-the-court brief in February 2017 challenging the travel ban as harmful to US "business, innovation and growth".
ON AN OCTOBER AFTERNOON BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION, a huge banner was unfurled from the Manhattan Bridge in New York City: Vladimir V. Putin against a Russian-flag background, and the unlikely word Peacemaker below. It was a daredevil happy birthday to the Russian president, who was turning 64. In November, shortly after Donald J. Trump eked out a victory that Moscow had worked to assist, an even bigger banner appeared, this time on the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington: the face of President Barack Obama and Goodbye Murderer in big red ...
The United States hit a Chinese military organisation with punishing financial sanctions for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles as it stepped up pressure on Moscow over its "malign activities".

It was the first time the Trump administration targeted a third country with its sanctions, designed to punish Russia for its seizure of and other activities.

The State Department said it was applying the 2017 legislation against the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese for its purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

At the same time, the State Department also announced it was placing 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist under the rules.

"The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia," a senior administration official told journalists, insisting on anonymity.

" sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country. They are aimed at imposing costs on Russia in response to its malign activities."



CAATSA, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, was passed in 2017 as a tool that gives the Trump administration more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.

With regard to Russia, CAATSA arises from the country's "aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities," the State Department said.

"We will continue to vigorously implement CAATSA and urge all countries to curtail relationships with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors, both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide," it said.

The senior official said EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, were hit with sanctions because of the purchases made from Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms export entity already on the CAATSA blacklist for its support of the Assad regime in Syria.

The sanctions freeze any of EDD's and Li's assets in US jurisdictions. They restrict EDD's access to global financial markets by blocking foreign exchange transactions under US jurisdiction or any transactions in the US financial system.

The Russians named for CAATSA blacklisting have all been named previously under other regimes. They include private paramilitary contractor PMC Wagner, and Russian Defence Ministry procurement group Oboronlogistika, and KNAAP, Russia's largest aircraft manufacturer.

They also include 25 Russians and three Russian companies who were indicted over the past year by Russia collusion investigator Robert Mueller for their involvement in political meddling and hacking during the 2016 election.

In addition, the chief of the Russian military intelligence body GRU, Igor Korobov, and deputy chief Sergey Gizunov, were also hit with the CAATSA sanctions.
At least 44 people were killed after a passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people capsized on Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Thursday.

The ferry overturned between the two islands in Lake Victoria, which is the largest lake in Africa, passing through Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, CNN reported.

According to local media, the exact number of those on board was not known as the boat was believed to be carrying people beyond the stipulated capacity. The ferry was thought to be carrying between 400 to 500 people.

Emergency response teams pulled 37 people out of the water during rescue operations, which was stopped due to poor visibility.

Regional Commissioner John Mongella told local Tanzania television channel ITV that the rescue operations would resume in the morning.

Boat accidents are common in the eastern African country, where ferries are often overcrowded and unsafe. In 2011, around 200 people died after an overloaded vessel was hit by gusty winds off Zanzibar island in the Indian Ocean.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Friday said that his party will not allow even a single infiltrator in India when they return to power in 2019.

"Recently in Assam, the NRC ( Register of Citizens) draft was released from which 40 lakh people were removed. However, Opposition leaders protested against it in Parliament saying what will happen to their human rights. I want to ask Rahul Gandhi and his company that they can see the human rights of these infiltrators who come to India and do violence, can't they see the human rights of children of our people? Are you worried about the intruders or the youth of this country? After 2019, we won't allow even a single infiltrator in India," Shah said while addressing a rally here.

Continuing his attack on the Congress president, Shah said, "I was watching Rahul Gandhi address a rally. He said that this time Congress will come to power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. There are no restrictions to dream. But can a person see dreams in daylight? I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that since Narendra Modi has become the Prime Minister in 2014, you can check the results of various elections across the country, and then speak what will happen in these three states. From East to West and North to South, BJP has won every election in the country."

He added, "I want to tell you that whether it is West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu or Kerala, you will see in 2019 how BJP will emerge as the winner. They like dreaming, BJP likes fulfilling them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Alibaba founder Jack Ma has backed off on his promise of creating one million jobs in the United States due to the ongoing trade war between Beijing and Washington.

Citing CNN, Ma told Xinhua that the waves of tariffs slapped by the two countries in the past few months had forced him to abandon the plan.

"This promise was on the basis of friendly China-US cooperation and reasonable bilateral trade relations, but the current situation has already destroyed that basis. This promise can't be completed," the Chinese tech tycoon remarked.

Ma had earlier made the pledge of creating a million American jobs when he had met then US president-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York last year.

However, the 54-year-old said that Alibaba "will not stop promoting the healthy development of China-US trade."

Earlier this week, Ma had given a grave warning that the trade war between China and the US could last as long as 20 years. He made the comments at the company's investor day conference in Hangzhou on Monday, just a few hours before the Donald Trump administration slapped 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods amounting to USD 200 billion.

"Business communities in China, the US and Europe will be all in trouble in the short term. It's going to last long, it's going to be a mess. The trade war will not last for just 20 days or 20 months, but maybe 20 years," Ma had said.

The Chinese tech mogul, who founded Alibaba in 1999, had announced earlier this month that he would step down as the executive chairman next year. The current Chief Executive Order (CEO) of the company, Daniel Zhang, will succeed him.

Ma, who was a former English teacher, had said that he wanted to return to teaching.

(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 will be travelling to New York City to deliver a keynote address at an event, titled 'Financing Sustainable Agriculture

The Chief Minister will be accompanied by Finance Minister of Andhra Pradesh Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Special Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Satish Chandra, Principal Secretary G Sai Prasad, I and PR Commissioner Venkateswar and five other officials.

Naidu, who will be in the USA from September 23 to 26, is also set to take part in the Sustainable Development and Impact Summit to be jointly organised by World Economic Forum and Bloomberg Global Business Forum. He is also expected to meet many industrialists and entrepreneurs in the country to hold bilateral and group discussions.

On September 23, Naidu will meet Syed Akbaruddin, the Indian Ambassador and permanent representative of India at the United Nations (UN). Next, he will meet Keerti Melkote, founder of Intelligent Edge, Aruba Networks and Krishna Yarlagadda, President, Imaginations Technologies. Later in the day, he will attend the students' senate at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He will also interact with the Non-Residential Indians (NRI) investors on the same day.

Day two will see Naidu chairing a series of bilateral meets as will meet up with representatives of 'Medower Marine'. and UN Women executive director Phumzile Mlabo Ngcuka respectively. He will also be holding a discussion with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BNP Paribas Jean Laurent Bonnafe and interact with the President of the World Bank, Jim Young Kim and the President of the 'Rockefeller Foundation' President Rajiv Shah. He will again hold a meeting with the with Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin. Naidu will then part in the crucial summit where he will deliver his keynote address, becoming one of the nine speakers at the summit.

On September 25, Chandrababu will sit for an interview session with World Economic Forum (WEF) coordinator Tatiana Lebaski. He is scheduled to attend the Sustainable Development and Impact Summit on that day and will present a paper in a seminar held by Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board and World Economic Forum. He will also hold a luncheon meeting with Google X vice-president Tom Moore, Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) project head Mahesh Krishnaswamy. Later on, he will attend a roundtable meeting with the investors from Artificial Technology followed by a meeting with Ardor Equity Partners. In the evening, he will be meeting the officials of the World Trade Centre Association. He will wrap up the day-three of his tour with a roundtable meeting with 25 delegates from US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USIPSF).

On day four, the Chief Minister will attend some more networking and bilateral meetings and will interact with the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Sunil Bharti Mittal. Naidu along with his delegation will visit the Columbia University and take part in 'Governance in the Era of Technology' at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). After holding a meeting with the 'GE Power' delegates, he will deliver an address at a business roundtable meeting that will jointly be organised by the US India Business Council (USIBC), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the government of Andhra Pradesh. Apart from interacting with the delegates of the 'AEG Facilities', Naidu will also meet the former executive chairman of CISCO, John Chambers at the Indian Embassy.

Chandrababu Naidu will also make a trip to New Jersey to address a public meeting of the Telugu Desam Party to showcase the achievements of his government in the last four and a half years. He will also about a plethora of issues ranging from government, development and other welfare schemes that have been introduced and implemented by his government. The event will be organized by the Non-Resident Telugu people and will take place in the wellness center at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Naidu will come back to Hyderabad on September 28 and will land in the city at about 3 am in the midnight.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
American actor Ashley Judd has been allowed by a judge to pursue her allegations against director Harvey Weinstein, who was accused of blackballing the former after she had allegedly refused a sexual favour.

In April this year, Judd sued Weinstein, alleging that he had ruined her career by asking director Peter Jackson not to cast her in 'The Lord of the Rings' in 1998, reported Variety.

However, U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez dismissed Judd's sexual harassment accusation against the producer, finding that it would be unprecedented to apply the law or ruling to a prospective employer.

"We are very pleased that today the District Court held that Ashley Judd can proceed with her lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and continue her effort to vindicate the wrongs he committed against her among so many other women. The law should not tolerate this abuse of power to damage another's career," said Judd's attorney Theodore Boutrous.

The 50-year-old actor was one of the firsts to raise voice against Weinstein. She first told the New York Times that the director had invited her to a hotel room in late 1996 or early 1997, and tried to massage her. He even asked her to watch him take a shower, but she declined the same and walked out.

Judd had revealed that she wanted to work in 'The Lord of the Rings' but she did not get the opportunity. After the scandal, Peter Jackson had said in an interview that Weinstein's film company Miramax had discouraged him from casting Judd and another actor Mira Sorvino, describing them as a "nightmare to work with."

Judd had also revealed that she only had a two-day role in the 1995 Miramax film titled 'Smoke' which went positive and she had no interaction with Weinstein during that time, and that's why Weinstein's comments were defamatory and demeaning.

However, Weinstein's lawyers argued that the allegations did not rise to the level of sexual assault and that the entire suit against him should be thrown out due to the statute of limitations. They also added that the producer had tried casting Judd in other roles, proving that he did not want to harm her career.

In his ruling, Gutierrez said that Judd's claims including defamation, interference with economic advantage, and unfair business practices are enough to proceed with the case.

He also dismissed the statute of limitations objections, finding that Judd did not know she had been blacklisted until the Jackson interview came out.

However, Gutierrez said that Weinstein's relationship to the actor as a potential employer on future projects is not covered by sexual harassment law.

The judge also granted the opportunity to Judd's lawyers to amend the harassment claim. An amended complaint is due to take place on October 19.

More than 80 women, including the actresses Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Rose McGowan have opened about similar stories against Weinstein. Some accused him of using physical force to compel them to have sex, while others said he tried to exchange parts in movies for sex or threatened to ruin their careers if they did not fulfill his demands.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three more terrorists have been gunned down by the security forces in an encounter in the forest area of Sumlar in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district.

The total number of terrorists killed in the operation, which started on Thursday afternoon, now stands at six.

The first terrorist was killed on the same day. Security forces on Thursday afternoon had launched a cordon and search operation in the area to nab the terrorists, following which the encounter broke out.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bihar Police on Friday issued an arrest warrant against the state's former social welfare minister Manju Verma's husband Chandrashekhar Verma in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case, where 44 girls were allegedly sexually harassed at a government-run shelter home.

The warrant was issued after around 50 live cartridges were found at their residence during a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raid on August 17. Superintendent of Police (SP) of Begusarai Aditya Kumar issued the warrant.

Manju Verma, who was Bihar's Social Welfare minister, resigned from her position after her husband was accused of having alleged links with Brajesh Thakur, the alleged mastermind behind the scandal.

It was alleged that Chandrashekhar used to visit the shelter home quite frequently and spent hours in the girls' shelter home. The couple repeatedly denied the allegations.

The Muzaffarpur shelter home case came to surface following an audit report of Mumbai's leading research institute, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India is experiencing a surge in philanthropic activity, with donors increasingly using their resources to take on some of the country's biggest social challenges. The Bridgespan Group's new report, 'Bold Philanthropy in India

According to Bridgespan Partner and co-author of the report, Pritha Venkatachalam, "Many philanthropists in India are pivoting from checkbook giving - investing mostly in infrastructure projects, such as building schools or hospitals - to thinking strategically and ambitiously about how to drive social change. However, because there is so little information on their approaches to bold giving, other philanthropists with similar aims lack reference material to build on."

Dr. K P Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, "Public expenditure in India today is close to a quarter of GDP. Philanthropy has a long tradition in our history, and is a core value of Indian philosophy. It is not coincidental that with the return of serious wealth in India since the 1990s, we also see a return of very bold philosophy to giving. It is always immediately attractive to feed a poor child with money from a philanthropist. But can we put more thought into giving with greater impact? I would push for a bigger cause - to influence public policy and to support core state systems for social change in the Indian context. The third sector needs to develop the appropriate institutions, processes and systems to deliver this."

To help fill these knowledge gaps, Bridgespan, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Omidyar Network, researched a wide array of philanthropic initiatives in India. To identify which of those efforts are truly "bold", Bridgespan screened for a variety of factors, including philanthropic funding of at least INR 27 crores (USD 4 million); clear goals; and a pathway toward addressing a seemingly intractable social problem. The report's aim is to share philanthropists' strategic approaches to bold giving and highlight opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned.

"To be clear, the bold initiatives that we have profiled by no means constitute all of India's audacious philanthropic efforts," says co-author and Bridgespan Case Team Leader Niloufer Memon. "Rather, we sought to gather a representative sample in hopes of inspiring a wide swath of other philanthropists and foundations working in India to think big."

The Bridgespan team analyzed eight bold initiatives and identified six unique roles that bold philanthropy can play in improving people's lives:

 Build innovative solutions

Two of the bold initiatives involve developing a novel solution to a social challenge and demonstrating potential for impact at scale: Google and Tata Trust's Internet Saathi employs local women ("Saathis") to help improve digital literacy among 15 million rural women in India; the Gates Foundation's "Mainstreaming Private Healthcare Systems for Tuberculosis Control" incentivizes private healthcare providers to support mainstream tuberculosis-control efforts.

 Scale proven solutions

With this approach, philanthropists identify an intervention that is working (based on strong evidence) and extend its impact into new geographic frontiers or populations. Case in point: Digital Green's Video-based Knowledge Sharing, funded by the Gates Foundation, where government frontline workers use locally produced, instructional videos to introduce more than 1.5 million smallholder farmers to best practices that improve crop yields.

 Support community-driven development

Philanthropists and NGOs deeply engage the community and work collectively to solve a social problem through a bottom-up approach. Funded by Tata Trusts and its associate organization, Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives, Lakhpati Kisan helps more than 101,000 tribal households generate an income that will keep them from sinking back into poverty. The effort is one example of working with local people to drive change from within the community.

 Strengthen or reform systems

This bold-giving pathway focuses on influencing the underlying structures, relationships, or beliefs that characterize a social ecosystem. This approach usually involves coordinating the efforts of diverse stakeholders, such as government, NGOs, communities, and donors to strengthen a system. Bridgespan's analysis of Rajasthan Adarsh Yojana, funded by The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, offers insights into how philanthropy helped reform one of India's poorest performing education systems.

 Build a field

Two philanthropic initiatives in Bridgespan's study focus on investing in efforts to strengthen or develop an entire social-sector field. Kris Gopalakrishnan, the executive vice chairman of Infosys, launched the Centre for Brain Research, to help fill a knowledge gap in the field of India-focused, neuroscience research and thereby help the 4 million Indians living with dementia. And then there is the eGovernments Foundation (eGov), funded by Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, and Srikanth Nadhamuni, CEO of Khosla Labs. eGov has built an open-source digital platform to help India's urban local governments provide municipal services. This platform has both government and citizen facingmodules that enable agencies to improve their operations and citizens to seamlessly access municipal services.

 Inform public policy

This approach involves providing evidence and input to inform the government's efforts to reform laws, policies, and regulations. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is the primary philanthropy behind the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), which measures the basic reading and math skills of approximately 600,000 rural children across every rural district in India. ASER's alarming statistics have shifted India's national discourse (as well as global discourse) from focusing on enrollment rates to improving learning outcomes.

"This research is a first step toward providing some answers on how these bold approaches propel social change, and how these approaches might help philanthropists and NGOs break through the roadblocks that impede progress," says co-author and Bridgespan Principal Donald Yeh.

"Although we identified these six roles in the Indian context, they are so foundational to the global philanthropic ecosystem that they can be thought of as archetypes of bold giving," he added.

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The new 'James Bond' film will be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as the iconic spy, for the last time reportedly.

The 25th Bond instalment will begin shooting in London, at Pinewood Studios, on March 4, 2019. It will release worldwide on February 14, 2020, a few months after its original target release date, reported Variety.

Fukunaga, who was critically acclaimed for the 2015 war film titled 'Beasts of No Nation', replaced Danny Boyle, who had exited the movie last month due to creative differences with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Meanwhile, star Daniel Craig. Fukunaga will be the first American director for the Bond franchise.

"We are delighted to be working with Cary. His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure," said Broccoli and Wilson on Twitter.

Fukunaga won an Emmy award in 2014 for directing the entire first season of the crime series 'True Detective' and giving it a cinematic look. Recently, he directed several episodes of Netflix's 'Maniac', which is a new comedy show starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill.

There were speculations about considering other directors including Bart Layton, S.J. Clarkson, and Yann Demange, before the official announcement came out.

MGM will distribute the film domestically and Universal internationally.

According to insiders, Boyle along with his 'Trainspotting' co-writer John Hodge was hired to direct and pen the script. The screenplay had received the green light and the other characters including Bond girl and villain of the film were soon to be cast, when Boyle and the producers abruptly parted ways after which MGM and Eon started looking for both a director and a writer.

Fukunaga's debut feature film titled 'Sin Nombre' earned him the directing award at Sundance Film Festival in 2009.

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has accused the Centre of trying to build differences between the state and Telangana by adopting a divide and rule policy.

Interacting with the students in the Knowledge Summit Program named "Jnana Bheri", Naidu came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government and said, "Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are like brothers. The Centre is creating differences between both the states. The Centre is adopting a divide and rule policy. The Centre is not helping southern states. South states are developed ones, paying high taxes. But through 15th finance commission, the developed states are being penalized. The states with less population will get lesser devolutions. Such proposals hamper southern states. We are opposing it."

Naidu further revealed that he joined NDA and supported Prime Minister Modi for the sake of Andhra Pradesh's development, but to no avail.

"During my regime in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, I gave the highest priority for education and knowledge. I developed Hyderabad and turned it into an IT hub. Now, I am working for the all-round development of Andhra Pradesh post bifurcation. I will make the state a knowledge hub. Post bifurcation, our state is facing many problems. I joined NDA for the sake of state development. I supported Prime Minister Modi keeping in mind the future of the state. But the BJP-led NDA government didn't help us. He (PM Modi) cheated us. Despite Centre's non-cooperation, Andhra Pradesh is developing leaps and bounds. Even in the recent quarter, our state recorded a growth of 11 per cent," he said.

While addressing the students, the Chief Minister also informed that the Andhra Pradesh Government is launching unemployment allowance to youth.

"Now, we are launching unemployment allowance to youth. No state government is able to pay such an allowance. Recently website is launched; the program will start from October 2," he said.

Naidu further boosted the morale and zeal of students, saying, "Knowledge is power. Technology and knowledge can achieve anything. I have a vision to the state to transform the state into a knowledge hub. If the youth are given knowledge, they can rule the world."

"We will take our economy to one trillion economy by 2029. Our vision is to make Andhra Pradesh a world level state by 2050," he added.

Discussing the future plans, he said, "Many ask me, you developed Hyderabad, now Hyderabad is left in Telangana. Won't you feel pained? I said now I got another chance to build a world-class city. Polavaram is a great project. It is the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh. We will finish it. River inter-linking has been a dream in India. Even former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee dreamt of it. Now, we are making it realized. Godavari and Krishna are being interlinked with Polavaram project. Later , we will interlink all five major rivers in the state, along with rivulets and tributaries.

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Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday aimed a potshot at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government over the cancellation of the proposed talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Taking to his Twitter account, Chidambaram said, "Monday-No talks, says MoS Defence; Tuesday-No talks, says HM; Wednesday-No Talks, says Defence Minister; Thursday-FMs will meet says MEA. Friday-No Talks, says Government. That is a lesson on 'How to make foreign policy?'."

The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the request of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, back to back incidents of increased violence in the state and killing of security personnel has put off India from engaging with Pakistan government, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) saying that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, its evil agenda stands exposed and the true face of the new Pakistan Prime Minister has been revealed.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office. Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless. In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," MEA spokesperson Ravish Kumar said.

The abduction and killing of two SPOs and a constable by terrorists in South Kashmir's Shopian district, along with the "recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying (Burhan Wani) a terrorist and terrorism," were cited by India as the primary cause for cancelling the proposed meet.

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The sanctions imposed by United States against China over military cooperation with Russia, are a gross violation of the principles of international relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Friday. Shuang also urged the US to immediately lift the new sanctions against Beijing otherwise Washington will have to bear the consequences. China has made a representation to the US States over the sanctions.

On Thursday, a senior US administration official told reporters that the US had sanctioned China's Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its Director Li Shangfu for buying missile defense systems and combat aircraft from Russia in violation of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

"The actions of the US side have grossly violated the basic principles of international relations . The actions of the US side significantly undermine relations between the armed forces of China and the United States," the spokesman told a briefing, commenting on the new sanctions.

The spokesman stressed that the cooperation between Russia and China, including in the defence area, did not violate international law and was not directed against third countries, adding that Beijing would continue to enhance collaboration with Moscow despite the US sanctions.

"We urge the US side to immediately correct its mistakes, lift the so-called sanctions, otherwise the US side will have to face the consequences," the spokesman said.

China has made a harsh representation to the US States over the sanctions against it.

"The Chinese side expresses its extreme outrage with the mentioned actions and has already made a harsh representation," the spokesman said during the briefing.

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Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that the Centre's decision to call off the foreign ministers meeting between India and Pakistan is "bad news" for the state.

"Calling off meeting between India and Pakistan's Foreign Ministers is bad news for Jammu and Kashmir. Both countries owe it to people of state and country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. Inspite of a historic mandate, it is media and not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda," Mufti tweeted.

The meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the request of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, back to back incidents of increased violence in the state and killing of security personnel has put off India from engaging with Pakistan government, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) saying that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, its evil agenda stands exposed and the true face of the new Pakistan Prime Minister has been revealed.

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Few hours after India accepted Pakistan's proposal to hold a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries, Chinese Consul General in Kolkata, Ma Zhanwu, on Thursday expressed hope that New Delhi and Islamabad can settle their differences through dialogue.

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had confirmed that India accepted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's proposal to conduct a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York at a mutually convenient date and time.

Ma told ANI, "China has good relations with both Pakistan and India. We certainly believe and hope that the two countries can settle their differences through dialogue."

This came after Khan wrote a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proposing a meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UNGA session.

"Building on a mutual desire for peace between our two countries, I wish to propose a meeting between Foreign Minister, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, before the informal meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. They can explore the way forward, especially the holding of the SAARC Council of Ministers followed by the SAARC Summit in Islamabad. The summit will offer an opportunity for you to visit Pakistan and for us to restart the stalled dialogue process. I look forward to working with you for the benefit of the people of both our countries," Khan's letter read.

The MEA, however, clarified that no agenda has been set for the proposed meeting.

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Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar, test-flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation for India. He flew the aircraft in France on Thursday to assess its efficiency.

Air Marshal Nambiar is in France along with a team of Indian Air Force personnel to review the production of the jet which will be delivered to India by September next year.

The test was carried out amid raging political slugfest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over procurement of the 36 jets.

The deal was signed between France and India in 2016 under the Democratic Alliance (NDA) government to purchase 36 fighter jets at a cost of around Rs. 58,000 crore. The Congress party has been alleging discrepancies in the deal saying that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had finalised the price of each aircraft at Rs. 526 crore in 2012.

Initially, the UPA government had planned to buy 18 off-the-shelf jets from France, with 108 others to be assembled in the country by the state-run aerospace and defence company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

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Hours after security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed on Friday, India called off the planned meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York saying true face of the new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been revealed.

The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the request of the Pakistan Prime Minister.

However, back to back incidents of increased violence in the state and killing of security personnel has put off India from engaging with Pakistan government that continues to push terror and violence from its soil.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, its evil agenda stands exposed and the true face of the new Pakistan Prime Minister has been revealed.

"Since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place. The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Friday.

The announcement for the meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was made by the MEA spokesperson on Thursday. However, hours after the announcement, horrific incidents of terror were reported from Jammu and Kashmir. Two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police constable were abducted and killed.

"The decision to agree to Pakistan's proposal for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan. The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism. Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office. Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless. In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," the spokesperson said.

Apart from Friday's incident, on September 18, body of a Border Security Force Head Constable Narender Singh was found with multiple bullet injuries on his torso and neck.

In August, a policeman was shot dead by terrorists outside an Eidgah in Kulgam's Zazripora, when he was leaving after offering prayers. On June 14, in another incident, the gravely injured body of Aurangzeb, an Army personnel of 44 Rashtriya Rifles was found. He was abducted and killed by terrorists while he was returning home for the festival of Eid. On May 11, the bullet-ridden body of 23-year-old Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz was found in Shopian district of south Kashmir, hours after he was abducted by militants from a wedding procession.

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Pakistan's Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudry on Friday accused Indian policies of being guided by extremist ideologies.

Chaudry tweeted, "It seems that the Indian govt is divided on the issue of negotiations - have never seen such a puerile statement given by any Foreign Office. The is watching: Pakistan stands for peace while Indian policies are being guided by extremist ideologies."

This came after India called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi which was scheduled to take place on the sidelines of upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The decision to calling off the meeting came hours after security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed on Friday.

Terror attacks against policemen in the state have been rampant in recent times.

On August 29, four policemen were killed when they were indiscriminately fired upon by a group of terrorists in Shopian's Arhama.

On August 22, three policemen were gunned down in three separate attacks by terrorists. Two of the attacks took place in Pulwama district, with one policeman killed in Kulgam.

On June 14, the gravely injured body of Aurangzeb, a member of 44 Rashtriya Rifles was found.He was abducted and killed by terrorists while he was returning home for the festival of Eid.

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Three Special Police Officers (SPOs) in South Kashmir's Shopian were kidnapped and brutally killed by terrorists on Thursday. The deceased have been identified as Nisar Ahmad, Firdous Kuchay and Kulwant Singh.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, SP Pani, assured that the police will soon arrest the terrorists who killed the SPOs and will take strict actions against them in accordance with the laws.

"This incident is very unfortunate. This act by the terrorists is cowardly. I assure that in accordance with the law we will take all actions against the terrorists who have killed my colleagues. The investigation into the matter is on and we will surely find the terrorists and will present them in the court of law," he said.

Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh also condemned the incident and said,"Home Minister Rajnath Singh will take cognizance of the matter."

Elaborating the incident, Vishvaram Dubey, one of the relatives of deceased SPO Kulwant Singh told media, "The terrorist yesterday barged into our house at around 6.45 pm and told him (Kulwant Singh) to come with them. The family walked miles to follow the terrorists. They (terrorists) told us that they will leave him after shooting the video. Just a few hours later, we heard the sounds of firing. Earlier we thought that it was the Army but later we got to know that it was the terrorists which killed him."

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has also condemned the incident. She tweeted, "Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims. Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, Centre's muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now".

The incidents of terrorists attacking security personnel are rapidly increasing in the state.

In August, a policeman was shot dead by terrorists outside an Eidgah in Kulgam's Zazripora, when he was leaving after offering prayers. Another Army personnel, identified as Aurangzeb was abducted and killed by terrorists while he was returning home for Eid. His gravely injured body was recovered on June 14.

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Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Friday condemned the murder of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a police constable by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "This is an act of desperation on the part of the militant outfits. In recent months, the police have conducted several successful operations against the militants. They (militants) target the police officers because they are soft targets. This act has garnered a large scale condemnation from the civil society and political parties."

"These officers have a duty towards the public, they do not harm anyone. They are an integral part of the force and they perform their duty exceptionally well. The government has prepared a lot of welfare schemes for the SPOs, which will be announced soon. But this incident is very condemnable as they have slaughtered innocent men who were in their homes, with their families. We will soon arrest the people involved in the incident and prosecute them," Singh added.

When asked about the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in Bandipora district, which started yesterday, Singh confirmed that the forces have killed a few terrorists, adding that the search operation is still underway and that further details of the operation will be released soon.

A total of three terrorists have been gunned down in the joint operation by the Army and the state police in the forest area of Sumlar in Bandipora. The identities of the terrorists have not been ascertained yet. The ongoing operation aims to weed out other terrorists holed up in the area.

On Friday morning, the bullet-ridden bodies of two SPOs and a constable were found in an orchard after they were kidnapped by terrorists from their homes in South Kashmir's Shopian district.

The incident has been widely condemned, with Governor Satyapal Malik and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti publicly condemning the attack.

Terror attacks against policemen in the state have been rampant in recent times.

On August 29, four policemen were killed when they were indiscriminately fired upon by a group of terrorists in Shopian's Arhama.

On August 22, three policemen were gunned down in three separate attacks by terrorists. Two of the attacks took place in Pulwama district, with one policeman killed in Kulgam.

On June 14, the gravely injured body of Aurangzeb, a member of 44 Rashtriya Rifles was found.He was abducted and killed by terrorists while he was returning home for the festival of Eid.

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Political activists from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) held a massive protest in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) office here against gross human rights violations and exploitation of water resources by Pakistan in the region.

They also demanded Islamabad to dismantle terror infrastructure in PoK, as jihadis are used against people in Kashmir valley.

The protest was organised by the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) during the 39th session of the UNHRC.

They raised anti-Pakistan slogans and demanded Islamabad to allow the people of PoK and Gilgit Baltistan live freely and with dignity.

The protesters held banners saying "Stop Human Rights Violations in PoK & Gilgit Baltistan" and "Save Neelum and Save Muzaffarabad".

UKPNP's former spokesperson Naseer Aziz refuted claims of Pakistani government of countering terrorism and fighting extremism.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "All terrorist organizations including Lashkar-e-Taiba are very much active, leaders roaming freely and recruiting young people for jihad. The state is promoting and projecting them which is ironical. Locals are the real victims here."

On the Jhelum-Neelum Hydro Power Project, Aziz asserted that the people of Muzzafarabad are the real victims.

"Local people are the real victims and their lifeline has been cut. Legally Pakistan cannot build any mega project in the disputed territory including Pok and Gilgit-Baltistan," he added.

Another activist of UKPNP, Jamil Maqsood said that Pakistan military agency and secret agency have been kidnapping people for demanding their rights.

"When water was diverted of Neelum river, to meet the requirement for the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project, people started to protest the death of the river. Pakistan secret agencies are kidnapping people who are on the forefront of the protests. We are protesting so that the water requirements of local people are met."

Talking about terrorism in the region, Aziz said, "They (Pakistan) launch fresh attacks whenever there is international pressure, so as to dodge the allegations and claiming to be the victim of terrorism."

The chairman of UKPNP Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri said that those who gathered outside UNHRC office were protesting against illegal activities in the regions of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. "They are suppressing people, building mega projects and taking lands from the people illegally," Kashmiri said.

He further revealed that the city of Muzzafarabad is at risk of pollution and people are at risk of contracting diseases as a result of the pollution and scarcity of water. Kashmiri people cannot use their own water for irrigation or drinking. We are protesting the illegal occupation of Pakistan in front of UN. We want independence. We are asking Pakistan to withdraw their troops and dismantle the structure of terrorism and extremism. Local people and civil society are living in fear and facing harassment at the hands of authority," Kashmiri asserted.

He also talked about the growing Pakistan-China friendship and the exploitation faced by the locals as a result of it.

"China and Pakistan in the name of friendship are using our land for commercial purposes. It is all waging war against secular, independent Kashmir which I would call a proxy war. They divide us on communal lines. They are destroying our ethos, our history and they are actually promoting and projecting Pakistani agenda," he added.

They also accused Pakistan for sponsoring terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin and demanded dismantling of terror infrastructure.

The activists say that millions of people in PoK are still voiceless, deprived and marginalised as they have no equal rights under Pakistani rule.

They raised demands for freedom from Pakistani occupation, and justice for those political activists and other intellectuals who are languishing in jails.

The protest by PoK was also joined by Sindhi and Baloch political activists.

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A woman went on a shooting rampage, killing three persons and injuring three others before turning the gun on herself at a drugstore distribution centre in Harford County, Maryland on Thursday.

In a press conference, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler was quoted by CNN as saying that the woman, identified as Snochia Moseley from Baltimore County, was a temporary employee and came to work at the facility near Aberdeen. She then started shooting indiscriminately outside the building and on the warehouse floor, before committing suicide.

Earlier, Gahler had said that the woman was in custody and in critical condition in a hospital. However, he clarified that she died after shooting herself in the head.

Gahler further stated that the police are investigating the motive behind the shooting. He further said that no officers had fired retaliatory shots.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center received four patients with "priority one gunshot wounds," spokeswoman Kristin Mears said. The hospital's trauma medical director, Ray Fang, stated that two of the victims were stable, while two others remain critically wounded. He added that all the four patients were out of surgery, the report said.

This is the third high-profile shooting in the United States in the last two days.

A shooter went on a rampage at a software office in Middleton town in Wisconsin, injuring three persons before the police fatally wounded him on Wednesday.

A person was killed and four others injured in a shooting incident at a magistrate's office building in Pennsylvania, officials said.

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Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, will organise the Merck Health Media Training on October 31 at Le Centre International de conferences Abdou DIOUF (CICAD) in Dakar, Senegal.

The training program is a part of 'Merck More than a Mother' community awareness initiative and is being organised for the first time in Senegal for the media representatives.

"I am delighted to initiate this important training session as I strongly believe that media plays a significant to influence our society to create a cultural shift. It has the capacity and ability to break the stigma around infertility in the community," explained Dr. RashaKelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More than a Mother.

The training will be addressed by stalwarts of media and top infertility experts. It will also provide a great opportunity for the journalists to meet the experts and also to network with each other and work as a unit to eradicate the stigma around infertility in Senegal and rest of Africa. It will be attended by journalists working for print, TV, radio and online media.

"The Merck Health Media Training program will focus on the international standards and media ethics for reporting sensitive issues like infertility in Africa. It is designed to benefit the journalists in understanding the infertility issues in African communities and to learn the best media practices to cover such issues." Dr. RashaKelej added.

Merck Foundation will also announce the call for application for "Merck More than a Mother" 'Media Recognition Awards' 2018 from Senegal and rest of Africa. The awards were launched in 2017 with the aim to emphasise the role of media in enhancing the public engagement and understanding of infertility stigma and the need to change its social perception in African communities. The winners were awarded at an award ceremony conducted earlier this year in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Merck Health Media Training is be organised on the side-lines of fifth edition of "Merck Africa Asia Lumniary" being organised in Dakar, Senegal on October 30-31, under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall and the First Lady of Senegal, Marieme Faye Sall, and in partnership with the Ministry of Health of Senegal.

It will be attended by more than 450 healthcare providers, policy makers, academia and researchers from over 45 English and French-speaking African and Asian countries. The objective is to improve disease management, early detection, and prevention, build healthcare and scientific research capacity and improve access to innovative and equitable healthcare solutions across the continent.

Merck Foundation conducted its first Health Media Training for English speaking media representatives earlier this year in Nairobi. The program saw attendance from journalists from over 200 journalists from various African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Gambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia, Botswana, Liberia, Cameroon, Burundi, Malawi, Mauritius, Zambia, and Sierra Leona.

Merck Foundation will also organise a similar training program for media representatives from French-speaking countries in Mauritius in December 2018.

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A three-year-old student of a private school in Bhopal's Ayodhya Nagar in Madhya Pradesh was allegedly molested by a school bus conductor on Thursday.

A case has been registered in this regard by the family and the minor girl has been sent for medical examination.

Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Bittu Sharma said that the accused has been arrested and the probe is currently underway.

"The accused bus conductor has been arrested, further investigation is underway," Sharma said.

More details into the matter are awaited.

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Nepal has officially chosen 'Panchayat' to be submitted under the 'foreign language film' category at the 91st Oscars set to be held next year.

The film which is written and directed by Shivam Adhikari is the story of a girl from the 1970s who faces social taboos associated with menstruation, reported the Hollywood Reporter.

The film portrays the Chhaupadi tradition in Nepal which prohibits Hindu women and girls from taking part in normal family activities while menstruating since it is considered "impure".

The movie was a hit with the critics in Nepal after its release in March.

Till date, Nepal received only one nomination at the Oscars back in 1999 for its film 'Caravan' under the said category.

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Pakistan's peace overture was negated by India in an "usual belligerent manner", said Pakistan President Arif Alvi expressing disappointment over India's decision to call off meeting between the Foreign Ministers of two countries.

Alvi tweeted,"Sad to see India backing off from FM level talks. Mutual reservations could have been placed on the table. Kashmiris face only disappointment on #InternationalDayOfPeace PM @ImranKhanPTI's outstanding peace overture negated in their usual belligerant manner"

The now-cancelled meet was scheduled to take place between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The decision of calling off the meeting came hours after security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed on Friday.

Terror attacks against policemen in the state have been rampant in recent times.

On August 29, four policemen were killed when they were indiscriminately fired upon by a group of terrorists in Shopian's Arhama.

On August 22, three policemen were gunned down in three separate attacks by terrorists. Two of the attacks took place in Pulwama district, with one policeman killed in Kulgam.

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Thanking former French President Francois Hollande over his statement on the controversial Rafale deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has betrayed India, and has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers.

"The Prime Minister personally negotiated and changed the Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Francois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani. The Prime Minister has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

The Congress president's post comes after Hollande in an interview to a media house said that Dassault Aviation was given no choice but to partner with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence for the offset clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

In an article published by French journal Mediapart, Hollande on a question about who selected Reliance as a partner and why, said it was the Indian government that proposed Reliance's name and Dassault had no choice but to take the company given to it.

"We did not have a say in that. The Indian government proposed this service group, and Dassault negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor we were given," said Hollande. The interview was published in French and excerpts of Hollande's interview were tweeted by French newspaper LeMonde's journalist Julien Boissou.

His reported statement contradicts Indian government's claim that the agreement between Dassault and Reliance was a commercial pact between two private parties and the government had nothing to do with it.

In response to the interview, Defence Ministry spokesperson tweeted: "The report referring to former French President Mr. Hollande's statement that GoI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified. It is reiterated that neither GoI nor French Govt had any say in the commercial decision.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be launching the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY) in Ranchi on September 23.

The aspirational scheme of Government of India is aimed at providing health assurance worth Rs. 5 lakh per year to over 10 crore families across the country.

Announcing the scheme on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi had said, "Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will be launched on September 25 this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get proper access to good quality and affordable healthcare".

After the inauguration of the scheme, Modi will be visiting an exhibition on the PMJAY. He will also witness a demonstration of activities such as beneficiary identification and e-card creation.

Prime Minister Modi will thereafter lay the foundation stone for medical colleges at Chaibasa and Koderma. As many as 10 health and wellness centres will also be inaugurated by him during the event. He will also be addressing the gathering at the event.

After the culmination of events in Ranchi, Prime Minister Modi will depart for Gangtok, Sikkim. On September 24, he will inaugurate Pakyong Airport. With the inauguration of the airport, the State of Sikkim will come on the country's aviation map, providing a big boost to connectivity in the Himalayan state.

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Political activists from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have expressed concerns over growing extremism and terrorist activities in the region during an event on the sidelines of the 39th Session of the UN Human Rights Session in Geneva.

Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled chairman of United Kashmir People's National Party, said, "PoK has remained a hub of terrorism for decades. Pakistan's agencies have created terrorists' infrastructure in the area to carry out terrorist activities in other parts of the Kashmir. It has become a launching pad. We have complete information that Pakistan has not changed its policies, it is merely statements by them to mislead the international community, but terrorist camps are running under the patronage of state of Pakistan."

Another human rights activist from PoK, Dr Shabir Choudhry, said, "They have got a license to intimidate and frighten people. If need to be, they kill them."

"Now, with the new government in Pakistan, the situation is going to be bad to worse because of Imran Khan. Although he went to Oxford, going to Oxford doesn't make any difference. He is called as 'Taliban Khan' because a man who can give Rs. 30 crore from the official budget of the KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) to madrasas, which is known as Taliban university, you can see how much he has given unofficially. And how much support he is giving it to these fundamentalist groups, whose duty is to kill or convert people," he added.

Several political activists have highlighted the issues concerning the people of PoK, who have been facing persecution by Islamabad.

The construction of Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project on River Neelum has created environmental issues and severe water crisis in the capital Muzaffarabad.

Reacting to the same, Kashmiri said, "When the tunnels were opened to divert the flow of Neelum River, we raised the issue at the United Nations citing that it will impact the life of people in Muzaffarabad. But, Pakistanis have called it propaganda by India, but now the people of Muzaffarabad have realised the truth as their life is getting destroyed day by day".

In recent days, protests are ongoing in Muzaffarabad and other parts of PoK to condemn Pakistan's exploitation of water resources in the region.

Kashmiri added, "Not only in Muzaffarabad, but protests are also happening in Rawalakot, Tararkhel, Kotli and other areas, which has taken a shape of a movement 'Save Neelum River, Save Muzaffarabad'. I believe India should interfere on this issue because it had an agreement to save the lives of Kashmiri people. India should pressurise the international community to protect the rights of oppressed and vulnerable people".

On the other hand, Choudhary further said, "This dam is going to benefit Pakistan but the irony of that is every household of PoK have to pay Rs. 20 a month for the construction of that dam and we are not going to benefit. Only, what we are going to get is a problem like environmental and drinking water. Unfortunately, we highlighted issues related to this dam when it was on paper. People of Muzaffarabad did not understand because of fear or some other reason by calling as anti-Pakistan. Now, they have realized what we said and they are crying. Their future generations will also cry out as well because water is a fundamental human right. Because of diversion, some 30 km area will not be able to have clean water and it's going to create huge problems".

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The Russian and the United States delegations at the Trade Organization (WTO) held consultations as part of a Russian lawsuit against the United States over tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, but they have not brought results, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin said Friday.

"The standard procedure is that consultations are held first, their content cannot be divulged according to WTO rules, but I can say that these consultations have taken place, but they have not brought any results," Oreshkin told reporters on the sidelines of the 2nd Eurasian Women's Forum in St. Petersburg.

"This means that we will continue to move along a standard procedure that can eventually take even several years, considering the arbitration of the dispute itself, and then appeals and so on," the minister stressed.

The US introduced a 25-percent tariff on steel and a 10-percent tariff on aluminum imports, starting March 23, citing protection of its domestic producers as the reason.

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Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Russia Rayed Krimly on Friday expressed hope that Washington would not impose sanctions on Riyadh over purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense missile systems.

"I hope that no one will impose any sanctions on us," Krimly told reporters answering the question whether Saudi Arabia would continue to discuss the issue of deliveries of the S-400 after the United States imposed sanctions against China for a deal with Russia.

He noted that the Saudi Arabia-Russia agreement on the arms purchase was in the works despite the possible US sanctions.

"Our cooperation with Russia continues and grows. And during King Salman's historic visit [to Russia] we have signed 14 agreements that began to be implemented. There were four agreements in the military field; three of them began to be implemented. As for the fourth ... there is discussion of the technical issues. Because the system itself is modern and complex," the ambassador concluded.

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Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik on Friday termed the attack on the police officers in state's Shopian district by terrorists as "inhuman and barbaric".

"I severely condemn it. It's barbaric and inhuman. Pakistan is habitual of doing it. We will punish them properly," Malik told ANI.

On Friday, two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a police constable in South Kashmir's Shopian were kidnapped and brutally killed by terrorists. The deceased were identified as Nisar Ahmad, Firdous Kuchay and Kulwant Singh.

According to one of relatives of the deceased SPO Kulwant Singh, the terrorists barged into his house and asked Kulwant to come with them. He was shot and killed soon after.

The incident drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, as Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti denounced the attack.

India also called off talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi saying, "the attack revealed the true face of newly appointed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan."

The meetings between the two foreign ministers were scheduled to take place in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.

The incidents of security personnel becoming soft targets to terrorists are on a rise, as in August, a policeman was shot dead by terrorists outside Eidgah in Kashmir's Kulgam district. Similarly, another army personally, identified as Aurangzeb was abducted and killed by terrorists while he was returning home for Eid. His gravely injured body was recovered on June 14.

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Criticising the University Grants Commission's (UGC) circular directing universities and colleges to observe 'Surgical Strike Day' on September 29, the Congress on Friday said that the motive of the directive is to reap political gains.

Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Kapil Sibal said that such moves by the statutory body destroys the independence of the university system. "I do not think since independence, we have seen UGC giving any kind of directive of this nature to universities. For UGC, to give a directive is destroying the very independence of the university system. The only motive of this directive is to reap political gains," Sibal said.

UGC has issued a circular requesting all higher educational institutions (HEI), universities and colleges to observe 'Surgical Strike Day' on September 29.

In a circular to Vice Chancellors of all universities, UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain has instructed that colleges may organise special parades, speeches by ex-servicemen about the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces to mark the day.

The Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the circular is only advisory in nature and not mandatory or imposed.

On 29 September 2016, the Indian Army carried out the surgical strike, 11 days after Pakistan carried out Uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 18 Army personnel lost their lives.

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TechGig Geek Goddess, India's leading coding arena for women, launched its fourth edition in association with American Express, a globally integrated payments company.

The title sponsor for the event will be Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment bank and active investor in India. The event offers prizes worth Rs 7, 50,000.

Team TechGig, the holder of Guinness World Record for hosting the world's largest online programming contest, Code Gladiators manages Geek Goddess. The grand finale of the event will be held on November 23 followed by Women Disruptors Conference on November 24 in Bengaluru.

This women-only code competition invites women coders to share their ideas and product solutions in different programming languages and ropes in IT industry leaders to mentor these coders.

Announcing the new season, Ramathreya Krishnamurthi, Business Head, Times Jobs & Tech Gig said, "The brilliance of women technologists remains unsung in many companies. TechGig Geek Goddess is a unique opportunity for women technologists where they can showcase their genius without facing any bias. I invite women coders from all walks of life to join in as we put up this mega show to celebrate talented women technologists with our presenting partner American Express."

Ruchika Panesar, Vice President, Global Services Group and Head of Technology, American Express India also expressed delight over their the association with TechGig Geek Goddess and said, "In the age of continuous disruption in the payments ecosystem, is the key differentiator. We, at American Express, have been on a journey of building and engineering capabilities across the globe and great talent are critical to our business. As we continue to grow our team in India, we aspire to be the 'Best place to work for engineers' in the country. As a Woman in technology, I am personally excited by the platform TechGig Geek Goddess provides us to take this vision further and bring talented 'Women who code' and 'Women Technologist" to the organisation'."

Gunjan Samtani, Co-head of the Goldman Sachs in Bengaluru, said, "To achieve and maintain our country's engineering excellence, we must have the most talented workforce. At Goldman Sachs, where technology is a key component driving our firm's growth, we believe a talented workforce comes from a deliberate and committed focus on diversity that allows us to bring the best ideas and services to our clients. Our firm is proud to be associated with this significant initiative that encourages women to embrace engineering and further strengthens the national talent pool."

The latest edition of TechGig Geek Goddess also has CGI as the platinum partner, Expedia group as the diamond partner, ABB as the Internet of Things theme partner and Mphasis as the base partner.

The last edition of TechGig Geek Goddess had seen a massive participation of 49,000 coders. New themes like UI, Data Science and IoT were intentionally introduced in last season to let the programmers experiment vigorously in technology environments. As per the organisers, the contest has already garnered 25,000+ registrations so far and counting.

TechGig Geek Goddess has been instrumental in bringing women technologists to the forefront and presenting a latent talent pool to IT employers.

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Soon after India called off the foreign ministers meeting with Pakistan, former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid underscored that the decision of holding a meeting with Islamabad in the first place 'made no sense'.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the United General Assembly in New York

"I have imagined that welcome is an inappropriate word, but what they (the central government) have done is right. We were extremely concerned. The conditions were very unclear. Conditions were very adverse. In those conditions for them to have announced that there would be a meeting between the Foreign Ministers was very upsetting matter. The situation has been extremely delicate. We have men, who are giving up their lives for the country. It makes no sense," Khurshid told ANI.

"I am only saying this because whenever we tried to reach out to Pakistan when we were in government, so that we could find a peaceful outcome, BJP was extremely critical. We respected the BJP's view. We called off any attempt to outreach Pakistan because we thought BJP was correct in what it was saying despite the duty we felt to search for peace. Now, they can't apply two separate standards - one to when they are in Opposition and other one when they are in government," Khurshid added.

The Congress leader later went on to recall Prime Minister Modi's visit to Pakistan in December 2015.

"Have we forgotten that they said that talks and terrorism can't go hand in hand? We haven't forgotten that. But, at the same time we haven't forgotten that Prime Minister Modi unannounced flew to home of Nawaz Sharif, when he was Prime Minister (of Pakistan). They embraced and expressed huge amount of friendship, etc. Why all that because you just want to score quick points and make yourself look like a statesman? I am sorry, the conditions don't allow for a serious attempt to talk to Pakistan. If something had to be done, it should have been done at a much lower level - not at the level of the Foreign Minister," Khurshid said.

"Only when conditions improve then a seriously analysed forward looking conversation might have happen. The country would have supported the government and so would the Opposition. This was a very unkind cut and I don't think that this should have happened in the first place. Now their sense has prevailed perhaps a little bit late I think we should let things rest there," he added.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy welcomed the government's decision.

Swamy told ANI: "I welcome the government's decision. You have to be tough with Pakistan. Of course you have to make friends around the world and bring them around to your point of view, but the fact is that there is no way you can have an agreement with Pakistan in the present structure of power there. You have to have a war and we have to prepare for it."

The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the request of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, back to back incidents of increased violence in Jammu and Kashmir and killing of security personnel has put off India from engaging with Pakistan government that continues to push terror and violence from its soil.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, its evil agenda stands exposed and the true face of the new Pakistan Prime Minister has been revealed.

Defence expert PK Sehgal said that in a democratic society "the will of the people is very important."

"Yesterday, there were reports about huge atrocities committed on a dead body of a BSF soldier, followed by kidnappings and killing of two SPOs and one police constable. The people of the country are absolutely horrified and the decision of the government of India to interact in any manner whatsoever with Pakistan under these circumstances - not only they wanted these talks to be cancelled, but they are crying for revenge. In a democracy, when elections are due next year, it would have been folly on the part of the government to erode the popular will," Sehgal said.

"Under these circumstances, the government had no option, but to do a rethink and also do something exceptional as far as Pakistan is concerned. It's a clear warning to the people of Pakistan and to the government of Pakistan and to their Army and ISI that people of India are no longer willing to accept what they continue to do," he added.

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Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Prakash Javadekar on Friday clarified that the University Grants Commission's (UGC) circular directing universities and colleges to observe 'Surgical Strike Day' on September 29 is only advisory in nature, and not mandatory or imposed.

Speaking to media, Javadekar said, "We have not made any compulsions either to institutes or to students. We have issued a programme because of suggestions from many students and teachers that they need to commemorate the second anniversary of the surgical strike. Hence, on September 29 (anniversary of surgical strike), we have asked colleges, those who want to, can arrange a lecture by ex-Army officers who can tell the students how Defence forces defend the country, how they do the civilian duty, what is the special feature of surgical strike and how the surgical strike was conducted. This information needs to reach the students."

Brushing aside any political motive behind the directive, the minister said, "This is not political. This is not Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) rally. This is purely ex-Army personnel going to various colleges and institutes and telling institutes how Defence forces defend the country. There is no politics, and it is only patriotism."

He also criticised the Congress for opposing the move and said, "We never mandate anything, we suggest and issue advisory. Thousands of institutes, colleges follow (the advisory). We never make anything compulsory that is the difference between the Congress and the BJP. The Congress and other political parties objecting over it is wrong."

The UGC has issued a circular requesting all higher educational institutions (HEI), universities and colleges that they may observe 'Surgical Strike Day' on September 29.

The Congress, however, criticised the circular saying that the motive of the directive is to reap political gains. "I do not think since independence, we have seen UGC giving any kind of directive of this nature to universities. For UGC, to give a directive is destroying the very independence of the university system. The only motive of this directive is to reap political gains," Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Kapil Sibal said.

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University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a circular requesting all higher educational institutions (HEI), universities and colleges that they may observe 'Surgical Strike Day' on September 29.

UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain, in his circular to Vice Chancellors of all universities, has instructed that colleges may organise special parades, speeches by ex-servicemen about the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces, exhibitions, writing letters and making cards by students to pledge their support for the Armed Forces, etc to mark the day.

"All HEIs with Cadet Corps (NCC) units shall organise a special parade on 29th September, after which the NCC commander shall address them on the modalities of protection of the borders. The Universities/colleges may organise a meeting, calling ex-service men who will sensitise the students about the sacrifice made by the armed forces in protecting the borders," according to the circular.

"On the occasion, the student shall pledge their support for the armed forces by writing letter and cards, which may be produced in both physical and digital format. These letters and cards will be shared with Public Relation Officer (PRO), Defence and Press Information Bureau (PIB) for publicity across various media, including social media. The physical letters so received can be given to the nearest Cantonment or can be presented to the Army, officials visiting various colleges for short meetings with the students. It will also provide a photo opportunity for the students," the circular added.

The UGC also informed that a multimedia exhibition would be organised around India Gate, state capitals, important towns, cantonments among other places, and asked all universities to encourage their students and faculty members to visit these exhibitions.

On 29 September 2016, the Indian Army carried out the surgical strike, 11 days after Pakistan carried out Uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir killing 18 Army personnel.

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British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit trade plan will not work, said the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk on Thursday.

Holding a press conference here after two days of intense talks with May here, Tusk said that the European Union (EU) leaders had agreed that the Chequer's plan would undermine the bloc's single market, CNN reported.

"Everybody shared the view that while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal for economic cooperation, the suggested framework will not work -- not least because it risks undermining the single market," Tusk explained.

After two days of an informal summit by the EU leaders, they will meet once again at a formal summit next month, which the Polish politician called "the moment of truth" for smooth Brexit negotiations.

Tusk expressed concerns that no agreements have been signed on how to avoid new custom regimes on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, the report said.

It's clear that significant gaps remain between both sides. "The Irish question needs something more than only good intentions. Without clear a precise solution to the Irish question, and for the whole context of our economic future relations, it will be difficult even to imagine a positive process after October," he added.

May had earlier vowed to push for new proposals in order to ensure free trade across the Irish border.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that there could be "no compromise" in the interests of the EU's single market. However, French President Emmanuel Macron blasted at the Brexit plan, saying it was sold to the British people by "liars" and fled from the scene.

May, who proposed the Brexit trade plan at her country retreat of Chequers in July, drew massive criticism, which even led to the resignation of then foreign secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit secretary David Davis.

Describing her meeting with Tusk as 'very frank', May underlined that the UK could have an option to leave the 27-member bloc without a deal. "There's a lot of hard work to be done, I believe there is a willingness to do a deal. However, we are preparing for no deal. The British people can be confident we have done what is necessary to make sure we have a success of leaving the EU," she added.

Under the process, Britain is set to leave the bloc by March 29, 2019. However, in practice, a deal has to be finalised in the next few months to allow for parliamentary ratification.

In June, the EU Withdrawal Bill, also known as the Brexit Bill, became a law, after Queen Elizabeth II gave her approval.

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Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Dinesh Sharma on Friday hailed the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led state government for the cost-cutting measures that were implemented on September 19.

Speaking to ANI, Sharma said, "The governments under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath are ones that hold themselves accountable to the public. Ever since Yogi Ji has taken oath, I think the expenditure on food, travel, lodging and other such things is minimal. Even they don't want to waste the public's hard-earned money."

"Unnecessary expenses like changing furniture, decor, petrol and diesel expenses on futile travels, foreign tours, holding seminars in big, five-star hotels, are wasting the public's funds. Thus the government has decided to immediately restrict all expenses against the Government Order (GO) and to initiate an investigation against those who sanction such expenditures. Stopping over-spending is a success of the government" Sharma added.

On September 19, the UP government implemented strict norms to curb government expenditure.

"In order to utilize the resources of the state in welfare projects, it is necessary to be frugal with the government's expenses," a statement from the UP government read.

The statement confirmed that restrictions were sanctioned on recruitments for various departments of the government, apart from the police and medical departments. Also, several benefits provided to employees like travel, accommodation, guest house, furniture, stationery, etc were also regulated.

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The United States of America (USA) has imposed sanctions on the Chinese entity Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its Director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in significant transactions with Russian companies and persons who are on the List of Specified Persons (LSP) under Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA).

As per the details shared by U.S Department of State, these transactions involved Russia's transfer to China of Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment.

Giving details on the action initiated against EDD, the US State Department said: "The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determined that EDD, formerly known as the General Armaments Department (GAD), knowingly engaged in significant transactions with a person that is a part of, or operates for or on behalf of, the defence sector of the Government of the Russian Federation. China took delivery from Russia of ten Su-35 combat aircraft in December 2017 and an initial batch of S-400 (a.k.a. SA-21) surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018. Both transactions resulted from pre-August 2, 2017, deals negotiated between EDD and Rosoboronexport (ROE), Russia's main arms export entity."

As part of these sanctions there will be a denial of export licenses, a prohibition on foreign exchange transactions under United States jurisdiction, a prohibition on transactions with the United States financial system, blocking of all property and interests in property within United States jurisdiction and the imposition of sanctions on an EDD principal executive officer, its Director Li Shangfu, which include a prohibition on foreign exchange transactions under US jurisdiction, a prohibition on transactions with the US financial system, blocking of all property and interests in property within US jurisdiction, and a visa ban.

The step, as per US Department of State, has been taken to further impose costs on the Russian Government for its malign activities.

The Secretary of State has also added 33 additional persons to the CAATSA Section 231 List of Specified Persons (LSP) informing about which the press release states, "A person is either an entity or an individual and is added to the list for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation. This action increases the number of persons identified on the LSP to 72. Any person who knowingly engages in a significant transaction with any of these persons is subject to mandatory sanctions under CAATSA section 231."

The move follows the President of America Donald Trump's new Executive Order "Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act" to further the implementation of certain sanctions in the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA) with respect to the Russian Federation.

Elaborating further on these decisions, the US Department of State has also clarified that these actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country.

It said: "Section 231 of CAATSA and today's actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country, but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the United States election process, its unacceptable behaviour in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities. Today's actions further demonstrate the Department of State's continuing commitment to fully implement CAATSA section 231, which has already deterred billions of dollars worth of potential arms exports from Russia. The state encourages all persons to avoid engaging in transactions with entities on the LSP that may risk sanctions, including high-value, major transactions for sophisticated weapons systems."

CAATSA Section 231 requires that at least five of the twelve sanctions described in CAATSA section 235 be imposed on a person who knowingly engaged in a significant transaction with a person that is a part of, or operates for or on behalf of, the defence or intelligence sectors of the Russian Government.

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Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday returned to India after completing his seven-day tour to three central European countries - Serbia, Malta and Romania.

Vice President's visit was characterised by extremely cordial discussions with Heads of Governments, their respective prime ministers and other senior political leaders. It also helped deepen bilateral ties with each of these three countries and garner support for India's aspiration to be on United Nation Security Council (UNSC) and for taking forward United Nation reforms.

During his visit, the Vice President endorsed India's stand on terror and support for early adoption of United Nation's Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

"The leaders in all the countries expressed unequivocal admiration for India's economic growth and were eager to engage and partner with India politically, economically and culturally. In Romania, there was a special interest in Space and Aerospace. Malta expressed its desire to join the International Solar Alliance," an official statement of the government said.

The Indian diaspora settled in all the three nations also got a chance to listen to the Vice President about the transformative agenda of the government. Vice President Naidu also encouraged them to think of various ways in which they can contribute to the country's development.

Underscoring the growing importance of India on the world stage, the Vice President, during his visit, also drew attention to four key features- Democracy, Demographic dividend, Demand and Diaspora- that need to be recognised.

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The Kerala Police on Friday said that they will take call on the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who allegedly raped a nun, after his interrogation.

Speaking to ANI, Kottayam Superintendent of Police (SP), Harisankar said, "After interrogation, we will decide whether to go forward with his arrest or not. I can't say if the arrest will be made today."

Mulakkal appeared before a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kochi Police for the third day on Friday. He reached the Crime Branch (CID) office in Thrippunithura this morning and is being quizzed by a five-member team headed by Vaikom Deputy Superintendent of Police, K Subhash, over the nun's allegations.

The senior Catholic priest, who was incharge of the Jalandhar diocese, was temporarily relieved of his pastoral duties by Pope Francis, yesterday. The move came days after he wrote to the Pope, expressing his desire to 'temporarily step aside' from the responsibilities of the diocese, allowing him time to fight his case.

The nun had accused the Mulakkal of raping her 13 times between 2014 and 2016. The bishop, however, refuted the allegations, terming them "baseless and concocted". Several priests and nuns have been protesting against the bishop in Kerala. On Thursday, activists staged a protest outside the Kerala Secretariat in Trivandrum, demanding that the prelate be arrested.

Mulakkal had earlier filed for anticipatory bail in the Kerala High Court, which was deferred to September 25.

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NBCC (India) said it secured total business of approximately Rs 921.67 crore in August 2018. The announcement was made after market hours on 19 September 2018.

Dilip Buildcon said it has been declared L-1 bidder for Indore Metro Rail project, Phase -I, valued at Rs 228.96 crore by the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Co., Urban Administration and Development Department, Bhopal (M.P). The announcement was made on 20 September 2018.

Yes Bank said it received the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s letter stating that Rana Kapoor can continue to be the bank's managing director and CEO till 31 January 2019. The board of directors of the bank will meet on 25 September 2018 to decide on the future course of action. The announcement was made after market hours on 19 September 2018.

ICICI Bank informed that the committee of executive directors constituted by the board of the bank is scheduled to meet on 24 September 2018 to consider offshore fund raising in single/multiple tranches in any currency through public/private placement by way of issuances of debt instruments, certificate of deposits etc. for the remaining period of financial year 2018-2019. The announcement was made after market hours on 19 September 2018.

ITC announced that on 19 September 2018, the company took possession of the property known as Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa located at 263-C Arossim, Cansaulim, Goa. The announcement was made on 20 September 2018.

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In a fresh bid to pressure the BJP-led coalition government in Goa, several of whose ministers have been hospitalised due to severe ailments, 16 Congress MLAs on Friday issued notice to the State legislature Secretary demanding removal of Speaker Pramod Sawant.

The notice, which is signed by Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said: "We the undersigned MLAs of Goa do hereby propose to move the following motion for removal of Dr Pramod Sawant as Speaker of legislative assembly of Goa on expiry of 14-day notice period."

THe notice was filed under rule 243 of the rules of procedure and conduct of business of the Goa legislative assembly read with article 179(C) of the Constitution.

The move comes at a time when the BJP-led coalition government is hamstrung by the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the ruling coalition is keen to avoid a test on the floor of the House.

While the motion moved by the Congress to remove the Speaker would facilitate a floor test, an Assembly session for it can be summoned by the Governor.

While the BJP has 14 MLAs, three legislators -- Parrikar, Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar -- are suffering from severe ailments, which puts their appearance in the state legislative assembly in case of a vote in doubt.

Ever since Parrikar's hospitalisation at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences last week, its ten allies, which includes three MLAs each from the Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and four Independent legislators have stepped up pressure on them, seeking bigger portfolios.

Goa Forward's Vijai Sardesai as well as MGP's Sudin Dhavalikar have also hinted about their aspirations for the Chief Minister's post in Parrikar's absence, which has put the BJP on the back foot.

The ruling coalition had to postpone its decision to replace Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, with a new CM in order to avoid a mandatory floor test which is required to ascertain whether the Chief Minister has the confidence of the House.

--IANS

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Two men were shot and wounded by their employer's relative, a friend of the victims said on Friday. However, police said that they were wounded in a shootout.

The two worked at a scrap warehouse in south Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan area.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal said "the two opened fire at each other during a scuffle over a money-related issue" post midnight on Thursday.

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the two -- Rameshwar, 19, and Sunil, 21 -- were admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

"Rameshwar has been shifted to ICU (intensive care unit). Doctors said his condition is serious and his chances of survival are bleak," their friend Raju Chaudhary told IANS.

Chaudhary complained that the police were not lodging a First Information Report (FIR) even after recording Sunil's statement.

"We have been at the police station since morning but they haven't lodged an FIR."

He said a relative of the owner of the warehouse opened fire at the two when they were asleep.

"First, he shot Rameshwar in the head and later targeted Sunil," Chaudhary said. "There wasn't any trouble between the employer and the victims."

--IANS

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At least 44 people were killed when a passenger ferry carrying hundreds capsized in Tanzania's Lake Victoria, officials said.

The accident took place on Thursday between two islands in Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, which straddles the borders of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, reports CNN.

The exact number of those on board wasn't immediately known because the ferry was overloaded, according to media reports.

Reports varied but the ferry may have carried between 400 and 500 people.

By Thursday night, 37 people had been pulled out of the water by emergency teams during a rescue operation, which was halted because of poor visibility.

Regional Commissioner John Mongella told Tanzanian television channel ITV that emergency teams would continue their search on Friday morning.

Boat disasters are frequent on Tanzania's waters, where ferries often exceed their capacity.

Some 200 people were killed after an overloaded vessel hit strong winds off the island of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean in 2011.

The boat had a capacity of 620 passengers but was carrying over 1,000 people.

--IANS

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet US President Donald Trump in New York next week during the UN General Assembly (UNGA), a government spokesperson said here on Friday.

Yoshihide Suga said that Abe would depart for New York on Sunday to participate in next week's UNGA and other sideline meetings, Efe news reported.

Suga said that Trump and Abe would first meet for a private dinner and then hold a formal meeting on Wednesday.

The Japanese Premier is expected to address the General Assembly on Tuesday, the first day of the annual UN meeting.

North Korea is expected to be high on the agenda during meetings at the General Assembly.

Suga said the Abe-Trump meeting would cement the close bilateral coordination between Japan and the US on the regional and global challenges facing them both, including the denuclearization of the Pyongyang regime.

Abe's visit to New York comes after his re-election as President of the Liberal Democratic Party, allowing him to continue as Prime Minister for another three years.

--IANS

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Police on Friday issued an arrest warrant against former Bihar Minister Manju Verma's husband in an arms case related to a raid connected to the Muzaffarpur home rape horror.

At least 34 girl inmates of the shelter home were found to have been raped during a social audit in June.

Begusarai District Superintendent of Police Aditya Kumar issued the arrest warrant against former Social Welfare Minister's husband Chandrasekhar Verma in connection with an FIR registered by the CBI under the Arms Act.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had searched their residence in Patna and Begusarai. Fifty live cartridges were recovered from their Begusarai house.

"Police have raided a few places to arrest Verma," a district police official said.

In August, a Begusarai district court rejected the anticipatory bail of the former minister, Manju Verma, and her husband.

Manju Verma resigned on August 8 following allegations that Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzaffarpur home rape case, had links with her husband.

Arrested on June 2, Thakur is currently lodged in Muzaffarpur jail.

Of the 42 girls lodged at the short-stay home run by Thakur's NGO, 34 were found to have been sexually assaulted. The crime came to light after a social audit by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

The shelter home has since been sealed.

--IANS

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The Australian government has awarded the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) funding worth 90 times more than what was requested, it was revealed on Friday.

Documents made public by Fairfax Media on Friday revealed that John Schubert, chairman of the GBRF, in April asked Josh Frydenberg, who was the Minister for Energy and Environment at the time, for a A$5 million ($3 million) funding grant, reports Xinhua news agency.

Frydenberg and Malcolm Turnbull, who was Prime Minister at the time, on April 29 announced that the GBRF had been awarded a A$444 million ($323 million) grant -- the largest allocation of federal money to the non-profit sector in Australian history.

The funding has come under intense scrutiny since May when it was revealed that the GBRF was not subjected to the standard tender process and only had six staff.

The decision is currently subject to a Senate inquiry.

Frydenberg, who was sworn-in as Treasurer in August following Turnbull's exit, on Friday defended his actions, disputing claims that the contribution did not go through standard process.

"The first thing to say is the Barrier Reef needs more funding," he told Macquarie Media radio.

"The foundation is the single largest charity for the reef in the country."

The Opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) has promised it will change laws so as to recover the unspent funding if it wins the upcoming general election.

Michael Myer, an initial financial supporter of the organization, in August described the grant as an "unthinkable" decision that was granted "without due diligence, without a proper tender process, without a request".

--IANS

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Terming the University Grants Commission (UGC)'s circular to celebrate "Surgical Strike Day" on September 29 as "BJP's gimmick ahead of the elections", West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Friday said educational institutions in the state will not celebrate the day.

The decision to celebrate the Surgical Strike Day was announced on Thursday when the UGC in a letter to all Vice Chancellors of the universities had asked them to hold special parades by the National Cadet Corps and pledge of support by students to the armed forces through letters and cards on September 29.

"It is a part of BJP's agenda before the 2019 elections which they are trying to push through UGC. The BJP is trying to politicise the Indian Army. It is a matter of shame and we do not support it," Chatterjee told the reporters here.

The Minister clarified that the state government has utmost respect for the country's soldiers and their sacrifices but it will not support any attempt by the saffron outfit to politicise the army.

On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out "surgical strikes" on seven terrorist launch pads across the LoC in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in response to an attack on its base in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri earlier that month.

While Pakistan rejected that a strike took place, stating that Indian troops had not crossed the Line of Control but had only skirmished with Pakistani troops at the border, the Indian Army had said its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.

--IANS

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The opposition BJP on Friday urged Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to act against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for allegedly provoking the people to wage war against its state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa.

"Kumaraswamy told the media at Channarayapatna in Hassan district on Thursday that he would ask the people to wage war against Yeddyurappa if the latter made attempt to destabilise the JD-S-Coalition government in the state," said the party in a letter to Vala.

A BJP delegation, led by Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and its state unit leaders, also told the Governor that cadres of the ruling JD-S and Congress had rushed to Yeddyurappa's residence in the city within hours after Kumaraswamy's threat.

"We urge you to prosecute Kumaraswamy for his statement, which is intentional and a constitutional offence punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," asserted the letter.

BJP's former state chief minister Jagadish Shettar, former deputy chief minister B.R. Ashoka, Lok Sabha members from the state P.C. Mohan and Shobha Karandlaje and legislators from the state met the Governor and submitted the letter in Raj Bhavan.

Kumaraswamy provocative remarks came amid charges that the BJP's state unit and Yeddyurappa have been trying to dislodge the 4-month-old coalition government by luring Congress legislators with money for defecting to the opposition party (BJP).

Refuting the charges of Kumaraswamy and Congress leaders, Ashoka told reporters here that the coalition government was crisis-ridden due to revolt by Congress minister Ramesh Jharkiholi, his brother legislator Satish Jharkiholi and its dissident MLAs.

"Though its nearing four months since the rival parties (Janata Dal-Secular and Congress) came to power in May through a unholy post-poll alliance, the coalition government is yet to settle down and function, as the chief minister and the cabinet ministers are daily fire-fighting for survival," thundered Ashoka.

In the 34-member cabinet, as eight ministerial posts, including six of the Congress and two of the JD-S have not been filled so far, legislators of both the parties have been vying for them or become chairmen of various state-run boards and corporations.

Denying crisis in the party, former Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah said the state government was stable and none of its MLAs (legislators) had gone to Mumbai.

--IANS

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The Centre is exploring possibilities and options to extend its support in terms of strengthening infrastructure and ensuring availability of feedstock in the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCPIRs) projects, an official said.

The Centre was also studying "various models" that have been developed for setting up such clusters in different countries.

"There are some issues with regard to PCPIRs. In the existing policy, the role of the Central government was to provide support for infrastructure outside the boundaries of PCPIRs, which is still a very large area. Within the boundary of PCPIRs, the responsibility is with the respective state government," Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals Secretary P. Raghavendra Rao said.

He said the issues include feedstock availability, infrastructure including the connected pipelines for transportation for feedstock and end products.

"Now, we are focusing that what kind of supports that need to be extended in terms of road, power, water supply within the PCPIRs' region and how do we ensure the availability of feedstock," he said.

There were four approved PCPIRs, each in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Out of these, the one in Gujarat has taken off reasonably well while the others are yet to gain momentum.

An amended policy for PCPIRs is also under consultation and will likely be finalised within the current financial year.

"We are looking at the overall picture and studying models that have been developed by Singapore and other countries. We are examining the various possible options to overcome the challenges so that the policy becomes more vibrant," Rao said on the sidelines of an industry meet here on Thursday evening ahead of the "India Chem 2018" to be held in Mumbai from October 4-6.

Rao pointed out that "discussions are also on" on how to create a proper framework or environment so that Indian companies are able to put up facilities tapping overseas resources.

When asked about the proposed PCPIR in West Bengal, Rao said: "I wish that it becomes a reality."

--IANS

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Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday took a dig at the government for agreeing to hold a meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session.

"Monday-No talks, says MoS Defence, Tuesday-No talks, says HM, Wednesday-No Talks, says Defence Minister, Thursday-FMs will meet says MEA. That is a lesson on 'How to make foreign policy?'," Chidambaram said in a tweet.

His attack came after the MEA announced that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will meet her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of UNGA session that begins later this month.

This would be the first such high-level interaction between the neighbours after three years. However, the government has said that the coming meeting was not resumption of the dialogue process between both the countries.

--IANS

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Lambasting the Modi government's Pakistan policy and its "mishandling" of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting return of terrorism to the Valley, the Congress on Friday said the government had lost its right to continue.

Pointing to killing and abductions of security personnel and civilians in as well as repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the party questioned the Modi government's silence that was resulting in "paranoia" among the security forces.

"It is laughable to talk about the government's Pakistan policy. It sounds like an oxymoron because there is no Pakistan policy which we can point to.

"The policy Modi government is pursuing is, no policy, it is knee-jerk, episodic, momentary, transient and depends on the mood of the moment," said Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

"Recently, for the first time in the last 70 years, Russia and Pakistan have conducted a joint military exercise. Russia is also selling MI-35 helicopters to Pakistan under a defence cooperation pact," he said.

Singhvi's remarks came as India called off the proposed foreign minister-level meeting with Pakistan saying Islamabad's "evil agenda" stood exposed.

Accusing the Modi government of using Jammu and as a "laboratory experiment", Singhvi said there were apprehensions of terrorism making a comeback to the mainstream.

"It is shocking that 404 jawans (troopers) have been killed and 256 civilians died since the Modi government came to power. There has been a 500 per cent increase in ceasefire violations (by Pakistan).

"We spent 10 years bringing people into the mainstream but now they have been left midstream. Today one can feel that terrorism is being brought into mainstream in the state," he said.

Singhvi pointed to several Special Police Officers (SPOs) and cops resigning in the last 24 hours in the midst of threats from militants.

"We have three more policemen abducted and 10 policemen resigning. If this doesn't shake the government, what will? And we have hollow explanation from the Home Ministry saying the resignation is not out of fear. The home ministry wants to believe that police men are joyously resigning.

"The same state of Jammu and Kashmir, with the same Pakistan and under the same circumstances, was progressing till this power hungry and greedy government came to power.

"This government has no moral right to continue because it is playing with the crown of India (Kashmir) and has no right to continue for a single day," added Singhvi.--IANS

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Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya assembly Mukul Manda Sangma on Friday denied that Congress party is embarking on a policy of "phasing out senior and elderly people".

"It (phasing out senior and elderly Congress leaders) is not true. The Congress is in the process of looking at senior leaders who are available and who can be of immense help in strengthening the party," the former Chief Minister told journalists.

Sangma was reacting to former Meghalaya Chief Minister Donwa Dethwelson Apang, who resigned from the Congress with which he was associated for over four decades. Apang had said he felt humiliated by Congress embarking on a policy of "phasing out senior and elderly people."

--IANS

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The Congress on Friday demanded a probe into the Narendra Modi-led government's much vaunted "Skill India", claiming that the scheme was a massive scam benefiting people within the "BJP eco-system".

Citing media reports and RTI replies, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged that the scheme launched in 2015 to "train 40 crore people" was actually a "shortcut to profitable business for the unscrupulous".

"Skill India Mission has turned out to be a massive scam with people within the BJP eco-system, its cronies, middlemen, touts and mafia pocketing the money for the same and listing ghost beneficiaries.

"The mission of skilling has evolved into a mechanism of fast billing for BJP's friends. In the name of making youth employable, Modi government's Skill Development Ministry seems to have created a shortcut to profitable business for the unscrupulous," said Singhvi.

The Congress also targeted Textile Minister Smriti Irani over the alleged scam.

"Irani, who leaves no opportunity to exert her larynx on variety of inane issues, is absolutely mum on the rampant corruption under her watch, why?" asked Singhvi.

He also cited the government-appointed Sharda Prasad Committee that had "criticised the Modi government for setting an unachievable target of skilling 40 crore youth".

"The committee had further found that the Modi government had been missing its targets over the previous two years as far as skilling the workforce was concerned," said Singhvi, demanding a probe into the scam and recovery of "crores of people's money lost due to these irregularities".

--IANS

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Unidentified criminals on Friday snatched a rifle from a policeman sipping tea near the Jharkhand Chief Minister's official residence here on Friday but flung it after being chased by the police.

According to police, the incident took place near Ram temple on Kanke road, just 300 metres from Chief Minister's heavily guarded residence.

A group of policemen from the Police Control Room were having tea when one of them asked a motorcycle rider to halt.

The youth suddenly snatched the rifle from one of the policeman and escaped along with an accomplice on the bike.

As the police personnel pursued them, the criminals threw away the weapon near Morabadi ground but managed to escape.

--IANS

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The Enforcement Directorate is planning to question Dubai-based hawala operator, Naval Kishore Kapoor, who is currently lodged in Tihar Central jail here, to find details of funding which emerged out of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

A senior ED official, privy to the probe, told IANS requesting anonymity that the agency had obtained permission from the special NIA court in Delhi to question the hawala operator on November 11. Kapoor was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on July 16 this year.

According to probe officials, the NIA is looking into the funding aspects of the Mumbai attacks in which the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba chief, Hafiz Saeed, is involved. In all, 164 people had died in the terror attack carried out by militants who came from Pakistan.

According to the ED official, the grilling of Kapoor was required as the NIA probe had revealed a lease agreement signed in 2014 between him and Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmed Watali who was arrested by the counter-terror probe agency on August 17, 2017.

The ED official said that the questioning of Kapoor is likely to "unearth the 26/11 attack financial funding trail to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation, including Saeed."

Saeed has been named as the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attacks. His name also figures in the NIA's terror funding case which aimed at stoking unrest in the valley.

The NIA had registered a case on May 30 against separatist and secessionist leaders, including unknown members of the Hurriyat Conference, who have been acting in connivance with active militants of proscribed terrorist organisations -- Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)in Pakistan and Dukhtaran-e-Millat in

Saeed, the Pakistan-based chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the front of the banned terrorist organisation LeT, has been named in the FIR as an accused.

On January 18, Watali was charge-sheeted by the NIA along with Saeed, Syed Salahuddin -- head of Hizbul Mujahideen -- seven Kashmiri separatist leaders and others in the terror-funding case in the Valley.

They were charge under stringent anti-terror laws for hatching a conspiracy to wage a war against India.

Last year, the ED had registered a case under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act based on an FIR filed by the NIA.

The ED official said that Kapoor had entered into an agreement with Trison Farms and Constructions through its Managing Director Watali to take land in Budgam, Kashmir, on lease and had remitted a total amount of Rs 5.58 crore in 22 instalments between 2013 and 2016 to Watali.

The official said that according to the NIA chargesheet, the land did not exist in the name of the company and the agreement lacked legal sanctity.

"As it proves that the said agreement was used as a cover created by Watali to bring foreign remittance from unknown sources to India, we need to grill him," the official said.

The ED official also said that the NIA had evidence showing Watali's proximity with the Pakistani establishment.

"On the basis of documents seized from Watali by the NIA, which discloses a list of ISI officials and a letter addressed to Pakistan High Commissioner recommending grant of visa to him," the ED official said.

In the chargesheet, the NIA had produced documents which apparently showed that Watali had received funds from the Pakistani establishment and terror organisations, which were later transferred to Kashmiri secessionists.

"Watali was bringing money from offshore locations to India by layering it through scores of firms and companies," the ED official said. The NIA chargesheet also describes Watali as one of the conduits dealing with Hawala transactions.

Watali also has been associated with the LoC trade and has worked as the president of the LoC Traders' Association in the past.

On July 24, 2017, the NIA had arrested Aftab Hilali Shah alias Shahid-ul-Islam, Ayaz Akbar Khandey, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, Nayeem Khan, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal and Bashir Ahmad Bhat alias Peer Saifullah, allegedly for being linked to the funding case.

Altaf Ahmad Shah is the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who advocates Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan.

Shahid-ul-Islam is an aide of moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Khandey is the spokesperson for the Geelani-led Hurriyat.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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Emami Paper Mills on Friday said it will invest Rs 2,000 crore for setting up its new manufacturing plant at Bharuch in Gujarat and also for adding capacity in the second phase.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani on Friday laid the foundation stone of its greenfield multilayer packaging board project. The company hopes to commence production in the first half of 2020.

Spread over an area of around 103 acres, in Saykha Industrial Area in Bharuch district, the upcoming facility with a total capacity of 2.25 lakh tonnes per annum (TPA) and 18 megawatt captive power plant will be set up at an investment of around Rs 1,000 crore in the first phase, it said in a statement.

In the second phase of the project, the company will double its capacity with an equal additional investment towards installation of a new machine, it said.

The project, a maiden venture of the company in the state, has already received the necessary environment clearance from the state government.

It will generate around 3,000 direct and indirect employment.

"With the setting up of the first phase of this greenfield project, the total production capacity of the company will increase by another 2.25 lakh tonnes per annum and generate an additional business turnover of around Rs 1,000 crore," Emami Group's Director Aditya V. Agarwal said.

Keeping in view the infrastructure and ease of doing business in Gujarat, the company is targeting to complete the first phase of the project by early 2020 and commence its commercial production in the first half of the same year, he said.

Company's CEO P.S. Patwari said its total production capacity is currently at 3.35 lakh TPA which comprise 1.55 lakh TPA of newsprint and writing-printing paper and 1.80 lakh TPA of paperboard.

In 2015, it diversified into packaging board by setting up a state of the art plant in Balasore, Odisha.

"With the growth of the consumer market in India, there has been a spurt in demand for high quality multilayer coated paper board in the country. With the completion of the this plant in the first phase, we expect to cater to this increasing demand as our total production capacity will go up to 5.60 lakh TPA," he said.

During the last financial year, the company had clocked a turnover of Rs 1,366 crore and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of Rs 104 crore.

--IANS

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Delhi Police on Friday arrested a sweeper of an ESI hospital for raping a minor girl patient within the compound.

Police said the girl,11, was admitted to the ESI Hospital in Rohini on September 13.

On Friday morning around 4.30 a.m, the girl had a stomachache due to which she stepped out of her ward in search of a nurse.

"The 40-year-old accused identified as Radhe spotted her and took her to his quarters where he allegedly raped her. He was later arrested," Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajneesh Gupta said.

The accused worker was employed on a contractual basis.

--IANS

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After a gap of almost 10 days, rains are set to return to some parts of Uttar Pradesh, the weatherman said on Friday.

According to the regional Met office, western and central parts of the state would receive "heavy to very heavy rains" in the next few days.

"The western Uttar Pradesh and some parts of central Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow and neighbouring regions will receive heavy rainfall between September 23-26," the Met office has warned.

The rains will also bring down the mercury, which for the past few days has been on a steady climb. Gusty winds in western Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region (NCR) have also been predicted for the next four days.

The Met office said the rains would be part of the retreating monsoon but also due to a depression being formed in the Bay of Bengal.

Places that will have heavy rains include Agra, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Baghpat, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah and Mathura.

--IANS

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Blaming Pakistan for the killing of security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and accusing it of glorifying terrorism, India on Friday called off talks between the two foreign ministers in New York in a move termed by Pakistan as "unfortunate" and "taken under internal pressure".

External Affairs Ministers Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi were set to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week, marking the first thaw in bilateral ties that have steadily deteriorated.

The Indian government said in a strongly-worded statement that since the announcement of the talks on Thursday, two "deeply disturbing" developments had taken place that led to Islamabad's "evil agenda" being exposed.

In the first such incident earlier in the day, terrorists abducted and gunned down three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a sharp escalation in militancy in the state which India says is backed by Pakistan.

Also, Islamabad on Thursday had issued postage stamps in memory of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen leader who was shot dead by Indian security forces in July 2016, sparking widespread street protests.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirmed that Pakistan will not mend its ways," said the statement by the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been revealed to the world," Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Calling the development "unfortunate", Qureshi said: "We had already told India that if they take one step towards us, we will take two. However, it seems that they faltered after taking just one step."

He told Dawn online the world should see that "Pakistan has held a positive outlook towards the situation while India's attitude has not been so forthcoming".

The Pakistani minister said it appeared as if New Delhi was facing internal pressure. "If the meeting is not to be considered as part of talks between the two countries, then what is the purpose of it?

"I would only say that there was a chance, which was missed. Talks will only be held in a dignified and respectable manner... If they are not willing for it, then we also won't act in haste."

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said extremist groups in India were sabotaging talks between the two countries and that "entire world was watching Pakistan stand for peace and dialogue.

"It appears as if the Indian cabinet lacks consensus on the matter... If you won't talk, then issues will not be resolved," he was cited as saying by Geo News.

A day earlier, India had announced that it had accepted Pakistan's request for a meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Qureshi.

New Delhi said that it agreed for the New York meeting in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from Khan as well as Qureshi.

"The letter had spoken of, inter alia, bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
on Friday called off talks between External Affairs Minister and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi set on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, saying Islamabad's "evil agenda" stood exposed.

In a strongly-worded statement, spokesperson said the latest brutal killings of Indian security personnel in and Pakistan's decision to glorify terrorism showed that it won't mend its ways.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been revealed to the world," the statement said.

"Any conversation with in such an environment would be meaningless.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the foreign ministers of and in New York," the statement said.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday termed as "unfortunate" India's cancellation of talks with Islamabad in New York next week.

"We had already told India that if they take one step towards us, we will take two. However, it seems that they faltered after taking just one step," Qureshi told Dawn online.

Blaming Pakistan for the killing of the security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and accusing it of glorifying terrorism, India called off talks between Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. They were set to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York marking the first thaw in bilateral ties.

Qureshi said the world should see that "Pakistan has held a positive outlook towards the situation while India's attitude has not been so forthcoming".

He said it appeared as if New Delhi was facing internal pressure. "If the meeting is not to be considered as part of talks between the two countries, then what is the purpose of it?

"I would only say that there was a chance, which was missed. Talks will only be held in a dignified and respectable manner... If they are not willing for it, then we also won't act in haste."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After three days of questioning, the Kerala Police on Friday arrested Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who heads the Roman Catholic Diocese in Jalandhar and has been accused of repeatedly raping a nun, police said.

He was taken for medical examination and will be produced before a court on Saturday.

This is first time in the country that a bishop has been arrested for rape.

Addressing reporters here on Friday night, after Mulakkal was taken out from the Crime Branch office where he was questioned, Kottayam Superintendent of Police Hari Sankar said all paper work for the arrest has been completed.

"He has been charged for illegal confinement, rape, unnatural sex and criminal intimidation. The arrest was made on the grounds of reasonable suspicion, which is enough for effecting an arrest. He was also given reasonable time to defend himself.

"The arrest has come after analysing all the evidences collected in the past two months of probe. The conspiracy angle that came out was also looked into," said Hari Sankar.

"The arrest came after multi-level discussions and we will be looking into more evidences. Also, the investigation officer will look into if there were more people involved," he added.

Mulakkal was taken to the Tripunithura Taluk Hospital for the medical examination.

From there, he was taken in a police vehicle to Kottayam, about 60 km from here.

"Tomorrow (Saturday) he will be produced in a court," said Hari Sankar.

The arrest came after the bishop was questioned for three consecutive days at the Crime Branch office near Tripunithura here.

Mulakkal has been accused of repeatedly sexually abusing the nun between 2014 and 2016. She raised her complaint against the Bishop in June.

The news of his arrest was received with shouting of slogans at a venue where five nuns have been on an indefinite protest along with the public for the past 14 days demanding his arrest.

"We still can't believe that he has been arrested. We are overjoyed," exclaimed a nun.

"We are extremely happy. This happened only because we got the support of public and also the media," said another nun.

The arrest became a certainty on Friday morning when a police official came to the victim, who is staying at a convent near Kottayam, to take statements for the seventh time when she first raised the issue in June.

The official took about half hour and passed on the outcome to the investigation officer who was questioning the bishop.

The nuns in Kochi protesting for the past 14 days demanding his arrest also secured widespread support from the civil society.

Like the past two days, on Friday too the bishop accompanied by his counsel and a few priests arrived for the questioning under heavy police escort around 10.45 a.m.

With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the US for medical treatment, Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan, the de facto Chief Minister, said earlier that the probe was progressing in the right direction.

"The government has always been with the victim and whosoever does a wrong, the wrongdoer will be taken to task," he said.

Hari Sankar early on Friday met Inspector General of Police Vijay Sakhre, who is heading the probe team.

Now with the bishop's arrest, his anticipatory bail plea filed before the Kerala High Court on September 25 has turned infructuous.

An FIR was registered against the bishop and a 114-page detailed statement was taken from the nun and other inmates of the convent.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China on Friday asked the US to lift the sanctions on the Chinese military for buying Russian fighter jets and weapons or "bear the consequences."

"China expressed strong indignation towards the unreasonable move by the US and has made solemn representation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

He added that Washington had violated the basic norms of international relations and disturbed ties with China. "We strongly call on the US to remedy the mistake and cancel the sanctions. Otherwise, it has to bear the consequences."

The US slapped the sanctions on the Chinese military's Equipment Development Department and its Director Li Shangfu for buying Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia.

Washington said that the action was taken to punish Russia for allegedly meddling in the US presidential elections.

US officials said it was the first time anyone was sanctioned for doing business with people on Washington's blacklist of Russian operatives.

The list was mandated by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, passed by Congress amid concern that President Donald Trump would not take tough action against Russia and could even move to ease sanctions on Moscow.

The move will add to the already frayed tempers between China and the US who are locked in a festering trade dispute.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Manmarziyaan" actor Abhishek Bachchan, who features in a smoking scene which is among the three deleted scenes from the film, says there's no harm in excluding some content if it hurts people's sentiments.

Director Anurag Kashyap has been vocal about expressing anger over deletion of scenes from "Manmarziyaan", which apparently happened without his knowledge. The film's lead actress Taapsee Pannu also slammed the decision.

During an interactive session of Jagran Cinema Summit on Friday, Abhishek was asked to comment about it.

He said: "Each individual has a right to react and if people have felt bad over some scenes, then I feel there is no harm in deleting those scenes from the movie unless it does not change the narrative of the film.

"Being a part of film fraternity, our main purpose is not to hurt anyone's sentiments. If there are some scenes and if people's opposition to scenes can affect the business of the film, then I guess exhibitors are right on their part because it is not an actor who stands to lose. It is the production people and exhibitors who have to suffer the loss in the end."

The scenes were deleted after Sikh groups complained that three scenes -- including two smoking ones -- offended their religious sentiments.

The scenes include one featuring Abhishek Bachchan's Robbie smoking and one with Taapsee Pannu's Rumi smoking. The third scene had the two of them enter a Gurudwara as bride and groom while Rumi thought about her past with Vicky Kaushal's character.

For Abhishek, deletion of scenes from the film is not a "big deal" as he feels the decision was taken in the interest of people.

"If someone has objections over some scenes, then it's her/his opinion and everyone has all the right to express their issue. I believe even one member of the community is not happy over something, then we all should try to understand each other beliefs and if there is some genuine issue, then we should act on it happily," the "Guru" actor added.

At the same time, Abhishek said that if the cuts and objections would have changed the film's storyline, then he would have also reacted on it and taken it up as a debate.

"Before taking any stand, it is important to understand what's the issue and what's the objection."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Militants on Friday killed three abducted policemen in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

"Three bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from Kapran village in the morning. The slain policemen have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchai, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Kuldeep," police sources said.

Reports said fourth abducted person, a civilian, was released unharmed.

The four people were abducted on Thursday night from Kapran and Batgund villages.

The victims were Special Police Officers (SPOs).

Militants have been threatening SPOs in south Kashmir areas to give up job or face consequences.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Launching a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government over its alleged mishandling of Jammu and Kashmir and relations with Pakistan, the Congress on Friday said the government has lost its right to continue in the office.

"Pakistan policy is an oxymoron because there is no Pakistan policy. What we have is momentary, knee-jerk, transient responses which depend on the mood of the moment," Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said here after the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan counterpart on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly meet.

He questioned the Modi government's decision asking how could talks happen when outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba were still operating out of Pakistan soil and posing grave threat to not just the peace of subcontinent but the entire globe.

"Recently, for the first time in the last 70 years, Russia and Pakistan have conducted a joint military exercise. Russia is also selling MI-35 helicopters to Pakistan under a defence cooperation pact," Singhvi said.

Singhvi also questioned the government's "silence" on the Kashmir situation where several Special Police Officers (SPOs) and cops have resigned -- although the J&K Police has denied any such resignations -- in the last 24 hours in the midst of threats from militants.

"We have absolute silence or empty, hollow words. What is the Prime Minister and the ruling party doing about the crown of the country, the nation wants to know. What is happening under its nose is terrible," Singhvi said.

"In less than 24 hours, we have three more policemen abducted and 10 policemen resigning. If this doesn't shake the government, what will? And we have hollow explanation from the Home Ministry saying the resignation is not out of fear. The Home Ministry wants to believe that police men are joyously resigning," Singhvi said.

"They have put a thermometer to find out there is no fear. What kind of hypocrisy is this? This government has no moral right to continue in the office," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Beating drums and thumping their chests, thousands of Muslims across West Bengal took out large processions on Friday to mourn the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussain at Karbala 1338 years back on the 10th day of the first Islamic month of Muharram.

Processions were organised at many places here to observe the day, also known as Yaum-e-Ashura, an important date in the Islamic calendar.

On Muharram, considered a day of bereavement, Muslims observe voluntary fast, generously donate to charity and pray remembering Hussain.

Elaborate security arrangements were made in Kolkata and the districts to prevent any breach of peace.

Police patrolling was stepped up, particularly in the sensitive areas, with traffic restricted in parts of the city to enable the processions to pass unhindered.

--IANS

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While India has taken tremendous strides in combating poverty in the past decade, Muslims, members of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Dalits saw the most progress in in reducing the impact of poverty, according to data compiled in a UN project.

The "very positive trend" during the decade between 2005-06 and 2015-16 in India is that "the poorest are catching up", Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHDI), said on Thursday at the presentation of the 2018 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) here.

The MPI prepared by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the OPHDI, takes into account various indicators of development rather than just income and aligns them to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while serving as a measure of the intensity of poverty felt by different groups.

While ST members were still the poorest group, they have seen the fastest reduction in MPI, as have the Dalits, Alkire said.

Explaining it, Diego Zavaleta Reyles from OPHDI told IANS that the average number of deprivations or "the intensity of their poverty" measured by the MPI fell for these groups even though the proportion of poor people in these categories was relatively the same or unchanged.

Between 2006 and 2016, the MPI of the STs came down from 0.447 to 0.229 even though the percentage had fallen only from 79.8 to 50 during the decade, according to OPHDI data.

During the same period, the MPI of Dalits fell from 0.338 to 0.145 while the percentage of poor came down from 65 to 32.9.

"If we look at the religious groups, the Muslims are the poorest and they again had the fastest reduction in MPI," Alkire said.

While MPI for Muslims was 0.331 in 2006, it fell to 0.144 in 2016, and the percentage of the poor in the community came down from 60.3 per cent to 31.1 per cent.

Nationally, 54.7 per cent of the people in all groups taken together were poor in 2006, but only 27.5 per cent in 2016, and the MPI came down from 0.279 to 0.121, the data show.

In terms of numbers, 271 million people had moved out of poverty during the decade, with the number of poor people coming down 635 million in 2005-06 to 364 million according to the MPI standards.

But "we are seeing a shift of global proportions occurring in India over a ten-year period and that is really encouraging", Alkire said.

India is the only country for which changes of this magnitude are taking place at this time, she added.

Bihar remains the poorest state, but along with other high-poverty states - Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhatisgarh - had the fastest reduction in multi-dimensional poverty, she said.

In spite of the progress, these states still remain the poorest.

Among age groups, children, who are still the poorest, saw the fastest reduction in MPI, she said.

Such reduction in poverty among these groups or states did had not happened in India in the earlier periods according to a previous study for the period 1998-1999 to 2005-06, she said.

UNDP Administrator Adam Steiner said that when governments start looking carefully at who the poor are and where they are, the analysis leads to programmes that help the poorest of the poor, whether by ethnicity, religion or geography, and results like those in India can be achieved.

Traditional poverty measures - often calculated by numbers of people who earn less than $1.90 a day - shed light on how little people earn but not on whether or how they experience poverty in their day-to-day lives, according to UNDP.

On the other hand, MPI takes into account health, education and living standards in areas like access to clean water, sanitation, nutrition and primary education, with those lacking in at least a third of these defined as multi-dimensionally poor.

According to the income-based measurement, only 270 million Indians are considered poor but according to the MPI standards a far larger number - 364 million -- were categorised as multi-dimensionally poor in 2016.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The images of a thin group of seasonal electric blue clouds on the cusp of our atmosphere captured by a new NASA balloon mission may lead to improved weather forecasting, the US space agency has said.

Data from these clouds, known as noctilucent clouds or polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs), may help scientists better understand turbulence in the atmosphere, as well as in oceans, lakes and other planetary atmospheres, NASA said in a statement on Thursday.

The NASA long-duration balloon mission observed these clouds over the course of five days at their home in the mesosphere.

Scientists have just begun to analyse the photos captured by the mission, the statement added.

"From what we've seen so far, we expect to have a really spectacular dataset from this mission," said Dave Fritts, principal investigator of the PMC Turbo mission at Global Atmospheric Technologies and Sciences in Boulder, Colorado.

"Our cameras were likely able to capture some really interesting events that we hope will provide new insights into these complex dynamics," Fritts added.

NASA's PMC Turbo mission launched a giant balloon on July 8 to study PMCs at a height of 50 miles above the surface.

For five days, the balloon floated through the stratosphere from its launch at Esrange, Sweden, across the Arctic to Western Nunavut, Canada.

During its flight, cameras on board the balloon captured six million high-resolution images filling up 120 terabytes of data storage -- most of which included a variety of PMC displays, revealing the processes leading to turbulence, NASA said.

Noctilucent clouds coalesce as ice crystals on tiny meteor remnants in the upper atmosphere.

These clouds are affected by what is known as atmospheric gravity waves -- caused by the convecting and uplifting of air masses, such as when air is pushed up by mountain ranges.

The waves play major roles in transferring energy from the lower atmosphere to the mesosphere.

"This is the first time we've been able to visualise the flow of energy from larger gravity waves to smaller flow instabilities and turbulence in the upper atmosphere," Fritts said.

"At these altitudes you can literally see the gravity waves breaking -- like ocean waves on the beach -- and cascading to turbulence," Fritts added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli will be leading a delegation to the 73rd session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said here.

Oli will leave for New York on Saturday and is scheduled to address the UNGA and hold a bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on September 27, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying on Thursday.

The High Level Segment of the UNGA will begin on September 25.

Concluding his visit to New York, Oli will head towards San Jose, Costa Rica on September 29 to pay a bilateral official visit, the ministry added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A youth, who sustained a bullet injury during a clash between agitating students and police in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district, died on Friday taking the toll to two in the incident.

A violent clash broke out between a mob and the police in North Dinajpur district's Islampur on Thursday over the appointment of teachers at Daribhit High School in the area, that left one student dead and several others injured.

Tapas Barman, a third-year student, died from his injuries in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on Friday, officials said.

Rajesh Sarkar, an ITI student, was allegedly shot dead on Thursday.

Both the youths were alumni of the school where the skirmish took place.

While the family members of the deceased claimed they were killed in police firing, the state police maintained no bullets were fired from their side. On the contrary, the police claimed several armed men attacked their personnel on Thursday.

"There was no firing from our side. A violent mob gathered outside the school with bombs, illegal arms and sticks. We are investigating who fired the bullets and who all got hit. We are looking into the matter seriously," district police superintendent Sumit Kumar said.

"Many people, including a police constable, were injured in the incident. We have detained seven people. According to preliminary investigation some of them are BJP supporters. More investigation is required before I can comment further," he said.

The family members of Sarkar, one of the deceased, claimed their son was shot dead by the police when he reached the school premises on hearing about the clash.

"Our sister is a student of that school. She was at the spot yesterday and was attacked by the police. When my brother confronted them, they shot him using a silencer gun," Sarkar's brother alleged.

"My son was working in his shop. He was hit by a bullet as soon as he came out on the street to see what was happening in the school. He was a former student of the same school but was not involved in the ongoing agitation there," Barman's father claimed.

According to police and local sources, the situation worsened over the past two days after the recruitment of three school teachers for Urdu and Sanskrit.

The students, who had been demanding appointment of teachers for Bengali and Science subjects, stopped the new teachers from entering the school, and put up a road blockade. The agitators clashed with the police when they arrived at the spot.

Police said they resorted to baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd and maintain law and order.

State education minister Partha Chatterjee accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of instigating the violence and said strong action would be taken against those found guilty.

"We are certain that RSS has played a significant role in the incident. They are bringing in people from outside and trying to indulge in the politics of death. Whoever is found involved in the violence, whether they are from BJP or RSS, will not be spared," Chatterjee said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition on Friday launched a renewed attack on the Narendra Modi government after French media reported former French President Francois Hollande as claiming that the Modi government had favoured a private Indian firm for the offset deal and France had "no choice".

Shortly after Hollande's comments that the French government did not have a say in picking the Indian company were reported in the Indian media, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said the Rafale deal was doctored "behind closed doors" by PM Modi.

"The Prime Minister personally negotiated and changed the Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Francois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt," Gandhi said in a tweet.

"The Prime Minister has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers," Gandhi added.

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram wondered as to what "new lie" the Modi government would come up with in response to the former French President's claim.

"In the NDA-negotiated Rafale aircraft deal, we have got no aircraft, we have got only lies. What is the new lie that the government will put out in response to Mr Hollande? Defence Minister has been called out again! This time by then President of France, Mr Hollande," Chidambaram wrote in Twitter.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the government was putting national security in peril by "hiding facts" of the Rafale fighter jet deal.

"By hiding crucial facts on Rafale deal, is Modi government not endangering national security? Former French President's statement directly contradicts what Modi government had been saying so far. Can the country be taken for a ride any further?" Kejriwal said.

"Prime Minister, speak the truth. The nation wants to know the truth, whole truth. Everyday, government of India's statements are being proven untrue. People have started suspecting by now that something is fishy has been done (in Rafale deal), else why would the government lie day after day," the Delhi Chief Minister added.

Joining the attack, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Secretary General Sitaram Yechury, too, demanded that truth on the deal must come out.

"The Modi government has lied and misled Indians. The whole truth must come out now. Why was the Indian government batting for one corporate house with no experience in defence manufacture?" Yechury said.

The opposition has been alleging that the Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence was favoured in the multi-thousand crore offset contract at the cost of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) despite the private firm having no prior experience in aerospace manufacturing.

The Modi government has repeatedly said it was Dassault that chose its India partner and that the government has had no say in the deal.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan on Friday expressed deep disappointment at India's decision to cancel a meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session next week.

"The government of Pakistan is deeply disappointed at the announcement made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi today (Friday) about the cancellation of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan, which was to be held on the sidelines of UNGA in New York," the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement late on Friday night.

"The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the Foreign Ministers' meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing," it said.

"The so-called 'disturbing developments' alluded to in the Indian statement predated the Indian agreement to hold the bilateral meeting in New York."

Blaming Pakistan for the killing of security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and accusing it of glorifying terrorism, in terms of releasing a postage stamp featuring Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani who was killed by Indian security forces, India on Friday called off talks between the two foreign ministers in New York.

India announced its decision just 24 hours after Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in his media briefing on Thursday that New Delhi has accepted Islamabad's request for a meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Qureshi at the UN.

On Friday, the Indian government said in a strongly-worded statement that since the announcement of the talks on Thursday, two "deeply disturbing" developments had taken place that led to Islamabad's "evil agenda" being exposed.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirmed that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been revealed to the world," Raveesh Kumar said.

Earlier in the day, Hizbul Mujahadeen terrorists abducted and gunned down three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a sharp escalation in militancy in the state which India says is backed by Pakistan.

Earlier this week, the mutilated body of Narendra Singh, a Border Security Force (BSF) Head Constable, was found after Pakistani forces had resorted to unprovoked firing in Ramgarh sector of Jammu.

Kumar said the that BSF has "strongly taken up the matter with their counterpart on the Pakistani side".

In this background, Kumar said on Friday that "conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless".

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

In its statement, the Pakistan Foreign Office did not allude to the killing of the police officers in Jammu and Kashmir but said that the "alleged" killing of the BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting.

"When the allegations of Pakistan's involvement first appeared, the Pakistan Rangers clearly conveyed to BSF through official channels that Pakistan had nothing to do with it," the Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

According to the statement, Pakistan Rangers also extended help in efforts to locate the soldier's body.

Stating that these facts were known to the Indian authorities, it stated: "Pakistan takes this opportunity to categorically reject these allegations once again. Our authorities would be prepared to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth."

As for the Burhan Wani postage stamp mentioned, the statement said that it was issued before the July 25 general elections in Pakistan "as a result of which the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan assumed office".

The Pakistan Foreign Office statement termed as "most unfortunate" India's reference about Imran Khan.

"We choose not to further comment beyond saying that these comments are against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication," it said.

It said Pakistan believed that by its "ill-considered cancellation" of the meeting, New Delhi "has once again wasted a serious opportunity to change the dynamics of the bilateral relationship and put the region on the path of peace and development".

"For its part, Pakistan will persist with its quest for peace and development," the statement said.

Qureshi also termed as "unfortunate" India's cancellation of talks with Islamabad in New York next week.

"We had already told India that if they take one step towards us, we will take two. However, it seems that they faltered after taking just one step," Qureshi told Dawn online.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll from a landslide in Philippines has reached 22, an official said on Friday.

Garry Cabotaje, the spokesman for Naga city government, expressed hope that more survivors will be rescued a day after the tragedy struck the mountainside community.

"We are still hoping that many villagers will be rescued today," Cabotaje told Xinhua news agency.

As of 12 midnight Thursday, Cabotaje said that 22 bodies have been recovered while nine survivors have been rescued.

The landslide that occurred on Thursday morning and buried over 50 houses, took place due to heavy rains in the region.

According to media reports, the victims refused to leave the landslide areas despite evacuation warnings.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha on Saturday to launch a series of projects including an airport at Jharsuguda and a fertilizer plant at Talcher.

He will also visit Janjgir Champa in Chhattisgarh to lay the foundation stone for some national highway projects and the Pendra-Anuppur third railway line.

The Prime Minister will also visit an exhibition on traditional handloom and agriculture.

"At Talcher in Odisha, he will unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of work for the revival of Talcher Fertilizer Plant. This is the first plant in India which will have a coal gasification based fertilizer unit," an official said.

In addition to fertilizer, the plant will also produce natural gas.

"The Prime Minister will then travel to Jharsuguda where he will inaugurate the Jharsuguda airport. This airport shall bring western Odisha on the aviation map of India, and facilitate regional air connectivity through the UDAN scheme."

During his visit to Odisha, Modi will also inaugurate Garjanbahal coal mines and the Jharsuguda-Barapali-Sardega rail link.

"He will also unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of coal production and transportation from Dulanga coal mines," the official added.

--IANS

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The US State Department said on Friday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had spoken over phone with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea.

According to a statement issued State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, Pompeo and Kono on Thursday discussed "the ongoing pressure campaign to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong-un in Singapore", Xinhua reported.

"They also talked about the upcoming UN General Assembly and global security issues of importance to the US-Japan alliance," read the statement.

The White House on Thursday announced that US President Donald Trump will during the UN General Assembly next week meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, among all leaders.

During his September 18-20 trip to Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in held talks with the top leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, and signed the Pyongyang Declaration on further steps towards the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization and concrete measures to end hostile acts near inter-Korean border areas.

However, the US State Department on Thursday said the denuclearization of Pyongyang has to come first before the US side gives any corresponding reciprocal measures.

--IANS

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At least 44 people died and an unknown number went missing on Thursday when a ferry capsized in the south of Victoria, Africa's largest lake, Tanzanian government officials said.

Ukerewe district commissioner, Col Lucas Magembe, told Reuters that the rescue mission to find survivors from the MV Nyerere had been halted until dawn with 42 people confirmed dead.

John Mongella, the commissioner of Mwanza, said 37 people were rescued but those efforts were suspended until daybreak Friday.

Another official said earlier on Thursday that the vessel was overloaded with more than 400 people on board.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame.

Authorities led rescue efforts after MV Nyerere ferry, that plies Ukala and Bugolora-in Ukerewe, Mwanza, sunk.

While the ferry has a capacity of about 100 passengers, it was said to be carrying more than its capacity, in addition to cargo.

The Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical and Electronics Services Agency, in charge of servicing the vessels, urged patience as rescue efforts began.

Temesa Spokesperson Ms Theresia Mwami said the exact number of casualties had not yet been established.

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake, which is surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

Almost 200 people died in 2011 when the MV Spice Islander I sank off Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast near Zanzibar.

In 1996, a ferry disaster on Lake Victoria in the same region killed more than 500 people.
A property dealer was on Friday shot dead in broad daylight in Bihar's capital city Patna by unidentified assailants, police said.

Tabrej Alam was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne youths near Kotwail Police Station in the heart of city, on a day when security had been beefed up in view of Muharram.

"Five bullets were pumped into him when he was returning from the mosque after offering prayers on Friday," a senior police officer said.

According to him, a named FIR has been filed against four accused based on the statement of Tabrej's wife, who accused them of killing her husband over a land dispute.

Tabrej was involved in several crimes and was known as a close associate of politician Shahabuddin, former RJD MP, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.

--IANS

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The controversy over Rafale fighter jet deal took a new twist on Friday following former French President Francois Hollande's reported claim that the Indian government suggested a particular private firm for Rafale offset contract, triggering an attack by Congress and other opposition parties who accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of favouring the company.

The Defence Ministry, however, continued to maintain that neither the government of India nor French government had any say in the commercial decision.

The Congress tweeted the English translation of the article done by French website "Mediapart" which carried reported comments of Hollande.

Hollande has been quoted in an article by the French website as claiming that the Indian government had asked the French government to nominate Reliance Defence as its India partner in the Rafale jet offset deal.

"We did not have a say in this," Hollande was quoted by the website as saying. "The Indian government proposed this service group and Dassault negotiated with Ambani."

Party chief Rahul Gandhi said the Rafale deal was doctored "behind closed doors" by Modi.

"The Prime Minister personally negotiated and changed the Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Francois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt," Gandhi said in a tweet.

"The Prime Minister has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers," he added.

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram wondered as to what "new lie" the Modi government would come up with in response to the former French President's claim.

"In the NDA-negotiated Rafale aircraft deal, we have got no aircraft, we have got only lies. What is the new lie that the government will put out in response to Mr Hollande? Defence Minister has been called out again! This time by then President of France, Mr Hollande," Chidambaram wrote in Twitter.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the government was putting national security in peril by "hiding facts" of the Rafale fighter jet deal.

"By hiding crucial facts on Rafale deal, is Modi government not endangering national security? Former French President's statement directly contradicts what Modi government had been saying so far. Can the country be taken for a ride any further?" Kejriwal said.

"Prime Minister, speak the truth. The nation wants to know the truth, whole truth. Everyday, government of India's statements are being proven untrue. People have started suspecting by now that something fishy has been done (in Rafale deal), else why would the government lie day after day," the Delhi Chief Minister added.

Joining the attack, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Secretary General Sitaram Yechury, too, demanded that truth on the deal must come out.

"The Modi government has lied and misled Indians. The whole truth must come out now. Why was the Indian government batting for one corporate house with no experience in defence manufacture?" Yechury said.

The Defence Ministry said in a tweet, the French media report was being verified.

"The report referring to former French President Mr. Hollande's statement that government of India insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified."

"It is reiterated that neither government of India nor French government had any say in the commercial decision," it said.

The opposition has been alleging that the Anil Ambani firm was favoured in the offsets contract at the cost of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) despite the private firm having no prior experience in aerospace manufacturing.

The deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets from France was announced by Modi in 2015 and signed in 2016. The UPA government was earlier negotiating a deal to procure 126 Rafale jets, with 18 to come in flyaway condition and 108 to be manufactured by HAL under licence.

The Narendra Modi government has repeatedly said it was Dassault that chose its India partner for offsets and that the government had no say in the deal.

--IANS

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Rather than paying reparations for the Raj's exploitation of India, Britain must acknowledge the evil legacy of its colonialism and teach its people, according to Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor.

"History has moved on," Tharoor said when asked about reparations during his session at the JLF@New York, an edition of the Jaipur Literary Festival here on Thursday.

"How do you quantify the deaths of 35 million people from famines, the generations lost to indentured labour and the colonial loot?" he asked.

There could be a symbolic reparation of 1 pound a year paid for 200 years, but it was more important that there was a "learning" of colonialism's real history and impact by the British, especially the youth who sometimes had dreams of a resurgent empire.

Museums in Britain were "chor bazaars" (thieves markets) of exhibits looted from the colonies and while there was an Imperial War Museum, there wasn't a museum of imperialism, he mused.

Tharoor is the author of "Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India", which lays out the depredations of the Raj and its legacies. It was a bestseller in both India and Britain.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arullouis)

--IANS

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The US' latest batch of sanctions targeting Russian businesses and China undermine global stability and are akin to playing with fire, officials here said on Friday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov's comments came after Washington on Thursday imposed a new batch of sanctions, hitting 33 of Russia's most high-profile citizens with ties to the Kremlin.

Ryabkov said the sanctions were aimed at Russian defence organizations, politicians and businessmen.

"It would be good for them to recall the notion of global stability, which they recklessly upset by whipping up tensions in Russian-US relations," Ryabkov said in a statement cited by TASS news agency. "It's foolish to play with fire, because things could get dangerous."

"We've been keeping a close eye on how the US applies it sanctions against our country. This seems to have turned into some sort of national sport, with yesterday's anti-Russian measures becoming the 60th since 2011.

"Every new round of sanctions shows that our enemy's previous attempts to pressure Russia have failed to yield any result. Numerous US blacklists duplicate each other more and more. That's funny, but this is true," the minister said.

Among the blacklisted people was billionaire mogul Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as "Putin's chef" and allegedly responsible for orchestrating the digital fake news campaign against the US.

The security and military businesses targeted by the sanctions included the Wagner Group, a private security company which Moscow allegedly use in their Syria operations; Oboronlogistika 000, responsible for feeding and transporting Russian troops in Crimea and KnAAPO, an aircraft manufacturer.

China was also targeted in the new wave of sanctions for buying weapons from a previously blacklisted Russian arms dealer.

"We recommend that Washington's operators of the sanctions machine at least superficially acquaint themselves with our history to stop going round in circles," Ryabkov said.

--IANS

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In February, DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT and Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics, changed his strategy for the Indian market once he saw Chinese players getting the upper hand on innovations in some smartphone components -- and camera was one of those.

Geared up to alter the course of the mid-price segment market in India -- a space that is currently flooded with Chinese variants -- Koh on Thursday announced the Samsung "Galaxy A7" with three-rear camera system.

What is more, the next Samsung smartphone, the "Galaxy A9", will bear a monster four-rear camera system.

The Galaxy A7 will be strategically priced below the Rs 30,000 price segment for India -- a space currently dominated by the likes of Xiaomi.

The triple camera system in "Galaxy A7" has a 24MP AF lens, an 8MP "Ultra Wide" lens (F2.4) and a 5MP "Depth" lens. With the 24MP lens and Depth Lens, the Galaxy A7's "Live Focus" feature lets users control the depth of field by allowing them to adjust the "bokeh" effect for better photos.

"This is a good move by Samsung. Being a vertically-integrated company, it will look forward to leverage its strength in semi-conductor segment by bringing in new features to its consumer products, including smartphones," Tarun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

"As Chinese players continue to be aggressive, Samsung needs to reduce the time within which it packs features in smartphones and bring those to the end users," he suggested.

Koh started working on the new game plan for India earlier in 2018.

"Since February this year, I have changed my strategy for the Indian market as the competition got tough and terrain harsh. We dominated in some areas while struggle in some during the course.

"You will see devices coming from us in the mid-segment space with flagship features and functionalities that will delight our customers in India," he said on the sidelines of Samsung's premium Note 9 smartphone launch in Gurugram in August.

According to Jaipal Singh, Associate Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India, entering the smartphone camera war is a strategic move on Samsung's part.

"This is important especially when camera is deciding a level-playing field for most of the players. Camera is now the focus for building Artificial Intelligence (AI) use cases and players are doing a lot around camera, like Huawei that brought P20 Pro with triple rear camera system this year and received rave reviews," Singh told IANS.

On October 11, Samsung will launch their first four-rear camera system device A9 in the premium segment (above Rs 30,000).

Samsung dominated the premium smartphone segment in India in the first half of 2018 with almost half the market share, said a CyberMedia Research (CMR) report last week.

Samsung (48 per cent) was followed by Chinese smartphone player OnePlus, which grabbed the second spot with 25 per cent share, and Apple with 22 per cent share. One in two premium smartphones shipped in the first half of 2018 was a Samsung device.

Koh has now doubled down on his efforts to dominate the smartphone camera war in India.

"Samsung has been doing well in the premium segment with respect to bringing innovative features in India. With a new triple camera smartphone, it has signalled that these features can be brought faster into the mid-price segment than the competitors," Pathak noted.

"It is a good move from Samsung to tap into the camera territory," added Singh.

(Nishant Arora can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in)

--IANS

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The Supreme Court has agreed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in the process of verification of medical colleges by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

The apex court has asked Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and non-executive chairman of Infosys, to give concrete suggestions at the earliest. The court said he would be at liberty to take technical assistance from various IT companies to devise a suitable mechanism.

A bench of Justice S.A. Bobde and Justice L. Nageswara Rao accepted the suggestions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal for AI-aided improvements in medical education in the country.

Sibal, who was assisting the court, told the bench that Nilekani could assist the court to develop a computer network-based technological solution which can include AI.

In its order on September 19, the bench said: "There are incessant disputes which reach this court about what actually transpires at inspections of various private medical colleges by the MCI. The parties contest virtually every fact that is recorded in an inspection."

It said: "Sibal has requested us to appoint an expert in the field such as Nandan Nilekani. We accordingly request Nilekani to go into this

problem and give concrete suggestions to this court at the

earliest."

AI, also called machine intelligence, is intelligence demonstrated by machines, as against natural intelligence displayed by humans and other animals.

The court has been hearing pleas relating to the regulation of the country's medical education to bring in transparency and accountability and oversee the statutory functioning of MCI, which regulates the country's medical education and the profession.

--IANS

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The Delhi BJP on Friday began its preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by holding a two-day executive committee meeting focused on the sealing drive in the city.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari chaired the Executive Committee's meeting which commenced on Friday.

Before the meeting, Tiwari, who represents the city's northeast parliamentary constituency presented the "agenda of discussion on sealing drive" in the city due to which a lot of people are facing problems.

The sealing issue in the national capital would be taken up by the party leaders in Saturday's full-house meeting in central Delhi's Dr Ambedkar International Centre.

The Executive Committee meeting was attended by party's Delhi in-charge Shyam Jaju, co-in charge Tarun Chugh, Union Minister Vijay Goel, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, MPs Meenakshi Lekhi and Udit Raj.

Senior party leader V.K. Malhotra, organisation general secretary Sidharthan, general secretaries Kuljeet Singh Chahal, Ravinder Gupta and Rajesh Bhatia were also present.

Bhatia presented a draft political resolution for suggestions and amendments by the office bearers before being discussed in the full-house Executive Committee meet on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Goel, Lekhi and Chugh spoke on the current political scenario in the city and organisational matters in the meet coordinated by Chahal.

--IANS

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For the last two years, the civic body of the Baddi town, Himachal Pradesh's biggest industrial hub, has been dumping municipal waste in Kenduwal village that has become a potential health hazard, an environmental watchdog said on Friday.

It said for the last four months local villagers have been petitioning several authorities for stopping the dumping.

Now, the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority (BBNDA) instead of cleaning up and ensuring scientific disposal of the garbage is covering the dump with mud.

"Last week we met with BBNDA officials and asked them to stop putting the garbage there. Not only are they continuing to dump the garbage but they have, over the last five days, put piles of mud to cover the stinking heaps of garbage. We are being told that the area will now be turned into a shed and our problem will be solved," Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Kenduwal, said.

The BBNDA had proposed a Rs 970 crore Integrated Solid Waste Management facility in the area in 2012 and got a clearance for the plant in 2015.

But for the last three years it made no move to set up the plant and was dumping the garbage in violation of the Solid Waste Management guidelines 2016 as well as the clearance conditions, said watchdog group Himdhara Collective.

On August 12 and 13, the Sirsa river flooded the dumping site following which the rotting garbage is stinking badly.

The boundary wall was then broken to release the water from the dumping site and the contaminated water eventually made its way into the Sirsa river.

"Now they are just burying the garbage and the leachate will contaminate the groundwater too," Ramanathan of Himdhara Collective said in a statement.

"Through an RTI (Right to Information Act) application we have learned that the Regional Office of the Pollution Control Board in Baddi has served five show-cause notices since 2016 to the Municipal Council, but no further actions were taken," he added

The BBNDA in a statement on September 19 said it has finally identified a company in Ludhiana for setting up the solid waste management facility.

"If they have identified a company to set up the disposal plant, why did they cover the garbage rather than letting the company take care of it. This is not a solution and neither is it in compliance with the guidelines of solid waste management," said Ramanathan.

Resident Nabi added: "Our demand is clear, we want a proper waste management plant to be set up in an appropriate location but not near the river or in front of our homes."

The solid waste management rules say waste management plants and landfills cannot be on floodplains or near human habitations.

"The municipal solid waste has become a serious nuisance across the state and a National Green Tribunal-appointed committee has recently asked all states to formulate their waste management plans in compliance with rules within a month," Manshi Asher of Himdhara Collective told IANS.

"Long-term solution of solid waste requires an integrated approach involving resident welfare associations of municipal areas, waste pickers and municipal bodies.

"Decentralised segregation and disposal at source would help to reduce the quantum of waste," Asher added.

--IANS

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A controversy erupted on Friday after the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a circular asking universities to celebrate September 29 as 'Surgical Strike Day', with the Congress calling the move politically motivated and the government countering it by saying the exercise will enhance national prestige.

A decision to celebrate the day was announced on Thursday when the UGC in a letter to all Vice Chancellors had asked them to observe the day in their institutions through special parades by National Cadet Corps, and with a pledge of support by students to the armed forces by writing letters and cards.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal called the decision a 'jumla' (gimmick) and in an oblique reference termed the demonetisation also a surgical strike on the country's poor.

"UGC directs VCs of all universities to celebrate September 29 as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJP's political ends? Will UGC dare celebrate November 8 as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihood? This is another jumla!," Sibal tweeted on Friday.

Sibal was not the only one to disapprove of the decision. The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also suggested that instead of celebrating the surgical strikes, the government should better be visiting family of Narender Singh, the BSF soldier who was killed after coming under unprovoked fire from Pakistan on Wednesday along Jammu border.

"The best way to celebrate surgical strike would be for the PM to visit the family of Narender Singh, who was tortured to death by Pakistan this week.

"PM should assure the nation that Pakistan would be given such befitting reply that it won't dare do it again," Kejriwal tweeted.

Congeress's student wing NSUI criticised the decision a "government propaganda" and "militarisation of university space".

"This is not celebration of Army valour but government propaganda. At the same time, the increasing militarisation of the university space is specially worrisome," it said in a statement.

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar replied to the charges saying that there was no behind the decision and that it is only meant to enhance the prestige of the nation.

"This is only meant to increase the prestige of the Army. There is no in it. I must denounce the Congress charge that we are politicising the surgical strike. No, we are not doing that," Javadekar said.

"We are telling the students how the armed forces defend our country, how they conducted the surgical strike on September 29, 2016, and how they also perform civilian duties whenever necessary," he added.

-- IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday criticised Congress leader Kapil Sibal for terming the observance of Surgical Strike Day as a "jumla" (gimmick), contending that the exercise will enhance national prestige.

"This is only meant to increase the prestige of the Army. There is no in it. I must denounce the Congress charge that we are politicising the surgical strike. No, we are not doing that," the Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister said.

"We are telling the students how the armed forces defend our country, how they conducted the surgical strike on September 29, 2016, and how they also perform civilian duties whenever necessary," Javadekar said.

"This is to inspire students by making them aware of the patriotism of the armed forces... There's no compulsion to celebrate it," Javadekar told reporters.

Congress leader and former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal earlier took a jibe at the decision to celebrate September 29 as the 'Surgical Strike Day,' commemorating the 2016 strike carried out by the Indian Army inside Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

"UGC directs VCs of all universities to celebrate September 29 as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJP's political ends? Will UGC dare celebrate November 8 as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihood? This another jumla!," Sibal tweeted on Friday.

The decision to celebrate the day was announced on Thursday when the University Grants Commission (UGC) in a letter to all Vice Chancellors of the universities had asked them to observe the day in their institutions through special parades by National Cadet Corps, and pledge of support by students to the armed forces by writing letters and cards.

--IANS

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The warmer climate conditions in western Greece have led to a weird phenomenon. Footage of the phenomenon shows endless layers of mesh covering the trees, the ground and all the objects in the immediate vicinity of the beach.

Chatzaki also pointed out that the increased number of spiders in the area should be seen as a positive since it is the only effective way nature has to combat mosquitoes which she notes have also been seen in the area in greater numbers than usual.

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But, thankfully for residents, they are not harmful to humans.

In the interview, Democritus University of Thrace assistant professor Maria Chatzaki said: "The spiders will have their party and die soon".

Scientists explained that it is a seasonal phenomenon, as warmer than usual temperatures, sufficient humidity and food created the ideal conditions for the species to reproduce in large numbers.

Molecular biologist Maria Chatzaki told Greek news website Newsit.gr: "These spiders are not risky for humans and will not cause any damage to the area's flora".

They are known to build webs near watery habitats, with some species even said to be able to walk on water.

"These spiders are not risky for humans, and will not cause any damage", molecular biologist Maria Chatzaki told Greek news websites. Jasmine writes primarily in our LGBTTQQIAAP and Science section.
Three Jammu and Kashmir policemen in Shopian district on Friday announced their resignation on social media after the abduction and killing of three of their colleagues by militants.

The three policemen who quit were a constable and two special police officers (SPOs).

Militants have been threatening policemen, especially SPOs, to give up their jobs or face the consequences.

In recent statements, the Hizbul Mujahideen had asked the SPOs to resign and keep a copy of their resignation letter at home so that there was proof of their abandoning the police force.

Informed sources here said the police brass was working on a larger strategy to secure the policemen living in south Kashmir districts by providing collective housing facilities at secured places.

Police sources say that unless concrete steps are taken to negate the militant threat, there will be fear among the SPOs, whose monthly remuneration is much lesser than that of a police constable.

Jammu and Kashmir has 36,000 SPOs engaged in 22 districts.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a dramatic escalation in militancy, terrorists kidnapped and killed three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, stunning the police force and leading to resignations by five policemen following death threats by the Hizbul Mujahideen.

The special police officers (SPOs) were gunned down on Friday, hours after they were abducted separately from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district, a militant stronghold, police said.

A police officer told IANS that locals discovered their bullet-riddled bodies in a village in the morning, triggering a manhunt for the killers.

The slain policemen were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchai, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Kuldeep Singh. The SPOs form the lowest rung of the chain in the police force.

The horrific incident took place days after militants issued threats at some mosques in Shopian, asking policemen to quit their jobs or face consequences.

Police said four people, including a policeman's brother, were abducted on Thursday night from their homes in Shopian. The incidents took place in Kapran and Batgund villages, surrounded by a thick cover of apple orchards.

The fourth abducted person, a civilian, was released unharmed after locals resisted his abduction by the militants.

Local news agencies quoted the Hizbul as taking responsibility for the abduction and killing of the policemen.

The police refuted rumours that the bodies of slain policemen were mutilated.

"Bullet-riddled bodies of the policemen were recovered from Kapran village. The bodies were riddled with bullets but not mutilated," a senior police officer said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police paid floral tributes to the slain men.

Senior officers led by S.P. Pani, the Inspector General of Police of Kashmir zone, offered the floral tributes in Shopian district's police lines.

The police tweeted: "We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike... We condemn this inhuman act and assure that all the culprits shall be dealt with under law."

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed "outrage" over the the killings and asserted that dialogue was the only way out of the ongoing cycle of violence in Kashmir.

"Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims.

"Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, the Centre's muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward, seems to be a distant dream for now," she tweeted.

The SPOs are engaged in counter-terrorism operations on a meagre remuneration of Rs 6,000 a month. There are around 36,000 SPOs. They are given uniform but, like other policemen, not all of them are issued weapons.

Militants have been threatening the SPOs in Kashmir to give up their jobs.

The Friday killings are the latest in a series of attacks and abductions of Kashmir policemen and security men in south Kashmir.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a dramatic escalation in militancy, terrorists kidnapped and shot dead three Jammu and Kashmir policemen on Friday, stunning the police force. But the government denied that any policeman had quit following the murders and death threats by the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Three special police officers (SPOs), who form the lowest rung of the police force in the state, were gunned down on Friday, hours after they were abducted separately from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district, a militant stronghold, police said.

A police officer told IANS that locals discovered their bullet-riddled bodies in a village in the morning. The dead men were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchai, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Kuldeep Singh.

The horrific incident took place days after militants issued threats at some mosques in Shopian, asking policemen to quit their jobs or face consequences.

This is the first time militants have seized and killed three policemen at one go since the start of the separatist campaign in Jammu and Kashmir in 1989.

Police said a total of four people, including a policeman's brother, were abducted on Thursday night from their homes in Shopian's Kapran and Batgund villages, surrounded by a thick cover of apple orchards.

The civilian was released unharmed after locals resisted his kidnapping.

Local news agencies on Friday quoted the Hizbul as taking responsibility for the abduction and killing of the policemen.

The police refuted rumours that the bodies of policemen were mutilated. "The bodies were riddled with bullets but not mutilated," a senior police officer said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police denied claims by five policemen on the social media that they had resigned after the killings in Shopian.

A police statement said that the videos uploaded on the social media showing the SPOs claiming to have quit were motivated.

"Services of SPOs are reviewed from time to time and based on these reviews some SPOs are disengaged. The videos ... are motivated," it said. "There have been no resignations by policemen after the killings of three SPOs by the terrorists."

But the Jammu and Kashmir Police issued an advisory to all policemen on leave in south Kashmir to report for duty immediately.

The advisory directs policemen not to visit their homes till further orders.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police paid floral tributes to the slain men.

Senior officers led by S.P. Pani, the Inspector General of Police of Kashmir zone, offered the floral tributes in Shopian district's police lines.

The police tweeted: "We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike... We condemn this inhuman act and assure that all the culprits shall be dealt with under law."

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said: "Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims.

"Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, the Centre's muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward, seems to be a distant dream for now," she tweeted.

The SPOs are engaged in counter-terrorism operations on a meagre remuneration of Rs 6,000 a month. There are around 36,000 SPOs in the state. They are given uniform but, unlike other policemen, not all of them are issued weapons.

For some time, militants have been threatening the SPOs in Kashmir to quit, considering them as the eyes and ears of the administration.

The Friday killings are the latest in a series of attacks and abductions of Kashmir policemen and security men in south Kashmir.

On July 27, SPO Mudasir Ahmad Lone was abducted and released.

On July 20, constable Mohommad Saleem Shah, who was on leave was abducted from his home in south Kashmir's Kulgam district. His body was found in a village a day later.

On July 5, another policeman, Javaid Dar, was abducted near his home in Shopian district. His body was found in Kulgam district.

The militants have also killed soldiers visiting their homes on holiday.

And in August, the Hizbul abducted 11 family members of policemen after the police took a group commander's father into custody. The policemen's relatives were freed when the militant's father was released.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay on Friday congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his re-election as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan.

Abe won the Thursday election, with a landslide vote of 553 out of a total of 807, setting him on course to become the longest-serving Prime Minister in the country's history. The 63-year-old Abe has been the Prime Minister since December 2012.

"I, on behalf of the Central Tibetan Administration, heartily congratulate you on being re-elected as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, paving the way for you to become the longest-serving Prime Minister of Japan," Sangay said.

"Your re-election to the crucial post of the party leader is a reflection of your leadership and integrity in shaping positive developments in Asia and the world."

He added: "I am very appreciative of your support for the middle-way approach proposed by the Dalai Lama, which I continue to believe is the best way for us to ensure a solution that is beneficial for both Tibetans and Chinese."

The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan exile administration is based here.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Mumbai-based TV actress has alleged rape by a 25-year-old man at a hotel in Rajasthan's Neemrana, on the pretext of marriage, police said.

On Wednesday, the Neemrana police received a zero FIR from Oshiwara police station in Mumbai regarding the matter, said Sanjay Puniya, SHO, Neemrana police station.

He said summons have been sent to the accused and the victim has been asked to visit Neemrana for further investigation. However, both the victim and accused are yet to respond, he said.

According to Puniya, the television actress had befriended a Kanpur-based man through social media. They exchanged numbers via Facebook chat, followed by a round of frequent video calls.

The couple started chatting for hours and then decided to get married. However, the man asked the girl to meet him once to take their discussions further.

So, they planned a tour to a few interesting locations such as Shajapur, Lucknow, Delhi and Neemrana.

They stayed together during this tour. The victim's sister also travelled along with them.

The 22-year-old actress alleged that during their travel, they had physical relations. The accused had also introduced her to his parents in Kanpur, Puniya said.

However, after returning to Mumbai, when the actress called the accused, he refused to marry her. This prompted her to file an FIR on September 7 at the Oshiwara police station.

--IANS

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Two security guards on duty at a bank here were on Friday killed in a failed robbery attempt, police said.

The bodies lying in the guard room were discovered by another guard who reached the Punjab National Bank (PNB)'s circle office branch at Sector-1 for his morning shift duty.

The deceased guards were identified as Mudrika Prasad, 50, and Mukesh Yadav, 35, both employed with a private security firm. They had been attacked with sticks and sharp objects on their heads between 2 a.m and 4 a.m on Friday, Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Pal Sharma said.

The attackers gained entry into the bank by using the keys but could not break open the strong room in the basement. The police are suspecting an insider's role in the crime as one theory is that the robbers could possibly be having the keys with them beforehand.

"Two masked attackers wearing security guard's dress are seen in the CCTV footage. The suspects have been identified and the investigation is underway and soon the entire plot would be revealed," SSP Sharma told IANS.

"No robbery has been reported by the bank. Although the attackers attempted it, they failed to execute," he added.

The officer informed that before escaping, the robbers took away the recording of one of the CCTVs to avoid detection. But their actions were caught on another CCTV.

"The accused made a friendly entry as they unlocked the main door with a key and did not cut the lock. There is possibility that some insider may be involved in the crime. We are also examining the previous employees such as ground staff data to establish it," Sharma said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination. While Mukesh Yadav was a native of Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri, Mudrika Prasad belonged to Delhi. Both had been working as security guards for the last few years.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading with a plea for implementation of the recent bilateral breakthrough to spare Idlib in Syria, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said his "overriding concern" is for international, multilateral diplomacy.

"I call on all the parties to implement the (Turkey-Russia) agreement with a strong commitment to the protection of civilians, and to ensure humanitarian access, adhere to international humanitarian law and work urgently for greater progress in the Geneva process," he said on Thursday, referring to the recent accord on buffer or safe zone in Syria, Xinhua reported.

It was feared a Russia-supported Syrian government attack on the last-stand, rebel-held Idlib would create a bloodbath among the 3 million residents.

The Syria remark was the lead item at a press conference Guterres held at the UN headquarters, a few days before the annual General Debate in the 193-member General Assembly where leaders from around the world will gather to speak their minds.

After citing in his opening statement a list of his concerns, the UN chief said, "let me note one overriding concern in our increasingly globalised era: multilateralism is under attack from many different directions precisely when we need it most."

"I will use my meetings and other opportunities next week to press for renewed commitment to a rules-based global order and to the United Nations, the world's indispensable forum for international cooperation," the UN chief said.

"The presence of 84 heads of state and 44 heads of government is eloquent proof of the confidence of the international community in the UN," Guterres said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will embark on a four-day visit to India from October 1 at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during which he will attend a series of events on renewable energy and sanitation, it was announced on Friday.

According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Guterres and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the joint inaugural ceremony of the first General Assembly of the India-initiated International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Second Global Re-Invest Conference and the Second Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association of States (IORA) member countries on October 2 here.

The UN chief will also be participating in the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention the same day which will mark the launch of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations as well as the fourth anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The inauguration of the ISA General Assembly will be followed by the ministerial level assembly the following day.

Launched by Prime Minister Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the Paris climate summit in 2015, ISA was conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs and provide a platform to collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach.

It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and till date, 68 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement.

Being organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the Second Global Re-Invest Conference will build upon the success of Re-Invest 2015 and provide an international forum to established players as well as new segments of investors and entrepreneurs to engage, ideate and innovate and explore strategies for development and deployment of renewable energy sources.

The Second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting is expected to provide a platform for discussion on energy needs within the region, identification of hurdles in cooperation and coordination among concerned agencies and potential avenues of collaboration.

The IORA is an international organisation consisting of 21 coastal states, including India, bordering the Indian Ocean.

--IANS

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US President Donald Trump has signed a new directive designed to protect the country from cyber-attacks that places the emphasis on "offensive operations" to dissuade adversaries from attacking US infrastructure.

The strategy identifies Russia, China, Iran and North Korea as Washington's main rivals, reports Efe news.

The new US cyber-strategy, which entered into force on Thursday and the declassified version of which takes up 40 pages, is part of an overall deterrence strategy that includes pre-emptively launching cyber-attacks against other nations - or actors sponsored by other nations - to prevent them from attacking the US in the first place, according to National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Bolton, at a press conference on Thursday, said that several weeks ago Trump had signed a measure cancelling a directive from former President Barack Obama's administration regarding how the US would carry out cyber-attacks on other countries, a strategy that had required the military to consult with the State Department, intelligence community and other agencies before launching a cyber-attack.

The new directive signed by Trump, however, although it is classified, would in all likelihood give the military more leeway in both responding to cyber-attacks and launching pre-emptive attacks.

"We will respond offensively as well as defensively," Bolton said, adding that "it's important for people to understand that we're not just on defence" and noting that responses to cyber-attacks would not necessarily be mounted in cyberspace.

The new US cyber-strategy is based on four key elements: protecting the American people, homeland and way of life; promoting US prosperity; preserving "peace through strength" and strengthening Washington's influence on the internet.

The declassified version of the strategy says that Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are using the cyberspace to challenge the US, its allies and partners, often with a boldness that they would not consider employing in other areas.

The new strategy allows each US government agency to design its own actions against potential cyber-threats, with the National Security Council, which Bolton heads, acting as coordinator.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to further implement a US sanction act against Russia.

Named Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), the order "authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to employ all powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and certain sections of CAATSA for the implementation of certain sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation," said a White House statement on Thursday.

In a separate statement issued on the same day, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that in line with this executive order, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken actions to implement his delegated authorities "and to further impose costs on the Russian Government in response to its malign activities", Xinhua reported.

According to the statement, Pompeo added 33 additional entities and individuals to the CAATSA List of Specified Persons "for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defence or intelligence sectors" of the Russian government.

These sanction actions are "in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities," Nauert said, urging all countries to curtail relations with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors and claiming "both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide."

The US Treasury Department in March announced a decision to sanction five entities and 19 individuals under the CAATSA.

The US has been accusing Russia of interference in the US presidential elections in 2016, hacker attacks against the United States, among others. Russia has repeatedly denied such allegations.

--IANS

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The State of California has demanded a jury trial, and is seeking injunctive relief, assessments of 3 times the amount of each claim for compensation for insurance contracts on Humira, and civil penalties of $10,000 for each fraudulent claim presented to an insurance company. It's global sales topped $18 billion United States in 2017.

AbbVie Inc. generated almost $1.3 billion in tainted health insurance claims for its blockbuster immunosuppressant Humira by paying kickbacks in the form of cash, alcohol, trips and an elaborate network of "nurse ambassadors", California regulators said in a complaint filed Tuesday.

California's insurance commissioner on Tuesday sued AbbVie alleging a kickback scheme created to convince doctors to prescribe the biopharma's top-selling biologic drug Humira over competing medicines.

The suit claims that the ambassadors were incentivized with money, gifts, trips, and additional professional assistance. That figure makes the lawsuit the largest health care fraud case in the state insurance department's history, according to Jones's office.

Over a five-year period, the drug maker offered physicians a familiar menu of tempting items, from cash, meals and drinks, to gifts and trips, along with patient referrals, in hopes they would write more prescriptions for its Humira rheumatoid arthritis treatment, a $12.3 billion seller in the US last year.

Calling the allegations "without merit" in an interview with the Los Angeles Times' James Rufus Koren, AbbVie spokeswoman Adelle Infante defended the company's use of nurses to work with patients. The kickback scheme also included nurses whom the company sent to the homes of patients taking the drug, the lawsuit says.

The allegations of AbbVie's misconduct were brought to the attention of the department by a whistleblower, a registered nurse who was employed as an AbbVie Nurse Ambassador in Florida.

AbbVie said nursing help and other support services that it provides educate and assist patients with their therapy and "in no way replace or interfere with interactions between patients and their health care providers". Beyond ensuring that patients remained on the drug, the nurses allegedly were instructed to report any patient questions or complaints to AbbVie, rather than individual physicians. These nurses trained patients on administering their subcutaneous injections and provided patient care, paperwork help, and other services, all of which alleviated burdens on prescribers' practices in exchange for selecting Humira from a range of available treatments. "These private nurses, paid by AbbVie, attenuate the direct relationship between the patient and their healthcare provider in troubling ways".

Rheumatology, gastroenterology, and dermatology practices generally employ nurses, prior authorization experts, and other staff to provide insurance advice and counseling to patients.
The US has imposed sanctions against China's military for its purchases of Russian military equipment in a move US officials said is meant to punish Moscow for its "malign activities", prompting stern warnings from Beijing and Moscow on Friday.

"Today's actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country... but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the US election process, its unacceptable behaviour in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities," the US State Department said on Thursday.

The penalties were applied under a law that requires the US to sanction anyone undertaking significant transactions with certain people affiliated with Russian intelligence and military services, including arms manufacturers, reported CNN.

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo also expanded that blacklist on Thursday, adding the names of 33 of Russia's most high-profile citizens, bringing the total roster to 72 people.

In response, Beijing asked the US to lift the sanctions on the Chinese military or "bear the consequences".

"China expressed strong indignation towards the unreasonable move by the US and has made solemn representation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

He added that Washington had violated the basic norms of international relations and disturbed ties with China. "We strongly call on the US to remedy the mistake and cancel the sanctions. Otherwise, it has to bear the consequences."

The US slapped the sanctions on the Chinese military's Equipment Development Department and its Director Li Shangfu for buying Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia.

Russia said Washington's latest batch of sanctions on it "undermined global stability and was akin to playing with fire".

"It would be good for them to recall the notion of global stability, which they recklessly upset by whipping up tensions in Russian-US relations," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement cited by TASS news agency. "It's foolish to play with fire, because things could get dangerous."

"We've been keeping a close eye on how the US applies its sanctions against our country. This seems to have turned into some sort of national sport, with yesterday's anti-Russian measures becoming the 60th since 2011.

"Every new round of sanctions shows that our enemy's previous attempts to pressure Russia have failed to yield any result. Numerous US blacklists duplicate each other more and more. That's funny, but this is true," the minister said.

Among the blacklisted people was billionaire mogul Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as "Putin's chef" and allegedly responsible for orchestrating the digital fake news campaign against the US.

The security and military businesses targeted by the sanctions included the Wagner Group, a private security company which Moscow allegedly use in their Syria operations; Oboronlogistika 000, responsible for feeding and transporting Russian troops in Crimea and KnAAPO, an aircraft manufacturer.

A US official said it was the first time anyone had been sanctioned for doing business with people on the blacklist of Russian operatives.

The list is mandated by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, passed by Congress amid concern that President Donald Trump would not take tough action against Russia and could even move to ease sanctions on Moscow.

The US move added to its already strained ties with China as the two are locked in a festering trade dispute.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman shot dead three persons and injured three more before turning the gun on herself in an attack at a warehouse complex in Maryland in the US, police said.

The shooting happened on Thursday at a pharmacy distribution centre in Perryman, near Baltimore, BBC reported.

The attacker, Snochia Moseley, 26, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The motive for her attack is unclear.

Mass shootings by women are rare, with more than 95 per cent of such attacks in the US carried out by men.

The shooter was a temporary employee who reported for work as usual that morning, Harford County Sheriff's Office said.

She began shooting outside, then inside the facility, with a 9mm Glock handgun that she had brought with her.

Police were on the scene within five minutes, by which time the shooter had killed three persons and injured three more.

Officers found the suspect in a critical condition, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head -- she died later in hospital.

She was from Baltimore County, police said.

She owned and had registered the handgun, and had taken several magazines of ammunition with her, police said.

The sheriff's office initially urged residents to avoid the area, which is about 40 km north-east of Baltimore.

But it later tweeted that "we do not believe there is any further threat to the community".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday ended a week-long visit to Serbia, Malta and Romania during which he garnered support for India's aspiration to be on the UN Security Council.

During his visit, Naidu held discussions with the heads of governments, Prime Ministers, senior political leaders and industrialists and projected India as an attractive investment destination.

One of the major outcomes of the visit was support for India's desire to be on the UN Security Council and for taking forward UN reforms.

Besides, there was endorsement of India's stand on terror and support for early adoption of UN's Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

Leaders in all the three countries expressed unequivocal admiration for India's economic growth and were eager to engage with India politically, economically and culturally.

In Romania, there was a special interest in space and aerospace while Malta expressed its desire to join the International Solar Alliance.

Naidu also held interactions with the diaspora and underscored the growing importance of India on the world stage. He drew attention to four key features that need to be recognised -- democracy, demographic dividend, demand and diaspora.

Memorandums of Understanding were signed relating to plant protection, tourism, air services, oil research, diplomatic training and maritime cooperation.

--IANS

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The White House has announced the schedule of US President Donald Trump regarding the upcoming UN General Assembly next week.

According to a statement of the White House on Thursday, Trump will participate in a slew of UN General Assembly (UNGA) events and bilateral meetings from September 24-27, Xinhua news agency reported.

On September 24, he will make remarks at the "Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem" event to talk about counter-narcotics issue and receive heads of state coming to attend the meeting.

On September 25, he will address the 73rd Session of the UNGA, have pull-asides with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the 73rd Session of the UNGA, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, and attend US Ambassador Nikki Haley's Security Council Presidency Reception.

On September 26, Trump will give remarks at a United Nations Security Council briefing he chaired to discuss counter-proliferation.

Trump has so far been confirmed to participate in bilateral meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and British Prime Minister Theresa May, the White House added.

--IANS

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A youth was killed and another injured in Bihar's Hajipur on Friday morning by unidentified assailants ahead of the Tazia procession to mark Muharram, police said.

Police Station Officer Incharge Om Prakash said a youth was shot dead near Masjid Chowk and another sustained serious bullet injuries.

Angry over the incident, residents blocked roads, shouted slogans against the state government and staged protests for hours.

The district administration has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in Masjid Chowk area, 30km from here. Heavy security forces have been deployed to maintain law and order.

--IANS

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Those who wanted to catch a show of the Nandita Das-directed biopic of Urdu writer were in for a rude shock when the filmmaker tweeted that some shows of the film were cancelled. "Hugely disappointed... six years of work and many people's collective intent and commitment was [sic] to find its culmination this morning," she wrote. By afternoon, however, the issue had been fixed. Distributors Viacom 18 tweeted that all shows were "up and running now" but did not give a reason for the disruption. Though this is obviously not a case of censorship, the initial hiccup is a sort of a poetic event in the history of the life of perhaps one of the most troubled writers of the 20th century.

The film depicts the last 10 years of Manto's life, but does not deal directly with the obscenity case against his short story "Bu" ("Smell") in 1943-44. In my opinion, this is perhaps a key event in Manto's life. His friend and contemporary, Ismat Chughtai, has written in some detail about the case and the events leading up to it in her memoirs, Kaghazi Hai Pairahan. She, too, was charged in the same case for the short story "Lihaf" ("The Quilt"). She writes of how one afternoon in December 1943, a police inspector arrived at her and her filmmaker husband Shaheed Latif's home in Bombay (now Mumbai). She was cooling a bottle of food for her infant daughter. At first, she refused to accept the summons that required her to go to Lahore for the case. Later, when Latif convinced her to accept the summons, she proffered the bottle of baby-feed to the inspector, and refused to go with him to the Mahim police station to post her bail without feeding her daughter.

The trailer of the film begins with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who plays Manto, standing in a witness box and saying: "My stories are mirrors for the society to see itself... If you can't bear my stories, it's because we live in unbearable times." The times indeed were unbearable  then as now  with Partition and the subsequent bloodshed. Unlike Chughtai who stayed back in Bombay, Manto decided to move to Pakistan. He had already been charged thrice with obscenity in pre-Independence times for his stories; in Pakistan, too, he faced similar charges, even getting fined once. His drinking problem worsened and his mental health, already in a fragile state, suffered. Yet, he stuck to his desire to speak the truth as he saw it, not compromising by seeking epithets or diluting his narratives with the window dressing of aesthetics. Despite social and legal pressure, his words remained as visceral as ever.

In doing so, he was claiming the position of the parrhesiastes. The word, as French philosopher Michel Foucault explains in his essay Fearless Speech, derives from parrhesia, which means "to speak candidly". First used by the tragedian Euripedes, it was supported by Plato and his mentor Socrates, who defined it to be in opposition to rhetoric, in that it did not use persuasion but dialectic. This was a fundamental component of democracy in ancient Athens. But, in nascent nations trying to speak too freely is likely to invite a rap on one's knuckles. All the obscenity cases against Manto  and Chughtai  were a result of their narrative running contrary to the national narrative.

At Chughtai's home, the summons brought dark weather. Shahid, horrified by the dishonour that such a case could bring, kept fighting with her, so much so that they even considered divorce. A call from Manto informed them that he, too, had been charged. "He and Safia (Manto's wife) came over immediately. Manto looked so happy, as if he had been awarded the Victoria Cross. My heart was heavy with regret... but Manto's exuberance banished all my fears," writes Chughtai. But, soon enough, they were being trolled by letters filled with abuse. "I was terrified of my mail. I felt as if the envelopes contained snakes, scorpions and pythons," she recollects. At the same time, reassured by friends and well-wishers that she would only be fined at worst, Chughtai started packing up warm clothes for their trip to Lahore.

The city, still the heart of undivided Punjab, seemed like a bride to Chughtai, with all the apple and apricot trees in full bloom. As they waited trial, they spent their days taking long walks, eating peanuts and roadside food, going to parties, and Shahid and Manto getting drunk and getting into long and convoluted arguments. She also describes a hilarious incident when they decided to eat hot dogs over hamburgers, thinking that the former had pork, which is haram. On learning the truth, they decided that both were unsafe, and they would eat only chicken tikka. There are numerous descriptions of what they ate and drank, with Chughtai praising those who had complained against them.

The case against them  like most obscenity cases  did not stand. The witnesses for prosecution could not point out what was obscene in either story. One claimed that the word "bosom" in Manto's story was obscene as it was used to refer to a woman's breasts, but the judge did not agree. Another witness claimed that it was obscene that Chughtai's story had mentioned girls collecting lovers. The defence lawyer argued that the story might be about bad girls. The case collapsed. The judge called Chughtai into his room and praised her stories. "But there is a lot of dirt in Manto's writing," the judge said. "The world, too, is filled with a lot of dirt," she replied. The liberty to fling it about, to represent it is parrhesia, or freedom of speech  the cornerstone of democracy.
A few evenings ago, emboldened by Dutch courage afforded by a tot, or two, or a few, of single malt  but bolstered by the knowledge that my wife had dined early and retired to bed  I told the cook that no member of the gourd family was to cross the threshold again.

After a whole month of playing host to Luffa acutangula, the ridged version, or the smootheraegyptiaca species, a smoother variant  should the Cucurbitaceae family appeal to you  I was ready to do battle with the ridge gourd. Having planted a few of the subtropical vines along the fence of the farm, ...
A 60-year-old man was killed and seven others were injured in a group clash in Tirnai Khijirpur village on Friday morning, police said.

Rival factions of the same caste clashed over a trivial issue arising out of a quarrel between children, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sriparna Ganguli said.

Eight persons of both sides were injured, of which one person succumbed to his injuries, the SP said.

The injured were admitted to a hospital, she said.

Four persons from one faction were arrested and further investigation was underway, the SP said, adding that the situation in the village was under control.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Now that he has established a model for identifying elephants and their poached tusks, Wasser said he is taking the same approach to track pangolins - cocker spaniel-sized anteaters that are prized for their meat and scales. "We needed to find a way to sample only a fraction of the tusks in a shipment, but that method also needed to let us get a glimpse at the diversity of poached elephants within that shipment". The information they have gathered is already being used to solidify cases against smuggling kingpins, a Homeland Security official said.

What: An global team led by Sam Wasser, a University of Washington professor of biology, is using DNA test of tusks from large ivory seizures to identify the networks of dealers that are gathering and exporting ivory out of a handful of African ports.

Samples from tusks seized around the world were matched to trace them back to three big crime networks.

One hot spot is in far northern Gabon, in West Africa, which has lost 60 percent of its elephant population in the past eight years, said John Brown, a special agent in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who is involved in prosecutions of ivory traffickers.

The poachers and smugglers hunt in relatively few "hotspots" and ship their product out to the world's black market from relatively few ports, the researchers add.

During that investigation, Wasser and his team noticed that in each of the seizures authorities gave them to analyze, over half the tusks was missing its pair. But through comparing DNA samples from tusks among 38 large ivory consignments confiscated from 2011 to 2014, they matched up 26 pairs of tusks among 11 shipments, even though they were only testing, on average, about one-third of the tusks in each seizure.

"There is so much information in an ivory seizure-so much more than what a traditional investigation can uncover", says Wasser. "Not only can we identify the geographic origins of the poached elephants and the number of populations represented in a seizure, but we can use the same genetic tools to link different seizures to the same underlying criminal network". "By providing the DNA analysis for major ivory seizures across the globe, Dr. Wasser's lab has provided hard evidence ... to identify, dismantle and disrupt the transnational criminal organizations behind the illicit trade in wildlife".

"However, there were many irregularities leading up to and during his trial, and this caused the magistrate to recently acquit Feisal on his appeal". They hoped that this approach could play a role in helping stop ivory trade.

According to the study, poachers are presently being prosecuted for single seizures, but linking smuggling networks to larger seizures would help law enforcement build stronger cases against them.

"Methods that can connect individual traffickers to multiple large seizures have the potential to elevate their charges to major transnational crimes, simultaneously increasing the severity of their sentences".

"It costs about $25 for a bullet to kill an elephant and these poachers don't have a lot of money, so someone needs to be supporting them", Wasser said.

And since there are only an estimated 415,000 African elephants remaining in the wild - down from possibly 5 million at the turn of the 20th century - poaching is a key threat to the future of the species.

"We've tried to develop methods to attack the trade before the ivory gets into transit ... where it becomes so hard and expensive to trace", he said.

The ivory is sold to make art and jewelry. African elephant ivory trade has expanded into a multibillion industry that has led to the deaths of up to 40,000 elephants each year.

Large shipments now dominate the illegal ivory trade.

"The poachers in those areas know the area well and they only have as much ivory as they can carry", he said.
Twelve villagers were killed and 14 wounded in an attack by suspected jihadists on a village in a gas-rich region of northern Mozambique, a local source told AFP on Friday.

Since October, government plans to exploit the country's gas reserves have been thrown into doubt by an explosion of bloodthirsty assaults in the region where the industry plans to base its hub.

"Ten people were shot (dead) by firearms and two burnt (to death)," the source said of the violence which took place late Thursday in Paqueue village which lies close to the Quirimbas tourist archipelago.

One of the shooting victims had also been beheaded and the attackers had burnt 55 houses, the source said.

Medics said another 14 people were wounded in the attack.

In a separate incident further north, gunmen attacked a military convoy near the Tanzanian border on Thursday night, killing a senior army officer, a police source said.

"The attackers wore military uniforms and had large-calibre firearms," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Since October, more than 40 people have been killed in brazen machete and gun assaults on unarmed villagers in the coastal region.

Security forces have rushed reinforcements to the area yet seem powerless to stem the attacks. Terrorised, many civilians have fled their homes and a cloud hangs over the great expansion plans.

Back in June, while visiting Palma, one of the areas worst hit by the attacks, President Filipe Nyusi vowed the security forces would be "firm and ruthless" in pursuing the jihadists.

The region has been relatively quiet in recent months but the latest attack was likely to raise fears that the nascent insurgency had regrouped.

Police did not return calls for comment on the latest bloodshed.

Locals and authorities call the assailants Al-Shabaab, although the group has no known link to the notorious Somali Islamists of that name, nor has it issued any claim of responsibility or demands.

According to academic researchers, the group wants to impose Sharia law in the Muslim-majority province.

The attackers are believed to have staged their first attack on a police station and military outpost in the northern town of Mocimboa da Praia in October 2017. Two officers died and 14 attackers were killed.

In the following weeks, at least 300 Muslims were arrested, some of them Tanzanians, and several mosques shuttered -- and then suspicion began to fall on the region's residents.

After 180 trillion cubic feet (5.1 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas were discovered off its northeastern shores, Mozambique entertained dreams of following Qatar down the path towards prosperity.

The government even predicted that by 2035, GDP per head could increase sevenfold.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Six persons, including a 10-year- old boy, were electrocuted to death while eight others were seriously injured when a high tension 11000-volt wire fell into a pond here in Assam's Nagaon district on Friday, police said.

The tragedy occurred when people were fishing at Uttar Khatooal village, under Rupohi revenue circle, the police said.

Villagers noticed the high-voltage power distribution wire hanging lose over the pond belonging to one Syeb Ali around 5 am and informed the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), the police said.

Electricity department personnel had assured them that the wire was not a live one and so some people went into the pond for fishing, the villagers claimed.

But it was activated around 8 am without informing the locals which lead to the electrocution, they further claimed.

The bodies when brought out from the water were either charred or had wisps of smoke emanating from them.

Police said the dead were identified as Rafiqul Islam, Jabar Ali, Habibur Rahman, Mainul Islam, Inamul Islam and Ashiful Islam (10).

The injured were taken to BP Civil Hospital in Nagaon where the condition of some of them was stated to be critical, police said.

State Disaster Response Force personnel rushed to the spot to find if there are any more bodies in the pond, official sources said.

Angry over the incident, locals armed with sticks attacked the house of an APDCL worker in the area and damaged furniture and his vehicle, police said.

APDCL sub-divisional officer of the Pallab Das and three other employees of the company were suspended following the incident, officials said.

Additional security forces have been deployed in the area and senior district civil and police officials have rushed to the spot, official sources said.

On the instruction of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Power Minister Tapan Gogoi, Water Resources Minister Kesab Mahanta and APDCL chairman Jishnu Barooah rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

Mahanta announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs 2.5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the dead, besides an inquiry into the incident.

Locals asserted that negligence by APDCL had led to the mishap and demanded compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each of the dead and a government job to one of their family members.

Former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta visited the bereaved families and demanded that they be given adequate compensation, besides an inquiry into the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Six persons, including a 10-year-old boy, died of electrocution while eight others were seriously injured when a high tension wire fell into a pond in Assam's Nagaon district on Friday, police said.

Alleging negligence by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), angry locals attacked the house of a company worker after the tragedy occurred when people were fishing at Uttar Khatooal village under Rupohi revenue circle.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered an inquiry while four APDCL employees were suspended including a sub-divisional officer.

Villagers noticed the high-voltage power distribution wire of 11000-volt hanging lose over the pond belonging to Syeb Ali at around 5 am and informed the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), the police said.

Electricity department personnel had assured them that the wire was not a live one and so some people went into the pond for fishing, the villagers claimed.

But it was activated around 8 am without informing the locals which lead to the electrocution, they claimed.

The bodies when brought out from the water were either charred or had wisps of smoke emanating from them.

Police said the dead were identified as Rafiqul Islam, Jabar Ali, Habibur Rahman, Mainul Islam, Inamul Islam and Ashiful Islam (10).

The injured were taken to BP Civil Hospital in Nagaon where the condition of some of them was stated to be critical, police said.

State Disaster Response Force personnel rushed to the spot to find if there are any more bodies in the pond, official sources said.

Irate locals armed with sticks attacked the house of an APDCL worker in the area and damaged furniture and his vehicle, police said.

APDCL sub-divisional officer of the Pallab Das and three other employees of the company were suspended following the incident, officials said.

Additional security forces have been deployed in the area and senior district civil and police officials have rushed to the spot, official sources said.

Expressing his deep anguish over the incident, Assam Chief Minister Sonowal ordered an inquiry into it by Additional Chief Secretary and APDCL chairman Jishnu Barooah, an official release said.

The inquiry will primarily include in its ambit circumstances leading to the electrocution and submit the report to the government at the earliest, it said.

On his instruction, Power Minister Tapan Gogoi, Water Resources Minister Kesab Mahanta and the APDCL chairman rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

Mahanta announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs 2.5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the dead, besides an inquiry into the incident.

Locals alleged that negligence by APDCL had led to the mishap and demanded compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each of the dead and a government job to one of their family members.

Former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta visited the bereaved families and demanded that they be given adequate compensation, besides an inquiry into the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A functionary of the Madhya Pradesh High Court Bar Association Friday claimed the body has found in a survey that 75 per cent of the people booked under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in 2015-16 were acquitted, showing "rampant misuse" of the law.

All cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act filed in the financial year 2015-16 across the three High Court benches and 90 per cent district courts in the state were included in the survey, Bar Association president Adarsh Muni Trivedi said.

"It was found that 75 per cent of those accused under the SC/ST Act get acquitted. This shows the rampant misuse of the provisions of the Act," he claimed.

Giving other statistics of the survey, Trivedi said that 81 per cent people who faced cases under the SC/ST Act belonged to Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities.

"Fourteen per cent of the accused are from upper caste communities while the remaining five per cent are from minority groups," he said.

He further informed that 90 per cent of all cases under this Act were filed by people belonging to Scheduled Castes and the rest 10 per cent were from Scheduled Tribes.

"Most of these cases were heard in district courts. On the basis of merit, the accused in 75 per cent of SC/ST Act cases were acquitted," Trivedi said, quoting the survey.

Madhya Pradesh, over the past several days, has been witnessing protests from various communities against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2018 which was passed by Parliament in August.

The Supreme Court, on March 20, had placed safeguards on the provisions for immediate arrest under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The amendment bill passed in Parliament, however, restored some stringent provisions of the SC/ST Act.

Almost 20,000 people from several Brahmin organisations Friday held protests in Ujjain against the amendments to the SC/ST Act and demanded that they be withdrawn.

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Showing compassion to others can help reduce depression and increase life satisfaction, say scientists who found that the most disagreeable individuals benefit the greatest.

The most disagreeable individuals, who are also the least likely to be kind, can benefit most from behaving more compassionately, a York University study has found.

More than 640 people who were mildly depressed took part in the study which tracked the results of online compassion training.

Researchers from York University in Canada asked the participants, who were on average in their mid-30s, to take part in one of three online compassion intervention exercises including a control condition.

They were asked to complete their exercise and report back via an online platform every other day for three weeks.

Two months later, disagreeable participants who performed acts of kindness in close relationships showed the greatest reductions in depression and greatest increases in life satisfaction.

"As a result of their hostility and lack of cooperation, disagreeable types risk getting rejected or ostracised. There is a lot of conflict in their relationships, and they suffer the consequences, said Myriam Mongrain, a professor at York.

We found that providing concrete suggestions to those individuals, giving them ways in which they could express empathic concern in their close relationships was tremendously helpful," said Mongrain.

Highly disagreeable people often lack empathy, even in their close relationships, said Mongrain.

"Implementing these new behaviours might have left them feeling affirmed and liked in their close social circle. This might have been the anti-depressant ingredient in this group," she said.

The findings are particularly noteworthy given that the interventions were administered online and only required 10-15 minutes every other day. In other words, it was easy to implement, could be administered worldwide and had profound effects for some individuals.

In another exercise condition, participants were asked to spend up to 10 minutes meditating on nurturing phrases such as "May you be happy" or "May you be safe."



This exercise was of benefit to participants as a whole. However, when examining interactions effects with the disagreeable personality variable, the researchers found that it was the kindness exercise that was most helpful for this subgroup.

Researchers say the results could have immediate practical applications for social scientists, policymakers, psychology researchers, and health practitioners.

The widespread application of compassion interventions could contribute to a more humane and kinder society, particularly when targeted at those prone to hostility.

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The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu has announced state-wide public meetings on September 25 seeking 'trial' of its arch-rival DMK and Congress for "war crimes" against Tamils in the 2009 Sri Lankan civil conflict.

The old political issue has been revived by the AIADMK in the backdrop of the recent remarks of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa that the Indian government helped his country during the final war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Rajapaksa was at the helm when the nearly three-decade-long ethnic strife in Sri Lanka ended in 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE while the DMK was part of the Congress-led UPA that ruled India then.

Both the Congress and DMK had faced criticism for India's reported assistance to Sri Lanka then and their failure to prevent casualties of Tamils despite being in power.

The AIADMK Thursday said the meetings would be held demanding punishment to the DMK and Congress as the coalition government at the Centre during that period "helped Sinhalese (Srilankan) Army, in the war held against...Tamils."



Hitting back, DMK alleged the proposed AIADMK protest was a bid to divert attention from the corruption charges it faced.

AIADMK said the meetings would be addressed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami at Salem, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam at Theni and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai at Karur.

The party had on September 19 adopted a resolution at a meeting here alleging that the DMK and Congress were responsible for the killings of thousands of Tamils during the war.

Addressing at a symposium organised by the Virat Hindustan Sangam led by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in Delhi on September 12, Rajapaksa had said India's "abiding friendship" was amply demonstrated by its rapid response to Sri Lanka's needs at the time (2009), both material and moral.

Against this background, the AIADMK resolution had said: "Now that Rajapaksa has openly admitted to all secrets, the DMK-Congress coalition government aiding the killings of 1.5 lakh Tamils and rapes of thousands of Tamil women should be treated as war crimes and those involved should be made war criminals and given punishment."



Dismissing the charge, DMK spokesperson K S Radhakrishnan listed the "contributions" of DMK for Tamils in Sri Lanka and the "flip-flops" of the AIADMK in the decades old Eelam Tamils issue from the days of late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran.

"Since they (AIADMK regime) face allegations of corruption they are doing this to divert attention and thus have become a laughing stock," he told PTI.

DMK has approached the Madras High Court alleging corruption charges against Chief Minister K Panneerselvam, and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam among others, which have been rejected by the AIADMK as politically motivated.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday ordered the release of the pending tubewell connections to farmers who had already made payments.

He has set a deadline for November 15, 2018, for the same.

The directive came during a meeting with representatives of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharash Committee here, according to an official spokesperson.

The chief minister has directed the chairman of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited to ensure adherence to the November 15 deadline and issue necessary directions to the field staff across the state for strict compliance.

The chairman Powercom assured the chief minister that the nearly 7,000 pending tubewell connections would be released within the stipulated timeframe, said the spokesperson.

Responding to another demand of the committee, the chief minister asked the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Agriculture to ensure that the farmers get the subsidised agri-implements/equipment before October 15 for in-situ management of paddy stubble in order to avoid stubble burning.

The chief minister was informed by the officer that of the total 24,000 agri-implements/equipment, nearly 8,000 had been distributed amongst the farmers, cooperative societies and custom hiring centres so far in the state.

He said that the agriculture department was fully geared up to complete the task of distribution of these implements.

The chief minister also appealed to the farmers to make use of subsidised agri-machinery effectively to avoid stubble burning, thereby ensuring health and hygiene of the people besides preserving the of the state.

The meeting was informed that the Punjab Settlement of Agricultural Indebtedness (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was passed in the recently concluded Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, according to which the government would notify the maximum amount of debt that can be advanced by creditors to the debtors on per acre basis.

The government has already notified five Divisional Debt Settlement Forums headed by the Divisional Commissioner as per the provisions of the Act.

"The previous SAD-BJP government had enacted the Punjab Settlement of Agricultural Indebtedness Act, 2016, which had several legal infirmities and technical flaws, detrimental to the interests of the farmers. The amended law addresses the flaws and would go a long way in mitigating the hardships faced by the farmers on account of money lending," the spokesperson said.

The chief minister informed the committee that relief amounting to Rs 1,765 crore had already been disbursed through direct benefit transfer to loan accounts of marginal farmers of cooperative banks, and relief was now being disbursed to marginal farmers of commercial banks.

Over 3.07 lakh farmers have already been provided relief and the entire process would be completed by the end of this year. In all, over 10 lakh small and marginal farmers would benefit from the Debt Relief Scheme, he said.

Acceding to a demand, Amarinder Singh asked the principal secretary power to examine the feasibility of sending power bills to consumers on a monthly basis instead of the existing time-frame of two months, especially in the rural areas.

The chief minister informed the committee members that the government had already launched a crackdown against those indulging in adulteration and supply of spurious food items, milk and dairy products in Punjab.

On the issue of new agriculture policy, the Chief Minister said the state government was all set to unveil its pro-farmer agriculture policy.

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A day after Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar questioned his party's secular credentials, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Friday that Ambedkar had not felt any qualms about taking NCP's help in the past.

Ambedkar, who heads the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, said Thursday that he was ready to form alliance with the Congress, but not the NCP. Pawar was secular, but not his party, he said.

"Ambedkar would not have taken NCP's support in two elections in Akola (in Lok Sabha elections) had NCP been not secular. I had not gone there for campaigning then, but NCP workers had," Pawar told reporters here.

" He found the (NCP) workers secular then," Pawar added.

The NCP chief also alleged that Ambedkar once fielded a candidate against the NCP in the Mumbai North-East Lok Sabha seat, which helped BJP candidate Pramod Mahajan.

"So those who helped the BJP are now deciding who is secular and who is not," Pawar quipped.

Last week, Ambedkar announced an alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM in the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

"I have joined hands with the AIMIM and now kept the doors open for a tie-up with Congress. But I am not comfortable with the NCP," Ambedkar said on Thursday.

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The HRD Ministry has written to Delhi University to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding release of funds or lose out on the grants.

The MoU to be signed by DU, HRD Ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) pertains to the release of funds by the government to varsities, wherein universities have to state their ways of fund generation, such as fee hike, and the loan they wish to take from the Higher Funding Agency (HEFA).

"The university has called a meeting of the Executive Council (EC) on September 27 and the draft will be placed before the members. The MoU states that varsities will spell out performance parameters, output targets in terms of details of the programme of work and an action plan for the implementation and monitoring of the agreement and others," a university official said Friday on the condition of the anonymity.

With the varsity missing the June deadline, it has written to the Ministry stating that the same will be approved in the EC meeting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll in a ferry capsize in Lake Victoria climbed to 126 on Friday, as Tanzanian rescue workers pressed on with the search to find scores more people feared drowned.

The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers -- double the ferry's capacity -- when it capsized close to the pier on Ukara Island on Thursday, according to reports on state media.

Witnesses reached by AFP said the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock.

The death toll rose to 126 by mid-afternoon Friday, according to Tanzania's transport minister.

"We are sad to report there are 126 dead," Isack Kamwele told state television, adding that a further update would be provided at 6pm local time (1500 GMT).

Mwanza governor John Mongella had earlier said the number of survivors was 40, but it was unclear whether any new survivors had been found since rescue operations resumed with police and army divers on Friday morning.

"Operations are continuing," he said.

Rescue operations were suspended overnight Thursday and hopes are fading that more survivors might still be found.

State television cited witnesses reporting that more than 200 people had boarded the ferry at Bugolora, a town on the larger Ukerewe Island, where it was market day when locals said the vessel was usually packed with people and goods.

"I have not heard from either my father or my younger brother who were on the ferry. They had gone to the market in Bugolora to buy a school uniform and other supplies for the new school term," said Domina Maua, who was among those seeking information about loved ones.

Davita Ngenda, an elderly woman in Ukara, had already received bad

"My son is among the bodies recovered," she said, weeping. "He had gone with his wife but she has not been found yet. My God, what did I do to deserve this?" Sebastian John, a teacher, said such tragedies had become part of life for those living on the lake.

"Since my birth, people have gone to their deaths on this lake, but what are we to do? We did not choose to be born here, we have nowhere to go," he said.

It remains unclear how many people are still missing.

Tanzania's Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency, which is responsible for ferry services, said it was unknown how many passengers were aboard the MV Nyerere.

The ageing ferry, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible after it overturned, was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement, when it capsized around 50 metres from Ukara dock.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame for such incidents.

President John Magufuli was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and called on Tanzanians to "stay calm during these difficult times," according to spokesman Gerson Msigwa.

The country's opposition, however, accused the government of "negligence".

"We have often raised concerns about the poor condition of this ferry, but the government turned a deaf ear. We have repeatedly denounced this negligence," said John Mnyika, deputy secretary general of Chadema, the main opposition party.

Mnyika said overloading was "another failure of the authorities" and criticised "inadequate relief efforts as well as delays" in the rescue operation. With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres, oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Capsizes are not uncommon in the massive lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many people in the region cannot swim.

The deadliest such accident in recent decades was in May 1996, when around 800 people died after their ferry sank on the way to Mwanza in Tanzania.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"He wanted to make sure he met with the people in those areas".

Agriculture is the biggest industry in North Carolina.

President Donald Trump arrived in North Carolina on Wednesday to survey damage.

The majority of North Carolina's 2,100 hog farms are located in the southern counties of Sampson and Duplin, which were heavily affected by Florence's torrential downpour and, according to Vox's Irfan, are amongst the poorest in the state. "PETA urges everyone to take personal responsibility, not shrug this tragedy off, and actually help stop future suffering by going vegan so that animals are no longer forced to endure the many types of cruelty inherent in the meat industry". "We need a serious national discussion about the urgent, existential threat from climate change and how we are going to fix it-and it's very hard to have that conversation when media won't talk about the topic".

While Florence has passed, the danger from it hasn't.

With the crisis slowly moving to SC, emergency managers on Friday ordered about 500 people to flee homes along the Lynches River. Others can't get to their neighborhoods because the extensive road closures or simply because they don't have a ride home. Flooded roads and farmlands have delayed evaluation efforts.

To the president's right is North Carolina's Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper; to his left, Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen. "We have farmers who have lost significantly their crops".

Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon told state and local leaders that the SBA was making low-interest loans available to business and homeowners, and urged people to start filling out applications on SBA.gov as soon as possible.



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He described the period that SC is in as "the calm before the storm" and noted that residents of the area about to have a "rough few days" followed by a period of recovery that could last a long time.

As floodwaters from former-Hurricane Florence's massive rains continue to flow through the Carolinas, the end of the storm's damage is nowhere in sight.

During the trip, Trump also visited a church that was distributing meals to the city's residents. Trump asked the man who lived in the house where the boat was now inadvertently and incongruously docked.

In Conway, South Carolina, the president directing senators from the two states to put their heads together and come back to him with a proposal for federal funding.

When Matthew hit the state, it flooded more than 140 hog and poultry barns, more than a dozen open hog waste pits and thousands of acres of manure-saturated fields, the Environmental Working Group and Waterkeeper Alliance reported.

In Conway, S.C., he walked through a neighbourhood where a street was under water.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Waccamaw River in Conway, which was already at 13.5 feet above flood level on September 19, and was expected to rise by 1.5 feet a day starting September 20.
At least 15 people were killed when a bus collided with a truck in western Afghanistan on Friday, officials said, in the second major traffic accident this month.

Another 30 were wounded in the early morning crash in Bakwa district of Farah province, provincial police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib told AFP.

The bus had been travelling from Herat province to the southern province of Kandahar when the accident happened.

At least three women and two children were among the casualties, Nasir Mehri, spokesman for the Farah governor, told AFP.

The dead were all bus passengers, he added.

It was not clear how the crash happened but accidents involving long-distance passenger buses are fairly common in Afghanistan.

Earlier this month, at least 13 people were killed and another 25 wounded in an accident involving a bus and a truck in Kandahar province.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on International Day of Peace on Friday stressed on the need to respect for human rights and people's right to live in peace and dignity.

"Today is the International Day of Peace. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Respect for human rights, and consequently, the right to live in peace and dignity must always be respected," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle.

The International Day of Peace is observed annually on this day as the United Nations General Assembly has declared it as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.

Banerjee is away on a 12-day trip to Germany, Italy from September 16.

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Tourists are being warned to keep out of the water in the Whitsunday Islands on Australia's Great Barrier Reef after two swimmers were critically injured by shark attacks on consecutive days.

Queensland Yacht Charter, which both victim used, said in a statement on Friday that tourists have been advised to refrain from swimming near the Whitsunday Islands for the foreseeable future.

A 46-year-old woman was attacked on Wednesday and a 12-year-old girl was attacked on Thursday while swimming from yachts in Cid Harbor on Whitsunday Island. Whitsunday Island is the largest in the group of islands which is a premier tourist destination.

Brisbane hospitals said both victim were in critical but stable conditions from leg wounds.

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The Congress on Friday sought to take credit for the government's decision to call off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The BJP, however, maintained that it has been the government's stand that talks and terror cannot go together and asserted that the Indian Army will give Pakistan a befitting reply.

Barely 24 hours after agreeing to it, the government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Asked about the decision to call off the talks, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi told a press briefing, "Better late than never. And sometimes credit should also be given to us."



BJP spokesperson Bizay Sonkar Shastri said it has been the central government's stand that talks and terror cannot go together.

He said that the Pakistan army, its spy agency ISI and Kashmir-based separatists backed by them appear to be working to vitiate the atmosphere.

Earlier, the Congress had slammed the government for agreeing for the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session next week.

"It is laughable to talk of government's Pakistan policy. When the government of India talks about policy on Pakistan, it sounds like an oxymoron, a contradiction. Simply because there is no policy which we can point out.

"The great policy which Mr Modi's government has perfected is the policy of 'No Pak policy'. It is knee-jerk, it is episodic, it is momentary, it is transient, it depends on the mood of the moment," Singhvi said.

Reacting to the development, Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "Calling off meeting between India & Pak's FMs is bad for J&K. Both countries owe it to people of state & country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. In spite of a historic mandate, it is media & not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda."



BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said, "Has our BJP government decided to accept my advice not to talk or interact with Pak UN? If so it shows democratic flexibility.

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The Meghalaya Assembly Friday introduced the Meghalaya Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Bill, 2018 to protect the public from any fraudulent intention of financial institutions.

Introducing the bill during the first day of the Autumn session, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, in a statement said, it has become necessary to have a strong law in the state in order to protect the interest of the depositors in financial institutions operating in the state.

"(This is) considering the fact that some of these financial institutions are unauthorised and mobilising funds from the public/depositors with suspect or fraudulent intention," Sangma said.

The chief minister also pointed out that the objective of introducing the new bill was because the existing Act is not equipped to deal with such institutions.

"Since the present law, that is, the Meghalaya Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Institutions) Act, 2006 is not fully equipped in dealing with such institutions, therefore, there is a need to repeal the existing Act with a new Act. Hence this bill," he stated.

According to the bill, the government may pass an ad-interim order attaching the properties purchased either in the name of the financial establishment or any other persons on default of return of deposits.

It also stated that where any financial establishment defaults, the return of the deposit or defaults the payment of interest on the deposit, every person including the promoter, manager, director or partner or an employee of the financial establishment will be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years and with fine which may extend to Rs 1 lakh or both.

Such financial establishment shall also be liable for a fine which may extend to Rs 2 lakh, it added.

The bill further makes it mandatory for every financial establishment which commences or carries on its business in the state of Meghalaya on or after the commencement of this Act, to submit a report relating to the details about its authority to the district collector and superintendent of police (SP).

Any person or public in general aggrieved against any financial establishment receiving deposits from public may also file a complaint in writing specifically mentioning the nature of allegations against the financial establishment to the deputy commissioner or office not below the rank of the Superintendent of Police, CID for causing inquiry and investigation.

Meanwhile, the state government would also constitute special courts for the purpose of speedy disposal of cases under the Act.

According to the chief minister, the financial expenditure will be involved from the consolidated fund of the state for implementing the provisions of the proposed legislation on account of creation of special court, special public prosecutor and such other connected matters.

Another bill, the Meghalaya Essential Services Maintenance (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Meghalaya Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was also introduced during the session.

Sangma also presented the supplementary demands for grants and supplementary appropriation for the year 2018-19.

Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy welcomed Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and three other newly elected MLAs during the first day of their attendance as members of the Assembly.

Sangma had won the South Tura by-election recently.

The others MLAs are opposition Congress legislator from Ampati Miani D Shira, United Democratic Party (UDP) MLA from Ranikor Pius Marwein and National Peoples Party (NPP) MLA from Williamnagar Marcuise N Marak.

The chief minister also commented the Speaker for his initiative to telecast the proceedings of the Assemblys current session live.

"It is a wonderful initiative and I think people of Shillong will be very happy," Conrad said.

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Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused by a nun of raping and sexually assaulting her, will be arrested Friday night, Kottayam Superintendent of Police Hari Sankar said.

He said the police would record his arrest shortly.

"The investigating officer in the nun rape case has found that the bishop has committed the crime," Sankar told journalists.

Mulakkal was Thursday relieved "temporarily" of his pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of Missionaries of Jesus by the Pope.

He has been accused by the nun of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting her between 2014 and 2016.

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Bishop Franco Mulakkal, a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India, was arrested Friday night amid mounting public outrage over allegations of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, police said.

The 54-year old Mulakkal was arrested by Kerala police after intense interrogation here over the last three days.

The development came a day after the Vatican relieved him "temporarily" of all pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation to which the alleged victim also belongs.

Bishop Mulakkal had been arrested at 8 p and taken for medical examination, Kottayam district police chief Hari Sankar told reporters.

He would be produced in a magistrate court in Pala in Kottayam district tomorrow, Inspector General of Police (Kochi Range) Vijay Sakhare told PTI.

The nun had accused the clergyman of repeatedly raping and having unnatural sex with her between 2014 and 2016, a charge denied by him.

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The Karnataka BJP Friday accused Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy of sedition and sought action over his remark asking people to "rise in revolt" against the saffron party for its alleged attempts to destabilise the state government.

In its complaint to the state Director General of Police (DGP) Neelamani N Raju, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the chief minister had violated section 124(A) (relating to sedition) and other sections of the IPC.

Holding placards and raising slogans against former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his sons, including Kumaraswamy, the BJP staged a protest near the Mysore Bank Circle, the nerve centre of the city, terming the chief minister's remark as a "call for anarchy."



"Kumaraswamy, who holds a constitutional post, has given a call for people to rise in revolt," BJP MP from Udupi Chikkamagaluru constituency Shobha Karandlaje said.

Talking to reporters after submitting the complaint to the DGP, she said the person who was supposed to protect the Constitution and citizens of the country was "provoking" people.

"Whatever was in Kumaraswamy's mind finally came out in the form of words," the BJP MP charged.

Another BJP parliamentarian Prahlad Joshi termed the statement as the "most irresponsible and unpardonable offence" and said the chief minister's choice of words displayed his state of mind.

Upset over the alleged toppling game of the BJP, an angry Kumaraswamy had on Thursday warned BJP to be restrained in its speech about Gowda and his family, saying he can even ask people to rise in revolt against it if it continued to disturb Congress-Janata Dal-Secular coalition government headed by him.

Launching a no-holds-barred attack on state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, Kumaraswamy had said: "If you dig too much (into our affairs), then we too have many things at our disposal."



"Government is in our hand. Don't I have the authority to do whatever I can? I caution him to be careful," he added.

Hitting back, Yeddyurappa said if the state government was with Kumaraswamy, the central government was with the BJP.

Soon after, Congress and JD(S) activists staged a demonstration outside Yeddyurappa's house raising slogans against him for his alleged attempts to destabilise the coalition government.

The BJP condemned the demonstration, saying that the state government was trying to muzzle the voice of the Opposition, which showed its "anti-democratic face".

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The implementation of the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) has not been effective in Odisha with the programme reaching only 3.70 per cent households in the state against its target of covering 35 per cent households by March 2017, a CAG report has said.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report on general and social sector was tabled in the Odisha Assembly by Finance Minister S B Behera on Thursday.

"Digging of tube wells without conducting scientific survey had led to dry wells which deprived the habitations of drinking water and expenditure incurred on them became wasteful," the report said.

Therefore, the vision of providing safe drinking water to the people living in rural areas at all times could not be achieved in the state, it said.

The aim of the NRDWP is to provide every rural person with adequate safe water for drinking, cooking and other basic domestic needs on a sustainable basis, with a minimum water quality standard, which should be conveniently accessible at all times and in all situations.

The Centre had launched the NRDWP on April 1, 2009 and the Odisha State Water and Sanitation Mission (OSWSM), under the Rural Development Department, implements the programme in the state.

Fund management was not efficient and instances of delay in release of funds by the state government and low utilisation due to slow pace of execution of works were also noticed.

The CAG report further said that the target fixed under strategic plan, to be achieved by 2017, was largely not achieved and water quality monitoring and surveillance was inadequate.

The CAG also highlighted inadequacies in the jail administration saying that the state's Home Department had not adopted the reforms suggested in the Model Prison Manual.

The Home Department had not submitted utilisation certificate for Rs 75 crore received from the 13th Finance Commission, as a result of which the central government did not release the balance amount of Rs 25 crore which was a loss to the state exchequer, the report said.

It pointed out that the jail authorities had kept 472 convicts and 1,988 undertrial prisoners in the same ward without separate enclosure. This was against the Odisha Jail Manual rules.

Similarly, installation of 2G cell phone jammers in five jails failed to block signal, rendering the expenditure of Rs 3.91 crore on jammers unfruitful, the report said.

Of the 873 walkie-talkies purchased at a cost of Rs 59.74 lakh, 257 were non-functional from the date of receipt.

In 11 jails, 96 out of 234 rifles were unserviceable.

During 2014-17, 21 prisoners managed to escape from jails due to insufficient security, the report said.

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Canada's Parliament has unanimously adopted a motion declaring crimes committed against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar to be genocide.

The motion Friday also endorsed the findings of a United Nations mission that outlined how crimes against humanity have been committed by the Myanmar military against Rohingya and other minorities.

In Washington, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland praised members of Parliament for passing the motion to recognize "this atrocity." Human rights observers called the declaration as a significant milestone.

Some 700,000 Rohingya crossed into Bangladesh after a brutal counter-insurgency campaign by Myanmar security forces. The UN report alleged widespread rights violations, including rape, murder, torture and the burning of Rohingya homes and villages.

Myanmar denies any organised abuses.

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If convicted, Marine Le Pen faces up to three years in jail and a fine of 75,000 ($87,000).

Her leftist nemesis Jean-Luc Melenchon, the France Unbowed leader who once called Le Pen "half-demented", tweeted his "total disagreement" with the court order.

And as part of their investigation it appears magistrates in Nanterre near Paris have ordered Le Pen to visit a psychiatrist for an expert assessment.

Le Pen said she tweeted the images in response to a French journalist who drew a comparison between ISIL and her far-right National Front party.

In the wake of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks, in which 130 people were killed by men claiming allegiance to "Islamic State" (IS), Le Pen posted a number of violent images depicting IS atrocities. For having condemned Daesh (IS) horrors in tweets, the "justice system" is putting me through psychiatric tests!

Leader of France's Rassemblement National (RN) far-right political party Marine Le Pen gestures as she delivers a speech at a meeting in Frejus, southern France on September 16, 2018. "This regime is really starting to worry me", suggesting that the case was part of a government plot to discredit her.

"I thought I had experienced everything, but no!"

"Of course, I will not go to this psychiatric assessment and I will wait to see how the magistrate intends to force me", she reportedly told BFM TV.

Speaking to reporters in the halls of the National Assembly, Le Pen said she felt "persecuted" by the state and would defy the order.

The images showed the bodies of people who were executed by the Islamic State and included the decapitated body of US reporter James Foley.

According to a copy of the court document dated September 11, which Le Pen published on Twitter, the judge wants the evaluation to assess if she suffers from any mental illness and, if so, if that could have affected her understanding of what she was doing when she posted the tweets.

A number of politicians have lambasted the judges' decision towards Le Pen.

"A court orders a psychiatric assessment for Marine Le Pen. Words fail me! Solidarity with her and with the French who love freedom!" he wrote.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said in a statement he was shocked Le Pen would be ordered to take a psychiatric test.

Le Pen is facing charges relating to a series of tweets in which she posted ISIS propaganda pictures of victims of torture and executions.
The CBI Friday said its second-in-command Rakesh Asthana's complaint to the CVC against its chief Alok Verma is "malicious" and "frivolous".

In an unusual move, the Central Bureau of Investigation issued a statement after reports about Asthana filing a complaint before the Central Vigilance Commission alleging interference in the probes undertaken by the special investigation team under him.

"It is unfortunate that baseless and frivolous allegations are being made publicly without proper verification of facts to malign the image of the Director CBI and intimidate the officials of the organization," the statement said.

It said the CVC has asked for certain case files from the CBI on the basis of a complaint filed by the agency's special director.

In its response to the CVC letter, the CBI's chief vigilance officer (CVO) pointed out that the complaint is an attempt by the complainant to intimidate the agency's officers who are investigating his role in at least half a dozen cases.

The CBI said the "CVC should opine on the maintainability of the complaint and consider it malicious and frivolous in order to protect the integrity of the organisation".

"Irrespective of the maintainability of the complaint, CBI has provided most of the files as requested by the CVC and the remaining will be submitted soon. There is no substance in the media reports that CBI is not cooperating in the enquiry," it said.

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The Centre is mulling policy interventions to make Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) projects more attractive to investors, a top government official said Friday.

"There are some issues with regard to PCPIRs. We are working on various options," Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals Secretary P Raghavendra Rao said.

He said the government may carry out policy interventions as early as January next year for the four PCPIRs in the country.

As per the existing policy, the Centre is responsible for providing infrastructure support outside the periphery of a PCPIR while the state government is responsible for the infrastructure inside.

The Centre may now also work closely with the state government, Rao said.

He added that policy intervention could also include fiscal benefits in various forms including sourcing of feedstock at a reasonable price which remains a major concern.

He said that the basic common utilities have to be managed by agencies which will help companies concentrate on their core activity.

There were four approved PCPIRs -- one each in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Of them, the one in Gujarat has taken off reasonably well while the others are yet to get momentum, he said.

"We are looking at the overall picture and studying models that have been developed by Singapore and other countries. We are examining various possible options to overcome the challenges so that the policy becomes more vibrant," Rao said.

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An "outraged" China on Friday lodged a diplomatic protest with the US for imposing punitive sanctions on its military unit for buying Russian weapons, warning of "consequences" if the sanctions are not revoked.

The US State Department said on Thursday that the purchases of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles by China's Equipment Development Department (EDD) of China's Ministry of Defence violated US sanctions on Russia.

Both the EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, have been named in Thursday's sanctions.

It is the first time the Trump administration targeted a third country with its Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), designed to punish Russia for its seizure of Crimea and other activities.

Reacting to the US move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, "China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action of the US and lodged stern representations".

"What the US has done gravely violated the basis norms governing the international relations and harmed the state-to-state and military-to-military relations between the two sides," he said.

"We strongly urge the US side to address this mistake and revoke so called sanctions otherwise it will need to shoulder all possible consequences," he said.

Asked whether China would continue its close intelligence and defence cooperation with Russia, Geng said, "China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination. We have been having normal exchanges of cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit in various fields including national defence".

The China-Russia defence cooperation is meant to safeguard the two nations' legitimate interests and regional peace and stability," he said.

It targets no third country and violates with no international law, he added.

"We will work with Russia to implement the consensus reached by two leaders and move forward our strategic coordination," he said referring to the close ties between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Founded in 2016 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the EDD was tasked with overseeing and improving the country's military technology. It is regarded as a key part of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi.

The sanctions will deny EDD any foreign export licences, prohibit it from making foreign exchange transactions within US jurisdiction or using the US financial system, and block its property and interests within US control, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

Sanctions on Li will also prohibit his using the US financial system and making foreign exchanges, and block any of his property or interests. He will also be prohibited from having a US visa.

China, which relies on technology for its military modernisation has stepped up its military ties with Russia.

The sanctions are expected to heighten tensions between the US and China, which are currently engaged in a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting USD 200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting USD 60 billion worth of American products.

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Every morning, Meripet wakes up to her nightmare: the Chinese government has turned four of her children into orphans, even though she and their father are alive.

Meripet and her husband left the kids with their grandmother at home in China when they went to nurse Meripet's sick father in Turkey. But after Chinese authorities started locking up thousands of their fellow ethnic Uighurs for alleged subversive crimes such as travel abroad, a visit became exile.

Then, her mother-in-law was also taken prisoner, and Meripet learned from a friend that her 3- to 8-year-olds had been placed in a de facto orphanage in the Xinjiang region, under the care of the state that broke up her family.

"It's like my kids are in jail," Meripet said, her voice cracking.

"My four children are separated from me and living like orphans." Meripet's family is among tens of thousands swept up in President Xi Jinping's campaign to subdue a sometimes restive region, including the internment of more than 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities that has alarmed a United Nations panel and the US government.

Now there is evidence that the government is placing the children of detainees and exiles into dozens of orphanages across Xinjiang.

The orphanages are the latest example of how China is systematically distancing young Muslims in Xinjiang from their families and culture, The Associated Press has found through interviews with 15 Muslims and a review of procurement documents.

The government has been building thousands of so-called "bilingual" schools, where minority children are taught in Mandarin and penalised for speaking in their native tongues. Some of these are boarding schools, which Uighurs say can be mandatory for children and, in a Kazakh family's case, start from the age of 5.

China says the orphanages help disadvantaged children, and it denies the existence of internment camps for their parents. It prides itself on investing millions of yuan in education in Xinjiang to steer people out of poverty and away from terrorism.

At a regular briefing Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the measures taken in Xinjiang were necessary for "stability, development, harmony" and to fight ethnic separatists.

But Uighurs fear that these measures are essentially wiping out their ethnic identity, one child at a time.

Experts say what China is doing echoes how white colonialists in the US, Canada and Australia treated indigenous children policies that have left generations traumatized.

"This is an ethnic group whose knowledge base is being erased," said Darren Byler, a researcher of Uighur culture at University of Washington.

"What we're looking at is something like a settler colonial situation where an entire generation is lost."



For Meripet, the loss is agony; it is the absence of her children and the knowledge they are in state custody. A year and a half after leaving home, the 29-year-old mother looked at a photo of a brightly painted building surrounded by barbed wire where her children are believed to be held.

She fell silent. And then she wept.

"When I finally see them again, will they even recognize me?" she asked. "Will I recognize them?"



When Xi came to power in 2012, an early challenge to his rule was a surge in violent attacks that killed several hundred people and which Beijing pinned on Uighur separatists.

Since then, Xi has overseen the most extensive effort in recent years to quell Xinjiang, appointing in 2016 the former Tibet party boss Chen Quanguo to lead the troubled region bordering Afghanistan.

Chen rolled out unprecedented security measures such as the internment camps that hold Muslims without trial and force them to renounce their faith and swear loyalty to the ruling Communist Party.

China has described religious extremism as an illness that needs to be cured through what it calls "transformation through education."



Former detainees say one can be thrown into a camp for praying regularly, reading the Quran, going abroad or even speaking to someone overseas.

The camps are among the most troubling aspects of Xi's campaign to assert the party's dominance over all aspects of Chinese life, which has drawn comparisons with Mao Zedong.

Authorities heeding Xi's call to "Sinicize" religion across the country have shut underground churches, burned Bibles, replaced pictures of Jesus with ones of Xi, and toppled crescents from mosques.

The party also has beefed up its ability to track the movements of its 1.4 billion people, with Xinjiang serving as an important testing ground.

In Xinjiang, detention has left countless children without their parents.

Most of these families in China cannot be reached by journalists. However, the AP interviewed 14 Uighur families living in Turkey and one Kazakh man in Almaty with a total of 56 children who remain in China.

The families say that among these children, 14 are known to be in state-run orphanages and boarding schools. The whereabouts of the rest are unknown because most of their adult relatives in Xinjiang have been detained.

Some interviewees, like Meripet, requested that they be identified only by their first names because they feared official retaliation against their relatives.

Others insisted their full names be used despite the risks, saying they were desperate for their stories to be heard.

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Chinese companies are interested in investing in India as the wage cost in the world's second largest economy is three times higher than in the country, a Tamil Nadu state official said here Friday.

M Velmurugan, executive vice chairman of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance & Export Promotion Bureau, who is in Singapore to promote Global Investors Meet 2019 (GIM), which is to be held on January 23-24 in Tamil Nadu said that India has abundant skilled labour and wage cost is lower.

"China and India are two of the fastest growing markets in the world and offer excellent investment opportunities. But China's wage cost is going up," said Velmurugan.

There is a growing interest among the Chinese companies to invest in India especially under the 'Make in India' initiatives, said Velmurugan, who earlier this week visited China and learnt that Chinese wages are three times higher than those paid in India.

"India competes with China very closely but the potential for (business) cooperation between two countries is very high," he pointed out.

There are about 12 to 15 Chinese companies operating in Tamil Nadu now but the number is expected to increase, given their strong interests seen during the Tamil Nadu delegation visit promoting the GIM 2019 in China, he said.

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: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday urged Malayalees in the U.S.A to contribute liberally to rebuild the flood-hit state and said he hoped Rs 150 crore would be raised from them.

Vijayan made the appeal at his first public function in New York early Friday after completion of his medical treatment.

The Chief Minister, who had left for the U.S for medical treatment at Mayo Clinic on September 2, is expected to be back in Kerala on September 24.

Addressing the gathering of Keralites, Vijayan said everyone should cooperate for revamping the state, which had last month witnessed the worst deluge of the century.

He said Keralites willing to contribute should become members of the global salary challenge, which envisages each participant contributing a month's salary for the state.

State finance minister Thomas Isaac will visit the U.S next month to collect the financial assistance, he said.

"Only through your cooperation can a new Kerala be built", he said, adding his government was expecting a contribution of Es 150 crore from the malayalees in US.

At least 493 people had died in the rains and floods during the South West Monsoon.

Crowd funding is among the routes the government is mulling to raise the resources to rebuild the state which has suffered an estimated loss of over Rs 40,000 crore.

The Union government had released Rs 600 crore to Kerala as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Rs 500 crore) and Home Minister Rajnath Singh (Rs 100 crore) during their visits to the state.

This was in addition to Rs 562.45 crore already made available in the State Disaster Relief Fund of Kerala.

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Chief Minister K Palaniswami Friday lashed out at DMK for "family, dynastic politics," saying only those belonging to late leader M Karunanidhi's family could reach the top, unlike in the ruling AIADMK.

"DMK is a party for a family. Karunanidhi was there and after him now Stalin (as party chief) and then there will be his son Udayanidhi and his son later...so in DMK there is dynastic politics," he said, addressing a meet to accord him a reception by the party unit here.

However, in the AIADMK those who worked for the party and the people held high positons, he said.

"I was born in a agricultural family..only in the AIADMK, can an ordinary farmer become Chief Minister..even you can occupy such positions..it is possible only in this party," he said.

Palaniswami, the AIADMK co-coordinator, sought to know if anybody in the DMK could aspire for the top posts though they had slogged for the party for years.

"It is not possible in the DMK because of dynastic .they want positions for grandson, son and daughter and it is still prevalent," he said.

Hitting out at former Chief Minister Karunanidhi, he said the late DMK patriarch had gone to Delhi only to lobby for positions for his family and not to fight for people's issues.

"If Karunanidhi was like that, his son too is just the same."



Karunanidhi had been criticised for lobbying for berths in the Union Cabinet for his family like grandnephew Dayanidhi Maran and his son M K Alagiri during the Congress led UPA regime.

Countering the corruption charges against his regime, the Chief Minister said the DMK was each day "uttering a lie, claiming corruption."



It was "DMK which is a corrupt party and dismissed for corruption in the whole of India."Following graft allegations, the DMK regime was dismissed in 1976 during the Emergency.

Seeking a repeat of the thumping victory of 2014 Lok Sabha polls when AIADMK won 37 of the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, he said it waws only due to such a spectacular victory that the party was able to get projects for Tamil Nadu from the Centre.

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An all-party meeting called by dissident AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Friday to discuss sacrilege incidents turned out to be a damp squib with the Congress and the Shiromani Aakali Dal (SAD) choosing to stay away.

However, an unperturbed Khaira announced that a 'resentment march' would be taken out from Kotkapura to Bargari on October 7 to protest against the killing of two men in after police opened fire at people protesting against sacrilege incidents back in 2015.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema along with his flock of 13 MLAs too skipped the meeting though Khaira claimed that an invitation was given to everyone.

Khaira said that "like-minded people" including AAPs suspended MP from Patiala Dharamvira Gandhi, MLAs Simarjeet and Balwinder Bains and Mohakam Singh of United Akali Dal among others attended the meeting and discussed "threadbare" the issue of sacrilege in the wake of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report.

He said that the meeting decided to soon set up an 11-member action committee which will later announce phase wise programmes across the state.

Gandhi said that those present in the meeting demanded that an FIR should be registered against former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal after the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report "indicted" the senior Badal for police firing on protesters.

He said the members also felt that both the Badals should be arrested immediately and that the various Sikh institutions and bodies should be freed from "political interference".

Asked in what capacity did he hold the meeting, Khaira retorted: "Shall I seek permission first from Cheema or AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal to call a meeting on issue of sacrilege?".

"If Kejriwal wants to take any action against me he is welcome to do so," he said.

He further flayed Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for allegedly failing to take action against the police officers named as accused in the report.

Meanwhile, SAD senior vice president Daljit Singh Cheema said that the all-party meeting called by Khaira to seek support for the report submitted by his brother-in-law Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh turned out to be a mere fiasco as it was neither well attended nor all party.

He dubbed it "half party meeting" because even all the legislators and leading lights of the AAP preferred to abstain.

Khaira failed to attract even his former comrades from AAP though he was keen to ensure presence of all the political parties and farmers outfits too, he said.

The presence of Gandhi, Singh or Bains brothers proved that the meeting was a conglomeration of the rejected, dejected, frustrated and outdated rootless leaders, he said.

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The Congress on Friday demanded a probe into renewal of iron ore mining leases during the previous tenure of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary A Chellakumar said former BJP chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar had revealed that renewal of mining leases, termed illegal by the Supreme Court, was done during the tenure of his predecessor Parrikar.

Parrikar had earlier held the chief minister's post from 2012 to 2014 and he was succeeded by Parsekar. Parrikar, currently admitted in New Delhi's AIIMS for a pancreatic ailment, became Goa's chief minister again in March 2017.

A complaint was filed before the Lokayukta alleging the involvement of Parsekar, the then mines secretary Pawan Kumar Sain and current mines and geology department director Prasanna Acharya in the illegal renewal of 88 mining leases, which were quashed by the apex court on February 7, 2018.

"Today, the truth has come out very clearly. It is not the Congress, it is nobody but their own party's ex-chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar (who) had told (the Lokayukta) very clearly that it is not him but Parrikar who is the cause of looting of Rs 1,44,000 crore," Chellakumar claimed.

He sought to know why the state government was silent over the matter and why no charge sheet had been filed.

The Congress leader said a committee should be formed to investigate Parsekar's allegations.

The former chief minister, in a written reply to the Lokayukta last month, had said the policy to renew mining leases was framed by his predecessor (Parrikar) on the instructions of the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court.

"Parrikar had begun renewing the leases and during his tenure, eight or nine of them were already renewed," Parsekar had told the anti-corruption watchdog.

"When I took over, I followed Parrikar's track," Parsekar, who was the chief minister of Goa from November 2014 till March last year, had said.

Early this month, the Goa Lokayukta rejected the submissions made by Parsekar and the other two officials in the matter.

In their submissions, Parsekar and the other respondents had contended that the NGO's complaint was malicious in nature.

Illegal renewal of iron ore mining leases benefited private mine operators and caused a major loss to the government, the NGO has alleged.

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The Opposition Congress in Goa on Friday gave a notice for removal of Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant.

The party, which has 16 members in the 40-member Assembly, also gave a 14-day notice for convening of a session of the House for undertaking the process of removing Sawant from the post.

The move came days after the party staked claim to form an alternate government, contending that the BJP-led ruling alliance had lost majority in the Assembly.

The government is headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is hospitalised in Delhi for a pancreatic ailment.

The notice for removal of Sawant was given under "Rule 243 of Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Legislative Assembly of Goa, read with Article 179C of the Constitution of India," Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

Rule 243 states provision for moving a resolution to ask for permission of the House to discuss about impeachment of the Speaker.

Kavlekar, however, refused to specify on what grounds it wants Sawant to be removed as the Speaker, saying the reasons will be spelt out on the floor of the House.

The legislators said they propose to move the motion to remove Sawant from the office of Speaker of Legislative Assembly at the end of 14 days' notice period.

"We cannot discuss the grounds for giving notice right now. When it comes up for discussion on the floor before voting, we will disclose our grounds," Kavlekar said.

When contacted, Sawant said, "prima facie, I dont find any merit in such a resolution but for the sake of reasonability, I will check the legality of such a resolution when it is brought to my notice."



Earlier this week, the Congress party had met Govenor Mridula Sinha and urged her to direct the BJP-led government to carry out a trust vote in the Assembly.

The paty wanted a special one-day session of the Assembly to be convened for it at the earliest.

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.

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The US has imposed sanctions on the Chinese military over its purchasing of Russian military jets and surface-to-air missiles.

"China expressed strong indignation towards the unreasonable move by the United States, and has made solemn representation", foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Friday. We took these actions because China took delivery of 10 Sukhoi fighter aircraft, specifically Su-25s, in December of 2017, after the CAATSA statute came into force.

The protest was in response to Washington's announcement that the Chinese defence ministry's Equipment Development Department (EDD) violated USA sanctions on Russian Federation by buying the jets and missile equipment.

CAATSA's clause 231, which stipulates the rules for forming the list, says any person taking part conscientiously in considerable transactions with any of the blacklisted individuals or organizations falls under US-imposed sanctions automatically.

The sanctions freeze any of EDD's and Li's assets in U.S. jurisdictions.

The US State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on China's Equipment Development Department, which oversees defense technology, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in "significant transactions" with Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms exporter.

"We have been using the possibility of Caatsa sanctions to deter arms transfers for many months", a senior administration official said.

All of them - defence related firms, officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation group - have been on previous USA sanctions lists and 28 of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian Federation election meddling. "CAATSA sanctions in this context are not meant to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country", the official told reporters on a conference call.

The sanctions block the Chinese agency from applying for export licenses and from participating in foreign exchange transactions under United States jurisdictions. "They are instead aimed at imposing costs on Russian Federation in response to its malign activities, and of course those malign activities are many", the official said.

"Each new round of sanctions proves our foe's complete lack of success in pressuring Russian Federation with previous such attempts", said Ryabkov, who added that Washington would never succeed in dictating its conditions to Moscow.

"Both countries are opposed to what they see as US bullying and these kind of actions will just push Beijing and Moscow even closer together", he said, adding that Moscow needed Chinese money and Beijing wanted advanced military technology.

"The possession of this of this military equipment is very important for China", he added.

Asked whether China would continue its close intelligence and defence cooperation with Russia, Geng said, "China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination".

The CAATSA that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russian Federation, has the potential to affect India's defence purchases as it is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf missile air defence systems from Russian Federation for around $4.5 billion.
A special court has granted two weeks to the Enforcement Directorate to respond to a plea of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh seeking certain documents in a money laundering case against him.

Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj directed the probe agency to file by October 5 its reply to the applications moved by Singh and other accused, including his wife Pratibha Singh and LIC agent Anand Chauhan.

Special public prosecutors N K Matta and Nitesh Rana, appearing for the ED, had sought six weeks from the court for filing the response.

However, the court said "the period of six weeks would be too long a date" and allowed two weeks.

During the proceedings, the copies of the applications moved by the accused persons were received by advocate Samvedna Verma on behalf of the ED.

In their applications, moved through senior advocate Rebecca John and advocate Tarannum Cheema, the accused persons have told the court that they have not received several documents filed with the charge sheet while many papers supplied to them were not readable.

Besides 83-year-old Singh and his 62-year-old wife, the others named as accused in the ED charge sheet, filed through advocate A R Aditya, include politician's son Vikramaditya, Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent Anand Chauhan and two other co-accused--Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach.

The case also involves Managing Director of Tarani Infrastructure, Vakamulla Chandrasekhar and one Ram Prakash Bhatia as accused.

In a separate case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the matter, the former Himachal Pradesh chief minister, his wife and Chauhan were charge sheeted along with others.

The CBI had claimed that Virbhadra Singh had amassed assets worth around Rs 10 crore which were disproportionate to his total income during his tenure as a Union Minister under UPA government.

The ED filed a case on the basis of the CBI case.

The accused have denied all the allegations levelled against them.

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Cyclonic storm 'DAYE' hit the Odisha coast near Gopalpur early Friday causing heavy rain and Malkangiri district, which bore the brunt, was virtually cut off from the rest of the state.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said no loss of life has been reported till 12 noon.

The SRC said, Malkangiri district was severely affected by the cyclonic storm and some people were left marooned in submerged areas, including Poteru.

Around 150 people have so far been rescued from some places in the district, the SRC said.

Immediate steps have been taken for distribution of relief materials in the affected areas and damage caused by the natural calamity was being ascertained, he added.

Rain water was flowing over major roads, submerging low-lying areas in the district that experienced a total rainfall of 1163.8 mm since Thursday, Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal said.

After reviewing the situation, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed the Malkangiri district administration to reach out to the affected people and extend all assistance to them, an official in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

Patnaik also sanctioned gratuitous relief for seven days at Rs 60 per day per person and Rs 45 each for children below 12 years in the district, he said.

The cyclonic storm "DAYE" over northwest Bay of Bengal crossed south Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh coast close to Gopalpur in the early hours of Friday, Director, Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, H R Biswas said.

The cyclonic system then moved west-northwestward with a speed of 26 kmph and weakened into a deep depression and lay centred over south interior Odisha and its neighbourhood, about 65 km east-southeast of Titlagarh.

After making a landfall, the storm triggered heavy rainfall in several places in Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput and Nabarangpur districts of the state, MeT officials said.

Malkangiri, which recorded an average rainfall of 166.25 mm since Thursday, witnessed severe waterlogging and disruption in road connectivity in many areas.

As major roads were submerged with rain water, connectivity with Jeypore, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh remained snapped, said an official.

Water level in the Balimela reservoir had also risen alarmingly, he said.

While rain water gushed into a health centre in Janbai, four persons who had been marooned in a forest nursery near Malkangiri since Thursday were rescued Friday, he said.

Incessant rainfall also left major rivers like Saleru, Saberi and Saptadhara in the district swollen, while power supply remained snapped.

Heavy rains also lashed nearby Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur districts.

The MeT centre forecast heavy to very heavy rain in several places in Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput and Nabarangpur districts till Saturday.

Heavy to very heavy rain is also likely to occur at some places in Balangir, Bararh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts till Saturday morning, it said.

The impact of the cyclonic storm was also felt in Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts, while districts like Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak were lashed by heavy downpour.

The state government has instructed officials in coastal districts and various departments to tackle any emergency situation, official sources said.

While the IMD had predicted damage to thatched hut, roads, crops and minor damage to power and communication lines in Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts at the time of landfall, the state government is in the process of assessing the damage, if any.

Taking the situation into account, the NDRF and the ODRAF have been deployed in different districts. One NDRF team each has been deployed in Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts with 17 boats and other emergency equipment.

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BJP leaders Friday expressed concern over the party's "failure" to come forward in protest against the sealing drive here that has affected a large number of people.

This was highlighted by several party leaders, including Union Minister Vijay Goel, on the first day of the Delhi BJP's executive committee meeting.

The committee also supported Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari's action of breaking the lock of a sealed property in east Delhi's Gokalpur area last Sunday, a member of the committee said.

The leaders, including Goel, highlighted the plight of people hit by sealing and expressed concern that BJP leaders in Delhi unit "failed" to launch an agitation against it, he said.

"Many leaders stated sufferings of people due to the sealing drive with Goel saying that the party was unable to voice their sentiment and launch an agitation on the issue," another BJP leader said.

Goel in the past months has visited many parts of the city hit by the sealing drive to meet the affected people.

Recently, he also joined a protest against sealing in north west Delhi's Tri Nagar area.

The sealing drive has emerged as a major issue in the run up to the approaching Lok Sabha elections, with the Congress and AAP slamming the BJP government at the Centre for not coming out with an ordinance to stop the drive carried out by party ruled municipal corporations under supervision of a Supreme Court mandated monitoring committee.

Some executive members also questioned the role of officials who were responsible for allowing "illegal" constructions in the city.

The meeting started with Tiwari emphasising the need to extend help and support to people who were affected due to the sealing drive.

The municipal corporations are carrying out the drive for violations of Delhi Master Plan and other irregularities under the guidance of the monitoring committee.

The Delhi BJP chief has been issued a contempt notice by the Supreme Court for Gokalpur incident and summoned in the matter on September 25.

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The Supreme Court has requested former UIDAI chairman and technocrat Nandan Nilekani to explore the possibility of having a computer network based technological solution for inspection of private medical colleges by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

The apex court said this while noting that "incessant disputes" have reached the court about what actually transpired at the MCI inspections of various private medical colleges, with the concerned parties virtually contesting every fact recorded.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L N Rao considered the suggestion of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, that a computer network based technological solution, which may include artificial intelligence, would be required to solve the problem.

Sibal told the bench, which was hearing a matter related to a dispute over the inspection of a private medical college by the MCI, that an expert like Nilekani, who is also a co-founder of IT major Infosys, could be appointed to look into this aspect.

The counsel appearing for the MCI also supported Sibal's suggestions.

"We accordingly request Nandan Nilekani to go into this problem and give concrete suggestions to this court at the earliest," the bench said. It also suggested that Nilekani could take technical help from IT firms.

The apex court asked the MCI to convene a meeting with Nilekani, Sibal and other lawyers, who might be interested in the matter.

The bench said Sibal and MCI's counsel could prepare a written note highlighting the issues that are needed to be taken up by Nilekani to provide solutions to the problems.

"Nilekani is at liberty to take technical assistance from various IT companies viz. Wipro, Infosys, Accenture etc for making suggestions to this court," the bench said and posted the matter for further hearing after six weeks.

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Disputing claims over Rs 57 lakh raised by an NGO to help the family of a 27-year-old man who died while manually cleaning a sewer line at a residential apartment in Dwarka area of Delhi have triggered confusion.

The NGO had decided to raise the money after a photograph of a boy grieving next to Anil's body had gone viral on social media.

Anil died on September 14 after he slipped when descending into the 20-feet deep sewer as the rope tied around his waist snapped and he went into a free fall.

In the photograph shared widely by social media users, the boy, believed to be Anil's son, was seen grieving next to his body. The photograph moved netizens and NGO Uday Foundation launched a campaign to help Anil's family.

However, his sister Geeta said Anil never married and the woman, who has claimed that she is his wife and mother to the boy seen in the photograph and two other children, is Anil's maternal aunt.

"There is some foul play in his death. The woman who claims to be his wife is actually our mausi. Her husband lives in Mumbai and Anil had been living with her for close to three years. He was never married but used to treat her kids as his own children," Geeta told PTI.

Geeta claimed Anil was in a live-in relationship with his maternal aunt. She said she is ready to share the money raised by the NGO with their mausi.

Anil and his maternal aunt had a biological son who died of pneumonia four months ago, a member of the NGO said.

"We are deeply pained. The children were adopted by Anil and he had raised them as his own. The children are in a vulnerable condition. We will take a collective decision on the funds raised through the social media campaign," said Yashwant Deshmukh, one of the founding members of the foundation.

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Emami Paper Mills, part of the city-based Emami group, said Friday it would invest Rs 2,000 crore for a greenfield multi-layer packaging board plant at Bharuch in Gujarat with an initial investment of Rs 1,000 crore.

The foundation stone for the project was laid Friday by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

Spread over an area of 103 acres, the plant would have a total capacity of 2.25 lakh tonne per annum (TPA) along with an 18 MW captive power plant which would entail an investment of around Rs 1,000 crore in the first phase, the company said in a statement.

In the second phase, the company will double its capacity with an equal and additional investment of Rs 1,000 crore towards installation of a new machine, it said.

"Emami Paper is the largest producer of newsprint and one of the leading producers of multi-layer packaging board in India with a total production capacity of 3.35 lakh TPA," Aditya V Agarwal, director, Emami group was quoted as saying in the statement.

In 2017-18, Emami Paper clocked a turnover of Rs 1,366 crore and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBIDTA) of Rs 104 crore.

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An EU-India innovation platform that seeks to bring together innovators, start-ups and incubators from both sides for interaction would be launched on October 10, the European Union's envoy in New Delhi said Friday.

Ambassador of the EU to India Tomasz Kozlowski also said that to take the EU-India partnership forward, policy dialogues and engagement must go beyond government level.

"We need to take all stakeholders along, the government, the states, businesses and NGOs," he said.

Kozlowski said this while addressing a gathering of business representatives from several European and Indian firms, foreign diplomats, among others at an event hosted here by the FICCI on 'India and EU - creation of projets on clean energy and climate change'.

The envoy also recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Brussels in 2016 for the EU-India Summit, had agreed on EU-India clean energy and climate partnership.

Kozlowski mentioned various areas in which the two sides have collaborated or are working to form partnerships.

"The other partnership we are working on is resource efficiency or circular economy... In December 2017, our commissioner with transport (EU's Mobility and Transport Commissioner) met (Union transport minister) Nitin Gadkari," Kozlowski said.

Then smart grid, energy storage, e-vehicles, working together on that, he said.

The over-arching objective or over-arching instrument is there and "we are looking forward for science and technology and innovation partnership, Kozlowski said.

"In three weeks time, we will launch another instrument, EU-India innovation platform, looking to bring together, EU and India's start-ups and incubators, an important part of our collaboration," the envoy said.

Later on the sidelines of the event, he told PTI that the platform is slated to be launched on October 10.

The ambassador said the EU-India ties have gone beyond the level of a political declaration, and now both sides are working on having practical solutions in areas of collaboration.

With all stakeholders involved, the envoy said, the partnership "will pay off and it is paying off".

"As a representative of the European Union, I will be proud to tell EU leaders in the near future again, that what we were tasked to do, we have implemented, and going forward with practical collaboration," he added.

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The Delhi High Court has directed the AAP government to "forthwith" appoint 10 contract teachers to vacant posts in a school here for visually impaired boys and provide the students with "assistive devices" like audio recorders to help them study.

The direction by a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao came on a PIL claiming there was 50 per cent vacancy of teaching staff in the school and that its building, which also had hostel facilities, was in a poor condition.

The petition by the National Federation of the Blind, which works for the rights of visually impaired persons, said the sanctioned teaching strength of the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys (Blind) in north Delhi's Kingsway Camp was 20, but there were only 10 teachers ,of which six were on contract.

The plea also said the school was functioning without a principal for over two years and the repair of the building was taking time.

The Delhi government said the rules for inducting teachers on a regular basis would take time to be finalised.

In view of the government's submission, the bench said "if your rules will take time, then appoint 10 guest teachers forthwith".

The court in its order directed that the guest teachers be appointed immediately by conducting "walk-in interviews" in view of the "urgency" and the rules for recruiting teachers on a regular basis be finalised before the next academic session.

It also ordered that "assistive devices be forthwith provided" to the students, particularly students of classes 9 to 12.

The bench directed that a report should be filed before the next date of hearing on October 27, indicating the number of kits made available and the time frame within which it would be provided to the remaining students.

With regard to the hostel facilities, the court asked the government to indicate if a vacant building is available in the vicinity of the school.

According to the petition, two portions of the building had fallen this year.

It also claimed that the school lacked teaching staff, books and, most importantly, audio devices, like recorders to help the students understand what was being taught.

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At least five people were killed and 50 injured Friday when a private bus fell into a ditch at Joya Sambhal Road here, police said.

The Sambhal-bound bus was carrying 60 passengers, they said.

The injured were rushed to a government hospital where 10 were in critical condition, they said.

The bodies were sent for post-mortem, the police said, adding further details were awaited.

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But of more importance is Nadal's long-term recovery from a problem that has seen him miss long periods throughout his career.

The top-ranked Nadal retired in the semi-finals of the U.S. Open earlier this month.

Nadal will drop 500 ATP points for failing to defend his China Open crown and a further 600 points for reaching the Shanghai Masters final in 2017 - where he lost out to Roger Federer.

The 17-time Grand Slam victor is the defending champion at the Beijing tournament, where he had defeated Nick Kyrgios in the final previous year.

In the ATP Race, Djokovic is just 1,035 points behind Nadal.

"While the annoyances on my knee are nothing new, we have decided together with my medical and technical team not to participate in the Asian tour to recover the knee the way we have always done", Nadal said on Wednesday.

"I am very sorry I won't be able to be with all my fans in China as well as the tournament organizers who have always been so supportive with me and my team", he added. He was also the runner-up in Shanghai and had lost the final to eventual victor Roger Federer in 2017.

Nadal was forced to retire during his US Open semi-final clash with Juan Martin del Potro because of injury.

But Djokovic is now primed to snatch Nadal's No. 1 ranking after a magnificent summer saw him win at Wimbledon and defeat del Potro in the US Open final.

The Spaniard was due to play at both Chinese events, scheduled to begin on September 23 and October 7 respectively, but a knee injury sustained in this month's US Open put his attendance at the competitions, known collectively as the "Asian Swing", in doubt.
A 94-year-old former SS guard faces trial in November charged with complicity in the mass murders at the Nazi concentration camp Stutthof during World War II, a German court said Friday.

The man from the district of Borken, who was not named, was a watchman at the Nazi camp near what was then the free city of Danzig, now Gdansk in Poland.

He stands accused of complicity in the murders of several hundred camp prisoners between 1942 and 1945, said the regional court of Muenster more than seven decades after the end of World War II.

These included more than 100 Polish prisoners gassed to death on June 21 and 22, 1944, as well as "probably several hundred" Jewish prisoners murdered in the same way from August to December 1944 as part of the Nazis' so-called "Final Solution" operation.

Prosecutors believe that the man "knew about the killing methods" at the camp and that the guards were a crucial part of the camp system.

As the former SS guard was not yet 21 at the time of the crimes, he will be tried before a juvenile court from November 6.

Germany has been racing to put on trial surviving SS personnel, after the legal basis for prosecuting former Nazis changed in 2011 with the landmark conviction of former death camp guard John Demjanjuk.

He was sentenced not for atrocities he was known to have committed, but on the basis that he served at the Sobibor camp in occupied Poland -- for having been a cog in the Nazis' killing machine.

German courts subsequently convicted Oskar Groening, an accountant at Auschwitz camp, and Reinhold Hanning -- a former SS guard at the same camp, when they were aged 94 for the mass murders seven decades back.

But neither served jailtime as they both died before they could be imprisoned.

Prosecutors had filed charges against another former SS guard at Stutthof, a 93 year old from the city of Wuppertal.

But a decision on whether the case will go ahead is pending as it is yet to be determined if he is fit for trial, the court in Muenster said.

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Scientists have discovered an ancient fossil of the earliest animal on geological record -- a strange oval creature with rib like segments running along its body that lived on Earth 558 million years ago.

The animal called Dickinsonia, which grew up to 1.4 metres in length, was part of the Ediacara Biota that lived on Earth 20 million years prior to the 'Cambrian explosion' of modern animal life.

Researchers from Australian National University (ANU) found the fossil so well preserved in a remote area near the White Sea in the northwest of Russia that the tissue still contained molecules of cholesterol, a type of fat that is the hallmark of animal life.

The 'Cambrian explosion' was when complex animals and other macroscopic organisms -- such as molluscs, worms, arthropods and sponges -- began to dominate the fossil record.

"The fossil fat molecules that we've found prove that animals were large and abundant 558 million years ago, millions of years earlier than previously thought," said Jochen Brocks from the ANU.

"Scientists have been fighting for more than 75 years over what Dickinsonia and other bizarre fossils of the Edicaran Biota were: giant single-celled amoeba, lichen, failed experiments of evolution or the earliest animals on Earth, said Brocks.

The fossil fat now confirms Dickinsonia as the oldest known animal fossil, solving a decades-old mystery that has been the Holy Grail of palaeontology, he said.

The team developed a new approach to study Dickinsonia fossils, which hold the key between the old world dominated by bacteria and the world of large animals that emerged 540 million years ago during the 'Cambrian explosion'.

"The problem that we had to overcome was finding Dickinsonia fossils that retained some organic matter," said Ilya Bobrovskiy, a PhD scholar at ANU.

"Most rocks containing these fossils such as those from the Ediacara Hills in Australia have endured a lot of heat, a lot of pressure, and then they were weathered after that -- these are the rocks that palaeontologists studied for many decades, which explained why they were stuck on the question of Dickinsonia's true identity," she said.

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Four persons including an official of Bank Brady house branch in Mumbai whose name figured in the Nirav Modi controversy were arrested in connection with a loan racket, the police said Friday.

The accused were identified as Amarjeet Singh, Ajay Kumar Sharma, Suresh and P K Varun (Assistant General Manager) of PNB, they said.

Police said the accused Singh in connivance with officials got sanctioned a loan to the tune of Rs 75 million to open a luxurious F Bar and Lounge at Delhi's Connaught Place.

After the Nirav Modi incident, the accused Singh left his address and even switched off his phone since his loan was also connected with the same branch as that of Nirav Modi's. In fact, the accused operated the F Bar & Lounge for three years and later closed it without repaying the loans and other liabilities, Suvashis Choudhary, Additional Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing) said.

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated of over Rs 130 billion through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs).

Based on a tip-off, a raid was conducted by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police on September 11, following which the accused Singh was arrested, he said.

During interrogation, it was learnt the accused used to obtain loan on the basis of forged and fabricated sale deeds of the property being offered as collateral security with the banks, he added.

On the basis of fake documents, the accused opened an account at PNB's Mayur Vihar branch in the name of one Sarita with the help of the then Bank Manager Sheetal Garg. The obtained loan of Rs 4.9 million was used to set up a temporary factory at Surajpur in Noida, the senior officer said.

Another accused, Sharma, the main player for facilitating sanctioning of loan in connivance with accused Singh opened a dummy company in the name of a 'Ply Mouth Ventures Pvt Ltd' and availed Rs 50 million cash credit facility in the name of the dummy company, the officer said.

The loans were transferred into other accounts and siphoned off. The accused managed to obtain Rs 20 million Over Draft (OD) facility from the same bank which was also transferred into another account and misappropriated, the officer added.

These amounts were sanctioned against the collateral security of the properties situated at Delhi which were bogus and never existed, he said.

The account holder never visited Mumbai and the formalities of opening account and equitable mortgage of property was facilitated in Delhi by Varun, the Assistant General Manager of PNB, the officer said.

Varun's son was also involved in the operation of F Bar & Lounge and owned 20% share in the company running the Lounge, Choudhary said.

The bank officials also prepared false site-visit report of the property which never existed.

During investigation, it was learnt a part of the amount to the tune of Rs 70 million disbursed by Brady House Branch was utilized in the opening of high end luxurious F bar and Lounge, he added.

The bank accounts of the accused persons where the loan amount was disbursed and thereafter siphoned off were identified and have been frozen, he added.
A court here on Friday sent four persons, including an official of the state social welfare department, to CBI custody till September 24 in connection with the shelter home sex scandal.

Special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) judge R P Tiwari passed the order after the four accused-- Rosy Rani, Guddu, Vijay and Santosh-- were produced at his residence by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which had arrested all of them a day ago.

Rani was posted as an assistant director in the department during 2015-17 and has been accused of not taking any action despite having been informed about the abuse of inmates at the shelter home.

The others were employed by Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the scandal, who headed the NGO that ran the shelter home.

Before being produced in the court, the four were taken to a hospital here for medical examination.

Thakur was arrested by police in June, soon after an FIR was lodged by the department upon report of sexual abuse in social audit conducted by Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The case was handed over to the CBI in July.

Medical reports have confirmed that more than 30 girls lodged at the shelter home had suffered sexual abuse.

The shelter home has since been sealed, Thakur's NGO blacklisted and its registration cancelled while all the girls lodged there have been shifted elsewhere.

State social welfare minister Manju Verma had also resigned in August following reports alleging close links between Thakur and her husband Chandrashekhar Verma.

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The Greek government Friday issued a Letter of Award to the consortium of GMR Airports Limited for the development, operations and management of the new international airport of Heraklion on Crete island in Greece.

GMR Airports Ltd, a subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure Ltd, and Greece-based Terna Group are members of the consortium, a press release from GMR said here.

GMR Airports is the designated airport operator in the consortium for the Greek project, the release said.

The project involves design, construction, financing of the new Heraklion airport. The concession period for the greenfield project would be 35 years, including phase- 1 construction of five years, it said.

The expected capital expenditure for the phase-1 construction is approximately 520 million Euro, the release said.

The entire project would be funded through a mix of equity, accruals from the existing airport, and financial grant being provided by the Greek government, it added.

GMR group business chairman, Energy and International Airports Srinivas Bommidala, said in the release that "it is a matter of great pride for us to work on this prestigious airport. Along with our partner GEK Terna, we will aim to deliver an airport of global standards which will be a matter of pride for Greece..."



The current airport at Heraklion is facing capacity constraint, hence the new airport would replace the existing one, the release added.

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The Bombay High Court on Friday allowed a 33-year-old woman, who is in her 30th week of pregnancy, to undergo an abortion as a medical test had revealed that the foetus has a developmental birth defect.

A division bench of justices A S Oka and A S Gadkari also granted the woman's request to undergo the abortion at a private clinic in Nashik.

On the high court's direction, doctors at the government-run J J Hospital here had examined her and approved the abortion at such a late stage, considering the condition of the foetus.

However, the government had opposed her request to undergo abortion at the Nashik clinic.

She should be directed to undergo abortion at a government hospital as the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act mandates that the procedure must be performed only at government hospitals or private hospitals recognised for this purpose by the government, it said.

In Maharashtra, private clinics and hospitals which perform MTP are required to be certified by civic bodies.

The clinic in Nashik is duly certified to perform legally approved medical termination of pregnancy.

However, the state government is yet to complete the process of registering and approving private clinics for carrying out abortions in cases where the pregnancy has exceeded 20 weeks, the government lawyer said.

Advocate Kuldeep Nikam, the woman's lawyer, said she should be allowed to undergo the procedure at the Nashik clinic as the doctors there knew her case history well.

The high court acceded to the request, saying that she should not be penalised because the state had failed to complete registration of clinics.

The petition said that the woman already has a five-year-old son diagnosed with Down's Syndrome.

She and her husband approached the high court last week seeking permission for abortion, saying that they were already caring for a specially-abled child, and forcing them to continue with the present pregnancy would cause them much physical and emotional trauma.

Giving birth to another child with special needs would impose a financial burden on them as the woman is a housewife and the husband runs a small business, the petition said.

On September 11, the woman's doctor suggested that considering her first child's condition, she should undergo a scan to check if the present foetus had abnormalities.

The scan revealed that the foetus has "Schizencephaly", a rare developmental birth defect characterised by abnormal slits or clefts in the brain.

The condition causes developmental delays. It can also cause seizures and problems with brain-spinal cord communication, the petition said.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act permits abortions after 20 weeks only if continuation of the pregnancy poses a threat to the child's or the mother's life.

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In an unusual verdict, the Delhi High Court has directed two men, who decided to withdraw cases against each other, to plant 100 trees in the capital as a "gesture of goodwill to society".

While quashing criminal proceedings against them, Justice Najmi Waziri said the trees should be of deciduous indigenous variety and three years old or have a height of at least six feet.

The court's order came while allowing the pleas of two men, who had filed cross cases against each other, to quash the FIRs against them as they have amicably settled the issue.

"As a gesture of goodwill to the society, the petitioners in both the cases undertake to do some social work," the court said.

"Accordingly, they are directed to plant 50 trees each in Delhi and for this purpose they are directed to report before the Director (Horticulture), Delhi Development Authority on September 26 at 11.00 am, who shall assign them duties of planting 50 trees each at the District Park, Vikas Puri, Delhi," it added.

The two cross FIRs were registered against the two men at Vikas Puri Police Station in West Delhi for various alleged offences including voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint and negligent conduct with respect to animals under the IPC.

The court said it was of the view that since the case has been amicably settled, nothing survives in these cases and any further proceedings emanating therefrom would be an exercise in futility.

It said that an affidavit of compliance should be filed by October 31 along with photographs of the plantations by the two men, failing which the case shall be listed for directions in November.

Follow up report of the plantation along with photographs be filed after six months, on or before September 25, 2019, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Health Ministry Thursday roped in Tata Trusts and Dell for a technological platform on nationwide prevention, control, screening and management of non communicable diseases (NCDs).

The number of deaths due to NCDs has increased from 37.9 per cent in 1990 to 61.8 per cent in 2016.

The NCD screening programme is aimed at addressing hypertension, diabetes, oral, breast and cervical cancers and covers all men and women over the age of 30 years.

The programme is one of the modules in the government's ambitious Ayushman Bharat's Comprehensive Primary Healthcare (CPHC) initiative, which is currently being deployed in about 200 districts across the country, a Health Ministry statement said.

"Through implementation of the software, it will also be possible to track health trends across the country," it said.

While the global IT giant Dell has developed the technology solution, Tata Trusts is providing deployment support for the programme. The software application will help in plugging gaps at the field level, the ministry said.

"A cloud-based mobile, web and analytics solution has been developed to digitize health records to aid the population-based screening program, to bring quality health services at door step, to enable increased productivity for health workers and doctors, and to facilitate monitoring of delivery of services by state and district administrators," the ministry said.

Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel, who presided over the ceremony, also released a user manual for the NCD application.

She said the government has decided to go ahead with population-based screening under the National Health Mission for diabetes, Hypertension and three types of common cancers.

According to the Ministry statement, Tata Trusts is supporting the quality implementation of the programme in states through training, and programme management activities to ensure technology adoption amongst health staff and steady progress through continuous monitoring.

The NCD IT solution covers program-level data for screening, referral, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up activities of non-communicable diseases with an aim to connect health workers, doctors and decision-makers in a single, integrated platform, it said.

It will provide health records for citizens, mobile applications for health workers, a web portal for the medical officers and dashboards for health officials, the ministry said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Aditya Birla group flagship company Hindalco is keeping close watch on input prices and has secured around 3.2 million tonnes of coal in the linkage auctions, which makes up 71 per cent of its annual coal requirements, a top company official said.

"We will continue to keep a close watch on input prices. These have a bearing on the cost of production, including that of coal. We will make efforts to mitigate these by utilising its resources well, with better efficiencies across all plant locations," Hindalco chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting (AGM).

Highlighting the coal linkages, Birla said that, "Hindalco has secured around 3.2 million tonnes of coal in the linkage auctions that concluded during FY18. With this, the total quantity of secured coal via linkages to 11.9 million tonne. This accounts for 71 per cent of the annual coal requirements of the company."



The overall annual requirement of coal is currently secured at more than 90 per cent, through long-term linkages and captive mines. Currently, three captive mines namely Gare Palma IV/4, Gare Palma IV/5 and Kathautia are operational. The fourth captive mine at Dumri is in the process of obtaining necessary statutory clearances. It will hopefully be operational by the end of FY19, he said.

On the outlook for the future, Birla said that, the company has a strong focus on strengthening the balance sheet through deleveraging, allocation of capex towards growth strategies and generating positive free cash flows. It will also continue to increase its share in the value added product segment in both the businesses.

Commenting on the company's thrust going forward, Birla added, "The company is focusing on enriching its product mix. It is evaluating investments in aluminium downstream facilities towards newer products and its existing product lines. On the domestic front, demand is expected to recover significantly in FY19."



Birla said the outlook for the aluminium prices is also bullish due to deficit of 1 million tonne in the global market outside China and 0.5 mt in China.

To strengthen the balance sheet, Hindalco has prepaid close to Rs 8,000 crore of long-term project loans in India. This has led to a significant improvement in the consolidated net debt to EBITDA at below 3 times at the end of March 2018.

He characterised the proposed acquisition of Aleris Corporation as the most significant strategic move made in the current year. Headquartered in the United States, this global aluminium rolled products major is at an EV of USD 2.58 billion through a debt finance deal.

"The acquisition of Aleris is the next phase of our aluminium value added products growth strategy. This will solidify our position as the world's No 1 aluminium value-added products player. Post this acquisition, we are well placed to serve our customers across geographies in automotive and now the high-end aerospace segments," Birla said.

"We will have presence throughout the downstream aluminium value chain in Asia, positioning us for future growth in the region. This also enhances the access to world class manufacturing capabilities for our existing Indian aluminium value added operations and accelerates our path to making world class products in India", he added.

Commenting on impact of trade war between US and China, Birla said Novelis has operations in US and China and the impact of trade war will be very marginal as each plant is built to cater to nearby markets. However, domestic market can expect a lot of Chinese dumping, as they will be unable to find a market in the US due to the heavy duties, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The leaders of North and South Korea have wrapped up their third summit this year with a vow to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. That visit to the North Korean capital saw him again play the role of peacemaker as talks between the United States and North Korea appeared on the verge of collapsing.

South Korea says President Moon Jae-in is returning home after three days of summit meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

This week's summit comes as Moon is under increasing pressure from Washington to find a path forward in efforts to get Kim to completely - and unilaterally - abandon his nuclear arsenal.

Earlier this summer, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Kim in Singapore to discuss a path forward for global peace agreements between not only North and South Korea, but with the United States as well.

Kim is also eager to restart talks and hopes to have a second summit with Trump, President Moon said Thursday.

North Korea says Kim's grandfather and father were born at Mount Paektu, a centrepiece of the North's idolisation and propaganda campaign to highlight the ruling family's sacred bloodline.

"On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform US-DPRK relations", Mr Pompeo said in a statement, referring to the North's official name Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

To achieve this, the North also agreed to "permanently dismantle the Dongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch platform [also known as the Sohae Satellite Launch Station or the Tongchang-ri Missile and Space Launch Facility] under the observation of experts from relevant countries".

Moon's spokesman, Yoon Young-chan, announced later in the day that the South Korean President would travel to the United States to meet with Trump on September 24.

Further, Kim said that the full extent of North Korean denuclearization is still dependent on American cooperation in the peace process, with policy experts wary that all of Kim's demands will be met by the powers that be in D.C.

Such a declaration, which would fall short of a fully-fledged peace treaty, could give the impetus for North Korea to offer further concessions without prompting calls for U.S. troops to pull out. A funicular railway takes tourists up the mountain, which also holds a huge crater lake.

Moon and Kim teased a potential historic fourth meeting between the two leaders, this time in the South Korean capital.

Declaring they had made a major step toward peace, Moon and Kim stood side by side Wednesday as they announced their agreement.

While North Korea has stopped nuclear and missile tests in the past year, it did not allow global inspections of its dismantling of its Punggye-ri nuclear test site in May, drawing criticism that its action was for show and could be reversed.

Both Trump, who has repeatedly spoken of his good relationship with Kim, and the North Korean leader have expressed a desire to follow up on the June meeting in Singapore that was meant to settle an impasse that seemed to be edging toward war past year.

On Wednesday, North Korea agreed to close down its nuclear center at Yongbyon.

Graham was beating a familiar drum on the Sunday talk show circuit in advance of this week's summit, claiming on "Face the Nation" that the present moment is "the last best chance for peace" on the Korean Peninsula.

Though not directly linked to security, the leaders' announcement that they would seek a joint Summer Olympics was a significant move in terms of easing tensions and building trust.

According to a statement signed by the countries' defence chiefs, the two Koreas agreed to establish buffer zones along their land and sea borders to reduce military tensions and prevent accidental clashes.

The two leaders also agreed to pursue a bid to co-host the 2032 Olympic Games, and Moon said he expects Kim Jong-un to soon become the first North Korean leader to ever visit Seoul.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday expressed disappointment at India calling off a meeting between him and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York and alleged that "internal pressure" forced New Delhi to make the "unfortunate" move.

India cited the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

Qureshi expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the foreign minister-level talks, saying it was "unfortunate."



"It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. Indian has once again wasted an opportunity for peace," Qureshi told the media here.

He said that it was important to sit and talk for the sake of peace and stability in the region.

"The refusal of India shows that Indian government is facing internal pressure," he said.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

He said it seems that "India has priorities other than dialogue, adding there is a group in the New Delhi that doesn't want talks to take place.

He went on to say that if India doesn't want dialogue, then Pakistan also won't be in a haste either.

But, Qureshi reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue, the report said.

He said the world should see that "Pakistan has held a positive outlook towards the situation while India's attitude has not been so forthcoming".

"We said that we want dialogue - but in a dignified manner," he added.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

He noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

Former High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit said he was surprised by India's move as New Delhi should not have agreed for it in the first place due to forthcoming elections but after agreeing for a meeting it was more surprising that it backed out.

Former advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz said that it was "unfortunate" that India cancelled the meeting as it would have created an environment for peace.

Former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri said the cancelation reminded him of the Agra summit when everything was ready for joint statement but India backed out at the last minute.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nearly 24 hours after agreeing to it, the government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Announcing the cancellation of the meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

India yesterday accepted Khan's request for a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

He said both the "deeply disturbing" developments took place after yesterday's announcement by India to accept Pakistan's proposal for the meeting.

Three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen Friday.

Following the incident, opposition parties criticised the government and asked it to explain the rationale behind accepting such a meeting when Pakistan-based terror outfits are killing Indian security personnel along the border in J&K.

Kumar said India's decision to agree to Pakistan's proposal for the meeting was in response to the spirit reflected in separate letters from Khan and Qureshi.

"The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia, bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office," he said.

The MEA spokesperson said any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

The Swaraj-Qureshi meeting would have been the first such high-level engagement between the two sides since suspension of dialogue between the two nations after the Pathankot air base terror attack in 2016.

India-Pakistan ties have nose-dived since then in view of a number of terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups. India retaliated by carrying out 'surgical strikes' in September 2016 across the Line of Control (LoC). India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

Accepting the proposal for the meeting, India had, however, made it clear that it was not resumption of dialogue and the decision doesn't change the country's position on cross-border terrorism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India Friday called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Reacting strongly, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

He noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Consul General of People's Republic of China in Kolkata Maa Zhanwu has said his country along with India needed to work together for greater welfare of the world.

The relations between the two countries have seen much progress and the meeting with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in July opened a new chapter in bilateral ties, he said.

"We need to further promote exchanges and cooperation between the two great nations to contribute significantly to promoting world peace", Zhanwu said while addressing the 69th anniversary of inception of People's Republic of China on Thursday night.

Talking about his country, he said, "China was a poor country and there was poverty. But now China is changing into a developed country."



At the 19th Congress of Communist Party of China, the footprint for becoming a "strong, prosperous and a beautiful country" had been already laid down.

Zhanwu said, "This year is the 40th anniversary of reforms in China. China is now number one in foreign exchange reserves with the economy growing steadily".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday said India has "priorities other than dialogue" and alleged that there is a group in New Delhi that does not want talks to happen, after New Delhi called off a meeting between him and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York, according to a media report.

India cited the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

The Express Tribune quoted Qureshi as saying that India has not responded positively to Pakistan's invitation for dialogue.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," he said. "Pakistan had asked for the talks in the larger interest of the region" he said.

Qureshi said that it seems that "India has priorities other than dialogue", adding there is a group in the New Delhi that doesn't want talks to take place.

He went on to say that if India doesn't want dialogue, then Pakistan also won't be in a haste either, " the Pakistani newspaper quoted Qureshi as saying.

But, he reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue, the report said.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

He noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
said Friday it has affirmed Tata Steel's long-term issuer rating at 'IND AA' with stable outlook.

Instruments with 'IND AA' rating are considered to have high degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations and such instruments carry very low credit risk, according to the

" has affirmed Ltd's long-term issuer rating at IND AA, while resolving the Rating Watch Evolving (RWE). The Outlook is Stable. Ind-Ra had placed the ratings on RWE on April 11, 2016," it said in a statement.

The RWE resolution follows clarity on the overall impact on TSL's credit profile post acquisition of Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) and carving out of its European operations, it said.



ALSO READ: Ahlada Engineers takes IPO route after exclusive biz deal with Tata Steel

In June, had agreed to the terms of a 50-50 joint venture with Germany's to create Europe's second-largest steel company after Lakshmi Mittal's ArcelorMittal.

IND-Ra said the integration of Bhushan Steel Ltd operations and carving out of the European operations will substantially improve the company's business profile with a stronger per tonne EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization).

Besides, the agency expects acquisition of BSL will aid TSL in further expanding its footprint in eastern India, strengthening customer segments across automotive, appliance, tubes, general engineering and fabrication; and maintaining steady proportion of downstream products.
In a significant development, a French media report quoted former French President Francois Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.

Reacting to Hollande's remark that is at variance with the stand taken by the Indian government, the defence ministry spokesman said on Friday,"The report referring to former French president Hollande's statement that government of India insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified."



The spokesperson also said,"It is reiterated that neither the government nor the French government had any say in the commercial decision."



Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, had chosen Reliance Defence as its partner to fulfill offset obligations of the deal. The government has been maintaining it did not have any role in selection of the offset partner.

Hollande's remark is set to escalate the political slugfest over the controversial multi-billion dollar deal.

The French media report quoted Hollande as saying "we did not have a say in this...the Indian government proposed this service group and Dassault negotiated with (Anil) Ambani group. We did not have a choice, we took the partner who was given to us."



The Congress and other opposition parties latched on to the report and stepped up their attack on the Modi government over the deal.

"President (Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crore in 2012 to 1690 crore in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crore. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.

The opposition has been accusing the government of chosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A college student, injured in a clash between a mob and the police in North Dinajpur, died Friday, pushing the death toll to two, even as a 12-hour bandh called by the BJP is underway in the West Bengal district.

Tapas Barman, a third-year student, succumbed to his injuries in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, officials said.

Rajesh Sarkar, an ITI student, died Thursday.

Locals alleged the two students were killed in police firing but DIG Raiganj range Jayanta Paul denied the charge.

Both Barman and Sarkar were area residents and former students of Daribhit High School in Islampur area.

Trouble brewed over recruitment of Urdu teachers for the school as students said they needed science and english teachers.

The students and area residents stopped three newly-recruited Urdu teachers from entering the school Thursday, demanding that all vacant teaching posts be filled.

The Urdu teachers had previously tried to enter the school but they were not allowed, following which they took the help of police to enter the school campus Thursday.

Several policemen accompanying the teachers were also injured in the clash Thursday.

The BJP has called the 12-hour bandh from 6 am in North Dinajpur district Friday.

Schools, colleges and other institutions are closed in the affected area.

Two government buses were ransacked by bandh supporters in Raiganj while private vehicles remained mostly off roads.

Altogether 15 bandh supporters were arrested from Islampur and Raiganj, officials said.

Train services, however, remained unaffected.

The ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP traded charges over the incident.

"The RSS is bringing outsiders and indulging in politics there. The RSS or the BJP, whoever is responsible (for the incident) will not be spared," Minister and TMC leader Partha Chatterjee said in Kolkata.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, "The TMC is seeing the ghost of the RSS in everything. They should do self-introspection and perform their duty. The police have opened fire on students which is not desirable."



When the school needed teachers of mathematics and other subjects, Urdu teachers were recruited, he claimed.

Officials of Daribhit High School, requesting anonymity, said the school did not seek any Urdu teacher and it does not have any Urdu speaking student.

Meanwhile, the department suspended the District Inspector of Schools of North Dinajpur, Rabindranath Mondal, in view of the appointment of Urdu teachers.

Sources in the DI's office, however, said the appointments were made by the department and not by the DI.

Islampur MLA and chairman of Islampur Municipality Kanhaiya Agarwal said he had advised the headmaster not to let the three teachers join the school till the issue was resolved.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Jharkhand government Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Insurance Company Ltd to provide medical facilities to the people of the state under the Centre's flagship health scheme - Ayushman Bharat Yojana.

The scheme will be launched nationally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Ranchi on September 23.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Jharkhand Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi and Principal Secretary, Health and Welfare Department, Nidhi Khare.

Giving details about the Ayushman Bharat Health Protection Mission, the health minister said that it will benefit 57 lakh families of the state. A letter will be issued to all beneficiary families on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Under the scheme, the beneficiaries will get health insurance of Rs 5 lakh per annum. The insurance company will pay up to Rs 1 lakh for treatment. For additional expenditure, the state government will pay through Jharkhand State Health Society, he said.

Khare said that so far 280 hospitals have been listed for the scheme. She said that 603 hospitals have applied for this scheme, which is being looked into.

The beneficiaries are also entitled to get treatment in any listed hospital in the country.

Under the scheme, payment of premium for 25 lakh families will be paid by the Centre and the state government in the ratio of 60:40. The state government alone will pay premium for the remaining 32 lakh families.

Under the schemee, 1,350 types of diseases have been included.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Aviator's Guild (NAG) Friday said it is "open" to discuss the incident of cabin pressure loss on Jet Airways' Mumbai-Jaipur flight Thursday, but any premature conclusion blaming the crew should not be reached before the probe is completed.

In a mid-air scare, a Jaipur-bound flight had lost cabin pressure after the crew "forgot" to turn on a control switch leaving 30 passengers bleeding from ears and nose and forcing the aircraft to return to Mumbai. The aircraft was carrying 171 people.

"We have had a preliminary look into the incident involving two of our members with regard to the improper handling of pressurisation on the Mumbai-Jaipur flight. The matter is under investigation by DGCA and hence it would prudent to await the results of the probe," a NAG spokesperson said in a statement.

The NAG is the domestic pilots' body of Jet Airways, claim to represent over 1,000 pilots at the Naresh Goyal- controlled airline.

"Without having access to the FDR (flight data recorder), CVR (cockpit voice recorder) and other relevant flight documents, it would be well nigh impossible to arrive at an accurate assessment about the causes of the incident", the statement added.

At the same time it was quick to add that they are open to discussing the matter at length under the guidelines of the DGCA's safety management system manual for airlines.

The cockpit crew of the Boeing 737, which had 171 people on-board including five crew members, was derostered and government asked the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to probe the incident.

An AAIB official had said the incident could be a case of negligence on the part of the pilots since controlling cabin pressure is part of mandatory checks before operating a flight.
Bodies lie inside a chapel after they were recovered from a landslide that struck homes in Naga city.

MANUAL SEARCH A team of government rescuers use shovels and pickaxes to dig through earth and rocks that buried a community near a limestone quarry in the city of Naga in Cebu province.

"President Duterte mentioned that he has directed NHA (National Housing Authority) GM Jun Escalada and HUDCC (Housing and Urban Development Development Coordinating Council) Chair Ed Del Rosario to immediately visit the City of Naga, and to coordinate with Cebu Gov. Jun Davide and Naga Mayor Kristine Chiong for the provision of housing for the victims", the President's assistant Christopher Go said.

"We're really hoping we can still recover them alive", she said. "Some of them managed to send text messages", Gonzales told reporters.

Mr Cimatu announced the suspension on quarrying operations pending safety assessments as search and rescue operations continued at the site on the central island of Cebu.

Numerous deaths occurred in Itogon, in northern Benguet province, where the world's strongest storm of the year set off a major landslide that hit a bunkhouse where people were taking shelter from the typhoon.

Cristita Villarba, a 53-year-old resident, described how she had heard a roar and then felt the ground shake.

"We're running out of time".

"It was like an quake and there was this thundering, loud banging sound", resident Cristita Villarba told news agency AP. "Some wanted to help those who got hit but there was too much earth covering the houses, including my brother's", she said.

Outside, she saw the house of her older brother, Lauro, and his family buried in the landslide.

"Many of our neighbours were crying and screaming for help". The ground in the area is still vibrating. "We're striking a balance between intensifying our rescue efforts and ensuring the safety of our rescuers", Naga City councilor Carmelino Cruz said. She said her husband and three children were shocked but unhurt.

A few days ago, the President also visited Benguet province where dozens were killed in landslides near mining areas in the aftermath of typhoon "Ompong" (international name: Mangkhut).

"I had no idea we would be the next", she said.

It's not clear what set off the landslide, but some residents blamed limestone quarries, which they suspect may have caused cracks in the mountainside facing their villages.

While he admits that the mining industry of the country has contributed P70 billion in revenues to the government, the President said this is not enough to compensate for the loss of lives and grief when disasters happen. Poverty forces many people to live in vulnerable areas, making natural disasters more deadly.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Friday welcomed a University Grants Commission circular asking varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as 'surgical strike day', while Jamia Millia Islamia said it would "finalise the programme on Monday".

The controversial UGC circular issued on Thursday has triggered a political row with the ruling TMC in West Bengal saying it will not be followed in the state and joined the Congress to allege the move was part of BJP's political agenda but the Centre asserted this reflected patriotism and not

JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar welcomed the move.

"Observation of 'surgical strike day' on 29th September 2018 by Universities is a welcome move to pay our tributes to the armed forces. JNU is proud of our defence forces as the officers who graduate from India's six major defence institutes are our alumni," he posted on Twitter.

A spokesperson from Jamia Millia Islamia said the programme will be finalised on Monday.

"As per the circular of UGC, programmes will be organised by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Service Scheme (NSS) on September 29. NCC and NSS units will finalise the programme on Monday," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, sources in the Delhi University said they received the circular late on Thursday, and Friday being a gazetted holiday, a call will be taken on Monday on how to go about it.

Taking a dig at the government, JNU Students' Union president N Sai Balaji said the BJP-led dispensation believes in jumlas (rhetoric) and 'hamla' (attack).

"There is a surgical strike happening on the common man due to rising petrol and diesel prices and on women and marginalised communities. The biggest surgical strike happened on November 8, 2016 in the form of demonetisation after which several small businesses were shut down, many people lost their lives and jobs.

"The Rafale deal was awarded to a corporate after being taken away from a PSU (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) which could have generated employment. Why are we not celebrating these surgical strikes. This government only indulges in jumlas and hamla," he said.

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A senior military intelligence officer was arrested in connection with the disappearance of a prominent journalist ahead of the 2010 presidential polls, officials said Friday.

Military intelligence officer Lt Col Erantha Peiris was arrested last night, they said.

On Friday, he was produced in court which remanded him in custody till September 28.

Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda had disappeared ahead of the 2010 presidential polls while working for former Army chief Sarath Fonseka, who had challenged the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

His wife Sandhya Eknaligoda has pursued a relentless campaign seeking justice.

The case was revived in 2015 when Rajapaksa lost to president Maithripala Sirisena in the presidential polls.

Earlier, some military personnel were arrested in the case but they are currently out on bail.

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Experienced Shoaib Malik conjured up a crucial unbeaten 51 under pressure as Pakistan survived a scare from Afghanistan, winning their Super Four match of the Asia Cup by three wickets, here on Friday.

Chasing a competitive 258 to win, Pakistan overhauled the target with just three balls to spare with former captain Malik playing the match-winning knock from 43 balls.

Pakistan required 10 runs from the last over and Malik dispatched pacer Aftab Alam for a six and four after playing a dot ball.

Wickets kept falling for Pakistan with star Afghan spinner Rashid Khan yet again proving his utility with a three wicket haul but Malik held his nerves to keep one end tight.

Before Malik, Imam-ul-Haq (80) and Babar Azam (60) hit patient half-centuries in a 154-run stand but the slow run rate made it difficult for Pakistan.

Electing to bat, Hashmatullah Shahidi (97) missed out on his maiden ODI hundred by just three runs after skipper Asghar Afghan hit a combative 67 off 56 balls as Afghanistan scored a fighting 257 for six.

Their 94-run partnership and some terrific batting towards the end by the Afghans made it an interesting contest as they scored 87 runs in the last 10 overs.

Pakistan made a shaky start, losing opener Fakhar Zaman in the sixth ball of the innings, bowled by Mujeeb ur Rahman, but after that Azam and Imam taking control of the proceedings, though the run-rate was always shooting up.

At the half-way mark, Pakistan had put on board just 103 for one with required touching going beyond six but they the cushion of nine wickets.

The two batsmen out on 154 runs for the second wicket before the bespectacled Imam was run out in the 34th over. It was Najibullah Zadran's direct hit which found Imam short. His 80-run knock came off 104 balls with four shots to the fence and one over the ropes.

Nine balls later, Rashid Khan had Azam stumped. It was when Pakistan needed exact 100 runs from 15 overs.

Pakistan lost Haris Sohail (13), Sarfraz Ahmad (8), Asif Ali (7) and Mohammad Nawaz (10) with Afghan bowlers fighting hard.

In the end, former captain Malik's experience saw them cross the finish the line.

Earlier, Shahidi needed a boundary off the last ball to complete his century but Hasan Ali denied him the milestone with a incoming yorker which the left-hander could not put away.

With his skipper Asghar, Shahidi shared a match-changing 94-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Shahidi shifted gears with ease after largely remaining patient in his unbeaten and career-best knock which came off 118 balls. He was bowled off a no ball when he was on 76 in the penultimate over.

Five of his seven boundaries came during the last 14 balls of the Afghan innings.

Asghar had joined left-handed Shahidi at the crease after left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (3/57) removed the top three Afghan batsmen -- Mohammad Shahzad (20), Ihsanullah (10) and Rahmat Shah (36).

In his 67-run knock, Asghar showed both aggression and patience and Shahidi was determined, holding one end tight.

Asghar chose right deliveries to go for big shots, hitting five sixes and two fours.

Shahidi and Asghar were tested by the Pakistan pace duo of Hasan Ali and Usman Khan but they refused to be intimidated by the raw pace.

They were sensible in defending and leaving the balls which moved after pitching outside off stump. They kept the scoreboard ticking with pushing and nudging the ball around.

Breakthrough not coming, Pakistan captain Sarfraz handed the ball back to Nawaz but Asghar creamed off 11 runs from his over, hitting a four and six, to end the long boundary drought.

Both the batsmen completed their half-centuries in the 40th over, bowled by young left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi.

With few overs left, Asghar started hitting each everything thrown at him and was bowled by Afridi after being dropped by Haris Sohail in the 42nd over.

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British Prime Minister Theresa May said Friday the European Union's abrupt dismissal of her Brexit plan was not acceptable, as she conceded talks were "at an impasse".

"It is not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposal without a detailed explanation and counter-proposals," May said in a televised statement from Downing Street.

"We now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them.

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The first-ever Mizoram International Short Film Festival (MISFF) was inaugurated Thursday with the screening Gulshan Grover's internationally acclaimed short film 'Forbidden'.

The festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla at the iconic Aijal Club in Aizawl, a Mizoram government press release said Friday.

Internationally acclaimed Bollywood superstar Gulshan Grover, National Award Winning Director Umesh Shukla, renowned Actress cum script writer Puja Ballutia and the curator of MISFF Captain Rahul Bali and a number of well-known personalities from across India and the world attended the function, the release said.

The film festival, which is the first of its kind in Mizoram, has been jointly organised by the Government of Mizoram and Innovations India, aimed at promoting Mizoram as a preferred destination for film making, and to reach out to the international film makers to showcase the unexplored beauty of the state, it said.

The festival supported by the Mizo Film Forum will also highlight the film making capabilities of the Mizo film makers, the press release said.

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The death toll in a ferry capsize in Lake Victoria climbed to more than 100 on Friday, as Tanzanian rescue workers pressed on with searches to find scores of more people feared drowned.

The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers -- double the ferry's capacity -- when it capsized close to the pier on Ukara Island on Thursday, according to reports on state media.

Witnesses reached by AFP said the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock.

The death toll rose to over 100 on Friday, according to Tanzania's police chief Simon Sirro, cited by state radio TBC Taifa.

Mwanza governor John Mongella had earlier said the number of survivors was 40, but it was unclear whether any new survivors had been found since rescue operations resumed with police and army divers on Friday morning.

"Operations are continuing," he said.

Rescue operations were suspended overnight and hopes are fading that more survivors might still be found, a day after the vessel sank.

State television cited witnesses reporting that more than 200 people had boarded the ferry at Bugolora, a town on the larger Ukerewe Island, where it was market day when locals said the vessel was usually packed with people and goods.

"I have not heard from either my father or my younger brother who were on the ferry. They had gone to the market in Bugolora to buy a school uniform and other supplies for the new school term," said Domina Maua, who was among those seeking information about loved ones.

Davita Ngenda, an elderly woman in Ukara, had already received bad "My son is among the bodies recovered," she said, weeping. "He had gone with his wife but she has not been found yet. My God, what did I do to deserve this?" Sebastian John, a teacher, said such tragedies had become part of life for those living on the lake.

"Since my birth, people have gone to their deaths on this lake, but what are we to do? We did not choose to be born here, we have nowhere to go," he said. It remains unclear how many people are still missing.

Tanzania's Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency, which is responsible for ferry services, said it was unknown how many passengers were aboard the MV Nyerere.

The ageing ferry, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible after it overturned, was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement, when it capsized around 50 metres (55 yards) from Ukara dock.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame for such incidents.

President John Magufuli was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and called on Tanzanians to "stay calm during these difficult times," according to spokesman Gerson Msigwa.

The country's opposition, however, accused the government of "negligence".

"We have often raised concerns about the poor condition of this ferry, but the government turned a deaf ear. We have repeatedly denounced this negligence," said John Mnyika, deputy secretary general of Chadema, the main opposition party.

Mnyika said overloading was "another failure of the authorities" and criticised "inadequate relief efforts as well as delays" in the rescue operation.

With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Capsizes are not uncommon in the massive lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many people in the region cannot swim.

The deadliest such accident in recent decades was in May 1996, when around 800 people died after their ferry sank on the way to Mwanza in Tanzania.

Waters in the lake can be rough and boats are frequently poorly maintained, while ferry operators often fail to record the number of passengers on board.

Around 20 people were killed in December 2016 when their boat overturned in Lake Victoria as it was carrying passengers to Uganda's mainland for Christmas holidays.

And in March 2012, only two survivors were found after a boat believed to be carrying around 60 people capsized on the lake in Uganda.

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More than half of all countries will likely fail to hit the UN target of reducing premature deaths from a quartet of chronic diseases by a third before 2030, researchers said Friday.

Cancers, heart and blood-vessel disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease combined to kill 12.5 million people aged 30 to 70 worldwide in 2016, they reported in a major study.

"The bottom line is this: a set of commitments were made, and most countries are not going to meet them," lead author Majid Ezzati, a professor at Imperial School London's School of Public Health, told AFP.

Only 35 nations are on track to meet UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 -- launched in 2015 -- for women, and even less for men, the study revealed.

"International donors and national governments are doing too little to reduce deaths from non-communicable diseases," Ezzati said.

The good news, he added, is that most countries are at least moving in the right direction.

But around 20 states -- 15 for women, 24 for men -- are either stagnating or backsliding.

That select group of failure includes only one wealthy nation: the United States.

A much-noted study last year in the American Journal of Public Health showed that the rise in premature deaths was especially sharp among white, rural Americans, described by the authors as gripped by an "epidemic of despair".

"It comes down to weak public health, weak health care system, high levels of inequality," Ezzati said.

Across all age groups, non-communicable diseases kill more than 40 million people a year worldwide, accounting for seven in ten deaths.

Of these, 17 million are classified as "premature," or before the age of 70.

"We are sleepwalking into a sick future because of severely inadequate progress on non-communicable diseases," said Katie Dain from the NCD Alliance.

The "NCD Countdown 2030" report, published in The Lancet ahead of next week's UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs in New York, "will assist in holding governments and donors accountable", she added.

Ezzati rejected the notion that the UN goal may have been set too high.

"The fact that 30-odd countries are very much on track, and another 40 or 50 -- depending on the gender -- are close, means that it is very doable," he said by phone.

Declining tobacco and alcohol use, low blood pressure, a good public health care system, low levels of inequality -- countries not doing so well in meeting the UN target are likely to fail in a couple of these things, Ezzati said.

Only four countries -- South Korea, Japan, Switzerland and Australia -- ranked among the top ten for lowest NCD mortality rates for both men and women.

Spain, Singapore, Portugal, Italy, Finland and France rounded out the good health podium for women.

For men, the other countries were Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Bahrain, Canada and New Zealand.

The United States ranked 53rd for men, and 44th for women, with Chinese men and women placed 80th and 76th, respectively.

China is not on track to meet the goal but its NCD rates are declining, even as levels of obesity and high blood pressure are on the rise, the study revealed.

Smoking rates have stabilised but remain high, especially for men. Tobacco use claims one million lives in China every year.

"China has the ability to do a lot when it comes to managing tobacco and alcohol, with both largely state-owned industries," Ezzati noted.

"They are also wealthy enough so that hypertension treatment should be trivial." In sub-Saharan Africa, non-communicable diseases account for a smaller share of deaths than infectious diseases such as AIDS and tuberculosis.

But their NCD mortality rates are still much higher than in most middle-income and rich countries, and should not be neglected, the authors said.

"By any standard, it would be inappropriate and non-strategic to not incorporate NCDs in the strengthening of the overall health care system," Ezzati said.

"We should say to the donor and aid agencies: 'Focus on the overall health system rather than disease by disease'.

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Shia Muslims in the city and its adjoining areas took out processions Friday on the occasion of Muharram, braving intermittent rain, a senior police officer said.

The devotees, carrying tazias, black flags and traditional arms, were seen beating their chests in a ceremonial mourning across the metropolis.

Several clerics and leaders, including Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali, had appealed to the devotees Thursday to refrain from taking out armed processions.

Maulana Mohammed Shafique Qasmi, the Imam of Nakhoda Masjid, said there was "no mention of armed processions during Muharram is the Islamic laws".

"The city's Muslim-dominated areas Park Circus, Rajabazar, Kidderpore, Iqbalpur, Mominpur and Metiabruz



witnessed huge processions amid strict police arrangements to ward off any possible untoward incident," the officer said.

The state administration has taken precautionary measures and put up adequate police arrangements in Kolkata and other districts to ensure peaceful processions, he added.

Muharram is a day of bereavement, when Shia Muslims observe fasts, take out rallies and pray in remembrance of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussain, who was martyred centuries ago at Karbala in Iraq.

Sunni Muslims usually commemorate the day through voluntary fasting.

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There was no "deal" between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the release of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a top court suspended their sentences in a corruption case, a senior Pakistani minister has asserted.

The Islamabad High Court Wednesday suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi.

"No country asked for his release. Nawaz Sharif is not so important for Saudi Arabia that they will talk about him," Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said, rejecting the impression that the three-time former premier and his family members were released from jail under a "deal" between the Imran Khan-led government and Riyadh.

The Islamabad High Court's verdict, ordering the release of the trio coincided with Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia, giving rise to speculation that the Sharif family members' release was a result of the Saudis' request, the Dawn newspaper reported.

But the report recalled that Saudi Arabia was a guarantor in a deal between the Sharif family and then military dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 2000 under which the Sharifs were released from jail and allowed to leave the country.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and whenever a leader wins an election in Pakistan, the first visit is always to the Gulf nation.

Nawaz Sharif never came under discussion during Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia where he had meetings with the oil-rich kingdom's rulers, Chaudhry said.

"He is not that important to be discussed during that visit," he claimed.

"Those who say that Saudi Arabia would have talked [about Sharif during Prime Minister Khan's visit] actually don't know what kind of relationship the Saudis have with Nawaz Sharif," the minister said Thursday without elaborating.

"There will be no deal and no dheel (concession) with them (the Sharifs)," Chaudhry declared, adding that soon "they will be back to the place where they had been a few days back".

On July 6, an accountability court in Islamabad sentenced Sharif, Maryam and Safdar, to 10 years, seven years and one year in jail, respectively, in connection with the purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

"Nawaz Sharif will be in and out of jail. This thing will continue," he said, adding that the Sharifs had only been granted bail and the case was still pending against them.

"Those who were questioning the government for putting the names of the Sharifs on the Exit Control List (ECL) would have got the answer now.

"Had we not done so, they could have flown to London soon after their release, and where would we have looked for these princes then?" the minister said, justifying the decision of the Cabinet to place the names of the Sharifs on the ECL during its first meeting last month.

"We will not allow Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to leave Pakistan and at the same time we will not allow (former finance minister) Ishaq Dar, and Hassan and Hussain (the two sons of Sharif) to stay out of Pakistan," he said.

Chaudhry said that for them it was not important that how much time the Sharifs would spend in jail, as for the government bringing back the looted money of the people of this country was more important.

Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

The Avenfield case was among the three corruption cases filed against the ex-premier by the National Accountability Bureau on the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case.

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Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia Friday assured people that no one would be implicated falsely in Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases.

Scindia made the assurance Friday when protesters hailing from unreserved categories arrived here to register their anger at the amendments to the SC/ST Act.

He, however, parried a question on making any amendments to this Act in case the Congress came to power in poll-bound MP.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had Thursday announced that a directive would be issued shortly to ensure that the amended SC/ST Act is not misused in the state.

Talking to protesters, Scindia said, "I assure you that no one will be allowed to be implicated falsely under SC/ST Act not only in Shivpuri but in the entire state."



When protesters asked if the Congress, if elected to power, would introduce amendments in this Act, Scindia said, "I will answer this question when the Congress will form a government."



Scindia is the chairman of the Congress' state election campaign committee.

The protesters also asked him why he did not speak against the amendments when they were tabled in Parliament.

In reply, Scindia alleged that they (Congress) were not allowed to speak in Parliament when such proposals come up for discussion.

A large posse of police was present due to proposed protest organisations opposing the SC/ST Act amendments.

Meanwhile, Congress workers thrashed the convener of Karni Sena, Atul Singh, after he threw a black flag towards Scindia when he was coming out after attending a programme here.

Later, Singh filed a complaint with Kotwali Police Station.

"We have received a complaint and investigations are on," said Kotwali police station in-charge Rakesh Sharma.

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He added that the previous law banning the use of marijuana was "unconstitutional and therefore invalid", according to The Telegraph.

One of the stated objectives of the legalization of marijuana in South Africa was to hamstring numerous powerful criminal organizations that thrive on illicit drug revenue. One of the licenses was given to South African alternative medicine company, Verve Dynamics. The court ultimately found: "This Court must invoke its powers under s 172 (1) (b) of the Constitution to order a suspension of the declaration of invalidity for a realistic period to ensure Parliament may correct the defect". These included privacy, health concerns and the status quo in other parts of the world.

"In the latter scenario, a police officer should not arrest the person, because in such a case it would be hard to show beyond reasonable doubt later in court that person's possession of cannabis was not for personal consumption", said Justice Zondo. But the highest court in the land said clearly marijuana was not allowed to be smoked publicly. "However, people should be able to gather in places which are still private events where collective experience of cannabis use may continue, just as people gather to have a beer", Acton said.

South Africa's constitutional court has decriminalized the use of cambiums in the country.

The State failed to prove that the existing limitation of privacy was reasonable and justifiable. However, dealing marijuana, selling it on to others or smoking it outside the confines of your own home remains an illegal practice.

The personal consumption exception has been widely celebrated.

The court did not specify the quantity of cannabis a person can grow or use in private. It may even mean that the exception violates the so-called principle of fair warning.

The High Court judgment had noted that criminalisation of cannabis is characterised by "the racist footprints of a disgraceful past".

The court's ruling on Tuesday follows a High Court judgment in Western Cape on the same matter. It says the right to privacy "extends beyond the boundaries of a home". However, public consumption and trading of cannabis are still outlawed.
The Home Ministry Friday said no policeman has resigned in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the killing of three police personnel by terror group Hizbul Mujahideen.

Reports have appeared in a section of media that some special police officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police force has confirmed that these reports are "untrue and motivated", the ministry said in a statement.

"These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements," it said.

The three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen, police said.

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The Home Ministry Friday said no policeman has resigned in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of three police personnel by terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and described such reports as "false propaganda" by "mischievous" elements.

In a statement, the ministry said reports have appeared in a section of the media that some special police officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police has confirmed that these reports are "untrue and motivated".

"These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements," it said.

The Home Ministry said Jammu and Kashmir has a professional and committed police force, which is fully geared up to meet the security challenges, including those related to the forthcoming panchayat and urban body elections.

"There are over 30,000 SPOs and their services are reviewed from time to time. Some mischievous elements are trying to project that those SPOs whose services are not renewed due to administrative reasons, have resigned," it said.

The ministry said militants are on the backfoot in Jammu and Kashmir and 28 militants have been neutralised this year alone in Shopian district, where the Friday incident took place.

"Due to pro-active actions of the state police, militants have been pushed to a corner and are being driven to desperation," it said.

The three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen, police said



Earlier reports suggested that the killings had triggered panic in the lower ranks of the police department with at least six policemen resigning. Two of them issued video messages dissociating themselves from the force.

"My name is Irshad Ahmad Baba and I was working as a constable in the police. I have rendered my resignation...," said one of them in a video being widely circulated on social media in Srinagar.

Tajalla Hussain Lone, an SPO, said he had resigned from the police department on September 17 and was issuing the video to put to rest any doubts, and that Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo has several times warned local policemen, especially SPOs, to resign from the force, saying that the government is using them.

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Roman Catholic priest Franco Mulakkal was grilled by Kerala police for the third day Friday over allegations of rape and unnatural sex levelled by a nun against him.

Amid the continuing outrage over the alleged repeated sexual assault of the nun, the Kerala government said the probe by the Special Investigation Team was proceeding in the "right direction" and that justice will be done.

"Investigation is going in the right direction. The government is with the victim. The government is with the nuns staging the protest. Certainly the government will take all necessary steps to identify the culprits and bring the guilty to book," senior Kerala Minister E P Jayarajan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

He said nobody, including those sitting in protest demanding the priest's arrest, has any complaint about the way the investigation is proceeding.

The minister's statement came a day after Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the state secretary of Kerala's ruling CPI(M), said the protest by nuns in front of the high court for Mulakkal's arrest was "ill-motivated".

Speaking at a programme organised by DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M), in Thiruvananthapuram Thursday, Balakrishnan had alleged the agitation was ill-motivated and part of a political campaign against the Left Front government.

In an article published in CPI(M) mouthpiece 'Deshabhimani' Friday, Balakrishnan said, "Some forces are trying to portray the nuns' protest as against the government."



"The attempt is to let loose political tension against LDF government and CPI(M). Such political forces are trying to hijack the nuns' protest and through overt and covert means are trying to launch a series of agitations throughout the state," he added.

The faithful should understand this lurking danger and identify these forces, the senior CPI(M) leader said.

In the background of the rape complaint against the priest, there are attempts from some quarters to portray all Christian clergymen in a bad light and bring disrepute to the church itself, Balakrishnan alleged.

"Such communal forces should be identified. Just because a bishop has been embroiled in a case, portraying all priests as bad, is with ulterior motives... If there is evidence, if the accused is a vicar, priest ormuezzin, he will not be allowed to escape and the law will take its own course," he said.

Mulakkal was divested of his pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus by the Vatican Thursday.

Convener of the Save Our Sisters (SOS) Action Council, Fr Augustine Vattoli, condemned the statement of the CPI(M) leader, saying the protesters seeking justice for the victim nun were pained by his remarks.

"The church has taken action against the bishop. Then why does the party speaks for a person rejected by the church. We are pained by the statement against our protest by the secretary of the state's ruling party," Vattoli said.

Kottayam Superintendent of Police Hari Sankar has said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case would complete the interrogation Friday.

The bishop, who was grilled for more than eight hours Thursday, was directed to be present before the SIT at the crime branch office in Thrippunithura by 10.30 am Friday.

Police have sought legal opinion as to whether Mulakkal, whose anticipatory bail plea is pending before the high court, can be arrested before his petition is disposed of.

Mulakkal has been accused of repeated rape and sexual assault by a nun of his own congregation, but he has denied the allegations.

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A person can be prosecuted for an act or omission constituting an offence under two different laws but cannot be sentenced twice for the same offence, the Supreme Court has said.

The court said Maharashtra Police can initiate criminal action under IPC for transportation, stocking and sale of 'Gutka' or Pan Masala, which are offences also punishable under the Food and Safety Standards (FSS) Act.

"Where an act or an omission constitutes an offence under two enactments, the offender may be prosecuted and punished under either or both enactments but shall not be liable to be punished twice for the same offence," a bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao said.

The bench was hearing an appeal of the Maharashtra government challenging the Bombay High Court order which had said that a person can be held liable for offences of transportation, stocking and sale of Gutka or Pan Masala under the FSS Act and not the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"A perusal of the provisions of the FSS Act would make it clear that there is no bar for prosecution under the IPC merely because the provisions in the FSS Act prescribe penalties. We, therefore, set aside the finding of the High Court on the first point," the bench said on Thursday.

It said there was no dispute that section 55 of the FSS Act provides only for penalty to be imposed for non compliance of the requirements of the Act, Rules or Regulations or orders issued by the Food Safety Officer.

"There is no bar to a trial or conviction of an offender under two different enactments, but the bar is only to the punishment of the offender twice for the offence," the top court said.

The court said that it does not agree with the conclusion of the High Court that non compliance of the provisions of the Act, Rules or Regulations or orders cannot be subject matter of a prosecution under IPC unless expressly or impliedly barred.

The top court said that the High Court committed an error while interpreting the scope of section 188 of the IPC which relates to disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.

"Section 188 of the IPC does not only cover breach of law and order, the disobedience of which is punishable. Section 188 is attracted even in cases where the act complained of causes or tends to cause danger to human life, health or safety as well," the court said.

The bench added that it cannot agree with the findings of the high court that the prohibitory order of the Commissioner, Food and Safety is not an order contemplated under the IPC and the provisions of the FSS Act can only be resorted for non compliance of orders passed under the FSS Act as it is a special enactment.

"An act or an omission can amount to and constitute an offence under the IPC and at the same time, an offence under any other law. The High Court ought to have taken note of Section 26 of the General Clauses Act, 1897...," it said.

The top court remanded back the matter to the high court for adjudicating the point whether the offences under IPC are made out against the alleged offenders of the rule.

It, however, said that till the adjudication of petitions of stockists of Gutka and Pan Masala, no coercive action should be initiated.

The case pertains to FIR registered in Maharashtra for transportation, sale and stocking of Pan Masala, Gutka in contravention to the provisions of the FSS Act.

The stockists moved the high court seeking quashing of FIR on the ground that action can only be initiated against them under the FSS Act and not IPC.

The high court quashed the criminal proceedings against them and declared that the Food Safety Officers can proceed against the stockists and sellers of Gutka and Pan Masala under the provisions of the FSS Act only.

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In a rare move, Pakistan has urged China to ease restrictions on Uighur Muslims amid reports of up to a million of the minority community members being detained in the country's far-west Xinjiang region, according to a media report Friday.

The issue of the restrictions on the Uighurs figured in a meeting, held here this week, between Pakistan's Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri and Chinese Ambassador Yao Xing, Dawn newspaper reported.

Breaking the past tradition of keeping silent on the issues related to Chinese Muslims, Qadri spoke about those Muslims facing numerous restrictions in China's Xinjiang province and demanded easing the restrictions , the report said.

Around one million minority Uighurs Muslims have reportedly been sent into detention and indoctrination centres in Xinjing region during a surveillance and security campaign run by the Chinese government.

Qadri told the Chinese envoy that "the placement of restrictions increases the chances of an extremist viewpoint growing in reaction."



The two also discussed talks between religious scholars belonging to Xinjiang and Pakistan.

The Chinese envoy said that there were 20 million Muslims living in China who enjoyed complete freedom to practice their faith.

"The Chinese government is the bearer of Sufi and moderate thought and resolves to sort the differences between various religious groups," said the ambassador.

The Chinese ambassador also provided assurances to facilitate the visit of a Pakistani religious delegation to the Xinjiang province.

"Exchange of viewpoints between religious scholars of both countries is vital for better interfaith relations," Yao said.

"Pakistan is an important representative of the Muslim world and we want to further strengthen Pakistan-China relations on an Islamic level," he said, adding that they will take the Muslim community living in China into confidence for achieving the same.

He expressed China's interest in working with Pakistan to develop an educational curriculum for the Muslim community.

He also invited Qadri for a visit to China which the Minister accepted.

Meanwhile, according to a report in The Nation newspaper, a UN panel has recently put an estimate that China has detained as many as one million Uighurs in internment camps and re-education programmes.

The Chinese Muslim community has resisted coercive "re-education" efforts by the authorities, which have progressively restricted religious minorities from observing the basic articles of their faith.

This includes programmes that focus on psychological indoctrination. There have been reports of water boarding and other forms of torture as well. The detained also include over 50 wives of Pakistanis, the report said.

Early this year, the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Legislative Assembly through a unanimous resolution urged the federal government to take urgent steps for the release of over 50 Chinese wives of Pakistani men detained in the Xinjiang province.

The Pakistanis, most of them doing import and export businesses between Pakistan and China, are married to Chinese Muslim women. The Chinese police had arrested them last year and earlier.

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Union minister K J Alphons wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday and urged him to permit central government employees to avail leave travel concession (LTC) allowance to visit Kerala as it would boost tourism in the flood-ravaged state.

At present, the central government employees can avail their home town LTC allowance to visit Jammu and Kashmir, northeast region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The employees get reimbursement of tickets for to and fro journey, besides paid leaves.

Alphons said he has proposed that the benefit be extended to Kerala as well.

"If 48.41 lakh central government employees travel to the state, it will be a big boost to the tourism industry which is still recovering from the floods. I have written to the prime minister and I am hoping he will agree to my request.

"Under this, the employees can use their hometown LTC to travel to the state," Alphons told PTI.

Sources in the ministry said Kerala's Tourism Department had sent the proposal to the ministry soon after estimates by the State Disaster Management Authority stated the industry had suffered Rs 1,800 crore losses Rs 300 crore in infrastructure of hotels and resorts and Rs 1,500 crore through cancellations between August and October.

According to official figures, Kerela has a Rs 39,000 crore tourism business, out of which Rs 20,000 crore revenue comes from domestic tourism.

"I want to reiterate for all travellers that Kerala is ready for tourists. More and more people should travel to the state. I am myself going there to participate in the Kerala Tourism Mart from September 27," Alphons said.

On Thursday, the Centre extended the scheme to allow central government employees to travel to Jammu and Kashmir, northeast region and Andaman and Nicobar Islands on LTC allowance for two more years till September 2020. While the scheme was introduced in 2014, it was extended for two years in 2016.

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A photo gallery of all Assam governors, who have served the state since 1947, was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit at the conference hall of Raj Bhavan Friday.

Purohit, who was former Assam Governor, expressed his gratitude for having been invited to launch the photo gallery and hailed the efforts of his successor Jagadish Mukhi for having conceptualized the photo gallery.

The gallery would give the future generation an opportunity to know about the rich legacy of Raj Bhavan, Assam and all the governors who served the state, Purohit said.

The Assam Governor said that he had seen photo gallery of the governors in Raj Bhavans of the other states and therefore, he thought that Assam Raj Bhavan should also have one.

Since 1947, 26 governors have served Assam and their portraits are now placed in the conference hall of the Raj Bhawan.

Former Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Moosahary, former Bihar and Tripura Governor Devananda Konwar, Assam Chief Secretary Alok Kumar, Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia, Secretary to Assam Governor Sanjib Kumar Gohain Barua, Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University Prof Mridul Hazarika and officers of Raj Bhavan were present at the inaugural function.

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A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of Article 370 of the Constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state.

The plea has said the special provision was "temporary" in nature at the time of framing of the Constitution and Article 370(3) lapsed with the dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly on January 26, 1957.

The plea, filed by Delhi BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, also seeks a declaration from the apex court that the separate Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir was "arbitrary" and "unconstitutional" on grounds, including that it was against the "supremacy of the Constitution of India and contrary to dictum of 'One Nation, One Constitution, One National Anthem and One National Flag'".

"The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir is invalid mainly for the reason that the same has not yet got the assent of the President, which is mandatory as per provisions of the Constitution of India," the plea, which may come up for hearing next week, said.

The petition, filed Thursday through advocate R D Upadhyay, claims that the maximum life span of Article 370 was only till the existence of the Constituent Assembly, that was January 26, 1950 when the national document was adopted.

Article 370 is a "temporary provision" with respect to Jammu and Kashmir and restricts the applicability of various provisions of the Constitution by "curtailing" the power of Parliament to make laws on subjects which fall under the Union and Concurrent lists.

Consequently, it allows the state to accord special rights and privileges to the natives, the plea said.

It claimed that the Article empowered the state legislature to frame any law without attracting a challenge on the grounds of violation of the right to equality of people from other states or any other right under the Constitution.

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Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi following former French President Francois Hollande's reported remarks on the Rafale deal, saying he has "betrayed" India.

His attack on Modi came after a French media report quoted Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal.

"The PM personally negotiated & changed the #Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Franois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani," Gandhi tweeted.

"The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers," he said.

Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with the then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.

The opposition has been accusing the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim on September 24, officials said Friday.

The greenfield airport, located 30 km from here, will put Sikkim on the aviation map of the country.

The Prime Minister will address a public meeting at St Xavier's School ground in Pakyong after inaugurating the state's first airport, the officials said.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive at the Bagdogra airport at 4.10 pm on September 23 after which he will board an helicopter from there to fly to Gangtok, the officials said.

The Prime Minister will be received by the Governor of Sikkim Ganga Prasad and state Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling after his arrival in the state, the officials said.

He will stay at Raj Bhawan on September 23 and will inaugurate the Pakyong airport the next day.

The PM's programme at the airport will begin at around 10 am on September 24, a state government official said Friday, adding, that the PM will then address the people at 10.30 am at the St Xavier's School ground.

From there he will return to the Pakyong airport, board a chopper and fly to Bagdogra.

The Pakyong airport was approved by the Centre in 2008 and was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore.

The project is being billed as an engineering marvel -- it has been built at an height of 4,500 feet in an inhospitable terrain.

Once commissioned, it will be the 100th functional airport in the country.

As on date, Sikkim is the only state in the country without a functional airport.

Low-cost airline SpiceJet has been granted permission to fly to Pakyong from Kolkata under the Civil Aviation Ministry's regional connectivity scheme.

SpiceJet has already conducted a dry run at the airport with one its Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft successfully landing there on March 5.

Also in March, A Dornier 228 of the Indian Air Force landed at the airport.

The tourism sector, in particular, is expected to benefit immensely with the opening of the airport other than the economic boon it will bring to the Himalayan state.

The nearest Bagdogra airport in West Bengal is about 150 km from Gangtok and air passengers have to take the road after alighting there.

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Reporters said May was shaking and looking visibly nervous as European leaders rejected her Brexit plan.

Donald Tusk, the head of the European Council, said the plans risked undermining the bloc's single market and told Mrs May that negotiations were facing a "moment of truth".

Another posted: "Your hubris and smugness know no end, do they, Tusky?"

But May's plans for a long informal debate between her and the other EU27 leaders in the Austrian city have been "thwarted", reports The Sun.

And in her press conference, Theresa May seemed frustrated that her proposals perhaps have not been properly digested or considered yet.

But Mrs May said Chequers was "the only credible and negotiable plan on the table that delivers no hard border in Northern Ireland and also delivers on the vote of the British people".

With both sides digging in, "the assumption that an eleventh-hour deal will be clinched is predicated - on both sides - on the firm belief that the other will capitulate on the backstop question", says The Daily Telegraph's Peter Foster.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte labelled the Brexit negotiations "a balancing act" and the leaders will have further opportunities to thrash an agreement out when they meet again in Brussels on October 18 and again in mid-November.

And he issued a harsh assessment of Brexiteers who he said "predicted easy solutions". "Those people are liars", Mr Macron said.

On Wednesday, Tusk announced a special Brexit summit in November, when he hopes a deal will be "finalized".

May argues that the United Kingdom and the European Union face a choice between her proposal - which would keep Britain aligned to the European Union rulebook in return for seamless trade in goods - and an economically disruptive Brexit in which Britain crashes out of the bloc without a deal.

The French said May's proposals "are not acceptable as they stand, particularly in the economic realm" because they "don't respect the integrity of the single market".

But May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were among those who stressed there was still "a lot of work" to do. She said Britain "will be bringing forward our own proposals shortly" about how to break the impasse.

May was also set an October deadline for a solution on the Irish border issue just hours after informing Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach, in a private breakfast meeting that she felt it would be impossible to come to a compromise within such a timescale.

In Mrs May's absence on Thursday, the 27 other European Union leaders will discuss issues including the UK's future relationship with the European Union and how to resolve the problems around the Irish border.

Needless to say, the tone struck by both officials runs counter to the remarks made by the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in recent days, who suggested that an agreement in the coming weeks. "They left the next day so they didn't have to manage it".

"But she will get up tomorrow morning and she will keep going, and I think the reserves that she has - she never talks about being type 1 diabetic, she never talks about now being over 60 or any of that sort of stuff - but the resilience she is showing under the most extreme pressure, we haven't seen in politics since the financial crash of 2008 and before then for a couple of decades before that. Now is the time for the prime minister to reset the negotiation and take Tusk's March offer of a free trade plus deal".
Prime Minister will launch the ambitious healthcare scheme from on Sunday.

Under this scheme, over 100 million families will be provided health insurance worth Rs 500,000 each, every year.

The Prime Minister will visit an exhibition on the PMJAY at Ranchi and witness a demonstration of activities such as beneficiary identification, and e-card creation, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

The Prime Minister will launch the scheme on September 23 but effectively it will become operational from September 25 on the birth anniversary of Jan Sangh co-founder Deendayal Upadhyay.

As many as 27 states and Union Territories are ready to join the ambitious healthcare scheme.

Over 15,000 hospitals, both public and private, across the country have expressed their willingness to be empanelled for the scheme which aims to provide health insurance to 107.4 million poor families.

At the same event, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for medical colleges at Chaibasa and Koderma. He will inaugurate 10 health and wellness centres. He will also address a gathering there, the statement said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha and poll-bound Chhattisgarh Saturday and launch several projects there, his office has said.

He will unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of work for the revival of Talcher fertilizer plant in Odisha. This is the first plant in India to have a coal gasification based fertilizer unit. In addition to fertilizer, the plant will produce natural gas, which will contribute to the country's energy requirements, the statement said.

Modi will then travel to Jharsuguda to inaugurate an airport there. The airport will bring western Odisha on the aviation map of India, and facilitate regional air connectivity through the UDAN scheme, it said.

The prime minister will dedicate the Garjanbahal coal mines, and the Jharsuguda-Barapali-Sardega rail link to the nation.

He will also unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of coal production and transportation from Dulanga coal mines.

He will then arrive in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district where he will visit an exhibition on traditional handloom and agriculture. He will lay the foundation stone for national highway projects and the Pendra-Anuppur third railway line.

He will address a gathering there, the statement said.

The term of the Chhattisgarh Assembly will end in January, 2019, and election dates are likely to be announced in the coming weeks.

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Fugitive jeweller Mehul Choksi, a co-accused in the Punjab National Bank fraud case, on Friday moved the special CBI court here for cancellation of a non-bailable warrant against him claiming he has reasons to believe that his return to India might endanger his life.

On May 22 this year, after taking cognisance of the second charge sheet filed in the



Rs 12,636-crore PNB fraud case by the CBI, the special court had issued the NBW against Choksi.

Choksi, in an application filed Friday through his lawyer Sanjay Abbott, said his apprehensions over his safety are based upon what transpired during a recent television debate on the fraud.

He told the court that he was "shocked" to watch a debate on a national television channel where two callers phoned in to share their opinion on the fraud.

The callers, Choksi claimed in the plea, "suggested that a special team be formed to track Mehul Choksi down and shoot him to death once he was brought back to India".

Choksi claimed that the callers said that such treatment would send out a strong message to society and prevent further cases of frauds and fiscal scams.

The fugitive jeweller also claimed that the anchor concerned and the panelists did not object to the comments made by the caller. Instead, the anchor even laughed at the comments and the same makes it apparent that the anchor and the panelists too "tacitly" agreed with what the callers suggested, Choksi said in the plea.

"From the above two calls made by the callers and the tacit approval given to the same by the anchor and the panelists, it is clear that the averments made by the applicant (Choksi) in the application filed before this court regarding a threat to his life and the fear of mob lynching is vindicated," the application read.

Choksi also sent some audio and video CDs claiming that they contained the cited footage from the news channel debate.

He has urged the court to make his submission a part of the court records and, in light of the same, to cancel the NBW issued against him.

The special court has now directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to file its reply to the application by October 3 this year, which is the next date of hearing in the case.

This is the second such application filed by Choksi before the special court, claiming a threat to his life and seeking that the NBW be cancelled.

In June this year, he had filed a plea claiming that he had been advised bed rest on account of his ill health following a "heart operation," and he feared that once in India, the probe agencies would not help him secure the kind of medical treatment and supervision he required.

At that time, he had also said that there existed a "trend of mob lynching" in the country presently, and he feared that if he returned to India, he might become a victim of such lynching.

The CBI charge sheet named Choksi, the managing director of Gitanjali group, former PNB MD and CEO Usha Ananthasubramanian, then PNB executive directors Brahmaji Rao and Sanjiv Sharan, and PNB deputy manager Gokulnath Shetty, among others as key accused in the case.

While urging the court to issue the NBW, the CBI had argued that its issuance would allow the probe agency to approach the Interpol for issuing a Red Corner Notice against Choksi, Nirav Modi and some other persons accused in the case.

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A political row broke out on Friday over the UGC communication to varsities to observe September 29 as "Surgical strike day" with the ruling TMC in West Bengal saying it will not be followed in the state and joined the Congress to allege the move was part of BJP's political agenda but the Centre asserted this reflected patriotism and not

The Centre, however, said it is not compulsory for the universities and the higher educational institutions to celebrate the second anniversary of the surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK). An advisory not a direction has been issued to universities, said Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar.

Talk sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades by the National Cadet Corps(NCC) and visit to exhibitions are among the prescribed events by the University Grants Commission(UGC) for the celebration. Colleges have been asked to organise parades by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and lectures by ex-army officers.

On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out "surgical strikes" on seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control(LoC) as a response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month. The Army had said its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.

West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee criticised the BJP-led central government for trying to "malign and politicise" the Army and said educational institutes will not abide by UGC's directive.

"This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda. We won't abide by the directions of UGC," Chatterjee told reporters in Kolkata.

"We would have understood it had they asked us to observe the day in the name of sacrifices made by our soldiers. We have full respect for our soldiers and their sacrifices."



"The Indian Army has always been kept above and controversies. But now we are seeing that the BJP is trying to malign and politicise the Indian Army. This is not right and we won't support it," Chatterjee said.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the TMC government has made it a practice to oppose each and every decision of the Centre.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal sarcastically asked whether the UGC would "dare" to celebrate November 8, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as 'surgical strike day'.

"UGC directs VC's of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJP's political ends?" Sibal tweeted.

"Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihoods? This another jumla!" the former Union HRD minister said.

Javadekar said the UGC communication reflected "patriotism not politics", and it is not compulsory for the academic institutions to organise any such event.

Javadekar, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, rejected the criticism by opposition parties as "absolutely ridiculous and false".

He told reporters in Delhi the ruling BJP differed with the Congress as it only gave advise to institutes to follow a programme while the opposition party made its decisions compulsory when it was in power.

"Where is This is not politics but patriotism," Javadekar said, adding that students needed to be informed about the surgical strikes, and military and civil works soldiers do.

He claimed that students and institutes had made suggestions that the second anniversary of surgical strikes should be observed.

Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime.

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Police Friday conducted several raids across the state to nab Chandrashekhar Verma, the husband of former Bihar social welfare minister Manju Verma, for illegal possession of cartridges, a senior officer said.

An FIR was registered against the former minister and her husband in August under Arms Act, 1959, following the recovery of 50 cartridges from her in-law's house at Begusarai district during a CBI raid in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal.

The central probe agency had last month raided nearly 12 places in Bihar, including residences of Manju Verma in Patna and her in-law's house at Arjun Tola village in Begusarai, as part of its investigation into the scandal.

"A four-member team - headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Suryadeo Kumar - was constituted to carry out raids across Bihar after obtaining an arrest warrant order from the court against Chandrashekhar Verma," Superintendent of Police Aditya Kumar said.

The team will be conducting searches at all possible hideouts of the accused, he told reporters.

"Some of his distant relatives are currently residing at Verma's Begusarai residence. His entire family is absconding," the SP said, adding that raids have been already carried out at his possible hideouts in Begusarai, Khagaria and other adjoining districts.

Sources said the SP has not issued orders to nab the former minister in the case as the court did not issue arrest warrant against her.

Manju Verma had resigned as social welfare minister in August following a disclosure that her husband Chandrashekhar Verma had spoken to prime accused in the sex scandal, Brajesh Thakur, 17 times between January and June.

An audit report by Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences blew the lid over the sexual abuse case in Muzaffarpur two months ago, triggering a political storm in Bihar and prompting the Nitish Kumar government to seek CBI inquiry into the case.

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Jack Ma, the pioneer of China's internet industry, has termed the speculation swirling around his retirement as a "sea gossip", saying that he would rather die on the beach than in his executive office at Alibaba.

On September 10, Chinese billionaire Ma, on his 54th birthday, announced that he would step down as Alibaba's executive chairman in one year to make way for the next generation of leaders at the $420 billion e-commerce giant.

He named the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Daniel Zhang as his successor who would take charge in September next year, while he would continue to be company's Director.

His retirement report sparked off speculation that he may be stepping down due to prevailing business environment in China.

The New York Times in its report said Ma is retiring as China's business environment has soured, with Beijing and state-owned enterprises increasingly playing more interventionist roles with

Speaking about his retirement at the concluding session of the Summer Davos Forum in China's Tianjin city on Thursday, Ma said "gossip has been around us every day for the past 19 years. For someone who has a dream for the future, gossips, rumours, hardships and frustrations will always be part of your life."



Reporting on Ma's speech at the forum China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that sceptics said he was forced to step down, while others claimed he had already shifted a large number of assets to other countries, planning to leave China.



No matter what people say, Ma says he does not care about the rumours.

"To friends, you don't need to explain. To non-friends, the more you explain, the worse the situation becomes," he said.

"At the age of 54, I am a bit old in the internet industry, but quite young for many other sectors," he said.

"In the next 15 to 16 years, there's still a lot of things I can do. I know it would be difficult for people at the age of 55 or 56, say 60, to leave. By then you would no longer be sure about your future, and you would hang on," he said.

The retirement decision announced was anything but a retreat. It is actually "a step forward" for himself and the company, he said.

Ma, who grew from an English teacher to China's top billionaires making Alibaba into $420 billion company, always took care to not ruffle feathers of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

Ma started in 1999 as a business-to-business marketplace with 17 co-founders in his Hangzhou apartment turning the company into a global e-commerce giant with burgeoning cloud computing and package delivery businesses.

Alibaba's sprawling businesses also include brick-and-mortar stores, online video, movies and other enterprises, and it has sought to expand in promising new markets like India and Southeast Asia.

Ma gave up the role in 2013 and in recent years has found time to work on other projects, including philanthropy.

Ma, with a personal fortune of $39.9 billion figured 19th in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index topped by American technology entrepreneur and investor, Jeff Bezoz, who had a net worth of $161 billion.
President Donald Trump will talk about protecting US sovereignty, expanding relations with countries that share similar values and call for a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, his top diplomat to the UN has said.

Trump will participate in a number of UN General Assembly (UNGA) events and bilateral meetings from September 24-27.

Trump will hold bilateral meetings with Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the General Assembly Mara Fernanda Espinosa Garces, leaders of South Korea, Egypt, France, Israel, Japan and the UK on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Trump is "looking forward to talking about the foreign policy successes the US has had over the last year and where we are going to go from here. He wants to talk about protecting US sovereignty," and expanding relations with countries that share similar values, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told reporters here Thursday.

Haley cited the example of the US decisions to exit the UN's Global Migration Compact and the Paris Climate Change Accord, saying that "all of these things that we felt like were mandating things on the US, those aren't things we want to be involved in. We really value sovereignty of the country."



She added that this is not saying that multilateralism cannot work, "but it's saying sovereignty is a priority over all of that.

"Anytime the US talks about sovereignty, it's always going to be the will of the American people and not the will of international community," the Indian-American diplomat said.

Haley said the President will also talk about foreign aid and how generous the US is.

"He will also lay down a marker that while the US is generous, we are going to be generous to those who share our values, generous to those who want to work with us and not those that try to stop the US or say that they hate America and are counter-productive to what we are doing."



Haley highlighted achievements in the United States' September UN Security Council presidency and previewed the President's schedule and events for the other members of the Administration who will visit New York next week, as she previewed U.S. priorities for the 73rd UN General Assembly High-Level session, set to begin on September 24.

Haley said Trump will kick-off on September 24 the US global call to action on the world drug problem. She said so far 124 countries have signed up and more will be added, showing how the world drug problem affects so many countries in so many different ways. The focus is going to be on reducing the use of illicit drugs, cutting the supply off, expanding treatment and on international cooperation and how we deal with each other in reference to illicit drugs.

On September 26, he will preside over a Security Council meeting that initially was supposed to focus on Iran but will now be centered on non-proliferation.

Haley said with the issues of possible chemical weapons use in Idlib, assassination attempts on a British citizen and his daughter in the UK and reinforced sanctions on North Korea, the need was felt to have a "broader conversation on non-proliferation and what we can do as an international community to move forward" on the issue.

On Iran she said the country continues to be "a problem. Every dangerous spot in the world, Iran seems to have its fingerprints in it.

The President and First Lady Melania Trump will also host all heads of delegation on Monday night as well as host a reception for current and next year's Security Council members, their foreign ministers and spouses on Tuesday.

Vice President Mike Pence will also participate in a high level meeting on Venezuela and migration hosted by Colombia, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will chair a Security Council meeting on North Korea. Haley said that every single foreign minister will attend the SC meeting on North Korea, adding that "it's a conversation that needs to be had. It will give a chance for us to look at what we have achieved and the progress on North Korea.

Other top Trump administration officials who will be in New York for the high-level week are Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and first daughter and senior adviser to the president, Ivanka Trump.

When asked about the Rohingya crisis, Haley said she will participate in a ministerial meeting hosted by the UK on the status of the Rohingyas where we have to got to figure out how we are going to bring the Rohingyas back to Myanmar in a way that is safe.

"I dont think the government has done enough and I dont think the military has accepted responsibility, she said adding that the fact Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi acknowledged that the Reuters reporters were right to be detained and impriosned is a real problem. "We have a communication issue right now with Burma in that what they are saying no one is understanding and what we are saying they are not hearing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Punjab Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa Friday exhorted housing and real estate companies to invest in the state.

Punjab has emerged as the best state to do business in after the Amarinder Singh government came to power, the housing and urban development minister said while addressing a meet organised here by the Confederation of the Real Estate Developers of India (CREDAI).

He said an investment promotion bureau has been established to provide information regarding policies, laws and rules of the state to companies.

He said the bureau is responsible for according all the requisite clearances to industrialists within the fixed time frame.

"Not only this, the government is also contemplating a single window system for the industrialists so as to save them the rigours of moving from one place to another in order to get their work done," he said.

He exhorted the companies to pay attention to small cities along with the bigger ones to curb the mushrooming of unrecognised colonies.

He also said the unrecognised colonies would be regularised and there would not be any haphazard construction thereon.

Listing the steps taken by the Punjab government to encourage investment, Bajwa said all the roads are being turned into express roads.

Uninterrupted power supply, land banking, land pooling and international airports are some of the other features which make Punjab the best destination for investment, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be on a two-day visit to his Parliamentary constituency Amethi, beginning September 24, a party leader said on Friday.

During the visit, the Congress chief will take part in the district vigilance and monitoring committee meeting at the collectorate in Gauriganj, said Yogendra Misra, the district unit president of the party.

He will also meet party workers and locals, Misra said.

Gandhi's political representative in Amethi Chandra Kant Dubey told PTI that after landing at Choudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow at 10 am on September 24, the Amethi MP will drive to Nigoha near Fursatganj to address a gathering of women on the Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana.

Later, the Congress president will inaugurate some projects at Jais under Tiloi assembly segment completed through MP-LAD fund, Dubey said, adding that Rahul will meet farmers in evening at Gauriganj, the district headquarter of Amethi.

In the night, Rahul will stay at Musafirkhana, where he will meet party activists and different delegates to discuss political developments, Dubey said.

The next day, he will chair a meeting of the District Development and Monitoring Committee (earlier known as District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee) on the premises of collectorate at Gauriganj, the district headquarter, he said.

Union minister Smriti Irani paid two single-day visits to Amethi in the first week of this month during which she criticized the Amethi MP for his alleged negligence of Amethi.

Smriti had unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha poll from Amethi as BJP nominee against the Congress leader.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be on a two-day visit to his Parliamentary constituency Amethi, beginning September 24, a party leader said on Friday.

During his visit, the Congress chief will take part in the district vigilance and monitoring committee meeting at the Collectorate in Gauriganj, district unit president of the party, Yogendra Misra said.

He will also meet party workers and locals during his visit, Misra said, adding that the details of the Gandhi scion's other programmes were awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A NSW schoolgirl has been caught up in a prank involving a needle in a strawberry.

Australia's other big supermarket chain, Coles, said it would continue to sell sewing needles.

The media recently reported that Australia had ordered a recall of strawberry products under the brands Berry Obsession strawberries, Berry Licious, Love Berry, Donnybrook Berries, Delightful Strawberries and Oasis after discovering several cases of the fruit containing needles believed to be a sabotage.

In a statement, the supermarket giant confirmed it had taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale at all its stores.

"The safety of our customers is our top priority", the retailer said, without discussing further the reasons behind its decision.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lashed out at the "grubs" who are responsible for the contamination crisis, announcing new penalties and an increase in jail time for offenders.

The Australian government is rushing legislation through parliament to ratchet up the maximum penalties for so-called "food terrorists" from 10 to 15 years behind bars.

The phenomenon - which has turned many Australians off buying strawberries and thrown Australia's fruit industry into chaos - appears to have worsened over the past week.

NSW Police would not confirm whether or not the child placed a needle in the strawberry, but said she was dealt with under the Young Defender's Act, adding that no further action would be pursued. The majority are not contaminated, and if you find any needles in a pack then you can report it of course.

"I'm just focused on making sure no idiot goes into a supermarket this weekend and does something ridiculous", the prime minister told reporters in Royalla, NSW.

Others have suggested using egg slicers to cut strawberries to ensure they are safe.

If the person were an adult, he would be facing a maximum of 10 years in jail in NSW.

On Wednesday, an Australian government minister said at least 100 reports had been received of needles in fruit.

'It's not a joke, it's not amusing. It's not amusing. You're putting the livelihoods of hard-working Australians at risk.

"This is a disgusting act created to instil fear in consumers and to undermine our agricultural industry".

It has also been reported Australian Federal Police were following up on as many as 100 leads, majority of which are anticipated to be copycats or hoaxes.
A research scholar of IIT Indian School of Mines (ISM) Dhanbad was found hanging in his hostel room, police said Friday.

A management official of the institute said the research scholar, Ranjan Rathi, was alone in Jasper Hostel room and had locked it from inside Thursday. His roommate, who had gone to Ranchi, rang his other friends late at night when Rathi did not receive his calls from the evening.

Other students from the hostel also knocked his door but did not get any response. Since the room was locked from inside, the students informed the security department.

When the security staff peeped through the ventilation, they found Rathi hanging on a rope. The Police was informed and the room was unlocked to take out the body.

Dhanbad Sadar police station officer in-charge Ashok Kumar Singh said the body has been sent for post-mortem at Patliputra Medical College Hospital.

Details are being taken from the students of the hostel and others about Rathi to resolve the death mystery," Singh said.

IIT ISM registrar M K Singh, who is out of station, told media persons over telephone that only after getting police investigation reports, the institution would make a statement about the incident.

The IIT ISM official said Ranjan Rathi was a resident of Muradabad district in Uttar Pradesh. After completing M Tech in mechanical engineering, he had got enrolled for PhD on July 28.

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Purchase of major military equipment like multi-billion S-400 missile defense system would be considered as a "significant transaction" and thus has a potential Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) implication, the Trump administration said Friday.

And as such, soon after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in this regard, the United States imposed sanctions on a Chinese entity, the Equipment Development Department, or EDD, and also upon its director, Li Shangfu, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile, a senior administration official told reporters during a conference call.

As a result, all property and interests in property within the US jurisdiction of the EDD and Shangfu have been blocked and the US citizens barred from transacting with them, he said.

"We want to stress that the legislative standard here is a significant transaction with an entity that appears on the List of Specified Persons. We took these actions because China took delivery of 10 Sukhoi fighter aircraft, specifically Su-25s, in December of 2017, after the CAATSA statute came into force. It also took delivery of a batch of S-400 sometimes known as SA-21 surface-to-air missile systems or related equipment in January of this year," the official said.

Both these Chinese transactions from Russia, he said, occurred after the CAATSA sanctions statute came into force. The deal was negotiated between the Equipment Development Department and Rosoboronexport, which is Russia's main arms export entity, he added.

The official emphasised that the ultimate target of these sanctions was Russia.

"CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country. They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities," he said.

"Those malign activities are undertaken to compete with the US and its allies and partners. This is for the first time that the US has sanctioned anyone under Section 231 of CAATSA, which focuses upon, those who engage in significant transactions with entities that appear on the LSP," the official said.

He declined to answer a question whether the US would be taking similar action against countries, like Turkey, that buy S-400 missile defense system.

"As to other potential recipients of the S-400, we haven't made any determinations yet with respect to what to do about those, but you can be confident that we have spent an enormous amount of time talking about prospective purchases of things such as S-400s and Sukhois with people all around the world who may have been interested in such things and some who may still be," the official said.

He said the Trump administration has made it "very clear" to these countries that these systems like the S-400 are a system of key concern with potential CAATSA implications.

"So while decisions on other cases have yet to be made, and indeed other transactions have yet to occur, we hope that at least this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors, which would of course be precisely what we hope Congress intended, and what we are required to do pursuant to the fact," the official said.

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The right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha has sent a legal notice to NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik over a report, alleging defamation.

Malik's statements in a report published by a Marathi newspaper on August 11, carrying the headline "Sanatan Sanstha (involved) in terror activities - Nawab", caused "irreparable loss" to the Sanstha and lowered its reputation, it said.

While the notice, dated September 17, sought damages of Rs 10 crore from Malik and the newspaper, the NCP leader said he would fight the organisation in the court. The Sanstha's spokesperson confirmed that it has sent the notice.

The Sanatan Sanstha was recently in when it was found that Vaibhav Raut, one of the persons arrested by the Maharashtra police for an alleged conspiracy to carry out blasts in the state, had purportedly mentioned on his Facebook page that he was the Sanstha's member.

While the Sanstha denied any connection with Raut, Opposition NCP and Congress demanded a ban on it for alleged links to terror activities.

Malik tweeted Friday that he would give a reply to the notice and expose the Sanstha.

He was "grateful" to the Sanstha for giving him an opportunity to prove his allegations in the court, he said.

The organisation had come under the scanner earlier when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Dr Virendra Tawde of Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, the Sanstha's offshoot, in the rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case.

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Railway Minister Piyush Goyal Friday expressed satisfaction at the pace of work of redeveloping Habibganj railway station here.

It is being reconstructed on the lines of Germany's Heidelberg railway station by the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation, a special purpose vehicle of the railway ministry, along with a private firm, Bansal Pathways Habibganj Private Ltd.

"I am satisfied with the pace of works, especially the two subways that have come up, to turn Habibganj station into a model one for the country. The redeveloped station will come up soon," Goyal told reporters while inspecting the station.

"Minister Piyush Goyal expressed satisfaction over the works. He said that all the stations in the country will be developed," West Central Railway (WCR) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Priyanka Dixit told PTI.

She said that the railways plan to develop 400 stations into world class ones.

The private firm has started running certain aspects, like upkeep and maintenance, of the station, though train operations continue to be with the railways, the CPRO informed.

The firm won the bid to redevelop and maintain the station, originally commissioned in 1979, in 2016, Dixit said.

The company's station development construction manager Mohammad Abu Asif said that the firm was now looking after parking, catering, cleaning including track washing, maintenance, housekeeping among other operations.

"Since March 2016, we are redeveloping Habibganj station into a world class facility on the lines of Germany's Heidelberg railway station. The IRSDC is the nodal agency of the project," Asif said.

He informed that the project is being carried out in two phases, of which the part dealing with station redevelopment will cost Rs 100 crore.

The station redevelopment phase has a deadline of July 2019 but the plan is to complete it earlier, Asif said.

"The station development is primarily aimed at segregating the movement of people inside the premises with the creation of departure and arrival lounges. Passenger entry and exit routes will be segregated with the construction of two subways and a new station building on the west side among other works," he said.

The second phase deals with commercial development of the station area at an estimated cost of Rs 347 crore, Asif added.

This phase will see Habibganj station get a trade centre, an anchor store, service apartment, hospital, budget and luxury hotels and a convention centre which will be built over a 13 lakh square feet area, he said, adding that the land had been leased to the firm for 45 years.

"The Bansal group has been given eight years to complete the commercial development of the station. Profit from the commercial facilities will form return on investment," Asif explained.

Asif said IRSDC also planned to redevelop Chandigarh, Delhi's Bijwasan and Anand Vihar, as well as Maharashtra's Shivajinagar (in Pune) on similar lines apart from 23 more stations.

The station redevelopment programme was initiated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when she was railway minister.

Some initial studies were carried out in 2010. However, it got revived in 2015 when Suresh Prabhu was railway minister.

Railways own about 4.76 lakh hectares of land and is the country's second bigger land-owner after the Defence ministry.

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A month after the Supreme Court deferred hearing on matters related to sealing to next February, a traders body said Friday it has urged the Centre to promulgate an ordinance to protect their establishments from closure due to the drive.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in a statement said it has sent a communication to Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in this connection.

The apex court on August 14 had said that issues related to validity of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 and subsequent legislations, which protect unauthorised constructions from being sealed in the national capital, would be heard in February next year.

The CAIT in the communication sent to Puri has asked for "promulgation of an ordinance to protect Delhi from sealing".

It has also called for a "one-time amnesty scheme" which means a "status quo" should me maintained as on December 31, 2017 and "violations if any should be condoned by levying certain reasonable charges".

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said it has written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh too, calling for his immediate intervention in the matter.

The traders body has already called for a Delhi Trade Bandh on September 28.

The sealing had begin in December last year, and the DDA had brought in amendments to the Master Plan of Delhi 2021, seeking to bring relief to traders affected by the drive being undertaken by a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.

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Sebi Friday slapped a fine of Rs 35 lakh on Falcon Tyres for not providing the information sought by the regulator in a matter related to preferential allotment of shares of the firm.

In April 2012, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) issued various summons to Falcon.

One of the summons sought the balance sheet of Falcon for the financial years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Another summon directed the company to confirm whether it signed any deed of assignment with three other entities -- Suncap, Regus and Salputri -- for assigning a loan of Rs 144.04 crore to itself.

In an order, Sebi said Falcon was informed to furnish required documents, but it had sought extension of time.

According to the order, despite multiple time extensions being granted to the firm, it failed to file its reply which depicts an approach to not cooperate with the investigation.

"Thus, for not complying with the summons for supplying information/ documents sought by the IA (investigating authority) during the investigations, it is held that Falcon has violated... Sebi Act," the regulator said.

Noting that Falcon is "liable for monetary penalty", Sebi slapped a fine of Rs 35 lakh on the firm.

In a separate order, the regulator imposed a penalty of Rs 4 lakh on Excel Castronics' non executive director Payal Jayeshbhai Madiyar for disclosure lapses.

In August 2014, the holdings of Payal in Excel Castronics increased from 3,91,532 shares to 4,20,762 shares, which is 5.167 per cent of the share capital of the company.

For the change in holding, Payal failed to make relevant disclosures in terms of SAST (Substantial Acquisition and Takeovers) Regulation and PIT (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulation.

It is held that Payal has violated SAST and PIT Regulations, Sebi said and imposed a penalty of Rs 4 lakh on her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP president Amit Shah on Friday asked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi if he supported "urban Naxals" plotting to assassinate the prime minister and demanded he clarifies his stand on the issue to people in poll-bound Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Shah's comments come in the wake of the Maharashtra police arresting five human rights activists late last month for their alleged links with Maoists.

"The BJP government in Maharashtra recently arrested urban Maoists. Questions were raised about their arrest as they have the right to speak. Shouldn't those possessing mortar (guns) and plotting to assassinate the prime minister be arrested?" Shah asked.

He asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi if he supported those who "wanted to break the country".

"The Congress president should make clear his party's stand on the Maoist issue in the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan," Shah, addressing a gathering of party workers, said.

He alleged that Gandhi and the UPA have no concern for national security.

"Our party's stand is clear right from the time of foundation of the Jan Sangh (the BJP's predecessor) that we have zero tolerance for anti-national forces," he added.

The BJP chief also lauded the efforts of chief minister Raman Singh's government for eliminating the menace of Naxalism from Chhattisgarh.

Speaking about the publication of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Shah said the BJP will ensure that no illegal infiltrator stays in the country.

"The National Register of Citizens was implemented and prima facie as many as 40 lakh people were identified as illegal immigrants in Assam," he said.

"Suddenly they (Congress) started showing concern for human rights of infiltrators," he added.

"Rahul Gandhi should answer (why) he can speak of human rights of infiltrators but can not speak about human rights of people who suffer due to illegal immigrants," Shah said.

"He can not see human rights of people killed in bomb blasts. He should think of human rights of the youths of the country instead of that of infiltrators," he added.

"Rahul Gandhi, do whatever you want to do, but in 2019, the BJP will not allow any infiltrator to stay in the country after it again storms to power...It is our resolution," the BJP chief said.

"When the Jan Sangh was formed, it had only 10 members but now it (the BJP) has around 15 crore active members and the flag of the BJP is now flying over around 70 per cent of the country," he said.

He asked party workers to work hard so that the BJP has a strong presence from panchayat to Parliament for the next fifty years.

Shah also mocked Gandhi, calling him "Rahul baba" and saying he is "day-dreaming" about the Congress' victory in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, BJP-ruled states where elections are due by year-end.

"There is no ban on dreaming, but who dreams in broad daylight with eyes open?" Shah asked.

The Congress president should see the poll results since 2014 and then he will realise what is going to happen in these three poll-bound states, he said.

Expressing confidence of a fourth consecutive victory for the BJP in Chhattisgarh, Shah asked the party workers to resolve to win at least 65 out of 90 seats.

Singh and other party leaders were present on the occasion.

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City-based BTL EPC Ltd, part of the Shrachi Group, has bagged a Rs 230 crore turnkey project in Bangladesh, a top official said Friday.

This is the first international project for the company which it won from BHEL for Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Ltd (BIFPCL).

"For the past two years, we have completed several projects successfully for NTPC and BHEL. By winning the order in Bangladesh, we have a new-found confidence for international projects now," Ravi Todi, Managing Director of BTL EPC told PTI.

He said as of now, the focus will be on completing the Bangladesh order on time following which the company will bid for other international projects more aggressively.

"We have submitted a number of (engineering) drawings to German engineering and consultant firm Fichtner for the 30-month project in Bangladesh. After 6-9 months, we will proactively bid for other international prohects," Todi said.

Maitree STPP (Maitree Super Thermal Power Project) is a 2 X 660 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power station at Rampal Upazila of Bagerhat District in Khulna, Bangladesh. It is a 50:50 joint venture between NTPC and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), he said.

The project comprises design, engineering, manufacturing supply, erection and commissioning, and handing over conveyor package for 2 X 660 MW for BIFPCL, Bangladesh, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang shown during a meeting with Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the Presidential Palace during the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Official media say Quang has died at age 61 due to illness.

"President Quang's legacy is a multi-year crackdown on human rights and putting more political prisoners behind bars in Vietnam than any time in recent memory", said Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director, Human Rights Watch.

The website statement said Quang passed away despite "utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese and foreign professors and doctors and care by the Party and State leaders".

At an APEC meeting in Danang in November past year, he hosted a group of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping. Two weeks later, Quang was reportedly visibly unwell and stumbled during a visit by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on September 11.

Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang has died on Friday, state television and radio announced.

His last public appearance was at a Politburo meeting and a reception for a Chinese delegation on Wednesday.

Prior to serving as president, Quang had been the head of the Ministry of Public Safety, the country's de facto security and intelligence service, which has been singled out by global critics of Vietnam's human rights record.

Quang was from Quang Thien Commune, Kim Son District, Ninh Binh Province in northern Vietnam.

He had a reputation as a tough leader who was influential within the inner circles of the country's communist party.

Quang was a member the Politburo, the decision-making body of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Skoda Auto India Friday said Pavel Richter will take over as Production Technical Director of the Skoda-led India 2.0 project of Volkswagen Group with effect from November 1, 2018.

Richter (46) will be responsible for the production of all the models at Pune plant.

"With his experience, he will play a crucial role in achieving our common goal of further strengthening the Volkswagen Group's position in the strategically important Indian market," Volkswagen India Managing Director and President Andreas Lauermann said in a statement.

Richter has been working for Skoda Auto since 2000, and has performed various managerial roles in the Czech Republic as well as other international markets.

"Richter has known the company for many years and has considerable expertise in the international automotive industry. With his capabilities, he will play a key role in making the 'INDIA 2.0' project successful," Skoda Auto India MD Gurpratap Boparai said.

Skoda is responsible for the VW Group's planned model campaign in the Indian market, for which one billion euros will be invested between 2019 and 2021.

Under 'India 2.0' project, all models designed and produced locally in the future will be based on Volkswagen Groups MQB platform, and Skoda Auto will launch a volume segment model based on sub-compact MQB A0 platform by 2020.

In the second phase, the company will look at the possibility of exporting the vehicles manufactured in India.

Skoda and Volkswagen plan to develop various models on the MQB A0 platform. The companies also mulling to launch an SUV in 2020 under the joint programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's Kidambi Srikanth Friday lost to reigning world champion Kento Momota in the quarterfinals, ending his campaign at the USD one million China Open BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournament here.

The 24-year-old Indian, who had a 3-7 head-to-head record against Momota, couldn't find a chink in the Japanese's armour, losing 9-21 11-21 to the world No.2 in a lop-sided contest.

Srikanth had lost to Momota at the Malaysia Open and Indonesia Open in June and July respectively.

The Indian was no match for Momota, who has been in sensational form since making a comeback after serving a one year ban for visiting an illegal casino.

Srikanth lagged 1-5 initially. He recovered to 4-5 with three straight points but couldn't put up a fight as Momota surged to a huge 19-6 lead before pocketing the first game.

The second game was no different as Momota moved from 4-3 to 13-3 with nine straight points. He continued to dominate the proceedings to seal the contest without much effort.

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The West Bengal government has initiated measures to procure paddy directly from farmers, the payment for which will be credited to their bank accounts within 72 hours, state minister Jyoti Priya Mallick said.

The Trinmool Congress government has sanctioned Rs 4,646 crore for this "first-of-its-kind initiative in the country", the food and supply minister said at Kalyani in Nadia district Thursday, after inaugurating a sub-divisional building of his department.

"The state will arrange for a registration drive to provide farmers with an identity card for the paddy programme. All farmers will be receiving payments in their bank accounts within 72 hours of procurement," Mallick stated.

The system will "check exploitation" of farmers at the hands of middlemen and procurement agencies, he said.

"Here, at Nadia, the registration drive will begin on October 1 and continue till the end of the month. Around 500 self-help groups (SHGs) will be engaged for the process.

"Once any SHG accumulates paddy and informs the district office of Food and Supply Department, the officials will collect the stock in the next 24 hours. The SHGs will get Rs 31.25 as commission for each quintal," Mallick explained.

A toll-free number will be set up at the district offices to attend the calls of SHGs.

"The Centre had earlier this year fixed Minimum Support Price for paddy at Rs 1750 per quintal. The TMC government, however, will be doling out Rs 20 more for every quintal to encourage the farmers. The state will have to spend Rs 150 crore more the 'encouragement allowance'."



Stating that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) owes Rs 400 crore to the government for rice procurement under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the minister said the matter had led to a tussle between the central departments.

"We provided them 2 lakh MT of rice to FCI for which it was supposed to pay 400 crore. But no payments were made in the past one year. The state had been bearing losses running into lakhs of rupees every day," Mallick said.

Despite the losses, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the Food and Supply Department to continue providing rice to FCI as it does not want any child to starve in Bengal, he said.

"To ensure that no one goes to bed hungry, we will give people rice and wheat at Rs 2 per kg," Mallick added.

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Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Friday said calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan was bad as both the countries owed it to the people of the state to carry on the dialogue.

"Calling off meeting between India & Pak's FMs is bad for J&K. Both countries owe it to people of state & country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. Inspite of a historic mandate, it is media & not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda," Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

Barely 24 hours after agreeing to the engagement, the government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Announcing the cancellation of the meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks. He added that talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

Mehbooba had earlier welcomed the proposed meeting between the two foreign ministers.

"Accepting peace overtures of Pakistan's PM Imran Khan by agreeing to a meeting between India & Pakistan's Foreign Ministers is a welcome step. Even though it has come towards the fag end of NDA's tenure, better late than never," she had earlier said on Twitter.

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Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) announced Friday the national roll out of its farmer-to-farmer tractor sharing platform through its JFarm Services.

Farmers looking to rent their existing tractors and farm equipment are linked directly to farmers seeking to hire them through 'farmer-to-farmer model' of JFarm Services app, the company said.

JFarm Services facilitates free of cost the hiring of tractors and modern farm machinery to farmers and enable them to contact farmer entrepreneurs, negotiate rental prices and fulfil their respective requirement, it added.

TAFE Chairman and CEO Mallika Srinivasan said, "With this launch we aim to touch millions of farmers who have no access to farm mechanisation and modern technology, while accelerating the progress towards the Prime Minister's vision of doubling farm incomes by 2022."



The initial pilot roll-out of JFarm Services covers Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, directly benefitting around 60,000 users resulting in over 1 lakh orders, adding up to about 2.5 lakh hours in hired farm machinery usage, the company said.

TAFE is collaborating with various state governments like Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Assam to rollout the JFarm services platform, it added.

"The nationwide launch of JFarm Services - farm equipment rental platform as a CSR initiative is aligned to TAFE's vision of cultivating the world and our commitment to the economic well-being of Indian farmers," she added.

Farmers who own small parcels of land across India can now hire state-of-the-art farm equipment to increase their productivity and income significantly, TAFE said.

The app can be used on low-cost Android phones and is designed to run on very little data. Farmers who do not own smart or feature phones can use a toll-free helpline.

Besides, the platform also provides periodic updates on local weather, market, agri- and mandi prices without any fee, it added.

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Two days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat pitched for early construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena Friday acknowledged his commitment, but questioned that of the "politicians" towards the cause.

Attacking BJP chief Amit Shah, the Shiv Sena said he speaks with confidence about the Bharatiya Janata Party ruling the country for 50 years, but "refrains" from commenting on the issues of scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution, that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and the Ram temple.

The BJP's carping ally, in the editorial of its mouthpiece 'Saamana', asked the Narendra Modi government to take "seriously" the issue of constructing Ram temple in Ayodhya after Bhagwat's comments.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, however, opined that the temple issue has been reduced only to a poll promise and therefore, has become a topic for ridiculing Hindutva.

Bhagwat, speaking at an event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Wednesday in New Delhi, pitched for early construction of Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.

"Ram Mandir should be built at the earliest," he had said.

"The position taken by the RSS chief on the issue of the (Ram) temple is of commitment. But has there left even an iota of that commitment in the inner hues of (among) politicians?" the Shiv Sena asked.

"Shah speaks with a lot of confidence about the BJP ruling the country for 50 years. But refrains from commenting on repealing Article 370 or committing deadline for construction of the Ram temple.

"Are the rising petrol and diesel prices and beheading of soldiers the future of India?" the Marathi daily asked.

Speaking at the event, Bhagwat had also talked about the RSS being firm on scrapping of Article 370.

Referring to that, the Shiv Sena asked why did then the BJP form government in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, which is opposed to the idea of scrapping the Article.

"Mehbooba would say there would be riots if that Article was to be scrapped. So, was it right for (the BJP) to get married to her (party PDP) for power?



"And it was a Sangh volunteer like Ram Madhav who performed the role of a kazi (priest) in that wedding," the party, a constituent of the BJP-led NDA, quipped.

Madhav, a BJP general secretary, is considered as being instrumental in the BJP and the PDP coming together to form government in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015. The BJP quit the alliance in June this year, leading to the collapse of the PDP-led government.

The Shiv Sena further said if "anyone" wants to remain in power for 50 years, the RSS chief then needs to rap the "politicians" (to set things right).

"But none is ready to tell the truth today," the party added.

The Maharashtra-based party also pointed towards Bhagwat condemning and terming as "unacceptable" mob lynching in the name of cow protection.

"But all were happy with Hindu votes getting polarised in the aftermath of violence unleashed by cow protectors on streets," the Shiv Sena publication said, without naming anyone or any party.

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Teachers will be provided digital training in connection with the change in the curriculum of Classes I to VIII from the academic year 2018-19, Maharashtra Minister Vinod Tawde said Friday.

He said that the training would be broadcast on Gujarat's free Doordarshan DTH channel.

He informed reporters that broadcasting the training modules on Maharashtra's DD Sahyadri channel would have come at a cost whereas the Gujarat government, which has 16 educational channels, had offered to beam it free on the "Vande Gujarat" channel.

He added that the training would be in Marathi.

Responding to criticism from the opposition on using a channel from Gujarat, Tawde said, "We haven't used the services of any channel from Pakistan."



The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde, however, criticised the decision and said that if the state government had so much love for Gujarat, then it should shift the capital to Gandhinagar.

Referring to a decision by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to observe September 29 as "surgical strike day" to commemorate India's 2016 cross-border action to destroy Pakistan-based terror camps, Tawde said it would be implemented.

"Ensuring that this feat of the soldiers reaches all students is a good initiative," Tawde said.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had Thursday directed varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as "Surgical strike day".

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Three babies and two adults were slashed at a child care centre Friday in New York City, police said.

A 52-year-old woman working at the centre has been arrested after the 3:30 am assault in the Queens borough of the city.

The woman was found in the basement of the in-home centre with self-inflicted cuts to her wrists, a New York Police Department official told AFP.

Two baby girls and a baby boy were attacked by the woman, the officer said on condition of anonymity.

One of the girls is in serious condition, he said.

The two adults were a co-worker at the facility and the father of one of the infants, the officer said.

He said he had no other details of the attack.

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The Jammu and Kashmir Police paid tributes to three policemen who were abducted and killed by militants in the state's Shopian district Friday.

Senior officials from the administration and police, led by Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, S P Pani laid wreaths and paid floral tributes to Constable Nisar Ahmad and special police officers Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh.

"The wreath laying ceremony for three of our colleagues who were martyred today in a barbaric act of terrorism was held at the District Police Lines in Shopian," a police spokesman said.

The three policemen were killed by militants after being abducted in south Kashmir's Shopian district early Friday.

The bodies of the policemen were recovered from an orchard.

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US President Donald Trump on Friday questioned the credibility of a California professor who accused his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, contending that if the alleged attack was so bad then she would have reported it to the law enforcement when the incident happened 36 years ago.

Last Sunday, Christine Blasey Ford, the professor, alleged that some 36 years ago she was sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh and one of his friend. The incident derailed her substantially for four, five years.

Trump's tweet marked a sharp break from the days after the accusation first surfaced, during which he refrained from attacking Ford and said she deserved to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Judge Kavanaugh, who is Trump's nominee for Supreme Court has denied the allegations. He would be appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. Ford, who is a professor at Palo Alto University, has demanded an FBI investigation before she can appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for testimony.

The allegation of sexual assault has put the entire conformation process of Judge Kavanaugh in turmoil, with the opposition Democratic leaders demanding an FBI investigation into the 36-year-old incident before they can proceed with the motion to confirm judge Kavanaugh.

Trump in a series of tweets on Friday defended his nominee. "The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didn't someone call the FBI 36 years ago?" he asked.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!" Trump said.

"Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who don't want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts don't matter. I go through this with them every single day in DC," asserted the US president.

Appearing on CNN, Trump's close advisor Kellyanne Conway said it's very unusual for a person making an allegation to go second and not first.

"If you're the plaintiff, if you're the complainant in say a criminal proceeding, which of course this is not, nobody's been charged with a crime, then you go first because you lay out your case, you lay out your allegation to which the person you are accusing responds. That's a bedrock principle. So asking for that usual sequence to be reversed itself is very unusual," she said.

Responding to a question, Conway hoped that Ford is not being used by the Democrats because that are who breached her confidentiality from the beginning.

"She asked to remain anonymous and they blew her cover," she said.

Ford told The Washington Post in an interview published online that Kavanaugh drunkenly pinned her to a bed on her back, groped her and put his hand over her mouth to stifle her screams at a house party in the early 1980s.

Ford said she told no one at the time what had happened to her. She was terrified, she said, that she would be in trouble if her parents realized she had been at a party where teenagers were drinking, and she worried they might figure it out even if she did not tell them.

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Walmart, the biggest US retailer, warned the Trump administration the newest round of tariffs on imported Chinese goods could prompt it to raise prices on products from shampoo to bicycles to food. "The immediate impact will be to raise prices on consumers and tax American business and manufacturers".

Next week, the United States will place a ten-percent tariff on 200 billion dollars worth of goods from China. That penalty will rise to 25 percent beginning January 1.

According to reports, China could lower the tariffs as early as next month.

Walmart said the tariff would impact prices of everything from food products to beverages and personal care items. "Furthermore, none of these items are related to intellectual property or trade secrets and it is hard to see how taxing these goods will resolve these more complex trade challenges".

Chinese billionaire and Alibaba founder Jack Ma said a pledge to create 1 million new jobs in the United States won't happen, thanks to President Donald Trump's tough stance on trade with Beijing.

Beijing is reportedly looking at lowering import tariffs on global trading partners, which could include the U.S.

The trade war has started to hit Chinese cities and provinces, especially those that depend on US order books.

Walmart confirmed it sent the letter and in a statement to Reuters urged the two countries to find solutions.

While the direct economic impact of the dispute on China has so far been limited, the trade tensions could rapidly push Chinese exporters to switch away from the USA market, a former chief of China's central bank said on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump will call for global action on the world drug problem, lay out his vision of the US role in the world, and urge a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters Friday that Trump's focus "will be very much on the United States," its role and the relations it wants to build, and "how we can make the American people proud, and what actions we can show that really live up to that."



"He is looking forward to talking about foreign policy successes the United States has had over the past year and where we're going to go from here," she said.

"He wants to talk about protecting US sovereignty," and "we want to continue to build relationships" with other countries that "share those values." Haley said Trump will address a high-level event Monday on the "Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem," which 124 countries have already signed up to support. She said the US is looking forward to more signatories.

The president will address the assembly's 193 member nations at the official opening Tuesday morning of the global gabfest known as the General Debate.

Haley said Trump will talk about the generosity of the United States. "But he'll also lay down a marker that while the United States is generous, we're going to be generous to those who share our values, generous to those who want to work with us, and not those that try and stop the United States or say they hate America, or are counterproductive to what we're doing," she said.

She said Trump on Wednesday will chair a Security Council meeting which was expanded from focusing on Iran to nonproliferation, including chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain.

Haley predicted, "I'm sure that is going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever." Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, chaired two Security Council meetings, one in 2009 focusing on nuclear disarmament and another in 2014 on "foreign terrorist fighters." Haley said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will chair a council meeting Thursday to look at on North Korea's progress toward denuclaearization which she called "baby steps" and the council's commitments to enforce tough sanctions.

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US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would chair a UN Security Council meeting on Iran next week, nearly a month ahead of the November 4 deadline of the full US sanctions against Tehran coming into force.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration had withdrawn from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal and reimposed a series of tough sanctions on Iran.

While the first phase of sanctions is already in place, the sanctions would come into full force on November 4 and the US expects all countries, including India, to bring down their import of Iranian oil to zero by then.

The US government has made it clear that any country that continues to do business with Iran will be blocked from accessing the American banking and financial system.

"I will Chair the United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran next week!" Trump tweeted.

Trump is expected to see international support on his Iranian policy in the meeting.

Trump's envoy to the UN on Thursday said that it would be the most watched meeting of the 15-member body.

"It will be the most watched Security Council meeting ever...But he (Trump) will be with all of these heads of countries and he is not going to just talk about Iran. He is going to talk about the chemical weapons issue that we had to work on this month alone to keep from happening in Lebanon and Syria," Nikki Haley told Fox

The US sanctions on Iran are not endorsed by the UN and India, one of the biggest importers of Iranian oil, is likely to resist the American pressure as it has been a traditional policy of New Delhi to enforce only UNSC-authorised sanctions.

The Trump administration is currently in talks with India on issues related to Iranian sanctions.

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US President Donald Trump will not back down from the ongoing trade war with China and make it "unbearably painful" for Beijing, former White House chief strategist and Trump's aide Steve Bannon said Friday.

Trump has been ramping up pressure on China in the last three months to reduce the USD 336 billion trade deficit in the USD 710.4 billion bilateral trade slapping three rounds of sanctions.

On Tuesday, Trump slapped 10 per cent tariffs on USD 200 billion worth of Chinese imports and the duties which will rise to whopping 25 per cent at the end of the year.

This is the third round of tariffs imposed by Trump. China for its part is retaliating by imposing tariffs on a range of US exports.

Trump also alleged that China had been unwilling to change its unfair trade practices and the new additional tariff structure would give fair and reciprocal treatment to American firms.

Trump's strategy is to make the trade war with China "unprecedentedly large" and "unbearably painful" for Beijing, and he will not back down before victory, Bannon told the South China Morning Post in an interview.

He said the aim is not just to force China to give up on its "unfair trade practices" but the ultimate goal was to "re-industrialise America", because manufacturing is the core of a nation's power.

Trump would "never back down in the trade war (with China)", even though the president anticipated the policy would face "massive resistance domestically and internationally", he said.

The Trump's aide also took aim at the "Made in China 2025" plan an attempt by Beijing to catch up with the West in 10 key technology sectors, saying China was using generous government support to reduce its reliance on the West for future technology.

Bannon, who claimed to have helped Trump draw up the trade war plan, said that in the past, tariffs had been limited to imports of between roughly USD 10 billion and USD 30 billion but the sheer magnitude of the more than USD 500 billion in question this time had "caught Beijing off guard".

"It's not just any tariff. It's tariffs on a scale and depth that is previously inconceivable in US history," he said.

He said Beijing had relied on "round after round of talks" to take the momentum out of the US punitive measures, but the delaying tactics would not work.

"They always want to have a strategic dialogue to tap things along. They never envisioned that somebody would actually do this," he said.

He and Trump were convinced the US would win and there were signs the Chinese elite were too, with "so many senior Chinese officials exhausting all channels" to move their money out of China and into real estate in San Francisco, Los Angeles and midtown Manhattan.

"Why (does there have) to be massive capital controls placed on Chinese money? Otherwise all will flee to midtown Manhattan. They want to buy real assets in the US. That shows you a dramatic lack of confidence in their own economy," he said.

Bannon, who left the Trump administration after a tumultuous seven-month stint, said trade had always been at the top of Trump's campaign strategy.

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Two private security guards of a bank were killed Friday allegedly by unidentified assailants in a loot attempt in Noida city, police said.

The incident took place early in the morning when the guards were on duty at the Punjab National Bank's Circle Office branch in Sector 1, they said.

"It appears that the two security guards were hit on their head by sharp objects which led to their death," Circle Officer, City 1st, Avneesh Kumar told PTI.

"No robbery has been reported although the crime appears to be a robbery attempt at the bank," he said.

The deceased have been identified as Mudrika Prasad, around 50, and Mukesh, around 35, according to a police official.

The bodies have been sent for post mortem, said the official from Sector 20 police station, which is probing the matter.

An investigation is underway to identify the culprits, Kumar said.

Phone calls for response to the PNB branch concerned went unanswered till the time the report was filed.

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Sri Lanka's Parliament on Friday voted to suspend two of its Opposition members for misbehaving and insulting Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in July.

The motions against Wimal Weerawansa and Prasanna Ranaweera were adopted by majority vote for their suspension for two weeks. They were part of a parliamentary fracas in the mid July when they raised the issue of alleged violation of the constitution by a Tamil state minister.

Both the members of the Joint Opposition were found to have led a rumpus in the Parliament on July 3 when the House discussed an allegedly inflammatory statement made by MP Vijayakala Maheswaran regarding the the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a banned terrorist organisation.

The two backers of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa were accused of the bad behaviour while disobeying the orders of the speaker.

Weerawansa, Ranaweera and other Opposition members moved Jayasuriya to suspend her from parliament. Jayasuriya said he could only take action against her after the due procedure.

The LTTE, which fought for the creation of an independent Tamil state in the north and east of the country. It was decimated by the Sri Lankan military in 2009 after the killing of its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

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The British government is set to launch a new 250 million pounds cyber-force unit to help combat terrorist groups, criminal gangs and hostile states, a media report said on Friday.

The taskforce, to be set by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), will be made up of around 2,000 recruits from the military and security services industry, almost quadrupling the number of people in current offensive cyber-crime roles in the country, The Times reports.

The unit will take on and monitor domestic crime groups as well as hostile states such as Russia and terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS). It is expected to be announced soon and follows a review ordered by UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, the newspaper said.

A government spokesperson said: "The MoD and GCHQ have a long and proud history of working together...We are both committed to continuing to invest in this area, given the real threats the UK faces."



The unit will be given the initial working name of "joint cyber-force" and have its own headquarters at possible MoD sites of Royal Air Force Wyton in Cambridgeshire and MoD Corsham in Wiltshire.

Robert Hannigan, former head of GCHQ described as the UK intelligence's listening post, said: "With some nation states (and) criminal groups behaving very aggressively, you do need some capability to be destructive yourself in a targeted way to stop some of those things happening."



The plans for the new cyber-force emerged as present and former intelligence officers shared some insight into cyber-tactics Britain used against ISIS in Syria and Iraq with the newspaper.

"The military used malware to block terrorists' access to data, disseminated fake stories to confuse fanatics, and disrupted cash transactions," the report claims.

"The operation also involved the dissemination of fake to sow confusion among Islamic State's supporters and techniques to disrupt the terrorists' cash transactions. Measures that interfered with the group's funding and logistics made it harder for it to pay its militants and buy weapons, ammunition, food and supplies," it adds.

Analysts believe that the disappearance of 'Rumiyah', a monthly online ISIS propaganda publication that was translated into 10 languages, may have been thanks to offensive cyber-operations undertaken by Western allies.

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British Prime Minister Theresa May will shortly make a statement on the Brexit negotiations, her office said Friday.

The televised statement in Downing Street, due at 12.45 GMT, comes the day after European Union leaders rejected key elements of her Brexit plan during a summit in Salzburg.

They gave her until a summit in October to come up with new proposals on the future economic relationship -- even though she insists her plan is the only way -- and the issue of the Irish border.

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As leaders and foreign ministers from UN member states arrive here next week for the high-level General Assembly session, the situation in global hotspots such as Syria and Yemen as well as pressing issues like climate change and peacekeeping will occupy the centre stage.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Friday emphasised he will make a call for renewed commitment to a rules-based global order.

The 73rd session of the UN General Assembly commenced on September 18 under the leadership of GA President Mara Fernanda Espinosa, the former minister of foreign affairs of Ecuador.

The world body's annual high-level segment formally known as the 'General Debate' begins on September 25, where every country's leader gets to address the world.

US President Donald Trump will deliver his second address to the world body on the morning of September 25, after speeches by Guterres and Brazil.

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will address the global organization on September 29.

"The presence of 84 Heads of State and 44 Heads of Government is eloquent proof of the confidence of the international community in the United Nations," Guterres said here Friday in a press conference ahead of the commencement of the high-level week.

He expressed concern that just at a time when the world needs multilateralism the most, it is under attack from many different directions.

Guterres added that he will use his meetings and other opportunities next week to "press for renewed commitment to a rules-based global order and to the United Nations".

Highlighting pressing peace and security challenges that will be the focus during the high-level week, Guterres said he had appealed to avert a full-scale military operation in Syria's Idlib province.

Welcoming the recent agreement between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Vladimir Putin of Russia to create a demilitarised buffer zone in Idlib region, he said if properly implemented, this could save three million civilians including one million children from catastrophe.

"I call on all the parties to implement the agreement with a strong commitment to the protection of civilians, and to ensure humanitarian access, adhere to international humanitarian law and work urgently for greater progress in the Geneva process, in particular supporting my Special Envoy in the creation of a constitutional committee," he said.

On Yemen, Guterres said civilians continue to bear the brunt of the war in the country, including from air strikes by the coalition forces and ground fighting by all parties. In addition, missiles continued to be fired by Houthi forces into Saudi Arabia. "We are all aware of the difficulties being encountered by my Special Envoy in his tireless efforts to create conditions for dialogue and for a political process. I call on all sides to engage seriously and I call on their supporters to avoid steps that fuel the fighting," he said.

The busy agenda of the UNGA high-level week will cover the full spectrum of international issues, including sustainable development, climate change, peace and security, human rights, public health concerns and gender equality.

The 73rd session will include a high-level meeting on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on September 24; an event to renew international commitment and Action for Peacekeeping a day later on the 25th; a high-level side event on Violence Against LGBTI Individuals, also on September 25; a high-level event on Ending Tuberculosis on the 26th, a series of humanitarian-themed events, including the Yemen and South Sudan responses, and many more.

When asked about Myanmar, Guterres said it is "not acceptable" to have Reuters journalists in jail for doing their work. "It is my deep belief that that should not happen, and I hope that the government will be able to provide a pardon to release them as quickly as possible," he said.

Responding to a question on Afghanistan, he said while the way for peace is difficult, he strongly believes that dialogue is necessary between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

"And I hope that the circumstances will allow for that dialogue to take place and for that dialogue to be successful. I know it's complex. I know it's difficult, but it's also the only way possible to then be able to more effectively combat terrorist organisations that operate in the country."



Outlining the three key meetings he will convene in the days ahead, Guterres said he will launch a new strategy called "Youth2030" on September 24 as well as an initiative named "Generation Unlimited".

The UN Chief would also launch a strategy to mobilize financing for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"I often speak about a surge in diplomacy. Our world also needs a surge in investment in the Sustainable Development Goals. It is important that all developed countries meet the commitments they made in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda," he said.

Guterres said a key focus for him next week will also be gender parity at the United Nations and ensuring zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

On September 24, the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit will take place, and member states are expected to adopt a political declaration which was drafted throughout the year.

The text declares 2019-2028 the "Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace".

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that his government will promote those investing in the tourism sector which was also creating new employment opportunities in the state.

"UP has emerged as a good investment destination and under the proposal of investments received by the government, several are in the hospitality sector...the state government will promote those investing for promoting tourism and creating employment opportunities through it.

"The intention is to ensure investment of Rs 5,000 crore per year in this sector," the chief minister said at the annual convention of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) here Thursday.

Stressing that there are immense opportunities in the wellness and spiritual tourism sectors in the state, the chief minister pointed out that tourist centres were being developed in a manner so as to attract tourists from across the country and world.

Referring to 'Kumbha 2019', he said that around 13 crore people are estimated to participate in the world's vastest spiritual, religious, cultural congregation from across the globe.

The chief minister also inaugurated a three-day travel and tourism exhibition -



India Travel Mart - organised in collaboration with UP Tourism and FHRAI.

Uttar Pradesh Minister for Tourism Rita Bahuguna Joshi was also present on the occasion.

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Authorities in New Jersey have called for the resignation of a senior law enforcement official after a secret recording surfaced in which he allegedly made racist remarks about America's first Sikh-American Attorney General Gurbir Grewal over his turban.

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino allegedly made multiple controversial remarks in a Janaury 16 conversation that took place after Phil Murphy was inaugurated as governor of New Jersey, the recordings of which were obtained by WNYC.

In the audio, Saudino is heard saying that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy appointed Grewal because of "the turban".

"He didn't do that because of Bergen County; he did that because of the turban," Saudino said of Murphy's selection of Grewal, who at the time was the Bergen County prosecutor.

Grewal tweeted that he had listened to the recording.

"If that's in fact Sheriff Saudino's voice, then he should resign immediately, Grewal said.

Grewal further tweeted that he has "got thick skin and I've been called far worse. But the comments about the African-American community are wrong, racist, and hurtful. The comments about our Lieutenant Governor are inappropriate and homophobic. New Jersey and Bergen County deserve better."



In July this year, Grewal was racially targeted by two radio hosts who repeatedly called him the "turban man" on air.

Murphy is also called for the resignation of Saudino following the emergence of the secret recording.

In the available audio, Saudino, using expletives, says: " let the blacks come insmoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops..." On Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, he is heard asking if she is gay "Because she's never been married."



WNYC said in a report that the conversation was recorded on Januray 16, following Murphy's gubernatorial inauguration, which Saudino attended. The report quoted Murphy as saying that "without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office." He added that if indeed that is Saudino's voice on the recording, "he must resign."A report in NJ.com said Saudino offered his "sincere apology to the people of Bergen County for the insensitive recorded remarks made public.

In a statement issued by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office Director of Communications, he said.

"In an effort to repair the damage to the friendships that I have built with these communities I have reached out directly to several respected leaders in the communities I have offended and I have personally offered my apologizes and I have asked for their forgiveness and for their communities' forgiveness.

Not commenting about the calls for his resignation, he said the remarks made by him "are not representative of the person that I am and they are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County."



Sikh advocacy group Sikh Coalition condemned Saudino's comments, demanding that Saudino immediately apologize and resign from his position.

"Tone at the top matters and we must hold our public officials accountable for this despicable bigotry. Law enforcement needs to provide trainings in order to restore trust and demonstrate that hate will not be tolerated," Sikh Coalition Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager Sim Singh said.

The Sikh Coalition also called for cultural awareness and anti-bias trainings for all staff employed by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office on behalf of the communities impacted by Saudino's remarks.

The group said that the remarks by Saudino joins the line of racist moments that Grewal has experienced throughout his life. In July 2018, two New Jersey radio hosts faced severe backlash and criticism after they made disrespectful remarks about the Attorney General. Since becoming the first Sikh state Attorney General in the United States, AG Grewal is regularly subjected to death threats, the group added.

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Ahead of the launch of the Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Scheme, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Friday urged doctors to be a part of this "unprecedented opportunity" to serve with sharp focus on cleanliness and affordable healthcare.

He said the flagship scheme is expected to provide a fillip to India's goal of achieving universal health coverage.

At the 19th convocation and award ceremony of the National Board of Examinations (NBE), Naidu said, despite the progress on economic front, public and private financial resources continue to be scarce, there is a need to look at delivering healthcare at an affordable cost.

In view of the low penetration of medical health insurance and an estimated 62.58 per cent of the people meeting medical and hospitalisation expenses on their own, the Centre has conceived of 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme, aiming to provide financial protection to 10.74 crore deprived rural families by offering a benefit cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year, he said.

"A large part of Indian population lives in rural India. Despite several governmental initiatives, we have been unable to provide adequate healthcare facilities to our rural people, the farmers and their families who feed us.

"At present, most parts of rural India have limited access to specialist healthcare, and this crisis partly stems from reluctance of our doctors to go and work in rural centres.

"We must find ways and means to ensure that every citizen benefits from the advancements in medicine. There have been many instances in which families have been driven into penury and debt-traps due to huge medical costs incurred on the treatment of their dear ones," he said.

Naidu urged doctors to go the rural areas and serve them.

He also pitched for mandatory posting of fresh MBBS graduates in rural areas before granting them their first promotion as part of a possible solution to address the shortage of doctors in the hinterland.

The vice president further said medical tourism was becoming a reality and people from different parts of the world are coming to India for treatment.

"In addition, there are a number of people who are looking towards India for holistic health practices including yoga and Ayurveda that can complement allopathic medicine.

"Make India a trusted healthcare destination and lend a healing touch to the suffering humanity, a touch that only you can give with your knowledge, skills and attitude," he said.

Urging them to be empathetic towards the patients, Naidu urged them to also educate, advise and counsel them to follow cleanliness and maintain a good lifestyle.

In his speech, he also asked them never be content or complacent with the status quo.

"As medical scientists, epidemiologists and clinicians, you must continue your experiments with truth and extend the frontiers of scientific and medical knowledge.

"Knowledge, tempered with such values will always stand in you in good stead, sharpen your intellect and above all will make you a good human being. You must continue and enrich grand tradition and for this, it is crucial for you to develop critical thinking," he said in a tweet.

As doctors, you have an unprecedented opportunity to serve and be a part of this inclusive growth that India is aiming for with sharp focus on cleanliness and affordable healthcare, he said.

"Make India a trusted healthcare destination and lend a healing touch to the suffering humanity, a touch that only you can give with your knowledge, skills and attitude," he said.

At the convocation ceremony, 306 doctors, including eight from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, received the Gold Medal in their respective specialty and 61 medical teachers were honoured for their exemplary work in the field of modern medicine.

The NBE also conferred degrees to 20,534 Post Graduates doctors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The states should not fear if a matter is pending before the Supreme Court as it is not a "man-eating tiger", the top court has said.

"We are not a tiger or something. We are not man-eating tigers. They should not have fear," a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta observed.

The court's observation came when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for a private firm, argued that a petition filed against the company, alleging illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh, was aimed at pressurising the state government.

The counsel for Andhra Pradesh placed on record a recent order passed by the state government suspending mining operations by the Trimex Group.

Rohatgi said this was not a case of illegal mining and the state has taken this decision as the apex court was hearing the matter.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner and former senior bureaucrat EAS Sarma, said the state has only ordered suspension of the licence, but they should cancel it and recover the money from the company.

"The petition has been filed to pressurise the state to take a call. There is no case at all to say that it is illegal. We have to challenge it (order passed by the state)," Rohatgi said.

When he claimed that the state government's order has made the "attempt" by the petitioner "successful", the bench observed "a state government is not such helpless that one or two persons can coerce them."



It posted the matter for further hearing on September 27.

On July 9, the apex court had sought the reply of the Centre, Andhra Pradesh and the firm on the petition seeking a court-monitored SIT or CBI probe into the alleged illegal mining being carried out by the company in Andhra Pradesh.

Sarma, a former secretary to the union government, has alleged in his plea that the group was involved in illegal and unlawful activities, including mining and export of various minerals such as Monazite which is a prescribed substance as per the notifications issued under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

Claiming that such illegal mining has destroyed the environment and tree cover of the region, the plea has sought termination of the group's mining licence for violating various laws and sought a probe into the alleged illegal mining in the area.

It has also demanded a direction to the authorities to recover from the company the allegedly illegally accumulated wealth through illegal mining and related activities and launching of prosecutions under sections of the 1957 Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.

The money recovered should be used for the restoration of the environment, the plea has sought.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two unidentified men allegedly molested a woman security guard of the Central Railway on a goods train at Kalyan station in Thane district of Maharashtra, police said Friday.

A case under IPC section 354 (molestation) has been registered and police were searching for the culprits, an official said.

The complainant was posted as a security guard on a goods train. When the train was in the railway yard at Kalyan late Thursday evening, two men entered its brake-van and molested her, the official said.

Kalyan Railway Police are conducting further probe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The has endorsed an ambitious five-year framework for India under which it is expected to receive $25-30 billion in financial support for its transition from a low-middle income to a high-middle income country, a senior official from the global lender said.

The Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for India is aimed at supporting the country's transition to a higher middle-income country by addressing some of its key development priorities -- resource efficient and inclusive growth, job creation and building its human capital.

It is expected to bring between $25-30 billion in financial support for India from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

"With a fast-growing economy, global stature, and its unique experience of lifting the highest number of poor out of poverty in the past decades, India is well-positioned to become a high middle-income country by 2030," said Hartwig Schafer, South Asia vice president.

"It's a five-year framework that commits the Bank's engagement in India, both in areas where what we'll do, how we will work in these areas and the level of financial commitment. This is the first country partnership framework written with India," Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank, India, told PTI in an interview.

"The CPF was preceded by a systematic country diagnostic (SCD) that offered a narrative about India," Ahmad said.

Soon after the endorsed the CPF for India, Ahmad said, the Bank recognises the incredible growth and development of India over the last several decades.

"It recognises that India has gone from a low-income country status to a low-middle income. And now India is entering the economic transformation from low-middle income to high-middle income (country). This CPS is about how can the Bank support this transition," he said.

Noting that both the SCD is a highly consultative document, Ahmad said, the CPF is a joint document with the Indian government.

"I complement the World Bank Group for aligning the CPF with India's development and investment objectives of high, sustainable and inclusive growth," said Subhash Chandra Garg, Economic Affairs Secretary, in a statement.

Observing that the SCD basically said India's big story is steady growth from very low several decades back to a steady growth of seven per cent plus, Ahmad said, this document also showed that the growth is quite diversified.

"Some of it is based on export. A lot of it is based on an internal consumption and investment, unlike say China, which is highly export led growth. So India's is more broad based, diversified growth path," he said.

"Over time, this growth has become more stable and is resilient. Recently there were shocks on the economy, which included demonetisation and the GST implementation and there was this fall in the growth. But it is now rebounded, and not only has it gone back to seven per cent, this quarter it is at eight per cent," Ahmad said.

Based on the SCD goal of taking the Indian growth rate to eight per cent plus, the World Bank argued that there were several areas of engagement that were very important: natural resource management, jobs and competitiveness, and human development, he said, adding that the framework addresses these issues.

"The first point we make is that India needs to unleash the power of markets and private sector. It needs to leverage the private sector and in particular private capital. The challenge for the Bank is how do you take the little amount of money ultimately you're putting into the country and you go from being a lending bank to being a leveraging bank," Ahmad said.

He said to complement the transformational programmes, the Bank will also develop strategic state partnerships to address state-specific development priorities and support implementation capabilities at the state and the local level.

"The future of India lies in the states of India. The country's transition to high middle-income status will be determined in large part by the effectiveness of India's federal compact. In this context, an important focus of the CPF will be to deepen engagement with India's states and invest in the institutions and capabilities of the states and local governments to address their development priorities," Ahmad said.

He said the Bank was going for a "Lighthouse India" approach. "Lighthouse India basically means learning from the innovation of the states and sharing with other states. We also recognise that the learning is what India also has to offer the rest of the world. As it goes from low-income to middle-income to high-middle-income, its learning over its development path is going to be very valuable for other nations," he said.

"The Indian economy has evolved to a level where the private sector can be counted on to close large developmental gaps. Through this the CPF, the World Bank Group will help India leverage additional resources from the private sector to help India realise its full potential," said Jun Zhang, Country Head, IFC, India.

India is the largest IBRD client of the World Bank. Between 2015 and 2018, the World Bank lent around $10.2 billion to India.
A youth was brutally thrashed and killed by seven men after he tried to save his friend's sister from molesters in Ram Nagar area here, police said Friday.

The deceased, Dharmaraj (25), worked at a hosiery factory here.

According to a complaint filed by his father, accused Inderjit on September 17 had allegedly molested the sister of Dharmaraj's friend following which they both involved into a fight. But the next day, another accused Gurvinder told Dharmaraj that Inderjit wants to apologise and settle the matter.

They fixed a meeting late in the evening in the locality. There they had heated arguments following which the accused attacked Dharmraj with sticks and bricks.

One of the bricks hit him on the head. He was rushed to a civil hospital from where he was referred to Patiala. But he was declared brought dead.

According to Ludhiana Commissioner Police (CP) Sukhchain Singh Gill, two out of the seven accused have been arrested by the police under the charge of murder.

The Station House Officer at Jamalpur, Inspector Ravinderpal Singh, said a case under various sections of the IPC has been registered against the seven accused.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Reuters) - The "big four" accounting firms could be broken up under plans by UK's Labour Party to overhaul the auditing industry, Britain's shadow chancellor John McDonnell told The Financial Times on Friday.Lawmakers have accused EY, KPMG, Deloitte and PwC of being an "oligopoly" that checks the books of nearly all the 350 leading companies in Britain, with smaller rivals barely having a look in.Options under consideration by Labour included breaking up the companies, or setting a maximum audit market share for each firm, McDonnell was quoted as saying by the newspaper. (Reporting by Manas ...
By Pamela Barbaglia and Teis JensenLONDON/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danske Bank's money laundering scandal spread on Friday as Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) said it is investigating the use of UK-registered companies."This is a giga scandal," European Union Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said, joining a growing chorus of calls for a clampdown on the billions of euros which are alleged to have been "washed" through European banks.An NCA spokeswoman said the British agency was working with partners across government to restrict the ability of criminals to use UK-registered ...
By Muyu Xu and Manolo Serapio JrDALIAN, China (Reuters) - Chinese steel mills and traders are rushing to secure long-term contracts for high-quality iron ore ahead of winter steel output cuts, a boon for the main supplier of such grades of the commodity, Brazilian mining giant Vale.China, the world's biggest consumer of the steelmaking ingredient, needs higher-quality, less polluting grades of iron ore as it battles to clear its notoriously smoggy skies.That demand highlights how China's prolonged war on pollution is shaking global markets for iron ore, the world's most heavily traded bulk ...
Google has tweaked the privacy policy of its Indian digital payments mobile application, days after local rival Paytm complained that the US tech giant's platform allowed disclosure of customer data for advertising and other purposes. The row has erupted amid heightened debate about user privacy and how technology firms treat data in India and abroad. India is developing a new data protection law which could force companies to change how they transfer or store customer data. In a letter to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), dated Sept. 13, Paytm complained ...
NEW YORK (AP)  Thanksgiving is Jonatan Mitchell's favorite holiday, usually spent with his wife co-hosting up to 20 loved ones. Hed been looking forward to the gathering this year after calling it off in 2020 due to the pandemic, but one of the most pressing issues of the times got in the 
By Josephine MasonBEIJING (Reuters) - China's top state copper companies threw their weight behind Shanghai's first copper options on Friday, with early turnover trouncing its New York rival and raising a challenge to the 141-year-old London bourse in the $270 billion global market.The initial burst of activity demonstrates strong interest among Chinese investors as the country aims to capitalise on its role as the world's top metals producer and consumer to develop its domestic derivatives industry.The copper options, which follow the launch of sugar and soymeal options last year, come as ...
By Emma Rumney and Lawrence White(Reuters) - Royal Bank of Scotland apologised for outages that hit its online and mobile banking services on Friday, the latest in a string of such failings at British banks which have drawn criticism from customers and lawmakers.RBS later on Friday said it had fixed the problems, which followed similar outages on Thursday that hit Barclays, the Co-operative Bank and fintech firm Cashplus.Lawmakers on Britain's Treasury Select Committee, in letters published on Friday, called on Barclays and RBS to explain what caused the problems and set out how they would ...
By Jane ChungSEOUL (Reuters) - Oil futures inched up on Friday amid concerns over supply as U.S. sanctions on Iran's crude exports loom, although calls by U.S. President Donald Trump for lower oil prices dragged.International benchmark Brent crude for November delivery was up 26 cents, or 0.33 percent, at $78.96 a barrel by 0647 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery was up 7 cents, or 0.10 percent, at $70.39 a barrel.Trump on Thursday called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to lower prices, saying on Twitter "they would not be safe for ...
By Jessica Resnick-AultNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices see-sawed in a volatile, heavy day of trading on Friday, selling off after news that major producers would consider additional supply one day after U.S. President Donald Trump again blasted the cartel.Investors grappled with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC producers' ability to offset a shortfall from Iran due to U.S. sanctions that go into full force Nov. 4. The major producers are scheduled to gather in Algeria on Sunday.Concerns that the cartel and its allies would fall short sent global benchmark ...
Oil prices rose on Friday ahead of a meeting of OPEC and other large crude exporters that will focus on production increases as US sanctions restrict Iranian exports. OPEC and its allies are scheduled to gather in Algeria on Sunday to discuss how to allocate higher supply to offset the shortage of Iranian supplies. Benchmark Brent crude oil was up 65 cents at $79.35 per barrel by 0855 GMT. US light crude was up 45 cents higher at $70.77. Brent is close to four-year highs, trading just below $80 a barrel, as investors bet that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting ...
By Jane ChungSEOUL (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped on Friday after falling in the previous session as U.S. President Donald Trump urged OPEC to lower crude prices ahead of its meeting in Algeria this weekend.International benchmark Brent crude for November delivery was down 3 cents at $78.67 a barrel by 0207 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery fell 16 cents to $70.16 a barrel.Trump called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to lower prices, saying on Twitter "they would not be safe for very long without us, and yet they continue to push for ...
(Reuters) - Indian shares erased most of the losses on Friday after panic selling in housing finance and property stocks saw key stock indexes plunge over 3 percent in intraday trade. The broader Nifty closed 0.81 percent lower at 11,143.10, while the benchmark Sensex fell 0.75 percent to 36,841.60.The Nifty posted a weekly fall of 3.2 percent, while the Sensex marked a 3.3 percent drop. Both indexes posted their biggest weekly fall since Aug. 11, 2017. Among the worst hit stock was Dewan Housing Finance Corp Ltd (DHFL), erasing $1.12 billion from its market capitalisation. The stock dropped ...
By Krishna V Kurup(Reuters) - Indian shares recouped most losses after key indexes plunged over 3 percent in afternoon trade on panic-selling in housing finance and property stocks.The broader Nifty fell as much as 3.3 percent to 10,866.45, its first time below 11,000 since late July. The benchmark Sensex dropped as much as 3.04 percent, shedding nearly 1,500 points from the day's high, to 35,993.64. Both the indexes posted their biggest intraday fall since Feb. 6.As of 0923 GMT, the Nifty was down 1.2 percent while the Sensex was 1.1 percent lower. Graphic: NSE index chart ...
By Susan HeaveyWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is getting "very, very close" to having to move forward on its trade deal with Mexico without Canada, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday.There is just over a week to go before an Oct. 1 deadline to publish the text of a deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the United States and Canada have still not agreed on terms, Hassett told Fox News Channel."We're still talking to Canada, and we're getting very, very close to the deadline where we're going to have to move ahead with Mexico all by ...
(Reuters) - Shares of Yes Bank Ltd plummeted on Friday and were on track for their worst day since market debut after the Reserve Bank of India curtailed Chief Executive Officer Rana Kapoor's term until Jan. 31, 2019.The stock plunged as much as 31.7 percent to 287.30 rupees, with more than 105 million shares changing hands - over 5 times their 30-day average volume. RBI and Yes Bank did not immediately respond to request for comment. (Reporting by Sharnya G in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a ...
Hexa Research

Netherlands Frozen Food Market Size, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 to 2024



ID: 1541511

The Netherlands frozen food market was valued at USD 1.35 billion in 2016 and is anticipated to grow on account of rising concern of healthy and nutritious food. Consumer search for fresh, nutritious and gluten free food products which indeed is anticipated to add this food products market growth.

(firmenpresse) - 21 September 2018, Netherlands Frozen Food Market is expected to reach USD 1.77 billion by 2024 and is anticipated to grow further over the forecast period. Increasing employment and working women are among the factors driving the growth of frozen ready meal in the country. Changing lifestyle, consumer preferences for frozen is anticipated to boost market for frozen food produce over the projected period. Furthermore, hectic schedule and increasing work burden leads to less time for house chores such as cooking food which in turn is projected to boost the demand for frozen food products market in the projected period. Convenience, flavor, and high nutritional value compared to fresh food products makes frozen food popular among consumers. Availability of varieties of flavors and increasing popularity of Italian dishes have made frozen pizza popular in the country.



As people in the Netherlandss mostly preferred organic and domestically produce food, the market players are increasing awareness regarding frozen food category and are also focusing on adding nutritional value to cater larger population. Rising awareness regarding healthy and nutritious foods is anticipated to create more demand for frozen vegetables in Netherlandss frozen food market. Increasing investment by food giants for new product development and extension of existing brand with added benefits are the factors expected to boost the market for frozen food market in the near future. For instance, Dr Schar introduced gluten free and healthy frozen pizza brand



Offline distribution channels such as supermarket, hypermarket, and small stores has dominated the frozen food industry owing to the prevailing penetration of supermarket in rural areas. Presence of wide food choice, food comparison capabilities, and convenience offered by online retailer is anticipated to boost the online distribution channel over the projected period.



Leading companies in this market are adopting new product development and technological innovation strategies to sustain in competitive environment and expand their presence in the market. Frozen food products are largely undifferentiated in the Netherlands which makes it more difficult to retain buyers and manufacturers to compete through pricing and consumers brand loyalty. As Dutch people prefer healthier and gluten free products, companies are focusing on providing healthier and gluten free products to increase their market penetration and food offerings. For instance, in 2017, Dr Schar introduced gluten free and healthy frozen pizza brand Schar.





Hexa Research has segmented the Netherlands frozen food market report based on type and distribution channel:



Segmentation by food type, 2014 - 2024 (USD Million)

















Segmentation by distribution channel, 2014 - 2024 (USD Million)







Key players analyzed:

















Hexa Research is a market research and consulting organization, offering industry reports, custom research and consulting services to a host of key industries across the globe. We offer comprehensive business intelligence in the form of industry reports which help our clients obtain clarity about their business environment and enable them to undertake strategic growth initiatives.





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Bereitgestellt von Benutzer: HexaResearchDatum: 21.09.2018 - 09:31 UhrSprache: DeutschNews-ID 1541511Anzahl Zeichen: 3701contact information:Contact person: Ryan ShawTown:Phone: +1-800-489-3075Kategorie:Typ of Press Release: Finanzinformationtype of sending: VeroffentlichungDate of sending: 21.09.2018Anmerkungen:Diese Pressemitteilung wurde bishermal aufgerufen.Die Pressemitteilung mit dem Titel:steht unter der journalistisch-redaktionellen Verantwortung vonBeachten Sie bitte die weiteren Informationen zum Haftungsauschlu (gema TMG - TeleMedianGesetz ) und dem Datenschutz (gema der DSGVO ).
The forthcoming GST Council meeting on September 28 may consider introducing a 'disaster cess' to raise additional funds to help Kerala speed up its massive post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes. An in-principle nod to include the proposal as one of the agenda items has been given by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, says Kerala state finance minster T M Thomas Isaac.

The move to seek the Council's approval for such a cess came after Kerala sought permission for a state-specific cess to raise additional revenues for the flood ravaged state. While the Centre was not in favour of such a state-specific cess, it felt a time bound national disaster cess can not only help Kerala, but also be an institutionalised fund-raising mechanism for such disasters in any part of the country in future.

The cess will be structured in such a way that only a pre-determined amount will be collected within a specific time limit. If approved, it may see a minor increase in the prices of one or two specifically identified goods.

Speaking to media persons after a meeting with Jaitley and key finance ministry officials in Delhi, Isaac said the Centre will also consider allowing Kerala to increase its borrowing limit to raise long term loans from multilateral agencies like Asia Development Bank and the World Bank. Kerala wants the threshold of its permissible fiscal deficit to go up from 3 per cent to 4.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to have the leeway to borrow close to Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore. Isaac said the state government has been asked to prepare a spending plan so as to help the Centre assess the fiscal slippage for each year. For the current 2018-19, the state government is expecting to carry out reconstruction works to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore. The World Bank assistance will also be sought in tranches, depending on the spending power of the state.

On the GST Council proposal, Isaac said the introduction of cess will not only require the approval of all states, but also a favourable directive from the Supreme Court, which is currently looking into a petition that has challenged the Constitutional validity of the Centre's right to levy cess. The matter may also be put to a ministerial committee as it may entail the enactment of the particular clause through an Ordinance or through normal legislative procedure.

One of the demands of Kerala has been that the additional funds that come through the cess should not be a part of the compensation package the Centre is committed to provide due to GST-related revenue loss. It also wanted the multilateral loans to be treated over and above the normal borrowing limit of the government to ensure unhindered fund flow to development projects.
A new report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative reveals good news where global poverty alleviation is concerned.

According to the 2018 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), 271 million Indians moved out of poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16. "The poverty rate here [India] has nearly halved, falling from around 55% to around 28% over the 10-year period," the report added. In fact, India is the first country for which progress over time has been estimated.

According to UNDP, the MPI looks beyond income to understand how people experience poverty in multiple and simultaneous ways. It identifies how people are being left behind across three key dimensions: Health, education and living standards. Those who are deprived in at least a third of the MPI's components are defined as multidimensionally poor.

Among the South Asian countries, only Maldives boasts lower MPI of 0.007 than India (0.121). Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan and Afghanistan all boast higher incidences of multidimensional poverty.

"The Multidimensional Poverty Index gives insights that are vital for understanding the many ways in which people experience poverty, and it provides a new perspective on the scale and nature of global poverty while reminding us that eliminating it in all its forms is far from impossible," said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, adding, "Although the level of poverty - particularly in children - is staggering, so is the progress that can be made in tackling it."

The global MPI covers 105 countries in total, home to 75% of the world's population, or 5.7 billion people. Of this proportion, 1.3 billion are identified as multidimensionally poor, and half of them are younger than 18 years old. Predictably, 83% of the world's poor live in South Asia and Africa. The latest data further reveals the vast majority of the multidimensional poor - 1.1 billion people - live in rural areas around the world, where poverty rates are four times higher than among those living in urban areas.

Here's more bad news: According to the report, India still has the largest number of people living in multidimensional poverty (364 million people). Keeping us company are Nigeria (97 million), Ethiopia (86 million), Pakistan (85 million) and Bangladesh (67 million).

The report added that although India's traditionally disadvantaged groups such as rural dweller, lowers castes/tribes, Muslims and children were still the poorest in 2015-16, they showed the biggest reductions in MPI in the 10-year study period, showing that they have been "catching up".

"Across nearly every state, poor nutrition is the largest contributor to multidimensional poverty. Not having a household member with at least six years of education is the second largest contributor. Insufficient access to clean water and child mortality contribute least," read the report, adding, "Relatively fewer people living in poverty experience deprivations in school attendance - a significant gain."

Despite the district-level data for the country showing "deep pockets of poverty" - Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh accounted for more than half of the country's poor - improved MPI was largely the leitmotif.

While the MPI's core data look at those who are poor, and the subset who are severely poor, the numbers also look at those very close to becoming poor. These people are living precariously and struggling to remain above the poverty line. Approximately 880 million people across the world are at risk of being categorised as multidimensionally poor.
With Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal's engagement ceremony slated to take place at Lake Como in Italy, all eyes are on the scenic venue. Located in Italy's Lombardy region, Lake Como has been a retreat of choice for aristocrats, businessmen and wealthy people since the Roman times. In recent times too, Lake Como has been the abode of global stars like George Clooney, Julia Roberts, David Beckham, Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones.

It has been the venue for some high-profile celebrity weddings, including Chris Smalling and Sam Cooke's. According to reports, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh are also planning to tie the knot at Lake Como.

But that's all about wealthy personalities. What about the common man? How much would one need to save up to experience the same exotic locales at Lake Como? If one wants to visit the place with his or her partner, then this is how much they will have to shell out:

Airfare: The nearest airport to Lake Como is in Milan. A return trip for one individual from Delhi to Milan will cost anything from Rs 34,000 to Rs 48,000. If the dates kept in mind are October 31, 2018 and 4 November, 2018 - factoring in only a weekend - then one may have to spend anything up to Rs 44,000. So, two return trip tickets from Delhi to Milan are going to cost a person around Rs 84,000.

Train to Lake Como: The best way to travel from Milan to Lake Como is onboard a train, soaking in the exquisite vistas. Two train tickets from Milan to Lake Como will cost anything from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000. It will, like airplane tickets, depend on different factors including timing and duration. Let's assume it will cost around Rs 1,800 for two people.

Stay: This is, perhaps, a very good news as there are accommodations available at affordable rates if you are willing to stay at home-stays or hostels. Hotels are available from around Rs 4,000 to Rs 45,000 per night. Let's pick a reasonable range that would also offer all the needed amenities. Such options could come up to Rs 16,000 to Rs 25,000 for two nights. Some hotels may also want you to deposit a certain amount as security that will be fully returned to you when you check-out. So, a reasonable option would come up to Rs 20,000.

Food: Lake Como offers some really good options from pizza to sea food. Any foodie would love to try what the Italians have to offer. Moreover, the vineyards at Lake Como would entice you to try a glass of fine wine. However, food available at Lake Como is on the steeper side. Let's factor in around Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000.

Other expenses: Travelling within Lake Como and visa expenses are other major amounts that need to be factored in. According to VFS Global, a visa to Italy costs around Rs 4,800, which will be Rs 9,600 for two people. Public transport at Lake Como is very convenient, highly recommended and not very expensive.

So, a trip to Lake Como will range anywhere around Rs 1,35,000 for two people for the weekend, not factoring in stay-over in Milan, if necessary.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)
The Maharashtra government may increase excise duty on Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) to compensate for a possible cut in tax on petrol and diesel. There has been no increase in duty on the Indian-made foreign liquor since 2013. The government may impose more tax on the IMFL if fuel prices keep on increasing at this rate. "The idea is to increase the excise duty on IMFL, especially on the largely consumed mid-segment liquors, so that government would earn more revenue. Then we can reduce taxes on petrol and diesel and counter the criticism (of soaring fuel prices)," PTI quoted an official as saying. However, the government increased excise duty on country liquor and canteen liquor, and beer in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

States like Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Karnataka have cut taxes on fuel to reduce the burden, but the central government has so far not done so. 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. 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.

Meanwhile, petrol prices increased by 10 paise in both Delhi and Mumbai on Friday. In Delhi, petrol is now sold at Rs 82.32 per litre, while diesel has seen no change at Rs 73.87 per litre. In Mumbai, petrol has reached Rs 89.92, while diesel has taken 10-paise jump to Rs 78.56 per litre. Although prices are different in each district of Maharashtra, petrol is being sold at over Rs 90 per litre in several areas. Fuel prices are not uniform across the country due to variable state taxes. In Chennai, petrol is sold at Rs 86.01 while diesel has crossed Rs 78 per litre. In Kolkata, petrol has taken 53 paise jump from Thursday to Rs 84.60, while diesel is priced at Rs 76.12.

Amid growing US pressure on cutting oil supply from Iran, the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, a Group company of state-owned Indian Oil Corporation, has decided to stop processing Iranian crude oil from October to keep its insurance coverage once new sanctions by the United States against Iran go into effect, reported Reuters. Iran's Naftiran Intertrade Co Ltd, a trading arm for state-owned National Iranian Oil Co, owns a 15.4 per cent stake in Chennai Petroleum, which has two refineries with a total combined capacity of 230,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), added the report.

The government is expected to soon announce import curbs by increasing customs duty on several 'non-essential items' to ease the pressure on falling value of rupee and to keep the widening Current Account Deficit (CAD) on a check. This could also have some impact on the ever-increasing oil prices.

Meanwhile, crude oil international benchmark Brent Crude was priced at $78.71 per barrel on Friday, while WTI Crude Oil hovered around Rs 70.80 per barrel.

Edited by Manoj Sharma
India's nearly Rs 40,000-crore deal to procure the S-400 Triumf air defence system from Russia is back in the buzz with the Trump administration today announcing that the deal would be considered as a "significant transaction" and could face tough US sanctions.

This follows US President Donald Trump signing an executive order yesterday that paves the way for slapping crippling sanctions on countries and foreign entities and individuals violating the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Significantly, the US has already imposed sanctions on China's Equipment Development Department, which oversees defence technology, and its director, Li Shangfu, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and a batch of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, a senior administration official told reporters. "CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country. They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities," he added.

The law, signed by Trump last August, is designed to punish Russia for the 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, its involvement in the Syrian civil war and for meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

However, sources told The Economic Times that there is no question of India backing away from the deal with Russia, and assurances have been given at the top level that India will not fall under US pressure. Work, in fact, is afoot to seal the deal internally ahead of President Vladimir Putin's visit - it is reportedly in the final stage with an approval note ready for a decision by the cabinet committee on security. Defence Ministry officials said that there are no points of contention but they refrained from commenting on it being taken up at the bilateral summit early next month.

India has been negotiating the S-400 deal since 2015 and it would be the most expensive missile shield ever bought. An intergovernmental agreement on the deal was signed in October 2016 at the 17th India-Russia summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin.

The Russian side believes that for the five systems to be delivered by 2020, as India desires, the mega-deal has to be inked before the end of this year. "Being the best in the world and so far unrivalled anti-missile defence system S-400 is, naturally, in high demand..no production can start before the contract is signed," an official of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) told the daily. "Given the importance of the contract to bilateral defence ties, it seems logical and symbolic to sign it at the upcoming summit. But it is up to our partners to decide."

The system, being called a game-changer by the country's military, gives India the capability to track all Pakistani air bases while bringing the Chinese assets in Tibet within its striking range. With a tracking range of 600 km, the missile system can engage up to 36 targets simultaneously within a range of 400 km. In 2016, then defence minister Manohar Parrikar led a major overhaul of India's air defence plans that showed that the S-400 system would save the taxpayer Rs 49,300 crore in acquisitions over the next decade by cutting down the requirement of other short and medium range anti-air missiles.

We aren't the only nation eyeing the S-400 system. Turkey and China have already placed an order - deliveries for the latter are almost complete - and negotiations are on with other countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The daily added that India waived off the offset clause for the S-400 deal last year. Under India's offset policy, foreign defence entities are mandated to spend at least 30% of the total contract value in India through procurement of components or setting up of research and development facilities. The waiver for this deal came about to shorten the delivery period of the system, after taking into consideration that it would give India a unique new defensive capability.

With agency inputs
You won't be able to buy Vat 69 whisky and Smirnoff vodka in Delhi for the next two years as the Delhi government has banned its sale over the use of duplicate barcodes. Scotch blended whisky Vat 69 and Smirnoff vodka brands are both created by Diageo, a British multinational alcoholic beverages company. The court of Delhi financial commissioner has said these barcodes could be misused, and thus cause danger to the public. Duplicate or unauthorised barcodes can also be used to avoid tax.

To ensure safety and tax compliance, the Delhi government has directed all alcohol vends to ensure the sale of liquor through scanning from February.

The Delhi government's financial commissioner has blacklisted Diageo's subsidiary in India, United Spirits Limited (USL), for two years for selling their products using unauthorised barcodes, which violates provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009. The court said it is "established that unauthorised barcodes were used. Moreover, the existence of loose barcodes has been established. These loose barcodes could easily be misused and cause danger to public health".

The actual ban on these products was imposed for three years on May 22, 2017, but USL challenged the orders issued by the deputy commissioner and commissioner, the Delhi government's excise department, and had moved the court of the Delhi financial commissioner. As per the initial order, the company's Aurangabad and Sangrur units were banned from manufacturing Vat 69 whisky and Smirnoff vodka for three years. So now, stores in Delhi will not be able to sell these brands for the remaining period of around two years.

"I am of the view that the appellant violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009, Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, the terms and conditions of the licence issued to it and the standard operating procedure framed by the Delhi Excise Department and that consequently the department has rightly imposed the penalty of blacklisting under Rule 70 of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 upon United Spirits LTD (USL), Aurangabad," the financial commissioner said in his order, reported the Hindustan Times. The newspaper also quoted Delhi government's counsel advocate Dheeraj Kumar Singh as saying that the order implies that there was a ban on the sale of these two brands in the capital.

All the in-charges of liquor vends in Delhi have been directed to put their system in place to ensure 100 per cent sale through scanning. The sale of liquor without scanning could attract penal action against the vendor.

(Edited by Manoj Sharma)
The World Bank Group (WBG) has approved a $25-30 billion commitment plan for India for the 2019-22 period. The new Country Partnership Framework (CPF), endorsed by the WBG board of executive directors focuses on the development priorities of the country - resource efficient and inclusive growth, job creation and building its human capital.

The WBG institution comprises of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

"This CPF charts a path for how the World Bank, IFC and MIGA, will leverage their relative strengths to deliver stronger development outcomes for this dynamic country, half of whose population is under the age of 25," Hartwig Schafer, World Bank South Asia Vice President says.

The CPF is underpinned by the Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD), the World Bank Group's comprehensive analysis of the opportunities and challenges for India to achieve poverty reduction and shared prosperity in a socially and environmentally sustainable way, and builds on extensive consultations with the government, the private sector, civil society and academic experts from across the country.

A WBG press release said that special emphasis will be given to projects that promote a resource efficient growth path, particularly in the use of land and water, to remain sustainable; enhancing competitiveness and enabling job creation; and investing in human capital - in health, education, skills - to improve quality and efficiency of service delivery. "Within these, some areas of deeper WBG's engagement will include addressing the challenge of air pollution, facilitating jobs for women, increasing the resilience of the financial sector and investing in early years of children's development. Across the sectors, the WBG will invest in harnessing the impact of new technology," the statement said.

The CPF highlights the shift from a "lending" to a "leveraging bank", emphasizing the growing potential and need to draw in capital markets in the financing of development priorities, it added.

Complementing transformational national programs, CPF notes that the bank will also develop strategic state partnerships to address state-specific development priorities and support implementation capabilities at the state and local level.

"An important focus of the CPF will be to deepen engagement with India's states and invest in the institutions and capabilities of the states and local governments to address their development priorities," Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank India said.

The CPF also places emphasis on India's global leadership role in promoting renewable energy and disaster resilient infrastructure development, which holds significant impact for India as well as the global economy. Through an initiative labelled "Lighthouse India" the WBG will leverage India's development experience to support the development efforts of other countries especially in Africa and Central Asia.

The emphasis on a "leveraging Bank" is reflected in the CPF in the potential role of private sector finance and expertise to meet India's development needs at scale.

India is the largest IBRD client of the World Bank. Between 2015 and 2018, the World Bank lent around $10.2 billion to India. As of mid-September 2018, total World Bank assistance stood at $27.2 billion representing 104 projects, of which IBRD was $18.1 billion (52 projects) and IDA $9.0 billion (46 projects). At the end of July 2018, IFC's India portfolio contained 281 projects, amounting to a committed exposure of $6.4 billion.
The Jet Airways stock fell in early trade after the Income Tax Department began inspection of the books for alleged falsification of accounts and suspicious transactions. The department began inspection of the Mumbai-headquartered airline's books on Wednesday and conducted the operations at four premises of the airline.

Two of the premises were in the national capital and the other two were in Mumbai, sources said. As part of the survey operation, tax sleuths only visit the business premises of a firm and check their books of accounts.

The stock fell up to 8 percent or 19.55 points to 224.70 level in morning trade on BSE, its fresh 52-week low.

At 10:52 am, the stock was trading 5.22% or 12.75 points lower at 231.50. The stock which closed at 244.25 opened at 224.70 in trade today.

The stock is down nearly 57% during the last one year and has fallen 72.14% since the beginning of this year. The stock has been losing for the last four days and has fallen 13.11% during the same period.

The sources said the department was inspecting the books to ascertain whether there have been falsification of accounts, suspicious dealings and other possible violations.

Last month, the Corporate Affairs Ministry ordered an inspection of "books and papers" of Jet Airways.

Jet Airways reported a net loss of Rs 1,323 crore for the June quarter on August 27. The carrier is also under the regulatory lens for deferring the results, which were initially scheduled to be announced on August 9. Shares of the airline on Wednesday fell 3.67 per cent to close at Rs 244.25 on the BSE.

In further trouble for the airline on Thursday morning, a flight from Mumbai to Jaipur had to be turned back mid-way during its ascent as the crew members forgot to select the 'bleed switch' that enables the plane to maintain cabin pressure. The flight 9W 697 had to be manoeuvred back as passengers on board fell sick.

According to initial reports, 30 out of the 166 passengers on board suffered nose and ear bleeding. Some even complained of headache. Oxygen masks got deployed mid-air.

The passengers were later treated at the Mumbai airport.

The Mumbai-Jaipur flight 9W 697 had five crew members on board, along with 166 passengers. The flight crew forgot to select the 'bleed switch' that normalises cabin pressure, leading to nose and ear bleeding of 30 passengers. The plane had to return to the airport half-way.

"During climb, the crew forgot to select bleed switch due to which cabin pressurisation could not be maintained. As a result, oxygen masks got deployed," an official at Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that the crew has been taken off duty and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has started an investigation. Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked the DGCA to file its report on the case immediately.
Stocks of sugar firms fell in early trade today after fair trade regulator CCI imposed a total penalty of Rs 38.05 crore on 18 sugar mills and two trade associations for bid rigging with regard to a joint tender floated by oil marketing companies (OMCs) for procuring ethanol for blending with petrol.

While the Bajaj Hindusthan stock lost 8.82%, Simbhaoli Sugars fell 9.77% on the BSE.

Avadh Sugar and Energy (3.03%), Balrampur Chini Mills (4.45%), Mawana Sugars (6.33%), Dalmia Bharat Sugar & Industries (8.99%) and Andhra Sugars (5.28%) were the other losers on BSE.

Besides, the regulator also directed the sugar mills and the associations - Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) and Ethanol Manufacturers Association of India (EMAI) - to "cease and desist" from indulging in conduct that has been found to be in contravention of Section 3 of the Competition Act.

Section 3 pertains to anti-competitive agreements.

The sugar mills, which were been penalised, include Bajaj Hindusthan (Rs 12.35 crore), Simbhaoli Sugars (Rs 2.29 crore), Avadh Sugar & Energy (Rs 3.72 crore), Balrampur Chini Mills (Rs 4.28 crore), Mawana Sugars (Rs 2.45 crore), Dalmia Bharat Sugar & Industries (Rs 3.92 crore) and Andhra Sugars (Rs 1.65 crore).

ISMA has to pay Rs 46.94 lakh and EMAI has been fined Rs 22,000.

"While imposing penalties, the Commission applied the principle of relevant turnover and based the penalties on the revenue generated by the sugar mills from sale of ethanol only," an official statement said.

On sugar mills, the penalty has been imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) at an interest of 7 per cent of their average relevant turnover. For the associations, the fine is 10 per cent of their average receipts "keeping in view the key role they played in facilitating bid rigging".

The OMCs-Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd -had invited quotations from alcohol manufacturers for supply of ethanol through a joint tender in January 2013. The supply was to be made available to their various depots and terminals across the country for a period of one year from March 2013.

Among others, it was alleged that the sugar manufacturers who had participated in the joint tender manipulated the bids by quoting similar rates and in some cases identical rates through an understanding and collective action.

"The Commission in its order noted that the bidders through their impugned conduct have contravened the provisions of... the (Competition) Act by acting in a collusive and concerted manner which has eliminated and lessened the competition besides manipulating the bidding process in respect of the impugned tender floated by OMCs.

"The bidders who participated in respect of the depots located in UP, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh in response to the joint tender floated by OMCs, were found to have acted in a concerted and collusive manner in submitting their bids," the statement said.
21 Sep 2018, 7:20 PM

New jobs rise to 11-month high of 9.51 lakh in July

New job creations in July rose to an 11-month high of 9.51 lakh, taking the total tally of new enrolments to 61.81 lakh since September 2017, according to the EPFO's payroll data. Job addition numbers, which are based on new members enrolled in various social security schemes of EPFO such as pension, PF and insurance, were 9,51,423 in July -- the highest in any month since September 2017 when the retirement fund body started releasing payroll data.

In total, as many as 61, 81,943 jobs were created during September 2017 to July 2018 period, the payroll data showed.

27 states, UTs on board to implement PM Modi's healthcare scheme from September 25

As many as 27 states and Union Territories are ready to join the ambitious healthcare scheme Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana after its launch on Sunday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Niti Aayog member said.

Over 15,000 hospitals, both public and private, across the country have expressed their willingness to be empanelled for the scheme which aims to provide 10.74-crore poor families health insurance, Niti Aayog member V K Paul, who is the chief architect of the scheme, told PTI in an interview.

India to pay Iran in rupees for oil imports from November

India may revert to paying Iran in rupees for the oil it buys from its third largest supplier as US sanctions will from November 4 block use of US dollars to settle such trades, a top official said Thursday.

Oil refiners such as state-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) could use UCO Bank or IDBI Bank to route oil payments to Iran, the official added.

US sanctions against Iran come into effect from November 4 and will block banking channels.

Flipkart employees to turn millionaires after Walmart buys employee shares worth $800 million

Flipkart employees are in for a treat. Earlier this year, Walmart acquired Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart in a buyout vauling at $16 billion. And now, nearly four-and-a-half-months after the acquisition, Flipkart in a letter to its employees has announced that they will be allowed to liquidate their Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) for a value ranging between $126-$128 per share. According to a report by the Economic Times, while the total value of Flipkart's ESOPs is estimated to be around $1.5 billion based on the per-share price, the total value of purchases that Walmart is expected to buy is estimated to be around $800 million.

Jet Airways air pressure drop: Centre directs Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to probe incident

Passengers on board a Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Jaipur bled from their nose and ears after the pilots forgot to switch on a crucial button that would turn on the air conditioning within the aircraft and maintain the cabin pressure. On Thursday morning, Jet Airways flight 9W-697 landed back in Mumbai within 30 minutes of taking off from the airport's Terminal 2 after 30 of the 166 passengers on board started bleeding and complained of headaches. Taking cognizance of the nightmarish incident, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to investigate the incident.

Forget competitors, the biggest challenge IKEA has faced so far in India are pests. The Swedish home furnishing giant is facing bad press once again after a customer found an insect inside a chocolate cake while his daughter was eating it. This happens to be second such incident at IKEA's Hyderabad store in the span of a month.
The old buzz that Dubai-based Emirates Airlines is looking to acquire Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways - a move that would create the world's biggest carrier by passenger traffic - is getting louder. Citing sources aware of the developments Bloomberg reported that the talks, which are at a preliminary stage, would see Emirates acquire the main airline business of the unprofitable Etihad. The latter intends to retain its maintenance arm.

However, both airlines were quick to deny the development. There is no truth to this rumour," an Emirates spokeswoman told Reuters yesterday. Etihad made a similar statement. Nonetheless, the speculation continues because any such deal would not only impact the regional aviation space, but also have global ramifications.

Although the two Gulf airlines have traditionally been arch rivals, with their hubs competing to attract the same transfer passengers making long-distance trips between Asia and the West, the sheikdoms have recently been consolidating businesses to boost competitiveness.

For instance, Abu Dhabi and Dubai companies formed Emirates Global Aluminium, one of the world's largest producers, in a $15 billion combination in 2013, and the two have studied a merger of their stock exchanges. Earlier this year, the flagship carrier of the two emirates signed agreements to cooperate in some areas, such as a deal under which Etihad pilots can join Emirates on a temporary basis for two years. So an Emirates-Etihad deal fits into the pattern.

Of course, as the news portal pointed out, the deal, if it were to happen, would require the blessing of the rulers of both sheikhdoms, the richest in the United Arab Emirates. The rumours come against the backdrop of turbulent times for the aviation sector. Both airlines, which grew rapidly earlier this decade, have faced financial pressures in the past two years because of tough competition in the industry and a regional economic slowdown due to low oil prices.

While Emirates was quick to recover as the oil price rebounded, with its net income jumping by two-thirds to around $1.12 billion in the last fiscal, Etihad hasn't been as lucky. The airline posted a loss of $1.52 billion in 2017, taking the two-year deficit at the airline unit to almost $3.5 billion. Fitch Ratings last month said it expected Etihad to continue losing money through 2022.

Etihad, moreover, took a huge hit after its 'equity alliance' strategy backfired. The idea was to invest in a number of struggling foreign operators to help feed more traffic through Abu Dhabi and expand its international footprint, but the collapse of partners like Air Berlin and Italy's Alitalia resulted in huge losses for Etihad.

No wonder Tony Douglas, Etihad's group CEO, who took over in January, is focussing on shrinking the airline's operations. He has been abandoning weaker routes and paring back the fleet in order to cut costs and boost revenues and cash flow, though he said in June that the measures, so far, amount only to first steps.

Given that Emirates and Etihad serve the same markets and have hubs a little over an hour's drive apart, a merger certainly makes commercial sense. However, bringing the airlines together would not be easy because of the duplication of routes. According to a senior banker monitoring business in the Gulf, though the idea of an Emirates-Etihad merger had been circulating "on and off for at least five years", he hadn't heard of any new development. He added that no bank has been mandated to arrange a deal, which would be very difficult operationally.

Besides, as a source close to Etihad told the agency, while a merger could conceivably happen in the future, Abu Dhabi won't want to give up control of its airline and brand in a hurry, especially having invested billions of dollars in its international airport and other aviation infrastructure.

But if the deal does come to pass, the merged airline would surpass current industry No. 1 American Airlines. Based on the most recent annual traffic figures from the International Air Transport Association. Emirates is already the world's biggest airline on international routes and ranks fourth overall, behind the top three U.S. carriers.

With Reuters inputs

Edited By Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal
Passengers on board a Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Jaipur bled from their nose and ears after the pilots forgot to switch on a crucial button that would turn on the air conditioning within the aircraft and maintain the cabin pressure. On Thursday morning, Jet Airways flight 9W-697 landed back in Mumbai within 30 minutes of taking off from the airport's Terminal 2 after 30 of the 166 passengers on board started bleeding and complained of headaches. Taking cognizance of the nightmarish incident, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to investigate the incident.

This happened because the pilots had not turned on the "bleed air" button upon achieving an altitude of more than 10,000 feet that would release air from the engine into the cabin meant for air conditioning. As a result of this lapse, the cabin pressure could not be maintained and oxygen masks were deployed.

Passengers with respiratory troubles were the ones immediately impacted by this until the pilots decided to turn back and land in Mumbai. "There was no support from Jet. We were suffocating. They made no announcements telling us what was going on," said Sakhamitra Ashwini, a passenger on board the flight. Another passenger said: "There were elderly persons on board. They couldn't breathe. Then some of them started bleeding from their noses."

Five passengers were shifted to Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital for treatment.

Pending investigation, Jet Airways has de-rostered both the pilots of 9W-697. In a statement issued to the media, Jet Airways said, "Jet Airways flight 9W 697 Mumbai to Jaipur of September 20, 2018, made an air turn back due to loss in cabin pressure. The B737 aircraft, with 166 guests and five crew landed normally in Mumbai. All guests were deplaned safely and taken to the terminal."

The airline later arranged an alternate flight for the 144 passengers to travel onward to Jaipur. Seventeen others, the airline said, wished to travel another time. Meanwhile, civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered the DGCA to conduct a comprehensive safety audit of all scheduled airlines, aerodromes, flying training schools and MROs immediately. The DGCA has been asked to submit a report within 30 days, and take corrective measures in case of any deficiencies.

But the question is: will this safety audit throw light on what appears to be, prima facie, a case of human error? All Boeing 737s have a checklist on safety protocols that pilots are expected to follow, which clearly mentions turning on "engine bleeds" after take-off.

In this case, what sources indicate is that the pilots did not turn on the "engine bleeds" before take-off since they wanted to utilise maximum engine air to make the aircraft airborne. While that is a call that pilots are entitled to take on the basis of the "load", it is mandatory to turn on the bleed air switch after take-off, which unfortunately the cockpit crew of 9W-697 forgot, resulting in serious consequences for the passengers on board.
The announcement of Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank merging into a single bank is part of the government's strategy to merge public sector lenders and promote consolidation in the sector marred by loads of non-performing assets (NPAs).

All the 38 listed banks accounted for gross NPAs totalling over Rs 10.17 lakh crore in the quarter ended March 2018.

Cleaning of the balance sheet and minimising NPAs is the objective of the latest merger announced by the government.

The strategy which the government has adopted is merging one weak bank with its stronger counterparts. In this case, the weaker bank is Mumbai-based Dena Bank. The lender came under prompt corrective action of the RBI in May 2017 in view of high Net NPA and negative RoA (return on assets) and now faces restrictions on lending and several other bank operations.

On May 12, 2018, the Reserve Bank of India asked the lender not to issue any fresh loans and hire new personnel as part of its restrictions under prompt corrective action.

A day after the announcement, the stock hit upper circuit of 19.75% on the BSE.

On the other hand, Bank of Baroda stock closed over 17% lower on the BSE.

The reason is obvious: Bank of Baroda is the largest among the three and will take a hit on its asset quality post merger with Dena Bank.

We explore the financials of the three lenders in details to find out how the three made ideal candidates for a merger.

Dena Bank

Dena Bank's net loss for the fiscal ending March 2018 widened to Rs 1,923.15 crore compared to a loss of Rs 863.62 crore for the fiscal ending March 2017.

In fact, during the last three fiscals, the bank posted net loss amounting to Rs 3,722.09 crore.

However, for the fiscal ending March 2015, the bank posted a net profit of Rs 265.48 crore down from Rs 551.66 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014.

The fall in net profit of the bank can be attributed to a rise in NPAs over the years.

Gross NPAs of the bank rose from Rs 2,616.03 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 16,361.44 crore for the fiscal ending March 2018.

Similarly, net NPAs of the bank rose from Rs 1,818.92 crore in the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 7,838.78 crore crore for fiscal ending March 2018.

Bank deposits fell from Rs 1,17,430.96 crore for the fiscal ending March 2016 to Rs 1,06,130.14 crore in the fiscal ending March 2018.

Similarly, advances for the fiscal ending March 2018 fell to Rs 65,581.51 crore compared to Rs 82,328 crore for the fiscal ending March 2016.

The above figures throw light on the deteriorating financial condition in the state-run lender over the last few years after which RBI had to intervene and bring the lender under preventive corrective action.

Vijaya Bank

The Bangalore-based lender is on a better financial footing than its weaker counterpart Dena Bank.

Net profit for the fiscal ending March 2018 fell to Rs 727.02 crore compared to a net profit of Rs 750.48 crore for the fiscal ending March 2017. However, net profit rose to Rs 750.48 crore from Rs 381.80 crore for the fiscal ending March 2016.

In fact, Vijaya Bank is the only lender among the three to post net profit in last fiscal.

During the last three fiscals, the bank posted net profit amounting to Rs 1,859.3 crore compared to Dena Bank's net loss of Rs 3,722.09 crore for the same period.

Gross NPAs of the bank rose from Rs 1,985.86 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 7,526.09 crore for the fiscal ending March 2018.

Similarly, net NPAs rose from Rs 1,262.37 crore in the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 5,021.24 crore for fiscal ending March 2018.

However, on the deposits front, the bank seems to have clocked a healthy growth during the last five fiscals.

Deposits rose from Rs 1,24,296.16 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 157,287. 54 crore for the fiscal ending March 2018 depicting a 26.54 percent rise over five years.

On the other hand, advances for the fiscal ending March 2018 rose to Rs 116,165.44 crore compared to Rs 81,504.03 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014, depicting a 42.52% growth over five years.

Bank of Baroda

The Vadodara-based lender is the largest lender among the three banks.

It did not perform well in the March 2018 fiscal as the bank posted a net loss of Rs 2,431.81 crore amid rise in provisions and contingencies and NPAs compared to net profit of Rs 1,383.13 crore for the fiscal ending March 2017.

In last five years, the bank reported the highest net profit of Rs 4,541.08 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014 and the highest loss of Rs 5,395.55 crore for the fiscal ended March 2016.

In fact, the lender posted a net loss of Rs 6,444.23 crore during the last three fiscals.

Gross NPAs of the bank rose from Rs 11,875.90 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 56,480.39 crore for the fiscal ending March 2018.

Similarly, net NPAs rose from Rs 6034.76 crore in the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 23,482.65 crore for fiscal ending March 2018.

However, on the deposits front, the bank logged a zigzag pattern of growth during the last five fiscals.

Deposits rose from Rs 5,68,894.39 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014 to Rs 5,91,314.82 crore for the fiscal ending March 2018. Deposits crossed the Rs 6 lakh crore mark twice for fiscals ended March 2017 and March 2015 but could not sustain the momentum.

On the other hand, advances for the fiscal ending March 2018 rose to Rs 4,27,431.83 crore compared to Rs 3,97,005.81 crore for the fiscal ending March 2014, depicting a 7.66% growth over five years.

Conclusion

The above figures signal that even as Bank of Baroda (BoB) is the largest among the three banks but it has its own share issues such as rising NPAs and provisions and contingencies amid volatile deposits and advances growth.

With Dena Bank joining the merger process, the quality of BOB assets will only suffer as it would have to deal with rising toxic assets of its weaker counterpart.

Similar is the case with Vijaya Bank. The bank is the healthiest among the three when it comes to financials but being a public sector lender, it could not also escape from the vicious cycle of NPAs which now plague the entire sector.

It seems Vijaya Bank with its healthy loan, deposit growth rate and stable net profit growth rate, neutralises the adverse impact of Dena Bank's inclusion in the merger with its errant track record on the financial front and makes for a comfortable financial merger for bank of Baroda.
If you think Google will not know what you bought at a brick-and-mortar store, think again. Google and Mastercard have reportedly entered a secret partnership which allows the former to track whether its online ads led to an offline purchase. Google advertisers in the United States have been able to track the correlation between the two, thanks to a deal that was finalised last year, according to a Bloomberg report.

Alphabet Inc and Mastercard Inc have been in talks for four years that led to this 'hushed up' partnership, the report said while quoting four persons in the know of the deal. While Google got its hands on a tool to gauge its users' shopping habits in the real world, the two billion Mastercard users remained clueless about the behind-the-scenes tracking. That's because neither Google nor Mastercard have made the deal public.

The process starts when a user logged in with a Google account clicks on a Google ad, browses an item but doesn't purchase it. If the user then visits a physical store and purchases the same item using a Mastercard debit or credit card, Google gets to know about it. The search giant then sends a report to the advertiser about the product and the effectiveness of the ads, with a section titled 'offline revenues' listing the retail sales.

Google has reportedly paid Mastercard millions of dollars for the data about what people have been purchasing. This data was then used to develop a tool which could ascertain whether a user went on to purchase a product from an offline store after clicking on a Google ad about it. This pattern allows Google to measure how its ads influence buying habits in the real world.

In its defence, the search giant said that a new, double-blind encryption technology was developed before this beta for the ads tool was launched last year. This prevents both Google and its partners from accessing personally identifiable information of their respective users. The tech giant has made no comment on any association with Mastercard, though. "We do not have access to any personal information from our partners' credit and debit cards, nor do we share any personal information with our partners," the Bloomberg report quoted a Google spokeswoman as saying.

Mastercard also argued that its network does not disclose the specific items consumers have in their shopping carts - be it physical or digital - nor is any individual transaction or personal data in provided. The financial services company did say that it shared aggregated and anonymous data that allows merchants and service providers to ascertain the effectiveness of their ad campaigns.

To shield your data from being tracked, you need to toggle off 'Web and App Activity', which is enabled by default and controls things like whether Google can track your GPS location through Maps data or browser searches.

In the past, Google used to flag advertisers whenever a user visited a physical store after clicking on an online ad, based in Location History from Maps. This, however, could not tell for sure whether the user did make a purchase or not. Google has been looking to get over this loophole with its latest ads tool.

Only last year, Google had announced a service called Store Sales Measurement, stating that it recorded 70 per cent credit and debit cards active in the US. While the tech giant did not disclose its partners back then, there could be financial companies other than Mastercard working with Google under this programme.

Edited by Vivek Punj
HMD Global unveiled the Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus only a month ago, and we are already looking at the launch of next Nokia smartphone. The Finnish company has sent out media invites for a launch event on October 4 where it will unveil 'the latest addition to the Nokia smartphone family'.

According to several media reports, HMD Global will be hosting an informal event at Central London on October 4 where it will introduce the new Nokia smartphone. The exact location of the event has not been disclosed yet. Notably, the invite from HMD Global came right in the midst of a flurry of leaks surrounding the Nokia 7.1 Plus.

Press renders recently shared by MySmartPrice show the Nokia 7.1 Plus with a display notch, which houses the front camera and earpiece. With a notch, the Nokia 7.1 Plus will have a screen with an aspect ratio of 19:9 and a FullHD+ resolution. Earlier leaks featuring the front panel of the Nokia 7.1 Plus showed no notch, though.

The leaked images show the back with a vertically-placed dual camera setup featuring Carl Zeiss lenses and a LED flash underneath. The Nokia branding was shown in middle and Android One badge at the bottom of the device. The power button and the volume rocker have been placed on the right edge of the device. This design language is similar to what has been seen before in Nokia's previous X-series smartphones.

While Nokia fans expect the Nokia 9 to make an appearance at the upcoming launch event, it seems to be a long shot. Recent reports suggest that HMD Global has decided to keep the device under covers till Mobile World Congress 2019 in February. Excitement around Nokia 9 stems from leaked images which showed the device with five rear cameras.

Edited by Vivek Punj
The Construction Industry requires more female workers to meet current demand for skills and to deliver Irelands urgent housing and infrastructure needs. This is according to the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).

The CIF will today launch its first Diversity and Inclusion Guidance Document for the Construction sector in a bid to address the existing gender imbalance.

Earlier this year, the Construction Industry Federation commissioned a survey to discover exactly how many women are working in the Irish construction industry, in what roles and at what levels.

The survey also investigated the views of female workers currently working in the industry and the views of employers regarding diversity and inclusion in construction.

This survey found that over 70% of construction companies recognise the need for more women in the industry. However, on average approximately only 1 out of 10 construction workers are female.

The survey also showed that 99% of workers are male on construction sites, whilst in offsite roles, 54% are male and 46% are female. Of those women working in construction offsite roles, the majority work in administration, finance, HR and marketing.

Jean Winters, Director of Industrial Relations and Employment Services with CIF and Chair of the #BuildingEquality Working Group said: Increasing diversity and gender equality is not just the right thing to do, it is critical for our industry. A disengagement with construction is unconsciously driven by the education system at a very young age for girls. We have to tackle misconceptions about the industry at this level and this will form part of a national awareness campaign the CIF is undertaking to promote the diverse careers in the industry."

Minister of State David Stanton, Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration added: A healthy, functioning, construction industry is vitally important to our nations growing needs and thankfully the industry has emerged from the recession as a leaner, more modern and innovative place to work. The industry has become more open, more diverse and is becoming an attractive career option for young people once again. But while in many ways our society has come so far, we cannot ignore the fact that many traditional stereotypes still exist, particularly when it comes to industries like construction, which have historically been male-dominated.

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc is in early talks to buy food delivery company Deliveroo, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The value of the deal is not known, Bloomberg reported, adding that the offer would need to be considerably above Deliveroo's latest valuation.

London-based Deliveroo was last year valued at more than $2 billion after raising $98 million from private investors.

According to the Bloomberg report, the talks could fall apart because Deliveroo and its investors have been reluctant to relinquish independence.

Deliveroo, which competes with companies such as Just Eat , said in July that an initial public offering is not off the cards but was not in a hurry.

Since it started its services in London in 2013, Deliveroo has expanded into 11 other countries, with new markets due soon.

Both Uber and Deliveroo were not immediately available for comment. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
* Hong Kong trade group reduces forecast for goods exports to a growth rate of 3%

* About 5% of Hong Kongs re-exports will be affected by new China and U.S. tariffs, group estimates

The escalating trade conflict between Washington and Beijing is weighing on the export outlook for Hong Kong, a key gateway for Chinas external trade, with the local trade promotion body slashing its estimate for growth in outbound shipments this year by half and companies reporting weaker orders.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) lowered its forecast for goods exports this year to a growth rate of 3% from a previous expectation of 6%, because of the additional uncertainties caused by the dispute, HKTDC Director of Research Nicholas Kwan told a news conference on Tuesday. Thats a sharp drop on the expansion of 9.3% seen in the first half of this year.

The adjustment follows the White Houses announcement Monday that it will impose additional tariffs of 10% on a further $200 billion of Chinese imports from Sept. 24, rising to 25% next year. That triggered immediate retaliation from Beijing, which vowed to slap levies on $60 billion of U.S. goods at additional rates of 5% or 10%.

Both sides new tariffs will come on top of an additional 25% duty that they have levied on $50 billion worth of goods from each other.

So far, $250 billion worth of Chinese goods and $110 billion worth of U.S. goods have been subject to additional tariffs, accounting for around half of their exports to each other last year, according to Caixin calculations based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Each year, around 9% of Hong Kongs re-exports  goods imported to Hong Kong and then re-exported  involve China and the U.S., which means around 5% of Hong Kongs re-exports will be affected by the tit-for-tat tariffs, Kwan said. That roughly amounts to around HK$1.92 trillion ($244.7 billion), according to Caixin calculations based on government data.

Confidence sinks

The HKTDC also released the results of its Export Index survey for the third quarter on Tuesday. The reading plunged to 35.8, down from a 29-quarter high of 54.1 in the second quarter, the largest drop since the index began in 2006.

Overall, Hong Kong exporters exhibited mixed feelings towards their trade counterparts involved in the current trade friction, the HKTDX said in a statement. While the gauge of exports to the Chinese mainland is expected to remain barely in expansionary territory, which implies a reading of 50 or more, expectations for shipments to the U.S. are far less promising, with the reading dropping to its lowest level since 2009.

In the third quarter, some 44.5% of responding exporters were concerned that the China-U.S. trade friction would hurt their exports, edging up from 42.8% in the previous quarter, the survey showed.

More than one-third of respondents reported that their export performance had been negatively affected by the dispute, a substantial increase from 21.3% in the second quarter. Among them, more than half said buyers were cutting back on the size of orders, and a quarter said they had had to bear the cost of the extra tariffs. Companies in the survey also reported canceled orders, bargaining over prices, and a shift of sourcing away from China.

Contact reporter Lin Jinbing (jinbinglin@caixin.com)
A little-noticed but ominous new front has opened in the rivalry between the United States and China for dominance at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On Aug. 3, 16 U.S. senators wrote to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Defense Secretary James Mattis expressing concerns about potential requests for financial assistance from the IMF by countries that have become overly indebted in connection with Chinas sprawling infrastructure program known as the Belt and Road Initiative. The letter, signed by two Democrats and 14 Republicans, cautioned against supporting IMF programs for countries that have gotten into financial trouble while taking advantage of what they called Chinas predatory lending through the Belt and Road Initiative. Fallout from the letter, which has been endorsed by The Wall Street Journal and other conservative voices long skeptical of the IMFs mission, needs to be handled skillfully. The United States and China must work together to ensure that this dispute does not inflict long-lasting collateral damage on the IMF, one of the key institutions of the post-World War II international financial architecture.

The United States cannot block approval of a program for an IMF member. However, the United States can prevent the expansion of the funds basic financial resources, which are derived from precommitted quota subscriptions.

Are IMF resources adequate for future needs?

A review of the IMFs quotas is to be completed by the fall of 2019 at the latest. The G-20 leaders committed to this review when they met in South Korea in November 2010. Moreover, if IMF quotas are not increased, any further redistribution of voting power within the IMF toward the dynamic emerging-market economies, which was implied in the 2010 agreement, would be stalled.

In July, Mnuchin said, At this time, the United States finds that the IMFs resources are adequate following the 2016 implementation of the 2010 Quota and Governance Reform. Mnuchins statement failed to acknowledge that the quota review should focus on the adequacy of the IMFs financial resources for the future, not for the present. He also ignores the fact that at least a third the IMFs $1.4 trillion in total financial resources is scheduled to disappear by 2022, another cloud over the IMF.

Judging the size of the IMFs potentially reduced financial resources in the future requires context. Seven countries of economic and political interest to the United States are potential borrowers from the IMF over the next several years: Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Italy, South Africa, Turkey, and Venezuela. At the present maximum of 435% of quota for normal three-year IMF support programs, these countries could seek to borrow $265 billion from the IMF. If these countries received exceptional access to IMF financial resources at 11 times their quotas, as Argentina was recently granted, the total call on IMF financial resources would be $680 billion. Except for Indonesia and Italy, none of these countries participates in a regional financial arrangement that could be expected to supplement IMF lending.

Today, the IMFs total headline financial resources are $1.4 trillion, consisting of $700 billion in quota resources and about $700 billion in potential borrowing from the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) ($265 billion) and bilateral borrowing arrangements ($450 billion). However, as of the middle of August, the IMFs available resources for lending out of quota resources were reduced by lending commitments of $222 billion, its forward commitment capacity out of quota resources was estimated at only $261 billion, and resources potentially available from borrowing arrangements were $516 billion  leaving the IMF with a total lending capacity of less than $800 billion. Moreover, $450 billion of the headline $1.4 trillion consists of bilateral lending commitments that expire in 2020, and the $41 billion commitment by the United States to the NAB will expire in 2022 unless the U.S. administration asks Congress for its renewal. In a worse-case scenario outlined by Barry Sternland, all participants in the NAB would follow the U.S. lead and withdraw from the NAB.

Developing countries at risk of debt distress

The IMF has articulated its concerns about the rising sovereign debt of many developing countries. Loans from Chinas many lending institutions, especially those associated with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, lack transparency, making the amount and terms of much of that debt unknown. This situation complicates the IMFs capacity to monitor global financial risks for many emerging-market and developing countries. Recently, the new leader of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, reportedly told Chinese authorities that his country cannot afford to take on so much debt to China, but not all countries on the receiving end of loans from China are as well placed to say no.

The Center for Global Development has identified eight countries that are at risk of sovereign-debt distress in large part because of Chinas lending to them for Belt and Road projects  Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan and Tajikistan. Except for Pakistan, these countries are small and have small IMF quotas. Excluding Pakistan, their combined IMF quota is less than $900 million. Maximum normal IMF programs for the seven would amount to less than $4 billion. Pakistan has just completed an IMF program for 216% of its quota of $2.8 billion, which it is expected to pay back over the next five years. A new program would in effect refinance these obligations to the IMF.

For decades, IMF programs designed to deal with members external debt problems have required the rescheduling of debts to foreign official lenders. These rescheduling operations normally are conducted under the auspices of the Paris Club. The Paris Club was established for this purpose in 1956 to agree on comparable treatment for the official claims on countries in financial distress. China does not participate in the Paris Club. It also has declined to provide the relevant information on its claims to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developments Development Advisory Committee, the keeper of data on official development aid and assistance.

Three recommendations for China, U.S.

What should be done?

First, the future of the IMF should be high on the agenda for U.S.-Chinese cooperation.

Second, the United States should either participate in a sufficient increase in IMF quotas, at least to maintain the IMFs existing financial resources after 2022, or step out of the way and let other member countries do so, as I have advocated. The United States must learn to share power.

Third, the United States should engage pro-actively with other members of the IMF to pressure China to join the Paris Club or to abide by its standard of comparable treatment of unsustainable debts. This should be a condition for majority support for any IMF program for a country heavily indebted to Chinese entities.

This is a weighty but essential to-do list. The IMF at the core of the international financial architecture is a new front in the China-U.S. rivalry. I am not optimistic that reason will prevail. But it would be a mistake to sit back and wait for the collapse of the system that for 75 years has served the world well.

Edwin M. Truman, nonresident senior fellow since July 2013, joined the Peterson Institute for International Economics as senior fellow in 2001. Previously he served as assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury for International Affairs from December 1998 to January 2001, and was counselor to the secretary in 2009. He directed the Division of International Finance of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System from 1977 to 1998. From 1983 to 1998, he was one of three economists on the staff of the Federal Open Market Committee.
The scale of the informal market in Algeria dominated by cash transactions make it hard to counter terrorism financing, the U.S. department of state said in a report.

Foreign exchange restrictions and distrust of banks push Algerians to cash transactions and informal currency-exchange markets, the U.S. State Department said in the Country Reports on Terrorism 2017.

Media reports suggest the scale of the informal market grew, partly in response to government import limitations. Multiple fiscal initiatives by the government have failed to motivate illegal traders to formalize their businesses, reads the report in a section on countering the financing of terrorism.

Despite efforts to avert terrorist attacks in Algeria, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), AQIM-allied groups, and ISIS elements, including the Algerian affiliate locally known as Jund al-Khilafah in Algeria (JAK-A or Soldiers of the Caliphate in Algeria), remained in the country.

These groups aspired to impose their interpretations of Islamic law in Algeria and to attack Algerian security services, local government targets, and Western interests. Terrorist activity in Libya, Tunisia, and Mali contributed to the overall threat, the report said.

The report also insinuated to the need for a more active engagement of Algeria in international counterterrorism efforts saying Algeria is not a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, although it observed some coalition meetings.

In 2017, two Jund al-Khilafah claimed responsibility for attacks on security forces while AQIM continued attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), bombings, false roadblocks, and ambushes, the report added.

The report also underscores the lack of bilateral and regional counterterrorism cooperation in 2017 between Morocco and Algeria, which supports separatism in the Sahara.

The U.S. Department of State pointed out to the existing terrorist threat in the Sahel, which requires further cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral level.
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Our pick of what to do in Canberra this weekend. SPEEDWAY SEASON Whether you were doing doughnuts in your P-plated Corolla just yesterday, or carving it up a lifetime ago, you'd know that the need for speed doesn't just trickle away. Feed your thirst for torque, revs and good times at ACT Speedway's night trial and season opener. Be sure to bring a bumbag crammed with cash as tickets are only available at the door and in some sort of throwback move there will be no EFTPOS. Pialligo Avenue, Fairbairn. Saturday 4-10pm. $5-10. facebook.com/actspeedway SPICE GIRLS SINGALONG Spice up your life at Limelight's latest interactive screening. Following on from last year's popular event, Tuggers' favourite cinema will be hosting another Spice World The Movie sing-a-long. This means it's time to squeeze into your brightest crop top and pop on your deadliest platform boots. There will be pizza deals plus alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Limelight Cinemas, Tuggeranong. Friday 6.30pm. $15. limelightcinemas.com.au/tuggeranong/ SCULPTURE IN THE PADDOCK In my travels, the only sculptures I've seen in paddocks have been the swirly ones laid freshly by cows. Which makes it all the more exciting that Shaw Vineyard will be featuring sculptures created by none other than our fellow humans. 36 artists are set to exhibit their work at the sixth annual Sculpture in the Paddock. So take a road trip to Murrumbateman this weekend to experience art in a tranquil, rural landscape. Shaw Vineyard Estate, Murrumbateman. September 22 - October 7. Adult $10, children free. www.sculptureinthepaddock.com.au. KIDS YOGADoes your beloved spawn lack the chill required for you to have a relaxing weekend? Well bend the zen into them with a good ol' downward dog. Yogasana Fitness is not only hosting a family yoga class this weekend... it's also a pirate themed event. Belconnen Arts Centre. Sunday 9am. $10. Visit facebook.com/yogasanafitness. CLIMB BOOROOMBACalling all crag hags and boulder brethren. If you long for the divine caress of Namadgi granite on your skin, peel yourself off the indoor rockclimbing wall and get down to Canberra Climbers' Association's introductory climbing day. Guides will lead climbers of all experience levels on trad climbs of Booromba Rocks. Booroomba Rocks car park. Sunday 9am. Free for members. canberraclimbing.org.au. Got something spicy happening next weekend? Email serena.coady@fairfaxmedia.com.au or tweet @SerenaCoady by Monday.

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Baited drumlines will be rolled out after a second shark attack in 24 hours at a popular north Queensland harbour left a 12-year-old girl in a critical condition. The girl, reported to be on holiday with her father and sister, suffered a "significant leg injury" when she was attacked near Cid Harbour, off Whitsunday Island, about 1.40pm on Thursday. Queensland Ambulance Service operations manager Tracey Eastwick said the girl lost a significant amount of blood after she was bitten. "It is horrific ... for us as a community of paramedics it is quite confronting to have two similar incidents in the space of less than 24 hours," she told reporters in Mackay. "In north Queensland, shark attacks are not that common." The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries would send a contractor to the Whitsundays on Friday to roll out three shark control drumlines, fitted with bait hooks. Before Wednesday, the most recent attack in the area was eight years ago. QAS Rockhampton operations centre manager Mindy Thomas described the attacks as "confronting". She said two paramedics and a doctor responded to the more recent attack with the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter, which landed on a nearby beach by 2.50pm. Ms Thomas said the water police vessel ferried the girl from the boat she was on to Whitsunday Island so she could be loaded into the waiting helicopter. She had "fairly large wounds" on her thigh and suffered significant blood loss but did not lose consciousness. The girl was given pain relief and three pints of blood on the flight to hospital. A trauma team was waiting on her arrival. "The first aid that was provided both yesterday and today has contributed to saving [both victims'] lives at this point in time," Ms Thomas said. Sea World marine services director Trevor Long told reporters shark attacks were "very unlucky and extremely unfortunate" in the "relatively safe" Whitsundays. "This is a tropical area. Theres probably four species that could be involved in it, probably the worst of those species would be a tiger shark," he said. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries said a Queensland Boating and Fisheries boat arrived at the scene on Thursday afternoon and asked people not to swim in the area. "Fisheries Queensland has organised for the Queensland Shark Control Program contractor based at Mackay to deploy three shark control drumlines in the area tomorrow morning," the DAF statement said on Thursday. "Fisheries is working with other agencies including the police and marine parks." The measures aim to reduce the overall number of sharks in the area, but do not provide an impenetrable barrier between swimmers and marine life. Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said fisheries officers and water police boats were patrolling the area a few hours after the attack. Shark attacks in these waters are rare. Thats why these events are so shocking." - with Luke Sayer and AAP

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Morocco and Mauritania, two Maghrebin neighbours sharing common history, have agreed to enhance further their cooperation ties in the economic, commercial and security fields.

The two countries foreign ministers, who met Thursday in Rabat, underlined the shared willingness and strong determination of their governments to lift their bilateral relations to higher levels.

Moroccos top diplomat Nasser Bourita and his Mauritanian peer Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed hailed on this occasion the longstanding ties existing between the two countries people. They reviewed the situation of the Arab Maghreb Union and the challenges facing Maghreb integration.

Talks between the two ministers also covered latest developments on the Arab, regional and international scene. They condemned terrorism in all its forms, calling for the reinforcement of dialogue and security cooperation to counter this global threat through a comprehensive approach.

Bourita and Ould Cheikh Ahmed decided to convene next year the Moroccan-Mauritania Joint High Commission, which has not met since 2013. They also stressed the importance of this commission, the coordination of stands and political concertation between Rabat and Nouakchott on matters of common interests.

They called on MPs, businessmen and civil society actors in Morocco and Mauritania to work hand in hand and contribute actively to the positive dynamic generated in relations of the two countries.

During his two-day visit to Rabat, the Mauritanian Foreign Minister also held talks this Friday with Head of the Moroccan Government Saad Eddine el Othmani.

The Mauritanian Foreign Ministers trip to Rabat is seen as an additional sign of the warming up of Nouakchott-Rabat relations after the two countries exchanged ambassadors lately.

The trip took place less than 48 hours after Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed held a working session with Moroccos ambassador to Nouakchott, Hamid Chabar, and the president of the National Union of the employers of Mauritania (UNPM), Zeine El Abidine ould Sheikh Ahmed. A vast program of cooperation between the two countries private sectors was approved during the working session.

In the context of relations warming up, Morocco is about to open a new border crossing point with Mauritania, at Gueltat Zemmour (in the southeast of the kingdom), the second after that of Guerguarat, located in the extreme south-west of the kingdom.

This project, whose feasibility study is underway, was announced recently by Abdelkader Amara, Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water.
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.

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You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
The Irish Greyhound Board is warning greyhound owners to be extra vigilant after at least seven dogs were reported stolen in the South East of the country.

The dogs, ranging from between 6 months to 8 years old, have been taken from Wexford, Kilkenny and Waterford recently.

Two of the dogs taken from Kilkenny have since been recovered, but greyhound owners are advised to remain on high alert.

Welfare Officer with the IGB, Deirdre Scally, said: It is important for greyhound owners to ensure they have secured any property where their greyhounds are kept.

"Regular checks on the property are vital together with using appropriate gate/door locks and alarm systems where possible. Good security should be in accordance with the IGBs Code of Practice in the Care and Welfare of the Greyhound, which is available to view on the IGBs website.

"Thieves are deterred by good security measures. It is important for owners to report any suspicious activity around their own property or that of another greyhound owner to the Gardai immediately."

She added: Greyhound welfare and keeping greyhounds safe and well is a top priority for the IGB as part of continued regulation of the industry.

"The IGB is concerned that stolen greyhounds may be held in an environment that is detrimental to their welfare.

The Irish Greyhound Board is liaising with local animal rescue organisations on this matter.
Photo: Colton Davies Parks Canada project manager Sarah Boyle listening to a comment from Area D director Tom Siddon on Thursday.

A Parks Canada staff member said a preliminary park boundary will be ready in November regarding a proposed national park in the South Okanagan and Similkameen.

Project manager Sarah Boyle was before the regional district board on Thursday, where she said public consultation throughout the region will begin in November and last until January.

Boyle said Parks Canada will be hosting several public information sessions in that timeframe and that information on the park plan will be posted online in November  and will be taken down 90 days later, she added.

Exact dates and locations for public consultation sessions haven't yet been determined.

A memorandum of understanding is then expected to be signed in August of 2019, Boyle said, between Parks Canada, the B.C. government and the Okanagan Nation Alliance, to give the park plan a formal green light.

Parks Canada said in August park boundaries are currently focused on areas around Mount Kobau and the South Okanagan Grasslands protected area.

"Right now I'm working with our GIS folks in getting updates on property identification numbers," Boyle said Thursday. "I can't present that map and give you an idea until we get that figured out at the tripartite level, which will be coming shortly."

She said it's hoped the national park would be open by 2020 or 2021, but noted it would take 12 years after that for the park to be fully operational. A national park in the South Okanagan was first brought up at the federal level in the early 2000s.

"All parks take 12 years... to get processes in place, to get assets and infrastructure developed. So it's almost like a ramping-up phase."

The national park plan has long been divisive in the South and Okanagan and Similkameen, and several board members shared concerns that have commonly been heard.

"We're gunna lose our agricultural land. We have approximately 10,000 acres in the Agricultural Land Reserve... That's my biggest concern, we're losing agricultural land all over B.C.," Cawston director George Bush said.

"The other concern," Bush continued, "is that the local government is kind of being left out in the consultation, and that's where I'd like to be included."

In response, Boyle said the federal, provincial and First Nations governments are working on a strategy to ensure they can work with farmers, particularly cattle ranchers.

When asked by board chair Karla Kozakevich, Boyle asserted that existing cattle leases on Crown land would be honoured and that no expropriation of land would take place anywhere in the region if the national park goes ahead.
after, after Post an image and text indicating the version on one New product from the Exynos line (the beginning...
Minds will not be changed. Photo: Getty Images

It was entirely a coincidence that I found myself reading Jonathan Haidts and Greg Lukianoffs The Coddling of the American Mind in the same week that Brett Kavanaugh was credibly accused of sexual assault in his teens, and Ian Buruma lost his job as editor of The New York Review of Books, after publishing an essay by a man credibly accused of 23 separate instances of sexual abuse, but cleared of all criminal charges. And the book does not, of course, address the specifics of either case. But its a sharp analysis of the toxic atmosphere in which our current debates take place, a reminder that it is close to impossible, in this polarized climate, to deal with the specifics and complexities of each scandal from a non-tribal perspective.

And so it seems that Kavanaugh is either a perfect exemplar of judicial expertise and impeccable moral conduct, or he is a lying rapist determined to destroy and control the lives of all women. Ghomeshi is evil, and granting any space for such a monster to defend or account for himself is itself an act of oppression, which must be shamed and punished. Those appear to be our choices, ladies and gentlemen, in this particular polarization cycle. There is little nuance in these battles and absolutely no mercy for anyone unlucky enough to get caught up in its swirling vortex. This is what our culture is driving us toward, and its a culture where each moment of conflict galvanizes and tribalizes us still further, in what seems like an endlessly repeating loop of resentment, righteousness, and revenge. Its now even invaded the Catholic church.

Haidt and Lukianoff note how humans are constructed genetically for this kind of tribal warfare, to divide the world instinctively into in-groups and out-groups almost from infancy. For homo sapiens, it is natural to see the world, as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks put it, as radically divided into the unimpeachably good and the irredeemably bad. It is much harder to see, as Solzhenitsyn did, even after he had been sent to the gulag by his ideological enemies, that good and evil run through every human heart.

And its this reflexive, reptilian sorting of in-group and out-group that has now been super-charged by social media, by Trumps hideous identity politics, and by campus and corporate culture. There seem to be just two inalterable categories: the oppressors or the oppressed; elite globalists or decent normal people. You are in one camp or the other, and, as time passes, those of us who dont fit into this rubric will become irrelevant to the discourse, if we havent already got there.

After a while, the crudest trigger points of tribalism  your race, your religion (or lack of it), your gender, your sexual orientation  dominate the public space. As Claire Lehmann, the founding editor of the refreshingly heterodox new website Quillette has put it, the Woke Left has a moral hierarchy with white men at the bottom. The Alt-Right has a moral hierarchy that puts white men at the top. The looming mid-terms will not be about healthcare or executive power or constitutional norms (although all these things will be at stake). They will primarily be about which tribe you are in, and these tribes are increasingly sorted racially and by gender. The parties are currently doing all they can to maximize these tribal conflicts as a way to seek power. This isnt liberal democracy.

And in this fevered, fetid atmosphere, where the stakes are always sky-high, there are no constraints. Dox, harass, troll, lie, smear, mock, distort, harangue, and preferably ruin: those are the tools of the alt-right just as much as they are the tools of the woke left. In such a civil war, the idea that the Supreme Court could ever perform the role it was designed to  interpret the law in a non-tribal way  is laughable. Indeed, the notion of a filibuster becomes moot, because it requires some sort of common ground between senators, and this is regarded by both sides as complicity in evil. Even a private, confidential hearing for accuser and accused is now, according to Senator Gillibrand, equivalent to silencing the accuser. I lean toward believing Christine Blasey Ford, as I believed Anita Hill and Juanita Broaddrick and Paula Jones, but I cannot know about something that happened 36 years ago. So I favor an FBI investigation and see no reason to rush a confirmation vote. But offering someone a chance to provide testimony in a private session wherever she chooses is not silencing her. Senator Hirono has gone further and told half the citizenry to shut up solely because they are male.

Equally, Republicans are so terrified of losing a Court seat (were on a rhetorical Flight 93 and have to rush the cockpit!), they cannot wait for a few days for an FBI investigation, even though they were prepared to wait over a year to fill an empty seat when a Democrat was president. Their tribal double standards continue to take my breath away. For Ed Whelan  a former Supreme Court clerk, no less  to spout off on Twitter yesterday, actually naming some other dude whos a middle school teacher as the real assailant, because of a floor plan, is mind-bogglingly reckless and wicked. You first argue that no one should be accused of attempted rape without proof because it forever tarnishes his reputation  and then you go and actually name someone else as the culprit while simultaneously saying you cant prove anything. This is how tribalism destroys minds.

In tribal warfare, there are no degrees of tribal loyalty. It is Manichaean, and it is binary. And so a movement that began with the exposure of horrific sexual abuse of power swiftly expands to cover much less serious offenses. Start with the crimes and horrors of Harvey Weinstein  and end with firing Ian Buruma for publishing a controversial essay. For a single lapse of judgment, if thats what you believe it was, Buruma has now been punished in the same manner as Les Moonves, a grotesque serial abuser. (Full disclosure: I have known and deeply respected Ian for decades.)

And the reaction of the tribalists to this purging of an editor is  glee. Halleluia! tweeted someone who probably didnt know who Ian was until last week. Its good. Its so good. Actions have consequences, tweeted another. He can go back to the Netherlands! tweets another. One of the leaders of the social-media push to see him fired, Nicole Cliffe, did a victory lap: I wish I worked at a desk and not in bed so I could spin my chair around instead Seriously, though, props to everyone at NYRB for this, its rare to have a win. The win was a journalist getting another journalist fired for attempting to start a difficult conversation.

Mobs and tribes have always been with us, as the Founders well understood. But Haidt and Lukianoff suggest a variety of specific reasons for the sudden upsurge in toxicity. There is a serious disconnect between the winners and losers of globalization, and this has been exploited by demagogues. Social media has given massive virtual crowds instant mobilization, constant inflammation, and  above all  anonymity. Give a street mob masks, Haidt and Lukianoff note, so they can hide their identity and their capacity for violent and aggressive conduct suddenly soars.

Haidt and Lukianoff are particularly acute about how the generational shift has intensified the trend. Their hypothesis is that the members of the iGen generation (those born in the mid to late 1990s) have been raised (unwittingly and with good intentions) in such a way to maximize tribal identities rather than dilute them.

They have been told, in Haidts and Lukianoffs view, that safety is far more important than exposure to the unknown, that they should always trust their feelings, and that life is a struggle between good people and evil people. This infantilizes them, emotionalizes them and tribalizes them. These kids have been denied freedom, have little experience of confronting danger and overcoming it themselves, have been kept monitored to all times. They tend to have older parents and fewer siblings. There is a reason the safest generation in history is also the most anxious, the most depressed, and the most suicidal. It is not that its all in their heads  prejudice and discrimination exist  but that they do not have the skills to put any of this in perspective. And so rather than rebel against their authorities, as students used to do, they cling to them like safety blankets, begging them to protect them just as their parents did.

This is what a cultural revolution feels like. It is given legitimacy by the top, but it is enforced horizontally from below. You are encouraged to denounce and expose your friends, your co-workers, and your bosses for the harm they inflict. Colleagues vie to signal that they are not guilty of being an oppressor, partly because they are not, and partly to avoid being the next scalp. Soon, silence is not enough  in fact, its suspicious. And so it becomes necessary to endorse the revolution, celebrate it, and enforce it, prove that you are in good standing. Examples are made of slackers  the more arbitrary the better  to keep fear alive in the minds of everyone. If you so much as quibble, youll be the next head on the chopping block. When the very existence of people is at stake  and it always is for the catastrophists  there is no limiting principle.

We live then in a paradox. Our society has less crime and less danger than ever, and yet we see threats everywhere. It has become more racially and culturally diverse than any society in the history of humankind, but it is plagued by white supremacists or hordes of illegals. And you cannot question these feelings because subjectivity is more important than objectivity, and sensitivity trumps reality. Gay, lesbian, and transgender people live in a world unimaginable to the overwhelming majority of humankind, and to our predecessors of only five years ago, and yet we are told by our leaders that we are under siege. As women kick ass in our economy and culture, as they achieve success that previous generations would have thought extraordinary, what is the response? Rage, of course! Furious rage!

This is a mind-set that Haidt and Lukianoff see as very similar to a clinically depressed one, catastrophizing, paranoid, leaning into ever-escalating feelings of victimhood rather than pushing against them with reason. Our entire society, they argue, needs a good cognitive-behavioral therapy session, to get some kind of grip on our emotions  and not a constant ratcheting up of tribal fever. CBT has been clinically proven to work for individuals  and Lukianoff tells the story of his own CBT recovery from depression. It helps you regain agency over your feelings. But individual agency is the last thing tribes want. They want you absorbed into a collective victimhood that constantly feeds on itself.

Look at the Kavanaugh-Ford nightmare. Both individuals are besieged by haters and trolls, requiring police protection. She or he has to be believed in the entirety of their claims, with no qualification. So because Ford is a lefty, she must be lying. Because Kavanaugh is an affluent white male, he must be guilty, and even if he isnt, his privilege will compensate, so who cares? Kavanaughs striking record of hiring and mentoring women as clerks becomes evidence of his creepiness, not his decency. Fords completely understandable reluctance to go public is deemed proof of her duplicity. The idea that we should suspend judgment until an investigation concludes and we know all the facts we can know is not exactly a popular one.

The younger generation Lukianoff and Haidt identify and describe has had a huge influence on shifting the culture as a whole  the very atmosphere in which these two controversies of the past week are playing out. At the same time, our market economy wants to capture young adults more than any demographic. Its salient to observe how Burumas job seems to have become untenable in part because of fears that university presses might remove their advertising from the NYRB, under intense pressure from their campuses. Similarly, campus rules and race and gender ideology have been imported wholesale into vast swaths of corporate culture. Working at Google is now indistinguishable from attending Yale. And the nonnegotiable defense of feelings, rather than objective reality, is contagious. Its a short cut, its easy, and it can become its own reward.

These tribal instincts are as emotionally satisfying as they are toxic. I am not immune to them either. None of us is. They are the reason why we have this tribal president, who has, in turn, intensified the tribalism of his supporters and his opponents. They are the reason our universities are purged of non-leftists in the humanities, why Fox News fires its dissident conservatives, why the editors of our newspapers and magazines are slowly being intimidated into excluding any diversity of opinion.

I was struck in Haidt and Lukianoffs book by a quote that is almost a perfect inversion of todays political conversation. When my brothers try to draw a circle to exclude me, I shall draw a larger circle to include them. Those words were written in 1945 by Pauli Murray, a transgender, black civil rights activist. Her words foreshadowed the approach taken by Martin Luther King, a humanizing approach that todays cultural revolutionaries have little time for. But Murray and King made a huge practical difference in moving everyone forward a little. They made things better by including more. That was also how we won marriage equality, the biggest civil rights victory of my generation. We did it by drawing larger and larger circles, by treating the other side as arguing in good faith, and appealing to a shared humanity, to what we have in common as citizens, rather than what divides us as members of a tribe. Todays well-intentioned activists  the ones driving much of the conversation around Kavanaugh and, on a much smaller scale, Buruma  in contrast, are drawing an ever smaller, purer, more tightly policed circle, in order to wage a scorched earth war against another, ever-purer, tightly policed circle. And God help anyone who gets in their way.

The original version of this essay misidentified the author of the quote, When my brothers try to draw a circle to exclude me, I shall draw a larger circle to include them as Martin Luther King Jr. It was Pauli Murray, as the text now indicates. My apologies for the mix-up.

Brexit Uncertainty Continues

Brexit was about to turn a corner this week, but instead it stayed exactly where it was. The E.U. summit in Salzburg was supposed to be a step forward in the negotiations. It was, in fact, a step backward, as both sides misjudged and misread each other. Prime Minister Theresa Mays cabinet-backed compromise offer on trade with Europe was brusquely dismissed by the E.U. at the summit. E.U. Council president Donald Tusk simply told May her plan would not work, but didnt seem too happy about it. French president Emmanuel Macron put the boot in: We all agreed on this today, the proposals in their current state are not acceptable. He seemed to relish this state of affairs, because it exposed the fantasy of the Brexit right (and of the anti-E.U. governments in Poland and Hungary and Italy) that a new deal for a less constricted relationship within the E.U. would be easy to negotiate and entail very few costs. Britain will be punished pour decourager les autres. The E.U. leaders are prepared to damage their own economies and cripple Britains rather than give an inch on their rules.

May found this out an hour before her post-summit press conference, where she appeared shocked, ticked off, and off-balance. She shouldnt have been. Anyone could have told her that the E.U. would never compromise and give Britain a break. In fact, lots of people did. She somehow thought she could charm or blackmail her way to the next level of negotiation. But charm is not her strength, and her negotiating position is terribly weak.

And the problem of Ireland remains. A hard border between E.U. member Ireland and non-E.U. member Northern Ireland would risk inflaming the sectarian conflict, which the E.U. framework did so much to calm. An open border, however, with the single market covering the entirety of the island of Ireland, with tariffs added retroactively after the goods crossed the Irish sea, would sever Northern Ireland from the U.K. Most mainland Brits couldnt give a shit about this, but May only has a Commons majority because of support from a Northern Irish party that would bring her down if she wobbled on this. E.U. leaders believed  not unreasonably  that May would propose something to resolve this somehow at Salzburg, but instead she said that a solution was impossible before the deadline of next March. That seems to have done it.

So we wont have a hard Brexit or a soft Brexit by next March. We will have, as James Forsyth explains here, a blind Brexit, with Britain formally leaving the E.U. next year with no idea what the future relationship will be. That empty and vague option is probably all that could get through Parliament anyway. There is, however, a transition period that ends in December 2020, when the old trading rules expire, and something has to replace them, if only WTO rules.

The extreme uncertainty  and chance of catastrophe  will therefore continue, making it hard for businesses or the government to plan for it. And this will happen as British politics remains deeply unsettled, with both major parties divided, with their leaders openly disdained by a whole swath of their own members of Parliament, and with no one having any idea who will be running the country as it speeds toward an economic cliff edge. Good times. In their sublime moment of direct democracy, a majority of Brits voted for Brexit. To paraphrase Mencken, theyre going to get it, good and hard.

See you next Friday, if Im lucky.
Ed, youre not helping. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh has put Republicans in quite the jam. On the one hand, they think failing to put Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court in the next few weeks will hurt them in the midterms, and maybe even prevent them from putting another conservative on the Court. On the other hand, its no longer acceptable to dismiss women alleging sexual misconduct as a little bit nutty and a little bit slutty.

A few more moderate Republican senators successfully pushed to let Christine Blasey Ford testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, while rejecting her request for an FBI investigation into her allegation. Meanwhile, Kavanaugh backers have already come up with a theory that exonerates him, without calling Ford a liar. Earlier this week, Senator Orrin Hatch said Kavanaugh told him he didnt do that, and he wasnt at the party, so clearly Ford must be mistaken. The same possibility of mistaken identity was floated by The Wall Street Journal editorial board, and by the Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker, who mused, Could there be a Kavanaugh doppelganger?

Ed Whelan, a former law clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia and the president of a think tank called the Ethics and Public Policy Center, took this theory to a new, wildly irresponsible place on Thursday night, actually identifying a classmate of Kavanaughs at Georgetown Prep, and suggesting that he, not the future judge, might have attempted to rape Ford.

The tweetstorm showed the results of Whelans internet sleuthing. The supposed evidence (which we are not embedding because theres no reason to think the classmate was actually involved) includes:

 A Google map of where Ford, Kavanaugh, and other alleged witnesses lived when they were in high school.

 Real estate photos of the home where Whelan thinks the incident might have occurred, based on Ford saying the house was not far from the Columbia Country Club.

 A floor plan that shows that the upstairs bathroom is across from a bedroom in this house, just like Ford described.

 And finally, the big reveal: 35 years ago, this was the home of a Georgetown Prep student who looks kind of like Kavanaugh and was also friends with Mark Judge (who was allegedly present during the assault). Yearbook photos and a current photo of the classmate are provided for comparison to Kavanaugh.

As Twitter users discussed the irony of the head of the Ethics and Public Policy Center possibly being sued for defamation, Whelan added a disclaimer:

To be clear, I have no idea what, if anything, did or did not happen in that bedroom at the top of the stairs, and I therefore do not state, imply or insinuate that Garrett or anyone else committed the sexual assault that Ford alleges.  Ed Whelan (@EdWhelanEPPC) September 20, 2018

Ford quickly issued a statement dismissing the theory. She said of Kavanaugh and the classmate, I knew them both, and socialized with them. She said shed visited the other classmate in the hospital, so there is zero chance that I would confuse them.

Whelan is friends with both Kavanaugh and Leonard Leo, the Federalist Society executive director who is advising the White House on the nominee. Whelan has become one of the judges most prominent defenders, and hes reportedly advising on Kavanaughs confirmation effort as well. Earlier in the week he teased that he had information that would clear Kavanaughs name.

By one week from today, I expect that Judge Kavanaugh will have been clearly vindicated on this matter. Specifically, I expect that compelling evidence will show his categorical denial to be truthful. There will be no cloud over him.  Ed Whelan (@EdWhelan123) September 18, 2018

Senator Feinstein will soon be apologizing to Judge Kavanaugh. https://t.co/FeeuDmQNz1  Ed Whelan (@EdWhelan123) September 18, 2018

Politico reported on Tuesday that Whelan had told at least three associates that his confidence in his assertions is close to 100 percent. His claims reportedly sparked intense speculation among conservatives and even White House aides.

But Whelans claim is the only one being taken seriously by conservatives, including several close to Kavanaugh, who were tantalized by his assertions, given his decadeslong friendship with Kavanaugh and close involvement with the nomination process. A graduate of Harvard Law School who served as a law clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and a blogger on legal issues for National Review Online, he has worked alongside Federalist Society executive director Leonard Leo advising the White House on judicial nominations.

Ed Whelan is the model of careful, discerning legal analysis and commentary. Its why all of us who know him take everything he says and writes so seriously, said Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, where Whelan writes on judicial issues.

As of late Thursday night, Whelan had not backed off from his assertions. He did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Post, but retweeted a jab at Fords attorney.

LEAKED: @DebraKatzKMB has released her demands for the composition of the panel for next week's #KavanaughConfirmationHearing: pic.twitter.com/uMwogF0HOj  ConfirmKavanaugh (@confirmkav) September 21, 2018

The Post reported that top Republicans tried to distance themselves from Whelan after his tweetstorm flopped:

Republicans on Capitol Hill and White House officials immediately sought to distance themselves from Whelans claims and said they were not aware of his plans to identify the former classmate, now a middle school teacher, who could not be reached for comment and did not answer the door at his house Thursday night.

Garrett Ventry, communications adviser for the Senate Judiciary Committee, tweeted that they had no involvement:

To reporters asking: The Senate Judiciary Committee had no knowledge or involvement. https://t.co/MBmqrwMyp5  Garrett Ventry (@GarrettVentry) September 20, 2018

Even right-wing outlets from Hot Air to the Washington Examiner dismissed the theory and said Whelan was wrong to identify the classmate. It is inconceivable that this Whelan defense will help Kavanaugh in any way. In fact, its so nasty and desperate-seeming that it taints Kavanaugh, despite that fact that he might have had nothing to do with it, wrote The American Conservatives Rod Dreher.

However, it appears Republicans havent ruled out the mistaken identity defense entirely. Per the Post:

Kavanaugh and his allies have been privately discussing a defense that would not question whether an incident involving Ford happened, but instead would raise doubts that the attacker was Kavanaugh, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

Whelan concluded his Twitter thread by saying its unfortunate that the classmate is being drawn into the controversy, blaming Senator Dianne Feinstein for his decision to tweet out the mans name, photo, and former address.

It is regrettable that private citizens are being drawn into this. But that is the product of Senator Feinsteins shockingly shoddy handling of the whole matter.  Ed Whelan (@EdWhelanEPPC) September 20, 2018

If the matter had been handled as it should have been, the Committee would have investigated the matter over the summer and resolved it privately to everyones satisfaction without the smearing of Kavanaugh and the dragging of the names of others into the public eye.  Ed Whelan (@EdWhelanEPPC) September 20, 2018

Bottom line: I believe that a fair assessment of this evidence powerfully supports Judge Kavanaughs categorical denial.  Ed Whelan (@EdWhelanEPPC) September 20, 2018

Obviously, conducting a fair assessment of this evidence shouldnt involve one of Kavanaughs friends consulting Google, then posting his findings in an incendiary Twitter thread; its a job for law enforcement. All Whelan did was vividly illustrate why Republicans are wrong to reject Fords call for an FBI investigation prior to her testimony.
Ukraine industry moves against counterfeit cement

21 September 2018

This week Ukrcement, the Ukranian cement association, reported that counterfeit cement was prevalent in Ukraine's cement market. It is more disappointing news for local producers who have seen cement production drop by 3.7 per cent in the first seven months of the year.

The cement association recently commissioned GFK Ukraine to carry out research into the packaging of cement products sold in the domestic retail market. The research agency visited 180 building material outlets, supermarkets and chain stores to study whether the cement bag packaging represented the original and official factory packaging of domestic cement producers Ivano-Frankovskcement, CRH plc, Dyckerhoff Cement Ukraine, HeidelbergCement Ukraine and Eurocement-Ukraine. The study used three categories in its research and reported on the falsification of well-known brands and quality of other unbranded cements. In total, the proportion of false brands was 11.6 per cent in terms of observation and eight per cent in terms of the physical volume of cement.

The association said that the violation of the bag labelling is the main sign of poor-quality counterfeit cement. Regulatory documents state that five mandatory items must be indicated on the bag: the name of the cement manufacturing company, the conventional designation of cement, the designation of the normative document, the net weight and the conformity mark.

"The number of counterfeit products has increased in the Ukrainian market, which does not meet the standards. In general, experts estimate the level of falsification in the world market of building materials is in the range of 5-7 per cent. For modern Ukraine, because of the lack of mechanism for effective control, I would estimate this share to be 10 per cent," said Ellena Shulyak, Construction BRDO.



Bridging the certification gap

Much of the country's difficulties over counterfeiting stem from 1 January 2018 when compulsory certification of building materials was cancelled. In 2015 a plan was hatched to bring Ukraine's cements standards in line with the European standards and to harmonise them. The initiative was designed to stimulate the domestic building materials market and enable Ukraine's producers to export cement to Europe. It was assumed that by January 2018 Ukraine would be in a position to be protected by the provisions of the EU Regulation 305/2011, which covers the EU's quality of construction materials. However, Ukraine has not been able to implement the EU regulation in time before the certification was effectively cancelled at the start of this year.

Cement producers take preventative action

Meanwhile, cement producers have been taking action to address the counterfeit issue. In 2017 Eurocement-Ukraine, the largest cement manufacturer in the country with its plants located at Balakliya and Kramatorsk, developed new bags for each cement brand. The new bags include various measures to protect the company's products against counterfeiting:

 three layers of paper and one layer of polythene

 a bar code, data on certification products and compliance with the Draft Standard for Trial use (DSTU)

 printing of the companys trademark and slogan Only Qualitative Balakley Cement

 a QR code and the companys website with tear-off tape on its PROF series of products.

Government measures

As a first step in protecting the domestic industry, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine has already banned clinker imports originating from Russia in August, but further measures could be necessary. This follows an investigation in July by the Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade into anti-dumping of cement when imports from Russia, Belarus and Moldova came under investigation. Ilyashhev & Partners are now appointed to monitor imports over a 12-18 month period.





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Moroccan cement demand falls 28% in August

ICR Newsroom By 21 September 2018

Cement consumption in Morocco declined 28.2 per cent in August 2018 to 881,411Mt when compared with August 2017, when 1,227,932t was sold, according to data of the Ministry of Housing and Urbanisation.



Sales in the largest market, Casablanca fell by a third YoY to 193,737t while in Marrakech-Safi deliveries dropped by 13.1Mt to 135,824t over the same period. The Rabat-Sale area recorded the largest decline at 38.8 per cent to 109,722t. In Tanger-Tetouan demand contracted by a third to 105,222t.



In the first eight months of 2018, domestic demand decreased by 4.9 per cent YoY to 8.757Mt from 92.04Mt in 8M17.



The Draa-Tafilet area reported the largest increase at 15.4 per cent to 217,743t while sales in Marrakech-Safi also advanced a healthy 8.8 per cent to 1.241Mt. However, other key markets such as Casablanca and Rabat-Sale reported a market contraction of 8.7 and 9.3 per cent, respectively. Deliveries in the greater Casablanca area totalled 1.885Mt and in Rabat-Sale they fell to 1.108Mt.

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Case dropped against LafargeHolcim's mining in East Khasi hills

21 September 2018

The Meghalya High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) against LafargeHolcim as being 'totally without merit' and 'tainted with ill design' against the company's mining of limestone in the land bordering Nongtrai and Shella, India, near the Bangladesh border.



While the PIL had been pending since 2007, the Shella Action Committee (SAC) could not produce one land owner who was affected, after the land was transferred, sold or leased out in favour of Lafarge.



The SAC had filed the PIL against the then Lafarge's Lum Mawshun Minerals Pvt Ltd, Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd registered in India and Lafarge Surma Cement Ltd, based in Bangladesh, alleging that the companies had denied revenue due to the state and ignored mining rules.



After considering the matter, the court said it had arrived at a conclusion that the petitioner had filed the PIL without any substantial basis.

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Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein might not be employed much longer. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was only on the job for a couple weeks last spring when he began suggesting that he secretly record President Trump and whip up support among cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment, the New York Times reports.

Rosenstein made the suggestions in the aftermath of former FBI Director James Comeys firing, telling other Justice Department and F.B.I. officials that he believed Attorney General Jeff Sessions and John Kelly could be convinced to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office.

The Times reports that Rosenstein made the suggestions in a meeting with Andrew McCabe and other Justice Department officials. They came amid complaints about the disorganized search for Comeys replacement and Rosensteins concern over Trumps erratic behavior.

Mr. Rosenstein then raised the idea of wearing a recording device or wire, as he put it, to secretly tape the president when he visited the White House. One participant asked whether Mr. Rosenstein was serious, and he replied animatedly that he was.

If not him, then Mr. McCabe or other F.B.I. officials interviewing with Mr. Trump for the job could perhaps wear a wire or otherwise record the president, Mr. Rosenstein offered. White House officials never checked his phone when he arrived for meetings there, Mr. Rosenstein added, implying it would be easy to secretly record Mr. Trump.

In a statement to the Times, Rosenstein denied making the story. The New York Timess story is inaccurate and factually incorrect, he said. I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.
Bauer in his prison uniform. Photo: Shane Bauer, courtesy of Mother Jones.

In 2014, investigative reporter Shane Bauer  who three years earlier had been freed from a notorious Iranian prison  embarked on a daring journalistic experiment. He took a job as a $9-an-hour private-prison guard at Winn Correctional Facility in Louisiana, and with the help of a well-placed recorder and camera, managed to capture the inner workings of the sort of place reporters rarely ever venture to. What he experienced during his four-month tenure at Winn, which ended with his hastily fleeing his apartment after his ruse was discovered, was disturbing on many levels, from the gross mistreatment of inmates to his own transformation into hardened prison guard. Bauer wrote all about it in a widely hailed Mother Jones article in 2016. Now he has expanded that piece into a book, American Prison, in which he intersperses his story with the brutal, long, and little-known history of private prisons in America. (A sample eye-popping fact: prisoners caught up in the 19th-century convict leasing system experienced a higher death rate than those in Soviet gulags.)

Daily Intelligencer spoke with Bauer about the fundamental inhumanity of private prisons and the future of mass-incarceration reform.

You write a little about it in the book, but I was wondering if you could explain what compelled you to embark on this assignment after youd been imprisoned in Iran for so long.

Id been reporting in the Middle East  thats where I started my career as a journalist. (Bauer and two friends were arrested and accused of spying by Iranian authorities in 2009 when they crossed into the country while on vacation. They were released in 2011 after extensive diplomatic negotiations.) I assumed Id return after I got out of prison, but at the time, there was a huge hunger strike going on in California prisons, protesting the use of long-term solitary confinement. Id been in solitary myself, so I was naturally drawn to that story as I watched it unfold. I wasnt ready to go back to work yet, but I started digging into the issue, and thats what my first story after being released was about. There were 80,000 people on a given day in solitary, including people who hadnt committed any violent acts; one guy in California was in there for 40 years. I wrote about that along with my own experiences, and kept getting pulled deeper and deeper into the American prison system.

When I started to report on criminal justice, I became more and more frustrated by the walls that are put up around our prisons. Its very difficult to get access to prison systems  theyre reluctant to even abide by public-records laws. Its a very concerted effort to keep the public out, which Ive since learned has gotten worse over time. And this is especially true with private prisons, because those laws often dont even apply. So part of me was drawn to it just because we know so little about life inside of these places. I had the idea of applying for a job and getting inside that way. It only took an hour or two of my time to complete an application online, which I filled out truthfully. Within a couple of weeks I was getting phone calls, and had several job offers.

The place I worked was hiring people at $9 an hour, which is determined by the CoreCivics corporate office in Nashville, not the prison itself. They were so desperate for staff that it felt like they were trying to convince me to take the job. (CoreCivics changed its name from the Correction Corporation of America in October 2016, months after Bauers piece ran.)

You detail a lot of egregious behavior among the fellow guards you worked with, but also underline repeatedly how little theyre paid, how understaffed the place is, and how their training often encourages brutal tactics. Do you think the kind of person attracted to this work is any more prone to mistreatment than an average worker?

I didnt have the feeling that my fellow cadets wanted to work in a prison or had any kind of sadistic motives  they arrived there out of desperation. They had no job experience, or were coming out of high school, or were single moms who needed to get some insurance. Its true that there was a category of people more prone to brutality, with backgrounds in law enforcement or prison, who had been driven out of their former jobs because of things they did and couldnt get hired anywhere else. But in general most people were there because they were poor and needed work. And once they got into the system, they were faced with a job that was nearly impossible. There were days where Id come to work and there were 24 guards for almost 1,500 inmates. The duties that were required were literally not possible for us to fulfill. The guards and prisoners would get frustrated with how sloppily the place was run  some would lash out at prisoners, and some would just get by with the bare minimum, put in 12 hours and not really do much work. I should also say that the company was not even filling the positions required by contract.

Later on, after I quit, I bought one share of the company so I could attend a corporate meeting and raise some of these issues as a shareholder. I asked a question to the CoreCivics CEO, Damon Hininger, who didnt acknowledge who I was, or that he knew who I was. He gave me a corporate-gloss answer about how well the company was doing, and as soon as the meeting was over, he took off quickly.

Much of the history of making prisoners into profit machines is closely intertwined with slavery, and then white supremacy after the Civil War. We know the justice system is full of racial disparities, but how much was this in evidence during your daily life at the prison?

The culture in Louisiana prisons was different from California, where prisoners were much more racially segregated. But about 75 percent of the prisoners at Winn were African-American, which is a clear illustration of the way racism plays into the criminal justice system. There are just a huge number of black people in prison, and Louisiana is one of the most incarcerated places in the world. The South, in general, has staggering rates of incarceration.

As you detail in the book, from convict leasing to chain gangs, the reality of private prisons in America is hardly unprecedented. Whats different about the situation today?

The size is unprecedented. The issue of the prison system being driven by a desire to turn a profit is not at all unprecedented; in fact, its the driving force of the institution throughout much of American history. There were times when states were debating whether they should keep using the penitentiary system. That system didnt always exist  it was invented in America. Decades after it began, people were asking, Is this a failed experiment? People arent being rehabilitated. What saved it is that states discovered a way to make these places turn a profit and make money for them. Then they became addicted to the penitentiary. Southern states were using them as a way to try to industrialize, to compete with the North  before the Civil War, prisons in many southern states were the states largest factories. Even after the war, states leased penitentiary systems to private companies, and became hooked on them because they were making money for the state. Ten percent of Alabamas states budget was coming from penitentiaries. But when you read back through old papers and op-eds, you see the same issue still coming up: people saying Why are we continuing with this system that does not seem to be reducing crime or rehabilitating anyone?

To state the obvious, many public prisons arent exactly hotbeds of good treatment and behavior. Do you think the problems you describe are specific to private institutions?

No, but its only in recent decades that the profit motive has been separated from the public prison system  before, theyd been intertwined. Now we have some private prisons, which are about 8 percent of the total, but their distinction was much more fuzzy during most of American history. There were times when we had corporations running prison systems, and other periods when the states were, because they were were intent on turning a profit. Thats not so much the case anymore, because of prison overpopulation.

Today, I wouldnt make any distinction between public and private in terms of the possibility of rehabilitation  public prisons are also abysmal in that way. But there are certain conditions particular to private prisons, which have to do with companies cutting corners, lowering wages of staff, and being resistant to providing medical care. At the prison I was in, the contract said that if you had to send prisoners to the hospital, the company would have to foot the bill. I saw many situations where prisoners had severe medical conditions and the company wouldnt do it. One guy had gangrene, wasnt sent to the hospital, and eventually had to have his legs amputated. Its not as if public prisons have great health care, but theres an incentive to cut corners where they can, which almost always leads to worse conditions.

Do you think the profit motive automatically makes private prisons fatally flawed? Could there be such thing as a humane, successful one?

No, because the margin of profit is so small. If private prisons were regulated in a way that made them more humane and forced them to provide better health care, the profit margin would go away and the motive for states to use the company would disappear. Its built into the system that theyre going to be less humane.

Something thats worth noting here: the reason we have these private prison companies is that we have so many people in prison. This is an issue that goes way beyond incarceration. This is about policing, prosecutorial power, mandatory minimums, how long sentences are. These are the core issues, and the for-profit prisons are the symptoms of those problems.

Even since you published your Mother Jones piece, the prison reform movement has gained steam in America, with Trumps election of course being a setback to that progress. As you write in the book, reform movements have ebbed and flowed throughout Americas history. Do you feel the current movement has real potential to change the way we think and act about prisons?

I do see potential. In recent years there has been a lot more attention paid to prisons than before, and I think there is a wider understanding of the problems with them. Ten years ago, it was very hard to get anyone to focus on the issue  the idea was that if people are in prison, they deserved it. That consciousness has changed. Theres an awareness on both the left and the right that weve gone in a bad direction and need to change course. There are a few reasons for this: the Black Lives Matter movement has focused attention on policing, and theres an increasing awareness about the racism in our criminal justice system.

Trump has definitely been a setback. A clear example of that is that weeks after my article came out, the Obama administration announced that it would stop using private prisons, and the stock prices of those companies tanked. CoreCivics was cut in half. The day after Trump won, their stock price skyrocketed more than any company in the stock market, and in the first few weeks of his administration, DOJ reversed the Obama administrations decision. So hes rolled back those changes, but theres still opportunity to make progress on the state level.

After four months of working at the prison, what was your biggest, overarching takeaway about the state of incarceration in America?

Theres so much to say. I think that the state of incarceration in America is dismal, to put it mildly. We have the largest prison population in the entire world, a system so bloated that weve turned to companies to pick up the slack, to run prisons where the states cant afford to.

Its an unprecedented situation in world history. When we look back on this time decades from now, I think mass incarceration will be one of the defining issues of the moment were in.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Beto believe it. Photo: Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images

Beto ORourke is closing in on the Zodiac Killer. For months now, Ted Cruzs Democratic challenger has been racking up Facebook followers and piling up campaign cash. ORourke has routinely out-fundraised the Republican incumbent  despite refusing to take PAC money  as hes made his presence known in all 254 counties of the Lone Star State and on every major social-media platform in cyberspace. Somehow, he even persuaded the Texas Republican Party to dedicate an entire Twitter campaign to how cool he was in high school.

Maybe Beto cant debate Ted Cruz because he already had plans... pic.twitter.com/LdqKTh3yK4  Texas GOP (@TexasGOP) August 28, 2018

All this was more than enough to make ORourke a resistance hero  and Cruz, visibly nervous  but it still wasnt quite sufficient to put Beto neck-and-neck with Texass junior senator.

Until now.

This week, for the first time ever, a major pollster found ORourke leading Cruz, while another depicted the race as a statistical tie. Those surveys remain outliers  judging by the polls alone, Cruz still boasts a significant (if not quite comfortable) average lead of about 4.5 percent. But the Cook Political Report does not base its forecasts primarily on public polls. Rather, the reputable election prognosticator rates races on the basis of its conversations with strategists in both parties, as well as campaigns internal polling. And this week, such conversations led Cook to revise its expectations for the Cruz-ORourke contest: Now, the forecaster no longer considers the race lean Republican, but rather, a toss-up.

Cook staffer Jennifer E. Duffy offers this more detailed analysis:

GOP U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz isnt terribly popular, and while that might not necessarily be a problem is a red state, Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke and his message have generated a great deal of enthusiasm among Democrats and independents, as well as Democratic donors across the country who have filled his campaign war chest. At this point, he has outraised Cruz and outspent him on television. A Toss Up rating makes both parties nervous: Republicans for obvious reasons and Democrats because it creates an expectation that they will start spending money on the race  ORourke has earned this rating, but getting the last couple of points to overtake Cruz and win the seat will be difficult though not utterly impossible.

So, it kinda sounds like Cook considers the race more of lean lean Republican than a jump ball. But that remains more than a little impressive, given the inherent advantages of incumbency and Texass robustly red hue.

As to the broader battle for Senate control, Cooks forecast suggests that the two parties are running neck-and-neck in virtually all of this years battlegrounds. Of the 26 Democrat-held seats up for grabs this fall, Cook rates four as toss-ups  Bill Nelsons in Florida, Joe Donnellys in Indiana, Claire McCaskills in Missouri, and Heidi Heitkamps in North Dakota. The rest, Cook rates as either lean Democrat or better for Team Blue. Of the nine Republican seats on the ballot this November, meanwhile, Cook now classifies four as toss-ups, with Dean Hellers in Nevada, and the open seats in Tennessee and Arizona sharing that column with Cruzs in Texas.

Cook suggests that the three most likely outcomes of Novembers Senate election are, in order of probability:

1) The two parties will trade some seats, but Republicans will still hold 51 while Democrats hold 49.

2) Democrats will net one seat, but Republicans will still enjoy effective control thanks to Mike Pences time-breaking vote.

3) Democrats will gain a 51-vote majority.

Considering that Team Blue is facing the most unfavorable Senate map that any party has confronted in American history, thats an awfully friendly forecast.
The president of the United States is attacking the behavior of a traumatized teenager 36 years ago. Sad. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Even as his staff was telling reporters how hard they had worked  with apparent success  to keep the Boss from disrespecting Christine Blasey Ford, Trump cut loose with this tweet:

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Yes, the president of the United States is suggesting that a traumatized teenager should have gone straight to the police  unless, perhaps, shes lying about being assaulted, or the attack wasnt as bad as she says. (You know, maybe it was just roughhousing.) The gratuitous shot at her loving parents is not going to go over terribly well with people who have teenage daughters.

The tweet wasnt a one-off, either. A few minutes later, Trump added this:

The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

The president is no more renowned for his understanding of how government works than he is for empathy toward women. But even he probably knows that the FBI doesnt have jurisdiction over sexual assaults, but can become involved in investigations involving federal judges and nominees. Trump made a similar argument involving the agency last night in an interview with Sean Hannity, which means the people around him had quite a few hours to explain to him why this whole snarky line of discourse is absurd and offensive.

Clearly, Trump could not be controlled and could not control himself, even as his own counselor Kellyanne Conway was publicly urging all Republicans to avoid attacks on Ford. He was like a toddler in close proximity to a sweet in the famous marshmallow test measuring the ability to delay gratification:

Trump has failed the Kavanaugh Marshmallow Test, though in his defense, he held out longer than anybody thought possible before lunging for the tweet button https://t.co/HokVMq4GHT  Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) September 21, 2018

It will be an interesting day at the White House as flummoxed aides and congressional allies try to walk this back. But who knows when the president will bust loose again? His renewed threats to shut down the government in a tantrum over his border wall against the advice of virtually every Republican in sight really ought to be taken more seriously. And Judge Kavanaughs backers should understand that the maximum support of POTUS can be a mixed blessing.
Even though Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin jumped on the bandwagon of quickest celebrity engagements in 2018, the whole world is seemingly on board. Some might not have even been that surprised, considering in a 2016 interview with GQ magazine, Bieber suggested that the two could get married. What if Hailey ends up being the girl Im gonna marry, right? If I rush into anything, if I damage her, then its always gonna be damaged, he said when they briefly dated before splitting.

Not long after they rekindled their romance, Bieber popped the question on July 7, 2018 during a trip to the Bahamas. Fans may be all in for Bieber and Baldwin  but what do their families think about the whirlwind romance?

Stephen Baldwin gave his blessing

As soon as the news of their engagement broke, dad Stephen Baldwin took to Twitter to express his excitement for his daughter. Sweet smile on my face! me&wife (Kennya) Always pray 4 Gods will !! He is moving in the hearts of JB&HB Lets all pray for His will to be doneLove you 2 so much !!! #Godstiming #bestisyettocome Congrats @JeremyBieber @pattiemallette #PraiseJesus, he shared.

Stephen was clearly anxiously anticipating the proposal, as Bieber reportedly asked for his daughters hand in marriage the traditional way. A source told ET, Justin wanted to respect tradition, so a couple weeks ago, while him and Hailey were visiting New York, Justin set aside some time to talk with Stephen.

The source continued, Justin and Stephen have always had a close relationship, and Justin wanted to show his future father-in-law how serious he is about his future with Hailey.

Both of Biebers parents couldnt contain their excitement

Baldwins father wasnt the only parent getting excited for their wedding. Biebers father, Jeremy Bieber, wrote on social media, @justinbieber Proud is an understatement! Excited for the next chapter!

His mom, Pattie Mallette, had one word to say: Love Love Love Love Love Love Love.

Ireland Baldwin paid Bieber a tribute in her congratulations

More than just Bieber and Baldwins parents have expressed their well wishes on social media. Even Ireland Baldwin (daughter of Alec Baldwin) had her own special post to share on Instagram  while paying tribute with lyrics from Biebers 2009 song, One Less Lonely Girl.

She captioned an adorable childhood photo (including the bride-to-bes little sister, Alaia Baldwin), Theres gunna be one less lonely girl  and only one lonely girl left. She continued, My other chicken is soon to be a beautiful bride. congratulations to the two of you @haileybaldwin @justinbieber.

Baldwin and Biebers bond is stronger than ever

Its not surprising that Baldwin and Bieber cant seem to stop raving about each other. While both shared their excitement on their social media pages, sources have spilled details on their happiness surrounding their engagement.

Justin decided to propose to Hailey in front of a group of people in the Bahamas, but had been planning to ask her for a couple weeks now, a source told ET. The ring is gorgeous and Hailey is over the moon with joy. The two cant stop telling their friends and family how excited they are for their journey together. The two have always had a great bond, and it is stronger now than ever.
Pick one. Photo: Getty Images

The political fortunes of nationalism are on the rise. Brexit, Trump, and the rise of populist nationalism in Europe have together dealt a death blow to the idea that increasing global interconnection would cause more parochial commitments to wither and die. Yet nationalisms political successes have, so far at least, not translated to much in the realm of culture. Yes, the Steve Bannons of the world may occasionally be given platforms outside of the far-right media ghetto, but the thinking and writing classes of the West still generally regard nationalism less as a legitimate political philosophy and more as a problem to be dealt with.

In a just-published book, The Virtue of Nationalism, the Israeli political theorist Yoram Hazony sets out to attack this consensus. An Orthodox Bible scholar, former aide to Benjamin Netanyahu, and president of the conservative Herzl Institute, Hazony will be familiar to some English-language readers from his frequent, and frequently Trump-friendly, contributions to American conservative outlets like National Review and The Wall Street Journal. Unlike more timid contemporary defenders of nationalism, his goal is to offer not merely a pragmatic case for the nation-state as a concession to human nature but a positive argument for nationalist political philosophy as good in itself. And although Hazony is not the first conservative intellectual to attempt to revive nationalism as a respectable political theory in recent years  magazines like The American Conservative and, more recently, American Affairs, have regularly published arguments along these lines  his book is likely to stand out for its ambition and theoretical simplicity, providing todays right-wing nationalists with a conceptual language for challenging their globalist rivals.

Contemporary opposition to nationalism is usually grounded in morality. Pragmatic cases can be made that nations suffer economically or politically from an undue focus on their own interests, but globalism, to use Hazonys term, would never have achieved its current position of strength if it did not build on the powerful moral intuition that there is something wrong with privileging the well-being of fellow citizens over that of other human beings, just because the former happen to have been born on the right side of an arbitrary border. Nationalism, in this view, is always premised on the exclusion of outsiders from the circle of moral concern. Even in cases where it is not explicitly racist, then, it channels the same impulse to discriminate that lies behind racism and other forms of prejudice. This impulse seems all the more irrational given the now-widespread belief that national identity is more or less mythical, constructed, or, in the words of a New York Times video from earlier this year, made up.

Hazony attempts to upend these intuitions by providing an alternative moral framework for thinking about the nation and nationalism  that of the nation versus the empire. In Hazonys stylized view, the history of mankind since the invention of the state is the history of two competing principles of political order: nationalism, or the principle that the world should be divided up among a multiplicity of self-governing nations, and empire, which Hazony defines as any order whose purpose is to bring peace and prosperity by uniting mankind under a single political regime. The rise of globalism among Western elites in recent decades should be understood, according to Hazony, not as the emergence of a new, more enlightened principle of political order  one that has recognized the errors of nationalism and evolved beyond them  but as the reemergence of something far more ancient: the ideology of an imperial ruling class that sees strong commitments to the nation as threats to the unity of the empire. Hazonys goal with this framing is to force his readers into a choice: either youre a nationalist, or you support, in principle, the ideal of an international government or regime that imposes its will on subject nations when its officials regard this as necessary. Which is to say, youre either a nationalist or an imperialist.

The early chapters of The Virtue of Nationalism provide a sketchy and sometimes tendentious account of the historical conflict between nationalism and imperialism  Hazony traces a genealogy of Jewish and Protestant nationalist resistance to Roman and then Catholic empire  but his real argument is made on the basis of political philosophy. Reprising a theme that has become increasingly popular with conservative intellectuals like Patrick Deneen, Hazony begins with a polemic against the Enlightenment political philosophers John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, whose assumption that humans are essentially self-interested individuals is, in these these critics view, the basis for universalist liberal theories that unduly elevate the rights of individuals over the claims of concrete human groups. Humans, for Hazony, are not primarily individuals: they are first and foremost members of collectives, such as the family, tribe, or religious community. These collectives imbue their members with an identity transmitted through language, belief, and tradition  and the individuals that make up a collective will in turn view it as part of their own extended selves, producing feelings of solidarity and mutual loyalty among the members of the group. The mutual loyalty of human collectives is, for Hazony, the basis of all political order.

The nature and size of these social collectives can vary wildly, leading to different forms of political order. Hazony contrasts two ideal types based on the two possible extremes of collective identity: the order of tribes and clans and the universal empire. The order of tribes and clans is what exists prior to the formation of the state: highly local and particularistic, it is akin to an extended family, ruled by leaders to whom the members of the tribe or clan are bound by ties of familiarity and personal loyalty. This order produces a tremendous degree of freedom but tends toward internal division and weakness, which is why, historically, most tribal and clan societies have either formed their own states or been conquered by neighbors who beat them to the punch. At the other end of Hazonys continuum is the imperial state. In contrast to the circumscribed world of the tribes and clans, the empire is potentially limitless in extent, its expansion checked only by the ability of other states to resist it. In place of the constant squabbling of the tribes, the empire imposes peace under one ruler and one law. And if mutual loyalty in the tribe is limited to familiar individuals, mutual loyalty in the empire applies, in theory, to the entire world. In an imperial order, Hazony writes, all political life is rooted in the moral principle of the unity of unfamiliar humanity, which is the principle that each individual has obligations to the common welfare of mankind.

Yet this moral universalism is, for Hazony, precisely the problem with empire: empires by their very nature believe that their way of doing things is the only way and that all of humanity would benefit by submitting to imperial rule, which produces an eternal appetite for expansion. Given, however, that most humans will feel more loyalty toward concrete and particular groups than they are capable of feeling to humanity in the abstract, the moral universalism of the empire will always, in Hazonys view, turn out to be flawed in theory and hypocritical in practice. On the one hand, universalism drives empires to despotism as they attempt to abolish or suppress local sources of collective identity, which undermine subjects primary loyalty to the empire. On the other hand, since so few people are willing to fight and die for the mass of unfamiliar humanity, imperial states will, in practice, tend to be constructed around a ruling nation whose members will defend one another at all cost against the peoples whom they have conquered, as he argues was the case in the English, French, Greek, Persian, Roman, and Spanish empires. What passes itself off as universalism, then, always turns out to be the universalism of a particular nation or ruling elite, accepted only temporarily and reluctantly by others.

The virtues of nationalism emerge by way of comparison to these two extremes. For Hazony, the national state  a state culturally and politically governed by a nation  represents a sort of happy medium between the insularity of the tribe and the despotism of the imperial state. Like the imperial state, the national state establishes justice, defends against foreign conquest, and elevates its citizens beyond the limited horizons of the tribal world. Yet unlike the imperial state, the national state is particularistic rather than universal  it is sustained by mutual loyalty among members of a specific nation, which Hazony defines as a union of tribes marked by the shared heritage of a common language or religious tradition and a history of joining together against common enemies. The national states particularism, in Hazonys view, has the dual advantage of restraining the imperial impulse toward constant expansion and of providing the state with a concrete basis for social solidarity and mutual trust. This includes the solidarity between the rulers and the ruled, with the former feeling toward the latter a sense of obligation based on shared communal identity. For Hazony, this is why free institutions, such as constitutional checks and balances, first emerged in Protestant Europe during the early modern period, when states like England and the Netherlands began cohering into truly national states.

Although Hazony is at pains to insist that there is nothing biological or racist about his idea of the nation, his definition of one is functionally equivalent to that of an ethnic group, making ethno-nationalism a hostile but not necessarily inaccurate description of what he is advocating. He is brutally dismissive, for instance, of what is referred to in the United States as civic nationalism, or the idea that a commitment to the abstract values embodied in a states founding documents can plausibly substitute for the mutual loyalty of an actual nation. Founding documents, Hazony argues, will become an object of loyalty precisely to the extent that the tribe or nation to which we are loyal transmits the sacredness of these documents to each new generation of children. Any loyalty they produce will be thus primarily be loyalty to the tribe or nation rather than to the documents themselves. For those, such as oppressed minorities, who are alienated from the dominant national culture, the states founding documents will be seen as the quasi-religion of a different nation or tribe, and as hypocrisy to the extent that neutrality is claimed for them. Indeed, Hazony seems to believe that functioning national states require one nation to be so dominant within the state that minority groups have few options other than to assimilate themselves into the constitutional and religious culture of the majority. This may well be true as a practical matter, but it tends to undercut the moral force of Hazonys polemic against empire: for some reason, the empires demand that subject nations assimilate to imperial culture is intolerable despotism, but the national states need to assimilate domestic minorities is accepted as political necessity.

The Virtue of Nationalism does get some things right: the national state is, historically, the only political entity with the sufficient size, cohesion, and military prowess to regularly resist imperial aggression. And while its vices have been elevated to mythic proportions in recent years, cosmopolitan empires, too, are riddled with flaws of their own: their leaders will often feel contemptuous, or simply indifferent, toward subject peoples with whom they share nothing in common, and they must often resort to despotism to ensure obedience in the absence of more substantive bonds of mutual loyalty.

The books major flaw is that Hazony tends to define his terms as ideal types and then argue from those definitions, which, while producing the elegant dichotomy between nation and empire, can also lend his arguments a sense of unreality. For instance, Hazony collapses imperialism, universalism, and philosophical rationalism into a single concept, allowing him to argue that empires will, always and everywhere, seek not only to expand indefinitely but to ruthlessly eliminate all particularity, obliterating local cultures in the name the imperial faith. Yet imperial elites, whether in ancient Rome or 19th-century Britain, have often been perfectly happy to accept limits to territorial expansion and leave local customs in place as long as the taxes get paid on time. Similarly, Hazony argues that Nazism, because it ignored national boundaries in pursuit of German hegemony in Europe, was actually a form imperial universalism rather than nationalism. But Nazi Germany was, in his terms, both imperialist and nationalist: its leaders attempted to abolish some nation-states, but they did so believing not that the Jews and Slavs would benefit from German rule but that the particular interests of the German nation required the Jews and Slavs to be physically destroyed.

The Nazi example indicates a deeper problem with the entire binary, which is that nationalism, as it has existed in history, is not a principled standpoint that regards the world as governed best when nations are able to chart their own independent course; it is something more like a political language, one that takes the nation as the source of legitimacy and the furtherance of its interests as the goal of politics. Nationalism, in this sense, can be inflected by all sorts of other ideologies and principled standpoints  there have been liberal nationalisms, communist nationalisms, and fascist nationalisms. Some nationalisms have defined the nation in terms of race or ethnicity, while others, such as French republican nationalism, in terms of belief and civic loyalty. Some have promoted the idea that all nations are equal and deserving of political self-determination; others, that superior nations should subjugate the inferior. The Nazi annexation of the Sudetenland did not make them anti-nationalist any more than the Soviets failure to abolish class society made them anti-communist, and though Hazony repeatedly says he is willing to accept that nationalism is responsible for its share of historical crimes, his method of dealing with specific crimes is usually to insist that the perpetrators, because they violated his own principles, werent real nationalists, even if thats what they considered themselves.

Ironically, Hazonys definitions lead him to reproduce a form of the conceptual rigidity that he associates with empire. Most of what is evil in history  territorial expansionism, World War I, the Holocaust  is assimilated to the category of imperialism, along with much of what irritates Hazony in the present, especially criticism of Israel from international bodies such as the European Union and U.N. These criticisms, in Hazonys view, are not the result of any concrete Israeli actions (the construction of settlements in the West Bank, for instance) but stem from the imperialist character of international institutions, which are compelled by their inner logic  the right to set rules for the entire world  to delegitimize and ultimately destroy any nations that resist them. Therefore, Hazony writes, We should not let a hairbreadth of our freedom be given over to foreign bodies under any name whatsoever, or else we will one day have no options left other than to acquiesce in eternal enslavement or go to war. In addition to containing a slight hint of hysteria, this is itself a form of universal legislation for how nations should behave that takes no account of  and is indeed hostile to  the particularities of a given time and place. One suspects that if such a prohibition were coming from a Eurocrat, Hazony himself would call it a form of imperialism in disguise.
Be the Light on the Hill without Burning your Hand Christian Examiner Contributor | 21 September, 2018 by Mark Klages

One headline reads, "Megachurch pastor charged with defrauding elderly investors," while a post on social media titled, "God commands me to buy a plane," gets hundreds of thousands of hits and nearly as many thumbs down. In one case a well-known, world renowned, politically connected and highly respected clergyman is accused of selling worthless bonds and using the money to pay down personal debts and expenses. In the other case, another high-profile televangelist whose name is familiar enough to be a common dinner topic among evangelical circles gets skewered by social media over his quest for donations to purchase a fourth multi-million dollar jet in support of his worldwide ministry. Each man has arguably advanced the cause of Christ's Kingdom here on Earth. Each man shined his light bright from atop the proverbial lampstand.

Each man got burned.

With prolific examples of failed faith and damaged witnesses promulgating the airwaves and social media, how are we supposed to be the "light of the world" (Matt 5:14) without burning our hand?

Start simply by walking the walk.

Jesus says simply, "Come, follow me" (Matt 4:19, NIV). He did not say "Come, bring your jet aircraft, throngs of medical staff, television, internet services, and on-line resources, and follow me." This might sound confusing, since my writing outlet comes via digital means, but hear me out. I am not trying to be at odds with successful ministries and pastors who have navigated the troubling waters of fame and status, but you have to admit those humble leaders are truly few. Billy Graham had a heart for sinners until the day of his death. He is quoted in The New Yorker as having said in 2005 of political issues, "I'm just going to preach the gospel and am not going to get off on all these hot-button issues."

Arguably one of the most influential evangelical leaders of the 21stCentury, if not themost influential one of all, Reverend Graham managed to avoid the trappings of success while amassing a reported $25 million in assets to advance God's message around the world. As the apparent exception to the rule, one must wonder if Reverend Graham's philosophy of "just going to preach the gospel" had anything to do with it. Again in Matthew, we are cautioned against becoming distracted in following Christ when Peter responds to Jesus' call to come to him on the water.

"Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" (Matthew 14:29-30, NIV)

Lest you find me guilty of idolizing Billy Graham, let us dig deeper.

Avoid common trappings.

Jesus also said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:25, NIV). Going back to our headline, why would a respected evangelical leader endorse any money-making scheme when Jesus himself so obviously cautioned against chasing money. Expounding on that question, how is the average Christian leader supposed to remain true to God's Kingdom if God also blesses him with success and wealth?

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matt 6:24, NIV)

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:25, NIV)

Sure, in today's America, money (the love of) is probably one of the top two or three challenges Christian leaders face, but let's not be naive, sexual sin defines our generation. Flash back to Woodstock, 1969, and the height of the free love movement. Drugs, sex and public nudity are all embraced and advanced by the mainstream media despite the attempts by Southern Baptist evangelical leaders to counter the lustful movement. Now fast forward to 2018 when Bill Cosby is joined by dozens of evangelical pastors accused by the #metoo movement of sexual misconduct. Just Google "megachurch pastor metoo" and you'll find 122,000 results!

Can it be as simple as "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14)?

Ok, you get the idea. Stick to Bible basics. But what if you feel called to actually DO something, like witness for God or stand in front of a group of people and preachor write a column about living a Christian life in this ungodly world?

Prepare rightly for battle.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul exhorts believers to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Eph 6:10:10-11, NIV).

Today's United States Marine infantryman would never consider going to battle in his shorts armed only with a knife and no orders. In Jesus' day, Roman soldiers wore basic armor and carried both sword and shield as effective defenders of the empire. Why do today's Christians think representing the one true and living God requires any less preparation?

Belt of truthEveryone has seen pictures and movies of Roman soldiers in their woolen tunics. Soldiers in Jesus' day also wore substantial belts (balteus) that allowed them to cinch up excess material and improve dexterity of movement for fighting. The soldier's uniform forbade excesses that would impede their ability to fight and move. Paul is calling Christians to cast off unnecessary doctrines and tuck into our "balteus" the teachings of Christ, which we will need now and between battles.

Breastplate of righteousnesssimply put, the breastplate (lorica) covers the parts of the body that cannot be pierced without risking immediate death. Righteousness, or right livingmoral justification, is Paul's way of emphasizing how deadly immorality can be to a Christian's walk.

Shoes of readinessthe heavily-soled, military grade sandals (caligae) were meant to protect soldiers' feet on rough, uneven, and potentially unsteady terrain. Much like military footwear today, their purpose was to provide a foundation on which to stabilize and protect soldiers' feet during movements and battles. Paul reminds us that "the gospel of peace" is the necessary foundation on which to prepare for battle. Knowing God gives us peace that His will be done regardless of our situation or the outcome.

Shield of faithDepending on their construct and design, shields are universally effective in defending all types of attacks. Paul specifically exhorts us to construct our shield with faith, so that when the "evil one" fires his arrows of lies and deceit, we can deflect with the faith in God and His holy word. Armed with knowledge that faith comes by hearing the word of God, Paul knew a strong faith bolstered all other pieces of God's armor.

Helmet of salvationWhen bullets, arrows, and swords are flying, no soldier wants to be caught without his helmet (galea). The helmet protects our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and brainthe center of knowledge and sensation. Paul reminds us to don our "galea" of salvation because Christian soldiers wrapped tightly in the assurance of eternal salvation won't think twice about combatting evil.

Sword of the SpiritFinally, Paul orders us to carry the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (v. 17). The Roman soldier's sword was his offensive weapon, the primary means of dispatching any enemy. As the only offensive weapon in the Armor of God that Paul directs Christians to carry, he is reminding us that we are powerless without God, but with the word of God, the Spirit of God, no one can stand against us.

So put on the whole Armor of God, avoid common trappings that so easily beset us all, and simply walk with God, without striving to do "more" on your own. And always remember, whenever faced with uncertainty on which way to go, God provides where hate divides.

 Mark Klages is an influential contributor, a former US Marine and a lifelong teacher who focuses on applying a Christian worldview to everyday events. Mark blogs at https://maklagesl3.wixsite.com/website under the title "God Provides where Hate Divides," with a heart to heal social, political, relational, and intellectual wounds through God's divine love and grace. Mark can also be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-klages-04b42511/.
Marijuana and Christianity: Is CBD Sinful? Christian Examiner Contributor | 21 September, 2018 by Mark Klages

The case for legalizing marijuana in the US to include the increasingly popular Cannabidiol (CBD), for medical and recreational use, is growing. The primary argument for legalization stems around the increasing number of Americans who are using or addicted to stronger prescription opioids and similar addictive, pain-killing pharmaceuticals. According to a National Institute on Drug Abuse report, nearly 115 people die every day in the US alone overdosing on opioids, whether prescribed or illicit. In 2017, doctors prescribed opioid medication to nearly 58 out of every 100 US persons, placing nearly 189 million Americans on potentially addictive substances. To put that into perspective, Americans using opioid prescriptions would form the 8th most populous nation in the world, a number greater than the entire population of Russia, Mexico, Japan, or the United Kingdom. And 58 percent is already a 19 percent decrease from 2006.

According to a 2017 Gallup poll, 45 percent of Americans have tried marijuana, and 12 percent self-identify as habitual users. As of this writing, medical marijuana is legal in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Recreational marijuana use is legal in 9 states.

With all these facts, and a significant stack of anecdotal evidence that supports the popular acceptance, legalization, and use of marijuana and cannabis in the US, how should we as Christians respond?

To get that answer, we have to ask the right question. Cannabis or marijuana in pure, medicinal form and when used for approved purposes under the close control of a prescribing physician, is no different than the currently accepted use of other approved drugs in these United States. The side effects of cannabidiol include dry mouth, low blood pressure, light headedness and drowsiness. Cannabis is not recommended for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant because of the lack of reliable test data.

When compared with opioids, cannabis seems benign. For example, one of the most common and accepted pain-relieving pharmaceuticals is hydrocodone with Tylenol which, according to the Mayo Clinic, can become addictive and cause liver damage, nosebleeds, tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing, ulcers, jaundice, lethargy, difficulty speaking, and irregular heartbeat.

Therefore, if we eliminate social, historical, and government-induced perceptions of marijuana, and espouse fair and honest discourse, the question must be, "How should Christians respond to using any prescribed drug with potentially harmful side effects?"

Let's walk though this one step at a time. The Bible provides proof that Jesus was in favor of easing our pain. The book of Romans refers to God as the "Great Physician." In Matthew, the apostle speaks about Jesus performing miracles to heal and relieve people of pain.

"Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel." (Matt 15:29-31, NIV)

Second, Christians also often give God the glory for the skill and knowledge of doctors to relieve pain. These doctors prescribe medications, such as hydrocodone when the situation merits, for pain relief. The Bible also confirms in Colossians 4:14 that one of the apostles, Luke, was himself a doctor. At least twice, once in 1 Timothy 5:23 and in Proverbs 31:6-7, the Bible references wine as an acceptable drug to deaden pain. Also, many prescription and controlled medications began as natural substances, to include penicillin for infection, digoxin for congestive heart failure and atrial flutter, and quinine to combat malaria.

Maybe the issue isn't as much with the type or strength of medication as it is with excess or abuse. We have established that the Bible supports relieving pain and the appropriate use of medicines for that purpose. We frequently credit God for providing the skill and ability of doctors to cure disease and treat pain. So the basic premise is that medicines, even drugs with the potential to cause harm, are acceptable when used appropriately and in moderation. Still, even the appropriate use of medications, whatever their origin or potential, should be guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians chapter 5 calls it "self-control" (v. 23) and reminds us that followers of Christ "were called to be free" (v. 13). That freedom is tempered to restrict indulgences and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (v. 13-26). Furthermore, Paul cautions us that, while freedom in Christ makes many things acceptable, it still does not give us free reign to abuse or use in excess anythingwhether food, wine, sex or medicine.

"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 'I have the right to do anything,' you saybut not everything is beneficial. 'I have the right to do anything'but I will not be mastered by anything." (1 Cor 6:9-12, NIV)

The Bible lumps all excesses together and we Christians should consider any excess as contrary to God's plan for us to be content in all things (Phil 4:11-13).

So the real issue for Christians is not whether or not we should support research and the possible inclusion of medical marijuana/CBD as an acceptable pain reliever; rather, how much is too much. Too much food is a sin. Too much sex is a sin. Too much money may lead to the love of money, which is a sin. Too much prayer... ok, not everything in excess is sinful (1 Thes 5:17).

According to a July 2016 Drug Enforcement Administration report, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended as recently as June 25, 2015 that cannabis in all forms remain classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (21 U.S.C.  811). So pray about it and seek God's face before deciding if medical marijuana or CBD is right for you. If the Spirit leads you, be certain to partake as part of a controlled and sanctioned study, because marijuana in all forms remains illegal in these United States, and illegal for US citizens is illegal for US Christians.

 Mark Klages is an influential contributor, a former US Marine and a lifelong teacher who focuses on applying a Christian worldview to everyday events. Mark blogs at https://maklagesl3.wixsite.com/website under the title "God Provides where Hate Divides," with a heart to heal social, political, relational, and intellectual wounds through God's divine love and grace. Mark can also be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-klages-04b42511/.
On September 14, two Christian boys were murdered by Fulani radicals in Nigeria, making the total number of lives claimed by this violence over 250 in just two months.

According to International Christian Concern, the bodies of Ntyang Pam Danjuma, 9, and Mesheck Dalyop Kang'ageda, 10, were found riddled with bullet holes and machete slashes.

Reportedly, local police are looking for attackers who they believe are Fulani Muslim radicals.

"The Nigerian government continues to be complacent in dealing with the problem of the Fulani militants, who have in 2018 killed nearly three times as many people as Boko Haram," ICC said.

"If they do not ensure the safety of all of their people, they are going to have continued fighting that will increase as communities decide to defend themselves and their families."

Human rights groups in Nigeria, including the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law, have warned citizens that jihadists are presenting themselves as Fulani farmers and then massacring Christians and burning down churches.

In August, board chairman of Intersociety Emeka Umeagbalasi, told The Christian Post that the Nigerian government is trying to characterize these murders as conflicts between farmers and herders. But what is really happening, he said, was a calculated attack designed to kill and drive Christians out of Nigeria.

Intersociety reported on Sunday that no fewer than 250 Christians have been killed in the last two months. They obtained this number by combining the statistics and news reports of killings since July.

"The Christian agonies in Nigeria include killing of Christian children and busting, using machetes and guns, of pregnancies of the heavily pregnant Christian women leading to their death and that of their unborn children; killing of other Christians (i.e., women, children, the physically challenged, young men and women, the aged and the sick) in their sleep, sick and retirement apartments, farms and other workplaces as well as sacred places of worship," the group explained.

Along with killing several hundred believers, The Christian Post reports that the extremists have also seized and forcefully occupied Christians lands and burned down places of worship among other Christian paraphernalia.

Photo courtesy: NeONBRAND/Unsplash
The Texas State Board of Education voted last week to remove several historical figures from their history requirements as part of an effort to streamline the curriculum. The most notable figures taken out of the requirements included former first lady and secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller, an Alabama woman born blind and deaf who went on to finish college.

The board opted to keep other figures recommended for removal, most notably Rev. Billy Graham, Moses influence on the United States of Americas laws, the Judeo-Christian influence among Americas founders, and a reference to the heroism of the Alamos defenders. They also voted to reinsert a reference to the conflict in Israel, saying that the Arab rejection of the State of Israel has led to ongoing conflict.

The board acted on recommendations from a workgroup who had been tasked with looking for ways to curb the number of required figures students had to learn about in history. One member of the committee explained that if students had to learn about too many figures, they would spend more time memorizing names than learning about history.

The workgroup recommended removing references to the nations Judeo-Christian heritage, but the board rejected that proposal, garnering praise from conservative groups in the Lone Star State. Jonathan Saenz, the President of the conservative values advocate Texas Values, released a statement praising the decision. He said, In Texas, you dont mess with the Alamo and you dont 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. We are very thankful for the support of Gov. Greg Abbott. We look forward to these crucial teaching standards being included in the final version of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Standards and we are prepared to fight to protect these standards all the way to the end.

Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus took issue with the decision. He tweeted SBOE needs to reject these changes. If Helen Keller was an important historical figure when I was in school (and she was), then she still is today. @HillaryClintonis the 1st and only woman to be the presidential nominee of a major party in U.S. history. Enough said.

SBOE needs to reject these changes. If Helen Keller was an important historical figure when I was in school (and she was), then she still is today. @HillaryClinton is the 1st and only woman to be the presidential nominee of a major party in U.S. history. Enough said. #txlege https://t.co/0aKIHV1Iq8  Chris Turner (@ChrisGTurner) September 14, 2018

The workgroup based their recommendations on a rubric they developed to assess the importance of including a person or event in the curriculum. Hillary Clinton scored a 5 and Helen Keller a 7 on a 20-point scale.

Last weeks vote was preliminary and will not be formally adopted until November.

Photo courtesy: Unsplash/Jan Mellstrom
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Sexual abuse in the church is not just a Catholic problem. I'll tell you about a very sobering report from WORLD magazine.

You've no doubt heard of the Pennsylvania grand jury detailing how, during a 70-year period, some 300 Catholic clergy had sexually assaulted 1,000-plus victims. It's a horrifying tale of clerical sex abusebut awful as it is, it's not the full story. According to a recent WORLD Magazine cover story, Protestant clergy are also guilty of widespread sexual assaults. And just as the Catholic hierarchy has doneProtestant churches as well cover up the abuse, and "pass the problem on to others."

So how bad is the problem? According to WORLD, in the U.S., 260 instances of child sexual abuse are reported every year to the three largest companies that insure Protestant churches and nonprofits.

I was appalled to learn this, and it's a problem our churches cannot afford to ignore.

The WORLD story reveals that Protestant abuses frequently occur in three situations: within congregations headed by pastors who have "unchecked authority;" by conference speakers who fly in for a day or two of teaching and assault women before flying home; and within megachurches, where church authorities go to great lengths to keep reporters from learning about accusations of inappropriate conduct.

For example, WORLD reports that one woman attending a Christian writers conference volunteered to pick up one of the speakers at the airport and take him to his apartment. They had a friendly talk on the drive, and when the speaker invited her in to continue their talk, she thought nothing of it. But once inside, he "pinned her against the wall and began kissing her." She shoved him away, escaped, and ran for her car. But he followed, jumped into the car, and tried to kiss her again. He left only when she blasted the horn.

WORLD also tells of youth pastors who take advantage of their positions, and if young girls complain of their behavior, church authorities often blame THEM for "tempting" men.

Some commentatorsespecially those outside the churchclaim that if churches would just get rid of those pesky teachings prohibiting homosexual behavior, and sex outside of marriage, the abuse problem would go away. Really? As National Review writer David French notes, there is no evidence whatsoever that increasing sexual tolerance within the church will reduce sexual abuse. As evidence, he points to the abuse scandals emanating from Hollywoodone of the most sexually liberated places on earth.

As for the rest of the culturein particular, secular college campuses, French observes, "As the relentless drumbeat of scandal demonstrates, sexual libertinism has not created sexual utopia. Instead, it has created.... a ravenous culture of sexual entitlement, exploitation, and abuse."

We should not be surprised that sexual sin infects the church; why wouldn't Satan target the bride of Christ? The question is, what are we going to do about itbefore it drives victims out of the church forever?

For starters, we need to tell our children that abuse can happen even within the churchand that they need to speak up if church leaders cross the line. We need to assure our kids that we will believe them if they come to us with stories of inappropriate conduct, whether it takes place at a Christian school, a Christian camp, or within the walls of the church.

Second, we must encourage our churches and schools to write up detailed policies on how to handle accusations. Those policies should call for independent investigations by people trained in handling allegations of sexual misconduct.

I encourage you to read the WORLD cover story, titled "Crouching at Every Door," and pass it along to friends. We need to learn everything we can about potential predators within our churchesand make sure they have no place to hide.

Resources

The Religious Community Is Speaking Out Against Sexual Violence With #ChurchToo

Casey Quackenbush | Time.com | November 22, 2017

Crouching at every door

Marvin Olasky, Sophia Lee, Emily Belz | WORLD magazine | August 30, 2018

Sexual Libertinism Won't Save the Church

David French | National Review | August 31, 2018

Protestants Should Care Deeply about the Catholic Catastrophe

David French | National Review | August 27, 2018

Originally posted at Breakpoint.
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I recently tweeted, "Regardless of the charges against Justice Kavanaugh, this much is absolutely clear. The frenzied attempt to try to keep him out of the Supreme Court is simply a battle for the 'right' to abort babies in the womb. That's the bottom line."

Similar sentiments were expressed by Brandon Morse, writing on RedState.com: "The whole reason Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is in the crosshairs of a sexual assault allegation, and a media circus is ensuing, is because the left is 100 percent focused on making sure their ability to abort children and profit from it goes uninterrupted. They can pretend it's about honor and making sure an attempted rapist doesn't get a seat on the highest court in the land, but the left cares very little about sexual assault or abuse."

Is Justice Kavanaugh guilty of an attempted sexual assault 36 years ago? Is his accuser, Prof. Christine Blasey Ford, a credible witness? Those are totally separate questions.

The left's opposition to Kavanaugh would be no less intense, no less angry, no less pitched had these charges never been raised. The real issue is abortion.

To quote Morse again, "This is about Planned Parenthood's ability to keep the money wheel flowing for the Democrats. This is about keeping a narrative alive that without abortion, America would fall apart."

Yes, "Democrats are so desperate to keep abortion alive and well in the United States that they're willing to paint an innocent man as the worst kind of person so that they can continue killing children without trouble."

And what would happen if Roe v. Wade was overturned? What would happen if "abortion rights" were severely restricted (or entirely removed) from state after state?

All hell would break loose on the streets. Fierce protests would arise. Things would get ugly overnight  and by ugly, I mean very ugly.

A headline from July 12, 2013 on Townhall.com read, "Bricks and Tampons Intended to be Thrown at Pro-Life Lawmakers Confiscated by Police. UPDATE: Jars of Feces Too."

The accompanying article, written by Katie Pavlich, stated that, "Apparently chanting 'hail Satan,' 'f*ck the church,' 'bro-choice' and holding signs that say 'hoes before embryos' just wasn't enough for pro-abortion protestors in Texas. According to reports on the ground, police have confiscated bricks, tampons, pads and condoms protestors planned to throw at pro-life lawmakers."

Fast forward to October 17, 2017, and a headline on LifeNews stated, "Topless Feminists Throw Firebombs, Tampons and Feces at a Catholic Church to Protest Abortion." (This took place in Argentina.)

Are you seeing a pattern?

So, I ask again: What happens if Roe v. Wade gets overturned? What can we expect?

We can expect fury. We can expect feces. We can expect vitriol. We can expect vandalism. We can expect violence.

Watch this short video of antifa and other leftists stealing and destroying pro-life signs in a Boston park. Then ask yourself: What happens when it's not just pro-life signs that are the issue? What happens when pro-life laws are the issue? What then?

On May 1 of this year, Matthew Vadum reported that Antifa activists in California "protested a campus speech by Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America."

As Vadum noted, according to the Orange County, Antifa group Refuse Fascism, "Because Hawkins' group would outlaw abortion, its members are equivalent to 'Hitler-youth' who want to treat women as 'mere breeders or incubators, subordinate and shackled to a patriarchal order that sees them merely as objects.' Pro-lifers are about 'control over women, not saving lives (as evidenced by their bombings of clinics and outright murder of heroic doctors who provide abortions).'

Indeed, "Hawkins 'and the whole fascist program against women and their rights' need to be opposed and the 'entire culture on campuses needs to be shaken up' so students take on 'the grave threat being posed by the Trump/Pence fascist regime.'"

You can be assured that these radical activists believe every word of this rhetoric, which could easily lead to violence. And I repeat: This kind of rhetoric is being used while Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land. Antifa activists and their ilk would go absolutely berserk if the laws were dramatically changed.

To be clear, I recognize that for many women, having an abortion is an intensely difficult moral choice. I'm thinking of a woman in her 20's, reared in a religious home, already raising two little children without a father. Her boyfriend takes advantage of her, she discovers she's pregnant, and she is devastated by the news.

She cannot imagine adding one more child to her household, she struggles with depression and fear, finally deciding to abort her baby after four months.

Her decision was still morally wrong. But this woman is unlikely to join the "Shout Your Abortion" movement or, even less, to hurl feces at a church building.

Put another way, most of the women (and men) raging for the "right" to abort babies do so ideologically. Among them are devout feminists (although the pioneer feminists were reportedly anti-abortion). Among them are a large percentage of atheists. (According to a recent Pew Research report, 87 percent of atheists feel that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.)

Among them are LGBT activists, like those featured in this story describing, "How Queer Women and Nonbinary People Led the Fight to Secure Abortion Rights in Ireland." (According to the congratulatory article, there is a clear "connection between LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive rights.")

Among them are Satanists, like those who led a battle for "abortion rights" in Missouri. Yes, these Satanists claimed that the "rules in Missouri's strict abortion law violate their religious beliefs."

This is quite the coalition.

The bottom line is that, these examples, which provide just a sampling of the ideological opposition to the pro-life movement, remind us that hell hath no fury like that of the militant pro-abortionists.

Get ready.
The Google logo is reflected in windows of the companys China head office in March of 2010. Photo: LI XIN/AFP/Getty Images

The Intercept has a long story up today explaining Googles internal crackdown on employees who have criticized the companys work on a search engine code-named Dragonfly that Google hopes to use in China.

Briefly: An engineer at Google put together a memo detailing and criticizing how Dragonfly would track individual users by their phone number and share that information with Chinese authorities. That memo was shared to an internal messaging list for Google employees with ethical concerns about the company. Theres a contingent of Googlers who are angry that the company seems to be gearing up to enter the Chinese market, censoring results for searches the Chinese government deems controversial, such as information about the Tiananmen Square massacre, as well as monitoring searches by individual Chinese citizens and feeding that information back to Chinese authorities. The memo claims that significant amounts of work have been done in secret for at least a year, even while Google has publicly claimed to just be in the exploratory phases of entering China. (Google has previously been in China, but backed out in 2010 after repeated clashes with Chinese authorities. Its seemingly decided that its time to make nice once again.)

The memo being passed around did not make the higher-ups at Google happy. It was quickly erased from the messaging system, and Googles internal security team sprang into action to make sure employees didnt get more copies out. Per the Intercept:

Subsequently, Google human resources personnel emailed employees who were believed to have accessed or saved copies of the memo and ordered them to immediately delete it from their computers. Emails demanding deletion of the memo contained pixel trackers that notified human resource managers when their messages had been read, recipients determined.

Googles internal security team, like all big tech firms, is big and beefy. It has former FBI, police, and military members on staff, and has recently begun monitoring employee communications much more closely. News of the memo about Dragonfly still made its way to the Intercept last week, which will likely only ratchet up the amount of scrutiny Google puts its own employees under.

Dissatisfied Googlers had a victory of sorts earlier this summer when Google announced that it would cease work on Project Maven, a contract with the U.S. military to use AI image-recognition software to help military drones. But that work cost Google somewhere between $9 million and $250 million in revenue. Googles gross revenue in 2017 was $110 billion, meaning that even the highest estimate of the money lost due to giving up Project Maven would have been pocket change for the company.

In contrast, the amount of money at stake if Google could successfully reenter the Chinese market, with 1.4 billion potential users and a rapidly growing middle class, is tremendous. And Googles internal security team seems ready to ramp up efforts to ensure that internal dissent about moving into China remains internal.
Aid agencies on South Sudan: Now peace must be made in local communities

UK aid agencies including Tearfund and Christian Aid have used the International Day of Peace today to highlight the need for peace in South Sudan.

With Oxfam, CAFOD, Mercy Corps, Saferworld and Conciliation Resources, the agencies released a statement urging support for the peace deal between warring parties signed on September 12.

It says: 'Peace is the first and foremost priority to our partners and the communities we work with in South Sudan. We want to reiterate our solidarity with South Sudanese women, men, boys and girls who bear the brunt of the devastating conflict which broke out in December 2013.

'We are gravely concerned about the continuation of violence which has forced more than 4.3 million people to flee their homes. The conflict has led to 7 million people in South Sudan requiring humanitarian assistance. Up to 2.4 million children are out of school in the country  the highest proportion of out of school children in the world.

'In the wake of the signing of the peace agreement last week, all sides need to immediately stop all hostile and violent action. The implementation of the peace agreement should be a key priority for all parties and any other interests should be put aside.'

The statement says peace needs 'more than a formal agreement', stressing the need for local community-based reconciliation and peace-building projects.

It says: 'Civil society, youth groups, diaspora communities, women's groups and faith-based organisations can play a key role in the prevention and resolution of conflict in South Sudan. Exclusion of these groups from peacebuilding efforts  at national, regional or local-level  marginalises the voices of ordinary South Sudanese. Building sustainable peace is a long-term process and empowering people to reconcile their differences locally and end violence is an achievable and crucial step forward.'

For more on Tearfund's work in South Sudan click here.
Bono meets the Pope, says he's 'aghast' over sex abuse scandal

U2 frontman Bono was at the Vatican last week for a meeting with the pope during which the two discussed the sex abuse scandal plaguing the Catholic Church.

Bono met the pope during a visit to the Vatican to sign an agreement between his charity, ONE, and the Scholas Occurentes educational charity.

Bono told reporters that some of the issues they discussed during their private meeting included sustainable development and 'the wild beast that is capitalism', the Associated Press reports.

The sex abuse scandal rocking the Church also arose during the meeting and Bono said they discussed his feelings on the matter.

Although he did not disclose the pope's exact comments from the meeting, Bono said 'you can see the pain in his face, and I felt he was sincere'.

He added that Pope Francis was 'aghast' about sex abuse in the Catholic Church.

Bono told reporters: 'I explained to him how it looks to some people like the abusers are being more protected than the victims.'

Nonetheless, Bono said the pope was 'an extraordinary man for extraordinary times'.

The pope has come under fire over his handling of the scandal around abuse and subsequent cover-ups by leaders in the Church. The crisis extends across multiple countries, including the US, Chile, Ireland and Australia.

Some critics feel that the pope has not done enough to address the scandal and one former Vatican official has called for his resignation, claiming that the pope knew of allegations of abuse by a US cardinal.

A new Gallup poll found that the pope's approval ratings have taken a tumble in the past few weeks in the US, where investigations into abuse have dominated recent headlines.

The percentage of Americans who view Pope Francis favourably fell from 66 per cent in August to 53 per cent this month.
CofE won't ride to Wonga's rescue

The Church Commissioners, who handle investments for the Church of England, have pulled out of talks around buying the loan book of payday lender Wonga.

Wonga, which specialised in high-cost short-term loans, collapsed last month following a surge in compensation claims and former Labour MP Frank Field suggested the Church should consider involvement in a buyout to ensure its loans do not pass to another high-cost lender.

However, the Archbishop of Canterbury said today the Church Commissioners had decided not to take part in any buyout. According to the Guardian, they are understood to have argued that they lacked expertise to properly value the loan book and were concerned about the legal implications of the need to write off certain loans.

Justin Welby had been in conversation with potential investors this week regarding the formation of a consortium with a view to creating an ethical payday lender, the Guardian reports.

The church said in a statement: 'The church understands that confidential approaches may now be made by those interested parties to the administrators of Wonga's UK loan book. The Church of England will not be party to continuing discussions given their commercially sensitive nature.'

Welby said: 'My chief concern has been to ensure that the poor and vulnerable are as well protected as possible following the collapse of Wonga's UK business.

'I fully support and respect the decision of the church commissioners not to participate in a potential buy out. They have given this option close attention and I thank them for their time, advice and consideration.'

He continued: 'I will be continuing to examine ways to make affordable credit, debt advice and support more widely available and convening interested parties at Lambeth Palace. If we make the economy fairer for all, we will also make it stronger. When prosperity and justice go hand in hand, every part of society benefits.'
Evelyn's story: 'Peace in South Sudan has to start at home'

South Sudan has witnessed a devastating conflict which started in December 2013 and has forced 4.3 million people to leave their homes. On Wednesday September 12, the warring parties signed a peace agreement in Addis Ababa which seeks to end conflict in the war-torn nation.

In addition to the high-level peace agreement, community-level peace-building and the restoration of relationships at a grassroots level and within households remains crucial.

One of many community peace-builders in South Sudan is Evelyn Letio, a widow and mother of four who runs a network dedicated to educating women on self-care, treatment, and raising awareness of the rights of those living with HIV. She explains why peace-building at the grassroots is essential.

Without peace, life is so difficult. As a person living with HIV, you might have access to antiretroviral treatment, but if you don't have food, your medicine is useless. Who can take such strong drugs on an empty stomach?

I help women to access simple things, like food and clean water. But I want more than this  I want to see real reconciliation.

Living with HIV has taught me so much about how to resolve conflict. When I first learnt I was HIV+ I wanted to bring my dead husband out of the ground and cut him to pieces. I was so full of anger and bitterness that he had brought HIV into our lives. I thought of nothing but death and revenge. I never imagined living with HIV could bring reconciliation.

In the midst of my illness and despair, God told me: "My daughter, with or without HIV, you must live."

Through living with HIV I have felt the resentment that comes with rejection and isolation. In my country, if you live with HIV, women are chased away from their homes and abandoned by their families, left to starve. The bedridden are carried into the bush and left to die. Others have been dismissed from their jobs.

My experience living with HIV led me to start the National Empowerment of Positive Women United network in 2013 and we now have 1,597 members. Most but not all of us have a positive status. If someone comes to me in a state of emotional brokenness, worn down by illness or the conflict, I listen. In South Sudan conflict has devastated the lives of millions.

Around 400 of our members contracted HIV because they were raped. Many of us are survivors of sexual violence. It is men that are fighting, but everybody suffers. Women and children suffer disproportionately because there is so much sexual and gender-based violence  girls as young as three years old have been raped and killed.

There is so much need for healing and forgiveness. Neighbourhoods are divided along ethnic lines, but our women's groups are coming together. It doesn't matter who you are. We are all South Sudanese. God put us all together in this country. Peace has to start at home. Self-care and trauma healing are essential parts of my HIV prevention work.

When Tearfund invited me to join the Inspired Individuals peace and reconciliation programme, my eyes opened wider. I used to think peace building was just connected to politics. I realise now that so much of my work is about restoring peace in the community.

If we, who are extremely marginalised because of our HIV+ status, can find our place and voice, surely it will give hope to others that they too can achieve acceptance, worth, dignity and be part of transforming our country, whatever their age, gender, status or difference.

We are already seeing peaceful co-existence, forgiveness and unity in the places we are working. Reconciliation must start in our own hearts and flows from there to the family, the neighbourhood and the entire community, regardless of ethnicity or HIV status. This must be our future.'

Evelyn Letio is one of Tearfund's Inspired Individuals, part of a programme that identifies, develops and connects emerging Christian leaders around the world.
Grave of courageous pilot killed in World War II rededicated 77 years after his death

A priest and member of the Royal Air Force led a service this week to rededicate the grave of a courageous World War II pilot who had previously lain unidentified.

Flying Officer David Stein had been laid to rest in a French war cemetery following his death during the Second World War, but for many years his grave had been marked as an 'unknown'.

Some of his family members were in attendance for the rededication service at the Brest (Kerfautras) war cemetery in Brittany, France on Wednesday.

They included FO Stein's cousin, Carol Taylor, her husband Stuart Taylor, and their son David Taylor.

Mrs Taylor, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, said: 'Our family know that David's mother, father and sister would have been very grateful, as are we, that his final resting place has been found, and that so many people have joined us in honouring him.'

FO Stein was born on 23 December 1914 in Lassodie, Dunfermline, Scotland, and had worked as a tobacconist in Edinburgh prior to enlisting with the Royal Air Force volunteer reserve in 1939.

In 1940, he was commissioned as a pilot officer and promoted to flying officer in July 1941, before being posted to No 263 Squadron in Grangemouth, Scotland.

He was killed on 30 October 1941 after his plane was shot down during a low-level ground sortie on an aerodrome in Brittany, France. He was 26 years old.

FO Stein was buried at the Brest (Kerfautras) Cemetery in France alongside other fallen Allied airmen, but it was only recently that his identify was established after fresh research connected him to the site where his aircraft was found.

The service to rededicate his grave was led by the Reverend (Squadron Leader) Rachel Cook, RAF, who said: 'Today, we formally honour the memory of FO David Stein in the presence of military colleagues and family. It is a real privilege to be able to do this. FO Stein gave his life in the service of others, we now come together to recognise this and to remember him before God. This brave airman now has a named resting place. May he rest in peace.'

FO Stein's grave has been given a new headstone bearing his name and a personal inscription chosen by his family.

Steve Arnold, of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said he was 'honoured' to rededicate the grave.

'We will ensure that the graves of David, his brother John and all those who served and fell are cared for in perpetuity,' he said.
Pope accepts resignation of two more Chilean bishops following abuse scandal

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of two more Chilean bishops, bringing to seven the number who have stepped down since a sexual abuse scandal swept the nation's Roman Catholic Church.

A Vatican statement on Friday said the two were Bishop Carlos Eduardo Pellegrin Barrera of the diocese of San Bartolome de Chillan and Bishop Cristian Enrique Contreras Molina of the diocese of San Felipe.

In both cases, Francis appointed other bishops as commissioners, known as Apostolic Administrators, to run the dioceses until further notice.

Francis accepted the resignations of five other bishops in June, a month after all of the country's bishops offered to step down en masse during an emergency meeting with the pope over allegations of a cover-up of sexual abuse in the Latin American country.

The Catholic Church in Chile has been in crisis over sexual abuse scandals. This week the pope decided to expel from the priesthood Rev Cristian Precht, a prominent human rights campaigner who had challenged former dictator Augusto Pinochet over his government's use of torture. He had been accused of sexual abuse as part of the investigation into allegations against members of the Marist Brothers religious community. Precht denies the allegations against him.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
The Permian Basin, rich in oil, but plagued by labor, housing and pipeline shortages, may be losing some of its luster as energy companies look to other shale plays where costs are lower, markets are closer and hassles are fewer.

That description seems to fit the Eagle Ford shale in South Texas, where both investment and drilling activity is picking up. As the Permian has boomed over past years, the Eagle Ford has climbed slowly from the oil bust.

But signs point to the pace picking up as the Eagle Ford emerges as an alternative to oil and gas producers looking to get away from Permian crowds. Production from the oilfield has rebounded from a low of 1.1 million barrels of oil a day in August 2017 to a projected 1.5 million barrels a day in October  second only to the Permian, according to the Energy Department..

The number of operating drilling rigs in the Eagle Ford has more than doubled to 78 from the 2016 low of 33, according to the Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes. The value of mergers and acquisitions in the Eagle Ford Eagle has already hit $15 billion this year, second to the Permians $45 billion, but well ahead of the $9 billion in SCOOP and STACK fields of Oklahoma and the $5 billion in the Bakken oil field of North Dakota, according to to Canadian financial services company Scotiabank. .

Subash Chandra, a managing director at Guggenheim Partners, a New York investment firm, said the Eagle Fords key advantage is that it is far closer to Gulf Coast refiners and export hubs, particularly the Port of Corpus Christi, than the Permian in West Texas.

The Eagle Ford is unique, with proximity to markets, Chandra said presented at the DUG Eagle Ford conference in San Antonio Thursday. The Permian is the surface of Mars.

The Permian remains the hottest shale play in the world, producing some 3.5 million barrels of oil a day and accounting for nearly one-third of U.S. crude output. But that success has outstripped many of the resources in West Texas, particularly pipelines. While several companies are racing to complete pipeline projects, the capacity shortage is expected to last into next year.

As a result, producers are discounting their oil in Midland because they can't easily ship it to Gulf Coast markets. In August and September, crude in Midland was selling for $20 a barrel less than along the Gulf Coast, according to the Energy Department.

Oil and gas companies, meanwhile, are beginning to redirect spending outside of the Permian, the Energy Department said in a report released Wednesday. So are services companies.

Paul Shearer, director of sales for Superior Silica Sand of Fort Worth, said the relative calm in the Eagle Ford was among the reasons the company developed a 4-million-ton-a-year frac sand mine south of San Antonio to focus on the Eagle Ford.

In the Permian, it was just such a frenzy out there, he said. We just felt like the dynamics were better in the Eagle Ford.

Stephen Chazen, the former chief executive of Occidental Petroleum Corp., also like the opportunities in the Eagle Ford. Earlier this year, his Magnolia Oil and Gas paid $2.7 billion to acquire some 360,000 acres in the shale play from EnerVest of Houston. At the DUG Eagle Ford conference, Chazen said his company will continue to look for deals to buy acreage around its Eagle Ford holding.

His goal is to grow Magnolias stock market value from $3.5 billion to $10 billion in 5 years. His strategy: wring out every barrel of oil from his acreage.

I'm not trying to accelerate production, Chazen said.  I'm trying to extract every barrel economically.

rdruzin@express-news.net | Twitter: @druz_journo
A longtime UC Berkeley employee was arrested as the suspected NorCal Rapist  a serial predator accused of sexually assaulting 10 women in six counties over a span of 15 years starting in 1991  in the latest cold case solved through genealogical records, authorities said Friday.

Roy Charles Waller, 58, of Benicia was taken into custody Thursday in Berkeley after being linked to DNA evidence from the crimes by his family lineage, officials announced at a news conference in Sacramento. Few details were released, but Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said the genealogy connection to Waller, who is married and has worked the same job on UC Berkeleys campus for 25 years, was made just 10 days earlier.

It was probably record-setting in how fast they were able to determine that Waller was the person they were looking for, Schubert said.

Sacramento County prosecutors have charged Waller with 12 counts of sexual assault stemming from two cases, and he will appear in court Monday.

UC Berkeley officials said Waller is on investigative leave from his job at the schools Environmental, Health & Safety office, where he has worked since 1992.

We were shocked today to learn that a campus employee was arrested in connection with a series of rapes that occurred more than a decade ago in several Northern California communities, school spokesman Roqua Montez said in a statement.

The NorCal Rapists assaults began in 1991, when the attacker slipped through an unlocked door and raped a woman in her Rohnert Park townhome. The man went on to attack a woman in Vallejo in 1992, and then another in Martinez on Halloween 1996.

In the Martinez case, police said, the assailant wore a skeleton mask and called the victim at work weeks later to apologize.

Later crimes were committed in Woodland and Davis in Yolo County, Chico in Butte County and in Sacramento, authorities said. Police tied the cases together through DNA evidence from more than a decade ago, but until now they werent able to match the crimes to a suspect.

Authorities said in 2006 that the NorCal Rapist would blindfold and bind his victims with duct tape, and either brandish a gun or tell victims he was armed. He would chat with his victims or apologize to them, and in some cases called them later to say he was sorry for using their ATM cards.

Officials at the time described the NorCal Rapist as a white man in his late 30s or early 40s, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10, between 250 and 300 pounds, with brown spiked hair and a protruding belly.

On the UC Berkeley campus Friday, Xochi Driscoll, a staff member at the School of Public Health, located in the same building where Waller worked, said she had changed her morning route because of uncomfortable interactions with him.

She and a friend, who declined to give her name, said Waller would be the only one around early in the morning in the buildings basement entrance. He kept his office door open and would always put his glasses down to his nose and just stare at you, Driscoll said.

We both stopped using that entrance because we felt weird about him, she added.

According to campus records, Waller worked on the third floor of a building bordering the west side of campus, near downtown Berkeley. Two doors that lead into the office were locked as of midday Friday, and co-workers entering and exiting declined comment.

Wallers on-campus duties include managing programs to help ensure safety and training regarding the use of equipment and machinery including forklifts, aerial lifts, respirators and other tasks, Montez said.

There is no indication that any crimes occurred within the campus community, he said. However, (university police) will be reviewing any open sexual assault cases to determine if any might be related.

Fridays announcement comes just five months after the arrest of a suspect in the Golden State Killer case, another high-profile cold case involving a serial rapist who terrorized Northern California.

In April, authorities said they linked 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo to at least 12 slayings and 45 rapes that terrorized the Bay Area and other parts of California from 1976 to 1986.

Investigators tied DeAngelo to the crimes with the help of an open-source genealogy website called GEDmatch. Using old crime-scene evidence, officials used the site to match the unidentified suspects DNA to a family member who had also uploaded his or her information.

Neighbors of Waller told The Chronicle they knew little to nothing about the couple who live in the modest yellow home in Benicia  the only one on the block with a white picket fence.

Marcia Shigemoto, a neighbor from across the street, said she never noticed him until last week, when he was on the roof of his house pruning the trees.

I was worried he might fall, she said. She asked her boyfriend to go help, but he declined.

And there was a woman there, too, a younger woman, Shigemoto said. And their interactions seemed pleasant, seemed normal.

Other than that, Shigemoto said, shed never once noticed the couple in her eight years on the block.

Susan Vandenberg, a neighbor from a few doors down, said she didnt even recognize Wallers face when news broke of the arrest.

I got online to look, and (saw) the pictures of him. ... I looked and looked and looked, and I dont remember ever even seeing him walk by the house, she said.

Vandenberg described the tree-lined neighborhood as really, really quiet, the type of place where the chief complaint is cars from the nearby high school driving too fast. She said all of her neighbors were in disbelief and none had known the couple.

No one at Wallers home answered the door Friday afternoon, and the curtains or blinds were closed in every window.

But the area was bustling with commotion Thursday, said Vandenberg, who arrived home with groceries when she noticed a white van that said Sacramento on it in her usual street-side parking spot.

There were two or three of them, and (the people in them) went into one of those houses down there, she said. I just thought, Well, thats odd.

Megan Cassidy, Kimberly Veklerov and Bob Egelko are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com, kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy @KVeklerov @BobEgelko
Precinct 4 constable deputies arrested a man in Atascocita after he allegedly exposed himself in front of a mother and her two children in front of their school yesterday.

Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said the mother and her children were in front of Timbers Elementary School on Thursday when John Hunt, 31, allegedly took off his shirt and pants and started pleasuring himself in front of them.
The nun was ordered to leave the Philippines for allegedly taking part in political activities against President Rodrigo Duterte. At present, she is awaiting a decision by the Justice Department on her appeal.

Manila (AsiaNews/CBCPNews)  Involved in a legal battle against her expulsion, Australian-born missionary Sister Patricia Fox has called on Catholic Church leaders to support missionaries with prayer and support.

The 72-year-old superior of the Religious of Our Lady of Sion in the Philippines, whose missionary visa was not renewed by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), believes that her case could have repercussions on other missionaries.

I think it is an issue that the Church has to look at and it needs to come out with a clear statement because it will affect all foreign missionaries in the long term, Fox said.

She noted it has been a long-time practice for all foreign missionaries in the Philippines to apply for a 10-year missionary visa, subject for renewal after getting a temporary downgraded visa.

By denying Sr Foxs visa, the BI cited its memorandum of understanding with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that "restricts missionary visa holders for up to ten years.

The nun appealed for the renewal of her missionary visa, which expired on 5 September. The BI insists that an extension would violate the memorandum, adding that the religious has already spent 27 years in the country.

Sister Fox's lawyer dismissed this argument, saying that the 10-year extension and renewal rule should only apply to Foxs case on the day the Bureau converted her tourist visa on 5 September 2014.

[When] the BI approved the conversion of Sister Foxs tourist visa into a missionary visa, she was given a new or a fresh period of 10 years from the said date or until 2024 to stay in the country, lawyer Jobert Pahilga said.

The decision to expel the nun from the Philippines came after she allegedly took part in political activities against President Rodrigo Duterte, seemingly violating terms and conditions of her missionary visa. As a result of this, Sister Foxs name was added to a list of unwanted foreigners.

For now though, the BI order against the nun has been suspended, as the Justice Department has yet to decide her appeal.
Kanye West. Photo: Pierre Suu/GC Images

Kanye West has tweeted some incredibly, lets say, confounding things in the past. He has. Its true. In May, he tweeted a bookmarked search for, among others, Tomi Lahren. There was that time he, in all caps, proclaimed Bill Cosbys innocence. The list goes on. But whats that they say about a stopped clock? It tweets insightful things every so often? Today, I found myself reading Kanyes feed and nodding sagely.

This morning, Twitter users could find West waxing poetic about the fact that social-media platforms (specifically, Twitter) prominently display the number of followers a given user has. This has an intense negative impact on our self worth, West wrote. Social platforms, he argued, should give users the option to not publicly show their follower count or the level of engagement  likes, retweets, faves  on their content.

we should be able to participate in social media without having to show how many followers or likes we have. Just like how we can turn off the comments we should be able to turn off the display of followers. This has an intense negative impact on our self worth.  ye (@kanyewest) September 20, 2018

Are there merits to metrics? Sure. Of course. Follower and like counts can help approximate credibility: The accounts that many Twitter users deem worth following are more likely to be credible. But there are many exceptions to that rule  super-viral accounts with millions of followers and crap content. And most of us arent boasting follower counts in the millions and retweet counts in the hundreds of thousands anyway. Instead, we play a calculation game, tweeting for our small audiences and watching  and hoping  our various numbers go up. And when you really stop to think about that  its a weird, potentially damaging, way to live.

West also tweeted an Instagram video he filmed of a clip of Denzel Washington advising young people to turn off social media. We all want to be liked, Washington says. But now we want to be liked by 16 million.

Metric-free social media isnt a new concept. Ben Grosser, a professor of new media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and artist, created an extension earlier this year called the Twitter Demetricator  an earlier version, the Facebook Demetricator launched in 2012  which does exactly what West describes. It removes all follower and engagement counts and shows you only a users content. Which leaves you to judge that content purely on what you think of it, rather than what you think of it based on what your peers have indicated they think of it. Without really meaning to, Id been glossing over tweets that had relatively few likes and paying extra attention to those that had many. I had even subconsciously developed a sort of multiplier for various Twitter users based on the size of their followings, so that a tweet by a relatively obscure user that garnered 10 likes would stand out in my feed more than one by a famous user that got 100 likes, Will Oremus at Slate wrote when he gave the extension a try. A 2014 academic study from Grosser described how his extensions both reveals and eases these patterns of prescribed sociality, enabling a social media culture less dependent on quantification.

Last year, Facebooks founding president, Sean Parker, talked about building the platform in the early days to be a a social-validation feedback loop  exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology engineered to consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible. He noted that Instagrams Kevin Systrom employed that strategy in building that platform. Twitter, while not mentioned by Parker, clearly operates on a similar system.

Snapchat, by comparison, is perhaps the only major player in the social-media game without front-facing metrics  something that Ben from Snapchat certainly knew when he texted Kim Kardashian West letting her know he also liked Wests tweet on Thursday. (West Instagrammed, and then tweeted the Instagram, a photo of their exchange.) Sooo agree, Kardashian West replied to Snapchat Ben, a.k.a. Ben Schwerin, Snaps vice-president of partnerships, who didnt skip a beat in adding that West could start a public Snapchat. West did not Instagram a response from his wife, who, unlike her husband, has a public Snapchat account. (Which may or may not have played a role in revealing her location to the robbers who held her up at gun point in an apartment in Paris in 2016.)

Snapchats struggles to keep users engaged have been well-documented, so its entirely possible, and very likely, that this model, freeing as it might be, just isnt sustainable. Plus, Im not going to wall myself off in a metricless tower if everybody else Im interacting with isnt up there with me. Still  its nice to imagine a world where we all dont have them. (At the very least, it offers a bit of a reality check about what fuels our online sharing behaviors.) Where you post a tweet purely because you thought you had something funny to say. Or share an article because you were genuinely interested in the content and not just what kind of person sharing that particular article labels you as. Or Instagram a picture purely because it was a photo that brought you joy. Maybe a friend tells you IRL they liked your photo. Maybe they dont. And you dont care one way or the other.

Thank you for reading. Id appreciate it if youd please tweet this story to all of your followers and email it to your family members who dont have Twitter. Also post it on Facebook. And put the link in your Instagram bio.
Oil climbed in New York as supplies drained from the biggest U.S. hub, while Brent gains were more subdued after a report that OPEC and allied producers were discussing a possible output increase.

Futures in New York rose 1 percent as of 1:49 p.m., while Brent was up 0.2 percent. Stockpiles in Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for U.S. futures contracts, sank almost 2.5 million barrels over the past two weeks. Earlier, oil shed gains after Reuters reported that OPEC and allied producers are discussing the possibility of boosting output by 500,000 barrels a day to counter falling supply from Iran. The group will meet this weekend in Algiers to discuss the oil market and the supply deal.

"Until the sanctions hit and until we actually sees what OPEC does, we're going to have some movements like that where you have some excitement, then a little bit of a pull-back," said Mark Watkins, who helps oversee $151 billion at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

U.S. sanctions have discouraged major crude buyers from purchasing Iranian cargoes, effectively shrinking available supplies. Isolating OPEC's No. 3 producer may vault crude to $90 a barrel, JPMorgan Chase & Co. said.

"If Saudi Arabia doesn't commit to substituting most of that loss, 500,000 barrels a day will not be enough to cover the market," said Bart Melek, head commodity strategist at Toronto Dominion Bank.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries gathering in Algeria may indicate whether the group has "the barrels available to fully cover the Iranian lost output," said John Kilduff, a partner at New York-based hedge fund Again Capital LLC.

U.S. President Donald Trump chided the cartel on Thursday, tweeting the group "must get prices down now!"

West Texas Intermediate for November delivery rose 68 cents to $71 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Total volume traded Friday was about 57 percent above the 100-day average.

Brent for November gained 19 cents to $78.89 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark traded at an $7.89 premium to WTI for the same month.

OPEC and allied producers are set for another contentious meeting: Iran has threatened to veto any decision that harms its interests. Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said the group has no authority to impose a new supply arrangement.

"The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries gathering in Algeria may indicate whether the group has "the barrels available to fully cover the Iranian lost output," said John Kilduff, a partner at New York-based hedge fund Again Capital LLC.

Other oil-market news:

As demand for alternative Middle Eastern supplies increases, the regional Dubai crude marker has reason to strengthen. Yet it's weakening against Brent -- a very different oil grade that's used to price barrels from Europe and Africa.

The shipping industry is pressing for a phased start for tough new rules governing vessel fuel that are scheduled to kick in less than 16 months from now.

--With assistance from Tsuyoshi Inajima, Heesu Lee, Paul Burkhardt and Jessica Summers.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.
James Nielsen/Staff

Representatives of the United Steelworkers Union are gathering next week in San Diego to set national priorities for the upcoming oil bargaining talks that will set the wages and benefits at U.S. oil refineries and chemical plants.

The current contract expires Feb. 1 and covers 30,000 workers in oil refineries, chemical plants, pipelines and oil terminals nationwide, including about 5,000 in the Houston area. Union-represented workers process about two-thirds of the nation's crude oil.
Retailers across Houston are gearing up for the busy holiday shopping season by looking for thousands of seasonal workers.

Retailers are starting to announce hiring plans for the holidays, the biggest shopping season of the year. In 2017, retail sales during November and December exceeded forecasts, increasing 5.5 percent over the previous year to nearly $692 billion.
The long under-appreciated Houston artist Dorothy Hood, who once chided a Museum of Fine Arts, Houston director for keeping her work relegated to a basement, finally gets prime treatment in the museum where she taught. Her paintings and drawings will appear alongside works by the iconic Louise Nevelson in the two-woman exhibition Kindred Spirits, opening in early November.

Although Hood was widely collected and admired during her lifetime, many of her works were brought to light only recently in a major retrospective mounted by the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi. Thats where MFAH curator Alison de Lima Greene became convinced it was time to reconsider her work.
Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

After multiple set-backs, crews were finally able to begin dredging the West Fork of the San Jacinto River on Thursday, Sept. 21.

This is the first of two dredges that will carry out the removal of nearly 2 million cubic yards of shoal material along an approximately 2-mile stretch of the West Fork.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers had originally hoped to have the dredge up-and-running by Sept. 1; however, an assembly delay and recent inclement weather continued pushing back the start.

We faced some recent delays due to weather and dredge assembly, but the dredge is on station and working to remove debris to help reduce flood risks, said Alton Meyer, a USACE Galveston District professional engineer and project administrative contracting officer.

The dredges were deemed necessary after the Lake Houston area experienced unprecedented flooding during Hurricane Harvey last year.

Racing floodwater from upstream transported debris and sediment that built-up in the West Fork, interrupting the rivers flow and holding capacity.

The dredging operations goal is to remove enough material to return the river to its flow capacity before Hurricane Harvey, which officials believe will serve as a temporary flood reduction measure.

Dredge 1 starts material removal approximately 0.25 miles west of West Lake Houston Parkway and makes its way eastward to approximately 0.5 miles east of West Lake Houston Parkway.

Dredge 2 will start to the south of East End Park and dredge eastward until reaching Dredge 1s starting location about 0.25 miles west of West Lake Houston Parkway.

The dredged material will be placed on two sites in the Lake Houston area  one site south of the river and east of Highway 59; and the other site south of Kingwood Drive and west of Highway 59.

The $69.8 million project is funded by FEMA and headed-up by the USACE. The projects contractor is Great Lakes Dredge. Crews are scheduled to continue dredging until April 2019 and the entire project, including equipment removal, is anticipated to be complete by May 2019.

Officials warn residents to steer clear of dredging equipment while boating on Lake Houston.

For updates on the progress of dredging the West Fork, visit https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/.

mfeuk@hcnonline.com
The FBI Houston Division is launching #ThinkBeforeYouPost, a public awareness campaign to educate the public about the consequences of making hoax threats of violence to schools and other public places, and reminds everyone that hoax threats are not a joke.

Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner was joined at a recent news conference announcing the campaign by members of the Houston Police Department; the Harris County Sheriffs Office; police chiefs from the Houston, Katy, Fort Bend and Aldine Independent School Districts; Crime Stoppers of Houston; and Clear Channel Outdoor.

BEWARE: Fake profiles pop up on social media of Texas school suspect

With the school year underway, we need students and the public to understand that making threats against a school is not a joke. There are serious legal consequences for those who do, even if there was never an intent to carry out the threat, said Turner.

In the aftermath of tragic shootings such as at Santa Fe High School in Texas and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, the FBI and law enforcement agencies around the country often see an increase in threats made to schools.

The FBI and our local law enforcement partners spend countless hours following up on every tip we receive from the public. We analyze and investigate all threats to determine their credibility, said Turner.

Schools shut down and teachers and students lose precious learning time as a result of these threats. Making false threats drains school and law enforcement resources unnecessarily and cost taxpayers a lot of money, he added.

AFTER PARKLAND: A flood of new threats, tips and false alarms

When an investigation concludes there was a false or hoax threat made to a school, or another public place, a federal charge could be considered, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. If a federal charge is not warranted, state charges can be considered.

The Houston region #ThinkBeforeYouPost campaign will include digital billboard space donated by Clear Channel Outdoor to promote the message. Billboards are popping up along major highways in the greater Houston area.

Public assistance is crucial to efforts to curb these hoax threats. If there is any reason to believe the safety of others is at risk, the public should immediately contact their local police department by calling 9-1-1, or the FBI Houston Field Office at 713-693-5000.
Tensions flared during a heated meeting of a cemetery task force created to decide the fate of about 95 human remains found on a Fort Bend ISD construction site believed to have been part of the controversial post slavery convict leasing system.

Some members were frustrated when Doug Brinkley, assistant city manager for Sugar Land, proposed a set of guidelines for the group at its second meeting on Wednesday. Others were upset about Brinkley's suggestion to split the group into two committees: burial location and interment and memorial service.

On a slide presented on a projection screen, names appeared of members who the city suggested should be on each committee.

Samuel Collins, who has advocated alongside another community activist, Reginald Moore, on behalf of sensitive treatment for the remains, expressed concern when he was placed on the burial location committee without his prior knowledge.

"Then, we see a couple (law enforcement) officers here, we have rules of how we should behave. The optics of that is very bad for the city," said Collins. "Then for you to already predetermine who's going to be where. The city is making moves on the board without talking to the players. I think you need to slow down, take a step back and talk to the people first without giving directions."

Brinkley, however, said the names were just a suggestion and noted that members could be placed on whatever committee they chose. After members expressed frustration about the meeting guidelines, Brinkley put the issue aside.

"The only thing I caution is that if we don't make any decisions, we don't have any structure, we'll never go anywhere," said Brinkley.

The issue of the convict-leasing system in Sugar Land was brought to light by Moore, a community activist who has pushed public officials to properly recognize the post-Civil War era human remains by building a museum.

Fort Bend ISD announced the discovery of the remains in April. In July, archaeologists confirmed the remains found so far were likely part of the convict-leasing system, in which Texas state prisoners were contracted out to perform cheap labor.

The city of Sugar Land last month announced creation of the task force. The group is expected to meet for the next six months until a decision can be made about proper reburial and interment of the remains. The next meeting will be held on Oct. 3. All meetings are open to the public.

During the first meeting, task force members voted in favor of DNA testing to occur on the remains. The Texas Historical Commission will ultimately decide whether testing will occur.

Brinkley said that funding is still needed for the DNA testing which is estimated to cost $170,000.

He noted the city was trying to provide structure to the process by breaking the group into the two committees. The committees would meet separately and then come back to the regular task force meetings to discuss.

"I've been on committees nationwide and I've never had to sign rules," said Collins. "I've never had to feel like I needed law enforcement present to make sure everybody behaves."

After the meeting, Moore was still leery about the process, saying he feels the city is trying to control the narrative. He said when he saw the group agreement, he wanted to walk out of the meeting but stayed. Moore said city officials should have presented the idea about the committees, then allowed task force members to vote on it before discussing it at the meeting.

"If they were going to do that, then they should have handled differently," said Moore. "They want to steer it. They are taking it into the direction they want to go."

Shortly before the meeting, members from National Black United Front held a rally outside to voice their frustrations, pushing for DNA testing to occur and for Moore's idea of a museum. Signs with red and green letters read "Justice 4 Sugarland 95" and "DNA Testing 4 Sugar Land 95."

Members of the group marched in front of T.E. Harman center where the meeting occurred on Wednesday and shouted "We're fired up! Can't take it no more!"

During the rally, Kofi Taharka of National Black United Front, expressed his concern over how construction continues on Fort Bend ISD's James Reese Career Technical Center, where the remains were found.

"They got a building they want to build. They got a schedule," said Taharka. "They want to move through it and they want us to accept a PR campaign, that says 'We're concerned about these ancestors but we're gonna go ahead, we need to move forward.' "

As the meeting ended, the task force voted to continue with the committees. Lynette Reddix, of Missouri City NAACP, and Moore were made committee chairs for the burial location and interment committees.

"We're always going to have areas where we disagree," acknowledged Brinkley. "This is a heated incident. It's racially charged. You're not going to hurt my feelings. We're here to do this for the good of this cause to memorialize and do the right thing."
State alcohol regulators filed administrative sanctions Friday against a Galveston bar whose employees are accused of serving alcohol to a patron later arrested in a fatal drunk driving crash.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission filed the case Sept. 21 against The Island Pier Club in Galveston, according to a news release. Two of the restaurant's employees, Shafay Look and Jon Ward, allegedly served alcohol to bar patron Gerilynn Weberlein June 4, despite signs that she was intoxicated.

After she left the bar and drove off, Weberlein allegedly hit two bicyclists, one of whom later died from his injuries. According to authorities, Weberlein's blood-alcohol content was 0.103 at the time of the crash, well above the legal limit of 0.08.

OUT OF CONTROL: Houston is ground zero for drunken and drugged driving

Weberlein was charged by Galveston police with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. She will be back in court Oct. 17 for a status conference.

Look and Ward were arrested by police Sept. 17 and could face up to a year in jail and a possible $500 fine. The TABC case against the bar could result in a civil fine or temporary suspension of the business' license to sell alcohol.

The Island Pier Club now has the option of settling the case by paying a penalty or seeking a hearing before the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

"The vast majority of retailers understand that they have a responsibility to prevent any sale of alcohol to an intoxicated person," Bentley Nettles, TABC Executive Director said in the release. "Cases such as this illustrate the tragic consequences of not following the law. TABC is grateful to the investigators of the Galveston County District Attorney's Office and the Galveston Police Department for their diligence and assistance during this investigation."

RELATED: Houston's roads, drivers are country's most deadly

The TABC's action mirrors similar cases it has filed in recent months against other Houston-area establishments, and as drunk driving crashes continue to claim hundreds of lives every year in and around Houston. The region is the most dangerous in the nation for impaired driving fatalities, according to a recent Chronicle investigation.

After two Atascocita High School students died in a fatal drunk driving crash in July, state regulators investigated the gas station where the underage driver in the crash allegedly purchased alcohol.

An average Houston week: 11 fatal wrecks, 12 deaths

In April, state regulators investigated two bars after a 36-year-old Clear Lake woman and her infant son died in a crash police blamed on an intoxicated underage driver. The TABC investigated both establishments and turned their findings over to TABC's legal department, which has yet to issue a decision on further action, said Chris Porter, a department spokesman.

In response to those crashes and others, the Harris County District Attorney's Office also launched a taskforce to try to crack down on establishments illegally serving alcohol.

St. John Barned-Smith contributed to this report.

Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on the breaking news site chron.com and the subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Follow her on Twitter: @beccaghennes.

Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message.


Students celebrated the 120th anniversary of Harvard Elementary School by learning about the schools past, and free bus tours will teach Houston-area residents about the long, storied history of the Heights community.

Kindergartners and fifth graders gathered in their school cafeteria Sept. 18 as R.W. McKinney, Houston historian and Mister McKinney of Mister McKinneys Historic Houston, painted a verbal picture for them of what their school and community looked like 120 years ago.

The students got a chance to ask questions and interact. McKinney said the event honored a long history of educating students well in the Heights.

Primary schools are so important to the overall growth and vitality of any kind of community, so to have a school like the Harvard School be dedicated for 120 years working with parents, it really was parents that came together along with the founders of the Heights themselves from a commercial aspect to build a quality school, McKinney said.

According to McKinney, the Harvard Street School opened Sept. 18, 1898, at a cost of $604, and he said it was just several blocks away from the Cooley School, which had opened two years earlier. The schools were built in a period of growth in the Heights that McKinney said included the opening of Heights Boulevard, Helms Elementary School, Hogg Middle School and Heights High School. He said the people of the Heights have always valued strong schools and have worked hard to keep them that way.

Theyre valuable, and really, you get what you put into them. So this community has continuously given and put time and attention into growing their school, and the results are there, McKinney said. Harvard is one of the most recognized schools in the district on the elementary level, and it is one of the secrets to why the Heights is such a wonderful place to move to.

Emily Guyre, the new executive director of the Houston Heights Association, attended the program and said the idea of having kinder buddies, or fifth graders matched up with the younger kindergartners, present at the program was symbolic.

There is sort of the elite group thats on their way out, and youve got the new group coming in, Guyre said. So its a good reflection of what were trying to do here in the Heights, to partner our older community members with our younger ones and teach them about what it is to be the historical side of our community and what it is to be a new person.

Alexis Clark, assistant principal at Harvard, said McKinneys presentation made the history relatable to her students.

More Information Houston-area families and residents can take part in the 50-minute Historic Heights Tour events on Friday-Sunday, Sept. 21-23, and Friday-Saturday, Sept 28-29 at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The bus holds 20 people, so reservations are required and can be made at www.MisterMcKinney.com or by following and liking Mister McKinney on social media and filling out the correct information. See More Collapse

I think this is a huge awakening, especially for the students. I dont think they realized the history that surrounded our campus, so being able to highlight just being 120 years old and making a celebration out of it so they can go ahead and connect the experience with what it means is huge, Clark said.

For the past 16 years, McKinney has been leading tours across the Houston area on his Houston History Bus as well as going into schools to teach students about Houstons history. McKinneys October events include the Houston Fire Department History Tour and the Haunted Houston Tour (which he charges for).

The Heights Historic Tour events are slated for the evenings of Friday-Sunday, Sept. 21-23, and Friday-Saturday, Sept. 28-29. Each tour is being sponsored by Boulevard Realty, Farmers Insurance, Fidelity National Title and Texas Loan Star, Inc. McKinney encouraged other businesses interested in having tours of their areas to reach out to him.

If you want Mister McKinneys Historic Houston and the Houston History Bus to feature your area or your neighborhood, lets sit down and talk about it because what Im all about is promoting local history. But it requires communities like these amazing four sponsors who have stepped up and covered all these expenses, McKinney said.

He said he is looking forward to educating residents from the Heights area and beyond about an area that has a rich history.

If you live in the Heights area, the Houston History Bus tour of the area is a must, he said. Im excited that we can connect families and the community with the areas rich past. We only have two weeks of sponsored tours, so its so important to have people take advantage of this promotion. Go to www.MisterMcKinney.com to secure your seat.

tracy.maness@chron.com
A 54-year-old Conroe man was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty for leaving the scene of a 2016 auto-pedestrian accident where a bicyclist was severely injured on FM 2090.

Bruce Michael Martin pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the charge of failure to stop and render aid in an accident involving serious bodily injury or death.

According to court documents, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were dispatched to a hit-and-run crash on FM 2090 west of Crockett Martin Road on Dec. 7, 2016.

When troopers arrived on the scene, they received information from witnesses stating they observed an unknown truck hit the pedestrian then flee the scene, court documents stated.

The victim, identified by court documents as John Musachia, was transported to Conroe Regional Hospital in critical condition. Musachia has since recovered from the accident.

During their investigation, troopers learned that the victims family knew the identity of a passenger in the vehicle when the accident occurred.

The passenger stated that Martin picked her up from a hotel and they were headed to the store when he reportedly hit the victim and sped off saying he had warrants for tickets, court documents stated. Days after the crash, Martin allegedly sent threatening text messages to the passenger and threatened to harm her or her family if she were to talk to anyone about the crash.

Martin was arrested for a felony possession charge on Feb. 22, 2017, where he was interviewed about the auto-pedestrian crash, but he denied knowing anything about the crash.

After interviewing Martins neighbors, investigators learned Martin did have an older model truck 1986 Ford pickup registered to him  but it was never found.

Another witness stated that everyone on the street knew Martin was the driver of the truck that struck Musachia.

I asked Martin if he used to have Ford like the one reported in the accident and he stated that he did but recently sold it due to mechanical issues, DPS Trooper C. Lucchesi reported. Martin would not disclose who he sold the pickup to.

This not Martins first run-in with law enforcement officers.

Martin was previously arrested and found guilty of evading arrest/detention in 2005 where he was sentenced to six months in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, driving while intoxicated in 2007, possession of a controlled substance in February 2017 where he was sentenced to six months in TDCJ and a recent felony possession of a controlled substance charge in April 2018.

This most recent possession of a controlled substance charge was dismissed in light of Martin pleading guilty to FSRA in an accident causing injury or death.

jennifer.summer@hcnonline.com
Photo: Courtesy of Sandeep Salter.

A while back, T s former editor Deborah Needleman posted a picture on Instagram of a woman in Jaipur, India, holding a broom. The broom is unusual: no handle, with bristles several feet long that trail almost elegantly across the floor. Her followers were, to put it mildly, enamored. Breathtaking broom, commented one. Like a gorgeous khaki tassel, wrote another.

A couple of months later, Needleman took a trip to an Appalachian folk school where she spent a week learning to craft brooms herself. I found the brooms beautiful, she wrote of the experience in T. Still, she adds: Nearly all brooms today are unremarkable objects mass-produced in Mexico, [besides] a small number of people in North America devoted to handcrafting them. The makers run the gamut from Americana buffs to hippie holdouts, and the brooms are mostly minimalist Shaker or backwoods Appalachian in style.

Members of that small but budding number of people include Erin Rouse, who used to work in the style department at Martha Stewart Living magazine and recently launched a line of handmade brooms called Custodian; one comes dressed in a pale-pink skirt made of pleated silk. In San Francisco, artist Hannah Beatrice Quinn sells sculptural brooms with pinky-orange fir bristles and mint-colored dustpans. Multidisciplinary artist Cynthia Main crafts quirky, thumb-size brooms laced together with blue thread (others have two heads), and Brooklyn artist Ariele Alasko carves the handles of hers into squiggles and pyramids. Furnishing Utopia  an exhibition New York City curated by Design Within Reach  currently has no less than three brooms for sale on its site: a tall broom made of beech and horsehair by Pratt graduate Tom Bonamici, a dustpan designed by Urbancase, and a series of brushes with green, blue, and yellow handles by artist Zoe Mowat. In other words: The same artisans who wouldve taken up ceramics six years ago are now binding and carving brooms by hand.

I definitely think that theres a broom scene brewing, says Rouse. Though it still feels early days to me. American broom-making is an old-school craft, and requires specific and challenging-to-track-down equipment (and knowledge). Plus, she adds, Brooms are not a proven cool object  like a ceramic vessel, or a textile wall hanging. I think  I hope!  that will start to change soon. In Brooklyn, at least, of course, that change is already afoot. HomeStories, in Brooklyn Heights, sells Moroccan-made palm-leaf brooms described, on its site, as both poetic and functional. And half a mile south, Salter House  owned by Goods for the Studys Sandeep Salter  has an entire wall devoted to stylish sweepers, including a handmade birch porch broom from Sweden, a goat-hair dust broom, a Japanese-made hand broom with a handsome leather strap, and a carpet beater made of woven rattan.

Like any handmade item, these brooms are expensive. But for those who value endurance (handcrafted brooms are built to last, unlike their mass-produced, plastic counterparts) and aesthetics (these brooms should be displayed, rather than jammed hastily in the closet) the price seems worth it. People tend to ask, Are your brooms sculptures or tools? Rouse says. A nice broom is right at the intersection. Which might seem strange now. But I think soon, it wont.

Andree Jardin Vintage-Inspired French Push Broom From $74 From $74 Colorful, vintage-inspired brooms made by Andree Jardin, who has been making wood brushes in Brittany, France, for some 60 years. Jardins husband, George-Rene Julio, was an apprentice to a brush-maker in Nantes. From $74 at Food52 Buy

The Horse Hair Broom $60 Rouse also recommended these horsehair brushes, which the Laundress claims are more effective than a vacuum and will last a lifetime. $60 at The Laundress Buy

Double Brooms $85 Photo: Ariana Jordan Maddox It takes Cynthia Main  who is currently an artist in residence at Gallery 123 in Berea, Kentucky  three weeks to handcraft these quirky, double-headed brooms. $85 at Sunhouse Buy

Broom by Tom Bonamici $200 Tom Bonamici is a designer specializing in furniture and timber framing, and he received his masters of industrial design at Pratt. His handmade brooms have dense horsehair bristles, which means they sweep efficiently. $200 at Furnishing Utopia Buy

Brush Study by Zoe Mowat $125 When crafting these white oak and horsehair brushes, Zoe Mowat decided to paint their handles in shades from the traditional Shaker palette. $125 at Furnishing Utopia Buy

Pleated Skirt Broom $400 $400 This Shaker-style broom, which has a wooden handle finished with natural soap, is handmade on an 1890s broom machine. Its skirt is hand-pleated and sewn out of silk noil. $400 at Custodian Buy

Koji Nakamura Palm Broom $82 $82 This Japanese palm fiber broom is sold at the very chic Roman and Williams Guild where, according to one salesperson, they routinely sell out. $82 at RW Guild Buy

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As many dog lovers can agree, dogs are mans best friend and are often considered as a family member.

Adhering to this mantra and as avid dog lovers themselves, two Conroe Police Department officers jumped to action to recover a beloved dogs remains from a fiery, fatal 18-wheeler crash along Interstate 45 in August.

On Aug. 14, the Conroe Police Department along with the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to a single vehicle accident around 3:45 a.m. involving an 18-wheeler truck on I-45 near FM 1097.

An off-duty Conroe officer reported seeing the truck, swerving across lanes and into the shoulder before the driver lost control, causing for the truck to roll and catch on fire, Montgomery County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack said in a previous article.

Authorities believe the driver of the truck, who Conroe Police did not want not to identified, possibly fell asleep behind the wheel, causing the crash.

Conroe Police Department Crash Investigator Steve Hurd received the call about the crash at approximately 4 a.m. and responded to the scene to begin investigating the crash.

Along with Hurd, Conroe Police Departments Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer J.L. Landriault was called to the scene since the accident involved a commercial vehicle.

Hurd contacted the family numerous times to inquire if they would like to provide input, but they did not respond to requests.

There was a lot of debris; the truck burst into flames upon impact, Hurd said. The clean-up was extensive. On the scene, we located the drivers remains and he was transported from the scene by Eickenhorst Funeral Services.

From there, Hurd along with fellow officers including Landriault continued to sort through the debris when they located additional remains that belonged to a small animal.

At first, we thought the remains belonged to a raccoon, Hurd said. After returning back to the office, I contacted the family, who lives in South Houston, to give them the notification about their loved one. The spokesman for the family was the uncle of the victim and we explained to him the process such as the autopsy and who to contact for the victims body.

Hurd stopped short when he recalled the victims uncle asking an additional question when he encouraged them to contact Conroe Police if there was anything they do for them during this difficult time.

He asked me, while you all were there, did you find the dog? Hurd said. The animal that we found at the scene was our victims beloved pet that rode along with him. I told him we, personally, would look for the dogs remains and return him back to the family.

Hurd and Landriault returned to the scene where they spoke with Hazmat International crews on the scene who were responsible for cleaning up the debris. Most of the debris was put into two bins that were transported to their yard off Davis Street and one bin remained at the scene.

After checking around the scene, Hurd left, but Landriault continued his search.

From there, Landriault started with the two bins at Hazmat International, using a forklift to move the trucks motor to further dig around the debris with a shovel to find the dog. Next, he moved to the second bin, but his initial searches turned up unsuccessful.

I returned back to the scene where the last bin remained, Landriault said. I searched through that whole bin to no avail. I was determined to find this dog for this family especially during a difficult time of losing their loved one. I looked around the scene once more  finally locating the dog.

Hurd and Landriault met with the family representative, who was ecstatic, and he collected the remains of the family dog to be buried with the truck driver.

This dog was like family to them, Hurd said. It was important for us to locate the dog and return it to the family so the victim and the dog could be buried together because they were obviously like best friends; that dog went everywhere with him. I have two dogs and my dogs are like family. We wanted to find a way to provide comfort to this family.

Landriault echoed Hurds sentiments, adding, The dog, itself, was a big enough companion for him to take out onto the road with him. Its obvious he had quite the bond with the dog for the fact, the family called to ask about the dog to reunite him with the victim. If this was important to this family, it was that, if not more, important for us to reunite the dogs remains with his owner.

jennifer.summer@hcnonline.com
Detectives are looking into the euthanizing of 78 animals at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter in August after shelter workers questioned the practices behind the mass killing.

The ordeal began Aug. 17 when the shelter was asked to help facilitate the surrender of 84 dogs and cats from a home in the 18000 Block of Quail Run Circle near Conroe, according to Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Lt. Scott Spencer.

The owner, a 65-year-old woman, had contacted an out-of-state rescue group to surrender her animals, who in turn contacted the shelter to make the initial seizure.

HELP NEEDED: More than 150 Harris County animals adopted, fostered in 48 hours

Animal shelter employees, including shelter Director Aaron Johnson, went to the Conroe-area property and initially took six healthy and "friendly" dogs, who were almost immediately adopted out to loving families, Spencer said.

Then, on Aug. 20, Johnson and his employees returned to the property for the remaining 78 dogs and cats.

Animal control officers took the remaining animals to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, where each and every one of them were put down, Spencer said.

Days later, a doctor at the shelter notified officials with the Sheriff's Office of the mass euthanizing.

Detectives opened a criminal investigation almost immediately, Spencer said.

It is unclear which, or if, any state laws were broken when the 78 dogs and cats were put down, although Spencer pointed out the investigation is active.

Officials said Johnson and the shelter's Assistant Director Mark Wysocki are on paid leave as the investigation continues.

The operations at the shelter have been under scrutiny since early 2015 when volunteers approached county officials and reported conditions that they said resulted in the deaths of hundreds of animals, according to earlier reports in The Courier of Montgomery County.

Volunteers had claimed the conditions went downhill after commissioners approved the reorganization of Care Corporation in January 2015. Former Precinct 3 Constable Tim Holifield and his wife, Amy, founded Care Corporation in 2012 to provide management for the shelter but sold it shortly before commissioners approved the reorganization in 2015.

Commissioners later terminated the county's contract with Care Corporation and began a search for a third-party vendor to manage the shelter. After rejecting all bids and ending the search, the county took over management of the shelter.

Jackson took over the shelter last November after interim director Todd Hayden quit. Hayden had stepped into the role in March 2016 after his predecessor, Michael White, resigned in February after only one week on the job.

Johnson took over Jackson's role after he suddenly quit in May 2017.

Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com
Houston police officers voted overwhelmingly Friday to ratify a new contract with the city that would give officers a staggered 7 percent raise over two years.

"We are overjoyed that our membership has passed this contract by 96 percent of those who voted," HPOU President Joe Gamaldi said. "It's the highest approval rating for any contract we've ever had."

Gamaldi did not provide a breakdown of how many of the city's 5,200 officers actually voted.

The contract now must go to Houston City Council for approval.

The proposal, which would take effect in July 2019, comes as the city is waging a high-profile campaign to defeat a firefighter-backed referendum on "pay parity" aimed at bringing firefighter salaries in line with police officers.

The police contract -- staggered over two years -- would go into effect for officers who have completed their six-month probationary periods, raising pay from $55,000 to about $57,000 in July 2019, and then by another $1,500 in 2020. The city has estimated the overall cost of the proposal at approximately $52 million.

Background: Proposed contract would give Houston police 7 percent raise over two years.

Shortly after the vote's result was announced, Police Chief Art Acevedo took to social media to congratulate his officers.

"The results are a testament to the leadership of the @hpou & @SylvesterTurner & the maturity of our work force," he tweeted. "Proud of our team & community."

St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety and major breaking news for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send tips to st.john.smith@chron.com.
First retailer opens its doors at Lake Woodlands Crossing

Total Wine & More officially became the first retailer to open its doors at Lake Woodlands Crossing on Thursday, Sept. 20. The new 60,261-square-foot shopping center is under development in The Woodlands Town Center at 1900 Lake Woodlands Drive at the northeast intersection of Grogans Mill Road.

The Woodlands Total Wine & More occupies 25,000 square feet of retail space in the new center. The liquor superstore chain offers a selection of 8,000 wines, 3,000 spirits and 2,500 beers along with mixers, bar accessories and gift items. The Woodlands store will have a climate-controlled wine room for rare selections and a walk-in humidor for fine cigars, as well as a space for private tastings, consumer education classes, community meetings and special events. The new location is the 10th store in the Greater Houston Area.

Ulta Beauty, REACH Stretch Studios, Beaux Toes, Main Squeeze Juice Company and Stickhouse will also be opening soon at Lake Woodlands Crossing. Completion of the retail center is scheduled for later this year.

Southern Marsh to debut first brick and mortar location

Southern Marsh, originally known for its Southern culture-inspired t-shirts, is opening its first location at Market Street - The Woodlands on Satruday, Sept. 29 between Tumi and Maggies. Southern Marsh apparel has been available online and through hundreds of partner retail stores across the country. The Market Street location will be the companys first brick and mortar location.

The Baton Rouge-based company features full collections for women, men and youth including pants, outerwear, sleepwear, sweaters, jerseys, dress shirts, polos and swimwear. Clothing and accessories such as duffels, hats, coozies, sandals and more. All items feature the trademark mallard logo. For additional information about Southern Marsh, visit www.southernmarsh.com.

Dallas company purchases office building on Research Forest

Jeff Beard, CCIM, president of The J. Beard Real Estate Company, has facilitated the recent sale and acquisition of an office building located at 2700 Research Forest, which was purchased by SJBC Commercial XIX, LLC., from Dallas-based Novel Office Systems/Soft-Tech SM.

The property consists of a large single-story building totaling 74,940 square feet of contemporary office space on an 8-acre, natural woodland campus. The property is 100 percent leased by eight tenants and is located at Research Forest Drive and New Trails Road in The Woodlands. The J. Beard Real Estate Company, LP will handle the leasing and property management of the building.
As a senior living provider, Belmont Village Senior Living sees the daily toll Alzheimers Disease takes on families. The disease affects more than five million Americans, a number that is expected to reach 16 million by 2050 unless a cure is found  a cause Belmont Village communities band together for each year.

As a National Team for the Walk to End Alzheimers, Belmonts goal is to spread awareness about the disease and raise funds for research and local support programs offered by the Alzheimers Association.
For many grandparents, spending enough time with their grandchildren can prove to be a challenge when they dont all necessarily live within close proximity of each other.

Four years ago, Clear Lake residents Jan and Paul Newbold, ages 62 and 65, respectively, created a solution for their own family: a biannual Cousins Camp inviting their grandchildren to visit together for a week of fun activities with the grandparents.

Their six daughters and one son have 27 children (and one on the way) between them.

The children and grandchildren live all over the country, with some in the Houston area and others in Utah, California, Ohio and even Hawaii.

One of the biggest challenges the Newbolds have faced when it comes to spending enough quality time with their grandchildren is also providing the opportunity for them to spend enough time to get to know each other.

After 12 grandchildren came to visit the Newbolds at the same time, they decided to create the camp. The Newbolds one requirement for visiting campers is that they have to be at least 8 years old.

They pay for the parents to fly them down, as they dont want the cost to prevent interested grandchildren from being able to come.

The first camp started with just five grandchildren, then grew to nine two years later before growing to 12 for this years camp.

The camp has included typical summer fun activities like going to the beach and to the movies, visiting the Texas Battleship for an overnight trip and performing a variety show for residents at Autumn Leaves, an assisted living facility.

The camp also always ends with an Astros game, as the kids enjoy watching the fireworks downtown.

The Newbolds recently expanded their camp to also include volunteer activities like this years excursion to the Houston Food Bank.

Through chores and tasks at their grandparents house, the grandchildren earned money to be able to purchase food items identified as most needed by the Houston Food Bank.

They then brought these donations with them on their designated volunteer day. The family worked for four hours, packing one ton (2,000 pounds) of meals during their shift.

Our grandchildren really loved the time we spend volunteering at the Houston Food Bank, Jan said. In fact, they even asked if we could make it a tradition, so we are definitely thinking about including it in the next Cousins Camp.

In between camp years, some of the grandchildren still come to visit the Newbolds on their own, which is a great opportunity for them to see the kids who might have had to miss the camp.

Our ultimate goal with the Cousins Camps is to have our grandchildren form lasting relationships and keep in touch with each other, Jan said. I like to say Grandmas house is where cousins become best friends. I hope in years to come, they will say lets have a reunion and still continue to get together when theyre grown.
Earlier this week, passengers boarded an airplane run by the low-cost carrier VivaAerobus in the Mexican beach resort of Huatulco. They hoped that soon they would arrive in Mexico City.

They did not. Instead, their plane sat on the runway for around three hours, grounded after the Mexico City airport was closed by heavy rain. The passengers had to wait for a subsequent hour outside the plane before finally heading off.

The delay would likely have been little noticed in Mexico had it not been for one passenger onboard. His name is Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, though he is better known by his initials Amlo, and he is Mexico's president-elect.

Lopez Obrador has also pledged repeatedly that when he enters the presidential office in Los Pinos this December, he will sell the presidential plane that comes with the office and fly on commercial flights like ordinary Mexican citizens.

On Wednesday, video circulated on social media of Lopez Obrador sitting by an exit door on the grounded VivaAerobus plane - and justifying his plan to sell Mexico's presidential jet to the curious passengers who had noticed him. In one clip, the president-elect is shown saying he would be ashamed if he used a "a luxury airplane in a country with so much poverty."

"I'm not going to change my mind because of this," he said.

Lopez Obrador, 64, won a landslide victory in July's presidential election in large part due to anger at the current right wing government, which has been embroiled in numerous corruption scandals. He has pledged not only to sell or rent out the presidential plane, but also turn the presidential palace into a museum and go without bodyguards when appearing in public.

In late August, Lopez Obrador announced that he had received the first serious offer for the Mexican presidential plane - an expansive Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that has enough room for 250 passengers and was delivered at a cost of $218 million in 2016.

Ironically, the offer came from an American, Floridian Russell Dise, who is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, the American leader known for his harsh views of Mexico.

Lopez Obrador has also spoken skeptically of plans to build a new $13 billion airport for Mexico City, to replace the overcrowded one that currently serves the city. The president-elect has said that the airport is a waste of taxpayer's money but pledged to support a nationwide vote on whether the project should proceed or be canceled.
WASHINGTON - The president of the National Association of Immigration Judges on Friday called on Congress to emancipate the judges from the Justice Department, saying the immigration courts are entering a "new and dark era" under the nation's top prosecutor.

The move comes as Attorney General Jeff Sessions is rapidly hiring immigration judges and pressuring them to decide cases faster, imposing production quotas for the first time. Starting Oct. 1, judges must complete 700 cases a year, she said.

"The only durable solution is to get the court away from the Justice Department," Ashley Tabaddor, a Los Angeles immigration judge and the association's president, said in a speech at the National Press Club in Washington. "Let it be a real court. Let it be real judges, so that we can do what we're supposed to do."

Unlike the judicial branch, the 61 federal immigration courts fall under the executive branch and report to the attorney general.

The immigration judges' association has urged Congress for years to make immigration an independent court similar to the U.S. Tax Court. This year, the union endorsed a proposal to create a new system of immigration appeals and trial-level judges. The appeals judges would be named by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The appellate judges would then name the trial-level judges.

Immigration judges say a shift is urgently needed now because Trump administration officials - some of whom are vocal critics of illegal immigration - are undermining judicial independence and immigrants' rights to a fair hearing.

In August, the union filed a grievance after a Philadelphia immigration judge said his supervisor removed him from dozens of deportation cases after he questioned whether a defendant was given fair notice of a hearing.

Besides the quotas, Sessions also has limited judges' power to postpone or terminate cases, which could give immigrants extra time to find a lawyer, gather evidence or find another way to apply for legal residency.

In June, the attorney general also narrowed judges' authority to grant asylum by vacating a decision by the Board of Immigration Appeals. He said victims of "private" crimes such as domestic abuse and gang violence in their countries of origin generally will not qualify for asylum.

The Trump administration said Friday that it "has been clear that the proper home for the immigration court system is with the [Justice] Department."

A Justice Department spokesman, who declined to be named, said the administration is seeking to slash the 740,000 case backlog in half by 2020 "with collaboration - not obstruction and intentional undermining - from the immigration judge union."

This month, Sessions told new judges that they must be fair and follow the law, but also meet his goals.

"I do not apologize for expecting you to perform, at a high level, efficiently and effectively," Sessions told the new judges on Sept. 10, according to a written copy of his remarks. "Cases must be moved to conclusion."

By the end of this month, the courts will have 395 immigration judges, the highest number in the agency's history and an increase of more than 30 percent since Trump took office. Sessions said he plans to increase the number of judges by 50 percent by the end of the year.

Officials have said the judges already complete 678 cases in an average year, and some clear more than 1,000, so the quota will not mark a significant shift.

But Tabaddor, a former federal trial attorney who was appointed by President George W. Bush, worried that new judges who are on probation and have minimal job protections will feel pressured to close cases quickly.

She said that immigration judges' workloads vary widely and that cases involve complexities unrivaled in other courts. Some have thousands of cases each, with particularly high numbers in Baltimore and the Northeast.

Last year, about 40 percent of immigrants - and 8 in 10 of detainees - did not have an attorney, Tabaddor said. Judges hear most of their cases through interpreters, and many cases involve "life and death" stakes, she said, because immigrants face expulsion to some of the world's most dangerous countries.

Judges have also complained that multiple administrations, including Trump's, have poured money into ramping up immigration arrests without giving the courts enough funding to keep up with the caseload. Cases can drag on for years.

Tabaddor previously sued the Obama administration for allegedly ordering her not to hear cases involving people from Iran. In 2015, the department reversed its order and paid her $200,000.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association and dozens of legal scholars have supported the plan to create an "Article 1 court" and expressed concern that the attorney general is increasingly assigning precedent-setting cases to himself to exert more control over the immigration system.
In its 2018 Small Business Survey of more than 7,500 small business owners, Thumbtack identified lack of support as a key concern for U.S. small business owners. According to the survey:

Nearly 70 percent of small business owners think their local government cares more about attracting and supporting new corporations, while only 30 percent believe that supporting local small businesses is the priority.

This simply is not true of Texas. Texas has consistently been awarded top marks in Business Friendliness surveys, never receiving less than an A in the seven years Thumbtack has published its comprehensive national survey. WalletHub agrees. The popular personal finance site ranked Texas second overall in its 2017s Best & Worst States to Start a Business study.

So how does Houston factor in?

As a city, Houston earned an A or better in Ease of starting a business, Ease of hiring, Employment, labor, and hiring, and Tax code. Southeast Houston suburbs like Deer Park, Texas City, Baytown and La Porte are doing their part to support the big city. All four industrial cities ranked in WalletHubs top 25 Business Environment ranking for 2018.

Through government and grassroots initiatives, Houston is constantly looking to make life easier on entrepreneurs.

Following Austins lead, Houston is investing in small business growth with future-forward projects like The Cannon, currently in temporary facilities but expected to open in its 120,000-square-foot building on a 32-acre campus early next year. The Cannon is well-positioned to become Houstons campus for entrepreneurs, with coworking spaces and incubator programs available at different membership levels to accommodate businesses of all sizes.

Local banks are making these massive business projects possible, opening more opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

An independently owned, local bank, Texas Citizens Bank, is helping finance The Cannon building and campus.

We couldnt be more excited about this project. Were thrilled to partner with The Cannon, and even more thrilled to watch business grow exponentially right here in our backyard. Its always fun to see solid startups choose to set roots in Houston. It makes it that much easier for us to lend a hand when theyre ready to take their businesses to that next level, said Texas Citizens Bank Chairman and CEO Duncan Stewart.

Between the low cost of living, ease of starting and hiring, and overall business-friendly environment, Houstons future looks bright.

More and more businesses  and business owners  are making Houston their home. Startup sanctuaries like The Cannon add an extra incentive to an already bustling business community.
However, while containing several tantalizing offers, it appears to fall short of the major steps many in Washington had been looking for - such as a commitment by Pyongyang to provide a list of the North's nuclear facilities, a solid step-by-step time line or an agreement to allow worldwide inspectors in to assess progress or discover contraventions.

The United States is ready to restart negotiations with North Korea "immediately", US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday (Sept 19), with the aim of completing North Korea's denuclearisation by January 2021.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to hold a second summit meeting with President Trump soon to speed up the denuclearization process, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday.

"A peace treaty would be sealed, as well as normalization of North Korea-U.S. relations, after the North achieves complete denuclearization". It is a very meaningful outcome.

The U.S. and South Korean leaders plan to meet in New York City next week during the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in with their respective wives at the summit of Mount Paektu. "I'm calm. So we'll see what happens", he said.

Some US officials were deeply skeptical.

"We should write another chapter of history between the North and the South by reflecting our new history on this Heaven Lake".

The two leaders also released a joint declaration, promising to pursue peace, establish new communication channels and develop new economic ties - including railway and roads, and a special tourism zone.

On the other side of the globe, the Trump administration would do well to follow Moon's lead and reject the dangerously dramatic "last change" rhetoric we hear from creatures of the Washington establishment, like Sen.

Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak arrested over alleged abuse of power

Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak speaks to Reuters during an interview in Langkawi, Malaysia June 19, 2018. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has consistently denied wrongdoing.

"Everything that's out there now is conditional on United States actions that would reduce the pressure on the North to cooperate or (is) filled with loopholes and exit ramps", added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Before this year, two South Korean presidents had visited Pyongyang, hosted by the late Kim Jong Il in 2000 and 2007.

In light of those reports, experts have warned the United States not to grant North Korea premature concessions.

"Such measures should be taken in a balanced manner between North Korea and the United States", he said. On Thursday, Moon announced the two Koreas wish to make a declaration formally concluding the 1950-53 conflict by the end of 2018. This means negotiations from this point can only make South Korea (and her ally, America) more secure.

"But in the meantime, we're talking".

With that the North Korean leader hinted at a possible visit to the South Korean capital.

Moon, who was the handmaiden of the Kim-Trump dialogue back in the spring, was under considerable pressure this week to extract concessions from Kim that could sustain the rapprochement between Washington and Pyongyang.

The volcano topped with a deep crater lake is at the heart of North Korea's foundation mythology and used to legitimize the Kim family's dynastic rule.

"I have a dream that I have not been able to fulfil for a long time, which is trekking Mount Paektu and the Kaema Plateau [in North Korea]", Moon said during a banquet after his first summit with Kim in April, which took place at the demilitarised zone separating the two neighbours. A longer route to peace is not ideal, but as long as North and South Korea stay friendly, nuclear warheads won't fly.

Washington has demanded concrete action, such as a full disclosure of North Korea's nuclear and missile facilities, before agreeing to Pyongyang's key goals, including an easing of worldwide sanctions and an official end to the Korean War.

Moon says such steps, combined with North Korea's unilateral but unverified dismantling of a nuclear testing ground earlier this year, would prevent the North from advancing its weaponry through further nuclear and missile tests. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from SC, who tweeted that he was concerned the visit would undermine efforts by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley to impose "maximum pressure" on the North.
Are you ready for aging? Or need help downsizing? Or need tips on sleeping better?

Those are just some of the topics Life Enrichment of Houston will be covering in its fall session, now under way and in a new home.
WASHINGTON - Memos written by Andrew McCabe when he was the acting FBI director say Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein suggested he secretly record his talks with President Donald Trump, and that Rosenstein discussed possibly trying to remove Trump from office, according to people familiar with the matter.

The account, first reported by the New York Times, paints Rosenstein as so concerned in May 2017 in the wake of Trump's firing of then-FBI Director James Comey that he contemplated secretly recording conversations with the president. He also initiated discussions about invoking the 25th Amendment, which details how the Cabinet can decide whether a president is no longer able to discharge the duties of the office, one of the McCabe memos said.

The revelations immediately prompted speculation that Trump might seize on the new information to fire Rosenstein. The deputy attorney general oversees special counsel Robert Mueller III's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether any Trump associates conspired in those efforts.

Speaking at a rally in Springfield, Missouri, on Friday evening, Trump said, "Look at what's being exposed at the Department of Justice and the FBI. We have great people in the Department of Justice . . . but we have some real bad ones. You see what's happening at the FBI, they're all gone, they're all gone. But there's a lingering stench and we're going to get rid of that, too."

The saga features two of the president's biggest targets for public criticism, McCabe and Rosenstein, both of whom he blames for an investigation he calls a "witch hunt." In this instance, McCabe's memos offer an extraordinary account of Rosenstein's thinking at a difficult time in the Justice Department and could could give Trump fresh ammunition to move to oust Rosenstein.

McCabe was fired this year, and a grand jury is weighing possible charges against him for allegedly misleading investigators in a leak probe.

McCabe's lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said in a statement that his client "drafted memos to memorialize significant discussions he had with high level officials and preserved them so he would have an accurate, contemporaneous record of those discussions. When he was interviewed by the special counsel more than a year ago, he gave all of his memos - classified and unclassified - to the special counsel's office. A set of those memos remained at the FBI at the time of his departure in late January 2018. He has no knowledge of how any member of the media obtained those memos."

Rosenstein denied the account.

"The New York Times' story is inaccurate and factually incorrect," Rosenstein said. "I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment."

In a second statement hours later, Rosenstein said: "I never pursued or authorized recording the president and any suggestion that I have ever advocated for the removal of the President is absolutely false."That statement came after White House officials pressured the Justice Department to issue a more forceful denial, according to an adviser who spoke to the president. The president asked advisers Friday if he should fire Rosenstein, and some of those around Trump sought to sway him not to make any decision Friday night. During those discussions, the president said he did not trust Rosenstein or McCabe, the adviser said.

People familiar with the 2017 discussions - and the memos written about the discussions - offered wildly divergent accounts of what was said and what was meant.

Most of the key discussions took place on May 16 - at a time of high stress and concern within the upper echelons of the Justice Department and the FBI. Comey had just been fired, and his deputy, McCabe, like many in the FBI, was deeply upset about that action by Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.

Comey's firing also alarmed Justice Department officials, but they had an additional concern. Rosenstein had written a memo criticizing Comey's handling of the earlier FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server for government business. That memo was used by the White House as a central justification for Comey's firing, but many law enforcement officials suspected that that was a pretext and that Rosenstein had been manipulated into providing cover for possible obstruction of justice.

Rosenstein was under tremendous pressure from Congress to show that both he and the entire Justice Department had not caved to political pressure from the White House.

In that setting, senior Justice Department and FBI officials gathered to discuss how to proceed with the investigation into Russian election interference.

McCabe's notes from May 16 assert that both the recording and 25th Amendment remarks occurred during discussions on that day. McCabe's senior counsel, FBI lawyer Lisa Page, also took notes of the discussions that largely track McCabe's in sequence and import but are more detailed, according to people familiar with the discussions and the subsequent documents.

It is not clear why McCabe decided to memorialize meetings with his boss. Page took notes as McCabe's in-house counsel.

Both McCabe's and Page's written accounts of the May 16 talks indicate that Rosenstein suggested candidates interviewing for the FBI job should wear a recording device to memorialize their discussions with the president, according to one person familiar with the documents. McCabe's written account from that day also says Rosenstein raised the possibility of an effort to invoke the 25th Amendment, while Page's accounts of the same discussion do not mention that, the person said. One person familiar with McCabe's account said Rosenstein brought up the idea of recording Trump on two separate occasions that day.

According to other attendees at the meeting, the mention of secretly recording Trump occurred in a different context from the one McCabe and Page described. According to these people, McCabe was pushing for the Justice Department to open an investigation into the president.

During a conversation about how one would attempt to record any outlandish statements made by the president in private, Rosenstein responded with what one person described as a sarcastic comment along the lines of, "What do you want to do, Andy, wire the president?"

That person insisted the statement was not meant seriously. At one point in the May 16 discussions, another senior Justice Department official remarked that it was crazy that they were engaged in such conversations at all.

A third person familiar with the discussions said McCabe had privately told people months ago that Rosenstein suggested invoking the 25th Amendment and the idea of a senior law enforcement official wearing a wire while talking to Trump.

But a key discrepancy between the contradictory accounts revolves around the assertion by some that there were two key meetings that day attended by slightly different groups of officials - which could explain why McCabe's account differs at times not just from that of Justice Department officials but also from Page's.

A spokeswoman for Page declined to comment.

A Justice Department official who met frequently with both McCabe and Rosenstein said that in the months that followed, Rosenstein never broached either subject - the 25th Amendment or a possible wiretap involving the president.

The details of McCabe's memos come at a time when a grand jury has been hearing evidence in a case of possible criminal false statements by McCabe.

McCabe was questioned by internal FBI investigators in 2017 about whether he had authorized anyone in October 2016 to talk to one of the reporters in this story. McCabe repeatedly denied doing so, but an inspector general report found evidence to the contrary. If prosecutors were to seek to charge McCabe, it is likely that they would have to get approval first from Rosenstein.

A key issue now is how the White House will respond to the revelations and disputes, as some high-profile conservatives argued the new information justifies firing Rosenstein.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham tweeted that Rosenstein "needs to go. Today."

The president's son Donald Trump Jr. tweeted: "No one is shocked that these guys would do anything in their power to undermine" the president.

Eric Bolling, a former Fox News host who is in contact with the president, said that "if the allegation is true, absolutely fire Rosenstein. No one could find fault in that decision now."

Bolling said a senior administration official reassured him Friday that White House officials "are going to expend quite a few resources to get to the bottom of the story." Another Republican close to the White House said in an interview that the communications director, Bill Shine, wanted to gather more information before taking an aggressive stance on Rosenstein.

- - -

The Washington Post's Sarah Ellison contributed to this report.

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Video: President Trump and Republicans have launched an onslaught of criticism against Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein and the FBI.(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

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"Ladies and gentlemen, things and its . . ." That's the "joke" meteorologist Marshall McPeek used to welcome members of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists to the convention's closing reception held recently in Palm Springs, California. Not everyone in the audience heard it, I'm told by colleagues who were there - the ballroom was loud, with lots of the chatter and clinking glasses typical of professional confabs. But Monica Roberts, editor of TransGriot, a blog focusing on issues pertaining to transgender women of color, did and shouted "Oh no, he did not!"

As McPeek's off-color quip buzzed around the room, the Post reported, it "caused people to storm out." Then Mary Emily O'Hara, a reporter at the LGBTQ+ publication "them," tweeted about it, and all hell broke loose online.

McPeek, who is gay, quickly returned to the stage to apologize and later that evening resigned from the organization.

His response, apparently, was not enough for everyone, especially many in the transgender community like Gillian Cameron, who posted about his original greeting, "[T]hese words are cruel and denote in their speaker a heartfelt contempt, if not outright hatred [for transgender individuals]. There is no deeper insult to any human being then [sic] to deny their humanity."

In short order, NLGJA apologized to its members, highlighting the importance of language as a proxy for values. "People were understandably hurt and offended by last night's remarks. As journalists, we understand uniquely that words matter."

McPeek posted a longer apology on Facebook two days later, and his employer, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, issued a statement condemning the remarks.

Still the problem remains: It is no easy task to recognize - in others and ourselves - the implicit, insidious and often invisible bias against transgender people.

Since then, "L'Affair de Marshall," as one journalist put it, has become a ferocious conversation among LGBTQ journalists. It mirrors the broader debate about trans acceptance taking place across the nation. According to a 2016 survey commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign, 35 percent of likely voters "personally know or work with someone who is transgender," more than double the percent of those who answered yes in 2014. (It's often said by advocates that there's no single greater contributor to acceptance than personally knowing someone who is LGBTQ.)

But the imbroglio also reignited concerns about historic marginalization of trans people within the modern gay rights movement.

"Gay people were like everyone else," Eric Marcus, the creator and host of the podcast "Making Gay History," told me, referring to the years before and after the Stonewall riots in 1969. "They had their own prejudices and concerns about the inclusion of people whose outward appearance brought condemnation and how that might affect their fight for equal rights."

Or look to the history of NLGJA itself. Only after a bitter debate did the group expand its mission to include transgender (and bisexual) journalists in the early aughts, not formally changing its name to include the "T' until 2013.

Jenny Boylan, a professor at Barnard College and the only transgender contributing writer to the New York Times op-ed page, echoed this thread of history in a tweet: "If ever there was a moment that demonstrated what we're up against, this is it." Later, she posted online: "Unless you're trans, though, maybe it's hard to understand exactly how deeply wounding being called 'things and its' is . . . It is worth considering that cis gay men and lesbians are sometimes just as clueless as straight people when it comes to understanding trans lives."

When a cisgender journalist argued that McPeek's misuse of language was a "teachable moment," many in the trans community loudly agreed with Jenifer Divine, an author and editor, who wrote: "[T]his is NOT a 'teachable moment', this is EXACTLY what we as trans face EVERY single day; we can NEVER let our guard down-when i was assaulted in 2003 and almost killed, the assailant called me a freak, an it, and said i had 'no right to live in this world.'"

Responses from other cisgender journalists showed a certain lack of empathy with their trans colleagues. Steve Freiss, a lifetime member of the NLGJA, wrote an op-ed in the Bay Area Reporter defending McPeek: "People who make stupid remarks and then ask for mercy are 'what we're up against'? . . . Sure, in a world where nobody ever says anything objectionable there would be no need for contrition or mercy, but isn't the next best thing when an offender accepts his crow and shows he is really, really sorry?"

Freiss noted that McPeek is a pioneering gay journalist, long affiliated with NLGJA. (As a former president of NLGJA and a lifetime member myself, I know McPeek as a tireless advocate who bravely came out in his 20s - in Ohio, no less - serving as a role model for younger gay professionals.)

Hank Plante, an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning journalist, commented online that McPeek "made a lame joke . . . which is what news people do." Observing that the NLGJA members now include "humorless bloggers who think they're journalists," Plante posted, "McPeek forgot his audience has changed. His apology is enough for those of us who know him." He concluded, "We should lighten up, for heaven's sake . . .. There are real enemies out there but Marshall isn't one of them."

Dawn Ennis, transgender and a journalist for 34 years, replied to Plante: "You make the presumption that only 'newsies' get the joke. Oh, I got it alright . . .. The joke was at my expense."

I've been there. "What's the longest bridge in the world?" a top editor, straight and cisgender, "joked" at a Life magazine editorial meeting in the early 1990s. "It's the San Francisco Bay Bridge. It goes from Africa to Fairyland" (meaning from predominantly black Oakland to the gay City by the Bay). This was at the peak of the AIDS epidemic, when gay men and people of color were dying in droves, and it still enrages me.

With this memory in mind, I wrote to Plante, whom I consider a friend. "It's really not for people like you and me (white, cis men) to tell others what's funny, especially when it is they who are the target of the joke. You and I are both old enough to recall when gay men were the subject of mean-spirited jokes and we were often told that we didn't have a good enough sense of humor."

We're all caught in this transformational moment: On the face of it, cisgender people - whether gay or straight - get confused by pronouns and changed names. The new terminology, phrases like "nonbinary" and "gender non-confirming," can be daunting. We sometimes hurt - deeply hurt - others with our words. But this doesn't happen in a vacuum - or a convention ballroom. It occurs against the backdrop of history, a history that has ranged from unkind to murderous when it comes to transgender women and men.
One doesnt have to search too far at The Buckingham senior living community to find former leaders in almost every profession and field. While successful careers have equated to a comfortable, upscale lifestyle, residents maintain a deep appreciation for the neighbors, colleagues and communities that supported them along the way.

The culture of philanthropy among our residents is something that Ive never quite seen before, said Darrell Sheaffer, executive director at The Buckingham. Every year we have a number of unsolicited, resident-run initiatives that raise thousands of dollars for worthy causes here at The Buckingham and throughout greater Houston. Our residents have a keen understanding of the importance of community, and their actions continuously reflect that.
WASHINGTON - An attorney for Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers, said Thursday that her appearing at a hearing on Monday to detail her claims is "not possible" but she could testify later in the week.

Debra Katz, Ford's lawyer, relayed the response to top staffers on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, requesting to set up a call with them to "discuss the conditions under which [Ford] would be prepared to testify next week."

"As you are aware, she's been receiving death threats which have been reported to the FBI and she and her family have been forced out of their home," Katz wrote to the committee. "She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety. A hearing on Monday is not possible and the committee's insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event."

The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said through a spokesman late Thursday that he would be consulting with colleagues on how to proceed. Kavanaugh wrote to Grassley in a letter released by the White House that he looks forward to testifying.

"I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name," Kavanaugh said in the letter. "Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity."

Amid the maneuvering, the nomination was roiled further late Thursday by incendiary tweets from a prominent Kavanaugh friend and supporter who publicly identified another high school classmate of Kavanugh's as Ford's possible attacker.

Ed Whelan, a former clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia and president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, pointed to floor plans, online photographs and other information to suggest a location for the house party in suburban Maryland that Ford described. He also named and posted photographs of the classmate he suggested could be responsible.

Ford dismissed Whelan's theory in a statement late Thursday: "I knew them both, and socialized with" the other classmate, Ford said, adding that she had once visited him in the hospital. "There is zero chance that I would confuse them."

Republicans on Capitol Hill and White House officials immediately sought to distance themselves from Whelan's claims and said they were not aware of his plans to identify the former classmate, now a middle school teacher, who could not be reached for comment and did not answer the door at his house Thursday night.

Whelan did not respond to requests for comment. He had told people around him that he had spent several days putting together the theory and thought it was more convincing than her story, according to two friends who had talked to him.

Whelan has been involved in helping to advise Kavanaugh's confirmation effort and is close friends with both Kavanaugh and Leonard Leo, the head of the Federalist Society who has been helping to spearhead the nomination. Kavanaugh and Whelan also worked together in the Bush administration.

Kavanaugh and his allies have been privately discussing a defense that would not question whether an incident happened to Ford, but instead would raise doubts that the attacker was Kavanaugh, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

More for you 'I told her that I believed her': Lawmaker describes meeting with Kavanaugh accuser

Democratic senators, pointing to the highly-charged Anita Hill hearings in October 1991, have defended Ford's request to have the FBI do its own probe before she testifies. Back then, the FBI report into Hill's allegations of sexual harassment against now-Justice Clarence Thomas was finished on Sept. 26, 1991 - three days after its inquiry began, according to a Washington Post report at the time.

"Someone who is lying does not ask the FBI to investigate their claims," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said Thursday at an event on Capitol Hill. "Who is not asking the FBI to investigate these claims? The White House. Judge Kavanaugh has not asked to have the FBI investigate these claims. Is that the reaction of an innocent person? It is not."

Gillibrand said Senate Republicans' ultimatum of a Monday hearing was "bullying."

Republicans have rejected the comparisons to the Hill proceedings. Grassley wrote in a Wednesday letter to Democrats on the Judiciary Committee that the FBI investigated Hill's accusations against Thomas when they were still not public. Because Ford's accusation is already public, Grassley argued that it was appropriate for the Senate to step in with their own investigation as lawmakers did when the Hill allegation first became public.

A senior Senate Democratic aide noted that reopening FBI background checks was fairly routine; 10 such probes into judicial nominees had been reopened in the last three months alone, the aide said. A Republican aide didn't dispute the figure, but said those updates can be relatively minor, such as adding a nominee's tax records or educational information that had been inadvertently excluded.

Meanwhile, the Judiciary Committee has interviewed lawyers to be potential outside counsel who would lead the questioning in the highly-charged hearing, according to two people familiar with the process. If the outside counsel was a woman, it could help with an optics issue facing the 11 Republican senators on the committee, who are all men.

The objective of bringing in an outside lawyer, one Senate GOP official said, would be having an "experienced attorney who hasn't been so deeply involved in the nomination and could bring some fresh eyes to evaluate everything fairly and firmly."

A variation of this plan had been discussed since at least Tuesday, when Republicans had discussed a proposal to hire a female attorney and have her do all the questioning, while the GOP senators on the committee would ask no questions, according to another Senate GOP official.

"There is a deliberate and conscious effort to not seem like we are attacking the woman in any way," this person said.

Earlier this week, Kavanaugh told Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, one of his most fervent supporters, that Ford has the wrong perpetrator in mind and that he has not attended a party like the one Ford described in the Post account.

A handful of pivotal senators have yet to disclose how they will ultimately vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation, including Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, Alaska. On Thursday, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott - both independents - issued a statement opposing Kavanaugh's nomination.

"Mr. Kavanaugh's record does not demonstrate a commitment to legal precedent that protects working families," Walker and Mallott said in the joint statement, remarks that could put political pressure on Murkowski. "Key aspects of our nation's health-care and labor laws may be at risk if Mr. Kavanaugh receives a lifetime appointment."

Earlier Thursday, Senate Republicans had reiterated their resolve to press forward with a vote on Kavanaugh in the coming days if Ford chose not to testify before the 21-member Judiciary Committee.

"If she doesn't want to participate and tell her story, there's no reason for us to delay," Sen. John Cornyn, Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, told CNN. "I think it all depends on what she decides to do. We've all made clear this is her chance."

Ford has alleged that while she and Kavanaugh were at a house party in the early 1980s, when the two were in high school, Kavanaugh drunkenly pinned her to a bed, groped her and put his hand over her mouth to stifle her screams as he tried to take off her clothes. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Late Thursday afternoon, Republican and Democratic staffers on the Judiciary Committee spoke on the phone with Katz to begin negotiations for a potential hearing next week. The first concern Katz raised on the call, according to a senior Senate aide directly familiar with the conversation, was the issue of Ford's security - asking the staffers what the protocol is for ensuring that she is safe and whether reporters could be kept at a distance from her, as was done for Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings.

The roughly 30-minute conversation also touched on the scope of the questions, and Katz raised concerns about the potential of an outside counsel coming in to question Ford, arguing that the scenario would be too much like a trial, according to the aide. Ford also does not want Kavanaugh in the hearing room when she testifies, Katz told the staffers, and requested that the nominee speak first.

Katz also raised the possibility of a subpoena for Mark Judge, the person who is alleged to have been in the room at the party, and other potential witnesses, and suggested that Thursday would be a good hearing date.

Republicans are sure to push back on Katz's requests. One Senate GOP official familiar with the call said Ford's request to have Kavanaugh testify first is a "non-starter," adding that "it only makes sense for the accused to respond to the charge."

The committee also does not plan to issue subpoenas, the GOP official said, who added that other potential witnesses have already made it clear they have no intention of testifying on this matter.

Republicans have so far stuck to the Monday timeline, as well as Grassley's decision to limit the hearing to two witnesses: Kavanaugh and Ford.

"What is happening with the Judiciary Committee, really, I would call it a railroad job," Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said alongside Gillibrand on Thursday. "They are totally intent on getting Judge Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court come hell or high water . . . You have to ask yourself why."

Hirono spoke at an event on Capitol Hill to highlight a letter of support that was said to have been signed by more than 1,000 alumni of Ford's high school in Maryland. A flood of anti-Kavanaugh protesters also descended on Capitol Hill Thursday while more Senate offices reported receiving threats related to the nomination.

"We're getting a lot of calls, many of which are angry and some of which are threatening," said Tom Mentzer, a spokesman for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee who has played a central role in the Ford developments.

Cornyn said Thursday that he sees no reason to call additional witnesses since the committee had already held a full hearing on Trump's nominee.

"We already had a hearing," Cornyn said. "That's what I call hijacking the regular committee process to accommodate political interests."

On Thursday, a group of eight Democrats wrote to Trump, asking him to direct the FBI to reopen its background check on Kavanaugh, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The Democrats, all of whom served as prosecutors or state attorneys general, noted that President George H.W. Bush asked the FBI to investigate after Hill raised allegations against Thomas.

"Senate Republicans are attempting to make Dr. Blasey Ford testify on just a few days' notice - without having the FBI follow up on her allegations and provide a report first," said the letter, which was spearheaded by Sens. Kamala Harris, Calif., and Amy Klobuchar, Minn. "This strikes us as simply a check-the-box exercise in a rush to confirm Judge Kavanaugh."

- - -

The Washington Post's John Wagner, Gabriel Pogrund, Alice Crites and Sharon Dunten contributed to this report.

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Video: Republicans are already judging the credibility of Christine Blasey Ford before she even speaks to the Senate Judiciary Committee.(JM Rieger/The Washington Post)

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Japan News-Yomiuri

Stand-alone photo: Autumn-colored leaves and snow cover Mt. Kurodake and its surroundings in Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, on Friday. The 1,984-meter-high mountain is located in the Daisetsuzan mountain range, which is known for having the earliest color change of leaves in Japan. The leaves of such trees as mountain ash and Erman's birch have begun changing color around the summit of Mt. Kurodake three to five days earlier than usual, according to local tourism company Rinyu Kanko Co.
The highly symbolic trip capped a three-day visit by Moon to North Korea, the first by a South Korean leader in 11 years.

"(Moon) would add much legitimacy to Kim, who had never had any summit with a foreign leader until early this year", said Seo Yu-suk, a research manager at the Institute of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

To achieve this, the North also agreed to "permanently dismantle the Dongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch platform [also known as the Sohae Satellite Launch Station or the Tongchang-ri Missile and Space Launch Facility] under the observation of experts from relevant countries".

While Kim didn't commit Wednesday to giving up his arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that pose a threat to the USA mainland, he did promise to dismantle North Korea's main rocket launch site in the presence of worldwide experts, and offered to shutter its Nyongbyon nuclear site.

Kim Yong Un made another pledge to the South's Moon Jae-in on denuclearisaing the North.

He cited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's decision to "complete the previously announced dismantlement of the Tongchang-ri site in the presence of USA and global inspectors as a step towards the final fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea".

Compared to the vague language of their two earlier summits, Mr Kim and Mr Moon seem to have agreed on an ambitious program meant to tackle soaring tensions that caused many to fear war previous year as the North tested a string of increasingly powerful weapons. He said he would discuss with Trump his and Kim's goal of declaring an end to the Korean War by the end of this year.

"South and North Korea agreed on a denuclearisation plan for the first time". Speaking before Pompeo's announcement, two senior US officials involved in US-North Korea policy voiced fears Kim was trying to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul.

PS Now's PS3 Games Can't Be Downloaded, 'Not Compatible' with PS4

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Seoul aims to jointly announce with the United States an end to the war within this year, a measure Moon said he would discuss with Trump when they meet next week at the United Nations General Assembly in NY. It said Washington was "stubbornly insisting" the North dismantle its nuclear weapons first, while failing to show its will for confidence-building measures, "including the declaration of the end of war, which it had already pledged".

The two sides agreed to break the impasse during Kim Jong Un's historic meeting with Trump in Singapore in June.

However, while containing several tantalizing offers, it appears to fall short of the major steps many in Washington had been looking for - such as a commitment by Pyongyang to provide a list of the North's nuclear facilities, a solid step-by-step time line or an agreement to allow worldwide inspectors in to assess progress or discover contraventions.

The two couples take a cable vehicle to Mount Paektu in North Korea. Trump also declared, "we're making tremendous progress" with North Korea, citing its halt in nuclear and missile testing since last November.

Moon also spoke directly to the North Korean public, describing a peaceful future to an audience of some 150,000 people. The war still technically continues because it ended with a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.

"Such measures should be taken in a balanced manner between North Korea and the United States", he said.

However, in the meantime Moon and Kim made concrete moves of their own to reduce tensions on their border.

"Chairman Kim reaffirmed his strong will for denuclearization again and again", Moon said.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump cast doubt Friday on the credibility of the woman who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers, escalating tensions over the Supreme Court nomination, as Senate negotiations over whether she will tell her story at a public hearing next week reached an impasse.

By attacking California professor Christine Blasey Ford, Trump abandoned the self-restraint he had showed for days and pushed Kavanaugh's nomination deeper into turmoil. Democrats, key Republican senators and advocates for victims of sexual assault swiftly rebuked the president.

Meanwhile, talks between Ford's attorney, Debra Katz, and Republican senators were deadlocked late Friday after Katz asked aides to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, for one more day to respond to his offer for Ford and Kavanaugh to testify before his panel on Wednesday.

Katz said committee Republicans' arbitrary deadlines and ultimatums had created stress and anxiety for Ford, who met with the FBI on Friday about the death threats she had received.

"Your cavalier treatment of a sexual assault survivor who has been doing her best to cooperate with the Committee is completely inappropriate," Katz said.

Grassley had warned that he would move ahead with plans for his committee to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination on Monday if his offer was rejected or ignored. Katz replied to Grassley aides in a letter decrying the "aggressive and artificial deadlines." Grassley did not immediately respond.

The late-night developments added new turbulence to a nomination that Republicans have sought to steady in their public comments. "In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told conservative activists Friday.

Plenty of uncertainty loomed over a nominee, who could shift the court further right for a generation - and whether Trump's broadside would influence on-the-fence Republican senators with the power to torpedo Kavanaugh's nomination.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Trump said in a Friday tweet, his first to mention Kavanaugh's accuser by name.

Ford said in an interview with The Washington Post published Sunday that she told no one of the incident in any detail until 2012, when she was in couples therapy with her husband. By Friday afternoon, the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport was trending on Twitter, with thousands of people coming forward to explain their hesitation to contact authorities.

Also on Friday, Trump tweeted: "Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!"

"He was born for the U.S Supreme Court. He was born for it. And it's going to happen. It's going to happen," Trump said at a rally in Missouri on Friday night.

In a departure from his usual instincts to go on the attack, Trump had remained relatively restrained in his public remarks about Ford's accusation. Until Friday, the president mostly defended Kavanaugh's character while stressing that Ford should be allowed to be heard.

His latest comments triggered a widespread backlash from Democratic lawmakers and a few moderate Republican senators who have not declared whether they will support Kavanaugh. Republicans hold a slim 51-to-49 advantage in the Senate.

"I was appalled by the president's tweet," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. "First of all, we know that allegations of sexual assault - I'm not saying that's what happened in this case - but we know allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist. So I thought that the president's tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong." Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., sounded a similar note, saying, "I thought that was incredibly insensitive."

Democrats were even more critical. Sen. Maggie Hassan, N.H., tweeted: "The President's comments are one of the reasons why it is so hard for survivors of sexual assault [to] come forward."

Ford met with the FBI on Friday afternoon as part of its investigation of death threats she has received since agreeing to go public with her allegations, according to Katz. Accordingly, Katz told Grassley's aides in her letter, "we would need until tomorrow to confer with her and to be able to provide you with a well-considered response."

Amid the firestorm over Trump's tweet, McConnell predicted Kavanaugh would soon be confirmed, calling him a "stunningly successful individual."

"You've watched the fight. You've watched the tactics," McConnell said during remarks at the Values Voter Summit, an annual gathering of social conservatives, in Washington. "Here's what I want to tell you: In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court."

Negotiations between committee Republicans and Ford's lawyers dragged into Friday evening over whether Ford would testify and under what conditions.

In a letter from Grassley's staff to Ford's lawyers, Senate Republicans said they were willing to accommodate several of the professor's requests for testifying before the committee. Those included ensuring that she had proper security and breaks during her testimony, that all senators get equal time to speak, that press access be limited, and that just one camera be allowed in the room. She also asked that Kavanaugh not be present as she speaks.

But Republicans made clear they would not agree to some of her other requests. Among those were that Kavanaugh testify first and that the committee subpoena Mark Judge - a Kavanaugh friend who Ford says was present during the alleged incident - and call other potential witnesses to the hearing. The Republicans also offered a Wednesday hearing, rather than Thursday as Ford had asked for, and they wanted to reserve the option of having female staff attorneys on the committee do the questioning.

The Senate Judiciary Committee sent its counterproposal to Ford's attorneys Friday afternoon.

"We want to hear Dr. Ford's testimony and are prepared to accommodate many of your demands, including further delaying a hearing that is currently scheduled for Monday," Grassley said. "We are unwilling to accommodate your unreasonable demands. Outside counsel may not dictate the terms under which committee business will be conducted."

Democrats protested the deadlines imposed by Grassley, saying they were tantamount to bullying. And Katz said she emailed his aides about Ford's FBI meeting at 4:01 p.m. and heard back at 5:47 p.m., "insisting that we accept your 'invitation' for a Wednesday hearing by 10:00 p.m. tonight."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Calif., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that she was "shocked and appalled by the Republicans' refusal to wait 24 hours for a hearing and instead rush forward with a vote."

Some Republican senators also feel strongly that an outside counsel should handle the questioning, one GOP official said - although Ford does not want outside lawyers brought in because it would make her less comfortable, according to her attorneys.

Over the span of three hours Friday, Trump tweeted several times about Ford and Kavanaugh from Las Vegas, where he held a political rally Thursday night and did a couple of events Friday.

In one tweet, he contended that Kavanaugh is under assault by "radical left wing politicians" who are not interested in the truth about the allegation but instead "just want to destroy and delay."

The president also took aim at "radical left lawyers" who he said are seeking to get the FBI to investigate Ford's allegations, saying: "Why didn't someone call the FBI 36 years ago?"

Katz and Democratic senators have called for the FBI to reopen its background-check investigation of Kavanaugh. The FBI has said it has no plans to do so unless the White House asks for such an investigation. A Justice Department spokesman said earlier this week that Ford's allegation "does not involve any potential federal crime."

Ford told The Post in the interview published Sunday that Kavanaugh drunkenly pinned her to a bed, groped her and put his hand over her mouth to stifle her screams at a house party in the early 1980s. The alleged incident occurred while both were students at separate schools in Maryland. Kavanaugh has firmly denied the accusation.

Ford said she told no one at the time what had happened to her. She was terrified, she said, that she would be in trouble if her parents realized she had been at a party where teenagers were drinking, and she worried they might figure it out even if she did not tell them.

A 2015 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation survey of current and recent college students found that 88 percent of women who experienced unwanted sexual contact did not tell police or university authorities about the incidents. The result was the same among women who reported sexual assault by force or threat, as well as those who were incapacitated and unable to give consent.

About six dozen women appeared at a news conference in Washington on Friday morning to show support for Kavanaugh. Standing under a banner with the hashtag #IStandWithBrett in pink lettering, several of them spoke about their interactions with him over the years and vouched for his character.

One of the women, Meghan McCaleb, said she was a close friend of Kavanaugh in high school and also knew Ford, but "not well. She was friends of friends." McCaleb said that she never recalled being at a party with Ford and that she "hung with a different crew than we hung with."

Ford also received some backup. Samantha Guerry, her friend and former classmate, expressed exasperation at Trump's question about why she didn't report the alleged incident to the FBI years ago, which he also posed a day earlier in an interview with Fox News.

"The idea that someone would have told the FBI 36 years ago is ludicrous," she said in an interview with CNN, noting that many women who are assaulted "are extremely unlikely to tell anyone."

- - -

The Washington Post's Emma Brown, Scott Clement, Carol D. Leonnig and David Weigel contributed to this report.

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Video: Republicans are already judging the credibility of Christine Blasey Ford before she even speaks to the Senate Judiciary Committee.(JM Rieger/The Washington Post)

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Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell claims that US President Donald Trump suggested Spain should build a wall across the Sahara desert to deal with the issue of migration from Africa.

Chants of "build the wall" still break out at Trump's Make America Great Again rallies.

When Borrell pointed out that Sahara was vast, Trump replied "The Sahara border can't be bigger than our border with Mexico".

Trump vowed that he would build a "big attractive wall" across the US-Mexico border, which is 2,000 miles long.

Borrell made it clear he disagreed with the plan, although Spain has built 20-foot walls topped with razor wire around its African territories of Melilla and Ceuta. It does not, though, have sovereignty over the desert.

CNN's request for comments from the White House was not responded to.

ABC News' John Parkinson contributed reporting from the White House.

Trump Declassifies Russia Probe Documents in Latest Attempt to Undermine Mueller

The President also ordered the release of 21 pages of material related to FISA warrant applications surrounding his former campaign staffer Carter Page.

At a lunch event at Madrid's Club Siglo XXI, Mr Borrell told attendees the exchange had come during his trip to the United States in June, El Pais reported.

They are situated a considerable distance north of the Morocco/Algeria border - across which the Sahara lies. The Sahara desert stretches for 3,000 miles.

A spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Ministry confirmed to Borrell's comments to CNN but said the ministry had no further comment in relation to the minister's remarks.

Spain has now overtaken Italy and Greece as the most popular destination for migrants.

During his campaign, Trump had promised to build a wall along the southern border with Mexico and force the Mexican government to pay for it.

Spain has experienced a surge in migration, particularly over the past year as thousands of people attempt to make the risky journey across the Mediterranean in search of a better life in Europe.
It was a fruitful morning for a pair of prison guards who uncovered some monkey business when they spotted $17.8 million of cocaine hidden inside a shipment of bananas donated to the Texas prison system.

Two sergeants at the Scott Unit set out on Friday morning to pick up two pallets of already-ripe fruit - 45 banana-filled boxes - from the Ports of America in Freeport.
Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Army Corps of Engineers this week began dredging the west fork of the San Jacinto River in a FEMA-funded project to remove sediment washed into the waterway by Hurricane Harvey.

Crews are focusing on a two-mile area near the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge and aim to remove 1.8 million cubic yards of sediment.

"The dredge is on station and working to remove debris to help reduce flood risks," Army Corps engineer Alton Meyer said in a statement.

Work was scheduled to begin last week, but rainy weather forced the Corps to delay the project. The Corps is asking recreational boaters to stay clear of the operation, and watch out for debris removal pipelines and pumps in the river.

The dredge itself, one of two the Corps plans to operate on the San Jacinto, weighs around 27 tons. Booster pumps will pull material from the dredge through 4.5 miles of of 24-inch pipeline.

The goal of the $68.9 million project is to restore the San Jacinto to pre-Harvey conditions by April 2019.

Harvey flooded more than 650 homes in the Kingwood area and may have made the area more vulnerable to future flooding. Aerial photos after the storm showed floodwater had formed an enormous sandbar in the river, lowering its capacity.

State legislators have said stricter regulation of sand mining firms along the river may be needed, and environmentalists said the mines are a likely culprit for excess sediment in the waterway.

Sand mining industry leaders insist their operations are not responsible for the sedimentation of the river, but have met with state lawmakers and say they are prepared to work with lawmakers on a "common-sense approach" to regulation.

As a federal project, this dredging project is separate from the $2.5 billion flood bond package Harris County voters approved in August.

The Harris County Flood Control District plans to spend $367 million in bond funds on 13 projects in the San Jacinto River watershed. Engineers could fund additional dredging projects in the future.

County Judge Ed Emmett has said it may make economic sense to find another use for the two dredges in Harris County after next spring, since they had to be hauled in from out of state.

Zach Despart covers Harris County for the Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com.
Federal and state authorities sued the city of Houston over its long-running struggle to limit sewage spills on Friday, marking the beginning of the end of a years-long negotiation that could force the city to invest billions to upgrade its sprawling treatment system.

Houstons failure to properly operate and maintain its 6,700 miles of sewer pipes, nearly 400 lift stations and 40 treatment plants caused thousands of unpermitted and illegal discharges of pollutants due to broken or blocked pipes dating back to 2005, the suit states. The city also recorded numerous incidents when its sewer plants released water with higher than allowable concentrations of waste into area waterways, the filing states.

The lawsuit by the Department of Justice on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality wants a judge to force Houston to comply with the Clean Water Act and Texas Water Code  typical orders include upgrading pipes, ramping up maintenance and educating the public on how to avoid clogging city pipes  and to assess civil penalties that could reach $53,000 per day, depending on when each violation occurred.

As recently as two years ago, the citys negotiations with the EPA and the Department of Justice had carried a projected $5 billion price tag, though it remains unclear how quickly Houston would be forced to make the mandated investments, and how sharply residents water bills could be expected to rise as a result.

Regulators also filed a motion Friday to pause the proceedings for 90 days with the aim of negotiating a settlement with the city. The highly technical talks had progressed well prior to Hurricane Harvey, the filing states, but were only recently resumed after a post-storm hiatus.

The parties have consulted and believe that it would be in the best interest of each party, in the publics interest and consistent with judicial economy, to focus on continuing and completing settlement negotiations for a short period without any competing challenges associated with litigation, the filing states.

The filing was spurred by the intervention of a local nonprofit, Bayou City Waterkeeper, which announced in July that it planned to sue the city over the same violations and which filed its own lawsuit on Friday mirroring the EPAs claims. It states that the city has reported more than 9,300 sewer spills in the last five years alone.

The citys unauthorized discharges have had a detrimental effect on, and pose an ongoing threat to, water quality and public health in the Houston area and have caused significant damage to the waters that Waterkeepers members use and enjoy, the nonprofits filing states.

Waterkeepers July announcement was required by the Clean Water Act, which mandates that citizens or citizen groups planning to sue under the law give 60 days notice, in part to allow the EPA or its state counterparts to take their own actions.

If the EPA has commenced and is diligently prosecuting its own lawsuit, a Department of Justice statement noted, the nonprofit cannot pursue its own case.

Our hope was that within these 60 days wed hear about some definitive action from the city or the EPA or the state about how this problem was going to be resolved, said Waterkeepers Kristen Schlemmer. The EPA, by filing its own action, has signaled to us that it wants to take charge of resolving the problem.

Still, she questioned whether seeking a stay of at least 90 days and promising updates to the court every 45 days amounted to diligent prosecution, and said her group plans to intervene in the case to oppose the motion to put the proceedings on hold.

Brent Fewell, an environmental consultant and former top official in the EPAs water division, said the sequence of events this summer is common in the enforcement of the Clean Water Act.

A lot of times what happens is, the environmental groups will file notice and the government will intervene in those cases to kind of head off that citizen suit because it obviously complicates things if you get two suits going on at the same time, Fewell said. Its not unusual for even the defendant in a case to ask the government to file suit so it basically nullifies the opportunity for the citizen suit to be filed.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and his aides have met with senior federal officials in both the Obama and Trump administrations about the talks, which began during former mayor Annise Parkers tenure. Turner has said he is not opposed to improving the citys sewer system but has pushed for the costs to spread out over two decades to avoid a spike in water bills.

In a statement issued late Friday, Turner said, It is my administrations intent to fully resolve this matter so another mayor and city council will not have to address it, just as we did with massive pension reform and are doing to address flooding and drainage issues.

Houston's sewers have lagged since the city's first postwar boom and never have caught up.

Whatever sewage treatment plants could not handle in the 1960s was dumped into the bayous, making Houston for decades the regions single worst water polluter.

State or federal decrees in the 1970s, 1990s and 2000s prompted enormous investments in new pipes and plants, and at times restricted Houston's pace of development until new treatment facilities were built. The $1.2 billion Greater Houston Wastewater Program of the mid 1990s, for example, was mandated by the EPA and involved the repair and replacement of a quarter of the citys sanitary sewer lines.

Still, Houston records hundreds of illegal sewer overflows annually, its rate of spills per miles of pipe far exceeds the national average, and 80 percent of area waterways fall short of water quality standards for fecal bacteria.

A Houston Chronicle analysis two years ago also showed the neighborhoods most likely to feel the consequences of the citys sewer struggles were disproportionately home to low-income and minority residents.

A key question left unanswered by Fridays court filings is how long the city will be given to improve its sewer system, which will determine how quickly water bills would rise. Some other cities, including San Antonio, will wind up doubling their rates under comparable EPA decrees.

Houston's 1970s and 1980s sewer decrees drove rate increases, but mayoral requests for rate hikes dropped off with the advent of term limits in 1991, even as debt piled up from ongoing mandated projects.

Upon taking office in 2004, former mayor Bill White locked utility revenues into a dedicated fund, raised water rates 10 percent, tied future rates to inflation, and refinanced the debt. That was not enough to prevent the debt mountain from risking a utility credit downgrade by 2010, when former mayor Annise Parker took office, so she passed a 28 percent rate hike.

Houstons utility debt remains significant, increasing the likelihood the city will need to fund the EPA mandate with rate hikes rather than bonds.

mike.morris@chron.com

Twitter.com/mmorris011
A mobile billboard truck displaying an old Trump tweet calling Ted Cruz an "all talk, no action pol!" will make its way to Houston on Sept. 30, when the Texas senator will debate Democratic challenger Beto O' Rourke at the University of Houston.

The truck, which is currently in the Dallas area for today's debate between Cruz and O'Rourke, is looking to "remind Texans of the truth" behind the president's relationship with the senator, according to a GoFundMe page that collected donations for the project.

RELATED: How to watch the Ted Cruz vs. Beto O'Rourke debate Friday night

"Why would the people of Texas support Ted Cruz when he has accomplished absolutely nothing for them," Trump's 2016 tweet read. "He is another all talk, no action pol!"

The president's relationship with the senator has softened since the election, when Trump often referred to Cruz as "Lyin' Ted." Since Trump took office, Cruz has sided with him in votes more than 90 percent of the time, according to Texas Monthly. Trump also recently said he plans to rally for Cruz in October in the "biggest stadium in Texas."

"Terrific! Texas will be glad to see you," Cruz said in a tweet responding to the plan. "Working together, we've won major victories for the people of Texas: historic tax cuts, repealing job-killing regulations, rebuilding the military & confirming strong constitutionalist judges. And as a result, the Texas economy is booming!"

Houston activist Antonio Arellano originally developed the idea for tweet billboard after Trump announced plans for the rally.

According to the Washington Post, the idea picked up steam after Arellano posted a mock-up of the billboard on Twitter.

"My followers were saying,'Where can I donate? Let's make this happen," he told the Post.

Arellano started a GoFundMe page earlier this month for the project. Other activists, including former Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student David Hogg, joined the effort. The campaign quickly garnered $9,760 before the organizers stopped accepting donations, the Post reported.

RELATED: Ted Cruz holds 9-point lead on Beto O'Rourke, new poll shows

Since then, the truck has made stops in Dallas, Irving, Arlington , Grand Prairie, Denton and Fort Worth.

According to a tweet from Arellano on Thursday, the truck will stay in Houston from Sept. 30 until Oct. 6.

"Should we park it outside Rafael Edward Cruz's office?" Arellano asked in the tweet.

Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message.

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
The mother of a Santa Fe High School shooting victim interrupted Ted Cruz at a rally on Thursday, confronting the senator over gun reform and her slain daughter.

"Don't disrespect my daughter. My daughter died. My daughter died," yelled Rhonda Hart to Cruz at a town hall event in Webster.

Hart's 14-year-old daughter, Kimberly Vaughan, was one of the 10 people fatally shot in May.

Hart accused Cruz of ignoring her phone calls and sending her a flag "with thoughts and prayers" addressed to her and her ex-husband.

"You still have not introduced common-sense reform," she added.

Cruz denied the accusations, claiming he and his office reached out to Hart on multiple occasions.

"I am more than happy to meet with you at any time," Cruz said as the audience broke into applause.

Cruz then offered his condolences and outlined his plan to prevent mass shootings like Santa Fe.

"The number one thing that makes schools safer is having more armed police officers on campus," Cruz said.

"The number one thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun," he said to cheers.

RELATED: How to watch the Ted Cruz vs. Beto O'Rourke debate Friday night

Cruz went on to lament the fact that a 2013 gun control bill he co-sponsored, which strengthened punishment for people who lied about their criminal histories to buy firearms and also increased funding for school safety, was filibustered by Democrats and could have prevented recent mass shootings if it had not failed to pass.

Elizabeth Conley, Staff / Houston Chronicle

After discussing more would-be policies from the failed bill, Cruz summarized his thoughts.

"What works is focusing on felons, fugitives and bad guys and stopping the criminals," Cruz said. "Not the political objective of trying to undermine the rights of law-abiding citizens."

After the rally, Hart told ABC 13 that she came to the campaign event to confront Cruz.

"I wanted to be able to call him out," she said. "His inaction regarding the children of Santa Fe. Children died under his watch and he accepts money from the NRA. There is still not any sort of common-sense reform."

Fernando Ramirez covers Texas news and politics. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. | Fernando.ramirez@chron.com | @fernramirez93




Based on data from about seven decades of storms, Kossin found tropical-cyclone speed had decreased globally by 10 percent from 1949 to 2016, according to a paper published in June in the scientific journal Nature.

"Our organization, the Hornets organization, we take a lot of pride in giving back to our community and our efforts are truly lead by our own and Michael Jordan", Charlotte Hornets President Fred Whitfield said to FOX Business' Stuart Varney on Wednesday. He rationed the feed he had on-hand as best he could, and used 250 gallons of diesel per day to keep his generators running. The flooding from Florence had subsided, only to get worse again.

Officials distributed goods Tuesday including food, water and tarps to Wilmington, North Carolina, residents who lined up in cars and on foot. But about a dozen still remained unreachable as of Thursday morning, Andy Curliss, the group's leader, said. As for the source of the waste, the state houses over 9 million pigs, many of which live in the storm-affected Sampson and Duplin counties, according to the BBC.

Some of those who left shelters may have been headed toward the coast on US 421, where a long line of cars, utility crews and trucks loaded with generators sat in a traffic jam. If left untouched, the carcasses can leach into drinking water, and draw flies and rats who can spread pathogens to humans and other livestock.

In this aerial photo taken September 18, 2018 and released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an industrial site and a chicken farm outside Wallace, N.C., is seen that has been flooded by the nearby Northeast Cape Fear River following drenching rains from Hurricane Florence.

Although the storm is long gone, river flooding still poses a danger to the area.

In 1954, Hurricane Hazel tore through Haiti and North and SC, killing 95 people in the US and as many as 1,000 people in Haiti.

Trump called Florence "one of the most powerful and devastating storms ever to hit our country". We have the same problems: "dead animals, and feces and urine running down the rivers".

"If that road is in an area where it is a flood risk, and waters were rising, why were they driving on that road anyway?" said Bamberg, a state lawmaker.

"We will likely have lost more chickens than anything else", Jimmy Dixon, a state representative and former turkey farmer, said after touring eastern parts of the state by helicopter Tuesday. Trump also rightfully thanked FEMA, the US Coast Guard, local law enforcement officials and the military for their incredible efforts.

In the hours after Florence made landfall last week, more than 350 people had to be rescued from New Bern, which is flanked by the Neuse and Trent rivers.

Thousands of homes are still underwater in the Carolinas and thousands of families have had to be rescued from the floods. "All of that water is coming your way and people don't know that and they assume, you look outside and you see this handsome weather but over the next couple of days it's going to get rough in SC".

At least 37 people, including several young children, have died from Florence, which brought unprecedented rainfall and flooding to the Carolinas.

"Whatever they need from Washington, we are there", Trump said, according to the press pool.

Bloomberg's Ari Natter, Shruti Date Singh, Natasha Rausch and Jennifer A. Dlouhy contributed. "And you can't flip mud".

Jodie Whittaker Leaps Into Action In The Full 'Doctor Who' Trailer

Between Whittaker and new showrunner Chris Chibnall ( Broadchurch ), I can't wait to see what tone the new season strikes. There's a lot of running through spaceships and across presumably alien planets.
Cody Wilson, a 3D printed gun advocate who was accused this week of paying a 16-year-old girl $500 after having sex with her, was arrested Friday in Taiwan, local media reports.

Taiwanese authorities arrested Wilson, 30, at about 6 p.m. at a restaurant in Taipei, according to the Central News Agency. Austin police previously said they were working in concert with international law enforcement agencies to capture Wilson and return him to Travis County for prosecution.

RELATED: 3-D printed gun advocate fled to Taiwan after tip that he'd been accused of having sex with minor

The 3D printed gun maven and owner of the Austin-based company Defense Distributed was wanted on a charge of sexual assault of a child. According to his arrest warrant, Wilson met the 16-year-old victim on SugarDaddyMeet.com, exchanged nude photos with her and, on Aug. 15, took her to an Austin hotel, had sex with her and then paid her $500 before dropping her off at a Whataburger.

The victim later told a counselor about Wilson's alleged actions, and the counselor alerted police. Before authorities could arrest Wilson in Travis County, Wilson was apparently tipped off by one of the victim's friends. He was in Taiwan when the allegations were made public and didn't get on a return flight home.

Wilson first caught the public's attention in 2013, when he created the first gun made from plastic using a 3D printer and put the blueprints for the weapon online, to be downloaded for free by anybody.

RELATED: Drive-by shooting, car chase riles Converse neighborhood

He was shut down by the U.S. State Department, which cited a federal law prohibiting the sale of certain weapons and firearm designs to other countries. Wilson responded with a free speech lawsuit, claiming that he and his company, Defense Distributed, had a First Amendment right to distribute the plans. The federal government relented, but then 19 states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits to stop Wilson, calling printable guns a safety threat because they lack serial numbers and could pass unnoticed through metal detectors.

A judge granted a restraining order against Wilson and extended it last month. Wilson then announced that he would load the blueprints onto flash drives and sell them by mail.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
Associated Press

A law enforcement union for the Dallas County Sheriff's Office in Dallas has endorsed Gov. Greg Abbott over the candidate who used to lead the agency.

During a press conference Thursday, the Dallas County Sheriff's Association announced its support for Abbott on his his re-election bid against Democrat Lupe Valdez, who served as the sheriff of Dallas County for 12 years until 2017. She stepped down to start her gubernatorial campaign.
Thousands of repeatedly flooded homes may be wiped off the map in the coming years as Harris County and city of Houston leaders marshal hundreds of millions in local and federal dollars for widespread buyouts after Hurricane Harvey.

Dozens of properties have already slipped through officials grasp, however.

GOING, GOING: Oft-flooded neighborhood slowly disappears, buyout by reluctant buyout

On average, about a fifth of the homeowners who raised their hands to ask for a buyout after Harvey have changed their minds or sold to new owners, said James Wade, the districts buyout manager.

In frequently flooded Arbor Oaks, a subdivision at the confluence of Vogel Creek and White Oak Bayou in northwest Houston, just one of the remaining 13 homeowners  less than 10 percent of the families who originally lived on the wet side of the neighborhood west of the creek  has said she is certain to accept the countys pending buyout offer.

Another house one street over, however, was bought by an investor group named Urban City Buyers. The company considered making its profit on the countys offer, as the buyout payments are based on the pre-flood value and not the fire sale they had paid for the damaged home shortly after the storm.

The county, however, has insufficient funds on hand to tackle widespread purchases and federal Harvey aid still has not funded its first buyout, so the firm renovated the house instead.

UNDER THE MUD: In Houston's flooded neighborhoods, real estate investors see an opportunity

Wade said county officials are discussing ways to put buyout funds into action more quickly after a storm, such as setting aside a portion of the recently passed bond package for buyouts when the next flood comes or urging that two key Federal Emergency Management Agency programs that fund buyouts be tweaked to better deploy funds after floods, as the programs today focus on mitigating the damage the next storm will do rather than responding to the wreckage of the last one.

Weve got to get this money more quickly. Instead of mitigation there needs to be a recovery aspect, Wade said. We need money as soon as the disaster is over, just like the investors have.

Though Arbor Oaks, the most sparsely populated of Wades 70-plus target areas, may only shrink from 13 to 12 homes after Harvey, he hopes to make a deeper dent in Woodland Oaks, a larger neighborhood just upstream from Arbor Oaks. Of the roughly 60 homes left in the area, Wade said about 25 initially volunteered for buyouts.

LASTING: Bought-out Houston neighborhood endures on memories and open space

Some Woodland Oaks owners have received repeated inquiries from investors, however, said Emma Delossantos, who watched floodwaters stop just short of entering her home in each of the last two years.

Her family is not ready to move, she said, but if the time comes they will need to agree on a buyer. Delossantos husband appreciates that the county lets him park his truck on the adjacent empty lot, and favors taking a buyout. Deslossantos wants to take the best price.

We have a lot of investors come, no kidding, like maybe nine of them, she said. And Ive had letters from investors, a lot of them.
Ma said new trade rules were needed over the long term.

Ma had told Trump during a meeting in January 2017 that Alibaba, one of the world's largest and most valuable companies, planned to create a million jobs in the us within five years by getting American small businesses to sell on its platforms.

The billionaire owner of China's largest online shopping portal made the headline-grabbing promise to Donald Trump past year, as Beijing courted the then-newly elected president. "But the current situation has already destroyed that basis. There is no way to deliver the promise", he said.

Trump on Monday imposed 10 per cent tariffs on about US$200 billion worth of imports from China, and threatened duties on about US$267 billion more if China retaliated.

Instead of building factories, or establishing Alibaba operation centers in the USA, the Chinese billionaire expressed hope that small American businesses can sell goods to consumers in China thereby creating more domestic jobs in the US. This article is strictly for informational purposes only.

Nokia 5.1 Plus to launch in India on September 24 as Flipkart

Additionally, the upcoming Nokia device is rumored to ship with a circular fingerprint sensor placed below the rear camera module. The leaked image also shows dual rear cameras with an LED flash and Zeiss branding between the two lenses.

China hopes the United States will show sincerity and take steps to correct its behavior, its commerce ministry said on Thursday, after both countries slapped new tariffs on each other's goods this week in an escalating trade war.

At Alibaba's annual computing conference on Wednesday, Jin Zhi, director of Hangzhou municipal bureau of public security, said the system has been used to optimize the management of 1,300 traffic lights at intersections and to connect 4,500 traffic monitoring video cameras.

Ma said he and Zhang will work together on the internalization and cultural development of the company as well as the cooperation between Alibaba and Ant Financial during the previous year of him being chairman of the board.

Ma has grown increasingly critical of the trade battle between the United States and China, warning that it will damage businesses around the world. The 54-year-old former teacher repeated his desire to pursue a new career, likely in the field of education. He therefore called upon entrepreneurs to be prepared for a 20-year-long dispute, as it "cannot be solved within two months or two years".
Thursday night, Twitter was aflame with the news that a prominent conservative legal strategist had gone public with the theory that another man may have been the perpetrator of the alleged sexual assault against Christine Blasey Ford.

The strategist suggested that Ford had confused this man for Brett Kavanaugh - and worse, he named the other man, in effect publicly accusing him of committing attempted rape.

Ford promptly denied that she had confused this man for Kavanaugh, whom she has accused of attacking her when both were teenagers in the 1980s. But as some commentators, including conservatives, were quick to point out, Kavanaugh needs to clarify whether he had any advance knowledge of this strategy of pinning the blame on someone else.

Senior Senate Democratic aides tell me that in the upcoming Judiciary Committee hearing, Democrats are likely to pose questions along these lines directly to Kavanaugh, when he is under oath.

The strategist who floated the alternate attempted rape theory, Ed Whelan, has been active in conservative judicial circles for a long time, and is close to Kavanaugh. He posted a long Twitter thread - which we will not link to here, and nor will we name the man he fingered - that rather creatively employed maps and floor plans of the house at which (he suggested) the attack took place. Whelan also posted the name and a photo of his alternate suspect.

The Post reports these details on Whelan's relationship with Kavanaugh, and crucially, on private conversations Kavanaugh has been having with his strategists:

"Whelan has been involved in helping to advise Kavanaugh's confirmation effort and is close friends with both Kavanaugh and Leonard Leo, the head of the Federalist Society who has been helping to spearhead the nomination. Kavanaugh and Whelan also worked together in the Bush administration.

"Kavanaugh and his allies have been privately discussing a defense that would not question whether an incident involving Ford happened, but instead would raise doubts that the attacker was Kavanaugh, according to a person familiar with the discussions."

What this says is that Whelan has helped advise Kavanaugh's strategy, and that Kavanaugh has been involved in developing a strategy of acknowledging that the attack did happen while saying it wasn't him, but it does not directly connect Kavanaugh to Whelan's particular strategy of publicly accusing someone else of the attack.

Democratic aides tell me it's likely that questioning about these topics will come up at the hearing.

"Staff on the Judiciary Committee were floored by Whelan's tweets last night," one senior Senate Democratic aide told me. "It's obviously important to know if Kavananaugh took part in the creation of the conspiracy theory."

The senior aide also noted that this was particularly important to pursue given that a particular person was named, and because it constituted an open acknowledgment by a top Kavanaugh ally that "the party in question" - where the alleged attack took place - "actually happened."

"Expect questions about this at the hearing next week, assuming it comes together," the aide said. Republicans have invited both Ford and Kavanaugh to testify, though the skirmishing is continuing between Ford and Republicans over timing and the question of whether others will be subpoenaed. If the hearing happens, Kavanaugh will be subjected to questioning from Democrats.

Whelan apologized Friday morning for publicly naming naming someone else, and it is of course entirely possible that Kavanaugh had no knowledge whatsoever of Whelan's machinations. Indeed, it is worth noting that if Kavanaugh did know or had been involved in discussions about this, and either tacitly allowed Whelan to proceed or did not actively try to stop it, that would constitute an unthinkably boneheaded blunder on his part, which perhaps militates against him having knowledge of it.

Still, there are plenty of unanswered questions about this episode hovering around. Yesterday, a top aide to Sen. Orrin Hatch, a member of the Judiciary Committee, mysteriously told everyone to keep an eye on Whelan's Twitter feed. Though he has since claimed no knowledge of Whelan's plan, this at least raises questions as to whether it had come up in internal discussions with the very Republicans who will vote to move Kavanaugh's nomination forward.

Indeed, Steve Schmidt, who ran Supreme Court confirmation efforts for Republicans in the past but recently left the GOP, was quite forceful on this point. He noted on Twitter that "it is inconceivable to me," based on his own experience, "that Whelan published that email without discussions, debate and assistance" from the White House and "GOP Senators and staff."

When it comes to Kavanaugh's role, we do know, per The Post's reporting above, that Kavanaugh was at least involved in discussions about a strategy that would acknowledge the attack but say it was someone else - which itself invites further questioning.

And Schmidt raised the question on Twitter as to whether he might have known or been involved in Whelan's strategy in some way. Schmidt cautioned that "no one should presume" Kavanaugh had knowledge, but added pointedly: "if he did, it utterly and irrevocably disqualifies him as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court."

Tom Nicols, a conservative commentator, agreed, tweeting:

"Here's an idea. Kavanaugh can clear this part of the current crapstorm up by saying: 'I had no part in this thing Whelan did, I do not endorse it, and have never suggested anyone take such a story forward.' If he can't say that, he should be done."

Well, Kavanaugh may indeed have his chance to "clear this part of the current crapstorm up" soon enough.
Update:

Democrat Beto O'Rourke accused Sen. Ted Cruz of "working for the clampdown and the corporations" as the two Senate candidates debated the merits of the 2017 Republican tax overhaul.

"We're not giving away to corporations and special interests," O'Rourke said. "That's what Sen. Cruz would do, thanks to the contributions he's received from those political action committees."

O'Rourke is not accepting contributions from PACs.

Cruz was not given a chance to respond, but when asked to "say something nice" about O'Rourke, he tied him to Sen. Bernie Sanders, a socialist.

Click here for the full story of Friday's debate

"I think Congressman O'Rourke is passionate, he is energetic, he believes what he's fighting for," Cruz said, before mentioning Sanders and socialism. "I think you are absolutely sincere, like Bernie, that you believe in expanding government and higher taxes, and I commend you for fighting ... for the principles you believe in."

"True to form," O'Rourke responded.



Update:

Sen. Ted Cruz on Friday criticized the Affordable Care Act for creating "skyrocketing premiums," while Democrat Beto O'Rourke advocated for Medicaid expansion in Texas and "universal guaranteed care."

The candidates, debating for the first time in their race for U.S. Senate, disagreed on how to provide protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

O'Rourke, an El Paso congressman, questioned how Cruz proposed to maintain protections while repealing Obamacare. He also said Texas left billions of dollars on the table by refusing to expand Medicaid.

"We can protect pre-existing conditions," Cruz said. "But we also need more choices, more competition, more options, so that prices drop."



Update:

Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, Beto O'Rourke, revealed their differing opinions on how gun laws should be enforced in Texas during their first debate Friday.

Cruz said survivors of the May Santa Fe high school shooting told him they believe "gun control is not the answer," instead advocating for more armed officers in schools.

O'Rourke, who supports universal background checks and a ban on assault weapons, told Cruz that "weapons of war belong on the battlefield, not in our schools."

"Thoughts and prayers, Sen. Cruz, are just not going to cut it anymore," he added.

Cruz shot back: "More armed police officers in our schools is not just thoughts and prayers. And I'm sorry if you don't like thoughts and prayers."

Update:

Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, opened their first debate Friday by trading blows over perhaps the most divisive issue of their Senate race: immigration.

Asked about their views on providing a path to citizenship for undocumented people living in the country, the candidates disagreed sharply.

O'Rourke stated his support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

"Sen. Cruz has promised to deport each and every single Dreamer," O'Rourke said. "That cannot be the way that Texas leads on this issue."

Cruz responded by pointing to the "stark divide" between himself and O'Rourke on the issue.

"My views on immigration are simple, and I've summed them up many times in just four words," Cruz. "Legal: Good. Illegal: Bad. I think the vast majority of Texans agree with that."

He added a jab at O'Rourke, calling him "out of step with Texas."

"There is a right way to come into this country. You wait in line, you follow the rules, like my father did in 1957."

O'Rourke, given a chance for rebuttal, stood by his answer.

"The alternative, as Sen. Cruz has proposed, is to deport 11 million people from this country," O'Rourke said. "Imagine the cost. Imagine the stain on our conscience going forward."

------

Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto O'Rourke are facing off Friday evening in Dallas for the first of three scheduled debates in a race that has drawn national attention.

O'Rourke, a congressman from El Paso, has outraised Cruz for months, and the Cook Political Report rated the race a "Toss Up" Friday, a shift from its "Lean Republican" grade.

Cruz, R-Texas, led O'Rourke by 9 percentage points in a recent poll, one day before a different poll showed O'Rourke with a two-point lead.

The debate starts at 6 p.m. on the campus of Southern Methodist University, which is hosting the event with NBC 5/KXAS and the Dallas Morning News. It will stream at NBCDFW.com and Dallasnews.com. In Houston, News KUHF-88.7 FM and KUHT-Ch. 8 will broadcast the debate.

The two candidates have found almost no common ground on the campaign trail, staking out opposing positions on topics such as immigration, gun laws, and the Republican tax cut plan. The debate will cover domestic policy.

Friday's debate is the first of three between Cruz and O'Rourke. The last two will take place Sept. 30 at the University of Houston and Oct. 16 in San Antonio.
The iPhone XS is up to $200 more expensive than last years already pricey iPhone X and represents one of the smallest advances in the product lines history. But that means little to the Apple Inc. faithful or those seeking to upgrade their older iPhone.

Hundreds of consumers lined up at Apple stores around the world either the day before or in the early hours before the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max went on sale Friday. Many consumers were seen lining up at the Orchard Road store in Singapore despite the hot weather. Other outlets, such as the IFC mall in Hong Kong, had much shorter lines as sales were largely restricted to those that had already ordered.

At 8:30 a.m. in London, about 250 people were queuing to enter Apples flagship store on Regent Street. At least one person began waiting in line the day earlier, but most Bloomberg spoke with said theyd be standing for about an hour.

THE VERDICT: iPhone XS, XS Max review: Bigger is better

Several dozen people also gathered at the Apple Store in Houston's upscale Highland Village shopping center, many holding umbrellas to protect them from the morning rain.

This years models include support for dual SIM cards for the first time, a popular feature on Android devices in Asia. Thats what appealed to Li Jun, who works for a trading company in Guangzhou and traveled to Hong Kong to pick up an iPhone XS for HK$9,899 ($1,265).

iPhone XS is expensive for me, but I just cant resist the new dual SIMs feature," Li said. The feature allows me to have a local SIM card installed when I work abroad, without taking out my Chinese SIM card.

Dual SIM functionality isnt as commonly sought after in European markets, but one person queuing in London, who asked not to be identified, said the purchase was entirely based on the appeal of no longer having to carry two phones on international business trips. Another woman in the same line, Eli, who lives in the U.K. capital, said the larger size of the XS Max model was the biggest appeal for an upgrade.

I bought the iPhone X last year, but I took it back the next day and stuck with my iPhone 7 Plus, she said. When youre used to the bigger size its hard to go back to a smaller one.

TRADE WAR: Apple goods spared from latest China tariffs

The global smartphone industry has stalled at about 1.5 billion devices sold each year. But the annual theater of iPhone launch day remains a bright spot. For Apple in particular, the length of lines have becoming less important as it sells more phones online and adjusts its business model. Rather than persuading users to upgrade to the most-advanced, expensive phone each year, Apples goal these days is to steadily raise average prices, while expanding the total number of active devices to support sales of accessories and digital services like streaming music and video.

This year, many consumers ordered online so that theyre delivered on launch day. But those who missed the opening of pre-orders last week have to visit a physical store to get one on the first day. In the U.S., new online iPhone XS orders arent arriving until between Oct. 4 and Oct. 11. Wait times are similar in Hong Kong and Australia, while deliveries are taking one to two weeks in Mainland China.

Those waiting times are shorter than last year when the iPhone X went on sale. But those looking for the latest Apple Watch arent so lucky. New orders of many of the new watch models wont arrive until the end of October in the U.S., while orders from China are seeing a three to four week wait time. Consumers likely feel theyll have better luck grabbing one from a retail store.

This years demand isnt as extreme as the early years of the iPhone, or even last year with the iPhone X. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have faster processors, camera improvements, and the Max offers a bigger screen. But none of the enhancements are significant unless a user upgrading a much older iPhone.

ALL GESTURES: With Apple's 2018 iPhones, kiss the home button goodbye

This years iPhones are some of the most expensive smartphones on the market. In the U.S., the iPhone XS Max with 512 gigabytes of storage costs $1,449. The overall price range is $449 to $1,449 now, up from $349 to $1,149 previously.

The focus on pre-orders led to disappointment for some. Cao Zhongqiang from Shanghai was told he couldnt get any devices on the first day without an existing order.

I hoped I could walk in and buy one, however I was told supply for on-site purchase is insufficient, Cao said in Hong Kong.

-- With assistance from Yi-Chin Lee of the Houston Chronicle.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.

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Ten years ago this month, the major investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed, and for many Americans, a lost decade ensued: lost wages for people who lost jobs, and lost income for people who worked without raises, or worked fewer hours. New York, too, has had a lost decade, but of a different kind. The citys economy has boomed, as new figures released by state comptroller Tom DiNapoli show, but New York has not taken advantage of its prosperity by investing enough capital in critical physical infrastructure to support future economic growth.

After 2008, many analysts (including, to some extent, this one) thought that the financial industry that emerged post-crash would be a fraction of the size of its bubble-era self. And, in fact, the securities industrythe highest-paid sector of finance, the one that underwrites and sells stocks and bondsnever regained the nearly 22,600 jobs it lost after the crash. Today, it employs 176,900 people within New York City, a gain of 10,600 since 2010. But the industry actually lost jobs in 2017, and any gains for the full year in 2018 are likely to be modest.

In terms of profits and pay, though, the securities industry is booming. As bond, stock, and other markets break new records, bonuses this year for industry workers reached $31.4 billion, just shy of the 2007 peak, and up 17 percent from the previous year. Absent a new market correction, DiNapoli expects they could climb past that level over the coming winter. Thanks to average bonuses of close to $200,000, each securities-industry worker earns an average $422,5005.5 times as much as private-sector workers elsewhere in the city. Finance workers outsize gains in pay, compared with other private-sector workers pay, have been a feature of the citys resurgence, starting in the 1980s, from the fiscal crisis of the 1970s; in 1982, finance workers earned only twice as much as the average worker.

Those salaries and bonuses mean a tax windfall for New York. The city collected $4.2 billion in taxes attributable to the securities industry for the fiscal year that ended this June, DiNapoli estimatesor 7 percent of all city tax revenues. The state collected $14 billion, or 18 percent of its total tax haul. For the city, the figure rivals the record high of a decade ago; for the state, it far exceeds it, by about $2 billion, thanks partly to tax hikes passed in the aftermath of the crash.

New York Citys budget, excluding federal and state grants, has soared, from $44.9 billion to $65.4 billion last year, or a nearly 46 percent jump, over the decade. The state budget has exploded, too, nearly 42 percent, from $115.6 billion to $164.5 billion. The money has gone, especially in New York City, to higher worker salaries and wages for a rapidly expanding public-sector workforce.

But it sure didnt go to better urban infrastructure. Over the winter, the citys subways, indirectly controlled by the states Metropolitan Transportation Authority, with some city input, suffered their worst on-time performance in modern history, with just 58.1 percent of trains running on time in January (the figure for June was 68 percent, hardly stellar). In August, the subways had only one day without a subway-signals failure causing cascading delays.

Nor have the state and city used their salad days for strategic planning of new infrastructure. During the last boom, between 2003 and 2007, New York prepared the way for four new subway stationsthree on Second Avenue and one on the Far West Sideto open up in the ensuing decade. That wasnt nearly enough, but this time, aside from a little desultory planning for the next phase of the Second Avenue Subway, the city and state have done next to nothing to bequeath new infrastructure to the next decade. The closest Mayor de Blasio got was to mull over a new streetcar between Brooklyn and Queens before, apparently, ditching the idea. If this is how our critical infrastructure performs at what may be the tail end of an economic expansion, how will it fare in a bust?

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
One of this years most closely watched Democratic primary races  Cuomo vs. Nixon  has ended, as the polls predicted, with a commanding victory by the incumbent. But that doesnt mean the governor's race is over. In November, Cuomo will face several challengers: a Republican and a trio of third-party contenders. Here is the state of the race heading into the general election.

Democratic nominee

Lev Radin / Shutterstock Gov. Andrew Cuomo  Despite facing a challenge from the far left in the form of actress and activist Cynthia Nixon, Cuomo comfortably won the Democratic primary earlier this month, making his path to a third term a relatively straight shot. Progressive candidates like Nixon were hoping to energize voters and pose a real threat to establishment Democrats, and while unsuccessful in securing the Democratic Party nomination, Nixon actually got more votes than Cuomo won with in 2014. Cuomos running mate, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, also defeated progressive challenger Jumaane Williams, though by a much smaller margin. In addition to frequently leveling criticism at President Donald Trump, Cuomos campaign depended on touting his ongoing infrastructure projects, executive actions like banning hydrofracking and such legislative achievements as a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave and same-sex marriage. Still, Nixon was able to push Cuomo to the left on issues like legalizing recreational marijuana.

A spate of scandals and snafus leading up to the primary  including the corruption conviction of Joe Percoco and other allies, mailers accusing Nixon of anti-Semitism, the delayed opening of the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge  were also not enough to weigh the incumbent down. Cuomo remains the favored candidate leading up to November, as Republicans havent elected any candidate to statewide office in years. Still, Cuomo will have to keep his eye on the Republican and third-party candidates  which collectively could pose a real threat.

Republican nominee

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Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro - Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro declined to run at the beginning of the year, but a Draft Molinaro campaign from some statewide Republicans induced him to enter the fray. He officially launched his campaign on April 2. He quickly racked up endorsements from many Republican county leaders, giving him enough support to win the Republican nomination at the partys state convention in May, while forcing state Sen. John DeFrancisco out of the gubernatorial race.

While Cuomo will is continuing to lump Molinaro in with his criticism of President Donald Trump, Molinaro has attempted to draw a line between himself and the president. Molinaro didnt vote for Trump, and says he doesnt support the practice of separating immigrant families at the border or attempts to roll back abortion rights, according to Newsday. Still, the road is uphill for Republicans seeking statewide office in New York.

Third-party candidates

City of Syracuse Stephanie Miner  The former Syracuse mayor considered challenging Republican Rep. John Katko, but decided instead to launch an independent gubernatorial bid on the Serve America Movement line. Despite once being allies, Miner has a history of feuding with Cuomo, and could offer another option for voters sick of Cuomo and to the left of Molinaro. Miner and her running mate, Republican Pelham Mayor Michael Volpe, have established a platform that includes cutting out government corruption and instituting voting reform measures like election day voter registration.

Larry Sharpe  Sharpe, a businessman, has the Libertarian Partys endorsement in the gubernatorial race. On the MTA, he told City & State: "Yeah, I'm not going to fund them any more at all. They get what they get and that's it. And that will make them have to collapse, I don't care." His campaign says that means he won't give the MTA any additional funding. Sharpe is also running on a platform of decentralized education policy and legalizing marijuana.

Howie Hawkins  Hawkins was the Green Party gubernatorial candidate in 2014 and he has launched a campaign against Cuomo again this cycle on the Green Party line. Since Cuomo defeated Nixon in the Democratic primary, Hawkins has branded himself as Plan B for progressives. While a Green Party candidate has never won a gubernatorial race in New York, Hawkins has recognized the energy behind far left candidates like Nixon and hopes to harness the liberal voters dissatisfied with Cuomo.

The state of the general election

Having beaten Nixon handily, Cuomo is well-positioned for the general election, despite the potential troublesome challenges from Miner and the progressive Plan B Hawkins. Democrats have a vast voter registration advantage in New York, and other Democratic officials in New York  such as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli  are popular in the state, while the Republican Party is not. New York has not had a Republican candidate win statewide office since Gov. George Pataki, who was last re-elected in 2002.

Voter turnout in the primary election was higher than either candidates or pollsters expected. More than two times as many voters showed up at the polls this year than did in 2014  hinting at the possibility of a blue wave carrying over into the general election.
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Vodafone has launched a new technology award programme, Techstarter, to fund with prototype ideas in the UK.

It has developed the programme in partnership with the Social Tech Trust and aims to uncover and develop ideas that can harness the power of technology, connectivity and innovation to improve health, education, environmental protection or social mobility.

There is a total of 300,000 available in its first round and all the winners will receive in-kind support for one year.

It is open to UK-based inventors, innovators, charities, social enterprises, businesses and entrepreneurs, with prototype ideas. All applications must have a clearly defined social purpose.

Four for-profit organsiations will receive 35,000 and four not-for profits will also receive 35,000. There is also two champions awards for people voted for by Vodafone employees who will get 10,000 each.

Applications should be submitted by 23 October.

Winners will be announced in February.

Helen Lamprell, Vodafone UKs general counsel and external affairs director and Vodafone Foundation trustee, said: Vodafone Techstarter is a hugely exciting opportunity for industry to contribute vital support, expertise and funding to help take early stage ventures driven by social purpose from start-up to scale-up. We believe that some of the biggest challenges in society can be addressed using technology and innovation. The UK has a fantastic opportunity to lead the way in providing solutions to some of societys most pressing challenges.

Civil Society Media is hosting its Charity Technology Conference on 7 November 2018. It will include sessions on ethics, cyber security, data and innovation. Book here before the 28th September to save with the early bird rate.
Give like a pirate day

Ahoy there, dear readers, and avast ye as this scallywag updates you on the weeks highlights in charity news.

Wednesday was of course #TalkLikeAPirateDay and Society Diary was impressed to find that this year, a charity angle was introduced to the otherwise entirely random event.

Paris Hilton-fronted gambling company BGO.com launched the Pirate Factor  you know, like the X Factor but with pirates  whereby it pledged to donate 5 to charity for every clip uploaded by a member of the public, with 20 per cent going to GamCare.

And Diary would encourage you to check out the great entries so far and vote for your favourite. They certainly vary in style, aggression and length.

Diary was impressed by Abigails entry, but is suspicious that it sounds like it was recorded professionally. Ellliss three second Avast me hearties sounds too sweet, God bless him.

Brittany-Ann seems to be going for a South African accent when she says: Polly, Pollay, where are you you good-for-nothing bird? You better not be hiding in me quarters or youre shark bait!

But Diarys favourite, without a doubt, has to be the four second gem from EmNudge, who growls: ALL ABOARD, BRING ME THE SWORDS!

On Twitter, meanwhile, the Lloyds Bank Foundation entered the spirit of things when it posted: Ahoy mateys! Have ye given your feedback on the #CharityDigitalCode yet? Whether you're a #digital landlubber or old salt, we'd love to hear your thoughts.

And the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity quite reasonably suggested: If ye be lookin' t' support a charity this Wednesday, how about choosin' th' aRRRRNRMC #TalkLikeAPirateDay.

If ye be lookin' t' support a charity this Wednesday, how about choosin' th' aRRRRNRMC #TalkLikeAPirateDay pic.twitter.com/obuMd9hCO5  Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (@RNRMC) 19 September 2018

Diary was just disappointed to see some people trying to be clever by aping a different kind of pirate. Eternal child actor Macaulay Culkin posted: Hey how about you hit me with that torrent for the new Game of Thrones?

Still, its nice to see Diarys childhood hero is still knocking about and looking well.

What Katie didnt

Diary joined the rest of the country in sharing their condolences with the third-worst former Apprentice star Katie Hopkins this week after news broke that she had filed for insolvency.

Hopkins lawyers submitted a long-term Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) repayment plan to the Insolvency Service, designed to help her pay the outstanding costs of losing a 130,000 libel case brought by anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe.

Monroe brought the case after Hopkins mixed her up with columnist Laurie Penny and accusing her of supporting vandals who had daubed F*** Tory scum on a Whitehall war memorial in 2015.

Hopkins could have avoided the subsequent legal case if she had made a 5,000 donation to charity.

Diary is convinced that Hopkins is actually very liberal, tolerant and a casual fan of Muslims, the EU and poor people. So Diary can understand how difficult it must have been for the real Hopkins not to give money to charity at Monroes request, in order to keep up her appearance as a hard-nosed reactionary commentator. It is a shame that tactic didnt work out for her in this instance.

But Diary is sure we have not seen the last of Hopkins. She will regenerate in a new guise a few years down the line, maybe as a game show host or agony aunt, and win over the nations heart.

Mr Saturday afternoon

Hopkins need look no further for inspiration than former charities minister Rob Wilson, who last weekend began co-hosting a late afternoon political show on talkRADIO.

Starting a new role this Saturday as co-host of @talkRADIO 4-7pm political slot. Yet another new adventure. More tomorrow...  Rob Wilson (@RobWilson_RDG) 14 September 2018

Less than eighteen months after losing his seat at the 2017 general election, Diary is pleased that Wilson has landed on his feet.

Diary didnt manage to catch Wilsons show as we were busy hanging out at the local vape cafe, but if it is anything like the marvellous Telegraph columns hes emitted over the past year or so, then radio listeners in need of a political fix on a Saturday afternoon are in for a treat.

Whether it is a hit or not, Diary is just pleased to see another non-journalist taking up a top broadcasting role.
Under Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House briefings have become scarce. Over June, July, and August, Sanders held just 13. When she does speak to the press, she is adept at deflecting without losing her cool, and consistently fails to provide transparent, honest explanations for administration policiesaccording to ABC News, this summer she spent fewer than four hours fielding reporters questions. The only briefing so far this month was on September 10.

For some, the dwindling number of briefings is no problem. Plenty of critics, myself included, have grown weary of the constant dissembling. Jay Rosen, a media critic and professor of journalism at New York University, has been arguing since the beginning of the Trump administration that news outlets would be better off sending the interns to cover briefings. Others have argued that, with cameras rolling, reporters spend more time grandstanding than pressing administration officials on substance.

Dailyor near-dailyon-camera briefings are a relatively new feature of White House communications efforts. They became the norm during the Clinton administration, and press secretaries under Presidents Bush and Obama continued the tradition. Still, Olivier Knox, the president of the White House Correspondents Association, told CNNs Brian Stelter that the briefing has both a symbolic and a substantive importance to the White House press corps. It shows, Knox said, that the most powerful political institution in American life is not above being questioned.

RELATED: The White House credibility crisis starts at the top

That symbolismthe visible evidence that the administration accepts challenges from the pressmatters. President Trump may be generally open to answering a few questions at pool sprays or strolls to Marine One, but in those instances hes free to pick which questions to answer or to ignore reporters altogether. Sanders doesnt have that luxury.

The briefing is often a maddening exercise in convoluted explanations, repeated denials, and Ill-have-to-get-back-to-yous, but its existence is a testament to the idea that no one is above having to explain themselves. That makes it worth saving.

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Below, more on the disappearing White House press briefing.

Fighting for access The Washington Posts Erik Wemple reports that the WHCA has pushed the administration for more briefings, but has made little headway with those requests. Wemple notes that, even when Sanders has held briefings, theyve been much shorter than those overseen by previous press secretaries.

The Washington Posts Erik Wemple reports that the WHCA has pushed the administration for more briefings, but has made little headway with those requests. Wemple notes that, even when Sanders has held briefings, theyve been much shorter than those overseen by previous press secretaries. A possible fix: Before Trump took office, former press secretaries Mike McCurry and Ari Fleischer argued that the briefing format was due for an update. For CJR, they suggested that the daily briefing continue, but that it no longer be a live televised event.

Before Trump took office, former press secretaries Mike McCurry and Ari Fleischer argued that the briefing format was due for an update. For CJR, they suggested that the daily briefing continue, but that it no longer be a live televised event. Trumps battering ram: The New Yorkers Paige Williams profiled Sarah Sanders. Sanders often appears to mistake journalism for stenography or cheerleadingshe sometimes tells the media what to celebrate, such as the state of the economy, Williams writes. Sometimes, when confronted with the fact that reporting is often adversarial, she reflexively mentions courtesy, seemingly not understanding that journalism is an exercise in democracy, not etiquette.

Other notable stories:

ICYMI: How not to tackle the attempted returns of disgraced men

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Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon.
In a dilapidated, colonial courthouse, two Reuters reporters who exposed a military massacre of 10 Rohingya civilians sat handcuffed as they listened to a judge rattle off his reasons for convicting them under Myanmars Official Secrets Act. In phones and notebooks belonging to Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, and Wa Lone, 32, police had found a few bits of information the court deemed incriminating: the outdated travel itineraries of Pope Francis and Myanmars vice president, previously published police reports on violence in Rakhine State, and the phone number of a commander of a Rakhine nationalist militia.

The judges focus on these innocuous snippets of information was not part of the prosecutions original plan. The case began in December 2017 with prosecutors arguing that the two reporters were found with a bundle of classified government documents in their car. In the hearings that followed, the Reuters defense team dismantled that claim, revealing that the documents had been planted on the two reporters by police who had been ordered to entrap them, and that the information they contained had long been in the public domain. By shifting attention to the reporters phones and notebooks, the prosecution offered the judge a more plausible pretext for a conviction.

They tried many times to get their hands on secret documents and pass them to others, judge Ye Lwin said. They did not behave like normal journalists. On September 3, he sentenced Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone to seven years of hard labor under a law enacted to protect the British Empire from spies. The court ruling is totally inconsistent with a free press and sends a chilling message to journalists in Myanmar, but Reuters coverage has and will continue, unabated, a spokesperson for Reuters tells CJR.

Nonetheless, the verdict, as well as the mental and legal acrobatics the prosecutors and judge performed in order to reach it, serve as a warning from Myanmars leaders about how journalists are expected to do their jobs. The accuracy of Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lones reporting and the militarys subsequent admission of guilt for the massacre did not excuse them. With this threat hanging overhead, journalists working in Myanmar are left grasping for guidance on how to proceed without risking their freedom.

RELATED: Facebook now linked to violence in the Philippines, Libya, Germany, Myanmar, and India

The governments position is that journalists must avoid handling any information that could potentially be considered a state secret. The government regards embarrassing information about its performance and its wrongdoing as national security secrets, according to Yin Yadanar Thein, manager of the advocacy group Free Expression Myanmar (FEM). Therefore, state prosecutors can interpret any investigative political reporting as a criminal act.

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Yin Yadanar Thein is one of several activists who set up FEM in May 2017 to combat the use of laws to punish speech and prosecute journalists. With funding from American and European charities, FEM has collected and published data on how at least nine of Myanmars laws, plus the constitution, are used and often manipulated in order to punish political dissent. The group also advocates for the abolition or amendment of these laws.

In December, days before Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone were arrested, FEM published a report pointing out that prosecutions under one of these lawsthe defamation clause of the 2013 Telecommunications Lawspiked dramatically after Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party took control of Myanmars civilian government. Among plaintiffs with a party affiliation between 2015 and 2017, 80 percent were affiliated with the NLD.

FEMs findings have predicted what Suu Kyi has gradually revealed since Myanmars mass expulsion of the Rohingya began in October 2016: that she and her government, like the military, are intolerant to criticism. In June 2017, she banned the members of a UN-appointed fact-finding mission from entering the country to investigate atrocities against the Rohingya, and in January, her government appointed as deputy information minister Aung Hla Tun, a former Reuters reporter who once said that the greatest responsibility of media today in Myanmar is safeguarding our national image, which has been badly tarnished by some unethical international media reports.

At the regional World Economic Forum earlier this month, Suu Kyi defended the verdict against Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone and said the case had nothing to do with freedom of expression at all.

The anti-media atmosphere precipitated by Suu Kyi and her colleagues has prompted local journalists to take extreme caution when reporting sensitive stories. Mratt Kyaw Thu, a reporter for the Myanmar-based Frontier magazine reported from restricted parts of the northern Rakhine State days after Myanmars genocidal clearance operations began.

Ive got many secrets on the Rakhine case, he tells CJR, adding that he follows a number of personal rules when reporting them. These include changing the wording of secret documents so that they are not recognizable as background sources; avoiding confrontations with law enforcement, even in situations unrelated to journalism; waiting for the right time to publish a sensitive story; and never meeting a source of secret information in private.

I never meet with any police officers secretly. If they want to give me something secret, I ask them to meet me in public, and they can give it to me secretly, in a secret package, but it has to be in public, he says.

Other journalists have decided organize. After the June 2017 arrest of a newspaper editor who published a cartoon that mocked Myanmars military, dozens of journalists formed the Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists. The committee has held a series of black campaignsprotests where participants wear black to signify the dark age of media freedom in Myanmar. Several of these protests have been direct responses to the arrest of Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone.

In the days following the reporters sentencing, the committee launched an online campaign using the hashtag #ArrestMeToo. If a journalist was arrested for the data and phone numbers they collected. . . arrest me too, members wrote on Facebook.

But despite its defiant streak, the committee counsels caution to journalists. We must be very careful and avoid traveling to Rakhine and doing stories about the military, says committee member Tha Lun Zaung Htet. We have been branded enemies of the state.

The need for small, local NGOs to advocate for the rights of journalists in Myanmar is exacerbated by the failings of the Myanmar Press Council. The council was formed in 2012 as an arm of the Ministry of Information to adjudicate disputes involving journalists rather than bringing them to court. In 2013, the council became independent from the government, ostensibly to improve its ability to advocate on behalf of journalists, but that advocacy never materialized.

After the Reuters reporters were arrested, the Council did not release a statement for a week. When it finally did, the council only pledged to provide legal assistance for the accused reporters so that justice would be served.

When the council elected new leadership last week, its new chairman, veteran journalist Ohn Kyaing, criticized the countrys young reporters as having weakness in knowledge, experience, and ethics. He also demanded that the council have a role in defending Myanmar from prosecution by the International Criminal Court, which recently decided that it had jurisdiction over Myanmars mass deportation of the Rohingya.

However, there are those on the council who want to see it safeguard the rights of journalists rather than the reputations of Myanmars leaders. It shouldnt really matter whether a journalist possesses secret information or not. What really matters is whether that secret information serves the public, says Myint Kyaw, one of the few council members who has spoken out in support of the Reuters reporters.

If the public has a right to the information, the journalist has a right to violate the law. Media ethics do not prohibit you in this case, he says. Sometimes, media ethics and the law might be in conflict, and under these circumstances, we must prioritize media ethics rather than the law.

At a press conference the day after the sentencing, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lones defense lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, proffered two pieces of practical advice.

Empty the contents of your phone, every time, he said, addressing journalists who wish to continue reporting important stories, despite the risk of prosecution. To those who do not wish to share his clients fate, the lawyer said: I would advise them to just zip their mouths.

Disclosure: Stephen Adler, editor in chief of Reuters, is the chairman of CJRs Board of Overseers.



ICYMI: On the confessions of fallen men

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jacob Goldberg is a journalist based in Myanmar. Follow him on Twitter @yayqe.
Electric drones booked through smartphones pick people up from office rooftops, shortening travel time by hours, reducing the need for parking and clearing smog from the air.

This vision of the future is driving the Japanese governments flying car project. Major carrier All Nippon Airways, electronics company NEC Corp. and more than a dozen other companies and academic experts hope to have a road map ready by the years end.

This is such a totally new sector Japan has a good chance for not falling behind, said Fumiaki Ebihara, the government official in charge of the project.

Nobody believes people are going to be zipping around in flying cars any time soon. Many hurdles remain, such as battery life, the need for regulations and, of course, safety concerns. But dozens of similar projects are popping up around the world. The prototypes so far are less like traditional cars and more like drones big enough to hold people.

A flying car is defined as an aircraft thats electric, or hybrid electric, with driverless capabilities, that can land and takeoff vertically.

They are often called EVtol, which stands for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

The flying car concepts promise to be better than helicopters, which are expensive to maintain, noisy to fly and require trained pilots, Ebihara and other proponents say.

You may think of `Back to the Future, Gundam, or Doraemon, Ebihara said, referring to vehicles of flight in a Hollywood film and in Japanese cartoons featuring robots. Up to now, it was just a dream, but with innovations in motors and batteries, its time for it to become real.

Google, drone company Ehang and car manufacturer Geely in China, and Volkswagen AG of Germany have invested in flying car technology.

Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. said they had nothing to say about flying cars, but Toyota Motor Corp. recently invested $500 million in working with Uber on self-driving technology for the ride-hailing service. Toyota group companies have also invested 42.5 million yen ($375,000) in a Japanese startup, Cartivator, that is working on a flying car.

The hope is to fly up and light the torch at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but its unclear it will meet that goal: At a demonstration last year, the device crashed after it rose to slightly higher than eye level. A video of a more recent demonstration suggests its now flying more stably, though its being tested indoors, unmanned and chained so it wont fly away.

There are plenty of skeptics.

Elon Musk, chief executive of electric car maker Tesla Inc., says even toy drones are noisy and blow a lot of air, which means anything that would be 1,000 times heavier isnt practical.

If you want a flying car, just put wheels on a helicopter, he said in a recent interview with podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan on YouTube. Your neighbors are not going to be happy if you land a flying car in your backyard or on your rooftop.

Though the Japanese government has resisted Ubers efforts to offer ride-hailing services in Japan, limiting it to partnerships with taxi companies, it has eagerly embraced the U.S. companys work on EVtol machines.

Uber says it is considering Tokyo as its first launch city for affordable flights via its UberAir service. It says Los Angeles and Dallas, Texas, and locations in Australia, Brazil, France and India are other possible locations.

Unlike regular airplanes, with their aerodynamic design and two wings, Ubers Elevate structures look like small jets with several propellers on top. The company says it plans flight demonstrations as soon as 2020 and a commercial service by 2023.

Ubers vision calls for using heliports on rooftops, but new multi-floored construction similar to parking lots for cars will likely be needed to accommodate EVtol aircraft if the service takes off.

Unmanned drones are legal in Japan, the U.S. and other countries, but there are restrictions on where they can be flown and requirements for getting approval in advance. In Japan, drone flyers can be licensed if they take classes. There is no requirement like drivers licenses for cars.

Flying passengers over populated areas would take a quantum leap in technology, overhauling aviation regulations and air traffic safety controls, along with major efforts both to ensure safety and convince people its safe.

Uber said at a recent presentation in Tokyo that it envisions a route between the citys two international airports, among others.

This is not a rich persons toy. This is a mass market solution, said Adam Warmoth, product manager at Uber Elevate.

Concepts for flying cars vary greatly. Some resemble vehicles with several propellers on top while others look more like a boat with a seat over the propellers.

Ebihara, the flying-car chief at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, says Japan is on board for Blade Runner style travel  despite its plentiful, efficient and well developed public transportation.

Japans auto and electronics industries have the technology and ability to produce super-light materials that could give the nation an edge in the flying car business, he said.

Just as the automobile vanquished horse-drawn carriages, moving short-distance transport into the air could in theory bring a sea change in how people live, Ebihara said, pointing to the sky outside the ministry building to stress how empty it was compared to the streets below.

Flying also has the allure of a birds eye view, the stuff of drone videos increasingly used in filmmaking, tourism promotion and journalism.

Atsushi Taguchi, a drone grapher, as specialists in drone video are called, expects test flights can be carried out even if flying cars wont become a reality for years since the basic technology for stable flying already exists with recent advances in sensors, robotics and digital cameras.

A growing labor shortage in deliveries in Japan is adding to the pressures to realize such technology, though there are risks, said Taguchi, who teaches at the Tokyo film school Digital Hollywood.

The propellers on commercially sold drones today are dangerous, and some of his students have lost fingers with improper flying. The bigger propellers needed for vertical flight would increase the hazards and might need to be covered.

The devices might need parachutes to soften crash landings, or might have to explode into small bits to ensure pieces hitting the ground would be smaller.

I think one of the biggest hurdles is safety, said Taguchi. And anything that flies will by definition crash.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
British lawmakers have backed calls for greater regulation of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin in order to bring an element of control to a market that more resembles the Wild West.

In a report on digital currencies published Wednesday, the Treasury Select Committee called for regulations to protect consumers and prevent money laundering.

Lawmakers highlighted a rapidly emerging industry thats been troubled by wild price swings, allegations of fraud and worries it could be used to finance criminal or terrorist activity.

Virtual currencies, also known as tokens, are electronic alternatives to traditional money. The appeal of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin lies in their use of blockchain technology that records all transactions in a digital database while keeping identities private, allowing users to sidestep government or banking system oversight. Speculation has also played a part in their popularity: bitcoins price skyrocketed late last year to more than $19,000 though it has since tumbled and is now trading at around $6,300.

In the report, the committee said the British government has taken an ambiguous position on regulation and argued that the industrys voluntary approach is inadequate. As a result, it said investors have been left open to risks including volatile prices and hacking vulnerabilities.

Bitcoin and other crypto-assets exist in the Wild West industry of crypto-assets, committee chair Nicky Morgan said. This unregulated industry leaves investors facing numerous risks.

Morgan said the government needs to do more than bumble along issuing feeble warnings to investors.

The committee also said British financial authorities need more power to regulate misleading advertisements by crypto-asset exchanges and initial coin offerings, which raise money for the tokens while crypto exchanges allow investors to trade them or convert them into conventional money.

The committees warning echo those of a senior U.S. Treasury official, who expressed similar sentiments while on a visit to Europe, saying that global rules are urgently needed to stop virtual currencies from being used by money launderers and terrorists.

In Paris, Marshall Billingslea, an assistant Treasury secretary who deals with terror financing, said the Islamic State group has used virtual currencies and published instructions on Twitter on how to move bitcoin to recipients in Syria.

This, he said, is an example of a very worrisome trend-line that we see.

Billingslea, who was speaking in his capacity as president of the Financial Action Task Force, an international body that combats money laundering and other financial threats, said countries are applying differing anti-money laundering standards to cryptocurrencies and some are not applying any at all.

It is essential that we establish a global set of standards that are applied in a uniform manner, Billingslea said.

The FATF, he added, is very concerned about the emerging use cryptocurrencies by terrorist organizations.

Financial regulators worldwide have been scrambling to deal with the rise of cryptocurrencies. In Asia, Japan recognizes bitcoin as a legal form of payment after enacting a strong regulatory regime while South Korea and China have also tightened regulations. Meanwhile, European Union officials said earlier this month that the bloc has been examining cryptocurrencies as it mulls regulations.

The British lawmakers said theres still room for the U.K. to become a global center for crypto-assets, if the government decides to take a regulatory approach that encourages the industrys growth.

(AP Writer John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Contractors that worked on the bridge near a Florida university that collapsed, killing six people, have been fined more than $86,000 for workplace violations.

The Miami Herald reported Tuesday that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the fines for seven safety violations related to the March 15 collapse. OSHA said the contractors didnt provide adequate safeguards despite serious cracks that had developed on the bridge.

The bridge was to span a busy highway and canal and connect Florida International Universitys campus to the neighboring community of Sweetwater.

The bridge was highlighted by FIU officials as an achievement for an accelerated construction method that was supposed to reduce risks to workers and pedestrians and minimize traffic disruption.

When the bridge fell, construction was behind schedule and millions over budget, in part because of a key change in the design and placement of one of the spans supports, public documents showed.

Construction of the pedestrian bridge that collapsed and killed six people in the Miami area was behind schedule and millions over budget, in part because of a key change in the design and placement of one of its support towers.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press through a public-records request show that the Florida Department of Transportation in October 2016 advised Florida International University and its contractors to move one of the bridges main support structures 11 feet (3 meters) north to the edge of a canal, widening the gap between the crossings end supports and requiring some new structural design.

The spans signature, 109-foot-tall (33-meter-tall) pylon was to be built atop a base at the spans northern end. It was designed for basic support and to contribute to the aesthetics of the bridge, which was touted as an architectural marvel that would connect the rapidly growing university to the nearby community of Sweetwater. In their winning 2015 proposal, designers said the bridge provided spectacular views for both pedestrians using the bridge and drivers passing beneath it. They added that the tower could serve as a safety feature because it would have an eagle-eyed location for additional lighting and security cameras.

It is still unclear if the design change contributed to the failure. But emails between the school, contractors, Sweetwater city officials and permitting agencies show a project that was behind schedule, which had officials worried that further delays could jeopardize the federal funding.

When the bridge collapsed, the project was already running about $2.6 million over its $9.4 million initial budget, cost-tracking documents from February show. Originally scheduled to be completed in July, the finish date had been pushed back to January 2019.

Difficulties began in late 2016, when the Florida Department of Transportation emailed project officials saying they wanted more room to allow for future widening of the U.S. highway under the bridge, according to the documents. The new position of the tower would be on the north side between the road and the canal.

This  places the current location of the pylon in conflict with the extra travel lane and would require bridge design modifications, Alfred Reyna, a transportation department employee working on the bridge project, wrote in an email.

After weeks of back and forth, it was decided to move the pylon 11 feet to the north, sitting near the edge of the canal. According to documents, initial costs for the new design were $204,540, with another $402,723 for construction changes. The final cost was not divulged.

The documents show that further time pressures were put on the tower redesign due to a bottleneck at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps was in charge of permitting certain aspects of the new towers footing and other elements but had stopped due to federal budget cuts. Documents show the contractors wouldnt begin work until the Corps permits were finished, and FIU worried delays could jeopardize federal funding.

Five motorists and one worker were killed when the bridge fell onto a busy roadway near Florida International University.

OSHA cited five companies for $86,658 in fines. The companies can contest the findings.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the collapse.

(Associated Press writers, David Fischer, Jason Dearen. Jennifer Kay and Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
As the pounding rains from Hurricane Florence finally ended, Lutrice Garcia left the shelter where she had spent several nights on a cot and tried to head home. But floodwaters from overflowing Crooked Creek covered the road and an emergency responder told her water was seeping into the houses.

The 28-year-old nurse had left photo albums and other important keepsakes stashed on high shelves before she fled Friday. She worried about the wedding dress she plans to wear on her big day in November, still hanging in the closet.

With the creek still rising, Garcia mostly wondered if the home she recently finished repairing from Hurricane Matthews flood damage in 2016 would once again wind up uninhabitable. Her mother lives nearby, but already has eight other relatives under her roof. If she cant go home, Garcia isnt sure where shell go.

Its up in the air. Im just taking it day by day, Garcia said Tuesday as she returned to the middle school where more than 30 people remained in a disaster shelter in rural Marlboro County in northeast South Carolina.

Officials overseeing evacuations and emergency rescues following Florences catastrophic crawl across the Carolinas will soon face a long, hard recovery. Among the first tasks: finding temporary housing for thousands whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged by the storms coastal surge and inland floods.

Its too early to say how many will end up homeless because of Florence, as rivers swollen by days of rain still threaten to swamp communities barely touched by the storms landfall. North Carolina had about 10,000 people in shelters Tuesday, and South Carolina had another 320. Many could need a place to stay for weeks, even months.

They might get vouchers to stay in hotels, or rent to move into apartments. Some could get trailers deployed after disasters by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The federal government has approved major disaster declarations for the Carolinas, meaning immediate funds can go to help with damage repairs and recovery.

Tom Farigone of the Incident Management Assistance Team at FEMA said everything was on the table in terms of possible temporary housing.

But our first priority is to get people out of areas that are immediately dangerous to their health and into a safe, sanitary and secure temporary shelter-like accommodation, Farigone said. And then we will move them into something that better suits their needs.

FEMA officials have been in North Carolina for days looking at housing options, said Mike Sprayberry, director the state Division of Emergency Management. He said they expect to use FEMAs Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, which uses state and federal funds to house displaced residents in hotels.

The demand for hotel rooms for Florences victims could be much greater than after Hurricane Matthew. While 4,000 evacuees found protection in North Carolina shelters during Matthew, that number during Florence peaked at over 20,000.

FEMA reduced its reliance on trailers after they became symbols of the troubled federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when more than 144,000 trailers were deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi.

The agencys downsized trailer stock led to shortages last year amid high demand after Hurricane Harvey slammed Texas and Hurricane Irma struck Florida. FEMA had just 1,700 trailers when Harvey hit in August 2017, and the agency rushed to put out bids for an additional 4,500.

FEMA hasnt said how many trailers it has available after Florence, but agency officials have said theyre better prepared this hurricane season than in the past.

The long-term recovery will take years. Although more than $740 million in federal, state and local funds have been spent to address Matthews damages, North Carolina officials are still working to distribute $236 million allocated by the federal government last year to help reimburse or pay for extensive home repairs.

Jackie and Quinton Washington lost their home in Lumberton, North Carolina, to flooding during Matthew. They finished rebuilding last October. Then on Friday the couple and their two children evacuated again as the Lumber River began overflowing.

Even before the river crested, photos from neighbors showed the Washingtons house surrounded by water Monday, with the river still expected to rise several more feet.

So its pretty much weve lost the house again. There no doubt about it, Jackie said from her mothers home in Rock Hill.

She said her family should be fine staying with relatives, as they did after Matthew. Their greatest worry is affording another round of rebuilding. FEMA gave the Washingtons $20,000 two years ago, not nearly enough to cover the cost, she said. They couldnt afford flood or homeowners insurance then, and they dont have it now. Every extra dollar the couple had went into rebuilding the first time around.

Our whole life savings is in that house, Jackie said. And now its gone again.

(Robertson reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, and Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this story.)

___

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
MORELAND HILLS, Ohio -- Fraud, Sterncrest Drive: A computer tech support scam was apparently shut down by the would-be victim's bank after he scanned and sent a personal check for about $300 to a phony Microsoft help desk.

The resident, 66, reported Sept. 13 that he had been browsing online the previous evening when a message popped up telling him that his computer had been infected with a virus.

He was instructed to call "1-855-483-7888" where he granted the staff access to his computer, then wrote out a check to "RAMPC Support, LLC," which was good not only for fixing his computer but also toward five years of Microsoft tech support.

He contacted police after running a search of the phone number online and seeing it listed as an internet tech support scam.

The check had not yet been cashed and Key Bank officials made sure it wouldn't happen, so the man did not appear to be out any money. Police told the man to change his password, shut down his computer and check for malware with a reputable dealer.

Suspicion, Aspenwood Drive: A home health care aide reported a possible burglary-in-progress being perpetrated by her ex-boyfriend, who was supposedly on his way to her clients' home in Moreland Hills around 6:15 a.m. on Sept. 11.

The aide, 55, initially claimed to be in Myrtle Beach, but called back later from her home in Maple Heights to report that her ex did not know where the clients lived because she had never told him.

One of the clients, 90, told police that everything was fine and he planned on retaining the services of the substitute home health care aide.

Maple Heights police reported that the original caller appeared to be in an altered mental state, after she claimed her ex was outside her house shooting at her, although she did not see or hear any gunshots.

The elderly couple was advised to call 911 if she returned to their home.

Burglary (unfounded), Glen Road: A resident reported returning home shortly before 8 p.m. on Sept. 15 and finding their dog outside, a back door open and what appeared to be a cut screen.

Police went through the house and later the attic and found nothing amiss, surmising that the slider door was left partly ajar, with the dog pawing it open and pushing through the screen door, which already had some small rips.

Welfare check, Chagrin Boulevard: At least two motorists reported seeing a man walking backwards along the roadside around 10 a.m. on Sept. 16.

One caller reported that he had something in his hand, and the other said it looked like he was carrying a can of soup.

Police later spoke with a Brandon Court resident who explained he was picking up trash along the roadside.

Suspicion, noise complaints; numerous locations: Police responded to several calls concerning loud noises heard by residents over a three-day period, beginning Sept. 13 just before 8:30 a.m. on Meadowhill Lane (loud explosion, unable to locate source); then on Sept. 14 on Giles Road at 5:30 a.m. (a loud bang or boom, but not an explosion, in the area of Jackson Road); and Sept. 15 shortly before 10 p.m. on Strawberry Lane (loud bang). No suspects or sources were located.

Complaints (solicitor), Basswood Lane: A man in his 40s and wearing a purple zip-up was reportedly going door-to-door for the "Making a Change" organization around 7 p.m. on Sept. 11. Police told him he needed a permit and gave him a courtesy ride to the nearest gas station.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio -- A fire broke out Thursday morning at the Chandlers Lane Condominiums, injuring one resident and two firefighters, Olmsted Falls Mayor James Patrick Graven said.

A resident of the sprawling complex called 911 around 10:30 a.m. to report that her condo was on fire, Graven said at a Thursday afternoon press conference. She hung up and ran out of the unit.

Olmsted Falls police arrived around 10:40 a.m. and reported heavy fire coming from the third floor, Graven said.

Firefighters conducted a primary search and declared an "all clear" on the building, Graven said, adding that firefighters performed a second sweep as they continued to battle the blaze.

All crews were ordered to evacuate the building around 11:20 a.m.

Crews from the nearby communities of Olmsted Township, Brook Park, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, Rocky River, Westlake, Brooklyn, Fairview Park, Strongsville, Berea, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Brunswick aided in Thursday's effort, according to Graven.

"Berea police did a great job; I want to thank them," Graven said. "They handled our city for a while when our units were at the fire."

Graven also said he made calls to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the State Fire Marshall, Red Cross, Olmsted Community Emergency Response Team and Southwest General Medical Center, who sent three nurses to City Hall for the victims.

Olmsted Falls police took a woman who lived in one of the units to Southwest General Medical Center for treatment of injuries she suffered in the fire, Graven said. The extent of her injuries is not known.

Two firefighters were also hurt and brought to University Hospitals St. John Medical Center in Westlake, Graven said.

The three-story wood-framed building is comprised of 48 units. Workers cut off natural gas service to the compound around 2 p.m., Graven said.

Olmsted Falls City Hall established a relief center for victims and residents to get water, food and shelter on Thursday, which was a hot, sunny day interrupted by a burst of afternoon rain.

Chandlers Lane Condominiums are pet-friendly and many of the residents have pets, said Luis Castro who lives with his wife on the second floor.

The couple, wearing only the clothes they had on when they evacuated, attended the press conference in hopes of learning when they could retrieve their belongings, to no avail.

A room in City Hall housed several dogs that were rescued.

The Castro family has been planning Luis' 70th birthday party which is in two weeks, so their condo was filled with irreplaceable items, like family photos and memorabilia.

"Just material items," Luis said, thankful that no one in his family was hurt, including his 2-year-old granddaughter who was visiting.

"There has been an outpouring of support from our entire community and I want to thank all of my fellow citizens in Olmsted Falls, and also thank all of the people who live in our surrounding communities," Graven said.

"If anyone wants to help out, please call the Red Cross," he said.

Jim McIntyre, regional communications officer for the American Red Cross, told cleveland.com Thursday evening that they have spoken with four families who are in need of help - but they expect that number to rise.

"We are going to offer direct client assistance, meaning financial assistance for their immediate needs," McIntyre said.

Those families will also receive a comfort kit which includes toiletries and other supplies, and the Red Cross will follow up with them in the coming weeks and months to make sure they're connected to housing resources, he said.

"Tomorrow we are anticipating hearing from many more residents, and will assess their needs, and offer them the same services," McIntyre said.

Despite the dozens of families displaced by the fire, the Red Cross said there was no immediate need to set up shelters.

"We haven't had any requests for lodging assistance so the majority of the people, we're assuming, have family or friends, or have insurance that will give them the funds to stay in a hotel," McIntyre said.

The fire is currently under investigation.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- At the recommendation of the Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA), the city has updated its codified ordinances on tax policy to include Ohio House Bill 49.

The bill makes changes to several areas of Ohio's tax policy, including creating a centralized collection of net profit taxes through the Ohio Business Gateway. Essentially, the bill allows business taxpayers the option of filing their net profit tax return through the Ohio Business Gateway to be processed by the Ohio Department of Taxation, rather than through RITA.

The intent of the bill was to give the taxpayer another filing option that would also allow them to file all of their municipal net profit returns on one website as a single tax payment.

It's not a popular change for many cities, including Independence.

Independence Law Director Greg O'Brien explained, "RITA and the Ohio Municipal League opposed this change in state law, and are challenging it in court, because we feel that it impinges on home rule by interfering with each city's collection of its own tax and that the fee charged by the state is inappropriate."

Still, while the measure makes its way through the judicial process, cities such as Independence need to follow the new tax policy, which is why the city has made the change to its codified ordinances.

According to tax.ohio.gov, the Ohio Business Gateway allows businesses to file taxes in a way that streamlines the relationship between commerce and government. It is a way to file sales, commercial activity, employee withholding, municipal income and many other taxes electronically through an online system.

Once filed, the Ohio Department of Taxation handles the administrative duties associated with centrally filed municipal net profit tax returns and distributes the funds to the correct municipalities.

Businesses have the option of filing and mailing tax returns or opting to use the Ohio Business Gateway filing system. This is the first year that this option has been available. Those businesses who choose to use the online system for their tax return filings are bound to their decision for a five-year period.

Independence Finance Director John Veres, CPA, explained that it would be difficult to administer between two collection agencies if a business were to change its filing method from year to year.

For the City of Independence, the amount of money coming in will be the same -- there is simply more to do administratively. The city originally only received money from RITA, but there are now more receipts to track, and two agencies are paying net profit to the city.

The only difference between filing with RITA or the Ohio Department of Taxation is that the city may take longer to get its money from the state. But the city would receive interest on the money held by the state before it is distributed.

"Taxpayers already had the option of filing their municipal net profit returns on the Ohio Business Gateway, but previously the cities still handled audit and collection. The taxpayer had to pay each city to whom it owed tax rather than paying the state and having the state divide up the money," O'Brien said.
OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio -- All of the residents from Chandlers Lane Condominiums have made contact with the property management company and are accounted for after Thursday's massive fire at the Olmsted Falls complex, Fire Chief Chad Gluss said Friday at a press conference.

"Multi-unit dwelling fires present very serious life safety risks due to both the size and complexity of the structure," Olmsted Falls Mayor and Safety Director Jim Graven said at the press conference. "Thankfully, we can report that there was no loss of life and there were no serious injuries."

The fire was contained to one building on the 32000 block of Chandlers Lane and did not spread to other buildings in the development off of Sprague Road, Graven said.

"The fire originated in the southeast corner of the structure on the third level on the exterior," said Ray McCarthy with the State Fire Marshal's Office, adding that the cause is still undetermined.

"We haven't been able to rule out electrical, mechanical, discarded smoking materials," McCarthy said. "There's been no signs at all of any criminal activity."

The fire department pulled the blueprints for the 48-unit building which indicated a two-hour rated firewall that did not extend through the roof, Chief Gluss said, adding that the firewall was likely drywall.

"We don't know how it was at the time of the fire, but it's not uncommon for that firewall to have been breached by utilities, cable, phone, internet," Gluss said.

It's normal for workers from such companies to breach the firewall, but they're supposed to seal it up afterward, Gluss said.

"I'm strictly speculating that maybe that's why it spread so fast," Gluss said. "It may have been breached. We just don't know. It's completely consumed at this point, so there's no way for us to inspect it."

Chandler Lane Condominiums were pet-friendly. Several animals were rescued from the building, but police Chief Odis Rogers said he did not know whether there were any animals that did not make it out.

As investigators look into the cause of the fire and establish the timeline of events, residents are staying with friends or family, gathering at the Olmsted Falls City Hall and trying to figure out their next step.

The Red Cross told cleveland.com Thursday evening that members of the organization spoke with four families who were in need of help. That number rose to eight by Friday afternoon.

"We are going to offer direct client assistance, meaning financial assistance for their immediate needs," Red Cross spokesman Jim McIntyre said.

Those families will also receive a comfort kit which includes toiletries and other supplies, and the Red Cross will follow up with them in the coming weeks and months to make sure they're connected to housing resources, he said.

"The way this community has responded to this fire is really remarkable," McIntyre said, echoing remarks made by Olmsted Falls officials.

"There has been an outpouring of support from our entire community and I want to thank all of my fellow citizens in Olmsted Falls, and also thank all of the people who live in our surrounding communities," Graven said.

People have donated bags of toiletries and non-perishable food items, McIntyre said, and although the Red Cross doesn't accept such donations, they have been housed at City Hall.

"So when people come for Red Cross assistance, they're also getting bags of supplies," McIntyre said.

All of the families who have spoken with the Red Cross so far have said that they have insurance, he said.

"I'm not sure how much need there's going to be," McIntyre said.

Despite the dozens of families displaced by the fire, the Red Cross said there was no immediate need to set up shelters.

"We haven't had any requests for lodging assistance so the majority of the people, we're assuming, have family or friends, or have insurance that will give them the funds to stay in a hotel," McIntyre said.

Residents in need of help are encouraged to call the Red Cross at 216-431-3010. Anyone interested in volunteering can go to their website.
WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Florida civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump has been hired to represent a former Warrensville Heights police officer who has accused the city of firing her in retaliation to a Facebook video she made decrying deadly force used by officers against people of color.

Nakia Jones said the Warrensville Heights Police Department fired her after she made a video in July 2016 following the shooting death of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Jones, who would've celebrated 22 years in law enforcement this week, said she made the video after one of her sons asked her about the shooting that grabbed national headlines and spurred protests.

"I wanted to let America know why I had to speak up," she said during a tearful press conference Thursday in the parking lot of Warrensville Heights library. "It was never against law enforcement. My son came home and asked me if I am going to be the next African-American male killed by the same people who wear the same uniform that you wore."

Jones was joined by Crump and her husband, Kevin Jones, a Lakewood police officer during the press conference.

In the seven-minute video, Jones spoke about how she believed racist white police officers have no business being in uniform. The video garnered more than 8.2 million views and cycled through local and national news outlets.

Jones filed a lawsuit earlier this year against Mayor Brad Sellers and police Chief Wesley Haynes after she was fired in October 2017 for misusing paid leave time following an on duty crash months prior that required her to take medical leave.

Warrensville Heights declined to comment about the lawsuit, citing their "policy is to not comment on ongoing litigation," said June Scharf, director of communications for Warrensville Heights.

Jones said she has received hate mail and death threats, including that she deserves to have a bullet put in the back of her head. She said she has been abandoned by the department and she's served since 2002 after a stint with East Cleveland and Highland Hills police departments.

Officials with The Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, which represents Warrensville Heights rank-and-file officers, said they filed a grievance against the department the day Jones was terminated and sent the matter to an arbitrator in February. A fourth hearing with the arbitrator is scheduled for later this year.

But Jones and Crump both said the reasons the city cited in her firing amounted to a violation of her First Amendment rights.

"I am here because this is not a local matter. This is a national matter," Crump said. "This matter of the conspiracy to terminate Nakia Jones for speaking out on a private Facebook post about the concerns of her son, her African-American son, who feared that he may possibly be the next person killed arbitrarily by a police officer."

Crump, who is currently representing the family of Botham Jean, a Caribbean man killed by a Dallas police officer in his own apartment, said the treatment of Jones by her former employer and police union is the complete opposite of how white officers are treated nationally.

"Certainly racism is a dynamic that we cannot avoid," Crump said. "The community has to stand up for Nakia if the city leadership won't, if the police union won't. It's people who are moral, people who are good, people who care about values and humanity, we are calling upon them to stand up for Nakia Joneses of the world, the people who use their influence and obligation. To have a police officer speak up about the wrongdoing of a police officer is very important in America.

Crump and his former law partner Daryl Parks, have garnered a national reputation for taking on high-profile cases involving profiling and use of force against black people by police officers and others. He was part of a team of attorneys who briefly represented the family of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old shot and killed by Cleveland police officer in November 2014.

Crump has not formally joined Jones' lawsuit as of Thursday, according to court records.

Jones and her attorneys are asking for Warrensville Heights police reinstate her as a patrol officer and her pension, and any damages she's endured since her firing.

To comment on this story, visit Thursday's crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 68-year-old man grabbed his shotgun and scared off a burglar who broke into his home in the middle of the night.

The man told police he woke up about 2:30 a.m. Thursday to loud noises that sounded like someone was breaking into his home on Lakeshore Boulevard and Landseer Road in the city's Collinwood neighborhood.

The burglar used a screwdriver and hammer to pry open a kitchen window and climbed inside the home, police reports say.

The man grabbed his shotgun and waited for the burglar at the top of his stairs, according to police reports.

The burglar started walking up the stairs and the man pointed the gun at him and said: "I will shoot you," according to police reports.

The burglar saw the gun, ran back downstairs and climbed out of the kitchen window, police reports say.

The man did not chase the burglar. He reported that his camera, cellphone and car keys were stolen, according to police reports.

The burglar left his tools on the front porch. Police collected them as evidence.

To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - A Cleveland woman kicked in a neighbor's door, hit a woman across the face with a shotgun and fired a round that struck a car parked on the street, according to police reports.

Shonte Cooper, 39, is charged with felonious assault in the Wednesday incident on Nathaniel Road near St. Clair Avenue, according to court records.

The 40-year-old neighbor suffered minor injuries in the assault, according to a police report. She lives in an apartment just below the one Cooper shares with her boyfriend.

The neighbor had friends over for a party that evening, and she asked Cooper to buy her cigarettes at a store. Cooper got the cigarettes but refused to give them to the neighbor when she returned from the store shortly after midnight.

They argued until the neighbor kicked Cooper out of the apartment, police reports say.

Cooper went to her boyfriend's apartment and got a shotgun from under his bed, police reports say. She returned to the neighbor's apartment and kicked in the door to the kitchen.

She hit the neighbor across the face with the gun, police reports say. The two women fought until the neighbor ran out of the apartment.

Cooper then walked upstairs to her own apartment and fired a shot out a window, which struck a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica parked outside on the street, police report say.

The neighbor called police and told responding officers that Cooper was still indoors with a shotgun. Cooper surrendered without incident a short time later.

Cooper's boyfriend Larry T. Stevenson, 39, of Cleveland, is also charged with tampering with evidence in the incident, according to court records.

Stevenson is accused of hiding the shotgun after the assault. He initially claimed to be asleep during the assault, but later told officers they could find the shotgun in a storage space in his apartment, police reports say.

Cooper and Stevenson waived their rights to preliminary hearings during their arraignment Friday in Cleveland Municipal Court. Their cases were bound over to a Cuyahoga County grand jury, court records say.

To comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comment page.
Rotunda Rumblings

A nuanced 'no:' Gov. John Kasich will not vote for Issue 1, which would lessen penalties for low-level drug offenses and emphasize treatment for addiction. However, he thinks the proposal contains some good ideas and wishes the General Assembly would adopt them, cleveland.com's Laura Hancock writes.



Back and forth: Supporters and opponents of Ohio Issue 1 sparred during a debate Wednesday hosted by the Youngstown Vindicator. Watch the debate here.

No joint endorsement: In the aftermath of Richard Cordray's announcement that he would vote for a statewide issue legalizing recreational marijuana, cleveland.com's Andrew Tobias asked Sen. Sherrod Brown whether he felt the same way. Brown said he'd want to see how things play out in a state like Colorado before deciding. "I support medical marijuana," he said. "I don't like how the justice system's done this. But I think we need to go into this with eyes wide open."

Renacci doubles down: Rep. Jim Renacci has gone all-in on calling attention to disputed details from Brown's decades-old divorce records, writes Tobias. While other Republicans have been more cautious in broaching the issue in the past, Renacci has brought up Brown's divorce repeatedly over the past week, including on national TV and at the Thursday Politico event in Columbus. Brown's ex-wife has denounced Renacci's efforts, and Brown said that Renacci's tactic was tantamount to "attacking his family."



Poor grades? Cleveland.com data expert Rich Exner took a deeper dive into the school report cards released last week and has an interesting analysis comparing report card data to median household income.



Stop the 'softcore' ads: Adam VanHo, the Democratic nominee for Senate District 27, called Thursday for restrictions on elected officials using public money for election-time ads. In a release, VanHo said politicians from both parties have made "softcore" political ads (as he called them), though he pointed in particular to two Republicans -- Treasurer Josh Mandel and Attorney General Mike DeWine. VanHo proposed not allowing candidates to send out publicly financed videos or mailers with their name or picture for 120 days before an election.



Aftab investigation proceeds: The Ohio Elections Commission on Thursday agreed to investigate whether 1st Congressional District Democratic nominee Aftab Pureval improperly spent $30,000 earmarked for his clerk of courts campaign on his congressional race. The commission hasn't set a date for a hearing, though elections commission executive director Philip Richter said the hope is to hold it before the Nov. 6 general election.



Don't bet on it: Richter said the elections commission also dismissed a complaint filed against Democratic attorney general nominee Steve Dettelbach claiming his campaign held an illegal campaign raffle that offered donors a chance to meet ex-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. The commission agreed with Dettelbach's side that the offer wasn't an illegal raffle because every donor got to meet Holder.

McChrystal clear: Ken Harbaugh, the Democratic former Navy pilot running in Ohio's 7th Congressional District, is getting some air support from high command. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) who commanded U.S. troops in Afghanistan, will be in the district Saturday to endorse Harbaugh at a veterans town hall.



District bling: You might remember our Wednesday item about OMG WTF, the new PAC aiming to elect Democrats in six states that promised to do "non-boring events." Well, they're certainly living up to their creative side on fundraising, too. The group launched a jewelry line called Gerrymander Jewelry, 14k gold necklaces featuring six of the oddest shaped districts in the country, including OH-1, accompanied by a DeBeers-esque commercial to boot.



Fall TV season ramps up in OH-10: Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Turner has made his first TV buy in more than a month, purchasing $61,500 worth of broadcast ads starting Friday, according to political ad tracker Medium Buying (it wasn't clear Thursday whether he bought cable TV time as well). Theresa Gasper, Turner's Democratic rival for the 10th Congressional District, has been on the airwaves since Sept. 5 and plans to remain on the air through Election Day, according to campaign manager Shu-Yen Wei.



Millennials for LaRose: State Sen. Frank LaRose, the Republican nominee for secretary of state, is one of two recipients of the Millennial Action Project's first Rising Star award, his campaign announced. LaRose, 39, is on the bipartisan Democracy Reform Task Force and Ohio Future Caucus run by the D.C.-based group, the largest nonpartisan organization of under-40 policymakers in the country.



Is Ryan tryin' again? Ohioans Tim Ryan and Marcia Fudge are in a group of Democrats who want their party to revise its process for selecting a U.S. House Speaker. According to CBS News, the pair signed a letter that would require votes from at least 218 Democrats for the party to select a Speaker, rather than a majority. The move is "a direct shot at Nancy Pelosi," reports the Atlantic. Ryan - who unsuccessfully sought Pelosi's leadership job in 2016 - says through a spokesman he is leaving the door open on another run, "but any decisions would come after the election."



Return to sender: The Akron Beacon Journal reports "a couple of hiccups" involving absentee ballot requests for the November election. A small number of voters who returned forms requesting ballots had them rejected by the postal service, writes Doug Livingston. Voters are being advised to try again.



Sitting in judgment: Lawyers tangled Wednesday over the question of whether it's appropriate Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick DeWine to hear cases involving the state attorney general's office, which is run by DeWine's father, Mike, the Columbus Dispatch's Marty Schladen reports. A disciplinary counsel argues that "people can't be sure that the justice isn't biased in favor of his dad -- a Republican who is seeking to be Ohio's next governor," Schladen writes.





Full Disclosure



Five things we learned from Timothy Barhorst's April 9 financial disclosure statement. Barhorst, a Westerville Republican, is running against Democrat Mary Lightbody in House District 19.



1. Barhorst reported that he worked for himself and for Business Partners Inc. Candidates who are not incumbents do not have to report income. He describes himself as a small business owner and insurance agent.



2. Barhorst also received income from four rental properties.



3. He owns all of Business Partners Inc., half of one of his rentals - 56 Dorchester Square LLC - and 33.33 percent of Chickasaw Point LLC, another rental.



4. At some point last year, he owed more than $1,000 each to Huntington Bank, Chase Bank, Citi Bank, Barclays Bank, First City Bank, First Financial Bank, Nationstar Mortgage and Samuel and Patricia Barhorst.



5. He holds an Ohio Insurance license for life and health policies and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Series 6 license.



Birthdays



Friday, Sept. 21: State Sen. Joe Schaivoni



Straight From The Source



"Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and change in Ohio education policy."



- Dayton Daily News political reporter Laura Bischoff, tweeting in response to news that Ohio education officials are considering changes to state graduation requirements.

Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Eschewing the caution shown by some previous Republicans in his position, Rep. Jim Renacci has gone all-in on calling attention to disputed details from Sen. Sherrod Brown's decades-old divorce records.

Brown's opponents have periodically tried to make a campaign issue out of the 1986 divorce, in which his then-wife, Larke Recchie, while seeking a restraining order, alleged in court filings Brown was physically rough with her and frightened her. She since has said of the divorce, "There was a lot of hurt on both sides, and it led only to angry words," while Brown has said he was never violent with his ex-wife.

Through the years, Recchie -- in 1992, 2012 and again this year -- has denounced efforts to weaponize the divorce. She's supported her ex-husband's campaigns by hosting fundraisers for him, and even filmed a supportive, unaired commercial in 2006. Brown has won each election the issue has been raised, and in kind, Brown's opponents in recent years have been more circumspect in addressing the issue.

Not Renacci. He's made the divorce a primary campaign talking point over the past week. He's referenced the episode in statements to print media, on national television, local radio, and again on Thursday at a political event in Columbus.

"The problem is we have somebody like my opponent, Sherrod Brown, who already has allegations that not only are substantiated, there's court documents," Renacci said on a Wednesday interview with Fox News, in response to a question about the decades-old sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh that an old high-school classmate recently shared for the first time. Renacci made similar comments in another interview that day with WAKR, an Akron radio station.

In a statement to cleveland.com, Renacci said times have changed since the last time Brown's divorce made the rounds through Ohio media.

"In the last couple of years, our country has experienced a pivotal shift, where certain conduct that may have been tolerated in the past is now widely viewed as disqualifying, especially for those in positions of power," Renacci said. The vast majority of Ohioans, Renacci said, aren't familiar with the allegations stemming from his divorce.

Brown's divorce came up last week when a political group appeared calling itself Me Too Ohio, taking language from the movement in which women have called attention to longstanding sexual misbehavior by powerful men. The group's website, which contains a 60-second video that references filings from the divorce, is now being promoted on social media networks. The group has spent between $2,000 and $10,000 advertising the issue, according to the social network's public data, with ads that have been seen between 60,000 and 150,000 times. The site was designed by a prominent Republican political consulting firm that has done work for Renacci's campaign and his allies this election cycle.

Shortly after the site went up, Renacci, referring to the divorce filings, issued a statement referencing Brown's "well-documented history of domestic violence."

Meanwhile, Recchie through the Brown campaign issued a statement saying she was proud to support her ex-husband's runs for office.

"He's a great father to our daughters Emily and Liz and he's a wonderful grandfather to our grandchildren," she said. "Disparaging my family for political gain is disgusting, and Congressman Renacci should know better."

The emergence of the anti-Brown group has been the most notable recent development in this year's otherwise unremarkable Ohio Senate race. Brown has led every public poll, with Renacci showing no sign of significantly closing ground. Brown has spent $6.5 million on TV and radio ads, while Renacci has spent less than $500,000, leading to frustration from some Ohio Republicans who want to see Renacci wage a more active campaign. Republican Senate President Mitch McConnell again omitted Ohio's race last week when discussing the nine close Senate races he said he's watching across the country.

Speaking with a reporter following a Thursday appearance in Lakewood, where he promoted his prescription-drug bill that passed the Senate this week, Brown called Renacci's statements an "attack on his family."

"Nobody's done it the way he has," Brown said. "No. I'm not surprised."

Asked what he thinks Renacci's approach says about the race, Brown said: "I think it says that one of the candidates thinks it's OK to attack someone's family, when all the family members say this is not an issue, and shouldn't be part of a campaign."

As he has previously in 1989 and 1992, Brown also said on Thursday he was never violent with his ex-wife. He referenced a 1992 statement from Recchie in which she said: "Divorce can often be an unfriendly ordeal, and ours was no exception. There was a lot of hurt on both sides, and it led only to angry words."

"People file all kinds of things in court," Brown said.

Renacci was again asked about Kavanaugh in Columbus on Thursday during a live-streamed interview with reporters from Politico, the widely read political news outlet. Among those in the crowd for the event, which was sponsored by the AARP, was Recchie, who works for an elderly-care nonprofit in the Columbus area.

Renacci referenced Brown's divorce without identifying him by name.

"We're saying well, he's a Republican, so we don't want him confirmed because he doesn't meet that standard of conduct. Well, let's look at the other political figures who are running," he said.

But later in the interview, Renacci, sticking to an older campaign theme, made the argument that Brown is too liberal to represent a state like Ohio.

"I always say, nice guy, but it's time to give him his watch and retire. Move forward," Renacci said.
Robert Chaloupka

SEVEN HILLS, Ohio -- Next week, the Cuyahoga County Council is expected to vote on an anti-discrimination ordinance along the lines of those passed in 20 cities throughout Ohio, including six communities in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Lakewood, Olmsted Falls, and South Euclid). The draft legislation is long (about 25 pages), but it ultimately has one primary purpose: to add LGBTQ individuals to the classes of people against whom discrimination is already prohibited in the areas of employment, housing, and access to "places of public accommodation."

Something like this is long overdue. From an economic perspective, this legislation will help our region retain and attract the best business and artistic talent, both because it will identify Cuyahoga County as a welcoming community that is prepared to be a leader in protecting the civil rights of all its citizens, and because it will hopefully lead to meaningful change at the state level and perhaps even at the federal level. Most importantly, though, this is the right thing to do.

There seems to be a lot of misinformation out there, so let me take a minute to describe what this ordinance would and would not do:

* It would give LGBTQ individuals some amount of protection for being fired, demoted, or otherwise discriminated against at work, simply because of who they are and whom they love. It would not force employers, large or small, to become experts in LGBTQ issues to comply with the law.

* It would protect LGBTQ people's right to rent or own a home on the same terms as anyone else. It would not force churches or ministers to change their religious practices.

* It would ensure that LGBTQ people have the same access as anyone else to public places and businesses that are open to the general public. It would not increase the danger of children, boys or girls, being assaulted in restrooms.

Simply put, this ordinance would simply extend to our LGBTQ friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers the same protection from unlawful discrimination most of us in Cuyahoga County take for granted. I would also note that protecting someone's right to live their life peacefully and without discrimination is not an infringement of anyone else's freedoms.

It's also important to point out that this ordinance would not duplicate existing state or federal law. Ohio law does not include sexual orientation or gender identity/expression as protected classes under the state anti-discrimination laws.

There is also no federal statute protecting the rights of LGBTQ persons in the areas of employment, housing, or public accommodations. While some federal agencies have chosen to defend these rights, those are policy decisions, subject to change with any new administration. In other words, under the letter of the law, a person can lose their job, lose their home, or be denied access to places otherwise open to the public, simply because they're gay.

I'm a lifelong resident of Cuyahoga County. I'm also a straight, white, Christian man who had access to a solid education, a chance to pursue my career dreams, and the opportunity to raise my family in a nice home in the suburbs. My parents always taught me, as my wife and I teach our daughter, that you can achieve whatever goals you set, if you only work hard enough for it.

But that's not the case for so many of our fellow citizens. The LGBTQ community, like other marginalized communities, has always had to deal with discrimination and mistreatment, ranging from everyday slights and derogatory comments, to a lack of opportunities in employment, housing, and other areas of everyday life, and, tragically, even to violent attacks and murder. We have a lot of work do to in order to make that dream of hard work leading to success achievable to everyone.

Cuyahoga County is full of millions of good people of all genders, races, religions, nationalities, and sexual orientations. Above just about all else, we pride ourselves on being good people, welcoming to all and ready to help our neighbors in need. This anti-discrimination ordinance gives us the chance to show the world whether we are who we say we are - actions speak louder than words, and this action is sorely needed.

Robert Chaloupka is an attorney in Seven Hills.

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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The Link Tour, a new NEV brand under Link Tour Holdings, was formally launched on September 19. Meanwhile, the automaker unveiled the brands first all-electric SUV model named K-ONE, which will roll off the production line in October and hits the market in November.

Link Tour is a new car brand introduced by Link Tour Holdings, the proposed JV between Yogomo and Great Wall Motor. It plans to make two new car platforms covering two A0-segment models and three A00-segment models with the mileages ranging from 150km to 400km. Four out of the five new models support the battery swapping mode and one A0-segment model carries 3 portable battery packs.

Apart from the Link Tour K-ONE, the other four new models, named the Link Tour C3, C5, BX100 and S5 City Edition, will go on sale next year in succession. The Link Tour S5 City Edition shares the same development platform with the Link Tour K-ONE.

Positioned as a small-sized all-electric SUV model, the Link Tour K-ONE will be sold in four variants, offering three color options. Its front face features a massive intake grille and eagle-eye-typed halogen headlights embedded with LED daytime running lights. The blue body color accentuates the cars NEV nature.

The Link Tour measures 4,100mm in length, 1,710mm in width and 1,595mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,520mm. Curb weight and gross weight for the EV model are 1,400kg and 1,775kg respectively. The 25/55R16 tires embrace two-tone multi-spoke rims.

At the rear end, the usage of blue and silver elements echo with that of the front end. Several horizontal lines deliver a sense of rich layering.

The model adopts two major colors, black and white, for its interior. Two circular mechanical instrument boards are outfitted with liquid crystal displays. Besides, the large-sized liquid crystal touch screen supports a number of applications, such as navigation system, bluetooth connection, weather query, mobile phone connectivity and video playing, etc.

The car also supplies various amenities to ensure a safe driving, including the ABS (anti-lock braking system) with EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution), the ABRS (air bag restraint system), the TPMS (tire pressure monitor system), front and rear parking sensors as well as reversing camera.

The Link Tour K-ONE provides two variants of engine and battery packs based on different configurations. Two types of engines are able to generate maximum power of 45kW and 96kW, with corresponding peak torque of 170Nm and 230 Nm. Two kinds of ternary lithium battery packs, featuring maximum capacity of 40.55kW/h and 46.2kW/h, endow the vehicle with combined range up to 310km and 405km respectively under the NEDC (new European driving cycle).
On a for the broader stock market, the declines in the retail sector were speaking volumes to CNBC's . With the trade dispute between the United States and China heating up, the "Mad Money" host figured the weakness stemmed from "a belief that the retailers will have to eat the tariffs, meaning they can't pass on all the price increases to consumers." "Not only that, but could always undercut any company that makes goods in China and sells them here," he said on Thursday. The retail stocks' dip came after and on each other's goods earlier this week. On Thursday, the Chinese commerce ministry said it hoped the United States would in the trade dispute. But given how vocal have been about the unfavorable effects of tariffs on their businesses  and  Cramer wondered if they would take the brunt of the trade war's negative effects. "If the tariffs really were going to fall entirely on the heads of consumers, the retail stocks wouldn't have had such a mess today," he said. "Plus, we did just get a tax cut [that] more than makes up for the tariff figure every time I do the numbers." "Now, this may just be one big rotation out of growth into value, with people selling the expensive stocks and swapping into stocks that sell at a discount to the ," Cramer continued. "But the bottom line is that's a far more sustainable rally than the other way around. So if we can just tamp down the speculative stocks ... and boost the value plays, then you know what? This move could be built to last." For more of Cramer's analysis on the retail space, click here.

Curbing the cannabis craze

Brendan Kennedy, CEO, Tilray Scott Mlyn | CNBC

As shares of Canadian cannabis producer continued their on Thursday, Cramer doubled down on that investors are getting carried away with their enthusiasm around pot stocks. "This whole group has gotten too hot  no argument here," he said. "Is it a bubble? Absolutely." "People are too excited right now," Cramer continued. "It will end badly when the stock market gets flooded with cannabis stocks. I just don't expect it to end quite yet." Tilray's surge higher came after on Tuesday. In the interview, Kennedy told Cramer that pharmaceutical and alcohol companies should invest in cannabis as a "hedge" against the inevitable rise of the industry. The CEO pegged the total addressable market for medical marijuana at around $150 billion. Even so, "Tilray's not the culprit here," Cramer said on Thursday. "When I had CEO Brendan Kennedy on the show two nights ago and I used a $500 billion projection, ... Kennedy didn't endorse it." Get Cramer's full take on the cannabis excitement  and how investors should approach it  by clicking here.

Corbus CEO on big pharma competition in cannabinoids

Dr. Yuval Cohen, Corbus CEO, featured on "Mad Money with Jim Cramer" on October 19, 2016. Ashlee Espinal | CNBC

By taking a risk in 2014 and building a company around a single manmade cannabinoid, drugmaker is now ahead of its larger peers on a number of key treatments, CEO Yuval Cohen said Thursday. "We are a tiny company, very nimble, but because we took the risk a number of years ago  whereas big pharma, remember, they're slower, they're more risk-averse  we're actually ahead of the pack," Cohen told CNBC in an interview with Jim Cramer. Though cannabis has largely been seen as taboo by big pharma until recently, some of the larger names are waking up to the medical benefits its derivatives can provide. Cohen specifically referenced a 2017 deal by subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals with clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Bird Rock Bio to explore targeting cannabinoid receptors in the liver to treat NASH, or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. On Tuesday, Tilray CEO Brendan Kennedy told Cramer his cannabis producer with a division of Novartis. But Cohen took special care to distinguish Lenabasum, Corbus' flagship cannabinoid, from the plant-derived treatments many companies are promoting in the heat of the cannabis craze. To watch and read more about Cohen's interview, click here.

GrowForce and MJardin executive talks managing marijuana

Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

With the excitement around Tilray spurring huge moves in various marijuana stocks, GrowForce CEO and MJardin Executive Chairman Rishi Gautam explained what he focuses on as someone in the business of managing marijuana companies. "I take a step back and I look at, what are the actual companies with actual revenue, actual profits, actual substance? And that's MJardin and that's our sister company, GrowForce," Gautam told Cramer in a Thursday interview. "We're a business that's built on the most experienced operating team that's been in the legal cannabis space over the long haul, irrespective of stock charts and highs and lows. The substantive business will prevail." And Gautam's companies, of which MJardin is a global asset manager and GrowForce is a Canada-based, brand-focused player, function well inside the rift created by the U.S. federal and state governments' disagreement on pot legality. "We want to be buyers and buy these businesses now given the fragmentation. We love the fragmentation. We love the irregularity between the federal and the state," he told Cramer. "We have this small window right now to continue to acquire these flagship facilities until the federal side really reconciles with the states." To watch Gautam's full interview, click here.

Giving up on growth? Not so fast

Finally, growth stocks might be trailing the broader market rally, but Cramer argued that their weakness was not enough of a reason to give up on them altogether. "Earlier, you heard me say that value is in and J.P. Morgan may be the best buy," the "Mad Money" host said. "But does that mean growth is out? That they can't coexist? No, not at all." In fact, investors should take the dips in shares of Nvidia, the Walt Disney Company and Alphabet as opportunities to get behind the stocks, he said. "Think before you sell the growth stocks," Cramer recommended. "Plus, please remember, just a few days ago you probably hated what's going up today and were in love with the ones that went down."

Lightning round: Waiting for WestRock
Tilray shares posted a 10 percent gain on Monday, followed by surges of 29 percent and 38 percent on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

The stock closed 30.3 percent lower and has posted sharp moves all week. It was also the worst-performing stock in the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ), which fell 7 percent.

The stock was driven higher on Wednesday after CEO Brendan Kennedy told CNBC's Jim Cramer that global pharmaceuticals must think about partnering cannabis producers as a "hedge" against the space. However, trading on the stock was halted five times for volatility before Wednesday's close as it failed to hold a more than 90 percent gain. Tuesday's surge came after Tilray announced the Drug Enforcement Administration approved it to import marijuana to the U.S. for medical research.

But on Thursday, the stock lost some steam as it closed 17.6 percent lower. But even with that decline, Tilray was up more than 40 percent for the week heading into Friday's open. After Friday's decline, the stock was up only 13 percent.

This week alone, Tilray's market cap nearly reached $20 billion earlier in the week before falling back to about $11.5 billion.

WATCH: Six experts on the cannabis craze
The number of people projected to have Alzheimer's disease or dementia in the United States is expected to double by 2060, says a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2014, there were 5 million people in the U.S. with Alzheimer's or dementia. The CDC estimates by 2060, that number will grow to 13.9 million.

"Early diagnosis is key to helping people and their families cope with loss of memory, navigate the health care system, and plan for their care in the future," said CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield in a statement.

The study, which the CDC said is the first to forecast estimates of Alzheimer's by race and ethnicity, found non-Hispanic whites will have the most total cases of Alzheimer's and dementia. However, because of population growth, Hispanic Americans will see the largest projected increase in cases.

Among people who are 65 and older, African-Americans have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's and dementias at 13.8 percent, followed by Hispanics (12.2 percent), and non-Hispanic whites (10.3 percent).

By 2060, researchers project 3.2 million Hispanics and 2.2 million African-Americans will have Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The CDC said as more people survive other diseases and grow older, the odds of being diagnosed with dementia go up.

The study was published Thursday in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

Kevin Matthews, a health geographer and lead author of the study with the CDC's Division of Population Health within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, said in a statement early diagnosis is key not just for patients, but for caregivers who need support.

"It is important for people who think their daily lives are impacted by memory loss to discuss these concerns with a health care provider," he said.

WATCH: Will Apple replace your family doctor?
A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, in the northwest of Syria.

China has told the United States it should remove sanctions on its military or it will "bear the consequences."

On Thursday, the U.S. enforced sanctions on China's Equipment Development Department (EDD) for what Washington described as "significant transactions" with Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport. China has purchased Russian SU-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

The sanctions mean the EDD and its head, Li Shangfu, cannot do business with Americans and any assets currently on U.S. soil will now be frozen.

Addressing reporters at a regular press conference on Friday, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said the sanctions were unreasonable and Beijing had already lodged an official protest with the U.S.

"The U.S. actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," Geng said.

"We strongly urge the U.S. to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the U.S. will have to bear the consequences."
A new Russian nuclear-powered submarine fleet, capable of launching ICBMs armed with hypersonic weapons, will be ready for war by 2024, according to a person with firsthand knowledge of a U.S. intelligence report.

In order to finance eight of the submarines, Moscow cut funding for other military modernization programs like the nation's surface vessel fleet, according a person who spoke to CNBC on the condition of anonymity.

The Borei II, also designated Borei-A, is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that has the potential to launch 200 nuclear or hypersonic weapons at one time.

Amanda Macias | @amanda_m_macias

WASHINGTON  A new Russian nuclear-powered submarine fleet, capable of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles outfitted with hypersonic weapons, will be ready for war by 2024, according to a person with firsthand knowledge of a U.S. intelligence report.

In order to finance eight of the submarines, Moscow cut funding for other military modernization programs like the nation's surface vessel fleet, according to the person, who spoke to CNBC on the condition of anonymity.

The Borei II submarine, also designated Borei-A, is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that is slated to join the Russian Navy's Northern and Pacific Fleets. The U.S. Navy, by comparison, boasts one of the largest submarine fleets in the world with 14 Ohio-class vessels tasked with the nuclear deterrence mission.

The Borei II, which is the first class of submarines developed by Russia since the Cold War, can launch 20 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles. Each Bulava can carry a bomb yielding 100 to 150 kilotons, which is approximately 10 times more powerful than the Little Boy atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

What's more, unlike a traditional missile which carries one warhead, the Bulava missile is capable of carrying up to 10 nuclear and hypersonic weapons on its tip. That means one Borei II submarine could potentially launch 200 hypersonic weapons, a threat the U.S. is currently unable to defend against.

A hypersonic weapon can travel at Mach 5 or higher, which is at least five times faster than the speed of sound. This means that a hypersonic threat can travel about one mile per second.

The latest revelations come a little more than six months after Russian President Vladimir Putin touted his nation's growing hypersonic arsenal as "invincible." Inevitably, Moscow's sprint to field this new bred of weapon has sparked fears over a budding arms race.

"I want to tell all those who have fueled the arms race over the last 15 years, sought to win unilateral advantages over Russia, introduced unlawful sanctions aimed to contain our country's development: You have failed to contain Russia," Putin said during his March national address.

Of the six weapons Putin debuted in March, CNBC has learned that two of them will be ready for war by 2020, according to sources with direct knowledge of U.S. intelligence reports.

At the moment, the U.S. must rely on deterrence against hypersonic weapons, according to the top nuclear commander in the American military.

"We don't have any defense that could deny the employment of such a weapon against us," Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in March, following Putin's comments.

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In this photo illustration, a visual representation of the digital Cryptocurrency Ripple is displayed on January 30, 2018 in Paris, France. Chesnot | Getty Images

One of the worst performing cryptocurrencies this year is making a comeback. XRP rose more than 80 percent Friday to a high of 77 cents, bringing its gains this week to 185 percent, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Its market capitalization jumped to roughly $26.8 billion, surpassing ethereum as the world's second most valuable cryptocurrency behind bitcoin. Often mistakenly called "Ripple," XRP has fared the worst of the top cryptocurrencies this year. At one point this summer, it was down more than 90 percent from the high. Ripple is a fintech company that focuses on global payments, and holds the majority of XRP the cryptocurrency. XRP is a cryptocurrency, independent of the company, that can be used on Ripple's platforms.

The upward move was spurred by rumors of a new product. An executive at Ripple told CNBC this week that the start-up was making headway with its xRapid product, aimed at helping banks speed up transactions by using the cryptocurrency XRP. "I am very confident that in the next one month or so you will see some good news coming in where we launch the product live in production," Sagar Sarbhai, head of regulatory relations for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at Ripple told CNBC Monday. Ripple describes its xRapid product as using XRP as "bridge" between currencies, which executives say allows payment providers and banks to process faster cross-border transactions. Joe DiPasquale, CEO of cryptocurrency fund of hedge funds BitBull Capital pointed to the xRapid news as a positive for the cryptocurrency's price recovery.

"People are definitely buying the news," he said. "This is another case of Ripple showing its dominance in real world relationships with financial companies, and yet another spike in XRP's price because of it." The company has struck deals with various high-profile financial institutions, including Santander and American Express. But those partnerships have so far been mostly focused on another product called xCurrent. Ripple's Sarbhai said that more than 120 banks are currently partnered with Ripple, using the blockchain-based product xCurrent. Firms testing the product include money transfer giants Western Union and MoneyGram and payment upstarts MercuryFX, Viamericas and Cuallix. Ripple's xCurrent is used by banks to settle international transactions and is used to confirm each stage of a cross-border payment in real-time, according to the company. This week, U.S. banking giant PNC announced it would use Ripple's blockchain technology for cross-border transactions like wire transfers, but it won't be using the cryptocurrency XRP. Despite the partnerships, XRP has a long way to recover to this year's highs above $3.60 in January. It's still down 66 percent from the beginning of the year.
Fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff is feeling the effects of President Donald Trump's tariffs, but she told CNBC on Friday she's not planning to inflict pricing pain on her customers.

Minkoff's handbags are made in China and are subject to the new tariffs.

"We're not looking to raise prices. I think we're willing to take a hit because it's not fair to pass off this punishment to our customer," she said on "Closing Bell."

Earlier this week, Trump announced 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods. The duties will rise to 25 percent on Jan 1. Beijing retaliated with tariffs on $60 billion worth of American products.

"We are working aggressively to figure out what we're going to do to move things elsewhere," Minkoff said. "It's going to take us a little bit of time to figure that out."

The designer, who also has a line of accessories, footwear and apparel, has four U.S. retail stores, nine international locations and is distributed in over 900 stores around the world.

At the end of August, Minkoff traveled to Washington, D.C., to testify at the public hearings held by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

In that testimony she talked about the challenges of doing business in China and the problems with intellectual property theft. However, she insists the tariffs on leather handbags will only hurt American brands and American consumers.

"The tariffs punish the wrong people, including the American consumer, and leave the playing field wide open for bad actors to continue to sell fake products using our IP," she testified.

While Minkoff is trying to hold prices down and absorb the costs, retailers including Target and Walmart are warning about possible price hikes.
Floodwaters on Friday breached a dam that contains a man-made lake connected to a Duke Energy power plant in North Carolina, possibly causing coal ash to flow into the nearby Cape Fear River, the company said.

The floodwaters flowed from Cape Fear River into the northern side of Sutton Lake, an 1,100-acre reservoir built in 1972 to cool the L.V. Sutton Power Station. That water caused breaches in the dam on the south end of the lake, which was flowing back into the river, Duke Energy said in a press release.

The 200-mile Cape Fear River flows into the Atlantic at Wilmington, North Carolina.

The Sutton site in Wilmington was home to a coal-fired power plant until 2013, when Duke replaced it with a natural gas power station. Duke dismantled the coal-fired plant by 2017, but the grounds contained about 7 million tons of coal ash in waste pits at the time of its closure. There are still two coal ash basins on site.

The flooding forced Duke to shut down the 625-megawatt natural gas plant, and the company is monitoring the coal ash pits.

Coal ash is a byproduct produced primarily at coal-fired power plants. It contains contaminants harmful to human health including mercury, cadmium and arsenic.

Heavy rain from Florence caused one of the coal ash landfills to partially collapse, Duke reported on Saturday. The incident likely caused coal ash to run off into Sutton Lake, a Duke spokesperson told the AP.

On Friday, Duke said it believes coal ash contained in one of the basins remains in place behind a steel wall that separates Sutton Lake from a site where the waste is still being excavated. That steel wall was under water, the company said, but an earthen part of the dam setting off the basin remained 2 feet above the surface.

Another type of coal combustion byproduct, cenospheres composed mostly of alumni and silica, has flowed from that basin into Sutton Lake and Cape Fear River, Duke said.

The second basin, which contains most of the sites ash, is about 10 feet from the floodwater and has not been affected, Duke said.

Shares of Duke Energy, which were higher before the news hit, rolled over and were down less than 1 percent Friday afternoon.

Hurricane Florence packed high wind and rain measured in feet to the Carolinas, followed by rising rivers and standing water in fields.
Ever since taking over as CEO almost two years ago, Sloan has given top priority to move the bank past the fake-accounts scandal that garnered national headlines in 2016. Under Sloan, the bank has overhauled managers and its board, launched apologetic ad campaigns and revamped sales practices. But the U.S. bank with the most employees has, until now, resisted deep job cuts, keeping its headcount at about 265,000. That changed Thursday, when Sloan informed employees that up to 10 percent of positions  as many as 26,500  would be eliminated over the next three years. In a town hall message broadcast to workers across the country, Sloan explained that Americans' adoption of digital banking and the firm's efficiency programs would result in layoffs and attrition. "The message was, we're trying to meet customer needs better by cutting staff by 10 percent, which is laughable," said Charles Peabody, an analyst at Portales Partners. "They're cutting expenses because they've got a revenue problem, not to meet their customers' needs better." Wells Fargo , the nation's third largest bank by assets, is struggling under the costs and business impact of its ongoing sales practice scandals. In September 2016, the bank said it was firing more than 5,000 employees it blamed for creating fake accounts under a high-pressure sales culture. But after disclosing that the bank opened millions of unauthorized bank and credit card accounts, other abuses were revealed, from bogus charges on pet insurance to the improper handling of wealth management and commercial clients.

Thanks to "widespread consumer abuses," the Federal Reserve has limited Wells Fargo from growing in assets, which has stymied loan growth. As a result, Wells Fargo is the only bank that hasn't significantly improved earnings after the administration's tax cut, according to Peabody.



This comes despite a U.S. economy that is growing at the fastest pace in a decade. Stocks are at record highs, unemployment is at record lows and interest rates are rising. These are ideal conditions for banks, which take in deposits and make loans, pocketing the difference in interest rates on the products.



J.P. Morgan Chase, the biggest U.S. bank, has said it was opening branches in markets where it didn't already have a presence. When asked about the threat that technology poses to bank jobs, CEO Jamie Dimon has said he expected the headcount to remain steady because new positions are being created.

In the second quarter, Wells Fargo was the only major U.S. bank to report lower year-over-year revenue, and it had the worst efficiency ratio at 66.7 percent. The metric, followed by analysts and investors, measures how much expenses consume revenue, and the lower, the better. Competitors including J.P. Morgan were almost 10 percentage points better than Wells Fargo.



Peabody figures that by the time the legal and regulatory scrutiny lifts and the bank is allowed to start growing again, the U.S. could be facing a recession. This leads him to one conclusion: Sloan's job is in jeopardy.



"I think they're going to have a tough time growing earnings," Peabody said, "and Sloan is going to have a tough time surviving the next few years."



The bank denied recent rumors this week that former Goldman Sachs executive and top Trump economic aide Gary Cohn was potentially replacing Sloan. Betsy Duke, chair of Wells Fargo's board of directors, said in statement that the CEO "has the unanimous support of the board, and this support has never wavered."

After the cuts were announced, the bank was likely hoping for a boost to its stock. By the end of Thursday's trading, the shares had climbed just 0.6 percent. Meanwhile, as higher interest rates boosted the whole sector, J.P. Morgan shares ended the day up 0.9 percent.

WATCH: Here's why you should think twice before using your debit card
European stocks posted solid gains by the end of Friday's session, as investors continued to digest the latest political and corporate news. The pan-European Stoxx 600 popped 0.43 percent by the provisional close, with almost all sectors closing in the black. On the week, however, the STOXX 600 soared 1.70 percent. On the bourses front, the FTSE 100 surpassed fellow indexes, closing up 1.67 percent as sterling came under pressure. The French CAC 40 rose 0.78 percent, and Germany's DAX jumped 0.85 percent. Most markets in peripheral Europe closed higher.

Looking at Europe's main sectors, basic resources outpaced fellow groups, jumping 1.71 percent with Kaz Minerals topping the index and the STOXX 600, with the stock finishing up 10 percent. The rise in miners comes as copper, zinc and nickel prices posted sharp gains on Friday. London-listed miners Antofagasta, Glencore, Anglo American and BHP Billiton all ended the session up more than 3.5 percent each. In dealmaking news, ride-hailing firm Uber is reportedly in early discussions to buy food delivery upstart Deliveroo for several billion dollars. Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the plans, said any offer would need to be considerably higher than Deliveroo's last reported valuation of more than $2 billion. Uber declined to comment when contacted by CNBC, while Deliveroo said: "Company policy is we do not comment on speculation." Shares of listed competitor Just Eat fell on the news, slipping 4.8 percent  making it the biggest loser on the STOXX 600. Looking at individual stocks, French engineering firm Altran Technologies climbed 3.38 percent amid a report that the company's chief executive has been buying up shares. Meanwhile, engineering company Smiths Group dropped 4.4 percent after the firm reported worse-than-expected full-year results. The group said its profits were hurt by short-term issues at its medical unit. Caixabank fell 3.6 percent after Kepler Cheuvreux and KBW slashed their price target on the lender. Elsewhere, investors will be keeping an eye on Sky, as Twenty-First Century Fox and Comcast head for an auction to settle a takeover of the U.K. broadcaster. The auction will kick off late Friday and is expected to conclude on Saturday. Shares of the broadcaster closed a touch higher on Friday.

Brexit

Equities in Europe followed the positive sentiment globally, with Asian markets in the black on the back of sharp gains from Wall Street. The Dow notched its first record high since January on Thursday while the reached an all-time high of its own, the first since August. On the final day of the week, most of Wall Street built upon the gains seen in the previous session in early trading. On the continent, Brexit continues to remain under the lenses of traders, after European leaders upped the pressure on British Prime Minister Theresa May at an informal summit in Salzburg, Austria. European Council President Donald Tusk said the U.K. leader's plan to withdraw from the European Union "will not work." Following on from the meeting, the British leader said Friday that the U.K. and EU were at an "impasse" in Brexit discussions. May said she wouldn't overturn the result of the referendum that took place in June 2016. Sterling hit a session low following the speech, and was trading sharply down at the market close, at $1.3076, down more than 1.3 percent against the dollar.
Google scrambled to delete an internal memo circulating among employees with details about its proposed censored search app for China that showed that plans were farther along than company executives had previously indicated, The Intercept reports.

The memo, written by a Google engineer who was asked to work on the product, started circulating earlier this month, before human resources contacted employees believed to have read or saved it, and told them to immediately delete any copies. The document reportedly highlighted that information about the project on internal company networks seemed to contradict recent comments from Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

"We are not close to launching a search product in China and whether we would do so or could so so is all very unclear," Pichai said at an internal all-hands meeting in mid-August, according to a transcript obtained by CNBC. "But the team has been in an exploration stage for quite a while now, and I think they are exploring many options."

However, the memo indicated that employees working on the project were told in late July to prepare to get it in "launch-ready state" to roll out upon approval from Beijing officials, according to The Intercept.
Emails between Google employees appear to show them discussing ways to alter the company's search engine algorithm so that results pages detailed ways of countering President Donald Trump's travel ban, after his administration restricted immigration from several Middle Eastern and African countries in January 2017.

The messages, seen by the Wall Street Journal, discussed ways to "leverage" the search algorithm to counter "Islamophobic, algorithmically-biased results from search terms 'Islam,' 'Muslim,' 'Iran,' etc." and "prejudiced, algorithmically-biased search results from search terms 'Mexico,' 'Hispanic,' 'Latino,' etc."

The emails were a brainstorm of ideas and none of the suggested tweaks was ever implemented, Google told the Journal.

A company spokeswoman told CNBC in an emailed statement: "Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideology  not in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trump's executive order on immigration. Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies."
The U.S. and Mexico are prepared to move ahead alone on a new trade agreement, and Canada may get left behind, a top White House official said Friday.

Kevin Hassett, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, told Fox News that the revised NAFTA agreement could end up being a bilateral rather than trilateral agreement if Canada doesn't come around soon.

"We're still talking to Canada. We're getting very, very close to the deadline where we're going to have to move ahead with Mexico all by themselves," Hassett said. "I'm a little surprised that the Canadians haven't signed up yet. They've got a really, really good deal that they should be participating in."

The deadline for Canada to come on board is likely Sept. 30, Hassett said at a Yahoo Finance conference Thursday in New York.
Nonetheless, Carson vividly described what he claimed the ideological descendants of the Fabians were plotting, and how Professor Christine Blasey Ford's allegation that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party in the 1980s fit into the plot.

The term "Fabians" refers to the Fabian Society, a British socialist organization that was founded in the 19th century, and which today functions as part of the UK's Labour Party. An American chapter of the Fabian society was established in 1895 in Boston, but it is no longer active in the United States.

"If you really understand the big picture of what's going on, then what's going on with Kavanaugh will make perfectly good sense to you," Carson said at the annual Values Voter Summit in Washington. "There've been people in this country for a very long time, going all the way back to the Fabians, people who've wanted to fundamentally change this country."

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson told an audience of conservative activists on Friday that the sexual assault allegations facing President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court are part of a plot by socialists to take over America that dates back more than a century.

"They don't like what America is and what it represents, and they want to change us to another system. In order to do that, there are three things they must control: the education system, the media, and the courts.The first two of those they have," Carson said. "The other they thought they had, but it was snatched out from under their noses in November of 2016."

Now, Carson continued, these forces "are like wet hornets, just completely lost control off the deep end, and the further they get away from being able to control the courts the more desperate they become," he said. "They don't see themselves as being able to control the courts for another generation, so what is left? Chaos and destruction."

There is no basis for Carson's claim that socialists are plotting to take over American civic institutions. A spokesman for the Department of Housing and Urban Development did not immediately return a call from CNBC Friday seeking clarification of Carson's remarks.

Carson's comments were also noteworthy in that he was among the first members of Trump's Cabinet to directly address the allegations, which have divided the nation and, increasingly, threaten to divide the Republican party. The allegations were first reported to two Democratic lawmakers in July, but only became public this month, as Kavanaugh's confirmation seemed all but assured.

Kavanaugh has denied assaulting Ford, and he has agreed to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the allegation. As of Friday afternoon, representatives for Ford were still negotiating terms under which the California psychology professor would be willing to testify before the committee about what she says was a violent attempted rape in 1982.

A few hours before Carson spoke on Friday, Trump abandoned the uncharacteristic restraint he had shown in recent days when discussing the allegation. The president attacked Ford directly by accusing her of exaggerating what happened, and accusing Democratic lawyers and operatives of plotting to ruin Kavanaugh.

Establishment Republicans were quick to distance themselves Friday from Trump's remarks. But Carson took them a step further. Not only did he frame the sexual assault allegation in the context of a plot with its roots in the Fabian Society, but he also expressed concern that the allegations against Kavanaugh might deter "good people" from seeking positions in government in the future.

"The fearful part is that good people will be afraid to serve their government," Carson told the Values Voters audience. "They won't want to take a chance of their reputation being sullied."

"Sexual predators is abominable," Carson quickly added, and there is "no room for it as far as I'm concerned."

"Having said that, we must always recognize there are two sides to every story. And I can particularly identify" with Kavanaugh, he continued. The secretary then recounted an episode of his life when he was falsely accused of fathering a child out of wedlock. This experience, Carson said, was the reason that he could identify with Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh is expected to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.

WATCH: Trump comments on Kavanaugh allegations
Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden gestures speaks at the Skybridge Alternatives (SALT) conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is still weighing whether to run for president in 2020, will be heading to Beverly Hills next month for a fundraiser to support his American Possibilities PAC, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The political action committee launched last year is focused on electing Democratic candidates. The Oct. 3 fundraiser will cost $5,000 per plate and is set to take place just 34 days before the Nov. 6 midterm elections.

The Los Angeles strategic consulting firm Gonring, Spahn and Associates confirmed to CNBC it's organizing the fundraiser with Jeffrey Katzenberg. Biden's office confirmed he's headlining the event.

In a live interview on NBC's Today Show on Friday, Biden was asked he if wants to run for president.

"I desperately want to change the landscape  and there's more than one way to do it," he said.

The former vice president added: "You have a lot of talented people. But we have to stop this degradation of the system that's going on. That's why I'm campaigning all over the country. I'm campaigning for candidates because we have to build a berm out there."

Biden then went on to make several predictions about the upcoming midterms.

"We're going to win back the United States House of Representatives  I promise you," he said. "I predict we'll win back the Senate too."

Read the full story at HollywoodReporter.com
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) arrive prior to a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 8, 2017.

TIANJIN, China  The last several months of tit-for-tat tariffs between the U.S. and China may only be the beginning of a prolonged economic conflict.

Stock markets in both countries have climbed this week despite fresh tariff announcements.

Analysts said the duties were not as severe as traders expected, and there is still hope of reconciliation. But reality may prove otherwise as the world's two largest economies, each coming from a vastly different culture, pursue their own development.

"Now we need to think about whether this current trade war will turn into an economic cold war. We hope it doesn't," said Jing Ulrich, managing director and vice chairman of Asia Pacific at J.P. Morgan Chase.

"There is still a chance that two sides may come to the negotiation table," she said Thursday, during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum conference in Tianjin. "And there is still a chance that some sort of reconciliation may be reached  and we all know if the trade war goes on, it is going to be a lose-lose situation. No one in the world will be benefiting."
A prominent conservative commentator teased the revelation of "compelling evidence" that would exonerate Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh of a sexual assault allegation, electrifying the nominee's supporters on Twitter. But the argument laid out Thursday, which appeared to suggest that accuser Christine Blasey Ford had mistaken Kavanaugh for another person, was met with a backlash from many on the left and right. Some said the commentator, Ed Whelan, had opened himself up to a possible lawsuit. Ford herself rejected the notion, and Whelan apologized Friday morning. Whelan is president of the Washington-based conservative think tank Ethics & Public Policy Center and a vocal supporter of Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's second nominee to join the high court in two years. In the wake of Ford's explosive allegation that Kavanaugh had drunkenly pinned her to a bed and tried to rip off her clothes at a gathering when they were both in high school, Whelan had tweeted numerous times about the possibility that Ford may be accusing the wrong man. Whelan tweet 1 The allegation against Kavanaugh was first made public last week after Ford sent a letter detailing her story, and requesting anonymity, that was obtained by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Kavanaugh has strongly denied the accusation, and has recently said he plans to attend a public Senate Judiciary Hearing on Monday to testify under oath about Ford's claim. After much back-and-forth with committee leaders, Ford has said through her lawyers that she also intends to testify, and would do so Thursday, provided certain conditions are met. Public figures and politicos were quick to weigh in on the allegation, with some questioning the reliability of Ford's account of an event she said occurred in the early 1980s. Others have suggested that the decades-old incident should not affect Kavanaugh's prospects for the Supreme Court even if they were true. But Whelan appeared to be hinting at new developments to come that would prove Kavanaugh's innocence conclusively. "By one week from today, I expect that Judge Kavanaugh will have been clearly vindicated on this matter," Whelan said in a tweet on Tuesday. "Specifically, I expect that compelling evidence will show his categorical denial to be truthful. There will be no cloud over him." He followed up in another message: "Senator Feinstein will soon be apologizing to Judge Kavanaugh."

Whelan's thread
South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as they arrive for their meeting at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 18, 2018.

The third round of bilateral talks between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un officially concluded Thursday but many believe it failed to make any breakthroughs on freeing the peninsula of nuclear weapons.

The burden is now on Washington to negotiate more concessions from the reclusive state, experts say.

Moon and Kim this week signed the September Pyongyang Joint Declaration, in which the isolated country promised a shut down of the missile-engine testing facility and launchpad at Tongchang-ri, in the west coast of North Korea. Pyongyang also said it was willing to permanently close the Yongbyon nuclear site  where the country produced plutonium used in its first atomic weapons test  if the United States took reciprocal action.

The signed accord is rife with ambiguities, analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a note. "Experts in the Trump administration will likely be unimpressed by the specifics announced in Pyongyang, which means the hard work remains for the U.S. negotiators," they said.

A closer look at the agreement shows "there's really not a lot there," echoed Sean King, senior vice president of Park Strategies, a business advisory firm. "I'm a little concerned as to where we go from here," he said.

However, the declaration was a positive for Pyongyang's relations with the international community, especially with Washington, which will likely use the latest momentum to set up a second meeting between Kim and President Donald Trump. The Moon government also obtained an agreement to ease the process of family reunions and start construction on road projects connecting the two Koreas by year-end. Kim said he will visit Seoul soon, which would be the first time a North Korean leader visits the South's capital.
After the bell Friday, around $2.8 trillion in equities reshuffled into the newly created communications services sector.

Those changes leave the tech sector looking a little different to investors.

"What's going to be left of the technology sector is going to be largely driven by the hardware and the software and services space," explained Lindsey Bell, investment strategist at CFRA Research, on CNBC's "Trading Nation" on Thursday.

Among the biggest changes, Facebook and Google parent Alphabet moved out of tech into the new sector. Apple's leadership expanded to a 21 percent weighting, up from 17 percent, while Microsoft places second with a 17 percent weighting from 13 percent.

Apple and Microsoft as the two biggest drivers should continue to lead gains in the tech sector, says Bell.

"As those two companies switch to face higher growth and higher margin businesses  services within Apple and cloud within Microsoft  you will continue to see strong growth out of the tech sector," she said.

The tech sector also became more weighted to volatile chip stocks such as Advanced Micro Devices and Micron, but Bell believes that could be a positive.

"Semiconductors  they were 14% of the market cap, they're going to be about 17 percent  they should continue to weigh, but earnings estimates have come down so significantly right there that we think that you'll still be able to have solid growth out of this sector overall," said Bell.

Earnings growth for semiconductor stocks has been reduced to 6 percent in 2019, down from 26.5 percent, according to CFRA Research. Lowered estimates make for easier analyst beats come reporting season.

It's not just tech seeing a big change. The new communications sector absorbed the telecom space, ending its reputation as a defensive play.

"Even though the media stocks have high dividends, they're just going to be such a small component of the new sector," said Bell. "A lot of people like the sector because of the 5.4 percent dividend yield. It was a bond proxy, but now it's going to be closer to about 1.5 percent."

Alphabet has a 29 percent weighting in the new sector, while Facebook accounts for nearly 16 percent. Neither offers a dividend.
Have a craving for culture? Now you can get your fix for free.

On Saturday, Smithsonian Magazine is hosting its annual Museum Day, during which admission fees at over 1,500 museums, zoos and cultural centers across the country are waived. All 50 states have participating institutions, ranging from the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington to Zoo Miami in Florida.

"Museum Day goes beyond getting visitors through museum doors  it acts as a springboard to empower and help advance the hopes and ambitions of the public, particularly school-aged children and those in underrepresented communities," says Smithsonian.

For free admission and to search which institutions near you are participating in the promotion, you can search here by state, zip code or specific institution, and then download your free ticket. Your ticket provides free, general admission for two people on Sept. 22.

Some of the museums offering free admission on Saturday include the 9/11 Tribute Museum in Manhattan, New York, (which usually has an admission fee of $15) and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum there (which usually has a fee of $33).

In Chicago, participating museums include the Adler Planetarium (its typical fee is $12) and in San Francisco, you can get into the Cartoon Art Museum for free (its typical fee is $10).

This year, Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day is highlighting women making history, encouraging visitors to explore the stories of female trailblazers.

Don't miss: This Italian island is so dreamy you have to apply to visit and there's a waitlist  take a look

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British Prime Minister Theresa May said Friday that the European Union and the United Kingdom are at an "impasse" in talks over Brexit.

The U.K. leader reiterated that she will not overturn the result of the 2016 referendum and "nor will I break up my country."

Speaking from inside Number 10 Downing Street, May repeated that the options on offer from the EU were unacceptable and would "make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago."

May also called on the EU to provide more detail on its negotiating position.

"Yesterday, (European Council President) Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse."

In an apparent jab at the tone of other European leaders during negotiations, May added that healthy future relations were at risk.

"Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The U.K. expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it," she said.

Sterling had fallen almost 1 percent in trading Friday prior to the speech, and was down to 1.3 percent at the end of May's statement.
The help wanted signs for seasonal jobs are out, but finding enough workers may be more difficult for the nation's biggest retailers in an increasingly tight labor market.

With unemployment under 4 percent, there is little slack in the job market, making quality employees looking for seasonal work that much harder to find.

Stores, websites and delivery companies have advertised more than 330,00 seasonal job openings so far, according to employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, and most economists expect that number to more than double in coming weeks.

While the total number of seasonal job postings is about in line with past years, with unemployment at historic lows, it may be harder to fill the roles. Companies will have to offer more perks, higher wages and recruit non-traditional workers to fill their openings, economists say.

Online employment marketplace ZipRecruiter says it had twice as many retail job openings this August than last August.

"We are seeing more openings than applicants, with about 144,000 [openings] to 117,000" applicants, said ZipRecruiter labor economist Julia Pollak. "The same applicant number, but for twice as many jobs this year."

Diane Swonk, chief economist for Grant Thornton, is not sure retailers will be able to fill all the open jobs, which could lead to a more frustrating shopping experience.

"I think we're going to see [labor] shortfalls, that means even more lines" says Swonk. "Usually one of the best indicators for how the economy is how bad the service is because they cannot staff up enough."

Retailers need the help, with forecasts calling for a robust holiday spending season. Various consulting groups predict holiday sales will grow between 3 and 5.6 percent, topping last year's strong results and the historical average.

Josh Wright, chief economist of talent acquisition software company iCIMS, said the tight labor market opens up opportunities. "Employers will also be giving more chances to workers with fewer opportunities  younger, less experienced, less educated, and minority candidates," he said.

Wright has some hopeful advice for those looking for work this holiday season.

"Potential workers should be prepared to get recruited like never before, because employers will need to work harder than ever this season to bring in talent," he said.

Kohl's started its holiday hiring earlier than ever this year in June. The Wisconsin-based department store is looking for 90,000 seasonal workers in stores and in e-commerce, and wanted to have the first crack at the best employees.

It also gives Kohl's plenty of time for training, which can be an important way for retailers to differentiate their shopping experience from others.

"The kinds of workers that come on seasonally, are often different than the long-term career workers, with the exception of recent grads that need a stepping stone" said Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at job search site Glassdoor. Seasonal "workers need to be on-boarded appropriately, or there's a risk of diluting the brand and the quality of customer interactions".

"During these tight labor markets and better economic times, and the people they get behind the counter have less skills" says Swonk. "That is the reality and that also means they're going to have to pay up for people."

Wages are important, but additional incentives and longer-term opportunities can also help retailers stand out. Flexibility, for those that just want seasonal work, is also an important option according to Chamberlain.

"Offering bonuses and good pay doesn't hurt" Chamberlain said. "But what makes [seasonal workers] happy is having good conditions, morale and ability to pick up some things on the job like new training or skills."

Most retailers will continue to offer employee discounts, and meals on big shopping days like Black Friday. Kohl's and Target are among those also offering gift card drawings. Target says its received 20 percent more applications this year than at the same point last year, which it attributes to its starting $12 per hour wage.

This year, Macy's seasonal employees will be eligible for a new bonus program, just like its year-round staff.

Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette is confident the department store will find its 80,000 holiday jobs.

"We prepared for this" Gennette said at the Code Commerce conference in New York City on Monday. "When you saw the tailwinds that are helping our business, the record low unemployment, you better have a plan."

Gennette said Macy's turnover has declined from last year, which he attributes in part to a new bonus program available to all employees, including seasonal help.

Swonk says, while it's been years since teenagers flooded the workforce, that may be changing this season. "We're seeing more teens participate than they did in the past although we're still closer to record lows than record highs on teen participation in the labor force."

Companies typically recruit students, recent graduates, retirees, and "gig workers," like uber drivers or Instacart shoppers, for holiday work. FedEx is looking for 55,000 seasonal employees and rival UPS wants 100,000, both upping their holiday hiring by 5,000 from last year.

According to Chamberlain "there are 16 million Americans working in contingent or alternative work today (aka the "gig economy") that retailers could potentially tap for this type of seasonal work"

Retailers are also competing with hotels, restaurants and others in the hospitality industry that also bulk up staffing during the holidays. Swonk says that but the pressure is ratcheting up as the experience based economy heats up as Americans travel and eat out more.

"There's an extra layer of competition for seasonal workers, where at one point in time, that wasn't as much of an issue," she said.
WASHINGTON  A new Russian nuclear-powered submarine fleet, capable of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles outfitted with hypersonic weapons, will be ready for war by 2024, according to a person with firsthand knowledge of a U.S. intelligence report.

In order to finance eight of the submarines, Moscow cut funding for other military modernization programs, such as the nation's surface vessel fleet, according to the person, who spoke to CNBC on the condition of anonymity.

The Borei II submarine, also designated Borei-A, is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that is slated to join the Russian Navy's Northern and Pacific Fleets. The U.S. Navy, by comparison, boasts one of the largest submarine fleets in the world, with 14 Ohio-class vessels tasked with the nuclear deterrence mission.

The Borei II, which is the first class of submarines of its kind developed by Russia since the Cold War, can launch up to 20 Bulava intercontinental-range ballistic missiles. Each Bulava can carry a bomb yielding 100 to 150 kilotons, which is approximately 10 times more powerful than the Little Boy atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

What's more, unlike a traditional missile, which carries one warhead, the Bulava missile is capable of carrying up to 10 nuclear and hypersonic weapons on its tip. That means one Borei II submarine could potentially launch 200 hypersonic weapons, a threat the U.S. is currently unable to defend against.

A hypersonic weapon can travel at Mach 5 or higher, which is at least five times faster than the speed of sound. This means that a hypersonic threat can travel about one mile per second.

Read more: Here's what hypersonic weapons are and why the U.S. can't defend against them

The latest revelations come a little more than six months after Russian President Vladimir Putin touted his nation's growing hypersonic arsenal as "invincible." Inevitably, Moscow's sprint to field this new breed of weapon has sparked fears over a budding arms race.

"I want to tell all those who have fueled the arms race over the last 15 years, sought to win unilateral advantages over Russia, introduced unlawful sanctions aimed to contain our country's development: You have failed to contain Russia," Putin said during his March national address.
Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak attend a news conference at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia February 14, 2018. REUTERS | Faisal Al Nasser | File Photo

Analysts don't expect Saudi Arabia and its allies to make a major policy decision at this weekend's meeting of oil- producing nations, but the Saudis face another challenge: appeasing President Donald Trump while keeping the kingdom's vision for a grand alliance of crude producers on track. Trump wants the Saudis to boost output to prevent oil prices from spiking as his administration restores sanctions on Iran, OPEC's third biggest producer and Riyadh's chief regional rival. If Saudi Arabia had any doubts about Trump's expectations, the president reminded OPEC in an early morning tweet on Thursday. @realDonaldTrump: We protect the countries of the Middle East, they would not be safe for very long without us, and yet they continue to push for higher and higher oil prices! We will remember. The OPEC monopoly must get prices down now! But Saudi Arabia faces threats to its leadership among roughly two dozen oil-producing nations if those countries perceive the kingdom is doing Washington's bidding at their expense. This weekend at a meeting in Algeria, the Saudis hope to advance their goal of making the ad hoc alliance  formed two years ago to end a devastating oil price downturn  more permanent ahead of its next major meeting in December. The 15-nation OPEC cartel and a group of other producers led by Russia have voluntarily throttled back their output since 2017 to boost oil prices. Now, the Saudis and OPEC want to institutionalize the alliance. "The Saudis do want to have as amicable a discussion as possible, and they want to prepare for the launch of this organization in December. That argues against rubbing new supply in Iran's face. They have a balancing act to strike," said Robert McNally, president and founder of Rapidan Energy Group. While kowtowing to Trump could raise questions about Saudi leadership, failing to send a clear signal to the mercurial U.S. president could put OPEC in Trump's crosshairs. This comes as Congress has revived legislation aimed at preventing OPEC from manipulating oil prices. Analysts say the Saudis are likely worried Trump will back the bipartisan legislation if OPEC crosses him, something presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama refused to do.

Trump first blamed OPEC for rising oil prices in April, renewing his position in June and July, even after producers restored some output in June. To be sure, production problems in some countries caused the alliance to cut output more deeply than it intended, helping to boost prices. But analysts say Trump's Iran policy is playing a major role in pushing crude back to 2014 highs in the $70 to $80 a barrel range. A news report on Tuesday that the Saudis are now comfortable with Brent crude oil prices above $80 a barrel may have prompted Trump's latest tweet. "I don't think the Saudis are at all comfortable with Brent above $80 because that gets President Trump on Twitter," said McNally. Raising output would also hurt many oil producers because few members of the alliance have much spare capacity. That means many would see their oil revenues shrink while a handful of producers like Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United Arab Emirates expand their market share. Analysts say the most likely course for OPEC this weekend is to reaffirm its current policy: slightly raising output to return to its target of keeping 1.8 million barrels a day off the market. The Saudis and Russians could then exert downward pressure on oil prices by stating they stand ready to meet any shortfall in supply. John Kilduff, founding partner at energy hedge fund Again Capital, doubts that will be enough to tame oil bulls. In his view, maintaining the status quo and failing to increase production will prompt more buying and higher oil prices. "Right now, the market is decently supplied, and so [OPEC members] are going to play with fire like they always do," he said. "Whatever comment they make will be bullish and we'll go higher in the short term." The seasonal drop in fuel demand at the end of summer will help to keep a lid on oil and gasoline prices, perhaps through the Nov. 6 congressional midterm elections, Kilduff said. However, Trump's deadline for oil buyers to stop importing Iranian barrels comes just two days before Americans go to the polls. Kilduff expects the impact of Trump's sanctions on Iran to become clearer in the weeks after the midterms. Once the elections are over, the administration may be willing to tolerate a higher price at the pump. "I believe they want to get these [Iranian] crude volumes down as much as they can, and I think they'll be willing to suffer a higher price for a while in the name of squaring away the Middle East," he said. Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, also thinks some corners of the market underappreciate how serious the Trump administration is about punishing Iran. The question of how much Iranian oil the Trump administration can take off the market is just one part of the equation, she says. In her view, the market is not focused enough on how Iran will respond.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence walk together on their way to greet Harley Davidson executives on the South Lawn of the White House, February 2, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Less than a month after President Donald Trump called for a boycott of Harley-Davidson Inc. motorcycles, the organization charged with his protection has ordered one.

The U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division placed an order for a Harley-Davidson police motorcycle last week, a move which documents connected to the order refer to as an organization requirement for "protective motorcade support functions." That could include protecting the president, who called for a boycott of Harley-Davidson in August in his continued Twitter campaign to discourage his supporters from patronizing the Milwaukee motorcycle company following a June announcement of an overseas production move.

"Many @harleydavidson owners plan to boycott the company if manufacturing moves overseas," Trump wrote on Aug. 12. "Great! Most other companies are coming in our direction, including Harley competitors. A really bad move! U.S. will soon have a level playing field, or better."

According to the purchase order documents, Harley-Davidson motorcycles are required for motorcades to ensure the "consistency of appearance, performance, training and parts with the currently existing motorcade motorcycle fleet." Furthermore, the motorcycle order achieves consistency with the Metropolitan Police and U.S. Park Police in Washington, D.C.

Ordering a different brand of motorcycle would also require the Secret Service to spend time training its support technicians "at a cost of thousands of dollars," and motorcade support officers would also need training. The Secret Service would have to "duplicate an inventory of spare parts" if the brand was switched as well.

Moreover, the Harley-Davidson police motorcycles come outfitted with a side car, and the Secret Service would need to purchase additional sidecars to equip with a new brand were a switch made.

As for when a switch away from Harley-Davidson could realistically happen for the Secret Service, the document indicates an evaluation could take place "when the current fleet is deemed worn out and economically unviable." However, the current fleet should last "for years to come" if properly maintained.

Harley-Davidson representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the order. President Trump hasn't mentioned Harley-Davidson on Twitter since Aug. 12.

WATCH: How big Harley-Davidson is and why it's a trade-war target
This article was reported and written in a collaboration with ProPublica, the nonprofit investigative journalism organization.

An artificial intelligence start-up founded by three insiders at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center debuted with great fanfare in February, with $25 million in venture capital and the promise that it might one day transform how cancer is diagnosed.

The company, Paige.AI, is one in a burgeoning field of start-ups that are applying artificial intelligence to health care, yet it has an advantage over many competitors: The company has an exclusive deal to use the cancer center's vast archive of 25 million patient tissue slides, along with decades of work by its world-renowned pathologists.

Memorial Sloan Kettering holds an equity stake in Paige.AI, as does a member of the cancer center's executive board, the chairman of its pathology department and the head of one of its research laboratories. Three other board members are investors.

The arrangement has sparked considerable turmoil among doctors and scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering, which has intensified in the wake of an investigation by ProPublica and The New York Times into the failures of its chief medical officer, Dr. Jose Baselga, to disclose some of his financial ties to the health and drug industries in dozens of research articles. He resigned last week, and Memorial Sloan Kettering's chief executive, Dr. Craig B. Thompson, announced a new task force on Monday to review the center's conflict-of-interest policies.

At a staff meeting Thursday morning, Dr. Thompson and others, including Dr. Lisa DeAngelis, the acting physician-in-chief who replaced Dr. Baselga, described the recent events as a disruption and acknowledged that the hospital was under a microscope, according to several people who attended. Doctors said they were concerned about a lack of communication from hospital leadership, and one said patients were nervous that their health data was being commercialized by the institution.

Hospital pathologists have strongly objected to the Paige.AI deal, saying it is unfair that the founders received equity stakes in a company that relies on the pathologists' expertise and work amassed over 60 years. They also questioned the use of patients' data  even if it is anonymous  without their knowledge in a profit-driven venture.

In addition, experts in nonprofit law and corporate governance have questioned whether Memorial Sloan Kettering, one of the nation's leading cancer centers, complied with federal and state law governing nonprofits when it set up the deal. The experts pointed out that charitable institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering must show that they didn't provide assets to insiders for less than the fair market value.

Cancer center officials said that they acted properly in approving the deal with Paige.AI and that if successful, the venture could change the future of cancer diagnosis. "This is an incredibly expensive undertaking  it needs a lot of money," Dr. Gregory Raskin, the hospital's vice president of technology development, said in an interview. "We feel this is a really valuable and important technology to get developed."

Officials said that some board members invested only after early efforts to generate interest from outside companies and investors had failed. But they acknowledged that they did not seek an independent valuation of the tissue archive, nor did they put the proposal out for competitive bidding before licensing it to a single company. In exchange for sharing its voluminous database, Memorial Sloan Kettering received ownership shares amounting to about nine percent in the company.

Thomas Fuchs, head of the MSK computational pathology lab and a co-founder of Paige.AI.

"It just seems awfully coincidental that the individuals involved happen to be people in control and influence of that asset, and they ended up with an exclusive use of it," said Marcus S. Owens, a Washington lawyer who ran the Internal Revenue Service division that oversees tax-exempt organizations. "It seems to create a cascading series of conflicts for the operation of Sloan Kettering."

The decision to license images of the patients' tissue slides to a for-profit company also highlights the broader debate over the use of personal medical data, ranging from genetic information to, in this case, images of a person's cells, for research and commercial purposes.

After ProPublica and The Times began asking questions about the arrangement, one of the founders  Dr. David Klimstra, the chairman of the pathology department  said he would divest his ownership stake.

Dr. Klimstra and another co-founder, Dr. Thomas Fuchs, the head of the computational pathology laboratory, pursued the idea for Paige.AI in 2015, hospital officials said. Dr. Fuchs had previously worked for NASAdeveloping algorithms that would teach the Mars rovers to navigate terrain, and has said some of the same algorithms can differentiate cancerous tumors from benign ones. In a statement, he called the AI start-up the culmination of his "life's work."

Universities and teaching hospitals have long sought to turn their scientific discoveries into lucrative business deals. Indeed, 10 cancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration originated at Memorial Sloan Kettering. But the Paige.AI arrangement is different because what's being commercialized is not an invention, per se, but rather access to raw materials  notes and slides  gathered over decades.

Paige.AI is among a growing number of companies, including Google and Microsoft, that are exploring ways to use artificial intelligence to improve health care. Pathology has been a focus because it remains a time-consuming, error-prone and often subjective process, where doctors examine tissue slides to decide whether cancer is present, and which type. Other start-ups in the field include PathAI, based in Boston, and SpIntellx, which is working in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh.

The Paige.AI project finally took off after enlisting the help of Norman Selby, a member of the hospital board's executive committee and a longtime health care consultant, manager and investor. He is listed as a founder and executive chairman of Paige.AI and holds an equity stake.

Jim Breyer, the early Facebook investor and venture capitalist, also agreed to invest. At a New York Times conference in February on artificial intelligence, he said Paige's goal would be "to provide predictive data and help to cancer physicians around the country  as second opinions, in many cases as well, because not everyone of course has access to a Sloan Kettering."

The three other hospital board members who became investors are Stanley Druckenmiller, Alexander T. Robertson and Marie-Josee Kravis, according to Richard Beattie, honorary chairman of the cancer center's board and a member of its executive committee. "We were desperate," he said in an interview. "This is more risky than most transactions, and we couldn't find investors."

The board investors in Paige.AI, and Mr. Breyer, either declined to comment or did not return calls and emails. Mr. Selby has pledged to donate some of his profits to the hospital, Mr. Beattie said.

Experts in nonprofit law and corporate governance questioned whether Memorial Sloan Kettering, which is a charity, acted properly in what is known as a related party transaction with the founders of Paige.AI.

While federal law does not specifically require seeking bids from competitors or independent appraisals of the assets in such a transaction, nonprofit groups that make deals with companies associated with board members or employees must demonstrate that they have taken steps to ensure that insiders don't get preferential treatment. If nonprofits are found not to have complied, they or the individuals involved could face tax repercussions.

Mr. Beattie said the hospital relied on some investors to set a value for licensing the slides, with guidance from hedge fund leaders on its board. A law firm, which he did not identify, evaluated the documents and said it was a good deal.

Nell Minow, vice chair of ValueEdge Advisors who has written books about corporate governance, said the center's process was "inadequate."

"They could be throwing a dart at the wall to figure out what the valuation is," she said. "They're accepting somebody's word for it and that's very, very risky."

Mr. Beattie said the cancer center would follow I.R.S. rules requiring it to list the transaction on financial forms, which won't be public until next year. He also said the hospital had set up plans to manage conflicts for the three company founders. All four members who are invested, including Mr. Selby, must recuse themselves from any board actions about the company, Mr. Beattie said. A review of the hospital's I.R.S. filings does not show any similar transactions in recent years.

In two meetings this month, staff pathologists confronted hospital leaders over the cancer center's relationship with Paige.AI, some of them angered by the deal that would allow others to profit from their work.

At a tense meeting Sept. 12, some pathologists said they only learned about the deal online after it was announced, two people in attendance said.

As for how the deal came about, Dr. Klimstra told colleagues that Google had twice approached the hospital about securing access to the pathology slides and was turned down. Mr. Beattie said there were never serious conversations with Google. A spokeswoman for Google declined to comment.

Doctors also expressed concerns about whether patients had consented to have images of their tissue used in this way.

Dr. Klimstra told them the project had been approved by an institutional review board, which considers ethical issues involving patients. Patients who had not given their consent to having their readings shared would have all personal health information stripped from the images and notes, he said. Dr. Raskin said that between 30 to 40 percent of patients typically do not consent.

And Paige.AI will not have exclusive access to slides that resulted from federally funded research, he added.

Alexander Capron, a professor who teaches medical ethics at the University of Southern California, said courts have generally ruled against patients in disputes over ownership of human tissue, but that institutions should be as transparent as possible with patients.

Internal concerns about the deal and how patients would perceive it escalated after Dr. Klimstra wrote an email in August informing the pathology staff of his involvement. It elicited a mocking response from Dr. Marc K. Rosenblum, a neuropathologist and former chairman of the department, who suggested in a reply that the center was auctioning its expertise to the highest bidder. The email included a tongue-in-cheek fight song. "To PAIGE I pledge my self entire and promise to be true," he wrote in the email. "I had a thing for MSK but now that thing is THROUGH!"

It then says, "(contemplate consulting fees, repeat with feeling.)"

In an interview last week, Dr. Rosenblum said he wasn't seeking financial compensation, but felt "the leadership had not been particularly transparent with us about the founding of this company, and I feel that we were not sufficiently credited with what had been our intellectual input in this."

Kathryn Martin, the hospital's chief operating officer, said the cancer center did not anticipate the pathologists' objections. "I think we could have done a better job communicating it," she said in an interview.

Dr. Klimstra said in a statement that the project represented a "quantum leap" in the pathology field.

"Other than my family, there is nothing more important to me than running my department," he said, and added, "I sincerely regret the fact that my equity ownership in Paige has served as a distraction to my primary leadership role at M.S.K."

Dr. Fuchs, the head of the computational pathology lab, defended his role in a separate statement. "Computer scientists like myself very seldom get the chance to really help patients," he said.

Details for distributing any profits or proceeds from Paige.AI have not been worked out, officials said. Ms. Martin suggested that if the deal is successful, some funds could be set aside for the pathology department to finance research projects.

For now, much of the talk is theoretical  the company is years away from selling a finished product, with a staff of fewer than 20 employees.

The roster of other key advisers also appears to be in flux. Until recently, Dr. Baselga was listed as the chairman of Paige's scientific advisory board. But his name disappeared from the company's website last week, the day after he resigned from Memorial Sloan Kettering. He also recently resigned from board positions at the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb and Varian Medical Systems, a radiation equipment manufacturer.
Walmart , Sears , Petland, Dollar General and a coalition of roughly 300 retailers  including IKEA North American Services, Kohl's , L.L. Bean, the Gap , Macy's and Under Armour  sent letters strongly opposing the tariffs. The administration levied trade penalties of 10 percent to 25 percent on a variety of consumer products in this latest round that take effect Monday. The tariffs apply to clothing, shoes, home goods, children's products, furniture and other imports from China.

"We are disappointed that despite broadly expressed concerns from companies and groups across a variety of industries, the administration has continued to escalate the threat of tariffs that would penalize American families," Target's chief merchandising officer, Mark Tritton, said in the company's Sept. 6 letter.

Target is among the hundreds of retailers and other companies pushing back against President Donald Trump 's new 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods . The U.S. trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, has received almost 6,200 comment letters on the proposed trade penalties so far.

Target is "deeply troubled" by the Trump administration's escalating trade war, saying it threatens to undermine the U.S. economy, penalizes American families and raises prices on everything from backpacks to playpens.

Tritton said the import taxes would raise the prices on basic family necessities such as cribs and infant car seats  and even raise the costs of sending a child to college because of the higher duties on desks, bookshelves and other dorm room needs.

Dollar Tree CEO Gary Philbin argued for dozens of exemptions from the tariffs, saying they would seriously harm the discount retailer's customers, "many of whom are low-income and rely on our stores for their daily necessities."

The taxes would also have a "significant negative impact" on the company itself, impacting thousands of products, costing "tens of millions of dollars" in revenue, stifling growth and threatening jobs, he said in a Sept. 6 letter.

"The merchandise we import from China is the product of low-cost, labor-intensive manufacturing processes  the exact opposite of the kinds of 'industrially significant technology' that the investigation is targeting," he said.

Sears executive Dean Schwartz also argued against the merits of the tariffs. He said they would have significant impact on the retailer, which is already struggling.

"A 'remedy' for China's unfair acts which harms U.S. retailers, consumers and an iconic U.S. brand such as Sears is not much of a remedy at all," Schwartz wrote in his Sept. 5 letter.

Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, also opposed the tariffs, saying it is "very concerned about the impacts these tariffs would have on our business, our customers, our suppliers and the U.S. economy as a whole."

The group letter signed by roughly 300 retailers said they cannot shift their suppliers and production out of China "without massive disruption and cost increases due to materials availability, quality, compliance, and capacity in other countries."

"Millions of U.S. jobs in our industry's global value chains  including those in research and design, supply chain, manufacturing, compliance, logistics, and retail  would be put at risk if a new 10 percent or 25 percent tax were imposed, due to fewer sales, less investment, and cost increases throughout U.S. supply chains," the group wrote.

WATCH: It was once the biggest retailer in the US. 125 years later, Sears looks a lot different
Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association

Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America.
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 20, 2018. Mike Segar | Reuters

After a week of reportedly taking the advice of his White House aides and treading carefully around sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to have had enough. With Kavanaugh's confirmation on the ropes and the judge's support among voters plummeting, the president shifted into full-blown attack mode against Kavanaugh's alleged victim, Christine Blasey Ford. "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," he wrote on Twitter Friday. "I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!" Blasey Ford was 15 years old at the time, and she has since said she didn't tell anyone about the alleged attack, not even her parents, until decades later. The White House has so far declined to comment on Trump's tweets attacking Ford, or to answer questions about how they will help to further its monthslong effort to get Kavanaugh confirmed to the Supreme Court. But the prospect of Trump on the warpath against Ford has created a nightmare scenario for Republicans in Congress.

Damage control

Already facing long odds and historical headwinds in November, the GOP will need to win over moderate Republican women and independent voters if the party hopes to keep control of the House, and to a lesser extent, the Senate. Now Trump has put many of the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress in a nearly impossible situation.

Republicans "don't have a strategy" anymore, said Michael Volkov, formerly counsel on the Judiciary Committee to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "They had a strategy, which was to keep [Trump] under wraps," he said in an interview. "I think Trump just couldn't help himself from becoming the center of attention." But while the White House hunkered down on Friday, the top Republican in Congress sought to reassure conservatives that everything would be OK. "Keep the faith. Don't get rattled by all of this. We're gonna plow right through it and do our job," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told attendees at the annual Values Voters conference. "You've watched the fight, you've watched the tactics. But here's what I want to tell you. In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court," McConnell said. Still, as Ford continued to negotiate the terms of her potential testimony before the Senate next week, McConnell appeared unable to stop Trump and other prominent conservatives from launching increasingly harsh and desperate-sounding attacks on Ford. One of the Kavanaugh's allies pushed a theory, rejected by Ford and criticized by several conservatives, that the accuser mistook the identity of her attacker and blamed Kavanaugh when the real culprit could have been one of his classmates. And the longer Kavanaugh's confirmation remains in limbo, the greater the risk that Trump will say something to further damage the Republican Party's brand among female voters.

Alienating women voters

Case in point: Trump's argument that if Ford's sexual assault had been "bad enough" then she would have reported it to police. By choosing this line of attack, the president did more than merely undermine the severity of what Ford says was a violent and traumatic experience. Trump also ignored a broader reality about sexual violence, which is that the vast majority of rapes and attempted rapes are never reported to the police. According to the Department of Justice's most recent crime statistics, rape and sexual assault are less likely than any other category of violent crime to be reported to police. In 2016, the department estimated that only 23 percent of rapes and sexual assaults were reported. In a country where 27 percent of women in one recent survey reported having survived a sexual assault, Trump risks alienating an enormous bloc of voters. Republicans are also acutely aware of Trump's long history of defending powerful men accused of sexual misconduct and of attacking their accusers. In 2017, when Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore faced multiple credible allegations of sexual misconduct with minors, Trump came to Moore's defense. It's a strategy the president has honed over decades, during which he has denied various allegations from at least a dozen women of sexual misconduct up to and including assault.

Cracks in the GOP's red wall

The more vicious the attacks against Ford become, said Volkov, the harder it will be for Republicans in Congress and the White House to present a unified front going into a possible hearing next week. The GOP holds a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate; two Republican defections would likely sink Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Within hours of Trump's tweets on Friday, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a key Republican swing vote for Kavanaugh, had already decried the president's tweet. "I was appalled by the president's tweet," Collins said at an event in Portland. She called Trump's attacks on Ford "completely inappropriate and wrong." The divide was also evident at the Federalist Society, a conservative Washington think tank that wields enormous influence over Trump's judicial nominations, including over his two Supreme Court nominations so far, those of now-Justice Neil Gorsuch and Kavanaugh.

I was appalled by the president's tweet. Sen. Susan Collins R-Maine
President Donald Trump on Friday put the brakes on his plan to declassify and release documents and texts related to the federal investigation of his presidential campaign and the inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The apparent reversal, which leaves unclear when, or if, the material will be released, came after days of criticism about his move to declassify the items.

Trump said in two tweets that he has asked the Justice Department's internal watchdog, Inspector General Michael Horowitz, to review the documents "on an expedited basis" after concerns were raised by DOJ officials that releasing the documents "may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe."

"Also, key Allies' [sic] called to ask not to release," Trump tweeted. "In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary."

Tweet

Tweet

Trump told Fox News on Thursday night regarding to documents, "We are moving along, we're working along."

"We are also dealing with foreign countries that do have a problem. I must tell you. I got called today from two very good allies saying, 'Please, can we talk,' " Trump said. "It is not as simple as all of that. We do have to respect their wishes. But it will all come out."

A spokesman for Horowitz declined to comment.

Trump on Monday declassified 21 pages of a 101-page application by the FBI in 2017 to renew a surveillance warrant allowing the FBI to monitor communications of ex-Trump campaign aid Carter Page.

Page has told a congressional committee he had contacts during the campaign with people connected to Russia.

Trump also declassified text messages of former FBI Director James Comey, Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, ex-FBI lawyer Lisa Page and former FBI agent Peter Strzok.

Monday's move surprised current and former members of the U.S. intelligence community.

"This is certainly unprecedented," Robert Litt, who during the Obama administration had served as general counsel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, told NBC News.

"Between the compromise of sources and methods, the impact on the willingness of people to cooperate, and the potential of selective release of classified material for partisan purposes, I think intelligence officials will find it very troubling," Litt said.
Hawley and national Republicans pounced on McCaskill's decision. The state attorney general called her a "Washington liberal" and questioned her reasoning, arguing the senator has not shared enough about her own family's finances. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP's campaign arm, also contended McCaskill's move shows she has moved too far to the left.

A sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh  which McCaskill said her "decision is not based on"  has thrown his confirmation into doubt. The accusation, which the federal appeals judge denies, dominated conversation in Washington and on cable news this week as Republicans try to confirm him before the midterms. Hawley supports Kavanaugh's confirmation and wants both him and his accuser, California college professor Christine Blasey Ford, to testify.

Despite the GOP's attacks over McCaskill's Supreme Court vote, some in Missouri say it will have limited effect on her push for re-election in November.

"I am skeptical that many votes hinge on Senator McCaskill's stance on Kavanaugh, one way or the other," Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri, wrote to CNBC. "While his nomination has consumed Washington, it does not appear to be a central issue for most Missourians."

The senator's decision on Kavanaugh had nothing to do with her re-election bid, McCaskill's campaign said. In addition, her campaign noted that polling in Missouri generally shows voters care most about health care. McCaskill has slammed Hawley on the issue, as he joined other state attorneys general in signing on to a lawsuit challenging pre-existing conditions coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
"I was appalled by the president's tweet," Collins said, adding that sexual assault crimes are notoriously underreported. "I thought the president's tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong."

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who has yet to state whether she supports Kavanaugh's nomination, blasted Trump's tweet in remarks to reporters later Friday.

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's tweets, nor did an attorney for Ford.

Trump followed up with a tweet attacking the accuser's credibility. In the post, he suggested that Christine Blasey Ford , who accuses Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were in high school more than three decades ago, should have reported the alleged incident to the police if it was "as bad as she says."

"Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who don't want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay," the president tweeted Friday morning.

President Donald Trump on Friday intensified his defense of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh , claiming that the sex assault allegations against the conservative judge amounted to a hit job by political opponents.

Trump was also quick to say Kavanaugh's accuser, California researcher and professor, should "have her say, and let's see how it all works out."

"You say, why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?" the president told political ally and Fox News personality Sean Hannity on Thursday in Las Vegas, where Trump also held a campaign rally. "I mean, you could also say, when did this all happen? What's going on?"

The posts marked a shift toward a more aggressive tone from Trump in the ongoing fight over his Supreme Court nominee, although the president has increasingly been casting doubt on the sexual-assault accusation.

He repeated his FBI question in a tweet Friday morning.

TRUMP FBI TWEET

Trump had said earlier this week that it was "very hard for me to imagine something happened."

The president's comments came after Ford's attorneys told the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees Supreme Court confirmations, that their client would want to testify about her allegations next Thursday, albeit under certain conditions. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley had scheduled a hearing for Monday, but Ford's attorneys said that wouldn't give the woman enough time to prepare.

Meanwhile, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that public opposition to Kavanaugh's nomination has surged following the nominee's confirmation hearings earlier this month and the revelation of the accusations. A plurality of voters now oppose Kavanaugh, according to the survey, which is in line with findings from other recent polls.

Ford, 51, came forward with her accusations in an interview with The Washington Post that was published Sunday. She claims that when she was about 15, Kavanaugh, then about 17, sexually assaulted her during a drunken gathering of high school students. The judge has denied the accusations. Ford also said that Mark Judge, a conservative writer who was a friend of Kavanaugh's at the time, was also in the room. Judge has said he has no memory of such an occurrence.

Ford wrote a letter detailing her allegation that was received by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, in late July, but it was not publicly reported until mid-September.

Representatives for Feinstein and Grassley didn't immediately respond to requests for comments on Trump's tweets Friday morning.

Republicans had been on track to confirm Kavanaugh, 53, in time for the Supreme Court's next term, which starts Oct. 1. The GOP has a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate, and two defections could sink the judge's nomination.

While GOP senators have been careful to say they want to hear Ford tell her story, they have also been itching to move the process along. Trump echoed that desire Thursday night.

"I don't think you can delay it any longer," Trump told Hannity.

Read the note Ford's attorneys sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, obtained by NBC News:
U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands at a news conference at Mar-a-Lago resort on April 18, 2018.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, fresh from winning a third term as premier, is expected to walk a fine line when he meets President Donald Trump next week as Tokyo looks to avoid a trade war with the U.S.

Earlier this month, Trump indicated he could impose a 25 percent duty on imports of Japanese vehicles and automotive parts as part of a strategy to reduce U.S. trade deficits with the international community. The move is widely seen as a bargaining tool for Washington to get what it has long sought from Tokyo  a free trade agreement.

However, the world's third largest economy is opposed to a bilateral trade deal and must find other ways to appease Trump, strategists told CNBC.

"I don't think there's any reason not to take [Trump] seriously," said Tobias Harris, vice president at Teneo Intelligence: "So now, Japan has to entertain either some pretty serious market access concessions or enter FTA talks  both things that Japan has tried to avoid since Trump took office."

The matter is expected to dominate Abe's summit with Trump which is slated for Sept. 26 in New York.

The tariffs are considered economically damaging for the Asian giant since passenger cars make up around 30 percent of Japanese exports headed stateside. It's also politically embarrassing for Abe, who has presented himself as someone with close ties to Trump, Harris explained.

If Trump acts on his threats, Abe will find himself in a situation where he has to retaliate with similar measures and that could derail the broader bilateral relationship, said Harris. That's currently the case with Beijing, which has responded to Trump's trade penalties with tit-for-tat measures.

"That situation is obviously something Abe wants to avoid," Harris stated.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presents a statement to the media following a meeting with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi on September 6, 2018. -

The United States is preparing a "series of actions" in the coming days to increase pressure on the Venezuelan government, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News on Friday.

"You'll see in the coming days a series of actions that continue to increase the pressure level against the Venezuelan leadership folks, who are working directly against the best interest of the Venezuelan people," Pompeo said. "We're determined to ensure that the Venezuelan people get their say."

He did not give further details on the nature of the planned actions.

WATCH: Bitcoin mining can land you in jail in this country
It's been called the world's first cyberwar  and it started with the relocation of a Soviet War memorial in Tallinn, Estonia. When Estonian authorities moved the statue of a Soviet soldier to a less prominent location in April 2007, the country's ethnic Russian population took to the streets to protest. Then, within days, websites of Estonian parliament, government ministries, banks and newspapers went offline. Although it hasn't ever been confirmed, it's widely believed Russia was behind the cyberattacks that left large parts of Estonian society at a standstill. The incident served as a wake-up call for the tiny Baltic nation that was already a highly digitally-advanced society. Estonia decided to take big steps to create a cybersecurity strategy.

International cooperation

"At that time, the approach to cyber was very national-minded or very nation-based," said Siim Alatalu, senior researcher of the Strategy Branch at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), which opened in Tallinn in 2008. Alatalu said the 2007 cyberattacks facilitated the creation of a permanent NATO unit focused on enhancing cybersecurity. The CCDCOE conducts large-scale cyber defense drills, although it's not technically a NATO operational unit.

The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Tallinn, Estonia. Maurizio Gambarini | picture alliance | Getty Images

"Our role is to be a step ahead of NATO," Alatalu said. The CCDCOE also created a framework for applying existing international law to cyber operations, called the Tallinn Manual. Now in its second edition, the manual brought together legal and cyber experts to offer an international approach toward cyber law.

Regulatory steps

Experts said one of the most frequent problems with cybersecurity policy is coming up with universal definitions for what constitutes cyber threats. "I'm not convinced that every country has really considered for themselves what they consider an attack to be," said Jessica Ruzic, a cybersecurity fellow at New America, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Ruzic said cooperation between the public and private sectors is vital for developing an effective cybersecurity strategy. The Estonian Cyber Defence League, for example, is a voluntary organization made up of IT experts and young people prepared to mobilize during a national cyberattack. Recent EU-wide regulation has also upped the penalties against companies that fail to protect online data. The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, that went into effect in May gives regulators the power to fine companies that don't comply with security measures. Unlike in the past, the fines can be massive: up to 4 percent of global annual turnover or 20 million euros ($23 million), whichever is higher.

Cyber hygiene
In his new novel, Gary Shteyngart chronicles the fall of a rich hedge fund manager on the run from his past and the law after his fund collapses.

Sound familiar?

To many, the character of Barry Cohen in Shteyngart's new novel, "Lake Success," will bear some resemblances to hedge fund titans like Steve Cohen or Bill Ackman. And Barry Cohen is the latest in a long line of fictional Masters of the Universe who are held up for public scorn  from Gordon Gekko in the movie "Wall Street" to Tom Wolfe's Sherman McCoy in "Bonfire of the Vanities" to Bobby Axelrod in Showtime's series "Billions."

But in an interview with CNBC, Shteyngart said Barry Cohen isn't based on a single person  but a collage of various hedge fund managers he met and spent time with over four years of researching the book.

"I take characters, I put a bunch of influences in the meat-grinder and we chop it all down," he said. "Obviously there are some influences like Valeant. But also someone like (Martin) Shkreli pops up," he said referring to the disgraced hedge fund manager and pharmaceutical company Valeant, which recently changed its name to Bausch Health. Both Shkreli, who ran Turing Pharmaceuticals, and Valeant gained notoriety and congressional inquiries for dramatically hiking the prices of life-savings drugs.

Shteyngart is famous for his prescient, thoroughly reported novels. His last novel, "Super Sad True Love Story," delved into Silicon Valley and the effects of technology and predicted a wave of class-based New York protests similar to Occupy Wall Street.

Shteyngart said he decided to write about hedge fund executives because as a Manhattan resident, they dominated the social scene and economy.

"I looked around my neighborhood in Manhattan and I realized I didn't know anyone," he said. "All my friends had been priced out long time ago. Who's left? I started talking to them and I realized everyone worked at a hedge fund or private equity or if you were really poor, an investment bank."

In the book, Barry Cohen's life begins to fall apart after a failed investment in a pharma company called "Valupro," which bears a striking resemblance to Valeant. Valupro is described as putting shareholders before customers, shrinking R&D costs and making profits by raising drug prices and doing corporate inversions.

In describing what hedge fund managers actually do to make their millions (and sometimes billions), Barry explains:

"Hedge funds are a story about how we're going to make money. They are about being smart, gaining access, associating with someone great ... You are bringing your investors something far more elusive than a metric. You're bringing them a story of how great you'll be together."

After the stock collapses and Barry gets implicated in an insider trading scandal, he leaves his wife and son and their Manhattan penthouse, ditches his wallet and phone and takes a Greyhound bus across the country to re-discover "his tender young self."

Shteyngart said that the hedge-fund world is a lot like his former high school.

"I went to Stuyvesent High School, which is a math and science nerd school in Manhattan, " he said. "There we were obsessed about our GPA. I still remember mine, 88.694. And these guys are obsessed about their basis points on their Bloomberg monitors. So for me it almost felt like a complete continuation of that."

Shteyngart said that when it came to his own investing, many of the hedge funders gave him the same advice: "They said don't invest with me. They said buy low-cost index funds."

Asked about the subject of his next project, Shteyngart said he's leaning more toward Moscow than Greenwich.

"I was born in Russia, so Russia's liaison with our current government is something I want to look into."
Just because Leslie Moonves was forced out as CBS's chairman and chief executive doesn't mean he is going to quietly walk away from $120 million.

That CBS would pay Mr. Moonves such a princely sum, after multiple allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior against him, infuriates many people while inducing even more women to come forward with complaints. Some CBS directors insist they won't pay him a dime.

But whether he collects the $120 million severance payment will come down to a seemingly simple question: Was he fired for "cause"?

For most people, the allegations against Mr. Moonves would be more than enough cause. But in the strange world of chief executive contracts, they may not be.

Mr. Moonves's most recent contract, which he signed last year, stipulates that cause for being fired includes a felony conviction, fraud, failing to cooperate fully in a company investigation and violation of any company policies, including those concerning sexual harassment.

Mere allegations of sexual misconduct, which now have been made publicly against Mr. Moonves by 12 women, do not constitute cause. Nor is it likely that behavior that occurred before he joined CBS could be considered a violation of any company policy.

Mr. Moonves has denied any improper behavior. He says that any sexual activity was consensual and, for the most part, occurred before he came to CBS. That and other issues are being investigated by two law firms hired by CBS, and any decision about his severance has been deferred until they complete their inquiries.

Nonetheless, four CBS directors or their representatives told me recently they had no intention of paying Mr. Moonves anything.

CBS clearly recognizes that proving any of the accusations against Mr. Moonves could be difficult and that, if the alleged behavior occurred before he was at the company, they might be of limited relevance. That is why the issue of whether he cooperated fully in the internal investigations into the matter has now assumed critical importance and may well determine whether he collects his severance.

Squarely in the middle of that question is Michael Aiello, who leads the corporate department at the law firm Weil Gotshal & Manges. Mr. Aiello advised CBS's independent directors amid those investigations. And, at the request of two members of the board's nominating and governance committee, questioned Mr. Moonves by telephone in January about whether he, and therefore the company, had a #MeToo problem.

A lawyer for Mr. Moonves and other Weil Gotshal lawyers representing the board members were listening to that interview and taking notes. According to the four people, both sets of notes say Mr. Moonves disclosed that a police complaint had been filed against him last year by a woman who said he had sexually assaulted her. (The police complaint was pending when Mr. Aiello interviewed Mr. Moonves, but it was later dropped because the statute of limitations had expired.)

Mr. Moonves also told Mr. Aiello that an actress's manager had privately contacted Mr. Moonves and had accused him of sexually assaulting the actress, the four people said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the active legal matter.

Mr. Aiello did not ask Mr. Moonves the names of the woman who filed the complaint or the actress, the people said.

After the interview, Mr. Aiello briefed board members on it. The four directors or their representatives told me that Mr. Aiello assured them that although there had been some "rebuffed advances" toward women by Mr. Moonves in the distant past, CBS and the board had nothing to worry about.

Mr. Aiello did not mention the police complaint or the actress, the directors and their representatives said.

Mr. Aiello's failure to mention either matter to his client  CBS's nominating and governance committee  is perplexing, especially because he continued to advise the independent directors separately about whether to file a contentious lawsuit seeking to dilute Shari Redstone's controlling interest in CBS. The suit was filed in May, and directors told me that, had they known then about the sexual harassment issues involving Mr. Moonves, they would not have gone forward with it.

"Ethical rules in New York and nationally require lawyers to give clients important information about a client's matter," Stephen Gillers, an expert on legal ethics at New York University School of Law, told me. "A criminal complaint filed against Mr. Moonves was directly relevant to the board's decision about his status."

He added: "Mr. Aiello would have been expected to disclose the filing to the two directors who hired him. It doesn't matter that the police later chose not to pursue the complaint because of the statute of limitations. The very fact that a woman went so far as to file a criminal complaint was itself important for the directors to know at the time."

Mindy J. Spector, a partner and general counsel at Weil Gotshal, said that Mr. Aiello could not comment on his or his colleagues' communications with the directors or anyone else at CBS, including Mr. Moonves, because of attorney-client privilege and confidentiality restrictions. She added that the firm stands behind the advice that it and Mr. Aiello gave the CBS directors.

In July, Mr. Moonves later told investigators, the actress's manager had contacted Mr. Moonves seeking a job for her, two of the people said. The manager did not explicitly condition her continued silence on getting a job, but the implication seemed clear. Mr. Moonves spoke to a CBS casting director, who subsequently offered the actress a role, although it was a small one that entailed only a single day's filming. The actress rejected the offer as inadequate, the people said.

Mr. Moonves did not immediately report this development to the board, the directors and their representatives told me.

A few weeks later, The New Yorker published what would be its first expose about Mr. Moonves, containing the accounts of six women. CBS's independent directors expressed full support for Mr. Moonves, but the board hired the two law firms to investigate.

In an interview with the two firms, in August, Mr. Moonves disclosed that he had sought a job for the actress, and his lawyers provided additional details, according to four of the people. (The actress has not been publicly identified.)

CBS directors were shocked. They began to negotiate Mr. Moonves's departure, and they agreed to postpone any decision about his severance package until the investigation was complete. Along with Mr. Moonves, five board members also announced that they would be leaving their roles.

Mr. Moonves, who collected $650 million during his tenure at CBS, including $69 million last year, believes he was fired without cause and therefore is entitled to the severance payment. At least four CBS board members strongly disagree.

Now that the whole affair has spilled into the open, CBS and its reconfigured board are in a no-win situation. If they refuse to pay Mr. Moonves, they face the prospect of a messy fight with their former leader.

But the alternative is unpleasant at best. If they pay Mr. Moonves anything, they risk setting off a public backlash  not to mention shareholder lawsuits that could air CBS's dirty laundry in a public courtroom.

The board will have to decide: Which option is the least ugly?
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said Rana Kapoors term at Yes Bank as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) will end in January 2019, it said in a statement.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said Rana Kapoors term at Yes Bank as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) will end in January 2019, it said in a statement.

"Reserve Bank of India has vide letter dated September 17, 2018 received today, intimated that Shri Rana Kapoor may continue as the MD & CEO till 31 January 2019, and the Board of Directors of the Bank are scheduled to meet on September 25,2018 to decide on the future course of action," Yes Bank said in a regulatory filing.

Citing governance and regulatory issues, RBI has directed the private sector lender to search for a successor in the interim.

On August 30, RBI said Kapoor can continue as MD and CEO until further notice.

In June this year, Yes Bank's shareholders had approved the re-appointment of Kapoor as the chief executive and managing director for three years, subject to final approval from the RBI.

Yes Bank is India's fourth-largest private bank by assets, and among the most profitable in terms of return on assets.

Kapoor was among the founding team of Yes Bank, along with Ashok Kapur who died in 2008. As a promoter, Kapoor and his family own a 10.66 per cent stake in the bank. He has been the bank's CEO since 2004.

Prior to establishing Yes Bank, Kapoor was CEO and Managing Director, and main Managing Partner of Rabo India Finance (RIF) (a corporate finance and investment banking organisation).
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Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST

Bazaar Corporate Radar

Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar.
The EU collapses Chequers

Humiliation for the Prime Minister as Member States reject plan  The Times

Government seeks to staunch fallout from summit  FT

Brexiteers and Remainers declare Chequers dead  Daily Mail

A visibly furious Theresa May rounded on EU leaders for hanging her our to dry yesterday as she battled to keep her Chequers Brexit plan alive in the face of fierce Tory criticism. At an extraordinary press conference in Salzburg, Mrs May said she still believed a deal was possible, and offered a fresh concession on Northern Ireland  but acknowledged there was a lot of hard work to be done. It came after Brussels issued a calculated snub to her Chequers plan, saying it was a non-starter. EU chief Donald Tusk said the other 27 leaders all agreed that the complex plans at the heart of the Chequers deal will not work. It forced Mrs May to declare she was closer than ever to walking away without a deal and her close ally Chris Grayling said last night that she would unless Euroocrats soften their position on the Irish border. The Prime Minister acknowledged she had had a frank meeting with Mr Tusk shortly before she faced the press  diplomatic code for a blazing row.  Daily Mail

>Today: ToryDiary: Around the black cloud of Salzburg one can glimpse a silver lining

>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Like a round-table of Bond villains. To staccato drum beats, May arrives with other leaders at the EU summit dinner.

May miscalculated

For the first time since she became prime minister, Theresa May arrived at a European Union meeting with high hopes and the wind in her sails. She badly needed good news; to be able to go to her party conference in nine days time buoyed with success and the acceptance by the EU of her controversial Chequers proposals as the basis of a final Brexit deal. Instead, she returns humiliated after a series of mistakes, with Eurosceptic Tory MPs and a jubilant French president alike crowing at her discomfort The French president could not help but rejoice at her humiliation as an abject lesson of Brexit; one he sees as necessary to convince voters of the punishing price of populism. Brexit shows that it is not easy to leave the EU. It is not without costs. It is not without consequences, he said.  The Times

Merkel reveals that single market concerns underly EU reluctance  Daily Express

Davidson tells the Prime Ministers critics to shut up  Daily Telegraph

Sturgeon calls for talks extension if no deal is reached  The Sun

More:

Backlash as Brussels chiefs say Brits should vote again  Daily Mail

Ministers leave businesses unprepared with waffle papers  The Sun

Trade body says manufacturers are unprepared for no deal  FT

UK to bring forward new Irish Border proposals  News Letter

Macron tears into Brexiteers  Daily Express

and they hit back at the President  The Guardian

Leading Labour politician advising Peoples Vote campaign  The Sun

>Today: Iain Dales column: May talks tough, but climbs down. Chequers was a compromise. Now get ready for more.

Fraser Nelson: Britain should now prepare for blind Brexit

T

his is whats being called a blind Brexit, an inconclusive deal where MPs agree on certain huge aspects of Brexit  the money given to Brussels, for example  but they would not be told very much about what theyd get in return. There would be a vague statement for MPs to endorse. Wed enter a transition period with no clear idea what we were transitioning to  the option once derided by George Bridges, a former Brexit minister, as the gangplank into thin air. And the Tories would walk down that gangplank because the alternative  jumping into the water of no deal  is one that, by now, terrifies even them.

I

Hardliners move fast to exploit Mays weakness  Oliver Wright, The Times

The EU killed Chequers and twisted the knife on May  Peter Foster, Daily Telegraph

Absurd show illustrates that were right to leave  Iain Martin, The Times

Dont buy the hype, its an Irish Sea border or a Customs Union  Jonathan Lis, The Guardian

ts true that a good many Tories talk about being prepared to walk away, even now. But Ive been struck by how many of those so confident in public now admit in private that its too late.,, The other risk is that, if no-deal does end in chaos, it would forever associate Brexit with disaster in the public mind  and create support for rejoining the EU. Perhaps this is what has emboldened Tusk: the belief that the EU will now win any game of chicken. And that he can humiliate Mrs May without her being deposed.  Daily Telegraph

Editorial:

Difficulties dont mean a deal is impossible  The Times

Brussels cant stop Brexit with insults  Daily Telegraph

We cant wait to be free of these mobsters  The Sun

>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: May stonewalls as shes asked: How can you now cling on to Chequers?

Two-thirds of voters would accept the Prime Ministers NHS tax rise

Most voters back Theresa Mays plan to raise taxes to spend more on the NHS, an influential research group claims. Six out of ten think the Government should tax and spend more, including more than half of all Tories, it said. The findings from the respected British Social Attitudes survey are likely to reinforce Downing Street confidence that the electorate will support higher taxation if the money goes to improve the NHS. But voters are only prepared to back increased taxation if the money is spent on areas from which they will personally benefit. The survey, which is carried out annually with funding from Whitehall, found that those aged between 18 and 34 were more than twice as likely to favour extra spending on education than the over-55s.  Daily Mail

Labours spending plans backed by majority  The Guardian

Comment:

Most Tory voters now oppose austerity, but wont be marching with Corbyn  Roger Harding, Times Red Box

Ministers 1) Grayling accused of shirking responsibility for rail failures

Transport Secretary must shoulder the blame, MPs insist  The Times

Fare increases and timetable chaos are driving people off public transport  Daily Mail

Chris Grayling was last night fighting to save his political career after being accused of shirking responsibility for the rail timetable chaos. The Transport Secretary faced a growing backlash and calls for him to quit after an official report yesterday exposed the extent of the failings behind the fiasco during an overhaul earlier this year. A new timetable affecting almost half of train services was introduced on May 20, which was meant to add services and make the network more reliable. But the result of systemic failings throughout the industry saw hundreds of services cancelled every day as passengers endured months of disruption and delays. Mr Grayling has previously told MPs he was not to blame for the chaos as he is not a specialist in rail matters and does not run the railways.  Daily Mail

Comment:

Fragmented railways will never work, public or private  Simon Jenkins, The Guardian

A new, independent organisation should run the railways  Christian Wolmar, The Sun

Westminsters answer to Mister Bean  Ian Birrell, The Guardian

Editorial:

Britains stumbling rail system needs a rethink  FT

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Another review wont spare ministers the need to grasp the nettle of railway reform

Ministers 2) Javid pledges a fightback against gangs which use children

Sajid Javid has pledged a fightback against evil drugs gangs enslaving tens of thousands of vulnerable children. In a hard-hitting message, the Home Secretary announced he is taking action against the cowardly criminals who ruin lives and damage society. He said it was chilling that children as young as 12 were being lured into becoming drug mules  and unwittingly ensnared in a web of brutality and intimidation. His crackdown focuses on the county lines networks, where gangs based in Britains big cities use boys and girls as couriers to flood small market towns and seaside resorts with heroin and crack cocaine. Mr Javid launched the drive after the Mail brought into sharp focus the terrifying scale of the problem blighting the country. In one county, Norfolk, 126 children were arrested as part of a major crackdown.  Daily Mail

Head of prison service sacked over growing concern at jail violence  Daily Telegraph

Ministers 3) Hunt insists that Burmese generals must face justice

Ministers 4) Williamson planning new cyber-force

The Burmese generals responsible for atrocities against Rohingya Muslims must be punished for their crimes, Jeremy Hunt has said after a meeting with Myanmars de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The United Nations should look at all options, including a referral to the international criminal court, the British foreign secretary added. Hunt was speaking after travelling to Rakhine state, from where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were driven in clearance operations. The 700,000-plus refugees forced to flee to camps on the Bangladesh border will not return to the former homes unless they have the comfort there is a proper judicial process, accountability and justice for the perpetrators of any atrocities, Hunt said. It is likely that the UK will push for a separate, independent UN mechanism to continue to gather information about crimes over the next few years. A similar body was set up to look into war crimes in Syria.  The Guardian

An offensive cyber-force to combat hostile states, terrorist groups and domestic gangs will be set up by the Ministry of Defence and GCHQ, The Times understands. The 250 million unit will comprise about 2,000 digital warriors, with experts recruited from the military, security services and industry. It will quadruple the number of personnel in offensive cyber-roles and marks a step change in the nations ability to disrupt and destroy computer networks and internet-connected devices. The creation of the force comes as the threat from Russia is escalating and follows successful UK cyber-attacks against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Recruits will also target criminal gangs, including people-traffickers and paedophile rings. The force is expected to be announced soon and follows a review ordered by Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary.  The Times

Ministers also considering Ofcom for the web  The Sun

Editorial:

This has the potential to transform British national security  The Times

Ministers 5) Hinds urges overhaul of attitudes to technical education

where no previous generation has gone to university and in communities where there arent many people going on to higher education that more and more people are having that chance, he said.  The Times

Davidson denies contradiction in ambition to be First Minister

Attitudes towards technical and vocational training are outdated in the UK, the education secretary said, adding that university is not for every child. Damian Hinds urged all schools, including grammars and selective independent schools, to make sure pupils were aware that apprenticeships and other forms of technical education were a good alternative to university. He was speaking toduring a trip to the Netherlands to see how it structures technical education. Technical training, or further education, in the UK has been the poor relation to a degree but in other parts of Europe it is on a par if not more highly regarded. Its great that more kids are able to go to university. I think its great in particular that in families

Ruth Davidson has insisted there is no contradiction whatsoever between her desire to be First Minister of Scotland and her ruling out ever becoming Prime Minister because of the impact it would have on her mental health. The Scottish Conservative leader said she felt a compulsion to open up about her struggles with mental illness, having revealed recently she had self-harmed while at university She spoke about her mental health problems at an event in Edinburgh. It came just days after she ruled out ever standing to be Prime Minister, telling The Sunday Times: I value my relationship and my mental health too much for it. I will not be a candidate. The event also coincided with the launch of Ms Davidsons first book Yes She Can, for which the former journalist interviewed a number of inspirational women She now turns to structure, exercise, forward momentum when feeling anxious as she made clear her mental health problems do not prevent her from wanting Nicola Sturgeons job.  The Scotsman

Corbyns peace minister calls for Trident to be scrapped

McDonnell considers breaking up Big Four accounting firms  FT

Activist who called for racially separated schools to speak at Momentum event  The Sun

Labour leader demanded Arsenal boycott  Daily Mail

as his allies plot to sideline Watson with female deputy

Jeremy Corbyns peace minister has been accused of flouting Labour policy by publicly demanding Trident be scrapped. Fabian Hamilton sparked a fresh bout of infighting after MailOnline uncovered footage of him openly condemning the nuclear deterrent. The Leeds MP is also due to give a talk at party conference on how to protect workers in the event of scrapping Trident. Critics said the leadership was using devious tactics to try and reopen the issue, after Mr Corbyn failed to impose his own views. Labour has been wracked by divisions over the nuclear deterrent since Mr Corbyn became leader three years ago. The veteran left-winger is a life-long supporter of unilateral disarmament, and is still vice president of CND. But despite Mr Corbyn vowing that he would never use Trident as PM, Labours official policy is to support renewal of the weapons system.  Daily Mail

Jeremy Corbyns supporters are backing a move to elect a second deputy Labour leader in a move that could undermine Tom Watson. Allies of the party leader are supporting a motion at next weeks annual conference to create the new post for a woman. The proposed rule change, submitted by the solidly Corbyn-backing Wirral West constituency, is expected to be put to a vote of delegates on Tuesday. An election campaign for a woman deputy leader would inevitably pitch some of the leading contenders against one another and would also bring into sharp relief the differences within the party over Brexit, spending priorities and attitudes to foreign policy issues, including Israel. However, Mr Corbyn was warned that the move could backfire. Asked about it yesterday Mr Watson said he would welcome a co-deputy and that the change would allow the party a decent policy debate about where we go in the future.  The Times

Deputy causes rift by mocking aides deep state fears  The Sun

Comment:

All that Labour wants to talk about is itself  Philip Collins, The Times

Corbyn says Labour might grant SNP another referendum

Scottish Government will fight Salmond in court

Jeremy Corbyn last night opened the door to a second Scottish independence referendum if Labour win power. Speaking on the eve of Labour party conference he said he is not ruling out granting a second vote if he becomes PM. He said he would decide at the time what to do if Nicola Sturgeon asked for his consent. But he insisted that another vote on independence is not a good idea. Mr Corbyn made the comments in an interview with BBC Scotland ahead of his partys conference, which gets under way in Liverpool this weekend. Scottish Conservatives have described the remarks as a gaffe, while the Liberal Democrats branded Mr Corbyns stance extraordinary. The SNP said it would be a democratic outrage for any prime minister to block giving Scots a choice over their future.  The Sun

The SNP government has vowed to vigorously fight Alex Salmond over its handling of sexual misconduct complaints against him as it formally responded to his court action. Scottish Government lawyers notified the Court of Session in Edinburgh of their intention to contest Mr Salmonds application for judifical review of a new complaints procedure. In a statement, the Nationalist administration said the process was legally sound and highlighted a number of inaccuracies in the former First Ministers statements. Two women have alleged he sexually harrassed them in late 2013, when he was First Minister. He strongly denies the claims. The complaints about Mr Salmond were made in January, only weeks after Nicola Sturgeon approved the new procedures for dealing with harassment complaints. He was notified in March but has complained that he was not allowed to see and therefore properly challenge the case against me.  Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday: Henry Hills Red, White, and Blue column: Salmond faces mounting pressure over allegations

MPs accused of not passing on pay rises

News in Brief:

Cleverly: the Tories are to blame for Corbyn  James Forsyth and Katy Balls, The Spectator

Voters are crying out for a more local politics  Matt Singh, CapX

Now Chequers is dead, we may be facing Johnson the Inevitable  Gerald Warner, Reaction

Chequers is devoid of democracy  we should seek a true free trade partnership  David Davis, Brexit Central

Italian democracy is under siege  Paola Diana, Comment Central

MPs staff are calling for an overhaul of the way they are paid after the UKs parliamentary expenses watchdog admitted that MPs might not be passing on money allocated to them for their employees wages. Since 2010, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has increased MPs staffing budgets annually and, in addition, allowed for a staff salary boost that is in line with average increases for public sector workers. This increased at the start of the current financial year in April by 1.8 per cent. But it is at the discretion of the MP to award this pay rise. Unions said discrepancies in the treatment of staff have been allowed to go unchallenged for years because MPs are entitled to run their office as if they were self-employed. Staff said they felt there was no internal way of communicating concern over pay because they work directly for the MP or their offices, rather than for parliament, and so there is no independent avenue for complaints.  FT
Last year, Theresa May sidelined her then Brexit Secretary, David Davis, and effectively put Olly Robbins, her Europe adviser, in charge of the negotiation with the EU. And in July, she dropped Davis plans, later published by this site as the Alternative Brexit White Paper, and took up the Chequers proposals. This U-turn persuaded both him and Boris Johnson to quit the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister would not have risked those resignations had she not been assured that Chequers was negotiable. Robbins himself confirmed the point during this weeks Panorama, in which the Prime Minister set out her case. The expectation in Downing Street was that the EU would formally declare at Salzburg that Chequers was a practicable basis for a deal. It was for this prize that she was willing to lose two of her most senior Ministers, alienate a sizeable chunk of her party, risk a leadership challenge, and face down her critics at the forthcoming Conservative conference, presumably declaring as she did so that the ladys not for turning.

This morning, May is left clutching not that trophy, but a wooden spoon. Donald Tusk put Chequers to the sword in half a sentence: the suggested framework for economic co-operation will not work. The EU27 appear to have concluded that the Prime Minister compromised last December when a draft Withdrawal Agreement was first produced, and will duly compromise again to settle on one of its three preferred outcomes: Norway, Canada (plus the backstop) or the junking of Brexit itself. The Bond film-style setting for the summits final dinner looked like a round-table for Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Emmanuel Macron duly dropped the drawbridge and fed May to the piranhas.

Which leaves her with only one strategic option.

Before describing it, we must first dismiss two others that are closed to her. The first is simply to press on with Chequers, declaring that nothing has changed. This would leave the Prime Minister in the exposed position of being just about its only supporter. The harder Brexiteers dont like it. They prefer Canada. The softer ones dont back it, either. They want Norway. Nor, as far as briefings and arithmetic will tell, is there a natural majority in Cabinet for Chequers. Sajid Javid and Liam Fox went their separate ways during the EU referendum, but both are united in preferring to take the Canadian route. And now the EU has dispatched it. Chequers has no mates. Its a dead parrot. May risks collapsing her leadership if she claims in Birmingham that the bird is really pining for the fjords.

The second is Norway. There may come a point at which Conservative MPs, faced with a complete and final collapse of the talks, conclude that the consequence will be either No Deal, which they decide is unmanageable, or No Brexit, which would defy the democratic will of the British people, expressed in the biggest-ever vote in our history, and endorsed by both the main parties in last years election. At that point, the EEA port-in-a-storm option would be on the table. But a stark fact endures: voters simply arent prepared for this course. The Prime Minister has expressly ruled it out. The Commons has voted against the EEA within the last year. Any switch to it would require a new Conservative leader. It would need an election mandate, too. That would risk putting Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street.

Which leaves only one road for May to take. The route to Canada Plus Plus Plus, as Davis christened it, is not an easy one. A daunting obstacle sprawls across it: the Northern Ireland backstop. But if  we repeat if  that barrier can be climbed, negotiated, ducked or swerved, Canada is good deal more straightforward than Chequers. The latters complex customs proposals, its plan to separate manufacturing and services, its challenges to the theology of the Single Market  all would be swept away, to be replaced by a single big trade-off: Single Market access v more economic freedom. The Commons might well vote a Canada plan down. But a Norwegian one is closed to this Prime Minister. And Chequers is a dodo, as we have seen.

But if the Prime Minister takes the one strategic road now open to her, she has a further choice to make.

She could let the EU come to her with Canada, in effect, telling her Party Conference. Theyve rejected our proposals. Now its up to them to advance theirs. All I can tell you is: were sticking to Brexit. And were ready for No Deal. Or she could go to the EU with Canada, get on to the front foot, make a virtue of necessity, and say in Birmingham. Ive tried. Ive really tried. But the EU has rejected our plan. So heres one that it accepts in principle, which most of you want anyway, and which stands a fighting chance of getting through the Commons. The question then for the more hardline of the Soft Brexiteers  if we can put it that way  is whether they would really be prepared to vote down any Canadian-based agreement, risk the No Deal they abhor, and doubtless force May out while theyre at it.

We believe that the Prime Minister should try to shape events rather than let them shape her, and perhaps dispense with her altogether. None the less, doing so would mean swallowing a lorryload of humble pie. She would have to concede that Davis called the EUs reaction to Chequers right  and she lost both him and Johnson for nothing, other than a summer of differences and divisions that further weakened her government. But for every downside there is a potential upside. Party conference could be turned into an occasion for healing rather than bloodletting. The two former Cabinet Ministers and Steve Baker could support May from the conference platform, if they are willing. Downing Street would be in position to hug the ERG close. We dare to dream that Birmingham could become a UnityFest.

Making this option work, though, would mean change at Number Ten. We dont blame Robbins for following his mistresses instructions: after all, hes a civil servant, and politicians ultimately decide. But Dominic Raab needs to take unambiguous charge of the negotiation. Downing Street should draw more for support on Foxs trade department, the most engaged in a trading future for Britain.

May needs more Brexiteers near the top of her staff: Robbie Gibb is one of very few. Number Tens Europe Unit requires a shakeout. Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee, is an irenic Leaver. The Prime Minister should draw on his advice. Around the black cloud of Salzburg one can glimpse a silver lining.
Public transportation is a part of many consumers daily routine, serving as a convenient way to get from place to place. However, many consumers probably never considered the health implications of utilizing public transportation.

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Georgia Tech recently conducted a study and found that when more people utilize public transportation, obesity rates are lowered.

Opting for mass transit over driving creates opportunities for exercise that may otherwise not exist, said researcher Sheldon H. Jacobson. Instead of just stepping out of the house and into his car, riders need to walk from their home to a bus stop and from their stop to a destination.

More exercise

To see how public transportation affects consumers health, the researchers utilized census, transportation, and health records from over 220 counties across 45 states from 2001 through 2009.

To get the most accurate results, the researchers accounted for certain factors, including public transit funding, household income, healthcare coverage, and leisure-time exercise. The researchers biggest takeaway was that obesity rates go down when more people are using public transit instead of driving.

The study showed that obesity rates went down nearly 0.5 percent when public transit riders increased by just one percentage point. The researchers do note some limitations to their study, including the results reflecting counties rather than individual people.

The results indicate that when more people opt to use public transit, the county-level obesity rate tends to drop, though it does not necessarily imply that any one particular person is less likely to be obese if they ride transit frequently, Jacobson said.

Additionally, because the data was taken from ten to 20 years ago, there was no way for the researchers to factor in how rideshare services like Uber or Lyft would affect consumers health. However, the researchers are interested to see how technology will continue to shape how we get around and how it affects our bodies.

Our research suggests that investing in public transit can provide more efficient transportation options that not only help the environment, but may also offer public health benefits, said Jacobson.

Consistent findings

The researchers based their work off of a previous study, in which they found that increasing the use of mass transit could reduce obesity by 0.2 percent.

The new work takes a longitudinal approach, meaning that we examined differences between 2001 and 2009, allowing us to better control for factors that could otherwise influence the analysis, said researcher Douglas M. King. For example, factors like weather or physical geography that can influence the obesity rate of a county in both 2009 and 2011 are controlled since their impact is present in both time periods.
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Traffic is up at the ports of Molde and Andalsnes, said Jorid Sovik, marketing manager, with 54 ships set to call in Molde this year and 55 in Andalsnes, along with an additional four at a new destination nearby: Eresfjord.

Its a 23 percent increase in traffic, coming on the heels of strong industry-wide growth and a strong year overall for Northern Europe.

Highlights in the region are varied and include The Atlantic Road, Trollstigen Road, The Rauma Railway, The Marble Caves and Romsdal Museum.

We do our best to deliver a good product when it comes to port facilities, infrastructure, and shore excursions, said Sovik. Over the last couple of years, we have made great investments to ensure good conditions in our ports, especially in Andalsnes, where an extension to the pier opened in 2016, enabling ships up to 330 meters to go alongside.

The spectacular nature is the main reason cruise ships visit our region, Sovik continued. The ports are located in the Norwegian fjords, between the ocean and towering mountains. The scenery is varied and tranquil.

While berths are booked on a first-come first-serve basis, there are two quays available for ships in Molde and one in Andalsnes, in addition to various anchorages.

The ports hope to continue to build its cruise business into the future, particularly in the shoulder season.

The area is highly suitable for cruise tourism all year round, said Sovik. There is especially potential in May and September to October, when both the scenery and weather conditions are at their best.
Greenlands government announced this week that it is supporting a ban on using and carrying heavy fuel oil (HFO) in Arctic regions.

The government said that an important reason to support the ban was that marine casualties, which could lead to waste of HFO into the marine environment, could have major environmental and economic consequences. It said that HFO is very difficult and partly impossible to collect at low sea temperatures and therefore there is a risk that the oil will remain in the water and on the shores for a long time.

The IMO has been working on developing an Arctic ban on HFO since April (2018); it has been banned in Antarctic waters since 2011. The IMO Marine Environmental Protection Committee has directed one of its sub committees, which will meet in early 2019, to work on a possible ban definition and formulation.

According to David Walsh of the HFO-Free Arctic Campaign, the proposal to ban HFO as shipping fuel from Arctic waters was co-sponsored by Finland, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United States.

The proposal for a ban, along with a proposal to assess the impact of such a ban on Arctic communities from Canada, was supported by Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Japan, the League of Arab States, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

He said the new support from Greenland and Denmark is notable as it is the sixth Arctic nation to support the ban.

Among the Arctic nations, Russia is notably absent.

According to the HFO-Free Arctic campaign, about 75 percent of the marine fuel currently used in the Arctic is HFO and more than half of the vessels sailing there are flagged to non-Arctic countries.
GREENWICH  The deadly blast of wind and water came as a near total surprise 80 years ago.

Rain this afternoon and tonight; partly cloudy tomorrow, was the weather forecast that ran on Sept. 21, 1938.

What weather-watchers didnt know after reading that forecast was that 80 mph wind gusts, pounding rain and tidal waves were headed for the Northeast, a package of Atlantic fury that became one of destructive hurricanes ever recorded. After it was over, more than 500 people had been killed, 72 in Connecticut alone, as the storm raged from Sept. 21 into Sept. 22.

As the eyes of the nation has been turned to the devastation inflicted on North Carolina and other mid-Atlantic states hit hard by Hurricane Florence last weekend  as well as the lingering misery caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico last year  the Great Hurricane of 1938 serves as a reminder that extreme weather can strike anywhere with devastating consequences.

The storm brought eight inches of rain to Greenwich during the five days before the hurricane hit. It had no name at the time, but has since been nicknamed the Great New England Hurricane or the Yankee Clipper.

Its hard to imagine what the impact would be today, said Greenwich Harbormaster Ian Macmillan, I think were more sophisticated now, with weather satellites, than in 1938. We can see whats coming. They had no way of knowing. But were still at the mercy of the wind and the waves as they were back then. Its good to keep that in mind.

More News The Hurricane of 1938

The headline of Greenwich Time said it all: Town Suffers Heavily from Gale and Flood, Worst in its History. As editors at the paper later noted, Either the hurricane or the flood would have been bad enough by itself, but coming together they caused a major disaster.

The town was plunged into darkness at nightfall, traffic on the Post Road came to a complete halt from numerous downed trees and the Byram River rose three feet.

Survivors said storm was unforgettable, even decades later. I remember the torrential rain. The wind was blowing  man alive that wind was blowing, recalled Paul P. Palmer, as part of the Greenwich Library Oral History Project. A teenager at the time, and a Boy Scout, Palmer saved a friend who was trapped in the flood waters in Riverside, where the two were out exploring as an adventure. Palmer found a barrel, attached a rope to it, and then guided the jerry-rigged life-saver to his his stricken friend, who was hanging onto a telephone pole, he recalled.

There were numerous close calls, but no deaths in town. Two men were nearly killed by a falling tree at First United Methodist Church of Greenwich  but jumped out of the way at the last second as they heard the tree uprooting.

Two Cos Cob men kayaked down the Post Road. At the Indian Harbor Yacht Club, two newly installed bowling alleys were destroyed by water that flooded the basement. The apple and pear crop at Conyers Farm was nearly wiped out.

About 200 people were forced from their homes, half of whom required emergency assistance. Ropes were used to rescue a family and maid from the second-story of a home in the Shorelands section of Old Greenwich, carried out by police and firefighters. The National Guard was called in to assist law enforcement and prevent looting.

Then there was the tidal wave.

As Pierpont Minor, the town highway superintendent, later described in the pages of Greenwich Time, It has never happened before in Greenwich. The tidal wave caused a freak occurrence on the waters edge.

A gigantic wall of water hit our shore at 8 oclock, and from 8 until 10:30, the tide dropped four feet instead of rising, Minor reported. The Grass Island sewage plant was almost completely submerged, with only a portion of its roof visible.

Residents on dry land took in livestock and put them in garages and storage sheds, saving as many sheep and cattle from the floodwaters as possible.

In Cos Cob, on the banks of the river, a local resident named Stanley Morrell came to the rescue of his neighbors chicken flock in a rowboat, using a clothes-line pole to steer. He rowed over to the chicken-house door and saved 30 Rhode Island Red chickens, out of a total of 58 birds.

At the height of the storm, a baby was delivered at Greenwich Hospital without the use of electricity; doctors used candles and flashlights for illumination.

Scores of small boats along the waterfront were submerged or capsized, and at a boat yard on lower Arch Street, large boats were washed inland by about 200 to 300 feet onto yards and lawns.

Probably the most hellish memories of the hurricane belonged to Maud and Frederick Metzger, caretakers of Island Beach. The tidal wave washed over the island, destroyed the pier and submerged most of the dry land. The Metzgers made their way to the highest point on the island as the storm waters rose to knee-height and battered them relentlessly. The two held on for their lives to prevent being washed away into Long Island Sound, but they survived the ordeal, battered and drenched, according to the local newspaper account.

One fatality was reported in Stamford, where a 70-year-old watchman at a lumber plant was trying to close a gate, which struck him with deadly force.

The luckiest  and most determined  survivor of the storm was a 4-year-old German shepherd. The dog, which belonged to the family of Alvah Penn on Calves Island, was washed away into the Sound early Thursday and presumed dead. But on Saturday afternoon, Dixie staggered onto the shore at Island Beach. He was soaking wet and exhausted from the ordeal, his tail drooping, but very much alive.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
On the same day that legislative leaders detailed a new sexual harassment policy, a survey was released showing that one in five people who work at the state Capitol in Hartford have experienced sexual harassment.

Legislators were the most frequent perpetrators of the sexual harassment, which included sexual jokes, comments or unwanted touching, according to the survey released Friday.

Also on Friday, legislative leaders released a new sexual harassment policy  more than twice the length of their old one  which adds new training requirements and ways victims can report harassment.

The news comes as lawmakers in Washington wrestle with how to handle a report of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. In the past year, an explosion of sexual harassment allegations have ensnared high-profile men from Harvey Weinstein to Louis C.K. to Al Franken and produced a #MeToo movement that continues to expand.

State lawmakers reacted by holding a public hearing on sexual harassment in April and conducting a survey. The anonymous online survey was emailed by the Office of Legislative Management to all who work in the Capitol building including lawmakers, legislative aides and interns, full-time legislative staff, vendors who work in the building and press. Almost 600 Connecticut lawmakers and Capitol employees responded.

After an extensive review of the results of last springs survey, and working with experts and outside counsel, we believe that the updated policy makes clear that the General Assembly does not tolerate sexual harassment in any form, said Democratic and Republican leaders of the state House and Senate in a joint statement Friday.

The survey found 100 people, or 18 percent of respondents, had experienced sexual comments, compliments or innuendos at the Capitol. Another 87 people had heard sexual jokes or stories. Fifty-five had felt unwelcome physical contact such as kissing, touching, patting, pinching, or brushing against a person's body.

About 3 percent of people reported they had been offered a job-related benefit in exchange for sexual conduct.

The sexual harassment people experienced mostly occurred in the last five years, according to the survey.

The survey respondents were 49% female and 42% male (some respondents preferred not to answer), but there was no gender breakdown on individual question respondents.

If someone experienced sexual harassment at the Capitol, he or she most commonly did nothing about it, according to the survey. If he or she did take action, most people chose to avoid the perpetrator, and some asked the perpetrator to stop.

But less than 1 percent of respondents  only four individuals  said they reported their sexual harassment.

People largely did not report because they believed nothing would be done, the survey showed. Many people also feared retaliation.

Only 63 percent of respondents had taken sexual harassment training while working at the Capitol.

Sexual harassment is endemic to all workplaces, said Christine Palm, who used to run sexual harassment trainings for state agencies and now has a private business conducting trainings. This has been going on for a really, really longtime and the consciousness of the prevalence of it is rising. Is the behavior diminishing? We have a lot more work to do.

New guidelines

The new policy published Friday says all lawmakers, employees and interns must take a two hours of sexual harassment training within six months of being hired, and every two years after. The old policy from 2014 only said all staff had to take a training.

While the old policy gave victims a small list of employees to whom they could give a sexual harassment complaint, the new policy allows victims to give a complaint to any legislator, employee or designated outside party. The complaint recipient then must give it to human resources.

Now the policy covers behavior away from the Capitol complex, including at legislative-sponsored events or meetings. It also allows individuals to make an informal or formal complaint. It specifies that victims can ask for a decision on their case to be reviewed, and the accused can appeal the decision.

The policy states that legislators and employees have a responsibility to report sexual harassment and supervisors and human resources should monitor the workplace for it.

Our goal is to provide a work environment in which instances of harassment can be reported without fear of retaliation and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and free from sexual harassment, both subtle and overt, legislative leaders wrote.

The Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence and Connecticut Womens Education and Legal Fund said they are analyzing the policy and will issue comments on it soon.

It is good to see them take the step of sharing this survey and updating their policy, said Kate Farrar, executive director of CWEALF.

emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson
MILFORD  The owners of an Asian marketplace under construction at 804 Boston Post Road are being fined $100 per day since July 4 for blight on the property, health department officials say.

The prominent site is the former location of the once-popular M & M Farm Market.

The order of violation was given by the Milford Health Department June 4, and the owners had until July 4 to clean up the site, health department records show. As of Thursday, they had been charged $100 a day for 77 days for a total of $7,700.

In addressing the fines to the Board of Health, Health Department Executive Director Deepa Joseph said the goal is always to work with the owners of a blighted property to remedy the situation.

The site has improved to the eye of those driving by the busy intersection, but blight remains, health department officials say.

Beginning in May, the owners were ordered by the health department to cut down all overgrown vegetation, repair or replace construction fencing and plywood that is falling down or in disrepair and to get rid of inorganic building materials, appliances and household furnishings on the site. The report also reflects a violation because storage containers were left in a state of disrepair or abandonment.

The owners are listed as Long and Lily Deng of Long Island and the company as iFresh, a Chinese supermarket chain. Kevin Li, iFresh official, said this week that the company has cleaned up the site extensively, but whatever we do theyre not satisfied.

Li said construction crews are working on the cleanup each month. He said owners have been asked to address the construction fence, but its not 100 percent falling down.

Were trying to fix it up, Li said, noting he is looking for a way to remove the citys lien on the property in respect to the blight fines.

Health Department records show that on June 14, Li told a health department official he was not aware of the anti-blight order and asked for an extension, as the company was changing contractors. The health department declined to grant the extension.

On June 27, an inspector noted 90 percent of vegetation was cut down and trash was cleaned up, but all of it was not completed and the construction fencing remained.

Into late August, reports show there was more to be done.

The citys Planning and Zoning Board approved the Asian supermarket and food court in March 2016. It took a while for construction to begin, but once it did, a new building with Asian-style storefront spaces quickly took shape.

Then the project came to a standstill and the highly visible property became overgrown with weeds and in obvious disrepair.

At the time of the public hearing, neighborhood residents expressed concern about the potential stench of garbage, delivery trucks in the wee hours and parking.

Architect Ray Oliver said at the time that his client, New York Mart, had 17 stores between New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The building, Oliver said, would be faced with clay and tile for an Asian look and include six storefronts.

The plan for the inside include a grocery store expected to carry produce, fish and Asian specialty items, a food court and market area with vendors.

Li said there are still plans for the business to open, but right now he cannot say when.
What happened to Amelia Earhart?

That question has been asked, and not answered, countless times over the 81 years since she disappeared on July 2, 1937 on the third-to-last leg of her planned flight around the world. Now, finally, one of the great mysteries of the 20th century may have been solved.

Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, left Oakland on May 20, 1937 in her two-engine Lockheed Electra 10E plane, accompanied by Fred Noonan, her navigator. Circling the globe from west to east, by July 2 she had reached New Guinea and left that day on the longest leg of the flight  more than 2500 miles  for Howland Island, from which, after refueling, she would fly to Hawaii and then to California.

Howland is a small island, less than two square miles in size, on which runways had been built specifically for Earhart by the WPA. Given the rudimentary communication and navigation instruments available at the time, flying more than 2,500 miles to a speck of land in a vast ocean was undoubtedly the most challenging leg of the entire round-the-world flight.

Earhart never arrived at Howland. Some think she simply missed the intended destination, blown off course by the winds, ran out of fuel, and crashed somewhere in the Pacific. But that theory is contradicted by the fact that between July 2 and July 7, radio messages from Earhart were heard by the Coast Guard at Howland, a Department of the Interior radio operator at nearby Baker Island, the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, and Pan Am station in Hawaii, and the Pan Am stations on Midway and Wake Islands, as well as by a number of individuals in the U.S. and Canada listening on short wave at her frequency. In many of the messages, Earhart identified herself, gave the planes call letters, said they were down on a small and uncharted island and needed help. In one of the last calls, heard by a woman in New Brunswick, Canada, Earhart said they were taking on water, that Noonan was badly injured, and that we cant hold on much longer.

By triangulating from the directional bearings of the radio messages received at Howland, Baker, Midway, Wake, and Hawaii, the U.S. Navy soon focused on the area around Gardner Island, now known as Nikumaroro, a small uninhabited island roughly 350 miles southeast of Howland. On July 9, two days after the last signal from Earhart, three observation bi-planes were launched from the USS Colorado battleship and flew over Gardner. But they saw no aircraft, no individuals and, perhaps because of the time of day and tides, no place a plane could land.

Another theory  one that received considerable attention last summer thanks to a History Channel broadcast is that Earhart and Noonan were found by the Japanese navy, taken to Saipan and died in captivity. That theory was supported by a photograph of a group of individuals on the dock of an atoll in the Marshall Islands, controlled at the time by the Japanese. One of the standing figures resembles Noonan. A person sitting on the edge of the dock with back to the camera and looking at a Japanese navy vessel in the distance resembles Earhart. However, it turns out the photo originally appeared in a Japanese travel book published in 1935.

In 1940, a British working party on Gardner came across the partial skeletal remains of a person. The bones were sent to a medical center in the British colony of Fiji, where they were examined and measured. The bones were subsequently lost but the measurements survived. Recently a forensic anthropologist compared the measurements of specific bones with estimates, based on photographs of Earhart with objects of known size, of Earharts bones. He concluded theres good reason to believe the bones found in 1940 were those of Amelia Earhart.

So what happened to Amelia Earhart? The best guess is that, unable to find Howland, perhaps because of a defective radio direction finder, and running low on fuel, she landed at Gardner on a reef, used what little fuel was left to periodically start an engine and recharge the radio battery until the fuel ran out or the engine wouldnt start for some other reason and, after surviving for some unknown amount of time, died - a tragic death of a truly remarkable and courageous woman.

David R. Cameron is a professor of political science.
Midnight had passed, and Alex Azar was still in a coat and tie as he looked at a computer monitor inside the Department of Health and Human Services emergency-operations hub. It was a room built for managing responses to hurricanes and disease outbreaks, but the HHS secretary was instead scrambling to deal with a disaster instigated by his own boss - a "zero tolerance" immigration policy that led thousands of children to be separated from their parents.

Azar was not consulted on the zero-tolerance policy before it was announced in early May, according to people familiar with the events, even though his department is responsible for housing migrant children who are on their own.

In the months since the late June night when the secretary was trying to help figure out who had been separated, HHS has managed to return more than 2,000 to their parents. That still leaves over 200 youngsters in government-contracted shelters - at risk of becoming orphans as federal workers, civil rights lawyers and aid activists help scour remote villages of Central America for mothers and fathers deported back home.

The reunification efforts have overshadowed the other work of the department that Azar arrived to lead in January with a four-point agenda - including a promise to lower drug prices - and a role as frontman for the Trump administration's strategy of shifting health-care policies to the right through executive actions.

The migrant crisis also has put on the line his carefully cultivated reputation as an orderly, competent executive who understands how to make government work. With the midterm elections fast approaching and public outrage over the policy an animating issue, Azar also risks drawing the wrath of Trump, who has publicly humiliated other top officials when he thinks they are hurting his standing.

As the crisis escalated and the secretary became its public face before Congress and on cable TV, Azar adhered to the administration's talking points, betraying no hint that he had been caught unaware by zero tolerance. Such loyalty reflects the priority Azar has long placed on nurturing relationships, whether the recent one with Trump or with conservative legal luminaries who have long been his mentors, including the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, for whom he clerked, and Justice Clarence Thomas, whom he considers a second father.

Those close to Azar say he has worked hard to stay in the president's good graces from the start.

He "did a tremendous amount of thinking during the confirmation process about what it would take to be a successful secretary," said Ladd Wiley, a former HHS colleague who has remained close to him over the years. "He knew that, to be successful internally . . . you have to be successful externally - Congress, the press, the White House."

Azar said in an interview in the spring that he and the president talked at least three times a week.

So far, "he's done well in his meetings at the Oval Office," said a senior White House official who has known Azar since before he joined the administration. "Some people fall apart. He has a command of the subject matter. He's calm . . . The president is clearly to those around him not frustrated with Alex."

Azar, 51, also brought from the outset an insider's working knowledge of HHS, after six years in senior positions in the government's largest domestic agency during George W. Bush's presidency. In activating the emergency hub to begin reuniting families, Azar was reaching back to the grim days after the 9/11 terrorism and anthrax attacks, when he served as HHS general counsel. Azar, who went on to rise to deputy secretary, oversaw the conversion of the sixth-floor conference room into a public health command center for future disasters.

In June, its new mission required officials first to figure out which of nearly 12,000 migrant children in the department's custody had come with their parents and been taken from them by border agents.

The database that tracks the children did not have that information.

Chris Meekins, chief of staff for the department's refugee office, said Azar told officials: "I want a manual review of every single record so there is no question."

That was just the first step in reuniting families. They still had no clue where the parents were in the nation's labyrinth of immigration jails - and in hundreds of cases still don't.

This is not the first crisis Azar has been involved in - in fact, his years in government have been punctuated by them.

And his view of government, his ideological leanings formed early.

Growing up mainly in Salisbury on Maryland's Eastern Shore, where his father was an orthopedic surgeon and his mother would become a surgical nurse, conversation at home was so apolitical, he said, that he did not know his parents' party affiliations. Still, by third grade he had his own subscription to Conservative Digest.

At Dartmouth College, he was a New Hampshire co-chair for former Delaware governor Pete DuPont's 1988 presidential campaign and "drove him all over the state," Azar recalled in the interview. His candidate was more libertarian than other Republicans in the primary and favored ending welfare payments unless recipients got jobs - a heretical idea then that is now in vogue in the Trump administration.

When Azar went on to Yale Law School, he quickly joined the Federalist Society - which was "both an intellectual association and almost . . . a solidarity group since they were a minority" on the liberal campus," said Akhil Amir, a young faculty member at the time. Amir supervised a major paper Azar wrote on the Fourth Amendment on search and seizure that was in the originalist tradition - "exactly the sort of thing Justice Scalia would have loved," Amir said.

Azar attended summer lawn parties that Ted Olson, a leading Republican attorney, held for conservative young lawyers and law students. And he met Kenneth Starr when the then-U. S. solicitor general came to campus for a talk. "I sat with Alex at dinner and said to myself, 'This young man from Salisbury, Maryland, is going to go places,'" Starr remembers. They stayed in touch.

Azar came to Washington in 1992 to clerk for Scalia. He also grew close to Thomas and remains one of a tiny nucleus of "adopted clerks" with whom the justice still holds monthly lunches.

From the clerkship, Starr hired his protege into his law firm. When Starr took over as independent counsel for the Whitewater investigation in 1994, Azar was the first lawyer he hired as an assistant independent counsel.

In 2000 Azar joined a crowd of other well-connected Republican attorneys in Florida to wage Bush's legal fight over a recount for the presidential election. After their victory, he was part of the transition team, screening potential senior White House staff and Cabinet members.

Azar was then picked by incoming HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson as general counsel, overseeing the department's hundreds of lawyers, though he had no expertise in health-care law. Azar had been recommended by Leonard Leo, the head of the Federalist Society. After a look at his resume and one phone conversation, Wiley said, "We knew immediately that Alex was the guy." Thompson quickly agreed that Azar was what he wanted in his general counsel: a sharp intellect, prodigious work ethic and open to unorthodox ideas.

The week that Azar was confirmed, President Bush announced a ban on research involving newly created strains of stem cells - a controversial policy that captured much of the nation's attention. A month later, Azar stood in the outer office of the secretary's suite and watched on a small television as a second jetliner flew into the World Trade Center.

With the nation's planes grounded, Thompson turned to Azar. "I knew that I needed to get a plane into the air . . . to carry 100,000 masks and 100,000 gloves from a secret medical depot to New York City," Thompson recalled. The two men and another department lawyer talked of declaring a national health emergency, but no HHS regulation allowed that. Azar came up with a way within an hour.

"He was willing to take the legal risk," said a former colleague - who, like many of two dozen people interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private interactions and insights.

Crisis followed crisis. Envelopes with anthrax spores began turning up in postal centers, congressional offices, news organizations. Drugmaker Bayer held the main supply of the antibiotic Cipro, and Thompson wanted 100 million pills for the federal stockpile.

"Alex figured out how I could legally negotiate a lower price," said Thompson, who threatened to buy generic alternatives if the company did not cut its price by nearly half. Many Republicans criticized the maneuver. To this day, Azar defends it, saying in the interview it was "a bona fide commercial-transaction procurement," though he has always opposed direct price negotiations with manufacturers for medicines that older Americans buy through Medicare's Part D.

Azar shepherded a rule restricting the ability of brand-name manufacturers to get repeated patent extensions to ward off competition; the idea is now part of a blueprint Trump issued a few months ago for lowering drug prices.

Former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, Bush's second HHS secretary, promoted Azar to deputy secretary - the department's top manager, with oversight of new regulations.

"I laid out for Alex the things I personally wanted to approve," Leavitt said, "and delegated to him everything else."

The Trump administration first turned to Azar for help early last year, making trips to Washington to "educate some policy folks at the White House" about HHS, according to a Republican who spoke with him about the behind-the-scenes visits.

Azar was not Trump's first pick to run the department. That distinction went to former Georgia congressman Tom Price, who resigned a year ago under investigation for taking expensive charter planes for official travel.

Price's downfall opened the door for Azar, who was living in Indianapolis, where he had recently left a top job at the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly after he was not selected to replace the outgoing CEO.

He was offered a promotion in the company, he said, "but it didn't involve doing what I like to do, which is running organizations and big complex problems and having me accountable for the results.

"I bet on myself and left."

In Indiana, Azar made connections with local and statewide Republican leaders. He was encouraged to run for the Senate but never did. And he grew close to Vice President Mike Pence, when he was a congressman and governor. According to John Hammond, an Indiana Republican National Committee member, "Alex was one of a handful of people Pence would consult on a regular basis." Pence played "a big role" in recommending him to Trump, according to the Republican, who knew of Azar's 2017 White House visits.

Since returning to HHS, Azar said, he has felt like Rip van Winkle. He still knew many of the people at the department. Other friends and former colleagues now held prominent White House roles.

He has brought in four lieutenants from the private sector and placed one in charge of each of his four priorities, which he announced in January at his Senate confirmation. They include easing the nation's opioid epidemic, changing how health care is paid for and making individual insurance less expensive by weakening the Affordable Care Act.

The fourth, lowering drug prices, flows from a promise Trump made during his campaign - and is tied to the central criticism of Azar's selection to run HHS: He is the first secretary to emerge from the pharmaceutical industry, having led Lilly's largest division as the drugmaker drove steep price increases in popular medicines. He has insisted he knows from the inside what it would take to rein in prices.

He praises the president often and speaks of his own vision for change as bold - even radical. Trump, Azar tells his staff, "does not want us here to play small ball. We're here to play big ball." Since the White House drug blueprint appeared in May, HHS has let Medicare managed-care plans start negotiating drug prices for cancer therapies and other medicines that doctors administer. Azar has said drugmakers should have to include prices in television ads - a possibility the department is exploring, along with a long-disputed idea of importing less-expensive drugs from other countries under limited circumstances.

Through the summer's din over migrant children, Azar has continued to give speeches on his priorities as well as his overarching preference for the private sector and states' powers over federal programs.

The buildup of separated children in the custody of HHS's Office of Refugee Resettlement started a few months before Azar became secretary. But the department was slow to recognize it for what it was, according to government officials and immigration and refugee advocates who were on monthly conference calls with ORR staff.

The staff was noticing an influx but had seen similar ones in recent years, as conditions in home countries deteriorated. Inside ORR, the main concern was expanding bed capacity at its network of private shelters and other facilities - not finding out why more children were arriving.

A Public Health Service commander named Jonathan White, a social worker, was in charge of ORR's unaccompanied-children program until mid-March. In July, he testified in the Senate that he had cautioned that children could be damaged psychologically if removed from their parents - and that he and colleagues repeatedly were told there was no administration policy of separation. One government official familiar with the events said White's warnings did not reach Azar's level.

By April, shelters' social workers had been hearing children say they had been pried from parents. Late that month, ORR asked the Department of Homeland Security for help in finding parents in immigration custody - and was asked to produce a list of the children's names, the government official said. It numbered roughly 700. ORR staff sent it to Homeland Security without consulting the secretary's office, the official said.

In late June, two days after Trump had ended zero tolerance and four days before U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw gave the administration a 30-day deadline, Azar created a process to reunite families. He activated the command center, put White in charge, mustered 230 staff from across HHS and hired 100 extra caseworkers.

"We know our mission, we know our tack and we are executing on it," Azar declared at a news briefing a week after he had read files late into the night.

At last count, 211 children were still in HHS's custody, six of them four years old or younger.
I read with interest Gary Roses piece titled First Amendment under attack on Sept. 13 in the Connecticut Post.

While I agree with the title, with some of what follows I dont agree.

As a long time student of history, I have looked at other governments around the world and have seen the many authoritarian governments who allow only one way of thinking.

Whether it is North Korea in todays world or communist China and Russia during the cold war years or, worst of all, Hitlers Nazi Germany, with his book burning in the 30s and 40s.

All involved government controlling speech so that only one way of thinking was permitted.

The internet, which started out as an open forum years ago, has now begun practicing digital book burning as hundreds of conservative websites are being censored and shadow banned by the tech giants.

The left, which for decades has controlled mainstream media, has seen Fox News Cable Channel be first in ratings for 16 years running.

This is mainly because Fox is one of the few places where conservative thinking is allowed and is providing that much needed check on the mainly left-wing media.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, for example, said in his recent congressional testimony that Silicon Valley is an extremely left-leaning place.

I may not agree with something that President Trump or anyone else says but as the famous quote goes, but I will defend to my death your right to say it.

Speech deserves to be heard, whether liberal, conservative or anywhere in between, as free speech is a cornerstone of our democracy in which We The People should decide who we want to hear and who we want to vote for.

Roy Martin

Fairfield
There are hundreds of state and credit union league foundations across the United States that accept and disperse charitable donations with the goal of leaving a lasting legacy on their communities.

Here, two credit unions and two leagues discuss start-up capital for their foundations, ongoing financial stability, and more. For credit unions thinking about standing up their own foundation, these perspectives can jump-start strategic conversations.
A New York grand jury indicted former credit union COO Suzanne Silva Wednesday for allegedly embezzling more than $465,000 spent on Caribbean cruises, travel to Cancun and thousands of dollars a month on Amazon and Etsy.

Silvas lavish spending lasted for more than seven years while she was a supervisor and COO at the $34 million Winthrop-University Hospital Employees Federal Credit Union in Mineola.

After the indictment was unsealed yesterday, Silva, 35, of Carle Place, N.Y., was arrested, and her initial hearing was held in U.S. District Court in Central Islip, according to the U.S. Attorneys office for the eastern district of New York.

Silva joined the credit union in 2002, became a supervisor in July 2011 and was promoted to COO in February 2017.
Masks in Pa. schools: Court tosses Wolf mandate, but he vows appeal

A state judge Wednesday sided with opponents of Pennsylvania's order to require masks in schools, saying it was not issued properly by the Gov. Tom Wolf's administration in September.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- At the 2018 Computing Conference, Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group attained Hangzhou's first license for autonomous vehicle road test, which was the group's latest move in autonomous vehicle R&D following the unveiling of its self-driving car and the vehicle infrastructure cooperative strategy.

The road tests will reportedly be operated at China (Hangzhou) Artificial Intelligence Town, while Alibaba has not revealed when the tests will start. Up until now, China's three Internet giants, Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent (also known as the BATs), have all obtained the governmental permission to test their autonomous vehicles on roads.

According to Wang Gang, chief scientist of DAMO Academy AI lab, the group's self-driving R&D team has developed an intelligent system that can pinpoint objects round the clock. Besides, the system also contains a large-scale simulation platform on which over 100 thousand kilometers of road tests and simulation tests will be operated per day.

Wang Gang said that the cooperative work between vehicles and road infrastructures is crucial to truly implement autonomous driving technologies in China and the whole world. It will help enhance the driving safety with less cost. At the conference, Alibaba also announced that it plans to build a smart expressway by utilizing the intelligent vehicle infrastructure cooperative system.
Hiding something, He could be: What's that he's just put behind that ceiling tile/ in the lake/ under the rug/ on the fire/ in his pocket? He could be hiding something!

Kompromat: Where is the Kompromat? It's just next to the Laundromat, two down from the Diplomat. Everyone in the waiting room of the Kompromat spends their time squinting left, then right, as though on the look-out for something. But what?

Let me look into this: Whenever a senior figure says this in a police series, you can be sure they'll do just the opposite, because they are part of the cover-up operation.

The Bodyguard has proved a smash hit with BBC viewers ever since it was released last month

Loner: Always up to no good. 'A disaffected loner with explosives experience? Talk about the perfect candidate!' remarks the Bodyguard, who is  OMG!  a disaffected loner with explosives experience. The first Monday of every December is the occasion for The Disaffected Loners' Ball, held in a lock-up garage behind King's Cross. It's poorly attended, with all party-goers hanging around outside in the shadows, looking through spyglasses at who's going in.

Longcross, Richard: By now, Richard Longcross (or, rather, a man calling himself Richard Longcross) has popped in on everyone in the cast of Bodyguard  wives, children, husbands, doctors, nurses. Small wonder! He writes the bubbly 'Out And About With Richard Longcross' column in the MI5 Gazette.

Missed Something?, Have I: Hang on, was he the one who was with the one who was in the room just before the bomb went off? But I thought he died! So why haven't they arrested him? Or Have I Missed Something?

Mum: 'Yes, Mum.' 'Thank you, Mum.' 'I thought you should know, Mum.' 'I'm a little concerned, Mum.' Every few minutes, grown men call Gina McKee Mum. How many grown-up children can one woman have?

Nice: Always a bad sign. DS Louise Rayburn seems very nice, and is always putting herself out to lend a helping hand to poor old Sgt David Budd. Hasn't anyone told him that in the topsy-turvy world of a crime series, it's the nice ones who turn out to be nasty?

Not at liberty to say: Worth repeating this phrase every time someone enters your office. 'Who's making these allegations?' 'I'm not at liberty to say.'

Operations: Always 'highly sensitive'.

PTSD: Every disaffected loner (See Disaffected Loner) in a crime series suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The rest of us are suffering from Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder, with symptoms including heightened anxiety.

Quite What It Seems, Nothing Is Ever: In the world of Jed Mercurio, creator of Line Of Duty and Bodyguard, Nothing Is Ever Quite What It Seems. For all his avuncular concern, Dixon Of Dock Green is a sleeper for organised crime, Miss Marple is a serial killer hell-bent on revenge, and Inspector Morse is a Disaffected Loner with PTSD.

Range Rover: You can tell the baddie in any crime series. He's the one driving a Range Rover. And if he's really bad, he drives a black Range Rover, with black leather driving gloves.

Rooftop: Always the perfect place to hook up with anyone who might want to kill you, particularly if they're armed.

The story centers around PC David Budd, an Afghanistan veteran who gets a job as the Home Secretary's PPO

Skipper, I Think You'd Better See This: Handy phrase to say before pointing your superior in the direction of a charred corpse, a computer print-out or a fuzzy shot from the CCTV.

Security Services: Always posh, always frosty, always up to no good.

Sense, It Makes No: And once you've sat through the 25-minute explanation at the end you can be sure it'll make even less.

Ticklish: Research suggests that Sgt David Budd is not ticklish.

Whip, Chief: Every Chief Whip in a drama series is always secretly conspiring to overthrow the democratically elected government.

Who You Think He Is: Is he who you think he is? No. He's not who you think he is. Unless you thought he was who you didn't think he was, in which case he is who you think he is.

Window: Whenever senior figures in the police or security services want to be seen thinking, they walk to the window, stand still and look out of it for just a little too long.
Designer and homewares whizz Orla Kiely has shut her fashion empire. How sad. Almost tragic, really, for devotees of her quirky and quaint dresses, such as the Duchess of Cambridge, sister Pippa and their mother, the sainted Carole.

Where will the Middleton women now shop for their favourite demure, Mary Poppins looks?

The careful pleats, neat waistlines and velvet trims that whisper quietly of Sunday school-teacher chic, of Fifties typing pools, of the kind of inoffensive, fusty mum-frocks that stood them in such good stead in their private and public roles?

Orla Kielys official company Instagram account boasts of exciting new products, including an elephant-shaped wooden board with matching cheese knives

The fashion world has been wailing about the end of the celebrated clothes line, although the homewares range will continue to be sold in department store outlets such as John Lewis and Debenhams.

Perhaps that was the problem all along. The kitchenalia, bed linens, wallpapers and prints were often mass-produced in the same prints as the (rather expensive) clothes.

Did Orla Kiely become just too ubiquitous?

One handbag, created by Orla Keily, showing the leaf print in orange

For example, the current range at John Lewis boasts over 170 items, from alarm clocks to oven gloves  and, to be honest, Id be rather disappointed if I were given any of them.

In fact, Im so fed up with her celebrated Stem print, I might scream if I ever see it again.

Every fashion range needs a frisson of mystique and exclusivity because women who have paid 300 for a dress dont want to come upon a matching tea towel in the same print, thank you very much.

And there is such a thing as overkill, when multi-platform promotion in popular culture can demean, rather than promote, a brand.

The designer creates clothing and home wares such as this storage jar, which features a pear pattern

In the film Bridget Joness Baby, Bridget has Orla Kiely nappy bags stashed in her flat.

On TV, EastEnders character Stacey Slater has her Albert Square flat decorated with Orla Kielys Multi Acorn Spot wallpaper. It might be aspirational for her, but now it isnt for everyone else.

Meanwhile, a million British kitchens boast a million Orla Kiely toasters. And who wants to go to a party wearing the same print as the toaster in the kitchen? Especially if the toaster looks rather shapelier in it than you.

The crash couldnt have come at a more embarrassing time for the Dublin-born designer and her husband-cum-business partner, Dermott Rowan.

For a grand Orla Kiely exhibition is running at the Fashion And Textiles Museum in London.

Called A Life In Pattern, it celebrates her lifes work. During the dozens of interviews to promote the show, Miss Kiely urged people to consider that her body of work is so much more than they ever imagined. She must have known that her brand was in big trouble, but decided to keep that to herself.

The designer's company is being put into liquidation

Now the company is being put into liquidation with its two London stores to close, along with retail outlets in Kildare and New York.

Orla and her husband looked very sad leaving their 2.5 million home in a fashionable area of South-West London yesterday.

Yet my sympathies lie with their workforce, who havent been paid for three weeks.

They were told on Wednesday lunchtime they were out of a job, before being escorted from the building by security, with many in tears.

Customers who have bought goods online dont know if their orders will be honoured. Of course, the crash is blamed on everything and everyone except Orla Kiely herself and her crazy over-expansion.

There is no doubt the High Street is struggling, with mid-market brands such as hers particularly vulnerable to a downturn.

House of Fraser collapsed in the summer before a hasty rescue, and John Lewiss profits have slumped dramatically.

In much the same way, chain restaurants such as Jamies Italian, Prezzo, Strada and Byron are also having a torrid time.

Orla and the gang will all tell you that difficult trading conditions, the long, hot summer, the rise in the minimum wage, crippling business rates, a lack of consumer confidence and that old chestnut of Brexit fears have led to their demise. And, yes, they might all be contributing factors.

But there is another reason. Which is that consumers are fed up with being taken for mugs.

Why would anyone pay a tenner for a pizza in Jamies when they can get a superior one for half that money in Franco Manca?

Why shop in dreary House of Fraser when there is no point in walking across their threshold?

Why put up with bad service and lack of stock in any High Street store when you can buy it cheaper and easier online?

Brands like Orla Kiely must have felt the cold winds of change blowing around their ankles for years, but they have done little to improve their range and position.

And they take customer loyalty for granted, which is the biggest mistake of all.

So farewell, Orla. No longer will we see her twee cardigans, sludgy palette of accessories and day dresses that were fit for a duchess on High Street racks.

The Middletons might be in mourning, but they can always console themselves with those other family favourites  LK Bennett and Reiss.

Meanwhile, Orla Kielys official company Instagram account boasts of exciting new products, including an elephant-shaped wooden board with matching cheese knives. Which says it all, really.

Holly Nichols? Oh give me strength

Speaking of shops, Harvey Nichols has changed its name to Holly Nichols for a month to celebrate  take a deep breath  female empowerment.

The department store chain has launched a campaign called Lets Hear It For The Girls. Honestly, as a woman, I am so sick of being patronised like this!

Do they think we are all stupid? Easily humoured? Thrilled to be noticed at all? If Harvey Nichols really wants to empower women, why doesnt it give us 20 per cent off Clarins and a free cashmere scarf with every purchase?

Then we might start listening, Holly  or whatever you call yourself.

Harvey Nichols re-brands as Holly Nichols to celebrate female empowerment for the month of September

Meghan's having a moment

The Duchess of Sussex has been making secret visits to a Grenfell community group who have been cooking together following the fatal fire last June.

The trips were so secret she took only a small camera crew with her, all the better to make a tiny film to promote the cookbook the women have produced.

The Duchess of Sussex, accompanied by the Duke of Sussex and her mother Doria Ragland, pose for a group photo with the women behind the cookbook she has championed at Kensington Palace

Meghan appears in the glossy film, which has the production values of a pop video, looking pretty in an apron as she stirs pots and chats.

She is supporting the book in the hope it will raise funds to keep the kitchen open seven days a week.

Not only does it produce fresh food for Grenfell survivors, it acts as a community hub, too.

In the books foreword, Meghan writes of her delight at hearing the flutter of different languages in the kitchen. At her book launch yesterday, she praised London for being a city that can have so much diversity.

There aint much diversity on the royal compound where she lives.

And while it would be wrong to think the caring Duchess is using the people of Grenfell to burnish her own caring credentials, isnt there something a tiny bit self-serving at the heart of this endeavour?

A Grand Design for super telly

Oh, joy. A new series of Grand Designs (Channel 4) has begun.

This means host Kevin McCloud must once more climb into one of his tweed jackets, don a weather-appropriate hat, and travel around the country to sneer lightly at the building projects of wealthy amateurs.

Kevin McCloud, presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs, in Aylesbury

First into the stocks were Jaime and Mimi Fernandez, an attractive couple with a child who moved from Madrid to a rented bungalow in Buckinghamshire and thence onto the sheer craziness of restoring a 19th-century folly nearby.

A restoration project in miniature? Utterly mad.

Why would anyone want to do that? asked a scornful Kevin.

Yet reason has no place in the hearts of a couple who dream of rustic charm, polished stone, a range in the kitchen and being the envy of the neighbourhood.

The lunatics bought the folly for 200,000, then spent more than that doing it up. Such people always find the money from somewhere, dont they?

In this case, they encountered the usual hurdles of escalating costs, chippy builders and an unexpected pregnancy.

By the time Jaime and Mimi moved into the two-bedroom folly, they already had two children and a terrifying outdoor staircase that no tot could ever negotiate.

Sometimes I hate this building, said Mum.

Kevin smirked. The credits rolled. I love this show.

Strictly's pay gap shows the Beeb's out of step

The professional dancers on Strictly Come Dancing have formed a union to demand more money from the BBC.

I cant say I blame them, for it is the pro dancers who are the hard-working heart and soul of this show, yet they get paid a fraction of the six-figure sum host Claudia Winkleman  the highest-paid woman on the BBC  is handed for larking about behind her fringe and acting wacky.

Look at someone such as fabulous Oti Mabuse (pictured). Not only is she a dream to watch, every year Oti is an inspiring mentor to her celebrity clodhopping partners.

A former civil engineering student from Pretoria, she began entering dancing competitions when she was four and has been crowned South African Latin champion eight times.

Graeme Swann with his dance partner Oti Mabuse who are appearing in this year's BBC1 dance contest

Other pros danced their way out of poverty in Eastern European countries to get where they are today.

So come on, Beeb. Give them a rise. You will save millions when Chris Evans leaves, after all.

It seems strictly unfair that on this hugely successful television show, those who contribute the most are paid the least.

Why, it just seems like yesterday that Justin Bieber was a little boy with a complicated comb-over, singing through his braces about first love and lonely girls.

Now the Canadian superstar, 24, is engaged to 21-year-old model Hailey Baldwin (pictured right), whom he serenaded outside Buckingham Palace this week.

While his troth appears to be well and truly plighted, Justin  worth over 207 million  says he doesnt want a pre-nup because he believes marriage is for ever.

Justin, a word. I adore your big heart and utter belief in everlasting love. Yet your lawyers must be tearing their hair out  and I dont imagine your parents are best pleased either.

But you go ahead with your dream, young man. Lets talk again in five years time. And see how you feel about it then.
Postpartum changes after pregnancy is a common step women go through after they give birth.

Having a child, of course, involves a woman's vagina to bring the new life into the world. Yet there is still a taboo around using the word and talking about what a woman's body goes through while recovering from delivering a baby.

Fridababy, a company that creates products for new parents, wanted to advertise something for mothers to use after they gave birth and included the word 'vagina' in the advertisement. But multiple places denied the ad with the insinuation that vagina is a 'dirty word' not meant for the public.

Controversial: Fridababy's ad, pictured in New York City, about its MomWasher, to be used by women postpartum, was denied in multiple locations because it used the word 'vagina'

Normal: The company wanted to break down the taboo of speaking about what a woman's body goes through while recovering from having a baby

Dirty? But multiple locations, including Los Angeles and Iowa, denied the ad and instead asked for other words to be used to replace 'vagina'

The MomWasher ($16) is a peri-bottle that helps new mothers clean themselves while recovery from giving birth.

To advertise for the product, the company wanted to include the slogan 'Trust us, your vagina will thank you' with information about the MomWasher underneath.

But multiple places  including Los Angeles and Iowa  deemed the advertisement too controversial and wanted the word 'vagina' to be changed to 'body' or 'bottoms' despite it being an anatomical word.

Chelsea Hirschorn, founder and CEO of Fridababy, said: 'There are about four million babies born each year, but what no one talks about is that also means there are four million moms recovering from the substantial post-delivery impact on their bodies.

'Women are just expected to put their mom hat on - between the all nighters and diaper changes - who has time to think about the massive hemorrhoids between your legs?

'Perineal healing should not be a taboo topic - your vagina will be swollen, peeing will burn and sitting like a normal person will feel like a herculean accomplishment.'

By advertising their product and recognizing it is in fact for a woman's vagina, the company was hoping to help break down the taboo of mentioning what goes on with the body after pregnancy.

'We have to do our part to prepare women for that part of the experience - knowledge equals confidence, and if we're responsible enough to care for another human, we're more than equipped to talk honestly about the realities of caring for your own after birth,' Chelsea said.

Ridiculous: Certain markets believed the word was too controversial for a billboard despite it being a anatomical part of the woman's body that is necessary for giving birth

Fan: But Fridababy received praise from new moms Cardi B and Chrissy Teigen for its MomWasher that gave some focus to the postpartum recovery process

Moving forward: The advertisement was approved by New York City, and 22 billboards will roll out this week across the island

Fridababy released multiple emails from places that were hesitant to include the advertisment mainly because it featured the word 'vagina' in the copy.

In an email regarding the Iowa market, someone admitted it was a 'corporate standpoint to not accept anything they deem controversial', so the advertisement was denied.

States with cities that that DENIED billboards with the word 'vagina' Pennsylvania Iowa Connecticut West Virginia Tennessee Oklahoma Michigan California Advertisement

But the New York City market was one of the places that didn't deny the advertisements.

This week, 22 billboards will be placed throughout the city in areas outside of subway stops, near hospitals and OBGYN offices so new moms will have the chance to see the ads.

Chelsea, who also recently gave birth, thinks this is one step towards companies giving some focus to the woman after pregnancy.

'I just delivered my third boy this week, and I truly cannot imagine navigating the postpartum healing process without our MomWasher peri bottle,' she said.

'Caring for a newborn is all consuming, then throw a toddler and a five-year-old in to the mix, and you better pray your recovery goes quickly.

'Optimizing the toilet time routine is just one way we do our part to get moms back in the saddle.'

Chrissy Teigen and Cardi B, who both gave birth in recent months, have also shared the product to their followers during postpartum recovery.

The goal with the ads is to encourage real and unfiltered conversations about a woman's body post-birth instead of deeming it a 'controversial' topic.
Gwyneth Paltrow is set to bring Goop to London - with a pop-up store in the capital opening next week.

The wellness brand's first shop in the UK will be open from next Tuesday in Notting Hill, west London, until the end of January.

It is not yet clear what will be on offer at the shop, but current products available online include her $35 (26) Brain Dust supplement - designed to 'align you with the mighty cosmic flow needed for great achievement' - and the $85 (64) Goop Medicine Bag containing nine 'chakra-healing crystals'.

The Goop online store is also selling a 24 carat gold sex toy, which costs an eye-watering $3.5K (2.6K).

Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured at an event in London in June) is set to open wellness brand Goop's first pop-up store in Notting Hill, west London next week

Goop opened its first permanent store in LA in September last year, with recent pop-up shops opening in Dallas, Aspen and Long Island.

Gwyneth, 45, first launched Goop in 2008, when it was a weekly newsletter offering fans her recommendations, including her favourite recipes, products, and health and fitness tips.

Now, the company is a huge empire worth an incredible $250 million, the New York Times reported in July.

However, Goop has received its fair share of criticism, with the company agreeing to pay out over misleading health claims earlier this month.

The Goop shop will be open from next Tuesday until the end of January. Pictured is the recent pop-up store in Aspen, Colorado

Products on offer on the Goop online store include a $35 (26) Brain Dust supplement (left) and the $85 (64) Goop Medicine Bag containing nine crystals

The Goop online store is also selling a 24 carat gold sex toy (pictured), which costs an eye-watering $3.5K (2.6K)

The company reached a $145,000 (112,000) settlement over products including Goops Jade Egg and Rose Quartz Egg - intended to be placed into the vagina to improve health.

A Goop statement said the settlement acknowledged no liability on the companys part and addressed only advertising, not the products themselves.

Meanwhile, Gwyneth raised eyebrows after sharing her list of 'essentials' for a sleep-inducing bedroom earlier this month - which totalled $1,828 (1,370) altogether.

Her pricey list of nine products included a $125 water carafe, $295 sheets, and a $725 wall light.
Advertisement

When people think wedding, one of the first thoughts is how much it will cost the couple to throw the milestone affair.

But Jenny and Rob from Raleigh, North Carolina, did not want their wedding to send them into debt like other friends before them. With the help of friends and family, the couple threw an intimate wedding in their backyard for just $2,000.

What they created on a budget was a Pinterest-worthy, boho-chic wedding that all came together by the couple getting creative with acquiring must-have elements.

Amazing: Jenny and Rob from Raleigh, North Carolina, did not want to go into wedding debt for their special day, so they held the intimate affair in their backyard for $2,000

Stunning: The boho-chic wedding featured Riley wearing an inexpensive lace dress. For pictures, she brought out her jean jacket which her mom embroidered for the day

Creative: Jenny and Rob already had a lattice arbor in their backyard, so it served as the perfect piece for a makeshift alter

Details: Each seat held a program created by Jenny, dried lavender to throw, and lavender hanging off chair posts

Cute: Jenny made sure to have everything she wanted for her wedding but in a budget-friendly way that looked amazing

'Think to yourself, "What do I want?" Jenny told Pure Wow about how she and her husband decided to create the intimate affair.

'If you like a tradition, keep it. If you don't, skip it! There's so much freedom when you decide to do things the way truly want, rather than how you think you're supposed to.'

Together, they decided to keep the small elopement true to themselves by only inviting a handful of people and creating personal touches to each aspect.

The biggest splurge the newlywed couple spent on their wedding was hiring photographer Danielle Riley to capture their beautiful nuptials.

It was a non-negotiable expense at $1,000 for the photography package, and the pictures produced were priceless.

For her wedding dress, Jenny chose an inexpensive white maxi from boho brand Show Me Your Mumu that fit perfectly with the outdoor scenery for the event. She then paired the look with her jean jacket that her mother embroidered 'Just Married' on the back for pictures.

Pieces of Jenny's hair was styled into a side braid and then secured in a lose bun at the base of her neck with curled layers framing her face.

Although the hairstyle looked expensive, Jenny actually got her friend to do both the hair and makeup as an early wedding gift.

Adorable: For flowers, Jenny enlisted her mom's florist friend to help provide greenery at cost

Rustic: Seating haphazardly came together with wooden chairs from both the couple's and their parents' own homes

Simple: Some of the best touches were the small details scattered around the backyard area

Love: After the ceremony, the couple and their guests moved over to a reception area

Cozy: The reception area in the backyard was created with the help of a long piece of plywood from Home Depot and cinder blocks

The budget-friendly choices didn't stop there.

For flowers, Jenny worked her network and utilized her mom's friend who runs a floral shop. She selected an assortment of greenery that the friend gave to her at a low cost.

The excess flowers were used to decorate the makeshift alter, which was a lattice arbor already on Jenny and Rob's property.

Seating for the ceremony came together with the help of the couple's own dining furniture as well as their parents' chairs. The random assortment of wooden chairs only further fit the outdoor theme for the wedding.

As added decoration, Jenny hung lavender on the ends of the chairs to help frame the grass aisle she walked down to meet her future husband.

On each of the seats waiting for guests were programs handcrafted by Jenny and printed on cardstock at her work.

Lavender, which was featured hanging off the post of each chair, was also dried and bagged so the moment Jenny and Rob walked down the aisle would be a remarkable display of the pieces floating through the air.

Once the ceremony was over, guests were led to a separate area of the backyard for a cozy dinner provided by the couple's favorite Mexican restaurant for just $10 per person.

The table was created with a long piece of plywood Rob bought at Home Depot. It was then placed on a few slabs of concrete to elevate it a little over a foot off the ground.

Smart: As an early wedding present, the couple received fairy lights to hang on the neighboring trees

Affordable: Plates and cutlery were bought from Amazon and Mason jars were bought in bulk from Walmart. For dinner, the group had Mexican from the couple's favorite restaurant

Ambiance: Jars from Ikea and mugs from Jenny's brother's coffee shop helped add to the event

Delicious: Jenny also called in a favor from the baker at her brother's coffee shop who whipped up small blueberry pies for just $100

Heartwarming: The couple's North Carolina home served as the perfect backdrop for the intimate wedding

The couple then bought pillows from Ikea for $5 and scattered them around the table for cushy seating.

Another early present on their wedding registry was fairy lights, which where hung over the table and attached to the neighboring trees.

Amazon and Walmart helped provide affordable options for the tableware with inexpensive Mason jars bought in bulk and throwaway plates and cutlery.

To satisfy everyone's sweet tooth, the baker from Jenny's brothers coffee shop that he owns whipped up some small blueberry pies that cost $100 in total. His coffee shop also supplied a station for the caffeinated beverage where guests could take home a specially designed mug as a party favor.

Helpful: As an early wedding present, one of Jenny's friends did her hair and makeup

Inviting: The pillows guests sat on during the reception were bought from Ikea at $5 per piece

Romantic: To set the ambiance, candles were lit and scattered on cut tree trunks at night

Picture perfect: The end of the evening was met with sparklers while the couple shared one last kiss in front of friends and family

The couple was prepared for everything when it came to planning the wedding.

After the dinner was over, the party moved over to the dance floor where Jenny's little brother acted as the DJ using a phone and Bluetooth speakers.

Jenny also found an old Persian rug in a family member's basement to signify the middle of the dance floor.

To set the ambiance, jars from Ikea were acquired as well as free tree stumps found on Facebook marketplace for a source of cozy lighting at night.

The final act of the evening was everyone gathering around the couple with sparklers as Jenny and Rob went in for one final kiss to end their remarkable (and budget-friendly) day.

Based on the pictures, it was an intimate wedding worthy of any Pinterest board.
Ivanka Trump is a businesswoman and an adviser to the president, but her childhood dream was actually to become an astronaut.

The 36-year-old first daughter revealed her secret ambition while visiting NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with Republican Senator Ted Cruz on Thursday.

Ivanka toured Mission Control and spoke with the International Space Station crew during her trip to the facility, where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted.

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Tour: Ivanka Trump visited NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on Thursday

First daughter perks: Astronaut Nicole Mann gave Ivanka a guided tour of the space center

The color of a space suit! The senior adviser donned a white double-breasted blazer and matching cropped pants

The senior adviser and senator were also joined by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, U.S. Representative Brian Babin, and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, all three of whom are Republicans.

Looking chic in a white double-breasted blazer and matching cropped pants, Ivanka struck a pose outside the doors of Mission Control.

Inside, she met Chief Holly Ridings, who made history this week when she became the first woman in NASA's 60-year history to become the Johnson Space Centers chief flight director.

Ivanka also shook hands with flight director Ron Spencer, telling him: 'This is incredible. Very cool. You've got the coolest job.'

During a call from Mission Control, she told the International Space Station crew that she had always wanted to be an astronaut.

Loving it: During the tour, Ivanka revealed it has always been her dream to become an astronaut and travel to space

Having fun: Ivanka had a big smile on her face when she high-fived a space suit

Field trip: Ivanka was joined by Republican Senator Ted Cruz during the tour

Taking a peek: The first daughter got to check out the facility that holds a full-size copy of the International Space Station

'You inspire us all. You actually have my dream job,' she admitted.

'I always wanted to be an astronaut and I always wanted to go to space. You are fulfilling my dream up there.'

As far as a potential career change, Ivanka joked: 'Never say never, right?'

Astronaut Nicole Mann provided Ivanka with a guided tour of the space center, including the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility that holds a full-size copy of the International Space Station.

Photos of the first daughter show her listening intently as she was walked through the building, and at one point she crouched down to look inside the replica of the space station.

No heels today! Ivanka paired her sleek white suit with a pair of black Mary Jane flats

Honor: Ivanka met Chief Holly Ridings, who made history this week when she became the first woman in NASA's 60-year history to become the Johnson Space Centers chief flight director

Say cheese! Ivanka Trump a pose outside the doors of the Mission Control Center

Unforgettable moment: Ivanka called the International Space Station crew while inside the Mission Control Center

She had a big smile on her face when she high-fived a space suit during the in-depth tour of the space center.

Ivanka also met with local high school students who compete nationwide in robotics competitions with the help of NASA engineers.

The mother-of-three has been an advocate for increasing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs for children, and she promoted her visit on her social media pages on Thursday.

'Looking forward to visiting the @NASA Johnson @SpaceCenterHou with Administrator @JimBridenstine! NASAs work in #STEM education, space exploration & technological innovation is truly out of this world,' she tweeted ahead of her visit.

It has been a busy week for Ivanka, who spent Tuesday and Wednesday celebrating Yom Kippur with her family.

Meet and greet: Ivanka also met with local high school students who compete nationwide in robotics competitions with the help of NASA engineers

Yikes: The first daughter tried her best while playing a game with the students

Cause: The mother-of-three has been an advocate for increasing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs for children

First daughter duties: Ivanka took time to say hello to the students during the meet and greet

Interaction: She happily chatted with the students and asked questions

Ivanka was seen leaving her Washington, D.C. home and heading to a local synagogue on Wednesday morning, alongside her daughter Arabella, seven, and son Theodore, two, as well as a number of Secret Service agents.

Ivanka and her children, both of whom were riding on scooters, were on their way to meet her 37-year-old husband Jared Kushner, who made his way to the synagogue with their four-year-old son Joseph about an hour before the rest of the family.

She paid mind to her religion's strict dress codes and donned a demure navy dress that covered her arms and knees.

Ivanka paired the elegant frock with a matching pillbox hat, a style that Jackie Kennedy Onassis made famous during her time as first lady.

Keeping with the Jewish tradition, her son Joseph had a yarmulke on his head in honor of the holy day, which started at sunset on Tuesday and ended on Wednesday at sundown.

Jared, however, did not appear to be wearing one; unlike many Orthodox Jews, Jared does not keep his head covered with a hat or yarmulke while going about his day-to-day life.

Loving it: Ivanka took to Instagram Stories after the visit to share some photos of herself

Fun time: Ivanka crossed her legs and rested her elbow on a space suit during this cheeky snapshot

Holy day: Ivanka looked chic while walking to a local synagogue with her eldest child Arabella and youngest child Theodore on Wednesday in celebration of Yom Kippur

Separate ways: Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner, 37, was seen making his way to the synagogue with their four-year-old son Joseph about an hour before the rest of the family

Known as a day of atonement, Yom Kippur is the holiest holiday in the Jewish calendar and followers typically spend the majority of the 25-hour holy day at the synagogue.

Jared and Ivanka likely spent the day fasting, as those observing Yom Kippur cannot eat or drink until after sundown at the end of the 25 hours.

During the holy day, people must also abstain from sexual relations, bathing, wearing perfume, and wearing leather shoes.

While Jared and his sons wore fabric sneakers on Wednesday, Ivanka and her daughter both had on fabric flats.

It is unclear why Jared and Joseph left ahead of their family, but they appeared to be enjoying some one-on-one time together.

Jared was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, and Ivanka converted to Judaism before marrying her husband in 2009. The two are raising their children to be Orthodox Jews as well.
As the investigation continues into who is putting needles in the country's strawberries, savvy mothers have revealed how people can eat them without fear.

In a bid to support Australian farmers, a variety of people have shared creative ways to slice the fruit and how to include them in delicious recipes.

From using an egg slicer to cut them up to including your strawberries in pies, here are some of the best tips and tricks currently being shared online.

In a bid to support the country's farmers a variety of people have shared creative ways to slice the fruit and how to include them in delicious recipes

One picture that has now gone viral is from Yasmine, who shared a photo of herself slicing strawberries with an egg slicer on Instagram.

'I found a handy use for my egg slicer a few months ago (which had gone unused for a couple of years now) and I have to say, it's pretty useful right now,' she said in her caption.

The photo has now been shared in a variety of Facebook groups where people have celebrated the idea.

'Egg slice? What a brilliant idea!! I'll be using this forever now regardless of needle scares or not lol it's bloody brilliant,' one person said.

People are using the fruit to create delicious pies in a bid to support the negatively effected strawberry farmers

One woman said that she has been mashing up strawberries to create jam, which cost her only $5 to make

'If you can even buy strawberries this a brilliant idea! So much waste and damage to farmers' livelihoods when all it takes is to cut them up!,' another commented.

As farmers are being forced to discard their strawberries in fear of contamination, people online are encouraging each other to instead think about how they can prepare them differently.

Some people have even gone out to buy gadgets that have specifically been made to slice strawberries and others have got creative in the kitchen.

Someone else shared how they have been mashing up their strawberries and using them to make strawberry pancakes

There are a variety of different berry slicers on the market people can use to cut up their strawberries

One woman revealed that she has been using her Kmart pie maker to make strawberry pie.

She said she simply chopped up strawberries and blueberries, put them in a pie case, squirted caramel on top, added the top and cooked them.

'Homemade strawberry jam stored in mason jars... cost $5 to make using one kilo of strawberries! Tastes way better than even the ones from the strawberry farms,' another person said.

Someone else shared how they have been mashing up their strawberries and using them to make strawberry pancakes.

People are encouraging each other to continue to buy the fruit in an attempt to support Australian farmers (stock image)

More than 100 reports of tampered fruit are being investigated by police across the country.

The contamination is believed to have affected the brands 'Berry Obsession', 'Berry Licious', 'Love Berry', 'Donnybrook Berries', 'Delightful Strawberries', and 'Oasis'.

A young boy has been arrested after admitting he put needles in strawberries as a 'prank'.

NSW detectives announced the arrest of the boy on the afternoon of September 19, after earlier revealing the contamination crisis across the country being entirely the work of copycats and pranksters.

Current state legislation says any NSW offenders will spend a maximum of ten years in prison.
An Australian woman has delighted travellers online with a post revealing her extremely efficient method of holiday packing.

Writing on Facebook, the mother-of-two shared a photo of a single suitcase tightly filled with clothes which she said would cover her family of four for an entire week.

The 'impressive' travel hack racked up 954 likes and a plethora of comments praising the efficient mum for her resourcefulness.

A mother-of-two shared a photo of a single suitcase tightly filled with clothes which she said would cover her family of four for an entire week

How many items did she fit in the suitcase? Kids 4 sets of pjs, 6 short-sleeved t-shirts, 10 long sleeved t-shirts, 8 jumpers, 17 pairs of pants, 10 singlets, 2 sleeping bags and enough socks for a pair a day Adults 2 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, a pair of trackies, 2 sets of pjs, 5 t-shirts, one shirt and enough socks and undies for everyday 4 bras, enough undies and socks for everyday, 4 pairs of pants, 6 tops, 3 jumpers, 3 cardigans, 4 singlets and a baby monitor Advertisement

'Total boast 'cause my husband said I couldn't do it lol,' she wrote.

'Two toddlers and two adults, a week's worth of clothes all in the same suitcase!'

One of the main tricks she used was to ditch toiletries as they were staying with family and to use a backpack for shoes.

'No toiletries cause we have everything at mums, we have a backpack for the shoes and a little caddy for the nappy changing station in the boot,' she explained.

The rolling technique also saved her a significant amount of room and prevented any 'rummaging' around for items.

'I love rolling, it means no fold marks either,' she said.

'It's embarrassing but I do get such pleasure out of things being perfectly fitted.'

Fitting a family-size wardrobe into a single carrier is no easy feat, as evidenced by the slew of praise the post received.

'She's obviously a witch!' A fellow mother joked.

'Hope [your husband] has learnt his lesson  NEVER tell a woman she can't because she will ALWAYS prove him wrong,' another said.

Her hack is sure to be welcomed by travellers across the country given the considerable cost of checking on bags when flying.

Fitting a family-size wardrobe into a single carrier is no easy feat, as evidenced by the slew of praise the post received

'That's how I pack  the less you pack, the less you lose,' another user agreed.

'Good job, I love how you rolled the clothesso you're not rummaging through to find what you need  definitely pinching this idea, thanks!'

'Just to prove we can do anything our husbands say we can't lol, well done,' another mother wrote.

The savvy matriarch revealed the rolling method leaves clothes crease free, eliminating the need to iron on arrival.
Scrawled across a calendar entry in capital letters on a date that resonates in history is one word written in Latin. It is 'Finis' and it is marked against December 11, 1936, the day that Edward VIII gave up his throne for the love of American divorcee Wallis Simpson (both pictured left a year later, in 1937). This was how the former king's devoted manservant recorded both the tragedy of the Abdication and his own repugnance, with a solitary word meaning 'the end'. The writer was Horace Jack Crisp, who worked as valet and page to the former Prince of Wales and future Duke of Windsor from 1919 until that December night when Edward sailed into exile, amid a constitutional crisis that threatened to bring down the monarchy. Now, nearly 85 years later, Crisp's intimate notes (inset) and keepsakes (a gifted cigarette case, bottom left, and stick pin, bottom right) from his years of palace service - he later worked for both George VI and the Queen Mother - have been unearthed. And they shed a fascinating light on this tumultuous chapter in royal history. Pictured top left: Edward and Mrs Simpson bathing in the Adriatic on their cruise aboard the steam yacht Nahlin, seen top right.
They say that to launch a successful business, you need to put time, blood, sweat and tears into the final product.

But two Brisbane-based friends are proof that if you have a good idea, it will always fly.

Stevie Angel and Nadia Tucker, both 37, came up with the idea for Active Truth when they became new mothers and had both bought one too many pairs of expensive tights that sagged, rolled down or were see-through.

Taking matters into their hands, they launched a booming activewear business, turning over $2 million in just two years after a $20,000 investment.

Even better, as busy mums, the women only initially worked for six hours a day.

Stevie Angel and Nadia Tucker (pictured), both 37, came up with the idea for Active Truth when they became new mothers and had both bought one too many pairs of expensive tights that sagged, rolled down or were see-through

Taking matters into their hands, they launched a booming activewear business, turning over $2 million in just two years after a $20k investment (pictured: their activewear)

Speaking to FEMAIL, Stevie and Nadia said they came up with the idea for Active Truth when they were working elsewhere.

'We were both working in corporate roles at the time, Nadia as a lawyer and Stevie in government communications, and initially we worked on the business in our spare time,' Stevie told Daily Mail Australia.

'Neither of us had any experience in manufacturing, fashion or e-commerce, but we came up with the idea one day when we were chatting.

'We would often go the gym, followed by a playground coffee date with out kids.

'We talked about the activewear we were buying and how there was a need for a brand that was inclusive of all women in both its products and its marketing, because we didn't identify with what was on offer.

'Once we recognised the need for a brand like Active Truth it was a case of "someone needs to do this, and why not us?".'

'We were both working in corporate roles at the time, Nadia as a lawyer and Stevie in government communications,' when they came up with the idea (pictured: Active Truth Swim)

'Our vision was to create a brand that celebrated and catered to women no matter their size, shape or stage of life,' Nadia said (pictured with Stevie)

Initially, the 37-year-olds devised exactly what they wanted to create.

'Our vision was to create a brand that celebrated and catered to women no matter their size, shape or stage of life,' Nadia said.

'To show a diverse range of women in our marketing: all happy, healthy and active - and never photoshopped.'

They decided to work on the business 'in the office during school hours, so just six hours a day'.

'But, like any business owners we never really turn off and you'll find us talking about new product design at our kids' rugby games, or marketing strategy during a workout.

'We both love what we do, so it doesn't feel like work.'

And before they knew it, a $20,000 investment into the business morphed into a $2 million turnover.

'We created a product that women were crying out for. We are a purpose-driven brand and our team works incredibly hard to challenge stereotypes and bias around health and wellness,' Stevie said.

The reason why they say they have enjoyed so much success is that they created a product that 'women are crying out for' (pictured: their activewear)

Speaking about their business tips and what they have learned since starting Active Truth, the women said it's all about 'persistence and resilience' (pictured: the Swim collection)

Speaking about their business tips and what they have learned since starting Active Truth, the women said it's all about 'persistence and resilience'.

'You need to keep going even when you don't want to, and pick yourself up again and again when you get knocked down.'

Nadia also said you 'need to have a thick skin and a strong drive and vision for what you want to achieve, as this will get you through the tough times'.

'Know your numbers too,' Stevie said.

'We review our financial position daily. The best advice we were given was to undertake an Australian Institute of Management finance course which armed us with the knowledge to ask the right questions of our financial advisors.'

Finally, they both said you need to 'trust your intuition' if you know you're onto a winner. 'You know your business best,' they said.

To find out more about Active Truth, you can visit the website here. They are in the process of launching a swimwear collection to allow all women to feel confident on the beach or at the pool this summer.
Emma Tobin didn't need test results to know her daughter Paige was seriously ill.

After watching the three-year-old's condition rapidly deteriorate to being feverish, vomiting and unable to walk, the mother-of-three's instinct just kicked in.

But after she took her to hospital, doctors just gave her Panadol and sent her swiftly home.

Then, four days after Paige's symptoms first appeared, she was diagnosed with Influenza A - after her mother suggested she be tested for the illness.

Now Mrs Tobin is warning other parents to pay attention to their child's symptoms - even if they're not initially taken seriously by medical professionals.

Emma Tobin didn't need test results to know her daughter Paige (pictured) was seriously ill - despite the reluctance of doctors to diagnose her

Four days after Paige's symptoms first appeared, she was diagnosed with Influenza A, now Mrs Tobin (pictured, left) is warning other parents to pay attention to their child's symptoms

'In the end, if I cause a fuss, jump up and down and I'm wrong  my child is still healthy,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'But if I don't and something does go wrong then I potentially lose my child, or something really bad could happen.

'I would much prefer to be the mum who is causing a fuss and trying to get an appointment at the doctors and being sent away rather than being in the position of the mum who lost her daughter.'

The comments follow Mrs Tobin taking to the family's Instagram account on Tuesday to reveal the extent of Paige's health battle.

'On the way she started having convulsions and arrived with a temperature of 39.9. She had blood tests, an X-ray and was put on a drip for fluids,' she wrote.

According to Pediatrician Dr Nelu (pictured), while parents should be on the lookout for Influenza A's symptoms, prevention is ultimately paramount

'I asked three times over the next 24 hours if it could be influenza and my concerns were brushed off.'

Mrs Tobin's ordeal began on Wednesday last week when Paige contracted a fever that just wouldn't go away.

Soon after arriving at a hospital early on Friday morning, Paige was pumped with 'steroids, medication for the nausea and sent her home'.

'Within an hour she was pretty up and Adam and they were like "okay, you can go home now!"'

After seeing her daughter's condition decline further once they left the hospital - the pair returned the next days seeking answers which came following an Influenza swab test.

'I had asked them in the emergency department whether it could have been influenza and that was just brushed off. And then I asked another nurse and she brushed me off too,' Mrs Tobin said.

'Suddenly the doctor who had brushed me off came rushing into her room saying "she has influenza and has to be moved to her own room."'

The eventual diagnosis came on Sunday, days after Paige's initial suffering began.

'Within 16 hours of the antibiotics Paige was like a different person. It's quite likely she did have a secondary infection and that it was bacterial.'

Luckily for little Paige, she is well on her way to recovery, largely thanks to her mother's persistence - and intuition

But according to Pediatrician Dr Nelu, while parents should be keenly on the lookout for Influenza A's symptoms, prevention is ultimately paramount.

'Influenza is becoming more common  we're seeing it a lot more of it anyway,' she said.

'The best way people can deal with it is by getting the flu vaccine and protecting themselves that way.'

Luckily for little Paige, she is well on her way to recovery, largely thanks to her mother's persistence - and intuition.

'A little bit of advice for parents - if your child is sick and youre being sent home or brushed off be more forceful,' she wrote.

'You know your child more than the doctors or nurses, mother's instinct is a pretty powerful thing!'
An Australian mother has revealed the tragic reason behind why she spent $13,000 on her son, Lachlan's, first birthday party last month.

Jackie Lam, 31, from Melbourne, struggled to conceive for months, before she suffered a miscarriage the year before last.

Lachlan was the doting mother's 'rainbow baby' - the first baby born after the tragic loss of a child by miscarriage.

'I have always been someone who is into parties and events, and someone who likes to bring people together,' Jackie told FEMAIL. 'I knew I wanted this day to be special, and it was bittersweet.'

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An Australian mother has revealed the tragic reason behind why she spent $13,000 on her son, Lachlan's, first birthday party last month (pictured: the lavish celebration)

Jackie Lam, 31, from Melbourne, struggled to conceive for months, before she suffered a miscarriage the year before last (pictured with Lachlan)

Lachlan was the doting mother's 'rainbow baby' - the first baby born after the tragic loss of a child by miscarriage (pictured at his first birthday party)

According to the former corporate employee, she and her partner were so delighted when baby Lachlan was born, that they knew they wanted to mark his first birthday as a milestone (pictured: some of the elaborate desserts on offer)

According to the former corporate employee, she and her partner were so delighted when baby Lachlan was born, that they knew they wanted to mark his first birthday as a milestone:

'We come from a Vietnamese heritage and in our culture, the first birthday is always the most significant, rather than the sixteenth or the eighteenth,' Jackie said.

'In the back of our minds, we knew we wanted to have a big celebration when he turned one, but we didn't start planning it until two months before the party.'

'We come from a Vietnamese heritage and in our culture, the first birthday is always the most significant, rather than the eighteenth,' Jackie said (pictured: Lachlan and his dad)

Jackie and her partner started planning the lavish celebration two months before the big day, spending the majority of their lavish budget on the catering (pictured)

'The chunk of the $12,650 budget went on catering and creating the amazing desserts,' Jackie explained (pictured with her family) - she created some of the decorations herself

The lavish first birthday do encompassed invitations for 140 guests, and took place at a stunning waterside venue, with food and drink - including alcohol - for all attendees.

'The chunk of the $12,650 budget went on catering and creating the amazing desserts,' Jackie explained.

'They were probably the biggest ticket items. Apart from that, we created some of the decorations ourselves, and my sister baked the cake.'

The menu for the day included slider burgers, mini pizzas, fish and chips and salads.

There was also the costly fully-loaded dessert station, which featured mini eclairs, tarts, chocolate logs, mango mousse cakes and macaroons.

The menu for the day included slider burgers, mini pizzas, fish and chips and salads, as well as desserts like mini eclairs, tarts, chocolate logs, mango mouse cakes and macaroons

'I will never forget that moment when I saw him walking in with his dad. His face lit up when he saw all of the things,' Jackie said (pictured with Lachlan)

Jackie takes such pleasure from conducting events that she has now set up a business on the side relating to parties

On the day itself, Jackie confessed Lachlan loved it as much as her friends and family:

'I will never forget that moment when I saw him walking in with his dad. His face lit up when he saw all of the things,' she said.

'We themed it around Where The Wild Things Are, and called it Wild One. I love inspiring imagination, especially in children.

'Seeing their faces - I get so much pleasure from celebrating things with the people I love.'

The mother said she gets a lot of pleasure from celebrating things with the people she loves (pictured: the venue and the cake)

Friends and family brought plenty of presents for the lucky boy (pictured)

Speaking about what the future will hold, Jackie said that she is unlikely to go as 'all out' for Lachlan's second birthday, which isn't often seen as such a big deal (pictured)

Speaking about what the future will hold, Jackie said that she is unlikely to go as 'all out' for Lachlan's second birthday:

'A McDonald's party might work for next time,' she laughed. 'I don't think the second birthday needs to be as lavish.'

She also said that she is aware that while some people might judge her for the party, she also believes that it wasn't 'hurting anyone either'.

'I think our videographer, Aldin Ortinez, put it well,' she said.

'He said: "While I do understand the inherent insanity of paying five figures for a kid's birthday party, there's also a grain of truth in the saying "love knows no boundaries".

"I am in the wedding industry, I would know. If you stop regarding it as simply a birthday party, and put it firmly in the category of memorable once-in-a-lifetime experiences, then the answer has to be a resounding yes.

"Every child deserves a day to celebrate the love they bring into their parents' lives."'

Jackie confessed that she has been so inspired by putting on the event, that she has started a business in events, A Peachy Affair Events, designed to help others create their dream party.

'Our lavish first birthday party mightn't be for everyone, but it was a perfect celebration for us,' she said.
At just 21 years of age, Madeline Stuart has rubbed shoulders with some of the fashion industry's best, shooting for the likes of Marie Claire, Moda Magazine and Vogue and even stomping the runway at seven shows as part of this year's New York Fashion Week.

And now the Brisbane-born model with Down syndrome has set her sights on walking the world famous Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Ms Stuart recently told Teen Vogue that making history as the first model with a disability to walk for the lingerie empire brand would be her 'biggest dream'.

The promising young model also revealed aspirations to walk for 'amazing designers' including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Versace.

At just 21 years of age Madeline Stuart has rubbed shoulders with some of the fashion industry's best and has now set her sights on walking for Victoria's Secret

The Brisbane-born model with Down syndrome flew to New York for her sixth season of fashion week - walking in more shows than she ever has before

'My plans for the future are to keep changing the way the fashion industry looks at diversity,' she told Teen Vogue.

'I want to continue modelling and it's looking like I will have a very busy year next year.'

Speaking to FEMAIL earlier this month, Ms Stuart's mother Roseanne said the past few months have been an exciting time for the promising young model.

'It's been both exhilarating and rewarding. Maddy has walked in seven shows here and has shown her own collection 21 Reasons Why which was received with excitement and favour.

'It has been great to see so many international designers embracing Madeline and other models with diversity, be it Down syndrome or transgender... there is a great feeling of unity in New York this year.'

'Maddy has walked in seven shows here and has shown her own collection 21 Reasons Why which was received with excitement and favour,' her mother Rosanne Stuart told FEMAIL

The designers were enamoured by her presence at the shows, explaining how they were excited to have a world-class model on their shores

Ms Stuart walked for a range of brands including Burning Guitars, Femata Couture and Duane Topping.

The designers were enamoured by her presence at the shows, explaining how they were excited to have a world-class model on their shores.

'Having Madeline walk for us is such an honour. She is a shining voice shouting out that beauty is everywhere and in everyone. We are proud to be a part of that message this year,' Topping Designs said of her appearance.

'While I love creating collections and imparting art into the fashion industry, I believe as humans, we have to find a cause larger than ourselves to dedicate ourselves to,' designer Rutu Bhonsle said.

Her own label 21 Reasons Why celebrated its third season at fashion week and featured water coloured jumpsuits, crop tops and high-waisted pants

While the frantic fashion week in New York is winding down, Madeline won't be returning home to Australian soil just yet

Her own label 21 Reasons Why celebrated its third season at fashion week and featured water coloured jumpsuits, crop tops and high-waisted pants.

It is described as 'a contemporary, edgy women's ready-to-wear collection, perfect for day wear and yet trendy and versatile for an evening out on the town'.

After the frantic fun of New York, Ms Stuart went on to attend both London and Paris Fashion Weeks where she walked for Colleen Morris and Fashions Finest on September 15 and 16 respectively.

You can follow Madeline on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Bemused parents have hit back at schools' increasingly ludicrous food restrictions - revealing the items that have led to their children have been 'lunchbox shamed'.

It comes after British woman Laura Lee took to social media after her two-year-old son was prevented from eating the mini cookies in his lunch box because nursery staff deemed the snack too unhealthy.

In the often hilarious stream of commentary, parents show their food-based misses as schools attempt to tackle a rising obesity epidemic among youngsters.

One well intented mother revealed the seemingly healthy snack which landed her child in trouble.

British mother Laura Lee shared this photo of her toddler son's lunch box earlier this week, revealing how the mini cookies were returned home uneaten as they were deemed too 'unhealthy'

'I had a note sent home with my daughter from day care saying I couldn't pack sultanas because they where too high in sugar,' she wrote.

Another laid back parent considers themselves lucky at their child's school's relaxed policy.

'My son took the same little biscuits today and a LCM bar,' she wrote.

'Luckily our school is not so strict and only encourage 'naked food'. A little sweet treat won't hurt!!'

Bizarrely, one mother claimed it was plain fruit that landed her daughter among the naughty children.

Bemused parents have now hit back at schools' increasingly ludicrous food restrictions - revealing the items that have led to their children have been 'lunchbox shamed'

In the often hilarious stream of commentary, parents show their food-based misses as schools attempt to tackle a rising obesity epidemic among youngsters

'When my daughter was in primary school her teacher confiscated her morning snack once because it didn't have a label with ingredients - it was home grown and dried fruit.'

Ms Lee garnered media attention this week when she revealed how her son was sent to nursery with a packed lunch of sandwiches, cheese, crackers and chopped fruit and veg and had added three mini cookies as an extra treat.

However she claimed the cookies were returned home uneaten as they are considered 'unhealthy'.

The mother shared a photo of her son's well-balanced lunch box on Facebook in response to a story by Plymouth Live in which teachers shared stories of the worst school lunches they had seen.

One recalled a mother who sent her child to school with a can of Red Bull, saying: 'He'd had a late night on his Xbox and seemed like he needed a pick-me-up.'

Another grandmother sent a pupil to primary school with leftover Macdonalds because she didn't want the fast food to 'go to waste'.

The mother shared the post on Facebook, pictured, revealing her surprise when the cookies were returned. It was shared in response to a newspaper story about bad school lunches

After the newspaper asked readers for examples of their own 'bad' school lunches, Mrs Lee submitted her own story.

She posted: 'I sent my 2.5 yr old son to school with this and the cookies got sent home because they're unhealthy - there was 3 MINI Cookies.'

It was accompanied by a photo of the lunch box, which was packed with sliced cucumber, peppers, celery and grapes, as well as a dollop of peanut butter, sandwiches on brown bread, a small helping of cheese and crackers.

Parents were shocked by the nursery's response and praised the mother's 'well balanced' meal

In one of the compartment were three mini cookies, which were smaller than the cheese crackers.

Parents and teachers alike were left shocked by the nursery's policy.

One posted: 'Looks like you took time and effort to his lunch 'fun' and appealing. Absolute rubbish that he wasn't allowed to get those small cookies. Everything in moderation surely.'

Another added: 'I work in a nursery and believe me, I have seen some terrible packed lunches in the past! This looks perfect to me!'
Royals are renowned for their grace and poise however, even a princess isn't immune to occasional blunder as Mary of Denmark proved last night.

The Crown Princess of Denmark was enlisted with the task of presenting the winners of the the Danish Design Awards with their gongs.

However, during one of the prize-givings the mother-of-four was left in a rather awkward situation when she dropped the trophy.

Each of the winners was presented with an inscribed block kept inside a velvet lined box, and when architect Bodil Kjaer went to collect his, the block fell to the floor.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attended the Design Awards in Copenhagen on Thursday night where she presented prizes to this years winners. Pictured with architect Bodil Kjaer

While presenting Bodil with her prize Mary suffered an awkward blunder when the block encased in a velvet lined box fell to the floor

However, a composed Princess Mary, 46, brushed the moment off before continuing with the evening's awards.

The Australian born royal looked typically glamorous at Thursday night's event which was held at the Bellevue Theatre in the Danish capital.

Mary opted for a statement teal co-ord consisting of a high neck blouse and wide leg trousers for the prize-giving.

With such a bold outfit choice the chic royal kept her remaining accessories to a minimum in the form of some Jade coloured earrings and a pair of pointed court shoes.

Following the awards ceremony Mary joined finalists and winners for a drinks reception at the Bellevue Theatre in Copenhagen

During the awards ceremony the Crown Princess gave an impassioned speech where she congratulated the winners of this year's award

The Australian born royal looked typically chic in a statement teal co-ord for the awards ceremony last night

Her brunette locks were swept into a half up-do and Mary opted for a soft makeup palette of neutral tones.

She delivered an animated speech during last night's proceedings where she congratulated the finalists on their achievements.

Following the award ceremony Mary joined the winners for a reception where she treated herself to a small glass of wine.

The annual awards ceremony aims to highlight the impact and value of design, celebrating companies and designers across the country.

She kept her accessories to a minimum in the form of a few elegant pieces of jewellery and a pair of pointed court shoes. Pictured with designer Lars Vejen

The award categories range from design that has created jobs or cut costs over health solutions to visionary concepts.

Princess Mary is married to Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, the heir apparent to the Danish throne.

Mary and Frederik have four children together; Prince Christian, 12, Princess Isabella, 11, and twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent, seven.

The love story between Princess Mary and Prince Frederick has been well documented; the couple met in a Sydney bar and Mary, born in Tasmania, moved to the northern hemisphere to be with Frederik.
A toothbrush company has been forced to apologise over its 'spit or swallow' advert aimed at female fresher students - after it was branded 'gross and inappropriate'.

The ad for Brushbox, a London-based toothbrush subscription service, was included in a 'welcome pack' given to students at the University of Sussex.

It read: 'Whether you spit or swallow as part of your (twice...) daily oral regime, place your oral health on autopilot with Brushbox.'

The other side of the beermat featured a suggestive close-up of a woman's mouth as she spits out her toothpaste.

Toothbush company Brushbox has been forced to apologise over its 'spit or swallow' advert aimed at female fresher students

The other side of the beermat featured a suggestive close-up of a woman's mouth (above) as she spits out her toothpaste

The controversial advert was shared on Twitter by a feminist group called Untameable Shrews, who commented: 'WTF Do you have any respect for women? This is sexual harassment.'

Others were quick to comment, with one social media user writing: '[N]o two ways about it. This is porn marketing. Totally inappropriate & Gross'.

Another posted: 'I am not easily offended or into "moral outrage" but this is disgusting'.

Meanwhile, one Twitter user added: 'Dear god, even toothbrushes have been pornified'.

The advert was shared on Twitter by feminist group Untameable Shrews, who wrote: 'WTF Do you have any respect for women? This is sexual harassment.'

Other social media users branded the toothbrush advert 'inappropriate & gross', and 'completely unacceptable'

Brushbox has since apologised for the advert, which the company says it now realises was 'inappropriate and misguided'.

A spokesperson for the company said: 'We are really sorry if anyone has been offended by the promotional image used on the beer mat which was distributed to Universities.

'We now realise it was inappropriate and misguided of us to use this type of image as a way to raise awareness of dental health issues.

'We completely understand that the image could be deemed as derogatory to women and for that we are truly sorry - this was never our intention, and we take full responsibility for any upset it has caused.'

Some Twitter users said they were 'completely appalled' by the advert, with one describing it as 'disgusting'

The spokesperson added: 'BrushBox is a company which prides itself on its family and ethical ethos and we are very disappointed that something which was meant to encourage good health habits amongst students has caused any offence.'

Meanwhile, the Sussex Student Union said it would be 'reviewing' their relationship with the supplier of the welcome boxed.

A statement from the student union, shared on Twitter, read: 'We were very disappointed to find this promotional material in our Dig-In boxes, and we will be reviewing our relationship with the supplier in future.'

A University of Sussex spokesperson said: 'We can absolutely see why this promotional material in our Students Unions freshers packs has sparked such a strong reaction.

'Were sure this discussion will continue and that our Students Union and other student unions will feed back the reaction to the company responsible.'
Princess Eugenie was forced to put her wedding plans on hold to make way for cousin Prince Harry's nuptials according to new reports.

The Princess of York, 28, had reportedly planned to marry fiance Jack Brooksbank, 31, last year but the couple had to delay their nuptials so that 'Harry could go first'. They ultimately announced their engagement in January 2018.

A source close to the Princess told Vanity Fair: 'It's my understanding that Eugenie and Jack decided some time ago that they wanted to get married, and there was some talk about a wedding in 2017, but they had to wait for Harry to go first.'

The source added that the York family is keen for the focus to be on Eugenie on her wedding day.

A source close to Princess Eugenie claims that she and Jack Brooksbank (pictured after their engagement) had planned to marry in 2017 but were forced to delay their marriage in order for Prince Harry to take the spotlight

They continued: 'The feeling among the Yorks is that she deserves her moment in the spotlight and a big royal wedding with all the frills.'

But while the couple may have had to delay their wedding plans, the source insisted that there are 'no bad feelings' towards the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

It is now less than a month until the Princess of York marries Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel in Windsor, where Harry and Meghan said their 'I dos', on October 12.

While their wedding was put on hold the source insisted that their are 'no bad feelings' between Eugenie and Jack and Harry and Meghan (pictured on their wedding day)

The source said that the York family are keen for Eugenie (pictured with Jack in June) to have her 'moment in the spotlight'

Jack and Eugenie are expected to be surrounded by a star-studded confirmation as they exchange vows before heading to Windsor Castle for the reception.

There's expected to be some crossover with Harry and Meghan's guest list, with Amal and George Clooney, James Blunt, Cressida Bonas, Elton John and the Beckhams predicted to attend their second royal nuptials of the year.

But Eugenie's guest list is set to have an extra sprinkling of edginess in the form of a younger, cool crowd including Ellie Goulding, Cara Delevingne and Suki Waterhouse and modelling royalty Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford.

However, members of the public hoping to watch the nuptials on the TV may be out of luck as the Mail on Sunday revealed that the BBC does not plan to air the wedding.

The MOS reports that Prince Andrew was trying to strike a deal with the broadcasters but they rejected it, claiming they feared there would be a ratings flop.

Sky is also running no more than snippets throughout the day as part of its rolling news coverage, however, ITV may still step in to televise the event.

The engaged couple are said to have requested a more formal dress code than Harry and Meghan did for their big day.

The bride-to-be and fiance Jack are said to have requested men wear morning coats to the nuptials at St George's Chapel, Windsor, on 12 October.

Jack and Eugenie will marry at St George's Chapel in Windsor on October 12 - the same location as the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Pictured: Outside the chapel at the royal wedding in May

In contrast Harry and Meghan gave men the option of wearing a morning coat, military uniform or a more casual lounge suit to their wedding at the same venue in May. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge offered guests the same choice in 2011.

The details are included on a purported copy of Eugenie and Jack's wedding invitation which has been published by Vanity Fair.

The purported invitation is written in a similar printed font to the Sussexes' and features almost identical wording.

It reads: 'His Royal Highness The Duke of York K.G. and Sarah, Duchess of York request the pleasure of the company of [guest's name] at the marriage of their daughter Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York with Mr Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on Friday 12th October, 2018 at 11am followed by a reception at Windsor Castle.'

In the bottom left-hand corner is the address of the member of staff who will receive the RSVPs at Buckingham Palace.

In the bottom right-hand corner is the dress code: 'Morning Coat/Day Dress with Hat'. The name of the invitation's recipient has been blanked out by Vanity Fair.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on whether the invitation is genuine.
Meghan's designer friend Misha Nonoo's website has been updated to label a skirt as 'recently worn' by the Duchess - just a day after the royal sported it at her charity cookbook launch.

The Duchess of Sussex, 37, wore the designer's $250 (190) 'Saturday' skirt on Thursday, at a reception celebrating the launch of her Together: Community Kitchen cookbook, supporting families affected by the devastating Grenfell Tower fire.

And Misha, 31, was quick to gush over her friend's choice of skirt, saying she was 'truly honoured' the piece was worn by the royal to celebrate the 'brilliant project'.

The designer - who is widely believed to be Meghan and Prince Harry's matchmaker - also shared details of how to buy the black pleated skirt with fans on Instagram Stories.

Meghan's designer friend Misha Nonoo has been quick to promote her label's pleated skirt, which was worn by the Duchess of Sussex at the launch of her charity cookbook on Thursday. Meghan was joined by mother Doria and Prince Harry at the event

On her website, the product description for the Saturday skirt reads: 'Recently worn by Meghan Markle and great for any day of the week'.

The Saturday skirt is 'made on-demand', with the brand explaining how the item will be shipped approximately 10 business days after orders are made.

Meghan paired the black pleated skirt with a $300 (230) cashmere bodysuit from US label Tuxe and $1,195 (905) blue coat from Canadian brand Smythe at the event at Kensington Palace.

Following the reception, Misha posted on Instagram: 'Very proud friend today as Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, launches "Together: Our Community Cookbook" with her lovely Mum and Husband by her side.

Misha Nonoo's $250 (190) 'Saturday' skirt (above) is currently available on the brand's website, and is 'made on-demand'

The product description for the Saturday skirt (above) has been updated to read 'Recently worn by Meghan Markle'

'This celebration of women and the strength of community in the face of adversity is beyond inspiring.

'Truly honoured that she chose to wear the Saturday skirt to celebrate this brilliant project '

Posting on Instagram Stories, the designer added: 'Meghan, Duchess of Sussex looking elegant in our Saturday skirt at the launch of her cookbook with the Hubb Community Kitchen'.

It comes after Misha was criticised for cashing in on her royal connections, after a sponsored post advertising the Husband Shirt worn by Meghan was circulated on Instagram.

Misha (pictured at the royal wedding in May) was quick to gush over her friend's choice of skirt, saying that she was 'truly honoured' that she had worn the piece

Misha also shared further photographs of the Duchess in the skirt on Instagram Stories, as well as including details of how fans could buy the skirt (right)

Posting on Instagram, Misha said she was a 'very proud friend', and described Meghan's project as 'beyond inspiring'

In the post that was circulated on Instagram, the $185 (138) white blouse was described as 'the shirt that sealed the deal', alluding to Meghan's romance with Harry.

The former Suits actress had worn the shirt at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September last year, just two months before her and Harry's engagement was announced.

Criticising the ad, one Instagram user said: 'One of Megans friends is already using the connection to try to flog shirts'

Misha regularly advertises The Husband Shirt on her Instagram feed, sharing a photograph of Meghan wearing the garment back in September, captioned: 'MM in her MN shirt from our #Easy8 [collection]'.

Misha has previously been criticised after a sponsored post on Instagram advertised the Husband Shirt worn my Meghan as 'The Shirt That Sealed the Deal'

Meghan the shirt at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September last year, just two months before her and Harry's engagement was announced

Misha, who was previously married to Prince Harry's friend Alexander Gilkes, attended the royal wedding in May, showing off designs from her own label.

Sharing photographs of herself from the big day on Instagram, she wrote: 'Memories from the happiest weekend '

'I designed this dress using ice blue silk mikado from Taroni, one of the oldest silk mills in Lake Como, Italy.'

Posting a picture of herself in her evening outfit, she added: 'For black tie, I love wearing a jumpsuit and created this one shoulder, draped silk style in our signature red.
A woman who has forked out $25,000 on varied body modifications, including a procedure to separate her tongue, says men have gone gaga over her unique appearance  because her split tongue makes her better in the bedroom.

Playboy coordinator Allie Kali, 24, from Pennsylvania, grew up in a conservative family but had an artistic personality, which made her feel like the 'black sheep'.

As a young girl, she was inspired by the Guinness World Record breaker Lizard Man, who has numerous body modifications including full-body tattoos and a bifurcated tongue, to get her tongue split in half.

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Changes: Allie Kali, 24, from Pennsylvania, has forked out $25,000 on varied body modifications, including a procedure to separate her tongue

Ink: Due to the legal restrictions of body modifications, Allie had to wait until she turned 18 to start getting tattoos and she now has them all over her body

Due to the legal restrictions of body modifications, Allie, who now lives in Los Angeles, had to wait until she was 18 until she began getting tattoos. She now has them all over her body.

In April 2018, she decided to get her tongue split. She says that while the procedure itself, which lasted 45 minutes, didn't hurt, the recovery process was painful.

Her overall look has cost $25,000 to get done and she now feels more like herself than she ever did before.

'Most men think it's extremely attractive, I've only had a few that were creeped out by it. When it comes to intimacy, as you could imagine, most men absolutely love it since I have two separate tongues that I have individual control of,' Allie said.

'I've always felt like the black sheep of the family and in my friendship group. I'm originally from a small town in Pennsylvania where it's uncommon to even be covered in tattoos.

'I'm a very artistic person who is always hungry for more ways to express myself. I just wanted people to look at me and see my tattoos and body modifications and get an idea of who I am without even having a conversation.

Personality: Allie grew up in a conservative family but had an artistic personality, which made her feel like the 'black sheep'

Transformation: In April 2018, she decided to get her tongue split. She says that while the procedure itself, which lasted 45 minutes, didn't hurt, the recovery process was painful

Loving it: 'When it comes to intimacy, as you could imagine, most men absolutely love it since I have two separate tongues that I have individual control of,' Allie said

Procedure: In order to get her tongue split into two, Allie enlisted the services of a body modification artist who used a scalpel to cut into the tissues

'Since starting to get tattooed, I have had many random strangers talk to me while out in public and on social media.

'People are always fascinated by the art on my body and want to know more about the stories behind the ideas.

'Some people confess they wish they could be as daring as me and cover their body in art and to that I always respond with, "Why not?" Your life on earth is very short, so why not look the way you want to? Be yourself.

'I saw pictures of the heavily modified Lizard Man in the Guinness World Record book when I was a kid and I always thought it looked cool.'

In order to get her tongue split into two, Allie enlisted the services of a body modification artist.

'The artist I paid to perform my bifurcation used the scalpel method; where the tongue is cut with a scalpel and either cauterized or sutured,' she said.

'At the beginning of the procedure, I was told to rinse my mouth out with antiseptic mouth wash for five minutes.

'Then my tongue was pierced twice on the tip of each side and suture line was ran through with hoops at the ends.

'I held my mouth open as an assistant was behind my head holding the two hoops that held the end of my tongue.

'The artist drew a line down the center of my tongue, making sure not to go past the frenulum on the underside of my tongue.

Career: Allie says her body modifications have cause certain employers not to want to hire her, but she doesn't mind because she only wants to work in creative fields

Split: It took two people, one artist and the assistant, to split Allie's tongue in two

Process: Allie help a cup under her chin to catch the blood and drool while she was getting her tongue split

'A local anesthetic was injected into the back of my tongue. I was given a cup to hold under my chin to catch all the drool and blood about to come out.

'Then with three swift cuts of a scalpel blade, my tongue was split in half. The assistant behind me held the two loops further out, which now held out each side of my split tongue.

'The artist quickly stitched each side of my tongue with a total of 16 sutures. The whole procedure took about 45 minutes.

'I was then given a mouth wash for five minutes again and then I was on my way. The whole procedure initially was not too painful, but the healing process that followed was horrible.

'The next two days following the bifurcation were extremely painful. My tongue was so swollen, I couldn't close my mouth, so I constantly had to wipe drool off my face.

'As for food, there was no way to swallow anything down except ibuprofen for the swelling along with plenty of water. So, for two days, sleep was rough, and I couldn't talk or eat anything.

'I was told to stay away from dairy, as it can contain bacteria. The third day I was only able to drink a vegan meal replacement and the fourth and fifth days I could only swallow buttered noodles.

'A week later, I got the stitches removed and had significantly less swelling and was able to talk and eat more foods.'

Tongue splitting is illegal in some states in the US including New York, Texas, Delaware and Illinois, and it's completely banned from the US military.

Creative: Allie had a photo shoot with her friend showing her split tongue (left) and also had fun sporting a devilish look (right)

Bloody: Allie posed with what looked like blood dripping down her chin during a photo shoot with one of her friends

Allie's body modifications have had a palpable impact on her life.

'Being tattooed has definitely changed my professional life. Unfortunately, some employers still judge based on tattoos and it certainly limits my profession options,' she said.

'However, most people don't notice my split tongue unless I'm eating or licking my lips. When I started to get tattooed and modify myself, I accepted the fact that I was limiting my career options and for me personally, that was never an issue since I only want to be in creative-based careers.

'My family is very conservative and don't really support any of my body modifications. They live on the other side of the country, so I don't see them very often and they don't even know about my split tongue.

'I plan on getting my whole body tattooed eventually, it just takes lots of time and money. As far as extreme modifications, I want to get my tongue split deeper since it has regrown an inch.

'Once I'm covered in tattoos and have my career solidified, I would like to get the whites of my eyes injected with tattoo ink.

'It's very satisfying when I hear that I inspire people to get tattooed or give them the courage to express themselves regardless of what others think.

'At the end of the day, you're the one that has to look in the mirror and deal with the person staring back at you. Why not love your body and add some art to it?'
A student was left red-faced after accidentally sending one of her professors a paper addressed to 'Professor whats his nuts'.

Zoey Oxley, 18, is a student at Ohio University in Athens. She took to Twitter on Thursday to detail the mishap, which occurred after she turned in an assignment to her professor John Hendel.

When Oxley wrote her paper, she typed her own name at the top of the first page and was supposed to include Hendel's name as well.

Oops! Student Zoey Oxley accidentally turned in an assignment in which she called her instructor 'Professor whats his nuts' instead of his real name, John Hendel

Owning up to it: Oxley (right) tweeted about the mishap on Thursday, sharing a photo of her paper with the 'Professor whats his nuts' mention (left)

However, she called Hendel 'Professor whats his nuts' instead, intending to switch out the nickname for Hendel's real name before submitting the assignment.

Her plan backfired and Oxley forgot to make the change before uploading her paper  for good  onto her school's online platform.

After realizing her mistake, a horrified Oxley sent Hendel an email to apologize profusely for the mishap.

'Professor Hendel,' she wrote, 'I am writing this email very embarrassingly. As I began writing my paper, I wrote out the template.

'Unfortunately, I could not remember your last name, so I filled it with something completely unprofessional.

'It was my intention to change the name before submission, but it completely slipped my mind. I attempted to resubmit the assignment but was unable to.

'I am so very sorry for the lack of respect that was used and again I apologize for this mistake. I hope that this does not reflect what you think of me and that the next assignment I can address by the correct name.

'Thank you again and I am so sorry.'

How it all began: The student fully intended to swap out the nickname for Hendel's real name before uploading it to her school's online platform (pictured), but she forgot

So sorry: Oxley promptly sent Hendel an email apologizing profusely for her mistake

Didn't go unnoticed: Before Oxley tweeted about the mishap, Hendel did the same thing from his own Twitter account and appeared to see the humor in the situation

As it turned out, Hendel seemed to see the humor in the situation.

Before Oxley tweeted about the mishap, Hendel did the same thing on his own account, in a message that has now gone viral.

'A student emailed me, profusely apologizing for getting my name wrong at the top of their paper, and I was like, "Thanks, whatever, nbd,"' he tweeted on Wednesday.

'Then I got to their paper and saw their instructor was "Professor whats his nuts."'

Hendel's message went viral and has now garnered more than 300,000 likes.

Among the thousands of people who saw it was Oxley, who tweeted about her mistake on Thursday.

She simply wrote 'a series of unfortunate events' next to four images.

The first shows her college's online submission platform, the second is a photo of the top of her paper addressed to 'Professor whats his nuts', the third features the email she sent to Hendel, and the fourth is a screenshot of Hendel's viral tweet.

Her message has also gone viral, receiving more than 370,000 likes.

Oxley is now waiting to see whether Hendel will address the issue during her next class, which is scheduled for next Thursday.
Ivanka Trump met with employees and customers at a Walmart in Mesquite, Texas, on Friday, just one day after her trip to Houston to tour NASA's Johnston Space Center.

The 36-year-old first daughter looked right at home in the megastore, which has a Walmart Academy training program dedicated to helping associates advance their careers.

Whether it was intentional or a happy coincidence, Ivanka donned a navy top with a mock-neck that matched the navy blue polo shirts worn by the Texas Walmart's employees.

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Meet and greet: Ivanka Trump, 36, met with employees and customers at a Walmart in Mesquite, Texas, on Friday

Fan club: People crowded around the first daughter and took photos of her as she smiled and shook hands with customers and store associates

Although she wasn't wearing the retailer's budget-friendly clothes, she did choose a more affordable outfit for her visit compared to her usual designer duds.

Ivanka wore her navy top tucked into a $79.99 blue checked wrap skirt from the fast-fashion retailer Mango.

The senior adviser topped off her ladylike look with a pair of classic pumps for her meet-and-greet at the store.

Upon her arrival, the senior adviser was welcomed by Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, who gave her a guided tour of the store and its development programs.

Ivanka, who has been an advocate for workforce development during her father's time in the White House, was visiting the Walmart to learn about how the company is investing in its employees' futures.

Man in charge: Walmart CEO Doug McMillon gave Ivanka a guided tour of the store

Student for the day: The CEO also took Ivanka to see the on-sight classrooms at the store's Walmart Academy, which provides training programs for employees

People crowded around the first daughter and took photos of her as she smiled and shook hands with customers and store associates.

Walmart was one of the companies that signed the Trump administration's 'Pledge to America's Workers' initiative, which is committed to expanding workforce training.

Ivanka met with employees in the Walmart Academy's 'Assistant Store Manager' class to discuss how the training has helped them adapt to changing technology.

She also heard from recent graduates who told her about the skills they learned in the program and how it has helped advance their careers.

Ivanka is known for being hands-on during her visits, and her trip to Walmart was no exception.

All ears: Ivanka heard from recent graduates who told her about the skills they learned in the program and how it has helped advance their careers

Passion project: The senior adviser has been an advocate for workforce development during her father's time in the White House

Hands on: Ivanka used the academy's virtual reality technology to learn how to manage produce

White House Office Director of Media Affairs Judd Deere tweeted pictures and videos of Ivanka at the Walmart, including footage of her testing out the academy's virtual reality technology to learn how to manage produce.

'I mean this is really cool,' she said, and people couldn't help but laugh as she waved the remote control around the room.

'Where's the cosmetics at,' she joked.

The first daughter was also taught how to prepare orders using the store's new online grocery system.

However, while Ivanka was focused on workforce development, the company was concerned about her father's trade war with China.

Concentrating: The first daughter was also taught how to prepare orders using the store's new online grocery system

Fitting in: The first daughter donned a navy top that matched the store employee's polo shirts and a $79.99 blue checked wrap skirt from Mango

Walmart, which is the largest U.S. retailer, has warned the Trump administration that the latest tariffs on Chinese imports could mean price hikes on everything from car seats to pet products.

'This round of tariffs could impact a significant number of common consumer items that are not easily replaceable,' Sarah F. Thorn, a senior director for global government affairs at Walmart, wrote in a September 6 letter to the U.S. Trade Representative.

'The immediate impact will be to raise prices on consumers and tax American business and manufacturers.'

In retaliation for President Donald Trump's planned levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, Beijing added $60 billion of U.S. products to its tariff list on Tuesday.

The tit-for-tat measures are the latest escalation in an increasingly protracted trade dispute between the world's two largest economies.

The U.S. administration will begin to levy new tariffs of 10 percent on about $200 billion of Chinese products on September 24, with the tariffs to go up to 25 per cent by the end of 2018.

Tour: Ivanka visited NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on Thursday

First daughter perks: Astronaut Nicole Mann gave Ivanka a guided tour of the space center

The color of a space suit! The senior adviser donned a white double-breasted blazer and matching cropped pants

The day before her Walmart visit, Ivanka toured NASA's Johnston Space Center with Republican Senator Ted Cruz.

Looking chic in a white double-breasted blazer and matching cropped pants, Ivanka struck a pose outside the doors of Mission Control.

Inside, she met Chief Holly Ridings, who made history this week when she became the first woman in NASA's 60-year history to become the Johnson Space Centers chief flight director.

Ivanka also shook hands with flight director Ron Spencer, telling him: 'This is incredible. Very cool. You've got the coolest job.'

During a call from Mission Control, she told the International Space Station crew that she had always wanted to be an astronaut.

'You inspire us all. You actually have my dream job,' she admitted.

'I always wanted to be an astronaut and I always wanted to go to space. You are fulfilling my dream up there.'

As far as a potential career change, Ivanka joked: 'Never say never, right?'
Meghan has revealed her favourite recipe from her new charity cookbook is a green chilli and avocado dip.

The Duchess of Sussex, 37, describes in the foreword of the book how she was treated to her 'very favourite avocado dip that I now make at home' by the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen in west London.

The recipe for the dip is by Munira Mahmud, who is described by Meghan as the 'resident chef de cuisine' of the group, all of whom gathered together following the devastating Grenfell Tower fire.

Meghan worked with the women from Hubb to create Together: Our Community Cookbook, released on Thursday - with all proceeds going back to the community kitchen.

Meghan, 37, (pictured at the launch event for Together: Our Community Cookbook at Kensington Palace on Thursday) has revealed her favourite recipe from her new charity cookbook is a green chilli and avocado dip

Munira Mahmud, who led her family to safety from the burning Grenfell Tower, is the woman behind the recipe for the dip, which has now become Meghan's personal favourite

Describing the Hubb Community Kitchen in her foreword to the book, Meghan writes: '[U]pon 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.'

Speaking about meeting Munira for the first time, Meghan described how she was immediately encouraged by the mother-of-two to muck in.

'On my first visit, I asked Munira, the resident chef de cuisine (so to speak), how I could help,' she writes.

'An apron was quickly wrapped around me, I pushed up my sleeves, and I found myself washing the rice for lunch.

Green chilli & avocado dip recipe By Munira Mahmud Serves 4 The green chilli and avocado dip (right) was created by Munira Mahmud. Pictured left is her green chilli and tomato dip Ingredients: The recipe features in the Together: Our Community Cookbook 2 green chillies, halved and de-seeded 25g fresh coriander 3 tbsp natural yoghurt Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons 4 garlic cloves, peeled Flesh of 1 ripe avocado 4 tbsp mayonnaise (optional) Salt and pepper Directions: Put all the ingredients except the mayonnaise into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add mayonnaise (if you wish) and stir to combine, then transfer to a serving bowl. From Together: Our Community Cookbook (Ebury Press, 9.99). Photography by Jenny Zarins Advertisement

'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.'

During the Grenfell blaze, Munira managed to escape the burning building, leading the rest of her family - including her husband, his father and their two children to safety.

Introducing her recipe in the cookbook, the mother-of-two explained how it had always been her dream to run her own street kitchen.

'My lifelong dream has been to have a food van; I spend any free time I have thinking up dishes, and putting ingredients together in my mind,' she writes. 'These dips are my own invention.'

Meghan (pictured helping out in the kitchen) described how she started mucking in straight away on visiting the Hubb Community Kitchen in west London

The Duchess describes in the foreword the first time she met the creator of the avocado dip, Munira Mahmud, who she described as the 'resident chef de cuisine'
Food critic William Sitwell tries to crack the secret to the perfect scrambled eggs

The other morning, I did a very foolish thing.

I was in a smart little cafe with my wife and a friend  the chef Henry Harris  and abandoning all common sense, ordered a plate of scrambled eggs.

Almost immediately I regretted my decision. My wife, too, looked surprised.

For she knows the history and bad blood that exists between me and a plate of imperfect scrambled eggs.

'Are you feeling all right?' she said. Soon enough along came my eggs. They weren't scrambled.

This was more omelette, a sort of folded variety. I called the waiter over. 'I'm sorry but these aren't scrambled eggs,' I said.

He removed the plate then returned a few minutes later with an identical disaster. I complained again.

Ably supported by Henry, I explained that scrambled eggs were soft, they might have flecks of white through them, they should be cooked with nothing but butter.

They should not be allowed to sit in the pan, but gently stirred continuously until just before they are ready and turned out onto toast.

These eggs had clearly been left in the pan, and occasionally turned. As I say, more omelette than scrambled.

As a food writer, I suggested I might chat to the chef. The waiter left and when he returned, simply told me this was how the chef cooked them.

So we paid for what we had (or hadn't) eaten and left.

I would venture that the scrambled egg issue is one of Britain's biggest culinary debating points. Most chefs, in most restaurants and cafes just can't do them, writes Sitwell (File photo)

Once again I vowed, if out for breakfast, never to order scrambled eggs. It's not worth the risk.

If I want proper scrambled eggs, I'll do them at home. Because, you see, I can cook them. More than that  my recipe is the best.

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. I would venture that the scrambled egg issue is one of Britain's biggest culinary debating points.

Most chefs, in most restaurants and cafes just can't do them.

'I would never eat them out,' says British chef Rowley Leigh, whose book A Long And Messy Business is a definitive collection of his recipes.

'Scrambled eggs are about the most difficult thing to get right on a menu.'

Rowley always starts with butter  often 'quite a lot of it'.

He explains: 'It's all about timing and adding a little bit of milk at the end.'

Supermarket chain Iceland is selling scrambled eggs in a bag. All students have to do is open the 1.50 pack, microwave for 90 seconds, leave to stand for 90 seconds, then serve on toast (File photo)

Including milk is controversial, as purists will tell you scrambled eggs should have nothing added but butter and seasoning.

This is the view of food writer and cook Rose Prince.

Adding things such as milk 'is part of the heritage of the Second World War', she explains.

'The creation of powdered eggs screwed up the reality of scrambled eggs and we've never fully recovered.

After the war, to bulk up the eggs, water or milk was put into the mixture. So it's really about parsimony and meanness.'

Rose, like every chef and cook I speak to, has the perfect recipe.

Hers has to do with not melting the butter at the start and using a wooden fork. She is adamant about no additions  especially cream. 'Typical chefs, adding cream,' she huffs.

One such chef is Marco Pierre White. He tells me: 'I add cream, not to make it creamy but to stop the eggs from cooking.'

Another of his tips is: 'If the palm of your hand is too hot as it nears the top of the pan, then the pan is too hot.' Also: 'Never whisk the eggs beforehand. You want to make ribbons of the mixture, not baby food.'

Almost immediately I regretted my decision to order scrambled eggs. My wife, too, looked surprised. For she knows the history and bad blood that exists between me and a plate of imperfect scrambled eggs, writes Sitwell (File photo)

Who would argue with the great Marco Pierre White? Well, John Williams would.

He's the Michelin-starred chef at The Ritz in London. 'Crack your eggs and then whisk them lightly,' he says. 'Then pour in a touch of cream.'

John then uses the bain-marie technique, placing eggs, cream and butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water.

'Keep working the mixture so it doesn't catch and keep them light and fluffy.'

Like every chef, John reckons his is the perfect recipe and always seasons the eggs at the end.

When I speak to Michel Roux Snr  the godfather of modern dining, in whose restaurants the likes of Marco and Rowley started their careers  he is disdainful.

'Why are you talking to these other chefs?' he says.

'Nobody knows how to make bloody scrambled eggs apart from me! Of course you add a little salt and pepper at the start!

'Your eggs must be room temperature, and you must beat them gently with a fork and not with a whisk because you're not making an omelette.'

Michel also insists on a wooden spatula and he adds a little cream or a drop of milk.

Clearly the legends of the food world can't agree, so what about the younger generation?

I speak to Instagram star Ben Lebus, whose Mob Kitchen videos (now book) show millennials how to cook for four for under 10.

'I make the best plate of scrambled eggs,' he claims, too. 'But I haven't told the Mob [his fans and followers] yet because the perfect recipe demands that you have a non-stick pan, and that's a bit expensive for my crew.'

Ben also uses olive oil  not butter  and a wide pan for what he calls 'nice big folds'.

If Ben's fans find his recipe too hard, they can always turn to supermarket chain Iceland, which is selling scrambled eggs  in a bag.

All they have to do is open the 1.50 pack, microwave for 90 seconds, leave to stand for 90 seconds, then serve.

Next, I turn to the food science boffins. The master of these is Harold McGee whose seminal book, On Food And Cooking; The Science And Lore Of The Kitchen, says: 'The key to moist scrambled eggs is low heat and patience.'

He stresses that cream, salt, butter, milk, water and oil dilute the eggs' proteins and produce a 'tenderer mass'.

And another, James Kenji Lopez-Alt, the New York author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, states that 'cooking scrambled eggs is all about controlling the coagulation of egg proteins . . . not only are the proteins in the whites and yolks mixed together, but you also have the opportunity to mix in additional ingredients  as well as to control the way the eggs come together by moving them as they cook'.

But this is little comfort to my dangerous desire to order scrambled eggs when out for breakfast.

According to Bill Collison, founder of the successful Bill's Restaurant chain, the problem is discussed at board level 'non-stop'.

He says: 'They are the lowest income generator on the menu but the trickiest thing to cook.'

According to Michel Roux Snr, chefs' inability to cook the eggs is because 'nobody teaches them'. For Marco Pierre White, it is simpler: 'Chefs just don't care.'

But I have a plan to find the ultimate recipe. Later this month, with a group of food writers and chefs, we shall, under laboratory conditions, test recipes from the great and the good.

From Jamie Oliver ('Only butter, beat with a fork) to Heston Blumenthal ('in a bain-marie with milk, butter and cream'), Gordon Ramsay ('do not whisk . . . use creme fraiche and cold eggs) and Delia Smith (use an 'Alan Silverwood' heavy gauge aluminium pan . . .).

The Clarence Court Great British Scrambled Egg Challenge on September 27 can be followed on @clarence_court (Instagram) and @clarencecourt (Twitter).

For now, I take comfort from Michel Roux Snr: 'Scrambled eggs are just the most delicate things to get right.

'It's like taking a lady out for dinner. You don't just put her in a dirty cab and say, 'See you there'.

You encourage her to dress up. You treat her beautifully.

Only then will she  and your eggs reach perfection.'
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Policemen looking smart in their uniforms stand guard during a procession in the street in London

A man in a suit stands among poultry while visiting a market in the town of Bayreuth in the heart of Bavaria in Germany

Pedestrians stroll across the famous Charles Bridge in the city of Prague. At the time the city was located in the country known as Bohemia

Two fishermen wearing traditional baggy trousers and clog shoes have the assistance of a young helper who carries two small buckets in Marken in the Netherlands

Farm workers in Austria stack huge bales of hay on top of a cart that is being pulled by ox

The negatives and index system for the fascinating collection that Mr Nelson bought at an estate sale in Minneapolis in 1990

A grand looking horse-drawn carriage rides past the Blue Ball Inn in Countisbury, Lynmouth, in Devon

Before machinery was widely-used, farmers would use ox hooked up to cutting machines to chop down the hay. Pictured is a farmer and his animals in Germany

Four little boys pose for the camera wearing traditional buttoned-up shirts, baggy trousers and clogs in the town of Volendam in the Netherlands

Two young girls wearing traditional dress pose for the camera in Marken in the Netherlands. Mr Nelson said: 'Not only are the images well composed and correctly exposed, but they are unlike what one might expect from a casual tourist'

A man stands at the bottom of an old cobbled street in what is believed to be Montreuil-Sur-Mer in France, left. Pictured right are several horse-drawn omnibuses making their way around the streets of London

A typical chocolate box village with tiny cottages with thatched roofs at Cockington Forge in Devon, England

A replica windmill in Sans Souci Park, Potsdam, Germany. This picture was the first one that Mr Nelson saw. It prompted him to buy the whole collection

Women kneel on the pebbles to do their laundry on the beach in Etretat in northern France

A man sits on top of his cart, which is attached to two dogs in the Netherlands. Not only are the old photographs mesmerising, but their origin is just as fascinating as mystery surrounds who took them and where they came from

An organ grinder wanders the streets of London with his daughter playing to passers-by. A monkey can be seen sitting on top

A picture Mr Nelson uncovered that had been labelled 'the oldest man in Clovelly', which is a small village in Devon, England

A picture showing a man wearing a sandwich board advertising the play Cynthia at Wyndham's Theatre in London. It only ran from mid-May to early June in 1904

An exceptionally smart group of people wander through the ancient buildings of Oxford

A group of men in Germany sit on the side of a street and appear to be playing a card game while one man smoking a pipe stares down the camera

A smartly dressed lady wanders down the cobble streets of Clovelly in Devon. The collection of vintage snaps contains several pictures taken in the village

Mr Nelson said: 'While these photos are not technically from the 19th century, they belong to that period known as the long 19th century, which is the period from the French Revolution to the First World War'

A well-turned out female tourists looks engrossed in a book as she gathers around the Frauenkirche in Nuremberg, Germany

Two smartly dressed gentlemen chat on the street in London as horse and carts whizz past. This picture is among Mr Nelson's favourites

Small fishing boats are left on the shoreline in a charming picture taken at the Quay in Clovelly in Devon

Mr Nelson has been able to find out that the ladies in this picture are known as Mrs Dixon and Alice. They pose next to a parrot in a bird cage in London

A man focuses his whole attention on trying to repair a fishing net that has become broken in Etretat, Normandy
Hiding cigarettes from view behind shop counters may have slashed the number of children buying cigarettes, a study has found.

The UK Government made it illegal to have cigarettes on show on the shelf in 2015 in a crackdown on smoking.

And now scientists have found the number of children who have bought cigarettes from a shop since the ban has dropped by 17 per cent.

In the first analysis of the impact of the ban, researchers quizzed 18,000 children over how often they smoke and where they get cigarettes from.

Just 40 per cent of children who smoked in 2016 bought their cigarettes in shops  down from 57 per cent in 2010, the study showed.

Nearly two thirds of children (65 per cent) say it is still 'easy' for them to buy cigarettes over the counter in shops and the same proportion were not turned away the last time they tried to buy tobacco, research by Imperial College London found

But nearly two thirds of children said it is still 'easy' for them to buy tobacco over the counter, and the same number were not turned away last time they tried.

The research, led by Imperial College London, comes after the launch of the annual Stoptober campaign yesterday, backed by TV host Jeremy Kyle.

All of the 11 to 15 year olds who were quizzed were anonymous. The same questions were asked each year between 2010 and 2016.

The researchers agreed the removal of cigarettes from display in shops played an 'important role in reducing child smokers'.

One in 20 children in England admitted to smoking in 2016, down from around one in 10 in 2010, NHS data shows.

The researchers, led by Dr Anthony Laverty, acknowledged measures to try and cut smoking rates are working but warned 'more work is needed'.

IS THE END OF SMOKING 'IN SIGHT' IN THE UK? The end of smoking is finally 'in sight', officials claimed in June 2017 following figures that suggested another drop in rates across the UK. Just one in six adults now regularly light up cigarettes - with 680,000 having given up the habit completely in 2016. The numbers of smokers dropped from 19.9 per cent in 2010 to just 15.5 per cent in 2016 in England alone, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Across all ages smoking prevalence is in decline, with the largest fall in 18-to-24 year olds, while e-cigarette use is on the rise in this age group. Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, said the UK has the second lowest smoking rate in Europe after Sweden, which proves that the Government's tobacco-control policies are effective. Advertisement

Previous research has shown people who don't smoke when they're younger are less likely to ever start.

Dr Laverty said: 'Children who smoke are likely to continue smoking throughout their lifetime, seriously increasing their risk of disease.

'We also know seeing cigarettes displayed in shops is linked to smoking, especially among children.

'This research shows that removing displays made tobacco less visible to children, and that fewer of them bought cigarettes there.'

'Most countries worldwide still allow cigarettes to be advertised and displayed in shops.

'This research provides evidence the introduction of display bans will be an effective measure against children smoking  and could help save them from starting a deadly habit.'

Other possible reasons for falling numbers of children buying tobacco could include a ban outlawing cigarette vending machines, and increasing prices.

Shops are the second most common source of cigarettes for children  they most often get them from friends.

But the number of children buying cigarettes from illegal sellers has not changed since 2010, remaining below 10 per cent.

Dr Nicholas Hopkinson, from Imperials National Heart and Lung Institute, said the results were 'encouraging'.

But he argued that it remains too easy for children to purchase cigarettes in shops and that more work is needed.

The team's findings were published in the journal Tobacco Control.
A champion bagpipe player had to have all his fingers and toes amputated after he developed gangrene while critically ill.

Andrew Shilliday, now 33, worked in Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands as a tutor teaching others how to play the traditional instrument.

But he nearly lost everything when, one day, he woke up in excruciating pain and had to be rushed to hospital in Inverness.

There, doctors discovered he was having a severe flare-up of systemic sclerosis and Raynaud's.

His Raynaud syndrome cut off the circulation his fingers and toes to the extent he developed dry gangrene, a condition in which flesh dies because of a lack of oxygen.

Mr Shilliday spent eight months in hospital recovering from his ordeal, before surgeons amputated all his fingers and toes, and his left foot.

He has since moved home to Dungannon, Northern Ireland, and restarted playing the bagpipes with the help of a specially adapted instrument.

Andrew Shilliday, now 33, was working as a bagpipe instructor when he developed gangrene in his fingers and toes in 2012

Mr Shilliday likened his injuries to 'frostbite in mountaineers' and has had to learn how to walk again, the Daily Record reported.

At one point after the scare in September 2012, the hospital phoned Mr Shilliday's parents to warn him they thought their son might die.

Mr Shilliday told the Daily Record: 'I knew it was serious when my fingers and toes started to change colour.

Mr Shilliday was in hospital recovering from an attack of his illness, systemic sclerosis, when he also suffered such extreme Raynaud's that the blood supply was cut off from his fingers, turning them black

Mr Shilliday's entire fingers turned black and had to be amputated because the blood supply was completely cut off

Mr Shilliday also lost his entire left foot and part of his right because of the gangrene  he said 'I was suffering very similar injuries to frostbite in mountaineers'

Mr Shilliday said he doesn't remember much from when he was in hospital, but at one point medics phoned his parents because they thought he was going to die

'It all happened so quickly and was very difficult to get my head around.

'There was lots of pain and things just weren't getting any better. I taught bagpipes full-time and it was my livelihood, I feared I would never play or teach it ever again.

WHAT IS SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS? Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is an autoimmune disease characterized by the hardening of the skin and connective tissues. People with scleroderma have higher amounts of collagen deposits in their body than those who are healthy. While localized scleroderma, the more common form of the disease, only affects the skin, systemic scleroderma is very rare and includes hardening of the skin as well as internal organs. Mild scleroderma can become more serious if left untreated, however diagnosis is difficult. An estimated 300,000 Americans, 12,000 Brits and 2.5 million people worldwide have scleroderma. Development of scleroderma can occur at any age, and women are four to nine times more likely to develop scleroderma than men. Advertisement

'I was suffering very similar injuries to frostbite in mountaineers  my hands and feet went black.

'I can't remember much from some of my time in hospital but at one stage my parents were called across and warned to expect the worst. It was pretty bad.

'I felt I had lost everything and it was God who gave me strength to make it through.

'There were so many churches all over the world who were praying for me and I had so much support from all my family and friends. I will always be grateful for that.'

But Mr Shilliday recovered after his amputations and has moved back to his hometown of Dungannon in Northern Ireland.

He now fosters children with his wife.

Once the All-Ireland piping champion, Mr Shilliday learned to play the snare drum and joined the Tullylagan Pipe Band.

He has since had a special chanter  the pipe on a bagpipe on which the player creates the melody as on a recorder  created to help him play again.

The chanter was made by an old friend, John Elliot, who owns G1 Reeds in Kirkcaldy, Fife, which makes one of the world's leading bagpipe parts.

Mr Shilliday had all his fingers amputated and he has since moved home to Dungannon in Ireland, where he fosters children with his wife

Mr Shilliday has been able to return to bagpiping thanks to help from his friend, John Elliott (left), who made him an adapted bagpipe chanter which he can play without his entire fingers

His friend Mr Elliot said: 'Andrew had to learn how to walk again and the loss of his fingers made his passion of playing the pipes nearly impossible.

'But he never gave up and got hold of an electronic chanter with holes in different positions to accommodate his amputated fingers.

'We at G1 Reeds have developed a pipe chanter in order to get Andrew back up on the full highland bagpipes again and he visited the workshop this week to fine-tune it.

'His positive, never-say-die attitude has been astonishing.'
The woman's husband had been diagnosed with the disease after a trip to China

They discovered the same bacteria which cause lung infection tuberculosis

She had not injured it recently so doctors examined it in more detail

The unnamed woman went to hospital with a swollen and painful little finger

It may seem over-the-top to go to hospital because of a painful pinky finger.

But one woman found her hand injury was actually a rare sign of an infection with the same bacteria which cause tuberculosis.

The unnamed 42-year-old sought medical help after the little finger on her left hand swelled up like a balloon and caused her pain for a week.

Because the woman had not injured her finger recently, doctors looked deeper to find the source of the problem, and found it was a bacterial infection.

Tuberculosis bacteria were living in the patient's finger in what experts called a 'rare manifestation' of the illness outside of the lungs.

The unnamed woman, from California, went to hospital after the pinky finger on her left hand ballooned up and became red and painful for a week

Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a bacterial infection of the lungs which can be deadly and is spread by coughing and sneezing.

The illness usually causes coughing, weight loss, fever, and tiredness and fatigue  if left untreated it can be fatal.

Doctors discovered the woman's husband had caught TB while on a recent trip to China, and must somehow have passed it to his wife's finger.

Her finger had swollen to twice its normal width and looked red and sore, and medics described its 'warmth' in a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

But despite being infected with TB bacteria, the woman's lungs were not affected by what is normally considered a breathing disease.

She was given a cocktail of drugs for nine months and made a total recovery, the report said.

Dr Jennifer Mandal and Dr Mary Margaretten, from the University of California, San Diego wrote: 'Although infection of the finger is a rare extrapulmonary [outside of the lungs] manifestation of tuberculosis, it is an important consideration in immunosuppressed patients.

When doctors examined the woman's finger in detail they discovered the bacteria which cause deadly lung infection tuberculosis, which they think she caught from her husband, who was recently diagnosed with the disease after a trip to China

'This patient was treated with a four-drug antituberculosis regimen for a total of nine months and had complete resolution of her symptoms.'

TB of the lungs is the most contagious type of the infection and normally only spreads after a long period of being with someone with the infection.

Healthy people's immune systems can often kill off the bacteria without causing symptoms, or can stop it spreading through the body.

But people with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to long term, more serious infection with TB  for example, it is a big killer of people with HIV in Africa.

The study did not make clear whether the woman suffering the swollen finger had a problem with her immune system.
Giving premature babies breast milk rather than formula may aid their brain development, research has revealed.

Babies born before full-term - 37 weeks - are thought to have worse learning and thinking skills as adults.

An array of studies has linked their hampered ability to alterations in the structure of part of their brain that helps cells communicate with each other.

Scottish scientists have now found giving premature babies breast milk could alleviate their reduced brain connectivity.

Babies born before full-term - 37 weeks - are thought to have worse learning and thinking skills as adults (stock)

The findings add to the host of benefits of feeding babies 'the natural way' as researchers say it will give even the most vulnerable premature babies 'the best start in life'.

Edinburgh University researchers analysed MRI scans of nearly 50 premature babies. The babies had all been born before 33 weeks gestation.

Scans were conducted on their brains when they were around seven weeks old  roughly 40 weeks after conception.

The team also collected information about how the infants had been fed while in intensive care - either formula milk or breast milk from either the mother or a donor.

Babies who exclusively received breast milk for at least three-quarters of the days they spent in hospital showed improved brain connectivity compared with others.

DOES BREASTFEEDING AFFECT WOMEN'S RISK OF CANCER? Breastfeeding reduces a woman's risk of breast cancer, a report suggested in August 2017. For every five months a woman breastfeeds, her risk of developing breast cancer is lowered by two percent, a study review found. Researchers believe breastfeeding protects women against the condition as it makes them temporarily stop getting periods, which reduces their lifetime exposure to the hormone oestrogen. High oestrogen levels have previously been linked to developing breast cancer. Breastfeeding may also help to remove cells with damaged DNA that may otherwise lead to tumor onset. The researchers, from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund, analysed 18 studies that examined breastfeeding. Of these, 13 investigated the effects of the length of time spent lactating. The report also found that carrying excess weight after menopause increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, yet it is protective while women are still able to conceive. For both pre- and postmenopausal women, alcohol increases their risk of breast cancer and exercise reduces it, the report adds. Babies who are breastfed are also less likely to gain weight in later life, the study found. Study author Alice Bender said: 'It isn't always possible for moms to breastfeed but for those who can, know that breastfeeding can offer cancer protection for both the mother and the child.' Advertisement

Professor James Boardman, study co-author, said: 'Our findings suggest brain development in the weeks after preterm birth is improved in babies who receive greater amounts of breast milk.

'This study highlights the need for more research to understand the role of early life nutrition for improving long-term outcomes for pre-term babies.

'Mothers of pre-term babies should be supported to provide breast milk while their baby is in neonatal care if they are able to and if their baby is well enough to receive milk.'

Professor Boardman said this would give their children 'the best chance of healthy brain development.'

The study, published in the journal NeuroImage, was welcomed by Sarah Brown, president and trustee of Theirworld, which funded the research.

She said: 'This latest report delivers valuable evidence to support breast milk feeding for even the tiniest, most vulnerable premature babies, to give them the best start in life.'

Ms Brown said an 'immense debt of gratitude' is owed to the families who allowed their children to take part in the study to benefit other premature babies in the future.

NHS guidance advises that babies are exclusively fed the 'natural' way for the first six months of their life.

Britain has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the world, despite repeated Government campaigns designed to encourage women.

Breast milk contains antibodies passed on from the mother, which boost a baby's immune system and help it fight infections and viruses.

There is also evidence that breastfed babies have higher IQs and are less at risk of obesity - because formula milk is higher in fat.

Breastfeeding is also deemed beneficial for the mother because it enables her to bond with the newborn.

It also enables her to lose weight, as nursing mothers burn up to 500 calories a day extra, according to studies.
GP surgeries should 'dust off' their plans to stop a flu pandemic ahead of winter, a leading medic has warned.

Dr Andrew Green, clinical and prescribing lead for the General Practice Committee, urged doctors to step up their preparations.

He said the flu virus is constantly mutating to become stronger and that the ease of global travel makes the threat of a pandemic high.

Government officials have previously warned an outbreak of a mutated influenza strain is on the horizon and poses a bigger threat to humanity than terrorism.

It comes amid fears among virologists that the next flu pandemic could be deadlier than the Spanish one that struck a century ago

A mutated strain was behind the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which killed up to 100 million people - three times more than World War 1.

In an interview with GPOnline about the upcoming flu season, Dr Green said: 'We never know when the next flu pandemic will strike.

'[However] the shortest period between 20th century pandemics was 12 years, and we are already nine years after the last one.'

Because of this, Dr Green added 'all practices should be dusting off their pandemic plans now' in case this winter is the year of another huge outbreak.

Flu viruses are constantly changing proteins on their surface to avoid detection by the body's immune system - making it more deadly.

This transformation is called an 'antigenic shift' if it's large enough, and can lead to a pandemic. This was responsible for the swine flu outbreak in 2009.

WHAT WAS SPANISH FLU? The 1918 flu pandemic was unusually deadly and the first of two involving the H1N1 influenza virus. It infected 500 million people globally, more than one-third of the world's population, including people on remote Pacific islands and in the Arctic. It resulted in the deaths of an estimated three to five per cent of the world's population, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. Spanish Flu resulted in the deaths of an estimated three to five per cent of the world's population, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. This image shows soldiers from Fort Riley, Kansas, ill with the virus Within months it had killed three times as many as World War I and did it more quickly than any other illness in recorded history. Most influenza outbreaks disproportionately kill juvenile, elderly, or already weakened patients. By contrast, the 1918 pandemic predominantly killed previously healthy young adults. To maintain morale, wartime censors minimised early reports of illness and mortality in Germany, Britain, France, and the United States. However, newspapers were free to report the epidemic's effects in Spain. This created a false impression of Spain as being especially hard hit, leading to the pandemic's nickname Spanish flu. The close quarters and massive troop movements of World War I hastened the pandemic and probably both increased transmission and augmented mutation, researchers believe. The true global mortality rate from the pandemic is not known, but an estimated 10 per cent to 20 per cent of those who were infected died. This would lead to a death toll of between 50 to 100 million people. Advertisement

Dr Green warned that this natural process, alongside the ease of global travel, makes it easy for the flu to spread quickly.

He called for practices to begin making plans as to how they can continue to provide essential services with a depleted workforce this winter.

Professor Robert Dingwall, a virologist at Nottingham Trent University, also warned the flu is a 'very unstable virus'.

He told The Sun Online: 'It changes a little bit from one year to the next, which is why the vaccine has to be reformulated every year.

'But every once in a while there is a really big change, which is what happened in 1918 [the Spanish flu pandemic.'

Professor Dingwall added if this happens 'there is no resistance in the population because nobody has ever seen anything like it before'.

He estimated if a pandemic of the same size of that seen in 1918 struck the UK this winter, it could kill 400 million across the world.

Professor Dingwall also said it would strike 10 million in the UK and make it difficult to keep 'public services running and supermarkets stocked'.

The flu season in the UK and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere tends to mirror what has happened in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

The same strains of the virus will circulate north in time for the British flu season, which typically begins in November and lasts until March.

Studies have suggested the H3N2 strain, used in the jab created by World Health Organization scientists, has mutated to evade detection.

The virus was seen in the flu outbreak that struck the UK last winter, considered to be the worst in seven years by statisticians.

The WHO creates the vaccines in March, based on which flu strains they expected to be in circulation. They are then doled out in September.

The warnings of a new pandemic come after England's top nurse warned some NHS staff won't get the flu jab because they believe it will make them ill.

Professor Jane Cummings last week said 'myths' persist around the vaccine, including among doctors and nurses, with the 'big one' being it gives people flu.

All NHS staff have already been told to get the jab or risk being banned from treating vulnerable patients this winter.

The Cabinet Office already lists a pandemic influenza as the biggest threat on the UK's Risk Register - ahead of terrorism and cyber-attacks.
The NHS has won a landmark High Court battle with two major drug firms in a move that could save it millions of pounds each year.

Bayer and Novartis launched legal action against 12 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) over a drug to treat the leading cause of blindness.

The two firms challenged the lawfulness of a policy held by the chiefs that listed Avastin  around 30 times cheaper than other options  as the preferred treatment option for wet AMD.

But a judge in London dismissed all grounds put forward by Bayer and Novartis and ruled the policy adopted by the CCGs was lawful.

Mrs Justice Whipple argued chiefs adopted this policy because of the significant difference in price between drugs to treat the condition.

A judge in London rejected an action brought by Bayer and Novartis against 12 NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCG's) in the north of England relating to Avastin, a drug to treat the biggest cause of age-related vision loss in the UK (stock)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a painless eye condition that leads to a gradual loss of central vision.

The condition, the leading cause of blindness worldwide, affects more than 600,000 people in the UK and nearly two million in the US.

It causes central vision to become blurred resulting in symptoms such as difficulty reading and problems recognising people's faces.

Wet AMD  the less common form of the condition - is currently treated using either Lucentis, sold by Novartis, or Eylea, sold by Bayer.

But 12 CCGs from the north of England adopted a joint policy that said Avastin would be the first option for certain patients with wet AMD.

Avastin, made by Roche, costs around 28 per injection, compared to around 816 for an injection of Eylea or 551 for an injection of Lucentis.

However, the judge added the actual prices will vary based on any confidential discount the drug firms may have had with the NHS.

The companies challenged the policy on a number of grounds - including that the supply of Avastin to treat wet AMD patients was unlawful under EU law.

WHO WERE THE 12 CCGS THAT HAD THE POLICY? NHS Darlington CCG

NHS Durham Dales, Easington & Sedgefield CCG

NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire & Whitby CCG

NHS Hartlepool & Stockton CCG

NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG

NHS North Cumbria CCG

NHS Durham CCG

NHS Northumberland CCG

NHS North Tyneside CCG

NHS South Tees CCG

NHS South Tyneside CCG

NHS Sunderland CCG Advertisement

They also argued that the policy should not stand because Avastin does not have a marketing authorisation for ophthalmic use.

Announcing her decision, the judge dismissed all grounds put forward by the companies and ruled that the policy adopted by the groups was lawful.

The ruling is said to have opened the way for patients across the country to be offered Avastin as an alternative to the other treatments.

It was today welcomed by health leaders and clinicians, including Dr David Hambleton, CCG chief officer in South Tyneside, one of the 12 defendants.

He said: 'We are absolutely delighted that we are now in a position to offer Avastin as an alternative treatment for wet AMD to our patients across the North East and North Cumbria.

'The drug is undeniably equally effective, and much less expensive, and the money this will save - in excess of 13.5 million per year for the 12 CCGs involved in this litigation alone, and hundreds of millions of pounds across the country - can be ploughed straight back into delivering the very best care possible to our patients.

'Here in the North, that's enough to pay for an extra 270 nurses or 266 heart transplants every year, and in a financially stretched NHS that could be life-changing for thousands of our patients.

'Novartis and Bayer have argued long and hard for the more expensive drugs they'd rather sell to be the only ones available to people suffering from this condition, but thankfully, the court has recognised that there is no medical basis to that argument.

'This is great news for patients with this condition and for the wider NHS. It's a victory for common sense over commercial interests.'

Dr Hambleton continued: 'The sooner all NHS Trusts implement a policy to offer Avastin as an option for the treatment of wet AMD, the sooner we can start to redirect that money into other resources and equipment so we can continue to make improvements to care which have life-changing benefits for our patients.

'It is right to offer our patients this choice, because the beneficiaries will be their friends, neighbours and family members.'
Eight out of every 10 people that have genes that raise their risks for breast, pancreatic, ovarian and prostate cancers do not know it, a new study reveals.

Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes raise a woman's risk of developing breast cancer before the age of 80 by 72 percent and 69 percent.

On the same genes, mutations also increase pancreatic cancer for people of any gender, of ovarian cancer for women and prostate cancer for men.

Despite the fact that genetic testing offer a likely opportunity to predict a BRCA-related cancer, most people rely on their relatives to tell them if they have a family history of risk.

The authors of a new study from Geisinger Medical Center and Yale University are urging people to get tested for the gene variations after discovering that only 18 percent of people they tested knew their DNA was dangerous.

Simple blood or saliva testing can tell whether a person has any of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations that raise their cancer risks, but less than 20% of those with the genes know it

It was discovered in the mid-1990s that mutations on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 raised breast cancer risks for women.

Since then, we have learned that various mutations on those same genes can similarly affect the risks of ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers, as well as breast cancer for men.

In part because it is so common, the US government and institutions the world over have thrown their weight into breast cancer research.

One in every eight women in the US will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives.

Collectively, nearly 406,000 Americans are diagnosed pancreatic, prostate or ovarian cancer.

An international dedication to finding a cure have driven death rates for breast cancer down significantly.

But even in this age of curable breast cancer,more than 40,000 American women are expected to die of breast cancer this year alone.

As with any cancer, the best 'treatment' is prevention, and second to that is early detection.

A simple blood or saliva test at any age - even in infancy - can detect BRCA mutations.

After the discovery of the two BRCA genes in the 1990s, there was a surge in women getting their DNA tested.

But then an odd thing happened, beginning in 2004: there was a sharp increase in the number of low-risk (with no or a minimal family history of breast cancer).

Meanwhile, many women with significant family histories of breast cancer were not getting tested.

The new study, published in JAMA Network Open, suggests that something similar is still going on.

When the authors screened the genomes of over 50,000 men and women, they found that 267 had one of the BRCA mutations that put them at risk for cancer.

Only 18 percent of those who had cancer-related mutations were aware of their risks.

In fact, between their new research and their previous related study, the research process has been responsible for the discovery of cancer for four participants.

'Three of these cases were people who wouldn't meet the screening criteria. Like a lot of people, they had no family or personal history that suggested they would have this,' senior study author Dr Michael Murray told Daily Mail Online.

Genetic screening is typically only recommended for people who have a 'significant' family and/or personal history of cancers that could be related to BRCA mutations.

The concern is that testing people at low risk will cause undue worry.

But Dr Murray suggests that precaution has perhaps been taken too far.

'With the change in cost and the improved ability to interpret the data I think we should be thinking about when and if and how to use genomic screening,' he said.

In 2015, Dr Murray says that BRCA testing would have cost about $3,000. Now, he estimates getting screened is about 'a tenth' of that price.

Direct-to-consumer genetic tests like 23andMe, which costs as little as $150, include BRCA testing, but it 'offers testing for just three variants in the two genes,' explains Dr Murray.

'That's only a tiny sliver of a window of the risks.'

Doctors may fail to recommend BRCA screening to their patients simply because they don't take a complete family and personal medical history.

Doing so would take 15 to 20 minutes, 'a long time,' for doctors, Dr Murray says.

And family history alone 'doesn't work for analyzing every risk variant,' and nor does testing alone.

Dr Murray hopes that the knowledge that more than 80 percent of people walking around with dangerous genes will encourage more patients to discuss their full histories and splash out for genetic testing.
Sixty-eight people are now partially or completely blind after botched surgery to fix cataracts.

The patients in Dallas had all been promised clear eyesight if they endured the spine-tingling process of having a needle pushed into their eyes to administer a steroid-antibiotic liquid.

The medication is designed to be a permanent alternative for eye drops, decreasing inflammation and irritation.

However, it appears a batch of the liquid may have been contaminated, leaving five dozen patients with irreversible symptoms.

Curtis Cosby, a lorry driver, wanted to do something that could banish his blurry vision, without having to keep stopping the van to take eye drops. Now he says he can't work

The clinic, Key-Whitman Eye Center, insists there was no malpractice on the part of the surgeons, passing the blame to the manufacturer, Guardian Pharmacy Services, also of Dallas (unrelated to the business of the same name in Atlanta).

Andrew Sommerman, an attorney who represents 43 of the 68 affected, raised an eyebrow at that response.

'It makes you wonder, does it not, what sort of vetting occurred by Key-Whitman allowing this product to be used on over 100 patients,' Sommerman said to DailyMail.com. 'It's the duty and obligation of the surgery center to make sure that all of its products are safe and effective. This product was never tested.'

All of the affected patients were treated between February 9 and February 16 at Key-Whitman in Dallas, Texas.

According to Sommerman, all of his clients are blind in at least one eye, and he has not met one person, even outside of his patients, who recovered.

Most of his patients were 'newly retired, planning to see the world', he said, (adding 'well they're not going to see it now, are they?').

Many of them, though, were working as drivers, artists, and other visual jobs that drove them to get surgery.

One of them is Curtis Cosby, a lorry driver, who wanted to do something that could banish his blurry vision, without having to keep stopping the van to take eye drops.

Now, though, he's been told he may never see clearly again, and Sommerman says he can no longer work.

The product, an antibiotic-steroid mix, had not been tested, a lawyer representing 43 of the patients claims

'It was really blurry, as if looking through a defrosted window or something,' Cosby told NBC 5.

'I chose to take an injection that something was wrong with, and it's eating up part of the tissue in the eye, and I'm going to lose my sight totally.'

Cosby and the five dozen others is seeking unspecified compensation from Key-Whitman.

Dr Jeffrey Whitman, president and chief surgeon at Key-Whitman, insists 'some patients have regained normal - or close to normal - visual acuity', and distanced himself from the other cases, saying 'others are apparently still experiencing visual impairment'.

He also says that while Cosby was treated at Key-Whitman, he was treated by an external surgeon.

Whitman maintains he is outraged himself.

'If you went to the pharmacy and they gave you a medication that wasn't made correctly, you'd be angry. I'm angry as well,' Whitman said in a statement. 'We've never seen a problem like that in the 30 years I've practiced.'

He added: 'Our first priority was the wellness of the patients.

'We've contacted the FDA and whatever agencies need to investigate to make sure they do more work on what happened to make sure it never happens again.'

Guardian Pharmacy Services has been contacted by DailyMail.com for a comment.

The liquid was injected direct into the eye of the patients (file image)
The number of Americans suffering from Alzheimer's is set to double by 2060, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates.

Alzheimer's disease is already crippling the minds of some 5.7 million Americans, and we have long expected a dramatic rise in its prevalence as the population ages.

The devastating neurodegenerative disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the US, and caring for the surviving sufferers costs hundreds of billions of dollars.

The population isn't just aging - it's growing, as babies are born and people live longer.

But we are making little progress against Alzheimer's and the CDC's latest figures suggest that the burden of the disease will only loom larger as time goes on.

Alzheimer's is destroying the memories of a third of Americans over 65 already, and as the population grows and ages the number affected is set to double to 13.9 million by 2060

One in three seniors in the US has Alzheimer's.

With so many suffering from it, one might think that there is plenty of impetus to research the disease and more than enough subjects for study.

But we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding what Alzheimer's does to the brain and what causes it.

In the meantime, the Alzheimer's Association estimates that the best way to save $7.9 trillion in expenses for treating and caring for dementia patients is to improve diagnoses and make sure they happen as early as possible.

Doing so requires that doctors, public health officials, family members and other loved ones know who is at risk and what signs and symptoms to look out for.

The latest CDC report analyzes data on 15.1 million senior and supports that effort by tracking the how the disease is affecting different populations.

Unsurprisingly, the older a person, the more likely they are to start to lose their memory due to the disease.

But women are also far more likely to be struck by Alzheimer's than are men of the same age.

Dementia is over 40 percent more common in women. More than 12 percent of females over 65 have the disease, as compared to 8.6 percent of men in the same age group.

As of 2014, black Americans were the most likely racial group to have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or a related dementia.

Nearly 14 percent of black men and women had developed the disease by 2014, where as 12.2 percent of Hispanics had it, as did 10.3 percent of white Americans.

Asians and Native Americans were relatively less likely to have or at least be given an Alzheimer's diagnosis, with respective rates of 8.4 and 9.1 percent of the populations being struck.

The CDC projects that the number of white Americans with Alzheimer's disease will actually peak around 2050, then decline slightly to 7.06 million in 2060.

The disease will only become more and more prevalent among black and Hispanic people, on the other hand, affecting 2.17 million and 3.2 million, respectively.

Alzheimer's disease renders people unable to care for themselves, and that has a ripple effect on society.

Looking after these patients already demands a great deal of their healthy family members, but the situation is set to get much more dire, the CDC said.

'Currently, there are seven potential caregivers to one adult in the high-risk age group, but this caregiver support ratio is expected to decline to four to one by 2030,' the report authors wrote.

That means more assistance - both in terms of personally and money - will be required of the US government.

In light of the looming pressures of Alzheimer's on the US as it threatens to sicken 13.9 million people in the coming decades, the CDC is urging better, more localized research, support for caregivers.
A nine-year-old diabetic girl never woke up from a sleepover after her blood sugar crashed fatally last weekend.

Sophia Daugherty was spending the night with one of her friends in New Castle, Pennsylvania last Saturday night.

But on Sunday morning, she couldn't be woken, WPXI reported.

Sophia had fallen into a diabetic coma, and she never recovered from the damage it inflicted on her brain and died on Wednesday at the hospital.

Sophia Daugherty suffered from type 1 diabetes. The little girl's blood pressure fell dramatically sometime Saturday night, plunging her into a diabetic coma she never woke from

Sophia had lived with type 1 diabetes for most of her short life.

She and her family had a seemingly good handle on the management of her disease, keeping her healthy enough to participate in cheer leading, be a full time student and maintain an active social life.

Like most children with type 1 diabetes, Sophia's blood sugar had to be monitored throughout the day.

People with type 1 diabetes cannot make their own insulin, a hormone made and secreted by the pancreas.

Insulin is the key substance to converting the carbohydrates we eat from solid food into energy available for our bodies to use.

So adults and children with diabetes, like Sophia, must have injections of artificial insulin, usually around their meal times.

Without it, blood sugar can free fall to dangerously low levels.

This is exactly what happened to Sophia that fateful Saturday night.

Even with diligent monitoring, blood sugar can veer dramatically and suddenly due to causes that aren't always immediately obvious.

It is unclear what Sophia's last night awake was like, but the Mayo Clinic notes that skipping a meal, injecting too much artificial insulin, or even subtle changes to her routine - like being more physically active than usual - could throw her body out of whack and drive down her blood sugar.

That state, hypoglycemia, would make one feel weak, nauseous and dizzy if they were awake.

It isn't just the body that needs energy from blood sugar - or glucose - in order to function properly; the brain runs on glucose, too.

As much as half of hypoglycemic events happen while people are sleeping - a terrifying prospect, especially for the parents of a diabetic child like Sophia.

Friends, teachers and family often described the little girl as 'sweet Sophia.' Hypoglycemia often happens at night, but rarely proves fatal, as it tragically did for the fifth grader

Without energy, the brain's mechanisms start to fail and neurons start to die.

If caught in time, raising glucose levels in the blood's plasma carefully can be life-saving.

But there is no way of telling how long Sophia was in a diabetic coma.

It's possible hat when she appeared to fall asleep, she was actually losing consciousness due to lack of glucose.

The family of the friend she had been staying with rushed the little girl to her hospital.

It wasn't long before Sophia's family and friends were by her side.

The sudden brain starvation has caused permanent trauma, and a herniation of her brain stem.

It was more than Sophia's little body could handle and on Wednesday, she passed away, devastating her family.

Her family set up a Go Fund Me page to cover medical bills and funeral costs, with a simple, heartfelt message: 'We lost Sweet Sophia,' as a teacher from her school said the girl's many friends called her.

'She went home to heaven on Wednesday September 19, 2018 at 3:44pm. She was surrounded by her family and friends. She no longer suffers from this disease. Your prayers and support are priceless,' the family added.

They take some comfort knowing that their daughter's donated organs may save the lives of other children.
IN THE RESTAURANT by Christoph Ribbat (Pushkin 9.99, 228 pp)

IN THE RESTAURANT

by Christoph Ribbat (Pushkin 9.99, 228 pp)

Popping out for pizza, ordering in Chinese or going for a celebratory blow-out: the concept of eating out as a treat, or simply because we cant be bothered to cook, is so familiar that we rarely pause to think about how restaurants began.

Christoph Ribbats account of the history of eating out begins with an appetising bill of fare: Mother Songs fish soup, boiled pork, and honey fritters. The restaurants serving these delicacies did a roaring trade in China in 1275.

In Europe, the restaurant scene didnt take off until the mid-18th century, when select establishments offering restorative bouillons opened in Paris.

From Faith Muthoni, who serves meals cooked on a landfill site in Nairobi, to the techno-emotional cuisine of internationally celebrated restaurant, El Bulli, Ribbats dazzling overview of restaurant culture will change your view of dining out for ever.

THE LITTLE BIG THINGS by Henry Fraser (Seven Dials 8.99, 176 pp)

THE LITTLE BIG THINGS

by Henry Fraser (Seven Dials 8.99, 176 pp)

One of a close-knit quartet of sporty brothers, Henry Fraser had a brilliant first year in the sixth form of his new school. Aged 17, and taking his first adult-free holiday with friends in Portugal, the only things on his mind were sun, swimming, and his AS-Level results.

Five days into the trip, he took a running dive into the sea, as he had done many times before. But this time he hit his head on the seabed and surfaced unable to move.

Quick reactions by his friends saved his life, but Henry was paralysed from the shoulders down.

This funny and superbly articulate memoir is an inspiring account of how Henry, with remarkable courage and the support of his family, friends and medical professionals, turned disaster into triumph.

THE LOST WAR HORSES OF CAIRO

THE LOST WAR HORSES OF CAIRO by Grant Hayter-Menzies (Allen 8.99, 224 pp)

by Grant Hayter-Menzies (Allen 8.99, 224 pp)

It is not only humans who are the victims of war. Michael Morpurgos War Horse reminds us that horses, too, suffered terribly in World War I.

When the conflict was over and the soldiers returned home, one cohort of faithful old combatants was forgotten: the war horses who had served their country so bravely.

Arriving in Cairo in 1930, a Scottish woman, Dorothy Brooke, was appalled to find emaciated equines pulling heavy loads in the merciless sun, branded with the arrow-shaped symbol of the British Army.

There and then she decided to help these once noble animals.

Grant Hayter-Menziess moving account of Brookes tenacity and practical compassion in founding the charity that still bears her name shows the human treatment of animals at its worst  and best.
Mercedes' ballistic Project One is one of the most eagerly anticipated hypercars of next year - and a new set of images have emerged on it undergoing tests in Britain.

Pictures of the 2.4million machine have been released by the German brand showing it being driven at 'a secret test ground in England' - which happens to be Millbrook Proving Grounds in Bedfordshire - after the behind-closed-doors test became public knowledge.

How did people find out it was motoring around the track? They could hear the cacophonous 1.6-litre turbocharged F1 engine from miles away.

Not a quiet hybrid: Most people might expect hybrid powerplants to be fairly hushed, but the petrol and electric combo in the new Mercedes-AMG Project One has been taken directly from the F1 team's parts bin - which is why the latest 'secret' test is not a secret any longer

First revealed in concept form last year by world champion driver Lewis Hamilton, the Project One is widely expected to be the closest thing to a Formula 1 car for the road.

A selection of images have now previewed the full production model being put through its paces ahead of the official 2019 release.

Heavily camouflaged to hide all its creases, curves and angles, it is being dialed-in at the Bedfordshire Proving Grounds that are used exclusively by carmakers to ensure vehicles are ready for showrooms.

Locked away and heavily guarded to prevent the public - especially photographers - from gaining access to snap the latest models being tested before they're released, it's a rarity to witness what happens at the secure location.

But Mercedes has leaked pictures itself after suspicions were raised about the goings on at the facility.

That's because the booming engine blew its cover.

Just 27 examples of the 2.4m Mercedes-AMG Project One are going to be made - all of which have already been promised to customers

Pictures of the closed-doors test at the Millbrook Grounds in Bedfordshire were released by Mercedes on Wednesday

What we know about the Mercedes-AMG Project One Available: 2019 Price: 2.4million Power unit: Hybrid 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, lithium-ion battery cells, 4x electric motors Max power output: More than 986bhp Top speed: 217mph Transmission: 8-speed

The hypercar's 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid V6 is lifted from the Mercedes F1 team's car and uses the same technology that has taken it to every drivers and constructors title since 2014.

Unlike the F1 engines, the Project One's engine will only - we use only loosely - rev to 11,000rpm (the F1 cars have a rev limit of 15,000rpm), but that's enough for it to wake the neighbours in Bedfordshire.

Mercedes said the hypercar underwent a succession of performance tests on a rolling road followed by installation laps out on track.

It added that the vehicle had been completing these circuits 'unnoticed', though not for too long.

The German car maker said the 'characteristic F1 sound' was 'hard to keep from the public'

The combination of a turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 engine and four electric motors produces a claimed 986bhp

'Today it turns out to be more difficult to keep this testing confidential,' the brand said in a statement.

It added that this was because the 'characteristic F1 sound' is 'hard to keep from the public'.

As well as a V6 petrol engine, the Project One will also have four electric motors to increase the power output.

Millbrook Proving Grounds are nestled between Bedford and Milton Keynes. The hill route (pictured) is not only used to test the latest new cars, it was also the stage for the famed Aston Martin crash scene in Daniel Craig's debut role as James Bond in the 2006 film Casino Royale

The proving ground also has a high-speed bowl, used by manufacturers to take their cars to the limit

With the hybrid system working in unison, the outrageous hypercar is claimed to produce a colossal 986bhp.

That will mean a top speed in excess of 217mph and a 0 to 62mph time that's quicker than you can say 'zero to sixty'.

The wraps will come off the car next year and just 275 will be made.

But forget about saving up for one of the limited-edition vehicles - all have already been pre-sold to deep-pocketed petrol heads.

The final production version will be unveiled next year. This is the concept shown in 2017

The engine is derived from the Mercedes F1 project - so ultimately the same motor that's taken Lewis Hamilton to his last three titles
Greater transparency is a goal of corporate governance. So it is disturbing that organisations with a big say in the future of Unilever, the third largest company in the FTSE 100 index, are shrouded in mystery.

The Leverhulme Trust, established by Lever Brothers founder William Hesketh Lever in 1925, has a glossy website describing the brilliant work it does in supporting research scholarships.

The grants it provides are very much in line with the philosophy of a company that places high value on innovation and quality.

Unilever, the group behind Marmite, is the third largest company in the FTSE 100 index

As a 5.8 per cent shareholder in the Marmite-to-Dove soap group, the trust is made up of the good and the great from the companys past and present. This includes former bosses Niall FitzGerald and Patrick Cescau and current chief executive Paul Polman.

All may have a big say on the vote to switch the companys current domicile from London to Rotterdam and how best to preserve the dividends and capital that have been such a force for excellence.

But there is an inherent conflict of interest given dual roles as trustees and executives and former executives.

In spite of Leverhulmes central role in the leave vote, efforts to find out how it makes critical decisions on corporate actions, and the principles used, have been greeted with a brick wall.

Leverhulme is not the only organisation central to the proposed departure to Rotterdam that thinks transparency is good for everyone else but not themselves.

Unilever and its finance director, the admirably open Graeme Pitkethly, made strenuous efforts to persuade the shadowy and unaccountable FTSE 100 advisory committee it would be a mistake if Unilever was excluded from the index when it unified its share register and shifted to Holland.

In spite of decisive evidence regarding the British culture of the company and its strong UK shareholdings, the arguments fell on deaf ears. Anyone wanting to find the names of the panjandrums decorating the external advisory committees of the FTSE 100 and other London indexes faces a hard time.

The website publishes learned reports on committee decisions but nowhere do the names of members of the advisory panel appear. It is as if their rulings were handed down on Mount Sinai like the tablets of stone.

Research reveals some of those who serve or have served on the 16-person advisory boards, ranging from the chairman Professor Elroy Dimson of Cambridge University to Andrew Ninian, head of stewardship at The Investment Association.

Given the gravity of the decisions taken regarding Unilevers future in Britain and the ability of UK funds to hold the shares, proper explanation and accountability would be welcome.

Why are we waiting?

Sky high

In contrast, another City body, the Takeover Panel, shows the openness of its deliberations by setting out rules for sorting the contested 25billion or so rival bids by 21st Century Fox and Comcast for Sky.

Sky sale: The City referee is staging a sealed, unconditional auction this weekend

Failure to conjure up a knockout or final bid has meant the City referee staging a sealed, unconditional auction this weekend. In the first round under-bidder 21st Century Fox can put in a new higher offer than the 14 per share bid in July and above the 14.75p from US cable giant Comcast.

The second round will give Comcast the opportunity to make an increased bid even if Rupert Murdochs Fox decides it does not want to go higher.

If that doesnt settle matters there will be a third auction when both parties have the chance to raise their game. The Murdoch family is not known for backing down.

But Comcast boss Brian Roberts is desperate for Skys European footprint and technology. The real winners will be Skys minority investors who will receive a payday beyond their wildest dreams.

Gender balance

Impressive to see several WPP women executives in the FT & HERoes Champions of Women in Business 2018 list.

Recognition comes in a year when WPPs former chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell resigned amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women, and the company was outed by the FT as a sponsor of the notoriously sexist (now dismantled) Presidents Club.

A case for the FT of having its cake and eating it.
The two-year battle for Sky will reach a climax this weekend in a high-stakes showdown between 21st Century Fox and Comcast.

The two bidders will fight it out in a secret auction tomorrow night as they seek to win control of the broadcasting giant in one of the longest takeover battles in British history.

Universal Studios owner Comcast and Rupert Murdochs Fox will make sealed, cash-only bids for Sky to decide the fate of the company.

Auctioned: Sky is home to hit shows including Game of Thrones

The decision by the UK Takeover Panel to host a winner-takes-all auction for Sky  home to hit shows including Game of Thrones  is highly unusual.

It is only the fifth time a takeover has been settled in this way since 2002 when the rules were changed.

If Murdoch wins, Sky will eventually be owned by Disney, which has agreed to buy Fox for 54billion.

In an email to employees, Jeremy Darroch, chief executive of Sky, said: This will most likely mark the end of a process that we have managed for almost two years.

Whatever the outcome, the prospects ahead of us are exciting.

The tussle for Sky is part of a bigger battle as traditional broadcasters struggle to keep pace with the growth of streaming giants Netflix and Amazon.

Comcast has tabled the biggest offer to date, at 26billion, and has backing from Skys bid committee.

Comcast has tabled the biggest offer to date, at 26billion

Fox has so far offered 24billion as it seeks to buy the 61 per cent of Sky it does not already own. But neither has declared these bids their best-and-final, triggering the auction under City takeover rules.

Fox already has a 39 per cent stake in Sky but wants to take full control of the broadcaster after a failed attempt in 2011 when Murdochs News Corp was embroiled in a phone-hacking scandal at the News of The World newspaper.

Foxs second attempt to grab Sky has dragged on since December 2016 when its takeover plans were blocked by regulators.

Its offer, which valued Sky at 18.5billion, was gatecrashed by Comcast earlier this year, just as the Government was ready to give the deal the green light.

Fox is bidding for Sky with the financial backing of Disney, which in June agreed a separate deal to buy TV and film assets from Fox, including its existing Sky stake.

Fox is bidding for Sky with the financial backing of Disney

The Takeover Panel said Fox and Comcast will have three opportunities each to make an offer in the auction, after which an announcement will take place. However, it could end with both parties offering the same price. It will then be down to Skys directors to decide the winner.

Analysts were left guessing last night as to who will win. Paolo Pescatore, a technology and media analyst, said: Comcast seems to be in pole position, but its not a slam-dunk. Theres so much to play for and expect both companies to open up the war chest. This represents a great opportunity to own a prized asset which will prove to be a worthy long-term investment.

Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Shareholders will be delighted at how this has all played out, having seen the share price double since just before the original offer was made by Fox almost two years ago. Either way, its a pretty happy ending for Sky shareholders given the tremendous rise in the value of their investment.

British hedge fund manager Crispin Odey, whose firm is a shareholder in Sky, has said it should be valued at at least 18 a share, compared with Foxs current offer of 14 per share and Comcasts offer of 14.75.

We still have the ability at the end of it to say No, you still havent bid enough, he said.

Sky shares were worth 1580p last night.
Royal Mail is facing a backlash over its new chairman, given his role approving disgraceful pay packets for top bosses.

Les Owen was on the pay committee that signed off a golden hello worth almost 6million for new chief executive Rico Back, 64, who will run the company while he is living in Zurich.

The committee also handed a golden goodbye worth up to 2.7m to outgoing Moya Greene, also 64.

Golden hello: Royal Mail's new chief executive Rico Back, 64, will receive almost 6m

The deals triggered a 70 per cent shareholder revolt, one of the largest rebellions in UK corporate history, in July.

But despite the row, Owen, 69, was promoted to chairman this week after Peter Long, 66, stepped down to focus on other commitments.

His appointment was overseen by Orna Ni-Chionna, the senior independent director at Royal Mail who is also chairman of the pay committee that Owen sat on.

Cliff Weight, from shareholder group Sharesoc, said: Shareholders would welcome a fresh perspective from a chairman who was not involved in setting the disgraceful remuneration. The pay deals at Royal Mail are being scrutinised by MPs.

A Royal Mail spokesman said Owen would be independent-minded and it was listening to shareholders, He added: We also strongly believe that we did the right thing. The payments were based on contracts.
Electric swoop

French oil and gas giant Total has snapped up French electric car charging network G2mobility, giving it control of around 10,000 charging points amid rising demand for electric cars.

Stores takeover

Poundland is taking over 20 former Poundworld stores, creating 400 jobs. Poundworld collapsed in June, resulting in the closure of all 335 shops and the loss of 5,000 jobs.

Poundworld collapsed in June, resulting in the closure of all 335 shops

Risky UK

Billionaire trader Howard Marks, 72, has said the UK is too risky to invest in due to Brexit. The American founder of Oaktree Capital Management, who made his fortune by snapping up cheap assets in economic downturns, said there could be huge market swings if Britain leaves without a deal.

Jumping jacks

Hundreds of shoppers queued up as Tescos first new Jacks discount stores opened in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, and Immingham, Lincolnshire.

Iceland first

Craft brewer Brewdog has opened its first bar in Iceland, and saw sales soar 55 per cent to 78million in the six months to June 30.

Egypt buy

Oil and gas explorer Soco International is buying Egyptian rival Merlon for 190million, as it looks to build its business in the country.

Second place

Wall Street titan Goldman Sachs has overtaken Citigroup as the worlds second-largest investment bank. JP Morgan is in top spot.

Well chuffed

North Sea focused Jersey Oil and Gas is very excited about prospects of its Verbier well, set to be drilled this year.

Pubs bonanza

Sales at pub chain City Pub Group rose 24 per cent to 20million in the 26 weeks to July 1 after opening nine pubs. It swung to a 931,857 profit from a 78,186 loss.

Finance role

Retirement firm Saga has poached insurance executive James Quin, 49, as its finance chief. He is the chief financial officer at Zurich Insurance Group.

Pension boost

More workers are saving for retirement following auto-enrolment. The Pensions Regulator said 84 per cent save into a workplace pension, up from 77 per cent.
A charity set up by the founder of Unilever and run by bigwigs with strong ties to the company could be crucial in its decision to ditch Britain.

The Leverhulme Trust was launched with an endowment from William Lever when he died in 1925, and is one of Unilevers biggest British shareholders with a stake of almost 6 per cent worth 2.8billion.

This means the trust will play a key role in determining whether Unilevers British headquarters is axed in a vote next month.

HQ move: A string of high-profile shareholders have already warned against Unilevers plans

A string of high-profile shareholders have already warned against Unilevers plans to base itself solely in the Netherlands amid a growing City backlash.

But the trust, whose directors include Unilever chief executive Paul Polman, the driving force behind plans to ditch the UK headquarters, is widely expected to back the move. It sets the scene for a knife-edge vote by Unilever investors next month.

The charity, which gives out grants for vital academic research, is likely to face accusations of a conflict of interest over its long-standing ties to Unilever and financial dependence on the company.

One City insider said: You could question their impartiality, because the Leverhulme Trust is only going to vote one way.

Theres no doubt they have the right to vote legally, but its fair to ask if they should do so on ethical grounds.

The trust has to recruit most of its board members from Unilever as part of the conditions under which it was set up. Nine of its 11-strong board are current or former top Unilever staff including Polman, his predecessor Patrick Cescau and former chairman and chief executive Niall FitzGerald.

Of the remaining two board members, lawyer Christopher Saul was senior partner at Slaughter and May and acted for Unilever throughout his career. It is understood Polman, paid more than 10million last year, will play no part in the decision on how to vote.

The Leverhulme Trust earned 84 per cent of its income, or 83.4million, from dividends it was paid by Unilever in 2017, meaning that if the move to the Netherlands impacts upon Unilevers profits, the good causes it supports may suffer.

So far major shareholders including Columbia Threadneedle, Lindsell Train, Aviva Investors and M&G Investments have raised concerns over the relocation plan.

Another household name, Standard Life Aberdeen, is expected to let its individual fund managers make up their own minds on the issue, with many expected to oppose the relocation. The trust declined to comment last night.

Unilever shares rose 1.4 per cent, or 58p, to 4202.5p.
Ryanair boss Michael OLeary hinted he will stand down as he fought off efforts to oust his chairman in the face of a shareholder revolt.

The 57-year-old said the board wants him to stay as chief executive for five more years after his deal ends in 2019. Im not sure Mrs OLeary would be happy, he told the firms AGM.

Im not sure whether I want to sign up for another five. The board suggests I should sign up for a longer period. Its not going to be a difficult conversation. Im happy to stay for another couple of years.

Ryanair boss Michael OLeary pictured with his wife Anita

The comments came after one in three investors, or 29.5 per cent, refused to back the re-election of US billionaire David Bonderman, who has been chairman for 22 years.

But the 75-year-old private equity guru emerged victorious from the bruising encounter, though OLeary conceded his days as chairman may be numbered.

He knows it wont go on forever, said OLeary.

Bonderman, married with five children and worth 2.5billion, quit Ubers board last year after saying more women directors meant it was more likely there would be more talking.

Known to love a party, the Rolling Stones played at his 60th birthday and he hosted a private Paul McCartney concert for his 70th where he donated $1,000 to a charity of each of his 1,020 guests choice.

Ian Greenwood, chairman of Royal London Asset Management, said: We hope Bonderman and the board will heed the message sent today and announce plans for him to step down. Ryanair should recruit an independent chairman to provide greater oversight and challenge Mr OLeary.

Alison Kennedy, investment director at Aberdeen Standard Investments, which has a 0.9 per cent stake said: It is clear that governance needs to evolve.
Satellite business Inmarsat has struck a deal with Japans Panasonic to provide in-flight broadband for commercial airlines.

Panasonic will use Inmarsats satellite signal to connect devices to the internet while Inmarsat will offer Panasonics services to its commercial airline customers.

Broadband is available on 32 per cent of aircraft but is patchy and firms want to get a grip on the market that could be worth 97billion.

Deal: Panasonic will use Inmarsats satellite signal to connect devices to the internet

Analysts say 85 per cent of passengers want to connect online while flying.
Credit reference agency Equifax has been fined 500,000 over its failure to protect the personal information of 15million people in the UK.

Equifax had been warned by the American government that its systems had a 'critical vulnerability' but failed to act and was hacked within months by cyber attackers who stole the personal information of 146million customers worldwide.

Big companies which failed to keep customers safe would be hit hard, said the head of the Information Commissioner's Office, which led the probe.

Equifax had been warned by the US government that its systems had a 'critical vulnerability'

In the summer of 2017, cyber attackers in the US stole information which included bank details, names, addresses and even passwords.

Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, said: 'Equifax showed a serious disregard for customers and the personal information entrusted to them.

'Multinational data companies like Equifax must understand what personal data they hold  and take robust steps to protect it.'

Measures to protect personal information were 'inadequate and ineffective', the investigation found.


Lloyd's of Londons profits were halved in the first half of 2018 after being hit by significantly lower investment returns.

The insurance market reported pre-tax profits of 600million, down from 1.2billion for the same period last year.

Lloyds investment return fell to 0.3 per cent to 200million during the first six months of 2018 compared to 1billion a year earlier.

Bouncing back: Lloyd's of London chief executive Inga Beale said the results demonstrate the market's strength after one of the costliest years for natural catastrophes in the past decade

Lloyds said the low returns were consistent with the low returns seen across most asset classes over the period.

However, on the plus side, the corporation added that it was starting to emerge from one of the costliest years for natural catastrophes in the past decade.

Its combined ratio  claims paid and expenses incurred as a proportion of premiums  also fell from 96.9 per cent to 95.5 per cent.

Lloyds suffered its first annual loss in six years in 2017 after a raft of natural disasters.

The corporation tumbled 2billion into the red last year when insurers were hit by mammoth bills following hurricanes in the Caribbean and Florida, earthquakes in Mexico and wildfires in California.

Chief executive Inga Beale said: These results and return to profit demonstrate the strength of the Lloyd's market following one of the costliest years for natural catastrophes in the past decade.

Whilst these results are welcome, Lloyd's continues to concentrate on improving the Lloyd's market's long-term performance by taking action to address under-performing areas of the market.

The corporation also remains focused on making the Lloyd's platform more competitive.

Profit fall: Lloyd's of Londons profits were halved in the first half of 2018 after being hit by significantly lower investment returns

The Lloyd's earnings report showed a modest increase in gross written premiums to 19.3billion, up from 18.9billion, thanks in part to improvements in pricing and growth in some profitable lines.

Beale added: The corporation also remains focused on making the Lloyd's platform more competitive.

Alongside the success of the mandate for the placement of electronic risks, we have recently launched the Lloyd's Lab, our new innovation accelerator, which will help Lloyd's use technology to better serve our customers around the world.

Brussels bound: Lloyd's first announced plans to set up a post-Brexit EU subsidiary in Brussels last year, and had its licence approved in May

We have also worked tirelessly to secure the Lloyd's market's access to the EU27 and our Lloyd's Brussels subsidiary will start writing business in the European Economic Area from January 1 2019.

Lloyd's first announced plans to set up a post-Brexit EU subsidiary in Brussels last year, and had its licence approved in May.

Meanwhile, Beale, whose departure was announced in June, will be replaced by John Neal, head of Australian insurer QBE, on October 15.

Prior to heading up QBE he was associated with the Lloyd's market as underwriter and later as chief executive of the Ensign Managing Agency.
The gunman who opened fire at the offices of a Wisconsin IT firm wounding three people before being killed by police has been identified as a 43-year-old employee.

Medical examiners say Anthony Tong, from a suburb of Madison, was responsible for the shooting at WTS Paradigm's offices in nearby Middleton on Wednesday.

Police say Tong had no criminal history in the state and, despite carrying out a raid on his home on Thursday, they still have no motive for the crime.

Anthony Tong, 43, has been named as the man who opened fire inside the offices of software firm WTS Paradigm in Wisconsin on Wednesday, wounding three before being killed by cops

A woman is escorted from the software company's offices after the shooting. All three people taken to hospital are now in serious but stable condition

Video courtesy of Fox6Now

'I'm dying to know the motive,' Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said told reporters Thursday. 'We just have not found one yet.'

Megan McDonough and boyfriend Sawyer Smith live four doors down from Tong and saw the raid happening on Thursday.

McDonough told Channel 3000: 'It blows my mind. Im at a loss for words. It just all happened so fast.

'He has a fenced-in yard. We never saw any pets or kids or anything.

'People snap. You dont know what is going on in peoples minds. Thank God it didnt happen here.'

Foulke would not reveal what was found at Tong's home, but said that he lived alone.

Three people were injured during the shooting and taken to hospital, with one originally listed in critical condition and two in serious.

Officers carried out raids on Tong's house, which is around six miles from the firm's offices, but say they still have not discovered a motive

Tong wounded three people seriously and another who was grazed by a bullet before two police officers opened fire, killing him

Police say all three are now in serious condition after one improved. A fourth person was grazed by a bullet but required no hospital treatment.

Foulke said investigators had interviewed two of those victims. He did not say what they divulged but called the conversations 'really important interviews.' The victims' names haven't been released.

WTS Paradigm officials issued a statement Wednesday saying the incident was shocking and heartbreaking, but the company provided no further information.

Officers were called to WTS Paradigm in Middleton, a Madison suburb of about 17,440 people, just before 10:30am Wednesday.

Foulke said officers arrived within 8 minutes of receiving emergency calls and found a man wielding a semiautomatic pistol. Foulke said the man was carrying extra magazines as well.

Middleton Police Chief Charles Foulke said he is 'dying to know the motive' after raids on Tong's house uncovered nothing

A policer officer walks near the scene where a shooting was reported at a software company in the background in Middleton

Two Middleton officers and two Dane County sheriff's deputies exchanged gunfire with Tong, killing him. The officers and deputies were not hurt, Foulke said.

The police chief said he didn't know if the victims were targeted or shot at random. He added that federal authorities are tracing the history of the pistol to determine how Tong acquired it.

WTS Paradigm makes software for the building products industry. A Wisconsin State Journal profile from 2014 listed company employment at about 145 workers and noted the company was looking to move to a larger location at the time.

The company has posted You Tube videos depicting a loose atmosphere in an upscale office marked by a breakroom that resembles a bar, a ping-pong table and a shuffleboard table, and workers in jeans and sweatshirts.

One video depicts an office Olympics in which workers compete by pedaling themselves around in their chairs and toss garbage in wastebaskets.

Another video touts the company's charity contributions, including donations to the Madison Children's Museum, the American Diabetes Association and Habitat for Humanity.
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While fraternities might have strict rules about who gets to come to their house parties where kegs of beer are poured into red Solo cups, they are absolutely tight-lipped about their ceremonies and rituals  only for the initiated. But a new book lifts the lid on that secrecy with photographs that provide portraits of intimate moments.

The inside look into an unnamed fraternity at the University of California, Berkeley offers behind-the-scenes glimpses into Greek life  often wild, sometimes ceremonial as well as the everyday. In juxtaposition to the partying, puking and penises, is the text from the fraternity's 60-year-old ritual book, where honor and chivalry are extolled.

Photographer Andrew Moisey, 38, gained unprecedented access to the fraternity through his younger brother, who was a member, and was able to shoot the out-of-control celebrations and binge drinking while also attending the organization's ceremonies. Even so, he was not allowed to photograph everything and some rituals were off-limits, and he agreed not to name the members or the fraternity.

Moisey did the main bulk of his photographing starting in 2000 until 2006, spending seven years documenting the brothers - who are not identified - and later would find their ritual book, which would inspire the format of his new book, The American Fraternity: An Illustrated Ritual Manual.' The book offers a contrast between the ideals that the fraternity espouses with the reality of behavior it actually encourages, and explores the fact that secret societies are a part of American tradition and culture that often isn't seen. It also draws the connection that fraternities - with their wildness and drunkenness - are incubators for past and future leaders and it lists 400 prominent businessmen, Congressmen, Supreme Court justices, and presidents that are and were members.

On the right is a page from the fraternity's actual ritual book - with the made-up fraternity name of Psi Rho - of their ritual of initiation, while on the left is a photograph by Andrew Moisey, who spent seven years documenting an unnamed fraternity at the University of California, Berkeley

After photographing the fraternity for many years, Moisey said he found its 60-year-old ritual book, and included text from it for his new book, The American Fraternity: An Illustrated Ritual Manual.' The ritual book extols honor and chivalry

Moisey said that the photos he took of the fraternity in the 2000s have a different relevance in the #MeToo era

The fraternity is all about shaping men to having particular values and they pledge oaths to very high values, things that I think all of us would think are good. One of the things that the book shows or at least tries to show are the things that they say on the one hand and the things that they do on the other, and they often dont match up, Moisey told DailyMail.com.

The purpose of the book, which is being published by Daylight, was not to focus on the one particular fraternity but rather that secret societies are a part of American culture - a huge aspect that often isn't seen, he explained.

He said: I was not interested in this particular fraternity itself but I was interested in the culture that the United States has of men joining secret societies in college and the kinds of things that they do that other people not in those societies dont do.

Many photographs in the book show binge drinking and drunkenness, which is in sharp contrast to the ideals the fraternity holds and that are laid out in the organization's ritual book

Moisey gained access to the fraternity through his brother, who was a member. He documented the partying and some ceremonies but even for him some rituals were off-limits. Above, two fraternity members pour beer down one member's throat

The fraternity is all about shaping young men to have particular values, Moisey told DailyMail.com, and they pledge oaths to very high values. He said his book is trying to show the things they say and what they do often don't match up. Above is a fraternity member puking

Photographs in the book depict women, sometimes passed out (left), drinking, hanging out, and as part of couples. On the right, a member of the fraternity paints a woman

Moisey, who is an assistant professor and director of visual studies at Cornell University, said he was able to gain access to some of the fraternity's ceremonies but not all - some were closed off to him - and was able to photograph their out-of-control celebrations.

One of the things that I really appreciated about the fraternity I really thought that they had something that I wish that the rest of society was more comfortable with was a sense of its own wildness. I thought often some of that was beautiful, he said. He noted that it becomes a problem when the wildness and drunkenness 'reaches a point where it spills over into the rest of society.



Photos include one that shows a woman passed out on a bed, others where young women are drinking with the fraternity brothers, and as part of couples.

A lot of the things that seemed interesting or alarming gender-wise now look worse in the #MeToo era, he said. Now the pictures have a relevance that I never thought that they would have.

The purpose of the book was not to focus on the one particular fraternity but rather that secret societies are a part of American culture - a huge aspect that often isn't seen, Moisey said. His photographs depict a fraternity house that is derelict and decrepit, above, is a member in a kitchen that is disarray

The people in my pictures are not bad people. Theyre not evil people. A lot of them have very strong relationships with their girlfriends and their families and a lot of them are people that I look up to but they get caught up in a culture that I dont really think should exist,' Moisey said. On the right is drawing of a stick figures engaged in a sex act on a door, and the left, a member of the fraternity smoking

Moisey said he wasn't comfortable saying that he witnessed hazing but felt that based on what 'you see in my pictures you can decide whether or not some of the things that they go through are necessary for friendship and bonding

Moisey said the fraternity brothers let him photograph their wild celebrations, in this instance, above, it looks as if something like flour is being poured on a naked fraternity member

Moisey noted that his shooting of the photos took place mainly during the presidency of George W. Bush.

I made these pictures in the Bush years, when we had a president who just outwardly embodied the frat boy ethos, he said.

Vintage shots of fraternity brothers and buildings are also strewn throughout the book. Former presidents and fraternity members, such as Bush, his father, George H. W. Bush, and John F. Kennedy, are shown and listed. The books appendix, Men of Distinction lists the many captains of industry, CEOs, chairmen, senators, and government leaders, such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, that were also fraternity members.

Also on the list is current Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual assault, and who is a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter at Yale University - the same fraternity as Bush and his father George H. W. Bush.

Former presidents and fraternity members, such as George W. Bush (top row, right), his father, George H. W. Bush (middle row, middle picture) and John F. Kennedy (bottom, left), are shown and listed. The books appendix, Men of Distinction lists the many captains of industry, CEOs, chairmen, senators, and government leaders, such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, that were also fraternity members

Moisey said that he tried to frame the book in terms that some of the young men pictured are poised to become leaders.

Many of our past and present leaders have joined these institutions, he said. So (readers) can see the people in the pictures not just as a random group of guys or boys who are behaving like boys but as our past and future leaders so they can attach those names to bodies.

A list of Supreme Court justices that were also fraternity members, according to a new book called The American Fraternity: An Illustrated Ritual Manual'

The metaphor he is trying to get across, he said, is that the image that the rest of the world has of the 'ugly American' is the image that we have of the fraternity man.

The fraternity house is shown as derelict and decrepit: books overflowing on a cart and scattered on the floor, a kitchen that has seen better days with plaster on the ground, and a shot of a fraternity member, his legs splayed and forlornly holding a broom as detritus from a party  beer cans and cups are around him.

There are also photographs of the brothers engaging in everyday activities, such as sleeping, ironing, sitting and chilling, and one when a fraternity member holds an apple in his hand while eating it. There are the somber, ceremonial moments where they take part in their rituals where only candlelight illuminates them, and a tender moment when two brothers hug. Other photographs are framed as portraits with close-ups of faces.

The shots of debauchery are contrasted with the seriousness of the ritual book of Psi Rho - a made-up name for the fraternity that Moisey chronicled.

It starts with the initiation ceremony, where candidates are supposed to wear black robes, and passwords and signals are needed to enter the chamber of preparation. When they enter what is called the lodge, there is supposed to be a coffin with either a human skull or skeleton. At one point, the pledge is put in the coffin, wrists bound with cord and hands palm to palm, according to the book.

Moisey did the bulk of his shooting during George W. Bush's presidency, he said, 'when we had a president who just outwardly embodied the frat boy ethos'

'Its like a wildness that they cultivate, Moisey said about fraternities. Above, a fraternity member on his knees. He noted that it becomes a problem when the wildness and drunkenness 'reaches a point where it spills over into the rest of society

I dont think that any of the people in the fraternity will feel that my book represents the entirety of their experience. I want to caution people against seeing it that way because most of being in a fraternity is totally innocent. Most of what a person does is sits around, talks with his friends, you know, plays video games and goes to class... I wanted to focus on the cultural problem, not the entirety of a fraternity mans experience, Moisey said. A member of the fraternity (pictured) in a suit

Then the brothers form a funeral procession and the coffin borne in the direction of the sun three times about the lodge. The candidate pledges himself to the fraternity, solemnly and sincerely promise and vow that he submits himself to the discipline of the fraternity, and he will obey, maintain and support its constitution and laws, according to the book.

There is a ritual of initiation, where a pledge begins the path of becoming a fraternity brother, Moisey said, with the idea being that youre a person whos lost in the darkness of the rest of the world and whos found the light in the fraternity house.

Photographer Andrew Moisey spent seven years chronicling an unnamed fraternity for his new book, 'The American Fraternity: An Illustrated Ritual Manual'

Candles are lit for truth, honesty and purity, and in a section called The Libations, Honor and Chivalry are basic principles of our Fraternity. Without them men are unworthy of friendship, according to the book. As part of the Candle Ceremony, the Lords Prayer is supposed to be recited while on the right-sided page, a photo shows a fraternity member grabbing a womans breast.

The book also includes the song, 'Yo-Ho,' with lyrics such as 'I put my hand upon her s*****,' and 'I put my c*** inside her mouth.' The corresponding page is a photograph of a brother holding a dog - its teeth bared - while it seems as if an arm is extending to punch it.

Moisey said he wanted to emphasize that The people in my pictures are not bad people. Theyre not evil people. A lot of them have very strong relationships with their girlfriends and their families and a lot of them are people that I look up to but they get caught up in a culture that I dont really think should exist. I dont think that men uniting into a secret society is the best idea for everybody else.

I dont think that any of the people in the fraternity will feel that my book represents the entirety of their experience. I want to caution people against seeing it that way because most of being in a fraternity is totally innocent. Most of what a person does is sits around, talks with his friends, you know plays video games and goes to class... I wanted to focus on the cultural problem, not the entirety of a fraternity mans experience.
A Los Angeles gang member has been killed in a shoot out with the cops which left two officers injured.

Rene Herrera, 39, was shot dead, and fellow gang member Fernando Cruz, 18, was injured and is in critical condition after the incident at an East Los Angeles park on Wednesday evening.

A third suspected gang member, 18-year-old Hector Martinez, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder.

Two officers were injured in the shootout; one was hit in the upper torso and has already been released from the hospital, the other deputy, who was shot in the jaw, remained hospitalized and was expected to survive.

A Los Angeles gang member has been killed in a shoot out with the cops which left two officers injured. Pictured is the scene of the gunfight at an East Los Angeles park

Two officers were injured in the shootout (pictured are police on the scene)

Sheriff's Lt. Scott Hoglund said the incident began on Wednesday night when they responded to calls that three men in a car were pulling up to people and asking what gang they were in while brandishing a gun.

When three sheriff's cars arrived, Hoglund said the black BMW the men were in abruptly stopped, and the driver got out and began shooting at deputies, two of whom were injured.

Deputies returned fire, killing the driver, Herrera, and injuring Cruz.

Three other deputies and another sheriff's employee on a ride-along in one of the patrol cars as part of her training were uninjured.

Sheriff's Lt. Scott Hoglund said the incident began on Wednesday night when they responded to calls that three men in a car were pulling up to people and asking what gang they were in while brandishing a gun

Three other deputies and another sheriff's employee on a ride-along in one of the patrol cars as part of her training were uninjured

Video courtesy KTLA

Discussion of the shootout turned political when Sheriff Jim McDonnell's opponent in the upcoming November election held a news conference Thursday to say that understaffing within the department was a factor in the shooting and is putting deputy lives at risk.

Candidate Alex Villanueva pointed to the unarmed sheriff's employee who was in one of the patrol cars with a solo deputy.

'Now the deputy is actually facing a dilemma of actually handling the problem in front of them, but they also have to safeguard the life of the person with him, who is not armed (or) prepared to handle the crisis in front of them,' said Villanueva, a retired sheriff's lieutenant.

McDonnell responded at his own news conference, calling his opponent's criticism appalling.

'That is disgusting to think that he is laying this on the backs of the deputies who are out there doing their job and blaming something other than the predators who are out there on the street who took on these deputies who are putting themselves between the public and the people who are trying to prey on the public,' McDonnell said.

Deputies returned fire, killing the driver, Herrera, and injuring Cruz (pictured is the scene)

He added that 'this is not about politics, this is not about staffing.'

He said the unarmed dispatcher in the patrol car was on a routine ride-along - her third - as a standard part of training, and Villanueva 'knows that.' He said she was with just one deputy because a second deputy had called in sick that day.

McDonnell has previously said unbudgeted overtime and difficulties attracting recruits amid heightened police scrutiny have caused vacancies within the department.

The Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the union representing deputies, endorsed Villanueva for sheriff last month and said in a statement late Thursday that 'we have concerns that staffing vacancies and personnel management may have complicated' the shootout.
Spanish police have launched a sexual assault investigation after doctors on Tenerife found a dead turtle inside a British woman's vagina, local media reports.

The unnamed 26-year-old had visited a medical center in Arona, south Tenerife, after suffering pain in her lower abdomen, which doctors diagnosed as an infection caused by the reptile.

The woman told police investigating the matter that she had started to feel odd after partying with a group of British friends a couple of days earlier, according to ABC.

She allegedly said she finally decided to seek medical help on Saturday - but told doctors and police had no idea how the turtle ended up where it did.

Questions raised: Police on the island of Tenerife, pictured, have launched a sexual assault investigation after the shocking discovery by medical staff at a local hospital (file image)

It is not known when the turtle died, before or after entering the woman's body.

Experts have confirmed that the reptile in question was a freshwater turtle of the type sold as pets, although no further details have been given.

The medical centre the British woman attended has been named as El Mojon in the municipality of Arona in the south of the island.

The facility, above the holiday resort of Los Cristianos, operates as a small hospital and is eventually expected to become the main southern Tenerife state hospital.

The unnamed British woman visited A&E at El Mojon medical centre, pictured, in the municipality of Arona after suffering pain in her abdomen

Doctors discovered that her pain was caused by an infection, which in turn had been caused by the dead turtle (stock image)

No-one from the hospital was available for comment yesterday afternoon, although El Dia said health officials had declined to respond to inquiries for data protection reasons.

Police sources in Tenerife confirmed the story was true and officers had been asked to speak to a British woman about the bizarre discovery.

The source said: 'This incident did happen and the reports are true. The woman does not know how the reptile ended up where it did and we don't either.'

Respected national newspapers in Spain have echoed the astonishing story, first reported by papers in Tenerife yesterday.

El Mundo, one of Spain's biggest-selling papers, said using the word tortuga, said: 'A woman is assisted in Tenerife after a dead turtle is found in her vagina.'

Spanish daily ABC reported: 'A woman of British origin went to A&E at El Mojon in Arona, Tenerife, on Saturday because she felt pain in her private parts.

'The duty doctors inspected her and saw that her discomfort was due to the fact that the woman, who lives on the island, had a dead turtle inside her vagina which had caused a serious infection.'
The Queensland state government has issued a 'catch and kill' order after two vicious shark attacks occurred within 24 hours of each other.

A 12-year-old Victorian girl and Tasmanian Justine Barwick, 46, were both savagely mauled by a shark in Cid Harbour, Queensland, and now the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has been tasked with hunting down the culprit.

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner announced the use of baited drum lines along with sea and air patrols, saying the shark has to be found as soon as possible.

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After two vicious shark attacks within 24 hours of each other, the Queensland state government has issued a 'catch and kill' order and will set out three baited drum lines along with sea and air patrols

Tasmanian Justine Barwick, 46, (pictured) had a huge chunk of her thigh bitten off by the shark but first aid was able to prevent her losing too much blood before paramedics arrived

The government has also advised the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority that it is activating special provisions available to it and will set three drum lines in the area tomorrow.

'Nothing is more important than the protection of human life, I want these drum lines in place as soon as possible,' Mr Furner said.

'Fisheries officers and water police are already patrolling the area.'

Mr Furner urged swimmers to stay out of the water in the vicinity of Cid Harbour and Sawmill Bay near Whitsunday Island.

'Shark attacks in these waters are rare, thats why these events are so shocking,' he said.

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner paid tribute to the victims, along with RACQ CQ Rescue crew (pictured), paramedics and medical staff from Mackay Base Hospital

Mr Furner also paid tribute to those who provided life-saving first aid to the victims, along with RACQ CQ Rescue crew, paramedics and medical staff from Mackay Base Hospital.

Both victims were extremely lucky; a veterinarian was just metres from the 12-year-old girl when she was attacked and a doctor from Mackay was on a neighbouring yacht when the Mrs Barwick was bitten.

The doctor, John Haddock, spoke to The Australian about the incident.

'I guess it was one of those situations where everything came together, the poor woman had been helped back on to her boat by her husband and her friends, who applied absolutely perfect first aid,' he said.

Both victims were extremely lucky; a veterinarian was just metres from the 12-year-old girl when she was attacked and a doctor from Mackay was on a neighboring yacht when Mrs Barwick was bitten

CQ Rescue Helicopter pilot Ben McCauley said the rescue of the young girl was made a little more simple because they were able to land on the beach

'I was a little worried I was going to find severe bleeding still going, but they had been able to stop the bleeding.'

The vet was able to get to the 12-year-old victim quickly and a government source told The Australian it 'made the difference'.

CQ Rescue Helicopter pilots Kevin Berry and Ben McCauley were tasked with airlifting both victims from the coast to the Mackay Base Hospital. They spoke with Today about the ordeal.

'The first rescue was a bit of a shocker for us to find that we had a vicious shark attack. We were able to winch the casualty from a very congested anchorage on the Whitsunday Island and effect a fairly swift rescue. I think without that it would have been a tragically different circumstance,' Mr Berry said.

'Its a lot harder for the crew and everyone involved when its a younger person,' Mr McCauley said

'They had some great first aid by the people on the boat, they managed to stem the bleeding straight away. And a local emergency doctor from Mackay was able to render assistance.'

Mr McCauley said the rescue of the young girl was made a little simpler because they were able to land on the beach.

'(But) its a lot harder for the crew and everyone involved when its a younger person,' he said.

At this stage authorities can't be sure which species of shark they are looking for and Sea Worlds director of marine sciences, Trevor Long, reiterated that to The Australian.

'There are a number of sharks up there that are capable of this type of injury, I suppose at the top of the list would be the tiger shark,' he said.
Video footage has emerged of Australian sailor and accused murderer Lewis Bennett involved in an emotional confrontation with his late wife's family.

It was recorded in Florida by a Boca Raton police officer's body camera two weeks after Isabella Hellman went missing.

It captures Ms Hellman's mother and sister as Bennett, who has the couple's baby daughter Emelia in a car, attempts to retrieve his laptop and other items from a house.

Australian sailor and murder accused Lewis Bennett (left and right) involved in an emotional confrontation with his ex-wife's family (far-right is his mother-in-law)

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 (pictured together with their daughter)

The footage shows Ms Hellman's sister, Dayana Rodriguez, telling Bennett that she does not have any of his belongings, which he claims were taken from his house.

Bennett is seen standing with a paper asking for an iPad, a laptop, clothes, dresses and several other items.

Ms Rodriguez insists they don't have any of the items telling Bennett, 'I know you threw a lot of stuff away. The FBI told us'.

Bennett attempts to explain to Ms Rodriguez that he did not throw 'a single thing away' and that someone from her family went to their house and took the stuff.

'God you can f***ing kill me right now if I took something from your house,' Ms Rodriguez exclaimed as she got down on her knees and placed her hands in prayer.

The video then cuts to another scene where Ms Rodriguez and her mother are outside with Bennett.

She is talking to Bennett's daughter in the car but he won't allow them to see her.

Ms Rodriguez's mother begins to wail and hug and begs Bennett to let them see her telling him, 'Please, we mean no harm'.

The police officer eventually jumps in and tells them to step away from the vehicle as Bennett is seen driving away.



Bennett (left) was later charged with murdering Ms Hellman (right), a US citizen, during a honeymoon cruise on a catamaran from Cuba to Florida in May last year

Ms Hellman's family has been suspicious of Bennett since he was rescued in a life raft on May 15 last year by the US Coast Guard but Ms Hellman was never found (pictured is Bennett with Ms Hellman's family)

Bennett was later charged with murdering Ms Hellman, a US citizen, during a honeymoon cruise on a catamaran from Cuba to Florida in May last year.

It was just Bennett and Ms Hellman on the 12 metre catamaran and her body was never found.

Prosecutors allege Bennett, a dual Australian-British citizen originally from Poole in Dorset, committed the murder and sunk the catamaran near the Bahamas after Ms Hellman refused to follow his wish and move with their daughter to Australia.

'The murder of Hellman would end the financial stress placed on the defendant due to his relationship with Hellman, allow the defendant to profit financially from her murder, and enable the defendant to permanently move to Australia with their daughter,' prosecutors wrote in a recent US District Court filing.

Ms Hellman's family has been suspicious of Bennett since he was rescued in a life raft on May 15 last year by the US Coast Guard but Ms Hellman was never found.

The family placed listening devices in Ms Hellman's Florida apartment while Bennett was residing there after he was rescued, according to court documents.

Bennett, 41, is in custody ahead of his murder trial in Florida in December (pictured Ms Hellman with her daughter)

A Boca Raton police officer was present when Bennett went to Ms Hellman's parents' home seeking a laptop, iPad and other items he alleged the family took, and that is when the emotional confrontation erupted.

On the bodycam footage Emelia is in Bennett's car in a driveway and Ms Hellman's mother is desperate to see the baby.

Bennett, 41, is in custody ahead of his murder trial in Florida in December.

Emelia is believed to be with his parents in Britain.

Prosecutors said Bennett told authorities the couple was on the catamaran on the evening of May 14, 2017 when he retired to the cabin to sleep while Ms Hellman stayed at the helm.

Bennett claimed the catamaran struck an unknown object and when he came up from the cabin he did not see Ms Hellman, the vessel was taking on water, he deployed a life raft, abandoned ship and used a satellite phone to call a friend in Australia to alert the US Coast Guard, prosecutors allege.
Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino is under fire over secret recordings

A secret recording has been revealed that purports to catch a New Jersey sheriff making shocking remarks to his colleagues.

On Thursday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called for Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino to resign, after the secret recordings from January 16 were released by NPR affiliate WNYC.

The tapes allegedly catch Saudino describing Murphy's gubernatorial inauguration speech, which he attended, to several colleagues.

'He talked about the whole thing, the marijuana, sanctuary state,' said the voice that is allegedly Saudino, who is white and an elected Democrat.

'Christ almighty, in other words let the blacks come in, do whatever the f**k they want, smoke their marijuana, do this, do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops.'

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (above) called for Saudino to resign after the secret recordings from January 16 were released

He was apparently describing the moment in the speech when Murphy, also a Democrat, said: 'A stronger and fairer New Jersey embraces comprehensive criminal justice reform - including a process to legalize marijuana ... and protects our hardworking immigrant families.'

The men heard in the tape then shoot the bull about the state's new Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, who is Sikh.

'He didn't do that because of Bergen County; he did that because of the turban,' Saudino allegedly said. 'He talked about how his cabinet already is so diverse.'

Grewal at the time had been Bergen County's prosecutor. Grewal said that the remarks heard in the tape were 'inconsistent with the Mike Saudino I knew and worked with in Bergen County.'

The tapes also include inflammatory remarks about Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver.

'Is she gay? Because she's never been married,' Saudino allegedly asked the others in the room about Oliver.

The tape appears to reveal Saudino speculating that Attorney General Gurbir Grewal was appointed 'because of the turban' and asking if Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver is gay

Saudino and Grewal knew each other well from Grewal's time as Bergen County Prosecutor. The are pictured together above

After hearing the remarks, Governor Murphy called on Saudino to resign.

'Without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office,' Murphy told WNYC in a statement.

'If indeed that is Sheriff Saudino's voice on the recording, he must resign.'

Saudino has not commented publicly on the authenticity of the tapes or the governor's call for him to resign.

A spokesperson for the Bergen County Sheriff's Office did not immediately return a phone message from DailyMail.com.

Bergen County, which is just across the Hudson River from Manhattan and the Bronx, is New Jersey's most populous county.

The Bergen County Sheriff's Office employs more than 600 people, and is responsible for assisting municipal police departments, patrolling county roads and the courthouse, and operating the county jail.
The future of Australia's workforce has been revealed in a major parliamentary inquiry - and it's bad news for professionals.

A report from the Inquiry Future of Work and Workers committee released on Wednesday has revealed thousands of Australians could be out of a job very soon.

Chairman Senator Murray Watt told news.com.au there's no doubt automation will change industry but there are some jobs that will be completely wiped out by robots - and some of them might surprise you.

A major inquiry has revealed that the future of the Australian work landscape is set to chnage as a result of emerging technologies (stock image)

Senator Watt said many jobs that involve manual, routine tasks, such as bank tellers, and data entry work are at a risk of being wiped out but even jobs requiring higher order skills won't be immune.

'From my own personal experience having been a lawyer, a lot of the reviewing of documents that junior lawyers have traditionally done is now being automated,' he said.

Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, one of Australia's most successful technologists, told the inquiry it's likely that the driving industry will be affected.

He said jobs such as taxi or Uber drivers, as well as truck drivers will probably be deemed unnecessary and wiped out by automation in the coming years.

'The pace of change is increasing and the countries that manage this change and get out ahead of it will be the real winners, Senator Watt said.

Jobs such as taxi or Uber drivers, as well as truck drivers will probably be deemed unnecessary and wiped out by automation in the coming years (stock image)

The committee met with industry leaders to discuss the impact of emerging technologies in relation to work earnings, job security and future employment.

One of the key findings in the report was how automation, robotics, artificial intelligence and 3D printing are continuing to disrupt the jobs that people do.

The threat of automation completely 'wiping out' the need for some jobs was a genuine concern of many industry leaders who spoke to the committee.

While some jobs are destined to become obsolete by emerging technologies, new industries will arise as a result - especially in the IT and data fields.

Among the jobs in the firing line are bank workers and driving roles, such as taxis and Uber drivers (stock image)

The report identified that the so-called 'soft skills', which distinguish humans from robots, will for the time being remain in demand.

Concepts such as emotional intelligence, creativity and critical thinking are difficult to be replaced by a computer algorithm, he said.

'A lot of the jobs growth in Australia in recent years has already been in the caring professions like health, disability services, aged care  theyre not the sort of jobs that will be taken by robots anytime soon.'

Senator Watt said while there's no doubt lots of things are changing in the Australian workplace, the future is still in our hands.
A Melbourne woman is in hospital with life-threatening injuries from an alleged assault last night.

Police and emergency services went to the home in Collins Street in the Melbourne suburb of Bulleen just after midnight after reports of a domestic dispute, 9News reports.

Police found a woman with serious injuries in the Melbourne suburb of Bulleen last night

The woman, aged in her 60s, was found with serious injuries and was subsequently taken to hospital.

A man, also in his 60s, was found at the home and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

He has been placed under police guard.
DNA testing will be carried out on needles and packaging in a bid to catch copycat offenders who are sabotaging fruit.

The extraordinary step comes as New South Wales Police investigate more than 50 reported cases of needles embedded in fruit, from strawberries to apples and watermelons.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said officers were discovering a large number of copycats and cases of 'self-contamination', the Daily Telegraph reported.

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NSW Police have reportedly announced they are DNA-testing needles and packaging as the fruit contamination crisis continues to spread

Needles have also been found embedded in apples as police work to hunt down the fruit saboteurs

NSW Police have taken the extraordinary step of using DNA testing as they investigate more than 50 cases of needles being found in fruit (stock image)

He said police were taking all reports of contaminated fruit seriously.

An eight-year-old boy has already reportedly confessed he had placed a needle inside his watermelon.

And another young boy was arrested in New South Wales on Wednesday after admitting he put needles in strawberries as a 'prank'.

The news comes after a Sydney schoolgirl found a sewing needle inside a strawberry and another student in the city uncovered an object implanted in an apple.

More than 100 reports of tampered fruit are being investigated across the nation

Woolworths this week announced it had pulled sewing needles from its shelves in a bid to prevent saboteurs using them to spike fruit

More than 100 reports of tampered fruit are being investigated across the nation.

Woolworths has now stopped selling sewing needles in a bid to prevent saboteurs using them to spike fruit.

The supermarket giant literally pulled the pin following the crises across Australia.

'We've taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale in our stores. The safety of our customers is our top priority,' a Woolworths spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

The federal government on Thursday rushed tough new penalties for 'food terrorists' through parliament.

A needle was reportedly found implanted in a Pink Lady apple (pictured) which was purchased from a North Sydney supermarket on Tuesday

'I'm just focused on making sure no idiot goes into a supermarket this weekend and does something ridiculous,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

Under Mr Morrison's new laws, anyone found guilty of contaminating food would face a maximum of 15 years in jail.

There will also be a new offence of being reckless in causing harm, which will carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The most serious cases with national security implications will be covered by sabotage offences, with penalties ranging from seven to 25 years.
A private school teacher has admitted to having a sexual relationship with an underage boy, but denied claims that she sexually assaulted a second minor.

Sonia Mackay, 43, from Henley Beach, Adelaide, on Thursday pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a boy.

The English teacher then pleaded not guilty to two aggravated counts of indecent assault, and one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a second boy.

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Private school teacher Sonia Mackay (pictured, centre) has admitted to having a sexual relationship with an underage boy, but denied claims that she sexually assaulted a second boy

The second boy is said to be 'teetering on whether he wants to proceed with the charges', Adelaide Now reports.

Mackay sobbed while facing court in Adelaide on Thursday as both the prosecution and defence agreed the case should be postponed because the second boy's claims were a 'critical aspect' of the matter.

However, Magistrate Simon Smart said the court case should continue and the attitude of an alleged victim should not impede the judicial process.

'It may be an important aspect, but it is not a decisive oneI know from my personal experience, that prosecutors may choose to proceed anyway,' Mr Smart said.

Mackay was initially taken into custody by detectives from the Special Crimes Unit in December last year when she appeared in court in handcuffs.

After her arrest, a letter was sent home to parents informing them of her suspension.

Mackay was initially taken into custody by detectives from the Special Crimes Unit in December last year when she appeared in court in handcuffs

Mackay's name had been suppressed until her guilty plea, and the first boy's identity remains anonymous.

In South Australia, the age of sexual consent is 17, but this increases to 18 if one of the parties is in a position of authority over the other.

The prosecution alleged that in the counts relating to the second boy, Mackay abused her position of authority in committing the offences.

Mackay's defence lawyer Stephen Ey said that it was unfair for his client to enter pleas before the second boy's allegations had been finalised.

However, Mr Smart said that was not the point and that there had been plenty of time for prosecutors to speak to whomever they wished.

Mackay has been released on continuing bail to face the District Court in November.
A single mother has admitted using a smartphone dating app to pimp out a teenager for group sex.

Monika Kelly, 19, created a profile for a 14-year-old girl on Seeking Arrangement, an app for 'sugar babies' and 'sugar daddies'.

After changing the girl's date of birth to make her appear 18 or 19, Kelly then arranged for her to meet men for sex at two Auckland hotels and an office building.

Monika Kelly, 19, created a profile for a 14-year-old girl on Seeking Arrangement, an app for 'sugar babies' and 'sugar daddies' (pictured is the app)

In March 2017 the victim was taken to an office building where she had sexual intercourse with a man and gave him an oil massage, Stuff.co.nz reported.

Kelly was paid by the man, and she gave a share of the money to the victim.

Two weeks later, Kelly arranged for the victim to have group sex with the same man and his associates at Auckland's City Life Hotel, charging $350 for 90 minutes.

Despite the arrangement for group sex only one man showed up, court documents stated.

A single mother has admitted using a smartphone dating app to pimp out a teenager for group sex (stock image)

The 19-year-old pleaded guilty for one charge of sexual exploitation of a minor at the High Court (pictured) at Auckland on Friday

A week later the victim was taken to the Best Western President Hotel to be filmed having sex with a man for $200.

Kelly then took the victim back to City Life Hotel to have sex with a man for $350 on ANZAC Day, while she waited outside.

Throughout all the incidents of exploitation, Kelly was given the promised payment for every arrangement and gave part of the payment to the victim for one arrangement.

When a police investigation began in July 2017, Kelly tried to prevent witnesses from providing evidence, court documents stated.

Kelly claimed she did not make the arrangements and was only trying to help the victim out, but pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual exploitation of a minor at the High Court at Auckland on Friday.

Justice Matthew Downs said Kelly would be sentenced on 13 November.
Dramatic footage of a fatal shooting of a man that stemmed from a heated argument with his father-and-son neighbors over where to dump a mattress has emerged.

A West Texas man was shot and killed on September 1 and a father and son have been arrested on murder charges over what a police chief calls a neighborhood dispute about trash.

Police responded to calls about shots fired around 10.15 a.m. and located the victim, 37-year-old Aaron Howard, who died at a hospital.

John Miller, 67, and 31-year-old Michael Miller were arrested on murder charges over the death of Howard.

Howard was shot dead as his brother and fiancee witnessed the horrific incident first-hand, according to the Star-Telegram.

John Miller, 67, and 31-year-old Michael Miller were arrested on murder charges and both are accused of shooting Aaron Howard on September 1 in Abilene, Texas

Dramatic footage of the fatal shooting has been released to the news media. John Miller is seen right holding a pistol while his son, Michael, is seen a few feet behind him holding what appears to be a shotgun

In the cell phone video captured by Howard's fiancee Kara Box, Howard is seen briefly on the far left

The argument took place in an alley behind Howards home on Don Juan Street in Abilene. The argument becomes even more heated as both sides make threats against the other. Finally, John Miller pulls the trigger on his pistol, though this is not captured by video

Moments later, his son, Michael Miller, also shoots Howard. This is clearly evident in the footage

Howards fiancee, Kara Box, filmed the argument which led to the shooting on her cell phone.

'I stepped in between Aaron and John (Miller), then my ears started ringing from the gunshots,' Box said.

'I just screamed and screamed.'

The argument took place in an alley behind Howards home on Don Juan Street in Abilene, which lies 150 miles west of Fort Worth.

Authorities said the confrontation had started days before and reached a boiling point on this particular Saturday.

Box and Howard had moved next door to the Millers in April. They had never encountered them face to face until September 1.

'We had thrown out a twin mattress in a dumpster in our alley a few days before the shooting,' Box said.

'You have to have the mattress in the dumpster or they will not haul it away.'

On the morning of September 1, Box and Howard noticed that the mattress was back on their property. So they tossed it back in the dumpster.

Howard is heard in the video yelling at the Millers to put their guns down

John and Michael Miller have been freed on $25,000 bond. Their mug shots are seen above

Box said that at this point John Miller came to the alley, took the mattress out of the dumpster, and tossed it back onto her and Howard's property.

Howard then told Miller to put the mattress back into the dumpster. Miller refused, then added some foul language.

'Thats when John (Miller) pulled a pistol out of his shorts,' she said.

Box said that Howard's nieces and nephews, who were in the backyard, were watching as this unfolded.

'Aaron goes into pappa bear mode,' Box said.

'A man has just pulled a gun on his wife, his brother, his nieces and nephews.'

Just before Howard is shot, Box tries to get between the three men. You can see that I step between them and I said, Youre not gonna shoot my husband, she told KTXS-TV

Howard and Miller engage in a tense conversation, during which Miller's son, Michael arrives with a shotgun.

Howard, who is unarmed, receives a baseball bat from his brother, though he does not use it, according to Box.

Box then provided the footage to a local television station - KTXS-TV.

It shows both John and Michael Miller holding firearms.

The father has a pistol in his right hand while the son, standing just a few feet behind him, is gripping what appears to be a shotgun.

The two shirtless men are holding the weapons while engaged in a verbal confrontation with Howard.

Howard is heard in the video yelling at the Millers to put their guns down.

If you come closer to me, Im gonna kill you, John Miller is heard telling Howard.

'If you come within 3 feet of me, Im going to kill you,' Miller tells Howard.

Hey, did you hear him say hes going to kill me? Howard says to Box as shes filming.

People deserve to know what actually happened, Box says when asked why she decided to release the footage to a television news broadcast. They deserve to know that John and Michael Miller are murderers

Yes, Box replies.

Im at the dumpster, Howard says before turning to the Millers. Put the gun up and go inside!

The argument becomes even more heated as both sides make threats against the other.

Just before Howard is shot, Box tries to get between the three men.

You can see that I step between them and I said, Youre not gonna shoot my husband, she told KTXS-TV.

Box has since moved from the home on Don Juan Street near where the shooting took place. She is seen with her late fiancee in the above file photo

Box said that John Miller fired past my head.

She then ran toward her husband amidst the chaos. In total, four shots were fired.

Finally, John Miller pulls the trigger on his pistol, though this is not captured by video.

Moments later, his son, Michael Miller, also shoots Howard. This is clearly evident in the footage.

Howard suffers gunshot wounds to his head and chest.

'No, no, Aaron!' Box screams as she runs toward her fiancee.

According to Box, John Miller walks up to her and puts his handgun against her head, ordering her to get down on the ground.

'I ran to Aaron and for a second I thought he was going to be OK, but he didnt make it,' she said.

People deserve to know what actually happened, Box says when asked why she decided to release the footage to a television news broadcast.

They deserve to know that John and Michael Miller are murderers.

Taylor County District Attorney James Hicks only learned of the existence of the video from KTXS-TV.

Video evidence like this is always graphic and very difficult to watch, he said in a statement.

But it is consistent with the charges.

When asked what message she had for John and Michael Miller, Box said: You deserve to spend your lives in prison.

Box has since moved from the home on Don Juan Street near where the shooting took place.

John and Michael Miller have been freed on $25,000 bond.


Most voters back Theresa May's plan to raise taxes to spend more on the NHS, an influential research group claims.

Six out of ten think the Government should tax and spend more, including more than half of all Tories, it said.

The findings from the respected British Social Attitudes survey are likely to reinforce Downing Street confidence that the electorate will support higher taxation if the money goes to improve the NHS.

Theresa May proposed a 22billion boost to the NHS earlier this year in a package that will partially be funded through tax-hikes

But voters are only prepared to back increased taxation if the money is spent on areas from which they will personally benefit.

The survey, which is carried out annually with funding from Whitehall, found that those aged between 18 and 34 were more than twice as likely to favour extra spending on education than the over-55s.

By contrast, older voters were more likely to support spending on the NHS.

The suggestion that voters are strongly behind tax increases will be greeted with scepticism by many MPs.

Past elections have shown that while people frequently tell pollsters they are willing to pay higher taxes, they are less likely to choose greater taxation when in the privacy of the polling station.

Some voters are also believed to feel under pressure to tell surveys they support higher taxation for the public good when in reality they do not.

NHS waiting times have soared over the past few years with doctors warning of critical deficiencies in funding

The Social Attitudes Survey, which questions 3,000 people about a range of views, found that some 67 per cent of Labour supporters and 53 per cent of Tories are in favour of higher taxation.

The last time Tory supporters showed majority support for increased taxation and spending was in 2002.

Four out of ten Tories and 26 per cent of Labour supporters think taxation and spending should stay the same, and only four per cent of supporters of either party are in favour of lower taxes, it said.

Roger Harding of the National Centre for Social Research, which conducts the survey, said: 'Since 2010 the proportion of people who want more tax and spend has nearly doubled and shows the country is clearly tiring of austerity.'
A heavily tattooed Comanchero bikie has been charged with running a highly organised and sophisticated luxury car scam that allegedly netted $4.5million.

The syndicate, allegedly run out of Campbelltown in south-west Sydney, created fake documents to get loans for luxury vehicles and then on-sold them, police allege.

They allegedly made their millions by seizing 18 vehicles, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Comanchero bikie Shane Anthony Ross (pictured) has been charged in relation to the high-end car scam

Comanchero bikie Shane Anthony Ross, owner of Gold Coast car and clothing business Monstr, and his business manager Scott Stoneman, face 19 charges combined relating to the alleged scam.

The pair were extradited to New South Wales on Wednesday.

Monstr Detailing is a professional detailing business that has serviced some of Australia's most well-known and luxurious car brands, its website states.

The alleged ringleader, Christian Nassar, is on the run after he allegedly rammed a police car on Monday.

Two more men also face fraud charges in NSW in relation to the scam.

The operation allegedly saw the group getting loans for luxury cars and changing the payment details to electronic payment system BPAY before making just three payments.

Comanchero bikie Shane Anthony Ross runs Monstr Detailing, a professional detailing business, run out of the Gold Coast (stock image)

The cars, such as Mercedes and HSV Club Sports, would then be sold on at 'drastically reduced prices' it is alleged in court documents from police.

The charged men allegedly used fake details when securing the loans, making them impossible to trace.

Police allege the group thought that by making the three payments the finance company would be unable to file a report with the police as it would be deemed a civil dispute.

Comanchero bikie Shane Anthony Ross, owner of Gold Coast car and clothing business Monstr, and his business manager Scott Stoneman, face 19 charges combined relating to the scam

Police documents filed in court said Ross is a member of the Comanchero gang.

'Ross is a career confidence fraud offender,' police allege.

'He is highly organised and sophisticated in criminal activities and police methodology.'

Ross and Stoneman's lawyer Marty Longhurst said the value of the alleged offending was exaggerated.

'The specifics in the Crown's case is that (Ross) is allegedly involved with vehicles valued at $400,000 ... but it states the global amount of $4million and his alleged involvement in the syndicate is tenfold of what is specifically alleged in relation to the value of the cars.'

The case involving Ross and Stoneman was adjourned to Campbelltown District Court on November 21.

Ross - who had brain tumours removed earlier this month - was granted bail on Wednesday due to poor health.

Stoneman remains in custody.

The other two are due to appear in court in November.
Thousands of British women are dying young because they have adopted men's unhealthy lifestyles, experts warned last night.

A major study today reveals the UK has the fourth highest premature death rate for women in wealthy Western nations for diabetes, heart disease, cancer and lung disease.

A 30-year-old British woman now has a 9 per cent chance of dying by the age of 70 from one of these illnesses  largely driven by smoking, drinking and obesity.

Only the US, the Netherlands and Denmark perform worse among the 25 high-income Western countries.

Lead author Majid Ezzati, a professor at Imperial College London, said social equality means unhealthy lifestyles that were once the domain of men are now putting women at risk. 'If women live like men, they will die like men,' he said.

Only the US, the Netherlands and Denmark have higher numbers of women dying prematurely in the Western world

For British men the chance of dying early from one of the diseases is higher than for women  at 13 per cent  but other countries do far worse, so the UK falls to 13th out of 25 for men alone.

Last month a global study revealed British women now drink as much as men for the first time  making them the eighth heaviest drinkers in the world.

Social equality is advancing less quickly in other nations, so while British men drink roughly the same amount as women  three drinks a week on average  they are only 62nd in the world.

Professor Ezzati said: 'If health behaviour becomes more similar between men and women, they will die at similar rates.

'In other countries female smoking, obesity and drinking has never got as high as for men.'

In South Korea, for example  where women's risk of premature death is just 5 per cent  drinking and smoking are less common. Men have twice the risk, at 11 per cent.

Professor Ezzati said poor cancer survival rates in the UK, which have long lagged behind other leading nations, could also explain the data.

Other major factors may include poor diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and high blood pressure.

The study, which appears in the Lancet, compared premature deaths for the four 'non-communicable diseases'  which cannot be passed on  for 186 countries in 2016.

A 30-year-old British woman has a 9 per cent chance of dying by the age of 70 from diabetes, heart disease, cancer and lung disease

In the UK these four diseases kill nearly 90,000  37,000 women and 52,000 men  between the ages of 30 and 70 every year. The study also found Britain was likely to miss the UN target of cutting deaths from these diseases by a third by 2030.

It found the UK is lagging behind the world's leading nations on health for both men and women.

For premature deaths among women, Britain comes only 19th out of 40 countries in Europe and 27th out of 186 in the world. For men, Britain comes 9th and 17th.

The data is the first evidence women's lifestyle choices are increasing their risk of premature death.

Cancer Research UK said lung cancer rates are still peaking among women, years after they fell for men.

This is because many women in the UK took up smoking in the 1960s and 1970s  but were slower to give up when men started kicking the habit a few decades later.

It comes after a World Health Organisation report found the UK was the third fattest of 53 European nations, with 29 per cent of women and 27 per cent of men obese.

Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said last night: 'The predictions are truly appalling  but believable. Successive governments have failed to produce a coherent strategy to tackle obesity, a major factor triggering the four key diseases.'

The Department of Health said cancer survival was at a record high, and smoking rates were at an all-time low. Public Health England is reviewing the study's findings.
Huskins and Quinn were awarded $2.5million in damages earlier this year after suing the Vallejo Police Department for defamation after they were accused of faking the kidnapping

A woman who was allegedly kidnapped from her San Francisco home and raped during her two days in captivity may have to face her assailant as he questions her on the stand.

In the latest indignity to face Denise Huskins, 33, her alleged attacker, Matthew Muller, will be given the opportunity to question the physical therapist in court as he is representing himself, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

When Huskins first went missing in March 2015, police deployed 40 officers in the hopes of securing her return, and after she was found, publicly claimed her ordeal had been a hoax, along the lines of the film Gone Girl.

She filed a defamation claim and won, resulting in a damages payout and a private apology from police, but has continued to struggle in her fight for justice against her alleged captor.

Huskins and her fiance, Aaron Quinn, were subpoenaed on Wednesday to testify at a preliminary hearing, during which the pair may be cross-examined by Muller, as he does not have any legal counsel acting on his behalf.

Police initially believed the kidnapping was so elaborate and bizarre that they dismissed it as a real life 'Gone Girl' hoax plotted by victims Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn

The pair will appear in court next week, only days before they are due to tie the knot on September 29.

'I honestly dont even have words to describe what we are feeling,' Huskins wrote on Facebook.

The soon-to-be bride said the couple were in need of support as the trial approached, but would not let what could be an incredibly traumatic experience affect their big day.

Matthew Muller, 40, was sentenced to 40 years in prison last year after pleading guilty to breaking into the Vallejo home of Denise Huskins, 32, and Aaron Quinn, 33, when they were sleeping in 2015

'We welcome any and all thoughts, prayers and support. We surely will need it as we enter this next battle,' she wrote.

'But we will be ready to celebrate on our wedding day!'

Prosecutors have alleged Muller used a remote-controlled drone to spy on his victims before breaking into their home, blindfolding and tying them up in March 2015.

He made them drink a sleep-inducing liquid before playing a pre-recorded message that made it seem as if there was more than one kidnapper.

Authorities said Muller then put Huskins in the trunk of car and drove to South Lake Tahoe where he held her hostage for two days and allegedly raped her twice while demanding a $15,000 ransom from her boyfriend.

Muller was given the 40 year sentence as part of a deal for pleading guilty to the kidnapping charge in federal court.

Matthew Muller spoke out for the first time in a prison interview with NBC on Wednesday to claim he is not guilty in the 2015 Gone Girl kidnapping case he pleaded guilty to last year

He has since claimed he is not guilty, and will be fighting the charges of raping Huskins and assaulting Quinn in court.

When explaining why he initially pleaded guilty, Muller told NBC he had fallen into severe depression while being held at a Sacramento jail and didn't care what happened to him.

He added he had wanted to help the couple in some way by taking the deal.

Muller has denied he had planned the timing of the court case to cause Huskins and Quinn more pain.

'I did not control the timing on this. To suggest somehow Ive plotted to make this happen right before they got married is ridiculous,' he said.
Cornish skippers have accused French trawlers of reigniting the recent fishing war after a rise in damage to their nets.

They claim French boats have towed nets through their crab pot lines between six and 12 miles off the coast of Cornwall.

Yesterday, UK fishing leaders met French counterparts in Plymouth to discuss an increase in problems during the last six months.

During the so-called scallop wars last month, French trawlers surrounded UK boats to try to stop them reaching fishing beds 12 miles off the coast of Normandy.

French fishermen throwing rocks at a British boat as the vessels try to ram each other off the coast of Normand at the height of tension between the fishermen at the start of September

Boats were rammed and flares, rocks and insults were hurled.

The UK Government has now agreed that its boats will not fish for scallops in French waters in return for 'reasonable compensation'.

Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, said: 'What sometimes flares up is what we call gear-conflict, where French trawlers tow through the pots and nets that have been set by our local inshore fleet.

This year, we seem to have had a real increase in the number of instances and the amount of gear lost.

Footage earlier this month showed French crews throwing stones and smoke bombs onto British ships in a row over scallops

We are estimating it into the hundreds of thousands of pounds. Fishing in Cornwall cannot sustain these kinds of losses.'

The French are legally entitled to fish off Cornwall. However, UK static fishing nets and pots are clearly marked with buoys.

Mr Trebilcock added: 'There's speculation it could be Brexit-related, it could be frustrations spilling over from the scallop wars or it could be a number of things.'
William 'Bill' Taylor (pictured) went missing three months ago just three days before his 70th birthday

The former wife of a millionaire farmer who went missing three months ago was arrested for his murder, along with their two sons.

William 'Bill' Taylor vanished from his 1.2million home in Gosmore, Hertfordshire, at around 9pm on June 3 - just days before his 70th birthday.

It has now emerged that Angela Taylor, 52, was quizzed over his disappearance, along with sons Michael, 22, and William, 18. They were bailed today. A 53-year-old man was also bailed.

Police have searched for his body and continue to look next to her home.

The Mill Farm, which police are said to be combing, has approximately 150 acres of land.

Detectives have also begun dredging a pond close. Underwater searches were also concentrated at the farm, which is two miles away from Mr Taylor's home.

One of the corner barns appears to be the main hub for the police search, but other properties have also been examined.

Her eldest son Gavin Foulds, 26, told The Sun: 'The police have made a massive mistake.

'That's why they have been bailed. It is not what it seems and it will all come out eventually.

'I really don't know more than that.'

A neighbour said that ex-wife Angela was now seeing another man.

They said: 'I know she's been seeing a new guy, a gypsy.'

Another added: 'They are a lovely family.

'I regularly see her out walking her dogs and she has always got a "hello".'

Police forensics search Mill Farm in Gosmore, Hertfordshire, the home Angela Taylor, the estranged wife of William Taylor, after the police make four arrests in connection with his disappearance

The home of William Taylor's former partner, Angela Taylor, has been searched by police

Police cordons have been put in place around the property as officers hunt for clues

Police arrived at Angela's farm in Charlton, near Hitchin, at around 7am on Wednesday, neighbours said.

After Mr Taylor went missing, it emerged his Land Rover Defender was deliberately torched in the days before he went missing but police refused to say whether they were treating his disappearance as suspicious.

The four people arrested, all from Hitchin, Herts, have also been arrested on suspicion of arson and conspiracy to commit arson in connection with a vehicle fire at William's home.

Detective Chief Inspector Carl Foster from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, who is leading the investigation, said: 'Extensive enquiries and searches have been carried out since William was reported missing, including a thorough search of the farmland surrounding his home.

Four people were arrested in connection to the murder of William Taylor, whose body has not been found

After the police investigation four suspects were identified who have now been arrested in connection with his disappearence

'Today, further searches are taking place at three at three other addresses in North Herts.

'William's body has not been found and our inquiries are continuing.

'Understandably this is an extremely difficult time for his family and they have asked for their privacy to be respected.'

Mr Taylor's family members previously said they are in 'turmoil' and are 'extremely worried' over his disappearance.

His son Richard Taylor said: 'If anyone out there knows anything about my dad's whereabouts please contact the police.

Despite officers searching his entire farmland and beyond they have still not been able to recover his body

A 52-year-old woman and three men, aged 18, 22 and 53 have all been arrested as part of the murder investigation

'This is an unbearable situation and I am worried sick about him. My family is in turmoil and we are desperate to get him home.'

Officers also searched farmland, hedgerows and copses 'inch by inch' around the farm where he lived.

They also revealed he had not used his bank accounts and there had been no sightings of the farmer, who has several grown-up children and grandchildren.

William was described by police as white, around 5ft 11in tall, of medium build with short grey hair.

He was last seen wearing a baby blue-coloured shirt, jeans and black wellies, and may be wearing a navy blue boiler suit.

Police are pictured walking in the land surrounding the farm, from which Mr Taylor has been missing for more than three months
Emily Maitlis is set to take over as BBC Newsnights top presenter, it emerged last night.

Seen as one of the corporations top talents, Maitlis, 48, will soon be the main anchor on the current affairs programme, insiders believe.

It would be the first time a woman has presented Newsnight, and follows the announcement that co-host Evan Davis is moving to Radio 4s PM.

Emily Maitlis in the press room at the GQ Men of the Year Awards earlier this month. Miss Maitlis, 48, will soon be the main anchor on the current affairs programme, BBC insiders believe

Miss Maitlis yesterday said Davis leaving the show was a huge loss for us, tweeting that his PM move to replace Eddie Mair was hugely well deserved.

The daughter of a leading scientist and physiotherapist, she read English at Queens College, Cambridge, before working for US channel NBC in Asia, followed by Channel 4 and Sky.

Under current Newsnight rules, Davis, 56, is contracted to host the show three days a week and Miss Maitlis and Kirsty Wark present on the other days.

In 1985, Olivia OLeary became the first senior female presenter on the programme.

Evan Davies, above, replaced Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight in August 2014. He wrote in a tweet today: 'I have to say, that I will genuinely miss the daytime office conversations with the Newsnight team'

Evan Davies will now present Radio 4's PM show, which was presented by Eddie Mair, above, until August. Mair now presents a drivetime show on LBC

Miss Maitlis was at the centre of a sexism row last year when it emerged that she was being paid significantly less than Davis  who appeared on the Corporations annual rich list with a pay packet of up to 299,999.

Miss Maitlis, meanwhile, was taking home less than 150,000 and reportedly considered leaving the BBC2 show.

But her pay was this year bumped up to at least 220,000.

When asked last year if she should have been made lead presenter over Davis when Jeremy Paxman left in 2014, she told the Jewish Chronicle: No. Were a good ensemble and it works for us.

Davis will move to PM in the coming months following Mairs departure in August after 25 years at the helm.

Emily Maitlis pictured attending a charity event earlier this month. Evan Davis, 56, is contracted to host the show three days a week and Miss Maitlis presents on other days. Now Maitlis will become the show's top presenter

Before joining Newsnight, Davis presented Radio 4s Today programme for six years.

He said: Having survived several years of people saying youre not as good as Jeremy Paxman, I now look forward to people saying youre not as good as Eddie Mair.

An internal email to Newsnight staff leaked to the Media Guido website yesterday read: We are fortunate enough to have three outstanding presenters on the show.

In the interim Emily and Kirsty will step into the space left by Evan while we decide on the next steps...

A spokesman for Miss Maitlis declined to comment, while the BBC said it would make an announcement in due course.
A married policeman has resigned after he was allegedly caught having sex with a female solicitor at a busy station.

The disgraced officer and lawyer were found semi-naked in a 'compromising position' in an interview room.

The solicitor was at the station at Cockett in Swansea as she was involved in a case involving a suspect alongside the policeman.

The disgraced officer and lawyer were found semi-naked in a 'compromising position' in an interview room at the police station in Cockett

South Wales Police said a misconduct investigation into the actions of the officer was underway.

A source said: 'The pair were discovered in a disused interview room of the John Street station earlier this month in a state of undress.

'It was clearly very embarrassing for all involved, and it is certain there will be repercussions.'

The South Wales force said an officer based in its Western basic command unit or BCU - which covers Swansea and Neath Port Talbot - had since handed in his notice.

A spokeswoman for South Wales Police said: 'South Wales Police professional standards department is investigating an allegation of misconduct against a police officer based in the force's Western BCU.

'The officer has submitted their resignation and a misconduct hearing will be held in due course.'

Do you know the officer or the solicitor? Email tips@dailymail.com
A new 250million cyber-force will help combat terrorist groups, criminal gangs and hostile states, it was reported last night.

Thousands of recruits as well as experts from the military and security services will make up a new unit, quadrupling the number of UK cyber agents.

The 'joint cyber force', will ensure the country can remotely disrupt and destroy computer networks, The Times reported.

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is vying for control of the new unit designed to ISIS, gangs, people traffickers and paedophile rings

But tensions have already begun to arise as both GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence are vying to command the unit.

A source said: 'There will be tussles I expect. The military will want it to be a high-level war-fighting force that can do things like counter-missile programmes which will probably never be used, while politicians will want a tactical force that focuses on combating crime and domestic terror threats.'

The creation of the force is of increasing importance as the UK faces threats from Russia and follows a review on the subject ordered by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson.

Recruits will target Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, gangs, people traffickers and paedophile rings from their base, which will either be located at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire or MOD Corsham in Wiltshire.
Arizona police have released body cam footage of a violent arrest of a woman who was punched in the face by a cop - an incident that was caught by amateur video and posted to social media earlier this month.

On September 6, a woman was stopped for driving without a license in the town of Goodyear - a suburb of Phoenix.

In the bodycam footage, the officer, who is identified as M. Ross, approaches the car and tries to detain the driver, Renee Armenta.

When Ross tells Armenta shes under arrest, she responds: For what?

Arizona police have released body cam footage of a violent arrest of a woman who was punched in the face by a cop - an incident that was caught by amateur video and posted to social media earlier this month

On September 6, a woman was stopped for driving without a license in the town of Goodyear - a suburb of Phoenix

In the bodycam footage, the officer, who is identified as M. Ross, approaches the car and tries to detain the driver, Renee Armenta. He is seen above grabbing her by the hand after pulling her over

The officer is then seen dragging Armenta across the pavement. Her shoes are seen above after they come off her feet

The image above shows Armenta being pushed to the ground by the officer, who accuses her of resisting arrest

The officer, who is identified as 'M. Ross,' then places her hands behind her back and handcuffs her

Throughout the ordeal, Armenta professes her innocence and denies resisting arrest

The officer than yells for her to put her hands up. She responds again by asking what she did.

The officer punched Armenta, who was unarmed, in the face to stop her hanging onto the car door. He then yanked the 38-year-old across the tarmac.

The punch is not clearly seen in the body cam video, but it is evident in a separate video filmed from across the street and posted to social media.

Ross then pulls his gun and points it at a male passenger after he steps out of the car during the altercation.

The male passenger, later identified as 27-year-old John Charlie Moreno Aguilar of Phoenix, exited the car after she was punched.

He is seen laying down on the pavement face down as other officer point their guns at him.

I didn't do anything, sir, why did you punch me? Armenta asks repeatedly in the footage.

A male passenger who was in the car with Armenta is also taken into custody

Officers are seen with their gun pointed toward the male who was standing near a bus stop

The officer then escorts a handcuffed Armenta to the police cruiser while she repeatedly professes her innocence

As Armenta is led into the police cruiser, the officer closes the rear passenger side door on her bare foot

You resisted arrest, the officer, Ross, says.

No, I didnt, she replied as she was held against the pavement and handcuffed.

I didnt do anything, she says again as she is forced to stand on her feet with her hands cuffed behind her back.

The officer then escorts a handcuffed Armenta to the police cruiser while she repeatedly professes her innocence.

As Armenta is led into the police cruiser, the officer closes the rear passenger side door on her bare foot.

Armenta then lets out a scream and asks to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

Later in the bodycam video, the officer tells a colleague that he hit Armenta after he noticed her hand go behind her back when she was informed she was under arrest.

Goodyear Police Department is investigating the cop over the incident.

Armenta's attorney told reporters on September 11 that he is considering filing a civil lawsuit against the city of Goodyear and the officer, according to The Arizona Republic.

The same incident was filmed from another angle across the street. The video was then posted to Twitter

As the confrontation continues one witness shouts at the cop, 'Dude, what the f***? She's a woman.'

Cops are now reviewing body camera footage of the incident and conducting interviews to understand what happened, reported AZCentral.com.

Armenta is in jail facing charges including resisting arrest, driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana.

She is scheduled to appear before a judge at Maricopa County Superior Court on Thursday.

The passenger, Aguilar, is accused of possessing drug paraphernalia.

The officer yanks the 38-year-old across the tarmac until she is several feet away from the vehicle

He pulls his gun and points it at a male passenger who steps out of the car during the altercation

Armenta's daughter, identified only as Cassandra, said she found the footage 'heartbreaking' to watch.

'I didn't know what he was going to do to her, she was scared for her life,' she told AZFamily.com.

Armenta has been charged with resisting arrest, driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana

'It was really outrageous; it shouldn't have went that far. It was ridiculous.'

Goodyear Police Department said: 'The driver who had a suspended driver's license was notified that she was being placed under arrest; at that time she began to retreat.

'When a conflict with a suspect occurs during an arrest, this presents a challenging and often dangerous situation for the arresting officer.

'The top priority of the Goodyear Police Department is the safety of the public as well as our officers.

'When a situation such as this occurs, it can appear frightening to passersby who don't understand the full context of the situation.

'In the interest of transparency and maintaining the trust of our public, the Goodyear Police Department is currently investigating the specific details of this particular case.'
Google employees brainstormed ways to alter search functions to counter the Trump administration's controversial 2017 travel ban, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing internal emails.

Google employees discussed how they could tweak the company's search-related functions to show users how to contribute to pro-immigration organizations and contact lawmakers and government agencies, the Journal said.

The ideas were not implemented.

President Donald Trump's travel ban temporarily barred visitors and immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries.

It spurred public outcry and was revised several times. Trump said the travel ban was needed to protect the United States against attacks by Islamist militants, and the Supreme Court upheld the measure in June.

Google employees brainstormed ways to alter search functions to counter the Trump administration's controversial 2017 travel ban, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing internal emails

The Google employees proposed ways to 'leverage' search functions and take steps to counter what they considered to be 'islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms "Islam," "Muslim," "Iran," etc.' and 'prejudiced, algorithmically biased search results from search terms "Mexico," "Hispanic," "Latino," etc,' the Journal added, quoting from the emails.

A Google spokesperson said the emails represented brainstorming and none of the ideas were implemented.

She said the company does not manipulate search results or modify products to promote political views.

'Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies,' the spokesperson said in a statement.

The news is likely to confirm suspicions among conservatives that tech companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook have a liberal bias.

California will join other states planning to participate in a meeting organized by the U.S. Justice Department to discuss concerns about conservative voices being stifled on social media, the states attorney general said last week.

President Donald Trump's travel ban temporarily barred visitors and immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries

The Justice Department said it had invited a bipartisan group of 24 state attorneys general to attend the Sept. 25 meeting.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the meeting after Trump criticized social media outlets for what he said was unfair treatment of conservatives.

Lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and the Senate held hearings this month to grill executives of social media companies about their handling of conservative voices online.

Companies like Facebook Inc, Twitter Inc and Google owner Alphabet Inc have been accused by some conservatives of seeking to exclude their ideas.

The companies deny any such bias.

'Today, the Justice Department formally sent invitations to a bipartisan group of twenty-four state attorneys general that expressed an interest in attending the meeting hosted by Attorney General Jeff Sessions,' a Justice Department official said last week.

'The meeting will take place here at the Department of Justice, and we look forward to having a robust dialogue with all attendees on the topic of social media platforms.'

It spurred public outcry and was revised several times. Trump said the travel ban was needed to protect the United States against attacks by Islamist militants, and the Supreme Court upheld the measure in June. Protesters are seen above in Washington, DC on June 26

The Justice Department invited officials from California Attorney General Xavier Becerras office to the meeting after Becerra reached out to Washington, Becerra spokeswoman Sarah Lovenheim said in an email statement.

'States like California, the nations tech leader and home to a $385 billion tech industry, have a wealth of insight and expertise to share in any inquiry about the role of technology companies, and we look forward to a thoughtful conversation in Washington, D.C.,' Becerra said in a statement.

Texas and South Carolina said previously they would participate, while others said they were not invited.
Footage of rain pouring through the roof of a train carriage reveals the true conditions some commuters are now faced with.

A shocked passenger filmed the footage on board a Northern service to Wigan, where the flor between tow carriages became flooded.

Passengers were crammed on board the service and the passenger that filmed the incident said the footage had been captured on board an already delayed Northern service to Wigan Wallgate from Stockport on Thursday night.

Scroll for video

Other passengers have also complained about leaking trains, while delays were also reported at railway stations

Northern has apologised and said a fault has been reported.

James wrote on Twitter: 'On the delayed 16:06 Wigan Wallgate from Stockport.

'Following 30 minute delay at Manchester Oxford Road and my stop being cancelled, this happened.

'Might get 2 from delay repay though. silverlining wet.'

He also tagged the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, on Twitter.

Other passengers have also complained about leaking trains, while delays were also reported at railway stations as Network Rail implemented an emergency speed limit because of the bad weather.

Northern said this then resulted in service congestion and a build-up of passengers at a number of stations.

Northern apologised to customers whose 'journeys were impacted by this fault'

A list of services expected to be affected was published by the train operator.

They included services from Rochdale, Bolton, Manchester Victoria and Wigan.

A Northern spokesman said: 'We apologise to any customers whose journeys were impacted by this fault. The incident has been reported and will be dealt with by our maintenance teams.'
Police will be out in force targeting speeding and distracted drivers as holidaymakers hit the roads this long weekend.

After a number of deaths in recent weeks, road safety minister Michelle Roberts minister has urged caution ahead of the Queen's Birthday weekend.

The long weekend marks the start of a busy fortnight on West Australian roads, with school holidays and the Perth Royal Show also beginning.

Double demerit points will come into force next Thursday at midnight in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory in the lead up to Labour Day.

Police will be out in force targeting speeding and distracted drivers as holidaymakers hit the roads this long weekend (stock image)

Double demerit points kicked in on Friday and will run until midnight on Monday.

Police will be targeting people for speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone use, running red lights and set belt offences.

Police will be targeting people for speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone use, running red lights and set belt offences

'I want to ask drivers to particularly be mindful of children using the roads during the school holidays or making their way to the Royal Show,' Ms Roberts said.

DOUBLE DEMERIT POINTS Exceed the speed limit by 10km/h and under (2 points) Exceed the speed limit by over 30km/h (3 points) Exceed the speed limit by over 30km/h (6 points) Exceed the speed limit by over 40km/h (7 points) Drug driving (3 points) Using a mobile phone while driving (3 points) Driver not wearing his/her own seatbelt (4 points) Driver penalty for each passenger not wearing a seatbelt (4 points) * Source: Department of Transport WA Advertisement

'The emotional aftermath of a serious road crash doesn't just impact the families affected, but our emergency service workers too.'

Acting Road Safety Commissioner Iain Cameron has warned motorists to stay alert.

'Three out of four fatal and serious injury crashes on WA roads are not caused by a risk-taking behaviour, but by someone who may be tired, a bit distracted or has a momentary lapse in concentration,' he said.

'A micro-sleep of four or five seconds at 110km/h is like driving the length of Optus Stadium with your eyes shut.

'Fatigue is the silent killer on our roads, please don't drive after being awake for a long period of time, make sure you're well rested, plan your journey with regular stops along the way and if you can, switch drivers.'

Tasmania does not have double demerit periods, neither do Northern Territory, Queensland or South Australia.

When double-demerits come into force in YOUR state New South Wales: Thursday 28, September Australian Capital Territory: Thursday 28, September Western Australia: Friday 21, September States that do not have double demerit periods are: Tasmania Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Advertisement




A mining executive whose lifeless body was found floating in a river had blocked her ex-boyfriend's phone number prior to her death, a court has heard.

Mario Marcelo Santoro has been accused of killing his former girlfriend Cecilia Haddad, 38, in Sydney in late April before fleeing back to his native Brazil.

The 40-year-old faced a Brazilian court this week where it was heard Ms Haddad had resorted to only communicating with Santoro over email after blocking the number.

A witness told the court in Rio de Janeiro Ms Haddad was writing the emails just in English so Australian police could read the exchanges if something happened to her, news.com.au reported.

Cecilia Haddad (pictured) was only communicating with her ex-boyfriend Mario Marcelo Santoro by email and in English after blocking his phone number, a witness told a court

Mario Marcelo Santoro (pictured) is accused of murdering Ms Haddad's, whose lifeless body was found floating in a Sydney river

Ms Haddad's fully-clothed body was discovered floating in the Lane Cove River on April 29, with Santoro flying back to his native Brazil on the same weekend her body was found.

Santoro was arrested in Brazil on July 7, a day after police searched his home in Rio de Janeiro as well as the homes of his parents and relatives, after a warrant for his arrest was issued.

It has been alleged Santoro, 40, killed Ms Haddad as he 'could not accept the end of their relationship'.

A witness told the court Santoro had become 'obsessive' and 'sexist' after his relationship with Ms Hadded ended.

The witness also told the court Santoro had read Ms Haddad's personal messages, followed her and refused to move out of her home.

Wednesday's court hearing was a pre-trial hearing at which four of the seven prosecution witnesses gave evidence.

It has been alleged Santoro (right), 40, killed Ms Haddad (left) as he 'could not accept the end of their relationship'

Ms Haddad (pictured) was allegedly murdered by Santoro, who was her former boyfriend

Judge Daniel Werneck Cotta will decide if Santoro will face a full trial on qualified homicide charges.

The court heard Santoro confessed to strangling Ms Haddad to death in an informal police interview.

The head of the Rio homicide squad, Dr Fabio Cardoso, gave testimony before the court that Santoro 'never denied being the author of the crime' throughout police interviews.

Dr Cardoso also gave testimony Santoro confessed to strangling Ms Haddad in an informal conversation after the pair had an argument in their apartment.

The detective said the defendant had told his colleague the confession was not formal testimony.

The court also heard Santoro used Ms Haddad's finger to unlock her phone and send text messages to her mother and friends.

In court, one of Santoro's defence lawyers, Mauricio Eduardo Mayr, dismissed the alleged confession as 'hearsay'.

Defence lawyers also told the court there was not enough evidence to support the allegations.
Fast food chain Subway is to launch a range of new menu items in its restaurants across Australia and New Zealand

Meanwhile, it will discontinue some of its traditional offerings.

The new selection will be rolled out at all 1600 Subway restaurants across Australia and New Zealand by the end of the year, News Corp Australia reports.

The 26 new choices include different types of cheeses, meats, sauces, breads, spices, and salad items.

Among them are leg ham, crumbled feta, sun-dried tomato, smashed felafel, cranberry relish, and seeded mustard.

Subway will be rolling out new menu items at its diners in Australia and New Zealand (stock photo)

Scrapped traditional menu items include seafood, honey oat bread, Old English cheese, thousand island dressing, and tomato sauce.

Carrots and pickles were also planned to be scrapped, but have been returned.

Subway recently trialed its new menu at 100 of its outlets.

Subway has introduced new menu items and removed some traditional ones (Stock photo)

'Overwhelmingly the feedback has been positive,' Subway's Australia and New Zealand country director Geoff Cockerill told News Corp Australia.

However, customers complained about the removal of carrots and pickles from the menu.

Subway Australia conducted polls on its Facebook asking whether or not pickles and carrots should return to the menu.

Subway reversed its decision to remove pickles and carrots from its menu after backlash (Stock image)

The majority of poll participants voted for the items to return.

So Subway returned pickles and carrots to its menu.

'Early on we made the choice to take carrots and pickles out, but halfway through we put them back in,' Cockerill told News Corp Australia.

Some commenters on Subway's Facebook page were unhappy with the changes

Subway Australia's Facebook page has been bombarded with complaints about the removal of other particular items from the menu.

'No beetroot. No carrot. No pickles. No iceberg lettuce. You can trial it all you like, but getting rid of the majority of salad and cheese items that actually make a salad sandwich is ridiculous," wrote commenter Lisa.

'BRING BACK FLAT BREAD,' wrote commenter Anastasia.

In response to the announcement of carrot's and pickle's return to the menu, commenter Marcus wrote, 'What about Old English cheese seriously.'

Many of the the new menu items will be locally-sourced, Cockerill told News Corp Australia.

He also said panini sandwiches, signature wraps and salads are being trialed in 50 restaurants.

They will be introduced to all the other restaurants early next year.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have called upon the FBI to investigate death threats against Christine Blasey Ford, who accuses Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her when they were both in high school.

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, joined by the rest of the Democrats on the committee, asked FBI Director Chris Wray to open an investigation in the letter sent on Thursday.

'We are requesting immediate action by the Bureau to investigate potential federal crimes against Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, which appear intended to intimidate a witness in relation to the Supreme Court nomination hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh,' the letter reads.

'We are increasingly concerned by reports of alleged death threats against her, the hacking of her email, and harassment and intimidation she has faced since being forced into the spotlight late last week.'

Democrat Senator Patrick Leahy (above) penned the letter (below) on Thursday, which was joined by the rest of the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee

The letter also encourages the FBI to use the investigation into the death threats as a means of opening a backdoor probe into Ford's sexual assault allegation, which dates to the early 1980s and does not appear to involve any federal crime.

The letter speculates that 'the FBI may obtain information concerning criminal activity not within the FBI's investigative jurisdiction, including for example violations of Maryland's criminal code dealing with rape and sexual assault.'

'As you are aware, when an FBI employee receives such information, the employee 'must promptly transmit the information or refer the complaint to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction,'' the letter continues.

Ford's attorneys have said that she has received death threats which prompted her family to flee their home, adding that they notified the FBI of the threats.

The Senate Democrats make no mention of death threats that have been received by Kavanagh and his family, which the U.S. Marshals Service is investigating.

Kavanagh (center) and his family have also gotten death threats, which the U.S. Marshals Service is investigating as part of their duties protecting the judiciary

A senior administration official at the White House told the AP that the threats were made in emails to Kavanaugh's wife, Ashley, and came from one person. The one being investigated uses vulgar language and suggests violence.

Also on Thursday, Ford indicated that she may in fact testify before the committee next week, after earlier demanding an FBI investigation into her allegation before she spoke.

The demand fizzled when it became clear that the FBI would need instructions from the White House to investigate the allegation as part of the background check process, as it did not otherwise have jurisdiction in the matter

In a letter on Thursday, Ford's attorneys said that she 'would be prepared to testify next week' - although they ruled out testimony on Monday, when the Republicans who control the process had scheduled her.

The letter requested 'terms that are fair and which ensure her safety' in order for Ford to testify.

Ford (above) says she and her family have had to flee their home after getting death threats

According to a Senate aide who spoke to the AP, Ford is prepared to testify next Thursday and has asked that Kavanaugh not be present.

Ford's Attorney Debra Katz outlined her requirements during a call late Thursday with committee staff ahead of Ford's possible appearance. The aide was unauthorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The attorney raised questions about security that staff said would be provided by Capitol Police and press access they said would be similar to during Kavanaugh's testimony.

She also wants the committee to subpoena Mark Judge, who Ford has said was present for the alleged assaulted, but who denies any knowledge of the event and has said he is not interested in testifying.
Melbourne has become one of the five fastest growing cities in the world and locals are not happy about it.

A report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday shows Melbourne's population increased by 2.5 per cent annually between 2011 and 2017, and now has more than 5 million people.

The city's population growth rivals that of Nanyang in China, Bogota in Colombia, Pune in India between 2010 and 2016, according to United Nations data.

Melbourne has become one of the five fastest growing cities in the world (pictured Melbourne)

A report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday shows Melbourne's population increased by 2.5 per cent annually between 2011 and 2017

Poll Do you think Melbourne and Sydney need their population controlled? Yes No Unsure Do you think Melbourne and Sydney need their population controlled? Yes 122 votes

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As Melbourne suffers the brunt of the population growth, Sydney is not that far behind with an average growth rate of 2.2 per cent in 2017, as it already struggles with a population of more than five million.

Perth has a slight increase compared to during the mining boom at 0.98 per cent, while Adelaide's population growth is at 0.76 per cent.

As Victoria hits a population of nearly 6.5 million, and continues to experience growth of an unprecedented 2,700 residents per week, there are concerns about infrastructure, congested roads, and home ownership.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Melbourne and Sydney do not need anymore people as he threatened to control the incoming population.

'In the outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, they don't need more people,' he said.

'Up in the north, they want more population, in Adelaide they want more population.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Melbourne and Sydney do not need anymore people as he threatened to control the incoming population.

Mr Morrison said there needed to be better planning to ensure cities can cope with increased numbers

Mr Morrison told news.com.au that there needed to be better planning to ensure all cities can cope with increased numbers in the population.

'It's about the shaping of our cities in the future,' he explained.

'There's a plan. It is not: 'Here's some money, good luck with that, I hope it works out.'

The Federal Government is working on spreading out the population when it comes to migrants and new arrivals into the country.

Matthew Guy, the Leader of the Opposition in Victoria, told Daily Mail Australia that the ever growing population will 'kill Melbourne's liveability'.

'If we dont take action now Melbourne will go from the worlds most liveable city to an urban claustrophobia,' he said.

'We need population growth but it needs to be the right growth in the right places at the right time.'

Matthew Guy, the Leader of the Opposition in Victoria, told Sydney Morning Herald that he will focus on decentralising the population if the Coalition wins the November election

Minister for Planning Richard Wynne told Daily Mail Australia that the Andrews Labor Government is working on the city to ensure it can handle the growth.

'Melbourne is growing because its a great place to live with a booming economy and lots of jobs,' he said.

'Were keeping it that way with a record breaking pipeline of infrastructure in public transport and roads, and investments in hospitals and schools.

'Were building for growth with game-changing projects like the Metro Tunnel and the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, and were planning for the future with the Suburban Rail Loop, as well as pouring billions into hospital upgrades and new schools.

The Liberals did nothing but cut crucial services for four years and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has promised to send a million extra people into the outer suburbs. He cant be trusted - he is owned and paid for by big developers.




A small town has been invaded by feral goats causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.

The wild goats have overrun national parks, vineyards and properties in Castambul, in the Adelaide Hills, and are proving a nuisance to residents.

The out-of-control goats have trampled and eaten native vegetation, stripped fruits off vineyards until they're bare, and are spreading weeds and causing erosion.

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The plague of goats (pictured) are out of control - trampling and eating native vegetation, stripping fruits off vineyards until they're bare, spreading weeds and causing erosion

Residents are struggling to get rid of the feral animals destroying vegetation on their properties.

'They breed like wildfire,' Castambul resident Debbie Brenton told Today Tonight.

'No matter what you try to do to get rid of them, it doesn't seem to be making any impact,' she said.

A local vineyard known to produce Australia's greatest sparkling wine is suffering from the goat plague, ruining $10,000 worth of Chardonnay.

'No matter what you try to do to get rid of them, it doesn't seem to be making any impact,' said local resident Debbie Brenton (pictured)

Under South Australian Law, the National Resources Management Act 2004 states land owners are responsible for controlling feral pests such as goats, foxes and deer.

Land owners must shoot and trap pests in order to avoid drastic environmental and financial impact.

Mount Lofty Ranges National Resource Director Brenton Gear said the eradication of feral goats would be a hard task for residents.

'It's the most difficult thing to do for a pest that's established,' he said.

Pests stripped the vineyards bare of leaves and fruits, ruining $10,000 worth of Chardonnay
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the Senate Judiciary Committee should move swiftly to finish vetting Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and ridiculed Democrats who are calling for an FBI investigation into a sex-assault allegation dating back to 1982.

Committee Republicans are trying to secure a commitment from accuser Christine Ford to appear at a hearing on Monday, but Democrats are calling for an FBI investigation before the process can move forward.

'I say let her say what she has to say and let's see how it all comes out,' Trump told Fox news Channel host Sean Hannity inside a Las Vegas arena before a scheduled rally.

'But they've delayed it a week, and they have to get on with it.'

Minutes later the president stood behind his podium and exclaimed: 'Look at our judges! What's going on?'

Thousands spontaneously began chanting Kavanaugh's name before Trump could mention it himself.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS

President Donald Trump defended Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday and mocked Democrats who want an FBI investigation into a woman's claim that he sexually assaulted her in 1982. 'Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?' the president asked

Trump said Thursday in Las Vegas that the U.S. Senat should 'get on with it' and confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court

Christine Ford (left) has accused Brett Kavanaugh of pinning her down to a bed during a party more than 35 years ago, covering her mouth, and groping her over a one-piece bathing suit while he tried to disrobe her. Kavanaugh flatly denies that it ever happened

Trump spoke Thursday night about contentious trade deals, the battle over his border wall and the tense balance of power in Congress, but the conflict on everyone's minds was between a federal judge and a woman who says she knew him in high school

In his pre-rally interview, Trump called Kavanaugh 'an outstanding person' and dismissed the demands for an FBI probe.

'You say, "Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?"' the president said, declaring that Kavanaugh's opponents have tried to 'besmirch' him.

The FBI has conducted six background checks on Kavanaugh, including some when he was first nominated to a federal judgeship in 2006.

But Ford claimed in a letter to her congresswoman this summer that a drunken, teenage Kavanaugh had once pinned her to a bed at a high school party and groped her through a swimsuit while he tried to undress her.

Kavanaugh has flatly denied the event ever happened, and a friend who Ford claimed was present has backed him up.

Trump defended his nominee and didn't mention Ford. His audience mentioned Kavanaugh's name before he did, chanting it loudly at Trump's first mention of 'our judges'

The president's audience also chanted 'Lock her up!' at the first mention of Hillary Clinton, and 'CNN sucks!' when Trump talked about the 'fake news media'

Protesters opposed to Kavanaugh's nomination were arrested outside the office of Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley on Thursday

Ford spoke to no one of it until 2012 when she and her husband discussed it in therapy.

Trump took pains to not mention her by name on Thursday, and limited himself to defending Kavanaugh's character.

'I'm not saying anything about anybody else, but I want to tell you that Brett Kavanaugh is one of the finest human beings you will ever have the privilege of knowing or meeting,' the president said to cheers.

'A great intellect, a great gentleman, an impeccable reputation. Went to Yale, top student. Went to Yale Law School, top student.'

'So we gotta let it play out,' he concluded. 'But I want to tell you, he is a fine, fine person ... and he's got tremendous support.'

Trump was in Nevada to rally a crowd in support of Republican Sen. Dean Heller, who is running for a third term.

On Wednesday during a donor conference call, Heller dismissed the nomination controversy.

'We got a little hiccup here with the Kavanaugh nomination,' he said. 'Well get through this and well get off to the races.'

Washington is divided over whether or not Ford's memory can be trusted.

Christine Blasey (now Ford) and Brett Kavanaugh are pictured in their high school yearbooks

Trump was in Las Vegas to rally in support of Republican Sen. Dean Heller (right), who called Ford's accusation a 'hiccup' during a conference call for donors on Wednesday

Her attorneys offered late Thursday to make her available to testify in a hearing next week, but with strings attached.

They told Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, that Ford would only agree to be questioned by senators  not committee lawyers.

They also demanded that she must testify after Kavanaugh, something that would run counter to the standards of both Capitol Hill hearings and criminal courtroom procedure.

Ed Whelan, a former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia and a Kavanaugh defender, suggested Thursday on Twitter that a teen from Kavanaugh's high school who looks like him may have been Ford's assailant.

Hours earlier police arrested protesters outside Grassley's Senate office.

The demonstrators shouted that they believed Ford and tied her case to that of Anita Hill, a law professor whose sexual harassment accusations against Justice Clarence Thomas nearly derailed his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation.

The newest attorney on Ford's team is Ricki Seidman, who was Joe Biden's communication director. Seidman had previously worked for Sen. Ted Kennedy during the Thomas hearings, and helped convince Hill to testify.
Byron Bay has voted to move Australia Day from January 26 with the Greens Mayor describing it as the 'decimation' of Aboriginal culture.

Byron Shire Council, in the far north of New South Wales, has voted to hold its citizenship ceremonies and patriotic celebrations a day earlier.

Greens Mayor Simon Richardson described the existing national day, commemorating the arrival of the British First Fleet in 1788, as when 'the cultural decimation and denigration of the first Australians began'.

A Greens-run council in an area (Byron Bay Splendour in the Grass pictured) renowned for its hippies has voted to move Australia Day for January 26

Byron Shire Council, in the far north of New South Wales, this week voted to hold its citizenship ceremonies and patriotic celebrations a day earlier following protests in Melbourne (pictured)

'No one wants Australia Day on the 26th,' he told the council meeting on Thursday night, which The Northern Star newspaper covered.

'Most people see the day as Triple J Hottest 100, a day at the beach and maybe going back to work.'

Councillor Richardson told Daily Mail Australia celebrating Australia on January 26 was against the Australian ethos of mateship.

'Is it really being a good mate to do something that causes your mates pain?', he told Daily Mail Australia today.

He described holding Australia Day on January 26 as an affront to indigenous people.

'In fact, celebrating the arrival of Europeans causes grief for many people so I think to move the date for our Australia Day ceremony to the night before is a reasonable compromise,' he said in a statement.

The Greens Mayor of Byron Shire Council said 'no one' wanted to celebrate Australia Day on January 26

In a separate report, the Mayor described Australia Day as something which 'symbolises great sorrow and pain amongst indigenous mobs whilst many non-Aboriginal Australians feel uneasy or conflicted celebrating our nation on this day'.

Byron Bay, a popular tourist spot at Australia's most easterly point, has joined left-wing Melbourne councils, Yarra and Darebin, and Fremantle south of Perth in cancelling Australia Day celebrations.

Mayor Simon Richardson described January 26 as when 'decimation' of Aborigines began

Independent Byron councillor Alan Hunter, a member of the National Party, said moving Australia Day had nothing to do with local government issues, and voted against the motion.

'It's another example where we've lost the plot,' the cattle farmer told Daily Mail Australia today.

'It is absolutely ridiculous. It's a political statement, it's a political distraction.'

Labor councillor Paul Spooner, who also voted against the motion, said it wasn't moved by Aboriginal people.

'You don't change the reality of history by changing the day of the event,' he told the council meeting.

'The motion hasn't come from the indigenous people in our community, it's come from the mayor, and individual.'

Byron Shire has four Greens on the nine-member council who govern with the support of a left-leaning independent.

With one councillor absent, the motion passed five votes to three.

Not all indigenous people support moving Australia Day, with Alice Springs town councillor Jacinta Price campaigning to keep it on January 26.
Southwest Airlines employees set up a whites only breakroom and hung a noose at a Houston airport, it has been alleged in a lawsuit filed by Jamel Parker (above)

Southwest Airlines employees set up a whites only break room and hung a noose at a Houston airport, it has been alleged.

The allegation was made in a lawsuit against the Houston-based company filed in federal court by Jamel Parker, a black former employee who says he was fired because of his race.

You would think in 2018 it doesn't happen, but it does, Parker, a resident of Harris County, Texas, told the Houston Chronicle on Thursday.

Parker alleges that he was fired for a minor offense for which white employees normally receive a slap on the wrist.

The company declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations.

We do not tolerate or condone discrimination of any kind, and we cultivate a workplace that mirrors the customers we serve, the airline said.

Parker, 31, alleges that he was fired for a minor offense for which white employees normally receive a slap on the wrist

'You would think in 2018 it doesn't happen, but it does, Parker said on Thursday

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prides itself on an open and inclusive work environment that consistently ranks among the world's best places to work.

Parker, 31, first started working for AirTran Airways as a ramp agent in September 2008.

In 2013, AirTran and Southwest merged, making Parker an employee of Southwest.

After the merger, his supervisor at Southwest, who is also black, warned him about a breakroom.

It's just best to avoid that, is basically what he said, Parker said.

The WB or white break room was allegedly known to the companys black employees.

The lawsuit alleges that company executives also knew about it.

Parker alleges in the lawsuit that the breakroom ceased to exist either in 2016 or 2017, when renovations turned it into a supervisor office.

In April 2017, Parker was fired by the company.

He says the firing came after he caused damage to a tow bar attached to a pushback vehicle, which is used to push an aircraft away from a gate.

The company declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations. We do not tolerate or condone discrimination of any kind, and we cultivate a workplace that mirrors the customers we serve, the airline said. Southwest planes are seen at Houston Hobby Airport in 2015

Parker says that he was fired for failing to report the damage.

Before his firing, he claims that he had only received a minor disciplinary comment for not wearing a seatbelt.

Parker alleges that white employees who made similar errors were given a letter of instruction and allowed to keep their jobs.

Southwest is quick to fire blacks while whites are given lesser discipline and chances to improve conduct, the lawsuit alleges.

After Parker was fired, a noose was found hanging at gate 45 at Houston Hobby Airport, the lawsuit alleges.

After Parker was fired, a noose was found hanging at gate 45 at Houston Hobby Airport, the lawsuit alleges. The airport is seen in the above stock image

Parker claims he learned of the noose on a private Facebook page used by employees.

He is now seeking damages from the company, including lost wages.

Since his dismissal, Parker has been working as an Uber driver. He said he would like to go back to work for Southwest because the company offered him good benefits and flexible hours.

He said he wants his lawsuit to affect change.

If you want something to change, don't be afraid to fight, he said.
Road users have vented their frustration on social media after a photo emerged of highway patrol police conducting speed tests from behind a bush.

Popular Facebook page Drug Bus And Police Locations Around Melbourne this morning uploaded the image of an officer parked on a driveway in Melbourne.

'Hiding in Driveways: Dogs on Hallam North Rd in Endeavour Hills....zapping both directions,' the photo caption read.

Highway patrol police were photographed conducting speed tests behind a bush while parked on a residential driveway in Victoria

A photo has emerged of Victorian police conducting speed tests while parked behind a bush in the suburb of Endeavour Hills, 30km south-east from the Melbourne CBD (stock image)

The community minded page has almost 190,000 members, with some accusing the police of blatant revenue raising.

A spokesperson from Victoria Police defended the legal practice.

'The Highway Patrol units conduct both overt and covert patrol duties on a daily basis,' he said.

'This is to enforce traffic laws with the aim of reducing road trauma.'

The news comes as motorists in Western Australia brace themselves for police targeting speeding and distracted drivers with the Queen's Birthday long weekend in full swing.

Double demerit points will be in force next Thursday at midnight in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory in the lead up to Labour Day on Monday, October 1.

Tasmania do not have double demerit periods, and neither do Victoria, Queensland, South Australia or the Northern Territory.
Jacob Macdonald, 20, (pictured) filmed himself deliberately mowing down emus while speeding down an Outback road

Country folk have rallied behind the young man who filmed himself deliberately mowing down emus, saying they're a 'pest and nuisance'.

Jacob Macdonald, 20, from Pinnaroo, a tiny country town in South Australia near the border with Victoria, was identified as the man behind the wheel by an anonymous ex-girlfriend.

A man with mutual friends with Mr Macdonald told Daily Mail Australia: 'The media will make Jacob seem like a bad person who should be locked up for years but no one will listen to what he has to say or his reasoning.'

Mr Macdonald, who works and lives on a farm, may have been attempting to rid his property or his place of employment of the 'out of control emus', the friend said.

'We control kangaroos on our farm because they're a pest,' he said, 'to see a mob this size I think anyone could answer that question and say yes they are a pest there [in Pinnaroo].'

When the video was streamed on social media platforms, some users jumped to Mr Macdonald's defence, with another woman saying 'they would have probably died anyway as there's no food no water.'

'Country folk shouldn't share stuff that people from the city can get there hands on,' another wrote.

'Being off a farm, it annoys me because people in the city don't realise how these animals can destroy fences and crops,' Mr Macdonald's supporter said.

'I don't understand how something like this can get 5 years in jail while a pedophile can get 3 years behind bars and apply for parole.'

Mr Macdonald (pictured) is a keen hunter who works on his friend's farm. He deleted his social media accounts after footage showed him hitting at least ten emus with a four-wheel-drive

The support comes after Mr Macdonald urged his ex-girlfriend to keep his identity a secret as rumours circulated in their small town.

The young woman, who spoke to Daily Mail Australia but wishes to remain anonymous, spoke of being bombarded on her own social media accounts by people in her local area who recognised her ex from the viral footage.

When confronted with the truth, Mr Macdonald pleaded with her, saying 'please don't say anything'.

A friend of his also asked the woman to 'keep quiet', but promised he hadn't known of the brazen attack until the video went viral.

Mr Macdonald has since deleted his social media accounts after the video began circulating online.

Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed Mr Macdonald was the man in the video, seen laughing while running over the helpless birds and cruelly counting out the growing death toll.

When confronted with the truth, Mr Macdonald pleaded with her, saying 'please don't say anything.'

The 20-year-old is a keen hunter who is employed on a friend's farm to do tractor and welding work, but went 'off the rails' after his latest relationship breakdown, according to his ex-girlfriend.

'He's the type to go hunting, he grew up that way but this is just atrocious. I was shocked and speechless... angry mostly,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

She claimed his mother was a police officer near the border of New South Wales and Victoria, while his father was a farmer in the NSW Riverina region.

'His parents would be outraged by his actions,' she said. 'They're genuinely good people.'

She described Mr Macdonald as caring and protective when they were together, but claimed their break-up in July had sent him down a destructive path.

'I ended the relationship (at the) end of July and he kind of went off the rails a bit after that - well, obviously a lot now that we have seen this.

'Honestly, he deserves everything he gets,' she added.

The RSPCA said it was 'shocked and horrified' by the confronting footage, urging members of the public to come forward with any information.

An RSPCA spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia staff were examining the footage to try and determine when and where it was filmed.

'Such sickening cruelty clearly has no place in our society,' she said.

'The RSPCA unequivocally condemns this type of violence, as it clearly shows a disregard for the lives of these vulnerable native animals, and raises grave concerns over this individual's capacity for such behaviour.'

The maximum penalty for someone found guilty of killing native wildlife in New South Wales is $22,000 in fines and up to five years in prison.

She said in the wake of allegations against individuals, people need to be careful of vigilante attacks and social media persecution.

RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty told AAP 'We had a number of leads and we are looking into those.'

'At the moment the South Australian one looks the most promising but obviously we can't identify that person yet.'

Mr Beatty said it was important the RSPCA acted.

'People must understand that with premeditated animal cruelty like this, the links between that and other forms of violence down the track are well proven,' he said.

A mob of emus were filmed being run down by Mr Macdonald, who was wearing a sunglasses and a cap in the footage

The sickening footage was posted to Facebook by a man named Fabio Galletti, who pleaded with his followers to out the driver. A number of men were wrongly tagged in the post

The video was originally posted to Facebook by Fabio Galletti, who shared the clip and asked his followers to help him identify the emu killer.

Mr Macdonald - who was wearing sunglasses and a cap in the video - can be seen running over at least ten emus.

He can be seen panning the camera to his dashboard, appearing to show speeds of over 120km/h while maniacally laughing as the emus disappear under his bonnet.

'One, two, three!' he laughs as the birds are mowed down on the dusty road.

Social media users expressed their disgust at the disturbing video, calling for the man to be 'raped' and 'killed'

Melbourne man Harrison Hatzis, 19, was wrongly identified as Mr Macdonald, partly due to a photo on his Facebook of him next to an emu

Earlier, Melbourne man Harrison Hatzis, 19, was wrongly identified as the man seen in the vision, partly due to a photo on his Facebook of him standing next to an emu.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Hatzis said he was desperate to clear his name after social media users threatened to rape and kill his family.

'You can guarantee it's not me,' Mr Hatzis said after receiving a torrent of abuse online when a stranger tagged him in the post.

'Hope you see this post and you come and get me you oxygen thieving scum,' one Facebook user wrote online.

Other social media users directly messaged Mr Hatzis on Facebook, threatening to rape and kill his family.

Mr Hatzis commented on Mr Galletti's post, saying: 'All these c***s messaging me thinking this was me yous are dumb c***s how do I even look like this c*** in the video.'

The stomach-churning footage has been viewed almost half a million times since being uploaded on Wednesday afternoon.
A 38-year-old man was bitten on the toe after he tried to climb a fence in the lion enclosure at the Fresno Caffee Zoo on Wednesday night.

Julio Mendez allegedly broke into the zoo and was spotted walking through the African Adventure area by security about 11.15pm.

In a bid to escape, he began to climb the 18-foot high meshing that separated the lions from the rest of the zoo, ABC30 reported.

Julio Mendez, 38, was bitten by a female lion after breaking into her enclosure on Wednesday night

Zoo workers are not sure which lion but Mendez on the big toe (pictured is Kiki, who is a teenager)

Not impressed with the after-hours visitor, one of the zoo's two female lions soon jumped up and bit his left big toe.

Both lions were examined after the incident and were not harmed by Mendez, who police say was under the influence when he broke into the zoo (pictured is Zamaya, four)

Security, hearing his scream, were able to quickly track him and police were called to the scene. Video shows Mendez being led out of the zoo with his hands behind his back.

Lieutenant Jennifer Horsford of the Fresno Police Department said even entering the zoo, which is located inside Roeding Park, was no easy feat.

'He did have to jump over a fence that has a no trespassing sign and had to climb over the barbed wire that was on top of it to actually get into the zoo itself,' she said.

When he was arrested, police allege they found drug paraphernalia on the man, and that he was under the influence.

Chaffee Zoo director Scott Barton said both female lions, Kiki, a teenager, and Zamaya, four, were examined by veterinarians, but were in good condition.

Barton said Mendez should feel lucky a bite to the foot was the worst thing that happened to him on Wednesday, noting things could have been a lot worse.

'They are incredibly strong, and they are dangerous,' he said.

'They have claws and massive canine teeth, and so this person got very lucky about the injuries they received.'

Mendez has been issued a citation for trespassing.
The battle lines are shaping up for an epic week of hearings in Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination saga.

Kavanaugh confirmed in a new letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley that he will appear to testify before the committee as requested on Monday.

'I will be there,' Kavanaugh wrote. 'I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name.'

'Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it,' he wrote. 'I remain committed to defending my integrity.'

Meanwhile, Christine Blasey Ford, who accuses Kavanaugh of trying to rape her when they were both in high school, has indicated she may testify next week under certain conditions, with Thursday said to be the likely date.

Ford has contended that in the early 1980s at a house party in Washington's Maryland suburbs, a drunken Kavanaugh tried undressing her and stifling her cries on a bed before she fled.

The accusation has jarred the 53-year-old conservative jurist's prospects for winning confirmation, which until Ford's emergence last week had seemed all but certain.

Ford appears to have backed off an earlier demand that the FBI investigate her allegation before she testifies - a request that fizzled when it became clear that the FBI lacked jurisdiction, and which was viewed by some as a stalling tactic to delay the confirmation vote until after the midterm elections.

On Thursday night, Ford's lawyers talked to Judiciary Committee staff to discuss the terms for her testimony.

Notably, Ford's attorneys seemed open to the idea of a public hearing, after the committee offered her the opportunity to testify in private.

They also asked the committee to subpoena Mark Judge, whom Ford has named as the other teen in the room at the time. Judge has told the committee he does not recall the incident and does not want to speak publicly.

What are Ford's terms for testifying before the Judiciary Committee? Ford's attorneys spoke with Senators Chuck Grassley and Diane Feinstein on Thursday night. Among the terms they reportedly requested are: The hearing may be public, but only one camera would be allowed

Brett Kavanaugh must testify first and can't be in the room when Ford does

No outside counsel can question Ford - the Senators themselves must

The committee must subpoena alleged witness Mark Judge, who has said he has no knowledge of her allegations and does not want to speak publicly

The committee must assure Ford the protection of the US Capitol Police Advertisement

Among the terms were that Kavanaugh must be questioned first and that Kavanaugh cannot be in the room when Ford testifies, two sources told Politico.

Ford also asked that only one camera be allowed in the room, and that she only be questioned by members of the committee - not outside counsel.

The Republicans on the committee, who are all men, had considered bringing in a female attorney to pose questions to Ford in a bid to soften the optics of the hearing.

Ford's lawyers also discussed security concerns, and were offered assurances about U.S. Capitol Police protection.

Katz said anew that Ford, 51, a psychology professor in California, has received death threats and for safety reasons has relocated her family.

'She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety,' Katz wrote in an email to the committee earlier on Thursday.

The phone call, between Ford lawyers Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, Grassley and ranking committee Democrat Dianne Feinstein, ended without any formal agreement to testify, the sources said.

Protesters opposed to Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, are arrested outside the office of Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley on Thursday

Should Ford testify, especially in public, it would pit the words of two distinguished professionals against each other as television close-ups capture every emotion.

Assessing them would be not just the committee's 21 senators -only four of whom are women, all Democrats - but also millions of viewing voters.

If Ford opts not to participate, Republicans could well dispense with the hearing to avoid giving Democrats a forum for peppering Kavanaugh with embarrassing questions.

They would argue that they'd offered Ford several options for describing her accusation, but that she'd snubbed them.

Kavanaugh was spotted entering the White House on Thursday, likely to prepare for the committee hearing.

President Donald Trump told Fox News on Thursday, 'I think it's a very sad situation' but added 'you can't delay it any longer'.

President Donald Trump told Fox News on Thursday that 'you can delay it any longer'

He said Kavanaugh's accuser should 'have her say and let's see how it all works out. But I don't think you can delay it any longer. They've delayed it a week already.'

As the week has proceeded, Republicans have seemed to regain momentum toward approving Kavanaugh though his prospects have remained uncertain.

Even moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said it would be 'unfair' to Kavanaugh if Ford decides to not appear, and others were urging leaders to proceed quickly to a vote.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski came under increasing pressure over the vote on Thursday, after her state's Independent governor announced his opposition to Kavanaugh.

On the other hand, if the confirmation vote takes place before the midterms, there are several Democrat senators facing tough reelections who may be forced to support Trump's Supreme Court pick.

The bare 51-49 Republican majority means they can lose one vote and still approve Kavanaugh even if all Democrats vote no. Vice President Mike Pence would break a tie.
Muslims in Australia are asking for two public holidays for their two annual Eid celebrations.

A petition has been submitted to the Parliament of Australia asking for Eid Ul-Fitr and Eid Al Adha to be publicly recognized.

The petition says the Muslim community would like more time to celebrate. Thus far it has 2,468 signatures and is expected to be presented on October 15.

Thousands of Muslim men women and children gathered in western Sydney in June to celebrate the end of Ramadan with the Eid-al-Fitr festival

A petition has been submitted to the Parliament of Australia asking for Eid Ul-Fitr and Eid Al Adha to be publicly recognized

'The community feels they need more time to celebrate and want it recognized within the wider community,' the petition says.

The public holiday would fall on the Mondays following Eid Ul-Fitr and Eid Al Adha.

They also want the celebrations be recognized by the wider Australian community - not just people who follow Islam.

The Eid-al-Fitr is one of only two major festivals in the Islamic faith and sees Muslims give money to the poor and needy as an obligatory act of charity.

The other major celebration is Eid Al Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice. It marks the conclusion of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.

It is based on the story of Prophet Ibrahim, or Abrahim in the Christian and Jewish traditions, who was commanded by God to sacrifice his son.

The story goes that the Prophet Ibrahim obeyed the orders from God and as he was about to sacrifice his son, a ram was took place of the Prophet's son and was sacrificed instead.

Eid is considered a joyous occasion for Muslims where family and friends get together and celebrate, wear new clothes, and donate to the poor.
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Dramatic before and after satellite images show the extent to which entire areas of North Carolina were inundated with flood waters caused by Florence.

DigitalGlobe, the company that provides high-resolution satellite imagery, snapped photos of the flood-ravaged area surrounding Wallace, North Carolina.

Wallace is a town that lies about 35 miles northeast of Wilmington.

The images show just how extensive was the damage wrought by floods to farmland, homes, and other local businesses.

More than 84,000 homes and businesses in North Carolina were still without power on Thursday in the wake of Hurricane Florence which hit the states coast on Sept. 14, according to local power companies.

 Slide me  A flooded farm, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, is seen in this satellite image over the area surrounding Wallace, North Carolina on Thursday

 Slide me  The before and after images above show Henderson Field Airport in Wallace

 Slide me  DigitalGlobe, the company that provides high-resolution satellite imagery, snapped photos of the flood-ravaged area surrounding Wallace, North Carolina

 Slide me  The images show just how extensive was the damage wrought by floods to farmland, homes, and other local businesses

 Slide me  A closeup of flooded homes and roads near the River Landing Country Club, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, is seen in this satellite image over the area in Wallace

 Slide me  A flooded chicken farm, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, is seen in this satellite image over the area surrounding Wallace, North Carolina taken on Thursday

 Slide me  A before and after view of Lumberton, North Carolina, which was hit hard by massive flooding

 Slide me  The before and after images above show the impact of the flooding on the town of Conway, South Carolina

 Slide me  The before and after images above provide another view of flood-ravaged Lumberton, North Carolina

That figure is down from a peak of 2.1 million total customers who were affected after the storm passed through several Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states over the past week.

Flooding across the Carolinas was expected to worsen over the next couple of days, forecasters said. Officials say 41 people have been killed.

Duke Energy Corp, the biggest utility in the area with over 4 million customers, said it has restored power to more than 1.6 million of its nearly 1.7 million customers affected by the storm.

The company said it expects to restore service to most customers by Sept. 26.

As rivers swollen to record levels started to recede Thursday in North Carolina, officials tried to head off potential environmental disasters and prepared for more record flooding downstream in South Carolina.

Roads were still clogged with people trying to make it back to where the floods had creeped back, leaving silty mud on walls and floors.

Crews closed some bridges and reopened others as trillions of gallons of water continued its long, meandering journey to the Atlantic Ocean.

 Slide me  This combination of photos shows a member of the North Carolina Task Force urban search and rescue team on Sept. 16, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, after the water receded in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, North Carolina

 Slide me  In this combination of photos, water inundates a street on Sept. 15, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, after the water receded in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, North Carolina

 Slide me  In this combination of photos, a man tries to cross a flooded street on Sept. 14, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, after the water receded in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Wilmington

 Slide me  The image on the right shows Cape Fear River coming up to the doorstep of a bait and tackle shop in Fayetteville on Wednesday. The image on the left shows the same shop days before the river crested

 Slide me  This combination of satellite images shows a farm on Jan. 13, 2017, left, and after Hurricane Florence moved through the area on Sept. 17, 2018, near Trenton

 Slide me  This combination of photos shows the Cape Fear River on Sept. 16, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville

 Slide me  In this combination of photos, Cape Fear River flows under the Person Street bridge on Sept. 15, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville

 Slide me  This combination of photos shows the North Carolina Task Force urban search and rescue team on Sept. 16, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, after the rain receded in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville

 Slide me  In this combination of photos, the Cape Fear River flows under the Grove Street bridge in the background on Sept. 16, 2018, left and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville

 Slide me  This combination of photos shows the Cape Fear River on Sept. 17, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville

Potential environmental problems remained. Duke Energy issued a high-level emergency alert after floodwaters from the Cape Fear River overtopped an earthen dike and inundated a large lake at a closed power plant near Wilmington, North Carolina.

The utility said it did not think any coal ash was at risk.

State-owned utility Santee Cooper in South Carolina is placing an inflatable dam around a coal ash pond near Conway, saying the extra 2.5 feet should be enough to keep floodwaters out.

Officials warned human, hog and other animal waste were mixing in with floodwaters in the Carolinas.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster estimated damage from the flood in his state at $1.2billion in a letter that says the flooding will be the worst disaster in the state's modern history.

McMaster asked Congressional leaders to hurry federal aid.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he knows the damage in his state will add up to billions of dollars, but said with the effects on the storm ongoing, there was no way to make a more accurate estimate.

Florence is blamed for at least 41 deaths in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Well over half of those killed were in vehicles.

In North Carolina, a familiar story was unfolding as many places that flooded in Hurricane Matthew in 2016 were once again inundated.

Pastor Floyd Benfield walked inside his Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Spring Lake now that the Little River has retreated.

Two years ago, flooding ruined the baseboards and carpet.

This year, the water broke the windows, leaving the pews a jumbled mess and soaked Bibles and hymn books on the floor.

'This sanctuary was built in 1909, and it never flooded until Hurricane Matthew,' Benfield said.

In Wilmington, things kept creeping back closer to normal in the state's largest coastal city.

Officials announced the end of a curfew and the resumption of regular trash pickup.

But they said access to the city of 120,000 was still limited and asked people who evacuated to wait a few more days.

They also warned people to not get caught off guard as rivers that briefly receded were periodically rising back.

The storm continues to severely hamper travel.

Parts of the main north-south route on the East coast, Interstate 95, and the main road to Wilmington, Interstate 40, remain flooded and will likely be closed at least until nearly the end of September, North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon said.

More than a thousand other roads from major highways to neighborhood lanes are closed in the Carolinas, officials said.

Todd Parrish walks through floodwaters caused by Hurricane Florence on September 20, 2018 in Longs, South Carolina

George Butler, left, removes valuables from his home as floodwaters from Hurricane Florence rise on September 20, 2018 in Longs

Codey Lamb walks through floodwaters caused by Hurricane Florence

A man paddles a boat through floodwaters caused by Hurricane Florence on September 20, 2018 in Longs

Some of them have been washed out entirely.

In South Carolina, the flood was far from over.

The water appeared to stop rising in Nichols, but the town of 360 was almost entirely submerged for the second time in three years.

Jodi Pajaro owned one of the few houses in Nichols that wasn't flooded in 2016 by the Little Pee Dee and the Lumber Rivers which flow past either side of the town.

She evacuated like the rest of the residents and tenses up each time her cellphone dings.

It is frequently pictures from friends who are rescuers riding boats in town.

In the last one she saw, the water was maybe an inch or two from her front door.

'It doesn't look good. I am heartbroken,' she wrote in a text.

The flood has been giving so much warning to Horry County, South Carolina, that officials published a detailed map of places that flooded in 2016 and warned those same places were going underwater again.

One man had time to build a 6-foot high dirt berm around his house. Rental trucks and flatbeds whisked furniture and valuables out of homes that were still dry in Conway.

The Waccamaw River has started its slow rise in the city of 23,000, and forecasters expect it to swell more than 3 feet above the previous record crest by Tuesday while still rising.

Some areas could stay underwater for weeks, forecasters warned.

All that water from Nichols and Conway is heading toward Georgetown County, where five different rivers dump into the Atlantic Ocean.

Officials warned more than 10 percent of the county's 61,000 residents might have to evacuate sometime next week, but called that a worst-case scenario and they couldn't give any specific forecast.

Authorities planned to start handing out 15,000 sandbags Friday.

'We're at the end of the line of all waters to come down,' said Georgetown County Administrator Sel Hemingway, as he warned the area may see a flood like it has never seen before.
Geoffrey Owens has begun filming his ten episode run on The Haves and the Have Nots following his public shaming for working at Trader Joe's.

The former Cosby Show star was pictured posing at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, for his triumphant return to acting.

Perry had stepped in to offer the 57-year-old a gig after he spoke out about being shamed for working at Trader Joe's when a customer took photographs of him at a checkout and posted them to her social media account.

Owens flew to Atlanta this week where Perry is shooting the sixth season of The Haves And The Have Nots. He has signed on for ten episode run on the drama.

Geoffrey Owens was pictured posing with actress Edwina Findley,at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, for his triumphant return to acting

On Thursday, Here We Go Again star Andra Fuller, posted a photo of himself with Owens

On Wednesday, freelance casting associate Michael Gillespie posted a photo of himself with Owens at the studios, calling him 'an amazing human being'

On Wednesday, freelance casting associate Michael Gillespie posted a photo of himself with Owens at the studios, calling him 'an amazing human being.'

Then on Thursday, Get Hard actress Edwina Findley, and Here We Go Again star Andra Fuller, both posted separate selfies of themselves with Owens.

'Oooh.. Look who it is!!!' Findley wrote, adding to the hashtag #YesHeWill.

Fulled added: 'It was a pleasure to work with Geoffrey Owens on HAHN.

'Work ethnic and integrity are 2 necessary characteristics that every MAN should possess, yet should NEVER be made fun of.

'Kudos to TP for stepping up and creating a role that allowed Mr. Owens to showcase his acting chops perfectly. I look forward to seeing him back doing what he loves to do.'

Perry is the creator and director of The Haves and the Haves Nots, which is based on his own 2011 play.

Dedicated: The actor was photographed bagging groceries at a Trader Joe's in New Jersey

The soap opera, which premiered in 2013, follows two powerful rich families and one poor family as their lives intertwine in Savannah, Georgia.

Owens had appeared on Good Morning America proudly wearing his Trader Joe's name tag last week as he spoke of being 'shamed' for working at the supermarket chain last week.

Shortly after the interview Perry invited Owens to join his hit drama as he tweeted on Tuesday morning: '#GeoffreyOwens I'm about to start shootings OWN's number one drama next week! Come join us!

'I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs. The measure of a true artist.'

Owens had revealed that he quit his supermarket job due to the unwanted attention.

Done deal: Geoffrey Owens has accepted an offer to star in Tyler Perry's drama The Haves And The Have Nots after the actor was shamed for working at Trader Joe's

Offer: Perry is the creator and director of The Haves and the Haves Nots and offered Owens a role on his show via Twitter after his story hit headlines

Joining the cast: It was reported Friday that Owens will fly to Atlanta next week where the show shoots. It's currently in its sixth season

During his GMA appearance Owens also seemed to indicate he would turn offers like Perry's down, noting he would not feel comfortable accepting an acting gig because of the recent attention.

'This might sound weird but I wouldn't feel comfortable getting acting jobs from this event,' he said.

'I wouldn't mind getting auditions. But I wouldn't feel comfortable, someone giving me a job, because this happened. I want to get a job because I am the right person for the job.'

Owens said he never intended to advertise his work at the store and was stunned when the photographs first emerged.

The actor revealed he had been working at store in New Jersey for 15 months 'out of necessity' between short-term acting gigs and teaching.

The former Cosby Show star said he never intended to advertise his work at the store and was stunned when the photographs emerged last week

'When I first saw the pictures...I was really devastated,' Owens said, explaining that he has not had an on-screen job which lasted more than 10 weeks in the 26 years since The Cosby Show wrapped in 1992.

'I got to a point where I'd been teaching acting and directing for 30 plus years but it just didn't add up enough. You've got to do what you've got to do.'

'I wanted a job that I could I have some flexibility and try to stay in the acting business.'

'I didn't advertise it, not because I was ashamed of it, but because I didn't want the acting community to think that I wasn't pursuing acting anymore,' he said.

When photographs of him in the store swept social media last week, Owens said he was baffled by the sudden interest.

'It was really overwhelming. It came out of nowhere. I feel like I'm more of a celebrity now than I ever have been. I'm more of a celebrity now than when I actually was a celebrity!' he joked.

Owens said he hoped his story sparked a shift in attitudes about work and getting by.

Owens is pictured in a head shot from The Cosby Show. He appeared in the hit show from 1985 to 1992, when it wrapped

'This business of me being the Cosby guy who got shamed for working at Trader Joe's, that's going to pass,' he said.

'I hope what doesn't pass is this idea that people are now thinking about - what it means to work.'

'The honor of the working person and the dignity of work. [There's a] reevaluation [of the idea] that some jobs are better than others. It's not true.'

'There is no job that's better than another. It may pay better, it may have better benefits, it may look better on paper. But it's not better. Every job is worthwhile.'

Owens went on to say that he didn't want anyone's pity. 'No one should feel sorry for me,' he said.

'I've had a great life, a great career. I've had a career most actors would die for. I am doing fine,' he proudly added.
An investigation into the Sam Burgess sexting scandal has found that he has no case to answer.

The Rabbitohs released their findings into the behaviour of several players following a complaint which alleged inappropriate conduct by a South Sydney player in May.

'Based on a thorough review of the available evidence before it, the Panel was not satisfied that any South Sydney player engaged in any actionable misconduct resulting in a breach of their NRL Playing Contract, the NRL Rules or the SSFC Code of Conduct,' the club said in a statement.

An investigation into the Sam Burgess sexting scandal has found that he has no case to answer

Sam Burgess was the only player mentioned in the reports and said he was 'happy for the full truth to come out'.

Earlier this week Burgess faced questions about the scandal ahead of the Rabbitohs' Saturday preliminary final against the Roosters.

During the press conference, Burgess declined to directly address the allegations, saying there was an inquiry underway.

He said he expected the results of the inquiry would be revealed within 24 to 48 hours, and insisted 'the truth will come out'.

The inquiry comes after explicit images of two players were sent to a young woman from Burgess's Facebook account during a video chat which took place in May.

Screenshots from the video chat show a man exposing his torso and genitals to the woman during their video conversation.

Another man was photographed with his pants down and baring his behind, captured in screenshots from the live video.

The results of the panel's investigation mean no player will face further sanctions and all Rabbitohs players are available to face the Roosters in Saturday night's preliminary final at ANZ Stadium.
A five-year-old girl has become the latest victim of the fruit contamination scandal after she bit into a strawberry containing a needle.

Cairns mother Samantha Gray said her daughter Bella discovered the contaminated strawberry after finding it on the kitchen counter.

The strawberry had been bought from the local Coles supermarket in Edmonton on Thursday afternoon.

Ms Gray said she burst into tears after checking her daughter's mouth, fearful she had been injured by the spiked strawberry.

Five-year-old Bella Gray (pictured) from Cairns has become the latest victim of the fruit contamination scandal after she bit into a strawberry containing a needle.

Her mother Samantha Gray said she burst into tears after checking her daughter's mouth in the fear she had been injured by the spiked strawberry

Posting to Facebook, Ms Gray said: 'I had all intentions of chopping them up before consuming. Bella helped herself when I wasn't looking and bit straight into it.'

She added she felt like 'the world's worst parent' having allowed her daughter to eat the strawberries without first cutting them up.

'I was cleaning up and next minute she's come running to me - "mum look what's in my strawberry'',' Ms Gray told Nine News.

Ms Gray said her daughter Bella bit into a contaminated strawberry she had found on the kitchen counter

She rang Coles straight away, who told her to return the punnet to the store.

The mother said by the time she arrived at the Edmonton branch, staff had already removed all of their strawberry stock from their shelves.

Coles have confirmed they are investigating the matter.

The incident in Cairns comes as the fruit contamination scandal spread to the Northern Territory, where a needle found in a punnet of strawberries bought in Darwin was reported to police.

NT Police Deputy Commissioner Grant Nicholls said a customer notified Nightcliff Woolworths after he found a needle inside a strawberry he purchased from the store around three days ago.

The latest case is the first uncovered in the Northern Territory, and comes as police investigate more than 100 reports of contaminated fruit around the country.

The news comes after a Sydney schoolgirl found a sewing needle hidden inside a strawberry

Braetop Berries strawberry farmer Aidan Young poses on his Queensland farm alongside strawberries due to be destroyed

NSW Police have taken the extraordinary step of using DNA testing as they investigate more than 50 cases of needles being found in fruit (stock image)

Deputy Commissioner Nicholls said police were investigating whether the strawberry was contaminated interstate or locally - according to ABC News.

Farmers have been forced to destroy their strawberry produce en masse as incidents continue to be reported - with Queensland farmers announcing huge job losses on Tuesday.

New South Wales Police announced on Thursday they are now DNA testing needles and packaging in a bid to catch copycat offenders who are sabotaging fruit.

The federal government also rushed 'tough new penalties' through Parliament on Friday so those sabotaging fruit would face jail terms of up to 15 years.

There will also be a new offence of being reckless in causing harm, which will carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

'I'm just focused on making sure no idiot goes into a supermarket this weekend and does something ridiculous,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

The most serious cases with national security implications will be covered by sabotage offences, with penalties ranging from seven to 25 years.

An eight-year-old Sydney boy has already reportedly confessed he had placed a needle inside his watermelon in the last week.

And another young boy was arrested in New South Wales on Wednesday after admitting he put needles in strawberries as a 'prank'.

The fruit contamination scandal has spread to the Northern Territory, after a needle was found in a punnet of strawberries bought from a Darwin supermarket (pictured is a contaminated strawberry bought from Coles in Wingham, NSW)

The news comes after a Sydney schoolgirl found a sewing needle inside a strawberry and another student in the city uncovered an object implanted in an apple.

Woolworths has now stopped selling sewing needles in a bid to prevent saboteurs using them to spike fruit.

The supermarket giant literally pulled the pin following the crises across Australia.

'We've taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale in our stores. The safety of our customers is our top priority,' a Woolworths spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
Sydney has become so overcrowded because of high immigration families are packing up and leaving for Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast to afford a house, official figures reveal.

Australia's biggest city is continuing to house the bulk of new arrivals from overseas, with net immigration accounting for almost two-thirds of national population growth.

Sydney is becoming so crowded families are moving en masse to Melbourne and south-east Queensland to escape the ridiculously high house prices, new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.

Sydney has become so overcrowded because of high immigration families are packing up and leaving for Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast to afford a house, official figures show

Australia's biggest city is continuing to house the bulk of new arrivals from overseas, with net immigration accounting for almost two-thirds of national population growth

In the year to March, 20,500 moved out of New South Wales as the immigration-fuelled population in Australia's most crowded state surged by 113,100.

During the same time frame, 15,100 people moved to Victoria while another 24,000 moved to Queensland.

Social researcher Mark McCrindle said many people had moved from Sydney, where median house prices are still at $1 million, to Melbourne, which also has more than 5 million people, to get cheaper housing.

'If we look at the people leaving Sydney, it's not that they're quitting cities, they're just quitting this city, they're moving to other cities, Melbourne among them,' he told Daily Mail Australia today.

Sydney is becoming so crowded residents are moving en masse to Melbourne (Docklands pictured) to escape the ridiculously high house prices, new official figures show

In the year to March, 20,500 moved out of New South Wales as the immigration-fuelled population in Australia's most crowded state surged by 113,100

'Sydney's become a victim of its own success.

'The ongoing urban sprawl, congestion, the commute times, has got Sydney to the point where people are looking for other alternatives.

'Melbourne has as strong an economy as Sydney and lots of jobs to boot, it's got the lifestyle but it's got housing affordability 20 per cent better than that of Sydney.'

The exodus of people from Sydney to Melbourne drove a surge in Victoria's population growth pace to 2.2 per cent, the highest in Australia.

Other alternatives to Sydney include the Gold Coast for retirees and Brisbane for mortgaged families looking to escape a 'long commute from western Sydney'.

At the turn of the 21st century, Australia's birth rate accounted for more than half of Australia's population growth pace.

That began to change in 2002 after the Howard government pushed Australia's net annual immigration pace above 100,000.

Many people are also leaving Sydney for south-east Queensland (Surfer's Paradise on the Gold Coast pictured) to escape long commutes and high house prices

It has been above 200,000 since 2012 and stood at 236,800 in the year to March, accounting for 62 per cent of national population growth.

During that time the natural increase of 143,900, births minus deaths, accounted for 38 per cent of Australia's population growth.

Australia's population grew by 1.6 per cent, or 380,700 people, to be among the fastest expanding in the developed world, before reaching the 25 million milestone in August.

'Compared to our comparable countries it's still a very high growth rate,' Mr McCrindle said.

'That's largely through the very high migration rate.

'While it's become the norm, historically it hasn't been.'

The population growth pace in developed world is 0.7 per cent, as measured by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Vietnamese president Tran Dai Quang (pictured) has died aged 61 due to illness

The President of Vietnam has died aged 61 after a 'prolonged and serious illness', state media reported.

Tran Dai Quang, who had been elected President in 2016, diet at a military hospital in Hanoi today.

Quang hosted President Donald Trump during his first state visit to the communist country last year.

His last public appearance was at a Politburo meeting of the ruling Communist Party and a reception for a Chinese delegation on Wednesday.

Quang did not appear in public for more than a month last year, raising speculation about his health.

He passed away from a 'serious illness despite devoted treatment by professors and doctors' both in Vietnam and abroad, the official Vietnam News Agency said.

In office as president since April 2016 after more than four decades at the powerful Ministry of Public Security, Quang had a reputation as a tough leader with little tolerance for dissent.

Though he held one of the country's top four positions and was officially the head of state, his role as president was seen as largely ceremonial, greeting visiting leaders and hosting diplomatic events in a bid to boost Vietnam's profile on the world stage.

Quang had appeared thin and pale in public, and was unstable on his feet last week when he hosted a welcoming ceremony for Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Hanoi last week.

Two leaders: President Tran Dai Quang with Donald Trump are pictured during the welcoming ceremony during the US President's state visit in November last year

His last public appearance was just two days ago, at a meeting with visiting Chinese politicians and foreign dignitaries in Hanoi.

Quang, a member of the Politburo, had a reputation as tough and influential in the inner circles of the communist party, though often appeared uncomfortable in the public eye and lacked the charisma of some of his peers in the upper echelons of the party.

In an interview with AFP in 2016 ahead of a visit by the former French leader Francois Hollande, Quang read from a prepared statement and was quickly escorted from the room by staff when a question went off-script.

State media made a somber announcement of his death Friday and celebrated his long commitment to public service.

His time in office was dominated by a simmering conflict with Beijing over the South China Sea, a long-running dispute between the communist neighbours that escalated on several occasions.

Vietnam cancelled at least one oil drilling project in the resource-rich region during Quang's tenure in an apparent bid to quell tensions.

He was the administration's most public face at a series of high-profile events, most notably at an APEC meeting in Danang in November last year where he hosted a bevy of world leaders -- including US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping.

As president, he oversaw a crackdown on dissidents that rights groups have decried as a chokehold on free expression. More than 40 people were jailed this year and some 100 have been behind bars as of April 2018, according to Amnesty International.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Alibaba Group plans to build a smart expressway by virtue of the Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, the e-commerce giant announced on the 2018 Computing Conference.

As an important part of Alibaba's automotive upgrading strategy, the new program will be jointly implemented by several business units, including AliOS, Alibaba Cloud, DAMO Academy, AutoNavi, Alipay and Banma Tech, etc.

The V2X is the key to achieve the smart expressway. Under Alibaba's scenarios, the smart expressway will endow drivers with clairvoyance and clairaudience, fully supporting the running of different kinds of vehicles, such as traditional cars, Internet cars and autonomous cars.

The construction of the smart expressway will be processed from three technical levels, namely, the cloud control platform, the intelligent sensing base station as well as the collaborative computing system. To be specific, the sensing base station developed by DAMO Academy will be applied in road tests. AliOS is responsible for the R&D of car sensors and collaborative computing. Besides, the cloud control platform will act as a cloud brain.

Alibaba began to develop its car operating system from 2014. The group claimed that it has currently built the world's largest Internet car platform based on the AliOS-based Banma operating system. In addition, Alibaba said its new car strategy will be provided with such technical supports as autonomous driving technologies, high-precision location-based services and HP map from DAMO Academy, Qianxun SI and AutoNavi respectively.

The Chinese tech titian also formed an industrial alliance involving many prominent companies and public institutions, such as State Grid Corporation of China, China Unicom, FAW Group, Roewe, Intel, Ford Motor, Datang Telecom Group and Research Institute of Highway Ministry of Transport, to jointly promote the implementation of the smart expressway.
Dr Christine Blasey Ford says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her; he denies it. Is somebody deliberately lying?

Not necessarily, according to psychologists.

Experts say that because of how memory works, it's possible that both Kavanaugh and Dr Ford - the woman who says a drunken Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her at a party when they were teenagers in the early 1980s - believe what they say.

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He said, she said: Psychologists say that because of how memory works, it's possible that both Judge Brett Kavanaugh (left) and Dr Christine Blasey Ford (right) believe what they say about what happened at a party 35 years ago

Kavanuagh's confirmation to the Supreme Court has been halted because of Dr Ford's bombshell accusation

And which one of them believes his or her version more strongly is no tipoff to what really happened.

'Confidence is not a good guide to whether or not someone is telling the truth,' said Nora Newcombe, a psychology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. 'If they think they're telling the truth, they could plausibly both be confident about it.'

As the nation ponders the accusations from Ford that could derail Kavanaugh's nomination, the possibility that one of them simply got it wrong has been floated on Capitol Hill.

Ford's lawyers have said some senators appear to have made up their mind that she is 'mistaken' and confused. Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah told CNN, 'Somebody's mixed up.'

Experts say a person's memory is not like a video recorder, perfectly capturing an objective record of everything that happens for later retrieval.

'Memory is mostly true but sometimes unreliable,' said psychologist Jennifer Talarico of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Generally, 'we get the gist mostly right.'

Your beliefs and expectations shape what you perceive in your life and how you later remember those events, researchers say.

Ford, a 51-year-old California psychology professor (pictured in 1984, left), told The Washington Post that she told nobody about the alleged incident in any detail until 2012. Kavanaugh (seen in his yearbook photo, right) has repeatedly denied Dr Fords allegation

'You are constructing the reality out there as it happens, and therefore you get stuck with that ... as the most accurate you can have for your memory,' said David Rubin, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. 'That's all you have to base your memory on.'

So in a situation where a woman fears being raped by a man, her memories might be shaped by that fear into a recollection that overestimates the threat, whereas the man might consider it 'just playing around' and simply forget it later on, Rubin said. And both could be completely honest about their recollections.

Rubin noted the obvious fact that people can forget things they did while drunk. But he said the man in his scenario could forget about the event even if he had been sober.

Typically, when people make mistakes in recalling an event, they unknowingly slip in details that would be typical on such occasions, Talarico said.

When it comes to emotionally charged events, it's typical to remember a central person or an item such as a gun but forget the context and details, Newcombe said.

'You have this vivid central thing and everything else is fuzzy,' she said. 'Emotion makes one thing go up and the other go down.'

So it would be wrong to challenge Ford's memory of the alleged incident over inability to recall details, Newcombe said.

Ford, a 51-year-old California psychology professor, told The Washington Post that she told nobody about the alleged incident in any detail until 2012, while in couples therapy. Her husband said he recalled her using Kavanaugh's last name at that time.

Some experts cited a classic case of how memory can fail: the 1973 Senate committee testimony of John Dean, former counsel to President Richard Nixon, regarding the Watergate affair. He testified about conversations that, it later turned out, had been recorded.

In 1981, a psychologist published a comparison of his testimony to the tapes and found that even though Dean was basically right about the existence of a cover-up, his accounts of conversations were often wrong.

As for the Kavanaugh matter, Rubin said, 'We don't have the tapes for what happened at the party.'

Dr Fords lawyers are currently negotiating with the Senate Judiciary Committee on the terms of her possible testimony next week, raising the prospect of a dramatic Senate showdown over Dr Fords accusation.

On Thursday, Dr Fords lawyers told the Judiciary Committee that her preference is to give evidence next Thursday.

She does not want Kavanaugh in the same room, her lawyer told the panels staff in a 30-minute call that also touched on security concerns and others issues, according to a Senate aide.

Dr Ford is willing to tell her story, but only if agreement can be reached on 'terms that are fair and which ensure her safety,' the lawyer said.

She said Dr Ford needs time to make sure her family is secure, prepare her testimony and travel to Washington.

President Trump weighed in on the sexual assault allegations Friday, challenging Dr Ford's account

The accusation has jarred the 53-year-old conservative jurists prospects for winning confirmation, which until Dr Fords emergence last week had seemed all but certain.

It has also bloomed into a broader clash over whether women alleging abuse are taken seriously by men and how both political parties address such claims with the advent of the #MeToo movement, a theme that could echo in this Novembers elections for control of Congress.

The discussions have revived the possibility that the panel will hold an electrifying campaign-season hearing at which both Dr Ford and Kavanaugh can give their versions of what did or did not happen at the party 35 years ago.

Kavanaugh, now a judge on the powerful US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, has repeatedly denied Dr Fords allegation.

Abandoning his previous restrain, President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday: 'I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!'

The president previously had avoided naming Dr Ford or casting doubt on her account.
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Friends say Snochia Moseley, 26, had hit breaking point after a battle with mental illness when she began shooting at her colleagues on Thursday morning. The Rite Aid worker killed three and injured three more before shooting herself

Snochia Moseley, 26, was at breaking point when she killed three people and herself in a shooting at a Rite Aid warehouse on Thursday, friends say.

Moseley opened fire at her workplace at 9.06am, after arriving at the distribution facility in Enterprise Business Park. She shot outside the building, before continuing her rampage inside.

Friend Toni Coley, who has known the woman since high school, told the Baltimore Sun Moseley often felt alienated, but she 'wasnt a monster, wasnt an angry person'.

'I just believe this was emotional distress. If she did this, it was her last straw,' she said.

Moseley injured three people and shot dead three others. Two of them died at the scene and one was taken to hospital where they succumbed to their injuries later in the day.

Her motive remains unclear and police say that while they are pursuing all strands of investigation, terrorism is not likely in this case.

Moseley had multiple outstanding tickets for registration violations and a lack of insurance, and just last week, the courts were asked for permission to take the outstanding fines to trial.

But tickets were not her only problems - Coley told the Baltimore Sun Moseley had come out to her family as transgender in December 2016 and wanted to begin hormone therapy.

At present, it is not known if she did commence hormone therapy, or if Moseley, known to friends as 'Sno', used male or female pronouns.

Coley and Moseley were intending to create a documentary on Moseley's life before she died, based off a manuscript the Rite Aid worker had written.

Other friends paid tribute to her on social media, claiming she had been consumed by mental illness and had reached out for help multiple times before shooting at her colleagues.

One friend, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Sun he was at first appalled to hear about the shooting, but immediately felt heartbroken when he discovered who was behind it.

'Its catastrophic,' he said. 'She did a terrible thing, but I feel for her.

'The first thing you think is, "This person is horrible," because you have a bias. But knowing someone, I believe everyone is human. Everyone is going through something.'

Moseley opened fire using a .9mm Glock which she legally owned outside the business park at 9.06am then made her way inside where she continued shooting. She eventually shot herself then died in hospital. She is shown above in Facebook photographs she uploaded earlier this year

A woman reacts at the scene of the shooing on Thursday morning as police work nearby. Three people were killed and at least two others were injured by the female shooter, according to officials

There was an enormous police presence at the Rite Aid warehouse afterwards and for much of the afternoon as authorities worked to close off the crime scene and evacuate anyone still in the building

Ambulances and fire trucks at the scene of the shooting in Aberdeen, Maryland, on Thursday after the suspect was taken to hospital where she later died

Two women embrace after leaving the business park where the shooting happened on Thursday morning

Survivors said she was a 'nice person' who came to work in a bad mood, 'wanting to pick a fight'.

She used a single handgun to carry out the attack. It was legally owned and registered to her.

According to witnesses, an injured person was seen running out of the warehouse as the shooting unfolded and collapsed in a nearby cemetery. Moseley's vehicle is still at the scene and will be towed away soon.

At a press conference on Thursday, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler said there were: 'Seven people who have been shot including the shooter.

'Three are suffering from injuries from which they are expected to survive. Three others are victims of our shooter who lost their lives.

She wanted to pick a fight and then she started shooting Mike Carre, who works in a building nearby and helped give injured Rite Aid survivors first aid until ambulances arrived.

'The fourth loss of life is the suspect. We are not prepared to release the victims' names. Our suspect is a lone female, aged 26, who had a last known address in Baltimore County.

'She has died in the hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She was armed with one handgun and several magazines.'

She was carrying a 9mm Glock handgun and was carrying two or three magazines, he said.

Mike Carre, who works at Zenith Global Logistics nearby, said Rite Aid employees came pouring out of the building, running for their lives, as the terror unfolded.

One person said she'd seen her friend get shot in the head.

Witnesses said Moseley was a 'nice person' who came to work in a bad mood 'looking for a fight'

He told The Washington Post of the shooter: 'Normally, she was a nice person, but she came in in a bad mood. She wanted to pick a fight.

'And then she started shooting.'

The warehouse is at the intersection of Spesutia Road and Perryman Road.

Nearby are other businesses, a school, a church and an apartment complex.

They were all put in lockdown as the shooting unfolded.

Rite Aid confirmed that the shooting was in one of their buildings and said they learned about it from someone inside.

In a statement, the company said: 'We are deeply saddened by the events that transpired this morning at the Liberty support facility, which is part of Rite Aids Perryman Distribution Center in Aberdeen, Md.

'Local authorities have confirmed that there are multiple fatalities and casualties.

'We are continuing to work closely with authorities as they conduct their investigation.

'The facility has been closed and we are assessing when it will be reopened.'

The shooting took place inside this Rite Aid distribution facility in Aberdeen, Maryland. There are two components to it - a large, 1,000 worker warehouse and a smaller satellite office of around 30 people (left) where it is believed to have taken place

This is the business park where the incident unfolded. There are a number of warehouses and Rite Aid has two facilities in it - one which houses 30 people and another where around 1,000 work. It is a huge, 2,010 sq ft workplace

The business park is in Perryman which is 27 miles north east of Baltimore. While it was unfolding, workers inside sent terrifying messages to their relatives including Alexi Scharmann whose mother sent her these heartbreaking messages (right)

'Grief counselors will be made available to our associates and will remain available as long as they are needed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved in this tragic incident, as well as their loved ones.'

As the shooting unfolded, terrified workers text their loved ones to tell them there was a shooter in the building.

Rite Aid issued this statement on Thursday afternoon

Alexi Scharmann told local station WBLA-TV that her mother, who works in the Rite Aid building, sent her and her sibling a message to tell her she was hiding.

They read: 'I love you both more than you will ever know. There is a shooter in the building. 'I am hiding. I love you.

'Be good and take care of daddy and the pets if something should happen,' she said.

She had to wait another hour before learning that her mother was safe and had escaped.

Others appealed frantically for information on social media asking if anyone knew whether their loved ones were safe. Police later set up a staging area for victims' relatives to gather in.

A Harford County Rescue Vehicle is pictured at the scene of the mass shooting at a Ride Aid warehouse on Thursday

Armed officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were on the scene along with local law enforcement and FBI agents

A team of tactical agents gather at the scene of the workplace shooting on Thursday morning in Aberdeen, Maryland

Armed police work at the scene of the shooting on Thursday morning

State troopers remained on the scene to direct traffic, which was severely affected by the incident, afterwards

An ATF officer walks around the business park with a sniffing dog. The park is home to several businesses, all of which were put in lockdown after the shooting

Roads were closed and trains which stopped nearby were also being halted.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said he is closely monitoring the horrific shooting.'

'Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders. The State stands ready to offer any support,' he said on Twitter.

As the shooting was unfolding, workers in the neighboring offices and warehouses were put on lockdown.

'There's a lot of police activity and ambulances and fire engines,' one said. 'They have the whole area blocked off. We've not been able to get in and out.'

'We have our business locked down, since we're so close. There's not any way to get out of the area,' David Graf, who works for New German Performance, told WBAL-TV.
Five people have been injured, including an eight-year-old girl, after shots were fired into a memorial gathering.

The shooting occurred around 9pm on Thursday outside of a home in Syracuse, New York, where a crowd had gathered outside of a home to mourn the passing of Richard Harris, who died in hospice care of pancreatic cancer.

Witnesses saw two or possibly three shooters on foot firing up to 10 shots into the crowd outside the home on the 1300 block of Midland Avenue, the Post-Standard reported.

The home where the shooting occurred is owned by family members of Rashaad Walker Jr, who was 20 months old when he was killed in a gang shooting in 2010.

Police and ambulances respond to the scene where five people were injured in a shooting outside of a home in Syracuse, New York on Friday night

Tammy Jamison told the paper that about 50 people were gathered for the memorial, and the crowd fled for cover inside the home when the gunshots broke out.

'When the shooting started I ducked,' she said. 'What would you do?'

Multiple ambulances responded to the scene and rushed the victims to Upstate University Hospital.

The youngest victim was an eight-year-old girl while the oldest was 35. All are in stable condition and expected to survive their injuries, police said.

Outside the emergency room at Upstate University, there was a heavy police presence and dozens of family members had gathered, WLOS reported.

Family member of the wounded gather outside of the emergency room as police provide a heavy security presence at the hospital

Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler held a press conference at the scene of the shooting at around 11pm.

'This is a very tragic event,' Fowler said, according to CNY Central. 'This is something that cannot occur in our community. I can tell you right now there are folks out there who have information about what happened here tonight and there are a lot of people that are standing around me that are completely outraged and heartbroken tonight and this type of investigation deserves closure.'

He said police could not yet say how many shooters there were, or whether it was a drive-by shooting or not.

Fowler said that it was unclear whether another shooting committed blocks away less than an hour later was connected. A 14-year-old girl was injured in that incident.

The shooting occurred outside of this home, where the family prominently displays a large photo of their slain toddler eight years after he was killed in a gang shooting

Outside the home where five were shot, a six-foot photo of slain toddler Walker Jr is still prominently displayed eight years after his death.

The toddler was sitting in a car seat in a parked minivan when Saquan Evans, a reputed gang member, fired into the vehicle.

Police believe the shooting was an attempt to kill the child's father, a reputed member of a rival gang.

Evans was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for second-degree murder, plus an additional 15 years for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
An ex-yoga teacher has pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences, but blamed his actions on an earlier motorbike accident.

Jason Daron Mizner, 43, pleaded guilty to a total of 65 charges, including 36 counts of rape, 14 attempted rapes, 13 child exploitation offences and one count of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child, Brisbane District Court heard today.

Mizner allegedly committed the offences on a three-year-old in the Gold Coast between 2003 and 2005.

An ex-yoga teacher (pictured, centre) from the Gold Coast has pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences, but blamed his actions on an earlier motorbike accident

Mizner (pictured) allegedly committed the offences on a three-year-old in the Gold Coast between 2003 and 2005

The Gold Coast man was arrested at Brisbane International Airport in January last year, 9news reported.

He had served nine years of a 35-year sentence in Thailand, for a second child sex offence, before being deported to Australia.

A local newspaper in Chiang Mai stated that in 2006, a woman  whose name was withheld  reported the rape of her two-year-old daughter by Jason Mizner.

Thai police at the time understood that he had fled Australia for his earlier crimes when he then assaulted his second victim.

The court heard that Mizner had a motorbike injury in the past and suffered a head injury, which his lawyer claims may have caused his 'inhibitions' for children.

Mr Mizner's sentencing was today postponed to October 23 until lawyers receive a full medical report from his doctor who is currently recovering from a heart attack.

Gold Coast Regional Crime Coordinator Detective Superintendent Kerry Johnson said that Mr Mizner's crimes had a 'major impact on the life of a child, and our job as police is to protect those children'.
A high school principal has been slammed for a controversial speech saying truants are likely to become rape victims.

Principal Virginia Crawford delivered a speech to students at Fraser High School in Hamilton, New Zealand, which was secretly recorded and uploaded online.

The principal made several bold statements about students who make the decision to truant during school hours on Thursday.

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Principal Virginia Crawford has been slammed for a controversial speech saying truants are likely to become rape victims

'Every student who walks out of the gate to truant is already a statistic of the worst kind,' she said.

'[Truants are] highly likely to go to prison, to commit domestic violence or be a victim of domestic violence, be illiterate, be a rape victim, be a suicide victim.'

The eleven minute video uploaded on YouTube was posted yesterday and has already received over 20,000 views.

One mother commented on the video saying she found the speech 'disturbing' and is 'seriously concerned' about her daughter who attends the school.

'You have failed my daughter as an educator, you have failed the system ... YOU madam principal are a FAILURE in this matter,' the comment said.

The principal told the students when she sees them at the fish-and-chip shop during school hours, she claims they're 'another group of students without a future'

Crawford claims what she said has been backed up with 'economic research' and students at Fraser are proving her claims are correct.

The principal told the students when she sees them at the fish-and-chip shop during school hours, she claims they're 'another group of students without a future'.

'That's another loser. That's another wannabe who will go crying to their parents with some lame, sad story. That's another student who is desperate for friendship. That's another person we've lost.'

Some people commented in support of the principal's speech saying 'she's encouraging kids to do their best' and 'sometimes the only way is tough love especially when it's a last resort.'

Fraser High School was contacted for comment.
Millions of RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank customers were locked out of online banking for five hours today after yet another UK bank suffered a nationwide outage.

The high street giants, who are part of the same banking group, have been forced to apologise for the systems failure that locked out millions of customers.

The banks' Twitter feeds and phone lines were inundated with complaints from customers saying they were unable settle bills or pay the rent today.

RBS chief executive Ross McEwan apologised this morning and said: 'We feel customers' pain' - but was initially unable to say what the problem was.

But five hours after the problems started his IT team found a firewall security update carried out overnight shut down their website and app.

A spokesman said: 'We would like to apologise to customers who experienced issues logging into their online and mobile banking accounts this morning, this issue has now been resolved.'

NatWest customers complained that they had been unable to use their cash cards in ATMs in a new IT meltdown

RBS boss Ross McEwan (right) was on LBC with Nick Ferrari today where he apologised to the millions affected by the IT glitch

NatWest's internet banking and app went down today leaving millions without access to their accounts

This customer has been warned she will face fees unless her overdraft is cleared - but could not get into her account

Mr McEwan was on LBC today to talk about the bank and Brexit but was taken to task over the online banking problems.

One listener asked him if the bonuses of those in charge of IT would lose their bonuses.

Mr McEwan said: 'If we docked people every time something went wrong you'd have an organisation where nothing would change. We don't want that. But if something goes wrong that hasn't been thought of then that is taken into account at end of year reviews'.

Some have pledged to go elsewhere after being unable to access their accounts or cash from ATMs.

'So how do you expect me to pay my bills today when I work 9-5,' Natalie Wilkinson said in a tweet to NatWest, asking other users to recommend a more reliable bank

Lau Mahar tweeted: 'Of all the days to go down... it's payday! Please can you tell me when I can access my account to pay my bills etc. Soon is not good enough!'.

@NikNaks222 wrote: 'Is there any other way I can make a transfer to another account as I need to pay the rent?'

Emma Foley said: 'I need to transfer money over to pay my bills are you going to pay my late payment charge? Any ideas when this will be resolved'.

@Taio101 said: 'I haven't been able to access my account via the app and your website seems to be down too'.

NatWest apologised after users of its online banking services were left locked out of their accounts.

In a statement sent to customers the bank said: 'We are sorry if you are having trouble getting into our online banking or mobile app.

'We are working hard to resolve the issue. You can still access your account through telephone banking or alternatively you can visit one of our ATMs.'

Customers said they couldn't get their money on payday, couldn't pay bills and also couldn't take out cash

Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed that all of its consumer brands - which also includes Ulster Bank - are facing service outages for mobile and online banking.

RBS said: 'We are aware that customers are currently experiencing issues logging into their online and mobile banking accounts.

'We would like to apologise for the inconvenience. We are aware of the problem and are working to fix the issue.

'Customers can still use ATMs and telephone banking.'

The glitch came a day after some Barclays customers were left struggling to log in to their accounts due to a technical problem.

Millions of Barclays customers were locked out of their accounts yesterday when the bank's online, mobile and telephone systems crashed.

Users complained they were unable to log in for most of the day, leaving them unable to pay bills or transfer money.

They also faced problems in branches, where some systems were down and cash machines allowing people to withdraw larger amounts of money were not working.

The latest fiasco to hit the banking industry comes after TSB's computer system meltdown earlier this year left customers facing disruption for weeks.

Account holders have been complaining on twitter that the service has been down since around 10am this morning. Customers say they cannot get the Barclay's homepage to load meaning there is no access to their online account portal

Furious customers slammed Barclays for the customer service following the outtage

RBS and Barclays are set to face calls from lawmakers on Britain's Treasury Select Committee to explain what caused the problems, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday, following similar inquiries into the failings at Cashplus this week.

The outages come when Britain's lenders have been driving customers towards such services as the banks cull branch networks to cut costs. Regulators and politicians are increasing scrutiny over banks' cyber resilience.

The consequences for banks of online banking problems and the subsequent scrutiny of those failings by politicians can be severe.

Earlier this year a major outage at mid-sized lender TSB, owned by Spain's Sabadell, left thousands of customers unable to access their money or make vital payments for long periods.

TSB Chief Executive Paul Pester resigned this month, following heavy criticism by the Treasury Committee and the bank's customers for his handling of the crisis.

British banks do not have long to strengthen their contingency plans for when online banking services fail.

The Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority in July set a deadline of Oct. 5 for British lenders to explain how they can avoid damaging IT breakdowns and respond to the growing threat of cyber attacks.
Chris Grayling told the BBC last night that the EU needed to realise that no deal was possible if they insisted on a border in Ireland

Theresa May's cabinet ally Chris Grayling has said Britain is heading for a no deal Brexit unless Euroocrats change their minds on the Irish border

The Transport Secretary says the Government will not drop its Chequers plan despite a disastrous summit in Salzburg leaders where EU leaders threw it back in Mrs May's face.

She was ambushed in Austria yesterday when No 10 had hoped there was going to be breakthrough in negotiations.

Last night Chris Grayling said the EU knew Mrs May's red line was the Irish border issue and warned them without a softening of position by Brussels there will be no deal.

He told Newsnight: 'We are in the midst of a negotiation where people are setting out robust, firm positions  and this is often the way with the European Union. They build up, there's tough language and actually a deal is done at the last. And I'm still confident that we will reach agreement.'

He added: 'We have put forward the only proposal that we believe meets the UK's red lines and also provides the right solution for the Irish border. At the moment what the European Union is asking in and around Northern Ireland is actually impossible for the UK to accept. If they stick with that position, there will be no deal.

'No UK government, certainly not this one  and the Labour party have said the same  could possibly accept any border in the Irish sea, between northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.'

Theresa May was seen shaking with anger after being ambushed by EU leaders at a conference that left the Chequers deal hanging by a thread

At an extraordinary press conference in Salzburg, a visibly furious Prime Minister rounded on EU leaders for hanging her out to dry as she battles to keep her Chequers plan alive in the face of fierce Tory criticism.

Macron: Pro-Brexit campaigners 'lied' Emmanuel Macron branded the leaders of the pro-Brexit campaign 'liars' for telling voters it would be easy to leave the EU. The French president said the decision was 'not without costs' and 'not without consequences'. 'Brexit is the choice of the British people and it is a choice pushed by certain people who predicted easy solutions,' he said in Salzburg. 'Brexit has shown us one thing  and I fully respect British sovereignty in saying this  it has demonstrated that those who said you can easily do without Europe, that it will all go very well, that it is easy and there will be lots of money, are liars. 'This is all the more true because they left the next day, so they didn't have to manage it.' Mr Macron said it was true that Brexit negotiations had been complex and lengthy. But he added: 'That fact must not be exploited by those very people who are the cause of this problem, who got us into the Brexit situation and who now tell us that Europe is going from crisis to crisis.' His claim the leaders of the Brexit campaign 'left the next day' after the vote appeared to confuse them with David Cameron, who quit as PM after calling on voters to back Remain. By contrast, Brexit supporters David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox were brought into the Cabinet. Advertisement

Mrs May said she still believed a deal was possible, and offered a fresh concession on Northern Ireland - but acknowledged there was a lot of hard work to be done.

In a blunt assessment, EU president Donald Tusk said the other 27 leaders all agreed that the complex plans at the heart of the Chequers deal will not work.

Mrs May acknowledged she had had a frank meeting with Mr Tusk shortly before she faced the press - diplomatic code for a blazing row.

In a warning to EU leaders that she cannot be pushed much further, she added: Let nobody be in any doubt... we are preparing for no deal so that if we get to a position where it is not possible to do a deal then the British people can have confidence that we will have done what is necessary to ensure we make a success of leaving the European Union regardless of the terms on which we do so.

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith accused the EU of bullying Britain.

This demonstrates that the EU are behaving like bullies, throwing their weight around and using the Irish border as an excuse, he said.

This will demonstrate to so many people why we need to leave. Mrs May should go for free trade, and call their bluff.

The Prime Minister also angrily rejected calls for a second referendum, after the prime ministers of Malta and the Czech Republic publicly backed the idea. She said: There will be no second referendum.

Mrs May had travelled to the EU summit in Austria hoping for warm words from fellow leaders to give her political cover for the Chequers plan, which is set to be savaged by critics like Boris Johnson at next months Tory conference.

But despite a personal plea from her over dinner, the EU leaders issued a humiliating rebuff designed to hand fresh ammunition to her critics.

Mrs May put on a brave face as she started crucial talks with EU leaders in Salzburg after several said talks over Brexit are 'at a standstill'. She is pictured with Jean-Claude Juncker (centre) and Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel (right)

Mrs May suggested that yesterdays rejection of Chequers was a negotiating tactic designed to wring further concessions from her.

Privately, aides said they had expected a similar stunt at some point in the negotiations, but had not anticipated EU leaders deserting her in her hour of need.

Mr Tusk, who came under pressure from Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel to adopt a tough stance, said the two sides now faced a moment of truth next month, which would decide whether a Brexit deal was possible or not.

At a press conference in Salzburg (pictured), EU council chief Donald Tusk insisted Theresa May's Chequers plan would undermine the single market

He also cast doubt on whether a special Brexit summit pencilled in for November would take place at all unless Britain changes course.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said EU leaders were split between those who want a pragmatic Brexit deal and those who want one that punishes the UK.

He said some leaders believed Britain must suffer, adding: I dont like that approach at all. What we need is a fair Brexit and good cooperation between the UK and EU in future.

Asked if more people were coming round to his camp, he said he was getting a majority.

But hours later, President Macron, Chancellor Merkel and the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier persuaded the bloc to toughen its stance.

Mr Macron made it clear he wanted to punish Britain to dissuade other member states from heading for the EUs exit door.

The French President branded pro-Brexit politicians as liars who had left the next day, so they didnt have to manage it.

He added: Brexit shows that it is not easy to leave the EU. It is not without costs. It is not without consequences.

Mrs May insisted that Chequers was the only proposal that would deliver frictionless trade with the EU and keep the UKs pledge to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.

She said EU leaders were wrong to believe that her controversial plan for a common rule book on goods would undermine the single market - a point made specifically by Mr Tusk yesterday.

Yes concerns have been raised, she said. I want to know what those concerns are. There is a lot of hard work to be done. But I believe that there is a willingness to do a deal.

The hardline approach from Brussels prompted an angry reaction in the UK.

Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps said the PM was right to stick to her pledge to leave without a deal if Brussels continued to act unreasonably.

Mr Shapps said: Im no Brexiteer - in fact I voted Remain - but we may fast be approaching a situation where our handling over 39 billion [in divorce payments] wont work for us either.

Fellow Remainer Tory MP Anna Soubry said it was clear the Chequers deal was bereft of life and urged the PM to pursue membership of the EU single market after Brexit.

Meanwhile, Eurosceptic MPs stepped up their vows to kill off the Chequers deal at the Conservative conference and force Mrs May to pursue a free trade deal.

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker said he was entirely unsurprised by the EUs position as Brussels had always been clear it would only accept the UK being in the single market or subject to a standard free trade deal.

He added: The Prime Minister has tried to go through the middle. It was obviously never going to work. It is time now for everyone to focus on pragmatic solutions.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs, said: Everyone expected that there would be some softening of Mr Barniers line. That hasnt happened, it has been made firmer.

I think Chequers now has no supporters at all. I doubt even the Downing Street cat is any longer backing the Chequers plan. I think the time has come for Mrs May to say, This is not going to work.

Henry Newman, director of the think tank Open Europe, said it was now impossible for Mrs May to argue that the Chequers deal could still succeed.

He added: Theresa May cannot simply claim that nothing has changed. She will need to re-asses her Brexit policy and use this opportunity to shift position at party conference, healing divisions which opened in the Conservatives after Downing Streets botched handling of Chequers.

Its also now time to abandon the fanciful Facilitated Customs Arrangement.
The unseen ending to a shocking street brawl between two topless men in rush hour can now be revealed, after a video showing the final stages of the fight was released.

Footage showing two motorists trading punches in the middle of a suburban road in Sydney's west was published online on Monday, before going viral just hours later.

But the video that was initially circulated on social media ended as the two rival men appeared ready to take the fight to the footpath.

Now, the full version has been released - and it doesn't show too kindly for one of the combatants.

The truth about what happened when two men ripped off their shirts and slugged it out in the middle of a Sydney street (pictured) has been revealed, after the full version of the viral video was released

In the final moments of the initial video, the younger of the two topless men pointed towards the footpath claiming the two men should continue the brawl over there.

Keen to go on with the punch-up, the older of the men agrees and walks off the road.

But as he does so, the younger man hops back into a Holden Commodore parked in a spot nearby.

Realising his opponent is about to leave, the older man yells at him to get out and continue the fight as promised.

Despite the verbal abuse the younger of the pair drives away - accompanied by a friend in the passenger seat - seemingly having taken one too many heavy hits.

Moments earlier, having been hit with a number of blows to the head, the young man ripped off his singlet in a show of defiance.

Commenters were left bemused by his decision to then, just minutes later, abandon the fight.

After close to a minute of fierce fighting, the younger of the men (right) pointed towards the footpath seemingly wanting to continue the brawl there

But then just moments later he hops into a Holden Commodore and drives off, copping verbal abuse from his older counterpart

'Man I'm just laughing... when the other guy said come where the foot path is and he gets in his car!' one commenter wrote.

'Old guy carved him up so he said "Let's go fight on the footpath" (to) give him a window to run away,' another commented.

'Old bloke looked like he's had a couple dust ups. Young fella couldnt hurt him and did the Harrold Holt!' wrote one viewer.

New South Wales Police said in a statement that no formal complaint had been made about the incident.
Theresa May is clinging desperately to her Chequers plan today despite her Salzburg humiliation at the hands of EU leaders.

The Prime Minister is facing a battle for political survival after being ambushed with a series of vicious attacks on her Brexit blueprint.

In a calculated snub at the end of a tense summit last night, EU council president Donald Tusk bluntly stated that the UK proposal 'will not work'. French president Emmanuel Macron also caused fury by gloating about the predicament facing Britain, saying the country was learning not to listen to 'liars'.

But Mrs May insisted her plan was the only 'credible' option on the table, and warned she is ready to walk away if the bloc will not compromise on key areas like the Irish border.

Ministers were dispatched to broadcast studios this morning to dismiss the jibes as a 'negotiating tactic'.

But the bitter clashes pave the way for an explosive Tory conference with Downing Street braced for an all-out assault from Eurosceptic rivals.

Support for Mrs May's stance in the Cabinet is said to be weakening, with Home Secretary Sajid Javid among those thought to be edging towards backing looser Canada-style links with the EU.

Boris Johnson is expected to address a fringe event at the Birmingham conference in what will inevitably be seen as a leadership pitch.

Theresa May (pictured at the close of the Salzburg summit) bluntly dismissed the EU commission's latest proposals for resolving the Northern Ireland border issue, saying they would break up the UK

Mr Macron made an extraordinary intervention into domestic British politics as he delivered a stinging verdict on Chequers

Mrs May put on a brave face as she started crucial talks with EU leaders in Salzburg after several said talks over Brexit are 'at a standstill'. She is pictured with Jean-Claude Juncker (centre) and Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel (right)

Mrs May had travelled to the EU summit in Austria hoping for warm words from fellow leaders to give her political cover for the Chequers plan, which is set to be savaged by critics like Boris Johnson at next month's Tory conference.

But despite a personal plea from her over dinner, the EU leaders issued a humiliating rebuff designed to hand fresh ammunition to her critics.

Macron: Pro-Brexit campaigners 'lied' Emmanuel Macron branded the leaders of the pro-Brexit campaign 'liars' for telling voters it would be easy to leave the EU. The French president said the decision was 'not without costs' and 'not without consequences'. 'Brexit is the choice of the British people and it is a choice pushed by certain people who predicted easy solutions,' he said in Salzburg. 'Brexit has shown us one thing  and I fully respect British sovereignty in saying this  it has demonstrated that those who said you can easily do without Europe, that it will all go very well, that it is easy and there will be lots of money, are liars. 'This is all the more true because they left the next day, so they didn't have to manage it.' Mr Macron said it was true that Brexit negotiations had been complex and lengthy. But he added: 'That fact must not be exploited by those very people who are the cause of this problem, who got us into the Brexit situation and who now tell us that Europe is going from crisis to crisis.' His claim the leaders of the Brexit campaign 'left the next day' after the vote appeared to confuse them with David Cameron, who quit as PM after calling on voters to back Remain. By contrast, Brexit supporters David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox were brought into the Cabinet. Advertisement

The Prime Minister acknowledged she had had a 'frank' meeting with Mr Tusk shortly before she faced the press  diplomatic code for a blazing row.

In a warning to EU leaders that she cannot be pushed much further, she added: 'Let nobody be in any doubt we are preparing for 'no deal' so that if we get to a position where it is not possible to do a deal then the British people can have confidence that we will have done what is necessary to ensure we make a success of leaving the European Union regardless of the terms on which we do so.'

Mrs May also angrily rejected calls for a second referendum, after the prime ministers of Malta and the Czech Republic publicly backed the idea. She said: 'There will be no second referendum.'

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire tried to soothe the tensions today, saying Mrs May was determined not to do the 'easy' thing by caving into EU demands.

'It is a negotiation. Should we be surprised that the EU has taken a tough stance at this stage in the negotiation?' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said last night that Britain was heading for a no-deal Brexit if the EU refused to soften its position on the Irish border.

He told Newsnight the government would not drop its Chequers Plan despite the brutal rejection of it.

Mr Grayling said: 'We are in the midst of a negotiation where people are setting out robust, firm positions  and this is often the way with the European Union. They build up, there's tough language and actually a deal is done at the last. And I'm still confident that we will reach agreement.'

He added: 'We have put forward the only proposal that we believe meets the UK's red lines and also provides the right solution for the Irish border. At the moment what the European Union is asking in and around Northern Ireland is actually impossible for the UK to accept. If they stick with that position, there will be no deal.

'No UK government, certainly not this one  and the Labour party have said the same  could possibly accept any border in the Irish sea, between northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.'

Theresa May (pictured in Salzburg) was left isolated at the summit after leaders turned on her Chequers plan for Brexit

Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured next to Theresa May at the Salzburg summit) said the two sides were 'far away' from a Brexit deal

But the anger at the EU among Tories from both the Remainer and Brexiteer wings of the party was less restrained.

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith accused the EU of 'bullying' Britain.

'This demonstrates that the EU are behaving like bullies, throwing their weight around and using the Irish border as an excuse,' he said. 'This will demonstrate to so many people why we need to leave. Mrs May should go for free trade, and call their bluff.

Ex-Cabinet minister Stephen Crabb said EU leaders had sought to 'belittle' the PM.

'The manner in which they did it yesterday took many of us by surprise,' he said.

'The manner in which they sought to belittle and put down the Prime Minister yesterday pushes people like me... into a position where we say the quicker we're out of this circus, the better.

'There's still life left in this. The Prime Minister can't back down.'

Tory MP Hugo Swire said: 'If this is a negotiating ploy by Macron, Merkel and Tusk, they have seriously overestimated Theresa May's room to manoeuvre back in the UK.'

Mrs May suggested that rejection of Chequers was a negotiating 'tactic' designed to wring further concessions from her. Privately, aides said they had expected a similar 'stunt' at some point in the negotiations, but had not anticipated EU leaders deserting her in her hour of need.

Mr Tusk, who came under pressure from Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel to adopt a tough stance, said the two sides now faced a 'moment of truth' next month, which would decide whether a Brexit deal was possible or not.

He also cast doubt on whether a special Brexit summit pencilled in for November would take place at all unless Britain changes course.

At a press conference in Salzburg (pictured), EU council chief Donald Tusk insisted Theresa May's Chequers plan would undermine the single market

The EU leaders did not hold back in their criticism of the Chequers plan despite Mrs May's perilous political position. Pictured are (left to right) Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Mr Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker

EU leaders were continuing their discussions at the informal summit in Salzburg

EU council president Donald Tusk took to Instagram to joke about the standoff , posting a picture of himself choosing cakes with Mrs May and the message: 'Sorry, no cherries.'

The diplomatic ambush led to recriminations against Mrs May's advisers, who had briefed that she was poised for a breakthrough.

Mr Duncan Smith said: 'I don't know what the civil service were up to when they told her the EU would accept the Chequers deal. It's clearly not going to fly and Ollie Robbins [Mrs May's chief Brexit adviser] should take the blame for that.'

What did EU leaders say about May's Brexit plan at Salzburg summit? Leaders from across the EU savaged Theresa May's Chequers Brexit plan at the Salzburg summit. Here is what they said: Donald Tusk, EU Council President: 'Everybody shared the view that while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, the suggested framework for economic cooperation will not work, not least as it risks undermining the single market.' Emmanuel Macron, French President: 'Brexit is the choice of the British people and it is a choice pushed by certain people who predicted easy solutions. 'Brexit has shown us one thing  and I fully respect British sovereignty in saying this  it has demonstrated that those who said you can easily do without Europe, that it will all go very well, that it is easy and there will be lots of money, are liars.' Angela Merkel, German Chancellor: 'We need substantial progress on Brexit by October.' Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Commission President: 'No deal is not my working assumption, but would it happen, then we are prepared because the Commission has prepared in detail all the elements of consequences of a no-deal.' 'So don't worry. Be happy, don't worry.' Mark Rutte, Dutch PM: 'I do not feel more confident, but also at the same time not less optimistic.' Leo Varadkar, Irish PM: 'Time is running short. There's proposals for another summit in October and then in November. 'Ireland is a country that obviously wants to avoid a no deal scenario, we want to avoid a no deal Brexit, (but) we are preparing for that, we are hiring extra staff and officials, putting in IT systems, we're ready for that eventuality should it occur.' Charles Michel, Belgian PM 'Today I can see that it is necessary to make all the steps because the proposals are not enough in order to have an agreement.' Advertisement

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said EU leaders were split between those who want a pragmatic Brexit deal and those who want one that 'punishes' the UK.

He said some leaders believed 'Britain must suffer', adding: 'I don't like that approach at all. What we need is a fair Brexit and good cooperation between the UK and EU in future.' Asked if more people were coming round to his camp, he said he was 'getting a majority'.

But hours later, President Macron, Chancellor Merkel and the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier persuaded the bloc to toughen its stance.

Mr Macron made it clear he wanted to punish Britain to dissuade other member states from heading for the EU's exit door. The French President branded pro-Brexit politicians as 'liars' adding: 'Brexit shows that it is not easy to leave the EU. It is not without costs. It is not without consequences.'

Mrs May insisted Chequers was 'the only proposal' that would deliver frictionless trade with the EU and keep the UK's pledge to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.

She said EU leaders were wrong to believe that her controversial plan for a 'common rule book' on goods would undermine the single market  a point made specifically by Mr Tusk yesterday. 'Yes concerns have been raised,' she said. 'I want to know what those concerns are. There is a lot of hard work to be done. But I believe that there is a willingness to do a deal.'

The hardline approach from Brussels prompted an angry reaction in the UK. Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps said the PM was right to stick to her pledge to leave without a deal if Brussels continued to act unreasonably.

Mr Shapps said: 'I'm no Brexiteer  in fact I voted Remain  but we may fast be approaching a situation where our handling over 39billion [in 'divorce' payments] won't work for us either.' Fellow Remainer Tory MP Anna Soubry said it was clear the Chequers deal was 'bereft of life' and urged the PM to pursue membership of the EU single market after Brexit.

Meanwhile, Eurosceptic MPs stepped up their vows to kill off the Chequers deal at the Conservative conference. Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs, said: 'Everyone expected there would be some softening of Mr Barnier's line. That hasn't happened, it has been made firmer. I think Chequers now has no supporters at all. I doubt even the Downing Street cat is any longer backing the Chequers plan. I think the time has come for Mrs May to say, 'This is not going to work'.'

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis last night claimed more than 40 Tory Brexiteer MPs are ready to vote against Chequers. He said rebels have a 'solid core' of around three times the number needed to defeat the plan in Parliament.

Tory MPs rounded on Theresa May's Chequers Brexit plan after the EU's damning verdict - with Remain-voting Grant Shapps calling for the divorce bill to be withheld

Tory MP Marcus Fysh urged the PM to accept that her Chequers plan is unworkable and to move on to a new proposal

Why did PM's aide tell her Chequers was a 'game changer'? Theresa May's EU adviser is facing questions about his role in the Salzburg summit after he assured the Prime Minister that her Chequers plan would be a success. Amid shock and anger over the rejection of her deal by the EU yesterday, Olly Robbins's name was repeatedly mentioned. The senior civil servant, who Mrs May appointed as her personal Brexit adviser last year, helped draw up the Chequers strategy, which is threatening to split her party. Earlier this month he assured the PM that EU leaders thought her Brexit plan was a 'game changer'. He indicated that his attempts to sell the proposals to the remaining EU 27 member states had been a success. The wholesale rejection of the Chequers blueprint yesterday  just over a week before the Tory party conference  will make the PM's job even more difficult. As a furious Mrs May returned to London, pressure was mounting on the man she trusted to be her 'eyes and ears' in Brussels. Mr Robbins, 43, joined her team a year ago as part of a move by Number 10 to exert more control over the Brexit negotiations. He repeatedly clashed with then Brexit secretary David Davis, and was said to have suggested that he should be the opposite number to Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator. Earlier this month, Mr Robbins refused to say whether he believed leaving the EU would be a 'good thing'. A Europhile since his days at Oxford University, he became private secretary to Tony Blair aged just 31. He was steadily promoted before becoming an adviser to Mrs May and taking the helm of the Brexit negotiations. This summer, it emerged that Mrs May's right-hand man was paid a bonus of up to 20,000 despite the chaos surrounding the Brexit strategy. The PM personally signed off on the money, which comes on top of Mr Robbins's bumper pay packet of up to 165,000 a year. But his performance in selling the Chequers deal to the EU will raise questions about his future. Advertisement
Rupert Murdoch has been accused of foreign interference in Australian politics after reports he was behind the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull.

The billionaire media mogul, who was born in Melbourne but became a US citizen in 1985, is said to have forced Turnbull out after conservative rebels cited constant negative press as a reason for their revolt and the ensuing leadership spill.

During Turnbull's final days, Murdoch's radio stations, TV channels and newspapers including Sky News, 2GB, The Australian and The Daily Telegraph, ratcheted up speculation of a plot against the Prime Minister.

Mogul: Rupert Murdoch (pictured with is wife Jerry Hall in New York last year) has been accused of foreign interference in Australian politics after reports he was behind the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull

It came after Murdoch's company, News Ltd, which controls 58 per cent of newspaper sales in Australia, hammered Turnbull with negative coverage in the weeks prior to his resignation on 24 August.

Turnbull was so suspicious of a so-called 'campaign' by Murdoch to oust him that he sought advice from another media tycoon, Kerry Stokes, the chairman of Seven West Media, reported the ABC and the Australian Financial Review.

According to the ABC, Stokes sympathised with Turnbull's concerns and said he feared a Liberal Party revolt would deliver a Labor government headed by Bill Shorten.

Stokes reportedly contacted Murdoch himself to ask why he was going 'so hard' on Turnbull.

According to an ABC source, Murdoch told Stokes: 'We have got to get rid of Malcolm. If that's the price of getting rid of him then I can put up with three years of Labor.'

Murdoch then said he was happy with a short-term Labor government because he had made money with Labor in power before, the source said.

Ousted: Malcolm Turnbull delivers his resignation speech on August 24, slamming MPs for rebelling against him

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (right in parliament), accused Murdoch of ousting him in 2010 and, now out of politics, frequently uses social media to denounce the billionaire and News Corp generally

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd accused Murdoch of ousting him in 2010. He tweeted the above on Friday

Murdoch, 87, was in Australia for at least ten days before Turnbull's downfall after arriving from New York on August 10.

Sources say during his visit he instructed his news editors across several platforms to ramp up criticism of the Prime Minister.

A former Turnbull staffer told Guardian Australia:'There was no doubt there was a marked shift in the tone and content of the News Corp publications once Rupert arrived.'

'And there was no doubt in our minds that News was backing [right-wing candidate] Peter Dutton.'

The staffer is not the only one to speculate that Murdoch wanted to shift Australian politics to the right.

Associate Professor David McKnight from the University of New South Wales said he believes Murdoch wants to make Australia as right-wing as Trump's America.

Murdoch has been accused of using his power to dictate Australian politics

'In my view, Rupert Murdoch intends to transform Australia into a conservative nation and he wants to put it on the Trump road,' he told Guardian Australia.

Questions have repeatedly been raised about the power of News Ltd given that Australia has the third-most concentrated media market after Egypt and China.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd accused Murdoch of ousting him in 2010 and, now out of politics, frequently uses social media to denounce the billionaire and News Corp generally.

In August he called Murdoch a 'cancer eating the heart of Australian democracy.'

And on Friday he tweeted: 'Maybe it's time for [PM Scott] Morrison to amend the foreign interference laws to deal with US citizen Murdoch.'

In another tweet on Wednesday, he doubled down on his previous claim that Murdoch's empire behaves 'effectively as a political party in pursuit of its financial interests.'

He said politicians are too scared to stand up to Murdoch because they fear they will be 'destroyed' in the press.

When he was in office in 2007-10, Rudd repeatedly tried to take on the organisation which he described as a 'political force' but was told by his cabinet not to dare, he said.

'That's where we have got to  when an entire government thinks it's so powerless in dealing with a force like that,' he told Guardian Australia.

News Corp dismissed the idea of its alleged plot to topple Turnbull.

It said in statement: 'Mr Rudd again demonstrates his failure to understand the role of the media in a democracy  it is to challenge, question and hold to account those in public office on behalf of the communities they serve.

'A free press is critical to a free society. This often means telling uncomfortable truths but we have a long and proud history of telling the stories that matter to Australians.'
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A former company PA told her fiance she loved him just an hour before she was found dead on their kitchen floor from an accidental overdose of prescription painkillers.

Caroline Stephenson, 45, had told David Lingard on the morning of May 27 that she loved him and that she was going to walk the dog.

Just one hour later however, she was found dead in their home.

Ms Stephenson had been taking the highly additive oxycodone opioids plus diazepam after her 'thunderclap headaches' became so severe she would slur her words.

Caroline Stephenson, 45 and from Greater Manchester, was found dead on her kitchen floor after mistakenly killing herself with a lethal overdose of prescription-only painkillers after she stockpiled them to treat her migraines

Ms Stephenson had told her fiance David Lingard (both pictured) that she loved him just one hour before he found her dead. The day before the couple had been out to watch the Champions League Final and see their team Liverpool play

Although her GP tried to reduce her prescription for oxycodone - a painkiller in the codeine family - Miss Stephenson would ask for more medication and began researching ways of buying it off the internet.

On May 27 just an hour after telling her partner how much she loved him, Miss Stephenson was found collapsed on their kitchen floor at their home in Swinton, near Salford, Greater Manchester.

She died despite efforts by paramedics to save her.

At an inquest a coroner said the tragedy was a deliberate act by Miss Stephenson to 'relieve her pain' which had an 'unintended outcome' but he rejected claims she had been used as a 'guinea pig' by healthcare professionals.

The Bolton hearing was told Miss Stephenson had suffered from migraines for over 20 years after she accidentally fell over and hit her head in her early 20s. She also suffered from bowel adhesions following surgery and has been diagnosed with endocrine disorder Addison's Disease.

Fiancee David Lingard told the hearing: 'She suffered with anxiety and depression and I was her best nurse because I could spot the signs quickly. She had also fallen in her early 20s, cracking her head, and she suffered from Thunderclap headaches.

Ms Stephenson's fiance David Lingard (both pictured) told the hearing in Bolton that he had attempted to give her CPR but that it was too late and she was already dead

'She had become stressed and anxious over money worries recently relating to her benefits. She was just too ill to work.

'In her last few months, she would complain about frequent headaches and would sometimes slur her words; for instance, she once made a random comment about Florida.

'She was seeing a GP a lot, especially towards the end of her life, and she was under the impression that the GP was not taking her at face value - she felt like she was being a nuisance.

'There was a GP prescription of diazepam, but she didn't react well to it and one time she ended up in a coma.

'The day before she died, May 26, we went out to watch the Champions League Final to see our team Liverpool play. We went to the pub and she drank two or three WKDs and then we went home and went to bed.

'The next morning, she came into the bedroom at about 10.30am and she jumped on the bed, told me she loved me and that she was going to walk the dog. At 11.35am I woke up and went to the kitchen and I could see her collapsed on the floor. I called the paramedics and attempted to give her CPR, but she had died.

'The police came and found that she had been searching for Diazepam, but I don't know why because of how she reacted to them.

'She actually rang me up once and said: 'the doctor has prescribed me Diazepam again even though he knows I can't take them.'

'When she got her medication, she knew what she was taking. She was clued up with her medication.

'I think she was mishandled, I feel like she was a guinea pig - one time she came home from the doctors crying and I had to pick up the pieces.'

Miss Stephenson (pictured) had suffered from migraines for more than 20 years after she accidentally fell over and hit and her head in her early 20s. She also suffered from bowel adhesions following surgery and has been diagnosed with endocrine disorder Addison's Disease

The hearing heard that Ms Stephenson (pictured with partner David Lingard) was not suffering from opioid or any other kind of drug addiction but that she was suffering from ongoing problems with managing her pain relief

Miss Stephenson's GP Dr Niall Finegan, of the Sorrel Group Practice in Salford said: 'She registered with our practice on November 3, 2017 and when she came here she was on oxynorm, an oxycodone liquid, four times a day which we reduced.

'We removed the liquid and we eventually wanted to remove oxycodone. We didn't intend to reduce them to zero soon, but we did achieve some reductions.

'oxycodone opioids are very addictive. With Caroline we tried to reduce her drugs, which we did, but there was a limit to the amount of pain she could take.

'She was taking diazepam and she asked for them. She has been on diazepam for a long time on and off.'

'She was wanting more oxynorm but this was something that we were keen to wean her off. We did achieve it in the end but with some obstacles, because she was really asking for it a lot.

'One of the problems was as we reduced the oxycodone, she became more anxious.

Ms Stephenson and Mr Lingard were due to marry and had been sharing a home together in Greater Manchester

'The staff were very surprised to hear of the circumstances in which she died. I spoke to the chemist and they said that she was her normal happy self. I did like Caroline, our encounters were very funny and I am completely shocked by what happened.'

Pathologist Dr Piyali Pal said: 'Most people with anxiety use diazepam and it had been listed as prescribed to her. I know it makes you sleep more and it can make you slur your words if taken in high doses. The level of that drug in her system was bordering on becoming dangerous.'

Police Coroner's officer, Nicola Boyes said a detective searched Miss Stephenson's home and found a box of diazepam prescribed to her on May 23.

She added: 'There had been diazepam tablets in there but there was none left. They were either used or in some way disposed of.

'We also had a look at her phone. There were three recent searches on there, two of which were for diazepam. But, although she had gone to purchase them, those purchases never went through.

'There were emails asking about next-day delivery, so she seemed quite desperate to get hold of them.'

Concerns had been raised that Ms Stephenson (pictured) was mistreated and used as a guinea pig during her treatment, but the coroner found this not to be the case

Recording a conclusion of misadventure coroner Timother Brennand said: 'From the evidence I have seen, she has stockpiled medication.

'She had a long-standing history of conditions, such as bowel adhesions and migraines.

'She had also become anxious as a result of her pain. These were actively managed in the community by doctors but she had made recent internet searches for diazepam although none was purchased.

'She was not suffering from opioid or any other kind of drug addiction though, she was suffering from ongoing problems with managing her pain relief.

'I am of the view that because she was experiencing ongoing pain and because she had recently reduced the amount she took, she suddenly became overcome with oxycodone.

'It was an act of deliberate self-medication but with an unintended outcome. The family have raised concerns that Caroline was mistreated, and she was being used as a guinea pig. I find that is not the case.

'There were a number of pathways that were reviewed by the Sorrel Group Practice and I am entirely satisfied that this does not support the claim she was mishandled or that she was used in anyway as a guinea pig.'

For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See samaritans.org for details.
Police knew that one of their undercover officers was in a relationship with an eco-activist and allowed it to continue, it has emerged.

Mark Kennedy, who posed as a green campaigner, had a two-year relationship with Kate Wilson, who has taken police to court claiming she was 'deceived and abused'.

Ms Wilson is one of eight women who took the police to court after they were duped into relationships by undercover officers.

After reaching a settlement with seven of them in 2015, the Met said the relationships would not have been authorised in advance or used as a tactic.

But court documents seen by MailOnline reveal that a number of police officers were aware of the relationship.

Kate Wilson (pictured) is one of eight women who took the police to court after they were duped into relationships by undercover officers

Ms Wilson's relationship with Mr Kennedy began in Scotland in 2003, although he was not unmasked until 2011.

A document released on Friday said police had conceded that officers senior to Mr Kennedy were aware of his relationship with Ms Wilson.

The senior officers acquiesced to the relationship, police said.

It was released by Police Spies Out Of Lives, the organisation which provides legal support to the women.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, Ms Wilson said: 'Mark Kennedy has said that when he was infiltrating the preparations for the protests against the G8 his intelligence reports were going across the desk of Tony Blair.

'The idea that this was a small group of little managers operating on their own and there was no knowledge of it going up, I find very hard to believe.

'One of the things we're hoping is going to get examined as part of this case is the element of sexist discrimination and that there was basically a culture of institutional sexism where police thought this was OK.'

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is due to hear her case against Scotland Yard, alleging breaches of the Human Rights Act, on October 3.

After reaching a settlement with seven women in 2015, the Met said the relationships would not have been authorised in advance or used as a tactic.

Ms Wilson won a High Court battle against the Met in 2016 after it withdrew from the case.

She said in a statement: 'It has taken me eight painful years to discover that managing officers really did conspire to deceive and abuse me, something the police had consistently denied.

Mark Kennedy (pictured), who posed as a green campaigner, had a two-year relationship with Kate Wilson, who has taken police to court claiming she was 'deceived and abused'

'The wider questions for society here are massive, this is about institutional sexism, senior police officers sanctioning sexual abuse, and the systematic violation of human rights because of political beliefs, and we still don't have the whole truth.'

In November 2015 Scotland Yard apologised to the eight women who had been deceived by the undercover officers and admitted they had been 'abusive, deceitful, manipulative and wrong'.

They said such a relationship would 'never be authorised in advance' nor used as a tactic and they were 'failures of supervision and management'.

The Met said on Friday that it would be 'inappropriate' to comment on Ms Wilson's ongoing civil action at the tribunal.

A spokesman said: 'The MPS has made clear its position on long-term, sexual relationships known to have been entered into by some undercover officers in the past. Those relationships were wrong and should not have happened.'
Graham Benbow is seen leaving Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Thursday

A judge spectacularly refused to jail a teacher who drove an airport official off on his bonnet in a row over a 3 'dropping off' fee after he deemed the charges an 'absolute disgrace'.

Graham Benbow, 55, attempted to drive through an open barrier at Manchester Airport after being told he would have to pay 3 for dropping off a passenger.

The official tried to stop him but ended up on the bonnet of Benbow's Mazda 3 hatchback car and was carried along the road for several hundred yards.

During the hearing, Judge Bernard Lever said Benbow was 'fortunate' that he himself had experienced the airport charges.

The incident occurred on July 23, just 13 days after the charges were introduced by the airport, which claimed it would ease 'growing congestion.'

At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Benbow, of Stockton Heath, was given a six-month suspended sentence as he admitted dangerous driving.

In sentencing, the judge said: 'Although it is no excuse for dangerous driving, I think that it is an absolute disgrace that people cannot deliver people to airports without paying an extraordinary amount.

'I was dropping off my cousin at the airport on Sunday and I was warned by my sister that the airport charges had been introduced so I looked for a sign when I arrived - but if I did not know I might not have seen it.

'The airport already does make a lot of money and does not need to charge 3 for people to drop people off.

'My sister warned me that by the time you have got to the front you are allowed just minutes or seconds and they start charging you more.

'I saw a troop of elderly people who had been dropped off away from the airport trying to avoid these unjust charges.

Under the new charges drivers are charged 3 for five minutes or 4 for ten minutes to stop outside terminals and the railway station with anyone found 'circling' facing a 25 penalty

'These were not young joggers, they were elderly people who had to be dropped off some distance away from the airport.'

After the hearing, Manchester Airport said it was 'appalled by the judge's comments and attitude towards determining a suitable punishment for criminal driving'.

Benbow, a psychology teacher at one of Britain's top girls' grammar schools, went over a roundabout before eventually stopping for police before the M56 motorway.

The unnamed airport official was uninjured in the incident but said he 'genuinely believed he could die from falling off the bonnet'.

The judge told Benbow: 'I quite understand why you lost your rag and completely flipped in the way you did but judges have to uphold the regulations that authorities at the airport are entitled to up their levy from time to time.

'I have to make it clear to everyone that they must not lose their temper. That does not retract from the fact that this was very dangerous driving and what you did was very reckless and dangerous.

Judge Bernard Lever (left) said Benbow (right) was 'fortunate' that he himself had experienced the airport charges, which were introduced by the airport in July

'You were not driving at a great speed but it is wrong to drive along the with someone of the bonnet of your car.

'He was trying to call your bluff and you were trying to call his bluff and I expect you were both enraged at that time. I accept that this is totally out of character.'

The incident occurred on July 23, just 13 days after the charges were introduced by the airport which claimed it would ease 'growing congestion.'

Benbow, who works at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, was in the drop off area at the airport when he encountered the official .

Prosecutor Duncan Wilcock said: 'The complainant is a gentleman who is employed by the airport to explain the rules and to explain what steps should be taken with regards to the drop-off charges.

'Staff from the airport saw what had taken place and sent information via radio to the police. He went over a roundabout and stopped just before the M65 motorway.

Motorists and taxi drivers have condemned the charges as 'simple money-making exercise' by the airport aimed 'squeezing the last penny out of travellers'

'He pulled into the side of the road but when the officer tells him to pull his keys from the ignition he tried to reverse away from the officer.

'In a statement the complainant said he feared for his life during this incident and genuinely thought that he could die from falling off the bonnet.

'He said the defendant was driving in a manic manner across the roundabout.'

Benbow was banned from driving for 12 months and will have to retake his driving test after the disqualification period.

Under the new drop off charges drivers are charged 3 for five minutes or 4 for ten minutes to stop outside terminals and the railway station with anyone found 'circling' facing a 25 penalty.

But motorists and taxi drivers have condemned the charges as 'simple money-making exercise' by the airport aimed 'squeezing the last penny out of travellers.'
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Hundreds of Apple fans have queued outside stores to get their hands on the new iPhone XS today - despite its eye-watering price tag.

Fans have been spotted waiting outside stores in London, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, Dubai and Berlin among others to get their hands on the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and Apple Watch Series 4.

The 999 ($999) iPhone XS and 1,099 ($1,099) XS Max have been battling it out to be crowned Apple's fastest selling smartphone of all time.

The most expensive iPhone of all time  the 1,449 ($1,449) 512GB XS Max  sold out in its space grey and gold finishes in under half an hour last week.

Pre-orders are being shipped today in select markets, including the US and UK, with more locations set to be added on September 28. Each phone is available in gold, silver and space grey.

The first customers enter the Apple Store on Regent Street in London this morning as the iPhone XS and XS Max go on sale

Customers in the Apple Store on Regent Street in London try out the new products this morning

Customers walk around the store in Regent Street today as the iPhone XS and XS Max go on sale in the UK for the first time

Hundreds of Apple fans have queued outside stores to get their hands on the new iPhone XS  despite its eye-watering price tag. Pictured are people queuing outside the Apple Store in Regent Street, London

Droves of iPhone fans queued outside the company's UK flagship Regent Street store on Friday morning, hoping to be among the first to get their hands on the iPhone XS and XS Max, which chief executive Tim Cook unveiled earlier this month as Apple's most-advanced iPhone yet.

Most customers pre-ordered their new handsets for collection ahead of the store's 8am opening, but about a dozen eager buyers without a reservation turned up to queue through cold and windy conditions on Thursday afternoon.

With the ability to pre-order and reserve a slot to collect the latest phones, fanfare at the Apple Store was less than earlier years of the iPhone, which saw hundreds of hopeful customers camping outside overnight.

'I just came really early, I was here at half past one in the afternoon,' explained the first customer to buy the handset.

'It's completely sad but I needed an upgrade,' said a 19-year old student who also queued overnight.

'It's gold, what's not to love?' said another customer who participates in the ritual each year, waiting an hour in the pre-order queue.

The 999 ($999) iPhone XS and 1,099 ($1,099) XS Max have been battling it out to be crowned Apple's fastest selling smartphone of all time. Pictured are people outside the Apple Store on Regent Street in London

The most expensive iPhone of all time  the 1,449 ($1,499) 512GB XS Max  sold out in its space grey and gold finishes in under half an hour last week. Pictured are fans queuing on Regent Street

The new Apple iPhone XS Max is held at the Apple Store on Regent Street in London this morning

'I always like to get a new bit of tech and flash it around the office a little bit.'

The phone is flying off the shelves despite people mocking its eye-watering price this week, with social media users joking that Apple should have named its new flagship handsets the 'excess' and 'excess Max.'

The iPhone XR, Apple's new 'budget' handset priced at $749 (749), will not be available for pre-order until October.

To get your hands on an iPhone XS or XS Max, head to Apple.com/UK or the Apple Store iOS app.

Keep hitting the refresh button until pre-sale models go up, then choose your preferred colour, storage capacity, and fill in your personal details.

Customers wait to buy their new products at the Australian release of the latest iPhones at the Apple Store in Sydney today

Customers wait outside the Apple Store in Sydney. Apple's latest iPhone Xs and Xs Max feature super retina displays

An Apple staff member shows a customer the new iPhone in Sydney (left), while a woman looks at the device in Tokyo (right)

Traditionally, the Apple Store app comes back online ahead of the website  meaning pre-orders are often available ahead of those waiting for the website to refresh.

The iPhone XS, XS Max and XR were all announced at a huge Apple event at the company's headquarters in California last Tuesday.

The tech giant announced its biggest and most expensive iPhone yet with the 6.5-inch XS Max, which features a Super Retina display.

It can store up to 512 gigabytes of data, pushing its price tag up from a base price of 1,099 ($1,099) to 1,499 ($1,499) for users who need the space.

Customers from Vietnam take photos of their iPhone XS purchases at the Apple Store in Singapore today

Daniel Lim, 23, was the first in line to buy the newly released iPhones, and poses with his purchases at the store in Singapore

A customer shows his iPhone XS Max during the launch at an Apple store on the Nanjing East Road in Shanghai, China, today

People experience new Apple's iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max during a media tour at an Apple office in Shanghai today

Customers experience the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max during the launch event in Shanghai today

People queue outside an Apple store for the new iPhone XS and XS Max that go on sale in Hangzhou in Zhejiang, China

People handle the new Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max during a media tour at an Apple office in Shanghai, China (pictured)

As if that wasn't enough, Apple also took the wraps off of the $999 5.8-inch iPhone XS, a device that CEO Tim Cook said is 'by far the most advanced iPhone we have ever created.'

Like their predecessor, the iPhone X, the name is intended to be pronounced as the number 10. But, people are already reading it as X, and that's likely to catch on.

As a result, many have pointed out that it sounds much like 'excess' and 'excess Max.'

On Twitter, Apple fans are simultaneously hailing the sleek new products and dragging the company for its name choice.

Customers have been snapping up the iPhone XS and XS Max (pictured) since pre-orders kick-started at 8:01am BST (3:01am ET) on Apple.com/UK and on the Apple Store iOS app

Apple has launched pre-sales for its hotly-anticipated new flagship smartphones. The most expensive iPhone of all time - the 1,449 512GB XS Max (right) - sold out in its silver and gold finishes in under half an hour

'The iPhone Xs Max price reflects the name...,' Twitter user @juhasaarinen wrote.

'Apple's new phone's name is iphone XS which like every other iphone would be EXCESSively overpriced,' @Bhavessshh tweeted.

'Did they really name the new iPhone the 'excess'?' XS? Is this an SNL skit?' another user commented.

Others found the company's lack of creativity to be a bigger issue, with many simply calling the new names 'dumb' and 'lazy.'

The $999 (999) iPhone XS (right) and $1,099 (1,099) XS Max (left) are battling it out to be crowned Apple's fastest selling smartphone

'These phones really look wonderful, but 'iPhone XS Max' is the worst product name Apple has come up with in this century,' Twitter user @gilbert said.

Tech analyst Patrick O'Rourke joined in, tweeting: 'I want to go on the record now as saying that iPhone Xs Max is a bad name for a smartphone'

Apple also unveiled a more affordable model on Tuesday in a bid to ensure their devices 'reach even more customers,' with the 6.1-inch iPhone XR shipping at $749.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE IPHONE XS AND XS MAX? The iPhone XS and larger XS Max are Apple's latest flagship devices. The pair have a similar design and features to the existing iPhone X - including its much-hyped Face ID unlock system - with a few key additions. They hit stores on September 21, 2018 with the iPhone XS priced at $999 (999) and the XS Max a whopping $1,099 (1,099). Like the iPhone X, the XS has a 5.8-inch OLED screen, while the XS Max boasts a mammoth 6.5-inch OLED display. For comparison, the iPhone XS Max is bigger even than the Galaxy Note 9, which spans 6.4 inches. The XS and XS Max have dual 12-megapixel rear cameras and a dual 7-megapixel selfie camera - just like the iPhone X. Apple launched its iPhone XS and XS Max flagship devices at an event in San Francisco on September 12 Apple has bolstered the batteries loaded into each phone too. It claims the iPhone XS runs for half an hour longer than last year's X, while the XS Max lasts an additional 1.5 hours. Apple's newest phones feature faster processors and better memory capacities than their predecessor. Both are loaded with Apple's new A12 Bionic chip, which Apple claims runs run 15 per cent faster than the A11 chip in the iPhone X. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are shipping in 64GB, 256GB or 512GB  the largest in-built storage ever shipped on an Apple-branded smartphone. They are available in gold, silver and space grey. Advertisement

Rumors had suggested that Apple would be having an 'S' year this time around, with most of the upgrades focused on specs instead of looks, which proved to be mostly true.

Both the iPhone XS and XS Max take a page from the 10th anniversary iPhone X in their design, featuring edge-to-edge organic LED screens, slimmer bezels and facial recognition technology that replaces the home button.

That doesn't mean the devices fall short on upgrades, however.

'These are incredible new iPhones,' said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing. 'The best iPhones we've ever made by a long shot.'

Apple also took the wraps off of the 5.8-inch iPhone XS, which costs $999. CEO Tim Cook described the device as being 'by far the most advanced iPhone we have ever created'

Apple says the phones are 'more waterproof' than their predecessors and the cameras are 'better than ever before.'

The XS and XS Max feature some significant display upgrades. The 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max has a Super Retina display and a resolution of 2,688 x 1,242.

Both phones have improved speakers, a 120Hz refresh rate and Face ID is now speedier, thanks to new algorithms, allowing users to more quickly unlock their device with just their face.

Schiller called this version of Face ID the most secure facial authentication in a smartphone ever.

iPhone XR vs iPhone XS vs XS Max Screen Size: Display Type: Processor: Water Resistance: Battery Life: Fast Charge: Wireless Charge: 3D Touch Display: Dual Cameras: Optical Zoom: FaceID: Weight: Software: Price: Colours: iPhone XR 6.1-inch LCD A12 Bionic IP67 Up to 15 hours Yes Yes No No No Yes 194g (6.84 oz) iOS 12 $749 (749) Yellow, White, Coral, Black, Blue, and Product Red iPhone XS 5.8-inch OLED A12 Bionic IP68 Up to 12 hours Yes Yes Yes Dual 12MP Lens Yes. 2x Yes 177g (6.24oz) iOS 12 $999 (999) Gold, Space Grey, Silver iPhone XS Max 6.5-inch OLED A12 Bionic IP68 Up to 13 hours Yes Yes Yes Dual 12MP Lens Yes. 2x Yes 208g (7.34 oz) iOS 12 $1099 (1099) Gold, Space Grey, Silver Advertisement

The iPhone XS and XS Max feature dual 12 megapixel rear cameras and a dual 7 megapixel selfie camera with bigger sensors and an improved high-dynamic range imaging, called 'Smart HDR,' which results in better lighting and photos with deeper colors.

Along with that, Apple introduced an improved 'bokeh' effect, which adds a blur in the background of portrait mode photos.

Apple says this smooths out the transition from foreground to background and better defines background shapes.

The new slider tool allows users to adjust the depth of field in photos and adjust the camera aperture, to deepen or reduce the depth of field even after a photo is taken.

Apple has bolstered the batteries loaded into each phone too.

The iPhone XS and XS Max have 12 megapixel cameras with bigger sensors and an improved high-dynamic range imaging, which results in better lighting and photos with deeper colors

Apple has improved the 'bokeh' effect, which blurs the background of portrait mode photos. It smooths out the transition from foreground to background and defines background shapes

HANDS ON WITH IPHONE XS MAX Boasting a 6.5inch OLED screen, the iPhone XS Max is the biggest phone Apple has ever made. While on paper the screen may seem almost too big, the curved design means that in the flesh, it's incredibly easy to pick up and handle - and absolutely stunning to look at. There is something of a jaw dropping moment the first time you load up a picture of press play on the movie. Apple's new iPhone XS Max is shown (right) beside the smaller XS That screen is sharp and incredibly bright, and the phone (and even the still present notch) are almost invisible, making this the closest thing yet to Apple's 'all screen' vision. The sound has also had a huge boost, and even in the crowded scrum like experience of the hands on area at Apple's event, audio was loud enough to hear clearly - if you want to annoy the neighbours of fellow commuters, this is definitely the speaker system to do it with. The speed increase Apple has given the handset are also noticeable, with the system feeling far snappier and more responsive - although we weren't able to try to FaceID system, which has apparently been dramatically improved. While many users liked the smaller size of the iPhone X when it was released last year, the Max does the seemingly impossibly - making a big screen phone that really doesn't feel like a big screen phone. It's big enough that you feel you could actually do far more, with emails and documents given a whole new lease of life. Overall, the iPhone Xs Max is probably the handset users of the Plus iPhones have been waiting for - and the extra screen real estate really does make this a phone that manages to balance a big screen with the usability and great feel iPhones are known for. Overall, it's bigger and faster, and if you are willing to spend $1100 on a phone and want the absolute best, then this is the handset for you. -Mark Prigg at the Steve Jobs Theater for Dailymail.com Advertisement

It claims the iPhone XS runs for half an hour longer than last year's X, while the XS Max lasts an additional 1.5 hours.

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are shipping in 64GB, 256GB or 512GB  the largest in-built storage ever shipped on an Apple-branded smartphone.

Apple's newest phones are equipped with faster processors and better memory capacities than ever before, relying on Apple's new, super fast A12 Bionic chip.

The A12 chip is made up of a six-core CPU, which contains two 'performance' cores and four 'efficiency' cores.

Apple unveiled the more affordable iPhone XR to ensure their devices 'reach even more customers,' with the device shipping at $749. Pre-orders for the devices start this week

It's also packed with a four-core GPU that Apple says is '50 percent faster' than the A11 Bionic chip.

On top of that, the phones feature an upgraded Neural Engine, which powers everything from the iPhone's augmented reality features to its dual-lens camera.

The Neural Engine gets a bump up to eight cores, an upgrade from its previous two cores, and can also handle a staggering 5 trillion operations per second.

The iPhone XS and XS Max are now able to open apps up to 30 percent faster thanks to the A12 Bionic chip.

It will also power improvements in AR, Memoji and Siri shortcuts.

The iPhone XS and XS Max are now able to open apps up to 30 percent faster thanks to the A12 Bionic chip. It will also power improvements in AR, Memoji and Siri shortcuts

Both phones will support the use of two phone numbers and data plans, using a physical SIM card and an e-SIM card. This isn't available yet, but will come in a software update later this fall

Another update that may have gotten lost in the fray is that Apple is adding dual SIM support for the first time ever.

That means both phones will support the use of two phone numbers and data plans, using a physical SIM card and an e-SIM card.

The feature isn't available just yet, but will be enabled in a software update 'later this fall.'

In China, where e-SIMs are barred, Apple will even ship a special version of the iPhone XS Max that's equipped to handle two physical SIM trays.

Earlier in the event, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 4, which marks a major step up from the Series 3.
As many newlyweds have celebrated their first dance with renditions of the lift from Dirty Dancing, this father and daughter made it their own with an incredible dance mash-up.

The pair start off in traditional style dancing to Daydream Believer by The Monkees only to don sunglasses and dance to Madness, Saturday Night Fever and even Beyonce.

But it turns out the father, Ian Richards, 55, stole the show as guests chanted his name and wanted an encore at the wedding in Nottingham.

Bride, Amie Milner, 29, is a dance teacher and guests expected her to do something dance related with new husband, Liam.

But no one predicted she would have a traditional romantic dance with Liam and pull out the moves with her father.

The pair had eight to ten half-hour lessons choreographing the routine at Amie's dance school, The L.A Performing Arts Academy in Doncaster.

The father and daughter from Doncaster dance to Saturday Night Fever (left) and Madness, One Step Beyond (right)

Mr Richards, a retired police officer, told BBC Radio Sheffield: 'It was my daughter's idea as soon as she decided to get married. She said she wanted to do a more traditional dance with Liam, her husband and would I be up for a bit of a laugh.

'The family knew something was off because i was disappearing for private dance lessons but they had no idea what the dance was or what we were gonna do.

'I've got three things to do that day, walk her down the aisle, deliver a speech and do the dance and I've got to say the dance was what I was most worried about.'

Amie and her father Ian practiced the routine over eight to ten sessions at Amie's dance school in Doncaster

Mrs Milner, who is now on her honeymoon in Cyprus, told MailOnline: 'I think everyone expected me to do something dance orientated with my husband Liam, but we just wanted to have a nice romantic dance! So we thought would surprise everyone with a father and daughter dance mash up.'

'I created the mashup at the start of this year, and after my dad retired in May and he started coming for weekly private lessons.'

'The songs we picked, the monkeys, queen, beegees are all songs that remind me of my father, and the Beyonce track was just for a laugh! And the last song turn down for what, was mainly for me, Im a street dancer.'

'It went down a storm and by the end of the Dance everyone was chanting my dads name, we even did an encore at the end of the night. It was brilliant.'
Donald Tusk has said he 'remains convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible' after Theresa May berated EU leaders following her humilation in Salzburg.

Responding to a ferocious fightback from the Prime Minister earlier today, Mr Tusk said he only said her Chequers plan would not work because of her 'surprisingly tough and uncompromising' stance.

He said in a statement: 'The response of the EU27 leaders was to reiterate our trust in chief negotiator Michel Barnier and to reiterate our position on the integrity of the Single Market and the Irish backstop.

'While understanding the logic of the negotiations, I remain convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible. I say these words as a close friend of the UK and a true admirer of PM May.'

His words come after a clearly livid Mrs May hit out at her counterparts for 'lacking respect' when they brutally rejetced her Chequers plan at this week's summit.

In a combative statement in Downing Street, she admitted that the two sides were still a 'long way apart' and at an 'impasse'.

In a statement in Downing Street today, Mrs May admitted that the two sides were still a 'long way apart'

A clearly livid Prime Minister hit out at her counterparts for lacking 'respect' as she vowed defiance in her statement today

Contrasting moods: Mrs May looked deep in thought as she returned to Downing Street after the summit this morning (left). But she was snapped smiling broadly after delivering her angry rebuke to EU leaders (right)

But she warned that the leaders were 'making a mistake' if they thought she would back down on her red lines, and said failure to compromise would poison relations completely.

'Throughout this process I have treated the EU with nothing other than respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it,' she said.

Theresa May's speech in full 'Yesterday, I was in Salzburg for talks with European leaders. 'I have always said that these negotiations would be tough - and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight. 'While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that - despite the progress we have made - there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart. 'The first is our economic relationship after we have left. Here, the EU is still only offering us two options. 'The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU. 'In plain English, this would mean we'd still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn't do the trade deals we want with other countries. 'That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago. 'The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea. 'Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea. 'Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would not respect that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, in line with the principle of consent, as set out clearly in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. 'It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake. 'Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal. 'But I have also been clear that the best outcome is for the UK to leave with a deal. That is why, following months of intensive work and detailed discussions, we proposed a third option for our future economic relationship, based on the frictionless trade in goods. That is the best way to protect jobs here and in the EU and to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, while respecting the referendum result and the integrity of the United Kingdom. 'Yesterday Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse. 'The second issue is connected to the first. We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if there's a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still won't be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. 'But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union. 'As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country. 'We will set out our alternative that preserves the integrity of the UK. And it will be in line with the commitments we made back in December - including the commitment that no new regulatory barriers should be created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK unless the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly agree. 'As I told EU leaders, neither side should demand the unacceptable of the other. 'We cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of our union, just as they cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of theirs. 'We cannot accept anything that does not respect the result of the referendum, just as they cannot accept anything that is not in the interest of their citizens. 'Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it. 'At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals. 'So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress. 'In the meantime, we must and will continue the work of preparing ourselves for no deal. 'In particular, I want to clarify our approach to two issues. First, there are over 3 million EU citizens living in the UK who will be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterday's summit means for their future. 'I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay. 'Second, I want to reassure the people of Northern Ireland that in the event of no deal we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to a hard border. 'Let me also say this. The referendum was the largest democratic exercise this country has ever undergone. To deny its legitimacy or frustrate its result threatens public trust in our democracy. 'That is why for over two years I have worked day and night to deliver a deal that sees the UK leave the EU. 'I have worked to bring people with me even when that has not always seemed possible. 'No one wants a good deal more than me. But the EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country. 'We need serious engagement on resolving the two big problems in the negotiations. We stand ready.' Advertisement

'It is not acceptable to reject the other side's proposals without an explanation.'

The Pound fell sharply as Mrs May delivered the angry retort, as markets assessed that the chances of 'no deal' have risen. She was condemned by Remainers and Labour - but Tory Brexiteers said she was right to stand her ground against Brussels.

The premier did offer something of an olive branch by unilaterally guaranteeing the rights of around three million EU citizens already living in the UK.

The high-stakes clashes with the EU have threatened to destabilise Mrs May further ahead of an explosive Tory conference in just 10 days' time, where she could face an all-out mutiny from Eurosceptics over the Chequers plan.

Support for Mrs May's stance in the Cabinet is said to be weakening, with Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Aid Secretary Penny Mordaunt among those thought to be edging towards backing looser Canada-style links with the EU.

There are signs that the EU recognises that the jibes could have gone too far, with EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker saying the two sides have to be 'careful' about engaging with each other 'like two loving hedgehogs'.

Irish PM Leo Varadkar also stressed that he still believed there will be a deal, and suggested that elements of Mrs May's Chequers plan could be included in a future trade package.

In a statement designed to shore up her own political position as well as rebuking the EU, Mrs May accused the EU of offering the UK two 'unacceptable' options.

She said one was join the EEA and accept free movement and all EU rules without having a say in making them.

The other option was a looser Canada-style free trade agreement - but allowing Northern Ireland to stay within the bloc's customs jurisdiction.

On the latter she said: 'It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake.

'Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal.'

Earlier, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab lashed out at 'dark mutterings' in Brussels about 'Northern Ireland being the price Britain will have to pay' for leaving the bloc - a reference to demands for the province to stay under EU customs rules after Brexit.

'That is not going to happen,' he told the BBC's Politics Live. 'Not with this PM, and not with this parliament.' Mr Raab accused the EU of 'yanking up the handbrake' and leaving a 'serious question mark' about whether they were taking the talks seriously.

He branded EU council president Donald Tusk 'unstatesmanlike' for tweeting a picture of himself choosing cakes with Mrs May and the message, 'Sorry, no cherries.'

'We've been rebuffed on our plans without any coherent explanation as to why, there's these sort of rather dogmatic pleas to the single market unity but our plans were very carefully crafted around that,' he said.

He added: 'We're going to hold our nerve, stay calm and keep negotiating in good faith.

'We've revved up the motor of these negotiations, I've been out there a lot more frequently to get motoring, to make progress and the EU have just yanked up the handbrake and for the negotiations to go forward they're going to have to take their hand off the handbrake.'

He said Mrs May was 'a very stoic, resilient character'.

The British response reflected anger from both Brexiteers and Remainers at the sabre-rattling behaviour from leaders in Salzburg yesterday.

The DUP, which is propping Mrs May up in power, welcomed her assurances on the Northern Ireland border issue, saying she was 'standing up' for the UK's interests.

Nigel Dodds, the party's Westminster leader, said: 'You only need checks between Northern Ireland the rest of the United Kingdom if you are having different regimes operating and different rules being imposed on Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the United Kingdom, that is unacceptable, the Prime Minister has made that clear today.'

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who chairs the Brexiteer European Research Group, (ERG) praised the PM's 'strong and forthright' speech - but urged her to revert to pushing for a Canada-style deal.

He said: 'The EU is not acting in good faith. This makes the Prime Minister's task harder and she is right to remind them that no deal is better than a bad deal.

'The Prime Minister is also right to protect the rights of people from EU member states living in this country regardless of whether there is a deal.

'Likewise her determination not to erect barriers between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic is sensible and something many have previously suggested.

'However, there is still no reason to suppose that Chequers can work either for the UK or the EU.

'It is time for the Government to start putting forward as its plan a Canada-style free trade agreement for the whole of the UK.'

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described Mrs May on the Brexit negotiations as 'dreadful' as she branded the Chequers proposals a 'dead duck'.

Mrs Sturgeon said a no deal or 'no detail' Brexit was not acceptable following the Prime Minister's update.

She said: 'The Prime Minister's statement was dreadful. The EU's view of the Chequers plan was bluntly and clearly expressed in Salzburg yesterday, but should not have come as a surprise to the UK Government, given that it was not a new position.

'Clearly, the Prime Minister has not been listening - Chequers is a dead duck but if her tactic now is to try and double down on those proposals and then seek to blame the EU for a no deal outcome, then she will do huge damage to all of those she is supposed to serve.

'What the latest development shows more clearly than ever is that the only remotely workable way for Brexit to happen is for the UK to stay in the single market and customs union.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured left) said today that the bloc was mistaken if it thought it could bounce Mrs May into concessions. He also branded the behaviour of Donald Tusk (pictured right) 'unacceptable'

Donald Tusk's Brexit statement The European Union and its leaders fully respect the UKs decision expressed in the referendum on leaving the EU. From the very beginning of the negotiations we have been focused on finding a deal that will minimise the damage resulting from Brexit. Also important to us is to create the best possible relations between the EU and the UK in the future. We studied the Chequers proposals in all seriousness. The results of our analysis have been known to the British side in every detail for many weeks. After intensive consultations with Member States, we decided that for the good of the negotiations, and out of respect for the efforts of PM May, we will treat the Chequers plan as a step in the right direction. In Salzburg, right before our meeting I said in a public statement: 'I would like to stress that some of Prime Minister May's proposals from Chequers indicate a positive evolution in the UK's approach as well as a will to minimise the negative effects of Brexit. 'By this I mean, among other things, the readiness to cooperate closely in the area of security and foreign policy. On other issues, such as the Irish question, or the rules of economic cooperation, the UK's proposals will need to be reworked and further negotiated.' The UK stance presented just before and during the Salzburg meeting was surprisingly tough and in fact uncompromising. The response of the EU27 leaders was to reiterate our trust in chief negotiator Michel Barnier and to reiterate our position on the integrity of the Single Market and the Irish backstop. While understanding the logic of the negotiations, I remain convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible. I say these words as a close friend of the UK and a true admirer of PM May. Advertisement

'If the Prime Minister is not prepared to do that, then Brexit shouldn't happen. A 'no deal' or 'no detail' Brexit are simply not acceptable - particularly for Scotland, where we did not vote for any of this.'

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson also appealed for calm, urging critics of Mrs May's approach to 'shut up for a bit'.

'Of course it is concerning that we are still in a place where it is not clear to everybody what is going to happen and when and how it is going to happen. But I still think there will be a deal,' she told an event in Edinburgh organised by the Times Scotland.

'I would really quite like some of my colleagues in Westminster to shut up for a bit. Put their sharp elbows and their personal ambition away and just let the Prime Minister do her job and go into bat for the country and bring home a deal.'

Mr Macron (pictured with Mrs May at the summit) was among the leaders pushing for a tough line against the British position

Mrs May (pictured in Salzburg) was left isolated at the summit after leaders turned on her Chequers plan for Brexit

French president Emmanuel Macron sparked particular outrage when he gloated that turmoil in negotiations will teach Britons not to listen to 'liars' about how easy it would be to leave.

In his press conference last night, Mr Macron said: 'Brexit is the choice of the British people and it is a choice pushed by certain people who predicted easy solutions,' he said in Salzburg,' he said.

Corbyn takes 24 hours to respond to EU summit meltdown Jeremy Corbyn was mocked today after taking 24 hours to issue a response to the EU summit meltdown. The Labour leader did not comment on the row even though he found time to congratulate the winner of the Mercury Music prize. When the Labour leader finally did make a statement after Mrs May's Downing Street appearance this afternoon, he said her negotiating strategy had been a 'disaster'. 'The Tories have spent more time arguing among themselves than negotiating with the EU,' he said. 'From day one, the Prime Minister has looked incapable of delivering a good Brexit deal for Britain. 'The political games from both the EU and our Government need to end because no deal is not an option.' Advertisement

'Brexit has shown us one thing  and I fully respect British sovereignty in saying this  it has demonstrated that those who said you can easily do without Europe, that it will all go very well, that it is easy and there will be lots of money, are liars.

'This is all the more true because they left the next day, so they didn't have to manage it.' Mr Macron said it was true that Brexit negotiations had been complex and lengthy.

But he added: 'That fact must not be exploited by those very people who are the cause of this problem, who got us into the Brexit situation and who now tell us that Europe is going from crisis to crisis.'

His claim the leaders of the Brexit campaign 'left the next day' after the vote appeared to confuse them with David Cameron, who quit as PM after calling on voters to back Remain. By contrast, Brexit supporters David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox were brought into the Cabinet.

A visibly shaken Mrs May rounded on EU leaders for hanging her out to dry yesterday as she battled to keep her Chequers Brexit plan alive in the face of fierce Tory criticism.

Mr Tusk said the other 27 leaders 'all agreed' that the complex plans at the heart of the Chequers deal 'will not work'.

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire tried to soothe the tensions today, saying Mrs May was determined not to do the 'easy' thing by caving into EU demands.

Mrs May arrived at the back entrance of No10 today after the bruising gathering in Salzburg

'It is a negotiation. Should we be surprised that the EU has taken a tough stance at this stage in the negotiation?' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Tory former minister Stephen Crabb, a Remainer in the referendum, voiced anger at the way they had tried to 'belittle' the PM.

Critics of May's Brexit plan should 'shut up for a bit', says Davidson Critics of Theresa May's Brexit deal should 'shut up for a bit', Ruth Davidson said today. The Scottish Tory leader played down the PM's Brexit woes in Salzburg as she appealed for calm. 'Of course it is concerning that we are still in a place where it is not clear to everybody what is going to happen and when and how it is going to happen,' she told an event in Edinburgh organised by the Times Scotland. 'But I still think there will be a deal. 'I would really quite like some of my colleagues in Westminster to shut up for a bit. Put their sharp elbows and their personal ambition away and just let the Prime Minister do her job and go into bat for the country and bring home a deal.' Advertisement

'The manner in which they sought to belittle and put down the Prime Minister yesterday pushes people like me... into a position where we say the quicker we're out of this circus, the better,' he said.

Conservative MP Hugo Swire said: 'If this is a negotiating ploy by Macron, Merkel and Tusk, they have seriously overestimated Theresa May's room to manoeuvre back in the UK.'

Ex-Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith said the EU leaders had behaved 'appalling' and had 'got personal'.

Mr Juncker seemed to accept that the attacks on Mrs May might have gone too far.

He likened the bloc and Britain to 'two loving hedgehogs'.

'We have to be careful, like two loving hedgehogs,' Mr Juncker told Austrian newspapers.

'When two hedgehogs hug each other, you have to be careful that there will be no scratches.'

Jeremy Corbyn came under fire after taking 24 hours to issue a response to the summit meltdown - even though he had found time to congratulate the winner of the Mercury Music prize.

When the Labour leader finally did make a statement after Mrs May's Downing Street appearance today he said her negotiating strategy had been a 'disaster'.

'The Tories have spent more time arguing among themselves than negotiating with the EU,' he said.

'From day one, the Prime Minister has looked incapable of delivering a good Brexit deal for Britain.

'The political games from both the EU and our Government need to end because no deal is not an option.'

How does Theresa May's Chequers deal compare with a Canada-style free trade deal? CHEQUERS Trade: Britain would stick to EU rules on goods by adopting a 'Common rulebook' with Brussels, but in the services sector. Theresa May says this would allow the UK strike free trade deals globally, but the scope would be limited by commitments to the EU. The blueprint should minimise the need for extra checks at the borders - protecting the 'just in time' systems used by the car industry to import and export parts. The UK Parliament could choose to diverge from these EU rules over time. But there is an admission that this would 'have consequences'. Customs: Britain would set up something called a Facilitated Customs Arrangement. This would see the UK effectively act as the EU's taxman - using British officials to collect customs which would then be paid on to the bloc. The borders between the UK and EU will be treated as a 'combined customs territory'. The UK would apply domestic tariffs and trade policies for goods intended for the UK, but charge EU tariffs and their equivalents for goods which will end up heading into the EU. Northern Ireland: Mrs May says her plan will prevent a hard Irish border, and mean no divergence between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain. There would be no need for extra border checks, as tariffs on goods would be the same. Single market origin rules and regulations would also be sufficiently aligned to avoid infrastructure. CANADA-STYLE Trade: Britain would strike a Canada-style free trade deal with the EU, meaning goods can flow both ways without tariffs. As it is a simple free trade deal, Britain would not be bound by the rules and red tape drawn up in Brussels. The arrangement would be a relatively clean break from the EU - but would fall far short of full access to the single market. Eurosceptics have suggested 'Canada plus' in key areas such as services and mutual recognition of standards. The UK would have broad scope to strike free trade deals around the world. Customs: Technology would be used to avoid extra customs checks on the borders. As a result goods travelling into the UK from the EU and vice versa would be tracked and customs paid without extra checks. The EU has suggested this is 'magical thinking'. Northern Ireland: The EU says the Canada model would mean border controls are required between Northern Ireland and the Republic to protect the single market and customs union. It insists Northern Ireland must stay in the bloc's customs jurisdiction in order to prevent that. Mrs May has signalled she agrees with the analysis - seemingly the reason she is reluctant to go down this route. But Brexiteers point out that there is already a tax border between the UK and Ireland, and say technology and trusted trader schemes can avoid the need for more infrastructure. Advertisement

Where did it all go wrong? May's string of blunders that turned Salzburg summit from triumph to disaster

Theresa May was hoping that the Salzburg summit could be the moment that her political fortunes changed.

Downing Street went into the gathering with the expectation that EU leaders would, if not endorse, at least stop short of killing her Chequers plan.

That would have allowed her to go into a potentially explosive Conservative Party conference at the end of this month with a modicum of wind in her sails.

But in the event her compromise plan - pushed through at home at the cost of ministerial resignations and a simmering Tory mutiny - was brutally knifed by her counterparts.

The meltdown has raised fresh doubts about whether Mrs May can survive much longer in No10, and brought the prospect of the UK crashing out of the bloc a step closer.

And it appears tensions were heightened by a series of missteps by the PM and her aides as the drama unfolded.

A clearly shaken Theresa May insisted she was sticking to her Chequers plan at a press conference in Salzburg after the vicious attacks from EU leaders

1. Tough talk before the summit

Mrs May set the tone on the eve of the Salzburg meeting by writing an article in Die Welt.

It warned the bloc against making 'unacceptable' demands on the Irish border, repeating her mantra that no UK PM could ever accept Northern Ireland being under a foreign customs jurisdiction.

The combative piece is said to have infuriated leaders by effectively rejecting Michel Barnier's revised proposals on the border issue before they have even been published.

Mr Barnier has said he is looking to 'improve' his plan, and suggested that technology could minimise checks.

But he is still clear that the border should be between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland.

2. After-dinner speech fell flat

EU leaders have been refusing to discuss Brexit directly with Mrs May all along - insisting that Mr Barnier is carrying out the negotiations for them.

There had been hopes that this summit would be the first occasion when there would be exchanges on the issue at national leader level.

However, those hopes were dashed when EU council president Donald Tusk declared that Mrs May would only get to deliver a 10-minute speech at the end of dinner.

By that time the leaders had already been through a scratchy four-hour debate on the migration crisis - a bigger concern than Brexit for many of them.

And Mrs May caused frustration among her weary audience by effectively reading out the Die Welt article.

'That is not the way to command a tired group of leaders who are all bit sick of each other,' one diplomat told The Times.

Over dinner on Wednesday night (pictured), gathered EU leaders were told that Britain would be prepared to walk away from the negotiating table if a deal was not struck quickly

3. Suspicions about plans to slash red tape

The situation was not helped by the emergence of a report that Trade Secretary Liam Fox was planning to slash food standards after Brexit to give the UK a competitive advantage and secure a US trade deal.

Although furiously denied by Dr Fox, the claim seems to have gained traction with delegations from EU countries and encouraged them to take a tough line.

One of the EU's overriding fears is that the UK cutting red tape and lowing taxes could provide an advantage for businesses after we leave.

The situation was not helped by the emergence of a report that Trade Secretary Liam Fox was planning to slash food standards after Brexit to give the UK a competitive advantage and secure a US trade deal

4. The wrong kind of support

Britain's allies, such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Poland, had been pushing for serious consideration of the Chequers blueprint.

France and Germany, meanwhile, had been urging a less accommodating approach that preserved the strict rules of the single market.

But the advocates for a deeper relationship seem to have been muted somewhat by the strident intervention of Hungarian premier Viktor Orban.

He condemned the determination of some EU leaders to 'punish' the UK for choosing to leave. However, Mr Orban is currently viewed as a pariah by other leaders after pushing the country to the political right.

Advocates for a deeper relationship with the UK seem to have been muted somewhat by the strident intervention of Hungarian premier Viktor Orban (pictured)

5. Delays to Irish border proposals

The EU had been expecting Britain to come forward with its own plans for the Irish border 'backstop' - the big sticking point in sealing the divorce package.

But having flatly rejected the EU's thinking, Mrs May is then said to have delivered a difficult message in a meeting with Irish PM Leo Varadkar yesterday morning.

She apparently admitted that the UK's rival 'backstop' blueprint would not be ready for the next EU summit in October.

The news caused anger as there had been lingering hopes that summit would see the Withdrawal Agreement to all intents and purposes settled.

That is said to have tipped the scales against Mrs May, raising questions about whether the UK was serious about negotiations.

After discussing the situation in private for two hours, the hard-line French and German approach won out and the brutal attack on Chequers was launched.

Theresa May held talks with Irish PM Leo Varadkar (pictured) before the summit entered its second day in Salburg this morning

Countdown to Brexit: The key milestones on the road to exit day Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street) is struggling to thrash out a deal with the EU ahead of Brexit day in March Next round of negotiations, September 21 to mid-October After the Salzburg summit meltdown, the coming month of detailed talks will be among the most crucial so far. The UK and EU negotiators are scrambling to break the deadlock so they can frame a 'political declaration' on the future relationship and finalise the withdrawal treaty. How far they get in drafting the documents - and how much is left to EU leaders themselves - will determine when, if at all, an agreement can be struck. The political declaration will explain in non-legal language what the two sides plans to agree in the final treaty. A political declaration was used in December 2017 to outline the proposed transition deal and the 39billion divorce bill agreed by the UK. This is what is currently being turned into legal language for the withdrawal treaty. EU Negotiator Michel Barnier (right in Brussels last week) maybe given new guidelines this week within which to strike a deal. EU Council President Donald Tusk (left) has said the meeting must reach a 'common view' on the shape of the future UK-EU relationship EU Summit, Brussels, October 18-19 October's EU summit has long been pencilled in as the opportunity for EU leaders to agree the withdrawal treaty on the terms of exit and a political declaration on the future relationship between the UK and EU. If a deal can be struck in October, it leaves plenty of time for it to be agreed in the UK and ratified in the EU, paving the way for an orderly Brexit in March. A deal is not expected to be finalised at this summit but both sides will hope for significant progress - even if the summit is used to set out the dividing lines one last time. Emergency EU Summit, Brussels, November 18-19 An emergency summit in November is now widely expected. If it happens, there will be acute political pressure to finalise both the withdrawal treaty and political declaration - if nothing else to allow the EU to return to other business. Expect a high stakes meeting and a late night finish. Failure will see both sides walking up to the brink of a chaotic exit and peering over the edge. The response of the European Council (including German Chancellor Angela Merkel) will be crucial in the next stages of the EU talks EU Summit, Brussels, December 13-14 Given the need to ratify the deal, the December summit is the last chance to strike a deal. Brexit is not supposed to be on the agenda: if the talks reach this summit there has been a major breakdown. The EU does infamously find a way to agreement at the 11th hour and if Brexit talks are still live in December, many will hope for a fudge that can get both sides over the line. Last year, talks on the outline divorce deal were pushed to December and a deal was - just - reached. The so-called 'meaningful vote' in the UK Parliament, January 2019 Assuming there is a withdrawal treaty and political declaration, the next stage is for the action is in the UK Parliament. Mrs May promised Tory Remain rebels a 'meaningful' vote on the final deal in both the Commons and Lords. This is expected to be a simple yes or no vote on what she has negotiated - so in theory a detailed withdrawal treaty, spelling out the divorce bill and other issues such as citizens' rights, and the political declaration on the future relationship. Linking the two will be a high stakes moment. Brexiteers do not want to sign off the divorce bill without a trade deal and Remainers are reluctant to vote for a blind Brexit. But the Prime Minister has made clear it is deal or no deal: accept what she has negotiated or leave Britain crashing out on March 29, 2019 with no agreement in place. If the meaningful vote is passed, there will be a series of further votes as the withdrawal treaty is written into British law. The Prime Minister (pictured at the EU Council in June) has made clear it is deal or no deal: accept what she has negotiated or leave Britain crashing out on March 29, 2019 with no agreement in place Ratification in the EU, February 2019 After the meaningful vote in the UK, the EU will have to ratify the agreement. This is a two stage process. National parliaments in all 27 countries have to vote on the deal. It does not need to pass everywhere but must be carried in at least 20 of the 27 countries, with Yes votes covering at least 65 per cent of the EU population. The European Parliament must also vote in favour of the deal. It has a representative in the talks, Guy Verhofstadt, who has repeatedly warned the deal must serve the EU's interests. In practice, once the leaders of the 27 member states have agreed a deal, ratification on the EU side should be assured. Exit day, March 29, 2019 At 11pm on March 29, 2019, Britain will cease to be a member of the European Union, two years after triggering Article 50 and almost three years after the referendum. Exit happens at 11pm because it must happen on EU time. If the transition deal is in place, little will change immediately - people will travel in the same way as today and goods will cross the border normally. But Britain's MEPs will no longer sit in the European Parliament and British ministers will no longer take part in EU meetings. Negotiations will continue to turn the political agreement on the future partnership into legal text that will eventually become a second treaty. Both sides will build new customs and immigration controls in line with what this says. If there is no deal, there is little clarity on what will happen. Britain has outlined contingencies for a catastrophic breakdown in transport and goods networks; in practice short term, small side deals will be likely be rapidly negotiated to avert the worst consequences. Advertisement

Theresa May's statement on the Brexit negotiations 'impasse' in full

'Yesterday, I was in Salzburg for talks with European leaders.

'I have always said that these negotiations would be tough - and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight.

'While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that - despite the progress we have made - there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart.

'The first is our economic relationship after we have left. Here, the EU is still only offering us two options.

Pound slumps as May's statement raises fears about no deal Brexit Continuing a rollercoaster week, sterling fell by more than a cent the dollar to $1.307 The pound slumped against the world's major currencies this afternoon as investors bet that the UK is set to crash out of the European Union without a deal after Theresa May revealed the extent of the 'impasse' at the Salzburg negotiation. The Prime Minister hit out at her counterparts for lacking 'respect' as she vowed defiance despite being brutally ambushed at the summit when counterparts condemned her Chequers plan. Continuing a rollercoaster week, sterling fell by 1.5 per cent against the the dollar to $1.307, and versus the euro it fell by 1.2 per cent to 1.110. Against the euro the pound fell by a cent to 1.110. Hamish Muress, currency analyst at OFX, said that 'the pound has shown its vulnerability to Brexit headlines'. 'The rhetoric that 'no deal is better than a bad deal' is startling, and undermines recent hopes that a deal could be finalised soon,' he added. 'If neither side makes any concessions, more uncertainty and further sterling losses will follow. The euro has also lost ground against the US dollar, indicating that this current impasse helps neither the UK nor the EU.' The pound has now given up gains it made this week on the back of a higher-than-expected inflation figure and strong retail sales data. Advertisement

'The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU.

'In plain English, this would mean we'd still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn't do the trade deals we want with other countries.

'That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago.

'The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.

'Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea. 'Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would not respect that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, in line with the principle of consent, as set out clearly in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

'It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake.

'Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal.

'But I have also been clear that the best outcome is for the UK to leave with a deal. That is why, following months of intensive work and detailed discussions, we proposed a third option for our future economic relationship, based on the frictionless trade in goods. That is the best way to protect jobs here and in the EU and to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, while respecting the referendum result and the integrity of the United Kingdom.

'Yesterday Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse.

'The second issue is connected to the first. We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if there's a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still won't be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

'But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union.

'As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country.

'We will set out our alternative that preserves the integrity of the UK. And it will be in line with the commitments we made back in December - including the commitment that no new regulatory barriers should be created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK unless the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly agree.

'As I told EU leaders, neither side should demand the unacceptable of the other.

'We cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of our union, just as they cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of theirs.

'We cannot accept anything that does not respect the result of the referendum, just as they cannot accept anything that is not in the interest of their citizens.

'Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

Theresa May spelled out the problems in the Brexit negotiations in a statement from Downing Street today

'At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals.

'So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress.

'In the meantime, we must and will continue the work of preparing ourselves for no deal.

'In particular, I want to clarify our approach to two issues. First, there are over 3 million EU citizens living in the UK who will be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterday's summit means for their future.

'I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay.

'Second, I want to reassure the people of Northern Ireland that in the event of no deal we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to a hard border.

'Let me also say this. The referendum was the largest democratic exercise this country has ever undergone. To deny its legitimacy or frustrate its result threatens public trust in our democracy.

'That is why for over two years I have worked day and night to deliver a deal that sees the UK leave the EU.

'I have worked to bring people with me even when that has not always seemed possible.

'No one wants a good deal more than me. But the EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country.

'We need serious engagement on resolving the two big problems in the negotiations. We stand ready.'
Angelos Sofocleous, assistant editor of Durham University, was fired over a 'transphobic' tweet

A student editor at a top university has been fired in a transphobia row after he tweeted that 'women don't have penises'.

Angelos Sofocleous, assistant editor at Durham University's philosophy journal 'Critique', was sacked from his post after just three days for writing a tweet deemed 'transphobic' by fellow students.

Mr Sofocleous, 24, from Cyprus, faced disciplinary action last month after he re-tweeted an article by The Spectator on his Twitter titled 'Is it a crime to say women don't have penises?', with the comment: 'RT if women don't have penises'.

The postgraduate philosophy and psychology student was dismissed from his position at the university after the tweet sparked outrage.

He was also fired from his position as editor of Durham University's online magazine The Bubble, and forced to resign as president of free speech society Humanist Students.

Mr Sofocleous stood by his comment which has sparked a row around trans rights and freedom of speech.

The postgraduate philosophy and psychology student posted an article on Twitter with the comment 'RT if women don't have penises'

The since deleted tweet has received backlash from former chair of LGBT Humanists Christopher Ward who claimed the post was 'factually incorrect' and not 'worthy of a debate'.

He wrote: 'As former chair of LGBT Humanists UK, the opposition I experienced from a number of longstanding Humanists members to trans people and trans issues was a stain on an otherwise great organisation.

'And here's the new President of Humanist Students RTing horrific transphobic s**t.'

Standing by his tweets, Mr Sofocleous wrote: 'I may be wrong and women might indeed have penises, although I don't believe that to be the case.

'But the backlash that took place after my comments, particularly within the organisation, convinced me that, unfortunately and surprisingly, there are certain issues within the humanist movement which are undebatable.

'No effort was made, beyond name-calling, derogatory comments, and ad hominem statements, to convince me of the truth of the other side's position.

'These events involved a retweet of mine saying 'RT if women don't have penises', and certain other criticisms of the transgender movement, as well as suggestions to improve the movement's actions.

He wrote in The Spectator in response to being fired: I was told that the reason for my firing from the student journal was because I had "belittled trans experiences".

'The explanation for my removal as editor of Bubble was worse: my position at the magazine, I was told, required me to be impartial. Being impartial, however, requires having no views at all. At least when it comes to gender.

Students and staff at Durham University were outraged over the 'transphobic' tweet posted by Mr Sofocleous. File photo

In August, Mr Sofocleous was sent an email from Ryan Lo, the president of the university's Philosophy Society, saying the group had taken a vote to relieve him of his position, deciding his tweets served to 'belittle trans experiences'.

Writing on the Critique journal's Facebook page, Mr Lo said: 'Durham University Philosophy Society has a duty to act within the best interests of all of its members, therefore is committed to equality and diversity and to our democratic principles as a group of Durham Student's Union.

'We do not tolerate practices of racism, sexism, or trans-exclusionary sentiments.'

The new editor-in-chief of Critique, Sebastian Sanchez-Schilling, tweeted saying he was 'happy to announce' the publication would not be 'tolerating trans-exclusionary radical feminists or bowing to their pressure'.

The twitter row has sparked debate over free speech.

Mr Sofocleous told Chronicle Live: 'What I said was a biological fact'.

'We've reached a weird era where we are sacking people for stating facts.

'Even if this is an opinion, people shouldn't be sacked for having it.

'We should be having healthy discussions instead of silencing people.

'It seems like we are taking steps backward.'

Journalist Toby Young replied to Mr Sanchez-Schilling, tweeting: 'As the editor of a philosophy journal at one of Britain's great universities, how do you justify not tolerating dissent from campus orthodoxies?

'Shouldn't you be encouraging debate about important issues rather than stifling it?'

Journalist Sian Griffiths posted on Twitter: 'This is an alarming story. Universities & student newspapers are places where it has always been free and fabulous to express a range of views.'

A spokesperson for Durham Students' Union said: 'We are confident in our commitment to protecting free speech through open debate and exchange of ideas, which are central to university education.

'When student societys executive teams and members vote on elections and group decisions such as this one, we hope they consider Durham SUs commitment to inclusivity, equality of opportunity for all, and the promotion of diversity, including all gender identities.

'How each individual votes is a matter of personal judgement and interpretation, this is fundamental to the democratic spirit of the group and is why we have policies in place so that these decisions can be voted on, not made arbitrarily.

'We endorse free speech for all students and in this case, the student is still speaking and people are listening, reflecting and reacting.

'Students can re-join any student society, even the ones they are no longer part of. They can even be re-elected through the democratic process the groups follows.'
Security fears have been raised ahead of the planned release from prison of hate preacher Anjem Choudary and his acolytes in the coming weeks.

Choudary is due to be released from jail next month having been jailed for five and a half years in September 2016 for encouraging people to support ISIS.

The father-of-five was a founder member of the banned group al-Muhajiroun and had claimed he would be happy to see the black flag of ISIS hanging over 10 Downing Street.

Anjem Choudary, pictured, was jailed for five-and-a-half years in September 2016

Choudary, pictured centre, will be eligible for early release having served half of his jail term

When he was jailed, Mr Justice Holroyde claimed Choudary and his co-accused Mohammed Misanur Rahman had shown 'contempt for the values of the democracy in which we live'.

Choudary was found guilty of attempting to radicalise young Muslims. His supporters included Michael Adebolajo and Michael Abedowale who were convicted of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

He was also connected with suspected ISIS executioner Siddharta Dhar. In January, the US State Department designated Dhar as a terrorist. He is believed to have left the UK in late 2014 and emerged in Syria.

Ben Wallace, Security Minister told BBC News the government had measures in place to keep track of people released from prison who may still be a risk to national security.

He said: 'Terrorist offenders have a lot more supervision than normal offenders and that's because we recognise the risk and we seek to reduce it to as low as possible.'

Both Choudary and Rahman will be eligible for release next month having served half of their jail terms.
A second Swiss canton is considering introducing a regional 'burqa ban' that will prohibit all face-covering garments in public spaces.

Voters in the north-eastern canton of St Gallen will go to the polls over the controversial proposed law this Sunday.

St Gallen is expected to follow the example of the southern canton of Ticino, where a law was introduced two years ago which appeared to be aimed at burqas and other Muslim veils.

Late last year, lawmakers in St Gallen adopted a text stating that 'any person who renders themselves unrecognisable by covering their face in a public space, and thus endangers public security or social and religious peace will be fined'.

Voters in the north-eastern canton of St Gallen in Switzerland are going to the polls over a proposed regional 'burqa ban' that will prohibit all face-covering garments in public spaces (file photo)

The law passed through the regional parliament, gaining support from the populist right and centre parties, but the Green Party and Young Socialists demanded a referendum.

It was first drafted following uproar in the canton over a girl who wore a full-face veil to school.

Fredy Fassler, a socialist in charge of security and justice in St Gallen, warned that the law is problematic as it does not define when a woman wearing a burqa constitutes a danger.

Critics also 'worry the sanctions will be unpredictable and arbitrary', he told daily newspaper Le Temps.

Last year, Switzerland's government opposed an initiative aimed at creating a nationwide burqa ban, saying it should be up to the regions to determine if such measures are appropriate.

All Swiss voters will eventually cast ballots on the issue after the populist right-wing Swiss People's Party gathered the 100,000 signatures needed to put any subject to a referendum as part of Switzerland's direct democratic system.

Voters across the country will also vote on banning genetically modified organisms (GMO).
Julian Assange has warned that global surveillance of citizens will soon be 'unavoidable' thanks to social media and online applications of official documents such as passports.

The Wikileaks founder said that within a year of being born, children are now known to 'all major world powers' because their 'idiotic parents' post their names and pictures on Facebook.

Assange, who is into his seventh year living at the at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, gave an interview during the World Ethical Data Forum in Barcelona.

Warning: The Wikileaks founder said that within a year of being born, children are now known to 'all major world powers' thanks to their parents posting on social media

'This generation being born now is the last free generation,' he told Russian state-funded network Ruptly. 'You are born and either immediately or within say a year you are known globally.

'Your identity in one form or another coming as a result of your idiotic parents plastering your name and photos all over Facebook or as a result of insurance applications or passport applications is known to all major world powers.'

Assange also predicted a global cyber war in the near future, as the internet has no distance or borders, and hackers can attack anyone anywhere on the planet.

'There is no border [online]. It's 220 milliseconds from New York to Nairobi. Why would there ever be peace in such a scenario?' he said.

Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, fearing he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves.

Overstaying his welcome: Assange has been living at the Ecuadorian embassy since 2012, but the government has now cut off his phone and internet access

He initially moved into the embassy after he was accused of rape and sexual assault in Sweden, but the investigation was dropped in 2017.

As he breached his bail conditions by seeking Ecuadorian asylum, he could potentially be arrested by UK authorities, and so he remains at the embassy.

Despite an initial warm welcome, the Ecuadorians have reportedly grown increasingly tired of their live-in guest.

The Ecuador government cut off Assange's phone and internet access earlier this year and banned people visiting him.

Weekly vigils are still held outside the embassy and in cities in other countries including his native Australia.

A member of Assange's legal team also spoke at the at the World Ethical Data Forum this week.

Jennifer Robinson claimed the world's major credit card companies and payment transfer services had banned WikiLeaks, cutting it off from the donations the organisation depends on to operate and to fight its legal battles.

Ms Robinson, of Doughty Street Chambers, added that she believed any prosecution of Assange will be used as a precedent against other media organisations.

'The attacks on WikiLeaks have not just been legal attacks  there has also been a vilification campaign of the WikiLeaks project and of Julian personally by prominent politicians and the mainstream media, and a counter-intelligence operation, openly stated by the director of the CIA last year.'




Guwahati : Assam police on Thursday had arrested five auditors of the Accountant General (AG) office, Guwahati on charges of taking bribes of several lakh rupees from the panchayat secretaries in Assams Charaideo district.





According to the reports, the five audit officers went to the upper Assam district to probe financial irregularities in various village panchayats and stayed at a hotel at Sonari town.





The team had allegedly demanded bribe ranging between Rs 5000 to Rs 20,000 from the panchayat secretaries for clearance any financial irregularities.





After receiving a complaint against the auditor team, Charaideo district Deputy Commissioner has asked the district police to conduct an operation at the hotel, where the team was stayed.





A team of Charaideo district police led by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lamhao Dongal conducted a search operation at the hotel and held five auditors and recovered Rs 3.34 lakh in cash.





During the search operation, police had also recovered several documents including cash books from the hotel rooms.





Police had arrested senior audit officer Rafiquddin Ahmed and four other auditors Saikat Bhattacharya, Hem Bahadur, Subrat Duwarah and Jugal Kishore Tamuli.





Police had also arrested a panchayat secretary identified as Surajit Pal, who assisted them in the incident.





A senior police official of Charaideo district said that, the Charaideo district Deputy Commissioner had directed to conduct the operation.





The auditor had demanded bribes ranging between Rs 5000 to Rs 20,000 from each panchayat secretary. They were collected money from the panchayat secretaries at the hotel without verification of cash books. An ex-panchayat secretary named Dulen Gohain had already given Rs 10,000 to the team and he was ready to pay another Rs 5,000 today. When we received the information, our team had contacted him and caught the auditors red handed, the police official said.





Police investigation is going on to find out more information.




Theresa May was hoping that the Salzburg summit could be the moment that her political fortunes changed.

Downing Street went into the gathering with the expectation that EU leaders would, if not endorse, at least stop short of killing her Chequers plan.

That would have allowed her to go into a potentially explosive Conservative Party conference at the end of this month with a modicum of wind in her sails.

But in the event her compromise plan - pushed through at home at the cost of ministerial resignations and a simmering Tory mutiny - was brutally knifed by her counterparts.

The meltdown has raised fresh doubts about whether Mrs May can survive much longer in No10, and brought the prospect of the UK crashing out of the bloc a step closer.

And it appears tensions were heightened by a series of missteps by the PM and her aides as the drama unfolded.

A clearly shaken Theresa May insisted she was sticking to her Chequers plan at a press conference in Salzburg after the vicious attacks from EU leaders

1. Tough talk before the summit

Mrs May set the tone on the eve of the Salzburg meeting by writing an article in Die Welt.

It warned the bloc against making 'unacceptable' demands on the Irish border, repeating her mantra that no UK PM could ever accept Northern Ireland being under a foreign customs jurisdiction.

The combative piece is said to have infuriated leaders by effectively rejecting Michel Barnier's revised proposals on the border issue before they have even been published.

Mr Barnier has said he is looking to 'improve' his plan, and suggested that technology could minimise checks.

But he is still clear that the border should be between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland.

Mrs May set the tone on the eve of the Salzburg meeting by writing an article in Die Welt

2. After-dinner speech fell flat

EU leaders have been refusing to discuss Brexit directly with Mrs May all along - insisting that Mr Barnier is carrying out the negotiations for them.

There had been hopes that this summit would be the first occasion when there would be exchanges on the issue at national leader level.

However, those hopes were dashed when EU council president Donald Tusk declared that Mrs May would only get to deliver a 10-minute speech at the end of dinner.

By that time the leaders had already been through a scratchy four-hour debate on the migration crisis - a bigger concern than Brexit for many of them.

And Mrs May caused frustration among her weary audience by effectively reading out the Die Welt article.

'That is not the way to command a tired group of leaders who are all bit sick of each other,' one diplomat told The Times.

Over dinner on Wednesday night (pictured), gathered EU leaders were told that Britain would be prepared to walk away from the negotiating table if a deal was not struck quickly

EU council president Donald Tusk (pictured) had restricted Mrs May to delivering a 10 minute speech after dinner, rather than debating directly with leaders

3. Suspicions about plans to slash red tape

The situation was not helped by the emergence of a report that Trade Secretary Liam Fox was planning to slash food standards after Brexit to give the UK a competitive advantage and secure a US trade deal.

Although furiously denied by Dr Fox, the claim seems to have gained traction with delegations from EU countries and encouraged them to take a tough line.

One of the EU's overriding fears is that the UK cutting red tape and lowing taxes could provide an advantage for businesses after we leave.

The situation was not helped by the emergence of a report that Trade Secretary Liam Fox was planning to slash food standards after Brexit to give the UK a competitive advantage and secure a US trade deal

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured) was among those urging a less accommodating approach that preserved the strict rules of the single market

4. The wrong kind of support

Britain's allies, such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Poland, had been pushing for serious consideration of the Chequers blueprint.

France and Germany, meanwhile, had been urging a less accommodating approach that preserved the strict rules of the single market.

But the advocates for a deeper relationship seem to have been muted somewhat by the strident intervention of Hungarian premier Viktor Orban.

He condemned the determination of some EU leaders to 'punish' the UK for choosing to leave. However, Mr Orban is currently viewed as a pariah by other leaders after pushing the country to the political right.

Advocates for a deeper relationship with the UK seem to have been muted somewhat by the strident intervention of Hungarian premier Viktor Orban (pictured)

5. Delays to Irish border proposals

The EU had been expecting Britain to come forward with its own plans for the Irish border 'backstop' - the big sticking point in sealing the divorce package.

But having flatly rejected the EU's thinking, Mrs May is then said to have delivered a difficult message in a meeting with Irish PM Leo Varadkar yesterday morning.

She apparently admitted that the UK's rival 'backstop' blueprint would not be ready for the next EU summit in October.

The news caused anger as there had been lingering hopes that summit would see the Withdrawal Agreement to all intents and purposes settled.

That is said to have tipped the scales against Mrs May, raising questions about whether the UK was serious about negotiations.

After discussing the situation in private for two hours, the hard-line French and German approach won out and the brutal attack on Chequers was launched.

Theresa May held talks with Irish PM Leo Varadkar (pictured) before the summit entered its second day in Salburg this morning

Mr Macron made an extraordinary intervention into domestic British politics as he delivered a stinging verdict on Chequers
A 61-year-old man who shot four people inside a court house was targeting his wife, state police have confirmed.

Patrick Dowdell opened fire at the Magistrate Court in Masontown, Pennsylvania, at around 2pm on Wednesday.

Dowdell was suppose to have a preliminary hearing on domestic violence charges filed by his wife Crystal, reports KDKA.

State police have confirmed that Patrick Dowdell (left) was the man who shot four people in Masontown, Pennsylvania and that he was after his wife Crystal (right)

Wife Crystal, 39, made a post on Facebook late on Wednesday to say she is OK and that police had taken her phone as evidence.

Crystal, 39, has made a post on Facebook to say she is OK after the shooting

Witnesses at the court said they heard more than five shots and ran for cover.

Misty Fowler said: 'I seen the lady wearing a pink shirt, she was blonde, running across the road. And then we heard pow pow.

'And then two minutes later we heard it five more times or more than that. We all had started running and run for cover.'

David Howard, owner of Howard's Market, told reporters that a woman came into his store to say there had been a shooting.

He said: 'These two police officers didnt ask a question, just took right off'

An emergency Protection From Abuse order was granted to Dowell's wife Crystal on August 25 and on the day of the shooting it was the second court listing for his preliminary hearing.

Police and emergency services assisted four people who were shot at the court building on Wednesday afternoon and all are said to have non life threatening injuries

State police have confirmed that the shooter, Patrick Dowdell, was targeting his wife Crystal

The PFA is said to have been made in agreement between the couple, meaning there would be no hearing before a judge.

Dowdell was not made to give up any firearms as part of the agreement, but because of the court order he was not allowed to have a gun under federal law.

The glass is shattered on the door where Dowdell opened fire and was shot dead by officers

In the PFA petition, Crystal Dowdell said she had told her husband she wanted a divorce.

He then allegedly locked the door, twisted her arm and grabbed her tightly with a gun in his hand so she couldn't call the police.

She also claimed that the next day he took of his belt, wrapped it around her neck and pulled it tightly so she couldn't breathe.

She managed to escape and called the cops before applying for an emergency PFA.

Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower told KDKA: 'As a result of the shootings, a German Township police officer made his way to the lobby.

'He shot the actor multiple times, and the actor ended up being killed.'

Masontown Police Sgt. R. Scott Miller was shot in the hand, but his injuries are not serious.

A spokeswoman said on Thursday that two men, ages 35 and 47, and a 39-year-old woman were all released from Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, on Wednesday night.
Austrian police are hunting a copycat crook who dressed as a Muslim woman in a hijab to rob a bank just weeks after another man did the same thing.

Detectives have offered almost 2,000 as a reward for any clues about the identity of the second robber who raided a DenizBank in Linz, Upper Austria.

They have issued pictures showing the man wearing a hijab and pinstripe trousers as he carried a shopping trolley and a shoulder bag.

Copycat: Austrian police are hunting a crook (left) who dressed as a Muslim woman in a hijab to rob a bank just months after another man (right) did the same thing

The suspect can also be seen wearing glasses and a latex mask with red lips.

He walked into the branch, threatened an employee with a pistol, and took money out of the register before fleeing on a grey scooter.

Prior to the robbery, he tried to raid another bank in Vienna but only managed to frighten employees who began screaming.

He is said to have then sprayed them with pepper spray before fleeing the scene.

The perpetrator has been described as aged 20 to 35 and around 5.9 to 6.2ft tall.

It comes after police last month arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of robbing a Turkish bank in Vienna also dressed in a hijab and carrying a golden pistol.

Caught on camera: The suspect can also be seen wearing glasses and a latex mask with red lips

The man (pictured in a close up shot) walked into the branch, threatened an employee with a pistol, and took money out of the register before fleeing on a grey scooter

The second bank robber is pictured entering the branch he raided in Upper Austria

He allegedly gave a handwritten note demanding cash before escaping with thousands of euros.

Police were tipped off to his identity when he was snapped in a small park nearby by a witness who had followed him.

The suspect was spotted without his mask, sitting on a bench in a pink shirt and shorts.

Police have said that CCTV footage indicated there were at least two different men who have been dressing up as Muslim women in hijabs in order to carry out at least four robberies in Vienna and Linz. The authorities have not reported any links between the two suspected robbers.
The owner of one of Britain's most prestigious shooting estates has been hauled into court after his millionaire neighbour complained the live shoots were 'too noisy'.

Aristocrat William Tyrwhitt-Drake - who has family links to Sir Francis Drake - is said to have disturbed the 'tranquil' South Downs for six months with his hugely popular game and clay shooting events.

The 76-year-old nobleman is fighting a noise abatement order brought by his neighbour, University of Cambridge educated pharmaceutical executive Dr Charles Gillies O'Bryan-Tear.

William Tyrwhitt-Drake (left) has been taken to court by his neighbour, Dr Charles Gillies O'Bryan-Tear (right), over the noise of the clay pigeon and pheasant shoots on his land

Shoots are held for businessman and sporting groups in the grounds of Bereleigh House

Dr O'Bryan-Tear, 63, has claimed guns on Tyrwhitt-Drake's shoots create so much noise they are a 'nuisance' and an expert told a court 'the level of intrusion is substantial'.

Tyrwhitt-Drake owns the stunning 2,500-acre Bereleigh Estate, nestled in the heart of Hampshire's countryside in the picturesque South Downs National Park. His family have lived on the estate for around 50 years.

He has links to the highest echelons of British society - with English sea captain Sir Francis Drake being godfather to one of his ancestors.

Tyrwhitt-Drake, with relatives Thomas and Edward, host a variety of shooting events at Bereleigh, once described as among 'the 20 best pheasant shoots in the UK'.

Groups, parties and businesses flock to the prestigious rural retreat in near Petersfield, Hampshire to enjoy the traditional country pursuits.

But Mr Tyrwhitt-Drake's land borders Dr O'Bryan-Tear's large 2million seven-bedroom home, where he says he is disturbed by the noise of the gun shots.

Public records suggest he moved into his house in either 2005 or 2006, since which time he been upset by the sound of the shoots.

But Dr O'Bryan-Tear, who lives on this property next door says the noise is too intrusive

Dr O'Bryan-Tear, the Chief Medical Officer of a Norwegian biotech company, has now brought a noise abatement case at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court.

After visiting the site during 15 shoots, noise acoustic expert Peter Rogers told the court the shoots constitute a 'nuisance' in his view

Mr Rogers said: 'It is important to consider whether the impact is intolerable and causes considerable disruption to what people endure.

'People don't know when the shooting will start or stop and when they will have to stop what they are doing and go inside.

'The level of intrusion is substantial and this is my view following my 25 years experience carrying out sound measurements.'

But Mr Tyrwhitt-Drake's own sound expert, John Grant, told the court the noise was within reasonable noise levels.

The estate was once named on the UK's top 20 pheasant shoots. File photo of shooting party

It comes after Tyrwhitt-Drake, who started shooting around the age of 12, told a magazine 'game shooting has never been more popular'.

He said a 'growing number' of groups and businesses are handing over 300-a-head for a day's shooting.

Sir Francis Drake was godfather to the Tyrwhitt-Drake's ancestor, Richard Drake, who was an equerry to the court of Queen Elizabeth in the late sixteenth century.

In 2016 the Tyrwhitt-Drake family made headlines after they announced they were selling the painting of Elizabeth I - 400 years after it was first owned by Sir Francis Drake.

The court case continues.
An Indian factory supervisor is being sought by police after a prank he played on a subordinate went horribly wrong.

Rakesh Wagmore held a compressed air pipe to the rectum of worker Aditya Jadhav, who suffered such severe intestinal damage he died two weeks later.

The tragic incident occurred at a foundry in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, India, earlier this month.

Bad joke: CCTV footage from the factory in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, India, shows Aditya Jadhav walking up to his supervisor

CCTV footage shows Mr Jadhav approaching his supervisor Mr Wagmore on the factory floor to ask something.

Mr Wagmore, who is holding the air pressure pipe, jokingly holds it against Mr Jadhavs hair and back to blow compressed air on him.

He then holds the pipe to Mr Jadhavs rectum, and the factory worker immediately collapses in agony.

No fun: Supervisor Rakesh Wagmore first blows compressed air in Mr Jadhav's hair, and then puts the pipe against his rectum

The footage shows Mr Jadhav collapsing in agony, and the factory worker died two weeks later

He was rushed to a hospital, where he battled fatal injuries for 15 days before he passed away on September 18.

Doctors who attended to Mr Jadhav, said his intestines were severely damaged.

Local police are investigating the incident and are looking for Mr Wagmore, who has been missing since the day of the incident.
A vegetarian who had never eaten meat says she was physically sick after Domino's delivered her the wrong pizza which was 'smothered in ham'.

Shannon Rich, 22, says she and her partner Paul Davies, 22, ordered two vegetarian Roma pizzas for dinner from Domino's on Malpas Road in Newport, South Wales.

When the pizzas arrived Miss Rich claims she was so hungry she tucked into her meal straight away and ate two slices before making the shocking discovery of ham.

The university student says the horrific discovery has left her 'paranoid' and she has been put off pizza for life.

Vegetarian Shannon Rich, 22, had never eaten meat before she unknowingly ate a pizza with ham after Domino's allegedly delivered the wrong order

Miss Rich says the vegetarian Roma pizza she ordered from the fast food chain was 'literally smothered in ham'

Miss Rich said: 'We ordered the pizzas and when they came they were literally smothered in ham.

'We were hungry when it arrived and when I opened it I just bit into it - I never saw meat on the pizza before I ate it.

'I ate two slices and then I looked and saw there was meat on there.

'I asked my partner and said 'oh my god is that meat?' Then he opened his again, he'd eaten some of his and there was meat on his too. It made me physically sick.

'It didn't even smell like meat. I was hungry and just indulged in it - I ate two slices.

The university student says she was 'physically sick' after tucking in to two slices of the Domino's pizza

'I didn't know it was on there. It was hidden and I don't even know what meat tastes like.

'When I noticed, I ran to the toilet and tried making myself be sick to just try and get it up.

'My boyfriend just ate the two slices too, but he's not as bothered as I obviously am because he's not been veggie his whole life.

'It makes me feel ill even when I think about it.'

Shannon Rich, 22, with her boyfriend Paul Davies, 22, complained to Domino's following the order mix up

Miss Rich, who placed the order online, alleges that the delivery was taking longer than usual and says she rang the store to chase it, reiterating that there were two vegetarian pizzas.

She said: 'It would normally take 45 minutes to an hour to get to us - but this time it did take a while.

The alleged ordeal has left Miss Rich so 'paranoid' she says she now checks every single thing she eats to make sure there's no hidden meat in it.

Miss Rich placed the order online and alleges that the delivery was taking longer than usual- so rang the store to reiterate the order of two vegetarian pizzas (pictured)

'It's affected me now because I'm scared with food. I'm just constantly checking it.

'It has made me constantly paranoid. I won't eat out now and I didn't eat for a while after that as it just made me ill.

'I check stuff I make too. I'm just constantly checking it, always checking the labels and in the food and in the packets to verify - I'm still so upset about it.'

After the shock, Miss Rich called the Domino's store back to tell them there was meat on the pizza and claims they dismissed her allegation telling her that was what she had ordered.

Miss Rich posted a picture of the pizza on social media to express how upset she was with the situation

Miss Rich posted a picture of the pizza on social media to express how upset she was with the situation.

The student claims Domino's responded by offering her free pizza and that they would be sending an area manager to the store to investigate, but Shannon says she'll never touch Domino's pizza again.

Miss Rich said: 'I told them multiple times they were veggie pizzas. Obviously it was on the order and then when I rang them because they were late and I reiterated it.

'I rang back when I found meat on it and the lady who answered said the order came to them saying 'with meat' on - she didn't seem too bothered at all.

The Dominos on Malpas Road in Newport, South Wales. The chain offered Miss Rich free pizza and said they would be sending an area manager to the store to investigate

'I double checked my order just in case I made that mistake but I hadn't. It was supposed to be veggie and that was it.

'After I posted online, Domino's said they were sorry that it happened and that it's going to be investigated and that's it really.

'None of that is going to change what has happened and how I feel.

'Their response made me feel quite upset because they obviously don't care, they just think that offering free food is going to make everything better but it's just not.

'I haven't eaten pizza since and probably won't eat pizza again - not even shop-bought pizza. I'd never again order from Domino's again, it's put me off pizza for life.

'I also can't say now that I've not eaten meat my whole life, I don't even feel like me anymore.'

Domino's said Miss Rich has been 'reluctant to cooperate' with their attempts to investigate the allegations.

Louise Butler, a spokesperson for Domino's, said: 'Upon receiving the allegation we immediately offered to collect the pizza to investigate, but Ms Rich was unfortunately reluctant to cooperate.

'We have also offered a goodwill refund on more than one occasion, though we've yet to hear from Ms Rich.'
A father who allegedly lied about his daughter finding a needle in a strawberry has been charged for making false claims.

The 34-year-old man from Paradise, in Adelaide, allegedly reported that his daughter bit into a strawberry that was contaminated by a needle to police on September 17.

News.com.au reported that South Australia Police revealed a statement that said he purchased the punnet from a metropolitan supermarket.

The charge comes as police are offering $100,000 for information about who could be behind the sabotage.

State Police Service Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewsksi (pictured, middle) said that there are currently 100 police officers and detectives working to find those responsible for the strawberry scandal hitting the nation

The fruit contamination scandal has spread to the Northern Territory, after a needle was found in a punnet of strawberries bought from a Darwin supermarket (pictured is a contaminated strawberry bought from Coles in Wingham, NSW)

Braetop Berries strawberry farmer Aidan Young poses on his Queensland farm alongside strawberries due to be destroyed

'Following investigation by Eastern District CIB detectives, the man was arrested today and charged with making a false report to police and falsely claiming goods had been contaminated,' the statement said.

Queensland Police are now appealing for public assistance in the investigation.

Officers have urged members of the public with information regarding the scandal to come forward, The Courier Mail reported.

State Police Service Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewsksi said that there are currently 100 police officers and detectives working to find those responsible.

Mr Gollschewksi said they're focusing on a small amount of 'credible contaminations' in three of the recalled brands - Berry Licious, Berry Obsession and Donnybrook Berries.

He said that action will be taken against anyone who is providing false claims or 'pranks', including children having a bit of fun.

'I'm urging all parents to talk to their children about the severity of making false claims, or sticking needles in fruit as a hoax  you're messing with the industry's livelihood and wasting police resources,' Mr Gollschewsksi said.

The news comes after a Sydney schoolgirl found a sewing needle hidden inside a strawberry

'A person who deliberately and knowingly contaminates food could be charged with the offence of 'contamination of goods' which carries a penalty of up to 10 years' imprisonment. Penalties could be even greater if these criminal acts cause injuries of a serious or permanent nature.'

The Queensland Government has announced a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the conviction of the saboteur.

A five-year-old girl was the latest victim of the fruit contamination scandal that has taken the country by storm.

Cairns mother Samantha Gray said her daughter Bella discovered the contaminated strawberry after finding it on the kitchen counter.

Posting to Facebook, Ms Gray said: 'I had all intentions of chopping them up before consuming. Bella helped herself when I wasn't looking and bit straight into it.'

Five-year-old Bella Gray (pictured) from Cairns has become the latest victim of the fruit contamination scandal after she bit into a strawberry containing a needle.

Samantha Gray said she burst into tears after checking her daughter's mouth in the fear she had been injured by the spiked strawberry

NSW Police have taken the extraordinary step of using DNA testing as they investigate more than 50 cases of needles being found in fruit (stock image)

The latest case is the first uncovered in the Northern Territory, and comes as police investigate more than 100 reports of contaminated fruit around the country.

Farmers have been forced to destroy their strawberry produce en masse as incidents continue to be reported - with Queensland farmers announcing huge job losses on Tuesday.

New South Wales Police announced on Thursday they are now DNA testing needles and packaging in a bid to catch copycat offenders who are sabotaging fruit.

The federal government also rushed 'tough new penalties' through Parliament on Friday so those sabotaging fruit would face jail terms of up to 15 years.

There will also be a new offence of being reckless in causing harm, which will carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Sabotaged strawberries have now been discovered in South Australia as a fifth customer bites in to the contaminated fruit

An eight-year-old Sydney boy has already reportedly confessed he had placed a needle inside his watermelon in the last week.

And another young boy was arrested in New South Wales on Wednesday after admitting he put needles in strawberries as a 'prank'.

The news comes after a Sydney schoolgirl found a sewing needle inside a strawberry and another student in the city uncovered an object implanted in an apple.

Woolworths has now stopped selling sewing needles in a bid to prevent saboteurs using them to spike fruit.

The supermarket giant literally pulled the pin following the crises across Australia.

'We've taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale in our stores. The safety of our customers is our top priority,' a Woolworths spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
British museums and US hedge funds are locked in a bidding war for more than 15million worth of treasures from the Titanic, including a golden nugget necklace gifted to 'the Unsinkable' Molly Brown.

The 5,500-strong haul is being auctioned in Jacksonville, Florida, and includes 15 rings, necklaces and pins dredged from the ocean floor during seven excavations of the wreck between 1987 and 2004.

The collection, which a judge ruled must be sold whole, also encompasses a blue sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, which bears a strong similarity to Princess Diana's wedding ring, which was later given to Kate Middleton by Prince William.

Scroll down for video.

The 5,500-strong haul is being auctioned in Jacksonville, Florida, and includes 15 rings, necklaces and pins dredged from the ocean floor during seven excavations of the Titanic wreck. Pictured: The ship embarking on its ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912

Other items offer a reminder of some of the 1,500 lives that were lost when Titanic sank in 1912, reported The Times.

These include a pocket watch owned by South African hotel owner Thomas William Solomon Brown, who died after putting his wife and daughter on a life boat.

A golden necklace own by Margaret Brown, a socialite who was dubbed 'the Unsinkable Molly Brown', also survives. It was a gift from her mine owner husband, JJ Brown.

In addition there is a bronze cherub from the grand staircase used by first class passengers and a remarkably intact leather hat.

A golden necklace own by Margaret Brown, a socialite who was dubbed 'the Unsinkable Molly Brown', also survives. It was a gift from her mine owner husband, JJ Brown

This leather bowler hat is another of the items in the sale. It was owned by Premier Exhibitions before the firm went bankrupt

Jewelry and personal artifacts from the collection. Premier Exhibitions filed for bankruptcy protection in the US two years ago

The collection was put up for sale after its owners, Premier Exhibitions, filed for bankruptcy protection in the US two years ago.

The British museums want to raise enough money to repatriate the objects to Titanic's home city of Belfast and are backed by James Cameron, who directed the most famous film about the disaster.

'One of the concerns is that the collection would be broken up, sold privately,' he said.

'The bankruptcy court might award the company the opportunity to break up the collection, to sell it piecemeal, and it would disappear from the public eye.'

A golden cherub that adorned the grand staircase in first class (left) and socialite and philanthropist Margaret 'Molly' Brown c.1900 (right)

James Cameron, who directed the most famous Titanic film in 1998, is backing British efforts to repatriate the objects

Earlier this year, a silver pocket watch owned by a Russian passenger on the White Star Line flagship sold for $57,500 at auction.

It was owned by Sinai Kantor, who was travelling with his wife Miriam when the ship went down.

The antique watch featured Hebrew numbers on the face, and an image of Moses holding the Ten Commandments on back.

Salvaged wedding and engagement rings on display in Sweden in September 2017. They are now part of the collection on sale
The most popular baby names in England and Wales were Oliver and Olivia for the second year running, the Office for National Statistics said.

Olivia, Amelia, Isla, Ava and Emily were the top five names for girls in 2017 with Sarah falling out of the top 100 since records began in 1904.

But Edith has returned to popularity after 84 years out in the cold, after formerly being popular at the turn of the 20th Century.

Oliver, Harry, George, Noah and Jack were the most popular names for boys and in the capital Muhammad was the go to boy's name. Muhammad also topped the ranks in Yorkshire, the West Midlands and the Humber.

Interestingly, there were three variations of Muhammad in the top 100. If combined, Muhammad, Muhammed and Mohamed would pip Oliver to the post as the overall most popular boys' name.

The most popular baby names in England and Wales were Oliver and Olivia in 2017

Olly (Oliver) Murs and Prince Harry may have something to do with most popular boys' names while actress Olivia Coleman and little Royal Mia Tindall may have influenced baby naming

Spelling variations stop Muhammad topping the list of most popular boys names The release of the latest official data on baby names is likely to raise the subject of the popularity of the name Muhammad once more. The latest data shows that Muhammad was the 12th most popular name given to baby boys in 2015. It also shows that Mohammed and Mohammad were in the top 100 as well  standing at 29 and 68 respectively, while Muhammed was just outside the top 100, at 121. Combining spelling variations changes the name at the top In the past it has been reported that Muhammad is the most popular name for baby boys  however this is often because people have combined the various spellings of Muhammad. But combining spellings of one particular name distorts the list  for example combining Sophie, Sophia and Sofia on the 2015 girls list would knock Amelia off the top spot. The name Mohammed ranked at 91 in 1924 The appearance of Mohammed in the top 100 is not such a new phenomenon  the first time this name entered the top 100 was in 1924 when it ranked as the 91st most popular name for baby boys. This was not a blip as the name has featured in the top 100 most popular names for baby boys every ten years from 1924 to 1994 and every year since 1996. Different spellings have joined it in the top 100 in more recent years, but three spellings of the name were also in the top 100 in 1954. While there is no definitive answer for why variations of Mohammed has become so popular, reasons may include The increasing size of the Muslim community in England and Wales

The dominance of the name in the Muslim community combined with increased diversity in names for baby boys

The possible increased dominance of the name in the Muslim community

The possible effect of popular sporting figures with the names Muhammad and Mohamed. Muhammad Ali and Mohamed (Mo) Farah may have played a role in increasing the popularity of the name. Advertisement

Harry, Oliver and Jack are showing no signs of slowing in popularity, with all three names having also been in the top five ten years ago.

Nick Stripe, of the Office for National Statistics, said: 'Although Oliver and Olivia remained the most popular baby names in 2017, some fascinating changes took place beneath them.

'Leo entered the boys' top 10 for the first time, whilst Hunter rocketed into the top 100, also for the first time, reaching number 78.

'Sarah, the most popular name for baby girls throughout much of the 1970s and 1980s, dropped out of the top 100 for the first time since our records began in 1904. Brand new entries into the top 100 for girls include the names Aurora and Hallie.'

Thomas has been toppled in the top ten, falling out for the first time in 35 years.

Most of the top 10 baby names of 2007 have declined in popularity, with the names Thomas, Daniel, Ruby, Grace, Jessica and Chloe all given to at least 50% fewer babies in 2017 than they were 10 years previously.

Despite the top of the lists remaining steady, there are eight new names appearing in the top 100 baby names lists: two for boys, and six for girls.

The data shows the six new female entries were Aurora, Orla, Edith, Bonnie, Lyla and Hallie, replacing Lexi, Zoe, Maddison, Sarah, Felicity and Lydia.

Those in the north east may have been inspired by the latest Royal to tie the not with Harry the most popular boy's name in the region in 2017.

The top 10 boys' names are: Oliver, Harry, George, Noah, Jack, Jacob, Leo, Oscar, Charlie and Muhammad, with Leo entering the top 10 for the first time.

The top 10 girls' names are: Olivia, Amelia, Isla, Ava, Emily, Isabella, Mia, Poppy, Ella and Lily.

Parents are still making plans for Nigel, with 11 baby boys given the name in 2017.

The name was thought to be almost extinct after fewer than three babies were named Nigel in 2016 but it has had somewhat of a resurgence.

It is the first time Hunter has been in the top 100 names for boys. Ralph was a popular wartime name last in the top 100 way back in 1944.

The name Harper has leaped 10 places in the girls' rankings, possibly owing its newfound popularity to David and Victoria Beckham's daughter.

David Beckham pictured with Harper, 7, who may have inspired rise in numbers of the name

Despite Lily still placing in the top ten for girls, three fewer baby girls were given the name in the most recent stats, possibly owing to the antics of Lily Allen in the media.

The singer recently published a book, 'My Thoughts Exactly even slamming her own father and admitting to having slept with female prostitutes following the breakdown of her marriage to Sam Cooper and said that she was feeling 'lost and lonely'.

The drop in the name Lily for girls may be partly due to the antics of singer Lily Allen

The name Luna for girls made an impressive leap, penetrating the top 100 for the first time with 30 babies given the name last year.

Luna's rise may owe itself to Chrissy Teigen and John Legend giving their name to the child. The couple are extremely popular, with E! News saying that the 'power couple' are taking over Hollywood.

ROYAL BABY NAMES STILL POPULAR - BUT MEGHAN YET TO CLIMB RANKINGS Royal names feature near the top of the list of most popular baby names in England and Wales, but Meghan is yet to show a climb to the top, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Oliver and Olivia may have topped the baby names charts for the second year running, but George and Charlotte are consistently popular baby names, taking 3rd and 12th place on their respective lists. George has seen a slight increase in popularity over the last decade, climbing nine spots up the rankings since 2007. The Royals do seem to have an effect on baby names, as the birth of Princess Charlotte in 2015 demonstrated. Meghan is yet to show a climb to the top, according to data from the ONS Charlotte holds steady near the top of the list and sits in 12th place with 2,384 births in 2017 - the same position as 10 years ago. However, the name was dropping down the list before the birth of the Princess, reaching a low of 25th place in 2015 - before being propelled back up the rankings in the years since. As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child, Prince Louis, arrived in April 2018, will it have the same impact on naming trends? Louis was the 82nd most popular boys' name of 2017 with 819 babies born, a drop of 11 places on the previous year and down 22 positions on 10 years ago. Could it start climbing again in the years to come? Meghan Markle was known to be in a relationship with Prince Harry throughout 2017, before announcing their engagement in November of that year. However, despite her prominence, Meghan was the 797th most popular girls name in 2017, with 49 baby Meghans born. However, the more popular British spelling of Megan also dropped down the list and barely made it into the top 100. The name dropped 17 places to become the 100th most popular girls' name of 2017. The name has suffered a steep decline in popularity over the last decade, dropping 83 places in the rankings since 2007. Elizabeth McLaren at the ONS said: 'The name Louis has been declining in popularity so it will be interesting to see if the naming of the latest Royal baby will reverse this trend next year. 'Meghan and Megan have also become less popular as baby names in recent times, but again, the addition of a new Royal with this name might reverse this trend. 'Royal names are often traditional names which do seem to go in cycles of popularity, although Elizabeth has consistently been in the top 100 since records began.' Advertisement

The name Luna had a rise of 30 in 2017, probably owing to the popularity of Chrissy Teigan and John Legend who named their first child Luna (pictured right)

The ONS figures reveal that 85 babies born last year were called Bear, including Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne's son who was born in March. Liam said they chose the name because of the noises he made as a new-born.

He told James Corden on The Late Late Show: 'When he was born, one of the midwives said it, he had this thing where if they don't have a good cry they get fluid in the lungs which is quite serious.

'He was going like, 'Grrr, grrr,' when he was sleeping. So I had specialists running in and out of hospital all day, my missus was asleep, I had like 10 doctors come into the room. And in the end, the guy was just like, 'I'm not being funny, there's nothing wrong with him, he just likes to make a lot of noise.'

The ONS figures show 85 babies born last year were called Bear, including Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne's son, who was born in March, pictured here with his father

'And that's carried on ever since, so it just became Bear.'

Smash hit fantasy series Game of Thrones may have had an effect on baby naming in 2017 with 343 babies were named Arya, in stark contrast to the 302 in 2016.

Arya Stark is one of the main characters in the US show, shot across the UK and various locations in Europe. A similar name, Aria, is up by 20.

The character is played by Maisie Williams, who may herself have influenced the rise in her name. Five more children than 2016 were given the name.

Names like Bear and Luna could become more commonplace and may signal a real decline for traditional names like Sarah which doesn't even place in the top 100.

Naming guru Sarah-Jayne Ljungstrom reckons parents are copying celebrities and Instagram stars who are picking 'dreamy' names for their youngsters.

The top baby names for 2017 have seen a huge rise in cosmic monikers such as Luna, Aurora, and Hallie, and 'botanical' ones like Daisy, Ivy and Willow.

Arya Stark is played by British actress Maisie Williams (right) in smash-hit show Game of Thrones. In 2017, 343 babies were named Arya while five more children were named Maisie

Sarah-Jayne, naming expert at ChannelMum.com, puts this down to the 'Instagram effect'.

She said: 'The Instagram effect is starting to shine through with dreamy space names for girls the stand-out new trend.

'Celeb favourite Luna is the second biggest climber in the Top 100 girls chart - up 30 places to number 48 - alongside other heavenly names including Aurora, which jumps 25 spots to become a new entry in the top 100.

'Meanwhile Hallie - a feminine nod to the famous comet - is up a whopping 46 spots and is the biggest climber.

'Dozens of celebs and influencers have picked heavenly names over the last year and it's a beautiful trend which will only blaze brighter as it gathers more pace on social media.

'Also still growing for girls is the botanicals theme. Poppy is up five places into the top ten, while Daisy, Ivy, Willow and Iris are all up too.'

For boys, there is a growing trend for 'soft macho' names such as Hunter, Leo and Ralph instead of short, sharp masculine names like Jake and Tyler.

SJ added: 'These names work wonderfully as they appeal across the classes and regions, but without the grating sounds of older macho names.

'With the rise of gender neutrality, soft macho monikers also mean baby boys don't have a tough image to live up to.'

However, for girls it appears the Royals are losing their naming allure. Megan is down a whopping 17 places, Zara has dropped two places, Elizabeth slides six and Victoria is down by one.

But Harry is holding up in second place alongside William who is a non-mover at number 11.

SJ added: 'The fall of Megan may well reverse in next year's charts which tracks babies born this year.

'Megan has been such a standout hit with Brits that I'd be surprised to see the name lose any more ground.'

TOP 100 BABY NAMES FOR GIRLS Here are the top 100 most popular names for baby girls in England and Wales in 2017. The number next to each name is the total live births registered during the calendar year. 1 Olivia 5,204 2 Amelia 4,358 3 Isla 3,373 4 Ava 3,289 5 Emily 3,121 6 Isabella 2,627 7 Mia 2,590 8 Poppy 2,527 9 Ella 2,452 10 Lily 2,405 11 Sophia 2,398 12 Charlotte 2,394 13 Grace 2,309 14 Evie 2,192 15 Jessica 2,139 16 Sophie 2,129 17 Alice 2,122 18 Daisy 2,040 19 Florence 2,028 20 Freya 2,021 21 Phoebe 2,000 22 Evelyn 1,967 23 Sienna 1,960 24 Isabelle 1,876 25 Ivy 1,819 26 Willow 1,764 27 Matilda 1,736 28 Elsie 1,699 29 Ruby 1,688 30 Scarlett 1,687 31 Sofia 1,664 32 Chloe 1,654 33 Eva 1,634 34 Harper 1,608 35 Rosie 1,388 36 Emilia 1,380 37 Millie 1,372 38 Layla 1,329 39 Imogen 1,284 40 Maya 1,257 41 Eliza 1,248 42 Esme 1,235 43 Lola 1,201 44 Elizabeth 1,174 45 Erin 1,161 46 Maisie 1,142 47 Aria 1,094 48 Luna 1,093 49 Lucy 1,089 50 Ellie 1,055 51 Harriet 1,053 52 Emma 1,042 53 Thea 1,041 54 Eleanor 1,027 55 Penelope 1,020 56 Holly 1,003 57 Hannah 998 58 Molly 978 59 Bella 974 60 Rose 932 61 Amber 915 62 Violet 911 63 Georgia 898 64 Lilly 884 65 Jasmine 871 66 Darcie 868 67 Nancy 861 68 Annabelle 855 69 Lottie 851 70 Zara 842 71 Maria 827 72 Amelie 798 73 Abigail 782 74 Mila 774 75 Anna 730 76 Martha 718 77 Gracie 703 78 Maryam 686 79 Robyn 680 80 Aurora 665 81 Iris 654 82 Sara 653 83 Arabella 639 84 Beatrice 628 85 Heidi 628 86 Summer 626 87 Clara 614 88 Orla 610 89 Francesca 600 90 Aisha 580 91 Julia 576 92 Darcey 568 93 Edith 568 94 Victoria 568 95 Bonnie 563 96 Lyla 563 97 Darcy 558 98 Hallie 556 99 Leah 546 100 Megan 543 Advertisement
The mother of a seven-year-old girl who was raped with a water hose and left fighting for her life in India has called for the attacker to be hanged.

The young girl was reportedly lured to a landfill site in New Delhi by a 21-year-old man before he raped her with the large metal pipe.

After the sickening attack, he handed her 10 rupees and a piece of chocolate for her silence before leaving her bleeding from her genitals with a towel around her waist, reports CNN.

Her 26-year-old mother told CNN: 'He should be hanged. Life imprisonment is too small a punishment.

'It is nothing compared to what he has done.'

After she picked her frightened daughter up the girl identified the rapist in a crowd nearby, and he was arrested by local police.

Horrific: A seven-year-old girl was raped with a water hose and left fighting for her life in New Delhi, India (pictured). Her mother has called for attacker to be hanged

The alleged victim was then rushed to hospital where she needed hours of urgent surgery.

Swati Maliwal, chairwoman of the Delhi Commission for Women, took to Twitter to describe how the young girl had been left in indescribable pain.

'Just met with 7 year old rape survivor who was brutally raped in Seemapuri yesterday by a 22 year old man.

'He took her to a park, inserted water pipe inside her private part & then raped her. Girl is v critical, has bled incessantly & was operated upon. Mom single parent, v poor!

Outrage: Swati Maliwal, chairwoman of the Delhi Commission for Women, took to Twitter to voice her upset over the incident, and vowed to support the young victim

'Cannot describe the pain the little girl was experiencing. Already malnourished, she has a long struggle ahead.

'We are going to support her in her legal fight to ensure death penalty to her culprits. Will file compensation application & shall make all efforts to rehabilitate her.'

Local media reports that the 21-year-old alleged attacker has confessed to carrying out the crime, and he has been denounced by his own family.

His pregnant wife told India Express: 'We used to argue over his alcoholism, but I can't believe he would do this. Police should bring justice to the girl.'




Guwahati : Police on Thursday had arrested three Assam government officials in connection with Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) recruitment scam under Assam Public Service Commission (APSC).





According to the reports, police had arrested government officials Vikash Kumar Pincha, Kaushik Kalita, Kunal Das from the central jail in Guwahati after a local court in the capital city of Assam given permission to arrest trio in the ADO recruitment scam.





A top police official said that, police had arrested trio in the case number 159/2017 following directive by the court.





Earlier, Dibrugarh police had arrested trio in connection with the APSC cash-for-job scam with the Dibrugarh PS case number 936/2016.





On the other hand, the court directed the Assam police to produce them before the court on September 24 next.




A gang of men allegedly robbed 580,000 from two jewellery store workers at a busy junction before fleeing the scene in Hong Kong today.

Armed police have launched a citywide manhunt to look for the suspects who also slashed and injured the two workers with meat cleavers, according to local media.

The victims were said to be carrying two rucksacks filled with cash and cheques in Hung Hom this morning when the alleged robbery occurred. They were said to be on their way to deposit the money.

Footage released by on.cc apparently shows the suspects snatching the bags from the victims

The armed men then escaped with the rucksacks containing 580,000, said Hong Kong police

Footage released by Hong Kong news outlet on.cc appears to show the process of the shocking incident.

The suspects appeared to be waiting for the victims on the crossing before snatching their bags by force, eyewitnesses told Hong Kong news outlet HK01.com. The process was described to be 'very quick' and 'like a scene from a film'.

Police said the gang were made up with four men: three of them allegedly attacked the victims and one of them drove a white car to help the gang flee the scene, reported on.cc.

The attackers also slashed the victims with meat cleavers before fleeing the scene, according to HK01. The two victims have been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

The incident occurred at the crossroad of Hok Yuen Street East and Hung Hom Road (pictured)

The two victims, a 38-year-old Chinese man and a 26-year-old Indian man, were alleged robbed at 10:20am when they walked to the crossroad of Hok Yuen Street East and Hung Hom Road.

The on.cc report said they had put 740,000 US dollars, 360,000 Hong Kong dollars and six cheques into their black and green rucksacks before leaving their company, according to the police.

The Chinese victim was hacked once in the left leg and twice in the right leg, and the Indian victim was slashed once in the right leg. Pictures from Hong Kong media show a pavement stained with blood.

The victims have been taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The victims were on their way in Hung Hom (file photo) to deposit the money this morning

The police have found a car which was thought to be used and abandoned by the suspects in West Kowloon.

Two 20cm (7.8in) long meat cleavers were found inside the car and the car key had been destroyed. The car was reported missing by its owner on Tuesday.

The police are still hunting for the suspects as of writing.
Rape victim Christine Jones said that she felt 'physically sick' when she learnt that William Dennis Fenton would become eligible for parole next month

A rape victim says she is living in fear after she found out that her attacker could be roaming the streets again in less than a month.

Christine Jones, 36, said that she felt 'physically sick' when she learnt that William Dennis Fenton, 60, would become eligible for parole next month.

The now-successful businesswoman from County Down, Northern Ireland, has waived her right to anonymity to launch a petition to keep Fenton behind bars.

Christine is believed to be the first victim in the UK of a drug rape.

Fenton, who laced Christine's drink with drugs before raping her, was jailed in 2000 but was released early.

He moved to Scotland and reoffended, committing further crimes, including filming the assault of one victim and was jailed again in 2013 for rape and sexual assault.

Christine, who was 17 when she was attacked, was lured into Fenton's car and given a bottle of Bacardi Breezer before she passed out.

She added: 'I lost so many weeks and days of my life to that man that I won't let him to do the same to another woman.

She said: 'I was picked up on my way to a party. I was given a drink and the drink was laced with drugs and I never made it to the party.

'I had been raped repeatedly by the vile sex monster before he dumped me on a street corner.'

Christine said it took her six months to even leave her home following the attack. 'If he gets out again it'll break my heart,' she said.

Christine, who gave evidence against Fenton in 2000, said that she had only become aware that her attacker had struck again after seeing the news in a local newspaper

'It's not if he rapes again, it's when, he's a sexual predator. He should stay behind bars for the rest of his life. Life should mean life.'

She said she still experiences flashbacks and nightmares from her horrific ordeal.

'In 20 years it's never gone away and you get transported back into that moment again.

'If you see a certain face or a certain smell it triggers those memories and your mind goes right back to that place again.

'You have to use every technique learnt from cognitive behaviour therapy to make sure your brain doesn't go back into flight mode.

'All I'd say is that I'm stronger now in dealing with those feelings and I don't breakdown like I used to.'

Christine, who was 17 when she was attacked, was lured into Fenton's car and given a bottle of Bacardi Breezer before she passed out

Christine, who gave evidence against Fenton in 2000, said that she had only become aware that her attacker had struck again after seeing the news in a local newspaper.

'Back in 2013 I opened the papers and read he'd raped again. It devastated me, it took me a long time to come to terms with that.'

She added that the petition will finally allow her to hit back at the man who nearly destroyed her.

Christine added: 'I wasn't able to fight him off when I was 17.

'I was drugged so I didn't have the capability to fight him off but I'm now 36 and I'm standing strong against him with the help of others.

'This is my fight against him. I'm standing strong for every woman he's raped. I want the public outcry to be heard. I want all his victims to have the strength to come forward.

'There are so many women who've never had a voice. I feel right now that I can stand up publicly against him and be heard for everyone who never had a voice.'

She said the prospect of his release makes her fearful for her own safety.

Christine added: 'I feel concerned for my own welfare. If he ever comes near me or approaches me, I'm strong enough to deal with him but at the same time he's a very dangerous man.

'You want to take your skin off and scrub it with the feeling that he could be released. It's a feeling you can't describe, it's a mixture of despair, horror, disgust, you feel sick. It's so many emotions you feel like you're head may explode.'

A spokesman for Parole Board Scotland said that the board does not comment on individual cases.

Christine's petition can be found here
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany is now the country's second most popular party after overtaking Angela Merkel's coalition partners, a poll has shown.

AfD are now more popular than the Social Democrats (SPD), who co-rule the country with Mrs Merkel's Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union alliance.

The anti-immigration party are now on 18 per cent, having moved up two percentage points since a survey on September 9, reports DW.

The Deutschlandtrend poll by broadcaster ARD placed the SPD at 17 per cent after losing a point in the poll today.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany is now the country's second most popular party after overtaking Angela Merkel's coalition partners, a poll has shown. Pictured: AfD;s chairman Alice Weidel

Mrs Merkel's CDU/CSU alliance also lost a point, falling to 28 per cent - the worst result for the group since the survey began in 1997.

The AfD, which launched in 2013, first entered the national parliament a year ago after winning 12.6 per cent of the vote.

The group began as an anti-euro party, but has increasingly marketed itself towards those who are unhappy with Mrs Merkel's liberal immigration policies.

It has also been criticised for using rhetoric reminiscent of Germany's Nazi era.

Other groups have also gained from faltering support for the CDU/CSU alliance, with the Greens gaining a point, reaching 15 per cent.

AfD are now on 18 per cent. Mrs Merkel's CDU/CSU alliance lost a point, falling to 28 per cent - the worst result for the group since the survey began in 1997

The Free Democrats (FDP) also went up a percentage point and now stand at 9 per cent.

The news comes as Mrs Merkel revealed she would be working with her Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz to secure Europe's borders.

It is her latest move away from the open-door policy which has sparked a wave of protests in the country.

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.
Nigel Farage last night warned that Ukip faces 'total and utter marginalisation' if it lurches to the far-right and lets Tommy Robinson join.

The Brexiteer says he is 'really upset' over the propsects of the beleaguered party that he once led.

His stark warning comes as Ukip party members are set to debate letting Robinson - a former BNP member and founder of the far-right EDL group - into their party at their conference in Birmingham.

Ukip leader Gerard Batten has said he backs moves to let Robinson in - effectively overturning the party's ban on far-right activists and fundamentally repivoting the party.

But Mr Farage lashed the plan, saying: 'I'm completely opposed to it.

'I wrote very explicitly into the rules of the party when I first became leader: we did not want anybody in the party that had taints with organisations we deemed to be on the far right of British politics.

'I couldn't have been clearer. It really upsets me to see the fact this debate is even taking place.'

Nigel Farage (pictured in London yesterday) warned that Ukip faces 'total and utter marginalisation' if it lurches to the far-right and lets Tommy Robinson join

Ukip leader Gerard Batten (pictured today in Birmingham) has said he backs moves to let Tommy Robinson in, in a move which would overturn the party's ban on far-right activists and fundametally repivot the party

And he tore into Mr Batten's leadership, adding: 'I'm less than impressed with the current direction in which we're going. It devalues, undermines many of the incredible achievements.

'(Ukip is) in danger now unless it changes direction very, very quickly, of total and utter marginalisation.'

Tommy Robinson (pictured in Rugby last month) could be allowed to join Ukip if party members decide to back a controversial motion at their conference in Birmingham

Mr Batten revealed to MailOnline that he is backing a hugely controversial motion to let Robinson, 35, into the party.

He said the activist could help the party broaden its appeal - particularly to voters in the north.

The two men are both vocal critics of Islam, which Robinson has dubbed 'bigoted' and Mr Batten has described as a 'death cult'.

Speaking this morning, Mr Batten hit back at Mr Farage warning his predecessor that he should be 'a little bit more careful about criticising me'.

And he said he stood by his claims that Islam is a 'death cult' which sanctioned the use of sex slaves.

Mr Batten told Sky News: 'Nigel is friends with Donald Trump, who a lot of people like to call names.

'Nigel has gone to speak on platforms with Alternative fur Deutschland, who a lot of people don't like and call names.

'He is entitled to do that, because they are democratic parties, and I am entitled to speak at rallies organised by people who believe in democracy.

'I think maybe he should be a little bit more careful about criticising me, because he has done similar things.'

Ukip leader warns Remainer MPs 'we are coming for you' at the next election Gerard Batten today vowed to try to oust Remainer MPs at the next election as he warned them 'we are coming for you'. The Ukip leader said the party will throw its resources at trying to unseat MPs who have refused to back Brexit. And he urged his members to sign up to either be candidates or throw their support behind the party's next election efforts. Mr Batten admitted the party has seen its vote share plummet - it sunk from 12.6 per cent to less than 2 per cent at last year's snap election. But he warned that in some constituencies, Ukip remains a potent force which can deny an MP a victory. He told his party conference in Birmingham today: 'In the next General Election Ukip intends to run in every constituency. 'But we will target some seats. I'm not going to tell you which seats today, but we are going to hit Remainers hard. 'Remainers, we know where your constituencies are and we are coming for you.' He made the warning as he railed against Theresa May's Brexit plans in his address to the party faithful - accusing the PM of being out to 'betray' the vote. Advertisement

The Ukip leader also said that Robinson would not be admitted to Ukip 'in the near future' because it would require changes to the party's rules.

But he added: 'That's something I would personally approve of, but it's a matter for the party, it's their decision, not mine... I don't happen to think that Tommy Robinson is far-right.'

Mr Batten furiously denied that he is taking the Ukip towards the far-right.

He said: 'For the last 25 years, myself and everyone else in Ukip has worked to restore our country's former status as an independent democratic nation that is governed by our politicians, elected by us, sackable by us, in accordance with our traditional laws and customs and constitution.

'If that makes you far right, I think whoever thinks that has got a very strange idea about what constitutes far right.'

Insisting that he was opposed to all totalitarian ideologies, he added: 'If you look at any country in the world where Islam is predominant, they are either very repressive regimes or they are regimes that are in conflict internally. I think that's something we have to be very wary of.'

He added: 'The ideology of the religion does actually traditionally throughout its history make sex slaves legitimate.

'Their Prophet had sex slaves. It's in the Hadith and the Koran, it's a tradition that it's OK to do.'

Mr Batten has said he wants to use the two-day conference in Birmingham to present the party as a true populist alternative.

He unveiled an interim manifesto including plans for an 'NHS health card' entitling British citizens to free medical treatment.

Gerard Baten (pictured arriving at the party conference in Birmingham today), also today said he stood by his claims that Islam is a 'death cult' which sanctioned the use of sex slaves

Delegates arrived in Birmingham today for the start of Ukip's two-day annual conference. Some members are furious at the prospect that Tommy Robinson could be allowed into the party and are warning they could walk out in disgust if he is let in

Non-Britons would require private medical insurance unless a post-Brexit UK had done a reciprocal deal with their government.

Other pledges include turning the UK Border Force into a 'Migration Control Department' with a remit to exclude 'extremist' Muslims and a five-year ban on property purchases by foreign nationals in designated areas.

Mr Batten said: 'Its purpose is to make Ukip a populist party in the real meaning of the word - one whose policies are popular with voters.'

The conference will also see an address on freedom of speech by online activist 'Count Dankula', who, under his real name of Mark Meechan, was fined earlier this year for filming a pet dog giving Nazi salutes and posting the footage online.
Former deputy prime minister Julie Bishop has unleashed a brutal tirade on her Liberal Party colleagues in an explosive television interview.

60 Minutes has released a sneak peek of their interview with the former foreign minister, which will go to air on Sunday night.

Almost a month on since announcing her resignation from the frontbench, a frank Ms Bishop didn't hold back on what she really thinks of some of her Liberal party colleagues.

Julie Bishop will reveal all in an explosive 60 Minutes interview, which will go to air on Sunday night

'No better than schoolchildren. In fact, not as well behaved as schoolchildren,' she told the program.

She also called for more substance and less theatre in parliament during the interview.

Ms Bishop threw her name in the ring to be part in a three-way battle for the leadership role after Malcolm Turnbull stepped down last month.

She was eliminated on the first ballot with 11 votes out of 85.

The battle came down between Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton with Morrison having the numbers to become Australia's 30th prime minister.

Josh Frydenberg then had the numbers to become Australia's new deputy leader.

Once widely tipped to become Australia's second female prime minister, Ms Bishop announced her resignation from the ministry two days later the leadership spill.

'Yes, I've had many calls asking why I'm no longer the foreign minister and what happened to the prime minister,' she revealed.

'We seem to have lowered the bar for the reasons that one can remove a Prime Minister from office.'

'We seem to have lowered the bar for the reasons that one can remove a Prime Minister from office,' Julie Bishop, pictured with new prime minister Scott Morrison said

'Yes, I've had many calls asking why I'm no longer the foreign minister and what happened to the prime minister,' she revealed

When asked if the consequences have been great, she replied: 'Yes, they have.'

When asked what she thought of the 'suits' in the Liberal Party, Ms Bishop replied: 'Well, you can go through it person by person.'

It comes after she took aim at the behaviour of parliamentary colleagues earlier this month, saying she has witnessed 'appalling' behaviour she never would have accepted while running a major law firm 20 years ago.

The 60 Minutes interview with Ms Bishop airs this Sunday at 8.30pm on Channel 9.
NYPD have released this CCTV image of a man they believe groped a 26-year-old woman at Grand Central/42 Street subway station on August 31

A brave young woman chased a man through a New York City subway station after feeling somebody grope her while she walking down a staircase.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) released a video from surveillance cameras inside Grand Central/42 Street subway station showing the 26-year-old woman running after the man they believe groped her on the stairs.

In the footage, she has a physical confrontation with the man, hitting him over the head and several times on the body.

Scroll down for video

After feeling somebody grab her on the stairs at Grand Central/42 subway station, the 26-year-old woman chased after the suspect

The footage shows her whacking him over the head and trying to restrain him by holding his shirt

She then tries to hold onto his shirt but he manages to break off and get away.

The incident happened at around 2pm on Friday, August 31.

The NYPD released the footage Thursday in the hope someone would recognise the suspect, whom they are still trying to trace.

He is about 20 to 30 years old, between 5ft 6" and 5ft 8" tall, about 225lbs and was wearing glasses.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.
Hanna Lewis (pictured) ploughed into the car of 79-year-old Bryan Smithers on a sharp bend after the day out in August last year

A 17-year-old girl driving friends back from the beach hit and killed a pensioner just three months after passing her test.

Hanna Lewis ploughed into the car of 79-year-old Bryan Smithers on a sharp bend after the day out in August last year.

Newly-qualified driver Lewis was 'distracted' by her friend when she ploughed head-on into the pensioner's car in south Wales.

Mr Smithers died at the scene of the crash near the beach at Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire.

One of the driver's friends was also seriously injured, a court was told.

Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told magistrates: 'This is a tragic set of circumstances.

'She approached a bend on the wrong side of the road and it was a head-on collision.

'She had perhaps been distracted by friends having been to the beach earlier with them.'

Mr Smithers lived in the nearby village of Llanybri where he was an active member of the community as treasurer of the local hall committee.

Lewis, of Llandovery, admitted causing death by dangerous driving in her Audi A1.

Newly-qualified driver Hanna Lewis (pictured) was 'distracted' by her friend when she ploughed head-on into the pensioner's car in south Wales

Defence solicitor Gareth Walters said she was an 'inexperienced' driver.

He said: 'She passed her test in May and the collision was at the end of August.'

'With Miss Lewis' inexperience and lack of knowledge of the road there is no doubt this was a tragic incident.'

District Judge James said: 'A lack of driving experience contributed, it seems, to the causality of the collision.'

Lewis, now 18, will face sentencing at Swansea Crown Court in October and was remanded on bail by magistrates at Llanelli.
A pervert was caught upskirting a woman while pretending to talk on the phone after the flash went off.

In the clip, filmed in the Philippines, a group of people are sitting on some steps inside a large hall, with a woman sat on a step slightly above a man.

Unaware he is being filmed, the creep opens the camera app on his phone and places it against his ear before turning his head and subtly taking pictures up her skirt.

In the clip, filmed in the Philippines, the pervert pretends to talk on the phone, but turns his head to the side so he can upskirt a woman sat above him

He pretends to be talking on the phone while repeatedly turning to the side to point the camera towards the woman who is sat with her legs slightly open.

But while taking another image, he accidentally sets off the flash, alerting the woman to what he is doing.

She immediately shuts her legs and the pervert gets up and walks away from the steps.

The clip has gone viral on social media, racking up nearly one million views.

One individual commented on the clip: 'Haha. You can see on the phones screen that he was using the camera. He was probably scared, that is why he ran down the steps!'

But the creep accidentally sets off the flash while pressing the phone against his ear, alerting the woman to his behaviour who immediately shuts her legs
A cache of Soviet jokes that was compiled by CIA agents during the Cold War has been released among a cache of declassified documents.

All the jokes were told between Soviets but picked up by CIA operatives before being relayed back to Washington.

The list was addressed to the Deputy Director of the CIA but it is believed to have been circulated among senior White House officials.

One joke featuring Ronald Reagan made it to the president's desk and he found it so funny he began using it himself.

A cache of Soviet jokes compiled by the CIA during the Cold War has been declassified and included this quip about Ronald Reagan

While the document containing the jokes was addressed to the Deputy Director of the CIA, the Reagan joke made its way to the president, who liked it so much he used it himself

The quip goes: 'An American tells a Russia that the United States is so free that he can stand outside the White House and yell "to hell with Ronald Reagan."

The Russian replies: 'That's nothing, I can stand outside the Kremlin and yell "to hell with Ronald Reagan too!"

It is not known exactly why the CIA began doing this, though since there were no polls in Soviet Russia it could have been a good way for agents to judge public mood towards politicians and the government.

One particular figure of fun was Mikhail Gorbeachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, who worked to end the Cold War by reforming the USSR.

While this made him popular overseas he was often reviled at home, as revealed by this joke, which tells of a man waiting in line at a liquor store.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the reformist Soviet leader who oversaw the collapse of the Union, was often reviled at home - as this joke about assassinating him shows

Another joke compares Gorbachev (left) to Czechoslovakian leader Alexander Dubcek (right), who was forced from office at gunpoint after trying to reform the Soviet state

The joke predicts that Gorbachev will share the same fate as Ducek, but doesn't know it yet

"I've had enough, save my place, I'm going to shoot Gorbachev," he says. Two hours later he returns to claim his place in line.

Stalin was also a figure of fun. One joke tells of a man who disappears for 15 years before suddenly returning. 'I was in jail for calling Stalin a fathead', he says. 'That's a long time for a joke,' his friend replies. 'No, I only got one year for the joke, I got 14 for revealing a state secret'

'His friend asks "Did you get him?" "No," he replies, "the line there was even longer than the line here.'

Another quip compared Gorbachev to the reformist Czechoslovakian politician Alexander Dubcek who worked to make the government more transparent while lifting controls on the arts, free speech and the press.

The process ended when the Soviets marched troops into Czechoslovakia and kicked him out of office.

Other jokes poke fun at food shortages and living conditions in the USSR during the 1980s, especially when compared to America.

It goes: 'A Chukchi [indigenous people native to Chukchi Peninsula, across the Bering Strait from Alaska] is asked what he would do if the Soviet borders were opened.

"I'd climb the highest tree," he replies. Asked why, he says: "So I wouldn't get trampled on the stampede out!"

'Then he is asked what he would do if the US border is opened.

"I'd climb the highest tree," he says "So I could see the first person crazy enough to come here!"

Other jokes poke fun at the often miserable living conditions in the USSR during the Cold War, especially when compared to prosperous America (a Chukchi is a person indigenous to the Chukchi region of far eastern Russia, and therefore very close to America)

The joke goes: 'What's the difference between Gorbachev and Dubcek? Nothing, but Gorbachev doesn't know it yet.'

Despite the often brutal repressions by the Soviet Union against its own people, the Russians showed their ability to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

They were also not afraid to poke fun at the heroes of the past, as this joke about Josef Stalin shows.

'A Russian man reappears in Moscow after an absence of 15 years and explains he was in prison for calling Josef Stalin a fathead.

"That's a long sentence for criticizing the leader," his friend says.

"Oh, only got a year for that" he replies. "I got 14 years for revealing a state secret."
Russian agents attacked Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with Novichok in 2018

2010 - Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer jailed for spying for Britain, is released and flown to the UK as part of a swap with Russian agents caught in the United States. He settles in Salisbury.

March 3, 2018 - Yulia Skripal arrives at Heathrow Airport from Russia to visit her father in England.

March 4, 9.15am - Sergei Skripal's burgundy BMW is seen in suburban Salisbury, near a cemetery, where his wife and son are commemorated.

March 4, 1.30pm - The BMW is seen driving toward central Salisbury.

March 4, 1.40pm - The BMW is parked at a lot in central Salisbury.

A police officer stands guard outside the Zizzi restaurant where Sergei and Yulia had lunch before they collapsed in a nearby park

March 4, afternoon - Sergei and Yulia Skripal visit the Bishops Mill pub.

March 4, 2.20pm to 3.35pm - Sergei and Yulia Skripal have lunch at the Zizzi restaurant.

March 4, 4.15pm - Emergency services are called by a passer-by concerned about a man and a woman in Salisbury city centre.

Officers find the Skripals unconscious on a bench. They are taken to Salisbury District Hospital, where they remain in critical condition.

March 5, morning - Police say two people in Salisbury are being treated for suspected exposure to an unknown substance.

March 5, afternoon - Wiltshire Police, along with Public Health England, declare a 'major incident'

March 7 - Police announce that the Skripals were likely poisoned with a nerve agent in a targeted murder attempt.

They disclose that a police officer who responded to the incident is in serious condition in a hospital.

March 8 - Home Secretary Amber Rudd describes the use of a nerve agent on UK soil was a 'brazen and reckless act' of attempted murder

March 9 - About 180 troops trained in chemical warfare and decontamination are deployed to Salisbury to help with the police investigation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Moscow might be willing to assist with the investigation but expresses resentment at suggestions the Kremlin was behind the attack.

March 11 - Public health officials tell people who visited the Zizzi restaurant or Bishops Mill pub in Salisbury on the day of the attack or the next day to wash their clothes as a precaution.

March 12, morning- Prime Minister Theresa May tells the House of Commons that the Skripals were poisoned with Novichok, a military-grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

March 12, afternoon - Public Health England ask everyone who visited Salisbury town centre on the day of the attack to wash all of their clothes and belongings.

Officers wearing chemical protection suits secure the forensic tent over the bench where Sergei and Yulia fell ill

March 14 - The PM announces the expulsion of 23 suspected Russian spies from the country's UK Embassy.

March 22 - Nick Bailey, the police officer injured in the attack, is released from hospital.

March 26 - The United States and 22 other countries join Britain in expelling scores of Russian spies from capitals across the globe.

March 29 - Doctors say Yulia Skripal is 'improving rapidly' in hospital.

'Unknown time in the spring' - Dutch authorities expelled two suspected Russian spies who tried to hack into a Swiss laboratory

April 3 - The chief of the Porton Down defence laboratory said it could not verify the 'precise source' of the nerve agent.

April 5, morning - Yulia Skripal's cousin Viktoria says she has received a call from Yulia saying she plans to leave hospital soon.

Dawn Sturgess died in hospital on July 8

April 5, afternoon - A statement on behalf of Yulia is released by Metropolitan Police, in which she says her strength is 'growing daily' and that 'daddy is fine'.

April 9 - Ms Skripal is released from hospital and moved to a secure location.

May 18 - Sergei Skripal is released from hospital 11 weeks after he was poisoned.

June 30 - Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley fall ill at a property in Amesbury, which is eight miles from Salisbury, and are rushed to hospital.

July 4 - Police declare a major incident after Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley are exposed to an 'unknown substance', later revealed to be Novichok.

July 5 - Sajid Javid demands an explanation over the two poisonings as he accuses the Russian state of using Britain as a 'dumping ground for poison'.

July 8 - Mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess, 44, dies in hospital due to coming into contact with Novichok.

July 10 - Mr Rowley regains consciousness at hospital, and later tells his brother that Dawn had sprayed the Novichok onto her wrists.

July 19 - Police are believed to have identified the perpetrators of the attack.

August 20 - Charlie Rowley is rushed to hospital as he starts to lose his sight, but doctors can't confirm whether it has anything to do with the poisoning.

August 26 - Charlie Rowley admitted to intensive care unit with meningitis

August 28 - Police call in the 'super recognisers' in bid to track down the poisoners

September 4 - Charlie Rowley's brother says he has 'lost all hope' and doesn't have long to live.

Independent investigators, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, confirm the toxic chemical that killed Ms Sturgess was the same nerve agent as that which poisoned the Skripals.

September 5 - Scotland Yard and CPS announce enough evidence to charge Russian nationals Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov for conspiracy to murder over Salisbury nerve agent attack.

September 13 - Britain's most wanted men speak to RT and claim to be humble tourists

September 26 - The real identity of one of the two assassins, named by police as Ruslan Boshirov, is reported to be Colonel Anatoliy Vladimirovich Chepiga.

October 3: New photo emerges that appears to show Col Chepiga on the Wall of Heroes at the Far-Eastern Military Academy, providing more evidence against the Kremlin's denials.




Guwahati : Hizbul Mujahideen, a Kashmiri separatist terrorist group had planned to three major explosions in Assam this year and to send 12 Assam youths for arms training in Pakistan and Afghanistan.





It has been revealed by Qamar-uz-Zaman, a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was arrested by the Lucknow Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from Kanpur on September 12.





Qamar-uz-Zaman, originally hailing from Jamunamukh area in central Assams Hojai district is the same person whose photograph was appeared in the social media with an AK-47 rifle as a Hizbul ultra.





During interrogation by the Uttar Pradesh police, Qamar-uz-Zaman revealed that, Hizbul Mujahideen had planned to three major explosions at Lumding railway junction, Geeta Ashram in Hojai town and another area in Assam this year.





A top official of Assam police said that, the Kashmiri separatist terrorist group also planned to conduct recruitment drive in Assam and send at least 12 Assamese youths to Pakistan and Afghanistan for arms training.





We have so far arrested seven persons including Qamar-uz-Zamans childhood friend 39-year-old Shahnawaz Alam, his elder brother Saiful Islam. The terrorist group also tried to set up base camps in Assam and Meghalaya and procurement arms from Nagaland based arms dealer, separatist groups. A Jammu and Kashmir origin leader of Hizbul Mujahideen came to Assam few months back and holding several meetings with some people and a religious

preacher. The Hizbul Mujahideen leader had visited several areas of Assam and Meghalaya, the top Assam cop said.





The Assam cop further said that, Qamar-uz-Zaman had visited Assam in August last and travelled few areas in Hojai, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Barpeta districts.





Qamar-uz-Zaman, who failed in his BA third year examination, went missing in 2017 until April 2018, but he had undergone training in Pakistan in 2017.





The top Assam cop said that, Qamar had taken arms training under ISIS and joined Hizbul Mujahideen.





Meanwhile, a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) had already reached at Hojai and been interrogating the seven suspected arrested till now.




The story of how a brave young Frenchwoman was recruited by British intelligence and ended up running a 100-strong spy network during the Great War is being highlighted to commemorate a century since her passing.

Louise de Bettignies was born in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, northern France in 1880, one of eight children in an aristocratic family that had fallen on hard times.

Despite the family's lack of funding, education came first, and young Louise obtained primary and secondary education courtesy of local Catholic schools.

Incredible woman: Louise de Bettignies, born 1880, spoke four languages fluently and her bravery and skills saw her recruited by British intelligence in 1915

The family moved to Lille when Louise was 15, and three years later, the bright teenager moved to the UK to continue her studies.

She studied with with the Ursulines, a Roman Catholic religious order dedicated to the education of girls and women, in Essex, London and Oxford.

Louise returned to Lille when her father died in 1903, by which time she was fluent in English.

She eventually graduated from the local university, having also learned to speak German and Italian.

Following her graduation, she worked as a tutor for several upper class and noble families across Europe, picking up basic Czech, Russian and Spanish, before returning to France in the beginning of 1914.

Joan of Arc of the North: Working under the pseudonym Alice Dubois, Louise ended up running a 100-strong spy network in north France in the war

She was 34 when her home town of Lille came under fire in October 1914 and notably aided troops by distributing ammunition and food to soldiers.

When the town capitulated less than two weeks later, she fled to Saint-Omer, some 40 miles northwest of Lille.

In early 1915, she was first contacted by the French military and then the British to recruit her to the intelligence service.

She agreed and adopted the code name Alice Dubois and together with a woman named Marie-Leonie Vanhoutte she set up the 'Alice network'.

Louise's network ended up comprising up to 100 agents in Lille and surrounding areas, and monitored German army activities on behalf of the British, as well as helped Allied soldiers escape occupied territories.

It is estimated that the Alice network saved the lives of more than 1,000 British lives, according to the Western Front Association.

Honoured: This monument of Louise de Bettignies can be found in Lille, France

However, after just a few months, both Louise and her accomplice Marie-Leonie were caught by the Germans - the latter in September and Louise in October.

Louise was sentenced to death in March 1916, with the sentence later reduced to forced labour for life.

She was deported to a labour colony in Cologne, where she was held for three years before falling ill with pleurisy - a type of lung infection - which her jailers refused to treat adequately.

Louise de Bettignies - Joan of Arc of the North - died at a hospital in Cologne, on September 27, 1918, aged 38.
The parents of Brazilian mining executive Cecilia Haddad, whose lifeless body was found floating in Sydney's Lane Cove River, have spoken out in their first Australian interview.

Mario Marcelo Santero, 40, faced a Brazilian court this week accused of killing Haddad, 38, his former girlfriend, in Sydney in late April before fleeing back home to Brazil.

Speaking to Channel 7, Ms Haddad's father Jose and stepmother Andrea spoke of their devastation at their daughter's death.

The parents of Brazilian mining executive Cecilia Haddad, whose lifeless body was found floating in Sydney's Lane Cove River, have spoken out in their first Australian interview (pictured father Jose Haddad)

Jose Haddad said: 'The only thing I feel is I miss her.

Refusing to say Santoro's name in the interview, Mr Haddad added tearfully that 'the big problem is Cecilia - she's not here anymore.'

Ms Haddad's father also thanked members of the Australian police who have worked on the investigation.

His words of gratitude come despite criticism of NSW Police by Brazlian homicide chief Fabio Cardoso - who accused the Australian authorities of failing to hand over technical evidence that could be used to convict Santoro at this week's pre-trial hearing.

Jose Haddad said 'The only thing I feel is I miss her' while stepmother Andrea (pictured) remembered Ms Haddad's pride in her career

Ms Haddad's stepmother meanwhile spoke fondly of the 38-year-old's pride in her career.

She said: 'She was happy and proud of herself because she was a wonderful professional - this is very important to remember.'

It was heard in court Ms Haddad had resorted to only communicating with Santoro over email after blocking the number.

A witness told the court in Rio de Janeiro Ms Haddad was writing the emails just in English so Australian police could read the exchanges if something happened to her, news.com.au reported.

Cecilia Haddad (pictured) was only communicating with her ex-boyfriend Mario Marcelo Santoro by email and in English after blocking his phone number, a witness told a court

Mario Marcelo Santoro (pictured) is accused of murdering Ms Haddad's, whose lifeless body was found floating in a Sydney river

Ms Haddad's fully-clothed body was discovered floating in the Lane Cove River on April 29, with Santoro flying back to his native Brazil on the same weekend her body was found.

Santoro was arrested in Brazil on July 7, a day after police searched his home in Rio de Janeiro as well as the homes of his parents and relatives, after a warrant for his arrest was issued.

It has been alleged Santoro, 40, killed Ms Haddad as he 'could not accept the end of their relationship'.

A witness told the court Santoro had become 'obsessive' and 'sexist' after his relationship with Ms Hadded ended.

The witness also told the court Santoro had read Ms Haddad's personal messages, followed her and refused to move out of her home.

Wednesday's court hearing was a pre-trial hearing at which four of the seven prosecution witnesses gave evidence.

It has been alleged Santoro (right), 40, killed Ms Haddad (left) as he 'could not accept the end of their relationship'

Ms Haddad (pictured) was allegedly murdered by Santoro, who was her former boyfriend

Judge Daniel Werneck Cotta will decide if Santoro will face a full trial on qualified homicide charges.

The court heard Santoro confessed to strangling Ms Haddad to death in an informal police interview.

The head of the Rio homicide squad, Dr Fabio Cardoso, gave testimony before the court that Santoro 'never denied being the author of the crime' throughout police interviews.

Dr Cardoso also gave testimony Santoro confessed to strangling Ms Haddad in an informal conversation after the pair had an argument in their apartment.

The detective said the defendant had told his colleague the confession was not formal testimony.

The court also heard Santoro used Ms Haddad's finger to unlock her phone and send text messages to her mother and friends.

In court, one of Santoro's defence lawyers, Mauricio Eduardo Mayr, dismissed the alleged confession as 'hearsay'.

Defence lawyers also told the court there was not enough evidence to support the allegations.
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China has taken its love for giant pandas to new heights.

An airline company has launched a daily flight inspired by the black-and-white animals, which is considered by the nation to be its national treasure.

Passengers on the so-called 'Panda Route' are transported by an Airbus A350 sporting cartoon livery of eight pandas, greeted by air hostesses donning panda-inspired uniforms and treated with food resembling the image of the lovely bears.

Is this the cutest flight you've seen? A Chinese airline has launched a flight with aircraft and food inspired by the bears

All aboard! The flight is operated by Sichuan Airlines and serves domestic travellers in China between Beijing and Chengdu

A meal to remember: Passengers are served with a panda-themed in-flight meal with iconic dishes from the city of Chengdu

Bon appetit! Air hostesses on the 'Panda Route' serve panda-inspired food to travellers wearing panda-inspired aprons

The adorable flight is operated by Sichuan Airlines from the province of Sichuan where pandas are original from.

Sichuan Airlines says it wants to offer a complete panda-inspired journey for its customers, from when they arrive at the airport to when they open their meal box.

To begin with, passengers check in their flight and drop their luggage at a 'panda' airport counter manned by staff wearing panda-shaped hairpins and adorned with panda plush toys.

Have a sweet tooth? Travellers can also find cupcakes which carry cartoon images of pandas on the super cute flight

A feast 30,000 in the air: The flight's meal is comprised of iconic dishes from Chengdu, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy

Too cute to bear: Biscuits and rice made to look like pandas on the flight by Sichuan Airlines are almost too adorable to eat

The airline says it wants to offer a complete panda-inspired journey to its customers from the airport to the bento box

On their way to the airport gate, travellers can pop into a panda-themed lounge complete with panda-shaped cushion, or say hello to the airline's workers wearing full-body panda suits.

The plane's cabin is decorated with pictures of the three pandas Sichuan Airline has adopted from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

The highlight of the flight is no doubt the meal.

Inaugural flight: The first 'Panda Route' arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport from Chengdu on August 16

A very special plane: Passengers on the 'Panda Route' are transported by an Airbus A350 sporting cartoon panda livery

Meet little panda '3U': Sichuan Airlines has adopted a panda from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

The bento box - served by flight attendants wearing panda-inspired aprons - is comprised of iconic dishes from Chengdu, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and even come with the image of a panda on its cover.

Imagine steamed fish, fried pork and cabbage, scrambled eggs, sweet and sour dumplings as well as a portion of rice made to look like a panda's face.

The impressive in-flight meal is topped off by a panda-inspired cup cake, buscuits or steamed buns.

'Panda Route' was launched last month and currently serves travellers between China's capital city Beijing and Sichuan's capital city Chengdu.

Sichuan Airlines says it plans to launch its first international 'Panda Route' next year between Chengdu and Boston in the United States.

Sichuan Airlines plans to launch its first international 'Panda Route' next year between Chengdu and Boston in the U.S.

Happy start of the journey: A family is being served by a Sichuan Airlines employee at the airport who wears panda hairpins

The flight is a part of Sichuan Airline's 'Panda Route' international flight development program, which was launched in 2016.

In July, Sichuan Airlines announced it had adopted a panda named '3U' and nicknamed 'You You' as the programme's official ambassador.

One of the eight pandas from the 'Panda Route' livery is inspired by '3U', which was born in the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on July 15 last year.

Commenting on the significance of the adoption, the General Manager of Sichuan Airlines Shi Zuyi said: 'We're excited to take this opportunity to introduce more people to Sichuan and pandas in a fun way.

'Adopting pandas is one of our public welfare activities which supports the protection of endangered animals.

'It is also a part of Sichuan Airlines' commitment to protect Sichuan culture and to promote it to our international passengers and partners.'

Sichuan Airlines is based in Chengdu, home to one of the largest panda breeding centres in the world. The city also has panda-themed subway carriages and sky trains.

Pandemonium: Passengers can see images of pandas throughout the cabin of the Airbus A350 on the 'Panda Route'
The ex-wife of a multi-millionaire French vineyard boss claims he has left her penniless after he allegedly refused to pay her 4,000 a month in maintenance.

Henri Orenga de Gafforj, 70, who runs a vineyard in Corsica, France, is being divorced in the UK by his estranged wife Anne, 50, who moved to North Yorkshire with their children in 2014.

Her barrister said he had refused to pay her maintenance despite being ordered to do so by a British divorce judge, saying the vineyard chief had 'expressed his contempt for English court proceedings.'

Mrs Orenga de Gafforj is struggling to pay her bills and to 'feed and clothe' her children, barrister Peter Newman told the Court of Appeal.

Henri Orenga de Gafforj (right), 70, boss of an exclusive vineyard in Corsica, is being divorced in the UK by his estranged wife Anne (pictured left outside court), 50, who moved to Yorkshire

The couple met in France in 1998 and married in 2002, but after their relationship broke down Mrs Orenga de Gafforj moved to Settle, North Yorkshire, with their two sons.

She had helped to run their 247-acre winery, which sits on a UNESCO world heritage site in northern Corsica, but Mr Newman said her ex-husband 'remains in control' of the business and the family fortune.

Mr Newman said the couple lived in 'a large property' in the midst of the vineyard.

They 'enjoyed a high standard of living during the marriage and were fortunate to be able to do so within their means,' he said.

After they separated, Mrs Orenga De Gafforj launched a divorce petition in England a month before he did the same in France.

And a divorce judge in London ruled last year that the case should go ahead in the UK , where divorce payouts are viewed as generous, as the wife was by then 'habitually resident' in Yorkshire.

Pending the divorce, Mr Orenga De Gafforj was ordered to pay his ex-wife more than 4,000 a month in maintenance and contribute to her legal costs bills.

Mrs Orenga de Gafforj (pictured outside court) is struggling to pay her bills and to 'feed and clothe' her children, her barrister Peter Newman told the Court of Appeal

But, 'deeply unhappy' with the outcome, Mr Orenga De Gafforj has since 'completely ignored' the English court orders, the court heard, and is now said to be more than 120,000 in arrears.

'His current tactic is to ignore all English court proceedings, to such an extent that he ignored all communications from his own solicitors,' said Mr Newman.

Mrs Orenga De Gafforj had been left living in Britian 'without funds', he added.

He said: 'She has very limited income and earning capacity, whereas he remains in control of the income-generating family asset, the vineyard, and the matrimonial wealth generally.

'The non-payment of maintenance affects her ability to live and her ability to feed and clothe the two children of the marriage. She is hamstrung.

'It affects all the costs of life. She is unable to pay for gas and electricity in her home. She needs to be able to live her life and pay her rent.'

Mr Orenga De Gafforj has lodged an appeal against the divorce going ahead in England, but his wife's barrister said she had been left unable even to pay for legal counsel.

He said: 'She remains married to Mr Orenga De Gafforj, even though they have been separated for at least three years.

'She will say they have been separated, living in different countries, for much longer than that.'

Mrs Orenga de Gafforj had helped to run their 247-acre winery (pictured), which sits on a UNESCO world heritage site in northern Corsica, but her ex-husband 'remains in control'

The barrister argued that it would be an affront to justice to allow Mr Orenga De Gafforj to press ahead with his appeal, when he has ignored court orders and left his wife with nothing to live on.

Lord Justice Peter Jackson, sitting with Lord Justice Coulson, ordered Mr Orenga De Gafforj to pay more than 100,000 towards his wife's legal costs before October 8.

If he fails to pay, his appeal will be automatically dismissed and the way will be open for his wife to press ahead with the divorce in England.

Mr Orenga De Gafforj was neither present, nor represented, at the Court of Appeal hearing.

The vineyard was established in 1966 and is planted with a range of traditional Corsican grape varieties, including Niellucio Vermentino and Sciacarellu.

The winery's website states that it utilises the 'unique terroirs' of the sun-drenched island to produce 'wines characterised by their balanced structure ad aromatic concentration, as well as their potential for ageing.'

Mr Orenga De Gafforj is 'equally passionate about contemporary art' as he is about winemaking, says the website, and hosts annual exhibitions of local and international contemporary art at the winery.
The harrowing 911 calls from a Chinese birth center where five people including three infant baby girls under a month old were stabbed on Friday have emerged along with more details about the facility.

At 3.40am, someone from inside the Mei Xin Care home in Flushing called 911 to say that worker Yu Fen Wang, 52, had gone on a stabbing rampage.

She slashed three baby girls, the youngest of which is just three days old, and attacked another two adults before trying to take her own life in the basement by cutting one of her wrists.

All five victims and Wang survived and were taken to the hospital.

There were five other babies in the home at the time and a handful of mothers who had recently given birth to them.

The center is one of many other similar clandestine facilities across the country where foreign pregnant women come to give birth to their babies on US soil so that they may later gain citizenship.

One of the injured babies' mothers told the New York Post she paid $4,600 to stay there for a month.

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A woman is pictured leaving the Mei Xin Care maternity center in Queens on Friday afternoon after three baby girls and two adults were stabbed by worker Yu Fen Wang

An empty Pampers box was left discarded outside the home next to a pool of spattered blood

In the 911 call on Friday morning, one of the injured babies' mothers reported the terror as it unfolded.

'Help, help, help!' she said, according to NBC which obtained the call.

'Hurry, my baby has already been stabbed twice.'

Another person called later, saying: 'Im sleeping  and then I heard somebody yelling  and then they are killing people.

'I just saw blood on the floor  and that somebody got hurt.'

That person told the operator they were scared to go outside in case they too were harmed.

'I'm afraid' they said. A high ranking NYPD official described it as 'illegal'.

The home is in one of a row of multi-family buildings on the quiet street in Flushing

The chaotic scene continued into the day on Friday as the investigation progressed

A crime scene unit continued to work at the scene well into the afternoon on Friday

Authorities work at the scene on Friday as the victims recover in hospital

There was a heavy police presence at the scene throughout the day on Friday

'They used it as a place for Chinese women to keep babies they gave birth to,' they said.

After attacking the five victims, Wang went to the basement of the property where she slashed her left wrist in an attempt to take her own life.

She was found there by police a short while later and was unconscious but, after receiving a tourniquet, regained consciousness.

One of the baby girls was more severely injured than the other two.

Police initially feared for her life but her condition has improved to critical but stable since she was taken o the hospital.

'There was 1 child more seriously injured than the other two, at one point we thought might have been likely but thank God she was upgraded and is now stable,' NYPD Assistant Chief Juanita Holmes said.

She added that the property was split between living quarters but that they had uncovered paperwork which showed it was a daycare center too.

There is no record for any business at that site online.

It remains unclear how many stab wounds they each suffered and where on the body they were struck.

The building where the horror unfolded is a multi-family townhouse which contains several separate apartments.

The stabbing is understood to have happened on the ground floor and in the basement.

The Office of Child and Family Services distanced itself from the facility after the stabbing and said it was not certified by them in anyway.

'OCFS is saddened by this horrific situation and investigating it as a possible illegal operation,' the agency said.
German authorities have said they may have made a breakthrough in their investigation of the mysterious 2001 disappearance of a 9-year-old girl.

A 41 year old man has told Bavarian police he transported the body of Peggy Knobloch, who disappeared on her way home from school in the town of Lichtenberg, in Saxony.

The man, who is only known as 'Manuel S', described taking her body to woods in neighboring Thuringia state where her remains were found in 2016.

Peggy Knobloch, nine, pictured above on her gravestone, disappeared in May 2001 in Nordhalben, Germany. A 41-year-old man has told Bavarian Police he buried the remains of Peggy in the neighbouring Thuringia state, where her bones were found more than 15 years later

The officials said he told investigators that another man gave him the girl's body at a bus stop in the small town of Lichtenberg and he claims to have tried to revive her, before driving the body away.

Details of how this handover took place were not provided.

He says he burned the girl's school bag and jacket at home several days later.

The suspect was identified as Manuel S. in line with privacy rules.

The girl's remains were found between Nordhalben and Rodacherbrunn, approximately nine miles from her home in 2016, more than 15 years later

Peggy's case is similar to Madeleine McCann who vanished without trace from Portugal on May 3, 2007

In Germany, the disappearance sparked a huge search as far as Turkey, because officers investigating thought the girl was kidnapped.

More than 15 years later in 2016, her bones were found by mushroom pickers in the neighbouring state of Thuringia, around a nine minute drive away.

Prosecutor Daniel Goetz said the man is being investigated on suspicion of murder, to which the statute of limitations doesn't apply in Germany.

Police officers carry a box at the site where the bones of missing Peggy Knobloch were found near Rodacherbrunn, Germany in 2016

This means the suspect was released after questioning because there wasn't enough evidence to hold him.

The suspect was questioned last week after an analysis of evidence found at the scene gave investigators reason to look into his possible involvement, authorities said.

A mentally disabled man was convicted of the girl's murder in 2004 but acquitted in a retrial a decade later.

In 2016, investigators found the DNA of a member of a far-right group that killed 10 people at the site where the body was found, but then determined that a contaminated tool was to blame.
Robert Matthew Campbell, 24, of Belfast, pictured with his fiancee Robyn Newberry, 23

The fiancee of an electrician killed by a falling tree during Storm Ali has revealed how the couple had been due to collect their wedding rings last night.

Robert Matthew Campbell, 24, died after he was hit by the tree at Slieve Gullion Forest Park in County Armagh during strong winds that hit Northern Ireland.

And his fiancee Robyn Newberry, 23, told today how she will now place her husband-to-be's ring in his coffin following his death on Wednesday.

Miss Newberry told the Irish Independent: 'I first realised that something was wrong when I tried to ring Matt around lunchtime and it kept going to the answering machine, which wasn't like him. I tried calling him six times and there was no answer.

'It wasn't until I was leaving work that a police officer came to my workplace and told me there had been an accident and Matt hadn't survived. I thought it was a joke, that he was just lying. We are just devastated - it doesn't seem real.'

Firefighters at Slieve Gullion Forest Park in Co Armagh after the contractor was hit by a tree

Mr Campbell, from Belfast, was working on behalf of Northern Ireland Water at the time of the incident, while a colleague in his 40s was also injured in the tree fall.

The men were working for Lagan Construction Limited, on behalf of Northern Ireland Water, when the incident occurred.

A spokesperson for the firm said: 'We are deeply saddened to confirm that one of our employees has passed away as a result of their injuries and that another employee has been seriously injured and is currently being treated in hospital.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with the two families at this time. We are offering support and counselling services to colleagues and we continue to work closely with the statutory authorities.'

Damaged trees at Slieve Gullion Forest Park after the incident during Storm Ali on Wednesday

Sara Venning, the chief excutive of Northern Ireland Water, expressed the company's deepest sympathies to Mr Campbell's family.

She said: 'This was a tragic incident and NI Water will continue to work with the statutory authorities and the contractor as they carry out their investigations.'

Mr Campbell's former school, the Royal Belfast Academical Institute, have dedicated an award for 'outstanding attendence' in his honour following his death.

Janet Williamson, his former principal, said: 'When he left school, in 2012, the school established an award for attendance, which as of the September 20, 2018 is renamed 'The Matthew Campbell Award for Outstanding Attendance' and will be rewarded each year, in his memory.'

Mr Campbell was working for Lagan Construction Limited, on behalf of Northern Ireland Water

Mr Campbell was one of two people who died in Storm Ali on Wednesday, with the other being a Swiss woman who died in a freak accident when her caravan was blown down a ledge to the seashore in County Galway.

Mother-of-three Elvira Ferrari, 56, had only arrived the previous day in Connemara when she got caught up in the violent storm which brought gusts of up to 102mph.

It is understood that Ms Ferrari had only arrived in Connemara the previous day when she rented a bike. She then went to Clifden Eco Beach Camping and Caravan Park and rented a caravan.

Emergency services rushed to the scene at about 7.45am when the occupants of a mobile home on the site - popular with tourists on the Wild Atlantic Way - spotted the caravan being whisked towards the sea.

Elvira Ferrari died when her caravan was blown off a cliff in Connemara, County Galway

People in a mobile home in Claddaghduff spotted the caravan being whisked towards the sea

The caravan in which Ms Ferrari was sleeping was dislodged from its moorings, although a tent nearby was undisturbed by the storm. The caravan plunged up to 30ft onto the beach and later became submerged.

Members of Clifden Fire Brigade, Gardai and the Cleggan Coast Guard were on the scene but could not save the woman. Her body was found on the beach and was taken to hospital for a post mortem examination.

Speaking from Switzerland, her friend Rolf Weber said: 'I am deeply shocked. This is just so tragic. I saw her two days before she left for Ireland in August. She was excited about her trip. She was off to learn English.

'She wanted to travel more. We got a message from her last Sunday, 16th September 2018, saying that she has left for a three-day trip to Clifton [sic] after finishing her English Studies.'
Hundreds of fossilised penguin carcasses have been found in Antarctica by Australian and Chinese scientists.

Researchers believe that the mass Adelie penguin deaths were caused by two extreme weather-related events many years ago and the discovery could unlock clues to future patterns of climate change.

Most of the remains of the birds come from two breeding colonies dating back to 750 and 200 years ago. The discovery was made on Long Peninsula, east Antarctica.

Hundreds of mummified penguin carcasses have been found in Antarctica by Australian and Chinese scientists

Researchers believe that the discovery of mass penguin deaths could unlock clues to future patterns of climate change

The study's authors were surprised by the unusually thick layers of sediments in which the fossilised carcasses were buried.

This shows that large amounts of water flowed over the surface in a short space of time, suggesting there was anomalous wet weather.

The authors believe that their research, which was published in the American Geophysical Union, provides evidence that short periods of climate change in the past have had a huge impact on bird populations in the area.

'We found that relatively short periods of climate anomaly in the past have caused terrible consequences to the penguin population,' researcher Yuesong Gao of the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei told AGU Blogosphere.

The researchers believe that if climate change continues, Adelie penguins on Long Peninsula could suffer high mortality rates in the future.

'Since such atmospheric conditions correspond to presentday observations, and are expected to persist if climate change continues, the mortality events revealed in this study could become an increasing threat to penguins,' the study concluded.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of two more bishops in Chile, taking the total to seven as fallout mounts from widespread sex abuse scandals in the country.

The Vatican said today that the latest to leave their posts were the bishops of San Bartolome de Chillan and of San Felipe. It did not cite any reasons.

The Chillan diocese was one of four raided by Chilean authorities last week in investigations of clergy's sexual abuse of minors and hierarchy's alleged cover-ups.

Earlier this week, Pope Francis ordered Reverend Cristian Precht Banados, 77, to be removed from the priesthood over allegations he sexually abused minors in Chile.

Pope Francis, pictured, has accepted the resignations of two more bishops in Chile, taking the total to seven as fallout mounts from widespread sex abuse scandals in the country

He had already been suspended from priestly duties in 2012 for five years following an investigation into similar allegations.

The country has been embroiled in scandal for some time, with all of Chile's 34 bishops offering to resign en masse in May in response to Francis' belated efforts to clean house there.

It marked the first known time in history that an entire national bishops conference had offered to resign en masse over a scandal, and laid bare the devastation that the abuse crisis has caused the Catholic Church in Chile and beyond.

Francis had underestimated the pervasiveness of pedophile priests and other church abuse in Chile, but later acknowledged errors in his judgment.

He met with the archbishop of Concepcion at the Vatican last Friday, another of the raided dioceses.

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.

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.
Thomas Jones, 18, pictured, has not been seen since the early hours of Wednesday morning in Worcester

Police rescue teams have been scouring a river in the search for a missing university student who disappeared during Fresher's Week.

Fears are growing for Thomas Jones, 18, who has not been seen since the early hours of Wednesday morning during his first week at university.

The teenager had been due to begin his studies at the University of Worcester and had only moved to the city last weekend.

Police say his disappearance is completely out of character and specialist dive teams have been searching the River Severn where he was last seen at around 3am.

His worried parents Ian and Vikki have urged the local community to help with the search of their son in the area around Worcester Racecourse.

Ian, 50, said: 'We're realists, but we're also positive people and we've got to think positive all the while.

'Because if we didn't we'd be letting ourselves down and our family and friends, so we are positive.'

Thomas is described as being white, 5ft 5ins, of slim build, with short mousy brown hair and grey and green coloured eyes.

Mr Jones had only recently moved to the city to begin his degree in Worcester

A specialist dive team has begun searching the River Severn which flows through the city

Police said the teenager's disappearance is very much out of character and are concerned

Mr Jones was last seen wearing pale coloured jeans, a navy blue woollen zip-up Lacoste top and a pair of green shoes

He was wearing pale coloured jeans, a navy blue woollen zip-up Lacoste top and green shoes when he went missing.

Appeals have been widely shared on social media by friends and family to help find the teenager, who is from Bromsgrove, Worcester.

Detective Inspector Tony Garner, of West Mercia Police, said: 'Thomas hasn't been seen or heard from since the early hours of Wednesday morning and given that he was last seen close to the river, we are growing increasingly concerned for his welfare.

The University of Worcester said they are deeply concerned about Mr Jones' safety

West Mercia police have asked taxi drivers working at the time to come forward if they may have picked up anyone fitting Mr Jones' description

Anyone with information on Mr Jones' disappearance is asked to call 101 and quote the incident number 431s

Police have carried out extensive searchers of the river bank in an effort to locate the student

'This is extremely out of character for Thomas and he is new to the area, having only moved to Worcester on Sunday to commence university.'

Police have asked the public not to join the efforts to find Mr Jones as it 'distracts' the search teams.

One member of an earlier search party injured themselves on Thursday night.

Specialist divers from South Wales Search and Rescue have today been searching the river by Worcester Rowing Club.

DI Garner said: 'We continue to search the area for missing Thomas Jones.

'We have had a number of people turning up to assist with the search for which we are very grateful and understand that people are keen to help, however the area close to the river is dark, wet and slippery and poses a risk.

'We had a minor incident yesterday in which our search team had to stop and support the ambulance service as someone had injured themselves while helping with the search.

'In order to prevent this from happening again, we ask that the public stay away at this stage so that our highly trained search divers can work without distraction and continue to conduct a full and thorough search of the river.'

A University of Worcester spokesman said: 'We are deeply concerned for the whereabouts of one of our students and would urge the public and fellow students to contact police if they have any information.

'The university's security staff have been assisting the police in their search. We are in contact with the family and offering support to fellow students.

'The university takes the safety of all of its students very seriously and, along with the Students' Union, works closely with bars, nightclubs and taxi firms in the city to help our students to have an enjoyable and safe start to the new academic year.'

Anyone with information on his whereabouts or who wishes to report on potential sightings is asked to call 101, quoting incident number 431s.




NEW DELHI: The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this month, the Indian foreign ministry said on Thursday, the first such high-level meeting in years between the nuclear rivals and arch foes.





Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had written to his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, suggesting their foreign ministers meet in New York to try to break an impasse in ties.





With Modis ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party gearing for elections by the middle of next year, prospects of a rapprochement are low. The BJP has long advocated a tough stance towards Pakistan.





The Modi government has insisted that Pakistan act against anti-India Islamist militant groups that operate from its soil before it can resume peace talks to resolve long standing differences over the Himalayan region of Kashmir and other disputes.





Pakistan denies aiding and abetting attacks in India including in Kashmir and says it is fighting militant groups for its own security.





Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said New Delhi had agreed to a meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.





He sought to play down hopes of a full resumption in talks between the neighbours that have been in deep chill ever since coordinated attacks in Mumbai in 2008 in which 166 people were killed by Pakistan-based militants.




Richard Taylor (pictured) is holding onto hope that his father is still alive

The eldest son of a millionaire farmer who is feared murdered told today how he was holding onto a glimmer of hope that his father could still be alive as police have yet to find a body, saying: 'Fingers crossed for a positive outcome.'

Tearful Richard Taylor spoke out as forensics experts continued to scour the grounds of his dad William Taylor's estranged wife's home.

Angela Taylor, 52, her two sons Michael, 22, and William, 18, and a 53-year-old man have been jointly quizzed over his murder and conspiracy to commit murder but released on police bail.

Mr Taylor, who jointly farms with his father who vanished nearly four months ago, told MailOnline: 'Police are doing a good job.' Holding his hands up in gesture he said 'fingers crossed for a positive outcome' as he vowed: 'It's business as usual here.'

Angela is the missing man's second wife and Mr Taylor said of the suspects as he was carrying out farming duties. 'They have nothing to do with me.'

Williams (left) disappeared eight days before his milestone 70th birthday in June. Angela Taylor (right) is William's second wife and has been questioned over his disappearance

18-year-old Will Taylor (pictured) has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder

He told of his heartache that his dad, known as Bill who disappeared eight days before his milestone 70th birthday in June may never be given the beautiful dog the family had bought him as a gift.

He is now caring for the puppy called Barley, believed to be a Vizsla, the companion his dad had been 'so looking forward' to getting.

In a poignant tribute on his Facebook Mr Taylor posted: 'Welcome to the family Barley. Barley was brought for my Dad for his 70th Birthday earlier this month!

Angela Taylor (left) in happier times with her children her two sons Michael, 22, and William, 18

'Unfortunately my Dad went missing just over a month ago now and still no further forward on finding him! My Dad was looking forward to finally getting a dog again and then for him to go missing before he even gets to meet him is heartbreaking.'

He pleads: 'If anyone knows anything or where Bill/William Taylor is please contact us or call the police.

'Barley needs his Dad to come home and care for himself. Pray for William Taylor.'

As well as farming William's super rich eldest son who lives in nearby St Ippolyts, near Hitchen, is an agricultural contractor and runs a luxury coach company Richard Taylor Travel.

The arable, wheat and cattle farmer went missing from his 1.2million home in Gosmore, Hertfordshire, where he is believed to have lived alone, at around 9pm on June 3.

Police and foresics with gas masks at the house of Angela Taylor, the ex-wife of missing farmer William Taylor

An investigation is being led by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, into the disappearance of Mr Taylor (pictured) who went missing on June 3, just days before his 70th birthday

Barely the dog (pictured) was bought as a gift for the missing farmer's 70th birthday and is still yet to meet his owner

His neighbour Ashley told how his phone line had been cut before he disappeared.

The man, who declined to give his full name, said: 'Everyone around here is talking about Bill's disappearance and now police are looking for his body. It's shocking, it's horrific.

'We heard that his BT phone line had been tampered with and cut off in the weeks before he went missing. Bill was not big on mobiles and relied on his landline so if he was in trouble he wouldn't have been able to alert anyone.'

He said that Angela had split with her husband two years ago and had a new lover.

He added: 'He was a lovely guy and although I didn't know him well he would always stop to say hello.'

A woman living a few hundred yards from the scene also said: 'Bill was well-liked around here. He didn't say a great deal but he was very friendly.'

It is understood Mr Taylor married Angela in 1997 and had three children and step-son Gavin with her.

A female family member from his first marriage believed to be his granddaughter - refused to comment on the investigation, saying it was 'not a good time'.

Police teams at his ex-wife's home in the Hertfordshire countryside this afternoon

Officers were seen entering the property with breathing apparatus in the murder probe

A young woman living in a courtyard of converted barns opposite the investigation scene said: 'She [Angela Taylor] was our land lady. I'm not sure if they're [Angela and William Taylor] divorced or not. I see her with the children from time to time. They're all really nice people. I saw her a week ago. Everything seemed fine.'

Another neighbour said she would often see Mrs Taylor walking two dogs along the quiet country lane.

Another of Mrs Taylor's tenants said: 'We got on absolutely fine. She was a lovely lady, it's a big shock. We were good friends with all of them, including Bill.'

Referring to the search for Mr Taylor, the man added: 'She [Angela] looked like she was under the weather from it. It's not a nice thing to go through.'

A 20-strong team of detectives from two forces Hertfordshire and Essex were today dredging a pond and combing land at Sandra Taylor's 150-acre property, two miles away from her estranged husband's house.

A huge forensic tent has been set up in one of the barns at Mill Farm in Charlton.

The four suspects, released pending further police inquiries, were also arrested on a charge of arson and conspiracy to commit arson in connection with a vehicle fire at William's home which he reported to police a week before he went missing.

Police officers in forensics suits with sniffer dogs enter the property today to join the search

The investigation is being led by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit.

A Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman said: 'Four people arrested on suspicion of a number of offences, including murder, in connection with the on-going investigation to trace William Taylor from Gosmore, North Herts, have been released on bail.'

'Three men, aged 18, 22 and 53 years old and a 52 year old woman, who are all from Hitchin, were also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, arson and conspiracy to commit arson in connection with a vehicle fire at William's home which was reported to police on 27th May.'
A woman has won the right to undergo IVF treatment using a sperm donor without the consent of her estranged husband, who she is still married to by law.

She successfully challenged a law which requires all women seeking IVF treatment to gain the consent of their husband beforehand.

The 45-year-old woman was under a tight time pressure to get the IVF treatment considering her age and waiting to get a divorce before going ahead with the IVF would have cost her precious time on her biological clock.

A woman has won the right to undergo IVF treatment using a sperm donor without the consent of her estranged husband

Maurice Blackburn lawyers who represented the woman in court argued that she had a right to equality under Victorias Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act.

They also argued that requiring her husbands consent was inconsistent with federal sex discrimination laws.

Social justice practice manager at Maurice Blackburn Jennifer Kanis has hailed the court ruling as a win for gender equality.

'A separated woman should be able to make her own decisions about IVF treatment. It's absurd to require her to seek the permission of her estranged husband when a sperm donor will be used,' Ms Kanis said.

'Our client is very pleased with today's outcome, which will mean that she can undergo IVF to try and have a baby, just like any other single woman in Victoria.'

Ms Kanis believes that the court's ruling will also pave the way for other Victorian women to be able to freely receive IVF treatment.

'This decision also paves the way for other Victorian women in similar circumstances to not have their former partner control their reproductive choices,' she said.

The Victorian Government is currently reviewing its laws around assisted reproductive treatment including IVF.
Russian diplomats hatched a daring plot to extract Julian Assange from London but cancelled the plan just days before because it was too risky, it has been claimed.

The alleged plot involved smuggling the WikiLeaks founder in a diplomatic vehicle from the Ecuadorian embassy and moving him to another country by boat or plane.

The extraction was scheduled for Christmas Eve 2017 and was to be overseen by the head of Ecuador's intelligence agency who arrived in London on 15 December, it was claimed.

Russian diplomats hatched a daring plot to extract Julian Assange (pictured) from London but cancelled the plan just days before because it was too risky, it has been claimed

The alleged plot involved smuggling the WikiLeaks founder in a diplomatic vehicle from the Ecuadorian embassy (pictured) and moving him to another country by boat or plane

The plot was allegedly arranged in discussions between Russian diplomats and Fidel Narvaez, Ecuador's London consul who is close to Assange. Narvaez denies being part of any plot.

It was revealed to the Guardian by four sources 'familiar with the inner workings of the Ecuadorian embassy.'

All of the anonymous sources said the Kremlin was willing to support the plan and one option involved moving Assange to Russia to live there permanently.

Another option was to get him to Ecuador by boat, the sources said.

But the plan faltered when the British government refused to accept Ecuador's application to make Assange a diplomat so he would be immune from prosecution, the sources said.

Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, fearing he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves. He is wanted in Sweden over rape claims which he denies.

According to US special counsel Robert Mueller, information website WikiLeaks allegedly published 'over 50,000 documents' stolen by Russian spies which may have influenced the outcome of 2016 US election. Assange denies any connection to stolen documents.

Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy (pictured) in London since 2012

According to US special counsel Robert Mueller, information website WikiLeaks allegedly published 'over 50,000 documents' stolen by Russian spies. Pictured: Assange in 2011

It comes after it was revealed Assange applied for a Russian visa two years before hiding in the 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 US 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.

It 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 US 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 because President Moreno wants him out, didn't return repeated messages seeking details about the visa bid.

Assange is also avoiding 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 US.
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A fascinating photo album has come to light to reveal how World War One pilots entertained themselves when they were off duty.

When the brave men of the Royal Flying Corps Home Squadron were not risking their lives defending Britain's skies, they had to find other ways to pass the time.

Some pilots amused themselves by driving around the aerodromes in Suffolk and Norfolk in sidecars while one pilot kept himself entertained by playing the piano.

A dog is pictured with two pilots in the plane is at Swaffham in pose as they hold up their artillery with their mascot in a Vickers plane

One pilot named Saul is pictured passing the time by playing the Dead March on the piano is at an aerodrome in Thetford

One photo captioned 'Duncan & Observer' shows two RFC pilots in their full aviation gear as they pose in front of a plane

The photo album includes pictures date back to 1916 and 1917 from Norfolk and Suffolk areodromes and features over 500 images of pilots and planes

Barking orders: A dog peeks and poses for a photo from the cockpit of a Vickers plane in a photo captioned 'Some mascot'

The wreckage of an FE B2 plane after it was ditched from the sky. The photo shows one man leaning against the side of the crash

They also spent quality time with their pets, with dogs serving as mascots and in some instances joining them in the cockpit.

Occasionally, it appears there really was very little to do as they waited for German air attacks and a group of pilots can be seen lounging in chairs or posing by plane wreckage.

The album dates from 1916 and 1917 and features over 500 images of pilots and planes at a number of Suffolk and Norfolk aerodromes including Marnham, Swaffham and Thetford.

This range of aircraft's used by the RFC captured in the album with the Vickers, DH Fighter, FE 2B, Avro and BE2C all being illustrated.

The Zeppelin and later Gotha attacks on the UK led to the establishment of a large number of Home based Squadrons being set up with a wide range of aircraft and considerable numbers of pilots.

The album, which includes more than 500 photos, also offers a stark reminder of the dangers these men confronted on a daily basis with numerous snaps of the wreckage of ditched planes.

One such photo is captioned in tongue in cheek fashion 'a good landing but the wrong way up'.

A wreckage of a Vickers plane at Swaffham aerodrome that has turned upside down is captioned: 'Good landing but the wrong way up'

'Damn where's my hat': the twisted metal of a crashed FE B2 plane crash is photographed near Swaffham aerodrome

One photograph shows an Avro plane which stands upright after having nose dived into the ground near Narborough aerodrome

The album has been consigned for sale by a private collector with C & T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent, and is tipped to sell for 1,600.

Tim Harper, specialist at C & T Auctions, said: 'The risks of flying, particularly at night, can be seen by a large number of photographs of crashes in the album, some of which are quite spectacular.

Two men in their full uniform pose as they play around in a sidecar at Thetford aerodrome in a photograph captioned with the word 'IT'

Lieutenant Burt and Nesbitt can be seen lounging on a wicker chair, smiling and smoking cigarettes at Swaffham aerodrome

Lieutenant Heath pictured with fellow pilots Cropper and Anderson at Thetford aerodrome as they pose against a motorcycle

'For many pilots it was frustrating waiting for a German air attack and one picture entitled 'fed up' showing pilots waiting in their deck chairs for some action sums up the situation rather well.

'They were often 18, 19 and 20 year olds who got a thrill out of being in the planes and wanted to be in the thick of the action.

'It is an exceptional collection of photos of historic interest and there is a wonderful human side with the off duty images.'

The sale takes place on September 26.

A group of men pictured grouped around and surveying the wreckage of a ditched plane with the caption 'Lt. Reeds'

One pilot poses next to the wreckage of a ruined and crashed FE 2B plane which has been ditched- which shows the huge risk of flying
Daisy Boyd, 28, was found dead on October 5 last year at the Nightingale Hospital in Marylebone, central London

A socialite sent pictures of herself snorting cocaine to another patient hours before she killed herself in a private psychiatric hospital where security was 'lax', an inquest has heard.

Daisy Boyd, 28, was found leaning against her bathroom door at 7.30am on October 5 last year at the Nightingale Hospital in Marylebone, central London.

She had suffocated herself and hospital staff and paramedics were unable to revive her.

A bag containing cocaine along with rolled up notes and unauthorised tranquillisers were found in her room, Westminster Coroner's Court heard.

Daisy Boyd's mother, Lucy Boyd, is seen arriving at Westminster Coroners Court to attend the inquest into her daughter's death where she told the court that Daisy 'sent another patient pictures of her snorting cocaine in her bathroom' the night before she died

Daisy Boyd (right) is pictured with her publishing heir fiance Dan Macmillan (left). The pair were engaged in the summer of 2016 but Miss Boyd was left 'extremely distressed' when it ended and asked to be checked into Nightingale hospital

A visitor, who signed in as 'AR', had dropped a bag of cocaine in reception the day before Daisy's death, the inquest heard.

Miss Boyd had expressed a desire to commit suicide in a therapy session on 26 September but was not put on 24-hour observation.

Her mother Lucy Boyd told the court that Daisy 'sent another patient pictures of her snorting cocaine in her bathroom' the night before she died.

Daisy's step-mother Sadie Jones criticised the hospital's lax security after cocaine was repeatedly brought onto the ward.

'When you go to the theatre you have your bag searched, when you go to your hospital you don't.

Miss Boyd with her father, leading architect Tim Boyd, at her engagement party to fiance Dan Macmillan in 2016

'All bags should be searched even without any suspicion.'

But Coroner Shirley Radcliffe said that was unrealistic, adding: 'An informal psychiatric hospital should not turn into something akin to a prison.'

Ms Jones also questioned why no further action was taken after razor blades and rope were found in Miss Boyd's room on 25 September.

'There's a cross in 'no further action required', she said, referring to nursing records.

'In what situation is it deemed that further action is required then?'

Nightingale Hospital Compliance Officer, Lesley Gelasso, replied that it was 'discussed in the handover and brought to her consultant's attention.'

Miss Boyd's father, top architect Tim Boyd, said it was unclear who was managing the hospital.

Miss Boyd began a 'serious relationship' with her fiance - publishing heir Dan Macmillan (left) - in August 2014 and he was financially supporting her. The pair were engaged in the summer of 2016 but the relationship became increasingly 'rocky'

He asked: 'Sorry, can I ask a broader question of how the hospital is managed?

'You're compliance manager, who is above or below you?

'It's all quite alarming.'

Miss Boyd was last seen going for a cigarette at 7am and only heard through the bathroom door 15 minutes later.

Ms Gelasso said the hospital have now changed their observation policy.

'They now have to be seen, the policy did not say that,' she said.

Daisy Boyd and Dan Macmillan: Architect's daughter and heir to a publishing fortune Daisy Boyd and Dan Macmillan, in 2016 Daisy Boyd, 28, was engaged to Dan Macmillan, 43, for three years before he broke it off in July 2017. The grand-daughter of the late River Cafe co-owner Rose Gray and daughter of leading architect Tim Boyd was due to be married to Mr Macmillan, heir to a 300 million publishing fortune. Mr Macmillan, once dubbed the Vulgar Viscount, was the great-grandson of Tory PM Harold Macmillan. They had a stylish engagement party at the River Cafe  where her stepfather Charles Pullan, married to her mother Lucy, is manager. Heir to the Macmillan familys 300 million fortune, Mr Macmillan was also formerly engaged to Ukrainian model Sasha Volkova, but split from her in late 2011. Formally, he is Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden, a courtesy title as he is heir to the Earldom of Stockton. His father, Tory peer Alexander, the 2nd Earl, sold the Macmillan publishing house to a German firm in the 1990s. Miss Boyd was a former pupil of 36,000-a-year Woldingham, a Roman Catholic boarding school in Surrey. In the past Old Etonian Mr Macmillan has been romantically linked to models Kate Moss and Jade Jagger, who ended their friendship after finding he was dating them simultaneously. Advertisement

'The policy said we have to make contact with the patient, it was not descriptive enough.'

Ms Gelasso admitted that their visitor policy was inadequate and has since been improved.

'Some visitors were not doing what they were told, we have been quite harsh about that, she said.

'Some visitors are now asked to wait in reception and nurses are made aware.

'All visitors must now sign in with a full name.'

A statement from Miss Boyd's family detailing Miss Boyd's struggles with depression and cocaine addiction has been read out in court.

She attempted suicide in September 2013 by overdosing on paracetamol tablets after the 'breakdown of a relationship from a man who was physically and emotionally abusive.'

Miss Boyd began a 'serious relationship' with her fiance - publishing heir Dan Macmillan - in August 2014 and he was financially supporting her.

The pair were engaged in the summer of 2016 but the relationship became increasingly 'rocky.'

Miss Boyd was left 'extremely distressed' when it ended in October 2016 and asked to be checked into Nightingale hospital.

She was again discharged and began a relationship with a 61-year-old married Egyptian man who also used cocaine, the court heard.

On 16 September, her lover called her mother and said she had attempted suicide after taking a quantity of Xanax.

She planned to suffocate herself on that occasion but passed out before she could, the court heard.

She was placed on suicide watch but that was downgraded to 30 and 15 minute observations as she appeared to improve.

Miss Boyd didn't stop using cocaine and her septum fell out of her nose during a visit from her mother in the weeks before her death.

Daisy Boyd with her fiance Dan Macmillan at their engagement party in London in 2016

On 22 September, Daisy handed in a bag of cocaine to staff that was in her bag, the court heard.

A razorblade and ropes were found in her room on 25 September.

On 4 October she told her father he didn't 'need to visit tomorrow as she was busy.'

Dr Radcliffe later recorded that Miss Boyd committed suicide by placing a bag over head while under the influence of cocaine.

She said: 'Miss Boyd was a 28-year-old artist.

'At 7:30am on 5 October 2017, Miss Boyd was found dead in her room at the Nightingale Hospital.

'She was being treated for an adjustment disorder, emotionally unstable personality disorder of the impulsive type and alcohol and drug issues.

'She placed a bag over her head and was under the influence of cocaine.

'My conclusion is suicide whilst under influence of cocaine.

'I would like to offer my deep, deep condolences to her friends and family.'

Dr Radcliffe went on: 'Overall, the psychiatric care that Miss Boyd received was appropriate.

Miss Boyd was found leaning against her bathroom door at the Nightingale Hospital in Marylebone, central London

Miss Boyd had faced struggles with depression in addition to a cocaine addiction

'I don't think her death could have been predicted to occur on that day.

'Even with the use of cocaine, staff interacted with her entirely normally that evening; she was sitting in the kitchen and planning her for weigh-in the next day.

'There's nothing that would have alerted staff that she was at risk of the act of self-harm that led to her death.

'The hospital have accepted that there were things that could have improved and they have put those things in place.

'Miss Boyd had quite a significant list of diagnoses; I think it was appropriate for her to be on the general psychiatric ward.

'The focus should have been on her adjustment disorder and her reaction to grief and loss.

'Suicide can never be avoided 100 percent; risk can be minimised but her long term risk of death was great.

'Even at that time, her progress appeared to be more positive than negative..'

'Hospital security was unsuitably lax at that time.

'You could sign in with initials and visit without nursing staff being informed.

'The hospital needed that to change and it has changed.'

Dr Radcliffe said if 'prisons are awash with drugs' then it's 'unavoidable' that they will get into hospitals.

'You cannot prevent parents or visitors bringing in items unless you are going to be prepared to examine every bag and strip-search them.'

Miss Boyd, a sculptor, was the grand-daughter of the late River Cafe co-owner Rose Gray.

She and Dan Macmillan - the great-grandson of Tory PM Harold Macmillan - held a lavish engagement party at the River Cafe in October 2016, a year before her death.

For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See samaritans.org for details.

LIFELINE: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au. Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

If you or anyone you know needs to talk, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Joe Biden says an FBI investigation should be opened into Christine Blasey Ford's sex assault claim against Brett Kavanaugh before the Senate moves forward with a vote on his Supreme Court nomination.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when Clarence Thomas faced accusations from Anita Hill, the retired Democratic politician said an FBI probe would only delay the proceedings by two days.

'I think they should do an FBI investigation. We did that for Anita Hill,' he said on 'Today' in an Friday morning interview. 'Most importantly, Anita Hill was vilified when she came forward by a lot of my colleagues, character assassination. I wish I couldve done more to prevent those questions and the way they asked them.'

Biden said he hopes that his Senate colleagues learned from that experience, 'learned from that she deserves to be treated with dignity.'

Joe Biden says an FBI investigation should be opened into Christine Blasey Ford's sex assault claim against Brett Kavanaugh before the Senate moves forward with a vote on his Supreme Court nomination

'Anita Hill was vilified when she came forward by a lot of my colleagues, character assassination,'Biden recalled. 'I wish I couldve done more to prevent those questions and the way they asked them'

Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas (R), flanked by his wife Virginia, waits to reopen his testimony, 12 October 1991, before the Senate Judiciary Committee after law professor Anita Hill filed sexual harassment charges against him

'It takes enormous courage for a woman to come forward on the bright lights of millions of people watching and relive something that happened to her, assert that something happened to her. And she should be treated with respect,' Biden said.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when Clarence Thomas faced a sex assault accusation, Biden says he regrets the way his colleagues treated Anita Hill

In contrast, President Donald Trump said Thursday that the Senate Judiciary Committee should move swiftly to finish vetting his Supreme Court nominee and ridiculed Democrats who are calling for an FBI investigation into a sex-assault allegation dating back to 1982.

'You say, "Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?"' the president said, declaring that Kavanaugh's opponents have tried to 'besmirch' him.

Committee Republicans are trying to secure a commitment from accuser Christine Ford to appear at a hearing on Monday, but the Palo Alto University professor and Democratic senators are calling for an FBI investigation before the process can move forward.

Ford says she'd be willing to testify on Thursday - but only if Kavanaugh appears before the committee as previously scheduled on Monday.

'I say let her say what she has to say and let's see how it all comes out,' Trump told Fox news Channel host Sean Hannity inside a Las Vegas arena before a scheduled rally. 'But they've delayed it a week, and they have to get on with it.'

Christine Ford (left) has accused Brett Kavanaugh of pinning her down to a bed during a party more than 35 years ago, covering her mouth, and groping her over a one-piece bathing suit while he tried to disrobe her. Kavanaugh flatly denies that it ever happened

President Donald Trump defended Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday and mocked Democrats who want an FBI investigation into a woman's claim that he sexually assaulted her in 1982. 'Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?' the president asked

Trump said Thursday in Las Vegas that the U.S. Senat should 'get on with it' and confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court

Anita Hill was assailed at her public testimony by senators and Thomas was later confirmed. She's seen here in 2017

In his pre-rally interview, Trump called Kavanaugh 'an outstanding person' and dismissed the demands for an FBI probe.

The FBI has conducted six background checks on Kavanaugh, including some when he was first nominated to a federal judgeship in 2006.

But Ford claimed in a letter to her congresswoman this summer that a drunken, teenage Kavanaugh had once pinned her to a bed at a high school party and groped her through a swimsuit while he tried to undress her.

Kavanaugh has flatly denied the event ever happened, and a friend who Ford claimed was present has backed him up.

Trump defended his nominee and didn't mention Ford. His audience mentioned Kavanaugh's name before he did, chanting it loudly at Trump's first mention of 'our judges'

Protesters opposed to Kavanaugh's nomination were arrested outside the office of Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley on Thursday

Ford spoke to no one of it until 2012 when she and her husband discussed it in therapy.

Trump took pains to not mention her by name on Thursday, and limited himself to defending Kavanaugh's character.

'I'm not saying anything about anybody else, but I want to tell you that Brett Kavanaugh is one of the finest human beings you will ever have the privilege of knowing or meeting,' the president said to cheers.

'A great intellect, a great gentleman, an impeccable reputation. Went to Yale, top student. Went to Yale Law School, top student.'

'So we gotta let it play out,' he concluded. 'But I want to tell you, he is a fine, fine person ... and he's got tremendous support.'

Trump was in Nevada to rally a crowd in support of Republican Sen. Dean Heller, who is running for a third term.

On Wednesday during a donor conference call, Heller dismissed the nomination controversy.

'We got a little hiccup here with the Kavanaugh nomination,' he said. 'Well get through this and well get off to the races.'

Washington is divided over whether or not Ford's memory can be trusted. Conservatives have claimed that perhaps she has misremembered Kavanaugh as her assaulter.

Christine Blasey (now Ford) and Brett Kavanaugh are pictured in their high school yearbooks

Trump was in Las Vegas to rally in support of Republican Sen. Dean Heller (right), who called Ford's accusation a 'hiccup' during a conference call for donors on Wednesday

Her attorneys offered late Thursday to make her available to testify in a hearing next week, but with strings attached.

They told Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, that Ford would only agree to be questioned by senators  not committee lawyers.

They also demanded that she must testify after Kavanaugh, something that would run counter to the standards of both Capitol Hill hearings and criminal courtroom procedure.

Ed Whelan, a former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia and a Kavanaugh defender, suggested Thursday on Twitter that a teen from Kavanaugh's high school who looks like him may have been Ford's assailant.

Hours earlier police arrested protesters outside Grassley's Senate office.

The demonstrators shouted that they believed Ford and tied her case to that of Anita Hill, a law professor whose sexual harassment accusations against Justice Clarence Thomas nearly derailed his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation.

The newest attorney on Ford's team is Ricki Seidman, who was Biden's communication director. Seidman had previously worked for Sen. Ted Kennedy during the Thomas hearings, and helped convince Hill to testify.

Some of the same senators who served in the upper chamber at the time of the Thomas allegation, in 1991, will have to decide whether to put Kavanaugh on the court, including the current Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley.

Biden advised Grassley and other lawmakers on the committee in his Friday interview on 'Today' that a woman bringing a sex assault allegation against a nominee 'should be given the benefit of the doubt' and 'not be abused again by the system.'

'Ask tough questions. Ask substantive questions,' he said, 'but not the character assassination.'

The ex-senator from Delaware said that Senate rules prevented him from drowning out questions he believed went too far with the pounding of the gavel during the Hill testimony.

'And so what happened was, she got victimized again in the process,' he said. 'I believed her when she came forward. I encouraged her to come forward.'

Asked what he'd say to Hill now if he had the chance, Biden insisted that he'd done nothing wrong but said: 'Im sorry I couldnt have stopped the kind of attacks that came to you.'

Biden noted that he voted against Thomas, leading to a tie on his nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The full Senate narrowly confirmed Thomas to the bench on a 52-48 vote.

He said the proceedings also inspired him to author the Violence Against Women's Act and put two women on the Judiciary committee.
A couple's dream home has been snatched away from them because of a legal loophole allowing developers to take the property from them.

Kylie and Marcus put a deposit down for a property in Melbourne's Morang prior to construction three years ago to leave to their teenage children.

In order to secure their three-bedroom house, which was due to be finished by the end of this year, they put down a $20,000 deposit, according to A Current Affair.

But their dream was in tatters after their developer's lawyer contacted them to say they were implementing the 'sunset clause' - meaning the property was no longer theirs.

The clause is intended to protect developers or the purchaser from being tied to a development that runs over its completion date.

Kylie and Marcus put a deposit down for a property in Melbourne's Morang prior to construction three years ago to leave to their teenage children.

Kylie said she thought the provision was wrong though - questioning how the developers can sleep at night thinking 'I'm just going to keep it for myself'.

Sunset clauses typically occur in two scenarios.

A vendor may use a sunset clause when marketing a property as an imposed time limit may pressure the bidder to to finalise their bid.

The original bidder is also typically given three days to match or beat other bids in a sunset clause.

In the second instance, a sunset clause states an expiration date within a Contract of Sale.

Commonly associated with off-the-plan developments, a potential buyer's deposit can be refunded if the property has not been completed within the expiration date.

But that dream was in tatters after their developer's lawyer contacted them to say they were implementing the 'sunset clause' - meaning the property was no longer theirs.

Buyers advocate Christopher Koren told A Current Affair he agreed and thought the law allowed consumers to be exploited.

'It shouldn't be just in the whim of the developer to say, ''well, if the market is going up I think I can make some more money out of this place by engaging the sunset clause, cooling off, then I'll put another 10-15 per cent on the property'',' he said.

To make matters worse for the couple, they cannot challenge the developer's use of the law in court because of Victoria's current regulations.

A couple's dream home has been snatched away from them because of a legal loophole allowing developers to take the property away from them

New South Wales and Queensland residents can challenge the sunset clauses but an amendment to legislation in Victoria allowing purchasers to do so was only tabled last month.

The couple are still fighting to overturn the developer's decision.

Kylie said: 'To me it doesn't make any sense, you don't go to an office and sign a contract one day and give them a deposit - and then three years down the track the developers just say ''we don't want to sell it to you anymore''.'
One of the two Russian suspects in the Novichok poisoning case visited Britain twice before the attack in Salisbury, it was claimed today.

Alexander Petrov allegedly flew to London in September 2016, before a further trip saw him arrive on February 28, 2017 then leave four days later on March 4.

That came exactly a year before the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 67, and his daughter Yulia, 33, on March 4 this year in Salisbury.

Alexander Petrov (pictured left, with his fellow suspect Ruslan Boshirov) flew to London in September 2016, before a further trip between February and March 2017, it has been claimed

The claims over Petrov's previous visits were made by British investigative group Bellingcat, which said he visited London via Amsterdam on his first visit in 2016.

It was unclear how much time he spent in Britain, but his total trip to the UK and Netherlands lasted just under a week, according to the website.

Petrov then allegedly returned to the UK in 2017, before making five trips to France and Switzerland, normally landing in Paris and returning from Geneva.

The group also claimed that Petrov and his fellow suspect Ruslan Boshirov were detained in the Netherlands earlier this year and released without being charged.

Boshirov (left) and Petrov are pictured in Salisbury on March 4, 2018, the day of the poisoning

Dutch authorities did not immediately confirm the claims made by an unnamed security official, saying today that they were assessing a request for comment.

Britain named Petrov and Boshirov as suspects in an attempt to kill Mr Skripal and his daughter with the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok.

Media reports last week said two unidentified Russian spies were arrested on Dutch soil and deported, and leaked police information linked the arrests with attempts by them to smuggle hacking equipment to Switzerland.

Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in March after Novichok was smeared on Mr Skripal's front door in Salisbury. Police officer Nick Bailey was also treated after being contaminated.

Almost four months later, locals Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley were taken to hospital after handling a discarded perfume bottle used to carry the nerve agent.

Miss Sturgess died and Mr Rowley remains in hospital fighting meningitis after the poison weakened his body.

Meanwhile, investigators probing the nerve agent scare at a Salisbury restaurant are thought to be likely to consider if it was the result of a hoax.

Two people were taken to hospital after apparently becoming ill at the Prezzo Italian restaurant on Sunday, sparking fears they had been poisoned by Novichok.

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 67, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were poisioned in Salisbury

Emergency services declared a major incident and the restaurant and surrounding area were sealed off.

Witnesses described a scene like 'Armageddon' as police and emergency services, some wearing protective suits, rushed to the scene.

The pair - identified as Russian-born Anna Shapiro, 30, and husband Alex King, 42 - tested negative for the nerve agent and have since been discharged from hospital.

Mr King is thought to have once pulled off a prank that saw him infiltrate a meet-and-greet with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall at a 2006 film premier.
This is the shocking moment a Dublin taxi driver appears to purposely block a cyclist, knocking him off his bike, following a furious road rage row over 'tailgating'.

Video footage captured by the cyclist during his early morning commute yesterday shows the taxi driver overtaking him and accusing him of riding 'in the middle of road'.

In response, the cyclist tells the taxi driver to stop tailgating him before they both continue, but minutes later the pair collide, knocking the cyclist into the concrete as the taxi drives off.

The cyclist catches up with him at a red light, where he accuses the taxi driver of ramming him on purpose, something which the cabbie furiously denies.

Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident which happened in North Strand Road, Dublin, shortly after 6am yesterday, and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Footage posted by Jose Jimenez, thought to be the cyclist, shows the cyclist travelling in the bus lane - where taxis and bikes are also allowed - when a taxi overtakes him.

The cyclist becomes annoyed with the driver and appears to swear at him as he passes, calling him a tailgater.

The pair exchange angry words as they move parallel to one another for several metres, before the cabbie pulls in front of the cyclist and brake checks him - forcing him to slow down and undertake the car.

The taxi driver pursues him and cuts him off again, before knocking him off his bike with a loud thud.

Footage posted online shows the cyclist travelling in the bus lane - where taxis and bikes are also allowed - when a taxi overtakes him

The footage captured by the cyclist during his early morning commute in Dublin shows the taxi driver overtaking him and later appearing to purposely block his route so he crashes into him

The cyclist cries out in pain as he hits the tarmac and screams: 'Hit and run. Pull over. I'm calling the cops.'

He picks up his bike and chases after him, pulling up alongside the taxi at a red light.

Shining a torch in the cabbie's face, the cyclist says: 'This guy just hit me and I fell off the bike. This video is going to Gardai.'

The cabbie covers his face with his hand and says: 'Was an accident.'

To which the aggrieved biker responds: 'An accident? You cut me off, you f****** moron.'

When the cabbie claims the cyclists is 'abusing' him, the biker replies: 'Doesn't matter. You're going to get in trouble for this. You'll hear from the police.'

The taxi driver is then seen driving away before the footage cuts out.

A Gardai spokesman said: 'We are aware of a traffic incident that occurred on North Strand Road at approximately 6am on September 20. This incident is under investigation. Anyone with information about the incident should contact Gardai.'

The National Transport Authority has been approached for comment.
A 'very popular' 21-year-old Romanian circus performer was today identified as the man who died suddenly near a big top tent.

Tributes were paid to Iosif Totoi, who died suddenly on Tuesday while working as an acrobat at the Russells International Circus in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.

It is not known how he died but police are not treating his death as suspicious. Police were called to the circus at 7.30am on Tuesday to reports of an emergency.

Iosif Totoi, 21, pictured with a fellow circus performer, died while working as an acrobat

The big top was searched for clues by Humberside Police after a man was reported dead on the site.

Mr Totoi's family set up a GoFundMe link to raise 10,000 so that his body can be repatriated to Romania for burial.

We may be smiling for the public, but inside we are all crying and heartbroken Rusty Russell, circus leader

A tribute said: 'We would like to support this beautiful young soul in having the best send off he deserves.

'He was the most generous person you could ever meet.

'He would do whatever it takes to help others even if it meant he would be without. He was loved by so many.'

Mr Totoi was working with the Russells International Circus in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire

Circus leader Rusty Russell said: 'We managed to perform two shows yesterday, which was extremely difficult and after every routine everyone was breaking down in floods of tears.

'We may be smiling for the public, but inside we are all crying and heartbroken.'

He added: 'We are all utterly heartbroken at the loss of Iosif. He was probably the most popular performer that we have here at the circus, who was friends with everybody and had a brilliant sense of humour.

'He was known for being a real joker and loved to play pranks and have fun and it will just not be the same without him here.

A police officer stands guard outside the circus this week after detectives cordoned off the site

'We are now trying to raise 10,000 so that we can have his body repatriated back to Romania to be with his mother for the burial, as they simply cannot afford that sort of money to bring him home.'

Mr Russell continued: 'His name was Iosif Totoi, Negrut was just a nick name. He worked with us for three years during which we grew to love the sweet, cheeky mischievous lad.

'His passing has left a deep void here at Russells Circus and it will take a long while to get over his passing.'

An inquest into his death will open on Monday.




Imphal, Sep 21 : Tense gripped in Manipur University after midnight raids by the security personnel in the central university campus.





According to the reports, over 200 security personnel of Manipur police and other security forces on September 20 midnight had raided the Manipur University campus and arresting over 90 students.





The security personnel had raided the boys hostel of the university inside the campus.





The students were reportedly attacked by security personnel by resorting lathi charge, using tear gas shells.





Several students were injured in the police act.





Five faculty members have also been taken custody following massive tear gas shells and mock bombs attack by the Manipur police commandos.





After 85-day of standoff at the university, normalcy had returned recently and Pro Vice-Chancellor Y Yugindro Singh, appointed by suspended vice-chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey, entered the university complex on Thursday evening.





It is to be mentioned that, due to a long-drawn agitation against Prof Adya Prasad Pandey, vice-chancellor of Manipur University, by the students and teachers in the university campus, the university was in a state of turmoil

and the Ministry of Human Resource Development had suspended by issuing an order on September 17 till the completion of the enquiry against him.





Meanwhile, student movement have been restricted across the university campus and the students are not allowed to go outside the hostel without permission of police.





There are five boys hostels in the campus and 55 students of hostel no 5 have been reportedly missing since last night.





More security personnel have been deployed in the university campus.




The heartbroken sister of the teenage boy who hung himself has returned to the school where he took his life, as the parents handed a letter demanding the resignation of the headteacher.

His family claim he was the victim of bullying after being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and was missing from class for an hour before he died.

His father Byron John, 53, is demanding the school's head teacher resigns for not having a 'workable' anti-bullying policy.

And today Mr John, his partner Kate Pickard, 29, and Danielle today handed over letters to St John Lloyd Roman Catholic comprehensive School in Llanelli, Wales.

More than 50 parents at the gates cheered and clapped them during their protest.

13-year-old Danielle John returns to school hand in hand with her nine days after her brother was found hanged in the toilets

50 parents gathered outside school to support the family, clapping them as Danielle hugged her father

In Bradley John's hand was a letter for head Ashley Howells, believed to call for his resignation

It was the first time Danielle has been back to the school after finding Bradley dead nine days ago.

Wearing a 'Girl Empowered' green sweatshirt she bravely held back tears as she walked into the building where the tragedy happened.

Bradley's family insist he would still be alive if the school had acted to stop the bullies

More than 50 parents carried out a peaceful demonstration at the schoolgates while the family walked hand-in hand to the main entrance.

One letter demanded the resignation of head Ashley Howells and other teachers at the 500-pupil school over weak stance against bullies.

Another letter demanded the school hand over school records in to the bullying Bradley suffered a year before he tragically took his own life.

Farmer Mr John said: 'We are here today because Bradley was a vulnerable boy who didn't get the care and protection he deserved.

'He was missing for an hour and 10 minutes before before the alarm was raised. We feel he could have been found in that time.

'Then two teachers refused to break into the cubicle where he was found.

'Danielle was there while all that happened - she saw her brother when they finally opened the door.'

Bradley's 12-year-old sister Danielle found him dead in the toilet block at St John Lloyd Roman Catholic School in Llanelli, South Wales (pictured)

Mr John said Bradley and other children at the school are not getting protection from bullying.

Bradley was being treated for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the months leading up to his apparent suicide last week

He said: 'There is a systematic failure of any workable anti-bullying policy.

'There was a failure in safeguarding the life not only of my son but if other children at the school.

'The bullying Bradley had suffered had been ongoing for at least 18 months and this has virtually been swept under the carpet.

'We are asking for the head's resignation along with other teachers who let Bradley down.'

Mr John, of Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, said his daughter had also been let down since the tragedy.

He said: 'The school has also put out misleading statements saying support is in place for Danielle.

'That is an untruth, they have not even picked up the phone to ask how she is.'

Mr John, Master of the Carmarthenshire Hunt until fox hunting was banned in the UK, described Bradley as 'the centre of our world'.

Mr John (pictured with his son) handed in a formal letter of complaint to the school demanding that head Ashley Howells resigns

He is trying support his daughter Danielle who is 'going through hell' after finding Bradley dead.

Mr John said: 'It was her 13th birthday on Wednesday, exactly a week after Bradley died.

'I tried to maintain some degree of normality for her birthday but I failed miserably.

'It will always be her birthday a week after the anniversary of losing her big brother in such a terrible way.'

Carmarthenshire Council said it was aware of the protest and the family's concerns that Bradley was being bullied.

Cllr Glynog Davies, Executive Board Member for Education and Children's Services, said: 'There is a formal investigation underway, and therefore it is inappropriate to speculate on the circumstances leading to this tragic incident.'
A student who co-founded the March For Our Lives movement has revealed he has left the group and says he regrets confronting Florida Senator Marco Rubio on live television after the deadly Parkland high school shooting.

Cameron Kasky, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School senior, became one of the most prominent faces in gun control advocacy after surviving the February mass shooting.

The 17-year-old helped raise millions of dollars with his fellow students for a gun-control rally and organized the March For Our Lives event in Washington.

But Kasky revealed on Wednesday that he has left the group and plans to change his approach in advocating for gun control.

Cameron Kasky, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School senior, became one of the most prominent faces in gun control advocacy after surviving the February mass shooting

'I left the organization and if I thought that my friends and the people I worked with couldn't do it without me, I would not have done that,' Kasky told Fox News Radio.

'All of our efforts looking forward looked like they didn't really need my involvement and, while I could have helped, it wasn't crucial.'

He said his decision to leave March For Our Live was not because he had changed his political views, but because he wanted to change the way he approaches political disagreements.

In the days after the Parkland massacre, Kasky confronted Senator Rubio at a town hall event broadcast on live television.

'Senator Rubio, it's hard to look at you and not look down a barrel of an AR-15 and not look at Nikolas Cruz, but the point is you're here and there are some people who are not,' he told the senator at the time.

Kasky then questioned Rubio about accepting donations from the NRA.

In the days after the Parkland massacre, Kasky confronted Senator Rubio at a town hall event broadcast on live TV (above). He said he now regrets his approach in trying to embarrass Rubio

Looking back on that moment, Kasky said he now regrets trying to 'embarrass' Rubio.

'I look back on that and I say, you know what, there were people who had just been buried and when you're looking at somebody that you find might in some way have been complicit in this murderer obtaining the weapon it's hard not to say something like that,' Kasky said.

'But, I went into that wanting less conversation and more to embarrass Rubio and that was my biggest flaw. I was going into jab at something when I could have gone in and said 'what can we do here'.'

Kasky also said he regretted using the name of the gunman, Nikolas Cruz, in his conversation with Rubio.

'Looking back it ticks me off so much when people do that because then you're getting that person's name out there and making them a celebrity,' he said.

'These people are very often crying out for some sort of attention and power and entitlement and then you're making them a household name. I feel in some ways responsible for that.'

Kasky said his decision to leave was not because he had changed his political views, but because he wanted to change his approach in advocating for gun control. He is pictured above at a rally at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after the shooting

Kasky said spending his summer touring with March For Our Lives across the country advocating for gun control made him appreciate views that are different than his own.

'I met that person in Texas whose got that semi-automatic weapon because that's how they like to protect their family. I met the 50 some odd percent of woman who are pro-life, even though I thought it was preposterous that a woman could be pro-life and not pro-choice at the time,' he said.

'I learned that a lot of our issues politically come from a lack of understanding of other perspectives and also the fact that so often young conservatives and young liberals will go into debate... trying to beat the other one as oppose to come to an agreement.

'I'm working on some efforts to encourage bipartisanship or at least discussion that is productive and help a lot of people avoid the mistakes that I made.'
David Waghorn (left), 55, and his son James (right), 27, leaving Plymouth Crown Court where they are on trial for VAT fraud. Both deny the charges they are facing and the trial continues

A doctor and his son have been accused of setting up bogus firms including one offering Botox in a bid to defraud the taxpayer of 50,000.

Dr David Waghorn, 55, and son James, 27, created a string of bogus firms so they could claim VAT rebates from HMRC on non-existent expenses, a court heard.

Prosecutors claim the companies never traded and the pair spent what they claimed on their lifestyle - such as going to fancy restaurants.

The defendants were accused of registering different companies selling books, clothes and medical supplies and then claimed back the VAT on what they spent.

But Dr Waghorn, who is defending himself, argued his medical business, Harley Street Aesthetic Solutions, was genuine and provided treatments such as Botox to patients across Europe.

Garth Richardson, opening the case at Plymouth Crown Court, said: 'They knew full well that they had not had any business expenses for these companies because they did not exist, practically speaking, or they did not trade.'

He added: 'Put very simply what they are doing is taking money from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs which you may feel that, if true, is thoroughly dishonest.'

James Waghorn (right) is on trial for four allegations and his father (left) for a single matter - adding up to an alleged fraud of just under 50,000

The Waghorns, both of Plymouth, Devon, are on trial after they denied eight counts of making fraudulent claims for VAT on various date between 2008 and 2016.

Judge James Townsend has thrown out a joint charge relating to a company called Top Dog Magic.

He also directed not guilty verdicts on two other counts, one against each defendant.

James Waghorn is now on trial for four allegations and his father for a single matter - adding up to an alleged fraud of just under 50,000.

Mr Richardson said that HMRC launched an investigation when they discovered anomalies in a string of companies set up by the Waghorns.

The court heard that businesses collect VAT on behalf of the Government for the goods and services they sell. Companies can then claim back the VAT every three months on what they spend on proper business expenses.

Mr Richardson said HMRC decided to investigate two of the family companies in September 2015.

He added that letters were sent to David and James Waghorn at their different addresses but there was no response.

Mr Richardson said that no business documents were found on either paper or computer.

The barrister added that the company bank accounts were examined and no transactions could be found.

Mr Richardson said: 'Both claimed VAT back on non-existent business expenses.'

Dr Waghorn, defending himself, told the jury his business was genuine.

He told the jury that he and his son had set up a string of companies both in this country and the United States.

He admitted that the state of the book-keeping was 'rather chaotic'.

Dr Waghorn pointed to one entry in a bank account submitted in evidence as a genuine expense - a payment for Botox from Germany.

Waghorn junior chose not to take to the witness stand nor call any evidence in his defence.

The trial continues.
The widow of a slain Massachusetts police officer screamed abuse at his killer on Thursday as he pleaded not guilty.

Emanuel Lopes, 20, shot and killed officer Michael C. Chesna with his own gun in Weymouth in July this year.

Lopes had been driving erratically and Chesna, a father and husband, had approached his vehicle.

On Thursday, as Lopes's lawyer said he was mentally unfit and therefore should not stand trial, Chesna's widow Cindy watched in tears from the public gallery of a courtroom.

As her husband's killer walked past her at the end of the hearing, she could not contain her emotions.

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Cindy Chesna (far right) is seen screaming at Emanuel Lopes (left in orange jumpsuit) as he leaves court on Thursday after pleading not guilty to charges relating to killing Cindy's husband, cop Michael Chesna, in July

Cindy called her husband's killer a 'monster' and a 'f****** piece of s**t'. She was surrounded by her husband's colleagues

She screamed at Lopes, whose own mother tried to have him committed because he is so violent before Chesna's killing, calling him a 'f****** piece of s**t' and a 'm**********r'.

She also called him a 'monster'.

Cindy was surrounded by her fallen husband's colleagues who hugged her and tried to console her after Lopes left the court.

Vera Adams, 77, a widow who was inside her home when Lopes attacked Chesna outside, was also killed by a stray bullet which pierced the window of her home and struck her.

Weymouth cop Michael C. Chesna was shot multiple times in the head, neck and torso, last July. He is pictured, right, with Cindy. He was an army veteran, a father-of-two and a cop who worked the traffic shift, normally a quiet job, between midnight and 8am

Emanuel Lopes is pictured at a hearing in July. His lawyer claims he is unfit to stand trial. Hi own mother is afraid of him and tried to have him sectioned before he killed Chesna

Lopes was indicted last week on charges including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder involving a firearm; one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a rock; one count of larceny of a firearm; one count of carrying a firearm without an FID card; one count of use of a motor vehicle without authority; one count of negligent operation of a motor vehicle; one count of leaving the scene of a collision causing property damage; and one count of malicious destruction of property.

He pleaded not guilty on Thursday, claiming diminished responsibility.

His lawyer argued that he had suffered mental health problems since he was young.

He described him affectionately as a 'young man'.

Widow Vera Adams, 77, was also killed by a stray bullet which pierced her window

Lopes, who wore an orange prison jumpsuit, spoke only to plead not guilty to the charges.

At the time of the cop's killing, Lopes's own mother said she had been trying to get him help because she thought he was a danger to society.

She wanted to have him committed but was never able to, she said.

Chesna was a father-of-two and had been with the Weymouth Police Department for six years.

He worked in the traffic division between midnight and 8am.

His killing rocked the community.

The 42-year-old served in Afghanistan and in Iraq before returning home to join the police force.

This was the scene of the fatal shooting in Weymouth in July this year
India has launched its first sex offenders register with the names of 440,000 people convicted of rape and child abuse.

The government has created the database, which will be accessible only to law enforcement agencies, in a bid to stem crimes against women as the country reels from a series of high-profile rape cases.

It will also provide their photos, addresses and fingerprints, without compromising 'any individual's privacy', according to a statement from the home ministry.

'The National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) ... will assist in effectively tracking and investigating cases of sexual offences,' the ministry said in the statement late on Thursday.

India has launched its first sex offenders register with the names of 440,000 people convicted of rape and child abuse. Pictured: Activists protesting against alleged gang rape of 19-year-old girl in New Delhi on Monday

The register comes as a spate of sexual assault cases have rocked the country, which was named the most dangerous in the world for women by experts in a survey published by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in June.

The urgency to establish a sex offenders register gained momentum following nationwide outcry over the rape and murder of a Muslim girl in a Hindu-dominated area of Jammu and Kashmir state earlier this year.

The accused, all Hindus, are currently on trial.

The case prompted the government to approve the death penalty for the rape of girls under 12, and also increase the prison term for the rape of older girls and women.

Despite various measures, India's rape epidemic has shown no sign of dying down. More than 100 cases were reported daily in India in 2016, the latest government data shows.

Earlier this week, police arrested the principal and four staff members of a boarding school in northern India over the rape of a teenage student.

Police said they detained four male students for the rape, which left the girl pregnant. The school staff are accused of destroying evidence and covering up the crime.

In southern Kerala state, protests and calls grew this week for the arrest of a bishop accused of repeatedly raping a nun over a period of two years.

In August, police in northern Uttar Pradesh state rescued 20 girls and three boys from a home where they were sold for sex.

That raid came just weeks after police rescued nearly 30 girls who were sexually assaulted and tortured at a shelter in Bihar state.

Despite various measures, India's rape epidemic has shown no sign of dying down. More than 100 cases were reported daily in India in 2016, the latest government data shows. Pictured: activists protesting the alleged gang rape in New Delhi on Monday

An op-ed piece in the Hindustan Times newspaper on Friday called the new sex offenders register 'timely', but worried the government could overreach and misuse data, and warned it 'may tarnish a person's life forever if he is reformed'.

Jayshree Bajoria of Human Rights Watch had similar concerns, telling the Thomson Reuters Foundation that even a rumour could prove dangerous in a country where incidents of mob justice have spiked recently.

'For any real change, the government must do the hard work of actually implementing the laws and policies' that were put in place after the gang rape of a young woman in Delhi in 2012 on a moving bus, she said.

Bajoria urged authorities to focus on supporting and protecting victims of sexual assault to ensure they are able to report crimes and receive justice without facing stigma and harassment.

Many countries, such as the United States, Britain and South Africa keep a record of people who have been convicted of sexual offences such as pedophilia and rape.

The United States, for example, has an online database which is open to the public. It provides information including the offender's photograph and address, as well as details of the crime.

In other countries, such as Britain, the policy entails offenders registering with their local police station. Key people within the community such as doctors, youth leaders, landlords are informed and police monitor the offender.
Barrister Michael Shrimpton faces a professional misconduct hearing after he made claims over a nuclear attack during the London Olympics

A former immigration judge who sparked a national scare when he claimed Germany was plotting to detonate a nuclear bomb at the London Olympics has been struck off.

Barrister Michael Shrimpton had a fixation on conspiracy theories focusing on the German intelligence services, a court heard.

Ahead of the Olympics 2012, he told a close colleague of former Defence Secretary Philip Hammond that a nuclear device was planted in a hospital in east London.

The next day Shrimpton, author of Spyhunter: The Secret History of German Intelligence, telephoned the offices of David Lidington MP and repeated the hoax.

Shrimpton, now 61, was convicted of two counts of communicating false information and jailed for a year at Southwark Crown Court in February 2015.

He was earlier found guilty at East Berkshire Magistrates' Court of making child pornography and placed on the sex offenders list for five years.

Before he was struck off at a hearing of the Bar Tribunal and Adjudication Service in London, he claimed the memory stick contained just 'soft gay pornography'.

He said he was hampered from contesting the child pornography charge as he 'was not out yet' as a gay man.

His claims led to security fears ahead of the opening ceremony of the Olympics in 2012

Ronald Cufley, a digital forensics expert, said there was 'exceptional fresh evidence' that would allow Shrimpton to contest his conviction for making indecent images of children.

Tribunal Chairman Judge Christopher Critchlow said there was 'no evidence of exceptional circumstances.'

Shrimpton then conceded: 'I can not properly contest the charges of misconduct because my defence is that I am not guilty of the charges they arise from.

'I will never dispute the fact of conviction. Therefore the charges must be proved.'

Judge Critchlow said: 'I appreciate your candour in saying what must be said.

Shrimpton responded: 'Respectfully I will contest them in due course at an appeal.

'One of my faults as a barrister has always been intellectual honesty. My challenge to the conduct is the same as my challenge to the charges.'

Shrimpton called a close colleague of then Defence Secretary Philip Hammond (pictured) to say German spies had looted four warheads from a sunken Russia sub

Judge Critchlow said: 'In the light of what Mr Shrimpton says to this court if he can not challenge the charges he accepts that misconduct is proved by the convictions.'

Stephen Mooney, for the Bar standards board, said: 'Mr Shrimpton will not offer any mitigation and will tacitly accept disbarment on a view to appeal.

'We will not be pursuing costs. Things could be different if an appeal is pursued.

Shrimpton replied: 'I have sat on one of these tribunals before.If I was sitting on this tribunal my deciding point would be disbarment.

'Not for one moment am I conceding that I have done anything wrong. I am not upset I know that I did nothing wrong on either occasion.'

Judge Critchlow said: 'With regards to the bomb hoax that is an offence which was false and therefore falls to be considered an offence of dishonesty.

'The starting point for this offence is disbarment. With regards to the other offence, an offence of a sexual nature the starting point is a medium level suspension.

'The images involved males, we are not sure what ages but there are forty of them.

'The lack of remorse shown by Mr Shrimpton means that the medium level suspension for the sexual offence will become a high level suspension.

'We have unanimous agreement that there must be disbarment. You are henceforth disbarred.'

Shrimpton, from Wendover, Bucks, bowed to the panel after receiving his disbarment.

He was found guilty of two charges of professional misconduct, namely engaging in conduct likely to diminish public trust and confidence in the profession.
President Donald Trump suggested Friday that the woman who accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of a teenage sexual assault should have filed a police report 36 years ago  and challenged her to produce one to prove her case.

Christine Ford has been in the eye of a Washington maelstrom since identifying herself last Sunday, with Republicans demanding her Capitol Hill testimony and Democrats rallying to defend her.

'I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents,' Trump tweeted Friday.

'I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!'

There is no evidence to suggest Ford told her parents about an incident at the time, or that anyone in her family reported it to law enforcement in Maryland, where she alleges the attack took place.

But Trump's tweets were condemned by Susan Collins, the Republican senator from Maine whose vote is crucial to getting Kavanaugh confirmed.

Her office released an audio recording to Politico in which she said: 'I was appalled by the president's tweet.

'I thought that the president's tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong.

'We know that allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist.'

President Donald Trump now says the woman who accused his Supreme Court nominee of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers should produce a police report to prove it

Trump broke his pattern of avoiding mentioning Christine Ford's name, saying that 'if the attack ... was as bad as she says' there must be a law-enforcement report somewhere

The president also needled Democrats who have demanded an FBI probe, saying that they should have called the agency 36 years ago

Christine Ford (left) has accused Brett Kavanaugh of pinning her down to a bed during a party more than 35 years ago, covering her mouth, and groping her over a one-piece bathing suit while he tried to disrobe her. Kavanaugh flatly denies that it ever happened

Trump incubated the idea on Thursday night before a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, telling Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity that federal law enforcement should have been involved with investigating a state-level sex crime in 1982.

'Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago?' he asked.

The president reiterated that unusual question Friday morning on Twitter: 'The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didn't someone call the FBI 36 years ago?'

Ford spoke to no one of her experience until 2012 when she and her husband discussed it in therapy.

Kavanaugh denies ever assaulting Ford, or anyone else.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday at the Value Voters Summit in Washington that the Kavanaugh confirmation process will plow forward

Trupm continues to defend his Supreme Court nominee while painting Democrats as obstructionists who 'just want to destroy and delay'

Christine Blasey (now Ford) and Brett Kavanaugh are pictured in their high school yearbooks

The president had until Friday taken great pains to avoid challenging Ford by name. He defended Kavanaugh during the Las Vegas rally but insisted: 'I'm not saying anything about anybody else.'

Before engaging Friday morning, he blasted his political nemeses for accepting Ford's story at face value no matter the consequences.

'Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who don't want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay,' Trump tweeted.

'Facts don't matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.'

But Democrats are furious that Trump has broken his silence about Ford.

'It's victim-shaming,' a Senate Democratic aide said Friday. 'It's inexcusable.'

Trump told Hannity on Thursday night that the Senate Judiciary Committee should move swiftly to finish vetting Kavanaugh.

Committee Republicans are trying to secure a commitment from Ford to appear at a hearing on Monday.

'I say let her say what she has to say and let's see how it all comes out,' Trump told said inside a Las Vegas arena before his scheduled rally. 'But they've delayed it a week, and they have to get on with it.'

Minutes later the president stood behind his podium and exclaimed: 'Look at our judges! What's going on?'

Thousands spontaneously began chanting Kavanaugh's name before Trump could mention it himself.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted Friday morning, just an hour after Trump tweeted his attack on Ford, that the Kavanaugh confirmation would plow ahead.

'President Trump has nominated a stunningly successful individual. You've watched the fight. You've watched the tactics,' McConnell said at the Value Voters Summit in Washington.

'Here's what I want to tell you: In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court.'
Mexicans have reacted with fury after the beauty queen wife of notorious drug lord El Chapo Guzman threw a lavish seventh birthday party for their twin daughters.

Emma Coronel posted pictures of the Barbie-themed bash online, featuring balloon arches, golden chandeliers, life-sized Barbie cut-outs and a huge pink cake.

But viewers were less than impressed and attacked 29-year-old Coronel for throwing the party with 'blood money' from her 61-year-old husband's drug empire.

Even the photographer who was invited to the event - and who posted images on his own Instagram - says he has fallen victim to the outrage.

Mexican drug lord El Chapo's twin daughters have just celebrated their 7th birthday with an elaborate Barbie-themed party

Emma Coronel, the wife of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, threw the lavish birthday party for their young daughters, Emaly and Maria, in Mexico

Mexicans reacted with fury to the images, wishing that Coronel (left, with her daughters) could be reunited with her husband (right) who is currently in jail in New York

'You know that this was not possible without who knows how many deaths and tortures in Mexico, right?' one person wrote in Spanish.

Another sarcastically added: 'Pure elegance!! Pity where the money came from.

'It's amazing what a person can buy with mountains of drug money,' a third user said in English.

Another comment, aimed at Coronel, said: 'You'll be with him [El Chapo] sooner than you imagine, let's hope for his next birthday.'

El Chapo is currently languishing in isolation in a New York jail on drug charges, having been deported by Mexican authorities after an audacious escape attempts from two of their prisons.

While prosecutors have filed papers to seize $14billion of his assets, they have so far been unable to track down any of his ill-gotten gains.

Drug kingpins are experts at hiding money - embezzling it in businesses and real estate, and sometimes literally burying it in the ground.

Meanwhile the legal framework for taking control of assets bought with illegal money is in its infancy in Mexico, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The party featured an abundance of Barbie paraphernalia, including personalized water bottles

The photo of the lurid pink decorations were quick to make headlines in Mexican media

The massive party featured several different sections - all decked out heavily in pink

The outrage came as El Chapo's lawyers had a request to delay the start of his trial rejected by a judge.

Jury selection in the case is due to begin on November 5, but attorneys representing Guzman had asked for more time to review the evidence.

But U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan refused to delay the trial any further, having already pushed it back by two months in July.

A lawyer for Guzman, Jeffrey Lichtman, said the defense team is faced with processing a 'gargantuan' amount of material before the trial starts.

'I am disappointed we did not get more time but as the judge said, you never feel that you are totally ready in a trial of this magnitude,' Lichtman said. 'We deal with the hand that we're dealt.'

A ballroom with a chandelier was redesigned to be a giant pink Barbie Dreamhouse, complete with pink cakes, candy and a large Barbie neon sign

Life-size Barbie cut outs features heavily as part of the party's pink inspired decor

Hundreds of pink balloons lined the archway leading to the lavish birthday party

Guzman, who was extradited to the U.S. last year, has pleaded not guilty to charges that his cartel laundered billions of dollars and oversaw a ruthless campaign of murders and kidnappings.

He faces life in prison if convicted at a trial that could last several weeks.

Authorities have kept Guzman in solitary confinement, mindful that he has twice escaped from prison in Mexico.

The second time, it was via a mile-long tunnel dug to the shower in his cell.

Lichtman called his client 'a mythical character that they are trying as if it was the only drug dealer in the world.'

The lawyer officially joined the defense team after Guzman waived any potential conflict of interest the lawyer may have in connection with witnesses in the case.

He's known for successfully defending John 'Junior' Gotti, son of the notorious organized crime family boss, at a 2005 trial.

The younger Gotti walked free after an acquittal on a securities fraud count and a mistrial on more serious racketeering counts.
A 12-year-old girl who was mauled by a shark and remains in a critical condition in hospital gave a brave gesture as she was loaded into a rescue helicopter.

Rescuers have described how the girl, who has been identified as Hannah Papps, smiled and gave a thumbs up as she was loaded into the helicopter at the Whitsunday Islands at around lunch time.

Rescuers said that Hannah was 'brave' and 'stoic' in the face of horrific injuries, the Courier-Mail reports.

A local fisherman has warned that there may be more attacks, after seeing swarms of sharks in the same area.

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The 12-year-old girl who was mauled by a shark on Thursday gave a brave thumbs up as she was loaded into the rescue helicopter

Spectacular images of the second life-saving shark attack rescue mission in as many days in the Whitsundays have been captured by a helicopter paramedics' body-cam

The shark attack came less than 24 hours after another incident in the same stretch of water around Cid Harbour

Hannah was treated for 20 minutes on the beach, having sustained 'fairly large wounds with artery and bones, vessels, (and a) large haemorrhage' according to Queensland Ambulance Service's Tracey Eastwick.

Paramedics have described how the girl put on a brave face and even gave them a smile and a thumbs up as she was being loaded into the helicopter.

Hannah underwent surgery on Thursday night and continues to fight for her life in hospital.

Her family issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying that their daughter is now in a critical but stable condition at Queensland Children's Hospital.

The family also thanked the emergency services for looking after the schoolgirl.

'We would like to thank everyone who has helped and cared for Hannah, including the police, emergency services and the hospital teams,' the statement said.

'We ask that everyone, including the media, please respect our family's privacy during this very difficult time so we can focus our energies on Hannah's recovery.'

A local fisherman has claimed that he saw a swarm of over 1000 sharks close to where two attacks within 24 hours occurred.

Tasmanian holidaymaker Justine Barwick (pictured) is in a critical condition after she was attacked at Whitsundays on Wednesday evening

Ron Brennan has claimed that in his 30 years of working out at sea, he had never seen so many sharks as when he did on Tuesday and Wednesday nights near Cid Harbour.

'There were hammerhead sharks, bull sharks, black-tip sharks, then we had our standard tiger sharks,' Ron Brennan told the Courier Mail.

'They were eating other sharks out of the net.'

The shark attack came less than 24 hours after another incident in the same stretch of water around Cid Harbour, Queensland.

Tasmanian holidaymaker Justine Barwick, 45, is in a critical condition after she was attacked at Whitsundays while swimming near a yacht on Wednesday evening.

The passing yacht found the woman with life-threatening bites to her right thigh, and helped her out of the water.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, CEO for Family Based Care North West Doug Doherty confirmed it was his colleague who was the victim of the first attack.

He said she had been holidaying with her husband, Craig, and friends for less than two weeks when the incident happened.

'Justine is a fighter, a fit, resilient woman who is an outstanding leader in the aged and disability care sectors,' he said.

Ms Barwick has since been transferred from Mackay Hospital in Queensland to the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital

The bite left Ms Barwick with a significant gash in her right upper thigh, local paramedics told The Mercury.

By the time she was pulled from the water, she was rapidly losing blood.

However, by pure coincidence, one of her rescuers was an emergency department doctor, whose actions saved her life.

Ms Barwick has since been transferred from Mackay Hospital in Queensland to the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital where she is being attended to by expert vascular and plastic surgeons.

There hasn't been a fatal shark attack in Queensland since 2014 when 18-year-old Daniel Smith was attacked by a tiger shark near Rudder Reef near Port Douglas.

He suffered a bite to the upper thigh and died within minutes of being pulled from the water.

In January 2006, 21-year-old Sarah Whiley was mauled by a trio of bull sharks, who attacked her in waist-deep water at Amity Point, north Stadbroke Island.

Ms Whiley lost both her arms in the attack and later died from massive blood loss.

In 2017, a father-of-two from Cairns lost his right leg and almost died when he was mauled by a shark while spearfishing off Hinchinbrook Island.

The Whitsunday Islands is popular swimming destinations in Queensland.

Authorities have warned the public that the waters in the vicinity of Cid Harbour and Samwill Bay are not yet safe to swim in.

The shark or sharks responsible for the attacks are yet to be caught. Fisheries Queensland have set up three baited drumlines in the harbour in a bid to catch the animals.

A local fisherman claims that he had never seen so many sharks as when he did on Tuesday and Wednesday nights near Cid Harbour
An Australian filmmaker who was accused of spying and sentenced to six years in prison has been pardoned by the Cambodian government.

James Ricketson, 69, was issued a royal pardon signed by Senate President Say Chhum, the acting head of state in the absence of King Norodom Sihamoni, on Friday, AP reported.

A week earlier, Ricketson was delivered a guilty verdict for an espionage charge at a Phnom Penh court.

The trial was widely critcisied for being unfair as prosecutors didn't specify who Ricketson was allegedly spying for.

Australian filmmaker James Ricketson (pictured), 69, who was accused of spying and sentenced to six years in prison has been pardoned by the Cambodian government

Ricketson, who has been filming documentaries in the country for the past 20 years, was arrested in June last year after flying a drone without a permit over a political rally in the lead up to an election

Ricketson was arrested in June last year after flying a drone without a permit over a political rally in the lead up to an election.

The arrest came after Prime Minister Hun Sen's leadership began to crackdown on political rivals and critics.

The ruling party won the recent general July election by a landslide and numerous political prisoners have since been released.

Pardons are typically issued at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen who has been power for 33 years.

Ricketson, who has been filming documentaries in the country for the past 20 years, was intending to use the drone footage in a film about street kids but the government believed the footage could threaten the country's national security.

Ricketson's son James told 7.30 his father would pursue a royal pardon, instead of appealing the conviction.

The arrest came after Prime Minister Hun Sen's leadership began to crackdown on political rivals and critics

In an update to the Change.org petition to bring Ricketson home, his adopted daughter Roxanne Holmes confirmed the pardon.

'Dad is coming back to us and he will be safe with his loved ones. It feels like the pain of the last 14 months has hit me in one go, so many emotions but above all, I am so happy,' Ms Holmes wrote.

'Our deepest thanks to all those who have supported us from Australian filmmakers to politicians and to every single person who signed, shared, called, emailed - you made this happen.'

The petition, which received over 100,000 signatures, drew attention to Ricketson's deteriorating health as he spent over a year behind bars.

'Unless the Australian government responds quickly, my innocent dad could die in jail. Im petrified - every day matters now as he gets sicker,' the petition read.




Guwahati, Sep 21 : At least six people including a minor boy was died in electrocution in central Assams Nagaon district on Friday morning.





The incident took place at Khatualgaon village under Juria police station when some locals went to a pond for fishing and bathing.





When the people were busy in fishing and bathing, a 11,000-Volt live electrical wire snapped from a nearby electric post and fell in the pond.





When some locals noticed the incident, they immediately cut off the electricity and engaged in rescue operation.





Six people were died on spot and five others injured after coming in contact with the live electric wire.





Following the incident, angry villagers had vandalised a local electricity office.





The deceased persons were identified as Inamul Haque, Rafikul Islam, Moinul Haque, Habibur Rehman, Anisur Rehman and Anzarul Islam.





The injured persons have been rushed to Nagaon civil hospital.





Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressed his deep sorrow over the incident and directed the state Power minister Tapan Kumar Gogoi to take stock the situation.





After offering morning namaz, I heard some sounds and immediately rushed to area. When I noticed that, a live electrical wire fell in the pond, immediately informed some local people, a local people said.




A fitness brand has been slammed for promoting its clothing by sharing a video of a customer twerking on Uluru.

Werkit Twerk Fitness posted a video of one of their customers standing atop of the sacred landmark in the Northern Territory and posing suggestively to Instagram.

The post has since been taken down, yet people are furious with the company, with many saying they are 'lost for words'.

A dance fitness company that attempted to promote its clothing by climbing up Uluru and twerking is being slammed online

Although Uluru can be climbed, Aboriginal traditional owners prefer visitors not to climb the landmark

Werkit Twerk Fitness promotes their unique fitness classes that use twerking as a form of cardio.

The image shows a woman wearing the fitness company's merchandise whilst twerking with the caption: 'LOOK! It's our #WERKIT babe, repping #WERKIT on top of one of Australia's most iconic landmarks...'.

A screenshot of the Instagram image was posted to Facebook group 'Feminisim & Decolonisation', where people are expressing their disgust.

'There are so many levels of grossness here I'm pretty lost for words. The level of disrespect this is showing to our land and its traditional owners is absolutely disgusting,' the caption reads.

Although Uluru can be climbed, Aboriginal traditional owners prefer visitors not to scale the landmark, according to Ayers Rock Resort.

Public access to walk up Uluru will be closed in October 2019.

The company promotes their unique fitness classes, that use twerking as a form of cardio

Many people took to the comments and agreed with the original poster that the post was unacceptable

Many people took to the comments and agreed with the original poster that the post was unacceptable.

'This is utterly revolting. In what way could this ever have been deemed acceptable? Unsurprising given their business is entirely based around something that isn't actually FOR them. Gross gross gross,' one woman said.

Another woman said: 'So rude. Imagine if someone twerked on top of the opera house or some captain cook monument...... jail time for sure'.

Not only were people expressing their outrage on the Facebook post, but they also took to the company's Facebook page and began to leave their opinions in the review section.

'Horrified to see Werkit being so disrespectful of a sacred place like Uluru simply for some cheap advertising. Absolutely disgraceful,' one person said.

Another woman pointed to the fact that the traditional owners request that the landmark isn't climbed: 'It is expressly requested by traditional owners the Uluru is not climbed. To disrespect their wishes is disgusting enough. To do so while twerking as advertisement is abhorrent.'
Former US Olympic volleyball player Kim Willoughby, 37, was indicted Thursday on murder and child abuse in the March 2016 death of her three-year-old daughter

A former US Olympic volleyball player has been indicted in Puerto Rico on first-degree murder and child abuse charges stemming from the 2016 death of her adopted daughter.

Kim Willoughby, 37, was indicted Thursday in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, eight months after a judge originally declared that that there wasn't enough evidence to go to trial in January.

Willoughby, who won the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was charged by police in Puerto Rico in the March 2016 death of her three-year-old Kailia, who Willoughby was trying to adopt.

The Olympian was living in Puerto Rico and playing professional volleyball for the Mayaguez Indias when the incident occurred.

Willoughby told police she had been searching for a towel around 9.45am, when Kailia slipped and hit her head in the shower, according to a police report. CPR was performed, but the toddler was pronounced dead upon her arrival at the Medical Center of Mayaguez.

During the investigation, it was found that the blows she suffered were inconsistent with the alleged fall.

'The Forensic Science report showed that the cause of death was not compatible with a fall. On the contrary, the cause of death was a severe corporal blow,' Commander Janice Rodriguez, of the Criminal Investigation Body of Mayaguez said at the time.

Despite this, the judge declared that there was not enough evidence to indict Willoughby in January.

A new hearing was held on September 10, in which the doctor who performed Kailia's autopsy took the stand to reveal multiple findings of injuries that indicated a pattern of abuse.

The indictment comes eight months after a judge had declared that Willoughby (pictured at the 2008 Beijing Olympics) would not stand trial due to lack of evidence in the toddler's death

An investigation into Willoughby's daughter's death indicated that the blows she suffered were incompatible with the alleged shower fall (Willoughby pictured in 2008)

At a September 10 hearing, a forensic pathologist testified to finding 11 signs of external trauma and 21 signs of internal trauma during Willoughby's daughter's autopsy (file photo)

Willoughby (second from left in team picture) won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Dr Irma Rivera Diez, forensic pathologist at the Bureau of Forensic Sciences (NCF), testified that there were 11 instances of external trauma on the toddler's body  including cuts and bruised on her face and arms  in addition to 21 signs of recent internal trauma, El Nuevo Dia reported.

The internal injuries were said to have included a ruptured vertebra and abdominal aorta, in addition to kidney and pancreas injuries, while X-rays revealed shoulder injuries dating back to as long as three months prior to Kailia's death, plus a rib fracture.

Some of the reported injuries were said to have been the result of excessive force which were not consistent with a bathtub slip and fall.

Additionally, Rivera Diez said, some of the injuries were consistent with Kailia having been hit just minutes before dying.

Willoughby's defense attorney said that Kailia had been abused before entering the Olympian's care and that the injuries found during the autopsy could have been made worse due to improperly rendered first aid, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

Rivera Diez testified that first aid would not have caused injuries as severe as those uncovered during the autopsy.

At Thursday's indictment, Willoughby's trial start date was set for October 4. Although it is not clear if she is currently in custody, it has been reported that she is being held in lieu of a $200,000 bond.

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

In June 2001, Honolulu police charged her with abuse of a family or household member and third-degree assault, both misdemeanors. One month later, Willoughby entered deferred guilty pleas to both charges.

Five days after police charged Willoughby in the case, the victim filed for a temporary restraining order against her, leading a judge to issue a three-year protective order.

In September 2008, she was arrested for assaulting a woman outside a Honolulu night club in December 2006.

Willoughby allegedly got into an altercation with Sara Daniel at the Pipeline Cafe in Kakaako, causing severe bone fractures to Daniel's face.

Willoughby claimed self-defense, but prosecutor Sherri Chun disagreed, saying: 'This incident was not self-defense. [Willoughby] followed [Daniel] out of the club, and that's when this all happened.'

The volleyball star pleaded no contest in a plea agreement with the state and was sentenced to five years' probation. In January 2012, she was granted an early end to her probation.

After winning the silver medal a the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Willoughby moved to Italy to continue her professional career.

She tested positive for nandrolone - a steroid - after a match for her Italian team, Perugia, in April 2009.

In September 2009, it was announced that Willoughby was given a two-year suspension from the Italian Olympic Committee, to end in July 2011, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Following that, Willoughby moved to Puerto Rico to play for various teams in the Puerto Rican league.
A second arrest has been made in the death of a two-year-old boy who Orlando police say was 'tortured' and 'beaten to death with a toilet seat'.

Johnathan Pursglove, 25, is facing charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child in the July death of Jayce Martin, authorities announced Friday.

Pursglove is said to be the live-in boyfriend of the toddler's mother Victoria Toth, who was arrested for the boy's death last week.

Jacye died from from blunt force trauma to the abdomen described as a 'sucker punch' which caused his insides to 'explode', local news outlet WFTV reported at the time of Toth's arrest.

Medical examiners determined that the two-year-old was malnourished and bruised when he was found unresponsive on the floor of his bedroom in the Washington Shores neighborhood of Orlando.

An arrest affidavit for Toth indicates her son was likely tortured to death, and that Jayce could have been saved if he'd been seen by a doctor.

Johnathan Pursglove, 25, has been arrested in the July death of his girlfriend's two-year-old son Jayce Martin. The boy's mother, 24-year-old Victoria Toth, was arrested last week

Jacye was found unresponsive in a pool of his own vomit on July 18. Medical examiners determined that the malnourished and bruised toddler was likely tortured to death

Toth told police she and Pursglove have been seeing each other since February or March, and that she trusted him to take care of Jayce while she was at work at the Rainforest Cafe, according to the affidavit.

The 24-year-old, who investigators said often referred to her son as 'brat', claimed that Jayce regularly misbehaved and was disciplined daily, usually by Pursglove.

Toth allegedly told police Jayce complained he wasn't feeling well on July 15, and by the next day he was lethargic and started vomiting.

She said the boy's biological father, Robert Martin, told her to seek medical attention for the toddler, but she didn't.

Jayce had been seriously ill for three days when Toth says she came home July 18 and found him lying face down in a pool of vomit at around 6.30am - prompting her to call 911.

Pursglove was performing CPR on the toddler when emergency crews arrived at the home in Washington Shores and pronounced him dead.

Investigators found signs of a struggle in Jayce's room at the home in Washington Shores

An arrest report (pictured) described Toth's behaviour as 'torture' after she let him slip into a coma after blunt trauma

Investigators have said they believe Toth watched for days as her child slipped into a coma because she was 'scared of getting in trouble'.

In the bathroom off Jayce's bedroom police found a 'broken toilet lid and broken toilet seat' that appeared to have been cleaned recently, indicating a 'recent struggle or fight'.

There were also fist-sized holes in the walls, according to the affidavit.

Jayce's heartbroken father said of the Orlando Police Department's findings: 'My family is absolutely devastated from the findings in the report and we will stop at nothing to get justice for him.'

Orlando police announced Pursglove's arrest in a Friday morning tweet that said: 'OPD has made a second arrest in the death of 2-year-old Jayce Martin. Johnathan Pursglove, 25, arrested on charges of Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child.

'Jayces mother, 24-year-old Victoria Toth, was arrested on charges of Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child earlier this month.'
A substitute teacher has been charged after she was arrested for allegedly sending nude pictures and inappropriate texts to 'several 14-year-old boys.'

Amanda Lenea Pardue, 35, worked for Dade County schools in Georgia and is believed to have been a substitute teacher in the area for two years.

She was arrested on charges of electronically furnishing obscene material to minors, electronic pornography and child exploitation, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Amanda Lenea Pardue, 35, is facing charges after she was accused of sending inappropriate messages and nude pictures of herself to several 14-year-old boys

A warrant was issued for Pardue and she turned herself in to Dade County jail on Thursday morning, reports meaww.com.

It is believed Pardue was released in the afternoon on a bond of $30,000.

Pardue's attorney, Larry Stagg, told Times Free Press that his client believed the problems began when she was included in a group text.

Mr Stagg believes the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is targeting communications made between Pardue and the 14-year-old boys on Snapchat.

He said: 'My greatest concern is [the GBI] had one thing that they saved and not the rest.

'Anything can be taken out of context if you had one sentence of conversation.'

The substitute teacher handed herself in at Dade County Jail (pictured) on Thursday morning and was released on a $30,000 bail bond

Trenton Police asked authorities to launch an investigation into misconduct allegations on on August 31, reports the New York Post.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jan Harris said Ms. Pardue had started substituting almost two years ago, in September 2016.

She said: 'We are saddened to learn about the arrest of a former substitute teacher. This individual is no longer employed as a substitute teacher with Dade County Schools.

'We are cooperating with law enforcement officers as they investigate this matter.'

Dade County is in the northwest corner of Georgia and borders Tennessee and Alabama.
An Uber driver has been arrested in Tallahassee, Florida on charges of kidnapping and false imprisonment after a passenger told investigators the driver refused to let her out so she was forced to jump from the window of the moving vehicle.

Brooke Adkins, 19, called 911 while still in the car with driver Destiny Green, 30, some time after she was picked up by Green at around 3am on Wednesday morning.

Adkins was found by Tallahassee police minutes later at a Walgreens parking lot.

Green told police she didn't recall the victim asking to be let out, and is now being held without bail.

A spokesperson for Uber said Green has been removed a driver on the platform.

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Ex Uber driver Destiny Green, 30 (right), has been arrested on charges of kidnapping and false imprisonment after being accused by Brooke Adkins, 19 (left), of refusing to let Adkins out of her car in Tallahassee, Florida during the early morning hours on Wednesday

Adkins shared her account of what happened on Twitter, on Wednesday morning, along with photos of her injuries.

'PSA tonight I realized that being kidnapped from an Uber driver is 100% real Im so thankful that I got out okay but jumping out a moving car window and running for help has to be the scariest thing Ive ever gone thru,' she wrote.

'I want girls to realize this happens & to be safe, always.'

Late on Wednesday night, Adkins shared another tweet with a photo of scrapes on both of her knees.

'Resulted with this,' she wrote, adding, 'it couldve been so much worse I was just in survival mode.'

Adkins shared her account of what happened on Twitter, on Wednesday morning

Adkins also shared photos of her injuries, including a scraped up foot and blood-stained jeans

Late on Wednesday night, Adkins shared another tweet with a photo of scrapes on both knees

Adkins told police she'd ordered an Uber to take her to her Airport Drive home after spending a night out with friends.

While in the car, she said she asked to changed her destination to The Edge, an apartment complex near her original destination.

During the ride, Green was pulled over by a Florida State University police officer for a minor infraction, though no citation was issued, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

It wasn't until after the stop and more 'weird' behavior that Adkins realized she was being 'kidnapped,' she said.

'Weird' behavior is what led Adkins to realize she was being 'kidnapped,' she wrote on Twitter

'I was 25 mins away from my drop off location and kept begging her to let me out, she wouldnt and the door wouldnt unlock so I held the window down so I could jump out,' Adkins wrote

'I knew I was being kidnapped because she mentioned that she wanted to turn the uber off to drive around with me and "listen to music,"' she wrote on Twitter.

'I thought that was so weird but was just trying to be nice maybe she wanted a friend or something so I told her that I would but to keep the uber Meter on because I was thinking that I wanted it to still be recorded (just in case).'

Adkins said after that, she asked to get out of the car, and told police Green repeatedly refused. Adkins also said Green told her she was taking her to a hospital, but the police account makes no mention of that.

'Adkins said she asked Green to let her out of the vehicle at almost every stop light and Green continuously said no and nothing else,' police said.

Adkins said that while she was still in the car, fearing for her life, she secretly dialed 911.

'I was 25 mins away from my drop off location and kept begging her to let me out, she wouldnt and the door wouldnt unlock so I held the window down so I could jump out,' Adkins wrote on Twitter, at around 4.42pm Eastern on Wednesday.

This occurred as the car came upon the intersection of N Magnolia Drive and Miccosukee Road, which is just a few miles from Greens Miccosukee Road apartment, according to police.

Earlier in the day, Adkins took to Twitter again to assure everyone she was not badly harmed

Earlier in the day, Adkins took to Twitter again to assure everyone she was not badly harmed in the incident.

'Update to everyone, Im okay, the uber driver is now in jail and they have an investigator on my case,' she wrote.

'Im so happy they took action with what happened and I will be doing whatever I have to do to make sure this doesnt happen to anyone else by the same person.'

Representatives for Uber said Green is no longer a driver for their platform.

'What this rider reported to police is troubling,' an Uber spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. 'We have removed the driver from the app and stand ready to support the police investigation.'

Green was arrested at her home on Wednesday, with no attorney currently listed on jail records.
Last year online retailer Yandy.com came under fire for its Native American line of Halloween costumes. This year, the site caused outrage with its sexy handmaid garb, an outfit women forced into surrogacy wear in Hulus The Handmaids Tale.

Yandy, which urges its customers to own their sexy, debuted its 'brave red maiden costume' earlier this week. The description reads: An upsetting dystopian future has emerged where women no longer have a say. However, we say be bold and speak your mind in this exclusive Brave Red Maiden costume.

The model on the site is seen wearing a long red cloak over a very short mini-dress paired with black heels, fishnet stockings and a white bonnet headpiece. The costume retails for $64.95.

Yandy was selling a sexy Handmaid's Tale costume, but pulled it after backlash

The costume was a rendition of the outfit Elisabeth Moss (pictured) wears in Hulu's Handmaid's Tale about the oppression of women

In the Hulu series, based on Margaret Atwoods dystopian novel, women are stripped of their rights as they are assigned various new roles by the men who govern them. A group of women, known as the Handmaids, are forced to have sex with their Commanders to have children for infertile women.

The women who are forced to be Handmaids are women who have committed gender and religious crimes, such as lesbianism and adultery. Elisabeth Moss character Offred is one of the Handmaids.

The garb has since become a feminist symbol of protest against womens oppression around the world, and social media users are not happy Yandy decided to sexualize the outfit.

'This image represents the fact that at some point it all boils down to the sexualization of women. Someone somewhere actually sat down and thought: "Let's take the slaves of #HandmaidsTale and make them sexy!"', Twitter user Tammy D. Phillips wrote.

Another user who goes by the name SJM commented: 'How perverted can #men possibly be??? How can anyone be aroused by a #rape victim costume?? #RapeFantasy #HandsmaidTale."

Social media users immediately took to Twitter to lash out at Yandy over the tone deaf costume

Some called the costume 'tone deaf'.

'How tone deaf does one have to be to think this makes any sense? Have you... watched/read Handmaids Tale? Did you miss the point of it,' Twitter user Chris Evans posted.

The retailer has since removed the costume and replaced it with a statement that reads: 'Yandy always has stood, and will continue to stand, at the forefront of encouraging our customers to "Own Your Sexy". We support our customers being comfortable in their skin, regardless of who they are or what they choose to wear. Our corporate ideology is rooted in female empowerment, and gender empowerment overall.

The garb has since become a feminist symbol of protest against womens oppression around the world. Pictured is Moss in a scene from Handmaid's Tale

Following the backlash, Yandy.com apologized and removed the costume from its site

Over the last few hours, it has become obvious that our Yandy Brave Red Maiden Costume is being seen as a symbol of women's oppression, rather than an expression of women's empowerment. This is unfortunate.'

The company went on to say that they were inspired to create the costume after seeing it used as 'a powerful protest image'.

'Given the sincere, heartfelt response, supported by numerous personal stories we've received, we are removing the costume from our site,' Yandy wrote.
This is the shocking moment actors were engulfed in flames when a fire rapidly overwhelmed a filmset due to bungled special effects.

Crew members were filming for movie Welcome The Spring in Bandar Bukit Puchong, Malaysia when the director ordered the special effects team to set a barn on fire.

But the effects malfunctioned and the fire spread quickly across the whole set from the building which was doused in petrol.

Some 31 cast members were injured when their costumes caught on fire, including 59-year-old actress Sharon Yeung from Hong Kong.

This is the shocking moment actors ran for their lives when bungled special effects started a fire which rapidly engulfed a filmset

Malaysian actress Joey Leong, 24, and 30-year-old actor Cedric Loo were also hurt during the incident on 17 September.

Yeung reportedly suffered second-degree burns to her face, right arm and legs while both of Leong's legs were badly burned during the spectacular mishap.

Producer Jack Lim uploaded the footage to Facebook where it has been viewed over 360,000 times.

In the video, the production team is seen on an exterior set featuring several wooden structures during a night shoot.

The group of actors is waiting for directions on a dirt path leading to the structures, apparently at a safe distance from the planned barn fire.

The director calls for one of the buildings to be set alight by the pyrotechnics team and the barn goes up in flames.

Producer Jack Lim uploaded the footage to Facebook where it has been viewed over 360,000 times

The director calls for one of the buildings to be set alight by the pyrotechnics team and the barn goes up in flames. Pictured: The set before the fire

But the flames spread across the ground and rapidly move along the path towards the group of actors several metres away.

The screaming cast members turn to run, but the rushing flames spread under their feet and set their costumes alight.

A firefighter is on hand with a hosepipe which he quickly sprays on burning actors.

In the footage, most of the cast and crew are out of shot, although their continued screams can be heard while the tallest of the three burning structures crashes to the ground.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said that the film crew used petrol to ignite the structure that 'vaporised in the air'.

He confirmed that the actors' clothes subsequently caught alight and that firefighters were present on the set.

There have been no further updates on the injured cast members' condition.
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Aerial pictures reveal a curious sight across Britain's countryside as rows upon rows of pumpkins wait to be harvested - ready for Halloween carving and also as a culinary treat as the vegetable makes a comeback to dinner plates.

Incredible drone photos show fields of pumpkins ripe for the picking near March in Cambridgeshire as Brits eat more of the vegetables than ever before.

Around 15 million pumpkins are now grown in the UK ever year and although many are bought for Halloween, the sale of culinary pumpkins has risen this year, according to the British Growers Association.

Pumpkins from above: Incredible drone photos show fields of pumpkins ripe for the picking near March in Cambridgeshire as Brits eat more of the vegetables than ever before

Seeing orange: these pumpkins wait to be harvested - ready for Halloween carving and also as a culinary treat as the vegetable makes a comeback to dinner plates

Delicious! A single pumpkin lies ripe in the soil ready to be harvested in a field near March in Cambridgeshire

Making a comeback: 'Brits are getting a taste for culinary pumpkins of all shapes and sizes and they are making a comeback as a popular winter vegetable,' said Coral Russell, crop association manager for the British Growers Association

'Brits are getting a taste for culinary pumpkins of all shapes and sizes and they are making a comeback as a popular winter vegetable,' said Coral Russell, crop association manager for the British Growers Association.

'Pumpkins used to be a popular vegetable to eat in medieval times, but gradually went out of favour. Now more and more Brits are copying the Americans and using them in soups and for pies.

'They are a perfect winter vegetable and very healthy. It's great news for pumpkin growers as they can now harvest pumpkins in a wider window, not just for Halloween, and have the satisfaction that they are being eaten as well.'

The word pumpkin originates from the word 'peop', which is Greek for 'large melon.'

Pumpkins are believed to have originated in North America and the oldest evidence - pumpkin seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 BC - were found in Mexico.

Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the shell, leaves, seeds and flowers. It has high levels of Beta Carotene and Vitamin E, so it is particularly popular with vegetarians and used in baby foods.

''Pumpkins used to be a popular vegetable to eat in medieval times, but gradually went out of favour. Now more and more Brits are copying the Americans and using them in soups and for pies,' Mr Russell explained

Pumpkin facts: The word pumpkin originates from the word 'peop', which is Greek for 'large melon'. They are believed to have originated in North America and the oldest evidence - pumpkin seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 BC - were found in Mexico

Multiple uses: Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the shell, leaves, seeds and flowers. It has high levels of Beta Carotene and Vitamin E, so it is particularly popular with vegetarians and used in baby foods

The pumpkin has been described as 'the perfect winter vegetable' due to their health benefits and heartiness. Pumpkin growers hope to harvest pumpkins in a wider window, not just for Halloween

Pumpkins are grown for both commercial and recreational use. Pumpkin pie is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals in the United States, and pumpkins are often carved into jack-o'-lanterns for decoration around Halloween
Quick thinking US Marines saved dozens of lives when they sprinted towards a fire at a Washington DC apartment block on Wednesday.

The Marines ran to the fire at the Arthur Capper Senior Public Housing building, which is home to more than 100 senior citizens, despite not wearing any protective gear.

By the time they arrived there was thick black smoke billowing out of the building, which was being consumed by huge orange flames.

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Despite having no protective gear, the marines leapt into action and their quick response saved dozens of lives

Thankfully nobody was killed in the blaze, which began on Wednesday afternoon and continued late into the night

'These are our neighbors. They needed help. We had to act,' said Capt. Trey Gregory.

'It was definitely a situation you do not want to be in. But this is what we do. We're Marines, and when we see a crisis, we respond,' he added.

'Whether overseas or right here at home in DC, we didn't think  we just knew we needed to act. That's the Marine in all of us.'

The multi-storey building is about 200 yards from the marines' outpost in downtown Washington - the US capital.

Some of its residents were trapped as far up as the fourth floor.

The origin of the fire and the reason why the safety systems did not fully work have not been determined and remain under investigation

A onsite construction worker filled them in when they arrived, yelling: 'There's more people in there,' said Cpl. Magdaleno Arroyo.

'That's when the Marines decided we need to go get them.'

Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Cale said: 'I don't think there was really any thought to it.

'We were just saying we had to get these people out of here before anything serious happens and just the instincts kicked in to go.'

Washington DC firefighters and local residents also rushed to the blaze, which began about 3.20pm and burned into the night.

The flames ripped through the roof, which partially collapsed at about 6.15pm.

'It was a pretty bad fire, especially on the top floor. Some paralyzed immobile people in there,' said Gregory.

'We actually just picked people up as best we possibly could and then had the wheelchairs at the exit and then put them right into the wheelchair.'

DC Fire Chief Gregory Dean confirmed that remarkably, all 190 residents got out alive. Ten residents needed minor treatment such as smoke inhalation.

A Washington Metropolitan police sergeant wears a mask to guard against the heavy smoke near a fire at the Arthur Capper Senior Building, an apartment building that houses senior citizens, Wednesday

Firefighters pour water on the fire, which destroyed part of the roof of the apartment block in Washington DC

'By the grace of God we haven't lost anybody,' said DC Council member Charles Allen.

'Our firefighters were amazing. Our neighbors were amazing knocking on doors. There is no question their efforts saved lives.'

The origin of the fire has not been determined and remains under investigation.

Detectives were also trying to determine the cause of the partial failure of a system of horns and sprinklers inside the building.
A 94-year-old German man is to go on trial accused of being accessory to hundreds of murders in a Nazi concentration camp during World War Two, a court in the western city of Muenster said.

The man, who has not been named for legal reasons, denies the accusations.

He will be tried in a juvenile court, since he was aged less than 21 at the time of the alleged crimes.

The camp in Sztutowo, Poland is now a museum of the murders which took place, pictured during the 71st anniversary of its liberation in 2016. The camp was liberated on May 9, 1945, the same day World War II ended

Human killing factories were opened around the then Third Reich, where at least a million people, mostly Jews, were murdered. Children look through the barbed wire at Auschwitz concentration camp just after its liberation in January 1945

The former guard in the SS, the paramilitary wing of Adolf Hitler's Nazi party, stands accused of having known about the killings of hundreds during the three years he served in Stutthof concentration camp near the Polish city of Gdansk.

Between 1942 and 1945, hundreds of prisoners were killed in gas chambers or by having poison injected into their hearts, while others died of exposure or cold, Der Spiegel magazine quoted Muenster prosecutors as saying.

He would have been at most 21 years old at the end of the war.

German prosecutors are keen to see as many perpetrators of Nazi crimes put on trial as possible, but the few remaining suspects are now in extreme old age.

That is creating its own problems beyond the unusual sight of a nonagenarian being tried in a juvenile court.

Hearings in the Stutthof case, scheduled to start on Nov. 6, will last a maximum of two hours each day because of the poor health of the suspect.

A former SS sergeant Oskar Groening, pictured above in a German court, was convicted of being an accessory to murder in July 2015. He died before his prison sentence was due to start in March this year, aged 96

In another case, it is undecided whether a 93-year-old is mentally fit to undergo trial for alleged crimes carried out in wartime.

Last year, a court ruled that Oskar Groening, known as the "bookkeeper of Auschwitz" for his job counting cash taken from the extermination camp's victims, must serve time after years of wrangling over whether his health and age permitted a prison term.

He died in March, aged 96, before starting his term.

Some six million Jews were killed in the Nazi Holocaust carried out under Hitler.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The Lawmakers from the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) have been preparing to register the impeachment motion against senior most Supreme Court (SC) Justice Deepak Raj Joshee.



NCP Lawmakers, who have already collected the signatures for the purpose, have reached on the conclusion to register the impeachment motion after Joshi denied resigning from the post.





According to a source, the NCP leaders had been sending a message to the justice Joshee through different means stating either to resign from the post or be ready to face the consequences like impeachment.





It is said that the lawmakers from the ruling NCP will register the impeachment motion within days or two to restrict him from any hearing.





The Supreme Court has already begun to assign him the duties. Joshee is free to discharge the duties in the capacity of the senior most Supreme Court justice. Likewise, he can discharge the responsibility as acting chief justice in case of necessary and represent to the constitutional council in the capacity of senior Supreme Court justice.





However, neither the government nor the NCP lawmakers have spoken out officially over their plan to register the impeachment motion against Joshee.





Though Joshees name was rejected as chief justice by the Parliamentary Hearings Committee on August 3, he had resumed his duties as justice on September 10, the day when newly-appointed Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra took up office as Chief Justice.





Political parties, particularly the ruling head NCP and the main opposition Nepali Congress had vertically divided over the issue of rejecting Joshee name from the parliamentary hearing committee.




California Governor Jerry Brown signed a law on Thursday making California the first state to bar full-service restaurants from automatically giving out single-use plastic straws.

Another law he approved requires milk or water to be the default drink sold with kids' meals at all dining establishments.

But the straw restriction law doesn't apply to fast food restaurants, allows for multiple warnings before being hit with a citation, and caps the maximum possible fines for being found in violation per year.

Neither law is an outright ban on straws or sugary drinks in kids' meals, and don't take effect until the beginning of next year.

Health inspectors will be responsible for enforcing the law.

California Governor Jerry Brown signed a law on Thursday making California the first state to bar full-service restaurants from automatically giving out single-use plastic straws

Some Republicans have called the measures government overreach by the heavily Democratic state, but Democratic lawmakers who support the policy call it a small step toward reducing ocean pollution.

California restaurants that don't comply with the straw law will get two warnings before being fined.

Lawmakers also changed earlier drafts of the legislation to add a $300 annual fine limit. The law will only apply to sit-down restaurants where customers are waited on by restaurant staff, not fast-food establishments.

The 'offer first' idea has been credited as being first introduced by Milo Cress of Burlington, Vermont, when he was only nine years old.

The 'offer first' idea has been credited as being first introduced by Milo Cress, now 17, of Burlington, Vermont, when he was only nine years old

Cress, now 17, got the movement started eight years ago at Leunigs Bistro and Cafe in his hometown.

He asked the cafe owner to institute what he called the 'offer first policy,' rather than automatically giving customers straws, after seeing so many thrown away without even being used.

Cress said, simply, 'It seemed like a waste to me.'

Fast forward to today, and Starbucks has just announced it will ban all single-use plastic straws in its 28,000 store across the globe, by 2020.

'This planet is where we live,' Cress said. 'We have an individual and collective responsibility for saving and protecting it.'

Brown, who has made environmental issues a signature priority, pointed to the large amount of plastic dumped in oceans every year that can kill whales and fish and contaminate people's food and water supplies.

'Plastic has helped advance innovation in our society, but our infatuation with single-use convenience has led to disastrous consequences,' Brown said in a statement.

'Plastics, in all forms - straws, bottles, packaging, bags, etc. - are choking the planet.'

California's law doesn't go as far as those in cities, including San Francisco and Seattle, that ban single-use plastic straws outright, while offering alternatives, like paper straws, for those that need some sort of sipping assistance.

Critics argue California's straw law won't significantly improve the environment, and that restricting straws hurts disabled people who rely on them.

Some lawmakers who voted against the measure said it would unfairly punish restaurants, although the restaurant industry didn't oppose the proposal.

California's law doesn't go as far as those in cities, including San Francisco and Seattle, that ban single-use plastic straws outright, while offering alternatives, like paper straws, for those that need some sort of sipping assistance; This photo taken on July 17 shows wrapped plastic straws at a bubble tea cafe in San Francisco

The law doesn't address the biggest causes of plastic ocean pollution, such as fishing nets, and doesn't apply to some of the biggest users of plastic straws: fast-food restaurants, said Tod Hardin, director of operations and communications for the nonprofit Plastic Oceans International.

'That in some ways makes it a little bit weaker than we would have hoped for, but it's a step toward changing behavior and raising awareness,' he said. 'It's a move in a positive direction.'

The other measure, brought by Democratic Senator Bill Monning, centered on discouraging sugary drinks will still let restaurants and fast food chains sell soda or juice with children's meals. But it says only milk, a non-dairy milk alternative, or sparkling, still or flavored water can be handed out as a default and advertised on the menu.

Monning says his measure aims to combat diabetes, obesity and other health problems in California.

Both laws take effect on January 1.
A substitute teacher in Florida has been charged with having a sexual relationship with one of his students during a two month period.

Roman Jose Fondon Jr, 28, who taught as a substitute teacher at Ben Gamla Preparatory Academy was arrested Wednesday and accused of having five sexual encounters with a 15-year-old student at the charter school in Hollywood.

The then 27-year-old Fondon Jr, who had been hired to temporarily fill in for one of the school's teachers who was on leave, was sexually involved with the young girl between February 26 and April 30.

Roman Jose Fondon Jr has been charged of having five sexual encounters with a 15-year-old girl who was a student at a Florida charter school where he was working as a substitute teacher

A 15-year-old girl at Ben Gamla Preparatory Academy in Hollywood, Florida was involved in five sexual encounters with Roman Jose Fondon Jr, former school substitute teacher

Video Courtesy WPLG

According to the arrest warrant, the first encounter took place while he worked at the school, other encounters occurred while Fondon Jr's car as stationed at the YMCA in Hollywood, outside a movie theater at Aventura Mall,in a bedroom at the 15-year-old student's home and on the roof her condominium building.

The girl told investigators the teacher slapped and tied her up and brought toys during their series of encounters

Fondon Jr, from Pembroke Pines, appeared at a Broward County court Thursday during a bond hearing. His bond is $75,000 and he was ordered to turn in his passport.

The suspect faces three counts of sexual battery on a victim older than 12 and younger than 18, and three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a child older than 12 but under the age of 16.

Roman Jose Fondon Jr, a former substitute teacher at a high school Hollywood, Florida appeared before a judge on Thursday, accused of having sexual encounters with a student

According to his attorney Eric Schwarztreich, Fondon Jr was living with his parents at the time.

His mother defended her son, claiming the allegations were 'fantasies'.

'My son is a stand-up citizen,' his mother Theresa Fondon told the judge, according to the Sun Sentinel. 'I do not believe these allegations whatsoever. ... He doesn't go out at night.'

The court document also detailed messages, via cellphone texts and Instagram's direct messaging option, that Fondon Jr, and the student exchanged, as late as 4am.

In one message, the educator wrote, 'I mean, I like being risky. Thank God we didn't get caught, though.'

Fondon Jr wished the student was older that he actual age in another message that was revealed.

'Why couldn't u just be like 19 or 20 lol.'

The alleged victim said she sent Fondon topless pictures of herself through social media while Fondon Jr returned the favor with pictures of his privates through Snapchat, according to court documents seen by the Miami Herald.

'He's a very good young man with a college education,' Fondon Jr's mother said in court. 'And he helps everyone in the community. These are fantasies and false accusations.'
British Airways passengers have been delayed after an apparent computer failure hit the airline's Heathrow Terminal Five.

Customers complained of queues at the London airport and difficulties checking in after what the company called 'a technical issue with some of our internal systems'.

The airline wouldn't give an exact number of disruptions but said that 'some of its flights were slightly delayed'.

Broadcaster Andrew Neil was among those caught up in the problems.

He tweeted: 'Yet another computer failure at Terminal 5 Heathrow for British Airways. Now regular occurrence. Flights delayed. Usual shambles, not yet on huge scale.

British Airways passengers complained of delays after computer failures at Heathrow

'We're 75 minutes late. And still not taken off. Is that your idea of normal?'

Another passenger, Derek Frome added: '"Paralyzed" and "stranded" are not the words you want to hear from your flight status update.

'The plane is ready to take off, but we're stuck waiting in the terminal because the computer system for boarding is down and there's no backup system.'

Seb Reilly wrote: 'I think somebody at your organisation should press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and just start again.

Customers took to Twitter to express their rage at the company over the latest problems

'You have a new problem (excuse!) every day, you are losing loyal customers across the board and your once prestigious brand is now in the gutter. Shameful.'

Despite the slew of complaints, a company spokesman insisted to MailOnline that there was not a computer failure at Terminal Five.

She said: 'A temporary glitch with some of our internal systems has been resolved. Our customers have continued to check in and fly to their destinations as normal.'

British Airways' chief executive Alex Cruz apologised earlier this month over a computer hack

Earlier the airline had posted a tweet saying: 'We are working to resolve a technical issue with some of our internal systems, including our call centres. Flights are continuing to operate and customers are able to check in as normal.'

They tweeted to another customer: 'Flights are still operating, however, there may be delays.'

Earlier this month, British Airways boss Alex Cruz issued a grovelling apology to customers after the firm's website was hacked, affecting around 380,000 transactions.

Speaking about what data was hacked, he said: 'It was name, email address, credit card information - that would be credit card number, expiration date and the three digit [CVV] code on the back of the credit card.'
One of the businesses caught in the middle of the strawberry sabotage crisis is a convicted drug trafficker who was probed by mafia investigators in the 1990s.

Donnybrook Berries, a fruit and packaging business located near Caboolture, north of Brisbane, is owned by Pasquale 'Pat' Cufari.

Mr Cufari, originally from Mildura, Victoria, served five years in jail for drug trafficking, and was named in an Australian Crime Commission report in 2003.

Scroll down for video

Pictured is a video from Stephanie Chheang, who posted to Facebook saying her mother and stepfather own Donnybrook Berries)

Men spoken to at the Cufari family home in Mildura said that the business owner was in Queensland, and denied requests for comment, Fairfax Media reported.

Mr Cufari was among the targets of a National Criminal Authority investigation in the 1990s into mafia activity in the region.

Then in 2003 his name appeared in a confidential report on organised crime by the Australian Crime Commission.

Earlier this week, Stephanie Chheang posted a heartbreaking video to Facebook that showed harvested strawberries being dumped from a loader by the company.

'This is no doubt the worst thing to ever happen to my family. This is worth more than you could ever imagine and within three days we lost it all,' she said.

The business was forced to dump millions of strawberries in a ditch after the brand was recalled from supermarkets.

'We have to throw them out because the markets wouldn't take our strawberries due to the needle scare,' she said.

Ms Chheang, who said her mother and stepfather own Donnybrook Berries, said the business spent years and 'all their money' building the farm, only for it to be wiped out.

'They put all their money and effort in to build such a successful business. They work hard to make the money for our family and to have these selfish individuals destroy it is just so upsetting.

'My mum works day through to the night, controlling the shed and her 250 employees, making sure her strawberries are packed to perfection.'

Stephanie Chheang, whose mother and stepfather run Donnybrook Berries, shared a heartbreaking video of harvested fruit being dumped from a loader

The fruit contamination scandal has spread throughout the entire country (pictured is a contaminated strawberry bought from Coles in Wingham, NSW)

Owner of the two other brands at the heart of the scandal, Kevin Tran, said he had nothing to do with the Donnybrook operation and handles his berries himself.

The Berrylicious and Berry Obsession brands boss said he is unsure who is responsible for hiding the small metal objects inside the strawberries.

'I don't know, because the problem is there's so many people handling the fruit all the time, and packing, so I cannot say where it happened,' he told Nine News.

He claimed to be 'devastated' by the scandal, which has affected both his farm and the entire strawberry industry.

'I don't know anything, at this stage, I don't know anything, I'm like you guys, I want to find out,' he said.

Berrylicious and Berry Obsession brands boss Kevin Tran (pictured) said he is unsure who is responsible for hiding the small metal objects inside the strawberries

A five-year-old girl was the latest victim of the fruit contamination scandal that has taken the country by storm

The news comes as over 100 people across the country have found needles in their strawberries.

Queensland police are now offering $100,000 for information about who could be behind the sabotage that has left the business scared for the future.

A five-year-old girl was the latest victim of the fruit contamination scandal that has taken the country by storm.

Cairns mother Samantha Gray said her daughter Bella discovered the contaminated strawberry after finding it on the kitchen counter.

Posting to Facebook, Ms Gray said: 'I had all intentions of chopping them up before consuming. Bella helped herself when I wasn't looking and bit straight into it.'

The latest case is the first uncovered in the Northern Territory, and comes as police investigate more than 100 reports of contaminated fruit around the country.

Five-year-old Bella Gray (pictured) from Cairns has become the latest victim of the fruit contamination scandal after she bit into a strawberry containing a needle.

Her mother Samantha Gray said she burst into tears after checking her daughter's mouth in the fear she had been injured by the spiked strawberry

Farmers have been forced to destroy their strawberry produce en masse as incidents continue to be reported - with Queensland farmers announcing huge job losses on Tuesday.

New South Wales Police announced on Thursday they are now DNA testing needles and packaging in a bid to catch copycat offenders who are sabotaging fruit.

The federal government also rushed 'tough new penalties' through Parliament on Friday so those sabotaging fruit would face jail terms of up to 15 years.

There will also be a new offence of being reckless in causing harm, which will carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star can't catch a break.

In the latest stunt against the president's plaque, a street artist laid prison bars on top of Trump's star saying at least for now 'the infamous star is caged'.

The street artist, who goes by Plastic Jesus, was caught on video wearing a black hoodie as he placed the bars on top of the plaque and ran away.

The British and Los Angeles-based artist says he used instant-drying, industrial strength, double-sided sticky tape to secure the bars on Wednesday.

Los Angeles artist Plastic Jesus placed prison bars over Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star on Wednesday, in the latest act of protest against the controversial plaque

Thousands of tourists passed the plaque, many taking pictures of Trump's star behind bars

The British and Los Angeles-based artist says he used instant-drying, industrial strength, double-sided sticky tape to place the bars on top of the star on Wednesday

Locked up! After he placed the bars, he tweeted his final artwork saying '#ImpeachTrump'

Plastic Jesus says the stunt shows Trump should pay the price if he's guilty of colluding with Russia in the 2016 presidential election.

The artist tweeted his final artwork on Wednesday writing: 'Today I put @realDonaldTrump behind bars.'

'There have been calls to jail Trump since the day he was elected, and today he was certainly put behind bars,' the artist said to Huffington Post.

'At least his now infamous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was caged,' he added.

Last year Plastic Jesus set up a six-inch-high wall around Trump's star - complete with barbed wire and American flags, protesting the president's cry for a wall along the U.S. -Mexico border

Trump's star was installed in 2007 and has been vandalized many times, such as with this golden toilet that says 'Take a Trump!'

However his art installation didn't last long as a Trump supporter damaged it.

'Although it was very quickly damaged by a Trump supporter trying to remove it the bars did appear to be stuck fast and were there several hours later  to the amusement of thousands of passing tourists,' he added.

The bars were removed and the star was returned to its normal appearance by noon on Thursday, according to CBS.

In 2016, the artist surrounded Trump's star with a six-inch wall as a protest to Trump's call for a wall to be built on the U.S. border with Mexico. His model was complete with barbed wire and a tiny American flag.

In July Trump's star was replaced after a protester attacked it with a pickaxe, utterly destroying it and smashing in into pieces.

Austin Clay, 24, is accused of vandalism for the pickaxe stunt but has denied the charges - which carry a $10,000 fine and up to a three year jail sentence if convicted.

In July Trump's star was smashed to pieces by protester 24-year-old Austin Clay bearing a pickaxe

The star was speedily replaced and Clay was accused of vandalism, but he's denied charges

The West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously for Trump's star to be removed in August, but no action has been taken. Trump pictured with Melania and Barron when he was honored with the star on January 16, 2007

He was caught on camera raising the axe high above his head before thundering it to the floor.

The West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously for Trump's star to be removed in August, but no action has been taken.

Trump's star was originally installed in 2007 commending his work for the Miss Universe pageant, however the plaque has faced repeated attacks by protesters during his time in office.
Hospital worker Koffi Kouakou has become the 11th person jailed after Grenfell.

He swindled 24,572 worth of handouts when he was put up in a hotel for three months.

He told the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea that he had been living in flat 115 with Zainab Deen, which officers soon discovered was a lie.

Bangladeshi Mohammed Syed Rinku claimed he was in a gay relationship with a resident of the 20th floor of the west London block and his boyfriend had died in the blaze.

But when he was asked about his affair by the police, it became clear he had researched who had died in the fire. Officers then found heterosexual porn and dating apps on his phone.

The 46-year-old was jailed for 18 months for the fraud.

Anh Nhu Nguyen pretended his wife and 12-year-old son were killed in the blaze so he could claim charity handouts.

He pocketed 11,270 as he was put up in hotels and given clothing, laptops and cash.

But police discovered the 53-year-old had 28 convictions for 56 offences spanning more than 30 years, including theft, dishonesty offences, arson and grievous bodily harm.

Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam, even tried to apply for a passport by claiming his had been incinerated. He was jailed for 21 months in February.

Another fraudster, Anh Nhu Nguyen, met Prince Charles during his time posing as a victim

Elaine Douglas and Tommy Brooks falsely claimed they lived in Grenfell Tower to claim more than 120,000.

The illegal immigrants spent eight months living in a four-star hotel, with taxpayers footing the 400-a-night bill.

They also spent more than 20,000 on meals and clothing on pre-paid credit cards which were given to them by Kensington and Chelsea council.

The pair entered Britain illegally from Jamaica 16 years ago on separate flights and were ordered to leave by immigration officials only to vanish  reappearing in the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy last year.

Douglas, 51, was jailed for a total of three years while Brooks, 52, received a sentence of three years and three months.

Joyce Msokeri falsely claimed to have lost her husband in the blaze so that she could claim thousands of pounds.

The conwoman travelled 14 miles from her own flat to the tower block and convinced charity workers she had survived the inferno.

She feigned trauma to obtain handouts of 19,000 in cash, food, clothing, three mobile phones and free stays at a Hilton hotel. The 47-year-old would have received 203,000 in handouts if she had not been caught.

When Msokeri, from Zimbabwe, kept giving them different numbers for her flat in the tower block, her apparent forgetfulness was put down to trauma. She was jailed for four-and-a-half years in April.

Mohammad Gamoota is pictured

Mohammad Gamoota trawled a list of the dead then told officials his father was Abdeslam Sebbar, who had died after becoming trapped in his flat.

The 31-year-old said he had survived only because he was attending midnight prayers at his mosque when the inferno took hold.

In reality, he was not related to Mr Sebbar, 77, and did not live in Grenfell Tower, but took the details from a newspaper.

Two days later, Gamoota presented himself as a bereaved relative. He was given 500 and booked into a Holiday Inn hotel where he racked up a 374 room service bill.

He tried to claim a further 5,000  but a technical issue with his bank account prevented the money being paid in. He was jailed for 18 months.

Yonatan Eyob falsely claimed 81,000 in cash and free hotel stays, as well as 11,000 towards a new permanent home.

Eyob claimed he had lived alone in a flat that actually contained a family of five who perished in Britain's worst fire for a generation.

Neighbours said he didn't and CCTV proved he had never been there.

He was later charged with dishonestly making a false representation for accommodation and subsistence between June 2017 and June 2018.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty and was jailed for more than six years.

Council worker Jenny McDonagh blew money for victims on holidays and meals out

Jenny McDonagh stole pre-paid cash cards while working as manager of the Grenfell Fire fund at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

In total she took about 62,000 from pre-paid cash cards meant for several survivors, including Fadumo Ahmed, Sacha Salaabi and Christos Fairbairn, the court heard.

The money was spent on online gambling and foreign holidays.

She was jailed for five-and-a-half years.

Antonio Gouveia, 33, lied about escaping the inferno.

The fraudster claimed to be the flatmate of 80-year-old Hermine Harris who was living in the block of flats on the night of the tragedy which left 72 people dead in June 2017.

He has been jailed for three years.

Abdelkarim Rekaya, 28, took advantage of the governments policy of providing amnesty for illegal immigrants living in the gutted tower block in June last year.

He had been in the country since 2009 and by 2010 he had been cautioned by police for trying to steal bicycle.

Rekaya first claimed he was living in flat four when the inferno claimed the lives of 72 residents.

He later changed his story to say he was homeless and sleeping in the stairwell of the 11th and 12th floor.

Shortly after the blaze he was put up in a luxury Chelsea hotel at a cost of 60,000 for just under a year.

Judge Robin Jonathan warned him he faced a substantial custodial sentence.
Investigators have said a man accused of killing a jogger in Queens had searched the internet for 'forcible rape' and had pornography on his cellphone.

Chanel Lewis, now 21, is due to go on trial for the 2016 murder of Karina Vetrano later this year.

Vetrano, 30, was found strangled and sexually assaulted on an empty path in a wooded area of Howard Beach, New York, after going for a run.

Assistant Queens District Attorney Brad Leventhal told a court today that this new search history evidence could be the first sign of motive in the case, reports ABC News.

Prosecutors have said that Chanel Lewis, 21, (pictured left) had pornography on his phone and had searched the internet for 'forcible rape.' He is accused of murdering Karina Vetrano, 30 (pictured right) in 2016

Vetrano (pictured) was found strangled and sexually assaulted on an empty path in a wooded area of Howard Beach, New York, after going for a run

A judge must now rule on whether the phone evidence can be used at the trial which is set to start on October 29.

Lewis was arrested several months after Vetrano's death.

He was charged with second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty to the initial charges as well as the 13-count indictment, which included aggravated sex abuse.

In February a judge decided to let DNA evidence and a videotaped confession be used at trial.

Lewis' attorneys previously questioned the validity of his DNA sample and the manner in which is confession was gained.

His lawyers also filed a separate lawsuit, bringing into question the method the police used to obtain his DNA sample, which is known as familial DNA searching.

Familial DNA searching uses genetic material, such as skin cells or hair, to see if it matches the DNA of another convicted offender. They can then see if the relative of a convicted offender is the potential suspect.

His lawyers also questioned how the confession, which was videotaped, was obtained - suggesting he was coerced.

Assistant Queens District Attorney Brad Leventhal told a court that this new evidence could be the first sign of motive in the case of Vetrano (pictured) murder

Veta Lewis, mother of accused killer Chanel, is pictured outside court. She has previously insisted her son is innocent

Family spokesperson Reverend Kevin McCall said: 'From day one, we believed this gentleman was coerced into a confession. We are sticking by that 100 percent.'

Vetrano's parents supported the decision to include the DNA evidence outside court in February.

Her father Philip said: 'We are very pleased at the outcome today. Anyone trying to say that that animal is not guilty is either delusional, in diminished mental capacity or they're looking to prosper from this.'

His wife Kathy added: 'This isn't a racial thing - we dont want it be like that. This hurts me so much, this would hurt my daughter so much. She was such a beautiful, beautiful person. she was violently murdered - the evidence is there.
President Donald Trump is delaying the declassification and public release of documents related to the Russia probe after at least two U.S. allies objected.

He said Friday on Twitter that the Justice Department also warned that a massive document-dump could damage Americans' view of the investigation, which started during the Obama administration.

Trump on Tuesday demanded the public release of 'all text messages relating to the Russia investigation' from James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Bruce Ohr, Peter Strzok, and his former lover Lisa Page  all key figures in what the president has called a 'hoax' and a 'witch hunt.'

He ordered that those materials must be declassified 'without redactions,' meaning the DOJ wouldn't be permitted to black out portions deemed too sensitive to reveal.

But it's the intervention of what he called 'key allies' who 'called to ask [him] not to release' the documents that changed Trump's mind.

President Donald Trump is walking back Tuesday's order to declassify a massive tranche of Justice Department documents and text messages related to the long-running Russia probe

The president tweeted that 'key allies' asked him not to trigger a massive document dump

He has complained for more than a year that high-ranking FBI officials had been engaged in an election-season plot to derail his White House ambitions. That claim has been buttressed by the release of text messages between Page and Strzok.

Strzok, a senior investigator probing the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia, told his paramour Page in 2016 that they could 'stop' the president from beating Hillary Clinton.

Trump signaled Friday that he is tossing the political hot-potato of declassifying sensitive materials to the Justice Department, his perennial whipping boy on all things Russia.

Inspector General Michael Horowitz, he tweeted, 'has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis.'

'I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary,' the president added. '[S]peed is very important to me - and everyone!'

Trump said Thursday night on Fox News that while the declassification review process was 'moving along,' the White House was 'dealing with foreign countries that do have a problem'

The president's revised order puts Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz in the hot seat and insulates the White House from whatever declassification decisions result

Trump's order included text messages from fired FBI Director James Comey, setting up a public showdown with the former official who has already torched him in a best-selling book

Trump hinted Thursday night during an interview in Las Vegas that he was having second thoughts, but insisted that the information 'will all come out' eventually.

He said that while the process was 'moving along,' the White House was 'dealing with foreign countries that do have a problem.'

'I must tell you, I got called today from two very good allies saying, "Please, can we talk?" So its not as simple as all of that. And we do have to respect their wishes.'

In addition to the piles of text messages, Trump has ordered the release of some pages from a Justice Department warrant application to a secret foreign-intelligence court, which allowed U.S. agents to spy on former campaign adviser Carter Page. His demand also included related interview reports prepared by the FBI.

The president also told the DOJ to declassify reports tied to its interview with official Bruce Ohr, whose wife worked at the opposition-research firm behind an infamous and unverified dossier of dirt on then-candidate Trump. Ohr is known to have been in contact with the dossier's author, former British spy Christopher Steele.

Trump said Tuesday that he hadn't read the documents he ordered declassified, but aimed to let the public look at them and decide their significance.

'All I want to do is be transparent,' he said.

Document declassification orders, whether triggered by the White House or some other level of government, involve a complex inter-agency review process.

That can include input from any or all of America's 17 intelligence agencies.

A Justice Department spokesperson said Monday evening that the document review process had already begun, but Trump has grown increasingly impatient with the grinding wheels of his own government bureaucracy  and especially his attorney general Jeff Sessions.

During his Las Vegas rally speech Thursday night, he asked thousands of people with a scowl: 'Hows the Justice Department doing?'
A nanny was executed in China today for deliberately setting her employer's flat on fire, which killed the family of four.

Mo Huanjing (), 35, was sentenced to death in February this year after being convicted of arson and theft by a court in east China's Zhejiang Province.

The court said gambling-obsessed Mo had intended to set the fire then put it out, hoping her 'brave act' could win her middle-class employer's gratitude and financial reward, but the blaze went out of control.

Mo Huanjing (middle) was sentenced to death by an intermediate court in China in February

Mo deliberately set her employer's flat on fire last year, causing the family of four to be killed

Her female employer and all of her three children - aged between six and 11 - were killed during the fire in June, 2017, at their four-bedroom home on the 17th floor.

The children's father, Lin Shengbin, was reportedly on a business trip, hence survived the tragedy. The nanny managed to escape the fire.

Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court said the Supreme People's Court of China had reviewed and approved the death sentence.

The intermediate court said it received the order of the execution from the Supreme People's Court today and carried out the execution subsequently.

Mo's family members had been given an opportunity to meet Mo before the execution, but they refused to see her, according to a statement issued by Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court.

Lin, who lost his wife and all of his children, said he couldn't stop crying upon hearing about Mo's execution. He said he immediately called his late wife's parents, who also cried over the phone.

The picture, taken on June 22, 2017, shows the aftermaths of the building after Ms Mo set her employer's four-bedroom home on fire in a desperate bid to find money for her debts

Lin Shengbin's wife and three children were killed by the fire after Ms Mo. The man (middle) is surrounded by journalists at Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court on December 21, 2017

In a post to his nearly three million followers on Weibo, China's equivalent to Twitter, Lin said: 'The evil person has finally been punished by law.'

He added that the execution 'will bring a sense of comfort to Xiao Zhen (his wife) and the children in heaven'.

He concluded his post by writing: 'The road ahead will be harder. I will carry on trying.'

Mo's arson case has been one of the most high-profile criminal cases in China in the recent years.

According to the court, Mo was addicted to online gambling games and had been buried under debts. It is said that she had lost 6,800 the night before she decided to set the flat on fire.

Mo was originally from Dongguan, southern China. She left her hometown in 2015 to dodge gambling debts, according to a previous report from Xinhua News Agency.

The picture, taken on June 22, 2017, shows people gathering in front of the fire incident site

The Supreme People's Court found Mo guilty of arson. It said her motives were 'despicable' and the social impact of the case was 'extremely serious'.

Mo was also convict of theft. The court said before she set the family's home on fire, she had stolen luxury watches and jewellery from the family on several occasions before pawning them off for 180,000 yuan (20,000), said the court.

During her previous employment working as a nanny in Shanghai and Shaoxing during 2015 and 2016, Mo had repeatedly stolen from her former employers, the court said.

The Supreme Court said considering Mo's both crimes, it decided keep the death sentence given to her by the intermediate court.
National Convention Against Assault on Journalists to be held on 22-23 September, 2018 in Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. The Convention is being organised by Committee Against Assault on Journalists (CAAJ) in association with Press club of India and supported by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

website: www.caajindia.org
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has jet-setting debt dodgers in his sights.

He has declared war on Australians who refuse to pay their debts owed to Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink and other federal government agencies by placing an international travel ban on them.

Up to 150,000 Australians will be banned from travelling overseas if they refuse to enter into a payment plan under the tough new policy revealed by The Saturday Telegraph.

You may not be able to board an international flight if you owe money to Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink and other federal government agencies (stock image)

It's hoped the travel ban will recoup some of the $800 million owed to government agencies.

About 20 people have already been banned from leaving Australia in the crackdown, including a Sydneysider who owed the Australian Taxation Office $10,000, the publication reported.

The Prime Minister said the aim of the crackdown is to ensure Australia's economy doesn't pay the price for welfare and tax fraud.

'It's not there to create some largesse, it's not there to create a fat fund, a fiscal fat-fund, it's there to ensure that you can put the investments into hospitals and the schools,' Mr Morrison told The Saturday Telegraph.

'It's not an anti-welfare thing, it's an anti being treated like a mug thing.'

Mr Morrison believes Australians will be supportive of the tough new crackdown

Previously, parents who refused to pay child support had travel bans enforced on them.

That has been extended to anyone who owes money to government agencies.

Mr Morrison also warned that interest will apply to debts owed.

'If you've got longstanding tax debts and you've been warned and warned and warned and warned and warned, and you're thumbing your nose at everyone else paying tax and you're saying, 'Tough for you. I'm going to get on a plane', well, you're actually insulting your fellow Australians who pay for the welfare system,' he said.

He said there was no 'nastiness' about the policy and believes Australians will be supportive of his tough stance to ensure the system is no longer taken advantage of.
A man is believed to have shot dead a woman, two children and then himself in a murder-suicide during a 'family disturbance'.

Authorities found the bodies of the woman and two children inside a home in a gated community in Henderson, Nevada after it had been set on fire on Thursday night.

It is not clear if the man's body was found inside the home.

A man is believed to have killed a woman, two children and then himself in a murder-suicide during a 'family disturbance' at a home in Henderson, Nevada on Thursday night

Police were called to the home following reports of gunfire at about 7.30pm.

The home was on fire when first responders arrived, but investigators have not yet determined if it was deliberately lit.

A neighbor told CBS's 8News that she heard screaming and at least five gunshots before police arrived.

She said the man had lived at the home but moved out several months ago.

Police were called to the home following reports of gunfire at about 7.30pm. The home was on fire when first responders arrived

The man and woman were known to argue and were regularly spotted screaming at each other on the street when he would come by the house to pick up a five-year-old boy.

The neighbor said she was the man's car running outside the home prior to the shots being fired.

She said a five-year-old boy, a teenage boy and a teenage girl lived at the home with the woman.
A British tourist is recovering in hospital after allegedly being beaten up by a Moroccan bar worker who tried to rape her on the holiday island of Tenerife.

The 20-year-old is accused of assaulting her when she asked him to leave an apartment she had invited him back to after he tried to force himself on her.

She was rushed to hospital following the attack on Monday - but was injured so seriously officers had still been unable to take a statement from her today.

Police sources said she remained in hospital. Her age has not been revealed.

The British woman, whose age is not known, was taken to the University Hospital Nuestra Senora de Candelaria in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz (pictured), after suffering serious head injuries on Monday

She is understood to have suffered serious head injuries.

Her alleged attacker, who has not been named, is being held in custody after a judge agreed to extend his remand period before deciding what crime he would be formally placed under investigation for.

The decision was made by a court in Arona in the south of the island.

A court official said: 'Investigating Court Number Three in Arona, acting as a duty court, has decided to extend the remand of a 20-year-old held in the municipality of Adeje as the suspected author of a crime of assault which has yet to be fully specified.

'The victim is still in hospital with injuries which are compatible with a physical assault.

'The court hopes to be able to decide tomorrow whether to place this suspect, who is of Moroccan origin, under formal judicial investigation and what crimes for.'

A 20-year-old Moroccan bar worker is in police custody after the incident (stock picture of Santa Cruz in Tenerife)

A judge in the the town of Arona in the south of the island decided that the man could be remanded in custody for longer than usual while police decided what to charge him with (stock picture of Arona)

Police sources confirmed the injured woman, who is at the University Hospital Nuestra Senora de Candelaria in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz, is British.

In a separate incident a 37-year-old Nigerian bar worker was arrested on suspicion of raping a 27-year-old British tourist late on Wednesday.

The incident is said to have taken place in the toilets of a pub in an area known as Las Veronicas in the popular resort of Playa de Las Americas.

He has been released on bail after being questioned by an investigating judge in a closed court hearing following his arrest on Thursday. He was ordered to sign on at a local court every fortnight as part of his bail conditions.
Mother, 42, was found not guilty of forcing her daughter, 18,(pictured) to take a virginity test after finding out she had a boyfriend

An Iranian couple accused of demanding their daughter take a virginity test after they found out she had a boyfriend were cleared of all charges against them today.

Mother, 42, wept as she and husband, 56, from Clapham, south-west London, were found not guilty of two counts of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship.

The couple were also cleared of one count of making a threat to kill.

The mother was also cleared of one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations she bit her daughter when the relationship was found out.

The jury of four men and eight women took just one hour to deliver the verdicts.

They were told the pair's daughter, 18, was taken to a GP for a virginity test because it was 'important' to her parents as Muslims.

It was also claimed the couple took possessions including her mobile phone, passport and bank card when the affair was found out.

They were alleged to have threatened to kill their daughter's boyfriend during a confrontation at his workplace.

The mother wept with relief and shouted 'Oh my God' as the verdicts were delivered.

The mother, who smashed her daughter's boyfriend's headphones when she found him at the family's flat in Clapham, south west London, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at an earlier hearing.

She was handed a six-month conditional discharge and told to pay 20 compensation for that offence.
Fugitive: Cody Wilson, 30, was arrested in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday in connection to a sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl in Texas

The owner of a controversial Texas-based company specializing in untraceable 3D printed guns was arrested in Taipei, Taiwan, on Friday after being accused of having sex with an underage girl in exchange for money.

Taiwan News reported that police arrested Cody Wilson in Taipei City's Wanhua District, a day after the US Marshals Service released information that the 30-year-old businessman was wanted for the alleged August 15 sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl he met online and paid $500 for sex.

The Taiwanese paper reported that the Texan had arrived in Taipei on September 6 and initially checked into the high-end Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where rooms start at $300 a night, but he checked out the next day and left by taxi.

As news of the allegations against Wilson spread, police in Taiwan launched a search for the American fugitive.

On Thursday, they got a tip from a real estate agent saying that Wilson had signed a six-month lease on a studio apartment and paid the first month's rent of $620.

The 3D printed gun businessman was apprehended by police at a hotel on Guangzhou Street in the Wanhua District

When he arrived in Taiwan on September 6, Wilson initially checked into the high-end Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Taipei (pictured)

He was scheduled to arrive at his new address on Friday afternoon local time to pick up the keys but never showed up.

At 6pm local time, Wilson was apprehended at a hotel on Guangzhou Street in the Wanhua District.

Wilson's passport has been voided, which means that he is staying in Taiwan without proper documentation and is eligible for deportation.

The US and Taiwan do not have a formal extradition treaty, but the two countries have been known to cooperate on legal and security matters.

According to an affidavit filed in court Wednesday, Wilson took a flight to Taiwan after he was charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl he met through the website SugarDaddyMeet.com.

The pair met in person at a coffee shop in South Austin before going to a hotel, where Wilson allegedly assaulted the teen and paid her $500 in cash.

Wilson then missed a scheduled flight home on Wednesday, prompting police in Austin to seek help from the US Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force.

Undocumented: Wilson's passport has been voided, meaning he is in Taiwan illegally

An unnamed girl told authorities that she met a man later identified as Wilson through this dating site, that they had sex in a Texas hotel and that he paid her $500 afterwards

Austin, Texas, police commander Troy Officer told Fox that a friend of the victim is thought to have told Wilson that he was under investigation before he left.

It is not clear why he went to Thailand specifically, Officer said.

Wilson owns the company Defense Distributed, which makes blueprints for untraceable 3D printed guns.

The company made headlines in July after the Department of Justice ruled it was legal to distribute the blueprints online, despite several states trying to ban them.

Police were alerted to the alleged assault after a counselor called on August 22 to say a patient had claimed she had sex with a 30-year-old man.

Wilson announced in August that he is selling 3D-printed gun blueprints through his website after the federal court blocked him from posting them online for free.

The alleged victim, who has not been named, said that she had been paid $500 to have sex with the man in a hotel and that she had met the man, who used the name 'Sanjuro,' through the website SugarDaddyMeet.com, CBS Austin reported.

The girl told authorities that Wilson used the screen name 'Sanjuro' and that he later said his name was Cody Wilson and that he was 'a big deal'

Authorities said determined Wilson's identity by matching his ID picture to images on the dating site and reviewing surveillance footage and digital valet receipts at this hotel, where the girl said Wilson paid to have sex with her

According to the affidavit, the teen said that she and 'Sanjuro' texted each other inappropriate pictures.

She said that he later identified himself as 'Cody Wilson' and claimed to have been 'a big deal.'

Eventually the girl and 'Sanjuro' arranged to meet at Bennu coffee shop in Austin on August 15, before departing in a black Ford Edge sport vehicle to travel to the Archer Hotel.

Once there, according to the affidavit, the pair left the car with the hotel's valet service and walked together to a room, where they had sex.

Afterwards, the girl said that 'Sanjuro' gave her five $100 bills.

Police said in the affidavit they corroborated the girl's story by comparing Wilson's ID picture to images of 'Sanjuro' on SugarDaddyMeet.com. They also reviewed surveillance videos and digital valet receipts.

The license plate on the car that 'Sanjuro' drove matched one that was registered to Defense Distributed as well, according to KVUE.
Wendy Martinez was stabbed seven times by a local vagrant Tuesday night according to court papers.

Police arrested Anthony Crawford on Wednesday evening after speaking to multiple witnesses and acquaintances of the man, including one individual who told officers that the suspect in the case was often high on K2, a synthetic marijuana that has been known to put people in a zombie-like state.

These details are coming out as the family of Martinez prepares for her funeral, and on Thursday the victim's mother broke her silence about the tragedy while also revealing that her daughter would be buried in her wedding gown.

She had been out for a run when the attack occurred, and was pronounced dead just 27 minutes after being stabbed by the man police now believe to be Crawford.

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Tragic end: Wendy Martinez, 35, was stabbed seven times on Tuesday, losing so much blood that she was dead just 27 minutes after the fatal attack (Martinez above a week earlier after becoming engaged)

Altered reality: Suspect Anthony Crawford, 23, was 'probably' high on synthetic drug K2 when he allegedly murdered Martinez said a friend in a newly filed court document (suspect now believed to be Crawford seen in surveillance video above just before attack)

Final rest: Martinez had just gotten engaged a week before the attack, and her mother (above on Thursday speaking for the first time) said that she would be buried in her wedding gown

Details of the fatal attack are being revealed in a police report that was filed in the case by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and obtained by DailyMail.com, including the chief medical examiner's findings on the brief but fatal attack.

An autopsy found that Martinez had been stabbed on the 'left side' and 'back' of her head, the 'right side of the face,' 'the lower right neck,' twice on the 'left side of the neck,' and once in the 'back.'

It was the higher wound on the left side of her neck that resulted in the victim bleeding out so quickly due the fact that the knife struck her jugular vein.

Individuals on the scene tried their best to stop the blood flow as the suspect fled the scene, dropping the murder weapon and stripping off her mustard yellow sweater and socks along the way.

Once police arrived they secured the area and tried to revive Martinez, while also talking to eyewitnesses about the man responsible for the murder.

They learned that he was a heavyset black male whose age could have been anywhere from a teen to in his 40s, a age range that was far too broad to help detectives.

That is when it was decided that video from a nearby camera would be released a move which led to police being contacted by one of the victim's acquaintances.

This decision paid off within hours, and on Wednesday morning a cop was approached by a man on the street who said he knew the suspect.

After first giving the wrong first name he identified the person as 'Anthony,' but noted that he always referred to him as 'Fatz Gleezy.'

That individual saw Crawford both before and after Martinez's death, and said that he had a bandage on his hand later in the night but not earlier that day.

Officers were also told by this person that Crawford was an 'avid user of the synthetic K2,' and the location of the park where he spent most of his time.

When the surveillance video of the suspect was played for the man he stated: 'Yea, that's him with the flip flops. Yes, that's him walking and he is probably high.'

Bereaved: Martinez's fiancee spoke for the first time as well on Thursday about his bride-to-be

They did: Cora Martinez, the victim's mother, said that her daughter's death came after the happiest days of her life (Martinez being proposed to a week prior to her death)

Shock: Martinez staggered into a Chinese takeout restaurant before collapsing to the floor (above)

Homicide detectives then located a relative and went to question them, with that person confirming that Crawford was the person seen in the video just moments before Marinez was stabbed on the street.

That evening, officers waited at the park where Crawford was often seen and took him to the station after he identified himself.

Crawford 'was yelling and crying' as he was taken in according to the police report, and had severe lacerations on his right hand, which is the same hand that the suspect used when he stabbed Martinez.

When brought in for questioning, Crawford had a heavily bandaged hand with fresh lacerations and told detectives that he was aware that they were accusing him of stabbing the 'little girl.'

Martinez is 12 years older than Crawford, 23, but stood only 5ft 1in tall and weighed 106 lbs according to police.

His identity was not release however until detectives had circles back to Crawford's acquaintance and shown him a photo of Crawford taken at the station the previous night.

'That's him, that's him,' said the man.

'I know him as Anthony but everyone calls him Fats and I call him Fats.'

Crawford appeared in court for the first time on Thursday, and is due back on October 11, with detectives still unable to come up with any motive for the random attack.

Cora Martinez, the victim's mother, said that her daughter's death came after the happiest days of her life.

'She was very excited when she found out she was going to be engaged. So, as soon as she had the engagement ring, she let me know. She said, "Mom!! Look at this! I got it!" I said, "No, you got him,"' said Cora on Thursday.

'Wendy lived the happiest seven days of her life. She was in the happiest moment.'

The two had then gone shopping for the perfect wedding gown.

'I never imagines she was buying the dress for her burial,' said Cora.

She also later said that she forgave the man who did this to her daughter.

'I forgive that man because I know it wasnt him. It was somebody else,' she stated.

'It was evil being incarnated in him, through him.'
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Snochia Moseley, 26, shot dead three people and then herself at the Rite Aid warehouse at Enterprise Business Park in Aberdeen, Maryland shortly after 9am on Thursday

The transgender woman who went on a shooting spree at a Rite Aid distribution center in Maryland had been diagnosed with a mental illness in 2016 and used a legally purchased gun in the deadly rampage.

Snochia Moseley, 26, shot dead three people and then herself at the Enterprise Business Park in Aberdeen shortly after 9am Thursday.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler revealed on Friday that Moseley had been diagnosed with a mental illness in 2016.

He said Moseley had become increasingly agitated in recent weeks, and relatives had been concerned for her well-being.

Moseley used a handgun that she legally purchased in March to fire a total of 13 rounds on Thursday morning, and died after shooting herself twice in the head.

She killed three people in the attack, including Sunday Aguda, a 45-year-old male from Baltimore County; Brindra Giri, a 41-year-old female from Baltimore County; and Hayleen Reyes, a 41-year-old female from Baltimore City.

Those injured in the rampage were Hassan Mitchell, a 19-year-old male from Harford County; Wilfredo Villegas, a 45-year-old male from Montgomery County; and Acharya Purna, a 45-year-old female from New York. They are all expected to recover.

Witnesses say Moseley was seen arguing with another employee in the moments before she 'went off' and opened fire.

Ambulances and fire trucks are pictured at the Enterprise Business Park following the deadly shooting on Thursday morning

A woman reacts at the scene of the shooting on Thursday morning as police work nearby. Three people were killed and three others were injured by the female shooter identified as Moseley, according to officials

Krystal Watson, whose husband Eric was in the warehouse at the time of the rampage, said Moseley had been arguing with someone near a time clock when she opened fire. Watson told CBS: 'She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting'

'She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting,' Krystal Watson, whose husband was in the warehouse at the time, told CBS at the fire station where employees were being reunited with loved ones.

Warehouse worker Walter Zambrano, 64, described how he hid in the bathroom fearing for his life after the shots rang out while his coworkers were gathering for a 'town hall meeting' in the cafeteria.

THE RITE AID VICTIMS: Deceased: Sunday Aguda, a 45-year-old male from Baltimore County

Brindra Giri, a 41-year-old female from Baltimore County

Hayleen Reyes, a 41-year-old female from Baltimore City Injured: Hassan Mitchell, a 19-year-old male from Harford County

Wilfredo Villegas, a 45-year-old male from Montgomery County

Acharya Purna, a 45-year-old female from New York Advertisement

Speaking in Spanish, Zambrano said: '[The suspect] was shooting like crazy, bam! bam! bam!

'Everyone was screaming, running this way and that. I didn't know which way to run.'

Moseley arrived at about 6.30am for her shift at the Rite Aid distribution center on Thursday, where she had been hired as a temporary employee about two weeks earlier ahead of the holiday season.

As people lined up to come in the building, Gahler said Mosely cut in line and words were exchanged, but it was a 'little incident.'

Less than an hour after she arrived, Moseley left the building for unknown reasons at 7.21am and returned home to get a handgun, pepper spray and handcuffs.

She arrived back at the parking lot around 8.35am and entered the front door around 8.52am.

Gahler said Mosely pulled a hooded shirt over her head and began shooting, striking and killing her victim, Aguda, outside the building.

Inside, where there were about 65 people, she fatally shot Giri and Reyes and also shot the three victims who survived.

Two of the victims died at the scene and one was taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead later in the day.

Mosely shot herself twice before police arrived - once with a grazing wound and then with the fatal shot. She was already down when officers arrived and an officer moved her from the scene, not knowing that she was the shooter.

Moseley (above in Facebook photos from earlier this year) opened fire using a 9mm handgun which she legally owned outside the business park at 9.06am then made her way inside where she continued shooting before committing suicide

When asked how Moseley could legally buy a gun after being diagnosed with a mental illness, officials said it had not been determined that she had a 'propensity for violence to self or others.'

Gahler said investigators are still working to identify the motive for the 'senseless crime'.

'We're still searching for answers as to what the possible motive was ... It's a tragic situation with loss of life, and our prayers go out to the victims and the families, and we're impressed with the job law enforcement did,' he said.

Witnesses said Moseley was a 'nice person' who came to work in a bad mood 'looking for a fight'

Mike Carre, who works at a business next door to the Rite Aid warehouse, said he called 911 after a wounded man came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg.

Carre said the victim told him the shooter 'just came in in a bad mood this morning. He said she's usually nice. But today, I guess it wasn't her day. She just came in to pick a fight with someone.'

'She pulled out a gun and she just started shooting at her co-workers.'

Moseley had multiple outstanding tickets for registration violations and a lack of insurance, and just last week, the courts were asked for permission to take the outstanding fines to trial.

But tickets were not her only problems. A high school friend of Moseley's, Toni Coley, told the Baltimore Sun the suspected shooter often felt alienated, but she 'wasn't a monster, wasn't an angry person'.

'I just believe this was emotional distress. If she did this, it was her last straw,' she said.

Coley said had come out to her family as transgender in December 2016 and wanted to begin hormone therapy.

At present, it is not known if she did commence hormone therapy, or if Moseley, known to friends as 'Sno', used male or female pronouns.

There was an enormous police presence at the Rite Aid warehouse afterwards and for much of the afternoon as authorities worked to close off the crime scene and evacuate anyone still in the building

Two women embrace after leaving the business park where the shooting happened on Thursday morning

Coley and Moseley were intending to create a documentary on Moseley's life before she died, based off a manuscript the Rite Aid worker had written.

Other friends paid tribute to her on social media, claiming she had been consumed by mental illness and had reached out for help multiple times before shooting at her colleagues.

One friend, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Sun he was at first appalled to hear about the shooting, but immediately felt heartbroken when he discovered who was behind it.

'It's catastrophic,' he said. 'She did a terrible thing, but I feel for her.

'The first thing you think is: 'This person is horrible,' because you have a bias. But knowing someone, I believe everyone is human. Everyone is going through something.'

The warehouse is at the intersection of Spesutia Road and Perryman Road. Nearby are other businesses, a school, a church and an apartment complex, all of which were put on lockdown as the shooting unfolded.

The shooting took place inside this Rite Aid distribution facility in Aberdeen, Maryland. There are two components to it - a large, 1,000 worker warehouse and a smaller satellite office of around 65 people (left) where it is believed to have taken place

This is the business park where the incident unfolded. There are a number of warehouses and Rite Aid has two facilities in it - one which houses 30 people and another where around 1,000 work. It is a huge, 2,010 sq ft workplace

The business park is located about 27 miles northeast of Baltimore. While it was unfolding, workers inside sent terrifying messages to their relatives including Alexi Scharmann whose mother sent her these heartbreaking messages (right)

Rite Aid confirmed that the shooting was in one of their buildings and said they learned about it from someone inside.

In a statement, the company said: 'We are deeply saddened by the events that transpired this morning at the Liberty support facility, which is part of Rite Aid's Perryman Distribution Center in Aberdeen, Md.

'Local authorities have confirmed that there are multiple fatalities and casualties. We are continuing to work closely with authorities as they conduct their investigation. The facility has been closed and we are assessing when it will be reopened.

Rite Aid issued this statement on Thursday afternoon

'Grief counselors will be made available to our associates and will remain available as long as they are needed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved in this tragic incident, as well as their loved ones.'

As the shooting unfolded, terrified workers text their loved ones to tell them there was a shooter in the building.

Alexi Scharmann told local station WBLA-TV that her mother, who works in the Rite Aid building, sent her and her sibling a message to tell her she was hiding.

They read: 'I love you both more than you will ever know. There is a shooter in the building. 'I am hiding. I love you.

'Be good and take care of daddy and the pets if something should happen,' she said.

She had to wait another hour before learning that her mother was safe and had escaped.

Others appealed frantically for information on social media asking if anyone knew whether their loved ones were safe. Police later set up a staging area for victims' relatives to gather in.

Armed officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were on the scene along with local law enforcement and FBI agents

A team of tactical agents gather at the scene of the workplace shooting on Thursday morning in Aberdeen, Maryland
Theresa May is today clinging to her Chequers plan for Brexit despite key parts being effectively torpedoed by EU leaders.

Both Remainers and Brexiteers have dismissed it as unworkable and undesirable - but the PM says it is the only 'credible' option on the table.

The blueprint is designed to reconcile the need to avoid a hard Irish border with honouring the result of the 2016 referendum.

But following the blunt dismissal from the EU at the Salzburg summit yesterday, pressure will mount from Eurosceptic Tories for Mrs May to switch tack.

They insist she should be proposing a Canada-style model that would involve a much looser free trade deal.

Theresa May and Irish PM Leo Varadkar (pictured holding talks at the Salzburg summit) both want to avoid a hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland

They argue that technology and trusted trader schemes can prevent the need for increased infrastructure at the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The plan would make it easier for Britain to strike trade deals around the world.

The EU has also suggested a Canada-style agreement. But unlike the Brexiteers, it says technology cannot solve the Irish border problem.

Instead, it has laid out proposals for Northern Ireland to stay within its customs jurisdiction - something Mrs May says she could never accept because it would mean splitting the UK.

Here are the main differences between the two models:

CHEQUERS Trade: Britain would stick to EU rules on goods by adopting a 'Common rulebook' with Brussels, but in the services sector. Theresa May says this would allow the UK strike free trade deals globally, but the scope would be limited by commitments to the EU. The blueprint should minimise the need for extra checks at the borders - protecting the 'just in time' systems used by the car industry to import and export parts. The UK Parliament could choose to diverge from these EU rules over time. But there is an admission that this would 'have consequences'. Customs: Britain would set up something called a Facilitated Customs Arrangement. This would see the UK effectively act as the EU's taxman - using British officials to collect customs which would then be paid on to the bloc. The borders between the UK and EU will be treated as a 'combined customs territory'. The UK would apply domestic tariffs and trade policies for goods intended for the UK, but charge EU tariffs and their equivalents for goods which will end up heading into the EU. Northern Ireland: Mrs May says her plan will prevent a hard Irish border, and mean no divergence between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain. There would be no need for extra border checks, as tariffs on goods would be the same. Single market origin rules and regulations would also be sufficiently aligned to avoid infrastructure. CANADA-STYLE Trade: Britain would strike a Canada-style free trade deal with the EU, meaning goods can flow both ways without tariffs. As it is a simple free trade deal, Britain would not be bound by the rules and red tape drawn up in Brussels. The arrangement would be a relatively clean break from the EU - but would fall far short of full access to the single market. Eurosceptics have suggested 'Canada plus' in key areas such as services and mutual recognition of standards. The UK would have broad scope to strike free trade deals around the world. Customs: Technology would be used to avoid extra customs checks on the borders. As a result goods travelling into the UK from the EU and vice versa would be tracked and customs paid without extra checks. The EU has suggested this is 'magical thinking'. Northern Ireland: The EU says the Canada model would mean border controls are required between Northern Ireland and the Republic to protect the single market and customs union. It insists Northern Ireland must stay in the bloc's customs jurisdiction in order to prevent that. Mrs May has signalled she agrees with the analysis - seemingly the reason she is reluctant to go down this route. But Brexiteers point out that there is already a tax border between the UK and Ireland, and say technology and trusted trader schemes can avoid the need for more infrastructure.
Democrats giddy at the prospect of taking control of Congress if they win the mid-term elections are making lists of Trump insiders they want to bring back to Capitol Hill.

Trump confidantes like Hope Hicks, the former White House communications director, and Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, have already provided closed-door testimony to lawmakers on allegations of collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Hicks and other former officials like Steve Bannon relied on executive privilege in their testimony the first time around, and some Democrats are eager to have another crack of the bat, Politico reported.

Democrats giddy at the prospect of taking control of Congress if they win the mid-term elections are making lists of Trump insiders they want to bring back to Capitol Hill such as Hope Hicks

Democrats are cautiously approaching the subject, as well as their hopes to impeach Trump, as they compete this fall on the ballot.

Trumpeting their plans to haul the president and his associates before Congress could backfire, and they're leading the generic ballot without it.

In a polling average compiled by Real Clear Politics, Democrats led their Republican competitors by eight points across the country. Those polls don't look at specific races but are taken to get a general sense of the mood of the country.

Republicans, once down by double digits, have been catching up nationally over the last two weeks. An Economist poll had the margin down to four points this week.

President Trump warned Thursday that voters can expect 'bad things' to happen to the country if Democrats win control of Congress.

Trump said the Supreme Court is a prime example. He also suggested that Democrats would seek to eradicate the Second Amendment.

'If were not there to protect, it is going to be some really bad day for this country,' he said of the potential for Democrats to take control of the House and Senate.

Trump confidantes like Hope Hicks, the former White House communications director, and Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, have already provided closed-door testimony to lawmakers on allegations of collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential campaign

In the interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity that aired live before a Las Vegas rally, Trump promised, 'Well get everything we want. We need more Republicans.'

'You want to protect your Second Amendment. You want to protect everything. You want protect all of the great success that youve had over the last little more than a year and a half,' he said.

Trump noted that the stock market had reached an all-time high just before the interview, buoying up 401(k) investments.

'If the Democrats get in, those numbers will be cut in half. You will see bad things,' he said.

One thing is for sure if Democrats win control of Congress: they'll ramp up inquiries into the the president and his associates.

Democrats are likely to reopen their colleagues' closed Russia probes to interview witnesses and obtain testimony they weren't able to the first time around, Politico reporters.

The House Intelligence Committee, Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee, Senate Intelligence Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee could all open new probes into the Trump administration for alleged misconduct, as well.

Democrats in line to take over the committees if their parties win control of Congress are already making lists of who they want to call up like Dan Scavino, the president's social media director. Scavino is frequently seen at the side of the president.

Lawmakers still want to question Hicks, Don Jr. and Jared Kushner about a meeting that took place in June of 2016 at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intel Committee, framed it as using his power, if he takes the top slot, to assist special counsel investigators with their review of Trump and his associates.

'It would certainly be a more cooperative relationship, and we would want to have the special counsel aware if witnesses are committing perjury or if witnesses are providing information that would be relevant to their investigation,' he said.

Other Democrats have said that they believe that Americans are tiring of the Russia probe and want to wrap up their work by the end of the year regardless of what happens in the mid-term elections.

'The American public will be tired of it if this is not wound down in this calendar year,' Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intel Committee, said at a May conference.
This is the calamitous moment ITV's political editor drops his ear piece and utters an expletive live on air from outside Downing Street.

Robert Peston's hilarious blooper was aired at lunchtime today as the journalist stood on the doorstep of Number 10 ahead ofTheresa May's Brexit speech.

In the clip, Mr Peston makes a gesture with his hands and accidentally tugs out his earpiece. As the device drops to the floor, he says: 'S***! Oh blimey.'

ITV's political editor Robert Peston yanked his earpiece out by accident during a live broadcast

He pulled it out while reporting on Theresa May's Brexit speech from outside Downing Street

He said 'S***! Oh blimey!' as he scrambled to try pick the device up, prompting a laugh from the presenter

The flustered reporter apologises to the presenter and quickly goes to pick up the device - but as he comes back up, he drops it again.

The presenter struggles to keep her composure and can't help but chuckle as she tells the audience they're having some 'technical difficulties'.

As she throws it back to Peston he lets out a laugh and continues with his report.

ITV political correspondent Carl Dinnen posted the blunder to his Twitter with the caption: 'The ITV lunchtime news was more than usually entertaining...'

After tugging the earpiece out, the flustered reporter quickly goes to pick up the device - but as he comes back up, he drops it again (right)

The presenter can't help but chuckle as she tells the audience they're having some 'technical difficulties'

One user commented: 'He's too excited for his own good!'

Another wrote: 'This was very entertaining, Mr. Preston is very enthusiastic!'

A third person tweeted: 'Big hand for the juggler.'
Birthday wishes

Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun.

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A lifeguard on duty when an four-year-old British boy drowned in a hotel swimming pool in Tenerife was 'chatting to girls' at the time, the youngster's family has claimed.

Relatives of Presley Stockton said only one lifeguard was on duty at the time, and they are now demanding answers after the boy passed away at the four-star Paradise Park Hotel in the popular holiday resort in Los Cristianos on Wednesday.

The relative, who was not on the Jet2 holiday at the time, said: 'We were told the one lifeguard who was there was too busy chatting to the girls round the pool.

Tragic: Presley Stockton, four, drowned in a swimming pool at a hotel in Tenerife, on Wednesday, despite a rapid emergency response which involved an air ambulance

'When he was called to rescue my Presley, he froze and did not have a clue what to do.'

Lifeguards pulled Presley out of the swimming pool and attempted to revive him.

He told the Sun ambulance crews arrived within minutes and took over from the lifeguards who were trying to resuscitate him - although other holidaymakers said it was Presley's family who were performing CPR after he fell into the water an suffered a cardiac arrest.

The hotel insist that two lifeguards were on duty at the time of the incident, which took place at around 3.30pm.

They added that the boy was in the busy family pool when a hotel lifeguard spotted him.

The spokesman said: 'He was in the family pool. It was packed, we are packed, the pool was packed with children and families.

'It is not a deep pool. There were two lifeguards on the spot. One pulled him out, the other one came over and they were both doing procedures.

'Two to three minutes later an ambulance came, there were lots of ambulances, five or six doctors were trying to resuscitate.

'When they found out everybody was then saying: "My goodness how can this happen?" One gentleman said, "I was half a yard away from him."

Heartbreaking: Family members and friends have paid tribute to little Presley in the wake of his tragic death on Wednesday

'We at this point are aiming to put all our efforts on supporting the family. The family is a large family from the UK and we are aiming to give them all the support we can.

'This has been an absolute tragedy, in our 30-year history we have never had that experience, this has never happened.

'We are doing everything we can to first of all help the family in everything they need.

'It is just one of those terrible things. We want to get to the bottom of it. We are all very devastated really.

'The staff, the family, the other guests, it's just been a terrible, dark day in the history of our hotel but nothing compared to what the family are going through.'

A rapid emergency response which involved an air ambulance had battled to save Presley.

Family and friends have also paid tribute to 'one-in-a-million whirlwind' Presley, reportedly from Hindley, Wigan, on social media.

The incident is said to have taken place at the Hotel Paradise Park Fun Lifestyle on Wednesday afternoon

The boy's grandfather posted a number of pictures of Presley on Facebook, writing: 'Today our little P, our little whirlwind Presley, has been taken from us.

'Our family is broken-hearted. Fly high my little angel, you were one in a million.'

A relative wrote said: 'My heart hurts so much. Sad day today. RIP Presley Stockton. Absolutely devastated. Sending lots of love to all my family. Stay strong. Miss you all so much. Thinking of you all tonight.'

Jade Disley wrote: 'What a cruel world we live in. Four is no age to die. Can't imagine to think what Kirsty and her family are going through. Such heartbreaking news.'

Laura Francis added, in a message to the youngster's parents: 'Heartbreaking news RIP Presley. Thinking of Peter and Kirsty and the family at this awful time.'

Louise Caddick added: 'RIP Little Presley. What a horrible world we live in. Just four years old though. FOUR. Thoughts go out to Kirsty and Pey on the devastating news. Every parents' worst nightmare.'

An air ambulance was sent to the scene to deal with the tragedy today

Hannah Olivia wrote in a message of support to a relative of Presley's: 'Such a cruel world. Words cannot describe how distraught I am for you and your family. A lovely little boy taken way too soon. RIP Presley. Shine bright gorgeous.'

The youngster is only thought to have flown to Tenerife from Manchester Airport with close and extended family the day before the tragedy.

Efforts to revive the child proved unsuccessful and little Presley was pronounced dead at the scene.

Despite emergency service's best efforts, the young boy passed away

The circumstances surrounding the tragedy are now being investigated by police under the coordination of a local court.

Police said in a statement: 'An alert was received at 3.40pm informing us that a child who appeared to have been involved in a drowning incident and was suffering possible cardiac arrest, had been pulled out of a swimming pool at a hotel in the resort.

'Efforts to revive the youngster using CPR proved unsuccessful and he was confirmed dead at the scene.

'Local police cooperated with the emergency services and habilitated an area for an air ambulance to land near the hotel complex.

'National Police took charge of the body until court workers arrived.'
A rare first edition of 'The Wealth of Nations', regarded as one of the most important books in the world, is expected to fetch tens of thousands of pounds at auction - after it was found by chance in a cupboard.

The seminal work by renowned economist and philosopher Adam Smith, was discovered by a book expert making final preparations for the sale of the contents of Bishton Hall in Staffordshire, and is set to fetch 50,000 at auction.

First published in 1776, the book by the Scottish economist and philosopher is one of the world's first assessments of what creates wealth within a nation.

The work looks at economics at the beginning of the industrial revolution and explores issues such as the division of labour, productivity and free markets.

Charles Hanson with one of the volumes of The Wealth of Nations found in a dusty cupboard

The book lays out the principles of modern capitalism and could be worth as much as 50,000

Considered Smith's magnum opus, the book - which full title 'Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations' - took Smith ten years to write.

Jim Spencer, head of the Library Department at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbys, which is handling the contents sale, unearthed the find yesterday and described it like finding 'gold'.

He said: 'I felt like I'd stuck gold. I just knew I was going to find something special at Bishton Hall, I sensed it. There is no-one more passionate about books than me.

'I'd spent a whole day at Bishton, going into every nook and cranny and practically climbing up chimneys to make sure I didn't miss anything major.

'I was covered in thick dust by the time I'd finished.

'This week I was randomly called back to the house for some final checks. I looked into a cupboard beneath a silver cabinet and there it was - pure gold in the world of antiquarian books.

Jim Spencer found the rare book while sorting through the contents of Bishton Hall for a sale

First published in 1776, the book is one of the world's first assessments of what creates wealth within a nation

'It was like finding hidden treasure. Everything about it was absolutely right. I knew straight away it was a first edition.'

Bishton Hall, at Wolseley Bridge, near Stafford, dates back to circa 1750 and its contents are being sold by Hansons Auctioneers on behalf of the Stafford Northcote family, who moved there in 1946.

Bishton Hall Country House and Fine Art Auction will take place from October 10 to 16 at the Georgian mansion, with The Wealth of Nations being sold on October 15 with a guide price of 30,000 to 50,000.

When it was first published in 1776 it cost 1, 16 shillings.

Jim Spencer who found the book described the find as like 'striking gold' after it would found in a cupboard

Mr Spencer added: 'It's so valuable because it's a first edition of one of the most important books in the world.

'Adam Smith's masterpiece is the foundation of modern economic thought and remains the single most important account of the rise of modern capitalism.'

In 2013 another first edition of the book sold for 46,000 at an auction in Edinburgh.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: 'Our Library Department has been making headlines around the world this year and, thanks to this incredibly rare find, it's destined to make even more.'
FBI analysts and Smithsonian Institute curators quietly analyzed an iconic hat purported to belong to Abraham Lincoln in an attempt to determine its authenticity.

The hat in question is a chocolate brown, beaver fur stovepipe hat which had been on display at The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

The museum has long claimed that the hat, which was acquired in 2007, belonged to and was worn by the 16th president.

The FBI and other experts were asked to perform DNA tests, among others, to help confirm the authenticity of this brown, beaver fur, stovepipe hat purported to belong to Abraham Lincoln

The brown stovepipe hat has long been associated with Lincoln, the 16th president. The hat in question was purchased and put by the The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

It is a prized possession, a big visitor draw and valued at $6.5 million  one of only three such Lincoln hats displayed at an American museum.

The unpublicized request to confirm authenticity of the hat was made by the museum's foundation, an independent organization responsible for fundraising and acquiring objects.

Among the tests conducted on the hat was DNA testing, in which samples taken from the hat were compared to Lincoln's blood recovered from the night of his assassination in 1865.

The result were said to be inconclusive, with historians writing a report telling the museum it 'might want to soften its claim about the hat' given the fact that its origins cannot be definitively authenticated.

The results were not shared with the public until Chicago radio station WBEZ uncovered them this week.

Museum chief Alan Lowe expressed frustration over the foundation's secrecy, but downplayed the DNA test results, saying it would be hard to get a perfect match from an 180-year-old item handled by many people.

The Illinois museum's foundation purchased the hat in 2007. It has been valued at $6.5million

The Lincoln museum's was believed to have been one of three stovepipe hats worn by Lincoln and on display in the US. The hat's test results were said to be inconclusive, however. Here, one of the three Lincoln hats is seen at Vermont's Hildene mansion in 2012

'It is important to understand that neither of these initiatives produced new evidence about the hat's origins,' Lowe said in a statement.

Thanks to the publicity, the museum will begin a new search for evidence about the hat's past, he added.

'What we learn, no matter what it says about the hat's origins, will be shared with the public.'

For now, the hat is stowed away.

A museum spokesperson told the Chicago Sun-Times that the hat hadn't been on display for several months, as 'it is delicate, and too much exposure to light and fluctuations in heat and humidity can damage it, so we dont often have it out in public'.

The museum said that it has no plans to display the hat until the additional research is completed. Then, the museum will decide how to present the hat to visitors.

According to the report, which was obtained by WBEZ, federal investigators were not paid by the foundation of their work, but they demanded 'strict confidentiality regarding the testing and its outcome.'

The alleged Lincoln stovepipe hat was part of a $25million acquisition of the assassinated president's artifacts which were purchased in 2007 by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.

WBEZ reported that the foundation is currently seeking state taxpayer support and private donations in an effort to repay $9.7million in loans from that 1,600 artifact purchase more than a decade ago.
Terrifying footage shows power lines sparking like fireworks during a ferocious storm.

Residents of Canvey Island, Essex, feared their properties were about to burst into flames during the commotion on Thursday.

Storm Bronagh whipped up high winds as it passed through the Thames Estuary and caused power outages for hundreds of homeowners east of the island.

The sparks continued for several minutes on Heideburg Road and Nevada Road, with firefighters attending as a precaution.

One resident claimed a huge flock of starlings which landed on the cables were responsible for the unexpected light display.

Sparks bursting from power lines running past properties in Canvey Island, Essex, on Thursday

The sparks continued for several minutes on Heideburg Road and Nevada Road, with firefighters attending as a precaution

Chas Haase said 'thousands' of the birds had been flying past and sitting on the wires before they began to spark.

Another resident, Alex Gowing Cumber, said: 'I thought it was fireworks as I knew neighbours had started a building project and wondered if they were celebrating then discovered what was actually going on.'

A burst of sparks spray near an open upstairs window of one of the properties

A UK Power Networks spokesman said: 'UK Power Networks were called to the Nevada Road area of Canvey Island this evening by emergency services due to reports of damage to the overhead electricity network.

'To enable our engineers to safely repair equipment, we had to temporarily interrupt power to approximately 400 customers at about 6.30pm and their power was restored by 7:40pm.

'We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.'
Conservative commentator and think tank boss Ed Whelan, a longtime friend of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, made a disastrous case on Twitter that a woman's claim that a drunken teen Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her is a case of mistaken identity

A conservative commentator apologized Friday for tweeting a day earlier about his theory that a sexual-assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was a case of mistaken identity.

Ed Whelan, president of the conservative Ethics & Public Policy Center, had predicted earlier in the week that 'compelling evidence' would exonerate Kavanaugh from a woman's claim that he groped her at a high school party in 1982.

'A horrific incident similar to the one the accuser alleges may well have occurred. But if so, she's got the wrong guy. Kavanaugh wasn't present,' he tweeted Wednesday.

And Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, he claimed, would 'soon be apologizing to Judge Kavanaugh' for holding up his confirmation process to hear from Christine Ford about a fateful teenage beer bash.

In a lengthy Twitter thread, Whelan suggested that a Kavanaugh classmate who resembled him might have been Ford's assailant. He hypothesized about why the new suspect's home could have been the location of the party, and used online real estate tools to make his case.

He also named the man, who is now a middle-school teacher, and tweeted his yearbook photo alongside Kavanaugh's to hint they could be doppelgangers.

Kavanaugh denies ever groping Christine Ford and says he was never at a party in 1982 like the one she described this summer in a letter to her congresswoman

Ford says Kavanaugh once pinned her to a bed in a locked room, put his hand over her mouth, and tried to undress her while he groped her through a one-piece swimsuit

Whelan tweeted then-and-now photos of Kavanaugh and a high-school classmate, suggesting they look so much alike that Ford could have mistaken one for the other; she insisted that she knew them both and would never have made that mistake

'Folks who knew both Kavanaugh and [NAME] in high school have commented on how much they resembled each other in appearance,' he wrote.

Moments later Whelan tweeted their adult pictures side-by-side. DailyMail.com is not identifying the Kavanaugh classmate.

Whelan blamed Senate Democrats for forcing his hand by turning a summertime letter into a last-minute September media circus.

'It is regrettable that private citizens are being drawn into this,' Whelan tweeted. 'But that is the product of Senator Feinsteins shockingly shoddy handling of the whole matter.'

Hours later, amid a torrent of online suggestions that a defamation lawsuit was in order, Whelan tacked on a qualifier.

'To be clear, I have no idea what, if anything, did or did not happen in that bedroom at the top of the stairs, and I therefore do not state, imply or insinuate that [NAME] or anyone else committed the sexual assault that Ford alleges,' he wrote.

By Friday morning the entire tweet storm was gone; in its place, an apology.

'I made an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment in posting the tweet thread in a way that identified Kavanaugh's Georgetown Prep classmate,' Whelan wrote.

'I take full responsibility for that mistake, and I deeply apologize for it. I realize that does not undo the mistake.'

Ford had already dismissed Whelan's theory.

Whelan came up with a scenario where the infamous party occurred at the home of his alternate villain, whom he named multiple times.

Using real estate photos and floor plans, he laid out an argument that was later picked apart on Twitter and deleted

Christine Blasey (now Ford) is pictured in her high school yearbook

Referring to Kavanaugh and Whelan's target, she said in a statement that 'I knew them both, and socialized with' them.

Recalling that she had visited the other classmate in the hospital, she told The Washington Post that 'there is zero chance that I would confuse them.'

Whelan's solution to the did-he-or-didn't-he dilemma was unusual in that it exonerated President Trump's Supreme Court pick while allowing that Ford wasn't lying.

But as the details emerged, Republicans in Washington wanted to part of it.

Garrett Ventry, a Senate Judiciary Committee communications adviser, tweeted that the committee 'had no knowledge or involvement' in Whelan's amateur gumshoe work.

Whelan insisted Friday that he had not shared his suspicions with President Trump's inner circle.

'I have not communicated at all with Don McGahn or anyone at the White House, or Judge Kavanaugh, about the topic of the Twitter thread,' he told the Post.

But it's likely the West Wing was aware days ago that one avenue of escape from Kavanaugh's predicament would be to say Ford confused one boy for another.

On Monday, hours after Ford outed herself in a Post interview, The Wall Street Journal's editorial board observed that '[e]xperts know that human beings can come to believe firmly over the years that something happened when it never did or is based on partial truth.'

'Mistaken identity is also possible,' their editorial continued.

On Tuesday, a Washington Post columnist wrote that 'it seems possible to believe both that Ford was assaulted just as she has described  and also that Kavanaugh didnt do it.'

Whelan had predicted earlier in the weekthat Kavanaugh would be exonerated, and relied on adoppelganger theory

'In a case without evidence, witnesses or corroboration, mistaken identity would provide a welcome resolution to this terrible riddle.'

Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Judiciary Committee member, said on CNN that 'clearly somebody's mixed up.'

His spokesman Matt Whitlock told the Deseret News on Monday that Kavanaugh had called Hatch, suggesting Ford 'may have mistaken someone else for him.'

Whitlock went on to tweet that Americans should '[k]eep an eye on Ed [Whelan]'s tweets the next few days. He later deleted it, saying he 'had no idea what ed was planning,' and 'we've never spoken.'

The Ethics & Public Policy Center has been at the center of Kavanaugh's elevation from federal judge to would-be Supreme Court justice.

Its board of directors includes Federalist Society Executive Vice President Leonard Leo, who played a significant role in assembling a Supreme Court short-list for Trump to release during his White House run.

In addition to being a Kavanaugh friend since the 1990s, Whelan is a former clerk to the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein suggested last year that he should make covert audio recordings of President Trump in order to build a case for removing him from office, according to a New York Times report.

Rosenstein disputed that account on Friday, and a Justice Department official who was reportedly in the room when Rosenstein talked about using the 25th Amendment to end the Trump presidency says he was being sarcastic.

That account agrees with a Fox News report based on sources who were in the room and said the meeting took place May 16, 2017.

The Washington Post, too, cited a source who said Rosenstein's comment was biting but unserious.

The 25th Amendment allows for a majority of the president's cabinet, or 'such other body as Congress may by law provide,' to decide if an Oval Office occupant is unable to carry out his duties  and then to put it to a full congressional vote.

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Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (right) reportedly talked with FBI officials including then-acting director Andrew McCabe about wearing a wire to secretly record President Donald Trump, in order to build a case for removing him from office

Rosenstein is dismissing a New York Times report about his alleged plotting, and says he has no basis to think Trump should be the recipient of a 25th Amendment coup

Reports emerged Friday that then-Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe was in the room when Rosenstein uncorked his idea, and an Obama-era DOJ spokesman hinted that he might have planted the story

Matthew Miller called the Times story the result of a 'dangerous game' McCabe is playing while he is himself under federal investigation

Fox also reported that then-Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe and FBI lawyer Lisa Page were in the room when Rosenstein raised the subject.

Page had been half of the infamous texting romantic-affair couple who mused in 2016 about how to 'stop' Trump from becoming president.

An Obama-era Justice Department spokesman suggested Friday afternoon that McCabe leaked the story to the Times.

'Dangerous game Andy McCabe is playing right now,' Matthew Miller tweeted.

Ari Fleischer, who was White House press secretary during the George W. Bush administration, lashed out separately at McCabe.

'This story reads like Andy McCabe trying to burn down the house he once lived in,' he tweeted.

'Looks to me like McCabe is trying to get revenge on those he used to work with, after they challenged his honesty and fired him.'

McCabe is himself facing a federal probe over allegations that he misled investigators about the sources of press leaks; Attorney General Jeff Sessions terminated his employment this year, just days before he was scheduled to retire with a full pension.

In the Post's telling, McCabe had proposed opening an investigation into the president after the firing of FBI Director James Comey.

'What do you want to do, Andy, wire the president?' Rosenstein chided him, according to one source.

President George W. Bush's former press secretary Ari Fleischer blasted McCabe on Twitter for 'trying to burn down the house he once lived in'

'Shocked!!! Absolutely Shocked!!!' the president's eldest son tweeted. 'Ohhh, who are we kidding at this point?'

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (left) warned Trump not to use Friday's revelation as an excuse to fire Rosenstein, whom the president blames for Robert Mueller's elevation to his role as special counsel

The 25th Amendment has never been used to remove a U.S. president, but it has been in the news with unprecedented regularity during the Trump administration.

Sixteen days ago the Times published an unsigned opinion essay from a purported senior administration official who claimed the Constitution's procedure for firing a president was discussed quietly in the first days of Trump's tenure.

'Given the instability many witnessed, there were early whispers within the cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment, which would start a complex process for removing the president,' the author wrote. 'But no one wanted to precipitate a constitutional crisis.'

Donald Trump Jr. had a different take on Friday, casting the Times report as substantially true and evidence of a cabal out to hamstring his father.

'Shocked!!! Absolutely Shocked!!!' the president's eldest son tweeted. 'Ohhh, who are we kidding at this point?'

'No one is shocked that these guys would do anything in their power to undermine @realdonaldtrump.'

Friday's explosive allegation, based on unnamed sources, stems from a period of time when the White House seemed to ratchet up its chaos level with each day.

Trump had just fired Comey and was pilloried in the press for sharing Israeli intelligence about the ISIS terror army with Russian emissaries in the Oval Office.

And Rosenstein, the Times reports, thought the president had turned him into a patsy by leaning heavily on a memo he wrote when he swung the axe at Comey.

Trump had asked him to summarize the reasons he could use for firing Comey; Rosenstein reportedly never expected his response to be made public.

As a result, Rosenstein began recruiting Cabinet members to execute on a future 25th Amendment plan and suggesting that FBI officials who were on Trump's short list to replace Comey could make clandestine tapes of their job interviews with Trump.

Rosenstein was at the time acting as the de facto attorney general on matters related to the longstanding probe of alleged ties between Russian agents and Trump's presidential campaign.

Sessions had already recused himself from those mattters since he had been a campaign adviser and could be a fact witness in the investigation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, laid down a marker on Friday, warning the president in a statement not to leverage the Times story as a rationale for jettisoning Rosenstein.

Trump has long loathed Rosenstein for appointing Special Counsel Robrt Mueller after the Sessions recusal.

'This story must not be used as a pretext for the corrupt purpose of firing Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein in order install an official who will allow the president to interfere with the Special Counsels investigation,' Schumer said.

Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer, was also reportedly in the room with Rosenstein and McCabe when the idea of secretly taping Trump came up

Rosenstein said Friday in a statement to reporters: 'The New York Timess story is inaccurate and factually incorrect.'

'I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.'

The Times reports that Rosenstein never actually recorded conversations with Trump.

The newspaper's sources said Rosenstein spoke about a constitutionally director bloodless coup with Andrew McCabe, who was acting FBI director after Comey's ouster.

McCabe memorialized the conversations in writing, including notes about Rosenstein's desire to recruit Sessions and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly to help bring a 25th Amendment plan to fruition.

Rosenstein, according to the Times, had said recording an Oval Office discussion would be easy because White House staff never checked his cell phone before he entered.

In a statement to The Washington Post, McCabe lawyer Michael Bromwich said his client 'drafted memos to memorialize significant discussions he had with high level officials and preserved them so he would have an accurate, contemporaneous record of those discussions.'

'When he was interviewed by the special counsel more than a year ago, he gave all of his memos  classified and unclassified  to the special counsels office. A set of those memos remained at the FBI at the time of his departure in late January 2018. He has no knowledge of how any member of the media obtained those memos.'

Page wrote her own memo, the Post reported, but made no mention of the 25th Amendment.
Two siblings separated and abandoned in South Korea when they were two and four, have finally been reunited with each other thanks to a DNA test.

Siblings Justin Kragt and Renee Alanko were abandoned in Seoul in 1984.

Kragt was adopted by a family in Salem, Oregon while his sister was adopted and raised in Marin County, California. The two ended up living 600 miles apart and were clueless that the other existed.

But that changed this summer when Alanko did a DNA test through 23andMe.

Justin Kragt (left) and Renee Alanko (right) were siblings that were separately abandoned in South Korea in 1984 when they were just two and four years old

The two were finally reunited last week after 34 years apart and after going decades without knowing the other existed. Justin (left) and Renee (right) pictured in childhood photos

Kragt also took that test in 2014, hoping to find distant relatives and was successful, but receive a sibling match.

He always thought he was abandoned because he was special needs and was born with congenital heart failure.

'I was content with that. I heard other people that had horrible stories and I just thought I'll believe in my Harry Potter story,' he said to the Oregonian.

Alanko was also desperate to reconnect with her family. She was just four when she was abandoned in a marketplace by her father who left her with a note that said: 'Please send this child to an orphanage through police station. At present, she has no parents.'

She was able to tell police her name was Jee Young Lee and her father was Kyung Kuk Lee. She said her mother ran away because her father drank too much and beat her.

Alanko returned to South Korea in 2008 to search for her family but found no leads.

In June she decided to take the 23andMe DNA test and received a sibling match that said her brother was living in Salem, according to ABC.

Her adoption report had failed to mention that she had a brother.

But her adoptive mother recalled that when she first arrived in the U.S. she talked about how cute her 'baby brother' was.

Alanko reached out to Kragt and learned the two learned they were abandoned in neighboring districts of Seoul and within a day of each other.

'When I went back to Korea in 2008 and did a birth family search, I met Korean adoptees from France, Denmark, Germany... realizing that Justin had been living one state above me for all this time... what a mind trip!' Alanko said to DailyMail.com.

The two met for the first time since their separation last week at Portland International Airport for a tearful reunion on Kragt's 36th birthday

The two learned they had a sibling after taking the 23andMe DNA test. Alanko took to Facebook to gush about the discovery on June

Finally last week the two were reunited as Alanko flew to Oregon to face her brother for the first time in decades on his 36th birthday.

Once she landed and the siblings locked eyes at Portland International Airport, they rushed into each other's arms for a tearful embrace.

'I knew about him all this time. I just never thought I'd ever meet him. ... This is really amazing,' Alanko said to the Oregonian.

'It wasnt until I saw his face, his tears, his outstretched arms, that my ability to feel and believe sprang forward!' she added.

'I could not have planned a better gift to give Justin than this,' his adoptive mother Sue Maguire said on the moving reunion.

Kragt was overcome with emotion as he clutched onto his sister. He teared up as he said: 'I always thought I was alone in the world, and I was content with that'

With her arms wrapped around him, Alanko said: 'Now you're stuck with me'.

'I have a lot of holes that need to be filled in my heart and this does, it patches it up,' Kragt said.

Now the two are catching up on lost time.

'Now that we have each other, its crazy... everything is the same, but it isnt! The fantastic thing is that we are pretty much the same age, we both get each others' experiences because we went through the same life. To have someone who can really understand your trauma is an unbelievable gift. We dont even have to say words, we can look at each other and know how to give the needed comfort,' Alanko said to DailyMail.com.

Kragt is planning to visit Alanko in California in December.

'Im throwing a huge Christmas party and Justin is the star and guest of honor! I want all of my friends to meet him and get to know him. I want him to know that he belongs, that he can lay down roots. Finally!' she said.
Republicans are mulling a deal that would require Christine Ford to state her case on the same day as Brett Kavanaugh.

The proposal dictates that Ford would have to testify first, ahead of the Supreme Court nominee, at a hearing that would take place on Wednesday.

Ford has accused Kavanaugh of attempted sexual assault three decades ago when they were in high school.

According to CNN, that was the latest deal that Republicans were considering as they tried to move along Kavanaugh's nomination process before the president became unstuck. He unloaded on Ford in a Friday morning rant on Twitter.

Christine Ford (left) has accused Brett Kavanaugh of pinning her down to a bed during a party more than 35 years ago, covering her mouth, and groping her over a one-piece bathing suit while he tried to disrobe her. Kavanaugh flatly denies that it ever happened

Ford has been in the eye of a Washington maelstrom since identifying herself last Sunday, with Republicans demanding her Capitol Hill testimony and Democrats rallying to defend her.

She said in her latest offer, through attorneys, that she'd be willing to talk publicly about her experience but she wants Kavanaugh to testify first. She also wants to be questioned by senators and not a lawyer.

The position puts the GOP's panel of white, male senators in a sticky position. They're looking at an option where a female lawyer would conduct the interview with Ford to avoid the appearance of questions that are untoward.

Senate Democrats are rejecting that proposal on the grounds that senators, not an outside lawyer, will vote on Kavanaugh.

'Republican senators want to turn over their duty to ask questions to outside counsel but Dr. Ford cant do that. Just because Republicans dont need to prepare doesnt mean Dr. Ford should be rushed,' Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary panel, said in a Friday afternoon statement.

Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse also rejected the plan have an outside lawyer question Ford.

'I have a constitutional duty to advise and consent. That means asking questions of a nominee for the Supreme Court who has been credibly accused of sexual assault,' he said. 'I will not forfeit my ability to question Judge Kavanaugh and anyone else who comes before the committee with testimony, no matter how uncomfortable it may make the 11 men across the dais.'

'On top of that, haggling over a single day that this credible victim of sexual assault says she needs to arrange for her security is preposterous. She is facing death threats. She and her family have seen their lives turned upside-down. Have some simple respect,' the Judiciary Committee member said.

Feinstein exploded on Republicans as 'mean-spirited' and told them to 'show some heart' in the way their conducting themselves in her statement.

'Republicans today announced their intention to move forward with a hearing on Wednesday without talking to Dr. Ford or her attorneys. This announcement was made knowing that Dr. Ford already said she couldnt come before Thursday,' she said. 'These are serious allegations that should be treated with gravity and respect.'

A hearing at which both the accuser and the accused would have a chance to speak under oath was initially set for Monday. That plan fell apart as Ford demanded an FBI probe into her claims first.

When the FBI declined to investigate the matter, Ford's lawyers said their client would be willing to speak but only under certain conditions that Senate Republicans have not met.

Feinstein was the first senator to learn of Ford's charges against Kavanaugh. She sent a redacted letter to the FBI last Friday detailing the allegation that left out Ford's name and contact information. She had the letter in her possession for roughly six weeks before Ford decided to go public following an encounter with a reporter who'd learned she was behind the accusation.

The California senator urged lawmakers to give Ford all the time she needs to testify in Friday statement.

'Dr. Ford is receiving death threats. Shes had her identity stolen and her email account hacked. She fled her home with her family. But Republicans want to rush her into a hearing,' she said. 'Its mean-spirited and candidly shows no sympathy or empathy whatsoever. Its just an extra day, why not wait 24 hours?'

Republicans , including Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, are mulling a deal to give Ford more time, pushing the proposed proceedings back to Wednesday.

Democrats had been looking to keep Kavanaugh from taking the bench on Oct. 1 - or ever if they can delay a vote on his appointment until after the mid-terms - and President Donald Trump unloaded on them this week for leveraging Ford's sex assault allegation into a stall tactic.

He had mostly held his tongue, saying he trusted senators to do their jobs and only wanted the FBI to investigate if that's what the law enforcement agency thought it should do while accusing Democrats of unprecedented levels of obstruction.

He started to lose his patience on Thursday, however, as the saga dragged on, saying in an interview with Fox News: 'Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago? I mean, you could also say when did this all happen, what is going on?'

Trump suggested Friday that Ford should have filed a police report 36 years ago  and challenged her to produce one to prove her case.

'I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents,' he tweeted Friday. 'I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!'

He went on to claim that 'radical left' lawyers are pushing for the probe he believes should have taken place after the alleged incident would have occurred three decades ago.

There is no evidence to suggest Ford told her parents about an incident at the time, or that anyone in her family reported it to law enforcement in Maryland, where she alleges the attack took place. The first time she is known to have discussed it was in 2012 at a therapy session.

President Donald Trump now says the woman who accused his Supreme Court nominee of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers should produce a police report to prove it

Trump broke his pattern of avoiding mentioning Christine Ford's name, saying that 'if the attack ... was as bad as she says' there must be a law-enforcement report somewhere

The president also needled Democrats who have demanded an FBI probe, saying that they should have called the agency 36 years ago

Trump has said since Ford told her story to the Washington Post last weekend that she should have an opportunity to testify and even suggested this week that if she made credible claims at a hearing he'd need reconsider his position.

But Thursday night before a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, he told Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity that federal law enforcement should have been involved with investigating a state-level sex crime in 1982.

'To take a man like this and besmirch,' he said. 'Now, with that being said, let her have her say and let's see how it all works out. But I don't think you can delay it any longer. Theyve delayed it a week already.'

In remarks to the crowd at the rally minutes later, Trump said: 'Im not saying anything about anybody else, Brett Kavanaugh is one of the finest human beings you will ever have the privilege of knowing or meeting.'

'So well let it play out, and I think everything is going to be just fine. This is a high quality person,' he said.

The president prodded senators to get moving on Friday, however, in a tweet that said: 'The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday at the Value Voters Summit in Washington that the Kavanaugh confirmation process will plow forward

Trupm continues to defend his Supreme Court nominee while painting Democrats as obstructionists who 'just want to destroy and delay'

Christine Blasey (now Ford) and Brett Kavanaugh are pictured in their high school yearbooks

Kavanaugh denies ever assaulting Ford, or anyone else, and says he'll speak to senators about the university professor's charge at their leisure.

The president had until Friday taken great pains to avoid challenging Ford by name.

And he'd explicitly blamed Democrats who knew about her allegation in July for holding up the process.

He went after the 'left wing' again on Friday but he also challenged 'Dr. Ford' by name.

'Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay,' Trump tweeted. 'Facts dont matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.'

Democrats are furious that Trump has broken his silence about Kavanaugh's accuser

'It's victim-shaming,' a Senate Democratic aide said Friday. 'It's inexcusable.'

Trump told Hannity on Thursday night that the Senate Judiciary Committee should move swiftly to finish vetting Kavanaugh.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted Friday morning, just an hour after Trump tweeted his attack on Ford, that the Kavanaugh confirmation would plow ahead.

'President Trump has nominated a stunningly successful individual. You've watched the fight. You've watched the tactics,' McConnell said at the Value Voters Summit in Washington.

'Here's what I want to tell you: In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court.'
An Indiana woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in the 2016 death of her disabled five-year-old daughter.

Tiffany Daugherty's daughter Adilynn Moseman died from starvation and lack of medical care in January 2016.

The 29-year-old mother pleaded guilty to neglect, theft and reckless homicide last month in connection with the death.

An Indiana woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the 2016 neglect death of her disabled five-year-old daughter Adilynn Moseman (pictured)

Adilynn's parents Tiffany Daugherty (left) and Brian Moseman (right) were charged with neglect and reckless homicide following the five-year-old's death in January 2016. Daugherty pleaded guilty to the charges last month and Moseman's case will go to trial on October 1

Daugherty and Adilynn's father, Brian Moseman, were arrested last year after authorities say the couple failed to provide adequate nutrition and medical care for their daughter, who had a brain abnormality called microcephaly.

An autopsy found Adilynn died from malnutrition and severe pneumonia. She weighed only 16 pounds at the time of her death.

During Daugherty's trial an Indiana child-welfare services manager testified that the mother didn't adequately feed her daughter and had stopped taking her to medical appointments.

As part of her plea deal, Daugherty will be able to petition the court to modify the last five years of her prison sentence after she serves 10.

Moseman, Daugherty's boyfriend and father of her four children, will go on trial for criminal neglect beginning October 1.
Ukip has shocked members and party conferences goers with new merchandise for the perfect safe sex option.

The Nigel Farage condom could feature in bedrooms up and down the country, as members ask their partner to lie back and think of England.

While some may think that such Eurosceptics would prefer the withdrawal method, the party political prophylactics are one of many tongue-in-cheek merchandise offerings on sale at the Birmingham conference.

'For when you have a hard Brexit' delegates at the conference were offered deals on condoms sporting Nigel Farage's face

I heart Ukip underwear was also on offer to delegates attending the conference in Birmingham

Party members from across the country attended the annual conference, held at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham

The condoms are being sold by the Ukip youth wing, Young Independence (YI), with former leader Mr Farage's face on the packet, along with the message: 'For when you have a hard Brexit.'

The YI's treasurer, Sebastian Cheek, said they were on sale for 1 each or four for 2, because they like a 'good deal, not a bad deal'. Once again hinting at the stance of the party when it comes to Brexit negotiations.

Also on offer to delegates are items including a Ukip-branded thong and Chequers fudge, on stalls outside the hall at the International Convention Centre.

Ukip's leader Gerard Batten (centre) arrived at the conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham

The Nigel Farage condom could feature in bedrooms up and down the country, as members ask their partner to lie back and think of England

One Twitter user, with the Twitter handle @MadamBrexit, said the merchandise would be a 'passion killer'

Thongs were on sale branded with 'I love Ukip' across the front on the party's Northern Ireland branch stall for 3.

The 'genuine unofficial' Chequers fudge was available in several flavours alongside a tea towel with a recipe for the delicacy consisting of 'one part hypocrisy and one part appeasement, mixed in an unpalatable way', for 7.

Speaking to the Press Association at lunchtime on Friday, he said: 'We have been here since around 10.30am and an entire box of 100 condoms has been sold. They have been selling extremely well.'

Some people welcomed the condoms, such as @CAdamMartin who said 'anything that stops UKIP breeding'

Paul Allen tweeted his response to the fact the conference was selling Nigel Farage condoms

The response from users on social media has been huge, and one Twitter user, Nick Durrant said 'why would you need a condom if you're going it alone?'

Asked what Mr Farage might think, he added: 'I don't think Nigel would mind because he is one for saying let's laugh at ourselves. I don't think he would be offended.'

However, campaingers have said that Farage has nothing to do with the stunt, which has received raised eyebrows from many on social media, with some calling the merchandise 'the ultimate mood killer'.

One user, Nick Durrant tweeted: 'I thought UKIP wanted independence! So why would you need a condom if you're going it alone? '

@turtlegerf said 'I feel like if you carry around UKIP branded condoms, you're probably not gonna need contraception'

Peng Hui LEE tweeted that the merchandise was the ultimate mood killer

The merchandise also sported the logo of the party, along with the love heart emoji

This is while Penn Hui LEE said: 'The ultimate mood killer - UKIP are selling Nigel Farage condoms at conference.'

Elsewhere @turtleferg said: 'I feel like if you carry around UKIP branded condoms, you're probably not gonna need contraception.'

The conference hopes to revive Ukip's dwindling political influence at the annual party get-together. Its popularity collapsed following the 2016 vote to leave the European Union and several attempts to replace Farage as leader.

Farage remains a Ukip member but has tried to steer clear of the limelight to allow the party to develop a new identity.

Rob Cook tweeted his disdain at the merchandise being sold at the conference
A pod of orcas were seen living up to their 'killer whale' moniker after being spotted working together to kill a dolphin they'd been hunting.

The orca attack was caught on camera by a California drone pilot and photographer on September 13, off the coast of Dana Point, California.

The three-minute-long video begins with a flurry of foaming ocean, at the moment when a killer whale catches a dolphin underwater.

A drone pilot captured video of killer whales attacking and killing a dolphin near California

The killer whale then swims below the water's surface, shaking the dolphin and carrying it a short distance before resurfacing to breathe, at which point viewers get their first look at the significantly smaller dolphin clamped in the orca's jaw.

The water around the orca and dolphin appears to be a foamy red as the dolphin, which is no longer moving, bleeds from its wounds.

Then, a second orca approaches and the two killer whales almost playfully dive back under water, dragging the dolphin along with them.

When they resurface again, the orcas swim side by side, with one orca handing off the dolphin-carrying responsibilities to the other orca, before their podmates catch up to them.

The drone video footage was captured by Matt Larmand, who was working for Dana Wharf Whale Watching.

The killer whale who caught the dolphin was quickly joined by a second orca

As the orcas toyed with their catch, they were joined by others from their eight-member pod

The company's owner, Donna Kalez, said that the particular killer whales seen in the video are part of a pod of eight orcas that have been known to kill dolphins in the area, according to Storyful.

'We have never seen Orcas hunt and kill dolphin like they did this past week, ' Kalez told the Dana Point Times.

The orcas in the video are said to be part of what's known as the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) population of killer whales, which are often seen in the waters off Mexico.

'ETPs are very rarely encountered and little is known about them,' California Killer Whale Project researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger said told the newspaper.

'They are not part of the three recognized US west coast eco-types of killer whales which include residents, Biggs (transients) and offshore orcas.'

A pod of killer whales has also been reported to have been hunting dolphins off the La Jolla, California, coastline in recent days, too,.

The appearance of the killer whales indicates a 'thriving ocean environment,' WILD COAST director of conservation, Zach Plopper, told FOX5 San Diego.

Killer whales are said to be the intelligent ocean predators in the world, with the second-largest brains of all marine mammals, after sperm whales.

A 2014 study found that killer whales that had become familiar with bottlenose dolphins had started to imitate the sounds the dolphins made, according to ZME Science.

A grieving killer whale mom made headlines in August after researches spotted her carry her dead calf around for more than two weeks, before eventually letting go of her baby's carcass and resuming normal behavior.

The killer whale, known as Tahlequah, had carried her dead calf, which had lived just 30 minutes, 1,000 miles through the Pacific Ocean, CNN reported.
Thirteen people have been injured after a suspected chemical incident at the Scottish Gas headquarters in Edinburgh.

A source said workers inside the building collapsed. Police confirmed two people were rushed to hospital, as others were treated at the scene.

The building was evacuated and has been put on lockdown as fire crews, paramedics and police attended the scene at 5.15pm this evening.

Police have cordoned off the Scottish Gas headquarters this evening following reports of a suspected gas leak

Fire crews have arrived at the scene too, equip with specialist breathing apparatus

People have been warned to avoid the area as investigations into reported leak begin.

Some workers inside the office reportedly collapsed after some had suffered with headaches and had been feeling ill throughout the day, a source revealed.

They told the Scottish Sun: 'At around 5pm the building was evacuated and there was talk about some staff having collapsed in the office.

'It looks like a gas leak, that's what they seem to be treating it as but nothing has been confirmed.'

Some workers inside the office reportedly collapsed after some had suffered with headaches

At least two fire engines were at the scene this evening

Another added: 'I was in the office today but left just before it was evacuated (and went home as I felt dodgy and vision was blurry, funnily enough!)'

And one woman at the scene said: 'There are lots of fire engines, police cars and ambulances.

'The area that building is on is known for having lots of pipes underground.

'There are also gas holding tanks in the area.

'It was contamination and clean-up issues that scuppered a proposed housing development some years ago.

'All the gas for most of Edinburgh used to be held in the area, so there are a huge number of underground pipes.'

Police Scotland confirmed they received a call about a possible chemical incident at around 5.15pm today

Fire crews entering the building have been wearing special breathing apparatus as they try to establish the cause of the incident.

Police Scotland confirmed they received a call about a possible chemical incident at around 5.15pm today.

A spokesman said: 'We are working alongside our partners in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to establish the cause of this incident.

'Thirteen people have received treatment at the scene for minor illness. Three of these people have been taken to hospital for further observation.

'We would urge people to avoid the Waterfront area while the emergency response is ongoing.

'Waterfront Broadway, Waterfront Avenue, and Caroline Park Avenue are currently closed and the area is cordoned off.'

And a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: 'We can confirm the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are in attendance.'
A jury has recommended 40 years in prison for a former Virginia Tech student found guilty for her role in the death of a 13-year-old girl.

The sentence for Natalie Keepers, 21, was announced Friday after she was convicted as an accessory in the 2016 fatal stabbing of Nicole Lovell.

A judge will consider the recommendation with a pre-sentencing report when determining her punishment on November 27.

Keepers and friend David Eisenhauer were both freshmen engineering students at the time of the killing. Lovell was a Blacksburg middle school student.

Natalie Keepers, 21, is pictured in tears as the jury recommends she gets a 40-year prison sentence

She was found guilty Thursday for her role in the death of the 13-year-old girl two years ago

Keepers was an accessory in the first-degree murder death of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell (pictured)

Eisenhauer is serving 50 years after pleading no contest to first-degree murder.

David Eisenhauer admitted to stabbing the teenager 14 times including a lethal wound to her neck and is serving a 50-year sentence

Prosecutors said Eisenhauer met Lovell online and killed her because he feared she would expose their relationship.

Natalie Keepers was closely involved in helping David Eisenhauer, 21, plan the death of Lovell; going with him to buy a shovel and helping him pick out the location for the murder.

Text messages also showed that the pair discussed the methods to kill Lovell - Eisenhauer's secret 13-year-old online girlfriend.

Lawyers for Keepers, who pleaded not guilty to being an accessory before the fact, argued that she never really believed he planned to kill Lovell, and that she was 'just playing along with his fantasy.'

Attorney Kris Olin said that Keepers had never even met the victim but 'loved being part of the plan, not because it was a plan to murder but because it was a plan to be close to David.'

Olin told the jury that 'playing along' is not the same as 'shared intent.'

Tammy Weeks, left, mother of murder victim Nicole Lovell, reacts to testimony during the sentencing phase of the Natalie Keepers trial Friday

Tim and Sara Keepers listen as their daughter Natalie Keepers testifies during the sentencing phase of her trial in Christiansburg, Virginia Friday

But on Thursday, a jury found Keepers, who spent most of the hearing with her head down, wiping tears from her eyes, guilty.

Prosecutors say Eisenhauer met Lovell online and communicated with her for months before meeting her at least once in person.

They met again in January 2016, when the college freshman lured Lovell out of her family's apartment with the promise of a 'secret date'.

That's when he took her to wooded area and subsequently killed her because he feared she would expose their relationship.

Prosecutors have said that Keepers told police Eisenhauer told her he feared Lovell could be pregnant.

Lovell's body was found just over the state line in North Carolina.

A medical examiner had testified that she had 14 stab wounds, including a lethal wound to her neck.

Keepers previously admitted helping to hide the body of Lovell after the murder on January 27, 2016.
More than 4,000 suspects have been arrested in the past two years by police battling an explosion in 'county lines' drug gangs, figures have revealed.

Around one in ten were children, some as young as 12, who were caught ferrying drugs from the large cities to suburban and rural areas.

A Mail investigation can reveal for the first time the scale of the police response to combat the drug networks blighting Britain, which have multiplied six-fold in the last three years.

It came after Home Secretary Sajid Javid pledged a 'fightback' in yesterday's Daily Mail against the criminals who 'ruin lives and damage society'.

Statistics from individual forces show how the tentacles of the evil trade have spread into every corner in Britain, reaching even to countryside beauty spots such as the Cotswolds, Cheshire and the Lake District.

Official figures provided by 26 forces show that 4,108 suspects were arrested between 2017 and 2018.

An 'Express Delivery' pre-arranged trade takes place in a park in Norwich between a man on a Vespa moped with the number plate removed and another 'customer'

Not all forces were able to provide a breakdown of the suspect's age. But in six forces alone, there were 417 children held in county lines operations between 2014 and 2018.

It is the first time that the number of arrests nationally have been collated.

The gangs' operations are known as county lines after the highly lucrative telephone lines used to organise the illegal trade.

Norfolk Police mounted the UK's largest county lines operation, netting 714 suspects since December 2016, including 126 children.

Essex Police has also made a similar number of arrests, capturing 668 suspected drug dealers. They seized heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis with a street value of 684,530.

Even the smaller forces such as Wiltshire Police have mounted large scale operations, with 370 people arrested including 18 children. It has resulted in more than 100 convictions in the past two years.

Some of the towns plagued by county lines include iconic market towns and cathedral cities such as Chester, Gloucester, Yeovil and Banbury.

A close up of the drugs bag as part of a deal in broad daylight on the edge of a busy city park

This week two drug dealers who were caught at Kendal railway station in the Lake District with 77 bundles of crack cocaine and heroin were each jailed for 40 months.

Many police operations were prompted by outbreaks of serious violence including murders.

Yesterday Labour MP Anne Coffey, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Missing Children and Adults, said: 'No town is safe any more.

'This used to be a problem in cities but now it's being exported to every town and they are going to carry on expanding because it is such a profitable business model.'

Yesterday Deputy Assistant Commissioner Duncan Ball, who leads on county lines for the National Police Chiefs Council, said it was impossible to know how many children and adults were involved in drugs gangs and believes the true number of arrests was likely to be much larger.

The National Crime Agency estimate that there are over 1,000 county lines in operation  a 40 per cent rise in just one year  making an estimated 1.8billion annual profit.

A 3.6million national county lines Coordination Centre opened yesterday which will let police forces around the country share information and target gangs operating over a wide area. 'In terms of exact numbers it is difficult to judge that nationally because it is an extensive issue and the operations of the lines themselves can be very complex,' Mr Ball said.

'We know there are 1,000 lines but I would still work on the basis that there are lines that we are still unaware of.'
An Oregon church has removed a billboard sign about forgiveness after some thought they were actually making a joke about oral sex.

The Westside Christian Church in Roseburg put up a sign on its billboard on Wednesday that read: 'Forgiveness is to swallow when you want to spit.'

Senior Pastor Rick McMichael said it was an honest mistake and it was not meant to be sexual.

The Westside Christian Church in Roseburg, Oregon put up a sign on its billboard on Wednesday that read: 'Forgiveness is to swallow when you want to spit.'

'Well, you have saliva, and a lot of times when you get annoyed, you spit at people,' McMichael told The News-Review.

'You should just swallow it and get over it.'

A group of volunteers had come up with the message, according to the pastor.

He admitted that he could understand how people might have perceived the sign as referring to sex.

Senior Pastor Rick McMichael said it was an honest mistake and it was not meant to be sexual. The church changed its sign to simply read: 'God is love'

'Uh, yeah. I would guess that's exactly how people took it,' Pastor McMichael said.

'We have changed the sign since there seems to be concern among the community. That was not at all the intent, nor would I ever go that far.

'And trust me, I spent 33 years in the military. I'm more than inclined to go that way if necessary.'

The church changed its sign to simply read: 'God is love'.
Divorce battle: Anne Orenga de Gafforj, 50, outside court

A millionaire French vineyard owner has been ordered to pay 100,000 to his estranged wife as she attempts to divorce him in the English courts.

Henri Orenga de Gafforj, 70, has already refused to obey a judges ruling that he pay his 50-year-old wife Anne 4,000 a month in maintenance which has allegedly left her destitute.

Barrister Peter Newman told the Court of Appeal the Frenchman had expressed his contempt for English court proceedings and Mrs Orenga de Gafforj is struggling to pay her bills and feed and clothe her children.

The couple met in France in 1998 and married in 2002. But when things turned sour between them, Mrs Orenga de Gafforj moved to Settle, North Yorkshire, with their two sons in 2014.

Before the split, she helped to run their 100-hectare winery, located on a Unesco world heritage site in Northern Corsica, but Mr Newman said Mr Orenga de Gafforj remains in control of the business and the family fortune.

After they separated, Mrs Orenga de Gafforj launched a divorce petition in England a month before he did the same in France.

A divorce judge in London ruled last year that the case should go ahead in this country, where divorce payouts are viewed as generous, as Mrs Orenga de Gafforj was by then habitually resident in Yorkshire.

Pending the divorce, her estranged husband was ordered to pay her more than 4,000 a month in maintenance and contribute to her legal costs.

French winemaker Henri Orenga De Gafforj, 70, has been ordered to pay his estranged wife 100,000

But Mr Orenga de Gafforj has completely ignored the English court ruling and is now more than 120,000 in arrears, according to Mr Newman.

His current tactic is to ignore all English court proceedings, to such an extent that he ignored all communications from his own solicitors, the barrister told the court on Thursday.

He added that as a result of Mr Orenga de Gafforjs obstinacy, his wife had been left to languish in Britain without funds.

Mr Orenga de Gafforj, who was not in court, is appealing against the divorce going ahead in England but Mr Newman said it would be an affront to justice to allow him to continue when he has ignored court orders.

Lord Justice Peter Jackson, sitting with Lord Justice Peter Coulson, ordered the winemaker to pay more than 100,000 towards his wifes legal costs before October 8.

If he fails to do so, his appeal will be automatically dismissed, clearing the way for his wife to press ahead with the divorce in England.
The gunman who shot three of his co-workers at a Wisconsin IT firm on Wednesday had his concealed carry-permit revoked more than a decade ago after police said he was acting paranoid and delusional, authorities said.

Anthony Tong was killed by police after opening fire at WTS Paradigm's offices in Middleton. Three people were hospitalized with serious injuries. A fourth was grazed by a bullet but did not need medical attention.

No one was killed in Wednesday's morning rampage.

As investigators work to uncover a motive for the shooting, more information about the gunman has been released.

According to authorities, a judge in South Dakota revoked Tong's concealed carry-permit in late 2004 after he had complained to police that his co-workers were 'talking bad about him'. Court documents reveal that police were called to Tong's apartment in August of that year for a disabled fire alarm.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said Friday that Anthony Tong's concealed carry-permit was revoked in 2004 by a South Dakota judge

Anthony Tong, 43, has been named as the man who opened fire inside the offices of software firm WTS Paradigm in Wisconsin on Wednesday, wounding three before being killed by cops

Tong admitted to officers that he had disabled it. He was handcuffed and police confiscated a handgun, an AR-15 assault rifle and ammunition.

He told cops that he had the weapons for his protection, and said some of his co-workers were talking about him. Tong did not elaborate on what he meant.

Tong was taken to a hospital's mental unit on a 24-hour hold. Later that year, a judge revoked his permit meaning he could not legally purchasing a firearm, authorities said.

In addition to trying to determine a motive, detectives are working to track down the origin of the gun Tong used in Wednesday's attack.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said Friday that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is working on tracking the weapon, but said there is 'something unique' about the gun that is making the work difficult. Foulke wouldn't elaborate.

Police say Tong, 43, had no criminal history in the state of Wisconsin and, despite carrying out a raid on his home on Thursday, they still have no motive for the crime.

A woman is escorted from the software company's offices after the shooting. All three people taken to hospital are now in serious but stable condition

Video courtesy of Fox6Now

'I'm dying to know the motive,' Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said told reporters Thursday. 'We just have not found one yet.'

Megan McDonough and boyfriend Sawyer Smith live four doors down from Tong and saw the raid happening on Thursday.

McDonough told Channel 3000: 'It blows my mind. Im at a loss for words. It just all happened so fast.

'He has a fenced-in yard. We never saw any pets or kids or anything.

'People snap. You dont know what is going on in peoples minds. Thank God it didnt happen here.'

Foulke would not reveal what was found at Tong's home, but said that he lived alone.

Three people were taken to hospital following the shooting, with one originally listed in critical condition and two in serious.

Officers carried out raids on Tong's house, which is around six miles from the firm's offices, but say they still have not discovered a motive

Tong wounded three people seriously and another who was grazed by a bullet before two police officers opened fire, killing him

Police say all three are now in serious condition after one improved. A fourth person was grazed by a bullet but required no hospital treatment.

Foulke said investigators had interviewed two of those victims. He did not say what they divulged but called the conversations 'really important interviews.' The victims' names haven't been released.

WTS Paradigm officials issued a statement Wednesday saying the incident was shocking and heartbreaking, but the company provided no further information.

Officers were called to WTS Paradigm in Middleton, a Madison suburb of about 17,440 people, just before 10:30am Wednesday.

Foulke said officers arrived within 8 minutes of receiving emergency calls and found a man wielding a semiautomatic pistol. Foulke said the man was carrying extra magazines as well.

Two Middleton officers and two Dane County sheriff's deputies exchanged gunfire with Tong, killing him. The officers and deputies were not hurt, Foulke said.

The police chief said he didn't know if the victims were targeted or shot at random. He added that federal authorities are tracing the history of the pistol to determine how Tong acquired it.

WTS Paradigm makes software for the building products industry. A Wisconsin State Journal profile from 2014 listed company employment at about 145 workers and noted the company was looking to move to a larger location at the time.

The company has posted You Tube videos depicting a loose atmosphere in an upscale office marked by a breakroom that resembles a bar, a ping-pong table and a shuffleboard table, and workers in jeans and sweatshirts.

One video depicts an office Olympics in which workers compete by pedaling themselves around in their chairs and toss garbage in wastebaskets.

Another video touts the company's charity contributions, including donations to the Madison Children's Museum, the American Diabetes Association and Habitat for Humanity.
The Russian model who was rushed to hospital with her husband following a nerve agent scare at a Salisbury restaurant has denied they plotting an 'elaborate hoax'.

Anna Shapiro and her husband Alex King were taken to hospital on Sunday after falling violently ill at the Prezzo Italian.

Emergency services cordoned off the scene and declared it a major incident - harking back to scenes which resembled the Novichok poisoning of Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March.

Russian model Anna Shapiro has denied claims that she was involved in a hoax regarding the alleged poisoning in Salisbury on Sunday

She said she fell ill while dining out at the restaurant with her husband Alex King

Ms Shapiro revealed her belief that she was the target of a hit ordered by Vladimir Putin, claiming that she hated the regime in Russia.

She tested negative for Novichok and has been discharged from hospital, and a police source said they are investigating whether they were part of a hoax.

A statement from Janes Solicitors, on behalf of Ms Shapiro, said: 'There has been some media speculation that our client may have participated in an elaborate hoax as regards her fear of her husband's poisoning at Prezzo Restaurant on Sunday 16th September and its possible cause.

'She has asked Janes Solicitors to emphasise that she was not involved in any hoax and that her fears were genuine, both as to the poisoning and her suspicion of foul play.

Alex King and his wife Anna Shapiro were eating at a Prezzo restaurant

Ms Shapiro is a part-time model from Russia who has criticised Putin in the past. It's claimed she is trying to embroil herself in a police investigation against the Russians to extend her visa

Anna Shapiro said she was the target of an assassination attempt on behalf of Vladimir Putin

'However, as the incident is now being investigated by the Wiltshire Police force, it is not appropriate to comment further at this stage.

'We ask that the media respect our client's privacy whilst she recovers from her ordeal.'

Wiltshire Police said both Ms Shapiro and Mr King have been interviewed and there have been no arrests made as the investigation continues.

A spokesman for the restaurant, which reopened on Thursday, said its staff had been 'brave and resilient' during the 'very difficult' incident.

He added: 'As you will understand, we will not speculate any further on the individuals involved: this is now a matter between them and the police.'
Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino resigned on Friday after he was caught on the tapes making the disparaging comments to his colleagues earlier this year

A New Jersey sheriff has resigned after he was caught on a secret recording making racist remarks about blacks and alleging the state's first Sikh attorney general got his job only because of 'the turban'.

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino was caught on the tapes making the disparaging comments to his colleagues.

The recordings were from January 16 but released by NPR affiliate WNYC on Thursday.

A spokesman for the sheriff announced his resignation on Friday, along with the resignations of four undersheriffs.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and others had called for Saudino to step down after the tapes emerged.

The tapes caught Saudino describing Murphy's gubernatorial inauguration speech, which he attended, to several colleagues.

'He talked about the whole thing, the marijuana, sanctuary state,' Saudino said in the tapes.

'Christ almighty, in other words let the blacks come in, do whatever the f**k they want, smoke their marijuana, do this, do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops.'

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (above) called for Saudino to resign after the secret recordings from January 16 were released

He was apparently describing the moment in the speech when Murphy, also a Democrat, said: 'A stronger and fairer New Jersey embraces comprehensive criminal justice reform - including a process to legalize marijuana ... and protects our hardworking immigrant families.'

The men heard in the tape then shoot the bull about the state's new Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, who is Sikh.

'He didn't do that because of Bergen County; he did that because of the turban,' Saudino allegedly said. 'He talked about how his cabinet already is so diverse.'

Grewal at the time had been Bergen County's prosecutor. Grewal said that the remarks heard in the tape were 'inconsistent with the Mike Saudino I knew and worked with in Bergen County.'

The tapes also include inflammatory remarks about Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver.

'Is she gay? Because she's never been married,' Saudino allegedly asked the others in the room about Oliver.

The tape appears to reveal Saudino speculating that Attorney General Gurbir Grewal was appointed 'because of the turban' and asking if Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver is gay

Saudino and Grewal knew each other well from Grewal's time as Bergen County Prosecutor. The are pictured together above

After hearing the remarks, Governor Murphy called on Saudino to resign.

'Without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office,' Murphy told WNYC in a statement.

'If indeed that is Sheriff Saudino's voice on the recording, he must resign.'

Saudino apologized for the comments Thursday evening but at the time didn't say he would resign.

Prior to his resignation, activists said they would hold a rally and march at the county courthouse and jail to demand that Saudino step down.

Bergen County, which is just across the Hudson River from Manhattan and the Bronx, is New Jersey's most populous county.

The Bergen County Sheriff's Office employs more than 600 people, and is responsible for assisting municipal police departments, patrolling county roads and the courthouse, and operating the county jail.
Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who has opened up about her husband's affair with South African model Nicola Formby

The day Amber Rudd knew for certain that her husband, the writer and restaurant critic A. A. Gill, was having an affair was when she went to pick him up from Heathrow.

He had been on an assignment to Monte Carlo  and had no idea his wife would be there to meet him.

She went because she was convinced he was cheating on her.

When he emerged from arrivals, her worst fears were confirmed: he had a beautiful blonde on his arm.

His companion was the South African-born model Nicola Formby, a journalist on Tatler magazine, who had accompanied Gill to Monte Carlo.

There was no ugly scene after Rudd went up and surprised them. Despite her shock, she said nothing. Nor did Gill or Formby.

Instead, in a scene straight from an Alan Ayckbourn play, Rudd calmly offered her husband and his mistress a lift back to London.

The three of them then sat in the traffic with Rudd at the wheel, exchanging pleasantries as if nothing had happened.

'We were all in denial,' she says today, recalling that surreal car journey.

'I was suspicious he was having an affair,' she adds. 'I thought there might be more to the Monte Carlo trip than he had let on, so I decided to turn up unannounced at Heathrow to see for myself. When he came out with his girlfriend I knew it was true.

'He mumbled something feeble about them having been on the same assignment. It was obviously nonsense, but we all pretended nothing had happened.

'I didn't want to have a fight with her. She wasn't my enemy  I've never felt that. I've had a few laughs about it since then, but it was upsetting at the time,' she tells me in her Commons office with wry understatement.

Rudd describes the airport incident today as the 'usual, sordid, catching-him thing' that so many betrayed wives have endured.

It took place in 1995. She and Gill had two children: Flora, three, and Alasdair, one.

Gill left Rudd for Formby soon afterwards and went on to have two more children with her, remaining with her until his death from cancer aged 62 in 2016.

This is the first time that Rudd has talked publicly about her marriage to the brilliant and acerbic writer who many have hailed as the most talented newspaper critic of his generation.

She tells me that despite their separation, they were close again by the end.

She says she also became good friends with Nicola  who Gill used to refer to in his newspaper columns as 'the blonde'  and that since his death, she and Nicola and their respective children had all 'mucked in' together, having found themselves united by a common love for him.

Rudd campaigning with her ex-husband, the writer and restaurant critic A. A. Gill, in 2005

Gill died shortly after Rudd succeeded Theresa May as Home Secretary, a promotion that led some to believe she might one day follow in Mrs May's shoes to No 10 as well.

But then, five months ago, she was forced to resign over the Windrush immigration scandal in which British residents of Caribbean origin, who had every right to live here, had wrongly been declared illegal immigrants and deported.

She was humiliated when her claim that there were no Home Office targets for deporting illegal immigrants proved untrue.

Since her resignation, she has kept a low profile. But now, refreshed after the summer break, the former pupil of the blue-stocking private school Cheltenham Ladies' College is keen to re-enter the political fray.

Gill at a film premiere with Formby in 2001. The pair had two children together and remained a couple until his death from cancer aged 62 in 2016

And she warns she has not given up hope of being Tory leader.

Her admission comes in the week a secret memo that discussed potential Downing Street successors to Mrs May in the event of her being forced to leave office was circulated among Tory MPs.

Amber Rudd is mentioned in the memo as a 'credible' contender 'notwithstanding Windrush'.

In response, she remarks: 'I'll settle for that.'

The memo adds the caveat: 'But she is a Remainer.' It is a big 'but' with Britain's departure from the EU just six months away. Though, as we shall see, it is not a problem that deters her.

'Just because I campaigned for Remain doesn't mean my view on what Brexit we get is less relevant than Jacob Rees-Mogg's,' she says firmly.

He and his supporters are not keepers of the 'sacred Brexit text', she adds.

And if there is a leadership contest, she says, she may well throw her hat into the ring: 'Don't write me off yet!'

Indeed, she is remarkably plainspoken and determined when we meet, not only about Brexit and her aspirations for the future, but also about the very real possibility  and the perils  of a Corbyn government.

And she is unusually candid about her relationship with Gill and how it started. Rudd was in her 20s and working at the investment bank JP Morgan. He was in his 30s and struggling to find his feet after battling alcoholism.

'I thought I could conquer the world. Everything was going well,' she remembers.

'Then I met this extraordinary, brilliant man, Adrian Gill, who had no career, nothing. He'd just got a bank account for the first time, completely without any prospects.'

Rudd casts her mind back to her mother's reaction to the news of her relationship with Gill, whom she went on to marry after she became pregnant with Flora.

She says: 'The other day I said to Flora, who is the same age now as I was when I married Adrian: 'When I was your age, I told my mother: 'I'm getting married to Adrian. He hasn't got a job, he's been married before, he smokes like a chimney, lives with his mother . . . and I'm pregnant.' ' My mother, to her credit, went: 'Dahling, how lovely.'

'If my daughter came and said that to me I'd . . . ' She breaks off, but I get the drift.

Rudd arriving at 10 Downing Street in April

The marriage was 'wonderful to start with', says Rudd. But then her 'world absolutely fell apart when he fell in love with someone else and left'.

That someone else was, of course, Nicola Formby.

Rudd says that Gill 'always claimed he didn't fall out of love [with her], he just fell in love with someone else as well'. Perceiving my puzzled look, she shrugs: 'Yes, it was difficult to rationalise in my own head. Anyway, he left, and I was left with a one-year-old and three-year-old.

'He saw the children occasionally but wasn't really part of their lives.'

She adds:'I was soooo devastated and found it difficult. As the mother of young children when the father leaves, you feel extraordinary guilt, which is irrational because it's not something you've done. But you can't help feeling when their father has left: what have you done to your children?

'I lost my equilibrium and was struggling to get my confidence back; find a new identity where I was one plus two: me and the kids. Getting my mojo back took years.'

'He became a very good father to my children in their teenage years, but he was not a good husband  I think it's fair to say that.' Yet, she says, despite her heartbreak, Gill always remained 'respectful' to her and sent 'encouraging texts' as her political career took off.

'He was fine, lovely and good in the end. We were very much reconciled when he died and quite close. He used to come in and chat to me here in the Commons. He wanted to review the Commons restaurant  which I vetoed. I said: 'I have to eat here! I don't want you making any unpleasant comments about them.' '

Rudd gives a moving account of the moment Gill phoned her and told he had cancer.

'I'd not long been Home Secretary. He said: 'I'm going to tell the children.' I said: 'Can you wait another day?' He said: 'Why?' I said: 'Because then they won't know for another day.'

'So he waited another day and then told them. I just wanted them to have another day.' She says their children showed 'amazing' compassion in their father's final days.

'They over-nighted in the hospital, sleeping next to him on the floor. Isn't that a lovely thing to do?'

And although Gill has gone, she says: 'In a way, I've got him around all the time now through my lovely kids.'

Rudd says she has never resented Formby, even though Gill, in his articles, regularly hinted at his infatuation with 'the blonde'; the writer Lynn Barber, who knew Gill well, remarked that he wrote 'many nauseating articles about her devastating beauty'. Today, Rudd and Ms Formby are 'good friends'  and have become closer since his death.

'There's a tremendous feeling, oddly, since Adrian died, of love among us all,' she says. 'It took me by surprise. It reset the relationship. Nicola's lovely twins, aged 11, are the brother and sister of my children. Everyone has lost their father, so we all try to muck along.'

Rudd arriving at the Palace of Westminster in London last week, five months after her resignation as Home Secretary

To add to her difficulties, Rudd also lost her own father last year. Two days later, she stood in for Theresa May in a TV leadership debate for the General Election.

Setbacks  whether personal or political, such as the Windrush affair  do not seem to stop her. Which explains why she is now itching to fully engage again in frontline politics.

Nor is she put off by the fact that she only has a 346 majority in her Sussex constituency. As a Remainer, she feels ardently that she must become involved.

She believes some 'hard Brexiteers' are trying to use Britain's exit from the EU as an excuse to ditch many causes she holds dear, from curbing global warming to equal pay. 'Their purism is sucking the daylight out of everything and making the real danger  a Corbyn government  more likely,' she insists.

Putting Corbyn in charge of combatting terrorism, with Diane Abbott in Rudd's old job as Home Secretary, would be 'no laughing matter', she says. 'The public would be at greater danger from terrorism. Corbyn invited the IRA to the Commons just after the [1984] Brighton bomb.'

The Windrush scandal and her anti-Brexit views have almost certainly killed off Rudd's dream of succeeding Mrs May. But she suggests she'd enter any leadership contest if only to take on her Brexit bogeyman Jacob Rees-Mogg over his hardline anti-abortion stance.

'I could never work with someone who is against a woman's right to have an abortion,' she says.

Would she leave the Tory Party if Rees-Mogg ever became leader?

'I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.'

Interestingly, she draws a clear distinction between Rees-Mogg and his Old Etonian fellow-Brexiteer Boris Johnson.

Rudd once famously goaded the libidinous Johnson over his 'not-safe-in-taxis' reputation. But she stresses that she and Johnson are 'good friends', pointing out that unlike Rees-Mogg, the former Foreign Secretary is 'not socially illiberal'.

For Puritanism is worse than promiscuity in Rudd's book.

Perhaps she could be Boris's running-mate, I suggest.

'The other way round!' she flashes back.

Rudd's on-off romance with another Old Etonian, Tory MP Kwasi Kwarteng, earned them a mention in last year's notorious 'Sexminster' dossier of MPs' love lives. They were listed as being in a 'workplace relationship'.

Is she dating anyone now? 'No, and I can't join Match.com.'

Why not? 'The security risk!'

Which brings us neatly to the BBC1 thriller, Bodyguard, in which Keeley Hawes plays a Home Secretary who is assassinated. Rudd is a fan  and not just because Hawes says she modelled her character on Rudd.

When Rudd publicly praised the show, screenwriter Jed Mercurio light-heartedly offered her a cameo role in any follow-up series. With quickfire wit, she replied that she'd do it  but only if she was cast as the bodyguard.

'We need more women bodyguards,' says the former Home Secretary. 'It's awkward when you go to the ladies' loo and there's a big man lurking outside.'
Asia Argento has found herself at the forefront of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements over the past year, and she has now sat down to speak about her experiences in an interview with DailyMailTV that will air starting on Monday.

In the two-part interview, the Italian star opens up about her relationship with late boyfriend Anthony Bourdain, and his tragic suicide this past June.

She speaks about her relationship with actress Rose McGowan, who became an ally and friend of the actress after the two women accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, and the deterioration of that friendship in recent weeks.

Opening up: Asia Argento has sat down with DailyMailTV for her first interview in over a year (Argento above in a still from her DailyMailTV interview)

Argento also addresses the allegations made by her former co-star Jimmy Bennett, who claims that Argento was 37 and he was just 17 when the pair had sex in California hotel room.

All this and more will be revealed on DailyMailTV this Monday and Tuesday.

Go to www.DailyMailTV.com to check your local listings
A mother from West Virginia has been arrested and charged with murder after police say she had intended to kill both her young daughters and take her own life.

Julie Ann Orellana's eight-year-old daughter, Eliza, was found shot and stabbed to death on Thursday, and her 11-year-old daughter, Olivia, was wounded in the leg.

Court records show the 46-year-old Orellana has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.

West Virginia State Police Sgt. W.R. Garrett takes Julie Ann Orellana to a police cruiser Friday after she was arrested for allegedly killing her eight-year-old and injuring her 11-year-old

The 46-year-old mom was arraigned on charged of first-degree murder and attempted murder in connection to Thursday's attack targeting both her daughters

The Herald Mail reports Orellana was being held without bond on Friday.

Police searched for the mother Thursday night and located her at 8am on Friday.

Records indicate she was found with a steak knife, a 9mm handgun and a blood-stained, six-page letter outlining her reasons for shooting her children. The note has not been made public as of Friday afternoon.

Orellana was found and arrested Friday with a blood-stained, six-page letter outlining her reasons for shooting her children

The 11-year-old girl, who had gone to a neighbors house for help, told authorities that her mother shot her in the leg and also fired on her younger sister.

When police officers went to Orellana's home on Tall Pine Lane, they found Eliza Orellana dead from multiple stab and gunshot wounds on her chest, stomach, neck and back.

The surviving daughter told police their mother had lured them upstairs when they came home from school on Thursday by asking them to find kittens stuck under a bed.

Once the girls entered the bedroom, Olivia said her mother opened fire on them. The 11-year-old managed to escape by jumping out of a window and ran for help.

By the time police responded to the scene, Orellana had fled in a Honda SUV, which was later found abandoned on a nearby street.
A Republican congressman up for re-election in November joked about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg being 'groped' by Abraham Lincoln during a debate.

Ralph Norman, South Carolina's representative for its 5th District, made the comment with reference to sexual assault allegations brought against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, before squaring off against his Democratic competitor, Archie Parnell, in Rock Hill on Thursday.

'Did yall hear the latest, late-breaking news from the Kavanaugh hearings? Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out [saying[ that she was groped by Abraham Lincoln,' he said, to laughs and applause.

Parnell apparently made no mention about the comment during the debate, but later tweeted criticism of Norman, 65.

Republican congressman Ralph Norman (left), who is up for re-election in November, joked about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (right) being 'groped' by Abraham Lincoln during a debate in South Carolina on Thursday; Norman is seen at left in Washington, DC on May 16; Justice Ginsburg is seen at right participating in a panel discussion at Columbia University Law School in New York on Friday

'My opponent apparently thinks sexual assault is a joke. It is not,' Parnell wrote on Thursday afternoon.

'But I guess thats the best we can expect from someone who pulled a loaded gun on his own constituents.'

The gun reference by Parnell referred to Norman bringing a firearm to a constituents' meeting in April, where he made another off-color comment about a congressman who was shot during a similar gathering of her electorate.

'Im not going to be a Gabby Giffords,'Norman said, during the 'coffee with constituents' meeting at a Rock Hill restaurant.

At the meeting, he placed a loaded .38-caliber handgun on the table for several minutes while discussing gun rights, USA Today reported.

Giffords, a former representative for Arizona's 8th District, was shot in 2011 during a gathering of voters, outside of a grocery store.

Norman didn't think there was anything wrong with his comment then, and he doesn't think there's anything wrong with the sexual assault joke he made on Thursday, either.

He defended himself on Twitter, replying to Parnell's criticism by implying Parnell is guilty of sexual misconduct.

Norman's opponent, Democratic candidate Archie Parnell, apparently made no mention about the comment during the debate, but later tweeted criticism of Norman; Norman responded by calling out Parnell for domestic abuse, that he admitted to committing against his former wife in the 1970s

'Perhaps we should have a debate about your own abuse and harassment of women, Parnell,' Norman wrote.

Norman was referencing domestic abuse that Parnell has admitted to, involving his former wife in the 1970s, which came to light in May.

'Forty-five years ago, while still a college student, I did something that I have regretted every single day since,' Parnell said in a statement, according to the Post and Courier.

'In response to actions I feel unnecessary to specify, I lashed out and became violent with other people, including my former wife, which led to a divorce and monumental change in my life. These actions were inexcusable, wrong and downright embarrassing.'

Norman also posted a thread defending his sexual assault joke, at the expense of Justice Ginsburg, 85, at the debate.

Norman's inappropriate remark was prompted by sexual assault allegations lodged against SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh (pictured), stemming from the 1980s; Kavanaugh is seen here on September 6, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington for the third day of his confirmation hearing to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy

'My comments earlier today were meant to add a bit of levity to a very serious debate between me and my Democrat opponent and to point to the circus-like atmosphere that Washington DC has become. People really need to learn to lighten up,' he wrote.

'Clearly my opponent understood it that way since for the next hour we engaged in a substantive discussion about our many differences without mention of my comments.'

'Once again, the Democrats and the media have taken an event that was newsworthy for so many substantive reasons and are now only adding more clowns and distractions to the current circus.'

Norman posted a thread defending his sexual assault joke, at the expense of Justice Ginsburg

The joke which stirred all of this up was in reference to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's harrowing allegations of sexual assault and fear for her own life, during an encounter she described as occurring with Kavanaugh and one of his peers, one summer in the early 1980s.

Ford, now a 51-year-old California professor, detailed being pinned to a bed on her back and groped over top of her clothing, as Kavanaugh grinded his body against hers and fumbled attempts to remove her clothing while his friend watched.

She said she tried to scream, but Kavanaugh stopped her by putting his hand over her mouth.

'I thought he might inadvertently kill me,' Ford told the Washington Post in an article published on Sunday. 'He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.'

She is expected to testify before the Senate about those allegations as soon as later next week, while still demanding an FBI investigation into her claims.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

The third candidate on the ballot for South Carolina's 5th District in the US House of Representatives is Michael Chandlers, of the Constitution Party.

All seats in the House are up for grabs in the upcoming general election, on November 6.
Laurie Weave, 56, of New York, was arrested in Fairfax, Virginia, after she hit a security guard with her pigeon-filled fanny pack and threatened him with a knife

A woman at a Virginia Social Security office allegedly struck a security guard in the head with her fanny pack which had a live pigeon inside it.

Laurie Weave, 56, of New York, was arrested in Fairfax, Virginia, after she hit the security guard with her pigeon-filled fanny pack and threatened him with a knife, authorities said.

The incident occurred Tuesday at the Fairfax Social Security Administration office.

Authorities said Weave was allegedly shouting at the Social Security employees when a security guard approached her, prompting her to smack the guard in the head with her fanny pack, WUSA9 reported.

The guard then escorted Weave outside the building. Once outside, Weave threatened him with a knife.

The guard was said to have closed the door on Weave, according to WJLA.

Weave was later found by police and arrested.

Upon opening her fanny pack, authorities discovered a small pigeon inside.

The bird was uninjured and taken to a local animal shelter. Authorities said the pigeon will be released once the investigation is complete.

After police arrested Weave, they discovered that she had stored a pigeon (pictured) inside the fanny pack that she had used to allegedly hit the Social Security security guard

The alleged pigeon-filled fanny pack smack occurred at Fairfax, Virginia's Social Security Administration Office (pictured) Tuesday morning, authorities said

Weave will be charged with attempted unlawful wounding for having pulled a knife on the Social Security guard.

Meanwhile, Animal Protection authorities will decide if there are any charges to press in connection with the pigeon in Weave's fanny pack.

No injuries were reported during the incident.
A Delta Air Lines flight had to make an emergency landing on Friday morning after a drunk passenger became belligerent and head-butted a flight attendant who refused to serve him more alcohol.

Oklahoma City police said they arrested 28-year-old Derek Edward Mass just before 2am after they were notified that the plane was making an emergency landing and an angry passenger needed to be removed to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew.

According to News OK, when officers boarded the flight they noticed that Mass hands were restrained with zip cuffs and he was unsteady when he stood up.

Cops said in a police report that he had blood-shot watery eyes and reeked of alcohol.

28-year-old Derek Edward Mass was arrested after a drunken incident on a Delta Air Lines flight on Friday morning

Antonio Jose Brazao, a flight attendant, told police that he could tell Mass was intoxicated when he board the flight, but didnt think he would be a danger to passengers or the crew. Brazao said he did, however, notify other flight attendants not to give Mass any alcoholic beverages.

Brazao said during the drink service on the flight, Mass asked for alcohol but was denied. The crew member told police that Mass reportedly became agitated and said that he would go to sleep if he was given two drinks, the outlet reprts.

Brazao said he agreed, but after Mass quickly consumed the beverages he demanded more drinks. He said Mass became verbally abusive toward the flight crew when they refused and at one point during the flight head-butted Brazao.

Brazao said he responded by striking Mass. It took several passengers to subdue the outraged man and restrain him in a chair.

Police said Mass was placed in the back of a police car, and eventually taken to jail after he continued to express signs of aggression.

The pilot had to make an emergency landing in Oklahoma City after Mass reportedly head-butted a flight attendant who refused to give him alcohol

The flight took off from Salt Lake City and arrived in Orlando, Florida, it's original destination, following the incident

Officers told the outlet that during the ride the county jail, Mass anger turned to depression. One cop said, Mass reportedly said he wished he was black so that we would just shoot him and he could film it and show the world about the unfairness.

Police said at the jail, Mass admitted he pre-gamed before boarding the plane by drinking five shots of 90 proof whiskey. Authorities said with the two drinks he was given on the plane, Mass had a total of seven alcoholic beverages in the span of two to three hours.

Mass was booked in the Oklahoma County Jail for public intoxication.

A spokesman for Oklahoma Citys Will Rogers World Airport told News OK that emergency landings are rare. The flight, which originated in Salt Lake City was headed to Orlando, Florida and continued its route after the incident.
The Trinidadian man who tried to steal a plane at Florida's Orlando Melbourne International airport allegedly planned to harm himself and 'had no regard' for if others were harmed in the process, according to authorities.

Nishal Sankat, 22, was interviewed by an FBI agent following the alarming event where the student pilot boarded a vacant American Airlines plane that could hold almost 190 passengers Thursday.

He revealed his intentions to the investigator who spoke about what he heard during a bizarre court hearing on Friday, where Sankat fell asleep.

Nishal Sankat, 22, appeared to be falling asleep ahead of his court appearance on Friday. He has been charged with trying to steal a plane from Orlando Melbourne International Airport

Sankat admitted he intended to harm himself when he tried to steal a plane on Thursday

FBI agent David Hacker (second left) told the judge via video that Sankat was a risk to the public and that he 'had no regard' for others

Sankat was denied a public defender because he receives a stipend of $5,000 per month

'He advised us that he intended to harm himself and in that process had no regard for the eventuality of harming others,' FBI agent David Hacker told the judge via video, after confirming that Sankat was a risk to the public.

The Joint Terrorism Task Force said stealing the plane was a part of that plan, according to a News 6 video.

Before being called to speak, Sankat appeared to be falling asleep.

When he stood to answer questions a judge told the defendant he was not allowed to go back to the airport.

During the appearance Friday he took 30 minutes to complete paperwork to represented by a public defender but was told he would not qualify due to the fact he gets a stipend of $5,000 per month.

Sankat - next due in court October 18 - said he was not able to contact his family to let them know he was being held in custody.

'I tried calling and they're not there,' he told the judge.

However his father Professor Clement Sankat, who used to be a University of the West Indies principal, issued a statement on Thursday saying that the family was providing support to his son.

Sankat told the judge on Friday that he was unable to contact his parents to let them know he was being held in custody

Sankat faces charges of criminal attempt to steal an aircraft, as well as a visa violation and trespassing. He is being held at the Brevard County Jail

The student pilot is originally from Trinidad but is believed to have been living in Florida

Sankat's shocked school friends think the story is out of character for him

Technology student Sankat, was unarmed when he was tackled by airport staff at 1.25am on Thursday.

Melbourne Police Chief David Gillespie said Thursday he has no criminal record and no links to terrorist networks.

Airport spokesperson Lori Booker previously said the Joint Terrorism Task Force was investigating and trying to determine a motive in the case.

'Were all pretty puzzled by the motivation,' Booker said Thursday. 'We dont have those answered right now.'

Gillespie previously said, reports Florida Today: 'There were no explosive devices and no weapons that were confiscated from his residence.'

Booker said Sankat entered the US from Canada, where he holds dual citizenship with Trinidad, and has a Florida driving license.

Nishal Sankat's Facebook pictures and posts show he had a keen interest in aviation and weaponry

Sankat's Facebook page is heavily aircraft-themed and he had posted about the 2014 disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370

Early Thursday morning he parked his car curbside, jumped a fence and boarded the vacant passenger plane.

The Airbus 321 aircraft was based at maintenance facility and wasn't scheduled to fly when the incident happened.

An avionics technician was in the plane's galley when he saw a shadow, Booker said.

'He turned around and said, 'Who are you? Show me your badge,' she told news outlets.

The employee grabbed Sankat and with help from another technician, got him off the plane.

The student boarded the Airlines Airbus A321 plane (pictured) and caused an airport lockdown

Booker said that while one technician held the man down, the other called Orlando Melbourne airport police.

Sankat broke free and ran along the airfield before police took him into custody about two minutes later.

The student pilot now also faces a visa violation and criminal trespassing charges.

Booker described as 'heroic' the four staff who had seen the student board the plane and those who approached him on-board.

The car left abandoned by the man was searched by robots before being towed away.

Sankat was a part-time student at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, where he studied aviation management and had completed some flight training, school spokesman Adam Lowenstein said.

'The university is cooperating with authorities, he said.

Sankat's Facebook shows he was fascinated by aviation and weaponry and was an avid video gamer with a particular interest in war games.

He had posted updates online pondering the 2014 disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 and voiced concerns about Russia's invasion of Crimea.

Airport spokesman Lori Booker (pictured) told news outlets the student pilot also faces a visa violation and criminal trespassing charges

Sankat also penned a tribute to Mikhail Kalashnikov, who created the AK47, upon his death in 2013.

He wrote: 'I am deeply saddened by this event, R.I.P Mikhail Kalashnikov, A great leader and innovator, if it wasn't for you we wouldn't have these modern, yet efficient assault rifles that are available to both civilian and military use.

'One of my lifelong heroes is no longer with us. I will remember you! R.I.P'

However friends said the incident was out of character for Sankat.

'Nishal is not that type of person,' Trinidad and Tobago classmate Aaron Ambrose told News 6. 'He's like a comical kid, but he was always really smart because he was, like, obsessed with planes.'

A sticker on the student's car, and a number of social media posts, indicated he lived in the area at least recently.

The airport, which handles about 500,000 passengers a year, was evacuated and authorities conducted a security sweep of the entire airport, which reopened about five hours later, according to Booker.

Police quickly arrived at the scene and took the man to Brevard County Jail

Two flights were delayed and the airport was closed for five hours because of the incident.

Melbourne resident Manan Karia told Florida Today that he approached the airport about 5am on NASA Boulevard to try to catch a 6am Delta flight to Austin, Texas.

'I drove by Keiser and Sears and saw a bunch of cars in both parking lots, which I thought was weird,' Karia said.

'I get to the airport and there is a line about five cars deep, and a police officer has the entrance blocked with his car and lights are flashing. You can see more police cars with lights flashing around the airport.'

Melbourne is 70 miles (112 kilometers) southeast of Orlando. Orlando-Melbourne is a popular airport for overhaul and maintenance, Booker said, and it's not unusual to have as many as eight jets parked on the tarmac outside the repair center.

Sankat is being held at the Brevard County Jail.
There are few more famous British ships than the Endeavour. In the pantheon of vessels that have set sail from these islands, it is surely up there with the Victory, Cutty Sark, Ark Royal and the Mary Rose.

She is a celebrity of our maritime history, and the announcement by American researchers earlier this week that they may have found her wreck off Rhode Island, in the north-eastern U.S., was greeted with great excitement.

Most of us know the Endeavour as the boat that James Cook commanded on his epic first voyage of discovery, during which he became the first European to set foot on Australian soil.

The British-owned tall ship is a replica of explorer Capt. James Cook's 18th century sailing vessel

Yet she was never designed or built to be an exploration vessel. When she was launched from Whitby in 1764 she was a collier  a cargo ship that carried coal called Earl of Pembroke.

With a large hold and flat bottom  which meant she could easily be beached for ad hoc repairs  she was perfect for long voyages.

Four years after her launch, she was bought by the Royal Navy for nearly 3,000  the equivalent of 5 million today  to be used as a Royal Society research vessel. Her first destination was Tahiti to observe the celestial phenomenon of the transit of Venus in 1769.

But the voyage also had another top secret object  to discover the continent then known as 'Terra Australis Incognita', the unknown southern land.

After a further 4 million in today's money was spent refitting her, command of the Endeavour had been given to Lieutenant James Cook, who assembled an extraordinary crew.

To put it bluntly, they were a bunch of drunkards and some were inveterate womanisers. Perhaps the biggest boozer aboard was John Reading, who, as the bosun's mate, was supposed to take responsibility for flogging crew members guilty of drunkenness.

However, as recounted by Richard Hough in his biography of Cook, when the Endeavour was in Rio de Janeiro, Reading got so plastered himself that he was incapable of flogging an equally drunken crew member, and was given 12 lashes.

HMS Endeavour British Navy research vessel (left) commanded by James Cook (right)

Accordingly, the Endeavour set sail from Plymouth in August 1768 with 17 barrels of rum, 44 of brandy, and 250 of beer. Food included 185 pounds of cheese from Devon, ten thousand pieces of beef and pork, five tons of flour, nine tons of bread, one ton of raisins, and three tons of sauerkraut, which Cook fed his men to stave off scurvy.

Not bad for a crew of just 94 men.

In addition, there were live chickens to provide eggs, and a single goat to produce milk for the officers.

Endeavour's voyage of discovery in a map above

It is extraordinary to think that all the meals were cooked by a single man  John Thompson  even more so since he had only one hand.

Despite departing in August, when the seas should have been fair, the Endeavour soon hit a ferocious gale in the Bay of Biscay which not only washed away the bosun's small boat but, as Cook noted in his diary, 'between three and four dozen of our poultry, which was worst of all'.

Nevertheless, the plucky Endeavour reached Madeira on September 12, where the crew suffered their first tragedy.

The Endeavour set sail from Plymouth in August 1768 with 17 barrels of rum, 44 of brandy, and 250 of beer

Alex Weir, the quartermaster, drowned when his foot became entangled in the anchor cable. Cook obtained a replacement in a startlingly efficient way  he forced an American sailor named John Thurman to join the Endeavour. This process, known as 'shanghaiing', was quite legal.

When the Endeavour set sail again on September 18, she was laden with yet more food and liquor, including 270 pounds of beef, 20 pounds of onions per man, and a live bull for slaughter. All that brandy, beer and rum was now supplemented by roughly 18,000 bottles of wine.

But the crew certainly worked hard for their drink. Life on board was tough, and very cramped.

The crew members were only about eight inches apart when they slept, and tempers frayed. Hammocks had to be shared, and there was indeed some homosexual behaviour, then regarded as a 'crime of so black a nature' that it carried the death penalty.

An image of the Endeavour docking, obtained from the National Library of Australia

However, as Richard Hough's book observes, homosexuality was so rife on long voyages that 'it was taken for granted if reasonable discretion was observed'.

The Endeavour did not arrive at what we now call Australia until the end of April 1770  21 months after leaving Plymouth.

Along the way, she had suffered dreadful storms, and her crew had endured not only sickness but also fights with bewildered Pacific islanders, whose tendency to meet the Endeavour's arrival with a hail of spears or arrows was often reciprocated with a fusillade of musket  or even cannon  fire.

In his diary, Cook reported the momentous events of April 29, when he and some of his crew set foot on land in Botany Bay.

As Cook approached the shore, many of the Aborigines fled, except two men who held their ground. He attempted to speak to them, and although neither party could understand each other, he thought they were friendly. 'We were mistaken, for as soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us,' Cook wrote that evening, 'upon which I fired a musket between the two, which had no other effect than to make them retire back, where bundles of their darts lay, and one of them took up a stone and threw it at us.'

Cook then landed, whereupon two darts were thrown at him. 'This obliged me to fire a third shot, soon after which they both made off,' he recalled.

Thus was Australia discovered by the Europeans, heralding a pattern of violence that would be continued for centuries.

The Endeavour made it back to Britain by July 1771, but the homeward voyage saw the deaths of more than 30 crew members due to typhoid and dysentery.

However, they were lucky to have left Australia at all; the Endeavour ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef, and it took all of the crew's skill to float her off and then patch her up for the return voyage.

While Cook was hailed a hero and promoted to Commander, the Endeavour was relegated to use as a naval transport to and from the Falkland Islands.

On May 6, 1776, she set off on her last voyage, by now under the less auspicious name of Lord Sandwich 2, carrying mercenaries across the Atlantic to fight in the American War of Independence.

By November that year, she was being used as a prison ship off Newport, Rhode Island.

The Australian-built replica of Captain Cook's HMS Endeavour arrives on the Brisbane River, in Brisbane

But that was not her last role. In the summer of 1778, the British were worried that the Americans and their allies, the French, might seize the strategically vital Newport. In order to stop the French fleet, the British commander ordered that several ships be sunk at the port's entrance to create a blockade.

One of them was Lord Sandwich 2  the Endeavour  which was scuttled on August 4, 1778.

It was the last that was seen of her. Until, perhaps, now. Earlier this week, experts from the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project revealed they have narrowed the location of the Endeavour down to 'possibly one or two sites'.

More details were expected to be released last night, but it is thought that the next step will be to confirm that one of them really is the wreck of Cook's ship. The hope then is that enough money can be raised to retrieve her from the seabed.

Even that may not be the end of the Endeavour's story. A battle is already brewing over ownership of whatever is recovered. The Rhode Island state government took legal action to assert ownership rights over the ship in 1999. As a British owned and registered ship, it is thought that we may make a claim, too. Then, of course, there is its importance to Australian history.

As Alwyn Peel, secretary of the Captain Cook Society, puts it: 'I think all countries affected would want a little piece of it. I would be quite happy if something of the ship went to different places associated with Endeavour's voyage.'

For now, we can only look forward to the possibility of seeing this historic ship raised from the seabed.

If they can do it, the scientists responsible will deserve to celebrate in a manner which the Endeavour's crew would recognise  with a very big drink indeed.
Spending time in hospital isn't usually a sweet experience  until, that is, honey starts oozing from the roof.

More than 60,000 bees have been discovered living in a hospital building after staff at Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridge spotted swarms of insects and called in experts.

When a panel was removed from the staff building, employees said 'honey oozed' from the bricks and plasterwork.

The hive found in the ceiling at Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridge, where more than 60,000 bees are thought to have been living for years

Garry Locke, from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, told Cambridgeshire Live: 'We were amazed when we saw how many bees were in the loft space of the porch  to see the size of the colony was incredible.'

After consulting with Serco, which maintains the building, the hospital called the Tree Bee Society.

It took 12 hours to remove the bees which are thought to have been there for years.

Abigail Reade, a director at the society, said the bees would 'live happily' after being relocated.
Ellie Chessell, 30, was left with physical and physiological damage after a hitman hired by her jealous ex-boyfriend doused her in acid.

An acid attack victim who was on the brink of suicide has revealed how Strictly Come Dancing Star Katie Piper saved her life.

Ellie Chessell, 30, was left with physical and physiological damage after a hitman hired by her jealous ex-boyfriend doused her in acid.

Ms Chessell suffered third-degree burns to her arms, chest and stomach in the acid attack in the Algarve in Portugal last May.

She was contemplating suicide when her brother Ryan, 37, reached out to Ms Piper, who spoke to Ms Chessell and helped get her life back on track.

Her skin was left 'dripping to the floor like a horror movie' after hitman Edmundo Fonseca, 44, targeted her on the orders of ex-boyfriend Claudio Gouveia.

She said: 'Without Katie's support I don't know if I'd be here today.'

Ms Chessell added: 'I was a walking, ticking time- bomb and it scares me to think what would have become of me if Katie hadn't stepped in.

'She saved me from the brink of suicide. She got me in to see a psychologist when I wasn't sleeping and the nightmares were horrific.

'I was suffering post-traumatic stress and had terrible mood swings and I had no idea how to handle it.

'I didn't want to go out in public and had suicidal thoughts at my lowest ebb but she made me believe I wasn't abnormal or a freak.'

Claudio Gouveia (left) was found guilty of the attempted murder of ex-girlfriend Ellie Chessell (right) in the Algarve by paying a hitman to throw acid over her

Ellie was reportedly assaulted repeatedly by Mr Gouveia over the course of their two year relationship

Katie Piper has been hailed for helping to save the life of Ms Chessell, who suffered acid injuries

Ms Piper is appearing in this season's Strictly Come Dancing

Ms Chessell, of the Isle of Wight, said: 'She just puts you at ease. It was lovely talking to someone who knows exactly what it's like.'

She said Katie helped her see a burns specialist at Odstock Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Ms Chessell said: 'It it wasn't for her, my physical scars would have been much, much worse. The burns would have started healing and been really lumpy.

'Aside from my family, Katie was the person who was always there for me. I really feel my life is good now.'

Gouveia, 35, was jailed for 12 years for attempted murder. Edmundo Fonseca, 44, was sentenced to nine years.
Anyone with a sense of chivalry and pride in this country will be appalled by the way Theresa May was ambushed and mocked by boorish EU leaders.

Old arts of statesmanship hit rock bottom when French president Emmanuel Macron described Brexiteers as liars.

I am delighted the personal ratings of this smarmy chancer are plummeting as he hops from one crisis to another.

Anyone with a sense of chivalry and pride in this country will be appalled by the way Theresa May was ambushed and mocked by boorish EU leaders

As for Donald Tusks Instagram posting of himself handing cakes to Theresa May with the caption Sorry, no cherries  well, that was as childish as it was rude.

The head of the European Council was chiding our Prime Minister in his heavy-handed way for allegedly cherry-picking.

Where do they find these people?

How can Joseph Muscat, the scandal-ridden Prime Minister of Malta (a tiny country with a population 150 times smaller than the UKs), dare tell us we should hold a second referendum?

Theresa May is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a country which 73 years ago was instrumental in liberating Europe.

And yet its uncouth modern leaders do not treat her with the respect to which her position, and this countrys recent history, entitle her.

Mrs Mays orchestrated ambushing was all the more despicable because in recent weeks European Commission officials such as Michel Barnier have been wafting warm words across the Channel.

She was lured to Salzburg on false pretences, and then jumped on by thugs.

My feeling, once anger has receded, is one of relief that we are leaving this over-mighty, bullying, puffed-up, condescending organisation, many of whose presumptuous kingpins would be unfit to adorn a parish council.

But what now? Following the unexpected monstering, No 10 is taking the view that it is business as usual.

Old arts of statesmanship hit rock bottom when French president Emmanuel Macron (pictured with Donald Tusk) described Brexiteers as liars

The Prime Minister and her advisers probably believe that the humiliation to which she was so crassly subjected was simply part of some elaborate sadistic ritual beloved of the EU.

In her statement yesterday, she was intransigent and steely.

She rightly called for the EU to show Britain the same respect as we have demonstrated.

Although conceding that negotiations had reached an impasse, she said it was up to the EU, not the British Government, to break it.

And so, despite the drubbing in Salzburg, Mrs Mays mantra remains the same: its either Chequers or no deal.

Theres nothing else on the table. In the end  so No 10 apparently believes  the EU will come around to Chequers because it is frightened of the economic consequences of no deal.

I hope the Prime Minister is right. But I am not at all sure that she is.

If we look beyond the bad manners and churlishness of some EU leaders at Salzburg, we hear the voice of Donald Tusk speaking on behalf of all 27 of them. He said the British proposals will not work.

Now it could be  indeed, to a degree it probably is the case  that this is bluster and brinkmanship.

The EUs plan may be to knock down Chequers before, in a month or two, accepting something quite like it.

But it would be a brave person who clung to this interpretation. We should remember what happened to David Cameron before the 2016 referendum.

He toured Europe, begging for concessions on unfettered EU migration to our shores, and was offered nothing. He duly lost the vote.

The truth is, the EU has its sacred dogmas from which it cannot be separated.

Chequers offends against this rigid theology because it envisages British membership of the single market for goods without signing up to the so-called four freedoms, including free movement of people.

So I believe there is a high probability that Tusk means what he says, and there are some elements central to Chequers which will never be acceptable to Brussels in any shape or form.

Here one cant avoid chastising Olly Robbins, the 43-year-old senior civil servant and alleged brainbox who has been Mrs Mays personal Brexit adviser since last year.

Robbins, who helped draw up the Chequers strategy, informed his mistress that it would very likely form the basis of an agreement with the EU. She reposes too much trust in him.

He could still be right, of course. But its very possible he has misread the Europeans  and misled Theresa May.

Chequers is almost certainly not the brilliant wheeze Robbins believes it to be, for the reasons I have mentioned.

We must be realistic. It is surely clear that following the ugly bust-up in Salzburg, we are much closer to no deal than we were this time last week.

This should worry all of us.

For although no deal is what many of the most ardent Brexiteers yearn for  allowing us to trade on World Trade Organisation terms and to be free of EU regulations  it carries unquantifiable risks.

I certainly dont believe Chancellor Philip Hammonds long-term forecast of the dire consequences of no deal

I certainly dont believe Chancellor Philip Hammonds long-term forecast of the dire consequences of no deal.

But it seems almost inevitable that it would entail at least a short-term shock  a run on the pound, possible shortages and higher unemployment  which would adversely affect many people.

There is a danger that no deal would lead to a recession, and the election of Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party with its madcap economic policies.

No deal might be more bearable if the Government had been planning for it for two years, but it hasnt.

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte plausibly suggested on Thursday that his own country had been making more preparations for this undesirable outcome than Britain.

Nor should we forget (as Im afraid Brexiteers often do) that no deal would be more painful for us than for the EU.

That is because no single EU country is as dependent on trade with Britain as we are on trade with the EU. Europe can cope with no deal better than we can.

It follows that Mrs May should be doing all she can to produce an alternative solution in the little time that remains. If Chequers really is dead, she needs a Plan B as soon as possible.

The most obvious one, as former Brexit Secretary David Davis has consistently argued, is a free trade deal along the lines of the one Canada concluded last year with the EU. Brussels has said this is available.

Its true the problem of the Northern Irish border would still have to be addressed, but so it does with Chequers.

Brussels has suggested it may soften its position vis-a-vis the border, and Mrs May has undertaken to come up with new ideas. The problem is eminently soluble.

There are reports that Cabinet heavyweights such as Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, have grasped that Chequers is unworkable, and believe a free trade deal must be put on the table. Will the Prime Minister listen?

The EU says it wont accept Chequers, and it would be rash to ignore it, however rude some EU leaders may be.

Lets put Olly Robbins and his ideas on hold, and find a course that wont lead us to no deals possible abyss.
Tourists are being urged to return pebbles taken as souvenirs from a picturesque Greek beach where Abba musical Mamma Mia! was filmed.

Officials on the island of Skiathos have taken action to prevent the beach from being stripped bare.

This week boxes bearing the words Lalaria Beach return box appeared at Skiathos airport after campaigners said the stones were disappearing at an alarming rate.

Lalaria, on Skiathoss northern coast, Greece, grew popular in the 1970s when Greek officials put its crystal clear waters front and centre of tourism campaigns. Tourists found pocketing pebbles can now be fined up to 1,000 euros (894) under a new law

Skiathos, pictured in Mamma Mia! above became world-renowned after its film appearance. Officials on the island of Skiathos have taken action to prevent the beach from being stripped bare. Boxes bearing the words Lalaria Beach return box appeared at Skiathos airport this week

Tourists found pocketing pebbles can now be fined up to 1,000 euros (894) under a new law.

Thodoris Tzoumas, head of the islands cultural association, said: We had no other choice.

Lalaria may not have suffered a landslide but human intervention is such that its natural beauty is being destroyed at an alarming rate.

Posters have been pinned up on cruise boats and a billboard on the beach asks holidaymakers to take a picture not a pebble.

Lalaria, on Skiathoss northern coast, grew popular in the 1970s when Greek officials put its crystal clear waters front and centre of tourism campaigns.

It became world-renowned after it was used as one of the locations for the first Mamma Mia! film in 2008.

This summers release of sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again sparked a new wave of tourists and weddings that threaten to overrun the island.

In Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the film goes back and forth in time to show how Donna's past relationships have worked out in the present. The cultural association says the beachs larger pebbles have almost entirely disappeared

This summers release of sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again sparked a new wave of tourists and weddings that threaten to overrun the island. Posters have been pinned up on cruise boats and a billboard on the beach asks holidaymakers to take a picture not a pebble

The cultural association says the beachs larger pebbles have almost entirely disappeared.

But Mr Tzoumas said the return boxes at the airport appeared to be working.

Weve been pleasantly surprised, he said.

They have only been there a few days and they are beginning to fill up.
The UK Government is working on plans to set up an internet regulator that would hold technology companies accountable for content published on their websites.

If established, the new regulatory body could sanction sites that fail to take down illegal material and hate speech within hours.

Among the proposals are age verification for users of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not the first time in recent days that calls have been made for tougher regulation of the internet.

The chief executive of Ofcom  which already regulates TV, radio and broadband in the UK  publicly called for similar measures on Tuesday.

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The UK Government is working on plans to set up an internet regulator that would hold technology companies accountable for content published on their websites (stock image)

WHAT ARE THE NEW PROPOSED RULES? Strict new 'takedown times' forcing websites to remove illegal hate speech

Fines if firms fail to meet them

Age verification checks on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Advertisement

Buzzfeed said it had obtained details of the proposals, which would be put out for consultation later in the year. It did not say where it got the proposals from.

Legislation is being drafted by the Home Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), according to the site.

A new regulatory framework for online 'social harms', scheduled to be announced this winter, would be created.

This would also involve the creation of a new body, equivalent to Ofcom, for social media and other sites.

The details are reportedly being considered by home secretary Sajid Javid and culture secretary Jeremy Wright.

Traditional broadcasters like the BBC and ITV are bound by strict rules on what they can publish, but social media giants like Facebook , Twitter and YouTube are 'unregulated' (stock image)

Ofcom Chief executive Sharon White said on Tuesday that she believes tech giants such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube should be subject to the same rules as the BBC and ITV.

She also claimed that one in five Britons have been harmed by the internet and social media because of an online 'standards lottery' and wants new 'strong audience protections'.

Experts warned it would have too much power if handed the job, however.

Ofcom chief executive Sharon White (pictured) has called for stricter independent regulation of the internet. Experts warned it would have too much power if handed the job, however

WHAT HAVE OTHERS SAID ABOUT FACEBOOK'S NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON ITS USERS? Ex-Google and Facebook workers are campaigning to raise awareness of the negative effects of using products made by their former employers. Among their concerns are addiction to technology and its impact on individuals, particularly children and younger users, as well as society as a whole. Tristan Harris, a former in-house ethicist at Google is spearheading the new group, called the Center for Humane Technology. The newly-launched initiative, which is working with the nonprofit media watchdog group Common Sense Media, is planning to lobby the United States government over tech addiction. It is also undertaking an advertising campaign aimed at 55,000 public schools in the US, to raise awareness with parents, students and teachers over its concerns. These include the mental health effects of overuse of social media, including depression, stress, anxiety, self-image and self-worth, according to the group's website. The campaign, called The Truth About Tech, also seeks to address more wide-ranging problems caused by technology, including its power to influence our relationships and even our political beliefs. Speaking to the New York Times Mr Harris, said: 'We were on the inside. We know what the companies measure. We know how they talk, and we know how the engineering works. 'The largest supercomputers in the world are inside of two companies  Google and Facebook  and where are we pointing them? 'We're pointing them at people's brains, at children.' In December 2017, former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya also spoke out against the social network he helped to create, saying it is 'ripping society apart'. Mr Palihapitiya, who joined Facebook in 2007 and became its vice president for user growth, said he feels 'tremendous guilt' for the influence Facebook has had and its ability to manipulate users. He also suggested users take a break from using social media altogether. Advertisement

An Ofcom spokesman denied the quango is trying to grab new powers to tackle the internet.

But Mrs White's words reveal the broadcasting watchdog is keen to help the Government shape the future of internet regulation.

And experts believe they could be given some or all of the powers because of the amount of time and cash needed to set up a brand new regulator.

Rachel Coldicutt, chief executive of think tank DotEveryone, told Sky News: 'The problem with a single body is that the internet touches everything, so a single regulator would have enormous power'.
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A planet-hunting orbital telescope designed to detect worlds beyond our solar system discovered two distant planets this week five months after its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, officials said on Thursday.

NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, better known as TESS, made an early discovery of 'super-Earth' and 'hot Earth' planets in solar systems at least 49 light-years away, marking the satellite's first discovery since its April launch.

TESS is on a two-year, $337 million mission to expand astronomers' known catalog of so-called exoplanets, worlds circling distant stars.

While the two planets are too hot to support life, TESS Deputy Science Director Sara Seager expects many more such discoveries.

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NASA released TESS's first official science image earlier this month, in the first step toward finding new worlds beyond our solar system. 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

'We will have to wait and see what else TESS discovers,' Seager told Reuters. 'We do know that planets are out there, littering the night sky, just waiting to be found.'

TESS is designed to build on the work of its predecessor, the Kepler space telescope, which discovered the bulk of some 3,700 exoplanets documented during the past 20 years and is running out of fuel.

NASA expects to pinpoint thousands more previously unknown worlds, perhaps hundreds of them Earth-sized or 'super-Earth' sized - no larger than twice as big as our home planet.

Those are believed the most likely to feature rocky surfaces or oceans and are thus considered the best candidates for life to evolve.

Scientists have said they hope TESS will ultimately help catalog at least 100 more rocky exoplanets for further study in what has become one of astronomy's newest fields of exploration.

MIT researchers on Wednesday announced the discovery of Pi Mensae c, a 'super-earth' planet 60 light-years away orbiting its sun every 6.3 days.

The discovery of LHS 3844 b, a 'hot-earth' planet 49 light-years away that orbits its sun every 11 hours, was announced on Thursday.

Pi Mensae c could have a solid surface or be a waterworld as the composition of such planets is a mixed bag, Martin Spill, NASA's program scientist for TESS, said in a phone interview.

TESS is designed to build on the work of its predecessor, the Kepler space telescope, which discovered the bulk of some 3,700 exoplanets documented during the past 20 years and is running out of fuel. NASA expects to pinpoint thousands more unknown worlds, perhaps hundreds of them Earth-sized or 'super-Earth' sized - no larger than twice as big as our home planet

The two newest planets, which still need to be reviewed by other researchers, offer the chance for follow-up study, officials said.

'That, of course, is TESS' entire purpose - to find those planets around those brightest nearby stars to do this really detailed characterization,' Spill said.

With four special cameras, TESS uses a detection method called transit photometry, which looks for periodic dips in the visible light of stars caused by planets passing, or transiting, in front of them.

NASA released TESS's first official science image earlier this month, in the first step toward finding new worlds beyond our solar system.

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. With four special cameras, TESS uses a detection method called transit photometry, which looks for periodic dips in the visible light of stars caused by planets passing, or transiting, in front of them

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.

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.
The internet will be divided into two different worlds within the next decade  and China will lead one of them, according to ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

The 63-year-old multi-billionaire says the censorship and control the Chinese government wields over its citizens' online access means it is incompatible with the democratic internet of the west.

This means there will be two distinct versions of the world wide web by 2028, one run by China and the other by the US.

The process is already happening, with the so-called Great Firewall of China blocking Chinese citizens from accessing several of the internet's most popular websites, including Facebook and YouTube.

Instead, Chinese equivalents such as search engine Baidu offer the web services of their banned western equivalents.

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The internet will split into two different worlds within the next decade - and China will lead one of them, according to ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt (file photo)

Schmidt, who is worth an estimated $14 billion (10.6 billion), made the comments while speaking at a private technology conference in San Francisco hosted by Village Global VC on Wednesday.

He said the internet will likely have two clear and separate voices, rather than mass fragmentation worldwide.

'I think the most likely scenario now is not a splintering, but rather a bifurcation into a Chinese-led internet and a non-Chinese internet led by America,' Schmidt said.

'If you look at China, and I was just there, the scale of the companies that are being built, the services being built, the wealth that is being created is phenomenal.

'Chinese Internet is a greater percentage of the GDP of China, which is a big number, than the same percentage of the US, which is also a big number.'

Schmidt added that he expects to see goods and service grow offered through the web grow exponentially in China.

But Beijing's hardline rule is unlikely to waver, forcing it to lead its own version of the internet to maintain its tough stance on censorship.

'I think you're going to see fantastic leadership in products and services from China,' Schmidt said.

'There's a real danger that along with those products and services comes a different leadership regime from government, with censorship, controls, etc.'

Schmidt, 63, is worth an estimated $14 billion (10.6 billion) and worked at Google and its parent company Alphabet for almost 17 years, holding the position of CEO and later executive chairman

The former Google executive, who worked at the company for 17 years from 2001 to 2017, regularly comments on the future of technology and his predictions for how it will shape the world.

Schmidt revealed in January that he is 'very concerned' with Russia and China's lead in the race on artificial intelligence.

He flagged the risk of their commercial and military aspirations, saying their lead in artificial intelligence could eventually help them to conquer the world.

'I'm very concerned about this,' he told an audience at BBC's Tomorrow's World Live at London's Science Museum.

'I think that both the Russian and the Chinese leaders have recognised the value of this, not just for their commercial aspirations, but also their military aspirations.

'It is very, very important that the incredible engines that exist in Europe, and Britain, wherever, United States etc, get more funding for basic research, ethics and so forth.'
Apple fans are flooding social media with praise for the most expensive iPhones ever released, as the first batch of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max deliveries start to arrive with customers worldwide.

Users have been sharing their early impressions of the devices, which can cost up to 1,449 ($1,449) for the top-of-the-line iPhone XS Max with 512GB of internal storage.

Pre-orders for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max went live at 8.01am last Friday.

Both flagship smartphones have a similar design to the iPhone X, pronounced 'ten', which launched last year to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the iPhone range.

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max boast the same edge-to-edge display, with a small cut-out, or notch, at the top of the device to house the front-facing camera, ambient light sensor, and flood illuminator and dot projector used for facial recognition.

The new flagship smartphones ship with 1.5 hours more battery life than the previous generation, an updated dual-camera system with customisable levels of bokeh blur designed to 'mimic a DSLR' camera, faster A12 Bionic processor, tougher glass, and improved water resistance.

Apple fans who pre-ordered their devices last week have taken to social media to voice their opinions on latest iPhones, with one customer saying the XS Max fits 'perfectly' inside a pocket and has a 'mind-blowing' screen.

This comment follows criticism of the new models from campaigners that said the smartphones, which range from 5.8in to 6.5in  all considerably bigger than the SE, which has a screen size of 4inch, were too big for women's hands.

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Apple fans are flooding social media with praise for the most expensive iPhones ever as first iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max deliveries start to arrive worldwide. Pictured is the new Apple iPhone XS Max

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max were announced during an Apple media event at the company's headquarters in California last Wednesday.

The tech giant announced its biggest and most expensive iPhone yet with the 6.5-inch XS Max, which features a Super Retina display.

It can store up to 512 gigabytes of data, pushing its price tag up from a base price of 1,099 ($1,099) to 1,449 ($1,449) for users who need the local storage.

The most expensive model sold-out in its Space Grey and Gold finishes in under 30 minutes when pre-orders went live at 8.01am last week.

Those early orders have started shipping today in 30 markets worldwide, including the US and UK, with more locations set to be added on September 28th.

Fans have also been spotted waiting outside stores in London, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, Dubai and Berlin among others to get their hands on the new handsets.

iPhone XS and XS Max users have been been sharing their early thoughts on the new device on Reddit and Twitter.

User 'sjperformance' wrote on the MacRumors forum that he didn't notice a big difference in weight between the iPhone X and iPhone XS Max.

'The Max fits perfect inside my pockets. Didn't really feel a difference inside slim jeans I was wearing today,' the forum user wrote.

'It does seem more faster smoother over my X running iOS12.

'No home button truly makes an immense difference. Y'all will enjoy it,' he said.

Another user called 'shooter03' also posted on the Macrumors blog saying the iPhone SX Max is 'amazing'.

Users have been sharing opinions on the devices  which cost up to 1,449 ($1,499) for the 512GB XS Max  with one saying the iPhone XS Max fits 'perfectly' inside a pocket and has a 'mind-blowing' screen

Many users have been commenting on the vibrant and immersive display, which one has claimed is 'incomparable to the display of the iPhone 7'

'Screen size is pretty mind blowing,' he wrote.

'As for hand size it fits me nicely ( I have sorta big hands ) feels a little lighter than the X which is weird. But all in all it's so nice.'

One Reddit user, who is known by the username jtx660, said the display of the new iPhone XS Max is vibrant and bright.

He described it as 'incomparable' to the display of the iPhone 7.

'Besides the obvious full screen display and lack of home button and Face ID, I must say its a beautiful slab of premium glass and stainless steel.

'First thing I noticed was definitely that huge OLED 6.5 panel. Its vibrant, extremely bright and immerse', he said.

Both iPhone XS and XS Max is available in Gold, Silver and Space Grey finishes.

Fans have been spotted waiting outside stores in London, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, Dubai and Berlin among others to get their hands on the new devices. Pictured are the first customers enter the Apple Store in Regent Street

Hundreds of Apple fans have queued outside stores to get their hands on the new iPhone XS  despite its eye-watering price tag. Pictured are people queuing outside the Apple Store in Regent Street, central London

The phone is flying off the shelves, despite swathes of people mocking its eye-watering price following the launch event.

Social media users joked that Apple should have named its new flagship handsets the 'excess' and 'excess Max' because of the high price points.

The iPhone XR, Apple's new 'budget' handset priced at $749 (749), will not be available for pre-order until October.

Announcing the devices on-stage at the Steve Jobs Theatre, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone XS is 'by far the most advanced iPhone we have ever created.'

Like their predecessor, the iPhone X, the name is intended to be pronounced as the number 10. But, people are already reading it as X, and that's likely to catch on.

On Twitter, Apple fans are simultaneously hailing the sleek new products and dragging the company for its name choice.

Customers have been snapping up the iPhone XS and XS Max (pictured) since pre-orders kick-started at 8:01am BST (3:01am ET) on Apple.com/UK and on the Apple Store iOS app

Apple has launched pre-sales for its hotly-anticipated new flagship smartphones. The most expensive iPhone of all time - the 1,449 512GB XS Max (right) - sold out in its silver and gold finishes in under half an hour

'The iPhone Xs Max price reflects the name...,' Twitter user @juhasaarinen wrote.

'Apple's new phone's name is iphone XS which like every other iphone would be EXCESSively overpriced,' @Bhavessshh tweeted.

'Did they really name the new iPhone the "excess'?" XS? Is this an SNL skit?' another user commented.

Others found the company's lack of creativity to be a bigger issue, with many simply calling the new names 'dumb' and 'lazy.'

'These phones really look wonderful, but 'iPhone XS Max' is the worst product name Apple has come up with in this century,' Twitter user @gilbert said.

Tech analyst Patrick O'Rourke joined in, tweeting: 'I want to go on the record now as saying that iPhone Xs Max is a bad name for a smartphone'

Apple also unveiled a more affordable model on Wednesday in a bid to ensure their devices 'reach even more customers,' with the 6.1-inch iPhone XR shipping at $749.

The $999 (999) iPhone XS (right) and $1,099 (1,099) XS Max (left) are battling it out to be crowned Apple's fastest selling smartphone

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE IPHONE XS AND XS MAX? The iPhone XS and larger XS Max are Apple's latest flagship devices. The pair have a similar design and features to the existing iPhone X - including its much-hyped Face ID unlock system - with a few key additions. They hit stores on September 21, 2018 with the iPhone XS priced at $999 (999) and the XS Max a whopping $1,099 (1,099). Like the iPhone X, the XS has a 5.8-inch OLED screen, while the XS Max boasts a mammoth 6.5-inch OLED display. For comparison, the iPhone XS Max is bigger even than the Galaxy Note 9, which spans 6.4 inches. The XS and XS Max have dual 12-megapixel rear cameras and a dual 7-megapixel selfie camera - just like the iPhone X. Apple launched its iPhone XS and XS Max flagship devices at an event in San Francisco on September 12 Apple has bolstered the batteries loaded into each phone too. It claims the iPhone XS runs for half an hour longer than last year's X, while the XS Max lasts an additional 1.5 hours. Apple's newest phones feature faster processors and better memory capacities than their predecessor. Both are loaded with Apple's new A12 Bionic chip, which Apple claims runs run 15 per cent faster than the A11 chip in the iPhone X. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are shipping in 64GB, 256GB or 512GB  the largest in-built storage ever shipped on an Apple-branded smartphone. They are available in gold, silver and space grey. Advertisement

Rumors had suggested that Apple would be having an 'S' year this time around, with most of the upgrades focused on specs instead of looks, which proved to be mostly true.

Both the iPhone XS and XS Max take a page from the 10th anniversary iPhone X in their design, featuring edge-to-edge organic LED screens, slimmer bezels and facial recognition technology that replaces the home button.

That doesn't mean the devices fall short on upgrades, however.

'These are incredible new iPhones,' said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing. 'The best iPhones we've ever made by a long shot.'

Apple also took the wraps off of the 5.8-inch iPhone XS, which costs $999. CEO Tim Cook described the device as being 'by far the most advanced iPhone we have ever created'

Apple says the phones are 'more waterproof' than their predecessors and the cameras are 'better than ever before'.

The XS and XS Max feature some significant display upgrades. The 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max has a Super Retina display and a resolution of 2,688 x 1,242.

Both phones have improved speakers, a 120Hz refresh rate and Face ID is now speedier, thanks to new algorithms, allowing users to more quickly unlock their device with just their face.

Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller called this version of FaceID the most secure facial authentication in a smartphone ever.

iPhone XR vs iPhone XS vs XS Max Screen Size: Display Type: Processor: Water Resistance: Battery Life: Fast Charge: Wireless Charge: 3D Touch Display: Dual Cameras: Optical Zoom: FaceID: Weight: Software: Price: Colours: iPhone XR 6.1-inch LCD A12 Bionic IP67 Up to 15 hours Yes Yes No No No Yes 194g (6.84 oz) iOS 12 $749 (749) Yellow, White, Coral, Black, Blue, and Product Red iPhone XS 5.8-inch OLED A12 Bionic IP68 Up to 12 hours Yes Yes Yes Dual 12MP Lens Yes. 2x Yes 177g (6.24oz) iOS 12 $999 (999) Gold, Space Grey, Silver iPhone XS Max 6.5-inch OLED A12 Bionic IP68 Up to 13 hours Yes Yes Yes Dual 12MP Lens Yes. 2x Yes 208g (7.34 oz) iOS 12 $1099 (1099) Gold, Space Grey, Silver Advertisement

The iPhone XS and XS Max feature dual 12 megapixel rear cameras and a dual 7 megapixel selfie camera with bigger sensors and an improved high-dynamic range imaging, called 'Smart HDR,' which results in better lighting and photos with deeper colors.

Along with that, Apple introduced an improved 'bokeh' effect, which adds a blur in the background of portrait mode photos.

Apple says this smooths out the transition from foreground to background and better defines background shapes.

The new slider tool allows users to adjust the depth of field in photos and adjust the camera aperture, to deepen or reduce the depth of field even after a photo is taken.

Apple has bolstered the batteries loaded into each phone too.

The iPhone XS and XS Max have 12 megapixel cameras with bigger sensors and an improved high-dynamic range imaging, which results in better lighting and photos with deeper colors

Apple has improved the 'bokeh' effect, which blurs the background of portrait mode photos. It smooths out the transition from foreground to background and defines background shapes

HANDS ON WITH IPHONE XS MAX Boasting a 6.5inch OLED screen, the iPhone XS Max is the biggest phone Apple has ever made. While on paper the screen may seem almost too big, the curved design means that in the flesh, it's incredibly easy to pick up and handle - and absolutely stunning to look at. There is something of a jaw dropping moment the first time you load up a picture of press play on the movie. Apple's new iPhone XS Max is shown (right) beside the smaller XS That screen is sharp and incredibly bright, and the phone (and even the still present notch) are almost invisible, making this the closest thing yet to Apple's 'all screen' vision. The sound has also had a huge boost, and even in the crowded scrum like experience of the hands on area at Apple's event, audio was loud enough to hear clearly - if you want to annoy the neighbours of fellow commuters, this is definitely the speaker system to do it with. The speed increase Apple has given the handset are also noticeable, with the system feeling far snappier and more responsive - although we weren't able to try to FaceID system, which has apparently been dramatically improved. While many users liked the smaller size of the iPhone X when it was released last year, the Max does the seemingly impossibly - making a big screen phone that really doesn't feel like a big screen phone. It's big enough that you feel you could actually do far more, with emails and documents given a whole new lease of life. Overall, the iPhone Xs Max is probably the handset users of the Plus iPhones have been waiting for - and the extra screen real estate really does make this a phone that manages to balance a big screen with the usability and great feel iPhones are known for. Overall, it's bigger and faster, and if you are willing to spend $1100 on a phone and want the absolute best, then this is the handset for you. -Mark Prigg at the Steve Jobs Theater for Dailymail.com Advertisement

It claims the iPhone XS runs for half an hour longer than last year's X, while the XS Max lasts an additional 1.5 hours.

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are shipping in 64GB, 256GB or 512GB  the largest in-built storage ever shipped on an Apple-branded smartphone.

Apple's newest phones are equipped with faster processors and better memory capacities than ever before, relying on Apple's new, super fast A12 Bionic chip.

The A12 chip is made up of a six-core CPU, which contains two 'performance' cores and four 'efficiency' cores.

Apple unveiled the more affordable iPhone XR to ensure their devices 'reach even more customers,' with the device shipping at $749. Pre-orders for the devices start this week

It's also packed with a four-core GPU that Apple says is '50 percent faster' than the A11 Bionic chip.

On top of that, the phones feature an upgraded Neural Engine, which powers everything from the iPhone's augmented reality features to its dual-lens camera.

The Neural Engine gets a bump up to eight cores, an upgrade from its previous two cores, and can also handle a staggering 5 trillion operations per second.

The iPhone XS and XS Max are now able to open apps up to 30 percent faster thanks to the A12 Bionic chip.

It will also power improvements in AR, Memoji and Siri shortcuts.

The iPhone XS and XS Max are now able to open apps up to 30 percent faster thanks to the A12 Bionic chip. It will also power improvements in AR, Memoji and Siri shortcuts

Both phones will support the use of two phone numbers and data plans, using a physical SIM card and an e-SIM card. This isn't available yet, but will come in a software update later this fall

Another update that may have gotten lost in the fray is that Apple is adding dual SIM support for the first time ever.

That means both phones will support the use of two phone numbers and data plans, using a physical SIM card and an e-SIM card.

The feature isn't available just yet, but will be enabled in a software update 'later this fall.'

In China, where e-SIMs are barred, Apple will even ship a special version of the iPhone XS Max that's equipped to handle two physical SIM trays.

Earlier in the event, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 4, which marks a major step up from the Series 3.
Colossal underwater walls could stop a 'runaway' ice sheet collapsing and triggering a rise in sea levels worldwide, scientists have suggested.

Researchers ran computer models on the Thwaites Glacier in the Amundsen Sea, which is slightly smaller than the total size of the UK and believed to be melting fast.

Isolated 980ft-high (300m) mounds or columns on the seafloor could be used to slow down the collapse of the glacier , computer simulations reveal.

This would have a 30 per cent probability of preventing a runaway collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet for the foreseeable future, according to the models.

Instead of trying to change the entire climate, researchers claim that a more targeted approach could limit one of the most drastic consequences of climate change  the rise of sea levels worldwide.

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Pictured is the Thwaites Ice Shelf in October 2012. Colossal underwater walls could stop 'runaway' ice sheet collapsing and triggering a rise in sea levels worldwide, say scientists

'Doing geoengineering means often considering the unthinkable,' said John Moore, a scientist at Beijing Normal University and a professor of climate change at the University of Lapland, Finland.

Professor Moore suggests that making changes to the geometry of the seafloor near glaciers that flow into the ocean will prevent them from melting further.

Some glaciers, such as the Thwaites ice stream in West Antarctica  which is the size of Britain, are retreating at an alarmingly fast rate.

'Thwaites could easily trigger a runaway [West Antarctic] ice sheet collapse that would ultimately raise global sea level by about three metres [ten feet],' said Michael Wolovick, a researcher at Princeton University's Department of Geosciences.

This would have a dramatic effect on the millions of people living in the world's coastal areas.

As well as traditional coastal protection, using glacier geoengineering to stop the flood at the source could be a viable option, researchers claim.

'The most important result [of our study] is that a meaningful ice sheet intervention is broadly within the order of magnitude of plausible human achievements,' said Dr Wolovick.

The team looked into two glacial-geoengineering designs.

One idea would be to build a wall underwater to block warm water reaching an ice shelf's base, which is very sensitive to melting. Pictured is the potential 'regrounding' (in grey)

Researchers ran computer models on Thwaites Glacier in the Amundsen Sea which is slightly smaller than the total size of the UK and believed to be melting fast

One idea would be to build an underwater wall to block warm water reaching an ice shelf's base, which is very sensitive to melting.

A simpler design consists of constructing artificial mounds or columns on the seafloor. These would not block warm water, but could support and hold back the glacier, helping it to regrow.

'In either case, we were imagining very simple structures, simply piles of sand or gravel on the ocean floor,' said Dr Wolovick.

Thwaites is projected to be the largest individual source of future sea-level rise and, at 80 to 100km (50 to 62 miles) wide, it's one of the widest glaciers in the world.

'If [glacial geoengineering] works there then we would expect it to work on less challenging glaciers as well,' the authors wrote in the paper, which is published in The Cryosphere.

This intervention would consist of building isolated 300-metre-high (980ft) mounds or columns on the seafloor using between 0.1 and 1.5 cubic kilometres of aggregate, depending on the strength of the material.

THE RETREAT OF THE THWAITES GLACIER The Thwaites glacier is slightly smaller than the total size of the UK, approximately the same size as the state of Washington, and is located in the Amundsen Sea. It is up to 4,000 metres (13,100 feet thick) and is considered a key in making projections of global sea level rise. The glacier is retreating in the face of the warming ocean and is thought to be unstable because its interior lies more than two kilometres (1.2 miles) below sea level while, at the coast, the bottom of the glacier is quite shallow. The Thwaites glacier is the size of Florida and is located in the Amundsen Sea. It is up to 4,000 meters thick and is considered a key in making projections of global sea level rise The Thwaites glacier has experienced significant flow acceleration since the 1970s. From 1992 to 2011, the centre of the Thwaites grounding line retreated by nearly 14 kilometres (nine miles). Annual ice discharge from this region as a whole has increased 77 percent since 1973. Because its interior connects to the vast portion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet that lies deeply below sea level, the glacier is considered a gateway to the majority of West Antarcticas potential sea level contribution. The collapse of the Thwaites Glacier would cause an increase of global sea level of between one and two metres (three and six feet), with the potential for more than twice that from the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Advertisement

This is similar to the amount of material that was excavated to build the Suez Canal in Egypt (1 cubic kilometre) or used in Dubai's Palm Islands (0.3 cubic kilometres).

Despite the encouraging results, the scientists say they don't advocate starting these ambitious projects any time soon.

While the simplest design would be similar in scale to existing engineering projects, it would be built in one of Earth's harshest environments.

Nonetheless, the research team wanted to see whether glacial geoengineering could work in theory.

They also want to get the scientific community to think about, and improve on, the designs.

'We all understand that we have an urgent professional obligation to determine how much sea level rise society should expect, and how fast that sea level rise is likely to come', said Dr Wolovick.

'However, we would argue that there is also an obligation to try to come up with ways that society could protect itself against a rapid ice-sheet collapse.'

Researchers remain adamant that reducing greenhouse-gas emissions remains a priority in the fight against climate change.

'There are dishonest elements of society that will try to use our research to argue against the necessity of emissions' reductions. Our research does not in any way support that interpretation,' they said.

Engineering glaciers would only limit sea-level rise, while reducing emissions could also limit other harmful consequences of climate change, such as ocean acidification, floods, droughts and heat waves.
March 2001

Novell Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt is named Google chairman. Schmidt was chief technology officer and corporate executive officer at Sun Microsystems Inc. before taking the reins at Novell four years earlier.

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August 2001

Schmidt is named CEO of Google, as early investors insist on bringing grown-up leadership to the rapidly growing company.

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April 2004

Google files papers for initial public offering of stock.

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October 2006

Google announces deal to buy YouTube, now one of the world's most popular video sites.

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April 2007

Google announces plans to acquire ad company DoubleClick, expanding Google's advertising ambitions.

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August 2009

Schmidt resigns from Apple's board as competition between the one-time allies heats up.

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March 2010

Google moves its Chinese search engine outside mainland China amid dispute over censorship policies, as founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin overrule Schmidt's wishes.

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January 2011

Schmidt makes a surprise announcement that he's stepping aside for Page to become chief executive. In a Twitter post, Schmidt writes, "Day-to-day adult supervision no longer needed!" Schmidt stays on as executive chairman.

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April 2011

Schmidt drops title of CEO and becomes executive chairman. In that role, he will serve as adviser and handle broader tasks such as business partnerships and government outreach - important as Google faces growing regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe.

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January 2013

Schmidt makes four-day visit to North Korea, a country with one of the world's most restrictive internet policies. The visit takes place despite opposition from the U.S. government. Schmidt is accompanied by former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Jared Cohen, the head of Google's innovation think-tank. Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, calls the delegation "useful idiots" on his Twitter account.

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October 2015

Schmidt becomes executive chairman of Alphabet Inc., a new holding company formed in the separation of Google from projects, or "bets."

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December 2017

Alphabet says Schmidt is stepping down as executive chairman. He will become a technical adviser and still sit on the board.
Dance stars: Strictly professionals Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec

If youre a fan of the TV programme, then joining a Strictly Come Dancing-themed P&O Cruise adds an extra frisson.

Seeing the sequined costumes worn by contestants such as Daisy Lowe and Louise Redknapp in Britannias stunning atrium is exciting.

And sitting close to dancers Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec in one of the ships bars or exchanging a cheery Hello with Craig Revel Horwood while passing on the stairs is also pleasantly surreal (the scathing judge is disarmingly friendly in the flesh).

Ive been on a Strictly Come Dancing-themed P&O cruise in the Med before, but loved it so much that I came back for an encore.

I thought that I wouldnt be so wowed second time around but, just like the programme  currently in its 16th series on BBC1  there is always something new to enjoy.

I hadnt seen Janette and Aljaz perform live before and it was interesting to hear insights into their lives as dance stars married to each other.

Heading for an overnight visit to St Petersburg, home of the Mariinsky Ballet, added even more of a spring in our steps.

It was needed for the on-board salsa and ballroom classes, though I wasnt brave enough to enter the passengers Strictly dance competition.

An early start sees the cruise enter St Petersburg, home of the Mariinsky Ballet

Our early rise for the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg was worth it to beat the queue that snaked around the Winter Palace by the time we left such gems as the Peacock Clock and Kolyvan Vase behind.

We still had a whistle-stop tour of Yusupov Palace; the onion-domed Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood; a Neva river cruise; the Peter and Paul Fortress, and even a whirl on the subway to look forward to. The next days trip was to the dazzling Catherine Palace.

Leaving St Petersburg, we sailed to Tallinn and Stockholm.

Sashaying shoulders with celebrities, bedazzled by the glitz, glamour, fine dining, city jewels, and glitter-ball shows  no wonder we all felt we were dancing with the stars.
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These fascinating vintage black-and-white pictures shed light on what life was really like in Europe in the early 20th century - before World War I.

The amazing images show a variety of scenes from across the continent from a grand 1904 tour, including police on a horse and cart in London, a man taking his poultry to market in Germany and fishermen wearing clogs on a dock in Holland.

But not only are the old photographs absolutely mesmerising, their origin is just as fascinating - because who took them remains a complete mystery.

Policemen looking smart in their uniforms stand guard during a procession in the street in London

A man in a suit stands among poultry while visiting a market in the town of Bayreuth in the heart of Bavaria in Germany

Pedestrians stroll across the famous Charles Bridge in the city of Prague. The bridge runs across the Vltava River and in the early 1900s saw an increase in horse-drawn traffic

Two fishermen wearing traditional baggy trousers and clog shoes have the assistance of a young helper who carries two small buckets in Marken in the Netherlands

Farm workers in Austria stack huge bales of hay on top of a cart that is being pulled by oxen

The negatives and index system for the fascinating collection that Mr Nelson bought at an estate sale in Minneapolis in 1990

The vintage images were posted online by photography enthusiast Bill Nelson, who is desperate to find out more about the photos.

Mr Nelson, who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, told MailOnline Travel that he stumbled across the set of negatives in the early 1990s at an estate sale in his home city.

He said: 'The packet was unassuming, but also inexpensive. I pulled out one of the negatives and I could see it was a photo of a windmill so, sufficiently intrigued, I bought it.'

However, at that time he didn't have the technology to process the images, so he froze the mysterious package - and forgot about it.

Until he bought a better scanner.

He said: 'The film appeared to be nitrocellulose stock, which is highly flammable, so I opted to store the negatives in the freezer. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say and it wasnt until later in the 1990s that I decided to have a more thorough look at the film.

'By then, I had a quality scanner and was able to see the images in detail. The film, which was by then over 90 years old, was rather brittle and prone to curling. I could see that the images needed to be preserved against their eventual disintegration, so I scanned at high resolution all 240 or so negatives and it was then that I came to realize how much was there.'

A grand looking horse-drawn carriage rides past the Blue Ball Inn in Countisbury, Lynmouth, in Devon

Before machinery was widely-used, farmers would use oxen hooked up to cutting machines to chop down the hay. Pictured is a farmer and his animals in Germany

Four little boys pose for the camera wearing traditional buttoned-up shirts, baggy trousers and clogs in the town of Volendam in the Netherlands

Two young girls wearing traditional dress pose for the camera in Marken in the Netherlands. Mr Nelson said: 'Not only are the images well composed and correctly exposed, but they are unlike what one might expect from a casual tourist'

A man stands at the bottom of an old cobbled street in what is believed to be Montreuil-Sur-Mer in France, left. Pictured right are several horse-drawn omnibuses making their way around the streets of London

A typical chocolate box village with tiny cottages with thatched roofs at Cockington Forge in Devon, England

Bill quickly realised that he had a very special set of photographs on his hands. They were charming and pulled back the curtain on a more innocent age.

And they were also clearly taken by someone who knew how to take a superb photograph.

He said: 'Not only are the images well composed and correctly exposed, but they are unlike what one might expect from a casual tourist.

'Not only that, the photographer was serious enough about his or her photography to travel with a considerable amount of equipment.

'Because of the quality of the photos and the nature of the imagery, I suspect that, if the identity of the photographer were known, he or she would be someone that could be further researched and perhaps someone with an established reputation.'

A replica windmill in Sans Souci Park, Potsdam, Germany. This picture was the first one that Mr Nelson saw. It prompted him to buy the whole collection

Women kneel on the pebbles to do their laundry on the beach in Etretat in northern France

A man sits on top of his cart, which is attached to two dogs in the Netherlands. Not only are the old photographs mesmerising, but their origin is just as fascinating as mystery surrounds who took them and where they came from

An organ grinder wanders the streets of London with his daughter playing to passers-by. A monkey can be seen sitting on top

A picture Mr Nelson uncovered that had been labelled 'the oldest man in Clovelly', which is a small village in Devon, England

A picture showing a man wearing a sandwich board advertising the play Cynthia at Wyndham's Theatre in London. It only ran from mid-May to early June in 1904

Over the years, Mr Nelson has been able to build up some details about who is in the pictures and when they are taken thanks to help online.

He added: 'I determined the date from clues in the photos themselves. Ive expanded on that over the years by searching the negatives for clues I could follow and from comments provided by visitors to my Flickr site.

'Some great mysteries persist. In the entire set of negatives, there is only one that I can identify as having been taken in Paris and only one that was taken in Prague. Who goes to Paris or Prague and takes only one photo?

'That obviously suggests that my set of negatives is only a partial set and maybe the lesser of the images.

'The handwriting was difficult to decipher, but it gave me a starting point.

An exceptionally smart group of people wander through the ancient buildings of Oxford

A group of men in Germany sit on the side of a street and appear to be playing a card game while one man smoking a pipe stares down the camera

A smartly dressed lady wanders down the cobble streets of Clovelly in Devon. The collection of vintage snaps contains several pictures taken in the village

Mr Nelson said: 'While these photos are not technically from the 19th century, they belong to that period known as the long 19th century, which is the period from the French Revolution to the First World War'

'Other times, I have just had to spend time sorting through photos online until I find a modern counterpart to the image.'

One of the things that fascinates Mr Nelson about the pictures is the time frame of when they were snapped.

He explained: 'While these photos are not technically from the 19th century, they belong to that period known as the long 19th century, which is the period from the French Revolution to the First World War.

'These photos capture a time where costume was specific to a region and sometimes to a village. They record places and a frame of mind that, after the war, would never be the same.

A well-turned out female tourists looks engrossed in a book as she gathers around the Frauenkirche in Nuremberg, Germany

Two smartly dressed gentlemen chat on the street in London as horse and carts whizz past. This picture is among Mr Nelson's favourites

Small fishing boats are left on the shoreline in a charming picture taken at the Quay in Clovelly in Devon

Mr Nelson has been able to find out that the ladies in this picture are known as Mrs Dixon and Alice. They pose next to a parrot in a bird cage in London

A man focuses his whole attention on trying to repair a fishing net that has become broken in Etretat, Normandy

'Many of my favorites are the ones that seem to be universal favorites - the four boys from Volendam, the two gentlemen in London, the Tourists at the Frauenkirche, the women in the market in Bayreuth, The Organ Grinder and his daughter.

'One photo that I find intriguing is the one of the two men and the little girl on the docks in Marken. They are apparently just arriving at the dock, as one of the men is just stepping out of the boat.

'The photographer is there with his or her camera, perhaps a tripod as well.

'Yet none of the three is looking at the camera, not even the girl. What could have been more interesting than the photographer?'

However, the biggest mystery remains the identity of the photographer.

Bill added: 'It's apparent that this was no mere amateur. The photos required too much skill and the subject matter is unusual for a tourist but exactly contemporary with some of the groundbreaking photographers of the period like Stieglitz, August Sander, and Atget. I have spent the last two decades following every avenue I could think of to try to discover who took these images.'
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Tourists may not associate Britain with thrilling animal encounters, but it turns out there is one area of the UK in particular where you can get up close and personal with amazing creatures - Pembrokeshire in Wales.

Here BBC presenter Lizzie Daly has pinpointed the locations where you may catch a glimpse of blue sharks, basking sharks, porbeagle sharks, minke whales and pelagic seabirds. Plus the TV star has discovered the best places for seeing all sorts of other wonderful creatures such as giant spider crabs, seals and puffins.

The 24-year-old spent most of the summer leading unique 'Wild Ocean' expeditions in the area, giving her a unique insight into a landscape that attracts some 1.1million holidaymakers each year. Lizzie, from Cardiff, says there's no better place in the UK to dive into a rich and diverse marine environment. Scroll down for her ultimate animal spotting guide.

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Whales and sharks - the Celtic Sea Shelf

Adventurer: Lizzie had some thrilling animal encounters during her tour of the stunning Pembrokeshire coast

Jaw-dropping: Tourists have a chance of seeing a basking shark (above) in the deep Welsh waters of the Celtic Shelf. This one was spotted off the coast of Scotland

Fierce: 'This year I've been told by anglers that the size of the sharks they find are increasing,' wrote Lizzie. Pictured above is a blue shark, which can be seen off the coast of Wales. This one was spotted near South Africa

Chance encounter: Minke whales (stock image) are also among the extreme wildlife that can be spotted in Pembrokeshire

The porbeagle shark (stock image). Another amazing creature you can see on a Welsh break

Lizzie said: 'If you want to see some of the more extreme wildlife Pembrokeshire has to offer, then you'll need to go on a slightly longer boat trip. If you venture around 20 miles off the coast you'll hit the Celtic Shelf, where the water gets much deeper.

'And it's here where you've got a chance of seeing blue shark, basking shark, porbeagle shark, minke whale and pelagic seabirds like fulmars, storm petrels and skuas. You'll also get "mega pods" of dolphins in fantastic numbers. A company called Dale Sailing do offshore trips. Are there great white sharks in UK waters? It's hard to know. Anecdotally you hear stories of sightings of great white sharks from local fisherman but one hasn't been documented yet.

'I find the whole conversation about sharks in our waters very interesting but we should be focusing on the amazing diversity of shark species we already have in our waters - blues, makos, threshers and porbeagles. This year I've been told by anglers that the size of the sharks they find are increasing. Food for thought, for sure... but there's no reason to think our waters are anymore dangerous than they were before.'

Swimming with giant spider crabs - Musselwick beach

Brave: Lizzie came up close and personal with a giant spider crab when she went diving at Musselwick beach, near Marloes

Glorious: Marloes Sands (above) boasts a beautiful beach but Lizzie warned visitors that it gets cut off at high tide

Lizzie said: 'This place gets cut off at high tide and you have to walk down a small path for ten minutes to get there. But it's lovely and secluded. And it's where you can also go swimming with spider crabs, in scenes just like you might have seen on the TV series Blue Planet.

'These creatures gather by the hundreds, or even thousands, and some species of spider crab have been known to grow to some 12ft across in some countries. Meanwhile nearby Marloes Sands boasts a big, beautiful beach. While swimming with spider crabs you are also surrounded by moon and comb jellyfish blooms.'

Seals and sea kayaking - Watwick Bay

'You can hire kayaks (or paddle boards if youre feeling brave), from nearby Dale, roughly two miles to the north. It'll take you around an hour to paddle from Dale to Watwick Bay (above), depending on conditions, but it's well worth it,' said Lizzie

'You can only get to Watwick Bay either by a really long coastal path, or by sea. And if you want to get to this secluded bay in style, you need to sea kayak there, no doubt bumping into a few seals along the way.

'You can hire kayaks (or paddle boards if youre feeling brave), from nearby Dale, roughly two miles to the north. It'll take you around an hour to paddle from Dale to Watwick Bay, depending on conditions, but it's well worth it.'

Puffin heaven - Skomer Island

Feathered friends: A huge colony of puffins can be found on Skomer Island, which you can get to via a boat from Neyland

Lizzie said: 'I think there's something for everyone on Skomer - it's just an amazing place, whether you're into wildlife or just fancy a walk with a difference. There's a huge colony of puffins on Skomer, which is one of the reasons why so many people go there.

'Meanwhile you may also spot raptors like osprey flying over head or the peregrine falcon that nests on the island. You get to Skomer via a boat trip from Neyland (www.pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk). And there's a particular place on the island, called The Wick, where you can sit and watch the puffin emerging from their burrows just a few feet away from you. It's magical.'

Gannet spotting - Grassholm Island

Impressive: Grassholm Island (above) boasts the third largest colony of northern gannets in the world

Top tip: Lizzie reminded tourists that gannets (pictured above) leave Grassholm Island at the end of September

Lizzie said: 'Grassholm Island boasts the third largest colony of northern gannets in the world. And it's one of my favourite places. You can't land, as it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), but you can organise kayak trips around the island, which is out of this world. You will see it, you will hear it and you will definitely smell it. It's a fully immersive experience.

'But remember  the gannets leave at the end of September, so you've only got a few more weeks to enjoy them before next year.'

Dolphins - St Annes Headland

Keep your eyes peeled: Lucky tourists may see pods of common dolphin from the cliff-tops of St Annes Head (stock image)

'I love off-road running, and the coastal paths around Pembrokeshire are a dream. The trails around St Annes Head are particularly attractive,' said Lizzie (above)

Surfer chick: The wildlife presenter (above) donned a wetsuit and headed out into the open waters at West Dale beach to catch some waves

Lizzie said: 'I love off-road running, and the coastal paths around Pembrokeshire are a dream. The trails around St Annes Head are particularly attractive. You'll go from beach level to the cliff tops and my favourite route takes in around five miles.

'They're fairly demanding jaunts but, if you're really lucky, you may see pods of common dolphin from the cliff-tops, too.'
Authorities in Bali are launching a crackdown on western visitors who pose beside sacred temples wearing bikinis and other swimwear.

Officials have reportedly lamented the decline in the 'quality of tourists' who they believe are being disrespectful at the hundreds of Hindu sites across the Indonesian island.

And now tourists might even be banned from visiting the temples unless they are accompanied by a tour guide.

Authorities in Bali, pictured, are launching a crackdown on western visitors who pose beside sacred temples wearing bikinis

Deputy governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Sukawati, told the Guardian: 'The temples need to be preserved since they are the spirits of Bali's cultures and customs.

'It is because we are too open with tourists, so too many come, and indeed the quality of tourists is now different from before.'

The crackdown comes after a recent picture showed a Danish tourist sitting on top of the Linggih Padmasana shrine at Puhur Lutur Batukaru temple.

It sparked outrage as the shrine is reserved for the most important deity in Balinese Hinduism.

Meanwhile other tourists have been pictured climbing on to other sacred structures to take holiday snaps.

Balinese officials have reportedly lamented the decline in the 'quality of tourists'

But it is not the only problem the island has been having with tourists.

Last year, pictures revealed how the golden shoreline of the island is slowly disappearing under a mountain of garbage.

Plastic straws and food packaging were seen strewn between sunbathers, while surfers bobbing behind the waves dodge waste flushed out from rivers or brought in by swirling currents.

Often dubbed a paradise on earth, the Indonesian holiday island has become an embarrassing poster child for the country's trash problem and officials are now having to remove 100 tons of rubbish from beaches every day.
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There are 49 abandoned stations on the 249-mile-long London Underground network  and they have all been detailed on a fascinating map of it.

It has been created by Franklin Jarrier, who not only names these ghost stations - marked in grey on the map - but indicates the date they closed.

Whats more, his map shows the actual layout of the Tubes various tracks and shows the overground network, too, along with its abandoned stations. The level of detail is astonishing - even platform numbers are pinpointed.

There are 49 abandoned stations on the London Underground network  and they have all been detailed on a fascinating map. The abandoned stations are marked in grey and on this central London section include Down Street, Brompton Road and Aldwych on the blue Piccadilly line, British Museum on the red Central line and City Road on the black Northern line

In this section of the map abandoned stations such as St Mary's (District line), which closed in 1938, and Shoreditch (East London line), which closed in 1940, are indicated. St Mary's station was destroyed by a bomb during the Second World War

Inside Brompton Road Underground station, which closed in 1934. It was then sold to the War Office in 1938. Abandonedstations.org.uk said of the former Piccadilly line station that 'it fell victim to bad planning - i.e putting one where it wasn't needed'

Inside York Road on the Piccadilly line. It was closed on September 17, 1932, because of low passenger numbers

Transport for London (TfL) explains that the abandoned stations  some of which have vanished without trace, some of which are still intact - were closed for a range of reasons, from lines being rerouted to low passenger numbers.

For instance Blake Hall on the Central line was estimated to have only 17 passengers when it closed in 1981.

Many of these stations have fascinating histories.

Mummy mia! The map shows how the Central line used to have a British Museum stop, but it was closed in 1933. It was shut and replaced by Holborn nearby, which provided an interchange with the Piccadilly line. Before this passengers were having to walk at street level to change lines

Tracking the past: Here closed stations Mildmay Park and Newington Road & Balls Pond are indicated

South London used to have an overground Camberwell station and Walworth Road station. They were both closed in 1916

Transport for London (TfL) explains that the abandoned stations  some of which have vanished without trace, some of which are still intact - were closed for a range of reasons, from lines being rerouted to low passenger numbers. For instance Blake Hall on the Central line was estimated to have only 17 passengers when it closed in 1981. This section of the map shows the abandoned Brompton Road on the Piccadilly line. It's now used by the Ministry of Defence

Gloom with a view: Inside South Kentish Town Underground station, which was closed on June 5, 1924. This ex-Northern line station closed through lack of use

TfL says: 'Many stations were used as shelters for the public during the Second World War, even if they had already been closed for service - City Road [Northern line] for example.

'Others acted as decampment areas for both the London Passenger Transport Board Head Office staff and the government.

'Down Street [Piccadilly line] was fitted out as an underground office facility complete with telephone lines and even played host to a meeting of the War Cabinet at 20 minutes notice.

'And British Prime Minister Winston Churchill took refuge in the station tunnels during the Blitz.

'One, Brompton Road [Piccadilly line], was sold to the War Office in 1938 and is still used by the Ministry of Defence today.'

A general view of a stairway in the Down Street underground station. Down Street station in Mayfair operated between 1907 and 1932 and after closing, played an important part during the Second World War when it was transformed into the Railway Executive Committee's bomb proof shelter

The exterior of abandoned Down Street. During the height of the Blitz, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill took refuge in the station tunnels

Aldwych station (originally Strand Station), which shut in 1994, was used to house the National Gallery's collection during WWI

In more recent years, TfL reveals, Aldwych, pictured, has doubled up as a filming location for productions as diverse as The Prodigy's Firestarter music video, Superman 4 and zombie movie 28 Weeks Later

Tube stations have also played a part in Britain's cultural life, TfL continues.

It adds: 'Aldwych station (originally Strand Station when it opened on the Piccadilly line), for example, which shut in 1994, was used to house the National Gallery's collection during WWI and British Museum artefacts (including the Elgin Marbles), during WWII.

'In more recent years Aldwych has doubled up as a filming location for productions as diverse as The Prodigy's Firestarter music video, Superman 4 and zombie movie 28 Weeks Later.'
Italy's competition watchdog has opened an inquiry into Ryanair's policy for hand baggage, saying it is an 'essential item' for travellers.

From November, Ryanair is stopping its policy of putting larger bags brought to the gate in the hold for free.

Now every customer who brings two bags for their flight will be charged in some way, whether it's a priority boarding fee to bring two cabin bags or a check-in fee for something larger.

Italy's competition watchdog Antitrust has announced it is launching an inquiry into Ryanair's new baggage policy

Hand luggage is 'an essential element of transport' so Ryanair, and all other carriers, should include the price in the cost of a plane ticket, Antitrust said in a statement cited by the Italian press.

The new Ryanair policy could amount to unfair commercial practice in that it distorts the final price of the ticket and does not allow a true comparison with other airlines' prices, according to Antitrust.

Italian consumer associations had complained to Antitrust about the Ryanair decision.

'If its unfair commercial practice on hand luggage is confirmed, Ryanair... should reimburse all its customers who suffer unfair additional costs', the association Codacons said in a statement, promising to take the matter to court if necessary.

Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary. He previously said that letting passengers check in cabin bags at the gate was 'causing chaos'

But Kenny Jacobs from Ryanair insisted the new baggage policy was generous and that they would co-operate with the Italian inquiry in full.

He explained: 'We look forward to co-operating with this Italian inquiry.

'All Ryanair customers are free to bring one piece of carry-on bag on board. But no airline customer has a right to unlimited carry-on bags.

'For safety reasons, most short haul aircraft cannot accommodate two carry-on bags for each customer.

'From November, half our customers will continue to bring two "free" bags on board [see boxout below for clarification on why no one can actually bring two free bags on board] and the other half will continue to travel with one free small bag (which has been increased by 40 per cent in size) and can, if they so choose, check-in a second 10kg bag for a new lower fee of 8 (currently Ryanair's lowest-cost check bag is 25).

'All other airlines, including Alitalia, easyJet and BA, restrict the volume of carry-on bags for safety reasons. We look forward to explaining these safety restrictions and the generous carry-on bag policy to the Italian authority.'

The no-frills carrier has already altered its luggage policy twice this year and says the latest changes were necessary because too many passengers were arriving at the gates with big bags and placing them in the hold has been causing delays.

It originally thought that transferring big bags to the hold at the gate would speed things up because it would eliminate passengers struggling to fit wheelie bags into overhead lockers.

But in May, the airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary, admitted that letting passengers check cabin bags at the gate was causing chaos and a 'handling issue' on flights.

The Italian inquiry heaps even more negative publicity on the Dublin-based carrier whose shareholders on Thursday delivered a blow to the airline's chairman amid widespread strike action by European staff that has rattled confidence in the company.

Chairman David Bonderman was re-elected but only with 70.5 per cent of the vote at the annual general meeting - a drop from last year's assembly where he garnered a 89.1 per cent endorsement.

'Questions about the company's business model and governance now pose a threat to shareholder value,' said the chairman of one of the shareholders, the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum.
Soapland is ill-served by the prison service. The main problem is that the police never nail the person who did the crime in the first place, so its invariably the innocent who are banged up.

Corries Gail and Deirdre were behind bars through no fault of their own, and it remains to be seen if the same fate awaits Sally. There are some exceptions to the rule. Corries Tracy and Jim went down for crimes they really did commit, as did Clayton.

At this stage in EastEnders, we dont know if Mick shot Stuart, but given his permanent shifty look, he could be guilty of everything from the Great Train Robbery to the recent Russian poisonings. Janine was found guilty of a crime she didnt commit, while getting away with pushing Barry off a cliff (theyre a mean bunch, these soapland women).

The path to justice is at the heart of many storylines now. Corries Phelan was a walking episode of Murder, She Wrote until his demise; Emmerdales Lachlan is finally languishing in prison, but they took their time getting him there. One thing is certain: I wont be campaigning for the release of the Walford One.

EASTENDERS: NOT YOUR USUAL LOCK-IN

One can only hope that with Mick in prison after Stuart told the police it was Mick who shot him in the Queen Vic, someone might have the good sense to frow away the key. How will his ordeal affect his facial expressions and his linguistic skills?!

I wouldnt hold your bref if I were you. Life on the inside does not start well, but cellmate Bob steps in to help.

Apparently, the man to get Mick a burner phone so he can wish Johnny a happy birthday is Fraser  but theres a price to pay. Oh, Mick, what are you doing?

In prison Mick enlists the help of Fraser to get hold of a phone in order to wish Johnny a happy birthday - but there's a price to pay

Are you really that thick? (Rhetorical question; we know the answer.)

And who is the mystery woman who visits? Women, criminals and a man with an alphabet of 22 (tops) letters.

What could possibly go wrong? Sonia is worried when Bex tells her she wants to quit Sixth Form (not as surprised as the rest of us, who are still stunned she even made it that far).

The memory of Shakil is just too raw; however, Sonia suggests a transfer instead. Er, to where, pray tell?

Have we ever seen or heard of another school in the area? When Sonia meets with the Head of Sixth Form, she is told that Bex has the potential to attend a top university.

Really? I doubt she can even spell university, let alone Google the directions of a top one.

Change is also in the air for Keanu, who has decided he wants to be... wait for it... a minicab driver. As Shakespeares Mark Antony said in Julius Caesar, Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

CORONATION STREET: WALK-ON (AND OFF) PART

Oh, not again. No sooner has St Billy recovered from his drug episode than Adams drug dealer Ronan is back  with his son Cormac.

After Cormac gets a dishwashing job at the Bistro (seriously? Four plates a day, max), it becomes clear hes a wrongun. A night on the town ends in tragedy at Ryans flat where Cormac has a fit.

Ali tries to save him before the paramedics arrive but he dies. That wasnt much of a role.

Even the Rovers extras last longer than that. Ali is as useful as a tent peg in a dinghy and admonishes Ryan for not calling an ambulance before he got there.

A night on the town ends in tragedy at Ryans flat where Cormac has a fit. Ali tries to save him before the paramedics arrive but he dies

Has anyone noticed how little medical work Ali is actually doing, by the way? Has he even touched a stethoscope?

Talking of medics, Jude faints at the first aid course when Yasmeen cuts her finger, then lies to Angie about how well it went. He cant stop himself, can he?

I cant understand why he isnt just grateful that Angie wants out; has there ever been such a dull character? And whats happened to her accounting?

Does she even own a computer? And Steve gets the wrong idea when Tracy says shes giving him a free pass. Nothing is free with Tracy (apart from a knock on the head with an ornament).

EMMERDALE: SINGING IN THE PAIN

Singing is never a good idea in soaplands pubs. Where theres alcohol, theres tone deafness.

Add pregnancy into the mix and disaster is guaranteed. The heartbreaking story of Chas and Paddys baby comes to a climax at the stag do when, mid-song, Chas goes into labour.

Knowing that the baby will not survive, they have a tough road ahead. Its unlikely the doctor will be of much use because he spends the week pursuing Bernice.

I wouldnt try so hard, mate. Half a lager and a packet of pork scratchings will do the trick  though she likes a fine set of abs (oh, Andy, where did you go?), so get to the gym pronto.
Its official  Daredevil is coming back to Netflix sooner than you may have expected.

On Wednesday the streaming giant released an official trailer for the upcoming season, which featured on official release date. Daredevil will be available for streaming on Friday, October 19.

In addition to the trailer, Netflix released a new poster for the series. The red-washed poster features the pack of a shirtless man who appears to be walking through New York City with her arms outstretched in a cross-like fashion.

Netflix released a new trailer for the third season of Daredevil this week, confirming the show's release date

His head is hanging low and it appears a cloth has been tied around his face.

Daredevil Season three spoilers

Very little information has been revealed about Daredevil Season three. We do, however, know that the story line will be based off that of the Born Again comic book.

It wont be exact, but viewers can expect events and characters to be close to the written version.

That said, those tuning in to Daredevil Season three should note that Wilson Fisk (Vincent DOnofrio), also known as Kingpin, will most likely appear to wreak havoc on the shows heros life. Theres even a chance hell figure out that Matt Murdock and Daredevil are one in the same.

When will Daredevil season three premiere?

Daredevil will return to Netflix for a third season on Friday, October 19.

Netflix typically makes new shows available at 3am ET/12am PT to avoid spoilers between coasts.

Daredevil season three trailer

The Daredevil Season three trailer was released on Wednesday. It shows a bloodied Matt Murdock talking about evil and how impossible it is to defeat.

You can suffocate evil, starve it, lock it behind bars, but it will find a way to come back even stronger, he says. Theres only one true way to end evil. To finish it for good. Let the devil out.

The trailer has been viewed more than 100,000 times.
Chrissy Teigen is on a press tour to promote her recently released cookbook Cravings: Hungry For More and her Target collectionout September 30.

On Thursday, the 32-year-old model looked flawless as she stepped out in a red dress, an oversized blazer, and thigh-high black boots.

Teigen teamed her chic ensemble with gold hoop earrings and a black handbag.

Boss babe: Chrissy Teigen is on a press tour to promote her recently released cookbook Cravings: Hungry For More and her Target collectionout September 30

Chrissy gave fans a wave as she stepped into an idling SUV outside her Little Italy apartment.

The mom-of-two, who is married to John Legend, wore her short bob styled straight, while her glam included a nude lip and heavy contour.

Teigen's acrylic nails were painted slate grey.

So chic: On Thursday, the 32-year-old model looked flawless as she stepped out in a red dress, an oversized blazer, and thigh-high boots

Teigen's new cookbook, which boasts more than 100 recipes, hit stores on September 17.

In an interview with BUILD, the Utah native talked about her love for food.

'I like nostalgic foods and I like foods I have a story about. I love really hearty dishes with big, bold flavors,' she said.

'Hungry For More': Teigen's new cookbook, which boasts more than 100 recipes, hit stores on September 17

Chrissy went on to talk about her cookware line with Target.

'I wanted things to be handmade looking and timeless,' she said. 'I think we really nailed it. I'm so excited to make people proud of their kitchen.'

The collection includes more than 40 items all under $150.
She is set to tie the knot with Karl Stefanovic in December.

And it appears that bride-to-be Jasmine Yarbrough may have already celebrated her Bachelorette party in New York earlier this month.

A recent photo shared to Instagram by her good pal Tabitha Stoodley, shows the 34-year-old clad in a glamorous black frock and letting her hair down in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

Is this Jasmine Yarbrough's Bachelorette party? Karl Stefanovic's fiancee [pictured centre], 34, celebrated in style in New York earlier this month ahead of the couple's December nuptials

In the picture, Jasmine stuns in a high-neck sequinned black number and raises one lithe arm in the air.

Her blonde locks are styled in loose waves and she appears to sport an elegant makeup palette.

Joined by close friends and business associates, including manager Sharon Finnigan, Mara and Mine co-founder Tamie Ingham and publicist Raechel Temily, Jasmine appears to celebrate in style in front of New York's Brooklyn Bridge.

Jasmine's friend Tabitha shared the photo to Instagram on September 10, and hinted in the caption it was a hens party by writing: 'A bit of a blur, befitting the occasion,' alongside the hashtag #thelastfizz.

Not long to go: Karl, 44, and Jasmine are expected to wed in December

Luxurious: The couple will reportedly tie the knot at a picturesque chapel at the One&Only Palmilla Resort [pictured], in the seaside town of San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Karl, 44, and Jasmine are expected to wed in December at a picturesque chapel at the One&Only Palmilla Resort, in the seaside town of San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

Jasmine jetted out of Sydney late August on a first-class flight bound for Mexico, ahead of attending New York Fashion Week festivities.

The blonde reportedly jetted to San Jose del Cabo to finalise all the details ahead of her big day.

Karl is thought to have proposed to Jasmine at the Kokomo Island Resort in Fiji on January 14th.

Proposal: Karl is thought to have proposed to Jasmine at the Kokomo Island Resort in Fiji on January 14th. The pair exchanged vows in a 'commitment ceremony' in Sydney in March of this year

The pair exchanged vows in a 'commitment ceremony' in Sydney in March of this year.

Speaking with Nine's TheFIX earlier this year, Karl stated: 'When Jasmine came into my life, I had no thoughts of new love or the future, but we are happy and grateful we found each other.'

The Today show host was previously married to the mother of his three children Cassandra Thorburn for 21 years and their divorce was finalised last year.
She's the hard-working WAG who is also a mother-of-four, including twins, Tom and Darcy, almost two.

And SprayAus ambassador Rebecca Judd was celebrating the launch of the beauty brand's Dark Side range on Thursday in Melbourne.

The 35-year-old looked absolutely sensational at the event, showing off her very long and slender legs in a sexy black mini dress.

Legs for day! Mother-of-four Rebecca Judd flaunts her incredible pins and slender figure in a black mini dress and sky-high pumps at glamorous spray tan event

Bec wore a frock by Australian-Macedonian designer Toni Maticevski, which featured asymmetrical sleeves, an uneven neckline and was laced with a slight sheen to the leather fabric.

Worth approximately $1,350, the dress offered a glimpse of the beauty's thighs with a small slit on the left.

She teamed up the attire with a pair of black Italian-made pumps by Dolce Firm, worth $420.

Stunning: Bec wore a frock by Australian-Macedonian designer Toni Maticevski, worth $1,350 Australian dollars

The businesswoman swept her brunette locks to one side of her face and sported a glamorous makeup look consisting of a classic winged liner, lashings of mascara and a coral pout.

The busy mother shares her four young children, Oscar, seven, Billie, four, and twins, Tom and Darcy, two with husband Chris Judd, 35.

Speaking to Who Magazine in July, Bec spoke about how she managed to split her work commitments with motherhood.

'I have made sure I have two days in my week every week, during the Monday to Friday, that I have got off that I can do life errands, chill with the kids, do a bit of exercise,' she told the publication.

Details: The high-profile businesswoman swept her brunette locks to one side of her face and sported a glamorous makeup look consisting of a classic winged liner, lashings of mascara and a coral pout

Bec added that she was working for almost seven days a week at one point - but has now reduced it to three.

'When I resigned from weather a few years ago, I was working weekends - and I never want to work weekends again. I need to prioritise weekends,' she added.

And Bec told the magazine that she does not plan to have any more babies.

'I just don't want to split my attention any more...But I am in shock every day that I am a mother of four!' she gushed.

Brood: The busy mother shares her four young children, Oscar, seven, Billie, four, and twins, Tom and Darcy, two with husband Chris Judd, 35
The sister-in-laws are at it again.

Teresa Guidice and Melissa Gorga got in a nasty fight after making up last season in Us Weekly's new trailer for Real Housewives of New Jersey released Thursday.

The co-stars got into a war of words over the two new additions to the cast - Jennifer Adyin and Jackie Goldschneider - as Teresa screamed: 'You want something b**ch!'

Nasty: Teresa Guidice and Melissa Gorga got in a nasty fight after making up last season in Us Weekly 's new trailer for Real Housewives of New Jersey released Thursday

The brouhaha began with Melissa - who is married to Teresa's brother - pointing to Jennifer as she yells: 'Teresa, this ones got you going in circles. You dont even know what youre saying anymore!

And Teresa quickly retorts by motioning to Jackie: 'Youre drinking the f**king Kool-Aid with her!'

Melissa charges at Teresa: 'You got the wrong f**king girl!'

'We're Italians fro Jersey. We love hard. We fight hard. And we go hard,' Melissa explains in her confessional.

Testy: The brouhaha began with Melissa - who is married to Teresa's brother - pointing to Jennifer as she yells: 'Teresa, this ones got you going in circles. You dont even know what youre saying anymore!

Outburst: And Teresa quickly retorts by motioning to Jackie: 'Youre drinking the f**king Kool-Aid with her!'

Jackie - a lifestyle blogger - and Jennifer - a plastic surgeon's wife - have joined the cast as friends, filming with the other returning housewives Dolores Catania and Margaret Josephs.

According to her Twitter bio, Jennifer is 'Just a good ol' fashioned New Jersey housewife with 5 kids. Married to a Plastic Surgeon. Money and beauty? Means nothing without family!'

Mother-of-four Jackie, meanwhile, writes for her own blog, as well as scarymommy.com.

Wrong person: Melissa charges at Teresa: 'You got the wrong f**king girl!'

Love hard: 'We're Italians fro Jersey. We love hard. We fight hard. And we go hard,' Melissa explains in her confessional

Meanwhile, Teresa recently spoke about serving 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to 41 counts of fraud.

Her 45-year-old husband Joe Giudice, meanwhile, is currently serving his three year prison sentence for the same charges.

And his socialite wife told UsWeekly in February that the time behind bars is doing him well.

Getting personal: The housewives have some personal procedures during this season

'He's lost 60lbs and looks hot,' said Teresa as she attended WE tv's relaunch of the hit wedding show Bridezillas in New York City.

'Joe has lost so much weight,' the author began. 'I saw him last Saturday. He was 245 when he went in, and now he weighs 185.

'He looks so hot and I just cant wait for him to come home. Im really ready for him to come home.'

The Real Housewives of New Jersey premieres on Bravo Wednesday, November 7, at 9 p.m. ET.
Rihanna has always embraced her Barbados roots, and now she has a new title in her home country.

The Barbados Government Information Service announced today that Rihanna (real name Robyn Fenty) has been named Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary.

Her specific responsibility in this new post will be, 'promoting education, tourism and investment for the island,' which she has already been doing on social media.

Ambassador RiRi: Rihanna was named Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary, promoting education and tourism in her home country of Barbados

Earlier this week, Rihanna, 30, wrote an op-ed piece for The Guardian, where she described her experiences going to school in Barbados, and raised awareness for education deficit around the world.

She then took to Twitter to reach out to leaders from Germany, Japan, Finland and New Zealand, asking them to pledge funds for the Global Partnership for Education.

Rihanna was appointed one of Barbados' cultural ambassadors in 2008, to help promote tourism, but this title is much more expansive in scope.

Rihanna for education: Her specific responsibility in this new post will be, 'promoting education, tourism and investment for the island,' which she has been doing on social media

Fashion icon: Earlier this week, Rihanna celebrated the first anniversary of her cosmetics line Fenty Beauty, which made $100 million in its first 40 days.

'I couldnt be more proud to take on such a prestigious title in my home country. Every Barbadian is going to have to play their role in this current effort, and Im ready and excited to take on the responsibility. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mottley and her team to reimagine Barbados, she stated.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley made the announcement today, stating, 'Rihanna has a deep love for this country and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education.'

'She also shows her patriotism in the way she gives back to this country and continues to treasure the island as her home,' Mottley added.

Giving back: Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley made the announcement today, stating, 'Rihanna has a deep love for this country and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education'

Earlier this week, Rihanna celebrated the first anniversary of her cosmetics line Fenty Beauty, which made $100 million in its first 40 days.

She also graced the cover of the 'Best of Beauty' issue of Allure Magazine, which honored the 'Year of Fenty.'

The musician/actress also starred in the hit heist drama Ocean's Eight, and she is currently filming Guava Island with Letitia Wright and Donald Glover.
She balances raising her children with her soaring television career.

And Tina O'Brien got the balance just right when she brought her daughter Scarlett along to Matilda's red carpet at The Palace Theatre in Manchester on Thursday.

The actress, 35, enjoyed a fun-filled evening with the little girl she shares with the Celebrity Big Brother winner Ryan Thomas, aged nine.

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree! Tina O'Brien looked fantastic in a leopard print skirt as she enjoyed a girls' night with Ryan Thomas' daughter Scarlett at Matilda musical on Thursday

Tina placed a comforting hand on her child's left shoulder when they posed for pictures together.

The Coronation Street star paid tribute to the catwalk trends in her mid-length pleated leopard print skirt and sand coloured jacket.

Sexing up her look, Tina accessorised with a lace choker as well as bringing a burst of colour with her red lipstick and matching heels.

On the prowl: The Coronation Street star paid tribute to the catwalk trends in her mid-length pleated leopard print skirt and sand coloured jacket

How lovely! The actress, 35, enjoyed a fun-filled evening with the little girl she shares with the Celebrity Big Brother winner Ryan Thomas, aged nine

Meanwhile, her daughter Scarlett looked adorable in a red sweater, a plaid skirt and a pair of boots.

Tina and Scarlett enjoyed the girls' night out at the theatre which brought to life Roald Dahl's classic Matilda.

Matilda tells the story of a gifted girl who discovers she has telekinesis which she uses to fight her unkind parents and the evil schoolmaster Trunchball.

Very together: Tina placed a comforting hand on her child's left shoulder when they posed for pictures together

Close: Tina's on-screen Corrie brother Jack P Shepherd also arrived at the launch with girlfriend Hanni Treweek

Tina, who is best known for her roles in Coronation Street and Waterloo Road, raises her daughter amicably with her ex Ryan.

Scarlet was seen showing her support for her dad by wearing a 'My dad to win' T-shirt before he secured the crown on Celebrity Big Brother.

The former flames fell in love while playing on-screen husband and wife on Coronation Street.

Pretty in plaid: Corrie star Kym Marsh looked sensational in her quirky trousers as she joined her daughter Polly

Lovely in leopard print! Also following the fashion trends, Samia Longchambon stunned in her animal print number while Cath Tyldesley looked sensational in her racy coat

Waltzing onto the scene: Brooke Vincent showcased her winter chic in her sand coloured sweater and olive trousers

Tina and Ryan's love story flourished for six years, with the couple really hitting it off in 2003 before they parted ways for good in 2009.

The mother-of-two also shares her son Beau, aged three, with her current love and her fiance Adam Crofts.

In May, the actress gave a candid interview to the Express where she gave fans a rare glimmer into her weekend with her kids.

Casually cool! Ellie Leach threw on her leather jacket when she headed to see the musical among a whole host of stars in Manchester

'After I get home from work on Friday, I spend some time with the children.' She told the publication. 'Once the kids are in bed, it's time for a bottle of wine and a Deliveroo.

'We're normally up at about 7am on Saturday because Beau won't sleep later than that. We watch a bit of kids' TV, get dressed and Adam goes to the fitness classes he runs for children.

'I head to The Drama Mob, a children's Saturday morning acting school that I run.'
She was every inch the doting wife as she supported her husband Charlie Brooker at the 70th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday night.

And Konnie Huq appeared delighted as she attended the re-opening of the Royal Opera House in London on Thursday evening.

The former Blue Peter host, 43, exuded elegance as she donned a sophisticated batwing blouse, which she tucked into a pair of black bell-bottoms.

Radiant: Konnie Huq appeared delighted as she attended the re-opening of the Royal Opera House in London on Thursday evening

The presenter boosted her physique in a pair of simple black heels, and carried her possessions in a tan brown satchel bag.

Keeping her accessories to a minimum, Konnie sported a stone pendant bodychain, and tied in her ensemble with a skinny grey belt.

The mother-of-two went for her signature minimal make-up look, which featured light touches of foundation and glossy brown lipstick.

London's Royal Opera House re-opened after a three-year transformation worth 50.7million.

Strong team: The former Blue Peter host, 43, was every inch the doting wife as she supported her husband Charlie Brooker at the 70th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday night

Chic: The presenter exuded elegance as she donned a sophisticated batwing blouse, which she tucked into a pair of black bell-bottoms (pictured with Alex Beard)

All in the details: Keeping her accessories to a minimum, Konnie sported a stone pendant bodychain, and tied in her ensemble with a skinny grey belt

Beaming: The mother-of-two went for her signature minimal make-up look, which featured light touches of foundation and glossy brown lipstick

Konnie's appearance comes after attended this year's Emmy Awards, where she looked on proudly as her husband Charlie, 47, picked up his third Emmy for his hit series Black Mirror.

The sighting delighted viewers who reminisced about Konnie's days as a children's TV favourite.

Konnie, who looked gorgeous in a black lace dress, gave her husband a kiss as he and his co-writer William Bridge were announced as the winners in the category of writing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special.

Sophisticated: Jo Wood accentuated her slender frame in a clingy midi dress and a chic blazer at the event

Industry pals: The 63-year-old was joined by choreographer and Strictly Come Dancing star Arlene Phillips

Star-studded: Actress Diane Morgan (L) stunned in a velvet pantsuit while Game of Thrones' Samantha Spiro (R) looked elegant in a floral blouse and red culottes

Radiant: Harriet Thorpe (L) and Jennifer Saunders (R) appeared in high spirits at the re-opening of the arts venue

Suave: Paul O'Grady (L) and Andre Portasio (R) put on dapper displays in their sharp suits

Charlie thanked Konnie in his acceptance speech, along with a mention for their sons Covey, six and Huxley, four.

'And our wives, we have to thank our wives, Konnie's out there and Jules. Jules went for a wee then came back just in time,' Charlie quipped of William's wife.

'And I need to to thank my children, I don't know why, they're only four and six years old so it turns out they're not really into Black Mirror.'

Fans were ecstatic to see Konnie, who was the longest-serving female presenter of Blue Peter from 1997 until 2008, back on screens, with one fan tweeting: 'Seeing Konnie Huq on American TV at the #Emmys is something I'll never quite get over.'

Proud: Konnie's appearance comes after attended this year's Emmy Awards, where she looked on proudly as her husband Charlie, 47, picked up his third Emmy for his hit series Black Mirror

Touching: Charlie thanked Konnie in his acceptance speech, along with a mention for their sons Covey, six and Huxley, four

'Konnie Huq on NBC is a nice sight. A long way from Milkshake,' added another.

Earlier this year, Konnie's husband paid tribute to the TV star and their two sons, revealing his whirlwind romance with her and becoming a parent changed him for the better.

The talented writer told BBC 4's Desert Island Discs that marrying Konnie in a Las Vegas ceremony after just nine months together in 2010 and deciding to become a dad was 'the best decision' he had ever made.
Fans have mercilessly mocked The Bachelor's Sophie Tieman after she admitted she had 'never heard' of visionary scientist, Nikola Tesla, on Thursday night's episode of the show.

During the segway relay challenge, the property valuer from Brisbane incorrectly answered a multiple choice question about 'who Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins would like to sit next to on a park bench.'

As Sophie, 25, pondered the options she revealed she had never heard of the third choice - Nikola Tesla, prompting viewers to brand her a 'dumb, dumb' on Twitter.

'OMG you dumb dumb!' Fans have mercilessly mocked The Bachelor's Sophie Tieman after she admitted she has 'never heard' of visionary scientist, Nikola Tesla, on Thursday night's episode of the show

'Sophie you dumb dumb why haven't had you heard of Tesla?' one viewer wrote.

'Sophie doesnt know who Tesla is....omg!' another Twitter user wrote.

Meanwhile one viewer nastily reacted to Sophie's lack of knowledge, with: 'She's never Never heard of Nikola Tesla... Not surprising.'

Oh dear: During the segway relay challenge, the blonde property valuer from Brisbane incorrectly answered a multiple choice question about 'who Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins would like to sit next to on a park bench'

'Sophie you dumb dumb why haven't had you heard of Tesla?' one viewer wrote on Twitter

'Sophie doesnt know who Tesla is....omg!' another user wrote on Twitter

'Not surprising': Meanwhile one viewer nastily reacted to Sophie's lack of knowledge, with: 'She's never Never heard of Nikola Tesla... Not surprising'

Meanwhile some Twitter users poked fun at the blonde's on-screen blunder by sharing a number of GIFs.

'Doesn't know who Tesla is?' one fan wrote alongside a moving picture of a woman yelling: 'Get out!'

One fan posted a GIF of The Weakest Link presenter, declaring: 'You are the weakest link. Goodbye!'

'Doesn't know who Tesla is?' one fan wrote alongside a moving picture of a woman yelling: 'Get out!'

'You are the weakest link. Goodbye!' One fan posted a GIF of The Weakest Link presenter, infamously declaring: 'You are the weakest link. Goodbye!'

One user even took aim at the ex-Wallabies star, 30, sharing: 'I highly doubt Nick even knows who Nicola Tesla is'

'Sophie...Riding a "Subway." Who is Nikola Tesla?' the fan captioned the GIF.

One user even took aim at ex-Wallabies star Nick, sharing: 'I highly doubt Nick even knows who Nicola Tesla is.'

During the segway relay the female contestants were split into two teams and were required to do one lap of the track riding the two-wheeled transportation vehicle.

At the change over of the race, host Osher Gunsberg asked the contestants a multiple choice question about Nick.

After the bubbly blonde completed one lap of the track, she was quizzed about 'who Nick would like to sit next to on a park bench.'

'If Nick could sit next to anyone on a park bench who would it be?' Osher asked.

He continued: 'A: Nelson Mandela, B: The Dalai Lama or C: Nikola Tesla?'

Challenge: After the bubbly blonde (pictured) completed one lap of the track on a segway she was quizzed about 'who Nick would like to sit next to on a park bench'

'S**t! I know the first name, I know the second name.. .who the hell is this third guy?' Sophie said in a piece-to-camera.

'I've never heard of him before in my life!' she said in reference to the Serbian American inventor.

She continued: 'I'm freaking out and all I'm thinking to myself is holy s**t.'

However she pulled herself together and answered: 'B - Dalai Lama.'

'Incorrect,' Osher remarked.

'I've never heard of him before in my life!' Sophie (pictured) said in reference to the Serbian American inventor

'Oh s**t what is it?' Sophie (pictured) made another gaffe earlier in the scene as she confused the segway with a 'subway'

Sophie made another gaffe earlier in the scene as she confused the segway with a 'subway.'

'I'm having so much fun on this subway! Oh s**t what is it? Segway,' Sophie said.

Nikola Tesla is known for developing the alternating current which helped safely distribute electricity at great distances.

He experimented with X-Ray and radio technology, working in rivalry with Thomas Edison.
Candy Spelling celebrated her 73rd birthday on Thursday.

And famous daughter Tori marked the occasion by sharing a sweet throwback snap of the two of them together to her Instagram.

In the caption, Tori expressed her love for her mother and credited Candy with making her 'a strong woman'.

Heartfelt: Candy Spelling celebrated her 73rd birthday on Thursday. And daughter Tori marked the occasion by sharing a sweet throwback snap of the two of them together to her Instagram

In the photo, Candy is seen wearing a long-sleeved orange blouse with black detailing and leaning towards her baby daughter as they sit on a rug on a lawn.

Tori is dressed in a nautical-themed yellow dress with white collar and holding a rag doll.

The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star, 45, wrote: 'I knew I loved yellow for a reason Happy Birthday to my always chic mommy @candyspelling We  you!!'

She added: 'I am a strong woman because of you and I honor you today! #TBT #motheranddaughter #alwayslovemymommy.'

Sent love: Tori, 45, paid tribute to her mom in the social media post, writing: 'Happy Birthday to my always chic mommy @candyspelling We  you!!' I am a strong woman because of you and I honor you today!'

'#familyisforever': In May, Candy had shared a throwback snap of Tori with her and Aaron Spelling to mark her daughter's 45th birthday

Candy, who married to Tori's dad TV mogul Aaron Spelling from 1968 until his death in 2006, and Tori have not always had an easy relationship.

After Aaron died, it emerged that the bulk of his estimated $500 million fortune would go to his widow.

Tori received just $800,000 under the terms of her dad's will.

In an interview with the New York Times in 2014, Candy appeared to suggest that the reason was due to her daughter's proclivity for lavish spending.

'She would close a store and drop $50,000 to $60,000,' Candy said. 'I never did anything like that. She just went crazy.'

Not easy: Tori, seen out with husband Dean McDermott last month, had a fractious relationship with her mom for a while after dad Aaron's death. She received just $800,000 under the terms of his will while Candy inherited the bulk of the TV mogul's estimated $500 million fortune

Struggle: Tori and Dean, who wed in 2006, have five children and the former Beverly Hills, 90210 star has spoken in the past about how difficult it is to manage her finances

Tori has documented in her reality show True Tori and memoir Spelling It Like It Is how hard it was for her to adjust to new financial circumstances.

In her 2013 book, she explained: 'I grew up rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams. I never knew anything else. Even when I try to embrace a simpler lifestyle, I can't seem to let go of my expensive tastes.'

However, in the past several years, Candy and Tori seem to have mended fences and Candy is a doting grandmother to Tori's five children with husband Dean McDermott.

She also helps out with the children's private school fees and the rent on the family home.
She may be busy with the launch of her WelleCo flagship store in New York.

But Elle Macpherson's two sons Flynn, 20, and Aurelius Cy, 15, will always be the most important thing in her life.

'I have two incredible men in my life: my boys,' she gushes to BW magazine in a new interview.

'I have two incredible men in my life': Supermodel Elle Macpherson has gushed over sons, Flynn, 20, and Aurelius Cy, 15, in a new interview

The 54-year-old shares her two boys with former partner, London-based French financier Arpad Busson.

The couple split up in 2005, and she began dating billionaire Jeffrey Soffer in 2009. The two married in 2013 at the exclusive Laucala Resort in Fiji.

Elle moved her family from London to Miami in 2014, one year after their wedding.

Former flame: Elle shares her two sons with ex-boyfriend, London-based French financier Arpad Busson (pictured centre left)

Last year, it was announced that she and Soffer would be getting a divorce after eight years together.

According to Woman's Day last year, Elle was reportedly set to keep her $26 million Miami mansion as well as earn an extra $53 million in cash in the alleged divorce.

She is now dating Andrew Wakefield, a former British doctor who was the driving force of the anti-vaxxer movement.

Former flame: She began dating billionaire Jeffrey Soffer (pictured) in 2009 and the two married in 2013 at the exclusive Laucala Resort in Fiji. The couple pictured at the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2015 in Miami Beach, Florida. They split last year

Elsewhere in the interview, Elle poked fun at false reports of her love life.

She said, 'In the last few months, I have been doing all sorts of things I had no idea about, like dating Brad Pitt and getting a $100 million divorce settlement'.
The House With A Clock In Its Walls (12A)

Verdict: Exhilarating fun

Rating:

The Little Stranger (12A)

Verdict: Gloomy but captivating

Rating:

The diminutive Jack Black is on towering form as an eccentric small-town warlock, those dancing eyebrows going like the clappers, in Eli Roth's beguiling comedy- horror-fantasy, The House With A Clock In Its Walls.

Cate Blanchett is wonderful, too, as the benign witch next door. But matching both these movie stars every step of the way is a prodigiously talented youngster, Owen Vaccaro.

He plays ten-year-old orphan Lewis Barnavelt, who arrives to live with his Uncle Jonathan (Black) after his parents' death in a car accident. Soon, Uncle Jonathan is teaching him spells.

Ticking all the right boxes: Jack Black, Owen Vaccaro and Cate Blanchett in The House With A Clock In Its Walls

It's a great yarn. How strange that nobody has made up stories about an orphaned boy wizard before. Or maybe they have. I forget.

Actually, one of the triumphs of this film is that it doesn't seem at all derivative, and nor should it, since it is based on a novel by John Bellairs published in 1973.

That was about the time a primary schoolgirl called Joanne Rowling got to know some people in her Gloucestershire village called Potter and decided she liked the name.

The memory stayed with her into adulthood. But long before Harry Potter, there was Lewis Barnavelt.

This story is set in the mid-Fifties, in the fictional Michigan town of New Zebedee.

Roth, in tandem with his screenwriter Eric Kripke, nicely evokes the social conservatism of the Eisenhower-era Midwest, but there's also a great scene in which Lewis learns wizardry accompanied by Little Richard singing Long Tall Sally.

Oddly, Rock Around The Clock doesn't feature, but maybe they thought that would make one timepiece too many in a story that has lots already.

We first meet Lewis as he arrives in town on a bus. Uncle Jonathan, a former stage magician who went one step further and became a warlock, is his late mother's brother.

Lewis has never met him, and Uncle Jonathan puts the 'strange' well and truly into 'estranged'.

But then Lewis doesn't fit in, either. He is bookish and bow-tied, wears goggles in homage to his favourite TV character and is duly bullied at his new school.

Moreover, he now lives at 100 High St, a prosaic address for the town's spookiest house.

The house isn't just spooky in a forbidding way, though. It has some dark secrets, but is also joyfully enchanted, full of furniture that often cheerfully, although sometimes balefully, comes alive.

Uncle Jonathan lives there in close cahoots with his purple-clad neighbour Florence Zimmerman (Blanchett).

They bicker a lot, but affectionately, although Florence emphasises that they are not romantically entwined. 'Your uncle and I aren't anything kissy-faced,' she tells Lewis, who gradually warms to these two, distinctly odd, surrogate parents.

Domhnall Gleeson and Ruth Wilson put in mesmerising performances in The Little Stranger

Like Meryl Streep and Judi Dench, Blanchett has the natural comic timing with which some, though by no means all, great straight actresses are blessed.

She's a hoot, and appears to enjoy herself as much as you would expect in a role that requires her to shoot demonic Halloween pumpkins with her umbrella.

The malevolent pumpkins have been mobilised by Uncle Jonathan's former showbiz partner, Isaac Izard (Kyle MacLachlan), who was an altogether decent fellow until, while serving in Germany during World War II, he was turned bad by an evil warlock he met in the Black Forest.

Before he died, he buried a magic clock deep within the walls of his house, which Uncle Jonathan now occupies.

If Izard comes back from the dead, the clock will be activated and will turn back time  with dire consequences for humanity.

Uncle Jonathan must find and stop it, not only for that reason, but also simply because the ticking gets on his nerves. That's why he's filled the house with other clocks, to drown out his torment.

It's just as weird as it sounds, but huge fun, with some glorious special effects. In fact, it would be a nigh-on perfect family picture except that Roth is a horror film specialist (one of the so-called 'splat pack'  directors known for scenes of explicit violence and gore).

Just occasionally, that shows. So be warned that there are some images which might alarm the under-tens. But everyone else should be richly entertained.

Another seemingly haunted house is at the heart of The Little Stranger, which also has a post-war setting, although this is not affluent Fifties America but austerity-racked Britain.

It is 1948. Hundreds Hall in Warwickshire has belonged to the Ayres family for centuries, but crippling death duties have turned it into a slowly crumbling wreck.

'The Labour government won't be happy until we're begging for our lives on street corners,' grunts Roderick Ayres (Will Poulter), a dreadfully disfigured war veteran, who lives in the house with his brisk, spinster sister Caroline (Ruth Wilson) and their grand matriarch of a mother (Charlotte Rampling).

The film opens with a village doctor arriving to treat the family maid, Betty (Liv Hill). This is Dr Faraday (Domhnall Gleeson), whose late mother was herself once a servant at Hundreds Hall.

Faraday has broken free of his working-class origins. But as he befriends the family, and in particular Caroline, he can never quite escape the nuances of the English class system.

In some striking ways, the story, based on the 2009 novel by Sarah Waters, is reminiscent of L. P. Hartley's The Go-Between.

Hundreds Hall is a place full of memories, not all of them pleasant. Faraday is fixated by the recollection of a boyhood visit to the house, nearly 30 years earlier, while the family appear to be haunted by another Ayres daughter, Susan, who died as a child.

All this coalesces into an effective blend of ghost story, social history and psychological thriller, which is no less compelling for being rather relentlessly gloomy.

Gleeson reprises the repressed Englishman role that he performed in last year's Goodbye Christopher Robin, except more so.

He possibly could have injected just a little more animation into stiff Dr Faraday, who generally makes an Easter Island statue look like a song-and-dance man. But maybe that's the point. In the parlance of the time, he's rather a queer cove.

At any rate, director Lenny Abrahamson and screenwriter Lucinda Coxon have done a fine and powerful job with their source material and are rewarded with one truly mesmerising performance.

All the acting is good, but Wilson, as dutiful, unhappy Caroline, stands apart.

It's Gone Girl, but with jokes thrown in

A Simple Favour (15)

Verdict: Twisted, slick and fun

Rating:

Paul Feig, a director known for making broad comedies with female protagonists, such as Bridesmaids (2011) and the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, has come up with something slightly different: a darkly comic thriller that feels as if it might have been conceived by someone watching 2014's Gone Girl and thinking, 'this could do with a few laughs'.

It stars the reliably engaging Anna Kendrick as Stephanie, a widowed mother of a young son who video-blogs about home-baking and is a somewhat nervous, frumpy paragon of single-parenthood.

There's a great deal to enjoy about A Simple Favour, but it falls on in the last third. Pictured: Blake as Emily

One day at the school gate in suburban Connecticut, Stephanie encounters her polar opposite: willowy, gorgeous Emily (Blake Lively).

She is a high-flying Manhattan fashion-company executive who would no sooner volunteer to make class cupcakes than wear Walmart dungarees, and can't keep her hands off her dishy husband Sean, an English professor played by Henry Golding (currently making hearts flutter as the billionaire hunk in Crazy Rich Asians).

Despite their differences, the two women are soon friends, but then, after asking Stephanie to mind her son  the simple favour of the title  Emily goes missing. The police are called in, phone records are checked, lakes are dredged.

At first, Stephanie's attempts to find her pal are restricted to appeals on her video-blog and putting up posters ('I've never seen her pass up the chance to use a stapler,' comments another parent, bitchily).

But gradually she turns into a proper sleuth, a self-raising Miss Marple, and in discovering a whole baking-tray of uncomfortable truths about Emily, also kind of finds herself.

It's very slickly plotted and written  by Jessica Sharzer, adapting Darcey Bell's novel  and Lively rises to one of the best roles of her career; she is a terrific foil to Kendrick.

Golding seems a little wooden, though it might just be his frightfully English accent. It's a treat to see Rupert Friend in a cameo as a camp designer.

So all in all, there's a great deal to enjoy. I confess I lost interest in the determinedly twisty plot about two-thirds of the way through, but maybe that was just me. I know plenty of people who loved it all the way to the end.
Fans might eagerly await the weddings on Married At First Sight, where two strangers meet for the first time at the altar after being matched by experts.

But now it's been claimed that the wedding scenes are fake.

KIIS FM Celeb HQ host John Caldwell spoke on his radio show this week and claimed that the moment the couples meet for the first time is shot over and over again.

'It's not real!' Claims that Married At First Sight's wedding scenes are staged... as producers 'shoot and re-shoot' the first time the couples see each other at the altar to get the perfect shot (pictured is Sarah Roza and Telv Williams)

'It's not real what you're seeing,' John claimed.

He made the claim when he revealed that a wedding for the next season of the show was being filmed at Sydney's Centennial Park this week.

'The rumour that has come out of some of these weddings... is that they are re-shooting, you know the opening scene, where they see them for the first time and they gasp,' John said.

And action! 'The rumour that has come out of some of these weddings... is that they are re-shooting, you know the opening scene, where they see them for the first time and they gasp,' John said (Dean Wells and Tracey Jewel are pictured)

Retakes: 'They shoot and shoot and re-shoot that scene until they are happy with it apparently,' John (pictured) claimed

'They shoot and shoot and re-shoot that scene until they are happy with it apparently,' he claimed.

However Sarah Roza called into the show and said that the opening shot for her wedding was 'authentic'.

The 39-year-old was 'married' to Telv Williams on the last season of Married At First Sight, but the pair have since split.

'The first time I saw him was the time that you guys saw it all happen as well,' Sarah said.

'It was legit': However, Sarah Roza called into the show and said that the opening shot for her wedding was 'authentic'

'I was absolutely s****ing my pants before I saw him so you could see that all over my face on TV that it was legit and authentic.'

She said she did not do any retakes, and that the scene was simply shown from different angles.

Married At First Sight is expected to return to television in early 2019.

Daily Mail Australia has contact Nine for comment in relation to this article.
Carlton Gebbia has finalized her divorce form her businessman husband, David.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Thursday signed off on a settlement the 44-year-old beauty - who appeared on season four of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - agreed to with David, who she shares three children with, according to TMZ.

David Gebbia in November of 2017 cited irreconcilable differences in his divorce filing from the one-time Bravo star, according to the outlet, which noted that the pair had separated almost a year before the filing.

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Changing times: Carlton Gebbia, 44, has finalized her divorce form her businessman husband, David, more than two years after their separation. She was snapped in 2017

The couple first exchanged vows in September of 1997, later separating in August of 2016. They are parents to three kids: daughters Destiny and Mysteri, and son Cross.

Following their split, they remained living at the 75,000 sq. foot Gotchic style mansion they shared in Beverly Hills, People reported, with an insider telling the magazine they remained 'under the same roof for the wellness of their children.'

Speaking with People last year, the stunning reality star, known for her Wiccan faith, said that the parting 'just sort of happened naturally' amid 'a gradual breakup of our relationship over a period of time.'

She said 'it was never a verbal decision between' she and David, who she described as her 'best friend' and 'soulmate for 20 years.

In the middle of things: Carlton was seen standing between sisters Kim and Kyle Richards in this shot from RHOBH

Devoted dad: David was snapped with the couple's three kids, daughters Destiny and Mysteri, and son Cross

Living her best life: The gorgeous TV star used her arms as a perch during a Hawaiian vacation lats month

'He was my everything, but we've been together a long time,' she said.

Gebbia, who grew up in both England and South Africa, said that unlike some of her Real Housewives colleagues, her stint on the Bravo series was not a bad thing for their relationship.

'I have to add, because I have heard about the Housewives curse, my experience with Bravo and the show actually made my relationship with David stronger,' she told the magazine. 'He has always had my back, but this was like a different animal. We had a partnership and worked really well together.'
Hugh Jackman was all smiles when he arrived at his luxury condo in New York City's West Village on Thursday.

The 49-year-old Australian actor, who was joined by his wife Deborra-lee Furness, 62, was also seen chatting away with a male friend.

It comes after Hugh revealed the 'secret pact' he and Deborra-lee made when they first got married that has made them one of Hollywood's most enduring couples.

Home, sweet home! Hugh Jackman arrived at his New York City condo on Thursday with his wife Deborra-lee Furness. The couple are pictured with a male friend

The Wolverine star cut a suave figure in a light blue dress shirt, steel grey trousers and black shoes.

He completed his look with a suit jacket and leather belt, and slung a casual backpack over his shoulder.

Appearing in high spirits, Hugh smiled as his wife embraced a male friend.

His A-list best: The Wolverine star cut a suave figure in a light blue dress shirt, steel grey trousers and black shoes

Deborra-lee also cut a stylish figure in an all-black ensemble and tied her blonde hair away from her face.

The sighting comes after Hugh told Who magazine on Thursday that he and Deborra-lee have a 'secret pact' that has helped keep their marriage on track.

The couple, who married in Melbourne in 1996, make sure to speak to each other before making any big decisions that could impact their family.

Gesture: The Australian actor shook the hand of his male friend

'When Deb and I got married, we made a pact that we would look at each other at every turning point in our lives and ask ourselves if this is good or bad for our family,' Hugh explained.

The Les Miserables star added that even though a certain role may be beneficial for his career, it may often be unsuitable for his family.

Agreement: The sighting comes after Hugh told Who magazine on Thursday that he and Deborra-lee have a 'secret pact' that has helped keep their marriage on track

'There's been times I'll say, "Oh my God, there's this film and it's such and such and it's this and that" and very rarely, [Deb] looks at me and she's like, "No, now is not the best time", and she is just the best barometer of that,' he explained.

However, Hugh insisted that his wife has always supported him and made her own sacrifices for their family.

He recalled the time when Deborra-lee once gave up an opportunity to study directing at the Victorian College of the Arts.

At the same time he had been offered a role in the musical Oklahoma in London.

While he told Deborra-lee that the family, including children Oscar, 18, and Ava, 13, would stay in Australia so she could study, she insisted he take on the role.
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro took a break from his roommates on Thursday's episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.

The 32-year-old reality star departed for the sake of his baby daughter Ariana after trouble with his girlfriend Jen Harley.

He left a note behind saying that he needed a few days to clear his head.

Vacation break: Ronnie Ortiz-Magro took a break from Jersey Shore: Family Vacation on Thursday's episode to clear his head after trouble with his girlfriend Jen Harley

Ronnie during a confessional admitted that things between him and Jen could be 'toxic forever'.

He was shown at a law firm and at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department getting information apparently related to Jen's recent arrest for domestic violence against him.

'I need to make a change for my daughter Ariana so she has stability and foundation,' Ronnie said.

He told the camera that he decided to leave his friends at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas to avoid bringing them down.

Case number: The 32-year-old reality star got information apparently related to Jen's recent arrest for domestic violence against him

Baby daughter: Ronnie decided to leave his roommates in order to look out for his baby daughter Ariana

Law firm: The Jersey Shore star talked about his desire to change with a sign for his attorney n the background

'I don't want my roommates to have a bad time because of my s***,' Ronnie said.

He wasn't the only one missing as Vinny Guadagnino, 30, returned to Staten Island following the death of his Uncle Sal.

Jenni 'JWoww' Farley, 32, also left early after she was blindsided by Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi , 30, inviting her nemesis Angelina Pivarnick, 32, to Sin City.

Early exit: Jenni 'JWoww' Farley told the group that she was leaving early

Snooki was consoled by her gay best friend Joey Camasta who arrived just before JWoww flew home.

Joey went out with the group to a nightclub and made Ronnie uncomfortable by invading his space and stroking him.

'My space. Me. You. Don't touch. I'm not a piece of meat,' Ronnie said.

New addition: Snooki's best friend Joey arrived to Las Vegas

Best friends: Joey and Snooki were happy to see each other

Angelina danced with Paul 'DJ Pauly D' DelVecchio and raised eyebrows with their grinding.

'Girl, you cheated,' said Snooki of engaged Angelina.

Ronnie slipped away after the night out and Snooki later noted that he was maturing.

Dirty dancing: Angelina Pivarnick and Paul 'DJ Pauly D' DelVecchio danced dirty together

Called out: Snooki pointed out that Angelina was cheating on her fiance

Joey and Angelina also went wild when they went to a Chippendales male revue show with Snooki.

Ronnie and Vinny were recruited by DJ Pauly D to return to Las Vegas for an extended vacation with him and Michael 'The Situation' Sorrentino.

Pauly demanded they keep it secret from the girls and worried that Operation Guys Weekend would be derailed by The Situation and his propensity for spilling secrets.

Male revue: Angelina was brought up on the stage at Chippendales

Stage presence: A male stripper took it all off in front of Angelina

Loving it: Joey thoroughly enjoyed the Chippendales show

Secret mission: Pauly D and The Situation agreed to a secret extended vacation

He rehearsed saying good-bye with Michael to make sure he wouldn't blow it.

'Play this cool and we'll be fine,' Pauly D said.

Michael when he next saw the whole group said, 'I've had an amazing time and I'm not staying here'.

Rehearsal time: The Situation rehearsed saying good-bye with Pauly

Pauly D rolled his eyes and told the cameras that The Situation needed to 'shut up' and 'stop talking'.

Ronnie after returning from his self-imposed exile immediately accepted Pauly D's invitation to join the one-night, guys-only extended vacation.

'I like that idea. I need a drama-free night,' Ronnie said.

Great idea: Ronnie was excited about the guys-only extended vacation

On the 'last' day of vacation, the group went to a pool party where Joey hooked up with a look-alike and kissed him in their private cabana.

Vinny called Pauly at the pool party and he walked away to talk to him outside of earshot from the girls.

'Is that Vin?,' The Situation asked aloud.

Hooking up: Joey at the pool party hooked up with a look-alike

'It's my mom,' Pauly D responded before calling it a wrap with the pool party.

The Situation on the ride back to Planet Hollywood asked Pauly D if they could 'go race vehicles tomorrow' and then quickly added that he was joking and leaving.

Vinny waited in the casino as Snooki, Angelina and Joey packed their bags.

Close call: The Situation almost ruined the secret extended vacation

Waiting game: Vinny waited in the casino for Snooki, Angelina and Joey to leave

Pauly and The Situation put them in cabs to the airport as they managed to keep the extended vacation a secret.

'Oh, yeah. Boys weekend,' Pauly said with a wild grin.

A preview of the next episode showed the guys partying in Vegas and Pauly D bringing women back to their room.

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation will return next week on MTV.
He recently admitted he has no talent and is 'past his prime'.

And it appears life in the spotlight may have taken its toll on former Married At First Sight star Nasser Sultan.

The 51-year-old, who is usually an avid social media user, unexpectedly changed his Instagram account to private on Thursday.

Is everything okay? Fears grow as Married At First Sight star Nasser Sultan, 51, goes private on Instagram after admitting to having no talent and being 'past his prime'. Pictured on Married At First Sight with his 'ex-wife' Gabrielle Bartlett

Bullied into silence? Nasser has often spoken about his battle with online trolls, so it is possible he turned his account private for this reason. Pictured: Nasser's private Instagram page

Nasser has often spoken about his battle with social media trolls, so it is possible he turned his account private for this reason.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted him for comment.

It comes after Nasser told Guardian News on Wednesday that he was surprised at his popularity because he 'doesn't have any talent'.

'I'm not the best looking and I'm past my prime': It comes after Nasser told Guardian News on Wednesday that he was surprised at his popularity because he 'doesn't have any talent'

'I've become famous overnight. It's crazy because I don't really have any talent, I'm not the best looking and I'm definitely past my prime, but everywhere I go people keep coming up to say hello,' he said.

Nasser added that he was still single and looking for love after her TV 'marriage' to alopecia sufferer Gabrielle Bartlett fell apart.

Reflecting his two relationships since leaving the show, Nasser said distance was the reason behind one break-up while the other person was only with him for money.

'She soon got a shock when she found out just because you're on TV, you're not filthy rich,' he laughed.

At least he's honest! 'I've become famous overnight,' Nasser said. 'It's crazy because I don't really have any talent, I'm not the best looking and I'm definitely past my prime'

Meanwhile, Nasser is set to return to reality TV next year as one of the contestants on Network Ten's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

He told Daily Mail Australia on Monday: 'I'm not sure how I'd deal with the bugs but I'm open to offers.'

The fifth season of I'm A Celebrity will begin filming in January 2019.
He shot to fame after appearing on popular experimental program, Married At First Sight.

And it seems that Telv Williams' 15 minutes of fame is over.

The 34-year-old bemoaned on Friday that he has failed to get the coveted blue verified tick from social media giant, Instagram.

Do you know who I am: MAFS star Telv Williams failed to get the coveted blue tick from Instagram to verify his profile

'I tried': The 34-year-old tried to play the rejection from the social media giant off cool

'Your account wasn't verified because it doesn't meet the criteria for verification,' Instagram notified the FIFO worker.

'You can submit another request in 30 days.'

Telv tried to play it cool, but didn't seem too happy with the news and captioned the image, 'Oh well I tried' with a emoji crying of laughter.

Not verified: Telv posted an Instagram story on Friday letting his followers know he wasn't verified by the image sharing application

Underneath he wrote 'EAD' which is an abbreviation most commonly used for the phrase 'eat a d***'.

To make verification status on Instagram there are four pieces of criteria - the account is authentic, unique, a profile which is complete and the account must represent someone or something of note.

Meanwhile, another Married At First Sight star has also had a hard time getting verification from Instagram.

The reality TV star shot to fame after his on-screen marriage to Sarah Roza on Married At First Sight

'Highly searched for person': Nasser Sultan also failed to get the Instagram verification symbol

Earlier this year, Nasser Sultan, 51, arrived unannounced at the offices of Instagram in Sydney in an attempt to get his blue tick.

The star declared down the intercom: 'It's Nasser from Married At First Sight and I'm here for my blue tick, can I come up and get verified?'

After talking with a member of staff over the speaker, he responded: 'No, I have filled out the forms already. Listen, I'll come up and we can talk about it.'

Nasser claims he was invited in but then left the building, claiming he had been kicked out.
Her tearful exit from The Bachelor on Thursday night's episode led many fans to speculate that she was intoxicated.

And on Friday, Shannon Baff addressed rumours she was 'drunk' while being escorted away from the rose ceremony by Nick Cummins.

The 25-year-old told News.com.au it was 'hard to watch' herself beg the rugby star for a second chance - but insisted it wasn't the booze talking.

'I'm a grown woman, I'll have a champagne at my own will!' The Bachelor's Shannon Baff has addressed claims she was 'drunk' during her tearful last rose ceremony

'It was hard to watch - I found it very difficult [to watch], those emotions are pretty raw,' she said of her final conversation with Nick.

Shannon also responded to fans suggesting that she was 'drunk' during her elimination.

'I'm a grown woman, I'll have a champagne at my own will,' she said.

'It was hard to watch': Shannon's tearful exit from The Bachelor on Thursday night's episode led many fans to speculate that she was intoxicated

Hitting back: On Friday, Shannon responded to fans suggesting that she was 'drunk' on the show, telling News.com.au: 'I'm a grown woman, I'll have a champagne at my own will'

After failing to receive a rose on Thursday's episode, Shannon delivered a rambling speech to Nick outside the mansion.

Rather than leave quietly, she told the former Wallaby he was making a mistake by sending her home.

'We would have made a great couple!' she said. 'You haven't got to know me. I was hanging onto s**t, man.'

Her behaviour caused many fans on Twitter to wonder whether she was intoxicated.

'She is drunk or something': While saying goodbye to Nick for the last time, Shannon's behaviour caused many fans on Twitter to wonder whether she was intoxicated

Nick has just six contestants left vying for his heart on The Bachelor, which concludes next month.

It is believed radiographer Brittany Hockey wins the show, but a production source confirmed to Daily Mail Australia last week the relationship was already over.

The Bachelor Wednesday at 7.30pm on Network Ten
Heidi Klum is not ready to walk down the aisle just yet.

After wearing a huge diamond ring on her left hand at the Emmys on Monday and America's Got Talent on Tuesday, fans were quick to speculate the supermodel got engaged to beau Tom Kaulitz, 29.

But the 45-year-old denied wedding bell rumors as she told People on Wednesday: 'I dont know why everyone keeps saying that [Im engaged]. Everyone is asking me.'

Denial: Heidi Klum, 45, denied engagement rumors on Wednesday despite wearing a large diamond ring on Monday to the Emmys

'When you do what I do, you wear a lot of fashion. A lot of jewelry. I always look for something that goes with the outfit. So, I wear big rings,' she continued.

Unfortunately, the hostess of Project Runway was only borrowing the bauble.

'There is nothing more to it than that. Tomorrow I have to give it back. Sad, the German-born stunner added.

The mom-of-four - to daughters Leni, 14, and Lou, eight, and sons Henry, 12, and Johan, 11 - was previously in a years-long relationship with art dealer Vito Schnabel, 32, until a year ago.

Rumors: After wearing a huge diamond ring on her left hand at the Emmys on Monday and America's Got Talent on Tuesday, fans were quick to speculate the supermodel got engaged to beau Tom Kaulitz, 29

Truth tea: 'When you do what I do, you wear a lot of fashion. A lot of jewelry. I always look for something that goes with the outfit. So, I wear big rings,' she said

She's been dating the Tokio Hotel musician since March.

Since, then, the globetrotting lovers have been seen in passionate embraces in breathtaking locales from Cabo San Lucas Mexico to Ponza, Italy.

She told InStyle in July that people seemed to be fixated on the age difference in their relationship.

'Lately, Im being reminded more about my age by people other than myself.

'My boyfriend is many years younger than me, and lots of people are questioning that and asking about it,' she said. 'That's really the only time when age seems to be shoved in my face and I have to give an answer for it.

'I don't really think about it that much otherwise. You have to just live a happy life without worrying too much about what people think because worrying is only going to give you more wrinkles.'
She climbed to fame as a star of the hit MTV series Laguna Beach, before creating a successful fashion empire.

But Lauren Conrad headed north of Orange County on Friday as she attended the Palisades Village Opening Gala.

The 32-year-old television television personality donned a scintillating red dress as she attended the exclusive Pacific Palisades event.

Lady in red: Lauren Conrad headed north of Orange County on Friday as she attended the Palisades Village Opening Gala

The devilish frock featured slink straps and and a plunging neckline that revealed a hint of her cleavage.

Her long blonde tresses tumbled over her shoulders in relaxed waves and she was all smiles as she graced the red carpet.

She added a few inches to her 5ft 4in frame with a pair of nude heels and kept accessories light, opting for a delicate gold necklace and almost matching bracelet.

Painting her lips a robust red and adding a touch of blush to her already rosy cheeks, the Hills alum looked happy to be back in the camera's lens.

Night out: The 32-year-old television television personality donned a scintillating red dress as she attended the exclusive Pacific Palisades event

It was a solo trip out for Lauren as her husband William Tell was not seen on the red carpet.

The former The Hills star and the former Something Corporate rhythm guitarist began dating in 2012 and got engaged in 2013.

The couple got married in September of the following year.

In July 2017, Conrad gave birth to their first child, a son named William Liam.

Due to the constructs of her new life as a mother and busy schedule, she recently announced she would not be joining The Hills reboot.
It seems Dasha Gaivoronski hasn't wasted any time jumping back into the dating scene after being kicked off The Bachelor Australia.

The 32-year-old Russian beauty, who will be eliminated from the show in the coming weeks, was spotted flirting with a mystery man in Adelaide on Thursday.

Dasha couldn't wipe the smile off her face and even flashed a silver ring on her wedding finger while enjoying a casual date at the restaurant Penny University.

That's not the Honey Badger! The Bachelor's Dasha Gaivoronski put on a flirty display with a mystery man in Adelaide on Thursday

The personal trailer - who has a five-year-old son, Leon, from a previous marriage - appeared in happy spirits as she chatted to her male companion.

The pair were joined by a female friend and looked relaxed as they sipped coffee outside the trendy eatery.

After lunch, the group strolled to the nearby Rundle Mall for a shopping trip, where Dasha was seen admiring a pair of studded Valentino heels.

Something to smile about? Dasha couldn't wipe the smile off her face and even flashed a silver ring on her wedding finger while enjoying a casual date at the restaurant Penny University

Making you laugh? The 32-year-old Russian beauty will be eliminated from the show in the coming weeks - but it looks like she hasn't waste any time jumping back into the dating scene

Three's a crowd? The pair were joined by a female friend (left) and looked relaxed as they sipped coffee outside the trendy eatery

Effortlessly chic: For the outing, Dasha looked glamorous in a pink dress which she paired with a military-style coat and colourful sneakers

For the outing, Dasha looked glamorous in a pink dress which she paired with a military-style coat and colourful sneakers.

She styled her long brunette hair back in a sleek ponytail and accessorised with a black quilted Chanel handbag.

Looking like she just stepped off a photo shoot, Dasha's makeup - including dewy foundation and dark eyeliner - was flawlessly applied.

Stunning: She styled her long brunette hair back in a sleek ponytail and accessorised with a black quilted Chanel handbag

Retail therapy: After lunch, the group strolled to the nearby Rundle Mall for a shopping trip

She has expensive taste! Dasha was seen admiring a pair of studded Valentino heels

Meanwhile, her male companion kept it simple in an all-black ensemble featuring a hooded top along, skinny jeans and white trainers.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Dasha for comment.

The Bachelor continues Thursday at 7:30pm on Network Ten

Breakout star: Dasha is one of the most popular contestants on this year's season of The Bachelor

New outfit? The reality TV star was pictured carrying a white garment bag as she strolled through the shopping mall
Sylvia Jeffreys looked blooming beautiful at the Youngcare long lunch in Sydney on Friday.

The 32-year-old offered a glimpse of her toned back in a Rebecca Vallance pink frock with a racy cut-out.

The blonde also drew attention to a large bouquet of flowers as she exited Bar Machiavelli restaurant in Rushcutters Bay.

Blooming beautiful! Sylvia Jeffreys (pictured), 32, showed off her flawless figure in an open back pink frock, while holding a large bouquet of flowers in Sydney on Friday

Sylvia teamed the slim-fit design with a pair of strappy nude heels that elongated her frame.

The Today show presenter accessorised with a structured black leather handbag, slung over one arm.

Sylvia's cropped blonde locks were styled in soft waves framing an elegant makeup palette.

Racy: The Today show presenter highlighted her lean back in the striking frock

Details: Sylvia accessorised with nude strappy heels and a structured black leather handbag

Slender stems: Sylvia's choice of footwear accentuated her lean legs

Content: Sylvia appeared in high spirits, seen beaming for the cameras

The TV personality draw attention to a flawless complexion and lashings of black mascara.

Sylvia posed at the event with her Channel Nine colleagues, including mother-to-be Natalia Cooper, Karl Stefanovic, Georgie Gardner, Richard Wilkins and Tim Gilbert.

Mane appeal: The TV personality's blonde locks were styled perfectly for the day

Radiant: Sylvia showed off her blemish-free visage and immaculate makeup palette. Sylvia is pictured with a Youngcare member

Supportive bunch: Sylvia posed alongside mother-to-be, Natalia Cooper (centre), and fellow Channel Nine stars Karl Stefanovic (far left), Georgie Gardner (second left), Richard Wilkins (second right) and Tim Gilbert (far right)

Familiar faces: Sylvia posed alongside the premier of NSW Gladys Berejiklian (centre) and CEO Anthony Ryan (right)

Sylvia, who is a Youngcare National Ambassador took to Instagram to gush over the success of the long lunch.

'Brilliant news just in...the fabulous, generous crowd at todays Youngcare Long Lunch raised a total of $76,000 for young Aussies with high care needs!!! An amazing effort,' she wrote.

Sylvia is a reporter on Channel Nine's the Today show.

She wed colleague and Karl Stefanovic's younger brother Peter Stefanovic in 2017.
They are two of the most beautiful female stars in Hollywood.

And on Thursday, Charlize Theron and Kate Beckinsale lent their star power to the opening of a shopping center in the upscale west LA neighborhood of Pacific Palisades.

The actresses were a study in contrasts with South African Charlize opting for a black knee-length dress with long sleeves and English Kate choosing an off-the-shoulder full-length white gown.

Showstoppers: Charlize Theron, left, and Kate Beckinsale, right, lent their star power to the opening of a shopping center in the upscale LA neighborhood of Pacific Palisades Thursday

Charlize, 43, was the epitome of style in her chosen outfit with its high neck and frilly tiered skirt.

The leggy blonde wore a pair of white sandal heels and her bobbed hair was sleekly styled and tucked behind her ear on one side.

She sported blue polish on her fingernails and matte pale pink color on her lips and accessorized with eye-catching diamond hoop earrings.

On trend: Charlize, 43, was the epitome of style in her chosen outfit with its high neck and frilly tiered skirt. The leggy blonde wore white sandal heels and her bobbed hair was sleekly styled

Lovely: Kate, 45, was simply flawless in her choice of figure-hugging gown. Her silver sandal heels revealed the black polish on her toenails and she wore the same color on her fingernails

Kate, 45, was simply flawless as usual in her choice of the figure-hugging gown.

Her silver sandal heels revealed the black polish on her toenails and she wore the same color on her fingernails.

Her long locks were tied back into a ponytail and she added shimmery shadow around her eyes.

The Underworld star completed her look with blusher on her cheeks and glossy dark pink lip color.

Natural beauty: The English actress tied her long locks back into a ponytail and added shimmery shadow around her eyes

Star: Kate completed her look with blusher on her cheeks and glossy dark pink lip color as well as a pair of dangly earrings

Also on the VIP list for the opening of Palisades Village was actress and Elvis Presley's granddaughter Riley Keough.

She flaunted her cleavage in a black mini dress slashed to the waist with a long, wide golden sash wrapped around the waist and falling down the back.

Riley, 29, put on a leggy show in towering black heels and left her long brunette locks loose around her shoulders.

Fellow celebrity offspring Katherine and Christina Schwarzenegger also attended the event, posing together on the red carpet.

Turned heads: Actress and Elvis Presley's granddaughter Riley Keough flaunted her cleavage in a black mini dress slashed to the waist and tied with a long golden sash

Looking good: Riley, 29, put on a leggy show in towering black heels. She left her long brunette locks loose around her shoulders

Night out: Fellow celebrity offspring Katherine and Christina Schwarzenegger also attended the event, posing together on the red carpet

Classy: Actress Mindy Kaling arrived wearing a dark blue dress with a round neckline and long sleeves with fluffy cuffs. She added silver sandal heels and scarlet red lip color

Actress Mindy Kaling arrived wearing a dark blue dress with a round neckline and long sleeves with fluffy cuffs.

She added silver sandal heels and scarlet red lip color.

Designer Rachel Zoe, 47, was dressed in a strapless black gown with a bow at the bust and accessorized with chunky gold necklaces and a matching bracelet along with a shiny gold clutch.

Molly Sims, 45, shone in a white gown decorated with yellow floral motifs tied with a black sash.

The model and actress was accompanied by husband Scott Stuber, 49, in a black tuxedo suit

Designer duds: Rachel Zoe, 47, was dressed in a strapless black gown with bow at the bust and accessorized with chunky gold necklaces and matching bracelet along with a gold clutch

Fashionable: Molly Sims, 45, shone in a white gown decorated with yellow floral motifs tied with a black sash. She was accompanied by husband Scott Stuber, 49, in a black tuxedo suit

Selling wares: Jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer, 41, who has a store in the new mall, paired a black strapless top with a black skirt along with black sandal heels

Dressed up: Tom Hanks's wife Rita Wilson showed up in a loose-fitting silky black jumpsuit tied at the waist with a gold chain belt. She added black sandals and several gold neck chains

Jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer, 41, who has a store in the new mall, paired a black strapless top with a black skirt along with black sandal heels.

Tom Hanks's wife Rita Wilson showed up in a loose-fitting silky black jumpsuit tied at the waist with a gold chain belt.

She added black sandals with glittery chunky heels and several gold neck chains.

Veteran comedian and actor Billy Crystal and wife Janice made a date night of the gala opening.

The 70-year-old star looked dapper in a black three-piece suit with a white shirt left unbuttoned at the collar.

Janice, 69, whom Billy married in 1970, looked stylish in a white trouser suit and sparkly sandal heels.

Happily married: Veteran comedian and actor Billy Crystal and wife Janice made a date night of the gala opening with the 70-year-old star looking dapper in a black three-piece suit

Entertainer: John Legend who was hired to perform at the party arrived in a tuxedo

Couple goals: Actor and comedian Kevin Nealon, 64, beamed with wife Susan Yeagley, 46, on his arm in a red sequin gown that showed off her legs

Date night: Scooter Braun, 37, posed for photos with pregnant wife Yael Cohen, 31, who looked lovely in a black and gray gown
Her recently revealed friendship with Drake has drawn some criticism.

But Millie Bobby Brown won't let the haters dictate who she chooses as friends, and took to Instagram on Thursday to defend the relationship.

The 14-year-old actress posted twice to her social media about people's reactions, first condemning those trying to tell her how to live her life, and second thanking those who supported her choices.

Scroll below for video

My choice: Millie Bobby Brown won't let the haters dictate who she chooses as friends, and took to Instagram on Thursday to defend her relationship with Drake

'Why u gotta make a lovey friendship ur headline? U guys are weird for real,' she started her first post.

'I'm lucky to have people in the business extend their time to help me further my career and offer their wisdom and guidance.

'I'm very blessed to have amazing people in my life. U don't get to choose that for me.'

Adding, 'It's nice to have people who understand what I do. Now get back to talking about real problems in this world other than my friendships jeez.'

The second post read, 'To all the supporters: I love you guys. Thank you for supporting me. Many thanks to u guys. Sending my love to wherever u are in the world.'

Jeez: The 14-year-old actress posted twice to her social media about people's reactions, first condemning those trying to tell her how to live her life, and second thanking those who supported her choices

Appreciated: The second post read, 'To all the supporters: I love you guys. Thank you for supporting me. Many thanks to u guys. Sending my love to wherever u are in the world'

Millie said she and Drake often text one another that they miss each other.

The Stranger Things star told Access at the Emmys Monday that she and the rapper, communicate by text about a number of topics.

'We just texted each other the other day and he was like, 'I miss you so much,' and I was like 'I miss you more,'' she said, adding, 'He's great.'

Brown said that the In My Feelings artist gives her advice with how to deal with boys: 'About boys, he helps me.'

The Spain-born actress called the Toronto native a 'great friend and a great role model,' adding, 'I love him; I met him in Australia and he's honestly so fantastic.'

Hollywood friendship: Millie told Access at the Emmys Monday that she and Drake, 31, often text one another that they miss each other

The Netflix star said that she hopes to catch him in concert later this fall when his tour arrives in Atlanta.

She opened up to W magazine earlier this summer about her relationship with the rapper, as a picture they took together while both working in Australia went viral last November.

She told the magazine in July that since their first meeting, they now 'talk all the time.

'He invited me to his concert,' she said. 'And now we talk all the time. I ask his advice.'

While the Stranger Things actress is comfortable with Drake, there's other male stars that still leave her starstruck.

Pals: The 14-year-old star's photograph with the Hotline Bling hitmaker, which was taken when they were both working in Australia, went viral last November and she revealed that since their first meeting, they now 'talk all the time'

Discussing whether she's changed since she first found fame, she said, 'I don't think I've changed. I'm not thinking, Oh, I know everything now. I still get nervous. I still get anxious.

'Although, even back then at the BAFTA tea, when I met Justin Timberlake, I swear I could have fainted.'

And Millie could 'barely speak' when she came face-to-face with her childhood idol, Zac Efron.

Asked her favorite toy as a child, she said: 'A microphone that had High School Musical on it. I could sing with Zac Efron!

'I watched High School Musical every single day. When I met Zac Efron, I could barely speak.'

Young star: When Millie first auditioned for Stranger Things in 2015, she had no idea how big the show would be or how much it would change her life

When Millie first auditioned for Stranger Things in 2015, she had no idea how big the show would be or how much it would change her life.

She said: 'I didn't know anything about it. Every part of the show was top secret. I Skyped with the directors [brothers Matt and Ross Duffer], and we spoke about '80s movies--E.T., Stand by Me, and Poltergeist.

'I flew to L.A. for a screen test, and the next day I got the job! I was 11.

'We did the show, and I went back home to England. I thought, 'OK, it's a little show. What's next?' And then we came to America for the premiere.

'Three days later, my whole life changed. People went crazy! My followers went up to one million in one day.

'Magazines wanted me. One of my goals was to be on the cover of W, and you see? Dreams do come true.'
Australian-Zimbabwean actress Charmaine Bingwa has officially been named as the winner of the 2018 Heath Ledger Scholarship.

Up against hundreds of candidates by a highly-acclaimed judging panel, the 33-year-old remarkably made history as the first black woman to win the coveted award.

And Charmaine took a moment on stage after her win to credit the late Heath Ledger in inspiring her to openly come out as gay.

'That's the power of performance': Charmaine Bingwa (pictured) won the 2018 Heath Ledger Scholarship and credited the late actor in inspiring her to come out as openly gay

Referring to Heath's iconic performance in Brokeback Mountain, the budding actress said: 'It inspired me to live my life to the fullest and I came out as openly gay. That's the power of performance.'

'I think Heath believed in everyone having a fair go but the current state of screen diversity means that not everybody is able to have a fair go.

'As a female, as a person of colour, as a gay person, I have the trifecta here,' she added.

Winner: Up against hundreds of candidates by a highly-acclaimed judging panel, the 33-year-old remarkably made history as the first black woman to win the coveted award

Charmaine explained that, for her, Heath epitomises the ability of an artist to have a deep and lasting effect on others.

'I remember him saying in interviews that he wanted the character's mouth [in Brokeback Mountain] to feel like a clenched fist and have the words punching out of his mouth because the character was living a life of such pain,' she warmly stated.

In honour of the beloved actor, the scholarship is often awarded to an ambitious and highly talented Australian as a way of encouraging and launching an immediate start to their career.

Homage: Referring to Heath's iconic performance in Brokeback Mountain, the budding actress said: 'It inspired me to live my life to the fullest and I came out as openly gay'

Heartbreaking moment: Charmaine was crowned as the 10th winner of the award - which also marked a decade since Heath's tragic passing. Pictured: Heath Ledger

Charmaine was crowned as the 10th winner of the award - which also marked a decade since Heath's tragic passing.

And the Perth-sider has already made her mark in the industry with stellar performances in films such as Glow, Last Words and Nekrotronic.

Success: The Perth-sider (pictured, third from right at back) has already made her mark in the industry with stellar performances in films such as Glow, Last Words and Nekrotronic

Charmaine has also previously received nominations for the Sydney Theatre Award and Broadway World's Best Supporting Actress, thanks to her role in Doubt: A Parable.

Adding another notch to her already-successful belt, Charmaine created and co-directed LGBTI comedy series, Little Sista.

The prosperous show has won multiple awards including the LGBT Toronto Film Festival Award in 2017, OWF and Sicily Web Fest in 2018.
 So much great content and commentary at "The Appeal" | Main | "Freedom Now or a Future Later: Pitting the Lasting Implications of Collateral Consequences Against Pretrial Detention in Decisions to Plead Guilty" 

September 21, 2018

Why is the Sessions' DOJ now taking death penalty off the table for Donald Fell after so much cost and agony for victims?

The question in the title of this post emerges from this notable federal capital news, headlined "Accused killer Donald Fell to take plea deal, avoid death penalty," emerging from Vermont in a long-running multiple murder case. Here are the basics:

Nearly 20 years after he allegedly kidnapped and murdered a Vermont grandmother, accused killer Donald Fell is changing his plea and will avoid the death penalty. Terry King, 53, was arriving for work at the Rutland Price Chopper in 2000 when police say Donald Fell and Robert Lee carjacked her, drove her to New York and killed her on the side of the road. Fell was convicted and sentenced to death in 2005. But his federal conviction was overturned due to juror misconduct and a new death penalty trial was set to begin. But now there is a plea deal that takes the death penalty off the table. Court documents show Fell will plead guilty to four federal crimes, including carjacking and kidnapping with death resulting. In exchange, he will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. A judge must still accept the agreement. Fell's alleged accomplice, Robert Lee, never stood trial. He killed himself in prison. Fell and Lee were accused of two other murders that night. Police say before kidnapping Terry King, the men murdered Fell's mother, Debra, and her friend, Charles Conway in Rutland. But those killings took a back seat to King's murder because the feds were charging the men in that case since they brought King across state lines. The feds also had the death penalty to bargain with. The state of Vermont does not have a death penalty.

As highlighted via prior posts below, Fell's legal team has been making an aggressive case against his continued capital prosecution. But I sincerely doubt federal prosecutors found any of their claims compelling or really worried that federal judges would. So I am inclined to assume that federal prosecutors just concluded, presumably with the blessing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, that throwing more federal taxpayer dollars after the pursuit of federal death sentence was just not a good investment of limited resources (perhaps especially because the feds have not executed anyone in over 15 years).

That all said, I still find this decision especially striking because the victims here are vocally against this plea resolution. This local article, headlined "Victim's family says justice not served with Fell plea deal," explains the family's reaction while also suggesting federal prosecutors had to work had to talk them into being content with this resolution:

The family of Terry King says justice is not being served. That's their response to news a plea deal has been reached with King's accused killer, Donald Fell. The deal means Fell will avoid the death penalty. "I mean they beat her to death. Beat her to death while she prayed for her life. And yet he is allowed to live? What justice is that?" demanded Barbara Tuttle, Terry King's sister. Tuttle is talking about Donald Fell, the man accused of the brutal murder of Terry King. The North Clarendon grandmother was kidnapped on her way to work back in 2000. "It is a total embarrassment for the U.S. government as far as I am concerned, a total embarrassment," Tuttle said. And King's sister says she speaks for the entire family.... "If you are going to have the death penalty, then enforce it. If you are not going to use it, then why is the law there? Why all these appeals over and over and over again? Eighteen years of this," Tuttle said. Tuttle says her family has known a plea deal was in the works for several weeks. Under the deal, Fell will plead guilty to four federal crimes including carjacking and kidnapping with death resulting. Tuttle says her family was convinced by prosecutors it was the best way to go to avoid another lengthy trial and appeal process. "I would just as soon go to court all over again if I knew that he would come out with the death penalty. And it was actually be enforced and we wouldn't have to go through 18 more years of appeals," she said. "It is ridiculous." Tuttle says at least she won't have to keep being reminded of the case once Fell is sentenced to life without parole. She hopes if any good can come of the story, maybe it can lead to changes in the system. "They are always talking about criminal justice reform. Let me tell you, this is a perfect example of why our system is broken," she said.... It is important to note that a federal judge still needs to approve this deal. The case goes back to court Sept. 28.

I doubt the family member speaking here would be content with abolition of the death penalty as a way to fix this part of a broken capital criminal justice system. But I find it so telling that the "tough-and-tougher" federal administration that Prez Trump advocates and that AG Sessions seeks to implement ultimately gave up here on what should not be a uniquely hard capital prosecution. Another notable data point to support the view that the long-running litigation war against the death penalty is ever closer to a complete victory.

Prior related posts:

September 21, 2018 at 11:43 AM | Permalink

Comments

The real issue here is the fact that death penalty appeals are so lengthy and expensive. The only way to fix that is to start taking issues off the table. The Supreme Court could do that, if it chose to. So I'd blame the Court more than Sessions.

Posted by: William Jockusch | Sep 22, 2018 11:25:32 AM

What an extraordinary waste of taxpayer money by the feds.

Posted by: Michael Mannheimer | Sep 24, 2018 5:13:07 PM

Post a comment
Destiney Rose broke down over her absentee father during Thursday's episode of Shahs Of Sunset.

The 37-year-old party planner over wine with Mercedes 'MJ' Javid, 46, said her father left for Iran when she was a girl and she didn't see him until 10 years ago.

'It wasn't affectionate. I was just scared. I just shut down,' Destiney said as she fanned herself.

Absentee father: Destiney Rose broke down while trying to find answers about her absentee father on Thursday's episode of Shahs Of Sunset

Destiney then shared a painful memory recounting how she confronted him and said her father would never leave her mother and his children.

'You're not my daughter, my daughter would never speak to me like that,' Destiney said he replied.

'That was the moment I was like f*** everybody,' she admitted before fleeing to cry in the bathroom.

MJ tried to console her after admitting that she sees a 'younger version of myself in Destiney.'

Private investigator: The 37-year-old party planner hired a private investigator to find her father

Tears flowing: Destiney cried while telling Mercedes 'MJ' Javid about her father

'It takes a strong person to be vulnerable,' MJ told her.

Destiney later told her mother Tammy that she needed answers to her 'ancestral drama' in order to move on with her life.

Reza Farahan, 45, supported her as Destiney asked her mother to help her find her father.

Time out: Destiney fled to the bathroom to cry as she got emotional

Bitter truth: Tammy warned her daughter that the 'truth is always bitter'

'You need to know these answers,' Reza said and Destiney's mother after expressing reluctance agreed to help.

Reza later joined Destiney as she met with private investigator Monique who she hired to track down her father.

Destiney said that her mother found him 10 years ago and brought him to her home in Santa Monica.

Reluctant participant: Destiny's brother was reluctant but agreed to help her daughter

She told the investigator that she sneakily went through his suitcase and found different identification cards from Japan, Russia, Egypt and other countries.

'He does speak seven languages,' Destiney said.

Destiney said she didn't know if her father had any siblings and how long he was married to her mother and cried again as she feared he has another family.

Suitcase items: Private investigator Monique listened as Destiney shared what she knew about her father

Little known: The reality star cried as she feared that her father has another family

'I think her mom knows everything. She's protecting her kids,' Reza said.

Reza also was shown seeing a therapist about his estranged father.

'You were a big disappointment,' Reza told his therapist during a role-playing exercise.

Estranged father: Reza Farahan was shown seeing a therapist about his estranged father

Reza was being pressured by his husband Adam Neely to start a family and told his therapist that he wasn't 'scared' of fatherhood.

He cried, however, as he admitted that he didn't want to be one of those people who make the same mistakes as their parents because it's all they know.

The show opened with MJ getting ready for her upcoming wedding to Tommy Feight.

Wedding plans: MJ's mother and her fiance Tommy joined her to go over wedding details

MJ insisted that she was not a 'bridezilla', but said that everything had to be 'exactly perfect the way I want it'.

Adam converted to Judaism for Reza so their future family would all be of the same religion.

Mike Shouhed, 39, then invited Adam and Reza to his new home for a Passover Seder meal.

Chill bride: MJ said that she wasn't a 'bridezilla' but wanted everything to be 'exactly perfect the way I want it'

Religious conversion: Adam Neely was shown undergoing his conversion to Judaism

Seder invitation: Mike Shouhed invited Reza and Adam to Passover Seder at his new house

His new girlfriend Morgan, 26, cooked the Seder meal and Reza invited her to the upcoming bachelorette bash in Las Vegas.

'Set your woman free. Let your girlfriend go to Vegas,' Reza said during the episode titled It's Passover: Let Your Girlfriend Go!.

Mike had not yet introduced Morgan to his family but MJ at a hookah bar told Morgan she could meet his parents at her wedding.

The cook: Morgan cooked the Seder meal for Mike and his guests

'Introduce her or cut her loose,' MJ said.

Nema Vand helped out Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi with a photoshoot for her new WuSah line of cannabis products.

GG was supported by her proud parents as she embarked on the business.

Shahs Of Sunset will return next week on Bravo.

Cannabis products: Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi participated in a photoshoot for her new line of cannabis products
She rose to fame as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels.

And once again Stella Maxwell proved her model credentials as she stormed the Moschino Spring/Summer '19 catwalk alongside Jasmine Sanders on Thursday during Milan Fashion Week.

The 28-year-old Belgian native strutted down the runway in a branded Moschino jumpsuit and graphic-print jacket before transforming into a more feminine 80s ensemble.

Strut: Stella Maxwell proved her model credentials as she stormed the Moschino Spring/Summer '19 catwalk

Stella donned the pink bodysuit which featured chains emblazoned across the front, pairing it with a vibrant jacket with ruched collar detailing.

A continuing theme at the Moschino show were the scribble print tights, which Stella slipped her lithe pins into, completing her look with matching stilettos.

The girlfriend of Kristen Stewart, who recently revealed she will be designing her own line of handbags, toted a pink and white bag down the runway.

Fierce: Following Stella's jaunt down the runway, model Jasmine Saunders made a statement in a glittering leopard print mini

Stella's make-up look offered a perfectly airbrushed feel, as if she had stepped out of a magazine of the same era, teaming it with a jaunty white boater hat.

She later slipped into an equally wacky ensemble, taking to the catwalk again in a girly figure-hugging dress and scribble tights, no doubt turning heads as she went.

Following Stella's jaunt down the runway, Jasmine made a statement in a glittering leopard print mini.

Model prowess: Stella's make-up look offered a perfectly airbrushed feel, as if she had stepped out of a magazine of the same era, teaming it with a jaunty boater hat

Vibrant: The 28-year-old Belgian native strutted down the runway in a branded Moschino jumpsuit and graphic-print jacket before transforming into a more feminine 80s ensemble

Her plunging dress showcased her incredibly toned physique, putting her lithe pins on full display, while adding extra inches with a pair of satin platforms.

Jasmine began modelling when she was just 13-years old. Over the years, she has been featured on the fashion magazine pages of Vogue, Galore, Seventeen, and many more.

She has also modelled for popular brands like Forever 21, Aldos, Ralph Lauren and Smashbox.

The model eventually transitioned to acting and got her big break in the film School Dance in 2014, which then led to roles in Smooth Talking Sexy hair and Glosses.

Bonkers: Stella donned the pink bodysuit which featured chains emblazoned across the front, pairing it with a vibrant jacket with ruched collar detailing

80s chic: She later slipped into an equally wacky ensemble, taking to the catwalk again in a girly figure-hugging dress and scribble tights, no doubt turning heads as she went

Details: Stella's look was enhanced further with a pair of heart shaped statement earrings

And being friends with the likes of Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner hasn't hurt her ability to get noticed.

Social media has also helped garner her world-wide attention, with more than three-million Instagram followers and counting.

'I honestly started using Instagram for their filters,' said Sanders in an interview with Vogue. 'I would upload just to steal the filter and later delete, until I noticed that people actually started liking my posts and my style.'

Sanders credits social media with giving models a real voice. 'Social media allows us to show everyone that theres more beyond the supposed glitz and glam of the industry. We have the power to share what we truly love and what makes us happy.

Scribbles: Scribbles seemed to be the order of the day at Moschino as the models opted for items in the unusual pattern
She shot to fame playing Queen Bee of the Upper East Side, Blair Waldorf.

And Leighton Meester has since revealed that she will never revive her role as the privileged teen, while admitting that Gossip Girl was an 'unhealthy environment' during an interview with PorterEdit.

However, now all grown up the actress, 32, is still every inch the style queen as she posed in the back of an open-top car.

Chic: Leighton Meester has revealed that she will never revive her role as Blair Waldorf, while admitting that Gossip Girl was an 'unhealthy environment' during an interview with PorterEdit

Leighton, who's latest project is sitcom Single Parents sported a demure look, including a black velvet dress and a delicate pearl necklace, which her character often wore on the show.

She added a pair of opaque tights to her glamorous ensemble, while vamping up her outfit with a strong red lip and slicked back hair.

In another image from the shoot, Leighton donned a black turtle neck sweater and a statement patent coat.

Blair Waldorf: Talking to PorterEdit, the star said that although she isn't haunted by her time on Gossip Girl she is glad she can look back and reflect on the experience

She finished her look with a pair of chunky gold hoops and a complementing necklace as she smouldered at the camera.

Talking to Porter Edit, the star said that although she isn't haunted by her time on Gossip Girl she is glad she can look back and reflect on the experience.

She said: 'I'm not haunted by that time, but it's been interesting and helpful for me to look at it and examine it as an adult and go, 'I don't know if it was the healthiest environment'.'

Style queen: Leighton donned a black turtle neck sweater and a statement patent coat for the cover shot of the magazine

Old Hollywood glamour: She finished her look with a pair of chunky gold hoops and a complementing necklace as she smouldered at the camera

Leighton added that she was young when she started the series, and a lot of people were suddenly paying attention to her.

The Roomate star said: 'If you don't have the right perspective, you could definitely be confused by people being that nice to you or judging you for behaviour that's typical of a 20, 21 year old... making mistakes but having to make them very publicly.'

She continued that her journey throughout her twenties was sped up due to the success of Gossip Girl, while she was still trying to figure out who she was.

For Leighton this meant having to quickly work out who she could trust and decipher what was real and what wasn't.

Teenage years: Leighton said that her journey throughout her twenties was sped up due to the success of Gossip Girl, while she was still trying to figure out who she was (pictured with the Gossip Girl cast)

The mother-of-one gushed that she felt she had got lucky, and was able to stay friends with the people she felt were 'true'.

When asked about child acting generally, Leighton said that she never wanted to stop. However even if she hadn't wanted that, she admits she may have not been able to due to her family's financial situation.

She exclaimed that acting as a youngster is 'emotionally taxing' and most people are judging you for roles on things that are out of your role.

Got lucky: The mother-of-one gushed that she felt she had got lucky, and was able to stay friends with the people she felt were 'true' (pictured with on-screen love interest Chuck Bass)

However despite her struggles with growing up in the spotlight Leighton admitted that it was still a 'special time', which was filled with challenges from all aspects of life.

She said that she wouldn't change it for the world, but relates it to a high school experience that she wouldn't want to return to.

The star said: 'It's sort of a time capsule. A lot of the questions that come from it are: 'Do you miss it?' 'Did you love what you wore?' And I understand that, but  and I say this with nothing but love  it is like saying, 'High school was an amazing time for you, do you wish you could go back?'

Emotional struggle: She exclaimed that acting as a youngster is 'emotionally taxing' and most people are judging you for roles on things that are out of your role

After leaving the show Leighton began dating now husband Adam Brody, who she described as her 'soulmate'.

During the chat, which took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Leighton's husband had a surprising pre-fame role, as a valet at there while he tried his hand at acting.

The couple have since welcomed their daughter Arlo, which Leighton admits has changed the sort of roles she's chosen for.

She revealed that she doesn't get the 'sexy ingenue' parts as much, but believes women who are more fully fleshed out need to appear more in these roles.

To see the full interview, read PorterEdit and/or download the Net-A-Porter app for iPad, iPhone or Android.
The Take That tour dates for 2019 have been announced for the groups Greatest Hits Live events in celebration of their 30th anniversary, with Rick Astley also being confirmed as their special guest for their UK-wide tour.

Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen will be travelling across the UK without Robbie Williams and Jason Orange in a follow up to their 2017 Wonderland tour, with US and Middle East dates still rumoured to be added.

Heres everything you need to know about Take Thats 2019 tour, including tour dates, venues and how to get tickets.

The Take That tour 2019 dates have been announced for the groups Greatest Hits Live events

Take That Greatest Hits tour 2019

Take That announced their UK Greatest Hits tour and plans for a new album called Odyssey in celebration of their 30th anniversary in 2019 on Amazons Prime Day.

Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen will embarking on the 28-stop tour from April 2019, starting in Sheffield and closing in Huddersfield. Gary also revealed they had a Greatest Hits coming out, we have a few new songs and next year were doing a Greatest Hits tour.

Mark Owen added: Its thirty years this year! Were making a record, were always celebrating, weve been celebrating for thirty years! Gary also shared the news on Twitter and said they would be choosing a selection of their best songs from their three decade career.

He tweeted: There are some exciting announcements coming from TTIII soon. Weve an extremely important release coming this Winter in the form of a Greatest Hits with a twist.

'Then in 2019 we will turn our recordings into a live show featuring all the hits from the last 3 decades. #TTIII.' (sic)

Take That announced their UK Greatest Hits tour and plans for a new album called Odyssey

Take That tour dates 2019

Here is a list of the full list of Take That 2019 tour dates:

April Monday 15: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena Tuesday 16: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena Thursday 18: Glasgow, SSE Hydro Friday 19: Glasgow, SSE Hydro Saturday 20: Glasgow, SSE Hydro Monday 22: Manchester Arena Tuesday 23: Manchester Arena Thursday 25: Manchester Arena Friday 26: Manchester Arena Saturday 27: Manchester Arena Monday 29: Dublin 3Arena May Thursday 2: The O2, London Friday 3: The O2, London Saturday 4: The O2, London Sunday 5: The O2, London Tuesday 7: The O2, London Wednesday 8: The O2, London Sunday 12: Birmingham Arena Monday 13: Birmingham Arena Tuesday 14: Birmingham Arena Friday 17: Birmingham Arena Saturday 18: Birmingham Arena Thursday 23: Milton Keynes Dons Saturday 25: St Mary's Stadium, Southampton Tuesday 28: Bristol City Ashton Gate Stadium Thursday 30: Carrow Road Stadium, Norwich June Saturday 1: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough Tuesday 4: John Smith Stadium, Huddersfield

Take That tour 2019 tickets

As reported by Express, Take That tickets will be available from Friday, September 29 at 9:30am from Aloud.com.

They can also be secured with the release of the new album Odyssey, which will go on sale on September 25 and fans will be able to get pre-release tickets.
Her career has been on the rebound since her split with husband Dan Single in January.

So it was no surprise to see Bambi Northwood-Blyth smiling as she modelled for fashion brand Mango in Manhattan on Thursday.

The 28-year-old is currently spreading her creative wings by moving into acting after landing a 'lead role' in a new TV series.

Say cheese! It was no surprise to see Bambi Northwood-Blyth (pictured) smiling as she modelled for fashion brand Mango in Manhattan on Thursday

The series is currently unnamed, but according to Harper's Bazaar it will begin filming in 2019.

Bambi and estranged husband Dan were married for four years after tying the knot in 2014 in Byron Bay.

Fate has since intervened - Bambi was in the Hotel Grand D'Amour apartment with Dan on March 11, 2017, when he fell 'feet first' from a bedroom window.

Ready for the small screen: The 28-year-old is currently spreading her creative wings by moving into acting after landing a 'lead role' in a new TV series

Alongside two friends, Bambi was seen rushing to a nearby hospital where Dan was placed in an induced-coma.

A month later, previously supportive fans turned on the fashion designer, labeling him 'pathetic' for using fundraising website Go Fund Me to ask for $250,000 to cover hospital bills.

It was later claimed Bambi was 'mortified' about Dan's decision to ask for money, and reports subsequently emerged speculating the pair had split during the fallout.

She's back! Bambi's career has been on the rebound since her split with husband Dan Single in January

However, the model has vehemently denied that was the case, instead revealing that there were still 'good vibes' between the pair.

Dan also explained on Instagram: 'By the way [she] didn't leave me because of a stupid Go Fund Me page I don't even remember writing, days out of a coma in a complete morphine haze.'

'She has her own dreams to chase and it's her time to do it now. She works hard and is making those dreams come true and I am very proud of her, nothing but good vibes... Go girl!'
Michael B Jordan is set to play the Tom Clancy character John Clark in a new film series.

The 31-year-old actor - who previously starred in Creed and Black Panther - has been approached by Paramount to play the hero in two upcoming movies, with an origin story planned for an adaptation of Without Remorse and a sequel centred on Rainbow Six.

Michael is set to produce the project alongside Akiva Goldsman, Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec, according to Variety, which reports that Paramount is currently meeting with writers and directors.

New roles: Michael B Jordan is set to play the Tom Clancy character John Clark in a new film series, according to Variety; seen in June

Good read: There is an origin story planned for an adaptation of Without Remorse and a sequel centred on Rainbow Six

The studio has spent years trying to get movie adaptations off the ground, with Ryan Reynolds and Chris McQuarrie having previously been linked to the project.

Meanwhile, Michael recently signed up to produce the WWII movie 'The Liberators'.

And the Hollywood star has admitted he wants to spend more time behind the camera in the coming years.

Big hit: He had a big tole in this year's shock hit Black Panther

Michael - who runs the production company Outlier Society - said: 'For me, producing and creating opportunities and telling stories is something that I've always been fascinated with.

'To be able to have my own production company, be able to start telling more stories and get more on that side of things, it's important to me. So I'm not going to put a timeframe on it or whatever, but in the future for sure I'll spend more time producing and hopefully directing and telling stories.

'Then I'll pick my projects that I'm really passionate about, that I really want to do as far as getting in front of the camera and I'll do those as well. It's about trying to find a balance.'

In character: Here Jordan is seen in character for the blockbuster

Close to his folks: The star still lives at home with his parents, saying it is a stabilizing force for him. 'I love my parents, but we have a roommate relationship right now, which is interesting,' Jordan told Ellen DeGeneres in February. Seen in 2015

The new ambassador of Coach still lives at home with his parents, saying it is a stabilizing force for him.

'I love my parents, but we have a roommate relationship right now, which is interesting,' Jordan told Ellen DeGeneres in February.

'You get home-cooked meals, but then you also have random trips to the kitchen in the middle of the night. Just the random run-ins that just might be a little uncomfortable from time to time.'
Ewan McGregor's daughter Clara took to her Instagram account on Thursday with a sweet family throwback snap.

The image saw the production designer, 22, being cradled by her famous Scottish father, while her mother Eve Mavrakis flashed a huge smile as she stood nearby.

'Rents' the rising star captioned the nostalgic image as she reflected on happier times shortly after admitting her regret over branding her father's new girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead a piece of trash.

In happier times: Ewan McGregor's daughter Clara, 22, took to her Instagram account on Thursday with a sweet family throwback snap

Clara's throwback snap comes after she apologised for calling her dad's new girlfriend 'a piece of trash.'

In July, Clara posted the scathing comment under an image of her father's girlfriend on an Instagram fan page dedicated to the star.

However, Clara has now remorsefully admitted that while it 'wasn't the most mature way to go about things', she kept seeing criticism towards her mother Eve Mavrakis after she was continuously tagged in the picture of Mary.

Remorse: This comes after Clara admitted her regret over branding her father's new girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead a piece of trash

In a candid interview with Barbara McMahon in The Times, Clara admitted she was 'angry and upset' at the situation.

'There had been a lot building up to it and a lot to deal with, not to make excuses or anything, but, yeah, it wasnt my finest moment. But Im not afraid to speak out if I feel strongly about something,' she admitted.

Clara ensured to detail the situation in depth: 'I kept being tagged in this photograph and I was seeing negative things about my mum.

'I said how I felt and I didnt want to apologise for it. It wasnt the right way to go about things, but its a hard thing to wrap your head around when you feel you had this idea of what the family unit is and then to have that shift. Its very weird.'

Not a fan: In July, the production designer posted the scathing comment under an image of her father's girlfriend on an Instagram fan page dedicated to the star

'Piece of trash': In July, Clara lashed out at his girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead in a social media attack

Honest: Clara admitted that while it 'wasn't the most mature way to go about things', she kept seeing criticism towards her mother Eve Mavrakis after she was tagged in the picture of Mary

Touching upon the day the surprising picture emerged of Ewan kissing Mary, Clara admitted that she already knew about the demise of his marriage to her mother, Eve Mavrakis.

Clara confessed: 'The picture surfaced on my little sisters birthday, but my dad didnt know it was going to come out. He didnt want us to see that, but, you know, there were paparazzi following them around.

Despite their recent family drama, Clara has insisted that she is 'close with her dad.'

She revealed: 'I love him and I always will. The relationships not going to end because of this.

'We are incredibly close and despite me strongly disagreeing with how hes gone about things, Ill always love him, and I hope hes happy, you know?

'Im not afraid to speak out if I feel strongly about something': Clara admitted she was 'angry and upset' at the situation

'Idea of a family unit': Clara ensured to detail the situation in depth: 'I kept being tagged in this photograph and I was seeing negative things about my mum'

'I wish them all the best, but Im staying out of that, for sure,' she concluded.

Nearly two months ago, the model took to the comments section of an image from a fan page for the Fargo star, who was first spotted with Ewan in October, to lash out at the page administrators for calling Mary beautiful.

A seemingly enraged Clara hit out in the comments section, as she penned: 'Most beautiful and talented woman on earth? (laughing faces) Oh man y'all are delusional. The girl is a piece of trash (smiley face) x'.

Clara has not been shy of airing her feelings on her parents' split after Ewan and Mary first went public with their budding romance in Los Angeles in November as he moves on from his wife of 22 years Eve.

Alongside Clara, Ewan and his estranged wife have three other children together - Jamyan, Esther and Anouk. The eldest of their kids was seemingly enraged when she saw the gushing post by a fan - leading to her 'piece of trash comment'.

MailOnline contacted representatives for Clara and Mary for comment at the time.

The McGregor family hit headlines after patriarch Ewan controversially filed for divorce from Eve in March  six months after being spotted kissing Mary.

'I wish them all the best': Despite their recent family drama, Clara has insisted that she is 'close with her dad'

Shocker: Nearly two months ago, the model took to the comments section of an image from a fan page for the Fargo star to lash out at the page administrators for calling Mary beautiful

It was claimed Ewan has been dumped by Mary because she was unhappy with being dubbed a 'homewrecker' however they have since reunited.

Clara is a prominent Instagram user, boasting a whopping 26,000 followers, and she litters her page with a combination of both stunning shots of herself and also artistic images - hence the now-deleted snap of Helmut Newton's work.

The Trainspotting and Star Wars actor blamed irreconcilable differences for the split from his wife, the mother of his four daughters who are aged between seven and 22. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Eve for comment.

Eve was reportedly left devastated after pictures were published last October of Ewan kissing his co-star in a London cafe.

Heartbroken: Eve was reportedly left devastated after pictures were published last October of Ewan kissing his co-star in a London cafe

His daughter Esther later posted a song on Instagram about the s*** I found online, singing: Seeing those pictures, theyre making me cry And I dont know how to forgive. I dont know if I can.

The news of Ewans reported split from Mary is revealed in the latest edition of US magazine Star. A source told the publication: Mary hated being labelled a home wrecker and the embarrassment it caused her.

'Its sad because a year ago Ewan and his wife were in great shape and then he decided to throw it all away for Mary. Now it looks like hes lost them both for good.

Eve told The Mail on Sunday, No, I hadnt heard, when asked if she knew about her husbands split from his lover. Asked for comment, she said: I really dont know. Sorry.

Happier times: Production designer Eve was said to be furious when her husband won the Best Actor In A Limited Series award at this years Golden Globes and thanked both her and his mistress

Production designer Eve was said to be furious when her husband won the Best Actor In A Limited Series award at this years Golden Globes and thanked both her and his mistress.

I want to take a moment to just say thank you to Eve who always stood by me for 22 years and our four children Clara, Esther, Jamyan and Anouk, he said. And there wouldnt have been any Ray [his Fargo character] without Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

When asked about his words, Eve said: No, I did not like his speech.

She called their divorce disappointing and upsetting before adding: My main concern is our four children are OK. Mary announced she was splitting from her husband of seven years Riley Stearns last May  as she filmed the series.
She's one of the six women remaining on The Bachelor.

And while Dasha Gaivoronski is not widely considered a front-runner to win the heart of Nick Cummins, she has now sparked speculation that she could be a 'dark horse' in the competition.

On Saturday, the 32-year-old revealed she's relocating from Adelaide to Sydney - the same city that Nick calls home.

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On the move! On Saturday, The Bachelor's Dasha Gaivoronski (pictured) revealed she's relocating to Sydney with her young son... so could they moving in with Nick Cummins?

Speaking with The Daily Telegraph, the Russian native played down rumours she's shacking up with Nick at his home in the beach side suburb of Manly.

'There is nothing specific I am moving for. My job is based online and I love a change,' she said.

The personal trainer will be relocating with her six-year-old son, Leon, who is also exciting about the impending move.

'We are excited for the new chapter': Dasha and Leon (pictured) will be settling in Sydney in the very near future

'We are excited for the new chapter. It is well overdue,' she told the publication.

She also added that little Leon isn't phased by his mother's newfound fame, saying: 'Every time I go to school to drop him off, there are young girls there waving to me... (but) the new popularity isn't going to his head, though. He just runs around and does his own thing.'

Dasha didn't disclose which area of Sydney she would be moving to, or whether she has settled on a house.

Shacking up? The Russian native played down rumours she's shacking up with Nick Cummins (right) at his home in the beach side suburb of Manly in Sydney

Meanwhile, the mother-of-one spoke candidly about body confidence with NW last month, candidly revealing that she had undergone a breast enhancement.

The 32-year-old fitness model claimed she decided to have cosmetic surgery after giving birth to Leon.

'After having my child I went in for a boob job because I was breastfeeding him for such a long time. I thought it'd be the cherry on top after my gym dedication!' she said.

'But at this stage of my life I am perfectly happy with everything about myself. I've got to the point where I'm confident in my own skin and I don't want to do anything to my face or body.'
Geena Davis' estranged husband has slammed her claim they were never married.

The League Of Their Own actress split from fourth husband Reza Jarrahy in May after 16 years of marriage, but she recently filed documents asking for his divorce petition to be dismissed because their union was never official.

Bbut he has now hit back and insisted they were legally wed, telling RadarOnline her claims are 'bizarre.'

He says not true: Geena Davis' estranged husband has slammed her claim they were never married. The League Of Their Own actress split from fourth husband Reza Jarrahy in May after 16 years of marriage, but she recently filed documents asking for his divorce petition to be dismissed because their union was never official. Seen in 2015

Reza - who has daughter Alizeh, 16, and 13-year-old twin sons Kaiis and Kian with the actress - has filed a motion to dismiss her request and included pictures from their big day in 2001 to back up his insistence they were married.

Geena had argued the union wasn't legal because they never obtained a marriage license and filed separate taxes every year, and though her estranged spouse agreed that was the case, he claimed it was part of 'a financial strategy orchestrated by Geena and her business manager.'

The documents stated the doctor was told that 'identifying as 'not married' would benefit Geena's tax burden' and that his taxes were done by them.

He added in the paperwork: 'Did she lie to everyone when she told them we were married? I certainly intended to marry, and believed I was marrying Geena and our early history together and Geena's own statements in interviews she gave to the press supports that this was her intention as well. Any suggestion that we had no intention of getting legally married is absolutely untrue!'

He said, she said: Reza - who has daughter Alizeh, 16, and 13-year-old twin sons Kaiis and Kian with the actress - has filed a motion to dismiss her request and included pictures from their big day in 2001 to back up his insistence they were married. Seen in 2017

He went on to describe how they met and became engaged, recalling how the four-carat Harry Winston ring he bought the 'Beetlejuice' star cost double his yearly salary as a young medic and took him 10 years to pay off, and accused the 62-year-old actress' own publicist of leaking news of their engagement at the time.

Reza explained they didn't get a marriage license because Geena didn't want the media to find out about their wedding day and she feared the application would tip off the press.

As well as submitting photographic proof of the wedding, the doctor explained the ceremony was officiated by both a priest and his own father so it could be validated under Islamic laws and traditions for his family who immigrated from Iran, and his dad also filed documents outlining his involvement.

He paid up: He went on to describe how they met and became engaged, recalling how the four-carat Harry Winston ring he bought the 'Beetlejuice' star cost double his yearly salary as a young medic and took him 10 years to pay off. Seen in 2013

Reza added: 'Geena and I left the alter as husband and wife.'

She has a 2012 letter referring to his 2009 tax return to prove it, according to The Blast.

In it the neurosurgeon affirms that he is not 'currently married' adding: 'Ms Davis and I cohabitate and co-parent our three children but are not officially wed.'

This supports documents the actress filed claiming their marriage license was never returned to the county court after they tied the knot in a private ceremony in the Hamptons on 2001.

And it seems that was a conscious decision, according to the site.

The Iranian-American filed for divorce last May to end their 16-year union, requestingspousal support as well as joint legal and physical custody of their kids.

Blonde beauty: She filed in court in reply to the divorce petition emerged showing that Jarrahy knew they weren't officially married in 2001. Here she's seen at an event with executive producer Jeremy Slater in Beverly Hills in 2016

However, if there was no marriage, under New York law there would be no joint property to split or spousal support due.

Sources close to Jarrahy say he believes Geena's claim is bogus.

He says there were plenty of witnesses at the wedding and Geena has given numerous interviews over the years where she has referred to their 'marriage' - giving it legal status

Family affair: The Iranian American has asked for spousal support and joint custody of their daughter Alizeh, 16, and fraternal twin sons Kian & Kaiis, 14, seen at an event in LA in 2017

Geena was previously wed to Richard Emmolo from 1982 to 1983, Jeff Goldblum from 1987 to 1990, and director Renny Harlin from 1993 to 1998.

She is presently starring in Grey's Anatomy which is due to kick off its 15th season on September 27.

But the actress is probably best known for 1991's classic movie Thelma & Louise in which she co-starred with Susan Sarandon.
Professor X and Magneto are reunited once again, passing the time at a cafe playing their favorite game.

Reshoots on 20th Century Fox's X-Men: Dark Phoenix are currently under way in Montreal, with stars James McAvoy (Professor X) and Michael Fassbender (Magneto) spotted filming scenes at an outdoor cafe.

Fassbender was seen carrying a chess board to the table, where he meets his old friend, as they continue their longtime pastime of playing chess.

Old friends: James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were spotted at a Montreal cafe, undergoing reshoots on 20th Century Fox's X-Men: Dark Phoenix

McAvoy's Professor X (a.k.a. Charles Xavier) was seen wearing a form-fitting olive green polo top, navy blue pants and black loafers, while sitting in his wheelchair.

Fassbender's Magneto (a.k.a. Erik Lehnsherr) was wearing a brown coat, with grey pants and pants, with black boots.

There had previously been a report that there will be extensive reshoots that could last up to three months, but Collider debunked that rumor, with reshoots only slated to last for two and a half weeks in September.

Some chess between friends: Fassbender was seen carrying a chess board to the table, where he meets his old friend, as they continue their longtime pastime of playing chess

These chess matches between Professor X and Magneto have become a running thread throughout the X-Men franchise.

In fact, 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse is the only primary X-Men film (not counting spin-offs like Deadpool and X-Men: Origins: Wolverine) where Professor X and Magneto don't play chess at least once.

No other primary cast members were spotted during this scene, but Sophie Turner and Jessica Chastain were seen shooting fight scenes last week.

Back story: These chess matches between Professor X and Magneto have become a running thread throughout the X-Men franchise

McAvoy was spotted riding a vintage bike on the IT 2 set just last week in Toronto, so it seems the British actor may be splitting his time between both Canadian sets until the X-Men: Dark Phoenix reshoots are complete.

McAvoy will have a busy year in 2019, with Glass debuting January 18, 2019, X-Men: Dark Phoenix hitting theaters February 14, 2019 and IT 2 arriving September 6, 2019.

Fassbender is attached to star in Kung Fury 2, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eiza Gonzalez and David Hasselhoff.
She is an experienced pilot, owns a private jet and once shared that her childhood ambition was to fly all over the world.

And on Friday, Carol Vorderman joined forces with Myleene Klass at the consecration parade for the new standard of 617 Squadron - also known as the Dambusters.

The former Countdown host, 57, ensured all eyes were on her at RAF Marham in Norfolk thanks to her incredibly smooth visage and her sharp pilot uniform.

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Soaring success: Carol Vorderman, 57, commanded attention with her smooth visage and pilot uniform as she joined Myleene Klass, 40, at glitzy RAF event, in Norfolk on Friday

The Dambusters got their nickname after embarking on a night-time raid on three heavily defended dams deep in Germany's industrial heartland.

They flooded the Ruhr valley and delivered a crucial blow to the Nazi war machine.

Their success was immortalised in the classic 1955 film The Dambusters, its thrilling theme tune and gung-ho script evoking the best of British.

The glittering event takes place every 25 years and this is the first standard since the squadron reformed in April.

At the event, the Countdown host discussed how she was left disappointed when she couldn't join the RAF during her university days.

She said: 'I wanted to join up as a fighter pilot when I was in my teens. I went to Cambridge University and I did an engineering degree.

Sad: At the event, the Countdown host discussed how she was left disappointed when she couldn't join the RAF during her university days

'But I wasn't allowed to join the university squadron because I was a girl, back in the seventies. But I don't bemoan this fact.

'My daughter went to Cambridge University and she was allowed to join up.

'She was in her squadron for four years. It's a celebration for me that things have changed so much.'

Hot to trot: Myleene gave onlookers a sneak peek at her tremendous legs in the sexy split of her dress as she strutted her stuff in her boots

Day out: Carol and Myleene attended the glittering event which takes place every 25 years. This is the first standard since the 617 Squadron reformed in April

Myleene gushed over her long-time pal Carol after they enjoyed their fun-filled day out at RAF Marham.

She shared with her fans: 'Love this woman @realcarolv. Have known her for forever...since back in the day when I wanted to be an engineer. Today were at #RAFMarham for something very special......'

The model revealed her day with the RAF had 'blown her mind' and she shared why she had attended the event when she took to her Instagram platform.

Hot off the catwalk: Picking up tips from the hottest runways, Myleene stepped out in a leopard print dress which flattered her terrific figure

She penned: 'So today I finally came face to face with a small fleet of #f35s. They can travel at 1.6 xs the speed of sound (1.6 Mach) thats 1200mph and cost 80 million each.

'I love the #RAF. They flew me out to Afghanistan where I was entertaining the troops, ditto Norway where they managed to land on a mountain top, in the dark, in the thickest of snow in -40 conditions. Theyve always brought me home safely.

'They are incredible and today has absolutely blown my mind. #forces #navybrat #f35 #raf #royalairforce.' (sic)

Recently, Carol celebrated her solo status as she spoke about her new dating show for women in their 50s on Lorraine.

Good to go: The brunette bombshell tied her dress in at the waist to show off her astonishing physique and she rested her hand on her hip to draw eyes to her figure

Looking fabulous! Myleene wore her chocolate shade locks in waves and she touched up her features with deftly brushes of make-up

Happiness: The Smooth radio personality didn't stray from her love Simon Motson's side when they attended the bash together

The star has had a string or relationships and marriages over her life span, but admitted to host Lorraine Kelly that she's not looking for a 'keeper'.

Glamorous Carol's last serious romance was with pilot Graham "Duffy" Duff, who was 14 years her junior.

The star insisted she's not looking for another intense relationship and revealed she 'couldnt think of anything worse'.

She said: 'We're not all looking for keepers, some are, I am not - at all! Surprise, surprise... My fifties have been the best decade of my life!'

Snapping away! The star looked excited as she took a series of photographs throughout the day

Busy day! The television presenter posed with military personnel after the consecration parade for 617 Squadron's new standard

Hands on! Myleene took time to chat to veteran paratrooper Jeffrey Long, 86, after the consecration parade for 617 Squadron's new standard at RAF Marham in Norfolk
She's used to being preened to perfection by a team of stylists and make-up artists during Fashion Month.

But Gigi Hadid suffered something of a wardrobe malfunction when left to her own devices, as she flashed her bra while stepping out in Milan on Friday.

The 23-year-old model gave onlookers an eyeful of her cleavage as she got out of her car in a printed shirt that was liberally unbuttoned.

Avert your eyes! Gigi Hadid suffered a wardrobe malfunction as she flashed her bra while stepping out on Friday during Milan Fashion Week

The girlfriend of Zayn Malik paired her bold and bright shirt with a pair of ripped boyfriend jeans.

She injected a dose of androgynous cool to her ensemble with some patent lace-up boots by Tod's and carried her belongings in a black leather box clutch.

Sweeping her blonde tresses back into a sleek updo, the catwalk star shielded her eyes behind a pair of 90s style square sunglasses.

Oh dear: The 23-year-old model gave onlookers an eyeful of her cleavage as she stepped out of her car in a printed shirt that was liberally unbuttoned

Androgynous cool: The girlfriend of Zayn Malik paired her bold and bright shirt with a pair of ripped boyfriend jeans and shoes by Tod's

Gigi was the picture of glamour at the Fendi and MaxMara showcases on Thursday, but pulled out all the stops for her appearance on the Moschino runway.

The model looked every inch the striking bride as she rocked a puffy wedding dress, which came complete with an elaborate tulle veil - no doubt, teasing beau Zayn Malik with a glimpse of their future together.

Emulating the beauty of a newlywed, the catwalk queen strutted down the runway holding a bouquet of white flowers, and added to her frame in elegant pointed heels.

Here comes the bride: Gigi proved to be a busy bee as she ruled the runway at the Moschino SS19 collection on Thursday evening

Dare to bare: The blonde beauty flashed her underwear in a sheer gown as she stormed the Alberta Ferretti runway on Wednesday

The Hadid sisters have been at the helm of the international fashion weeks, landing in Milan to attend the Alberta Ferretti Spring/Summer 2019 show earlier this week.

Gigi has walked in a variety of shows across the globe this month, including Michael Kors and Rihanna's Savage x Fenty in New York.

And when the blonde is not killing it on the runway, the beauty has been spending her off time with beau Zayn Malik.

With the couple announcing a brief split in March, the pair were later spotted smooching in public just a few weeks later - confirming they were very much back on.
She's not one to shy away from making a bold style statement.

And Nicki Minaj pulled out all the stops as she attended the Versace Spring/Summer '19 show in a jaw-dropping ensemble during Milan Fashion Week on Friday.

The Anaconda hitmaker, 35, put on an eye-poppingly busty display in a plunging leather corset teamed with a printed skirt and green gloves.

Bold look: Nicki Minaj put on a VERY busty display in a plunging leather corset and bizarre green gloves as she wowed on the FROW at the Versace MFW show

Nicki gave onlookers an eyeful of her cleavage in the corset, which cinched in her waist thanks to a belt embellished with gold chains.

She injected a dose of colour to the look with a bright puffball skirt featuring a multi-coloured graphic print and a thigh-split.

The Bang Bang hitmaker added height to her frame with a pair of red satin barely-there heels and accessorised with green leather gloves.

Clearly getting into the clashing prints theme, Minaj also rocked a blue and yellow tartan scarf wrapped around her head and accessorised with a chunky gold necklace.

Style statement: The Anaconda rapper, 35, pulled a series of dramatic poses as she showed off every inch of her daring ensemble

Colourful: She injected a dose of colour to the look with a bright puffball skirt featuring a multi-coloured graphic print and a thigh-split

Avert your eyes! Nicki gave onlookers an eyeful of her cleavage in the corset, which cinched in her waist thanks to a belt embellished with gold chains

Wardrobe malfunction: Nicki flashed a bit too much of her cleavage while posing on the FROW

She framed her features with a dramatic slick of winged eyeliner and plumped her pout with a nude lipgloss.

Her sighting came after she donned a black Diesel jacket emblazoned with 'The Bad Guy' while serving as brand ambassador duties for the fashion label.

Fans were left hitting out at the Italian label's founder Renzo Rosso for the choice of the hip-hop star to represent his FW/18 'Hate Couture' collection, which benefits cyber-bullying organisations - given her recent fracas with Cardi B.

Scarlet siren: The Bang Bang hitmaker added height to her frame with a pair of red satin barely-there heels and accessorised with green leather gloves

Glamorous: She framed her features with a dramatic slick of winged eyeliner and plumped her pout with a nude lipgloss

Hats off to her: Clearly getting into the clashing prints theme, Minaj also rocked a blue and yellow tartan scarf wrapped around her head and accessorised with a chunky gold necklace

The 10-time Grammy nominee has previously been locked in public feuds with chart rivals such as Cardi B, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Lil' Kim, and Remy Ma - leading to the backlash from fans about the choice to feature her as an ambassador.

When a Twitter user blasted the idea of Nicki as an 'anti-bullying beacon' on Wednesday, bosses at Diesel replied: 'We're here to support anyone who's getting hated on, and Nicki is one of them.'

The clothing company reportedly shut down an entire block near their San Babila flagship store in honor of the Trinidad-born, New York-raised star, who gushed: 'Milan, I love you!'

Social butterfly: She has been a prominent fixture of the catwalk shows during Fashion Month

But first, let me take a selfie: She beamed as she posed alongside Nicki Minaj on the FROW

Wardrobe malfunction: Rita appeared to be on cleavage duty for Nicki, who risked flashing too much in her plunging corset

Avert your eyes! Rita seemed too preoccupied to look at the camera as the rapper adjusted her assets

Strike a pose: The flamboyantly dressed duo later flashed their best sultry pouts

Vibrant: Nicki later slipped into a flamboyant floral suit

Nicki got into a fight with Cardi B during a New York Fashion Week party earlier this month.

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.

Controversy: Her sighting came after fans hit out at her being chosen as brand ambassador duties for Diesel to represent his FW/18 'Hate Couture' collection, which benefits cyber-bullying organisations - given her recent fracas with Cardi B

'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.'
Josh Brolin and his pregnant wife Kathryn Boyd were spotted after enjoying lunch together at Porta Via Restaurant in Beverly Hills on Thursday.

At 50, the Hollywood star is 20 years older than his beautiful 30-year-old spouse.

The blonde was seen resting her hand on her burgeoning baby bump which she showed off in a tight orange dress.

Reaching for her: Josh Brolin stretched out to held his pregnant wife Kathryn Boyd's hand after they enjoyed lunch at Porta Via Restaurant in Beverly Hills on Thursday

The beautiful lady teamed it with a long blue and red plaid coat as she towered over her 5ft 10ins beau thanks in part to her suede bootees.

Josh was super casual in a grey T-shirt and grey knee-length shorts with a black chevron detail at the waist and flip-flops.

The loved up couple reached for each other's hands as they waited at a cross walk.

Josh and Kathryn have been married since September 2016 and announced that they were expecting their first child in late May.

Acting couple: At 50, the Hollywood star is 20 years older than his 30-year-old actress wife who rested her hand on her baby bump, which she showed off in a tight orange dress

The Goonies star is already a father to son Trevor, 30, and daughter Eden, 24, whom he shares with ex-wife Alice Adair, 52.

Meanwhile, Josh's career has gone from strength to strength this year.

He appeared in two blockbusters: Avengers: Infinity War as Thanos in April and Cable in Deadpool 2 in May.

Super casual: Josh dressed in a grey T-shirt and grey knee-length shorts with a black chevron detail at the waist and flip-flops for his lunch date

He also co-starred in Sicario: Day Of The Soldado in June and Legacy Of The White Tailed Deer in July.

The star is also set to reprise his role as Thanos for an Untitled Avengers Movie, due out next year.

And he'll play Cable in X-Force with Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds, which has yet to set a date.

Josh's career has gone from strength to strength this year. He appeared as the ultimate baddie Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War in April
Danny DeVito has been a movie star for more than four decades, but he also saved the life of one of his best friends, Michael Douglas.

While promoting his new animated movie SmallFoot on The Talk, DeVito, 73, opened up about the time he saved Douglas, 73, while on the set of their 1984 classic Romancing The Stone.

During the production in Mexico, Douglas was bitten by a snake, and it was DeVito's quick thinking that saved Douglas' life.

A real life saver: Danny DeVito sheds light on the time he saved Michael Douglas' life, after Douglas was bitten by a snake on the Romancing the Stone set.

On location: DeVito mentioned that he himself is afraid of snakes, and he didn't want to go near it, but Douglas, 'being the hot shot Mikey D,' went up to the guy, who had a snake on his arm, and grabbed the snake

'We were in Mexico in this really rugged kind of place, DeVito said on The Talk. 'There was this guy who had a truck with a cage on it and inside the pickup truck, in the bed of the truck, were snakes.'

DeVito mentioned that he himself is afraid of snakes, and he didn't want to go near it, but Douglas, 'being the hot shot Mikey D,' went up to the guy, who had a snake on his arm, and grabbed the snake.

While DeVito told his friend, 'Don't touch the snake, it could bite you,' Douglas said 'It's no big deal,' before the snake proved him wrong.

Longtime pals: The actors at the Golden Globe awards over a decade ago

On and off screen lovers: Kathleen Turner recently admitted how 'naughty' she and Michael Douglas were on the Romancing the Stone set

'Then the snake bites him on the hand,' the SmallFoot star said. 'And I always heard the best thing to do is suck the poison out, right away, so I did.'

'I grabbed his hand and Im spitting all over the place, and I say, Boy, its a good thing this didnt bit you on the balls man  you would be a dead man,' DeVito concluded.

Just a few months earlier, DeVito's Romancing the Stone co-star (and Douglas' former lover) Kathleen Turner, 73, admitted that she and Douglas were 'very naughty together' on the set of Romancing the Stone.

Tales from the set: 'Then the snake bites him on the hand, and I always heard the best thing to do is suck the poison out, right away, so I did,' said the SmallFoot star

Brush with death: Douglas was nearly killed on the set after being bitten by a poisonous snake

It's fitting that DeVito would be the one to save Douglas' life on the set, since they've been friends for over 50 years.

DeVito and Douglas met at the National Playwrights Conference in the 1960s, and they would go on to become great friends and collaborate on several projects together.

DeVito had a small role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which Douglas produced, three years before DeVito became a star on the hit TV series Taxi.

Longtime friends: It's fitting that DeVito would be the one to save Douglas' life on the set, since they've been friends for over 50 years

Douglas and DeVito would star in Romancing the Stone, its sequel Jewel of the Nile, The War of the Roses and Solitary Man together.

DeVito will next be seen in Disney's live-action adaptation of Dumbo, portraying Max Medici, and he has been rumored to join Arnold Schwarzenegger and Eddie Murphy in Triples, a sequel to the 1988 classic Twins.

Douglas recently reprised his role as Hank Pym in the Marvel sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp, and he next stars in the Netflix series The Kominsky Method.

Quick change: On Friday the star was seen at the Maria Cristina Hotel during the 66th San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain
With 65 days to go until Victorians head to the polls, the state's politicians are spending their last scheduled session in parliament ahead of the election.

Daniel Andrews' first-term Labor government has weathered a stormy ride at times over the past four years and on Thursday the current parliament will rise for the last time ahead of the November 24 poll.

Before the end of the day, the government still hopes to rubber stamp new laws, including compensation for cyclists injured in crashes with stationary vehicles and a point-of-consumption wagering and betting tax.

The upper house might return on Friday in a bid to clear some of the stockpile of pending legislation.

A number of reports into the performance of government departments are also due to be made public on Thursday.
A Senate committee is urging for a new government body to oversee rapid changes to the Australian workforce, such as the emergence of the gig economy

The body, loosely called the Future of Work Commission, would be compelled to develop policies to ensure a positive future for at-risk workers.

The committee's report said gig economy workers, like Uber drivers, should be officially recognised under the law, ensuring they have full access to industrial relations protections.

It also recommends legislation requiring employers to consult more with unions and workers about the introduction of new technology.

One recommendation called for an extension to workers' and trade unions' rights to collectively bargain.

Committee chair and Labor senator Murray Watt said hope for the best could not be a strategy to deal with seismic shifts in the workplace, calling for action.

"The changes that are facing the Australian workplace and Australian workers are so great that sitting back and letting it all happen to us is a recipe for disaster," Senator Watt told parliament.

He said changes in labour market regulations were threatening workers' future alongside major technological changes and other disruptive forces.

Liberal senators Ian Macdonald and Amanda Stoker wrote a dissenting report accusing Labor of missing an opportunity to address one of Australia's key challenges.

"Regrettably the majority of the committee negated this opportunity and simply turned the inquiry into a union-directed Labor election campaign exercise," the government senators said.
Suncorp will be grilled at the banking royal commission over problems with the way it handled insurance claims after bushfires in Victoria and flooding in NSW.

Suncorp faces questions on Thursday over its handling of claims after the Christmas Day 2015 Wye River bushfires and extensive flooding in the Hunter Valley earlier that year.

A woman whose Hunter Valley home was damaged by the floods will also tell the inquiry about her experiences with Suncorp.

Four people died in the floods in April 2015, which resulted in extensive damage to homes, stock and infrastructure.

More than 135,280 insurance claims were lodged with losses totalling $949 million.

Suncorp's chief executive officer for insurance Gary Dransfield will be questioned about the handling of the woman's flood claim as well as over its conduct after the Wye River bushfires that destroyed 116 homes in December 2015.

Its AAMI business paid $43,200 in penalties after the regulator found it made false or misleading statements on its website and in radio ads for home insurance.

The conduct that came to light as part of an investigation into Suncorp's handling of insurance claims from the bushfires.

According to the Insurance Council of Australia, 511 claims were lodged following the bushfires for an estimated insured value of $110 million.
Four men have been arrested and police have seized methamphetamine, cannabis and more than $25,000 in cash after a three-month operation in the Riverland region in South Australia.

Police searched a car and later a house at Blanchetown on Tuesday, and allegedly found cash and methamphetamine at both locations.

On Wednesday police found more drugs and methamphetamine at a Loxton house, as well as 1.2 kilograms of cannabis packaged for sale.

A 35-year-old Para Hills man, a 31-year-old Evanston man, a 31-year-old Loxton man and a 34-year-old man have been arrested and face charges including trafficking a controlled drug.
A third person has been confirmed to have legionnaires' disease after they spent time in Lidcombe's industrial area in western Sydney.

The Western Sydney Local Health District's public health director, Shopna Bag, said all three contracted the infection by breathing in bacteria which is found in water sources such as cooling towers.

The bacteria has been traced to a water cooling system on a Lidcombe building that has since been decontaminated.

Lidcombe residents and recent visitors to the western Sydney suburb are being warned to go to their GP if they experience symptoms of legionnaires' disease, which include fever, chills, a cough and shortness of breath.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 21

2018/09/22

Q: According to reports, the US Department of State announced on September 20 that it would impose sanctions on the Equipment Development Department (EDD) of the Central Military Commission and its director for violating the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). What's your comment?

A: The Chinese expresses strong indignation at this above-mentioned unreasonable action by the US and has lodged solemn representations.

The relevant US action has seriously violated the basic norms governing international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries. We strongly urge the US side to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences.

Q: The US State Department also said that it will continue to pursue sanctions and urge countries to end relations with Russian defense and intelligence sectors. I wonder if China will still continue to cooperate with Russia in the relevant area?

A: China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination. Our two sides maintain normal exchanges and cooperation in defense and other areas with the principle of equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit. The relevant cooperation aims to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of our two countries and uphold regional peace and stability. It does not violate international law or target any third party. We will join hands with Russia to continue to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of our two countries and elevate our strategic coordination to a higher level.

Q: Should we presume that the defense cooperation between China and Russia would continue as it is without any disruptions, despite the US sanctions?

A: I think the response I have given just now is clear-cut enough.

Q: Do you have any details on the visit of the Vatican delegation? When are they coming? Who will they meet?

A: As to this question, I have responded to it many times.

I have no information to offer to you at this point. China and the Vatican maintain effective contact and communication.

Q: According to the report of the Vietnam News Agency on September 21, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quangpassed away today at age 61. What's your comment?

A: Comrade Tran Dai Quang is an outstanding Party and state leader of Vietnam, who has made important contributions to Vietnam's cause of national development and reform and opening up as well as the deepening of China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. We express deep grief and condolence to his passing.

Q: The US defense department published its first cybersecurity strategy report on September 18, saying it will focus on states that can put strategic "threats" to the US prosperity, including China and Russia. What is your comment?

A: The Chinese side has been a staunch defender of cyber security and has always firmly opposed and combated any form of cyber attacks and theft.The Chinese side calls on the United States to abandon the cold-war and zero-sum mentality and jointly address cyber security threats through dialogue and cooperation with China and Russia on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

Q: Has China decided to accept the US invitation for another round of trade talks? If so, when will it take place and who will lead the Chinese delegation?

A: I already responded to this question several times recently. The spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce also made clear China's stance at a regular press conference yesterday.

We have kept stressing that dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality, good faith and mutual respect make the only viable way to solve the China-US trade disputes. However, everything the US does has not given any impression of sincerity and goodwill. We hope that the US side will take measures to correct its mistakes.

Q: State Councilor and Foreign Minister Yi Wang has already arrived in the Dominican Republic. Do you have any details on his visit?

A: I haven't got the latest updates yet. According to what I had at hand before State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi left for the visit, he will meet with leaders of the Dominican Republic, hold talks with Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado, and inaugurate the Chinese Embassy in the Dominican Republic. The updates on this visit will come out soon, please stay tuned to it.

Q: The 12th World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions was concluded in Tianjin yesterday. Premier Li Keqiang attended the forum and delivered a special address. What message did Premier Li Keqiang send out at this forum?

A: This year's Summer Davos Forum is the largest one so far with the participation of over 2,500 representatives from various sectors of more than 100 countries and regions. In his special address at the opening ceremony, Premier Li Keqiang reaffirmed the major propositions put forth by President Xi Jinping at last year's World Economic Forum annual meeting, put forward the important proposal of boosting the new drivers of global growth in the new industrial revolution and expounded China's economic development and future policy directions. The key message sent out by Premier Li Keqiang in his speech can be summed up as follows:

Firstly, China firmly upholds economic globalization. The Chinese side always believes that the rules-based multilateral trading system is the bedrock of economic globalization and free trade and that its authority and efficacy should be respected and protected. Taking a unilateralist approach will not solve any problems. The attendees echoed what he said by stating their support for multilateralism and free trade.

Secondly, the Chinese economy maintains a sound momentum of steady progress. Premier Li Keqiang pointed out that the Chinese economy has stayed on the track of steady progress, with growing new drivers and sound fundamentals. The express train of China's economy will not lose speed but stay on a steady course. The representatives are also optimistic about the prospects of China's economy and believe that Premier Li Keqiang's speech will help the world get a better understanding of China's policies on development, reform and innovation.

Thirdly, China will press ahead with reform and opening up. This year marks the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up. Since the beginning of this year, we have introduced a host of major steps to deepen reform, expand opening up and advance innovation. Going forward, China will work even harder to advance reform and opening up, restructure and stimulate innovation. China will further widen market access and continue to lower its overall tariff level so as to create a market environment in which companies of all ownerships, be they Chinese or foreign-owned, are treated as equals and compete on a level playing field. China will introduce a more rigorous system for intellectual property rights protection to make infringers pay unaffordable price. The representatives all expressed their willingness to continue to take an active part in China's reform and opening up and share the opportunities presented by China's reform and development in a bid to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes with China.

At last, I would like to stress that like Premier Li Keqiang pointed out, China's economic growth now accounts for about 30 percent of the world's total. The Chinese market is simply too big for any far-sighted business leaders to ignore. China is willing to work with all parties to ensure the new industrial revolution will promote the sustainable and inclusive growth of the world economy and make greater contribution to the recovery and steady growth of the world economy.

According to this year's holiday arrangement during the Mid-autumn Day, there will be no regular press conference on September 24 (Monday). The press conference will be resumed on September 25 (Tuesday). During the recess, the Spokesperson's Office of the Foreign Ministry will take your questions via telephone and fax. Happy Mid-autumn Festival!
A man and woman have been charged after police uncovered a stash of drugs and money at a Melbourne apartment.

Police seized what is believed to be methylamphetamine, GHB, cannabis and prescription medication as well as a substantial sum of cash and a stolen motorbike at the Bentleigh East address on Wednesday morning.

A 28-year-old man from East Bentleigh and a woman, 26, from Dingley Village were arrested at the address and charged with traffick and possess drugs of dependence, handle stolen goods and possess proceeds of crime.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says it is "beyond frustrating" for inmates in immigration detention to have access to mobile phones.

A Nigerian man held in Villawood Detention Centre is accused of using 16 mobile phones to defraud more than $3 million, which he allegedly sent back to his home country.

"Mate, it drives me mad," Mr Dutton told 2GB radio on Thursday.

"They're organising escapes, they're organising assaults, organising all sorts of things that just aren't consistent with being in immigration detention."

The minister said it defied common sense for immigration detainees to have access to mobile phones, given they can use landlines to contact their lawyers if needed.

"I've tried to get the bill through parliament and for whatever reason the Labor Party won't support it," he said.

"These people shouldn't have mobile phones in the centres."
The man suspected of killing his Brazilian ex-girlfriend in Sydney in April confessed to her killing while in jail, a detective has told a court in Rio de Janeiro.

Mario Marcelo Ferreira dos Santos Santoro, 40, appeared handcuffed at a pre-trial hearing accused of murdering Cecilia Haddad, 38, and sat impassively, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans.

Fabio Cardoso Junior, a homicide detective with Rio's Civil Police, told the court the suspect had confessed the murder to a police officer outside of a formal interview setting.

"In informal conversation, he confirmed the whole dynamics of the murder," he said.

Santoro argued with Cecilia in her apartment and then strangled her to death, the detective said.

After the crime, he left then returned to the scene two hours later and put the victim's body in her car and drove off, he added.

The body was later found in Lane Cover River in Sydney.

Throughout the testimony, Santoro remained motionless and did not react. The detective said the defendant had told his colleague the confession was not formal testimony.

Once questioned at the police station with his lawyer, Santoro refused to answer questions.

Police are now seeking to have that officer's name added to the list of witnesses.

Cardoso also revealed that when he was arrested, Santoro acted surprised, because the defendant believed that he could not be charged by Brazilian police.

"The defendant wanted to know that he was arrested in Brazil because he had been informed he could not be extradited," he said.

Brazil's law makes extradition very difficult but does allow for the trial of natives within Brazil.

This was a pre-trial hearing at which four of the seven prosecution witnesses gave evidence. Judge Daniel Werneck Cotta will decide if Santoro will face a full trial on qualified homicide charges.

If he does, the result will be decided by a jury of seven.

Santoro is accused of committing the crime in April before fleeing back to Brazil. If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to 30 years in one of Rio's notoriously overcrowded and violent jails.

The hearing was open to the press - a rarity in Brazil.
Labor and the Greens are pressuring the government to release a review of religious freedoms in Australia, four months after the report was handed to the former prime minister.

Former Liberal cabinet minister Philip Ruddock's report was given to Malcolm Turnbull in May after it stemmed from the same-sex marriage debate.

The government has denied an order to table the review in the Senate on grounds it would expose secret cabinet deliberations.

But that explanation didn't wash with the opposition, who backed a Greens motion asking for the report to be released by 3pm on Thursday.

Greens senator Janet Rice said it was important the review be released after Prime Minister Scott Morrison flagged legislation to protect religious freedoms.

She said the LGBTI community feared being discriminated against by such measures.

"They are very fearful their rights are going to be wound back," Senator Rice told parliament.

Government Senate leader Mathias Cormann said releasing the report would breach cabinet confidentiality, with no decisions yet made on how to respond to the review.

"I think it would make it inappropriately more difficult for the government to get the balance right and make the best possible decision on this issue," Senator Cormann said.
The father of murdered Brazilian Cecilia Haddad has choked up in court as he described how scared she was of finding her ex-boyfriend in her Sydney apartment.

Mario Marcelo Ferreira dos Santos Santoro, 40, appeared in court in Rio de Janeiro accused of the murder of the 38-year-old in April and then allegedly fleeing to Brazil to avoid arrest.

Her father Jose Ibrahim Haddad Junior said Cecilia felt frightened because he did not accept the end of their courtship.

Cecilia allowed Mario to continue living in her apartment because he had no job and needed to pay school fees for his daughters from his first marriage, the court was told.

Haddad said that not long before the murder, Cecilia returned home after a few days away and did not know if Santoro would be in her apartment.

Arriving at the apartment, she stayed on the phone to her father for reassurance.

"She said, 'Dad, he's not here. You can sleep," her father recalled, holding back tears.

Cecilia's stepmother, Andrea Santos Haddad, also said she was aware of threats made by Santoro.

"I got a call from Cecilia in desperation saying she could not go home because of him," she said.

Santoro's behaviour included threats and harassment, she added.

Police in Rio arrested Santoro at a relative's house on July 7, after he had apparently fled Australia.

The victim's brother, Joao Haddad, told the court that after her disappearance he tried to contact Santoro's mother, who told him that her son was not in Brazil.

But he then received a phone call five minutes later from Santoro, admitting he was in the country.

After this pre-trial hearing, Daniel Werneck Cotta will decide if Santoro will face a full trial. If he does, the result will be decided by a jury of seven. If convicted, he could face a sentence of 30 years.

At the end of the hearing Santoro's lawyers requested his transfer to another prison because he has an engineering degree. Graduates are given special privileges under Brazilian law.

The victim's mother is set to testify at the end of October. Haddad's ex-husband, who lives in Australia will likely testify by videoconference.
A western Sydney pawn shop may hold clues which could help NSW Police catch whoever killed Monika Chetty, who was discovered in bushland with chemical burns to most of her body in 2014.

Detectives believe the 39-year-old qualified nurse - who was homeless at the time - didn't seek medical attention for her injuries out of fear of reprisals from her attacker or attackers.

Investigators on Wednesday afternoon acted on information from the public and searched a Fairfield pawn shop confiscating two computer hard drives and business records.

"Officers suspect Ms Chetty may have had links to the pawn shop," a police spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

Ms Chetty died in the burns unit of Concord Hospital in late January 2014 some 28 days after she was found in bushland at West Hoxton suffering chemical burns to 80 per cent of her body.
More TAFE students hit by a bungled education loans scheme are predicted to come forward reporting their debts.

The Morrison government will introduce legislation on Thursday that will aim to support people who were impacted by the previous VET FEE-HELP program.

Labor's former scheme, introduced in 2012, was axed by the government in 2016 and has been replaced by a tighter regulated loans program.

Vocational Education Minister Michaelia Cash said while an exact figure of people impacted is not known, further cases could come to light.

"It is very difficult to tell because often these students were signed up and weren't even told they were incurring a debt," Senator Cash said on Thursday.

"But the ombudsman has been receiving complaints and we believe that around 2500 students to date have claims totalling around $50 million."

Under the former scheme, private vocational colleges had access to government subsidies for every student enrolled.

Dodgy providers took advantage of that by advertising courses that delivered poor educational results and left students out of pocket.

According to government figures, the scheme cost taxpayers more than $7.5 billion.

Senator Cash is confident that shonky businesses have no way of bursting back in and the new scheme has the backing of the sector.

"All of the dodgy providers are now gone because we literally shut down the cash cow that Labor had introduced for them," she said.

"This program saddled (students) with debt and offered very little in return, sometimes a worthless qualification - if anything at all."
The NSW government will apply to the High Court for special leave to appeal after the Court of Criminal Appeal last week rejected an application by the state's attorney-general for a man to face a single trial charged with three murders in Bowraville.

Attorney-General Mark Speakman on Thursday said: "I have decided to make an application for special leave to appeal to the High Court."

"That application will be made in the near future," he told reporters in Sydney.

"I wouldn't be making this application unless I believed there were prospects for success."

A 52-year-old man, who can't be named for legal reasons, has previously been acquitted at separate trials of murdering two children - Evelyn Greenup, four, and Clinton Speedy-Duroux, 16 - in late 1990 and early 1991.

The NSW government unsuccessfully argued before the appeal court there was fresh and compelling evidence relating to the disappearance of a third child, Colleen Walker, about the same time to justify overturning the acquittals and ordering a retrial.
New Zealand Prime Minister's has sacked one of her ministers following an "incident" with a staff member.

Jacinda Ardern on Thursday told reporters she no longer had confidence in Customs Ministers Meka Whaitiri following an investigation into an exchange she had with an employee.

Media reports earlier suggested Ms Whaitiri had been accused of "manhandling" a new staff member last month.

Ms Ardern would not confirm the details of the events or of the report into the matter.

"While the facts are in dispute, the report says an incident occurred. Meka Whaitiri continues to contest details of the incident, but there are elements which are agreed," she said.

"For privacy reasons I don't wish to divulge further details of the investigators report as it is an employment matter and protecting the privacy of the staff member involved is paramount to me."

Ms Whaitiri is the second government minister to be dropped this month, after Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran resigned following a series of scandals over undisclosed meetings, as well as questions about her use of a personal email account for government business.
Excavation work continues at a South Australian property in a bid to recover the remains of Colleen Adams, who has been missing for 45 years, after her husband faced court charged with her murder.

Police arrested 70-year-old Geoffrey Adams at his Wallaroo home on Wednesday afternoon, before travelling with him to the property at Maitland, on the Yorke Peninsula, where the couple lived with their children.

Officers and forensic experts are focusing on recovering Mrs Adams' remains from that site, which has been the subject of a fresh police search.

The property was cordoned off as a crime scene and covered with a tent overnight, before police began their dig on Thursday morning.

Heavy machinery was brought in about 10.30am to assist in the effort.

Geoffrey Adams appeared by video-link in Kadina Magistrates Court on Thursday, after he spent the night in custody at Port Pirie.

He did not apply for bail and was remanded to reappear before the court in October.

He had previously told police he awoke about 7am on November 22, 1973, to find Mrs Adams fully dressed with two packed suitcases.

According to Adams, she said she was leaving and never wanted to see him or the children again, before getting into a car with a middle-aged woman he did not know.

Mrs Adams was reported missing by her mother about a month later, but the case was not declared a major crime until 1979.

Claudine Lehner lives across the street from the house and attended birthing classes with Mrs Adams when their daughters were born.

She said she was shocked to hear Adams had been charged with his wife's murder.

"I just couldn't believe it, it was just out of the realm of reality in our little world," she said.

"The fact that poor lovely young girl that I only saw that time at birthing classes was lying in a cold grave... to know (her) babies are left without their mother to grow up, it's just awful."

Ms Lehner remembered Mrs Adams as a "lovely young girl" who was excited at the prospect of becoming a mother.

She said she found it hard to believe Mrs Adams had fled her husband, left her children behind and never contacted the family again.

"For that young girl who, from all accounts, was a good mother - how could she leave her babies behind?" she said.

"I just couldn't account for that."
Sour Milk

At the World Health Assembly (WHA) meetings in late May, 2018, the US delegation tried to water-down or dump a very mild resolution to confirm and update earlier WHA resolutions that protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. No new controversial language had been added to the older resolutions. Ecuador was ready to introduce the resolution until the US threatened punishing trade measures and withdrawal of military support if they sponsored the resolution. In the end, Russia came through to sponsor a revised version. Even that version had to survive US efforts to promote an alternative version that omitted reference to the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code) or anything about inappropriate promotion of baby food. Canada joined Botswana, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Panama, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Zambia to pass the resolution.

I read about this event just as I was leaving town on vacation, and I dismissed its importance because it felt so familiar. After all, the US also did its best to derail the Code in 1981. On my return, refreshed and ready to be frustrated anew, I can see implications that eluded me before. However, I need to acknowledge the profound sadness I felt about the event. I was distressed by how easily the local work in countless countries to support breastfeeding mothers and the advances in lactation science can be dismissed by a US administration that assumes it should always have the last word, the bigger say, in the world health assembly or NAFTA negotiations. In spite of the excellent coverage of the event by mainstream media and activist networks, the event is no longer newsworthy. But the sadness and frustration remains.

Since the US has never implemented the Code, why would it bother blocking the resolution to protect breastfeeding now? To send a message to NGOs and public health institutions that the US will always support its corporations regardless of the cost to public health  a reminder, in case activists forget, that profits of US companies must be protected at all costs. And for breastfeeding mothers, the costs may be high. Earlier in the year, US stakeholders including the Grocery Manufacturers of America voiced objections to the proposed resolution. All this to protect a $70 billion global market for breastmilk substitutes that manages to continue growing in spite of the increase in breastfeeding rates in much of the world.

US authorities balk at protecting and supporting breastfeeding, and are content to promote it, telling mothers that breast is best without providing the time breastfeeding mothers need or objective information about the risks of formula feeding. Canada also promotes breastfeeding as best. It endorsed the Code but failed to implement it in federal law. It doesnt do enough to support women, and without the Code, it fails to protect families from the endless promotion of infant formula everywhere.

At the WHA, the US delegation also called for the insertion of evidence-based to accompany references to promoting breastfeeding. Since evidence based suggests that double-blind clinical trials represent the only evidence acceptable as scientific, this presents a problem for researchers who consider that experiments on babies are unethical in general, and particularly in trials that use breastfeeding and formula feeding groups, when one mode of feeding  breastfeeding  is known to be superior. Only a few months earlier, the CDC called for an end to using the phrase, evidence-based. The New York Times editorial board was upset enough about the US decision to publish an opinion piece on July 9, 2018, Why breast-feeding scares Donald Trump, (New York Times 2018). In response, Donald Trump tweeted:

The failing NY Times Fake News breastfeeding story today must be called out. The US supports breast feeding but we dont believe that women should be denied access to formula. Many women need this option because of malnutrition and poverty. (July 9, 2018)

After Trumps tweet, there were over 600 editorial articles and 900 social media posts on the subject. As usual, the New York Times, both the editorial and the article by Jacobs (2018), reported the facts accurately while the Presidents claims about breastfeeding and health policy were factually wrong. But what is one more lie in the context of 2,000 lies in Trumps first year as President (enumerated by Kessler and Kelly in the Washington Post, January 10, 2018)?

The idea that poor women are too malnourished to breastfeed contradicts scientific evidence, but the public perception (encouraged by the baby food industry) is stronger than the scientific evidence. Facts matter less when there are differences of opinion and legitimate scientific debate about breastmilk and breastfeeding. Nothing in the 2018 resolution or the Code would restrict womens access to infant formula. The Code and subsequent WHA resolutions only limit the promotional practices of companies. However, companies have encouraged the perception that such resolutions would make it more difficult for women to obtain formula by artificially removing or reducing supplies before key policy decisions, as happened in Fiji (Van Esterik and OConnor 2017:187). This gives the impression that supplies might decrease if there are any attempts to impose regulations on the promotion and marketing of baby foods.

As a breastfeeding activist, the WHA incident frustrated me. But as an anthropologist, I know the incident is about more than supporting a multilateral policy document about infant feeding.

What can medical anthropologists take from this incident?

It is a blatant reminder of the strength of the forces that shape decision-making, and the risk of corporate interference in public health guidelines (Wilson,Tokhi and Amir 2018).

It allows for a better understanding of conflicts of interest, and the extent to which the Trump administration will go to protect corporate profits. As a Canadian, I wonder why we should always have to consider US interests as well as those of the food and dairy industry when framing global health policy.

It makes the need to protect breastfeeding visible to a wider range of people, for example, those involved in human rights or food security. The states responsibility to protect (R2P) refers to the health of mothers and infants, not to the already huge profits of baby food and pharmaceutical corporations.

It demonstrates the widespread distrust of knowledge and expertise. Acknowledging that there are many scientific debates around infant nutrition is not an invitation to be anti-science. (As cultural anthropologists, Penny and Richard had difficulty keeping up with the newest expert research coming out of biological anthropology, when they were completing The Dance of Nurture, 2017).

It encourages the obvious comparisons between the pressure-tactics of the tobacco, sugar, and pharmaceutical industries, and their public health consequences. These strategies include: interfering with political and legislative processes; overstating the economic importance of their industries; manipulating public opinion to improve their appearance; engineering support through expert front groups; discrediting evidence-based science; and intimidating governments with legal action (Wilson, Tokhi and Amir2018:3).



Mobile Milk

Canada sits on tenterhooks, wondering if and when the NAFTA trade agreement will be settled, and what Trump will exact in return for our attempts to keep supply management operating in the dairy industry. The supply management system prevents oversupply and shortages of dairy products, and generally gives small farmers a stable income, and customers, fresh milk with no bovine growth hormone (bGH). Perhaps New York and Wisconsin farmers would rather operate under a supply management system than have to increase production using bGH, to be paid to cut production, to dump gallons of excess milk on their fields or to slaughter their cows. Canadians dont want bGH in their milk supply. How can the Canadian supply management system represent a threat to New York and Wisconsin exports of milk components to Canada, when the US has a significant trade surplus with Canada in dairy products?

But international trade is complex. Feihe International, a Beijing company, makes formula for babies and others from skim milk components. The fear of tainted formula in China is well founded, and has encouraged the industry to seek purer milk components. Feihes new Canadian subsidiary, Canada Royal Milk, being built near Kingston with both Ontario provincial and federal support, will export 80% of its milk components to China. Could this in any way link the WHA incident to NAFTA trade negotiations? Canada Royal Milk might gain a market share over US infant formula companies in China; and if Canada fully supported breastfeeding mothers, then the US might sell less infant formula in Canada. Which makes the US decision at the World Health Assembly more understandable economically, if not morally.

With a NAFTA agreement that protects small farmers in Canada, perhaps the US would face more obstacles to dumping their dairy surpluses in Canada. But Canada is not the cause of the milk glut in the US. Milk production increased over 20% in New York and Wisconsin, while milk consumption throughout the country decreased, dropping from around 30 gallons a year in the 70s to 18 gallons today for the typical American. At the same time, the use of milk alternatives such as almond milk is increasing, although dairy lobbyists question whether these products should be labelled as milk. As the commissioner of the US Food and Drug administration, Dr. Scott Gottlieb explained, An almond doesnt lactate (Bowles 2018).

2010 was a banner year for me. In July I had a stroke in my good eye which reduced my vision substantially, and I was diagnosed and treated for triple negative breast cancer at the same time. During the process I was never asked whether I had been breastfed as a child, or whether I had breastfed a child. This experience influenced my breastfeeding advocacy work. I am in good health now, trying to ignore phrases like poor prognosis and aggressive in relation to triple negative breast cancer. In preparing this entry, I reread the British Medical Journal editorial by Natalie Shenker, The Resurgent Influence of Big Formula (2018) and followed up on one reference  a meta-analysis of the relation between breast cancer and breastfeeding, to learn that breastfeeding is protective against triple negative breast cancer. This cancer is characteristic of young black women, women who also have the lowest breastfeeding rates in the US. Breastfeeding could result in a marked risk reduction for triple negative breast cancer among young black mothers. I can understand why US policy makers might not care about the survival of small Ontario dairy farms, but they should certainly care about the health of their own citizen-mothers.

Spilled Milk

The recent New York Times editorial asks why breastfeeding scares Donald Trump, and answers the question by reference to corporate influence (New York Times 2018). The editorial links the breastfeeding resolution to other business issues impacting public health  for example, pushing for language that would limit the ability of the US, Mexico and Canada to put warning labels on junk food and sugary beverages, bringing the WHA incident back to the NAFTA trade agreement. Another answer to the question of why breastfeeding scares Trump might be that the President has in the past called breastfeeding disgusting. The telling incident occurred in 2015 when a lawyer wanted to leave a deposition to pump her milk, after Trump refused to take a scheduled break. Was he not breastfed as a child? Were his children breastfed? Those answers could explain quite a lot.

Is the fuss about milk much ado about nothing, just a simple act of bullying? There is no clear or easy resolution to human problems like bullying and greed. But we can examine institutions that support such problems. Thinking back to my days of being bullied in grade school, I didnt deal well with it then and I dont now. I see few changes in the way we deal with bullying, except that we talk more about it. Steven Pinkers optimistic, uplifting treatise, Enlightenment Now (2018) argues that people are becoming more intelligent and more humane. The US action to avoid protecting breastfeeding suggests otherwise. Anthropologists might well argue that we cannot always address problems like bullying and greed by applying reason.

References

Bowles, Nellie. 2018. Got Milk? Or was that really a plant beverage? Toronto Star, September 8,IN5.

Byatnal, Amruta. 2018. Moment of Reckoning for Nutrition Advocates at the WHA. News Deeply, Malnutrition Deeply, June 7.

Jacobs, A. 2018. Opposition to breast-feeding resolution b US stuns World Health Officials. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/health/world-health-breastfeeding-ecuador-trump.html.

Kessler, G and M Kelly. 2018. President Trump has made more than 2000 false or misleading claims over 355 days. The Washington Post, January 10, 2018.

New York Times, Editorial. 2018. Why Breastfeeding Scares Donald Trump. New York Times, July 8.

Pinker, Steven. 2018. Enlightenment Now: the case for reason, science, humanism and progress.New York: Viking.

Rundall, Patti. 2018. US blocked breastfeeding protections  I know, I was there. https://www.sustainweb.org/blogs/jul18_US_bullying_tactics_on_baby_milk/

Shenker, Natalie. 2018. The Resurgent Influence of Big Formula. British Medical Journal, 362:k3577.

Van Esterik, Penny and Richard OConnor. 2017. The Dance of Nurture: Negotiating Infant Feeding. New York: Berghahn.

Wells, Jennifer. 2018. Baby Formula offers taste of US fury over Canadian dairy. Toronto Star, June 16.

Wilson, A., M.Tokhi and L. Amir. 2018. Big Formula follows Big Tobacco Playbook. Medical Journal of Australia 28, July 23.

Penny Van Esterik is Professor Emerita of Anthropology, recently retired from York University, Toronto, where she taught nutritional anthropology, advocacy anthropology and feminist theory. Her fieldwork was primarily in Southeast Asia. She is a founding member of WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action) and has developed advocacy materials for them on breastfeeding and womens work, breastfeeding and feminism, environmental contaminants and infant feeding, and breastfeeding as infant food security. Her books include From Virtue to Vice: Negotiating Anorexia; The Dance of Nurture: Negotiating Infant Feeding(both with Richard OConnor); Beyond the Breast-Bottle Controversy; Materializing Thailand; Taking Refuge: Lao Buddhists in North America; Food Culture in Southeast Asia;and Food and Culture, a reader (edited with Carole Counihan).

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A suspected bikie war brewing in Perth following a drive-by shooting and several suspicious tattoo parlour fires is about greed and power, police say.

Commissioner Chris Dawson said there were heightened concerns about tension between the Rebels and Comancheros following the shooting in Calista on Tuesday, which left a man aged in his 50s in hospital.

Five tattoo shops were also firebombed between March and August.

"These bikie clubs are simply organised criminal gangs ... they peddle in drugs, they deal with extortion and threats, they're stand-over thugs," Mr Dawson told 6PR radio on Thursday.

"There's bad blood between these two clubs at the moment.

"Now, as to what it comes down to, it'll be about greed and power."
An 18-year-old man has been arrested over his alleged involvement in a crime spree in Melbourne's west.

Police arrested the man at a Point Cook home on Thursday after he allegedly ransacked a Tarneit home with three others who wielded a machete, assaulted a woman and stole her car last month.

Electronic devices were also seized during Thursday's home search.

The man has allegedly been involved in two robberies and an armed robbery in Hoppers Crossing and St Albans this month, and is assisting police with inquiries.
More than half of Australians feel they do not know what to say to a person with dementia, new research has revealed.

That comes despite 436,000 Australians living with the condition and an extra 250 being diagnosed with it every day.

A survey of 1500 people, commissioned by Dementia Australia, shows four in five people also think others feel uncomfortable around those with the brain disorder.

About 60 per cent of people said they didn't know what to say with someone with dementia and half were worried they wouldn't be understood, may say the wrong thing, or hurt the person's feelings.

Dementia Australia chief executive Maree McCabe says the insights are "a real wake up call", given dementia impacts so many Australians.

"The way we respond, communicate and interact with a person with dementia has an enormous impact on their day to day life," she said.

"We can all do more to make sure people living with this disease remain included and accepted in their own community."

Ms McCabe has encouraged people to complete a short online course on the Dementia Australia website to boost their understanding.

But she has been encouraged by the number of people surveyed who were aware of dementia.

About 80 per cent said they'd heard of it and 75 per cent were able to identify basic facts about it.

The brain disorder is the second-leading cause of death among all Australians, claiming more than 13,000 lives a year.

The number of Australians with dementia is expected to hit 590,000 in a decade and almost 1.1 million by 2058.
A woman has life threatening injuries following a domestic dispute in a home in Melbourne's north east.

Police and emergency crews were called to the Bulleen address just after midnight after reports of an assault.

The victim, a Bulleen woman aged in her 60s, has been taken to hospital with life threatening injuries after being assaulted with an edged weapon.

A Bulleen man, also aged in his 60s, was taken to hospital under police guard with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say the parties are believed to be known to each other.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's partner has told an audience about former US President Barack Obama's "lovely, soft nose" and an invitation he's received from Melania Trump.

Ms Ardern is this week leaving for New York to speak at the United Nations General Assembly, with her schedule including high-profile appearances on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the Today Show and a lengthy interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

The trip will also be the first overseas outing for daughter Neve, who was born in June.

Partner Clarke Gayford - who has taken on a full-time fathering role - will also attend.

Speaking at an event on Thursday night, Mr Gayford, a television and radio presenter, reportedly told an Auckland audience he had received an invite to a reception for leaders' partners from President Donald Trump's wife, describing it as "tea and scones with Melania".

"It's pretty funny. I sent it to a few friends and said, 'You will not believe this invite I just got'," the 40-year-old said, pulling out his phone to read the message, according to Stuff.co.nz.

During a question-and-answer session, Mr Gayford also recounted meeting Mr Obama, including a hongi - a traditional Maori greeting which involves the touching of noses.

"I was one of the first ones up and I was pretty nervous - and he'd only done one before either. Lovely, soft nose," Mr Gayford said.

He was also reported to have described as former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull as "actually, really quite personable".

While Ms Ardern is expected to receive an enthusiastic welcome in the US, her trip ends a rough month in domestic politics for her Labour Party, following the firing of one government minister this week and the resignation of another just weeks ago, both amid scandals.
NSW education ministers past and present have savaged Prime Minister Scott Morrison's private schools funding deal, while the state's teachers union says it's "corrupt".

Education Minister Rob Stokes argues the federal government's $4.6 billion proposal would spell a return to the bad old days of the funding wars.

"Quite simply, I won't be signing any deal that doesn't treat every student and every school with fairness," the Liberal minister said in a statement.

"The Gonski principles provide that school funding should be needs based and sector blind and these are the principles we hold dear.

"We don't want a return to the school funding wars of the past that pitted private schools against public schools and urge the federal government to provide equal treatment for all schools, public and private."

Former NSW education minister Adrian Piccoli, is also scathing in his criticism.

"This is pathetic. There is nothing fair about it. There is nothing Christian about it. It's throwing money at the powerful and well connected," the ex-Nationals MP tweeted.

Mr Piccoli subsequently tweeted Mr Morrison's press release on the deal and stated: "So, tell us more about the $1.2b slush fund you are setting up only for Catholic and independent schools."

The federal government plans to give Catholic and independent schools an additional $3.4 billion over 11 years to fund changes to the way parents' wealth is measured based on income tax data.

A further $1.2 billion will be spent on Catholic and independent schools as the coalition sees fit.

NSW Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron is outraged.

"This is the most corrupt schools funding deal that any Australian government has ever announced. It totally ignores student need and does not deliver one cent to public schools," he said in a Teachers Federation tweet.

The prime minister on Friday brushed off Mr Stokes' attack.

"I don't think Rob's yet had the chance to really look at the full details of this," Mr Morrison told ABC radio.

"I'm sure once he sees that he'll see those comments don't weigh up with what we've actually announced."
A budget blowout of $303 million is predicted if the Central Adelaide Local Health Network does not take "urgent corrective action", a report has revealed.

The report was prepared by corporate advisory firm KordaMentha, after SA Health blamed its $250 million budget deficit on the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

"The most damning aspect of KordaMentha's report is their finding that there is a systemic and widespread breakdown and lack of respect for financial control and performance accountability," Treasurer Rob Lucas said on Friday.
Charmaine Bingwa has been named winner of the 2018 Heath Ledger Scholarship at a star-studded ceremony on West Hollywood's Sunset Strip.

Bingwa, an actress, director and screenwriter from Perth, was selected from hundreds of candidates by an A-list judging panel including Matt Damon, Rose Byrne and Naomi Watts.

The 33-year-old, born in Zimbabwe and raised in Australia, said it was Ledger's performance in Brokeback Mountain that inspired her to openly come out as gay.

"As a woman, a person of colour and gay - I have the trifecta," Bingwa told the crowd in a penthouse suite at the Chateau Marmont on Thursday.

Ledger, the Australian Oscar winner who died in 2008 from an accidental prescription drug overdose, was renowned for helping young Australian actors who landed in Hollywood and were attempting to follow in his footsteps.

He would offer spare bedrooms and couches in his Hollywood Hills home and hand over the keys to his car to help out.

The scholarship was first created by Los Angeles-based organisation Australians in Film a few months after the actor's death and has become an annual event supported by companies including Bird in Hand and Australia's top actors including Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.
Four members of the notorious Finks bikie gang have been charged for a road rage attack on a car in the NSW Blue Mountains in June, police say.

Police previously released video of the incident which allegedly showed nearly a dozen Finks members and associates surround a BMW after the car and a rider collided in Blaxland on June 9.

It's alleged one bikie can be seen attempting to open the driver's door before another kicks the window and others gesticulate in front of the luxury car.

Anti-bikie squad Strikeforce Raptor executed four search warrants at western Sydney homes on Friday morning.

They seized Finks colour and paraphernalia, cannabis and other items allegedly "relevant to the investigation", NSW Police said in a statement on Friday.

Three Finks, aged 22, 27 and 47, were charged with a list of offences including affray, destroying property and drug possession.

The 27-year-old will face Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday, while the other two are expected to appear in Mt Druitt Local Court on October 10.

Another man, a Finks "prospect" aged 20, was arrested after a fifth search at a home in Dapto and charged with multiple offences including damaging property and participating in a criminal group.

He is expected before Port Kembla Local Court on October 17.

Further arrests are expected.
Student behaviour at a troubled high school in Western Australia's Goldfields region, where security guards were hired following an assault on a teacher, has improved significantly, new figures suggest.

A Department of Education review in 2016 found major problems at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School including low staff morale, poor student behaviour and high suspension rates, with 83 students sent home in the first term alone.

On Friday, Education Minister Sue Ellery said the number of students suspended in the first semester of this year had fallen by 22 per cent compared to the same period last year, with the number of incidents resulting in suspensions down by 35 per cent.
Its often said that timing is everything. In the case of Oscar-winning doc filmmaking legend Michael Moore and his new movie Fahrenheit 11/9 (Dog Eat Dog/Midwestern), about the Trump presidency (among other things), the timing couldnt be better.

Bob Woodwards Donald Trump tell-all book Fear: Trump in the White House is poised to debut near the top of the New York Times Best Sellers List (a few spots above Omarosa Manigault Newmans Unhinged which also eviscerates Trump). Robert Muellers Russian collusion investigation has snagged several prized characters from Trump-world, Brett Kavanaughs SCOTUS future is in question and the potentially crushing 2018 mid-term elections loom large.

Fahrenheit 11/9 plays on the title of Moores 2004 documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, opening with the sad reminder of election night 2016. It also wastes no time in recalling Moores prophetic dismiss him at your own peril line, which was even quoted by Fox News. In an attempt to answer the burning question, How the fuck did this happen?, Moore makes the case of pinning it on Gwen Stefani, whose higher salary on The Voice than Trumps on The Apprentice, led to a temper tantrum (and later, Trumps firing from NBC for racist remarks), resulting in a run for POTUS.

Already a media-whore of the highest degree, Trump took advantage of the opportunity and received more coverage, welcome and unwelcome, than one might have thought humanly possible. As it turns out, Trump has something in common with the media moguls he alternately trounces and praise: they all have a history of being sexual predators. The scenes with Trump and daughter Ivanka are particularly unsettling. This revelation, something with which most viewers will be familiar, is one of a series of moments where we are not necessarily hearing about Trump for the first time. Its simply a case of having some of these disclosures presented in this format.

However, Trump is not the directors only target. Moore shares the wealth of his rage in familiar territory for him. His Michigan homeland, specifically the shocking devastation that occurred in Flint. Moore trains his eye on corrupt and morally bankrupt Michigan governor Rick Snyder, with a vengeance, creating a movie within a movie.

Almost no one escapes Moores wrath, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Although Bernie Sanders does get a pass. While Snyder is vilified in (deserving) ways that even he might be unprepared for, Trump is virtually trashed beyond recognition. The clips in which Adolph Hitler is speaking with Trumps voice, and the relentlessly terrifying parallels between what occurred in Germany and what is taking place in the United States is chill-inducing, and perhaps a bit extreme.

Clocking in at more than two hours, Fahrenheit 11/9 is occasionally overwhelming (and at least 20 minutes too long). Nevertheless, only Moore could have crafted this kind of precise cinematic character assassination.

Rating: B
The Queensland government will begin environmental monitoring of nationally important wetlands near Adani's Abbot Point coal port.

The decision follows the coal miner's successful appeal on Friday against a notice requiring it to conduct an environmental evaluation of the Caley Valley Wetlands following the suspected release of contaminated water during Cyclone Debbie in 2017.

The wetlands, which are adjacent to the port, are the habitat for up to 48,000 birds during peak times, including threatened species such as the Australian painted snipe.
Ousted Burkina leader Compaore charged in Sankara killing

Burkina Faso has issued an international warrant for ousted leader Blaise Compaore for his suspected role in the mysterious 1987 killing of his former comrade, ex-president Thomas Sankara, a judicial source said Monday.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Compaore, who is living in exile in the Ivory Coast, had been charged with an "attack" and "assassination".

Compaore was toppled from power by a popular uprising in October 2014 after ruling Burkina Faso with an iron fist for 27 years.

Blaise Compaore with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels on November 16, 2006 JOHN THYS (AFP)

Sankara, a revolutionary figure who is still a hero to many in west Africa, was killed on October 15, 1987, during the coup that brought his friend and former comrade-in-arms Compaore to power.

Mystery still surrounds the death of the man dubbed "Africa's Che Guevara".

On Monday, a police lab helping investigate the killing of the iconic former president reported that the "state of the remains" made it impossible to detect any DNA, according to a lawyer for the Sankara family.

It had been hoped that DNA tests could confirm that the remains were indeed those of Sankara, whose death certificate stated that he died of "natural causes".

- 'Riddled with bullets' -

"We can simply say that in view of these results, the state of the remains did not permit the laboratory to certify the existence of DNA," said family lawyer Benewende Stanislas Sankara, who is of no relation to the revolutionary hero.

The supposed remains of the 37-year-old former army captain, along with those of 12 former aides also killed during the 1987 coup, were exhumed from a cemetery in the capital Ouagadougou in May.

A lab in the southern French city of Marseille performed testing on the remains, which according to autopsy results released in October were "riddled with bullets".

The family's lawyer said the DNA tests had been carried out at the request of the Sankaras, who now have two weeks to decide whether to seek additional testing or analysis from different experts.

Several reports have since suggested he was executed by a hit squad at government headquarters -- an account that appeared to be supported by the results of the autopsy.

The probe into Sankara's death was launched five months after his friend-turned-rival Compaore was ousted. The issue of his death was considered highly taboo in Burkina Faso while the strongman was in power.

At least five other people -- mostly former soldiers who served in Compaore's elite presidential guard, the RSP -- have been charged in connection with Sankara's killing.

"Proceedings are following their course. There have already been many charges in this case," said lawyer Benewende Stanislas Sankara.

General Gilbert Diendere -- Compaore's former chief of staff, who led a failed coup in September backed by men from the RSP, is among those charged.

The military's health chief at the time of the 1987 coup, Fidele Guebre, has also been charged for signing the death certificate stating that Sankara died of natural causes.

The arrest warrant against Compaore could complicate relations between Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, its neighbour to the south.

In the early 2000s, the former Burkinabe strongman was the main source of support for rebels backing Alassane Ouattara -- now the country's president -- who were trying to overthrow then-leader Laurent Gbagbo by seizing the northern half of the country.

The political leader of that rebellion, Guillaume Soro, is now speaker of Ivory Coast's parliament and has recently been accused of seeking to support September's failed coup in Burkina Faso on the basis of recorded conversations leaked onto the Internet.

Soro has insisted the recordings are fake, saying he was the victim of a "smear campaign".

Thomas Sankara was killed on October 15, 1987 during the coup that brought Blaise Compaore to power Dominique Faget (AFP/File)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in addressed an estimated 150,000 North Koreans at the close of a spectacular propaganda display known as the "Mass Games"

North Korea's Kim Jong Un agreed Wednesday to shutter a missile-testing site and visit Seoul, a historic move the US welcomed by saying it was ready for immediate talks aimed at denuclearising North Korea by January 2021.

Kim's ground-breaking announcement came at a summit with the South's President Moon Jae-in in Pyongyang, where the two signed a document to strengthen ties between the two halves of the divided peninsula.

Progress on the key issue of the North's nuclear arsenal was limited but, building on a growing rapprochement, the two leaders agreed to create a facility to hold family reunions at any time, work towards joining up road and rail links, and mount a combined bid for the 2032 Olympics.

The agreement "carries the people's fresh hope and the people's strong, flaming desire for reunification," Kim said.

Kim's trip to Seoul would be the first by a Northern leader since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, when hostilities ceased with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving them technically in a state of war.

In their agreement, the North also said it would "permanently close" a missile engine testing site and launch facility in Tongchang-ri "in the presence of experts from relevant nations."

US President Donald Trump welcomed Wednesday's declaration, tweeting that Kim had "agreed to allow Nuclear inspections, subject to final negotiations," adding: "Very exciting!"

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he spoke with his North Korean counterpart and invited him to meet in New York next week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Pompeo praised the "important commitments" made by Pyongyang, adding Washington was ready to "engage immediately in negotiations" to achieve the denuclearisation of North Korea "by January 2021."

Moon, who brokered Kim's historic summit with Trump in Singapore in June, had hoped to bring fresh momentum to stalled talks between his hosts and Washington.

- Historic address -

Inter-Korean summits

Moon later addressed an estimated 150,000 North Koreans at the close of a spectacular propaganda display known as the "Mass Games." He called for the peninsula to reunite after he received a standing ovation from the crowd.

"I propose that we should completely end the past 70 years of hostility and take a big stride of peace to become one again," Moon said according to South Korea's news agency Yonhap.

"Chairman Kim Jong Un and I will make a new fatherland, firmly holding the hands of 80 million Koreans in the South and the North."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in watch the large-scale gymnastic and artistic performance at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang

In Singapore, Kim declared his backing for denuclearisation of the peninsula but no details were agreed.

Washington and Pyongyang have since sparred over what that means and how it will be achieved -- and experts remain skeptical.

The North -- whose ballistic missile programme is banned under UN Security Council resolutions -- has carried out several long-range rocket launches from the site, also known as Sohae, but has also used many other locations including Pyongyang airport.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in exchanges documents with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their summit in Pyongyang

Satellite pictures in August suggested workers were already dismantling an engine test stand at Sohae.

"Kim is playing this brilliantly: verify that I dismantle a single site that I no longer need anyway while I mass-produce the missiles the site helped me develop," Vipin Narang of MIT said.

Moon also said the North could close its Yongbyon nuclear plant if Washington takes "corresponding measures" -- a significant caveat.

Arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis said the consensus view was that the uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon "was built for (the) express purpose of being sacrificed."

After the high symbolism of Moon and Kim's first meeting in April in the Demilitarized Zone, and the Singapore summit, progress had largely stalled.

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in is due to attend a performance of the "Mass Games" -- North Korea's spectacular, all-dancing propaganda display

Washington is pressing for the North's "final, fully verified denuclearisation," but Pyongyang has condemned "gangster-like" demands for it to give up its weapons unilaterally.

Ahead of the Pyongyang summit there had been speculation Moon could secure a promise from Kim of a list of the North's nuclear assets, but no such document was mentioned.

"On the denuclearisation issue, the agreement fell short of expectations," Korea University political science professor Yoo Ho-yeol told AFP.

- Spiritual birthplace -

But the two Koreas have been pressing ahead with their own rapprochement, with Kim looking to secure economic cooperation from the far wealthier South, and Moon trying to reduce the risk of a US-North Korean conflict that would devastate his country.

On Wednesday evening South Korean President Moon Jae-in's party dined with Kim Jong Un and his wife at a new fish restaurant in Pyongyang

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper -- the mouthpiece of the North's ruling party -- has carried dozens of photos of the two leaders embracing on Moon's arrival Tuesday, parading together through the streets of the capital, enjoying a concert and toasting at a banquet.

On Wednesday evening Moon's party dined with Kim and his wife at a new fish restaurant in Pyongyang.

It was chosen after Moon expressed interest in dining at a local restaurant with ordinary citizens. However, a retail shop there sells North Korean caviar at $50 for a 50-gramme jar -- a luxury far beyond the reach of most North Koreans.

Before returning home on Thursday, Seoul said Moon will travel to Mount Paektu, the spiritual birthplace of the Korean nation on the Chinese-North Korean border.
Until last week, Judge Brett Kavanaugh looked almost certain to win confirmation to the Supreme Court in a victory for President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump piled pressure Wednesday on the woman accusing his Supreme Court pick of sexual assault by insisting that she testify next week if she wants to be heard.

Trump echoed Republican leaders in suggesting that time is running out for Christine Blasey Ford, the California psychology professor whose allegation that she was assaulted as a teenager threatens to derail confirmation of conservative Judge Brett Kavanaugh to America's highest court.

Ford has backtracked from earlier statements that she is ready to face a grilling in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Instead, she is calling for an FBI probe into her allegation that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and muffled her cries as he tried to pull off her clothes when she was 15 and he was 17.

Kavanaugh, now 53, denies any such incident took place and no other direct witnesses have come forward.

Trump told journalists at the White House that he retained full faith in the judge, saying it was "very hard for me to imagine that anything happened."

He urged Ford to take her chance at the committee hearing set for Monday, where Kavanaugh is likewise invited to explain his side of the story.

Trump indicated that his patience is wearing thin, even telling political website The Hill that the scandal resembles what he called "the witch hunt" by a special prosecutor into allegations his campaign colluded with Russia to bring about his surprise 2016 election.

"We continue to give her a lot of time. We've held up the whole hearing," Trump told reporters.

The Republican chairman of the Senate committee, Chuck Grassley, wrote to Ford's lawyers, ruling out any FBI role and saying that the sole venue for airing the allegations would be the Senate hearing.

"You have stated repeatedly that Dr Ford wants to tell her story. I sincerely hope that Dr Ford will accept my invitation to do so, either privately or publicly, on Monday," Grassley said.

Late Wednesday, a lawyer for Ford, Lisa Banks, was quoted by The Washington Post saying that the "rush to a hearing is unnecessary and contrary to the Committee discovering the truth."

But Susan Collins, a Republican senator seen as potentially voting against party lines, also said that Ford needed to testify.

"I think it's not fair for Judge Kavanaugh for her not to come forward and testify," she said.

- Ultimate goal -

Until last week, Kavanaugh looked almost certain to win confirmation in the Senate in a victory for Trump that would tilt the Supreme Court to conservative rulings, potentially for decades to come.

The scandal, erupting just before the Senate Judiciary Committee had been due to vote on Kavanaugh, ignited an uproar fueled by the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment.

For Democrats hoping to hurt Trump before November congressional elections, when they hope to retake at least one house of the Republican-dominated Congress, the row is a godsend.

Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted on Brett Kavanaugh's "unblemished" record and suitability for the lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court

And Trump -- who faces a raft of serious allegations of sexual impropriety and was once caught on tape boasting of being able to "grab" women's genitals whenever he wanted -- has had to tread a fine line.

Instead of the real estate tycoon's usually no-holds-barred combative style, honed during decades of cutthroat business deals, he has been careful to speak about Ford with respect.

However, he has at the same time repeatedly insisted on Kavanaugh's "unblemished" record.

On Wednesday, Trump made clear that his main goal is shifting the Supreme Court to the right.

"When I first decided to run, everybody said the single most important thing you do is the Supreme Court justice," he said.

- Call for FBI involvement -

Lawyers for Ford, 51, say now that they want a broader FBI investigation first, rather than a one-day hearing which Democrats say will be used by Republicans as fig leaf before going ahead with Kavanaugh's confirmation vote.

In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the lawyers said she has faced "vicious harassment and even death threats" since going public with her allegations on Sunday.

"As a result of these kind of threats, her family was forced to relocate out of their home," they added.

Some on the left believe that Ford could become a new icon of the #MeToo campaign against the sexual harassment of women by powerful men. However, with her yet to appear in public, it remains uncertain what level of grassroots anger is being stirred.

A GoFundMe campaign for aiding Ford's costs had raised $135,542 of its $175,000 goal in less than 24 hours Wednesday, although another campaign had raised only around $5,000 after two days.
US special representative for Iran Brian speaking at the State Department in August

US leaders remain ready to negotiate with their Iranian counterparts but Tehran is still refusing President Donald Trump's overture to do so, a senior US official said Wednesday.

Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "have all made clear that we are ready to negotiate and to have those discussions," Brian Hook, the US special representative for Iran, told the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank.

"There hasn't been any aversion to meeting with the Iranians," he added.

Hook stressed the goal was a "comprehensive deal" with Iran, based on a tough set of conditions Pompeo laid out in May.

The United States seeks a treaty ratified by Congress to replace the nuclear pact Trump withdrew from in May.

Washington insists such a deal should address Iran's ballistic weapons capabilities, its nuclear capacity and its "destabilizing" and "malign" regional influence.

According to Hook, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif "have all indicated that they're not interested in talking. That's their position, we respect that."

Trump and Rouhani will both be in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly.

The US president is to lead a Security Council meeting that will discuss Iran, among other topics.

While Rouhani will hold talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, no US-Iranian meeting has been announced.

The US re-imposed sweeping sanctions against Iran last month, and a new round of even harsher sanctions is set to go into effect November 5 targeting Iran's vital oil sector.
Around 40,000 African elephants are killed every year for their tusks, which are illegally traded in a multi-billion dollar international industry

DNA tests on smuggled elephant tusks have identified three major ivory cartels in Africa and are helping investigators bolster the criminal cases against some of the most dangerous traffickers, researchers said Wednesday.

Around 40,000 African elephants are killed every year for their tusks, which are illegally traded as part of a multi-billion dollar industry that extends from Africa to Asia and beyond.

Traffickers conceal their ivory in shipping containers -- but inspectors peer inside just one percent of the one billion containers sent around the world each year.

Where physical inspections fall short, genetic testing has come to the rescue, said the report in the journal Science Advances.

Lead author Samuel Wasser, a professor of biology at the University of Washington, said an "important breakthrough" came when experts realized about half of the tusks were not in pairs. Often, one was missing.

So they ran DNA tests on 38 seizures from 2006 to 2015 to find out where the tusks came from.

They found 26 of the 38 matched a tusk seized at a different time.

They also discovered that two shipments with matching tusks would frequently pass through the same port, usually within 10 months of each other.

"This suggests the same major cartel was responsible for both shipments," Wasser told reporters on a conference call.

"We were able to identify what we believe are the three major cartels shipping tusks out of Africa."

They operate out of Mombasa, Kenya; Entebbe, Uganda; and Lome, Togo, according to Wasser.

- Bolstering case -

Since most ivory traffickers face prosecution for a single seizure, being able to connect individual traffickers to multiple large seizures can raise the stakes, allowing them to be charged with major transnational crimes and face tougher penalties.

Wasser said his team's research has been able to link far more ivory to certain criminals.

Ivory Kingpin Feisal Mohamed Ali (C), pictured August 3, 2018, had his 20-year jail term overturned due to "gaps" in the evidence against him -- something the researchers hope their work will prevent in the future

Chief among them is ivory "kingpin" Feisal Mohamed Ali, a Kenyan national who had his 20-year jail term overturned earlier this year by a judge who cited "gaps" in the evidence against him.

Ali was arrested in Tanzania in 2014 in connection with two tons of ivory -- 228 whole tusks and 74 pieces -- found in a Mombasa warehouse. Authorities put the value of the ivory at $4.2 million.

His case has been referred to a lower court, said Wasser.

"There is a great deal of evidence we have uncovered - as have others -- that link him to multiple seizures," Wasser said.

"Our hope is that the data presented in this paper will help strengthen the case against this cartel."

Wasser said DNA analysis from his lab was "instrumental" in the conviction of another ivory smuggler, Emile N'Bouke, nicknamed "The Boss" (Le Patron), allegedly the largest ivory trafficker in west Africa.

In 2014 he was handed the maximum sentence under the law in Togo for possessing 1,500 pounds (700 kilograms) of ivory -- two years in jail.

Since then, more DNA analysis has linked N'Bouke to other criminal syndicates in Africa, Wasser said.

"We had not yet developed the links between all these different seizures," Wasser said.

"This is a case where we wish we had this data sooner," he said, adding that "eyes are still on him."

- Hard evidence -

John Brown, special agent in the US Department of Homeland Security and country representative for HSI Nairobi, said the DNA analysis has been "important" in the pursuit of multiple ongoing investigations, though he declined to go into further detail.

"Dr. Wasser's lab has provided hard evidence to identify, dismantle and disrupt criminal organizations behind illicit trade in wildlife," Brown said.

Smugglers and poachers are "very well organized" and "can be violent," Brown said.

Trade in ivory was banned in 1989 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Smugglers often try to evade detection by shipping ivory out of a different country than where it was poached.

Wasser said that even though most of the DNA data relates to tusks that were trafficked from 2011 to 2014, a period of rapid escalation, the science is still relevant today.

"It takes a long time to catch these guys," he said.
The new law carries heavy jail sentences for secretly recording government officials or spreading "negative propaganda" using a digital device

Bangladesh's parliament on Wednesday passed a controversial digital security act despite protests by journalists who say the law will severely curb media freedom in the country.

The new law, which according to a draft carries heavy jail sentences for secretly recording government officials or spreading "negative propaganda" using a digital device, was approved by a voice vote, parliamentary spokesman Mohammad Kamal told AFP.

Post and telecommunications minister Mustafa Jabbar, who placed the bill, told parliament the law would help fight digital crime and protect people's lives and assets, The Daily Star newspaper said.

Hundreds of journalists have staged demonstrations against the law in recent months and editors have said the law poses serious threats to freedom of expression and media in the country.

This week the Sampadak Parishad, a council of top editors, urged authorities not to pass the law, saying it would seriously curtail democracy in Bangladesh.

The council raised concerns over some sections of the law but a parliamentary standing committee which scrutinised the draft act only made minor changes.

Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, the editor-in-chief of Bengali daily Manobjamin and a member of the council, expressed his shock at the passage of the law, saying it was "very unfortunate".

"This law will make independent journalism very difficult in the country," he told AFP.

According to a draft of the Digital Security Act 2018 approved by the cabinet earlier this year, a journalist could be convicted of espionage for entering a government office and gathering information secretly using an electronic device, an offence that would carry a 14-year jail sentence.

It also provides for a life sentence for spreading "negative propaganda" about the country's war of independence or its founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman using a digital device.

Media rights groups in Bangladesh and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have already condemned the bill.

Last month top journalist and activist Shahidul Alam was arrested during massive student protests in the capital Dhaka for making "false" and "provocative" statements on Al Jazeera and Facebook Live.

He is being investigated for allegedly violating Bangladesh's already stringent internet laws enacted in 2006.

Rights groups, UN rights experts, Nobel laureates and hundreds of academics have called for the immediate release of the 63-year-old, who says he has been beaten in custody.
"On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations," said Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed Pyongyang's "important commitments" made by Pyongyang during Wednesday's inter-Korean summit, adding Washington was ready to begin negotiating immediately to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea "by January 2021."

In a statement, Pompeo said he spoke with his North Korean counterpart Wednesday morning and invited him to meet in New York next week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

The statement came after the North's leader Kim Jong Un agreed to make a historic visit to Seoul soon and close a missile testing site in front of international inspectors in a meeting with the South's President Moon Jae-in.

Progress on the key issue of the North's nuclear arsenal was limited, but the two signed a document to strengthen ties between the two halves of the divided peninsula.

Building on a growing rapprochement, they agreed to create a facility to hold family reunions at any time, work towards joining up road and rail links, and mount a combined bid for the 2032 Olympics.

"On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations," said Pompeo.

In addition to Pompeo's meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, "we have invited North Korean representatives to meet our Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, in Vienna, Austria at the earliest opportunity," the statement continued.

"This will mark the beginning of negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations through the process of rapid denuclearization of North Korea, to be completed by January 2021, as committed by Chairman Kim, and to construct a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula."

Kim's trip to Seoul would be the first by a Northern leader since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, when hostilities ceased with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving them technically in a state of war.

In their agreement, the North also said it would "permanently close" a missile engine testing site and launch facility in Tongchang-ri "in the presence of experts from relevant nations."
A picture from the official Syrian Arab News Agency reportedly shows Syrian air defence batteries responding to Israeli missiles in Damscus on September 15, 2018

Israel's air force commander will lead a delegation to Moscow to share the military's findings on the Syrian downing of a Russian warplane following Israeli air strikes, the army said Wednesday.

The delegation, led by Major General Amikam Norkin, would on Thursday "present the situation report... regarding all aspects" of the incident, the army said in a statement.

"In addition, they will present the continuous Iranian attempts to transfer strategic weapons to the Hezbollah terror organisation and to establish an Iranian military presence in Syria."

On Monday, Syrian air defences shot down a Russian military plane, killing 15 soldiers, after Israeli missiles had struck the coastal region of Latakia.

The Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences".

Israel denied the allegations, saying its jets were already back in Israeli airspace when Syrian forces launched the missiles that hit the Russian plane.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his "sorrow" to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Tuesday, offering to assist Moscow in the investigation.

Putin had said the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances," warning Netanyahu against carrying out such operations in the future and pledging to beef up security for Russian forces in Syria.

Accompanying Norkin on the Thursday visit will be officers from the intelligence and operations directorates, the army said in its Wednesday statement.
Jack Ma, the billionaire owner of China's largest online shopping portal, made a headline-grabbing promise to create one million jobs in the US

Alibaba founder Jack Ma said his ambitious pledge to create one million jobs in the US had been scuppered by the trade row between Beijing and Washington, Chinese state news reported Thursday.

The billionaire owner of China's largest online shopping portal made the headline-grabbing promise to Donald Trump last year, as Beijing courted the then-newly elected president.

But Ma told Xinhua that his pledge had been made on the basis of continued cooperation and trade growth between the US and China, and would now be difficult to fulfill.

"However, the previous basis for trade has been undermined," he said in an interview on Tuesday.

"But we will continue to work hard to promote the healthy development of China-US trade."

Ma's bold pledge following his January 2017 meeting at Trump Tower was greeted with scepticism by analysts at the time, who said the move was more about good PR than substance.

One million jobs would be close to one percent of all jobs in the United States -- meaning that successfully delivering on the pledge would make Alibaba one of the country's largest private employers.

In April Ma doubled down on his pledge, claiming 10 million jobs could be created "if China and the US maintain good trade relations".

But the trade dispute between the world's top two economies has swiftly escalated since Trump took office, with a series of tit-for-tat tariffs brought on billions of dollars' worth of goods by both countries.

This week Trump said he would press ahead with 10 percent levies on $200 billion of imports -- on top of $50 billion already targeted -- prompting Beijing to target another $60 billion of US goods with five to 10 percent taxes.

Ma pointed to business opportunities in other regions such as Europe, South America, Russia and Africa, Xinhua said.

"There are still many things that Chinese companies should and can do. They still have many opportunities despite the trade frictions between China and the U.S.," Ma said.

"Trade is not a weapon and cannot be used for wars," he added. "Trade should be the propeller of peace."

Ma announced this month he would step down as head of the pioneering Chinese e-commerce giant in one year, handing over to CEO and anointed successor Daniel Zhang.

He has expressed a desire to follow in the philanthropic footsteps of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

"I'm just 54, and I still have at least 16 years to do something new," Ma told Xinhua. "It's exciting to have more than a dozen years to take on a new career."
United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale is a family church! We believe in family! We are a part of mainstream Christianity with 5,600 churches and 1.3 million members.

We are part of a Mainstream Christian denomination of firsts. From the 1700s when the Congregationalists took a stand against slavery, to 1785 with the ordination of the first African-American Protestant pastor, to 1853 with the first woman ordained as a Christian pastor, to 1972 with the first LGBT pastor in a mainstream Christian denomination, to 2005s celebration of marriage equality.

United Church of Christ is a spiritual home where All Are Welcome and is known as a dwelling place where God is Still Speaking. Gracie Allen was a brilliant and perceptive woman. She left a message in her papers to be discovered by her husband after her death that has become the motto for the United Church of Christ: Never put a period where God has placed a comma. God is indeed still speaking!

October, 14, 2018 United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale will be celebrating 64 years of ministry. One of our outreach programs is called Ruths Ministry and has been feeding and clothing those in need for over 14 years. Every Thursday morning, the guests are invited to a church service which begins at 10:30am. Eighty to ninety guests gather with many of our 25 or more weekly volunteers for the optional church service held prior to the meal. Ruths Ministry provides over 8,000 meals a year, clothing for women and men, referrals to temporary housing, toiletries, and more and all served with compassion and love.

UCC Fort Lauderdale believes in unity. We work closely and partner with many community organizations such as Out of the Closet, Poverello, Smarty Pants annual Pet Project fundraiser, the KiKi Project and HIV Testing Center of The Pride Center, Gay Mens Chorus of South Florida, World AIDS Museum and many others. We hold an annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Service, the Thursday prior to Thanksgiving with as many as 15 spiritual communities participation.

The United Church of Christ denomination follows Jesus example of and passion for social justice. Our Childrens Justice areas include bullying, Economic Justice fighting hunger and poverty, Global Concerns regarding immigration, Human Sexuality including LGBT Rights, Racial Justice, Womens Justice relating to Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking, and Health Justice in the areas of HIV/AIDS and Mental Illness.

UCC Fort Lauderales worship style for our Sunday morning service is a blended style and very diverse. We are blessed by a spirit-filled music ministry consisting of a large spirit filled choir, and also liturgical dancers, dramatic presentations for the gospel readings, and music ranging from traditional hymns to spiritual secular arrangements.

You are invited to come visit United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale, where love and ministry happens. Our address is 2501 NE 30th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306, www.UCCFTL.org, or call 954.563.4271.
Ian Buruma (l), seen here being handed a prize by Dutch Crownprince Willem-Alexander in 2008, "is no longer the editor" of the New York Review of Books

Ian Buruma, the editor of the prestigious New York Review of Books, has left his position after being roundly criticized for publishing an essay condemned as insulting toward the #MeToo movement and victims of sexual abuse.

Nicolas During, a spokesman for the literary magazine, told AFP on Wednesday Buruma "is no longer the editor" but would not confirm whether he had resigned or been fired.

The 66-year-old's departure followed a wave of controversy surrounding an article written by the Canadian former broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi, who lost his high-profile job with CBC after more than 20 women accused him of sexual misconduct.

Ghomeshi was subsequently acquitted of sexual assault in a criminal trial in 2016, but signed a "peace bond" that required him to apologize to a former co-worker he had harassed.

In the essay -- titled "Reflections from a Hashtag" and published online since Friday before it is due to go to print -- Ghomeshi muses on his life after the allegations, his pariah status among former friends and colleagues, his feelings of remorse and thoughts of suicide.

The article was immediately slammed by one of his accusers, Linda Redgrave, who underlined the gravity of the accusations against Ghomeshi and accused him seeking sympathy. The controversy quickly spiraled on social media.

In the essay, titled "Reflections from a Hashtag" and published online before it is due to go print on Friday -- Ghomeshi muses on his life after the allegations, his pariah status, his feelings of remorse and thoughts of suicide

In an interview with Slate, Buruma defended his decision to publish, telling the website: "I'm no judge of the rights and wrongs of every allegation. How can I be? All I know is that in a court of law he was acquitted, and there is no proof he committed a crime."

"The exact nature of his behavior -- how much consent was involved -- I have no idea, nor is it really my concern," he said.

"My concern is what happens to somebody who has not been found guilty in any criminal sense but who perhaps deserves social opprobrium, but how long should that last, what form it should take, etc."

Despite the departure of its editor, the article will still appear in its next edition, said During.

Buruma took over the editorship of the New York Review of Books in September 2017 following the death of its co-founder Robert Silvers.

Before joining the magazine, the Dutchman had worked for the Far Eastern Economic Review in Hong Kong, and The Spectator in London. He is the author of more than 20 books.
The Gaza health ministry said that Mumin Abu Ayeda, 15, was shot along the heavily-fortified border east of Rafah in southern Gaza (pictured October 2017)

A Palestinian teenager was shot dead by Israeli fire in clashes near the border in southern Gaza late Wednesday, the health ministry in the enclave said.

The ministry said Mumin Abu Ayeda, 15, was shot along the heavily-fortified border east of Rafah in southern Gaza.

It said he was part of night time demonstrations which have taken place over months of protests, dubbed the Great March of Return.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli army, which typically highlights the often violent nature of such demonstrations and labels them riots.

At least 184 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since the 'Great March' protests began on March 30.

One Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper.

Protests have lessened in intensity in recent months, though smaller demonstrations continue.

On Tuesday two Palestinians were shot dead during violent protests next to the Erez crossing into Israel.

Demonstrators are calling to be allowed to return to the homes their families fled from in 1948, which are now inside Israel.

Israel accuses Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas, with which it has fought three wars since 2008, of orchestrating the protests as cover for attacks.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited Mount Paektu on the Chinese border, accompanied by their wives

Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in visited the spiritual birthplace of the Korean nation Thursday for a show of unity after their North-South summit gave new momentum to Pyongyang's negotiations with Washington.

The North Korean leader on Wednesday agreed to shutter the Tongchang-ri missile-testing site in the presence of international observers, a move the US welcomed by saying it was ready for immediate talks aimed at denuclearising the North.

Pyongyang also said it could dismantle its best-known nuclear facility at Yongbyon, if the US takes "corresponding measures", as Kim and the South Korean president held their third summit this year.

The 2,744-metre Mount Paektu is considered sacred to all Koreans as the birthplace of Dangun, the legendary founder of the first Korean kingdom

It is an important caveat, but the declaration appeared to break the logjam in nuclear discussions with Washington.

President Donald Trump welcomed the move, tweeting that Kim had "agreed to allow Nuclear inspections, subject to final negotiations", adding: "Very exciting!"

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also praised the "important commitments", saying he invited his North Korean counterpart to meet next week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and representatives of both sides to meet "at the earliest opportunity" in Vienna -- home of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Washington was ready to "engage immediately in negotiations" to achieve the North's denuclearisation by January 2021, Pompeo added -- the end of Trump's first term.

Inter-Korean summits

The process had stalled after the historic Singapore summit between Trump and Kim in June, when Kim declared his backing for denuclearisation of the peninsula but no details were agreed.

Washington and Pyongyang have subsequently sparred over what that means and how it will be achieved, with the Trump administration consistently referring to the denuclearisation of North Korea specifically.

For its part, Pyongyang -- which wants a formal declaration the 1950-53 Korean War is over -- has condemned demands for its unilateral disarmament as "gangster-like".

Experts remain sceptical, pointing out that closing Tongchang-ri, also known as Sohae, would have no impact on the North's ability to manufacture rockets.

Pyongyang has used several other locations for missile launches and has repeatedly said it has no need for further testing.

Many also believe that apart from Yongbyon, the North also has covert nuclear facilities.

Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in's latest summit has breathed new momentum into denuclearisation talks

"The North Koreans are offering gestures that mimic disarmament," arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis tweeted. "They don't meaningfully constrain North Korea's nuclear programme."

Their main purpose, he added, was "to appease Trump, so that Moon and Kim can keep their engagement alive".

"This is what an Israel-style deal looks like with North Korea: They pretend to disarm and we pretend to believe it."

- Peak diplomacy -

Moon and Kim have sought to strengthen the North-South relationship at their Pyongyang summit, agreeing that the North Korean leader will visit Seoul "at an early date".

Moon made an unprecedented address to a North Korean crowd at a 'mass games' performance

It would be the first such trip by a North Korean leader since the Korean War ended in an armistice, leaving the peninsula divided by the Demilitarized Zone and technically still in a state of war, and Moon said the historic journey could happen later this year.

The two leaders also agreed to open a permanent facility for family reunions, work towards joining up road and rail links, and bid jointly for the 2032 Olympics.

At a performance of the North's spectacular "Mass Games" propaganda display, Moon made an unprecedented address by a South Korean leader to a Northern crowd, telling them that Koreans had lived together for 5,000 years.

"I propose we move forward toward the big picture of peace in which the past 70-year-long hostility can be eradicated and we can become one again," he said, prompting rapturous applause.

On Thursday, Moon and Kim, accompanied by their wives, visited Mount Paektu on the Chinese border.

Crowds lined the streets of Pyongyang, cheering as the motorcades carrying Kim and Moon passed by

The 2,744-metre (9,003-foot) peak is considered sacred to all Koreans as the birthplace of Dangun, the legendary founder of the first Korean kingdom.

According to Pyongyang's narrative, it is also where Kim Jong Un's father Kim Jong Il was born, at a secret camp where his own father Kim Il Sung, the North's founder, was fighting Korea's Japanese colonial occupiers.

But overseas historians say Kim Jong Il was born in the Soviet Union, where his father was in exile.

South Korean tourists flock to see the mountain via China but only a handful of Southerners have been granted access from the North Korean side, mostly for research purposes.

Pictures showed Kim and Moon both in black coats on the crater rim, their clasped hands raised aloft, and the South Korean president expressed hopes many of his countrymen would follow in his footsteps.
Israel is seeking to defuse tensions after Syrian air defences mistakenly downed a Russian military plane

Israel's air force commander was set to lead a delegation to Moscow on Thursday to share the military's findings on the Syrian downing of a Russian warplane following Israeli air strikes.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed Israel for the incident, which was the worst case of friendly fire between Moscow and his regime since Russian forces intervened in the war-torn country in late 2015.

The Russia-bound delegation, led by Major General Amikam Norkin, will "present the situation report... regarding all aspects" of the incident, the Israeli army said in a statement on Wednesday.

It will also provide information on "Iranian attempts to transfer strategic weapons to the Hezbollah terror organisation and to establish an Iranian military presence in Syria", the statement said.

Syrian air defences shot down the Russian military plane on Monday, killing all 15 soldiers aboard, after Israeli missiles had struck the coastal region of Latakia.

Israel has vowed to stop its arch-foe Iran, which backs the Assad regime, from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria.

Earlier this month, it acknowledged having carried out more than 200 strikes in Syria over the past 18 months, mainly against Iranian targets.

Syrian air defences shot down the Russian military plane on Monday, killing all 15 soldiers aboard, after Israeli missiles had struck the coastal region of Latakia

After Monday's incident, the Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences".

Israel denied the allegations, saying its jets were already back in its airspace when Syrian forces launched the missiles that hit the Russian plane.

In a letter to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday, Assad offered his condolences for the deaths after the plane was downed by Syria's Russian-made S-200 air defence system.

"This unfortunate incident was the result of Israeli arrogance and depravity," the Syrian leader said.

"We are determined that such tragic events will sway neither you nor us from continuing the fight against terrorism," he added in the letter published by the official Sana news agency.

- 'Tragic accidental circumstances' -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his "sorrow" to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Tuesday, offering to assist Moscow in the investigation.

Israel has sought to ease tensions after a Russian Il-20M military aircraft was mistakenly shot down by Syrian air defences

However, he insisted the Russian plane had been felled by "extensive and inaccurate Syrian anti-aircraft (fire)".

Putin had said the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances," warning Netanyahu against carrying out such operations in the future.

He also pledged to beef up security for Russian forces in Syria, which three years ago stepped in to support Assad whose grip on power had been weakened by rebels and jihadist fighters.

The Syrian regime has received Russian military assistance in its bid to defeat rebels and jihadists

Israel has admitted to striking Syria to prevent what it says are deliveries of advanced weaponry to Lebanon's Hezbollah, an armed movement backed by Iran and which fights alongside Syrian troops.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah said the Shiite movement would stay in Syria "until further notice".

"We will remain there even after the Idlib accord," Nasrallah said, referring to a Russia-Turkey deal to prevent a Syrian regime offensive on the country's last rebel-held stronghold.
Mount Paektu is a favoured backdrop for North Korean propaganda imagery

An active volcano, Mount Paektu is the tallest peak on the Korean peninsula and often considered the spiritual home of the Korean nation.

For all Koreans, it is the mythical birthplace of Dangun, the legendary founder of the first Korean kingdom more than 4,000 years ago.

The 2,744-metre (9,003-foot) peak is referenced in the first verse of the South Korean national anthem, and "Let's go to Mount Paektu" is a popular North Korean pop song calling for loyalty to Kim Jong Un.

Kim and Moon Jae-in went to the peak together on Thursday, in the last act of the South Korean president's three-day visit to the North.

"Mount Paektu is the spiritual mountain for the Korean people and it's the most symbolic mountain," Moon's spokesman told reporters.

For North Koreans, it is also where Kim Il Sung, the country's founder and Kim's grandfather, set up a secret military camp for anti-Japanese guerrilla missions during the 1910-45 colonial rule.

North Korea claims his son and successor Kim Jong Il was born there, although historians say he was actually born at a Soviet military base in Siberia where the older Kim was in exile.

Regardless, Pyongyang refers to the ruling Kim family as the "Paektu bloodline" and the peak is a favoured backdrop for the propaganda murals of the elder Kims, either singly or together, that are ubiquitous in the North.

The current North Korean leader makes frequent visits to the mountain. He hiked to the top of the peak in December -- his last known trip -- before the New Year speech in which he kickstarted his diplomatic overtures.

Despite its revered status on both sides of the border, South Koreans can only visit the mountain through China.

Known as Changbai in Chinese, the border between China and North Korea runs across the peak's beautiful crater lake.

The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas still technically still engaged in a war that placed an impenetrable border and banned all civilian exchanges between them.

They agreed in 2007 to open tours to the peak for South Koreans and to run direct flights between it and Seoul, but the plan was never put into effect.

Seoul suspended South Korean tours to Mount Kumgang -- another scenic mountain in the North -- in 2008 after a tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier.

Moon's office quoted him as saying on board his aircraft when he arrived in Pyongyang: "I had vowed that I'd visit Mount Paektu, but from the North rather than from China."
Han Solo's jacket from "The Empire Strikes Back" was expected to fetch up to 1 million at Thursday's auction

Indiana Jones's signature fedora fetched more than half a million dollars at a blockbuster London auction of rare memorabilia from some of the most iconic movies of the past 40 years.

But the star attraction -- the sleek jacket worn by the loveable Star Wars scoundrel Han Solo in "The Empire Strikes Back" -- failed to clear the 500,000 ($665,000, 563,000 euros) reserve and went unsold.

Organisers said they had "a number of post-auction enquires" about the space-travelling jacket and were hoping to strike a deal in the coming days.

More than 600 costumes and props from much-adored films and television series went under the hammer on the banks of the River Thames.

The memorabilia seller Prop Store has held the annual event since 2014 and expected to collect a record 3.5 million.

That figure might not be initially met with the jacket setback.

Organisers were hoping it would get up to a 1 million. The auction was halted with bids at 450,000 -- just short of the minimum price set by the undisclosed seller.

The jacket oozes cool and appeared in the scene in which Solo dodged asteroids and shot at Darth Vader in "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back".

"It is a relatively simple jacket," said Prop Store's chief operating officer Brandon Alinger

He said "Star Wars" creator George Lucas wanted workaday-looking clothes rather than flashy costumes that might distract attention.

"There's some very cool stylised elements, like this triple-stitch banding on the sleeves."

- Hoverboards and Wonka bars -

Ford's fedora in the Indiana Jones franchise debut "Raiders of the Lost Ark" beat Prop Store's expectation to sell for 393,600 ($522,255).

The price includes a buyer's premium paid to the auctioneer. The hat cost 320,000 when the winning bid was placed and the hammer struck.

One of the most recognisable hats in film since Charlie Chaplin's black bowler is signed on the inner sweatband by Ford himself.

The fedora was "sat upon, wrung repeatedly and treated with bleach and dust" ahead of filming to achieve a worn look, according to the auction catalogue.

Another hot item is the neon pink and green hoverboard ridden by actor Michael J. Fox's character Marty McFly in the "Back to the Future" trilogy.

It was sold at the auction price of 30,000 -- the lower end of what Prop Store had hoped.

Items from the "James Bond", "The Godfather", "Harry Potter", "Batman", "Aliens", "Star Trek", "Blade", "Tomb Raider" and "Men in Black" series were also up for grabs.

Other classic movie items sold include the robe worn by Brad Pitt's Tyler Durden character in "Fight Club", a Wonka bar from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and Johnny Depp's unique costume in "Edward Scissorhands".

Prop Store acquires its wares from movie studios, crew members and other collectors around the world.

It is due to announce the amount it raised from the auction on Friday.
Singapore is home to almost 250,000 maids, mostly from poor parts of Indonesia or the Philippines

Singapore has suspended a maid employment agency's licence and threatened to prosecute the company over "undignified" online ads offering Indonesian helpers for sale, after the postings sparked fury.

Singapore is home to almost 250,000 maids, mostly from poor parts of Indonesia or the Philippines, who head to the tiny but wealthy city-state to earn higher salaries than they can back home.

Conditions for Indonesian maids in tightly-regulated Singapore are generally regarded as better than in other places, such as Malaysia or parts of the Middle East, but the ads on online marketplace Carousell sparked a rare flare-up of tensions over the issue.

The adverts under the user name "maid.recruitment" reportedly offered the services of several helpers from Indonesia, while some ads indicated maids had been "sold".

The postings triggered an outcry in Indonesia, with NGO Migrant Care slamming them as "unjust and demeaning", and they were later removed from the site.

Singapore's labour ministry said in a statement late Wednesday the employment agency SRC Recruitment LLP's licence had been suspended, meaning it can no longer place maids with employers, and authorities were investigating them with a view to filing charges.

"We strongly condemn the advertising of foreign domestic worker services in an undignified manner," said Kevin Teoh, commissioner for employment agencies.

Advertising foreign maids on an internet platform meant for trading goods "is completely inappropriate and unacceptable", he said, adding that this is an offence.

The ministry said it told Carousell, which operates in several Asian countries, to take down the offending posts immediately after it was informed about them on September 14.

In a separate Facebook post, Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo said she was "deeply disturbed" by the adverts.

"To many of us, our foreign domestic workers are a part of the family... It is a given that we should treat them with respect," she said.
US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh (L), alongside US Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman Judiciary Committee

University professor Christine Blasey Ford has accused President Donald Trump's US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party 36 years ago. A questions now is, does her charge have legal weight?

The answer is hardly clear-cut.

- Could the charge be prosecuted? -

Blasey Ford says the incident took place around 1982 at a house party with teens from elite all-boys and all-girls schools in the wealthy Bethesda, Maryland suburb of Washington. She says that a drunken Kavanaugh held her down on a bed and tried to tear her clothes off as another boy watched, but that she fought him off and escaped. Kavanaugh, today an appeals court judge, denies the charge.

Blasey Ford has not filed criminal charges with police, but if she did, the case would be investigated in Maryland, where there is no statute of limitation on felony sexual assault crimes.

Yet, without a solid file of evidence, prosecutors might balk at taking the case. That would leave an accuser the alternative of filing a civil suit against the attacker.

So far Blasey Ford's lawyers have only requested that the FBI follow up the accusations as part of their official background investigation of Kavanaugh's suitability for becoming a Supreme Court judge. That would involve the FBI interviewing witnesses, but only forwarding their findings -- and not a verdict -- to the White House for its use.

- Decades-old incident -

The long time it took for Blasey Ford to come forward also makes a case tough. She said that at the time of the alleged assault, when she was only 15, she feared her parents finding out she was at a party where there was alcohol.

But she was traumatized, and it took her 30 years before she told anyone, confiding first to her psychiatrist.

She told Senator Dianne Feinstein of California in July after Kavanaugh appeared on Trump's shortlist for the Supreme Court, but she insisted on not being identified, fearing retaliation.

"From a defense perspective, we are always skeptical of adults who wait for a long period of time to make serious accusations," said Tom Pavlinic, an attorney in Annapolis, Maryland who defends clients against sex crime charges.

Today, however, the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault has tipped public opinion in favor of women who come forward years after an incident.

According to the Department of Justice, out of an estimated 325,000 rapes and sexual assaults in 2016, only about 23 percent of the victims make police reports.

"The political climate is to be more forgiving to people waiting" to reveal their experience, Pavlinic said.

- Trauma and memory -

Pavlinic points out that when the incident allegedly took place, there was no SnapChat or Facebook, no cell phones or email -- so no contemporaneous evidence.

That leaves the case rooted in one person's memory against the other's -- and Blasey Ford does not recall all the details of the incident.

"The problem is, Dr Ford can't remember when it was, where it was, or how it came to be," senior Republican Senator John Cornyn said Tuesday.

Lisae Jordan, executive director of the Maryland Coalition against Sexual Assault, said it is not unusual for victims to remember only some details.

"Memories can be affected by time, but also by trauma," she told AFP.

"This is a natural part of the brain's trauma response."

But that does not mean a case has to founder on lack of evidence.

"I stand to believe there is no such thing as a 'he said-she said' case," former Manhattan prosecutor Linda Fairstein told the Washington Post.

"As a prosecutor, it's your job to break down every minute of the encounter, so that details on one side push the facts over the edge."

- 'Youthful indiscretions' -

Some argue that a supposed mistake by a teenager should not disqualify them against a long ensuing record of good behavior, as Kavanaugh apparently has.

However, Blasey Ford's supporters say her allegation, if true, would say something about Kavanaugh's character.

"With respect to the Supreme Court, you're dealing with an elite position which is a privilege to be confirmed for. And arguably, the standards are much higher," former federal judge Nancy Gertner told the New York Times.

Pavlinic added that if Kavanaugh is lying about the incident, "the cover-up is worse than the crime."
A man rides his bicycle along a road in Puerto Rico damaged by Hurricane Maria in September 2017

One year after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, the island's governor blamed US "colonialism" for delays in receiving aid and the weak emergency response to the disaster that left nearly 3,000 people dead.

"Puerto Rico is a colonial territory," and therein lies the "inherent difficulty," Rosello said in an interview with local radio WKAQ 580, as commemoration ceremonies for the hurricane victims were under way.

Puerto Ricans are US citizens, but since the island is a US territory they cannot vote in national elections, and are represented in Congress only by a non-voting representative.

Rosello complained that bureaucratic dealings with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) "have been excessive," and said the response by the Army Corps of Engineers -- which sent personnel to the island days after the hurricane struck to re-establish electrical power -- "was insufficient" and "lacked urgency."

He compared the sluggish response last year to the quick federal responses in Texas and Florida, states hit weeks earlier by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, as well as the federal response to 2005's Hurricane Katrina in the US Gulf of Mexico.

"Why are there bureaucratic processes here that were addition to those in Florida and Texas?" he asked.

US President Donald Trump (R) traveled to Puerto Rico in October 2017 and met with Governor Ricardo Rosello after Hurricane Maria struck the island

"And why, when Katrina struck, did they pay 100 percent of the emergency work and they did not extend this to Puerto Rico?"

Bitter debates still rage over the failings of the US government's response to the Category 4 storm in Puerto Rico and the terrible human toll it took.

Maria destroyed Puerto Rico's electricity grid, leaving the island largely without power for weeks and crippling its health care system.

The local government decreed a day of mourning to remember hurricane victims on Thursday. Flags fluttered at half mast across the island and in Florida, where many Puerto Ricans who fled the hurricane moved to live.
The identity tag and medals belonging to Army Master Sergeant Charles McDaniel, who went missing during the Korean War

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the names of the first two US troops to be identified after dozens of sets of remains were repatriated from North Korea in July.

Pyongyang had returned 55 cases of remains from the 1950-53 Korean War, in line with an agreement between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at their summit in Singapore in June.

Trump said the two soldiers were Master Sergeant Charles McDaniel and Private First Class William Jones.

"These HEROES are home, they may Rest In Peace, and hopefully their families can have closure," Trump said on Twitter.

McDaniel's military identity tag, known as a dog tag, had been found among the remains. It was given to his sons at a public event in Washington last month.

McDaniel was an Army medic thought to have been killed in action in October 1950 during a Chinese attack deep in North Korea.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis recently said forensic scientists had been able to quickly identify the two sets of remains thanks to a variety of information, including where they had been found.

But it could take years to identify all the remains and experts are using a range of techniques including DNA analysis and dental records.

The Pentagon has said UN military officials met with North Korean counterparts this month to discuss the repatriation of additional remains.

Friday marks this year's National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
What family doesnt have its ups and downs?

 Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Lion in Winter

The 2018 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), the HIV advocacy, education and networking behemoth produced by the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), is the benevolent and wealthy grandfather of the HIV advocacy scene. We adore him sincerely, we marvel at his station in the world and the fortitude that got him there, and we tread carefully. And sometimes, to our delight or to our chagrin, Grandpa does the damnedest things.

The recent USCA in Orlando was no exception. Thousands of community HIV advocates converged in Orlando on September 6-9 for a highly professional event rich with corporate sponsors  and a conference that is also careful to keep one foot firmly planted in the grassroots arena it has served since its early days as the annual Skills Building Conference for AIDS service organizations. It is a perilous balancing act that NMAC has honed through the last twenty years.

No report about the weekends many events and hero sightings and educational revelations can sufficiently encapsulate the conference, so allow me to offer five of my personal takeaways from the conference.

The U=U bandwagon plays on  and allows space for thoughtful dissent.

The U=U (undetectable equals untransmittable) rallying cry continued growing in volume and among diverse communities at USCA, getting name-checked by one speaker or another at nearly every plenary. It was satisfying, too, that the Prevention Access Campaign chose to devote two hours of its U=U pathway at USCA to explore whether or not the movement it has created might somehow be leaving those who are detectable behind  and feeling like failures.

It was my privilege to lead the workshop, Are We Shaming Those Who Are Detectable? with the formidable Charles Stephens of The Counter Narrative Project  a two hour interactive process in which we countered the prevailing narrative ourselves. A packed room of engaged attendees explored contemporary AIDS deaths and whether or not we are creating space for those who are detectable to be open about it. It was fascinating. (Special thanks to break-out group leaders Dazon Dixon Diallo, Charles Sanchez, and Manuel Rodriguez.)

The one remark during the workshop that remains with me: Im detectable, said one attendee. The room was quiet with unsure responses. How have we come to a place where someone who is detectable  and half of those living with HIV in the United States are  is met with confused reactions even from the most informed advocates in the country? The workshop left me convinced that the U=U message isnt the problem, per se, but we must also sensitize ourselves to the plight of those who may feel isolated and silenced for not having achieved this clinical goal.

Past slights were corrected.

Theres practically a tradition at USCA that, at some point during a plenary, trans activists will mount a protest to call for better recognition and support from the conference. Its literally been scheduled into the agenda in past years. This year, that slight was corrected with a major plenary devoted to trans issues, including a woman speaking as the first trans community relations person representing pharma.

Meanwhile, it might surprise you to know that USCA has never devoted a plenary to long-term survivors of HIV before. That was also rectified this year, with a plenary on trauma-informed care that featured The Survivor Monologues, six long-term survivors, myself included, offering glimpses of our lives, challenges, and personal victories. Heres a video of the monologues (thanks to Derrick Mapp for taping it!).

It was terrific to see NMAC so willing to soothe past wounds. Alas, sadly, the conference stumbled right into a brand new one.

Nobody puts Larry in a corner.

Consider my eyebrow raised when I heard that USCA had invited the iconic activist and ACT UP founder Larry Kramer to be a plenary speaker. I loved the gesture, of course, and it was clever for USCA, so often maligned for playing it safe, to roll the dice on a volcanic speaker who kicks ass and takes names.

But, as the saying goes, the best laid plans When Larry was unable to attend in person for health reasons, NMAC videotaped his address. The video ran long, as it was explained during the plenary, so they showed an edited version for the crowd  a version that conveniently deleted Larrys excoriation of pharma greed, and of Gilead in particular. You know the one. The pharma that is a major sponsor of USCA.

I would love to know who the genius in the room was who thought that was a good idea, to cut Larrys references to a corporate sponsor and then hope that no one would notice. Well, Mr. Kramer noticed (thankyouverymuch), and the boneheaded act of censorship backfired horribly when Larry made public his disgust with being trotted out on video in the service of NMACs agenda and with his fangs cut.

Apologies were made. The full video was then shown at the closing plenary. But it left activists like me shaking our heads. NMACs inspired idea to include an outspoken voice became an example of their devotion to corporate ties  and Gilead could have handled the criticism to begin with! NMACs miscalculation squandered a wonderful opportunity to truly honor Larry in all of his mercurial glory. And what a shame that is.

Historical Trauma was the best presentation Ive seen at USCA ever.

This presentation taught me things that I will use in my advocacy right away. Dr. Michele Andrasiks brilliant insight into historical trauma and how it reverberates through generations  centuries, even  was worth the trip to Orlando for me. Brava!

The power of our community transcends all.

Everywhere in the conference hotel  the hallways, the lobby, the smoking area, the workshop rooms  you could witness old friends and fellow soldiers in this fight greeting one another, embracing, laughing over shared victories and tribulations. People we know on social media whom weve never met before sprang to life before our eyes.

This is the value and the miracle of USCA. Our community spirit spills out from the workshops and into the halls and beyond.

There were too many old friends and personal heroes on site for me to mention, but I was especially delighted to meet South Floridas Rajee Rajindra Narinesingh, the trans activist who won the hearts of television viewers during her three appearances on E Channels series Botched. Her pure joy sends you reeling. She has never allowed the disfigurement of her early facial feminization surgeries  a condition the surgeons on Botched were able to correct  to dampen her spirit. I practically pounced when I spotted her, and our Facebook Live interview has her funny, audacious personality on full display.

And that, my friends, is what keeps me coming back to USCA and enjoying the experience as much as I do. Activism is joy. Activism is friendship. Activism is life.

Thanks for all that you do in this struggle, and please be well.
Activists sleep in Khan al-Ahmar in the Israeli occupied West Bank, where they are protesting against plans to demolish the village

Eight European countries at the United Nations including five Security Council members on Thursday called on Israel to reverse its decision to demolish a Palestinian village in the West Bank.

Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands warned that the demolition of the village of Khan al-Ahmar "would severely threaten the viability of the two-state solution".

"We therefore call upon the Israeli authorities to reconsider their decision to demolish Khan al-Ahmar," the countries said in a joint statement released ahead of a council meeting on the Middle East.

On September 5, Israel's supreme court upheld an order to raze the village on grounds that it was built without the proper permits.

The community of roughly 200 people is located in a strategic spot near Israeli settlements and along a road leading to the Dead Sea.

There have been warnings that continued Israeli settlement construction in that area could divide the West Bank in two and cut it off from Jerusalem, killing off the prospect of amassing contiguous land for a viable future Palestinian state.
A photo showing a Russian Il-20 plane landing at an unknown location, the same kind of plane shot down by Syrian air defences on Monday

Israel's air force commander held a "transparent discussion" with Russian officials in Moscow on Thursday, the Israeli army said, after a Russian warplane was downed by Syria earlier in the week following Israeli air strikes.

Major General Amikam Norkin led a delegation to the Russian capital to share the military's findings on the incident, which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed on Israel.

"The meetings were held in good spirits and the representatives shared a professional, open and transparent discussion on various issues," the Israeli army said in a statement after the visit by Norkin.

"Both sides emphasised the importance of the states' interests and the continued implementation of the deconfliction system," the army said, referring to information exchanged between Israel and Russia to reduce the risk of air incidents.

Syrian air defences shot down the Russian Il-20 military plane on Monday, killing all 15 soldiers aboard after Israeli missiles struck the coastal region of Latakia.

The incident was the worst case of friendly fire between Moscow and Assad's regime since Russian forces intervened in the war-torn country in late 2015.

Afterwards, the Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences".

Israel denied the allegations, saying its jets were already back in its airspace when Syrian forces launched the missiles that hit the Russian plane.

In a letter to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday, Assad offered his condolences for the deaths after the plane was downed by Syria's Russian-made S-200 air defence system.

"This unfortunate incident was the result of Israeli arrogance and depravity," the Syrian leader said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he had sent Norkin to Moscow to "preserve cooperation between our two countries".

Netanyahu expressed his "sorrow" to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Tuesday but insisted the Russian plane was shot down by "extensive and inaccurate Syrian anti-aircraft (fire)".

Putin has said the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances," but also warned Netanyahu against carrying out such operations in the future.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin held talks with his Security Council on Thursday.

"The strengthening of the security of the Russian military in Syria after the disaster of Il-20 was on the agenda," Peskov said, quoted by news agency Ria Novosti.

Israel has vowed to stop its arch-foe Iran, which backs the Assad regime, from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria.

Earlier this month, Israel acknowledged having carried out more than 200 strikes in Syria over the past 18 months, mainly against Iranian targets.
The US sanctions a Chinese military organization for buying from Russia S-400 surface-to-air missiles and Sukhoi Su-35 fighters, like this one pictured landing at a Russian base in Syria

The United States expanded its sanctions war against Russia to China on Thursday, announcing punitive measures against a Chinese military organization for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles.

Stepping up pressure on Moscow over its "malign activities," the US State Department said it was placing financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, and its top administrator, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

Officials said it was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, and signaled the Trump administration's will to risk relations with other countries in its campaign against Moscow.

They also said that the US could consider similar action against other countries taking delivery of Russian fighter jets and missiles. US ally Turkey is currently talking with Moscow about an S400 deal.

"The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia," a senior administration official told journalists, insisting on anonymity.

"CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country. They are aimed at imposing costs on Russia in response to its malign activities."

CAATSA, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, was passed in 2017 as a tool that gives the Trump administration more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.

With regard to Russia, CAATSA arises from the country's "aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities," the State Department said.

The legislation allows the government to take action against those companies and individuals who have been placed on the CAATSA blacklist.

EDD and its director Li Shangfu became targets after taking delivery over the past year of the jets and missiles from Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms export entity already on the CAATSA blacklist for its support of the Assad regime in Syria.

- Targeting Russian 'big ticket' arms deals -

At the same time, the State Department also announced it was placing 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist under the CAATSA rules.

All of them -- defense related firms, officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated with the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation group -- have been on previous US sanctions lists and 28 of them have already been indicted by Russia election meddling investigator Robert Mueller.

"We will continue to vigorously implement CAATSA and urge all countries to curtail relationships with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors, both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide," the State Department said.

The sanctions freeze any of EDD's and Li's assets in US jurisdictions.

They also restrict EDD's access to global financial markets by blocking foreign exchange transactions under US jurisdiction or any transactions in the US financial system.

The senior official stressed that CAATSA is not going to be implemented across the board, but that the US was choosing Russia's sale of "bigger ticket items" of "new, fancy, qualitatively significant stuff" that could have a "security impact" on the United States.

"The CAATSA was not intended to take down the economy of third party countries. It's intended to impose appropriate pressures on Russia in response to Russian malign acts," the official said.

The official declined to answer if the US would take similar action if Russia delivers S400 missiles to other countries such as Turkey, which is in talks to buy them.

However, he said, "You can be confident that we have spent an enormous amount of time talking about prospective purchases of things such as S-400s and Sukhois with people all around the world who may have been interested in such things and some who may still be."

"We have made it very clear to them that these -- that systems like the S-400 are a system of key concern with potential CAATSA implications."
Political parties are banned from the election

Voters in the African kingdom of eSwatini, previously known as Swaziland, cast ballots Friday in an election where political parties are banned and winning candidates are sidelined by a monarch who wields absolute power.

In the largely rural country that suffers grinding poverty, the election process divides the 1.3 million population, with critics calling it a sham but supporters saying it is a unique blend of tradition and politics.

At more than 300 well-organised polling stations in schools and community halls, Swazi citizens chose from individual candidates who are almost all loyal to King Mswati III.

The king is one of the world's last absolute rulers, with complete control over parliament and government as well as the judiciary, civil service and security forces.

Mswati, who has 14 wives and more than 25 children, has a reputation for lavish spending on private planes and royal palaces, while 63 percent of his subjects live below the poverty line.

Without warning or consultation, he changed the country's name from Swaziland to eSwatini ("land of the Swazis") in April.

As she waited to vote, Zodwa Mabuza told AFP that the absence of political parties fostered a closer link between citizens and elected representatives.

"We know the person we are voting for," she said in the western constituency of Lobamba Lomdzala.

"The issues are job opportunities, proper roads and more food packages for the elderly."

But another voter, who declined to be named, said that "the parliament can talk all they want, but at the end of the day there is only one boss".

Pholile Dlamini, deputy chair of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, dismissed criticism from opposition groups, donor nations and rights activists that the elections were not credible.

"To the critics, it is important to say that there is no 'one size fits all' democracy or system of government," said Dlamini.

"This system is a perfect fit because eSwatini is a modern-day country that has chosen to preserve its very rich cultures and traditions."

- 'Wisest of us all'? -

Winners from the 59 constituency ballots will take seats in parliament's lower house, along with 10 lawmakers that the king appoints directly.

He can veto any legislation, appoints the prime minister and cabinet, and is constitutionally above the law. He also selects 20 of the 30 senators in the upper house.

The king is one of the world's last absolute rulers wielding complete control over the parliament and government

"The election is a farce, of course," said Bheki Makhubu, editor of The Nation magazine, who spent 15 months in jail from 2014 to 2015 for contempt of court after exposing misconduct among judges.

"The king is the executive authority of all things, based on the presumption he is the wisest of us all."

Political parties were banned by the king's father in 1973, and still face severe restrictions despite a 2005 constitution that, in theory, guarantees their rights.

Election campaigning was discreet, with no rallies, no manifestos and just a handful of candidate posters on main roads outside the capital Mbabane.

The Pudemo party, which was designated a terrorist organisation in 2008 under draconian laws imposed that year, had called for a boycott of the vote, describing it as "fixed" by the king.

Underlying tensions surfaced ahead of polling day as thousands of protesters joined two days of trade union marches calling for public sector wage increases.

The demonstrations were broken up by riot police using tear gas and water cannons, leaving several people injured.

"The key causes of public dissatisfaction are fiscal mismanagement, private spending by the king and widespread poverty," Michael Jones, an analyst at the London-based Fitch risk consultancy, told AFP, adding that the election offered little hope of policy change.

- 'Crude window-dressing' -

Voting booths were set up in schools and community halls across the largely rural country a day before the election

The Southern African Development Community bloc and African Union deployed observer missions. The EU and Commonwealth did not send teams after issuing reports criticising the 2013 election.

The Communist Party described the vote as "crude window-dressing" for an autocracy.

But after voting in the village of Mahlanya, former MTN telecoms executive Themba Khumalo said that "people understand the election, and it works for us".

"I have travelled around the world and there are many democracies -- why can't we come up with our own as Swazis, as Africans?" he asked.

Counting began after polls closed on Friday evening, with results due over the weekend. The king is expected to appoint a new prime minister within the next month.
Maldives President Abdulla Yameen's grip on the honeymoon archipelago of nearly 1,200 coral islands appears unlikely to loosen with Sunday's poll

Maldives strongman Abdulla Yameen seeks a second term as president Sunday in a tourist paradise that has become a battleground for influence between regional giants India and China, and a source of global alarm over political oppression and a muzzling of the media.

With all his main rivals in prison or in exile, the odds appear stacked in the Beijing-friendly incumbent's favour, and warnings of punitive action from the international community have been flowing in even before a single ballot has been cast.

The EU has said it is ready to slap travel bans and asset freezes on individuals "if the situation does not improve", while the US has warned it would "consider appropriate measures" against people undermining democracy and rule of law.

India, long influential in Maldives affairs -- it sent troops and warships in 1988 to stop a coup attempt -- has also expressed misgivings.

But with China bankrolling Yameen's regime to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in loans, his grip on the honeymoon archipelago of nearly 1,200 coral islands appears unlikely to loosen.

The opposition has united behind Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, but heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions are hampering his campaign

Battered by years of violent intimidation, spurious arrests and enforced exile, the opposition has united behind a joint candidate -- the little-known Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

But voters would be hard-pressed to notice, with heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions stifling a media already fearful of doing anything to offend the president of the Muslim nation of 340,000 people.

The government has used "vaguely worded laws to silence dissent and to intimidate and imprison critics", some of whom have been assaulted and even murdered, according to Human Rights Watch.

"The election campaign reporting is severely restricted by the defamation law. This is not fair reporting, but we have no choice," one local journalist told AFP, preferring to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.

Even publishing photos of people wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the faces of jailed politicians is off-limits.

Few foreign journalists seeking to cover the election have been granted visas, and in many cases only at the last minute, anecdotal information suggests.

Activists told HRW that new rules could also hamper the ability of observers to follow the counting process, raising fears that the election will be rigged, the watchdog said.

- 'Assault on democracy' -

The accusations follow a familiar pattern for Yameen, 59, who was accused of grabbing power in controversial circumstances in 2013 when the Supreme Court annulled a vote count he was losing.

A subsequent poll was then delayed twice as Yameen forged new alliances before narrowly winning a contested run-off against ex-president Mohamed Nasheed -- now in exile following a 2015 terrorism conviction.

Yameen has used cheap Chinese credit to invest in infrastructure, like the new "China-Maldives Friendship Bridge"

Meanwhile Yameen has used cheap Chinese credit to invest in infrastructure, like the new "China-Maldives Friendship Bridge" and a major expansion of the main airport that originally India was to undertake.

Flanked by Chinese officials at the $200-million bridge's inauguration in August, Yameen hailed "the dawn of a new era".

But his close ties has raised fears that, like other countries enjoying Beijing's "Belt and Road Initiative" largesse, the Maldives may find itself in a Chinese debt trap.

Last year Sri Lanka, which like the Maldives straddles east-west maritime trade routes, granted China a 99-year lease on a new, $1.4-billion deep-sea port because it couldn't pay its debts.

Since taking office Yameen has also cracked down on dissent, imposing a 45-day state of emergency in February seen by opponents as an attempt to head off his impeachment

Since taking office Yameen has also cracked down on dissent, imposing a 45-day state of emergency in February described by the UN human rights chief as "an all-out assault on democracy".

The drastic measures, taken after a court ordered that sacked MPs be restored and dissidents freed from jail, were seen by opponents as a move to head off attempts to impeach him.

Even family members have not been spared, with Yameen's half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom -- who was president from 1978 to 2008 -- subsequently arrested, along with the Maldives' chief justice and Supreme Court judges.

There have been allegations of corruption too, with a report this week claiming Yameen benefited from the lucrative leasing of islands and lagoons to developers. He has denied any involvement.

Nasheed said on Friday in Colombo that Yameen means to steal the election.

"Mathematically, it is not possible for Yameen to win because all opposition parties are united against him," he told reporters.

"But the results they will announce will be different to what is actually in the ballot boxes."
An artist reacts as a large portrait of Jessica Martinez rolls out of a photo booth truck that is part of French artist JR's "Inside Out Project"

The truck, specially made to look like a classic camera, rolled up in the morning and started churning out poster-sized portraits of smiling Texans.

By nightfall dozens of the black-and-white images had been pasted onto a Dallas building -- faces of America's young voters participating in French artist JR's latest effort to promote civic engagement.

His simple but enchanting Inside Out Project -- register to vote, pose for a personal portrait, talk it out with neighbors -- is helping Americans see art through a new lens in extraordinary times, and to engage politically ahead of November's all-important midterm elections.

"It's promoting voter registration and making it easily accessible to my generation," Dallas teacher Taylor Hill, 26, told AFP Saturday as she waited for her portrait to unspool from a slit in the truck.

Artists glue large portraits of Americans onto the facade of a building in Dallas

"And we like taking pictures of ourselves, so it's a way to combine the two."

Hill, who recently dyed her blonde hair purple, acknowledged it was "kind of a stupid move" for her and friends to sit out the 2016 election.

So when they reached the Inside Out truck, Hill filled out a voter registration form, handed it to local activism group Jolt Texas, then entered the photo booth to snap a playful portrait that wound up on the building.

- 'Change the world' -

More than 300,000 people worldwide have participated in Inside Out since its founding in 2011, when JR proclaimed his desire to "change the world" through art.

The project has embraced themes such as domestic violence, justice and immigration, bearing witness to individuals often ignored in overheated rhetoric.

Taylor Hill, 26, poses alongside a large portrait of herself after it rolled out of the photo booth truck

The photo trucks are on a 20-city US tour, including stops in Florida, Texas and California, promoting the power of the ballot box.

The project is non-partisan, meant to re-imagine day-to-day discussions of the traditional town square, explained Gabe Rodriguez, who works with sponsor Emerson Collective and oversaw the Dallas event.

With political tensions swirling 20 months into Donald Trump's presidency, Rodriguez sounds relieved that there have been no angry clashes at the photo truck, just positivity.

"The more spaces we can create where people have a chance to focus on something beautiful, the more successful or meaningful for their community and the more productive the dialogue can be," he said.

Hispanic-American Jessica Martinez, 39, worried that Trump's aggressive rhetoric has "hindered" public discourse, but said Inside Out might help change that.

More than 300,000 people worldwide have participated in Inside Out since its founding in 2011, when JR proclaimed his desire to "change the world" through art.

"I'm hoping it will inspire Latinas to come out and really speak their voice," she said, as her teen daughters posed for portraits.

JR has addressed US politics before. In 2017 he hoisted a huge photograph of a smiling toddler in northern Mexico who appears to be peering over the border wall into California.
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa led "national funerals" on the island of Ukara, where the MV Nyerere had been coming in to dock on Thursday

Tanzania declared the whole nation was in mourning Sunday as the first dozen bodies were buried from a devastating ferry capsize on Lake Victoria that left people 224 dead.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa led "national funerals" on the island of Ukara, where the MV Nyerere had been coming in to dock on Thursday.

He spoke of "great mourning by the whole nation" as the first coffins were placed in individual graves, many of the victims unidentified.

The remainder of the dead were to be buried later or taken away by families wishing for privates funerals.

The prime minister said a memorial would be built on Ukara.

The ageing ferry, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible above water

Hopes had faded of finding any more survivors three days after the disaster, even after rescuers pulled out an engineer on Saturday who had holed up in an air pocket in the upturned vessel.

But Majaliwa said divers would continue the grim search in the waters around the boat. The ferry would also be refloated.

He updated the death toll to 126 women, 71 men, 17 girls and 10 boys. Just 41 people survived.

- 'Overloading' blamed for tragedy -

Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe said 265 people had been on board the ferry, which had an official capacity of around a hundred passengers.

The prime minister said initial investigations suggested overloading was one of the causes of the accident.

"We have already arrested all those people in charge of operating and supervising the MV Nyerere. Questioning has begun," he said.

Those victims not buried at the funerals on Sunday were to be lain to rest later or taken away by families wishing for privates funerals

A broader commission of inquiry into the disaster would also be set up, Majaliwa added.

Witnesses told AFP that the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock. Others blamed the captain, saying he had made a brusque manoeuvre.

The Tanzanian presidency announced on Sunday evening that the inquiry had been "entrusted to the defence and security authorities".

Transport minister Kamwelwe said on Saturday that 172 of the bodies had been identified by relatives.

- Grief and anger -

Maps of Lake Victoria and the MV Nyerere ferry disaster

Dozens of wooden coffins had lined the shore on Saturday, waiting to be seen by families as police and volunteers sought to keep hundreds of curious locals at bay.

Aisha William came to collect the body of her husband. "He left on Tuesday around noon, but he never came home. I do not know how I am going to raise my two children," she said.

Ahmed Caleb, a 27-year-old trader, railed at a tragedy "which could have been prevented.

"I've lost my boss, friends, people I went to school with," he said.

The ageing vessel, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible above water, was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement, when it capsized.

With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

It is not uncommon for ferries to capsize on the lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many local people cannot swim.

In 1966, more than 800 people lost their lives on Lake Victoria when the MV Bukoba sank off the mainland town of Mwanza, according to the Red Cross.
Tran Dai Quang was in office as Vietnam's president since April 2016

Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang, a former police chief known as a tough politician and committed communist with little tolerance for dissent, died Friday aged 61 after a serious illness, state media reported.

His death is not likely to dramatically alter politics in a country where the powerful communist government oversees almost every facet of society -- although the death of a sitting leader is rare.

Coverage on state media was sombre Friday, with a Vietnam Television anchor in dark clothing announcing the news of the leader's death, first reported by the official Vietnam News Agency.

A member of Quang's staff confirmed his death to AFP.

The president had sought treatment in Japan for over a year before he was checked into hospital on Thursday afternoon after contracting a "rare virus", Nguyen Quoc Trieu, in charge of the healthcare committee for top leaders, said in state media.

In office as president since April 2016 after more than four decades at the powerful Ministry of Public Security (MPS), Quang had a reputation as a hardliner.

Though he held one of the country's top four positions and was officially the head of state, his role was seen as largely ceremonial, greeting visiting leaders and hosting diplomatic events in a bid to boost Vietnam's profile on the world stage.

Quang, also a politburo member, had appeared thin and pale in public in recent months and was unstable on his feet last week when he hosted a welcoming ceremony for Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Hanoi.

His last public appearance was just two days ago at a meeting with visiting Chinese politicians and foreign dignitaries.

- Public profile -

His death is not likely to shake up politics in the one-party state, which prides itself on stable, consensus-based leadership and where the dramas that are rumoured to play out in the corridors of power are rarely aired publicly.

"It will not lead to any ruffles in leadership or any tensions," Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told AFP Friday.

Born October 12, 1956 in northern Ninh Binh province, Quang joined the police academy as a young man and went on to study at the College of Foreign Language in Hanoi. He has been a communist party member since 1980.

He joined the security ministry in 1975 and steadily climbed the ranks of the shadowy yet powerful institution, which heads up the country's secret police and intelligence.

Despite his reputation as an influential politician, Quang often appeared uncomfortable in the public eye and lacked the charisma of his peers in the party's upper echelons.

In an interview with AFP in 2016, Quang read from a prepared statement and was quickly escorted out by staff when questions went off-script.

- Dissident crackdown -

His time in office was underpinned by a simmering conflict with Beijing over the South China Sea, a long-running dispute between the communist neighbours that escalated on several occasions during his presidency.

But Beijing paid tribute to Quang Friday, with foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang calling him "an outstanding leader... (who) made important contributions to the national development of reform and opening up in Vietnam".

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised "an important promoter of Vietnam's development", saying in a statement he was "saddened to learn of the death" of Quang who "will be long remembered in his country and beyond".

Quang threw his weight behind an anti-corruption campaign that critics said was designed to eliminate political foes.

But his primary role was as the administration's public face at high-profile events, notably at an APEC meeting in Danang in November last year where he hosted a bevy of world leaders -- including US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Some paid respects to Quang online Friday, but emotional outpourings were largely absent.

"People don't care that much because they're more focused on making ends meet... and they've lost trust in this regime," the head of Vietnam's independent journalist association Pham Chi Dung told AFP.

As president, Quang also oversaw a crackdown on dissidents, with more than 40 jailed this year alone.

It earned him a bruised reputation that is likely to resonate among critics outside Vietnam.

"He was basically at the top of the apparatus of repression that silences voices," Andrea Giorgetta of the International Federation for Human Rights told AFP.

Quang is survived by his wife and two sons.
In just two weeks, the cholera outbreak has claimed at least 32 lives and more than 7,000 cases have been reported

Sixty-year-old Emma Zhakata winces, struggling to hold back tears as she relates how her husband, one of 32 cholera victims in Zimbabwe, died within hours of falling ill.

She never suspected her 69-year-old husband, Wonder Zhakata, would die suddenly after complaining that he felt weak and was suffering stomach pain.

After she rushed her husband to a clinic, he was led to a tent to wait for treatment among patients suffering from cholera.

She never saw him alive.

"That was the last time we were allowed to see him... When we called to ask after his condition, we were informed that he died of cholera," she told AFP at her home in a suburb of Harare.

"It's so scary that anyone of us can be walking now and the next moment, they are dead."

In just two weeks, the cholera outbreak gripping Zimbabwe has claimed at least 32 lives and more than 7,000 cases have been reported. The government has declared a public health emergency in the capital Harare, the worst affected area.

The government has declared a public health emergency in the capital Harare, the worst affected area

After her husband's death, Emma Zhakata's family had to pay officials $515 (440 euros) for him to be buried safely without the risk of infecting others.

"They did everything. We were not even allowed to do body viewing. It felt like dumping rather than giving him a decent burial," she said.

In Harare, public gatherings have been banned, street vendors ordered off the streets and people discouraged from shaking hands.

The gatherings even forced the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change to postpone a rally at which its leader Nelson Chamisa planned to proclaim himself victor of the July 30 presidential election.

- 'This medieval disease' -

Cholera outbreaks have occurred frequently in Zimbabwe's cities where supplies of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities are scarce.

But President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded long-time despot Robert Mugabe following a brief army takeover in November, has pledged to tackle the current outbreak.

President Mnangagwa toured cholera treatment centres in Harare

In his state of the nation address to parliament on Tuesday, Mnangagwa said the government would do all it could to fight "this medieval disease".

On Wednesday he toured cholera treatment centres in Harare where patients were being treated while others lay on stretchers in makeshift wards made from canvas and plastic.

The government has said at least $64 million is needed to bring the outbreak under control.

Last week newly-appointed Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube even launched a crowd-funding effort to raise cash, publicising bank details on Twitter and appealing for donations.

Harare's mayor Herbert Gomba said the city was also taking steps to contain the outbreak.

"We are doing pipe replacement. We have de-commissioned boreholes which were no longer safe," Gomba told journalists on Wednesday.

But he acknowledged that the city was still only supplying less than a third of the city's demand for water.

"We need new water sources and it requires one billion dollars to address the water situation adequately," he said.

- 'Living in fear' -

Residents in affected areas have criticised the official response to the spread of the infection that is passed on by bacteria and affects the small intestine.

"We are living in fear. The authorities are not doing enough," said Evans Ndoro, 48, as he walked out of a local clinic where he had taken his son to receive treatment for a suspected case of cholera.

Residents in affected areas have criticised the official response to the spread of the infection

"We have a cholera outbreak here and yet they are not offering anything like disinfectants to protect the people. They are going around urging people to use sanitisers and detergents -- but how many of us can afford those?"

And though Health Minister Obadiah Moyo vowed that rubbish dumps would be removed from high-risk areas of Harare, residents are unimpressed.

"There is lots of garbage that has gone for months without being collected in most of the affected areas," added Ndoro. "The very soil that we are walking on is contaminated but the authorities don't seem to care."

Webster Nganunu, 29, said the outbreak showed the government was failing its citizens.

"How can we have cholera in this day and age?" he said as he queued to collect clean water from a tanker in a Harare suburb paid for by a local drinks company.

"We are all living in fear... These are deaths that could have been prevented. Some people should be jailed for this."
The United States announced a new raft of measures that would punish third countries for dealing with Moscow

Moscow and Beijing lashed out Friday at Washington's new anti-Russian sanctions that also target China for the first time, warning the United States could face consequences.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman accused Washington of playing unfairly and using new measures to squeeze Moscow out of the global arms market, after the United States slapped sanctions on China for buying Russian warplanes and missiles and threatened to target its other clients.

"This is unfair competition, dishonest competition, an attempt to use non-market methods that run counter to norms and principles of international trade to squeeze the main competitor of US makers out of the markets," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov said that "Washington's continued sanctions hysterics" dealt a new blow to US-Russia ties but could not immediately say if Moscow would retaliate, or how.

On Thursday, Washington placed financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese Defence Ministry, and its top administrator, for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.

It was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, signalling Donald Trump's readiness to risk relations with other countries over Moscow.

- Beijing warning -

Beijing -- which is locked in a trade war with the United States -- urged Washington to withdraw sanctions or "bear the consequences".

A Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile launching system on display in 2017 at a military equipment forum outside Moscow

"The US actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

"We strongly urge the US to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences."

United in their resentment of America's global influence, China and Russia have sought in recent years to tighten up their ties and this month conducted week-long joint military drills, Moscow's largest ever war games.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia would act to end its dependency on the US dollar.

"We will do everything to stop being dependent on the countries who behave towards their partners in this way," Lavrov said on a visit to Sarajevo.

His deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, earlier said Washington was rocking global stability and said sarcastically that placing sanctions on Russia has become Washington's favourite "pastime".

"It would be good for them to remember there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties," said Ryabkov.

"Playing with fire is silly, it can become dangerous," he said in a statement, noting the latest round of anti-Russian measures was the 60th since 2011.

Arms exports are an important source of revenue for the country and last year Russia sold more than $14 billion worth of arms overseas.

US officials said that the US could consider similar action against other countries taking delivery of Russian fighter jets and missiles.

Turkey, which is embroiled in a dispute with Washington over the detention of a US pastor, is in talks to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia.

- 'Growing arms trade' -

Alexander Gabuev, head of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said the new US measures could bring Moscow and Beijing even closer.

"The move is very unlikely to stop growing arms trade between Moscow and Beijing," he said on Twitter.

Analysts say the latest US sanctions could push Russia and China even closer. Russia's President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had a friendly meeting earlier this month in Vladivostok

The State Department also placed 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its sanctions blacklist.

All of them -- defence related firms, officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation group -- have been on previous US sanctions lists.

Twenty eight of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, the US Special Counsel who is investigating election meddling by Russia.

A senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted the ultimate target was Russia and not "the defence capabilities" of third countries.

CAATSA, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, was passed in 2017 as a tool that gives Washington more ways to target Russia, Iran and North Korea with economic and political sanctions.

The US official said Washington had spent "an enormous amount of time" seeking to discourage prospective buyers of Russian arms.

The new sanctions came as the United States and China are in the heat of a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




Planes take part in a flyover during a joint Sudanese-Saudi air force drill at the Marwa air base around 350 kilometres north of Khartoum on April 9, 2017

A Sudanese military jet has crashed near the city of Omdurman, killing the two pilots on board, the army said on Friday, in the latest accident to hit its ageing fleet.

The plane, which was on a training mission, crashed late on Thursday north of Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum on the west bank of the Nile.

"Two pilots who were on board were killed in the crash," said military spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa Shami in a statement released on Friday.

"The plane crashed after it had taken off for a training mission."

On Monday, a military helicopter had crashed in the war-torn region of Darfur as it was landing after a routine mission.

All passengers on board were rescued even as the helicopter caught fire, the army said, without giving any details of how many people were on board.

Most of Sudan's fleet consists of Russian-manufactured aircraft, and in recent years has suffered several crashes, with the military frequently blaming technical problems and bad weather.

In June 2017, four crew members on board a military helicopter were killed when it crashed in Northern State.

In April 2016, a Soviet-era Antonov An-26 transport plane crashed while landing in El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan state. All five crew members on board were killed.

In June 2013, two air force crew died when their helicopter crashed in war-torn Blue Nile state, just a week after one went down in South Kordofan state, another war zone.

The military has extensively used air power in its campaign against rebel groups in Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur.

Rebels often claim to have shot down military aircraft in Sudan's conflict zones.
US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has denied knowledge of any sexual assault

The woman whose sexual assault allegation threatens to bring down President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee has agreed to testify in the Senate, her lawyers said Saturday, setting up a dramatic showdown next week.

Christine Blasey Ford's decision followed days of negotiations and came after Trump turned against her and said her accusation could not be true.

After the Senate Judiciary Committee received a message from Ford's lawyers, several members confirmed she had accepted their committee's request to testify.

"Dr. Blasey Ford will testify next week. She has shown tremendous courage in the face of death threats and harassment and deserves respect as final details for the hearing are worked out," Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein tweeted.

Hours later, multiple outlets including Politico and The Daily Beast reported the hearing would take place on Thursday, citing sources familiar with a phone call between the committee and Ford's lawyers.

The committee's Republican leader Chuck Grassley had wanted the hearing to take place on Wednesday, but Ford asked that it be held on Thursday at the earliest and to be able to call as a witness a man she says was present during the assault.

The tentative deal capped a day of frenetic developments, with time running out for Trump to get his hand-picked conservative judge confirmed -- thereby tilting the Supreme Court firmly to the right for years to come -- before November elections when Republicans risk losing control of Congress.

Earlier, the panel had given the California professor until 2:30 pm (1830 GMT) to decide whether to appear, after she rejected a Friday evening deadline imposed by Grassley.

"Although many aspects of the proposal you provided via email, on (Friday) are fundamentally inconsistent with the committee's promise of a fair, impartial investigation into her allegations, and we are disappointed with the leaks and the bullying that have tainted the process, we are hopeful that we can reach agreement on details," read the lawyers' letter cited by The Washington Post.

The White House criticized Ford for allegedly dithering, and said: "Brett Kavanaugh remains ready, willing and eager to testify as soon as possible."

- Denial -

Ford alleges that Kavanaugh drunkenly assaulted her at a party when he was 17, she was 15 and they were attending private schools outside Washington in the 1980s.

President Donald Trump's Republican Party wants to confirm Kavanaugh before November's midterm elections

Kavanaugh denies knowledge of any such assault and wants to give his side of the story to the committee.

The White House later also pushed back on Ford's claims.

"One week ago, Dr. Christine Ford claimed she was assaulted at a house party attended by four others. Since then, all four of these individuals have provided statements to the Senate Judiciary Committee denying any knowledge of the incident or even having attended such a party," White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec said.

It came as, after several days of maintaining a relatively neutral posture, Trump on Friday declared that Ford was lying.

"TAKE THE VOTE!" Trump tweeted, blaming "radical left wing politicians" for the controversy.

- 'Highly offensive' -

According to Trump, the fact that Ford remained silent until now shows the incident probably never happened -- even if this runs counter to what experts say is the typical reaction of sexual assault victims afraid or too embarrassed to report.

Police at the US Capitol arrest activists outside the office of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley during protests against Kavanaugh

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr Ford was as bad as she says," Trump tweeted, "charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents."

The senior senator for Trump's Democratic foes, Chuck Schumer, called the president's logic a "highly offensive misunderstanding of surviving trauma," while Democratic Senator Feinstein said: "We must treat sexual assault survivors with respect, not bully or try to silence them."

Even one of Trump's own Republican senators, Susan Collins -- who sits on the Judiciary Committee -- said she was "appalled by the president's tweet."

Trump's outburst saw a new #MeToo era hashtag storm the internet, with people -- mostly women -- sharing why they did not report being assaulted under the Twitter hashtag #WhyIDidntReport.

Ford told the Post she went public with her claims because she felt her "civic responsibility" was "outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation" after the basic outlines of the story emerged in the media.

Republicans are frustrated over what they say was the deliberate timing of the last-minute revelation of Ford's allegation, accusing Democrats of seeking to prevent the process from finishing before the midterm elections in a few weeks.

For their part, Democrats say Republicans are mounting an unseemly rush to get Kavanaugh into the nine-member Supreme Court while they still control the legislature.
New York Police Department officers arrested a female "babysitter/worker" after three newborn babies were stabbed at a childcare center

Three newborn babies and two adults were stabbed during a pre-dawn attack at a suspected illegal childcare center in New York on Friday, allegedly carried out by a female employee, police said.

The injured infants ranged from three days to one-month old, police said. One woman suffered multiple stab wounds to the torso, while a man received a stab wound to the leg.

The motive was not immediately clear.

A 52-year-old female "babysitter/worker" at the in-home center was arrested, police said. The stabbing took place in the borough of Queens shortly before 4:00 am (0800 GMT).

The suspect had a slash wound to her left wrist, police said. Two knives were recovered at the scene and all the injured were taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition, police told reporters.

Police told AFP earlier that the suspect attacked two baby girls and a baby boy, leaving one of the girls in a serious condition. None of the victims' lives was in danger, police said.

The wounded female victim worked at the daycare, while the other was the father of one of the babies.

Nine babies and some of their parents had been at the home at the time of the attack, police said.

Officers found the suspect in the basement of the center with a self-inflicted cut to her wrist.

A police spokesman earlier told AFP that the childcare center appeared to be an "illegal" facility for members of the city's Asian community, but officers later clarified that its status was unclear.

The in-home center appears to have functioned for several years, as police responded to a noise complaint from neighbors in 2011.
Malaysian prison guards escort Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal (L) and his brother Luis Alfonso after the Mexicans lost the appeal to their drug trafficking conviction in August 2013

The sultan of the southern Malaysian state of Johor has commuted the death sentences of three Mexican brothers who were set to be hanged for drug trafficking crimes, Mexico said.

After years of lobbying by Mexican diplomats, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor -- one of Malaysia's most powerful and wealthiest state rulers -- commuted the men's death sentences to life in prison, Mexico's foreign ministry said Thursday.

"This was the result of a long process and intense dialogue with Malaysian federal authorities," it said in a statement.

The brothers -- Simon, Luis Alfonso and Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal -- were arrested in a raid on a methamphetamine lab in Johor in March 2008.

The brothers, who hail from the Mexican state of Sinaloa -- home to jailed drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's Sinaloa cartel -- insisted they were innocent, saying they had been hired to clean the building and were unaware what was being made inside.

But a Malaysian court sentenced them to hang to death in May 2012. The conviction was upheld on appeal the following year.

Mexico, which does not use capital punishment, neither accepted nor rejected the court's guilty verdict, but pushed for the death sentence to be commuted.
Montage of US President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un

More than a year after President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury like the world has never seen," the US leader now boasts of his relationship with North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un.

"He's calm. I'm calm," Trump said this week.

The US leader has claimed a diplomatic win, citing the "tremendous progress" and "great responses" from Pyongyang since he met Kim at a summit in Singapore in June.

The historic meeting resulted in a lofty joint statement, though momentum appeared to have stalled in recent weeks, with the two sides unable to agree on how Kim would get rid of his nuclear weapons.

But on Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped for a second summit between Trump and Kim "before too long" to press ahead with efforts to denuclearize North Korea.

"I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredibly important issue for the entire world," Pompeo said.

The development came after Kim this week welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Pyongyang.

The North Korean leader agreed to close a missile testing site, giving new momentum to nuclear negotiations with the US, and said the North could dismantle its best-known nuclear facility at Yongbyon -- provided the US takes "corresponding measures."

Experts praised the positive developments, but cautioned much remains to be done, noting the steps Kim has so far taken do not ensure North Korea will get rid of its nuclear weapons.

"Trump still thinks the first (summit) was a major success," Jon Wolfsthal, director of the Nuclear Crisis Group, told AFP.

"He needs a foreign policy success soon to reverse his domestic decline," the former Obama administration official added.

- Denuclearization first -

Pompeo has said Washington is ready to "immediately" begin negotiating with Pyongyang, and has invited his North Korean counterpart to meet on the sidelines of next week's United Nations General Assembly in New York.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (L) walking with South Korean President Moon Jae-in (2nd R) and his wife Kim Jung-sook (C) on the top of Mount Paektu after their summit this week

But the top US diplomat has quietly ignored North Korea's demand for countermeasures, such as sanctions relief, as the US has long insisted on denuclearization before it rewards Pyongyang.

"Nothing can happen in the absence of denuclearization," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

"Denuclearization has to come first," she added. "In order to get to the denuclearization of North Korea, sanctions must be enforced. We cannot let our foot off the gas."

While Washington isn't budging on sanctions, Trump has indicated he is ready to independently offer other concessions, a move Kim may be counting on.

"After a nice letter from (Kim), the president says he's willing to have a summit -- though none of the problems have been fixed," Bruce Klingner, who formerly worked for the CIA and now specializes in Korean and Japanese affairs for the Heritage Foundation think tank, told AFP.

"Pyongyang is trying to decouple Trump from the rest of the administration. They see him as more likely to offer concessions, as he did in Singapore, without demanding things in return -- and Kim is right to think so."

The US could try to use North Korea's eagerness to meet with Trump as some sort of leverage to get concrete steps ahead of the meeting," Klingner added.

Still, many experts view the prospect of new talks positively.

While the announcements made by the North this week are limited, "it is the first time where we have seen this initiative where North Koreans are willing to talk to South Koreans about denuclearization," said Joseph Yun, who was the US special representative for North Korea until days before Trump accepted the Singapore summit invitation.

"The offer is worth pursuing," added Wolfsthal.

Contrary to the all-or-nothing approach espoused by the Trump administration, US officials appear to be engaging in a process of limited reciprocal concessions.

The Singapore summit agreements imply "action for action rather than one party doing everything at once," Yun said.

"Any expectation that North Korea will completely denuclearize, give up nuclear weapons, give up missiles, give up fissile material, destroy sites before anything is done on any other front is completely unrealistic," he added.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - In a story Sept. 18 about Facebook disaster maps, The Associated Press reported erroneously the first name of Facebook's public policy research manager and the last name of Direct Relief's director of research and analysis. Their names are Laura McGorman and Andrew Schroeder, not Laurie McGorman and Andrew Schroder.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Facebook tool helps charities find evacuees who need help

Charities are using Facebook mapping tool to help evacuees in disasters such as Hurricane Florence

By MARTHA WAGGONER

Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - In a disaster like Hurricane Florence, when emergency responders need to pinpoint trouble spots where people need to be rescued, other relief agencies that offer long-term help need to know where evacuees fled to escape the danger.

Some of those charities are using a disaster mapping tool recently developed by Facebook to help do that in North Carolina. The tool provides anonymous data to show locations that are shedding people and those that are gaining them. It tracks the movements of groups, but not individuals.

A nonprofit called Direct Relief, which provides medicine and supplies to health centers that serve poor people, uses the data to find out which vulnerable communities in the path of a hurricane are evacuating and whether people are likely going to new locations with a health center. The agency then can reach out to centers in the new locations to help anticipate medicine they'll need. Direct Relief serves about 100 health centers in the two Carolinas and 1,300 nationwide.

"We can deploy relief where people are going, not necessarily where people have left," said Andrew Schroeder, director of research and analysis for Direct Relief.

Humanity Road, which seeks to connect those in need with help and resources when disaster strikes, uses the maps to discover when people have lost communication with the outside world.

Facebook announced the initiative last year for organizations such as Direct Relief, American Red Cross and Net Hope. So far, charities have used the maps in 100 disasters internationally, including hurricanes Harvey, Maria and Irma, said Laura McGorman, public policy research manager for Facebook.

While Facebook users can see individuals who are asking for help, the relief groups get more organized data. Facebook provides the information for free.

"We're hopeful that we're able to make a difference in how services are delivered and hopefully, save lives," McGorman said.

Puerto Rico's experience after Hurricane Maria has highlighted the urgency of post-disaster medical care.

After an initial count of 64 Maria-related deaths, the storm's death toll was eventually estimated at nearly 3,000. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that "interruption of medical care was the primary cause" of deaths in the months after the hurricane struck.

Not all hurricane victims are "slammed in the head by a piece of debris," said Thomas Tighe, president and chief executive officer of Direct Relief. Much of Direct Relief's medication goes for patients with diabetes, hypertension and asthma, and disasters can exacerbate their health problems, he said.

The Facebook mapping offers "a much more complete picture than we've ever had before," he said.

But both he and Cat Graham, chief operating officer and co-founder of Humanity Road, emphasized that they use the disaster maps as a starting point but not as the only information they use to make decisions about where help is needed.

It helps us listen to the silence," Graham said. "It gives us a live view of where the public may need help with their communications."

During Hurricane Florence, Direct Relief officials learned from the Facebook tool that more people are moving to edges of major cities than to the cities themselves. "We would be wise to direct attention those in the outskirts, which is more likely where people are staying, than those in the immediate downtown of Charlotte," Schroeder said.

When Hurricane Harvey drenched Houston for days with up to 60 inches of rain, Direct Relief discovered that many had evacuated to San Antonio and Austin, Tighe said. That information allowed Direct Relief to reach out to community health centers there quickly and ask if they were receiving patients and what support they needed.

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Follow Martha Waggoner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mjwaggonernc

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For the latest on Hurricane Florence, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on Florence (all times local):

7:20 p.m.

North Carolina transportation officials say ferry service for the public has resumed for several more coastal routes.

Flooding on Clinton Road at Cedar Creek Road on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Fayetteville, N.C. (Andrew Craft /The Fayetteville Observer via AP)

In addition, the N.C. Department of Transportation said Wednesday two state ferries arrived in Southport late Tuesday evening carrying fuel, transportation workers and supplies to the Wilmington area.

The department said in a news release the Southport to Fort Fisher routes resumed Wednesday on a limited schedule for Brunswick County residents and essential vendors, people with critical medical and commerce responsibilities and infrastructure support personnel.

The department said the Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach ferry service resumed Wednesday for daytime trips only. The Bayview-to-Aurora ferry services resumed Tuesday evening and the Currituck to Knotts Island ferry resumed full service on Sept. 15.

The ferry service between Swan Quarter and Ocracoke Island and the Cedar Island-to-Ocracoke ferry have both resumed limited service.

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6:10 p.m.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that the remnants of Hurricane Florence spawned a total of eight tornadoes in Virginia earlier this week.

The weather service's office in Wakefield, Virginia, said Wednesday that meteorologists have confirmed two additional tornadoes hit the area on Monday. That brings the total for that day to eight.

Seven of the tornadoes were spread across the Richmond metro area. Another tornado hit Mecklenburg County, near the North Carolina border, the same day.

The strongest tornado leveled a flooring company in Chesterfield, killing a man who worked there. That storm was categorized as an EF2 tornado, packing winds of 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour.

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4:55 p.m.

Amtrak says its passenger train service in and through North Carolina is set to resume.

The carrier announced Wednesday that service will resume Thursday, more than a week after it had been interrupted for a combination of Hurricane Florence and track improvements. Passenger service in North Carolina was canceled on Sept. 11 as the storm approached the coast.

The Piedmont and Carolinian are among the trains set to resume service. They are both funded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The trains run between Raleigh and Charlotte, with the Carolinian continuing to New York. NCDOT added that restoration of the Carolinian between Raleigh and New York City is dependent on CSX finishing repairs to a line north of Selma.

Amtrak's Crescent service resumed on Wednesday. Northbound and southbound service through North Carolina will begin early Thursday. Three other trains will resume service through North Carolina on Sunday.

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4:55 p.m.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation says its maintenance crews are working to restore the protective dunes that Hurricane Florence washed over N.C. Highway 12 on the Outer Banks.

The department said in a news release Wednesday that crews are working to clear sand from the pavement and build a protective berm. A contract is expected to be awarded in the next few days for work to restore the protective dunes and repair damage to the pavement.

Also, the department said a section of N.C. 12 on the northern end of Ocracoke Island between the Pony Pen and the ferry dock remains closed because of sand from ocean overwash and resulting pavement damage. A timeline has not been determined for completing the work on Ocracoke Island, which is accessible only by ferry.

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4:10 p.m.

Officials in Cumberland County, the City of Fayetteville and the Town of Wade have rescinded the mandatory evacuation order for areas within 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) of the banks of the Cape Fear and the Little rivers.

Officials said in a statement Wednesday that the two rivers have crested and are receding.

They urge residents to remain vigilant as there may be flooding in some areas as waters recede. They're warning people not to skirt or move barricades as they mark flooded areas and sink holes.

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2:40 p.m.

Authorities say the mental health patients who drowned in a South Carolina sheriff's department van were on a court-ordered transport when they were swept off the road by rushing flood waters.

Horry (OR-ee) County Sheriff Phillip Thompson told reporters on Wednesday that 45-year-old Windy Newton and 43-year-old Nicolette Green were in the back of a containment van when rising waters carried it off the road Tuesday night in Marion County.

Officials have said two deputies in the van were able to get out and tried to free the women. Thompson says Deputies Joshua Bishop and Stephen Flood have been placed on leave during an internal and state police investigation.

Authorities have said the women were being transported from one facility to another. The van was near the Little Pee Dee River, one of the bodies of water state officials are watching following the heavy rains of Florence.

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2:40 p.m.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says he plans to hold President Donald Trump to his promise to support North Carolina "100 percent" as the state starts what is expected to be a long recovery from devastation caused by Hurricane Florence.

Cooper said at a news conference in the storm-battered town of Newport that he told Trump during his visit to North Carolina on Wednesday that the state will need significant federal resources to recover. Cooper said there are still about 7,800 people staying in emergency shelters and nearly 200,000 people without power. About 900 roads remain closed.

Cooper said he also told Trump that the federal government will have to "take a special approach" to help North Carolina's farmers because they have "taken a gut punch." The governor said there are entire farms under water, sweet potato and cotton crops have been destroyed, and significant losses in the pork and poultry industries.

Cooper said he told Trump: "This is going to take more than a farm bill."

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2:30 p.m.

North Carolina's electric cooperatives say they have made substantial progress restoring power knocked out by Hurricane Florence.

In a news release Wednesday, the North Carolina Electric Cooperatives say outages have dropped to about 58,000, from a historic high of 326,000 on Saturday.

Remaining outages are concentrated in the hardest-hit areas of coastal and southeastern North Carolina.

Cooperative crews from less-affected regions are joining local, out-of-state and contract crews in more heavily damaged communities to help restore power as quickly as possible.

The release noted that power restoration could last several more days in the areas most affected by Florence by flooded or damaged roadways and power poles and power lines.

Meanwhile, Duke Energy is reporting slightly more than 127,000 customers without power, with all but 530 of them in southeastern North Carolina.

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12:45 p.m.

As North Carolina's farmers evaluate their crop losses after Hurricane Florence, it looks like damage to tobacco fields and barns could be the most costly.

The Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina estimates 100 million to 125 million pounds (45 to 57 million kilograms) of tobacco leaf could be damaged by flooding, winds and power outages. Association CEO Graham Boyd said Wednesday that could equate to $250 million to $350 million in farm revenues.

Boyd says about 40 percent of the crop remained in the field when the storm arrived, and often leaves at the top of the stalks considered the most valuable had yet to be harvested.

North Carolina is the nation's top producer of tobacco, which remains one of the most valuable crops for farmers.

Farm groups also are concerned about cotton, sweet potatoes, peanuts and corn. Flooded roads and farmlands have delayed evaluation efforts.

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12:30 p.m.

The Department of Public Safety says all of Interstate 95 in South Carolina is now open.

A 9-mile (14-kilometer) stretch of the highway northbound had been closed because of flooding due to former Hurricane Florence.

The department tweeted about the reopening on Wednesday.

The section reopening is from mile marker 181 to 190.

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11:55 a.m.

A South Carolina sheriff says his office is performing an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the drownings of two women in a sheriff's office van who were being brought to a mental health facility.

Horry County Sheriff Phillip Thompson says in a statement Wednesday that he's also cooperating with the State Law Enforcement Division to learn exactly what happened Tuesday night in Marion County.

Thompson identified the women as 45-year-old Windy Newton and 43-year-old Nicolette Green. Earlier, Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson had Newton identified with a different last name.

Dive crews were still working at the scene around noon Wednesday to recover the van, which officials say was swept off a rain-soaked road at around 6 p.m. Tuesday. Two deputies were rescued from the top of the van, and Horry County officials say they tried to get the women out.

The incident happened near the Little Pee Dee River, which is one of the bodies of water officials are monitoring for intense flooding from Florence.

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11:30 a.m.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that the remnants of Hurricane Florence spawned a total of six tornadoes in Virginia earlier this week.

Five of the tornadoes on Monday were spread across the Richmond area. A sixth tornado hit Mecklenburg County, near the North Carolina border, the same day.

News outlets report that teams from the National Weather Service in Wakefield, Virginia, surveyed damage from the storms Tuesday and confirmed the number at six.

The strongest tornado leveled a flooring company in Chesterfield, killing a man who worked there. That storm was categorized as an EF2 tornado, with winds of 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour.

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11:30 a.m.

The U.S. Military says more than 12,000 troops are supporting federal, state and local response efforts in areas affected by former Hurricane Florence.

U.S. Northern Command said in a news release late Tuesday that about 5,600 personnel are active-duty and reserve forces. Another 6,800 are National Guard.

They've been using high-water vehicles and other equipment to rescue dozens of people. They've also evacuated hundreds of people from homes and buildings.

U.S. Northern Command said the troops will stay until they're no longer needed.

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11:30 a.m.

The mayor of Nichols, South Carolina, says his tiny town is underwater again.

Mayor Lawson Battle said Wednesday morning the water is about as high as it was two years ago during Hurricane Matthew, when 90 percent of the buildings in the town of 350 were flooded.

The Little Pee Dee and the Lumber rivers flow past either side of town before converging about 3 miles (5 kilometers) downstream.

Battle says as far as he knows, everyone evacuated the town as the water first started to make its way in on Monday.

The National Weather Service says the Lumber River rose 4 feet (1.2 meters) in 24 hours and was still rising Wednesday morning. The Little Pee Dee River rose nearly 3 feet (1 meter) over the same time.

No official forecast has been given on when the rivers might crest.

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11:20 a.m.

North Carolina officials say a body has been found in a trailer near the flooding Cape Fear River.

Cumberland County Sheriff's Office says search-and-rescue teams responded late Tuesday to a report of a body just south of Fayetteville.

The sheriff's office told the Fayetteville Observer the teams weren't able to retrieve the body because the trailer was surrounded by water.

But sheriff's spokesman Lt. Sean Swain told The Associated Press that authorities have not confirmed if the man drowned due to flooding from former Hurricane Florence, or if he died of other causes.

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11:20 a.m.

Two mental health patients referred to by officials as "detainees" who drowned in the back of a sheriff's department transport van in South Carolina have no arrest records in the state.

That's according to documents obtained from the State Law Enforcement Division concerning 45-year-old Windy Wenton and 43-year-old Nicolette Green.

Horry County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Brooke Holden says the pair were in a sheriff's office transport van Tuesday night when it was swept off a rain-soaked road.

Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson tells The Associated Press two deputies were transporting the women between Nichols and Mullins night. The deputies were rescued from the top of the van, and Horry County officials say they tried to get the women out.

The patients' bodies were being recovered Wednesday morning.

The incident happened near the Little Pee Dee River, which is one of the bodies of water officials are monitoring for intense flooding from Florence.

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11 a.m.

The Department of Public Safety says all of Interstate 95 in South Carolina is now open

A 9-mile (14-kilometer) stretch of the highway northbound had been closed because of flooding due to former Hurricane Florence.

The section reopening is from mile marker 181 to 190.

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9:45 a.m.

State officials in North Carolina now say 3.4 million chickens and 5,500 hogs have been killed in flooding from Florence. The former hurricane swamped dozens of farm buildings where the animals were being raised for market.

Officials previously had estimated that about 1.7 million chickens had drowned and that the number of potential hog deaths was unknown.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture issued the mortality totals as major flooding continues in the state due to the storm's drenching rains.

Sixteen North Carolina rivers were at major flood stage Tuesday, with an additional three forecast to peak by Thursday.

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8:35 a.m.

Officials have identified the two mental health patients who drowned when a van they were riding in was swept away in South Carolina flood waters.

Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson tells The Associated Press that 45-year-old Windy Wenton and 43-year-old Nicolette Green were being transported by a Horry County Sheriff's Office van between Nichols and Mullins on Tuesday night when the van was swept away by rising waters. Two deputies were rescued from the top of the van, and Horry County officials say they tried to get the women out.

Richardson says the patients' bodies were being recovered Wednesday morning.

Richardson says the incident happened near the Little Pee Dee River, which is one of the bodies of water officials are monitoring for intense flooding following Florence.

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11 p.m.

Authorities confirm two detainees drowned when a van was swept away in rising flood waters in South Carolina.

Horry County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Brooke Holden says a sheriff's office van was carrying two detainees and two deputies from Conway to Darlington on Tuesday night when it was overtaken by flood waters. Officials say the van was traveling near the Little Pee Dee River, one of the bodies of water officials in South Carolina are watching closely as water continues to poor into the state from upriver in North Carolina following the heavy rains of Florence.

Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson confirmed to AP earlier Tuesday that two women died in the incident. Their names have not been released.

Holden says the deputies tried to get the detainees out but couldn't open the doors. High-water rescue teams plucked the deputies from the top of the van.

The incident is being investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division.

Forecasters predict some rivers in the northeastern area of the state might not reach their highest levels until later this week or next week.

This combination of photos shows the Cape Fear River on Sept. 16, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C. (AP Photos/David Goldman)

Tammy and Olen Gill attend a candlelight vigil for their daughter Kade Gill, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, who was killed when a tree fell onto their home Sunday during high winds and rain from Hurricane Florence, near Dallas, N.C. The vigil was attended by nearly 100 friends and family members at the Gill home. (Mike Hensdill/The Gaston Gazette via AP)

Five-year-old Nataleigh Teaster holds onto Tammy Gill, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, near Dallas, N.C., as they attend the candlelight vigil for Kade Gill who was killed when a tree fell onto their home Sunday during high winds and rain from Hurricane Florence. (Mike Hensdill/The Gaston Gazette via AP)

South Carolina Public Works employee Danny Causey walks past a piece of roadway that was washed out by flooding from Hurricane Florence in Allsbrook, S.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A resident wades through the flooded entrance to an apartment complex near the Cape Fear River as it continues to rise in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

The waters of the Little River flow up against a bridge as it begins to recede making the road passable in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A resident evacuates an apartment complex near the Cape Fear River as it continues to rise in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Cars sit abandoned on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Lillington, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

In this Sept. 18, 2018 photo, J.R. Heath, left, and Joshua Clark with B&R Tree, stand next to the root system of a large white oak tree that fell Sunday in the wake of Hurricane Florence in Archdale, N.C. (Laura Greene/The High Point Enterprise via AP)

President Donald Trump visits a neighborhood impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Conway, S.C. At left is FEMA Administrator Brock Long and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, second from left. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Trump says 'hard to imagine' Kavanaugh guilty of allegation

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday bluntly questioned the allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a fellow high school student over 30 years ago, and Republicans warned the accuser the window was closing to tell her story before a confirmation vote.

Trump's skepticism, the most explicit challenge top Republicans have so far mounted to Christine Blasey Ford's credibility, came as GOP Senate leaders tried to firm up support for Kavanaugh. A potentially climactic Judiciary Committee showdown is scheduled for next Monday with both Ford and Kavanaugh invited, but her attendance is uncertain, casting doubt on whether the hearing will be held at all.

Ford has said she wants the FBI to investigate her allegation before she will testify. Democrats support that, but Trump and Senate Republicans have been emphatic that it won't happen.

Leaving the White House to survey flood damage in North Carolina from Hurricane Florence, Trump conceded that "we'll have to make a decision" if Ford's account proves convincing. Despite that glimmer of hesitancy, which few other Republicans have shown publicly, the president stood firmly behind the 53-year-old Kavanaugh, who would fill the second high court vacancy of Trump's term.

"I can only say this: He is such an outstanding man. Very hard for me to imagine that anything happened," Trump said.

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Frustration builds as Carolina residents wait to go home

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - Exhaustion and frustration are building in the Carolinas as thousands of people wait to go home days after Hurricane Florence unleashed epic floods blamed for at least 37 deaths, including those of two women who drowned when a sheriff's van taking them to a mental health facility was swept off a road.

With the remnants of Florence finally out to sea and skies bright over rivers still swelling with muddy water, President Donald Trump visited the disaster zone, riding through soggy neighborhoods and helping pass out warm meals at a church in the hard-hit coastal town of New Bern.

"How's the house?" Trump told one person. "You take care of yourself."

There wasn't any presidential fanfare 120 miles away in Fayetteville. There, Roberta and Joseph Keithley had been sleeping on cots set up in a school classroom since Friday. They still didn't know if their home was ruined.

"It's getting a little frustrating, but you have to deal with it and roll with the punches," said Roberta Keithley, 73. "It's just another hurdle to get over in life."

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Kim, Moon head to North Korea's sacred volcano on final day

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) - The two Korean leaders took to the road for the final day of their summit Thursday, heading to a beautiful volcano considered sacred in the North and used in its propaganda to legitimize the Kims' three generations of rule. Their trip followed a day of wide-ranging agreements they trumpeted as a major step toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.

However, their premier accord on the issue most fascinating and worrisome - the North's pursuit of nuclear-tipped missiles that can accurately strike the U.S. mainland - contained a big condition: Kim Jong Un stated he would permanently dismantle North Korea's main nuclear complex only if the United States takes unspecified corresponding measures.

Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in flew separately to an airport near Mount Paektu on Thursday morning where they met up and drove to the mountain on the North Korean-Chinese border. Members of the Kim family are referred to as sharing the "Paektu Bloodline." The volcano topped with a deep crater lake is also emblazoned on the national emblem and lends its name to everything from rockets to power stations.

Moon plans to return to South Korea later Thursday, but the leaders are still basking in the glow of the joint statement they settled Wednesday. Compared to the vague language of their two earlier summits, Kim and Moon seem to have agreed on an ambitious program meant to tackle soaring tensions last year that had many fearing war as the North tested a string of increasingly powerful weapons.

Kim promised to accept international inspectors to monitor the closing of a key missile test site and launch pad and to visit Seoul soon, and both leaders vowed to work together to try to host the Summer Olympics in 2032.

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Woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart released from prison

DRAPER, Utah (AP) - A woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart and stood by as the Utah girl was sexually assaulted was released from prison Wednesday amid concerns that she remains a threat 15 years after the chilling crime.

Wanda Barzee, 72, quietly left the state prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, avoiding a throng of reporters gathered outside.

Court documents say she will stay in unspecified emergency housing chosen by her probation officer until another home is approved.

Barzee's release followed a surprise announcement last week that Utah authorities had miscalculated her sentence and she would be freed about six years earlier than expected.

Under the terms of her release, Barzee must undergo mental health treatment and not contact Smart and her family.

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Man opens fire at his Wisconsin office, 3 seriously hurt

MIDDLETON, Wis. (AP) - A heavily armed man opened fire on his co-workers at a Wisconsin software company Wednesday, seriously wounding three people before being fatally shot by police as employees ran from the building or hid inside, according to investigators.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said officers shot the man within eight minutes of receiving calls about an active shooter at WTS Paradigm. Foulke said the man was armed with a semi-automatic pistol and extra ammunition, and fired at officers before he was shot.

Foulke said three people were seriously injured during the attack, while a fourth person was grazed by a bullet.

"I think a lot less people were injured or killed because police officers went in and neutralized the shooter," Foulke said.

The police chief said the motivation behind the attack was unclear and investigators didn't yet know whether the gunman targeted his victims. He didn't release the suspect's name but said he was an employee of WTS Paradigm and lived in nearby Madison.

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How 65 women came to Kavanaugh's defense in matter of hours

NEW YORK (AP) - It started as a series of phone calls among old high-school friends and ended up embroiling 65 women in the firestorm over a sexual assault allegation that could shape the Supreme Court.

In a matter of hours, they all signed onto a letter rallying behind high court nominee and their high school friend Brett Kavanaugh as someone who "has always treated women with decency and respect." And they signed up, whether they anticipated it or not, for becoming a focus of scrutiny themselves.

The powerful strength-in-numbers statement, offered to bolster Kavanaugh's denial of a claim that he attacked a girl at a party during their high school years, has drawn questions from journalists, social media skeptics, even Hollywood figures.

How well did the women know him? How could a statement and 65 signatures come together so fast after outlines of the allegation first surfaced publicly? And after subsequently hearing the details and learning that his accuser was a woman some of them knew, do they stand by their declaration?

Yes, say more than a dozen signers who have since spoken to The Associated Press or other media outlets.

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Federal agency says it lost track of 1,488 migrant children

Twice in less than a year, the federal government has lost track of nearly 1,500 migrant children after placing them in the homes of sponsors across the country, federal officials have acknowledged.

The Health and Human Services Department recently told Senate staffers that case managers could not find 1,488 children after they made follow-up calls to check on their safety from April through June. That number represents about 13 percent of all unaccompanied children the administration moved out of shelters and foster homes during that time.

The agency first disclosed that it had lost track of 1,475 children late last year, as it came under fire at a Senate hearing in April. Lawmakers had asked HHS officials how they had strengthened child protection policies since it came to light that the agency previously had rolled back safeguards meant to keep Central American children from ending up in the hands of human traffickers.

"The fact that HHS, which placed these unaccompanied minors with sponsors, doesn't know the whereabouts of nearly 1,500 of them is very troubling," Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the panel's chair, said Wednesday. "Many of these kids are vulnerable to trafficking and abuse, and to not take responsibility for their safety is unacceptable."

HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley disputed the notion that the children were "lost."

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Lawmaker: US Senate, staff targeted by state-backed hackers

Foreign government hackers continue to target the personal email accounts of U.S. senators and their aides - and the Senate's security office has refused to defend them, a lawmaker says.

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, said in a Wednesday letter to Senate leaders that his office discovered that "at least one major technology company" has warned an unspecified number of senators and aides that their personal email accounts were "targeted by foreign government hackers." Similar methods were employed by Russian military agents who leaked the contents of private email inboxes to influence the 2016 elections.

Wyden did not specify the timing of the notifications, but a Senate staffer said they occurred "in the last few weeks or months." The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

But the senator said the Office of the Sergeant at Arms , which oversees Senate security, informed legislators and staffers that it has no authority to help secure personal, rather than official, accounts.

"This must change," Wyden wrote in the letter. "The November election grows ever closer, Russia continues its attacks on our democracy, and the Senate simply does not have the luxury of further delays." A spokeswoman for the security office said it would have no comment.

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Florence shows how storm coverage is politicized

NEW YORK (AP) - Donald Trump Jr.'s attack tweet this week showing CNN's Anderson Cooper waist-deep in flood waters has driven home the point that politics - not just weather - was an important subtext of the media's coverage of Hurricane Florence.

"Stop lying to make @realDonaldTrump look bad," the president's son admonished Cooper, triggering a harsh response from the CNN journalist, who was part of his network's team covering Florence's landfall in North Carolina.

"I didn't see him down in North Carolina in the last few days helping out, lending a hand, but I'm sure he was busy doing something important besides just tweeting lies," Cooper said on his show Monday.

Ever since President George W. Bush's administration was crippled by its response to Hurricane Katrina, politicians and news organizations have been acutely aware of the stakes raised by big storms. Some Republicans never forgave former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for being photographed with President Barack Obama after Sandy struck just before the 2012 election.

"A storm and responding to it the right way can make or break a political career," said Gary Lackmann, a professor of atmospheric science at North Carolina State University.

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Judge: US can't deny passport over refusing to pick gender

DENVER (AP) - U.S. officials cannot deny a passport application from an intersex Colorado resident based solely on a refusal to select male or female for gender, a federal judge said Wednesday.

The U.S. State Department's varied explanations for rejecting the application weren't reasonable, U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson said in his ruling, forcing him to set aside the decision as "arbitrary and capricious."

The ruling is limited, but advocates said they hope it leads to expanded gender choices on federal identification.

Dana Zzyym, who was born with ambiguous physical sexual characteristics and identifies as nonbinary in gender, not as male or female, sued in 2015. Zzyym had requested "X'' as a gender marker on a passport application, and it was denied.

The judge in 2016 ordered the State Department to reconsider. Zzyym applied again and refused to select either option provided on the passport application, feeling that it would be untruthful.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday bluntly questioned the allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a fellow high school student over 30 years ago, and Republicans warned the accuser the window was closing to tell her story before a confirmation vote.

Trump's skepticism, the most explicit challenge top Republicans have so far mounted to Christine Blasey Ford's credibility, came as GOP Senate leaders tried to firm up support for Kavanaugh. A potentially climactic Judiciary Committee showdown is scheduled for next Monday with both Ford and Kavanaugh invited, but her attendance is uncertain, casting doubt on whether the hearing will be held at all.

Ford has said she wants the FBI to investigate her allegation before she will testify. Democrats support that, but Trump and Senate Republicans have been emphatic that it won't happen.

President Donald Trump talks to media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, for the short trip to Andrews Air Force Base en route to Havelock, N.C. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Leaving the White House to survey flood damage in North Carolina from Hurricane Florence, Trump conceded that "we'll have to make a decision" if Ford's account proves convincing. Despite that glimmer of hesitancy, which few other Republicans have shown publicly, the president stood firmly behind the 53-year-old Kavanaugh, who would fill the second high court vacancy of Trump's term.

"I can only say this: He is such an outstanding man. Very hard for me to imagine that anything happened," Trump said.

The Republicans are resisting all Democratic efforts to slow and perhaps block what once seemed a smooth path to confirmation that would promote the conservative appeals court judge by the Oct. 1 opening of the Supreme Court's new term. Kavanaugh's glide to approval was interrupted last weekend when word of Ford's allegation became public, but GOP senators are showing no signs of slowing their drive to confirm him as quickly as possible.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote to Ford's attorneys that the hearing was still scheduled for Monday morning, and he pointedly said she must submit her written statement by 10 a.m. Friday "if she intends to testify" that day.

Lisa Banks, a lawyer for Ford, released a statement late Wednesday that cast no light on whether her client will appear.

She wrote that Ford wants "a full non-partisan investigation" and said Ford is willing to cooperate. But she said Grassley's plan to call just Kavanaugh and Ford "is not a fair or good faith investigation" and said "multiple witnesses" - whom she didn't name - should appear.

"The rush to a hearing is unnecessary, and contrary to the Committee discovering the truth," Banks wrote.

Ford has contended that at a house party in the 1980s, a drunken Kavanaugh tried undressing her and stifling her cries on a bed before she fled. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied that claim.

Trump's remark was noteworthy because most Republicans have handled the question of Ford's credibility more gingerly. They say they want to give Ford, now a professor at Palo Alto University, every chance to tell her story.

"I'd really want to see her. I really would want to see what she has to say," Trump said. "If she shows up that would be wonderful. If she doesn't show up that would be unfortunate."

Seven weeks from elections in which congressional control is at stake, Democrats have been unhesitant about casting Republicans as trying to strong-arm a victim of abuse.

The two parties' tactics illustrate how they are trying to navigate a political climate in which the #MeToo movement of outing sexual abusers has galvanized many female voters. A substantial delay could push confirmation past the November elections, when Democrats have a shot at winning Senate control, plus allow more time for unforeseen problems to pop up.

"Dr. Blasey Ford is calling for an impartial FBI investigation of her serious and credible allegations. Meanwhile Republicans are trying to bully her into a rigged hearing before a neutral investigation and without the only identified eyewitness," No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Dick Durbin of Illinois tweeted.

Ford and her Democratic allies also want the committee to interview Mark Judge, a Kavanaugh friend who Ford has said was in the bedroom during the attack. Judge has said he doesn't remember the incident, never saw Kavanaugh act that way and has no desire to testify publicly.

There were signs the GOP's strategy of planning a nationally televised hearing while also offering Ford the chance to testify in private was keeping possible Republican defections in check. The party controls the Senate 51-49 and the Judiciary panel by 11-10, so it cannot afford GOP "no" votes.

Moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who's had her share of clashes with Trump, said she hoped Ford would reconsider a decision not to testify and "it's not fair to Judge Kavanaugh" if she refuses. "Otherwise, there are these very serious allegations hanging over the head of a nominee who has emphatically denied them," she said on WVOM radio in Bangor.

Going further, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Democrats' demands for an FBI investigation were a ploy to delay a confirmation vote. "It is imperative the Judiciary Committee move forward on the Kavanaugh nomination and a committee vote be taken as soon as possible," the committee member said in a statement.

As for a possible FBI intervention, Grassley said in his letter to Ford's lawyers, "We have no power to commandeer an Executive Branch agency into conducting our due diligence."

In a separate letter to Democrats, Grassley wrote that committee aides were "even willing to fly to California, or anywhere else, to meet her." He also wrote that GOP aides tried to arrange interviews with two other "alleged witnesses." The letter mentioned no names and committee staff declined to name them.

Only the White House can order the FBI to get involved, since Kavanaugh is not accused of a federal crime. The FBI could interview Ford, Kavanaugh and others about the allegation if Trump asked the bureau to reopen its background investigation, but the president has said the FBI has finished its work.

Kavanaugh did not return to the White House on Wednesday after spending the two previous days there. He spoke by phone with officials working on strategy, according to an aide familiar with the proceedings but not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.

The White House war room largely was centered on shaping the public perception of the nominee, pushing back on reporters' inquiries while circulating positive talking points to allies about Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh spent hours Tuesday in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, part of the White House complex. He prepared for Monday's potential hearing with officials including White House Counsel Don McGahn, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and communications director Bill Shine, as well as Justice Department aides.

Shine was ousted from his previous job at Fox News in part due to his handling of sexual harassment claims at the company.

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Associated Press reporters Darlene Superville, Padmananda Rama, Jonathan Lemire, Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks through a tunnel towards the Dirksen Senate Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Washington. Christine Blasey Ford wants the FBI to investigate her allegation that she was sexually assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh before she testifies at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing next week. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks past members of the media as he heads to the Senate Chamber floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is surrounded by reporters as she arrives for a vote, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

In this Sept. 6, 2018 photo, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh reacts as he testifies after questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Official Washington is scrambling Monday to assess and manage Kavanaugh's prospects after his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, revealed her identity to The Washington Post and described an encounter she believes was attempted rape. Kavanaugh reported to the White House amid the upheaval, but there was no immediate word on why or whether he had been summoned. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, walks past members of the media as she arrives at her office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a long-ago sexual assault wants the FBI to get involved - but the request is not so simple.

Only the White House can order the FBI to look into the claim as part of Kavanaugh's background investigation, since Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor in California, is not accusing Kavanaugh of a federal crime.

Ford has alleged that Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed and tried taking off her clothes during a high school party in Maryland in the 1980s. Kavanaugh denies the allegations, which appear to describe misdemeanors that would be beyond the statute of limitations under Maryland law.

President Donald Trump speaks during meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The FBI could interview Ford, Kavanaugh and others about the allegation if President Donald Trump asked the bureau to reopen its background investigation. But Trump already has rejected that idea, saying the FBI has already done its work.

Here's a look at how the FBI plays into the case:

WHAT IS THE FBI'S ROLE?

The FBI conducts background checks for federal nominees but the agency does not make judgments on the credibility or significance of allegations, according to a Justice Department statement Monday. Instead, the department compiles information about the nominee's past and provides its findings to the agency that requested the background check. In this case, that would be the White House.

There has been no suggestion that Kavanaugh may have committed a federal crime, so the FBI would not conduct a criminal investigation. But Senate Democrats are pushing for the FBI to reopen Kavanaugh's background investigation.

Trump pushed back on this later in the day.

"I don't think FBI really should be involved because they don't want to be involved. If they wanted to be, I would certainly do that," the president said. "But as you know, they say this is not really their thing."

Greg Rinckey, a lawyer specializing in employment law and the security clearance process, said FBI background checks aren't meant to dig up decades-old claims that never resulted in a police report or criminal charges.

"That's not really what the FBI is looking for," Rinckey said. "The FBI is looking for any kind of current problem. What do I mean by current - 7 to 10 years."

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, a former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told CNN that an additional FBI investigation "would be done" if the current committee chairman, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, asked for it.

"If the chairman called the FBI and said, 'We have this question about a nominee. Would you look into it?' Of course they do," Leahy said.

Grassley rejected that idea Wednesday, saying that "no other outside investigation is necessary."

The FBI did not immediately respond to questions Wednesday about whether the agency would investigate if the Judiciary Committee asked for a further query.

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COULD KAVANAUGH FACE STATE CHARGES?

Whatever the FBI does, the prospect of criminal charges being filed against Kavanaugh appears very unlikely, legal experts say. If a crime had taken place, it would almost certainly fall under local jurisdiction, not federal. That means it would fall under the laws of Montgomery County, Maryland, where the statute of limitations would seem to preclude charges.

Ford's allegations appear to be misdemeanors beyond the statute of limitations under Maryland law, said Randolph Rice, a Baltimore-based attorney who specializes in sex crimes.

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WHAT ABOUT ANITA HILL?

Nearly 30 years ago, Anita Hill accused then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her, saying he made unwanted advances and inappropriate comments. Thomas denied the allegations.

Hill testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991, alleging that Thomas had discussed pornography and graphically described his "own sexual prowess."

The FBI investigated Hill's accusations because under Republican President George H.W. Bush, the White House asked the agency to add to Thomas' background check.

Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University, told ABC News that senators should halt the Kavanaugh hearing to avoid a "sham" proceeding and that the FBI should investigate Ford's allegations.

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Balsamo reported from New York.

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Follow Mike Balsamo and Eric Tucker on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1 and https://twitter.com/etuckerAP .
WASHINGTON (AP) - Robert Mueller has been busy.

In just the last two weeks, the special counsel has secured the cooperation of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, dispensed with the case of the campaign aide who triggered the Russia probe and signaled he's squeezed all the information he needs out of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

All that activity has not gone unnoticed by Trump.

FILE - In this May 23, 2018, file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, leaves the Federal District Court after a hearing, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

The president has continued to wage a public-relations war on Mueller, casting his investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates as a politically motivated witch hunt. In his latest move, Trump is again using his executive power to declassify documents in the Russia probe that he says build a case that the investigation was tainted from the start by bias in the Justice Department and FBI.

And in an interview with The Hill , Trump said he hopes his effort to root out what he sees as corruption in the FBI and Justice Department will go down as one of his "crowning achievements," a move he likened to exposing "something that is truly a cancer in our country."

Here's where things stand:

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DECLASSIFYING RUSSIA DOCUMENTS

Urged on by a small group of House Republicans, the president on Monday ordered the public release of any Russia investigation-related text messages of several FBI and Justice Department officials, including former FBI Director James Comey and former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. He also declassified a portion of materials used to obtain a secret warrant to monitor the communication of former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page.

Trump, who told The Hill he hasn't read the documents he's declassifying, said Tuesday he made the decision because he wants "total transparency."

Trump and his allies believe the documents will show improprieties during the early days of the Russia investigation. They say the 21 pages show top Justice Department officials abusing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act process, particularly through the use of information gathered by former British spy Christopher Steele. His Democrat-funded research into Trump ties to Russia was included in the FISA applications and later compiled into a dossier that was published in January 2017.

FISA applications and warrants are some of the most secret documents in the government. The warrants are supposed to be used to gather intelligence on people suspected of being agents of a foreign power.

Democrats and some former national security officials have criticized the declassification move, saying it could jeopardize intelligence-gathering sources and methods. They also say the president is abusing his power to serve his own interests.

It's unclear when the documents will become public.

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MANAFORT FLIPS

Paul Manafort held out through multiple indictments, months in jail and even a conviction on eight criminal counts - all until last week.

On Friday, the man who led Trump's campaign for several crucial months pleaded guilty to two more felony charges and agreed to cooperate "fully, truthfully, completely and forthrightly." Manafort's deal came as he was facing a second trial that was to explore his efforts to secretly lobby in the U.S. for Ukrainian interests and to conceal the millions of dollars he funneled through offshore accounts as part of that work.

The focus now turns to what he knows.

Manafort, an eyewitness to a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer, could detail the actions of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who was told in emails that it was part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign.

Manafort also headed the campaign while, court papers say, the Russian government was actively trying to influence the election. And his ties to prominent Russian and Ukrainian businessmen also offer prosecutors a wealth of information they can use for not only the Russia probe but also potentially other investigations.

That includes continued government scrutiny of law firms and Washington lobbying shops, such as Skadden Arps, Mercury Public Affairs and the now-defunct Podesta Group, which took part in Manafort's unregistered lobbying work.

With Manafort's deal, Mueller has now secured six guilty pleas and a trial conviction and has pending indictments against three companies and 26 individuals including 12 Russian intelligence officers. Two other investigations that Mueller referred to other U.S. attorneys have also resulted in guilty pleas. That includes a probe of longtime Trump fixer Michael Cohen.

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JAIL TIME FOR PAPADOPOULOS

While Manafort is just beginning his cooperation, former Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos wrapped up his.

And prosecutors weren't too happy with him. They recommended jail time because he didn't provide "substantial assistance" and only begrudgingly helped them after his 2017 arrest. They also argued that Papadopoulos' lies during the early days of the FBI's Russia investigation irreparably damaged it.

Those false statements involved Papadopoulos' contacts with Russian intermediaries during the 2016 campaign.

Before Russian hacking of Democratic organizations became public, one of the intermediaries, a Maltese professor, told Papadopoulos that the Russians had "dirt" on Democrat Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails. But when FBI agents confronted him in January 2017, Papadopoulos lied, and, prosecutors say, that deception resulted in them missing an opportunity to interview professor Joseph Mifsud while he was in the U.S. He hasn't returned since.

A federal judge ultimately sentenced Papadopoulos , whose Russian contacts triggered the Russia probe, to 14 days' incarceration.

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DONE WITH FLYNN?

After months of delay, Mueller's team says they're ready for a judge to sentence Trump's first national security adviser as early as Nov. 28.

Flynn, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and a senior Trump campaign surrogate, has been waiting for the government's signoff since he pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials during the presidential transition.

Flynn has been seen as a key cooperator in Mueller's investigation. But prosecutors have yet to say what he shared and whether it has led to possible criminal charges against others.

And a court filing Monday suggests the public will have to wait a little longer. Prosecutors are asking a federal judge to set a schedule that would keep the specifics of Flynn's cooperation from becoming public until after the midterm elections.

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Follow Chad Day on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadSDay
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law were released from prison Wednesday after a court suspended their sentences and granted them bail pending their appeals hearings.

The Islamabad High Court made the decision after the Sharifs petitioned to appeal their sentences, which were handed down by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year in a corruption case against them. The three were released from a prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

The development is the latest twist in a series of scandals involving the former prime minister, beginning with his ouster from office last year, to several corruption cases and trials he still faces.

A vehicle carrying former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is surrounded by his supporters following his release from prison in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Islamabad High Court set him and his daughter and son-in-law free on bail Wednesday pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

When the anti-graft tribunal first convicted and sentenced Sharif on July 6, he was in London with his daughter, visiting his critically ill wife. The father and daughter returned home a week later and were taken to prison to serve their sentences.

Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League, meanwhile, lost in parliamentary elections later in July and has now taken on the mantle of opposition party to new Prime Minister Imran Khan's government.

In Wednesday's decision, the two-judge panel headed by Justice Athar Minallah ordered that Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar, be released once they each post a bond of half a million rupees, or about $4,000.

In the evening, the three were released from the prison, where many party leaders and a large crowd of supporters gathered to receive them, said Sen. Mushahidullah Khan, a close aide to Sharif. Khan said Sharif and relatives were escorted to the airport amid tight security. From there, they were to fly to the eastern city of Lahore.

Khan said Sharif and his daughter mourned the loss of Kulsoom Nawaz, Sharif's wife who died after a long battle with cancer while they were in prison.

"I thought I would go straight to mother but she is no more," Khan quoted Nawaz as saying.

Television footage showed a security vehicle driving the Sharifs through a massive crowd of supporters, some showering rose petals on the vehicle while others waved party flags and chanted slogans. Later, they arrived at the family's estate in the Lahore suburbs to a warm reception by supporters.

Sharif was temporarily released earlier this month to attend his wife's funeral.

Prosecutors in the case, the National Accountability Bureau, said they would appeal Wednesday's ruling and take the case against Sharif to the country's Supreme Court.

Following the judges' decision on Sharif and his family, supporters rushed to the court in jubilation, chanting pro-Sharif slogans and waving banners and posters of the ex-premier.

"This is a triumph of justice," said Sharif ally and former foreign minister Khawaja Asif outside the court.

Another supporter in the crowd, Naveed Abbasi, said he is convinced Sharif was a victim of conspiracy but that, "God willing, the people will make Nawaz Sharif the prime minister again ... for a record fourth time."

Amjad Pervez, a defense lawyer, had said the required bonds had been posted and Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law would be released from Adiala prison, where they have been serving 10-year, seven-year and one-year prison sentences, respectively.

In July last year the Pakistani Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from office over corruption allegations. He faced several court cases at home and was later convicted of concealing assets abroad. The charges stemmed from leaked papers from a Panama law firm. Sharif faced two more cases before the anti-graft tribunal and has been banned for life from public office.

Reacting to Wednesday's decision, Sen. Javed Faisal, a close aide to Prime Minister Khan, pointed out that the court only suspended Sharif's sentence and those of his family members, and did not acquit them.

"Their supporters should not celebrate so much as they will likely have to go again to Adiala prison," Faisal said.

However, analysts saw the decision as a definite boost for Sharif's party and supporters.

"If the court finally quashes Sharif's conviction, that will be a cause of concern for the new government," said Tauseef Ahmed, adding that "Sharif is still a popular leader and has the capability to mobilize masses."

Ahsan Iqbal, Sharif party lawmaker and former interior minister, said the anti-graft tribunal had convicted Sharif, his daughter and son in-law without any legal grounds, but "based on a vendetta."

Sharif never completed any of his three terms as prime minister. His first government was dismissed by the then-President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1993 on corruption charges and his second government was toppled by Gen. Pervez Musharraf in a bloodless coup in October 1999.

A vehicle carrying former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is surrounded by his supporters following his release from prison in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Islamabad High Court set him and his daughter and son-in-law free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

A vehicle carrying former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is surrounded by his supporters, some throwing rose petals, following his release from prison in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday set him and his daughter and son-in-law free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Supporters of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hold pictures of him and distribute sweets to celebrate the suspension of prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Islamabad High Court set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Supporters of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif celebrate the suspension of prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law, in Karachi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Islamabad High Court set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)

FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2017 file photo, former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addresses his Pakistan Muslim League supporters during a party general council meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan. On Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, a Pakistani court suspended the prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law, and set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The Islamabad High Court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)

Supporters of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif celebrate the suspension of prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Islamabad High Court set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shout slogans and celebrate after a court ruling, outside the Islamabad High Court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Pakistani court suspended the prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law on Wednesday and set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif celebrate a court ruling, outside the Islamabad High Court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Pakistani court suspended the prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law on Wednesday and set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shout slogans after a court ruling, outside the Islamabad High Court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Pakistani court suspended the prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law on Wednesday and set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Supporters of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif celebrate the suspension of prison sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The Islamabad High Court set them free on bail pending their appeal hearings. The court made the decision on the corruption case handed down to the Sharifs by an anti-graft tribunal earlier this year. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the woman who accuses him of sexually assaulting her decades ago (all times local):

7:15 p.m.

Missouri's Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill says she will vote against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, depriving President Donald Trump's nominee of a possible swing vote.

FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 3, 2018 file photo, an American flag flies on the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Christine Margaret Blasey Ford has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed at a Maryland house party in the early 1980s and trying to take her clothes off, an allegation he denies. Her story has shaken up the battle over Kavanaugh's confirmation, and Senate Republicans are calling for a public hearing with both accuser and accused testifying. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

McCaskill calls the recent sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh troubling, but says she based her decision on the judge's views on issues like presidential power and "dark money" in campaigns.

McCaskill is the first of five undecided Senate Democrats in competitive re-election races to come out against Kavanaugh.

Her decision had been awaited by those watching her close re-election battle with Republican Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, who has urged Kavanaugh's swift confirmation.

A vote on Kavanaugh has been delayed by the accusation from Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her when they were teens. Kavanaugh says that accusation is false.

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6:45 p.m.

The lawyer for Christine Blasey Ford says there are "multiple witnesses" who should be included in a Judiciary Committee hearing about her client's allegations of sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Lisa Banks said Wednesday that Ford was "reluctantly thrust into the public spotlight only two days ago" and is unable to go home because she is receiving "ongoing threats to her and her family's safety."

Kavanaugh has denied sexually assaulting Ford when they were teens. Both had been asked to testify Monday at the Senate Judiciary Committee. But Ford wants "a full non-partisan investigation."

A hearing with just Ford and Kavanaugh "is not a fair or good faith investigation," Banks says. She says the rush is "unnecessary" and Ford should have "time to deal with this."

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6:25 p.m.

Relatives of Christine Blasey Ford have signed a letter supporting her decision to come forward with an allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her three decades ago.

Ford's mother-in-law, sisters-in-law and other members of her husband's family released a letter Wednesday asking that her "private and difficult recollection be treated seriously and respectfully."

Ford says Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party when the two were in high school, which Kavanaugh denies.

The letter signed by 11 of Ford's in-laws describes her as a loyal, reliable, involved family member who "has acted bravely by voicing her experiences from the past, and we know how difficult this is for her."

The Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled a public hearing on the allegations for Monday. Ford wants the FBI to investigate her claim.

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6:10 p.m.

The Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee says he has sought interviews with "two other alleged witnesses" over Christine Blasey Ford's accusation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teens.

Sen. Chuck Grassley did not name the witnesses in a letter Wednesday. He also rejected Democrats' request for an FBI investigation.

Grassley says Republicans already heard privately from Kavanaugh and sought testimony from his high school friend Mark Judge. Ford said Judge was at the party when the assault occurred. Kavanaugh denies assaulting Ford.

Democrats are not participating in the Judiciary Committee's interviews.

Ford and Kavanaugh have been asked to testify Monday. Ford wants an FBI review first.

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5:35 p.m.

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake is criticizing an Instagram post from President Donald Trump's eldest son that mocked the sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Donald Trump Jr.'s post earlier this week shows a crumpled piece of notebook paper with a scribbled message: "Hi Cindy will you be my girlfriend, Love Bret." It has boxes to check for "yes" or "no."

It's captioned: "Judge Kavanaugh sexual assault letter found by Dems..."

Trump Jr. wrote: "Oh boy.... the Dems and their usual nonsense games really have him on the ropes now."

Flake posted the photo on Twitter and wrote: "This is sickening. No one should make light of this situation."

Christine Blasey Ford says Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party more than 30 years ago. Kavanaugh denies the allegation.

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3:35 p.m.

A Democratic senator who is undecided on whether to confirm Brett Kavanaugh says the process for handling Christine Blasey Ford's sexual assault allegation against the Supreme Court nominee has "gone off the rails."

Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama said Wednesday that "it's unreasonable" for the Senate Judiciary Committee to "force her hand without doing the appropriate investigation."

Kavanaugh denies Ford's accusation that he assaulted her decades ago when they were teens. Both Kavanaugh and Ford were called to testify before the committee on Monday, but Ford says she wants an FBI investigation first.

Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa says an FBI investigation isn't needed. He says the committee's investigation of Ford's claim is sufficient.

But Jones says the FBI is well-equipped to conduct a quick investigation and interview potential witnesses.

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1:45 p.m.

The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is offering in a letter to lawyers for Brett Kavanaugh's accuser to have his panel's investigators interview her wherever she wants.

That includes having aides interview Christine Blasey Ford in California, where she lives, according to a person speaking anonymously because they weren't authorized to discuss the plans publicly.

Chairman Chuck Grassley is also setting deadlines. His letter to Ford's lawyers says his committee's hearing on her allegations of sexual abuse will begin Monday morning. He says if she intends to testify, she must submit written testimony by Friday morning.

Ford has said she wants the FBI to investigate her accusation before she would testify.

Grassley writes that his panel "cannot commandeer an Executive Branch agency" and ask them to do more work.

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12:10 p.m.

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley says the FBI does not need to look into the sexual-assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh because Republicans are conducting their own investigation.

California college professor Christine Blasey Ford wants the FBI to investigate her claim Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were teenagers, something Kavanaugh denies. Ford says the investigation should happen before a Monday hearing at which she and Kavanaugh are invited to testify.

Grassley rejected that idea Wednesday. The Iowa senator says "no other outside investigation is necessary."

President Donald Trump also has refused to get the FBI involved.

Republican staffers on the Judiciary panel have interviewed Kavanaugh and sought an interview with Ford. Grassley didn't provide further details on their investigation.

Committee Democrats have not participated and want FBI involvement.

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10:05 a.m.

President Donald Trump says "we'll have to make a decision" if Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's sexual-assault accuser "makes a credible showing" before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

He said Wednesday it would be "very interesting."

Trump calls Kavanaugh an "outstanding man" and says it's "very hard" for him to imagine anything happened.

The Judiciary Committee has scheduled a public hearing for Monday and has invited Kavanaugh and California college professor Christine Blasey Ford to testify regarding her allegation against him.

Ford says a drunken Kavanaugh assaulted her decades ago when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied Ford's allegation and has said he's willing to appear before the committee.

Ford's attorneys say she wants the FBI to investigate her allegation before she testifies.

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8:50 a.m.

Hillary Clinton says the White House should request an FBI investigation of the sexual-assault accusation facing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and any refusal to do so by Republicans amounts to rushing to confirm him.

The former Democratic presidential nominee said on MSNBC on Tuesday the relevant precedent is the FBI's investigation of Anita Hill's sexual-harassment allegation against Clarence Thomas in 1991. Like Kavanaugh, Thomas strongly denied the accusation against him.

Under Republican President George H.W. Bush, the White House asked the FBI add to Thomas' background check. President Donald Trump has refused to do so regarding California college professor Christine Blasey Ford's charge against Kavanaugh.

Clinton says that makes it difficult to "avoid the appearance of insult" against Ford. Clinton says she thinks Republicans are trying to put Ford "in the dock and try to rush this through."

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7:50 a.m.

Anita Hill says the Senate Judiciary Committee could be holding a "sham" hearing next week without an FBI investigation of a woman's sexual-assault accusation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh strongly denies the allegation and has suggested California college professor Christine Blasey Ford's account could be a case of mistaken identity.

But Hill told ABC she supports Ford's demand for an FBI investigation before a hearing Senate Republicans have set for Monday. Hill questions whether the Senate hearing "is going to be anything more than just a sham proceeding."

Hill's allegation Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her - and the committee's handling of his confirmation hearings - haunts Washington as a key event that alienated many women. Thomas denied Hill's account and was confirmed to the Supreme Court.

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12:20 a.m.

Lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford say that before she testifies on Capitol Hill next week she wants the FBI to investigate her allegation that she was sexually assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Iowa's Chuck Grassley, says an FBI investigation wouldn't have any bearing on Ford's testimony so "there is no reason for further delay." Other Republicans are suggesting that Ford will have only this one opportunity to testify.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump showered sympathy on Kavanaugh. The president too has rejected the idea of bringing in the FBI to reopen its background check of the appeals court judge.

Ford's lawyers say she has been the target of "vicious harassment and even death threats" since coming forward with her story.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a member of the Judiciary Committee, responds to reporters' questions on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh amid scrutiny of a woman's claim he sexually assaulted her at a party when they were in high school, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., comments on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh amid scrutiny of a woman's claim Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party when they were in high school, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks past members of the media as he heads to the Senate Chamber floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Donald Trump gestures as he talks to media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, for the short trip to Andrews Air Force Base en route to Havelock, N.C. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

FILE - In this Sept. 6, 2018, file photo, after more than an hour of delay over procedural questions, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh waits to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the third day of his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers has come forward to The Washington Post. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

President Donald Trump speaks during meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is surrounded by reporters as she arrives for a vote, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, comments on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh amid scrutiny of a woman's claim he sexually assaulted her at a party when they were in high school, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

In this Sept. 6, 2018 photo, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh reacts as he testifies after questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Official Washington is scrambling Monday to assess and manage Kavanaugh's prospects after his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, revealed her identity to The Washington Post and described an encounter she believes was attempted rape. Kavanaugh reported to the White House amid the upheaval, but there was no immediate word on why or whether he had been summoned. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter 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. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
ASH FORK, Ariz. (AP) - A volunteer for an Arizona sheriff's office has probably saved the life of a dog that was tied to a semitrailer truck as it pulled out of a parking lot.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office says on its Facebook page that the patrol volunteer was at a gas station in Ash Fork this month when he saw the semitruck starting to leave with a dog leashed to the bumper.

The dog was trying to keep pace with the truck as it headed toward an interstate highway. The patrol volunteer put on his flashers and siren and managed to stop the truck in time.

The close call was caught on the dashcam video.

The driver says he was distracted and forgot to unleash his dog. Charges aren't being considered.
DRAPER, Utah (AP) - A woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart and stood by as the Utah girl was sexually assaulted was released from prison Wednesday amid concerns that she remains a threat 15 years after the chilling crime.

Wanda Barzee, 72, quietly left the state prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, avoiding a throng of reporters gathered outside.

Court documents say she will stay in unspecified emergency housing chosen by her probation officer until another home is approved.

Correctional officers stand outside a gate at the Utah State Correctional Facility Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Wanda Barzee, a woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart when she was a teenager and stood by as the girl was sexually assaulted, was released from prison Wednesday after 15 years in custody. Barzee, 72, left the Utah state prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, spokeswoman Kaitlin Felsted said in a statement that did not provide details about Barzee's destination. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Barzee's release followed a surprise announcement last week that Utah authorities had miscalculated her sentence and she would be freed about six years earlier than expected.

Under the terms of her release, Barzee must undergo mental health treatment and not contact Smart and her family.

"I'm not going to let these people, this woman, stop me from living the life I want to live," Smart said in a speech Wednesday night at Lock Haven University, without mentioning Barzee by name.

She said it was "a statement in my moving forward" that she was able to come to the college to speak about sexual violence.

Smart, now a 30-year-old mother, speaker and activist, has said she was shocked and disappointed by the announcement of Barzee's release.

"The past few weeks have been an absolute roller coaster of emotion," Smart said Wednesday. "I so appreciate everyone's comments of love and support and outrage. It's made a really big difference to me personally."

During her speech, Smart recalled some of the horrors she experienced as a 14-year-old when she was snatched from her Salt Lake City home in 2002 by Barzee's then-husband, street preacher Brian David Mitchell.

Smart said last week that Barzee saw her as a slave during the nine months she was held by the couple and encouraged Mitchell to rape her.

"So do I believe she's dangerous? Yes," Smart said.

Barzee's attorney Scott Williams said there's no reliable evidence that his client remains a threat to anyone.

"It is unfair and counterproductive," Williams told reporters, adding that Barzee wants to be left alone and will comply with the conditions of her supervised release.

He said he's concerned about her safety but did not elaborate.

Ed Smart, the victim's father, said he's glad Barzee will be watched over closely by federal agents during her five years of supervised release, but he's concerned about reports that she still believes Mitchell's ideas.

Aiding Mitchell in following his so-called "divine revelations" prompted Barzee to help him kidnap Elizabeth Smart and even sit next to her as Mitchell raped her, Ed Smart said.

"My hope is that she won't be a problem," he said of Barzee. "I do know how she treated Elizabeth during that time, and I still feel like she's very capable of doing the same thing."

Smart was found in captivity while walking with Barzee and Mitchell on a street in suburban Sandy by people who recognized the abductors from media reports. Mitchell is serving a life sentence after being convicted of kidnapping and rape.

As another condition of her release, Barzee was placed on the Utah sex offender registry, but her address was still listed online Wednesday as the Utah prison. Her mug shot on the registry shows her with a wide smile, blue eyes and chin-length gray hair.

She's also voluntarily agreed to stay away from places frequented by the Smart family, Williams said.

Barzee could be returned to prison if she violates the terms of her release.

Barzee's niece Tina Mace has said her aunt's testimony against Mitchell seemed like a turning point, but her mental state appears to have changed in prison. Mace said she's unaware of any family members who would give Barzee a place to live.

Barzee was treated at Utah State Hospital for about five years following her arrest. She testified in 2010 against Mitchell and was given a plea deal on state and federal charges. She was transferred to the Utah prison in 2016 after finishing a federal sentence in Texas.

The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole initially set a 2024 release date. Her attorney questioned whether the term included time Barzee had served in a federal prison. The board decided last week that she had served her sentence.

___

AP writers Russell Contreras in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Walter Berry in Phoenix contributed to this report.

FILE - This April 8, 2016, file photo, provided by Utah State Prison shows Wanda Barzee. Appearing in an interview Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, on "CBS This Morning," Elizabeth Smart said she believes Barzee remains a danger. Barzee is expected to be freed Wednesday after 15 years in custody because Utah authorities had miscalculated the amount of time the woman should serve. (Utah State Prison via AP, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2018, file photo, Elizabeth Smart arrives for a news conference in Salt Lake City. Smart says she's been "reassured" the woman who helped kidnap her when she was 14 and stood by as she was sexually assaulted will be watched when she's released from prison. Appearing in an interview Tuesday, Sept. 18, on "CBS This Morning," Smart said she believes Wanda Barzee remains a danger. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

The gate of the Timpanogos Women's Facility is shown at the Utah Department of Corrections Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Wanda Barzee, a woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart when she was a teenager and stood by as the girl was sexually assaulted was released from prison Wednesday after 15 years in custody. Barzee, 72, left the Utah state prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, spokeswoman Kaitlin Felsted said in a statement that did not provide details about Barzee's destination. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The Timpanogos Women's Facility is shown at the Utah Department of Corrections Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Wanda Barzee, a woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart when she was a teenager and stood by as the girl was sexually assaulted was released from prison Wednesday after 15 years in custody. Barzee, 72, left the Utah state prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, spokeswoman Kaitlin Felsted said in a statement that did not provide details about Barzee's destination. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Correctional officers gather outside a gate at the Utah State Correctional Facility Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Wanda Barzee, a woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart when she was a teenager and stood by as the girl was sexually assaulted, was released from prison Wednesday after 15 years in custody. Barzee, 72, left the Utah state prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, spokeswoman Kaitlin Felsted said in a statement that did not provide details about Barzee's destination. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's wounds remained open Wednesday as victims, relatives and rescuers marked the Sept. 19 anniversaries of last year's earthquake that killed more than 360 people and the devastating 1985 temblor that left at least 9,500 dead.

With reconstruction slow from the 2017 quake, relatives of the dead and quake victims gathered at vacant lots where buildings once stood. A year later, their search for justice has been fruitless, with none of the owners or builders of collapsed structures having been convicted.

Fernando Sanchez Lira stood on the lot where both his mother and sister died when a five-story downtown office building collapsed in last year's magnitude 7.1 quake killing at least 15 people. Overall, the temblor killed 228 people in the capital and 141 more in nearby states.

Rescue workers stand with with raised fists and in silence, in front of a 1985 earthquake memorial during a ceremony marking that quake's 33rd anniversary and last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The rescue workers, known as "topos," are a voluntary civil brigade, who were created during the 1985 earthquake that left at least 9,500 dead. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Sanchez Lira said the building had been unsafe since another tremor 12 days earlier. He said authorities allowed a heavy cellphone tower to be built on the roof years ago that may have contributed to the collapse.

"The building was really bad. The owner knew it," said Sanchez Lira, who quit his job to pursue legal action against the owners. "It continued operating because of corruption, and there are a lot of buildings in that situation, that keep operating with bribes."

"This continues. We have learned nothing," he added. The legal case has made little progress, he said, noting that "the owners are powerful people. They could buy the legal system."

Moments later, the quake alarm siren sounded mournfully during an anniversary drill. Mourners held their arms aloft in a signal that was used by rescuers after the quake to call for silence and has since become a symbol of remembrance and solidarity.

A weeping Arturo Gomez, his arm aloft, shouted, "We miss you a lot!" He referred to Maria Elena Sanchez Lira, his wife of 39 years and the sister of Fernando Sanchez Lira who died in the quake.

Elsewhere, victims' relatives gathered at the site of a seven-story office building in Mexico City's Condesa district that collapsed last Sept. 19, killing 49 people. The rubble was long ago cleared, but the site remains blocked off with plywood. Friends and family of victims have posted signs with messages of love on the fencing.

"It's difficult. All the memories come flooding back of everything. I can't find words," said Consuelo de Luna, whose son died in the collapse.

"It may be a year, but its feels to me like it was yesterday," de Luna said. "It is so hard."

Claudia Acosta Luna, a lawyer whose cousin Karina Gabriela died in the collapse, was one of several relatives wearing black T-shirts emblazoned: "It is my hope to see you again, I continue to await that fate."

Acosta recalled her cousin as a lover of concerts who took care of her.

"It's even sadder to know that it was not only the earthquake but also the inadequate construction of the building," Acosta said. "It teaches you many things, but more than that it's anger and realizing that the laws or the regulations don't matter."

The building on Alvaro Obregon Avenue had been deemed unsafe well before the quake, so much so that a government agency was warned not to rent space there in 1997. Its deficiencies were never corrected, and other prospective tenants were never informed.

Many rescuers who responded to the emergency that day attended Wednesday's commemorations in their hard hats and other gear.

Javier Martin Serrano, who collects and sells scrap metal and lives as a squatter a block away, returned to the site of a collapsed five-story office and factory. He had on the same threadbare pants and green nylon safety vest he wore when he went into the rubble that day to save a trapped woman.

"More than anything today I feel melancholy, helplessness for not having been able to save more people," he said.

Like many other poor people in Mexico City, Serrano lives as a squatter in a building that authorities want to kick him out of. He and many others will have to live in precarious conditions, vulnerable to the next quake, until authorities build more low-income housing in the city.

As if to underscore that pressing need, city riot police fought a violent skirmish with squatters armed with stones, sticks and gasoline bombs.

The clash came in an effort to evict them from the ruins of a building damaged in the 1985 quake. Like many other buildings, it has stood in ruins for decades and was taken over by street vendors at least 20 years ago.

"We have nowhere else to live," said Domingo Bernardino, who lived in the tottering ruins the last 16 years. "We need an alternative."

Early Wednesday morning, President Enrique Pena Nieto presided over the raising of a huge Mexican flag to mark the anniversary of the shattering magnitude 8.0 quake of 1985.

___

Associated Press writer Maria Verza contributed to this report.

A couple mourns next to the perimeter wall of the collapsed wing of the Enrique Rebsamen elementary school in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The school collapsed one year ago killing scores of children in the 7.1 earthquake that hit the city. Officials said the owner of the private school built an apartment for herself on top of the school wing that collapsed, which may have played a role in the tragedy. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A couple embraces during the one year anniversary of the 7.1 Mexico City earthquake, at the Multifamiliar de Tlalpan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The building collapsed one year ago during the earthquake that struck the city leaving scores dead, injured and homeless. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A memorial poster for the victims of the tragedy at the Enrique Rebsamen elementary school, hangs on the perimeter wall of the site, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The school collapsed one year ago killing scores of children in the 7.1 earthquake that hit the city. Officials said the owner of the private school built an apartment for herself on top of the school wing that collapsed, which may have played a role in the tragedy. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

People raise their fists in protest and remembrance during the one year anniversary of the 7.1 Mexico City earthquake, at the Multifamiliar de Tlalpan, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The building collapsed one year ago during the earthquake that struck the city leaving scores dead, injured and homeless. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Firefighters and rescue workers stand before a Mexican national flag in front of a 1985 earthquake memorial marking that quake's 33rd anniversary and last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The rescue workers, known as "topos," are a voluntary civil brigade, who were created during the 1985 earthquake that left at least 9,500 dead. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Rescue workers stand with with raised fists and in silence, in front of a 1985 earthquake memorial during a ceremony marking that quake's 33rd anniversary and last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The rescue workers, known as "topos," are a voluntary civil brigade, who were created during the 1985 earthquake that left at least 9,500 dead. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

A woman places a floral bouquet on the perimeter wall of the collapsed Enrique Rebsamen elementary school in Mexico City, Sept. 19, 2018. The school collapsed one year ago killing scores of children in the 7.1 earthquake that struck the city. Officials said the owner of the private school built an apartment for herself on top of the school wing that collapsed, which may have played a role in the tragedy. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A young girl looks at pictures of victims and the rescue efforts affixed to the wall surrounding the site at Alvaro Obregon 286, where 49 died when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Photographs of victims and the rescue efforts are placed around flowers in front of the site at Alvaro Obregon 286 where 49 died when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A victim's relative holds a candle during a memorial ceremony in front of the site at Alvaro Obregon 286, where 49 died when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Victims' family members weep during a memorial ceremony in front of the site at Alvaro Obregon 286, where 49 died when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A priest releases a dove during a memorial ceremony in front of the site at Alvaro Obregon 286, where 49 died when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A woman puts up a picture of her family member who died, during a memorial ceremony in front of the site at Alvaro Obregon 286, where 49 were killed when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

A man holds his fist in the air in front of photographs from the rescue efforts, during a minute of silence at Alvaro Obregon 286, where 49 died when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Children release doves during a memorial ceremony in front of the site at Alvaro Obregon 286, where 49 died when their office building collapsed in last year's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Across the city, memorials were held at sites where hundreds perished in the Sept. 19, 2017 quake.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The relaxed new dress code at public schools in the small city of Alameda, across the bay from San Francisco, is intentionally specific: Midriff-baring shirts are acceptable attire, so are tank tops with spaghetti straps and other once-banned items like micro-mini skirts and short shorts.

As students settle into the new school term, gone are restrictions on ripped jeans and hoodies in class. If students want to come to school in pajamas, that's OK, too.

The new policy amounts to a sweeping reversal of the modern school dress code and makes Alameda the latest school district in the country to adopt a more permissive policy it says is less sexist.

An Alameda High School student poses for photos wearing ripped jeans on the school's campus in Alameda, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. The relaxed new dress code at public schools in the small city of Alameda, across the bay from San Francisco, is intentionally specific: Midriff-baring shirts are acceptable attire, so are tank tops with spaghetti straps and other once-banned items like micro-mini skirts and short shorts. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Students who initiated the change say many of the old rules that barred too much skin disproportionately targeted girls, while language calling such attire "distracting" sent the wrong message.

"If someone is wearing a short shirt and you can see her stomach, it's not her fault that she's distracting other people," said Henry Mills, 14, an incoming freshman at Alameda High School who worked with a committee of middle school students and teacher advisers to revise the policy. "There was language that mainly affected girls, and that wasn't OK."

Dress codes have long been the territory of contention and rebellion, but the reversal in Alameda shows a generational shift that students and teachers say was partly influenced by broader conversations on gender stemming from the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct and a national resurgence of student activism.

Approved by the school board on a trial basis over summer break, the new dress code is stirring back-to-school discussions about what role schools should have in socializing children.

There are sharply critical voices of the new dress code.

Math teacher Marie Hsu said she's all for equity but that the new rules send an unintentional message that it's fine, even appropriate, to "sex it up."

"It's good not to punish girls for being distractions. I fully, fully get that," said Hsu, who teaches at Lincoln Middle School and is an Alameda resident with two young children. "But I think it's extraordinarily misled."

Alameda mother Paula Walker says she may be "old school," but she didn't mind the bans against revealing clothing.

"They say kids are starting everything younger, and I'm like, well, that's because you're throwing it in their faces," Walker said.

Dress codes and their severity vary widely nationwide. Twenty-four states have policies that give local school districts the power to adopt their own dress codes or uniform policies, according to the Education Commission of the States, a nonprofit that tracks education policy.

Some have statewide policies, like Arkansas, which passed a 2011 law requiring school districts "to prohibit the wearing of clothing that exposes underwear, buttocks, or the breast of a female."

A Texas high school was recently criticized for a back-to-school video on dress codes that only featured girls. The video shown at Marcus High School in a Dallas suburb showed girls in short shorts getting reprimanded as the song "Bad Girls" by M.I.A. played in the background. Students slammed it as sexist on social media, prompting the principal to apologize, saying the video "absolutely missed the mark."

Alameda's new dress code was modeled after a suggested policy by the Oregon chapter of the National Organization for Women, drafted in 2016 to "update and improve" dress codes, avoid rules that reinforce gender stereotypes and minimize unnecessary discipline or "body shaming."

Portland, Oregon's public school district adopted a new policy in 2016, followed by Evanston, Illinois, in 2017, both of which incorporated NOW's suggestions.

Portland's relaxed dress code is considered a success, said Carol Campbell, principal at Grant High School.

Campbell said students wear appropriate clothing most of the time and it was "a huge relief" that staff could now focus on teaching, rather than necklines and hemlines.

"It's changed the culture of how students view each other," she said. "When we have rules and dress codes that particularly target one group it sounds like we're blaming that group, which always tended to be women."

Students in Alameda, Portland and Evanston have freedom to wear mostly anything as long as it includes a bottom, top, shoes, covers private parts and does not contain violent images, hate speech, profanity or pornography.

Vague language in the old Alameda policy caused confusion, which led to arbitrary enforcement, students and teachers said. There was, for example, a "three-finger" rule on the width of tank top straps and a ban on shorts and skirts shorter than "mid-thigh" and a rule against "low-cut tank tops."

Girls with more developed bodies often were singled out for discipline ranging from lunch detention, picking up trash on campus, a phone call home or having to change into baggy clothing.

Stella Bourgoin said she makes her sixth-grade daughter dress modestly but she supports the policy mainly for convenience.

"If you go to a store, every pair of jeans has a rip in it. It's easier this way," Bourgoin said.

___

Associated Press writer Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report

In this Sept. 7, 2018 photo, students socialize at Grant High School in Portland, Ore., after school let out. Portland Public Schools relaxed its dress code in 2016 after student complaints that the rules unfairly targeted female students and sexualized their fashion choices. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)

Alameda High School students Henry Mills, left, and Kristen Wong pose for photos on the school's campus in Alameda, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. The relaxed new dress code at public schools in the small city of Alameda, across the bay from San Francisco, is intentionally specific: Midriff-baring shirts are acceptable attire, so are tank tops with spaghetti straps and other once-banned items like micro-mini skirts and short shorts. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Alameda High School students Henry Mills, left, and Kristen Wong pose for photos on the school's campus in Alameda, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. The relaxed new dress code at public schools in the small city of Alameda, across the bay from San Francisco, is intentionally specific: Midriff-baring shirts are acceptable attire, so are tank tops with spaghetti straps and other once-banned items like micro-mini skirts and short shorts. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

An Alameda High School student wearing a crop top and ripped jeans walks on the school's campus in Alameda, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. The relaxed new dress code at public schools in the small city of Alameda, across the bay from San Francisco, is intentionally specific: Midriff-baring shirts are acceptable attire, so are tank tops with spaghetti straps and other once-banned items like micro-mini skirts and short shorts. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
DRAPER, Utah (AP) - The Latest on the release of a woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart in Utah (all times local):

5:50 p.m.

Elizabeth Smart says she's moving forward with her life and trying not to live in fear now that one of her kidnappers has been released from prison.

FILE - This April 8, 2016, file photo, provided by Utah State Prison shows Wanda Barzee. Appearing in an interview Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, on "CBS This Morning," Elizabeth Smart said she believes Barzee remains a danger. Barzee is expected to be freed Wednesday after 15 years in custody because Utah authorities had miscalculated the amount of time the woman should serve. (Utah State Prison via AP, File)

Smart gave a speech Wednesday at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, telling reporters beforehand that it was "a statement in my moving forward" that she was able to come to the school to speak about sexual violence.

Smart said she's grateful for the support she received during her "roller coaster of emotion" after the surprise announcement that 72-year-old Wanda Barzee was being released from a Utah prison years earlier than expected.

Barzee served 15 years in the 2002 kidnapping of Smart. She pleaded guilty to helping her husband, street preacher Brian David Mitchell, who took Smart from her bedroom at knifepoint.

____

3:25 p.m.

Documents say a woman released from prison in Utah after serving 15 years for kidnaping Elizabeth Smart will live in emergency housing chosen by her probation officer.

Court documents filed Wednesday say 72-year-old Wanda Barzee will stay in the facility until another home is approved.

The records do not reveal additional information about the site.

Barzee's lawyer says she voluntarily agreed to stay away from places frequented by the Smart family. She's prohibited from contacting any member of the family and must get mental health treatment.

Barzee will also have 9 p.m. curfew.

Barzee will remain under federally supervised release for five years and could go back to prison if she violates the conditions of her release.

___

1:45 p.m.

As one of her kidnappers was about to be released from prison, Elizabeth Smart called for people to watch over friends and family members.

An Instagram post early Wednesday by Smart urged her supporters to watch out for "anyone who would seek to hurt or take advantage."

Smart said she's grateful for the support she received during her "roller coaster of emotion" after the surprise announcement that Wanda Barzee would be released from prison years earlier than expected.

Smart told reporters last week she was worried that Barzee remains a threat, something the woman's lawyer denies.

Smart did not immediately speak out publicly after Barzee was released.

She is scheduled to make a planned speech at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania later in the day.

___

12:30 p.m.

The lawyer for a woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart in Utah says it's unfair to call her a threat now that she's been released from prison.

Attorney Scott Williams made the comment Wednesday after Smart's father said he is concerned that 72-year-old Wanda Barzee remains capable of abusing another child.

Barzee was released from a Utah prison after serving 15 years in the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, then 14.

Williams told reporters there's no reliable evidence that Barzee will be dangerous.

He says she wants to be left alone and will comply with the conditions of her supervised release. He said he's concerned about her safety but did not elaborate.

Under the terms of her release, Barzee must undergo mental health treatment and not contact Smart and her family.

___

11:10 a.m.

Elizabeth Smart's father says he's grateful that one of her kidnappers will be watched closely by federal agents now that she's been freed from prison, but he remains concerned about Wanda Barzee's mental state.

Ed Smart said Wednesday that he's heard reports that Barzee still believes in the teachings of David Brian Mitchell, the street preacher who took the teenage Elizabeth Smart from her bedroom at knifepoint in 2002.

Ed Smart says Mitchell's so-called divine revelations prompted Barzee to help kidnap the girl and even sit next to her as Mitchell raped her.

He fears Barzee remains capable of abusing another child.

Barzee will be on federal supervised release for five years and is now a registered sex offender.

Under the terms of her release, she must undergo mental health treatment and not contact Smart and her family.

Mitchell is serving a life prison sentence.

___

10 a.m.

One of Elizabeth Smart's kidnappers has been placed on the Utah sex offender registry after her release from prison.

The online registry shows Wanda Barzee's conviction on federal and state charges in the 2002 kidnapping of then 14-year-old Smart.

The registry shows the addresses of convicted Utah sex offenders and is a condition of Barzee's release.

Barzee's registration shows her address as the Utah State Prison in Draper, outside Salt Lake City.

Prison and probation officials did not immediately respond to email and phone messages seeking comment on when her address outside prison would be listed on the site.

She was released Wednesday morning after 15 years in custody.

Federal agents overseeing her five years on supervised release have said she will have a place to live, but haven't released specific information.

She pleaded guilty to helping her husband, street preacher Brian David Mitchell, who took Smart from her bedroom at knifepoint.

9:25 a.m.

A woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart when she was a teenager has been released from a Utah prison after 15 years in custody.

Utah State prison spokeswoman Kaitlin Felsted said in a statement that Wanda Barzee was released Wednesday following a surprise announcement last week that authorities had miscalculated the amount of time she should serve.

The 72-year-old was previously scheduled to be released in 2024.

Barzee was not seen by reporters leaving the prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper. She will be under federal supervision for five years.

Smart, now 30, is shocked Barzee is being released and said she hopes she will be closely watched and given treatment.

Smart says that during her nine-month abduction in 2002 and 2003, Barzee would encourage her street-preacher husband to rape her.

6:50 a.m.

Elizabeth Smart says the woman who helped kidnap her when she was 14 and stood by as she was sexually assaulted fell short on her court-ordered apology.

Part of Wanda Barzee's plea deal was a requirement that she write an apology, Smart said in an interview aired Wednesday on "CBS This Morning."

Barzee is expected to be freed Wednesday after 15 years in custody because Utah authorities had miscalculated the amount of time the 72-year-old woman should serve.

In the interview, Smart also stressed that victims like herself shouldn't be blamed, tempting though it may be.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The mother of Wisconsin congressional candidate Randy Bryce doesn't like to see her sons fight.

Nancy Bryce, in an open letter Wednesday, called for an attack ad featuring Randy's brother James to be taken off the air.

"My family deserves better than this," she wrote. "All families deserve better than this."

FILE - In this July 8, 2018, file photo, Randy Bryce, a Wisconsin Democratic candidate for the U.S. House, answers a question during a debate in Lake Geneva, Wis. Bryce's mother, Nancy Bryce, is calling for an attack ad featuring Randy's brother James to be taken off the air. The ad was unveiled Tuesday, Sept. 18 by a Republican super PAC linked to House Speaker Paul Ryan. Bryce is running against Republican Bryan Steil to replace Ryan in the southeast Wisconsin congressional district. (Angela Major /The Janesville Gazette via AP)

Randy Bryce, known by the colorful nickname "Iron Stache," is a Democrat running to replace House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is leaving Congress. Bryan Steil, a former Ryan aide, is the Republican running in the southeastern Wisconsin district.

Bryce burst onto the national scene with a slick campaign launch video last year where he wipes away tears as his mother talks about the pain she is in and drugs she's taking for multiple sclerosis.

Her son James Bryce is a police officer and a Republican who has given money to Ryan and Steil and even contemplated running against his brother for the seat.

In an ad released Tuesday that was paid for by the Ryan-aligned super PAC the Congressional Leadership Fund, James Bryce endorses Steil and says he can't vote for his brother because he has "shown contempt for those in law enforcement."

Randy Bryce has been arrested nine times, first for drunken driving in 1998 and more recently for protesting the policies of Ryan and Republicans. The campaign ad shows an image of his mug shot and video of police taking him away in handcuffs at a protest.

In her letter, Nancy Bryce doesn't criticize her son James for cutting the ad, but she blames Ryan, the Republican Party and the super PAC running the spot as part of a $1.5 million buy in the Milwaukee television market.

"I'm used to my sons getting into disagreements with each other -- every mom is," she wrote. "And I understand that my boys see the world differently when it comes to politics. ... Unfortunately, some political operatives see it as a chance to exploit those differences for their own benefit."

She said those behind the ad aren't considering "a mother's pain at seeing her children used as tools in a political fight," and she called on Steil to denounce the ad and to ask the Congressional Leadership Fund to pull it.

Steil's spokesman, Andrew Iverson, declined to comment but the super PAC stood by the ad.

"This ad explains everything Wisconsin voters need to know about the race. Randy Bryce is unfit to serve in Congress," said CLF spokesman Michael Byerly.

James Bryce has an unlisted phone number and Byerly did not respond to a request to speak with Bryce.

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HAVELOCK, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's visit to the Carolinas to review Hurricane Florence damage (all times local):

4 p.m.

President Donald Trump says South Carolina is in for a "rough few days" in the aftermath of Florence, but assures the state that the federal government "is behind you."

President Donald Trump visits a neighborhood impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Conway, S.C. Next to Trump is South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump spoke Wednesday at an emergency management center in the city of Conway, near Myrtle Beach.

He noted that he visited North Carolina earlier in the day to survey other damage caused by Florence. He tells South Carolina "all that water is coming your way."

Trump says that, although the weather outside may be nice, "it's really the calm before the storm."

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said during the same briefing that "the worst is yet to come" for his state.

Both Carolinas are grappling with the effects of severe flooding, with more flooding expected as rivers crest.

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3:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump is getting an update on how South Carolina is recovering from Hurricane Florence.

Trump was participating in a briefing Wednesday with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott and other officials.

Television screens on the walls at the county emergency management center in Conway, South Carolina, showed scenes of flood damage from around the state.

Officials say Conway hasn't seen the worst of the flooding yet.

Trump surveyed flood damage earlier Wednesday in parts of North Carolina before arriving in Conway by helicopter.

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3:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump has toured a South Carolina neighborhood that's bracing itself for more severe flooding due to Florence.

Trump greeted people Wednesday as he walked along a flooded street in the city of Conway, near Myrtle Beach.

He told people things are "going to be OK," and others thanked him for coming.

Trump put his hands on people's shoulders and promised that a "lot of money" will be coming from Washington.

Trump arrived in South Carolina by helicopter a short time after he toured storm-damaged areas of neighboring North Carolina.

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2:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump has arrived in South Carolina on the second leg of a two-state trip to survey damage caused by Hurricane Florence.

Trump arrived by helicopter Wednesday afternoon at an airport near the city of Conway, which is near Myrtle Beach.

Earlier in the day, Trump visited the city of New Bern, North Carolina, which experienced severe flooding due to Florence. The president helped hand out meals at a Baptist church serving as a food distribution center and walked along a neighborhood street strewn with trash, branches and sodden furniture.

He offered hugs and handshakes and posed for photos with people cleaning up their homes after the powerful storm.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper also briefed the president on the recovery effort.

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1:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is touring a North Carolina neighborhood that sustained heavy flood damage during Hurricane Florence.

Trump walked along a street strewn with piles of trash, branches and sodden furniture in storm-wrecked New Bern, offering hugs and handshakes and posing for photos outside of damaged houses.

He's also asking how people are doing as he surveys the block.

As he arrived, Trump's motorcade crossed a swollen river with busted docks and damaged boats, including one that had washed up against a hotel.

New Bern's residential streets are lined by debris, including siding and furniture, with sofa cushions and mattresses scattered about. Trees are down and piles of destroyed furniture are stacked outside houses.

New Bern is part of Craven County, which voted nearly 60 percent for Trump in 2016.

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12:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is handing out warm meals and a bit of encouragement to some North Carolinians recovering from Hurricane Florence.

Trump is assisting volunteers at Temple Baptist Church in New Bern, North Carolina, Wednesday.

He's passing out Styrofoam containers with food, including hot dogs, chips and fruit and asking how those driving through are doing.

"How's the house?" he was heard asking one person. "You take care of yourself," he said.

Trump is also applauding organizers and thanking volunteers at the site as well as posing for photos and hugging volunteers, including a young boy.

One volunteer said the site handed out 1,200 meals on Tuesday to those in need.

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11:55 a.m.

President Donald Trump has arrived at a North Carolina church that is serving as a distribution center for supplies after Hurricane Florence.

Trump is visiting Temple Baptist Church in New Bern. The area suffered significant damage, with branches down and piles of debris.

Church volunteers have containers of hot dogs, chips and fruit and have been handing out food to people in need.

The president is visiting the region Wednesday after the powerful storm left widespread destruction and flooding. Officials cautioned that the flooding is not over yet.

Trump stressed his sympathy for the victims of the storm and pledged resources for recovery during an earlier storm briefing at a nearby marine base.

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11:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is pledging to help the people affected by Hurricane Florence as he arrives in North Carolina to survey damage wrought by the powerful storm.

Trump says during a briefing by local and federal officials, "We will be there 100 percent" following flooding he described as "epic" and "hard to believe."

He says, "There will be nothing left undone."

Trump at times has struggled to project empathy during national crisis. But on Wednesday he offered comforting words to families who suffered losses, saying, "America grieves with you and our hearts break for you."

When the state's governor asked for federal support, Trump declared: "I'll be there,"

Trump is also praising first responders during his visit to a coastal marine base, the first of several stops on his schedule.

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10:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump has arrived in storm-ravaged North Carolina to take in the devastation left by Florence.

Trump traveled south Wednesday as the state was still grappling with massive recovery efforts. He was heading to a briefing at a Marine Corps air station where Air Force One landed in the coastal town of Havelock, one of many communities hit by the torrential rains.

Trump told reporters as he departed the White House that he will also visit South Carolina before he returns to the White House later Wednesday.

The president says he wants to say "hello" to everyone from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the military that are working hard to help residents recover from the storm.

Adds Trump: "I think it will be an incredible day."

President Donald Trump hands out prepackaged meals to people in cars at Temple Baptist Church in an area impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in New Bern, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump visits a neighborhood impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in New Bern, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump hands out food at Temple Baptist Church, where food and other supplies are being distributed during Hurricane Florence recovery efforts, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in New Bern, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks while attending a briefing after arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point to visit areas impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Havelock, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One for a trip to tour areas impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump talks to media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, for the short trip to Andrews Air Force Base en route to Havelock, N.C. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Donald Trump listens as North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks while attending a briefing, after arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point to visit areas impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Havelock, N.C. FEMA Administrator Brock Long is leaning in a right. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
After delighting the fans on Thursday at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, the richest Standardbred in the history of the sport, the $7.63 million winner Foiled Again will be racing on Friday night (September 21) at Batavia Downs, which is the next stop of his farewell tour as he heads to retirement at the end of the year.

Foiled Agains lifetime win count is now at 103 races and he comes to Batavia on a three-race win streak having won at the Greenville Fair, the Windsor Fair and most recently at Freehold Raceway.

This past week he made an appearance at the Little Brown Jug in Delaware, Ohio and went a training mile in front of the crowd on Jugette Day in preparation for his race at Batavia.

The 14-year-old Foiled Again will compete in race eight at Batavia which is an Open II event going for $10,000 and the estimated post time for that race is 9 p.m. The visit was made possible through his owners Burke Racing, the Weaver Bruscemi partnership, and JJK Stables.

Having raced at Batavia Downs six times in his career, Foiled Again has a solid 5-1-0 record. His first appearance was in 2009 when he captured his first of three wins in Batavia's signature stakes event, the Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace. He also won two Opens and finished second in a third.

In an interview earlier this summer, trainer Ron Burke expressed his feelings about racing Foiled Again at Batavia Downs.

"Of course Foiled will be coming to Batavia this year; Batavia is always on his list. One of the best memories we ever had of his career was his win in the 2016 Kane Memorial there. We were all at the Lexington sale watching the race on a monitor outside. We knew that was probably going to be his last stake ever. And when he came flying from the back of the pack after they kept him parked out the whole mile to swoop the field and win, we were all screaming and cheering. We were literally all crying, it was special for us."

Jim Morrill Jr. will be in the bike behind the pacing legend this week to see if he can make his last visit at Batavia a winning one.

Foiled Again is just part of one of the biggest nights of harness racing ever held at Batavia Downs.

The New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) consolation races will also be held with eight divisions going to post for the $320,000 in purse money available.

The first NYSS race is non-betting with a 5:20 p.m. post time. Then NYSS events are in race one, two, three, five, six seven and 10. Post time for the first betting race is 6:00 p.m.

The early Pick-5 wager (which runs from race one through race five) includes four of the NYSS consolation events and has a guaranteed pool of $3,000 for Friday. It is part of the USTA Strategic Wagering pool. The Batavia Downs early Pick-5 on Friday is also the USTA Play of the Day on the Harness Racing Fan Zone.

(with files from Batavia)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Iran remains the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, the Trump administration said Wednesday in an annual report that also highlighted another drop in terrorist attacks worldwide.

The State Department's annual survey of global terrorism accused Iran of intensifying numerous conflicts and trying to undermine governments throughout the Middle East and beyond. Iran's "terrorist affiliates and proxies," the report said, "demonstrated a near-global terrorist reach."

The number of worldwide terrorist attacks dropped by 23 percent last year compared with 2016, according to the report, a change largely due to gains against the Islamic State group in Iraq. The number also had declined in 2016 over the previous year.

The report comes as the Trump administration is toughening its stance against Iran. President Donald Trump withdrew from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran earlier this year and has begun to dismantle sanctions relief granted under the 2015 deal.

Re-imposing sanctions is one part of a larger effort by the U.S. to cut Iran off from funds used to support proxy forces and support other "malign activity" in the region, including terrorism, according to Trump administration officials.

"Iran uses terrorism as a tool of its state craft, it has no reservations about using that tool on any continent," Ambassador Nathan Sales, the State Department's coordinator for counterterrorism, told journalists Wednesday. He cited Iran-linked fundraising networks in West Africa, weapons caches in South America and operational activity in Europe.

The report specifically cited the activities of Iranian Gen. Qassem Suleimani, the powerful Revolutionary Guard commander who also helped organize the Iraqi militias against IS.

Iran used the Revolutionary Guard "to provide support to terrorist organizations, provide cover for associated covert operations, and create instability in the Middle East," the report stated.

Also in the Middle East, Iranian fighters and Iran-backed militias, like Lebanon's Hezbollah, emerged emboldened from the war in Syria with valuable battlefield experience they seek to leverage elsewhere, according to the report.

The 23 percent drop in worldwide terrorist attacks in 2017 was attributed mainly to fewer attacks in Iraq, where territory once held by the Islamic State group was retaken by government forces. Deaths due to terrorist attacks also decreased by 27 percent last year. The report said IS alone carried out 23 percent fewer terrorist attacks and caused 53 percent fewer total deaths, compared with 2016.

Despite the drop in attacks, the report described the terrorist landscape as "more complex" and said the terrorist threat to the U.S. and allies around the world had "evolved."

As IS lost territory, the group became "dispersed and clandestine, turning to the internet to inspire attacks by distant followers," which has made the group "less susceptible to conventional military action," the report said.

The report stated that IS and groups that pledged allegiance to IS carried out attacks in more than 20 countries worldwide in 2017.

Also in 2017, al-Qaida quietly expanded its membership and operations, with a global network that includes forces in Syria, the Gulf, North Africa, Somalia and the Indian subcontinent in addition to core forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"They have largely remained out of the headlines in recent years," Sales said Wednesday, "but we shouldn't confuse a period of relative quiet with al-Qaida's abandonment of its capabilities or its intentions to strike us or our allies."

The report highlighted a truck bombing in Mogadishu in October 2017 carried out by the al Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group that killed hundreds of people in "the deadliest terrorist attack in Somali history."

The report stated that terrorist attacks took place in 100 countries in 2017, but were concentrated geographically with 59 percent of all attacks taking place in just five countries: Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Pakistan and the Philippines.
MIDDLETON, Wis. (AP) - A heavily armed man opened fire on his co-workers at a Wisconsin software company Wednesday, seriously wounding three people before being fatally shot by police as employees ran from the building or hid inside, according to investigators.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said officers shot the man within eight minutes of receiving calls about an active shooter at WTS Paradigm. Foulke said the man was armed with a semi-automatic pistol and extra ammunition, and fired at officers before he was shot.

Foulke said three people were seriously injured during the attack, while a fourth person was grazed by a bullet.

A woman is escorted from the scene of a shooting at a software company in Middleton, Wis., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Four people were shot and wounded during the shooting in the suburb of Madison, according to a city administrator. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

"I think a lot less people were injured or killed because police officers went in and neutralized the shooter," Foulke said.

The police chief said the motivation behind the attack was unclear and investigators didn't yet know whether the gunman targeted his victims. He didn't release the suspect's name but said he was an employee of WTS Paradigm and lived in nearby Madison.

Foulke said the investigation was ongoing but noted: "We have reason to believe the suspect was heavily armed with a lot of extra ammunition, a lot of extra magazines."

Judy Lahmers, a business analyst at WTS Paradigm, said she was working at her desk when she heard what sounded "like somebody was dropping boards on the ground, really loud." Lahmers said she ran out of the building and hid behind a car.

She said the building's glass entrance door was shattered.

"I'm not looking back, I'm running as fast as I can. You just wonder, 'Do you hide or do you run?'" she told The Associated Press.

She said she knew one co-worker had been grazed by a bullet but was OK. She didn't have any other information about the shooting but said it was "totally unexpected. We're all software people. We have a good group."

WTS Paradigm Marketing Manager Ryan Mayrand said in a statement Wednesday evening that the company was "shocked and heartbroken" and was working to set up counseling for workers. He asked the media to respect the privacy of the workers, particularly those who were among the victims.

University Hospital in Madison confirmed Wednesday afternoon that it was still treating three victims from the shooting, saying one was in critical condition and two were in serious condition.

Police conducted a secondary search of the office building after the shooting to ensure there were no more victims or suspects - and officers discovered some people still hiding in the building, which also houses Esker Software.

Gabe Geib, a customer advocate at Esker Software, said he was working at his desk when he heard what "sounded like claps." He said he then saw people running away from the building at "full sprint."

"We knew at that point that something was going down. A ton of people were running across the street right in front of us," he said.

Geib said he and his colleagues were still huddled in their cafeteria, away from windows, more than an hour after the shooting.

Jeff Greene, who also works at Esker, said police told those gathered in the cafeteria to go to a nearby hotel to make a statement about what they saw.

Three yellow school buses full of more than 100 people, including witnesses, were unloaded at a hotel about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the office building. Some people hugged as they were reunited with loved ones. Others stopped to pet a dog that had been brought by someone picking up a worker.

WTS Paradigm makes software for the building products industry. A Wisconsin State Journal profile from 2014 listed company employment at about 145 employees and noted the company was looking to move to a larger location at the time.

The company's website was down Wednesday.

A shopping center next to the building was temporarily put on lockdown at the direction of police.

Middleton is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Milwaukee.

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Associated Press writers Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee, and Amy Forliti and Jeff Baenen in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

Emergency personnel arrive on the scene of a shooting at a software company in Middleton, Wis., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Four people were shot and wounded during the shooting in the suburb of Madison, according to a city administrator. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Emergency personnel arrive at the scene where a shooting was reported at a software company in Middleton, Wis., a suburb of Madison, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Multiple people were reported to have been shot. (AP Photo/Todd Richmond)

Police tape off an area near the scene where a shooting was reported at a software company in Middleton, Wis., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Multiple were reported to have been shot. (AP Photo/Todd Richmond)
BALTIMORE (AP) - Three men are facing a slew of charges in a $364 million investment scheme that entrapped more than 400 victims nationwide, federal prosecutors in Baltimore announced Wednesday.

U.S. Attorney Robert Hur announced at a news conference in downtown Baltimore that 53-year-old Kevin Merrill of Towson, Maryland; 54-year-old Jay Ledford of Westlake, Texas, and Las Vegas; and 28-year-old Cameron Jezierski of Fort Worth, Texas, have been arrested and charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, identity theft and money laundering.

The indictment alleges that Merrill and Ledford invited people to buy consumer debt portfolios and falsely represented that they'd profit from debt payments and flipping portfolios.

"Most of these investors are just learning that they have been victimized," said Hur, alongside officials from the FBI and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Prosecutors assert the "proceeds" paid out came from other investors, not collections or sales, as represented. The men created impostor companies and incorporated them in Texas, authorities said.

Authorities said the three suspects concealed their diversion of $73 million, which they used to fund a "lavish lifestyle." The accused bought multiple properties, fancy watches and more than 20 high-end cars, including Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

Some $25 million was spent on casino gambling, prosecutors allege.

It was not immediately known if the suspects had defense attorneys who could comment on the charges. Lawyers for the three men were not listed in online court records.
CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a Chicago police officer charge with murder in the shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald (all times local):

2:10 p.m.

A doctor testifying in the trial of a white Chicago police officer charged with murder in the death of Laquan McDonald says it's impossible to determine the exact order of the wounds the black teenager suffered from 16 shots that were fired.

In this Tuesday Sept. 18, 2018 photo, Chicago Police Detective Roberto Garcia holds officer Jason Van Dyke's 9mm semiautomatic Smith and Wesson at the trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago. Garcia was asked to confirm it was the gun Van Dyke turned in hours after the shooting that Van Dyke used to kill McDonald. (Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)

Dr. Ponni Arunkumar is Cook County's chief medical examiner. She testified Wednesday about each gunshot wound as jurors viewed autopsy photos of them. She said that when the entrance and exit wounds are added, there were "24 holes on Laquan." That's because eight of the shots left both exit and entrance wounds.

Officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder in McDonald's death. Video from the October 2014 shooting shows Van Dyke opening fire as McDonald walks away from police with a small knife in one hand.

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11:50 a.m.

Jurors are viewing autopsy photos of black teenager Laquan McDonald after he was shot by a white Chicago police officer.

The photos were shown as Cook County's chief medical examiner, Dr. Ponni Arunkumar testified Wednesday about McDonald's gunshot wounds. She said he had 16 total.

Officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder in McDonald's death. Video from the October 2014 shooting shows Van Dyke opening fire as McDonald walks away from police with a small knife in one hand.

Arunkumar was describing each gunshot wound for the jury. The first wound that was shown to jurors was a bullet graze to the head. She says that wouldn't have killed the teenager. But she says it's impossible to determine the order of the gunshots in such cases because the shooter and the person being shot are in "constant motion."

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11:20 a.m.

Witnesses are testifying about the science behind the death of black teenager Laquan McDonald after he was shot by a white Chicago police officer.

A nurse said Wednesday that McDonald arrived at a hospital with no pulse or heartbeat. A paramedic testified about providing medical care to McDonald on the way to the hospital. And an Illinois State Police forensics expert has testified about bullets and shell casings found at the scene, which all came from the same gun.

Officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder in McDonald's death. Video from the October 2014 shooting shows Van Dyke opening fire as the 17-year-old walks away from police with a small knife in one hand.

Prosecutors have stressed no other officers who encountered McDonald opened fire. Van Dyke's attorneys say he was afraid for his life and acted as he was trained.

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11:30 p.m.

Testimony is expected to resume in the murder trial of Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke.

In the first two days of testimony, the case was dominated by officers and former officers who were at the scene in October 2014 when the white officer shot black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times.

The officers, including Van Dyke's partner Joseph Walsh, were asked why they did not shoot as Van Dyke did.

Walsh, who is no longer on the force, has been charged along with other officers with trying to cover up what happened. He was forced to testify Tuesday.

With the trial set to resume Wednesday, a big question is whether jurors will hear from two others - an officer and a former officer - who face cover-up charges.

In this Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 photo, Chicago Police Detective Roberto Garcia holds Jason Van Dyke's 9mm semiautomatic Smith and Wesson at the trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago. Garcia was asked to confirm it was the gun Van Dyke turned in hours after the shooting that Van Dyke used to kill McDonald. (Antonio Perez /Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)

Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke listens at right during the second day of his murder trial for the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, as a video image of McDonald body lying in the street is displayed in court at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)

Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke listens at right during the second day of his murder trial for the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, as a video image of McDonald body lying in the street is displayed in court at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)

Tiffany Van Dyke, the wife of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, looks on during the second day of her husband's murder trial for the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A Philadelphia judge agreed Wednesday to reassign the case of a fired Philadelphia police officer charged this month in the on-duty shooting death of a fleeing suspect.

The district attorney's office had asked Judge Patrick Dugan to step aside from former Officer Ryan Pownall's criminal homicide case because Dugan had overseen the grand jury's case before the district attorney filed charges. A spokesman for the district attorney's office said the move is procedural and unrelated to Dugan being married to a Philadelphia police lieutenant.

A hearing on reassigning the case has been set for next week. Pownall is being held without bond because the criminal homicide charge includes the possibility of first-degree murder, and defendants charged with first-degree murder are not eligible for release on bail in Pennsylvania.

District Attorney Larry Krasner charged Pownall with criminal homicide this month for the 2017 death of 30-year-old David Jones, who was shot in the back as he fled.

Prosecutors say Jones had a gun on him when he was approached by Pownall for riding a dirt bike on a street. Pownall felt the gun during a search of Jones, and a struggle ensued between the men.

Police officials previously said that Pownall tried to shoot Jones during the struggle, but that his gun jammed. Jones then fled and threw his gun away from Pownall and himself.

Prosecutors said Pownall shot Jones, who was then unarmed and fleeing, in the back. The grand jury's recommendation said that Jones was not a threat at the time and that Pownall violated several policies including firing his weapon toward cars waiting at a traffic light.

Pownall's attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said he does not believe there is enough evidence for criminal charges.

"He was legally justified of his actions on the day of the shooting," Perri said.

Pownall, who served in the department for 12 years, was fired last fall. Union officials have said they hope to get charges dropped and get Pownall's job back.

Krasner said previously he believed it was only the second time in nearly 20 years that a Philadelphia officer had been charged with a crime for an on-duty fatal shooting.

The shooting prompted protests, including a Black Lives Matter demonstration outside Pownall's home. Police union president John McNesby later called the protesters "a pack of rabid animals."

According to police records, Pownall was involved in a 2010 on-duty shooting in which a suspect was struck in the back.

Carnell Williams-Carney was paralyzed after Pownall and a second officer fired shots at him as he fled, hitting him once in the back. A federal jury ruled in a lawsuit that Pownall and the other officer were justified in opening fire.

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This story has been corrected to show prosecutors asked for the reassignment to close the grand jury process not because the judge is married to a police lieutenant.
MIDDLETON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on a shooting at a software company in Wisconsin (all times local):

8:50 p.m.

Officials at a Wisconsin software company say they're "heartbroken" one of their employees shot four people in the office.

Emergency personnel arrive on the scene of a shooting at a software company in Middleton, Wis., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Four people were shot and wounded during the shooting in the suburb of Madison, according to a city administrator. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

WTS Paradigm Marketing Manager Ryan Mayrand said in a statement Wednesday evening that the company is "shocked and heartbroken" and is working to set up counseling for workers.

He asked the media to respect the privacy of the workers, particularly those who were among the victims.

Police say a WTS Paradigm employee opened fire in the office Wednesday morning in Middleton, a suburb of Madison. They say three victims suffered serious injuries, while a fourth suffered a graze wound.

The suspect died after being shot by police.

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4:50 p.m.

Police say a Wisconsin software company employee had a semiautomatic pistol and plenty of ammunition when he opened fire at his office, seriously injuring several people before he was fatally shot by police.

Police say they don't know the motivation behind the Wednesday morning attack at WTS Paradigm in Middleton. Investigators haven't released the suspect's name but said he lived in nearby Madison.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke says three victims suffered serious injuries, while a fourth person suffered a graze wound.

Foulke says officers were on the scene and shot the suspect within 8 minutes of getting an emergency call. Foulke says he believes officers prevented "much more bloodshed."

He says the man fired at officers before he was shot.

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1:50 p.m.

Officials say the suspect in a Wisconsin workplace shooting has died after being shot by police.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke says there are no other suspects in the attack that occurred Wednesday morning at software company WTS Paradigm. Foulke says the suspect died after being shot by officers.

Foulke says three other people were seriously wounded during the attack.

City Administrator Mike Davis initially said four people were injured during the shooting, but he and Foulke said the correct number is three, not including the suspect.

Foulke says officers were alerted to an active shooter situation at about 10:25 a.m. He didn't release details about the suspect or how the attack unfolded. He says officers are still interviewing witnesses.

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1:15 p.m.

Police in Wisconsin are conducting a secondary search of an office building where four people were shot to make sure there are no additional victims or suspects.

Middleton police dispatcher Danielle Kimball says officers are still finding people who've been hiding since the Wednesday morning shooting at software company WTS Paradigm.

City Administrator Mike Davis says four people were wounded when the shooter opened fire around 10 a.m. Davis says the fifth person, believed to be the shooter, was also critically injured. Davis didn't elaborate.

Details about how the shooting unfolded haven't been released.

University Hospital in nearby Madison says it's treating four patients from the shooting. Two were in serious condition and one was critical. The condition of the fourth patient wasn't released.

St. Mary's Hospital says it's treating another patient for injuries that aren't life-threatening.

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12:20 p.m.

A city official says four people have been shot, but none fatally, during a shooting at a software company near Madison, Wisconsin.

The shooting occurred Wednesday morning in Middleton. City Administrator Mike Davis says the suspected shooter was also injured. Their conditions weren't immediately known.

The shooting was reported around 10 a.m. at WTS Paradigm. Davis says police have lifted a lockdown

A hospital spokeswoman says four people are being treated at University Hospital in Middleton.

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12 p.m.

An employee at a Wisconsin business where a shooting took place says she ran for her life after hearing "really loud" shots.

Judy Lahmers is a business analyst at WTS Paradigm in the Madison suburb of Middleton. She says she didn't know whether to run or hide when she heard shots about 10 a.m. Wednesday. She says she ran out of the building and hid behind a car.

Lahmers says she knows one co-worker was grazed by a shot but was OK. She didn't know the extent of the shooting. Police haven't released details but numerous ambulances are at the scene .

Lahmers says the shooting was "totally unexpected." She said: "We're all software people. We have a good group."

Another company, Esker, is next door. Esker employee Gabe Geib says he heard a couple of shots but didn't immediately know what it was. He says he then saw numerous people running away from the building in "full sprint."

He says he and his colleagues were still huddled in their cafeteria, away from windows, more than an hour after the shooting.

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11:40 a.m.

Police and ambulances have converged on a commercial building where an active shooter has been reported in a suburb of Madison, Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin State Journal reports the Dane County 911 communications center said the shooter was at an address Wednesday that includes companies Esker Software and WTS Paradigm.

A State Journal reporter at the scene says at least 40 police squad cars and ambulances are outside the building. Police have set up a perimeter around the building.

The Greenway Station shopping center next door to the office building is on lockdown. There are stores and restaurants affected.

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11:10 a.m.

Police are responding to a report of an active shooter at a commercial building in a suburb of Madison, Wisconsin.

The State Journal reports that the Dane County dispatch center said shots have been fired at Esker Software in Middleton. Police and multiple ambulances have responded.

Dane County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Elise Schaffer confirmed there is an "active shooter situation" and that the office is assisting Middleton Police with the response. She provided no additional information.

Middleton is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Milwaukee.

A woman is escorted from the scene of a shooting at a software company in Middleton, Wis., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Four people were shot and wounded during the shooting in the suburb of Madison, according to a city administrator. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

A fire truck and people evacuated are gathered at a hotel near the scene after a shooting was reported at a software company in Middleton, Wis., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Multiple were reported to have been shot. (AP Photo/Todd Richmond)
MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Israel's offer to share detailed information on the Israeli airstrike in Syria that triggered fire by Syrian forces which downed a Russian reconnaissance plane, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

Syrian forces mistook the Russian Il-20 for Israeli aircraft, killing all 15 people aboard Monday night. Russia's Defense Ministry blamed the plane's loss on Israel, but Putin sought to defuse tensions, pointing at "a chain of tragic accidental circumstances."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Putin on Tuesday to express sorrow over the death of the plane's crew and blamed Syria. Syrian President Bashar Assad sent Putin a telegram Wednesday offering his condolences and putting the blame on Israeli "aggression," the official SANA news agency said.

FILE In this file photo taken on Saturday, March 4, 2017, The Russian Il-20 electronic intelligence plane of the Russian air force with the registration number RF 93610, which was accidentally downed by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli air strike flays near Kubinka airport, outside Moscow, Russia. The Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Israel's offer to share detailed information about the Israeli air raid that triggered the Syrian fire and led to the plane's loss. (AP Photo/Marina Lystseva)

Israel's air force chief is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Thursday to provide details. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that Russian experts will carefully study the data that the air force chief will deliver.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets were targeting a Syrian military facility involved in providing weapons for Iran's proxy Hezbollah militia and insisted it warned Russia of the coming raid in accordance with de-confliction agreements. It said the Syrian army fired the missiles that hit the Russian plane when the Israeli jets had already returned to Israeli airspace.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the Israeli warning came less than a minute before the strike, leaving the Russian aircraft in the line of fire. It accused the Israeli military of deliberately using the Russian plane as a cover to dodge Syrian defenses and threatened to retaliate.

While Putin took a cautious stance on the incident, he warned that Russia will respond by "taking additional steps to protect our servicemen and assets in Syria."

Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said Wednesday that those will include deploying automated protection systems at Russia's air and naval bases in Syria.

Business daily Kommersant reported that Russia also may respond to the downing of its plane by becoming more reluctant to engage Iran and its proxy Hezbollah militia, to help assuage Israeli worries.

Moscow has played a delicate diplomatic game of maintaining friendly ties with both Israel and Iran. In July, Moscow struck a deal with Tehran to keep its fighters 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the Golan Heights to accommodate Israeli security concerns.

FILE - In this file photo taken on Monday, July 6, 2015, The Russian Il-20 electronic intelligence plane of the Russian air force with the registration number RF 93610, which was accidentally downed by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli air strike takes off from an airfield near Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Israel's offer to share detailed information about the Israeli air raid that triggered the Syrian fire and led to the plane's loss. (AP Photo)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota surgeon admitted to mistakenly removing an Iowa woman's healthy kidney but denied that he breached the standard of care, according to the surgeon's response to a lawsuit filed by the patient.

Dr. Scott Baker and The Surgical Institute of South Dakota acknowledged in an answer to Dena Knapp's lawsuit that Baker removed Knapp's right kidney instead of an adrenal gland and an associated mass, the Argus Leader reported. Knapp, of Milford, Iowa, filed the lawsuit last month alleging professional negligence.

She developed stage-three kidney disease after her October 2016 surgery.

Baker and the Sioux Falls hospital "deny the nature, scope and extent of plaintiff's claimed injuries, losses and damages," their response stated.

Knapp alleged that she wasn't told about the mix-up until after she was released from the hospital. Baker had known on the day of the surgery that he hadn't removed the adrenal gland because he was notified by Avera McKennan Hospital's pathology department, according to the lawsuit.

But Baker denied the claim in his answer, claiming that Knapp was provided with the information on the day of her surgery.

Knapp's medical records also indicated "a very superiorly located right adrenal gland," which was near the large lobe of her liver, according to the defendant's answer.

Baker and The Surgical Institute said they did not breach the standard of care by removing the kidney, failing to remove the adrenal gland and failing to admit the mistake. They also deny that Knapp suffered damages.

Knapp chose to have her adrenal gland removed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

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Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Authorities in Virginia have identified an assault suspect who was shot and killed by police.

Virginia Police said Tuesday in a statement that he was 43-year-old Michael James Murphy of Norfolk. Police are not identifying the officer involved. They said the officer and the man who died are white.

Virginia Beach police told The Virginian-Pilot that witnesses saw Murphy assault a woman early Tuesday in the hallway of an apartment complex before fleeing with a gun.

Officers were able to track him down. Police said Murphy did not comply with commands to drop the gun and pointed it at police. An officer then shot him.

Police said the assaulted woman was hospitalized. The commonwealth's attorney, internal affairs and homicide unit are investigating.

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) - Liberia's government says it is investigating the disappearance of newly printed bills worth about $100 million that were imported into the West African nation.

That amount is nearly 5 percent of the country's GDP.

Information Minister Eugene Nagbe tells The Associated Press the money entered the country between November and August in containers at the port of Monrovia.

Nagbe says a travel ban has been imposed on 15 officials, including former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's son, who is a deputy at the Central Bank of Liberia.

Local media report the money was removed from the port in March under security escort but vanished.

Milton Weeks, the Central Bank governor at the time, says he is fully cooperating with the investigation. He says he was not aware of any missing money.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Prosecutors are requesting an 89-year prison term for a woman who set fire to a nail salon resulting in the deaths of two Kansas City firefighters.

Forty-six-year-old Thu Hong Nguyen is scheduled to be sentenced Friday. She was convicted in July of six counts including second-degree murder, arson and assault.

Firefighters Larry Leggio and John Mesh died when a wall collapsed on them as they fought the fire in October 2015. Two other firefighters were seriously wounded.

The Kansas City Star reports that prosecutors are asking the judge to make Nguyen serve consecutive sentences for each of the counts.

Prosecutors portrayed Nguyen as a woman with a history of burning businesses for insurance money. Nguyen was also convicted of arson in a fire at another nail salon in 2013.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
WASHINGTON (AP) - Nowhere is gender politics thicker in the election season air than in the mannerly U.S. Senate as it considers what President Donald Trump's choice for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, did or didn't do in high school.

Christine Blasey Ford's accusation of sexual assault - and Kavanaugh's staunch denial - has ignited a tense, gender-infused war among the Senate's 100 members, 23 of whom are women.

Whether Kavanaugh and Ford testify under oath, and to what details, has enormous stakes for Trump and the Nov. 6 midterm elections - not to mention American men, women, teenagers, parents, schools and anyone who rises to the top of a profession in the #MeToo era.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, right, reacts to a question from a reporter on the Senate subway, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, as she responds to questions about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A look at how it's playing out in the Senate:

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WHERE IT STANDS

Ford says she doesn't want to publicly testify until the FBI adds to Kavanaugh's background check by investigating her allegation. Her lawyers wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee saying Ford wants to cooperate. But in the days since she publicly accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her at a party more than three decades ago, the lawyers said, she has been the target of "vicious harassment and even death threats." Her family has relocated, they said.

Republicans are rejecting Ford's call for an FBI investigation, putting the onus back on her to decide whether she'll testify anyway. They say she can testify in a private session if she wishes. Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Wednesday also offered to send his staff to Ford, "at a time and place convenient to her."

Trump, counseled not to dismiss or insult Ford - as he has with women who accused him of sexual misconduct - has showered sympathy on his embattled nominee and said he wants to hear from Ford. He also rejected the idea of bringing in the FBI. (Trump, too, has denied all accusations against him.)

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KEY FACTOIDS

For now, the ball is the committee's to play, but precedent and some key numbers put the GOP majority in an exquisitely uncomfortable spot.

Majority Republicans, haunted by the panel's 1991 treatment of Anita Hill during Justice Clarence Thomas' confirmation hearings, say the invitation to testify publicly on Monday stands.

11 Republicans sit on the committee, opposite 10 Democrats.

Zero: That's how many women sit among the panel's Republicans, who will cross-examine Ford. Republicans said late Tuesday they were considering hiring outside attorneys, presumably including women, to question the witnesses.

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THE SIX

Of the Senate women, six are Republicans.

They are Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi.

Only Fischer and Hyde-Smith are on the ballot this year.

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REPUBLICAN SKEPTICS

A restrained Trump said Wednesday he wants to hear what Ford has to say.

"If she shows up and makes a credible showing that'll be very interesting. We'll have to make a decision," he told reporters. But he added that Kavanaugh "is such an outstanding man. Very hard for me to imagine that anything happened."

Some Republicans pointed to the decades between the alleged attack and now.

"There are gaps in her memory," the Senate's No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, said, referring to details Ford has said she can't remember. "She doesn't know how she got there, when it was and so that would logically be something where she would get questions."

"Requiring an FBI investigation of a 36-year-old allegation (without specific references to time or location) ... is not about finding the truth, but delaying the process until after the midterm elections," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement.

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DEMOCRATIC WOMEN

Standing up for a fair hearing should not just come down to women, said Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii.

"Guess who is perpetrating all of these kinds of actions? It's the men in this country," Hirono said at a news conference Tuesday. "I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing, for a change."

Wednesday on CNN, she described the Senate's treatment of Ford as "callousness from my colleagues that I am totally appalled by."

"She hardly expected to be revictimized and retraumatized," Hirono said.

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REPUBLICAN WOMEN

Ernst is a retired combat veteran who's talked publicly about facing sexual harassment in the military during more than two decades of service, and she's worked in the Senate to combat sex abuse. On Kavanaugh, she said Ford's story is important.

"If she is accusing him of something so egregious, she needs to be heard," Ernst told Radio Iowa on Tuesday.

Hyde-Smith questioned the timing of the revelation by Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California last week that Feinstein had known about the case for weeks and referred it to the FBI. Ford, initially reluctant to go public, did so after reporters got wind of it and started asking questions.

"I have serious reservations regarding the questionable timing and handling of this last-minute allegation," Hyde-Smith said in a statement. "This process should go forward so both sides can be heard."

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POTENTIAL 2020 DEMOCRATS

The controversy hands Senate Democrats considering challenging Trump in 2020 a rich opportunity, and they're taking it.

New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called the allegation "disqualifying" and said she believes Ford.

"To refuse to treat this properly and try to confirm Judge Kavanaugh at any cost tells women that once again they are not important and they are not to be believed," Gillibrand said, adding, "that you are worth less than a man's promotion."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts posted a video on her Twitter feed of a speech Kavanaugh gave in 2015 in which he recalls his life with three friends at Georgetown Preparatory School.

"What happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep," Kavanaugh said, describing the philosophy. "That's been a good thing for all of us, I think."

"I can't imagine any parent accepting this view," Warren tweeted Tuesday. "Is this really what America wants in its next Supreme Court Justice?"

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Follow Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman

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This story has been corrected to show that Moore Capito's first name is Shelley, not Shelly.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, speaks to members of the media on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Senate Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, responds to reporters' questions on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined from left by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks with reporters about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh following their weekly policy meetings, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Agribusiness company Monsanto has asked a San Francisco judge to throw out a jury's $289 million award to a former school groundskeeper who said the company's Roundup weed killer left him dying of cancer.

DeWayne Johnson failed to prove that Roundup or similar herbicides caused his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and presented no evidence that Monsanto executives were malicious in marketing Roundup, attorneys for Monsanto said in court documents filed late Tuesday.

Attorneys for Johnson had no immediate comment. Johnson's lawsuit is among hundreds alleging Roundup caused cancer, but it was the first one to go to trial.

FILE - In this June 28, 2011, file photo, bottles of Roundup herbicide, a product of Monsanto, are displayed on a store shelf in St. Louis. Agribusiness giant Monsanto is asking a San Francisco judge to throw out a jury's $289 million award to a former school groundskeeper who said the company' Roundup weed killer left him dying of cancer. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

Johnson sprayed Roundup and a similar product, Ranger Pro, at his job as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay Area school district, according to his attorneys. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 at age 42.

A San Francisco jury last month determined that Roundup contributed to Johnson's cancer, and Monsanto should have provided a label warning of a potential health hazard.

It awarded Johnson $39 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages. Johnson's attorneys have said the jury verdict would bolster the other Roundup lawsuits.

Many government regulators have rejected a link between the active ingredient in Roundup - glyphosate - and cancer. Monsanto has vehemently denied such a connection, saying hundreds of studies have established that glyphosate is safe.

"While we are sympathetic to Mr. Johnson and his family, glyphosate is not responsible for his illness, and the verdict in this case should be reversed or set aside," Bayer AG, which acquired Monsanto in June, said in a statement.

The court documents filed Tuesday ask San Francisco Superior Court Judge Suzanne Bolanos to override the jury's decision and enter judgment in favor of Monsanto or order a new trial. Bolanos also has the authority to reduce the award.

Glyphosate came under increasing scrutiny after the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classified it as a "probable human carcinogen" in 2015.

A flurry of lawsuits against Monsanto in federal and state courts followed, and California added glyphosate to its list of chemicals known to cause cancer. Monsanto has attacked the international research agency's opinion as an outlier.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says glyphosate is safe for humans when used in accordance with label directions.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on an Ohio Supreme Court decision allowing reporters to inspect preliminary autopsy reports in the unsolved slaying of eight family members (all times local):

1:40 p.m.

Preliminary autopsy reports in the unsolved slayings of eight Ohio family members are providing details about the nature of the victims' gunshot wounds but little other new information.

The southern Ohio case involves seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family who were found shot to death at four homes in April 2016.

Reporters began inspecting the single-page reports Wednesday following an Ohio Supreme Court decision allowing journalists to view the preliminary results. No photos were released.

The report for victim Christopher Rhoden Sr. says he was shot nine times and notes without explanation that his body was decomposed "more than all the others." The bodies were all found the morning of April 22, 2016, with the shootings believed to have taken place hours before.

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10:20 a.m.

The Ohio Supreme Court has sided with a newspaper seeking to view autopsy reports and photos in the still-unsolved slayings of eight family members.

The southern Ohio case involves seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family who were found shot to death at four homes in April 2016.

The court ruled unanimously Wednesday in favor of the Cincinnati Enquirer, saying Ohio law allows reporters to view preliminary autopsy and investigative notes and findings, and photographs.

Heavily redacted versions of the reports released in 2016 showed all but one of the victims were shot multiple times in the head, but details about any other injuries and toxicology test results weren't released.

A message was left with the Attorney General's Office, which opposed access to the autopsies.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. and Canadian negotiators - facing a deadline at the end of the month - will extend until at least Thursday their negotiations to keep Canada in a North American trade bloc.

After her second meeting of the day with U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland told reporters they plan to keep talking on Thursday.

"Our officials now have more work to do and will continue to work this evening. Ambassador Lighthizer and I agreed to meet again tomorrow," she said Wednesday evening.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks as she arrives at the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump began negotiations last year to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.

The U.S. and Mexico reached a preliminary deal last month designed in part to shift more auto production to the United States. But Canada wasn't part of that agreement. Freeland is trying to get America's No. 2 trading partner back into the trade bloc.

The countries are under pressure to reach a deal by the end of the month when Lighthizer must make public a copy of the full text of the agreement with Mexico. Until then, he has wriggle room to reinstate Canada.

Among other things, the negotiators are battling over Canada's high dairy tariffs and policies meant to keep the country's culture from being overwhelmed by U.S. movies and television. Canada also wants to keep a dispute-resolution process that was part of NAFTA; the Trump administration wants U.S. courts to have jurisdiction.

Trump considers NAFTA, which took effect in 1994, a job-killing disaster for the United States. The agreement tore down most trade barriers between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, leading to a surge in trade, but it encouraged U.S. automakers and other manufacturers to move south of the border to take advantage of low-wage Mexican labor.

Trump has said he wants to go ahead with a revamped NAFTA - with or without Canada. It is unclear, however, whether Trump has authority from Congress to pursue a revamped NAFTA with only Mexico, and some lawmakers say they won't go along with a deal that leaves Canada out.

But others are also turning up the heat on Canada.

"Members are concerned that Canada does not seem to be ready or willing to make the concessions that are necessary for a fair and high-standard agreement," House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., said in a statement this week. "While we would all like to see Canada remain part of this three-country coalition, there is not an unlimited amount of time for it to be part of this new agreement."

In Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadian negotiators would continue to defend the country's agricultural policies.

"Our team is down in Washington right now digging in," he said. "We've been very clear that we're interested in what could be a good deal for Canada, but we're going to need to see a certain amount of movement in order to get there."

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Reach Luis Alonso Lugo at http://www.twitter.com/luisalonsolugo

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Gillies reported from Toronto.

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AP Economics Writer Paul Wiseman contributed to this report.

FILE- In this Oct. 17, 2017, file photo, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, center, with Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, left, and Mexico's Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, right, speaks during the conclusion of the fourth round of negotiations for a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in Washington. U.S. and Canadian negotiators are working long hours to keep Canada in a North American trade bloc. Freeland resumed talks Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, with Lighthizer. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland arrives at the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
NEW YORK (AP) - The editor of The New York Review of Books has abruptly left his post following an outcry when the magazine published an essay by a former radio host accused of sexual misconduct that many deemed self-serving.

Ian Buruma, who was appointed to lead the magazine last year, is "no longer the editor," according to Nicholas During, a publicist for The New York Review of Books. It was unclear if Buruma was fired or resigned.

The magazine came under fire last week for publishing "Reflections From a Hashtag," an essay by Jian Ghomeshi, who has been accused of sexual assault and punching and choking women without their consent.

Critics say the 3,400-word essay had inaccuracies, minimized Ghomeshi's actions and was an egotistical attempt to rehabilitate himself. Farrah Khan of Ryerson University wondered why the magazine gave Ghomeshi such a platform while many people affected by sexual violence are not.

Ghomeshi was acquitted in March 2016 of four counts of sexual assault and one count of choking involving three complainants. He also apologized to a fourth complainant and signed a peace bond that saw another count of sexual assault withdrawn.

Buruma later defended publishing the essay in an interview with Slate, saying he was "no judge of the rights and wrongs of every allegation" and that the specifics of Ghomeshi's past misconduct were not his "concern."

Buruma contributed to the Review for more than 30 years. His books include "Their Promised Land: My Grandparents in Love and War" and "Year Zero: A History of 1945." Buruma also taught at Bard College.

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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
BERLIN (AP) - Authorities in western Germany say they're suspending the eviction of protesters from a threatened forest after a journalist fell to his death.

Police said Wednesday the young man plunged at least 15 meters (50 feet) from a rope bridge strung between two treehouses in Hambach forest in what appeared to be a "tragic accident."

The government of North Rhine-Westphalia state later announced it was halting work to clear the forest, which is to make way for a coal mine.

A man receives medical treatment after he fell off a tree at the Hambach forest in Kerpen, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Activists are protesting against the expansion of a coal strip mine in western Germany that would entail the chopping down of an ancient forest. (Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP)

Environmentalists have been trying to prevent the ancient woodland from being chopped down, arguing that Germany should stop extracting and burning fossil fuels.

Dozens of protesters have been camping in the trees in recent weeks, while hundreds more have tried to enter the woods to stop workers from preparing the clearance.

A man receives medical treatment after he fell off a tree house at the Hambach forest in Kerpen, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Activists are protesting against the expansion of a coal strip mine in western Germany that would entail the chopping down of an ancient forest. (Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP)
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Several senior officials with the al-Shabab extremist group have been killed or wounded in an airstrike in southern Somalia, Somali intelligence officials said Wednesday, while the al-Qaida-linked group and a resident said children were among the dead.

The intelligence officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media said the overnight airstrike hit a training school and nearby hospital in Sakow, a town in Middle Jubba region. They said those targeted include longtime commander Hassan Yaqub.

It was not clear who carried out the strike. The U.S. Africa Command, which has carried out more than 20 airstrikes in Somalia this year, said it has not carried out a strike there since Sept. 11.

Neighboring Kenya also has carried out airstrikes against al-Shabab, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa. And over the weekend neighboring Ethiopia's state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported that Ethiopia's air force killed about 70 al-Shabab extremists in a rare airstrike.

Al-Shabab said three children were killed in this latest airstrike, and an elder in the town told The Associated Press that several young al-Shabab recruits were dead and the training school run by the extremists was largely destroyed. The elder spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The extremist group in messages posted by its Shahada News Agency said the drone attack destroyed Sakow town's general hospital.

Al-Shabab, which is fighting both Somalia's fragile government and an African Union force, has been accused of indoctrinating and training youth as fighters. The group continues to control parts of southern and central Somalia and carries out bombings against high-profile targets in the capital, Mogadishu.

Next month the Horn of Africa nation will mark the first anniversary of a truck bombing in Mogadishu that killed 512 people, the country's deadliest attack. It has been blamed on al-Shabab.

In the next few years Somali forces are expected to take over responsibility for the country's security as the AU force withdraws. Concerns about Somali troops' readiness remain high, and the U.N. Security Council recently voted to delay the handover's target date to December 2021.

Political frictions also complicate the country's security as regional governments in recent days announced they were suspending cooperation with the federal government.

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Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa
A gunman opened fire outside a crowded Pennsylvania courtroom Wednesday afternoon, shooting at police and others before an officer fired multiple shots at him, killing him.

Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower said Wednesday evening that a German Township police officer shot and killed the gunman after he entered the lobby in Masontown with a handgun drawn and opened fire injuring four people. Bower declined to name the gunman, saying only that he was due in court on charges related to a recent domestic violence incident.

Bower said Masontown police Sgt. R. Scott Miller first encountered the gunman and was injured when he exchanged gunfire with the shooter. When Miller took cover, Bower said the gunman proceeded to fire shots injuring two men and one woman.

An officer investigates a shooting that occurred in the Masontown borough municipal center on Wednesday, September 19, 2018, in Masontown, Pa. A gunman opened fire outside a crowded courtroom Wednesday afternoon, shooting at police and others before an officer fired multiple shots at him, killing him. (Andrew Stein/Post-Gazette via AP)

"In this case, as is so often the case, the German Township police officer ran toward the danger, not away. He protected over 30 to 40 people from injury or death," Bower said.

"These police officers and these emergency management people risk their lives every day ... and today they all were a shining light to our community," he added.

Bower declined to say whether any of the civilian victims were related to the domestic violence allegations. He said the gunman was facing charges of strangulation, aggravated assault, terroristic threats and simple assault. He said there was a protection of abuse order against the gunman in the strangulation case.

A Fayette County 911 center supervisor confirmed the three civilian victims were taken to the Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, for treatment. Amy Johns, public affairs director at the hospital, said late Wednesday they had received a 47-year-old male, 35-year-old male and 39-year-old female from the shooting and all were in fair condition as of about 5:45 p.m.

Masontown Mayor Toni Petrus was at the hospital Wednesday afternoon checking on Sgt. Miller. She said he was in good condition and was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

State Police troop commander Lt. Steven C. Dowlin said that even though the shooting happened near the office of District Judge Daniel Shimshock, neither he nor his staff appeared to be the intended target of the shooter.

Dowlin said the judge, assistant district attorneys, lawyers, police officers and others were in the courtroom near the lobby when shots were fired.

Joyce Royster was in the courtroom at the building Wednesday. She told WTAE there were dozens of people inside the courtroom when the shooting started just outside. She said people fled the courtroom as the shooter started to move inside and took shelter in offices and other courtrooms.

Dowlin said this is the second mass shooting that state police have responded to in Fayette County this year. He said troopers stopped a young individual at a Uniontown High School from carrying out a shooting.

"It's becoming way too common," he said.

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Associated Press writer Ron Todt in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

The glass is shattered on the door of the Masontown borough municipal center where a shooting occurred on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Masontown, Pa. A gunman opened fire outside a crowded Pennsylvania courtroom Wednesday afternoon, shooting at police and injuring several people before an officer fired multiple shots at him, killing him. (Andrew Stein/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

Law enforcement and emergency personnel gather outside the office of District Judge Daniel Shimshock's office in Masontown, Pa., Wednesday Sept. 19, 2018. At least four people were shot at the office. Details were not immediately available on the conditions of the victims. (AP Photo/Mike Jones/Washington Observer Reporter via AP)

Police collect evidence at the Masontown Borough Municipal Center, where a shooting took place on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Masontown, Pa. A gunman opened fire outside a crowded Pennsylvania courtroom Wednesday afternoon, shooting at police and injuring several people before an officer fired multiple shots at him, killing him. (Andrew Stein/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)
SPANGLE, Wash. (AP) - In the aptly named Harvester Restaurant, wheat farmer Roy Dube makes clear he's no fan of President Donald Trump's trade policy.

"We get him elected into office and he pulls us out of trade agreements," Dube said last week as local farmers gathered to hear Democratic House candidate Lisa Brown.

Dube says China is buying less wheat from eastern Washington farmers and Trump's policies have opened the door for Australia and Canada to wrestle away business. His frustration extends to his congressional representative, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House and running for an eighth term.

FILE - In this July 17, 2018, photo, Lisa Brown, the Democratic opponent to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., speaks during a candidates forum in Colfax, Wash. Some Democratic candidates are determined not to let Republican members of Congress distance themselves from the president's trade policies. Their efforts play into voter concerns that Congress should be more of a check on Trump. Republicans hope that a strong economy carries them to victory. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

"I'm concerned that Cathy McMorris Rodgers didn't put up more resistance," Dube said.

The U.S. tariffs on agriculture products, sown by Trump, have grown into an election-year threat to Republicans in rural districts that are heavily reliant on exports for their economy. With the livelihoods of farmers at risk, opposition to the tariffs could make a difference in some races and help determine which party takes control of Congress.

McMorris Rodgers has made it clear she opposes the president's actions on tariffs, but so far, the Republican-controlled House has not taken up legislation to block them. Democrats characterize GOP lawmakers as unable or unwilling to check Trump, who has declared that "tariffs are the greatest."

"My opponent, though she would say she's concerned and talking to the administration about these issues, she's still mostly a cheerleader for the president," said Brown, a former state legislator.

Facing what appears to be the tightest re-election race of her career, McMorris Rodgers is emphasizing that she has encouraged the president to "move from tariffs to agreement."

"I have made it very clear that I don't support the across-the-board tariffs, that we should take a more targeted approach," McMorris Rodgers told The Associated Press.

Clues that the president's trade policies will play a role in the November midterm elections can be seen in Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's travel schedule. Over the past few months, he's been to Eastern Washington to join McMorris Rodgers in meeting with farmers. He's also been to California's Central Valley to meet with farmers in the districts of Republican Reps. Jeff Denham and David Valadao. He also went to Iowa, where Republican Reps. David Young and Rod Blum are both in close races.

The battle for the Senate could also be affected by the tariff issue, particularly in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, where Republicans hope to knock off three Democratic incumbents.

The president has tried to allay farmers' concerns with an aid package of up to $12 billion to help them weather the trade war.

J. Read Smith, a rancher near St. John, Washington, said he shares Trump's goal of seeking a level playing field in trade.

"But antagonizing our trading partners is not the way to do it," said Smith, who emphasized that he is not a Democrat. "I'm an American."

Aaron Flansburg, who runs a diversified farm near Pullman, Washington, said he's skeptical the tariffs will change the way most farmers vote, though.

"Farmers often vote for Republicans," Flansburg said. "Whether that will change, I have my doubts."

McMorris Rodgers said it's her sense that voters are willing to give the president time to negotiate better agreements.

"Yes, there's a lot of uncertainty. There's a sense that we need to get these trade agreements into place as soon as possible, but there's also a recognition that for too long America has not taken action, especially against China," she said.

The United States is scheduled to slap tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports Monday, adding to the more than $50 billion worth that already face U.S. import taxes.

China retaliated with its own tariffs on U.S. products. The world's two biggest economies are clashing over allegations that China steals technology from American companies.

The Trump administration also imposed a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum that included imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico - and just about everyone else - in the name of national security.

Those tariffs also drew retaliation. For example, the EU targeted bourbon, a key industry in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's home state of Kentucky, where Republican Rep. Andy Barr and Democratic challenger Amy McGrath are battling in a close election.

Overall, about 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of how the president is handling trade negotiations with other countries.

Farm groups have testified in congressional hearings that retaliatory tariffs increase the cost of their products for customers abroad, giving foreign competitors an edge.

"The current tariffs, continuing back-and-forth retaliatory actions and trade uncertainties are hitting American agriculture from all sides and are causing us to lose our markets. Once you lose a market, it is really tough to get it back," said Kevin Paap, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau.

Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, who is overseeing Democratic efforts in House races, pointed to Iowa as a state where he believes the administration's tariffs could backfire. He said primary turnout was up, in part because small family farmers and the businesses they buy from are worried. "I really believe that in those districts, you'll see people come forward and hold everyone accountable not standing up for them," Lujan said.

GOP lawmakers from Iowa, including Young and Blum, signed onto a letter calling on the president to act quickly to save rural economies. Blum also wrote Trump separately urging him to "consider the consequences tariffs have on American manufacturers."

When the president visited Blum's district a few days later, he thanked him for his "political courage" on trade.

"You've taken some heat for it in the short term, but in the long run, the farmers, the manufacturers, the employers are all going to be better off," Blum told the president.

His Democratic challenger, Abby Finkenauer, has seized on that thank you.

"There is no way he should stand there and thank the administration for throwing the livelihoods of Iowans in flux," Finkenauer said.

Republicans are putting their faith in the economy.

Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said that he personally views tariffs as damaging in the long term but that it's not an issue that constituents bring up.

"As long as the economy overall is doing well, it's hard to see losing on tariff issues," Cole said.

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Freking reported from Washington, D.C. Associated Press writer Juana Summers in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A 5-year-old Missouri girl is on mission to have ice cream with some of the state's most influential people.

Kindergartener Taylor Duncan met Tuesday with Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin over orange sherbet, the Jefferson City News-Tribune reported.

The visit was part of a project Taylor and her mother developed to learn about Missouri history by meeting with mayors over an ice cream cone.

"At first, we were just going to try to visit some of the local mayors - but everybody that heard about it was really supportive," said Therese Duncan, Taylor's mom. "We figured it would be a great way for us to see the state, too."

The Waynesville family started the project in August and has been making its way around the state. Taylor had ice cream Monday with about 70 mayors at a conference in Branson. Before the event, she had already traveled to meet 32 of Missouri's mayors.

No mayor has declined Taylor's request so far.

Taylor and her mom reached out to the governor over Facebook about meeting for an ice cream summit, which turned into a tour of the governor's mansion and a visit to the state Capitol.

Parson said Taylor has a passion for learning and a strong memory. She enjoys getting to know the mayors, their families and the cities, the governor said.

Taylor told Parson that she'd make the state better by ensuring all children have playgrounds with swings.
LAKEPORT, Calif. (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service says the largest wildfire on record in California is 100 percent contained.

The agency made the announcement Wednesday about the so-called Mendocino Complex of twin fires that erupted in July.

The fires north of San Francisco killed a firefighter, destroyed 157 homes and scorched 720 square miles (1,865 square kilometers).

FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2018 file photo, firefighters monitor a backfire while battling the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex Fire near Ladoga, Calif. The U.S. Forest Service says the largest wildfire in California history is now 100 percent contained. The service said Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, the Mendocino Complex, twin fires that erupted in July in Lake County, scorched 720 square miles (1,865 square kilometers) of brush and timber north of San Francisco, destroyed 157 homes and killed a firefighter. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

That's an area more than twice the size of New York City.

Officials say 460 firefighters remain in the area, working to prevent erosion and monitoring spots that are still burning.

The blazes prompted the evacuation of thousands of people in Mendocino, Lake, Colusa and Glenn counties.

Authorities are still investigating what started the fires.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A better-than-expected outcome of the summit between the two Koreas immediately kick-started stalled negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, boosting President Donald Trump's high-stakes push to get the North to give up its nuclear weapons by the end of his first term in office.

But it left open a burning question: Will the concessions North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is offering be enough to convince the U.S. to meet any of his demands?

Trump, characteristically, hailed the result of the talks in Pyongyang between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in as "very exciting" and a sign of "tremendous progress" in his effort to get North Korea to denuclearize, which Kim agreed to do in vague terms when he met with Trump himself in Singapore in June.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un raise their hands after watching the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

Diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea that had gotten nowhere since the summit clicked into gear again. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday invited North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho for talks in New York next week, during the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations. North Korean representatives were also invited to meet with the U.S. envoy for North Korean policy, Stephen Biegun, in Vienna "at the earliest opportunity."

"This will mark the beginning of negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations through the process of rapid denuclearization of North Korea, to be completed by January 2021, as committed by Chairman Kim, and to construct a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula," Pompeo said in a statement, using the initials of the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

With scant progress in the past three months, Trump has been open to criticism that he had been too eager to hold an unprecedented meeting with the North Korean leader in the summer and gained little in return. Moon, who was the handmaiden of the Kim-Trump dialogue back in the spring, was under considerable pressure this week to extract concessions from Kim that could sustain the rapprochement between Washington and Pyongyang.

While Kim didn't commit Wednesday to giving up his arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that pose a threat to the U.S. mainland, he did promise to dismantle North Korea's main rocket launch site in the presence of international experts, and offered to shutter its Nyongbyon nuclear site. That's where the North has a plutonium reactor and a uranium enrichment facility that can produce fissile material for atomic bombs. Dismantling it wouldn't reduce North Korea's atomic stockpile, thought to be enough for between 40 and 60 bombs, but it could help cap it.

The catch is that Kim wants the U.S. to take unspecified "corresponding steps" - a likely reference to North Korea's desire for the U.S. to declare a formal end to the Korean War, in which fighting ended in 1953 without a peace treaty. The North is also vying for the U.S. to allow relief from sanctions that are hurting its struggling economy.

Washington will be reluctant to grant hasty concessions given North Korea's poor record during a quarter-century of on-off nuclear negotiations in following through on its promises. Mindful of past failures, the Trump administration has been demanding denuclearization, or at least concrete progress toward that goal, before it grants rewards.

That's become the principal bone of contention between the two sides. On the eve of the Moon-Kim summit, an editorial in a North Korean state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, blamed the U.S. for their diplomatic deadlock. It said Washington was "stubbornly insisting" the North dismantle its nuclear weapons first, while failing to show its will for confidence-building measures, "including the declaration of the end of war, which it had already pledged."

Trump himself, who is eager for results in his signature foreign policy, sounded open to considering reciprocal steps, telling reporters Wednesday: "We'll see what he's looking at." Trump also declared, "we're making tremendous progress" with North Korea, citing its halt in nuclear and missile testing since last November.

Kim agreed to allow outside experts to observe the dismantling of its Sohae launch site, where it has tested missile engines and blasted rockets into space. Pompeo welcomed that as a step agreed to by Trump and Kim in Singapore, and said it would be done in the presence of U.S. and international inspectors.

North Korea has long been reticent of such outside scrutiny. It expelled U.N. inspectors from its Nyongbyon nuclear site a decade ago when international aid-for-disarmament talks collapsed and hasn't allowed them back in since. The U.S. is demanding their return to see all facilities at Nyongbyon dismantled.

Jenny Town, research analyst on North Korea at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington, said shutting Sohae, a site with a huge launch tower and other facilities in which North Korea has invested heavily in recent years, would be a major concession from Kim. The North's satellite launches are regarded with deep suspicion by the U.S. and are prohibited under U.N. Security Council resolutions because the same technology might be used for missiles.

"The North Koreans have always held out launches as their right as a sovereign nation. They've never been willing to negotiate on that particular point. So they have eliminated an obstacle that has derailed negotiations in the past," Town said.

Still, the dismantling of the site in the country's northeast would have limited impact on North Korea's ability to pose a nuclear threat to the United States. The North has developed mobile missiles launched from vehicles, meaning it doesn't need a designated launch site to fire a nuclear-tipped missile at America.

And progress on freezing operations at Nyongbyon - which is probably not North Korea's only nuclear production site - remains contingent on the U.S. making concessions of its own, steps that could be politically unpalatable for many in Washington, including among hawks in Trump's own administration and in Congress.

Agreeing to a declaration on ending the Korean War before North Korea has reduced its offensive threat - including the thousands of artillery guns it has trained on U.S. ally South Korea - is opposed by many who fear that the North is maneuvering to win a withdrawal of the nearly 30,000 U.S. forces in the South. There will also be resistance to rolling back sanctions adopted by the U.S. unilaterally and through the U.N. without significant progress toward denuclearization and a clearer idea of exactly what North Korea has in its nuclear arsenal and where all its facilities are located.

David Maxwell, a retired Army colonel who served in South Korea and is now a fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, cautioned that Kim's objective is to weaken the U.S.-South Korea alliance and capitalize on Trump's desire to reduce the military burden on America overseas.

"This appears to be setting the conditions for the president to be able to say the threat to the U.S. homeland has been sufficiently reduced or eliminated. This could very well set the conditions for the president to withdraw U.S. forces (from South Korea) as he has stated is his desire," Maxwell said.

North Koreans perform during the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

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Sept. 19

The Baltimore Sun on the similarities between a woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault and Anita Hill's sexual-harassment allegation against Clarence Thomas in 1991:

Stop us when this sounds familiar: A woman comes forward to allege sexual misconduct by a nominee to the United States Supreme Court. Her credibility and motives are attacked. She is invited to give testimony about some of the most painful moments of her life before a panel of unsympathetic men. And many simply dismiss her claims because she did not come forward sooner.

That's what was happening in October of 1991 when Anita Hill alleged pervasive sexual harassment by her former boss, Clarence Thomas. And it's what's happening now after Christine Blasey Ford went public with her accusation that Judge Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her during a high school party in the early 1980s.

One of the Senators who mistreated Ms. Hill then is still on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he hasn't changed much. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah claims to welcome further investigation into Ms. Ford's accusations but in the same breath casts the matter in a political light, claiming it has been orchestrated by Democrats to deny Mr. Kavanaugh a seat on the court.

Twenty-seven years later, amid the #MeToo movement that has forced a reckoning about how little has changed since Ms. Hill's testimony, we can do better. Ms. Hill, now a law professor at Brandeis, has some excellent ideas for how. In an op-ed in the New York Times, she suggests a number of steps, including handing the initial investigation of the complaint not to the Senate, with its partisan interests and high pressure, but to an independent panel expert in such cases. We shouldn't leave the truth to the mercy of people whose main concern isn't the truth or fairness but the midterm elections. Ms. Hill also urged the committee to take more time with the matter than it now plans. If the standard was two weeks of consideration in 1991, how can it be just one in 2018?

Ms. Hill's final admonition, that we should call Mr. Kavanaugh's accuser by her name, is particularly poignant. What (political cartoonist) KAL depicted in 1991 was a group of thugs intent on treating Ms. Hill like a political prop to be beaten down in the name of Justice Thomas' confirmation. A generation later, we can't treat Christine Blasey Ford the same way.

Online: http://www.baltimoresun.com/

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Sept. 18

China Daily on tariffs imposed on Chinese imports:

The Donald Trump administration would commit a serious mistake if it attempts to force China to make major concessions at the negotiation table in the face of its high tariffs on more Chinese goods.

Underestimating China's resolve to safeguard its legitimate interests, the United States will find its protectionist measures backfiring to harm its own industries and the American people, as indicated by the swift response of American business groups that condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to impose tariffs on another $200 billion worth of Chinese imports from Monday.

Industrial groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Industry Leaders Association have said such tariffs will weaken the U.S.' economic growth, and their impact would mainly be borne by U.S. enterprises and families. "Now is the time for talks," the U.S. National Association of Manufacturers urged in a statement.

Indeed, the U.S. has invited China to a new round of talks to settle their trade disputes. But the new tariffs it imposed on Chinese imports on Monday show the U.S. still prefers to use unilateral policies in an attempt to force China to accept its terms, and change its economic policies instead of engaging in talks on an equal basis to work out a solution acceptable to both sides. The new tariffs not only forced China to impose tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods but have also added uncertainties to the proposed talks.

The two countries have had the opportunity to resolve their disputes through talks since early this year, but given Washington's refusal to give up its unilateral and protectionist stance, those talks, not surprisingly, have failed. Despite the failure, however, the Trump administration should realize China-U.S. trade and other economic differences can be resolved only through talks.

If the U.S. really wants to end the trade conflict, it should show more sincerity and adopt a down-to-earth, problem-solving approach.

The first batch of tariffs by the U.S. and China against each other has shown the U.S.' unilateral and maximum pressure tactics cannot force China to meet its insatiable demand. The new tariffs, too, will prove ineffective, as China had made it clear it would respond in kind to the US' tariffs.

In its four decades of reform and opening-up, China has more than once faced economic uncertainties due to external shocks, such as the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the 2008-09 global financial crisis, during which its economic growth fell sharply. But given its inherent resilience, China has always managed to find the proper solutions to put its economy back on track.

The trade conflict will not force China to succumb to U.S. pressure. Instead, given its economic resilience, it will squarely face those challenges, find the right solutions, and emerge stronger.

Online: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/

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Sept. 18

The Washington Post on President Donald Trump's declassification order:

President Trump has demanded the immediate declassification of portions of an order allowing the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, text-message records from several of Mr. Trump's chief whipping boys at the FBI and interview records with Bruce G. Ohr, a senior Justice Department official. The White House and the president's enablers in Congress claim the release is about transparency and exposing corruption in law enforcement. The real goal is obvious: dredge up more "evidence" that the Russia investigation is the witch hunt Mr. Trump insists it is and that senior Justice Department officials have conspired against him.

Aside from the obvious abuse of presidential power in a matter implicating himself, and his continuing shredding of norms essential to law enforcement, there is a likely flaw in Mr. Trump's strategy: If experience is any guide, the new material will do more to undercut rather than advance the narrative about an anti-Trump conspiracy at the FBI. That is what happened when Mr. Trump forced the release of the application in which federal officials asked for permission to surveil Mr. Page. House Republicans insisted it showed that judges had been misled about the source of some of the information in the application; in fact, it showed that the judges had been told that the source was biased. No matter to Mr. Trump and his spinners. Then, as now, they pick out and warp individual bits to suit their version of the Russia story, the one that trashes people who have devoted their lives to serving the country and that erodes faith in federal law enforcement.

One such victim is Mr. Ohr, whose mistreatment at the hands of the president has been particularly nasty. The Justice Department official interacted with Christopher Steele, the former British spy who, during the 2016 campaign, created a dossier of allegations against Mr. Trump. The dossier, and whatever else Mr. Steele was hearing from his network of sources, was of legitimate concern to the FBI. Yet Mr. Trump has threatened to revoke Mr. Ohr's security clearance and appears determined to publicly humiliate him.

It is depressingly ironic that Mr. Trump, a man who won the presidency, in part, by inflating a story about how Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent, could not handle sensitive information, is in turn abusing his declassification authority. "There are very good reasons that some of these documents were so restricted that very few members (of Congress) ever had access to them," a spokesperson for Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), who has reviewed the documents, told us. "If released unredacted or insufficiently redacted, the documents would clearly identify sources and methods and potentially put the lives of individuals who have helped the United States at risk."

As Mr. Trump has conspired with House Republicans to distract and mislead, Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) has stood by. His failure to stand up to Mr. Trump and the Trumpists in the House when the country needed a person with spine will define his legacy.

Online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/

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Sept. 18

GateHouse Media North Carolina Coastal Group (via StarNews of Wilmington) on Hurricane Florence:

How much destruction and misery can one region endure?

It's almost unfathomable that less than two years after Hurricane Matthew - the recovery from which is far from complete - much of Coastal North Carolina once again is underwater, roads are impassable and thousands of homes and other structures lie in ruins from the fierce winds and unrelenting rains of Florence.

As of Monday morning, the state's death toll stood at 17. Just as we know the water will continue to rise in many places, we fear the death toll will, too. (Hurricane Matthew killed 26 people in North Carolina and 1999's Floyd caused 51 fatalities in the state.)

As of Monday afternoon, the intense rain seemed to have ended as Florence inched across the Carolinas. And although about 500,000 customers remained without power in North Carolina - down from more than 800,000 - electric service was being restored in many areas, providing welcome relief in hot, dark homes, and easing the demand for gasoline needed to run generators.

Unfortunately, that's about all the good news we can muster at this point, except for, of course, what the elder President Bush referred to as the "thousand points of light" - the people from all walks of life and working in all sorts of capacities who are doing their part to help their communities and to help each other.

For every report of looting or some other bad behavior we've read about, we've seen a hundred documenting neighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping strangers, and workers both private and public going beyond the call of duty to help those in need and, in some cases, save lives.

Sometime down the road there will be time to look back at the response to Hurricane Florence and decisions made in the past that might be making Coastal North Carolina more vulnerable to tropical storms. But for now we should stay focused on immediate needs and feed off the spirit of the tens of thousands of people who are helping us weather yet another devastating storm. We should all offer them our sincere thanks and help them in anyway necessary.

One thing that will be absolutely essential is patience, especially in the next several weeks as emergency and life-threatening conditions persist. Patience not only with government leaders, emergency responders and private businesses, such as utility companies, but with each other.

Let's all commit ourselves to replacing the floodwaters of Hurricane Florence with a flood of patience, goodwill and a spirit of cooperation. It's the one thing each of us can do to ease the heavy burdens we all are carrying.

Online: http://www.starnewsonline.com/

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Sept. 18

The Florida Times-Union of Jacksonville on the Second Amendment:

The ongoing debate over guns in America has led some to vociferously call for abolishing the Second Amendment.

That's just not wise thinking.

There are common-sense restrictions on guns that fall within the scope of the Second Amendment.

So there's no need to even consider abolishing it.

Nevertheless, calls for abolishing the Second Amendment are coming from such respected figures like retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

And a new poll shows that about 20 percent of Americans favor repealing the Second Amendment.

In reality, that probably shouldn't be a surprising statistic.

There are actually Americans, after all, who regularly support restrictions on speech that would not be allowed under the First Amendment.

So, of course, there will always be a fringe minority out there yapping for scrapping the Second Amendment.

Or the Third Amendment.

Or the Fourth Amendment.

Or the ...

You get the point.

Fortunately, the anti-Second Amendment extremists have little support in Washington; even blue-state Democrats like Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California have made clear they support gun ownership for self-defense and hunting.

What's even more striking is that noted, liberal-leaning Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe has also dismissed the campaign to abolish the Second Amendment.

In a piece for The Washington Post, Tribe wrote that the Second Amendment isn't the problem; in fact, Tribe declared, repealing the Second Amendment would not limit a single gun or enact a single regulation.

The fact is abolishing the Second Amendment isn't necessary because the Supreme Court has already set some reasonable parameters.

In the Supreme Court's historic 2008 Heller decision that underlined an individual's right to bear arms, the court also noted that right wasn't unlimited - and that certain classes of "dangerous and unusual" weapons could be limited.

The court has also allowed limits on assault weapons, large magazines and the number of weapons that can be stockpiled.

That's why instead of abolishing the Second Amendment, the focus should be on reducing the ability of Americans to use military-style weapons to kill innocent fellow citizens.

The focus should also be on restricting the ability of mentally ill people - and those with histories of domestic violence - to have easy access to firearms; clearly more safeguards must be built in to immediately "red-flag" such Americans whenever they try to purchase weapons.

There is certainly widespread support for that kind of proactive approach.

In a recent poll, 85 percent even voiced support for letting the police take guns away from people deemed dangerous - and at least five states have such laws in place.

Gun advocates like to criticize the 1994 ban on assault weapons for its emphasis on cosmetic features; they deride it as a naive and unrealistic law designed by people who know nothing about guns.

For example, the 1994 law defined assault weapons based on such features as pistol grips.

In an opinion piece, Palm Beach County criminologist Thomas Gabor said such poor standards of definition have undermined attempts to strictly regulate assault weapons because "the gun industry can easily make cosmetic modifications to skirt the regulation."

Gabor has proposed a more realistic definition of assault weapons that takes an objective, scientific approach based on lethality - as well as relevant factors like caliber, muzzle velocity, rate of fire, capacity and design flexibility.

That's a reasonable idea.

And it's a far more palatable idea than the harebrained suggestion that it's time for America to abolish the Second Amendment.

Online: http://www.jacksonville.com

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Sept. 17

Chicago Sun-Times on Volkswagen announcing that it will stop making its Beetle next year:

There has been a terrible death in the family for baby boomers: The beloved Volkswagen Beetle.

Volkswagen has announced it will quit making the Beetle next year, shutting down production of a car that debuted in 1930s Nazi Germany but became a counterculture icon for America's hippie generation.

At one point, Beetles sold in the hundreds of thousands every year. That was back in the '60s and '70s, when VW "Bugs" putt-putted down streets everywhere, in powder blue and vivid orange, candy-apple red and taxicab yellow, even a few in white. The rear-mounted engine gave you just a little more horsepower than a lawnmower, or so it seemed.

That engine had to heat the car in winter, too, and it did, though often not until you got to where you were going.

Some early models had a flower vase, typically mounted on the dashboard as the perfect flower child accessory. Volkswagen offered the vase as a dealer option when it redesigned the Beetle in the 1990s.

Best of all, the 10.6 gallon tank could be filled up for less than $10, even during the energy crisis of the 1970s.

In 1968 - a turbulent year when Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated and chaos broke out during the 1968 Democratic Convention - the movie "The Love Bug" featured a Beetle racing car named Herbie. Sales peaked at 423,000 Beetles that year.

Owners of classic Beetles, take note: Models in mint condition are selling for up to $75,000 now, so hold on to them. Once the Beetle is gone for good, who knows what price wealthy, nostalgic boomers might pay?

Volkswagen President and CEO Hinrich J. Woebcken, however, seemed to leave room for a change of heart: Could the Beetle, once again, come back?

"Never say never," he said.

Online: https://chicago.suntimes.com
DALLAS (AP) - Houston officials will spend up to $1.4 million to purchase ballistic vests for firefighters as they join a growing number of cities buying the vests to better protect firefighters who are more often encountering active-shooter or other deadly situations.

Falling through a collapsing roof or starving for oxygen in rooms filled with smoke have long been among the occupational hazards for firefighters, said Houston fire Chief Sam Pena, but his department "must now also consider protection against violent acts."

Houston joins an expanding list of fire departments - Boston, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh among them - that have purchased the vests.

"It is a new reality that is contrary to how we've always viewed this honorable profession, but protective clothing must be compatible with the environment we work in," Pena, who oversees some 4,000 firefighters, said in a statement Wednesday. "This is the next progression of tools of the trade."

Pena wasn't available for further comment. Sheldra Brigham, spokeswoman for the Houston Fire Department, said the city council allocated $1 million for the vests and a federal grant will cover the rest of the cost. Firefighters will wear the vests during calls that have the potential for danger, such as domestic violence incidents and shootings.

One of the more notorious national cases highlighting the dangers fire crews face was the killing of two firefighters who were shot on Christmas Eve 2012 by a man who lured them to his house outside Rochester, New York, by setting ablaze his and other nearby homes. The 62-year-old gunman took his own life.

John Montes, an emergency services specialist with the National Fire Protection Association, said the growing use of the vests comes as firefighters and paramedics in many cases no longer wait for police to defuse a deadly situation before entering the scene. This allows them to reduce the number of victims accessible to an assailant and also provide medical care sooner, he said.

"Our first responders are going to these scenes and are right in the thick of it," Montes said.

His association establishes protocols for when vests should be worn, including standards introduced in May for active-shooter calls.

From 2000 to 2017, there were 250 active-shooter incidents in the U.S., Montes said, noting that the FBI defines them as shootings in which at least four people are killed, not including the attacker. There were 50 such incidents in 2016 and 2017 alone.

He said first responders now are differentiating between "hot" and "warm" zones, meaning those scenes where an active shooter may still be targeting people as opposed to ones where gunfire has stopped but the shooter is not in custody.

Jon Swanson is the executive director of Metropolitan EMS in Little Rock, Arkansas. His agency obtained vests two years ago for the 290 personnel who respond to calls. The vests were purchased in the months after a volunteer firefighter was fatally shot by a person for whom the firefighter was called to help provide medical care.

The safety of emergency medical technicians "became much more of a concern for all of us," Swanson said, explaining that the vests are required to be worn for all calls rather than just for ones where a threat is apparent.

"The real story is how do we reach and treat people quicker and sooner in all of our circumstances," he said. "Ballistic vests are part of this bigger matrix."
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - Exhaustion and frustration are building in the Carolinas as thousands of people wait to go home days after Hurricane Florence unleashed epic floods blamed for at least 37 deaths, including those of two women who drowned when a sheriff's van taking them to a mental health facility was swept off a road.

With the remnants of Florence finally out to sea and skies bright over rivers still swelling with muddy water, President Donald Trump visited the disaster zone, riding through soggy neighborhoods and helping pass out warm meals at a church in the hard-hit coastal town of New Bern.

"How's the house?" Trump told one person. "You take care of yourself."

Maine Johnson with the city's communications department, takes photos of the Cape Fear River after its projected time of cresting in Fayetteville, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

There wasn't any presidential fanfare 120 miles away in Fayetteville. There, Roberta and Joseph Keithley had been sleeping on cots set up in a school classroom since Friday. They still didn't know if their home was ruined.

"It's getting a little frustrating, but you have to deal with it and roll with the punches," said Roberta Keithley, 73. "It's just another hurdle to get over in life."

To the south, daybreak brought a return of floodwaters to Nichols, South Carolina, which also was inundated by Hurricane Matthew two years ago. The flooding from Florence had subsided, only to get worse again.

Mayor Lawson Battle said that as far as he knew, everyone in the town of about 360 people evacuated as the water first started to invade town Monday. But Battle just couldn't think about that anymore.

"I'm focusing on this disaster at hand," he said. "I don't have time to think. I'm just so tired."

Access improved to Wilmington, a North Carolina port city of 120,000 that was cut off for days by high water. But officials said they don't know when evacuees would be able to return home, and it may be next week before conditions improve drastically since the Cape Fear River isn't expected to crest at the city until Monday or Tuesday.

"Understand: There is a lot of water inland, and it is continuing to make its way downstream," county manager Chris Coudreit said.

Nearly 3 feet of rain fell in places, and dozens of cities had more than 10 inches of rain. Roads remained dangerous, and some were still being closed as swollen rivers emptied toward the ocean.

North Carolina officials said some 7,800 people remained in shelters, down from about 10,000 on Monday despite Gov. Roy Cooper's plea to stay put.

In Lumberton, where the Lumber River still covered parts of town, water was deep enough that vehicles passing by on streets sent wakes into partially submerged homes, businesses and a church.

Some of those who left shelters may have been headed toward the coast on U.S. 421, where a long line of cars, utility crews and trucks loaded with generators sat in a jam.

About 161,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity in North Carolina, around a quarter of them in the county where Wilmington is located. All told, an estimated 900,000 homes and businesses lost power in the Carolinas and Virginia.

At least 37 people have died in the three states, including two women who were being taken to a mental health facility when the van they were riding in was engulfed by floodwaters from the Little Pee Dee River in South Carolina, authorities said.

Horry County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Brooke Holden said two deputies in the van tried to get the victims out but couldn't. Rescue teams plucked the deputies from the top of the vehicle. They were placed on leave pending an investigation.

Sheriff Phillip Thompson said he does not believe the women were in restraints like those sometimes used on psychiatric patients.

It wasn't clear why the women were being moved in the aftermath of a killer hurricane, and Justin Bamberg, a lawyer who has represented the families of several people injured or killed by law officers, said he was perplexed by the decision.

"If that road is in an area where it is a flood risk, and waters were rising, why were they driving on that road anyway?" said Bamberg, a state lawmaker.

At least 24 of the victims died in vehicles, and most were in accidents linked to flooding.

North Carolina's farmers, meanwhile, are beginning to count up their losses.

The Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina estimated up to 125 million pounds of tobacco leaf could be damaged by flooding, winds and power outages, an amount that could translate to as much as $350 million in lost farm revenue.

Association CEO Graham Boyd said about 40 percent of the crop was still in the field when the storm hit. North Carolina is the nation's top producer of tobacco.

The flooding has killed an estimated 3.4 million chickens and 5,500 hogs, authorities said. Farmers are also concerned about cotton, sweet potatoes, peanuts and corn, but swamped roads and fields have made it difficult to assess the damage.

The risk of environmental damage from Florence mounted, too, as human and animal waste was washed into the floodwaters.

More than 5 million gallons (18 million liters) of partially treated sewage spilled into the Cape Fear River after power went out at a treatment plant, officials said, and the earthen dam at a pond holding hog waste was breached, spilling its contents.

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Collins reported from Columbia, South Carolina. AP photographer Chuck Burton in Sampson County, North Carolina, and AP writer Jay Reeves in Atlanta contributed to this report.

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Follow Martha Waggoner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mjwaggonernc

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For the latest on Hurricane Florence, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes

Kyle Crawford uses a shopping cart to carry bags of ice he purchased days after Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, N.C. Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Debra Wolf pulls back the curtains upon returning from a shelter to her home which narrowly escaped flood damage along the Cape Fear River in Linden, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

President Donald Trump visits a neighborhood impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Conway, S.C. At left is FEMA Administrator Brock Long and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, second from left. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Ralph Nixon drinks a cup of coffee as he takes a break from helping customers at Rose Ice & Coal purchase ice in Wilmington, N.C. Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

President Donald Trump shakes hands with FEMA Administrator Brock Long as Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen watches after visiting areas in North Carolina and South Carolina impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, at Myrtle Beach International Airport in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

People begin to form a line as they wait outside Rose Ice & Coal for it to open days after Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Stan Atamanchuk, right, buys large bags of ice from Roase Ice & Coal days after Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, N.C. Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

In this combination of photos, Cape Fear River flows under the Person Street bridge on Sept. 15, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

President Donald Trump visits the Temple Baptist Church, where food and other supplies are being distributed during Hurricane Florence recovery efforts, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in New Bern, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Charles Gardner checks the level of the Cape Fear River near his property after its projected time of cresting in Fayetteville, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

This combination of photos shows the Cape Fear River on Sept. 17, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C. (AP Photos/David Goldman)

In this combination of photos, the Cape Fear River flows under the Grove Street bridge in the background on Sept. 16, 2018, left and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C. (AP Photos/David Goldman)

This combination of photos shows the Cape Fear River on Sept. 16, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, N.C. (AP Photos/David Goldman)

In this combination of photos, water inundates a street on Sept. 15, 2018, left, and on Sept. 19, 2018, after the water receded in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Aerial views of a home along Oak Island that lost its roof Wednesday Sept. 19, 2018 in Oak Island, N.C. after Hurricane Florence moved through the area earlier in the week..(Ken Blevins/The Star-News via AP)

President Donald Trump hugs a young man while handing out prepackaged meals at Temple Baptist Church in an area impacted by Hurricane Florence, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in New Bern, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Lawmakers from New York and Connecticut have joined environmental groups in ramping up efforts to block the federal government from selling a mysterious piece of land in Long Island Sound that for years has housed a government animal disease research facility.

Members of Congress from both states asked the House and Senate Appropriations Committees this week not to provide any funding for the marketing or sale of Plum Island, which is part of New York state and is also home to rare birds, sea turtles and other animals.

In the past, the site was used for top-secret U.S. Army germ warfare research and studies that examined dangerous animal diseases.

FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2010, file photo, Adrienne Esposito, left, director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and Stella Miller, president of the Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society, look over the beach from the top of an old battery, previously used for defense, on Plum Island in New York. Lawmakers in Connecticut and New York are moving in September 2018 to block the sale of Plum Island, the latest effort to block private development on the former germ warfare testing site in Long Island Sound that is also a habitat for over 200 bird species. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

"The 840-acre island is a critical habitat for over 200 bird species, many of which use the island as part of their north-south migration along the Atlantic flyway, and is the most important haul-out site for grey and harbor seals in southern New England," the members of the House and Senate wrote.

There are currently four different bills in Congress designed change the 2008 decision that authorized the sale of the island to help fund a new bio-research center in Kansas, which is expected to open in 2022.

The federal General Service Administration, charged with facilitating a public auction of the island, agreed in August not to move forward until it conducts a second environmental impact study.

That decision came after a coalition of environmental groups, the Preserve Plum Island Coalition, filed a lawsuit arguing the original federal study was insufficient.

"They never consulted, as required by law, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service," Chris Cryder, the coalition's coordinator, said Wednesday. "The real injustice that was done is that they also bypassed the normal process for handling government surplus property, which is to offer it first to sister agencies, then to states, then to counties or municipalities and finally to public auction."

The legal case will continue, he said, with the goal of getting the GAE to commit to considering a conservation alternative to a public sale - if not for the entire island, then for the 80 percent that is not in the footprint of the research facility.

He said there also is a push to preserve the island's lighthouse and the remains of Fort Terry, an installation built at the end of the 19th century to help protect Long Island Sound and New York from any military threat.

"This is an exceptionally important island, especially from the point of wildlife," he said. "It's become a de facto refuge over the past 70 years and some of our most imperiled species live there."

Cryder said his coalition is making plans to bring together local, state, regional and federal stakeholders later this fall or early winter for a summit to come up with a detailed conservation plan for the island that can be proposed as an alternative to its sale.
MASONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The Latest on a shooting at a judge's office in Pennsylvania (all times local):

6 p.m.

Fayette County officials say police shot and killed a gunman who opened fire in the lobby of the Masontown Borough Center.

Law enforcement and emergency personnel gather outside the office of District Judge Daniel Shimshock's office in Masontown, Pa., Wednesday Sept. 19, 2018. At least four people were shot at the office. Details were not immediately available on the conditions of the victims. (AP Photo/Mike Jones/Washington Observer Reporter via AP)

Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower confirmed Wednesday that a German Township police officer shot the gunman multiple times, killing him. Bower says the gunman, who was not identified, was due in court on a domestic violence charge.

He says the gunman entered the lobby off the building just after 2 p.m. with a handgun drawn and exchanged gunfire with a police officer who was injured.

Bower says the gunman then shot two males and one female. He declined to say whether the gunman knew them.

A spokesman for the West Virginia hospital where the civilians were taken says they are all in fair condition as of about 5:45 p.m.

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5:35 p.m.

A Fayette County commissioner has confirmed the gunman who opened fire near a crowded Pennsylvania courtroom is dead.

County Commissioner Vince Vicites said Wednesday he went to the judge's office in Masontown after he heard about the 2 p.m. shooting because several county employees work in the magistrate's court office. He was told the coroner was called to the scene because the shooter had died.

It was unclear whether the shooter had been killed by police or by self-inflicted injuries or other means.

A Fayette County 911 center supervisor says five people were injured and four were taken to hospitals for treatment. It was unclear if the deceased shooter was the fifth injured individual.

A Masontown police officer sustained minor injuries in the shooting and was treated at a local hospital.

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5 p.m.

A Fayette County 911 center official confirmed that one person had died in a shooting outside of a Pennsylvania judge's office.

The center official said dispatchers did not have any information about the identity of the deceased person. A supervisor earlier confirmed that at least five people were injured and four were taken to hospitals.

Witnesses say the shooting happened around 2 p.m. Wednesday outside a county judge's office near a crowded courtroom.

State police have scheduled a news conference for 5 p.m. but have said the scene is secured.

Officials did not say whether the shooter was injured or taken into custody.

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4:45 p.m.

A witness says a shooting outside a Pennsylvania judge's office started near a crowded courtroom.

Joyce Royster tells WTAE there were hundreds of people inside the courtroom when the shooting started just outside. She says people fled the courtroom as the shooter started to move inside.

Fayette County officials confirmed at least five people had been injured in the shooting around 2 p.m. Wednesday at the county's municipal building. Four people were taken to hospitals including a police officer who received minor injuries.

The Fayette County 911 center supervisor confirmed the coroner was called to the scene, but could not confirm whether there were any fatalities.

State police say the scene is secure, but did not say whether the shooter was in custody or injured. A news conference is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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4:25 p.m.

Pennsylvania State Police say the scene is secure and no more threat remains at the office of a district court judge where at least five people were injured.

A state police spokesman said on Twitter that no schools, businesses or offices are on lockdown as of about 4 p.m.

A Fayette County official confirmed that a coroner had been called to the scene after the shooting around 2 p.m. Two victims were flown and a third was taken by ambulance to a West Virginia hospital.

A police officer with a non-life-threatening injury was being treated at a hospital in nearby Uniontown.

It was unclear if the suspected shooter was injured or taken into custody by officers, but state police said the scene at District Judge Daniel Shimshock's office had been secured.

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3:20 p.m.

A Fayette County official says at least five people have been injured in a shooting outside of a judge's office in Pennsylvania.

The Fayette County 911 center supervisor says a coroner has been called to the scene and four people were taken to the hospital.

Masontown Mayor Toni Petrus says one of her police officers received non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting that happened about 2 p.m. Wednesday at the office of District Judge Daniel Shimshock in Masontown, about 60 miles south of Pittsburgh.

The supervisor says two victims were flown to a West Virginia hospital by helicopter and another was taken by ambulance. The police officer was being treated for hand injuries at a local hospital.

Messages left with law enforcement and county officials were not immediately returned Wednesday.
LAREDO, Texas (AP) - Janelle Ortiz dreamed of becoming famous. Melissa Ramirez imagined a day when the street wasn't home and drugs not her preoccupation. Claudine Luera just ached to see her children do better than she had.

All of these women, bound by difficulties in life, met an eerily similar death: They were shot in the head and left on rural Texas roadsides, allegedly by a Border Patrol agent who has been described as a serial killer. Relatives of the dead are now grieving for loved ones who, they say, were more than the troubles they endured.

"They had families. They were loved. They were someone. They were human," said Colette Mireles, a sister of Luera.

Maria Cristina Benevidez holds a photograph of her daughter, Melissa Ramirez, at her home in Rio Bravo, Texas. Ramirez is one of four women authorities say were killed by a Border Patrol supervisor. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

The suspect's motive remains unknown. Authorities said the three women and a fourth woman, Guiselda Alicia Cantu, whose name was released Wednesday, were sex workers, and that Border Patrol supervisor Juan David Ortiz knew some of them.

Each lived a life littered with hardship. Gracie Perez remembered her sister-in-law, 29-year-old Ramirez, telling her she was raped when she was 13. She dropped out of high school, experienced depression and eventually began living on the streets. Her five children were left in the care of others. She struggled with a drug habit.

Despite all of that, her relatives remembered someone always trying to make others laugh. Ramirez liked pulling up funny videos on YouTube, devouring whatever food was before her and enjoying TV at full blast as she fell asleep on the couch.

Perez said her sister-in-law frequently returned home to her mother's house, where two of her children live, typically staying a few days, vowing to get off drugs and improve her life before returning to the streets.

"She wanted to be a better mom, a better person," Perez said. "She didn't want to be running the streets anymore."

Janelle Ortiz, 28, envisioned a future where her personality and gift for talking with nearly anyone transformed her into someone famous. Rosenda Ortiz, her younger sister, remembered the difficult childhood they shared, with them constantly being thrust into new homes. She said her sister was strong and had a big heart, always asking what others needed.

Rosenda Ortiz hoped that one day she'd be able to get a home of her own and invite her sister to come live with her.

"He was not known as a prostitute or a sex worker," she said, using pronouns she knows her transgender sister would have chided her for. "He was just a human being like the other victims. He was just living his life."

Mireles last talked to her 42-year-old sister two days before her body was found. She was "over the moon" upon hearing that one of her sons was doing well in school and was already ironing out plans for prom with his girlfriend.

As children, the sisters were at each other's throats. But Mireles marveled at her sister's ability to smile through her pain, even as her life spiraled downward the past few years. She always knew she might get a call with news of Luera's death, but she figured it would be an overdose. To hear she was found shot, clinging to life on the side of the road, was harrowing.

The suspect told police that Luera questioned him about being the last person to have seen Ramirez before her death, authorities said. Mireles takes some comfort thinking of her sister's bravery in confronting him.

"My sister was feisty, so I'm sure she put up a hell of a fight," she said.

Joey Tellez, the attorney for the 35-year-old suspect, released a statement saying he would not be commenting on the case. Ortiz is a Navy veteran who had been in the Border Patrol about 10 years.

Back at the modest home Ramirez frequented, an American flag is tied to a front window of a faded green trailer, and toys are strewn across the yard. Her mother, Maria Cristina Benevidez, steps haltingly as she places a photo of her daughter beside the wooden box that holds her ashes, hanging rosary beads and a gold cross necklace from the frame.

Roosters are crowing, a Chihuahua named Mia is barking and Benevidez stands solemnly, her head bowed. Two weeks before Ramirez was found, she sat at the kitchen table in this home and shared a frightening premonition.

"I'm going to get killed. I'm going to be dead in less than a month," her brother Cesar Ramirez remembered his sister saying.

"Stop saying nonsense," he said his mother responded. "Stop saying those stupid things."

She persisted, insisting she would be shot in the head.

"They're going to kill me. They're going to kill me," she said.

Ramirez was drunk, her sister-in-law said, and she didn't offer any more details of her vision.

Later, Perez said, her sister-in-law pressed her to join her for a night of partying. Ramirez called her over and over, but she didn't answer. Now, she thinks she should have done something more, and she's haunted by Ramirez's parting words.

"This is the last time you're going to see me," she warned.

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Sedensky reported from New York.

A framed photo of Melissa Ramirez sits at the end of a makeshift altar in her mother's home in Rio Bravo, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

A framed photo of Melissa Ramirez sits at the end of a makeshift altar in her mother's home in Rio Bravo, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Gracie Perez, right, and husband Cesar Ramirez pose for a portrait Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Rio Bravo, Texas. Ramirez's sister, Melissa, was among the four victims authorities say were killed by a Border Patrol supervisor. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Dozens of family members and friends of four women who authorities say were killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent gather for a candlelight vigil at a park in downtown Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Juan David Ortiz was arrested Saturday while hiding in a hotel parking garage. Investigators believe he fatally shot the four victims during separate attacks after taking each of them to desolate areas outside of Laredo. Investigators say a fifth victim escaped and contacted authorities. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Dozens of family members and friends of four women who authorities say were killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent gather for a candlelight vigil at a park in downtown Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Juan David Ortiz was arrested Saturday while hiding in a hotel parking garage. Investigators believe he fatally shot the four victims during separate attacks after taking each of them to desolate areas outside of Laredo. Investigators say a fifth victim escaped and contacted authorities. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Family members and friends of four women who authorities say were killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent attend a candlelight vigil at a park in downtown Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Juan David Ortiz was arrested Saturday while hiding in a hotel parking garage. Investigators believe he fatally shot the four victims during separate attacks after taking each of them to desolate areas outside of Laredo. Investigators say a fifth victim escaped and contacted authorities. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Dozens of family members and friends of four women who authorities say were killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent pray during a candlelight vigil at a park in downtown Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Juan David Ortiz was arrested Saturday while hiding in a hotel parking garage. Investigators believe he fatally shot the four victims during separate attacks after taking each of them to desolate areas outside of Laredo. Investigators say a fifth victim escaped and contacted authorities. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Dozens of family members and friends of four women who authorities say were killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent gather for a candlelight vigil at a park in downtown Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Juan David Ortiz was arrested Saturday while hiding in a hotel parking garage. Investigators believe he fatally shot the four victims during separate attacks after taking each of them to desolate areas outside of Laredo. Investigators say a fifth victim escaped and contacted authorities. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Indicted U.S. Rep. Chris Collins said Wednesday he'll campaign for his western New York seat, vowing to serve if voters re-elect him in November.

The Republican's announcement on Twitter came two days after he said he would remain on the ballot despite previously suspending his campaign in the wake of federal insider trading charges.

"Voters can be assured that with the recent turn of events, they can count on me to actively campaign for Congress, and to serve should voters re-elect me," the 68-year-old Collins tweeted.

He added that the stakes "are too high" to allow a Democrat to take control of his congressional seat representing the 27th District, a right-leaning district between Buffalo and Rochester.

Collins wrote that he'll actively campaign for election to a third term while fighting the federal charges filed last month. He faces Democrat Nate McMurray.

Local GOP leaders who were expecting to replace Collins with another candidate said they were blindsided by his decision to remain on the ballot.

Erie County GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy said Collins told him Monday morning that he was staying on the ballot. Collins suggested during a phone call that removing himself from the ballot could undermine his legal defense, Langworthy said.

Collins, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, has a $1.3 million campaign war chest.

Collins pleaded not guilty in early August to charges that allege he illegally leaked confidential information about Innate Immunotherapeutics Limited to his son and the father of his son's fiancee. At that time he suspended his re-election bid.
CHICAGO (AP) - Former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge, who was accused of torturing suspects in his South Side police district but was never prosecuted for the alleged crimes, has died, a Florida funeral home confirmed Wednesday. He was 70.

Burge led a "midnight crew" of rogue detectives accused of torturing more than 100 suspects, mostly black men, from 1972 to 1991, in order to secure confessions. His alleged victims were shocked with cattle prods, smothered with typewriter covers and had guns shoved in their mouths.

Burge was fired in 1993 and sentenced to prison in 2011 for lying in a civil case about his actions. It was too late to charge him criminally on the torture charges.

In this May 24, 2010, file photo, former Chicago Police commander Jon Burge departs the federal building in Chicago after the first day of jury selection in his obstruction of justice and perjury trial. Burge, 70, who was linked to numerous cases involving the torture of suspects, has died in Florida. The Ruskin, Florida, funeral home handling Burge's remains confirmed his death Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. More than 100 men, most of them black, have accused Burge and his "midnight crew" of rogue detectives of shocking, suffocating and beating them to secure confessions. The alleged torture happened from 1972 to 1991. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, FILE)

Sarah Zipperer of Zipperer's Funeral Home in Ruskin, Florida, on Wednesday would confirm only that the business was handling his remains. She refused to give the cause or date of his death, citing the wishes of his family.

In 2015, the city of Chicago agreed to pay $5.5 million in reparations to 57 Burge victims. G. Flint Taylor, a civil rights attorney and lawyer for some of the men, estimates the price tag for all Burge-related cases is about $132 million.

The allegations against Burge and his men even helped shape Illinois' debate over the death penalty. Then-Gov. George Ryan released four condemned men from death row in 2003 after Ryan said Burge extracted confessions from them using torture. The allegations eventually led to a moratorium on executions in Illinois. The state officially abolished the death penalty in 2011.

Word of Burge's death came amid the murder trial of a white Chicago police officer in the fatal shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald . Video shows officer Jason Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times as he walked away from police.

The possibility of such a trial would have seemed remote during Burge's time on the force.

"With the passing of Jon Burge, we must reflect on the dark legacy that he embodied," said Lori Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor who once led a civilian body that oversees disciplinary cases involving officers and a candidate for Chicago mayor. "So many lives shattered, and a horrible stain on the legitimacy of policing that resonates today."

Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor, said Burge's actions were despicable, but pointed to broader systemic issues within the Chicago Police Department for allowing the alleged torture to continue for so long.

"He could not have engaged in more than two decades of torture of black folks without a system that protected torturers and was complicit in ensuring that officers like Burge could torture black folks with impunity," Futterman said.

That system "is a primary reason why there is such a deep distrust between the black community and police and why police continue to struggle to solve violent crime, something they can't do without the trust (of the community)," he added.

Chicago's police union issued a statement on its Facebook page expressing condolences to the Burge family, saying it "does not believe the full story about the Burge cases has ever been told." But many postings in the comments section denounced Burge.

Dean Angelo, former head of the Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago, insisted that Burge "put a lot of bad guys in prison."

"I don't know that Jon Burge got a fair shake based on the years and years of service that he gave the city," Angelo told reporters during a break at the Van Dyke trial.

At Burge's 2010 federal trial, Burge's lawyers called the accusers thugs and liars who were maligning an honorable man who had served in the U.S. military in Korea and Vietnam and returned with a Bronze Star. Burge took the stand and broke his long silence, repeatedly denying he had tortured anyone. A jury disagreed and found Burge guilty of perjury.

At his 2012 sentencing, one alleged victim said Burge was so cruel that he laughed while he tortured him. Burge said he was "deeply sorry" for the disrepute his case had brought on the Chicago Police Department, but he offered no apologies for his actions.

U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow cited Burge's "unwillingness to acknowledge the truth in the face of all the evidence" and sentenced him to 4 1/2 years in prison.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The United Nations has announced a special envoy to handle the growing number of Venezuelan migrants flooding into surrounding countries.

Former Guatemalan Vice President Eduardo Stein was named Wednesday as joint special representative for Venezuelan refugees and migrants.

A once wealthy oil nation, Venezuela is wracked by severe food and medicine scarcity after two decades of socialist rule. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government denies a migration crisis, calling it fake news drummed up by foreign powers as an excuse to invade.

The United Nations estimates 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled over the past four years - roughly 7 percent of the population. Many left for Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.

The U.N. says Stein will work to protect displaced Venezuelans and look for solutions to the growing problem.
NEW YORK (AP) - Arthur Mitchell, who broke barriers for African-Americans in the 1950s as a ballet dancer with the New York City Ballet and who would go on to become a driving force in the creation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, has died. He was 84.

Mitchell died Wednesday at a New York City hospital according to his niece, Juli Mills-Ross. She said the death came after renal failure led to heart failure.

Born in Harlem, Mitchell started dancing with the New York City Ballet in 1955 under famed choreographer George Balanchine.

FILE - In this Jan. 27, 1986 file photo, choreographer Arthur Mitchell, founder of Dance Theatre of Harlem poses in his office at the City Center building in New York. Mitchell, who broke barriers for African-Americans in the 1950s as a ballet dancer with the New York City Ballet and who would go on to become a driving force in the creation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, died Wednesday at a New York City hospital. He was 84. According to his niece, Juli Mills-Ross, his death came after renal failure led to heart failure. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler, File)

Balanchine put him in several leading roles, including one pairing him with a white female dancer in "Agon" in 1957.

In a January interview with The New York Times, Mitchell recalled the daring of that choice.

"Can you imagine the audacity to take an African-American and Diana Adams, the essence and purity of Caucasian dance, and to put them together on the stage?" he said.

In 1968, impacted by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Mitchell started a dance school that grew the next year to include the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Anna Glass, the executive director of the Dance Theater, told The Associated Press that Mitchell "truly was a visionary."

"He believed in a world where all people could have access to this beautiful art form," she said. "He really sought to ensure that all people saw themselves in" ballet.

Among those recognizing his impact following his death was Misty Copeland, the first African-American female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.

In a post on Instagram, she wrote, "You gave me so much, through our conversations, your dancing and by simply existing as a brown body in ballet. But you were so much more than a brown body. You're an icon and hero."

Choreographer and television producer Debbie Allen tweeted, "The world has lost another visionary" with Mitchell's death.

"Arthur Mitchell claimed ballet as an American art form," she said. "His legacy lives through all of us."

Mitchell was born in 1934, and grew up with four siblings. He started formal dance training in high school, and upon graduating, took the offer of a ballet scholarship with the School of American Ballet, founded by Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein.

His dancing years also included choreographing his own works, performing on Broadway, and working with dance companies in other countries. The Dance Theatre of Harlem performed internationally and has been artistically acclaimed even as it went through some periods of financial upheaval. He stepped down as director almost a decade ago.

Glass said Mitchell had most recently spent time at the company last month, during a two-week residency in which he restaged one of his older ballets to be performed next April as the company marks its 50th anniversary.

"This was a moment that all of us were looking forward to," Glass said. "I know we will miss him tremendously."

FILE - In this Nov. 26, 1991 file photo, Arthur Mitchell, founder of Dance Theatre of Harlem, is shown in New York. Mitchell, who broke barriers for African-Americans in the 1950s as a ballet dancer with the New York City Ballet and who would go on to become a driving force in the creation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, died Wednesday at a New York City hospital. He was 84. According to his niece, Juli Mills-Ross, his death came after renal failure led to heart failure. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 5, 2015 file photo, 2015 Kennedy Center Honoree actress Cicely Tyson, left, and former Kennedy Center Honoree Arthur Mitchell appear at the Kennedy Center Honors at the State Department in Washington. Mitchell, who broke barriers for African-Americans in the 1950s as a ballet dancer with the New York City Ballet and who would go on to become a driving force in the creation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, died Wednesday at a New York City hospital. He was 84. According to his niece, Juli Mills-Ross, his death came after renal failure led to heart failure. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File)
NYACK, N.Y. (AP) - A suburban New York judge has dismissed charges against Liev Schreiber for allegedly attacking a local photographer while the actor was filming the popular Showtime series "Ray Donovan."

The 50-year-old has been hit with a harassment violation after photographer Sherwood Martinelli claimed Schreiber damaged his camera when he tried to photograph him on June 7.

The Journal News reports that a Nyack (NEYE'-ak) village judge on Wednesday dismissed the charges.

FILE- In this Aug. 14, 2018, file photo actor Liev Schreiber leaves court in Nyack, N.Y., after appearing on a harassment charge. On Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, a New York judge has dismissed charges against Schreiber for allegedly attacking a photographer while the actor was filming the popular Showtime series "Ray Donovan." (Peter Carr/The Journal News via AP, File)

At an earlier court appearance, Schreiber said he "never touched" the photographer and he that was just very angry.

Martinelli said Wednesday he is "greatly disappointed" in the judge's decision.

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Information from: The Journal News, http://www.lohud.com
WINNSBORO, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina television maker says it can stay open after President Donald Trump's administration took its parts off a tariff levied against China.

A spokesman for Gov. Henry McMaster says the components Element TV Company uses to make its televisions are off the tariff list.

Spokesman Brian Symmes says the company told the governor it will no longer have to lay off nearly all of its 130 or so employees from its Winnsboro plant.

The Trump administration imposed a 25 percent import tax in July that included Chinese components for TVs and video equipment.

The television company had said if the tariff stayed, it would have to lay off employees by next month.

Officials say they hope the plant can now better compete against foreign products.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Two campus security officers in Oregon fired 17 times at a legally armed black man who was trying to break up a fight and struck him nine times, killing him, according to a report released Wednesday.

Oregon State Medical Examiner Dr. Rebecca Millius ruled the death of Jason Washington, 45, a homicide, the report shows.

Washington was struck in the chest, back, abdomen and legs and had graze wounds from a bullet that glanced off his head, she said.

FILE - This June 29, 2018, file video image from a police officer's body cam and provided by Portland State University shows Jason Washington after he was shot and killed by Portland State University police officers in Portland, Ore. Two campus security officers fired 17 times at the legally armed man who was trying to break up a fight and struck him nine times, killing him, according to a report released Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Portland State University via AP, file)

A grand jury ruled on Sept. 13 that Portland State University Officers James Dewey and Shawn McKenzie should not face criminal charges in the June 29 shooting.

Washington, a Navy veteran and U.S. Postal Service employee, had been out drinking with friends when his group got into a confrontation with another group outside a bar called the Cheerful Tortoise just off campus in downtown Portland.

A lengthy report released last week by the Portland Police Bureau, as well as footage pulled from the officers' body-worn cameras, show Washington had a gun in his right pocket when he tried to come to a friend's assistance during a fight. Officers later found a legal permit to carry a concealed weapon in the dead man's wallet.

The footage from Dewey's camera shows the campus police officer rolling up to a fight on a street on the fringes of the university campus.

Dewey exits his patrol vehicle and a man at the scene says several times, "He pulled a gun on us! He pulled a gun!" as he points to Washington, who appears to be trying to keep his friend from a fight.

At that point, Washington's visibly intoxicated friend breaks away and begins punching another man until he is kicked by a third person in the head and knocked out.

As Washington tries to pull the man away from his unconscious friend, Dewey grabs Washington's arm from behind and tells him to back away from the fight. A black object that appears to be a gun is visible protruding from Washington's right hip pocket at that moment in Dewey's body camera video.

Washington stumbles backward and falls to the ground as someone says, "He's got a gun!"

Washington gets up, takes several steps away from Dewey and turns to face the two officers as they shout at him to drop the gun.

The medical examiner's report quotes one of the officers as yelling, "Do not pick up the gun!" just before the officers fired 17 shots "in very quick succession."

A witness told several media outlets immediately after the shooting that she saw the gun fall out of Washington's pocket when he fell, and he was shot after he picked it up.

It's unclear from the angle of both body camera videos, however, whether Washington is holding the gun when he is shot.

Toxicology reports show Washington had a blood-alcohol content of more than three times the legal driving limit.

His wife, Michelle Washington, has said she will file a lawsuit in her husband's death.

Portland State University's president has hired two independent firms, one to examine the school's policy of arming campus police and another to conduct its own investigation into the shooting. Students are planning a rally later this month to press the school to disarm its campus police.

PSU decided to arm its campus security officers in 2014 despite concerns raised by students.

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Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus
NEW YORK (AP) - Donald Trump Jr.'s attack tweet this week showing CNN's Anderson Cooper waist-deep in flood waters has driven home the point that politics - not just weather - was an important subtext of the media's coverage of Hurricane Florence.

"Stop lying to make @realDonaldTrump look bad," the president's son admonished Cooper, triggering a harsh response from the CNN journalist, who was part of his network's team covering Florence's landfall in North Carolina.

"I didn't see him down in North Carolina in the last few days helping out, lending a hand, but I'm sure he was busy doing something important besides just tweeting lies," Cooper said on his show Monday.

This combination photo shows Donald Trump Jr., the son of President Donald Trump at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll at the White House in Washington on April 2, 2018, left, and CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper at the Turner Networks 2018 Upfront in New York on May 16, 2018. Trump Jr.'s attack tweet this week showing CNN's Anderson Cooper waist-deep in flood waters has driven home the point that politics _ not just weather _ was an important subtext of the media's coverage of Hurricane Florence. (AP Photo)

Ever since President George W. Bush's administration was crippled by its response to Hurricane Katrina, politicians and news organizations have been acutely aware of the stakes raised by big storms. Some Republicans never forgave former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for being photographed with President Barack Obama after Sandy struck just before the 2012 election.

"A storm and responding to it the right way can make or break a political career," said Gary Lackmann, a professor of atmospheric science at North Carolina State University.

Florence formed in the Atlantic just as President Donald Trump's response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico returned to the news with a revised estimate that nearly 3,000 people died in that storm and its aftermath. Since Trump vigorously disputed the report, calling his administration's response "an incredible, unsung success," it led some media figures to question whether he would be responsive to Florence.

Three days before Florence struck, the Washington Post editorialized that Trump was complicit in damage caused by extreme weather. "He plays down humans' role in increasing the risks, and he continues to dismantle efforts to address those risks," the newspaper said.

That drew a predictably fierce response from the president's defenders.

"The left will not skip any single moment to condemn this president," said Pete Hegseth on the Fox Business Network. "In this case, it's a hurricane."

When a news organization infuses hurricane coverage with political infighting, it sends a message to people in the path of a dangerous storm that its reporters don't necessarily care about them, said Gabriel Williams, a professor of atmospheric physics at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

"It's unnecessary," Williams said. "It defeats the purpose. It distracts from what you actually want to happen, which is to get people prepared for the storm."

With a hurricane bearing down, "politicos think 'this is going to be the dominant story this week. How can we get our spin into this?'" said Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the Media Research Center.

A natural disaster "should be a time when we should all be Americans," and put such differences aside, he said.

Still, the conservative media watchdog that Graham works for was not above getting its own licks in, criticizing Sunday morning network hosts, who it said "harangued" federal disaster relief officials with questions about Trump's response to Hurricane Maria. It also attacked MSNBC's Katy Tur for introducing the issue of climate change to Florence coverage.

And it reposted an infamous decade-old video of an NBC News reporter covering a hurricane from a rowboat, as a wider view captured men nearby sloshing through water that barely topped their ankles.

The Weather Channel's Mike Seidel similarly became a meme victim during Florence for video that depicted him struggling to stay vertical in the storm's winds, while men walked behind him seemingly unbothered; his network said Seidel had a hard time keeping his footing because he was on wet grass.

For the people who spread the videos, the idea is to undermine reporters covering the story, to depict them as people more interested in seeking attention than in keeping viewers informed about what's going on.

That was the thinking behind Trump Jr.'s tweet of the Cooper photo. It showed him in water much deeper than his own camera technician, who stood a few feet away in water that didn't reach his knees.

On Monday, Cooper said the picture wasn't even from his Florence coverage, but rather from the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in Texas in 2008. He said he was trying to stay off a road where the water was shallower to not get in people's way, and to convey that there was still a lot of deep water creating dangerous situations.

Climate change and its impact on hurricanes is a third-rail topic for media covering the storms. Many conservatives get mad when it's brought up at all, while liberals believe it is not discussed enough.

In the days before Florence struck, four scientists posted a study they said illustrated how forecasts of the storm's intensity were worse than what a similarly situated hurricane would have been in the days before climate change.

It got some media attention, but apparently none among the cable news networks that spent several days in near-constant coverage of Florence's approach, said Kevin Reed, a professor at Stony Brook University in New York and one of the authors. He said it's important to discuss the impact of climate change during extreme weather events because that's when the public is focused on it.

But North Carolina State's Lackmann said that releasing such information before the storm makes landfall is "pushing it."

It's better to wait until after the storm when data could be closely studied, particularly since Florence's wind intensity dropped off from what was predicted, said Lackmann, noting that early indications show that hurricanes may be less frequent in a time of climate change but the strong storms are even stronger.

While the storm is bearing down, climate change is "not the most important thing people should be thinking about," Williams said.

FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2011 file photo, President Barack Obama is greeted by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in Newark, N.J., as he travels to Paterson, N.J., to view flood damage caused by Hurricane Irene. Ever since President George W. Bush's administration was crippled by its response to Hurricane Katrina, politicians and news organizations have been acutely aware of the stakes raised by big storms. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump tosses paper towels into a crowd at Calvary Chapel in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the region. Ever since President George W. Bush's administration was crippled by its response to Hurricane Katrina, politicians and news organizations have been acutely aware of the stakes raised by big storms. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2011 file photo, President Barack Obama walks with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in Newark, N.J., as they returned from Paterson, N.J., after viewing damage caused by Hurricane Irene. Ever since President George W. Bush's administration was crippled by its response to Hurricane Katrina, politicians and news organizations have been acutely aware of the stakes raised by big storms. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 2, 2005 file photo, President Bush embraces Ella Glavan of Biloxi, Miss., during a walking tour of a Biloxi neighborhood devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Bush toured Gulf Coast communities hoping to boost the spirits of increasingly desperate storm victims and exhausted rescuers. Ever since Bush's administration was crippled by its response to Hurricane Katrina, politicians and news organizations have been acutely aware of the stakes raised by big storms. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Soldiers executed two men and planted rifles on their bodies during a 2017 shootout between authorities and fuel thieves in the Mexican state of Puebla, the country's National Human Rights Commission said Wednesday.

A total of six civilians and four soldiers died in the running confrontation that erupted in the town of Palmarito when authorities tried to arrest people who had drilled illegal taps into state-owned pipelines.

The governmental rights agency recommended that the army pay reparations to the victims' families, and it said other people suffered abuses after they were detained. A total of 26 people were wounded.

Some of the killings were captured on video. One shows a suspect who played dead and then got up and shot a soldier in the back. Another shows a soldier appearing to execute a suspect lying on the ground.

"No crime should be fought with another crime," the commission said.

It said that the army had cooperated in the investigation, but that federal prosecutors had refused to turn over information.

Fuel theft, which now increasingly includes drilling into pipelines carrying gasoline, diesel and even cooking gas, has become a growing problem across Mexico. Thieves drilled into pipelines 8,742 times in the first seven months of 2018, a 50 percent increase over the same period of 2017, officials say.

Gangs that engage in fuel theft have become increasingly organized and violent, and residents of impoverished towns where they operate often join them in confronting authorities.

The commission said it "notes with concern the prevailing impunity in fuel theft, given that suspects detained are not charged."

Prosecutors have been slow to bring soldiers to account for rights abuses in Mexico. The rights commission determined that soldiers executed at least 12 suspects after they surrendered on June 30, 2014, in the town of Tlatlaya in Mexico State, but charges against the soldiers were later dismissed.
Wash Westmoreland's "Colette" is a very British movie about a very French feminist icon. A handsome and lively period film, it's too timid to capture the ravenous appetites of the literary force that was Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. But with Keira Knightley playing the prolific and trailblazing author, "Colette" has nimbly condensed an un-condensable life into a sprightly and self-evidently relevant biopic.

"My name is Claudine, I live in Montigny; I was born there in 1884; I shall probably not die there."

Those were the first lines in "Claudine a l'ecole," the 1900 coming-of-age novel that made the Burgundy-born Colette's fictional alter ego, Claudine, a sensation, as well as a highly lucrative industry. It was, however, published under the nom de plume of her husband ("Willy"), the rakish publisher Henry Gauthier-Villars (played by Dominic West in the film).

This image released Bleecker Street shows Keira Knightley in a scene from "Colette." (Robert Viglasky/Bleecker Street via AP)

It would be years before Colette was writing under her own name, though once she did, she quickly established herself as, among many other things, one of France's greatest authors. She was nominated for a Nobel Prize in literature in 1948 and given a state funeral after her death, at the Palais-Royal, in 1954. Along the way, she blazed a relentlessly unconventional path through Belle Epoque Paris, leaving behind a litany of affairs (with men and women), scandals of all sorts (an on-stage kiss with a woman at the Moulin Rouge sparked a riot) and dozens of books, including 1944's "Gigi," written while her third husband was interned by the Nazis. To play its protagonist in a stage adaption, Colette found an unknown named Audrey Hepburn.

So, sure, try getting all that (and much more) into a movie. Westmoreland ("Still Alice"), along with co-writers Richard Glatzer (Westmoreland's late husband) and Rebecca Lenkiewicz, have judiciously opted to concentrate on Colette's early period married to Gauthier-Villars, when she wrote the first Claudine books. On the one hand, this focus gives "Colette" a timely dramatic arc of female empowerment: This is when she not only finds her voice but eventually takes control of it.

On the other, it frames Colette's life too much around Gauthier-Villars; he is there from the first scenes to the final ones. And in West's hands, he's a gloriously bombastic character, forever ducking creditors, carousing with women and prodding his ghost writers to keep his literary factor churning. At a low ebb, he encourages Colette to write. Though impressed by the results, he initially judges them uncommercial and "too feminine." ''Too many adjectives," he says.

Their scenes together sparkle with quick-witted dialogue. "I can read you like the top line at an optometrist's office," Colette tells Willy, surprising him with her smarts. As success comes their way, their relationship see-saws between affection and servitude. In one scene, Willy locks her in a room to write.

West's Willy is a clever kind of villain: an often well-meaning, genuinely smitten scoundrel who isn't remorseful for anything he does, even pocketing Colette's royalties. Caught with a prostitute, he defends himself with perfect unapologetic misogyny. "This is what men do!" he exclaims while hastily putting his clothes back on.

As Colette, Knightley receives that excuse as well as all other arguments for male privilege with total intolerance. Knightley, a veteran of finely costumed period pieces ("Pride & Prejudice," ''Anna Karenina"), isn't the first actress that comes to mind for playing a rule-breaking iconoclast. But she gives Colette a modern, uncompromising posture as she breezily flaunts the era's gendered orthodoxy. When her teeth are complimented, she smiles: "Like an alligator."

Still, there is little in Knightley's Colette that suggests the fire of a writer who published nearly 80 volumes in her career or the tenacity of someone who reported from the front lines of World War I. Nor is there the complexity and contradictions of a woman who so brazenly ignored - and was punished for ignoring - the time's female stereotypes while also resisting elements of the women's movement. Suffragettes, she said in 1910, deserved "the whip and the harem."

With its elegant photography by Giles Nuttgens and Thomas Ades' lush score, "Colette" may be missing some of the rebellious grit that its renegade hero deserves. It should be less polished and more punk rock. But in broad strokes, Westmoreland's film succeeds as an inspirational period tale so much for today about a woman seizing her independence. Hidden by a nom de plume and kept under lock and key, Colette bursts free.

"Colette," a Bleecker Street release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for sexuality/nudity. Running time: 121 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

This image released Bleecker Street shows Denise Gough, left, and Keira Knightley in a scene from "Colette." (Robert Viglasky/Bleecker Street via AP)

This image released Bleecker Street shows Keira Knightley, center, in a scene from "Colette." (Robert Viglasky/Bleecker Street via AP)

This image released Bleecker Street shows Dominic West, left, and Keira Knightley in a scene from "Colette." (Robert Viglasky/Bleecker Street via AP)
SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) - Authorities say a small plane operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration crashed on a street in suburban Houston, hitting two vehicles and injuring one person.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the single-engine Cessna went down around 3 p.m. Wednesday while trying to land at the nearby airport in Sugar Land. The FAA says the pilot reported engine problems just before the accident.

Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls says the plane hit some power lines before colliding with two vehicles.

Investigators look at a small plane that crashed just west of Highway 6, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, in Sugar Land, Texas. Authorities say a small plane operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration crashed on the street in suburban Houston, hitting two vehicles and injuring one person. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Nehls says three DEA employees were on the plane and one suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. He says the people in the vehicles hit by the plane suffered "bumps and bruises."

A DEA spokesman didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia's Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp has unveiled a $90 million proposal for school security focused on mental health and local control. But absent from his plan was any mention of the topic that has dominated the national conversation around school safety: guns.

"This is a school safety proposal. This has nothing to do with Second Amendment protections or gun control ideas that my opponent might have," Kemp said, referring to Democrat Stacey Abrams.

The plan includes funding for a support counselor program in high schools to assist students dealing with issues such as mental health problems, opioid abuse, bullying and violence in the home.

FILE - This combination of May 20, 2018, file photos shows Georgia gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams, left, and Brian Kemp in Atlanta. Kemp has unveiled a $90 million proposal for school security focused on mental health and local control. But absent from his plan was any mention of the topic that has dominated the national conversation around school safety: guns. Abrams' campaign said that gun safety measures are essential to keeping Georgia's schoolchildren safe. (AP Photos/John Amis, File)

The proposal also calls for a one-time $30,000 infusion for each of Georgia's 2,292 public schools that local officials can use for "school security purposes" specific to their schools. Kemp also wants to create a new school safety division within the Georgia Department of Education using existing funds from the department.

But Abrams' campaign said that gun safety measures are essential to keeping Georgia's schoolchildren safe.

"Commonsense gun safety measures, including repealing campus carry, are essential to ensuring our schools are safe," said Abrams' spokeswoman Priyanka Mantha.

Abrams' own public education plan says she'll seek "safe schools through gun safety policies" as well as a focus on school climate and supporting school mental health professionals and school resource officers. Her proposal also calls for providing resources for building improvements directed by local school districts through tax revenue.

Abrams' platform for gun safety measures includes universal background checks, the introduction of a 3-day waiting period and banning assault weapons.

One distinct area of disagreement between the candidates is whether teachers should be armed. School districts in Georgia are currently able to allow teachers to carry guns in the classroom under a law passed in 2012.

Kemp said that he believes that decision should be left up to individual school systems and that arming teachers might not be right for all.

But Abrams has said that arming teachers is dangerous and distracts them from educating.

"We arm our teachers with resources, not with .45s," Abrams said at the state Democratic convention in August.
WASHINGTON (AP) - After months of delay, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn now has a sentencing date.

A federal judge on Wednesday set Flynn's sentencing for Dec. 18, more than a year after the retired U.S. Army lieutenant general pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia during the presidential transition.

The move comes just days after prosecutors working for special counsel Robert Mueller said they were ready for Flynn's case to conclude. Flynn, a senior Trump campaign surrogate who gave a memorable speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention calling for the jailing of Democrat Hillary Clinton, has been a key cooperator in the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and coordination with Trump associates.

But prosecutors have yet to reveal the extent of his cooperation, and according to U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan's order, the public won't see any details until after the midterm election.

Prosecutors won't be required to file a sentencing memorandum - a document which usually contains the government's view on the value of the cooperation - until Dec. 4.

When he pleaded guilty last year, Flynn admitted to lying during an FBI interview about the content of his conversations with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the U.S.

According to his plea , Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions with Kislyak on Trump's behalf during the presidential transition and said members of the president's inner circle were aware of, and in some cases directing, his efforts. Flynn had urged Kislyak not to respond to sanctions imposed by the Obama administration in response to Russian election interference.

When confronted by FBI agents about the conversations, court papers say Flynn made "material false statements and omissions", which impeded what was then an FBI counterintelligence investigation. That probe was later taken over by Mueller, who has brought indictments against Russians that detail a broad campaign to attempt to help Trump's candidacy and hurt Clinton's during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Flynn's interview occurred in January 2017, shortly after he took his post as national security adviser in the Trump White House. He was forced to resign in February 2017. The White House said he was fired for misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other senior officials about the content of his conversations with Kislyak.

As part of his plea, Flynn also admitted to lying about Turkish lobbying and research work. He belatedly registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for the work weeks after he left the White House.

Flynn and other Trump campaign officials who have pleaded guilty in the Mueller investigation have not been accused of any crimes related to election interference.

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Follow Chad Day on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadSDay
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen said Wednesday that the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault "has a very credible story." But he said the Judiciary Committee should consider proceeding with a vote if she does not testify under oath.

"She has put herself out there," Bredesen said of Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her while they were both in high school. "If she decided at this point to not do something, I guess the committee has to go ahead and say, 'Well, we were willing to listen, but if she's not willing to talk, we need to go forward.'"

The Senate race in Tennessee, a reliably Republican state, is among the most competitive in the nation. Bredesen, the state's former governor, is running as a centrist against Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn and keeping a distance from national Democrats. The seat is opening up with the retirement of Republican Sen. Bob Corker.

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2018, file photo, Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen speaks at a summit on the opioid crisis in Nashville, Tenn. Bredesen said Sept. 19 that the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault "has a very credible story." But he said the Judiciary Committee should consider proceeding with a vote if she does not testify under oath. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

Bredesen has avoided saying whether he would vote to confirm Kavanaugh for the high court if he were in the Senate. In an interview with The Associated Press, he said the allegation against Kavanaugh, if true, is "close to being disqualifying, if not disqualifying."

But Bredesen said hearing directly from Ford would have significant sway over his decision.

"Even what she's done so far would impact my thinking, but not nearly as much as if she sat there and I had a chance to question her," Bredesen said.

The Judiciary Committee has invited both Ford and Kavanaugh to testify on Monday, though Ford's attendance is uncertain. She's said she wants the FBI to investigate her allegation before appearing in front of lawmakers - a stance that Democrats support but that President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans say won't happen.

Ford alleges that at a house party in the 1980s, a drunken Kavanaugh tried undressing her on a bed and stifling her cries before she fled - an accusation Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied. Kavanaugh and Ford were both students at elite private schools near Washington.

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Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC
Aerial photographs show widespread devastation to farms and industrial sites in eastern North Carolina, with tell-tale trails of rainbow-colored sheen indicating potential contamination visible on top of the black floodwaters.

However, conditions remain so bad more than five days after Hurricane Florence made landfall that the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality said its inspectors have been unable to visit the hardest hit areas or collect samples of the flood water for lab testing. The agency's regional office in Fayetteville had one foot of water inside, while other locations were without electricity.

"DEQ is waiting for travel conditions to improve ... before we can safely inspect the damage reported by farmers to the hog lagoons," said Megan Thorpe, spokeswoman for the state environmental agency. "Personally, our staff are facing damage to their homes and those who evacuated are trying to get back. Many staff are helping their colleagues with cleanup."

In this aerial photo taken Sept. 18, 2018 and released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an industrial site and a chicken farm outside Wallace, N.C., is seen that has been flooded by the nearby Northeast Cape Fear River following drenching rains from Hurricane Florence. (NOAA via AP)

State inspectors were able to make it Tuesday to a Wilmington power plant where a landfill breached last weekend, spilling enough coal ash to fill about 180 dump trucks. Duke Energy said Wednesday that water samples collected by its employees and tested at the company's own lab showed "no evidence of a coal ash impact" to nearby Sutton Lake or the Cape Fear River.

Thorpe said state environmental regulators were waiting on the results of their own testing before determining whether there were any violations of clean water quality rules.

Pressed Wednesday on whether any federal regulators were at work in the flood-impacted areas, a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency referred a reporter to a news release about a regional administrator visiting with state officials at an office in Raleigh.

"Water is still rising, flooding is widespread, and lives are still in danger," EPA Region 4 Administrator Trey Glenn said, according to the media release. "The government's first responsibility is to protect lives and the health of the citizens impacted."

State officials said they have received reports that the earthen dam at one hog lagoon in Duplin County had breached over the weekend, spilling its contents. According to figures released Wednesday four other lagoons had the same structural damage. Seventeen had been flooded by nearby rivers and 21 were so full they overflowed. The pits contained hog feces and urine. Large mounds of manure are also typically stored at poultry farms.

About 3.4 million chickens and turkeys and 5,500 hogs have been killed in flooding from Florence as rising North Carolina rivers swamped dozens of farm buildings where the animals were being raised for market, according to state officials.

An environmental threat is also posed by human waste as low-lying municipal sewage plants flood. On Sunday, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority reported that more than 5 million gallons of partially treated sewage had spilled into the Cape Fear River after power failed at its treatment plant.

Duke Energy continued cleanup operations Wednesday following a weekend breach at a coal ash landfill at its L.V. Sutton Power Station.

The coal-fired Sutton plant was retired in 2013 and replaced with a new facility that burns natural gas. The company has been excavating millions of tons of leftover ash from old pits there and removing the waste to a new lined landfill constructed on the property. The gray ash left behind when coal is burned contains toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead and mercury.

Photos from the site provided to AP by Cape Fear River Watch, an environmental advocacy group, show cascades of gray-colored water spilling from at least two breaches at the landfill and flowing toward Sutton Lake, the plant's former cooling pond which is now used for public recreation, including fishing and boating. The lake drains into the Cape Fear River.

Despite Duke's claims of no evidence of environmental harm to Sutton Lake, the company's own lab results show chemicals contained in coal ash were detected in wetlands immediately adjacent to the shoreline. An accompanying map shows the sample Duke employees tested from Sutton Lake was collected from the opposite side of the lake.

"This shows that coal ash remains a problem in North Carolina, all the more so because Duke Energy is still refusing to clean up millions of tons of its coal ash from leaking pits that contaminate our lakes and rivers every day, not just during a hurricane," said Nicholas S. Torrey, a staff attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center.

At a different power plant near Goldsboro, three old coal ash dumps capped with soil were inundated by the Neuse River. Duke said they had no indication those dumps at the H.F. Lee Power Plant were leaking ash into the river.

Staff from the Waterkeeper Alliance, an environmental advocacy group, visited the site by boat on Wednesday and took photographs and collected samples of gray-colored sludge and water they said was washing off into the floodwaters. The group said the samples would be analyzed by a private lab to determine whether the gray muck contained coal ash.

Duke's handling of ash waste has faced intense scrutiny since a drainage pipe collapsed under a waste pit at an old plant in Eden in 2014, triggering a massive spill that coated 70 miles (110 kilometers) of the Dan River in gray sludge. The utility later agreed to plead guilty to nine Clean Water Act violations and pay $102 million in fines and restitution for illegally discharging pollution from ash dumps at five North Carolina power plants. It plans to close all its ash dumps by 2029.

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Follow Associated Press investigative reporter Michael Biesecker at twitter.com/mbieseck

Chicken farm buildings are inundated with floodwater from Hurricane Florence near Trenton, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

A wastewater treatment plant is inundated from floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Marion, S.C., Monday, Sept. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

In this Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018 photo. released by Cape Fear River Watch, gray water containing coal ask flows from a ruptured landfill at the L.V. Sutton Power Station in Wilmington, N.C., and flows toward Sutton Lake, near the Cape Fear River. Duke Energy says it's initial estimate is that about 2,000 cubic yards (1,530 cubic meters) of ash were displaced at the landfill, enough to fill about 180 dump trucks. The photo was taken by Kemp Burdette with the Cape Fear River Watch, an environmental advocacy group. (Kemp Burdette/Cape Fear River Watch via AP)
HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky State Police have identified a man fatally shot after a pursuit.

Police said Wednesday that the man was 44-year-old Damon Christopher Gayheart of Owensboro. Police said he was shot by Trooper Paul Hale, a three-year veteran of state police. Hale was placed on administrative leave, pursuant to policy.

Police said earlier that the trooper was assisting Christian County sheriff's deputies who were called Monday to investigate a suspicious vehicle.

Authorities said when officers arrived, they determined the vehicle had been stolen from Akron, Ohio. 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 said officers pursued the vehicle and the trooper fatally shot the suspect during an "interaction" at the end of the pursuit.
MESQUITE, Nev. (AP) - A veteran Nevada police detective was fired Wednesday following his arrest last week on charges accusing him of sexually abusing a southern Utah teen he met on a social networking app geared toward gay and bisexual men.

Gary Erickson, who was arrested Sept. 12 in Las Vegas, is awaiting extradition to St. George, Utah, on one count of sexual abuse of a minor, one count of dealing in material harmful to a minor and three counts of sexual exploitation.

Mesquite Police Chief Troy Tanner said in a statement released late Wednesday the completion of an internal affairs investigation has resulted in his termination. The department said earlier in the day he'd been placed on paid administrative leave. He had worked there since 1999.

The St. George Spectrum, citing court documents, reported Erickson arranged a sexual encounter with the 15-year-old boy in an aquatic center locker room in St. George in August.

A St. George police detective was assigned to investigate the incident Aug. 20 after the boy's parents contacted the department, according to a court affidavit filed in Fifth District Court. They indicated he has been sending and receiving nude photographs from an unknown man.

The boy told St. George police he initially represented himself as being 18, the legal age of consent, in personal messages sent to Erickson, the newspaper reported.

It's not clear if Erickson has a lawyer or will be appointed one at a pending court appearance.

Police Sgt. Quinn Averett said in an email to The Associated Press they don't know if he has legal representation. Court records don't list a lawyer.
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) - The two Korean leaders took to the road for the final day of their summit Thursday, heading to a beautiful volcano considered sacred in the North and used in its propaganda to legitimize the Kims' three generations of rule. Their trip followed a day of wide-ranging agreements they trumpeted as a major step toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.

However, their premier accord on the issue most fascinating and worrisome - the North's pursuit of nuclear-tipped missiles that can accurately strike the U.S. mainland - contained a big condition: Kim Jong Un stated he would permanently dismantle North Korea's main nuclear complex only if the United States takes unspecified corresponding measures.

Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in flew separately to an airport near Mount Paektu on Thursday morning where they met up and drove to the mountain on the North Korean-Chinese border. Members of the Kim family are referred to as sharing the "Paektu Bloodline." The volcano topped with a deep crater lake is also emblazoned on the national emblem and lends its name to everything from rockets to power stations.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un raise their hands after watching the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

Moon plans to return to South Korea later Thursday, but the leaders are still basking in the glow of the joint statement they settled Wednesday. Compared to the vague language of their two earlier summits, Kim and Moon seem to have agreed on an ambitious program meant to tackle soaring tensions last year that had many fearing war as the North tested a string of increasingly powerful weapons.

Kim promised to accept international inspectors to monitor the closing of a key missile test site and launch pad and to visit Seoul soon, and both leaders vowed to work together to try to host the Summer Olympics in 2032.

But while containing several tantalizing offers, their joint statement appeared to fall short of the major steps many in Washington have been looking for - such as a commitment by Kim to provide a list of North Korea's nuclear facilities, a solid step-by-step timeline for closing them down, or an agreement to allow international inspectors to assess progress or discover violations.

It also was unclear what "corresponding steps" North Korea wants from the U.S. to dismantle its nuclear site.

The question is whether it will be enough for President Donald Trump to pick up where Moon has left off. Trump told reporters Wednesday that the outcome of the summit was "very good news" and that "we're making tremendous progress" with North Korea. He didn't indicate in his brief remarks whether the U.S. would be willing to take further steps to encourage North Korean action on denuclearization.

Declaring they had made a major step toward peace, Moon and Kim stood side by side Wednesday as they announced their agreement.

"We have agreed to make the Korean Peninsula a land of peace that is free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threat," Kim said. "The road to our future will not always be smooth and we may face challenges and trials we can't anticipate. But we aren't afraid of headwinds because our strength will grow as we overcome each trial based on the strength of our nation."

Moon urged unity for all Koreans in a speech he gave Wednesday night to the crowd gathered for North Korea's signature mass games. "We have lived together for 5,000 years and lived in separation for 70 years. I now propose that we completely eliminate the hostility of the past 70 years and take a big step forward in peace so that we can become one again."

Historians say the 5,000-year timeline of Korean history is a groundless claim that became part of South Korea's official narrative after being inserted in school textbooks during the rule of former dictator Chun Doo-hwan.

This week's summit comes as Moon is under increasing pressure from Washington to find a path forward in efforts to get Kim to completely - and unilaterally - abandon his nuclear arsenal.

Trump has maintained that he and Kim have a solid relationship, and both leaders have expressed interest in a follow-up summit to their meeting in June in Singapore. North Korea has been demanding a declaration formally ending the Korean War, which was stopped in 1953 by a cease-fire, but neither leader mentioned it Wednesday as they read the joint statement.

In the meantime, however, Moon and Kim made concrete moves of their own to reduce tensions on their border.

According to a statement signed by the countries' defense chiefs, the two Koreas agreed to establish buffer zones along their land and sea borders to reduce military tensions and prevent accidental clashes. They also agreed to withdraw 11 guard posts from the Demilitarized Zone by December and to establish a no-fly zone above the military demarcation line that bisects the two Koreas that will apply to planes, helicopters and drones.

Though not directly linked to security, the leaders' announcement that they would seek a joint Summer Olympics was a significant move in terms of easing tensions and building trust. It also flows from the North's decision to participate in the Pyeongchang Winter Games in February, which was regarded as a success for both sides.

Other agreements aimed at removing some longstanding irritants from their relations, such as allowing more contact between families divided by the Korean War. Moon also appeared to be making good on his proposals to help build up the North's infrastructure and open cross-border rail links.

Unlike Trump's initial tweets praising the summit, the news brought a quick and negative response from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who tweeted that he was concerned the visit would undermine efforts by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to impose "maximum pressure" on the North.

"While North Korea has stopped testing missiles and nuclear devices, they have NOT moved toward denuclearization," he tweeted.

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Klug reported from Seoul. Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul contributed to this report. Talmadge is the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter: @EricTalmadge

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, center right, and his wife Kim Jung-sook, shake hands with staff of Paekhwawon State Guesthouse before leaving for the Mount Paektu, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with a staff member of Paekhwawon State Guesthouse as his wife Kim Jung-sook looks on before leaving for the Mount Paektu, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

North Koreans perform during the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The letters read: "Welcoming President Moon Jae-in's visit in Pyongyang." (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

North Koreans perform during the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

North Koreans perform during the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. The letters read "Pyongyang-Busan." (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

An image of a map of Korean peninsular is formed by performers during the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hold their hands together after watching the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hold their hands after watching the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Unification flag symbol at top centre.(Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

A huge unification flag is seen during the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, foreground right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un raise their hands after watching the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, second from left, his wife Kim Jung-sook, left, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from right, and his wife Ri Sol Ju, greet upon their arrival before the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greet to Pyongyang citizens after watching the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

Receiving flowers from children, from left, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, his wife Kim Jung-sook, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and his wife Ri Sol Ju, before the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country" at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)
ATLANTA (AP) - A Georgia judge has ordered a redo in a state House primary election where dozens cast their ballots in the wrong race.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Chris Erwin had appeared to have won the House District 28 Republican primary in May by 67 votes over Rep. Dan Gasaway.

But Gasaway discovered that mapping mistakes led hundreds of voters to receive letters assigning them to the wrong House district.

On Wednesday, Senior Superior Court Judge David Sweat ruled that a new Republican primary election will take place Dec. 4.

The district includes about half of Habersham County, as well as Banks and Stephens counties in Georgia's northeast corner.

Because there is no Democrat in the race, the winner will become the district's state representative.

Erwin says he is ready to "run and win again."
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Gaza's Health Ministry says a 15-year-old Palestinian boy was killed by Israeli army fire during a protest near the perimeter fence with Israel.

The ministry said early Thursday that Moumin Abu Eiada was shot in the head as he participated with dozens in an overnight protest in southern Gaza.

After months of weekly marches along Israeli frontier, Hamas has accelerated the pace of protests in recent days.

Hamas hopes to press Israel and Egypt into lifting a blockade they imposed on Gaza when the militant group took control in 2007. The group has accused its main political rival, the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, of thwarting Egyptian-mediated efforts for a deal with Israel.

Rights groups say Israel killed 134 Palestinian protesters since March, including 22 who were 16 or younger.
LAREDO, Texas (AP) - The Latest on the deaths of four women who authorities say were killed by a Border Patrol agent (all times local):

10:20 p.m.

An elected leader in a South Texas city rocked by a string of brutal killings says the deaths of four women is a hate crime and that the case should be a call to action for the community.

Laredo City Councilor Nelly Vielma speaks to a crowd of family members and friends during a prayer vigil in Laredo, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Vielma said the killing of four women amounted to a hate crime and the case should be a call to action for the border city. Border Patrol supervisor Juan David Ortiz is facing four counts of murder. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Laredo City Councilwoman Nelly Vielma, the only woman on the governing panel, helped to organize a prayer vigil for the victims' family members, friends and others Wednesday at an arts complex in the city.

The complex sits along one of Laredo's more famous avenues, where authorities say Border Patrol supervisor Juan David Ortiz is accused of picking the women up, taking them to remote spots beyond city limits and shooting them.

Vielma said it's a case of "femicide" and a violation of the public's trust.

Ortiz faces four counts of murder. He also has been charged with aggravated assault and unlawful restraint of a fifth woman who escaped and alerted authorities. Vielma called that woman a hero.

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3:30 p.m.

The women who were allegedly killed by a Border Patrol supervisor in Texas led difficult lives. But their families say they dreamed of happier days ahead.

One fantasized that she would someday be famous. Another hoped to get off the streets and off of drugs. All four met similar fates. They were shot in the head and left by the roadside.

The suspect, Border Patrol supervisor Juan David Ortiz, has been described as a serial killer. His motive remains unknown.

Authorities say the three women, and a fourth whose name was released Wednesday, were sex workers, and that Ortiz knew some of them.

Relatives are now grieving. They say their loved ones were more than the hardships they endured.
The incidents the officers were involved in were tied to drugs or alcohol, the Hermosa police chief said.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Disabled and elderly people were discharged from overwhelmed hospitals with bedsores that led to fatal infections. Medical oxygen ran out. People caught lung infections in sweltering private nursing homes and state facilities. Kidney patients got abbreviated treatments from dialysis centers that lacked generator fuel and fresh water, despite pleas for federal and local officials to treat them as a higher priority, according to patient advocates.

There was Ernesto Curiel, a diabetic who died after walking 10 flights twice a day to fetch insulin from his building's only working refrigerator. Alejandro Gonzalez Vazquez, 47 - unable to obtain his antipsychotic medication, he killed himself instead of boarding his flight back to the U.S. mainland. Juana Castro Rivera, 52, dead of leptospirosis, a disease transmitted by contaminated water. After several visits to a community clinic, she was diagnosed - too late - by a hospital in a neighboring municipality.

The joint project interviewed 204 families of the dead and reviewed accounts of 283 more to tell the stories of heretofore anonymous victims. Dozens more have contacted the Quartz, CPI and AP since their results were first reported.

In this Sept. 4, 2018 photo, Maria Gonzalez Munoz, right, and Juan Manuel Gonzalez, pose with an image of Jesus surrounded by photos of her sister Ramona, when she was sick and during her funeral, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ramona, a disabled, 59-year-old who suffered from a degenerative brain disease, did not drown when Hurricane Maria drenched Puerto Rico, but instead she died a month later from sepsis, caused, says her family, by an untreated bedsore. Maria spent 30 days after the storm caring for her sister in her blacked-out home. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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.

"I was looking for help and no one came," said Maria Gonzalez Munoz, who spent 30 days after the storm caring for her disabled sister in her blacked-out home.

Ramona Gonzalez, 59, died a month after the storm, from sepsis - caused, says her family, by an untreated bedsore.

The Gonzalez home is 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the convention center that served as headquarters for thousands of federal and local emergency responders for more than a month after the storm. Maria and her brother took Ramona to a hospital twice, and tried to get her aboard a Navy medical ship in San Juan harbor, but couldn't save their ailing sister.

"No one was asking after us, no one from the government," said Gonzalez Munoz, 66.

The hurricane's true death toll has fueled debate since the first days of the storm, in large part because of the near-unique nature of the disaster.

The United States' deadliest hurricanes have killed most of their victims with powerful winds and flooding in the hours and days immediately before and after landfall. The National Hurricane Center says that Katrina struck Louisiana and other states in 2005 it caused 1,500 direct deaths and 300 indirect ones from causes like heart attacks and failed medical equipment.

Largely due to decades of neglect and years of fiscal crisis, the Puerto Rican electrical grid collapsed into the United States' longest-ever blackout after Maria hit on Sept. 20, 2017. That spawned a long and deadly tail for the storm, with hundreds of deaths coming long after the first weeks of the storm, as medical equipment failed and sick people weakened in the suffocating heat.

Researchers from George Washington University hired by Puerto Rico's government estimated last month that 2,975 people had died because of Maria in the six months after landfall, a number Puerto Rico accepted as official.

Though Trump continued to assert this week that his administration's efforts in Puerto Rico were "incredibly successful," both the local and federal governments have been heavily criticized for inadequate planning and post-storm response. The GWU report found that Puerto Rico had no plan for communication with its citizens in a crisis. The Center for Investigative Journalism found in May that the island's health department had no emergency response plan for hospitals and other medical facilities.

As for the Trump administration, more than half of federal emergency personnel in Puerto Rico were not qualified for their assigned tasks as of October 2017, a month after landfall, according to a Sept. 5 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Puerto Rico's health secretary and governor did not respond to requests for comment. The public safety secretary said he was willing to speak but was not available to comment in time for publication of this report

An after-action report by FEMA found it had underestimated the food and fresh water needed, and how hard it would be to get supplies to the island. Puerto Rico was understocked in part because Hurricane Irma struck two weeks before Maria, battering the U.S. Virgin Islands. Staff was depleted because of wildfires and other major natural disasters.

In an op-ed written in USA Today, FEMA administrator Brock Long said the report was not an admission of failure.

"Nothing can be further from the truth," he wrote. "Instead, the report is a transformational document intended to build upon successes."

Ramona Gonzalez's sister said she had long suffered from a degenerative brain disease that left her unable to get out of bed starting more than two years before the storm. Without air-conditioning, fresh water or power, she developed steadily worsening bedsores. She was admitted and sent home twice from overwhelmed San Juan hospitals, even though her relatives said they were unable to treat her sores.

Desperate, Ramona's siblings tried to get her aboard the USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship that had arrived in Puerto on Rico Oct. 3. But patients needed to be referred by San Juan's main public hospital rather than showing up directly for treatment, a complicated process. Maria Gonzalez tried unsuccessfully to get a referral from her sister's overwhelmed private hospital to the public one to the hospital ship.

"I called someone at the medical center but they put me through to another number and then someone called and said it had to be handled by a doctor over there," Maria Gonzalez said. "I said, 'But she's really bad. At least let her on the boat a few days because the heat is killing her!"

On Oct. 19, Trump said he graded the federal response to Maria as an "A-plus" and a 10 out of 10.

"We have done a really great job," he said.

Ramona Gonzalez died in hospital the next day. Her doctor did not answer phone calls or text messages seeking comment.

Tom VanLeunen, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, said the Comfort returned to San Juan on Oct. 26 and moored at a pier accessible to the public, which allowed more than 6,000 patients to be seen before it left on Nov. 20.

Over the last year, the CPI, Quartz and AP project collected hundreds of reports from Puerto Ricans who believed their relatives had died because of the storm. The names of the dead were matched against a database of death certificates released by the Puerto Rican government after a lawsuit by the CPI.

Of those that matched, journalists interviewed as many relatives of the dead as possible and reviewed responses sent to the project through online surveys when relatives couldn't be reached.

Most of the deaths in the database are considered indirect, meaning they were not caused by winds or flooding but rather made more likely because of factors like the lack of power, fresh water and medical supplies after the storm. The project did not interview the patients' doctors and the death certificates themselves make no link to Maria. The Puerto Rican government acknowledges that hundreds or thousands of deaths should have been classified as storm-related but weren't, due to doctors' lack of training on how to correctly fill out death certificates.

An analysis of every single death in Puerto Rico from the onset of Maria until the end of 2017 found that fatal incidents of sepsis, a life-threatening complication of infection, rose nearly 44 percent, to 325, when compared to the average of the previous three years. Kidney-related fatalities rose nearly 43 percent, to 211.

The analysis also showed big jumps in deaths related to respiratory diseases, accidents, and suicides, as well as increases in deaths among Puerto Ricans ages 30 to 44, despite the widespread belief that the disaster mostly affected the aged.

Dr. Cruz Maria Nazario, an epidemiologist and professor at the medical school of the University of Puerto Rico, said the island's medical system had failed in the hurricane due to a lack of long-term preparation that continued up until the days immediately before Maria landed.

"These are deaths that could have been avoided," Nazario said.

Puerto Rico's governor said last week that his administration has adopted new measures to better prepare for a disaster like Maria although he warned of limitations given the U.S. territory's economic crisis.

Rossello said two warehouses filled with water and food are operating in the island's north and south coasts, and that another two will open soon. Prior to Maria, there were none.

He also said the government now has lists that identify vulnerable populations, including those who live in nursing homes, and direct emergency lines have been installed in some nursing homes and other vulnerable locations.

Puerto Rico has one of the United States' highest rates of kidney failure but federal and local emergency plans classified dialysis as a relatively low priority for emergency supplies of fuel and water, despite pleas from patient advocates, said Angela Diaz, executive director of the Renal Council of Puerto Rico, a non-profit group that tries to improve conditions for kidney disease patents.

With public water systems down due to lack of power after the Category 4 storm, Puerto Rico's 46 private dialysis centers swiftly ran out of specially treated water necessary for dialysis, forcing them to ration care, she said.

"We were there at FEMA headquarters practically shouting, 'This site doesn't have water, it hasn't arrived,'" Diaz said. "They came, eventually. But the thinking at first was, they're private, they need to take care of it themselves."

Orlando Lopez Martinez developed diabetes decades ago and the disease damaged his kidneys and forced him to begin dialysis toward the end of 2014. When Maria hit, he had just undergone surgery on an infected foot.

The private center in far western Puerto Rico where he received 4 hours of dialysis three days a week shut down, and he missed four days of treatment over more than a week, according to friends and family.

When it reopened, it rationed dialysis and Lopez received two hours of dialysis per session, less than half of what he received before the storm, friends and family said.

"His face changed color completely. His face was really pale. He got dialysis and changed back, his face got color. But in those days after the storm he looked pale, yellowish, really bad," said Lady Diana Torres, the mother of Lopez' 10-year-old daughter Paola.

Lopez died on Oct. 10. He was 48. The official cause of death was a heart attack brought on by kidney disease.

There was no answer at the publicly listed number for Lopez's primary doctor.

This month, Paola wrote about her father when her teacher asked the class to hand in short essays about the people they considered their hero.

"In my memories, I have my super hero, strong and protective, who takes care of me and loves me," she wrote. "He had a lot of battles, but in the last battle, Hurricane Maria beat him."

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Associated Press writers Danica Coto and Colleen Long and data journalist Larry Fenn contributed to this report.

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Michael Weissenstein, AP Caribbean news director, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mweissenstein

Ana Campoy, Quartz correspondent, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ana_campoy .

Omaya Sosa, co-founder of Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/omayasosa .

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Online:

Interactive database of victims: http://hurricanemariasdead.com

Database in Spanish: http://losmuertosdemaria.com

In this Sept. 5, 2018 photo, Lady Diana Torres, left, and her daughter Paula Nicole Lopez, pose with photos of their late husband and father Orlando Lopez Martinez, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Lopez, who died at age 48 on Oct. 10, developed diabetes when he was 11, forcing him to begin dialysis. The center where he received dialysis shut down after Hurricane Maria hit, and after missing some treatments over more than a week, the center rationed his dialysis, according to friends and family. The official cause of death was a heart attack brought on by kidney disease. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Sept. 4, 2018 photo, Gloria Rosado Ortiz poses with an image of her late husband Ernesto Curiel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Curiel, a 60-year-old who had heart problems and diabetes, walked 10 flights of stairs to the ground floor of his condominium, twice a day, to get insulin from a refrigerator cooled by a generator after Hurricane Maria hit. On Oct. 29, he died of a heart attack. Rosado applied to FEMA in Nov. 2017 for financial aid to defray $4,000 in funeral costs, and was told it was going to take some time due to the large number of applications following the rise in the official death toll. "He was in a fragile state, but not so fragile that he'd only last a month after the hurricane," said Ortiz. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2017 file photo, three containers for holding corpses, right, sit parked outside the Institute of Forensic Science, brought to give support in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the institute press spokesman confirmed their facilities no longer provided enough space to store bodies, and that several hospital morgues are also full. 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. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2017 file photo, Carmen Hernandez, who lives in a senior living facility that lacks water and electricity in the wake of Hurricane Maria, is evaluated by a doctor after she fell, as she sits still for the doctor inside a car parked outside the hospital for lack of space in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Following the storm, disabled and elderly people were discharged from overwhelmed hospitals with bedsores that led to fatal infections. Medical oxygen ran out. People caught lung infections in sweltering private nursing homes and state facilities. Kidney patients got abbreviated treatments from dialysis centers that lacked generator fuel and fresh water, despite pleas for federal and local officials to treat them as a higher priority, according to patient advocates. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2017 file photo, a Puerto Rican National Guard delivers food and water brought by helicopter in the San Lorenzo neighborhood of Morovis, Puerto Rico, two weeks after Hurricane Maria hit. Puerto Rico was understocked in food and fresh water in part because Hurricane Irma struck two weeks before Maria, battering the U.S. Virgin Islands. Staff was depleted because of wildfires and other major natural disasters. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2017 file photo, the rubble of homes are scattered in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, one week after the storm hit. Puerto Rico's governor said one year after the storm that his administration has adopted new measures to better prepare for a disaster like Maria although he warned of limitations given the U.S. territory's economic crisis. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2017 file photo, people who lost access to water in the wake of Hurricane Maria gather at pipes carrying water from a mountain creek, on the side of the road in Utuado, Puerto Rico, almost one month after the storm hit. An after-action report by FEMA found it had underestimated the food and fresh water needed, and how hard it would be to get supplies to the island. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2017 file photo, Roberto Figueroa Caballero sits in his home destroyed by Hurricane Maria, two weeks after the storm hit La Perla neighborhood on the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Figueroa, who wanted to stay at home with his dog during the storm, said he was evicted by police and taken to a shelter for the night. When he returned the next day and saw what was left of his home, he decided to put his salvageable items back where they originally were, as if his home still had walls, saying that it frees his mind. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

FILE - In this June 7, 2018 file photo, Nerybelle Perez holds a picture of her father, World War II veteran Efrain Perez, who died inside an ambulance after being turned away from the largest public hospital when it had no electricity or water, days after Hurricane Maria hit Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Researchers from George Washington University hired by Puerto Rico's government estimated in Aug. 2018 that 2,975 people had died because of Maria in the six months after landfall, a number Puerto Rico accepted as official. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2017 file photo, a resident tries to connect electrical lines downed by Hurricane Maria in preparation for when electricity is restored in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, about three weeks after the storm. Largely due to decades of neglect and years of fiscal crisis, the Puerto Rican electrical grid collapsed into the United States' longest-ever blackout after Maria hit on Sept. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2017 file photo, police lift the coffin of fellow officer Luis Angel Gonzalez, during his funeral at the cemetery in Aguada, Puerto Rico. Gonzalez died when he tried to navigate a river crossing in his car during the passing of Hurricane Maria. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)
NEW YORK (AP) - A daughter who never returned home, a son gunned down point-blank, a mom who was attacked - all deaths at the hands of immigrants in the country illegally, all gripping stories the White House has been eager to share.

But for all the talk of murderers, rapists and other "bad hombres," those netted in President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration are typically accused of lesser offenses, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are increasingly apprehending those with no criminal records at all.

"Unshackling ICE has really allowed it to go after more individuals," said Sarah Pierce, a policy analyst with the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute who calls the apprehension of noncriminal immigrants, in particular, "a defining characteristic of this administration's approach to immigration."

In this photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, Louis Alberto Enamorado Gomez stands with his daughter, Jeydi, 1, and son, Justin, 3, at their home in Grandview, Mo. Living in the U.S. since 2005, Gomez is fighting a deportation order stemming from a 2012 DUI charge because he fears what his removal would mean for his seven children, all U.S. citizens for whom he is the sole provider. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

The case of Mollie Tibbetts - a 20-year-old Iowa college student authorities say was killed by a man living in the U.S. illegally - is among the latest used by Trump to advance his argument for stricter immigration controls. Yet government statistics show such cases are far more likely to be the exception than the rule.

ICE arrests of noncriminals soared 66 percent in the first nine months of the 2018 fiscal year over the same period a year earlier. Arrests of convicts, meantime, rose 2 percent. More noncriminals have also been deported. Among those expelled from the U.S. interior in fiscal 2017, there was a 174 percent increase from the previous year of those with no criminal convictions. Deportations of those with convictions rose nearly 13 percent over the same period.

The result is immigration courts are filling with defendants like Melissa Aispuro, 20, of Tucson, Arizona, who only came in contact with police because she called to report a car accident.

Aispuro was brought to the U.S. as a child and returned to Mexico for a time after high school before crossing back into the country in 2016. She entered legally with a border crossing card, but overstayed.

She hadn't even considered police would call ICE on someone with no criminal record.

"Not all of us are criminals. Some just come here for education, for a better life," said Aispuro, who is married to a U.S. citizen and fighting her deportation. "You can think whatever you want, but in my heart I know what I am."

ICE has heralded its deportations of drug kingpins and others accused of serious offenses, and in the 2017 fiscal year, it reported that 56 percent of all deportees it processed had been convicted of crimes. But under Trump, as with prior administrations, when a deportee does have a criminal record, it's generally for lesser infractions.

Among more than 220,000 deportees in the 2017 fiscal year, 79,270 had no convictions, according to ICE data housed by the Transactional Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Of those with a record, according to the data, 1 in 4 had illegal entry or re-entry to the U.S. as their most serious offenses. Those two counts represented the first- and third-most common charges among deportees. Driving under the influence was second, followed by assault convictions and traffic offenses. Drug trafficking, burglary, domestic violence, larceny and selling marijuana rounded out the top 10 offenses.

The rest of those with a record were convicted of a wide range of misdeeds, both grave crimes like kidnapping and minor offenses including taking a joy ride, gambling or violating a fish conservation statute.

Ruben Moroyoqui, a 45-year-old mechanic in Tucson, had no conviction at all. His only run-in with police, his attorney said, was when he was pulled over last year while picking up auto parts. The officer asked for his license, Moroyoqui said, and then inquired: "Are you here legally?" He wasn't cited for any driving violation but was handed over to ICE, which began proceedings to deport him to Mexico. An appeal is pending.

Moroyoqui entered the country with authorization 16 years ago but then overstayed his visa. He has four U.S. citizen children and said he has always paid his taxes. "I feel great respect and love for this country," he said.

With a spotlight this summer on the separation of immigrant children and their parents, Trump tried to refocus attention on dangerous immigrants by hosting a White House event with relatives of those killed by people in the country illegally. "These are the American citizens that are permanently separated from their loved ones," Trump said. "These are the stories that Democrats and the people that are weak on immigration, they don't want to discuss."

And yet the most serious crimes, such as murder and rape, are relatively rare among deportees. Studies also have found immigrants to the U.S. have a lower level of criminality than citizens.

Daniel Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supports restrictive immigration measures, said focusing solely on whether those in the country illegally have committed a serious crime ignores the law and that those residents should be deported regardless of whether they have a rap sheet.

"Who decided that the policy of the United States was that anybody could come into the country regardless of the law as long as you didn't commit a violent felony?" he asked.

Stein said many in the country illegally likely have committed crimes - including securing employment by fraudulent means - but haven't been caught yet. Ignoring that fact, he said, makes a mockery of immigration laws.

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Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org or https://twitter.com/sedensky

In this photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, Louis Alberto Enamorado Gomez stands in the living room of his home in Grandview, Mo. Living in the U.S. since 2005, Gomez is fighting a deportation order stemming from a 2012 DUI charge because he fears what his removal would mean for his seven children, all U.S. citizens for whom he is the sole provider. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, Louis Alberto Enamorado Gomez gets a kiss from his daughter, Jeydi, 1, at their home in Grandview, Mo. Living in the U.S. since 2005, Gomez is fighting a deportation order stemming from a 2012 DUI charge because he fears what his removal would mean for his seven children, all U.S. citizens for whom he is the sole provider. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Ruben Moyoroqui, right, talks with his son, Rafael, in his auto repair shop in Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. Moyoroqui, who came to the U.S. from Mexico in 2001 but overstayed his visa, has four American-born children. When he was pulled over last year, he wasn't cited with any driving infraction but when the office became aware Moroyoqui was in the U.S. illegally, immigration authorities were alerted and he was taken into custody. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Ruben Moyoroqui poses for a portrait in his auto repair shop in Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. Moyoroqui, who came to the U.S. from Mexico in 2001 but overstayed his visa, has four American-born children. When he was pulled over last year, he wasn't cited with any driving infraction but when the office became aware Moroyoqui was in the U.S. illegally, immigration authorities were alerted and he was taken into custody. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Nowhere is gender politics thicker in the election season air than in the mannerly U.S. Senate as it considers what President Donald Trump's choice for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, did or didn't do in high school.

Christine Blasey Ford's accusation of sexual assault - and Kavanaugh's staunch denial - has ignited a tense, gender-infused war among the Senate's 100 members, 23 of whom are women.

Whether Kavanaugh and Ford testify under oath, and to what details, has enormous stakes for President Donald Trump and the Nov. 6 midterm elections - not to mention American men, women, teenagers, parents, schools and anyone who rises to the top of a profession in the #MeToo era.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, right, reacts to a question from a reporter on the Senate subway, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, as she responds to questions about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A look at how it's playing out in the Senate:

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WHERE IT STANDS

Ford says she doesn't want to publicly testify until the FBI adds to Kavanaugh's background check by investigating her allegation. Her lawyers wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee saying Ford wants to cooperate. But in the days since she publicly accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her at a party more than three decades ago, the lawyers said, she has been the target of "vicious harassment and even death threats." Her family has relocated, they said.

Republicans are rejecting Ford's call for an FBI investigation, putting the onus back on her to decide whether she'll testify anyway. They say she can testify in a private session if she wishes. Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Wednesday also offered to send his staff to Ford, "at a time and place convenient to her."

Trump, counseled not to dismiss or insult Ford - as he has with women who accused him of sexual misconduct - has showered sympathy on his embattled nominee and said he wants to hear from Ford. He also rejected the idea of bringing in the FBI. (Trump, too, has denied all accusations against him.)

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KEY FACTOIDS

For now, the ball is the committee's to play, but precedent and some key numbers put the GOP majority in an exquisitely uncomfortable spot.

Majority Republicans, haunted by the panel's 1991 treatment of Anita Hill during Justice Clarence Thomas' confirmation hearings, say the invitation to testify publicly on Monday stands.

11 Republicans sit on the committee, opposite 10 Democrats.

Zero: That's how many women sit among the panel's Republicans, who will cross-examine Ford. Republicans said late Tuesday they were considering hiring outside attorneys, presumably including women, to question the witnesses.

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THE SIX

Of the Senate women, six are Republicans.

They are Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi.

Only Fischer and Hyde-Smith are on the ballot this year.

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REPUBLICAN SKEPTICS

A restrained Trump said Wednesday he wants to hear what Ford has to say.

"If she shows up and makes a credible showing that'll be very interesting. We'll have to make a decision," he told reporters. But he added that Kavanaugh "is such an outstanding man. Very hard for me to imagine that anything happened."

Some Republicans pointed to the decades between the alleged attack and now.

"There are gaps in her memory," the Senate's No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, said, referring to details Ford has said she can't remember. "She doesn't know how she got there, when it was and so that would logically be something where she would get questions."

"Requiring an FBI investigation of a 36-year-old allegation (without specific references to time or location) ... is not about finding the truth, but delaying the process until after the midterm elections," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement.

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DEMOCRATIC WOMEN

Standing up for a fair hearing should not just come down to women, said Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii.

"Guess who is perpetrating all of these kinds of actions? It's the men in this country," Hirono said at a news conference Tuesday. "I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing, for a change."

Wednesday on CNN, she described the Senate's treatment of Ford as "callousness from my colleagues that I am totally appalled by."

"She hardly expected to be revictimized and retraumatized," Hirono said.

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REPUBLICAN WOMEN

Ernst is a retired combat veteran who's talked publicly about facing sexual harassment in the military during more than two decades of service, and she's worked in the Senate to combat sex abuse. On Kavanaugh, she said Ford's story is important.

"If she is accusing him of something so egregious, she needs to be heard," Ernst told Radio Iowa on Tuesday.

Hyde-Smith questioned the timing of the revelation by Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California last week that Feinstein had known about the case for weeks and referred it to the FBI. Ford, initially reluctant to go public, did so after reporters got wind of it and started asking questions.

"I have serious reservations regarding the questionable timing and handling of this last-minute allegation," Hyde-Smith said in a statement. "This process should go forward so both sides can be heard."

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POTENTIAL 2020 DEMOCRATS

The controversy hands Senate Democrats considering challenging Trump in 2020 a rich opportunity, and they're taking it.

New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called the allegation "disqualifying" and said she believes Ford.

"To refuse to treat this properly and try to confirm Judge Kavanaugh at any cost tells women that once again they are not important and they are not to be believed," Gillibrand said, adding, "that you are worth less than a man's promotion."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts posted a video on her Twitter feed of a speech Kavanaugh gave in 2015 in which he recalls his life with three friends at Georgetown Preparatory School.

"What happens at Georgetown Prep stays at Georgetown Prep," Kavanaugh said, describing the philosophy. "That's been a good thing for all of us, I think."

"I can't imagine any parent accepting this view," Warren tweeted Tuesday. "Is this really what America wants in its next Supreme Court Justice?"

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Follow Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, speaks to members of the media on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Senate Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, responds to reporters' questions on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined from left by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks with reporters about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh following their weekly policy meetings, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
SPANGLE, Wash. (AP) - In the aptly named Harvester Restaurant, wheat farmer Roy Dube makes clear he's no fan of President Donald Trump's trade policy.

"We get him elected into office and he pulls us out of trade agreements," Dube said last week as local farmers gathered to hear Democratic House candidate Lisa Brown.

Dube says China is buying less wheat from eastern Washington farmers and Trump's policies have opened the door for Australia and Canada to wrestle away business. His frustration extends to his congressional representative, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House and running for an eighth term.

FILE - In this July 17, 2018, photo, Lisa Brown, the Democratic opponent to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., speaks during a candidates forum in Colfax, Wash. Some Democratic candidates are determined not to let Republican members of Congress distance themselves from the president's trade policies. Their efforts play into voter concerns that Congress should be more of a check on Trump. Republicans hope that a strong economy carries them to victory. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

"I'm concerned that Cathy McMorris Rodgers didn't put up more resistance," Dube said.

The U.S. tariffs on agriculture products, sown by Trump, have grown into an election-year threat to Republicans in rural districts that are heavily reliant on exports for their economy. With the livelihoods of farmers at risk, opposition to the tariffs could make a difference in some races and help determine which party takes control of Congress.

McMorris Rodgers has made it clear she opposes the president's actions on tariffs, but so far, the Republican-controlled House has not taken up legislation to block them. Democrats characterize GOP lawmakers as unable or unwilling to check Trump, who has declared that "tariffs are the greatest."

"My opponent, though she would say she's concerned and talking to the administration about these issues, she's still mostly a cheerleader for the president," said Brown, a former state legislator.

Facing what appears to be the tightest re-election race of her career, McMorris Rodgers is emphasizing that she has encouraged the president to "move from tariffs to agreement."

"I have made it very clear that I don't support the across-the-board tariffs, that we should take a more targeted approach," McMorris Rodgers told The Associated Press.

Clues that the president's trade policies will play a role in the November midterm elections can be seen in Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's travel schedule. Over the past few months, he's been to Eastern Washington to join McMorris Rodgers in meeting with farmers. He's also been to California's Central Valley to meet with farmers in the districts of Republican Reps. Jeff Denham and David Valadao. He also went to Iowa, where Republican Reps. David Young and Rod Blum are both in close races.

The battle for the Senate could also be affected by the tariff issue, particularly in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, where Republicans hope to knock off three Democratic incumbents.

The president has tried to allay farmers' concerns with an aid package of up to $12 billion to help them weather the trade war.

J. Read Smith, a rancher near St. John, Washington, said he shares Trump's goal of seeking a level playing field in trade.

"But antagonizing our trading partners is not the way to do it," said Smith, who emphasized that he is not a Democrat. "I'm an American."

Aaron Flansburg, who runs a diversified farm near Pullman, Washington, said he's skeptical the tariffs will change the way most farmers vote, though.

"Farmers often vote for Republicans," Flansburg said. "Whether that will change, I have my doubts."

McMorris Rodgers said it's her sense that voters are willing to give the president time to negotiate better agreements.

"Yes, there's a lot of uncertainty. There's a sense that we need to get these trade agreements into place as soon as possible, but there's also a recognition that for too long America has not taken action, especially against China," she said.

The United States is scheduled to slap tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports Monday, adding to the more than $50 billion worth that already face U.S. import taxes.

China retaliated with its own tariffs on U.S. products. The world's two biggest economies are clashing over allegations that China steals technology from American companies.

The Trump administration also imposed a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum that included imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico - and just about everyone else - in the name of national security.

Those tariffs also drew retaliation. For example, the EU targeted bourbon, a key industry in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's home state of Kentucky, where Republican Rep. Andy Barr and Democratic challenger Amy McGrath are battling in a close election.

Overall, about 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of how the president is handling trade negotiations with other countries.

Farm groups have testified in congressional hearings that retaliatory tariffs increase the cost of their products for customers abroad, giving foreign competitors an edge.

"The current tariffs, continuing back-and-forth retaliatory actions and trade uncertainties are hitting American agriculture from all sides and are causing us to lose our markets. Once you lose a market, it is really tough to get it back," said Kevin Paap, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau.

Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, who is overseeing Democratic efforts in House races, pointed to Iowa as a state where he believes the administration's tariffs could backfire. He said primary turnout was up, in part because small family farmers and the businesses they buy from are worried. "I really believe that in those districts, you'll see people come forward and hold everyone accountable not standing up for them," Lujan said.

GOP lawmakers from Iowa, including Young and Blum, signed onto a letter calling on the president to act quickly to save rural economies. Blum also wrote Trump separately urging him to "consider the consequences tariffs have on American manufacturers."

When the president visited Blum's district a few days later, he thanked him for his "political courage" on trade.

"You've taken some heat for it in the short term, but in the long run, the farmers, the manufacturers, the employers are all going to be better off," Blum told the president.

His Democratic challenger, Abby Finkenauer, has seized on that thank you.

"There is no way he should stand there and thank the administration for throwing the livelihoods of Iowans in flux," Finkenauer said.

Republicans are putting their faith in the economy.

Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said that he personally views tariffs as damaging in the long term but that it's not an issue that constituents bring up.

"As long as the economy overall is doing well, it's hard to see losing on tariff issues," Cole said.

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Freking reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Juana Summers in Washington contributed to this report.
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A court in northern Vietnam has sentenced a former primary schoolteacher to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty on charges of attempting to overthrow the communist government.

Dao Quang Thuc, 58, was convicted of posting on his Facebook page articles with "reactionary contents," the official Vietnam News Agency reported. The People's Court in Hoa Binh province on Wednesday also convicted him of associating with a California-based exiled anti-communist group called the Provisional Central Government of Vietnam, which the Hanoi government declared a terrorist organization.

The court also ordered Thuc to serve five years of house arrest following his sentence.

In this Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, photo, activist Dao Quang Thuc stands trial in Hoa Binh, Vietnam. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of attempting to overthrow the government by the People's Court in Hoa Binh province Wednesday. (Vu Thi Ha/ Vietnam News Agency via AP)

Court officials were not available for comment Thursday.

Dozens of activists have been convicted for violating the national security law since the beginning of the year. Last month, a court in Ho Chi Minh City sentenced 12 activists including two Americans of Vietnamese descent to up to 14 years on similar charges.

Despite sweeping economic reforms since the mid-1980s that opened Vietnam to foreign trade and investment and made it one of fastest-growing economies in the world, the communist government tolerates no challenge to its one-party rule.

Some Western governments and international human rights groups often criticize Vietnam for jailing people for peacefully expressing their views, while Hanoi maintains that only law breakers are put behind bars.

Last week, rights campaigners from Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights were barred from entering the country to attend the World Economic Forum in Hanoi.
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) - There is no more sacred place in North Korea than Mount Paektu - and getting South Korean President Moon Jae-in to such a spot is a propaganda coup unlike any other.

The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered not only to be the birthplace of the mythical Dangun, the first ruler of Korea, but also the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution.

It was from the dense forests around Paektu that national founder Kim Il Sung's guerrilla resistance battled the Japanese colonial forces that governed the entire Korean Peninsula until their country's defeat ended World War II in 1945.

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, North Korean soldiers adjust their hats before posing for a photo on a viewing platform overlooking the caldera of Mount Paektu in North Korea. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

As every North Korean schoolchild could tell you, it is riddled with "secret campsites" where Kim's supporters fought for Korean independence and honed the revolutionary spirit that would eventually enable them to rise to power after the Japanese were forced out and their own nation split in two as the United States and Soviet Union tried to assert yet another foreign political agenda on the Korean people.

Images of Paektu are everywhere in the North.

It is on the logo of the state-run television network. Giant mosaics of Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il - current leader Kim Jong Un's father - standing on the rim of its crater, the shining blue waters of Lake Chon in the caldera below, are ubiquitous. Slogans referring to Paektu are almost too numerous to keep track of. Kim Jong Un and his forbearers, in fact, are often simply called "the peerlessly great men of Mount Paektu."

Kim Jong Un has made Paektu, which straddles the border with China, something of a pet project.

He has visited the mountain several times and has ordered the closest city, Samjiyon, rebuilt into a showcase of the socialist revolution.

The Associated Press was allowed to see the city last month as Kim was making an inspection tour. The scene was almost Biblical in its scale - tens of thousands of "soldier-builders" in olive-colored uniforms and yellow hardhats had been mobilized to essentially build the new, model city up from the ground. Workers and students joined them, digging ditches, flattening the surfaces of new roads.

A similar, but smaller-scale scene was taking place simultaneously on the mountain itself.

On a face of the mountain visible just beyond the area where visitors view Paektu's crater lake, workers were putting the final touches on the lettering of a slogan in praise of the Kim family.

On Thursday, Moon was almost sure to see that slogan - "Mount Paektu is the Sacred Soul of the Revolution," with the signature of Kim Il Sung - freshly painted in white.

In North Korea, everything is political. Even the mountains.

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Talmadge is the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter: @EricTalmadge

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, North Korean workers build a heating system for the giant characters for "Mount Paektu" and "Kim Jong Il" so that the characters will remain clear when snow falls on Mount Paektu in North Korea. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, Chinese tourists pose for photos overlooking the caldera of Mount Paektu in North Korea. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this June 18, 2014, file photo, a North Korean woman walks on the peak of Mount Paektu in North Korea's Ryanggang province. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, a North Korean soldier walks up the slopes on Mount Paektu in North Korea. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, North Korean workers rest as they enjoy the scene from a viewing platform overlooking the caldera of Mount Paektu in North Korea. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, North Korean railway workers enjoy an outing on the banks of Chon Lake in the caldera of Mount Paektu in North Korea. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this June 18, 2014, file photo, clouds float over the peak of Mount Paektu in North Korea. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, File)

FILE - In this April 2, 2012, file photo, North Korean soldiers walk on a snowy mountain road at the base of Mount Paektu, North Korea near a secret camp that is said to have been the home of the late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung and the birthplace of his son and late leader Kim Jong Il. There is no more sacred a place in North Korea than Mount Paektu. The still active volcano, site of one the most violent eruptions in history, is considered to be the spiritual epicenter of the North Korean revolution. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, File)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - As South Carolina rivers overflowed from Florence's torrential rain, deputies taking two women to a mental health facility drove into floodwaters that engulfed their van and trapped the women inside, officials said Wednesday.

The two deputies worked to free the women, who were being transported Tuesday night as part of a court order, but were not able to save them from the back of the van, Horry County Sheriff Phillip Thompson told reporters.

"I'm not sure if it was the way the van was positioned, against a guardrail, or if it was pressure from the water, but unfortunately they were not able to get the van doors open and get the ladies out," Thompson said.

Responders congregate Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018 near where two people drowned Tuesday evening when they were trapped in a Horry County Sheriff transport van while crossing an overtopped bridge over the Little Pee Dee River on Hwy 76, during rising floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Marion County, S.C. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Rescue crews needed about 45 minutes to find the van, which was underwater at that point, and plucked the Horry County deputies from the roof, the sheriff said. Officials said the van was in Marion County near the Little Pee Dee River, one of the bodies of water state officials are watching closely after Florence.

Because of darkness, responders decided trying to retrieve the women's bodies from the van Tuesday night wasn't safe. That effort resumed Wednesday morning, and Thompson said a specialized crew was being flown in from Charleston to assist. At nearly 7 p.m. Wednesday, State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry confirmed the bodies had been recovered.

Thompson identified the women as Windy Newton, 45, and Nicolette Green, 43. Earlier Wednesday, Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson had identified Newton with a different last name.

Thompson told reporters that deputies appear to have driven around a barrier blocking the road but the investigation is ongoing.

"It hasn't been confirmed to me that they did, but here's my question: There's barriers there. It could be assumed that he did," Thompson said Wednesday.

Justin Bamberg, a state lawmaker and lawyer who has represented the families of several people injured or killed by law enforcement officers, said he's perplexed by the decision to transport anyone in such uncertain weather conditions.

"If that road is in an area where it is a flood risk, and waters were rising, why were they driving on that road anyway?" he said. "People need to know exactly how it happened. It makes it seem like someone took a very unnecessary risk in creating the problem in the first place."

The incident has spawned investigations by the State Law Enforcement Division and Highway Patrol. Thompson said he has also begun an internal investigation and put the deputies involved - Joshua Bishop and Stephen Flood - on administrative leave.

A woman who answered the phone at a number listed for Flood told a reporter he didn't want to talk to anyone. There was no answer at a number listed for Bishop.

Thompson said he did not think the women were in restraints in the back of the van, noting that restraints are used for combative patients "and I understand they were not."

The women had been involuntarily committed by a physician, authorities said.

Under South Carolina law, people who have been certified by a physician as posing an imminent risk of harm to themselves by virtue of mental illness and are the subject of an involuntary emergency admission must be transported by law enforcement to whichever designated hospital has agreed to admit them, according to officials with the state's Department of Mental Health.

According to statute, the documents authorizing the admission require "a law enforcement officer, preferably in civilian clothes and preferably with crisis intervention training, to take into custody and transport the person to the hospital designated by the certification."

The sheriff said his agency acts as a courier in such situations, to follow a judge's wishes.

Neither woman has an arrest record in South Carolina, according to documents obtained from state police. Their names also yielded no records in the Horry County jail and court index systems.

Newton had posted on her Facebook page that she previously had been hospitalized for mental illness. She posted multiple times about her struggles.

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AP photographer Gerald Herbert in Conway and AP writer Jeffrey Collins in Columbia contributed to this report.

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Kinnard can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP . Read her work at https://apnews.com/search/meg%20kinnard .
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Republicans' chances of keeping their majority in the U.S. Senate have become shakier as races in red states such as Texas have tightened, but the party's most vulnerable member insists he's bullish about his re-election in Nevada.

Sen. Dean Heller has faced tight races before but never lost an election. He's now in the fight of his career to keep his Senate seat in a blue-trending state that Hillary Clinton carried in 2016.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah. I'll win," Heller told reporters last week in Reno.

President Donald Trump, left, embraces Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., during a campaign rally Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

To win, he's performing political acrobatics, aligning himself with President Donald Trump while trying to keep his distance from the scandals surrounding the president.

"Eighty percent of what this president has done has been very, very good, very positive," Heller said. He listed the economy, low unemployment, jobs and trade among the president's accomplishments.

"The other 20 percent ... he has a reality show. I get it. It's a reality show," the senator said.

Heller once said he "vehemently" opposed Trump and returned one of his campaign donations, but at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Thursday night, he and the president heaped praise on each other.

Heller has formed an alliance with Trump after drawing the president's ire last year when he held up Republican efforts to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care law.

Trump said Thursday that when he and Heller started out, "We weren't friends. I didn't like him. He didn't like me."

"As we fought and fought and fought, believe it or not, we started to respect each other," Trump went on. "Then we started to like each other. Then we started to love each other."

Heller on Thursday credited the president for improving the economy, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the job market.

"Mr. President, it's an honor to work with you and put Nevada back to work," Heller said.

Heller, who is set to also appear with Trump at a veterans' event and fundraiser in Las Vegas on Friday, has refrained over the past year from criticizing Trump and refuses to comment on his tweets, saying if he did, it would be "a full-time job and I already have one."

The president saved Heller from a costly and damaging primary battle earlier this year by persuading a further-right primary challenger, Danny Tarkanian, to drop out of the Senate race and instead seek a House seat.

Heller is now in a tight race with Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen, a first-term congresswoman who stands to benefit from a wave of Democratic and female activism fueled by opposition to Trump.

To win, Heller has to get support from nonpartisans, who make up about 21 percent of the state's active voters, while ensuring that Republicans, including those still resentful over his past criticism of Trump, vote for him.

Among the GOP, "I think everybody was angry with the fact that Dean Heller distanced himself," said Lisa Mayo-DeRiso, a Republican campaign consultant in Las Vegas. "But Republicans, whether you are going to hold your nose and vote for Dean Heller, whether you're one of those Republicans, I think at the end of the day, you have to look at those core values."

Heller's last re-election, in 2012, was razor-thin. He had a one-point victory over Democrat Shelley Berkley, a former state lawmaker who spent 15 years in Congress and ran with more name recognition than Rosen.

Heller also won that year despite Obama winning the state by nearly seven points.

But this year "is a different environment," said Greg Ferraro, a Reno-based Republican political consultant and public relations firm owner. "Voters are probably paying attention more than they have in the past."

Voters on both sides of the aisle know the Nevada race is key for Democrats trying to flip control of the Senate, he said, and the big question will be whether they view the race through a national lens and make it about Trump or just consider Heller's record.

Rosen has hammered Heller over the president's immigration policies, the senator's eventual support for Republican-led plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act, his role in crafting the GOP tax overhaul and his backing of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

The Nevada Independent and The New York Times reported that Heller on Wednesday described the furor over sexual assault allegations involving Kavanaugh as a "hiccup" and that the judge would ultimately be confirmed.

In a tweet, Rosen said: "Unbelievable: Senator Heller just dismissed a credible sexual assault allegation as a 'hiccup.'"

Heller, in a statement Thursday, said he does "not believe sexual assault allegations of any kind are a hiccup."

While he's aligned himself with Trump, Heller has focused his campaign on Nevada veterans, the improving economy and what he's delivered while serving in the Senate since 2011. He's painted his opponent as someone who sought a promotion after only six months in the House.

"She's introducing herself to the rest of the state while he's making the case that he's been hard at work," Ferraro said.

Heller has outraised Rosen so far, with $10.6 million in campaign contributions to her $9.2 million. But outside groups have poured $17 million into the race - about $10 million of which was spent to oppose Heller or support Rosen, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

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Associated Press writer Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he arrives to a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

FILE- In this April 20, 2018, file photo, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., speaks at a picnic for veterans in Las Vegas. Democrats hoping to take control of the U.S. Senate in November believe one of their best chances to pick up a seat this year lies in battleground Nevada, where Sen. Dean Heller is the only Republican running for re-election in a state that Democrat Hillary Clinton carried in 2016. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

In this Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 photo, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., listens to a veteran's concerns following a roundtable in Reno, Nev. Heller is considered one of the most vulnerable GOP incumbents running in November in his race against Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. Heller is set to hold his second campaign rally and fundraiser with President Donald Trump Thursday and Friday in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner)

In this Sept. 14, 2018 photo, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., laughs with an aide following a veterans roundtable in Reno, Nev. Heller is considered one of the most vulnerable GOP incumbents running in November in his race against Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. He's the only incumbent seeking re-election in a state that Democrat Hillary Clinton carried in her loss to President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner)

Supporters of President Donald Trump cheer as he arrives for a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Thousands of Catalan pro-independence activists are protesting in Barcelona to mark the anniversary of demonstrations that fired up the region's secessionist drive and brought Spain's worst political crisis in decades.

The protest Thursday recalled street demonstrations that were a prelude to weeks of tension last year in Spain's wealthy northwestern region. Separatists organized a 2017 referendum on independence that was outlawed, and the Spanish government deployed police to stop the vote.

Protesters are demanding the release from prison of prominent separatists, among them Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, the leaders of grassroots organizations Catalan National Assembly and Omnium Cultural. They have received preliminary sedition charges but no trial date has been set.

More protests are planned to mark the anniversary of the Oct. 1 Catalan referendum and a subsequent failed declaration of independence.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday that negotiations between the two Koreas won't be successful unless there is simultaneous success in U.S.-North Korean negotiations to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

The U.N. chief told a news conference that the results of this week's summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "were positive," but progress is also essential between Washington and Pyongyang.

"It is clear for me that there will not be success in inter-Korean negotiations if simultaneously there is not success in the American-North Korea ... negotiations to achieve the full and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in the context of regional security," Guterres said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, flanked by his wife Ri Sol Ju, second from left, bids farewell to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, second from right, and his wife Kim Jung-sook, at Samjiyon airport, in North Korea, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. A beaming South Korean President Moon, freshly returned home Thursday from a whirlwind three-day summit with Kim Jong Un, said the North Korean leader wants the U.S. secretary of state to visit Pyongyang soon for nuclear talks, and also hopes for a quick follow-up to his June summit with President Donald Trump. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

While the leaders of the two Koreas have been building ties, diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea had gotten nowhere since the historic June summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

Nonetheless, although Kim didn't commit to give up his arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that pose a threat to the U.S. mainland during this week's summit, he did make an offer that has kick-started new diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and North Korea.

Kim promised to dismantle North Korea's main rocket launch site in the presence of international experts, and offered to shutter its Nyongbyon nuclear site. That's where the North has a plutonium reactor and a uranium enrichment facility that can produce fissile material for atomic bombs.

The North Korean leader stressed, however, that the U.S. needs to take unspecified "corresponding steps" - possibly declaring a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended without a peace treaty, or easing up on sanctions that are hurting its struggling economy - which could pose difficulties for the Trump administration.

Guterres noted that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is ready to start negotiations again with North Korea, and said he is "impressed" by the "courage" and "determination" of Trump and Kim Jong Un.

"I hope that it will produce the result we all want" on denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, he said.

Guterres said the United Nations will be "at the disposal" of the United States and North Korea if they consider that the International Atomic Energy Agency can play a role, or the U.N. can help in any other way.

"We are not creating a parallel track," he stressed. "I think that when you have too many parallel tracks you just complicate things. I think now all the effort must be to support those that are in the middle of negotiations to be successful in their efforts."

Guterres spoke to reporters ahead of next week's annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly and said he would receive North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, just as he did last year.

Asked whether there was a possibility that Kim Jong Un might show up he shrugged his shoulders and said later: "I have no indication whatsoever of any change in the Korean delegation."
BOSTON (AP) - The Latest on foreign targeting of senators' email accounts (all times local):

1:55 p.m.

A Google spokesman says the company has notified an unspecified number of senators and aides that their personal email accounts continue to be targeted by state-backed foreign hackers.

FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2015, file photo, Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., checks his phone as he arrives for a bipartisan lunch in the Kennedy Caucus Room on Capitol Hill in Washington. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is proposing new legislation that would allow the Senate's Sergeant at Arms to spend taxpayer money protecting senators' private email accounts and personal devices amid persistent anxieties over the digital security of the American midterm vote. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Spokesman Aaron Stein would not disclose further details such as who was behind the attempted break-ins, their timing or who was targeted.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon initially disclosed the persistent targeting on Wednesday in a letter complaining that the Senate security office has refused to help defend the personal accounts.

Wyden said his office had discovered that "at least one major technology company" had notified the senators and their aides. Initially, Google had no comment.

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5:45 p.m. Wednesday

A U.S. lawmaker says foreign government hackers continue to target the personal accounts of U.S. senators and their aides - and that the Senate's security office won't help defend them.

Senator Ron Wyden says in a letter to Senate leaders that "at least one major technology company" has warned an unspecified number of senators and aides that their personal accounts were targeted by foreign government hackers.

Similar methods were employed by Russian agents to influence the 2016 elections. A spokeswoman for the Senate security office said it would have no comment.

Wyden did not specify the notifications' timing, but a Senate staffer said they came within the last few weeks or months. That staffer spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

- Frank Bajak, AP cybersecurity writer

FILE - In this June 28, 2018, file photo, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, speaks during a hearing on the nomination of Charles Rettig for Internal Revenue Service Commissioner on Capitol Hill in Washington. Wyden is proposing new legislation that would allow the Senate's Sergeant at Arms to spend taxpayer money protecting senators' private email accounts and personal devices amid persistent anxieties over the digital security of the American midterm vote. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

FILE - In this April 30, 2015, file photo, a Capitol Hill staffer looks down at papers while on a cellphone while walking inside the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is proposing new legislation that would allow the Senate's Sergeant at Arms to spend taxpayer money protecting senators' private email accounts and personal devices amid persistent anxieties over the digital security of the American midterm vote. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
NEW YORK (AP) - A U.S. judge on Thursday rejected a request to put off the trial of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Lawyers for Guzman told U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan at a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn that they needed more time to review evidence in the drug-trafficking case.

But the judge said he was sticking with a schedule that has jury selection beginning on Nov. 5. He had already agreed in July to delay the trial by two months.

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2014, file photo, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted to a helicopter in handcuffs by Mexican navy marines at a navy hanger in Mexico City, Mexico. A U.S. judge has rejected a request to put off the trial of notorious Mexican drug lord Guzman. Lawyers for Guzman told Judge Brian Cogan at a hearing Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, that they needed more time to review a mountain of evidence in the drug-trafficking case. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File)

A lawyer for Guzman, Jeffrey Lichtman, told reporters afterward that the defense team is faced with processing a "gargantuan" amount of material before the trial starts.

"I am disappointed we did not get more time but as the judge said, you never feel that you are totally ready in a trial of this magnitude," Lichtman said. "We deal with the hand that we're dealt."

Guzman, who was extradited to the U.S. last year, has pleaded not guilty to charges that his cartel laundered billions of dollars and oversaw a ruthless campaign of murders and kidnappings. He faces life in prison if convicted at a trial that could last several weeks.

Authorities have kept Guzman in solitary confinement, mindful that he has twice escaped from prison in Mexico. The second time, it was via a mile-long (1.6 kilometer-long) tunnel dug to the shower in his cell.

Lichtman called his client "a mythical character that they are trying as if it was the only drug dealer in the world."

The lawyer officially joined the defense team after Guzman waived any potential conflict of interest the lawyer may have in connection with witnesses in the case. He's known for successfully defending John "Junior" Gotti, son of the notorious organized crime family boss, at a 2005 trial.

The younger Gotti walked free after an acquittal on a securities fraud count and a mistrial on more serious racketeering counts.
NEW YORK (AP) - Scientists say they've confirmed that puzzling fossils from more than 500 million years ago are traces of an animal.

That would make it one of the earliest known creatures.

The fossils are impressions in rock: oval shapes with internal lines, looking somewhat like a leaf imprint densely packed with veins. First described in 1947, they are found in Australia and Russia and range in size from a fingernail to some 4  feet (1.22 meters) long.

This undated photo provided by Ilya Bobrovskiy in September 2018 shows a Dickinsonia fossil from the White Sea area of Russia. The body is about 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) long. In a report released on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, scientists say they've confirmed that these fossils from more than 500 million years ago are traces of an animal, which makes that creature one of the earliest known. (Ilya Bobrovskiy/Australian National University via AP)

The mysterious organism that made them has been dubbed "Dickinsonia." But what was it?

In the past, scientists have suggested it's an animal, lichen or a huge example of a single-celled organism called protists.

In a paper released Thursday by the journal Science, researchers present evidence for its being an animal. The key evidence was finding that Dickinsonia fossils from Russia contained carbon-bearing substances produced by animals.

Experts not connected to the study said that evidence is strong, and that most scientists who had studied the matter already believed that Dickinsonia was probably an animal. "This gives us confidence in that assessment," said Douglas Erwin of the Smithsonian Institution.

It's not clear when Dickinsonia lived, but well-dated fossils are 558 million years old, said Jochen Brocks of the Australian National University in Canberra, a study author. Whether they're the oldest known animal fossils is a tricky question, because some older rock features have also been interpreted by some researchers as fossils of animals, he said.

He considers Dickinsonia "the very oldest animal that we can be sure about," but added that it edges out another widely accepted animal fossil by only about 2 million years.

As for what Dickinsonia looked like, "we have no clue," Brocks wrote in an email.

"We do know it was soft and flexible," he said. "Maybe like a slug, but less watery than a jellyfish."

Dickinsonia was evidently far from the first animal on Earth. Analysis of DNA of living animals suggests animals appeared more than 720 million years ago, although fossil evidence that old is lacking.

Fossils of land plants go back to between 444 million and 486 million years, while those of bacteria extend to at least 3.5 billion years.

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Follow Malcolm Ritter at @MalcolmRitter His recent work can be found at http://tinyurl.com/RitterAP

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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.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - An attorney for two Native American brothers pulled from a Colorado State University tour earlier this year has demanded the school make policy changes, saying Thursday that campus officers violated the teens' constitutional rights by patting them down without any suspicion of a crime.

A letter from American Civil Liberties Union attorney Sarah Hinger calls for the university to revisit its campus police policies and training to avoid another situation like the April 30 encounter, which resulted in the teens being "humiliated, scared, and literally marginalized."

Police video shows two officers stopping Thomas Kanewakeron Gray and Lloyd Skanahwati Gray - who were then 19 and 17, respectively - during a group admissions tour and checking their pockets. The brothers from New Mexico had called the school their top choice.

In this Friday, May 11, 2018 file photo, Thomas Gray, left, and Lloyd Gray stand together with the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background outside Santa Fe, N.M. An attorney for two Native American brothers pulled from a Colorado State University tour has told the school that campus officers violated the teens' constitutional rights when they questioned and patted them down without any suspicion of a crime. A letter sent Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, from an American Civil Liberties Union attorney calls for the university to revisit its campus police policies and training to avoid a situation similar to the April 30 encounter. (AP Photo/Mary Hudetz,File)

Police said a mother on the tour had called 911, saying she was worried because the Grays were "real quiet" and wore dark clothing.

"My boys were publicly humiliated and told that their looks alone make them suspicious characters," mother Lorraine Kahneratokwa Gray said in a statement. "We are all disappointed, not only with CSU's meager response, but also with their false promises to right this wrong."

A university spokesman said in an email that the school was consulting with Native American students and faculty to make the campus in Fort Collins more welcoming and that campus police are required to complete anti-bias training.

The ACLU wants the university's president to order additional training and a review of policies dictating how officers and dispatchers respond to "bias based" reports on campus.

The Gray brothers' encounter with officers ignited shock and outrage nationwide, as one of numerous examples of racial profiling to make headlines this year.

A Smith College employee, for example, called the police last month on a black student at the all-women's school in Massachusetts because she appeared "out of place." The school president announced hiring an outside investigator and ordered every employee to undergo mandatory anti-bias training.

Meanwhile, Colorado State University has taken only "small steps" after promises to change protocols for campus tours, the ACLU said.

The school said it would refund the money that the teens spent on travel and that it has taken steps to prevent a similar situation from happening again, including requiring tour participants to wear buttons and guides to have a list of names of those in the group.

University President Tony Frank has decried the incident, saying the brothers "wound up frightened and humiliated because another campus visitor was concerned about their clothes and overall demeanor - which appears to have simply been shyness."

Hinger told The Associated Press in an interview that the ACLU is not taking "any avenues off the table" - including possible legal action - should the university not follow through on its requests.

"Although they were never suspected of a crime, the Gray brothers were detained and searched by CSU police officers," Hinger's letter said. "In addition to violating their constitutional rights, this experience left the brothers humiliated, frightened, and with an understanding that they were unwelcome on the CSU campus."

Police have not identified the 911 caller, except to say she was a white, 45-year-old mother of another prospective student on the tour. In the call, she guessed the teens were Hispanic.

She said their clothing had "weird symbolism or wording," which turned out to represent metal bands.

She also said they were disinterested and evasive, adding that they wouldn't provide their names when asked. The older brother said he had approached the tour guide during a stop in the library to introduce himself and his brother after the two had gotten lost on campus and arrived late.

The brothers, both Mohawk, are originally from upstate New York and graduated high school from Santa Fe Indian School in New Mexico.

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This story has been corrected to show that the ACLU letter was sent Thursday.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York Republican congresswoman Claudia Tenney's re-election campaign says her Democratic rival has links to organized crime, and it is warning staffers to be alert to strangers following them or tampering with their locks.

Her opponent, state Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, has dismissed the accusation as a smear tactic from a failing campaign.

The contentious race is one of the most closely watched in the nation as Democrats look to win the House in November. The upstate district includes the cities of Utica and Binghamton.

FILE - In this June 10, 2015 file photo, assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, speaks during a news conference at the Capitol, in Albany, N.Y. Tenney's re-election campaign says her Democratic rival, Democrat Anthony Brindisi, has links to organized crime, and her campaign is warning staffers to be alert to strangers following them or tampering with their locks. (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)

A top adviser to the Tenney campaign sent a memo to campaign workers warning that they should avoid going out alone at night and be on the lookout for strange cars.

"Brindisi's family has used their political connections to get away with violence, intimidation and thuggish behavior for years," reads the memo, which was first reported by The New York Post.

According to the memo, some campaign workers have reported slashed tires, though the memo offered no connection to Brindisi's campaign or supporters.

Brindisi's father is an attorney who decades ago represented individuals linked to organized crime in Utica. The memo cited the elder Brindisi's legal work as well as a case involving Anthony Brindisi's brother Andrew, who in 2014 pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, a misdemeanor, after authorities say he struck a pedestrian. He was initially accused of intentionally hitting the man with his vehicle.

Brindisi's campaign dismissed the memo from the Tenney campaign as a desperate move and an attack on Italian Americans.

"Claudia Tenney's conspiracy-theory-laced personal rhetoric is a warning to voters worried about their healthcare, Social Security, Medicare and corporate money in politics," Brindisi said in a statement. "My family will weather this attempt to distract from these critical issues while the voters of this district turn away from these personal and false attacks that improve the lives of no one."

In response, Tenney's campaign defended its discussion of Brindisi's family, noting that the candidate has accepted political contributions from his father and cited him as a mentor.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump will call for global action on the world drug problem, lay out his vision of the U.S. role in the world, and urge a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters Thursday that Trump's focus "will be very much on the United States," its role and the relations it wants to build, and "how we can make the American people proud, and what actions we can show that really live up to that."

"He is looking forward to talking about foreign policy successes the United States has had over the past year and where we're going to go from here," she said. "He wants to talk about protecting U.S. sovereignty," and "we want to continue to build relationships" with other countries that "share those values."

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Haley said Trump will address a high-level event Monday on the "Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem," which 124 countries have already signed up to support. She said the U.S. is looking forward to more signatories.

The president will address the assembly's 193 member nations at the official opening Tuesday morning of the global gabfest known as the General Debate.

Haley said Trump will talk about the generosity of the United States. "But he'll also lay down a marker that while the United States is generous, we're going to be generous to those who share our values, generous to those who want to work with us, and not those that try and stop the United States or say they hate America, or are counterproductive to what we're doing," she said.

She said Trump on Wednesday will chair a Security Council meeting which was expanded from focusing on Iran to nonproliferation, including chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain.

Haley predicted, "I'm sure that is going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever."

Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, chaired two Security Council meetings, one in 2009 focusing on nuclear disarmament and another in 2014 on "foreign terrorist fighters."

Haley said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will chair a council meeting Thursday to look at on North Korea's progress toward denuclaearization - which she called "baby steps" - and the council's commitments to enforce tough sanctions.

The White House said Trump will hold "pull-aside" meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Maria Fernanda Espinosa, the General Assembly president. He will have longer bilateral meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May.

On the social side, Haley said the president and his wife, Melania, will host a reception for all delegates Monday night. Trump will also host a reception Tuesday evening for foreign ministers of the 15 current Security Council member nations and the five countries that will be joining the council Jan. 1.
NEW YORK (AP) - The popular political podcast "Pod Save America" is coming to HBO for a series of four specials.

"Pod Save America" will be hosted by Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor, who worked for the Obama administration. They will provide insight and commentary on the political news of the week.

The series will debut Oct. 12 at 11 p.m. Eastern. The four episodes will be taped in front of live audiences in Miami; Austin, Texas; Philadelphia; and Irvine, California.

FILE - In this July 25, 2018 file photo, Jon Favreau, from left, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor participate in the "Pod Save America" panel during the HBO Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. The popular political podcast "Pod Save America" is coming to HBO for four specials, just in time for the midterm elections. It will debut Friday, Oct. 12 at 11 p.m. EST and air new episodes for the following three Fridays at the same time. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Midterm elections will be held Nov. 6.

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Online:

https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-america/
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on developments about the remains of American servicemen who were killed during the Korean War (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump has identified the remains of two American servicemen who were killed during the Korean War and whose remains were returned by North Korea two months ago following Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon).

Vice President Mike Pence, right, and a Korean War veteran salute each other as Pence greets Korean War veterans ahead of a ceremony where he presented a American flag that was used during the return of remains from the Korean War in a ceremony in Hawaii in August 2018, to the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, at the memorial in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Trump tweets that the remains include those of Charles H. McDaniel, a 32-year-old Army master sergeant from Vernon, Indiana, and William H. Jones, a 19-year-old Army private from Nash County, North Carolina.

The president says: "These HEROES are home, they may Rest In Peace, and hopefully their families can have closure."

The Pentagon has also confirmed the identities.

McDaniel's name had been made public last month because his military identification tag was among the 55 boxes of remains that North Korea turned over on July 27.

Thousands of additional remains are believed to lie on North Korean battlefields and at former POW camps.

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10:12 a.m.

A senior Pentagon official says the U.S. hopes to begin face-to-face negotiations with North Korea next month on terms for resuming on-the-ground searches in North Korea for remains of American servicemen.

The official, Kelly McKeague (Mac-keg'), tells reporters the aim is to begin searches next spring if agreement can be reached on areas of dispute such as the kinds of amounts of compensation to North Korea.

McKeague is director of the Defense POW-MIA Accounting Agency, which is responsible for recovering and identifying remains of U.S. war dead, including the thousands unaccounted for from the 1950-53 Korean War.

McKeague says the remains of two U.S. servicemen returned by North Korea in July have been positively identified, but he would not disclose their names, saying the White House wants to do that.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A California police department has written and produced a six-episode "true crime" podcast in hopes of intensifying a potentially global manhunt for a millionaire suspected of killing his wife in 2012 and later vanishing while free on bail.

Police in Newport Beach this week announced "Countdown to Capture ," which tells the story of how Peter Chadwick went from being a seemingly quiet family man to a suspect in his wife's slaying and then a fugitive with millions of dollars.

Police Chief Jon T. Lewis also announced a $100,000 reward for information that was funded by private donors, the city and the U.S. Marshals Service, which added Chadwick to its list of 15 most wanted fugitives.

This undated photo provided by the Newport Beach Police Department shows Peter Chadwick who who authorities are seeking the public's help in finding. A California police department has written and produced a six-episode "true crime" podcast in hopes of intensifying a potentially global manhunt for the millionaire who allegedly murdered his wife in 2012 and vanished while free on $1 million bail. Police in Newport Beach this week announced "Countdown to Capture," which tells the story of how Chadwick went from being a seemingly quiet family man to a suspect in his wife's slaying and then a fugitive who disappeared with millions of dollars. (Newport Beach Police Department via AP)

"Peter could be anywhere in the world," Lewis told a news conference Wednesday in Newport Beach, a wealthy community around a yacht harbor south of Los Angeles.

"He's got the financial means to avoid the restrictions placed on his travel," Lewis said. "He's taken every opportunity to hide his tracks. We want to spread his picture and the story of his crimes far and wide."

Authorities say Chadwick and his wife, Quee - known as Q.C. - disappeared from their home on Oct. 10, 2012. Police initially became involved when two of their three young sons were left waiting for a ride home from school.

Chadwick called 911 from a San Diego gas station the next day and told authorities his wife was killed by a handyman who kidnapped him and brought along the body.

Chadwick quickly became the suspect, however, and was arrested. His wife's body was found a week later in a trash bin in suburban San Diego.

Chadwick was released on $1 million bail in December 2012. Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said the defendant made 13 court appearances before he failed to appear for a hearing in January 2015 and became a fugitive.

Chadwick was born in the United Kingdom and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1991. Both his U.S. and U.K. passports were seized when he was released on bail, said Jennifer Manzella, a police spokeswoman.

"Peter Chadwick has a great deal of money at his disposal," Manzella said. "If you listen to the podcast you'll find that he was able to empty millions of dollars out of bank accounts that he had access to, take out cash advances on credit cards."

A fugitive task force found that Chadwick had been "reading material about living off the grid and changing your identity," Manzella said.

Chadwick has covered his tracks and leads have been exhausted, she said.

This Oct. 19, 2012 photo provided by the Newport Beach Police Department shows Peter Chadwick who who authorities are seeking the public's help in finding. A California police department has written and produced a six-episode "true crime" podcast in hopes of intensifying a potentially global manhunt for the millionaire who allegedly murdered his wife in 2012 and vanished while free on $1 million bail. Police in Newport Beach this week announced "Countdown to Capture," which tells the story of how Chadwick went from being a seemingly quiet family man to a suspect in his wife's slaying and then a fugitive who disappeared with millions of dollars. (Newport Beach Police Department via AP)
LAREDO, Texas (AP) - Juan David Ortiz appeared to be living a typical suburban life in a subdivision where rows of new homes stand next to fields of desert brush.

The Navy veteran left the military nine years ago and became a Border Patrol agent, like many others in this city in deep south Texas. He and his wife were raising two children. Neighbors saw him come and go and exchanged waves.

But no one in Laredo could have imagined that Ortiz would someday be described as a serial killer. The 35-year-old is now charged with murder in the killings of four women who prosecutors say were sex workers. They were shot in the head and left on rural Texas roadsides.

FILE - This file photo provided by the Webb County Sheriff's Office shows Juan David Ortiz, a U.S. Border Patrol supervisor who was jailed Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, on a $2.5 million bond in Texas, accused in the killing of at least four women. Ortiz was nabbed early Saturday after a string of violence against female sex workers in Laredo, Texas, where he is a supervisor with the Border Patrol. Ortiz's arrest has called attention to the problems the agency has had in keeping "rogue" officers off its force as it faces intense pressure to hire thousands more agents. (Webb County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

As their families grieve, Ortiz is jailed on $2.5 million bond and being kept on suicide watch.

The case has shocked the border community and baffled law enforcement officials, who are trying to restore faith in Border Patrol agents and other local officers.

"We're seeking truth, and we're seeking justice for these victims," Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz said. "Hopefully, even though motive is not an element to the crime of murder, we will be able to try to piece together what was going on in the mind of this accused killer as to why he did it."

A spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety said Thursday that authorities were still investigating but had no indication at this point that there are other victims.

Most people in Laredo have a friend or relative in the Border Patrol, which is responsible for monitoring the Rio Grande, the river that separates the U.S. and Mexico and winds along Laredo's southern and western edges. Even those who oppose a border wall or the tough immigration policies of President Donald Trump's administration often speak favorably of the agents they know.

"I couldn't believe it," said Colette Mireles, the sister of Claudine Luera, one of the victims.

"We were thinking of someone else, but not an agent, sadly," Mireles told The Associated Press. "But we can't hold the CBP accountable ... for heinous acts that he committed on his own."

Ortiz grew up in Texas and enlisted in the Navy on July 5, 2001, a little over a month after his 18th birthday. He became a combat medic and served in the Navy for about eight years, including three with the 1st Marine Division based at Twenty-Nine Palms, California.

He went directly from the military into the Border Patrol, following a well-worn path. But he also sought other jobs in law enforcement. The San Antonio Police Department approved him for a "beginning position" and a place at its academy, according to letters obtained by San Antonio television station KSAT. Two weeks before he officially left the Navy, Ortiz turned the job down.

"I have chosen to pursue a career with the Department of Homeland Security following the advice of family and friends," Ortiz wrote in the letter.

Ortiz wrote that he was offered two incentives. He would start at a higher pay grade, and he would be able to count his eight years in the military toward the 20 years he needed to retire with benefits that include a lifetime pension.

Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol's parent agency, would not comment on Ortiz's letter or what he was promised to join. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost this week assigned a new interim chief agent for its Laredo sector, which has seen two agents charged with murder this year.

Ortiz joined the agency in August 2009, first in the tiny town of Cotulla and then Laredo. He rose to a supervisory position while also obtaining a master's degree in 2013 from St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

A week after his arrest, few signs have emerged to explain what happened. His lawyer, Joey Tellez, issued a statement saying he had begun his own investigation of the case and would not comment further.

Records show Ortiz and his wife purchased their home about a year ago. Several neighbors said they knew little about the man now charged with a crime that's drawn international attention. A Border Patrol agent who lives near Ortiz would not speak to a reporter who approached him.

Prosecutors released Facebook posts that Ortiz allegedly wrote before surrendering in a standoff with law enforcement. One reads, "Doc Ortiz checks out. Farewell." The other reads, "To my wife and kids, I love u."

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Associated Press Writer Nomaan Merchant in Houston contributed to this story.

Chief of Border Patrol Carla L. Provost responds to questions about Juan David Ortiz on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at the Webb County Sheriff's office. (Danny Zaragoza/The Laredo Morning Times via AP)
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York is dispatching more college students to help rebuild homes in Puerto Rico.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that another 500 students from public schools around the state will head to the island territory this school year.

Cuomo also says a memorial to the victims of Hurricane Maria is being planned. He signed an executive order Thursday creating a 10-member commission to approve a design and location for the monument.

New York state has contributed food, water and first-aid supplies and dispatched utility workers, nurses and other skilled professionals to Puerto Rico since the island was devastated by the hurricane a year ago this week.

Cuomo has faulted President Donald Trump's response to Maria, saying the federal government has ignored the needs of millions of Americans still struggling to recover from the storm.
MASONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The Latest on the shooting at a Pennsylvania court building (all times local):

3:55 p.m.

The wife of a gunman who opened fire at a Pennsylvania municipal building says she is OK and that police had taken her phone as evidence.

Law enforcement and emergency personnel gather outside the office of District Judge Daniel Shimshock's office in Masontown, Pa., Wednesday Sept. 19, 2018. At least four people were shot at the office. Details were not immediately available on the conditions of the victims. (AP Photo/Mike Jones/Washington Observer Reporter via AP)

Thirty-nine-year-old Crystal Dowdell made the post on her Facebook page late Wednesday but did not say whether she had been injured in the shooting. Pennsylvania state police confirmed the gunmen killed was her husband, 61-year-old Patrick Dowdell.

Fayette County officials say Dowdell entered the Masontown Borough building shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday with a handgun and injured four people including a police officer. State police would not say if any of the injured people were Dowdell's intended target.

A police officer in the building fired multiple shots at Patrick Dowdell killing him.

Authorities say a protective order had been granted against Dowdell related to a domestic violence incident.

___

7:50 a.m.

Three civilians wounded when a gunman opened fire outside a crowded Pennsylvania courtroom are out of the hospital.

The three were taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, following Wednesday's shooting in Fayette County. A hospital spokeswoman said Thursday morning that the two men ages 35 and 47 and a 39-year-old woman were all released Wednesday night.

Sixty-one-year-old Patrick Dowdell, of Masontown, was shot and killed by a German Township police officer. Another officer who was wounded, Masontown police Sgt. R. Scott Miller, was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Fayette County authorities say Dowdell entered the lobby in Masontown with a handgun drawn and opened fire. He had been due in court on charges related to domestic violence.

An officer investigates a shooting that occurred in the Masontown borough municipal center on Wednesday, September 19, 2018, in Masontown, Pa. A gunman opened fire outside a crowded courtroom Wednesday afternoon, shooting at police and others before an officer fired multiple shots at him, killing him. (Andrew Stein/Post-Gazette via AP)
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) - Hundreds of solemn people watched Friday as body after body was pulled from a capsized ferry that Tanzanian authorities said was badly overcrowded and upended in the final stretch before reaching shore. The death toll was above 130 but horrified witnesses feared that would rise as a second day of searching neared an end.

"This is a great disaster for our nation," President John Magufuli said. He announced four days of national mourning and urged calm in the East African country with a history of deadly maritime disasters. And he ordered arrests of all responsible as a criminal investigation began.

In a televised address, the president said the ferry captain already had been detained after leaving the steering to someone who wasn't properly trained, The Citizen newspaper reported.

Rescuers retrieve a body from the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (AP Photo)

The MV Nyerere's capacity was 101 people but the ferry had been overloaded when it capsized Thursday afternoon, the government's Chief Secretary John Kijazi told reporters.

At least 40 people had been rescued, he said, but the number on Friday barely rose. Dozens of security forces and volunteers wearing gloves and face masks had resumed work at daybreak after suspending efforts overnight, hauling bodies into wooden boats.

"More than 200 people are feared dead," based on accounts from fishermen and other witnesses, because passengers had been returning from a busy market day, Tanzania Red Cross spokeswoman Godfrida Jola told The Associated Press. "But no one knows" just how many people were on board.

It was obvious that more bodies were trapped in the overturned ferry, the president said, according to The Citizen report. He said even the cargo far exceeded the 25 tons allowed.

Tanzanian ferries often carry hundreds of passengers and are overcrowded, and shifts in weight as people move to disembark can become deadly. Images from the scene showed the ferry's exposed underside not far from shore.

Bodies were lined up on plastic sheeting as hundreds of people pressed near the water's edge, watching the search efforts.

Pope Francis, the United Nations secretary-general, Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of African leaders expressed shock and sorrow.

"His Holiness Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt solidarity with those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and who fear for the lives of those still missing," the condolence telegram said, according to the Vatican.

The MV Nyerere, named for the former president who led the East African nation to independence, was traveling between the islands of Ukara and Ukerewe when it sank, according to the government agency in charge of servicing the vessels.

Worried residents on Friday waited for any word of survivors.

"We try to make calls to friends, relatives," a local guide, Paschal Phares, told the AP. He recalled how crowded his trip on the aging ferry had been last month: "Most of us were standing up. It was full."

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition.

In 1996, more than 800 people died when passenger and cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria.

Nearly 200 people died in 2011 when the MV Spice Islander I sank off Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast near Zanzibar.

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Associated Press writers Cara Anna in Johannesburg and Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed.

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Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

Rescuers retrieve a body from the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (AP Photo)

Rescuers retrieve a body from the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (AP Photo)

Rescuers retrieve a body from the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (AP Photo)

Rescuers retrieve a body from the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (AP Photo)

Rescuers retrieve a body from the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (AP Photo)

The upturned passenger ferry MV Nyerere floats in the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (AP Photo)

This photo released by the Tanzania Red Cross shows Red Cross volunteers engaged in rescue efforts on and around Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 on Friday after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized and sank on Thursday in Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported. (Tanzania Red Cross via AP)

This photo released by the Tanzania Red Cross shows Red Cross volunteers engaged in rescue efforts on and around Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 on Friday after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized and sank on Thursday in Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported. (Tanzania Red Cross via AP)

This photo released by the Tanzania Red Cross shows ongoing rescue efforts on and around Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 on Friday after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized and sank on Thursday in Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported. (Tanzania Red Cross via AP)

This framegrab taken from mobile phone footage shows a person on the shore watching the search and rescue of people standing on the capsized hull of a ferry, on Lake Victoria, Tanzania. The death toll rose above 100 on Friday Sept. 21, 2018, after the ferry capsized and sank on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported. (Mteule Gosberth Kahangile via AP)

This photo released by the Tanzania Red Cross shows Red Cross volunteers engaged in rescue efforts on and around Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 on Friday after the passenger ferry MV Nyerere capsized and sank on Thursday in Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported. (Tanzania Red Cross via AP)
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Supporters of a St. Louis man killed in a SWAT raid at his home 15 months ago rallied Thursday to demand answers about the internal police investigation of his death.

The police department's Force Investigation Unit launched an investigation shortly after the death of 21-year-old Isaiah Hammett on June 7, 2017, but has not disclosed its findings.

A small group of supporters gathered outside police headquarters on what would have been Hammett's 23rd birthday. They called on the city's Civilian Oversight Board to investigate why internal probes of police shootings take so long.

Gina Torres, seated, gets a hug from Bridgette Perkins during a rally in St. Louis Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, demanding that a police internal investigations unit complete its probe into the fatal police shooting of Torres' son, Isaiah Hammett. Hammett was killed in a SWAT raid at his home in June 2017. Perkins' son, Isiah Perkins, also was killed by a St. Louis officer, in July 2017. (AP Photo/Jim Salter)

Rally organizer John Chasnoff said at least two other cases where suspects were shot by St. Louis police remain unresolved more than a year later. He also questioned why a SWAT team was sent to the home to serve a search warrant on a suspect with a record of only misdemeanors.

"This case is an egregious instance of the use of SWAT," Chasnoff said. "This militarized approach needs to stop."

Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said in a statement that that Force Investigation Unit on July 25 turned over evidence related to Hammett's case and other officer-involved shootings, and the evidence is under review. But the statement indicated Gardner isn't sure she's seen all the evidence.

"It would be premature to conclude that we have the entirety of the evidence required to make a final decision in this case," she said.

Gardner and the police department have a testy relationship. Last month, Gardner confirmed her office developed an "exclusion list" of 28 police officers who won't be permitted as primary witnesses in criminal cases over unspecified credibility concerns.

Police spokeswoman Michelle Woodling defended the pace of internal investigations of police shootings, saying in a statement that the process can be lengthy "as detectives conduct thorough investigations."

The seven-member Civilian Oversight Board investigates complaints about the city police department. It was established in 2015, months after the 2014 fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, raised concerns about police shootings in the St. Louis region.

Hammett had a criminal record, but his convictions were misdemeanors for stealing and marijuana possession. He was on probation for one of the drug convictions when officers went to the home he shared with his grandfather to serve a search warrant - Hammett was under investigation for the sale of guns and drugs.

Then-Chief Lawrence O'Toole said at the time that eight SWAT team members announced their presence, broke down the door and threw in a "flash-bang" diversion device.

When the officers entered, Hammett fired several shots with an AK-47 rifle and officers returned fire, police said. No officers were injured.

Chasnoff said Thursday that there was no evidence that Hammett fired at police, but officers fired at least 100 rounds at Hammett. Chasnoff said relatives told him that Hammett's assault rifle was not operational and was in a box at the time of the shooting.

Police said that in the addition to an AK-47, they recovered 14 other weapons and marijuana at Hammett's home.

Hammett's mother, Gina Torres, said she came to the rally to stand up for her son and others killed by police.

"No mother should ever have to go through what I'm going through," Torres said.
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - Investigators missed opportunities early on to catch the man who kidnapped and killed 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling in 1989, a Minnesota sheriff said Thursday before releasing thousands of investigative documents in the case that focused national attention on missing children.

Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson said at a news conference that the investigation "went off the rails" decades before the suspect was finally caught.

"Our wish was this case would have turned out differently and better," said Gudmundson, who was not sheriff at the time of Jacob's abduction. "Stress and anxiety put us into tunnel vision." He added: "All of us failed."

Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson speaks as images of confessed killer Danny Heinrich are shown on a screen during a press release of the investigative files in the Jacob Wetterling case Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, at the Stearns County Law Enforcement Center in St. Cloud, Minn. (Dave Schwarz/The St. Cloud Times via AP)

Danny Heinrich, 55, confessed to killing Jacob and led investigators to his remains in 2016. In a deal with prosecutors , he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for child pornography.

The sheriff revealed that a drunken Heinrich was arrested at a bar in Roscoe in central Minnesota, in February 1990, a few months after Jacob was kidnapped by a masked gunman near his home in St. Joseph, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) away, in October 1989. But Gudmundson said inexperienced FBI profilers concluded after an interrogation that Heinrich did not abduct Jacob.

Gudmundson said there were "about 20 things" investigators should have pieced together that pointed to Heinrich. The sheriff said a shoe print and tire tracks at the scene tied Heinrich to the abduction, and the odds were "not just slim but minuscule" that both those prints and tracks belonged to someone else.

In January 1989, a Cold Spring boy was kidnapped and sexually assaulted in a vehicle that he later said matched the interior of Heinrich's car. But Gudmundson said a law enforcement task force waited a month after Jacob's abduction that October before making a connection to the earlier attack.

The sheriff also cited similar assaults in nearby Paynesville leading up to Jacob's abduction that were carried out by a heavyset man who wore face paint or a mask, spoke in a deep, raspy voice and threatened victims with a gun. Instead, the task force focused on another man, even though Heinrich failed a polygraph test given by law enforcement, Gudmundson said.

Former FBI agent Al Garber, who supervised the original investigation in 1989, called Gudmundson's analysis unfair.

"He didn't see the day-to-day operations," Garber said. "He doesn't know."

Jacob's parents, Patty and Jerry Wetterling, fought to keep some documents private, saying they contained personal information. But media organizations convinced a judge that the documents were public information under state law because the investigation was over.

Gudmundson released about 42,000 pages of files from local and state investigators. Federal documents were not included.

Jerry Wetterling attended the news conference but declined to comment. On Wednesday, the Wetterling family issued a statement saying it is "difficult for us to relive those dark days. With time, our family is healing and getting stronger and we appreciate all of the efforts to make things better for future victims of crime, their families and for all of us."

Patty Wetterling became a national advocate for missing children after Jacob's disappearance. A 1994 federal law named for Jacob requires states to establish sex offender registries.

Jerry Wetterling stands alone as reporters circle around former FBI agent Al Garber following a press conference for the release of investigative files in the case of his son Jacob Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in St. Cloud, Minn. Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped and killed in 1989. More than 40,000 pages of investigative files on the case were released Thursday. (Dave Schwarz/The St. Cloud Times via AP)

Reporters gather for a press conference on the release of investigative files in the Jacob Wetterling case Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in St. Cloud, Minn. (Dave Schwarz/The St. Cloud Times via AP)

Former FBI Investigator Al Garber gives his views on statements by Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson following a press conference Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, at the Stearns County Law Enforcement Center in St. Cloud, Minn. (Dave Schwarz/The St. Cloud Times via AP)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Latest on Bill Cosby's sentencing for sexual assault (all times local):

4 p.m.

The judge set to sentence actor Bill Cosby on sex assault charges is limiting the number of other accusers who can testify next week.

FILE - In this April 26, 2018, file photo, Bill Cosby, center, leaves the the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. Cosby is due in court Monday, Sept. 24, for a two-day sentencing hearing that follows his conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

The 81-year-old Cosby's potential sentence ranges from the 30-year maximum term to probation. State guidelines suggest a one- to four-year sentence.

Prosecutors want some of Cosby's 60 other accusers to testify Monday to show that a pattern of sexual misconduct makes him a predator and a danger. Five of them testified at the April retrial, when a jury convicted Cosby of drugging and molesting a woman in 2004.

Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill in a ruling Wednesday asks prosecutors if they hope to call the five trial witnesses. But he says he won't let other accusers take the stand.

Cosby's lawyers oppose the testimony.

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10:30 a.m.

Bill Cosby could be sent to prison next week for drugging and molesting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004, in the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.

Cosby is due in court Monday for a two-day sentencing hearing that follows his conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault.

The judge's options are broad because the state guideline range of about one to four years spans the gamut from a prison term to a jail stint to house arrest or probation. The maximum term is 10 years per count.

Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill will be asked to weigh the violent nature of the crime against the 81-year-old Cosby's age, health and legacy.

Legal experts think he'll hand down a sentence in the middle of the guidelines, to blunt criticism from both sides and avoid being overturned.

Cosby has been on house arrest since the April conviction.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Actor Brad Pitt's foundation has sued a New Orleans architect, saying defective design work led to leaks and other flaws in homes built for residents of an area that was among the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday says damages caused by architect John C. Williams could cost Pitt's Make It Right foundation more than $15 million, news outlets reported. The foundation paid Williams' firm millions of dollars to produce architectural drawings for more than 100 homes under the program, which was supposed to provide Lower 9th Ward residents with sustainable and affordable new homes.

Enlisting award-winning architects, Pitt founded the venture two years after Katrina devastated the city and essentially washed away what would become the Make It Right enclave. Construction began in 2008, working toward replacing the lost housing with 150 avant-garde dwellings that were storm-safe, solar-powered, highly insulated and "green." But water intrusion began cropping up in the first homes within a year of their completion and construction was discontinued in 2016.

FILE - In this June 8, 2017 file photo, executive producer Brad Pitt attends the premiere of Netflix's "Okja" in New York. Pitt's foundation has sued a New Orleans architect for defective design work that led to leaks and other flaws in homes built for residents of an area that was among the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

The foundation says Williams was responsible for several failures to adequately waterproof the structures, including insufficiently sloped roofs. The lawsuit says Williams' attempts at repairs were largely a failure and that he kept Make It Right management in the dark about the defects.

A derelict 7-year-old home was so rotted that it was demolished at the insistence of neighbors in June. Williams had been granted a permit to replace the flat roof on the leaking home in 2015. He had acknowledged in a June interview that one or two of the Make It Right buildings "may be falling apart." Williams didn't immediately return a request for comment, news outlets reported Wednesday.

The lawsuit comes after New Orleans attorney Ron Austin brought a class-action lawsuit against Make It Right that accused the charity of building substandard homes that are deteriorating at a rapid pace. On Tuesday, Make It Right blamed the rapid deterioration on the architect they hired.

The lawsuit against Williams does not hold him liable for the damages to 39 homes caused by the use of an experimental weatherproof wood product called TimberSIL that was rapidly ruined by the south Louisiana environment. In 2014, Make It Right sued the manufacturer of TimberSIL for $500,000, though it's unclear if the company was made to pay.

In a prepared statement, Make It Right pledged to "continue to work proactively with homeowners in the Lower 9th Ward." The non-profit organization declined further comment.
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on a Facebook post by the namesake of the University of Mississippi journalism school (all times local):

3:35 p.m.

A University of Mississippi student is criticizing a prominent white Ole Miss donor for posting photos of her and another black woman to Facebook and suggesting the women could cause real estate values to fall.

Mahoghany Jordan is studying computer science at Ole Miss. In an article Thursday on the website of the student newspaper, The Daily Mississippian , Jordan says the Facebook post Wednesday by Ed Meek "reeks of racist ideology as well as misogyny." She also rejected an apology from Meek.

Meek led Ole Miss public relations for 37 years and donated $5.3 million to the university in 2009. Its journalism school is named for him.

Ole Miss Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter said Meek's post had an "unjustified racial overtone." Meek removed it and apologized "to those offended."

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6:02 a.m.

A University of Mississippi official says the man after whom its journalism school was named has shared a post on social media with an "unjustified racial overtone."

News outlets quote Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter as urging Edwin Meek to apologize for a Facebook post that pictures two black women and asks community leaders to protect Ole Miss' values. Meek's post has since been taken down.

Meek said he believed it was important the community see "what the camera is seeing at 2 a.m. after a ballgame" saying real estate values and tax revenues will fall. The school's Black Student Union says the juxtaposition implies real estate values are dropping because of the increased presence of black women.

An online petition is asking for the graduate's name to be removed.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The chief prosecutor for South Carolina's capital city is facing more charges related to alleged misspending of public funds.

Attorney General Alan Wilson said 5th Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson has been indicted on state charges of embezzlement and misconduct in office.

Gov. Henry McMaster suspended Johnson on Wednesday following his indictment on more than two dozen federal charges including wire fraud and theft of government funds. Authorities have been investigating Johnson's spending habits and trips to locations including Amsterdam, Colombia, the Galapagos Islands and Las Vegas.

In this April 10, 2017 photo, 5th district Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson confers with colleagues during a hearing in Richland County Court. Johnson was indicted Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 on more than two dozen charges related to the misspending of public funds on trips to foreign countries including the Netherlands and the Galapagos Islands. (Tracy Glantz/The State via AP)

Johnson recently lost a primary bid for a third term. He has declined to answer specific questions about his travels, but has said he didn't intend for public money to be used for personal expenses.

Johnson hasn't returned messages seeking comment on the charges.

State and federal authorities have been investigating the travel and spending habits of Johnson, who logged more than 70 days of travel over a period of less than two years. The trips were reflected in credit card bills and receipts released by a nonprofit that obtained them through open-records laws.

Johnson is chief prosecutor for the 5th Circuit, which includes Richland and Kershaw counties. Columbia, the state's capital city, is in Richland County.

Nicole Holland, Johnson's communications director, was also charged with the same 26 charges as Johnson.

In this Jan. 2011 photo Dan Johnson is sworn in as the next 5th Circuit Solicitor during a investiture ceremony at the Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, S.C. Johnson was indicted Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 on more than two dozen charges related to the misspending of public funds on trips to foreign countries including the Netherlands and the Galapagos Islands. (Kim Kim Foster-Tobin/The State via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - With the help of Ta-Nehisi Coates, poet Sonia Sanchez is writing a memoir.

Sanchez has a deal with One World for "Watch My Language," the publisher announced Thursday. One World, an imprint of Penguin Random House, has not set a release date.

Sanchez, 84, emerged during the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and is known for such poetry books as "Shake Loose My Skin." She recently received a Wallace Stevens Award for lifetime achievement. Sanchez will work on "Watch My Language" with Coates, the author and journalist best known for "Between the World and Me," winner of the National Book Award.
LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina authorities say a man suspected in the fatal shooting of another man last month has been arrested in Arizona.

Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon told The State newspaper that 26-year-old Jamal Devontae Coburn was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals on Wednesday in a suburb of Phoenix. The sheriff's department had tracked Coburn to the Glendale, Arizona, area.

Koon says in a statement that Coburn was arrested on a murder charge in the Aug. 24 shooting of 27-year-old Corey Jamison.

The sheriff's department has said that Jamison was found dead at an apartment complex in West Columbia, South Carolina. Investigators have not provided any information on a possible motive.

Coburn awaits extradition from Maricopa County. It is unclear if he has a lawyer who could comment.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com
WASHINGTON (AP) - America first? Try America first, second and third.

As President Donald Trump prepares for his second U.N. General Assembly, the Olympics of international diplomacy, his administration has turned unabashedly and profoundly inward, pursuing ever more unilateral policies in what critics argue is a great retreat from global engagement that had been a bipartisan hallmark of previous U.S. leaders.

Trump aides who used to qualify his well-worn campaign slogan by insisting that "America first does not mean America alone" are gone. In their place are advocates of inviolable state sovereignty who share a belief that many of the institutions established after World War II to secure and maintain international order are either obsolete or in need of serious revision.

FILE - In this Sept. 19, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump addresses the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters. As Trump prepares for his second U.N. General Assembly, the Olympics of international diplomacy, his administration has turned unabashedly and profoundly inward, pursuing ever more unilateral policies in what critics argue is a great retreat from global engagement that had been a bipartisan hallmark of previous U.S. leaders. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Ahead of the General Assembly, some expect the meeting to have a different tone from last year when wary world leaders weren't prepared for Trump's brand or style of diplomacy or for his determination to push an "America first" agenda. This time around they know what to expect.

"A lot of leaders have gamed out how to deal with the president," said Jon Alterman, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "They will be nice to him in person, but will work to create broad coalitions to block or undermine a lot of the president's initiatives because they think they are misguided. They'll try to use this meeting to advance strategies that promote their vision and not the president's, but not rub the president's face in it."

Stewart Patrick, a former State Department official in President George W. Bush's administration who is now a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump is "abdicating global leadership and retreating into narrow-minded nationalism" and that his approach "provides few incentives for other countries to align themselves with American purposes."

"The administration's unilateralism is wearing thin, as (U.N.) member states tire of America's browbeating and unwillingness to compromise," he wrote on Wednesday. "Next week, the president will encounter a more skeptical global audience, woke to the reality that his administration's diplomacy is all take and no give. "

Getting the Trump administration to change course, however, may be difficult, considering its foreign policy trajectory.

When former Secretary of State John Kerry left the State Department for the last time on January 19, 2017, he told diplomats that the United States was "more engaged in more places in this world with greater positive impact than at any time in American history."

His assertion was arguable at the time. But if it was true then, it is no longer.

The seeds of the retreat were planted even before Trump fired his first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, in March, and the departures the next month of his chief economic adviser, Gary Cohn, and national security adviser, H.R. McMaster.

In his first several months, Trump withdrew from a trans-Pacific trade deal, the Paris climate accord and pulled the U.S. out of the U.N.'s science, educational and cultural organization. He repeatedly questioned the relevance of NATO, the utility of other multilateral groups and organizations, insulted the leaders of U.S. allies and pared back the Obama administration's rapprochement with Cuba. In December, against the advice of his national security team, he recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

But since Tillerson, Cohn and McMaster left and were replaced with Mike Pompeo, Larry Kudlow and John Bolton, the pace of the retreat has intensified and heading into the General Assembly appears set to increase.

In the last six months alone, Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the U.N. Human Rights Council, yanked funding for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, halted virtually all assistance to the Palestinians themselves and re-ignited the Jerusalem dispute by moving the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv.

In the same time frame, the administration has also imposed sanctions on NATO ally Turkey, slashed its contributions to Syria stabilization efforts, withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal, sharply reduced refugee admissions, threatened to prosecute International Criminal Court employees if the tribunal even opens an investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops, started a trade war with China and suggested the U.S. might quit the World Trade Organization.

Two areas where the administration has tried outreach - with North Korea and Russia - have been criticized or viewed with extreme skepticism by many foreign policy veterans, Republicans and Democrats alike.

Trump has met the leaders of both nations at summits that produced questionable results.

And, while he has claimed progress on the North Korea front that may yet pan out, the engagement has yet to achieve any concrete sign of success on the desired result of denuclearization.

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Follow Matthew Lee at https://twitter.com/APDiploWriter.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The mysterious closure of a solar observatory in New Mexico earlier this month happened after the FBI opened a child pornography investigation involving a janitor's computer found at the observatory, and agents tracked wireless signals used to access child porn, according to an FBI search warrant affidavit.

The mountaintop Sunspot Solar Observatory closed from Sept. 6 to Sept. 17, but the research association that manages it has said only that an unspecified security issue was the reason for the closure.

The facility employs a small group of scientists, researchers and students to capture some of the sharpest images of the sun available in the world.

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2018, the entrance to Sunspot Observatory is blocked near Alamogordo, N.M. The mysterious closure of the solar observatory in New Mexico earlier this month happened after the FBI opened a child pornography investigation involving a janitor's computer found at the observatory, and agents tracked wireless signals used to access child porn, according to an FBI search warrant affidavit. (Dylan Taylor-Lehman/Alamogordo Daily News via AP, File)

The search warrant filed last week in federal court in Las Cruces said the facility's chief observer, who was not identified, told FBI agents in August he found a laptop computer with child pornography several months earlier but did not immediately report the discovery to authorities because he was "distracted" by an unspecified urgent issue at the observatory.

The search warrant provided to a judge the justifications for agents to search computers, cellphones or tablets owned by the janitor, Joshua Lee Cope, and the house trailer where he lives.

An FBI agent seized the laptop at the observatory on Aug. 21, 2018, and took it to the FBI office in Las Cruces, court documents said.

FBI spokesman Frank Fisher said Thursday that no one has been charged and the investigation is ongoing.

Cope, 30, lives on property owned by his parents in La Luz, the search warrant said. A phone message left for Cope at a telephone number listed for his parents seeking comment was not immediately returned.

After Cope could not find his laptop, the court documents said, he began to act frantically and told the chief observer that there was a "serial killer in the area, and that he was fearful that the killer might enter the facility and execute someone."

The observatory closed, without consulting FBI agents, after Cope's comments about the serial killer and his erratic behavior, the warrant said.

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, the group that manages the site under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation, declined comment on the details about the observatory in the court documents.

"We cannot comment on an ongoing law enforcement investigation," association spokeswoman Shari Lifson said.

Lifson declined to say whether Cope was still an employee.

The Sunspot Solar Observatory was established in 1947 atop Sacramento Peak in Lincoln National Forest and overlooks 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 observatory was 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.

Data from observations done at Sunspot is sent to New Mexico State University servers and can be used by researchers around the world.

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This story corrects that the closure was ordered by National Solar Observatory and the National Science Foundation, not the FBI.

FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, file photo, security guards are stationed at the entrance to the Sunspot Solar Observatory to turn away the visitors curious about the site's sudden closure, in Sunspot, N.M. The observatory, which has been closed since early September because of an undisclosed security concern, is now scheduled to reopen on Monday, Sept. 17, officials managing the facility said. (Dylan Taylor-Lehman/Alamogordo Daily News via AP, File)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A disciplinary panel filed ethics charges Thursday against six Arkansas Supreme Court justices over their decision to prohibit a judge who participated in an anti-death penalty demonstration from handling any execution-related cases.

A Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission panel formally filed charges against six of the court's seven members over their handling of the case involving Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen, who was photographed on a cot outside the governor's mansion last year wearing an anti-death penalty button and surrounded by people holding signs opposing executions. Earlier that day, Griffen blocked the state from using a lethal injection drug over claims the company had been misled by the state. Days after the demonstration, the court removed Griffen from the drug lawsuit and barred him from hearing any death penalty cases.

A complaint against a seventh justice is still pending. The complaint against the justices was filed by Griffen, who was charged earlier this year by the disciplinary panel over the demonstration. The panel said the court never gave Griffen notice or an opportunity to be heard over his removal from death penalty cases.

FILE - In this April 17, 2018 file image from video provided by KTHV-TV, a death penalty protester outside the Arkansas governor's mansion in Little Rock prepares to tie rope around Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen who is laying on a cot in protest of executions. A Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission panel filed charges against six Arkansas Supreme Court justices on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, over their handling of the case involving Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen, who was photographed lying on a cot outside the governor's mansion the same day he blocked Arkansas from using an execution drug last year. A complaint against a seventh justice is still pending. (KTHV/TEGNA Inc. via AP, File)

"Indeed, none of the parties to the litigation had even raised or argued the issue of Judge Griffen's blanket disqualification with the Supreme Court," the panel said. The court also didn't give Griffen enough time to respond to the state's request to have him removed from the lethal injection drug case, according to the panel.

The justices did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday afternoon. The panel dismissed a part of Griffen's complaint that claimed the justices improperly communicated with the attorney general's office.

The justices have 30 days to respond to the charges and will have a hearing before the full, nine-member commission. The commission can recommend the justices be suspended or removed if they're found to have violated judicial rules of conduct. The final decision would be up to seven special justices who would have to be appointed by the governor to hear the case. The panel could also issue a public admonishment, reprimand the justices or censure them. The commission is scheduled to take up the case against Griffen over the demonstration next month.

The charges were filed against Chief Justice Dan Kemp and Justices Courtney Goodson, Robin Wynne, Jo Hart, Rhonda Wood and Karen Baker. A complaint is pending against Justice Shawn Womack.

Griffen had sued the justices over his disqualification, claiming it violated his constitutional rights, but a federal appeals court dismissed the case. Griffen's attorney, Mike Laux, has said he plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Laux said Thursday that the charges validate the claims in the judge's lawsuit, but he said they also raised as many questions as answers.

"In any event, Judge Griffen is buoyed by the Commission's decision but we continue to analyze the ruling which creates many implications going forward," Laux said.

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Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (AP) - A jury found a former Virginia Tech student guilty Thursday for her role in the death of a 13-year-old girl two years ago.

Jurors will return to court Friday to hear statements and decide on a sentence for Natalie Keepers, The Roanoke Times reported.

Keepers, from Laurel, Maryland, was charged as an accessory in the 2016 fatal stabbing of Nicole Lovell. Keepers and friend David Eisenhauer, from Columbia, Maryland, were both freshmen engineering students at the time of the killing. Lovell was a Blacksburg middle school student.

Natalie Keepers reacts to the closing arguments of the prosecution during her trial Thursday, September 20, 2018 in Christiansburg, Va. Keepers is accused of being an accessory before the fact in the January 2016 murder of Nicole Lovell in Christiansburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool)

Now 21, Keepers pleaded guilty to concealing Lovell's body but denied helping Eisenhauer plan the killing, as prosecutors allege.

Eisenhauer is serving a 50-year sentence after pleading no contest earlier this year to first-degree murder. Prosecutors said Eisenhauer met Lovell online and talked to her for months before meeting her in person. They said he killed her because he feared she would expose their relationship.

Keepers told police she and Eisenhauer talked about various ways to kill the girl and admitted she later helped dump her body in North Carolina after Eisenhauer stabbed her. She insisted that she wasn't present for the actual killing, but Eisenhauer's lawyers suggested she was there and could have been the one who killed Lovell.

A medical examiner testified that Lovell had 14 stab wounds, including a lethal wound to her neck. Her remains were left beside a highway in North Carolina near the Virginia border.

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Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com

Natalie Keepers reacts to being found guilty by a jury of being an accessory before the fact for the 2016 murder of Nicole Lovell in Christiansburg, Va., Thursday Sept. 20 2018. (Matt Gentry /The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool)

Tim and Sara Keepers, parents of Natalie Keepers, react to their daughter being found guilty as an accessory in the 2016 fatal stabbing of Nicole Lovell, in Christiansburg, Va. Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (Matt Gentry /The Roanoke Times via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) - The suburban Chicago girl who received a heart transplant after dancing her way into a meeting with Drake says she's feeling great.

Sofia Sanchez met with reporters on Thursday , three-and-a-half weeks after she received a new heart during a nine-hour operation at Lurie Children's Hospital. The 11-year-old says her new heart "feels different, but in a good way."

Last month, the Canadian rapper surprised Sofia with a visit after seeing a video of her dancing in a hospital hallway to one of his songs while tethered to her IV pump. That was a week before her surgery.

FILE - This Monday, Aug, 20, 2018, file photo provided by the rapper Drake shows him posing with Sofia Sanchez at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. Drake surprised her after she recorded a video of herself dancing to the rapper's "In My Feelings" and invited him to her birthday party. Sanchez met with reporters on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, three-and-a-half weeks after she received a new heart during a nine-hour operation at Lurie Children's Hospital. The 11-year-old says her new heart "feels different, but in a good way." (OVO/Drake via AP, File)

Sofia says Drake's advice to stay strong and keep fighting has helped her through some tough times.

A heart surgeon calls Sofia a star patient and says her recovery is going quite well.

Heart transplant recipient Sofia Sanchez, talks with reporters at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Chicago. Sanchez captured the nation's attention in August when her two birthday wishes came true within a week of each other, a visit from rap star Drake and a life-saving heart transplant. At left is Dr. Carl Backer, one of her surgeons at Lurie Children's Hospital. At right is her mother, Natalie Sanchez. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An Arkansas Democratic congressional candidate on Thursday denounced immigration attack mailers sent out by a Republican senator's political action committee as "racist" and "fearmongering."

Clarke Tucker, who is running against 2nd District Republican Rep. French Hill, said that the mailers are misleading and racist because they depict brown-skinned men with tattoos holding guns. The ads say Tucker is former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "handpicked" candidate and imply that both support open borders and would not stop MS-13 gang members from entering Arkansas.

The ads, which were sent by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton's PAC, the Republican Majority Fund, say Tucker believes illegal immigration is "no crime at all."

Democratic Congressional candidate Clarke Tucker shows immigration attack mailers from Republican Sen. Tom Cotton's PAC on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Little Rock, Ark. Tucker, who is running against 2nd District Republican French Hill, says the mailers are "racist" and "fear-mongering." (AP Photo/Hannah Grabenstein)

Tucker said the ads were "despicable politics of the past," and that they are "fearmongering based on the color of someone's skin. That's the definition of racism." He also said he would work to crack down on MS-13, a gang formed in Los Angeles in the 1980s by El Salvadoran refugees, and support policies to secure the border. The Trump administration often highlights MS-13 violence as evidence of poor immigration policies and weak border security.

Hill has tried to link Tucker to the former Democratic speaker; Pelosi's photos are shown in multiple television ads attacking Tucker. Tucker has said he would not support Pelosi for Democratic leader or speaker if Democrats regain control of the House, and called the mailers "disingenuous."

"I've never had a conversation with Congresswoman Pelosi," Tucker said, adding that he was not selected by Pelosi but by the voters of Arkansas.

But the PAC is defending the mailers, saying they depict pictures of MS-13 gang members.

"Nancy Pelosi handpicked Clarke Tucker because she knows that Tucker will put Pelosi back in power. That's why a vote for Clarke Tucker is a vote for Nancy Pelosi and her agenda of open borders and sanctuary cities," said James Arnold, a PAC spokesman, in a statement. "The Republican Majority Fund stands fully by its advertisements."

Hill's campaign declined to comment.

The race between Hill and Tucker has been surprisingly competitive in a traditionally red state, with Hill releasing a series of television ads attacking Tucker. But Hill's campaign has about $1.6 million in cash on hand, nearly four times as much as Tucker's.

Hill released a new television attack ad Wednesday, saying Tucker's policies would bankrupt Social Security and Medicare. Tucker has said he would support a public Medicare program in which people could opt to join.

Vice President Mike Pence will headline a rally for Hill on Friday, which Tucker encouraged all voters to attend, saying it's an opportunity to hear from a public official.

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Follow Hannah Grabenstein on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hgrabenstein
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The spectacle and surprise on display at the three inter-Korean summits this year have been, at times, intense. The fourth one could be surreal - if it happens.

Imagine North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rolling through South Korea's ultra-modern capital in an armored limousine flanked by crew-cut bodyguards running in crisp, military formation - the same streets where millions protested two years ago to bring down a corrupt government. Or what about Kim taking an evening stroll through affluent southern Seoul, stopping by the soaring Lotte World Tower to soak in the majestic skyline above the broad Han River - not too far from where protesters regularly burn effigies of him?

All this, and more, is possible after Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's invitation to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year.

FILE - In this Sept. 19, 2018 file photo. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a joint press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's request to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year.(Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP, File)

A visit to his nation's sworn enemy by the third generation of his family to rule North Korea since the nations were divided and then fought a bloody, three-year war that still technically continues would be a truly historic event that could test Seoul politically and logistically.

Moon's supporters would welcome Kim's visit as a significant step toward peace. But South Korea is deeply divided along ideological and generational lines, and there would be no shortage of vibrant outrage from the anti-Pyongyang activists who loathe the despot from the north.

Here's a look at the possibility of a visit by Kim to South Korea, what it could look like and whether it could happen:

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TIMING

In an appearance before media in Pyongyang on Wednesday following their summit talks, Kim said he promised Moon he'd visit Seoul "in a short time." Moon then said Kim agreed to visit Seoul within the year unless there are "exceptional circumstances."

If he does come, Kim would be the first North Korean leader to visit the South Korean capital since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a cease-fire. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, became the first member of the ruling Kim family to visit Seoul in February, when she attended the Winter Olympics in South Korea as a special envoy and conveyed Kim's desire for a summit with Moon.

During the first inter-Korean summit in 2000, Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, told then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung that he would visit Seoul at an "appropriate time," but that time never came. He died in 2011.

However, Kim Jong Un, a decidedly more charismatic leader than his reclusive father, could follow through.

Since launching a diplomatic initiative at the start of the year, Kim has gone out of his way to present himself as an international statesman. He has shared food, wine and laughs with South Korean officials and seemed thoroughly at his ease during a highly choreographed June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore. During an evening sightseeing tour he cheerfully waved at bystanders and viewed the skyline at Singapore's towering Marina Bay Sands.

A Seoul visit between late November and early December could be a good bet.

The rest of September won't work. Moon will be in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, where he plans to meet Trump to discuss the nuclear issue.

October could also be difficult because of the time needed to prepare for such a visit. And North Korea will likely be focusing next month on getting talks with the United States back on track before the U.S. midterm elections in November.

As December wanes Kim will need to prepare for his major New Year's address to his nation, which he annually uses to announce major policy decisions.

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IT'S ALL ABOUT THE NUKES

How Kim is received in Seoul, if he comes, could depend on how he handles nuclear disarmament in coming weeks.

A summit in Seoul would have much deeper diplomatic weight than those that have come before, requiring South Korea to prepare a lavish welcome that could match Moon's reception this week in the North. Moon was treated to Pyongyang streets filled with tens of thousands of cheering residents. And he delivered a speech to 150,000 at the city's May Day Stadium during mass propaganda games.

An effusive reception for Kim would be a sensitive issue in the democratic South. Many South Koreans still harbor deep anger over the North's 1950 sneak attack that started a war that killed and injured millions. There has been occasional bloodshed ever since, including two attacks that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.

Because Moon must create a positive atmosphere for Kim's visit to Seoul, he needs to coax more progress from the North on denuclearization, said Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korea expert at Seoul's Dongguk University and a policy adviser for Moon.

The visit could even develop into a three-way meeting including Trump, something Seoul wants so that the leaders can declare a formal end to the Korean War.

The United States wants to see the North take concrete steps toward denuclearization before there's any such declaration, which wouldn't be a legally binding peace treaty but could make it easier for North Korea to steer the discussions toward a peace regime and security concessions.

There are big doubts in Washington about Kim's willingness to relinquish his nuclear program.

This week, Kim promised to allow outside experts to observe the dismantling of a missile engine test site and launch pad. He also expressed a willingness to dismantle the North's main nuclear facility in Nyongbyon if the United States takes unspecified corresponding measures. It's unclear whether that would be enough to get Washington to agree to a quick end-of-war declaration.

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WHERE TO PUT HIM

South Korea doesn't have a huge state guesthouse like Pyongyang's Paekhwawon, where Moon stayed this week. That leaves one of Seoul's luxury hotels.

The most obvious candidate is Walkerhill, which is where Kim's sister stayed during her visit to Seoul. Nestled on a hill along the Han River, it's away from Seoul's bustling downtown and regularly handles high-security events and high-profile guests.

There could be a problem, though, if Kim worries about irony. The hotel is named after late U.S. Army commander Walton Walker, a war hero in the South because of his exploits against the North during the Korean War.

South Korea would roll out for Kim's protection thousands of police officers who are well used to corralling Seoul's vibrant, very occasionally violent protesters. The police would spend weeks training, but they've got plenty of experience: Rallies by anti-Pyongyang demonstrators didn't pose much of a security threat during Kim Yo Jong's visit to the South earlier this year, for instance. And during Trump's visit to South Korea in 2017, more than 15,000 officers provided security, using hundreds of police buses to create tight perimeters near Seoul's presidential palace to wall off anti-Trump protesters.

Unlike Moon this week in the North, Kim probably wouldn't deliver a speech in a stadium packed with thousands of South Koreans. But he could speak to a smaller group like Chinese President Xi Jinping did with students at Seoul National University in 2014.

A lesser but not impossible possibility is that Kim could address South Korean lawmakers at Seoul's National Assembly to call for stronger legislative support on summit agreements. It could be a challenge for Moon to persuade the Assembly and South Korean public to accept inviting a North Korean leader to the core institution of the country's democracy.

"I hope there will be an opportunity for our people to see Chairman Kim in person and hear Chairman Kim share his thoughts about peace in the Korean Peninsula in his own voice," Moon said Thursday.

First, however, Kim's got to get on the plane south.

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Follow Kim Tong-hyung on Twitter at @KimTongHyung.

FILE- In this Sept. 18, 2018 file photo, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ride in a car parade through Pyongyang in North Korea. Kim and Moon announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's request to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP, File)

FILE- In this Feb. 9, 2018 file photo, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, arrives at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Kim Yo Jong became the first member of the ruling Kim family to visit Seoul in February, when she attended the Winter Olympics in South Korea as a special envoy and conveyed Kim's desire for an inter-Korean summit with Moon. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool, File)

FILE - In this April 27, 2018, file photo, North Korean security persons run by a car carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un return to the North side for a lunch break after a morning meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's request to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year.(Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File)

FILE - In this April 27, 2018, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, is surrounded by his security guards upon his arrival for a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the North Korean side of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's request to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP, File)

FILE - In this April 25, 2018 file photo, activists with cutouts of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un participate in a rally welcoming the planned summit between South and North Korea in Seoul, South Korea. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's request to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year. The signs read: " We Are A Nation and Our Wish Is Unification." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

FILE- In this April 27, 2018, file photo, a man burns a North Korean flag with photos of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the late leaders Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung during a rally outside the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang this week that Kim has accepted Moon's request to visit Seoul soon, maybe within the year.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
SAO PAULO (AP) - The presidential candidate hand-picked by jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was the main target in his first televised debate Thursday.

Left-leaning Fernando Haddad has risen to second place in opinion polls with backing in the high teens in less than three weeks, but he did not take part in the first three TV debates for next month's national elections.

Far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who leads the polls with about 28 percent support, is still recovering in a hospital after being stabbed Sept. 6 and did not participate.

Brazil's presidential candidate for the Workers' Party Fernando Haddad speaks at a campaign rally, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. Haddad has taken the place of barred former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after the former president was barred from running because of a corruption conviction. Da Silva had been leading polls despite serving a prison sentence. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Right-leaning candidates Geraldo Alckmin and Alvaro Dias were the most acid toward Haddad during the TV Aparecida debate.

"Instead of making some self-criticism, the Worker's Party releases candidates in front of a prison," said Alckmin, who is at about 10 percent in the polls heading into Oct. 7 first round of voting.

Haddad was tapped as the Worker's Party candidate Sept. 11 after da Silva, who had been the nominee, was barred from running by Brazil's electoral court because of his corruption conviction.

Dias, who has minimal poll support, was even more aggressive in attacking Haddad.

"Haddad, you are coming to this campaign as a spokesman of the tragedy and a representative of chaos," Dias said. "The Workers' Party has become a philosophy of failure, a belief in ignorance and a herald of intolerance."

Left-leaning Ciro Gomes, who is running third in the polls, was more moderate.

"Why should voters believe these promises for an administration led by you if your party was in office for 14 years and didn't do it," Gomes said.

Haddad praised da Silva's administration, promised to bring economic growth back and blamed the highly unpopular President Michel Temer for Brazil's economic slump.

He also appealed for Brazilians to heal the country's current deep polarization. "Brazil has to seed peace to collect peace," Haddad said.

Although Bolsonaro was not present, he also was a target. Alckmin called him "an adventure," and centrist Marina Silva labeled him "an extremist."

With 13 candidates in the race, it is considered unlikely that anyone will get the 50 percent of the votes needed to win the opening round outright. The top two finishers will advance to a runoff election Oct. 27.
DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md. (AP) - The Latest on a police shooting in Maryland (all times local):

10:15 p.m.

Authorities say two Maryland police officers who were shot late Wednesday had entered the wrong apartment on a drug-related search warrant.

Prince George's County Police Chief Hank Stawinski told news outlets Thursday that the resident shot the officers as soon as they opened the door, thinking they were home invaders. He surrendered immediately after realizing they were law enforcement officers.

Stawinski says no criminal charges will be filed against the man.

Stawinski apologized for the error and said he has halted executing search warrants until the department reviews its procedures.

As of Thursday afternoon, one officer had been released from the hospital. The other remained hospitalized to undergo surgery on an arm.

_____

1:40 a.m.

Authorities say two Maryland police officers have been shot while serving a drug-related search warrant.

The Prince George's County Police Department tells news outlets the officers were shot Wednesday night and flown to a trauma center. Prince George's County police spokeswoman Jennifer Donelan says one officer is in serious condition.

Donelan says officers were executing the warrant at an apartment when a man inside the apartment fired a shotgun at officers. She says one officer was shot in the hand and the other in the shoulder. She says another officer shot at the suspect, but missed.

She says a medic was a part of the team serving the warrant and treated the wounded officers. She says the suspect then surrendered to authorities. Donelan says more information will be released Thursday.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - His own political fortunes intrinsically linked to his party holding control of Congress, President Donald Trump on Thursday offered full-throated support for the most vulnerable incumbent Republican senator, while unleashing a torrent of grievances against Democrats and the news media and claiming they are sabotaging his administration.

Trump, appearing at a boisterous rally in Las Vegas, defended his embattled Supreme Court justice nominee, touted the booming stock market, cited progress in talks with North Korea and pledged to build his long-promised border wall, while also making the pitch for Nevada to re-elect Sen. Dean Heller. The president noted that he and Heller - who once said he "vehemently" opposed Trump - did not always get along.

"We started out, we weren't friends. I didn't like him, he didn't like me!" said Trump to laughs. "But as we fought and fought and fought, believe it or not we started to respect each other, than we started to like each other, then we started to love each other.

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"Ever since I won the election, he's been there for us," said Trump, who urged Heller's re-election because the Republican majority in the Senate is so slim, 51-49, that the GOP would lose its advantage if "someone had a cold." The president also bestowed one of his signature nicknames on Heller's opponent, Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen, dubbing her "Wacky Jacky."

Heller returned the praise: "Mr. President, I think you just turned Nevada red today," he said. Trump narrowly lost Nevada to Hillary Clinton in 2016 despite his deep ties to Las Vegas - he has a golden-hued hotel just off the famed Strip - and repeatedly campaigning in the state.

Trump in particular focused his pitch for Heller on the need to confirm more conservative judges, in particular his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, whose seat on the bench had been thrown into question by allegations that he sexually assaulted a young woman while in high school more than 30 years ago.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

While negotiations continued over whether his accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, would testify next week, Trump, who has taken pains not to criticize Ford in recent days, appeared to break from that strategy in a pre-rally interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on the convention center floor.

"I think it's a very sad situation," said Trump, asking: "Why didn't somebody call the FBI 36 years ago? ... What's going on?" While he said Ford should "have her say," he made clear he was done waiting: "I don't think you can delay it any longer. They've delayed it a week already."

Trump remained on message at the rally. He did not utter a critical word about Ford, but defended Kavanaugh, saying he was "a great intellect" and "a great gentleman with an impeccable reputation."

"We have to let it play out but I have to tell you, he is a fine, fine person," Trump said of the Senate confirmation process. "I think everything is going to be just fine."

There was one local topic Trump avoided. The Las Vegas rally was held three miles from the Mandalay Bay hotel where a gunman opened fire just over a year ago, killing 58 people and leaving 851 injured.

Trump made no mention of the shooting, though he assured Heller would vote in favor of the Second Amendment.

The rest of the rally was red meat for the crowd, which repeatedly roared its approval for the president but did not quite fill the room at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

As usual, Trump went after the media and many who attended the rally followed his lead. One man stood behind the president's traveling press corps, repeatedly yelling the word "traitors" at the journalists.

At one point reading from a list of his administration's accomplishments, Trump spent much of the rally focused on what advisers believe is his - and his party's - best issue, the strong economy. He took credit for the stock market's gains and the nation's low unemployment rate and bragged about boosting the military, while accusing Democrats of doing their best to foster division and stall the growth.

"They are lousy politicians and their policies are terrible," said Trump, in only his second rally as president in a state he lost two years ago, "but they are good at sticking together and resisting, that's what they do. You see the signs 'Resist, Resist.'"

With the chances of Republicans keeping control of the House of Representatives looking increasingly dismal, the White House has fixated on keeping the Senate as a bulwark against any Democratic effort to impeach and then remove Trump from office. Though the Senate midterm map favors Republicans, a few states, including Tennessee and perhaps Texas, could slip away from the GOP.

But no Republican-held seat is considered more endangered than the one in Nevada. The only Republican running for re-election in a state Hillary Clinton carried in 2016, Heller has been locked in a tight race in an increasingly blue-leaning state.

Though he fervently tried to wrap his arms around the president Thursday, Heller's relationship with Trump has been tumultuous. Weeks before the 2016 election, Heller infamously said that he was "100 percent against Clinton, 99 percent against Trump," a remark the president has not forgotten.

Heller drew the president's ire a year ago when he held up Republican efforts to repeal former President Barack Obama's signature health care law. But Trump saved Heller from a costly and damaging primary battle earlier this year by persuading a very conservative primary challenger, Danny Tarkanian, to drop out of the Senate race and instead seek a House seat.

Heller is now in a close race with Rosen, a first-term congresswoman who stands to benefit from a wave of Democratic and female activism fueled by opposition to Trump. And the senator, at times, has struggled to strike a balancing act of praising the president, who remains popular among Republicans, while distancing himself from Trump's scandals and provocative positions.

"Eighty percent of what this president has done has been very, very good, very positive," Heller told reporters last week. "The other 20 percent ... he has a reality show. I get it. It's a reality show."

___

Associated Press writer Michelle Price contributed to this report. Colvin reported from Washington.

___

This story has been corrected to show the Senate is divided 51-49, not 50-49.

President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up as he arrives at McCarran International Airport for a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Donald Trump meets with supporters during a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
SPRING LAKE, N.C. (AP) - With Florence's floodwaters receding in some places and still menacing others, tired and waterlogged North Carolinians are finally getting a chance to take stock of the destruction from the wind and floodwaters.

When rivers spilled from their banks this week, many were forced to flee their homes in multiple inland cities. Now that waters are receding, property owners along its banks are picking through debris and figuring out what's left of their homes and livelihood.

Jose Perez-Santiago, an Afghanistan war veteran, retrieved belongings on Wednesday from a Spring Lake house swamped by the overflowing Little River.

Jose Perez-Santiago, left, and Rosemary Acevedo-Gonzalez, walk with their daughter Jordalis, 2, after retrieving her clothing upon returning to their home for the first time since it was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Spring Lake, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. "I didn't realize we would lose everything," said Perez-Santiago. "We'll just have to start from the bottom again." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

"I didn't realize we would lose everything," said Perez-Santiago. "We'll just have to start from the bottom again."

For some locals in Wilmington, a coastal city littered with downed trees and floodwaters, the storm offered the bittersweet bargain of nonstop, tiring work that comes with a paycheck for helping others.

Stanley Hall, 54, had to walk 4 miles (6 kilometers) to get to a downtown Wilmington hotel to join up with about 50 other locals doing temporary work for SERVPRO, which specializes in cleaning up water damage in homes and buildings.

Hall said he's earning $12 an hour for the SERVPRO work, two dollars more than his temp agency normally pays. He's also been working about double a normal week's worth of hours - meaning plenty of overtime pay.

"I ain't mad about that, that's for sure," he said.

Inland in Lumberton, which was hard hit by flooding from the Lumber River, Wavon Rogers spent several days after the storm as a civilian volunteer using his boat and truck ferrying 18 people either away from flooded homes, or back to retrieve medicine and essential belongings.

With the sun out and some Lumberton roads drying, he's shifting back to his day job as an electrical contractor, helping homeowners restore power or hook up generators. He told a reporter by phone he only had a few minutes to talk while working on one job before heading to others.

"I'm putting services up at this moment, wiring generators," he said.

Lumberton homeowner Kenneth Campbell said he found at least a foot of water in his one-story home when a friend took him into his flooded neighborhood on a boat Tuesday.

"The water was right above my floors," he said.

Campbell's house also flooded during Hurricane Matthew, and he hadn't expected to face the prospect of rebuilding two years later. Asked whether he thought his home and flood insurance would offer enough this time to rebuild, or if he would need further government assistance, he said he wasn't sure.

"That's hard to say," he said, in a low, sad-sounding voice. "Things are always changing."

In Campbell's neighborhood, Kevin Caudle has donned waders to wade in and check on his house multiple days this week. He fears that the floodwaters could be creeping above his crawlspace and could cause more damage.

"Came over to the house to pump water out from under the crawlspace today but when I arrived the water had risen probably 3 to 4 inches in over the crawlspace entrance," he told a reporter in a text message. "Very disheartening but we will make it through it."

Others, meanwhile, had yet to make it out of shelters to plan their next move.

Sonja Graham has been staying at a shelter in Fayetteville with her daughter and two grandchildren since Saturday, when she had to evacuate her Robeson County home. Shortly after evacuating, Graham says her house collapsed when unrelenting rain soaked through its roof and walls.

"I lost everything on my birthday," she said Wednesday night.

With little housing available right now, Graham said she has no choice but to stay at the shelter and wait for FEMA aid. But even with government help, new housing might still be tough to find. She said the Lumberton-area housing stock was depleted by Hurricane Matthew and many houses were still being repaired from the storm two years ago when Florence hit.

"Most of those houses aren't fixed - including the house I grew up in," she said. "The people hadn't even finished putting it back together."

___

Suderman reported from Wilmington, N.C. Associated Press journalists Jonathan Drew in Raleigh and David Goldman in Spring Lake contributed to this report.

Afghanistan war veteran, Jose Perez-Santiago, stands in his daughter's home as he returns for the first time since it was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Spring Lake, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. "I didn't realize we would lose everything," said Perez-Santiago. "We'll just have to start from the bottom again." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

People gather in Wilmington, N. C., on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, to work for SERVPRO, a company that specializes in repairing water damage to homes and buildings. (AP Photo/Alan Suderman)

Volunteer Curtis Evans helps to remove storm damaged items from houses on Change Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding to the historic neighborhood located near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Chaplain Maryann Koffenberger places a painted board over the doorway of a storm damaged home on East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Residents and volunteers are beginning cleanup efforts after Hurricane Florence. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

An insurance adjuster looks over a storm beached yacht off of East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Hurricane Florence brought damaging winds and destructive flooding to the neighborhood fronting the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Chaplain Maryann Koffenberger places a painted board over the doorway of a storm damaged home on East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Residents and volunteers are beginning cleanup efforts after Hurricane Florence. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Joshua Ewing, of Disaster Relief Services, works to clear debris and storm damaged items from homes on East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding to the historic neighborhood near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Household items and appliances are curbside as residents and volunteers begin cleanup efforts on Change Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Hurricane Florence brought damaging winds and destructive flooding to the historic neighborhood near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Storm damaged items and debris are piled in front of homes in the historic district in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley /Sun Journal via AP)

A cleanup crew member pushes a wheelbarrow of storm debris past a beached yacht on East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding and storm surge to the historic community near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Volunteer Rita DeSanno helps clean furniture that was flooded at a home on Craven Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding to the historic community near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Resident Karen Whitmore places a box of free snacks outside her storm damaged home on Change Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding to the historic community near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)
ATHENS, Texas (AP) - Democrat Beto O'Rourke's mother is typically asked how her son got his name or if he was a troublemaker. But in a rural county Donald Trump overwhelmingly won in 2016, a supporter brings up different family history: Accusations her son pushed a project that would benefit his wealthy father-in-law.

It's a decade-old accusation that Beto O'Rourke has denied and stems from his days on the El Paso City Council. An attorney who filed two ethics complaints against O'Rourke in 2006 over the project called recent attack ads misleading.

But Republican Ted Cruz has revived the accusations as he tries to defend his Senate seat against the Democratic congressman, who had said going into their first debate Friday that he won't similarly go negative.

FILE - In this June 22, 2018, file photo, Beto O'Rourke speaks during the general session at the Texas Democratic Convention in Fort Worth, Texas. O'Rourke will have the first of three scheduled debates Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, in Dallas against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)

His family says they're doing the same.

"Those things have all been addressed. This is something that is not new to us. Anything being brought up by Cruz has been brought up before," said Charlotte O'Rourke, Beto's sister, who was campaigning with their mother, Melissa, this month in solidly conservative East Texas. "But we know the truth."

Starting in Dallas with the first of three televised debates in Texas, Cruz will likely try to show voters a version of O'Rourke beyond the third-term congressman who has rejected outside money, has no campaign pollster and visited all 254 Texas counties, many of which Democrats wrote off long ago.

National attention in the race has grown as O'Rourke has raised more money than Cruz, a 2016 presidential contender, and polls have suggested a tighter race than expected in a state where Republicans typically win in landslides. One poll by Quinnipac University this week, however, found Cruz ahead by 9 points.

"The ad hominem attacks on character and dredging things up from 20 years ago, I could go down that same road as well. And there's a temptation to do that because that's how politics have been carried out in this country for as long as I can remember," O'Rourke said last week before speaking at a Dallas church. "But like so many people in this state, I'm sick of it."

A second debate is planned for Sept. 30 in Houston, followed by a final debate in San Antonio on Oct. 16, which is three weeks before Election Day.

O'Rourke began running for Senate last year as a relative unknown outside his congressional district in far-flung El Paso. He jumped into a race that most deemed unwinnable in Texas, which hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988. His path to victory would require a massive Democratic turnout and large gains in Texas' conservative suburbs.

O'Rourke, whose father was a Republican county judge in El Paso, started his political career as a city councilman in 2005. He supported a downtown redevelopment plan in which his father, Bill Sanders, a wealthy El Paso developer, was an investor. The plan was fiercely opposed by some residents and business owners in an affected neighborhood called Segundo Barrio.

Cruz's ad accused O'Rourke of trying to use eminent domain to push out residents and "benefit his own family." Stuart Blaugrund, an attorney for opponents of the plan, filed two failed ethics complaints against O'Rourke alleging personal and financial conflicts, and O'Rourke ultimately recused himself from votes related to the project.

"He ultimately did the right thing," said Blaugrund, who said he doesn't plan to vote for either candidate.

Cruz also sought to draw attention earlier this year to a furniture store run by O'Rourke's mother that paid a $250,000 fine in 2010 after the store was accused of manipulating financial records. The store was charged as a corporate entity, and Melissa O'Rourke was not charged as an individual. Beto O'Rourke told the El Paso Time s that "the store made a mistake and the issue was resolved."

At a restaurant in Henderson County this month, O'Rourke supporter Melody Belcher, 74, suggested to Melissa O'Rourke that the campaign should consider running ads refuting accusations she saw on conservative media. She was with her husband, who was holding O'Rourke yard signs, and Belcher said that even she still had questions about what she's read.

"I feel very strongly he probably is what he says he is, just looking at his ads," Belcher said of O'Rourke. "But people have been fooled before."
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, the country's No. 2 after the ruling Communist Party's leader, died Friday after a serious illness, the government said. He was 61.

Quang passed away despite "utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese and foreign professors and doctors and care by the party and state leaders," the statement said. It said Quang died at a military hospital in Hanoi but did not elaborate on his illness.

The state-run online newspaper VnExpress quoted a former health minister and the head of a national committee in charge of leaders' health, Nguyen Quoc Trieu, as saying that Quang had contracted a rare and toxic virus since July last year and had traveled to Japan six times for treatment. He did not specify the virus.

FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2018, file photo, Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang meets with Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the Presidential Palace during the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Hanoi, Vietnam. Official media say Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang has died at age 61 due to illness on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (Kham/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Trieu said the president lapsed into a deep coma hours after being admitted to the National Military Hospital 108 on Thursday afternoon.

"Japanese professors and doctors treated him and helped consolidate the president's health for about a year," Trieu said. "However, there are no medicines in the world that can cure the illness completely, instead it only could prevent and push it back for some time."

Quang hosted President Donald Trump during his first state visit to the communist country last year, when Trump attended a summit of Pacific Rim leaders.

U.S Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink praised Quang for his contributions to promote relations between the two former foes.

"His hosting of President Donald J. Trump's historic state visit to Hanoi in November 2017 helped advance the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership to new heights on the basis of mutual understanding, shared interests, and a common desire to promote peace, cooperation, prosperity, and security in the Indo-Pacific region," he said in a statement posted on the embassy's website.

Phil Roberston, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said that Quang would be remembered for "a multi-year crackdown on human rights and putting more political prisoners behind bars in Vietnam than any time in recent memory."

Some 97 activists have been jailed as of April this year, according to Amnesty International.

The Communist Party tolerates no challenge to its one-party rule and often jails people for peacefully expressing their views, though Hanoi maintains that only law breakers are put behind bars.

Quang's last public appearance was at a Politburo meeting of the ruling Communist Party and a reception for a Chinese delegation on Wednesday. He looked frail on the state-run Vietnam Television broadcast.

Quang did not appear in public for more than a month last year, raising speculation about his health.

Born in northern Ninh Binh province, Quang attended a police college and rose through the ranks at the powerful Ministry of Public Security before being appointed minister in 2011.

A career security officer and four-star general, Quang was elected president in April 2016 by the Communist Party-dominated National Assembly, effectively becoming the second most powerful man in the country after General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The National Assembly is scheduled to convene a session next month and expected to elect a new president.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
The Senate Judiciary Chairman has reluctantly granted Brett Kavanaugh's accuser an extension to decide if she will testify about her sexual assault claims against the Supreme Court nominee.

In a string of tweets Friday night, Senator Chuck Grassley wrote: 'With all the extensions we give Dr Ford to decide if she still wants to testify to the Senate I feel like Im playing 2nd trombone in the judiciary orchestra and [Senator Chuck] Schumer is the conductor.'

This came after Grassley rejected Dr Christine Blasey Ford's key concessions under which she would testify and then gave her until 10pm Friday night to come to a 'reasonable resolution'. He said if Dr Ford and her lawyers failed to reach a decision his Republican-run panel would vote on sending Kavanaugh's nomination for Supreme Court Justice by Monday.

But before the 10pm deadline, Ford's lawyer said her client wants another day to consider terms for testifying about her allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teens.

Attorney Debra Katz called Friday's deadline 'arbitrary', saying 'its sole purpose is to bully Dr Ford and deprive her of the ability to make a considered decision that has life-altering implications for her and her family.'

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley gave Dr Christine Blasey Ford an extension to decide if she wants to testify against Judge Kavanaugh

Grassley said the panel will vote to confirm Kavanaugh (left) Monday without an agreement between Ford's (right) lawyers and the Senate Judiciary Committee

Senator Chuck Grassley tweeted to Brett Kavanaugh that he is granted Dr Ford an extension

Earlier Friday he gave Dr Ford until 10pm Friday to decide

He appeared reluctant to grant the extension to decide if she wants to testify against Brett Kavanaugh

Now a 53-year-old California psychology professor, Ford says an inebriated Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed, muffled her cries and tried removing her clothes when both were teenagers in the 1980s.

Kavanaugh denies the allegations and has said he would testify to clear his name. Ford wants to appear later in the week.

Grassley wrote: 'Five times now we [have] granted extension for Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed [with] her desire stated one [week] ago that she wants to tell senate her story Dr Ford if u changed ur mind say so so we can move on I want to hear ur testimony. Come to us or we to u.'

In a followup tweet, addressed to Judge Kavanaugh, Grassley wrote: 'Judge Kavanaugh I just granted another extension to Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed w the statement she made last week to testify to the senate She [should] decide so we can move on I want to hear her. I hope u understand. Its not my normal approach to [be] indecisive.'

The latter tweet confused some Twitter users, who speculated the tweet was meant to be a direct text.

Ford met with the FBI for several hours about death threats she has received and wants to consider her response until at least Saturday.

Grassley had said if no agreement is reached the panel may vote Monday on Kavanaughs nomination.

He turned down Ford's request that only senators, not attorneys, be allowed to ask questions.

He also rejected her proposal that she testify after Kavanaugh, a position lawyers consider advantageous because it gives them a chance to rebut accusations.

'We are unwilling to accommodate your unreasonable demands,' Grassley said earlier Friday.

Grassley sent Ford's attorneys a proposal earlier Friday offering a Wednesday hearing - Ford preferred Thursday - and said, 'It is not fair to him or to his family to allow this situation to continue without a resolution and without an opportunity for him to clear his name.'

In this Sept. 4, 2018, file photo Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh stands with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley R-Iowa, during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill

Grassley said he was rebuffing Ford's proposals that she testify after Kavanaugh and that only senators, not outside counsel, be allowed to ask questions.

The committee's 11 Republicans - all men - have been seeking an outside female attorney to interrogate Ford, mindful of the election-season impression that could be left by men trying to pick apart a woman's assertion of a sexual attack.

He also refused to call additional witnesses.

Ford wants an appearance by Mark Judge, a Kavanaugh friend who Ford asserts was at the high school party and in the bedroom where Kavanaugh's assault occurred. Ford eventually escaped.

Grassley said he'd consented to several other Ford demands, including that she be provided security and that Kavanaugh not be in the hearing room when she testifies.

Friday was the latest in a string of tumultuous days for Kavanaugh, whose ascension to the Supreme Court seemed a sure bet until Ford emerged last weekend and provided details of the alleged assault.

Kavanaugh, a District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals judge, has repeatedly denied the accusation.
MALE, Maldives (AP) - As election officials made final preparations for nationwide elections in the Maldives, the European Union said it is not sending observers because the country has failed to meet the basic conditions for monitoring.

In the capital, Male, pink and green campaign banners hung in the streets. Election commission spokesman Ahmed Akram said the country was fully prepared to hold a free and fair election on Sunday. But in neighboring Sri Lanka, exiled former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, a leader of the opposition, said Friday that the vote could be rigged.

A decade after Maldivians took to the streets to welcome democracy to the series of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, voters head to the ballot box in what has become a referendum on whether democracy will stay.

People walk past a giant poster that shows Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, right, and his running mate Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, ahead of Sunday's elections in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Yameen's only contender in Sunday's election is longtime lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, backed by former President Mohamed Nasheed who is now living in exile in neighboring Sri Lanka. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

The Maldives' third multiparty presidential election is being held five years after incumbent President Yameen Abdul Gayoom began consolidating power, rolling back press and individual freedoms, asserting control over independent governmental institutions and jailing or forcing major political rivals into exile.

"There is a need to reorient ourselves and take stock of what we have lost," said Ahmed Tholal, a former member of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives. "There is a need to ask ourselves if we are willing to allow the hard work of democratizing the country to go waste."

Beyond the postcard image the Maldives has of luxury resorts and white sand beaches, the 400,000 citizens of the former British protectorate have struggled to maintain the democratic system established in 2008.

Yameen has jailed two former presidents including his half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the Maldives' former strongman, his former vice president, two Supreme Court justices, two former defense ministers and scores of others after trials criticized for a lack of due process.

As protests culminating in violent confrontations with police and mass arrests have grown, opposition parties - many of them Yameen's own former political partners - formed an alliance in exile with the aim of unseating him.

Transparency Maldives spokesman Aiman Rasheed said that Sunday's vote is "a referendum on authoritarianism versus freedom."

Thorsten Bargfrede, head of the political department at the EU mission in Colombo, the capital of neighboring Sri Lanka, said Friday that the group is not sending a monitoring mission because the Maldives has not met the basic conditions. He did not elaborate.

Gulbin Sultana, a researcher on the Maldives at the Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses based in New Delhi, described the state of the country as a "democratic dictatorship" in which Yameen has been carrying out his whims by legally amending the constitution.

But Yameen's supporters counter that the country's economy and institutions have grown under him. Yameen's campaign slogan, "Progress shared," is a nod to the country's development. Government spokesman Ibrahim Hussain Shihab said Yameen's administration has always sought to "maintain the rule of law."

Gross domestic product more than doubled between 1990 and 2015, life expectancy at birth has increased and poverty declined, although high youth unemployment and low participation of women in the workforce persist, according to the World Bank.

Part of that growth is due to aid and investment from China, which is challenging India's long-held position as the dominant outside power throughout South Asia. China considers the Maldives a key cog in its "Belt and Road" project along ancient trade routes through the Indian Ocean and Central Asia.

Former President Nasheed said the elections could be the last chance to extricate his country from increasing Chinese influence, which he described as a land grab in the guise of investments in island development.

"We believe that the Chinese government has an interest in maintaining the authoritarian rule of President Yameen," he said Friday at a news conference in Colombo.

Political struggle has long beset the string of atolls.

The former British protectorate did not inherit a full parliamentary system of government like many other colonies. In 1953, the 812-year-old sultanate was abolished in favor of a republic, then restored again a year later until 1968. Gayoom came to power in 1978 through a public referendum.

Calls for the recognition of political parties were violently suppressed and activists jailed during Gayoom's 30-year authoritarian rule.

Gayoom finally introduced democratic reforms in 2008 after a public revolt and the burning down of police stations and government vehicles over the killing of a man in government custody.

However, when Gayoom was defeated at the polls by pro-democracy activist Nasheed, it seemed to signal a new chapter in the islands' turbulent history.

Nasheed became famous for drawing global attention to the perils of climate change that saw rising sea levels threaten the Maldives' coral reefs, which rise less than a meter (3.2 feet) above sea level. "The inundation of the Maldives is just a generation away," he warned.

But at home, Nasheed struggled to get support from officials still loyal to Gayoom, and resigned in 2012 after losing military and police support over the arrest of a prominent judge. He ran for the presidency again in 2013 - the Maldives' second multiparty election - and lost to Gayoom's half-brother, current President Yameen.

Since then, Yameen has ruled with an iron fist, erasing many features of the young democracy. His government subjects journalists and social media users to punishing fines for defamation.

Its control of the courts resulted in a much-criticized trial of Nasheed, who in 2015 was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The vice president, Ahmed Adeeb, was also arrested in 2015 after what the government called a failed assassination attempt on Yameen. Adeeb is currently serving a 33-year prison sentence on terrorism and corruption charges.

A report by the Organized Crime and Reporting Project released earlier this week alleges that Adeep was among many officials including Yameen who illegally leased scores of the country's more than 1,000 islands for tourism development, keeping tens of millions of dollars in graft in 2014-15.

Yameen's only contender in Sunday's election is longtime lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, backed by Nasheed who is now living in exile in neighboring Sri Lanka. Nasheed had hoped to run again, but was disqualified because of his outstanding prison sentence.

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Francis reported from Colombo, Sri Lanka. Associated Press writer Mohamed Sharuhaan contributed to this report.

Maldives' opposition presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih greets supporters at a party office in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Solih, the only contender in Sunday's election against incumbent President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, is backed by former President Mohamed Nasheed who is now living in exile in neighboring Sri Lanka. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A Maldivian man walks past a wall filled with posters showing opposition leaders, outside the residence of former president Mohamed Nasheed in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A giant poster shows Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, right, and his running mate Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, on a road decorated with election paraphernalia in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A giant cut-out of Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom stands on a road ahead of Sunday's elections in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Yameen's only contender in Sunday's election is longtime lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, backed by former President Mohamed Nasheed who is now living in exile in neighboring Sri Lanka. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man walks in a street decorated with flags of the Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom's Progressive Party of Maldives in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Maldives former President Mohamed Nasheed talks to journalists during a press conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Nasheed has said that the upcoming elections could be the last chance to extricate his country from increasing Chinese influence, which he described as a land grab in the guise of investments in island development. (AP Photo/Rukmal Gamage)

Maldives former President Mohamed Nasheed during a press conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Nasheed has said that the upcoming elections could be the last chance to extricate his country from increasing Chinese influence, which he described as a land grab in the guise of investments in island development. (AP Photo/Rukmal Gamage)

A supporter of Maldives' opposition presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih waves Maldivian Democratic Party flag outside a party office in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A supporter of Maldives' opposition presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih arranges campaign material at a party office in Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Maldives will go to the polls on Sunday. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
MALE, Maldives (AP) - The Maldives on Sunday holds its third-ever multiparty presidential election, as political tumult continues a decade after democracy was introduced to the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Here are some key moments in the Maldives' recent political history:

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FILE - In this Feb. 2, 2018, file photo, Maldivian opposition protestors shout slogans demanding the release of political prisoners during a protest in Male, Maldives. Supporters of political parties that oppose the Maldives government have clashed with police on the streets of the capital after the country's supreme court ordered the release of imprisoned politicians.(AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan, File)

2008

January: A Boy Scout foils an attempted assassination of the Maldives' long-time autocratic ruler, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, blocking a knife attack with his bare hands.

August: Gayoom signs a new constitution allowing multiparty elections and other democratic reforms. The constitution says Islam is the only religion Maldivians can legally practice.

October: In the country's first multiparty election, Mohamed Nasheed, a former political prisoner, defeats Gayoom.

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2011

May: Police break up a protest demanding Nasheed's resignation. Dozens of people are injured and many arrested.

September: Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom, ex-President Gayoom's half brother, founds the Progressive Party of the Maldives.

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2012

January: The military arrests a top criminal court judge after he released an opposition leader who had been detained without warrant for allegedly defaming the government. The judge's arrest prompts all courts to boycott sessions.

February: Nasheed resigns after a police mutiny and weeks of demonstrations over the judge's arrest. Vice President Mohamed Waheed is sworn in as new head of state.

July: Nasheed is charged with illegally ordering the judge's arrest.

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2013

September: Nasheed wins first round of presidential elections but without a clear majority.

October: Supreme Court annuls first-round result after a candidate alleges irregularities.

November: Yameen wins runoff election.

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2015

February: Nasheed is arrested on terrorism charges. Supporters protest in the capital.

March: Nasheed is sentenced to 13 years in prison in a trial widely seen as lacking due process.

September: An explosion on President Yameen's boat injures his wife, aide and bodyguard. Authorities call it an assassination attempt.

October: Vice President Ahmed Adeeb is arrested on charges of involvement in the alleged assassination attempt.

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2016

January: Nasheed is granted permission to travel to Britain for spinal surgery.

May: U.K. grants Nasheed refugee status.

June: Adeeb is convicted of plotting to assassinate Yameen and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

August: Authorities issue arrest warrant for Nasheed for failing to return to Maldives.

September: Nasheed allies with former President Gayoom to challenge Yameen.

October: Maldives leaves the British Commonwealth, saying the group has sought to interfere in its politics. Six ruling party lawmakers defect to the opposition to challenge Yameen's rule.

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2017

February: From exile in London, Nasheed says he plans to contest 2018 presidential election despite his outstanding prison sentence in Maldives.

March: A bid by opposition lawmakers to wrest control of Maldives' Parliament fails.

July: Security forces lock down Parliament after opposition lawmakers storm the compound in an attempt to prevent a vote to impeach the parliamentary speaker.

August: Opposition lawmaker Qasim Ibrahim is jailed for more than three years on charges of bribery and plotting to overthrow the government.

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2018

February: Supreme Court orders the release of convicted politicians, including Nasheed. The government says it will not enforce the order and declares a state of emergency. Security forces storm the Supreme Court and arrest two justices. Later, they arrest Gayoom. Authorities accuse them of plotting to overthrow the government. Dozens are injured and arrested when police break up nationwide protests demanding Yameen's resignation.

March: Authorities charge Gayoom and the two justices with terrorism. Yameen lifts the 45-day state of emergency.

May: The justices are sentenced to more than 19 months in prison on charges of influencing lower court decisions.

June: A court sentences Gayoom to 19 months in prison for failing to cooperate with a police investigation.

July: Opposition alliance names lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih from the Maldivian Democratic Party as its candidate for president after Nasheed abandons plans to contest the election.

August: Solih says he fears the government will rig the election.

September: The U.S. threatens to sanction Maldives officials if the elections are not free and fair.

FILE- In this Feb. 3, 2018, file photo, Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, center, arrives to address his supporters in Male, Maldives. The president of the Maldives has asked Parliament to extend a state of emergency by two weeks as political turmoil continues in the country. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan, File)

FILE- In this May 30, 2018 file photo, a policemen carries away a ballot box after stopping primary elections of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) following a court order in Male, Maldives. The Elections Commission says the primary was unlawful because former president Mohamed Nasheed, the only candidate, is sentenced to 13-years in prison and does not qualify as a candidate. But Nasheed, who in 2008 became the first democratically elected president of the archipelago nation best known for its high-end resorts, only to be forced out four years later and later convicted in a widely condemned trial, is already on the campaign trail for another term as President, albeit only online for now, speaking to supporters in video discussions. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2017 file photo, Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, left, shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Fred Dufour/Pool Photo via AP)

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2015, file photo, Maldives' bomb disposal squad members walk in an area where news of a suspected bomb was reported, which later turned out to be a false alarm, in Male, Maldives. The president of the Maldives declared a state of emergency on Wednesday that sharply curtails key rights of citizens for 30 days following an explosion on his speedboat and the discoveries of a homemade bomb near his residence and a weapons cache. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2008, file photo, Maldives' president-elect Mohamed Nasheed addresses the media, as President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom sits by his side in Male, Maldives. Nasheed won Maldives' first democratic election on Oct. 29, marking the end of President Gayoom's three-decade rule. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2008, file photo, supporters of Maldives' President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party participate in an election campaign ahead of the country's first democratic presidential election in Male, Maldives. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

FILE - In this Oct 8, 2008, file photo, Mohamed Nasheed, presidential candidate representing the Maldivian Democratic Party in the country's first democratic presidential election, casts his vote at a polling station in Male, Maldives. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

FILE - In this July 20, 2009, file photo, Maldives' former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, flanked by his sons Farish Maumoon, left, and Mohammed Ghassan Maumoon, right, emerges from the police headquarters in Male, Maldives. Gayoom was questioned by the police on reasons for his refusal to attend a presidential commission established to investigate corruption charges brought into light by the Auditor General in his reports. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain)

FILE - In this June 30, 2010, file photo, former ministers, from right, Ameen Faisal of Defense, Ahmed Aslam of Housing Environment and Energy, and Ibrahim Shihab of Home Affairs, participate in a protest in support of the cabinet's decision to resign, in Male, Maldives. The Maldives Cabinet has resigned en masse over a conflict between the president and the country's parliament. Government spokesman Mohamed Zuhair said all 13 members of the Cabinet resigned Tuesday after accusing the parliament, where the opposition has a majority, of trying to undermine President Mohamed Nasheed's powers by defeating all his motions put before it. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2011, file photo, a Maldivian holds a placard during a protest calling on the government to enforce strict Islamic law, accusing President Mohamed Nasheed's government of compromising principles of Islam, in Male, Maldives. Maldives is an Indian Ocean archipelago of 300,000 Muslims that prohibits practicing any other religion. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2012 file photo, opposition supporters confront police as they protest against the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed in Male, Maldives. The Maldives asked the United Nations on Sunday to send a group of international jurists to resolve what it calls a judicial system failure that has resulted in the military's detention of the senior judge. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE- In this Feb. 7, 2012, file photo, Maldivian police officers throw tear gas canisters during a clash with the military in Male, Maldives. The first democratically elected president Mohamed Nasheed of Maldives resigned Tuesday after police joined the protesters and then clashed with soldiers amid protests over his controversial arrest of a top judge. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain)

FILE - In this Feb. 8, 2012, file photo, Mohamed Nasheed, center, who resigned Tuesday from his post as Maldivian President, stands along with his supporters after police fired teargas shells at them during a rally in Male, Maldives. Nasheed, the nation's first democratically elected president, said he had been forced to resign at gunpoint Tuesday in what he termed a coup. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2012, file photo, the new Maldivian President Mohammed Waheed Hassan speaks during a media briefing with foreign reporters at his office in Male, Maldives. A top U.S. government official met Saturday with leaders in the Maldives to assess the political situation in the Indian Ocean nation after the former president said he was ousted in a coup. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2012, file photo, Maldives' former President Mohamed Nasheed, center on stage, greets supporters during a public rally urging the government to hold immediate elections in Male, Maldives. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File)

FILE - In this March 19, 2012, file photo, riot policemen stand behind shields as they clash with supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed during a protest in Male, Maldives. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2013, file photo, a woman walks past a graffiti of former President Mohamed Nasheed in Male, Maldives. Maldives has been in a political turmoil since last year's February resignation of Nasheed, who was elected in 2008 in the nation's first democratic polls after 30 years of autocracy. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2013, file photo, a supporter of Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed covers her mouth with a tape that reads "Where is my vote?" during a silent protest in Male, Maldives. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE - In this Friday, Nov. 8, 2013, file photo, presidential candidate Yaamin Abdul Gayoom, right, a brother of the 30-year autocratic ruler Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, speaks during an election campaign rally in Male, Maldives. Voters in Maldives will choose a new president for their vulnerable new democracy on Saturday. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain)

FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2013, file photo, an election officer displays a ballot paper to observers as he counts votes after polling for presidential elections closed in Male, Maldives. After two months of political bickering and repeated failure to hold a presidential election, people in the Maldives voted Saturday to elect a new leader for their budding but vulnerable democracy. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE- In this Nov. 11, 2013, file photo, riot policemen block an area during a protest by supporters of Maldives former President Mohamed Nasheed near the parliament in Male, Maldives. With most opposition leaders in jail or exile, public protests tightly controlled and courts rendering verdicts decried for lack of due process, the Maldives has nearly slid back to where it was eight years ago: an autocratic state that quashes dissent. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 23, 2015 file photo, Maldives' former President and current opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed, in white, tussles with policemen who stopped him from speaking to journalists in Male, Maldives. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)
BERLIN (AP) - An arrowhead firmly lodged in the skull of an ancient fallen warrior, a voluptuous woman's form carved from ivory and the mask of a Roman river god are among more than 1,000 major archaeological discoveries being brought together for the first time.

The exhibition opening Friday at Berlin's Gropius Bau museum reveals how war, art and migration have left their mark in Germany since the Stone Age.

The show spans more than 300,000 years, starting with a sleek wooden spear used by one of the pre-human species that once roamed the continent long before homo sapiens arrived.

The Sept. 20, 2018 photo shows human skulls and bones of the battle of Tollensetal about 1250 BC. displayed at an archeological exhibition at the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum in Berlin. The new exhibition showcasing more than 1,000 major archaeological finds from the past 20 years shows reveals how Germany has been at the heart of European trade, migration, conflict and innovation since the Stone Age. The exhibition runs from Sept. 21, 2018 until Jan. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Neanderthal hand axes show how our ancient cousins fled the approaching ice age southward - the first tangible evidence of climate refugees - while the ivory "Venus of Hohle Fels" and similar etchings on slate dated to between 40,000 and 35,000 B.C. attest to early Europeans' fascination with the female form, pursued by artists ever since.

"The basis of Europe's common cultural heritage can be found going back thousands of years," said Christina Haak, deputy head of the Berlin State Museums that helped bring the objects together from museums across Germany.

Often, the exact nature of the objects is unclear: The Nebra sky disk, a plate-size object of gold and bronze, depicting the sun, moon phases and the Pleiades star cluster, is considered one of the first astronomical depictions in history but may also have had religious significance.

Dated to around 1600 B.C., the disk is only a few hundred years older than three spectacular hats made from sheet gold first believed to have been worn by early Celtic priests, but which may also have served as primitive calendars.

Many of the artifacts in the exhibition, which runs until Jan. 6, show how strongly progress was linked to the movement of people, goods and ideas into and across Europe.

"Migration is not the mother of all problems. It is the beginning of all innovation," said Matthias Wemhoff, director of Berlin's Museum of Prehistory and Early History.

Wemhoff cited the wealth of objects found during the recent construction of a new subway line in Cologne, where artifacts from all over the Roman Empire prove the city was an early melting pot of cultures.

Alongside the river god's stony face was the perfectly preserved gravestone of a trader by the name of Sextus Haparonius Iustinus, who sold cosmetics and perfumes long before the city became known for its Eau de Cologne.

Germanic smiths copied Roman helmets and later designed their own weaponry, including the Ulfberht swords that became prized by warriors throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.

Fashions came and went, including the habit of binding babies' skulls so they grew conical heads - a practice documented in what is now Bavaria and the Crimean Peninsula around A.D. 500.

Likewise, the search for elusive formulas for turning mundane materials into gold, represented by the remains of an alchemist's workshop from the 16th century, hasn't survived, though the thirst for knowledge and profit lives on in Germany's high-tech industries.

Some of the objects on display, all of which were found in the past two decades in what is now Germany, are still shrouded in mystery. The skull with the arrowhead is part of a massive trove of bones and weapons that archaeologists believe could be the earliest known remains from a large-scale battle in human history.

While another ancient military confrontation - the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 B.C. that pitted the Egyptian and Hittite armies against each other in what is now Syria - has been well documented, no physical evidence of it has yet been found.

About 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) away in the Tollense valley on the frigid plains of northern Germany, thousands of Bronze Age warriors were also going to battle at almost the same time. So far, nobody knows why, or who they were.

In this Sept. 20, 2018 photo the so-called Sky Disc of Nebra, made of bronze and gold, from 1,600 BC. is displayed at an archeological exhibition at the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum in Berlin. The new exhibition showcasing more than 1,000 major archaeological finds from the past 20 years shows reveals how Germany has been at the heart of European trade, migration, conflict and innovation since the Stone Age. The exhibition runs from Sept. 21, 2018 until Jan. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

The Sept. 20, 2018 photo shows an archeological exhibition with pieces of the Roman-era displayed at the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum in Berlin. The new exhibition showcasing more than 1,000 major archaeological finds from the past 20 years shows reveals how Germany has been at the heart of European trade, migration, conflict and innovation since the Stone Age. The exhibition runs from Sept. 21, 2018 until Jan. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Venus von Hohle Fels, an ivory figurine dating back to between 40,000 and 35,000 BC, displayed at the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum in Berlin, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. The new exhibition showcasing more than 1,000 major archaeological finds from the past 20 years shows reveals how Germany has been at the heart of European trade, migration, conflict and innovation since the Stone Age. The exhibition runs from Sept. 21, 2018 until Jan. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Jordans)

The Sept. 20, 2018 photo shows the Golden Hat of Schifferstadt, right, with a similar object found in France and another of unknown origin, all from about 1,300 BC. displayed at an archeological exhibition at the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum in Berlin. The new exhibition showcasing more than 1,000 major archaeological finds from the past 20 years shows reveals how Germany has been at the heart of European trade, migration, conflict and innovation since the Stone Age. The exhibition runs from Sept. 21, 2018 until Jan. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

In this Sept. 20, 2018 photo a River God Mask from Roman-era in Cologne is displayed at an archeological exhibition at the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum in Berlin. The new exhibition showcasing more than 1,000 major archaeological finds from the past 20 years shows reveals how Germany has been at the heart of European trade, migration, conflict and innovation since the Stone Age. The exhibition runs from Sept. 21, 2018 until Jan. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

In this Sept. 20, 2018 photo the so-called Sky Disc of Nebra, made of bronze and gold, from 1,600 BC. is displayed at an archeological exhibition at the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum in Berlin. The new exhibition showcasing more than 1,000 major archaeological finds from the past 20 years shows reveals how Germany has been at the heart of European trade, migration, conflict and innovation since the Stone Age. The exhibition runs from Sept. 21, 2018 until Jan. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
WASHINGTON (AP) - When Clarence Thomas arrived at the Supreme Court in 1991 after a bruising confirmation hearing in which his former employee Anita Hill accused him of sexual harassment, fellow justice Byron White said something that stuck with him.

"It doesn't matter how you got here. All that matters now is what you do here," Thomas recounted in his 2007 memoir, "My Grandfather's Son."

That view could be tested again if lawmakers confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who's facing allegations by California college professor Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her when they were in high school. Kavanaugh, who like Thomas has denied the allegation against him, is scheduled to appear before lawmakers at a hearing Monday, with the outcome of his nomination uncertain.

FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2018, file photo, Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas sits as he is introduced during an event at the Library of Congress in Washington. When Thomas arrived at the Supreme Court in the fall of 1991 after a bruising confirmation hearing in which his former employee Anita Hill accused him of sexual harassment, fellow justice Byron White said something that stuck with him. "It doesn't matter how you got here. All that matters now is what you do here," Thomas recounted in his 2007 memoir, "My Grandfather's Son."(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

If Kavanaugh does become a justice, court watchers will be looking to see whether his smooth-turned-tumultuous confirmation affects him on the bench and whether having two justices who faced allegations about their treatment of women alters the public's perception of the court, particularly on future rulings about abortion and gender discrimination.

Thomas' high-profile public showdown with Hill came to define his confirmation process, which he has called a "nightmare" and which Hill has called a "bane which I have worked hard to transform into a blessing." Those who have studied or know Thomas say his confirmation didn't change the kind of justice he has become. He is now 70 and the most conservative member of the court. But some observers suggest that - rightly or wrongly - it affected his public and private reception, particularly in his early years as a justice.

Ralph A. Rossum, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and the author of a 2013 book about Thomas' legal philosophy, said Thomas' "long and withering" confirmation didn't make him any less willing to write unpopular opinions or interpret the Constitution as he sees it.

"What it didn't do is influence him on the bench," said Rossum, who pointed to a dissent Thomas wrote shortly after joining the court, a case where only he and Justice Antonin Scalia would have ruled against an inmate beaten in prison.

But Rossum said Thomas' confirmation experience did seemingly make him "more gun-shy to be in public."

"I think he was always a private man, and it made him even more of a private man," Rossum said.

Law schools, generally only too happy to have justices speak at their events, also seemed to shun Thomas initially, Rossum said. It took a year and a half after he joined the court for him to give his first public speech.

Since then, he has sometimes drawn protests when he makes appearances, but those are largely prompted by his conservative judicial philosophy. Hill's allegations do resurface periodically, such as in 2010, when Thomas' wife put them back in the news by leaving a telephone message for Hill suggesting she consider apologizing. Or, in the last year, as stories about the #MeToo movement have referenced Thomas.

Former Missouri Sen. John Danforth, a longtime friend of Thomas' who guided his confirmation, wrote in a 1994 book about the confirmation process that Thomas "has thought of the charge of sexual harassment as 'a stain that won't come off.'"

But Thomas wasn't changed by "the ordeal" he went through, Danforth said in a telephone interview.

"He's just the same, and he's really a happy person, too," he said.

Danforth said Thomas "rose from the dead" after being confirmed.

At a swearing-in ceremony at the White House ahead of joining the court, Thomas talked about moving on.

"Today, now, it is a time to move forward, a time to look for what is good in others, what is good in our country," he said.

But not everyone believes that Thomas was able to move on so quickly. The hearings made him a recognizable face where before, as a judge, he enjoyed walking anonymously to lunch with his clerks, legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin wrote in his book "The Nine."

After his confirmation, Thomas stopped driving his black Corvette to work because the car was too recognizable, Toobin has written. And for years, Thomas purportedly kept in his desk a list of the roll-call vote on his confirmation. As for Thomas' colleagues, they were cordial but not overly welcoming, Toobin wrote.

Thomas, for his part, has denied that his reception was anything less than friendly, writing that all his colleagues treated him with the "utmost kindness and consideration."

But the confirmation process tainted how he felt about becoming a justice at the time. Thomas declined an invitation from the White House to watch as senators voted on his confirmation, and he was taking a hot bath when his wife told him he'd been confirmed 52-48.

His response, according to his memoir: "Whoop-dee damn-doo."

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More reporting on the Supreme Court and Kavanaugh can be found at http://apne.ws/IHcZXad

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Follow Jessica Gresko on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jessicagresko
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Much of the political world is consumed with a battle over a Supreme Court nominee, an expanding international trade war and President Donald Trump's social media posts. Yet in Minnesota, the first votes of the 2018 midterm elections are being cast.

Voting machines are set up inside city buildings. A series of get-out-the-vote rallies is scheduled. And each party is spending millions of dollars to push its supporters to the polls.

While Election Day 2018 is technically Nov. 6, Minnesota law allows in-person voting to begin Friday - a full 46 days early - making it the first battleground state to begin casting actual votes in the broader fight for control of Congress.

Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist Manilan Houle, of Minneapolis, is the first person waiting in line outside a polling station in downtown Minneapolis on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, on the first day of early voting in Minnesota in the 2018 midterm elections. Minnesota law allowed in-person voting to begin Friday - a full 46 days early - making it the first battleground state to begin casting actual votes in the broader fight for control of Congress. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

Voters in every corner of the nation will soon follow.

South Dakota also opens early voting on Friday, and four more states follow in the next six days, including key states including New Jersey and Missouri. California, Montana and Arizona are among seven others that allow early voting in the subsequent two weeks.

It may feel early, but make no mistake: The final phase of the 2018 midterm season has begun.

"It's like Election Day every day," said Jake Schneider, spokesman for Minnesota Republican Senate candidate Karin Housley. "It really changes the dynamic of an election. It really does. And it's exciting."

The commencement of voting in key states underscores the heightened significance of virtually every major development - political or otherwise - on the state and national stage in the coming days. Economic indicators, the president's tweets, new revelations in the special counsel investigation and even the weather begin to matter much more as voters decide whether to go to the polls.

It's been an inauspicious beginning to the voting season for Trump and his Republican Party, which continue to struggle under the weight of near-constant self-imposed crises and chaos.

The president escalated a trade war with China in recent days, triggering new waves of concern among farmers and major employers across Minnesota and beyond. And the GOP's continued embrace of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, despite an allegation of decades-old sexual misconduct, threatens to further alienate suburban women, a key constituency this fall that has already largely turned away from Trump.

Political parties and their allies are ramping up voter outreach programs in several states to mark the beginning of the early voting phase.

The Democratic allies, Priorities USA Action and the Senate Majority PAC, for example, are launching a multimillion-dollar digital ad campaign next week as part of a voter mobilization program across five states that targets African-Americans, young Hispanics and other young people.

One of the new ads, shared with The Associated Press, highlights the rise of white supremacists in the Trump era. In another, a young black man says, "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to vote this year."

As is the case in many midterm battlegrounds, outside groups for several weeks have been dumping money into Minnesota, which features at least four competitive House elections, two U.S. Senate contests and a governor's race.

Each of the political parties deployed paid staff and volunteers on the ground several months ago to identify supporters and persuade them to vote.

Democrats are focused on turning out "communities of color" in Minnesota, particularly in the areas around Minneapolis that feature large Somali and Southeast Asian populations, according to Ramsey Reid, the Midwestern regional director for the Democratic National Committee.

Democrats are working to ensure that minorities, who are considered more sporadic voters in some cases, comprise more than 8 percent of the Minnesota electorate, Reid said, noting that they made up less than 6 percent in the last midterm elections.

Republicans are focused on trying to bank their own set of "low-propensity" voters in the initial days of early voting, a group identified through several months of on-the-ground work with its expanding network of field staff and volunteers, according to Matt Dailer, the political strategy director for the Republican National Committee.

The RNC has a permanent presence on the ground in Minnesota and 19 other early voting states, he said, noting that the GOP is running a series of nationwide get-out-the-vote tests beginning Oct. 1 to ensure its system is running smoothly.

Minnesota faces an unusually high number of competitive races this fall.

Recent polling gave narrow leads to Democratic Rep. Tim Walz in the gubernatorial race and incumbent Democratic Sen. Tina Smith in the special election to fill the final two years of Democratic former Sen. Al Franken's term, but their Republican opponents were within striking distance.

And four of the state's eight congressional races are considered tossups. Two of those races, in southern Minnesota's 1st District and northeastern Minnesota's 8th District, are for open seats held by retiring Democrats, and they afford Republicans two of their pickup opportunities in the nation. That's essentially the only place where the GOP is poised to flip a Democratic seat. In the suburban 2nd and 3rd districts, however, Democratic challengers stand good chances of defeating Republican incumbents.

Minnesota Democrats have planned an early vote campaign blitz this weekend with a series of rallies and surrogate appearances featuring people like former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards and Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.

After a Friday rally at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Smith and other Democrats planned to encourage attendees to hop on the nearby light-rail train and head downtown to vote.

Democratic congressional candidate Angie Craig, who's taking on GOP incumbent Rep. Jason Lewis in the 2nd District, was planning her own "Early Vote Weekend of Action."

"This race will come down to who turns out to vote between Friday and Election Day," Craig told the AP. "We need every Democrat to turn out for this election."

Minnesota is among 37 states that offer "no-excuse" absentee voting or another kind of early voting this year. Roughly 40 percent of ballots nationwide were not cast in a polling place on Election Day in the 2014 and 2016 elections.

Minnesota's no-excuse absentee voting system has soared in popularity since it rolled out in 2014. Voters don't have to give a reason for voting early, as some states require, and they can change their minds until a week before Election Day.

"We no longer have an Election Day; we have an election window," said Wendy Underhill of the National Conference of State Legislatures. "It's beginning now."

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Peoples reported from New York.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey shows off his "I Voted" sticker after casting his ballot on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, on the first day of early voting in Minnesota in the 2018 midterm elections. Frey was the fourth person to take advantage of early voting Friday at the city's polling station in downtown Minneapolis. AP Photo/Steve Karnowski

An "Early Vote Center" sign and "I Will Vote" signs on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, mark a polling place in downtown Minneapolis that will open Friday as early voting begins in Minnesota. Minnesota and South Dakota are tied for the earliest start in the country for early voting in the 2018 midterm elections. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
BANGKOK (AP) - A Thai court has ordered a local sales affiliate of Ford Motor Co. to pay 291 customers a total of about $720,000 in compensation for selling cars equipped with faulty transmissions.

The Bangkok South Civil Court's decision was welcomed Friday as a victory in a country where consumers rarely win redress.

Most of the plaintiffs in the class action suit will get payments of $800 to $8,000 each depending on the number of times and length of time their cars took to be repaired, the court said Friday. But 12 plaintiffs were denied compensation because their cars were modified before they were repaired.

Plaintiffs of Ford cars with bad transmissions gather outside a civil court before a verdict in a class-action lawsuit in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The Thai court has ordered Ford Motor Co. to pay 291 customers a total of around $720,000 in compensation for selling cars equipped with faulty transmissions. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

The court ruled that there was no safety issue, although none of those taking part in the joint lawsuit had reported any injuries.

Ford said in a statement, that it respected the court's verdict.

"We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the Powershift transmission problems and we reiterate that we will work earnestly to take responsibility for fixing them according to our customer service procedures," the company said in statement issued in Thai.

It's another development in a long string of problems with the Ford transmissions, which have resulted in a lawsuit settlement in the U.S. and a fine in Australia. Last year, Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford settled a class-action lawsuit and agreed to pay owners of 2012 to 2016 Focus and 2011 to 2016 Fiesta cars up to $2,325. Those who paid for repairs could also be reimbursed in the complex settlement, which is being appealed.

This year, Ford's Australian subsidiary was fined 10 million Australian dollars ($7.6 million) for mishandling complaints about faulty transmissions in thousands of cars.

The group in the Thai lawsuit asked Ford to buy back the cars and sought 600 million Thai baht ($18.5 million) in damages. They can appeal the ruling within 30 days.

One of the plaintiffs, Varoporn Chamsanit, said the five-year warranty on her car's transmission was about to run out and she was unhappy the court's ruling did not mention Ford's future responsibility for repairs.

"On one hand, I feel proud that we consumers got together and made this demand by ourselves and fought a long fight for several years now," she said. "Today the court made it clear that Ford is at fault and awarded compensation for us. I am proud of the result that we received from the court and feel we've gotten a certain degree of justice."

The case was viewed as a milestone for Thailand, where the civil law was amended several years ago to allow class action litigation for the first time, enabling consumers to seek damages for various complaints.

"If we consider this case, beyond the amount of money awarded, this shows that when consumers work together against any big company, we can achieve a victory. When we file a class-action lawsuit, we can prove the damage is widespread and real, not just hearsay," said lawyer Jinna Yamoaum.

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Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit and News Researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed.

Plaintiffs of Ford cars with bad transmissions gather outside civil court after a verdict in a class-action lawsuit in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The Thai court has ordered Ford Motor Co. to pay 291 customers a total of around $720,000 in compensation for selling cars equipped with faulty transmissions. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Plaintiffs of Ford cars with bad transmissions leave the civil court after the verdict in a class-action lawsuit in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The Thai court has ordered Ford Motor Co. to pay 291 customers a total of around $720,000 in compensation for selling cars equipped with faulty transmissions. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer says he is providing "critical information" as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance and other charges last month, said Thursday he is providing the information to prosecutors without a cooperation agreement.

Trump's longtime fixer-turned-foe could be a vital witness for prosecutors as they investigate whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Russians. For more than a decade, Cohen was Trump's personal lawyer, and he was a key power player in the Trump Organization and a fixture in Trump's political life.

FILE - In this Aug. 21, 2018 file photo, Michael Cohen, former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, leaves federal court after reaching a plea agreement in New York. On Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, via Twitter, Cohen praised himself for providing "critical information" in the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)

Cohen pleaded guilty in August to eight federal charges and said Trump directed him to arrange payments before the 2016 election to buy the silence of porn actress Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy model who had both alleged they had affairs with Trump. It was the first time any Trump associate implicated Trump himself in a crime, though whether - or when - a president can be prosecuted remains a matter of legal dispute.

On Thursday night, Cohen tweeted: "Good for @MichaelCohen212 for providing critical information to the #MuellerInvestigation without a cooperation agreement. No one should question his integrity, veracity or loyalty to his family and country over @POTUS @realDonaldTrump."

The tweet was deleted almost immediately and was later reposted by his attorney, Lanny Davis, who said he wrote the tweet for Cohen and asked him to tweet it because he has a "much larger following." Davis said he was delayed posting the tweet on his own account, so Cohen tweeted it first.

ABC News reported earlier Thursday that Cohen has met several times - for several hours - with investigators from the special counsel's office.

The television network, citing sources familiar with the matter, said he was questioned about Trump's dealings with Russia, including whether members of the Trump campaign worked with Russians to try to influence the outcome of the election.

Davis had asserted last month that his client could tell the special counsel that Trump had prior knowledge of a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer, Trump's son-in-law and Trump's eldest son, who had been told in emails that it was part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign. But Davis later walked back the assertions, saying he could not independently confirm the claims that Cohen witnessed Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., telling his father about the Trump Tower meeting beforehand.

In the last two weeks, the special counsel secured the cooperation of Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; signaled that he has obtained all the information he needs from former national security adviser Michael Flynn - who was also a government cooperator; and dispensed with the case of the campaign aide who triggered the Russia probe.

The president has continued a very public battle against the Mueller investigation, repeatedly calling it a politically motivated and "rigged witch hunt." He has said he is going to declassify secret documents in the Russia investigation, an extraordinary move that he says will show that the investigation was tainted from the start by bias in the Justice Department and FBI.

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Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) - For women like Jayne A. Cordes, the steady stream of investigations in Washington is exhausting. That's why, when Christine Blasey Ford came forward to accuse Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her more than three decades ago, it struck Cordes as the latest example of the ceaseless - and needless - drama in the capital.

"It's shenanigans," said Cordes, an independent who voted for President Donald Trump and lives in the suburbs south of Denver. "It just seems like everybody is open to any kind of allegation because they don't like Trump."

But the 59-year-old real estate agent was less dismissive toward Ford herself. "If it's legitimate, she has a legitimate complaint," Cordes said, her voice softening. "You don't want her to be right, because it's a horrible situation."

FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2018, file photo, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge, speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

More than 1,100 miles east, Carole Vienneau, a 61-year-old Democrat from Nashville, Tennessee, said it was "only fair" the FBI investigate Ford's accusations as she has requested.

"This is a lifetime position," she said. "He's going for the Supreme Court."

Gail Zika, 74, who is also a Nashville Democrat, said Ford appears to have a "legitimate claim."

"I don't think somebody as educated as she is is going to make this up," Zika, a former college professor, said. "She needs to have the FBI investigate."

The response of these women to the Kavanaugh fallout could be critical in the fight for Congress this fall. Republicans and Democrats are scrambling to win over the key voting bloc of suburban women ahead of the midterms. Interviews with nearly a dozen women across the country this week suggested a nuanced reaction to the news in Washington that could pose risks to both parties.

GOP women and others who support Trump mostly said they still back Kavanaugh. Democrats, meanwhile, generally called for more investigations. Many of the women, regardless of their politics, expressed personal empathy for Ford as she steps into a national firestorm.

Ford has said that Kavanaugh drunkenly pinned her to a bed and tried to take off her clothes at a 1980s house party when they were both teenagers at elite private schools near Washington. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

If the Senate GOP leadership moves forward with a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination, they run the risk of alienating female voters like Cordes in the Denver suburbs, where vulnerable Republican Rep. Mike Coffman's campaign could play a role in deciding the House majority this fall.

There are challenges for Democrats too. Many Republicans said they were frustrated with the timing and saw it as a Democratic attempt to obstruct one of the president's nominees to the nation's highest court, which could energize them in November.

Norma Bozell, 63, lives in an affluent community in a Northern Virginia congressional district that stretches from the Washington suburbs to the rural part of the state. In this district, where Hillary Clinton easily defeated Trump, GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock is fighting for political survival.

Bozell, who describes herself as an independent, said she found the timing of the allegations suspicious and believed Kavanaugh was an "upstanding man" who was being "smeared" and that his family was being torn apart.

"I'm very disappointed in what seems to be a play of politics that (California Sen. Dianne) Feinstein has brought this out at the eleventh hour," Bozell said.

Like Bozell, Republicans on Capitol Hill have said that Feinstein should have brought the information to the panel earlier. Feinstein has said she sought to protect Ford, whose letter to lawmakers outlining the allegation against Kavanaugh requested confidentiality.

Bozell said she wanted to see Ford testify on Capitol Hill and that if she won't do so voluntarily, she should be subpoenaed. But Bozell also said that Ford's "interpretation might be a lot different than what happened."

"I remember when I was that age. There's a lot of crazy stuff going on, especially if there's alcohol involved," she said. "Things could have been interpreted a little bit differently."

Brooke DiStefano, 40, is a Democrat, and even she was somewhat dismissive of the allegations.

"It seems kind of silly because it's high school," the physician's assistant said as she walked into a shopping mall in Lone Tree, Colorado.

DiStefano oscillated from strong skepticism to sympathy within a moment. She mused aloud that Ford just wanted attention "because the #MeToo movement is so popular," but quickly added that the sort of assault Ford alleged happened "is an important issue."

Also in Colorado, Linda Gumeson, 70, said she couldn't believe allegations that were more than three decades old were being taken seriously today.

"If I could go back to high school and find everyone who tried to take advantage of us," the Republican said, shaking her head. "It was different times."

Gumeson, a Republican, said that times have changed, and she's glad, but that she didn't believe people should try to apply today's standards retroactively.

"Thirty-six years, in high school," she said. "It's ridiculous."

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Riccardi reported from Greenwood Village, Colorado. Summers reported from Great Falls, Virginia. Pace reported from Nashville, Tenn.

People hold signs of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at a rally and news conference Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, at a Planned Parenthood office in Portland, Ore. The group urged voters to insist on an investigation into decades-old allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh before moving forward. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
BERLIN (AP) - A German energy executive whose company plans to clear an ancient forest to expand a lignite strip mine says it's an "illusion" to think the woodland can be saved, and halting the project would cost his firm up to 5 billion euros ($5.9 billion).

RWE wants to start cutting down half the Hambach forest in western Germany. Environmentalists want to prevent that.

Authorities suspended the eviction of protesters Wednesday after a journalist fell to his death from a rope bridge between two treehouses.

Activists light candles in front of police officers in the Hambach forest in Kerben, western Germany, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. To protest against the forest being chopped off for a lignite strip mine. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP)

RWE chief executive Rolf Martin Schmitz told ZDF television late Thursday "the assumption that the forest can be saved is an illusion" and he was "deeply distressed that a person died for such an illusion, such a symbol." He said stopping would make extensive stabilization work necessary.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Five years after al-Shabab fighters burst into a luxury shopping mall in Kenya's capital, hurling grenades and starting a days-long siege that left 67 people dead, analysts say the Somalia-based extremist group has been pushed down Africa's east coast as far as Mozambique as its regional threat expands.

The assault on Westgate Mall on a sunny weekend afternoon horrified the world and exposed weaknesses in Kenya's security forces after it took them hours to respond. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta promised reforms.

Now the government of East Africa's commercial hub is praising itself, saying security forces have effectively limited attacks to areas near the Somali border. "We learnt our mistakes and corrected them," police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet told reporters this week, pointing out real-time intelligence sharing among security agencies.

FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, file photo, heavy smoke rises from the Westgate Mall after large blasts rocked the building on the third day of a hostage siege in Nairobi, Kenya. Five years after al-Shabab fighters burst into the luxury shopping mall hurling grenades and starting a days-long siege that left 67 people dead, analysts say the Somalia-based extremist group has been pushed down Africa's east coast as far as Mozambique as its regional threat expands. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)

Analysts, however, say few sustainable lessons have been learned while al-Shabab, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa, has changed its strategy with devastating effects.

The al-Qaida-linked extremist group has vowed retribution on Kenya for sending troops to Somalia since 2011. The group has killed hundreds of people inside Kenya, which has been targeted more than any other of the six countries providing troops to an African Union force in Somalia.

"Al-Shabab's goal in carrying out attacks outside Somalia is to pressure authorities within the region to pull their troops out of Somalia. That aim has not been achieved and all indications are that the movement continues to plot assaults in cities across East Africa to advance its objectives," said Murithi Mutiga, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.

A new report by the think tank says some al-Shabab extremists previously based on the Kenyan coast have moved south into Tanzania and, in response to crackdowns there, relocated into northern Mozambique and forged ties with local fighters.

The Kenyan government's initial response to the Westgate attack, involving blanket arrests of Muslims and indiscriminate crackdowns aimed at ethnic Somalis, inflamed communities and made matters worse, Mutiga said.

The government later changed its approach and appointed local ethnic Somalis to lead security operations in the northeast near the Somali border.

That area, however, has seen growing attacks by al-Shabab that have killed more than 100 police officers since May 2017.

"Kenyan security officials seem to have failed to contain that threat," Mutiga said. Other major attacks since Westgate in the region, often targeting Christians, have included massacres of bus passengers and the assault on Garissa University in 2015 that left 147 people dead.

The pressure on al-Shabab since Westgate has included training and counterterrorism equipment provided by Western countries including the U.S. and Britain.

The attack also changed the way Kenyan institutions are protected. Shopping malls, office buildings, university campuses, government facilities and the main airport have invested substantial sums in additional security, including surveillance.

As al-Shabab focuses its attacks largely on Christians in Kenya's Muslim-majority border communities, it has managed to stall economic activity and education, said Kenya-based security analyst and former U.S. Marine Andrew Franklin. Many children who drop out of school as teaching staff flee become targets for recruitment by the extremists.

Kenyans make up the majority of al-Shabab's foreign fighters.

While economic activity in the borderlands weakens and corruption grows, morale and effectiveness of security forces has eroded, Franklin said.

There is a "tremendous amount of complacency" among security agencies, he said, leading to the conclusion that senior officials have little interest in countering al-Shabab's insurgency.

For Andrew Munya, who was injured in the Westgate attack when shrapnel hit his left shoulder, Kenya will not be safe until al-Shabab is dealt with for good.

"There is no difference whether a life is lost in the border areas or in the city," said Munya, who later became a security consultant while vowing to never to let his community and family become victims. "All life is precious and must be protected."

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WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland's president is fighting back against criticism at home over a photo posted by Donald Trump that some say shows the Polish leader in a subservient role during a White House visit.

Trump tweeted photos of himself with President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday, including one of them signing a strategic cooperation agreement in which Trump is sitting at his desk and Duda is standing.

Both leaders look into the camera, Trump with a stern look on his face and Duda grinning.

Polish President Andrzej Duda, left, and President Donald Trump shake hands after a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Critics of Duda, a conservative, have accused him of allowing himself and Poland to be dishonored, even humiliated. Some have reposted the photo with one of Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sitting together at a table as they signed a memorandum in June. The message: even a dictator gets better treatment than the president of Poland, one of Washington's most loyal allies.

Duda replied late Thursday with a photo of his own showing himself and Trump standing together with their signed agreement.

"The mockery and assault of the leftist media and some politicians and commentators, of known views, show the success of the Washington D.C. visit," Duda wrote in his caption.

Duda argued that if the trip hadn't been so successful, his critics would have said nothing, adding sarcastically: "Thank you for the words of appreciation!"

Duda is aligned with the ruling nationalist Law and Justice party, which has long vowed to restore a sense of national dignity to Poland after a long history of domination by foreign powers and now what it considers excessive interference by the European Union. A key party slogan has been to get Poland "rising from its knees."

"This is the moment of signing an important declaration between the USA and Poland? This is rising from the knees?" said political scientist Marcin Palade, arguing that Duda's staff should be fired over the photo.

The sense of Duda having been slighted was heightened by the fact that he had come to the U.S. to ask Washington to create a permanent American base in Poland, offering to name it Fort Trump and - according to Trump - pledging more than $2 billion toward the effort.

The fallout from the photo has included the firing of a journalist with a government-funded television broadcaster after he refused to delete the photo in question from his Facebook page. The only comment he added to the photo were the words: "On the left, the president of Poland."

The journalist, Ivan Shyla, worked for Belsat, which broadcasts news and other programming from Poland into autocratic Belarus. He said Friday he felt he was the victim of "censorship."

Belsat accused him of disloyalty and argued that posting the image compromised Poland's national security, given the importance of Polish-U.S. military cooperation.

Poland considers the U.S. its main ally in the world and its key protector, as part of NATO, in a dangerous region bordered by Russia. Meetings with U.S. presidents are seen as high-prestige moments for Poland.

Still, Poles sense they do not always get fair treatment from Washington, something that goes back years.

Poles were angered years ago when it was revealed that Polish left-wing leaders allowed the CIA to operate a secret site in Poland in the years after 9/11 - against Poland's own laws - where terror suspects were interrogated and tortured.

Many are also bitter that they still need visas to travel to the U.S., despite contributions to U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that have cost Polish lives.

A major disappointment came under President Barack Obama, who canceled a Bush administration plan for a missile defense base in Poland that Russia opposed. Making matters worse, Obama announced the decision in 2009 on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939.
MOSCOW (AP) - British investigative group Bellingcat says two suspects in the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy were briefly detained in the Netherlands earlier this year.

Bellingcat in its investigation released late Thursday quoted an unnamed security official saying that Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov were detained in the Netherlands earlier this year and released without being charged.

Dutch authorities didn't immediately confirm the report, saying Friday that they were assessing an Associated Press request for comment.

Britain has charged Petrov and Boshirov with trying to kill Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok.

Media reports last week said two unidentified Russian spies were arrested on Dutch soil and deported, and leaked police information linked the arrests with attempts by them to smuggle hacking equipment to Switzerland.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, one of only four women on the 21-member Senate Judiciary Committee, asked Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh the same questions on sexual harassment she has asked dozens of other nominees.

Had Kavanaugh "made unwanted requests for sexual favors" or committed verbal or physical harrassment of a sexual nature since he became a legal adult? And had he ever faced discipline or settled with anyone over that kind of conduct?

Kavanaugh said "no" to both questions at his confirmation hearing earlier this month. But few in the room, or watching on television, knew at the time how relevant Hirono's questions would prove to be.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is welcomed by protesters opposed to President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, as they demonstrate in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Kavanaugh has denied stories of a sexual assault as alleged by California college professor Christine Blasey Ford. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A little more than a week later, a California professor named Christine Blasey Ford contended that at a house party in the 1980s, a drunken, 17 year-old Kavanaugh tried undressing her and muffling her cries on a bed before she fled. Kavanaugh denies that account.

Ford's accusation has upended his previously smooth confirmation process for Kavanaugh - and thrust the often low-key Hirono, 70, into the spotlight as one of the most outspoken senators in Ford's defense.

"I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing, for a change," Hirono said Tuesday, stealing the show at a press conference that featured several high-profile Democrats.

Hirono told The Associated Press Thursday in an interview that her "shut up and step up" comment hasn't just resonated with women.

"I have talked to a lot of men who are really happy I said that, because they want to be part of the movement," Hirono said.

Hirono's outrage - and her commitment to holding male nominees accountable - has a deep history. When she was a child, her mother fled an abusive marriage in Japan and took Hirono and her brother to Hawaii, crossing the Pacific in steerage of an American ship.

"There is an environment where people see nothing, hear nothing, and say nothing," Hirono said this week about the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct. "That is what we have to change."

Hirono became a state legislator in 1980, where she says she worked on improving sexual assault laws. The issue remained important to her as she became Hawaii's lieutenant governor in 1994, a member of the House in 2007 and eventually replaced longtime Democratic Sen. Daniel Akaka in 2013. She has kept a mostly low profile in her 12 years in Washington, but that has changed in the past year.

At a news conference Thursday, Hirono and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand defended Ford and said the Judiciary panel is being unfair to her. President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have rejected Ford's request for an FBI investigation of her accusation, which she says should take place before she testifies. Gillibrand accused Republicans of "bullying her."

As Hirono arrived at the press conference, people cheered her arrival, with several yelling her name. Her newfound political celebrity was also apparent earlier in the day, when protesters against Kavanaugh's nomination greeted her with cheers and applause at a Senate office building. Some of the protesters snapped selfies with her.

"They knew who I was and came up and encouraged me, and I thanked them," Hirono said. "It was very energizing."

It wasn't the first time Hirono has interacted with protesters. Earlier this year, she was one of just a few senators who mingled among a large group in the same Senate Hart Office building who were opposing the Trump administration's separation of families at the border. Hirono often calls herself the only immigrant in the Senate, and she is the sole senator who was born outside the United States to parents who were not citizens, according to the Senate Historical Office.

She acknowledges her profile has risen in recent months, saying "The Trump administration gives me so many more opportunities to be verbal and vocal."

Hirono's public ascent has also come amid health troubles, as she announced last year that she had been diagnosed with kidney cancer. She is still undergoing immunotherapy treatment.

"She's a badass," said Christina Reynolds of the advocacy group EMILY's List, which supports women candidates. "The fact that she's getting up there and calling it out, I think it's inspiring for us to watch."

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says Hirono may have seemed soft-spoken over the years, but adversaries shouldn't forget that she has a "spine of steel."

Hirono is encouraging other women to be active in politics, predicting their frustration will be felt in the outcome of the midterm elections.

"We work really hard to get elected," Hirono said. "Nobody hands anything to us."

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Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Dustin Weaver contributed to this report.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, flanked by Sarah Burgess, left, an alumnae of the Holton Arms School, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., right, is applauded by demonstrators as they arrive to speak to reporters in support of professor Christine Blasey Ford, who is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a decades-old sexual attack, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Christine Blasey Ford was a student at the Holton Arms School, a Maryland all-girls school, in the early 1980s. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Terminally ill people should have the right to a "dignified assisted death," former South African archbishop Desmond Tutu said Friday, following a murder charge against a local campaigner for the legalization of euthanasia.

Lawmakers "should engage, enable and appropriately regulate" the choice of how and when to die for people who are close to death, the 86-year-old Nobel laureate said. He has previously said he would like the option of choosing an assisted death and does not want to be kept alive at whatever cost.

"Just as I have argued for compassion and fairness in life, I believe that terminally ill people should be treated with compassion and fairness when it comes to their death," Tutu said in a statement after the arrest this week of Sean Davison, who founded DignitySA, a right-to-die group. "This should include affording people who have reached the end-stages of life the right to choose how and when to leave Mother Earth."

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017 file photo, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu smiles as he celebrates his 86th birthday in Cape Town South Africa. Tutu says that terminally ill people should have the right to a "dignified assisted death" following a murder charge against a campaigner for the leaglization of euthanasia. (AP Photo/Mark Wessels, File)

Davison, who was released on bail, is accused of assisting in the 2013 suicide of friend Anrich Burger, who was left quadriplegic after a car crash.

Medically assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia is illegal in South Africa, but in recent years there have been growing calls for it to be legalized.

DignitySA said it was awaiting more information about the accusations against Davison.

The group does "not assist individuals with dying (assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia) however wrong we believe it is that some people die in conditions of intractable and unbearable suffering," it said, adding that Davison "has a private and professional life outside DignitySA and, like any good citizen, he takes responsibility for his choices."

Davison is a professor in the biotechnology department and head of the forensic DNA laboratory at the University of the Western Cape, DignitySA says on its website. He served five months under house arrest in New Zealand after pleading guilty to assisted suicide following the death of his terminally ill mother there, according to the group. An earlier charge of attempted murder was dropped.

Tutu, an anti-apartheid campaigner who has spoken out on human rights long after the 1994 end of white minority rule in South Africa, has been hospitalized several times in recent years because of infections linked to past treatment for prostate cancer.

"I believe in the sanctity of life, and that death is part of life," he said. "Alongside the wonderful palliative care that exists, the choices available to the terminally ill should include dignified assisted death."

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Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris
BERLIN (AP) - Officials in northwestern Germany are declaring a disaster over a wildfire triggered two weeks ago by a rocket test on an army training site.

Authorities in the Emsland region said Friday that they are considering ordering the evacuation of about 1,000 people from two villages near Meppen, close to the Dutch border.

Firefighters have been struggling to contain the blaze on moorland used by the German army for training exercises. Smoke has spread over 100 kilometers (62 miles) and is visible on satellite images.

FILE- In this Sept. 18, 2018 file photo a fire engine stands at a German army training site near Meppen, Germany. Authorities in the Emsland region said Friday that they are considering ordering the evacuation of about 1,000 people from two villages near Meppen, close to the Dutch border.(Stephan Konjer/dpa via AP)

By declaring a disaster, local authorities can request forces from outside the region.

Defense Ministry spokesman Jens Flosdorff said the situation was "very serious" and apologized for any mistakes made. He said German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen planned to visit the site Saturday.
ISTANBUL (AP) - Turkey will soon conduct joint patrols with U.S. forces in the strategic northern Syrian town of Manbij, once a stronghold of the Islamic State group, a top Turkish official said on Friday.

The announcement came as Turkey's Defense Ministry said in a Friday statement that the borders of Idlib's demilitarized zone were determined in a meeting with their Russian counterparts during a three-day meeting.

This week's agreement between Russia and Turkey to set up a demilitarized zone around Syria's northwestern Idlib province to separate government forces from rebels averted a government offensive on the last major opposition stronghold in the country.

FILE - In this March 31, 2018, file photo, a Syrian man with his child rides a motorcycle, as he passes members of the Kurdish internal security forces, at the scene where an explosion hit U.S.-led coalition vehicles, killing an American and a British soldier, in Manbij, north Syria. Turkey will soon conduct joint patrols with U.S. forces in the strategic northern Syrian town of Manbij, once a stronghold of the Islamic State group, a top Turkish official said on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File )

The Syrian government and Turkey-backed opposition groups welcomed the Russian-Turkish agreement, which calls for setting up the demilitarized zone by mid-October. Jihadi groups, including al-Qaida-linked fighters, rejected the deal saying they will not withdraw from the demilitarized zone.

Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey's presidential spokesman, said Turkish armed forces and intelligence agencies were coordinating with their Russia counterparts to determine how to remove terror groups from the demilitarized zone, or "pacify" them.

He said all necessary steps would be taken to ensure no terror elements remain in the area or near Turkey's border be it "through persuasion, by pacifying, or other methods." Kalin added that the goal is to protect civilians in Idlib as well as the moderate opposition to ensure they are part of the political process to resolve the Syrian crisis.

In Geneva, the Commission of Inquiry on Syria welcomed the Russia-Turkey deal, adding: "We strongly call for immediate and unhindered humanitarian access and provision of relief to the civilian population of Idlib."

In Idlib, residents took to the streets in anti-government demonstrations across towns and villages held by rebels.

In the town of Ariha, one of Idlib's largest, hundreds of people gathered in the main square carrying opposition flags and chanting: "The people want to overthrow the regime."

Similar demonstrations took part in the towns of Maaret al-Numan and Azaz, as well as the provincial capital, also named Idlib.

The Manbij patrols are part of a "road map" that Ankara and Washington agreed on in June to defuse tensions amid Turkish demands for the withdrawal of a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia that freed the town from IS in 2016.

Kalin, the presidential spokesman, said "joint training and joint patrols will begin very soon" in Manbij.

Turkey is attempting to strike a fragile balance in Syria with both Washington and Moscow to further its interests, mainly to remove U.S.-backed Kurdish forces from its borders and maintain Syria's moderate opposition in Idlib.

Manbij has been a major sticking point in the strained relations between the two NATO allies. Ankara considers the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia, the People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terror group that is linked to a Kurdish insurgency within Turkey.

Kalin said continued U.S. support for the Kurdish forces remains "a serious concern."

In July, the Manbij Military Council, which administers the town, said the YPG units once stationed there had completed their withdrawal. Turkey's Foreign Ministry called reports of the alleged withdrawal "exaggerated" and said they didn't "reflect the truth."

Ebrahim Ebrahim, a Europe-based Kurdish official, said the YPG has no presence in the town, adding that even YPG advisers who were in Manbij pulled out months ago. He said that only the Manbij Military Council is the only authority currently present in the town.

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Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - The winner of the world's 1st Chopin competition on historic pianos says the search for the original sound restores the appeal of classical music and helps artists understand the composer's intentions.

Tomasz Ritter of Poland was named the best of 30 young pianists at the 1st International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments this month.

The 23-year-old student from the Moscow State Conservatory earned top notes from the international jury in all three stages of the contest, despite fighting severe pain in his arms and shoulders that hit two weeks before the competition and forced him to go on painkillers and seek out physical therapy.

Tomasz Ritter, Polish pianist who won the world's 1st Frederic Chopin competition on pianos from the romantic era composer's time talks to The Associated Press about the different technique of playing and the different sound that historic pianos have, taking the listeners back in time, at the National Frederic Chopin Institute in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

One of the pianos he played on was a 1842 French-made soft-sounding Pleyel, Frederic Chopin's favorite brand. He described its sound as "soft, long-lasting and singing."

Ritter's eyes lit up Friday as he explained to The Associated Press that historic pianos, which are smaller and more delicate than modern ones, require a light touch but render a nuanced sound and melody that better reflects the notes written by Poland's best loved 19th-century romantic composer.

"You cannot use force, so you cannot produce a strong fortissimo, it does not sound well," Ritter said. "But their advantage is that in the pianissimo (soft sections) and in the dark (parts of music), they are very interesting, they have a very wide gamut of colors."

Because different sections on historic keyboards have different sounds, piano players can easier understand the composer's intentions.

"These instruments help you read the composer's text," said Ritter, who has studied piano since the age of 7, including historical pianos and harpsicord.

Chopin was born in 1810 in Zelazowa Wola near Warsaw, to a Polish mother and a French father. He received his music education in Warsaw and started composing and giving concerts there. At 20 he left Poland and settled in Paris, then Europe's center of art and music. He composed chiefly for the piano and much of his work was inspired by Poland's music, such as the polonaise and the mazurka dances. His works require great skills that should serve a singing rendition of the music, Ritter said.

Ritter, a native of Lublin in eastern Poland, said his physical pain and discomfort vanished as he concentrated on stage and "heard nothing, saw nothing and felt nothing else" than his own performance.

His musicality was revealed when, as a small child, he would burst into tears on hearing some minor-key, sad-sounding Christmas carols, which were subsequently banned from the family's repertory, Ritter said.

As a result of the win, Ritter's calendar has filled up. Upcoming performances include Brussels in November and Tokyo and Osaka in June, places that he is "very happy" about.

After the interview, he said he was going to the airport to indulge in one of his favorite hobbies: spotting planes.

The next Chopin contest on historical instruments will be in 2023.

"This competition departs from set habits, from stereotypes," Ritter said.

"We all need something new and alluring. Something that we have lost today."

Tomasz Ritter, Polish pianist who won the world's 1st Frederic Chopin competition on pianos from the romantic era composer's time talks to The Associated Press about the different technique of playing and the different sound that historic pianos have, taking the listeners back in time, at the National Frederic Chopin Institute in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
The Latest on the effects of Hurricane Florence (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

Authorities say the death toll has now risen to 43 dead in the aftermath of former Hurricane Florence.

A submerged truck sits in floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Nichols, S.C., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Virtually the entire town is flooded and inaccessible except by boat, just two years after it was flooded by Hurricane Matthew. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A statement released by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's office said Friday evening that there are now 32 confirmed dead in that state. The statement says a 46-year-old man in Brunswick County died when a tree he was cutting fell on him. Other deaths have been reported earlier in South Carolina and Virginia.

Cooper, meanwhile, has praised efforts of first responders who evacuated people from rising floodwaters. His statement says that in the past week, first responders and emergency teams have conducted nearly 5,000 rescues in storm-ravaged areas. That's twice as many people as were saved after Hurricane Matthew.

About 56,000 homes and business remain without power as of Friday afternoon.

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6:45 p.m.

State transportation officials are reiterating that travel remains dangerous in 17 southeastern North Carolina counties where hundreds of roads remain closed and the threat of rising floodwaters continues in the wake of Hurricane Florence.

The number of closures on N.C. Department of Transportation roads dropped Friday to 650 from a peak of 1,600 on Monday. Yet the Lumber, Cape Fear and Neuse river basins will see floodwaters crest through the weekend and into next week. The department, the N.C. Highway Patrol and emergency officials are urging motorists not to travel in the state's 17 worst-hit counties where many roads are still under water.

The affected counties are Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland and Wayne. Motorists are advised not to travel in the area south of U.S. 70 and east of U.S. 1 unless it is critical.

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6:20 p.m.

Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers, a North Carolina native and three-time All-Pro, has started a fund for hurricane relief by donating $100,000 to the cause on Friday. He also asked teammates, other NFL players and fans to step up and donate as well.

"Seeing the reality of these people affected by the hurricane made me want to do something to help," Peppers said.

The 38-year-old NFL player was born in Wilson, North Carolina and played at Southern Nash High School before attending the University of North Carolina, where he played football and basketball. Peppers was the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft by the Panthers in 2002.

Donations can be made through www.Panthers.com or the Foundation for the Carolinas.

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5:50 p.m.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has formally called for a special session of the legislature in October to begin dealing with Hurricane Florence relief, but Republican legislative leaders want the date moved up.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger wrote Cooper on Friday asking the session be called for Sept. 28, instead of Oct. 9 as Cooper announced Thursday. But Cooper's signed proclamation for Oct. 9 was received by the General Assembly minutes before lawmakers released their letter.

The General Assembly could still force the earlier start if GOP leaders got enough signatures to set their own session. Berger and Moore say lawmakers should act quickly to show Congress it's ready to cover the state's share of federal aid. They also want to pass a law making clear teachers in closed schools will get paid.

Cooper says North Carolina damage will be in the billions of dollars.

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4:45 p.m.

South Carolina's state-owned utility says it expects floodwaters to enter a coal ash pond at one of its closed power plants.

Santee Cooper spokeswoman Mollie Gore said Friday that the environmental impacts of the overtopping of Pond 1 at the Granger plant near Conway should not be significant. Gore says nearly all the ash has been removed from Pond 1 and water pumped into it to prevent the dike from breaking.

Gore said in a statement Santee Cooper has placed a 2 -foot (72-centimeter) high inflatable berm on top of a second pond that has more coal ash in it. She estimates 200,000 tons (180 metric tons) of ash are in a corner of the pond furthest from the rising Waccamaw River.

Gore says forecasters don't know yet if the river will top Pond 2. But she says crews have added silt fencing and a floating environmental containment boom to lessen any potential environmental impacts from the recent passage of Tropical Storm Florence.

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4:10 p.m.

Authorities say Interstate 95 is being reopened in the northern part of South Carolina.

State Department of Transportation officials said the Great Pee Dee River is receding and inspectors were able to check the I-95 bridges over the waterway and clear them for travel Friday afternoon. The bridges between Florence and Dillon were closed for two days after Tropical Storm Florence walloped the Carolinas, dumping heavy rain before weakening and moving on.

Northbound travelers won't be able to get much further on the main north-south highway on the East Coast. I-95 is closed in both directions a short distance into North Carolina at the Lumber River in Lumberton and officials say will likely remain closed until the end of the month.

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4:00 p.m.

Floodwaters have breached a dam holding back a large reservoir at a North Carolina power plant, and coal ash from an adjacent dump could be flowing into the Cape Fear River.

Duke Energy spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said the company doesn't believe Friday's breach at the L.V. Sutton Power Station near Wilmington poses a significant threat for increased flooding. Rivers are already at or near record levels a week after Hurricane Florence hit the state a week ago and weakened.

Floodwaters from the Cape Fear opened several breaches overnight in the earthen dam at Sutton Lake, a reservoir at the power plant. Water from the lake then flooded one of three large coal ash dumps lining the lakeshore. Sheehan says the company can't rule out that ash might be escaping into the river.

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3:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump says South Carolina is in for a "tough one" as flood waters continue to rise.

But Trump says federal, state and local leaders and first responders are up for the challenge.

Trump says he visited the storm region earlier in the week, and "they're really ready. They're really ready."

The president says that North Carolina is "almost at the stage where they're rebuilding." But as for South Carolina, he says, "watch tomorrow. It's going to be a tough one. "

Trump predicts that for South Carolina, the flooding "will be the biggest they've ever had."

Trump adds that officials will not rest until the region recovers.

The president spoke about the storm damage during an appearance in North Las Vegas.

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3:40 p.m.

A North Carolina university forced to shut down because of Hurricane Florence is charting a course toward resuming classes.

A statement from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington Friday said the school anticipates opening the campus to faculty and staff for a voluntary return as early as Sept. 26. It said classes will resume on Oct. 1, with residence halls opening as soon as 9 a.m. on Sept. 29, subject to the status of ongoing repairs. The school said it bases its decision on information from local and state authorities.

The school is advising against beginning travel back to Wilmington until state and local authorities announce it is safe to do so. Officials said If authorities have not announced it is safe to travel back to Wilmington with ample time before the anticipated dates for faculty, staff and students to return, UNCW will send an amended timeline.

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2:50 p.m.

Kevin Tovornik is tearing up the house he has owned for 20 years in Conway, South Carolina, to try to save it.

He used a flatbed hay trailer to take all the furniture to a donated warehouse Thursday. Tovornik said Friday he was trying to get back to the house to tear out the carpet so it would not sit wet on his subfloor for days or weeks.

Tovornik's neighborhood already flooded early Monday because of Florence's heavy rain. He lost his wife's car.

Floodwater after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016 made it to the steps just below his front door. With the Waccamaw river forecast to slowly rise to a crest 4 feet (1.2 meters) above its previous record in those storms around Tuesday, Tovornik says he knows his house is doomed this time.

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2:30 p.m.

The biggest South Carolina city in the way of flooding from Hurricane Florence is in gridlock.

Rising water from the Waccamaw River and smaller creeks have started to close bridges around Conway, backing up traffic to the few roads left open.

Some drivers in Conway have reported it has taken three hours or more to make it across the city of 23,000 people.

Traffic is further snarled by a project on U.S. Highway 501 to build a wall to keep the river from overtopping a bridge that serves as the main link to Myrtle Beach.

State troopers are asking anyone who doesn't need to drive in the area to stay home.

The gridlock is part of the lingering effects of Hurricane Florence, which made landfall last Friday.

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2:10 p.m.

Benetta White, David Lloyd and their four children have had their fill of shelter life after being evacuated twice in the last week.

The Kelly, North Carolina residents first evacuated last Thursday as Hurricane Florence first made landfall. They returned this weekend, had their power turned back on and thought everything was fine.

But that changed last night when the Cape Fear River came rushing onto their property. They were given short notice to evacuate and had to slog through a foul-smelling soup to get to a neighbor's pickup.

From there they went to the town's fire department, and were taken out of town by an Army truck.

Now they're in a shelter at West Bladen High School, sitting outside with no shoes as their clothes and boots dry off.

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2:00 p.m.

While the numbers of people living without power or staying in shelters following Hurricane Florence continue to fall in North Carolina, road flooding remains stubbornly high.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Friday that power outages are now down to about 56,000 homes and businesses in the state a week after Florence's eye made landfall. And the shelter population -once over 20,000- is now down to 3,700.

Still, Cooper is asking displaced residents to resist the urge to go home if they know their region lacks electricity or other basic necessities. He also says major flooding continues and could cut off roads quickly.

There were more than 600 road closures Friday morning, including Interstates 40 and 95.

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1:30 p.m.

Rescuers used helicopters, boats and high-wheeled military vehicles to evacuate about 100 people from a southeastern North Carolina county where high water caused by Hurricane Florence breached a levee and flooded a town.

The N.C. National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard "flying with night vision goggles, heroically saved lives," Gov. Roy Cooper said at news conference Friday, describing what happened as the Cape Fear River flooded the town of Kelly in Bladen County

The mandatory evacuation issued Thursday for Kelly, population about 800, was the third for the town, said Bradley Kinlaw, the county's director of emergency management.

In a phone interview Friday, Kinlaw estimated 100 people were evacuated Thursday night and that about 50 people remain in the town. He said fire department authorities and N.C. National Guardsmen were in the town Friday, trying to get people to leave.

The evacuations are part of the continuing effects of Hurricane Florence, which made landfall one week ago.

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1:15 p.m.

Officials in Florence County, South Carolina, are ordering nearly 2,000 more people to leave their homes and get out of the way of the rising Lynches River.

Florence County emergency management officials issued a second order Friday after asking about 500 people near the river to leave earlier in the day.

The National Weather Service says the Lynches River could reach record flood levels late Saturday or early Sunday.

Emergency officials say it will be a close call if the river tops U.S. Highway 52, the main north-south highway through the county and its connection to Charleston. They also warn more evacuations are possible as forecasters get a better idea how high the river will get.

Florence County has opened several emergency shelters.

Tropical Storm Florence, which made landfall as a hurricane before being downgraded, battered the Carolinas for days, claimed dozens of lives and sent rivers to record or near record flood levels.

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12:35 p.m.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says about 100 people were evacuated by boat and air after the Cape Fear River breached a levee and flooded a town.

Cooper said at a news conference Friday that the National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard "heroically saved lives" when they rescued the people in the town of Kelly in Bladen County on Thursday night.

The rescuers used night vision goggles during the rescue.

Cooper warned that flooding from Hurricane Florence will continue into next week and will continue to put lives at risk.

He says first responders "continue to show unflinching courage in the face of danger."

Officials said 33 animals also were rescued.

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12:35 p.m.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster says a health care company has donated $500,000 to a fund created to help people in the state during disasters.

McMaster said Friday he hopes United Health Group's generosity inspires other companies across the state to donate to the One SC Fund to help the recovery from Hurricane Florence's floods.

McMaster also says while the sun is shining and the rain is over, the worst is still to come.

New evacuations were ordered in Florence County, and the Waccamaw River in Conway is predicted to set a record level Saturday and keep rising through next Tuesday.

The Little Pee Dee River and the Lumber River have started to drop near Nichols, where the whole town of 360 was under water for the second time in two years.

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9:20 a.m.

Officials have ordered evacuations along the Lynches River in eastern South Carolina because of flooding from Hurricane Florence.

Florence County emergency management officials issued the order Friday morning for about 500 people along 58 roads and streets in the area.

The National Weather Service says the river could reach record flood levels late Saturday or early Sunday.

The county has opened emergency shelters in Florence, Lake City, Johnsonville and Coward.

In this photo released by Duke Energy, The Sutton 1971 coal ash basin is seen Sept. 21, 2018, near Wilmington, N.C. Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said Friday that floodwaters continue to overtop an earthen dike at the north side of Sutton Lake, a 1,100-acre (445-hectare) reservoir at the L.V. Sutton Power Station. (Duke Energy via AP)

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper greets volunteers with NC Baptists on Missions and others at Hyde Baptist Church, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Lumberton, N.C. Cooper thanked volunteers for their time and efforts. "You aren't just touching lives with food, it's your love you're offering," Cooper said to volunteers. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/The Fayetteville Observer via AP)

Joshua Ewing, of Disaster Relief Services, works to clear debris and storm damaged items from homes on East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding to the historic neighborhood near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Storm damaged items and debris are piled in front of homes in the historic district in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley /Sun Journal via AP)

A cleanup crew member pushes a wheelbarrow of storm debris past a beached yacht on East Front Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding and storm surge to the historic community near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)

Volunteer Rita DeSanno helps clean furniture that was flooded at a home on Craven Street in New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Florence brought destructive flooding to the historic community near the Neuse River. (Gray Whitley/Sun Journal via AP)
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis is heading to the Baltic countries this weekend amid renewed alarm about Russia's intentions in the region it twice occupied for decades.

Francis' 25th foreign visit comes a quarter of a century after St. John Paul II made the first papal visit to the former Soviet Union and cheered as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia emerged from five decades of Soviet-imposed religious repression and state-sponsored atheism.

Hopes were high back in 1993 - the last Russian troops had withdrawn from Lithuania just days before John Paul arrived. There is no such optimism for Francis' Sept. 22-25 visit.

A photo of Pope Francis is hung in front of the Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, ahead of Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Lithuania. Pope Francis heads to Europe's northeastern peripheries this weekend to celebrate the faith in three Baltic countries amid renewed alarm about Russia's intentions in the region it twice occupied. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

The three countries, which each have ethnic Russian minorities, are sounding alarms about Moscow's military maneuvers in the Baltic Sea area following Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its support of separatists fighting the Ukrainian government in eastern Ukraine.

Russia will be something of the elephant in the sacristy, however, given how the Vatican has been loath to openly criticize Moscow or its powerful Orthodox Church. While seeking to avoid offense, Francis will likely praise the sacrifices of those who fought for independence a century ago during Russia's revolution, and suffered again during Soviet rule.

"The pope will send a message to the world that the difficult history has not been forgotten and that it cannot repeat itself," Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite told the Baltic News Service.

The Baltic countries declared their independence in 1918 but were incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940 and remained part of it until the early 1990s, except for the 1941-1944 Nazi occupation during World War II. All three joined the European Union and NATO in 2004 and are strong backers of the military alliance, which sees them as a bulwark against Russian incursions in Eastern Europe.

Evelyn Kaldoja, head of the foreign desk at Estonia's largest newspaper Postimees, said history will clearly be front and center during Francis' visit, his first to the region.

"He really comes to congratulate our countries on the 100th anniversaries of our independence," Kaldoja said. "And he is expected to show profound respect for the struggle we've had to restore our freedom."

The trip, featuring Francis' fondness for countries on the periphery, and ecumenical events with Lutheran and Russian Orthodox faithful will be a welcome break for the Argentine pope. His credibility has taken a blow recently following missteps on the church's priestly sex abuse scandal and recent allegations that he covered up for an American cardinal.

Of the three countries Francis will visit, only Lithuania is majority Catholic, with about 80 percent of its population practicing the faith.

Latvia's population of some 2 million is 25 percent Lutheran, 19 percent Russian Orthodox and only about 16 percent Catholic. Estonia, meanwhile, is often considered one of the world's most non-religious countries. A whopping 76 percent of Estonians profess no religious beliefs whatsoever and Catholics number only 6,000.

The trip has already sparked controversy with Lithuania's tiny Jewish community, which was nearly wiped out during the Holocaust.

Francis will be visiting the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on the 75th anniversary of the final destruction of the Vilnius Ghetto, on Sept. 23, 1943, when its remaining residents were executed or sent off to concentration camps by the Nazis.

But until Francis' schedule was changed three weeks ago, there were no specific events for him to acknowledge the slaughter of some 90 percent of Lithuania's 250,000 Jews at the hands of Nazi occupiers and complicit Lithuanian partisans - a significant oversight for the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

At the last minute, the Vatican added in a visit to the Ghetto, where Francis will pray quietly on the day when the names of Holocaust victims are read out at commemorations across the country.

Lithuanian and Italian Jewish communities had asked Francis to also visit the official Paneriai Holocaust Memorial, in the forests 18 kilometers (11 miles) outside Vilnius, where many of the capital's Jews were executed.

"We wrote many letters and tried many ways, but seems that this is not possible," Lithuania's Jewish community leader, Faina Kukliansky, told The Associated Press.

The Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, acknowledged the lapse.

"We realized it would have been a gap not to do it, especially on this day," he told reporters. But he said the prayer in the Ghetto would be a "significant" and "important" part of the pope's Baltic visit.

Francis will also visit the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, located in a former gymnasium that served as both the headquarters of the Gestapo during the 1941-1944 Nazi occupation and later as the headquarters of the feared KGB spy agency when the Soviets recaptured the country.

Monika Garbaciauskaite Budriene, the director of Lithuania's National TV, said the visit to the museum will send a message to Moscow.

"This will be a tribute to the victims of the KGB, to our painful history and also a signal to Russia and the world that Soviet crimes can not be forgotten or washed away," she wrote on Facebook.

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Dapkus reported from Vilnius, Lithuania. Jari Tanner in Tallinn, Estonia contributed.

A photo of Pope Francis is hung in front of the Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, ahead of Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Lithuania. Pope Francis heads to Europe's northeastern peripheries this weekend to celebrate the faith in three Baltic countries amid renewed alarm about Russia's intentions in the region it twice occupied. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

A photo of Pope Francis is hung in front of the Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, ahead of Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Lithuania. Pope Francis heads to Europe's northeastern peripheries this weekend to celebrate the faith in three Baltic countries amid renewed alarm about Russia's intentions in the region it twice occupied. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Pope Francis kisses a baby as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis delivers his blessing at the end of his weekly general audience, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis caresses a dog during his weekly general audience, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis delivers his speech during his weekly general audience, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
NEW DELHI (AP) - India called off a planned meeting between its foreign minister and her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session in New York this month, aggravating tensions between the longtime rivals.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Friday that India's decision to pull out of the meeting, which had been announced just a day earlier, follows the killing of an Indian border guard in Kashmir and Pakistan's glorification of insurgents fighting Indian rule in the Himalayan territory.

The Indian government's decision to hold talks with Pakistan was strongly criticized by the Congress party and other opposition groups after rebels in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir killed the border guard and later raided over a dozen homes of police officers and abducted three. The bullet-riddled bodies of the three policemen were recovered Friday. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the insurgents, a charge Pakistan denies.

File- In this July 19, 2009 file photo, an Indian Border Security Force soldier, right, and a Pakistani Rangers soldier face one another at a daily closing ceremony at the Wagah border post near Lahore, Pakistan. India has called off a planned meeting between its foreign minister and her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session in New York this month, aggravating tensions between the longtime rivals. Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, that India's decision to pull out of the meeting, which had been announced a day earlier, follows the killing of an Indian border guard in Kashmir and Pakistan's glorification of insurgents fighting Indian rule in the Himalayan territory. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)

The announcement on Thursday of the planned meeting had been considered an encouraging sign for restarting stalled talks between the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors. Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over the disputed region of Kashmir, divided between the two countries but sought by each in its entirety.

Pakistan said it regretted India's decision not to meet, with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi saying that "clapping can't be done with a single hand."

He said Pakistan wanted peace and stability in the region, but that India was perhaps more worried about "internal politics."

"We want to get out of the past and we have taken a step forward but unfortunately India has taken a step back," he said in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital.

Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said "an extremist segment in India doesn't want to see Pakistan and India move ahead on the path of dialogue to resolves issues."

The Indian spokesman said that New Delhi had agreed to hold the meeting in response to a letter from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, stressing the need to bring positive change, a mutual desire for peace, and a readiness to discuss terrorism.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office," he said in a statement.

Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless, Kumar said.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a formal statement described the comments about Khan as "most unfortunate" and "against all norms of civilized discourse and diplomatic communication."

Rejecting Indian allegations, the statement said the reasons cited by the Indian side for the cancellation of the meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, were "entirely unconvincing as the alleged killing of BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting."

India's relations with Pakistan have deteriorated since Modi came to power in 2014.

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Associated Press writer Zarar Khan in Islamabad contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and a woman accusing him of sexually assaulting her decades ago (all times local):

11:35 p.m.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is giving Christine Blasey Ford more time to decide on the terms for her to testify about allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party when they were teens.

FILE - In this Sept. 6, 2018, file photo, after more than an hour of delay over procedural questions, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh waits to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the third day of his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers has come forward to The Washington Post. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

That's according to a late-night tweet from Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

Grassley said he "just granted another extension" to Ford.

They have been in a high-stakes negotiation over the terms of her appearance at the committee. Grassley set a 10 p.m. deadline Friday for her to respond to the panel's latest offer.

But as the deadline neared, Ford's attorney asked for another day. The length of Grassley's extension is unclear.

Grassley addressed his tweet to Kavanaugh and said he hopes the judge understands and added Ford should decide "so we can move on."

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9:35 p.m.

The lawyer for Christine Blasey Ford wants another day to consider terms for testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee about her allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teens.

Attorney Debra Katz calls Friday's deadline for a response "arbitrary." She says "its sole purpose is to bully" Ford.

Ford met with the FBI for several hours about death threats she has received and wants to consider her response until Saturday.

The committee and the attorney are in a showdown ahead of a scheduled Monday meeting.

Kavanaugh denies the allegations and has said he would testify to clear his name. Ford wants to appear later in the week.

Chairman Chuck Grassley says if no agreement is reached the panel may vote Monday on Kavanaugh's nomination.

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7:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says Brett Kavanaugh was born to be on the Supreme Court and "it's going to happen."

Kavanaugh is currently fighting a decades-old allegation from Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has given Ford until 10 p.m. Friday to reach agreement on terms for her to testify. Otherwise, Republican chairman Chuck Grassley says the panel will vote Monday on whether to send Kavanaugh's nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

Trump has defended Kavanaugh, who denies the allegation.

The president was at a campaign rally in Missouri on Friday when he said the state's Democratic senator, Claire McCaskill, said she'll vote against Kavanaugh.

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6:45 p.m.

The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman says his panel will vote Monday on Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination if there's no agreement on whether and how the woman accusing him of a long-ago sexual assault will tell her story to lawmakers.

Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says he's giving attorneys for Christine Blasey Ford until 10 p.m. Friday to reach an accord.

Grassley says in a statement that he has not agreed to Ford's proposal that she testify after Kavanaugh.

He also says he'll decide who conducts the questioning. That indicates he's rejected Ford's request that the committee's all-male members not use an outside counsel, likely a woman, to question Ford.

Grassley's statement raises pressure on Ford to agree to his terms or lose her chance to testify.

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2:20 p.m.

Sen. Susan Collins says she's "appalled" by President Donald Trump's tweet challenging Brett Kavanaugh's accuser by name.

Earlier Friday, Trump had abruptly abandoned his restraint and said if the attack had been that "bad" then she would have filed charges.

Collins, a key Republican vote in the narrowly divided Senate, said in Portland, Maine: "I was appalled by the president's tweet."

She stopped short of saying she believed Christine Blasey Ford's allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were teenagers. But she pointed out that sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes and added, "I thought that the president's tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong."

Until Friday, Trump had been restrained, saying that Ford should be heard.

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2 p.m.

A group of 75 women convened at a Washington hotel to voice their support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a party when they were teens.

Sarah Fagen, who said she is a longtime friend of Kavanaugh's, called the allegation false. When asked how she can be sure, Fagen said, "the charge leveled against him is inconsistent with every single thing we know about him."

Kavanaugh has denied the assault allegation. Senate Republicans have scheduled him to testify at a hearing on Monday. His accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, has said she is willing to testify later in the week under certain conditions.

The Friday event was organized by a group of Kavanaugh's friends and former law clerks.

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1:30 p.m.

A source close to Christine Blasey Ford says she plans to meet with FBI agents about death threats she says she's received since accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually molesting her years ago. Kavanaugh has denied Ford's claim of a sexual assault at a 1980s high school party.

Ford is a psychology professor in California and her meeting with agents was in the San Francisco area.

Through her lawyers, Ford has said death threats have forced her to relocate her family. Part of her attorneys' talks with Senate staff has been over security measures she wants in place should she appear.

Her attorneys are negotiating with Republican Senate aides over whether she'll testify at a Judiciary Committee hearing next week.

The source provided no other detail, wasn't authorized to describe Ford's activities on the record and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

-By Alan Fram

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11:20 a.m.

The California congresswoman who met with the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her decades ago says the accuser "should not be underestimated."

Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo (EH'-shoo) told The Associated Press on Friday accuser Christine Blasey (BLAH'-zee) Ford "has an inner strength."

Eshoo learned in July of Ford's allegation Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were teenagers, which Kavanaugh denies.

Eshoo relayed the accusation to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (FYN'-styn), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Ford and Kavanaugh have been invited to testify Monday before the Judiciary panel. Kavanaugh has agreed to go. Ford says she can't appear that day and wants to testify next Thursday if Republicans agree to several conditions, including that she not be in the same room with Kavanaugh.

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10:45 a.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is telling evangelical activists the Senate will "plow right through" and move to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

McConnell told the annual Values Voter conference Friday "in the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court." He urges the Republican-leaning activists to "keep the faith" and predicts senators will do their jobs.

McConnell's predictions come as California college professor Christine Blasey Ford accuses Kavanaugh of sexual assault more than 30 years ago when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

Negotiations have been ongoing on whether Ford will testify next week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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9:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is challenging by name the woman accusing his Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault, saying if the attack she alleges were that "bad" then she would have filed charges.

Trump tweeted Friday: "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!"

The president previously had avoided naming California college professor Christine Blasey Ford or casting doubt on her account. Ford alleges Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her more than 30 years ago when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

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9:20 a.m.

President Donald Trump says Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is "under assault by radical left wing politicians."

Trump tweeted Friday that Kavanaugh has an "impeccable reputation" and that Democrats "don't want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay."

He adds, "Facts don't matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C."

Kavanaugh's nomination has been thrown into doubt by California college professor Christine Blasey Ford's allegations he sexually assaulted her more than 30 years ago when they were teenagers. He has denied the allegations.

Negotiations continue over whether Ford will testify next week.

Republicans want to conclude the nomination process quickly. Democrats have seized on the development as justification to delay the high-stakes nomination and say it's being rushed.

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9:10 a.m.

Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway says the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct should not be conflated with the assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his denial.

Conway told CNN on Friday, "Let's not conflate the larger #MeToo movement with whatever did nor did not happen in the summer of 1982."

Conway was a GOP political consultant for decades before working for President Donald Trump. She says she can relate to women who say they've been mistreated by men and understands why it might take years to come forward with such allegations. But she says California college professor Christine Blasey Ford's accusation Kavanaugh tried to rape her when they were teenagers should not be lumped in with the movement that has toppled men from the pinnacles of their careers.

Conway says Ford and Kavanaugh should testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.

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1:35 a.m.

Christine Blasey Ford may testify against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after all. That word from her attorney could breathe new life into the prospect of a dramatic Senate showdown next week over Ford's accusation that he assaulted her when both were in high school.

The preference would be for Ford to testify next Thursday, and she doesn't want Kavanaugh in the same room, her attorney told Judiciary Committee staff in a 30-minute call that also touched on security concerns and others issues. That is according to a Senate aide who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ford is willing to tell her story to the Judiciary Committee, whose senators will vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation - but only if agreement can be reached on what her attorney called "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety." No decisions have been reached.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks to the 2018 Values Voters Summit in Washington, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., with Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, left, joined by former students from Holton Arms School, speaks to reporters in support of professor Christine Blasey Ford, who is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a decades-old sexual attack, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks through a tunnel towards the Dirksen Senate Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is welcomed by protesters opposed to President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, as they demonstrate in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Kavanaugh has denied stories of a sexual assault as alleged by California college professor Christine Blasey Ford. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Protesters opposed to President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, demonstrate in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Protesters opposed to President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, occupy the office of Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in the Hart Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
LONDON (AP) - The Latest on Brexit, the political divorce between Britain and the rest of the European Union (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

EU Council President Donald Tusk says he remains convinced that a Brexit compromise that is "good for all, is still possible."

Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, arrives at the informal EU summit in Salzburg, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

His comments come a day after a clear lack of progress at an EU leaders summit in the Austrian city of Salzburg and hours after Prime Minister Theresa May rebuked the EU for damning her Brexit proposals. The Brexit talks, she said, have hit at an "impasse."

In a statement, Tusk said "the U.K. stance presented just before and during the Salzburg meeting was surprisingly tough and in fact uncompromising."

In spite of that viewpoint, he insisted he remained "a close friend of the U.K. and a true admirer of PM May."

Ahead of the summit, Tusk said some parts of May's plan were a step in the right direction, even though the Irish border and the economic cooperation proposals need to be reworked.

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4:15 p.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's parliamentary allies welcomed her assurances that Northern Ireland would avoid a hard border - even as they urged her to stand up for the interests of the entire country in talks on leaving the European Union.

Nigel Dodds, a senior leader in the Democratic Unionist Party, says May's remarks on Friday show "she is not going to be pushed around by Europe."

By contrast, the president of the Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein, argued May's comments were "an exercise in tired rhetoric."

Mary Lou McDonald says that rather than accept her plan has failed to resolve fundamental issues, May's "focus has unfortunately remained on infighting within her own party and her pact with the DUP, instead of coming to an acceptable negotiating position."

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3:05 p.m.

The pound has fallen further after British Prime Minister Theresa May took a tougher line in the Brexit talks.

The currency was down a sharp 1.5 percent at $1.3066 after May said Brexit negotiations are "at an impasse" after the European Union rejected her proposals for leaving the bloc.

The proposal was to keep the U.K. in the EU single market for goods, but not services, to ensure free trade with the bloc and an open border between the U.K.'s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

EU officials dismissed the plan, saying Britain can't "cherry-pick" elements of membership in the bloc.

The disagreement raises the risk of Britain leaving the EU without any deal on future trade relations after Brexit day on March 29, which would mean tariffs on exports and disruptions to commerce, travel and other activities.

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2:30 p.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has sought to reassure European Union citizens living in the U.K., saying they will retain their rights in case the country leaves the European Union without a deal.

May issued an update Friday on the ongoing Brexit negotiations in the wake of the rejection of her plans by EU leaders in Salzburg - a situation she says might cause concern among the 3 million EU citizens who live in Britain.

May says told those worried about their future that "you are our friends, our neighbors, our colleagues. We want you to stay."

She also addressed the other thorny issue in the talks: the border with Northern Ireland. May says that in the event of no deal, "we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to a hard border."

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2:15 p.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May says Brexit negotiations are "at an impasse" after the European Union rejected her proposals for leaving the bloc.

Speaking at 10 Downing St. in London, May said it was "not acceptable" that the EU had rejected her plan without offering alternatives.

EU chief Donald Tusk said at a summit in Salzburg that May's plan would not work.

May says both sides want a deal, but remain far apart on key issues of future trade relations and the Irish border. She called for "serious engagement" to solve the problems.

The pound fell on May's comments, trading down a sharp 1.2 percent on the day to $1.3104.

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9:30 p.m.

The British government on Friday accused the European Union of slamming the handbrake on Brexit negotiations, after the bloc said Prime Minister Theresa May's blueprint was unworkable.

European Council President Donald Tusk said bluntly at a meeting in Salzburg, Austria on Thursday that parts of May's plan simply "will not work," while French President Emmanuel Macron called pro-Brexit U.K. politicians "liars" who had misled the country about the costs of leaving the 28-nation bloc.

A rattled May insisted that her plan was the only one on the table - and that Britain was prepared to walk away from the EU without a deal if it was rejected.

The rebuff sparked British headlines saying May had been "humiliated," and a strong response from the U.K. government.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab accused the EU of rejecting Britain's proposals without offering "credible alternatives" and said the bloc had "yanked up the handbrake" on negotiations.

British Prime Minister Theresa May smiles when arriving at the informal EU summit in Salzburg, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

British Prime Minister Theresa May looks to passing by heads of government after the family photo at the informal EU summit in Salzburg, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and British Prime Minister Theresa May talk prior to the beginning of the plenary session of the informal EU summit in Salzburg, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
JERUSALEM (AP) - An Israeli military official says its "deconfliction line" with Russia for their air forces in Syria will be improved after a Russian plane was hit by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli raid.

He spoke anonymously according to protocol Friday after an Israeli delegation returned from Moscow where they briefed officials on the incident that killed 15 Russians.

Israel says its jets struck a Syrian facility Monday that provided weapons for Iran's proxy Hezbollah, noting it alerted Russia ahead of time as per "deconfliction" agreements

FILE In this file photo taken on Saturday, March 4, 2017, The Russian Il-20 electronic intelligence plane of the Russian air force with the registration number RF 93610, which was accidentally downed by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli air strike flays near Kubinka airport, outside Moscow, Russia. The Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Israel's offer to share detailed information about the Israeli air raid that triggered the Syrian fire and led to the plane's loss. (AP Photo/Marina Lystseva)

Russia has charged the warning came less than a minute before the strike, leaving its aircraft in the line of fire.

The official said a "much longer" alert was given and blamed "reckless" Syrian fire for downing the plane after Israeli jets left the area.
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - Russia won't interfere in next month's elections in Bosnia, an ethnically-divided Balkan nation where Moscow maintains strong influence among the country's Serbs, Russia's foreign minister insisted Friday.

Sergey Lavrov said after talks with officials in Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, that Russia will respect the outcome in the Oct. 7 general election and won't be backing any party.

Analysts have warned that Lavrov's visit ahead of the vote could be seen as support for the nationalist Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik, an ally of Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives for talks with members of the Bosnian three-member presidency in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Russia's foreign minister is visiting Bosnia, an ethnically-divided Balkan country where Moscow has maintained strong influence among the country's Serbs. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)

"We will always respect the Bosnian people's choice and will work with anyone they elect," Lavrov insisted. "We never give advice to other countries' people as to whom they should vote for."

Lavrov also called for closer cooperation with Bosnia, pledging support for the country's territorial integrity.

Muslim-Croat and Serb entities were established in a U.S.-brokered peace agreement that ended Bosnia's bloody 1992-95 conflict. Over 100,000 people died in the war.

The West has been alarmed with Russia's mounting influence in the Balkans, particularly among the Bosnian Serbs and in neighboring Serbia.

Reflecting strong pro-Russian sentiments, thousands gathered later on Friday to greet Lavrov as he arrived in the main Bosnian Serb town of Banja Luka.

Huge Serb and Russian flags were on display along Lavrov's route in the town and the highest security measures were in force.

At a joint press conference in Banja Luka with Dodik, Lavrov said the West is imposing a "false choice" on nations in the region between membership of the European Union or close relations with Russia.

He also rejected Western claims that Russia was trying to interfere with the Sept. 30 referendum in Macedonia to change the country's name and qualify for NATO membership.

"We are not saying anything that can be seen as meddling in (Macedonia's) internal affairs," Lavrov said in comment translated from Russian by an official interpreter.

Dodik, who has advocated a separation of the Serbs from the rest of Bosnia, is running for office in Bosnia's three-member presidency, described ties with Russia as "very fair" while criticizing Western influence in the country.

He said he was "proud" that Bosnian Serbs have blocked the possibility for Bosnia to join Western sanctions against Russia over Ukraine.

"I love and respect Russia, that's true," said Dodik. He added he "didn't talk about the voters or the election" with Lavrov and that the timing of the visit was accidental.

Lavrov also visited the construction site for a future Serb-Russian church - the two nations are Orthodox Christian.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, second from right, poses for a photo with members of the Bosnia's three-member presidency Mladen Ivanic, left, Bakir Izetbegovic, second from left, and Dragan Covic, right, during their meeting in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Russia's foreign minister is visiting Bosnia, an ethnically-divided Balkan country where Moscow has maintained strong influence among the country's Serbs. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, talks during a press conference in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Russia's foreign minister is visiting Bosnia, an ethnically-divided Balkan country where Moscow has maintained strong influence among the country's Serbs. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - China's foreign minister inaugurated his country's embassy in the Dominican Republic on Friday almost five months after the two nations established diplomatic relations.

Wang Yi is the first high-level Chinese official to visit the Dominican Republic since it opened ties with the Asian country and cut ties with Taiwan on April 30. The move was a blow to Taiwan, a self-ruled island democracy that China has been trying to isolate on the global stage. Only 16 small countries plus the Vatican currently recognize it.

The Chinese envoy called the opening of the new embassy historic and said Chinese investors and businesspeople have already started visiting the Caribbean country.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, and the Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas, pose for a photo shaking hands after signing a bi-lateral agreement, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Wang Yi is the first high-level Chinese official to visit the Dominican Republic since it opened ties with the Asian country and cut ties with Taiwan on April 30 in a blow to the self-ruled island democracy China has been trying to isolate on the global stage. Wang Yi also inaugurated his country's embassy in Santo Domingo, Friday. (AP Photo/Ezequiel Abiu Lopez)

"Dominicans are looking for a reliable ally and we have found one as well a friend and an ear for our aspirations," said Dominican Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas during the inauguration of the embassy of in Santo Domingo.

Wang will also meet with Dominican President Danilo Medina and is expected to sign cooperation agreements with the Caribbean government.

According to the Dominican government, bilateral trade with China has reached $2 billion a year, making the Dominican Republic the second-largest trading partner for China among the Caribbean and Central American nations.

The Chinese foreign minister's visit to Santo Domingo is his first stop on a tour that includes Guyana and Suriname before he travels to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Two members of Congress are calling on Google to address concerns that YouTube might violate children's privacy.

Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a Nebraska Republican, sent a letter this week to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking for more details about how the service collects data.

Their letter comes months after privacy advocates filed a complaint about YouTube with the Federal Trade Commission. The April complaint alleged that YouTube violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, known as COPPA, which bans kid-oriented websites from collecting personal information from children under 13 without their parents' consent.

FILE- In this April 25, 2018, file photo the YouTube app and YouTube Kids app are displayed on an iPhone in New York on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Two members of Congress are calling on Google to address concerns that YouTube might violate children's privacy. The complaint alleges YouTube violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which bans kid-oriented websites from collecting personal information from children under 13 without their parents' express consent. Google says in a statement that YouTube isn't for children under 13, which is why it created a separate app for them, YouTube Kids. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

The FTC hasn't said if an investigation has been opened. It declined comment Friday.

Google says YouTube isn't for children under 13, which is why it created a separate app for them, YouTube Kids. The company said in a statement Friday that it will work with the lawmakers to answer their questions.

Advocacy groups have argued that YouTube, despite official terms of service stating it's not for kids under 13, has long looked the other way as millions of toddlers, preschoolers and preteens spend hours watching popular content on it that's geared to them. Its business model relies on tracking IP addresses, search history, device identifiers, location and other personal data about its users so that it can gauge their interests and tailor advertising to them. But the 1998 federal law prohibits internet companies from knowingly collecting such personal data from kids without parents' permission.

While the YouTube Kids apps provides stronger parental filtering options and privacy protections, it's not as widely used as the regular service, where the same videos and channels can be found.

Advocacy groups said they hope the congressional attention will push the FTC to act.

"It's great to have representatives asking these questions about Google because FTC's investigations are all done in private and we never know what's going on," said Josh Golin, director of the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, one of the groups that filed the complaint. "There is concern the FTC has not been aggressive in enforcing COPPA."

FILE- In this March 23, 2017, file photo Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., pauses to speak as he departs a Republican caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Democrat, and Fortenberry are calling on Google to address concerns that YouTube might violate children's privacy. The two members of congress sent a letter this week to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking for more details about how the service collects data. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A man from Guatemala living illegally in the U.S. was sentenced Friday to the maximum of 16 years in prison for a drunken-driving crash that killed Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver.

A Marion County judge sentenced Manuel Orrego-Savala after hearing emotional testimony from Jackson's mother and the widow of Jeffrey Monroe, the 54-year-old driver Jackson had hired from the ride-sharing service the night of the deadly February crash.

Orrego-Savala, 37, pleaded guilty in July to two counts of operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of .15 or more, causing death. The sentence marked the maximum possible under his plea agreement.

FILE - This file photo provided by the Indiana State Police shows Manuel Orrego-Savala, of Guatemala. Orrego-Savala, living illegally in the U.S., pleaded guilty Friday, July 20, 2018, to driving drunk when he killed Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver on Feb. 4. 2018. Orrego-Savala is due to be sentenced Sept. 21, 2018. (Indiana State Police via AP, File)

Investigators said the twice-deported Orrego-Savala had a blood-alcohol content of 0.19 - nearly 2  times Indiana's legal limit - when his truck crashed into Jackson and Monroe on Feb. 4 along Interstate 70 in Indianapolis.

Monroe, of Avon, Indiana, had pulled over when the 26-year-old Jackson became ill. Both men were standing outside Monroe's car on the highway's shoulder when Orrego-Savala's truck crashed into them.

Authorities said Orrego-Savala was walking away from the crash when a state trooper detained him. Under his plea agreement, prosecutors dropped two counts of failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

Monroe's widow, Deborah Monroe, leered at Orrego-Savala after she took the witness stand while holding a framed photo of herself and her late husband of 23 years. She told the court that the crash had killed "the greatest love of my life" and destroyed their retirement plans that included travel and fulfilling her husband's dream of going to the Great Wall of China.

She said Monroe's death had left her and her relatives grief-stricken, their lives permanently changed.

"My family and I are serving a life sentence because of you," she said, speaking directly to Orrego-Savala, who kept his head lowered during much of Friday's hearing.

"You're a drunk, a liar, a murderer, and a coward," Monroe said.

The 6-foot, 234-pound Jackson grew up in Atlanta and started eight games for the Colts during the 2016 season, finishing third on the team with 61 tackles. Jackson was considered a possible starter at inside linebacker for 2017 but missed the season after suffering a training camp injury.

Jackson's mother, Mary Ellen Powell Jackson, told the court she was preparing to leave for Sunday church services when she learned in a phone call that he had died in a crash.

"Our hearts have been ripped apart and we're always asking, 'Why Edwin?'" she said, recalling him as a hardworking, handsome athlete, and a good, obedient and caring son who had "a heart of gold."

Orrego-Savala was deported from the U.S. in 2007 and 2009. He was in the country illegally at the time of the crash, authorities said. The case became a flashpoint in the nation's immigration debate, with President Donald Trump tweeting about it and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun featuring it in an Indiana campaign advertisement.

Orrego-Savala also faces federal immigration charges that could potentially result in a 10-year sentence, said Jeremy Johnson, a Marion County deputy prosecutor.
DALLAS (AP) - America's rediscovered prowess in oil production is shaking up old notions about the impact of higher crude prices on the U.S. economy.

It has long been conventional wisdom that rising oil prices hurt the economy by forcing consumers to spend more on gasoline and heating their homes, leaving less for other things.

Presumably that kind of run-up would slow the U.S. economy. Instead, the economy grew at its fastest rate in nearly four years during the April-through-June quarter.

FILE- In this Sept. 17, 2018, file photo people wait in line as Travis Hall, right, and Brandon Deese, back, pump fuel from two tanker trucks at a convenience store in Wilmington, N.C. America's rediscovered prowess in oil production is shaking up old notions about the impact of higher crude prices on the U.S. economy. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

President Donald Trump appears plainly worried about rising oil prices just a few weeks before midterm elections that will decide which party controls the House and Senate.

"We protect the countries of the Middle East, they would not be safe for very long without us, and yet they continue to push for higher and higher oil prices!" Trump tweeted on Thursday. "We will remember. The OPEC monopoly must get prices down now!"

Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, who account for about one-third of global oil supplies, are scheduled to meet this weekend with non-members including Russia.

The gathering was not expected to yield any big decisions - those typically come at major OPEC meetings like the one set for December. Oil markets, however, were roiled Friday by a report that attendees were considering a significant increase in production to offset declining output from Iran, where exports have fallen ahead of Trump's reimposition of sanctions.

OPEC and Russia have capped production since January 2017 to bolster prices. Output fell even below those targets this year, and in June the same countries agreed to boost the oil supply, although they didn't give numbers.

Oil prices are up roughly 40 percent in the past year. On Friday, benchmark U.S. crude was trading around $71 a barrel, and the international standard, Brent, was closing in on $80.

The national average price for gasoline stood at $2.85 per gallon, up 10 percent from a year ago, according to auto club AAA. That increase likely would be greater were it not for a slump in gasoline demand that is typical for this time of year, when summer vacations are over.

The United States still imports about 6 million barrels of oil a day on average, but that is down from more than 10 million a decade ago. In the same period, U.S. production has doubled to more than 10 million barrels a day, according to government figures.

"Because the U.S. now is producing so much more than it used to, (the rise in oil prices) is not as big an impact as it would have been 20 years ago or 10 years ago," said Michael Maher, an energy researcher at Rice University and a former Exxon Mobil economist.

The weakening link between oil and the overall economy was seen - in reverse - just three years ago. Then, plunging oil prices were expected to boost the economy by leaving more money in consumers' pocket, yet GDP growth slowed at the same time that lower oil prices took hold during 2015.

Other economists caution against minimizing the disruption caused by energy prices.

"Higher oil prices are unambiguously bad for the U.S. economy," said Philip Verleger, an economist who has studied energy markets. "They force consumers to divert their income from spending on other items to spending on fuels."

Since energy amounts to only about 3 percent of consumer spending, a cutback in that other 97 percent "causes losses for those who sell autos, restaurants, airlines, resorts and all parts of the economy," Verleger said.

The federal Energy Information Administration said this month that the U.S. likely reclaimed the title of world's biggest oil producer earlier this year by surpassing the output of Saudi Arabia in February and Russia over the summer. If the agency's estimates are correct, it would mark the first time since 1973 that the U.S. has led the oil-pumping pack.

And that has made the impact of oil prices on the economy a more complicated calculation.

When oil prices tumbled starting in mid-2014, U.S. energy producers cut back on drilling. They cut thousands of jobs and they spent less on rigs, steel pipes and railcars to ship crude to refineries. That softened the bounce that economists expected to see from cheaper oil.

Now, with oil prices rising, energy companies are boosting production, creating an economic stimulus that offsets some of the blow from higher prices on consumers. Oil- and gas-related investment accounted for about 40 percent of the growth in business investment in the April-June quarter this year. The number of active oil-drilling rigs is near a three-year high, although not back to levels seen before the 2014 oil-price crash.

Moody's Analytics estimates that every penny increase at the pump reduces consumer spending by $1 billion over a year, and gasoline has jumped 24 cents in the past year, according to AAA. That is "a clear-cut negative," but not deeply damaging, said Ryan Sweet, director of real-time economics at Moody's.

"Usually with gasoline prices, speed kills - a gradual increase (like the current one), consumers can absorb that," Sweet said. Consumers have other factors in their favor, he added, including a tight job market, wage growth, better household balance sheets, and the recent tax cut.

Sweet said the boon that higher prices represent to the growing energy sector, which can invest in more wells, equipment and hiring, means that the run-up in crude has probably been "a small but net positive" for the economy.

"That could change if we get up to $3.50, $4," he said.
BRENTWOOD, N.Y. (AP) - The Latest on the funeral for the mother of a teenager allegedly killed by MS-13 gang members (all times local):

1 p.m.

A district attorney who got to know the mother of a teenager who was murdered allegedly at the hands of gang members says the mom was "our Batman and our Robin."

Mourners embraces at the funeral for Evelyn Rodriguez, at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said Friday that the death of the girl's mother, Evelyn Rodriguez, means "the world has lost a great warrior."

Sini spoke at Rodriguez's funeral in the Long Island community of Brentwood.

Rodriguez was struck and killed by an SUV last week at her slain daughter's memorial site. Authorities have not charged the driver or released her name.

The 50-year-old Rodriguez was hit near the site where her 16-year-old daughter Kayla Cuevas' body was found exactly two years earlier. Authorities believe the teenager and a friend were killed by members of the bloody MS-13 gang

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11:30 a.m.

A New York woman who crusaded against gang violence after her daughter's murder is being remembered at her funeral as "a warrior to her community."

Crime victims' advocate Barbara Medina says Evelyn Rodriguez was "a mother on a mission" after the death of her teenage daughter, Kayla Cuevas, two years ago.

Rodriguez's funeral Mass is under way Friday in the Long Island community of Brentwood, the epicenter of the fight against MS-13 on Long Island.

The 50-year-old Rodriguez was struck and killed by an SUV at her slain daughter's memorial site last week. Police have not released the driver's name.

Rodriguez was recognized by President Donald Trump at a State of the Union and sat alongside him at a gang violence forum in May.

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12:15 a.m.

A funeral will be held Friday for a New York mother who turned grief over her daughter's killing into a crusade against MS-13 gang violence.

Evelyn Rodriguez's funeral Mass will take place at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Brentwood, the epicenter of the fight against MS-13 on Long Island.

On Sept. 14, Rodriguez was struck and killed by an SUV at her slain daughter's memorial site after a heated confrontation with the driver.

The 50-year-old Rodriguez was hit near the site where her 16-year-old daughter Kayla Cuevas' body was found beaten and slashed two years ago to the day. Cuevas' friend, 15-year-old Nisa Mickens was also killed.

Rodriguez was recognized by President Donald Trump at a State of the Union and sat alongside him at a gang violence forum in May.

FILE- In this Monday, April 24, 2017 file photo, Evelyn Rodriguez, whose teen-aged daughter was brutally slain by MS-13 gang members in 2016, listens during a news conference by Suffolk County officials in Hauppauge, N.Y. Rodriguez recognized by President Donald Trump at the State of the Union after MS-13 gang members allegedly killed her daughter was struck and killed Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 by a car at the girl's memorial. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman, File)

FILE- In this March 2, 2017 file photo, Evelyn Rodriguez, mother of Kayla Cuevas, 16, who was brutally slain in 2016 allegedly by members of the MS-13 street gang, stops to talk members of the press gathered outside U.S. District Court in Central Islip, N.Y. Rodriguez, who was recognized by President Donald Trump at the State of the Union after he daughter was murdered, was struck and killed by a car at her daughter's memorial on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

Mourners attend the funeral for Evelyn Rodriguez, at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

U.S. Congressman Peter King speaks during the funeral for Evelyn Rodriguez, at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Family members, at right, and U.S. Congressman Peter King, left, stand during the funeral of Evelyn Rodriguez at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Family members stand during the funeral of Evelyn Rodriguez at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone speaks during the funeral for Evelyn Rodriguez, at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during the funeral for Evelyn Rodriguez, at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

U.S. Congressman Peter King, left, greets New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, as Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone pays his respects at the funeral for Evelyn Rodriguez, at Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, in Brentwood, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Rodriguez, 50, is a mother recognized by President Donald Trump for turning grief over her daughter's suspected gang killing into a crusade against MS-13. She was struck and killed by an SUV on Sept. 14 after a heated confrontation with the driver over the placement of a memorial to her slain daughter, Kayla Cuevas. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
ABERDEEN, Md. (AP) - The Latest on a shooting at a Maryland drugstore warehouse (all times local):

5 p.m.

A family friend says one of the victims killed in a shooting at a drugstore distribution center in Maryland was a mother of two who had recently moved to the U.S. from Nepal to try to give her kids a better life.

Authorities respond to a shooting in Harford County, Md., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (Jerry Jackson /The Baltimore Sun via AP)

Harry Bhandari is a community leader and candidate for state delegate who says he has known 41-year-old Brindra Giri's family for about 10 years.

Authorities on Friday identified Giri as one of the three people killed when an employee opened fired at the Rite Aid facility in northeast Maryland.

Bhandari was at a funeral home Friday helping Giri's family make arrangements. He says her relatives are devastated.

Bhandari says Giri and her children joined her husband in the U.S. in April. He says Giri was an energetic hard worker who saw the job as a "stepping stone."

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11:30 a.m.

A Maryland sheriff says investigators have found evidence that the woman who killed three people and wounded others before killing herself at a drugstore warehouse was suffering from a mental illness.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told news reporters Friday that the suspect, 26-year-old Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County, had been diagnosed with a mental illness in 2016. He would not give any more specifics about her diagnosis.

He said in recent weeks Moseley had become increasingly agitated, and relatives had been concerned for her well being.

Gahler said she used a handgun that she legally purchased in March to fire a total of 13 rounds on Thursday morning, and died after shooting herself in the head.

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12:01 a.m.

Workers say they endured terrifying moments of wild gunfire as a woman working a temporary job at a drugstore warehouse in Maryland fired on colleagues with a handgun, killing three people before fatally shooting herself.

Authorities said the shooting erupted Thursday morning after the worker got into an argument, sending screaming workers running from the Rite Aid distribution center after it ended.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler identified the woman as a temporary employee, Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County. Gahler says he has no motive for what he calls a "senseless crime."

The sheriff says three people were fatally shot and three more were wounded and expected to survive. He says the woman died at a hospital of a self-inflicted gunshot.

Authorities respond to a shooting in Harford County, Md., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (Jerry Jackson /The Baltimore Sun via AP)

Shirley Pollack, of Perryville, Md. reacts to what authorities have called a shooting with multiple victims in Perryman, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." Pollack,was concerned about her son who worked near the scene of the shooting. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

FBI agents walks at the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Harford County, Md., in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Aberdeen police officers blocks the entrance of industrial complex where several people had been shot, in Harford County, Md, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

ATF police officers patrol the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Ambulance leave the industrial park where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Maryland police officers patrol the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Law enforcement officials gather near the scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md., on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

A Harford County Sheriff's vehicle blocks an entrance at the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Law enforcement officials walk near the scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md., on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

Tim Buffaloe, a chaplain from DayStar Advanced Response Ministerial Operations, talks to a bus driver who said he arrived to transport crime witnesses near the perimeter of a scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

Maryland State Police stand near the perimeter of a scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

JoWanda Strickland- Lucas, of Aberdeen, Md., speaks to Maryland State Police near the perimeter of a scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

Maryland state police block the road that connects the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, in Harford County, Md, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

A Maryland State Police officer speaks with a motorist near the scene of a shooting in Perryman, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

ATF police officer with a sniffing dog walks out the industrial complex in Harford County, Md., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
ABERDEEN, Md. (AP) - The woman who killed three people and wounded others before shooting herself to death at a Maryland drugstore warehouse had been diagnosed with a mental illness and used a legally purchased gun in the rampage, a law enforcement official said Friday.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told news reporters Friday that the suspect, 26-year-old Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County, had been diagnosed with a mental illness in 2016. "That's as far as I'll go with it," he said, declining to give any more details about the illness.

He said Moseley had become increasingly agitated in recent weeks, and relatives had been concerned for her well-being.

Ambulance leave the industrial park where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Gahler said she used a handgun that she legally purchased in March to fire a total of 13 rounds Thursday morning and died after shooting herself in the head.

Gahler identified the three people Moseley fatally shot as Sunday Aguda, a 45-year-old man from Baltimore County; Hayleen Reyes, a 41-year-old woman from Baltimore; and Brindra Giri, a 41-year-old woman from Baltimore County.

A family friend said Giri was a mother of two and recent immigrant from Nepal whose relatives were devastated. Attempts to reach family members of the other victims were not immediately successful.

The sheriff identified the wounded survivors as Hassan Mitchell, a 19-year-old man from Harford County; Wilfredo Villegas, a 45-year-old man from Montgomery County; and Acharya Purna, a 45-year-old man from New York.

He also gave more details about how the violence unfolded.

Moseley had been hired for the holiday season and had been working there for less than two weeks. She entered the building at 6:30 a.m. As people lined up to come in the building, Gahler said she cut in line and words were exchanged, but it was a "little incident." She left around 7:21 a.m. Moseley, who had worked security jobs in the past, drove to her White Marsh home and got a handgun, pepper spray and handcuffs. She arrived back at the parking lot around 8:35 a.m. and entered the front door around 8:52 a.m.

He says she pulled a hooded shirt over her head and began shooting, striking and killing Aguda outside the building. Inside, where there were about 65 people, she fatally shot Giri and Reyes and also shot Mitchell, Villegas and Purna, who survived. She shot herself twice before police arrived, he said - once with a grazing wound and then with the fatal shot. She was already down when officers arrived and an officer moved her from the scene, not knowing that she was the shooter, he said.

When asked how Moseley could legally buy a gun after being diagnosed with a mental illness, officials said it had not been determined that she had a "propensity for violence to self or others."

The sheriff said the motive is still a mystery and may remain so.

"There's just no way to make sense of something so senseless," he said. "There's still a lot of questions that we don't know."

The shooting sent survivors screaming and running in all directions from the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland. Others nearby helped the wounded, and one person tied blood-soaked jeans around an injured man's leg trying to stanch the bleeding.

Giri had joined her husband in the U.S. in April, bringing her son and daughter and thinking the children would do well here, said Harry Bhandari, a community leader and candidate for Maryland state delegate who said he has known her family for about 10 years.

"It's terrible," he said.

Giri was an energetic hard worker who saw the job at the distribution center as a "stepping stone," said Bhandari, who was at a funeral home with her relatives Friday afternoon as they made arrangements.

Speaking through Bhandari, Giri's husband said they had married young and were happy together and that there was not a bad thing to say about her.

The attack came nearly three months after a man with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper. It came less than a year after a fatal workplace shooting less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the warehouse, in which five were shot, three fatally.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that, unfortunately, shooting like this are "becoming a too-often occurrence" in the nation.

___

Associated Press writers Sarah Rankin Richmond, Virginia, and Sarah Brumfield in Washington contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Acharya Purna is a man based on new information from authorities.

Authorities respond to a shooting in Harford County, Md., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (Jerry Jackson /The Baltimore Sun via AP)

Authorities respond to a shooting in Harford County, Md., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (Jerry Jackson /The Baltimore Sun via AP)

Shirley Pollack, of Perryville, Md. reacts to what authorities have called a shooting with multiple victims in Perryman, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." Pollack,was concerned about her son who worked near the scene of the shooting. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

FBI agents walks at the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Harford County, Md., in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Aberdeen police officers blocks the entrance of industrial complex where several people had been shot, in Harford County, Md, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

ATF police officers patrol the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Maryland police officers patrol the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Law enforcement officials gather near the scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md., on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

A Harford County Sheriff's vehicle blocks an entrance at the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, according with police reports in Aberdeen, Md, in Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Law enforcement officials walk near the scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md., on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

Tim Buffaloe, a chaplain from DayStar Advanced Response Ministerial Operations, talks to a bus driver who said he arrived to transport crime witnesses near the perimeter of a scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

Maryland State Police stand near the perimeter of a scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

JoWanda Strickland- Lucas, of Aberdeen, Md., speaks to Maryland State Police near the perimeter of a scene where a shooting took place in Aberdeen, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

Maryland state police block the road that connects the industrial business park, where several people had been shot, in Harford County, Md, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

A Maryland State Police officer speaks with a motorist near the scene of a shooting in Perryman, Md. on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)

ATF police officer with a sniffing dog walks out the industrial complex in Harford County, Md., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Authorities say multiple people have been shot in northeast Maryland in what the FBI is describing as an "active shooter situation." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Authorities in Taiwan arrested the owner of a Texas company that sells plans to make untraceable 3-D printed guns who is wanted in the U.S. over an accusation that he had sex with an underage girl and paid her $500 afterward, official media reported.

The Central News Agency said Taiwanese police found and arrested Cody Wilson in a hotel in Taipei on Friday evening.

The Taiwanese news agency said the island's immigration department would make arrangements for Wilson to return to the U.S. as soon as possible.

FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2018, file photo, Cody Wilson, with Defense Distributed, holds a 3D-printed gun called the Liberator at his shop in Austin, Texas. Police allege in an affidavit filed Wednesday, Sept. 19, that Wilson had sex with an underage girl and paid her $500 afterward. Austin police Detective Shaun Donovan wrote in a request for a warrant to arrest Wilson on a sexual assault charge. The court filing doesn't say how old the girl is, but Texas' age of consent is 17. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Police in Austin, Texas, had earlier reported that Wilson's last known location was Taipei.

Austin police Cmdr. Troy Officer said Wednesday that before Wilson flew to Taiwan, a friend of the 16-year-old girl had told him that police were investigating the accusation that he had sex with the youth.

Darren Sartin, supervisory deputy U.S. marshal, said Friday that the agency is aware of Wilson's arrest and is "engaged" with international partners.

In a court filing this week, Wilson was accused of having sex with the girl at an Austin hotel last month. A counselor for the teenager reported the accusation to Austin police a week later, according to the affidavit. Wilson met the girl through the website SugarDaddyMeet.com, where she had created an online profile, according to the document.

The girl, according to the affidavit, said they met in the parking lot of an Austin coffee shop before they drove to the hotel. The girl told investigators that Wilson paid her $500 after they had sex and then dropped her off at a Whataburger restaurant.

Wilson is identified in the affidavit as the owner of Austin-based Defense Distributed. After a federal court barred Wilson from posting the printable gun blueprints online for free last month, he announced he had begun selling them for any amount of money to U.S. customers through his website.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia sued to stop an agreement that the government reached with Defense Distributed, arguing that the blueprints for how to print plastic guns could be obtained by felons or terrorists.

Law enforcement officials worry the guns are easy to conceal and are untraceable since there's no requirement for the firearms to have serial numbers. Gun industry experts have said the printed guns are a modern method of legally assembling a firearm a home without serial numbers.
SAO PAULO (AP) - Brazilian police arrested a fugitive Friday who is alleged by U.S. authorities to be Hezbollah's financier and who has repeatedly been accused of illegal activity in a lawless border area where three South American nations meet.

Police took Assad Ahmad Barakat into custody in the city of Foz do Iguacu, which is home to the famous Iguazu Falls and sits where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay converge. The Tri-Border Area, as it is known, has long been a haven for smugglers, traffickers and counterfeiters, and U.S. authorities and others have alleged it is also a redoubt for terrorism support and financing.

Authorities in Paraguay are seeking Barakat on allegations of false representation, police said, and Brazil's Supreme Court authorized his arrest earlier this month.

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2003 file photo, Lebanese citizen Assad Ahmad Barakat, who was then facing tax evasion charges, is escorted by police to a courthouse in Asuncion, Paraguay. On Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, federal police in Brazil arrested Barakat, a fugitive accused of belonging to Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and of being a key financier of terrorism. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File)

The Brazilian federal prosecutor's office said in a statement that Barakat's case met the requirements for an arrest with a view to extradition. It was not clear when or if that would happen.

Attempts to reach Barakat's lawyer were unsuccessful.

In 2004, the U.S. Treasury Department said Barakat was one of the most influential members of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization. It accused him of using his businesses in the Tri-Border Area as a front for fundraising for Hezbollah as well as coercing local shopkeepers into giving money to the organization.

A Treasury official at the time said Barakat had used "every financial crime in the book" to fund Hezbollah and "underwrite terror," and the department ordered his assets frozen in the United States. Barakat was then serving a prison sentence for tax evasion in Paraguay.

Two years later, U.S. authorities added several of Barakat's associates to the list of people whose U.S. assets can be frozen and whom Americans and U.S. companies are prohibited from dealing with. Barakat remains on that list.

In a 2001 interview with The Associated Press, Barakat acknowledged that he was a "sympathizer" of Hezbollah but said that did not mean he supported terrorism.

Emanuele Ottolenghi, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the arrest was a signal that Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay may be more willing to crack down on crime in the Tri-Border Area. He noted Barakat had been operating "out in the open" for years there despite the U.S. sanctions.

Ottolenghi said the shift might have come about because the new government in Paraguay is trying to shed its reputation as a haven for corruption and financial crime in order to attract international investment, while Brazil is starting to see the activities of Barakat and his associates as a form of organized crime.

He said Barakat remains deeply connected to Hezbollah, including through family members.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which researches and advocates against anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, praised the arrest.

"We have monitored international terrorist activity in the lawless contiguous Triple Frontier region for some 20 years," Shimon Samuels, the center's director for international relations, said in a statement. He added that he hoped the arrest was "a sign that the three countries will begin to drive Hezbollah out of Latin America."

Beyond the longstanding accusations of his involvement with terrorism, Barakat has faced other legal troubles over the years and was even extradited from Brazil to Paraguay once before, according to police. They said he returned to Brazil in 2008 after serving his sentence.

In Paraguay, Barakat is currently accused of presenting a declaration of incorrect nationality and omitting information about the loss of nationality, Brazilian prosecutors said Friday. Barakat was born in Lebanon but has lived in South America for years.

Prosecutors said they had information that Barakat applied for refugee status in Brazil when he learned of Paraguay's arrest warrant, but that only the recognition of refugee status would prevent his extradition, which was not the case here.

Argentine authorities have accused associates of Barakat of laundering $10 million in a scheme in casinos, and they have frozen the group's assets, according to Brazilian police.

___

Associated Press writer Pedro Servin in Asuncion, Paraguay, contributed to this report.
Frances Closer magazine has been told it will have to pay damages of 90,000 euros for publishing topless pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge, after an appeals court upheld an earlier ruling.

The celebrity publication, which is separate from the UKs Closer magazine, had been ordered to pay the large sum to the Cambridges, during a judgment made last September, for breaching Kates privacy.

The judgment followed the trial of six defendants who were all convicted of charges relating to the taking and publication of the photographs of the duchess sunbathing.

The Duchess of Cambridge was photographed on a private holiday (Chris Jackson/PA)

The Versailles appeals court upheld last autumns decision to fine Ernesto Mauri, chief executive of publishing group Mondadori, which produces Closer, and Laurence Pieau, editor of the magazine in France, the maximum penalty of 45,000 euros for their role in the invasion of privacy.

The decision to fine two photographers, who photographed the duchess, 10,000 euros each was also upheld.

The photos, taken as Kate holidayed with William at a private chateau in Provence, southern France, adorned the front and inside pages of the publication in September 2012.

The publication of the images prompted a fierce reaction at the time, with St Jamess Palace stating they were reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.

During the trial, the court was told William found the decision to publish the topless photographs all the more painful given the battles of his late mother with the paparazzi.

Kensington Palace declined to comment.
A man has appeared in court charged with murder after the death of another man in Glasgow.

Officers were called to a house in Durno Path, Easterhouse, at around 6.50pm on Monday where two men were found with serious injuries.

Ronald Pattison, 38, of Carriden Place, Glasgow, died a short time later.

Ronald Pattison died shortly after the incident on Monday evening (Police Scotland/PA)

Patrick Phinn, 48, appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday in connection with Mr Pattisons death.

Phinn, from Ellon in Aberdeenshire, made no plea and was remanded in custody.

He is expected to appear in court again within eight days.
Four people were wounded during a shooting incident at a software company in a suburb of Madison, Wisconsin, according to a city administrator.

The suspected shooter was also critically injured during the late-morning attack at WTS Paradigm in Middleton, City Administrator Mike Davis said.

He said police have lifted a lockdown, but did not immediately have additional information.

Emergency personnel arrive at the scene where a shooting was reported (Todd Richmond/AP)

A spokeswoman at University Hospital said the hospital has accepted four patients from the shooting.

Their conditions were not immediately available.

ACTIVE SHOOTER: 1800 Deming Way https://t.co/EYzSLpvLYg  Middleton Police (@middletonpd) September 19, 2018

Judy Lahmers, a business analyst at WTS Paradigm, said she was working at her desk when she heard shots at about 10am. She said it sounded like somebody was dropping boards on the ground, really loud.

Ms Lahmers said she ran out of the building and hid behind a car. She said the buildings glass entrance door shattered.

Im not looking back, Im running as fast as I can. You just wonder, Do you hide or do you run?' she said.

She said she knew that one co-worker had been grazed by a shot but was OK. She did not have any other information. She said the shooting was totally unexpected. Were all software people. We have a good group.

The State Journal newspaper reports that one woman was taken out of the building screaming, saying it was a devastating loss and being held up by another person.

Gabe Geib, a customer advocate at Esker Software, said he was working at his desk when he heard a couple of shots coming from next door which sounded like claps.

He said he then saw people running full sprint away from the building.

We knew at that point that something was going down. A ton of people were running across the street right in front of us, he said.

More than an hour after the shooting, he and his colleagues were huddled in place in their cafeteria, away from windows.

Jeff Greene, who also works at Esker, said police told those gathered in the cafeteria to go a nearby hotel to make a statement about what they saw.

At least 40 people were gathered in the hotels car park, waiting to be interviewed by police.
US President Donald Trump has said he is not concerned about what his former campaign chairman is telling investigators in the probe into the Trump presidential campaigns ties with Russia.

Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that if Paul Manafort tells the truth to special counsel Robert Muellers team then he does not see a problem.

Mr Trump also batted away a question about whether he was considering a pardon for Manafort.

I dont want to talk about it now, the president said.

President Donald Trump talks to reporters at the White House (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Mr Trumps comments come just days after Manafort ended his nearly year-long fight against Mr Mueller.

Manafort pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to his unregistered Ukrainian lobbying and millions of dollars he laundered through offshore accounts.

The plea headed off a second trial for Manafort less than a month after he was convicted on eight other counts of filing false tax returns, failing to report foreign bank accounts and bank fraud.

The plea deal provided Mr Mueller with a key co-operator in Manafort, who led the Trump campaign for several crucial months and has extensive knowledge of powerful Russian and Ukrainian businessmen heavily involved in their countrys politics.

Manafort will also be debriefed by investigators about his time on the campaign as Mr Mueller continues to investigate Russian election interference and any possible co-ordination with Trump associates.

Those questions will almost certainly include Manaforts account of a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer that was attended by Donald Trump Jr and Mr Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The meeting has drawn scrutiny because it was described to Mr Trump Jr in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the campaign. Mr Trump Jr was told the lawyer had damaging information on Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Mr Trump Jr and the president have downplayed the meeting, saying it was a waste of time and did not amount to anything. But other attendees of the meeting have been before a grand jury used by Mr Mueller, and the special counsel has been scrutinising a public statement the president was involved in drafting when The New York Times publicly revealed the meeting in July 2017.

That statement said the meeting primarily concerned a Russian adoption programme and omitted any mention of Mr Trump Jr being promised information on Mrs Clinton.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump said he is not worried about Manaforts cooperation.

Paul Manafort was with me for a short period of time. He did a good job. I was, you know, very happy with the job he did, Mr Trump said. And I will tell you this: I believe that he will tell the truth and if he tells the truth, no problem.
Theresa May insisted her Chequers plan was the only possible route to a Brexit deal after European Union chiefs told her key elements of the proposals had to be reworked.

The Prime Minister was using a gathering of EU leaders in Salzburg to personally set out the Governments blueprint for Brexit but was warned that time is running out to reach a deal.

European Council president Donald Tusk said the Prime Ministers Chequers blueprint was a welcome evolution in the UKs approach but major issues remained to be resolved including avoiding a hard border in Ireland and the future trading relationship between Britain and the EU.

Warning that there was less and less time to reach a deal before the UKs March 29 2019 exit date, Mr Tusk confirmed he would propose an emergency EU Brexit summit in November.

Arriving at the meeting in Salzburg, Mrs May said Chequers was the only credible and negotiable plan on the table that delivers no hard border in Northern Ireland and also delivers on the vote of the British people.

She added: If we are going to achieve a successful conclusion then, just as the UK has evolved its position, the EU will need to evolve its position too.

Her comments came just hours after Mr Tusk said that on key issues the UKs proposals will need to be reworked and further negotiated.

Meanwhile, the domestic difficulties facing Mrs May  which EU leaders are all too aware of  were further illustrated as it emerged her former Brexit secretary David Davis has described Chequers as a non-starter.

In extracts of a speech he plans to deliver in Munich on Thursday, Mr Davis said the PMs plan crossed all of her own negotiating red lines.

Theresa May arriving at the informal EU summit in Salzburg (Kerstin Joensson/AP)

He said: Chequers is devoid of democracy altogether. This is why many of us will shortly be presenting an alternative plan which will outline a more ambitious vision.

Ahead of the summit in Austria, the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier said he was ready to come forward with a new offer on the Irish border.

However, Mrs Mays DUP allies poured cold water on the suggestion and the Prime Minister stressed she would not be prepared to accept anything that resulted in Northern Ireland effectively being carved away from the rest of the UK.

In order to de-dramatise the main obstacle to a withdrawal deal, Mr Barnier suggested arrangements could be made to conduct the majority of checks on imports and exports away from the border itself.

The Democratic Unionist Party, which props up Mrs Mays minority administration in Parliament, dismissed Mr Barniers proposals as unpalatable, because they would involve a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

It still means a border down the Irish Sea although with different kinds of checks, said the partys deputy leader Nigel Dodds.

Mrs May said: I welcome the fact that Michel Barnier is recognising the need to find a new solution because the original proposal put forward by the European Commission was unacceptable to us.

(PA Graphics)

We have always recognised that there are unique circumstances that apply in Northern Ireland  for example in relation to checks for some

agricultural products.

But what we cannot accept is seeing Northern Ireland carved away from the UK customs territory because regardless of where the checks would be, what that would mean would be that it would be a challenge to our constitutional and economic integrity.

The Salzburg meeting came as campaigners in the UK published a roadmap setting out how MPs could force the Prime Minister to accept what they call a Peoples Vote on her deal, with the option of remaining in the EU.

Despite Mrs May insisting the choice was between her deal or no deal, Treasury minister Mel Stride appeared to suggest that a second poll was still a possibility.

Mr Stride told Sky News: When we have a firm deal on the table, I suspect that those to the right of the party  the pro-Brexit wing  will be very concerned that if that deal does not prevail, they will end up in the situation where we could have a second referendum or we could end up not leaving the EU altogether, so there is a danger of that happening if Chequers does not prevail.

But Mrs May slapped down any suggestion that her government could hold a so-called Peoples Vote.

I want to be absolutely clear, this government will never accept a second referendum, she said.

The British people voted to leave the European Union and we will be leaving on March 29, 2019.

She challenged the Labour leadership to rule out the prospect of support for a second referendum  something that is likely to be a hot topic as Jeremy Corbyns party gathers for its conference in Liverpool starting on Sunday.
President Donald Trump has sought to soothe those who suffered losses in Hurricane Florence, declaring that America grieves for you as he surveyed damage the powerful storm left behind.

After being briefed on the recovery effort, President Trump helped handed containers of hot dogs and chips at a Baptist church in New Bern, a riverfront city on the coast that experienced severe flooding.

President Trumps motorcade then drove through a storm-damaged neighbourhood where piles of water-logged sofa cushions, mattresses and downed trees lined streets and boats lay on their sides after washing up along a grassy shore.

Hows it doing, the president asked after a woman pointed at a house. He chatted and shook peoples hands as he walked along a street strewn with rubbish, branches and sodden furniture  offering hugs and handshakes and posing for photos. Some people applauded as he went by.

During the briefing with Gov Roy Cooper and federal and other state officials, President Trump pledged to be with storm victims 100% as they recover from the torrential rains and heavy flooding that Florence left behind. A massive federal, state and local recovery effort is under way.

Gov Cooper said Florence was epic in nature. It is blamed for at least 37 deaths in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia since coming ashore on Friday.

At the first stop, Gov Cooper briefed the president at a Marine Corps air station in Havelock, which sits among areas Florence hit hardest.

President Donald Trump and North Carolina Gov Roy Cooper greet volunteers as they prepare to hand out food at Temple Baptist Church (Evan Vucci/AP)

The governor asked for help cutting red tape to get his state the federal assistance it will need to recover.

He noted that farmers suffered significant losses and scores of people lost their homes. Some 10,000 people remained in shelters.

We will be there 100%, said President Trump, wearing a wind breaker and seated inside a hangar with federal and state officials.

All of the folks from the federal government that are around the table are confirming it.

President Trump praised first responders and offered comfort to residents who suffered losses in the storm, saying: To the families who have lost loved ones, America grieves with you, and our hearts break for you. God bless you. We will never forget your loss, we will never leave your side. Were with you all the way.

And to all those impacted by this terrible storm, our entire American family is with you and ready to help. And you will recover, he said.
The lone suspect in a Wisconsin workplace shooting has died after being shot by responding officers, according to police.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said officers were alerted to an active shooter situation at software company WTS Paradigm around 10:25am. Mr Foulkes said the suspect was fatally shot by officers.

Mr Foulke did not release details about the suspect or how the attack unfolded. He said officers were still interviewing witnesses, many of whom fled the office building or hid inside after gunshots rang out.

Emergency personnel arrive on the scene of a shooting (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal/AP)

Mr Foulke said three people were injured in the shooting, though the City Administrator Mike Davis said earlier that the number of injured was four.

ACTIVE SHOOTER UPDATE: Lockdown lifted as of 1:05pm https://t.co/vpK3qB7WiN  Middleton Police (@middletonpd) September 19, 2018

A total of five patients were taken to hospitals in nearby Madison following the shooting.

According to the hospitals, one patient was in critical condition on Wednesday afternoon, two were in serious condition, and one had injuries that were not life-threatening. The condition of the other was not released.

Police have not released details about how the shooting unfolded, but witnesses said they heard gunfire around 10am.

Judy Lahmers, a business analyst at WTS Paradigm, said she was working at her desk when she heard what sounded like somebody was dropping boards on the ground, really loud.

Ms Lahmers said she ran out of the building and hid behind a car.

She said the buildings glass entrance door shattered.

Im not looking back, Im running as fast as I can. You just wonder, Do you hide or do you run?' she told The Associated Press.

She said she knew that one co-worker had been grazed by a bullet but was OK. She did not have any other information about the shooting, but said it was totally unexpected. Were all software people. We have a good group.

Police conducted a secondary search of the area on Wednesday afternoon to ensure there were no more victims or suspects, and discovered some people were still hiding in the building, which also houses Esker Software.
A fire officer at Grenfell Tower realised immediately that residents should not be advised to stay put, but his concerns went unacknowledged by superiors, an inquiry has heard.

Norman Harrison, a watch manager from Wembley with 25 years experience, claimed he told senior managers in a very direct and unequivocal manner that an evacuation was needed.

Giving evidence at the inquiry into the blaze, he said his assessment was made at around 1.50am on June 14 last year, around an hour before the strategy was ditched.

Norman Harrison giving evidence before the Grenfell Tower Inquiry (Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA)

The London Fire Brigade has been criticised for initially telling residents to remain in their flats despite the speed and ferocity of the infernos spread.

High-rise blocks should be designed so flames are contained with their flat of origin, meaning it is safer for tenants to remain inside  but this did not happen at Grenfell Tower.

Mr Harrison told a hearing at Holborn Bars on Wednesday that he approached a cluster of senior officers at a command unit vehicle and made his voice impossible to ignore.

However, the group, which was said to include group manager Richard Welch, offered no response at all, the inquiry heard.

Mr Harrison said: I was truly shocked at such a severe fire over so many floors.

Immediately I knew that stay-put policy should no longer apply in this building, because the stay-put policy is predicated upon the assumption that someone can stay in their flat, safe, from the one compartment that is alight somewhere in the building and theyre not going to be affected by the fire, either flames, heat or smoke.

I could see that just didnt apply here any more.

His written statement described how the intensity of the fire on the external face of Grenfell Tower reminded him of the surface of the sun.

Mr Harrison said he knew from previous experience that each flat would be designed to withstand flames for 60 minutes  but he estimated it would take six hours to reach the top floor.

He became extremely concerned for both residents and colleagues, his statement said.

At this stage, 999 operators were telling occupants to stay put and await rescue.

In reality I didnt think that there would be an opportunity to rescue people on the upper floors and I strongly felt that the advice needed to be changed from the stay-put policy to almost a simultaneous decision to evacuate, he wrote.

Mr Harrison said he told the group of managers that the advice given by operators needed to be changed.

But he did not get acknowledged by Mr Welch, the most senior officer present.

Asked by counsel to the inquiry Andrew Kinnier QC what he took from Mr Welch not acknowledging him, the officer said: I knew I had impressed upon him that was my view, I knew the incident commander had a lot to consider at this incident, it was off the scale, the amount of things they had to consider.

I knew that my opinion was at the forefront of his mind when he would come to formulate his plan. Due to the way I delivered the statement, it was impossible not to have heard it.

He accepted during his evidence that it would have been extremely difficult to carry out an evacuation due to the smoke in the stairwell.

His statement explained there was only a brief timeframe when an evacuation was safe, when the fire was still only on the external face.

I think we had a small window of opportunity to bring people down to safety, or basically as safe as it was going to be for the duration of the incident, he said.

Mr Harrison choked back tears on Wednesday when he offered his condolences to families bereaved by the fire.

He added: I hope you get the justice you deserve.
Democratic Unionist MP Ian Paisley has a nervous wait to find out whether his constituents have chosen to unseat him ahead of a midnight count in Westminsters first ever recall petition.

Polling centres where people of North Antrim have had the opportunity to decide Mr Paisleys fate over the last six weeks closed at 5pm on Wednesday.

The petition device, created following the Westminster expenses scandal, was triggered after Mr Paisley was banned from the House of Commons for 30 sitting days for failing to declare two 2013 family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

A parliamentary watchdog found in August that a year after the luxury holidays, Mr Paisley lobbied then prime minister David Cameron not to support a UN probe into alleged Sri Lankan human rights abuses.

If 10% of the electorate sign the recall petition, 7,543 voters, Mr Paisley will automatically lose his seat and a by-election will be called.

Petition boxes are collected from Seven Towers leisure centre in Ballymena (Liam McBurney/PA)

He would be able to contest the subsequent poll.

Three venues were opened in North Antrim to enable people to sign the petition.

The centres in Ballymena, Ballycastle and Ballymoney closed early Wednesday evening, with voting boxes then transported to Belfast ahead of the count.

Voters have also been able to put their name to the petition via post, with the process formally closing at midnight.

Counting will begin immediately after that, with the result due in the early hours of Thursday.

Mr Paisley, son of late DUP founder Rev Ian Paisley, is currently suspended from his party pending its own internal investigation into his conduct.

His Commons ban has left current Prime Minister Theresa May shorn of one of her 10 DUP MP confidence and supply allies during a period that could witness several crucial Brexit votes.

It has also given the DUP another headache at a time when the party is under intense scrutiny at public inquiry hearings in Northern Ireland examining its handling of the botched green energy scheme that brought down Stormont powersharing.

An investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found the cost of the hospitality afforded Mr Paisley and his family may have been significantly more than his 50,000 estimate.

Residents had been able to sign the petition for the past six weeks (Niall Carson/PA)

It found the Sri Lankan holidays included business-class air travel, accommodation at first-class hotels, helicopter trips and visits to tourist attractions for the North Antrim MP and his wider family.

The trips also included meeting with Sri Lankan governmental figures.

Mr Paisleys threshold for registering such hospitality in 2013 was around 660.

In March 2014, Mr Paisley wrote to Mr Cameron to lobby against a proposed United Nations resolution setting up an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

In the wake of the watchdog report, Mr Paisley apologised for what he described as an unintentional failure to declare the holidays.

In the 2017 general election, Mr Paisley retained his North Antrim seat with a landslide 20,000-plus majority, securing nearly 59% of the vote.
A woman who died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff during Storm Ali has been named locally as Elvira Ferraii.

The Swiss holidaymaker was staying at the Clifden ecoBeach Camping and Caravan Park in Co Galway in Irelands west when a severe gust took her caravan over the side and down onto a beach.

Emergency services were called before 8am on Wednesday morning but the victim, aged in her 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene after a brief search. She was reported to have been staying at the remote beauty spot for several weeks.

Ireland was battered by some of the worst winds recorded at this time of year, the conditions wreaking havoc on power supplies and roads  and costing two lives.

In Northern Ireland, a man working on behalf of public utility Northern Ireland Water at a water pumping station died when a tree fell on him at a popular forest park in Co Armagh.

White overall-clad forensics experts combed the scene and the fire service oversaw work on the hefty tree, which had fallen across the main entrance road into Slieve Gullion park, a forested hill close to the border with the Republic in South Armagh.

Irish President Michael D Higgins was among those who expressed condolences following the Republics tragedy.

Workmen deal with a fallen tree on Finglass Road by Glasnevin Cemetary, Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

He said: I would also take this opportunity to pay tribute to all those, in statutory and voluntary organisations around the country, who are helping and stand ready to assist their fellow citizens, and who are working to maintain essential services around the country.

Strongest gusts (above 60 km/h) for some of our stations in the hour leading up to 1pm:



104 Casement Aerodrome

104 Dublin Airport

93 Knock Airport

91 Malin Head

85 Finner

83 Shannon Airport

65 Mullingar

65 Belmullet



(connection to Mace Head currently down)  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) September 19, 2018

Irelands Minister for Employment Regina Doherty also offered her condolences to the family of the dead woman.

Footage of the scene shows the caravan broken up into several pieces as the tide threatens to wash it out to sea.

A car damaged by a fallen tree in Dublin (Dublin Fire Brigade/PA)

More than 250,000 homes and businesses across the island of Ireland were at one stage without power as a result of Storm Ali, with emergency workers battling difficult conditions as wind speeds peaked during the afternoon.

1/1 Storm Ali continues to clear northeastwards. There will be severe or possibly damaging gusts for a time especially in the west and northwest with extreme caution advised for a time in the coastal districts of Clare, Connacht and Donegal. pic.twitter.com/tm84PG5zvo  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) September 19, 2018

Irelands electricity network, ESB Networks, said thousands of homes, businesses and farms have been left without power  with the most impacted in Cavan, Sligo, Donegal, Castlebar and Galway.

In Northern Ireland, thousands of homes and businesses were without power as gusts of 70mph caused significant damage.

The storm also led to the cancellation of the second day of a major agricultural show in Ireland.

The storm has caused felled trees and some damage to buildings (Brian Lawless/PA)

Irish forecaster Met Eireann said the strongest gusts in the hour leading up to 10am reached speeds of 120km/h (74.5mph) at Mace Head in County Galway, 98km/h (60.9mph) at Dublin Airport and 107km/h (66.5mph) at Shannon.

The Met Office said gusts of 91mph hit Killowen in County Down.

Forecasters in Ireland issued a Status Orange wind warning for more than half the country due to the storm.
The families of victims murdered during some of the worst atrocities in Northern Ireland have come together to call for support from the Irish Republic in their search for justice.

Representatives from the Bloody Sunday families as well as Miami Showband survivor Stephen Travers said they want the backing of people from the Republic of Ireland in the quest for answers into the atrocities, describing it as a 32-county matter.

They also raised concerns over new Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, who is a former Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Antoinette Keegan (l to r), Kate Nash, Stephen Travers and Eamonn McCann at the public event in Dublin (Cate McCurry/PA)

Speaking at a meeting in Dublin on Wednesday, Kate Nash, 69, whose brother William was murdered and father Alex wounded on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972, said now is an important time to get support from across the island of Ireland.

Prosecutors have been examining files of evidence against ex-British soldiers who were on the streets of Londonderry when the Parachute Regiment shot and fatally wounded 14 civil rights demonstrators.

The families of those who were killed will soon be told whether former British soldiers will be brought before a court.

Ms Nash said: We are pursuing justice for my brother Willie and for my father because he suffered a lot. We need to get justice, Im almost 70 now and I have this great fear, not of death, but that I die before I see British soldiers in court.

If we get those soldiers in court, I hope they will talk. Those soldiers had no right to kill innocent.

We want to bring this to Dublin because there are a few things that concern me. Drew Harris appointment concerns me because he has association with MI5.

Im concerned he has now moved to the Free State and I worry how the judicial system will work with someone like him here, and I want to ask people across Ireland to support us because we are at an important time to get support and we need to keep the pressure up so the British Government know we wont give up.

Miami Showband massacre survivor Stephen Travers said that he will ask Mr Harris to hand over information into the murders carried out by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).

His three fellow band members were shot dead in 1975 after a gig in Banbridge in Co Down.

There have been allegations of collusion between the authorities and loyalist terrorists in the lead-up to the massacre after State Papers revealed that British intelligence agency MI5 had supplied the UVF with detonators.

The loyalist group had planned to plant a bomb on the musicians bus and have it explode as they drove home, however two UVF men were killed by their own bomb as it detonated before they could plant it in the back of the bands vehicle.

Mr Travers, 67, said that, as Garda Commissioner, Mr Harris can hand over vital information into the killings.

He said: In my experience of policing in getting to the truth, I am no longer sure who the good guys are. They are blocking the truth and are working against us.

I am suspicious of Mr Harris recent appointment because of his previous roles in the PSNI and RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary).

It was his office that blocked our access to records that are important in our civil action. I do think its a double-edged sword  we questioned whether Gardai had vital information in our case now we know they have.

We will ask for his assistance in uncovering information that we were looking for and I cant see how he will refuse that.

Family members of those killed in the 1971 Ballymurphy massacre and who died in the Stardust fire in Dublin in 1981 were also at the public event.

Families of those who died in the nightclub fire have been campaigning for a fresh inquest into the deaths.

Antoinette Keegan  who survived the fire but lost her two sisters, Mary, 19, and Martina, 16  said the families would never give up campaigning.

Journalist and political activist Eamonn McCann, who also spoke at the event, said that many people in the Republic regard The Troubles as a Northern Ireland problem.

There were 34 people from the Republic who were killed and thats hardly remembered, he said. Its forgotten whereas in the North theres an obsessional memory.

We are looking for information and for all the papers to be released and that applies in the Republic as well. We should have a 32-county push for the truth and for all official materials to be released.
Theresa May ruled out any delay to the Brexit process as she told European Union leaders that her Chequers plan was the only credible route to a deal.

The Prime Minister set out a blueprint to her 27 counterparts over dinner in Salzburg after being told by EU chiefs that significant elements of it would have to be reworked.

However, at the gathering in Austria, Mrs May told them there would be no delay beyond the UKs March 2019 departure, no second referendum and therefore the onus was on the continents leaders to find a solution if they wanted to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

European Council president Donald Tusk said the Prime Ministers Chequers blueprint was a welcome evolution in the UKs approach but major issues remained to be resolved including avoiding a hard border in Ireland and the future trading relationship between Britain and the EU.

Warning that there was less and less time to reach a deal before the UKs March 29 2019 exit date, Mr Tusk confirmed he would propose an emergency EU Brexit summit in November.

Arriving at the meeting in Salzburg, Mrs May said Chequers was the only credible and negotiable plan on the table that delivers no hard border in Northern Ireland and also delivers on the vote of the British people.

She added: If we are going to achieve a successful conclusion then, just as the UK has evolved its position, the EU will need to evolve its position too.

Her comments came just hours after Mr Tusk said that on key issues the UKs proposals will need to be reworked and further negotiated.

UK Government sources revealed that Mrs May was using the dinner to acknowledge the difficulties and that she had never pretended Brexit would be easy or simple.

But she made clear the high stakes of the negotiations over the coming weeks if a deal is to be struck this autumn in time for ratification ahead of March 29, 2019 Brexit day.

A senior UK official said her message to them was we all recognise that time is short but delaying or extending these negotiations is not an option.

Theresa May is greeted by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz at the informal EU summit in Salzburg (Kerstin Joensson/AP)

She said: I believe that I have put forward serious and workable proposals.

We will, of course, not agree on every detail but I hope that you will respond in kind. The onus is now on all of us to get this deal done.

The domestic difficulties facing Mrs May  which EU leaders are all too aware of  were further illustrated as it emerged her former Brexit secretary David Davis has described Chequers as a non-starter.

In extracts of a speech he plans to deliver in Munich on Thursday, Mr Davis said the PMs plan crossed all of her own negotiating red lines.

He said: Chequers is devoid of democracy altogether. This is why many of us will shortly be presenting an alternative plan which will outline a more ambitious vision.

Ahead of the summit in Austria, the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier said he was ready to come forward with a new offer on the Irish border.

(PA Graphics)

However, Mrs Mays DUP allies poured cold water on the suggestion and the Prime Minister stressed she would not be prepared to accept anything that resulted in Northern Ireland effectively being carved away from the rest of the UK.

In order to de-dramatise the main obstacle to a withdrawal deal, Mr Barnier suggested arrangements could be made to conduct the majority of checks on imports and exports away from the border itself.

The Democratic Unionist Party, which props up Mrs Mays minority administration in Parliament, dismissed Mr Barniers proposals as unpalatable, because they would involve a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

It still means a border down the Irish Sea although with different kinds of checks, said the partys deputy leader Nigel Dodds.

Mrs May said: I welcome the fact that Michel Barnier is recognising the need to find a new solution because the original proposal put forward by the European Commission was unacceptable to us.

We have always recognised that there are unique circumstances that apply in Northern Ireland  for example in relation to checks for some

agricultural products.

But what we cannot accept is seeing Northern Ireland carved away from the UK customs territory because regardless of where the checks would be, what that would mean would be that it would be a challenge to our constitutional and economic integrity.

The relationship between the UK and the EU will change profoundly with Brexit, but I am determined that we should still have the strongest possible economic and security partnership. https://t.co/l6en9VzxWR  Theresa May (@theresa_may) September 19, 2018

The Salzburg meeting came as campaigners in the UK published a roadmap setting out how MPs could force the Prime Minister to accept what they call a Peoples Vote on her deal, with the option of remaining in the EU.

Despite Mrs May insisting the choice was between her deal or no deal, Treasury minister Mel Stride appeared to suggest that a second poll was still a possibility.

But Mrs May slapped down any suggestion that her government could hold a so-called Peoples Vote.

I want to be absolutely clear, this government will never accept a second referendum, she said.

The British people voted to leave the European Union and we will be leaving on March 29, 2019.

She challenged the Labour leadership to rule out the prospect of support for a second referendum  something that is likely to be a hot topic as Jeremy Corbyns party gathers for its conference in Liverpool starting on Sunday.
Officials say a woman is in critical condition after she was mauled by a shark on Australias Great Barrier Reef.

Ambulance spokeswoman Tracey Eastwick says the 46-year-old tourist from Tasmania state was swimming on Wednesday from a yacht in Cid harbour on Whitsunday Island off the Queensland state coast when she was attacked by the shark that mauled her upper thigh.

QAS Critical Care Flight Paramedic onboard Rescue Heli 412 currently responding to a reported Shark Attack approx 50kms off the Whitsunday Coast.Patient now reported to be on a boat.  Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) September 19, 2018

She says a Mackay Base Hospital doctor happened to be on a nearby yacht and helped slow the bleeding before a rescue helicopter arrived.

(PA)

The woman reached the hospital complaining of significant levels of pain.

The hospital reported the woman remained in a critical condition on Thursday after undergoing surgery on Wednesday night.
People smugglers using social media sites to pose as travel agents for desperate migrants are being targeted by UK experts, Theresa May told fellow EU leaders.

The Prime Minister said concerted action across the European Union is needed because of the international nature of the online problem as she pressed for action to stop traffickers using sites such as Facebook to reach victims.

At a meeting in Salzburg she said that the UK will continue to be fully committed to working with them on the generational challenge of migration after Brexit.

Prime Minister Theresa May (Frank Augstein/PA)

Police and security officials believe the traffickers adverts are presented as reassuring and create an illusion this is normal travel  rather than the reality of being packed onto a dangerous rib or a small boat without safety jackets.

One page even offered discounts for children, a UK source said.

In the last year, UK law enforcement agencies have referred 539 social media pages advertising people smuggling services for closure by Europol.

But at a working dinner with EU counterparts, Mrs May explained online platforms had no respect for borders, UK officials said, and unless the countries acted together traffickers would simply exploit our weakest link.

Mrs May offered to share expertise and put the UK in the lead of a joint effort to work with social media platforms to prevent traffickers using their websites.

The Prime Minister also suggested that the approach used to tackle extremist propaganda online should be employed to target the gangs behind people trafficking.

This includes building on existing work with social media firms and Europols Internet Referral Unit to take down the exploitative adverts straight away, and seeking to change the behaviour of would-be illegal migrants whose lives could be in danger.

European Council president Donald Tusk urged leaders at the gathering to stop the blame game about the migration crisis and hit out at populist politicians seeking to exploit the issue.

Despite the aggressive rhetoric, things are moving in the right direction, he said, with the number of irregular migrants down from almost two million in 2015 to fewer than 100,000 this year.

So, instead of taking political advantage of the situation, we should focus on what works and just get on with it.

We can no longer be divided into those who want to solve the problem of illegal migrant flows, and those who want to use it for political gain.
Public Health Englands (PHE) has come under further scrutiny for its latest campaign with a charity funded largely by the alcohol industry.

The health body has recently come under fire for its new campaign with Drinkaware, which encourages middle-aged drinkers to take more days off from drinking.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore resigned from the alcohol leadership advisory board at PHE over issue.

Undated file photo of a glass of red wine being poured. Middle-aged drinkers are being encouraged to have more alcohol-free days as part of a new health campaign.

In a new editorial, published in The British Medical Journal (BMJ) Prof Gilmore and colleagues wrote that senior PHE managers do not seem to have asked themselves why the alcohol industry is happy to fund a campaign that ostensibly aims to reduce alcohol consumption.

And the managers certainly did not ask their alcohol leadership advisory board, wrote Prof Gilmore with Professor Linda Bauld and Professor John Britton, who also advises PHE.

Had they done so they would have received the answer that the industry does so because it thinks the campaign will be ineffective or will divert attention from other more effective policies to reduce alcohol consumption that the industry fears more, such as minimum unit pricing, the article continues.

More importantly, however, through Drinkaware, the alcohol industry gains valuable engagement with PHE, establishes working relations with PHE staff, and may even secure a seat at the table when other alcohol harm initiatives are planned and executed.

In so doing they tread a path that, at least to those who have worked in tobacco policy, is depressingly familiar.

Both PHE and Drinkaware insist that the charity is an independent organisation.

Indeed the charity said that it does not speak on behalf of the alcohol industry. To suggest otherwise is to wilfully misrepresent the charity and its aims, it said.

But Prof Gilmores editorial, titled Public Health Englands capture by the alcohol industry, refers to problems that occurred with links to the tobacco industry.

It states: Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

The authors point to voluntary agreements with the tobacco industry in the second half of the 20th century which served to undermine, dilute or constrain measures designed to curtail their activities.

And by entering the agreement with Drinkaware, PHE appear to have fallen victim to the delusion that a new partnership with the alcohol industry will somehow avoid the same fate, they wrote.

Responding to the article, Professor John Newton, director of health improvement at PHE, said: Our duty is to protect and improve public health. Reducing harm from alcohol requires action not inaction.

This new campaigns advice on drink free days is easily understandable, pragmatic and sensible.

The BMJ is wrong and inaccurate to say that PHE is working with the alcohol industry. Drinkaware is an independent charity.

PHE is steadfast in its ambition to reduce the harms that drinking too much alcohol can cause and we will work together with partners that speak to the evidence and share the same commitment.

If we are to going to reduce the risks of everyday life then the debate should be about how we engage with the relevant industries to reduce harm.

Elaine Hindal, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: The criticisms of this campaign are based on the entirely false premise that Drinkaware is part of the alcohol industry. It is not. It is a wholly independent charity which is not part of and does not in any way speak on behalf of the alcohol industry.

To suggest otherwise is to wilfully misrepresent the charity and its aims.

The information which we provide is produced by Drinkaware and Drinkaware alone, and is overseen and verified by an independent Medical Advisory Panel consisting of highly experienced health professionals.

It is deeply disappointing that a small number of critics are continuing to detract from the Drink Free Days campaign.

The aim of the campaign, which we are proud to be part of, is to provide the public with information that is easy to understand, pragmatic and sensible. Quite simply, the more you drink, the greater the risk to your health. Taking more days off from drinking is a highly effective way of reducing health risks from alcohol.

We are committed to continuing our partnership with Public Health England and our work to reduce alcohol misuse and harm in the UK.
Theresa Mays 27 European counterparts will consider the next stage of the Brexit process after she told them her Chequers plan was the only credible route to a deal.

The Prime Minister set out her blueprint over dinner with fellow leaders in Salzburg after being told by EU chiefs that significant elements of it would have to be reworked.

However, at the gathering in Austria, Mrs May insisted there would be no delay to the UKs March 2019 departure, no second referendum and therefore the onus was on the continents leaders to find a solution if they wanted to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has reportedly written to UK opposition leaders calling for them to back an extension to Article 50 if no deal is reached and warned the PM against taking the country off the Brexit cliff edge.

In Mrs Mays absence on Thursday, the 27 other EU leaders will discuss issues including the UKs future relationship with the EU and how to resolve the problems around the Irish border.

European Council president Donald Tusk identified both as areas where the UKs proposals would need to be reworked.

But Mrs May said Chequers was the only credible and negotiable plan on the table that delivers no hard border in Northern Ireland and also delivers on the vote of the British people.

She added: If we are going to achieve a successful conclusion then, just as the UK has evolved its position, the EU will need to evolve its position too.

UK Government sources revealed that Mrs May used Wednesday nights dinner to acknowledge the difficulties and that she had never pretended Brexit would be easy or simple.

She made clear the high stakes of the negotiations over the coming weeks if a deal is to be struck this autumn in time for ratification ahead of March 29, 2019 Brexit day.

(PA Graphics)

A senior UK official said her message to them was we all recognise that time is short but delaying or extending these negotiations is not an option.

She said: I believe that I have put forward serious and workable proposals.

We will, of course, not agree on every detail, but I hope that you will respond in kind. The onus is now on all of us to get this deal done.

In a signal that the UK would not deviate from its course, Mrs May stressed there would not be a fresh vote on the Brexit process.

I want to be absolutely clear, this government will never accept a second referendum, she said.

The British people voted to leave the European Union and we will be leaving on March 29, 2019.

Ms Sturgeon warned that it would be reckless for Britain to leave the EU without a deal in March and has written to opposition leaders urging them to back a delay if no agreement has been reached.

Taking the UK off the Brexit cliff edge without knowing where it lands would be the most irresponsible thing any prime minister has done in a very, very long time, she told the BBC.

Thats why I think if thats the situation we end up in (then) extending Article 50 is a far better way of proceeding.

The Prime Minsiter will hold talks with both Irish premier Leo Varadkar and Mr Tusk in the margins of the Salzburg summit.

Mrs Mays approach to the Brexit negotiations received fresh criticism at home while she was in Austria from one of her former supporters.

Sir Mike Penning, a former defence minster who voted Leave before backing Mrs May for the party leadership in the aftermath of the referendum, told the Telegraph she had treated Tory MPs like children who belong on the naughty step.

The former soldier told the paper he was joining the hardline Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG), saying: Ive come to the conclusion that this put up, shut up attitude of the Prime Ministers  its Chequers or nothing  you do as youre told or else, is a massive insult, not only to my colleagues but also to the voters.

She is playing a game of Russian Roulette with the country which is frankly an insult to the referendum result and all those people who voted, no matter how they voted.
Members of the public are being asked to share their old photos of Stonehenge as the world-famous monument celebrates a century of belonging to the nation.

To mark the 100-year milestone, English Heritage invited a number of individuals and families to return to the Neolithic site they visited decades ago and recreate the photos from earlier trips.

The visitors were given special access to the stones to recreate as closely as possible, with family members, the snaps from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s for the then and now shots.

Jane Vellender remembers playing among the stones on a family day out when she was five, in the 60s (Vellender/English Heritage/PA)

English Heritage, which looks after the stone circle, hopes the pictures will inspire other people to go back through their photo albums and share their old pictures of the monument, and even those taken by their ancestors.

The images will form part of a digital photo album with a difference marking 100 years since local barrister Cecil Chubb and his wife Mary donated the monument to the nation.

Mr Chubb had purchased the site three years earlier at an auction on September 21 1915, in an impulse buy after he had been sent to the sale by his wife to bid for a set of dining chairs.

Bob Heyhoe first visited Stonehenge aged 18 in 1960, on a `special family day out (Heyhoe/English Heritage/PA)

When Lot 15 at the Palace Theatre auction in Salisbury came up  described as Stonehenge with about 30 acres, 2 rods, 37 perches of adjoining downland  he bid because, he said: I thought a Salisbury man ought to buy it, and that is how it was done.

To recreate the then and now pictures, special trips were made by several former visitors including American Taney Roniger, who was only three-years-old when she first visited Stonehenge in 1971 with her parents, and was photographed with her father leaning against one of the stones.

The image was recreated almost 50 years later, with her and her husband posing in the same spot.

Taney Roniger first posed with her father by the stones in 1971, and now poses with her husband (Roniger/English Heritage/PA)

She said she remembers a feeling of vastness at the stones on her first trip and of peace, not least because America was so troubled at the time because of the Vietnam War.

And she said: Returning to Stonehenge after all those years was really special.

The stones were overwhelming, I had the sense that they were bigger even than my first visit, and it felt like my parents were with me.

Sue Lane was just four years old when she visited the stones on a "blowy day" in 1966 with her mother and grandparents (Lane/English Heritage/PA)

Helena Myska, whose family had emigrated three years earlier from Czechoslovakia, stopped at Stonehenge on the way to Cornwall in 1971 when she was nine-years-old and her sister was four.

Of her return, she said: Recreating the photo was emotional and makes me realise how many years have gone by  were not the same people, we all look so different  but Stonehenge has been here so long and in that context the time between the first photo and this one is so short.

Helena Myska remembers stopping at Stonehenge on the way to Cornwall in 1971 when she was nine (Myska/English Heritage/PA)

Kate Davies, English Heritages director of Stonehenge, said: People have been visiting Stonehenge for centuries and since the nineteenth century, people have felt compelled to take photos of themselves and their loved ones in front of the stones.

But rather than lying forgotten in a dusty old photo album or on a memory card, we want people to share with us their photos of Stonehenge and help us to create a photo album with a difference.

Rowland Allen, third from the left in both pictures, posed for the original photo with his family in 1955 (Allen/English Heritage/PA)

It could be your photo, it could be your parents photo, it could be your grandparents photo  wed love to see it and bring as many of them together as possible.

Stonehenge is an important place in many peoples memories, and each and every person who has visited the monument is part of its story.

This archive is a way of making us all part of the ongoing history of this incredible place.

Ian Roure visited the stones as a child in 1970 and remembers his impression of Stonehenge growing up was it was "extremely special" (Ian Roure/English Heritage/PA)

Cecil and Mary Chubb formally donated Stonehenge to the nation on October 26 1918 and English Heritage is inviting people to join them at the stones on Friday October 26 2018 and over the weekend for celebrations.

People can share their or their ancestors pictures of the monument and see other images by visiting www.stonehenge100.co.uk.
Health officials have estimated that just one in 10 people will be smokers in five years time.

Public Health England (PHE) said that smoking rates among adults in England are expected to fall from the current level of 14.9% to around 10% by 2023.

The number of smokers in England has fallen by more than a million since 2014, it added.

The estimate comes as the health body launched its annual Stoptober campaign, encouraging smokers to join a mass quit attempt in the month of October.

By taking part in #Stoptober and staying #smokefree for 28 days you are more likely to quit for good pic.twitter.com/mMcLlTS0w1  West Essex CCG (@nhswestessex) November 1, 2017

Officials are encouraging smokers not to go cold turkey as the method may hamper a persons chance of successfully quitting.

PHE said that the best way to quit is with expert help from local stop smoking services together with stop smoking aids.

For this years campaign, PHE is offering an online Personal Quit Plan to help smokers find the right support to help them kick the habit.

The new tool will recommend a range of options to smokers including face-to-face support, nicotine replacement therapies like patches, gum or inhalers, and e-cigarettes.

Last years Stoptober campaign was the first to encourage smokers to try an e-cigarette in a bid to kick the habit.

PHE said that e-cigarettes are used by an estimated 3.2 million people across Britain.

The health body estimates that of the 6.1 million smokers in England, around six in 10 want to quit.

It said that every year around 400,000 smokers quit successfully in England  the equivalent of around one every 80 seconds.

There are an estimated 6.1 million smokers in England (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The Stoptober campaign began in 2012 and is based on research that if smokers can go for 28 days without a cigarette then they are five times more likely to quit for good.

Dr Jenny Harries, deputy medical director at PHE, said: There are many different types of stop smoking support available, so it can be difficult for a smoker to know what will work best for them.

The important thing is not to be put off trying to quit even if you have not managed to in the past.

This year, Stoptober can help you find a combination that could work for you.

We predict that thousands of smokers will quit every day over the next 10 years  I urge smokers not to get left behind for the benefit of their health.

Join in, find your best way to quit, and start your 28-day journey to becoming smoke-free.

The new PHE estimates come from its Health Profile for England report which states that the prevalence of smoking in adults has declined from 19.9% to 14.9% in the last seven years.

If this trend continues, it will reduce to between 8.5% and 11.7% by 2023, the authors suggest.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity ASH (Action on Smoking and Health), said: There are almost as many different ways of quitting as there are smokers, but to succeed smokers need motivation.

ASH is delighted to see Stoptober is back on TV with a new ad campaign, which will raise awareness and provide valuable additional encouragement for smokers trying to quit with Stoptober.

Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the Local Government Associations Community Wellbeing Board, said: Councils remain committed to helping smokers quit, however this is made all the more difficult by the Governments reductions to the public health budget, which councils use to fund stop-smoking services.

We have long argued that this is a short-term approach which will only compound acute pressures for NHS services further down the line.

 Visit www.nhs.uk/oneyou/stoptober to use the Personal Quit Plan and to find out more about the support available.
The Scottish Governments pledge for superfast broadband coverage across Scotland by 2021 will be difficult to deliver, a public finance watchdog has warned.

An Auditor General report found further investment may be needed on top of the initial 600 million and highlighted a lack of clarity over how 100% coverage of 30 megabit per second (Mb/s) speeds will be achieved.

The report praised the government for hitting its previous target to provide fibre broadband acess to 95% of premises by the end of 2017, saying without public investment only two-thirds would have access.

Auditors issue warning on 100% superfast broadband plans (Rui Vieira/PA)

Overall connection speeds have increased across Scotland but around a quarter of rural areas cannot receive 10 Mb/s.

Auditors found up to March 2018, the Scottish Government and Highlands and Island Enterprise (HIE) had paid 259 million to BT for broadband roll-out.

Lower costs and higher take-up is expected to enable around 60,000 more premises to be reached than originally planned.

The report, prepared by Audit Scotland, recommends lessons are learned form the failure of the Community Broadband Scotland plan to deliver anticipated benefits for rural community broadband.

Just 13 of the 63 initiatives it helped finance were successful with a lack of specialist skills, poor communication and complex tendering requirements causing lengthy delays and failed procurements.

Community groups told auditors this has undermined their confidence in the Scottish Government and HIE to support rural broadband.

Further recommendations include publishing clear timescales by summer 2019 for the reaching 100 programme, establish clear contract management for the contracts and clear communication, especially for rural areas.

Fraser McKinlay, Audit Scotland director of Performance Audit and Best Value, said: Fast, reliable internet access is now considered an essential part of everyday life.

Good progress has been made to date but the toughest hurdle remains  to extend the benefits to everyone, particularly remote and rural communities.

As well as being the toughest hurdle, it is not yet clear how the Scottish Government is going to fulfil its pledge to deliver superfast broadband to everyone by the end of 2021.

Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, said: Our 100% commitment is unmatched anywhere else in the UK.

The report recognises it wont be easy to deliver the commitment, but we have backed our commitment with a record 600 million (96.5% funding by Scottish Government) in initial funding for procurement of the Reaching 100 (or R100) percent programme and are currently in dialogue with three suppliers.

Sara Budge, Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme director, said: Its a fantastic achievement and, coupled with our innovation, we are extending our rural reach and driving speed uplifts further.

Its been a huge collective but very satisfying challenge. Over 900,000 homes and business across Scotland can now access fibre broadband thanks to the programme.

Robert Thorburn, Openreach fibre partnership director, added: Were pleased the latest update from Audit Scotland has confirmed the success of the Digital Scotland rollout.

Its a massive civil engineering project benefiting hundreds of communities across the whole country, delivered on time and under budget.
Small business confidence has dropped sharply and Scottish businesses are among the most concerned in the UK about a no-deal Brexit, new figures show.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Scottish Small Business Confidence Index fell 18.3 points  from +5.1 points to -13.2 points in the third quarter of 2018.

Across the UK the Index, which measures business owners assessment of business conditions, fell from +12.9 points to -1.7 points.

Across the UK, 48% of firms stated they believe a no deal Brexit would have a negative impact on their operations (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Meanwhile a separate FSB survey found more than half (56%) of Scottish businesses believe a no transition, no deal Brexit would impact negatively on their business, whereas only 5% believe it will have a positive impact.

Of the remainder, 27% of Scottish businesses believe such a move would have no impact, while 12% of enterprises said they did not know.

Across the UK, 48% of firms stated they believe a no deal Brexit would have a negative impact on their operations.

FSB Scotland Policy Chair Andrew McRae said: The slide in business optimism over the last three months is perhaps unsurprising given the very public debate about the future of the UK outside of the EU.

If you sell your products to the EU, buy goods from the EU or if your business relies on staff from the EU, youre likely to see a no deal Brexit as a significant threat to your business.

Businesses in Scotland are more likely to have concerns about this outcome.

Only one in seven (14%) Scottish and UK small businesses have starting planning for a no-deal Brexit, according to the study which surveyed 1,234 small businesses in September 2018, with 178 from Scotland.

Almost a third (31%) of Scottish businesses surveyed say they plan to decrease investment ahead of March 2019.

Meanwhile the Index showed Scottish businesses reporting pressure on revenues and profits, alongside a spike in overheads  with the cost of fuel cited by many.

It stated: While it is unclear exactly what role the Brexit negotiations is having on confidence levels, it would be surprising if the uncertainty around markets, supply chains and staffing was not feeding through to consumer and business sentiment.

Mr McRae said it is understandable most Scottish small businesses have not yet started preparing for a UK outside the EU, given the lack of clarity around future trading arrangements.

He added: Whats more worrying to see is the number of firms planning to postpone investment because of the associated uncertainty. We also see falling revenues and profits, compounded by rising utility and fuel costs.

The last three months of 2018 provide an opportunity for key decision makers to put our smaller business on a steadier footing.

We must prepare our smaller firms for any change in trading conditions. They must do what they can to tackle spiralling overheads. We cant crash out of the EU into a high-cost, low margin trading environment.
A think tank has warned skills system reform is needed to deal with a forecast gap of more than 400,000 workers by 2030.

IPPR Scotland research found the current 29 pensioners per 100 workers is expected to increase to 32 by 2030.

To offset pressure on public finances, protect living standards and maintain the current ratio Scotland would need an extra 410,000 workers by 2030 or an equivalent increase in productivity.

Scotland faces a 410,000 worker gap by 2030, research suggests (Darren Staples/PA)

Education and training will be crucial to meeting the challenges and taking the opportunities of automation and ageing.

The impact of ageing population will be felt as automation brings sweeping changes to the jobs market.

The IPPR said almost half (46%) of jobs in Scotland face high automation potential.

A large reduction in jobs is not seen as likely as 5% of current roles can be fully automated but one in six have a significant proportion of automatable tasks.

Researchers highlighted around 80% of Scotlands 2030 workforce have already left compulsory education suggesting changes to school education will be unable to deal with these challenges.

The report calls for a renewed focus on lifelong learning, with an increase in educational opportunities for older workers.

It also argues for moving people out of low pay to deal with the impact of automation and greater support to help young people into careers.

When it comes to preparing for the future economy, Scotland faces some very real challenges, IPPR Scotland director Russell Gunson said.

Education and training will be crucial to meeting the challenges and taking the opportunities of automation and ageing.

Scotland needs to act now to rethink provision for older workers, and to improve outcomes for the youngest, with employers, workers and the Scottish Government uniting to design and deliver the skills system well need in the future.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: Ensuring Scotland has a skilled and productive workforce, both now and in future, is central to our ambitions for our labour market and economy.

This years Programme for Government  with strong endorsement across business, trade unions and beyond  recognises that developing the skills and potential of those already in work is increasingly important as our economy faces rapid changes in the years ahead.

He said a national retraining partnership will be established and future skills action plan published early next year.
Counting has begun in Westminsters first ever recall petition as Democratic Unionist MP Ian Paisley waits to find out whether his constituents have chosen to unseat him.

The petition device, created following the Westminster expenses scandal, was triggered after Mr Paisley was banned from the House of Commons for 30 sitting days for failing to declare two 2013 family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

A parliamentary watchdog found in August that a year after the luxury holidays, Mr Paisley lobbied then prime minister David Cameron not to support a UN probe into alleged Sri Lankan human rights abuses.

If 10% of his North Antrim electorate sign the recall petition, 7,543 voters, Mr Paisley will automatically lose his seat and a by-election will be called.

He would be able to contest the subsequent poll.

Three venues were opened in North Antrim to enable people to sign the petition.

A sample of the recall petition which opened at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney (Niall Carson/PA)

The centres in Ballymena, Ballycastle and Ballymoney closed early Wednesday evening, with voting boxes then transported to Belfast ahead of the count.

Voters were also able to put their name to the petition via post, with the process formally closing at midnight.

Counting began at the Electoral Office headquarters soon after that, with the result due in the early hours of Thursday.

Mr Paisley, son of late DUP founder Rev Ian Paisley, is currently suspended from his party pending its own internal investigation into his conduct.

His Commons ban has left current Prime Minister Theresa May shorn of one of her 10 DUP MP confidence and supply allies during a period that could witness several crucial Brexit votes.

It has also given the DUP another headache at a time when the party is under intense scrutiny at public inquiry hearings in Northern Ireland examining its handling of the botched green energy scheme that brought down Stormont powersharing.

The recall petition was triggered by Ian Paisleys suspension from the House of Commons (Liam McBurney/PA)

An investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found the cost of the hospitality afforded Mr Paisley and his family may have been significantly more than his 50,000 estimate.

It found the Sri Lankan holidays included business-class air travel, accommodation at first-class hotels, helicopter trips and visits to tourist attractions for the North Antrim MP and his wider family.

The trips also included meeting with Sri Lankan governmental figures.

Mr Paisleys threshold for registering such hospitality in 2013 was around 660.

In March 2014, Mr Paisley wrote to Mr Cameron to lobby against a proposed United Nations resolution setting up an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

In the wake of the watchdog report, Mr Paisley apologised for what he described as an unintentional failure to declare the holidays.

In the 2017 general election, Mr Paisley retained his North Antrim seat with a landslide 20,000-plus majority, securing nearly 59% of the vote.
Ian Paisley has held on to his Westminster seat after Parliaments first ever recall petition fell just short of the threshold required to force a by-election.

Mr Paisley would have been ousted as an MP if 10% of the electorate in his North Antrim constituency  7,543 voters  signed the petition. In the event 7,099 people signed it (9.4%).

The petition device, created following the Westminster expenses scandal, was initiated after Mr Paisley was banned from the House of Commons for 30 sitting days for failing to declare two 2013 family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

A parliamentary watchdog found in August that a year after the luxury holidays, Mr Paisley lobbied then prime minister David Cameron not to support a UN probe into alleged Sri Lankan human rights abuses.

The long-standing Democratic Unionist, whose late father the Reverend Ian Paisley founded the party, is currently suspended from the DUP pending its own internal investigation into his conduct.

Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland Virginia McVea announces that the recall petition has not passed the threshold to trigger a by-election (Liam McBurney/PA)

Three centres were opened in North Antrim for the last six weeks to give voters the opportunity to sign the petition. Constituents were also able to put their name to the petition via post.

Northern Irelands Chief Electoral Officer Virginia McVea announced the outcome in Belfast around 1.25am on Thursday morning after a count that commenced at midnight.

The petition has not been successful, she said.

Ms McVea communicated the outcome to Speaker John Bercows office in London before making the announcement. Mr Paisley, who was not there in person, was informed by text message.

Afterwards Ms McVea rejected criticism that has been levelled at her by Sinn Fein for only opening three centres where people could sign the petition, when the maximum permitted was 10.

She said there had been unprecedented access afforded, with the longest ever electoral period in the region and voters able to access postal ballots on demand.

There has never been access to an electoral event like that before, said told the Press Association.

BREAKING. @ianpaisleymp holds onto his seat...just. Petition falls 444 votes short of the 7543 required to force a by-election in North Antrim.  David Young (@DavidYoungPA) September 20, 2018

And the three designated places were the three hubs within the North Antrim constituency. Legislation allows for one up to a maximum in any constituency of ten across the UK and we decided on three.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said it was clear there was no public appetite for a by-election.

I respect that outcome, he said.

However I would caution Ian Paisley not to see this as some sort of victory or endorsement of his actions in acting as a paid advocate for a foreign government and bringing North Antrim and the House of Commons into disrepute.

Rather I would urge him to use the time that he has been suspended from Parliament and the DUP, to reflect on the severity of what he has done and the embarrassment he has brought on Northern Ireland. He should demonstrate some humility.

A total of 7,099 constituents signed the recall petition (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Paisleys Commons ban has left current Prime Minister Theresa May shorn of one of her 10 DUP MP confidence and supply allies during a period that could witness several crucial Brexit votes.

It has also given the DUP another headache at a time when the party is under intense scrutiny at public inquiry hearings in Northern Ireland examining its handling of the botched green energy scheme that brought down Stormont powersharing.

An investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found the cost of the hospitality afforded Mr Paisley and his family may have been significantly more than his 50,000 estimate.

It found the Sri Lankan holidays included business-class air travel, accommodation at first-class hotels, helicopter trips and visits to tourist attractions for the North Antrim MP and his wider family.

The trips also included meeting with Sri Lankan governmental figures.

Mr Paisleys threshold for registering such hospitality in 2013 was around 660.

In March 2014, Mr Paisley wrote to Mr Cameron to lobby against a proposed United Nations resolution setting up an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

In the wake of the watchdog report, Mr Paisley apologised for what he described as an unintentional failure to declare the holidays.

In the 2017 general election, Mr Paisley retained his North Antrim seat with a landslide 20,000-plus majority, securing nearly 59% of the vote.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has appealed to Aung San Suu Kyi to use her influence to ensure the perpetrators of the genocide of Burmas Rohingya Muslims are brought to justice.

Mr Hunt held talks with the Burmese civilian leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate to discuss the Rohingya crisis during the second day of his visit to the country.

He warned there could be no return of the estimated 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled the country to escape the bloody military crackdown until it was clear those responsible would be held to account.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, second left, arrives at Sittwe airport in Rakhine (Ye Aung Thu/AP)

The world is watching to see if there is justice after some truly appalling things have happened. All Burmas friends are rooting for Burma to progress as a democracy but this is one of those litmus tests, he said.

This is a big moment for Aung San Suu Kyi to show the world that something really is going to happen and there will be due process.

Mr Hunts visit comes after a United Nations fact-finding mission found the Burmese military committed widespread violations including rape, murder, torture and the burning of Rohingya villages.

Mr Hunt, foreground, centre, meets with Muslim community in nothern Rakhine (Ye Aung Thu/AP)

It took the unusual step of calling for the countrys military leaders to be investigated and put on trial for genocide, while it sharply criticised Ms Suu Kyi for failing to use her moral authority to prevent the violence.

Mr Hunt, who was taken on what he said was a carefully choreographed visit to northern Rakhine where most of the killings took place, said he had had a lively discussion with Ms Suu Kyi.

She is also someone who has campaigned for due process and democracy all her life. We had a lively discussion and a very important discussion about why now is a very very important moment to demonstrate that can happen in Burma, he said.

Mr Hunt, centre, talks with government officials (Ye Aung Thu/AP)

Ms Suu Kyi  Burmas elected civilian leader  has faced calls to be stripped of her Nobel Prize over her failure to condemn the violence, although real power in the country still lies with the military.

Following his visit, Mr Hunt said he would be chairing a meeting next week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to discuss what further steps the international community could take.

We now need an independent judicial process to establish the truth of what happened and to make sure there is proper accountability and justice for any perpetrators, he said.

Mr Hunt, left, poses for a photo with Ms Suu Kyi (Ye Aung Thu/AP)

Without that justice, without that accountability, you are never going to persuade a million Rohingya just the other side of the border in Bangladesh to come home.

Everyone in Burma needs to know that the international community wont let it rest and that if we dont see that process happening, we will use all the tools at our disposal to make sure that there is justice.
A shooting at a Maryland warehouse has claimed four lives, including a female suspect who shot herself in the head, authorities said.

The suspect was a 26-year-old temporary employee at the Rite Aid distribution centre in north-eastern Maryland, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told a news conference.

She had been taken into custody in critical condition that morning. Her name was not immediately released.

Three other wounded people were being treated at a hospital.

Authorities respond tothe shooting (Jerry Jackson/AP)

It appears only one weapon, a handgun, was used and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Mr Gahler said.

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, works at the facility and told her that the shooter was a female co-worker.

Ms Watson said her husband told her that the woman had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a Town Hall meeting.

And she went off, she said.

Ms Watson said her husband told her the shooting started in a break room.

She didnt have a particular target. She was just shooting, she said as she drove away from a fire station where relatives tried to reunite with loved ones.

She didnt aim. She just shot, Watson said.

A Baltimore hospital said it had received four patients with gunshot wounds from the shooting.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Centre spokeswoman Monica Stone said in an email Thursday that she was unable to provide details about the patients conditions.

Mr Gahler said the call about shots fired came in from the Rite Aid distribution centre at about 9:06am

and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes.

FBI Baltimore is responding & assisting @Harford_Sheriff with an Active Shooter situation. For updates please follow @Harford_Sheriff.  FBI Baltimore (@FBIBaltimore) September 20, 2018

We can confirm there was a shooting in the area of Spesutia Road and Perryman Road. Multiple victims. The situation is still fluid. Please avoid the area. Media staging area still TBD.  Harford Sheriff (@Harford_Sheriff) September 20, 2018

Mike Carre, an employee of a furniture logistics operation next to the distribution centre where the violence erupted, says he helped tend to a wounded man.

Mr Carre locked the doors of his workplace after the injured man came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg.

He called 911 from a bathroom before helping colleagues wrap the mans blood-soaked jeans above his injury to cut off blood flow.

At a nearby fire station, family members were waiting to be reunited with loved ones. Police blocked off the road outside but were waving in cars driven by people who said they were there to meet up with people who were at the distribution centre.

A law enforcement official said authorities were working their way through the area to clear the facility.

We obviously need to methodically go through the entire complex, ensure there are no other victims inside, ensure that there is no one that was hiding from violence and ensure that there were no other suspects, said Christie Hopkins, communications director for the Harford County sheriffs office.

At this time, we are confident that the suspect acted alone. And that person is in custody. We do not believe there is any further threat to the community now, but we still have to completely clear that building.

Authorities respond to the shooting (Jerry Jackson/AP)

The attack came nearly three months after a man armed with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper.

The FBI described the Aberdeen incident as an active shooter situation and said its Baltimore field office was assisting.

In a tweet, Maryland Gov Larry Hogan said his office is monitoring the situation in Aberdeen and that the state stands ready to offer any support.
The impasse over Julian Assange could be resolved immediately if the UK Government gave an assurance that he would not be extradited to the US if he leaves the embassy where he has been living for more than six years, one of his legal team said on Thursday.

Jennifer Robinson told a conference in Barcelona that the WikiLeaks founder had been under some form of restrictions on his liberty for almost eight years without ever being charged.

He has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, fearing he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves.

Julian Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy since 2012 (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Ms Robinson, of Doughty Street Chambers, said: It is difficult to see how this is going to be resolved because of the politics, though the solution is simple.

We have used every legal avenue available to us, in the UK and at the UN, to challenge this situation.

This is and has always been about the risk of US extradition. This case could be resolved tomorrow if the UK would give this assurance.

Speaking at the World Ethical Data Forum, she continued: For more than eight years we have been fighting a number of landmark cases, in multiple jurisdictions, to protect something we thought was sancrosanct, that perhaps too many have taken for granted: the right to freedom of speech and the freedom of publishers to publish information in the public interest.

These included the ongoing criminal investigation in the US, which she said was of unprecedented size and scale, and the risk of US extradition for Mr Assange, especially as the current US Attorney-General has said prosecuting him was a priority.

She also spoke of the financial blockade, under which the worlds major credit card companies and payment transfer services banned WikiLeaks, cutting it off from the donations the organisation depends on to operate and to fight its legal battles.

The new and current challenge of the civil suit filed by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) accusing WikiLeaks of conspiracy and publishing trade secrets for having received information about the DNC and published it in the context of a US election. 

She raised concerns that the DNC is seeking to set a precedent with sweeping ramifications for all media, which strikes at the heart of the role of the press in a democracy.

She added that any prosecution of Mr Assange will be used as a precedent against other media organisations.

The attacks on WikiLeaks have not just been legal attacks  there has also been a vilification campaign of the WikiLeaks project and of Julian personally by prominent politicians and the mainstream media, and a counter-intelligence operation, openly stated by the director of the CIA last year.

The Ecuador government cut off Mr Assanges phone and internet access earlier this year and banned people visiting him.

Weekly vigils are still held outside the embassy and in cities in other countries including his native Australia.
Three people were arrested in Newtownabbey and Londonderry on Thursday as part of a major investigation into drugs supply and money laundering.

During a search of a house in Newtownabbey, police seized a loaded handgun, machete, knife, stab proof vest, quantity of cash and cash counting machine.

A 34 year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances.

(Paul Faith/PA)

The man was also arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property and converting criminal property which relates to the purchase of high end watches worth around 15,000.

They were both taken to Antrim Police Station for questioning.

A 48-year-old man was arrested in Derry on suspicion of supplying Class A and B drugs following the seizure of a substantial quantity of suspected cocaine and cannabis with an estimated street value of over 750,000 from a vehicle that was stopped by police in the same seizure in 2017.

He was taken for questioning at Strand Road Police Station in the city.

The arrests are linked to a vehicle that was stopped by police in Belfast in February 2017.

Detective Inspector Tom McClure said: The arrests are linked to the seizure of a substantial quantity of suspected cocaine and cannabis with an estimated street value of over 750,000 that was seized from a vehicle that was stopped by police in Belfast on February 8, 2017.

This was a significant haul of drugs recovered by our officers as part of a proactive operation targeting criminals intent on making money from illicit drugs.

I am pleased to have removed a suspected firearm and ammunition which had the potential to cause serious harm.

We will continue in our efforts to make Northern Ireland a safer place to live and work by proactively investigating and arresting people involved in serious criminality.

The supply of controlled drugs by gangs is the cause of significant harm in our communities.

Those who involve themselves in such criminality should expect to end up in a prison cell.

There is no place in our society for these individuals who are only interested in making money for their own personal gain at the expense of others.

They do not care that their actions could end up killing people.

Drugs not only affect the person taking them, their families and the community also suffer.

I would ask anyone who has any information about the use or supply of illegal drugs to contact police on the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
Sadiq Khan said he cannot be sure when Crossrail will be completed.

The Mayor of London said he will talk about a revised timetable at some stage, but only when he has confidence in it.

It was announced on August 31 that the capitals new east-west railway would open in autumn 2019 rather than December this year.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The @MayorofLondon has told @BBCRadioLondon he can't be sure when #Crossrail will be completed. It was supposed to open in December, but has been delayed a further 9mths. @SadiqKhan told @EddieNestorMBE he "can't yet give Londoners the confidence" that it will be finished by then pic.twitter.com/aSPGbRwk6U  Susana Mendonca (@susana_mendonca) September 20, 2018

Mr Khan previously revealed that he only learned of Crossrails delay two days before the announcement.

The mayor was asked on BBC Radio London if he could reassure listeners and Londoners that he has put the checks and balances in place to ensure the current situation would not be repeated.

Mr Khan told presenter Eddie Nestor: I cant yet give Londoners the confidence that we will finish the project when weve been told by Crossrail with the most recent report.

What were doing now is trying to make sure we have the rigour in Crossrail Limited so weve instructed someone to do a report into governance, a very speedy report that will come back in a couple of weeks, in relation to what the governance is like now, what it needs to be, and were doing several pieces of work.

And at some stage I will come out and say what the revised timetable is, but only when Ive got the confidence in that revised timetable.

Crossrail Ltd confirmed on August 31 that more time is needed to complete the railways infrastructure and testing.

It was announced in July that the projects budget has been increased from 14.8 billion to 15.4 billion due to cost pressures.

Trains were due to operate through the central tunnels from Paddington to Abbey Wood from December, when separate services on the Paddington-Heathrow and Liverpool Stree-Shenfield routes would continue.

In May 2019, direct trains from Paddington to Shenfield were due to launch, with the line fully open from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east from December 2019.

Once the service begins it will be known as the Elizabeth line.
A man has been charged in connection with the death of a man in a wooded area behind a Lidl store.

Emergency services were called to Gorgie/Dalry Community Park in Edinburgh at around 2am on Thursday.

A 48-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 48-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene (David Cheskin/PA)

Police Scotland said a man aged 50 had been charged in connection with his death.

He is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday.
Tourists have been warned to keep out of the water in the Whitsunday Islands on Australias Great Barrier Reef after two swimmers were critically hurt in shark attacks on consecutive days.

A 46-year-old woman was mauled on Wednesday and a 12-year-old girl was attacked on Thursday while swimming from yachts in Cid Harbour on Whitsunday Island, the largest in the group of islands.

The victims were in critical but stable condition with leg wounds in hospitals in Brisbane.

Shark (Gareth Copley/PA)

The girl is from Melbourne and had been on holiday with her father and sister. The woman is from Tasmania.

Queensland Yacht Charter, which managed the victims boats, said tourists had been advised to refrain from swimming near the Whitsunday Islands for the foreseeable future.

Company managing director Tracey Whittaker said in a statement that the company was in shock and wished the injured swimmers the best in their recovery.

The Queensland government set baited drum lines in Cid Harbour to reduce local shark numbers.

It is possible that theres more than one shark involved in these unfortunate events, Fisheries Queensland manager Jeff Krause told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

We dont normally go out and search for any sharks that may have been involved in a shark attack, but due to the nature of these multiple attacks, Fisheries Queensland is going to deploy three drum lines in a bid to try and catch some of the sharks in that area, he added.

The islands attract various whaler shark species as well as bull and tiger sharks.

Bond University shark expert Daryl McPhee said that while the likelihood of being attacked by a shark is slim, the Great Barrier Reef has a higher population of sharks than other areas.
Britain will commit further Royal Marine commandos and a naval attache to Ukraine in a bid to bolster defences against Russia, the Defence Secretary has announced.

The extra troops will provide combat training to the Ukrainian military and help build the countrys naval capabilities.

Ukraine has been embroiled in conflict since the Maidan Revolution in 2014 which led to separatists, backed by regular Russian military units, seizing Crimea and a large swathe of Ukrainian territory along the border.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson meeting troops in Ukraine (Ministry of Defence)

Gavin Williamson announced the extra support while visiting the front line, where he told his Ukrainian counterparts the UK supported the people of Ukraine and is firmly committed to its sovereignty.

Mr Williamson told the Daily Telegraph: The Kremlin is trying to undermine our values, destroy our way of life, and reverse the outcome of the Cold War. Its behaviour only increases the risk of miscalculation and the prospect of crisis turning to chaos.

We want to be able to ensure that the people who are on the front line, where we are today, have the best ability to survive and defend their homeland.

The training, delivered through Operation Orbital, has been expanded in 2018 to include anti-armour, infantry skills, counter-sniping and mortar planning.

This is in addition to the defensive skills programmes such as the identification of mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), medical care and logistics that UK personnel have been delivering since early 2015.

British personnel have trained more than 9,500 of the Ukrainian armed forces since the start of Operation Orbital in 2015.

The coming year will see a continuing growth in joint training activity with Canada as well as initiatives between UK personnel and other nations who have also committed to supporting Ukraine.
Theresa May said there were two big issues behind an impasse in the Brexit negotiations: the UKs economic relationship post-Brexit and the Irish border. Heres a look at why they are causing a rift.

What is the economic relationship issue?

Mrs May said the European Union were only offering two options regarding trade: the UK staying in the European Economic Area (EEA) and a customs union, or a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain with checks at the border.

French President Emmanuel Macron was one of the leaders not to support Theresa Mays Brexit plan (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

By staying in a customs union, Mrs May said Britain would have to abide by all the EU rules  and, crucially, would not be able to strike the trade deals the Government wants with other countries.

She said this would make a mockery of the referendum.

Mrs May said the second option, a basic free trade agreement, would keep Northern Ireland in the customs union and parts of the single market, separating it from the rest of the UK with a border down the Irish Sea.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly said such a division is something she would never agree to, as it goes against the Good Friday Agreement.

What is the Irish border issue?

The second issue also relates to the risk of a division on the Irish border, but more specifically over a backstop.

Both the EU and the UK agree the need for backstop arrangements for implementation at the border if no long-term solution is found, and both are keen to ensure there will not be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

But the UK has rejected the EUs proposal to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the customs union.

Mrs May said this was something the UK would never agree to as it would mean breaking up our country.

How can the impasse be broken?

Mrs May called on the EU to provide counter proposals.

She said it was not acceptable to simply reject the UKs suggestions without a detailed explanation, adding that until they provide an alternative, progress cannot be made.
A gang of people smugglers who hatched an alarmingly amateur plot to bring migrants across the English Channel on jet skis have been jailed.

Seven men, including Kent-based trafficking criminals and their Albanian travel agents, were said to have scant regard for safety during a string of bungled operations.

At least 18 Albanian migrants were transported from near Calais to Dymchurch in Kent in 2016, using dangerously overcrowded inflatable boats designed for six.

When the rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) got into trouble, ran out of fuel and had to be rescued, the plotters bought a three-person jet ski for their next mission.

A National Crime Agency-led surveillance operation put a stop to the unlikely plan, which would have taken migrants across the worlds busiest shipping route.

The men were arrested and convicted of conspiracy to breach immigration law.

On Friday, Judge Mark Dennis QC sentenced father and son Leonard Powell and George Powell as the organisers and controlling figures of the conspiracy.

Leonard Powell, 66, from Dartford, was found guilty after trial in August, while son George Powell, 42, from Farningham in Kent, pleaded guilty to the same offence in May.

Leonard Powell was jailed for his role in the plot (National Crime Agency/PA)

They were sentenced to nine years imprisonment and six years and nine months imprisonment respectively during a hearing at the Old Bailey.

Mr Powells other son Alfie, 39, of no fixed address, was said to have held a non-organisational role and received a six-year jail sentence.

They were joined in the dock by Sabah Dulaj, 24, of south-east London and Artur Nutaj, 39  said to be leading figures in the plot, who provided the link between the smugglers and migrants in Europe.

Mr Dulaj, who was of previous good character, received seven years in prison while Mr Nutaj received a sentence of seven-and-a-half years.

Co-conspirators Wayne Bath, 39, of Sheerness, Kent, and Albert Letchford, 42, of Dartford, received six years for their roles in the plot.

Leonard Powell (right) met Albanian gang members Sabah Dulaj and Artur Nutaj in a pub car park (National Crime Agency/PA)

The judge said: The execution of the smuggling operation at times proved to be alarmingly amateur and could have resulted in tragic consequences at sea.

The seven defendants were sentenced in front of a packed public gallery of family and friends, who waved goodbye and yelled love you as the men were led from the dock.

The court heard that migrants, including men, women and children, were charged up to 5,500 each to journey across the English Channel.

This would have amounted to 99,000 for the trip with 18 passengers.

Clearly, a very lucrative trade, prosecutor Timothy Probert-Wood QC said on Friday.

All defendants except Dulag had previous convictions, the court was told.

The criminals had little boating experience or knowledge of the danger to which they were exposing passengers.

They are believed to have carried out one successful trip in an RHIB called Rebel, which was found abandoned by border officials in Kent.

On May 26 2016, French police spotted a group of people signalling a boat in the water off Cran dEscalles beach near Calais.

Gathered migrants began to wade out to meet it but the Antares RHIB left after a parked car signalled using its headlights.

A jet ski was purchased by the gang of bungling people-smugglers (National Crime Agency/PA)

Mr Probert-Wood told jurors during the trial that the group were clearly not there for a day on the beach.

Two days later, the gang attempted again to reach French shores with the newly acquired White Scanner RHIB, under the watch of NCA agents.

The White Scanner picked up 18 migrants from France  including two children aged 16 and 17 and a woman.

On the return journey, they ran out of fuel and the passengers were forced to start baling out as the vessel flooded with sea water.

The group were in extreme fear for their lives, the prosecutor said on Friday, with one sending a desperate text message reading: We are in England, tell police, we are drowning.

The Coastguard helicopter and RNLI launched a rescue operation and found the inflatable vessel.

One female migrant had been overcome by hypothermia and required immediate attention, the Old Bailey heard.

The judge said: Scant regard was had for the safety of the migrants being transported by boat, there were no life jackets provided for the 18 migrants.

The migrants on the Scanner were left stranded in the dark in a heavy swell, many fearing they were going to drown.

In July 2016, the White Scanner two-man crew of Mark Stribling, 35, from Farningham, Kent, and Robert Stilwell, 33, from Dartford, Kent, were jailed.

Undeterred by the failed Scanner operation, the gang bought another larger boat from Southampton in 2016  referred to as The Boat With No Name.

NCA operatives planted a bug on the boat to listen in as the gang plotted their next migrant run.

On August 13, the NCA secretly filmed a meeting of the Kent gang and their Albanian partners in a pub car park.

They went together to buy a 1,900 jet ski with a view to using it to transport migrants from France to Britain.

The NCA moved in to arrest them over safety fears if the jet ski was brought into use.

A clear inference from the purchase of the jet-bike was that that was also to be used for the purposes of trafficking  clearly something that would have been a grave risk for everyone, the prosecutor said on Friday.

Brendan Foreman, of the NCA, said: What this group were attempting was reckless and wilfully negligent of the risks associated with crossing one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes.

But, as the events of 28 May 2016 clearly demonstrated, they were quite happy to risk lives for the sake of profit, using vessels that were not fit for purpose.

The severity of what these men were involved in is reflected in the sentences handed down today.

Emma Moore, Border Force chief operating officer, hailed her officers role in rescuing those on board.

She said: On 28 May, in dreadful sea conditions, Border Force officers launched their RHIB from the relative safety of the Border Force Cutter Valiant multiple times to rescue all of those who were on board the smugglers boat.

If it had not been for that bravery and exceptional seamanship I am convinced there would have been fatalities.
Prime Minister Theresa Mays stern statement to the European Union has been both praised and dismissed across the Irish Sea.

Democratic Unionist Party deputy leader Nigel Dodds welcomed Mrs Mays rejection of a border in the Irish Sea, while Sinn Fein President Mary-Lou McDonald said it was nothing but tired rhetoric.

Speaking at Downing Street on Friday following an EU summit in Salzburg, Mrs May said the United Kingdom and the European Union remain a long way apart on two big issues around Brexit.

She said she rejected a proposal by the EU to keep Northern Ireland in the customs union while the rest of the UK was out of it.

That is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country, Mrs May said, challenging the EU to offer an alternative option.

Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in Downing Street in the aftermath of the Salzburg summit, saying that the EU must respect the UK in Brexit talks. (PA)

The Prime Minister also reaffirmed the Governments commitment to no hard border in Northern Ireland, before ending on a strident note.

The EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country, she said.

DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds welcomed the Prime Ministers reassurances on the Northern Ireland border issue, but called for her to now stand up for the UKs interests.

DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds have backed Theresa Mays stance (PA)

It is time now that the Prime Minister demonstrates publicly, privately and to everyone in her own party and to Europe, to Parliament, that she is going to stand up for the UKs interest, including in Northern Ireland, that she is not going to be pushed around by Europe, shes not going to be bullied, shes not going to be coerced into either doing a bad deal for the United Kingdom or breaking the United Kingdom, Mr Dodds told the BBC.

The North Belfast MP also revealed his party had been in regular contact with the Government over recent days and weeks.

I think the Prime Ministers very firm reiteration of not breaking up the United Kingdom, of the importance of what she has described as our precious union, is coming across very, very strongly, he added.

Mrs McDonald gave a very different reaction, accusing Mrs May of deflection.

Theresa May made a statement today which was billed as a major one in respect of Brexit negotiations. It was, regrettably, no more than an exercise in tired rhetoric, she said.

Rather than accepting that her so-called Chequers Plan fails to resolve fundamental issues, Theresa May has engaged in deflection.

Her focus has unfortunately remained on infighting within her own party and her pact with the DUP, instead of coming to an acceptable negotiating position.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood accused Mrs Mays government of belligerence.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has criticised the PMs proposals. (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Prime Minister is doubling down on her already unworkable take it or leave it belligerence as a tactic to deliver Brexit, he said.

Despite the EU attempting to give the UK encouragement to take steps that will be in the best interests of our citizens the Prime Minister has chosen to continue with her failed strategy.

In failing to adequately respond to the mess of their own making the UK Government have left the people of Northern Ireland in an extremely vulnerable position.

However, Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann gave a strong welcome to Mrs Mays statement.

The single sentence  I will not overturn the result of the referendum nor will I break up my country indicates that the Prime Minister has grasped fully what the result of agreeing to any deal which involved special status or a separate set of arrangements for Northern Ireland would really mean, he said.

As the Ulster Unionist Party has said before, Brexit cannot and must not be used to establish an internal border within the United Kingdom of any form. The referendum was about whether or not the UK left the EU, it was not about whether or not Northern Ireland left the UK.

Unionists will be reassured by the Prime Ministers comments today and her commitment to ensuring that Northern Ireland will not be used as a bargaining chip in the Brexit negotiations.
HUDCOs HSMI organises 3 week training prog

M Ravi Kanth, CMD HUDCO inaugurated training on Good Governance, organised by HUDCOs HSMI, for socio-economic cadre officials of the Town & Country Planning Organisation (TCPO), under Ministry of HUA from 17th September - 6th October, 2018 covering key aspects of urbanisation and elements of good governance and urban reforms.

NBCC TO LEVERAGE DOMESTIC GROWTH POTENTIAL

NBCC (India) Ltd is poised well to capitalise on new market opportunities by strengthening its core competencies, said Anoop Kumar Mittal Chairman-cum-Managing Director at the 58th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.

PM dedicates IPDS Varanasi project

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation, the Integrated Power Distribution Scheme (IPDS) project of Old Kashi in Varanasi district here on Tuesday. The project was dedicated in a function here in the presence of CM of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and MP, Chandauli, Mahendra Nath Pandey and other dignitaries from Government of India and the State of Uttar Pradesh.

Ministry of Power organises Workshop

Keeping in view the importance of hydropower, the Ministry of Power, Government of India in association with NHPC Limited, Indias premier hydropower company organized a one-day Workshop on Hydropower Development at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

IPPB partners with Bajaj Allianz

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance. Both the companies came together on Tuesday, to formally sign the Corporate Agency Agreement. The partnership with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, the first life insurer to tie-up with the newly formed bank, will ensure that the awareness on the benefits of life insurance reaches every IPPB customer.

Singh & Associates law firm awarded

Singh & Associates, a law firm has been awarded the Best Use of Knowledge Management of the Year at the 14th Indo-US Economic Summit which was inaugurated by Minister for Commerce & Industry & Civil Aviation, Govt of India, Suresh Prabhu.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has slammed debt-ridden Gujarat Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Gujarat State Petrochemicals Limited (GSPC) for causing mammoth loss of over Rs 17,000 crore.

Among the 14 loss making Gujarat based PSUs, GSPC is on the top. According to the CAG report tabled in the State Assembly late on Wednesday night, GSPC Limited booked impairment loss of Rs 14,923.54 crore on 80 per cent Participating Interest and 10 per cent in KG-OSN-2001/3 block (KG Block).

The total loss of the company for the year 2016-17 stood at Rs 17,061.20 crore. The 77 Gujarat PSUs had posted overall profit of Rs 1,633 crore in the financial year 2015-16. However, next year in fiscal 2016-17 aggregate loss of these PSUs recorded at whooping Rs 14764 crore only because of GSPCs shocking loss exceeding Rs 17000 crore.

Of the 77 working State PSUs, 54 earned profit of Rs 3,648 crore, while 14 of them incurred losses of Rs 18,412 crore including that of GSPC. The total turnover of these SPSUs stood at Rs 1, 11,953 crore, which is about 9.95 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product for 2016-17. As per the CAG report total investment in the State PSUs has increased from Rs 1,02,689.21 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 1,49,499.29 crore in 2016-17. The return on investment ranged between 4.95-6.82 per cent during 2012-13 to 2015-16.

Total equity of the State PSUs increased from Rs 59,130.71 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 85,112.91 crore in 2016-17. The return on equity in State PSUs ranged between 0.27 and 4.53 per cent during 2012-13 to 2015-16. However, there was net loss in 2016-17. Therefore, the return on investment and equity was not computed in 2016-17, says the CAG report.
Terrorists shot dead three policemen shortly after abducting them from their residences in two villages of south Kashmirs Shopian district on Friday for refusing to obey their diktat to resign from their posts. The killings triggered a spree of resignations of the Special Police Officers (SPOs) even as the officials maintained that no formal resignations have been received.

Sources said four persons, including three policemen, were abducted from Kapran and Batagund villages of Shopian district in the wee hours of Friday. Hours later, bullet-riddled bodies of the three SPOs were recovered from Lumni Wangam village in Shopian. The fourth abductee Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, who was brother of an SPO, was set free and returned home.

Police in a statement said preliminary investigation revealed the role of terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) in this barbaric act of terror.

Further investigation is going on to identify the culprits in the crime.

The martyred policemen have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey (follower), Kuldeep Singh (SPO) and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi (selection grade constable). A Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group has claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing.

Acting police chief Dilbagh Singh told reporters that the police have conducted recent operations against the terrorists successfully and killings of SPOs shows their desperation.

Former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah expressed shock over the killings. The abductions and execution took place four days after terrorists had issued warning to the serving SPOs to tender resignations. Posters of banned HM outfit had appeared in the area earlier this week warning the SPOs to give up their jobs.

The SPOs are temporarily engaged cops working on consolidated remuneration between Rs 5,500 and Rs 6,000. The SPOs are generally engaged for menial works in police stations while many of them are involved in counter-insurgency operations. Most of the SPOs are not given access to firearms. Subject to satisfactory conduct, the SPOs are eligible to absorption in the regular constabulary after three years of service.

Terrorists have intensified attacks on SPOs. Last month, around two dozen SPOs resigned in Tral sub-district of Pulwama after separate attempts on the lives of their two colleagues in Luraw and Pastuna villages.

The killings took place at a time when the authorities have announced holding urban local body elections in October and panchayat elections in November and December. Even as notifications for two phases of municipal polls have been issued, no candidate has filed nomination papers in Kashmir.

Two prominent mainstream parties National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have announced to stay away from the polls but the Congress has decided to take a plunge in order to refuse open field to the communal forces of the BJP and the RSS.

The killing of police officials has further reduced chances of turnover in the Valley. This is second direct attack on police personnel in less than a months time. Last month, 11 relatives of police personnel were abducted and later set free by the Hizbul Mujahideen that described the action as retaliation to security forces campaign against terrorists families and relatives. Shortly after the abductions, relatives of ultras, including father of Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo, were released from police stations. The action, however, is believed to be the primary cause for premature shifting of then police chief Shesh Paul Vaid.

Meanwhile, an alert was sounded in south Kashmir areas directing all the cops on leave to be alert and report back on duty at the earliest.

Top police officials immediately rushed to Shopian town after the cops bodies were found. A wreath-laying ceremony led by the Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) was held before the bodies were handed over to the next of kin of martyred cops.

Sources said over 20 SPOs have announced their resignations through social media networking sites and also from mosques since Friday morning in Shopian district.

Latest reports said two SPOs apparently under terrorists captivity, announced their resignations and making appeal to other SPOs to follow the suit.

The J&K Police have denied any resignations of SPOs officially received by the department.

Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti blamed the Centres policies for the abduction and killing of three policemen saying that dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now.

Three more policemen have lost their lives to ultras bullets. Outrage, shock, and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims, Mehbooba tweeted.

Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, the Centres muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now, Mehbooba added.

The NC leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah also condemned the killing of the SPOs while emphasising on resumption of dialogue process.

Seeking dialogue with Pakistan is based on our aspiration to see an end to instability, violence, death and destruction in Jammu & Kashmir. We have always sought dialogue both on the internal and external fronts and will continue to seek dialogue regardless of how such genuine and practical appeals are distorted, Omar Abdullah said here, adding New Delhi and Islamabad need to restore the credibility and sanctity of the institution of dialogue. The State (J&K) has witnessed enough death, destruction, mayhem and turmoil and we cannot delay the resolution of the problem any longer, he said.

CPI (M) leader and legislator MY Tarigami described the killings as unfortunate and tragic, saying the martyred policemen were unarmed.

The martyred policemen were not on combat duty but were abducted unarmed from their homes, he said.

Whose cause is being served by such killings? Whether a person is killed by the bullet from one side or the other side, it is a Kashmiri who is losing a life. For how long such killings will continue? he asked.
A 21-year-old woman executive engineer working with an MNC foiled a rape bid by seven of her rowdy neighbours at her high-rise residential complex in an upscale society at Sector-86 in Gurugram on Thursday around 9.45 pm.

Acting on her complaint, police have arrested five accused out of seven on the charge of rape bid while two, who are brothers, are absconding, police said.

When I reached the society I thought of taking the stairs. When I reached the first floor, I noticed a person there. He made some queer noise; when I moved forward he grabbed my hand. I got scared and threw his hand and managed to run away. I noticed that some others were following me, the victim said in her complaint.

They attempted to rape me and threatened me and my parents with dire consequences if we report the matter to police, she claimed in her complaint.

The girl somehow managed to reach her flat unharmed and narrated her ordeal to her family members.

Meanwhile, the arrested accused have been identified as Abhishek, Sawan, Ankit, alias Kali, Mukesh, aka Monty, and Sachin, while Hemant and Kamal, alias Nandi, are still at large, police said.

Brothers Ankit and Sawan are residents of Jind in Haryana and have completed BTech and were residing in a rented flat in the society. Their friend Nandi was allegedly attacked by a Delhi-based gangster and had received six gunshots a few months ago. He also got police protection. The accused had come to Gurugram to attend a marriage.

They were celebrating a party when the incident took place in the complex, police said. Police teams are conducting raids to nab the absconding accused, said Shamsher Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Crime.

These hooligans were always drunk and had entered into scuffle with other residents earlier as well. They also carried illegal weapons and allegedly threatened several residents in the society. A probe should be initiated against them, a resident of the society on the condition of anonymity, said.

A case under sections including 376 (rape) and 511 (attempts to commit offences) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the culprits at Kherki Daula police station and is being investigated, the ACP said.
No development happens anywhere by laying foundation-stones only and by publishing advertisements in media. Proper planning and implementation is needed for this, said PCC president Niranjan Patnaik in a statement on Friday.

He criticised the advertisements being widely published before inauguration of the Jharsuguda Airport and foundation-laying for the Talcher fertiliser project by the Prime Minister claiming that developments of India would start from the eastern region.

He said that in last four years of Modis rule, no development has been made; only, the BJP and its leaders have prospered. The BJPs income has risen many fold.

Many villages in the country have no roads, no healthcare facilities, no education; and Odisha is lagging far behind in all these. But the Modi Government has spent around Rs 4,344 crore for publicity in four years, Patnaik said.

He said that in 1999, the then NDA Government ordered closure of the Talcher Fertiliser Plant.

After the UPA came to power in 2004, it took steps to revive the plant in 2009 and its Government decision was announced in 2012. But after Modi came to power, that proposal was withheld.

Now before general elections, Modi, his Cabinet Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the BJP are trying their best to take credit by laying foundation for the plant.

Odisha people are aware of the facts and would teach them lesson in proper time, added Patnaik.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president and Rajya Sabha member Amit Shah called on Saint Yudhishtir Lal at Shadhani Durbar on Friday.

He was on a days visit to Raipur to address the booth level party workers meeting at Logistic Park and other events, in capital city.

Chief Minister Raman Singh, BJP State President Dharamlal Kaushik and other party leaders were present.

Shadhani Darbar is a prominent religious centre for Sindhi community where community members from Pakistan also arrive and offer their prayers.

Shah had directly gone to the Durbar from Airport.

He had called on the Saint as part of partys nation-wide Sampark Se Samarthan (Contact to Support) personal outreach programme to highlight the achievements of the BJP government at the Centre in the last four years.

Saint Yudhishtir, while interacting with Shah said that the mission with objective to revive the glorious past of India has been undertaken and the goal would be achieved.

In eternal religion (Sanathan) it is recognised that a righteous king should rule, the Saint said.

To build our culture one need not to damage the culture of other. It is a national party which has truth and simplicity and at an international level also it has made a mark. On the sides of Sindhu culture, the Vedas have been evolved. After Partition, when the earlier generations came and settled, then like in food, the ghee mixes every one merged into the country, he said.

One protocol exists between India and Pakistan that regarding the visit of religious place, Shahandi Durbar is one of them.

He said that former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani had visited it then he had directed the Chief Minister Raman Singh to regularly visit the place. Today is my lucky day as I got a chance to visit 300- years-old Durbar. I had come to take blessings. In year 2017 had visited, and then the saint Yudhishtir had asked to visit, said Shah.

The BJP president further said, I had visited Durbar of Sindhi Community several times. I Had also participated in several events which bring joy . I seek their blessings so that we can all be involved in reconstruction of the country and achieve success.
To mark the occasion of Hindi Diwas on September 14, a prize distribution programme was held here at Bank of Barodas, Raipur Zone recently.

The programme was held at auditorium of the Banks Regional Office.

In the programme felicitation of employees was done for a comprehensive promotion, publicity and conservation of the National Official Language.

In his presidential speech, the Regional Head and Deputy General Manager, BOB, Ranjeet Kumar Mandal exhorted the bank staff to work in the official language Hindi in interest and for convenience of the customers.

Chief Guest Retired Assistant Director Akashwani, Khageshwar Prasad Yadav stressed on promoting Hindi as per the instructions of Government of India and also to promote talking with customers in local dialect Chhattisgarhi.

The bank staff were also appraised on this occasion about the messages received from Corporate Office of the Bank, Home Ministry and Finance Ministry. The Hindi Officer of the Bank informed in the function that Hindi Month was organized in the bank from August 14, 2018 to September 14, 2018. Various activities were organized to mark the occasion and competitions, workshops and inspirational programmes were held under it.

The Bank also organised competitions for school children and felicitation of customers were done for the promotion of Hindi language. Deputy Zonal Manager K. Vijay Raju proposed the vote of thanks at the end.
PA satellite centre will be set up by the Canadian University at the upcoming Guru Gobind Singh Skill University at Sri Chamkaur Sahib, with an aim to develop skill and provide job opportunities to Punjabs youth.

The decision was taken during the meeting between the Canadian delegation of Alberta State and the state Technical Education and Industrial Training and Employment Generation Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday.

Alberta Governments senior director Sheba Sharma and Commercial Officer Sudhirranjan Banerjee held preliminary talks regarding developing skill, starting dual skill development programmes and providing job opportunities in Canada to Punjabs youth.

In principle, both the sides agreed to setup a Satellite Centre by the Canadian University at upcoming Guru Gobind Singh Skill University, Sri Chamkaur Sahib. The rules and regulation draft would be prepared to send states youth to study abroad through Punjab Governments web portal Ghar Ghar Rozgar, said Channi.

He said that the draft regarding the same would be placed for discussion and approval in the next meeting with the Canadian delegation.

Alberta State of Canada is interested in starting dual skill development programmes with the Punjab Governments Technical Educational Institutes, IKGPTU and MRSPTU, said Channi.

He said that during his visit to Alberta, Canada, he met Minister for Higher Education and Skill Development Alberta Government and both agreed to work together in the field of Skill Development.

Now, they have sent their delegation for preliminary talks with the Punjab Government. The programmes would be finalized with the officials of Alberta State, Canada, in the coming days. He said that a delegation from Alberta State Canada would be visiting India in February 2019, and the agreement would be signed with them during their visit, he said.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Friday directed the senior officials to ensure cleanliness in the entire State capital during forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ranchi on Sunday.

He issued the direction at a high level meeting at Prabhat Tara ground in Dhurwa-the venue of the PM programme.

The PM would arrive at the Birsa Munda International airport at 11:30 am and would then reach the Prabhat Tara ground to launch Ayushman Bharat health scheme in the country.

Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi, Development Commissioner DK Tiwari, Home Secretary SKG Rahate, Principal Secretary Nidhi Khare, Principal Secretary to the CM Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Welfare Secretary Himani Pandey and Ranchi DC Rai Mahimapat Ray were among the officials present in the review meeting.

The CM said all the garbage should be removed from the city in the previous night adding that teams comprising one supervisor and four cleaners should be deployed across the city to maintain cleanliness in their assigned area.

The CM said that administration must ensure that people coming to listen to the PM do not face any inconvenience.

Officials present on spot informed that the CM expressed satisfaction over the arrangement adding that he also issued directions to improve it further.

Meanwhile state administration has effected a massive mobilization of police force to ensure foolproof security system during the PM visit.

Officials informed that elaborate security would be made at all the venues the PM would be touching upon during his stay.

Apart from the district police the Rapid Action Force, Jharkhand Armed Police and Indian Reserve Battalion would be deployed at the venues. Even though the primary responsibility of security is with the state police, all the concerned central agencies including the Special Protection Group teams are guiding us to ensure infallible security, said IG- Operations and Jharkhand Police spokesman Asish Batra.

He informed that the traffic system would be re-routed in the Dhurwa area adding that the new plan would be conveyed to the people on Saturday and Sunday. The aim is to cause least inconvenience to the common people during the PM visit, Batra said.

The Ranchi DC added that specific entry and exit point have been made for the people visiting the venue. He added that drinking water and toilets facilities would also be available for them. It may be stated here that administration has also earmarked parking lots around the main venue. Specific parking places have been created for people coming from different districts.
The NGO Uday Foundation and crowdfunding website Ketto that raised Rs 57 lakh after photograph of a boy grieving next to the body of a sanitation worker who died while cleaning a sewer has not released the money after coming to know that the grieving boy was not deceaseds son but his cousin.

A picture of the boy standing near the body of Anil had gone viral on the social media and moved people from across the country to donate money in a particular bank account.

Anil had lost his life on September 14 after he slipped when descending into the 20-feet deep sewer as the rope tied around his waist snapped and he went into a free.

On Thursday, Deendayal and Saroj, the parents of Anil, met Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at his residence and said the woman who claimed to be Anils wife was actually his maternal aunt Rani. Anils mother showed a photograph of her with her sister to the Minister. The parents belong to Jhansi but have been living in Loni, Ghaziabad, for a while.

Anil was never married. The woman is actually our Mausi and her husband lives in Mumbai. Anil had been living with her for close to three years. He was never married but used to treat her three children as his own, said Geeta, the sister of Anil. Geeta said they are ready to share the money raised by the NGO with their Mausi.

The NGO had decided to release funds after verification was done. We are deeply pained. Anil was taking care of the children as he used to live there. The children are in a vulnerable condition. We will take a collective decision on the funds raised through the social media campaign, said Yashwant Deshmukh, one of the founding members of the foundation.

Anil was living here for last few years and he had also installed Sewer Ke Kaam- Anil (Sewer worker Anil) in front of his house. We were not aware about that the woman Rani living with Anil is his mausi, said a resident in Dabri, Dwarka. Soon after Anils death a photograph of a boy grieving next to Anils body had gone viral on social media following which a NGO decided to raise the money.

In the photograph shared widely by social media users, the boy, believed to be Anils son, was seen grieving next to his body. The photograph moved netizens and NGO Ketto and Uday Foundation launched a campaign to help Anils family.
Four persons have lost their life due to dengue in Shivpuri district in the past two months. However, instead of taking strict measures, the district administration and the health department refuse to accept the deaths due to dengue.

In past two months, 148 patients of fever have been detected positive for Dengue.

The Health department conducted a survey of 22,000 households and Dengue larva was found in 3,588 houses.

Maximum number of 80 patients is from Shivpuri urban, while in Satanvara and Pohari regions, 24 and 21 patients have been found respectively.

Ironically, the Health department officials are not ready to accept any death due to Dengue. They claim that the reasons of death were different, other than the deadly Dengue that has gripped the whole district.

Almost all the regions of the district are facing problems of Dengue, but the administration seems to have turned Nelsons eye towards the problem.

After media reporters of the recent past, on Friday, the district administration has declared Shivpuri district as Malaria notified. Now, officials of five departments- District panchayat department, School Education department and Woman and Child Development department besides Health department, Malaria department and Municipalities- have been directed to deal with the alarming situation.

The administration has notified the Shivpuri district as Dengue hit district and this notification would remain effective for six months.
Putting aside the routine notion of prayers, the one of its kind Mahila Utsav Samiti of Bhopal came up with a unique idea of distributing books and pencils as prasad (religious food offering) among the needy students.

Residents of Indra Vihas, Lal Ghati, the all womens team of the Samiti urged the devotees to get pencil and books as prasad. We asked the devotees to bring with them a book and a pencil as prasad for Ganeshji, as a move to promote child education. I am a teacher myself and we understand the importance of education, especially to those for the needy. We then distributed these books and pencils to the needy students of Concept School, Bhopal, Molly Bose, President of Mahila Utsav Samiti said.

In an attempt to promote self defense among girl child, the Samiti has also invited ASP Crime Rashmi Mishra who will enlighten the residents on social security and digital security. Each year we try and invite people from the administration who talk about various social and civic issues. This year, our guest is ASP Crime Rashmi Mishra who would visit our Pandal on Saturday and also speak about social and digital security, Molly added.

The Samiti was initialized in 2011-12 by children. They organized the first Ganesha festival and then could not continue due to their studies.
Jharkhand Skills Development Mission Society and India Yamaha Motors entered into an agreement on Friday to provide skill development training to youths of the State to make them employable.

Under the agreement, the India Yamaha Motors will identify 12th passed and ITI passed youths who would be given two years of training in maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and related trades. The training program will be held at the company's units located at Surajpur, Faridabad and Chennai.

This training program will create future Shop Floor leaders equipped with Japanese style of manufacturing and working methods. The two-year training program will make these youths employable and it will improve their livelihood and standard of living. After the completion of the training, they can pursue Diploma in Engineering and Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. The entire expenses for the education program will be borne by Yamaha.

This apart a short-term training program of six months will also be conducted for the youths of the State. Selected trainees would be trained into office conduct, enthusiasm for work, discipline, teamwork in workplace, communication, health, sanitation, first aid and personal financial management.

Director of the Skill Development Mission Ravi Ranjan, who signed the MoU with Yamaha Motors Deputy Managing Director Yukihiko Tada, said that the trainees would be provided with stipends, accommodation during the training period and given certificates along with job opportunities into related fields.

Also present on the occasion was Chief Minister Raghubar Das who said there was no shortage of talent in Jharkhand. People here just need an opportunity. The State Government is working rapidly in the direction of giving employment to youths through skill development. Famous companies like Yamaha Motor have also trusted the youth of Jharkhand which is a good sign, said the Chief Minister.

He added further that considering the importance of skill development, the State government has allocated budget of Rs 700 crores this year. The Chief Minister used the occasion to request Yamaha India officials to set up a motorcycle manufacturing unit in the State and assured them to make available required raw materials as well as human resources locally which are available in abundance. He also referred to Jharkhands historic presence in the field of industries.

Yamaha Motors Yukihiko Tada said that in future, the company will try to set up a manufacturing unit in Jharkhand. Jharkhand's automobile policy is quite good. This will prove to be beneficial for the automobile industry. Manufacturing industry is facing huge shortage of skilled workforce and this gap has to be addressed through these collaborations. We, as an industry have to identify both the challenges & the opportunities and take a step further in meeting the requirements of the industry. Yamaha remains committed in making a significant contribution in the National Skill Development Mission and will continue to execute programs which benefit the Indian youth and the manufacturing industry at large, he said.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Secretary of Skill Development Rajesh Sharma and others were present on the occasion.

Jharkhand is the 3rd State with which IYM has signed MoU on skill development and training. Prior to this, the company has signed MoUs with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar governments in 2017.

In addition to this program, Yamaha also runs Yamaha Motor NTTF Training Centre (YNTC) at its Chennai facility since 2017 which provides two-year Certificate Program in Manufacturing Technology followed by a 2 year Diploma Program. Two batches have been successfully inducted in 2017 and 2018 comprising of 40 students in each batch. YNTC is the 1st Japan-India Institute of Manufacturing (JIM) which is a collaboration between the Governments of Japan and India along with Japanese companies to create a pool of skilled manpower for manufacturing units in India.
The states of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana are likely to get heavy rains over the next three days, the Met office said on Friday.

"Certain areas in Himachal are likely to experience heavy spells of rain till Monday," said an official of Meteorological Department.

He said there are chances of heavy to very heavy rains at some places in mid and low hills on September 23 and 24.

The Met Department's forecast said the western disturbances - storm systems originating from the Mediterranean Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region - would remain active in the region till September 25.

Meanwhile, Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest town in the state with a low of 7.3 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperatures in Shimla and Manali were 14 degrees and 10.2 degrees respectively. Kalpa, some 250 km from Shimla, saw the night temperature at 8.6 degrees Celsius.

On the other hand, Punjab Government has issued a heavy rainfall alert. A governments spokesperson said that as per information received from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the State is likely to experience widespread rainfall during late September 22 to 24.

Many districts in Doaba, Majha and Malwa are very likely to get heavy (more than seven to 12 cm) to very heavy rainfall (more than 12 cm) during these days.

There is very high probability of extremely heavy rainfall in North Eastern and South Eastern parts of Punjab during September 22 to 24. As there is very high probability of heavy to very heavy rainfall in adjoining areas of Himachal also, hence above spell may cause inundations of low lying area and water logging in some area, said the spokesperson.

The areas likely to get very heavy to extremely heavy rains are Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Nawashahr, Roopnagar, Patiala, Mohali and adjoining area.

The district authorities have been advised to suitably take adequate measures, informed the spokesperson.
Teams formed to conduct raids on flour mills

Chandigarh: The alarming incident of addition of over 2000 quintals of rotten, foul smelling wheat to normal wheat for production of flour at a mill in Alamgir, Ludhiana forced the Food Safety Commisssionerate to take immediate steps to check the sale of flour unfit for human consumption, informed KS Pannu Commissioner Food and Drug Administration Punjab. He said, working out the availability of the manpower, 22 teams have been constituted and directed to check all the suspects. In two days, over a hundred flour mills have been inspected state wide and extensive sampling has been done. The results of the samples are awaited and the most stringent action prescribed under law would be taken against the adulterators. Simultaneously, the flour mill owners are being sensitized to procure good quality wheat from FCI, registered Arhtiyas or other trusted sources, he said.

Hry Govt issues directions

Chandigarh: Haryana Government has directed all the administrative secretaries that all nodal officers of the 47 blocks under Parivartan Scheme should visit at least one village in their block to ensure that the entire fresh and previously accumulated solid waste and gobar is collected and transported out of the abadi to any appropriate place in the village or a nearby town before October 2, 2018, with peoples participation. The photograph of this special campaign could be uploaded on the portal www.teamharyana.com , said a spokesman.

VB hands over days salary to CM for Kerala

Chandigarh: The officers and officials of Punjab State Vigilance Bureau have contributed to the Kerala flood relief efforts of the Punjab government in response to the personal appeal of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The Bureau staff has contributed a days salary to help the people of the flood ravaged state, an official spokesperson said on Friday. ADGP-cum-Chief Director Vigilance Bureau B K Uppal handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to Captain Amarinder Singh at the latter's official residence this afternoon, said the spokesperson. The Chief Minister expressed his appreciation for the gesture, lauding the people of Punjab for coming out in large numbers to help Kerala and its people.

Veer Evm Shaheedi Diwas to be observed

Chandigarh: Haryana Government will observe September 23 as Haryana Veer Evm Shaheedi Diwas in a befitting manner. A spokesman said that on this day, the martyrs would be paid tributes by organising public meetings, functions and seminars in each district of the state. Apart from this, family members of martyrs and recipient of bravery awards would also be honoured by presenting them mementos. The freedom fighters and Kargil war heroes would also be invited in the district level functions, he added.

ASI caught while accepting bribe

Chandigarh: Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has caught ASI Devender Singh of Police Station, Dabua Colony (Faridabad) red handed while accepting illegal gratification of Rs 10,000. A spokesman of State Vigilance Bureau, Haryana said that ASI Devender Singh has been nabbed in a raid by the State Vigilance Bureau while accepting bribe from Vijay Kumar resident of Dabua Colony, district Faridabad in lieu of verbal complaint of Amit in the matter of his wifes ornaments.

YMCA signs MoU with ICTACT

Chandigarh: J.C. Bose (erstwhile YMCA) University of Science and Technology, YMCA Faridabad, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Information and Communication Technology Academy of Tamil Nadu (ICTACT) to conduct training programmes for faculty and students which will also facilitate the placement of the students. Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dinesh Kumar said that as ICT is the backbone of technology and innovations and this partnership would benefit those faculty and students of the University who are using ICT as their core subjects. Further, it would also bridge the gap between industry and academia, thereby increasing employability of the students, he added.

Fortis installs organic community composters

Mohali: Fortis Hospital has become the first hospital in the tricity to go green by installing organic community composters that will take care of all their wet waste at source and treat it into compost. Ashish Bhatia R-COO, N&E, Fortis Healthcare said, In view of the increasing levels of pollution we must adopt measures which can help control it. At Fortis Healthcare, we are committed to adopting environment-friendly solutions so as to preserve the environment for generations to come. Our collaboration with Chandigarh Daily Dump is a step in this direction.

Jain inaugurates peace awareness campaign

Chandigarh: The volunteers of Youth Peace Foundation here celebrated the International Day of Peace as peace awareness campaign in the form of human chain with peace placard in each and every hand aimed towards developing the culture of peace amongst society by organizing Peace Walk at Sukhna Lake here.
Berasia police have booked a miscreant for sexually assaulting a 29-year-old schoolteacher at Billod trisection on September 6; a case was registered on Thursday after the victim lodged a complaint.

Police said that the victim was taken to Ganj Basoda by the accused identified as Radhyeshyam Meena on September 6 while the victim was on her way to school and later sexually assaulted her. The victim was later dropped in Berasia and before leaving the accused threatened her of dire consequences if she reports the incident but the victim braved to lodge a complaint with the Berasia police on Thursday. After the accused got information regarding the complaint he went absconding and is still at large.

After the preliminary investigation the police have registered a case under sections 376 and 506 of the IPC and started further investigation. The details of the accused are yet to be found as the victim was not acquainted with the victim but she was aware that he used to tease her. The crime record of the accused would be searched.Family members of the accused would be questioned which could help in finding the whereabouts of the accused.

Victim in her complaint stated that she was taken by accused to his friends house in Ganj Basoda where she was sexually assaulted.
The State Bank of India Staff Associations (SBISA) 66th Triennial General Council and the Circle Triennial General Council Meeting of the Bhubaneswar Circle would be held on September 23 at Puri, said All India State Bank of India Staff Federation general secretary Sanjeev K Bandlish at a Press meet here on Tuesday.

Bandlish said about 1,500 delegates from the eight SBI Circles in the country and 4,500 members of the Bhubaneswar Circle would participate in the meeting and have discussions on various issues regarding recruitment, rising nonperforming assets (NPAs), wage negotiation and others.

He said that after discussions, a resolution would be passed for the banks empowerment and management. He further said the association is also going to celebrate its 100 years and is the only bank staff association to celebrate its century celebrations.

He said that though the Eleventh Bipartite Wage Revision is due since November 1, 2017, the Central Government had raised hopes of the employees by insisting on the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the public sector banks to conclude the wage revision well before that date. But the bank employees feel demoralised and frustrated over the undue delay in settlement of wage revision, he added.

Among others, All India State Bank of India Staff Federation president VVSR Sarma and SBISA chief secretary Rajesh Kumar Tripathy and SBISA Bhubaneswar Circle general secretary SP Behera were present.
The Regional Grand Lodge of Northern India (RGL-NI), one of the four Regional Grand Lodges of India, based in New Delhi, is organising its half-yearly meeting at Mussoorie on September 22 and 23.

These meetings are an occasion for Masons of Daughter Lodges to come together, get the macro picture of the activities of the Grand Lodge and the Regional Grand Lodge from the highest functionaries, the Grandmaster and the Regional Grandmaster. Masons of all ranks from all over the region meet, renew bonds of Brotherhood, plan out the shape of Masonic activities in the coming period, share information about the various charitable and other activities being carried out in various Lodges and return, rejuvenated, with a renewed sense of purpose and zeal to further the basic objectives of Freemasonry Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.

This years Half-Yearly Meeting is being facilitated by Masons of the two Lodges of District Dehra Dun namely Lodge Dalhousie No. 10 (situated at Masonic Bus Stand, Mussoorie) and Lodge Siwalik Dr Durga Prasad No 62 (situated at 18 Beacher Road, Dehra Dun Cantt.).

A Half-Yearly Meeting of the RGL-NI is being held in Uttarakhand after a gap of nearly seven yearsthe previous one having been hosted by Lodge Siwalik, Dehra Dun in October 2011.

Freemasonry has been particularly active in Uttarakhand and Masons have always been at the forefront of relief activities in cases of natural disasters, be it medical aid teams to provide Relief in the aftermath of the natural disaster the struck Garhwal in 2013, and then the complete rebuilding of two Inter colleges of Rudraprayag DistrictLadoli and Nagrasu. The two Masonic Lodges at Mussoorie and Dehra Dun are amongst the oldest and finest Lodges in the country, the Lodge at Mussoorie tracing its history (consecration) to the year 1854 and the one in Dehra Dun to year 1902.

This year, over 350 Freemasons of the region are expected to congregate at Mussoorie for the Meeting of RGL-NI, and renew their pledges to carry forth the tenets of Freemasonry in one of the worlds oldest secular fraternal societies.

It is a world-wide organisation based on the principle of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man. It is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts by series of ritual which follow ancient forms and use stone masons customs and tools and allegorical guides. Freemasonry has been in existence in the present form for over 300 years in the world and for nearly 290 years in India.

Freemasonry traces its origin from King Solomons times, but its real origin is lost in antiquity. Freemasonry came to India at Calcutta in 1729, 12 years after it was established in its present form in England. The Grand Lodge of India (the apex body) came into existence in 1961 when most Indian Lodges came under an Indian banner, with Maj Gen Dr Sir Syed Reza Ali Khan, HH the Nawab of Rampur, as the first Grandmaster. Freemasonry exists in over 190 countries with over 5 million Freemasons; in India we have about 25,000 Freemasons coming from a cross section of society, across religions. There are as on date, 425 Lodges in 147 locations all over India, which are the basic units for membership. Prominent Indian Freemasons include Swami Vivekananda, Motilal Nehru, C Rajagopalachari, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Dr S Radhakrishnan among other luminaries.
The University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) celebrated the World Ozone Day, the United Nations International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone, in the university campus.

A university communique informed that the celebrations focused on sensitising farmers of the Kharakhet, Thangaon, Dhaklani, Masraj patti and Sherpura villages situated in the vicinity of the university through awareness activities on topics related to climate change, ozone depletion and tips on improvement of farming activities with the active participation of the university students.

Assistant professor, School of Engineering, Abhishek Nandan said that the celebrations, conducted under the aegis of the Department of Health, Safety and Environment UPES were organised by Green Up, a student-led group and witnessed active participation of over 1000 students of the university.

The events included spreading awareness about the climatic conditions, irrigation facilities, crop rotation, and depletion of soil fertility due to usage of chemicals, proper usage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Government policies, bank loans, subsidiaries, snake-bite and its first aid amongst the farmers.

Nandan said that the farming community appreciated the knowledge on the use of pesticides and its effect towards environment pollution and their personal health while thanking UPES for distribution of free personal protective equipment amongst them.

The World Ozone Day commemorates the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

Ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the human health and ecosystem by limiting the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun's rays from reaching the earth.
An outraged China on Friday lodged a diplomatic protest with the US for imposing punitive sanctions on its military unit for buying Russian weapons, warning of consequences if the sanctions are not revoked.

The US State Department said on Thursday that the purchases of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles by Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD) of Chinas Ministry of Defence violated US sanctions on Russia.

Both the EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, have been named in Thursdays sanctions. It is the first time the Trump administration targeted a third country with its Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), designed to punish Russia for its seizure of Crimea and other activities.

Reacting to the US move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action of the US and lodged stern representations.

What the US has done gravely violated the basis norms governing the international relations and harmed the state-to-state and military-to-military relations between the two sides, he said.
The following companies are subsidiares of Ashland Global: 565 Corporation, ASH GP INC., ASHLAND SPECIALTY CHEMICAL (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD., ASHLAND SPECIALTY CHEMICALS (MALAYSIA) SDN.BHD, Adams Drive Totowa L.L.C., Alera Property Holdings LLC, Alera Technologies Inc., Alix Technologies LLC, Aloe Vemera S.P.R de R.L. de C.V., Ash (Gibraltar) One Limited, Ash B CIS 1 Limited, Ash B CIS 2 Limited, Ash B1 Limited, Ash B2 Limited, Ash B3 Limited, Ash B4 Limited, Ash B5 Limited, Ash CIS Canada Corp., Ash CIS Canada Holdings B.V., Ash CIS GmbH, Ash Global Holding Three GmbH, Ash Global Holdings Two B.V., Ash Junior Global Holding One LLC, Ash Junior Global Holding Two LLC, Ash Swiss Holding Two GmbH, AshLux Three S.a r.l., AshOne C. V., Ashland (Australasia) Pty. Limited, Ashland (Changzhou) Advanced Chemical Co. Ltd., Ashland (Changzhou) Specialty Chemical Co. Ltd, Ashland (China) Holdings Co. Ltd., Ashland (Gibraltar) One Holding Inc., Ashland (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Ashland Argentina S.R.L., Ashland CZ s.r.o., Ashland Canada Corp./Corporation Ashland Canada, Ashland Canada Holdings B. V., Ashland Chemco Inc., Ashland Chemical De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ashland Chemical Hispania S. L., Ashland Chemical Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ashland Chemicals (Nanjing) Company Limited, Ashland Colombia S.A.S., Ashland Comercio de Especialidades Quimicas do Brasil Ltda., Ashland Danmark ApS, Ashland Eastern Markets LLC, Ashland Ethanol Inc., Ashland Finance Limited, Ashland Finland Oy, Ashland France SAS, Ashland Global Holdings One C.V., Ashland India Private Limited, Ashland Industria de Ingredientes do Brasil Ltda., Ashland Industries Deutschland GmbH, Ashland Industries Europe GmbH, Ashland Industries France SAS, Ashland Industries Italia S.r.l., Ashland Industries Nederland B.V., Ashland Industries UK Limited, Ashland International Holdings LLC, Ashland Italia S.r.l., Ashland Japan Ltd., Ashland Korea Limited, Ashland LLC, Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property LLC, Ashland ME Holdings Inc., Ashland Mexico Holdings One LLC, Ashland Mexico Holdings Two LLC, Ashland Nigeria Exploration Unlimited, Ashland Oil (Nigeria) Company Unlimited, Ashland Oil Inc., Ashland Pacific Pty. Ltd., Ashland Participacoes Ltda., Ashland Pharmachem International Holdings LLC, Ashland Polimeros do Brasil S.A., Ashland Services B. V., Ashland Services Mexico S.A. de C.V., Ashland Singapore Pte. Ltd., Ashland Specialties Austria GmbH, Ashland Specialties Belgium BVBA, Ashland Specialties France S.a.r.l., Ashland Specialties Hispania S.L., Ashland Specialties Holding C.V., Ashland Specialties Ireland Limited, Ashland Specialties Poland Sp. z o.o., Ashland Specialties Sverige AB, Ashland Specialties UK Limited, Ashland Specialty Chemical Korea Co. Ltd., Ashland Specialty Ingredients G.P., Ashland Technologies GmbH, Ashland-Alaskan Limited, Ashland-Plasticos De Portugal Lda., Ashmont Insurance Company Inc., Ashprop Two LLC, Avoca LLC, Avoele S.A. de C.V., Belleville Realty Corp., Bluegrass Insurance Company Limited, CLTA LLC, CVG Capital III LLC, Carol Clifton Inc., Clevedon Sp. z o.o., Curtis Bay Insurance Co. Ltd, East Bay Realty Services Inc., Ever Success Overseas Limited, FRJ Inc., Fospur, Hercofina, Hercules, Hercules Holding BV BVBA, Hercules Holding II Limited, Hercules Hydrocarbon Holdings Inc., Hercules International Limited LLC, Hercules Investment ApS, Hercules Investments Netherlands B.V., Hercules Islands Corporation, Hercules LLC, Hercules Paper Holdings Inc., Hercules Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, ISP (Belgium) International N. V., ISP Alginates Inc., ISP Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, ISP Biochema Schwaben GmbH, ISP Canada Corp., ISP Capital LLC, ISP Chemco LLC, ISP Chemical Products LLC, ISP Chemicals LLC, ISP Environmental Services Inc., ISP France Holding SARL, ISP France Marketing SARL, ISP Freetown Fine Chemicals Inc., ISP Freight Services N. V., ISP Global Operations (Barbados) Inc., ISP Global Technologies Deutschland Unterstutzungskasse GmbH, ISP Global Technologies Inc., ISP Global Technologies LLC, ISP HC Limited, ISP Holdings (U.K.) Ltd., ISP Hungary Holdings Limited Liability Company, ISP International Corp., ISP Investments LLC, ISP Lima LLC, ISP Luxembourg Canada S.a.r.l., ISP Management Company Inc., ISP Marl GmbH, ISP Marl Holdings GmbH, ISP Microcaps (U.K.) Limited, ISP Pharma Systems LLC, ISP Real Estate Company Inc., ISP Singapore Holding LLC, ISP Technologies Inc., ISP Technologies LLC, International Specialty Holdings LLC, International Specialty Products, International Specialty Products (India) Private Limited, International Specialty Products Funding Corporation, International Specialty Products Inc., Jiangmen Ashland Chemicals Company Limited, Nanjing Clear Environment Protection, Northwest Coatings, Oil Can Henrys, PT Ashland Asia, PT ISP Chemicals Indonesia, Pakistan Gum Industries (Private) Limited, Pharmachem Laboratories, Pharmachem Laboratories LLC, Pharmachem Laboratories Utah LLC, Prince Street Paterson LLC, Progiven S.A.S., Proprietary Nutritionals LLC, Ralop S. de R.L. de C.V., Saudi Industrial Resins Co. Ltd. (Polyester), Shanghai Ashland Industrial Trading Co. Ltd., St Croix Petrochemical Corp, Taiwan Ashland Co. Ltd., Techwax Limited, Vemera S. de R.L. de C.V., and WSP LLC.
6 hours ago

With high-profile backers, EV startup Rivian goes public

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP)  Shares in Rivian Automotive are set to trade publicly Wednesday, and the world should get a better idea of just how excited investors are about the electric vehicle market. Rivian, the EV startup backed by Amazon and Ford, hopes to raise about $12 billion with the sale of 153 million shares, which would top the $8 billion Uber raised in its IPO in 2019.

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iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF's stock was trading at $35.66 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWL stock has increased by 43.0% and is now trading at $50.98.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
The following companies are subsidiares of Lithia Motors: 797 Valley Street LLC, Albany CJD Fiat, Baierl Auto Group, Baierl Auto Parts LLC, Baierl Automotive Corporation, Baierl Chevrolet Inc., Baierl Holding LLC, Broadway Ford, Buhler Ford Inc, Cadillac of Portland Lloyd Center LLC, Camp Automotive Inc., Carbone Auto Body LLC, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Morgantown, Cranberry Automotive Inc., Crater Lake Ford Lincoln, Crater Lake Mazda, DCH (Oxnard) Inc., DCH Auto Group, DCH Bloomfield LLC, DCH CA LLC, DCH Calabasas-A LLC, DCH California Investments LLC, DCH California Motors Inc., DCH DMS NJ LLC, DCH Del Norte Inc., DCH Essex Inc., DCH Financial NJ LLC, DCH Freehold - V LLC, DCH Freehold LLC, DCH Holdings LLC, DCH Investments Inc. (New Jersey), DCH Investments Inc. (New York), DCH Korean Imports LLC, DCH Mamaroneck LLC, DCH Mission Valley LLC, DCH Monmouth LLC, DCH Montclair LLC, DCH Motors LLC, DCH NY Motors LLC, DCH Nanuet LLC, DCH North America Inc., DCH Oxnard 1521 Imports Inc., DCH Riverside-S Inc., DCH Simi Valley Inc., DCH Support Services LLC, DCH TL Holdings LLC, DCH TL NY Holdings LLC, DCH Temecula Imports LLC, DCH Temecula Motors LLC, DCH Thousand Oaks-F Inc., DCH Torrance Imports Inc., Dah Chong Hong CA Trading LLC, Dah Chong Hong Trading Corporation, Daron Motors LLC, Day Auto Group, Downtown LA, Driveway Motors LLC, Elizabeth Collision LLC, Florida SS LLC, Ford Lincoln of Morgantown, Freehold Nissan LLC, Fuse Auto Sales LLC, Hamilton Honda, Hazleton Honda, Hutchins Eugene Nissan Inc., Hutchins Imported Motors Inc., Jaguar Landrover Mission Viejo, LA Motors Holding LLC, LAD Advertising Inc., LAD Carson-N LLC, LAD Mission Viejo-JLR Inc., LAD Mobu Inc., LAD-AU LLC, LAD-MB LLC, LAD-N LLC, LAD-P LLC, LAD-T LLC, LAD-V LLC, LBMP LLC, LFKF LLC, LGPAC Inc., LLL Sales Co LLC, LMBB LLC, LMBP LLC, LMOP LLC, LSTAR LLC, Lithia AcDM Inc., Lithia Aircraft Inc., Lithia Anchorage-C LLC, Lithia Anchorage-H LLC, Lithia Armory Garage LLC, Lithia Auction & Recon LLC, Lithia Auto Services Inc., Lithia Automotive Inc., Lithia BA Holding Inc., Lithia BNM Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Baierl-S LLC, Lithia Bryan Texas Inc., Lithia Buffalo-A LLC, Lithia CCTF Inc., Lithia CDH Inc., Lithia CIMR Inc., Lithia CJDO Inc., Lithia CJDSA Inc., Lithia CJDSF Inc., Lithia CM Inc., Lithia CO Inc., Lithia CSA Inc., Lithia Community Development Company Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-F Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-M Inc., Lithia DE Inc., Lithia DM Inc., Lithia DMID Inc., Lithia Des Moines-VW LLC, Lithia Dodge of Tri-Cities Inc., Lithia Eatontown-F LLC, Lithia FLCC LLC, Lithia FMF Inc., Lithia Financial Corporation (previously Lithia Leasing Inc. and Lithia Credit Inc.), Lithia Florida Holding Inc., Lithia Ford of Boise Inc., Lithia Fresno Inc., Lithia HDM Inc., Lithia HGF Inc., Lithia HMID Inc., Lithia HPI Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Hamilton-H LLC, Lithia Hazleton-H LLC, Lithia Idaho Falls-F Inc., Lithia Imports of Anchorage Inc., Lithia JEF Inc., Lithia Klamath Inc., Lithia Klamath-T Inc., Lithia LBGGF Inc., Lithia LHGF Inc., Lithia LSGF Inc., Lithia MBDM Inc., Lithia MMF Inc., Lithia MTLM Inc., Lithia McMurray-C LLC, Lithia Medford HON Inc., Lithia Middletown-L LLC, Lithia Monroeville-A LLC, Lithia Monroeville-C LLC, Lithia Monroeville-F LLC, Lithia Monroeville-V LLC, Lithia Moon-S LLC, Lithia Moon-V LLC, Lithia Morgantown-CJD LLC, Lithia Morgantown-F LLC, Lithia Morgantown-S LLC, Lithia Motors Support Services Inc., Lithia NA Inc., Lithia NC Inc., Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #1, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #3, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #4, Lithia NDM Inc., Lithia NF Inc., Lithia NSA Inc., Lithia Northeast Real Estate LLC, Lithia Orchard Park-H LLC, Lithia Paramus-M LLC, Lithia Pittsburgh-S LLC, Lithia Ramsey-B LLC, Lithia Ramsey-L LLC, Lithia Ramsey-M LLC, Lithia Ramsey-T LLC, Lithia Real Estate Inc., Lithia Reno Sub-HYUN Inc., Lithia Reno-CJ LLC, Lithia Reno-VW LLC, Lithia Rose-FT Inc., Lithia SOC Inc., Lithia SSP LLC, Lithia Salmir Inc., Lithia Sea P Inc., Lithia Seaside Inc., Lithia Spokane-B LLC, Lithia Spokane-S LLC, Lithia TA Inc., Lithia TO Inc., Lithia TR Inc., Lithia Uniontown-C LLC, Lithia VAuDM Inc., Lithia VF Inc., Lithia Wexford-H LLC, Lithia of Abilene Inc., Lithia of Anchorage Inc., Lithia of Bend #1 LLC, Lithia of Bend #2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 1 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 3 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 4 LLC, Lithia of Billings II LLC, Lithia of Billings Inc., Lithia of Casper LLC, Lithia of Clear Lake LLC, Lithia of Concord I Inc., Lithia of Concord II Inc., Lithia of Corpus Christi Inc., Lithia of Des Moines Inc., Lithia of Eureka Inc., Lithia of Fairbanks Inc., Lithia of Great Falls Inc., Lithia of Helena Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-A Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-BGMCC LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-F LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-V LLC, Lithia of Killeen LLC, Lithia of Lodi Inc., Lithia of Maui-H LLC, Lithia of Missoula II LLC, Lithia of Missoula III Inc., Lithia of Missoula Inc., Lithia of Pocatello Inc., Lithia of Portland I LLC, Lithia of Portland LLC, Lithia of Robstown LLC, Lithia of Roseburg Inc., Lithia of Santa Rosa Inc., Lithia of Seattle Inc., Lithia of South Central AK Inc., Lithia of Spokane II Inc., Lithia of Spokane Inc., Lithia of Stockton Inc., Lithia of Stockton-V Inc., Lithia of TF Inc., Lithia of Troy LLC, Lithia of Utica - 1 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 2 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 3 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 4 LLC, Lithia of Walnut Creek Inc., Lithia of Wasilla LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 1 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 2 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 3 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 4 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 5 LLC, Medford Insurance LLC, Milford DCH Inc., Northland Ford Inc., PA Real Estate LLC, PA Support Services LLC, Paramus Collision LLC, Paramus World Motors LLC, Personalized Marketing LLC, Prestige Auto Group, RFA Holdings LLC, Ray Laks Acura, Ray Laks Honda, Sacramento-L Inc., Salem-B LLC, Salem-H LLC, Salem-V LLC, Sharlene Realty LLC, Shift Portland LLC, Southern Cascades Finance Corporation, Subaru of Morgantown, Tampa-H LLC, Tustin Motors Inc., Wesley Chapel-H LLC, Wesley Chapel-T LLC, Zelienople Real Estate I L.P., and Zelienople Real Estate L.L.C..
Manx Telecom plc provides a range of telecommunications services to consumers, businesses, and the public sector in the Isle of Man and internationally. It operates through five segments: Fixed Line, Broadband and Data; Mobile; Global Solutions; Data Centre; and Other. The Fixed Line, Broadband and Data segment offers fixed line, broadband, and connectivity services to approximately 37,000 homes and 4,000 businesses. It provides ADSL and VDSL, fixed line, and private circuit rental and connection services. The Mobile segment offers pre-paid and post-paid tariffs to various market segments; supports inbound roaming traffic; and sells mobile handsets, laptops, and accessories. It provides mobile calls, SMS, data, and mobile rental services. The Global Solutions segment offers wholesale SMS and voice, international traveler market, machine to machine, and signal mobile services, as well as mobile termination products, such as Chameleon. The Data Centre segment offers co-location, managed hosting, cloud, storage, disaster recovery, and business continuity services to corporate clients through three data centers. The Other segment provides phone book and business directory services; and operates MTTV, an online news channel, as well as manx.net portal. It also sells hardware equipment; and offers managed and interconnection services. The company was formerly known as Trafford Equityco Limited and changed its name to Manx Telecom plc in February 2014. Manx Telecom plc is headquartered in Braddan, the Isle of Man.

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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 The Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., EPS B.V., Geocel Holdings, Geocel Limited, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Inver East Med S.A., Inver France SAS, Inver GmbH, Inver Industrial Coating SRL, Inver Polska Spoka Z O.O, Inver Spa, Invercolor Bologna Srl, Invercolor Ltd, Invercolor Roma Srl, Invercolor Torino Srl, Invercolor Toscana Srl, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda, Isva Vernici Srl, Leighs Paints, M.A. Bruder & Sons, Omega Specialty Products & Services LLC, Oy Sherwin-Williams Finland Ab, PT Sherwin-Williams Indonesia, PT Valspar Indonesia, Paint Sundry Brands, Pinturas Condor S.A., Pinturas Industriales S.A., Piton Paints Limited, Plasti-Kote Co. Inc., Plasti-kote Limited, Productos Quimicos y Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Quest Automotive Products UK Limited, Quetzal Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Ronseal (Ireland) Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO  Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade Intelectual Ltda, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Belize) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Caribbean) N.V., Sherwin-Williams (Ireland) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Coatings Technology Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams (S) Pte. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Shanghai) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Vietnam) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (West Indies) Limited, Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Mexico S.de R.L.de C.V., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel Unitary Enterprise, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., Sherwin-Williams Cayman Islands Limited, Sherwin-Williams Chile S.A., Sherwin-Williams Coatings India Private Limited, Sherwin-Williams Coatings S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Czech Republic spol. s r.o, Sherwin-Williams Denmark A/S, Sherwin-Williams Deutschland GmbH, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Limited, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Norway AS, Sherwin-Williams Paints Limited Liability Company, Sherwin-Williams Peru S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Pinturas de Venezuela S.A., Sherwin-Williams Poland Sp. z o.o, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams Realty Holdings Inc., Sherwin-Williams Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams UK Coatings Limited, Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, Taiwan Valspar Co. Ltd., The Sherwin-Williams Acceptance Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters Company, The Sherwin-Williams Manufacturing Company, The Sherwin-Williams US Licensing Company, The Valspar (Asia) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Australia) Corporation Pty. Ltd., The Valspar (Finland) Corporation Oy, The Valspar (France) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (France) Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd, The Valspar (Nantes) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (Singapore) Corporation Pte. Ltd, The Valspar (South Africa) Corporation (Pty) Ltd, The Valspar (Spain) Corporation S.R.L., The Valspar (Switzerland) Corporation AG, The Valspar (Thailand) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar (UK) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Vietnam) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar (India) Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Valspar (Uruguay) Corporation S.A., Valspar (WPC) Pty Ltd, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive (UK) Corporation Limited, Valspar Automotive Australia Pty Limited, Valspar B.V., Valspar Coatings (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Valspar D.o.o Beograd, Valspar Industries (Ireland) Ltd., Valspar Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Valspar Paint (NZ) Limited, Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited (Japan), Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams.
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.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE).
Nabors Industries Ltd. engages in the provision of platform work over and drilling rigs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. The U.S. Drilling segment includes land drilling activities in the lower 48 states and Alaska, as well as offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment consists of land-based drilling rigs in Canada. The International segment focuses in maintaining a footprint in the oil and gas market, most notably in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela. The Drilling Solutions segment offers drilling technologies, such as patented steering systems and rig instrumentation software systems that enhance drilling performance and wellbore placement. The Rig Technologies segment comprises Canrig, which manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools. The company was founded by Clair Nabors in 1952 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

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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.
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 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.

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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

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Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest

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Russian Arm Business end Finished unlike any Mercedes Mean Large crew A few people for lunch

A television ad for a Netherlands Insurance firm was being shot Friday on Bessborough Drive. Where else? It has employed a mean-looking vehicle called by its owners the Russian Arm. It was parked on Airdrie Rd. when The South Bayview Bulldog snapped these shots. It is clearly designed to take flying shots of all types. We suspect the chairs and tables set out on a couple of lawns would be the likely crowd scene. A caterer was preparing food. The Russian Arm is black to the brake linings and finished in a zippered metal unlike any vehicle seen before, presumably to prevent glare. The insurer is said to be making its debut in Canada.
Imperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products. It offers a range of cigarettes, fine cut and smokeless tobacco, papers, and cigars; and next generation product (NGP) portfolio, such as e-vapour products, as well as oral nicotine and heated tobacco products. The company sells its products under various brands, including Davidoff, Gauloises, JPS, West, L&B, Bastos, Fine, Winston, News, Parker & Simpson, blu, Kool, Horizon, Jade, Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo Y Julieta, Backwoods, Skruf, Golden Virginia, Rizla, and Knox in approximately 160 countries worldwide. It also provides logistics services that include the distribution of tobacco and NGP products for tobacco and NGP product manufacturers; and various non-tobacco and NGP products and services. In addition, the company is involved in the management of a golf course; marketing of papers; restaurant business; distribution of pharmaceuticals, POS software, and published materials and other products; printing and publishing activities; and provision of long haul transportation, industrial parcel and express delivery, advertising, and support management services. Further, it owns the trademarks; and retails its products. The company was formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and changed its name to Imperial Brands PLC in February 2016. Imperial Brands PLC was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Bristol, the United Kingdom.

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National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services, such as credit, and deposit and investment solutions, as well as international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. The Wealth Management segment provides investment solutions, trust and estate services, banking services, lending services, guaranteed investment certificates, mutual funds, notes, structured products, and other wealth management solutions through internal and third-party distribution networks. The Financial Markets segment offers risk management products and services; and debt and equity underwriting; advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, and financing. The U.S. Specialty Finance and International segment provides specialty finance expertise; financial products and services to individuals and businesses in Cambodia; and the activities of targeted investments in certain emerging markets. The company also offers credit cards. It provides its services through a network of 483 branches and 1,573 banking machines. The company was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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Vanguard S&P 500 ETF's stock was trading at $250.74 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, VOO shares have increased by 71.3% and is now trading at $429.44.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
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.
Zalando SE operates as an online fashion and lifestyle retailer. It offers a range of products, including shoes, apparel, accessories, and beauty products for women, men, and children, as well as free delivery and returns services. The company also sells its products through its Zalando Lounge; and brick-and-mortar stores in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, Hamburg, Hanover, MAnster, Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Ulm. It serves in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The company has a strategic partnership with Sephora SAS to create the online prestige beauty destination. Zalando SE was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.

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MAXIMUS, Inc. engages in the operation of government and human services programs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Services; U.S. Federal Services; and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers a variety of business process services, and appeals and assessments for state, provincial and national government programs. The U.S. Federal Services segment includes process solutions, program management, as well as system and software development, and maintenance services for various United States federal civilian programs. The Outside the U.S segment comprises of national, state, and county human services agencies with a variety of business process services, and related consulting services for welfare-to-work, child support, higher education institutions, and other human services programs. The company was founded by David V. Mastran in 1975 and is headquartered in Reston, VA.

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Oshkosh Corp. engages in the design, manufacture, and market of specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies. It operates through the following segments: Access Equipment, Defense, Fire & Emergency, and Commercial. The Access Equipment segment consists of JerrDan and JLG, which manufactures aerial work platforms; and telehandlers that are used in construction, industrial, institutional, and general maintenance applications to position workers and materials at elevated heights. The Defense segment produces tactical wheeled vehicles; and supply parts and services for the United States military and other militaries around the world. The Fire and Emergency segment sells commercial and custom fire vehicles; simulators and emergency vehicles primarily for fire departments, airports and other governmental units; and broadcast vehicles for broadcasters and television stations. The Commercial segment includes McNeilus, CON-E-CO, London, Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc (IMT), and Oshkosh Commercial. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Oshkosh, WI.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Teledyne Technologies: Alia Corporation Inc, Bolt Technology Corp, Bowtech Products, CARIS, CDL do Brasil Equipamentos e Servicos Submarinos Sociedade Empresaria Ltda., CETAC Technologies, DALSA, Demo Systems, Detcon Holdco Inc., Ensambles de Precision S.A. de C.V., Falcon Analytical, Frontline Test Equipment, GMI Group Holdings Limited, Hafmynd ehf, Hanson Research Corp, IST Oldham Instruments India Private Limited, Industrial Control Machines, Intelek, Intelek Limited, Intelek Pension Trustees Limited, Intelek Properties Limited, LeCroy (Beijing) Trading Co. Ltd., LeCroy Corporation, Lidar Aviation Services Inc., Maple Imaging LLC, Micralyne Inc, Ocean Design Ltda., Oldham Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Oldham Simtronics SAS, Oldham-Winter GmbH, PDM Neptec, Reynolds Industries Limited, Rhombi Canada LP, Rhombi Holdings Limited, Rhombi Netherlands B.V., Rockwell Scientific Company, Simtronics AS, TDY Jersey Limited, Teledyne Advanced Pollution Instrumentation, Teledyne Australia Pty Ltd, Teledyne BlueView, Teledyne Bogatin Enterprises LLC, Teledyne Bowtech Limited, Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Teledyne C.M.L. Group Limited, Teledyne CARIS B.V., Teledyne CARIS Inc., Teledyne CARIS UK Ltd., Teledyne CARIS USA Inc., Teledyne CDL Inc., Teledyne CDL Limited, Teledyne Catalyst Enterprises Inc., Teledyne Computer Access Technology Corporation, Teledyne Controls LLC, Teledyne Cougar, Teledyne Czech s.r.o., Teledyne DALSA (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Teledyne DALSA Asia-Pacific Ltd., Teledyne DALSA B.V., Teledyne DALSA GmbH, Teledyne DALSA Inc., Teledyne DALSA Industrial Products Inc., Teledyne DALSA K.K., Teledyne DALSA Semiconductor Inc., Teledyne Dalsa, Teledyne Defense Electronics LLC, Teledyne Denmark A/S, Teledyne Detcon Inc., Teledyne Digital Imaging Inc., Teledyne Digital Imaging US Inc., Teledyne Energy Systems Inc., Teledyne Europe Holdings C.V., Teledyne France, Teledyne France SAS, Teledyne Gas Measurement Instruments Limited, Teledyne Gavia ehf., Teledyne Germany GmbH, Teledyne Hanson Research Inc., Teledyne ICM SA, Teledyne ICM SPRL, Teledyne Innovaciones Microelectronics S.L.U., Teledyne Instruments Inc., Teledyne Instruments Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Teledyne Japan Corporation, Teledyne Korea Ltd., Teledyne Labtech Limited, Teledyne LeCroy AB, Teledyne LeCroy Delaware LLC, Teledyne LeCroy GmbH, Teledyne LeCroy Inc., Teledyne LeCroy India Trading Private Ltd., Teledyne LeCroy Japan Corporation, Teledyne LeCroy Korea Ltd., Teledyne LeCroy OakGate Inc., Teledyne LeCroy S.A.R.L., Teledyne LeCroy S.R.L., Teledyne LeCroy SA, Teledyne LeCroy Singapore Pte. Ltd., Teledyne Limited, Teledyne Micralyne Inc., Teledyne Monitor Labs, Teledyne Monitor Labs P.R. Inc., Teledyne Netherlands B.V., Teledyne ODI, Teledyne Optech Inc., Teledyne Paradise Datacom Limited, Teledyne RD Instruments, Teledyne RD Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Teledyne RESON, Teledyne RESON A/S, Teledyne RESON B.V., Teledyne RESON GmbH, Teledyne RESON Holding B.V., Teledyne RESON Inc., Teledyne RESON Pte. Ltd., Teledyne RESON UK Limited, Teledyne RISI Inc., Teledyne Rad-icon Imaging Corp., Teledyne Redlake MASD LLC, Teledyne Reynolds Inc., Teledyne SG Brown Limited, Teledyne Scientific & Imaging LLC, Teledyne Scientific Imaging GmbH, Teledyne Scientific Imaging Limited, Teledyne Signal Processing Devices Sweden AB, Teledyne Singapore Private Limited, Teledyne TSS Limited, Teledyne Taiwan Company, Teledyne Technologies (Bermuda) Limited, Teledyne Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Teledyne Technologies International Corp., Teledyne Technologies Israel Ltd., Teledyne Tekmar Company, Teledyne UK Limited, Teledyne VariSystems, Teledyne VariSystems Inc., Teledyne Wireless LLC, Teledyne e2v, Teledyne e2v (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Teledyne e2v (Overseas) Holdings Limited, Teledyne e2v Asia Pacific Limited, Teledyne e2v Limited, Teledyne e2v Semiconductors SAS, and The Oceanscience Group Ltd..
The Southern pays an annual dividend of $2.64 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 4.22%. 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.
The following companies are subsidiares of CVS Health: @Credentials Inc., ACS ACQCO CORP., ADMINCO Inc., AE Fourteen Incorporated, AHP Holdings Inc., AMC - Tennessee LLC, APS Acquisition LLC, ASCO HealthCare LLC, ASI Wings LLC, AUSHC Holdings Inc., Accendo Insurance Company, Accordant Health Services L.L.C., Active Health Management Inc., Administrative Enterprises Inc., AdvancePCS SpecialtyRx LLC, AdvanceRx.com L.L.C., Advanced Care Scripts Inc., Aetna, Aetna (Beijing) Enterprise Management Services Co. Ltd., Aetna (Shanghai) Enterprise Services Co. Ltd., Aetna ACO Holdings Inc., Aetna Asset Advisors LLC, Aetna Behavioral Health LLC, Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health of California Inc., Aetna Better Health of Florida Inc., Aetna Better Health of Kansas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Better Health of Missouri LLC, Aetna Better Health of Nevada Inc., Aetna Better Health of North Carolina Inc., Aetna Better Health of Oklahoma Inc., Aetna Better Health of Texas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Washington Inc., Aetna Capital Management LLC, Aetna Card Solutions LLC, Aetna Corporate Services LLC, Aetna Dental Inc., Aetna Dental of California Inc., Aetna Financial Holdings LLC, Aetna Florida Inc., Aetna Global Benefits (Asia Pacific) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bahamas) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bermuda) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Europe) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Middle East) LLC, Aetna Global Benefits (Singapore) PTE. LTD., Aetna Global Benefits (UK) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits Limited (DIFC UAE), Aetna Global Holdings Limited, Aetna Health Holdings LLC, Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Aetna Health Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe DAC, Aetna Health Management LLC, Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company, Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of Iowa Inc., Aetna Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Health of Ohio Inc., Aetna Health of Utah Inc., Aetna HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Aetna Holdco (UK) Limited, Aetna Holdings (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Inc., Aetna Insurance (Hong Kong) Limite, Aetna Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Aetna Insurance Company Limited, Aetna Integrated Informatics Inc., Aetna International Inc., Aetna Ireland Inc., Aetna Korea Ltd., Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd., Aetna Life Assignment Company, Aetna Life Insurance Company, Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC, Aetna Multi-Strategy 1099 Fund LLC, Aetna Network Services LLC, Aetna Partners Diversified Fund LLC, Aetna Pharmacy Management Services LLC, Aetna Resources LLC, Aetna Risk Assurance Company of Connecticut Inc., Aetna Rx Home Delivery LLC, Aetna Services (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Aetna Student Health Agency Inc., Aetna Ventures LLC, Aetna Workers Comp Access LLC, Alabama CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Alaska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, American Continental Insurance Company, American Drug Stores Delaware L.L.C., American Health Holding Inc., Arbor Drugs, Arizona CVS Stores L.L.C., Arkansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Badger Acquisition LLC, Badger Acquisition of Kentucky LLC, Badger Acquisition of Minnesota LLC, Badger Acquisition of Ohio LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Company, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Plan Inc., Beauty Holdings L.L.C., Best Care LTC Acquisition Company LLC, Busse CVS L.L.C., CCI Foreign S.a R.L. (R.C.S. Luxembourg), CCRx Holdings LLC, CCRx of North Carolina LLC, CHP Acquisition LLC, CP Acquisition LLC, CVS 2948 Henderson L.L.C., CVS 3268 Gilbert L.L.C., CVS 3745 Peoria L.L.C., CVS AL Distribution L.L.C., CVS AOC Corporation, CVS AOC Services L.L.C., CVS Albany L.L.C., CVS Bellmore Avenue L.L.C., CVS Care Concierge LLC, CVS Caremark Advanced Technology Pharmacy L.L.C., CVS Caremark Indemnity Ltd., CVS Caremark Part D Services L.L.C., CVS Caremark TN SUTA LLC, CVS Foreign Inc., CVS Gilbert 3272 L.L.C., CVS Health Solutions LLC, CVS Indiana L.L.C., CVS International L.L.C., CVS Kidney Care Advanced Technologies LLC, CVS Kidney Care Health Services LLC, CVS Kidney Care Home Dialysis LLC, CVS Kidney Care LLC, CVS Manchester NH L.L.C., CVS Media Exchange LLC, CVS Michigan L.L.C., CVS Orlando FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS PA Distribution L.L.C., CVS PR Center Inc., CVS Pharmacy Inc., CVS RS Arizona L.L.C., CVS Rx Services Inc., CVS SC Distribution L.L.C., CVS State Capital L.L.C., CVS TN Distribution L.L.C., CVS Transportation L.L.C., CVS Vero FL Distribution L.L.C., Campos Medical Pharmacy LLC, Canal Place LLC, Care Pharmaceutical Services LP, CareCenter Pharmacy L.L.C., Carefree Insurance Services Inc., Caremark Arizona Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Arizona Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark California Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Florida Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Florida Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Hawaii Mail Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Hawaii Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark IPA L.L.C., Caremark Illinois Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Illinois Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Irving Resource Center LLC, Caremark Kansas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark L.L.C., Caremark Logistics LLC, Caremark Louisiana Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Maryland Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Massachusetts Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Michigan Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Minnesota Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark New Jersey Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark North Carolina Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ohio Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Pennsylvania Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark PhC L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Redlands Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Repack LLC, Caremark Rx L.L.C., Caremark Tennessee Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ulysses Holding Corp., Caremark Washington Specialty Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Alabama Mail Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Health L.L.C., CaremarkPCS L.L.C., Central Rx Services LLC, Claims Administration Corp., Cofinity Inc., Compscript LLC, Connecticut CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood Tennessee, Continuing Care Rx LLC, Coram Alternate Site Services Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Alabama, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater D.C., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater New York, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Indiana, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Massachusetts, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Mississippi, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Nevada, Coram Healthcare Corporation of North Texas, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Northern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Utah, Coram LLC, Coram Rx LLC, Coram Specialty Infusion, Coram Specialty Infusion Services L.L.C., Coventry Consumer Advantage Inc., Coventry Health Care National Accounts Inc., Coventry Health Care National Network Inc., Coventry Health Care Workers Compensation Inc., Coventry Health Care of Illinois Inc., Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc., Coventry Health Care of Missouri Inc., Coventry Health Care of Nebraska Inc., Coventry Health Care of Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Care of West Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Plan of Florida Inc., Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company, Coventry HealthCare Management Corporation, Coventry Prescription Management Services Inc., Coventry Rehabilitation Services Inc., Coventry Transplant Network Inc., D & R Pharmaceutical Services LLC, D.A.W. LLC, Delaware CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Delaware Physicians Care Incorporated, Digital eHealth LLC, District of Columbia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., E.T.B. INC., Echo Merger Sub Inc., Eckerd Corporation of Florida Inc., Employee Assistance Services LLC, Enloe Drugs LLC, Enterprise Patient Safety Organization LLC, EntrustRX, Evergreen Pharmaceutical LLC, Evergreen Pharmaceutical of California Inc., Express Pharmacy Services of PA L.L.C., FOCUS HealthCare Management Inc., First Health Group Corp., First Health Life & Health Insurance Company, First Script Network Services Inc., Florida Health Plan Administrators LLC, Garfield Beach CVS L.L.C., Generation Health L.L.C., Geneva Woods Health Services LLC, Geneva Woods LTC Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Management LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Alaska LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Washington LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Wyoming LLC, Geneva Woods Retail Pharmacy LLC, Georgia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., German Dobson CVS L.L.C., Goodhealth Worldwide (Asia) Limited, Goodhealth Worldwide (Global) Limited, Goodyear CVS L.L.C., Grand St. Paul CVS L.L.C., Grandview Pharmacy LLC, Group Dental Service Inc., Group Dental Service of Maryland Inc., Health Care Management Co. Ltd., Health Data & Management Solutions Inc., Health Re Inc., Health and Human Resource Center Inc., HealthAssuance Pennsylvania Inc., Healthagen LLC, Highland Park CVS L.L.C., Holiday CVS L.L.C., Home Care Pharmacy LLC, Home Pharmacy Services LLC, Hook-SupeRx L.L.C., Horizon Behavioral Services LLC, Idaho CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., IlliniCare Health, Indian Health Organisation Private Limited, Innovation Health Holdings LLC, Innovation Health Insurance Company, Innovation Health Plan Inc., Interlock Pharmacy Systems LLC, Iowa CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., JHC Acquisition LLC, Kansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Kentucky CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., LCPS Acquisition LLC, Langsam Health Services LLC, Lo-Med Prescription Services LLC, Lobos Acquisition LLC, Longs Drug Stores, Longs Drug Stores California L.L.C., Louisiana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., MHHP Acquisition Company LLC, MHNet Life and Health Insurance Company, MHNet Specialty Services LLC, MHNet of Florida Inc., Managed Care Coordinators Inc., Managed Healthcare LLC, Martin Health Services LLC, Maryland CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Med World Acquisition Corp., Medical Arts Health Care LLC, Medical Examinations of New York P.C., Melville Realty Company Inc., MemberHealth LLC, Mental Health Associates Inc., Mental Health Network of New York IPA Inc., Meritain Health Inc., Merwin Long Term Care LLC, MetraComp Inc., Minor Health Enterprise Co Ltd., MinuteClinic, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Alabama L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arizona LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Florida LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Georgia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Hawaii L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Illinois LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Kentucky L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Louisiana L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maine L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maryland LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Massachusetts LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Nebraska L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Hampshire L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Mexico L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Ohio LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oklahoma LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oregon LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Pennsylvania LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Rhode Island LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of South Carolina L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Texas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Utah L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Virginia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Washington LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Wisconsin L.L.C., MinuteClinic L.L.C., MinuteClinic Online Diagnostic Services LLC, MinuteClinic Physician Practice of Texas, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services LLC, Mississippi CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Missouri CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Montana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NCS Healthcare LLC, NCS Healthcare of Illinois LLC, NCS Healthcare of Iowa LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kansas LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kentucky Inc. (Oh, NCS Healthcare of Montana LLC, NCS Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, NCS Healthcare of Ohio LLC, NCS Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, NCS Healthcare of Tennessee LLC, NCS Healthcare of Wisconsin LLC, NIV Acquisition LLC, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Nebraska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NeighborCare Holdings Inc., NeighborCare Inc., NeighborCare Pharmacy Services Inc., NeighborCare Services Corporation, NeighborCare of Indiana LLC, NeighborCare of Virginia LLC, New Jersey CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Niagara Re Inc., North Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., North Shore Pharmacy Services LLC, NovoLogix LLC, OCR Services LLC, Ocean Acquisition Sub L.L.C., Ohio CVS Stores L.L.C., Oklahoma CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Omnicare, Omnicare Holding Company, Omnicare Inc., Omnicare Indiana Partnership Holding Company LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania East LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania West LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of the Great Plains Holding LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy and Supply Services LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of Tennessee LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of the Midwest LLC, Omnicare Property Management LLC, Omnicare of Nebraska LLC, Omnicare of Nevada LLC, Omnicare of New York LLC, Oregon CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., PE Holdings LLC, PHPSNE Parent Corporation, PP Acquisition Company LLC, PRN Pharmaceutical Services LP, PT Aetna Management Consulting, Pamplona Saude e Beleza LTDA, Part D Holding Company L.L.C., PayFlex Holdings Inc., PayFlex Systems USA Inc., Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Performax Inc., Pharmacy Associates of Glenn Falls LLC, Pharmacy Consultants LLC, Phoenix Data Solutions LLC, Precision Benefit Services Inc., Prime Net Inc., ProCare Pharmacy Direct L.L.C., ProCare Pharmacy L.L.C., Prodigy Health Group Inc., Professional Risk Management Inc., Pt. Aetna Global Benefits Indonesia, Puerto Rico CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Red Oak Sourcing LLC, Resources for Living LLC, Rhode Island CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Roeschens Healthcare LLC, RxAmerica, Schaller Anderson Medical Administrators Incorporated, Scrip World LLC, Sheffield Avenue CVS L.L.C., Shore Pharmaceutical Providers LLC, Silverscript Insurance Company, Soma Intimates, South Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., South Wabash CVS L.L.C., Specialized Pharmacy Services LLC, Spinnaker Bidco Limited, Spinnaker Topco Limited, Stadtlander Drug Company, Stadtlander Pharmacy, Sterling Healthcare Services LLC, Superior Care Pharmacy LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Administrative Services LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, T2 Medical Inc., TCPI Acquisition LLC, TargetPharmacy, Tennessee CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Company, Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Texas Health + Aetna Health Plan Inc., The Vasquez Group Inc., Thomas Phoenix CVS L.L.C., Three Forks Apothecary LLC, U.S Healthcare Holdings LLC, U.S. Healthcare Properties Inc., UAC Holding Inc., UC Acquisition LLC, UNI-Care Health Services of Maine LLC, Universal American - Medicare Part D Business, Utah CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., VAPS Acquisition Company LLC, Value Health Care Services LLC, Vermont CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virtual Home Healthcare L.L.C., Warm Springs Road CVS L.L.C., Washington CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Washington Lamb CVS L.L.C., Weber Medical Systems LLC, Wellpartner LLC, West Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Westhaven Services Co LLC, Williamson Drug Company LLC, Wisconsin CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Woodward Detroit CVS L.L.C., Work and Family Benefits Inc., ZS Acquisition Company LLC, Zinc Health Services LLC, Zinc Health Ventures LLC, bSwift LLC, and iTriage LLC.
United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; and offers modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators, as well as maintenance and repair services. The company's Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation products, solutions, and services for commercial, government, infrastructure, residential, and refrigeration and transportation applications. This segment also offers building services, including audit, design, installation, system integration, repair, maintenance, and monitoring. Its Pratt & Whitney segment supplies aircraft engines for commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets; and provides aftermarket maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as fleet management services. The company's Collins Aerospace Systems segment provides electric power generation, power management, and distribution systems; air data and aircraft sensing systems; engine control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; engine components; environmental control systems; fire and ice detection, and protection systems; propeller systems; engine nacelle systems; aircraft lighting, seating, and cargo systems; actuation and landing systems; space products and subsystems; avionics systems; flight controls, communications, navigation, oxygen, and training systems; food and beverage preparation, and storage and galley systems; and lavatory and wastewater management systems. The company offers its services through manufacturers' representatives, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, retail outlets, and sales representatives, as well as directly to customers. United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut.

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William Lyon Homes (NYSE:WLH) issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November, 6th. The construction company reported $0.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.07. The construction company had revenue of $466.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $487.15 million. William Lyon Homes had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 6.98% and a net margin of 3.04%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 12.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share.

View William Lyon Homes' earnings history.
The following companies are subsidiares of IDEX: ADS Corp., ADS Environmental Services Pty Limited, ADS Environmental Technologies Inc., ADS LLC, AEGIS Flow Technologies, AEGIS Flow Technologies L.L.C., AWG, AWG Fittings GmbH, Abel Pumps, Advanced Thin Films, Advanced Thin Films Inc., Airtech Group, Akron Brass, Akron Brass Company, Alfa Valvole, Alfa Valvole S.r.l., Band-It Clamps (Asia) Pte. Ltd., Band-It Company Limited, Band-It-IDEX Inc., Banjo Corporation, Banjo Europe S.r.l., BarbIDEX International SRL, CIDRA Precision Services, CVI Laser, CVI Laser LLC, CVI Laser Limited, CVI Melles Griot, Corken Inc., ERC, Eastern Plastics, FAST & Fluid Management S.r.l., FM Delaware Inc., FM Investment Inc., FMD Distribution and Service LLC, FMD Fabrication Services LLC, FTL Seals Technology Limited, Fast & Fluid Management B.V., Fast & Fluid Management Eastern Europe Sp. Z O.O., Fast and Fluid Management Australia Pty. Ltd., Flow Management Devices, Flow Management Devices LLC, Fluid Management Canada Inc., Fluid Management Inc., Fluid Management Operations LLC, Gast Group Ltd, Gast Manufacturing Inc., Godiva Limited, Godiva Products Limited, Hale Products Europe Limited, Hale Products Inc., Hurst Jaws of Life Inc., IDEX Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., IDEX Dinglee Technology (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., IDEX Europe GmbH, IDEX Health & Science KK, IDEX Health & Science LLC, IDEX Holdings GmbH, IDEX Holdings Inc., IDEX India Private Limited, IDEX Italy S.r.l., IDEX Japan GK, IDEX Korea Ltd, IDEX Leasing GmbH, IDEX MPT Inc., IDEX Mexico S.A. de C.V., IDEX Middle East FZE, IDEX Pump Technologies (Ireland) Limited, IDEX SAS, IDEX Service Corp., IDEX Sourcing Corporation, IDEX Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., IDEX Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, IDEX UK Investment Ltd, IDEX UK Ltd., IDEX do Brasil Servicos e Vendas Ltda., IETG, Isolation Technologies, KNIGHT LLC, KVT-Koenig Holding Limited, Knight (Canada) Limited, Knight Inc., Knight UK Ltd, LUKAS Hydraulik GmbH, Liquid Controls, Liquid Controls LLC, Matcon, Matcon (R&D) Limited, Matcon Group Limited, Matcon Limited, Melles Griot B.V., Melles Griot GmbH, Microfluidics, Microfluidics International Corporation, Micropump Inc., Nova Technologies, Nova Technologies Corporation, Novotema, Novotema S.p.A, OBL, OBL Srl, Oil & Gas Process Solutions LLC, PP AWG GmbH, PPE International LLC, PPE LLC, Precision Photonics, Precision Polymer Engineering Limited, Project Gold Acquisition Corp., Pulsafeeder Inc., Quadro Engineering Corp., RV Acquisition Corp., Richter Chemie-Technik, Richter Chemie-Technik GmbH, Richter EP (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Richter Pumps & Valves Inc., Roplan AB, Roplan GmbH, Roplan Holding AB, Roplan Ltd, Roplan Machinery (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Roplan Machining AB, Roplan Sales (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Roplan Sales AB, Roplan Sales Inc., Roplan Trading AB, S.A.M.P.I. S.p.A., SFC KOENIG, SFC KOENIG Flow Control (Suzhou) Co. Limited, SFC Koenig AG, SFC Koenig Beteilgungs GmbH, SFC Koenig GmbH, SFC Koenig LLC, Scivex, Seals Limited, Semrock, Steridose Sales AB, The Fitzpatrick Company, Toptech Systems, Toptech Systems Inc., Toptech Systems NV, Trebor International Inc., Velcora, Velcora Holding AB, Vetter GmbH, Viking Pump Inc., Viking Pump of Canada Inc., Warren Rupp Inc., Wright Flow Technologies Limited, XAM Swiss Holding I GmbH, iPEK, iPEK International GmbH, iPEK Spezial TV GmbH, thinXXS Microtechnology, and thinXXS Microtechnology AG.
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.

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iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF's stock was trading at $37.46 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EEM shares have increased by 37.4% and is now trading at $51.47.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
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As the U.S. Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of Texas's Heartbeat Bill, a law that prevents abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy, justices appeared to focus on the bill's enforcement mechanism that allows anyone to file a lawsuit against those violating the law. The mechanism is considered a loophole to the constitutional right to abortion because it removed responsibility for enforcement from state officials. Do you believe justices should support the enforcement mechanism?

You voted:
When was the last time you looked at your bank account balance? According to a survey, over 60% of Americans check their balance at least once a week. This habit, if practiced the right way, can put you on the path to achieving your financial...
The festival season is already underway and a lot of you might be looking to a get your new car delivered in the most auspicious Navratri period in October.

The festival season is already underway and a lot of you might be looking to a get your new car delivered in the most auspicious Navratri period in October. And if its a budget SUV you are looking for, then were sure youve shortlisted one of the many offerings from homegrown carmaker Mahindra. Read on to find out if you can drive that new Mahindra home during Navratri.

Note: Waiting periods last updated on 19 September 2018. Cars not mentioned in the table, apart from the Marazzo, attract a waiting period of fewer than 10 days

Delhi-NCR: Those living in the nations capital can get a Mahindra car by Navratri if they book one soon. The KUV100, TUV300 and the TUV300 Plus currently attract a waiting period of two weeks. The waiting period for both versions of the TUV is, in fact, lower than the KUV100 cities such as Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad. Currently, the KUV100 attracts a waiting period of 15 days in Noida.

Mumbai: Alas, it is unlikely that Mumbaikars will get their hands on a Mahindra by Navratri since all the models attract a waiting period of around 4-5 weeks.

Bengaluru: Like in Mumbai, customers in Bengaluru have to wait for around a month. So, expect to get your hands on one post-Navratri only.

Hyderabad: Those living in Hyderabad can get their cars by Navratri, provided they book one immediately. Customers in Hyderabad need to wait for just three weeks to get their cars delivered. In fact, the KUV100 attracts a waiting period of just two weeks.

Chennai: The waiting period for cars in Chennai extends up to 20 days (around three weeks). Hence, if you are interested in buying a Mahindra, you better hurry up and order one now to get it delivered by Navratri.

Also Read: Mahindra S201 To Offer A Sunroof & Marazzos 1.5-litre Diesel Engine

Jaipur: Things look better for the residents of the Pink City as all Mahindra cars are available within 15 days of booking. So even if you decide to book a car next week, you can get your hands on your favourite Mahindra by Navratri.

Ahmedabad: Those living in Ahmedabad dont have to worry about getting their cars delivered by Navratri as all Mahindra cars are readily available there.

Lucknow: Like Ahmedabad, all Mahindra cars, except the TUV300, are readily available in Lucknow as well. The TUV300 attracts a waiting period of 45 days.

Kolkata: The residents of Kolkata can get their cars by Navratri only if they book now as there is a waiting period of three weeks for the KUV100, TUV300, TUV300 Plus and the XUV500.

Chandigarh: All the cars are readily available in Chandigarh, so you can walk in and buy your favourite Mahindra car during Navratri.

Indore: Residents of Indias cleanest city can get their hands on their favourite Mahindra car by Navratri only if they book a car now. There is a waiting period of 20 days on all Mahindra cars in Indore. So, hurry up!

The waiting periods for Mahindra cars in most of the cities is not much, so buyers can, in fact, get their preferred model by Navratri. However, there are some cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow (for TUV300) where the waiting periods are around one month. Hence, we suggest prospective customers residing in these cities to contact their nearest Mahindra dealer to find out if they can expedite deliveries by Navratri or around Diwali as they anticipate high volume sales during this period.

Also Read: Mahindra Marazzo Accessories: Front Parking Sensors, Heads-up Display & More

KUV100 TUV300 XUV500 TUV300 Plus Delhi 2 weeks 2 weeks 2 weeks 2 weeks Gurugram No waiting No waiting No waiting No waiting Noida 15 days No waiting No waiting No waiting Mumbai 5 weeks 5 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks Bengaluru 1 month 1 month 1 month 1 month Hyderabad 2 weeks 3 weeks 3 weeks 3 weeks Chennai 3 weeks 20 days 3 weeks 20 days Jaipur 15 days 15 days 15 days 15 days Ahmedabad No waiting No waiting No waiting No waiting Lucknow No waiting 45 days No waiting No waiting Kolkata 3 weeks 3 weeks 3 weeks 3 weeks Chandigarh No waiting No waiting No waiting No waiting Indore 20 days 20 days 20 days 20 days

Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho.
RBI and Yes Bank did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Shares of Yes Bank Ltd plummeted on Friday and were on track for their worst day since market debut after the Reserve Bank of India curtailed Chief Executive Officer Rana Kapoors term until Jan. 31, 2019.

The stock plunged as much as 31.7 per cent to 287.30 rupees, with more than 105 million shares changing hands - over 5 times their 30-day average volume.

RBI and Yes Bank did not immediately respond to request for comment.
A newly engaged woman sought shelter in a Chinese take-out restaurant after she was viciously stabbed during a routine jog near her home in Washington D.C.

Wendy Karina Martinez, 35, was killed Tuesday in what the D.C. Metro Police Department is calling a random attack.

Police have arrested 23-year-old Anthony Crawford in connection with the stabbing Thursday morning. He was reportedly charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Martinez was last seen alive in the restaurants security footage, which shows her stumbling into the shop and up to the counter, dripping in blood. She then collapsed in the corner, and two customers attempted to help her as they waited for an ambulance to arrive.

There was a nurse in close proximity that tried to provide medical attention to this young woman, Chief of Police Peter Newsham said in a statement. But unfortunately, she lost her life.

Martinez was an avid runner, often running miles across the city at a time, her family said in a statement.

"Wendy Karina Martinez was the light of our lives. Not only was she an avid runner, but she was a devout Christian, a wonderful friend, and a driven professional  everything you hope that a daughter and a friend could be," they said in a statement.

Martinez accepted a proposal from her new fiance, Daniel Hincapie, just one week before her death, her family said.

"This is one of those types of unsettling incidents that sometimes happens in a large city, but this seems like a singular incident," Newsham said. What the motive is, we dont know.

Police recovered a single knife at the scene, and said they do not believe the stabbing was a thwarted robbery attempt.

Authorities also released footage of the suspect walking away from the scene

The D.C. Police Department is continuing to investigate the case, and are asking anyone with more information to come forward.
The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

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[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

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Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

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Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
Screengrabs from the song 'Badhaiyaan Tenu' from Badhaai Ho.

New Delhi: After creating hype with its trailer last week, the makers of 'Badhaai Ho' have now released the first song from the quirky comedy.

Tilted 'Badhaiyaan Tenu', the song is a package of groovy beats in which lead actor Ayushmann Khurrana aptly describes his plight and embarrassment owing to his parents' active sex life and the consequences of it.

Sung by Brijesh Shandailya, Romy and Jordan, the lyrics of the song have been penned by Vayu.

The trailer of Ayushmann-Sanya Malhotra starrer promised a fun ride with some rib-tickling comedy with the big news about the pregnancy of Ayushmann's mother, played by actor Neena Gupta.

'Dangal' star Sanya Malhotra will play the 'Vicky Donor' actor's love interest in the film. It also stars Surekha Sikri, Gajraj Rao and Sheeba Chaddha in pivotal roles.

The comedy, which is helmed by 'Tevar' director Amit Sharma, is slated to release on October 19.
Vijay Deverakondas forthcoming bilingual film, NOTA, is in the news for the wrong reasons! The film, directed by Anand Shankar, has courted controversy after the release of the trailer.

Writer Shashank Vennelakanti, who apparently quit the project mid-way, was replaced by someone else. But he claims that the dialogues mouthed by the hero (Vijay Deverakonda), in the trailer of the Telugu version, were penned by him for which he wasnt given credit.

Gnanavel Raja

A furious Shashank has lodged a complaint at the Police Commissioners Office in Chennai against the producer. The complaint has now been forwarded to the T. Nagar Police Station under the purview of which producer Gnanavel Rajas production house falls.

I am a member of the South Indian Film Writer Association and AP Telugu Cine Writers Association. I have brought the matter to the concerned associations notice. I waited for more than one week but neither got back to me. So I have lodged a police complaint, shares Shashank.

Shashank Vennelakanti

He further claims that the filmmakers are yet to pay him his dues. The filmmakers owe me a certain sum for my earlier assignments too but they havent paid me yet, states Shashank, adding, Raja and I are good friends. But I am fighting on professional grounds.

On the other hand, Raja refuses to buckle under pressure. He says, I have known Shashank for the last decade or so but I dont want to comment on this issue. Hes the one who triggered it.

With the films release date nearing, itll be interesting to see how this issue is solved!

HT04
Actor Venkatesh is all set to take on a new role  this time in real life. If sources are to be believed, hes about to become a father-in-law. Reports suggest that his daughter Aashritha is soon to marry the grandson of R. Surender Reddy, the chairman of the Hyderabad Race Club.

According to a source, the boy and the girl have known each other for a long time, and its they who have conveyed to their families a desire to make the relationship official.

Venkateshs brother Suresh Babu recently visited the boys home and confirmed the match, the source adds.

Venkatesh is currently in Prague, shooting with director Anil Ravipudi for his upcoming film F2. It is believed that an engagement ceremony will be held when he returns to Hyderabad in a couple of days.

The actors daughter Aashirtha is a professional baker who goes by the name Infinity Platter on Instagram. She recently put up a few stalls of homemade cookies at Ramanaidu Studios.

Meanwhile, the boys father, Raghu Rami Reddy, is a close friend of former Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. Were expecting the wedding to be a star-studded affair.

HT01/04
Publishing their finding in the International Journal of Cancer, the authors said the hormone is a 'possible biomarker' for breast cancer. (Photo: AFP)

A new study now suggests that women with high levels of a hormone that can be detected using a simple blood test may have higher risk of breast cancer.

According to the study, those who have elevated levels of anti -Mullerian hormone (AMH)  which indicates the size of a woman's ovarian reserve  are 60 per cent more likely to develop breast cancer compared to women with low levels of the hormone.

Researchers from New York University (NYU) School of Medicine examined blood samples from almost 6,000 premenopausal women across the US and Europe.

Post ananlysis, they found that those with the highest levels of the hormone were more likely to develop breast cancer.

Publishing their finding in the International Journal of Cancer, the authors said the hormone is a 'possible biomarker' for breast cancer.

Speaking about the study, lead author Professor Anne Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, from NYU School of Medicine, said that the link they found between anti-Mullerian hormone and breast cancer risk is interesting because few markers of risk in the blood have been identified for premenopausal women.

He added, Our study found a moderate risk increase and we hope additional markers can now be found to help substantially improve individual risk prediction.

Co-author Anthony Swerdlow, professor of epidemiology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, who leads the Breast Cancer Now Generations Study, added that in the future, anti-Mullerian hormone could be factored into new ways of predicting individual women's risk of developing the disease.
Prior research has estimated that more than 60 per cent of adults have been involved in on-off relationships. (Photo: Pixabay)

Washington DC: Did you know that on-off relationships can be toxic for your mental health? Such relationships are associated with higher rates of abuse, poorer communication and lower levels of commitment, a new study reveals.

There are characters like Sam and Diane from 'Cheers', Ross and Rachel from 'Friends', and Carrie and Mr. Big from 'Sex and the City', which were a part of on-off relationships, keeping us entertained.

However, a researcher from the University of Missouri, Columbia says that the pattern of breaking up and getting back together can be harmful for an individual's mental health. He suggests that people in these kinds of relationships should make informed decisions about stabilizing or safely terminating their relationships.

Prior research has estimated that more than 60 per cent of adults have been involved in on-off relationships, and more than one - third of cohabiting couples reported breaking up and later reconciling at some point. Compared to relationships without this pattern, on-off relationships are associated with higher rates of abuse and communication gap.

"Breaking up and getting back together is not always a bad omen for a couple. In fact, for some couples, breaking up can help partners realize the importance of their relationship, contributing to healthier, more committed unions. On the other hand, partners who are routinely breaking up and getting back together could be negatively impacted by the pattern," said Kale Monk, assistant professor of human development and family science.

Monk and co-authors Brian Ogolsky and Ramona Oswald examined data from more than 500 individuals currently in relationships. They found that an increase in breaking up and reuniting was associated with more psychological distress symptoms such as depression and anxiety. They did not find meaningful differences between same-sex and heterosexual relationships in this pattern.

Partners break up and reunite for a number of reasons; a common one is necessity or practicality. For example, a person might stay in a relationship for financial reasons or partners might stay together because they feel they have invested too much time into the relationship to leave. However, Monk advises that former partners should get back together based on dedication, and not on obligation.

Monk suggested a few tips for couples that included, when considering rekindling a relationship that ended or avoiding future breakups, partners should think about the reasons that led to the break up to determine if there are persistent issues impacting the relationship.

Another step they can take is to have explicit conversations about issues that led to the break-up, especially if the issues will likely reoccur. If there was ever violence in the relationship, however, or if having a conversation about relationship issues can lead to safety concerns, consider seeking support-services when it is safe to do so.

One can also spend time thinking about the reasons why reconciliation might be an option. Is the reason rooted in commitment and positive feelings, or more about obligations and convenience? The latter reasons are more likely to lead down a path of continual distress.

Another point to take into consideration is that it is okay to end a toxic relationship. For example, if your relationship is beyond repair, do not feel guilty leaving for your mental well-being.

Couple therapy or relationship counseling can also be of help. Even happy dating and married couples can benefit from 'relationship check-ups' in order to strengthen the connection between partners and have additional support in approaching relationship transitions.

The findings appeared in the journal of Family Relations.
Chennai: Customs officials at the Chennai international airport here, on Thursday, detected four cases of gold smuggling worth Rs 30.5 lakh.

According to airport sources, officials detained Karthick (45) of Ariyalur, who arrived at the Chennai airport from Bahrain in Gulf airlines, on Thursday morning.

On suspicion, they searched his baggage but found nothing. On closer scrutiny, they found gold weighing 350 grams stitched to his suit. Officials seized the gold worth Rs 10.5 lakh and detained him.

Likewise, officials searched a passenger named Arokyiam (51), who had arrived at the Chennai Airport from Kuala Lumpur in an Air Asia flight.

He had concealed the gold pieces in key chains which he brought from Malaysia. The gold was seized and he was taken into custody, officials said.

In the third case, officials searched a passenger named Praveen (46) of Sivagangai, who arrived at the Chennai international airport on a flight from Dubai on the wee hours of Friday, and found a gold chain weighing 300 grams kept in a sweet box.

In another incident, customs officials stopped Mohammed Hussain (32) and Ashraf (26) of Chennai who arrived at the Chennai international airport to board an Indigo airlines jet, to Colombo.

On searching their baggage, officials found Rs 5 lakh worth Saudi currency Riyal, in a hidden column in their baggage. All the five were detained and a total of Rs 30.5 lakh smuggled gold was seized from them.
As per the 2015 census, Gir is home to 520 lions. (Photo: ANI)

Rajkot: The carcasses of 11 lions were found in Gujarat's Gir forest, prompting the state government to order an inquiry, officials said on Thursday.

All the dead lions were found in Gir (east) division, mainly from Dalkhaniya range in the last few days, an official said. "We have found carcasses of 11 lions from Gir east forest range," said P Purushothama, the Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gir (east).

For administrative purpose, the Gir forest has been divided in east and west parts.

A carcass of a lioness was found in a forest near Rajula of Amreli district on Wednesday, while three more lions were found dead the same day in Dalkhaniya range area in the Gir forest, a senior official said.

Carcasses of seven other lions were found in the last few days, he said. "We have collected viscera samples of the dead animals and sent them to the Junagadh Veterinary Hospital and are waiting for the postmortem report," he added.

Additional chief secretary of the Forest and Environment Department Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta said the state government has ordered an inquiry which would be conducted by the principal chief conservator of forest (wildllife).

"Primary information shows that eight deaths have occurred due to infighting. For the rest three, postmortem reports are awaited," Gupta added.

PCCF wildlife A K Saxena, who rushed to the Gir forest, told news agency PTI that most of the deaths are due to infighting and resultant injuries.

"Most of the deaths are due to infighting and injuries caused thereby, mainly affecting cubs and females. This trend is being noticed over a period of three to four years. No foul play or suspicion is suspected," Saxena said.

As per the 2015 census, Gir is home to 520 lions.

Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani said on Thursday that a probe must be conducted to see if the deaths occurred due to electrocution, poisoning or poaching.
The terrorists barged into their houses in Karpan village and dragged them out. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Srinagar: Three Special Police Officers (SPOs) of Jammu and Kashmir who were kidnapped early on Friday morning have been killed by terrorists.

Terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen is behind the abduction and killing of the police personnel.

Earlier today, three SPOs and a police constable were kidnapped by terrorists from Shopian in South Kashmir.

The terrorists barged into their houses in Karpan village and dragged them out.

The abducted security personnel were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kuldeep Singh, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Fayaz Ahmad Bhat.

The incident comes after a video from the the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen which has gone viral on social media in Jammu and Kashmir since Tuesday threatened security forces and government officials in the state to either resign in four days or get ready to be killed.

The video asked people to quit their jobs and upload evidence of their resignation on the internet.

In the video, the terror group threatened to kill the family members of those who stay back at work.

Jammu and Kashmir police confirmed the authenticity of the video.

The two-minute video reportedly showed pictures of security forces and a Hizbul banner with a voice-over issuing the threat.

The voice is believed to be of the terror outfit spokesperson Umar Ibn Khitaab.

PDP leader and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killings and said "Centre's muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now."

Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims. 1/2  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 21, 2018
Irani's reaction came on the sidelines of an interaction with Jaipur-based exporters. (Photo: File)

Jaipur: Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his comments on Prime Minister, saying he is desperate to attract attention.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi had said at a public meeting in Dungarpur district that people now thought that the country's "watchman" is a "thief."

Read: Country's chowkidaar a thief: Rahul again attacks PM Modi on Rafale

Irani said Gandhi has no regard for the prime minister's post, which he respected only when a member of his own family held it.

"I think that the desperation of the clown prince, as Jaitley calls him, is to attract attention to himself at the cost of the prime minister's name," she told reporters on the sidelines of an Carpet Export Promotion Council event.

"One needs to ask Rahul Gandhi what is his vision for the country. National building is not something that Rahul Gandhi is keen on," she said.

"People of the country know that Rahul Gandhi lacks vision," she added.

At his rally in Dungarpur, Gandhi had referred to the Rafale fighter deal with France and mocked PM Modi's assertions on tackling corruption.

He said people were now heard saying that the country's watchman is a "thief".

"Galli galli mein shor hai, Hindustan ka chowkidar chor hai," Gandhi had said.

Irani's reaction came on the sidelines of an interaction with Jaipur-based exporters.
BENGALURU: Within hours of being rapped on the knuckles by the High Court for the abysmal state of the much touted IT capital's road network, riddled with potholes and craters, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike went into overdrive - by Thursday, BBMP officials, seen across the city, directing cement mixers, claimed that they had filled up a grand total of 899 potholes.

Bengaluru's harried citizens who must cope with a back-breaking, nerve wracking ride to the workplace and back, will greet the submission by the BBMP that they have identified many more potholes which they will fill at the earliest, with a healthy dose of scepticism. The High Court has now set Monday as the new deadline, asking the Palike to ensure zero portholes by then. The BBMP claims that it only has 2,172 potholes left to fill, but urban experts peg it at over 1,00,000 on the 800 kms of main roads.
The Telangana Assembly was dissolved on September 6 on the recommendation of the TRS government. (Photo: File)

Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao will play an important role in national politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but would not "leave" the state, a key party leader said Friday.

B Vinod Kumar, the deputy floor leader of TRS in the Lok Sabha, also said the Caretaker Chief Minister, popularly known as KCR, would not hand over the reins to his son and Minister K T Rama Rao after the Assembly elections.

The Telangana Assembly was dissolved on September 6 on the recommendation of the TRS government, more than eight months before the expiry of its term, to pave the way for early elections.

The Election Commission is yet to announce the poll schedule.

"KCR will play an important role in Indian politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections", Vinod Kumar, who represents Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency, told PTI.

When asked about KCR's move to prop up a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front appearing to be not making much headway, he said: "You see after the 2019 elections, the role of regional political parties will be very, very important."

On whether KCR would hand over reins to his son Rama Rao after the Assembly elections, as is being speculated in some quarters, Vinod Kumar said: "No, not at all. KCR is fascinated by Telangana, he will not leave Telangana".

He dismissed criticism by the opposition Congress and BJP that the TRS is a "family party", and also the move to get the State's first Assembly dissolved prematurely.

"In this country, Indira Gandhi started it (early elections)...Congress started it, BJP implemented it, more or less all the political parties in this country one or other time, they went for early elections. Why criticism?," he said.

"This is not too-early elections, just three-four months before the schedule. Anyhow, elections may be held in the last week of November or first week of December. Naturally (in the normal course), the elections could have come in March end or April first week. It's a matter of three to four months early elections, that's all", Vinod Kumar said.

On TRS being dubbed as "family party" by opponents, he claimed every political outfit in the country -- right from the Congress to regional ones -- are led by some individuals and "they have their own family clout on it. I can't deny".

Citing Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-founded PDP and the DMK in Tamil Nadu, he said every political party right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari "is having that".

Claiming that the TRS would perform better than it did in the 2014 Assembly elections, he said the Congress, by joining hands with the TDP, the CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi for an electoral alliance, has already accepted its defeat in the polls.

"All political parties coming together means the Congress had accepted defeat. That's the reason they are searching for partners, more particularly TDP," Vinod Kumar said.

On BJP President Amit Shah attacking the TRS on different fronts during his recent visit to Telangana, he said: "Let Amit Shah show his show (of strength) in Telangana; the Telangana people are peculiar people, they won't accept any communal politics. BJP will show poor performance in the elections."
The Chief Minister, who had left for the US for medical treatment at Mayo Clinic on September 2, is expected to be back in Kerala on September 24. (Photo: Twitter | @CMOKerala)

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday urged Malayalees in the US to contribute liberally to rebuild the flood-hit state and said he hoped Rs 150 crore would be raised from them.

Vijayan made the appeal at his first public function in New York early Friday after completion of his medical treatment.

The Chief Minister, who had left for the US for medical treatment at Mayo Clinic on September 2, is expected to be back in Kerala on September 24.

Addressing the gathering of Keralites, Vijayan said everyone should cooperate for revamping the state, which had last month witnessed the worst deluge of the century.

He said Keralites willing to contribute should become members of the global salary challenge, which envisages each participant contributing a month's salary for the state.

State finance minister Thomas Isaac will visit the US next month to collect the financial assistance, he said.

"Only through your cooperation can a new Kerala be built", he said, adding his government was expecting a contribution of Rs 150 crore from the Malayalees in the US.

At least 493 people had died in the rains and floods during the South West Monsoon.

Crowdfunding is among the routes the government is mulling to raise the resources to rebuild the state which has suffered an estimated loss of over Rs 40,000 crore.

The Union government had released Rs 600 crore to Kerala as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Rs 500 crore) and Home Minister Rajnath Singh (Rs 100 crore) during their visits to the state.

This was in addition to Rs 562.45 crore already made available in the State Disaster Relief Fund of Kerala.
KOTTAYAM: The Catholic Church has confirmed for the first time that Vatican was looking into the rape allegations raised by a nun against Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal.

Catholic Bishops' Conference of India(CBCI) president and Mumbai Archbishop Cardinal Oswald Gracias said that Vatican had already begun an inquiry and will ask the Apostolic Nuncio of Vatican to India to give a report on the allegations.

The Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation of Evangelisation of People, Fernando Filoni, will study the charges and hand over the recommendations to Pope Francis soon.

Cardinal Gracias said that during his visit to the Vatican recently, he had met Cardinal Filoni and communicated the seriousness of the issue. "Cardinal Filoni will seek a report from the nuncio on the issue. I have advised him to take up the matter with 'utmost seriousness' and for that I have approached him directly," he told Deccan Chronicle.

The action to be taken against the bishop will depend upon the report given by the nuncio to Cardinal Filoni. As Cardinal Filoni is in charge of the bishops in charge of India and mission regions, he has the authority to recommend action against the bishop belonging to the Latin rite, he said.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India presidentcame to know about the ground situation only from the media, he said and added that he was not officially informed by anyone till September 8 when he received a copy of the letter raising the allegations by the nun against bishop Franco Mulakkal. He also discussed the issue with the Apostolic Nuncio of Vatican to India, Giambattista Diquatro, and sought his immediate attention.

He only knew through the media regarding bishop Franco's letter seeking the Pope's permission to hand over charge of the diocese to another priest, he said.

Cardinal Gracias is a member of the Council of Cardinals (C9), the group of nine cardinals chosen by the Pope to advise him on his reform efforts.
'Mind you,' Kumaraswamy told Yeddyurappa, 'you are sitting in a glass house. Exercise restraint while talking. Seriousness is expected from a person of your age. This is my sane advice.' (Photo: File)

Bengaluru: An angry Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday warned BJP to be restrained in its speech about his father former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his family, saying he can even ask people to rise in revolt against it if it continued to disturb his government.

Asserting that the government was under his command, Kumaraswamy targeted BJP state unit chief and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in a no-holds-barred attack.

Kumaraswamy, who is heading the Congress-JDS coalition government, alleged that BJP was attempting to topple his ministry and luring the MLAs of both parties.

"If you dig too much (into our affairs), then we too have many things at our disposal. Government is in our hand. Don't I have the authority to do whatever I can? I caution him to be careful," a visibly upset chief minister told reporters.

"Mind you," Kumaraswamy told Yeddyurappa, "you are sitting in a glass house. Exercise restraint while talking. Seriousness is expected from a person of your age. This is my sane advice.

I want to convey to him in clear terms that he should avoid landing in trouble by giving such statements," Kumaraswamy said.

Kumaraswamy lost his cool over Yeddyurappa's alleged statement in Hubballi, where he reportedly said his sole objective was to "finish off father-sons (Deve Gowda and his sons)."

"He (Yeddyurappa) gave a statement in Hubballi that his sole objective is to finish off father-sons and sending them to jail is his aim. Finally what happened? Who went to jail?"

The chief minister called Yeddyurappa "the father of percentage wise commission (bribe) system" and said he had standardised bribery in the government.

Another reason that irked Kumaraswamy was reports that the BJP had approached JD(S) MLA from Nagamangala constituency Suresh Gowda asking him to pack his baggage to leave for Mumbai as already 18 dissident MLAs were with the BJP and ready to join them.

"Suresh Gowda was asked to have a meeting in Bengaluru. Another MLA Shivalli was approached and offered Rs 5 crore," the chief minister said.

Hitting back angrily, Yeddyurappa said he knew his limits but it was Kumaraswamy who had crossed lines of decency. "As a former chief minister and the state president of a national party, I know my limits. It is you who crossed the lines of decency while speaking. Why are you silent till now on (former minister) A Manju's allegations that your family grabbed government land? What is your reply?" Yeddyurappa sought to know from the chief minister.

He alleged that the number of land scams Deve Gowda's family were involved in, nobody could ever achieve it and the chief minister knew all of them.

Yeddyurappa charged Kumaraswamy with resorting to politics of vendetta and reminded him that the post of chief minister was not permanent. "In our five years of rule, we never indulged in politics of vendetta. You are trying to create confusion by indulging in the politics of vendetta," Yeddyurappa charged.

Soon after the chief minister's statement went viral, Congress and JD(S) activists staged a demonstration outside Yeddyurappa's house raising slogans against him for his alleged attempts to topple the coalition government.

The BJP condemned the demonstration saying that the state government was trying to muzzle the voice of opposition, which showed its "anti-democratic face." They also alleged police intentionally did not act against the demonstrators.
'My father was the sole breadwinner; he laid down his life while serving the nation. I want the authorities to provide us with whatever help we need,' Mohit Kumar Dahiya said. (Photo: ANI)

Sonipat: Son of the Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Narender Singh on Thursday, sought assistance from Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the authorities concerned.

Narender Singh was killed by Pakistani troops, the BSF said on Wednesday.

Speaking to ANI, Mohit Kumar Dahiya said that he was proud that his father laid down his life for the nation. "It is a proud moment for us; not everybody gets the honour of being shrouded in the tricolour but my father did," he said.

The body of the BSF Head Constable, who went missing after an unprovoked firing by Pakistan in Jammu's Ramgarh sector on September 18, was found with multiple bullet injuries on his torso, even on his neck, on Wednesday.

"We are proud now but what would happen after two or three days, when we don't get any help? My brother and I are unemployed. I want my family to be treated with dignity. My father was the sole breadwinner; he laid down his life while serving the nation. I want the authorities to provide us with whatever help we need," he added.

He further requested the Home Minister to assure his family of help. "I ask Rajnath Singhji, who was present in Jammu on Monday, to release a statement condemning the incident and assuring that we will get our due. Provide us all the help. Don't make us beg," he said.
The opposition has been accusing the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to benefit the private firm. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi following former French President Francois Hollande's reported remarks on the Rafale deal, saying he has "betrayed" India.

His attack on Modi came after a French media report quoted Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal.

Also Read: No choice given, India suggested Reliance for Rafale deal: Hollande

"The PM personally negotiated & changed the #Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Francois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

"The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers," he said.

Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with the then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.

The opposition has been accusing the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.
US also welcomed the exchange of messages between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. (Photo: File | PTI)

Washington/New Delhi: The US on Friday termed as a "terrific news" the proposed meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, expressing hope that the conditions will be set for a "good" and "strong" relationship between the two neighbours in the future.

The meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be the first such high-level engagement since the suspension of dialogue between the two nations after the Pathankot air base terror attack in 2016.

India, however, made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue. "We saw that (reports of meetings between Indian and Pak leaders). I think that's terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

Read: India-Pak foreign ministers to meet in New York: MEA after Imran Khan letter

Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. "We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and also Prime Minister Modi. And we hope that the conditions will be set for a good strong relationship, a good strong bilateral relationship in the future," she said.

Also Read: Ready to talk terrorism: Imran Khan writes to Modi, seeks fresh dialogue

The last meeting between the two foreign ministers was held during Swaraj's visit to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend the Heart of Asia Summit, where she had met the then Pakistan foreign minister Sartaj Aziz.

After the meeting, the two sides had announced a resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue under the comprehensive bilateral format, but the initiative did not take off after Pakistan-based terror groups attacked the Pathankot air base.

The Indo-Pak ties have nose-dived since then in view of a number of terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups, which India retaliated by carrying out 'surgical strikes' in September 2016 across the LoC. India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

The US has traditionally welcomed any talks between India and Pakistan, the pace of which, it has noted would depends on the leadership of the two countries.

"In general, the United States supports dialogue between India and Pakistan that can reduce tensions, and we understand and had frequent conversations with the Indian partners on the expectations that there would be demonstrable reduction in cross-border terrorism or infiltration that will help create the confidence for dialogue to take place," Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had told reporters during a conference call last week.
VIJAYAWADA: The proposal to have another nuclear power plant (NPP) in Andhra Pradesh has gained impetus with India and Russia expected to sign an agreement to supply reactors during Russian President Vladimir Putins visit to India to attend the 19th annual Indo-Russian summit next month. While preliminary work on the first power plant is going on at a brisk pace at Kovvada in Srikakulam district, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has zeroed in on Kavali in Nellore district to set up the second power plant in the state.

Interestingly, Andhra Pradesh bagged the second NPP, trouncing states like Karnataka, Odisha and Kerala who are also in the race. Significantly, the Union government shifted the NPP to Kavali from Haripur in West Bengal after stiff resistance from locals there. Andhra Pradesh had earlier shown four sites in Prakasam and Nellore districts to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) that comes under DAE, to set up the second NPP. Of the four sites, Kavali was picked by the DAE.

It was selected after conducting techno-economic feasibility studies by teams of the Karnataka-based National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM). Russias Rosatom will build two VVER (water-water energetic reactor) reactors of 1,000 MW each in the first phase even as there are plans for six such reactors at Kavali.

As the NPCIL was looking at various coastal states and approached the AP government for a suitable coastal site to set up the plant with Russian collaboration, the state government responded positively. If everything goes as planned, Andhra Pradesh will house two nuclear power plants as works on the proposed 9,564 MW nuke plant at Kovvada in Ranasthalam in Srikakulam are already underway.

Kovvadas nuclear reactors are being built by Americas Westinghouse Electric Co. Interestingly, the nuclear power plant planned at Kovvada was shifted from MithiVirdhi in Gujarat after locals in the western state too showed resistance. The government is expected to hand over to NPCIL at least 2,000 acres at Kavali. The government, in July 2014, had announced the tripling of then exisiting nuclear power capacity of 4,780 in the next ten years. The present share of nuclear energy in the country is about 3.2%in the financial year 2016-17 (up to Februray 2017).
New Delhi: The Delhi police has arrested a Chinese national allegedly for running a spy ring. The Chinese man, identified as Charlie Peng (39) was arrested on September 13, from Majnu Ka Tilla in Delhi. The accused arrested last week for possessing Indian identification documents has not been booked for espionage under the Official Secrets Act, the Delhi Police said on Friday. Senior officers said that the man is being questioned by the Central intelligence agencies also.

We are yet to ascertain his involvement in espionage. He is misleading police in interrogation. He has revealed that he had crossed into India through Nepal border four years ago. We are probing the matter further, said deputy commissioner of police Pramod Kushwah. Peng was arrested last week from north Delhi after the Delhi polices special cell was tipped off that a Chinese national possessing an Indian passport and an Aadhaar card and some other documents might be involved in suspicious activities. The passport is said to have been procured in Guwahati.
KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sought a financial assistance of Rs 150 cr from Malayali Diaspora in the US for rebuilding the state after the ruinous floods. Attending a function of the Malayali community in the US at Rockland Country, the first public engagement of Pinarayi after his treatment in a US hospital, Chief Minister said Malayalees across the world should come forward for a global salary challenge for rebuilding the state.

Pinarayi has also said finance minister Thomas Isaac will be send to the US for collecting the funds for the rebuilding of the state. He also added that a meeting of the persons capable of contributing to the reconstruction of Kerala will be held within three months.

Everyone should cooperate for the rebuilding of Kerala, he said, and added that without the cooperation construction of new Kerala will not be possible. We are expecting Rs 150 cr as the share of American Malayalees as part of the global salary challenge, he said. The Malayali collectives in the US can decide the modalities for raising the resources.

Addressing the Mala-yali community early in the morning the Chief Minister also stated that crowd funding is essential for the rebuilding of the state. He said the rebuilding will be undertaken after assessing the damages and loses.

The American Malay-alees should be ready for making investments in Kerala. They should also undertake some of the rebuilding projects, he added.

The Chief Minister said the money getting under the national disaster relief fund will not be sufficient for the rebuilding of Kerala. All those capable of sparing salary of a month should participate in the global salary challenge.

The Chief Minister was given a rousing welcome to the meeting by the local Malayali community when he arrived for the function.




Campden Park resident Alpheus Stevenson was denied bail on Monday after Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche informed the Court that the man he was accused of chopping was hospitalized in critical condition.





Stevenson will return to Court today (Friday).





The accused was not required to plea to unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on Deon Baptiste of Campden Park with intent, when he appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Monday.

The incident is reported to have occurred September 13 at Campden Park. The Senior Prosecutor told the Court that Baptiste was warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital suffering from serious injuries inflicted by a cutlass, and was expected to undergo surgery this week.





Delpleche noted that, according to a medical report, one of Baptistes hands was severed, and there was an injury to his back which made it possible to see through his intestines.





The prosecutor said that, according to the investigator, there was a previous altercation between Stevenson

and Baptiste, in which Stevenson had received injuries to his head and face, but Stevenson did not follow up on his report in terms of returning the injury forms to the police.





In relation to the recent incident, Delpleche said Baptistes injuries were possibly life-threatening, and were being monitored closely by medical personnel.
Hyderabad: Cyclonic storm Daye made landfall in Odisha on Friday morning, bringing heavy rainfall to several parts of that state. The cyclonic storm lay centred over north-west Bay of Bengal and crossed from south Odisha to adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coast close to Gopalpur. It weakened into a deep depression over south Odisha to move west-northwest and weaken into a depression gradually.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the deep depression over interior Odisha and adjoining Chhattisgarh on Friday moved at a speed of about 23 kmph, weakened into a depression and lay centred in the evening over northeast Vidarbha and neighbourhood. It is very likely to continue to move west and northwest and weaken gradually into a depression in the next 12 hours. However, a trough now runs from the cyclonic circulation associated with the deep depression to south Konkan across Telangana. Thunder warning continues over the state with several places in Telangana getting rainfall as the southwest monsoon has been normal over the state.

Very heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Komarambheem, Mancherial, Jagityal, Pedpally, Rajanna Sircilla, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Nirmal and Jayashankar Bhupalpally. The capital city witnessed light rainfall in about 25 regions under GHMC limits. Hyderabad is expected to receive light rainfall with cloudy skies.
Police said Mr Venkateswarlu had two letters with him, one to the agriculture minister and another to caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekar Rao. (Representional Image)

Hyderabad: A tenant farmer attempted to commit suicide by consuming pesticide at Gandhi Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters, here on Friday over the government refusing to provide assistance.

Police said the farmer, identified as D. Venkateswarlu of Kusumanchi mandal of Khammam district, reached Gandhi Bhavan even as party leaders were discussing political issues, and began consuming pesticide that he had brought with him.

Bystanders and Congress activists who noticed him rushed to him and grabbed the pesticide container. However, Mr Venkateswarlu had consumed some pesticide and fell to the floor. He was shifted to Osmania Hospital in an ambulance.

Police said Mr Venkateswarlu had two letters with him, one to the agriculture minister and another to caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekar Rao.

In the letter to the minister, he wrote: Is this the interest that you are paying to tenant farmers? About 50 per cent of the farmers are tenants. You are paying Rs 4,000 and giving them insurance too, but it seems that you dont have any benefits. We are shown less respect than dogs.

Many of the tenant farmers are committing suicide just like me as most of us are in debt. During Kiran Kumar Reddys tenure they said they would give something to the tenant farmers, but the government was replaced after Telangana state was formed. You are organising many meetings by investing crores of rupees but you dont have money for the poor like me.

In the letter addressed to the Chief Minister, he wrote, Im leading my life as a tenant farmer. As there was no proper yield due to water scarcity, I had borrowed some amount. Now I have to pay back Rs 9 lakh. So I decided to commit suicide as I cant bear the pressure. Kindly help my family.

The police has not registered any case as the victim was not in a condition to talk. Osmania Hospital officials confirmed that the patient had been admitted and was in a slightly serious condition. Mr Venkateshwarlu is currently undergoing treatment.

The government had stoutly refused to give tenant farmers the Rythu Bandhu assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre per season, arguing that the measure would be tantamount to providing them legal rights on the land.
New Delhi: Barely 24 hours after agreeing to the engagement, the government on Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani. Announcing the cancellation of the meeting, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the incidents exposed the true face of Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabads evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

Three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmirs Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Tayyaba on Friday, police said as a new page opened up in the three-decade chapter of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The terror attack also shook the 1.2-lakh strong Jammu and Kashmir police force with at least six SPOs announcing their resignations on social media, officials said.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani termed the incident cowardice and said the militants are desperate as they are feeling the heat from security forces. Hours later, the Union home ministry said in New Delhi that no policeman has resigned in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of three police personnel and described such reports as false propaganda by mischievous elements.
Kochi: The Perumbavoor police on Friday arrested two youths who are members of a gang indulged in theft of luxury motor cycles. The accused were identified as Anshad Muhammed(23) and Muhammed Rafi (24), both residents of Mulavur village in Muvattupuzha.

The duo had other day attacked a police team and managed to escape while leaving behind a stolen bike. However, we managed to catch them today. They used to lift luxury motorcycles, loot mobile phones and purses of migrant labourers and also commit thefts after breaking into shops, police said. A police team first arrested Anshad while he was riding in a bike stolen from near Perumbavur Royal bakery on Thursday night.

Rafi was held based on the information he gave. The duo also admitted to committing over 10 thefts in the last two months. Both are accused in other cases and Rafi was released from Jail in June last only, police said.

Primary probe revealed that there are more members to the gang. Efforts are on to nab them. The accused were drug addicts and committed the th-efts to buy ganja and oth-er narcotic substances, police said. The duo was produced before a court which remanded them in judicial custody.
SRINAGAR: In a gory act, three Special Police Officers (SPOs) were on Friday abducted and subsequently murdered by gunmen in Jammu and Kashmirs southern Shopian district, evoking widespread outrage across the country. The authorities blamed the killing of SPOs Firdous Ahmed Kuchay, Kulwant Singh and Nisar Ahmed Dhobi on Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) said that a massive manhunt is underway to capture the perpetrators dead or alive.

I assure you those involved in this act of cowardice will be brought to justice soon, inspector general of police (Kashmir range) S.P. Pani said. The police said that the victims were found murdered after they were kidnapped by gunmen in Shopians Kapran and Batagund villages early Friday.

Their bullet riddled corpses were found in the districts Dangam village, not very far from the places they had been kidnapped from earlier, a police official said.

Bashir Ahmed, brother of one of the victims Nisar Ahmed said, They (gunmen) had already captured two persons  Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh  from Batagund (a neighbouring village). Then they came here (Kapran) and asked my brother Nisar Ahmed to come along. He was performing wudu (ritual washing performed in preparation for prayer). They allowed him to do it.

The villagers chased the militants but they fired their AK 47 rifles in the air to scare them away. They told us that they will set them free after taking their videos, Ahmed said. The gunmen along with the abductees crossed a mountain stream and disappeared, the villagers said. After some time we heard gunshots and we thought the Army has opened fire but later we came to know that all the three have been shot dead, Ahmed said.

The villagers said that the gunmen have captured a fourth SPO also but they persuaded them to release him unharmed. The police said that preliminary investigation revealed the complicity of proscribed terror outfits Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and LeT in this barbaric act of terror. Both the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and the LeT are, so far, silent on the incident.
HYDERABAD: The Road Transport Corporation had paid an amount of Rs 32.5 crore in the span of three years from 2015 as compensation towards victims of bus accidents. There is no insurance cover for passengers who opt for RTC buses to travel, whether reserved or unreserved. The Railways, on the other hand provides insurance to its passengers, if their tickets are booked through the IRCTC website. The corporation is of the opinion that paying compensation is more profitable than paying premiums every year to insurance companies.

The official spokesperson of RTC, Kiran Reddy said that earlier there were plans regarding including the insurance amount in the price of the ticket for every passenger, but that did not work out for various reasons The Kerala Transport Corporation has also introduced insurance cover for its passengers. The decision was taken in 2015 and the states corporation is paying annual premiums every year to the New India Assurance Company.

According to the Motor Vehicles Act, there is no mandate that they have to take insurance. At the end of the day, it is RTC that has to take the call depending on the requirement. RTC depot managers decide the compensation amounts, depending on the severity of the case. An RTC official on condition of anonymity said, It is really difficult for the corporation to pay premiums annually to the insurance companies for all the 10,500 buses in the RTC. The companies charge a hefty amount, so we have opted to pay the compensation amount rather than the insurance premiums. All these accidents are unfortunate events and we do not know what will happen when.

If we choose to pay compensation, only at the time of accidents we have to pay and if days are good there won't be any additional burden. However, if we choose insurance then there will be an additional burden on the corporation every year, which we cannot afford right now, he said. A highly-placed source in the Corporation said that usually compensations are given by the court to the victims based on the severity and the status of the person injured from the corporations pocket, which would be around Rs 2lakh to Rs 3 lakh in case of death. There are fixed guidelines from the previous court judgements.

Heavy penalty for violations

Road Transport Corporation is also getting heavily burdened by the fines that they have to pay for traffic violations made by the drivers, be it jumping signals, rash driving, or using headset while driving. From 2017 to 2018 August, there were 3,650 cases on RTC buses for traffic violations and the penalty amount touched Rs 13 lakh. Traffic officials mentioned that there is a special system in place to capture violations of RTC Buses and e-Challans are sent to the concerned RTC Depots and the fines are deducted from the concerned drivers salary.

Mr N. Srinivas, president, Telangana Mazdoor Union, Greater Hyderabad zone, has blamed the bad roads and poor signalling system, which is in place. Sometimes at the signals, there will be green light appearing in both the directions, putting us in confusion. Also, we have targets shifts in place and we need to finish all the trips in the given time, which again cause stress among drivers, leading to all these violations. At the end of the day, it is we who have to pay the penalty.

There is also other violations that are rampant and the drivers are not fined for these. According to Motor Vehicles Act, all heavy vehicles should keep to the left of the road so that the two-wheelers can use the road avoiding inconvenience and also it allows for the people to see the signals. Mr Venkata Ramana, a resident of Trimulgherry said, Most bus drivers tend to come towards right, creating an obstacle for the rest of the commuters.
HYDERABAD: A University Grants Commission (UGC) circular to vice-chancellors of all universities to get students to pledge their support to the armed forces by writing letters and cards to them on September 29, 2018, designated as Surgical Strike Day, has been heavily criticised by students, educationists and opposition parties. The UGC circular reads: The Government of India has decided to observe September 29 mas Surgical Strike Day to mark the second anniversary of the Indian Armys strike against terror cells across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The NCC units of all universities should organise a special parade on September 29 after which the NCC commander shall address them on the modalities of protection of the borders. The varsities may organise a talk-session calling ex-servicemen to sensitise students about sacrifices made by the armed forces.

A multimedia exhibition will be organised around India Gate on September 29. Similar exhibitions may be organised in states, Union Territories, important towns and cantonments across the country. The institutions should encourage students and faculty members to visit these exhibitions.

The circular further added, The commission suggested that students pledge their support for armed forces by writing letters and cards which may be produced in both digital and physical format. The letters can be publicised on social media as well. The letters and cards should be shared with PRO Defence and PIB for publicity across various media. The UGC circular has been called a surgical strike on educational institutions.

Human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar told the media that, the circular is only advisory in nature, not mandatory or imposed. The move has been initiated only to pay respect to the armed forces and highlight their contribution and is not compulsory for the universities to follow. In fact, students and college authorities themselves conveyed to the government that they wanted to mark the day.

N. Narayana, convener, CERA (Centre for Educational Research and Analysis) said, The purpose of UGCs circular is a political strike on students. Previously also such strikes have been carried but it was never revealed because its a defence matter and related to defence strategy of the nation. There were also doubts whether such strikes were actually carried out or not. This has been planned keeping in view the 2019 General Election.

He added that it was forcing students to observe the day because government wants to draw mileage out of it. We are sending wrong signals to other nations and it only builds tension with our neighbours. He said there is no doubt that defence people sacrifice for the country, but every citizen is sacrificing for the nation. This government always glorifies the Army, so its intentions are clear.

Prakash Kona, proctor, English and Foreign Languages University, said the university has not received the circular but we have heard about the circular. Since it is not mandatory to observe Surgical Strike Day it gives the universities an alternative. Arif Ahammed, general secretary, UoH Students Union said, the central government and UGC have come up with many such circulars. He said they use higher educational institutions as a tool to fulfil their political propaganda. We are not at all surprised as right from the beginning when they came to power they have been using the Indian Army and higher educational institutions for their political benefit. By talking about the reputation of the Indian Army they are indirectly degrading it.
Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is likely to order a CBI inquiry into the mysterious death of BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya, exactly 50 years ago. The ideologue was found dead on a railway track in Mughalsarai (now renamed as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar), on September 25, 1968 and it is not yet known if he was killed or had an accidental death. According to sources, Rakesh Gupta, a BJP worker from Ambedkar Nagar had sent a letter to the ministry of home affairs in 2017, seeking a fresh probe into the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya. He said that he apprehended a larger conspiracy behind the death of the party ideologue.

The home ministry has now sought a report on the same from the Yogi government. SP Railways, Allahabad, was asked to look into the matter and he has submitted his report to the IG railways who will be forwarding it to the state government. The report said that all documents, including the FIR and the case diary related to the incident, are missing but the police station register says that three persons were arrested and one of them was convicted with a four year term.

The incident took place on February 11, 1968 and case no 67/1968 was registered against unknown persons. Later, three persons  Ram Avadh, Lalta and Bharat Ram were arrested. In 1969, Bharat Ram was convicted under IPC sections 379/411 (theft and retaining stolen property) while the other two were acquitted, the report says. Railways officials are now preparing to summon Rakesh Gupta the complainant.
Hyderabad: State Congress president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has urged the people to drive away the family of caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao even has he unveiled more sops on Friday.

He was speaking at an event set up to welcome TRS Adilabad leader Ramesh Rathod and his wife Suman into the Congress fold in the presence of TS affairs incharge R.C. Khuntia and party leader Jana Reddy. Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said the party was confident of winning all the 10 seats in the undivided Adilabad district.

The people will not tolerate KCR any longer as he has cheated all sections of the people. The family of KCR is looting the state and Im urging people to drive them away, he said.

He announced a slew of poll promises including doubling the amount of pension to the aged, including parents of government employees who are eligible. He said, If the Congress returns to power, Rs 2 lakh loan waiver will be given to farmers in a single move. About 17 types of crops will be given minimum support price and a Rs 5,000-crore stability fund will be announced to help farmers.

Mr Uttam said the Congress government would implement fee reimbursement for all economically backward students to ensure that no student drops out for being unable to pay the fee.
Under Googles policies, software firms that create these add-ons must inform users about how they collect and share Gmail data

Alphabet Incs Google gave details about its policies for third-party Gmail add-ons but stopped short of fully addressing questions from US senators about developers who break its email-scanning rules.

How user data flows between big technology platforms such as Google and Facebook Inc and their partners has faced scrutiny around the world this year since Facebook revealed it had done little to monitor such relationships.

Google said in a letter to US senators made public on Thursday that it relies on automated scans and reports from security researchers to monitor add-ons after launch, but did not respond to lawmakers request to say how many have been caught violating the companys policies.

Senators may seek further clarity on Gmails operations at a Commerce Committee hearing about privacy practices scheduled for Sept. 26 with officials from Google, Apple Inc, AT&T Inc, and Twitter Inc.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Gmail users must give their consent to activate extensions, which can help them send emails on a time delay, get price-match rebates from retailers and remove unwanted mailing lists.

Under Googles policies, software firms that create these add-ons must inform users about how they collect and share Gmail data

The lawmakers inquiry came after the Wall Street Journal reported in July that some add-on makers did not make clear to users that their employees could review Gmail messages and that their data could be shared with additional parties.

Software experts told Reuters in March that auditing of apps that interact with Gmail, Facebook, and other services is lax.

To be sure, sharing with a fourth party is essential to the functioning of some add-ons. For instance, a trip-planning app may scan a users email for upcoming flight details and then use the data to query an airline for updated departure information.

Google told senators it has suspended apps due to a lack of transparency to users, without identifying violators or when enforcement actions took place.

Gmail, used by 1.4 billion people, is not the only Google service drawing lawmaker questions about oversight.

House lawmakers asked Google in a separate letter in July whether smartphones with its voice assistant tool can or do collect so-called non-triggered audio in order to recognise phrases like Okay Google that activate voice controls.

The lawmakers cited media reports and said there had been suggestions that third-party applications have access to and use this non-triggered data without disclosure to users.

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Glenville Harry, one of three men charged with the recent robbery of medical doctor Reisha Twana Browne-Caesar, told the Kingstown Magistrates Court on Wednesday, "I agree with the Prosecutor; let the investigations go on more.





The 34-year-old self employed man of Vermont, made the interesting remark while the men, who were unrepresented, were making bail applications. Harry said nothing more.

Elroy Rogers, 26-year-old labourer of New Montrose, told the Court, "I think as a citizen of this country, I should be granted bail because I am innocent. The other guys who they hold say I was there, but I was not there.





Rogers said bail could be granted with reporting conditions.





The other defendant Rocquan Robinson, 29-year-old mechanic of Campden Park, said very little.

The men had been denied bail following strong objections by Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche, during their brief appearance at the Family Court on Tuesday charged with robbing Browne-Caesar, the wife of Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar, and sister of Minister of Health Robert Luke Browne and Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne.





The matter was transferred to the Kingstown Magistrates Court to have a date set for the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), and the Senior Prosecutor maintained his objections to bail when the trio was taken before that Court on Wednesday.





The men are accused of being armed with a gun, robbed Browne-Caesar, a resident of Cedars of a quantity of items valued EC$10,350.50, as well as documents, at Cedars around 9 pm last Saturday. They were not required to plea as the charge was laid indictably.





In his objections to bail, Delpleche told the Kingstown Magistrates Court that investigations into the matter are ongoing, and are hinged to other probes. He pointed out that the lead investigator is looking at a "four-month window to have everything collated.





He explained that the police are continuing investigations into a series of other cases, including capital offences, and the collation could lead to a break-through in these matters.





Delpleche said that, while the prosecution is aware there is a presumption in law that a person charged with a criminal offence is innocent until he pleads guilty or is proven guilty, the state should be given an opportunity to put its house in order as it relates to these matters.





Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett told the defendants that bail was denied at this stage, but they had the right to apply to the High Court for bail if they wanted. They will return to Court for bail review October 3, and a Preliminary Inquiry is slated for January 14, 2019.




Catering to rising passenger and cargo traffic, the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will have its terminal access road upgraded from the existing four lanes to 10 lanes. This is also expected to aid seamless truck movement to the airports cargo terminals.

Once the airports second runway and the second terminal are commissioned, the KIAs capacity is projected to increase to 65 million passengers per annum. The widened access road will also feature an elevated lane, running parallel to the airport metro line, as indicated by Javed Malik, Chief Operating Officer, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).

Trucks currently enter the KIA premises through a service lane to the left of the access road, taking the extreme right lane on the return trip. The service roads will now be doubled to aid the free movement of trucks, an airport official said.

Dedicated truck terminal

Anticipating a big rise in cargo traffic, a dedicated truck terminal is also on the airports agenda. Currently, about 1,000 trucks unload export material from the catchment area to the 48 docks at the terminals. The two-acre terminal will have fuel stations, charging ports, and facilities for drivers. The parking lot will be able to hold about 250-300 trucks.

Eleven dedicated freighter aircraft and dozens of civilian flights carrying belly cargo ferry export material from the KIA to destinations worldwide. But this figure could rise exponentially once the runway is commissioned. The airports cargo business now contributes 11% to the states GDP, informed Malik.

The introduction of bonded trucking service linking the KIA with Tiruppur (for garments) and Coimbatore (appliances) has increased the truck movements further. Statutory documentations are done at the origin, allowing an uninterrupted flow of material to the airport by road.

Next month, the cargo terminals will be linked to a third origin point, Ambur, for leather products. Also in the pipeline are pharmaceutical products from Goa. This tie-up has been scheduled for December.
The Bengaluru district police have filed suo motu cases against trucks dumping garbage onto the lake bed in Anugondanahalli village at the outskirts of Southeast Bengaluru. Operating for garbage contractors within the city they have been dumping filth into the Medimallasandra lake bed for the past four to five months, the police say.

As residents are not coming forward to lodge complaints fearing the garbage mafia, we have taken suo-motu complaints to curb this menace, said a senior police officer.

The police have registered two cases against the owners of three trucks, who are garbage contractors in the city, and their drivers. Receiving complaints from nearby residents that trucks loaded with garbage moved towards the lake at different times, the police confronted them in the act and seized the vehicles along with the leftover garbage.

We were told the trucks use the Anugondahalli village route and head towards Doddaballapura where there is a dump yard. However to make some quick bucks the drivers cut their journeys short and dump the garbage in such secluded places, the officer said quoting the truck owners who pleaded ignorance and blamed their drivers.

The Anugondanahalli police of the Thirumalashettihalli circle are patrolling intensely around the lake all day round to prevent the trucks from entering the lake premise.

We have also written letters to Panchayat Development Office (PDO) Anugondanahalli about this, but the officials are not addressing the issue. So we have intensified the patrolling and seizing the trucks ourselves, the senior police officer said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgement on a plea filed by historian Romila Thapar and others, challenging the arrest of activists by the Maharashtra police in the case related to Bhima Koregaon violence of 2017.

The top court was told to trust the trial courts and high courts and avoid impeding police investigation into the matter in which alleged letters were recovered for larger conspiracy to create law and order problem. The petitioners, however, sought a special investigation team probe into the arrest made on the basis of foisted and cooked up evidence.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud wrapped up the hearing where questions were also raised as to how the letters related to a purported plot to kill the Prime Minister by a Rajiv Gandhi type incident was leaked to the media how the senior police officer allegedly showed those documents in a live press conference.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Maharashtra government, contended no interference was required from the top court in the matter raised under the garb of PIL.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the complainant, Tushar Gangude, contended if some wrong persons are arrested, the trial courts and the high courts can look into it but the investigation cannot be derailed at this moment. One can have any ideology but the person cannot be permitted to create law and order problem or indulge in unlawful activities, he said.

Salve cited the example of the 2G case, where then Telecom Minister A Raja and prominent people were arrested but the trial judge in his final judgement, he waited all these years for anybody to bring in evidence.

What is this plea that you would not trust your government, CBI, NIA and the trial courts and the high courts, but would demand an SIT headed by retired judges, he asked.

Senior advocates A M Singhvi and Anand Grover, representing the petitioners, submitted that the entire effort by the investigating agency was to create a sub-text of real threat to the highest functionary of the government.

The bench, during the hearing, also wondered if the evidences or materials can be examined by the top court, which can be the subject matter of trial. The court extended the period house arrest of five activists till the pronouncement of judgement. It asked the petitioners and others to file their written submissions by Saturday.

Prominent Telugu poet Varavara Rao, activists Vernon Gonzalves, Arun Ferreira, trade union activist and lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha were arrested by the Pune police from their respective homes, on August 28, in connection with an FIR lodged there following an event -- 'Elgaar Parishad' (conclave) -- held on December 31 last year that had triggered violence at Bhima-Koregaon village.
BJP national president and Rajya Sabha member Amit Shah on Friday called on Saint Yudhishtir Lal at the Shadhani Darbar in Raipur.

Shadhani Darbar is a prominent religious centre for members of the Sindhi community, where even the community members from Pakistan also arrive and offer their prayers.

Shah had directly gone to the Darbar from Raipur airport. He called on the Saint as part of the party's nationwide Sampark Se Samarthan (Contact to Support) outreach programme, to highlight the achievements of the Narendra Modi-led government in the last four years.

Shah was on a day visit to Raipur to address the booth level party workers.

Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, BJP State president Dharamlal Kaushik and other leaders were also present when Shah met the saint.

Interacting with Shah, saint Yudhishtir said that the mission with the objective to revive the glorious past of India has been undertaken, the goal would be achieved. In eternal religion (Sanathan) it is recognised that a righteous king should rule.

To build our culture one need not to damage the culture of other. It is a national party which has truth and simplicity and at international level also it has made a mark. On the sides of Sindhu culture, the Vedas have been evolved. After Partition, when the earlier generations came and settled, then like in food, the ghee mixes every one merged into the country, he said.

He said that former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani had visited the darbar and had directed Chief Minister Raman Singh to regularly visit the place.

Today is my lucky day as I got a chance to visit the 300-year-old Darbar. I had come to take blessings in 2017, then the saint Yudhishtir had asked me to visit again, said Amit Shah.

Amit Shah further said, I have visited the Darbar several times and had also participated in several events which bring joy. The community with the power of their hard work have made this an important place. I hope for blessings so that all can be involved in the reconstruction of the country and achieve success.
The Modi governments move to observe September 29 as Surgical Strike Day has kicked up a political row.

The Congress and Trinamool Congress flayed the move, calling it as political agenda of the BJP-led government at the Centre ahead of the Assembly elections in five states later this year and Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar, however, defended the governments decision, saying the events planned to mark September 29 as Surgical Strike Day are aimed at enhancing the glory of the Indian Army and inspire students with their patriotism and valour.

I denounce the Congress charge that we are politicising the surgical strike. On the other hand, we are telling students how armed forces defend our country and how they conducted the surgical strike (on September 29, 2016), he told reporters when asked for his comment on the row on Friday.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday asked all higher education institutions to observe September 29 as Surgical Strike Day by organising various activities on their campus.

Suggesting a host of activities to mark the day, the higher education regulator asked the institutions to organise a special parade of the NCC (National Cadet Corps) cadets and call ex-servicemen to their campus to sensitise students about the sacrifices made by the armed forces in protecting the countrys borders

After which the NCC commander shall address them (students) on the modalities of protection of the borders, UGC secretary Rajnish Jain said in a circular, asking all university vice-chancellors to initiate action on the suggested activities.

Senior Congress leader and former HRD minister Kapil Sibal criticised the move.

UGC directs VCs (vice-chancellors) of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJPs political ends? he tweeted.

West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee also objected to the UGCs directive.

This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. This is not right and we wont support it, a multimedia news agency quoted Chatterjee as saying in Kolkata.

Javadekar, however, clarified that the UGC circular was advisory in nature, not mandatory.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will meet her Pakistan counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

The announcement of the Swaraj-Qureshi meeting came after the newly elected Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting ministerial discussions in New York to explore the way forward in bilateral relations.

However, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar was quick to point out that India had agreed only for a meeting and it should not be construed as resumption of dialogue.

This is just a meeting, too much should not be read into the proposed meeting. This is not a resumption of dialogue. They asked for a meeting, we said yes, Kumar told reporters here.

Kumar said Swaraj would raise the issue of access to the Kartarpur Sahib shrine with Qureshi and discussions were on to firm up the agenda for the meeting.

In a letter dated September 14, Khan expressed his willingness to discuss the issue of terrorism and peacefully resolve all outstanding issues, including the Jammu & Kashmir dispute.

Khan had suggested that the two foreign ministers meet before the informal SAARC foreign ministers meeting on the margins of the UNGA. They can explore the way forward, especially the holding of the SAARC Council of Ministers followed by the SAARC Summit in Islamabad, Khan said.

The summit will offer an opportunity for you to visit Pakistan and for us to re-start the stalled dialogue process, Khan said in the letter to Modi.

Earlier, Swaraj had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to participate in the Heart of Asia Conference on Afghanistan. She had held bilateral talks with Sartaj Aziz, the Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and announced resumption of composite dialogue process that was stalled since 2012.

However, the terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force Station in January 2016 derailed the peace talks even before they could resume.

Government sources said that India was firm on its stand that terror and peace talks cannot go together.

India-Pakistan relations further nosedived after the attack on the Army camp in Uri in September 2016 prompting New Delhi skip the SAARC Summit planned in Islamabad in November that year. The summit was called off after Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan also pulled out.
The wife of the Army man Pankaj, who is accused of raping the 19-year old Haryana CBSE topper, has decided not to spend the rest of her life with a rapist.

The 26-year-old Army man's wife has decided to annul the marriage and left for her parents home pledging to never return. A 'Mahapanchayat' of 51 villages from the area is likely to be summoned to discuss the issue. I am married to an Army man and not a rapist. I want to end this marriage, she said.

Haryana hinterland is arguably flawed by stereotypes were women often dont come out in the open to raise their voice. However, Pankajs wifes showed resolve and courage to face the adversity.

Pankaj, along with another accused, are absconding after the gang rape in Haryanas Mahindergarh district, even as 10 days have passed. Families of the accused are facing hardship after the incident. Pankajs sister has appealed to him to surrender before the police to end what she described as a nightmare at home for the family.
The promulgation of an ordinance which gives effect to the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence, is procedurally and substantially wrong. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in December 2017. The government wanted to hurry the bill through the Rajya Sabha, with a few amendments that diluted some original provisions to satisfy the opposition, during the recently-concluded monsoon session. But it had to be deferred. The government now says it brought forward the ordinance because there was no consensus on the bill. An ordinance is not the means for legislation when there is no consensus. It short-circuits the normal legislative process, and the Supreme Court has expressed its disapproval of ordinance raj many times. It is still worse to promulgate an ordinance in place of a bill which is under consideration of parliament. Since it is unlikely that the Rajya Sabha will pass the bill in the next six months, the government will have to re-promulgate it.

The bill was stated to have been formulated to give legislative support to the Supreme Courts ruling that made instant talaq illegal. There is no doubt that instant talaq is an unjust practice but making it a criminal offence that invites three years in jail is wrong. Marriage and divorce are civil matters that should not invite criminal proceedings. There are also contradictions and inconsistencies in the law. The man who pronounces instant talaq continues to be the husband, goes to jail and has to provide maintenance for the wife from jail. The amendments made in the original bill do not remove all the apprehensions and suspicions about it. Only the wife or a close relative can make a police complaint under the law now. There are also provisions for mutual settlement and easier terms for bail. But it still remains an unreasonable and draconian law.

The governments persistence with the bill, which has faced a lot of opposition from many parties, including the BJPs allies, and other organisations, can only be the result of political considerations. Its claim that there is an overpowering urgency and compelling necessity for the ordinance is most unconvincing. So is the claim that it is motivated by a sense of gender justice. The prospect of elections to some state assemblies and to the Lok Sabha may be the immediate reason for acting in haste on the issue. It may turn out to be another issue on which the government can take the high moral ground, slander those who criticise it and polarise the electorate, hoping in the process to make political and electoral gains.
Ettian Charles, a police officer currently on trial for burglarizing the Kingstown Post Office, appeared at the Kingstown Magistrates Court on Wednesday, charged with gun and ammunition possession.





The 34-year-old resident of Arnos Vale is charged with having without licence, a black and silver Smith and Wesson .38 revolver, serial number unknown.





Charles is also accused of having six rounds of .38 ammunition without license. He pleaded not guilty to both charges when he stood before Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett on Wednesday.





Charles was allegedly found in possession of the gun and ammunition on Monday.

Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche objected to bail, stating that the police were investigating a series of robberies and related matters, and Charles was a person of interest in those investigations.

Delpleche added that Charles is currently being tried on charges of burglary and conspiracy, close to completion at the Serious Offences Court. Charles, who was









unrepresented when he appeared in Court on Wednesday, told Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett, "I was only charged with gun and ammunition. I think that I deserve bail.





He said the police met several persons at a house, took him up and charged him alone.

But the Senior Magistrate advised that that argument was for his case, and not bail application alone.

Bail was denied, but Burnett told the defendant that he had the right to apply to a Judge in Chambers for bail. The matter has been adjourned to October 8.





Charles is currently being tried at the Serious Offences Court for burglarizing the Post Office July last year and stealing $74,121.45 in cash, $5,486.96 in cheques, and a number of other items. He is also charged on two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, in connection with that matter.





The police officer was suspended from duties on half months pay pending the outcome.




In a bid to ramp up sales of Malaysia sand, which has had no takers, the state cabinet on Thursday, decided to allow sale of sand in bulk (truckloads), as opposed to sandbags.

This is said to bring down the prices of the imported sand by around Rs 300 per tonne. Presently, Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL) is selling Malaysian sand at Rs 200 per 50 kg bag (Rs 4,000 per tonne).

In addition to MSIL, three companies -- Akar Enterprises, D2S Company, Integrated Solutions, had obtained permissions to import sand from Malaysia and sell it within the state.

The companies had imported 1.5 lakh tonnes (50,000 tonne each) in the month of January, but had refused lift and sell the raw material. Arguing that the sale of sand in bags was not viable, they had sought revisions to the guidelines.

While there is no packing unit in Mangaluru, the companies had said that bagging cost of Rs 200 per tonne could be avoided, if sand is allowed to sold in bulk.

The government which had brought in a new policy by amending the Karnataka Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1994, to allow traders to import sand from Malaysia, had mandated that sand could be sold only in 50 kg bags.

The idea was to curb adulteration of the imported sand with sub-standard sand.

The government has finally yielded to the demands of the traders by allowing sale of sand in bulk. This imported sand will however be transported in GPS enabled trucks.

The government has also decided to allow traders to sell future stocks of imported sand outside Karnataka. However, the present stock must be sold within the state.

In the meanwhile, MSIL, which had imported around one lakh tonnes of sand from Malaysia, has been able to sell only 4,000 tonnes in the last 9 months.
Weve just arrived at Lyab-i Hauz, the historical city centre of old Bukhara, when a well-heeled Uzbek wearing a flowing ink-blue velvet robe and a black embroidered cap, softly asks, Hindustan? I nod a yes and he breaks into a toothless smile. Immediately, he hails a group of ladies ahead of him and all I can gather from his excited tone is Hindustan. They hurriedly turn around and before we know it, we are being enthusiastically embraced. Im part of an Indian tour group, which has some ladies traditionally attired, and that has caught the attention of the gentleman. Co-travellers draped in saris become the cynosure of all eyes and most sought-after for photographs.

Love for Hindustan

As the photo-op gets over, an elderly Uzbek lady, dressed typically as the others in an ikat-print outfit and headscarf, decides she has to speak on behalf of her group in welcoming us. We can decipher nothing but the two words she repeats often: Dilli and Babor. Our young guide patiently waits for her to finish and then translates: Youve come from Delhi, Hindustan, which crowned Babur emperor. We are honoured to have you visiting us, he says, adding, Theyre from Andijan, Fergana Valley, the birthplace of Babur, and invite you all to their homes. The group looks at us eagerly. The warmth is overwhelming.

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, is about three hourss flying distance from Delhi. This Central Asian region was once the heart of inter-continental trade on the Silk Route. Some of these overland routes lead to Hindustan also, and a visit to Uzbekistan shows that the connect is still alive. The common Uzbek citizen has a lot of regard for India, which stems as much from a shared cultural and historical past as it does for the modern bond with Bollywood.



Chor Minor, Bukhara



Medieval-era cities speckled with turquoise domes, bazaars with old-world trading and abundant with nuts, spices and naan, men and women flashing gold-toothed smiles, Uzbekistan epitomises the romance of the Silk Route like no other place. We opted for the popular tourism triangle of Tashkent-Samarkand-Bukhara, the places being key halts on erstwhile trade routes along with being stunning examples of Islamic architecture. As we journeyed through this Central Asian country, we felt each city had its own unique story to tell.

At Samarkand, we were swept away by the treasure trove of monuments with intricate artwork, and felt the city deserved more than a few days to a see all that it had to offer: the iconic Registan Square whose image is splashed across tourism brochures, Bibi Khanym Mosque, Gur-e-Amir, the mausoleum of Timur, Shah-i-Zinda Complex and Ulughbek Observatory. Their domes, archways and geometric-precision mosaic tiles, dressed in shades of blue with a sprinkling of green, white and yellow, are remarkable in every way, and left us awestruck.

In the land of the greats

Samarkand had witnessed vicious conquests by Alexander, Genghis Khan and Timur. As a result, it is a cultural mix of Persian, Indian, Mongolian, Chinese and European influences, a fact that comes forward in its food, customs and language. An example is the popular dish of plov, prepared with meat, rice and carrots. If its cooking method is Persian, some of the spices used, like haldi, jeera, dhaniya, are definitely Indian! The old and the new walk hand in hand in Uzbekistan, and Samarkand is no different. Today, its a modern city with a relaxed air, proudly maintaining its links with the past.

Though Uzbekistan has immense diversity to offer, from desert landscapes to textiles to food, its often said that the biggest attraction is its 3Ms: mosques, minarets and madrasas. A city that gets top billing in this category is Bukhara. It once had over 350 mosques and 100 madrasas, and was a centre of Sufiyana Islam. Over time, it grew into an important trading centre, becoming a star of the Silk Route. Now, its well-preserved historic city attracts visitors to Bukhara as it offers a peek into its medieval past, which is a combination of monuments and ancient markets still being used to sell the same ware such as carpets, saddles, handwoven cloth and pottery.

We found each of Bukharas monuments, be it Kalyan Minor, Ark of Bukhara, Chor Minar, Po-i-Kalyan Mosque or Samanid Mausoleum, had an identity of its own. Such was the unbelievable scale and assortment on offer that often while walking through Bukhara, we felt like we were in a living museum. Its old-style markets had a mix of original and factory-produced copies. They cheap. They sell, smiled a salesman who was honest enough to tell his buyers the difference. Bargaining is in order in these markets, quite like India, and being from Hindustan gets you additional discounts. Currency conversion gives a bagful of local Som, but it quickly disappears on making a purchase.



Shopping in Bukhara



Many, many attractions

While the world arrives in Uzbekistan to see its azure attractions, what they also witness is how the country strides the past and present with equal elegance. A shining example of that is Tashkent, which has tried shaking off its Soviet rigidity and rebuilt itself on a grand scale. The city boasts of broad, leafy boulevards, lots of parks, star-category hotels and expansive public buildings. Another feather in the countrys cap is the Uzbek Railways high-speed train, Afrosiyob. A picture of efficiency, I found it punctual, with flawless service and sparklingly clean.

It was also heartening to see that the name Lal Bhadur Shastri draws respect here. I was standing at his monument  a bronze bust created by Uzbek sculptor Yakov Shapiro in 1976, and erected at a central street of Tashkent  and hearing my guide passionately narrate the achievements of the former Indian prime minister when a group of Uzbek ladies passing by stopped, bowed and walked on. I have to drag Indian tourists here, said the guide, adding, We can never forget him. There is another life-size monument at a school named after him where Hindi is taught.

Uzbekistans tourism tagline is Naturally Irresistible! And it definitely is. Be its hospitable people or its culturally rich land, both welcome travellers; and their footprints are on the rise.
Linux - The beginning of the end

Updated: September 21, 2018

From what I've been able to discern these past few weeks, there's been a big drama over at the Linux Kernel mailing list. Long story short, following a series of expletive-drenched outbursts, bickering and other misunderstanding, Linus Torvalds has come forward with an apology, and has decided to temporarily step away from the leadership position as the benevolent dictator for life, to rest, reflect on his (rude) behavior, and seek help. In other words, this is a monumental moment in history.

Most people (will) focus on the expletives part of this incident and the subsequent apology, but they are actually missing the bigger picture. It's not about the use of the English language, it is what will happen because of the use of that language. It's about the future of the Linux kernel. Hear me out.

Note: Image courtesy of Freeimages.com/Chris Cummings.

A double-pincer movement

In a short, quick span of just twenty years, the Linux kernel (and associated operating systems) has become a huge, hugely successful commercial entity. Huge. What is even more astounding is that Linux is an indirect driver behind most of the explosion in data centers, Web, mobile, and IoT, without people ever realizing that what powers their services and devices is essentially a hobbyist idea of a genius.

Many companies were quick to understand and realize the potential of the Linux kernel, its extensible nature and robust design, and the idea has grown into the backbone of the Internet. The open-source nature of the kernel also raised awareness to the "third" way, as opposed to the proprietary nature of Microsoft and UNIX rivals, bringing in massive contributions from the community.

As the kernel grew - and the business models around - the commercialization of the kernel has taken over the open-source nature of the project. Nowadays, roughly 85% of all Linux kernel code is contributed by powerful companies like Red Hat, Intel, Google, Oracle, even Microsoft. But Linus Torvalds, the original creator, remained at the helm, a gatekeeper and a benevolent dictator, keeping a tight reign on his intellectual offspring.

Note: Image taken from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Linus has a rather harsh, maybe even brutal style. It may seem unnatural to some people, in certain cultures and parts of the world, mostly in the former British colonies across the big pond, but closer to his home turf in the land of elves and trolls, the direct and no-nonsense approach does not look quite so abrasive. In fact, the aggressive style allowed Linus to keep the kernel untouched by too many prying hands.

I have actually argued on this idea at the Open Source Summit Europe 2017. The reason why the Linux kernel is everything that the Linux desktop is not, and therefore so successful, is the way the kernel is done: tight control, not breaking the user space, long-term support, and a single, passionate, largely unaffiliated leader at the top. There can be only one!

A complete opposite of how the Linux desktop is realized.

Now, though, for obvious reasons, this model is at risk. But one should not be too worried, you might say. With Linux doing so well - and still growing - it's impossible to see the demise of the project any time soon.

But the threat is real. A clear and present danger.

Fuchsia

A few years ago, Google announced a radical new experiment - Fuchsia, a built-from-scratch operating system that may end up powering all Google devices one day. As an ordinary user, you may think okay, so. But the implication of this are huge.

I fully understand why Google is working on its own operating system - if you don't own the complete vertical stack, you don't control your product. Apple and Microsoft have their own fully independent systems, but Google's stuff relies on the Linux kernel and Oracle's Java. Fuchsia is a way forward to complete technological independence. It's a massive undertaking, but one that will eventually lead to something that gives Google the ability to scale up nicely in the next two decades.

Then, there's the application stack. Recently, Google introduced beta support for Linux applications on Chrome OS. I think this is an interim step to migrating everything - and everyone - to Google's new ecosystem. It's a very smart approach. Rather than re-engineer and re-factor everything (Linux and thus Android) to Fuchsia, with a smooth compatibility layer, there won't even be any need for a massive, disruptive application migration between operating systems.

The implications are enormous. Because it's not about a new operating system. It's about replacing the Linux kernel inside Android and all other associated IoT devices. This delegates Linux to the enterprise world of data centers. It's the same episode we saw with UNIX back in the 80s and early 90s, only slightly changed.

And then, you also have Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which bridges the gap between Microsoft and Linux software, enticing developers over to Windows, because after all, why wouldn't you develop common desktop applications on Microsoft operating systems? This is very good for the overall ecosystem, but it is another potential threat to the independence of Linux. Not only is 85% of it done in enterprise offices, companies are actively trying to bring this gold mine of intellect and productivity over to their side.

Standing in their way was one man, and now he's stepped away.

The language of aggression

There will probably never be a good moment for a leadership change, but when one hasn't been planned in a structured way that supports a long-term strategy, the results are even worse. I do not envy the people who need to deal with the ramifications of the sudden change, and the storm that is going to boil over the Linux community in the coming months. I wish them luck, because getting promoted in the middle of a battle isn't the most convenient of ways.

Finally, let's focus on what actually happened. I spent a while thinking about all my previous work places, all my work interactions with people, rerunning the dialogue, trying to recall the difficult situations where people fought and even insulted each other. It happened. A lot. Only most of the time, it was done using the sweet, silver-tongued corporate language of abuse.

The IT industry is heavily US-biased. For a legitimate reason. The bulk of the IT world has been created or is being run by American companies. It is fair to say that the IT is largely synonymous with the US economic and industrial supremacy. It is therefore not surprising that the language of the IT world is English, both in actual conduct and also in spirit.

This is why most IT businesses follow the American model. Without naming any specific examples, what you will often see is as follows: a mostly local leadership circle with a strong presence of people with financial background, a flamboyant sales and marketing model based on the bottom line figures, a multi-cultural backbone of intellectual property, and a strict, rigid set of values that define language and behavior.

Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between this message and the people to whom the message is intended. While the American model dominates the industry, the actual physical presence of Americans in the IT world is relatively small (as an overall percentage). This means that the business values of one market are superimposed onto the business values of people from other markets, who do not necessarily share or even understand the message. This creates friction and tension that often break down across cultural lines.

I argued this in my censorship article. For instance, the concept of Millennials and Baby Boomers. It's not applicable to 95% of the planet. Whenever someone says millennials - in the context of what they mean - the message is not relevant to every nineteen out of twenty people in the world. It's just a small example of thousands of similar concepts, phrases and buzzwords.

The same extends to most business values and codified behavior principles, known as Code of Conduct (CoC), used in the corporate IT environment. Designed to give people a supposedly cozy environment to work in, they also provided a legal framework, which is quite necessary in litigation-rich environments. With the very strong US focus embodied in their message, these principles often miss their target audience. And yet, there is an unspoken (or spoken) expectation that everyone adheres, or rather, normalizes to the stated values.

What makes things even worse is that this corporate language is often ... aggressive.

Polite language != good intentions

Indirect language, veiled threats, intentionally obfuscated meaning, adroitly worded insults, all of these are part of the everyday repertoire of communication in the IT world. On one hand, it is expected, on the other, it is the only allowed way for some people to express their disagreement or dissatisfaction. But it also breeds resentment and anger, and it cannot be reconciled with cultural differences. In fact, the expectation that everyone should adhere to a generic set of behavioral principles is a higher form of intolerance.

Watch out, the corpo-shark is out to get you.

Note: Image courtesy of Freeimages.com/Chatrin O Rockerz.

As someone who has had deep, significant interactions with people from many parts of the world, I believe I have developed an understanding for the nuances in behavior and communication, the association of guilt, shame and honor in people's actions, the interpretation of meaning, the cultural significance, the language constructs. For most part, all of these will be lost on someone whose cultural milieu is restricted to just one type of behavior and just one language.

You cannot expect people from Finland, Spain, Turkey, Namibia, or Japan to behave the same way, talk the same way, express themselves the same way. You cannot expect them to just normalize to a cookie-cutter template and move on. That does not work. And yet, that's the expectation, because that's how the US-centric IT world is designed.

Cultural differences

Take the following sentence as an example - you may have actually heard a manager use it: "We may have a problem." I find this sentence offensive, annoying. Like what does it even mean? Is there a problem or isn't there? Or is the manager clueless and does not have sufficient ability to understand whether the situation they are facing and the facts they are holding are going to manifest into a problem? Or is this a polite hint to the employee that he or she should do something? If so, why be indirect about it? Why not say it as it is?

This type of communication is perfectly acceptable in English, but it does not translate well to other languages, and as a by-product, other cultures. I can think of at least a dozen Indo-European languages where you simply don't phrase sentences like that. You just don't.

The international smile of corporate happiness.

Conversely, if a "foreigner" is to say something like "I want XYZ" in English, this may sound rude or too direct. But it is just the way people talk. And yet, directness (say Italian or Israeli mannerisms) can and will often be construed as aggressive, rude behavior in most English-speaking countries.

I find the word "challenge" when it's meant to signify "problem" offensive. I find the use of the word "softness" to indicate bad sales offensive. I find the phrase "I am excited" used in almost every business announcement to be offensive, because it is not genuine, nor does it indicate what type of excitement is being felt - excitement merely means an elevated state of emotions, could be good, could be bad. I find fake smiles offensive. I find chitchat offensive. But does anyone care what I think? No, because I don't run a multi-billion dollar-company.

Values? More like value

News flash. People don't join companies because they are enamored by "values." They tolerate the hype because they get paid. And the IT industry pays well. This is also why most people will hunker down, suck on the corporate teat like Romulus, and try to retire as quickly as they can, and then do something spiritual like Yoga in Nepal or home brewing in Patagonia in order to heal their IT-induced PTSD.

People work because they have to. And then, they join this company, and suddenly, they are being "taught" how to behave. You don't learn social skills at 25 or 35. You don't suddenly develop empathy. This is another big one. The word empathy comes up often. Most people don't understand what it means. What they actually want to say is - you should have more tolerance toward others. But to what end? For the sake of it? Just because? Why should one tolerate nonsense or bad work practice? Also, empathy cannot be learned.

Respect, another one. It's earned and not given. You don't magically respect people around you, so why should a workplace be different. You can be courteous and you can be polite - contentious, but let's say it can be done in a good way - but does not mean you associate any value to other people's actions. Work places are a means to an end, not a new school where you learn how to behave, that thing your parents did or didn't give you when you were a kid.

The outliers

Most companies do not know how to handle top talent. They try to normalize them. The bell curve of performance evaluations, the cancer of intellect. People with high IQ and low EQ are expected to do the same range of activities like all their other colleagues, like attend bullshit meetings, recite values, go through hours of badly edited online presentations and such. This is the golden opportunity where companies could try to make the best of their "special" cases, and use their abilities to the max, but instead, they mash them into a cookie cutter, and if a proverbial limb gets chopped because it doesn't fit, tough luck.

Think of your own work experiences. Meetings that serve no purpose. You have to explain your brilliant code to some clueless project manager. You have to listen to the quarterly financials even though you get no bonus or not even understand how your work translates into any business case. Some people are not built for interaction with others, some people thrive in such situations. Some are leaders, some are followers. The normalization kills top talent and sweeps in parasites and yesmen. This is what destroys companies from the inside over time.

Imagine Nikola Tesla in your office. How do you treat someone like that? What kind of environment do you provide to such people so they are happy, engaged and productive? How do you manage the balance between their needs and the rest? Today, the corporate answer is the numbing of senses through manifestos that create arbitrarily harmonious work environments labeled under the generic slogan of inclusiveness that looks good in the press but does nothing for the actual productivity of people or their underlying feeling of self-worth. Hint, correlation between the directness of speech in different cultures and the weekend consumption of alcohol.

Nikola Tesla does not approve of your conduct.

All that said ...

You should never swear at people under you - I use the word under in the hierarchical sense. Colleagues? Well, probably not, although you should never hold back on your opinion. Those above you in the food chain? It's fair game. You risk it to biscuit it.

I say, Linus shouldn't have used the language he did in about 55-65% of the cases. In those 55-65% of the cases, he swore at people when he should have focused on swearing at the technical solution. The thing is, people can make bad products but that does not make them bad people. It is important to distinguish this. People often forget this. And yes, sometimes, there is genuine malice. My experience shows that malice usually comes with a smile and lots of sloganeering. The typical corporate setup is an excellent breeding ground for the aspiring ladder climber.

Speaking of Linus, it is also vital to remember that the choice of language does not always define people, especially when there are cultural differences - it's their actions. In the remainder of the cases where "bad" language was used (if we judge it based on the approved corporate lingo vocab), the exchange was completely impersonal - or personal from the start on all sides - in which case, it's a different game.

The problem is, it's the whole package. You don't selective get to pick a person's attributes. Genius comes with its flaws. If Linus was an extroverted stage speaker who liked to gushy-mushy chitchat and phrase work problems in empty statements full of "inspiring" and "quotable" one-liners, he probably wouldn't be the developer that he is, and we wouldn't have Linux.

So was he wrong in some of those cases? Yes. Should he have apologized? Yes, privately, because it's a private matter. Definitely not the way it was done. Not a corporate-approved kangaroo court.

The outcome of this story is disturbing. A public, humiliating apology is just as bad. It's part of the wider corporate show, where you say how sorry you are on screen (the actual remorse is irrelevant). Linus might actually be sorry, and he might actually be seeking to improve his communication style - empathy won't be part of that equation, I guarantee that.

But this case - and a few similar ones - set a precedence.

People will realize, if someone like Linus gets snubbed for voicing his opinion - and that's what it is after all, an opinion, regardless of the choice of words and expletives - how will they be judged if they do something similar. But not just judged. Placed in the (social) media spotlight and asked to dance to a tune of fake humility in order to satisfy the public thirst for theatrics.

You are not expected to just feel remorse. You need to do a whole stage grovel.

And once the seed of doubt creeps in, people start normalizing.

It's a paradox that it's the liberal, democratic societies that are putting so much strain on the freedom of communication and speech. People forget the harsh lessons of the past and the bloody struggles their nations went through to ensure people could freely express themselves. Now, we're seeing a partial reversal.

But it's happening. The basket of "not allowed" words is getting bigger by the day. This affects how people talk, how they frame their issues, how they express themselves. This directly affects their work. There is less and less distinction between professional disagreement and personal slight. In fact, people deliberately blur the lines so they can present their business ineptitude as some sort of Dreyfuss witchhunt against their glorious selves.

As an ordinary person slaving in an office so you can pay your bills and raise your mediocre children, you may actually not want to say something that may be construed as "offensive" even though it could be a legitimate complaint, related to your actual work. This leads to self-censored, mind-numbing normalization. People just swallow their pride, suppress their problems, focus on the paycheck, and just play the life-draining corporate game. Or they have an early stroke.

How does all this relate to Linux?

There is a genuine change happening in the tech landscape. It requires a great amount of focus, power and courage to withstand getting swept away. Do you think Linux is going to survive due to the kindness and goodwill of the competitors?

It's one of the most lucrative pieces of technology out there. Without a strong-willed, zero-compromise leader, the project will be torn apart by the rivals. I don't know if Linus is coming back, or who is going to succeed him, or whether the old model will even be retained. I just hope that whoever grabs the helm has enough backbone and willpower to fight to keep Linux free and alive.

The weak do not survive. There's no middle ground. No mercy.

Conclusion

Should you swear? Often no. Should you tolerate bullshit? Equally no. Should you compromise on your values? It depends how much they pay you. Was Linus wrong to use "offensive" language in some of his interactions over the years? Yes. Is the fallout of this case tragic and disastrous? Oh yes.

The tech world is cruel. It's a battle. The survival of the fittest. The vast majority of products that dominate the market today are not a result of harmony and love. They are the survivors of numerous battles for market dominance where no one remembers the losers. It takes extraordinary personality to be at the top and withstand the stress of the public game, to be in constant spotlight, where your mixture of behavioral traits given to you by your mom and dad and the place where you grew up are given far more scrutiny than your intellectual output. And everyone just waiting for you to make one little mistake.

I hope Linus comes back. In the reality of the bland and fake, the world needs Linuses. Because in the end, it's about the freedom of expression, of intellectual creation, and if there isn't enough of the former, there cannot be enough of the latter, and in the long run, it will be the critical fissure that ruptures the vessel of open-source called Linux.

Cheers.
SPRINGFIELD  U.S. Senator Patrick Toomeys break-down of the June 25 seizure in Philadelphia by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents of 110 pounds of fentanyl, found inside barrels of iron oxide being shipped from China, offered a new, chilling perspective to the national opioid epidemic.

Given that 2 milligrams of fentanyl  the equivalent of two grains of salt  is enough to instantly kill a person, Toomey said, It was enough to kill every man, woman and child in Pennsylvania. Twice.

Toomey, R-Pa., was in town Friday morning touting the bi-partisan Blocking Deadly Fentanyl Imports Act, which he co-sponsored and was passed Monday by the Senate. Under the measure, American foreign aid would be made contingent upon a recipient country cooperating with U.S. drug enforcement efforts relating to fentanyl.

More specifically, a fentanyl-producing nation such as China would lose access to the Export-Import Bank and be ineligible for other U.S. taxpayer-subsidized aid if it fails to cooperate with the U.S. on narcotics control, according to Toomey. The State Department would also be required to identify in its annual report on narcotics trafficking those countries that are major producers of fentanyl  a requirement already in place for countries that are major sources of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

There is no easy solution, Toomey said of the opioid/heroin epidemic during a press conference at the township municipal building. Making it more difficult to get into the country has to be a constructive step in the right direction.

According to Toomey, the opioid and heroin epidemic has become increasingly lethal in part due to the widespread presence of illicit fentanyl, and analogs or similar compounds. The statewide crisis has been the topic of more meetings than any other issue since he was elected in 2011, the senator said.

Since fentanyl can be 50 times as potent as heroin, just a tiny amount of this dangerous substance can kill a person, including first responders who may be inadvertently exposed to the drug when responding to an overdose victim or a crime scene, he said.

Describing China as the major source of fentanyl, Toomey said the country has shown cooperation in some ways. While China has outlawed the manufacturing and sale of fentanyl, he said it has not banned analogs.

Toomey cited Canada and Mexico as countries that have been cooperative with the United States.

Unfortunately not all countries around the world are as cooperative as they could or should be, he said.

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., co-sponsored the legislation. Alabama holds the distinction of having the highest rate of opioid prescriptions per person in the country, according to Jones office.

Toomey was joined Friday at the microphone by Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland and Springfield Police Chief Joseph Daly. Guest supporters included state Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-26 of Springfield; state Rep. Alexander Charlton, R-165 of Springfield; Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division Chief Joseph Ryan; Delaware County Council members including Chairman John McBlain and Michael Culp; Magisterial District Judge Andrea Puppio; police chiefs from multiple Delaware County towns; and members of the Springfield Cares Coalition who work in tandem with the Delaware County Heroin Task Force.

As the former chief of the Delaware County District Attorneys Narcotics Unit, and a former Assistant U.S. attorney in the narcotics unit, I know firsthand that one of the biggest challenges to law enforcement in combating these deadly drugs is addressing the source of the problem, and stopping the flow of these illicit drugs that are manufactured in clandestine labs overseas in China, Copeland said. We know that drug traffickers, those who directly profit from the affliction of those struggling with the disease of addiction, in an effort to increase their profit margin are diluting heroin with fentanyl, often causing instantaneous overdose and death.

So far this year, Delaware County has recorded 138 overdose deaths.

While the number of drug-related deaths is lower than it was this time last year, more and more overdose deaths are the direct result of fentanyl, Copeland said. According to our medical examiner, the majority of drug-related deaths here in Delaware County are opioid related, with over 50 percent of those deaths involving fentanyl. Even more disturbing is that weve seen three confirmed cases of 3-Methylfentanyl, and even deadlier form of the drug.

Like Toomey, Copeland noted the risk to police and first responders, who on a daily basis administer Narcan to revive those in the midst of an opioid drug overdose.

Every day, law enforcement officers, including members of our Drug Task Force, are faced with suspected heroin-laced fentanyl that could kill them if not handled properly, she said.

As a protection from exposure, responders have been equipped with masks and gloves, she said. In addition, the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division was the first in the region to obtain a laser narcotics detection machine that identifies opioids without necessitating officer contact.

Since November 2014, police in Delaware County have saved 1,300 lives with the use of Narcan.

Clearly, these drugs are extremely dangerous and deadly and we need to do everything possible to keep them off our streets and out of the hands of traffickers, Copeland said.

Not only would the legislation mandate countries like China to comply with international agreements on narcotics control, Copeland said it would regulate the ownership of pill presses, which are used to produce counterfeit narcotics like fentanyl pills formed to look like legitimate Adderall.

This act will undoubtedly benefit law enforcement, allowing those who produce fentanyl, no matter where they are in this world to be prosecuted and held accountable just like the drug trafficker who peddles this poison in our community, she said.

According to Toomeys office, the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention cites that 29,418 Americans died from an overdose involving fentanyl in 2017, an increase of 840 percent in just five years; and the Drug Enforcement Administrated cites that fentanyl was present in 67 percent of the 5,456 drug overdoses in Pennsylvania last year.

Noting that an individual dies of an opioid overdose in the U.S. every 12 minutes, Daly said that three Americans had died in the time between the press conference started and his turn at the mic.

This is an epidemic that has hit every corner of our country, Daly said. It can be beat. We are here to make sure.

During and after the press conference, in response to media questions, Toomey also weighed in on two hot but off-topic issues: Mid-term elections, and the potential Monday hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford regarding her allegations that he sexually assaulted her while they were in high school 30 years ago.

Toomey said he expected a competitive mid-term election in November, and in part that Republican voters need to look at the current strong economy to see what the GOP is capable of doing.

As for the Kavanaugh/Ford hearing, Toomey said he believes the Senate Judiciary Committee has accommodated Ford by allowing her to testify at her preference, either in public or private, in person or by phone, in Washington, D.C., or at her home.

I think she should (testify), Toomey said. I think Judge Kavanaugh should have the opportunity to respond, and move on and have a vote.

In a statement issued Monday, Toomey said, I will be following the testimony closely and will consider it in the context of all the information that has been presented about Judge Kavanaugh and his record. Toomey expressed support for Kavanaugh after meeting with him before the assault allegation emerged.
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has urged individuals not to erect structures in an effort to receive housing.

Residents of Rose Place and Pole Yard are being cautioned not to try to "game the system.





The call was made by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves while in Parliament on September 6, in response to a question by Parliamentary Representative for West Kingstown, Daniel Cummings who questioned the Prime Minister about the implications for the housing stock at Rose Place where the proposed modern port facility is expected to be constructed.





According to the Prime Minister, he had been advised that it was highly unlikely that there were going to be large levels of displacement of housing between Back Street and Bay Street, but for residents on the bay side of Rose Place.





"I am to know that there are some persons there (Rose Place) for some time, incidentally many are not Vincentians, there are some with houses elsewhere and there are those who have gone to put up structures, Gonsalves said.





"We have photos, and there is a cut off period. Dont think you going to get a house  you cant game the system, he further warned.

He said that there was a similar issue in the area known as Pole Yard where he said those individuals will not be considered.





But he assured residents in both communities that it was the policy of the government to relocate individuals within the same constituency.





"I dont want any false news to say I am moving people for political purposes, he said.

In terms of the port project, Gonsalves said that consultations and assessments were ongoing, and that the affected individuals will be taken care of.





The port project includes a multi-purpose port facility, and is expected to cover some 16 acres. (DD)
UPPER DARBY  More than a dozen Upper Darby police officers, township workers and residents were honored with special commendations of heroism from the Upper Darby Police Department Wednesday night for their acts to help others during recent flooding events.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood and Upper Darby Mayor Tom Micozzie presented the commendations in council chambers to three groups of honorees for their efforts to save lives as flood waters eclipsed an entire section of Marshall Road and surrounding streets during the torrential downpours of August 13.

I was there at the scene the day of the incident and based on what I saw that day I cannot imagine how people are doing it in North Carolina and South Carolina, said Chitwood in relation to similar scenes unfolding in the path of Hurricane Florence. This is a great honor, a great tribute to men and women and civilian employees who rescued people on that particular day.

The first group awarded were Upper Darby Police Lt. Steve Oreskovich, officers Robert Bennett and Amanda Sheppard, and residents William Boduo and Darius Shanks. Oreskovich and Bennett responded to a woman trapped in her vehicle amidst rising flood waters at the intersection of Ashton and Normandy roads. A young girl escaped the vehicle and was being helped by an unknown man, but a woman was still trapped inside the submerging vehicle. The young girl and man were rescued by Oreskovich and Bennett, the latter making his way to the top of the vehicle and safely taking the woman out.

As Oreskovich asked for help, Buduo tied three bed sheets together to make a long rope and with the help of police, including Sheppard who had since arrived at the scene, the unknown male and Shanks were able to walk out to the van and save Bennett and the woman. Boduo anchored the rope at the waters edge.

The second group of honorees was Upper Darby police officers Travis Hall and William Reheffer and township public works employees Thomas Hasson, Francis Long, Jr., Zachary Lythgoe and Joseph Pietrantonio. The two officers responded to a call of a vehicle stuck in flood water with two occupants trapped at Grace and Marshall roads. Pressure prevented the doors from opening so the windows were broken and two women were successfully taken out of the car by the officers and moved to dry land.

Redheffer then saw an elderly woman trapped in a vehicle nearby and carried her to try land.

After a number of rescues at nearby Copley and Marshall roads, Hall was on his way to a parking lot out of the water when he stepped into a submerged sewer inlet, his legs dragged under by the rushing water, pulling him underwater and partially into the sewer before being pulled out by the public works employees.

Travis is lucky to be with us today, said Chitwood about Hall being swept up in the flood waters. Had it not been for the four men who rescued him, he would have been in that sewer down in Darby somewhere.

Finally, Upper Darby police officers Francis Devine and Ryan Wiseley were recognized as the last group of honorees. Devine and Wiseley rescued a women trapped in her car at Bywood and Penarth avenues who then pushed the vehicle off to the side of the road as the water receded.

A special honor was bestowed upon Bill Gaul for his emergency management services during the flood and for decades before that. Micozzie honored Gaul with the Mayors Service Award.

It gives me a great honor because it is very rare that a heroism award is given out, said Micozzie about the commendations, but when you see heroism at its face on that day, theyre all deserving.

The police department usually awards commendations at the start of the year, but an exception was made for a more timely appropriation of gratitude.
THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS  2 stars  Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Kyle MacLachlan; PG (thematic elements including sorcery, some action, scary images, rude humor and language); in general release

A great piece of writing can fail dramatically if it doesnt understand its audience.

Eli Roths The House With a Clock in Its Walls isnt a great movie, but issues with reaching its audience keep it from being the fun family option for the Halloween season it feels like it should be.

Set in the mid-1950s and based on the book by John Bellairs, House With a Clock follows the supernatural adventures of a young boy as he learns the art of magic. And yes, that does sound an awful lot like Harry Potter.

Also like Potter, House With a Clocks protagonist is sent to live with an eccentric relative following his parents' death. Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) is a brainy 10-year-old who is still teetering on the edge of his childhood. He loves to read the dictionary and is very sharp, but he also insists on wearing goggles at all times in tribute to his favorite TV personality.

After Lewis parents die in a car crash, he is sent to New Zebedee, Michigan, to live with his crazy Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black). Jonathan lives in a vast and beautiful Victorian home that is stuffed with clocks, and he keeps jack-o'-lanterns on the front porch year-round. It doesnt take long for Lewis to realize that his uncle is a warlock, or as he puts it, a boy witch.

In time, Jonathan agrees to teach Lewis his magic ways, with assistance from a witch next door named Florence (Cate Blanchett). The training helps ease Lewis transition to New Zebedee, which includes a rocky start at a school full of kids ready to bully him at every turn.

The more Lewis learns about magic, the more he learns about his uncles unique predicament. The previous owner of the home, an evil magician named Isaac Izard (Kyle MacLachlan), died after leaving a mysterious clock hidden in its walls. Jonathan is determined to find the clock, and as Lewis learns why, he discovers that Izard may still be a threat.

House With a Clocks early scenes are spooky and whimsical, whipping the films world to life and evoking memories of Ray Bradbury and Tim Burton. Jack Black is a perfect match for his character, and his inherent goofiness is nicely complimented by Blanchetts regal grace as Florence (the catty banter between the two is a real highlight). Vaccaro is sympathetic as Lewis, and though there are conceptual similarities to the Potter saga, House With a Clock feels unique enough to stand on its own.

But as the film moves forward, digging further into the Izard story, the subject matter gets progressively darker and the story gets messier. Though it never officially crosses into PG-13 territory, House With a Clock lingers in enough macabre content  dealing in elements of black magic and featuring some genuinely disturbing animation  to eliminate younger children from the target audience.

Not being familiar with the source material, its hard to know if Bellairs book is intended for more mature audiences, but regardless, its hard to imagine House With a Clock appealing to an audience old enough to handle the films creepiness. Its also likely that Roth  better known for hard-R torture-porn horror like Hostel and The Green Inferno  just hasnt been able to dial down his usual routine far enough for a family audience. Given the charm of the film's first act, that really seems too bad.

The House With a Clock in Its Walls is rated PG for thematic elements including sorcery, some action, scary images, rude humor and language; running time: 104 minutes.
A recent Deseret News editorial called on the governor and legislative leaders to outline a vision that elevates the states education system. The good news is such a plan  the Utah Education Roadmap  already exists. This plan is a culmination of hard work and dedication by many education stakeholders. It is built on research, evidence and Utah values, and reflects the common interest and concern Utahns have for their public schools, colleges and universities.

The Utah Education Roadmap was developed by the Governors Education Excellence Commission, whose membership represents teachers, parents, principals, school board members, business leaders, legislators and other stakeholders, each who play a vital role in steering Utahs education system toward increased success for each student. The plan was informed by previous planning efforts of the Utah Legislature, Prosperity 2020, Envision Utah, the Governors Office and state public and higher education agencies.

The roadmap recognizes the importance of identifying broad, yet critical, areas of focus within Utahs education system, including preschool through post-secondary education. It hones in on four priority areas: ensure early learning, strengthen and support educators, ensure access and equity and complete certificates and degrees. Of note, in addressing issues regarding retaining and supporting teachers, the roadmap includes strategies designed specifically to elevate and show appreciation for the teaching profession, to invest in professional capacity, and to provide resources to enhance effective teaching and learning.

With the formal launch of the roadmap last January, these strategies are already guiding the work of transforming Utahs education system. This past legislative session, stakeholders involved in crafting the plan worked together to highlight the need for more resources aligned with strategies in the roadmap. Subsequently, more than $204 million in new ongoing state appropriations were put toward public education, with the majority being allocated to local school districts and charter schools, giving them the flexibility to meet their most critical needs. As we have seen throughout the state, this funding, in large part, has been utilized to recruit and retain educators, to improve working conditions and opportunities for professional learning, and to provide training in working with our most vulnerable student populations.

While some may fault the roadmap for not delving into or mandating specific policies and practices, Utah faces unique challenges in this regard due to the complicated nature of the governance structure for education. For example, people (rightfully) look to the governor for leadership on improving education opportunities and outcomes. But while the governor has considerable input and influence in higher education  he appoints both the Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees for our universities and technical colleges  he has virtually no direct authority over public education, other than the bully pulpit and his voice championing the cause.

It is the elected State Board of Education that, constitutionally, is given the general control and supervision over public education. The Legislature has a significant role in dictating programs and providing funding. Further, locally elected school boards and charters are responsible to their communities for the overall policy, curriculum decisions and general oversight of their individual schools. All of these entities must work together in order to achieve the optimal outcome for students.

Education truly is essential to Utahs current and future success. Our vision, as stated in the roadmap, is to increase educational achievement and attainment for every learner at each level of the education system, with our ultimate goal of having the top performing education system in the nation. The National Conference of State Legislatures own education plan notes that key to the success of any states education improvement effort, individual reforms (must be) connected and aligned as parts of a clearly planned and carefully designed comprehensive system. We have a plan  a roadmap for success. Together, we can continue building on our current momentum and increase educational achievement for all Utah students.

To read the Utah Education Roadmap, visit here.
Water always has been a precious commodity in the American West. But the combination of a prolonged drought and unprecedented growth in the regions largest cities has taken it beyond precious and into the realm of life and death for communities, livelihoods and a fragile ecosystem.

Against this backdrop, the Southern Nevada Water Authority continues its relentless quest to pump groundwater from beneath land just west of the Utah state line. It is appealing a ruling by the state engineer that denied it access to key groundwater rights.

That decision was not made with the engineers wholehearted enthusiasm. It was necessitated by District Court Judge Robert Estes, who ruled that Nevadas engineer was arbitrary and capricious when he decided six years ago to approve a pumping plan.

The water engineer, Jason King, has promised to appeal that decision.

Meanwhile, he also has approved a different plan, the 3M plan, that would monitor, manage and mitigate any environmental impacts that result from pumping water. Its unclear, however, whether such problems could be detected in time to save a fragile desert ecosystem.

The underlying problem here is easy to understand. Las Vegas continues to grow quickly. Clark County now is home to more than 2.25 million people, according to county estimates. But drought has taken a toll on Lake Mead and the Colorado River, two major supplies of water.

That is becoming a common concern among major metropolitan areas in the West. California is handing out money to cities for new water management projects that could help that states population survive prolonged drought. In the Beehive State, the Utah Drought Review and Reporting Committee met recently for the first time in 10 years to review the enormous economic costs of the current six-year drought. Ranchers and farmers are being hit especially hard.

The Salt Lake metro area, meanwhile, also ranks among the nations fastest growing areas. To the south, Phoenix struggles with similar problems. New York University sociologist Andrew Ross has called it the worlds least sustainable city.

A metro area should not be allowed to take water from people with existing rights or destroy an ecosystem.

But Nevadas desire to pump water from distant underground aquifers is not a sustainable solution to this problem.

Originally, Nevada wanted to pump beneath the Snake Valley, which includes parts of Nevada and Utah. Now it is focusing on other basins in eastern Nevada.

To pump water from these aquifers to Las Vegas would cost billions of dollars. The fear is that this would drain water beneath land in Utah that is used for ranching and other agricultural purposes. Without adequate groundwater, these concerns would suffer, as might plants and trees that help keep soils in place. The result could be huge dust storms in the region, perhaps spreading to major metro areas.

A number of concerned organizations have filed petitions in this case, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns this newspaper. The church owns a ranch in Spring Valley, which is in White Pine County, and believes pumping would put its land at risk.

These efforts are hardly new. Legal challenges over pumping plans to serve Las Vegas began in 1989. Its tempting to compare the legal costs to what Nevada might have accomplished by instead seeking other alternatives.

We sympathize with southern Nevadas problem, which is so similar to the challenges confronting other major cities in the region. However, a metro area should not be allowed to take water from people with existing rights or destroy an ecosystem. It must focus on finding other alternatives.
For over almost 30 years, the Lions Club South St. Vincent has hosted the annual Secondary Schools Public Speaking Competition.





This forum has enabled students the opportunity to showcase their talents and creativity. On Tuesday 25th September 2018, at 1:00 p.m., we kick off the first preliminaries at the Frenches House with Zone One.





This zone includes participants from the various schools as follows: St. Vincent Girls High School, Bishopss College Kingstown, Dr. J.P Eustace Memorial Secondary School, St. Clair Dacon Secondary School, Union Island Secondary School and St. Josephs Convent Kingstown.





Each school was given the topic "Violent and unpunished crime now seem to be a part of our daily lives. Enforcing the death penalty has now become our only recourse, to debate on for a chance to enter the finals.

Zone Two comprises the following: Campden Park Secondary School, St. Vincent Grammar School, Bequia SDA Secondary School, Bequia Community High School, Intermediate High School and West St. George Secondary School.





This preliminary is scheduled for Wednesday 26th September 2018, as they address the topic "In modern society, there can be no valid justification for vigilante justice. However, the laws around citizens arrest do not help in the reinforcement of law and order.





Zone Three will be held on Thursday 27th, September 2018 with the topic "The incidence of sexual abuse of minors in the country is a disturbing phenomenon, it is simply a symptom of moral decay, to be debated by the students from the following schools: St. Josephs Convent Marriaqua, Mountain View SDA Academy, Georgetown Secondary School, Adelphi Secondary School, North Union Secondary School, Sandy Bay Secondary School and George Stephens Sr. Secondary School.





Lastly, Zone Four will be held on Friday, 28th September 2018, as the students address the topic "The reduction in backyard farming has exposed a sizable part of our population to genetically engineered foods and pesticides. A buy local campaign is one sure way to ensure that our nation consumes more organic and natural food. The students participating are from the following schools: St. Martins Secondary School, Central Leeward Secondary School, Troumaca Secondary School, Petit Bordel Secondary School, Thomas saunders Secondary School and Buccament Secondary School.





The winner of each preliminary will automatically be entered into the finals scheduled for October 2018. The President of the Lions Club South St. Vincent, Lion Junior Bacchus looks forward to the students and their exciting, innovative and enlightening presentations.





Members of the Lions Club South St. Vincent anticipates continued relationships with sponsors such as Flow & GECCU, schools and fans, as they continue to support and sustain this annual event. We would like to thank each and everyone who have contributed to make this event a successful one.




This year, Utah is experiencing the fastest-growing economy in the nation with unemployment at a record low of only 3 percent, in part because of our rapidly expanding tech sector. However, many of Utahs rural counties are being left behind.

Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. John Curtis are working hard to bridge this urban-rural divide by streamlining the deployment and access of high-speed broadband internet services across rural Utah. This week, the House unanimously passed Curtis HR 4824, the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act, with broad, bipartisan support. Hatch is the author of the Senate version of the same bill, which is a major win for Utah.

The unfortunate reality is that the permitting of broadband projects across federal lands often takes far too long. In some cases it has taken eight or nine years to approve a single broadband project across federal lands. With about two-thirds of Utahs lands managed by various federal land management agencies, the Hatch-Curtis bill will help create efficiencies and accelerate timelines while still meeting current environmental requirements for the deployment of broadband infrastructure projects on existing highway rights of way on federal lands.

One challenge for Utahs rural broadband providers is working with multiple federal agencies to permit projects on federal land. This issue often leads to project delays and uncertainty. The Hatch-Curtis bill requires increased federal agency coordination to lessen these burdens. Specifically, the legislation designates a lead agency to coordinate the federal permitting process. By creating a single point of contact across multiple federal agencies for a given project, this will drive efficiencies and reduce the time needed to complete the permitting process particularly for small providers that have limited resources.

The Hatch-Curtis rural broadband bill pulls from a successful Federal Highway Administration National Environmental Policy Act Delegation Program that delegates the environmental compliance under the National Environment Policy Act from the relevant federal agencies to a state government. This bill allows states like Utah to take on the responsibility of the environmental reviews required by federal law on behalf of the relevant federal agency. While federal land management agencies can be short-staffed and dealing with long permitting backlogs, states like Utah are both willing and more than capable of completing the same federal environmental reviews in a fraction of the time.

By reducing the time and complexity of the federal permitting process for high-speed broadband projects, rural telecom companies will be able to connect some of the most remote parts of Utah. This will help economic development and give Utahns living in these areas greater job opportunities and a higher quality of life. This development is critical as we become more and more reliant on the internet to access health care, education and more.

But this bill doesnt just benefit permitting through federal lands. The Hatch-Curtis bill specifically extends these rural broadband permitting efficiency programs to tribal lands as well. That is why the Navajo Nation, which hosts chapters in San Juan County, has strongly supported this important legislation.

Curtis and Hatchs Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act is a game changer for Utah  especially for Utahns living in rural parts of our state. This bill enjoys support on both sides of the aisle and is strongly endorsed by the Utah Rural Telecom Association, WTA Advocates for Rural Broadband, NTCA the Rural Broadband Association, the Utah Education and Telehealth Network, the American Library Association, the Grand County Council and the Utah Governors Office of Economic Development, among others.

I hope that the Senate will follow the Houses lead and swiftly pass the Hatch-Curtis rural broadband bill and send it to the presidents desk. This commonsense approach will make all the difference for Utahns living in rural communities.
SALT LAKE CITY  More than 30 passengers from India experienced bleeding from the nose and ears after pilots on their plane forgot to turn on cabin pressure, according to multiple news reports.

Jet Airways flight 697 from Mumbai to Jaipur turned around after it took off after the pressure dropped inside the plane.

Oxygen bags deployed from above the seats.

During climb, the crew forgot to select bleed switch due to which cabin pressure could not be maintained. As a result, oxygen masks got deployed, Lalit Gupta, joint director general working for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, told Newsweek.

The airline said in a statement that the flight turned around "due to loss in cabin pressure" and "regretted" what happened.

"The B737 aircraft, with 166 guests and 5 crew, landed normally in Mumbai. All guests were deplaned safely and taken to the terminal. First aid was administered to a few guests who complained of ear pain, bleeding nose, etc," the statement said.

Panic situation due to technical fault in @jetairways 9W 0697 going from Mumbai to Jaipur. Flt return back to Mumbai after 45 mts. All passengers are safe including me. pic.twitter.com/lnOaFbcaps  Darshak Hathi (@DarshakHathi) September 20, 2018

Passengers shared videos of what happened on the plane through social media.

Panic situation due to technical fault in @jetairways 9W 0697 going from Mumbai to Jaipur. Flt return back to Mumbai after 45 mts. All passengers are safe including me. pic.twitter.com/lnOaFbcaps  Darshak Hathi (@DarshakHathi) September 20, 2018

@jetairways Flight 9W 697 made an emergency landing back in Mumbai. Airplane lost pressure immediately after taking off...scores of passengers including me bleeding from nose....no staff to help...no announcement on board to wear the oxygen mask.passengersafety completelyignored pic.twitter.com/vO9O95aMCP  Satish Nair (@satishnairk) September 20, 2018

Symptoms suffered by the passengers are common when a plane has low air pressure, according to Newsweek.

To survive high altitudes, occupants of an aircraft need help breathing. The solution is to pump air into the airplane, so the interior pressure is high enough to keep the humans happy, according to AeroSavvy.

Jet Airways grounded two pilots back in January after reports of a fight inside the cockpit during a flight, according to BBC News. The flight landed safely.
SALT LAKE CITY  A Salt Lake man was charged Thursday with driving away and abandoning his vehicle after hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk one year ago.

Bruce Micheal Almy, 62, is charged in 3rd District Court with failing to stop for an injury accident, a third-degree felony; having no registration, and failing to yield to a pedestrian, both infractions.

On Sept. 29, 2017, Michael Kenneth Chatwin was on a longboard crossing at the intersection of Indiana Avenue and Emery Street in Salt Lake City when he was hit by a car, according to charging documents. Chatwin suffered serious injuries that required surgery, including a broken leg, a broken nose and a cut scalp, but he was expected to make a full recovery.

Three days later, police said they found the vehicle that hit Chatwin. It had a damaged grill, hood and windshield and a temporary driver's license belonging to Almy inside, the charges state. Nearby video surveillance allegedly recorded Almy pulling into a parking area after the crash, putting on a hoodie and walking away.

Investigators finally found Almy on Sept. 13. When asked why he didn't stay at the scene of the crash, he said he was "scared," according to charging documents.
WEST VALLEY CITY  It wasn't all that long ago that Sambat Kim walked the halls of Hunter High School as a student.

He now occupies an office in the school's counseling center, helping students make successful transitions from high school to higher education as college access adviser with the Utah's College Advising Corps.

"When I was a student, a lot of my counselors spent a lot of valuable time with me. That's the reason why I really love this school and I love this community. When you have some that passionate say 'I believe in you,' you go from losing hope to you have hope," Kim said.

Kim, a recent graduate of the University of Utah, was guided by Utah College Advising Corps advisers when he was a student, which was another reason he wanted to pay it forward to the next generation of Hunter High students.

"I will be there to support them 100 percent, even if I have to sacrifice my lunch, I will do that. If I need to walk them to class or if I need to talk to their parents, I will do that," said Kim, who was a first-generation college student.

Kim is one of 12 college access advisers in high schools from St. George to Salt Lake City. They help students register for and complete college entrance exams, submit college applications, apply for scholarships and financial aid. Once they're admitted to a college or university, the advisers connect incoming freshman to first-year experience programs to ensure they have a successful transition to college.

On Friday, the Utah State Board of Regents will consider an initiative that will eventually place a permanent, full-time college access adviser in every high school in Utah, an expansion of the advising corps, which is headquartered at the U.

The goal of the plan is to scale the advising program statewide by the 2021-22 school year.

The estimated cost of the program is approximately $7 million, nearly $6 million that will be part of the board of regents' 2019 budget request to state lawmakers and the rest from an internal reallocation of the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education budget.

Jocelyn Sanders, also a 10th-grader at Hunter, said all students need someone like Kim to guide them on the path to college.

The regents' proposal "is a really, really, really good idea," Jocelyn said.

"We all need someone to help us go through transitioning to college from high school. That's going to be really scary for me because I'm going to be on my own and everything is going to be so different. He helps you on a path. You get what's going on and how you're going to get there," she said.

Walk into Kim's office and the walls speak to accomplishments and possibilities. His diplomas from the U., Salt Lake Community College and his study abroad experience at National Taiwan Academy hang on the walls. On another wall, there are pennants from all state and private colleges in Utah.

Kim, who is from Cambodia, relocated to Utah when he was in the sixth grade. He was a top student at Hunter, its Sterling Scholar in science in 2013.

Not only did Kim have a rewarding college experience, he graduated debt-free. That's something else he enjoys teaching students  about scholarships, grants and tuition waivers that can make college highly affordable.

Samuel Morales-Madrid, a 10th-grader at Hunter High, likens Kim to a lighthouse.

"He lights the path. You could go your own route but it would be a lot more work and confusing and it might make you want to give up. Sam just lights the path for you so you know what you're doing and it's much easier," said Samuel, who would be the first person in his immediate family to attend college.

Zayleen Coto, who is a senior at Hunter High School, said Kim's youth is a boon because he recently completed college and knows a lot about what it takes to succeed.

He's also empathetic with teenagers' struggles, she said.

"He understands when we go under stress. He's always there for us. We come to him often about scholarship information or our college research or our personal portfolio to send out and he helps us," Zayleen said.

When she feels overwhelmed, Kim helps her work through her challenges, she said.

"He says, 'I get it. Don't stress. Just focus,'" Zayleen said.

Claudia Travis, who directs Hunter High's counseling center, said Kim teams with the schools counselors on large meetings to help families navigate the college financial aid process. He also accompanies students on college campus tours.

While Travis also helps students prepare for college or postsecondary technical education, she makes a point of encouraging them to schedule an appointment with Kim, because he was awarded 15 scholarships and had his pick of public colleges and universities when he graduated from high school.

"He can spend more quality time on that where I have 385 kids just in my alphabet. So for him to be first generation, the first going to college, helping them through the process, it's invaluable to us to have him here in as big a school as we have. We have over 2,600 kids, ninth through 12th grade. So for him to be able to answer questions from anyone is wonderful," she said

Hunter High School Principal Craig Stauffer said teachers and administrators give students similar advice and encouragement to go after their dreams.

"They don't necessarily believe it until they've seen someone who's done it recently, so that makes a big difference," Stauffer said.
PROMONTORY, Box Elder County On a cloudless day in northern Utah, super-hot flames generate huge plumes of thick smoke that rise high into the otherwise clear blue sky above the desert of Box Elder County, bringing cheers to scores of onlookers who came to marvel at the power of human engineering that will one day propel rockets into space beyond Earth's orbit.

"I'm one of the few people that, when I was 14 years old, I knew what I wanted to do in life  and that was to play with rockets," said Jeff Winter, motor development manager at Northrop Grumman. Seeing the fruits of his labor is especially gratifying.

"I'm living the dream," Winter said.

Northrop Grumman Corp. Thursday conducted the first qualification ground test of its graphite epoxy motor  GEM 63  which will be used as strap-on boosters on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket beginning July 2019.

The full-scale, static-fire test was the culmination of a three-year effort that began with development of the new technology that went into the motor, explained Katie Qian, an aerospace engineer in business development for commercial programs at Northrop Grumman.

"The main objective is to test out the ballistic qualities (of the motor)," she said. Ideally, the test will indicate the readiness of the motor and show what adjustments, if any, need to be made going forward, she said.

"We want to make sure everything is working, between the case, the propellant and the insulation on the inside," Qian said. "Today's test is to put all that together and get the (resulting) data validated."

Under a $191 million agreement with the U.S. Air Force, Northrop Grumman is partnering with the United Launch Alliance to implement launch vehicle production, launch operations and spaceflight certification for the Space Test Program-3 mission scheduled to take place at Florida's Cape Canaveral next year.

"(This motor) is a booster on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V space launch vehicle," Qian said. "It's the kind you might see sending up satellites for communications and that sort of thing."

The motor being tested is one of potentially five that could be strapped around a rocket to provide added thrust during takeoff, she said.

The test was considered a "cold" test in which the motor was cooled down to a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit before ignition to determine if the motor is able to operate properly under such conditions, she explained.

"The first static test is always a major milestone," she said.

The next static test will be a "hot" test, where the motor will be activated at 90 degrees, Winter said.

As for the cold test, he said they were "expecting success and we got success." When asked how he measured success, he replied wryly, "because I could see the building."

Noting the fact there were no unforeseen catastrophes, he added that they will know more about the function of the motor once they're able to examine and evaluate data generated from Thursday's test.

"We've got performance data to look at," he said. "We'll dissect the motor and it'll take about 30 days to collect all the data."

This test seemed to go generally as expected, Winter said. However, he said there is still work to be done to prepare for the upcoming ground test later this year.

While he is optimistic about the possible findings, he was particularly excited about the lead up to and execution of the static test. Being a part of this kind of program is exactly why he became a rocket scientist, he said.

He said the second static test is scheduled for December when, if all goes well, they will be able to plan for the first actual launch using the GEM 63.

"The first flight will have five solid (rocket booster motors) on it," he said. Much of the technology that went into the making of the solid rocket motor was developed and manufactured in the Beehive State at various Northrop Grumman facilities around northern Utah  something Utahns should be proud of.

"We are the single largest manufacturer of solid rocket motors in the world," he said.
SALT LAKE CITY  When Elaine Walters-Case at age 37 learned she had breast cancer, everything changed.

"It was devastating. I mean, getting that diagnosis any time, but especially at the age of 37, it's pretty devastating. I received the news on the day I picked up our wedding invitations. I was just getting married two months later," Walters-Case said.

The disease then returned two years later, and she's battled stage 4 cancer ever since. But she says she's "been fortunate enough to benefit from care for the last 13 years at Huntsman and I know that it is something that has extended my life, the excellent world-class care that I get there."

Walters-Case spoke with reporters at a news conference Thursday at the Grand America Hotel, along with officials from Huntsman Cancer Center who announced a proposed expansion to the facility.

The 100,000-square-foot expansion would extend from the north end of the cancer center's existing buildings, officials said, adding up to 50 new inpatient rooms and workspace for doctors.

Several donors have committed to altogether donate $40 million to the project. Donors include Spencer and Kristen Kirk in honor of Kathryn F. Kirk  whom the expansion will be named for  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Aid Fund, and doTERRA International, among others who are remaining anonymous.

The Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women's Cancers at Huntsman Cancer Institute will also include more procedure, consultation and outpatient rooms and will increase the size of the Wellness and Integrative Health Center, according to officials.

"My father said that someday, we'll be finished with cancer. We'll have eradicated cancer. He wants to take this entire facility and put it into a Four Seasons resort," said Peter Huntsman, president and CEO of Huntsman Corporation, noting his late father Jon Huntsman's commitment to fighting the disease.

"The life expectancy every year, we continue to make progress.  The research we're doing today will help them in the future. The time to give is now, the time to care is now.  And this is a facility that will be able to enable that sort of giving, enable that sort of expansion and that sort of research," he explained.

Huntsman said his father began raising funds for the expansion a year ago.

The plan for additional funds for the proposed expansion  which officials say will cost an estimated $80 million  is expected to be finalized in coming months after receiving approval by the University of Utah Board of Trustees, state legislature and U. building oversight committees, officials said.

Construction would begin in December 2019, with the expansion opening in the fall of 2022, officials said.

Mary Beckerle, CEO Huntsman Cancer Institute and a professor of biology, said that the institute is the only national cancer institute designated as a "comprehensive cancer center" in the Mountain West.

"We have the largest geographic area of any national cancer institute designated cancer center," she explained, emphasizing that more space is needed.

"This is the most exciting time in cancer research that I can ever remember. Because we now appreciate that we're not just targeting one type of cancer. We have 200 different types of cancer. And that knowledge is allowing us to personalize our treatments in a way that's never been possible before," Beckerle said.

Walters-Case said she was "thrilled" when she heard about the plans "because this is going to enable Huntsman to be able to reach out to even more patients and more families, and they'll be able to hopefully get the benefit that I've been having for so long."

For those who are battling cancer, Huntsman said he'd like them to know that people care.

"First thing I'd like to do is give each one of them a hug, and just let them know that people genuinely care. And with that care comes a world-class facility," he said.

"And there's not a better place in the world where they can be treated. We have it all right here."
SALT LAKE CITY  Don't worry, all you outdoorsy types, just because The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is eliminating Boy Scouts doesn't mean camping will disappear as it overhauls its youth programs for both young men and young women.

In May the church, commonly referred to by the term Mormon, announced it would end its 105-year relationship with the Boy Scouts of America at the end of 2019, and it is expected the Young Women's program will undergo major changes, too. The decisions are part of a broader restructuring of the church's programs for all Latter-day Saint children and youth due to begin in 2020.

Since then, some have wondered what would happen to the strong traditions of Boy Scout camps and camps for the church's young women.

On Friday, church leaders released two short statements about what its revamped "children and youth development initiative" will look like and made it clear that camping will play a central role.

"Camps and other outdoor activities have always been and will continue to be a prominent part of gospel learning, building relationships, and strengthening faith in Jesus Christ," the first statement said. "Children and youth may participate in Primary day camps, Young Women camps, Young Men camps and high adventure activities. Local leaders, youth and parents will identify and provide outdoor activities that invite spiritual experiences and meet the needs of their children and youth."

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles responded to the news on his Facebook page.

"As an Eagle Scout whose faith was strengthened by hearing the testimonies of inspired leaders around a campfire," he said, "I am thrilled that the new resources for older girls and boys, young women and young men coming in 2020 will continue to feature camps and other outdoor activities as an important part of gospel learning, building relationships and strengthening faith in Jesus Christ."

The second statement released Friday by the church addressed other types of activities that will be part of the new programs.

"Activities will be based on needs rather than requirements," it said. "Weekday activities, outdoor adventures and youth conferences will continue as a vital part of helping children and youth learn, develop friendships, serve and strengthen faith in Jesus Christ."

The church's Young Women general president, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, wrote about the announcements on Facebook, too.

"As Ive talked to youth leaders around the church, Ive been asked so many questions about the new youth initiative the church is developing," she said. "Will camps still be a part of it? Will outdoor activities still exist? Will youth still have fun? The answer is a resounding yes! As we work on this new initiative, we want you to feel confident that the youth of the church will continue to have the resources and experiences that they need to develop life skills, build character, fulfill their roles as Gods children, and, of course, have fun."

Friday's two statements have been added to the Frequently Asked Questions section of childrenandyouth.LDS.org, which has information about the changes coming in 2020 for all programs for children 8 to 18. They were included in an email sent Friday to stake and district presidents, bishops and branch presidents and Young Men, Young Women and Primary presidencies.

The church also released a statement by President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

"We have been considering for many years how we can best meet the needs of a worldwide church," President Ballard said. "Our children and youth in every part of the world are so precious to us. We have a deep desire to help them strengthen faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and feel of His love."
UTAH STATE PRISON  Jeremy Edwin Richards says he'll serve whatever time the Board of Pardons and Parole decides is best.

But Richards believes after 19 years in the Utah State Prison, he has changed and is ready to be a productive member of society again.

"I just want a chance, maam. Thats all I want, he told board member Denise Porter in a recording of his parole hearing on Sept. 11. "I want to prove to you and to everybody else that Ive learned my lesson.

"I know you heard it before, but Im serious. Im not coming back. I dont like it here. I just want a chance. Im not coming back, Richards said.

In 1999, Richards got into an argument with Steven Malan, 29, after going to a party in Ogden. The argument turned violent and Richards stabbed Malan to death. He then called his father rather than 911. After Richards' father arrived at the scene, his father called police.

Four months later, while out on bail awaiting trial for his murder charge, Richards  high on meth  attacked a man with whom he was making a drug deal. He was charged with attempted murder.

Richards eventually pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for a reduced charge of aggravated assault in the second case. For the murder conviction, he was sentenced to up to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Both sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. The aggravated assault sentence expired in 2004.

In 2014, Richards had his first parole hearing. It was revealed at that time that during his time in prison, doctors had diagnosed him as having major depressive disorder with severe psychotic features. He admitted that he was hearing voices in 1999, even though that was something he never told his attorneys during his original murder trial, and he was never given a psychological evaluation. He was prescribed medication for his mental illness for the first time while in prison in 2003.

During his recent second parole hearing, Porter noted that Richards' most recent mental health evaluation found he was doing well. Richards, who is still in the prison's Olympus facility where inmates with mental health needs are housed, said he knew his positive progress was due in part to his medication.

"I have got to be on my medication. I know I cant go without it. If I was to get out on the street, the first thing I would do is go get my medication. Thats the first thing, he said.

Richards, who was well-prepared for his hearing and gave strong answers to Porter's questions, was asked what had changed over the past 19 years that has made him so adamant about taking his meds.

He said he knew he had problems before, "but pride stepped in the way to get help," he said.

"I thought it would make me less of a man (to seek help)," he said.

Richards said having structure and routine in prison has also helped him.

"It makes me comfortable," he admitted.

Richards has a food-handler job in prison and serves food to other inmates. Both he and Porter noted that he had stayed out of trouble since being incarcerated. Richards said even though he has been offered drugs and alcohol while in prison, he has stayed clean for nearly two decades.

"I do not want to live that life no more. I dont want to drink no more. I dont want to do drugs no more. I just want to be productive. I gotta stay on my meds. If I dont stay on my meds, thats where everything falls apart. And I got too much to lose, he said.

If he is released, Richards said he plans to live with his mother in Hooper and help her manage her farm that has livestock.

"I believe I could succeed out there if I get a chance, he said.

The full five member board is expected to make a decision on whether to grant parole in a few weeks.
SALT LAKE CITY  A West Valley police officer who shot and killed a 20-year-old man holding a screwdriver inside a garage will not be criminally prosecuted.

But Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill stopped short Friday of officially declaring the officer's use of force legally justified because Gill still doesn't know with certainty why the officer fired his weapon three times.

"Officer (Nicholaus) Green declined to be interviewed in connection with this incident, as is his constitutional right. As such, it remains unclear what he was thinking or feeling, or even what he saw, when he discharged his service weapon," Gill wrote in his final report.

On April 8, West Valley police officers were running after Elijah James Smith, 20, following a shoplifting incident at a nearby phone store. Smith ran into a house at 3551 S. Jenelles Bay, and then into an attached garage. The house was occupied by three children, ages 13, 10 and 8. No adults were home at the time. The children told officers they did not know the man who had run into their house.

When they entered the garage, Green and officer Phillip Wright had their guns drawn while officer George Martinez had his Taser ready.

As officers entered the garage, they yelled several times, "West Valley police!" "Put your hands up!" and "Make yourself known," the report states.

Smith was found hiding in a corner. Two officers stayed on a stairway looking down on the scene, while another moved around to the side of Smith. Initially, both of Smith's hands were empty. But as the officers shouted at him to raise both his hands, Smith only raised his left hand, Gill said. His right hand appeared to be moving in and out of the pocket of his hoodie, Gill said.

As Smith continued to walk slowly toward officers, he pulled a seven-inch screwdriver out of his hoodie with his right hand. Martinez fired his Taser and Green fired his gun. Both events happened within two seconds of each other, Gill said. Wright would later tell investigators that he was about to shoot his gun if Green had not done so already.

Of the three rounds that were fired, one struck Smith in the neck, killing him.

Nine days after the shooting, West Valley police released body camera videos from each of the officers to the media.

"From the time the officers opened the garage door until the shots were fired was approximately 24 seconds. They told him 15 times in those 24 seconds to show them his hands and to come out from hiding. And he had his hands out at one point. He chose to conceal both his hands and his person as he moved behind the car," West Valley's police chief said in April.

Martinez would later testify to investigators reviewing the officer-involved shooting that Smith's behavior was "erratic" considering he had nowhere to run at that point. Once Smith pulled the screwdriver out and held it up, "he had no time to do anything but pull the trigger," according to the report.

Wright described Smith's movements as a "draw-stroke," as if he were preparing to attack, the report states.

In this case, with the three body camera videos and the testimonies of officers Martinez and Wright, Gill said the totality of the evidence made it reasonable to conclude that Green would have been cleared if the shooting were pursued criminally in court.

However, because Green declined to be interviewed, Gill said Friday that he could not say for certain whether Green fired because he feared for his life or if he possibly shot his gun in reaction to the Taser being deployed.

"If you are asking me right now what was going through that officer's mind at the time he made the decision to pull that trigger, I could not tell you why. What I can tell you is all the evidence that is available to me, which would be presented in court," he said. "I don't know what goes through your mind if you were to pull a trigger. There may be a whole host of reasons. It may be you were in fear of your life or it could be a whole host of reasons."

Gill met with Smith's family for more than two hours Friday before publicly announcing his decision to explain to them how he reached his conclusion. While he said they were gracious, Gill said the family, too, questioned why the officer did not have to explain his actions.

"I'm not going to deny anyone their constitutional right. But it certainly does change the dynamics (of my investigation), and we have to continue to figure out how I can meet my obligation to try and make sense of (what happened and) a desire from our community to want have these answers. And that was a question the family had. They wanted to know  they were struggling with why an officer wouldn't make that statement," Gill said. "I know for that family, they will never know why this happened with the certainty that they had hoped to know."

But Gill said it is a growing trend for officers involved in critical incidents to remain silent, invoking their constitutional right not to incriminate themselves.

"You are starting to see a trend of officers being less (willing) to speak, and certainly you are starting to see that here as well, more so probably in the last eight months or so," he said.

Last week, Gill ruled that Granite School District police officer Jonathan Sidhu was legally justified in shooting Jonathan "Johnny" Barajas-Macias, 17, on March 20, after Barajas-Macias hit him with his car, causing Sidhu to go onto the car's hood and windshield.

Sidhu declined to be interviewed for the officer-involved critical incident review. Barajas-Macias, who survived the shooting, also declined to be interviewed.

Attorney Steven Killpack, who represents Smith's parents, said the family was hopeful that Green would make a statement as to why he shot their son. But he said they also respected the fact that police officers are afforded the same constitutional rights as regular citizens. He noted, however, that the family was hopeful that those in government or public service might be held to a higher standard in the future.

The family also is hoping for changes in how officers confront offenders in the future, he said.

"The family is still extremely traumatized by the entire incident and wish more could be done legislatively to guide the situation that came up and use of force, when it needs to be used and when it doesn't," Killpack said.

Killpack also had praise for Gill's office for showing his clients "great dignity and compassion" by meeting with them Friday morning and answering all of their questions.

Regarding Green's status with West Valley police, spokeswoman Roxanne Vainuku said, "He continues on modified assignment pending the results of our internal review."
SALT LAKE CITY  The Utah State Board of Regents will ask lawmakers for nearly $6 million to begin the process of placing college access advisers in every public high school in the state by the 2021-22 school year.

The estimated cost of the program is approximately $7 million, nearly $6 million of that will be part of the regents' 2019 budget request to the Utah Legislature and the rest from an internal reallocation of the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education budget.

Describing the proposal as "transformative initiative," regents Chairman Harris Simmons said Utah would be the first state in the nation to have a college access adviser in every public high school, including charter schools.

"That's a really big deal," Simmons said.

As proposed, the initiative would expand the Utah College Advising Corps, which is based at the University of Utah.

Presently, there are 12 college access advisers in high schools from St. George to Salt Lake City. They help students register for and complete college entrance exams, submit college applications, apply for scholarships and financial aid.

Sandi Pershing, assistant vice president of the U.'s Office of Engagement, said the program has been in place for 10 years at the university and started with a grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.

Pershing said the program not only has helped more first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students enroll in college, it connects them with campus resources so they "safely land in a first-year community."

According to Utah System of Higher Education data, students in the 12 schools with college access advisers enrolled in college at a rate of 58 percent, well above the statewide rate of 45 percent.

For every meeting with a college access adviser, students are 13 percent more likely to enroll in college, according to system statistics.

Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Dave Buhler said the system's statewide research show 86 percent of Utah parents and college students believe college is more important than it was a decade ago, yet only half feel it is accessible.

While the proposal had unanimous support, questions remain about implementation and whether full-time college advisers would have enough to do in very small schools or school districts.

Some university representatives raised concerns that some universities have campus-based initiatives to assist first-generation, low-income or underrepresented students with college advising so this might be duplicative.

Some regents questioned whether public high schools would be on board with the initiative and whether the counselors would have adequate workspace.

Most college access advisers work out of the counseling centers of the high schools, and many of them integrate into their respective high schools.

"I dont think a lot of students understand they are University of Utah employees," Pershing said.

Buhler said the proposal envisions hiring 150 employees and one regional coordinator for every 10 advisers.

Some campus administrators questioned whether the advising programs should be based on regional universities or college campuses in close proximity to high schools and that the initiative also help connect students to all aspects of postsecondary education, including technical colleges.

"I don't think were ready for full implementation," said Regent Teresa Theurer.

But others, such as Regent Thomas Wright, said there will be time to work through the logistics, describing the passage of the initiative as "a proud moment to be a member of this board."

Regent Patricia Jones said she learned during her previous experience as a state lawmaker that many high school counselors are overwhelmed with large caseloads and they would welcome the help of someone trained to specifically help students access college.

The Utah College Advising Corps "has a proven track record," Jones said.

Moreover, "I can think of nothing else that would help more with goals we have on board of regents," which include access, affordability and timely completion, she said.
The Embassy of the United Mexican States to the Eastern Caribbean States wishes to share with the people of the Eastern Caribbean, that on September 16th, we celebrated the 208th Anniversary of the beginning of Mexicos struggle for independence.





This historic occasion marks the moment when, on that date in 1810, a Catholic priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, called his countrymen to arms in order to fight alongside him, demanding Mexicos freedom from colonial rule, in a declaration known as the "Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores). This radical pronouncement by Hidalgo initiated the struggle for independence in Mexico, which eventually led to the crumbling of the 300-year Spanish rule, giving birth to a new and independent nation.





Mexicans consider Hidalgo to be the Father of their country, for the bravery and the ideals for which he fought and died. As part of our annual tradition to commemorate the Grito de Dolores, the President of Mexico re-enacts the call to arms on the eve of the Independence Day, by ringing the same bell used by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, more than two centuries ago, to call to arms his people to begin Mexicos struggle for independence.





In commemoration of the Anniversary of Independence, His Excellency Oscar Esparza Vargas, Ambassador of Mexico to the Eastern Caribbean States, hosted a special event on September 14th, 2018, which featured aspects of Mexicos rich cultural heritage, including music, art and cuisine. Furthermore, the Embassy hosted an exhibition with images of some of the most iconic heritage towns and cities of Mexico.
Here Is How Parents Of Ranbir & Alia Said That They Are 'Raazi' About Ranbir Being Alia's 'Sawaariya'

First time they walked hand in hand at Sonam Kapoors wedding reception, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt made our imaginations run wild. They did not take too long to accept that there was indeed something brewing between these two immensely talented actors.

While Ranbir and Alias fans were overjoyed to see them together, many raised questions about the relationship given Ranbirs Casanova image and their 10 years age gap. Although the couple did not find unanimous support from their fans, they surely found approval from people who matters the most to both of them. Both Ranbir Kapoors parents, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor and his sister Ridhhima Kapoor Sahni and Alias parents Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan have expressed their clear approval of their kids choosing each other as life partners.

Here is how parents of Ranbir and Alia have given their romance a big bright seal of approval from their sides. Do we hear the wedding bells ringing already?

Neetu Kapoors Emoji Love

Neetu Kapoor has always been the person who is closest to Ranbir who is a self-proclaimed mammas boy. The yesteryear actress has not explicitly said anything about the Ranbir Alia romance, she has time and again expressed her love for Alia by posting emojis on her Instagram picture. Alia also flew to London to celebrate Neetu Kapoors birthday with the Kapoor clan. Although among the parents Neetu is the one who has not given a clear statement about the two, from her social media emoji love with Alia we can totally understand that these two probably share the best chemistry among Ranbir Alia and their set of parents.

Rishi Kapoors Direct Acceptance

Say what you will about Rishi Kapoor, but no one can accuse of him of not being direct and straightforward. When asked about Ranbirs marriage plans and his romance with Alia Bhatt, Rishi Kapoor gave a no hold barred answer as always. He said that even he thinks that its high time for Ranbir to get married. When specifically asked about whether he approves of Alia Bhatt as Ranbirs partner he said, Its Ranbirs life. Who he wants to get married to is his prerogative, he said. Neetu likes her, I like her, Ranbir likes her. Get it? I cant be judgmental. After all, my uncles Shammiji (Shammi Kapoor) and Shashiji (Shashi Kapoor) and I chose our life partners. Ranbir is entitled to choose his.

Mahesh Bhatts Eloquent Discourse

Ask any question to Mahesh Bhatt and you can always expect a very eloquent and academic sounding reply and it was not any different when he was asked about his opinion on Ranbir and Alias relationship. In his full on Mahesh Bhatt-esque style, he said, Its very obvious that they are making no bones about talking to people about them being intimate. And I dont belong to that category of parents whod advise their children about their personal choices. Alia is an adult and its a matter that she has to resolve. Its their life, their space. I respect and admire them for choosing to talk to the world when, and if, they want to do.

Soni Razdans Clear Acceptance

Alias mother Soni Razdan has always been a quiet personality but recently even she chose to break her silence on her daughter Alia dating Kapoor scion Ranbir. She said, I have a very good relationship with my daughter. I dont go by what rumors say, I talk to her directly. We have had discussions on whats going on or not going on in her life. Its her life at the end of the day, so I am happy to let her live it the way she wants to.When specifically asked about Ranbir, she added that she has worked with Rishiji and has also known Neetu Singh Kapoor and Ranbir for ages and she thinks that Ranbir is a lovely, lovely boy.

Special Mention: Ridhhima Kapoors Bracelet of Approval

Apart from the parents, Ranbirs sister has also given Alia her seal, or rather her bracelet of approval. Right after Ranbir and Alia made an entry together at Sonam Kapoors wedding reception together and made their relationship almost official, Riddhima gifted a beautiful bracelet to Alia which shows that she is also happy with her brother choosing Alia to be his life partner.
Manchu Lakshmamma Passes Away

Manchu Lakshmamma, mother of legendary actor Mohan Babu took her last breath today. If sources are to be believed, she was not keeping well from past few days. The 85-year-old lady breathed her last at the family owned school in Tirupathi.





After hearing the unexpected her whole family rushed to Tirupathi from abroad. Manchu Manoj, her grandson expressed his loss on Twiter, Maa Nanamma Lakshmamma garu Aa Devudu Dhagariki Vellipoyaru.. ... will miss u Forever Nanamma ... its heart breaking that we r not in the country now. It was Unexpected... MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE. (sic) .





It is not hidden from anyone that how much Mohan babu was close to his mother. The veteran actor has also shared once that he loved her mother a lot and even named his daughter after her. The last rites will be held in Tirupathi. May her soul rest in peace!!

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Source: i1.wp.com
Telecom Italia is the latest company linked to a possible acquisition of Nextel Brazil.

The Brazilian operator - owned by NII Holdings - is on the market and a number of operators have expressed interest, including Telecom Italia, America Movil and Telefonica. With Telecom Italias board due to meet on 24th September, Bloomberg has reported that CEO Amos Genish could propose an acquisition.

Telecom Italia currently controls TIM Brasil, which is the third largest operator in the market with an estimated share of around 25%. Nextel Brazil ranks fifth, so combining their subscriber bases and spectrum holdings would significantly strengthen TIs market share and metropolitan coverage.

Doubling down on its presence in Brazil would make sense for TI, as TIM Brasil is performing well while some of its other units are struggling  particularly its Italian operation, which faces strong competition following the entry of French operator Iliad to the market.

NII is the majority stakeholder in Nextel Brazil, but in May this year Access Industries acquired a 30% holding in the unit for $75 million. Factoring this in, the operators value is estimated at around $250 million. Bids are expected to be lodged this month.
Thai regulator NBTC is putting 900MHz spectrum back up for auction, but has revised the terms in the hopes of attracting operators after the failure of the last sale.

Interested parties have until 8th October to lodge bids, with the auction scheduled for 20th October. Last month, the NBTC (National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission) was forced to scrap its scheduled 900MHz auction when no operators opted to bid.

The regulator has evidently attributed the lack of interest to a specific condition for successful bids, which it has now scrapped. In the last auction, winning bidders would have been required to prevent interference between the 900MHz band and airwaves assigned for use by railway projects.

Last week, Thailands Central Administrative Court granted third-placed operator dtac a further three months to deliver services via the 850MHz spectrum that it leases on a concession from CAT Telecom. This concession expired on 15th September and dtac wanted an extension to guarantee that there would be no interruption to its services while it migrates customers.

The NBTC had refused to grant the extension, with secretary-general Takorn Tantasith noting that this was at least in part because dtac had turned down the opportunity to obtain its own spectrum in the scrapped 900MHz auction.

The deadline for submitting bids in the new auction is a week earlier than the NBTCs deadline for appealing the Central Administrative Courts decision. This can be seen as the regulator trying to force dtacs hand, as if it doesnt bid in the auction, the regulator could appeal, leaving dtac without access to spectrum.

According to the Bangkok Post, the NBTCs continued attempts to shift the 900MHz spectrum are due to pressure from the government to bring in revenue. However, operators have shown more interest in 1.8GHz spectrum, with market leader AIS and dtac each obtaining a 10MHz block in this frequency for THB12.5 billion ($386 million) last month. Seven other available blocks were not sold.

Second placed operator True Move confirmed in June that it has no intention of bidding for further spectrum, as its current 55MHz holding is enough for its future plans.
Global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor Intracom Telecom has joined forces with COMATEC in order to deploy an IPTV solution in a luxurious compound in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The deployment is based on Intracom Telecoms award-winning fs|cdn Anywhere IPTV & OTT middleware, that enables the delivery of high quality digital video content to TVs & smart connected devices, while the partners plans include the option to introduce additional interactive services in the near future like network DVR and Restart TV.

COMATEC with its engraved and matured experience in both construction and telecom areas, is a modern contractor in the KSA, seeking to materialize new technological opportunities like the IPTV and Over The Top (OTT) content services in the highly growing residential compound and hospitality market. Both COMATEC and Intracom Telecom have agreed to strategically team up to address the hospitality business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region in general.

Rad Marji, the GM of COMATEC, stated: The list of worldwide successful deployments and expandability of the fs|cdn Anywhere platform played a key role in the decision-making process. Throughout the process, we also evaluated Intracom Telecoms business agility and their deep technological background and capabilities that perfectly complement our strategy for growth and innovation in the Kingdom.

In Intracom Telecom we are excited with our cooperation with COMATEC said Sotiris Bithas, Marketing Director of Telco Software Business Division at Intracom Telecom, while he added that Our IPTV/OTT platform has been deployed successfully to over 40 Telco & Cable Operators in the USA and Europe. We look forward to taking up the challenge to address together with COMATEC the needs of the digital video content services in the emerging and highly growing market of the Hospitality sector in the KSA.




The United Vincy Cultural Group of Brooklyn (UVCGB) two Saturdays ago held another very successful cultural show in Brooklyn, New York, in its continuing efforts in raising funds to assist, with medical supplies, hospitals and health centers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.





The 14th annual, 2 -hour event took place at Meyer Levin Intermediate School 285, on Ralph Avenue and Beverley Road.

As in previous years, the cultural package attracted a large number of Caribbean nationals, including a significant number of Jamaicans who worship with some UVCGB members at Miracle Temple Ministries, an evangelical church in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.





UVCGB members performed a number of folk songs and speeches, including "Keep We Culture Alive, "SVG Diaspora, "Green Peas Soup, "Fish Fuh So and "Plenty Wuk Fuh School Pickney.





The last item was written by Olsen Peters, a cultural icon in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who went to the Great Beyond earlier this year. A moment of silence was observed for Peters, and UVCGB president Dr. Roxie Irish paid a brief tribute to him.





Jonathan Yearwood, a New Jersey resident, of Vincentian and Indian parentage, captivated the appreciative audience, triggering their participation in his rendition of Bob Marleys "One Love and Taurus Rileys "Just the Way You Are, Girl.





Trinidadian Nadia Douglas, 35, performed, on steel pan, the folk song "Ole Woman Walk a Mile and the spiritual "How Great Thou Art.





"Steel pan has always been a passion for me, said Douglas, who began playing pan at 12, while attending the Belmont Junior Secondary School, on the environs of Trinidads capital, Port-of-Spain.





In New York, Douglas played with her compatriot Jeffrey Pierres Unique Sound Ablest, performing at, among other places, panorama, churches and colleges, such as Medgar Evers, Baruch and St. Johns.





At shows end, Vincentian philanthropist Georgette "Aunty G Nanton sang against the use of drugs, and the Brooklyn-based Garifuna Indigenous People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (GIPSVG) danced quadrille.

But the highlight of the event was a skit, "Comess fuh So, written by UVCGBs songwriter and choreographer Randolph "Randy Liverpool.





The main characters were: Judith "Baffie Cuffy-Murray, as Sammys wife, Mabel; Lilius Hamblin as Gertrude (Comess woman); Gwendolyn Holder as Carol (Mabels best friend), and Vennis Alleyne as Mavis (Gertrudes best friend).

Other members of the cast were: Maurisa Adams as the ticket agent; Ralphie Cunningham as Mr. Cruikshank, the funeral director; Zachary Spence as the mailman; and Ann Franklyn, La Fleur Gumbs and Sonia Morris as Mabels friends.

The skit was based on Mabels residence in the US for over 20 years, without a green card, and failing to progress economically and educationally  essentially in the same position as she left home.

Mabels husband Sammy contracts AIDS and dies, leaving her a pauper.





Carol discloses Mabels private affairs to Gertrude, who starts "the comess (gossip), even while vowing to keep the "secret strictly confidential.





Gertrude even adds more to "the comess than what Carol reveals.

Mabel wants to take Sammys body back home for the funeral, as she had promised him in life, but lacks the financial resources. So, her friends agree to "to stand the expense.

Wishing to take gifts to her friends back home  clearly unable to send a barrel  Mabel places the gifts in the casket, with Sammys body.





After the funeral, Gertrude tells Mabel that she does not have "a friend in Carol and not to trust her.

Gertrude then reveals to Mabel everything that Carol told her about her [Mabel], ruining the friendship between Mabel and Carol.





St. Vincent and the Grenadines New York Council General Howie Prince and president of the umbrella, Brooklyn-based Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations, U.S.A., Inc. (COSAGO), Laverne McDowald-Thompson, also addressed patrons.





"My heart is full of gratitude and praise to Almighty God who gets all the credit for another successful show, said Dr. Irish, a Born-Again Christian and Youth Minister at Miracle Temple Ministries, who was born in Vermont and grew up in Campden Park.





"We had a packed audience, many of whom were first-time attendees, added the former national netball star in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. "They all had a great time of laughter. Thank you to the attendees, who brought boxes of gloves for the glove drive.





"I am pleased, and God gets the honor and glory, Irish continued. "Concert 2018, a great success!

Founded in 2003 by Irish, UVCGB has, over the years, used funds raised at concerts and other activities, to assist clinics and hospitals in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with medical supplies.

Among other UVCGB goals is the promotion of Vincentian culture in North America and other places through folk songs, chorale speeches, skits, storytelling, plays, poems and dances.





Besides concerts, the group performs at, among others, prayer breakfasts and Christmas serenades.
Recently, the New Democratic Party held walks both on the windward and leeward side of the island, dubbed "A walk against crime and for jobs.





The walks, spearheaded by the hierarchy of the New Democratic Party, were held ostensibly to bring awareness on the crime situation in SVG and address the issue of unemployment. This is primarily because the NDP wrongly believes that unemployment is strongly linked to crime and is one of the major causes of crime. If we are to accept this view, St. Kitts and Nevis, with a population of 54,000 persons, that has the highest homicide rate in the OECS with a rate of 33.6 murders per 100,000 citizens would have had the lowest homicide rate within the OECS. This country has the lowest unemployment rate of four percent, and fastest growing economy in the OECS.





The walks were a dismal failure from every conceivable standpoint. The people reject the NDPs gimmicks and scaremongering.





The people correctly recognise that crime is multifaceted and multidimensional and can only be prevented and solved with a multifaceted and multidimensional approach. We have seen an increase in jobs since 2001, and the formulation and implementation of a 14- point strategic plan on prevention of crime.





ULP for Job Creation





Based on the 2012 census data, under the Unity Labour Party administration, over 6000 jobs have been added to the local economy, amounting to a 14 percent increase since 2001. The governments focus on empowering the youth for the world of work through the education revolution, is ensuring that the economy of SVG continues to expand, building our services-based economy pushed by tourism, and agriculture, fisheries and construction sector. Within the public sector, between 2001 and 2012, we have seen 300 more school teachers, with an additional 212 graduate teachers, 250 more police, prison and coastguard officers, 93 other nurses, and an increase of 136 staff employees at MCMH.





Furthermore, additional jobs are being created under the ULP administration through various initiatives bolstered through increased foreign investments, and as a result of the Argyle International Airport. This modern state of the art facility has already resulted in increased trade, thereby creating the demand for processed agro-based and seafood products to be exported in niche markets, as we have seen with Bequia Seafood Company, Cocoa Company and Shenton Coffee Company. We have also seen the increased hotel and resort development in Canouan such as the popular Mandarin resort because of the constructed Canouan Jet Airport, all of which have created thousands of jobs for ordinary Vincentians.





Moreover, additional jobs will be created under this ULP administration through Hotel development at Mt Wynne/Peters Hope, with both government-owned and private-owned hotels along with the Buccama Resort, all of which collectively will create thousands of jobs and generate wealth for young, hardworking Vincentians. Already, discussions are ongoing with a Call Center investor that will see operations established in Kingstown employing 120 persons.





Other initiatives are being done to create jobs such as the Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation, which will become operationalised in December 2018, that will give credit to small businesses which will act as an engine to enable entrepreneurs and business people to work and grow businesses to create employment. Also, the governments intention to procure sizeable second-hand fish trawlers will allow for the larger catchment of various seafood, that will increase our exports in seafood including lobsters, and increased employment in the fisheries sector.





ULP Combatting Crime





Commendation must be given to the members of the Police for ramping up their efforts in ensuring peace and security in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Because of their efforts, perpetrators of previous crimes were swiftly caught and arrested in less than 24 hours with the help of CCTV cameras. Among these were the stabbing and death of a security guard and also the attempted rape at Indian Bay.

It is for this reason, since February this year, the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines announced as part of its plan in fighting crime, is the granting of concessions to businesses that will import high-quality CCTV cameras that allow for facial recognition. Furthermore, with the assistance of the Taiwan government, the initiative of having CCTV cameras in high traffic and busy areas installed will become a reality.

However, we cannot forget other initiatives taken in seeking to deter others from committing crimes. These efforts include increasing of penalties for illegal firearm and ammunition; establishing mobile police units in crime hot spot areas; the enactment of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2011; establishment of the National Commission on Crime Prevention (NCCP) to assist in the fight against crime, and the rehabilitation of criminal offenders.





Moreover, we saw the police force being equipped far better than ever before with motor vehicles, crime-fighting equipment, mobile Police Units, and modern telecoms equipments; establishment of Police Force specialised crime-fighting units such as the Rapid Response Unit, the Major Crimes Unit, the Sexual Offences Unit, and the Trafficking-in-Persons Unit; and acquisition of more and better-equipped Coast Guard vessels/Interceptor Boats. The government will have its first Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) here by October this year.





Conclusion





The NDP continues to show the people of this country, that they are incapable of handling the affairs of state. There is little or no evidence to show that the primary cause of crime is unemployment. We all would have seen reports on crime even where the perpetrators were employed. The NDPs route in politicising crime is a dangerous one, as crime does not discriminate. It is clear and evident that the ULP is the party of vision, ideas and strong Leadership. A party for job creation and upliftment and empowerment of people. Not like those in the NDP who advocate for job cuts. Lets continue to give both the government and police all the necessary support that is needed in fighting and solving crimes, because crime has no colour nor party, and we too as citizens have a responsibility to ensure that there is peace either in our communities or even our homes.




Security was tight around the Fermanagh border village of Belleek on Thursday evening as the world famous Belleek Pottery entertained a royal visitor Prince Andrew.

He was following in the footsteps of his brother Prince Charles who also visited in 2007.

The pottery has had some famous visitors over the years; two months ago British Prime Minister Theresa May among those to have spent time there.

Prince Andrew arrived in a cavalcade of cars at 5.46pm as the rain fell gently on the Fermanagh village on his first engagement on a three-day visit to Northern Ireland.

He greeted Lord and Lady Brookeboro, Howard Thornton, chairperson of the Fermanagh/Omagh District Council and Brendan Hegarty, CEO of the local council before entering the grey picture post card building.

Managing Director of Belleek Pottery John Maguire took the prince and his entourage, which included around 40 local business and community figures, on a guided tour of the pottery, and stopped briefly to chat to a number of the local craftsmen and women.

Mr Maguire said it was an historic day for the village and the pottery: This is very special day and hopefully another very successful royal visit. It certainly puts the pottery and the village on the map. The last big royal visit was Prince Charles in 2007 and Andrew is continuing in that line and he is very welcome."
A meeting regarding the planned closures of Dunfanaghy post office will take place in Dunfanaghy this evening.

The Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Seamus O Domhnaill and Cathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District Cllr John Sheamuis O Fearraigh have urged local residents, businesses and community groups to attend the meeting and have their say over the future of local postal services.

It comes following the announcement last month that over 150 post offices around the country are to close as part of a deal reached between An Post and the Irish Postmasters' Union.

The meeting will take place at 7pm on Friday, September 21 in the Ozanam Centre in Dunfanaghy.

Cllr O Fearraigh and O Domhnaill said: Following a number of public meetings throughout the county over the announcement last month from An Post that some 150 mainly rural post offices are to close over the comings weeks, we have decided to call a public meeting in Dunfanaghy."

A meeting was held earlier to discuss the future of the Gortahork post office.

"In the days and weeks ahead, we look forward to working closely with communities throughout the west of the county where the local post office now faces a similar threat to its future, and we pledge to continue to work with all stakeholders to try and retain what is a vital local service.
Letterkenny campus is to benefit from 1.8 million funding package to support further education restructuring and cement links to GMIT and IT Sligo to progress the Connacht Ulster Alliance.

Minister Joe McHugh has recently confirmed that LYIT is to benefit from share of 1.8 million funding to support its work to transition to university status.

Mr McHugh said: One of the most significant aspects of this Governments ambitious plan for third level education is to modernise Institutes of Technology into Technological Universities to drive regional development and improve job creation.

The 1.8 million funding package for the rest of 2018 is to help support and push forward the LYITs work with GMIT and IT Sligo to develop into a Technological University. It comes on top of the 2.12 million that was awarded last year."

He added that the President of the LYIT, Paul Hannigan and the LYIT team deserve huge credit for the work that they are doing to drive this plan forward under the Connacht Ulster Alliance.

The Government Chief Whip said: The context of this initiative should also be remembered  developing LYIT into university status builds on the deepened third level education ties that the college has developed after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in February along with University of Ulster, the North West Regional College and Donegal Education and Training Board.

The aim of all these broadened links are to improve access to higher and further education and training to students living and studying in the North West.

And there is also this Governments commitment to the City Region Status for Letterkenny-Derry-Strabane."

Deputy McHugh, Government Chief Whip and Minister for the Irish language, Gaeltacht and the Islands, said that the Letterkenny-based educational institute will become a world class institution and will attract more research projects and funding.

Not only that but it will also give us the opportunity to drive regional development and provide more opportunities for individuals, for enterprise and for the community.Mr McHugh said: I would also urge the team at LYIT to push on with their plans with IT Sligo and GMIT in a bid to get their formal applications into the Department next year.
The News: The city of Philadelphia ended a four-year lawsuit involving what critics said was policing for profit. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia officials on Tuesday pledged to reform the citys civil forfeiture program, which had been used to seize thousands of homes and vehicles and millions of dollars in cash from criminal suspects  and in some cases from people never charged with a crime.

The Background: Civil asset forfeiture is a controversial legal tool that allows law enforcement officials to seize property they claim has been involved in specific criminal activity.

Typically, civil law involves disputes between private citizens while criminal law involves disputes between private citizens and the state (i.e., the people represent the interest of victims). Civil asset forfeiture is a hybrid of the two, a dispute between the state and a private citizens property. Because civil asset forfeiture proceedings charge the property itself with involvement in a crime, the property owner must prove the property was not involved in criminal activity. Such property can include land, vehicles, cash, personal possessions, etc.

As the Department of Justice notes, it is because civil forfeiture actions are brought against the property directly that federal civil forfeiture cases have what appear to be very peculiar names, such as United States v. Ninety Three (93) Firearms, 330 F.3d 414 (6th Cir. 2003), United States v. One 1992 Ford Mustang GT, 73 F. Supp. 2d 1131 (C.D. Cal. 1999), or United States v. $557,933.89, More or Less, in U.S. Funds, 287 F.3d 66 (2d Cir. 2002).

In fiscal year 2016, a total of $1,921,273,552 was collected in the sale of seized property by the federal government.

The Principle: #25E  We have a moral obligation to oppose all forms of governmental corruption. (For a list of the principles and links to relevant articles, see this post.)

The Analysis: Not surprisingly, when government has a financial incentive to take property from citizens, it can lead to injustices. A prime example was found in Philadelphia. According to the Institute for Justice (IJ),

For decades, Philadelphias system was rigged against property owners. Until IJ brought suit, Philadelphia routinely threw property owners out of their homes without notice. It forced owners to navigate the notorious Courtroom 478, where so-called hearings were run entirely by prosecutors, without any judges or court-appointed lawyers to defend property owners. Again and again, prosecutors demanded that property owners appear in court, sometimes ten times or more. Missing even a single hearing meant that prosecutors could permanently take an owners property, sell it and use the proceeds for any law-enforcement purpose they wished. More than 35 percent of proceeds went to salaries, including the salaries of the very officials seizing and forfeiting property, thus creating a perverse incentive to abuse this system.

For too long, Philadelphia treated its citizens like ATMs, ensnaring thousands of people in a system designed to strip people of their property and their rights, said Darpana Sheth, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice and director of its Initiative to End Forfeiture Abuse. No more. Todays groundbreaking agreement will end years of abuse and create a fund to compensate innocent owners.

Todays settlement is an unprecedented blow against civil forfeiture, adds IJ President Scott Bullock. IJ is continuing the fight to stop the government from using the justice system to raise revenue. Philadelphia is just one place where officials created a rigged system that deprived individuals of their property without due process.

The win in Philadelphia is the first step in what needs to be a comprehensive reform of civil asset forfeitureespecially at the federal level. Over the past few years, several states had been making it more difficult to apply such forfeitures reducing the incentive to engage in policing to profit. But last year, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Justice Department would be reinstating the Equitable Sharing Program, a controversial policy ended by President Obama in 2015 related to civil asset forfeiture. that allows all local law enforcement agencies have access to forfeitures through participation in equitable sharing with the federal government.

Equitable sharing allows state and local law enforcement to team with the federal government to forfeit property under federal law instead of state law. Participating agencies allow the federal government to keep some of the proceeds from the sell of the seized property, though they may receive up to 80 percent for themselves.

Although some form of civil forfeiture has existed since the founding of the United States, the modern form dates back to the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984. This federal law authorized federal officials to implement a national asset forfeiture program.

In federal law and 35 states, the burden of proof is placed on the owners of the property to prove they had nothing to do with the alleged crime. As the Institute for Justice explains,
On Thursday, September 13th, the VINVolunteers Bishops College Kingstown (BCK) group had its first meeting with some of the students who will be involved in this years mentorship programme.





Since 2016, some of our employees have been working with the students of the BCK as part of the Companys VINVolunteers initiative. This programme encourages members of staff to volunteer to work with various groups and institutions during work hours.





For the 34 students Form 3 Business, the introduction to the programme was an eye-opener. During the session, VINVolunteers Coordinator Mrs. Juliette Hinds- Wilson and five other members of the group met with them. She explained that third formers were chosen because they are in the middle of adolescent years, and may be required to make crucial academic and personal decisions.





The rules and general overview of the programme were outlined. During Session One, they examined the topic Life Skills, citing school related scenarios. The students were taught to respect others and consider their feelings. They were also encouraged to speak kindly and positively to one another. Students were required to do personal introductions and asked to use an adjective to describe his/her personality.





The programme focused on mentorship, moral and nutritional support. With guidance from the schools Counsellor and Principal, these three aspects were chosen to comprehensively tackle the academic and disciplinary challenges of students. Some of the topics to be covered include conflict resolution, peer pressure, communication, career choices, friendship, responsibility and social graces.





This is the first of three forms to be introduced to the group. Sessions will be held weekly on Thursdays.
Right: Businessman Kenneth Cupid said that, based on his experience living in the United Kingdom, not enough is being done to ensure that local products get to those living in the Diaspora.

There is now a major demand for Vincentian products, especially in the United Kingdom.





Kenneth Cupid, Vincentian businessman who now resides in the UK, made the comment that there is the need for such products presently in light of the products being made available from other countries.





Cupid spoke with THE VINCENTIAN recently while on vacation, saying that he was among the first to import items from St Vincent and the Grenadines for re-sale in the UK.





His comments come on the backdrop of a statement made by Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar in Parliament, where it was announced that there was a 3.8 percent reduction in the food import bill for the first six months of the year.





He said that the value of food imported for the period ending June 30, 2018 amounted to EC$119 million compared to $123 million in 2017.





Caesar said that his ministry was working to establish a production platform to further reduce the importation of several commodities including spinach, broccoli, carrots, black eye peas and peanuts.

However, Cupid was of the view that there was a need for more export.

He migrated to the UK back in 1976, he said, and in 1995 opened the doors of his business, Hairoun International specializing in Vincentian items.





"This was done back when there were not as many restrictions, Cupid explained.

He set up the business, then after coming to the realization that while there were products from other larger countries from within the Caribbean region, items from SVG were virtually non-existent.

That business is no longer operating, but Cupid was of the view that there were many food items that can be packaged and exported to countries such as the UK.





"We in St Vincent not utilizing the items that are available to us, he said.

There are numerous items that can be processed and canned, Cupid said, and it was time that we begin to add value to some of these items here.





"Everybody else is doing it, so why not us?

There were now regulations implemented, he said, but it was possible for Vincentian products to enjoy as much success as items from other countries.

Cupid said that he shifted from selling products to preparing food, introducing the public in the UK to Vincentian cuisine.





And especially in this business, there was the need for the availability of Vincentian food items.

In this way, it would assure all involved  from the producers (farmers) and those adding value who then export these items, which in turn generates revenue for the country.

"But I dont know why this is not happening, he observed. (DD)
The Tree Council of Ireland is calling on primary school children across Louth, to get involved in Tetra Pak Tree Day on Thursday 4th October 2018.

The event which is supported by Tetra Pak aims to give children, teachers and parents, the opportunity to put down the school books, get outdoors and connect directly with nature.

As part of Tetra Pak Tree Day, up to 1,000 native tree saplings will be made available through the Tree Day website for primary school children to plant on their school grounds.

There is also an opportunity for children and teachers to win an iPad for their class. More details about the campaign including guided woodland walks, class lessons, videos, fun tree facts, activities and more can be found on www.treeday.ie.

The theme for this years campaign is Be nature nice! or Bi doighiuil don dulra!

Each year Tetra Pak Tree Day places a focus on a different native tree. This year the spotlight is on the Guelder-rose, or Caor chon in Irish.

The Guelder-rose is a small deciduous tree, sometimes reaching a height of 4 metres, that grows in dampish areas in hedges and small woods.

It bears discs of creamy white flowers in early summer, making it excellent for pollinators, and produces bunches of translucent bright red berries in early autumn, which are loved by birds.

The Guelder-rose is an important native tree that supports Irelands natural habitats and preserves biodiversity.

To find out more about this years campaign, watch the Tree Day Video and claim a FREE Guelder-rose tree sapling for your class, visit www.treeday.ie .
Louth Fianna Fail TD, Declan Breathnach, has this week asked the Minister for Agriculture if there will be a programme of assistance introduced, to help stricken farmers who have lost up to 70% of their maize crop due to Storm Ali.

I was speaking this week", said Deputy Breathnach, "with Gerard Melia, Louth Chairman of the IFA, who had been inundated with calls from concerned farmers, some of them having lost their entire crop.

"North Dublin and Counties Louth and Meath were hit hard by the high winds during Storm Ali."

He continued, "The problem for maize growers in particular, is that harvesting machinery is incapable of lifting a maize crop once it has fallen, unlike most other crops which can be harvested from the ground.

For some farmers, maize growing is their entire enterprise whereby they are suppliers of maize.

"Other farmers are extremely worried by the loss of their maize crop as this is a loss of their animal feed, and further adds to the fodder shortage crisis.

The minister needs to assist those who have had their crop wiped out in the storm. The livelihood of farming families must be sustained, concluded Breathnach.
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Generation Next Inc. was born out of need to assist a needy child in North Leeward who was unable to attend the Community College because her mother could not afford the fees.





That jolted Carlos James into action.





That was 2013. Since then, Generation Next Inc. has mushroomed into a resource centre for the provision of bursaries to students nationwide. The manifestation came last Tuesday, September 18, with the handing over of $500 cheques to 33 students. The money will help in defraying costs for their tertiary education.

A portion of that money came last August 11 at a fundraising venture held at the Prime Ministers residence at Old Montrose.





A Senator after the December 13, 2015 general elections, James serves as Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly. He was grateful to the donors who provided their time and resources which ensured the presentation.





James urged the recipients to take advantage of the opportunity. He noted that the programme had expanded to assist students in Sandy Bay, Park Hill and Otley Hall.





James pointed to the increased number of trained professionals in North Leeward as a result of the governments initiative in broadening accessibility to education. The growing number of students at Tertiary institutions is also noted. He viewed the recipients of this years awards as the "future of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and beamed with satisfaction, knowing that the path to their career has been assured.

He was supported by parliamentary colleague Deborah Charles. She is Senator, appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education.





Charles praised James on his initiative, and considered it "no small achievement.

She encouraged students to "strive for excellence, and pleaded with them not to lower standards.

Charles adopted the classroom approach, and directed the recipients to work hard and continue to do their best.





The Parliamentary Secretary endorsed giving tools to students to progress. Education ought to be an instrument that provides for elevation, she declared.

"What you learn should change you, Charles indicated, and urged the youngsters to use their pursuits to make them better.





There must be reciprocity as it relates to generosity, and Charles urges students to help others in their community by guiding them along academic and moral lines. And for that, blessing will flow, she surmised.

Toka Samuel on violin, balanced the speeches with his version of the composition We are the world.

Delano King responded on behalf of the students, and pledged that they will make maximum use of the assistance. He thanked Generation Next Inc. for their kind gesture. The exercise was held at the Kingstown Methodist Church Hall.

(WKA)






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Internet marketing has become so popular that e-commerce retail sales in the United States are on pace to double between 2009 and 2018, with sales amounting to US$127.3 billion in just the second quarter of 2018, according to an August 2018 update from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The transaction value of e-commerce service industry contracts reached $600 billion in 2016. Despite the rush to digital commerce, the rules for business transactions are still the same, whether they are concluded on paper or electronically.

Essentially, that means legally valid sales agreements need to demonstrate clearly that both vendors and consumers are aware of -- and consent to -- the terms of the agreements. It is especially important for vendors to ward off expensive class action suits by including contract terms that prohibit such suits and instead rely on arbitration to resolve any issues with consumers.

Yet recent federal court cases indicate that poorly presented Internet contracts can result in the nullification of arbitration provisions and class action prohibitions -- thus giving consumers greater leverage in legal disputes with vendors. Usually the breakdown occurs when vendors mismanage either the display or the content of their websites -- and sometimes both.

Website Messages Must be Conspicuous

The most recent example is a June case in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued a decision. The case stemmed from complaints that Uber Technologies wrongly added the cost of local tolls in and around Boston to customers' bills. In Cullinane v. Uber, a federal district court initially ruled in favor of Uber and dismissed the complaint.

However, such is the state of differing perspectives on applicable laws, that the appellate court overturned the district court and ruled against the company.

Uber failed to convince the appeals court that the website sales agreement properly displayed both an arbitration clause and a prohibition against litigation, because the notice was not "conspicuous" enough to be legally valid. Absent adequate notice to the customer, there could be no agreement between the parties over terms and conditions, the court said in denying Uber's motion to compel arbitration.

The case provided insight into the importance to vendors of arbitration clauses as a way to fend off class action suits.

Compared to litigation, arbitration is a "speedy, fair, inexpensive, and less adversarial" process, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in an amicus brief in the Uber case. Members of the organization "have structured millions of contractual relationships -- including enormous numbers of on-line contracts -- around arbitration agreements."

Similar suits dealing with the issue include a second case against Uber with a different plaintiff and over a different issue, as well as separate cases involving Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

In each case, courts have gotten into the weeds of website design, finding flaws in styles, the choice of colors, the size of printing fonts, and the use of hyperlinks.

For example, in Cullinane v. Uber, the appellate court noted that the website connection to the contract terms "did not have the common appearance of a hyperlink" because it was framed in a gray box in white bold text, rather than the normal blue underline style. Other screens on the site utilized similar highlight features causing the court to conclude that if "everything on the screen is written with conspicuous features, then nothing is conspicuous."

Uber's petition for a rehearing of the case was denied by the appeals court in a July 23, 2018, ruling. The company had no comment on the litigation, Uber spokesperson Alix Anfang told the E-Commerce Times.

Pulling the Trigger on Consent

Of equal importance with presentation is the vendor's choice of using active or passive mechanisms to obtain customer consent to the terms and conditions of agreements.

In Nicosia v. Amazon, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned a district court decision favoring the company, and instead ruled in favor of the consumer plaintiffs.

The Second Circuit described two major types of customer consent mechanisms. The first, called a "clickwrap" procedure, involves the use of an "I accept" button, which forces customers to "expressly and unambiguously manifest assent," according to the court.

A more passive alternative is a "browserwrap," which "involves terms and conditions posted via a hyperlink" and does not request an express showing of consent. "In a seeming effort to streamline customer purchases, Amazon chose not to employ a clickwrap mechanism," the court noted in the August 2016 ruling.

Ultimately, the court based its decision not on the consent mechanism per se, but on Amazon's failure to display its terms adequately. The result was that "reasonable minds could disagree" on the adequacy of the company's notice to consumers.

Amazon declined to comment for this story, spokesperson Cecilia Fan told the E-Commerce Times.

The significant variance among federal courts on the validity of Internet contracts may be caused more by different judicial perceptions than by differing laws covering "conspicuous" or "reasonably communicated and accepted" terms.

While these cases have been brought in federal courts, there is no federal standard for what constitutes adequate notice. Thus, for procedural reasons associated with the Federal Arbitration Act, federal judges have relied on applicable contracting law in different states, including California, Massachusetts, Washington and New York.

"I do not yet see a majority of courts moving toward a single legal standard, especially not one that is adapted to today's technology," said Liz Kramer, a partner at Stinson, Leonard, Street.

The U.S. Appeals Court for the Second Circuit reached opposite results in recent cases "despite pretty similar circumstances," she told the E-Commerce Times. One problem "is that state law applies, and the states are not consistent on what makes terms conspicuous enough to form part of the contract."

"Different courts define the standard in different ways, but they all boil down to the principle that the arbitration clause -- and the links to the clause -- must be clearly presented to the consumer in order for there to be a meeting of the minds -- in other words, an acceptance -- of the arbitration clause," said Mark Levin, a partner at Ballard Spahr.

"It is not so much the standard that is unsettled, but the application of the standard to the facts, since each website is unique and there are a multitude of factors, both in content and visual display, to consider in determining whether the consumer accepted the clause," he told the E-Commerce Times.

"Even if there was a U. S. Supreme Court decision, or legislation that defined a single standard, there would still be a need to apply that standard to unique facts in virtually every case," Levin said.

Web Designers Should Seek Legal Help

While vendors strive to create ever more attractive and compelling websites, designers and marketing staffs need to address the basic nuts and bolts of contract communications, said Levin.

For electronic documents, vendors should "refer to the arbitration clause near the beginning of the terms and conditions, make sure the link to the clause is obvious and clear, minimize the number of mouse clicks it takes for the reader to get to the clause, and refer to the arbitration clause again at the end, close to an electronic signature or 'I agree' button," he advised.

The easiest way for e-commerce vendors to avoid trouble is to skip any indirect notification procedure, suggested Stinson's Kramer. Deliberate downplaying of key contract terms is an invitation to legal challenge.

"The best way to ensure that an arbitration agreement is enforceable with customers who agree online, or through an app, is to have them actually click 'I agree' after reviewing the terms and conditions," she said.

"Great care should be taken in designing and structuring a website arbitration clause, since courts scrutinize every detail, cautioned Levin.

"This is definitely an area where businesses should enlist legal counsel to help with the design, substance and placement of the clause to help ensure that a court will enforce it," he said. "If adequate attention is not paid to these issues at the outset, the business could end up in a debilitating class action lawsuit."

John K. Higgins has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2009. His main areas of focus are U.S. government technology issues such as IT contracting, cybersecurity, privacy, cloud technology, big data and e-commerce regulation. As a freelance journalist and career business writer, he has written for numerous publications, including The Corps Report and Business Week. Email John.




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An increasing number of healthcare professionals have become alert to the need for well-rounded medical device security in recent years, and players throughout the industry have started putting more effort into raising the bar.

An optimistic observer might point to strides toward reaching that goal. Developers have become aware of the most glaring holes, and more information security researchers have been brought into the fold.

If nothing else, the formation of advocacy groups like I Am The Cavalry and the simple uptick in the number of vulnerability disclosures have started to chart a course toward medical devices that are resilient against attack.

Preexisting Conditions

A presentation at last month's Black Hat security conference revealed severe flaws in pacemakers currently on the market. Their manufacturer's unwillingness to address the vulnerabilities makes clear the extent to which medical device security has been plagued by lack of cohesion among major health sector players and poor security hygiene among developers.

Why, despite the undeniable gains that medical devices have made, are there still gaping holes like the ones exhibited at Black Hat? Like the most intractable medical conditions that physicians sometimes must diagnose, the cause is rooted in multiple compounding maladies.

To start with, the operating conditions of medical Internet of Things devices -- which encompass everything from connected insulin pumps to networked CT scanners -- differ notably from those of their consumer IoT counterparts.

A key distinction is their markedly longer lifecycle, often so long that it outlives the support cycle for the operating systems they run, according to physician and security researcher Christian Dameff.

"[With] consumer IoT, there's maybe iterations of devices regularly, like every year or something like that," Dameff said. "Healthcare connected devices are expected to be in service for five, 10-plus years, which might be the case for something like a CT scanner, and guess what? They'll be running Windows XP, and Windows XP will be end-of-life support by year three."

In fact, the regulatory process that new connected medical devices must go through is so lengthy -- understandably so -- that they typically are years behind modern security trends by the time they hit the market, as security researcher and I Am The Cavalry cofounder Beau Woods pointed out.

"Any device that comes out brand new today probably had a several-year research and development phase, and a several-month to several-year approval phase from the FDA," Woods said.

"You can have devices that were essentially conceived of eight to 10 years ago that are just now coming out, so of course they don't have the same protections that are in place today [or] have modern medical device architectures -- to say nothing of the devices that came out 10 years ago and are still perfectly usable, like MRI machines," he explained.

The needs that always-on networked medical devices must meet, especially those of implanted devices like pacemakers, present additional operating constraints. Desktop OS developers have had decades to accrue the experience to determine best practice exploit countermeasures. However, headless medical IoT devices with zero allowance for downtime rule out many of those very countermeasures, necessitating the development of new ones that are suited for medical deployment.

What's the Diagnosis, Doc?

Traditional controls definitely fall short in certain medical settings, but that can encourage innovation from developers working under specific constraints, noted Colin Morgan, director of product security at Johnson & Johnson.

"Sometimes the difference in this environment is we need to make sure that the security control doesn't affect the intended use of the device," Morgan said. "Let's say a session lock on your machine. You walk away from your desk for 15 minutes, your screen locks. On some medical devices, that could defeat the intended use of that, and our job -- which is the fun part of the job -- is to figure out, 'If we can't do that control, what other controls are there to mitigate the risk?'"

As much as the unique requirements of medical hardware have invited creative new security controls, the initiative often has been undermined by an inadequate incentive structure for doing so.

Current regulation, while leaps and bounds from where it once was, doesn't always dissuade manufacturers from dismissing potentially life-threatening vulnerabilities, particularly in a landscape where there is, thankfully, as yet no precedent for what happens when they are exploited in the wild.

"I don't think this is intentional, [but] think about this: If I was a device manufacturer and I've got a malfunctioning device, would I write a policy to do a deep forensic investigation on every device to look for malware?" Dameff asked.

"The answer is no," he said, "because once I find out that there's been a compromise, and that there's a vulnerability, I'm required to report that to the FDA, which could result in exorbitant recalls, fines, etc. So the incentive to find these types of patient harm situations, it just doesn't exist."

An absence of incentive is in some respects the best case scenario, since the present regulatory framework diverts resources away from engendering a holistic security posture, and sometimes precludes avenues for discovering flaws entirely.

No legislation looms larger in healthcare regulation than the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as "HIPAA." It is undoubtedly a landmark in patient protection in the digital age, but its singular focus on privacy and the fact that it its authorship predates widespread medical IoT has yielded some unintended detrimental consequences for device security.

Dameff put it bluntly: When breaching the privacy of patient data can cost companies significantly more than the breach of a device's security controls, companies order their priorities accordingly.

"Healthcare's scared of the HIPAA hammer, and that drives all of the security conversations," he said. "Securing the patient healthcare information gets all their resources, because risking a breach has consequences that pay out in dollars and cents."

HIPAA's preeminence not only tips the scale in favor of overwhelmingly addressing privacy, but it occasionally can obstruct security research altogether. In scenarios where privacy and security are mutually exclusive, HIPAA dictates that privacy wins.

"If [a device] malfunctions and we've got to send it back to the device manufacturer [to figure out] what's going on with it, by principle and because of HIPAA, they wipe the hard drive or remove the hard drive before they send it to them." Dameff said.

"By policy, malfunctioning devices that have malfunctioned so bad they get sent back to the manufacturer can't even go with the operating system, the software in which it malfunctioned," he noted.

Time for Treatment

In spite of the many facets of medical IoT security woes, there are encouraging signs that the industry has been finding its footing and coalescing around next steps. One such course that has received much praise is the FDA's issuance of two guidance documents: "Design Considerations and Pre-market Submission Recommendations for Interoperable Medical Devices" and "Postmarket Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices" -- or Pre-Market Guidance and Post-Market Guidance for short.

"I will say that the FDA has come a long way in terms of giving guidance to medical device makers on how they should interpret regulations, how the FDA is interpreting regulations," Woods said.

"So when the FDA puts out things like its Pre-Market Guidance for Cybersecurity of Medical Devices or its Post-Market Guidance for Cybersecurity of Medical Devices, that helps both the regulatory side and the device makers figure out how to build devices that do take these lessons learned into account," he added.

More than perfunctorily complying with the guides' requirements, a few players have made a point to incorporate many of the optional recommendations they outline. Speaking specifically for his organization, Johnson & Johnson's Morgan remarked that his team has benefited from a mutually reinforcing relationship with the FDA.

"From our perspective, we have seen a lot of work that has been done over the past [few] years that has initially been driven through the FDA," he said. "We work very closely with them -- we have a very collaborative relationship with the FDA cybersecurity team -- and through the starting of the guided documentation around pre-market and then post-market ... there's been a bit of a shift, and [we] are really building [them] into our quality systems."

This climate of cooperation between regulators and manufacturers is vital to bolstering security industry-wide, because it changes the dynamic from jockeying for competitive advantage to ensuring a basic level of patient safety.

Collaboration shouldn't, and soon won't, stop there, Morgan suggested. One ongoing endeavor, spearheaded by the Health Sector Coordinating Council, is to create a "playbook" comprised of expertise contributed by healthcare providers, device makers, trade associations and others.

It would provide guidance on what organizations of all types could do to improve security practices. By disseminating knowledge derived from the work of large companies, smaller ones could solicit collected wisdom.

In the meantime, there is as much to be learned and absorbed from the information security and developer communities outside of healthcare as there is from the extant guidance documentation.

Considering the lag between development and release due to regulatory oversight, it is that much more important for manufacturers to get it right the first time, and that means changing security from a supplemental exercise to one that is intrinsic to development.

"I don't think we need medical security specialists. We just need these good practices to be built into the architectures, engineering and operation of the devices from the get-go," said I Am The Cavalry's Woods, "which is going to take, I think, some rethinking of what we've always thought of as the traditional way."

The way medical device developers adopt this approach is by further engaging and integrating the independent research community, Dameff added.

"I think you need to be open to security researchers' input and independent security testing of your devices before it hits market," he suggested. "Even if the device manufacturer releases a patch for it, maybe the hospital won't actually deploy it. So we need to be doing a lot of work up front to get these as secure as possible before they hit market."

Even as companies have grown more comfortable with processing bug disclosures from independent researchers, some companies remain stubborn, as last month's Black Hat talk demonstrated. The presenters stated that the manufacturer they had disclosed their findings to had not acted, as of more than 500 days after receiving notice.

"There are horror stories," Dameff said. "I feel like healthcare device manufacturers realize they can't scorn researchers ... this much anymore, partly because there's a DMCA exemption for medical devices that's currently in place."

The DMCA, or Digital Millennium Copyright Act, exempts good faith researchers testing medical devices from the legal peril of probing into proprietary software, a lifeline for bug bounty hunters.

However, for researchers to make the most of the exemption, it's essential not only that manufacturers take their input seriously, but also that the industry and its regulators allow access to as much real-world data as possible.

Woods' organization, I Am the Cavalry, outlines measures for meeting those requirements.

"One of the things that we've got in the [I am the Cavalry] Hippocratic Oath is an affirmatively sound evidence capture capability that allows you to trap potential security issues, or really any kind of failure of the device, in a way that preserves privacy," Woods said.

"So we're not throwing privacy out for the sake of safety, because I think they're not mutually exclusive," he continued, but it's critical "to be able to get the types of logs and information that you need off the device -- like firmware state, was it tampered with, was it the latest version, were there any extra programs, unexpected software."

Finally, as Morgan put it, all of this has to meet the care providers' needs, which can be done only by bringing them fully into the conversation.

"One of the biggest challenges we face is the post-market management," he noted. "How can we roll our security patches to devices better in customer environments? Customer environments are all so different. So we have to constantly talk to and understand from our customers what they're looking for from us, what their expectations are, and how we can partner better with them to roll patches out, build in what they're looking for, so that we're constantly reducing risk together."

Scheduling Checkups

Ultimately, treating the poor state of medical device security is like treating patients themselves: The overall treatment must be holistic, and the various treatment measures must not conflict.

Where regulators, manufacturers and providers are in accord, there has been marked security improvement. It is where their perspectives conflict that conditions have yet to improve.

Jonathan Terrasi has been an ECT News Network columnist since 2017. His main interests are computer security (particularly with the Linux desktop), encryption, and analysis of politics and current affairs. He is a full-time freelance writer and musician. His background includes providing technical commentaries and analyses in articles published by the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights.


Between the 1600s and the early 20th century, European settlers in New York City ate their way through 220,000 acres of oyster reefs covering 350 square miles, The Washington Post reported.

That decimated a natural barrier that could have reduced the wave energy of storms like Sandy, which cost New York City $40 billion in flooding damages, by 200 percent, according to a 2016 study reported by The Washington Post.

Luckily, Long Island beer maker Blue Point Brewing Company is teaming up with the Billion Oyster Project (BOP) to rebuild that barrier.

On Sept. 3, the brewery launched Good Reef Ale, a dry-hopped, citrusy Belgian ale that comes with a special perk: for every pint sold, five oysters will be restored at the Billion Oyster Projects' Community Oyster Reefs, according to a press release.

"We're honored to enter into a long-term partnership with Billion Oyster Project to help serve their goal of restoring one billion oysters to the New York Harbor by 2035," Blue Point Brewing Company President Jenna Lally said in the press release. "Oysters have been a part of Blue Point's history and mission since the very beginningthey're native to our coastal hometown of Patchogue, represent our namesake and serve as a key ingredient in our beers. Blue Point is thrilled to introduce Good Reef Ale into our portfolio of beers that support water and oyster conservation along the east coast."

Oysters don't just protect from the city from storms, according to the BOP's "About" page.

They also filter out nitrogen pollution and foster biodiversity. BOP refers to them as "ecosystem engineers" because of their tendency to attract marine life. It noted that whales have now returned to New York Harbor.

The Community Reefs that Good Reef Ale will help rebuild are also important tools to get New Yorkers involved with learning about and restoring their harbor's ecosystem.

"Community reefs are shoreline-accessible, designed to be educational and regularly visited and monitored by the community," according to the website.

To date, BOP has planted 26 million oysters and engaged 70 restaurants, 1,215 high school students, more than 6,500 middle school students and 1,053 volunteers.

This latest partnership with Blue Point Brewing Company also came with a $20,000 donation to BOP.

The five oysters restored per pint of Good Reef Ale will be able to filter up to 250 gallons of water per day.

Blue Point Brewing Company was founded in 1998 on the south shore of Long Island, according to a second press release.

"Blue Point has crafted an innovative lineup inspired by its coastal heritage and laid-back lifestyle," the press release said.
Editors note: This piece was published before it was confirmed Christine Blasey Ford would testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and before additional allegations were made against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh.

What happens in the wider world affects our teaching.

Next week, we may hear from Christine Blasey Ford as she testifies before Congress on the brink of Brett M. Kavanaughs confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court . She credibly, in my eyes, accuses him of sexual assault.

Here are two small examples of interactions Ive had with my current and former students, who are preservice teachers, this week:

First, a student arrived in my office in tears because she could not stop thinking about when this happened to me a few years ago. Its the same thing, you know? Her own sexual assault was on replay as she watched Kavanaughs ascent, and now braces for Fords public testimony.

Next, I received an email from a past student, now teaching social studies in a New Jersey middle school. Her students present a current event to the class each week, which she reviews ahead of time. This week, the student titled her presentation, Should Judge Kavanaugh be allowed to be on the Supreme Court? She wanted to know how to handle this.

The conversation about Kavanaugh is enormously polarizing. And yet, regardless of what you believe about this particular situation, sexual assault is a reality for women of all ages and political affiliations.

What I told my students, what I have done myself this week, and what I would advocate to anyone in the classroom is fairly simple: Leave space for conversation. Ask students what they know. Clarify when they have facts that are inaccurate, and allow them to respectfully disagree with one another. Explain that the entire country is struggling with this issue right now, so it might be really hard to come to consensus in the classroomparticularly since the country is not doing a great job of hearing different view points and speaking with the best of intentions. In our classrooms, we can do better.

There is a caveat to this. What about teachers who are triggered by the Kavanaugh case, like the student who came to my office? In hearing the allegations, many are reminded of situations from their own lives.

Here, I suggest small group conversations. Open up space and give students ground rules. But situate yourself on the periphery of the conversations rather than in the center. Give each group time to report out with a sentence or two. Students can be heard, if they want to contribute, and you can give yourself the care you need.

Fords possible testimony takes place amidst an ongoing national movement to make people aware of the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault and, ultimately, end them.

There will be other Christine Blasey Fords in the news. There will also be women whose stories dont show up on the front page of national newspapers. Finding a path forward is what the #MeToo movement is all about .

And so, beyond leaving space for conversation, how can we make our classrooms places that uphold the vision of the #MeToo movement?

1. Teach about consent. Put simply, consent is an active and ongoing process between two people. It is not a negotiation, it is about asking and receiving an affirmative. The yes can be retracted by either party at any point. Consent can be taught out of context, and we do this all time. We teach young children to ask permission before taking a toy, to give a toy back when the owner wants it; in other words, to receive consent.

2. If you see something, say something. Letting students know, from day one, that classrooms, hallways, and lunchrooms are safe spaces. So often, we see small things. The boys in our classrooms pinching the waists of the girls. Flicking them. Whistling as they pass by. If we are comfortable doing so, we should share our own personal #MeToo stories. The victims should know they are not alone, and all students can build empathy.

3. Ensure that the girls have equal air space. We need to balance the ratio of students we call on. The boys can be loud, and we need to ensure that the girls are heard, their voices valued. Growing up, we internalized the same messages we see being perpetuated in schools today. Its imperative that we fight against them and allow the voices of young women to be heard, valued, challenged, and encouraged.

4. Get rid of dress codes. Schools are, quite literally, policing what young women wear , sending them home when they wear clothes that women wear in the real world: leggings, sleeveless tops, and shorts, for example. When female students are asked to miss class time in order to change, the message is sent that male students are unable to see past their clothing in order to focus and learn. Certainly, young men have seen leggings outside of school. They can handle them in classrooms.

Its impossible to predict what will happen in the coming weeks, whether or not Kavanaugh will ultimately be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Either way, there is a great deal of work to be done, and the moment we find ourselves in illuminates all of it.
Waterfront Link Road - Contractor to be appointed

Liverpool City Council is about to appoint a contractor to deliver a Mersey waterfront link road for the new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal.

Following a Europe wide procurement process a report to the councils cabinet next Friday is recommending the contract for the 7.6m scheme be awarded to provide access from Waterloo Road to the 30m facility in Princes Half Tide Dock.

The new road and ferry terminal will lie within Peel Land and Property Limiteds Liverpool Waters scheme - a 5bn development site encompassing 150 acres of historic docklands in north Liverpool, stretching from Princes Dock to Bramley Moore Dock.

The cabinet report follows the Isle of Man Governments announcement that it has now completed negotiations with Peel Land and Property Limited for the long-term leasehold ownership of the site, with the new terminal scheduled to open in 2021.
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund invests $1bn in EV company

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has agreed to invest over $1 billion in electric vehicle company Lucid Motors, as the country looks to diversify its revenues away from oil.

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Desperate attempts to prevent liquidation of power sector assets in companies that are defaulters point to a deeper crisis afflicting neo-liberal growth. A sector that was plagued by shortages was opened up to private participation, leading to rapid expansion in the expectation of large profits from liberalised prices. Public sector banks were called upon to finance that expansion with the government being complicit. Now, however, firms find themselves trapped between inadequate demand at prevailing prices and rising costs that precipitate default.

Having overcome a legacy of extreme shortage of supply, Indias power sector is in the midst of a crisis with ramifications of a wholly different kind. The crisis arises because firms accounting for a significant proportion of power sector assets have defaulted on their debt-servicing commitments, and banks are not able to find ways of restructuring that debt or recouping their money. So the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) guidelines require that the assets should be liquidated to recover whatever is possible and compensate banks from which these firms had taken loans, and then defaulted. But the assessment is that liquidation would yield the banks little, if anything at all.

There are 34 projects that have been identified as stressed, accounting for 24,405 MW of commissioned capacity and another 15,725 MW of capacity that is still under construction. The total outstanding debt in these projects is `1.74 lakh crore. The projects are stressed either because the loans concerned have been declared as non-performing assets (NPAs) or are identified as being potential NPAs. Gross NPAs in the power sector were, at the end of June 2017, placed at `37,941 crore, of which as much as `34,244 crore was in generation. But the magnitude of NPAs is set to rise in the coming weeks and months.
NEW YORK...September 21, 2018 - The world's most advanced sweet pepper harvesting robot, developed in a consortium including Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers, was introduced last week at the Research Station for Vegetable Production at St. Katelijne Waver in Belgium.

SWEEPER is designed to operate in a single stem row cropping system, with non-clustered fruits and little leaf occlusion. Preliminary test results showed that by using a commercially available crop modified to mimic the required conditions, the robot currently harvests ripe fruit in 24 seconds with a success rate of 62 percent. Click here to watch video.

The BGU team spearheaded efforts to improve the robot's ability to detect ripe produce using computer vision, and has played a role in defining the specifications of the robot's hardware and software interfaces, focusing on supervisory control activities.

Polina Kurtser, a Ph.D. candidate in the BGU Department of Industrial Engineering and Management and member of the team, says robotic harvesting will revolutionize the economics of the agriculture industry and dramatically reduce food waste.

"The Sweeper picks methodically and accurately," she says. "When it is fully developed, it will enable harvesting 24/7, drastically reduce spoilage, cut labor costs and shield farmers from market fluctuations."

Additional research is needed to increase the robot's work speed to reach a higher harvest success rate. Based upon these latest results, the Sweeper consortium expects that a commercial sweet pepper harvesting robot will be available within four to five years, and that the technology could be adapted for harvesting other crops.

North America is the second largest producer of sweet (bell) and chili peppers in the world with a 31 percent market share. In 2017 Europe accounted for more than half the world's pepper supply (53.2 percent) with exports valued at $2.7 billion.

SWEEPER is a partnership between BGU, Wageningen University & Research, and pepper grower De Tuindershoek BV, in the Netherlands, Umea University in Sweden, and the Research Station for Vegetable Cultivation and Bogaerts Greenhouse Logistics in Belgium.

The project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 644313.

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The BGU team includes Prof. Yael Edan, director of the ABC Robotics Initiative and a member of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management; Prof. Ohad Ben-Shahar, of the Department of Computer Science and founding director of the Interdisciplinary Computational Vision Laboratory. Other team members include Ph.D. students Boaz Arad, Ben Harel, Rotem Mairon; ABC Robotics Lab Engineer Shai Givati, as well as BGU postdocs Dr. Ehud Barnea and Dr. Efrat Taig.

About American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision: creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. As Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) looks ahead to turning 50 in 2020, AABGU imagines a future that goes beyond the walls of academia.

It is a future where BGU invents a new world and inspires a vision for a stronger Israel and its next generation of leaders. Together with supporters, AABGU will help the University foster excellence in teaching, research and outreach to the communities of the Negev for the next 50 years and beyond. Visit https://vision.aabgu.org/ to learn more.

AABGU, which is headquartered in Manhattan, has nine regional offices throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.aabgu.org.
"Informal care" is the term used in medicine to describe unpaid care provided by family and friends. It's an important lifeline for millions of older adults in the U.S. who need day-to-day help with shopping, cooking, cleaning, eating, taking medicine, looking after their own daily well-being, and many other activities essential to our health and quality of life as we age.

In the U.S., more than 35 million people provided informal care to someone 50-years-old and older in 2015. We usually understand the costs associated with a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare worker providing professional care to older adults. However, we don't understand what the true costs are when older adults are cared for by family members or friends. In part, that's because most studies have focused on "direct" healthcare costs (the expenses associated with professional help/treatment). However, these studies have ignored the "indirect" costs associated with informal care.

When the costs of informal care are accounted for, most studies usually multiply the hours of informal care by the wage that a formal home healthcare provider would earn. But this doesn't reflect the true cost of informal care. Informal caregivers often give up other activities such as leisure or employment, for example. Studies haven't examined the value of leisure time and the other important aspects of life people may give up when they care for a friend or family member.

In a new study, researchers focused on one of the most common caregiving arrangements: daughters between the ages of 40 and 70 who were likely to need to provide informal care to their mothers at some point in the near future. Participants were identified using the Health and Retirement Study, a survey conducted by the University of Michigan since 1992. Findings from this new analysis were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The researchers totaled the time the daughters spent in caregiving. They distinguished between light caregiving (providing fewer than 1,000 hours of care over a two-year period) and intensive caregiving (providing 1,000 or more hours of care). The daughters were also asked whether they worked full- or part-time outside their caregiving role.

The survey also asked the daughters about their mothers' health. For example, it asked if their mothers needed help with "instrumental activities of daily living" (IADLs). IADLs include activities such as taking medicine or grocery shopping. The survey also asked if their mothers needed help with more general "activities of daily living" (ADLs), such as eating, bathing, and getting around. Daughters were also asked whether their mothers could be left alone for an hour or more, and whether their mothers were ever told by a doctor that they had a memory-related disease.

The researchers used these measures to define six states of health for the mothers:

Healthy

Has difficulty performing daily activities only

Has a memory-related disease only

Has difficulty performing daily activities and has a diagnosed memory-related disease

Cannot be left alone for an hour or more

Dead

The researchers noted that while there is a variety of health concerns that could make it difficult to leave an older person alone, two-thirds of the daughters said they could not leave their mothers unattended because of a doctor-diagnosed memory-related disease.

The researchers also said that the costs associated with care for a memory-related disease varied a great deal depending on whether the mother also had trouble performing daily activities. For example, caring for someone with memory-related disease but no ADL limitations cost approximately $163,000 over a two-year period. This is similar to the costs of providing care for a mother who only had ADL limitations ($167,000). However, when memory issues were paired with having difficulty performing ADLs, the costs of caregiving actually decreased to $144,000. On the other hand, when a mother cannot be left alone for more than one hour, caregiving costs rise to more than $200,000.

To put these costs in perspective, the average cost of a semi-private bed in a nursing home in 2017 was $85,775. This suggests that two years of nursing home care would cost $171,550.

The researchers concluded that their results suggest the costs of informal care to a daughter's well-being are similar to the costs associated with full-time institutional care. Based on their study, the researchers believe that the impact of having unpaid family or friend caregivers differs depending on the health needs of the person receiving care. This is important for three reasons:

Providing informal care for someone with a memory-related health condition may be a different (sometimes more complex) experience than caring for someone who only needs assistance with physical limitations.

Memory-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), use a very large share of informal care.

Memory-related diseases currently affect more than 5 million Americans, and cases are predicted to double within the next 30 years.

This summary is from "A More Comprehensive Measure of the Costs of Caring for a Parent: Differences by Functional Status." It appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Norma B. Coe, PhD; Meghan M. Skira, PhD; and Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH.

###

About the Health in Aging Foundation

This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org.

About the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) highlights emerging insights on principles of aging, approaches to older patients, geriatric syndromes, geriatric psychiatry, and geriatric diseases and disorders. First published in 1953, JAGS is now one of the oldest and most impactful publications on gerontology and geriatrics, according to ISI Journal Citation Reports. Visit wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JGS for more details.

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 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.
The number of people who live at home with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a brain disease that causes abnormal changes that kill brain cells, is expected to grow from 3.2 million today to more than 8 million in 2050.

Experts agree that we know very little about sexuality among people living at home with AD or other cognitive problems. Older adults who have cognitive problems that impact the way they think and make decisions may ask physicians to help managing sexual problems. And caregivers may ask physicians about sexuality in the older adults for whom they provide care.

One frequently asked question is: Do older adults always have the capacity to consent to sexual activity?

Researchers have previously shown that the majority of people aged 57 to 85 have a spouse or other intimate partner and, among those with a partner, most are sexually active. Having an active sexual life is linked to better physical and mental health, higher quality of life, and lower rates of loneliness.

To learn more about the connection between sexuality and cognitive status, researchers designed a new study. They analyzed data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project to learn more about the relationship between sexual behavior, function, and cognition (people's ability to think and make decisions). Their study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Based on their study, the researchers reported that:

- 83 percent of men and 57 percent of women had an intimate partner. The more impaired participants' abilities to think and make decisions were, the less likely they were to have an intimate partner. - Women with lower cognitive scores were less likely than men with lower cognitive scores to have intimate partners. - Nearly half of all men with dementia were sexually active, as were 18 percent of women. - Among people with an intimate partner, the majority of men (59 percent) and women (51 percent) with dementia were sexually active. More than 40 percent of partnered men and women ages 80 to 91 living with dementia were sexually active. - More than 1 in 10 people living with a partner reported feeling threatened or frightened by a partner. This finding was similar among women and men and across different levels of cognitive problems. Experts and guidelines call on physicians to screen for elder abuse (the mistreatment of older people, which can take many forms, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect), including sexual abuse, but definitions of abuse and standards of consent for sex vary widely.

The researchers estimate that, among people living at home who are aged 62 and older, at least 1.8 million men and 1.4 million women with suspected or diagnosed dementia are sexually active. This number will more than double by 2050. However, rarely do these people (especially women) receive a physician's counseling about sexual changes that may occur with dementia or other medical conditions.

The researchers suggested that these findings can inform improved counseling, treatment, and person-centered decision-making by physicians and other healthcare providers caring for people with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Sexual activity is an important aspect of human function throughout your lifetime, said the researchers. They added that respectful care for older adults, including people with cognitive impairments, requires an understanding of sexual norms and problems--and effective strategies to manage sexual concerns with dignity.

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This summary is from "Sexuality and Cognitive Status: a U.S. Nationally-Representative Study of Home-Dwelling Older Adults"). It appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Stacy Tessler Lindau, MD, MAPP; William Dale, MD, PhD; Gillian Feldmeth, BS; Natalia Gavrilova, PhD; Kenneth M. Langa, MD, PhD; Jennifer A. Makelarski, PhD, MPH; and Kristen Wroblewski, MS.

About the Health in Aging Foundation

This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org.

About the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) highlights emerging insights on principles of aging, approaches to older patients, geriatric syndromes, geriatric psychiatry, and geriatric diseases and disorders. First published in 1953, JAGS is now one of the oldest and most impactful publications on gerontology and geriatrics, according to ISI Journal Citation Reports. Visit wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JGS for more details.

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 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.
By Azernews





By Sara Israfilbayova

The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan held next auction on privatization of state property on September 18.

The Committee reported that non-residential areas are located in Baku and Sumgayit.

The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan will hold next auction on privatization of state property on September 25, where 118 state objects will be put up for sale.

The auction will offer 83 small state enterprises, 28 non-residential areas and 7 vehicles.

As a whole, more than 150 auctions have been held since the beginning of the year.

The portal for privatization  privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country.

The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues held the first electronic auction on July 4, 2017.

The electronic auction service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented.

The State Committee on Property Issues was established on May 19, 2009 on the basis of the relevant presidential decree.

The main activities of the State Committee are the management of state property, attraction of investments, maintenance of a single cadastre of immovable property, maintenance of a land cadastre, organization of a land market, protection and improvement of land quality.
A series of internal GlaxoSmithKline reports suggest possibility that serious safety signal had emerged for Pandemrix during 2009 H1N1 vaccine campaigns

Data indicated large discrepancies in rate of adverse event reporting for Pandemrix as compared to other GSK pandemic influenza vaccines

Manufacturer and some public health bodies received reports but did not make them public

Why did questions around the vaccine's safety not emerge earlier?

Is the vaccine safety monitoring system fit for purpose?

An investigation published by The BMJ today raises fundamental questions about the transparency of information surrounding the safety of GlaxoSmithKline's Pandemrix vaccine used in 2009-2010.

Eight years after the 2009 H1N1 "swine flu" outbreak, new information is emerging of a striking difference in the number and frequency of adverse events reported for three GSK pandemic vaccines approved and used across the world.

Internal safety reports from 2009 - unearthed as part of a lawsuit - suggest that GSK and public health officials were aware of a variety of serious adverse events logged in relation to Pandemrix, explains The BMJ's Associate Editor Peter Doshi.

But it would seem neither GSK nor health authorities made the information public, either during the H1N1 outbreak nor in the eight years since.

Doshi learned of the reports from a colleague, Tom Jefferson, who was hired as an expert witness in a lawsuit alleging that Pandemrix caused the sleep disorder narcolepsy.

Jefferson used the information to calculate adverse event rates per vaccine, which showed large differences between Pandemrix and other GSK pandemic vaccines.

The BMJ conducted its own analysis and found that Pandemrix had, proportionally, five times more adverse events reported than Arepanrix and another H1N1 vaccine manufactured by GSK.

The data are insufficient to draw cause-and-effect conclusions, but for Gillian O'Connor, the solicitor involved in the narcolepsy lawsuit, the disparity was "of such striking difference that any person contemplating taking the Pandemrix vaccine would be likely, if in receipt of this information, not to choose to have the Pandemrix vaccination."

In many of the GSK reports, the company refers to having conducted "safety reviews." The BMJ asked GSK for a copy of those reviews, but GSK did not provide them.

Instead, the company said it "continuously evaluated all available safety data and shared the data with the European Medicines Association (EMA) and other regulatory authorities where the vaccine was licensed so that the authorities could conduct their own independent assessments."

The BMJ also asked GSK whether it ever notified healthcare providers about the discrepancies in rate of adverse events between its products, whether it considered pulling Pandemrix from the market, or considered recommending Arepanrix or another company's vaccine. But GSK declined to answer these and all of The BMJ's questions, citing ongoing litigation.

The UK Department of Health also declined to comment on why it recommended Pandemrix over another company's vaccine.

What the EMA knew - or could have known - about the comparative safety of GSK's pandemic vaccines is hard to discern, writes Doshi. The EMA told The BMJ that it "does not perform comparative benefit and risk evaluations between products approved in the EU, or between EU products and products approved or used outside the EU."

These events raise fundamental questions about the transparency of information, and question whether drug and vaccine safety monitoring (known as pharmacovigilance) is fit for purpose, writes Doshi.

For example, when do public health officials have a duty to warn the public over possible harms of vaccines detected through pharmacovigilance? How much detail should the public be provided with, who should provide it, and should the provision of such information be proactive or passive?

"If history were to repeat itself, does the public have a right to know?"

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Peer-reviewed? Yes

Type of evidence: Investigation

Subjects: People
(Boston)-- A new study has shed light on the mechanisms underlying the progression of prion diseases and identified a potential target for treatment.

Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurological disorders that includes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy ("mad cow disease"). They are caused by the spread of "prions", which are altered forms of normal cellular proteins. These abnormal molecules then interact with normal proteins to promote misfolding. While we understand that this process of converting normal to abnormal protein is what causes the symptoms of prion disease (including rapidly progressive dementia, seizures and personality changes), the exact mechanism of damage to the neuronal connections in the brain and spinal cord has been poorly understood.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) used a method they previously described for culturing nerve cells from the hippocampal region of the brain, and then exposing them to prions, to illustrate the damage to nerve cell connections usually seen in these diseases. They then added a number of different chemical compounds with known inhibitory effects on cellular responses to stressful stimuli, with the objective of identifying which pathways may be involved.

They found that inhibition of p38 MAPK (an enzyme that typically responds to stress, such as ultraviolet radiation and heat shock) prevented injury to nerve connections and promoted recovery from the initial damage. Hippocampal nerve cells that had a mutation preventing normal function of p38 MAPK were also protected, seeming to confirm the role the enzyme plays in this disease process.

David. A. Harris, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine and corresponding author of the study, sees these findings as a major breakthrough in trying to understand and treat these diseases. "Our results provide new insights into the pathogenesis of prion diseases, they uncover new drug targets for treating these diseases, and they allow us to compare prion diseases to other, more common neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease."

These findings appear online in PLOS Pathogens.

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Contact: Gina DiGravio, 617-358-7838
Five-year project aims to predict which entities in the West will be most impacted by changing water quantities and availabilities

Mountain snowpack and rainfall are the primary sources of water for the southwestern United States, and water allocation institutions determine how that water gets distributed among competing uses. This includes agriculture, which accounts for approximately 80 percent of water diversions in Colorado.

The "Arid West," which includes Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, receives precipitation in the mountains far from agricultural fields, or during winter months when crops are not grown.

Climate change, population growth and other factors mean that Western water allocation strategies may benefit from changes over the long term. The availability and seasonal timing of mountain snowpack runoff, for example, are predicted to change with a warming climate. And everyone, from farmers to municipal managers, is going to have to adapt.

To bring scientific veracity to these inevitable changes, researchers at Colorado State University, in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno; Desert Research Institute; Northern Arizona University; and Arizona State University have received a $4.9 million grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The five-year project will aim to predict which entities in the West will be most impacted by changing water quantities and availabilities under current water laws. In addition, the researchers will evaluate the impact of potential adjustments to existing water laws, and evaluate the possibilities for new laws and regulations.

Over the next five years, the interdisciplinary team that includes hydrologists, resource economists and sociologists will evaluate the following:

How changes in mountain snowpack affect available water;

Which basins in the arid West are most at risk;

The effectiveness of existing water allocation laws and regulation in managing these changes, in comparison with proposed modifications;

And how changes in available water, and laws and regulations, affect the economic well-being of various groups in society - including the sustainability of agricultural production in the arid West.

Bringing their expertise to the team will be CSU associate professor Christopher Goemans, and assistant professor Dale Manning, both in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Together, Goemans and Manning will develop an economic model that identifies how, over the next 30 years, different groups who use water in the West could gain or lose water access, depending on the timing and amounts of water available within seasons.

The CSU researchers' ultimate goal is to help water managers, farmers and other users plan for the future by modeling various scenarios of water availability and allocation. For example, their model could help inform decisions about water release versus storage on a seasonal basis, or how water rights within existing laws might benefit from change.

"While infrastructure investment can improve the timing of water deliveries, designing allocation rules and regulations that account for the multiple values of water can be equally important to getting the most out of scarce water resources in the face of uncertain supply," Manning said. "As snowmelt patterns change, both junior and senior water rights holders may be adversely affected. In this context, inflexible laws and regulations could result in rights holders wasting water, or being reluctant to adopt conservation technology to avoid the risk of losing water rights."

Water policy analysts predict that water management in the western U.S. will undergo extensive changes to adapt to mountain snow melt patterns. The speed and extent to which these changes can occur depend on water allocation rules and regulations. This has caused recent conflicts where existing water allocation laws and regulations have failed to distribute water in accordance with all rights holders' expectations. Given existing laws and the risk of over-allocating limited supplies, states and regional water authorities have intervened to limit permitted water rights.

"Water rights laws may hinder adaptation to climate change in the arid western U.S.," Goemans said. "If senior water rights holders - namely food-producing and cash crop agriculture customers - are unable to get the water they need, the economic viability of irrigated agriculture could decline significantly."

The impacts of changing volume and timing of snow melt on water rights users are profound, according to Kim Rollins, a University of Nevada, Reno economics professor and the grant's project director. "Increased risk is involved with private decisions to sell irrigation water rights and lands, causing permanent losses in the capacity for food production in the arid West," Rollins said. "Decision-making can be improved with a better understanding of how changes in water flows influence agricultural producer decision-making and how laws and regulations can exacerbate or relieve constraints from these changes."

Information gathered will aim to inform three sets of decision-makers. The first are the regional, state and federal water policymakers that create the legal infrastructure for allocating water. The second are the local water district managers as they determine where and when to divert water flows from the various sources through their systems to end users, given existing law. The third set of decision-makers includes the individual agricultural producers and other water rights holders that decide how they will use water and how they will respond to changes in their water rights.

The research team includes:

Kimberly Rollins, professor, University of Nevada, Reno, College of Business, Department of Economics;

Loretta Singletary, interdisciplinary outreach liaison, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and professor, University of Nevada, Reno, College of Business, Department of Economics;

Adrian Harpold, assistant professor in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources; Global Water Center

Michael Taylor, assistant professor, University of Nevada, Reno, College of Business, Department of Economics and state specialist in agricultural and resource, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension;

Gi-Eu Lee, postdoctoral fellow, University of Nevada, Reno, College of Business, Department of Economics;

Seshadri Rajagopal, assistant research professor, Desert Research Institute, Division of Hydrologic Sciences;

Greg Pohll, professor, Desert Research Institute, Division of Hydrologic Sciences;

Dale Manning, assistant professor, Colorado State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics;

Christopher Goemans, associate professor, Colorado State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics;

Abigail York, associate professor and associate director for social sciences at the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Arizona State University, The Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability;

Benjamin Ruddel, associate professor, Northern Arizona University, School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems.

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Due to the heterogenity of natural habitats and its dimension, Brazil is thought to hold 15 - 20% of the biodiversity on planet Earth. A study conducted in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest under the leadership of senior researcher Olavi Kurina from the Chair of Biodiversity and Nature Tourism at Estonian University of Life Sciences could only confirm this theory.

The Atlantic Forest ecoregion in Brazil is an area with diverse nature, following the coastline of the country and embracing tropical, subtropical and mangrove forests, also shrubland and grassland, described Olavi Kurina. "There are many endemic species known in this region."

In addition to the known biodiversity, in September the researches described in these rainforests 20 gnat species in the genus Manota that were new to science. The described species belong to the family of fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae) and are small flies, from 1.5 to 3mm long, with specific differences lying mainly in terminal morphology of the male specimens, specified Olavi Kurina.

The new species received scientific names by their morphological features and in honour of colleagues who had contributed to the research. As a result of zoogeographic analysis, a discrepancy was described between the comparatively wide distribution of the Manota species and the areas of endemism known for Diptera in South America and in Brazilian Atlantic Forest particularly.

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The study, the first in-depth treatment of the genus Manota in Brazil, was carried out in cooperation with Estonian University of Life Sciences, University of Turku and University of Sao Paulo. The type material of the new species is deposited in the insect collections of Estonian University of Life Sciences and University of Sao Paulo (international acronyms IZBE and MZUSP, respectively).

The scientific journal Zootaxa, a mega journal for zoological taxonomists in the world, published an article on this topic: http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4472.1.1.
People in the UK, US and China have a higher risk of dying early from conditions like cancer, heart disease and stroke than people in Italy, France, South Korea and Australia.

These are the findings of the most detailed global analysis of deaths from so-called non-communicable disease (NCDs) - chronic conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes.

The research, led by Imperial College London, World Health Organization and NCD Alliance, reveals that a 30-year-old woman in the UK has a 9 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs - cancer, cardiovascular disease (which includes heart disease and stroke), chronic respiratory disease and diabetes - before her 70th birthday, compared to a 12 per cent chance for a woman living in the US, and 6 per cent for a woman living in Japan. Meanwhile a 30-year-old man living in the UK has a 13 per cent chance of dying from an NCD before age 70, compared to 11 per cent for a man living in Switzerland, and 18 per cent for a man living in the US.

The analysis, published today in The Lancet, also revealed the majority of the world's nations - including the UK, US and China - look likely to fall short of the United Nations (UN) target for reducing the number of premature deaths from NCDs.

Professor Majid Ezzati, from Imperial's School of Public Health, who led the study, said: "Non-communicable diseases are the main cause of premature death for most countries. Poverty, uncontrolled marketing of alcohol and tobacco by multinational industries, and weak health care systems are making chronic diseases a larger danger to human health than traditional foes such as bacteria and viruses."

Too many people dying too soon

Non-communicable diseases kill nearly 41 million people a year, making up seven out of ten deaths globally, 17 million of these deaths are classed as premature (i.e. before the age of 70).

The new research is published ahead of a key UN meeting on NCDs next week. In 2015, the UN set the goal of a one-third reduction in premature deaths (between the ages of 30 and 70 years) from four key NCDs - cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes - by the year 2030.

The group behind this research, who are collectively known as NCD Countdown 2030, warn that their findings suggest the UN target will be missed in all but 35 nations for women and 30 nations for men.

The study also reveals men and women in most countries around the world have a higher risk of dying prematurely from NCDs than from infectious diseases such as malaria or HIV.

US, UK and China falling short

The researchers analysed data on deaths from NCDs for more than 180 nations. Their findings revealed the lowest risks of dying early from NCDs were seen in high income countries, especially in South Korea, Japan, Switzerland and Australia.

But other high-income countries are lagging behind the leaders, including the UK (which ranks 17th for men, 27th for women), the US (53rd for men, 44th for women) and China (80th for men, 76th for women).

Overall, women in South Korea, Japan, Spain and Switzerland were least likely to die prematurely from the four key NCDs. The countries with the lowest risk for men were Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway.

In contrast, men in central Asia (Mongolia, Kazakhstan) and eastern Europe (Russia, Belarus) were among the most likely to die from the four key NCDs before the age of 70. For women, parts of sub-Saharan Africa (Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire), Guyana, Afghanistan, Yemen and Papua New Guinea were among those with the greatest risk of premature death from the four key NCDs.

The study reveals that only 35 countries are on track to meet the UN target for women and only 30 countries for men.

Some of those countries on track to meet the UN target for both men and women include Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and South Korea, as well as Brazil, Iran and some of the high-risk eastern European countries. By comparison, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, India and China will fail to hit the target for both sexes.

The authors say if NCD deaths decline slightly faster in a further 50 countries (for women) and 35 countries (for men), they too would achieve the target.

According to the analysis, the situation is deteriorating or stagnating in 15 countries for women, including the US, and 24 for men.

Katie Dain, from the NCD Alliance, said: "We are sleepwalking into a sick future because of severely inadequate progress on non-communicable diseases. Post the UN High Level Meeting, NCD Countdown 2030 will assist in holding governments and donors accountable and help to ensure that the opportunity before us next week to renew, reinforce, and enhance commitments to reducing the burden of NCDs, translates the rhetoric into reality."

Solutions to help countries reduce deaths

Professor Ezzati explained: "While much of the world is falling short of the UN target to alleviate the burden of chronic diseases, dozens of countries could meet this goal with modest acceleration of already-favourable trends. This requires national governments and international donors to invest in the right set of policies."

Professor Ezzati added: "Treatment of hypertension and controlling tobacco and alcohol use alone can prevent millions of deaths from cancer, heart disease, stroke and other NCDs. But there is also a need for affordable high-quality care to diagnose and treat chronic diseases as early as possible."

The team points out the findings are limited by the available data, citing major gaps in the completeness and accuracy of data in some countries. They explain that improving death registration in countries could improve accuracy.

James Bennett, the lead author of the study from the School of Public Health, said: "It's important that international aid agencies and governments are held to account for their commitments to global targets for health. Improving the quality of health data from countries will help us identify which countries are performing best in reducing deaths from chronic diseases, as well as those that need additional help."

Regional summaries (data from 2016)

World

For women, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs - cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes - were seen in some African countries such as Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire. In these countries, 30-year-old women had a one in three chance of dying from these diseases before their 70th birthday.

The lowest risks of premature death in women were in South Korea and Japan, at 5 to 6 per cent chance.

For men, the highest levels of premature death from the four key NCDs were seen in central Asia, Eastern Europe and some Pacific Islands, for example in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Fiji. In these countries, 30-year-old men had a more than a one in three chance of dying from these four diseases before their 70th birthday. The lowest levels were in Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway, where men had a 10 to 11 per cent chance.

The UK

30-year-old women in the UK had a 9 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 27th lowest risk in the world and 19th lowest among 40 countries in Europe.

30-year-old men in the UK had a 13 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 17th lowest risk in the world and 9th lowest in Europe.

The chance of dying from the four key NCDs declined in the UK at the 74th fastest rate in the world for women, and the 27th fastest in Europe (relative to the starting level in 2015).

For men, the rate of decline in the UK was 45th in the world and 25th in Europe. Europe

For European women, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs were seen in Moldova and Ukraine (17 per cent and 16 per cent). The lowest levels were in Spain and Switzerland, with risk of 6 per cent and 7 per cent.

For European men, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs were seen in Russia and Belarus (37 per cent and 35 per cent). The lowest levels were in Iceland and Switzerland, with risk of 10 per cent and 11 per cent.

The US

30-year-old women in the US had a 12 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 44th lowest risk in the world but the highest among all high-income nations, and worse than Vietnam, Turkey and Panama. There has been a small increase in risk of death from these diseases among American women since 2010.

30-year-old men in the US had a 18 per cent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 53rd lowest risk in the world but the highest among all high-income nation, and worse than Liberia, Mexico and Angola. There has been virtually no change in the risk of death from these diseases among American men.

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Notes to editors:

For media enquiries contact:

Ryan O'Hare

Research Media Officer (Medicine),

Imperial College London,

Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 2410

Email: r.ohare@imperial.ac.uk

Michael Kessler

Press Contact

NCD Alliance

Tel: + 34 655 792 699

Email: michael.kessler@intoon-media.com

1. 'NCD Countdown 2030: worldwide trends in non-communicable disease mortality and progress towards Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4'' by NCD Countdown 2030 Collaborators is published in The Lancet.

2. The UN Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.4 is to "by 2030 reduce by one-third pre-mature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through prevention and treatment, and promote mental health and wellbeing". The indicator used to track progress is the probability (i.e. risk) of dying between ages 30 and 70 from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease. Full details can be found online - http://indicators.report/targets/3-4/

3. Researchers used data on deaths from NCDs from the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Health Estimates 2016 - http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/en/

4. Imperial College London is one of the world's leading universities. The College's 17,000 students and 8,000 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for our society.

Founded in 1907, Imperial builds on a distinguished past - having pioneered penicillin, holography and fibre optics - to shape the future. Imperial researchers work across disciplines to improve health and wellbeing, understand the natural world, engineer novel solutions and lead the data revolution. This blend of academic excellence and its real-world application feeds into Imperial's exceptional learning environment, where students participate in research to push the limits of their degrees.

Imperial is the UK's most international university, according to Times Higher Education, with academic ties to more than 150 countries. Reuters named the College as the UK's most innovative university because of its exceptional entrepreneurial culture and ties to industry. http://www.imperial.ac.uk

5. About NCD Alliance: The NCD Alliance is a unique civil society network, uniting 2,000 organisations in more than 170 countries, dedicated to improving NCD prevention and control worldwide. Together with strategic partners including the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and governments, NCDA works on a global, regional and national level to bring a united civil society voice to the global campaign on NCDs.
Bottom Line: The time until a first attempt at defibrillation in pediatric patients who experienced cardiac arrest in the hospital wasn't associated with survival or other main outcomes. This is in contrast to children who have a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital setting, or adult patients in or out of the hospital, where worse outcomes are associated with defibrillation delayed more than two minutes.

Why The Research Is Interesting: About 6,000 children each year in the United States experience cardiac arrest while in the hospital. In adults, delayed defibrillation attempts of more than two minutes are a national quality measure.

Who and When: Data for 477 pediatric patients younger than 18 from 113 hospitals with an in-hospital cardiac arrest, a documented loss of pulse and least one defibrillation attempt from 2000 to 2015.

What (Study Measures and Outcomes): Time between loss of pulse and first defibrillation attempt (exposure); survival to hospital discharge (primary outcome); return of circulation, 24-hour survival, and favorable neurologic outcome at hospital discharge (secondary outcomes)

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: Elizabeth A. Hunt, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins Charlotte Bloomberg Children's Center, Baltimore, Maryland, and co-authors

Results: Most pediatric patients (71 percent) had a first attempt at defibrillation within two minutes of loss of pulse. There was no difference associated with survival in pediatric patients with a first defibrillation attempt in two minutes or less compared with more than two minutes; time to the first defibrillation attempt also wasn't associated with the other outcomes. The authors offer several possibilities to explain their results.

Study Limitations: The sample size; that most first defibrillation attempts were within two minutes of loss of pulse; and that the sudden nature of cardiac arrest may have led to some misclassification of time and other variables.

Related Material: The invited commentary, "Shorter Time to Defibrillation in Pediatric CPR -- Children Are Not Small Adults But Shock Them Like They Are," by Alexis Topjian, M.D., M.S.C.E., of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, also is available on the For The Media website.

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2643)

Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2643

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.
Olga Boukrina, PhD, research scientist in Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation, has received a $10,000 grant from the Mabel H. Flory Charitable Trust. The grant funds Dr. Boukrina's continued research on the role of reading deficits as a barrier to aphasia rehabilitation. This is the sixth year the Flory Charitable Trust has awarded Kessler Foundation this grant for research on aphasia after stroke.

Reading deficits are common after stroke and represent a significant handicap, often preventing individuals from returning to work, school, and the community. Despite the impact reading deficits have on daily living, few studies have explored the nature of reading deficits and their association with brain damage from stroke. Early identification of reading deficits is fundamental to effective intervention. Through this research, investigators aim to develop benchmarks for identifying high-risk patients using neuroimaging brain scans.

"This award from the Flory Charitable Trust has enabled us to identify areas of brain damage that are associated with impairments of specific skills necessary for reading," said Dr. Boukrina. "We've also been able to categorize patients by type of reading difficulty, such as whether the deficit is founded in word appearance, word meaning, or word sounds," Dr. Boukrina noted. "With the use of neuroimaging, we have confirmed that the left-hemisphere brain regions known to support typical reading also enable recovery from reading deficits provided that these regions are spared by stroke. This finding provides the foundation for the development of effective treatments for stroke survivors with aphasia and reading deficits."

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Relevant article:

Boukrina O, Barrett AM, Alexander EJ, Yao B, Graves WW. Neurally dissociable cognitive components of reading deficits in subacute stroke. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015; 9: 298. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00298

Dr. Boukrina discusses her research in this Expert Interview podcast: https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/eis-olga-boukrina

About Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation

Research studies span all domains of post-stroke dysfunction, including cognitive deficits and mobility impairment. Under the direction of A.M. Barrett, MD, stroke scientists also mentor students, resident physicians, and post-doctoral trainees in translational neuroscience of rehabilitation. Cognitive research emphasizes hidden disabilities after stroke, including disabilities of functional vision (spatial bias and spatial neglect) and reading deficits. Mobility research, in partnership with Human Performance & Engineering Research, centers on the application of robotic exoskeletons for stroke rehabilitation. Stroke research receives funding from the National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, Department of Defense; the National Institutes of Health/NICHD/NCMRR; New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research, Mabel H. Flory Charitable Trust; the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey; the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Improvement; and Kessler Foundation. Scientists have faculty appointments at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

About Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.

Learn more by visiting http://www.KesslerFoundation.org.

Stay Connected

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NASA's Terra satellite provided an infrared look at Tropical Storm Trami, located just over 100 miles from Guam on Sept. 21. Infrared data provides temperature information that showed two areas of the highest, coldest cloud tops and most powerful storms within the tropical storm.

NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) in Tiyan, Guam said that a flash flood watch is in effect for all of Guam and the northern Marianas. A small craft advisory remains in effect until 6 a.m. CHST local time on Sunday, Sept. 23.

However, the Tropical Storm Watch for Rota, Tinian and Saipan has been canceled. Because Tropical Storm Trami (28W) continues to move away from the Marianas the threat of damaging winds has ended.

At 2:20 a.m. EDT (0230 UTC) on Sept. 13, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite analyzed Hurricane Florence in infrared light. MODIS found coldest cloud top temperatures in two large areas. One was around the center of circulation and the other was in a thick band of thunderstorms wrapping into the low-level center. Those temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 112 degrees Celsius). Surrounding them were powerful storms with cloud tops as cold as or colder than minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius).

NASA research has found that cloud top temperatures as cold as or colder than the 70F/56.6C threshold have the capability to generate heavy rainfall.

On Sept. 21, Trami was located near latitude 15.3 degrees north and longitude 142.9 degrees east. That's about 175 miles west-northwest of Rota and about 180 miles northwest of Guam. Trami is moving northwest at 12 mph. It is expected to make a slight turn toward the west-northwest with little change in forward speed over the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds have increased to 40 mph. 28W is forecast to intensify through Saturday. Tropical storm force winds extend outward from the center up to 120 miles.

NWS issued a special weather statement for Micronesia that said areas of heavy showers and thunderstorms can be found near Trami and in the monsoon flow southwest of the storm. The westerly monsoonal flow across Yap State and the Republic of Palau will increase during the next few days. Showery weather and locally gusty winds are likely for Yap and Koror through this weekend. Sea and surf conditions may become hazardous at times.

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For updated forecasts visit: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/guam/

By Rob Gutro

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
A new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds that black women are more likely to skip hormone therapy treatments, also known as endocrine therapy, for breast cancer.

Endocrine therapy is used to add, block, or remove naturally occurring chemicals like estrogen and progesterone that stimulate some types of breast cancer. Evidence suggests that taking endocrine therapy for up to 10 years reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence. However, between 15% and 49% of women with the disease never initiate endocrine therapy, and more than half do not take endocrine therapy drugs as recommended.

Nationally, breast cancer mortality is 41.5% higher among black women compared to white women, despite a historically lower incidence rate. Failure to receive appropriate treatment is an important cause of observed racial disparities in breast cancer mortality. Different use of endocrine therapy by race may contribute to breast cancer outcome disparities, but racial differences in treatment are poorly understood.

In this paper, researchers using data from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study investigated 1,280 women who reported being prescribed endocrine therapy; of these, 43% self-identified as black. For black women, overall, 24% reported underuse of endocrine therapy drugs, compared to 16% of white women. Compared to white women, black women more often reported not taking their pills every day as prescribed (14% versus 5%), whereas about 10% of both white and black women reported discontinuing their medication before the recommended time-period. Younger women were more often underusing endocrine therapy drugs, as were those women insured by Medicaid and those making less than $50,000/year.

A statistically significantly higher proportion of black women also reported: forgetting to take their drugs when traveling away from home (26% for black women versus 19% for white women); that sticking to their treatment plan was hard or very hard (27% versus 14%); trouble remembering to take their pills (27% versus 13%); missing pills due to cost (17% versus 7%); and severe side effects that led to skipping their endocrine therapy pills (25% versus 16%).

"This study provides evidence in a large, racially-diverse cohort study that black women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer experience unique barriers to endocrine therapy adherence which may lead to differential cancer outcomes by race, though we also found burdensome adherence barriers among white women," said lead author Stephanie B Wheeler. "These data are important because they shed light on the modifiable mechanisms through which multifaceted and culturally competent behavioral interventions can help women with breast cancer achieve the best outcomes."

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The paper: "Endocrine therapy non-adherence and discontinuation in Black and White women," will be available to the public at https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djy136 on Sep 20 at midnight UTC.

Direct questions about the study to:

Stephanie B. Wheeler

Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

135 Dauer Drive, CB#7411

Chapel Hill, NC 27516

stephanie_wheeler@unc.edu

To request a copy of the study, please contact:

Erin Brioso

Erin.Brioso@oup.com

Sharing on social media? Find Oxford Journals online at @OxfordJournals
A new special issue of SLAS Technology showcases life sciences researchers who are pioneering the use of powerful yet accessible and low-cost IoT technologies in their laboratories. Ten articles illustrate how IoT is being used to optimize factors such as throughput, cost, uptime and result quality.

Articles include descriptions of how to use IoT to monitor, optimize and re-design laboratory systems by tracking laboratory activities; making instruments smarter; and creating purpose-built laboratory instruments.

Following an introduction by guest editor James M. Gill, II, Ph.D. (BFLConsulting, Madison, CT), authors from Germany, India, Switzerland and the United States explore:

The Internet-of-Things is Digitizing and Transforming Science

End to End Sample Tracking in the Laboratory using a Custom Internet-Of-Things Device

Achieving Reproducibility and Closed Loop Automation in Biological Experimentation with an IoT-Enabled Lab of the Future

Engineering Novel Lab Devices Using 3D Printing and Microcontrollers

Designing a Low-Cost, Single-Supply ECG System for Suppression of Movement Artifact from Contaminated Magnetocardiogram

IoT for Real-Time Measurement of High-Throughput Liquid Dispensing in Laboratory Environments

Portable Systems for Metered Dispensing of Aggressive Liquids

Arduino-Based Novel Hardware Design for Liquid Helium Level Measurement

Introducing a Virtual Assistant to the Lab: A Voice User Interface for the Intuitive Control of Laboratory Instruments

MVO Automation Platform: Addressing Unmet Needs in Clinical Laboratories with Microcontrollers, 3D Printing, and Open-Source Hardware/Software

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The SLAS Technology special issue on The Internet of Things in the Life Sciences Laboratory will be published at http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jlad/23/5 on Sept. 20, 2018. For more information about SLAS and its journals, visit http://www.slas.org/journals.

About our Society and Journals

SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international community of nearly 20,000 professionals and students dedicated to life sciences discovery and technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building.

SLAS DISCOVERY: 2016 Impact Factor 2.444. Editor-in-Chief Robert M. Campbell, Ph.D., Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN (USA). SLAS Discovery (Advancing Life Sciences R&D) was previously published (1996-2016) as the Journal of Biomolecular Screening (JBS).

SLAS TECHNOLOGY: 2016 Impact Factor 2.850. Editor-in-Chief Edward Kai-Hua Chow, Ph.D., National University of Singapore (Singapore). SLAS Technology (Translating Life Sciences Innovation) was previously published (1996-2016) as the Journal of Laboratory Automation (JALA).

Follow SLAS on Twitter at @SLAS_Org.

Follow SLAS on Facebook at SocietyforLaboratoryAutomationandScreening.

Follow SLAS on YouTube at SLASvideo.

Follow SLAS Americas on LinkedIn at Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS Americas).

Follow SLAS Europe on LinkedIn at Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening Europe (SLAS Europe).
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The presentation of the Dede Korkut Chamber Orchestra, organized under the auspices of the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation, was held at the International Mugham Center on September 20.

The event, which was attended by representatives of diplomatic corps accredited in the country, representatives of international organizations, well-known figures of science and culture, public figures, musicians, was held as part of the 10th Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival.

Addressing the event, President of the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Efendiyeva spoke on the work done by the organization. The International Turkish Culture and Heritage Fund has been established with the support of the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. The Foundation works to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples. At present, the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation is working on various projects aimed at protecting and promoting the historical and cultural heritage of the Turkic-speaking peoples.

It was stressed that one of such projects is the creation of the Dede Korkut Chamber Orchestra. The Dede Korkut Chamber Orchestra, which is named after the main hero of " The Book of Dede Korkut ", the most famous epic of the Turkic world, unites musicians from the Turkic world.

At the 6th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States held in Kyrgyzstan earlier this month, this initiative was reflected in the Declaration signed by the heads of the member states. The art director and conductor of the orchestra is People's Artist of Azerbaijan, Professor Yalchin Adigozalov. The orchestra works to promote the rich culture and art of the Turkic world, folk music and works of great composers. The orchestra aims t perform the music of Turkic peoples on the international platform in this direction.

Gunay Efendiyeva said that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Caucasus Islamic Army. The spectacular parade that we saw a few days ago once again demonstrated the eternal friendship and brotherhood between the two Turkic-speaking states.

It was noted that this year also marks the 95th anniversary of the great national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, who always supported the unity of the entire Turkic world and strived for its development and strengthening. At the same time, the 90th anniversary of the great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, the 100th anniversary of prominent Azerbaijani composer Gara Garayev is celebrated with a series of events. Each of them is the giant figures of the Turkic world.

The President of the Foundation expressed her gratitude to the people of Nakhchivan for saying that several concerts will be held in Nakhchivan on September 22 as it was declared the capital of Islamic culture for 2018.

First Deputy Minister of Culture Vagif Aliyev spoke about the importance of the music festival named after genius composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli. The geography of the festival, which has already been held for the tenth time this year, has expanded. Famous music collectives have joined the festival.

He stressed that the International Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation has done a great deal of work in the shortest possible time. The Foundation, which has signed new projects aimed at the realization of its goals.

Further, the guests enjoyed the works of Azerbaijani, Turkish, Kazakh and Kyrgyz composers.








GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 21, 2018 - Researchers from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and physicians from Spectrum Health have identified for the first time in a human patient a genetic disorder only previously described in animal models.

The disorder is caused by mutations in a gene known as ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1) and is defined by a number of clinical features including large birth weight, enlarged head size, hair loss, reduced muscle strength, skin lesions, hearing loss and developmental delays. The disorder is, as of yet, unnamed, and its long-term effects, which include impacts on the neurological system, are not completely known.

Their study is published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A.

"This remarkable case represents the first human example of a disorder that was described by researchers in a transgenic mouse model more than 20 years ago," said senior author Andre Bachmann, PhD, Michigan State University professor and associate chair for pediatric research.

"The ODC1 gene plays an important role in a number of physiological and cell developmental processes including embryo and organ development," said lead author Caleb Bupp, MD, Spectrum Health medical geneticist. "The long-term impacts of this disorder are not completely known."

Researchers also theorize that the ODC inhibitor DFMO, a water soluble, FDA-approved drug, may serve as a disease-modifying drug, and an early therapeutic trial in a new diagnosis may prevent some of the clinical symptoms. DFMO has been used for many years in the treatment of trypanosomiasis, a tropical disease transmitted by biting insects and more recently entered clinical trials for pediatric neuroblastoma and colon cancer. DFMO prevented hair loss and also partially restored hair growth in mice and is considered a well-tolerated drug.

The female patient was examined at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at 11 months of age. Blood samples for testing were drawn at age 19 months and 32 months. Two developmentally normal, age/gender matched patients that were being sedated for outpatient same-day procedures served as controls. The parents of the patients provided written informed consent and the protocol was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of Spectrum Health.

Bachmann and Bupp were joined in the study by MSU research assistants Chad Schultz and Katie Uhl and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Medical Director of Research and critical care physician Surender Rajasekaran, MD.

The original ODC1 mouse model was developed by the late Dr. Thomas G. O'Brien in 1995 at the Lankenau Medical Research Center in Pennsylvania.

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Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 12 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children's Hospital; 180 ambulatory and service sites; 3,600 physicians and advanced practice providers; and Priority Health, a health plan that served one million members in fiscal year 2018. Spectrum Health is West Michigan's largest employer, with 26,000 employees. The organization provided $434 million in community benefit during its 2018 fiscal year. Spectrum Health has earned recognition as one of the nation's 15 Top Health Systems six times by Truven Health Analytics, part of IBM Watson HealthTM.
In this possible treatment, platelet blood cells carry an enzyme needed to prevent clots in TTP, while hiding the enzyme from autoantibody neutralization

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - In proof-of-concept experiments, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have highlighted a potential therapy for a rare but potentially deadly blood-clotting disorder, TTP. The researchers deliver this therapeutic enzyme via the cellular equivalent of a Trojan Horse, using tiny blood cell platelets as their protective delivery vehicle, with a key enzyme hidden inside.

TTP, or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, appears as blood clots in small arterioles throughout the body, particularly in the brain, heart, pancreas and kidneys, resulting in organ damage. The onset of symptoms can be sudden and nonspecific, and the in-hospital death rate remains as high as 20 percent.

TTP is caused by lack of the enzyme ADAMTS13 in the blood, most often because of autoantibodies against this enzyme. ADAMTS13 normally acts to cleave a large protein called von Willebrand factor, which is involved in blood clotting. Loss of the enzyme allows destructive microvascular clots to form in important organ tissues.

UAB researchers, led by X. Long Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., Robert B. Adams Professor and Division Director of Laboratory Medicine in the Department of Pathology in UAB's School of Medicine, have now reported that platelets can spontaneously take up ADAMTS13. The enzyme stays stable in those cells, and the platelets can effectively deliver the enzyme where it is needed.

In ex vivo experiments with human blood from TTP patients and in vivo experiments with a mouse model of TTP, the researchers showed that human recombinant ADAMTS13, or rADAMTS13, carried in the platelets can "dramatically" reduce the rate and final amount of blood clot formation in injured arterioles.

"Our results for the first time demonstrate that transfusion of rADAMTS13-loaded platelets may be a novel and potentially effective therapeutic approach for arterial thrombosis, associated with congenital and immune-mediated TTP," Zheng said. "This novel approach could be translated to patient care once rADAMTS13 receives an approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for therapy of congenital TTP."

In previous work published in Blood in 2015, the UAB researchers created transgenic mice, where human rADAMTS13 was expressed exclusively in the platelets. In a background of mice lacking their own ADAMTS13 enzyme, the rADAMTS13-loaded platelets blocked arterial thrombosis and prevented TTP in the mouse model.

As the next step toward patient care, Zheng and colleagues sought to determine whether platelets outside of the body could be loaded with rADAMTS13, such as in blood collected for transfusions. If so, they also wanted to test whether transfusion with those rADAMTS13-loaded platelets could be as effective to block thrombosis and prevent TTP in mice as the transgenic platelets that expressed high levels of rADAMTS13.

Four key experiments -- described in a study published in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, or ATVB -- answered those questions.

First, the researchers incubated isolated human platelets -- which are one-fifth the diameter of red blood cells and have a normal function to stop bleeding from blood vessels -- for up to two hours in varying concentrations of rADAMTS13 at varying temperatures. At the cold temperature of 4 C, the platelets did not take up rADAMTS13. But at both 25 and 37 C, the platelets took up rADAMTS13, apparently through endocytosis, in a concentration-dependent manner.

Second, they showed that the rADAMTS13 taken up by the human platelets remained intact and enzymatically active against von Willebrand factor, a key ingredient for platelet adhesion and aggregation. Also, the rADAMTS13 was releasable under arterial shear conditions that cause platelet aggregates to break, as simulated with microfluidic channels.

Third, using microfluidic channels coated with a fibrillar collagen that simulates the flow in arterioles and presents a surface for clot formation, they showed that addition of rADAMTS13-loaded platelets to normal, TTP-patient and reconstituted-TTP blood dramatically inhibited in vitro thrombus formation under arterial flow.

Finally, they showed that transfusion of the rADAMTS13-loaded mouse platelets into genetically engineered mice lacking ADAMTS13 dramatically inhibited thrombus formation in abdominal arterioles after injury.

Thus, it may be possible to pack rADAMTS13 inside human platelets during the time that bags of donated blood sit at room temperature for three days as they are tested for multiple infectious disease markers. These packed platelets could then be transfused into patients with TTP. While routine transfusion of platelets in TTP patients is not recommended, transfusion of rADAMTS13-loaded platelets clearly showed a therapeutic benefit by inhibiting thrombus formation in human and mouse blood lacking ADAMTS13 enzyme.

Other researchers have worked on therapeutic strategies to bypass the autoantibody for TTP treatment, with some success. However, unlike Zheng's platelet-ADAMTS13 approach, none of those strategies have addressed the underlying mechanism of TTP -- a lack of ADAMTS13 and/or autoantibody against ADAMTS13.

###

Co-authors with Zheng on the paper, "Transfusion of platelets loaded with recombinant ADAMTS13 is efficacious for inhibiting arterial thrombosis in mice and in human," are Mohammad S. Abdelgawwad, M.D., graduate student; Wenjing Cao, M.D., Ph.D., instructor of pathology; Liang Zheng, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow; Nicole K. Kocher, research technician; and Lance A. Williams, M.D., associate professor; all at the UAB Department of Pathology.

Support came from National Institutes of Health grants HL126724 and HL115187, and from University of Alabama at Birmingham institutional funds.
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) -- A series of illustrations and charts designed as decision aids for parents of children with minor head injuries helped them communicate with emergency medicine physicians and make informed decisions about their child's care, according to a study that will appear Sept. 21 in JAMA Network Open.

The study, led by investigators at the Mayo Clinic, was conducted in seven medical centers, one of which was UC Davis Medical Center's emergency medicine department in Sacramento. It included 172 clinicians who cared for 971 children aged 2 to 18 who were evaluated for minor head trauma and were at intermediate risk for TBI.

"Parents who used the decision aid had a better understanding of the symptoms of concussion, their child's relative risk of brain injury, and the pros and cons of cranial CT scans compared with active monitoring of signs and symptoms at home that would require a return visit to the emergency department," said Erik Hess, an emergency medicine physician and first author of the study who is now at the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham.

When a child comes to the emergency department with minor head trauma, physicians use well-established prediction rules to determine whether a low, intermediate or high level of risk exists for significant traumatic brain injury (TBI), which guides whether computed tomography (CT) imaging - and exposure to ionizing radiation - is necessary.

"While the decision to get a CT scan is clear for children identified at the low or high ends of the spectrum, for children at intermediate risk, physicians may recommend CT imaging or monitoring at home based on the physician's clinical experience, the child's progression of symptoms while in the ED and the preference of the caregivers. Use of a decision aid can assist in the decision making process by facilitating knowledge transfer and identification of preferences between provider and caregiver," said James L. Homme, an emergency medicine physician at Mayo and a co-author of the study.

Parents whose physicians used the visual aids to discuss their child's treatment plan had greater knowledge of the risk of a traumatic brain injury and the available diagnostic options. They had less decisional conflict, more trust in their physician and more involvement in the CT decision-making process.

While there was no difference in the use of CT scans in the emergency department between the group of patients using the decision aid and those receiving standard care, parents in the group using the decision aid tool had shorter lengths of stay in the emergency department, and used fewer health care services in the subsequent 7 days, including laboratory testing and X-rays.

"When the decision to obtain a CT scan in a child with minor head trauma is not clear, this study shows that involving the guardian with a visual aid helps them understand the tradeoffs, and leads to better engagement, education and trust in their physician," said Nathan Kuppermann, professor and chair of emergency medicine at UC Davis Medical Center and a senior investigator of the study.

"Shared decision-making likely has a role in many similar situations where the clinical decision is not clear," Kuppermann said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 450,000 children are evaluated in emergency departments in the U.S. for head trauma each year. While CT imaging is the standard test for diagnosing TBIs, less than 10 percent of CT scans of children with minor head trauma show evidence of brain injury, and only 0.2 percent require neurosurgical intervention.

Prediction tools and shared decision-making with parents are approaches that enable emergency medicine physicians to apply the latest scientific evidence and patients' values and preferences to reduce children's lifetime exposure to ionizing radiation, which has been linked to the development of multiple cancers.

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Other authors on the paper include Anupam B. Kharbanda, Leah Tzimenatos at UC Davis, Jeffrey P. Louie, Daniel M. Cohen, Lise E. Nigrovic, Jessica J. Westphal, Nilay d. Shah, Jonathan Inselman, Michael J. Ferrara, Jeph Herrin and Victor M. Monton.

JAMA Network Open publishes the very best clinical research across all disciplines, making research findings more accessible to the worldwide community of investigators and clinicians.
Researchers are calling on an end to discriminatory health and illicit drugs policies, based on overwhelming evidence that new hepatitis C therapies are effective at curing the virus in people who inject drugs.

The Kirby Institute research, being presented tomorrow at the 7th International Symposium on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users in Cascais, Portugal and published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, provides the strongest evidence-base to date to support the removal of restrictions to accessing hepatitis C therapy based on recent drug use.

Globally, more than one in three people who have injected drugs in the past year are living with hepatitis C. New therapies for hepatitis C can cure the virus in more than 95% of people, however in many countries the treatment is inaccessible to people who inject drugs, due to restrictions on treatment reimbursement related to an individual's recent drug use. In addition, many clinicians are hesitant to prescribe hepatitis C therapy to people who use or inject drugs, as there are concerns about adherence and the chance of reinfection.

"The results of our research show that the response to hepatitis C therapy among people who inject drugs was very favourable. Across almost 40 studies worldwide, involving more than 3,500 people with recent or ongoing drug use, hepatitis C was cured in almost 9 out of 10 people," said Dr Behzad Hajarizadeh, from the Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program at the Kirby Institute, and lead author on the study. "We conducted a systematic review, which means we examined all the available evidence from studies conducted globally on this topic. It means we can be very confident about these results."

"People should not be denied life-saving treatments, simply because of their recent drug use," said Associate Professor Jason Grebely from the Kirby Institute. "Policies that deny hepatitis C treatment for people who use or inject drugs are unacceptable; they are driven by discrimination as opposed to evidence. I hope our research will encourage countries to overturn these policies and allow treatment to all people living with hepatitis C, regardless of current or previous drug use. In fact, given high prevalence rates, people who inject drugs really should be prioritised for treatment." Associate Professor Grebely is also President of the International Network of Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU).

Australia has offered broad access to hepatitis C treatment through its Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) since March 2016, and as a result, is already seeing significant reductions in hepatitis C among people who inject drugs. A Kirby Institute analysis found that prevalence of active hepatitis C infection among people attending needle and syringe programs declined from 43% to 25% between 2015 to 2017, coinciding with the PBS listing.

"The World Health Organisation has set a target to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030," said Associate Professor Grebely. "Our data provides robust evidence to inform global clinical guidelines, and we hope it will improve public health policy for hepatitis C treatment for people who use drugs internationally. This will bring us closer to the ambitious goal of global elimination."

The 7th International Symposium on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users is taking place in Portugal, where illicit drug use has been decriminalised since 2001. On Tuesday, researchers, politicians and international advocates gathered at the Portuguese National Parliament for a joint action policy day. Led by INHSU, delegates from key hepatitis C research and advocacy organisations signed the 'Global Declaration to Eliminate Hepatitis C in People Who Use Drugs', in which they called on world political leaders to adopt the United Nations goal of hepatitis C elimination by 2030. The Declaration outlines seven actions to close the "gap between the global impact of hepatitis C on the health and well-being of people who use drugs and the limited access to evidence-based services effective for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C infection".

###

Media contact: Estelle Jones, Kirby Institute, +61 (0) 423 741 574, ejones@kirby.unsw.edu.au

Stakeholder quotes:

"Endemic stigma and discrimination, which paints people who use drugs as undeserving of health care and treatment, is the fuel driving severe health disparities. Our communities are disproportionately impacted by hepatitis C. To reach global hepatitis C elimination targets, it is imperative to reverse this trend by countering prejudice with evidence, and most importantly for decision-makers and medical professionals to heed the evidence."

- Judy Chang, Executive Director, International Network of People Who Use Drugs

"These data provide strong evidence that direct-acting antiviral therapy is effective in people who use or inject drugs. We must work towards the removal of restrictions against access and reimbursement to therapy for hepatitis C infection among people with ongoing drug use that are still in place in some countries. We have the tools to eliminate hepatitis C, but we will never reach the WHO elimination targets unless we prioritize people who use or inject drugs."

- Michael Ninburg, President, World Hepatitis Alliance
Amprologix will develop and commercialize the work of Professor Mathew Upton from the University of Plymouth

Drug-resistant infections are set to kill more people than cancer by 2050. Now a new University of Plymouth spinout company has been established to help tackle the problem - by developing new antibiotics and bringing them to market.

Launched in collaboration with University intellectual property partners, Frontier IP, Amprologix will develop and commercialise the work of Professor Mathew Upton, Professor in Medical Microbiology at the University's Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine (ITSMed).

A UK government review in 2015 estimated that by 2050, the global cost of antibiotic resistance will rise to US$100 trillion and drug resistant infections will cause 10 million deaths a year, eclipsing the current toll from cancer and diabetes combined.

In the UK alone, the government estimates there are currently 5,000 deaths each year because antibiotics no longer work for some infections. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/30-million-of-funding-to-tackle-antimicrobial-resistance

The first product from the company is expected to be a cream containing epidermicin, one of the new antibiotics being developed to combat infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Epidermicin can rapidly kill harmful bacteria including MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Streptococcus and Enterococcus at very low doses, even if they are resistant to other antibiotics.

No new classes of antibiotics have been introduced into clinical use for the past 30 years, and the company is aiming to meet a growing need for new antibiotics as harmful microbes become increasingly drug resistant.

Amprologix has already secured industry involvement through a partnership with world-leading biotechnology and synthetic biology company Ingenza.

The new company is focused on four areas:

Developing epidermicin for commercial use

Discovering additional sources for new classes of antibiotics

Using Artificial Intelligence to improve antibiotic properties, working with Ingenza, IBM and the National Physical Laboratory

Developing efficient techniques to manufacture antibiotics at scale in partnership with Ingenza

In a relevant infection model, a single dose of epidermicin was as effective as six doses of the current standard of care. The antibiotic was initially recovered from a skin bacterium named Staphylococcus epidermidis, but can now be produced in a microbe suitable for industrial scale-up, using synthetic biology methods developed by Ingenza, which has a stake in the new business.

Professor Upton initially developed the patented technology working closely with UMI3 Ltd at The University of Manchester, which also takes a stake in the new business.

Professor Mathew Upton, chief scientific officer of Amprologix and part of the University of Plymouth School of Biomedical Sciences, said: "It is very exciting to form a new company to take forwards our portfolio of novel antimicrobial compounds. Epidermicin, our lead candidate antibiotic, has excellent potential for treating and preventing serious, drug resistant infections. With our current team, the company will be the ideal vehicle to take epidermicin to the clinic.

"The World Health Organisation warned in February this year that 'antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today', so to have this company established is the next step to helping tackle the problem."

Neil Crabb, chief executive of Frontier IP, said: "We are delighted to work with Amprologix to commercialise these potentially life-saving antibiotics, and with a leading industrial partner in the area. It is further sign our business model is gaining traction with universities and industry alike."

Dr Ian Fotheringham, managing director of Ingenza, said: "This unique partnership fully exploits the synergy of Ingenza's versatile bio-manufacturing technologies and Amprologix's lead in discovering exciting new antimicrobial classes, spearheaded by Dr Upton's innovative research."

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DETROIT - A research team led by Arun Iyer, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Wayne State University, has developed a nanoplatform technology that works in combination with existing chemotherapeutic drugs that may reverse drug-resistance in renal cell carcinoma.

Drug resistance to chemotherapy is a significant clinical and financial burden in renal cell carcinoma and other types of cancers. The resistance can be caused by hypoxia, a decreased level of oxygen in the tumor cells and infiltration of tumor-promoting immune cells aiding the tumor growth in contrast to fighting against it.

To alleviate the drug resistance, Iyer, principal investigator on the project, and co-investigator and lead author of the work, Samaresh Sau, Ph.D., research associate in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, set out to find a way to use tumor hypoxia-directed nanoparticles to attack the root cause of the problem.

"Our tumor hypoxia directed nanoparticle used in conjunction with the FDA-approved renal cell carcinoma treatment, Sorafenib, has had positive outcomes in our animal trials," said Iyer. "The nanoparticles can deliver the payload selectively to tumor tissue and penetrate deep into the tumor core and provoke significant tumor inhibition with marked safety."

According to the duo, the results have shown that this targeted approach has great benefits.

"This hypoxia targeting nanoparticles is not only effective in inhibiting tumor-promoting immune cells but also enhancing function of tumor-killing immune cells," said Sau. "Another important aspect of the nanoparticle is that it can precisely diagnose renal tumors non-invasively that can be utilized for tumor detection, staging and surgery in the clinical setting."

Iyer and Sau stated that along with reversing drug-resistance and helping the immune system work properly, their technology will also save money by repurposing existing drugs to function better with reduced side effects of chemotherapy treatment because of its targeted approach. It also has potential to treat other cancers that have been difficult to treat or have become drug-resistant to current therapies.

"This new approach of using our nanoplatform will reopen doors that were once closed because drugs that had become ineffective to cancer treatment are now once again usable and effective," said Iyer. "It is our hope that this research will one day soon be used in clinics for treating patients."

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The study, "Tumor hypoxia directed multimodal nanotherapy for overcoming drug resistance in renal cell carcinoma and reprogramming macrophages," appeared in the Aug. 30, 2018, online version of Biomaterials. Support for this research was provided by Wayne State University and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

An application for patent protection has been filed by Wayne State University's Office of Technology Commercialization.

Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.
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Azerbaijani parliament has kicked off at Milli Majlis.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the meeting.

The head of state made a speech at the meeting.

Then photos were taken.

The meeting continues its work.








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At the beginning of this century, the British energy company BP achieved its own American dream, becoming the largest oil and gas producer in the United States after spending a combined $75 billion to buy the oil companies Amoco and ARCO in audacious back-to-back deals.

The future looked bright  but it didnt last. A series of disasters that began with the 2005 Texas City refinery explosion that killed 15 and culminated in 2010 with the Deepwater Horizon disaster forced BP to sell assets and dramatically shrink its holdings as it paid tens of billions of dollars in cleanup costs, damages and penalties to settle civil and criminal cases.

Now, nearly a decade after Deepwater Horizon, BP is ready to grow again, betting much of its comeback on Texas after completing the biggest energy deal in the world this year. Its pending acquisition of the U.S. shale assets of the Australian mining company BHP Billiton for $10.5 billions puts BP in the Permian Basin in West Texas and the Eagle Ford shale in South Texas, and expands its presence in the Haynesville shale in East Texas, positioning itself to compete for the spot as the biggest producer in the United States.

On HoustonChronicle.com: BP acquisition pumps $10.5B into Texas oil plays

If the acquisition pays off, it would likely mean additional growth in Houston, where BPs U.S. subsidiary is headquartered and the company employs about 4,500 people. Bill Arnold, a professor of energy management at Rice University and former executive at the Anglo-Dutch oil major Royal Dutch Shell, said BP appears headed on an upward trajectory again after riding a roller coaster over the past 20 years.

There was a real question of whether the company could even survive, Arnold said. But now BP is back and its ready for business.

The American comeback is led by Susan Dio, who in May became the first woman to head BPs U.S. operations. Dio, who began at BP as a chemical engineer and rose over a 35-year career to become president of BP America, will oversee and coordinate BPs dealings from Alaska to the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. She and her colleagues view Texas as the the clearest path for BP to resume its growth in the United States and catch up with rivals such as Exxon Mobil, which invested billions to expand in the Permian Basin, the nations most prolific shale play.

With the BHP acquisitions, Texas is now at the center of BPs global ambitions and Dio a key player in BPs shift from defense to offense. The British supermajor has more oil and gas producing assets in the United States than any other country. Its Houston campus is its largest outside of London.

We just doubled down in the U.S., Dio said in an interview. Were now forward looking.

Targeting Texas

The BHP deal, expected to close by the end of October, represents BPs biggest acquisition since it bought the Atlantic Richfield Co., called ARCO, in 2000 year for $27 billion. The new acquisition includes 83,000 net acres in the oil-rich Delaware Basin portion of the Permian, 236,000 acres in the Eagle Ford and 193,000 acres in the gas-heavy Haynesville in Texas and Louisiana. The assets combine to produce nearly 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day with the potential for much more as BP adds drilling rigs.

BP estimates its U.S. energy production, which includes a major presence in the Gulf of Mexico, will grow to 885,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day after the BHP deal closes in October. Thats competitive with the 975,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day that the top U.S. producer, Exxon Mobil, said it pumped in the United States during the second quarter.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Permian will outpace all OPEC nations except Saudis

BPs deal with BHP is a story of both bad and oddly fortuitous timing, analysts said. BHP Billiton bought big into U.S. shale back in 2011 when oil was priced close to $100 a barrel, spending more than than $12 billion to buy Houston oil and gas company Petrohawk Energy and $5 billion for acreage from Oklahoma Citys Chesapeake Energy.

But oil prices began crashing in 2014, falling to a low of $26 a barrel in early 2016, eventually convincing BHP to pull out after taking huge financial losses. Company executives decided to stick with its more stable mining commodities such as copper, nickel and iron ore.

The Deepwater Horizon disaster, which killed 11 workers and released nearly 4 million barrels of oil into the Gulf, drove BP to sell some $75 billion of its assets. Most of those sales, however, were closed well before the collapse in oil prices that began in 2014, meaning the oil and gas holdings sold for top dollar.

That made it easier for BP to pay cleanup costs, penalties and other obligations that topped $65 billion, paving the way for BP to ride out the bust and win the bidding for BHP assets with U.S. oil prices hovering around $70 a barrel.

BP was forced to take a hard look at its portfolio and make divestments even before oil prices fell, said Allen Good, an energy analyst at Morningstar. Now theyre in growth mode and adding a lot. And theres no better place in the world to be than the Permian.

BP wont discuss its development plans for its new Texas holdings. But the timing again appears to be working for the company. Its likely BP can plan its development and begin production as new pipelines come online to relieve capacity constraints that are forcing oil companies to slow production and discount prices.

While BP expects to focus on its shale holdings, it also is growing in the Gulf of Mexico again, winning 19 federal lease bids  the second most after Exxon Mobil  for $13 million last month. It has moved ahead with construction of a massive deepwater platform for its $9 billion Mad Dog Phase 2 thats located 200 miles south of New Orleans. The first platform came online in 2005.

Home again

The progress has not come easily. In addition to the damage Deepwater Horizon did to the companys reputation  as well as the Gulf, coastal areas and marine and wildlife  paying for the disaster led BP to sell refineries in Texas City and Carson, Calif., large holdings in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, and 400,000 net acres in the Permian Basin. It sold its Permian assets to Houstons Apache Corp. for about $3 billion  just before the shale oil boom took off.

The company slashed jobs, cutting its Houston 7,500-person workforce nearly in half. Some of those jobs will return with the BHP deal, but, Dio conceded, the stigma of Deepwater Horizon and the lessons learned will resonate for years.

We made some tough decisions on assets, Dio said. Weve spent the last eight years redefining ourselves, and we transformed the company. Weve reset the culture and empowered the employees to stop work if anything is unsafe.

Related: BP unleashing robot army to improve performance, safety

Dio, who joins BPs 13-person global executive team that makes corporate decisions, gives U.S. operations a stronger seat at the table that didnt exist under previous BP America presidents. Dio will join CEO Robert Dudley in infusing more of an American, entrepreneurial attitude into the leadership of company. Dudley, who stepped into the Deepwater Horizon crisis after the board forced out Tony Hayward, is a Mississippi native who earned his masters degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Dio is a self-described southern military brat who lived in seven cities in seven states before attending and graduating from the University of Mississippi. Shes worked about 25 years of her 35 years at BP along the Texas Gulf Coast as a chemical engineer and then as a manager of refining and chemical operations. She most recently worked in London for three years as the CEO of BP Shipping, which oversees BPs fleet of more than 70 vessels carrying oil, gas, fuel and chemicals, before moving back to Houston this year.

Texas is home, Dio said. Im thrilled to be back here. I do love London, but its not home.

BP just opened a new Denver office, which will oversee its shale operations. BP has honed its shale skills in plays in Colorado, Oklahoma and East Texas. Now, with the BHP acquisition, BP is ready to compete, Dio said.

Were not coming in blind, she said. Were looking to apply what weve learned to a much larger set of assets.

jordan.blum@chron.com

twitter.com/jdblum23
After stints in nursing and working at a corporate office, Sara Vitopil wanted to try something new.

But the 47-year-old had bills to pay and a family to support, and she couldnt afford to stop working and take out loans to go back to school. She found out about an apprenticeship program at Cox Manufacturing, a precision parts maker on San Antonios Northeast Side, online and decided to apply.

I wanted to do it for myself and do something I would enjoy, she said.

Six months later, Vitopil is well on her way to becoming a machine technician. She and the other 39 apprentices in the program spend thousands of hours learning how to read blueprints, measure parts and troubleshoot machinery through a combination of online classes and hands-on training. The pieces are used for everything from scuba diving equipment to medical IVs to computers, and the company ships out more than one million parts a week, said training coordinator Sean Althaus.

Pay starts at $14 an hour, and while the program typically takes three years to complete, people can work at their own pace. Vitopils son, Jarred, is also an apprentice and she encourages other young people to apply.

Its a no-brainer, Vitopil said. Its easy to get started and they give you everything you need. Its always fun and challenging  and if you dont want to wear heels, its a good job.

Finding and training dependable workers is a challenge for manufacturers across the U.S., which prompted Cox Manufacturing to launch the training program about a decade ago. Demand has only grown, and as the company expands and sees some of its employees start to retire, drawing young people onto the floor has become even more of a priority, said president Bill Cox.

He compared working in the industry to playing an instrument: it takes years to achieve mastery, and a musician is constantly learning and improving.

We look for stable people who have a hunger to learn and want to make a career out of it, Cox said. Manufacturing in the U.S. is really strong right now, and we want to train the next generation.

Faced with an aging workforce and a dearth of people with the right skill set, companies like Cox Manufacturing are taking matters into their own hands and developing pipelines to fill in-demand positions. Others have teamed up with schools and organizations to steer young people toward these jobs, which usually offer a competitive wage without the debt load of a four-year degree.

Thousands of kids have gone through local training programs and emerged with competitive job offers, said Rey Chavez, president and CEO of the San Antonio Manufacturers Association.

Manufacturers and the business community of San Antonio see that theres a need to develop the future workforce, he said.

One of the local initiatives Chavez cited is the Alamo Academies, which includes five programs offered through a partnership with school districts, Alamo Colleges and companies. The tracks aim to prepare high school students for careers in manufacturing, aerospace and other fields. Participants earn college credits toward an associates degree and industry certificates, and participate in paid internships with companies such as Toyota and Holt Cat. They also learn soft skills, like how to create a resume and prepare for an interview, said associate director Troy Kettell.

This year there are 60 students in the manufacturing track, 30 in aerospace and 40 in heavy equipment, and roughly 23 percent of students across all five of Alamo Academies programs are female, Kettell said. Though theyve had to turn students away because of a limited number of internship slots, its still challenging trying to change conventional thinking among students and parents, who are told that a bachelors degree equals success, he said.

I tell people to look at labor market indicators, Kettell said. There are people with thousands of dollars in debt, no work experience and their degree isnt matching a need in the community. Were focused on those needs.

Just over half of those who graduate from Alamo Academies go on to pursue further education, and many apply for the Texas Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, he said. Known as TX FAME, the initiative is a partnership between Alamo Colleges, Bexar County Economic Community Development and local companies, including Caterpillar Inc., CPS Energy, H-E-B, Joyson Safety Systems, Toyota Texas and Toyotetsu Texas.

Participants spend several days in class at St. Philips Southwest Campus and several working at a sponsor company in preparation for careers as advanced manufacturing technicians. Forty-six people have graduated from the program over the last four years, said Pooja Tripathi, program coordinator for workforce services at Bexar County Economic Development. Thirty-six were hired by their sponsor company.

Theres a shortage that the industry in this region is not able to fill, said Rafael Brisita, vice president for St. Philips Southwest Campus. We wanted to go ahead and create a pipeline to fill those positions.

Companies are also working with schools such as the Centers for Applied Science and Technologys science, technology, engineering and math school, known as CAST STEM, to introduce students to careers in fields like advanced manufacturing, engineering, energy and logistics. The Southwest Independent School District opened the school, the second in the CAST network, this fall with startup funding from H-E-B. The first, CAST Tech, opened last year on the Fox Tech High School campus in the San Antonio Independent School District.

The inaugural cohort of 138 students will spend their freshman and sophomore years at CAST STEM, located at Southwest Legacy High School, and their junior and senior years at Palo Alto College. They will learn how to program robots, fly drones and build electric cars while earning industry certifications and college credit. Among the student body, 136 are minority students and 39 percent are female, said Principal Aja Gardner.

Industry partners such as Toyota, CPS and Holt Cat weigh in on the curriculum, and each student is paired with a mentor and guaranteed a post-graduation job interview at one of the companies. Even if a student decides to take a different route, theyve learned skills like critical thinking and problem solving along the way that will prepare them for a variety of careers, Gardner said.

The phrase we use is beyond cap and gown, she said. These are high-need, hard-to-fill jobs.

At Douglas MacArthur High School, working in manufacturing is one of many paths students in the electrical systems technology program can take. They learn residential and commercial wiring and graduate with several certifications and apprentice license, said instructor Eduardo Del Toro.

Some students, such as 18-year-old Zachery Villareal, work with contractors in paid positions during the summer. He used the money to buy his first car, even though he doesnt have a drivers license yet.

I love working with my hands, Villareal said.

Though she ended up in the program by accident, Melina Alvarez now hopes to become a journeyman. Shes one of only six girls among the more than 100 students in the program and said its pushed her to work harder.

They underestimate me, she said.

Interest is growing as more parents begin to see careers in electrical engineering, manufacturing and construction as worth pursuing, though changing the perception is still a struggle, Del Toro said.

People think youre nobody without the degree, but when you flip a light switch, arent you glad someone knew how to put it together correctly? he said.

Jacob Prangner wasnt exposed to such a career in high school. He was proficient at math and liked taking things apart, but after graduation he worked at a moving company, an airport and a convenience store.

Manufacturing was just a word, he said. I didnt really know what it meant.

Fast forward a few years and Prangner is set to graduate from Cox Manufacturings program in April. He praises the apprenticeship and the company environment, and said he enjoys seeing how the parts he helps make are used for myriad items. Prangners wife also works for the company, and he even made the rings for their wedding.

At the end of the day I go home happy, Prangner said.

miszler@express-news.net | @madisoniszler
Workforce Solutions Alamo has settled a lawsuit filed by former CEO and executive director Gail Hathaway, who was fired by the agencys board in 2016.

The parties confirmed the dispute has been settled but terms have not been made public. Hathaway, 55, had sued the organization for up to $1 million for breach of contract, slander and emotional distress about six months after her termination. She also sought unspecified punitive damages.

Im sorry, I just cant give you a comment on it, Hathaway said when asked about the settlement Thursday. She said terms of the settlement prevented her from speaking about it.

Frank Burney, a lawyer for the Workforce Solutions Alamo board, said it had no comment on the settlement. The organization, which serves a 13-county area, helps job seekers find employment.

READ ALSO: Workforce Solutions Alamo names Hempe new CEO

The San Antonio Express-News submitted to the organization a public records request asking for a copy of the settlement, but it did not immediately respond.

Workforce Solutions Alamo hired Hathaway to head the organization in 2014, paying her an annual salary of $151,000. She was fired in November 2016 following a scathing report from the Texas Workforce Commission that criticized the organizations contracting practices and cited a culture of fear, suspicion and retaliation among staff. The state agency oversees Workforce Solutions Alamo.

The state agency, which supervises the local organization, also found discrepancies in procurement procedures and allegations of a hostile workplace environment, the Express-News reported at the time. Before her firing, Hathaway told the board she was made out to be the bad guy and scapegoat.

In April 2017, Hathaway sued Workforce Solutions Alamo in Bexar County District Court. The suit was removed to San Antonio federal court a few months later.

Hathaway assigned most of the blame for her firing on Eva Esquivel, the organizations then-director of communications, who was later added to the suit as a defendant. The lawsuit alleged Esquivel spread rumors about Hathaway that she knew to be untrue

Hathaway alleged she was the victim of employment harassment by Esquivel, who resented being subordinate to a white executive director, according to the amended complaint. Esquivel also made false allegations to spark a Texas Workforce Commission investigation that would harass Hathaway and lead to her termination, the lawsuit added.

READ ALSO: USAA cutting 265 real estate jobs

Workforce Solutions Alamo disputed the claims.

In February, a judge granted Esquivels request to be dismissed from the case.

Hathaway and Workforce Solutions Alamo unsuccessfully tried to resolve the dispute before San Antonio mediator Joseph Casseb in June, a court filing shows.

Workforce Solutions Alamo board took up the issue of settling with Hathaway in executive session on Aug. 24, a board agenda shows.

Then, on Sept. 12, both sides notified the court that her claims were being dismissed.

George Hempe succeeded Hathaway as CEO following a six-month search.
Long before the term virtual reality was coined, there were stereographs.

The images consist of two photographs of the same subject shot from slightly different perspectives. Seen through a specially designed viewer, the images come together in such a way that they seem to be three-dimensional. They were wildly popular in the 19th century, when many flocked to penny arcades see them. Those who could afford to purchase their own viewers  which looked like a combination of opera glasses and a View-Master  could travel the world without ever leaving their parlors.

They were like TV in the 19th century, said artist Anne Wallace, who curated Destino San Antonio, a new Tricentennial exhibit featuring more than 80 stereographs for the Briscoe Museum of Western Art. Even now, people that collect them, you just fall into this world.

Destino San Antonio opens up that world, giving 21st century folks a glimpse of what life was like here after the Civil War. In addition to the stereographs, the exhibit includes maps fleshed out with photographs depicting a few buildings from that time that are still around; videos including interviews with scholars who add additional dimension to the show; a video projection featuring enlarged stereographs playing on a loop; and lots of hands-on elements, including both arcade machines and hand-held viewers so visitors can see the images as intended.

On ExpressNews.com: Fall arts guide

The photographs on display capture children playing, including one image of a group taking part in a Thanksgiving pageant; Apache Chief Geronimo and other members of his tribe during their detention at Fort Sam Houston; a rare image of the 8th Cavalry Band, a serious-looking and seriously mustachioed group of musicians; Theodore Roosevelt riding into town; people tending their homes on mission grounds; and vendors selling their wares in front of Main Plaza.

The images vividly capture the diversity of the community. Thats one of the first things that struck Wallace when she started working on the show.

San Antonio was a very, very mestizo city with racial mixing of all kinds, she said. That is so apparent in these photos.

It was also the largest city in the state back then, and a popular subject for photographers, many of whom came to Texas after the Civil War. Photographers were drawn to exotic locales, which were good sources for top-selling images. And San Antonio fit the bill.

In the period after the Civil War through the late 19th century, this was still kind of the Wild West, said Michael Duchemin, president and CEO of the Briscoe. Most people would never get here.

On ExpressNews.com: Alamo exhibit offers another perspective

The Briscoe owns most of the stereographs in the show, and this is the first exhibit drawn from the collection. The museum acquired them about three years ago from Houston-based collector Robin Stanford, who had been gathering the images over about 40 years.

Jose Che Guerra, chairman of the Briscoes board, was approached about whether he was interested in the entire collection for himself. He wasnt, but he immediately thought that it was something the Briscoe needed.

Ive collected photographs for a while, Guerra said. To find a grouping like this is very difficult.

The value of the images, he said, is that they give you the opportunity to step back and see the way it used to be, in 3-D. Its pretty awesome.

Because it is such a big collection, it took Wallace a long time to make her selections for the exhibit. She wanted to make sure she was choosing photos that arent well-known, noting that many famous images from that time were first presented as stereographs.

I didnt want to use the same ones, she said. I really wanted to use ones that told you something about people or how they lived, what they were doing, what they made, how diverse they were.

She seems to have pulled that off.

Ive had a lot of people tell me that theyve seen tons of historic photos of San Antonio, and that theres a lot of these that theyve never seen before, said Sharon Garcia, head of communications and marketing for the museum. These are not the ones you see in books.

Destino San Antono will have a gala public opening at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday including performances by Eva Ybarra, Andrea Vocab Sanderson, David Zamora Casas and the Beethoven Maennerchor. Admission is free. The exhibit will be up through Jan. 21 at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W. Market St. Admission ranges from $8 to $10; it is free for ages 12 and under, Briscoe members and active-duty military and family members. Call 210-299-4499 or visit briscoemuseum.org for more information.

dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN

Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Lanie Hobbs says her road to becoming a true-crime podcaster began when she was 7 or 8 years old. Thats when the car she, her mother and her two older brothers were driving in broke down one night in Irving, and they were robbed at gunpoint by two men.

She didnt fully realize the danger at the time, but she now knows that she and her family could all have been killed.

Being able to relate to the fear later gave me the idea of formulating stories that look at crime from the victims perspective, she said. Her Dallas-based True Crime Fan Club podcast will celebrate its second anniversary in October.

That Hobbs hosts a podcast with such grim episode titles as The Cadet Murders, The Roadside Strangler and Munchausen Mommies illustrates how women have taken control of true-crime podcasts, both as producers and listeners. More than 60 percent of hosts on the recently launched platform Murder.ly are women, and the vast majority of listeners are women.

Texas is well represented in that. iTunes lists 100 true-crime podcasts and least eight of them are made in Texas.

So why are women so drawn to this genre? Cassie Jackson and Hannah Cooper say true-crime podcasts can almost be a kind of therapy for both hosts and audience. Their year-old, Houston-based Texas 10-31 podcast delves into lesser-known Texas crimes while also attempting to educate their audience on such subjects as criminal law and mental illness.

Its easy to get stuck in your little bubble and say, Something bad like that cant happen to me,  said Jackson, who explained that their podcast name comes from police code for a crime in progress. But mom was right: everything is scary. Doing a true-crime podcast, or listening to one, helps to keep ones guard up.

Erin Nichols of the Fort Worth-based true-crime podcast All Crime, No Cattle, agrees. Although its aired only since December, shes already found it helps her  and her audience  speak about the unspeakable. There was a time when people didnt talk about rape, domestic violence and other violent crimes, she said. But thats changing. True crime lets you look fear in the eye and say to yourself, Im not alone. 

U.S. Department of Justice stats from 2016 show that women are just as likely as men to be victims of violent crime. But a 2010 study using data from the Bureau of Justice found that women are much more fearful theyll be victims of such crimes. Many women have found that getting behind the microphone and telling the stories of crimes is a powerful way to face that fear head-on.

And women are listening  and watching.

Women make up 48 percent of all podcast listeners, according to The Podcast Consumer 2018 from Edison Research. But for Nichols All Crime, No Cattle, 80 percent of the audience is women, according to analytics.

The same holds true for listeners of Hobbs podcast, which she runs out of her bedroom closet. Hobbs found in an email survey that women make up 85 percent of her listeners.

About 65 percent of Investigation Discoverys audience is women, a number that has remained stable almost since the day the cable channel launched its all-crime, all-the-time documentary-style programming about a decade ago. That makes it the No. 1 network in overall ratings among women 25 to 54, according to spokeswoman Sophia Asmuth.

On ExpressNews.com: New podcast episode details life of San Antonio suspected serial killer

The murder-and-mayhem genre just keeps booming. Three of the top 10 podcasts on Internet radio service Stitcher cover true crime. And the online culture publication Vulture listed 52 of what it deemed the best true-crime podcasts.

Everyone loves a whodunit, said Mark Askew, head of ApexThis, an Austin-based audio production and publishing company that specializes in podcasts. And there are a lot of people out there who seem to love talking about them, too.

For Amy Derrick of Waco, its the excitement of trying to figure out why people do what they do that keeps her at the mic.

When Im researching the crimes I want to podcast about, its like Im getting into the head of the perpetrator, said Derrick, who hosts 1096 Crime Chicks with Jessica Casper. She said she first became intrigued with true-crime stories after reading Careless Whispers, about the 1982 Lake Waco Murders. Its fun to solve that riddle.

Derrick and met when both were police dispatchers. The podcast title, she explained, is police code for a mentally disturbed person and refers to their crazy love of true-crime tales.

I think theres a natural inclination to magnify something scary or uncomfortable as a kind of method for processing it, said Brian Egan, co-founder of Murder.ly. In the process of understanding these scary people, researching them, and relating to one anothers experiences, there could be a sensation of empowerment and of taking control for the host and audience. To understand the killer is to guard against him.

On ExpressNews.com: Local activist featured on national podcast

True crime has long been a staple of popular culture, from lurid pulps such as True Detective to the bloodless killings of Murder She Wrote and the more vivid tales of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Dateline. But podcasts present murder unbound.

Virtually censorship-free, almost nothings off-limits. Adult language is fairly common and gruesome details are omitted only at the discretion of the hosts.

Weve done a listener warning only one time, and thats because the story involved three children who were beheaded and a woman whose reproductive organs were removed, said Cooper of Texas 10-31.

Krista Mendez thinks more women listen to true-crime because they place more value on personal connections.

Women are more emotional, empathetic and intuitive, said Mendez, who hosts Lone Star Law & Disorder from the Lufkin area. True crime touches on all these areas because it lets you make connections with the victims in those stories.

On ExpressNews.com: A dark true-crime story

Another reason more women are getting into podcasting might because the equiopment is easy to use and set up without a techie, and a studio can be created just about anywhere from a closet to a bedroom.

Tech has traditionally been more geared toward men, said John Largent, CEO of San Antonio-based Gameday Media, a producer of podcasts. But with podcasts the barrier isnt there, so theres not the intimidation factor.

Freeware software and simple-to-use programs like Garage Band make recording and mixing podcasts, if not simple then at least learnable without a degree in audio engineering.

And the costs are low.

Erin Nichols said they spent between $300 and $400 to get started, which included an external microphone ($25 to $40), an external soundboard (about $100 on sale) and $8 to $15 per month to a hosting service, which stores the audio files.

Despite the growth in the number of true-crime podcasts, Askew said he thinks theres still room for more. He notes that only 44 percent of Americans have even listened to a podcast and only 64 percent are even aware of the term podcasting.

There are still a lot of people out there who have yet to discover podcasting before you can say the market is saturated.

Which means there will continue to be plenty of openings for female podcast hosts.

Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini
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A meeting of the management of Uzbekistan Airways with Dubai National Air Transport Association (Dnata) Senior Vice President of Business Development Derek Swan and Vice President for Commercial and Business Development Kevin Ennis took place at the company's directorate, UzDaily reported.

During the negotiations, the Dnata representatives made a presentation about their company, its structure, activities, which include a wide range of aviation services  from on-board catering to air cargo transportation, and the implemented projects.

Readiness for further cooperation with the Uzbek airline was noted by the Dnata representatives.

The Uzbekistan Airways management, in turn, provided information on the international intermodal logistics center Navoi, its potential for reception and storage of goods, its favorable geographical location.

The Dubai National Air Transport Association, Dnata, operates in 83 countries on six continents and is one of the world's largest providers of air services offering ground handling, freight, travel and on-board services.
In a St. Philips College hallway Thursday morning, Margot Lee Shetterly marveled at the group of 18 students who had just finished peppering her with questions about Hidden Figures, her book that became the blockbuster movie about the black female mathematicians and engineers who launched John Glenn into orbit.

In the classroom, there were only two men, Shetterly said, astonished. In organic chemistry.

Shetterly, 49, also dropped by a genetics class Thursday before giving a speech as part of the Presidents Lecture Series at the historically black community college. Women teach both classes Shetterly visited.

Shetterly said she hoped students would take inspiration from the work African-American women did at NASA during the segregated years of the space race.

People think history is dead and irrelevant, Shetterly said, but a lot of the work that those kids are doing is based on those advances.

RELATED: UTSA gets $1.5 million to help it's STEM students

She told the students her father worked at NASA and that she grew up near the agencys Virginia offices, around Katherine Johnson and other black women employed as human computers. Shetterly saw the women in the supermarket and went to school with their children.

When you were growing up as a little girl in Virginia and seeing these women at NASA, how did they impact your life? asked Gabrielle Tucker, 30, a nursing major who is African-American. How did they help you become who you are today?

Shetterly said the women taught her that normal women could be mathematicians.

They were people I saw just like I saw anyone else, she said. They had all of these identities as mothers, wives, as people in the community.

Johnson, whom Taraji P. Henson played in the 2016 movie, liked to play cards and held bridge parties  and at age 100, she still plays bridge, Shetterly said.

In Mary Kelaitas genetics class, Shetterly said shed lived in Mexico for 10 years, where she and her husband started an English-language magazine for expatriates. In response to questions from Karla T. Romero, 39, an aspiring physicians assistant, Shetterly said her favorite Mexican food is mole Oaxaceno and that she sees similarities between black and Hispanic women.

RELATED: Progress, but when entering STEM fields still face unique challenges

A lot of it is being women who are in the blind spot, and not always just in the national culture, but also within our own culture, Shetterly said. Black women were a huge part of the civil rights movement, but really never got the credit because the men took center stage.  On the other hand, I think because of that, there is a super resourcefulness.

This is Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week and Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week, and St. Philips, founded in 1898 to educate former slaves, is the only higher education institution in the country to hold both those federal designations. It is one of the five community colleges in the Alamo Colleges District.

Past visitors to the college for the Presidents Lecture Series include actor LaVar Burton, civil rights leader Julian Bond and four of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders.

Shetterly said she is working on a Human Computer Project to collect stories of other women who did the math for NASA, the military and private companies before electronic computers were invented. She praised The Right Stuff, Tom Wolfes book about the origins of the space program, but said Hidden Figures is that story retold.

It really flips it on its head in terms of the protagonists of the story, and thats what I really wanted, Shetterly said. I wanted to read that epic story, but with these women as the protagonists.
When the gunfire erupted recently at Big Bend Ranch State Park, frequent visitor Joe Flinn and his girlfriend were hiking up the trail toward Rancherias Falls.

The trailhead is near the border, so when we heard the shots, we thought, Now, we cant turn around. It could be cartel activity, he recalled.

Instead, Flinn and Cassidy Bayles tried to move away from the Aug. 18 shooting and hiked several miles deeper into the park, the largest in the state system. But the gunfire followed them.

Then we started seeing the helicopter. They hovered right above us. It was a shooting spree, so we started taking cover, said Flinn, whos from Magnolia.

Video and photos taken on a smartphone show the unmarked purple helicopter roughly overhead. Neither it nor the men shooting from it were identifiable, and for the next four hours, whenever the chopper appeared, Flinn and Bayles laid low, in fear for their lives, he said.

They eventually concluded that the men were shooting wildlife in the canyons.

The park, which sprawls across 315,000 acres of rugged Chihuahuan Desert, is home to mountain lions, mule deer, wild burros and bighorn sheep, which were reintroduced about a decade ago.

Unknown to the hikers  and to some park rangers  state wildlife officials had chosen Aug. 18 to kill aoudads, an exotic species from North Africa also known as Barbary sheep, which competes with the bighorns.

When Flinn and Bayles obtained a day permit to use the park from the Barton Warnock Visitor Center in Lajitas, no mention was made of any unusual activity or any areas that were off-limits to visitors.

When the rattled couple returned to the Warnock Center the next day, the ranger on duty was baffled by their account.

Not having any information that Texas Parks and Wildlife was doing anything, my gut reaction was that it was a private hunt that had gone way off course, said Buckner Cooke, a seasonal ranger.

The Flinns showed me the video of the helicopter. It had no markings, other than a serial number. And the individuals inside were not wearing what I recognized as uniforms, he said.

Now Playing: Joe Flinn captured footage of a helicopter that was shooting in an area of Big Bend where he and his girlfriend were hiking. They were forced to hike off course and take cover, fearing for their lives. Video: San Antonio Express-News

Later that day, Cooke learned that the wildlife division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department had come to the park to do a survey that, he said, apparently included shooting aoudad.

Cooke apologized to Flinn and Bayles and explained what had happened. Flinn was not appeased and recently filed a five-page complaint with the department, saying lives were recklessly endangered, laws were broken and charges should be filed.

Plans need to be implemented to protect visitors so that they can hike in the park and not be worried about being shot dead or witness a four-hour wildlife slaughter, it said.

Steve Lightfoot, a spokesman for Parks and Wildlife, disputed the claim that the survey was done without adequate notice.

Wildlife (division) and state parks staff at the local, regional and state quarters level were aware of the annual survey operation, as well as the dates during which aerial flights and possible aoudad control activities would occur at the park, he said.

The men in the helicopter were aware of hikers and avoided them while shooting, he said.

Lightfoot said that since 2008, state sharpshooters have lethally removed almost 2,000 aoudad from the park. At the same time, he said, 201 bighorn sheep were reintroduced there, but their population has declined. In the survey done this year, only 22 sheep were counted, he said.

The project is ongoing and will continue, in efforts to maintain exotic species numbers, namely aoudad, at the lowest level possible, he added.

Nathaniel Gold, superintendent of the Big Bend Ranch State Park, said the unsettling episode stemmed from a critical miscommunication. Sometime before Aug. 18, he said, he was informed by the wildlife division about the survey.

Gold said he did not realize that it might also involve killing aoudad, despite an earlier similar misunderstanding of the terminology, so he did not notify his staff.

It did not click in my brain that would mean shooting, but it should have. Some egg definitely deserves to be on my face, he said.

The incident prompted measures to improve the agencys internal communications, Gold said.

We have a meeting set for Oct. 3, so this type of thing doesnt happen again, he said.

jmaccormack@express-news.net
A Stockdale husband and wife who molested a 6-year-old girl during video-recorded sex sessions were each sentenced Wednesday to more than 27 years in prison for producing child pornography and sharing the images on social media.

U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez gave William Richard Welsh, 27, and Ashleigh Nicole Browning Welsh, 23, the matching sentences, despite her lawyers arguments for a lower term because of mental health issues.

In October 2015, investigators in New Zealand came across three videos and 76 images that included the 6-year-old being sexually assaulted. They were investigating someone there who said he received the images through the Kik messenger application. Law officers traced the material to the San Antonio area and alerted U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

Agents here identified the adults in the videos and images as the William and Ashleigh Welsh. They arrested the pair in Sandia, northwest of Corpus Christi, after learning the videos and images were produced in the Wilson County town of Stockdale in 2015.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson told the judge the couple shared the images with others on the social media application who also molested kids. The group members were required to include personal identifying information in the images to prove they were not passing off someone elses images. In one image, the Welshes wrote the identifying information on the stomach of the 6-year-old girl, Thompson told Rodriguez.

The pair pleaded guilty last year to three counts of producing child pornography. Rodriguez on Wednesday gave them the maximum recommended by federal sentencing guidelines, 327 months in prison on each count, then ordered the sentences to run concurrently. The juge also ordered each to serve 20 years of federal supervision afterward.

William Welsh told the judge he made an honest mistake.

Ashleigh Welshs lawyer, Tom Clarke, argued that she was abused when she was about 12 or 13, and has mental-health issues, including schizophrenia, is bipolar and has split personality disorder. She also abused drugs, including LSD and marijuana, Clarke said.

She told me she has three other personalities in her, Clarke told the judge. She said the one by the name of Jason is the one who did this.

Thompson said Ashleigh Welsh had a mental-health evaluation while in custody, and was found highly indicative of malingering. She was also found competent for trial, Thompson said.

I think theres a lot of issues with her, Clarke said afterward. I thought the court might take that into account and give her the 15-year minimum, not the same (sentence) as his, but it is what it is.

gcontreras@express-news.net

Twitter: @gmaninfedland
Jessica Vasquez wove her rented electric scooter through the flow of sidewalk pedestrians on a recent morning, zipping her way to a nearby downtown San Antonio hospital on a work errand.

The 39-year-old medical lab specialist didnt mind negotiating what is an urban obstacle course: trees, benches, trash cans, pillars and especially lots of people.

She said the ease and convenience of using the scooter made whatever nervousness she might feel steering around pedestrians worth it.

This trip wouldve taken me an hour in my car, with traffic and parking, versus eight minutes on a scooter, she said. And the ride only cost me $1.20.

In early summer, as e-scooters began popping up in the city seemingly overnight, so did the debate about where to ride them, streets or sidewalks, pitting the freedom of riders against the safety concerns of pedestrians.

Since July, there have been 22 scooter-related injuries, most involving riders alone, records provided by the city indicate.

In Dallas, a 24-year-old man died from blunt-force injuries after falling off a scooter Sept. 1, the Dallas County medical examiners office told the Washington Post on Thursday. Hes likely the first person to die from scooter-related injuries.

The battery-powered devices  essentially motorized skateboards with two wheels and handlebars  can reach 15 to 20 mph. Their speed and the cavalier way certain riders behave on sidewalks has some bipedal types worried.

These things scare me, said Bonnie Stimson, 60, who works part-time at the Majestic Theatre on Houston Street and walks with a cane. I dont always walk a straight line. Ive had scooters zoom up behind and Im like, Oh my gosh! Whered you come from?

Stimson frets about scooters colliding with young children or those who are handicapped or in wheelchairs.

And these riders are supposed to wear helmets, but they never do, she said.

On the opposite side of the street  literally and figuratively  is Stephanie Rubi, 40, who said concerns about e-scooters threatening walkers are overblown.

I dont worry about that at all, she said, halting her scooter to be interviewed. I make a point to be aware of my surroundings. And scooters are safe. They have brakes that work. And you cant use your cellphone while youre riding, so youre not distracted.

Visiting from Claremont, Calif., Rubi used a one-hour delay in her flight home to hop on a scooter and tool around downtown tourist sites with her nephew, Jarrett Korson, 17. Neither wore helmets.

I didnt read it, Korson said, when asked about the user agreement that recommends such headgear.

The uproar over e-scooters rages on neighborhood networking sites like Nextdoor, at public comment sessions at City Hall and on streets and sidewalks. Rumors fly of e-scooter abuse, with detractors pelting the parked devices with eggs or dousing them in motor oil

In San Antonio, like other cities across the nation, the proliferation of e-scooters caught civic leaders by surprise. The ranks of riders have grown in the absence of specific regulations governing them, although the two main scooter companies  Bird and Lime  offer safety guidelines they urge riders to abide by.

Now, City Council members are at work on a new ordinance that aims to tame the current Wild West e-scooter environment, including a six-month pilot program that would test the various rules.

The council will vote Oct. 11 on the new ordinance and pilot program, which a city spokeswoman said strives to balance the benefits of a new technology with citizen safety.

The proposed rules advise riders to use bike lanes where possible and prohibits them from streets where the speed limit is above 35 mph. Scooters are allowed on sidewalks, but riders must yield to pedestrians and always keep at least 2 feet away from them.

Even a scooter enthusiast like Vasquez, the hospital worker, scoffs at that last requirement.

Thats going to be impossible, she said, listing all the other urban elements that clutter sidewalks. How are you going to always keep 2 feet away? Its not easy to judge distance. And how are they going to enforce that?

Between Bird and Lime, both California-based companies, there now are more than 2,000 scooters on city streets. A third company, the local startup Blue Duck, recently introduced its own line of scooters. Users are charged $1 to unlock a scooter, then 15 cents per minute of use.

The scooters are rented via a smartphone app, then left wherever the user is done with them. Theyre dockless, meaning they dont have to be parked in preordained places.

Fans argue theyre safe and reduce traffic gridlock and carbon emissions. They provide a quick, easy way to get around without the hassle or cost of a car, bus or ride-hailing service. Theyre the perfect answer for a destination thats too far to walk but too short for a car ride.

They represent an innovative technology that cities should embrace, proponents say, especially to attract younger workers.

Foes say allowing scooters on sidewalks is a recipe for disaster, not just for risks they pose while moving, but for the trip-factor they present when parked on corners and in foot-traffic areas.

Vasquez isnt comfortable riding a scooter in the streets, she said, because she doesnt trust motorists. Bike lanes are OK, but there arent enough of them. Even with these shortcomings, though, shes going to keep scanning her credit card and climbing aboard.

At first I was scared, but riding a scooter is so easy, she said.

Pile of injuries

Easy, perhaps. But safe?

Emergency rooms at downtown hospitals have seen a spike in scooter-related injuries, one Fire Department official said. The list of 22 injuries reveals a litany of lacerations, bruises and broken bones, most on ankles, wrists and knees, but some head, face and teeth injuries as well.

The reasons? Rider fell off scooter and was hit by car. Rider collided with another rider on sidewalk. Rider hit pot hole and fell off. Rider hit pole. Rider hit curb. Rider had been drinking.

These can be serious injuries, said Dr. David A. Miramontes, medical director at the Fire Department and assistant clinical professor at UT Health San Antonio.

He said most riders lack protective gear like a helmet and knee and wrist guards. Often theyre dressed in work clothes or casual wear, such as flip-flops. Most lack scooter experience. Sidewalks arent smooth, the view often obstructed.

What about pedestrians? Miramontes used his own weight to calculate the damage of a 20-mph impact.

That would be like getting hit with a 238-pound bag of sand, he said. If I hit you, youre going to get hurt.

There actually are three collisions, he said. One, when the pedestrian is hit. Two, when he or she impacts the ground. Three, when his or her internal organs, such as the brain, are forcefully jostled.

Thats how you get a concussion, Miramontes said.

He takes a dim view of scooters. He prefers bicycles, which require riders to obey the same rules as motorists and generally arent seen on sidewalks. Cyclists tend to have more control over their vehicles. And theyre docked, so pedestrians dont trip over them on the sidewalk, he said.

He also noted the dangers of mixing alcohol and scooters, and riding after dark. Scooters have little in the way of lighting or reflectors, making them inadvertent targets for cars.

The rules in the proposed ordinance include prohibiting those younger than 16 from riding, limiting where scooters can be parked and charging vendors permit fees and penalties. Users could be fined for riding under the influence or riding recklessly.

Under current guidelines and city code, scooters have to be parked away from foot traffic. The devices also are banned from the River Walk, Alamo and Main plazas, other civic spaces and along trails and creeks.

Assistant City Manager Lori Houston said the city is asking riders to use their best judgment when it comes to adhering to the pilot programs rules. Part of the pilot will involve a comprehensive education campaign to encourage safe riding behavior and practices.

We really want to assess how and if scooters can coexist in a pedestrian environment, she said. If they cant, we may need to readjust the regulations. Were not ruling out a sidewalk ban.

Houston said Austin doesnt permit scooters on sidewalks, but other cities do. Her office is monitoring injuries, violations and rates of ridership and is reporting monthly to the council. She encourages those who see bad scooter behavior to call the respective companies or dial 311, the citys assistance number.

She said Bird and Lime have eagerly cooperated with the city to come up with the guidelines. Both companies sent the San Antonio Express-News emails extolling the benefits of e-scooters and noting existing safety features, such as rider tutorials. They said their goal is to work with cities to make scooters as safe as possible.

Raft of lawsuits?

When accidents happen, e-scooter companies tell riders they cant sue them.

The user agreement by Bird, for example  full of the kind of legalese only a lawyer could love  tells users that in case of injury they must go through arbitration, which is a way of settling legal disputes outside of a courtroom. This may come as a surprise to most users.

When a person uses the rental app on their phone, theres no way theyre going to read a 25-page document, said Jim Freeman, an Austin attorney who is suing on behalf of an Austin resident who broke his leg in four places while riding a scooter in Washington, D.C.

Freeman, who advertised his services to scooter accident clients, said hes received a half-dozen calls so far, though none serious enough to result in substantial damages, apart from the broken leg case.

Injured pedestrians represent another can of worms, he said. Scooter riders automobile insurance doesnt follow them when they step onto a device.

Insurance companies arent going to start stepping to pay out these claims, he said. If the scooter rider has no assets, even if you try to sue them, youre not going to get anything.

As the debate goes on, longtime King William resident Debra Walker, who takes her dog on daily walks along the south end of the River Walk, said she sees scooter riders there all the time, even though its supposed to be off-limits. She watches older teens renting scooters for their much-younger siblings.

This morning, I saw (a scooter rider) come within inches of hitting a pedestrian, she said.

But for tourists Seth and Johanna Jamison, both 36 and from Roanoke, Va., being able to ride scooters while here was a huge plus. He used his to zip to a conference at the Convention Center.

I dont think San Antonio will have a problem with scooters, he said. People here are so nice.

Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | mstoeltje@express-news.net | Twitter: @mstoeltje
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch in the Hill Country, west of San Antonio, ahead of a storm system that's expected to bring heavy rains in the area.

Showers and thunderstorms will likely start tonight west of San Antonio, hitting the towns of Kerrville and Rocksprings, the forecast shows. Those areas may get up to 6 inches of rain in isolated pockets.

The flash flood watch, which covers areas like Kerrville, Del Rio and Uvalde, is in effect from 3 p.m. Friday until 1 p.m. Saturday.

The storm system is expected to move east into San Antonio Saturday and remain over the city through Sunday, bringing up to the 3 inches of rain to the area.

RELATED: Fall front may bring temperatures down to 60s in San Antonio next week

While the rain has been welcomed after a dry summer, the constant rainfall has led to sewer spills recently.

The most recent spills came Friday in the 6600 block of Swiss Oaks Drive and on West Military Drive near West Commerce Street, according to a news release from the San Antonio Water System.

"No adverse impacts are expected since the spill has been heavily diluted by stormwater," according to the release.

Minor flooding is possible in areas with poor drainage, according to the forecast.

If San Antonio receives about an inch of rain, it would break the city's September rainfall record, set in 1946 when 15.78 inches of rainfall was recorded.

Both sites, along with several others, are in the process of being improved to prevent future spills. The projects include replacing the current sewer lines with upgraded ones.

Forecasters expect Monday and Tuesday to be dry, with chances of rain increasing again Wednesday when a cold front moves through the area.
Federal inmates at a privately run jail in San Antonio have been getting drugs and other contraband from guards, records show.

Over the past year, four employees at the Central Texas Detention Facility have faced prosecution for smuggling or trying to smuggle contraband into the jail, which holds pretrial inmates for the U.S. Marshals Service and is operated by The GEO Group, which is based in Florida.

Among them is ex-GEO guard Abigail Jolynn Abrego, 28, who was caught in a sting in November trying to smuggle methamphetamines to an inmate. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez sentenced her Wednesday to 57 months in federal prison and her 55-year-old boyfriend, Leonard Belmares, to 46 months in prison for his role in the crime. The pair were caught meeting with undercover agents for what they thought was crystal methamphetamine.

I commend the U.S. attorneys office, the FBI and our U.S. Marshals Service personnel on their collaborative success in this investigation, said U.S. Marshal Susan Pamerleau, who was sworn in Monday. Their hard work and diligent efforts resulted in justice being served today.

RELATED: Sting operation leads to arrest of former guards on charges of smuggling meth into Bexar jail

Last week, former GEO guard Jewel Roberto Jefferson, 37, pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle heroin and methamphetamines to another inmate, Brian Keith Gonzalez, 38. Court records show that Gonzalez used a smuggled cellphone to call Jefferson and arrange for delivery of the drugs through an intermediary. The intermediary was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration, which set up a sting that snared Jefferson and Gonzalez, who faces sentencing in December.

Next week, former GEO employee. Ray Alexander Barr, 29, faces up to 20 years in prison for his guilty plea to trying to smuggle methamphetamines and alcohol to an inmate in December 2016. Barr made some calls to arrange for delivery of the contraband from inside the jail, but he was arrested after he met with a confidential informant working with the FBI and the Marshals Service, records show.

Another jail officer, Ronnie Ray Riles III, 27, faces trial next month over charges that he was smuggling contraband that included cellphones, cigarettes and drugs to inmates. A confidential informant told federal agents that Riles smuggled to him a cellphone, cigarette and alcohol. On Aug. 4, 2017, when another inmate was stabbed, the informant said Riles passed out alcohol in cleaning bottles for $100 each. Riles was caught after meeting with undercover FBI agents for what he thought was methamphetamines, court records said.

All the cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wannarka.
A highly anticipated debate between Mayor Ron Nirenberg and fire union President Chris Steele over three proposed City Charter amendments was set for Thursday night, but less than two hours before its start, the event collapsed as Steele rescinded his promise to participate.

Spectators already had begun filling the Buena Vista Theater at the University of Texas at San Antonio downtown campus  where organizers had planned for such a robust crowd that another space had been prepared for overflow seating  when the debate was canceled.

The event, a town-hall forum co-hosted by UTSA and the San Antonio Express-News, marked the first time Nirenberg and Steele would have faced off in a debate over the merits of the amendments, which made the Nov. 6 ballot after the fire union paid a Central Texas firm more than a half-million dollars to collect petition signatures.

The proposed amendments would make it easier to use referendums to challenge council decisions, including on tax and utility rates; cap the salary of future city managers; and give the fire union unilateral power to decide when contract negotiations would be taken to binding arbitration.

Organizers of the debate had been planning the event for months.

Weeks ago, an assistant for Steele confirmed the San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association president would participate. Nirenberg confirmed, and a third panelist, attorney and St. Marys University municipal law lecturer Frank Garza agreed, as well.

But two hours before the start, everything collapsed.

It started with a text to Francine Romero, the associate dean for the College of Public Policy at UTSA and the moderator of the forum.

One-time City Council candidate Reinette King will be the primary representative of the Vote YES Let The People Decide group. She along with many others will be in attendance tonight, said a message from Steeles assistant. As these are the peoples charter amendments and not the firefighters, Chief Christopher Steele will not be attending.

The union posted on its Facebook page Thursday night that we never committed to it being Chris Steele on stage tonight, and in a Facebook Live video, retired firefighter Jim Bruno alleged that Nirenberg had backed out.

A timeline of the event contradicts the accusation.

Romero had been in communication for weeks with Eddie Guerra, Steeles assistant. In a series of phone calls, text messages and emails, the two coordinated Steeles appearance on stage, discussing early arrival times to ensure that Steele was fitted with a lapel microphone.

Romero said there never was any discussion about someone other than Steele representing the union. It always was specific to Steele, she said.

Why would they have said in a text that he wasnt going to appear if he hadnt agreed to do it in the first place? she said.

Steele and others from the union didnt return phone calls seeking comment Thursday.

Nirenberg had been preparing for the debate for days and said he continues to be ready to publicly discuss the proposed amendments with Steele.

Chris Steele himself canceled and refused to have an honest debate, Nirenberg said. That is the fact, and you can ask the organizers of the event who called us after Chris Steele canceled.

On its Facebook page Thursday, the union suggested Steele is stepping away from leading the campaign and that King is the campaign spokeswoman.

A twice-failed political candidate, King has attended several of the unions news conferences about the charter amendments but never has spoken on behalf of the campaign  until she was thrust into the spotlight outside of the UTSA theater after the debate was canceled.

King read a prepared statement in support of each ballot initiative but refused to answer when asked whether Steele asked her to go in his stead.

Youd have to ask him, she told reporters.

Since Steele launched the San Antonio First campaign earlier this year, hes become increasingly reticent to answer questions from reporters.

Earlier in the day, he summoned reporters to the Bexar County Democratic Party headquarters, where he announced a month-old endorsement from the organization.

As he left, reporters shouted his name, asking if he still planned on debating Nirenberg that night. He was silent as he climbed into the back seat of a black SUV that drove away.

Fire union supporters had said on Facebook that they planned to pack the audience at the event.

Well after it had been canceled, they lingered in the lobby outside, chanting: Where is the mayor?

Romero lamented that the event had fallen apart at the last minute. Among the people there to watch the debate were several UTSA students, some of whom traveled from out of town. Some were to earn extra credit, Romero said, while others planned on writing papers about the issue.

By 7 p.m., the event start time, Nirenberg was standing outside the Go Vote No campaign headquarters.

Surrounded by Go Vote No supporters, he lambasted Steele for withdrawing.

We were set to debate a very important issue happening on the November ballot about the future of our city. Fire union leader Chris Steele was supposed to debate me at UTSA, and about an hour before the debate, he refused to show up, Nirenberg said. He canceled, which really should upset every taxpayer in San Antonio because the impacts of these amendments hes perpetrated  would end up raising our taxes, lowering city services and pitting neighborhoods against neighborhoods, making our economic momentum come to a screeching halt.

And the fact that he wont face the facts and come have an honest debate about these items should concern everyone. So were here. Were ready to talk about the facts.

Nirenberg and Steele also are supposed to debate the charter amendments on KTSA radio in early October, but its unclear now whether Steele will participate.

Earlier this year, political consultants for whats become the Go Vote No campaign said polling showed the fire unions charter amendments as having majority support. But Nirenberg said hes sensed the tide is changing.

This is maybe the iconic moment of the campaign, where (Steele) has had an opportunity to come and explain his case, but turned and hid from the scrutiny of the public, he said.

Josh Baugh is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaugh
In his crisp white shirt with its embroidered fire patch and gold badge, fire union president Chris Steele stood Thursday at the Bexar County Democratic Partys headquarters to announce the groups month-old City Charter amendment endorsement at a raucous, hastily called news conference.

For anyone unfamiliar with the San Antonio Fire Departments dress uniform, it would have appeared that Steele was the frontman of a political rally, in violation of the citys policy that prohibits employees from participating in political events while wearing a city uniform.

But Steeles uniform wasnt official Fire Department garb. It was a fake, made to mimic the official uniform, down to the insignia on the imitation badge.

The president of the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association since 2004, Steele had previously been caught wearing an actual SAFD uniform to political events and was told not to do it anymore.

RELATED: Fire union clutches victory

The uniform he is wearing is not a Fire Department uniform, Fire Chief Charles Hood said in a Thursday afternoon interview. He came up with an alternate uniform.

Hood acknowledged that Steeles mock uniform appears as if it were real, unless you look closely.

Steele did not return a phone call seeking comment.

His fake badge and its official counterpart are the same shape, topped with an eagle spreading its wings and a trio of crossed fire implements in the center. In fact, the only difference is the text. The real badge says DISTRICT CHIEF and SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT. The fake reads PRESIDENT and SAN ANTONIO FIRE UNION.

The arm patches are almost identical as well. Both are topped with SAN ANTONIO in nearly identical fonts. The bottom of the real patch says FIRE DEPT., while Steeles alternate version says FIRE UNION.

Steeles uniform skirts the edge of the Fire Departments personnel manual, which addresses when a uniform should and shouldnt be worn.

In the eyes of the public, when someone is wearing ... a San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) uniform, they are representing the San Antonio Fire Department. Everything they say or do is assumed to be on behalf of the department or authorized by the department, the manual states. For this reason, the department has a long-standing practice of restricting the use of the SAFD uniform to specified circumstances.

RELATED: Fire union alleges email from council staffer is illegal

The uniform is to be worn when an employee is on duty and representing the department; when an employee is not assigned to their regular duty but is representing the department in some other capacity; or when an employee has been given authorization by the fire chief to wear the uniform in some other way not expressly allowed by the manual.

The wearing of the SAFD uniform in a capacity other than described above is not authorized, expressly forbidden and may subject an employee to disciplinary action.

Steele, who holds the SAFD title of district fire chief, hasnt worked an actual shift since January 2004.

The uniform does not violate the rules of the city of San Antonio, which has a similar policy.

After Steele pulled out as a panelist at a town hall on the charter amendments at the last minute Thursday night, Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who was also a scheduled panelist, took aim at him and his uniform.

It tells me that Chris Steele, as weve seen tonight, is a total fraud, Nirenberg said. The actions of this petition proposition are a total fraud, and the fact of the matter is Chris Steele is not qualified to wear a San Antonio Fire Department uniform, so he has to go and make one.
First panel of the comic strip: A man comes home from work to find that his girlfriend dumped his clothes on the lawn.

Second panel: The man stands at the front door and realizes that his girlfriend changed the locks.

Third panel: The man shouts, Im breaking up with you!

Thats the scenario playing out between Nico LaHood and the Democratic Party.

The lame-duck DA announced this week that he was leaving the party and added that if he ran again for elective office, it would be as a Republican or an independent.

RELATED: LaHood opens up about brother's murder

LaHood broke up with the Dems six months after Democratic voters rejected him, handing the March 6 primary to local defense attorney Joe Gonzales, by a margin of more than 18 percent.

In interviews this week, LaHood described a Democratic Party that is bereft of tolerance for opposing views.

The party today has been hijacked by a leftist ideology, a neo-Marxist ideology, that is really fascist in nature, LaHood told conservative radio host Joe Pags Pagliarulo.

LaHood said things are burned at college campuses these days if you bring somebody in that is not welcome there.

Thats a clear reference to the scene at the University of California-Berkeley in February 2017, when left-wing activists protested a scheduled speech by conservative flamethrower Milo Yiannopoulos, a charmer who referred to Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones, an African American woman, as a black dude and barely literate, and who made the case that sex between an adult and a 13-year-old boy can happen perfectly consensually.

RELATED: LaHood upset at commissioners' reluctance to fund legal fees

Exactly why college Republicans at Berkeley decided to give a platform to this intellectual giant is a head scratcher, but it should be pointed out that the anti-Yiannopoulos protesters were not representatives of the Democratic Party.

If were going to equate them with the Democratic Party because they identify themselves as liberal, would it be fair to equate the torch-brandishing white nationalists who invaded Charlottesville, Virginia last year with the GOP because they identify as conservative?

The Berkeley protests happened 10 months before the filing deadline for this years Texas primaries, so why didnt LaHood switch parties last year? Because he had the enthusiastic backing of then-Democratic Party chairman Manuel Medina  and the political infrastructure that came with it.

It wasnt in LaHoods self-interest to bolt the Democratic Party a year ago. Now, hes got nothing to lose.

Thats the way it generally goes when politicians flip.

RELATED: LaHood out as Bexar County district attorney

Phil Gramm left the Democratic Party in 1983 when Democratic congressional leadership kicked him off the House Budget Committee because he had been secretly meeting with GOP leaders and telling them what Dems were discussing in their budget strategy sessions.

LaHood has every right to switch parties, but I think hes wrong to suggest that his primary defeat came about because he failed to meet some far-left purity test.

For the most part, the job of a district attorney rises  or should rise  above partisan and ideological considerations. Sure, progressives tend to be more supportive of pretrial diversion and generally are more critical of the cash bail system. Conservatives tend to be more supportive of the death penalty.

Ultimately, however, the district attorneys job comes down to prosecuting criminals, seeking justice, showing good judgment and demonstrating mature temperament. Those arent partisan issues.

Thats why Therese Huntzinger, LaHoods 2014 Democratic primary opponent, suggested that district-attorney elections should be non-partisan. (Huntzinger, a former Republican who is no ones idea of a radical leftist, came within 47 votes of winning that primary, further weakening LaHoods contention that only neo-Marxists have a place in the Democratic Party.)

RELATED: For LaHood, pride came before the fall

In truth, LaHood gradually lost Democratic support because of failures of judgment and temperament. He faced a professional misconduct complaint after allegedly making a threat, in judges chambers, to shut down the law practices of Gonzales and Christian Henricksen.

He used the power of his position to support the controversial anti-vaccination movement, recording a testimonial video in his county office for an anti-vax documentary.

He even engaged in a petty courthouse fight with then-District Court Judge Steve Hilbig (a Republican), when Hilbig refused to allow prosecutors to enter his courtroom wearing jeans during Fiesta. LaHood responded by mandating that his attorneys wear jeans to court.

And he made questionable decisions on which cases should (and shouldnt) be prosecuted.

Democrats simply grew fatigued with LaHood. They werent looking for neo-Marxism. They just wanted more stability and less drama.
Music legend Willie Nelson has a message for Texans who don't like him supporting Democrat Beto O'Rourke's campaign.

"I don't care," Nelson said during an appearance on ABC's The View on Wednesday. "They are entitled to their opinions and I'm entitled to mine."

Nelson has been on a publicity tour to promote a new album that has taken him to The View, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, among other stops this week. At each, Nelson's been asked almost as much about his support of O'Rourke and the backlash he's been getting from some fans as he's been asked about "My Way," his new album of Frank Sinatra songs.

'CIVIL DISCOURSE': Texas Republican defends Willie Nelson after some fans turn on him

Nelson said in the Rolling Stone interview that he's a bit perplexed at the reaction he's getting, given his long history of supporting Democrats.

"I've endorsed a lot of people: Jimmy Carter, Dennis Kucinich, and Hillary and Bill, Obama," Nelson told Rolling Stone. "A lot of people seem surprised that I'm backing a candidate, but it ain't my first rodeo."

Nelson on Sept. 29 is hosting a concert for O'Rourke in Austin.

Only at HoustonChronicle.com/Texas Take Podcast: Willie Nelson doesn't care what you think of his politics

When Colbert suggested it was the first time he had done such a thing, Nelson pointed out that in the 1970s he was playing for Tex Ritters' U.S. Senate campaign in Tennessee.

Back on The View, Nelson said anyone who has followed his career is bound to have noticed his support for Democrats.

"I haven't hidden it too much," Nelson said.

Nelson earlier this year invited O'Rourke, who used to play guitar in a punk band, on stage to play alongside him at his annual 4th of July Picnic concert in Austin.
In his new book Fear, Bob Woodward recounts that in April 2017, after President Donald Trump saw images of dead Syrian children with their mouths foaming from a sarin attack, he called Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and issued an order: Get me a plan for a military strike to take out Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Lets f  ing kill him! Trump told Mattis, according to the book. Lets go in. Lets kill the f  ing lot of them. Mattis, Woodward writes, assured the president that he would get right on it. But as soon as Mattis hung up the phone, he told a senior aide: Were not going to do any of that. Instead, Woodward says, the defense secretary gave Trump options for more-limited strikes.

Today, as Assad menaces 3 million civilians in the last rebel stronghold, the Idlib province, its clear that Trumps instinct was right. We should have taken out the Syrian dictator last year.

When Trump was elected in 2016, many worried that he would usher in a new age of American isolationism and withdrawal. That hasnt happened. Trump has pursued a foreign policy that is not only not isolationist but also a significant improvement over his predecessors.

In Syria, while Trump did not eliminate Assad, he did enforce President Barack Obamas red line against the use of chemical weapons, punishing violations not once but twice  and restoring Americas credibility on the world stage. Last week, Trump launched the U.S.-led coalitions assault on the Islamic States last stronghold on the Syrian-Iraqi border, which will eliminate its physical caliphate. And unlike Obama, Trump is not taking Americas boot off the terrorists necks. The Post reports that the president has approved a new strategy that indefinitely extends the military effort in Syria until a government acceptable to all Syrians is established and all Iranian military and proxy forces are driven out. Conservative columnist Patrick Buchanan, a die-hard isolationist, recently asked: Is Trump Going Neocon in Syria?

In Israel, Trump moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, which he recognized as the countrys capital  something three of his predecessors promised, but failed, to do. He also withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and refocused U.S. efforts in the Middle East on shoring up relations with allies such as Israel and Saudi Arabia instead of courting Iran.

In Afghanistan, after a careful deliberative process in which Trump (correctly) pressed his generals for answers to tough questions, the president reversed his campaign position favoring a troop pull-out and sent additional forces, with no timetable for withdrawal.

In Turkey, Trump is taking a hard line with President Recep Tayyip Erdogans regime, imposing tariffs as the Turkish lira has gone into free fall. Trumps move was intended to punish Erdogan for his continued detention of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, and followed his threats against U.S. forces in Syria and his plans to buy an S-400 advanced air-defense system from Moscow.

Trump has also taken a surprisingly tough line with Russia. He approved a massive arms and aid package for Ukraine, expelled 60 Russian diplomats and authorized new sanctions against Moscow at least four times for: (1) interfering in U.S. elections, (2) violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, (3) launching a chemical-weapon attack against a Russian national in Britain and (4) violating North Korea sanctions. And the Trump administration recently warned Russia that it would face total economic isolation if Moscow backed the Assad regimes assault in Idlib. Trumps policies more than make up for his disastrous Helsinki news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in July.

On North Korea, the chances of successful denuclearization are slim, but every other approach by Trumps predecessors has failed. And there is reason for hope that Trump will not sign a bad deal, because he set a very high bar for a good deal when he withdrew from Obamas nuclear agreement with Iran.

The list of good foreign-policy moves goes on. Trump has taken a strong stand against the narco-dictatorship in Venezuela, and his administration even considered supporting coup plotters seeking to remove the Maduro regime. He strengthened NATO by getting allies to kick in billions more toward the alliances collective security.

Liberals might not like any of these developments, but long-standing policy goals of conservative internationalists are being achieved. There may be chaos in the Trump White House, but so far at least the chaos is producing pretty good results.
Re: S.A. Marine vet denied passport, front page, Sunday:

This article says that a San Antonio retired Marine gunnery sergeant with 20 years of service to his country has been denied a passport by the State Department. It says that the birth certificate he used to enlist in the Marine Corps is not sufficient proof that hes a U.S. citizen.

He is one of many Hispanics born near the U.S.-Mexican border who were told that they need more than a birth certificate to get a U.S. passport.

This is not only un-American, it is slap in the face to every veteran. A man who gave 20 of the best years of his life to his country deserves better than this.

George J. Rotblut

Fight fire with fire

It appears to me that Democrats just might sell their own mothers to win seats. And yet, remarkably, the Republican Party is not running ads that tie Democrats to the devastation that is socialism, one of their primary mantras, as seen in countries such as Venezuela.

How can that be? Its a no-brainer a trained monkey could come up with. Republicans cannot win races playing nicely. We must fight fire with fire.

David Saenz

Warnings ignored

To all Donald Trump supporters: There were two events that you should have paid attention to before casting your vote.

First, he bragged about groping women in a crude way. Second, he refused to show his income tax.

Those were stark warnings of what you get from Donald Trump. I am sure there were others, but these stand out and surely predicted the future.

Herman I. Morris, Plano
The H-E-B-anchored Shops at Lincoln Heights near Alamo Quarry Market has been sold to a company linked to a Dallas real estate firm and a Midland oil company.

The 23-acre shopping center, at the crossing of Basse Road and Broadway just north of Alamo Heights, was purchased Sept. 7 by JMCR Lincoln Heights, a company co-managed by Robert Dozier, who heads the retail division of Dallas real estate firm Lincoln Property Co., county property records show.

Another manager of JMCR is Adam Rubinson, who is vice president of JM Cox Family Management. That company is a general partner in Midland oil company JM Cox Resources, led by President Kelly Cox, according to state corporate filings and federal securities filings.

Dozier and a representative of JM Cox Resources didnt respond to requests for comment. Rubinson couldnt be reached for comment.

RELATED: H-E-B to hire hundreds of employees for new digital HQ in Austin

The purchase price was undisclosed, but the Bexar Appraisal District assessed the shopping center at $45.9 million this year. The propertys value has skyrocketed in recent years, rising nearly 60 percent from its assessment of $28.9 million in 2015.

The shopping center has an H-E-B, Stein Mart, Stone Werks, Zoes Kitchen, Panera Bread and a location of Austin favorite Torchys Tacos, as well as other retail stores.

It had been owned since January 2017 by a partnership affiliated with Blackstone, one of the worlds largest private equity firms. The sale this month comes shortly after another partnership linked to Blackstone bought the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, a 1,002-room resort on the far Northeast Side.

Paula Chirhart, Blackstones senior vice president of external relations, didnt respond to a request for comment.
The owner of a Greenwich office property with waterfall views has proposed converting some of the space to apartments, subject to approval from town regulators.

Most recently serving as the temporary Greenwich headquarters of L Catterton, The Mill offices at 10 Glenview St. have been largely unoccupied since the private equity investment firm moved to new offices on West Putnam Avenue.

The Mill has been offering space at between $39 and $42 a square foot, according to the most recent property listing posted on the Loopnet commercial real estate website, in line with average asking rents outside the towns central business district.

In a request filed this month with the Greenwich Historic District Commission, the buildings owners proposed converting the majority of space in two of the propertys buildings into apartments, along with the ground floor of a third. Units would be offered at market rates, according to the commission, with upscale apartments in that section of Greenwich priced between $2,600 and $5,000 a month on the Apartments.com website.

The Mills history dates back to a late 18th-century textile mill along the Byram River, in what was then the town of Sherwood Bridge and a centerpiece of Greenwichs Glenville district today.

The project would include the historic 1881 building that, with a clock tower overlooking the waterfall, is the most visually striking of the complex that includes multiple structures.

If relatively distant from the towns main train station, the Mill has played up its relative proximity to Westchester County Airport, the Merritt Parkway and a small mix of Glenville restaurants and retailers  and most of all, its location on a leafy glade overlooking the waterfall.

But with companies looking to increase their appeal to millennials as a place of employment, many businesses have been looking for space in downtown areas and near rail stations offering easier access to New York City.

Whereas downtown Greenwich had a 13 percent vacancy rate as of the second quarter, the towns office parks outside the central district were closer to 23 percent vacant as estimated by the Stamford office of Cushman & Wakefield.

Includes prior reporting by Kaitlyn Krasselt.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
When Pope Francis denounced libertarian individualism last year, few people could find a flesh-and-blood example of the philosophy as articulated by the pontiff. However, the gimlet eye of Stream editor John Zmirak may have found a related species in a creature he identifies as Homo Economist  a theoretical person who contrasts almost completely with the human person as viewed by advocates of constitutional government, ordered liberty, faith, and adherence to the precepts of natural law.

In the popes accounting, libertarianism exalts the selfish ideal in which it is only the individual who gives values to things and interpersonal relationships, and it is only the individual who decides what is good and what is bad. Writers such as Patrick Deneen and Rod Dreher have blamed the state of affairs as the inevitable end result of liberalism  the dominant philosophy of the Anglo-American sphere in modernity.

But it was not ever thus, Zmirak writes. He calls this person Homo Economist  not homo economicus, who seems an entirely fictional character, but rather one whose views he sees exemplified by secular pundits clustering in the prestige financial press. This man could be identified with the person whom late Samuel Huntington denominated as Davos Man  a rootless cosmopolitan who seeks unbound autonomy, not merely from capricious government, but all forms of tradition, particularity, family and, increasingly, the iron-clad laws of nature. (Witness Silicon Valleys febrile exploration of technologies that they hope will make death optional.)

Stealing the name of a noble movement against brutal tyranny that predates him by many centuries, Homo Economist dubs it Liberalism, Zmirak writes in an article for The Stream. And thus his excesses become associated with those who share some of his economic views but none of his philosophy. Both proponents and detractors of this form of liberalism trace its origins to the French Enlightenments animosity toward kings and priests.

But John Locke and Adam Smith didnt invent the concern for freedom. They were drawing on (and feeding off of) a much older tradition. Thomas Becket, resisting the power of the Crown. Thomas More, dying for his conscience. The Protestants who died under Mary.  John Locke came out of a specific movement. That was the English, Christian, Protestant movement for freedom of conscience. And secure property rights. And limits on royal power.

Liberalism, which sprang from Christian thought and is premised upon Christian presuppositions of human dignity and individual rights, need not end in a Reign of Terror, a Bolshevik menace, or a sexual state that suppresses the free expression of religion.

The Acton Institutes Sam Gregg  whose letters to the editor are more enlightening than most books  located the genesis of the new secular liberalism in its estrangement from natural law. This took place, he noted, at the same moment that organized Christianity began to abandon the supernatural for the subjective, the socially oriented, and the schmaltzy (this last being my term, not his). Zmirak, too, writes:

Adam Smith merely extended this English, Christian tradition. John Stuart Mill corrupted it, with his call on the State to liberate individuals from the tyranny of private, voluntary or natural institutions such as the Church and the family.

Deneen and others are correct that this form of liberalism cannot sustain society. But, as with libertarian individualism, there is a gulf between the term as presently understood and its historic pedigree.

Liberalism, particularly classical liberalism, embraces the restraints of what Sir Roger Scruton calls unchosen obligations: families, nations, and innumerable other intermediary institutions. As Eamonn Butler wrote about adherents of Classical Liberalism:

While they emphasise the priority of individuals, they recognise that people are not isolated, atomistic, self-centred beings. On the contrary, they are social animals and live in families and groups and communities that partly shape their values  clubs, associations, unions, religions, schools, online communities, campaigns, self-help groups, charities and all the other institutions that we call civil society.

Thus, as Lord Acton wrote, Liberty is established by the conflict of powers. The absence of these institutions strengthens the one remaining power exercising its trenchant might in our lives: government. Butler writes:

Civil society also provides a buffer between individuals and governments. If we really were all isolated individuals, our freedoms would be easily suppressed by a despotic government.

It is well worth identifying Homo Economist with the recognition that he cannot create a free and prosperous, much less virtuous, society.

(Photo credit: Ministerio da Industria, Comercio Exterior e Servicos-Brazil. CC BY-SA 2.0.)
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.
iShares MSCI Austria ETF's stock was trading at $15.26 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWO stock has increased by 70.8% and is now trading at $26.07.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
The CLA has criticised a new report for peddling "false claims" after it highlighted how landowners make billions of pounds of profit from selling land with planning permission.

The report, by the Centre for Progressive Policy and the National Housing Federation, claims English landowners made 13bn just through obtaining planning permission.

Landowners' total profits are more than the global profits of Amazon, McDonald's and Coca Cola combined, it states.

The new report also reveals that agricultural land now becomes 275 times more expensive once it receives planning permission, even before a single home is built.

But the CLA, which represents landowners and farmers, has challenged the claim, calling the report out for having "misleading figures".

CLA Director of Policy and Advice, Christopher Price said the figures in the report do not present an accurate view of the price land is sold for.

Nor do they accurately reflect the extent to which the state already captures the increased value of residential land compared to agricultural land, Mr Price said.

Government data on land values that underpin the assumptions in the report itself states the figures may be significantly higher than could reasonably be obtained for land in the actual market and strongly recommends the figures are used only for policy appraisal.

While there is an uplift in the value of the land, the current system already captures a high proportion of this value to fund affordable housing, GP surgeries, schools and other infrastructure.

These planning obligations are a pre-requisite to any development going ahead and exist to mitigate the impact of development. The Government has recently taken steps to ensure developers contribute fully to these obligations.

Mr Price said the current system achieves an "equilibrium" which ensures landowners are incentivised to sell land, that developers build and social infrastructure like affordable homes and schools are catered for.

He added: We are concerned that using these misleading figures as the basis to extract further value will break this equilibrium and stall land coming on to the market, holding back the delivery of all types of homes.
A construction company has been ordered to pay out over 150,000 after a worker fell through a timber frame farm building, leading to a fractured spine.

South Tyneside Magistrates Court heard how, on 20 September 2017, an employee of Northern Structures Ltd was removing roof sheets from a timber frame farm building.

He subsequently fell approximately 4 metres through one of the asbestos cement roof sheets onto the ground below, suffering a fractured spine.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that, while a risk assessment and method statement were in place to remove the roof sheets from below, this method was then changed to remove them from above.

It was during this process that the employee fell through a roof sheet.

Northern Structures Ltd of Amble Industrial Estate, Amble, Northumberland pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1)(a) and Regulation 4(1)(c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined 150,000 with 791.70 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Loren Wilmot said: Suitable and sufficient measures should have been in place through the use of alternative access equipment.

This would have negated the need for the employee to be on the roof of the building, therefore eliminating the risk of a fall from height through the roof sheets.
Despite recent news that Vivergo is shutting down for the foreseeable future, AHDB market analysts say the impacts that will be felt, while important, might not be to the same extent as initially assumed.

Vivergo Fuels Ltd has confirmed it will cease production due to a difficult trading environment.

The company, which sources from 900 farms, also blamed delays in the implementation of E10 in the UK.

Zak Watling, AHDB Market Analyst, said: The overall supply and demand situation doesnt drastically change for the 2018/19 season, even though there will be a slight rebalancing of demand, when comparing historical usage with wheat production and consumption scenarios.

Vivergo has a reported maximum consumption of 1.1 million tonnes of feed wheat per year.

It would be unrealistic to expect demand for UK wheat to fall by the same amount. We have to remember that there are many factors affecting UK wheat consumption, not least livestock, Mr Watling added.

Analysts expect an increased demand for feed wheat, due to the dry summer and reduced availability of forage, as well as sustained demand from the poultry sector.

British compound animal feed production, including integrated poultry units, in July was five per cent higher than the year earlier and the highest level for the month of July since records began in 1995/1996.

Whats more, reduced production of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) from the bioethanol sector, while a small percentage of overall feed demand, will need to be compensated for.

The latest Defra data, combined with the AHDB planting and variety survey results, suggest a total UK wheat area for 2018 of 1.8 million hectares.

Together with an average national yield range of 7.7 to 8.0 tonnes a hectare, according to ADAS, this would suggest a theoretical wheat production figure of between 13.88 and14.42 million tonnes in 2018.

However, this is only a scenario and the provisional Defra figure will need to be taken into account when available on 8 October.

Mr Watling said: Even with a five-year average consumption level, which sees a trade-off between reduced industrial sector wheat usage and increased livestock feed demand, we could still be seeing tightness within the UK wheat balance sheet.
A new partnership has been created to help farmers who are struggling to obtain funding for urgent or complicated projects, in the first partnership of its kind.

UK Agricultural Finance and NatWest have joined forces to offer loans to farmers who may not have immediate access to high street lending.

The agricultural lender, founded in 2015, has become the first agricultural specialist to join Capital Connections; NatWests panel of alternative lenders.

Set up to offer complementary sources of capital to small and medium-sized businesses, Capital Connections signposts NatWest customers to sources of finance outside of its traditional high street arm.

Mainstream agricultural lenders are very good at offering conventional loans, but it can be more difficult for farmers to access funding for business development, diversification or restructuring, explained Robert Suss, CEO of UK Agricultural Finance.

Often projects are urgent or complex, requiring a bespoke solution rather than an off-the-peg package.

He added: As agricultural specialists, we understand farmers needs, and can create a loan to suit their circumstance, whether thats providing for delayed repayments or higher loan-to-value ratios.

Loans of between 100,000 to 10 million are secured against agricultural land and property across England, Scotland and Wales.

Terms are available from one to seven years with a maximum loan-to-value of 65%.

'Transformational'

Ian Burrow, NatWests head of agriculture and energy, agreed that traditional funding routes are not always the best option for businesses in the rural community.

Now UK Agricultural Finance will be able to provide loans to help farmers diversify or grow, ease generational transfer, or purchase tenanted farms, for example, he said.

Lord Davies of Abersoch, chairman of UK Agricultural Finance, said the new partnership will be transformational in supporting the farming community with access to flexible and reliable finance.

He said: The pressure on British farmers to be globally competitive, innovative and eco-friendly is greater than ever. This partnership will enable us to provide more rural businesses and farmers with vital access to capital to enable them to diversify, sustain, grow and improve their businesses.
Scottish farmers are now reporting better than expected yields following the tumultuous weather experienced during winter and summer.

A long, cold, wet winter suddenly turned into the joint hottest summer on record for the UK, and farmers feared the worst for their 2018 harvest.

With farmers inputting across most of Scotland, many are currently trying to finish off harvest in between spells of rain.

Across the board many have seen poorer than average yields from winter and spring barley as well as for straw.

The picture for wheat has been mixed, with some reporting good quality, whilst others stating that it got hit hard at the start of the summer and never fully recovered.

According to NFU Scotland, spirits are high amongst farmers, who feel it could have been much worse considering the weather experienced.

NFU Scotland Combinable Crops Chairman, Ian Sands, who farms in Perthshire, said that farmers had an uphill battle early in the year to get everything ready and planted for autumn harvest.

Going into the spring period with the bad weather that we had was a serious problem for many of our combinable crops members, Mr Sands said.

Following up this wet winter and spring with such an unseasonably hot and dry summer could have been disastrous for cereal farmers who require a healthy balance of warm and damp weather to produce the crops that we are renowned for.

Here in Perthshire, yields are nothing special but okay considering the conditions we have had to endure over the last few months. Straw yields have been pretty poor per acre but that is to be expected with the long, dry spell stopping growth.

An upside of the hot weather is that most grain will be at an acceptable moisture and less drying will be required.

Mr Sands added: Winter crops are getting sown into good quality seed beds and are well ahead of last year, when we struggled to clear fields of some crops and did not have the conditions to start sowing when we needed to.
Somerset farmers are playing a vital role in helping save one of the worlds rarest birds from extinction by planning haying activities to avoid nesting sites.

The hay-meadows of the Somerset Moors and Levels are the largest wetlands in England home to many waders and some of the rarest birds on Earth.

A quarter of the global population of curlews can be found in the UK, but breeding numbers have dropped dramatically in the last 25 years.

Numbers have decreased by a third in less than 25 years - from around 100,000 pairs to just 66,000 breeding pairs.

Identifying nesting sites and working with farmers to delay haying has halted the decline of curlews in Somerset over the last ten years.

Holding off haying

During the summer, teams of trained volunteers have been identifying curlew nesting locations.

This information has been passed to farmers so that haying can be held off until any chicks have fledged and left the nest.

Chris Corrigan, the RSPBs director for England said: It sounds so simple, but changing when a field is hayed can make a huge difference to an endangered species.

Thanks to the willingness of our farming communities we have been able to alert farmers to where important nesting sites are located. This means they can plan to hay other areas until chicks have fledged and the nest is no longer needed.

Sam Mitchell, a farmer with land adjacent to Kings Sedgemoor explains: "Since we put the land into the Higher Level Stewardship its been a delight to hear the distinctive sounds of snipe and curlew more regularly on the fields once again, I am very keen to do anything I can to assist to assist the wildlife of the Levels and Moors.

The project is also helping to protect another enigmatic bird of the Levels  the snipe.

Snipe numbers have been steadily increasing in the hay meadows of the Levels over the last 10 years to 150 pairs, thanks to farmers helping boost numbers be careful farm management.
Police are searching for more information after thieves stole a farm forklift and used it to steal an ATM outside a convenience store in Dumfries and Galloway.

The theft happened in Gretna in the early hours of Thursday (20 September). It is believed the ATM carried a five figure sum.

Police were called around 02.45am after three people wearing balaclavas used an industrial Manitou forklift to forcibly remove an ATM from the wall of the Cooperative Store in Annan Road, causing extensive damage to the building.

It is understood that the forklift was stolen from a nearby farm prior to the incident.

The three suspects made off from the scene in a stolen silver coloured Vauxhall Vectra motor car, which had been adapted to fit the ATM in the boot, heading along Surrone Road onto Loanwath Road.

The incident follows a police warning highlighting how criminals are frequently stealing machinery from farms, such as telescopic handlers and fork lifts, in a bid to target ATMs.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dumfries CID via 101, quoting incident number 0246 of Thursday 20 September 2018. Alternatively you can call CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 where details can be given in confidence.
Use of antibiotics in UK livestock falls again, report shows

Last year saw another drop in use of antibiotics
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critic's rating: 3.0/5

Electricity is the key to Indias development. If monsoon drives our agriculture then its electricity which drives the industry. But apart from that, electricity also drives education, as students in remote areas can study under better lighting, it leads to security as crimes get lessened in better lit areas. In metros, we take 24/7 electricity for granted but a better part of India still doesn't have access to that. Worse, the power companies are sometimes guilty of overcharging, with little or no apparatus in place to redress the wrongs. Yes, there are consumer courts and other suchlike facilities but the reality is that the common man has to run from pillar to post to get the deed done. Most times, one is advised to play the bill first, and any excess, if found, would be adjusted to future billing. Taken individually, it's hardly a problem as all that is required is to change the faulty meter. But such faults happen on a mass scale, leading to lots of heartburn, and needless to say, monetary loss to the consumer. But you can't fight the system and hence given in. Shree Narayan Singh, who in 2017 came up with Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and raised pertinent questions regarding open defecation in our country, chooses to address the problem of faulty meters, bloated electricity bills and the need for electricity to reach the remotest hut in Batti Gul Meter Chalu.



The film revolves three friends living in Tehri, Uttrakhand. Naughty (Shraddha Kapoor), runs a boutique and dreams of becoming a big name in the fashion industry someday, Tripathi (Divyendu Sharma) is a straight-laced guy who yearns to run his own small-scale unit, believing that hardwork and honesty are enough to run a business. SK (Shahid Kapoor) is the most cunning of the lot. A canny lawyer, he specialises in running extortion scams and getting money from local businessmen, scaring them into submission through the threat of a lawsuit. Naughty likes both but hasn't made up his mind about choosing one as her life partner. Finally, liking his honesty, she choses Tripathy, only to find that SK has cut off from them because of that. That's the reason he doesn't help them when Tripathy comes to him for legal advice. Troubled with mounting expenditures, Tripathy decides to commit suicide. That's when SK's conscience awakens and he decides to fight the good fight, not only for his late friend but also for the millions too helpless to take on the system...



The film states that electricity is a fundamental right according to the law. The courtroom scenes are the soul of the film and bring out all the sides of the problem, stating facts and figures and making you realise the extent of it. The film also takes a cue from Gandhigiri, what with Shahid hitting upon the idea of citizens sending fused bulbs to their respective electricity companies as a mark of protest. It's shown in the film that not only the idea a hit in Uttrakhand, it becomes a mass movement across the nation as well. Shahid sparkles in the role of a loveable rake turning into a white knight out for justice. The way he uses his hustling tactics to win arguments in court is amusing. In the first half, we see him viewing life as a game but in the later half, he matures and lets silence take over in emotional scenes. His impassioned plea at the end points out all that's wrong with the system and states that nothing will change unless we collectively act upon it. Divyendu Sharma, who is the moral compass of the film, too sticks to the parameters of his role. He is realistic in his portrayal of someone who believes in fair play till life decides to teach him otherwise. Shraddha Kapoor, as the girl fiercely protective of her friends, too looks the part. Her relationship with the guys is real, as is her confusion when it comes to choosing romance over love. Yami Gautam arrives towards the end as a lawyer and while she does the needful, her role is too brief for her to leave an impact.



Director Shree Narayan Singh has made sure his actors speak at least a smattering of the local dialect. While the camaraderie between the three leads looks real, too much time is spent establishing that. Almost the first half is devoted to it. It would have helped if the film started off with the court case and the earlier portions were part of flashbacks. The linear progression hurts the film. Cinematography by Anshuman Mahaley brings about the picture postcard quality of the region in some frames but also brings into focus the rapid urbanisation which like ugly warts, has put a blight on Uttarakhand's natural beauty.





All-in-all, Batti Gul Meter Chalu is a film which has its heart in the right place. Better editing and a shortening of length by twenty minutes would have made the film more impactful.



Trailer : Batti Gul Meter Chalu

Electricity is the key to Indias development. If monsoon drives our agriculture then its electricity which drives the industry. But apart from that, electricity also drives education, as students in remote areas can study under better lighting, it leads to security as crimes get lessened in better lit areas. In metros, we take 24/7 electricity for granted but a better part of India still doesn't have access to that. Worse, the power companies are sometimes guilty of overcharging, with little or no apparatus in place to redress the wrongs. Yes, there are consumer courts and other suchlike facilities but the reality is that the common man has to run from pillar to post to get the deed done. Most times, one is advised to play the bill first, and any excess, if found, would be adjusted to future billing. Taken individually, it's hardly a problem as all that is required is to change the faulty meter. But such faults happen on a mass scale, leading to lots of heartburn, and needless to say, monetary loss to the consumer. But you can't fight the system and hence given in. Shree Narayan Singh, who in 2017 came up with Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and raised pertinent questions regarding open defecation in our country, chooses to address the problem of faulty meters, bloated electricity bills and the need for electricity to reach the remotest hut in Batti Gul Meter Chalu.The film revolves three friends living in Tehri, Uttrakhand. Naughty (Shraddha Kapoor), runs a boutique and dreams of becoming a big name in the fashion industry someday, Tripathi (Divyendu Sharma) is a straight-laced guy who yearns to run his own small-scale unit, believing that hardwork and honesty are enough to run a business. SK (Shahid Kapoor) is the most cunning of the lot. A canny lawyer, he specialises in running extortion scams and getting money from local businessmen, scaring them into submission through the threat of a lawsuit. Naughty likes both but hasn't made up his mind about choosing one as her life partner. Finally, liking his honesty, she choses Tripathy, only to find that SK has cut off from them because of that. That's the reason he doesn't help them when Tripathy comes to him for legal advice. Troubled with mounting expenditures, Tripathy decides to commit suicide. That's when SK's conscience awakens and he decides to fight the good fight, not only for his late friend but also for the millions too helpless to take on the system...The film states that electricity is a fundamental right according to the law. The courtroom scenes are the soul of the film and bring out all the sides of the problem, stating facts and figures and making you realise the extent of it. The film also takes a cue from Gandhigiri, what with Shahid hitting upon the idea of citizens sending fused bulbs to their respective electricity companies as a mark of protest. It's shown in the film that not only the idea a hit in Uttrakhand, it becomes a mass movement across the nation as well. Shahid sparkles in the role of a loveable rake turning into a white knight out for justice. The way he uses his hustling tactics to win arguments in court is amusing. In the first half, we see him viewing life as a game but in the later half, he matures and lets silence take over in emotional scenes. His impassioned plea at the end points out all that's wrong with the system and states that nothing will change unless we collectively act upon it. Divyendu Sharma, who is the moral compass of the film, too sticks to the parameters of his role. He is realistic in his portrayal of someone who believes in fair play till life decides to teach him otherwise. Shraddha Kapoor, as the girl fiercely protective of her friends, too looks the part. Her relationship with the guys is real, as is her confusion when it comes to choosing romance over love. Yami Gautam arrives towards the end as a lawyer and while she does the needful, her role is too brief for her to leave an impact.Director Shree Narayan Singh has made sure his actors speak at least a smattering of the local dialect. While the camaraderie between the three leads looks real, too much time is spent establishing that. Almost the first half is devoted to it. It would have helped if the film started off with the court case and the earlier portions were part of flashbacks. The linear progression hurts the film. Cinematography by Anshuman Mahaley brings about the picture postcard quality of the region in some frames but also brings into focus the rapid urbanisation which like ugly warts, has put a blight on Uttarakhand's natural beauty.All-in-all, Batti Gul Meter Chalu is a film which has its heart in the right place. Better editing and a shortening of length by twenty minutes would have made the film more impactful.

Rachit Gupta, September 21, 2018, 6:37 PM IST critic's rating: 3.0/5 Story: Nauti (Shraddha Kapoor), SK (Shahid Kapoor) and Tripathi (Divyendu Sharma) are friends who live in the small town of Tehri in Uttarakhand. The trio is inseparable and their dosti is rock solid. But life takes a turn for the worse, when Tripathis new business set-up is slammed with an exorbitant electricity bill of 54 lakhs.



Review: Director Shree Narayan Singhs Batti Gul Meter Chalu (BGMC) is a film that talks about a very pertinent issue, a fundamental right and a basic amenity, which is often denied to the common man in various parts of our country. But for all its good intentions, BGMC is also a fairly flawed film. The movie needed a tighter editing effort, because at five minutes short of 3 hours, the narrative becomes overbearing. The movie holds up a strong and scathing mirror to corruption and everything that is wrong with corporations and their governance. It is a story that needs to be told, undoubtedly, but the runtime just robs the movie of its impact.

The story kicks off in the hills of Uttarakhand, where SK is a wily lawyer who makes a living by blackmailing local businessmen who indulge in malpractices. Nauti is an aspiring fashion designer with her own boutique while Tripathi wants to start his own business. The common grouse in the town is the failing electrical grid, which is pretty much their way of life. Shree Narayan Singh has a knack of portraying the heartland of India with a flair and finesse, and after Toilet Ek Prem Katha, he does that once again. The film has its special moments, like the camaraderie between the buddies, but the screenplay by Siddharth-Garima spends too much time establishing their interpersonal relationships, which slacken the narrative. The movie picks up pace once Tripathis business dream comes crashing down, as a corrupt power company sends him a humongous bill. It is then, that the drama really kicks in.



The second half of BGMC unfolds in the court, as Shahid Kapoors SK launches an all-out attack on the corrupt power company. This segment of the movie serves up heightened drama and in a sense, salvages the films dodgy first half. Shahids characters transformation really works in favour of the actor. Once his SK becomes the honest lawyer with a mission, Shahid is able to blend a fine balance between the over-confident young man and the guy with a heart of gold. His monologue during the climax is superb. Shraddha Kapoor plays the peppy small town girl with panache. Divyendu shows restraint in the good guy role. Yami Gautam appears as a lawyer, only in the second half, but doesnt leave much of an impact.



With a tighter runtime and more focus on the crux of the story, this social drama had the potential to shine bright. The cinematography by Anshuman Mahaley manages to capture the beauty of Uttarakhands hills very well. The movie also has a parallel track of two characters named Vikas and Kalyan, narrating the story, but the metaphor doesnt quite click. BGMC loses power under the load of its heavy-duty screenplay.





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critic's rating: 3.0/5

Trailer : The Equalizer 2

The Equalizer (2014) ended with its villain asking the question -- who are you, before dying a bloody death. Its what the audience wanted to know too as director Antoine Fuqua didnt give us a backstory to the protagonist Robert McCall (Denzel Washington). We knew his wife was dead, that he was going through a list of 100 best books to read before you die in her memory and that he was only pally with an old couple played by Bill Pullman and Melissa Leo who might have had some inlinking to his past. Through the film, we did come to know that he was very, very dangerous and capable of killing people within seconds with whatever he could lay his hands on. For instance, he killed someone with a nail gun in the last film. The present film gives us a chance to get to know more about his past. We come to know that Melissa was his handler back when he was a black ops operative. Her death in Brussels while acting as a consultant for the CIA prompts him to seek out Dave York (Pedro Pascal), his former partner. With Yorks help, he begins to piece together the clues, finally learning the reason behind Melissas murder, which leads him to confront former colleagues in his hometown, currently under the eye of a violent storm...But the film isnt just a murder mystery but is also an actioner. The action starts right from the first frame when we see McCall dressed up as a chaste Muslim rescuing a kidnapped young American girl from her Turkish father in a Turkey bound train. He has become a Flyte driver and during the course of driving people around helps whoever he feels needs his help. It can take the form of helping a Holocaust survivor unite with his long-lost sister or stopping a teenager from falling into the clutches of a local gang and mentoring him into painting a mural on a wall which had been vandalised. It can occasionally turn violent, as it does when he returns to the apartment of men who had raped an intern and carves them up with a platinum credit card. And under 30 seconds too. He may have gone old (Washington is 63 in real life) but hes still a badass. He sort of becomes a black Punisher who also rescues cats.While the film is hugely entertaining, having some really slick action scenes and a Western shootout like climax where our Lone Ranger fights both bad climate and bad people to come up trumps, you want to know why Washington, who is a two-time Oscar winner and is known worldwide as a method actor par excellence, chose this film to be his first ever sequel. Was it a desire perhaps to get an action franchise in his old age? Or was it a desire to work with director Antoine Fuqua for the fourth time? What drives him to do action films in the first place when he can have any dramatic role worth doing in Hollywood? The film certainly doesnt need his acting chops or his star power and could well have belonged to a John Cena, for instance.Watch the film for its superbly executed action and for more of a story than the last one. And for the behemoth called Denzel Washington who can make you believe hes a cold-blooded killer one moment and a concerned father figure to troubled teenagers in the next...
critic's rating: 3.5/5

Trailer : The House With a Clock in Its Walls

It's 1955. Recently orphaned, ten year old Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro) boards a bus to go live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack Black) in a small town in Michigan. Upon his arrival, Lewis discovers that his uncle is a warlock and lives in a house which rightfully belongs to Gothic horror. It's full of things that go bump in the night and is also choc-a-bloc with clocks. His uncles' next-door neighbor is a purple-clad witch Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett). The duo have a platonic relationship going back eons and have dedicated their lives to fighting evil. When Lewis is found to be of magical talent himself, the duo combine to teach him the intricacies of the arcane and you're somewhat in the Harry Potter territory in those moments, though John Bellairs' novel, on which the film is based, came out in the 70s, much before JK Rowling decided to indulge in Pottermania. There are so many Potterisms in the film that it does give you a sense of deja vu. An orphan, talented in magic, whose parents we later learned were killed by the evil practitioners of magic, someone ill at ease in the real world but right at home in the magical world, who is used by an evil sorcerer and later fights him to save the planet  are just some of the things that are common to both universes.The first half of the film is dominated by the strange house or rather the strangeness of the house. The house has things like a topiary griffin, which leads to jokes like the monster shitting leaves and mulch at inappropriate moments, a dog like stuffed chair which follows Lewis around, an ever changing glass painting, a mirror which shows TV programmes, a giant telescope which projects images from the past and carved pumpkins which come to life as evil monsters later in the film. Actor Jack Black too can be said to be sort of an extension to the house. He's a bumbling magician who doesn't have control over his powers. In one of the most memorable scenes of the film, he sneezes and converts some corn cobs into popcorn. Jack Black always plays every character with the enthusiasm of a St Bernard welcoming his master home and here he fills each fame with abundant energy, tripping over himself constantly, waking up the neighbours with impromptu jazz sessions at 3 am and bantering away magnificently with Cate Blanchett. The actress plays a powerful witch who has sort of lost her mojo after the death of her daughter and the maternal feelings she develops for Lewis rekindles her batteries, so to speak. She essays her role with a blend of pathos and eccentricity and is the sane voice of reason in the void of madness. She shares an easy camaraderie with Black and their good-hearted barbs towards each other are a foil against the macabre nature of the film.Eli Roth, who is famous for such cult horror films as Cabin Fever (2002) and Hostel (2005) seems at first like an unlikely choice for a film aimed at children but you change your mind as the drama unfolds. He combines horror tropes with the surreal quality of the book on which the film is based to create a world which is weird and menacing but doesn't lack goodness either. Lewis seems to be caught in an unpleasant nightmare but the director makes sure he wakes up from it with his wits intact and becomes wiser and braver from the experience. The comic-goth milieu works for both adults and children. Child actor Owen Vaccaro is just right for the role, not too cute, not too nerdy and showing the right amount of gumption when occasion demands. All-in-all, the film comes across as a family entertainer  something which the adults can enjoy with their kids -- and has all the hallmarks of the beginning of a profitable franchise for Amblin. Fingers crossed!
The veteran actor Vijayakumar had recently lodged a police complaint against his daughter/actress Vanitha and claimed that that the house she was staying in belonged to him. The Sneham Kosam actor had further asked her to move out of the house ASAP. Following this, Vanitha was questioned by the cops about the matter. After leaving the police station, she spoke to the media and commented on her father's allegation. She said that the house belongs to her mother and added that being the eldest daughter, she was the 'heir' to the property.

"The house actually belongs to my mother and I am a legal heir to that property. I am her first daughter and I have all the rights to be in that house. How can an Inspector bring me to the Police Station and slap me? I have already filed a case in the court, and when that case is pending, the Police shouldn't even interfere. It is a civil case," she was quoted as saying by behindwoods.

Vanitha also claimed that it was totally wrong to expect her to vacate the house all of sudden and mentioned that she was called to the police station at night.

"I am currently staying in that house, and how can they all of a sudden ask me to vacate? I was not properly informed or told, and out of nowhere, this police officer brings me to the Police station in the middle of the night. I do not know what else to do," said Vanitha.

This is a developing situation and it will be worth watching what happens next.
The Wedding Invite

Prince and Yuvika's wedding invite looks absolutely beautiful! The invite is placed in a fancy designer box along with a golden colored Ganpati idol and a photo frame. Yuvika while talking about the invite said that this is how she always wanted her wedding invite to look like.

Yuvika Is Emtional

Talking about the wedding preparations, Yuvika said, "I have butterflies in my stomach. As the day is closing in, I am getting jitters. There is the pressure of organizing everything properly and in time. It's also an emotional time for me, as I am all set to embark on a new journey with Prince."

Prince's Mother Visited Yuvika's Family

In the interview, Yuvika revealed that Prince's mother had been to her house to ask for her hand in marriage to her son, while Prince was still in the Bigg Boss house.

They Were 'Destined To Be Together'

Yuvika said, "I was taken by surprise when his mother came to my family with his rishta when he was still inside the house. So, in a way, Prince and I were destined to be together. I tell him jokingly that he came to Mumbai for me."

They Fell In Love After Bigg Boss

Though Prince expressed his liking towards Yuvika in the beginning of Bigg Boss, Yuvika said she needed time to feel the same about him. Apparently, she even told Prince to stay away if he was pretending to like her only to gain popularity.

Their Love Story On The Reality Show

Looking back in time and reminiscing the Bigg Boss memories, Yuvika said, "He would often tell me that I should talk more, as he feared that I wouldn't last for long on the show (laughs!). We are one of those few jodis whose love blossomed on the reality show."
In an industrial zone of Singapore, middle-aged men queue up to become drivers for a ride-hailing app on a typical weekday in August. A handful of insurance brokers mill around the office trying to sell them accident policies.

Southeast Asian mobility platform Grab teamed up with New Jersey-headquartered Chubb Insurance in March to sell policies to the apps users. The Chubb agents in Grabs Sin Ming office were carrying reams of paper forms for the drivers to fill out longhand.

The next big theme in fintech is going to be user-based insurance, said Ashkay Naheta, managing director of strategic finance at SoftBank, a major investor in...
DUBLIN, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Minister for Finance announces ADAPT Centre will lead on 5 million research programme which will advance innovations in Blockchain and FinTech Research and build a fintech ecosystem in Ireland.

Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe T.D., and the ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology, have announced a new Financial Technology (FinTech) research programme, FinTech Fusion . The academic and industry research partnership was launched today in Dublin city centre.FinTech Fusion will encourage breakthroughs in payment, regulation and insurance technologies by accelerating scientific progress and enabling data-driven research.

The rapid advancements in AI, mobile applications, cloud computing, Big Data analytics and distributed ledger technology such as Blockchain has demanded organisations change in order to remain competitive.FinTech Fusion's research programme will address how financial technology is disrupting and transforming businesses from financial institutions to technology companies, along with the retail and wholesale financial sector, and lead on innovations that are capable of creating significant change in financial services, on a global scale.

Speaking at the launch of FinTech Fusion, Minister Donohoe said: "The collaboration between industry and third level institutions in research programmes, such as FinTech Fusion, gives Ireland an early advantage in emerging technologies. Coupled with our open economy and strong background in both technology and financial services, this will add to the opportunities already available for the creation of higher value jobs. The investment in ADAPT, from Science Foundation Ireland, is part of the Irish Government's wider effort to invest in research, support innovation and build Ireland's knowledge and skills, creating a global hub for digital content technologies. I look forward to the future innovations coming from the ADAPT Centre as it continues to provide cutting-edge solutions to the problems of our digital age."

The research will focus on payments, insurance and regulation. Distributed ledger systems are providing alternative payment systems that are faster, cheaper, and more transparent; technological innovations such as blockchain-based frameworks can reduce human intervention and fraud while increasing transparency and efficiency; the role of regulatory compliance will require state-of-the-art tools for risk prediction and mitigating costly threats. These new technologies are putting pressure on the business models of traditional financial services and how banks and companies react to this disruption will define their future success.

FinTech Fusion's academic researchers will work together with more than a dozen companies including Deutsche Borse, Fidelity Investments, Microsoft, Gecko Governance, FINEOS and Zurich.

Professor Vincent Wade, Director of the ADAPT research centre based at Trinity College Dublin said: "ADAPT's world-leading expertise in content media and intelligence will enable FinTech Fusion to create new solutions for an ever-changing technological and financial world. Partners have a unique opportunity to leapfrog emerging technologies by researching new solutions and develop new paradigms for the FinTech industry."

For media queries contact Olivia Waters, Marketing and Communications Manager at the ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology. Tel: 0879153599.Email:olivia.waters@adaptcentre.ie
Point-of-care regenerative medicine technology approved to treat second- and third-degree burns using Spray-On Skin Cells product

U.S. market launch planned for 4th calendar quarter 2018. Target market for burns approximates USD $200 million

AVITA Medical (ASX: AVH) (OTCQX: AVMXY), a global regenerative medicine company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Company's Premarket Approval (PMA) application to market the RECELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device (RECELL System) to treat severe thermal burns in patients 18 years and older. The RECELL System uses a small amount of a patient's own skin to prepare Spray-On Skin Cells at the point of care in as little as 30 minutes, providing a new way to treat thermal burns. The two randomized, controlled clinical trials supporting the FDA approval demonstrated that treatment of acute burn wounds with the RECELL System required substantially less donor skin than required with conventional split-thickness autografts to achieve closure of burn wounds. Reduction in donor skin requirements provides key clinical benefits to patients and significant reductions in the cost of treatment.

"Patients are at the center of everything we do at AVITA Medical, and we are pleased to be able to provide an innovative solution for the treatment of severe burn injuries," said Dr. Michael Perry, Chief Executive Officer. "Today's approval of the RECELL System marks an important milestone for us and provides a new way to treat burns for the thousands of patients with significant unmet medical needs. We are grateful to those patients who participated in clinical trials of the RECELL System and to the clinical trial investigator teams whose dedication and scientific rigor made this approval possible. We also greatly appreciate our collaboration with BARDA and the support that they have provided to us throughout the development of the RECELL System."

The RECELL System is approved to be used at the point of care by trained healthcare professionals to treat adult patients with severe thermal burns. The RECELL System can be used alone in the treatment of partial-thickness burns, or in combination with autografting for the treatment of full-thickness burns. A small skin sample is collected and immersed in the Company's proprietary Enzyme solution in the RECELL System to separate the skin cells to produce Spray-On Skin Cells. The resultant Regenerative Epidermal Suspension (RES) includes keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and melanocytes, which play a critical role in wound healing. The suspension is then sprayed directly onto the prepared burn wound, providing a broad and even distribution of live cells across the entire wound bed. The RECELL System can be used to prepare enough RES to treat a wound up to 80 times the size of the donor skin sample, so a skin sample approximately the size of a credit card can be used to treat a wound that covers a patient's entire back.

"Today's approval of the RECELL System is a significant advancement in how we treat patients with burns," said James H Holmes IV, MD, FACS, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "Dramatically reducing the amount of donor skin needed to treat second- and third-degree burns has important implications for pain, scarring and costs of care, while still providing comparable healing to the current standard of care. Additionally, the potential reduction in mortality is extremely promising."

FDA Approval Supported by the Results from Two Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trials

FDA approval was based on the results of two randomized, controlled clinical trials comparing the treatment of burn patients with the RECELL System against the standard of care. The first controlled trial compared treatment with the RECELL System versus treatment with conventional split-thickness autografts in patients with deep partial-thickness (second-degree) burn injuries. During the pivotal trial, the patient donor skin required to be harvested to treat burn sites with the RECELL System was 97.5% less than the amount harvested to treat burn sites using standard of care resulting in a statistically significant reduction in patient-reported pain, increased patient satisfaction and improved donor scar outcomes. Despite the statistically significant reduction in donor skin required to treat with the RECELL System, burn sites treated with RECELL achieved definitive closure comparable to the burn sites treated with standard of care. Results from the second-degree burn pivotal trial were published online on May 24, 2018 in the Journal of Burn Care Research (JBCR), followed by publication in the September/October 2018 issue (Volume 39, Issue 5) of JBCR. The results have also been presented at multiple scientific conferences, including the Top Five Abstract plenary session of the American Burn Association (ABA) 50th Annual Meeting held in April 2018.

The second randomized, controlled pivotal clinical trial evaluated treatment of deep full-thickness (third-degree) burns with the RECELL System combined with split-thickness autografts, versus treatment with standard of care. During the pivotal trial, the patient donor skin required to be harvested to treat burn sites with the RECELL System was 32 percent less than the amount harvested to treat burn sites with the standard of care (p<0.001). Despite the statistically significant reduction in donor skin required to treat with the RECELL System, burn sites treated with the RECELL System achieved definitive closure comparable to the burn sites treated with standard of care. At eight weeks post treatment, 92 percent of the burn sites treated with the RECELL System achieved complete healing versus 85 percent for the sites treated with the standard of care, demonstrating non-inferiority. Results from the pivotal trial in third-degree burns have been presented at multiple scientific conferences, including the ABA Meeting in April 2018.

In addition to the two pivotal trials, the RECELL System has been used in the treatment of over 90 burn patients under a Compassionate Use program, and over 65 patients under a Continued Access program. Both programs were approved by the FDA and allowed the treatment of patients with severe burns while the PMA was under review. In addition, more than 7,000 patients worldwide have been treated to date with the RECELL System.

"I have participated as an investigator in the two pivotal clinical trials of the RECELL System as well as the Compassionate Use and Continued Access programs," said William Hickerson, MD, FACS, Firefighter Burn Center, Memphis, Tennessee, and University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee. "Based on my personal experience treating patients with the RECELL System, and the strength of the entire body of clinical evidence supporting this innovative technology, today's approval will improve the treatment of burn patients."

Healthcare professionals should read the INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE RECELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device for a full description of important safety information including contraindications, warnings and precautions.

Economic Model Demonstrates Significantly Reduced Treatment Costs for RECELL System

The frequency of burn-related injuries and the cost of treatment are high. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 486,000 patients receive emergency medical treatment for burns annually. Burn injuries result in approximately 3,400 deaths each year, the third-leading cause of accidental home injury deaths. Burns covering up to 90 percent of a person's body surface area, once considered fatal injuries, have become survivable with appropriate treatment. Although split-thickness autografts are the current standard treatment, grafting is associated with significant donor site pain, delayed healing and scarring.

IQVIA, with support from AVITA Medical and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), developed a Burn Care Pathway Health Economic Model to determine cost savings to burn centers as a result of using the RECELL System compared to the current standard of care to treat second- and third-degree burns of varying sizes. The validated model demonstrates that using the RECELL System alone in second-degree burns or in combination with autografts in third-degree burns reduces hospital costs and length of stay, regardless of comorbidities, lowering the cost of treatment by 44 percent or more for patients with large burns. In addition, the model concluded that in a 200-bed burn center, the use of the RECELL System would reduce annual total treatment costs by USD $13 million.

BARDA Funding Supports Development of RECELL System

Funding for the development of the RECELL System was provided by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under ongoing USG Contract No. HHSO100201500028C. Since 2015, BARDA has committed USD $50 million towards specific development initiatives including the two randomized, controlled clinical trials, the Compassionate Use and Continued Access programs, the PMA and related activities, development of the health economic model demonstrating the cost savings associated with the RECELL System, and two randomized, controlled clinical trials which will evaluate the RECELL System in the pediatric population. Procurement of the RECELL System by BARDA under a vendor-managed inventory system would be triggered in the future to bolster preparedness by providing availability for use in a national disaster. In addition, part of the funding for the pivotal clinical trials was provided by the U.S. Department of the Army, AFIRM 1 Contract W81XWH-08-2-0032.

"While severe thermal burns happen every day, in a national security emergency an overwhelming number of people may need burn care quickly," said BARDA Director Rick Bright, PhD. "Medical providers need easy-to-use treatments on hand to save more lives. Our goal is not only to support product development but also to integrate those products into routine care to build preparedness."

U.S. Market Launch

In anticipation of approval, AVITA Medical has undertaken substantial efforts to prepare for the U.S. market launch. These initiatives include the recruitment of sales and marketing leadership highly experienced in regenerative medicine and the treatment of burns, completion and assimilation of extensive direct market research, and establishment of pricing and reimbursement strategies and support infrastructure. With the receipt of FDA approval, the Company will finalize its product packaging and promotional materials to reflect the final approval details and will complete the recruitment and hiring of its field sales team. The Company expects to formally launch the RECELL System in the U.S. in the fourth calendar quarter of 2018. The Company estimates that inpatient treatment of burns in the U.S., the initial target for the RECELL System, is an approximately USD $200 million market.

ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LIMITED

AVITA Medical is a regenerative medicine company with a technology platform positioned to address unmet medical needs in burns, chronic wounds, and aesthetics indications. AVITA Medical's patented and proprietary collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patient's own skin. The medical devices work by preparing a REGENERATIVE EPIDERMAL SUSPENSION(RES), an autologous suspension comprising the patient's skin cells necessary to regenerate natural healthy epidermis. This autologous suspension is then sprayed onto the areas of the patient requiring treatment.

AVITA Medical's first FDA approved product, the RECELL System, produces Spray-On Skin Cells using a small amount of a patient's own skin, providing a new way to treat severe burns, while significantly reducing the amount of donor skin required. The RECELL System is designed to be used at the point of care alone or in combination with autografts depending on the depth of the burn injury. Compelling data from randomized, controlled clinical trials conducted at major U.S. burn centers and real-world use in more than 7,000 patients globally, reinforce that the RECELL System is a significant advancement over the current standard of care for burn patients and offers benefits in clinical outcomes and cost savings.

In international markets outside of Europe, our portfolio is marketed under the RECELL System brand to promote skin healing in a wide range of applications including burns, chronic wounds and aesthetics. The RECELL System is TGA-registered in Australia, and CFDA-cleared in China.

In Europe, our portfolio of medical device products received CE-mark approval as three tailored product presentations, with three individual brand names. The RECELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device is designed for the treatment of burns and plastic reconstructive procedures; REGENERCELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device has been formulated for chronic wounds including leg and foot ulcers; and RENOVACELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device is tailored for aesthetic applications including the restoration of pigmentation.

To learn more, visit www.avitamedical.com.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This letter includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "could," "may," "will," "believe," "estimate," "look forward," "forecast," "goal," "target," "project," "continue," "outlook," "guidance," "future," other words of similar meaning and the use of future dates. Forward-looking statements in this letter include, but are not limited to, statements concerning, among other things, our ongoing clinical trials and product development activities, regulatory approval of our products, the potential for future growth in our business, and our ability to achieve our key strategic, operational and financial goal. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Each forward- looking statement contained in this letter is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, the timing of regulatory approvals of our products; physician acceptance, endorsement, and use of our products; failure to achieve the anticipated benefits from approval of our products; the effect of regulatory actions; product liability claims; risks associated with international operations and expansion; and other business effects, including the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of the company's control. Investors should not place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this letter. Investors are encouraged to read our publicly available filings for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this letter speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of these statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180920006001/en/

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US Media

Syneos Health Public Relations

Christian Pflaumer, +1-212-229-8412

Nicole Beckstrand, +1-858-431-9611

AVITAMedicalTeam@syneoshealth.com

or

OUS Media

Monsoon Communications

Sarah Kemter, +61 (0)3 9620 3333

Mobile: +61 (0)407 162 530

sarahk@monsoon.com.au

or

Investors:

Westwicke Partners

Caroline Corner, +1-415-202-5678

caroline.corner@westwicke.com

or

AVITA Medical Ltd

Dale A. Sander, +1-661-367-9178

Chief Financial Officer

dsander@avitamedical.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 20, 2018) - eXeBlock Technology Corp. (CSE: XBLK) ('eXeBlock' or the 'Company') is pleased to announce that it has completed work on its Sidechain DApp which will solve the problem of inter-blockchain transfer of value. Sidechaining is any mechanism that allows tokens from one blockchain to be used securely within a completely separate blockchain -but moved back to the original chain, if necessary.

eXeblock's Sidechain DApp enables transfers from the Bitcoin blockchain to the PeerPlays blockchain without any centralized entity in the form of a unified server. With continued development, the DApp can be easily modified to facilitate transfers on any DPOS blockchain such as EOS, Steem, Bitshares and other blockchains. The Cross Chain Consensus Protocol (CCCP) ensures that the communication between blockchains maintains a decentralized mechanism for superior security and connectivity of blockchains regardless of their consensus. Some of the applications include enabling DApps in one blockchain to utilize a crypto-currency in another or enabling blockchains to scale their transactional capabilities.

"I'm excited to be part of a Blockchain company that has already built assets that have significant value. With the right partners and strategy, these assets are ready for deployment to ensure our path to revenue generation and profitability," said Jamie Davison, President and CEO, eXeBlock Technology Corp.

To learn more, we encourage shareholders and interested parties to check out our sidechain white paper: www.exeblock.com/sidechain.

Further Company Updates:

Creating the World's First Blockchain 50/50 Fundraising Platform

In the last few months, eXeBlock has completed work on 50/50 Labs, the world's first blockchain 50/50 fundraising platform to be hosted on a public blockchain. The 50/50 DApp has taken longer than expected to complete but has had a number of improvements made to the graphical interface and the overall user experience. A more detailed strategy to monetize 50/50 Labs is now being prepared and discussions have commenced with several companies in the lottery and charity space worldwide.

The decentralized application enables any eligible organization to set up and execute local, as well as global, fundraising campaigns with just a few clicks. We encourage shareholders and interested parties to visit eXeBlock's 50/50 Labs demonstration site: https://5050labs.fun/dashboard (Username = testnet; Password = 5050$draw!). Chrome is the optimum browser to view the demonstration.

Jamie Davison Appointed President and CEO

eXeBlock recently appointed Jamie Davison as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Davison is a recognized leader in the technology industry and brings extensive operations and corporate experience to the team, highlighted by a strong track record of value creation and depth of knowledge in commercializing innovation technology.

Since joining the company, Davison has been active in the market on several fronts, connecting with partners and exploring go to market opportunities for eXeBlock's range of products. He is in the process of identifying a path to monetization and defining a business plan that encompasses a clear and viable direction for the company.

About eXeBlock Technology Corp

eXeBlock Technology Corp. (CSE: XBLK) is a designer of custom, state-of-the-art blockchain based software applications that provide profitable, secure and efficient solutions to businesses and markets globally.

To receive regular updates on our business, please follow us on Twitter @eXeBlock or sign up to our email list on the front page of our website, www.exeblock.com.

For More Information, please contact:

Tara Wickwire

info@exeblock.com

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.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words 'estimate', 'project', 'belief', 'will', 'anticipate', 'intend', 'expect', 'plan', 'predict', 'may' or 'should' and the negative of these words or such variations or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release includes information relating to the commercialization of the 50/50 Labs application, the ability to generate revenues from the 50/50 Labs applicationand the implementation of eXeBlock's operating plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. There are a number of important risk factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's limited operating history and expected continued operating losses; failure of the Company's business strategy; inherent risks of the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry; system failures and security risks; government regulation; need for additional financing requirements and access to capital; reliance on key and qualified personnel; dependence on third party relationships; insurance; competition; and intellectual property. Other factors include risks associated with the marketing and sale of securities; dilution; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors; and the volatility of the Company's common share price and volume.

For a more detailed discussion of risk factors, refer to the Company's prospectus dated November 9, 2017 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR www.sedar.com and on the CSE's website.

The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material risk factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing risk factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression of its business objectives, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these risk factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

-30-
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and Talos Energy (NYSE:TALO), as operator of the Block 7 Consortium, are pleased to announce that Pemex and the international Block 7 Consortium (Talos Energy, Sierra Oil and Gas, and Premier Oil) have signed a Pre-Unitization Agreement (PUA) related to certain tracts within the Amoca-Yaxche-03 allocation (assigned to Pemex as part of Round 0) and the contiguous Block 7 production sharing contract (assigned to the consortium by the National Hydrocarbons Commission as part of the first tender of Round 1). Both areas are situated in the offshore portion of Mexico's prolific Southeast Basin.

This is the first Pre-Unitization Agreement ever to be signed in Mexico. Under the country's recently revamped legal and regulatory framework, this two-year agreement enables information sharing related to the recently announced Zama discovery and its potential extension into Pemex's neighboring block. It also sets a clear path for the signing of a Unit Agreement and Unit Operating Agreement in the event a shared reservoir is confirmed, as it establishes a defined process based on international practices to determine the resulting participation of each party in the potential overall development.

As a result of the agreement, both parties will immediately form a Working Group, with the objectives of maximizing operational and informational efficiencies, defining activities on each tract that optimize the collection of data in the area, and reducing any potential hazards, all to maximize the benefits for Mexico. The Working Group will be comprised by legal and technical representatives from the member companies.

The PUA has previously been approved by the Ministry of Energy (SENER).

About Pemex

Pemex is the largest company in Mexico. It operates through the whole chain of value of the industry, from exploration and production -upstream- to industrial transformation, logistics and marketing -downstream.

About the Consortium

The Block 7 Consortium comprises Talos Energy (Operator, 35% interest), Sierra Oil and Gas (40%) and Premier Oil (25%).

About Talos Energy

Talos is a technically driven independent exploration and production company with operations in the United StatesGulf of Mexico and in the shallow waters off the coast of Mexico. Our focus in the United StatesGulf of Mexico is the exploration, acquisition, exploitation and development of shallow and deepwater assets near existing infrastructure. The shallow waters off the coast of Mexico provide us high impact exploration opportunities in an emerging basin. The Company's website is located at www.talosenergy.com.

About Sierra Oil & Gas

Sierra Oil and Gas is based in Mexico City, and is the leading and largest independent company in Mexico. Sierra Oil & Gas and its international partners, have won 6 blocks in highly competitive auctions carried out by CNH in Mexico's southeast basin, by offering the highest government take in each round and a total of six commitment wells combined. Sierra Oil & Gas philosophy is totally entrepreneurial, with an experienced team and core values such as transparency, corporate ethics, and international governance practices. Sierra Oil and Gas has established leading collaboration with academic institutions UNAM and ITAM as well with Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (IMP) to advance research, education and training in Mexico's oil and gas sector. Sierra Oil & Gas is backed by prestigious equity firms Riverstone, EnCap Investments and BlackRock, as well as Afores (Mexican retirement and pension funds) through local investment instruments CKD's, from Riverstone (RIVERCK15) and BlackRock (ICUA2CK14).

About Premier Oil

Premier Oil is a FTSE 250 independent exploration and production company with oil and gas interests in the UK, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Falkland Islands, Mexico and Brazil.

Press contacts

Pemex

Carmen Rocha Maguey

+ 521 55 74813994

mcrocham01@pemex.com

Talos Energy

Sergio Maiworm

+1.713.328.3008

investor@talosenergy.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/747837/Pemex_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/687245/Talos_Energy_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/747835/Sierra_Oil_Gas_Logo.jpg

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Regulatory News:

Ipsen (Euronext:IPN; ADR:IPSEY) announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), provided a positive opinion for Cabometyx (cabozantinib) as a monotherapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in adults who have been previously treated with sorafenib. The CHMP positive opinion will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), which has the authority to approve medicines for the European Union (EU).

Alexandre Lebeaut, MD, Executive Vice President, R&D and Chief Scientific Officer, Ipsen, said: "The global burden of liver cancer is increasing and despite the recent introduction of new agents, it remains the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Following today's positive CHMP opinion and if approved by the European Commission, Cabometyx as monotherapy will give patients with HCC a much-needed new oral therapeutic option."

Dr Lorenza Rimassa, Medical Oncology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, Milan, said: "The medical community is pleased that the CHMP has given a positive opinion to Cabometyxfor previously-treated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The fact that Cabometyxdemonstrated clinically significant benefits in both overall survival and progression-free survival in the phase 3 CELESTIAL study confirms the value it brings to this difficult treatment landscape."

The EMA filing is based on the results of the global placebo-controlled phase 3 CELESTIAL trial which met its primary endpoint of overall survival (OS), with cabozantinib providing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in OS compared with placebo in patients with advanced HCC who have been previously treated with sorafenib. In July 2018, CELESTIAL phase 3 pivotal trial results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine1

Today's CHMP positive opinion follows two earlier European Commission approvals for Cabometyx in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

About CELESTIAL

CELESTIAL is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled global phase 3 study of cabozantinib versus placebo in patients with advanced HCC who have been previously treated with sorafenib. The study was conducted at more than 100 sites globally in 19 countries. The trial was designed to enroll 760 patients with advanced HCC who previously received sorafenib and may have received up to two prior systemic cancer therapies for HCC and had adequate liver function. Enrollment of the trial was completed in September 2017, and 773 patients were ultimately randomized. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive 60 mg of cabozantinib once daily or placebo and were stratified based on etiology of the disease (hepatitis C, hepatitis B or other), geographic region (Asia versus other regions) and presence of extrahepatic spread and/or macrovascular invasion (yes or no). No cross-over was allowed between the study arms.

The primary endpoint for the trial is OS, and secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS). Exploratory endpoints include patient-reported outcomes, biomarkers and safety.

Based on available clinical trial data from various published trials conducted in the second-line setting of advanced HCC, the CELESTIAL trial statistics for the primary endpoint of OS assumed a median OS of 8.2 months for the placebo arm. A total of 621 events provide the study with 90 percent power to detect a 32 percent increase in median OS (HR 0.76) at the final analysis. Two interim analyses were planned and conducted at 50 percent and 75 percent of the planned 621 events.

CELESTIAL trial met its primary endpoint, with cabozantinib providing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in OS compared to placebo in patients with advanced HCC. The independent data monitoring committee for the study recommended that the trial should be stopped for efficacy following review of the second planned interim analysis. The safety data in the study were consistent with the established profile of cabozantinib.

About Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Hepatocellular Carcinoma is the most common form of liver cancer in adults.2 The disease originates in cells called hepatocytes found in the liver. With approximately 800'000 new cases diagnosed each year, HCC is the sixth most common cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.3,4 According to the GLOBOCAN data, it is estimated that across the European Union (EU-28) nearly 60'000 new patients will be diagnosed with liver cancer in 2020.5 Without treatment, patients with the disease in advanced stage usually survive between 4 and 8 months.6

About CABOMETYX (cabozantinib)

Cabometyx is an oral small molecule inhibitor of receptors, including VEGFR, MET, AXL and RET. In preclinical models, cabozantinib has been shown to inhibit the activity of these receptors, which are involved in normal cellular function and pathologic processes such as tumor angiogenesis, invasiveness, metastasis and drug resistance.

In February of 2016, Exelixis and Ipsen jointly announced an exclusive licensing agreement for the commercialization and further development of cabozantinib indications outside of the United States, Canada and Japan. This agreement was amended in December of 2016 to include commercialization rights for Ipsen in Canada.

On April 25, 2016, the FDA approved Cabometyx tablets for the treatment of patients with advanced RCC who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy and on September 9, 2016, the European Commission approved Cabometyx tablets for the treatment of advanced RCC in adults who have received prior vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy in the European Union, Norway and Iceland. Cabometyx is also approved in Australia, Canada, South Korea and Switzerland. Cabometyx is available in 20 mg, 40 mg or 60 mg doses. The recommended dose is 60 mg orally, once daily.

On December 19, 2017, Exelixis received approval from the FDA for Cabometyx for the expanded indication of treatment of first-line advanced RCC.

On May 17, 2018, Ipsen announced that the European Commission approved Cabometyx for the first-line treatment of adults with intermediate- or poor- risk advanced renal cell carcinoma in the European Union, Norway and Iceland.

Cabozantinib is not yet approved for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

About Ipsen

Ipsen is a global biopharmaceutical group focused on innovation and specialty care. The group develops and commercializes innovative medicines in three key therapeutic areas Oncology, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases. Its commitment to Oncology is exemplified through its growing portfolio of key therapies for prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, renal cell carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. Ipsen also has a well-established Consumer Healthcare business. With total sales over 1.9 billion in 2017, Ipsen sells more than 20 drugs in over 115 countries, with a direct commercial presence in more than 30 countries. Ipsen's R&D is focused on its innovative and differentiated technological platforms located in the heart of the leading biotechnological and life sciences hubs (Paris-Saclay, France; Oxford, UK; Cambridge, US). The Group has about 5,400 employees worldwide. Ipsen is listed in Paris (Euronext: IPN) and in the United States through a Sponsored Level I American Depositary Receipt program (ADR: IPSEY). For more information on Ipsen, visit www.ipsen.com.

Forward Looking Statement

The forward-looking statements, objectives and targets contained herein are based on the Group's management strategy, current views and assumptions. Such statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated herein. All of the above risks could affect the Group's future ability to achieve its financial targets, which were set assuming reasonable macroeconomic conditions based on the information available today. Use of the words "believes," "anticipates" and "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, including the Group's expectations regarding future events, including regulatory filings and determinations. Moreover, the targets described in this document were prepared without taking into account external growth assumptions and potential future acquisitions, which may alter these parameters. These objectives are based on data and assumptions regarded as reasonable by the Group. These targets depend on conditions or facts likely to happen in the future, and not exclusively on historical data. Actual results may depart significantly from these targets given the occurrence of certain risks and uncertainties, notably the fact that a promising product in early development phase or clinical trial may end up never being launched on the market or reaching its commercial targets, notably for regulatory or competition reasons. The Group must face or might face competition from generic products that might translate into a loss of market share. Furthermore, the Research and Development process involves several stages each of which involves the substantial risk that the Group may fail to achieve its objectives and be forced to abandon its efforts with regards to a product in which it has invested significant sums. Therefore, the Group cannot be certain that favorable results obtained during pre-clinical trials will be confirmed subsequently during clinical trials, or that the results of clinical trials will be sufficient to demonstrate the safe and effective nature of the product concerned. There can be no guarantees a product will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that the product will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Other risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the Group's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the Group's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The Group also depends on third parties to develop and market some of its products which could potentially generate substantial royalties; these partners could behave in such ways which could cause damage to the Group's activities and financial results. The Group cannot be certain that its partners will fulfil their obligations. It might be unable to obtain any benefit from those agreements. A default by any of the Group's partners could generate lower revenues than expected. Such situations could have a negative impact on the Group's business, financial position or performance. The Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements, targets or estimates contained in this press release to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The Group's business is subject to the risk factors outlined in its registration documents filed with the French Autorite des Marches Financiers. The risks and uncertainties set out are not exhaustive and the reader is advised to refer to the Group's 2017 Registration Document available on its website (www.ipsen.com).

References:

1. Abou-Alfa, G, Meyer T, Cheng AL, et al. Cabozantinib in patients with advanced and progressing hepatocellular carcinoma. N Engl J Med. 2018.

2. McGlynn KA, London WT. The Global Epidemiology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Present and Future. Clinics in liver disease. 2011;15(2):223-x. doi:10.1016/j.cld.2011.03.006.

3. Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Dikshit R, et al: Cancer incidence and mortality worldwide: sources, methods and major patterns in GLOBOCAN 2012. Int J Cancer 136:E359-86, 2015

4. GLOBOCAN International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Available at: http://gco.iarc.fr/today/fact-sheets-cancers?cancer=7&type=0&sex=0

5. GLOBOCAN International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Available at: http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/burden_sel.aspx

6. Annals of Oncology 23 (Supplement 7): vii41-vii48, 2012

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180920005885/en/

Contacts:

Media

Ian Weatherhead

Vice President, Corporate External Communications

+44 1753 627733

ian.weatherhead@ipsen.com

or

Didier Veron

Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Corporate Communications

+33 1 58 33 51 16

didier.veron@ipsen.com

or

Financial Community

Eugenia Litz

Vice President, Investor Relations

+44 1753 627721

eugenia.litz@ipsen.com

or

Myriam Koutchinsky

Investor Relations Manager

+33 1 58 33 51 04

myriam.koutchinsky@ipsen.com
GCP STUDENT LIVING PLC

("GCP Student" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries the "Group")

LEI: 2138004J4ID66FK38H25

RESULT OF PLACING

On 10 September 2018, GCP Student, the UK's first REIT focused on student residential assets, announced a placing (the "Placing") of new ordinary shares (the "Placing Shares").

Further to that announcement, the Board is pleased to announce that it has received applications in respect of 25,512,151 Placing Shares at 149.50 pence per Placing Share, raising gross proceeds of 38.1 million for the Company.

On 25 July 2018, the Company entered into a conditional contract to acquire and forward fund the construction of Scape Brighton. It is currently intended the net proceeds of the Placing, together with the Company's existing and/or new borrowing facilities, will be used to fund the development of Scape Brighton whilst ensuring its gearing remains at a conservative level.

Application has been made for all of the Placing Shares to be admitted to the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission will take effect, and dealings in the Placing Shares will commence, at 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 25 September 2018.

Share certificates in respect of the Placing Shares are expected to be despatched in the week commencing 1 October 2018 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Immediately following Admission, the Company will have 410,576,707 ordinary shares in issue and therefore the total voting rights in the Company will be 410,576,707. This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they may determine whether or not they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

For further information, please contact: Gravis Capital Management Limited +44 20 3405 8500 Tom Ward tom.ward@graviscapital.com Nick Barker nick.barker@graviscapital.com Dion Di Miceli dion.dimiceli@graviscapital.com Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited +44 20 7710 7600 Neil Winward neil.winward@stifel.com Tom Yeadon tom.yeadon@stifel.com Mark Young mark.young@stifel.com Buchanan +44 20 7466 5000 Charles Ryland charlesr@buchanan.uk.com Henry Wilson henryw@buchanan.uk.com

About GCP Student

The Company was the first student accommodation REIT in the UK, investing in modern, purpose-built, private student residential accommodation and teaching facilities. Its investments are located primarily in and around London where the Investment Manager believes the Company is likely to benefit from supply and demand imbalances for student residential accommodation.

GCP Student's property portfolio comprises ten assets with c.3,600 beds which are either currently fully operational or expected to complete construction/refurbishment over the next two academic years. At 30 June 2018, its property portfolio was valued at 784.4 million.

The Company's operational properties are predominantly occupied by international students and offer high specification facilities and hotel-level concierge type services which the Investment Manager believes are attractive to overseas students.
CHENGDU, China, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After the Chengdu Tianfu Talent Recruitment in the UK and Ireland in July, six enterprises based in Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (CDHT) (ANZ Global Service and Operations (Chengdu) Company Limited, Ygomi Information Services (Chengdu) Co., Ltd., Sichuan Changhong Electric Co., Ltd., ThoughtWorks Software Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd., Chengdu Winnersoft Co., Ltd. and Chengdu Corntree Technology Co., Ltd) headed to New York and Boston on September 13 to hold high-level talent recruitment fairs. During the 5-day trip, these companies sought out high-end talents in the fields of deep learning and data analysis, and also connected with famous American enterprises and institutions.

The Chengdu Tianfu Talent Recruitment is a large-scale group recruitment action organized by CDHT Management Committee and jointly undertaken by the CDHT Party-masses Work Department and Chengdu Tianfu Software Park. It has been successfully held for three years. In the first two years, the Chengdu Tianfu Talent Recruitment was held in Silicon Valley in the United States, Seoul in South Korea, Frankfurt in Germany, Stockholm in Sweden and Toronto in Canada, attracting more than 770 high-end talents, of whom over 160 signed tentative employment contracts. This activity has already become an important platform for enterprises in CDHT to seek out overseas high-end talents and expand their brand influence.
Paris, 21 September 2018 - As announced in our press release dated 5 September, a new transaction has been signed by Apax Partners SAS: the acquisition from SK Capital of 100% of the Italian company AEB Group, a worldwide leader in biotechnological ingredients and related services for wine, food and beverage. The company's management will reinvest alongside Apax Funds.

Leveraging their expertise in biotechnology and oenology, AEB Group offers custom solutions based on more than 600 proprietary products and specialty equipment, especially designed for the wine, beer, juice, cider and food industry.

With a unique coverage across 5 continents, AEB Group employs more than 300 persons, including 170 agents and sales representatives in 13 countries. The company has 8 production units, 4 R&D laboratories and 7 quality control laboratories globally and collaborates with more than 20 universities and research institutes to foster continuous innovation. In 2017, the company generated revenues of nearly 100 million.

The company's objective is to pursue its international expansion by leveraging the existing worldwide sales and agents network and to conduct an ambitious buy and build strategy.

Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed. Closing of the transaction is expected in the beginning of October.

Altamir's investment is expected to be in the region of 35m based on the upper limit of its commitment in the Apax France IX fund.

About Altamir

Altamir is a listed private equity company (Euronext Paris-B, ticker: LTA) founded in 1995 and with almost 800m in assets under management. Its objective is to provide shareholders with long term capital appreciation and regular dividends by investing in a diversified portfolio of private equity investments.

Altamir's investment policy is to invest via and with the funds managed by Apax Partners SAS and Apax Partners LLP, two leading private equity firms that take majority or lead positions in buyouts and growth capital transactions and seek ambitious value creation objectives.

In this way, Altamir provides access to a diversified portfolio of fast-growing companies across Apax's sectors of specialisation (TMT, Consumer, Healthcare, Services) and in complementary market segments (mid-sized companies in French-speaking European countries and larger companies across Europe, North America and key emerging markets).

Altamir derives certain tax benefits from its status as an SCR ("Societe de Capital Risque"). As such, Altamir is exempt from corporate tax and the company's investors may benefit from tax exemptions, subject to specific holding-period and dividend-reinvestment conditions.

For more information: www.altamir.fr

Contact

Agathe Heinrich

Tel: +33 1 53 65 01 74

E-mail: investors@altamir.fr

------------------------



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Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-55118-cp_aeb_en.pdf
21 September 2018

MetalNRG PLC

(The "Company" or "MetalNRG")

US COBALT PTY LTD SALE APPROVED

MetalNRG plc (NEX:MNRG), the natural resource investing company quoted on the NEX Exchange Growth Market in London, is pleased to confirm the approval, by the Tyranna Resources Limited (ASX:TYX) shareholders, of the sale agreement ("Agreement") in respect of its interest in US Cobalt Pty Limited to Tyranna Resources Limited (ASX:TYX).

The announcement released by Tyranna Resources in respect of the transaction can be viewed through the following link:

http://tyrannaresources.com/investor-centre/announcements/

Under the transaction, MetalNRG plc will receive 21,719,457 consideration shares in Tyranna Resources which at the deemed transaction price of A$0.017 equates to a consideration received of A$369,231 or circa 211,327 at current exchange rates.

25% of consideration shares (i.e. 5,429,864 shares) will remain under voluntary escrow for a six month period following the Agreement date.

Rolf Gerritsen, Chief Executive Officer of MetalNRG Plc commented: "I am pleased to confirm Tyranna's shareholders approval in respect of the US Cobalt disposal.

In addition to the bolstering of our balance sheet, this disposal provides additional working capital at a very important time in the rapid development of the MetalNRG business".

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. Rolf Gerritsen, Chief Executive Officer of MetalNRG, arranged for the release of this announcement. The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

Contact details:
TALLINN, Estonia, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

In August Estonia launched a recruitment campaign entitledCareer Hunt in cooperation with companies to find specialists from all over the world. With more than 4500 people applying for jobs in Estonia the small country of 1.3 million people didn't expect such a rush of applicants. The application period ends on September 23rd.

Head of project in Enterprise Estonia Kaisa-Triin Kosenkranius says that nowadays companies and countries have to put in extra effort to attract smart people into their region, especially in the technology sector where people have become more mobile. "With over 4500 applicants already we are very excited to see the interest towards our country."

The programme partnered with Taxify, Axinom, Skype, Global Gaming Group, Proekspert, Topia, Veriff, Nortal, Helmes, Swedbank, Finestmedia, Twilio to give people who are interested in accelerating their career and moving to Estonia the chance to visit the country, without paying travel costs, in order to check out the available options before deciding to relocate. Only a very few countries in the world have organised projects similar to Career Hunt - New Zealand and the Netherlands.

"We hope that this project will be successful, meaning that these 20 specialists who we will fly to Tallinn will enjoy their time here and accept the job offers from companies. We will help with the relocation process," says Kosenkranius. If the project is successful, Estonia will make a similar project again next year.

The selected candidates will be treated to a five-day trip to Estonia, during which they will meet with IT giants, visit the NATO Cyber Defence Centre and biggest robotics festival on the plane Robotex and attend a career-changing job interview.

More information regarding Career Hunt Tallinn can be found on the official webpage: www.careerhunt.eu

About Work in Estonia

Work in Estonia is a part of Enterprise Estonia - a national foundation to support entrepreneurship in Estonia. Work in Estonia's budget comes from Estonia's ICT development programme, as well as from government funding. The goal of Work in Estonia is to introduce Estonia as an attractive place to work and live to talented specialists worldwide. Work in Estonia also works towards simplifying the process for local Estonian companies to employ overseas experts.

Find out more at www.workinestonia.com
TOKYO, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

If approved, mogamulizumabwould be the first biologic agent targeting CCR4 to be available for patients in Europe.

Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., (Kyowa Kirin) announces today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) scientific committee, has adopted a Positive Opinion recommending approval of the marketing authorisation of mogamulizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4), for the treatment of adult patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) or Sezary syndrome (SS) who have received at least one prior systemic therapy.

MF and SS are the two most common subtypes of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The CHMP's opinion is now being referred to the European Commission (EC), for a final decision on the grant of a marketing authorisation. This decision is expected by the end of 2018 and will apply to all 28 countries of the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

"At Kyowa Kirin we are fully committed to contributing to the health and wellbeing of patients across Europe who are living with mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome," said Mitsuo Satoh, Ph.D., Executive Officer, Vice President Head of R&D Division of Kyowa Hakko Kirin. "I am happy about the CHMP's opinion which takes us one step closer to obtaining an EU marketing authorisation, launching mogamulizumab and to leaping forward to becoming a global specialty pharmaceutical company."

"Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS) can be disfiguring, debilitating, and even life-threatening, and there are limited treatment options for these rare lymphoma subtypes in Europe today," said Jeffrey S. Humphrey, MD, President of Kyowa Kirin Pharmaceutical Development, Inc. "MAVORIC, the pivotal Phase 3 trial of mogamulizumab, is the largest study of systemic therapy ever conducted in MF and SS. The study showed that mogamulizumab prolonged progression-free survival compared to vorinostat in patients with MF or SS. We will continue to work with the scientific community to advance the understanding of these complex diseases, and we look forward to working with health authorities to bring this important new option to Europe."

If mogamulizumab is approved, Kyowa Kirin International PLC, a Kyowa Hakko Kirin Group company, will be responsible for commercializing mogamulizumab in Europe.

The Kyowa Hakko Kirin Group companies strive to contribute to the health and well-being of people around the world by creating new value through the pursuit of advances in life sciences and technologies.

Mogamulizumab Regulatory Status in EU

The EMA's scientific committee, CHMP adopted a Positive Opinion recommending the approval of the marketing authorisation of mogamulizumab for the treatment of adult patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) or Sezary syndrome (SS) after at least one prior systemic therapy. The CHMP's recommendation is now being referred to the European Commission (EC), which is expected to render its final decision by the end of 2018. The EC typically adheres to the recommendation of the CHMP, but is not obligated to do so.

About Kyowa Kirin

Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. is a research-based life sciences company, with special strengths in biotechnologies. In the core therapeutic areas of oncology, nephrology and immunology/allergy, Kyowa Hakko Kirin leverages leading-edge biotechnologies centered on antibody technologies, to continually discover innovative new drugs and to develop and market those drugs world-wide. In this way, the company is working to realise its vision of becoming a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company that contributes to the health and wellbeing of people around the world.

Kyowa Kirin International PLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Hakko Kirin and is a rapidly growing specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of prescription medicines for the treatment of unmet therapeutic needs in Europe and the United States. Kyowa Kirin International is headquartered in Scotland.

You can learn more about the business at: http://www.kyowa-kirin.com

About Mogamulizumab

Mogamulizumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4), which is frequently expressed on leukaemic cells of certain haematologic malignancies including CTCL (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma). Mogamulizumab was produced using Kyowa Hakko Kirin's proprietary POTELLIGENT platform, which is associated with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).

About Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sezary Syndrome (SS)

MF and SS are the two most common subtypes of CTCL, a rare type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is characterised by CCR4 related localisation of malignant T lymphocytes to the skin, and depending on the stage, the disease may involve skin, blood, lymph nodes, and viscera.
Coca-Cola European Partners plc (CCEP) (ticker symbol: CCE) will release third-quarter 2018 earnings at 12:00 BST, 13:00 CEST, and 7:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday, 25 October 2018.

A conference call discussing these results will be webcast live through the company's website, www.ccep.com, at 14:00 BST, 15:00 CEST, and 9:00 a.m. EDT. A replay of the call will be available later that day and a transcript will be available shortly afterwards.

A copy of the company's news release will be available through the website on the home page and under the Investors section.

ABOUT CCEP

Coca-Cola European Partners plc (CCEP) is a leading consumer packaged goods company in Europe, producing, distributing and marketing an extensive range of non alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages and is the world's largest independent Coca-Cola bottler based on revenue. Coca-Cola European Partners serves a consumer population of over 300 million across Western Europe, including Andorra, Belgium, continental France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. The company is listed on Euronext Amsterdam, the New York Stock Exchange, Euronext London, and on the Spanish stock exchanges, and trades under the symbol CCE. For more information about CCEP, please visit www.ccep.com and follow CCEP on Twitter at @CocaColaEP.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005158/en/

Contacts:

Coca-Cola European Partners plc

Investor Relations:

Sarah Willett, +44 (0) 7970 145 218

or

Claire Huff, +44 (0) 7528 251 033

or

Media Relations:

Shanna Wendt, +44 (0) 7976 595 168
REDDE PLC - Notice of AGM and Annual Report and Accounts

21 September 2018

Redde plc

"Redde" or "Company"

Notice of AGM and Annual Report and Accounts

Redde's annual general meeting will take place at 10.00 a.m. on Wednesday24 October 2018 at the offices of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, Adelaide House, London Bridge, London, EC4R 9HA.

Copies of the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2018, the notice of the annual general meeting and the proxy card have been posted to shareholders.

A copy of the Annual Report and Accounts is also available to download from the investor relations section of the Company's website at: http://www.redde.com/investors/reports-and-presentations.aspx

Copies of the notice of the annual general meeting and the proxy card are available to download from the investor relations section of the Company's website at: http://www.redde.com/investors/regulatory-news.aspxannual-general-meetings

Nick Tilley

Company Secretary

Tel: 01225 321207
To support King's College London in offering the first Master of Arts in STEM Education in the UK and launch Teacher Fellowship and Teacher Mentor programmes with Sheffield Hallam University

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced partnerships with two leading UK academic institutions King's College London and Sheffield Hallam University, for strengthening STEM education in state schoolsin the United Kingdom.

Wipro will partner with King's College London, to support the development of the first Master of Arts in STEM Education in the UK, and Sheffield Hallam University to offer the 'Wipro Teacher Fellowship' and 'Wipro Teacher Mentor' programmes. Both initiatives aim to provide high quality continuing professional development to early and mid-career educators, to address the shortfall and high turnover of STEM teachers in the UK.

Wipro will support King's College London in developing the curriculum for a proposed Master of Arts in STEM education course, which will take a blended learning approach, involving face-to-face as well as online learning. The company will also offer bursaries to cover up to 80% of tuition fees, to ensure accessibility of the course for diverse cohorts of in-service teachers and educators from within and outside London. There will be a strong focus on attracting teachers from Opportunity Areas. The course will be taught by academic staff in the Centre for Research in Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (CRESTEM) in the School of Education, Communication and Society at King's College London and will be aimed at education professionals from science, mathematics, engineering and computing backgrounds, as well as education policy makers. The program will help develop their disciplinary capacities while broadening their understanding across the entirety of STEM. It will also enable students to engage with policy and practice in a range of global contexts.

Wipro will also support Sheffield Hallam University to launch and run the 'Wipro Teacher Fellowship' and 'Wipro Teacher Mentor' programmes. The 18-months programmes, which will commence in January 2019, will support early career teachers of STEM subjects and STEM teacher mentors from schools in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster and Derbyshire. Teachers will have the opportunity to improve their pedagogical subject knowledge, understand practice through research and receive individualized support through local mentors. The teacher mentor programme will offer a blended model of face-to-face and online support for senior STEM teachers to become effective mentors, drawing on expertise from Sheffield Institute of Education. All teachers and mentors will also have the opportunity to work towards accreditation of 30 MA level credits, through optional participation in the Research and Development in Educational Contexts module, which is part of the University's MA Professional Practice in Education. Each academic year, a new cohort of 20 early career teachers and five to 10 teacher mentors will join the programme.

Both partnerships will address crucial issues in the UK by generating more interest in STEM subjects, developing higher standards of teaching, and investing in teacher retention, especially in the national 'social mobility cold spots'.

Anurag Behar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Wipro Limited said, "We are deeply committed to contributing to our communities through helping improve public education. We believe that teachers are the cornerstone of good education. These partnerships will provide directly relevant professional development support to teachers. Empowering, enabling and supporting teachers is the key to achieving continuous improvement in education."

Professor Beatrice Szczepek Reed, Head of The School of Education, Communication Society, King's College London said, "For over forty years King's has been at the forefront of teacher education and education research and has gained an international reputation for science and mathematics education. We believe that Wipro's support for developing a Masters course in STEM Education, and its keenness to ensure accessibility of the course for early career educators from diverse backgrounds, will be of great help in addressing the issues of developing and retaining STEM teachers. King's STEM Education Masters will provide educators an excellent grounding in the understanding of STEM education, as well as broader educational issues in the national and international context."

Dr Emily Perry, from the Centre for Development and Research in Education at Sheffield Hallam University's Sheffield Institute of Education, will lead the Wipro Teacher Fellowship and Wipro Teacher Mentor programmes. Dr. Perry said, "The Wipro Teacher Fellow and Teacher Mentor programmes aim to increase young people's enjoyment, attainment and progression in STEM subjects by supporting teachers to develop their practice in an innovative, evidence-based, collaborative programme of professional learning.

We are committed to improving the educational outcomes of young people in the diverse communities of South Yorkshire, and share Wipro's desire to support the professional development and retention of teachers in our schools as a key driver to achieve this. We are delighted to welcome Wipro as our partner in these programmes, which have the potential to make a significant contribution to the region."

Interested educators can find more information at:

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/education/research/Research-Centres/crestem/Index.aspx

Contact: Dr Melissa Glackin, melissa.glackin@kcl.ac.uk

&

https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-us/academic-departments/institute-of-education/research

About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 160,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future.

About King's College London

King's College London is a multi-faculty institution, providing high-quality teaching, research and innovation across the sciences, humanities, medicine, law, dentistry, and social sciences. As a member of the Russell Group, an association of leading UK research-intensive universities, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards in research and education. King's is one of the top 25 universities in the world and the fourth oldest university in England, based in the heart of London. King's has over 31,000 students (including more than 12,800 postgraduates) from some 150 countries and over 8,500 employees.

About Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield Hallam University's vision is to become the world's leading applied university, transforming lives and creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds.

As one of the UK's largest higher education providers, with over 30,500 students, the University is committed to the Sheffield City Region, providing leadership to drive improvements in social mobility, health and the economy.

Sheffield Hallam offers a comprehensive range of courses and is one of the country's largest providers of health and teacher training. Its industrial partnerships ensure that the knowledge students develop is relevant, addresses the skills gap and helps business grow.

The University's research is characterised by a focus on real world impact addressing the cultural, economic and social challenges facing society today.

Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005222/en/

Contacts:

Wipro Limited

Subhashini Pattabhiraman

subhashini.pattabhiraman@wipro.com

or

King's College London

Holly Finch

holly.finch@kcl.ac.uk

or

Sheffield Hallam University

Andrea Ruttan

a.ruttan@shu.ac.uk
FORT WORTH, Texas, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Oracle Oil and Gas LLC (Oracle Oil and Gas), a wholly owned subsidiary of Oracle Energy Corp. ('Oracle' or the 'Company') (TSX.V: OEC) (Frankfurt: O2E), is pleased to announce that it has acquired an information and data package relating to land in the Texas Eagle Ford shale oil and gas play (the 'Additional Lands') which the Company described in its news release of June 19, 2018 (the 'Data Package').

Pursuant to an agreement with a private Texas entity dated May 1, 2018 (the "Agreement") the Company agreed, subject to the receipt of an acceptable NI 51-101 report, to purchase the Data Package by the issuance of 5,000,000 common shares of the Company (the "Shares"). The Shares were issued at a deemed price of $0.13 per share and are subject to a four month hold period expiring on January 14, 2019. The Data Package was integral in providing the necessary technical information for the completion of the NI 51-101 report.

The Agreement also provides that as consideration for securing for the Company oil and gas rights to the Additional Lands for cash consideration in an amount acceptable to the Company, the Company will issue to the private Texas entity a success fee of up to 5,000,000 common shares with the total amount of shares dependent on the amount of land secured. The acquisition of the oil and gas rights to those Additional Lands and the issuance of all or part of the additional 5,000,000 shares to the private Texas entity for securing those rights remains subject to the Company obtaining regulatory approval.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors.

Darrell McKenna; Chairman and CEO

About Oracle Energy Corp.

Oracle Energy Corp. (TSX.V: OEC) (Frankfurt: O2E) is a junior oil and gas development company focused on acquiring development assets in North America and with current focus on the Texas Eagle Ford.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the 'safe harbour' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties.

For further information, please contact:

Darrell L McKenna

Chairman & CEO

Mobile: +1-832-212-1930

Email:dmckenna@oracleenergy.com
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - September 21, 2018) - Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. (CSE: PKK) ("Peak" or the "Company") today announced that Wuxi Jinxin Internet Small Loans Ltd. ("WJISL), one of the financial institutions registered on the Company's Cubeler commercial lending platform, managed by its Asia Synergy Data Solutions ("ASDS") subsidiary, recently conducted its first transactions on the platform.

WJISL extended loans to clients of Wuxi TanCheng Internet of Things Ltd. ("TanCheng") related to an agreement between WJISL and TanCheng signed in August 2018. TanCheng (www.4008812356.com) provides management and logistics services to over 60,000 transportation small business clients in China. The partnership between WJISL and TanCheng calls for WJISL to use the Cubeler platform to help qualify and provide loans to those 60,000+ clients to help them manage and grow their businesses.

WJISL pays ASDS an annual service fee of 0.5% on the aggregate value of the loans extended to TanCheng clients on the platform. This service fee model is only applicable to WJISL for loans provided to TanCheng clients. Like any other lender registered on Cubeler, WJISL is also eligible to provide loans to SMEs on Cubeler that are not TanCheng clients, which means WJISL would benefit from Cubeler's analytics-based match-making service and be matched with qualified SMEs. In this case a service fee representing between 1.5% to 3% or more of the value of the loans would be payable to ASDS by WJISL.

Announcement of ASFC Launch Celebration Event Draw

Peak is also pleased to announce that Mr. Jack Shabbits of Kelowna, BC was the winner of the draw for flight and hotel accommodations for two people to travel to Montreal to attend the Company's ASFC Launch Celebration event taking place at the Mount Royal Club on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

About Peak Positioning Technologies Inc.:

Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. is an IT portfolio management company whose mission is to assemble, finance and manage a portfolio of promising companies and assets in some of the fastest-growing tech sectors in China, including fintech, e-commerce and cloud-computing. Peak provides a bridge for North American investors who wish to participate in the continued digitization of China's industrial sectors through the latest advancements in technology. For more information: http://www.peakpositioning.com.

Contact information:

Cathy Hume

CEO

CHF Capital Markets

Phone: 416-868-1079 ext.: 231

Email: cathy@chfir.com

Or

Johnson Joseph

President and CEO

Peak Positioning Technologies Inc.

Phone: 514-340-7775 ext.: 501

Email: investors@peakpositioning.com

Forward-Looking Statements / Information:

This news release may include certain forward-looking information, including statements relating to business and operating strategies, plans and prospects for revenue growth, using words including "anticipate", "believe", "could", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "potential", "project", "seek", "should", "will", "would" and similar expressions, which are intended to identify a number of these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information reflects current views with respect to current events and is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as may be required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating any forward-looking information.
PALM BEACH, Florida, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary

Chris Fournier of Bloomberg.com reported Canada's measure of gross domestic product will get a boost after the legalization of recreational marijuana on Oct. 17 adds as much as $8 Billion to the country's economy, according to Toronto-Dominion Bank. In the U.S. markets the Marijuana ETF, ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSEArca: MJ), gained over 10% as two of its holdings, cannabis stocks Tilray (TLRY) and Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED), were both up 50% and 7%, respectively. Investors across North America appear to be craving marijuana stocks as Canada prepares to legalize cannabis next month, leading to giant gains for Canada-based companies listed on U.S. exchanges. Active cannabis stocks in the markets today include: CROP Infrastructure Corp. (CSE: CROP) (OTC: CRXPF), Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC), Aphria Inc. (TSX: APH) (OTC: APHQF), The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (TSX-V: WTER) (OTC: WTER), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB) (OTC: ACBFF).

CROP Infrastructure Corp. (CSE:CROP) (OTCPK:CRXPF)BREAKING NEWS: CROP Infrastructure announced today its California tenant has received additional lab results from its first crop. The first sample of dried 707 OG cannabis flower was submitted to Humboldt Quality Assurance Laboratory for analysis on September 14, 2018. The Company has been informed that samples of Platinum OG Kush have been submitted for additional testing.

The 707 OB sample has received a Tetrahydrocannabolic Acid ('THCA') result of 23.9% and passed all tests for microbial impurities and detectable pesticides. THCA is not directly used, but its presence is commonly analyzed when cannabis or hemp-based products are screened for THC. State testing is still pending.

CROP Infrastructure Director and CEO, Michael Yorke, stated: "Following our CROP SAFE method and SOP's, CROP is pleased to announce that our tenant has achieved a concentration of 23.9% THCa. 23.9% THCa commands a higher market value and is considered premium quality." Read this full announcement and more news for CROP Infrastructure at:http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/crop.html



Additional cannabis industry related developments from around the markets:

Aphria Inc. (TSX: APH.TO) (OTCQB: APHQF) has signed supply agreements with official distributors in all 10 provinces and one territory to provide high-quality, branded cannabis products for the adult-use market across the country come recreational cannabis legalization on Oct. 17, 2018. With 28 days to legalization, Aphria has already begun shipping initial product orders to ensure an extensive range of products from the company's expanding portfolio of adult-use brands will be available to consumers on Oct. 17, 2018. Aphria's recreational brands, Solei and RIFF, will also be available through on-line and in-store retailers in all markets. Premium B.C. bud from Broken Coast will also be available in most markets. Each of Aphria's brands have been carefully developed to meet the needs and interests of distinct consumer segments. Two additional adult-use brands will be available on Oct. 17, 2018, expanding the company's offerings to a wider consumer market, including the value-conscious and conventional user.

The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (TSXV: WTER.V) (OTCQB: WTER) announced this week the formation of A88 Infused Beverage Division, Inc., a wholly owned Nevada corporation ("A88 Infused"). A88 Infused will focus on brand extension and product innovations in the healthful water category. "We are excited to announce the launch of our new A88 Infused Beverage Division, Inc. Our national success with Alkaline88 and expertise gained in the enhanced water segment makes A88 Infused a logical step in Alkaline88's brand evolution. We have partnered with industry leaders and experts to develop healthful products using the technology currently used by Alkaline88 as their foundation," stated Richard A. Wright, President and CEO of The Alkaline Water Company Inc. "Consumer demand for enhanced and functional beverages is at an all-time high. Over 83% of consumers want some sort of nutritional or functional benefit in their water. A88 Infused is capitalizing on this trend with the planned launch of four new products centered around growing trends in the beverage space. A88 Infused is uniquely positioned to dominate these emerging beverage markets through our already established nationwide footprint of Alkaline88," stated Richard A. Wright, President and CEO of The Alkaline Water Company Inc.

Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB.TO) (OTCQX: ACBFF) has completed its previously announced distribution of Australis Capital Inc. shares and warrants. The distribution was completed on Sept. 19, 2018, and the Australis shares and warrants will commence trading on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol AUSA effective at the market open on Wednesday. In accordance with the terms of the distribution, eligible Aurora shareholders were paid one unit of Australis for every 34 Aurora shares outstanding as at Aug. 24, 2018. Each unit consists of one common share and one share purchase warrant of Australis. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one share at an exercise price of 25 cents per Australis share, on or prior to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the date that is one year after the distribution.

DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com (FNM) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued above by CROP Infrastructure Corp. by a non affiliated third party. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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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.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 21, 2018) - Vendetta Mining Corp. (TSXV: VTT) ("Vendetta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed the first tranche of its over-subscribed private placement, previously announced on August 30, 2018. The Company also announces that it has increased the private placement from 8,333,333 units up to 11,111,111 units for gross proceeds of up to $2 million. In the first tranche, the Company issued a total of 9,368,888 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.18 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,686,399.84. Each Unit comprises one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant exercisable for two years at a price of $0.30 subject to certain acceleration terms.

Net proceeds from the financing will be used to advance the development of the Pegmont Lead-Zinc project and general working capital.

Total commissions of $12,722 were paid in association with the proceeds of this private placement.

Update on Mineral Resource Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment

The Company issued a comprehensive news release disclosing the 2018 updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Pegmont Lead-Zinc Project on August 9, 2018 (VTT2018 - NR#7), see the table below. The 2018 Mineral Resource Update was prepared by the same independent qualified persons (QP's) from AMC Consultants who undertook the previous update, see "Pegmont Resource Update June 2017" filed on SEDAR.

The Company wishes to advise that it will file a single technical report combining the 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate with the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA").

The Company is pleased with the progress of the PEA, it is expecting to be able to release the results of the PEA mid October.

July 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate (see notes for details)

Classification Material type Tonnes Pb Zn Ag (kt) (%) (%) (g/t) Indicated Transition 1,111 4.9 2.3 8 Sulphide 4,647 6.9 2.6 12 Total 5,758 6.5 2.6 11 Inferred Transition 1,829 5.2 2.0 7 Sulphide 6,447 5.1 3.1 9 Total 8,277 5.1 2.8 8

Notes on the above table:

1. CIM Definition Standards (2014) were used to report the Mineral Resources.

2. The Mineral Resource update has been prepared by independent qualified persons ("QPs") J.M. Shannon P.Geo, D Nussipakynova P.Geo, M. Angus MAIG, P. Lebleu P.Eng, of AMC and A Riles MAIG, of Riles Integrated Resource Management Pty Ltd., and has an effective date of July 31, 2018.

3. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of mineral resources will be converted to mineral reserves. Quantity and grades are estimates and are rounded to reflect the fact that the resource estimate is an approximation.

4. Using drilling results up to April 15, 2018.

5. Cut-off grade applied to the open pit Mineral Resources is 3% Pb+Zn and that applied to the underground is 5% Pb+Zn.

6. Based on the following metal prices: US$0.95/lb for Pb, US$1.05/lb for Zn, and US$16.5/oz for silver.

7. Exchange rate of US$0.75: A$1.00

8. Metallurgical recoveries vary by zone and material type as follows:

Lead to lead concentrate: from 80.6% to 91.3% for transition and 88.0% to 92.7% for sulphide.

Zinc to zinc concentrate: from 19.3% to 75.2% for transition and 61.8% to 78.5% for sulphide.

9. Mineral Resource tonnages have been rounded to reflect the accuracy of the estimate, and numbers may not add due to rounding.



About Pegmont

Pegmont is a stratiform, Broken Hill-Type deposit that outcrops with an overall shallow dip to the south east and is hosted in a magnetite-rich banded iron formation within high grade metamorphic rocks. The project consists of three granted mining leases and one exploration permit that cover an area of approximately 8,290 ha.

Pegmont is situated in the Mount Isa - McArthur Mineral Province, which hosts one of the world's richest endowments of lead-zinc-silver mineralization, including several world-class lead-zinc-silver mines.

Pegmont is located 25 km west of South 32's Cannington silver-lead-zinc operation, one of the world's largest producers of lead and silver and 28 km north of Chinova Resources' Osborne copper-gold operations. Pegmont is proximal to existing infrastructure including public roads, mine haul roads, rail, and a natural gas pipe line for power generation.

About Vendetta Mining Corp.

Vendetta Mining Corp. is a Canadian junior exploration company focused on advanced stage exploration and development at the Pegmont Lead Zinc Project in Australia. Vendetta has an option to acquire a 100% interest by completing certain work requirements and making option and advance royalty payments. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.vendettaminingcorp.com

Qualified Person

Peter Voulgaris, MAIG, MAusIMM, a Director of Vendetta, is a non-independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Voulgaris has reviewed the technical content of this press release, and consents to the information provided in the form and context in which it appears.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Michael Williams"

Michael Williams

President & CEO

Forward Looking Information

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact relating to Vendetta Mining Corp., are to be considered forward-looking statements with respect to the Company's intentions for its Pegmont project in Queensland, Australia. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, are reliant on future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "considers", "significant", "intends", "targets", "estimates", "seeks", attempts", "assumes", and other similar expressions.

The forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which, while considered reasonable by Vendetta Mining Corp., are, by their nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: the interpretation of previous and current drill, further results from the 2018 drilling program, the accuracy of exploration results, the accuracy of Mineral Resource Estimates, the anticipated results of future exploration, the forgoing ability to finance further exploration, delays in the completion of exploration, delays in the completion of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate, the future prices of lead, zinc, and other metals, and general economic, market and/or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements and assumptions will prove accurate and, therefore, readers of this news release are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the information contained within. In addition to the assumptions herein, these assumptions include the assumptions described in Vendetta Mining Corp.'s Management's Discussion and Analysis for the nine months ended February 28th, 2018.

Although Vendetta Mining Corp. has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual performance, achievements, actions, events, results or conditions to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, there may be other risks, uncertainties and other factors that cause future performance to differ from what is anticipated, estimated or intended. Unless otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements contained herein are as of the date hereof and Vendetta Mining Corp. does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date on which such statements were made, except as required by applicable law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Opinion Based on Pivotal Phase 2 ALTA Trial, in which ALUNBRIG Demonstrated an Objective Response Rate of 56% and Longest Reported Median Progression-Free Survival of 16.7 months in the Post-Crizotinib Setting

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502) today announced that the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion, recommending the full approval of ALUNBRIG (brigatinib) as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously treated with crizotinib. ALUNBRIG is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to target and inhibit the ALK mutation in NSCLC. Approximately three to five percent of NSCLC patients globally have the ALK mutation. If the CHMP opinion is affirmed, and the European Commission approves ALUNBRIG, it will become the only ALK inhibitor available in the European Union as a one tablet per day dose that can be taken with or without food.

The randomized, global Phase 2 ALTA trial was designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of ALUNBRIG in patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK+ NSCLC who had progressed on crizotinib. Patients were randomized to receive one of two regimens of ALUNBRIG: 90 mg of ALUNBRIG once daily (n=112) or 180 mg once daily with seven-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily (n=110).

"ALK+ NSCLC is a serious and life-threatening disease that affects approximately 40,000 people worldwide every year, and many patients will progress on or stop responding to first-line treatment," said Stefania Vallone, President, Lung Cancer Europe. "For European people with ALK+ NSCLC, there remains a significant unmet need for new and effective treatment options."

"While ALK inhibitors have demonstrated tremendous growth in this treatment space over the past decade, having an additional targeted therapy option available for the treatment of ALK+ NSCLC has been eagerly anticipated," said Enriqueta Felip, M.D., PhD, Head of the Thoracic Oncology Unit, Oncology Department at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona. "With a median progression-free survival of 16.7 months and overall survival of 34.1 months, ALUNBRIG has shown impressive results, representing new progress for ALK+ NSCLC treatment in this setting."

"The ALTA trial has established ALUNBRIG as a potential second-line treatment option for ALK+ NSCLC, by demonstrating significant efficacy with a manageable safety profile," said Jesus Gomez-Navarro, M.D., Vice President, Head of Oncology Clinical Research and Development, Takeda. "With 16.7 months median progression-free survival, the longest of any ALK inhibitor to be reported in this setting, ALUNBRIG offers great potential for patients who progressed on crizotinib. Today's positive opinion brings us closer toward the ultimate goal of advancing the treatment paradigm for the considerable number of crizotinib-treated ALK+ NSCLC patients living in Europe. We look forward to the European Commission's review of the CHMP positive opinion and introducing ALUNBRIG to patients and healthcare professionals in the European Union if approved."

As part of this submission, the CHMP also reviewed data from the first interim analysis of the Phase 3 ALTA-1L trial, which met its primary endpoint, as supportive evidence. In ALTA-1L, treatment with ALUNBRIG resulted in a statistically and clinically significant improvement in PFS versus crizotinib as assessed by a blinded independent review committee. The safety profile associated with ALUNBRIG was generally consistent with prior studies and approved U.S. and Canadian labeling.

The CHMP positive opinion for ALUNBRIG will now be reviewed by the European Commission, which has the authority to approve medicines for use in the 28 member states of the European Union, as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.

About the ALTA Trial

The Phase 2 ALTA (ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of AP26113) trial of ALUNBRIG in adults is a global, ongoing, two-arm, open-label, multicenter trial, which enrolled 222 patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK+ NSCLC who had progressed on crizotinib. Patients received either 90 mg of ALUNBRIG once daily (n=112) or 180 mg once daily with seven-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily regimen (n=110). Investigator-assessed confirmed objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 was the primary endpoint. Key additional endpoints included Independent Review Committee (IRC)-assessed ORR, duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), intracranial ORR, intracranial DOR, safety and tolerability.

Results of the ALTA trial demonstrated that of the patients who received the 180 mg dosing regimen, 56 percent achieved an ORR as assessed by investigator and 56 percent as assessed by IRC. The median DOR was 13.8 months as assessed by investigator and 15.7 months by IRC assessment. Median PFS was 15.6 months as assessed by investigator and 16.7 months by IRC assessment. Additionally, of the patients with measurable brain metastases at baseline (n=18), 67 percent achieved an intracranial ORR by IRC assessment; median duration of intracranial response was 16.6 months by IRC assessment. Median overall survival was 34.1 months as assessed by investigator.

The most common adverse reactions (=25%) reported in patients treated with ALUNBRIG at the 180 mg dosing regimen were increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, anemia, increased creatine phosphokinase (CPK), nausea, increased lipase, decreased lymphocyte count, increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), diarrhea, increased amylase, fatigue, cough, headache, increased alkaline phosphatase, hypophosphatemia, increased abnormal activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), rash, vomiting, dyspnea, hypertension, decreased blood cell count, myalgia, and peripheral neuropathy.

About the ALTA-1L Trial

The Phase 3 ALTA-1L (ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of BrigAtinib in 1st Line) trial of ALUNBRIG in adults is a global, ongoing, randomized, open-label, comparative, multicenter trial, which enrolled 275 patients with ALK+ locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have not received prior treatment with an ALK inhibitor. Patients received either ALUNBRIG, 180 mg once daily with seven-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily, or crizotinib, 250 mg twice daily. Independent Review Committee (IRC)-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1, intracranial ORR, intracranial PFS, overall survival (OS), safety and tolerability. A total of approximately 198 PFS events are planned at the final analysis of the primary endpoint in order to demonstrate a minimum of six months PFS improvement over crizotinib. The trial is designed with two pre-specified interim analyses for the primary endpoint one at approximately 50 percent of planned PFS events and one at approximately 75 percent of planned PFS events.

About ALK+ NSCLC

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85 percent of the estimated 1.8 million new cases of lung cancer diagnosed each year worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Genetic studies indicate that chromosomal rearrangements in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) are key drivers in a subset of NSCLC patients. Approximately three to five percent of patients with metastatic NSCLC have a rearrangement in the ALK gene.

Takeda is committed to continuing research and development in NSCLC to improve the lives of the approximately 40,000 patients diagnosed with this serious and rare form of lung cancer worldwide each year.

About ALUNBRIG (brigatinib)

ALUNBRIG is a targeted cancer medicine discovered by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired by Takeda in February 2017. In April 2017, ALUNBRIG received Accelerated Approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ALK+ metastatic NSCLC patients who have progressed on or are intolerant to crizotinib. This indication is approved under Accelerated Approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial. In July 2018, Health Canada approved ALUNBRIG for the treatment of adult patients with ALK+ metastatic NSCLC who have progressed on or who were intolerant to an ALK inhibitor (crizotinib). The FDA and Health Canada approvals of ALUNBRIG were primarily based on results from the pivotal Phase 2 ALTA (ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of AP26113) trial.

ALUNBRIG received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA for the treatment of patients with ALK+ NSCLC whose tumors are resistant to crizotinib and was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of ALK+ NSCLC, ROS1+ and EGFR+ NSCLC.

The brigatinib clinical development program further reinforces Takeda's ongoing commitment to developing innovative therapies for people living with ALK+ NSCLC worldwide and the healthcare professionals who treat them. The comprehensive program includes the following clinical trials:

Phase 1/2 trial, which was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary anti-tumor activity of ALUNBRIG

Pivotal Phase 2 ALTA trial investigating the efficacy and safety of ALUNBRIG at two dosing regimens in patients with ALK+ locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who had progressed on crizotinib

Phase 3 ALTA-1L, a global randomized trial assessing the efficacy and safety of ALUNBRIG in comparison to crizotinib in patients with ALK+ locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have not received prior treatment with an ALK inhibitor

Phase 2 single-arm, multicenter trial in Japanese patients with ALK+ NSCLC, focusing on patients who have progressed on alectinib

Phase 2 global, single arm trial evaluating ALUNBRIG in patients with advanced ALK+ NSCLC who have progressed on alectinib or ceritinib

Phase 3 global randomized trial comparing the efficacy and safety of ALUNBRIG versus alectinib in participants with ALK+ NSCLC who have progressed on crizotinib

For additional information on the brigatinib clinical trials, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION (U.S.)

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)/Pneumonitis: Severe, life-threatening, and fatal pulmonary adverse reactions consistent with interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis have occurred with ALUNBRIG. In Trial ALTA (ALTA), ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 3.7% of patients in the 90 mg group (90 mg once daily) and 9.1% of patients in the 90?180 mg group (180 mg once daily with 7-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily). Adverse reactions consistent with possible ILD/pneumonitis occurred early (within 9 days of initiation of ALUNBRIG; median onset was 2 days) in 6.4% of patients, with Grade 3 to 4 reactions occurring in 2.7%. Monitor for new or worsening respiratory symptoms (e.g., dyspnea, cough, etc.), particularly during the first week of initiating ALUNBRIG. Withhold ALUNBRIG in any patient with new or worsening respiratory symptoms, and promptly evaluate for ILD/pneumonitis or other causes of respiratory symptoms (e.g., pulmonary embolism, tumor progression, and infectious pneumonia). For Grade 1 or 2 ILD/pneumonitis, either resume ALUNBRIG with dose reduction after recovery to baseline or permanently discontinue ALUNBRIG. Permanently discontinue ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 or 4 ILD/pneumonitis or recurrence of Grade 1 or 2 ILD/pneumonitis.

Hypertension: In ALTA, hypertension was reported in 11% of patients in the 90 mg group who received ALUNBRIG and 21% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. Grade 3 hypertension occurred in 5.9% of patients overall. Control blood pressure prior to treatment with ALUNBRIG. Monitor blood pressure after 2 weeks and at least monthly thereafter during treatment with ALUNBRIG. Withhold ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 hypertension despite optimal antihypertensive therapy. Upon resolution or improvement to Grade 1 severity, resume ALUNBRIG at a reduced dose. Consider permanent discontinuation of treatment with ALUNBRIG for Grade 4 hypertension or recurrence of Grade 3 hypertension. Use caution when administering ALUNBRIG in combination with antihypertensive agents that cause bradycardia.

Bradycardia: Bradycardia can occur with ALUNBRIG. In ALTA, heart rates less than 50 beats per minute (bpm) occurred in 5.7% of patients in the 90 mg group and 7.6% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. Grade 2 bradycardia occurred in 1 (0.9%) patient in the 90 mg group. Monitor heart rate and blood pressure during treatment with ALUNBRIG. Monitor patients more frequently if concomitant use of drug known to cause bradycardia cannot be avoided. For symptomatic bradycardia, withhold ALUNBRIG and review concomitant medications for those known to cause bradycardia. If a concomitant medication known to cause bradycardia is identified and discontinued or dose adjusted, resume ALUNBRIG at the same dose following resolution of symptomatic bradycardia; otherwise, reduce the dose of ALUNBRIG following resolution of symptomatic bradycardia. Discontinue ALUNBRIG for life-threatening bradycardia if no contributing concomitant medication is identified.

Visual Disturbance: In ALTA, adverse reactions leading to visual disturbance including blurred vision, diplopia, and reduced visual acuity, were reported in 7.3% of patients treated with ALUNBRIG in the 90 mg group and 10% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. Grade 3 macular edema and cataract occurred in one patient each in the 90?180 mg group. Advise patients to report any visual symptoms. Withhold ALUNBRIG and obtain an ophthalmologic evaluation in patients with new or worsening visual symptoms of Grade 2 or greater severity. Upon recovery of Grade 2 or Grade 3 visual disturbances to Grade 1 severity or baseline, resume ALUNBRIG at a reduced dose. Permanently discontinue treatment with ALUNBRIG for Grade 4 visual disturbances

Creatine Phosphokinase (CPK) Elevation: In ALTA, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation occurred in 27% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG in the 90 mg group and 48% of patients in the 90 mg?180 mg group. The incidence of Grade 3-4 CPK elevation was 2.8% in the 90 mg group and 12% in the 90?180 mg group. Dose reduction for CPK elevation occurred in 1.8% of patients in the 90 mg group and 4.5% in the 90?180 mg group. Advise patients to report any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. Monitor CPK levels during ALUNBRIG treatment. Withhold ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 or 4 CPK elevation. Upon resolution or recovery to Grade 1 or baseline, resume ALUNBRIG at the same dose or at a reduced dose.

Pancreatic Enzyme Elevation: In ALTA, amylase elevation occurred in 27% of patients in the 90 mg group and 39% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. Lipase elevations occurred in 21% of patients in the 90 mg group and 45% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. Grade 3 or 4 amylase elevation occurred in 3.7% of patients in the 90 mg group and 2.7% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. Grade 3 or 4 lipase elevation occurred in 4.6% of patients in the 90 mg group and 5.5% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. Monitor lipase and amylase during treatment with ALUNBRIG. Withhold ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 or 4 pancreatic enzyme elevation. Upon resolution or recovery to Grade 1 or baseline, resume ALUNBRIG at the same dose or at a reduced dose

Hyperglycemia: In ALTA, 43% of patients who received ALUNBRIG experienced new or worsening hyperglycemia. Grade 3 hyperglycemia, based on laboratory assessment of serum fasting glucose levels, occurred in 3.7% of patients. Two of 20 (10%) patients with diabetes or glucose intolerance at baseline required initiation of insulin while receiving ALUNBRIG. Assess fasting serum glucose prior to initiation of ALUNBRIG and monitor periodically thereafter. Initiate or optimize anti-hyperglycemic medications as needed. If adequate hyperglycemic control cannot be achieved with optimal medical management, withhold ALUNBRIG until adequate hyperglycemic control is achieved and consider reducing the dose of ALUNBRIG or permanently discontinuing ALUNBRIG.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Based on its mechanism of action and findings in animals, ALUNBRIG can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. There are no clinical data on the use of ALUNBRIG in pregnant women. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective non-hormonal contraception during treatment with ALUNBRIG and for at least 4 months following the final dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 3 months after the last dose of ALUNBRIG

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 38% of patients in the 90 mg group and 40% of patients in the 90?180 mg group. The most common serious adverse reactions were pneumonia (5.5% overall, 3.7% in the 90 mg group, and 7.3% in the 90?180 mg group) and ILD/pneumonitis (4.6% overall, 1.8% in the 90 mg group and 7.3% in the 90?180 mg group). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 3.7% of patients and consisted of pneumonia (2 patients), sudden death, dyspnea, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, bacterial meningitis and urosepsis (1 patient each).

The most common adverse reactions (=25%) in the 90 mg group were nausea (33%), fatigue (29%), headache (28%), and dyspnea (27%) and in the 90?180 mg group were nausea (40%), diarrhea (38%), fatigue (36%), cough (34%), and headache (27%).

DRUG INTERACTIONS

CYP3A Inhibitors: Avoid concomitant use of ALUNBRIG with strong CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice as it may also increase plasma concentrations of brigatinib. If concomitant use of a strong CYP3A inhibitor is unavoidable, reduce the dose of ALUNBRIG.

CYP3A Inducers: Avoid concomitant use of ALUNBRIG with strong CYP3A inducers.

CYP3A Substrates: Coadministration of ALUNBRIG with CYP3A substrates, including hormonal contraceptives, can result in decreased concentrations and loss of efficacy of CYP3A substrates.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Pregnancy: ALUNBRIGcan cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus.

Lactation: There are no data regarding the secretion of brigatinib in human milk or its effects on the breastfed infant or milk production. Because of the potential adverse reactions in breastfed infants, advise lactating women not to breastfeed during treatment with ALUNBRIG.

Females and Males of Reproductive Potential:

ContraceptionAdvise females of reproductive potential to use effective non-hormonal contraception during treatment with ALUNBRIG and for at least 4 months after the final dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ALUNBRIG and for at least 3 months after the final dose.

Infertility: ALUNBRIG may cause reduced fertility in males.

Pediatric Use: The safety and efficacy of ALUNBRIG in pediatric patients have not been established.

Geriatric Use: Clinical studies of ALUNBRIG did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 years and older to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients. Of the 222 patients in ALTA, 19.4% were 65-74 years and 4.1% were 75 years or older. No clinically relevant differences in safety or efficacy were observed between patients =65 and younger patients.

Hepatic or Renal Impairment: No dose adjustment is recommended for patients with mild hepatic impairment or mild or moderate renal impairment. The safety of ALUNBRIG in patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment or severe renal impairment has not been studied.

Please see the full U.S. Prescribing Information for ALUNBRIG at www.ALUNBRIG.com

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited is a global, research and development-driven pharmaceutical company committed to bringing better health and a brighter future to patients by translating science into life-changing medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on oncology, gastroenterology and central nervous system therapeutic areas plus vaccines. Takeda conducts R&D both internally and with partners to stay at the leading edge of innovation. New innovative products, especially in oncology and gastroenterology, as well as our presence in Emerging Markets, fuel the growth of Takeda. More than 30,000 Takeda employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients, working with our partners in health care in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit http://www.takeda.com/news.

Additional information about Takeda is available through its corporate website, www.takeda.com, and additional information about Takeda Oncology, the brand for the global oncology business unit of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, is available through its website, www.takedaoncology.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005287/en/

Contacts:

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Japanese Media

Kazumi Kobayashi, +81 3 3 278 2095

kazumi.kobayashi@takeda.com

or

European Media

Kate Burd, +41 79 514 9533

kate.burd@takeda.com

or

Media outside Japan/EU

Amanda Loder, +1-212-259-0491

Amanda.Loder@takeda.com
HANNOVER, Germany, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 19, 2018, the 67th IAA Commercial Vehicles Hanover was opened officially. Daimler exhibited its truck products at Daimler exhibition booth. As Daimler's typical business representative in China, BFDA exhibited AUMAN EST-A at the Daimler booth, together with Mercedes-Benz trucks. This is the third time for BFDA to exhibit at IAA Commercial Vehicles Hanover since its founding in 2012.

AUMAN EST-A is developed and manufactured by BFDA and built with a world renowned power and parts supply system, including Cummins, ZF, WABCO, etc. Mainly aiming at the long-distance special routes and high-efficiency logistics markets, AUMAN EST-A is equipped with an intelligent power system, aided driving, and a fleet management system, and is verified by 10,000,000km real road test to further meet customers' appeals for high operating efficiency and low operating cost. In succession to the market launch in Shanghai, China, in April 2017, AUMAN EST series has been launched respectively in Peru, Chile, Russia, Kenya, Thailand and Malaysia, covering the South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa markets.

On September 18, on the eve of the IAA 2018, a global press conference was held by BFDA at the IAA. Mr. Gong Yueqiong, the president of Foton Motor Group; Mr. Martin Daum, Daimler AG. Board member and the Head of Daimler Trucks & Buses Division; and Mr. Hubertus Troska, Daimler AG. Board Member as well as the Chairman & CEO of Daimler Greater China, attended the conference.

7 Years, 540,000 Accumulative Vehicles globally

Since the founding of BFDA in 2012, Foton Motor's manufacturing standards, local operation experiences, and market advantages have been effectively integrated and collaborated with Daimler's technology and management advantages. BFDA is operating under FOTON "AUMAN" brand, which overwhelmed the joint-venture mode of introducing foreign mature vehicle models for OEM production in traditional Sino-foreign joint ventures and initiated the new Sino-foreign joint-venture cooperation mode. Meanwhile, Foton Motor owns the utilization and proprietary rights of intangible assets of "Auman" medium-duty and heavy-duty truck products, including proprietary technologies, patents, and branding, in overseas markets. Daimler provides technology, expert supports and Truck Operating System (TOS) to help joint venture promote product quality, improve supplier systems, and assist the R&D of new products. Foton Motor provides branding, manufacturing systems, and market operation experience. Based on networks of Foton Motor, both will realize a further development in China and the global market.

Through a 7-year joint development, BFDA has achieved an accumulative sales volume of 540,000 in global market as of August, 2018.

Facing Competition by Complementary Advantages

The commercial truck market around the world is upgrading. "The future competition is definitely the competition of all-value chain solutions, including fleet management solution, technology matching, and integral commercialization strategy," said the President of Foton Motor Group, Gong Yueqiong. "Daimler owns sophisticated technology and quality control, and Foton Motor owns leading manufacturing systems and mature market operation experiences, insight, and strategic deployment on the markets. The two parties have reached tacit understanding and consensus in cooperation. Therefore, on this basis, more competition can further embody the complementary advantages of two parties".

Regarding the joint venture development strategy, Mr. Hubertus Troska expressed that Daimler will introduce advanced products and technologies into BFDA and enhance the cooperation with Foton Motor in the future. Regarding the future cooperation of the two parties, Mr. Martin Daum expressed that the cooperation status between Daimler and Foton will not change. "BFDA will enhance the cooperation under complementary advantages of both, and will introduce a strategic heavy-duty truck in the future," Mr. Gong Yueqiong added.

Following the cooperation between Foton Motor and Daimler AG., it's possible to apply technologies, including intelligent interconnection, autonomous driving, and new energy vehicles to cooperation projects in the future. By advantages of both in technology, manufacturing, and market, Daimler will realize a further development in China's commercial vehicle market. Foton Motor will also further consolidate its leading position in China's commercial vehicle market. Meanwhile, Foton Motor will duplicate and expand the leading products and technologies to global markets, and thus, realize the leapfrog development of global commercial vehicle business.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/748022/Foton_Motor_IAA_2018.jpg
MONTREAL, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The Royal Canadian Mint has joined McGill University's First Peoples' House 17th Annual Pow Wow to unveil a vividly coloured silver collector coin celebrating the spectacular pageantry of the Fancy Dance, a modern Indigenous art form that is a powerful and captivating expression of Indigenous pride and heritage.

"This land's cultural heritage began with the art, music, dance, and traditions of Indigenous peoples, and it is exciting to see these traditions reflected in a new coin from the Royal Canadian Mint," said Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary for Crown-Indigenous Relations, who attended the coin's unveiling. "As we work toward meaningful reconciliation and a future where all Indigenous peoples have a real and fair chance at success, the inspiring design of the Mint's Fancy Dance coin reminds us of the importance of recognizing and celebrating Indigenous traditions."

"The Royal Canadian Mint prides itself on telling the fascinating story of Canada through coins and celebrating First Nations, Inuit and Metis cultures is fundamental to achieving that goal," said Jennifer Camelon, Interim President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Our beautifully coloured coin celebrating the dazzling art of the Fancy Dance is yet another opportunity for Indigenous artists from across Canada to share their talent, traditions and cultures.

The reverse image by Kanien'keha:ka artist Garrison Garrow captures the fast-paced energy of a modern pow wow dance style: the Fancy Dance. A male dancer dominates the reverse, where finely detailed engraving adds a sense of energetic movement while an application of colour highlights the intricate nature of his regalia. From the Thunderbird of the Plains peoples to the Iroquois design on the apron, the array of motifs, textures and traditional elements (including the sacred eagle feathers) strongly evokes the pow wow's cultural importance. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Limited to a world-wide mintage of 3,500, this 2 oz. fine silver coin retails for $189.95 CAD and can be ordered as of today by directly contacting the Royal Canadian Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at http://www.mint.ca. It will also be available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, at participating Canada Post outlets, and through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors as of October 2, 2018.

About the Royal Canadian Mint

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit http://www.mint.ca.

Images of this coin are available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/94toln3vsnthkpm/AACZazyH7Bdlxbso_FTnYwUma?dl=0

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A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A++ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of "aa+" ofSamsung Fire Marine Insurance Co., Ltd.(SFM) (South Korea). Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of "a" of SFM's wholly owned subsidiary, Samsung Reinsurance Pte. Ltd. (SRE) (Singapore). A.M. Best also has affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of "a-" of SFM's subsidiaries, Samsung Vina Insurance Co., Ltd. (SVI) (Vietnam) and PT. Asuransi Samsung Tugu (AST) (Indonesia). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings of SFM reflect its balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strongest, as well as its strong operating performance, very favorable business profile and very strong enterprise risk management (ERM).

SFM's balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalization at the strongest level, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The company's large absolute capital base, low level of underwriting leverage and its prudent investment strategy also support its robust capitalization. The company's limited exposure to long-tail risks and tight internal capital monitoring practices add stability to its strong capitalization.

SFM has maintained highly stable and profitable operating income. Although the gap with its peers has narrowed due to industry-wide efforts to improve profitability, SFM has outperformed the industry in operating profitability consistently over the past five years while demonstrating highly stable underwriting profitability. The company's stable investment income stream, which is composed mostly of interest and dividend income, supports its strong operating performance.

SFM is an indisputable market leader in South Korea's non-life insurance industry with approximately a quarter of the market share in terms of direct premium written. SFM's large network of exclusive agents gives the company strong control over distribution. The company also has demonstrated its leading role in auto insurance by introducing a highly cost-efficient online channel ahead of other domestic peers. Despite its limited operation in overseas markets, concentration risk is low given the large size of its domestic market with stable growth and the company's diversified product mix.

A.M. Best believes SFM has a sophisticated ERM structure with a company-wide risk management process and culture that are entrenched in the organization, in addition to superior risk management capabilities to effectively manage its diverse risk exposures.

Negative rating actions could occur if there is consistent deterioration in the company's operating performance or a material decrease in the company's capitalization.

The ratings of SRE reflect its balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate ERM. These ratings also recognize the high degree of integration and wide range of implicit and explicit support provided by the SRE's ultimate parent, SFM.

SRE's risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by the BCAR, is at the strongest level due to a low net underwriting leverage and conservative investment portfolio. Nevertheless, SRE's capital and surplus size of USD 66 million at the end of 2017 is small for a reinsurer and it also has a high dependency on retrocession.

Operating performance has been mostly profitable over the past five years, with a five-year average operating ratio of 86.0%. Profitability is supported mainly by underwriting results, as net investment return is low due to the company's conservative investment policy. Volatility in operating performance is high due the impact of relatively large losses to a small net premium size. Nevertheless, the new management team implemented measures to address volatility, including changes in its business plan to re-enter the treaty market and increase its retention level to lower the expense ratio.

SRE is a small regional reinsurer mainly focused in Southeast Asia. As most of its book of business was assumed from SFM when it commenced business in 2012, SRE benefits from low execution risk and a relatively profitable business related to Samsung Group companies and Korean Interests Abroad (KIA) in Southeast Asia.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of SFM, SRE shares the Samsung brand and is highly integrated within the parent company. This is strategically important to SFM in its effort to expand internationally. SFM provides a wide range of support to SRE in underwriting, pricing, marketing, actuarial, risk management and retrocession.

While positive rating actions are unlikely for SRE, negative rating actions could occur if the underwriting performance continues to be unfavorable due to failure in the new business plan execution. Negative rating actions also could occur if SFM reduces the level of support to SRE or SRE's risk-adjusted capitalization declines sharply due to a material operating loss.

The ratings of SVI reflect its balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate ERM. These ratings also recognize the wide range of implicit and explicit support provided by the company's ultimate parent, SFM.

Balance sheet strength is supported by SVI's very low net underwriting leverage and conservative investment policy. Nevertheless, SVI has a relatively small capital and surplus, at USD 42 million at the end of 2017, and is highly dependent on reinsurance. The company's reinsurance panel is well-diversified, mostly with highly rated reinsurers.

SVI is not a major player in Vietnam's non-life insurance market, with about a 3% market share in 2017, and mostly underwrites Samsung Group-related business, which accounts for two-thirds of its gross written premium. Due to its limited business scope, the company has high concentration in business lines, particularly in marine and property, and in large South Korean accounts.

The strong operating performance is supported mainly by reinsurance commission income, reflecting SVI's fronting insurance business model. SVI receives a large amount of reinsurance commission, as it cedes most of its premium and has a favorable loss experience.

SVI is 75% owned by SFM, shares the Samsung brand and is highly integrated into its parent company. The company receives supports in areas such as marketing, pricing, actuarial, underwriting, risk management and reinsurance. SVI is strategically important to SFM because it offers coverage to Samsung Group companies and other KIA in Vietnam, a major destination of South Korean investments in Southeast Asia.

While positive rating action is unlikely for SVI in the near term, negative rating actions could be triggered by a substantial deterioration in the company's risk-adjusted capitalization.

The ratings of AST reflect its balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate ERM. These ratings also recognize the wide range of implicit support provided by the company's ultimate parent, SFM.

Balance sheet strength is supported by AST's low net underwriting leverage and conservative investment policy. Nevertheless, AST's capital remains small at USD 18 million at year-end 2017. Reinsurance dependence is high and, due to a local cession requirement, exposes the company to significant credit risk.

AST is a joint venture between SFM and PT Asuransi Tugu Pratama Indonesia, Tbk, which have 70% and 30% ownership, respectively. It is a small player in Indonesia's non-life insurance market and mostly underwrites niche businesses of Samsung Group and other KIA in Indonesia.

The strong operating performance is supported by favorable underwriting results from this niche business coupled with strict underwriting guidelines. Investment income, mostly from interest on deposits and government bonds, also has supported the company's results.

AST shares the Samsung brand and is highly integrated into SFM, receiving support in marketing, pricing, underwriting and risk management. Most of AST's business is related to SFM's business relationships. AST also receives reinsurance support from SFM through its sister company, SRE.

Positive rating action for AST is unlikely at this time. Negative rating actions could be triggered by a substantial deterioration in the company's risk-adjusted capitalization, due to material losses or a significant increase in credit risk.

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide for Media Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating Action Press Releases

A.M. Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Visit www.ambest.com for more information

Copyright 2018 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Contacts:

A.M. Best

Sergio Hidenori Agena

Associate Financial Analyst

+852 2827 3407

sergio.agena@ambest.com

or

Christie Lee

Director, Analytics

+852 2827 3413

christie.lee@ambest.com

or

Christopher Sharkey

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+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

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Jim Peavy

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 21, 2018) - Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited (TSXV: NTRL) ("Sweet Natural Trading", or the "Company") announces that is updating the terms of its non-brokered private placement previously announced on August 29, 2018. The Company now intends to complete a non-brokered private placement of up to 20,000,000 units (each a "Unit") for gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000 based on a price of $0.05 per Unit (the "Offering"). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share (a "Common Share") of the Company and one Common Share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share, at a price of $0.075, for a period of 36 months following the closing of the Offering. Each Warrant will also have an accelerated expiry date within 30 days of when the Company provides written notice to the holder thereof that either: (i) the Common Share volume weighted average price on the TSX Venture Exchange for any 10 consecutive trading days has equaled or exceeded $0.22; or (ii) the Company closes a subsequent private placement of Common Shares at a price per Common Share exceeding $0.22.

The funds raised pursuant to the Offering will be used by the Company for general working capital purposes, including purchasing inventory to satisfy new sales accounts and to pursue the Company's strategic plan.

About Sweet Natural Trading

Sweet Natural Trading is a leading natural sweetener company that promotes healthier eating by selling food products that reduce refined, added sugar consumption. With obesity and diabetes reaching unprecedented levels, the Company is focused on making a positive impact in reducing these lifestyle diseases. The Company's products are sold in over 5,000 stores, including major retail customers such as Loblaws, Walmart, Whole Foods, Costco, Publix, Sprouts and distributors including UNFI and KeHE.

For more information about the Company please contact:

Steven Haasz

CEO and a director of Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited

416.288.1019

shaasz@sweetnaturaltrading.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Offering and the Company's strategic growth plan, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will only update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities law.
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT&T Inc on Thursday asked a federal appeals court to reject the Justice Department's challenge to its acquisition of Time Warner, saying the government had offered no basis for second guessing key conclusions of a ruling upholding the transaction. The government is appealing U.S. Judge Richard Leon's ruling in June that AT&T's $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner could proceed.

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT&T Inc on Thursday asked a federal appeals court to reject the Justice Department's challenge to its acquisition of Time Warner, saying the government had offered no basis for second guessing key conclusions of a ruling upholding the transaction.

The government is appealing U.S. Judge Richard Leon's ruling in June that AT&T's $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner could proceed. The government had said it would lead to higher prices for consumers and was illegal under antitrust law.

AT&T has said it would manage Time Warners Turner cable television networks as part of a separate business unit until February 2019 or the conclusion of the government's appeal.

AT&T's brief said the government did not meet its burdens. "In the crucible of litigation, DOJs claims were exposed as both narrow and fragile," the company argued.

The Justice Department declined comment.

The merger, announced in October 2016 and closed on June 14, was opposed by President Donald Trump. The merged company includes CNN, a frequent target of Trumps ire.

AT&T's brief noted the government's lawsuit was the "first litigated challenge to a vertical merger in four decades, prompting many press outlets to question whether the White House had improperly influenced DOJs decision to bring the case."

Leon "quashed discovery into that issue, effectively limiting the trial to the fundamental question" of if the deal violated U.S. antitrust law," AT&T added.

In August, the Justice Department said Leon failed to take into account how companies negotiate with each other and seek to maximize profits in considering the Justice Departments arguments about how the deal would decrease competition.

In its brief, the government argued the court should have concluded that the merger would give Time Warner more clout at the bargaining table.

Leon ignored evidence regarding how companies use leverage to bargain with each other and failed to consider corporate efforts to increase their revenues, the government argued.

The courts errors colored the courts view of the facts, leading to a decision that is clearly erroneous in light of the evidence presented at trial, the Justice Department said.

The core of the Justice Departments concern about the deal is that AT&T, which owns DirecTV, would use its ownership of Time Warners content to make pay TV rivals pay more, thus raising their costs and forcing them to charge consumers more.

Oral arguments have not yet been scheduled by U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
TCS provision would increase compliance burden for e-commerce companies but help government in checking tax evasion.

New Delhi: E-commerce companies will from 1 October have to deduct 1 percent tax collected at source (TCS) before making payments to their suppliers.

The Finance Ministry Thursday notified TCS at the rate of 0.50 percent of the net value of intra-state taxable supplies made through the e-commerce portals by other suppliers in the Central Tax law.

States too would follow suit and notify levy of 0.50 percent SGST on intra-state supplies.

In the case of inter-state supplies by the e-commerce companies, Integrated GST (IGST) at the rate of 1 percent would be deducted in the form of TCS while making payments to suppliers.

The ministry had last week notified 1 October as the date for implementation of the TCS provision under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law. The law provided for levy of up to 1 percent TCS.

EY Tax Partner Abhishek Jain said, "As the law had provided a levy up to 1 percent, the e-commerce industry was awaiting this release of the exact rate of TCS essentially to configure it into their system."

AMRG & Associates Partner Rajat Mohan said the government has notified operation of TDS provisions on payments made by government agencies and TCS provisions for specified e-commerce operators effective 1 October 2018.

"These twin provisions are expected to further deepen the penetration of tax authorities in the economy, and it is likely to carve out widespread tax evasion of not only indirect taxes but also direct taxes," Mohan said.

The GST, which subsumed over a dozen local taxes, was rolled out from July 1, 2017. However, to make it simpler for businesses in the initial months of rollout, TDS/TCS provisions of GST laws were kept in abeyance till 30 June. Later on, it was deferred till 30 September, 2018.

TCS provision would increase compliance burden for e-commerce companies but help government in checking tax evasion.

Meanwhile, industry body IAMAI Thursday termed the provision of Tax Collected at Source (TCS) for e-commerce players as an unfair liability imposition on the sector, noting that it will create operational challenges.

E-commerce companies have been mandated to deduct one percent TCS before making payments to their suppliers with effect from 1 October.

With the government notifying the provision part of section 52 of the central GST Act  the provision of Tax Collected at Source (TCS) for e-commerce is an unfair liability imposition on the sectorthis will create operational challenges, the Internet and Mobile Industry of India (IAMAI) said in a statement.

The association pointed out that online marketplaces, as recognised by the IT Act 2000, are intermediaries only providing a technological platform and are not actually engaged in the act of retail trade.

Mandating technological platforms to collect GST for retail activities undertaken by sellers on-boarded on their platform is a contradiction of the intermediary role played by such platforms; and a forceful imposition of undertaking tax liabilities for activities beyond their remit, it asserted.

IAMAI argued that any service provider of certain category of service should not be burdened with tax liabilities of other forms of services, even though the former may facilitate sales.

TCS will create compliance burdens for MSME/petty producers conducting businesses online. Start-up online marketplaces now face a greater challenge to onboard MSME sellers on their new platforms because of the mandatory registration for online sellers as mandated due to TCS, it said.

---With PTI inputs
The finance ministry, however, has not rejected the demand for a waiver of the working capital debt of Air India

Amid the plans to initiate the strategic sale process for the subsidiaries of loss-making national airline, Air India, the finance ministry has now reportedly rejected aviation ministry's proposal to waive the airlines working capital debt of Rs 30,000 crore in one go, a media report said.

The finance ministry, however, has not rejected the demand for a waiver of the working capital debt, The Economic Times reported.

There are various options that include a combination of equity and debt to ensure that the airline gets the required breather, a senior aviation ministry official was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The government is planning to soon initiate the strategic sale process for at least four subsidiaries of 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 airline's headquarters building 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.

In June, a ministerial panel chaired by finance minister Arun Jaitley deferred the strategic sale of the government's 76 percent 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.
The move would be another step to tackle a slide in the rupee, as oil prices are putting pressure on India, which imports some 80 percent of its crude demand. Its currency has fallen sharply this year against the US dollar, amid a wider sell-off in emerging markets.

New Delhi/Mumbai: The government is planning to ask state oil firms to lock in their crude futures purchase prices, a government source said on Thursday, anticipating a spike when US sanctions on Iran snap back again in November.

The move would be another step to tackle a slide in the rupee, as oil prices are putting pressure on India, which imports some 80 percent of its crude demand. Its currency has fallen sharply this year against the US dollar, amid a wider sell-off in emerging markets.

The futures should be locked in when crude price is down, said the source, who is familiar with deliberations on the matter, adding the step should have been taken earlier.

The rupee, Asias worst performing currency this year, has depreciated about 12 percent year-to-date against the US dollar, closing at 72.39 on Wednesday, after a record low of 72.99 on Tuesday. Markets were closed on Thursday.

The government is expected to announce a set of measures to discourage non-essential imports to stem the slump in the currency.

Separately, a senior finance ministry official said there was a view that the rupee could weaken further in the next two months if proposed steps failed to kill speculation in the rupee market.

The gap between the announcement of steps and action is creating a space for speculation. We have to stop this, said the official.

Officials at oil companies said they were open to the idea of locking in futures if the government asked.

A senior official at Indian Oil Corp, a state-owned oil marketing company, said they were considering some options in terms of forward contracts. He declined to give details saying this was market sensitive information.

An official at BPCL, another state-owned oil firm, said they were trying to hedge margins, under a policy reviewed every quarter.

BPCL is also studying a proposal to buy dollars directly from the Reserve Bank of India instead of the market, in a bid to quell strong dollar demand that is denting the rupee.

Whenever there is sharp volatility in exchange rates, this dollar window is opened. Were studying the proposal, he said.

Another official at state-run HPCL said the government had not officially asked for it to examine forward contracts.

In case it is needed, or the government wants us to, we will then look into it, the HPCL official said.

The officials declined to be named as the proposals are still under consideration.

Indias risk-averse state-owned refiners have in the past been reluctant to engage in futures trading or hedging strategies, fearing administrative blow-back if bets go wrong.

The refiners typically buy up to 70 percent of their oil needs through term deals and the remainder through spot markets.

Unlike state refiners, private players Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy use hedging tools to lock in costs on the international market.
A range of medical devices, old or new, will soon have an 'Indian standard

New Delhi: A range of medical devices, old or new, will soon have an 'Indian standard' and nearly 1,000 products are currently being benchmarked, a top government official said Thursday.

NITI Aayog member V K Paul, in his address at a conference here, said the standardisation is expected to be completed in the next two months.

"We don't have any Indian standards (for medical devices). As we speak, about 1,000 products' standards are being completed, and the deadline for that is about two months from now. And, from old devices to new, most of the important devices will carry Indian standardisation from the BIS," he said.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standards body of India working under the aegis of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

The conference MedTekon 2018 -- MedTech Vitalsing Ayushman Bharat, organised by Medical Technological Association of India (MTaI) was also attended by Swedish envoy Klas Molin. Molin said Sweden, both at government and company-level, would like to engage with India when it comes to health and life sciences.

Paul, a key architect of the Centre's flagship health scheme -- Ayushman Bharat, also urged Sweden to partner with the country in this mission and asked the private medical technology companies of India to be "catalyst of change" in this "revolution waiting to happen".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the scheme nationwide on 23 September from Ranchi.

Under this scheme, 10.74 crore families of the country will get free medical facilities up to Rs 5 lakh.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme aims to holistically address health (covering prevention, promotion and ambulatory care) at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

MTaI welcomed the move by the government to bring Indian standardisation, but cautioned that it should not "dilute the existing" global standards that companies adhere to.

At a press conference held on the sidelines of the conference, MTaI Chairman Pavan Choudhary and other members said that several Indian med-tech firms are already following global best standards.

"The new standards would help bring into those players who do not confirm to such standards. But, the Indian standards, once they are brought in, will need a lot of harmonising with the existing global norms," said Probir Das, director of MTaI.

CEO of Ayushman Bharat (National Health Protection Mission) Indu Bhushan spoke on the importance of quality patient outcomes in the context of universal health coverage programmes. He said by providing information to patients or beneficiaries and getting feedback from them, services can be improved. Also, by focussing on the demand side, rather than the supply side, as had been for seven decades, improvement in services can be made.

Paul in his address also asserted that in the next five years a large number of hospitals are to come up in the country. The private sector must open such facilities in tier-II and tier-III cities to take the benefit closer to the masses, he said.
Nearly 21 lakh directors failed to submit the requisite KYC details when the deadline set by the Corporate Affairs Ministry ended on 15 September.

New Delhi: The government will give 15 days more to directors to comply with KYC requirements by paying a reduced fee of Rs 500, a senior official said on Thursday.

Nearly 21 lakh directors failed to submit the requisite details when the deadline set by the Corporate Affairs Ministry ended on 15 September.

The ministry has already started de-activating the Director Identification Numbers (DINs) of individuals who did not submit the KYC (Know Your Customer) details.

DIN is a unique number allotted to individuals who are eligible to have directorship on the boards of registered companies.

Directors can comply with KYC requirements by paying a reduced fee of Rs 500 for 15 days starting from 21 September, the official told PTI.

The de-activated DINs would be re-activated by paying the requisite fee. For the 15-day period, the fee amount has been reduced to Rs 500 from Rs 5,000.

After this deadline, the individuals submitting the KYC details would have to pay a fee of Rs 5,000, the official added.

In June, the ministry decided to carry out KYC process for all directors, including those who have been disqualified. The last date for complying with the new norms by way of submitting form

'DIR-3 KYC' without fee ended on 15 September.

Out of 33 lakh active directors, only around 12.15 lakh directors completed the KYC process by September 15. Around 21 lakh individuals failed to ensure compliance, an official had said.

As per a message on the website of the ministry on Thursday, the last date for filing form DIR-3 KYC without fee expired on September 15.

"The process of deactivating the non-compliant DINs is in progress and is likely to be completed by 20 September 2018," the message said.

The KYC exercise is part of larger efforts to curb illicit activities carried through corporate structures.
SEOUL (Reuters) - Oil prices were little changed on Friday after falling in the previous session as U.S.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Oil prices were little changed on Friday after falling in the previous session as U.S. President Donald Trump urged OPEC to lower crude prices at its meeting in Algeria this weekend.

International benchmark Brent crude for November delivery was up 4 cents at $78.74 a barrel by 0053 GMT.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery fell 5 cents to $70.27 a barrel.

President Trump called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to lower prices, saying on Twitter "they would not be safe for very long without us, and yet they continue to push for higher and higher oil prices."

OPEC and its allies are scheduled to meet on Sunday in Algeria to discuss how to allocate supply increases to offset a shortage of Iran supplies due to U.S. sanctions.

Stephen Innes, head of trading for Asia-Pacific at OANDA in Singapore, said Trump's remarks just days before the OPEC meeting put "a focus on the likely supply impacts of U.S.-led Iran sanctions."

"The market had until that point been trading fluidly with the assumption that Saudi Arabia is now comfortable with Brent at $80 or even higher, which is challenging the market's long-held supposition that prompt Brent between $70 and $80 was OPEC's sweet spot," Innes added.

Brent has been trading just below $80 a barrel, backed by concerns of supply shortages from looming U.S. sanctions against Iran, which are set to take effect in November.

Although supply worries have pushed up oil prices, OPEC and its allies were not likely to agree to an official increase in crude output at this weekend's meeting, OPEC sources said.

(Reporting By Jane Chung; editing by Richard Pullin)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
(Reuters) - Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc is in early talks to buy food delivery company Deliveroo, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The value of the deal is not known, Bloomberg reported, adding that the offer would need to be considerably above Deliveroo's latest valuation. London-based Deliveroo was last year valued at more than $2 billion after raising $98 million from private investors.

(Reuters) - Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc is in early talks to buy food delivery company Deliveroo, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The value of the deal is not known, Bloomberg reported, adding that the offer would need to be considerably above Deliveroo's latest valuation.

London-based Deliveroo was last year valued at more than $2 billion after raising $98 million from private investors.

According to the Bloomberg report, the talks could fall apart because Deliveroo and its investors have been reluctant to relinquish independence.

Deliveroo, which competes with companies such as Just Eat , said in July that an initial public offering is not off the cards but was not in a hurry.

Since it started its services in London in 2013, Deliveroo has expanded into 11 other countries, with new markets due soon.

Both Uber and Deliveroo were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Last December, Flipkart had bought back ESOPs worth over $100 million from over 3,000 current and former employees as well as its other units, such as Myntra, Jabong and PhonePe.

New Delhi: Walmart-backed Flipkart will offer its employees an opportunity to cash in on part of their stockholding in the company at $126-128 per share, according to an e-mail to staff.

The e-mail, which follows the $16-billion deal by Walmart to buy a majority holding in the Indian e-commerce major, said eligible staff members will be allowed to liquidate part of their employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) at $126-128 per unit.

This would translate into a total sum of about $800 million (around 5,755 crore).

In a recent filing with the US SEC, Walmart had said it has reserved 11,947,026 company ordinary shares for issuance under the company option plans, of which options to purchase 6,242,271 company ordinary shares are outstanding as of the agreement date.

A Flipkart spokesperson said the ESOP repurchase programme is part of its continuing efforts to thank and reward our employees for their service.

Flipkart has a strong culture of fairness and does acknowledge that employees are an invaluable asset. We take immense pride in being the employer of choice and believe in rewarding employees by making them partners in the organisations success, the spokesperson said.

Last December, Flipkart had bought back ESOPs worth over $100 million from over 3,000 current and former employees as well as its other units, such as Myntra, Jabong and PhonePe.

The mega deal, which saw Walmart buying a 77 percent stake in Flipkart, was announced in May.
By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is optimistic about finding a way forward in its trade dispute with China, but it does not have a date scheduled for further talks as it assesses Beijing's response to the latest round of tariffs, a senior White House official said on Friday. The official said despite its protestations, China was well aware of U.S. demands it halt what Washington considers unfair trade practices

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is optimistic about finding a way forward in its trade dispute with China, but it does not have a date scheduled for further talks as it assesses Beijing's response to the latest round of tariffs, a senior White House official said on Friday.

The official said despite its protestations, China was well aware of U.S. demands it halt what Washington considers unfair trade practices. U.S. President Donald Trump has made clear his resolve on the issue, the official said, and the two sides remain in touch.

"We have been very clear in all of these meetings about what is ... required," the official said. "I am still optimistic that there is a positive way forward, and the president wants us to continue to engage to try to achieve a positive way forward."

Earlier this week, China added $60 billion of U.S. products to its import tariff list as it hit back at U.S. duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods that go into effect from Sept. 24. The escalating trade dispute has spooked financial markets.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on condition of anonymity, the official made clear the administration's ultimate goal was not to separate the interlinked U.S. and Chinese economies, but he said companies could choose to alter their supply chains if Beijing did not change course.

"Our goal here is not to cleave off the Chinese market from the U.S. market, I don't think that's good for long-term growth," he said. "In the short term there is of course a risk that if China continues on the path it is, that some companies as a result of this may start ... to move supply chains."

The official also said he hoped Canada would agree to join a U.S.-Mexico trade deal by the end of the month, while saying he thought U.S. lawmakers would support a bilateral deal with Mexico if that did not happen.

U.S. and Canadian officials have been engaged in talks to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, a 1994 deal that underpins $1.2 trillion in trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The official dismissed concerns separate deals with Canada and Mexico would have a negative impact on supply chains.

"I think it's overblown to say that if we have separate deals with these two, that there still can't be a really high degree of integration," he said.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Paul Simao)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Nambiar, who reached Paris four days ago, flew the aircraft in France to assess its efficacy, they said. He is in France to also assess the progress in the production of Rafale jets by Dassault Aviation.

New Delhi: Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar on Thursday flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation for India, official sources said.

Nambiar, who reached Paris four days ago, flew the aircraft in France to assess its efficacy, they said. He is in France to also assess the progress in the production of Rafale jets by Dassault Aviation.

Air Marshal Nambiar flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation for India, the sources said. The delivery of the jets  capable of carrying a range of potent weapons and missiles  is scheduled to begin from September next year.

A team of the Indian Air Force is already in France to help Dassault Aviation to incorporate the India-specific avionics and weapons system in the aircraft. The development comes amid a raging controversy in India over the deal to procure the Rafale fighter jets.

In 2016, the Modi government signed a government-to-government deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore. The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the deal, saying the UPA had finalised the price of each aircraft at Rs 526 crore while the NDA was buying the same jet at Rs 1,670 crore. The government has refuted these allegations.
Officials said that the five militants belonged to a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group that had probably infiltrated recently into the Kashmir Valley.

Srinagar: Three more militants were killed in an ongoing gunfight between security forces and militants on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, taking the number of rebels slain to five.

Police sources said two militants were killed on Thursday in the clash that was still on in Sumlar area.

"Two bodies of the terrorists (militants) have been recovered with their weapons," a police officer said. "Three terrorists (militants) were killed on Friday although we are yet to recover their bodies. But we can see the bodies."

According to the officer, the five belonged to a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group that had probably infiltrated recently into the Kashmir Valley.

The Rashtriya Rifles, the special operations group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) started a cordon and search operation in the area on Thursday.

The hiding militants fired at the security forces, triggering the encounter.

"The firing stopped on Thursday evening but there was fresh firing from surviving terrorists (militants) in the morning on Friday," a police source said.
Different rules and moralities apply to clergy and lay people. Or at least thats how many Churches want it. You are a sinner only if you talk about it. If you dont, the abuse might lead you closer to God, or so theyd have young impressionable minds think.

Editor's note: This is a multi-part series that investigates sexual abuse in the church and the institutions that it runs. Articles in the series rely on opinion pieces, 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.

***

Like many other Christian boys, Rijo* was brought up in a 'God-fearing traditional Christian' family. Members of the clergy in the traditional Church that Rijo's family belonged to were given far too much respect. Rijo grew up wanting to be a clergyman himself. It seemed like the most decent thing to do and his family would absolutely approve of it. His nightmares, however, began right after he completed his tenth standard.

Just about sixteen, Rijo met a respected Bishop at a wedding in his home city of Bangalore. Rijo was overjoyed to meet the celebrated Bishop and when they met, he blurted out his love for the life of a clergyman. Clearly impressed, the Bishop asked young Rijo to share phone numbers and they kept in touch. Most conversations were about Rijo's initiation into the clergy. Everything seemed fine.

Almost a year later, the Bishop visited Bangalore and invited himself to Rijo's house. His tone in his text messages suddenly changed. Rijo clearly remembers how confused he felt when he received a text saying: "Dont worry, Ill come home and sleep with you. Well share the same bed and sleep under the same blanket." Rijo was awakening to his own sexuality at about the same time and felt very uneasy about this change of tone. He was pretty happy when the Bishop couldnt make it and he accepted the invitation to the Bishop House, instead. After what seemed like a very religious conversation, the Bishop insisted that Rijo stayed the night, and Rijo chose not to as he had to return home to his ailing mother.

Another year passed and their correspondence increased. The Bishop seemed absolutely harmless and slowly most of Rijo's worries were set aside. Rijo then gained admission to a prestigious college in Chennai and was now closer to the Bishop, geographically. Initially, a bunch of theologically-inclined students were invited to the Bishop House for ecumenical Bible studies. As long as they were in a group, the Bishops behaviour remained pleasing and very trustable. All of this changed one night.

Rijo clearly remembers that night like it was yesterday. We finished our Bible study pretty late that night and the Bishop invited us to spend the night at his residence. The guest rooms were on a different floor from the Bishops room and after we had all retired for the night, I received a text message from him. The Bishop wanted me to come to his room. Not expecting anything strange, I went down to his room. The conversation seemed very spiritual till suddenly the topic shifted to my hygiene. The Bishop wanted to know if I shaved/trimmed my pubic hair. I was obviously shocked and stood there speechless. The next thing I knew was the Bishop had his hand inside my trousers. He unzipped me and led me to sit on the bed in the room. He then smiled at me as he led my hand to his crotch. He placed my hand over the bulge in his cassock and then fondled himself with my hand. It took me a while to come back into full consciousness. Gathering all the courage I could, I asked him: what about your chastity? This seemed to knock him out of whatever had taken over him and he mumbled something about how his chastity was intact because he hadnt ejaculated and how this wasnt a sin. He then asked me to leave.

Rijo left the Bishop House the next morning and continued to receive pornographic content from the Bishop for almost a year after the incident. It stopped when Rijo became more vocal about his sexuality. The Bishop now ignores him. "Im one of the lucky few who got away with just a little bit of this. Who knows what other people who didnt question him went through," ends Rijo.

Rijo represents thousands of LGBTQIA+ individuals across the country who are accepted within organised Christianity only if they keep quiet about the abuse they receive at the hands of clergy, priests, pastors and religious leaders. If they speak about it or rebel, they fear excommunication for the very same 'sin' they were abused with. Different rules and moralities apply to clergy and lay people. Or at least thats how many churches want it. You are a sinner only if you talk about it. If you dont, the abuse might lead you closer to God, or so theyd have young impressionable minds think. A cleaning of the Church was required yesterday, weve lost far too many young innocent people to it already.

Can we work together to save our young from sexual predators atleast now? Or atleast stop protecting these predators within these systems?

*Names have been changed to protect identity.

The author is a gay human rights activist who works with Christian organisations for more LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
CBI officer Rakesh Asthana had written a formal complaint to the Cabinet Secretary alleging that the agency's director Alok Verma, sought to impede his functioning, interfere in investigations and malign his reputation

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has started a fact-finding probe against CBI director Alok Verma based on a complaint filed by his second-in-command Rakesh Asthana, according to media reports.

According to CNN-News18, a CVC inquiry has been requested against Verma by a Cabinet Secretary after Asthana filed a complaint on 4 September. The CVC responded two days later stating that it would be initiating an inquiry as allegations were serious in nature. Verma has been cooperating with the CVC probe, sources told News18.

As per due process, the CVC has initiated the preliminary task of examining facts of the allegations mentioned in the complaint and whether they are reasonable to launch any formal inquiry, reported The Economic Times. It is possible that after initial examination the matter can be dismissed.

Asthana had written a formal complaint to the Cabinet Secretary alleging that Verma sought to impede his functioning, interfere in investigations and malign his reputation based on unverified facts. As a special director heading Special Investigation Teams, Asthana is probing high profile corruption cases such as AugustaWestland and Kingfisher, among others.

According to The Economic Times report, Verma has dismissed the allegations as a "pack of lies".

Asthana also alleged that Verma had asked him to call off the planned raids against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna last year at the eleventh hour, despite the teams being ready. However, Asthana had stood his ground and carried out the raids.

There have been a series of differences between both the CBI officers over the last year. Reports of power tussle between Verma and Asthana surfaced in July when the CVC had given the go ahead for extending the tenure of some key officers in CBI who had worked closely in several high profile cases as part of Asthanas team.
Cyclone Daye LIVE updates:Cyclone Daye crossed Odisha state and has moved towards Chattishgarh state. According to the latest IMD report, it was centred roughly east-southeast of Raipur. It is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken gradually into a Depression during next 12 hours.

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As the cyclonic storm made a landfall, it brought heavy to very heavy rainfall in some places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts of the state, officials said.

Cyclonic storm Daye crossed the coast near Gopalpur in Odisha early Friday, triggering heavy downpour accompanied by high velocity wind in several parts of the state.

Reviewing the situation, the chief minister directed to ensure that there is no loss of life due to the storm. He also directed to ensure adequate relief materials for the people likely to be affected by the cyclone.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday asked officials to remain alert as the depression over Bay of Bengal intensified and transformed into a cyclonic storm, DAYE.

The official added that the state's Konkan region, which includes Mumbai, will receive isolated downpour Saturday onwards. Incidentally, Sunday would see massive crowds in Mumbai as well as other cities in Maharashtra as people flock to water bodies to immerse Ganesh idols.

The intensifying cyclonic system off the coast of Odisha is set to bring heavy to moderate showers in Vidarbha and north madhya Maharashtra, an IMD official said Thursday.

Ahead of Ganpati Visarjan, Cyclone DAYE likely to cause rains in Maharashtra as well

The IMD has predicted damage to thatched hut, roads, crops and minor damage to power and communication lines in Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts at the time of landfall of Cyclone DAYE. Local cautionary Signal Number LC-III to be kept hoisted at all ports of Odisha, it said.

The cyclonic depression having peaked into a full-fledged storm early on Friday will have gusty wind speeds of up to 70 to 80 km/hr and it would continue to move west-north-west over land after crossing the Odisha coast, and weaken back into a deep depression on Friday next week.

According to a report in The Hindu Business Line, after crossing the Odisha coast, the track of the latest Bay of Bengal cyclone will head in a classical west-north-west direction (diagonal across Central and Western India) over the weekend and early next week.

Cyclone DAYE will bring heavy rain to central, north-west India; will head to Maharashtra over weekend

Squally wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph is very likely along and off Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts. Apart from heavy rains, the high-wind speeds are expected to damage thatched roof houses and communication cables in parts of Odisha. The IMD has issued a warning to fishermen advising them to keep off the sea for the next two days.

Odisha to face gusty winds of speed 60-70 kmph over next few hours

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning on Thursday for cyclonic storm DAYE to hit southern Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh. As per the NDMA guidelines, action in the event of a cyclone threat can broadly be divided into four categories: immediately before the cyclone season, when cyclone alerts and warnings are communicated, when evacuations are advised, when the cyclone has crossed the coast. Some of the do's and dont's in the current scenario included hoarding dry non-perishable food items, keep an eye out for the warning and stay tuned to the radio warnings issued by official sources.

In case of the Indian Ocean basin (including Arabian Sea & Bay of Bengal), eight countries take turns in naming cyclones. The latest, Cyclone DAYE has been named by Myanmar.

Tropical cyclones are named to provide ease of communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts and warnings, which sometime must be shared between countries or regions using different dialect.

The IMD predicted rainfall at most places in Odisha, with heavy to very heavy falls lashing parts of south Odisha. Rainfall is also likely over isolated places in north Odisha.

It would continue to move westnorthwestwards and weaken gradually into a depression during next 12 hours, the IMD said in an update released Friday.

The cyclonic storm DAYE weakened into a deep depression at 05.30 am today, and lay centred over south interior Odisha and neighbourhood near latitude 20.0 N and longitude 83.7 E, about 65 km eastsoutheast of Titlagarh (Odisha).

The Kankarkonda, Korkonda, Poteru and MV 37 rivers have swollen and are flowing above the red mark following heavy rainfall. The road transport between Malkangiri and Chattisgarh has been affected due to heavy rains.

Office of the Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha shares pictures of evacuated people from the Atharbatia and Dungamal gram panchayats of the Chilika block in the coastal state. The officials have assured all assistance to the people.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed its teams in Kalahandi, Raygada, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Khandamal with several boats and other emergency equipment required to combat the situation. Meanwhile the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams have been deployed in Ganjam, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts.

Heavy rainfall was recorded in sourh and western Odisha as Cyclone DAYE made landfall in Odisha around midnight. The downpoyur is expected to continue till next 24 hours as well. The IMD has issued warnings of heavy rainfall in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts.

In Andhra Pradesh, the IMD advised the fishermen to not go fishing within the next 36 hours.

The Indian Meteorological Department said that the fishermen from West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh should not venture out into the sea owing to deep depression across the east coast. Fishermen from West Bengal are advised not to venture into the sea before noon, in south and north Odisha they are advised to refrain from entering sea at least for the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, water has started flooding in different public places in the town and the healthcare services are affected in Janbai hospital due to water lodging.

The water level increased in Balimela water reservoir in the Chitrakonda area of Malkangiri district. If the water continues to rise at the current rate, the authorities will have to open the gates of the dam soon. This puts in danger the Gurupriya Setu (Bridge).

Incessant heavy rainfall in Baleswar district has caused flood-like situation in several parts, throwing normal life out of gear. Water is flowing well over the 4.5 metre danger level in Jalaka river. At the last check, water was flowing at 6.3 metres in Jalaka river. The district's Marthani, Baharda, Dudhahansa, Sadanandpur, Barungadia, Chakarai, Darada, Gadapada, Routpada panchayats are affected, whereas a flood like situation continued in the Basta block.

The northern district of Odisha in Baripada (Mayurbhanj), has seen moderate rainfall for the last two days leaving the normal live at tenterhooks. It also rained last night while the intensity subsumed as the day progressed in the district.

Leave of government officials across five districts has been cancelled based on the instructions of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. These districts are Ganjam, Gajapati, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri. However, all other district collectors are instructed to take decisions as per need.

Cyclone DAYE, which made landfall in Odisha at midnight, has since weakened and will become a Tropical Depression by Friday afternoon. The Tropical Cyclone (now downgraded to a deep depression) will cause heavy rain, thunderstorm and gusty winds around northeastern, eastern, central and western India on Friday, The Weaher Channel reported.

Koraput: Water level haws increased in the Kolab Dam and two gates have been opened.

Puri: A tree fell on Thursday night and blocked roads. The Fire department and ODRAF teams are clearing the roads.

The Chief Minister has reviewed the whole situation of cyclone threat in the state and the likely damages. He has agreed to sanction relief for seven days at the rate of Rs 60 per person and Rs 45 per day for children who are below the age of 12 years in Malkangiri. All officials have also been directed to extend their helping hand to the people in need.

Office of the Special Relief Commissioner has said that the Cyclone DAYE has weakened into a deep depression and is laying over south interior Odisha and its neighbourhood.

Paradip, which is famous for its 15-day long Viswakarma Puja festival has also been affected. Many puja pandals have been broken due to the cyclone.

Taking the situation into account, the NDRF and the ODRAF have been deployed in different districts. One NDRF team each has been deployed in Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts with 17 boats and other emergency equipment.

NDRF deployed in Malkangiri; more teams on standby in Rayagada, Gajapati, and Puri

Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena said that rescue and rehablitation operations are on by the police department. He said that the department received information that the low lying area of Potaru, around 15 kms away from Malkangiri town was the worst affected in the district. We have shifted around 10 families living their to a safer location.They are now stationed at the Potaru police outpost which is a three-story building. Many others are being shifted to other outposts and thanas as well. The department ensured that they get their breakfast. But the officials are, however, struggling to provide lunch due to water logging in many areas. We have taken the help of the Odisha Disaster Response Team (ODRF) to procure and deliver lunch for the rescued families. The ODRF team are taking the help of boats to reach out to more people in need."

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked officials of the coastal districts to be alert and prepared. Looking at the flood situation, he has sanctioned gratuitous relief of Rs 60 a day per person and Rs 45/per day for children below 12 for seven days.

Deep depression over south Odisha and neighbourhood moved further west-northwestwards during past six hours and lay centred at 0830 hrs IST of today, the 21st September, 2018 over Interior Odisha and adjoining Chhattisgarh near latitude 20.50N and longitude 82.50E, about 120 km east-southeast of Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and about 80 km west of Titlagarh (Odisha). It is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken gradually into a Depression during next 12 hours.

IMD says deep depression likely to move westwards, may weaken by evening

Heavy rainfall was recorded in Malkangiri district in last 24 hours. The highest rainfall was recorded in Korukonda area which received 403 mm rainfall; Malkangiri received 265.4 mm rainfall, Kalimela got 118 mm rainfall, Mathili received 103 mm rainfall, Khairiput got 83 mm rainfall and K Guma recieved 135 mm rainfall.

Taking the situation into account, the NDRF and the ODRAF have been deployed in different districts. One NDRF team each has been deployed in Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts with 17 boats and other emergency equipment.

NDRF deployed in Malkangiri; more teams on standby in Rayagada, Gajapati, and Puri

Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupad Sethy said that the government was fully prepared for the cyclone. "We are managing it properly. As per the instruction of chief minister, zero casualty was our aim. No casualty has been reported yet. Malkangiri is more affected, rescue and relief operation is going on.

Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena said that rescue and rehablitation operations are on by the police department. He said that the department received information that the low lying area of Potaru, around 15 kms away from Malkangiri town was the worst affected in the district. We have shifted around 10 families living their to a safer location.They are now stationed at the Potaru police outpost which is a three-story building. Many others are being shifted to other outposts and thanas as well. The department ensured that they get their breakfast. But the officials are, however, struggling to provide lunch due to water logging in many areas. We have taken the help of the Odisha Disaster Response Team (ODRF) to procure and deliver lunch for the rescued families. The ODRF team are taking the help of boats to reach out to more people in need."

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked officials of the coastal districts to be alert and prepared. Looking at the flood situation, he has sanctioned gratuitous relief of Rs 60 a day per person and Rs 45/per day for children below 12 for seven days.

Deep depression over south Odisha and neighbourhood moved further west-northwestwards during past six hours and lay centred at 0830 hrs IST of today, the 21st September, 2018 over Interior Odisha and adjoining Chhattisgarh near latitude 20.50N and longitude 82.50E, about 120 km east-southeast of Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and about 80 km west of Titlagarh (Odisha). It is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken gradually into a Depression during next 12 hours.

IMD says deep depression likely to move westwards, may weaken by evening

#Odisha : Visuals of flood from Poteru Village in Korukonda Tehsil of Malkangiri district, following heavy rainfall caused due to cyclonic storm #Daye . pic.twitter.com/eov2Esn0SY

Heavy rainfall was recorded in Malkangiri district in last 24 hours. The highest rainfall was recorded in Korukonda area which received 403 mm rainfall; Malkangiri received 265.4 mm rainfall, Kalimela got 118 mm rainfall, Mathili received 103 mm rainfall, Khairiput got 83 mm rainfall and K Guma recieved 135 mm rainfall.

Odisha: Two shutters of Upper Kolab dam in Koraput have been opened today following a rise in the water level. Cyclonic storm 'Daye' has caused rainfall in parts of the state. pic.twitter.com/AKOoahZRSl



Cyclone DAYE Latest updates: Cyclone Daye crossed Odisha state and has moved towards Chattishgarh state. According to the latest IMD report, it was centred roughly east-southeast of Raipur. It is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken gradually into a Depression during next 12 hours.

Cyclone DAYE, which made landfall in Odisha at midnight, has since weakened and will become a Tropical Depression by Friday afternoon. The Tropical Cyclone (now downgraded to a deep depression) will cause heavy rain, thunderstorm and gusty winds around northeastern, eastern, central and western India on Friday.

In Odisha, water level has increased in Kolab dam which lead to two gates being opened. Meanwhile, a flood-like situation in parts of Baleswar district, following heavy downpour, has thrown normal life out of gear.

The Kankarkonda, Korkonda, Poteru and MV 37 rivers have swollen and are flowing above the red mark following heavy rainfall in Malkangiri district. The water level has increased in Balimela water reservoir in Chitrakonda area of the district.

After crossing the Odisha coast, Cyclone DAYE will head in a classical west-north-west direction (diagonal across Central and Western India) over the weekend and early next week.

The cyclonic depression having peaked into a full-fledged storm early on Friday will have gusty wind speeds of up to 70 to 80 km/hr and it would continue to move west-north-west over land after crossing the Odisha coast, and weaken back into a deep depression on Friday next week.

In Odisha, the district administrations of Puri and Ganjam have been asked to carry out evacuation in vulnerable and low-lying areas in their respective regions, if necessary. All concerned departments have been put on alert and the situation is being closely monitored.

Cyclonic storm 'DAYE' crossed the coast near Gopalpur in Odisha early Friday, triggering heavy downpour accompanied by high velocity wind in several parts of the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a warning on Thursday for south Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh.

In an official release at 6 pm, the IMD said there is a deep depression over west central Bay of Bengal which was likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 60-70 kmph in next 12 hours.

The IMD said the deep depression lay centred over west central Bay of Bengal about 290 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam (Coastal Andhra Pradesh) and about 270 km southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).

"It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross south Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Kalingapatnam and Puri (Odisha), close to Gopalpur around mid-night of Thursday as a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph," it said.

Meanwhile, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik asked officials of the coastal districts to be alert and prepared. Patnaik issued direction for cancelling holiday in government offices in Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Khurda districts, which are likely to be hit by fierce winds.
India is not ready for a sex offenders registry because it seems to be violating more rights in the garb of protecting public safety.

The Centre rolled out a National Sex Offenders Registry (NSOR) in a bid to curb and control the rising number of sexual crimes against women and children in the country. This registry will be a comprehensive database of sex offenders from across the nation, which will include names, addresses, fingerprints, photographs, DNA samples, and governmental identification information, including Aadhaar and PAN numbers of convicted offenders. The database will be maintained by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and will be made available to law enforcement purposes, such as investigation and employee verification. Maneka Gandhi from the Ministry of Women and Child Development was one of those who fervently demanded this mechanism, in the face of several incidents of sexual violence.

With this move, India joins the league of other countries, such as South Africa, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, and Trinidad and Tobago, that maintain sex offenders registries as a part of their criminal justice system. According to the NCRB, there has been a 12 percent rise in rapes in 2016, as compared to 2015  about 38, 947 rape cases were registered in 2016, against 34,651 in 2015. The NCRB, as a part of its mandate, will be asked to collect information on more than 4.5 lakh cases from the past fifteen years, details of which shall be collected from jails across the country. The NSOR will use severity of threat to classify offenders into low danger, moderate danger and high risk or habitual offenders, whose details will remain in the system for 15 years, 25 years and lifetime respectively. Earlier this year, the government had also introduced a controversial Criminal Ordinance that allowed for death penalty as punishment for those convicted of raping children below 12 years.

The move has garnered a range of reactions from various stakeholders, including social workers, journalists and researchers. Some have called it a knee-jerk reaction to a very complicated issue, while others state that the SOR will be a step towards deterring offenders from crime. Enakshi Ganguly from HAQ: Centre for Child Rights calls it an example of the politics of illusion where the policy solution is more for the purposes of optics, rather than pushing for actual changes on the ground. The Print reports that Ranjana Kumari, Director of CSR, opines that the SOR is a welcome move, but the registry should be opened up to the public. In her opinion, convicts should be named and shamed, and their names should be removed from the registry only after they have been reformed. Indias SOR, unlike the US, where the SOR is managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is not open to the public, and only to law enforcement. With the launch of the NSOR, the message of the government  much ahead of the elections - is clear: that the security and safety of women and children is its top priority. The government has also set up other mechanisms, including a National Mission for the Safety of Women, headed by the Union cabinet secretary, to take up tasks such as setting up of special fast track courts, providing medical and rehabilitation facilities to victims. But it is important to ask ourselves critical questions about the SOR  do we need it at all? How will the government manage sensitive data? And does it do a good job of preventing crime without violating rights?

The number one reason for SORs is to reduce recidivism, and to be able to track sex offenders after their release from prison so that public safety is maintained. However, research on the countries that current implement SORs indicates that there is no significant change in criminal monitoring that SORs add. In fact, SORs do more harm than good. A report titled The Benefits and Detriments of Sex Offender Registries by HAQ and Macquarie University analyzed that theres no evidence that theres a significant difference between recidivism for registered sex offenders versus those not on a registry. In fact, SORs may add to an increase in recidivism in other crimes, as offenders may feel isolated and deprived of opportunities and community.

A study on Sex Offender Recidivism conducted by the Canadian government looked at data from Canada, the UK, Wales and the US and found out after 15 years, 73 percent of sexual offenders had not been charged with, or convicted of, another sexual offence. A US Justice Department study from 2008, that examined recidivism among sex offenders before and after the law requiring community notification, concluded that Megans Law showed no demonstrable effect in reducing sexual re-offences.

Overall, perspectives from other countries indicate that there is no real social transformation that happens when SORs are implemented. In fact, offenders suffer immense stigma and social isolation, in addition to having difficulty finding employment and housing options. It hinders the capacity of an offender to live a full life, often compelling an offender to commit other crimes to make a livelihood. SORs essentially add to the problem that they were made to resolve.

In India, the SOR would give rise to various issues. Firstly, something that the NCRB should have kept in mind is that a majority of perpetrators are known to or are relatives of the victim. A vast number of cases classified under crimes against women were reported under cruelty by husband or his relatives (32.6 percent), and in 94.6 percent of reported rape cases against women and children, the perpetrator was known to the victim. An SOR is only a registry and does not offer protection from perpetrators. In fact, an SOR may cause underreporting as survivors may not be open to talking about sexual violence by family members or acquaintances if theres lifelong stigma attached to such reporting.

Secondly, an SOR will be as good as its court machinery. NCRB data indicates that as of 2016, about 87.7 percent rape cases are still pending in court and among the ones disposed, only 25.5 percent cases have resulted in a conviction. Our court system is lackadaisical with sexual violence cases and there will be no respite with an SOR that is strapped on the back of a rickety criminal justice system.

Lastly, Indias tryst with arbitrariness and prejudice would be strengthened with an SOR. At this point, communal issues run deep in India, and sexual violence cases are filed against men of one community by another in the background of the rhetoric of love jihad. In all probability, the SOR will become a political tool for the persecution of religious and caste communities. We also live in times where corruption is an issue in law enforcement and the bureaucracy  how will this impact the SOR and its functioning? The SOR will also be violating the right to privacy of the convicted with all their sensitive data stored in the NSOR, and though it will only rest with the nodal agency, NCRB, several departments may have access to the data for investigation and allied purposes.

In my opinion, India is not ready for an SOR because it seems to be violating more rights in the garb of protecting public safety. An SOR is only a mechanism that can be moulded and shaped according to the system. An SOR only makes sense in a country where access to justice is possible for survivors and reintegration is a vision for offenders. Indias criminal justice runs perfunctorily, at this juncture, with no higher aim of preventing violence. With the SOR, the Centres concern is misplaced  it must look at putting in mechanisms that uphold justice and rights, instead of creating a resource-heavy registry that will create more problems than it will solve.
An assistant commissioner of police in Delhi has been booked for allegedly raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter, police said on Thursday.

New Delhi: An assistant commissioner of police has been booked for allegedly raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter, police said on Thursday.

ACP Ramesh Dahiya, posted in the Delhi Police's security wing, has been sent on leave after allegations surfaced against him, they said. The officer claimed he had lent money to the woman and when he asked her to repay the amount, she levelled allegations of rape against him.

The officer was posted as the station house officer at the Sadar Bazar Police Station. He was recently promoted to the ACP rank. The woman had filed a complaint against the officer in July, claiming that she came in contact with him after the death of her husband, who was a criminal, they said.

The woman filed a second complaint on 18 September, accusing the officer of raping her, molesting her minor daughter and kidnapping her son, police said. An FIR was registered on Wednesday and the case transferred to the Crime Branch since it was a sensitive matter and required thorough investigation, they said.

"We received a complaint on Tuesday and a case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code the next day. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch," Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Nupur Prasad said.
Nasheed, 51, was forced to quit his office in 2012 in what supporters regard as a coup, and was narrowly defeated by Yameen in a presidential poll the following year.

Colombo: Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed on Friday asked India to exert its influence to ensure a free and fair election in the country as he fears that 23 September presidential polls could be rigged. The Maldives on Sunday will hold its third-ever multiparty presidential election.

Opposition parties from across Maldivian politics have formed a united front to oust the president, Abdulla Yameen, whose government has been accused of crushing dissent, corruption and jailing electoral opponents on flimsy grounds. They have nominated a senior MP, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, to run against Yameen.

Mohammad Nasheed, the country's first freely elected president after 30 years of authoritarian rule, told reporters in Colombo that "Yameen will lose the election, but he will hold onto power. Nasheed, 51, was forced to quit his office in 2012 in what supporters regard as a coup, and was narrowly defeated by Yameen in a presidential poll the following year. He was convicted of terrorism in a dubious trial in 2015 and now lives in exile in Sri Lanka.

He urged the international community not to accept the result. He said that India must exert its influence to ensure a free and fair election. He stressed the lack of credible international monitoring of the election. He said there was no chance for the incumbent to win the election due to all opposing parties getting together.

"Mathematically, it is not possible for Yameen to win because all Opposition parties are united against him. But the results they will announce will be different to what is actually in the ballot boxes," he said. "The election in the Maldives is not just about less than half a million Maldivians," Nasheed said. "It is also about the stability of the Indian Ocean region where there is a cold war between India and China."

Nasheed charged that Yameen was being backed by China which wants to retain its infrastructure contracts in the country. The United Nations has branded Nasheed's conviction and the jailing for 13 years as politically motivated.
Congress-affiliated NSUI on Thursday escalated the attack against newly elected DUSU president Ankiv Baisoya of the ABVP, demanding cancellation of his election for allegedly submitting a 'fake' degree for admission.

New Delhi: Congress-affiliated NSUI on Thursday escalated the attack against newly elected DUSU president Ankiv Baisoya of the ABVP, demanding cancellation of his election for allegedly submitting a "fake" degree for admission.

On their part, Delhi University officials said they will hold a meeting to decide action in the matter.

The National Students' Union Of India also demanded an apology from BJP president Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for "cheating" the university administration and students.

The party also demanded their candidate Sunny Chillar, to be declared as the students' union president and also repolling be held on ballot paper.

"The admission of the ABVP candidate Ankiv Baisoya should be cancelled from the DU on grounds of forgery. All those who were involved in fake admission racket be arrested including the university administration, the candidate himself for cheating the varsity and all those from the ABVP who backed the candidate," the NSUI said.

The NSUI members claimed that the university from where Baisoya did his graduation only has post-graduate courses and has Tamil as a compulsory language, adding they were sure Baisoya "could not even write his name in Tamil".

The Department of Buddhist Studies, where Baisoya is studying, has said it will hold a meeting on Monday to discuss the allegations and order enquiry into the matter.

Meanwhile, the ABVP accused NSUI's Rocky Tuseed, a former DUSU president, of misappropriation of the union's funds to the tune of Rs 10 lakh, a charge denied by the Congress-backed students' union.
Hollandes reported statement contradicts the Indian governments claim that the agreement between Dassault and the Indian firm was a commercial pact between two private parties

The defence ministry on Friday said it is 'verifying' a statement attributed to former French president Francois Hollande, which said that Dassault Aviation did not have a choice in selecting its partner in the Rafale deal.

The defence ministry's statement said 

The report referring to fmr French president Mr. Hollande's statement that GOI insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified.

It is reiterated that neither GoI nor French Govt had any say in the commercial decision.  Defence Spokesperson (@SpokespersonMoD) September 21, 2018

In an article published by French journal Mediapart, Hollande on a question about who selected a particular Indian firm as a partner and why, said it was the Indian government that proposed the firms name and Dassault had no choice but to take the company given to it.

We did not have a say in that. The Indian government proposed this service group, and Dassault negotiated with Ambani. We did not have a choice, we took the interlocutor we were given, said Hollande. The interview was published in French and excerpts of Hollandes interview were tweeted by French newspaper LeMonde journalist Julien Boissou.

Hollandes reported statement contradicts the Indian governments claim that the agreement between Dassault and the Indian firm was a commercial pact between two private parties and the government had nothing to do with it.

Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday immediately retweeted this article and asked Hollande: President (Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crores in 2012 to 1690 crores in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crores. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate.

In a statement on Twitter, the Congress also said that Hollande's statement "exposes the web of lies spun by the Modi government".

Responding to the Congress' attacks on the government for keeping Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) out of the Rafale deal under an offset clause, both finance minister Arun Jaitley and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been constantly stressing that Dassault and the Indian firm got into an agreement on their own.

Former chairman and managing director (CMD) of HAL, T Suvarna Raju, in an interview to a media house claimed that Dassault and HAL had signed the mutual workshare contract and given it to the government. He further said that the life-cycle costs of the aircraft would have been cheaper if the aircraft were made in India.

However, contradicting this, defence sources on Thursday claimed disagreements between HAL and Dassault Aviation had led to the collapse of negotiations between the two in the Rafale fighter plane deal during the UPA term.

With inputs from ANI
At least eight policemen from the Jammu and Kashmir Police announced their resignation on Friday, after three SPOs were abducted and murdered by the Hizbul Mujahideen earlier in the day. More resignations are likely to follow

At least, eight policemen from the Jammu and Kashmir Police department announced their resignation on Friday, after three SPOs were abducted and murdered early on Friday by the Hizbul Mujahideen. Four of the eight policemen also released videos announcing their resignation, and that they have no connection with the police force.

"I am Nawaz Ahmad Lone from Tengam Kulgam. I am working as SPO, but from 20 September I have no connection with the police. I am leaving the job on my own and not under any pressure," one of the policeman said in a video released on Friday. Another policemen, Irshad Ahmad Baba of Shopian, who worked as a constable also announced his resignation in a video.

Some policemen like Umar Bashir from Kaprin share their resignation letters online. Nayeem Ahmad Bhat, SPO, Jammu and Kashmir Police, also resigned by sharing an image with a resignation-cum-apology letter.

As Firstpost had reported earlier, Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo had threatened the policemen in Jammu and Kashmir to give up their uniforms or face dire consequences. The three SPOs were kidnapped from their homes on Thursday night and murdered by the Hizbul Mujahideen on Friday, reports have said. The terrorists had also kidnapped the brother of a police constable but he was freed later.

These resignations are likely to have been fuelled by the recent deaths of the three policemen.

Tajal Hussain Lone, a resident of Heepura, Shopian, who has been working as SPO for the last six years, also released a video saying that he resigned from the state police force on 17 September. "I came back home and have no link with police. I have not given my video under any force," he said.

Shabir Ahmad Thoker, who has been working as an SPO for the past eight years, shared a similar message in a video. He said, "I have no connection with police from today. I am posting this video without force or favour."

The bodies of the slain policemen were recovered from an orchard in Wangam area, more than a kilometre away from the village the policemen were abducted from. Police said the residents of Batagund village had chased the terrorists and urged them not to abduct the policemen, but the militants fired a few shots in the air and threatened the villagers.

Police identified the dead as constable Nissar Ahmed and two special police officers  Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh  from Kapren and Heepora areas of Shopian district. With this incident, the terrorists have specifically targetted native Kashmiris in the state's police force, say reports. Nissar Ahmed was working with the armed police, Firdous Ahmed, who was under the process of being promoted to a constable, served in the Railways. Kulwant Singh was posted with Kulgam police.

A Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing.

India Today reported that the killings come days after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, in a video, warned the SPOs and called for their resignations. Naikoo said if they don't resign, terrorists "would be forced to" harm or kill them. The two-minute video reportedly shows pictures of security forces and a Hizbul banner with a voice-over issuing the threat. According to The Times of India, police have confirmed the authenticity of the video. The voice in the video is believed to be of spokesperson Umar Ibn Khitaab, whose name appears in English.
Pakistan would be quite amused at the anniversary celebrations of 'Surgical Strikes Day'

Imran Khans letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hot news. Excerpts of the letter include: Pakistan remains ready to discuss terrorism... I wish to propose a meeting between Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj before the informal meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. They can explore the way forward, especially the holding of the SAARC Council of Ministers followed by the SAARC Summit in Islamabad. The summit will offer an opportunity for you to visit Pakistan and for us to restart the stalled dialogue process.

Three events preceded Imrans letter: First, BSF Head Constable Narendra Kumar was abducted and tortured before his throat was slit by Pakistani Rangers in Ramgarh Sector of Jammu along the International Border (IB).

His bodywith three bullet wounds and slit throatwas retrieved from a spot ahead of the India-Pakistan fence after the Pakistani side did not respond to calls for six hours to maintain the sanctity of the IB and ensure that the BSF search parties were not fired upon. Second, Pakistan issued 20 commemorative postage stamps portraying slain terrorists and some others as victims of atrocities by Indian troops in Kashmir. And third: To Indias insistence that terror must stop before talk, Pakistani Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa said a few months ago: Ultimately they (India) will have to talk to us.

The message from Pakistan is explicit: We will continue using terror against you and you pussyfooters will continue to talk to us whenever the amnesia strikes you. So, the Indian government has agreed for Sushma and Qureshi to meet on the sidelines of the UNGA meet. So much for the consideration towards Kumar's family. A nation that cannot respect its soldiers needs a kick anyway, something Pakistan is continuously doing and laughing all the way home.

Whatever happened to the terror must stop before talk jingoism? Sure, talking is good but have the National Security Advisors not been talking? The MEA statementthat the foreign ministers are only meeting and it is not a dialogueis a weak exercise in semantics. Surely, it is not going to be a kiss-and-tell meet using sign language.

If the government had any spunk, it would have told Imran, In view of the recent abduction, torture and killing of our BSF jawan by Pakistani troops and your government issuing commemorative stamps for Pakistan-supported terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir, the time is not yet ripe for the foreign ministers to meet. The NSAs of the two countries have been talking. Our policy stands: Terror must end before talks.

That would have constituted the message of a strong nation. Factually, Modi and his government are behaving exactly like Manmohan Singh and the UPA. Recall in March 2013, immediately after the beheading of our soldier by the Pakistani Border Action Team in Jammu and Kashmir, then external affairs minister Salman Khurshid broke protocol and ran off to host a lunch for Pakistani prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in Jaipur, who was on unofficial visit. Yet, Ashraf went home and promptly passed an anti-India resolution in the Pakistan National Assembly. So, BJP and Congress are no different on such issues: Both afflicted by amnesia.

Some are of the view that this meeting of foreign ministers is a diktat from the United States, but that may not be true because the US recently admonished Pakistan for not doing enough to curb terror and said that Pakistan does not favour a stable Afghanistan. But this move by the Modi government may be due to vote bank politics, especially to appease certain political parties in Jammu and Kashmir who keep pressing for dialogue, and who reportedly have underground links with terrorist organisations in Pakistan.

Hopefully, we will not witness the Pakistani Embassy at New Delhi soon hosting a reception with Hurriyat hardliners as invitees and government deputing the external affairs minister or one minister of state to attend: Because anything is possible when the aim is to get votes. That the Ramzan temporary cessation of hostilities would result in a spurt of violence was a foregone conclusion and yet it was put in place.

Another facet of our resolve against Pakistan is the idiotic decision to celebrate the two year anniversary of the surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on 29 September, where the actual number of terrorists killed is not known. Modi is reportedly meeting senior military commanders that day. The University Grant Commission secretary issued elaborate instructions to educational institutions for events to be organised: Including multimedia exhibitions and students writing letters pledging support to armed forces. All this is clearly a vote-seeking exercise because the government concurrently continues to advocate surgical strikes on the behalf of the military and file appeals in Supreme Court against disabled soldiers and military widows.

We must remember that the above surgical strikes were in response to the Pakistan-supported Jaish-e-Mohammed terror attack on the army base at Uri. It was a retaliatory action and thus hardly pro-active. Pakistan would be quite amused at the anniversary celebrations, for it knows that if the Indian government has not been able to transport the sub-conventional war into Pakistani territory past four plus years, it is not likely to take the step in future.

The author is a veteran lieutenant-general of the Indian Army
The flip-flop with Pakistan does little to establish Indias credibility as an emerging power and damages its reputation.

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, that went missing in its journey from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014 with 239 people on board, must be the most profound mystery of our times. Next in rank is Indias Pakistan policy. Wait, do we even have a policy?

The answer is yes, if we consider dithering as a policy. The answer is yes, if we take ad-hocism as a strategic masterstroke. But if policy stands for a course of action based on clearly defined principles and consistency in execution, the NDA government has no discernible Pakistan policy.

Or maybe it has, but headless chicken policy has never been effective in managing international affairs, even less so when applied to mitigate a toxic relationship such as the one we share with Pakistan. Little wonder that more than seven decades later, we are still trapped in a time warp, going back and forth over the same failed track.

The latest round of dithering came after India deviated from its no-talks-till-terror-ends strategy and acceded to Pakistan prime minister Imran Khans request of allowing foreign ministers of both nations to meet on the sidelines of UNGA summit next week in New York. Just about 24 hours later, India reversed its decision again. New Delhi announced that it was upset at the killings of Indian security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and Pakistans release of a series of 20 postage stamps glorifying terrorist Burhan Wani.

In a press conference on Friday, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Indias acceptance of Khans request was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan. He added that since yesterday's announcement of the meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments took place. In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York.

#WATCH: MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar says, "It's obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed & true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to world in his first few months in the office" pic.twitter.com/e25STpUlTh  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

Indias naivete is touching. The flip-flop does little to establish Indias credibility as an emerging power, damages its reputation and weakens its hands in negotiation. That is not to say that New Delhi should have gone ahead with the meeting even as its soldiers were being killed and mutilated by Pakistan army and its terror proxies. India shouldnt have accepted the request for meeting in the first place and let itself be manipulated by Khan who serves as the cats paw for Pakistans milestablishment.

A few points about Indias Pakistan policy or whatever goes in the name of it, is in order. The comprehensive bilateral dialogue process has been in limbo since January 2016 when Pakistani terrorists launched a daring attack on Pathankot air base. Since then, a spate of attacks in Uri, Pampore, Gurdaspur, Nagrota, Baramulla, Sukma, on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag have taken place. This is by no means an exhaustive list. The genesis of these attacks lies in Pakistan militarys assessment that normalisation of ties with India may diminish its exclusive role in Pakistans security policy and reduce its scope for rent-seeking by emasculating the civilian administration.

In other words, so long as the military determines Pakistans foreign and security policy, relation with India will remain a victim to Rawalpindis ultimate aim of snatching Kashmir away from India. And terrorism remains integral to that strategy.

In light of Pakistans determination to continue the asymmetric war against India by using terror as a weapon, India had ostensibly taken a stand that talks and terror cant go together. India held that Pakistan has removed the possibility for diplomatic engagement by stitching terror attacks in response to its peace overtures. The environment, which must exist for talks, was successfully prevented, said then defence minister Arun Jaitley in 2017.

In May this year, speaking to reporters on the completion of NDA governments four-year stint, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said: We are ready for talks. We have never said that we are not ready for talks. But theres a caveat. Terror and talks dont go together This caveat has never been altered. If the border is volatile, then talks are difficult. Terror and talks dont go together but talks on terror should go on.

In so much as this decision reflected a policy, let us understand what India hoped to achieve. Every policy must include an objective. It cannot remain an open-ended process without outcomes. So, the decision not to talk was meant to cause discomfiture to Pakistan and force it to change its behaviour.

If that is so, in what way? Indias policy (if withholding talks qualifies as one) rests on an assumption that it is in Pakistans interests to normalise economic relations. Since India is a bigger country and at a more advanced stage of growth, hitching itself to Indias economic engine and accessing its market would be advantageous for Pakistan. Not being allowed to do so may impact its economy. Therefore, it is in Indias interest to suspend the talks and engineer Pakistans international isolation. This logic drives Indias decision to make talks conditional on cessation of terror.

Conversely, this is exactly what Pakistan does not want. It wants to untangle the dialogue process from terror. Doing so frees up its economic engagement with India and ensures its freedom to continue with the policy of exporting jihadi terror to Indian shores.

Under Qamar Javed Bajwa  Pakistans de facto supreme leader (a position held by all army chiefs)  the military has moved away from open takeover of power to covert control of all state institutions beneath the veneer of democracy. Army puppet Khans ascension to power in Islamabad has removed the tension prevalent under his predecessor Nawaz Sharif and made Pakistans moth-eaten civilian administration more aligned to the real power centre in Rawalpindi.

This has led to the mainstreaming of so-called Bajwa Doctrine, that seeks to make peace with India while keeping differences on core issues. The doctrine is ready for peaceful negotiations but without compromising on the Kashmir issue.

In other words, Pakistan will not budge from its subversive activities to destabilise Kashmir but even as it does so, will sing paeans for peace to show that it is not a hateful neighbour trying to destabilise others but a proud peace-loving country which wants peaceful coexistence with the world.

This is nothing new  only old subterfuge dressed in a new doctrine.

It is also not surprising that Khan has harped on the same theme since being selected to the prime ministers chair and has articulated this doctrine in his letter to Narendra Modi. He has sought formal resumption of peace dialogue and hoped for a meeting between Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistans foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of UNGA in New York next week.

Pakistan and India have an undeniably challenging relationship. We, however, owe it to our peoples, especially the future generations, to peacefully resolve all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to bridge differences and achieve a mutually beneficial outcome, wrote Khan.

Even as Khan initiated an outreach and put the onus on India to restart the dialogue process, simultaneous reports emerged that Pakistan soldiers (possibly its Border Action Team) have killed a BSF jawan and mutilated his body in contravention of all international norms.

The body of head constable Narender Singh, who went missing, was recovered through a risky search operation by BSF jawans inside Pakistan-controlled territory across the International Border in demarcated territory. In an act of outrage, his throat was slit and an attempt was made to gouge his eyes out, an officer was quoted as saying in a Hindustan Times report.

India called it a barbaric incident which not only defies logic, not only defies civilised behaviour, but also is against all international norms. . Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked BSF top brass to take strongest action against Pakistan troops.

This is, of course, not an isolated instance. The barbarism of Pakistani forces has been evident on several occasions. Two Indian soldiers were beheaded in the Krishna Ghati sector in May last year, and similar incidents have occurred many times in the past.

Acts such as these create adverse public opinion and squeeze further the space for talks. The annual US Country Report on Terrorism has found that Pakistan-sponsored terrorists are continuing unabated their attacks on Indian soil. Parts of India seriously impacted by terrorism in 2017 included Jammu and Kashmir, the northeast Indian states, and parts of central India in which Maoists remain active, finds the report, according to Press Trust of India.

On Friday, the bodies of three policemen were recovered from an orchard in Wangam area, more than a kilometre from the village in Shopian district in south Kashmir from where they were abducted on 30 August. A Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group has claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing, according to a PTI report.

The Pakistan-sponsored terrorist outfit has also released a video threatening security forces and government employees in the state with dire consequences if they dont quit their government jobs within four days. There were initial reports that some policemen have quit but these reports have later been refuted.

The killings are aimed at primarily instilling fear among the security forces and discourage Valley residents from taking up government jobs. Such tactics from Pakistan-sponsored terror outfits further Rawalpindis cause by feeding fuel to the fire of secessionism and triggering outrage among Indians, that is in turn used to justify the subversive agenda.

Imran Khans strategy is clear. While Pakistans military and deep state will continue to fuel secessionism in India, the civilian administration will issue politically correct sound bites and call for peace and dialogue. If India resists, Khan will pose as a victim and seek to occupy the high moral ground. Talks will be disentangled from the context of terror.

As strategic affairs analyst Brahma Chellaney writes in Hindustan Times, With Pakistans international isolation deepening and its economy in dire straits, the military there is tactically seeking peace talks with India while still employing terrorists in a proxy war. Through such talks, it also hopes to legitimise the government it helped install through a manipulated election.

To tackle this Pakistani strategy, the last thing India needed was to allow formal resumption of contacts and allow interaction between the two countries at the foreign ministers level. This is precisely what the NDA government did before it reversed its decision. Though New Delhi pointed out that the meeting is an engagement, not resumption of comprehensive dialogue process, such hair-splitting is spurious when it comes to India-Pakistan ties.

Moreover, the timing of the announcement was unfortunate. The government came across as insensitive in scheduling the meeting at a time when Pakistani forces and its pet jihadi terrorists are killing members of Indian police force, abducting their relatives and warning Kashmiris against taking up government jobs.

Indias action gave Pakistan even less reason to do so and in a perverse way encouraged Pakistan to carry on with its proxy war. The cancellation of meeting was in the end a foregone conclusion. India had very little option. India should get rid of its naivete on Imran Khan, stop taking his words at face value and act on an assumption that Khan wants a reset in ties. It is not in Khans mandate or power to do so.
India is reportedly rethinking its decision of Union minister Sushma Swaraj meeting her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

India on Friday called off the meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi that was scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that since Thursday's announcement when India confirmed the talks, two extremely disturbing developments have taken place.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

Since y'day's announcement of meeting of foreign ministers of India & Pakistan, 2 deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities & recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists: MEA pic.twitter.com/5rTVKmOxEn  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

India is upset over the killing of Jammu and Kashmir policemen. Three Jammu and Kashmir policemen, who were abducted in Shopian district on Thursday night, were killed by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists. Militants had kidnapped the three Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police personnel after barging into their houses on Thursday.

India is also upset over Pakistan's decision to declare slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as a "freedom icon". Pakistan also commemorated the "victims of atrocities by Indian troops in Kashmir" by issuing 20 special postage stamps which carry captions such as: 'Burhan Wani (1994-2016) freedom icon'.

The stamps carry photos of Wani and his two associates who were killed in a gunbattle with police in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir in July 2016.

Kumar also said, "It's obvious behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to world in his first few months in office."

#WATCH: MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar says, "It's obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed & true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to world in his first few months in the office" pic.twitter.com/e25STpUlTh  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

On Thursday, Kumar had said Swaraj will meet Qureshi on the sidelines of UNGA, but the date will be decided later through consultations. He also said that the meeting did not imply a resumption of talks between India and Pakistan, while adding, "This meeting is taking place on the request of the Pakistani side. We have not finalised the agenda of this meeting."
16:17 (ist)

Who is responsible for treating Kashmir like a lab experiment? asks Congress

"Who is responsible for treating Jammu and Kashmir as some kind of a laboratory experiment?" Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.

"Here, we have the External Affairs Minister holding meetings with the Pakistan foreign minister," Singhvi said.

"Policemen have been killed, the government and the prime minister are silent," Singhvi said.

"It is laughable to talk of policy on Pakistan. When the government talks of policy of Pakistan, it is laughable because there is no policy which we can talk about. The policy is knee-jerk and depends on the mood of the moment," he said.
Hours after three Jammu and Kashmir policemen were abducted and killed by militants, nine others reportedly announced their resignationsome on social mediahinting at a panic among the force.

Hours after three Jammu and Kashmir policemen were abducted and killed by militants, nine others reportedly announced their resignationssome on social mediahinting at a panic among the force. Even as Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) denied the reports of resignations and said they are based on "false propaganda by mischievous elements", senior police officials said they are trying to confirm the authenticity of the videos. However, some confirmed the resignations.

Some of the Special Police Officers (SPOs), who are not permanent employees and work on meagre salaries, also posted letters of apology along with their identity cards on the networking sites.

In Jammu and Kashmir, local police officials said they were unnerved by the killing of three policemen in Shopian. Even though the police earlier issued an advisory asking local police not to frequently visit home and do so only in times of emergency, some said it was not possible to avoid visiting home.

I live in Shopian, said one official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. How can I avoid going home?

Most of the resignations came from policemen in Shopian district. Two Kulgam policemen also resigned; another from Pulwama's Wahibugh apologised for working with the police.

This comes after militants warned that those contesting that those contesting the upcoming panchayat and urban local body polls, scheduled to be held next month, will be killed. Shahid Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Qazigund, has been a policeman since September 2017. He said he is resigning from his SPO job in view of the threats by militants. I dont want to work as a policeman anymore, Bhat said.

Another SPO, Nayeem Ahmad Bhat, from Pulwama's Wahibugh area, tendered an apology to the people for working with police. I have not worked against freedom movement. Today, I am resigning and the copy of my resignation will also be submitted to superintendent of police, he wrote in an apology letter which went viral on WhatsApp.

Pulwama superintendent of police Chandan Kohli said the police is ascertaining the authenticity of the videos. Earlier, the videos of Irshad Ahmad Baba of Shopian, Tajal Hussain Lone resident of Shopian, and Shabir Ahmad Thoker went viral on social media. Tajal posted a video that he was working as SPO for the last six years and although he had resigned earlier, he was uploading the video now. Shabir said in the video, I was working as SPO for the last eight years. I have no connection with police from today. I am posting this video without force or fear.

The video of SPO Nawaz Ahmad Lone of Kulgam also went viral. A police official posted at Qazigund police station confirmed that Lone had resigned. SPO Nawaz Ahmad Lone, who was working with us, has resigned, the police said.

The Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) earlier released a video claiming responsibility for the abduction of the family members of the police on 30 August. Local Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo released a video saying they were forced to do so as the families of militants were frequently being detained, beaten up and their personal possessions were burned. The police's kin, who were later released, said they were not subjected to any harassment after being picked up by militants.
A complaint has been lodged against the staff and crew members of the Jet Airways flight for 'dereliction of duties amounting to attempt of murder of travellers.'

After at least 30 passengers on a Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Jaipur suffered nose and ear bleeding when the crew "forgot" to turn on a switch that controls cabin air pressure, a complaint has been lodged against the staff and crew members for "dereliction of duties amounting to attempt of murder of travellers," according to reports.

Mumbai: Complaint lodged against Jet Airways staff & crew members of Mumbai-Jaipur flight No. 9W 0697 for dereliction of duties amounting to attempt of murder of travellers on board. 30 out of 166 pax suffered nose & ear bleeding due to loss in cabin pressure in the flight y'day  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

The flight, 9W-697, with 166 passengers and five crew members on board, was forced to return to Mumbai shortly after take-off at around 6 am from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Thursday, said a Jet Airways spokesperson. Several passengers complained of severe headache and stinging pain in the ears.

After the flight returned, they were immediately deboarded and rushed to the terminal building and administered first-aid by a team of doctors.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken "cognisance" of the incident and ordered the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to investigate and file its report on the matter immediately. The probe was later transferred to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

Civil Aviation minister Suresh Prabhu also ordered a safety audit of all scheduled airlines and airports following the incident. He directed officials concerned to prepare a comprehensive safety audit plan, which involves assessment of safety parameters of all scheduled airlines, aerodromes, flying training schools and MROs immediately, an official statement said.

Jet Airways has reported as many as three incidents, including the one that took place Thursday, involving its pilots. On 6 August, the DGCA suspended flying licence of two of its pilots pending investigation after the commander attempted a take-off from a taxiway at Riyadh airport. This resulted in the Boeing 737 aircraft, with 141 passengers on board, exceeding the the taxiway on to the unpaved area and ending up close to the exit of the taxiway.

On 25 August, a Jet Airways Boeing 777 flight which was taxiing for take off for London from Delhi reportedly came to a sudden halt as the pilot did not have the ATC clearance. Subsequently, both of its pilots were taken off from flying duties till investigations were completed.

With inputs from agencies
Hours after the police arrested 89 students and six professors from the Manipur University campus in Imphal, K Yugindro Singh took over as the acting Vice-Chancellor.

Hours after the police arrested 89 students and six professors from the Manipur University campus in Imphal during midnight raids on Thursday night, K Yugindro Singh (who was earlier Pro V-C) took over as the acting vice-chancellor. The development came after V-C AP Pandey was suspended over allegations of financial irregularities on Tuesday, till the completion of the enquiry against him is over.

As Singh took charge, none of the faculty members  including V-C in-charge Viswanath  were present.

On Friday morning, the movement of students across the campus was restricted with heavy police and security deployment. Students were not allowed to go anywhere outside their hostels without the permission of the police. They also did not have access to the hostel mess.

Meanwhile, local reporters also said that 55 students from Hostel Number 5 in Manipur University campus have reportedly been missing since Thursday night.

Mobile internet was also suspended in the state capital on Friday due to the violence and arrests which took place on the campus of the university on Thursday midnight. Internet jammers were activated around the campus after a women's group group Meira Paibis arrived to stage a sit-in protest in front of the varsity gate on Friday morning.

The students of Manipur University have been protesting against the Vice-Chancellor and demanding his removal due to allegations of administrative and financial irregularities in the university. The 85-day agitation by Manipur University Students Union (MUSU), Manipur University Teachers Association (MUTA) and Manipur University Staffs Association (MUSA) had paralysed the functioning of the university.

Arrested students, faculty to be produced before court today

While there were no new instances of violence reported on Friday morning, Jogeshchandra Haobam, Imphal West SP, has confirmed that 89 students and 6 professors have been detained at different police stations namely the Imphal police station, the Singjamei police station and the Lamphel police station. They will be produced before a judicial magistrate in Imphal West on Friday.

The professors who are in police custody are: Sh Dorendrajit Singh, Ch Yashowanta, L Sanjukumar Sigh, L Biswanath Sharma, Y Raghumani Singh, N Sanatomba.

What happened on Thursday

Vice Chancellor in-charge, K Yugindro Singh and Registrar in-charge Shyam Kesho arrived at the university late morning on Thursday, along with V-C AP Pandey. Local reporters said that the V-C, who was "told" to go on leave starting 1 September, abruptly returned and had appointed a pro V-C (K Yogindra Singh) without due process. Thursday night's raids were after the V-C and the Pro V-C forcefully entered the college on Thursday morning.

Claiming that he was harassed and grilled by MUTA and MUSU leaders, Singh said, "Yesterday, for the first time in my long service in the university, I had a terrible time at the hands of some MUTA leaders and some student leaders. They confined me, harassed me and forced me to sign a printed paper. I signed it just to escape the spot. I was detained for about two hours. I had a very difficult time. They locked the rooms."

They were reportedly forced to sign an apology letter by the MU Students Union, the MU Teachers Union and the MU Staff Association. The apology letter said that they regretted acting against the interests of the university. Later, based on the FIR they filed at the Singjamei police station, the raids were conducted on across the campus on Thursday night.

On Thursday night, students who came out of their hostel were fired upon with rubber bullets and tear gas, mock bombs and charged with batons. Many sustained injuries in the police action.

A student, requesting anonymity, who was present when the raids took place, said that the police came to the hostel at around 1 am.

"When I stepped out, I saw many of my hostel mates moving towards the ground floor. When I looked down, I saw police officials, fully armed, arguing with students. [...] There were at least 40 officials inside my hostel. Our hostel complex has five hostels with a lawn in the middle. I could see that the police had entered all the hostels and close to 400 of them had occupied the lawns. [...] While talks were ongoing to arrive at a solution, out of nowhere, a tear gas shell was fired in the direction of my hostel. This caused panic and some of the students ran out. I ran towards the lawn when a shell hit my right arm. I tripped and fell down."

In a video message, MUSU general secretary Laishram Kendy claimed that more than 100 students and faculty members were taken into police custody on Thursday midnight. When students asked for a reason, security officials offered none, and said they could do whatever they want, claimed Kendy.

Local reporters also said that the raids at Manipur University were planned in advance. The police team with arms and ammunition conducted the raid after they confirmed that all newspapers had completed publication. The police did not take permission from the proctor, which is mandatory, before conducting the raid.

Police intervened due to breakdown of law and order, says Manipur government

Speaking to Firstpost, Manipur education minister Thokchom Radheshyam said the government wanted classes to run smoothly but the police had to intervene due to breakdown of law and order, which resulted in some violence.

"We want to have a peaceful atmosphere in the university. We want the classes to run smoothly. The police had to intervene because there was a breakdown of law and order situation due to some miscreants. There was some violence. We are in touch with the Central government. The V-C will be able to give a better picture. I cannot comment when total normalcy will be restored but as of now, the situation is peaceful in the campus," he said.

Congress condemns violence; AP Pandey close to RSS, BJP, says MSAD

In a press conference that was conducted by the Congress, ex-chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said the incident that took place on Thursday night at the Manipur University is undemocratic. He said that the Congress party will not stand as a mute spectator. In order to bring about a state of normalcy, the government should release the students and the teachers they picked up on Thursday night, he said. He also added that a proper channel of dialogue between the government, the university authorities and the student and teacher's body should be initiated.

Condemning the violence unleashed on the Manipur University campus on Thursday night, Manipur Students' Association Delhi said V-C AP Pandey had close connections with the RSS and BJP.

"This has been done by the BJP and RSS. The V-C is very close to RSS and senior BJP leaders and he is behaving like a dictator. It is very unfortunate that the central government did not take any step in favor of the students whose examinations are underway. The orders of firing rubber bullets on students and detaining them is very deplorable. We demand strict actions against the V-C and all responsible persons," MSAD general secretary Javed Mehedi.

BHU executive council mulls suspending AP Pandey from university

According to highly placed sources in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the executive council is contemplating suspending AP Pandey from the university. The decision is being taken in view of controversies surrounding Pandey. The next meeting of the executive council is scheduled to be held in the last week of September.

Pandey is a professor in the economics department of the BHU and was sent to Manipur University on deputation.

Pandey was appointed the universitys V-C in October 2016, two years after the BJP-led NDA government swept to power in a landslide verdict in the country. Less than a year later, the BJP wrested power from the Congress in the border state with Nongthombam Biren Singh being sworn in as Manipurs first ever BJP chief minister.

However, his experience in Imphal not been a particularly happy one. In February, he received a Rs 5 crore demand notice from one of the insurgent outfits. From where do I get that kind of money? he asked.

As per a Firstpost article, when asked about the allegations against him, Pandey said: I had streamlined the financial and administrative processes and started the process of tendering for various works. This ruffled many feathers."

Pandey's suspension order, signed by the deputy secretary of the Higher Education department of HRD Ministry, said, "The Manipur government had informed that the agitation against Pandey has led to serious law and order problem and administrative crises in the state."

Meanwhile, a two-member independent committee, which was instituted by the HRD ministry to probe into the alleged administrative and financial irregularities of Pandey started working on 6 September. The inquiry committee which had asked all stakeholders to submit relevant details till 16 September has extended the deadline till 24 September. Justice (retired) T Nandakumar is the head of the committee while Professor MK Choudhury is the member.

According to local reporters, when a peon went to deliver the summon letter, no one was present at the V-C's residence to accept the letter. He left the letter at the doorstep.

The 85-day agitation ended on 22 August and the university started functioning from 23 August with Pandey proceeding on leave.

Controversies and agitations are not new at Manipur University. Before Pandeys appointment, there was a raging controversy over a decision to reduce the reservation of seats for the states tribal students from 31 percent to 7.5 percent. The appointment of Pandey was intended to have a soothing effect. That move has seemingly misfired badly.

With inputs from PTI, 101Reporters, Simantik Dowerah, and Sunzu Bachaspatimayum
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Thursday termed the protest seeking arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal by the five nuns as politically motivated and designed to tarnish the image of the Kerala government

CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Thursday termed the 'ruckus' around the protest led by the five nuns at Ernakulam as politically motivated and designed to tarnish the image of the Kerala government. There is no need for such a ruckus when an arrest will surely be made if the crime has been committed, investigation is ongoing, he said.

Reacting to the allegations, Sister Anupama told Firstpost that such a statement from the ruling party's state secretary is very painful. "We arent doing this for ourselves. This is for all the women who have been victims of the system, she said stressing on that fact that the people who have been participating in the struggle everyday are from different socio-religious backgrounds.

We were feeling really vulnerable because of all this delay but are strengthened by the unprecedented support weve received. There is no politics behind this other than that women cannot be denied justice. This is a womans issue, she added.

Balakrishnan reiterated his stand in the CPM newsletter Deshabhimani published on Friday as well. In an article titled Bishop caseum stree suraksha nayavum (The case of the Bishop and womens safety policy), Balakrishnan elaborates that while he thinks that the protest by the five nuns will bring changes within the church, he strongly feels that the support pouring out towards the protest by the nuns is to further the vendetta against the LDF- and the CPM-ruling government. He also said that all legal processes are being followed.

Writer and activist Rekha Raj says that a protest wouldnt have been necessary if action was taken on time. "Why is there a three-month delay?" Further, she says that she saw all kinds of groups at Vanchi Square at Ernakulam, where the protest is ongoing. "I saw unaffiliated student groups, support groups from across religions, individuals from different walks of life at the protest. Many, including young students, were there... The CPM dismisses all forms of dissent by giving it different brands like Maoist-influenced or politically-motivated."

It is pertinent to note that the Catholic nuns decided to launch a public protest in Ernakulam on 9 September because action wasnt being taken by the Kerala Police in spite of the rape survivor nuns complaint in June. An FIR was registered at the Kuravilangad Police Station against Franco Mulakkal on 28 June 2018. Franco was charged under Section 342, 376 (2)(k), Section 377 and 506 (wrongful confinement, rape, unnatural sex and criminal intimidation). The Kerala Police summoned Mulakkal for investigation only after they came under pressure, following the protest led by the nuns. No action was taken before this, in spite of repeated pleas on the part of the rape survivor.

As Franco is interrogated for the third day, Kottayam SP Harishankar told the press that he is unsure if an arrest would be made today. "Nothing can be said as things are not yet clear, he said.

"There can be no delay in the arrest following an FIR being registered involving commission of heinous crimes. This is not an economic offence for the parties to be interrogated like this. All interrogations should happen after arrest," says Raghu, a criminal lawyer from Karnataka.

The Supreme Court and various high courts have held at various points that the police cannot delay arrest in cases such as these and has pulled up police officials in different cases including the Unnao and Dabra rape cases.

"Such an unfortunate statement by a party president is condemnable. If he is so worried about the image of his party, why did they not take swift action? Why do most of them conjure up these theories only when it comes to rights of women, especially in a case of sexual abuse within an institution? says Varsha Basheer, an affiliated faculty at University of California, Berkeley.

Rekha Raj believes that the ones who are actually politically motivated is the CPM. "The reason the CPM-led government is hesitating so much is because they dont want to antagonise the dominant Syrian Christian community who is a major vote bank for them."

She also adds that it is ironic that the party is talking about following legal process when they have already failed to do so in a similar case. "What legal process are they following in the sexual assault complaint filed against PK Sasi, who is an MLA from their party? A DYFI leader filed a sexual assault complaint against Sasi, MLA from Shornur, last month. Balakrishnan has stated in a Deshabhimani article dated 4 September that the party is looking into the complaint and the complainant could have approached the police if she wanted to.

The complainant recently alleged that a former woman MLA along with another DYFI leader were trying to coerce her to withdraw her complaint with a promise of Rs 1 crore. "In spite of allegations like this, the party didnt think it's pertinent to file an FIR, to avoid further delay or erasure of evidence."

Raj says that the CPM is no position to issue sermons on how investigation is ongoing when the fact remains that the police officials involved can be prosecuted for evading arrest of the accused Franco for three months.
Franco Mulakkal was grilled by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kerala Police for three days.

The Kerala Police has arrested priest Franco Mulakkal in connection with the allegations of rape and unnatural sex levelled against him by a nun after interrogating him at the Crime Branch office in Thrippunithura for three consecutive days.

According to CNN News18, following the arrest, the priest will be sent for a medical check-up.

The Vatican on Thursday divested Mulakkal, who was the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of Missionaries of Jesus despite shedding his administrative role, of his pastoral responsibilities "temporarily".

Kottayam Superintendent of Police Hari Sankar had said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case had decided to complete the interrogation on Friday. The former bishop, who was grilled for more than eight hours on Thursday, was directed to be present before the investigation team by 10.30 am on Friday.

Police had sought a legal opinion as to whether Mulakkal, whose anticipatory bail plea is pending before the high court, could be arrested. After the interrogation, the police had said verification was required in matters so far placed before the investigation team which would be completed by Friday morning.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) had said on Thursday that Pope Francis had temporarily relieved Mulakkal of his pastoral responsibilities, a decision welcomed by the protesting nuns who termed the development as the "first victory" in their fight against the former bishop.

Mulakkal has been accused of repeated rape and sexual assault by the Kerala-based nun of Missionaries of Jesus Congregation of the Jalandhar diocese, but he has denied the allegations.

With inputs from agencies
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kerala police probing the case of alleged rape of a nun by a bishop resumed questioning him on Thursday even as the state police chief said a decision on Franco Mulakkal's arrest could be taken in a day or two.

Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kerala police probing the case of alleged rape of a nun by a bishop resumed questioning him on Thursday even as the state police chief said a decision on Franco Mulakkal's arrest could be taken in a day or two.

Hours after Mulakkal, accused of repeated rape and sexual assault, appeared before the SIT for interrogation, the state's Director General of Police (DGP) Loknath Behera said the investigating officer will decide on whether to arrest him once the examination got over.

"After examining him only a decision will be taken. Investigating team is examining him. Let us wait. A decision will be definitely taken today or tomorrow after the interrogation," Behera told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. He said the investigating officer was free to take a call on the issue.

When asked whether Mulakkal can be arrested before 25 September, the day his anticipatory bail plea will come up for hearing in the high court, the top police officer said, "I think, legally there is no problem. There is no such law (that bars arrest during pendency of bail plea). That we will discuss with the legal team." Citing convention, legal experts had said the priest is unlikely to be arrested before 25 September.

Mulakkal, the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus, the congregation to which the alleged victim also belongs, was grilled by the SIT headed by Deputy SP K Subhash for seven hours on Wednesday. He was asked to appear before it again on Thursday.

The bishop, who recently temporarily relinquished his administrative responsibilities, joined the probe at around 11 am at the crime branch office, where some members of All India Youth Federation, the students front of the CPI, held a protest demanding his arrest. They had also staged a protest on Wednesday. Some people also burnt an effigy of Mulakkal.

Kottayam Superintendent of Police Hari Sankar said the bishop's questioning was likely to be over on Thursday.

Meanwhile, police have tightened security in and around the crime branch office. The nun has accused the senior Catholic priest of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016, allegations denied by the clergyman who has pleaded innocence.

Meanwhile, the protest by various Catholic reform organisations and a group of nuns seeking Mulakkal's arrest entered its 13th day on Thursday. The agitation at Kochi's Vanchi Square is a spontaneous expression of outrage by these groups over the alleged assault of the nun.

A protesting nun said they were all waiting for the news of the arrest of the bishop so a strong message goes out to those who abuse women.
Rural regions of Uttar Pradesh are yet again struggling to prevent their patients from falling prey to seasonal diseases like malaria.

Lucknow: Rural regions of Uttar Pradesh are yet again struggling to prevent their patients from falling prey to seasonal diseases like malaria. Hospitals in Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Pilibhit and several other districts are under panic as at least 30 people have reportedly died in the last 48 hours due to plasmodium falciparum (PF) fever that causes malaria.

According to the official figures sourced from the chief medical officers of different districts, the threat from these diseases seems to be the worst in Badaun, with 17 deaths reported from different areas of the district. At least five people died in Shahjahanpur, seven in Bareilly and one in Pilibhit. Hospitals in these districts are filled with patients reporting high fever.

Earlier this week, Uttar Pradesh health minister Siddharth Nath Singh had suspended district officials, including additional director for health, Bareilly, SK Agarwal, and malaria officer Pankaj Jain due to the rising number of deaths in Bareilly.

Responding on the seriousness of the issue, Uttar Pradesh Director General for Health, Dr Padmakar Singh said in Bareilly that three teams of doctors with expertise in malaria have been formed to look into the matter of deaths across the state.

The department is concerned for the health of every single person. We are distributing medicines, fogging and spraying of larvicides in all the districts. Whatever has happened is very unfortunate and we are doing our best to contain the situation, Singh told mediapersons in Bareilly.

District magistrate, Bareilly, Virendra Kumar Singh, informed that following the health ministers visit to the district, 95 teams of doctors and health workers have been formed to conduct malaria-control drives in villages. These teams have covered 82 villages so far, he said.

At present, 1,423 patients are being treated at the district hospital and the numbers will definitely go down in the coming days as ANM and ASHA workers are distributing malaria medicines at doorsteps after checking people with the RDT kit. There are sufficient number of kits with the district hospital and adequate arrangements have been made to keep cleanliness in the district, Singh said.

Meanwhile, in Bahraich, around 280 kilometres from Bareilly, more than 70 children have breathed their last at the district hospital in the last 45 days. Bahraich Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr AK Pandey said the deaths have been primarily caused due to medical asphyxia, pneumonia and brain fever, among other reasons. Denying that the deaths are related to any particular ailment, Pandey said that the hospital is full to its capacity as the influx of patients is almost thrice as much as it was last year. We have only 200 beds in our hospital, but are treating more than 400 kids, not just from Bahraich, but also from Balrampur, Shravasti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gonda and other neighboring districts, he said.

Cornering the state government over the widespread fever, Samajwadi Party (SP) spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi said the Uttar Pradesh government has its eye only on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and is not concerned about the welfare of the people. Hundreds of children have died, but the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government and its ministers are busy in organizing caste sammelans.

Gandhi said the state government must be concerned about the health of the people, particularly children. The BJP government has not learnt any lessons after the deaths of hundreds of children at the BRD Hospital in Gorakhpur, and as a result, it is found ill-prepared whenever such emergent situation arises, he said.

The Samajwadi Party wants the government to do its best to save the precious lives of children from mysterious diseases in some districts of Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi demanded.

Dr Ved Prakash Singh, head of ICUs at King George Medical University (KGMU) who has been critical in bringing down the cases of ICU deaths at KGMU, said this is a serious concern, but not a cause of panic, as the cases can be brought down if people take preventive measures.

Cleanliness is the best way to keep vector-borne diseases away. People should also try to keep their surroundings clean and should only approach a government-run hospital when suffering from fever, Singh said, hinting at the other unauthorised sources of medical care people turn towards in the region.

(Bhim Manohar and Rahul Yadav are freelance writers and members of 101Reporters.)
Manipur University news LIVE updates: According to the highly placed sources in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the executive council is now contemplating suspending AP Pandey from the university. The decision is being taken in view of controversies surrounding Pandey.

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About 90 students have been arrested from hostels in Manipur University and many injured with four faculty members taken into custody following massive tear gas and mock bomb attacks on Thursday midnight. Armed forces and police commandoes have been keeping vigil on campus since midnight. 

As per latest reports, the Manipur government has shut down mobile data service in Imphal area, due to the violence and arrests which took place on the campus of the university on Thursday midnight.

Fifty-five students from Hostel No. 5 in Manipur University campus have reportedly been missing since Thursday night.

The mobility of students has been curbed across the Manipur University campus. Students are not being allowed to go anywhere outside their hostel without the permission of the police. They haven't had access to the hostel mess too.

According to sources, around 90 students were whisked away after the raid that took on Thursday night. The police specifically looked for students who were a part of the Manipur University Student's Union and had taken part in the student agitation, students said. A confrontation between the 90 students and the police personnel broke out in the university premises after which the tear gas and mock bombs were used by the police. The students are said to have been taken to the Singjamei police station in Imphal.

A student of the Manipur University, who was an eye witness when the raids were conducted, told Firstpost that the police entered by force and attacked the student hostels, especially the boys' hostel. The student has requested anonymity.

Several students and faculty members have been arrested by the police. The administration, Army, or even the Manipur government has not issued any statement over Thursday's raids. Meanwhile, students have not been allowed to leave the campus premises.

Local reporters said that V-C AP Pandey is the first V-C in the history of the varsity to be living in government quarters outside the campus, with all his expenses paid for from the Manipur University's funds. The V-C generally stays on campus.

Jogeshchandra Haobam, Imphal West SP, has confirmed that 89 students and 6 professors have been detained at different police stations namely the Imphal police station, the Singjamei police station and the Lamphel police station. They will be produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate Imphal West on Friday.

"We want to have a peaceful atmosphere in the university. We want the classes to run smoothly. The police had to intervene because there was a breakdown of law and order situation due to some miscreants. There was some violence. We are in touch with the Central government. The V-C will be able to give a better picture. I cannot comment when total normalcy will be restored but as of now, the situation is peaceful in the campus," he said.

Speaking to Firstpost, Manipur education minister Thokchom Radheshyam said the government wanted classes to run smoothly but the police had to intervene due to breakdown of law and order, which resulted in some violence.

Vice Chancellor in-charge, Professor K Yugindro Singh and Registrar in-charge Shyam Kesho arrived at the university late morning on Thursday. They were forced to sign an apology letter by the MU Students Union, the MU Teachers Union and the MU Staff Association. The apology letter said that they regretted acting against the interests of the university. Later, based on the FIR they filed at the Singjamei police station, the raid was conducted on Thursday night.

According to IANS, internet services in Manipur have been suspended for the next five days.

Claiming that he was harassed and grilled by Manipur University Teachers Association (MUTA) leaders on Thursday, Manipur University's Pro V-C Yugindro Singh said, "Yesterday, for the first time in my long service in the university, I had a terrible time at the hands of some MUTA leaders and some student leaders. They confined me, harassed me and forced me to sign a printed paper. I signed it just to escape the spot. I was detained for about two hours. I had a very difficult time. They locked the rooms."

"If you don't take any action... when I say action, I don't mean action against students... but unless we don't take up official procedure, how long will the university remain as how it was before yesterday's events? There was a huge confusion amid the general public as to whom to cooperate with," Registrar in-charge Shyam Kesho said.

According to the highly placed sources in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the executive council is now contemplating suspending AP Pandey from the university. The decision is being taken in view of controversies surrounding Pandey. The next meeting of the executive coucil is scheduled to be held in the last week of this month. Pandey is a professor in economics department of the BHU and was sent to Manipur university on deputation.

"We want to have a peaceful atmosphere in the university. We want the classes to run smoothly. The police had to intervene because there was a breakdown of law and order situation due to some miscreants. There was some violence. We are in touch with the Central government. The V-C will be able to give a better picture. I cannot comment when total normalcy will be restored but as of now, the situation is peaceful in the campus," he said.

Speaking to Firstpost, Manipur education minister Thokchom Radheshyam said the government wanted classes to run smoothly but the police had to intervene due to breakdown of law and order, which resulted in some violence.

Vice Chancellor in-charge, Professor K Yugindro Singh and Registrar in-charge Shyam Kesho arrived at the university late morning on Thursday. They were forced to sign an apology letter by the MU Students Union, the MU Teachers Union and the MU Staff Association. The apology letter said that they regretted acting against the interests of the university. Later, based on the FIR they filed at the Singjamei police station, the raid was conducted on Thursday night.

In a press conference that was conducted by the Congress, ex-chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said the incident that took place on Thursday night at the Manipur University is undemocratic. He said that the Congress party will not stand as a mute spectator. In order to bring about a state of normalcy, the government should release the students and the teachers they picked up on Thursday night, he said. He also added that a proper channel of dialogue between the government, the university authorities and the student and teacher's body should be initiated.

While talks were ongoing to arrive at a solution, out of nowhere, a tear gas shell was fired in the direction of my hostel. This caused panic and some of the students ran out. I ran towards the lawn when a shell hit my right arm. I tripped and fell down. As I was trying to pick myself up, I saw more tear gas shells being fired and students running around in panic. I made my way back to my hostel. We locked ourselves up in different rooms but had to open when the police officials came. They would ask us if we knew the whereabouts of certain students. Even if we said no, they would repeat the search process after an hour. Every hour, we checked if theyve left the hostel premises but they still havent. At 7 am, as my fingers were bleeding from coming in contact with the tear gas shell, I went along with a friend to the university hospital. On my way to and back, I saw that police officials have spread themselves out across the university and their numbers had increased. They are still here, as we speak. We are trying to confine ourselves to our rooms as every time we step out we are being questioned."

We told them that we have an exam scheduled for the next day and that they are free to do what they want when there is daylight. There were at least 40 officials inside my hostel. Our hostel complex has five hostels with a lawn in the middle. I could see that the police had entered all the hostels and close to 400 of them had occupied the lawns. I dont know if there were any other paramilitary officials as it was dark but they were all in riot gear. The hostel complex is more than a kilometre from the central gate of the University. When we asked them how they entered the university premises and if theyve permission from the Registrar, they said theyve all the orders required. But they didnt show us any papers.

"I had just given the first paper of my final semester examination. I had dinner at around 9 pm after which I was in my hostel room, preparing for the second exam which was scheduled for today (Friday). At around 1 am, I heard noises from outside my room. When I stepped out, I saw many of my hostel mates moving towards the ground floor. When I looked down, I saw police officials, fully armed, arguing with students. I went to the ground floor myself where the police were saying that they wanted to search our hostel as they were looking for particular students. We, along with our warden, questioned the police as to why they were doing this at 1.30 am.

Here is a first person account, from a student present on campus and who requested anonymity, of what happened on Thursday midnight when security personnel entered Manipur University and arrested nearly 100 students and faculty members:

Security officials came to hostel around 1 am in riot gear, fired tear gas shells at students, says student

Slogans such as 'The End. A.P Pandey' and 'Remove AP Pandey' could be seen spraypainted across the Manipur University campus.

According to IANS, internet services in Manipur have been suspended for the next five days.

Manipur University news LATEST updates: According to the highly placed sources in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the executive council is now contemplating suspending AP Pandey from the university. The decision is being taken in view of controversies surrounding Pandey. The next meeting of the executive coucil is scheduled to be held in the last week of this month. Pandey is a professor in economics department of the BHU and was sent to Manipur university on deputation.

Speaking to Firstpost, Manipur education minister Thokchom Radheshyam said the government wanted classes to run smoothly but the police had to intervene due to breakdown of law and order, which resulted in some violence.

Vice-Chancellor in-charge, Professor K Yugindro Singh and Registrar in-charge Shyam Kesho arrived at the university late morning on Thursday. They were forced to sign an apology letter by the Manipur University Students Union, the MU Teachers Union and the MU Staff Association. The apology letter said that they regretted acting against the interests of the university. Later, based on the FIR they filed at the Singjamei police station, the raid was conducted on Thursday night.

Professor Amar Yumnam, the head of Manipur University's economics department said that from November 2016 to May 2018, V-C AP Pandey was out of station for more than six months. He also said that Pandey attended office only after 12.30 pm when he was in town.

Jogeshchandra Haobam, Imphal West SP, has confirmed that 89 students and 6 professors have been detained at different police stations namely the Imphal police station, the Singjamei police station and the Lamphel police station. They will be produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate Imphal West on Friday.

The Manipur University Students Union general secretary Laishram Kendy claimed that more than 100 students and faculty members were taken into police custody during the midnight raids on Thursday night. When students asked for a reason, security officials offered none, and said they could do whatever they want, claimed Kendy.

Several students and faculty members have been arrested by the police. The administration, Army, or even the Manipur government has not issued any statement over Thursday's raids. Meanwhile, students have not been allowed to leave the campus premises.

The midnight raids at Manipur University on Thursday night were planned in advance, said local reporters. The police team with arms and ammunition conducted the raid after they confirmed that all newspapers had completed publication. The police did not take permission from the varsity proctor, which is mandatory, before conducting the raid.

Condemning the violence on the Manipur University campus on Thursday night, Manipur Students' Association Delhi said V-C AP Pandey had close connections to the RSS and BJP.

Student movement has been restricted across the Manipur University campus. Students are not being allowed to go anywhere outside their hostel without the permission of the police.

Fifty-five students from Hostel No. 5 in the Manipur University campus have reportedly been missing since Thursday night, when the raids took place.

As per latest reports, the Manipur government has suspended mobile data service in Imphal area, due to the violence and arrests which took place on the campus of the university on Thursday midnight.

About 90 students have been arrested from hostels and many injured following massive tear gas and mock bomb attacks which took place inside Manipur University at midnight on Thursday, after Vice Chancellor AP Pandey was placed under suspension since Tuesday.

Pandey has been placed under suspension by the president, in his capacity as the visitor of the university, officials said.

Manipur University is a Central University. The order issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development Monday said, "Taking into account the volatile law and order situation in the campus, Pandey has been placed under suspension till the completion of the enquiry and action to be taken thereon in the interest of justice for free and fair enquiry or till further order."

The suspension order signed by deputy secretary of the higher education department of HRD Ministry said "The Manipur government had informed that the agitation against Pandey has led to serious law and order problem and administrative crises in the state."

Meanwhile, a two-member independent committee, which was instituted by the HRD ministry to probe into the alleged administrative and financial irregularities of Pandey had started working on 6 September.

The enquiry committee which had asked all stakeholders to submit relevant details till 16 September had extended the deadline till 24 September.

Justice (retired) T Nandakumar is the head of the committee while Professor MK Choudhury is the member.

The agitating bodies  Manipur University Teachers Association (MUTA), Manipur University Staffs Association (MUSA) and Manipur University Students Union (MUSU)  had submitted their written affidavits to the committee.

The committee has in a statement said he (Pandey) has to appear before it in person for "three consecutive days" beginning 26 September wherein all witnesses will be examined.

The 85-day agitation by MUSU, MUTA and MUSA had paralysed functioning of the Manipur university. The MUSU, MUTA and MUSA are demanding the removal of Pandey alleging administrative and financial irregularities by him.

The agitation ended on 22 August and the university started functioning from 23 August with Pandey proceeding on leave.

But resuming of duties by Pandey has further deteriorated the atmosphere of the university, the order added.

With inputs from PTI
90 students of Manipur University were arrested from the hostels and many were injured during the incident. Five faculty members have also been taken into custody following massive tear gas and mock bomb attacks and the university is under sieze of Armed Forces and Police Commandos.

The Manipur Police detained 89 students along six faculty members in midnight raids at the Manipur University campus in state capital Imphal. Social media feed and local reports claimed that tear gas shells and rubber bullets were fired at students inside the boys' hostel located inside the campus.

Jogeshchandra Haobam, Imphal West SP, has confirmed that 89 students and six professors have been detained at different police stations namely the Imphal police station, the Singjamei police station and the Lamphel police station. They will be produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate Imphal West on Friday, he said.

According to the local papers, the incident took place after Pro Vice-Chancellor Y Yugindro Singh, appointed by vice-chancellor AP Pandey  who is on a leave  entered the university complex to take charge as the V-C on Thursday afternoon. According to the Imphal Times' report, V-C Pandey also accompanied Singh as they entered the campus with security personnel and arms. Firstpost, however, was unable to verify if the two incidents are related.

According to sources, many students have been injured during the raid which saw the police accompanied by CRPF, using tear gas and mock bombs inside the campus.

Congress' Manipur unit criticised the raid terming it a "new facet of fascism". It also tweeted images of the midnight raid saying that "around 30 armed vehicles entered inside the campus... and that gas shells and rubber bullet shots were heard inside the campus".

MU students being tortured and arrested at midnight!!! Around 30 armed vehicles entered inside the campus now ! Tear gas shells, rubber bullets shots are heard inside the campus.. my students are panicked!!

#StopTerrorisingStudents

#SaveManipurUniversity pic.twitter.com/A1QxTq1CoJ  INC Manipur (@INCManipur) September 20, 2018

New Facet of Fascism: Midnight raid at Manipur University. #SaveManipurUniversity pic.twitter.com/RlhcaB76iF  INC Manipur (@INCManipur) September 20, 2018

The students of Manipur University have been protesting against the Vice-Chancellor and his alleged misconduct in the university. The 85-day agitation by MUSU, MUTA and MUSA had paralysed functioning of the Manipur university. The MUSU, MUTA and MUSA are demanding the removal of Pandey alleging administrative and financial irregularities by him.

The agitation ended on 22 August and the university started functioning from 23 August with Pandey proceeding on leave. The enquiry committee was setup with registrar in-charge Professor Dorendrojit Singh as the nodal officer of the committee.

Local reporters have said that the V-C, who was "told" to go on leave starting 1 September, abruptly returned and appointed a pro V-C without due process. Thursday night's raids were after the V-C and the pro V-C forcefully entered the college on Thursday morning.

According to local papers, as per the MoA signed by MHRD on 16 August, in the absence of the V-C, Pro V-C Singh should take charge of the university. But since Pandey had appointed Singh as the new Pro V-C when he was asked to go on leave, the three student unions have refused to accept his appointment.

The students unions, also argue that since as per the Clause 4 of the 'Statutes of the University, MU Act 2005', "a pro vice chancellor can only be appointed by the executive council on the recommendation of the VC, that is, the vice-chancellor cant unilaterally appoint someone as PVC. Thus, VC Pandey doesnt have the legal authority to appoint a PVC since he was on official leave (without the acceptance his PVC nominee by the executive council of Manipur University).

So, according to the university community, MHRDs and Shyamkeshos notification and recognising PVC Singh is "illegal" and hence, unacceptable by them. The representatives of the university community further stated that provided that where the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor is not accepted by the Executive Council, the matter shall be referred to the visitor who may either appoint the person recommended by the Vice-Chancellor or ask the Vice-Chancellor to recommend another person to the executive council, i.e. can appoint a professor to discharge the duties of a Pro-Vice-Chancellor in addition to his own duties as a professor, according to the report.

The report says that in the PVC appointment notification, VC Pandey had mentioned the term in anticipation of the approval of the executive council, which means, that the executive council hasnt held a meeting on the of appointment of a PVC and neither such a nominee recommendation has been formally accepted by the executive council of the Manipur University. "Please let everyone know, if otherwise, the executive councils meeting date/time and minutes of meeting note to substantiate the proof of acceptance of Singh as PVC," the university community members demanded.

However, reports say that the issue can only be resolved after the court directives regarding the forced leave and the MoA signed between the MHRD, Government of Manipur and Manipur University community is challenged by Pandey. However, the hearing which was supposed to be held on Wednesday was defered after a similar Special Leave Petition (SLP) was filed by Pandey in the Supreme Court.

Apparently, the VC in-charge professor Vishwanath wrote a letter to the MHRD secretary urging for clarification on the legitimacy of the order by Shyamkesho in the capacity of the Registrar in-charge, when Dolendro has already been acting as the Registrar in-charge and is also presently serving as the nodal officer of the enquiry committee.

According to his letter, Shaymkesho had applied for a casual leave when the university re-opened on 23 August, the report states.

According to The Indian Express report, V-C Pandey has said that he is "ready to face any sort of inquiry, provided the probe committee is impartial". He has claimed that the chairman of the inquiry committee constituted by the HRD ministry is a relative of one of the key members of the Manipur University Teachers Association (MUTA), the report said. He is facing an inquiry following the incidents of violence on the campus.

The enquiry committee which had asked all stakeholders to submit relevant details till September 16 had extended the deadline till 24 September. According to local reporters, when the peon went to deliver the summon letter, no one was present at the V-C's residence to accept the letter. He left the letter at the doorstep

Meanwhile, Imphal Times reported that students appearing in Thursdays examination were "mentally disturbed and failed to concentrate with the new development... while students who had came to take the admission form had to return home as the counter was shut down in protest against the incident". Later, a meeting was held between the Pro V-C, registrar in-charge Professor Shyamkesho and the university members, the report said.
Around half an hour post-midnight on Thursday, hundreds of policemen barged into the Manipur University hostels.

Imphal: Around half an hour post-midnight on Thursday, hundreds of policemen barged into the Manipur University hostels and took scores of students and a few professors into custody in what seemed to be a vengeful reaction to the suspensions of the vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor and the registrar. Jogeshchandra Haobam, Superintendent of Police, Imphal west, confirmed in a press conference on Friday afternoon that 89 students and six professors have been detained at the Singjamei police station, Laphel police station and the Imphal police station.

The man at the centre of this chaos is Adya Prasad Pandey, whose resignation had been the main demand of the protesting students, teachers and other staff at the university. There were several reasons why the university as a whole was against him holding the post of vice-chancellor, staging a protest that lasted almost 85 days. Amar Yumnam, professor at the economics department of MU, said that there were administrative laxes since the time Pandey assumed vice-chancellor's position in November 2016.

Yumnam asserts that Pandey had been on leave for over 180 days within his short stint. Even on days when he was present at the university, he would reach late to work at around 1 pm in the afternoon. All the meetings had to be rescheduled because of him. There were Executive Council meetings and Academic Council meetings that were supposed to be held regularly but that did not happen. He added that the positions of the registrar, controller of examinations and librarian are statutory posts to which people were appointed by him. This was done so that Pandey could exercise his power by keeping these people under his mercy, says Yumnam.

In addition to that, there have been charges of Pandey diverting contracts from the state to Lucknow which concerns the university. Earlier, the answer scripts provided by the local suppliers were bought for Rs 6 per sheet which increased almost four times to Rs 24 per sheet when it was bought from a Lucknow supplier, the professor said.

Proponent of pro-right politics

Pandey, a professor at the economics department at Banaras Hindu University who was sent to Manipur on deputation, has also been known as an erstwhile ABVP leader who is now a pro-BJP man with strong political background. He is married to politician Veena Pandey who is BJP general secretary in Uttar Pradesh. She has also served as a member of the UP legislative Assembly in the past and is the national vice-president of the BJP Mahila Morcha.

Thursday's midnight raids were conducted after Prof Yugindro Singh and Prof Shyamkesho were made to sign an apology letter after having entered the premises of the MU on Thursday despite getting suspended recently by the two-member inquiry committee appointed by the Ministry of Human Resource Department (MHRD) this month to inquire about the allegations of misadministration leveled against the vice-chancellor. The inquiry committee was appointed on 17 August, 2018, one day after the MHRD signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the university was to restore normalcy in MU and ensure a free and fair inquiry.

Yugindro Singh claimed that he and Shyamkesho were kept in detention by the members of the MU Teachers Association, MU Students Association and MU Staff Association, who forced the duo to sign an apology letter for acting against the interests of the university. Singh and Shyamkesho were appointed as pro vice-chancellor and registrar, respectively, by then vice-chancellor Pandey, who too, was recently suspended on 18 September, 2018 by the HRD ministry.

Pandey could be suspended from BHU too

Yugindro Singh decided to file an FIR at the Singjamei police station following which the raids were conducted on Thursday night by the Imphal Police (West). The SP, Haobam, said at the conference that the arrested students and professors were to be brought before the judicial magistrate of Imphal West on Friday. There was no clarity about the release of those arrested by the time of writing. An internet shutdown has been imposed in Imphal east and west which made sending out information a tedious task all through Friday.

Javed Mehdi, general secretary, Manipur Students' Association Delhi, blamed the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh for the clampdown on students and professors at the MU. The V-C is very close to RSS and senior BJP leaders and is acting like a dictator. It is very unfortunate that the Centre did not take any step in favour of the students whose examinations are underway. The orders of firing rubber bullets on students and detaining them is deplorable, said Mehdi, adding that they demand strict actions against the vice-chancellor and all those who are responsible for this attack on the varsity.

Pandey has also been accused of fudging university funds. Sources from the state say that there are allegations of him illegally donating Rs 2 lakh from college funds to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), BJPs student wing, in the state. In addition to that, Professor Yumnam said that funds were mishandled by Pandey and Shyamkesho during the Indian Science Congress that was held in April this year. The event involved expenses of at least Rs 30 crore but the university financial officer was not involved in organising it.

Sources at the BHU said that the varsitys executive council is contemplating to move the suspension of Pandey for bringing bad reputation to BHU. The council is scheduled to meet during the last week of September.

Babloo Loitongbam, executive director of Human Rights Alert, an NGO based in Imphal, condemned the incident, saying that the government has been using disproportionate forces against the students and teachers. Their arrest discards all forms of democratic processes, he said, adding that the internet shutdown following the incident shows that the government and the powerful people involved have a lot to hide. This is prima facie evidence of their misconduct, said Loitongbam.

(Authors are freelance writers and members of 101Reporters.com.)
Mehbooba Mufti also tweeted that with the rise of abductions of police officials and their families, the Centre's muscular policy was not working.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed shock and condemned the abduction and death of three personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Police in Shopian district. The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir also tweeted that no expression of shock, outrage or condemnation will bring solace to the families of the victims.

Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims. 1/2  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 21, 2018

Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, Centres muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now. 2/2  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 21, 2018

Mufti also tweeted that with the rise of abductions of police personnel and their families, the Centre's muscular policy was not working and that a dialogue, which according to her is the only way forward, seemed to be a distant dream.

On Friday, three of the Jammu and Kashmir policemen who were abducted in Shopian district on Thursday night were killed by terrorists. Militants had kidnapped three Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police personnel after barging into their houses. The bodies of the three police personnel were recovered from an orchard in Wangam area, more than a kilometre away from the village the policemen were abducted from. Police identified the dead as constable Nissar Ahmed and two special police officers  Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh  from Kapren and Heepora areas of Shopian district. PTI had reported that the terrorists had also kidnapped the brother of a police constable but he was released later.

The policemen were abducted nearly three weeks after terrorists had abducted relatives of policemen from various places in south Kashmir on 30 August. The relatives were later released.

With inputs from PTI
The Indian authorities have not been involved so far in the ongoing investigation as the Indian and Nepalese gang members are mainly operating from Germany and other European countries.

New Delhi: The Munich Federal Police coordinated sweep against an Indian-Nepalese human smuggling gang is likely to unravel a massive organised group of trafficking cells working in the countries like Romania, Poland, Germany and Denmark. A spokesperson from Federal Police Directorate Munich, told Firstpost that a synchronised crackdown led by Munich Police and a collection of other enforcement agencies in Romania and Poland, resulted in the arrest of five traffickers and the police investigation including some covert operation is continuing to get to the bottom of the syndicate involved in smuggling men and women from India and Nepal into the European countries and executing bogus marriages with European nationals to obtain residence permits.

Although Munich Police refused to divulge the identity of Indian traffickers, it confirmed they were operating from a base in Germany and other countries and may have executed over 200 sham marriages of illegal immigrants from India and Nepal while charging 12,000 per migrant.

The investigations are directed decisively against an Indian-Nepalese group of offenders, which mediated with the help of veiled visas for payment marriages with Eastern European nationals. Both the members of the smuggler group and the smuggled illegal migrants came from all over India and Nepal," the Federal Police Directorate Munichs spokesperson said.

The Indian authorities have not been involved so far in the ongoing investigation as the Indian and Nepalese gang members are mainly operating from Germany and other European countries.

The evaluation of the findings and the evidence of the previous access measures is still ongoing. Other  possibly covert  police measures are still to be made, the Munich Federal Police spokesperson said.

Unlike other human trafficking cases, the ongoing investigation is focusing on beneficiary illegal migrants, who willingly accepted the offers from traffickers. Those who paid thousands of euros to marry European nationals to obtain permanent residency face deportation once judicial proceedings are over.

So far, the suspects are subject to German prosecution. The criminal proceedings will, therefore, take place in Germany. The competent immigration authorities will have to decide on a possible deportation or other measures ending the stay after the criminal proceedings. The identity of the gang members is known to the German law enforcement agencies. They are both middle-aged male and female offenders, the Munich Federal Police spokesperson said.

The operation was carried out by German Police in cooperation with Europol-European Union Law Enforcement Agency, Romanian and Polish investigative authorities, sweeping 17 apartments in Germany, Romania and Poland on 22 August to dismantle the Indian-Nepalese trafficking network.

A Europol spokesperson told Firstpost that the agency supported the investigation led by German Police. The agency, however, could not provide any more details as it does not have a working agreement with India. The smugglers lured the Indian and Nepalese nationals with an offer of 12,000 in lieu of journey to Europe, entry to Germany, application for a residence permit, as well as the arrangement of the wedding ceremony with European nationals. According to the Munich Police, some fake weddings were also carried out by the trafficking syndicate in Denmark. During the last months search operation, the police officers also seized evidence such as marriage certificates, wedding planner business cards, several previously unused wedding rings etc.

In two of the homes searched, the forces arrested another eight people suspected of fictitious marriage. So far, 15 cases of persons smuggled for fake marriages have been substantiated by the investigations. The main suspect, however, boasts of having brokered more than 200 sham marriages. As a result, the investigation will continue, German Police said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha and poll-bound Chhattisgarh on Saturday and launch several projects in the two states.

New Delhi/Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha and poll-bound Chhattisgarh Saturday and launch several projects there, his office has said.

He will unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of work for the revival of Talcher fertilizer plant in Odisha. This is the first plant in India to have a coal gasification based fertilizer unit. In addition to fertilizer, the plant will produce natural gas, which will contribute to the country's energy requirements, the statement said.

Modi will then travel to Jharsuguda to inaugurate an airport there. It will bring western Odisha on the aviation map of India, and facilitate regional air connectivity through the UDAN ('Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik') scheme, it said.

The prime minister will dedicate the Garjanbahal coal mines, and the Jharsuguda-Barapali-Sardega rail link to the nation.

He will also unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of coal production and transportation from Dulanga coal mines.

He will then arrive in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district at 3.20 pm where he will visit an exhibition on traditional handloom and agriculture. He will lay the foundation stone for national highway projects and the Pendra-Anuppur third railway line.

The prime minister will also address a Kisan Sammelan between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm.

"The prime minister will lay foundation stone for the Rs 1697.79 crore Bilaspur-Anuppur Third Rail Track Project in Bilaspur-Anuppur section of South East Central Railway. The 152-kilometre rail route runs for 119.55 kilometres in Chhattisgarh and 32.45 kilometres in Madhya Pradesh," an official said.

This track will not only ease passenger services but also augment coal transportation of SECL for its mines in Raigarh and Mand areas, the official added.

Chief Minister Raman Singh, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Minister of State for Steel Vishnu Deo Sai will be present on the occasion.

The chief minister extended his gratitude to the prime minister for the visit and said it was his sixth visit to the state in four years, a measure of the priority he gave to development of the state.

The prime minister will depart from Janjgir-Champa by helicopter at 4.50 pm and land at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur at 5.40 pm. He will then proceed to New Delhi at 5.45 pm, the official informed.

The term of the Chhattisgarh Assembly will end in January, 2019, and election dates are likely to be announced in the coming weeks.
In a first, the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday directed universities and higher educational institutes across the country to observe 29 September as 'Surgical Strike Day' to mark the second anniversary of the Indian Army's strike against terror cells across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

On Thursday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) directed universities and higher educational institutes across the country to observe 29 September as "Surgical Strike Day".

The UGC told the universities and institutes to mark the second anniversary of the Indian Army's strike against terror cells across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

University Grants Commission (UGC) issues circular to vice chancellors of all universities, provides list of activities which maybe undertaken on 29th September following Govt of India's decision to celebrate it as 'Surgical Strike Day'.

The circular is only advisory in nature, not mandatory or imposed: HRD Ministry sources https://t.co/pGaRwtof2F  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

The UGC has planned various activities to mark the day-long celebrations. Talk-sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades, visit to exhibitions and sending greeting cards to pledge their support for armed forces, are among some of the activities prescribed by the UGC.

"The NCC units of all universities should organise a special parade on 29 September after which the NCC commander shall address them on the modalities of protection of the borders. The varsities may organise a talk-session calling ex-servicemen to sensitise students about sacrifices made by the armed forces," the UGC said in a communication to all Vice Chancellors on Thursday.

"A multimedia exhibition will be organised around India Gate on 29 September. Similar exhibitions may be organised in states, Union Territories, important towns and cantonments across the country. The institutions should encourage students and faculty members to visit these exhibitions," the circular added.

The commission suggested that students pledge their support for armed forces by writing letters and cards which may be produced in both digital and physical format. The letters can be publicised on social media as well. "The letters and cards should be shared with PRO Defence and PIB for publicity across various media," the UGC said in its circular.

However, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry said, "The circular is only advisory in nature, not mandatory or imposed". HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters the move has been initiated only to pay respect to the armed forces and highlight their contribution and achievements and is not compulsory for the universities to follow. He said that, in fact, students and various college authorities themselves conveyed to the government that they wanted to mark the day commemorating the Indian Army.

However, academicians expressed their displeasure over the move and criticised the idea of taking a pledge of nationalism. "This is typically the BJP trying to project themselves as nationalists. They have this great deficit of not being part of the national movement. Now they are trying to force it on people and militarise campuses," The Hindu quoted historian and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor Aditya Mukherjee as saying. He also added that the right way to arouse nationalism in someone is to create an idea of a nation that is "appealing and inclusive".

Social media is also abuzz with reactions from politicians and journalists on government's decision to mark a day as Surgical Strike Day even as army jawans are being abducted and killed by Pakistani forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

Policemen are being killed by terrorists with alarming regularity in Kashmir, the J and K police morale is so low right now and here we are, celebrating surgical strikes day https://t.co/1aPYP210Uw  Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) September 21, 2018

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that instead of celebrating Surgical Strike Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should go and meet the family of the slain jawan who was brutally killed by Pakistani forces a few days ago.

The best way to celebrate surgical strike day wud be for the PM to visit the family of Sh Narendra Singh, who was tortured and slain by Pak this week. As the nation mourns our dead jawans &our BSF constables mutilation by Pak cowards our PM Modiji is busy unleashing his publicity material to celebrate Surgical Strike Day&photo ops with Pak FM in the UN.

Happens when publicity becomes more important than governance.

Laanat hai.  Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) September 21, 2018 PM shud assure the nation that Pak wud be given such befitting reply that it wont dare do it again https://t.co/S3FnGShP7W  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 21, 2018

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal took to Twitter, and called the Centre's move "another jumla" of the Modi government.

UGC directs VCs of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day . Is this meant to educate or to serve BJPs political ends ? Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day

depriving the poor of their livelihoods ? This another jumla !  Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) September 21, 2018

Meanwhile, Congress's student-wing NSUI also expressed its opposition to the move, calling the circular an attempt at "increasing militarisation of universities" and labelling it as a "government agenda".

On UGC's missive to universities and other higher education institutions to celebrate "Surgical Strike Day". This is not celebration of Army valour but Government Propaganda pic.twitter.com/DzxQm0NSsi  NSUI (@nsui) September 21, 2018

RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha said the government circular is "a spectacle crafted meticulously to hide complete failure of the regime on all fronts besides digressing public attention from issues like the Rafale scam."

However, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) vice-chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar welcomed the move and said that, "Observation of 'Surgical Strike Day' on 29 September, 2018, by universities is a welcome move to pay our tributes to the armed forces. JNU is proud of our defence forces as the officers who graduate from India's six major defence institutes are our alumni."

Meanwhile, West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee said that educational institutes in his state would not celebrate Surgical Strike Day. "This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda," Chatterjee said. "The Indian Army has always been kept above politics and controversies. But now we are seeing that the BJP is trying to malign and politicise the Indian Army. This is not right and we won't support it," he told PTI.

Reacting to the allegations, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the TMC government has made it a practice to oppose each and every decision of the Centre. "Earlier also, we had seen Bengal government opposing directions by the UGC. This is not new," he added.

The Indian Army carried out 'surgical strikes' on 29 September, 2016, on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the army saying its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

With inputs from PTI
Conceptually, open prisons were developed to rehabilitate prisoners who had almost completed their sentence.

By Charu Bahri

Udaipur: Kalu Tulsiram*, 35, a bespectacled, serious looking man, was brewing tea at a stall near the Udaipur central bus depot on a recent monsoon day. It was close to noon, a busy time for the tea stalls lining the main road. A few metres away, Deepak Lalaprasad*, 33, heavier built and more relaxed in demeanour, was helming another stall, waiting for a customer.

Casual passersby or customers could never guess that these two men were convicts serving life sentences under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code of 1860  for murder.

Since 2014, Kalu and Deepak have been living in an open prison in Udaipur, having conducted themselves well for 10 years in conventional prisons. Inmates at this prison are permitted to stay with their families and go out during the day to earn a living. As many as 1,127 prisoners in 29 open jails in Rajasthan work as accountants, school teachers, domestic help and security guards, even those serving time for murder.

Not only do these prisons present an early opportunity for prisoners reform and rehabilitation back into society, they also cost less in terms of money and staff, a 2017 report on Rajasthans open prisons said, based on which the Supreme Court in May 2018 ordered state governments to fully utilise and expand the capacity of open prisons as well as set up more open prisons.

Why open prisons

Conceptually, open prisons were developed to rehabilitate prisoners who had almost completed their sentence. In the earliest open prisons developed in the US in the 19th century, prisoners nearing release were sent to work as labourers to evaluate their behaviour. In India, the earliest open prison established in 1953 in Uttar Pradesh housed prisoners who were requisitioned to construct a dam over the river Chandraprabha, near Varanasi.

It was in Rajasthan's first open prison  a farm set up in Durgapura near Jaipur in 1955  that prisoners were first allowed to stay with their families and work on the farm or nearby.

In December 2017, the Supreme Court asked states to establish an open prison in each district based on a 2017 report that detailed the success of Rajasthans open jail system. It followed up this suggestion with an order on 8 May, 2018, asking states to try and utilise the capacity of these open prisons  which number 63 and have a capacity of 5,370, but have 30 percent seats unutilised  adding that states should consider increasing the capacity of existing open prisons and seriously consider the feasibility of establishing open prisons in as many locations as possible.

In creating open prisons where the rehabilitation of prisoners could start from the day they are incarcerated, instead of after they have served the greater part of their sentence, India would not become any less safe, the report mentioned above showed.

Commissioned by the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority and released on National Law Day  26 November  in 2017, the report showed that open prisons reduce the burden on the exchequer, reduce overcrowding in prisons and strengthen the social fabric by mainstreaming estranged individuals who are in conflict with the law, to quote Kalpesh Satyendra Jhaveri, executive chairperson of the authority, who commissioned the report. He is now the chief justice of the Odisha High Court.

Not a threat to society

Consider this scenario: A mans daughter is raped. The man murders the rapist to avenge the crime. He is put in jail to serve a life sentence. The man is a murderer alright, but to what extent is he a threat to society now that he has no motive to kill?

Very low, according to prison researcher Smita Chakraburtty: Seeing all prisoners through the same lens doesnt help use the limited funds available for prisons judiciously.

Or, consider how Kalu landed up in jail: I squabbled with a man over a piece of land, he told IndiaSpend. I had a piece of wood in my hand, so did the man I murdered, we were beating each other, said the native of Ghosunda village, in Chittorgarh tehsil of Rajasthan.

In the scuffle, the opponent got hit on the head and died, and Kalu became a murderer. I hadnt planned on killing the man, Kalu said.

Such accidental or unplanned murderers constituted 57 percent (244) of the 428 prisoners Chakraburtty met during her visits to 15 of 29 open prisons in Rajasthan. She spoke to 90 percent of the inmates, except those out on work during her visit, so the 57 percent figure is fairly representative. Eighty-one percent (347 of 428) of the prisoners were also first-time offenders, with no previous police record.

This situation is mirrored in prisons across the country. Habitual offenders or recidivists accounted for 3 percent of the 1,86,566 convicts admitted in prisons across the country during 2015, according to the National Crime Records Bureaus (NCRB) prison statistics for that year.

Repeat offenders are the ones with real criminal minds, who pose a threat to society and hence must be kept in closed jails, but they are also the ones who need reform and rehabilitation the most, Udaipur Central Jail superintendent Surendra Singh told IndiaSpend.

Often, people are incarcerated merely due to lack of awareness of the law, Chakraburtty said, citing as an example people imprisoned in Rajasthan for possession of opium. This reflects a lack of understanding of the nature of their offence, she said, Because their communities have had access to opium since time immemorial, and they have no idea of the prevailing laws.

The possession of any narcotic is a non-bailable offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985. However, the cultivation of opium is permitted, under license, in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Apart from offenders who are psychopaths or who have performed exceptionally brutal crimes, most prisoners do not need to be removed from society, Chakraburtty said. They need to be watched over, made aware of their crime and rehabilitated.

Justice is not revenge. It has to work for the victim as much as for the perpetrator, Chakraburtty said, If society responds with more violence, the prisoner develops vengeance for society and comes out hardened. If we ignore a prisoners need to earn a livelihood for his family, a man could enter the prison as a rapist and leave as a gangster.

Open jails and prisoner behaviour

At Udaipurs open air camp for prisoners (open prison for short), a roll-call each morning and evening keeps a count of the prisoners.

Overall, 1 in 45 prisoners in Rajasthans open prisons absconded from parole or escaped, while the all-India figure for closed prisons is 1 in 481, as per 2015 prison data. Chakraburttys report attributed most of the escapes from open prisons to problems related to procuring parole and remission  in other words, due to prisoners failure to furnish a bail bond, or due to adverse reports by police personnel willing to err on the side of caution.

Administrative issues regarding parole are a common problem in prisons across India, and should be addressed, said RK Saxena, former inspector general of prisons, Rajasthan, and the director of the 1982-83 Justice Mulla Committee on Prison Reforms. Parole is a prisoners right, a conditional release and an opportunity for prisoners to assimilate into society.

The report made several suggestions that would improve parole administration and thereby lower the number of prisoners recorded as having escaped. These are: Reducing the bond amount; encouraging personal bonds instead of requiring guarantors (unless a prisoner misbehaves); considering a prisoners behaviour alone based on social welfare department statements instead of police reports for the second parole onwards.

The police, on their part, could be sensitised on the role of open prisons in prisoner reform so that they make unbiased investigation reports when parole applications come up.

A proactive approach in addressing the rights of prisoners is much needed, said Ajay Chopra, an artist and social worker who was imprisoned in 2017 on corruption charges but was released on bail after three months. He now campaigns for greater acceptance of open prisons, especially after the Supreme Courts endorsement. A positive mindset towards prisoners is essential for prisoner reform, he said.

Prisoners in Rajasthans open prisons have generally conducted themselves well, Chakraburtty told IndiaSpend. Open jails in Rajasthan are doing something very right, said Chakraburtty, a leading prison researcher and honorary prison commissioner for the aforementioned report, Prison authorities have actually had to evict open jail inmates who asked for extensions after they had served their sentence because their childrens exams were approaching or because they were receiving decent medical care as convicts.

In conversation with IndiaSpend, Kalu and Deepak, who are among 24 prisoners currently lodged in the Udaipur open prison, emphasised that a life of crime was far from their minds.

Hotel business is how Kalu described his tea stall work, something he said he wanted to continue doing after he was freed.

Id like to live in peace and work, said Deepak about his plans after his prison term.

Segmenting by threat level

Rajasthans open prison system is considered a best practice in prisoners welfare and rehabilitation in the NCRBs 2015 prison statistics. It has been acclaimed for facilitating social adjustment and financial independence of prisoners before their final release. Eligibility typically extends to prisoners who have completed their one third part of total sentence and whose conduct in the jail was found good, subject to the recommendation of the committee formed by the State government, the compilation notes.

Chakraburtty has proposed expanding the open prison network across the country to make it the norm instead of the exception, particularly for female prisoners; aged and physically infirm prisoners; people convicted for one-time offences, accidental offences, petty offences and those categorised as low risk for not showing any violent trait in prison; accused persons who surrendered; and prisoners undergoing extradition requests.

While the existing system provides for only convicted prisoners to be kept in open prisons, Chakraburtty has also recommended extending the facility to undertrials  who account for two in three people in prison in India today  to significantly lower overcrowding and inhuman living conditions in prisons.

But not everyone agrees with this idea.

A person is denied bail and sent to judicial custody only when a magistrate has applied his mind and assessed that if not incarcerated, the evidence may be tampered [with] or investigation hampered, or there is a flight risk, thus disabling the trial process, said Sugandha Mathur, senior programme officer for the prison reforms programme at the Delhi-based advocacy, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. If none of these reasons exist, an accused should be released on bail to uphold their right to liberty, she said, implying that basically, if the circumstances warrant bail, the undertrial should be freed, and if not, the prisoner should be put behind bars and not in an open prison.

Mathur is a member of the sub-committee convened by the Bureau of Police Research and Development in February 2018 to draft the Model Uniform Rules for the Administration of Open Correctional Institutions.

Economic sense, societal benefit

India has 63 open jails with a capacity of 5,370, enough to house 1.28 percent of the 419,623 prisoners across the country. However, 30 percent of their seats are unutilised, the Hindustan Times reported on 12 December, 2017.

While Rajasthan tops with 29 open prisons, Maharashtra has 13, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have three each, and Gujarat and West Bengal have two each, according to Prison Statistics 2015.

The Rajasthan report advocated opening two open prisons per district because they are better suited to prisoner reform and pose less of a financial burden on the state. By comparing monthly spending on prisoners, it showed that Jaipurs Central Jail was 14 times as expensive as its open prison in Sanganer town.

The report also recommended making legal aid and health services available to open prisoners and helping them get gainful employment by negotiating working hours with potential employers to facilitate their timely return to the camp. Keeping prisoners in their home district and improving the remuneration for those employed on state farms and facilities were some other recommendations.

You cant put people in prison and expect them to come out as Gandhi after seven (or however many) years unless the system is conducive to reform, which the existing closed prison system isnt by any measure, Chakraburtty told IndiaSpend, adding, Open prisons should become the norm, the prisons of the future.

Why prison reform is needed urgently

The fact remains that overcrowding is a pressing issue involving the violation of human rights, to quote the Supreme Court.

In 2015, the prison occupancy rate exceeded 200 percent in Dadra and Nagar Haveli (276.7 percent), Chhattisgarh (233.9 percent) and Delhi (226.9 percent), according to NCRB data. Prisons in another 13 states were full beyond capacity.

Source: Prison Statistics 2015, National Crime Records Bureau

In a recent TEDx talk, Chakraburtty, who has interacted with 30,070 prisoners lodged in closed jails in Bihar, described prisons so overcrowded that inmates tied themselves to the bars to sleep because there was no space to lie down.

Adopting the concept of open prisons  or semi-open prisons where eligible convicts could be allowed to work within the jail premises during the day, or in a factory after making special arrangements for their secured transport, which Mathur proposed  would free up scarce resources, in terms of funds as well as staff.

The Jaipur Central Jail spends 14 times as much as the Sanganer open prison  Rs 7,094 as against Rs 500  on each prisoner each month, Chakraburttys report said.

In the Sanganer open prison, Rajasthans largest with a capacity of 400, one staff-person manages 80 prisoners while in Jaipur Central Jail, one manages six prisoners (the recommended number is one staff for four prisoners), Chakraburtty recorded.

Staff shortages are a reality across prisons. In Rajasthan, of the 4,426 sanctioned jail department staff positions, nearly half or 2,129 are vacant.

Were managing roughly 1,250 prisoners with 155 guards today, while in the 1970s we had 165 guards to manage 250 prisoners, said Singh of Udaipur Central Jail.

Having more open jails would enable better management of closed prisons too.

If only every state could set time guidelines for parole applications to be processed, and make prisoners aware of these rights and actively implement them, possibly fewer prisoners would abscond from parole and make open prisons a stronger proposition in prisoner reform, Mathur said.

*The prisoners were introduced by their first name and their fathers name, as is prison convention in Rajasthan.

(Bahri is a freelance writer and editor based in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.)
It is said a university is not a political party, and education is not an indoctrination. But the happenings at hallowed grounds of Manipur Central University, leading to a more than 85-day-long strike, is underscoring something quite the contrary.

It is said a university is not a political party, and education is not an indoctrination. But the happenings at hallowed grounds of Manipur Central University, leading to a more than 85-day-long strike, is underscoring something quite the contrary.

A growing wrangle between the universitys vice-chancellor on one side and a substantial chunk of students and the teachers on the other is fast assuming the shape of rowdy political slugfest the implications of which on next years parliamentary elections cannot be lost on anyone. There are also muted allegations, albeit unsubstantiated and sotto voce, of Manipur University being used by militant elements.

Vice-chancellor Professor Adya Prasad Pandey, formerly an economics professor at the Banaras Hindu University, is being accused of a raft of administrative, financial irregularities and a move to saffronise Manipurs premier institution by the Manipur University Teachers Association (MUTA), Manipur University Staffs Association (MUSA) and Manipur University Students Union (MUSU). Since then, a wave of incessant allegations and refutations and counter allegations have followed bringing the university to a standstill since 31 May.

On Tuesday, the President of India approved a Union Ministry of Human Resources Development directive suspending Prof Pandey till the completion of the enquiry against him led by retired Justice of the Meghalaya High Court T Nandakumar.

Controversies and agitations are not new to Manipur University. Before Professor Pandeys appointment, there was a raging controversy over a decision to reduce the reservation of seats for the states tribal students from 31 percent to 7.5 percent. And the appointment of Professor Pandey was intended to have a balming effect. That move misfired.

Manipur's demographics have an interesting geography. About 66 percent of the states population, largely comprising Meiteis, live in about 10 percent of the land area limited to the valley while 90 percent of the states land area largely comprising hills are home to about 34 percent of the total population who mainly hail from the Naga and Kuki tribal communities.

Plagued by insurgency for about half-a-century, there are about 200 armed militant groups operating in the state, each with its own plethora of demands and different modes and methods of meeting financial requirements.

This is broadly to also say that there are numerous big, medium and small functional power centres in the state where a person not familiar with the rough and tough of Manipurs melting pot will take a lot of time to understand, comprehend, analyse and then to act. Parachuting Professor Pandey from Banaras and expecting him to learn the complexities and nuances of Manipur's society in a very short period of time in itself was a bad idea.

Pandey was appointed the university's Vice-Chancellor in October 2016, two years after the BJP-led NDA government swept to power in a landslide verdict in the country. Less than a year after that the BJP wrested power from the Congress in the border state with Nongthombam Biren Singh being sworn in as Manipurs first-ever BJP Chief Minister.

Professor Pandey's experience in Imphal has not been particularly delightful. In February, he received a Rs 5 crore demand notice from one of the insurgent outfits. "From where do I get that kind of money," he asked.

Asked about the allegations against him, Professor Pandey says: "I had streamlined the financial and administrative processes and started the process of tendering for various works. This ruffled many feathers who instigated the civic organisations and students."

Skirting a direct query on whether he has close links with the Sangh Parivar as alleged by the protesters, he says: "This saffronising charge is a common allegation when things dont work out the way it is wanted by certain vested interests, be it in Hyderabad University or in JNU."

According to Professor Amar Yumnam, the head of the universitys economics department: From November 2016 to May 2018, Professor Pandey has been out of station for more than six months. His absolute non-commitment to the university is also exemplified by the fact that he attends office only after 12:30 PM if he in station. The mandated court meetings, executive council meetings, academic council meetings, finance committee meetings, nothing has been held as mandated.

If that is not enough, he has been making expenses without approval as exemplified by the purchase of smart class rooms from a firm in Uttar Pradesh or the examination of answer scripts at excessive prices.

Requesting anonymity, a top-level bureaucrat said: The situation in Manipur University is not just because of the maverick actions of one single individual at the helm of affairs. He may only have sparked it. For instance, why has the problem come about now when Prof Pandey was made the V-C in 2016? This where the role of politicians come in."

Professor Pandey shares a similar view: Of course, political parties are very much involved now. Processions by opposition parties have already taken place in the university campus.

Professor Yumnan disagrees: "Absolutely wrong. The problem arose from the appointment of an uneducated person as a V-C solely because of political and religio-political connections. This person does not know what a university is and does not even display willingness to learn either."

As the Manipur University happenings spill outside the campus and threatens to disturb the volatile politics of the state, one thing seems to be getting clear: It is the proxies coming out to the open who had, thus far, planned their moves from afar. It is more of a game of wits with political dividends in mind.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has told the Border Security Force (BSF) to take strongest possible action against the Pakistani troops, who slit a BSF jawan's throat along the International Border near Jammu.

New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has told the Border Security Force (BSF) to take strongest possible action against the Pakistani troops, who slit a BSF jawan's throat along the International Border near Jammu, officials said on Thursday.

This was conveyed to the top brass of the border guarding force which is deployed along the highly volatile India-Pakistan border.

The home minister told top officials of the BSF in no uncertain terms that the strongest possible action should be taken against the Pakistani troops involved in Tuesday's incident, a home ministry official, privy to the development, said.

The BSF jawan's (Head Constable Narendra Kumar Singh) throat was slit and his body bore multiple bullet injuries. The missing trooper was found killed by Pakistani troops in the Jammu region, in a first-of-its-kind barbaric act against Indian forces along the International Border.

Another official said the BSF is expected to take some "pro-active" action against the Pakistan Rangers to "avenge" the mutilation of the jawan's body.

The brutal incident in the Ramgarh sector on Wednesday was reminiscent of similar attacks in the past on Indian security forces along the Line of Control.

The officials said a "high alert" has been sounded for all formations along the 192-kilometre-long International Border and the 740-kilometre LoC, which is manned by the army.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Khan's two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE), Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry said that Pakistan's main interest lies in cooperation with Saudi Arabia on matters of trade and security.

Islamabad: Saudi Arabia will be the third "strategic partner" of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a senior Pakistani minister announced Thursday, soon after prime minister Imran Khan returned from his first foreign trip to the cash-rich kingdom.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship project of the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a pet project of Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed at enhancing Beijing's influence around the world through China-funded infrastructure projects.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Khan's two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE), Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry said that Pakistan's main interest lies in cooperation with Saudi Arabia on matters of trade and security. Pakistan has invited Riyadh to join the CPEC as the third "strategic partner", The News quoted him as saying.

Saudi Finance and Energy Ministers will visit Pakistan in the first week of October, Chaudhry said. He said the projects that Saudi Arabia would be investing in the CPEC will be smoothed out during the Saudi delegation's visit.

China has rejected accusations that its financial backing for the CPEC was a "debt trap" that could compromise cash-strapped Pakistan's sovereignty. The CPEC is the fastest-moving and flagship part of president Xi's global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The CPEC aims to construct and upgrade the transportation network, energy projects, a deep-water port at Gwadar and special economic zones to eventually support Pakistan's industrial development as a manufacturing hub by 2030. Chaudhry said Imran has assured Riyadh that Pakistan will stand with Saudi Arabia.

"We have also assured the Saudi leadership that we will continue to provide security to their country and provide strategic support wherever needed," he said on the close defence partnership between the close allies.

He also said that a high-level coordination committee has been constituted [to look into matters of trade and commerce and it has the complete backing of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and Imran.
In Jammu and Kashmir, militants had kidnapped three Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police personnel after barging into their houses on Thursday night.

Three of the Jammu and Kashmir policemen who were abducted in Shopian district on Thursday night have been killed by terrorists on Friday. Militants had kidnapped three Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police personnel after barging into their houses on Thursday night. NDTV reported that one policeman escaped with "help from the villagers".

The bodies were recovered from an orchard in Wangam area, more than a kilometre away from the village the policemen were abducted from. Police said the residents of Batagund village had chased the terrorists and urged them not to abduct the policemen, but the militants fired a few shots in the air and threatened the villagers.

Police identified the dead as constable Nissar Ahmed and two special police officers  Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh  from Kapren and Heepora areas of Shopian district. With this incident, the terrorists have specifically targetted native Kashmiris in the state's police force, say reports.

"We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike. Our tribute to the three martyred jawans...," a police spokesperson said. "We condemn this inhuman act and assure that all the culprits shall be dealt under law," he added.

Jammu & Kashmir: Three policemen who were kidnapped by terrorists in south Kashmir's Shopian, found dead. pic.twitter.com/OV9xwHrDBn  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

Nissar Ahmed was working with the armed police, Firdous Ahmed, who was under process of being converted to constable, served in the Railways. Kulwant Singh was posted with Kulgam police.

The terrorists had also kidnapped the brother of a police constable but he was let go later. A Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group has claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing. Security agencies also believe that militants from the outfit are behind the killings.

The shock news of the killing of the three men prompted at least two police personnel to issue video messages announcing their resignation from the force. The killings are believed to have triggered panic in the lower ranks of the police department with at least two policemen issuing video messages dissociating themselves from the force.

"My name is Irshad Ahmad Baba and I was working as a constable in the police. I have rendered my resignation...," said one of them in a video being widely circulated on social media. Tajalla Hussain Lone, an SPO, said he had resigned from the police department on 17 September and was issuing the video to put to rest any doubts that he had done so. Police officials refused to comment on the resignations, saying they would verify the information.

The killings come days after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, in a video, warned the SPOs and called for their resignations. Naikoo said if they don't resign, terrorists "would be forced to" harm or kill them. The Union Home Ministry was reportedly worried after the video surfaced which came a day after an Army personnel was shot dead by the Hizbul Mujahideen.

According to India Today, Naikoo, in the video had said that he wanted to assure the SPOs working in the state that the Mujahideen "did not want to kill them", and demanded that they "resign for their own safety".

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti expressed her outrage on Twitter. "Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims," she said. The Centre's muscular policy, she added, was not working at all with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families. "Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now," she tweeted.

The policemen were abducted nearly three weeks after terrorists had abducted relatives of policemen from various places in south Kashmir on 30 August. The relatives were later released. At least eight people whose relatives worked in Jammu and Kashmir Police had been abducted. Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of terrorists who were in police custody.

The 30 August abductions happened after the NIA arrested the second son of globally-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group. Salahuddin's son was arrested on charges of receiving secret funds.

With inputs from agencies
Three Jammu and Kashmir Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police constable have gone missing in the Shopian district of the state, weeks after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo told policemen 'to resign for their own safety'

Three Jammu and Kashmir Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police personnel have gone missing in the Shopian district of the state. According to reports, the policemen were abducted by militants from their homes in two villages in Shopian.

CNN-News18 reported that Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo is suspected to be behind the abductions, as he had warned Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel to resign. Sources said that according to the police, militants barged into the houses of the policemen and abducted them.

India Today reported that a manhunt has been launched to trace the policemen. Naikoo had said that he wanted to assure the SPOs working in the state that the Mujahideen "did not want to kill them", and demanded that they "resign for their own safety".

#BREAKING -- 4 policemen abducted from 2 villages by militants in Shopian, J&K. Hizbul Mujahideen hand suspected in the cops' abduction; Hizbul Chief Riyaz Naiko has warned J&K cops to resign | @islahmufti with more details pic.twitter.com/VPabIalrM2  News18 (@CNNnews18) September 21, 2018

This is the latest in the recent spate of violence against the police personnel by militants in the Valley. The tit-for-tat between the terrorists and the Jammu and Kashmir Police began early in September when militants fired at four policemen when they had gone to an automobile workshop near Arhama fruit mandi in Shopian to repair their vehicle. All the four policemen died in the incident. The resulting chain-reaction saw the detainment of Naikoo's father, and the retaliatory abduction of at least 12 relatives of police personnel.

Earlier in July, the body of police constable was found in Kulgam district. Constable Saleem Shah was abducted, allegedly by unknown militants from his house.

With inputs from agencies
A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused in a school van by its conductor, who was detained, police said Friday.

Bhopal: A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused in a school van by its conductor, who was detained, police said Friday.

The incident took place Thursday when the girl, a pre-nursery student, was returning home in the Ayodhya Nagar area in the van from her school, they said.

The van conductor was detained Thursday night, police inspector Baljeet Singh said.

"The accused is claiming he is 17 years of age. We are verifying his age," he said.

The inspector said the victim returned home around 2 pm and told her mother about the incident when she took her for bathing.

When her mother inquired more about the incident, the minor girl named the bus conductor, the police officer said.

The 14-seater van, in which the incident took place, has been hired by the school where the girl goes, the inspector said.

Her parents later lodged a police complaint against the van conductor, Singh said.

The accused was booked for rape under the amended Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 376 AB, which deals with punishment for rape of girls under the age of 12, and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, he said.

Last year, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly unanimously passed a bill introducing the death penalty for those found guilty of raping minors aged 12 years or less.
An Army official said while one militant was killed on Thursday, the body of another militant was recovered this morning. 'Two militants have been killed in the Bandipora operation,' the official said.

Srinagar: An unidentified militant was killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in the forest area of Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, police said, taking the number of militants killed in the operation to two.

An Army official said while one militant was killed on Thursday, the body of another militant was recovered this morning. "Two militants have been killed in the Bandipora operation," the official said.

He said the identity and the group affiliation of the slain militants was being ascertained. The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in forests of Sumlar area in north Kashmir on Thursday following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

The official said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire on the security forces' positions. The operation is underway, the official said.
It seems likely that the operation that has been entrusted to the UGC is about reminding the young that the current regime is muscular and no-nonsense.

Under instruction from the central government, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has told 900-odd universities and 38,000-odd colleges that they will have to observe a Surgical Strike Day on 29 September. According to reports, as of now, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that her state will not follow this order.

Two years after the government announced that it had mounted cross-border surgical strikes against terrorist targets in Pakistan, the UGC has issued an order detailing the manner in which the day should or could be observed. It says that students should write letters or cards in physical or digital format expressing their support for the armed forces. These letters will then be forwarded to the relevant authorities in the armed forces and be followed by meetings between army officers and students on or off campus.

The orders also make provisions for educational institutions inviting ex-servicemen, who would speak to students about the sacrifices made by armed forces personnel who defend the country. The National Cadet Corps will organise these meetings.

The orders have, unsurprisingly, attracted criticism, which have, however, been deflected by the secretary of the UGC with the blase comment that differences of opinion are possible, but the orders have been issued in accordance with a government directive.

Its difficult to figure out at first blush what to make of these bizarre instructions. It appears that some people have read into them an attempt to inculcate in the young a nationalist spirit. Some have been supportive of the initiative and some critical. The latter believe that pride in ones nation cannot, or should not, be fostered by such hothouse stratagems. It is possible that those who favour the move believe that an awareness of the role the armed forces play in securing the nation-state is a healthy way of engaging students in the duties of citizenship.

There is another way of reading these instructions that has nothing to do with the nationalist or nation-building enterprise. Before getting to that, a couple of interlinked distinctions need to be made. First, there is a difference between the nation and the nation-state. Loosely speaking, the first is interchangeable with the country, while the second has built into it the massive institutional apparatus of the state, including in its ambit the political, administrative and judicial systems and the armed forces.

Pride in or love for the nation and the people who constitute it is in the arena of the emotive and is usually called patriotism. One would suppose that there is little need to make a special effort or initiate a programme to foster it. Pride in the nation-state is a form of ideology that has to be fostered at various levels and in various ways  though, patently, not through the kind of farcical programmes represented by a Surgical Strike Day.

If one were to presume that this observance is indeed about fostering in the students some kind of pride in India, it would obviously be for India, the nation-state rather than India, the country and its people. The question is: Is it necessary for the state to take on the responsibility of, in a sense, indoctrinating citizens? In other words, is there anything wrong in a citizen not feeling particularly nationalistic in the sense of feeling proud of the institutional complex that is built into the nation-state?

Liberals would answer the first question in the negative and the second in the affirmative  they could point out that even the fundamental duties laid out in the Constitution do not enjoin upon citizens to be nationalistic. The pragmatic would point out that, as a matter of fact, most citizens feel disgust for rather than pride in a system that is perceived to be corrupt, insensitive and chronically on the brink of terminal collapse. The ideologically committed would like to fashion all citizens in their own image. A lot of people would, however, point out that patriotism and nationalism are almost always in mutual conflict: in other words, the more one loves the country and its people, the more one despises the institutions that despoil them.

However, the Surgical Strike Day project probably has nothing to do with either the ideology of nationalism or the emotion of patriotism. Its far more circumscribed agenda is the celebration of the regime that ordered the surgical strikes. In this context, one may recall that there were claims, neither fully substantiated or convincingly rebutted, that the strikes were of a routine character and similar actions had been undertaken many times in the past. It was just that the regime of the day came up with the idea of packaging them as an out-of-the-box solution to cross-border terrorism. If, indeed, it was such a solution, one must, for the record, note that it was a dismal failure, rather like the other surgical strike launched by the current regime  the one also known as demonetisation.

To return to the main argument, it seems circumstantially very likely that the operation that has been entrusted to the UGC is about reminding the young that the current regime is muscular and no-nonsense, able and willing to confront its enemies head-on. it is all about conveying to young people, many of whom will be voting for the first time in a Lok Sabha elections for the first time in 2019, that the countrys security is safe in the hands of the existing dispensation in New Delhi.

In other words, Surgical Strike Day is itself an out-of-the-box electoral gimmick, which smacks unmistakably of the somewhat wacky. But it would be a mistake to consider it as a harmlessly eccentric ploy. It sets a dangerous precedent for other regimes to invade the state educational sector in ideologically motivated ways, which constitutes a wholly unacceptable and egregious assault on academic freedom and independence.
The two alleged criminals, identified as Mustaqeem and Naushad, were killed in the encounter which took place. They carried a bounty of Rs 25,000 each on their heads, the police said.

In a bid to convey its transparent approach during encounters, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday reportedly invited the media to film an encounter with two criminals that was going to take place in Aligarh's Harduaganj. The two alleged criminals, identified as Mustaqeem and Naushad, who were killed in the operation carried a bounty of Rs 25,000 each on their heads, the police said.

Video footage from the encounter site in Aligarh shows policemen armed with guns taking aim and firing.

#WATCH: Encounter between police and criminals in Harduaganj's Mahua village in Aligarh district. Two criminals were killed in the encounter. (20.09.2018) pic.twitter.com/oahPijuZMG  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 21, 2018

Accompanied by policemen, reporters and camera crews were asked to stay at least 100 metres away from the encounter site, reported Times of India. No bullet-proof vests or helmets were provided to them.

Aligarh SP (city) Atul Srivastava, however, rubbished the charge that the entire exercise was stage-managed. The police said that they tried to stop the motorcycle-borne criminals at a checkpost. Instead of stopping, the duo opened fire at the police, leading to a chase and exchange of fire. The two were injured grievously in the firing and rushed to the district hospital, where they were declared brought dead.

A police inspector was also injured in the encounter. Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Sahani told reporters that before Mustaqeem and Naushad died, on the way to the hospital, they confessed that they were involved in the killing of two sadhus earlier this month.

Former Aligarh MLA Haji Zameer Ullah alleged the encounter was fake and demanded a high-level probe into the incident.

The Uttar Pradesh Police has killed 63 criminals in encounters since the Yogi Adityanath-led government took charge of the state in March last year. Four policemen have been killed and over 500 people were injured in these operations that took place in various districts in order to clamp down on crime in the state.

The encounters have garnered criticism from other parties, with the Samajwadi Party calling them fake encounters. Questions have also been raised on whether the encounters are violating human rights.

The senior police officials however, have always maintained that encounters are part of a well chalked out "strategy" to arrest hardened criminals in the state. Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh had recently said that criminals who have been engaged by the state police in encounters "are either wanted criminals or the ones who have been at large for a long time and have indulged in heinous crimes".

Singh was was also quoted as saying, "We have never gone in for quantity but always for quality."

With regards to the human rights violations, Singh had reiterated that 'police engagements' are done in a very professional manner. "In all cases where criminals have been killed, we have gone in for magisterial inquiry. We have sent reports to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and these cases are being scrutinised by the judicial process so that nobody can say these are fake encounters," he said.

With inputs from PTI
Resistance to arbitrary arrest of youths suspected to be linked with separatist groups or militants, and scrutiny of their mobile phones, has become a rallying point for anti-government and anti-India protests in Kashmir

Kulgam: The mysterious death of a 23-year-old student on Thursday at her home after she heard about the alleged detention and assault on her brother by the Indian Army has put the volatile south Kashmir on boil yet again.

According to family members, the victim, identified as Rifat Jan was at her home when her phone rang and the caller allegedly told her that her brother was dragged out of a passenger vehicle by the Indian Army soldiers and taken to a camp in south Kashmirs Kulgam district.

"The moment she heard the news, she started sweating profusely," Naseema, the victim's aunt said as the family members and hundreds of people made preparations for the last rites of the girl.

Soon after Rifat, 23, disconnected the call, she told her aunt that her brother would be killed and that even if they (the army) would leave him, he would spend the rest of his life on crutches. Soon after, she lost her consciousness and collapsed instantly, the aunt said.

Teh victim's brother, Hidaithual Rather, was travelling with four friends when a unit of the Indian Armys Rashtriya Rifles stationed at Ashmuji camp in south Kashmir's Kulgam district, ordered them out and kept them in detention for fifteen minutes. The brother, however, denied that he was beaten by the army.

"My detention became the reason for the death of my sister," Hidaithual said as the pallbearers carried his sister's body for the last rite on Thursday. "I was dragged out of the passenger and forcefully detained along with four other people. We were kept in Ashmuji camp for fifteen minutes. Then we were let off, Hidaithual, added.

Arbitrary arrest of youths suspected to be linked with separatist groups or militants, and scrutiny of their mobile phones for pictures of militants is a common practice for security forces in south Kashmir. Of late, resistance to these arrests and mobile phone checks has become a rallying point for anti-government and anti-India protests in Kashmir.

In one such protest, a youth was killed when the army fired at locals after they protested against the checking of their mobile phones. Protests soon broke out across the volatile district, which is at the forefront of an agitation against New Delhi and where most of the militants have been killed during this year.

The family members of the girl claim she died of a heart attack after she heard the news about the detention of her brother by the army. The Jammu and Kashmir police and the army, however, have said that no detentions or arrests were made on that fateful day.

"We had left for the camp to plead for his release. When we almost reached the camp, the family members called and told us that Rifat has suffered heart attack," Asif Ahmad Rather, the victim's elder brother said.

At her funeral, slogans against India and the army reverberated in the air and mourners pledged to avenge the death of the girl who had recently completed her graduation. The Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a statement that the girl was brought dead to district hospital Kulgam and heart attack has been prima facie reported as the cause of the death.

"Some rumours are being circulated that she died due to heart attack when army picked up his brother. The news circulated is totally baseless as army has not picked up anybody from Ashmuji area," a police spokesperson said.

Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, the medical superintendent of Kulgam hospital said that the team of doctors, who attended the victim, did not specify the cause of death in the report.

"She was brought dead to the hospital. They told the police also that she had heard the news of her brothers detention when she collapsed," Bhat said. The other doctors are tight-lipped about the case and refused to speak on the issue.

Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia, while refuting the allegations, also said that the Army did not thrash or pick up any youth. "These are all baseless allegations, he said.
The militants abducted the policemen from their homes in Shopian early on Friday and promised to their families that they will be safely returned to them.

Kapran/Batgund, Shopian: On Friday morning, the loud cries of three mothers pierced the cool air of the twin villages of Kapran and Batgund in the Shopian district of south Kashmir. The three mothers were united in their tragedy after their policemen sons were killed by militants.

The militants abducted the policemen from their homes early on Friday and promised to their family members that they will be safely returned to them. But that did not happen. Instead, their bullet-riddled bodies were found in an orchard in a nearby village.

Hundreds of mourners, both Hindus and Muslims  this belt in south Kashmir has a considerable Rajput population  participated in the last rites of two Muslim cops. Both men and women cried as the two men were taken away for burial.

According to villagers, the abductions were carried out between 6.45 and 7.00 am on Friday morning.

The militants first appeared at the house of Nisar Ahmad Dobi, a constable in the Jammu and Kashmir Police who was posted in Srinagar and had spent four years in the Reasi district of Jammu. He was in the bathroom when his wife, Rukhsana, informed him that two men were looking for him. The militants told him to accompany them.

I begged them to leave him alone. He was going to announce his resignation on Friday prayers, Fata Dobi, 75, the mother of Nissar Ahmad, said, as hundreds of people prepared for the funeral prayers of the slain policemen at a nearby school.

When I insisted that the militants should leave him, they said, we swear by the gun, we will let him go,' an inconsolable Fata Dobi said. They locked the main gate of the house and stopped us from following them, she added.

Pushpa Devi, the mother of Kulwant Singh, a Kashmiri police constable, was in her kitchen when militants entered the house and awakened her son, who was still sleeping.

Are you in the police? Show us your identity card, Pushpa Devi recalled militants telling her son. The militants had cordoned the house, as they had done with the houses of the other two policemen.

When I looked behind the house, I found gunmen standing there. He showed them his identity card and told them he would announce his resignation from the police department at 4 p.m, and was happy running a small cosmetics shop. But they dragged him out of the house. When I went out, they shooed me away and told me that he will be back. Instead, his dead body came, Pushpa, 72, said as the body of her son lay beside her.

Singh is survived by his wife and two children. His father and wife had gone to Jammu to meet their relatives, and his funeral will take place on Saturday, after they return.

Firdous Ahmad Kuchay, the third policeman who was killed, was posted at a railway station near the village. Initially, militants took his younger brother away. Subsequently, Firdous told them that it was he who worked in the police and not his younger brother, the family members said.

Saida Begum, Firdous' mother, said, When he came home yesterday, I asked him to leave the police job. I told him that we will beg for a living if need be, but we dont want you to get killed. What was his crime? If they would have broken or fired at his legs, he would at least have been alive to take care of his innocent children. Who will look after them now?, she said.

A few days earlier, unknown persons used the public address systems at several mosques to ask local policemen to quit their jobs.

Earlier, militants had abducted eight relatives of policemen, and three cops, but let them off later on the same day. The militants warned the policemen to leave their jobs, they "would have no alternative but to kill them" the next time.

As the news of the killings of policemen spread in the area, at least six personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir police from south Kashmir resigned from the service, and made an announcement to that effect on social media.
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday asked whether the University Grants Commission would 'dare' to celebrate 8 November, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as 'surgical strike day'.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday asked whether the University Grants Commission would "dare" to celebrate 8 November, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as 'surgical strike day'.

His remarks came in reference to the University Grants Commission (UGC) directive on Thursday to varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe 29 September as 'surgical strike day'.

India had carried out surgical strikes on 29 September, 2016, on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the Army saying its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"UGC directs VC's of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJP's political ends?" Sibal tweeted.

"Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihoods? This another jumla!" the former Union minister said.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar Friday said that the UGC communication is "patriotism not politics", and it is not compulsory for institutes to organise it.

Sibal also questioned the reasons behind agreeing for the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

"3 policemen kidnapped by terrorists in J&K (September 2018)."

"India protest with Pakistani military for beheading of two soldiers in J&K (July 2018). Despite Modi's surprise birthday visit, Indo-Pak talks sidelined. Now Sushma will meet Qureshi on the sidelines of UN. Why?" he tweeted.
The Congress is the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly

Panaji: Two of the 16 Congress legislators in Goa flew abroad on Thursday amid the ongoing power game between the BJP and the Congress in the state.

Congress legislators Jennifer Monserrate and Filipe Neri Rodrigues, both among the party MLAs paraded before Governor Mridula Sinha this week, left for China and Europe respectively amid media reports quoting BJP leaders that several Congress MLAs were willing to switch over to the BJP.

The ruling party is in the process of finding an alternative to ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and is under pressure from alliance partners for a bigger share in power.

State Congress president Girish Chodankar, however, said: "Rodrigues and Monserrate have gone out of station with the knowledge of the party as per pre-scheduled programmes. They will be in Goa at 48-hour notice whenever the party needs them."

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 Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, the lone Nationalist Congress Party legislator and three Independents.

What queers the pitch in the numbers game, however, is the health of three BJP MLAs: Parrikar and Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza who are being treated for cancer, and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar who is bed-ridden after suffering a brainstroke some months ago.
With a federal front somewhat in the making, the Congress is already threatened by the prospect of becoming a bit player in a push against the BJP.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has just raised the stakes for the impending Assembly elections in three states  Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan  and in the process focused fresh, if unwanted, attention on the issue of Opposition unity.

Mayawatis announcement that her party will ally with former chief minister Ajit Jogis Janta Congress for the Chhattisgarh elections, accompanied by the release of the first list of 22 names for the Madhya Pradesh elections presaging a solo effort in the state, has put the Congress under pressure.

A look at the results of the 2013 round of elections can help understand the importance for the Opposition of an alliance between the Congress and the BSP. In Chhattisgarh, the BJP had got 41 percent of the vote, the Congress 40.30 and the BSP 4.30. In Madhya Pradesh, the figures were, in the same sequence, 44.88, 36.38 and 6.29 percent. In Rajasthan, 45.20, 33.10 and 3.40 percent. In Chhattisgarh the BJP had got 49 seats, the Congress 39 and the BSP one seat; in Madhya Pradesh, the figures were 165, 58 and four; and in Rajasthan, 163, 21 and three.

In Chhattisgarh, all other things being equal, the combined vote shares of the Congress and the BSP would upend the results. In Madhya Pradesh, it would help a putative combination to close the gap to a whisker. But in Rajasthan, an alliance wouldnt even scratch the surface.

But all other things are not equal. In 2018, there is no overwhelming wave against the Congress. If anything, it is the BJP that faces an anti-incumbency problem both in these states and at the Centre.

In Chhattisgarh, where a third front has been announced, the magnitude of the anti-incumbency problem is the smallest, which promises a tight contest. That is why the Congress could have done with the assistance an alliance would have provided. It failed to materialise because the Congress was not prepared to concede the number of seats Mayawati wanted.

This is the nub of the problem. Obviously, both parties would like to maximise their gains. But it is more important for the Congress to strike a deal because victories in these three states will help the process of revival and give it a platform to challenge the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Mayawati has announced that her party will contest 35 seats and Jogis 55. How many seats Mayawati wanted from the Congress is not known to the public, but it can be taken as read that she would have been satisfied with a much smaller share.

In Madhya Pradesh, the government led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan faces anti-incumbency because it has been in power for close to 13 years; the BJP has been in power for almost 15 years. But the Congress also has huge problems, principal among them is the multiplicity of leaders who cannot or will not pull together as factionalism debilitates the party. The challenge for the Congress is to get Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, mainly, on the same page. It is also critical that it puts together an alliance with the BSP. Yet, in this state, too, the Congress is failing to recognise that the stakes are higher for it and it must, therefore, go the extra mile.

In Rajasthan, the problem is entirely different. The Congress was, as the figures cited show, skewered by the electorate. Not only was the gap in the number of seats huge (that was the case in Madhya Pradesh as well) but so was that in vote share, at over 12 percent. But, for a variety of factors, the Congress is quite well placed to wrest the state from the BJP: principal among them are Chief Minister Vasundhara Rajes unpopularity in her own party, the lack of a BJP wave and the states recent history of alternation.

That is probably why state Congress chief Sachin Pilot is against an alliance he thinks his party does not need. This is precisely the kind of thinking that could prove to be the rock on which opposition unity flounders. If the Congress wants an alliance with the BSP, it must be prepared to enter agreements in all three states. The high command must impress this point on the state units as part of an overall strategy and it must be prepared to concede ground it does not think is necessary.

Mayawatis announcements could well be part of a strategy aimed at pressuring the Congress. The latter must, in any case, read them from that perspective and keep negotiations alive. Even if the Chhattisgarh deal is final, alliances may be possible in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The imperative the Congress faces is intensified by the need to construct alliances in other states for the Lok Sabha elections. There is the real possibility that the Congress could find itself out of the loop if the BSP and Samajwadi Party cut a deal in Uttar Pradesh, a prospect it surely would not relish.

With a federal front somewhat in the making, the Congress is already threatened by the prospect of becoming a bit player in a push against the BJP. That is why it is all the more essential for it to come to an understanding in the three states facing elections this year. The Congress participation in a broad front is not just of critical importance to it, it is also vital for the success of anti-BJP coalition.
The future of Mahagathbandhan or a grand alliance with Congress and BSP on the same platform depends largely on the outcome of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan Assembly polls.

Hardly four months ago, in a rare photo op, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati had come together on stage in Bengaluru at the swearing-in ceremony of HD Kumaraswamy as Karnataka chief minister and displayed bonhomie that was rarer still.

The reticent Sonia, who is not known for public display of emotion, was seen totally at ease in Mayawati's company as the two seemed to share a disarming laugh over something. Congress president Rahul Gandhi also joined the duo and waved at the public with a smile, probably giving a message they were on way for a successful grand alliance (Mahagathbandhan).

The importance of the moment had not been lost on political pundits as that photograph lent credence to speculation that the Congress and the BSP may be on road to a strong alliance for the 2018 Assembly polls and 2019 Lok Sabha election.

On Thursday, however, that Sonia-Mayawati photograph was recalled by many who reacted with surprise over the latter's decision to not join hands with the Congress but with the first Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janta Congress in Chhattisgarh for the upcoming state Assembly elections.

The field is now open to conjecture about the possible alliance in the poll-bound state of Rajasthan, as BSP has also announced its first list of 22 candidates in Madhya Pradesh that it will contest independently (as of now) in the upcoming state Assembly elections.

This move by the BSP, on choosing to enter the poll fray without an alliance with the Congress, puts a big question mark on that elusive Mahagathbandhan, which the collective Opposition has been attempting to put together against the BJP for the past several months.

Why did Congress fail to strike the right chord with the BSP?

Right from local leaders in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to Rahul Gandhi  all had hinted from time to time that talks were on towards a possible alliance and seat sharing.

While the failure at stitching an alliance has dampened Congress winning prospect in Chhattisgarh, it has put the ruling BJP a step ahead of others; it may be considered as a victory for the BJP in preventing the alliance from being formed.

Whenever the discussion on the issue of an alliance has surfaced, Mayawati has always been clear about her stand  the BSP will contest elections as part of a coalition government only if it gets a respectable number of seats.

In the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, BSP will contest 35 seats and Janta Congress on 55 seats.

The past six months, the Chhattisgarh Congress party leaders have contemplated a possible seat-sharing formula. The issue also came up during the last visit of Rahul to Raipur to inaugurate the new Congress Pradesh Committees headquarters Rajiv Bhawan.

Sharing seats with the BSP was a sticky situation as Chhattisgarh Congress leadership wasnt comfortable with the number of seats BSP demanded. Congress could have hardly benefitted out of it, a Raipur-based Congress leader told Firstpost.

A similar indecisiveness prevailed in Madhya Pradesh as well.

During its initial rounds of pre-poll alliance discussions, the Madhya Pradesh Congress offered 30 seats to BSP, but Mayawati insisted upon 50. Meanwhile, the upper caste (Savarna) agitation broke out in Madhya Pradesh against the amendments in the SC/ST (Atrocities) Act.

Considering it as an apt opportunity, the BSP recently announced its first list of 22 candidates for Madhya Pradesh.

The state president of BSP, Pradeep Ahirhar said that the party would field candidates on all the 230 seats. In the last Assembly election in 2013, the BSP had fielded 227 candidates and barring a few exceptions, they had performed badly. Currently, the BSP has four MLAs in the state.

Out of the 22 seats on which BSP has declared its candidates, five are ST reserved seats. It may prove damaging for the Congress. Post-Savarna agitation, a section within the Madhya Pradesh Congress believed that an alliance with the BSP, would antagonise Savarnas and dampen the winning prospects of Congress.

Meanwhile, in a surprise move to win over the Savarnas, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced that without prior investigation, no one would be arrested under the SC/ST (Atrocities) Act.

This announcement is a kind of safeguard that the chief minister has taken to prevent his image which he has built over the last 14 years as an unbiased leader who doesnt indulge in narrow caste and minority politics. In the practical sense, it doesnt matter as the state doesnt have the power to over-rule an Act passed by the Parliament unless its amended. But, Chouhan announced it to win over Savarnas, OBCs and minorities, whore at present against SCs and STs due to the Act, Bhopal-based journalist Prabhu Pateria said.

Moreover, if Congress-BSP alliance doesnt materialise, the BJP will undoubtedly be benefitted, he said.

Similarly, in Rajasthan, the BSP has been trying hard to make inroads in the desert state. The Dalits account for more than 17 percent of votes in Rajasthan, which is crucial in forming the next government in the state.

In the 200-member Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, 34 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Caste. Barring two, rest of the seats are with the BJP at present.

The local Congress leadership in Rajasthan is divided over a possible alliance with the BSP. A section strongly feels that theres no need to form an alliance. And, it all depends on Mayawati whether BSP would agree to Congress offer if at all its made.

Is an alliance in the future possible?

The future of Mahagathbandhan or a grand alliance with Congress and BSP on the same platform depends largely on the outcome of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan Assembly polls.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress leadership is confident that a grand alliance will formalise in the state ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election to take on the ruling BJP. But, one would recall that during the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Congress could enter an alliance with Samajwadi Party only. The BSP stayed out of it.

Needless to say, it has been the efforts of Sonia that have always brought other opposition parties together with the Congress. Whether its Mayawati or Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, they have never overlooked Sonias call.

However, Congress president Rahul doesnt seem to inspire same faith among the opposition leaders. Unlike Sonia, who has managed to bring the opposition parties together on particular issues against the Narendra Modi government from time-to-time, Rahuls surprise move to meet the prime minister along with senior Congress leaders on the farmers loan-waiver issue in 2016 bypassing the other opposition leaders created a flutter in their ranks.

Rahuls decision to go solo on an important issue didnt seem acceptable to the regional satraps who command a huge base within their regions, such as TMC and BSP, and whose presence is absolutely necessary for any Mahagathbandhan to take place.

The failure in striking an alliance in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh would have an impact on the Congress partys strategy for all upcoming elections.
Reuters

Google employees brainstormed ways to alter search functions to counter the Trump administrations controversial 2017 travel ban, the Wall Street Journal reported on 20 September, citing internal emails.

Google employees discussed how they could tweak the companys search-related functions to show users how to contribute to pro-immigration organizations and contact lawmakers and government agencies, the WSJ said. The ideas were not implemented.

President Donald Trumps travel ban temporarily barred visitors and immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries. It spurred public outcry and was revised several times. Trump said the travel ban was needed to protect the United States against attacks by Islamist militants, and the Supreme Court upheld the measure in June.

The Google employees proposed ways to leverage search functions and take steps to counter what they considered to be islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms Islam, Muslim, Iran, etc. and prejudiced, algorithmically biased search results from search terms Mexico, Hispanic, Latino, etc, the Journal added, quoting from the emails.

A Google spokesperson said the emails represented brainstorming and none of the ideas were implemented. She said the company does not manipulate search results or modify products to promote political views.

Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies, the spokesperson said in a statement.
tech2 News Staff

HMD Global has sent out invitations already for an event that it is holding on 4 October in London. While there is no information about which device will be launched at the event, there is a speculation that it could be the Nokia 7.1 Plus which has been in the news recently.

The company is "welcoming a new member to the Nokia smartphone family," according to an invite which was received by the Italian publication Nokioteca.

Recently leaked images of the Nokia 7.1 Plus front panel reveal that the phone will likely sport a 5.9-inch screen, which is slightly smaller than the 6-inch Nokia 7 Plus screen. The display retains the 1080 x 2160 pixels resolution.

It is expected to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset which will be an upgrade from the Nokia 7 plus which features a Snapdragon 660 chipset. The device is also rumoured to support 18 W fast charging. Read our full review of the Nokia 7 Plus here.

The rumoured Nokia 9 might also release alongside the Nokia 7.1 Plus. It has been spotted sporting a strange camera set up at the back, with as many as 5 camera units. Nokia 9 is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 845 SoC with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage. It might feature a 6-inch display.

However, because the invite reads "welcoming a new member..," it is unlikely that two devices will be launched.

HMD might have more local events that day or later on, along with the main global London event.
Maansi Verma

Editor's Note: This is Part II of a two-part series on the loopholes in the Personal Data Protection Bill. This two-part series attempts to bring before you six major dilemmas and requires your suggestions to resolve these dilemmas. The first part dealt with the loopholes pertaining to data ownership, Right to Information Act and more.

No means No!

Those who can exercise any kind of power over us  emotional, financial, physical  find it difficult to accept a 'No' because it empowers the weaker. Hence the importance of consent. It is at the very heart of any mutually-respecting relationship, be it between intimate partners, citizens and the state or business and its consumers. And since our data has become an important transactional tool in some of these relationships, the element of consent attaches itself to our data also.

But what happens when our laws permit consent to be bypassed?

First lets remind ourselves that in August 2017, the Supreme Court held that Indians have always had a Fundamental Right to Privacy. In the judgment, the Supreme Court also outlined the importance of the private realm  those aspects of an individual so integral to their being that privacy would be a hollow concept if an individual could not exercise choice over who can enter that realm. Informational control, a crucial element of this realm was considered important to empower the individual to use privacy as a shield to retain personal control over information pertaining to the person. Bottomline: We exercise control over who has access to our data and consent is the gatekeeper.

The Government has finally put in motion a process to operationalise this control over data. A Committee of Experts formed to suggest ways in which personal data can be protected, has submitted its report and a draft of Personal Data Protection Bill (PDP), 2018. The Government has opened the PDP Bill for comments, from citizens at large, till 30 September, 2018.

But the Bill is replete with dilemmas which must be resolved in favour of the citizens so that privacy can be achieved in its true import.

In part II of the series, we discuss the rest of the three loopholes.

Empowerment of Children vs. Inadequate protection of Children

The PDP Bill identifies a child as a person who is yet to attain the age of 18 years and provides for the collection and processing of their data with parental consent. It also casts an obligation on those collecting large volumes of personal data of children or those operating commercial websites directed to children to desist from tracking, profiling, targeting advertising at children etc. While prescribing these much needed higher-order responsibilities, it has been argued that the Bill misses out on a foundational obligation  to ensure that a child is informed in a simple and explanatory manner, the need for care in handling date concerning herself.

This is premised on the reality that many children are involved in online activities involving the exchange of data without the knowledge of their parents or guardians, with little or no awareness about digital security. Substituting their consent with parental consent, only in those rare instances when parents are aware of their childs online activities, will not ensure adequate protection. The Bill also creates an obligation on those collecting data to put in place appropriate mechanisms for age verification.

But the absence of any need to educate and make children aware and relying solely on parental consent, may, on one hand provide a convenient escape and on the other reject the notion that children can also have agency.

Fixing of the age of consent with respect to sharing of data at 18 years is also considered problematic for the same reason. Much younger children are active on the internet and need to be made aware of the importance of data protection. For instance, the General Data Protection Regulation in EU provides that consent of children above 16 years of age is required to process their data, in UK, children above 13 years of age can provide consent. It can also be argued that while children are given special protection under the law, they must also enjoy similar rights over their data as adults. For instance, the PDP Bill doesnt explicitly provide that an adult will have the right to opt-out or prevent further processing of data which was collected on the basis of consent given on her behalf by her parents / guardian when she was a child. This is imperative to ensure meaningful data protection for children.

Consent vs. No Consent

The PDP Bill provides that one of the grounds for processing is consent, i.e. you consent to the processing of your data for specified purposes. But it also provides that your data can be processed without your consent because in some cases it will either be impossible to seek consent or consent is not an appropriate ground. Some such problematic instances are discussed below.

NON-CONSENSUAL PROCESSING OF DATA LOGIC PROVIDED IN EXPERT COMMITTEES REPORT For any function of State authorised by law  State provides many welfare services to citizens and citizens are in no position to deny or choose any other service provider. Hence validity of such a consent is questionable.

 State performs regulatory functions like giving building permissions. If citizen refuses to share necessary information, permission can not be given. Hence, consent is a formality.

In other words, this can be looked at as a quid-pro-quo arrangement: Citizens provide data, State provides services. But unlike other commercial services, state services, in most cases are entitlements guaranteed by law, like ration. It has been argued that it is a duty of State to provide welfare services and citizens cannot be forced to surrender their privacy for availing these services. This logic of the Expert Committee is faulty also because, as argued, it is based on an incorrect framing  it first places the State as a facilitator of human progress, and then considers individual fundamental rights as the bulwark to keep the State under check. As per the Constitution, fundamental rights take precedence over functions of a welfare State.

The report, in anticipation of criticism of such sweeping permission to the State to process data without consent, attempts to provide some checks. It says that any such collection must be limited to necessary data only and any such processing must be fair and reasonable. The implication of this is that though consent may not be taken, other obligations will continue to apply. For instance, the State may provide you with a 'Notice' that your data has been collected without consent, but the fact of the matter is that even then you will not be in a position to object if you dont agree with the purpose or the manner of processing stated in the Notice.

The report also argues that any such function of the State must necessarily be a public function. The Bill, however, doesnt use this term. Instead, it says any function authorised by a law.

What are the implications of this? Lets look at Aadhaar as an example. Aadhaar Act provides that state can insist on Aadhaar for providing welfare services  a quid-pro-quo public function authorised by law. The Act also provides that State or a body corporate or any person can use Aadhaar number for establishing your identity for any purpose  not necessarily a public function but authorised by law. Remember when you were forced to either link your Aadhaar with your mobile number or risk deactivation of your number. It has been argued that this quid-pro-quo approach is what makes Aadhaar so problematic, by which people have been made to either enrol for the program or are under threat of denial of services. It seriously undermines an individuals freedom and autonomy.

NON-CONSENSUAL PROCESSING OF DATA LOGIC PROVIDED IN EXPERT COMMITTEES REPORT For purposes related to employment

 Recruitment

 Termination

 Providing any service or benefit

 Verifying the attendance

This will apply only when seeking consent is not appropriate or will require disproportionate effort.  Employees are dependent on employer and seldom in a position to freely give consent, refuse or revoke it.

 Some processing activities may require seeking consent multiple times or on a regular basis. Will require disproportionate effort from employer and cause consent-fatigue in employee.

The line of argument then seems to be  employee will have no choice but to give consent and it will require disproportionate efforts by the employer. It has been argued that employer-employee relationship doesnt lead to cessation of fundamental rights of the employee. This provision uses a broad brush to include all the employment-related activities. Why should recruitment be covered, a function often outsourced and at which stage the employer-employee relationship hasnt even come into existence? Why data of an employee cannot be collected with her consent for providing any benefit or for performance assessment?

It must be remembered that consent requirement corrects the imbalance in the relationship between a citizen and the State, a consumer and a business, an employee and an employer and so on. In all these cases, the collector and processor of data are in a more powerful position. Thus, consent increases the bargaining power of the individual who has to part with data.

Further, diluting consent are those provisions which allow reasonable purposes and further grounds to be added in the future, to permit processing of personal, and even sensitive personal data without taking consent.

NON-CONSENSUAL PROCESSING OF DATA LOGIC PROVIDED IN EXPERT COMMITTEES REPORT For reasonable purposes like-

 Prevention and detection of unlawful activity

 Whistleblowing

 Merger and acquisition

 Credit scoring etc.

Some conditions are prescribed for proposing such purposes, first of which is - interest of person collecting the data and fourth in the list is - effect on rights of individual.  A residuary ground is needed in order to provide flexibility to those collecting data.

 It may not be possible to take consent in all such situations

 Relying on consent will hinder evolution of new technologies relying on data analytics.

There are two problems here. First, there are no criteria to identify the reasonable purposes. The illustrative examples range from fraud prevention (involves societal interests) to mergers and acquisitions (commercial activity). Second, the power to identify these reasonable purposes in the future is given to the regulator established in the Act  the Data Protection Authority of India, which can lay down Regulations in this regard. It is possible to envision a scenario, where regulations made under a law, which go through very limited consultations and negligible parliamentary oversight, may have more grounds and purposes than the actual law.

The law also dilutes consent by permitting collection of your data from sources other than you, about which you will be notified within a reasonably practicable time period  no guideline is provided to define what is reasonably practicable.

Reforming a surveilling State vs. Strengthening a surveilling State

Do you also think that surveillance is alright because you have nothing to hide? That is what we are made to believe  that surveillance is being carried out for the common good, that only suspicious information will be acted upon and it does not affect your rights. But surveillance, carried out by the State as well as private actors has become pervasive. This has made us constantly look over our shoulders, and alter our behaviour because what may not be considered suspicious today, like criticising policies of the government, may be considered suspicious in the future. And that is why surveillance reform is urgently required.

At the outset, it must be noted that the Expert Committee in its report takes a note of the lack of effective oversight over current practices of surveillance and interception (phone tapping), which border on opaqueness. It also acknowledges that the current systems in place are inadequate. For instance, the report notes that a recent RTI revealed that Central Government passes 7,500-9,000 orders for interception every month. Every interception request from police or other law enforcement agencies is authorised by the Home Secretary, which means that on an average,the Home Secretary may need to approve or deny 250-300 orders every day. If you were the Home Secretary, with tons of other responsibilities, would you be in a position to carefully apply your mind to each such request within a short period of time?

There is a review mechanism also through a Review Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary, which meets only twice a month, and reviews the orders approved. The Committee, in its report, notes that the Review Committee has an unrealistic task of reviewing 15,000-18,000 orders in every meeting. Noting these shortcomings, the Committee recommends procedural safeguards like judicial approval and parliamentary oversight on the process of intelligence gathering through surveillance and interception.

If the Expert Committee had translated its recommendation into actual provisions in the Bill, it has been argued, it would have been a death knell for any mass surveillance program. But it did not do so. Instead, it exempts collection and processing of data for the purpose of security of the State from any rights, obligations and transparency requirement, except fair and reasonable processing, a phrase which will always be open to interpretation, with security safeguards in place. This exemption is available to any law which will be made in future to govern such functions if they are necessary and proportionate. It has been argued that an opportunity to reform surveillance practices has been lost and instead the Committee chose to defer this task to a future law.

It has also been argued that these exceptions have been specifically designed to protect Aadhaar and to continue strengthening the surveillance State. And because of wide exemptions, as and when such a law is formulated, many other crucial obligations will not apply. For instance, there will be no obligation to limit storage of data for a limited period of time, which means data gathered through interception and surveillance can be retained forever and if breached, there will be no notification also.

And when checks and balances are discounted in the name of Security of State, immense possibilities of abuse arise. For instance, consider the recent incident of the arrest of some activists where it was reported that they and their family members were forced to reveal their email and social media account passwords, without so much so as a warrant in that regard. Forceful search and confiscation of material from the home of a family member of another activist, again without a no proper search warrant, has also been argued to be a blatant disregard of their privacy.

The Government needs your suggestions to resolve these dilemmas. Please fill in this Questionnaire prepared by Maadhyam and let us know your thoughts [Deadline - 26 September, 2018]. All suggestions will be collated and submitted to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

You can share your views directly with the Ministry also (Link) [Deadline - 30 September, 2018]

Maadhyam is a participatory policy-making platform enabling citizen engagement in policy-making. Maansi Verma, the founder of Maadhyam, is a lawyer and public policy enthusiast. Citizens can also engage with Maadhyam on Facebook and Twitter.

Infographics Courtesy: Civis, a platform that demystifies laws and policies, and enables greater civic engagement.
Indo-Asian News Service

Just over a month into its seven-year mission to touch the Sun, NASA's Parker Solar Probe has beamed back the first-light data from each of its four instrument suites, the US space agency said.

On September 9, Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe's (WISPR)  the only imager on the probe  door was opened, allowing the instrument to take the first images during its journey to the Sun.

WISPR with both its inner and outer telescope snapped a blue-toned, two-panel image of space with stars visible throughout.

While the Sun is not visible in the image, it showed Jupiter.

Launched on 12 August, Parker Solar Probe, NASA's historic small car-sized probe will journey steadily closer to the Sun, until it makes its closest approach at 3.8 million miles.

"All instruments returned data that not only serves for calibration, but also captures glimpses of what we expect them to measure near the Sun to solve the mysteries of the solar atmosphere, the corona," said Nour Raouafi, the probe's project scientist at the Johns Hopkins University in Laurel, Maryland.

While these early data are not yet examples of the key science observations that the probe is expected to transmit in December, it shows that each of its four instrument suites are working well.

The probe also sent data back from its three other instruments on board: ISoIS, FIELDS and SWEAP which are all dedicated to unravelling the mysteries of the Sun.

ISoIS's (pronounced "ee-sis" and includes the symbol for the Sun in its acronym) two Energetic Particle Instruments  EPI-Lo and EPI-Hi  cover a range of energies for these activity-driven particles.

EPI-Lo's initial data shows background cosmic rays, particles that were energised and came rocketing into our solar system from elsewhere in the galaxy.

Data from EPI-Hi shows detections of both hydrogen and helium particles from its lower-energy telescopes.

The FIELDS' four electric field antennas on the front of the probe observed the signatures of a solar flare, while the SWEAP's (Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons), three instruments caught glimpses of the solar wind.

The Parker Solar Probe's first close approach to the Sun will be in November.

Over the next two months, it will fly towards Venus, performing its first Venus gravity assist in early October.

Throughout its mission, the probe will make six more Venus flybys and 24 total passes by the Sun.

The probe is named after Eugene Parker, a solar physicist, who in 1958 first predicted the existence of the solar wind, a stream of charged particles and magnetic fields that flow continuously from the Sun.
Georgia could get its first female president very soon if the establishment-backed candidate Salome Zourabichvili can watch her tongue. As Eurasianet writes in the article A French president for Georgia?, backing from the ruling Georgian Dream party makes former French diplomat Salome Zourabichvili a strong contender for the presidency, up for grabs in a October 28 vote, but her candidacy is hotly debated, quite literally. Opponents have taken to filming themselves suffering as they eat chili peppers and denounce the presidential hopeful. Part of the opposition stems from a belief that a Georgian president should speak flawless Georgian, which is not Zourabichvilis forte. Zourabichvili was born and grew up in Paris, in a family of Georgian emigres, and has a tendency to drop bloopers.

Par exemple, she said on the campaign trail last month that Georgias beauty allows one to shove things in anywhere you want, adding that this is something foreigners appreciate about the country. She meant to say that Georgia is a great place for archaeological digs and that Georgia should capitalize on its ancient past to attract culture vultures from around the world.

Such comments inspire much comedy, but some Georgians are not entertained. The president of Georgia should be able to speak Georgian, full stop! said public persona Tako Charkviani last week. Zourabichvili brushes aside the grammarians. She pointed out that she did not study in Georgia. Instead, she attended Sciences Po in Paris and Columbia University in New York  and thus her Georgian is not always up to snuff. Zourabichvili also worked for the French foreign service for the better part of her career until briefly becoming Georgias first female foreign minister in 2004 under President Mikheil Saakashvili. Fired a year later, she emerged as a vocal critic of Saakashvili and eventually aligned herself with the anti-Saakashvili Georgian Dream, now the governing force in Georgia.

Some Georgians may excuse her French, but Zourabichvili is also often castigated for seeming out of touch. This woman is a hellish cocktail of Georgian provincialism and French arrogance, said fellow presidential hopeful Grigol Vashadze last week.

Modesty does not always come naturally to Zourabichvili, a descendant of Georgian aristocrats. The presidency is cut out of me, she said during her failed presidential bid in 2013.

But it was her remarks last month about who started the 2008 Georgian-Russian war that have really touched a nerve.

During the 10th anniversary of the war last month, Zourabichvili made the faux pas of blaming Georgia for firing the first shot, though she added that Georgia was provoked by Russia.

As foreign minister, she negotiated the Russian militarys withdrawal and was hailed as a hero in Georgia, including from some of her current critics.

To rally resistance, the director of the influential, pro-opposition television channel Rustavi2 came up with the chili pepper challenge. Take videos of how you eat chili peppers and denounce Salome [Zourabichvili], said Nika Gvaramia during a show he co-hosts, as he took a bite of a red pepper. Our fate, our countrys fate will be just as bitter  there is a total catastrophe happening in my mouth right now  if we elect Salome Zourabichvili, a visibly reddening Gvaramia said. A few Georgians have taken the challenge, denouncing Zourabichvili in tearful video selfies.

Another criticism is Zourabichvilis coziness with the ruling partys powerful billionaire chairman, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili-skeptics doubt her independence. But the association with Ivanishvili is also a strength. The election is largely seen as a vote of confidence in Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream partys rule, and his supporters are expected to vote for his candidate. In a poll published August 1, before Zourabichvilis nomination, a hypothetical Georgian Dream-backed presidential candidate received the most votes.

Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream, in the meantime, continue to insist that despite their endorsement, Zourabichvili is an independent candidate. The claim is like a small-town theater show, said analyst Gia Khukhashvili. Everyone knows it is a show, but they still go to see it because it is the only show in town.
By William James BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Britain's anti-European Union UK Independence Party (UKIP) launched a set of populist policies on Friday hoping to revive their dwindling political influence and capitalise on outrage over the government's handling of Brexit. Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to sell her plan for a Brexit that would continue to see Britain abide by many EU rules. Growing unrest among pro-Brexit groups could scupper her leadership and thrust Britain into political crisis.

By William James

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Britain's anti-European Union UK Independence Party (UKIP) launched a set of populist policies on Friday hoping to revive their dwindling political influence and capitalise on outrage over the government's handling of Brexit.

Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to sell her plan for a Brexit that would continue to see Britain abide by many EU rules. Growing unrest among pro-Brexit groups could scupper her leadership and thrust Britain into political crisis.

UKIP played a defining role in recent British history as the force that pressured former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron to call a referendum on leaving the EU, and then stoked the anti-establishment uprising behind the 2016 'leave' vote.

But, since finding itself on the winning side of the Brexit vote UKIP has struggled to influence the exit process, seeing its voter support evaporate and undergoing two years of inner turmoil to find a leader to replace the talismanic Nigel Farage.

On Friday, current leader Gerard Batten published a manifesto document that sought to rediscover the everyman appeal that once made the party a threat to larger rivals from across the British political spectrum.

"These policies are aimed at helping the people who form the backbone of Britain: ordinary workers and taxpayers, the unemployed who would like to work, and small and medium-sized business owners," Batten, a member of the European Parliament, said in a statement launching the 17-page manifesto.

"Its purpose is to make UKIP a populist party in the real meaning of the word - one whose policies are popular with voters."

The policies included a "complete and total" withdrawal from the EU, arguing that Britain should end all payments to the EU and adherence to the bloc's rules - a much more radical break than May is proposing.

Batten has been criticised, including by some former UKIP members, for engaging with causes championed by far-right groups, and he has described Islam as a "death cult".

Other policies, much of which are similar to previous UKIP positions, include selective and limited immigration, scrapping overseas aid, lower domestic taxes and a tougher approach to taxing multinational companies.

UKIP currently has no elected representatives in parliament and it gathered only 600,000 votes in a 2017 general election, compared to 3.8 million in 2015 - a fall from more than 12 percent of the total vote to less than 2 percent.

Nevertheless, in many marginal seats it has the power to influence which major party can win and, with no party clearly ahead in opinion polls, has the potential to affect the outcome of any future national election. Although an election is not scheduled until 2022, May's government remains fragile.

(Reporting by William James; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Lauren Young NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Reuters photographer Lucas Jackson headed to Greenland in June, he travelled with a heavy, oversized rolling bag containing a crucial piece of equipment to document climate change. Jackson, one of a handful of Reuters photographers licensed to operate a drone, spent seven rainy days camped alongside Greenland's Helheim glacier, near the small seaside village of Tasiilaq

By Lauren Young

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Reuters photographer Lucas Jackson headed to Greenland in June, he travelled with a heavy, oversized rolling bag containing a crucial piece of equipment to document climate change.

Jackson, one of a handful of Reuters photographers licensed to operate a drone, spent seven rainy days camped alongside Greenland's Helheim glacier, near the small seaside village of Tasiilaq.

Using an Inspire 1 Pro drone, Jackson captured more than 700 gigabytes of footage and images in Greenland (https://graphics.reuters.com/CLIMATECHANGE-GREENLAND-CHALLENGES/010080EH0V0/index.html).

Drones are an emerging tool for newsgathering, but they potentially pose several legal and ethical challenges, including the violation of privacy.

Until now, Reuters has used drones only on rare occasions. But Greenland provided a perfect opportunity since a drone is inexpensive to operate. By contrast, renting a helicopter can cost thousands of dollars per day.

The drone offered Jackson the ideal way to procure bird's eye shots and video of icebergs and glaciers as well as footage of scientists monitoring rising sea levels, without disrupting their research.

"People are tempted to use a drone just to use a drone," Jackson says. "They should be used to get a perspective at an elevated angle that would be too risky or costly to get without a drone."

Reuters has a detailed policy on drone usage, as outlined in the Reuters Handbook of Journalism (http://handbook.reuters.com/index.php?title=A_Guide_to_the_Newsgathering_Use_of_Drones). That includes steering clear of people, homes, protests or densely populated areas.

"We should apply heightened consideration and sensitivity to ensure our use of drones does not stalk, harass, or intimidate any person, including any subject of our coverage," the handbook says.

According to our rules, drones must be used in daylight hours, at specific altitudes and at a safe distance from an airport. As a result, our use of drones so far has been limited. Reuters journalists still typically take overhead shots from helicopters.

However, drones can shoot images at a lower elevation, often offering more granular details since they can hover in one spot without much movement.

In July, photographer David Gray used a drone to document extreme drought along with its devastating effect on cattle and crops in Eastern Australia. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-drought-widerimage/australias-drought-is-like-a-cancer-eating-away-at-farms-and-families-idUSKBN1KL34C).

The drone let him quietly capture images of farm animals, such as cattle gathered in parched paddocks, without scaring them away.

Any Reuters journalist who uses a drone for newsgathering must be trained and properly credentialed. To obtain a licence from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Jackson studied weather patterns, flight maps and federal drone laws. He also practiced flying a drone with a Reuters colleague in a park in Flushing, New York.

Drones can keep journalists out of harm's way, so they may seem ideal for covering natural disasters, such as a volcanic eruption or hurricanes. But even in these circumstances, Reuters will continue to use drones sparingly because their flight can interfere with search and rescue missions.

For Jackson, the biggest challenge in Greenland was preserving battery life. The drone lost power after 10 minutes, and it took another hour to recharge.

"I didn't have time to experiment," Jackson said. "I had to know which shots I wanted."

(Reporting by Lauren Young; Editing by Toni Reinhold)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The purchase of major military equipments like the multi-billion-dollar S-400 Triumf from Russia would be considered as a 'significant transaction', the Trump administration said.

Washington: The purchase of major military equipments like the multi-billion-dollar S-400 Triumf from Russia would be considered as a "significant transaction" and has a potential for imposing tough US sanctions, the Trump administration said Friday, as India mulls buying the air defence systems.

Trump on Thursday signed an executive order, paving the way for slapping crippling sanctions on countries and foreign entities and individuals violating the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

After signing of the order, the US imposed sanctions on a Chinese entity, the Equipment Development Department and its director Li Shangfu for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile, a senior administration official told reporters during a conference call.

The CAATSA that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia, has the potential to affect India's defence purchases as it is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf missile air defence systems from Russia for around $4.5 billion.

"We want to stress that the legislative standard is a significant transaction with an entity that appears on the List of Specified Persons. We took these actions because China took delivery of 10 Sukhoi fighter aircraft, specifically Su-25s, in December of 2017, after the CAATSA statute came into force. It also took delivery of a batch of S-400 sometimes known as SA-21 surface-to-air missile systems or related equipment in January of this year," the official said.

The US official, who did not wish to be identified, emphasised that the ultimate target of these sanctions was Russia.

"CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country. They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities," he said.

"Those malign activities are undertaken to compete with the US and its allies and partners. This is for the first time that the US has sanctioned anyone under Section 231 of CAATSA, which focuses upon, those who engage in significant transactions with entities that appear on the LSP (List of Specified Persons)," the official said.

He declined to answer a question whether the US would be taking similar action against countries, like Turkey, that buy S-400 missile defence system.

"As to other potential recipients of the S-400, we haven't made any determinations yet with respect to what to do about those, but you can be confident that we have spent an enormous amount of time talking about prospective purchases of things such as S-400s and Sukhois with people all around the world who may have been interested in such things and some who may still be," the official said.

He said the Trump administration has made it "very clear" to these countries that these systems like the S-400 are a system of key concern with potential CAATSA implications.

"So while decisions on other cases have yet to be made, and indeed other transactions have yet to occur, we hope that at least this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors, which would of course be precisely what we hope Congress intended, and what we are required to do pursuant to the fact," the official said.

In the recent 2+2 Dialogue held in New Delhi, US defence secretary James Mattis had said, "The sanctions aren't intended to adversely impact countries like India. They are intended to have an impact the sanctioned country, which is Russia. And so we'll work our way through the waiver decision as the days and weeks proceed, and we'll do that alongside our partner, India, as well."

He had also said that the US was working to impose CAATSA Section 231 in a way that is appropriate and lawful and to exercise that waiver authority only where it makes sense.
US president Donald Trump will call for global action on the world drug problem, lay out his vision of the US role in the world, and urge a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Washington: US president Donald Trump will call for global action on the world drug problem, lay out his vision of the US role in the world, and urge a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters on Friday that Trump's focus "will be very much on the United States," its role and the relations it wants to build, and "how we can make the American people proud, and what actions we can show that really live up to that."

"He is looking forward to talking about foreign policy successes the United States has had over the past year and where we're going to go from here," she said.

"He wants to talk about protecting US sovereignty," and "we want to continue to build relationships" with other countries that "share those values." Haley said Trump will address a high-level event Monday on the "Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem," which 124 countries have already signed up to support. She said the US is looking forward to more signatories.

The president will address the assembly's 193 member nations at the official opening Tuesday morning of the global gabfest known as the General Debate.

Haley said Trump will talk about the generosity of the United States. "But he'll also lay down a marker that while the United States is generous, we're going to be generous to those who share our values, generous to those who want to work with us, and not those that try and stop the United States or say they hate America, or are counterproductive to what we're doing," she said.

She said Trump on Wednesday will chair a Security Council meeting which was expanded from focusing on Iran to nonproliferation, including chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain.

Haley predicted, "I'm sure that is going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever." Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, chaired two Security Council meetings, one in 2009 focusing on nuclear disarmament and another in 2014 on "foreign terrorist fighters." Haley said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will chair a council meeting on Thursday to look at on North Korea's progress toward denuclaearisation  which she called "baby steps"  and the council's commitments to enforce tough sanctions.
US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Washington: The United States on Friday hailed India's acceptance of Pakistani proposal for talks between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ongoing annual UN General Assembly session in New York and termed it as a "terrific news".

"We saw that (reports of meetings between Indian and Pak leaders). I think that's a terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

On Thursday, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar announced that India has agreed to a meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Pakistan's request. He, however, made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue.

Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and also Prime Minister Modi. And we hope that the conditions will be set for a good strong relationship, a good strong bilateral relationship in the future," she said.

The last meeting between the two foreign ministers was held during Swaraj's visit to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend the Heart of Asia Summit, where she had met he then Pakistan foreign minister Sartaj Aziz.

After the meeting, the two sides had announced resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue under the comprehensive bilateral format, but the initiative did not take off after Pakistan-based terror groups attacked the Pathankot air base.

The Indo-Pak ties have nose-dived since then in view of a number of terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups, which India retaliated by carrying out 'surgical strikes' in September 2016 across the Line of Control (LoC). India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

The US has traditionally welcomed any talks between India and Pakistan, the pace of which, it has noted would depends on the leadership of the two countries.

"In general, the United States supports dialogue between India and Pakistan that can reduce tensions, and we understand and had frequent conversations with the Indian partners on the expectations that there would be demonstrable reduction in cross-border terrorism or infiltration that will help create the confidence for dialogue to take place," Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had told reporters during a conference call last week.
The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers  double the ferry's capacity  when it capsized close to the pier on Ukara Island on Thursday afternoon, according to state media.

Kenya: Tanzanian rescue workers scrambled Friday to find scores of people feared drowned after a ferry capsized in Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, killing at least 44 people.

The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers  double the ferry's capacity  when it capsized close to the pier on Ukara Island on Thursday afternoon, according to state media.

"Army and police divers have just resumed operations," George Nyamaha, who heads Ukerewe district council of which the island is a part, told AFP on Friday morning.

He said that 44 bodies had so far been recovered and 37 people rescued. Rescue operations were suspended overnight and hopes are fading that more survivors might still be found, more than 18 hours since the vessel sank.

State television broadcast footage of onlookers crowding the pier, adding: "People are aware that the hopes of finding survivors are almost nil." The broadcaster cited witnesses reporting that over 200 people had boarded the ferry at Bugorora Island at around midday.

Contacted by AFP, regional governor John Mongella said he could not confirm the number of passengers or the number still missing. Tanzania's Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency, which is responsible for ferry services, said it was unknown how many passengers were aboard the MV Nyerere.

The ageing ferry was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement, when it overturned and then sank around 50 metres (55 yards) from Ukara dock. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame for such incidents.

Overloading and 'negligence'

President John Magufuli was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and called on Tanzanians to "stay calm during these difficult times," according to spokesman Gerson Msigwa.

The country's opposition, however, accused the government of "negligence". "We have often raised concerns about the poor condition of this ferry, but the government turned a deaf ear. We have repeatedly denounced this negligence," said John Mnyika, deputy secretary general of Chadema, the main opposition party.

Mnyika said overloading was "another failure of the authorities" and criticised "inadequate relief efforts as well as delays" in the rescue operation. With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Capsizes are not uncommon in the massive lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many people in the region cannot swim.

The deadliest such accident in recent decades was in May 1996, when around 800 people died after their ferry sank on the way to Mwanza in Tanzania. Waters in the lake can be rough and boats are frequently poorly maintained, while ferry operators often fail to record the number of passengers on board.

Around 20 people were killed in December 2016 when their boat overturned in Lake Victoria as it was carrying passengers to Uganda's mainland for Christmas holidays. And in March 2012, only two survivors were found after a boat believed to be carrying around 60 people capsized on the lake in Uganda.
The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (Retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala prison in Rawalpindi.

Islamabad: There was no "deal" between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the release of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a top court suspended their sentences in a corruption case, a senior Pakistani minister has asserted.

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (Retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala prison in Rawalpindi.

"No country asked for his release. Nawaz Sharif is not so important for Saudi Arabia that they will talk about him," Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said, rejecting the impression that the three-time former premier and his family members were released from jail under a "deal" between the Imran Khan-led government and Riyadh.

The Islamabad High Court's verdict, ordering the release of the trio coincided with Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia, giving rise to speculation that the Sharif family members' release was a result of the Saudis' request, Dawn newspaper reported.

But the report recalled that Saudi Arabia was a guarantor in a deal between the Sharif family and then military dictator General Pervez Musharraf in 2000 under which the Sharifs were released from jail and allowed to leave the country.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and whenever a leader wins an election in Pakistan, the first visit is always to the Gulf nation.

Nawaz Sharif never came under discussion during Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia where he had meetings with the oil-rich kingdom's rulers, Chaudhry said. "He is not that important to be discussed during that visit," he claimed.

"Those who say that Saudi Arabia would have talked (about Sharif during Khan's visit) actually don't know what kind of relationship the Saudis have with Nawaz Sharif," the minister said Thursday without elaborating.

"There will be no deal and no dheel (concession) with them (the Sharifs)," Chaudhry declared, adding that soon "they will be back to the place where they had been a few days back".

On 6 July , an accountability court in Islamabad sentenced Sharif, Maryam and Safdar, to 10 years, seven years and one year in jail, respectively, in connection with the purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

"Nawaz Sharif will be in and out of jail. This thing will continue," he said, adding that the Sharifs had only been granted bail and the case was still pending against them.

"Those who were questioning the government for putting the names of the Sharifs on the Exit Control List (ECL) would have got the answer now.

"Had we not done so, they could have flown to London soon after their release, and where would we have looked for these princes then?" the minister said, justifying the decision of the Cabinet to place the names of the Sharifs on the ECL during its first meeting last month.

"We will not allow Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to leave Pakistan and at the same time we will not allow (former finance minister) Ishaq Dar, and Hassan and Hussain (the two sons of Sharif) to stay out of Pakistan," he said.

Chaudhry said that for them it was not important that how much time the Sharifs would spend in jail, as for the government bringing back the looted money of the people of this country was more important.

Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan prime minister in 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

The Avenfield case was among the three corruption cases filed against the ex-premier by the National Accountability Bureau on the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case.
PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Auranzeb said Nawaz Sharif will hold meetings with party leaders to discuss strategy with regard to launching a drive against alleged vote rigging.

Lahore: Nawaz Sharif, who was released from jail after a court suspended his sentence in a corruption case, will "expose" the Imran Khan government and launch a drive against rigging in the general elections, the ousted Pakistan prime minister's party said on Thursday.

PML-N spokesperson and former information minister Marriyum Auranzeb told PTI that Sharif will finalise his strategy regarding giving tough time to the government after Ashura (21 September).

She said Sharif will hold consultative meetings with the party leaders from Saturday to discuss the party's strategy with regard to launching a drive against alleged vote rigging. "Sharif and PML-N strongly believe that 25 July, 2018 elections were rigged to stop the PML-N from returning to power," she said.

The PML-N will raise its voice both in and outside Parliament to force the government for independent investigation, Auranzeb said.

"The PML-N under its supreme leader Sharif will emerge more energetic and strong in coming days and will fully expose the Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf government for its anti-people policies," she said.

"Mian sahib's (Nawaz Sharif) release from jail has charged the workers and leaders. We will give tough time to Imran Khan and his government, she said.

Sharif spent Thursday with his family members at his Jati Umra residence in Lahore.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were released from Rawalpindi's Adiala jail and flown back to Lahore on Wednesday night after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended their sentences in the Avenfield corruption case linked to Panama Papers.

The accountability court in Islamabad on 6 July had sentenced Sharif, Maryam and Safdar, to 10 years, seven years and one year in jail, respectively, in connection with the purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

Upon receiving the release orders Sharif had said: "I was sure that I was innocent and have not done any wrongdoing. Allah will give me justice."

The purpose of imprisoning Sharif was to pave the way for the Imran's government, PML-N leader and former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal said.

It would not have been easy for them (military establishment) to maneuver things in the elections had Nawaz Sharif been out of jail."

Awami National Party senior leader Iftikhar Hussain said: The purpose they (establishment) wanted to achieve by keeping sharif in jail is done. That is why he is out of jail now. The case was so week that Sharif could not have been awarded 10-year sentence, he said.

Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has announced that it will challenge the Islamabad High Court's decision to accept the petitions of the Sharifs in the Supreme Court.
By David Brunnstrom and Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is working to set up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but there is still work to do 'to make sure conditions are right,' U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday. Were working on it.

By David Brunnstrom and Lesley Wroughton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is working to set up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but there is still work to do "to make sure conditions are right," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

Were working on it. But theres still a little bit of work to do left to make sure the conditions are right and that the two leaders are put in a position where we can make substantial progress, Pompeo told Fox News in an interview.

Pompeo told NBC News in a separate interview that he hoped the meeting could take place "before too long," and that he hoped he himself would get a chance to travel to Pyongyang again to negotiate before that.

But he said international sanctions would have to remain on North Korea until it gave up its nuclear weapons, which are a threat to the United States.

"Ultimately, thatll be a decision for the president," Pompeo said of a second summit between Kim and Trump to follow on from their unprecedented June 12 meeting in Singapore.

"Im hopeful that Ill get a chance to travel again to Pyongyang to continue to negotiate before too long," Pompeo said. "And then before too long  and in relatively short order - I hope the two leaders get together again to continue to make progress on this incredible, important issue for the entire world."

Pompeo added to NBC that important steps had been taken at a summit between the two Koreas this week and that while much more worked needed to be done, the United States had the "patience and determination" to achieve its aim.

Referring to sanctions, Pompeo said: "Those economic sanctions will remain in place until we get to the end, till we get to that final denuclearization, which Chairman Kim promised President Trump he would undertake."

South Korea President Moon Jae-in said after meeting Kim this week that the North Korean leader wanted a second summit with Trump to hasten denuclearization, but a key goal was declaring an end this year to the 1950-53 Korean War, which halted with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Pompeo said on Wednesday he had invited North Korea's foreign minister to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week and other Pyongyang officials to Vienna for talks with U.S. nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun.

Asked on Thursday if those meetings would take place, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said invitations had been sent and added: "We certainly stand ready to meet if they are able to."

Moon said he and Kim spent most of a three-day summit discussing how to break an impasse and restart nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington, which are at odds over which should come first - denuclearization or ending the war and sanctions.

Kim, who recently proposed another summit with Trump, said after the summit that North Korea was willing to "permanently dismantle" key missile facilities in the presence of outside experts, and also its Yongbyon nuclear complex, if the United States took unspecified corresponding action.

Kim pledged to work toward the "complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula" during two earlier meetings with Moon and his encounter with Trump, but follow-up negotiations on how to implement the vague commitments have since faltered.

Washington has called for concrete action and has demanded full disclosure of North Korea's nuclear and missile facilities before satisfying Pyongyang's key demands.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Lesley Wroughton in Washington; additional reporting by Susan Heavey and Lisa Lambert; Editing by James Dalgleish)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Doina Chiacu and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday sought to cast doubt on the woman who has accused his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, saying if the attack was 'as bad as she says' it would have been immediately reported to police

By Doina Chiacu and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday sought to cast doubt on the woman who has accused his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, saying if the attack was "as bad as she says" it would have been immediately reported to police.

After days of restrained comments on the allegations by California professor Christine Blasey Ford, Trump took to Twitter to question her account of what happened between her and Kavanaugh at a party in 1982 when they were in high school.

The tweets came as a Republican-controlled U.S. Senate committee struggled on how to proceed with Kavanaugh's nomination. Democrats have demanded more time for scrutiny and Republicans want to move ahead quickly with a confirmation vote in an increasingly volatile political climate ahead of the Nov. 6 congressional elections.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had delayed a vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation after Ford's allegations emerged last week, and her lawyers and committee staff are negotiating how and when she will testify. Republicans have given Ford's lawyers until the end of Friday to work out the terms, Politico reported, citing an unnamed Republican senator.

Senate Republicans proposed moving the hearing from Monday to Wednesday, a day earlier than Ford requested, Politico reported. It said Ford would testify first, then Kavanaugh.

Approval of Kavanaugh would cement conservative control of the Supreme Court and advance a White House effort to tilt the American judiciary farther right.

Trump and the White House had been careful not to malign Ford after her allegations surfaced, but Trump dropped the restraint in his tweets on Friday.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Trump said. "I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!

"Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay," Trump wrote.

Republican Senator Susan Collins, potentially a key vote on Kavanaugh's nomination, said at an event in Portland, Maine, that she was "appalled" by Trump's tweet.

"We know allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist," Collins said, according to the Portland Press Herald. "So I thought that the presidents tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong."

If the hearing proceeds, Republicans will be forced to walk a careful line in questioning Ford's account without alienating women voters ahead of the elections. Before the 2016 presidential election, more than a dozen women accused Trump of making unwanted advances.

'VILE ATTACK'

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand denounced Trump's comments on Friday as a "vile attack."

"The most powerful man in the world just used his position and platform to attack a sexual assault survivor," she said on Twitter. "This is the same man who has been credibly accused of more than a dozen cases of sexual assault or harassment."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking at a gathering of evangelical voters in Washington, assured Kavanaugh would be confirmed.

"You watched the fight, you watched the tactics, but here is what I want to tell you - in the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court," McConnell told the Value Voters Summit, prompting a standing ovation.

"We're going to plow through all of this and do our job."

McConnell's goal has been to confirm Kavanaugh by Oct. 1, the start of the Supreme Court term.

Trump's Friday tweets contrasted to comments earlier in the week when he said Ford should be heard, even if it meant a delay in the confirmation process. At a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday night he had told supporters, "We'll let it play out, and I think everything is going to be just fine."

Ford has said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982 when both were high school students in Maryland. Kavanaugh has denied the allegation and pledged to testify at Monday's hearing.

Ford's lawyers and committee staff spoke by phone on Thursday night, a panel spokesman said without giving details. A person familiar with the call said Ford could testify by next Thursday.

The telephone discussion ended with no decision, according to media reports. The reports also said Ford's lawyers wanted Kavanaugh to appear separately first and that she wanted to be questioned by senators, not outside counsel.

Ford's legal team has said she strongly prefers that her allegations are fully investigated before she testifies.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, who has urged that Ford to be heard, said on CNN on Friday that Ford's requests were a "laundry list of demands."

The Senate panel must approve Kavanaugh's confirmation before a vote by the full Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. Kavanaugh's confirmation to the lifetime position would be the second of the Trump administration and solidify conservative control of the nation's top court.

Ford's team has sought guarantees of her safety because of death threats. Kavanaugh and his wife also had received threats, a senior White House official said.

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley, Richard Cowan, Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; writing by John Whitesides; editing by Bill Trott)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Last week, Avigdor Lieberman arrived in Azerbaijan for a first official visit as the Minister of Defense of Israel. Very little information concerning the closed talks with the highest Azerbaijani leadership was provided, which is natural, because the topic of military-technical cooperation has always been considered one of the most delicate. Official reports say that the enhancement of relations in economic, military, cultural, and tourism fields was hailed at the meeting of Lieberman and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. It was noted that conditions of peace and tranquillity were created in Azerbaijan for representatives of the Jewish community, along with other communities, their active role in the public life of the country was emphasized.

The sides also expressed confidence that Avigdor Lieberman's visit to Azerbaijan "will contribute to the cause of cooperation." Which is the purchase of military equipment, most likely. Russia is Baku's main arms supplier, but Israel - is the second. It is likely that Azerbaijan intends to continue purchasing arms and begin joint production with Israel of some types. Modernization of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces is in full swing. The Republic's Ministry of Defense says that the advanced weapons at the Azerbaijani army's disposal are capable of destroying all important military facilities and strategic communications of the enemy in a short period of time. Azerbaijan's air defense and anti-missile systems fully ensure the security of the country's airspace, including the state and military facilities.

This summer, Azerbaijan's Deputy Defense Minister Yahya Musaev hosted a delegation in Baku led by chairman of the Board of Directors of the Israeli company Aeronautics Yedidia Yaari. They discussed the work of the joint venture AZAD Systems, which specializes in the production of various drones in Azerbaijan on the basis of a protocol of intent on the organization of joint project between the Ministry of Defense Industry and Aeronautics, as well as signed a protocol of intent for the joint production of next-generation UAVs. According to the Jewish information portal stmegi.com, Israeli military drones are considered one of the most effective weapons in the world. Israeli drones were successfully used against the Armenian army during the four-day war in 2016. In June 2017, Azerbaijan tested the ZRB-5 drone (Heron-TP-XP). Its take-off weight is 5,300 kg, the length is 14 m, the height is 3 m, the wing span is 26 m, which is comparable with the civil aircraft Boeing 737. The drone is equipped with four homing missiles SVN-380 'air-ground' with laser sights weighing 180 kg each. The drone is produced under the license and technology of an Israeli company, which produce Heron-TP-XP UAVs.

Baku needs modern armament to repel Armenian aggression. However, the Israeli side is more concerned about Azerbaijan's another neighbor - Iran. There were a lot of rumors about the Azerbaijani-Israeli "friendship against Iran": for example, there were fakes about Baku, which was supposedly ready to provide the Americans and Israelis with five military airfields left from the former USSR for an air attack on Iran, there were fakes about deploying a secret "underground base" on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border by the US and Israeli military. All these claims were reasonably refuted.

It is interesting that after talks with Lieberman, Ilham Aliyev went to open the Alat-Astara highway - the state border with Iran. The contractors of the works, the customer of which was Azerbaijan Highway State Agency, were the consortium Evrascon-AzVirt, the Turkish companies Kolin Insaat, Turizm Senaye ve Ticaret, Ozgun Yap Snaye Ticart and Polad Yol Yap Snaye v Ticart, as well as other influential foreign companies. 31 kilometers of the Alat-Yenikend section of a new highway was built in 2006-2009. The construction of 23.4 kilometers of the Yenikend-Salyan road, as well as the 363 meter-long bridge over the Kura River and 1.2 kilometers of access roads was completed in 2016. The construction of 24.8 kilometers of Salyan-Shorsulu, 30.1 kilometers of Shorsulu-Jalilabad and 39.2 kilometers of Lankaran-Astara was completed this year. Thus, the construction of 204 kilometers of a new modern highway from Alyat to Astara is completely completed.

Twenty four bridges, 66 underground crossings, 25 overpasses and road junctions, four tunnels were constructed along the main road. As well as concrete curbs on the 51-kilometer side of the road, 5 recreation parks were constructed, a 166-kilometer separator was reinforced with concrete safety fences, while a 140-km long roadside - with metal protective fences, drainage pipes, road signs and placards. The road was also signposted.

The main-line highway, which is part of the international transport corridor North-South, will affect the development of agriculture and the volume of international cargo transportation. In short, Baku is in no way trying to spoil relations with Tehran.
Guterres said it was 'not acceptable' for Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, to be jailed 'for what they were doing' as journalists in Myanmar.

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Friday said he hoped that Myanmar's government will pardon two Reuters journalists who were sentenced to seven years in jail after they reported on massacres in Rakhine state.

Guterres said it was "not acceptable" for Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, to be jailed "for what they were doing" as journalists in Myanmar. "It is my deep belief that that should not happen, and I hope that the government will be able to provide a pardon to release them as quickly as possible," he told a press conference at UN headquarters in New York.

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week said that the two journalists were not convicted because of their work but because they broke the law.

"They were not jailed because they were journalists" but because "the court has decided that they had broken the Official Secrets Act," she said in her first direct comments on the issue.

The Reuters reporters had denied the charges, insisting they were set up while exposing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims in the village of Inn Din in September last year.

The case has sparked an international outcry and is seen as an attempt to muzzle reporting on last year's crackdown by Myanmar's security forces on the Muslim Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.

UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet has said the jailing of the pair "sends a message to all journalists in Myanmar that they cannot operate fearlessly, but must rather make a choice to either self-censor or risk prosecution."
US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein last year discussed the possibility of secretly reporting US president Donald Trump, and also talked about getting members of Trump's cabinet to invoke the Constitution to declare him unfit to remain as president, The New York Times reported Friday.

US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein last year discussed the possibility of secretly reporting US president Donald Trump, and also talked about getting members of Trump's cabinet to invoke the Constitution to declare him unfit to remain as president, The New York Times reported Friday.

The Times reports that Rosenstein made these "suggestions" in Spring 2017 shortly after Donald Trump fired then FBI chief James Comey and Rosenstein himself was only two weeks into his job as deputy attorney general.

Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 U.S. Justice Department official, has come under criticism from President Donald Trump ever since Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russia probe now being run by Robert Mueller who is investigating the allegation of Russian collusion in the Donald Trump 2016 campaign.

Rosenstein denied the NYT story within moments after it broke shortly before 3 pm EST. "Inaccurate and incorrect", Rosenstein said soon after the bombshell report was posted online by the Times.

The New York Timess story is inaccurate and factually incorrect, he said. I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.

There's almost no doubt the Times report will spark new controversy and a powerful pushback from Trump's White House. It's only a matter of time before this explodes into the US midterm headlines.

The Times cited several people, who were not named, who described the episodes that came in the spring of 2017 after FBI Director James Comey was fired. The newspaper's sources also included people who were briefed on memos written by FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

The 25th Amendment to the Constitution spells out that a president can be declared "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office" upon a majority vote of the vice president and the Cabinet.

A person who was in the room when Rosenstein made the 2017 comment, and provided a statement through the Justice Department, said Rosenstein was "sarcastic" and that he "never discussed any intention of recording a conversation with the president."

The newspaper reported that Rosenstein, frustrated with the hiring process for a new FBI director, offered to wear a "wire" and secretly record the president when he visited the White House.

Rosenstein chose Mueller for the job one week after he laid the groundwork for the firing of Comey by writing a memo that criticized Comey's handling of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server. The White House initially held up that memo as justification for Comey's firing, though Trump himself has said he was thinking about "this Russia thing" when he made the move.

As deputy attorney general, Rosenstein oversees Mueller's work and has made two public announcements of indictments brought by the special counsel  one against Russians accused of hacking into Democratic email accounts, the other against Russians accused of running a social media troll farm to sway public opinion.

On Friday, Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr., tweeted the Times' story and said: "Shocked!!! Absolutely Shocked!!! Ohhh, who are we kidding at this point? No one is shocked that these guys would do anything in their power to undermine @realdonaldtrump."

(With Associated Press)
Tate & Lyle is expanding its partnership with distributor Azelis in Europe into three new countries, Greece, Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia. The move... Read More
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The United States tariffs against China are economic madness and will not be effective in convincing the Chinese government to speed up market reforms, the head of a European business group in China said Tuesday. We think that what the US is doing right now is economic madness, said Mats Harborn, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, according to European data news Hub and its article US-China trade war is hurting EU companies. He spoke hours after US President Donald Trump announced 10-per-cent tariffs on an additional 200 billion dollars worth of Chinese imports. Earlier this year, the two countries imposed duties on 50-billion-dollars worth of goods each.

The escalating US-China trade war is hurting European companies and disrupting global supply chains, the chamber said.

Fifty-four per cent of respondents in a survey conducted by the chamber said they viewed the US tariffs negatively, while 43 per cent thought that way about Chinese tariffs.

The duties imposed by the worlds two largest economies against one another are slowing economic growth, decreasing jobs and delaying production upgrades, the study said.

Ten per cent of members are already shifting production out of the US, China or both countries. And seventeen per cent of respondents are holding off investment due to the trade tensions.

The study was conducted before Mondays announcement in Washington. We can anticipate that the results will be magnified, Harborn said.

EU: tariffs slow reforms

European businesses share the US concerns regarding Chinas trade and investment practices, particularly on forced technology transfers, Harborn said, however, pressing on with tariffs will force Chinese policymakers into a corner and slow reforms.

The US needs to recognize that either it trusts the efforts of the Chinese side, or we will be stuck in an eternal stalemate, Harborn said, adding that, the ball is in Chinas court. China needs to continue to reduce the reform deficit.

The EU Chambers recommendations to the Chinese government include improving market access for foreign firms; imposing fair and consistent regulations; and reducing support for the gargantuan state-owned enterprises.

The European Unions approach to Chinas market restrictions is not to pressure China into substantial change, but instead negotiate reforms that Beijing also sees as benefitting the Chinese economy, Harborn said.

Chinas economy, which was expected to grow by 6.5 per cent this year, might be further slowed by the trade war, experts say. The stock market has dropped in recent weeks to the lowest level since 2014.
Tint World Opens First Arizona Location

National Automotive Styling Centers franchise enters Phoenix metropolitan market with new store in Chandler

September 21, 2018 // Franchising.com // CHANDLER, Ariz. - Tint World Automotive Styling Centers, a leading auto accessory and window tinting franchise, has entered the Arizona market with a new store in Chandler, part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The new location is the first of four planned stores in the 11th largest metropolitan area in the United States.

Tint World of Chandler provides a full range of automotive styling and safety services including automotive tint, paint protection film, mobile electronics, advanced driver-assistant systems and car stereo upgrades, and residential, commercial and marine window film.

Chandler and the rest of the Phoenix area is primed for success, said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World. Tint Worlds industry-leading products and services, recognizable brand, and reputation for excellence and quality will thrive in an area thats experiencing incredible growth. Were looking forward to exceptional success in Chandler.

The new Tint World of Chandler is located at 3170 N. Arizona Ave. For more information, call (480) 562-6810.

Tint World Automotive Styling Centers offer sales and installation of auto accessories, mobile electronics, audio video equipment, security systems, custom wheels and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection films, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services, and more. Tint World is also the leading provider of residential, commercial and marine computerized window tinting and security film services with locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, with franchise opportunities available worldwide.

About Tint World

Founded in 1982, Tint World has grown to become an award-winning franchised provider of automotive styling, residential, commercial and marine window tinting and security film services. With Automotive Styling Centers in the U.S. and abroad, each franchise location houses approximately 20 profit centers, ranging from in-store accessory installations to off-site sales and installation of residential, commercial and marine window tinting and security films. To find out more, please visit www.tintworld.com.

Contacts:

Charles J. Bonfiglio

CEO, Tint World

(800) 767-8468

Heather Ripley

Media Relations

Ripley PR

865-977-1973

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North Koreas Kim Jong Un wants a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump soon to hasten denuclearisation, but a key goal is declaring an end this year to the 1950-53 Korean War, the Souths President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday.

Reuters reports in its article North Korea's Kim wants another Trump summit to speed denuclearisation - South's Moon that Moon said he and Kim spent most of a three-day summit discussing how to break an impasse and restart nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington, which are at odds over which should come first, denuclearisation or ending the war.

Kim, who recently proposed another summit with Trump after their unprecedented June talks in Singapore, said the North was willing to permanently dismantle key missile facilities in the presence of outside experts, and the Yongbyon main nuclear complex, if the United States took corresponding action.

The joint statement from the summit stipulates his commitment to a verifiable, irreversible dismantlement of the nuclear programmes, and ending the war would be a first U.S. reciprocal step, Moon said.

Chairman Kim expressed his wish that he wanted to complete denuclearisation quickly and focus on economic development, Moon told a news conference in Seoul, shortly after returning from the summit with Kim in Pyongyang.

He hoped a second summit with Trump would take place in the near future, in order to move the denuclearisation process along quickly.

Moon said Kim was also open to inspection of a nuclear test site in the northwest town of Punggye-ri, which he called the Norths sole existing facility for underground detonations.

While Pyongyang has stopped nuclear and missile tests this year, it failed to keep its pledge to allow international inspections of its dismantling of the Punggye-ri site in May, stirring criticism that the move could be reversed.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he had invited North Koreas foreign minister to meet in New York next week and other Pyongyang officials to Vienna for talks with nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun.

Asked on Thursday if those meetings would take place, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said invitations had been sent and added: We certainly stand ready to meet if they are able to.

Nauert said Washington looked forward to a formal readout of the North-South talks in meetings with the South Koreans next week, which will include one between Trump and Moon on Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

Asked about Pompeos statement on Wednesday welcoming plans for the dismantlement of all facilities at Yongbyon in the presence of U.S. and IAEA inspectors, Nauert said Moon and Kim had talked about inspectors.

Having IAEA inspectors and United States inspectors be a part of anything is really just a shared understanding, she said.

Any time you have a nuclear situation like this where there is a dismantlement, the expectation is that the IAEA would be part of that, so that would be just the normal course of doing business. We have that shared understanding with the countries.

Asked why this detail was not in the document signed by Moon and Kim, Nauert replied: We have had conversations ... with the government of North Korea and that is our mutual understanding; that is also the understanding between (South) Korea and North Korea. That was one of the things discussed, according to my understanding of it, over the past few days.

Nauert did not respond when asked if the United States was willing to take corresponding measures, except to say: Nothing can happen in the absence of denuclearisation; denuclearisation has to come first.

The North Korean ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, did not reply when asked by reporters on Thursday if his foreign minister would meet Pompeo on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly next week.

Kim pledged to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula during two meetings with Moon and his encounter with Trump, but follow-up negotiations on how to implement the vague commitments have since faltered.

Washington calls for concrete action, such as a full disclosure of North Koreas nuclear and missile facilities, before satisfying Pyongyangs key demands, including an official end to the war and the easing of international sanctions.

The war ended in an armistice, rather than a peace treaty, meaning U.S.-led United Nations forces, including South Korea, are technically still at war with the North.

But there have been concerns in South Korea and the United States that ending the war would ultimately prompt China and Russia, if not North Korea, to demand that the United Nations Command (UNC), which overlaps with U.S. forces in South Korea, be disbanded and leave.

Seoul aims to jointly announce with the United States an end to the war within this year, a measure Moon said he would discuss with Trump when they meet next week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

An end-of-war declaration would not affect the presence of U.S. troops and the UNC in the South, Moon said, adding that Kim shared his view.

It would be a political declaration that would mark a starting point for peace negotiations, Moon said.

A peace treaty would be sealed, as well as normalisation of North Korea-U.S. relations, after the North achieves complete denuclearisation.
China and Russia on Monday agreed to further enhance energy cooperation through the mechanism of China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee. The agreement came as Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak co-chaired the 15th meeting of the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee in Moscow. China.org reports in its article China, Russia agree to further improve energy cooperation that Calling energy cooperation "an important part of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination," Han said it is also the most pivotal, wide-ranging and fruitful part of the bilateral practical cooperation.

Under the guidance of leaders of both countries, the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee has improved overall planning and coordination so that bilateral energy cooperation has yielded positive results and maintained a good momentum of development, said Han.

Since the 14th meeting of the committee held a year ago in Beijing, major strategic projects have made steady progress, said Han.

He called on both countries to implement the consensus reached by the two presidents and continue to give full play to the mechanism of energy cooperation committee so as to lift cooperation levels, promote the cooperation to yield more results and make preparations for the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese premier and Russian prime minister to be held this year.

Han put forward three proposals to further improve bilateral cooperation at next stage.

Firstly, both sides need to effectively implement the ongoing project as well as signed projects to turn consensus into reality.

Secondly, both sides need to expand new areas and methods of cooperation in line with a government-guided, market-driven and business-led principle so as to create a win-win energy cooperation partnership.

Thirdly, both sides need to boost exchanges on energy technology, standards, talents and information and learn from each other in the hope of improving both countries' soft power in the area of energy.

For his part, Kozak expressed welcome to Han for co-chairing the committee meeting as Chinese chair for the first time.

Noting that energy is a priority of bilateral cooperation, Kozak said both presidents attached great importance to this area and helped promote cooperation personally.

In recent years, great achievements have scored on energy cooperation, which greatly boost bilateral ties, said Kozak, adding that it showed the high mutual trust and close coordination between Russia and China.

Russia has full confidence in bilateral cooperation in the future, and looks forward to working with China to make the best use of the energy cooperation committee and make adequate preparation for the 23rd regular meeting between the two heads of government, he said.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the major projects between the two countries in areas of oil, natural gas, coal and electricity, had in-depth exchange of views for future development and reached broad consensus.

Han arrived in Moscow on Sunday for a three-day visit. This is his first overseas visit in his capacity as vice premier. He will head for Singapore on Tuesday to continue his tour.
Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has said it expanded operations in Europe and Central Asia with investment commitments that reached $2.9 billion, driving the diversification of the regions economies, promoting access to finance for small businesses and tackling climate change, with Turkey receiving the largest commitment with $1.1 billion in the region.

Hurriyet Daliy News reports in its article IFC invests $1.1 bln in Turkey in 2018 fiscal year that IFC invested $2.26 billion from its account and mobilized another $0.68 billion from other investors during its fiscal year 2018, which ended on June 30, it said in a statement on Sept. 18.

IFC also supported $1.8 billion of cross-border trade in the region through 28 banks participating in its global trade finance program, according to the statement.

Wiebke Schloemer, IFCs director for Europe and Central Asia, said that for the coming years IFCs focus on the region will be on supporting the development of the fledging private sector in some of the poorest and conflicted-affected countries in the region while also continuing to work in middle income countries to promote innovation and competitiveness, energy efficiency and sustainable urban infrastructure.

IFCs largest commitments during the last fiscal year were Turkey ($1.1 billion), Romania ($336.4 million), Serbia ($190.5 million), Ukraine ($129.1 million) and Kazakhstan ($111.5 million), it said, adding that Turkey is currently IFCs second largest investment destination globally.

In fiscal year 2018, IFC delivered a strong program in Turkey, investing $1.1 billion in long term finance including mobilization. IFC also committed $938 million to Turkish banks under its Global Trade Finance Program [GTFP], broadening access to finance for companies, the IFC said.

IFCs long term financing in Turkey focused on supporting Turkeys development priorities in line with the World Bank Group country partnership strategy. In the financial sector, IFCprovided access to finance for small to mid-sized businesses, promoted local capital market development and supported energy efficiency and renewable energy financing with Turkish banks Yap Kredi Bank, Akbank, Isbank, TSKB, it added.

With Garanti Bank, IFC launched its first gender bond investment globally, supporting women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses, according to the statement.

IFC also said it provided support to infrastructure and the energy sector in Turkey.

Among a series of IFC loans, the loan to the Antalya municipality in the Mediterranean region for the new tram line is helping to expand the citys public transportation network. IFC also joined forces with other international institutions to finance improvements in the electricity distribution network in Turkeys Osmangazi region in Turkeys west through its investment in Osmangazi Elektrik Dagrm A.S. (OEDAS), helping to upgrade, modernize and expand the distribution network.

IFC added it continued to support export-oriented Turkish companies to increase their competitiveness. For instance, IFC provided a loan to Tupras, Turkeys oil refiner and the largest industrial company, to support the companys investment plans concerning environmental upgrades, efficiency improvement and research and development activities.
Russia's financial stability indicators are at a safe level, the Russian Central Bank said in its financial market risks review for August,

"An unfavorable external background is formed in the face of expectations of U.S. monetary policy tightening," the regulator said in a statement, noting that it "aggravates the situation in the countries with a high level of foreign currency predominance in the economy (Turkey) and increased debt burden (Argentina)," the Central Bank specified. "Russia's financial stability indicators, on the contrary, are at a safe level," the Bank of Russia said.

The regulator recalled that unlike other countries with emerging markets, Russia is a surplus country with a maximum level of international reserves as a percentage of GDP, which forms a high level of protection of the economy from the potential outflow of capital.

The low level of public debt and the transition to a federal budget surplus this year "are key indicators of a favorable state of public finances," the Central Bank emphasized. "Thus, the fundamental macroeconomic parameters testify to the financial stability of the Russian economy," TASS cited the Central Bank as saying.

The professor at the department of the stock market and investments at the Higher School of Economics, Alexander Abramov, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the stability of Russia's financial system relative to Turkey, Argentina and other countries does not mean its security. "It does not mean that Russia should not worry about future crises and recessions, because the main threat to its stability is dependence on the price of oil, gas and other material resources in global markets. If the economy of the main consumers of these goods collapse, Russia will get a new crisis," he warned.

"In addition, there is still a threat of sanctions in November, due to which both the state and a number of large state-owned banks can lose such a source of replenishment of their resources as foreign funds of non-residents, which is also an additional risk for Russia. Russia's investment climate remains weak, and coupled with our dependence on oil and gas, it provides a long-term threat to the ruble. As a result, we get that with external stability and even resistance to sanctions, our economy does not grow, which is a stable stagnation," Alexander Abramov stressed.

The advisor on macroeconomics to the CEO of the 'Opening-Broker' brokerage house, economist Sergey Hestanov, on the contrary, is optimistic about the current situation. "We now have several surpluses: first, the trade balance surplus. Second, an external balance surplus, as Russian companies receive more money from abroad than they send, which allows the Central Bank to form large international reserves. Third, we have growing international reserves in foreign currencies. The situation when all three parameters are increasingly positive inspires optimism that even if the deterioration takes place, our financial will not be in great danger for at least several years," he explained.
The injury outlook for the New England Patriots this weekend has been revealed: Rob Gronkowski is off the injury report while Patrick Chung and Trey Flowers are both doubtful with concussions issues.

Gronkowski became a sudden focus on the injury report when he was unexpectedly listed with an ankle injury earlier in the week. He was spotted moving well in practice Friday before he appeared in the locker room with a brace on his ankle.

The Patriots will still be limited at tight end, though, as Jacob Hollister was downgraded to out with a chest injury that was not listed earlier in the week. The source of his injury is unknown. His status will be an important one to watch moving forward.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Josh Gordon's hamstring injury stems back from his final days with the Cleveland Browns. The injury was reportedly not deemed serious. However, it has been noted on the practice report all week.

Those injury notes, though are really secondary to a bigger issue for the Patriots. Safety Patrick Chung and defensive end Trey Flowers are both questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions. Both players are valuable contributors on defense. If neither is ready to go, that's a huge blow defensively.

Also of note: Rookie running back Sony Michel has been taken off the injury report entirely.

Here's the full report:

OUT

TE Jacob Hollister - Chest (DNP)

DOUBTFUL

S Patrick Chung - Concussion (DNP)

DL Trey Flowers - Concussion (DNP)

QUESTIONABLE

T Marcus Cannon - Calf

DB Keion Crossen - Hamstring

DB Nate Ebner - Hip

WR Josh Gordon - Hamstring

CB Eric Rowe - Groin
Germany's foreign minister Heiko Maas praised Turkeys efforts for preventing a military escalation and a big humanitarian crisis in Syrias Idlib province.

"Turkey has played an extremely positive role with regards to developments in Syria and Idlib, and finally it has reached an agreement with Russia to establish a demilitarized zone," Maas told a news conference in Berlin.

The minister said that these efforts were significantly important for preventing a humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib, Anadolu Agency reported.

In relevant news, Chancellor Angela Merkels spokesman said that recent developments in Syria would be one of the main topics on agenda during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans visit to Berlin next week.

Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Monday, following their meeting in Sochi, to establish a disarmament zone in Syrias Idlib province.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all the parties to the Syrian conflict to implement the agreement reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tajjyp Erdogan on Idlib.

Speaking on the press conference on September 20, he called on all the parties to implement the agreement with "a strong commitment to the protection of civilians, and to ensure humanitarian access, adhere to international humanitarian law and work urgently for greater progress in the Geneva process, particularly in supporting the Special Envoy [Staffan de Mistura] in the creation of a constitutional committee," UN press service reported.

The UN Secretary-General earlier said that if properly implemented, the deal could save three million civilians  including one million children  from catastrophe.
HMD Global to announce a new Nokia smartphone on October 4; Nokia 7.1 Plus expected News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia 7.1 Plus could see the light of the day soon.

HMD Global is speculated to be working on two new smartphones - the Nokia 9 and Nokia X7 Plus aka Nokia 7.1 Plus. While the launch of the Nokia 9 flagship with a penta lens camera module at its rear is said to be pushed to February 2019, it looks like there will be an announcement from the company on October 4.

The Finnish company has started sending out media invites for a launch event that is slated to happen on October 4 in London. The invite mentions that the company will launch a new Nokia smartphone. And, this is not surprising as rumors regarding the Nokia 7.1 Plus are rife in the recent times and the device is expected to go official this year.

Going by the invite sent by the company from Pocket-lint and Nokioteca, the company will host the event in London and Milan along with a few other European cities. But there is no word regarding the exact locations for now.

What to expect from Nokia 7.1 Plus

Nokia 7.1 Plus is highly anticipated and is being speculated heavily of late. Just yesterday, we came across a leaked render of the smartphone. What appears to be the official render shows a narrow notch on top of the screen housing the selfie camera, earpiece and other sensors. Also, there are dual cameras at its rear with the two lenses positioned vertically at the top center. There is a rear-mounted fingerprint and a LED flash module underneath the camera.

On the specifications front, the upcoming Nokia smartphone is believed to be launched with the Snapdragon 710 SoC that is seen in the recently launched mid-range devices. This processor is believed to be paired with 6GB RAM. Like the other Nokia smartphones launched so long in 2018, this one is also believed to belong to the Android One program. Eventually, it will also get the Android 9 Pie update later this year or early next year.

Expected price

We are yet to know when the device will be launched in India but it is expected to be priced under Rs. 25,000 making it an affordable one with the latest features. However, we need to get further confirmation from the company about this.

Best Mobiles in India

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U.S. President Donald Trump, who will chair a UN Security Council meeting next week on Iran and other nations with weapons of mass destruction (WMD), would consider accepting an Iranian invitation for a bilateral meeting with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, U.S. Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley said.

"Certainly, if Rouhani requested a meeting, that would be for the president to decide whether he wants to do that," the ambassador told the briefing.

She explained that the agenda for Wednesdays meeting, which was originally intended to focus on Iran's involvement in a number of global hot spots, has since been broadened to focus on multiple WMD nations such as Iran, North Korea and Syria, Sputnik reported.

Trump will host the UN Security Council on Wednesday, during a week of meetings marking 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. The session begins on Tuesday and runs for nine days.
Angel de los Andes exercise unites US Air Force, South American partners

By Tech. Sgt. Angela Ruiz, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs / Published September 20, 2018

RIONEGRO, Colombia (AFNS) -- Ninety-five U.S. Air Force Airmen trained with 11 partner nation air forces, tallying more than 400 participants, in the Colombian-led multinational search and rescue exercise "Angel de los Andes" Sept. 3-14.

The U.S. and multinational participants trained together by responding to realistic scenarios of natural disaster and combat related search and rescues, humanitarian aid, disaster response, aerial evacuation, patent treatment, flying operations and personnel recovery at Rionegro, Guatape, Velasquez and Palanquero, Colombia.

"This has been an excellent opportunity to train with our partner nations," said U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Howard, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Angel de los Andes U.S. lead. "We've had many challenges, (but) what we were able to learn is how to overcome those challenges together for mission success."

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and a C-130 Hercules transported 506 passengers from all partner nations, moved 86.4 tons of cargo and airdropped 72 multinational personnel total during the exercise, while also transporting simulated victims of the exercise scenarios.

The C-130 Hercules airdropped a motorized boat known as rigged alternate method zodiac, an inflatable boat, U.S. pararescuemen and commandos from Colombia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru in high altitude low opening and high altitude high opening free fall jumps.

"We did some low altitude low level training. To get to go practice ridge crossings, flying though valleys and mountainous terrain was cool experience because it's not something we get to do very often in Minnesota," said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Matt Bair, 133rd Airlift Squadron, Minnesota Air National Guard C-130 co-pilot. "Anytime that we can come down here take advantage of the local terrain and practice in a low level environment, we really appreciate it."

The Colombian Air Force has participated in numerous U.S. Air Force training exercises in the past years to include: Angel Thunder 2014, Green Flag 2016, Mobility Guardian 2017, Red Flag 2012 and 2018.

"The significant importance of the U.S. being here is that we have the opportunity to strengthen our relationship so we can be prepared to confront the future threats together," said Colombian Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Carlos Eduardo Bueno Vargas.

This is the second time the Colombian Air Force has hosted this exercise since 2015. Eleven nations participated in the exercise and one country observed. Colombia plans execute Angel de los Andes exercise again in three years.

U.S. Air Force participants included exercise planners and leadership form 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), pararescuemen from the 48th and 306th Rescue Squadrons, a critical care air transport team from the 943rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron all from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; two aerial evacuation teams from the 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and C-130 Hercules aircrew from the 133rd Airlift Wing, Minnesota National Guard; a C-17 Globemaster III aircrew from the 14th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, North Carolina; and a mobility control team from the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron, Travis AFB, California.

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Stratcom Commander: Military Coming to Grips With Multidomain Battlefield

Sept. 20, 2018

By Jim Garamone

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON -- The multidomain battlefield requires a degree of integration that the U.S. military is coming to grips with, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command said here yesterday.

Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten spoke about the struggle to adapt to the multidomain battlefield at the Air Force Association's annual meeting.

Stratcom has its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, which once was the headquarters for the Air Force's Strategic Air Command. SAC had the nuclear bomber and nuclear missile mission for the country. Its motto was "Peace is our profession."

Hyten resurrected the SAC motto when he became commander, but he added ellipses at the end to remind possible adversaries that if "they don't want peace, we can go a different direction," the general said.

At its heart, the command provides for strategic deterrence and nuclear operations. The command oversees 1,550 deployed nuclear weapons and is the most powerful command in the world, yet those weapons alone do not deter "everyone from everything," Hyten said.

Since the command formed in 2002, a number of missions migrated to it, Hyten said. "Space came in, network operations came in, cyber came in, countering weapons of mass destruction came in, [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] came in, missile defense came in, electronic warfare came in, analysis and warfare came in," he said. "We formed all these functional commands for all these things. When I got there, we were down to 18 different components under Stratcom."

This has changed, and now ISR is under the Joint Staff, and countering weapons of mass destruction is now under U.S. Special Operations Command. U.S. Space Command will be a global command in the future.

Strategic Deterrence Across All Domains

The changed environment requires a change in strategic deterrence to cross all domains, Hyten said. "The most important priority is to prevent the use of nuclear weapons on our country or allies and prevent the creation of catastrophic space or cyberspace actions that damage our nation," the general said. "That requires the integration of all capabilities  nukes, global strike, cyber, conventional  all to deliver our deterrent effect."

Hyten added that he also wants to know how this shift affects the current military command structure.

"We have five global combatant commanders and six geographic combatant commanders," the general said. "And those five global combatant commanders, to one aspect or another, can deliver global fires. Cyber Command [and] Space Command will be able to deliver global fires. Stratcom will always be able to deliver global fires, both conventional and nuclear. [U.S. Transportation Command] enables everybody to deliver global fires."

Currently, these fires are delivered around singular events in an environment where the United States is not threatened in all global domains, the Stratcom commander noted. "In the future," he added, "there may be a fight that goes on in space and cyberspace  globally  involving special operations, involving Cybercom, all at the same time. What is our doctrine for integrating the global fires of this nation and providing that in support of a geographic combatant commander somewhere?

"We actually are just trying to figure this out right now," the general continued. "That's multidomain operations at its core. How do we integrate that so we can deter our adversaries? How do we integrate to deliver global fire on the battlefield of the future? Global fires, theater fires  they all have to be integrated in timing and tempo. That is unbelievably difficult."

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Army announces conversion of two brigade combat teams

By U.S. Army Public AffairsSeptember 20, 2018

Today the U.S. Army announced that the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division (1/1 AD) stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, will convert from a Stryker brigade combat team (SBCT) to an armored brigade combat team (ABCT); and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division (2/4 ID) stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, will convert from an infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) to an SBCT.

"Converting a brigade combat team from infantry to armor ensures the Army remains the world's most lethal ground combat force, able to deploy, fight, and win against any adversary, anytime and anywhere," Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper said.

This conversion contributes to Army efforts to build a more lethal force and is an investment to increase overmatch against our potential adversaries -- one more critical step to achieving the Army Vision. This effort also postures the Army to better meet combatant commander requirements under the 2018 National Defense Strategy.

"The Army leadership determined that we needed to covert two brigade combat teams to armor and Stryker in order to deter our near-peer adversaries or defeat them if required," said Maj. Gen. Brian J. Mennes, director of force management.

Conversion of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, will begin in the spring of 2019 and spring of 2020 respectively.

This will provide the nation a 16th ABCT bringing the total number BCTs in the Regular Army (RA) and Army National Guard (ARNG) to 58. There will be a total of 31 BCTs in the RA, to include 11 ABCTs, 13 IBCTs and seven SBCTs. The ARNG will have a total of 27 BCTs, to include five ABCTs, 20 IBCTs and two SBCTs, ensuring a more balanced distribution between its light and heavy fighting forces.

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Idaho National Guard members travels to Germany to train vehicle recovery operations

By 2nd Lt. Crystal FarrisSeptember 20, 2018

HOHENFELS, Germany -- The Idaho Army National Guard sent four Soldiers to Hohenfels, Germany, Aug. 4 to 25 as part of a multi-institutional mobile training team tasked to train and qualify active Army Soldiers located throughout the European theater in vehicle recovery operations.

The team, which also consisted of four instructors from the California and Hawaii Army National Guard Regional Training Site-Maintenance Ordnance Training companies, mobilized in response to a shortage of qualified vehicle recovery operators within U.S. Army Europe.

"The Guard is trying to help cover down on U.S. Army Europe because right now they have no other means for getting that support," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Terry Gulick, Idaho Ordnance Training Battalion commandant. "They are constantly maneuvering in theater which creates a significant problem with the shortage of recovery specialists to effectively operate the assigned recovery equipment."

During the mission, the team successfully graduated 40 active Army Soldiers from both a wheeled vehicle recovery course and a tracked vehicle recovery course, thus strengthening the combat effectiveness of U.S. Army Europe.

"The ability for the Army to recover battle damaged or broken equipment from the field of battle and return it to an area where the damage can be assessed and repaired is crucial to our war fighting capabilities," said Sergeant 1st Class Dustin Huerta, Idaho Ordnance Training Battalion instructor.

Soldiers who conduct vehicle recovery operations, typically those with a military occupational specialty of 91 series field maintenance mechanic, are required to have an H8 Recovery Specialist additional skill identifier. However, since the H8 ASI is not earned during advanced individual training, Soldiers often get deployed or stationed overseas without it.

"We approximated that U.S. Army Europe has an annual shortfall of 50 untrained vehicle recovery operators," said Gulick. "Idaho has trained all 50 this year between April and August, exceeding what they required for the year."

In April the Idaho Army National Guard also sent a team of instructors to Grafenwoehr, Germany, where they taught recovery classes and laid a course foundation for other RTS-Ms that are expected to teach the courses next year.

There are 13 RTS-Ms within the Army National Guard. With their continued support, Gulick says the active Army will save time and money by not having to send Soldiers overseas to vehicle recovery courses stateside.

It costs the Army approximately $11,000 per Soldier to send them from Europe to Fort Lee, Virginia, where the course is normally held, rather, it costs approximately $16,000 per course to bring instructors to Europe, said Gulick.

In addition, the Army National Guard units are able to train more Soldiers at once than the U.S. Army Europe would see sending a few Soldiers at a time to Fort Lee.

"This mission not only successfully trained 50 Soldiers but also displayed the capabilities of the Idaho National Guard's training institution," said Huerta. "Additionally this mission presented us with the opportunity to foster a relationship with our counterparts who live and work in the European theater."

When they are not traveling abroad, the Idaho Army National Guard's RTS-M offers approximately eight tracked and wheeled vehicle recovery courses annually at Gowen Field, in addition to other maintenance courses. There, instructors have the latest equipment and dedicated training areas to accomplish realistic recovery training.

The wheeled and tracked vehicle recovery courses, which are 16 and 17 days respectfully, train Soldiers to understand all aspects of recovery operations, including maintenance of recovery equipment such as the M88 Full-Tracked Recovery Vehicles or the M984 HEMTT Wrecker.

"The first cornerstone Soldiers learn is proper preventative maintenance checks and services," said Huerta. "If they cannot maintain their own equipment than they will never be able to go out and reliable recover other people's equipment."

To earn the H8 ASI, Soldiers must demonstrate their ability to utilize recovery methods and techniques such as extracting, towing, lifting, winching, rigging and hoisting of equipment in various stages of inoperability, to include vehicles that are stuck in the mud, have no wheels or tracks or have been overturned.

"However, there is so much more to it than just that," said Gulick. "There are many considerations Soldiers must account for when recovering vehicles, which makes it a challenging yet rewarding course."

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NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Azerbaijan for major Women, Peace and Security Conference

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

20 Sep. 2018

NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller, is in Baku, Azerbaijan today (20 September 2018) to meet with senior government officials and to address a major international conference on Women, Peace and Security.

The conference, jointly organised by NATO and Azerbaijan is the first since NATO leaders agreed a revised Women, Peace and Security Policy and Action Plan at the Brussels Summit in July 2018.

"Integration, inclusiveness and integrity. These will be the watch-words as we move forward with our agenda to make gender equality an everyday reality for women and girls everywhere," said the Deputy Secretary General in her speech.

While in Azerbaijan, the Deputy Secretary General met with President Aliyev, Vice President Mrs Aliyeva, Speaker of Parliament Mr. Asadov, Defence Minister Hasanov and other senior officials.

She also participated in the closing ceremony of the Jeyranchol NATO/PfP Trust Fund project and awarded certificates to Afghan officials and academics for a course devoted to the civilian oversight of the armed forces in the Afghan context. This course took place in the framework of DEEP Afghanistan.

She also met with students from ADA University.

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Navy to Christen Littoral Combat Ship Kansas City

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS180920-09

Release Date: 9/20/2018 2:46:00 PM

From the Office of the Navy Chief of Information

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy will christen its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Kansas City (LCS 22), during a 10 a.m. (CDT) ceremony Saturday, Sept. 22, in Mobile, Alabama.

At the ceremony, the principal speaker will be U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver II from Missouri. Mrs. Tracy Davidson, wife of commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Adm. Philip Davidson, will serve as the ship's sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.

"The future USS Kansas City is a symbol of the strong connection between the people of Missouri and the Navy and Marine Corps team," said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. "The ship is a testament to our commitment to provide maritime dominance and power projection required by the nation, and to our partnership with industry to build the Navy the nation needs."

The future USS Kansas City is the second U.S. Navy ship to honor Missouri's largest city. Originally intended to be the first Kansas City, the keel was laid for what was planned to be an Oregon City-class heavy cruiser on July 9, 1945 in the waning days of World War II. With the war's end in sight, construction was halted about a month later. The first commissioned Navy vessel named Kansas City was a Wichita-class replenishment ship commissioned June 6, 1970. The ship earned a number of unit awards throughout its life including for service in Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Kansas City was decommissioned on Oct. 7, 1994.

LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, designed to meet validated fleet requirements for surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures missions in littoral regions. An interchangeable mission package that provides primary mission systems in one of these warfare areas is embarked on each LCS and provides the primary mission systems in one of these warfare areas. Using an open architecture design, modular weapons, sensor systems and a variety of manned and unmanned vehicles to gain, sustain and exploit littoral maritime supremacy, LCS provides U.S. joint force access to critical areas in multiple theaters.

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls). The Independence variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).

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Iceland Dignitaries Embark Truman

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS180920-07

Release Date: 9/20/2018 12:01:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Thomas Gooley, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Public Affairs

NORTH ATLANTIC (NNS) -- The Icelandic Minster of Foreign Affairs, Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, and ambassadors from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom traveled aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Sept. 19 to observe operations and meet with command leaders and Sailors.

Canadian Ambassador Anne Tamara Lorre, German Ambassador Herbet Beck, and British Ambassador Michael Nevin were joined by U.S. Charge D'affaires to Iceland Jill Esposito and five members of the Icelandic parliament for the embark.

"We were honored to host a delegation from the Icelandic government aboard Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)," said Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8, Rear Adm. Gene Black. "We value the opportunity to engage with leaders from an old and trusted ally  a NATO charter member  and showcase the flexible warfighting capability that a carrier strike group brings to bear in support of our common interests.

For more than 70 years, the U.S. and European allies and partners have advanced freedom, openness, peace and prosperity around the world. USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group's presence secures vital European sea lanes that underpin global commerce and prosperity.

"As one of the founding members of NATO, we have a strong connection and commitment to our allies," Minister Thordarson said. "We are a non-military member of NATO, but we participate in traditional defense actives. So this was a great opportunity."

Minster Thordarson added Iceland and its NATO partners are committed to working together and ready to adapt to new challenges.

"No doubt  history has shown the importance of NATO," exclaimed Minister Thordarson. "And history will continue to show it is equally as important now as it will be in the future."

Currently operating in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, Harry S. Truman will continue to foster cooperation with regional allies and partners, strengthen regional stability, and remain vigilant, agile and dynamic.

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No one should underestimate China's determination to uphold peace in South China Sea: Chinese ambassador

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:12, September 20, 2018

Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming on Wednesday said that the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea has never been a problem, warning that no one should underestimate China's determination to uphold peace and stability in the region.

Liu made the remarks at the annual Commonwealth Diplomats Induction Program. His remarks came weeks after Britain's HMS Albion-class landing platform dock entered China's territorial sea of the Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands) without the Chinese government's approval. The Chinese navy identified and verified the British warship in accordance with law and warned and expelled it.

The ambassador said that thanks to the concerted efforts of China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the situation in the South China Sea has been improving.

"Relevant parties have returned to the right track of addressing disputes through negotiation and consultation," he said. "Relations between China and relevant countries have been sound and stable."

Liu stressed that countries in the region have the confidence, capability and wisdom to deal with the South China Sea issue properly and achieve enduring stability, development and prosperity.

"Yet to everyone's confusion, some big countries outside the region did not seem to appreciate the peace and tranquility in the South China Sea," he said. "They sent warships and aircraft all the way to the South China Sea to create trouble."

The senior diplomat said that under the excuse of so-called "freedom of navigation," these countries ignored the vast sea lane and chose to sail into the adjacent waters of China's islands and reefs to show off their military might.

"This was a serious infringement" of China's sovereignty, he said. "It threatened China's security and put regional peace and stability in jeopardy."

Liu stressed that China has all along respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and over-flight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"Freedom of navigation is not a license to do whatever one wishes," he said, noting that freedom of navigation is not freedom to invade other countries' territorial waters and infringe upon other countries' sovereignty.

"Such 'freedom' must be stopped," Liu noted. "Otherwise the South China Sea will never be tranquil."

He said that no one should underestimate China's will to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests and no one should underestimate China's determination to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea.

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Yemeni nation's struggle for liberty main reason behind Saudi-led aggression: Houthi

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 04:30PM

The leader of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has described the ongoing struggle of his fellow countrymen and women for liberty and dignity as the main reason behind the Riyadh regime's devastating military aggression against their homeland, which has claimed the lives of thousands of people and left the country's infrastructure in ruins.

"The Yemeni nation will never surrender, no matter how far the Saudi-led coalition would press its campaign of criminality and brutality. The problem of the Riyadh-based alliance with the Yemenis is rooted in the latter's fight to live a free and dignified life," Abdul-Malik al-Houthi addressed his supporters via a televised speech broadcast live from the Yemeni capital Sana'a on Thursday evening.

He added that the main responsibility of the Yemeni nation is to fight relentlessly against the enemies at every front.

Houthi then called on all freedom-loving people in Yemen to mobilize support for the battle in the country's strategic western province of Hudaydah and along the border with Saudi Arabia.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Ansarullah leader expressed support for the Palestinians' resistance against the Israeli regime.

He also voiced solidarity with the Bahraini people, who have been facing the Al Khalifah regime's crackdown and repressive measures ever since a popular uprising swept the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom in mid-February 2011.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the government of former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing Ansarullah.

Some 15,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression.

More than 2,200 others have died of cholera, and the crisis has triggered what the United Nations has described as the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

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'Yemeni ballistic missile hits military base in Saudi Arabia'

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 04:52AM

Yemeni armed forces have fired a domestically-designed and -developed ballistic missile at a military base in Saudi Arabia's southwestern border region of Jizan, in retaliation for military strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition.

Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network, citing an unnamed military official from the missile unit of the Yemeni army, reported that a newly-built base had been hit with a short-range Badr-1 missile late on Wednesday, adding that the projectile had struck its target with precision.

The official also said that the missile strike had inflicted heavy human and material damage.

On Tuesday night, the Yemeni army had hit another military base in Saudi Arabia's southwestern region of Asir with a ballistic missile and inflicted damage on the base, al-Masirah further reported.

Saudi Arabia and some of its allies, including the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan, launched a brutal war against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

The aggression 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 so far been killed and thousands more injured.

The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The United Nations (UN) has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger.

A number of 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.

'Vested interests prolonging the war'

Lawrence Davidson, a professor at West Chester University slammed foreign support for the Saudi-led war in an interview with Press TV on Thursday.

"The world, the human population, the states, the nations of the world are capable of allowing genocide in a place like Yemen. Even though there might be people in various governments who want to intervene, there is very strong special interests that counter this," he said.

"These include arms manufacturers who make money by selling lots of weapons to Saudi Arabia; it includes financial institutions that are heavily-invested in by Saudi Arabia, it includes obviously the Israeli allies of Saudi Arabia  the Zionists."

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Iran will veto any OPEC decision that harms the Islamic Republic and warned that some oil producers are trying to create an alternative suppliers forum that supports U.S. policies hostile to Tehran, Iranian oil minister Bijan Zangeneh said.

"I will block any OPEC decision that poses the slightest threat to Iran," Zangeneh told Bloomberg.

According to the minister, any decision on a new production agreement by OPECs Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee that meets on Sunday would be "void and invalid". "Decisions can only be made at OPEC meetings in the presence of all OPEC members and by consensus of members," he stressed.

"Any country that says it can make up for the shortfall in the market is siding with the US, he said.

He said he has written letters to some OPEC and non-OPEC oil ministers expressing his concerns and has complained to the groups secretary-general about violations to the original output-cuts agreement, though he wouldnt elaborate.

"The agreement doesnt really exist anymore. Its finished. Russia initially cut 300,000 barrels a day of production but then added it all back. Theres no agreement left, really," he added.

Zangeneh noted that two OPEC members are seeking to damage the group and carry out anti-Iranian policies at the behest of the U.S.
US Military Air Squadron Expansion Promises Billions in New Costs

Sputnik News

22:48 20.09.2018(updated 22:49 20.09.2018)

Senior US Air Force leaders said this week 74 new squadrons and some 40,000 personnel are needed to address what they called future threats.

When asked by lawmakers,"What do you need to execute the National Defense Strategy," US Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said Monday that the service will need a lot more money, without diving into specifics. The Air Force plans to expand from 312 operating squadrons up to 386, she said, implying approximately 25 percent growth in the force structure.

US taxpayers may pay approximately $37.5 to $39.1 billion more annually to fund the squadron expansion, according to John Pike, a leading expert on defense, space and intelligence policy. Pike worked at the Federation of American Scientists for almost 20 years and has frequently been asked to testify before Congress.

By comparison, Pike's calculations dwarf rosier estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Todd Harris, a budget expert at CSIS, told the Washington Examiner Tuesday his back-of-the-envelope cost estimate came out to about $13 billion for operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. These are only a fraction of what it will take to finance the squadron expansion, Pike told Sputnik News.

In addition to aircraft O&M costs, "all these squadrons will require aircraft, which need research and development and military construction and so forth," Pike noted.

The costs are unlikely to hit American taxpayers all at once, since the expansion was proposed in the context of the vision the Air Force seeks to achieve by 2030. The US Air Force's budget for fiscal year 2019 is approximately $156 billion, according to official records. Therefore, the new expansion could place the Department of the Air Force's budget near $195 billion per year.

Even in the case of Harrison's $13 billion cost increase estimate, the think tank analyst told the Washington Examiner the "challenge" for the Air Force will be to simultaneously finance operational growth while modernizing its capabilities.

According to Air Force officials' reasoning, the financial part of the equation is secondary to answering the question of what's required to execute the national defense strategy. "We're not naive about the financial constraints within which you make decisions," Wilson said.

"But we also should know what is required from the perspective of those who plan and develop military forces to execute that strategy. That's where the 386 squadrons come from," the Air Force secretary said.

Air Force leaders did not speak to the costs of the plan: Determining costs for the squadron expansion is part of the "follow-up work," according to US Air Force Gen. David Goldfein. "That's work that is still to be done," the general noted.

The choice to push more tax dollars into military spending generally, and US Air Force squadrons specifically, is among of the defining "political and moral questions of our time," said Daniel Sankey, a financial policy analyst.

"What are our values as a nation? Is it education? Healthcare? Employment? Or it is war? What we spend our money on will answer those questions regardless of what politicians say," Sankey told Sputnik News.

Military leaders couch defense spending as a necessary means to get ahead in great power competition  a phrased popularized by the US Department of Defense  with China and Russia. Sankey dismissed this notion on the grounds of mutually assured destruction, which hedges against a large-scale conflict between the world's nuclear powers.

 Sputnik

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US Troops in Poland: Polish Defense Minister Hopes Stationing Will Happen Soon

Sputnik News

15:02 20.09.2018

WARSAW (Sputnik) - Polish Defense Minister's statement comes following the news earlier this week that the United States was considering the idea of setting up a permanent military presence in Poland at Polish President Andrzej Duda's request.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak expressed hope on Thursday that the establishment of the US base in the country would not take much time.

"I hope that in a relatively short period of time we will be able to say that the US troops stationed in Poland will remain in Poland permanently," Blaszczak said.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda held a meeting in Washington, during which it was announced that the United States was considering the idea of setting up a permanent military presence in Poland at Duda's request.

In May, the Polish Defense Ministry published a document stating that Poland was ready to pay $1.5-$2 billion for the establishment of a US military base that would host a permanent armored division in the country.

In mid-June, Russia's Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said that the possible deployment of a US armored division to Poland would violate the 1997 Russia-NATO Founding Act.

 Sputnik

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Afghanistan Ready for Direct Dialogue With Taliban Under Constitution  Envoy

Sputnik News

11:10 20.09.2018(updated 11:23 20.09.2018)

KABUL (Sputnik) - The Afghan authorities are ready to hold direct negotiations with the Taliban without preconditions, if talks are held within the framework of the Afghan constitution, deputy presidential special envoy for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Mohammed Ibrahim Tamil told Sputnik.

"The Afghan government has repeatedly stated that it is always ready for dialogue, for meetings. We do not have any preconditions, except one  these negotiations should be held within the framework of the Afghan constitution. We are ready for any direct dialogue, meetings with the Taliban, we are ready to listen to their demands and express our opinion on this matter," Tamil said.

Afghanistan hopes that the Moscow format meeting on resolving the ongoing conflict will be held before the end of the year, but considers quality rather than speed a top priority, Mohammed Ibrahim Tamil said.

"We hope so, but it is better to hold this meeting more qualitative than faster," Tamil said, when asked whether Kabul expected the Moscow meeting to take place in 2018. The number of participants of the upcoming Moscow format meeting on resolving the conflict in Afghanistan could be increased, Tamil explained.

"The dates [of the meeting] will be agreed upon, and the composition of participants will be possibly extended. We hope that certain parts of the Taliban movement, which called for the participation, will also take part. The conference will be chaired by Afghanistan with Russia's participation," Tamil said.

According to the official, Kabul would welcome the United States or any other country to join dialogue with the Taliban and persuade them to sit at the negotiating table. Tamil stressed, however, that the negotiating process should be led by the Afghan people.

 Sputnik

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Eight NATO Air Forces to Fly to Ukraine for Massive Drill

Sputnik News

03:43 20.09.2018(updated 03:51 20.09.2018)

Soldiers from eight foreign militaries, including the US, will converge on Ukraine next month for the country's largest aviation exercise yet.

Starokostiantyniv Air Base, about 150 miles southwest of the capital of Kiev, will play host to some 950 personnel from the United States, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and the United Kingdom as they engage in the Clear Sky multinational exercise, Stars and Stripes reported Wednesday.

The Clear Sky exercises will train soldiers in air sovereignty, air interdiction, air-to-ground integration, air mobility operations, aeromedical evaluation, cyberdefense and personnel recovery, Stars and Stripes reported.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Ukrainian government announcing it would open a new military base on the Sea of Azov, a shallow body of water straddled by Russia's Rostov, Krasnodar and Crimea regions, but most of the north coast of which belongs to Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, Kurt Volker, told the media Tuesday that "wherever" gaps in the Ukrainian military's capabilities exist, the US is "prepared to sit down and talk with Ukraine about what their needs are. They can buy things through our foreign military sales," Sputnik reported.

Ukraine isn't a NATO member but has expressed interest in joining the alliance, which has slowly pushed eastward in the decades since the end of socialism in Eastern Europe. Ukraine's interest has grown in NATO since 2014, when a right-wing, pro-Western government was brought to power after pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych walked away from a trade proposal with the European Union in favor of a Russian alternative agreement.

Late last month, US National Security Adviser John Bolton, returning from a trip to Kiev, told Reuters that Ukraine had made progress in its efforts to join NATO, but it still had work to do.

Bolton told reporters that it was dangerous not to resolve the Ukraine crisis, referring to the Crimean Republic's 2014 vote to join Russia and the continued independence of cities in the Donets Basin.

 Sputnik

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Top Algerian Military Commanders Being Purged Ahead of Presidential Election

By Edward Yeranian September 20, 2018

A number of top Algerian military commanders, including the heads of the air force and the army, have been dismissed within the past week.

In a series of moves, at least a dozen top officers have been replaced since June.

Analysts say that a core of military officers under the deputy defense minister are consolidating their power in the lead up to presidential elections next spring, which ailing outgoing President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika is expected to win.

Algerian state TV announced the ouster of a number of top military commanders earlier this week, including the country's air force chief and the army's head of ground operations. One top officer fled to Paris with his family through Algiers International Airport, prompting the firing of top airport security personnel.

A former Algerian diplomat, Mohammed Zeytout, told an Egyptian TV station the firings were part of an "extremely ugly power struggle" in which "top generals are firing, deposing or arresting each other, while some are trying to flee the country." Former military officers have had their passports canceled and are not being allowed to travel.

Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, termed the purges a "pre-emptive coup," while Mohammed Zeytout called them "unprecedented except for countries that have undergone regime change or a coup."

Bouteflika is running for a fifth term this coming spring, despite poor health, and Khashan says those who support him are using him as a figurehead behind which to govern.

"There is an agreement among the power elite in Algeria to keep Abdel Aziz Bouteflika in office because they run the country since he is incapacitated and they hide behind him and that gives them a sense of legitimacy," Khashan said. "The fear is that if Bouteflika is gone, Algeria would be gravely destabilized."

Khashan points out that Army Chief of Staff Gaid Salah, who appears to be calling the shots, has been using corruption as a pretext to get rid of possible rivals. "Corruption," he said "is nothing new in Algeria. It is a way of life."

France's influential Le Monde newspaper reported that top army officers have been accused of "running up to 30 private companies, each," both in their own names and in the names of family members.

Mohammed Bashoush, who teaches political science at the University of Algiers, told Al Hurra TV he thinks the current turmoil in Algeria is nevertheless part of an agreement between civilian and military leaders.

Bashoush said it is obvious the changes taking place in the military are directly related to preparations for the upcoming presidential elections, and despite the conflict between opposing sides, both the political and military wings of the presidency have come to a consensus over a road map to follow.

Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia told a press conference earlier this week, during the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, that despite turmoil, Algeria has a free press and everyone is allowed to speak out.

Ouyahia said freedom of expression is an integral part of the Algerian press and its 160 newspapers, and no one is penalized for what they write about the president, the prime minister or the institutions of state.

But former diplomat Zeytout was less sanguine.

"President Bouteflika is sick and his health is miserable. He hasn't addressed the people in 6 years and 4 months," Zeytout said. "No one wants to talk about it, but the real power center is Army Chief of Staff Gaid Salah, who runs the country surrounded by 30 other generals."

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'It's Not Over,' Guard says of N.C. Hurricane Relief Mission

Sept. 20, 2018

By Joe Lacdan

Army News Service

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- Soldiers continue to help evacuate residents in flood-ravaged communities along North Carolina's coastal plains six days after Hurricane Florence made landfall.

Army personnel have rescued a total of 372 residents and evacuated another 47 in both North and South Carolina, while more than 9,000 soldiers are supporting the hurricane relief efforts.

The National Guard conducted about 125 rescue missions alone on Tuesday, said Army Lt. Col. Matt DeVivo, a North Carolina National Guard public affairs officer. He said water levels continue to stay at dangerously high levels, and in some areas they have even risen.

DeVivo said he expects the National Guard to continue operations for at least the next 72 hours, and possibly through the weekend. More than 3,100 North Carolina Guardsmen remain engaged in rescue operations, along with about 350 National Guardsmen from neighboring states.

'We're Not Going Anywhere'

"We're not going anywhere anytime soon," DeVivo said. "Until we know the rivers have crested and the waters start to recede and communities can try to get back to some semblance of normalcy. Thousands have been displaced. And it's going to be a challenge, but we're ready to support the state well after the waters have receded."

National Guard helicopters, working in conjunction with state and federal agencies, have delivered more than 61,000 pounds of relief supplies.

"I'm very impressed with the states -- both South Carolina and North Carolina -- they have responded and pushed forward and were proactive," said Army National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Timothy Kadavy. "They had soldiers. They had high-water vehicles. They had aircraft out and ready to respond. They [were] ready to do whatever they were asked to do by their governors and local communities."

The hurricane's effects were less severe in South Carolina, but residents in the northern section of the state also experienced heavy flooding. Eight people died due to the high waters or fallen trees.

Guardsmen continue to take part in search and rescue missions in both states and have been responding to high-water emergencies -- residents trapped in stalled vehicles or stranded in flooded areas.

"We've dealt with this before, but not at these record levels," said Army Maj. Gen. Bob Livingston, adjutant general of the South Carolina National Guard. "[Florence] slowed down and picked up a tremendous amount of water. The winds dropped dramatically."

Livingston lauded the efforts of the South Carolina Guard, which began evacuations early on the morning of Sept. 11.

"Difficult conditions to work under," Livingston said. "But it's amazing; they've got smiles and continue to drive on."

Coordinated Response

National Guardsmen from as far as Illinois, Virginia and Tennessee helped with relief efforts as communities along the coastal plains were swamped with flooding and power outages.

Soldiers in tactical vehicles have been rescuing displaced residents in waist-high water.

U.S. Army North has been helping coordinate relief efforts from forward command posts in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina. The command provided 80 high-wheeled tactical vehicles along with 60 palletized load trucks for transporting supplies.

Multi-component task forces faced the difficult challenge of navigating safe routes through flooded areas at night.

"The waters are moving so rapidly and there's so much water," said Col. Ed Hayes, Task Force 51 operations officer."You could plan a route, and all of a sudden, that road is blocked off."

The Army Corps of Engineers installed power generators at locations throughout North Carolina. Soldiers from the 249th Engineering Battalion out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, installed power at several locations, including a storm shelter in Clayton, North Carolina; at Vidant Duplin Hospital in Kenansville; Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro; and the Rayford Waste and Water treatment facility in Whiteville, North Carolina.

DeVivo said the National Guard remains committed to the residents in affected communities.

"[The hurricane] is nothing our state can't overcome," he said. "It was challenging, but it's not over by any means."

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Chinese peacekeepers leave for DR Congo

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:34, September 20, 2018

URUMQI, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- A team of 100 Chinese engineering and medical troops left for a one-year peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday.

Their plane left the Diwopu airport in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at 3 a.m.

They are the first group of the 22nd batch of peacekeepers that China has dispatched to the central African nation. The rest of the 218-member batch will leave on Sept. 28.

After arriving in mission areas, the engineering detachment will take on tasks such as maintaining roads, bridges, blindages and airports, while the medical team will focus on treating the wounded, epidemic prevention and humanitarian aid.

While preparing for the mission, they completed special training.

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US sanctions Chinese military agency for buying Russian equipment

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 08:21PM

The United States on has slapped sanctions on a Chinese military agency for buying defense equipment from Russia.

US State Department officials said on Thursday it would immediately impose sanctions against China's Equipment Development Department for engaging in "significant transactions" with Russia's Rosoboronexport.

Rosoboronexport is Russia's main arms exporter.

Li Shangfu, the director of Equipment Development Department, which is responsible for supervising defense technology, was included in the sanctions.

China's purchase from Russia is a breach of a sweeping US sanctions bill enacted in 2017 titled Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA, according to an anonymous source.

Media reported a further 33 people and entities in transaction with Russian military and intelligence agencies were included in the sanctions blacklist.

The US sanctions target Russia only, said a State Department official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

"The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia. CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country," the official told reporters on a conference call. "They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities."

The official noted that the sanctions were related to China's purchase of 10 Russian Sukhoi-35 combat aircraft in 2017, and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018.

The US Congress, which approved CAATSA with almost unanimity, has repeatedly called on the President Donald Trump's administration to take a tougher stance against Russia.

The imposed sanctions come as the administration is practicing a variety of methods to exert pressure on both China and Russia for allegedly meddling in US affairs.

Show mutual respect

Trump this week accused China of trying to influence US mid-term elections by attacking American farmers and industrial workers.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang rejected Trump's accusations on Wednesday.

"Anyone who has some knowledge of China's diplomacy will know that we will not interfere in other countries' domestic affairs," Geng said, adding, "We don't want others to interfere in our domestic politics, and we will not interfere in the domestic politics of others."

Geng downplayed any anti-China actions by the US, saying Beijing had prepared itself for the punitive measures taken by the Trump administration.

"These little actions by the US have become the routine," he said.

Instead, the Chinese official urged the Americans to show "sincerity" in their foreign policy and interactions with other nations.

Treat China with "mutual respect," Geng insisted.

It high time Americans show some "good faith," he said.

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New Era for Religion in China as Party Tightens Controls

By Bill Ide September 20, 2018

The recent closure of one of Beijing's largest independent churches, and a crackdown on congregations elsewhere in China, are part of a broader effort to bring religion more fully under the ruling Communist Party's control, say Christian leaders, scholars and rights advocates.

In recent weeks, authorities have used raids, religious censuses and even confessional statements to carry out that effort, according to accounts from Christian members, rights groups and postings online.

Authorities have characterized the efforts as moves aimed at protecting the public and using socialist values to guide religion and help believers unite around the country's leadership. Earlier this year, stricter amendments were added to the Religious Affairs Regulation, a guideline whose stated aim is to protect religious freedoms. Those amendments, observers say, have helped pave the way for the crackdown on unregulated churches and general tightening on religion.

"Nationwide, regardless of whether it is the officially recognized patriotic church, house churches or underground congregations, all are facing new circumstances," said Tang Jitian, a rights lawyer in Beijing. "All of these moves highlight the regime's concerns about religion."

Earlier this month in central Henan province, authorities raided four churches, forcibly removed crosses and burned seized bibles. More recently, in Sichuan, authorities broke up a service of the Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church, detaining its two pastors. One of the pastors remains in custody, according to the group Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

That move came just days after authorities shut down Beijing Zion Church, an independent congregation in the capital with about 1,500 members.

'Illegal organization'

The pastor, Jin Mingri, told VOA that the effort to shut down Beijing Zion Church began earlier this year when authorities ordered the congregation to install 24 surveillance cameras for "fire safety" reasons. Members refused to comply, citing concerns about personal privacy and the impact it would have on the church's atmosphere, he said in an interview with VOA's Mandarin Service.

"Since April, they started to forcefully suppress our congregation, mobilizing some 10,000, using the combined force of police and government, interviewing our members and telling them Beijing Zion Church is an evil cult, that we're politically incorrect and an illegal organization," he said.

China's Communist Party, which is said to have some 90 million members, is officially atheist; but, increasingly, especially in recent years, the number of religious believers in its ranks has grown.

In late August, the party released new internal disciplinary measures that call for the strict handling of religious activities that undermine national unity.

According to the regulations, party committees in government departments or major enterprises were also ordered to "strengthen the ideological education of religious members."

Outside the party, the number of religious followers has been growing too, even faster than authorities can control.

And the leadership's response to this has been clear since a major political party Congress was held last year. During that meeting, President Xi Jinping reasserted the party's dominance over facets of society.

More importantly, religious leaders and scholars note, was the shift in March to put the State Administration for Religious Affairs - a government office - back under the control of the Communist Party's United Front Work Department.

'Expansive control'

That move, Jin said, has once again turned religion into an ideological competition, pitting believers against the party. Unlike the religious affairs department, the United Front Work Department is much deeper into society, down into the local town and village level, and that will help the Communist Party exert more pressure over religions.

"When the party is in charge of religious affairs, it can use all types of means to exert control, and its power to suppress is unprecedented," Jin said.

Jin said this type of expansive control over religion will become a hallmark of Xi's leadership.

"All religions, not only Christians but Buddhists, Catholics and Muslims, will all have to deal with the special challenges of this new era," he said.

In addition to the raid of churches and crackdowns already under way, pressure is being brought to bear within the party and outside through the use of pledge statements.

Online, many Christians have posted pledge letters that show how the party is trying to get believers to renounce their faith. Analysts say the pledge letters appear to be aimed at a wide range of targets, from party members to college teachers and students.

"We're also seeing a mass scale campaign against party members who have religious beliefs," said Ying Fuk-tsang, director of the divinity school at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

One signed pledge, posted online, read: "After studying the Religious Affairs Regulation and thinking it over, I promise I will no longer believe in Christianity and that I will resolutely listen to and follow the party."

In Wenzhou City, authorities included a question about parents' religious beliefs as part of a standard school contact information form. The form has raised concerns among believers, who have urged members to go ahead and declare their faith, come what may.

Neither authorities at the religious affairs bureau in Wenzhou nor the United Front Work Department could be reached for comment about the forms, raids or crackdown.

Joyce Huang and John Ai contributed to this report.

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China Eyes Banning Foreign Online News

By Max Jungreis September 20, 2018

The Chinese government will potentially block foreign current affairs content from being shown in the country, according to draft regulations from its National Radio and Television Administration.

The regulations, obtained Thursday by Reuters, will clamp down on what kinds of shows may be aired on domestic television stations or online video platforms. Current affairs shows were singled out as being barred from the country.

Also forbidden by the draft regulations were foreign content that contains violence, terrorism, incitement to crime, endangerment of social stability or material deemed harmful to national sentiment.

The regulations also target film and animation.

The Chinese government is in the midst of a push to restrict online content. Earlier this month, it banned the website of the Australian Broadcasting Company, telling the public news organization that China's internet was "fully open."

"They're very sensitive, particularly to foreign content and of course independent-minded domestic Chinese content that's going to reach a mass audience, whether it's online or on television,"said Sarah Cook, a research analyst with censorship watchdog Freedom House.

China is known for the depth and reach of its censorship operations. Thousands of websites have been blocked in the country, inspiring the phrase "the Great Firewall of China." Foreign journalists are routinely detained for their reporting, and virtually all domestic media capable of reaching a mass audience is tightly regulated.

In recent years, censorship has expanded past shaping political narratives into trying to mesh merge socialist values with national culture.

"All of this gotten a stronger push by President Xi Jinping in terms of socialist core values, socialism in China's characteristics in the new era. There's generally been an effort to really bring the party back in and to clamp down on various forms of content," Cook said.

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Israeli Air Force Chief Major General Amikam Norkin has held meetings with senior Russian military commanders concerning the downing of Russias Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, TASS reports.

"The IDF delegation to Moscow, led by the Commander of the IAF, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, has held several meetings with the Commander of the Russian Air Force, senior commanders of the Russian army and other officials of the Russian Air Force," the statement reads.

"The Israeli officers presented the situation report regarding the downing of the Russian plane by Syrian anti-aircraft fire on Monday night, as well as the pre-mission information and the findings of the IDF's inquiry of the event," the Israel Defense Forces said, adding that "the meetings were conducted following the agreement between the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin."

"The meetings were held in good spirits and the representatives shared a professional, open and transparent discussion on various issues. Both sides emphasized the importance of the states' interests and the continued implementation of the deconfliction system," the statement says.

"In addition, the IDF presented the ongoing Iranian attempts to establish its military presence in Syria and to transfer strategic weapons to the Hezbollah terror organization," the IDF noted. "The Israeli delegation continues its meetings and will return to Israel tomorrow morning, as planned."
Pompeo says ready to transform U.S.-DPRK ties immediately

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 07:28, September 20, 2018

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that the United States is ready to transform its relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) immediately.

In a statement regarding the outcomes of an earlier summit between leaders of South Korea and the DPRK, Pompeo said that "the United States congratulates President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong Un on the successful outcome of their summit meeting in Pyongyang."

"We welcome President Moon and Chairman Kim's reaffirmation of the Singapore joint statement of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he said. "On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations."

He added that "this morning, I invited my counterpart Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho to meet in New York City next week where we are both already scheduled to be in attendance at the United Nations General Assembly meeting."

"Likewise, we have invited North Korean representatives to meet our Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, in Vienna, Austria at the earliest opportunity," Pompeo added.

This will mark the beginning of negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations through the process of denuclearization of the DPRK and to construct a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, Pompeo noted.

Earlier on the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that the fruits of the summit are "very exciting."

The DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un and visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday signed a joint declaration, agreeing to take additional steps toward making the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons and threats of armed conflict.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Wednesday that China welcomes the consensus reached between the two nations.

"China, as a neighbor, always supports the efforts of the north and south of the peninsula to improve their ties and push forward reconciliation and cooperation through dialogue and consultation," Geng said.

China hopes that the two sides will continue to implement the consensus, endeavor to promote interaction and cooperation and play a positive role in achieving a political solution to the peninsula issue as well as lasting peace in the region, Geng said.

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China welcomes DPRK, ROK consensus at Pyongyang summit

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 07:43, September 20, 2018

China welcomed the consensus reached between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Wednesday to improve inter-Korean ties, ease military tensions in the region and advance the denuclearization process and peace talks on the Korean Peninsula.

"China, as a close neighbor, always supports the efforts of the north and south of the peninsula to improve their ties and push forward reconciliation and cooperation through dialogue and consultation," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing, commenting on the Pyongyang summit between leaders of the DPRK and the ROK.

The DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un and visiting ROK President Moon Jae-in Wednesday signed a joint declaration, agreeing to take additional steps toward making the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons and threats of armed conflict.

China welcomes the consensus and appreciates the efforts of both sides to this end, Geng said.

It is the shared aspiration of the people on the peninsula and across the region to realize peace and prosperity, as well as reconciliation and cooperation, Geng said.

China hopes that the two sides will continue to implement the consensus, endeavor to promote interaction and cooperation and play a positive role in achieving a political solution to the peninsula issue as well as lasting peace in the region, said the spokesperson.

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China: Rare chance for Korean peace shouldn't slip away

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 05:14AM

China has warmly welcomed the agreements reached in a summit between South and North Koreas in Pyongyang, saying Beijing will strongly support both sides for more talks aimed at reducing tension in the region.

In a reaction to the agreements, China's Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi described the joint declaration by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong-un as an opportunity for peace in the Korean Peninsula.

On Wednesday, the second day of their summit, Moon and Kim signed a joint statement, agreeing to take a step closer to peace by turning the peninsula into a "land of peace without nuclear weapons and nuclear threats."

Wang said in a statement on Thursday that that Beijing "absolutely cannot let this hard-to-come-by opportunity for peace slip away once again."

Earlier on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing had noted the positive effects of the three-day talks.

The South Korean president said the North's leader had also agreed to shut down its Yongbyon nuclear facility but only if the United States took "corresponding measures."

Kim and Moon also agreed on measures to revive economic cooperation.

The summit, however, triggered mixed reactions from political parties in South Korea, with some opposition lawmakers calling for an "official announcement" by Kim of his country's complete denuclearization before talking about any future economic collaboration.

Leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party kim Sung-tae said he hoped to see "real results" from the event rather than a "mere spectacle" of denuclearization.

"Without providing with a full accounting of the size of the North's nuclear warhead stockpile and missile arsenal, announcing a permanent end to the Korean War would be absurd," he said.

Meanwhile, , the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, as well as the liberal-leaning Party for Democracy and Peace, and the Justice Party, openly supported the summit, calling it "historical" and "deeply moving."

The news of the joint declaration was also extensively reported by North Korean media on Thursday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reproduced the full text of the statement, which included Pyongyang's pledge to dismantle its missile test facility and launch pads in Dongchang-ri and Kim's promise to visit Seoul for a summit.

The official newspaper of the North's ruling party, the Rodong Sinmun, also provided detailed coverage of other schedules for Moon and his entourage during their visit to Pyongyang.

The daily allocated its first three pages to the coverage of the summit agreements and published about 20 related photos.

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S Korea's Moon Hopes US Will Resume Talks With North as Kim Ready for New Summit

Sputnik News

12:50 20.09.2018(updated 14:17 20.09.2018)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed a desire to continue a dialogue with US President Trump, President Moon Jae-in said.

Moon Jae-In said he wanted to discuss with Trump the possibility of an official end to the war on the Korean Peninsula this year.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that he was taking a new message from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to US President Donald Trump.

"Soon I will be paying a visit to the United States and I will have a meeting with President Trump. I intend to talk with him about the details of the denuclearization process that are not reflected in the final statement of the intra-Korean summit," he said at a press conference following his visit to North Korea.

"The US wants to send North Korea a message through us and North Korea wants to convey a message to the United States with our help. I will play this role when I meet with President Trump," Moon said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seeking to hold the next summit with the United States, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday.

The summit of the leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and South Korea, held in North Korea, helped establish trust between Seoul and Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in believes.

"The visit helped in many ways to promote the relations between the South and the North, and establish confidence," he told journalists in Seoul.

"Chairman Kim Jong-un expressed hope for a second summit with President Trump at an early date," Moon told reporters.

"I want the United States to understand the will and stance of North Korea, put itself in [Pyongyang's] shoes and resume dialogue as soon as possible," Moon told reporters after returning from Pyongyang.

According to the president, his recent summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un created conditions for resumption of the US-North Korea dialogue.

"A peace treaty is possible only after the achievement of denuclearization, and until then the truce agreement will be valid," he said.

Moon Jae-in stayed in the DPRK from September 18 to 20, where he held talks with Kim Jong-un. As a result of their meetings, a joint statement of intent was signed to continue efforts to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons and the threat of war.

Specific measures to prevent clashes and ensure security were reflected in the agreement, which, in the presence of the leaders, was signed by the defense ministers of the two Korean states. Moon Jae-In invited Kim Jong-un to visit Seoul in the near future, and this proposal was accepted.

 Sputnik

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It's 'time for concrete action' says UN chief, welcoming inter-Korean agreement

20 September 2018 - The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Thursday welcomed the outcome of the third inter-Korean summit this year, and the "important agreements" contained in the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, issued by the leaders of the two Koreas.

He commended the "determination and diplomacy" shown by the leaders of North Korea, formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and South Korea, formally known as the Republic of Korea.

South Korea's President, Moon Jae-in, became the first leader from the south to travel to the North Korean capital in years on Monday, and at the conclusion of the three days of talks with his northern counterpart, Kim Jong-un, both sides described it as a positive step towards peace.

"The commitments reflected in the joint statement include important military confidence-building measures and a commitment by the DPRK to dismantle missile engine testing infrastructure in the presence of experts from related countries", said the Secretary-General, in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, adding that "now it is time for concrete action".



Mr. Guterres called "for unity of the international community to support the parties in their endeavours towards sustainable peace, security and complete and verifiable denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula in accordance with relevant Security Council Resolutions".

He also reiterated the commitment and readiness of the United Nations system "to further assist the parties in any way they deem appropriate".

This Pyongyang joint Declaration came three days after the UN political affairs chief, Rosemary di Carlo, told the Security Council that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported having observed in May nuclear signatures consistent with the continued operation of a plutonium production reactor, radiochemical laboratory and alleged uranium enrichment facility in Yongbyon, North Korea.

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Inter-Korea Progress Has US Ready to Resume North Korea Talks

By Steve Miller September 20, 2018

The leaders of North and South Korea Wednesday hailed a series of agreements they said were aimed at turning the Koreas into a "land of peace without nuclear weapons and nuclear threats." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's Moon Jae-in Wednesday issued the pledge at a summit in the North's capital, Pyongyang.

The announcement prompted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to invite North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho to meet in New York next week, where both are scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

Pompeo said the United States is ready to engage in talks with North Korea immediately, with the aim of completing Pyongyang's denuclearization by the end of President Donald Trump's first term.

Kim's decision to dismantle its key missile site at Dongchang-ri in the presence of international observers is what Pompeo said prompted his decision to make the invitation.

US prepared to engage

"On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations," Pompeo said in a statement.

"We, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, think that it will be able to accelerate denuclearization and bring peace on the Korean Peninsula through the U.N. General Assembly next week," said ministry Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon, who added that the development may lead to a second summit between the United States and North Korea.

"While this (the outcome of the third inter-Korean summit) may look small ... our role is to hand over (the conversation) to the U.S.," Lee said.

Pyongyang drew an enthusiastic response from Trump, who tweeted the news coming out of the third inter-Korean summit, saying it was "very exciting!" even though some analysts point out that specific details remain absent and a path to denuclearization is not clear.

What are 'corresponding measures?'

In addition to pledging to dismantle the Dongchang-ri missile test site, the Pyongyang Declaration put forward that the North "expressed its willingness to continue to take additional measures, such as the permanent dismantlement of the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, as the United States takes corresponding measures in accordance with the spirit of the June 12 US-DPRK Joint Statement."

Even though it was not specified in the agreement signed Wednesday between Moon and Kim, the Sejong Institute's Woo Jung-yeop assumes North Korea means they're looking for a declaration from Washington to formally end the Korean War.

"So it is apparent that North Korea is willing to exchange [a] declaration to end the war [in exchange for] the demolition of the Yongbyong facility," said Woo.

The Council of Foreign Relations' Scott Snyder said an end-of-war declaration in exchange for a declaration of North Korean assets appears to be under consideration.

But, he said the critical factor for that formula to work is to ensure that all parties realize "those declarations are simply aspirations designed to achieve an objective and they are expressions of seriousness of intent to achieve objectives."

Ajou University professor Kim Heung-kyu notes a balance of trust needs to be established between each party, otherwise it's difficult to proceed with negotiations.

However, North Korea may not be satisfied with a declaration-for-declaration formula, "because North Korea is fully aware of the time constraint and the changing political situation in the United States."

He said this is leading Kim Jong Un to become more ambitious "to achieve more."

Second Trump-Kim summit?

Moon said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to hold a second summit with President Trump to hasten the process of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.

He revealed Kim's wishes Thursday in Seoul, after his return from his visit to Pyongyang.

Moon will travel to New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, where he will meet with Trump, Sept. 24. The South Korean leader said Wednesday he looked "forward to North Korea and the United States resuming their dialogue soon, based on the achievements of this Pyongyang summit."

Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at the Center for the National Interest, believes the possibility of a second Trump-Kim summit is "100 percent," adding it could also be a trilateral summit with Moon, or even a quadrilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, because Moon hasn't revealed everything regarding Kim's plans to denuclearize.

"I think [Moon] understands that he needs to hold some things close to the chest to be able to bring to Donald Trump, maybe additional concessions. ... Maybe Kim Jong Un made some other proposals that we don't know about today, and that makes sense," said Kazianis.

Lee Ju-hyun contributed to this report.

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India Cautiously Accepts Pakistan's Offer for Meeting Between Foreign Ministers

Sputnik News

20:50 20.09.2018(updated 01:25 21.09.2018)

India has categorically clarified that the agreement to hold a meeting between the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers should not be considered a resumption of bilateral dialogue, which remains stalled since 2016 following a series of terror attacks on Indian military camps.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  India has agreed to hold a bilateral meeting at the foreign ministry level with Pakistan in response to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's letter to his Indian counterpart earlier this week.

"I can confirm that on the request of the Pakistani side, a meeting between India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at a mutually convenient date and time," Raveesh Kumar, India's minister of external affairs spokesperson, said on Thursday.

This should not be confused with the resumption of any dialogue. This meeting has been agreed to on the basis of the request we have received from the Pakistani side.  This does not indicate any change in policy as far as our stand on terrorism and cross-border terrorism are concerned, Kumar further stated.

Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi had, on September 17, handed over a letter written by the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposing a meeting between the foreign ministers in the last week of September.

"Pakistan remains ready to discuss terrorism," Prime Minister Imran Khan's letter mentioned.

India has also made it clear that it has not yet agreed to the resumption of the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) annual summit, which remains suspended since 2016. Islamabad was to host the SAARC summit that year, but after India boycotted the summit following terror attacks on its military camps, the seven-member SAARC has not held its annual summit to date.

"Atmosphere in the region is not conducive for the SAARC summit and it is not only India which feels this way; there are a number of countries in the region who have accordingly felt that under the shadow of terrorism and cross-border terrorism, it is difficult to hold the summit," India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson told the media.

The bilateral relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated following terror attacks in 2016 on Indian military camps. The two sides continue to accuse each other of frequent ceasefire violations along the de facto border in Kashmir, a territory that both countries claim as their own.

 Sputnik

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India Test Fires Tactical Ballistic Missile Akin to American MGM-140

Sputnik News

20:14 20.09.2018(updated 01:24 21.09.2018)

The Prahaar  capable of carrying conventional warheads up to 150 kilometers  is designed with the aim to neutralize threats emanating from Pakistan's Nasr, a tactical nuclear missile capable of devastating the Indian Army's armor units.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  India's state-owned defense lab has successfully test-fired surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile Prahaar on Thursday paving the way for its induction. The test was conducted at a defense test facility located in the eastern part of the country at about 1.35 p.m. (Indian Standard Time). The first test of the missile was conducted on July 21, 2011.

"All systems functioned normally and hit the target in copybook style. It will be inducted into the Indian Army after a few more tests," said a defense official.

The missile system, with a range of 150 kilometers, will bridge the gap between Pinaka, a multi-barrel rocket system with a range of 70 kilometers, and the 350-km Prithvi-II. India also has unguided rockets imported from Russia with range of 90 kilometers.

The missile is equipped with Omni-directional warheads and could be used for hitting both tactical and strategic targets. Prahaar is a single stage, solid propellant missile with a length of 7.3 meters and diameter of 420 mm. The missile can be launched within minutes in all weather conditions, which was efficiently proven on Thursday as the missile was test-fired amid a heavy downpour. The missile weighs 1,280 kg and has a 200 kg maneuvering warhead.

According to the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile can take out multiple targets.

"It is the most cost-effective missile in its class," a DRDO official told the media after the initial test.

 Sputnik

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Tehran has right to develop missile program: Moscow

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Sept 20, IRNA -- Moscow believes that the development of the Iranian missile program is Tehran's sovereign right, and all the issues arising in this regard should be resolved without pressure, especially military, at the negotiating table, A Russian official said.

'We have always supported resolving any problems that arise in interstate relations and in the dialogue on acute issues through negotiations and through relevant agreements,' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik.on Wednesday.

The deputy foreign minister further stressed that the developments in the situation around Iran nuclear deal and other issues that American counterparts put in the context of this deal, as well as Iran's behavior, attracted Russia's close attention.

Speaking to Sputnik reporter, Ryabkov also revealed that the meeting of the five mediators and Iran at the level of foreign ministers will take place on the sidelines of the high-level week of the UN General Assembly at the end of September.

'The meeting of the participants of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)  those who stayed in the agreement  will be held at the ministerial level,' the official stated.

The JCPOA stipulates the gradual removal of the West's sanctions against Iran in exchange for Tehran maintaining a peaceful nature of its nuclear program. However, US President Donald Trump announced in May the withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA and the reinstating of the first round of sanctions in August.

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Volkswagen denies US claim it will stop doing business with Iran

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 04:41PM

Volkswagen (VW) has rejected US claims that the German car manufacturer has decided to quit Iran amid American sanctions, saying it has not changed its position on the Islamic Republic yet.

A Thursday report by Bloomberg quoted US Ambassador to Berlin Richard Grenell as saying that Volkswagen had decided to end doing business with Iran after weeks of talks with the US administration.

However, a source close to the German company dismissed the report later in the day, saying there had been no talks with Grenell on Iran.

In a statement cited by Bloomberg, the company merely said it is closely monitoring the economic and political developments in Iran and the region.

A Volkswagen spokesman also told Reuters that the company's position had not changed in recent weeks. Moreover, AFP quoted a source familiar with the talks as saying that the carmaker and the US government had not yet reached a final accord.

Even if it fully complies with US sanctions, VW will still be able to do some business in Iran under a "humanitarian exception", Bloomberg reported.

Grenell, a former US spokesman at the United Nations and an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, is widely known for stirring up controversy in his host country with public sallies on business and politics.

He has appeared to take credit for decisions by European companies to withdraw from Iran in a series of tweets and interviews over the past weeks, announcing the withdrawal of German blue chips like Siemens, BASF, and now Volkswagen, to the surprise of the companies themselves.

Volkswagen announced in July 2017 that it planned to sell cars in Iran for the first time in 17 years, taking advantage of the removal of sanctions that accompanied the signing of the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Earlier in August, the other German carmaker Daimler, the maker of Mercedes-Benz trucks and luxury cars, announced that it had suspended expansion plans in Iran in response to US re-imposition of sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

French carmaker PSA, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars, suspended its joint venture activities in Iran back in June.

Trump warned last month against doing business with Tehran, saying he had imposed "the most biting" sanctions on the country. "Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States," he tweeted.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that by imposing sanctions on buyers of Russian weapons, and on people associated with the Russian military, the United States is trying to squeeze out competitors in the global arms trade.

The spokesman called the new sanctions hostile and unpredictable but did not say how Russia would respond.

"They use this practice so often that one would trip up reacting to each new instance," Reuters cited Peskov as saying.

The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military yesterday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, something Russia denies.
U.S. Ambassador Says Volkswagen Agrees To Pull Out Of Iran

RFE/RL September 20, 2018

The U.S. ambassador to Germany has told Bloomberg News that automaker Volkswagen has agreed to comply with U.S. sanctions and suspend most of its operations in Iran.

"We are pleased with this decision because Iran diverts its economic resources away from its people to spread violence and instability across the globe," Ambassador Richard Grenell said on September 19.

Grenell said U.S. officials and Volkswagen finalized the details of the pullout on September 18 following weeks of talks.

The German automaker will still be allowed to conduct some business in Iran under a humanitarian exception, the ambassador added.

A spokesman for the Wolfsburg-based carmaker told the AFP news agency that it was sticking to its long-standing position that it "obeys all national and international laws as well as export regulations."

"We are also taking into account possible effects related to the reintroduction of U.S. sanctions," the spokesman also said.

AFP quoted a source familiar with the talks as saying that Volkswagen and the U.S. administration had not yet reached a final accord.

The White House has not commented.

Volkswagen announced last year that it planned to begin selling cars in Iran for the first time in 17 years.

But U.S. President Donald Trump in May withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with six world powers and last month began reimposing some of the sanctions that had been eased in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear programs.

Trump complained that the deal did not do enough to prevent Iran from eventually developing the capacity to produce a nuclear weapon.

He also alleged that Iran was violating the spirit of the accord by financing militant activity in the region, an allegation Tehran has denied.

The reimposition of sanctions has weakened the Iranian economy, with the country's currency, the rial, falling sharply against hard currencies in recent months.

Britain and France, along with other European nations, have said they want to protect European companies that continue doing business in Iran.

However, international companies including French oil firm Total, German carmaker Daimler, and Deutsche Telekom have pulled out of the country since the U.S. decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal, fearing they will be targeted by secondary sanctions.

With reporting by Bloomberg, AFP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-sanctions-volkswagen- suspends-iran-business-germany/29499581.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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India to Pay for Oil Imports From Iran in Rupees to Skirt US Sanctions

Sputnik News

19:21 20.09.2018

Indian refiners are currently using European banks to make payments to Iran in euros for oil shipments. However, when US sanctions on Iran kick in on November 4, it will be difficult for India to settle economic transactions with Iran through European banks. Therefore, local banks IDBI and UCO bank have been chosen to route the payments in rupees.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  India and Iran have struck a key agreement that would allow them to skirt US sanctions on Iran that will come into effect on November 4 this year. Following a high-level meeting of an empowered committee on Thursday afternoon, the Indian government announced that it would make payments for oil shipments from Iran in rupees. Iran, in turn, could use these rupees to pay for imports from India.

India's Minister of Shipping Nitin Gadkari said that the Indian and Iranian banks that will be involved in the transactions have come to an understanding.

"We hope that Iran oil payment concerns will ease in the next week. India will start paying for Iranian crude oil in rupees. Crude oil imports from Chabahar Port will also begin very soon," an official said after the meeting in New Delhi.

Payments will be made through Iranian private bank Pasargad, which was allowed to open a branch in Mumbai earlier this year. India's UCO Bank and IDBI Bank, which were used to route payments during previous US sanctions on Tehran, will also be used as payment channels.

The empowered committee consists of India's finance minister, Arun Jaitley, Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials have said they will soon hold consultations with its port authority on the issue of handing over operations of the strategic Chabahar Port to an Indian company.

It was feared that India's oil imports from Iran would be affected from the end of August, as Iran had offered a 60-day credit period on oil sales to India, which meant payments for consignments lifted at the end of August would be due in November when the second tranche of American sanctions commences. However, data suggest that Indian refiners have not cut down on Iranian crude imports, thanks to shipping containers insured by Iranian companies.

India has promised to increase its crude oil imports from Iran from 205,000 barrels per day in 2017-18 to 396,000 barrels per day in 2018-19. Iranian heavy crude is priced 90 cents lower per barrel than Arabian medium, similar to Saudi crude, for its September shipments. Iran has also offered further price reductions to India, which is one of the world's largest crude importers.

 Sputnik

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Replacing Iran's Oil: US Seeks Alternative Export Sources for Allies

Sputnik News

16:12 20.09.2018

Following the withdrawal of the US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement with Iran, Washington sought to reinstate sanctions against Iran that will enter force at the beginning of November. Earlier, the US announced its aim to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is seeking alternative oil sources that could replace Iranian resources for its allies, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing a source in the White House.

As noted by FT on Thursday, sanctions against Iran that were in force until the signing of the 2015 nuclear agreement had limited imports of Iranian oil. However, a range of US allies were still able to take advantage of a weakened sanction regime and continue purchasing Iranian resources. In particular, South Korea, India and Japan could have done that.

India, which is one of the key oil importers from Iran, is already searching for opportunities to diversify exports, and it has substantially reduced the volume of oil purchases from Iran in September-October, Reuters reported.

The Energy Ministry of South Korea also made a resolution to opt for Saudi Arabian and Iraqi oil.

Earlier in September, US Energy Minister Rick Perry visited Moscow where he met with his Russian counterpart, Alexander Novak. According to Novak, during the meeting, the ministers discussed global energy markets, the work of Russian and American companies in Russia and US projects in the developing world. Moreover, the issue of an investment fund created by Russia and the US was raised.

Later, Novak met with Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih in Moscow. The minister discussed the current situation in the market, as well as the possibility of bilateral cooperation.

After the withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA agreement with Iran, the US sought to reinstate sanctions against Iran.

According to International Energy Agency, the country had exported 1.9 million barrels per day in July, which was 500,000 barrels lower than in May.

 Sputnik

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US Can't Pursue New Treaty With Iran After Violating Nuclear Deal  Tehran

Sputnik News

15:45 20.09.2018(updated 16:22 20.09.2018)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has once again lashed out at the United States over the latter's withdrawal from the nuclear deal and plans to substitute Iran's oil in the market.

"US calls JCPOA [the nuclear deal] a personal agreement between two governments, claiming it seeks a treaty. Wrong." Zarif tweeted. "US has violated its treaty obligations too.  Apparently, US only mocks calls for peace," the Iranian top diplomat stated.

On Wednesday, Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said that the United States wanted to conclude an agreement with Iran that would take into account both nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

In May, US President Donald Trump announced his country's decision to leave the Iran nuclear agreement and reimpose sanctions against Tehran and other countries doing business with Iran.

The first set of economic restrictions, including a ban on purchasing the US dollar, trading in gold and other precious metals, as well as buying aluminum and steel for industrial purposes and performing activities related to Iran's sovereign debt, took effect on August 7.

The second portion, including sanctions on Iran's port operations, energy sector and foreign transactions, will be effectuated in November.

 Sputnik

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U.S. Blacklists 33 Russians, Companies Linked To Military, Intelligence Agencies

Mike Eckel September 20, 2018

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. State Department said it was blacklisting nearly three dozen Russian people and companies with ties to military and intelligence agencies, in its latest effort to punish Moscow for "malign activities."

Among those targeted by the effort, announced on September 20, were the 12 military intelligence officers who had been indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller earlier this year for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Many of those named have also been sanctioned or blacklisted previously, under different designations, meaning that the new measures were unlikely to have any significant effect.

In all, 33 Russians and Russian companies were added to the blacklist, which also included Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon known colloquially as "Putin's chef" for the catering contracts his company has with the Kremlin.

His catering companies and a private military company known as PMC Wagner, whose fighters have turned up in conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and Africa, were also blacklisted.

Prigozhin and his companies were indicted by Mueller in February for alleged election meddling. He has repeatedly denied the U.S. accusations, responding to the February indictment by saying: "If they want to see the devil, let them."

The move was taken under the 2017 law known as CAASTA that was overwhelmingly passed by Congress over President Donald Trump's objections. The law was passed specifically to target Russia, along with several other countries, setting up a wider framework for punitive financial measures, while also making it harder for the White House to lift existing measures.

"The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia," a State Department official told reporters. "They areaimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities."

Another, even harsher bill currently making its way through Congress aims to punish Russia by targeting its ability to issue sovereign debt, going after major energy companies like Gazprom and Rosneft, and other things.

The legislation, known by its acronym DETER, has bipartisan support, but it's unclear whether it will come up for a vote before the November midterm elections in the United States.

State Department officials also named a Chinese military agency and its director for buying Russia fighter jets and an antiaircraft system.

Officials said the company, Equipment Development Department, and chief officer, Li Shangfu, engaged in "significant transactions" with Russia's main arms exporter Rosoboroneksport.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-blacklists- 33-russians-companies-linked-to-military- intelligence-agencies/29501018.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Election Authorities Annul Results Of Fraud-Marred Regional Vote

RFE/RL September 20, 2018

Electoral authorities in Russia's Far Eastern Primorye region annulled the result of a disputed gubernatorial runoff vote, after the country's top election official said it was marred by "serious violations."

A total of 12 members of Primorye's election commission on September 20 voted in favor of the annulment of the result of the closely contested vote in the region, where the Communist Party cried foul after the Kremlin-backed incumbent surged ahead at the end of the ballot count. One election commission member voted against the proposal.

It is the first time a runoff has been annulled in Russia since 1996, according to media reports.

A new election is to be held within three months of the annulled September 16 vote.

The runoff was thrown into dispute in the final stages of the vote count early on September 17, triggering tension in the Far Eastern region.

In a last-minute reversal, the candidate from the Kremlin-controlled United Russia party, acting Governor Andrei Tarasenko, suddenly erased Communist rival Andrei Ishchenko's substantial lead and surged ahead.

"We believe that in the circumstances it is not possible to reliably understand the result of the will of the people, which means we can't declare either of the candidates elected," Primorye election commission head Tatyana Gladkikh said on September 20.

Tarasenko called the decision to have a rerun "fair," telling Russian media, "There have been too many complaints."

However, Ishchenko said he will appeal the decision in court, claiming he should be declared the winner of the original vote.

Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov has called for a criminal investigation and appealed to President Vladimir Putin to look into the situation. He also promised to hold a nationwide protest action on September 22 if there was no progress by then.

Hundreds of supporters already held a protest in Primorye's capital, Vladivostok, on September 17.

In Moscow, Central Election Commission (TsIK) chief Ella Pamfilova welcomed the decision of the regional election commission, saying that "there was no other way out in this situation."

On September 19, Pamfilova recommended that the commission annul the vote result, citing a number of violations, which included ballot-box stuffing, vote-buying, forcing people to vote, and altering records of the count.

She also said that culprits should be punished for fraud that "shocked" election officials.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the administration "certainly appreciates and supports the TsIK's position."

Kremlin critics consider the Communist Party a pliant part of Putin's ruling system, and it supports Putin's initiatives with some frequency, but the rivalry on the regional level is very real and any Communist victory is embarrassing for Putin and United Russia, which dominates politics nationwide.

Out of 21 Russian regions in which gubernatorial elections were held on September 9, Primorye was one of four where United Russia faced runoffs after failing to win 50 percent of the vote. The other three runoffs will be held on September 23.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, Interfax, and RIA Novosti

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-elections-primorsky-authorities- annul-results-of-fraud-marred-vote/29499711.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US Sanctions Chinese Entity Over Purchase of Russian Fighters, S-400s  Treasury

Sputnik News

20:34 20.09.2018(updated 21:33 20.09.2018)

The Trump administration says it has yet to make a decision on whether to sanction other potential buyers of the Russian air defense system.

The US Treasury has slapped the Chinese Military Commission's Equipment Development Department with sanctions, accusing the agency of violating US sanctions against Moscow by buying 10 Russian Sukhoi Su-35 4++ generation fighter jets and Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

A senior administration official said the measures, which also target Equipment Development Department head Li Shangfu, were aimed at "imposing costs on Russia in response to its malign activities." The official emphasized that the sanctions were not designed to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country.

The administration has not made a decision on whether to sanction other countries that purchase the advanced Russian air defense system. The S-400 is currently operated by Russia, China and Belarus, but Turkey, India, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Iraq have also expressed interest in the system.

The sanctions are being enforced through the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act introduced and signed into law in August 2017. The White House official said China purchased the Su-35s in December 2017, and several S-400s in January 2018.

Earlier on Thursday, Washington added 33 Russian officials and entities to its Russian defense and intelligence sector blacklist, subjecting anyone who does business with these persons and entities to sanctions under CAATSA. "We will continue to vigorously implement CAATSA and urge all countries to curtail relationships with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors, both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauer said of the new restrictions.

Also on Thursday, President Donald Trump gave the Treasury Department the authority to impose sanctions against Russia. The Treasury said its sanctions may include the freezing of all properties associated with sanctioned individuals, prohibitions on financial transactions, credit transfers or payments between institutions, visa denials, and more.

The US's latest round of sanctions against Russia were introduced in August over what Washington claimed was Russia's use of chemical weapons against former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the southern English town of Salisbury in March. Russia called the measures "counterproductive and senseless," and denied any involvement in the affair. The US and its NATO allies have hit Moscow with several waves of sanctions since the 2014 Ukraine crisis and Crimea's reunification with Russia. US congressmen have also called for additional sanctions against Russia over its alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. Moscow has dismissed the meddling claims as "absurd."

Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized what he said was Washington's "sanctions-first" approach to diplomacy. "First, they announce sanctions, then more sanctions, and only after that they open talks," Lavrov said, adding that such a policy wasn't likely to lead to any long-term success.

 Sputnik

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US Put 33 Russian Officials to Sanction List After Treasury Receives New Powers

Sputnik News

17:37 20.09.2018(updated 21:51 20.09.2018)

In early August, the United States announced a new round of sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in UK's Salisbury in March.

The United States has added 33 people and entities to its Russian defense and intelligence sector blacklist, meaning that anyone who does business with them will face mandatory US sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, the State Department said in a press release on Thursday.

"The Secretary of State is adding 33 additional persons  both entities and individuals  to the CAATSA section 231 List of Specified Persons (LSP) for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation," the release said. "Any person who is determined to have knowingly engaged in a significant transaction with any of these persons will be subject to mandatory sanctions under CAATSA section 231."

As State Department spokesperson Heather Nauer stated, commenting on the move, the US Administration will continue to implement the CAATSA and calls on other countries to stop contacts with Russian defense and intelligence sector figures.

"We will continue to vigorously implement CAATSA and urge all countries to curtail relationships with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors, both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide," Nauert said.

Russia has repeatedly denied accusations of elections meddling in different countries, calling them "absolutely unsubstantiated." Washington has initiated two independent probes to find the collusion between US President Donald Trump and Moscow, but no substantial evidence of the meddling has been found.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump has given the Department of Treasury the authority, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), to impose sanctions on Russia, the White House said in a press release.

"I have authorized the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to take such actions, including promulgating rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA and certain sections of CAATSA [Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act] and UFSA [Ukraine Freedom Support Act] as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the Executive Order," the release said.

The Treasury Department declared that these sanctions may result in freezing all property and interest in property of sanctioned individuals, prohibitions on financial transactions transfers of credit or payments between the institutions, denial of visas and travel to the United States.

The extended section of the IEEPA could be applied to making donations for the benefit of a sanctioned individual whose property in the United States is blocked.

In August, the US administration announced new sanctions against Russia, consisting of two packages, due to its alleged use of chemical weapons against Russian former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK city of Salisbury in March.

The first wave of restrictions took effect on August 22.

Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in the Skripal case, stressing that London has neither provided evidence nor cooperated with Moscow in investigating the incident.

 Sputnik

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Sanctions Under Section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA)

Press Statement

Heather Nauert

Department Spokesperson

Washington, DC

September 20, 2018

Today, President Donald J. Trump issued a new Executive Order, "Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act." This action furthers the implementation of certain sanctions in Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) with respect to the Russian Federation. Consistent with this Executive Order, the Secretary of State is taking two actions today to implement his delegated authorities pursuant to section 231 of CAATSA and to further impose costs on the Russian Government in response to its malign activities.

First, the Secretary of State is adding 33 additional persons  both entities and individuals  to the CAATSA section 231 List of Specified Persons (LSP) for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation. Any person who is determined to have knowingly engaged in a significant transaction with any of these persons will be subject to mandatory sanctions under CAATSA section 231. This action increases the number of persons identified on the LSP to 72.

Second, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, has imposed sanctions pursuant to section 231 of CAATSA on the Chinese entity Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms export entity, which is on the LSP. These significant transactions involved Russia's delivery to China of Su-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018. The sanctions being imposed on EDD are a denial of export licenses; a prohibition on foreign exchange transactions under United States jurisdiction; a prohibition on transactions with the United States financial system; blocking of all property and interests in property within United States jurisdiction; and the imposition of sanctions on an EDD principal executive officer, its director Li Shangfu, which include a prohibition on foreign exchange transactions under United States jurisdiction, a prohibition on transactions with the United States financial system, blocking of all property and interests in property within United States jurisdiction, and a visa ban.

These Department of State sanctions actions are the result of United States' implementation of Title II of CAATSA, which Congress passed in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities. We will continue to vigorously implement CAATSA and urge all countries to curtail relationships with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors, both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide.



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Russia, Turkey 'optimistic' about Syria's Idlib deal, working out details: UN official

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 02:45PM

Russia and Turkey say they are optimistic about but still working on a demilitarized buffer zone to separate Syrian government troops from Takfiri militant groups in the northwestern province of Idlib, says the UN humanitarian adviser, as Ankara seeks to forestall a full-scale military operation by Damascus against terrorists in the militant-held region.

Jan Egeland, the chair of the United Nations task force on humanitarian access in Syria, said at a press conference in Geneva on Thursday that representatives of both countries had made the announcement at a weekly meeting of the taskforce in the Swiss city earlier in the day.

"We invited Russia and Turkey to explain to us what's in the deal, the basic message was we're very optimistic that the two of us can work this out to avoid bloodshed, to avoid the big war," Egeland said.

"A lot of areas would not see war, hopefully, but there could be more clashes between armed opposition groups," Egeland added.

His comments came three days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Russia's coastal city of Sochi, and agreed to divide Idlib into a demilitarized zone between militant-held and government-controlled areas.

It is estimated that an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 members of different factions of armed groups, which Russia and Turkey consider terrorists, are active in the volatile province, which is home to around three million inhabitants.

Furthermore, Ankara supports tens of thousands of other militants, describing them as members of the so-called "moderate" armed factions fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Damascus and Moscow brand all of the armed factions in the region as terrorists.

Damascus has already said that it is preparing for a full-scale military operation against terrorists.

The Turkish government has been trying to persuade its loyal armed groups to evacuate Idlib in a purported bid to avert the anti-terror operation. However, it has not said how it would persuade them to disarm. Previous attempts have failed and the upcoming offensive is causing frictions among militants.

Some 60 percent of the province is said to be controlled by 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 Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.

At the Sochi summit, Putin said the agreement was that all heavy weapons be withdrawn from the buffer zone and that armed groups, including the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, would have to pull out of the zone. The demilitarized zone will enter into force by October 15, he added.

Erdogan, for his part, said at the joint news briefing that the two nations would carry out coordinated military patrols on the borders of the demilitarized zone.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country.

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The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, praised the progress in the economic growth of Georgia after she met with Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze in Washington on September 20, a statement from the IMF said.

"Prime Minister Bakhtadze and I discussed the good progress under Georgias economic reform program supported by the IMFs $285 million Extended Fund Facility," the statement quoted Lagarde as saying.

"The Georgian economy is showing strong signs of recovery, supported by prudent macroeconomic policies," the IMF chief added.

"We also discussed the importance of advancing Georgias ambitious reform agenda to support investment, education, and competitiveness, with the ultimate goal of achieving sustainable and inclusive growth, which will benefit all Georgians. I reiterated the Funds commitment to support Georgia and its people," TASS cited Lagarde as saying.

The Georgian parliaments members approved 36-year-old Bakhtadze for the post of the countrys prime minister on June 20.
Russian embassy: Israel's irresponsible acts let to plane downing in Syria

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 01:27PM

Moscow's embassy in Tel Aviv lashes out at Israel for its "irresponsible and unfriendly actions," which led to the deaths of 15 Russian servicemen aboard an ill-fated aircraft in Syria, as Israel's air force commander visits Russia to give explanations on the tragic incident.

In a Thursday tweet, the Russian diplomatic mission pinned the blame for the recent accidental downing of the surveillance plane in Syria's Latakia Province on Israel's Air Force, which was conducting aerial assaults against Syrian army positions when the incident happened.

"Moscow views as irresponsible and unfriendly actions of Israeli Air Force, which exposed Russian Il-20 aircraft to danger and lead to death of 15 servicemen," the tweet said.

"Russia would take all necessary measures to eliminate threat to life and security of our military fighting against terrorism," it added.

The Russian Il-20 was mistakenly shot down by Syrian air defenses when it was preparing to land in the Moscow-run Hmeimim airbase in Latakia. The Syrian S-200 missile defense system was responding to a wave of strikes by four Israeli warplanes.

Moscow blamed Tel Aviv for the incident, saying its military planes deliberately "created a dangerous situation" that led to the crash.

The Russian military also said the ill-fated plane was used as a cover by the Israeli air force, and that Moscow reserves the right to give a due response.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in turn, censured Israeli air raids as a breach of Syrian sovereignty, saying the regime failed to respect previous agreements on the prevention of such incidents in Syrian skies.

Israel's envoy to Moscow was also summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Russian embassy's tweet coincided with the arrival in Moscow of Israeli Air Force Commander Amikam Norkin, where he is set to brief Russian officials on how the incident happened.

At the request of Damascus, the Russian military has been offering assistance to Syrian armed forces on the battleground against a myriad of terror groups wreaking havoc in the Arab country.

Many of those terror groups have the backing of Israel and its allies in their bid to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The regime has over the past years carried out numerous strikes against Syrian army positions in what is widely viewed as an attempt to help the terrorists survive in the face of successful Syrian army operations.

According to Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz, the regime has taken military action within Syria more than 200 times in the last two years alone.

Defying criticisms of Tel Aviv's unlawful military actions against Syrian soil, the Israeli minister for military affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, said Thursday that the regime will not stop such attacks, but would do more to "de-conflict" them with Russian forces.

Earlier, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent a letter of condolences to Putin over the deaths of Russian servicemen, saying the incident cannot undermine the resolve of Moscow and Damascus to fight the terrorists.

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Israel is to blame for crash of Russian plane: Syrian president

Iran Press TV

Thu Sep 20, 2018 05:54AM

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the Tel Aviv regime is to blame for the tragic deaths of over a dozen Russian servicemen aboard an Il-20 surveillance aircraft, which was accidentally shot down by Syrian air defenses while they were responding to a wave of Israeli air raids.

In a Wednesday letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Assad said the "unfortunate incident" was a result of "Israeli arrogance and depravity," adding that the Tel Aviv regime always resorts to the "dirtiest means to achieve its goals."

The Syrian leader also offered his nation's "deep condolences" on the "martyrdom of the Russian heroes who were doing their noble duties along with their colleagues of the Russian military forces in the fight against terrorism in Syria."

Assad expressed confidence that such incidents would not affect joint Moscow-Damascus fight against terrorism, the official news agency SANA reported.

"We are determined that such tragic events will sway neither you nor us from continuing the fight against terrorism," Assad wrote.

The Russian plane carrying 15 service members disappeared from radars on Monday night as four Israeli jet fighters were attacking state institutions in Syria's Latakia Province, which is home to Russia-run Khmeimim airbase.

Russia's Defense Ministry held Israel responsible for the incident, saying the regime's warplanes "created a dangerous situation" that led to the downing of the Russian aircraft by Syria's S-200 missile defense system.

Israel's ambassador to Moscow was also summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also slammed the regime's aerial operations against Syria as a violation of the Arab country's sovereignty, saying, "Russian-Israeli agreements on the prevention of dangerous incidents were not observed" in this case.

Tel Aviv does not usually acknowledge the strikes it conducts in support of the terrorists operating in Syria, but the downing of the Russian plane drew a rare admission from the regime.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed regret over the deaths, and "offered to send the Israeli Air Force commander to Moscow to deliver all the necessary details" for the investigation, a statement by his office said.

A delegation led by Amikam Norkin, the regime's air force commander, will travel to Moscow on Thursday with information about the crash.

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Israeli Air Force Chief Travels To Moscow Amid Shoot-Down Anger

RFE/RL September 20, 2018

The chief of the Israeli Air Force is traveling to Moscow on September 20 for discussions after a Russian military surveillance plane was shot down over Syria's coast, killing 15 Russian service-members.

Russia has acknowledged that antiaircraft forces of its ally Syria inadvertently brought down the Il-20 plane, but it also blamed Israel for conducting a fighter-jet raid on Syrian forces around the same time.

Israel on September 18 said Syrian antiaircraft batteries "fired indiscriminately" and failed to ensure that no Russian planes were in the air during the incident on September 17.

Russia, along with Iran, has given Syrian President Bashar al-Assad support throughout the country's seven-year civil war, which began with a government crackdown on protesters in March 2011.

Russian air support has been particularly crucial in allowing Assad to hold off Islamic insurgents and Western-backed rebels and maintain power.

The Israeli Army said Major General Amikam Norkin and other top officers will travel to Moscow to "present the situation report of the event regarding all aspects, including the pre-mission information and the findings of the [Israel Defense Forces] inquiry."

It added that the delegation would "present the continuous Iranian attempts to transfer strategic weapons to [Hizballah]...and to establish an Iranian military presence in Syria."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered Russia "all necessary information" to investigate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spoke to Netanyahu by phone on September 18, called it "a chain of tragic chance events."

But he added that Russia needed to "seriously get to the bottom of what happened" and said he accepted Israel's offer to provide information and that his government would study the details.

The Israeli military said its jets had targeted a Syrian site that was in the process of transferring weapons to Iran-backed Hizballah militants. It added that Israeli planes were already in Israeli airspace when Syria fired the missiles that hit the Russian plane.

Israel insisted it warned Russian forces of its raid ahead of time in accordance with previous agreements.

Russia's Defense Ministry said the Israeli warning came less than a minute before the strike, and it accused the Israeli military of using the Russian plane as a cover to dodge Syrian defense systems.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials expressed sorrow over the shootdown of the Russian plane and added that American forces were not involved in the incident.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized Iran, which has reportedly shipped sophisticated weaponry to the Hizballah fighters in Lebanon.

President Donald Trump also expressed concern about the downed Russian plane, calling it a "very sad thing" and saying it was "not a good situation."

With reporting by AFP and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/israel-russia-syria- iran-plane-shot-down/29499543.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Israel Reiterates Its Stance on Russian IL-20 Downing in Syria

Sputnik News

15:59 20.09.2018(updated 17:01 20.09.2018)

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he understands Moscow's accusations of involvement in the Russian Il-20 crash, but reiterated that the responsibility for the incident lies on the Syrian militaries.

"We also expressed our condolences in connection with the death of 15 officers of the Russian army in this plane, shot down by the Syrians. I spoke with the Russian Minister of Defense. Naturally, one can understand their attitude at this time," Lieberman said on air.

"I agree that  it was a tragic accident, but the army of [Syrian President Bashar] Assad is responsible for it," the minister added.

In the radio interview with radio station Galei Tzahal, Lieberman emphasized that Israel has no alternative but to continue operations in Syria to counter Iran's military presence and the transfer of modern weapons to the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

"We will do everything necessary to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens," he added.

The minister did not answer the question of what to do if Russia, in response to the crash of the Il-20, corrects the existing coordination arrangements in Syria and takes measures that restrict the freedom of action of the Israeli Air Force in this country.

"We have told Russians that we are ready to provide all information and data. The commander of the Israeli Air Force is coming to Russia. We have nothing to hide here," Lieberman told the Army Radio station.

The defense minister noted that the main reason of the Russian plane crash appears to be "the Syrian Army's excess of self-confidence," and again expressed condolences over the death of the Russian servicemen.

Commenting on the accident later in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that it will require additional investigations and explanations from Israel.

"The tragedy that took place on September 17 will require additional investigations and explanations from the Israeli side, and I am confident that they will follow in the very near future," Zakharova said at a briefing.

"For my part, I believe that the Israeli pilots, as a result of whose actions a threat was created and the Russian aircraft was destroyed, acted at least unprofessionally," she said.

The Russian Hmeymim air base had lost contact with the crew of the Russian Il-20 military aircraft late on Monday during an attack by four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia.

 Sputnik

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Russian Troops Patrol Golan Heights After Incident Involving Downing of IL-20

Sputnik News

15:07 20.09.2018(updated 15:20 20.09.2018)

Russian military police have been deployed to de-escalation zones across Syria since late 2016 to help maintain security in the war-torn country amid the ongoing operations by the Syrian military and its allies to clear Syria of a collection of mostly jihadist militants.

Russian troops and personnel from the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria have carried out a patrol of recently liberated settlements in Syria's Quneitra governorate and the UN-demarked demilitarized border area with the Israeli-held portion of the Golan Heights. The patrol was conducted from the central to the southern portion of the territory, and included visits to the settlements of al-Rafid, Adra and Maariya.

"In this area, we ensured the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the population affected by the fighting," patrol deputy commander Lieut. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko said, speaking to reporters. "We are overseeing the observance of the UN resolution on arms limitations along the Bravo Line on the Syrian side. In this way, we are assisting the UN body in monitoring reconciliation."

Along the way, Russian peacekeepers provided security for repair teams, and visited schools, hospitals, permanent Russian military police posts as well as a center providing amnesty for militants and local residents who collaborated with militants before their territories were freed.

The patrol also checked the security of the routes along which UN peacekeepers travel in their mission to observe the ceasefire in the Golan Heights between Syria and Israel.

"We are confident that UN patrols will follow in the tracks of the Russian military police," Kuralenko said. "UN forces have not been in these areas for over six years, and today people see only the flags of Russia and Syria. I am confident that our efforts will help the UN forces fulfill their tasks in the central part of the demilitarized zone, and in its southernmost point. It can be said that in carrying out our tasks in the town of Rafid, as well as the settlements of Adra and Maariya, we have paved the way for the UN forces."

The Golan Heights is an 1,800-square-kilometer piece of Syrian territory, 1,200 square kilometers of which was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and formally annexed in 1981. The UN Security Council condemned the annexation of the region and called the decision to impose Israeli "laws, jurisdiction and administration" over the territory "null and void and without international legal effect." In 2016, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Tel Aviv would never return the occupied portion of the Golan Heights to Syria. The UN deployed the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for Syria in 1974 and tasked it with ensuring the maintenance of the ceasefire between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic. The UNDOF pulled out of the area in 2014 after coming under repeat attack from al-Qaeda-affiliated militants*. UN peacekeepers returned to the Golan Heights last month after the Syrian Army cleared the territory of the terrorists.

During the conflict in Syria, much of southern Syria, including the Syrian-controlled portion of the Golan Heights, was occupied by terrorists. Last month, the Syrian Army discovered a warehouse containing large stocks of US and Israeli-made weapons, food, and supplies.

Friendly relations between Russia and Israel took a turn for the worse this week after the Russian military lost contact with the crew of a Russian Il-20 military aircraft during an Israeli attack on Syrian targets in Latakia. It was later revealed that the plane had been brought down by friendly fire from Syria. On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense accused the Israeli military of deliberately creating a dangerous situation by using the Russian plane as a shield against Syrian air defense systems. All 15 servicemen onboard the Russian plane were killed.

*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

 Sputnik

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Russian MoD Refutes Claim Il-20 Hit Due to Failure in Friend/Foe Identification

Sputnik News

11:28 20.09.2018(updated 12:11 20.09.2018)

Each state has its own Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system and Russia does not install its identification systems on armaments exported abroad, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

The ministry said that there were no precedents where it had transferred IFF systems with Russian identification codes to other states.

"The IFF system of state recognition is strictly individual for each state, and even for weapons and military equipment exported from Russia within the framework of military-technical cooperation, it has never been installed. All this fully applies to the domestic air defense systems delivered to the Syrian Arab Republic," Konashenkov said.

"The IFF system of state recognition used by Russia is only used by aircraft and air defense systems identified as Russian. There have never been any precedents for the transfer of such a system, together with Russian identification codes, to another state, and in principle cannot be," Konashenkov said.

The Russian Hmeymim air base had lost contact with the crew of the Russian Il-20 military aircraft late on Monday during an attack by four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the Israeli military deliberately created a dangerous situation by using the Russian aircraft as a shield against Syrian air defense systems.

 Sputnik

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Idlib deal could save three million 'from catastrophe' says UN chief, as militants are urged to lay down arms

20 September 2018 - A deal reached between Russia and Turkey to create a demilitarized buffer zone protecting citizens "from catastrophe" in Syria's Idlib region is a welcome development, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, before urging all parties to make a "strong commitment" to it.

"I welcome the agreement three days ago between President Erdogan of Turkey and President Putin of Russia, to create a demilitarized buffer zone in Idlib", Mr Guterres told journalists in New York.

"If properly implemented, this could save three million civilians  including one million children  from catastrophe."

In his appeal to "all the parties" to implement the agreement, the UN chief highlighted the need to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian access.

International humanitarian law must also be respected and everyone involved in the more than seven-year conflict should work "urgently for greater progress" in the Geneva process to find a political solution to the situation.

Mr Guterres's comments followed a meeting earlier in the day of the Humanitarian Access Task Force on Syria, led by Senior Adviser to the UN Jan Egeland.

Echoing the UN chief's comments, Mr Egeland said that the deal between Russia and Turkey was a welcome development, before appealing to armed militants there not to fight "to the last civilian".

"What some groups have said is that they are preparing to fight," Mr Egeland told journalists in Geneva. "And our message to them iswe hope you're not going to fight to the last civilian".

After meeting with more than 20 Member States, Mr Egeland explained that the fine detail of the freshly-inked deal had yet to be decided.

"We were informed of the details of the agreement," he said. "We were also informed that many details are being worked out and that the two countries, Russia and Turkey, would be in contact with us as humanitarians, to explain how we can ensure protection of civilians, access for the 12,000 humanitarians who are inside of the zone and the many who will continue assistance, both cross-border and potentially cross-line, from Government-controlled areas."

The agreement between Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia's President Vladimir Putin reportedly creates a 15-20-kilometre-wide de-escalation zone in Idlib to be patrolled by Russian and Turkish troops.

The Special Advisor to the UN highlighted the dangers of further violence in Syria's last opposition-held area, where half of Idlib's population of nearly three million are internally-displaced civilians and a million are children.

It was essential that the aid lifeline from Turkey to Syria "must not be cut" by fighting "that could still happen" as part of this agreement, he said.

Some 10,000 fighters in Idlib are classified as terrorists by the UN.

Insisting that the "ruthless and reckless armed groups" which had committed crimes in Syria should not escape justice, Mr Egeland said that he hoped interlocutors would offer them alternatives to fighting.

"The listed organizations, terrorist organizations have many, thousands and thousands of fighters. They are in many parts of Idlib," he said. "And among them are many who say they would fight until the end, and that is very, very worrisome."

With so many armed groups there vying for control, the Senior Advisor to the UN called on Member States reiterated that it was a "war crime" to blend into civilian populations and to locate next to homes, schools or hospitals.

"The so-called 'war on terror' is not called off," Mr Egeland said. "On the contrary, there will be in the future air raids against the listed organizations. There will also be fighting between armed groups, armed actors and the so-called terrorists, the so-called radicals."

'Too few' judgements so far on serious crimes committed during Syria conflict

Also in Geneva, the head of the UN-appointed International, Independent and Impartial Mechanism (IIIM) into the worst crimes committed in Syria announced that there had been "far too few" judgments made against perpetrators to date.

Criminal investigations taking place in a number of countries - notably in Europe - were "undeniably a source of hope" for victims, Catherine Marchi-Uhel told journalists.

"But the road is still a long one," she added, noting that "the large majority" remained "disillusioned" by the absence of the possibility of justice for them at an international level.

After starting work on evidence-gathering earlier this year, the Mechanism has so far collected almost 900,000 records, the equivalent of four terabytes of data.

This includes "high-value" testimonies gathered by other UN accountability bodies such as the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Ms. Marchi-Uhel explained, adding that the Mechanism also engages with national war crimes units in various States and with Syrian non-governmental organizations.

To date, the Mechanism has received seven requests for assistance from national prosecutors. It expects to open "two or more specific investigative case files" before the end of the year, the IIM head said.

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UN Official: Buffer Zone in Syria's Idlib Province Averts War for Now

By Lisa Schlein September 20, 2018

A Russian-Turkish agreement to create a demilitarized buffer zone between the Syrian army and rebels inside Syria's northern Idlib province has averted a war for now, according to a senior United Nations official.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed to set aside a large area along the border between Turkey and Idlib to potentially protect some 3 million civilians from attack. Turkey already shelters more than 3 million Syrian refugees and fears a massive exodus into its territory if Idlib were under attack.

Jan Egeland, a senior adviser of the U.N. special envoy for Syria, says he was informed of the agreement's details during a meeting of a U.N.-backed task force on humanitarian access in Syria. Egeland says he feels relieved the countdown to war was stopped at the "11th hour."

Egeland says the threatened military onslaught by Syrian and Russian forces to retake Idlib, the last rebel-held enclave in Syria, would have risked the lives of the civilians, including one million children.

He says the Russian-Turkish agreement bought more time for diplomats and politicians to protect civilians inside the buffer zone and avert a catastrophic humanitarian disaster.

"What I understand is that the so-called war on terror is not called off," Egeland said. "On the contrary, there will be in the future, air raids against the listed organizations. There will also be fighting between armed groups, armed actors and the so-called terrorists, the so-called radicals."

Under the deal, Egeland says only al-Nusra and other U.N.-listed terrorist groups can be attacked. These groups, which number about 10,000, will be moved outside the buffer zone, he says, adding that other "more moderate fighters" supported by Turkey will not be attacked.

Egeland warns that the terrorist groups will be scattered in different parts of Idlib, which is cause for alarm. Many of the groups vow to fight to the end, he says, but efforts will be made to reach out to them to try to get them not to fight to the last fighter and not to fight to the last civilian in their areas.

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United Kingdom  SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS)

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 18-36

WASHINGTON, September 20, 2018 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom of three (3) SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV) MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS) for an estimated cost of $90 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on September 19, 2018.

The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has requested to buy three (3) SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV) MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS). Also included are spares; handling equipment; test equipment; operator manuals and technical documentation; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, training, technical, and logistical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $90 million.

This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally which has been, and continues to be, an important partner on critical foreign policy and defense issues.

The proposed sale of the SDV MK 11 SWCS will continue UK's maritime partnership, interoperability, and regional security capability. The UK has a proven track record of successfully deploying predecessor system. The UK will have no difficulty absorbing this system into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractor will be Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. (TBE), Huntsville, Alabama. There are no known offset agreements expected to be proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips by USG and contractor representatives to participate in program and technical reviews, plus training and maintenance support in country as required.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-

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UK fighter jets intercept Russian bombers approaching UK airspace

Russian Blackjack bombers were not talking to air traffic control, making them a hazard to all other aviation

20 September 2018

Today (20 September), RAF Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Typhoon fighter aircraft scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth to monitor two Russian planes approaching UK airspace. The Russian Blackjacks long-range bombers were not talking to air traffic control, making them a hazard to all other aviation.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

"Russian bombers probing UK airspace is another reminder of the very serious military challenge that Russia poses us today."

"We will not hesitate to continually defend our skies from acts of aggression. Once again the rapid reactions of our RAF have demonstrated how vital our Armed Forces are in protecting Britain."

The RAF worked closely with NATO partners to monitor the jets as they passed through a variety of international airspace before they were intercepted by the RAF over the North Sea. Subsequently, our fighters escorted the Russian Blackjacks north, out of the UK's area of interest. At no time did the Russian bombers enter UK sovereign airspace.

RAF QRA was launched today because the Russian Military aircraft were not talking to air traffic agencies. The RAF routinely intercept, identify and escort Russian aircraft that transit international airspace within the UK's area of interest and continue to be on call; 24/7, 365.

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The high-level event on the Syria crisis will be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 26 September.

"The EU will host a fifth high-level event on the Syria crisis on 26 September, chaired by High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini and Commissioner Christos Stylianides, reaffirming EU and international support to a political solution to the Syria conflict and address the humanitarian and resilience needs of those affected by the crisis inside Syria and across the region," the European Commission said in a press release.

In late August, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security, said that they will have a ministerial meeting on Syria in New York in the margins of the UN General Assembly.
Ukraine's Top Court To Review Constitutional Amendments On EU, NATO Membership Goal

September 20, 2018

Ukrainian lawmakers have voted to submit draft bills to the country's top court that would enshrine Ukraine's course toward Euro-Atlantic integration in the constitution.

A total of 321 lawmakers voted on September 20 to appeal to the Constitutional Court to review the proposed amendments.

After the court issues its judgment, the draft bills will return to the Verkhovna Rada where they will need at least 300 votes to pass.

Earlier in the day, President Petro Poroshenko told lawmakers that Ukraine needs the constitutional amendments to make EU and NATO membership its long-term goal.

In his annual address to parliament on Ukraine's domestic and foreign policy, Poroshenko said the Ukrainian armed forces will meet the criteria for NATO membership by 2020.

The move comes amid continued fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists in a conflict that has killed more than 10,300 in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.

Peace accords signed in Belarus's capital, Minsk, in September 2014 and February 2015, have failed to put an end to the fighting.

Moscow's support for the separatists and its seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 prompted the United States, the European Union, and others to impose sanctions on Russia.

In his speech, Poroshenko warned that there was a risk of the international sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine being eased.

"We will consistently oppose attempts to ease the sanctions pressure on Russia," he said. "But know that there is a risk of softening [sanctions]."

Making concessions to Russia before it had handed the Crimean Peninsula back to Ukraine would be a defeat for international law, the president added.

As Poroshenko delivered his address, four people were reported injured in clashes between police officers and demonstrators outside the parliament building. At least one police officer was taken to hospital.

The demonstrators were calling for a relaxation of the rules on gaining Ukrainian citizenship for foreigners who have fought for Ukraine against the separatists in the country's east.

With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-s-top-court- to-review-constitutional-amendments-on-eu- nato-membership-goal/29500399.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukraine's Poroshenko Sees 'Risk' Of Russia Sanctions Easing

September 20, 2018

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has warned that there is a risk of international sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine being eased.

In his annual address to parliament on Ukraine's domestic and foreign policy, Poroshenko warned on September 20 that making concessions to Russia before it had handed the Crimean Peninsula back to Ukraine would be a defeat for international law.

"We will consistently oppose attempts to ease the sanctions pressure on Russia," he told the Verkhovna Rada. "But know that there is a risk of softening [sanctions]."

Moscow's takeover of the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine prompted the United States, the European Union, and others to impose sanctions on Russia.

Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and the Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 10,300 since April 2014.

Peace accords signed in Belarus's capital, Minsk, in September 2014 and February 2015, have failed to put an end to the fighting.

Outside the parliament building on September 20, at least four people were injured in clashes between police officers and demonstrators calling for foreigners who take part in the conflict to be granted citizenship

Based on reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-s-poroshenko-sees- risk-of-russia-sanctions-easing/29500169.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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A solemn ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament has been held at Milli Majlis in Baku today. It was attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The head of state is making a speech at the meeting.

Chairman of the Parliament Ogtay Asadov said in the article dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Azerbaijani Parliament that the Azerbaijani Parliament, 100 years ago, built its work on principles that are characteristic of democratic states.

For a period of just 17 months, the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) held 145 meetings, the last of which was held on April 27, 1920, the Milli Majlis head recalls.

More than 270 bills were submitted to the parliaments discussion, about 230 of which were adopted. "The laws were adopted only after the third reading, and the legislative acts covered various spheres of state and public life. The laws 'On Azerbaijani citizenship', 'On the establishment of the National Bank' and a number of other laws were adopted, state attributes - national anthem and flag of the republic  were approved, a contest was announced in connection with the creation of the state coat of arms," the article reads.

For the first time, the ADR parliament announced the Azerbaijani language as a state language, and a special law was adopted in this regard. "Women in the ADR were among the first ones in the world to be given the right to vote, and this happened for the first time in the East. The parliament paid serious attention to the development of economic, trade and other ties with neighboring countries," Asadov noted. "The laws and decisions adopted in parliament played an important role in determining the main directions of the governments activity," the article stressed.

As a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Azerbaijan regained its independence. "The events that took place in the first years of independence almost repeated the events that took place in 1918-1920 - Armenian aggression, provocations of foreign states against Azerbaijan were of the same nature. Azerbaijan faced serious problems and was in a desperate situation," the head of Milli Majlis noted. "In 1993, the great leader Heydar Aliyev, who prevented the split of Azerbaijan, and saved it from the tragedies, returned to the leadership of the country. The four months, during which Heydar Aliyev headed the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan, played an important role in the development of parliamentary culture in our country, helped determine the directions of the formation of a modern professional parliament," Asadov pointed out.

Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, congratulated the Azerbaijani colleagues on this significant date. "I want to congratulate my friend Oktay Sabirovich Asadov and all the Milli Majlis deputies on the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani parliament and wish the Azerbaijani MPs and the hard-working people of Azerbaijan health, good luck and love," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message to Armenia's President and Prime Minister, Armen Sarkisyan and Nikol Pashinyan, congratulating them on Armenias Independence Day.

In his message, Putin says that relations between Russia and Armenia are based on good friendship traditions, mutual respect and spiritual affinity.

"I am sure that we will manage to ensure by joint efforts further development to our allied relations, multifaceted bilateral cooperation and partnership as part of integration processes in Eurasian space. This, without doubt, is in tune with the interests of Russia and Armenias people as well as with regional stability," the Russian president said.

Putin wished health and success to Pashinyan and welfare and prosperity to Armenian people.
Russia and Turkey have agreed on the borders of an Idlib demilitarized zone in Syria, Russias foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Speaking during a visit to Sarajevo, the top Russian diplomat said that Nusra front fighters should leave the zone by mid-October, but stressed that the United States' control over the eastern bank of the Euphrates river posed the main threat to Syria's territorial integrity.

"We are already drawing conclusions, doing all necessary not to depend on those countries that are acting that way with their international partners," Interfax cited the minister as saying.

Lavrov noted that the decision of Moscow and Ankara on Idlib is an intermediate step, adding that it will prevent the shelling of Syrian troops at Hmeymim base.
A Turkish court ordered an Austrian journalist to be kept in jail ahead of a trial on terror charges following his detention last week.

Max Zirngast, who writes for the far-left German-language magazine Re:volt, was detained in Ankara on September 11 and formally arrested by the Ankara court late Thursday, his lawyer Tamer Dogan said.

The lawyer added that Zirngast, 29, was charged with being a member of an extreme leftist terror organisation, AFP reported.

The Austrian has been in Turkey for three years and was a masters student at Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in the political sciences department.

He is accused of being a member of the Turkish Communist Party (TKP)/Kivilcim group, which is banned by Turkey as a terror organisation.

Two other suspects, Hatice Goz and Mithatcan Turetken, were also kept in jail by the court in the capital on the same charge. But the lawyer and student claimed such an organisation "doesn't exist".

"Max has no links with any illegal organisation," Dogan said, adding that the student rejected the allegations against him.

"He is a journalist working in the scope of the law," the lawyer insisted.
By imposing sanctions against Russia's defense industry, the United States has no intention to undermine the Russian Federation's military capabilities, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

"Section 231 of CAATSA and todays actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country, but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the United States election process, its unacceptable behavior in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities," according to the statement of the office of the spokesperson.

Earlier, it was reported that the U.S. imposed sanctions on the Chinese military for buying Russia's fighter jets and missile systems. The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known as the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.
The United States imposed sanctions on the Chinese military for buying Russia's fighter jets and missile systems.

The U.S. State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD), the branch of the Chinese military responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in "significant transactions" with Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms exporter.

The sanctions are related to Chinas purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.

They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating in the U.S. financial system, Reuters reported.

It also adds them to the Treasury Departments list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.

The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known as the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.
GREENWICH  A wrongful death lawsuit involving a 15-year-old boy who killed himself after what his parents say were years of being bullied is headed to the highest court in the state.

In August, the state Appellate Court said the trial court judge was correct in rejecting the towns request to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the family of Bart Palosz, based on claims of immunity. The town is now appealing that decision to the state Supreme Court.

Bartlomiej Bart Palosz shot himself in the head after the first day of his sophomore year at Greenwich High School in August 2013. His family said officials did not investigate or discipline students who had bullied their son, and they filed a suit against the town of Greenwich and the Board of Education.

Lawyer representing the Board of Education and the town have petitioned the Supreme Court to hear the argument for dismissal. The court may or may not review the case.

The lawyer for the town, Harold Friedman, is making the argument that there are important legal issues involved in the Palosz case. Friedman is again raising the issue of sovereign immunity, which he said asserts that government employees or bodies cannot be sued for their official acts. The petition to the state Supreme Court also says there needs to be clarification of state anti-bullying policy regarding schools.

The plaintiff in this case has filed a complaint which raises significant legal questions which could affect the outcome, Friedman wrote in an email. In this case it has raised questions of law which have not been previously addressed by the Supreme Court of the State of Connecticut. The parties have an obligation to review and determine whether or not these issues of law affect its potential liability and responsibility for damages that have been sustained.

No one minimizes the tragedy of this young mans death, he continued, but sympathy is not allowed to be a factor in determining the liability of a party. Because of the importance of these issues, and after careful consideration, the defendants are requesting the Supreme Court to review the legal issues.

Besides the issue of sovereign immunity, the petition says the court has an obligation to look at the question of anti-bullying law. It states that the ruling by the Appellate Court conflicts with the language of state law and will open the floodgates to litigation over the manner in which local boards of education comply with that (state) mandate.

A lawyer representing the Palosz family, David Golub, said he was dismayed by the latest petition to the Supreme Court. He said the argument being made by the towns lawyers and the logic it followed was troubling.

The town is saying that, if we cant protect students from bullying, the town has no legal responsibility, he said.

On the issue of immunity, Golub said, I think every court that has looked at this issue has rejected it, and not just in our case, but across the state. This is a claim that has no merit.

More than five years after the death of Bart Palosz, Golub said it is imperative for the case to proceed.

Theyve stayed this case for five years, so no one has to answer the questions. ... Its reprehensible, he said.

Friedman in his email said the Supreme Court petition was not an attempt to delay.

The right to petition for review is a fundamental part of the judicial and appellate process that exists to protect the interests of all parties, especially where, as here, important legal issues are not settled law, he wrote. It is our hope that the Supreme Court will accept our petition and issue its ruling in due course.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
Venture capital (VC) funding in 2017 was the highest its been in 10 years, and the momentum has not slowed down. In the first quarter of 2018 alone, VC investments topped $22 billion. The number and size of investment deals also rose correspondingly, with seven companies receiving $500 million+ rounds since the beginning of the year.

Today, raising a significant amount of capital isnt even surprising anymore. Slack, for instance, just received $427 million in funding, while another San Francisco-based startup called Getaround raised $300 million in Series D funding.

While acquiring capital is still a hurdle for many entrepreneurs, todays trend seems to be about how much capital investment you actually achieve. In a comprehensive article published by the New York Times, Bill Gurley, a managing partner at Benchmark Capital, said, If your competitor is going to raise $150 million, and you want to be conservative and only raise $20 million, youre going to get run over.

Gurley implies that an entrepreneur looking for VC funding today is at a disadvantage if they dont pursue an aggressive amount of capital. Before you get to the conversation about how much you need and are asking for, you must first convince potential investors that your product, service or platform is totally unique and worthy of significant capital. The best way to prepare you and your business for the rigorous scrutiny you will be under is to first do the exercise yourself.

Related: Who Would Invest in Your Startup, and Why?

Mega deals are in limited supply.

Venture capitalists will always rationalize their investments before committing to a deal. Many rising star companies have imploded within months of landing significant funding, leaving the founders and their investors with little to show for their partnerships.

Consider the case of Jawbone, which accrued nearly $930 million in investor funding, but rapidly lost market share and was forced to shut down in 2017. Drugstore.com was another spectacular failure, raising $157 million from investors -- we're talking Amazon and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers -- before folding. These are only a few examples of startups that collapsed, causing investors to lose hundreds of millions of dollars.

Hindsight is always 20/20, so when a large failure hits, everyone is quick to point out the mistakes that should have been so clearly visible in the first place. Investors are in the difficult business of picking winners, which means you as an entrepreneur are in the difficult place of positioning yourself as a winner and proving why your business deserves millions of dollars to pursue its strategies. Without a stellar team, technology or platform, and business plan to communicate your vision for success, investors will be reluctant to get on board.

Here is a checklist to consider before pitching an idea and seeking your mega deal from investors:

1. Know your market and your competitors.

You have already established the basic bar of a talented and inspired team, a competitive and proprietary technology and a strong business plan. But whats next? Drill down to the granular level of each of these key components. For example, no business plan is complete without a comprehensive competitive analysis. If incumbents already have similar products or services on the market, you must be able to strongly demonstrate how your innovation or platform is unique and where and how large the opportunity is.

You should deeply understand your competitors value propositions and the ability for your innovation to upend them. Moreover, you should also be able to determine whether there is a large enough market for a potentially strong return on a VCs investment, especially if you are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars.

Related: This Unlikely VC Has Invested $4 Million in Underrepresented Founders

2. Improve the bottom line.

When reviewing your startups business model, you may identify areas in which you are not deploying existing capital effectively. This may be due to inexperience, in which case some simple financial mentorship could help you improve your spend. However, if you are burning money for nonessential goods and services at the expense of product development, marketing and talent acquisition, those misaligned priorities may indicate deeper problems, which will prevent VCs from investing in you. Its easy to spend someone elses money and hard to spend your own. Dont treat investor money like investor money or fall into the trap of easy come easy go. Treat your dollars as if you earned single one and like every outgoing dollar is a necessity.

3. Do your due diligence.

There is always pressure to act quickly. With such limited time, complete due diligence is nearly impossible, but dont sweat. You can obtain speedy, objective external screenings out there to assess the market potential of your business idea to complement your own internal analysis. Objective opinions can also be obtained to evaluate your proprietary technology. Before investing in your innovation, venture capitalists want reassurance that your idea is unique and an external screening can provide that objective perspective.

Moderna Therapeutics, a Boston startup that develops mRNA-based drugs, raised $625 million in funding, making it the largest Boston-based funding recipient of 2018. Moderna Therapeutics novel platform is among a handful of startups venture capitalists are eager to invest in. Starry, a startup located in Boston and New York, is offering wireless equipment that provides internet speeds up to 1 gigabit. This speed is powered by a technology called "millimeter wave band active phased array," which is the first of its kind. Want to know how much capital this novel idea has attracted already? A whopping $163 million.

If you want to know if your innovation is truly novel, taking time to verify and performing due diligence on it is imperative. There are ways to get help with this and to do it faster. Complementing your internal assessment efforts with an external analysis can really elevate your insights to position your innovation in the best light. At the end of the day, due diligence is rudimentary in finance. Investors will check, check again, and check in to ensure there is progress via completed milestones. Prepare yourself to meet every possible expectation to win the deal you are seeking.

Related: Four Tips on How to Use Intermediaries to Raise Funds

Discern your way to success.

Most of us dont do business looking into a glass ball that tells the future, so discerning the quality and quantity of information to inform your strategies as an entrepreneur is critical. Seeking investments is not meant to be easy, especially when youre seeking mega ones.

Whether youre pitching to a VC, CVC or individual investors, the ability to discern, distill and effectively communicate all the information about your business (i.e. the novelty or proprietary quality of your product and its large market potential) can entice investors to support your vision. Helping investors see a clear and objective picture of your startup will only provide confidence in the millions of dollars they could commit and lead you to realize your startups big success story.

Related:

4 Pieces of Financial Advice Every Budding Entrepreneur Needs to Hear

7 Habits to to Help You Make Smarter Money Decisions

3 Strategies for Entrepreneurs to Win VC Investments



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
The current administration in Washington certainly has its controversies, but one has largely flown under the radar: the Marijuana Policy Coordination Committee.

The bland, bureaucratic name seems contradictory to its alleged goal, which is to counteract positive messages about the legalization of marijuana. Some are concerned the committees larger purpose is to temper or even turn the trend in the last few years of more Americans supporting legalized cannabis.

First reported by Buzzfeed, the committees existence has drawn relatively little attention as the media and the public focus on issues such as the Russia investigation and the anonymous New York Times editorial about the inside workings of President Donald Trumps White House.

But the committees goal is nothing less than to portray marijuana as a national threat, according to documents obtained by Buzzfeed.

Related: Is 2018 the Year Legal Cannabis Finally Comes of Age?

Multi-Agency Effort

The Marijuana Policy Coordination Committee is part of the White Houses independent National Office of Drug Control Policy. The committee has directed 14 different federal agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, to give the committee data on negative trends associated with marijuana and areas where it poses a threat to the nation.

A memo from a July 27 committee meeting obtained by Buzzfeed stated that publicly released information on legalized marijuana has been partial, one-sided, and inaccurate. Rather than seeking objective information, the committee is seeking information from the other side of the argument.

For marijuana supporters, this all smacks of the prohibition movement against marijuana launched in the 1930s that culminated in marijuana becoming a Schedule I illegal drug during the Nixon Administration in the 1970s.

Related: Why the Word 'Recreational' Should Be Retired

Death rattle of prohibition.

Justin Strekal, political director of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said in a statement that the committees actions are the death rattle of marijuana prohibition.

Those who seek to maintain the oppressive policies of cannabis criminalization are grasping at straws in their effort to undo the public policy progresses that have now been enacted in a majority of states, he said.

The committees directives also are biased and unscientific, Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, told Salon.

Related: Coca-Cola Is 'In Talks' to Make Marijuana-Infused Drinks

Contradicting Trump?

Smith also pointed out that the committees objectives contradict what Trump said earlier this year about supporting states rights on the issue of marijuana. Trump actually said he would probably support the issue.

Plenty of people were concerned about that probably.

In the weeks since the Buzzfeed article, theres been mostly silence from the White House on the marijuana issue. The only comment, reported in the original Buzzfeed article, came from deputy White House press secretary Lindsay Walters.

She said the committees work is part of an internal, deliberative process to develop policies that are ensure consistency with the Presidents agenda." What that agenda is when it comes to cannabis remains as opaque as ever.

Follow dispensaries.com on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news.

Related:

Activists Say the White House Trying to Make Legal Marijuana Scary Is a Sign They're Winning

Ending DACA Doesn't Just Hurt Immigrants -- Businesses Across the U.S. Will Feel the Impact

The International Entrepreneur Rule and Innovation: Why Immigrants Help -- Not Harm -- the U.S. Job Market



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
TOKYO - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to hold a second summit with President Donald Trump soon to speed up the denuclearization process, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Thursday.

Moon was speaking on his return to Seoul after a three-day meeting with Kim in Pyongyang. There, Kim promised to allow external inspectors into his country to verify that a missile test and launch site had been permanently dismantled, and he pledged to permanently disable an important nuclear site if the United States also takes "corresponding steps."

Trump responded Wednesday to news from the summit by saying he was "very excited," while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was "prepared to engage immediately" with North Korea to move dialogue ahead.

Moon said Kim wanted Pompeo to come to North Korea as well.

"Chairman Kim Jong Un said he wants Secretary Pompeo's North Korea visit and a second summit with President Trump to happen at the earliest convenience in order to speed up the denuclearization process," Moon told reporters in Seoul.

Moon said Kim also told him that the closure of a nuclear weapons test site at Punggye-ri could be subject to international verification as well. He said he would discuss with Trump his and Kim's goal of formally declaring an end to the Korean War by the end of this year.

Moon's optimism about engagement with Kim contrasts with more cautious assessments among foreign observers of the regime. Very few of these experts believe that Kim is willing to surrender his entire nuclear arsenal, although some believe he might be prepared to reduce it in return for economic benefits and guarantees that his regime will not be threatened.

U.S. intelligence officials, meanwhile, believe the Kim regime has stepped up the production of nuclear fuel at several secret sites this year, according to an NBC News report in June. If true, that would seriously undermine the significance of the concessions Kim is offering.

Moon noted that Trump and Kim both made pledges at their June summit in Singapore. North Korea promised to take steps toward complete denuclearization and returning the remains of U.S. service members killed in the war, while the United States pledged to "end hostilities, guarantee the security of the regime and establish a new relationship with North Korea," he said.

"Such measures should be taken in a balanced manner between North Korea and the United States," Moon said. Speaking of the need for North Korea to take denuclearization measures, he said that "the U.S. should accordingly take corresponding measures to guarantee the security of North Korea step by step."

When asked what the corresponding measures would be, Moon said that needs to be discussed between North Korea and the United States.

Cheong Seong-chang, a North Korea expert at the Sejong Institute near Seoul, said the announcement shows that Kim has much more specific ideas now about denuclearization and what he wants in return. He added that the next summit, thus, should produce more specific results.

"The first meeting between Kim Jong Un and Trump yielded a rather general agreement, but now Kim seems to have a more concrete idea about what he wants to exchange with Trump," Cheong said. "Given how Kim recently suggested a specific timetable for denuclearization, a more concrete agreement than the one in Singapore is expected to come out in the next summit."

The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. North Korea wants South Korea and the United States to declare the war to be formally over, as a sign that hostilities have ended and to build trust.

"North Korea expressed their willingness to speed up their denuclearization actions if [the United States] takes actions to form a new U.S.-North Korea relationship," Moon said.

Members of Trump's administration are concerned that such a declaration could be used to undermine the justification for the presence of U.S. forces in South Korea, politically if not legally.

But Moon said the armistice agreement would remain in force until a full peace treaty is signed at a later date, once denuclearization has been achieved.

"The peace treaty will be fulfilled as the final step of complete denuclearization. Until then, the current armistice stays in place," he said. "The need for U.S. forces in Korea is not affected at all."

Moon said he and Kim had talked a lot about denuclearization and the dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington, especially on the first day of their summit Tuesday.

"Chairman Kim reaffirmed his strong will for denuclearization again and again," Moon said. "He expressed his intention to complete the denuclearization process as soon as possible and shift his focus to economic development."

- - -

Kim reported from Seoul.
The Republic of Vanuatu is facing a diabetes epidemic. It is estimated that roughly 13 percent of the countrys population suffers from the disease. This compares to a global average of 8.5 percent.

To counter this epidemic, Vanuatus national health care system is working on a series of clinical trials using a cannabis-based drug to treat diabetes.

Why it matters

These trials might provide us with an treatment for a condition that affects 422 million adults worldwide. As of 2012, 1.6 million deaths were directly attributed to diabetes each year. Here are some other important things you should know about diabetes before moving on:

1 in 3 adults aged over 18 years is overweight.

1 in 10 adults are obese.

Type 2 diabetes in much more common than type 1 diabetes.

A majority of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Diabetes is an important cause of blindness, amputation and kidney failures.

As of 2010, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., taking over 17 million lives per year.

Related: New Study Will Explore Medical Marijuana as a Treatment for Autism

There's evidence marijuana works for diabetes.

A few studies support the hypothesis of cannabis working to treat diabetes.

One such study was published in The American Journal of Medicine in 2013. The scientists involved evaluated the impact of cannabis use on insulin, glucose and insulin resistance among adults, and concluded that marijuana use was associated with lower levels of fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, and smaller waist circumference.

Another study found that Cannabidiol or CBD lowers incidence of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice. A third study determined that Recently active cannabis smoking and diabetes mellitus are inversely associated. The Diabetes Council seems to agree with the notion of cannabis holding a promise to treat diabetes. Check out this article where they explain why.

For a comprehensive list of studies suggesting cannabis could be used to treat diabetes or reduce its incidence, check out this link.

Already in the works.

Recently-public Phoenix Life Sciences International, a Colorado-based company with operations in Vanuatu, was awarded the contract to create this cannabis-based pharmaceutical drug targeted for diabetes. According to Vanuatu government sources and people in the company, the company is currently in the process of harvesting a 150-acre marijuana grow in the country to supply the trials.

The trials have now been fast-tracked by the local government, after the wife of the Prime Minister of Vanuatu was diagnosed with diabetes as well.

Moreover, the Republic of Vanuatu plans to approve Phoenixs diabetes drug to be offered through hospitals and pharmacies throughout the 83 islands that compose the country, government sources who requested to remain anonymous suggested. The logistics are in the works but the main island's hospital aims to work with the Minister of Health and Phoenix Life Sciences to conduct several clinical trials with the drug over the next six to 12 months.

We started this journey because of the need to improve the quality of healthcare. Being able to create a scalable global production facility for international distribution of pharmaceuticals derived from medical cannabis is exciting. Being able to do it in a developing country like Vanuatu, whose largest causes of death and healthcare cost are diabetes and cancer, really makes it a rewarding experience, said Phoenix CEO Martin Tindall.

Related: Oklahoma Legalizes Medical Marijuana

From Vanuatu to the world.

Tindall revealed Phoenix next plans to target other countries with single-payer health care systems that need a more affordable treatment for diabetes and cervical cancer.

Completing our trials here in Vanuatu allows us to focus our efforts in the South Pacific, where the highest percentage concentration of diabetes exists worldwide. We intend to open up access to new countries to our diabetes products and programs before the end of the year, he said.

Keep tuned in for updates on these trials and their results.

Related:

This South Pacific Country Is Sponsoring Research Seeking a Cannabis Treatment for Diabetes

This Week in Weed: Coca Cola Considers Cannabis!

Can a 'Heartstrings' Approach Help Make Marijuana More Acceptable to Voters?



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Welcome to Green Entrepreneur's video recap of the cannabis news you might have missed this week, hosted by our dope correspondent Conrad Martin.

Coca Cola is the latest beverage company expressing interest in entering the cannabis industry. A spokesperson from the soda giant said that they're eyeing the growth of CBD as an ingredient. Pot stocks trended higher after the announcement.

Related: Coca-Cola Is 'In Talks' to Make Marijuana-Infused Drinks

NYPD is still making Pot Arrests!

Two weeks ago New York City announced a major pull back on the amount of cannabis arrests and prosecutions. However, the NYPD is still arresting people who are smoking vape pens. THC oil possession is a Class A misdemeanor and punishable by up to a year in jail. Come on DiBlasio!

Related: New York Officials Urge Banks to Work With Marijuana Industry

South Africa becomes the first African Country to Legalize

Tuesday was "Dagga" day in South Africa. "Dah-Hah" which is the South African word for cannabis, was legalized on Tuesday for private possession, growth, and consumption. This makes South Africa the first country on the continent to legalize.

Be sure to keep up with all things cannabiz by checking out the newly launched GreenEntrepreneur.com

If you missed last week's episode, check it out here: Elon Musk Smokes Pot!

Related:

This Week in Weed: Coca Cola Considers Cannabis!

This Week in Weed: Elon Musk Smokes Pot!

This Week in Weed (September 3-7)



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday that negotiations between the two Koreas won't be successful unless there is simultaneous success in U.S.-North Korean negotiations to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, Tampa Bay Times reported.

The U.N. chief told a news conference that the results of this week's summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "were positive," but progress is also essential between Washington and Pyongyang.

"It is clear for me that there will not be success in inter-Korean negotiations if simultaneously there is not success in the American-North Korea ... negotiations to achieve the full and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in the context of regional security," Guterres said.
HMD Global has started sending out invites for an event it's holding on October 4 in London. As you can see from the invite below, a new smartphone will be announced on that occasion. No other clues are available in the invite, but it's easy to assume that we'll be seeing the oft-leaked Nokia 7.1 Plus make its global debut.

Sure, this could also be when the much anticipated but still not real Nokia 9 sees the light of day, especially after Samsung's already revealed its storage options earlier this month. We'll have to wait and see.

Although HMD Global has launched the Nokia 8 Sirocco this year, a lot of people are still seemingly waiting for a 'true' flagship device from the reborn brand, and the Nokia 9 has played that part in our collective imagination. Let's see if it finally becomes real or whether we'll have to wait for it some more. Hopefully this won't take as long as it took Oppo to come out with a new Find handset.

The Nokia 9 might have five cameras on its back, while the 7.1 Plus will have to make do with 'just' two. In both cases Zeiss branding will be present. While the top of the line model should be powered by the Snapdragon 845 naturally, the Nokia 7.1 Plus will use the Snapdragon 710 paired with up to 6GB of RAM. HMD Global is committed to delivering the Android One experience on all of its handsets, so these two should be part of that program as well.

Source 1 | Source 2 (in Italian) | Via
Like every year, the new iPhones generate so much hype that there are thousands of fans queuing in front of the Apple stores worldwide. This time around Huawei seized the opportunity to do some old-fashioned trolling.

In front of the Apple store on Orchard Road in Singapore, a few Huawei employees gave away about 200 power banks for the people waiting on the queue the whole night. The packaged power banks had a message: "Here's a power bank, You'll need it."

It's been years now that the Android community, including the OEMs, is mocking Apple for the iPhone's unsatisfactory battery life. Even this year's humongous iPhone XS Max comes with a merely 3,174 mAh cell. Samsung's Galaxy Note9, for example, comes in a fairly similar chassis while packing a 4,000 mAh battery. In fact, it's hard to come across an Android handset these days that has less than 3,000 mAh battery.

Via
Huawei's first foldable phone will also be its first 5G smartphone

Huawei and Samsung are in a competition to release the first foldable smartphone and Huaweis Ken Hu just upped the ante  Huaweis first foldable phone will also be its first 5G-capable phone.

And it will arrive earlier than expected with a mid-2019 launch (at a previous event Huawei promised its first 5G phone for the second half of 2019). Sub-brand Honor also has a 5G phone in the works.

Anyway, Hu highlighted the three major use cases for 5G: faster mobile broadband, lower latency and the Internet of Things.

Samsungs CEO confirmed that a foldable phone will launch before the end of the year. The company also unveiled a 5G modem modem, which should also reach consumers by the end of the year (though its not clear if the foldable phone will be 5G-enabled or if they will be separate products).

Source
The first Nokia X7 reports that came in suggested a display without a notch but the last two leaks imply otherwise. Besides, the Nokia X5 and X6 are all notched phones so it makes sense to continue the trend with the X7 as well.



Nokia X7 renders

First, there are a couple of rumor-based renders from @OnLeaks give us a better idea of the design minimal side bezels and a rather small notch. The back is pictured with a glass panel and, of course, a dual camera setup and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader.



More Nokia X7 renders

However, this leaked photo of an alleged Nokia X7 (7.1 Plus) seems to be hinting at an anodized aluminum back cover but the rest of the stuff aligns with the renders. Also, we can see the Android One inscription.

Here are a couple of bonus renders as well.



And even more

Source 1 | Source 2




Haiti - Environment : Towards the development of the Green Climate Fund Country Program





As part of the Haiti Preparedness Program for access to the Green Climate Fund, the Ministry of the Environment has launched in Jeremie, the regional consultation workshops for the elaboration of the Country Program. These workshops bringing together the representatives of the education sector, the private business sector, local authorities, local and international NGOs from the Department of Grand'Anse aimed to identify the ideas of priority projects ready to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), for financing.



These regional consultations, led by the Climate Change Directorate of the Ministry of the Environment with the support of the consultants of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), were an opportunity to recall the harmful effects of climate change on the economy of the country and to present national strategy documents for the fight against climate change including the National Action Plan for Adaptation (NAPA) and the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).



At the same time, the Ministry of the Environment, the designated national authority for the Green Climate Fund, is working hard with national institutions to facilitate their accreditation to the GCF. This important step will allow Haiti to have direct access to the Green Climate Fund for its adaptation and mitigation projects.



Recall that the Green Climate Fund Country Program is a document that identifies national climate change priorities in terms of projects / programs and investment. The consultation workshops will take place in the ten departments of the country until October 25th.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25207-haiti-environment-workshop-on-how-to-access-the-green-climate-fund.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24835-haiti-environment-access-to-the-climate-fund-haiti-dream-in-green.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24595-haiti-environment-workshop-on-access-to-the-green-climate-fund.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - DR : 1,600 Haitians controlled in less than 24 hours, more than 60% deported to Haiti





The Directorate General of Migration (DGM) reported that several migration control operations were carried out simultaneously on the Dominican territory in particular in the municipalities of La Romana, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago de los Caballeros, Puerto Plata, Distrito Nacional, Great Santo Domingo, Boca Chica, Higuey, Hato Mayor...



The migratory control teams were composed of inspectors, agents of the Directorate General of Migration (DGM) with the support of the military, the National Police in coordination with the Public Ministry of the Provinces concerned.



Nearly 1,600 Haitians were checked in the same day, using biometric equipment to establish with the central database, the legality or otherwise of the papers presented. After verification, a little more than 1,000 compatriots were declared in irregular migration and taken to various border posts to be registered before deportation to Haiti.



This is the largest number of people checked in the same day since last June when nearly 1,000 Haitians had been controlled https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24740-haiti-dr-vast-operations-of-migration-control-at-the-border-700-haitians-deported-in-24h.html and 70% deported.



Clearly the controls are tightening around our compatriots who have been controlled and arrested in very diverse places among others : on farms, on construction sites (even small ones), in the streets, shops, parks, road transport stations and some houses reported by the population...



Lieutenant-General Maximo William Munoz Delgado, Director General of the DGM recalled that these operations will continue to be carried out throughout the national territory, in accordance with the provisions of Law 285-04 and that his inspectors have received instructions "to recover and to transport most of the good of deported Haitians and to do so with dignity and respect for the person."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25188-haiti-dr-a-little-more-than-80-000-haitians-deported-or-turned-back-in-7-months.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25105-haiti-dr-more-80-of-haitians-controlled-in-santiago-illegal.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25004-icihaiti-social-our-compatriots-stalked-relentlessly-in-dr.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24740-haiti-dr-vast-operations-of-migration-control-at-the-border-700-haitians-deported-in-24h.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21503-haiti-flash-deportations-recommendations-of-the-consulate-of-haiti-to-the-haitians-in-dr.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2018/09/20 | Source

The final episode of the SBS drama "Your Honor" was broadcasted on the 20th.

Advertisement

Han Kang-ho (Yoon Si-yoon) helped Song So-eun (Lee Yoo-young) meet her sister Song Ji-yeon (Kwak Sun-young). Song So-eun said, "I passed the judicial researcher test, but there was no one to celebrate with me". She cried and Song Ji-yeon cried apologetically, too. Still, Song So-eun was happy to see that Song Ji-yeon was living a happy life with her family.

There was a crisis too. Song So-eun had found out the ill-fated relationship Han Kang-ho had with Song Ji-yeon even before he could tell her. She felt betrayed. She was also shocked that he pretended to be his brother Han Soo-ho. Han Kang-ho wrote her a heartfelt letter.

Then Song So-eun sued Hong Jung-soo (Heo Sung-tae) for sexual harassment and was accused of falsely accusing him. The trial turned out unfavorably for her. Han Kang-ho had the help of Han Soo-ho to stand as witness in this trial and thanks to his statement, Song So-eun was cleared.

Song So-eun and Han Kang-ho reunited after taking the long way around. They walked as they talked and Han Kang-ho held Song So-eun's hand. They walked with a happy look on their faces.
State District Judge Dan Boucher. The state Judicial Nominations Commission announced it is looking for applicants to take the place of Boucher, who announced he is retiring Nov. 9, as the judge in the 12th Judicial District in Chouteau, Hill and Liberty counties.

Havre Daily News staff

The Montana Supreme Court has announced it is looking for nominations to fill a state judge position in north-central Montana.

State District Judge Dan Boucher submitted his letter of resignation Sept. 7, effective Nov. 9, three days after the nonpartisan election for the seat, in which Boucher is the sole candidate.

According to a release sent out today from the Judicial Nomination Commission, Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike McGrath has notified the sommission that Boucher, district judge for the Twelfth Judicial District in Chouteau, Hill, and Liberty is resigning.

The commission is now accepting applications from any lawyer in good standing who has the qualifications set forth by law for holding the position of district court judge, the release said. The application form is available electronically at http://courts.mt.gov. Applications must be submitted electronically as well as in hard copy. The deadline for submitting applications is Sunday, Oct. 21, at 5 p.m. The commission will announce the names of the applicants thereafter.

The release says that the public is encouraged to contact commission members regarding the applicants during the public comment period, which will begin Monday, Oct. 22, and close Wednesday, Nov. 21 ,.

The commission will forward the names of three to five nominees to the governor for appointment after reviewing the applications, receiving public comment, and interviewing the applicants if necessary. The person appointed by the governor is subject to state Senate confirmation during the 2019 legislative session.

The position is subject to election in 2020, and the successful candidate in that election will serve the remainder of the term, which expires in January 2025. The annual salary for the position is $132,567.

Judicial Nomination Commission members are District Judge John Brown of Bozeman; Janice Bishop of Missoula; Karl Englund of Missoula; Elizabeth Halverson of Billings; Hal Harper of Helena; Lane Larson of Billings; and Nancy Zadick of Great Falls.

Boucher, who started practicing law in Havre in 1984, worked as a private attorney and also served as a public defender and as a deputy Hill County attorney.

He was appointed judge ion 2010 to replace Dave Rice, who retired that year. Boucher was unopposed in his bid for re-election in 2012.
The Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees will meet at 6 p.m. in the Robins School Administration Building at 6 p.m.

The meeting agenda is:

A. Call to order

1. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Roll call

3. Welcome to visitors

4. Agenda deletions or corrections, if any

B. New business

1. Personnel

Open Agenda  An opportunity for any member of the audience to bring to the attention of the board questions or relevant comments concerning district matters not on the agenda. The board will not discuss or take action on items not on the agenda, but may refer a matter presented to a future agenda.

C. Closing.

The next meeting of the Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. in Havre Middle School.

The Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees planning workshop will be held at Robins School Administration Building following its special meeting that starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The agenda for the workshop is:

1. Facilities

2. Budget debt service

3. Safety
Pinocci says will file counter complaint against Montana Dem leader

Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Nancy Keenan has filed a campaign finance complaint against Randy Pinooci of Sun River, the Republican candidate for Public Service Commission District 1.

The complaint asks the commissioner of political practices to investigate the source of a $3,000 loan Pinooci made to his campaign.

Pinocci is facing Havre Democrat Doug Kaercher in the race for the District 1 seat.

In her complaint, Keenan referred to Montana's commissioner of political practices finding that Billings Republican Public Service Commissioner Tony O'Donnell had violated campaign finance laws by making a $3,000 loan to candidate Rodney Garcia.

O'Donnell's contribution was roughly 17 times the legal amount allowed for contributions, Political Practices Commissioner Jeff Mangan said, and Garcia needs to return it.

Garcia and O'Donnell said it wasn't a contribution but a loan.

In her complaint, Keenan said that three days after Garcia received the $3,000 from O'Donnell, Pinocci loaned his campaign the same amount, and did not clearly indicate what the money was for. His campaign reporting has clearly listed what money was used for in other expenses, she wrote.

"We have reasonable suspicion that Randy Pinocci has received a similar offer as Garcia did from O'Donnell," Keenan wrote. " ... I believe these two incidences have very similar circumstances associated with them and thus merit further investigation of O'Donnell's loaning practices."

Pinocci said Thursday that O'Donnell wasn't the source. He said he got a cashier's check for himself from his bank to use for the loan - his bank told him that as an account holder he would not be charged a fee to obtain a cashier's check, Pinocci said - so he wouldn't have to wait for a campaign account check to clear so he could pay a man who wanted to be paid immediately, in advance, for preparing campaign signs.

He said he was sending documentation of the source to Mangan.

Pinocci said he plans to file a counter complaint asking that Keenan be forced to pay for the expenses incurred by the Office of Commissioner of Political Practice's investigation.

He said Keenan falsely swore to her complaint because she wrote that both O'Donnell and his wife maxed out their contributions to him previously when neither contributed to him.

Doug Kaercher

He added that he doesn't even know O'Donnell's wife and claiming she gave him a contribution is "ridiculous."

Montana Democratic Party spokesman Roy Loewenstein said this morning that saying O'Donnells previously had contributed to Pinocci's campaign may have been an error, but that doesn't change the main point of the complaint.

"What's more important here is the the loan," he said, adding that Keenan thought the issue was worth investigating and Mangan agreed.

Keenan was not available for comment this morning.

Mangan said this morning that he was not aware whether O'Donnell's had made previous contributions.

"No, we're really looking at the loan," he said. "We're awaiting documentation.
As the effects of The Great War raged on in Europe, it was only a matter of time before it started to affect the U. S. labor force. Articles in the Sept. 21, 1918 edition of The Havre Plaindealer stated the government was still in need of stenographers; auto owners were encouraged to dispense with chauffeurs to fill mechanic positions; another article estimated a 1 million-person shortage in unskilled workers and that the shortage for skilled workers was getting serious, but went to state that jobs on farms, railroads and in mines remained well-filled as these were deemed essential...
Havre Police Department

Thursday at 4:47 p.m., a caller at the Child Abuse Hotline reported a sex offense in Havre.

--

A caller at a First Street West business reported a gas drive off at 9:05 p.m. Thursday.

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Jona Jo Bear of Great Falls, 29, was arrested on two Justice or City court warrants Thursday at 10:48 p.m. on Third Street.

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Nikolas John Keller of Havre, 20, was issued a summons on a charge of obstructing a peace officer or other public servant after a Sixth Street caller reported a possibility of drugs in the building Thursday at 11:22 p.m.

Hill County Sheriff's Office...
Gen Yamaguchis experience has taken him all around the country and the world, then from Hawaii to Havre to join the Havre Daily News team.

Yamaguchi said his family lives in Hawaii and he moved there toward the end of his eight or nine years doing freelance photography.

Yamaguchi said he attended a photo trade school, earning a Bachelor of Arts in professional photography from Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California, before he did internships for large, medium and small newspapers including the Kansas City Star, The Tampa Bay Times/St. Petersburg Times and the daily news in Hays, Kansas.

His work as a freelance photographer took him abroad including overseas.

Yamaguchi said he enjoys traveling, seeing and experiencing different cultures. He has never before been to Montana and wanted to jump on the opportunity, he said, to see a different part of life.

He is a bit cautious about the cold weather, he added, but he is excited to experience different things.

Yamaguchi said he hopes to capture the daily-life moments in the region.

Some mundane things can look plain, he added, but it never is, and with his fresh eyes he wants to present the unique life of the area.

Everyday life is the most important thing, he said.

Daily life events are what people see every day, Yamaguchi said, and he hopes to capture that.
Legalities

First off, let's begin with the legalese. Essentially, you're allowed to withdraw an offer for a variety of reasons  but that doesnt mean there wont be any consequences. Always consult an employment lawyer before making any rash decisions and enquire about what the potential legal ramifications of taking back an offer will be. Where possible, its likely that you can make certain modifications to the offer  such as decreasing salary or making the role part-time  which may mean you dont have the rescind it at all.

Little white lies

You can withdraw a job offer if you discover the employee has lied about something during the recruitment process. For instance, the candidate may have falsified their CV or embellished their career past. A recent report from APPII found that almost half of employees have lied on their CV in order to make them standout out against their peers. In fact, one inf five employees have been caught out telling fibs to their potential employers.

Speaking on the topic, Gary McKay, MD of APPII, warned: Clearly traditional CVs arent working for either candidates or employers. The fact that so many are having to resort to exaggerating truths when applying for new jobs just to try and stand out is proof that processes within recruitment can be enhanced.

Establishing trust at the start of the recruitment process would help to rectify this.

Reference checks have lapsed

A conditional offer with the proviso that the candidates references turn out well can be revoked if the reports come back negative. Background checks are an essential part of the recruitment process  though worryingly many HR leaders dont even bother to follow up.
The inquiry had heard from platform operators whose position was to maintain workers' independent contracting status. However, the committee majority found the model was being abused.

Committee chairman Labor Senator Murray Watt said the evidence was very strong that it is an emerging loophole thats being increasingly exploited by some employers and its also contributing to inequality.

"The gig economy isn't the first time we've seen some employers exploiting loopholes in pay and conditions, but digital platforms are a new form and if left unchecked could really see that level of exploitation increase. That's why we need to take action now."

Watt added that complacency is not an option for dealing with the immense changes in the workplace.

"The changes that are facing the Australian workplace and Australian workers are so great that sitting back and letting it all happen to us is a recipe for disaster.
While it is not yet clear where Wells Fargo plans to make the cuts, Sloan singled out the companys digital self-service capabilities. This would mean the banks mortgage lending or automated bank branch services could suffer the most from the downsizing.

Wells Fargo takes very seriously any change that involves its team members, Sloan said. And as always, we will be thoughtful and transparent, and treat team members with respect.

The announcement comes less than a month after the bank had already cut 638 employees from its mortgage division, mostly in its Orlando, Florida; Ranch Cordova, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Charlotte, North Carolina branches.

Bank spokesman Tom Goyda said the workforce reduction was made to help the company better align with current volumes after evaluating market conditions and consumer needs.

Sloan might also be looking for work himself after the New York Post reported that members of Wells Fargos board of directors had a meeting with Gary Cohn earlier this year to offer him the job as the banks next CEO.
Scientists from EPFL and the University of Geneva have discovered a code of architect genes that are expressed in specific combinations during the development of hands and fingers. The study decrypts developmental gene expression at the level of the single cell in developing limbs and expands our understanding of the genetics behind growing limbs.

When a fetus develops, everything must be timed to perfection: cell division and differentiation, gene expression, cell-to-cell signaling, and morphogenesis must be carefully coordinated to occur in the correct sequence and for the proper amount of time. Failures in timing can result in congenital deformities, disabilities, and even death.

The big question that developmental biologists have been asking for a long time is this: what sets the pace and the order of developmental events?

Looking at the development of the paw and digits in mice, scientists from the lab of Denis Duboule at EPFL, with Pierre Fabre at the University of Geneva, have now discovered a code of architect genes that play a central role in the developmental cascade. The genes belong to the Hoxd group, developmental genes that are active in various combinations inside so-called progenitor cells  cells that are just a step more specialized than stem cells.

By pushing a cutting-edge single-cell RNA sequencing technique to its maximal resolution, the scientists were able to study the expression patterns of thousands of genes inside single progenitor cells. The analysis showed that each cell contains 343 genes that are associated with specific cellular states, many of which are involved in the packaging and ordering of DNA in the cell, as well as patterning how the paws fingers will develop.

The scientists identified a very restricted set of six main combinations of five Hoxd genes (Hoxd9, 10, 11, 12, and 13) in the development of digits in mice. Each combination includes one, two, or four of the genes, with the simplest (one gene) at the beginning of development and the more complex (four genes) combination occurring at the later stages of maturation.

The pattern by which Hox genes are expressed when they build the entire body  in both mice and humans  has been known and studied for over thirty years. But most of that information comes from looking at entire tissues of developing organs. In contrast, this study is the first to look at it in single cells, offering a higher resolution and clarity in the way Hox genes orchestrate the rhythm of development.

The study shows how architect genes act in concert, following a gradual progression in every developing cell to generate our fully mature arms and hands at the right time and the right place, says Pierre Fabre. The Hoxd gene combinations provide a machinery that generate a spectrum of functionally different cells within genetically-defined classes of limb patterning motifs. This will pave the way for future genetic work to understand how cells get to synchronize the combined activation of multiple genes.

This study is a collaboration between the faculties of Science and Medicine of the University of Geneva with EPFLs ISREC Foundation and BBCF.

Funding EPFL University of Geneva Swiss National Science Foundation (Ambizione) European Research Council (SystemHox and RegulHox)

References Pierre J Fabre, Marion Leleu, Benedicte Mascrez, Quentin Lo Giudice, John Cobb, Denis Duboule. Heterogeneous combinatorial expression of Hoxd genes in single cells during limb development. BMC Biology 18 September 2018. DOI: 10.1186/s12915-018-0570-z

Mediacom

EPFL
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his former partner.

Mother-of-two Ingrida Maciokaite died after sustaining stab wounds at an apartment complex in Dundalk on Tuesday afternoon.

Edmundas Dauksa (48),of Castleross, Castletown Road, Dundalk appeared at Dundalk District Court yesterday before judge Conal Gibbons.

Garda Joseph Bell gave evidence that Mr Dauksa, who was born in Lithuania, was arrested at Dundalk Garda Station at 10.08pm on Wednesday and charged with murder at 10.38pm. The court heard that when charged Mr Dauksa made no reply.

Abuse

Wearing a dark blue hoodie, light grey tracksuit bottoms and dark trainers with white soles, Mr Dauksa sat silent in the court throughout the short hearing.

He was remanded in custody to appear in court again on September 27 via videolink.

No application for bail was made as such an application in a murder charge can only be made through the High Court at a future date.

Mr Daukas's solicitor applied for free legal aid, saying that the accused runs his own business as a fisherman harvesting shellfish.

Legal aid was granted, as well as a recommendation that the accused receive appropriate medical attention.

A group of people who had gathered at the court shouted abuse at the accused as he was driven away.

He had been arrested on Tuesday and his period of detention was extended on Wednesday to account for rest periods.

Ingrida Maciokaite (31) was stabbed to death at the Bridgewater Mews apartments on Linenhall Street in Dundalk on Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Maciokaite was also originally from Lithuania but had been living in Dundalk for a number of years with her young daughter and son. She worked in the cafe and restaurant sector in the Co Louth town.

Former colleagues at McCreesh's Deli on Avenue Road on the outskirts of the town paid tribute to her.

"Ingrida was a hard worker and a nice person. She worked here around four years ago," said one ex-workmate at the shop.

In recent weeks Ingrida had started work in Ruby's Tea Rooms on Crowe Street in the Williamson Mall.

"I am just devastated," said a woman who was her neighbour and friend for more than two years.

"It is very, very upsetting," said Gretta Morton, another former neighbour in St Nicholas Avenue. Her husband Edward Morton said: "She was a lovely woman and was always seen walking up and down the street.

"She loved living here. She was here for a couple of years and was just a lovely person."

The residents association for the avenue described Ms Maciokaite as its friend and former neighbour in an online tribute.

"Ingrida always got involved in the community while she lived in D'Avenya," it said.
Two teachers and an accountant have been spared jail for their part in a brawl at a well-known Dublin pub.

Teachers Michael Davitt and Seamus O Cearra and accountant Conor Shannon all walked free from court yesterday after admitting violent disorder charges over the 10-man melee.

A fourth accused, warehouse manager Stephen Cantwell, also avoided a prison term while a fifth, electrician David McSweeney, was jailed for six months.

Passing sentence, Judge Brian O'Shea said the teachers were "ambassadors for their schools" whenever they went out and they had "let their profession down and, more importantly, they have let themselves down".

Glass

The five men pleaded guilty to violent disorder over a row at McGowan's pub in Phibsboro on July 14, 2017. McSweeney also admitted producing a pint glass as a weapon.

At Dublin District Court yesterday, Judge O'Shea gave O Cearra (34) a one-month suspended sentence and ordered him to pay 800 to charity.

O Cearra, of Mount Symon Green, Clonsilla, is a teacher at Mary, Mother of Hope National School in Dublin 15.

Davitt (34), of Clanmaurice Road, Donnycarney, a teacher at Holywell Educate Together in Swords, was told he could avoid a conviction if he paid 800 to charity within six months.

Judge O'Shea said he would also apply the Probation Act in the case of Shannon (33), of Glendale Estate, Leixlip, if he too paid 800 to charity.

Only McSweeney (31), of McKee Avenue, Finglas, was jailed after the judge noted that he had waited for the "perfect moment" to throw a pint glass full force into O Cearra's face.

Cantwell (28), of Collins Avenue, Dublin 9, was given a two-month suspended sentence.

Investigating officer Garda Gerard Loughnane handed the court CCTV footage of the brawl which was viewed by the judge.

The court heard the incident happened at 2.40am when up to 10 people got involved in a row which continued even after staff tried to separate them.

Cantwell was seen kicking another man from behind - after he had been punched by that man earlier in the row.

Davitt was seen throwing a number of punches. He also suffered a bloody nose after receiving a blow to the face.

McSweeney threw a glass which hit O Cearra, who suffered a cut to his forehead.

O Cearra was kicked, but he was also observed punching one man in the face, knocking him against the bar and to the floor.

Shannon was knocked down and was seen throwing punches.

The accused all apologised.

Michael Hanahoe, solicitor for O Cearra, Shannon and Davitt, said they were "extremely ashamed" of their behaviour.

Stephen O'Mahony, solicitor for the other two accused, said the fight was instigated by other people who were not before the court.
Lauren Whelan (15) from Loreto, Crumlin, with classmates at the protest outside Leinster House yesterday

Health Minister Simon Harris has been told his decision on whether to grant access to a revolutionary new drug for children with a rare degenerative condition is one of life or death.

Families, friends, supporters and sufferers of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) gathered outside the Dail yesterday to call for access to the drug Spinraza.

The only drug ever manufactured to treat SMA, a degenerative neuromuscular disorder, it is licensed, available and changing lives across the globe.

However, it has yet to be approved for general reimbursement in Ireland.

Campaigners were told yesterday that a decision would be made next Friday on whether the expensive drug - each dose costs more than 100,000 - will be reimbursed in Ireland.

"If the HSE and minister fail to give this drug, you have to understand they are standing back and letting all our SMA sufferers in Ireland die," said Lorraine O'Malley, whose daughter Grace (9) has the condition.

Sam Bailey (8), from Rathcoole, who has type two SMA, was among the protesters yesterday with his mother Fiona, father Paul and sisters Kayla (6) and Sarah (2).

Ms Bailey said that when Sam was first diagnosed with the condition there was no hope, but Spinraza, which is already in use in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, had given them hope.

"He was diagnosed at 13 months, but there is hope now. There was hope on December 23, 2016, when Spinraza was approved by the US FDA," she told the Herald.

"He's gone through so much, but with every infection he gets weaker and weaker. We can't wait a moment longer; we can't wait until winter.

"We go into Crumlin Hospital and we don't know if Sam is coming home."

Rare

Lauren Whelan (15), who has type three SMA, was supported by scores of her friends from Loreto, Crumlin.

Lauren's mother, Lisa Quinn, said she had to get the treatment. "It's a very rare condition, only 25 kids have it and yes, the treatment is expensive.

"But we are appealing here now. She has to get this medicine. It has been tried and tested.

"We know it works, it will make her life better. It could make her walk again."

Jonathan O'Grady, from Dundrum, who has type two SMA, said TDs appeared receptive to the campaigners when they met yesterday.

"They said there is going to be a meeting of the committee on rare diseases next Tuesday so let's see what comes of that," he said.

Former Mayo Ladies GAA manager Frank Browne, who lost his daughter Emma to SMA in 2004, also attended the meeting and said his family were campaigning to get children what they deserve.

"No matter what the minister decides it won't bring Emma back to us. But we are here and we want to give these children the chance of life," he said.

Scientific

A statement from the Department of Health said: "The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions.

"HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).

"The NCPE conducts health technology assessments for the HSE, and makes recommendations on reimbursement to assist HSE decisions."

Last night the HSE said no decision had yet been made on the application for the reimbursement of Spinraza.
The fiancee of a young man killed by a falling tree during Storm Ali has told how the couple had been due to collect their wedding rings last night, but she will now instead place his in the coffin when he is laid to rest next week.

Electrician Robert Matthew Campbell (24), known as Matt, was killed at Slieve Gullion Forest Park as strong winds swept across the North on Wednesday.

His employer, Lagan Construction Limited, said "two of our employees were involved in a serious incident while working on behalf of Northern Ireland Water".

Matt's loved ones said it seemed that the former Royal Belfast Academical Institution pupil, who grew up in Glengormley, had been hit on the abdomen by the falling tree and crushed.

His grieving fiancee Robyn Newberry (23) told how the young couple had last week sent out "save the date" cards, and were also due to put down a deposit on her wedding dress last night in preparation for their wedding next August.

Robyn, who lived with Matt in Comber, told the Belfast Telegraph: "I first realised that something was wrong when I tried to ring Matt around lunchtime and it kept going to the answering machine, which wasn't like him.

"I tried calling him six times and there was no answer. It wasn't until I was leaving work that a police officer came to my workplace and told me there had been an accident and Matt hadn't survived.

"We are just devastated - it doesn't seem real.

Perfect

"I keep thinking that he is going to get into bed beside me and everything is going to go back to normal. It shouldn't be real that my perfect man has died at the age of 24."

Robyn, whose birthday is on Sunday, said she and Matt had been excitedly making plans for the future, and it seemed that "everything was falling into place".

"We met when we were still at school," she said.

"We were both made redundant this year and we had just got ourselves back on our feet with work and had been planning our wedding - then we wanted to do a bit of travelling before we had children.

"We were supposed to be putting the deposit down on my wedding dress - he had told me a few things he would have liked it to have, and I had gone back three times to look at the one I had chosen.

"The hotel was booked, it was to be on August 31, 2019, at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, and we had sent the save the date cards out last week."

The couple had ordered their wedding rings last week, and Robyn collected them yesterday.

"I'm going to give one to him when he is laid to rest. It's just surreal, it shouldn't be happening to my man."

The PSNI said yesterday that a post-mortem examination was due to take place to determine the cause of death, but that it is "not being treated as suspicious at this time".

It added: "There are no further details at this time.

"The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.

"Another man, aged in his 40s, was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries."

A spokesperson for Lagan Construction Limited confirmed that two of its employees were involved in a "serious incident" at Slieve Gullion Forest Park while "working on behalf of NI Water".

She said: "We are deeply saddened to confirm that one of our employees has passed away as a result of their injuries and that another employee has been seriously injured and is currently being treated in hospital.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the two families at this time. We are offering support and counselling services to colleagues and we continue to work closely with the statutory authorities."

Assist

A spokesperson for NI Water said yesterday that it was "working closely with the Health and Safety Executive and the PSNI and will be doing everything possible to assist".

They added: "NI Water is aware of an incident involving employees of one of our contractors."

Mr Campbell's funeral will take place at 10.30am on Monday from Fleming and Cuthbert Funeral Home in Ballyclare, followed by burial in Ballyclare Cemetery.
Orla Tinsley's story was told in a documentary on RTE One on Monday night

A young woman's inspirational documentary about her battle with cystic fibrosis sparked the biggest flood of requests for organ donor cards in almost a decade.

Since RTE One aired Orla Tinsley: Warrior on Monday night, the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) said it had received more than 5,000 requests for organ donor cards.

The surge in requests is the largest the charity has seen in years, with many people requesting multiple donor cards.

Although Ms Tinsley had a double lung transplant, the IKA is responsible for distributing the donor cards for all organ donations in Ireland.

"On a normal day we would receive between 20 and 50 requests for organ donor cards," IKA chief executive Mark Murphy said.

Donation

"The public's interest in organ donation has dramatically spiked since campaigner Orla Tinsley's documentary was aired on Monday.

"Such a level of public response has not been seen for almost a decade. Orla's courage has moved the public in such a powerful and visceral way to support organ donation.

"Her powerful documentary will now give hope to the 600 or more people currently on organ transplant waiting lists, he said.

It also demonstrates "how powerful individual stories shared by people who have been touched by organ failure and organ donation can capture the public's empathy."

"We hope that the public will continue to have that vital discussion about organ donation with their loved ones and let their wishes be known", he added.

The documentary was filmed over 14 months and charted the young Co Kildare woman's life as she was put on a waiting list for a double lung transplant, shortly after she arrived in New York City to study at Columbia University at the age of 30.

She allowed the makers of the documentary to capture both the setbacks of struggling with the life-threatening condition to the ultimate joy of having the transplant.

She revealed her joy to the public's reaction in a tweet earlier this week in which she said: "I have no words for the response tonight. I am in awe of the way people are reaching out, understanding and committing to becoming donors. I appreciate and I'm reading every single story and response. Thank you for being part of this and making a difference."
Leo Varadkar struck a conciliatory tone at the end of the Salzburg summit as the UK was put on notice that the EU is prepared for a no-deal Brexit if concessions are not made on the Irish question.

The issue of an Irish protocol - which would ensure a frictionless border on the island of Ireland no matter the outcome of Brexit - has remained a sticking point in reaching a deal.

European Council president Donald Tusk has said a meeting next month of the EU Council will be a "moment of truth", adding that "results will be expected".

The EU wants an agreement in principal that can be "finalised and formalised" in November.

British prime minister Ther-esa May told the Taoiseach at a private meeting that she did not think she could have proposals on the so-called backstop ready for next month, but was told time was running short.

Mrs May is working on new detailed proposals, but faces the difficult prospect of finding a solution that is palatable to the DUP - on whom she relies for a majority in Westminster - as well as to Europe and her own party.

Speaking at the conclusion of the summit, Mr Varadkar said all parties must be willing to make compromises, but would not be drawn on where there was room to move.

"I'm not going to make compromises here in the media. If I do have to make compromises in the future, they'll be made at the right point," he said.

"What we can't compromise on is those fundamentals. We need to make sure the common travel area is protected, that the rights of citizens in Northern Ireland are protected and that we have a legally operable backstop that assures us that a hard border won't emerge on the island of Ireland.

reasonable

"But of course, language, detail, how you actually achieve those things - I think any reasonable person who wants to get an agreement has to be willing to compromise on those things."

Mrs May left the summit having been told that her Chequers blueprint was a non-runner, but EU leaders, including Mr Varadkar, said they could inform negotiations.

Asked about reports that Mrs May is willing to concede to some regulatory checks at Irish seaports, Mr Varadkar said: "I don't really want to comment on any of the detail of the proposals. We haven't seen anything in writing."

He said there had been a pattern of "verbal briefings, and being promised that certain things would happen, then, when the documents arrive, they are not quite what we expected".

"So the best thing I can do at this stage is not to comment on the detail of anything until I've seen it written down on black and white," Mr Varadkar said.

He also moved to reassure unionists in the North that it was not the objective of the EU to put a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Mr Varadkar rejected a suggestion that there was division among the 27 EU leaders, saying he had "never seen such unity".

It would be a "tactical error" to think otherwise he said.

He also rejected a suggestion from Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban that some EU states wanted to punish the UK.
Two presidential hopefuls were kicked out of a meeting at South Dublin Council yesterday after farcical scenes erupted.

Four candidates were given the chance to deliver a 10-minute pitch at a special meeting of the local authority on why they deserve to be the next president of Ireland.

But after a vote it was decided that the council would not nominate any candidate for the upcoming election.

During the course of Sarah Louise Mulligan's speech, the Dublin nominee accused Cllr Dermot Looney of making sly remarks before approaching him and demanding an apology.

Ms Mulligan (36), who describes herself as a pro-life candidate, began her presentation by outlining the issues she would focus on as president, including child abuse, suicide and setting up new pregnancy crisis centres.

Stunt

"We need someone who's going to mend broken souls and broken hearts," she said.

"I'm sick of politicians. Are you sick of politicians, because I am? They're all talk and no action. I can talk for Ireland as you can see."

At this point, Cllr Looney said: "I don't think you will be."

Taking offence at his comment, Ms Mulligan said: "What was that? Was that a smart comment?

"Don't you silence me. I have every right to stand up here and speak. What are you doing being smart?"

Another candidate, Norma Burke, aka Bunty Twuntingdon McFluff, interrupted the exchange from the public gallery as part of a satirical stunt. Both women were escorted from the chamber.

The other candidates who spoke at the meeting were Marie Goretti Moylan, Gemma O'Doherty and John O'Hare.
BY EMPIRE STATE BANK

Empire State Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of ES Bancshares, Inc. is hosting the grand opening of their second Banking Center located on Staten Island. It will be held at 1698 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island/NY 10314 on September 20, 2018, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. located at 1698 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY.

During your visit, you will have the chance to tour the new bank design, speak with staff, open accounts and learn more about how Empire State Bank serves our community's businesses, families and local organizations.

The Banking Center has a combination of friendly "Service Associates" who are supported by state of the art banking technology. The Banking Center is the next step in delivering on Empire State Bank's strategic plan of growing their franchise in the boroughs of New York City. Philip Guarnieri, CEO of Empire State Bank commented, "The two new banking centers will add to our presence in Staten Island and will provide the funding for our growing loan production." Thomas Sperzel, President and COO commented, "Please visit our new Banking Centers and see a nontraditional way of banking, as we continue to provide exceptional customer service." As of June 30, 2018, Empire State Bank's assets are $ 339 million, with three Banking Centers in Staten Island, Brooklyn and Newburgh.
All gave some; some gave all. Here's how to honor veterans this year

local
By The Associated Press Sep. 19, 2018 | 08:22 PM | FRANKFORT

Kentucky's governor and attorney general, potential opponents in next year's race for governor, clashed before the state's Supreme Court on Thursday as they argued about the future of one of the country's worst-funded public pension systems.The state's Republican-dominated legislature passed a law earlier this year that put new teacher hires into a hybrid pension plan. Supporters say the plan has the potential to be more lucrative for teachers than a traditional pension, while opponents argue it is less predictable and makes it harder to plan.All of Kentucky's public pension systems are significantly underfunded. Actuaries estimate the state is at least $37 billion short of the money needed to pay benefits over the next few decades. The law included other provisions designed to help the state pay off the debt sooner.But the law has been a political flashpoint, inspiring thousands of teachers to protest at the Capitol. In May, a high school math teacher with no prior political experience defeated the House majority floor leader in a Republican primary. In November, at least 34 current and former teachers are on the ballot for seats in the state legislature.Thursday's hearing before the state Supreme Court was more subdued. Kentucky Educational Television broadcast the arguments live for only the second time in the court's history. The small courtroom was full, with a small crowd watching on a TV just outside the courtroom.Across the state, some civics and government teachers planned to use the Supreme Court arguments as part of their lesson plans. Others, like Rockcastle County High School Spanish teacher Erin Grace, did not have that option. But Grace said she's through thinking about the law's future."I'm mostly thinking about elections right now," she said. "We've just got to vote in the elections so they don't have a chance to do it again."Beshear argued the case himself, which was broadcast live on Kentucky Educational Television, giving him a platform to speak to the state's teachers and their families. Bevin did not attend Thursday's hearing, but he made his arguments in a series of messages posted to his official Twitter account.Bevin and his lawyers believe the law is constitutional in that it does not violate the contract rights of public employees. But they never got to make that argument on Thursday, as the Supreme Court justices focused solely on the process that lawmakers used to pass the bill.The state Constitution says bills must have three "readings" on three separate days in the House and Senate before it can become law. But lawmakers passed the pension bill in about seven hours. They took a bill about sewer systems that had already passed the Senate and been given two readings in the House and replaced it with the pension bill. House lawmakers then voted on it, and the Senate agreed with the changes.Beshear says this is illegal. He says the state Constitution requires the three readings on three separate days to prevent bills from being rushed through the legislature in one day."The Kentucky Constitution crates a government by the people and for the people, which means you can never shut the people out," Beshear said.Steve Pitt, Bevin's attorney, noted the Constitution gives the legislature the power to make its own rules about procedure. House and Senate rules say lawmakers can change a bill without restarting the legislative process."What the attorney general wants here is for this court to tell the General Assembly how to conduct its own internal business," Pitt said. "The question is do we have separation of powers in this state?"Pitt's argument did not sit well with a number of judges, including Justice Lisabeth Hughes."(The legislature) cannot make a decision if it is contrary to the plain language of the Constitution. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this commonwealth. And the legislators took the same oath," Hughes said. "This is not a matter of judiciary sticking its nose, if you will, into the legislative branch."The court did not make a ruling Thursday. There is no deadline for their decision, but it will likely come before lawmakers return to Kentucky in January for the next legislative session.Original Story:The Kentucky Supreme Court will decide today if changes to the state's struggling retirement systems are legal.

Earlier this year, Kentucky's legislature approved changes to the system, including moving all new teacher hires into a hybrid plan. Attorney General Andy Beshear, who's running for governor next year, challenged the law, calling it unconstitutional.

In June, Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd agreed. Now, the case is in the hands of the state's Supreme Court, who will hear arguments from both the attorney general, who will personally argue the case, and the governor's attorneys.
Yoram Sztykgold examines the unpublished registry from 1939 that helped him locate his family's assets at a military library in Warsaw, Sept. 4, 2018.

WARSAW (JTA)-In the small park behind the only synagogue in this city to have survived World War II, Yoram Sztykgold looks around with a perplexed expression.

An 82-year-old retired architect, Sztykgold immigrated to Israel after surviving the Holocaust in Poland. He tries in vain to recognize something from what used to be his childhood home.

"It's no use," he says after a while. "To me this could be anywhere."

Sztykgold's unfamiliarity with the part of Grzybowska Street where he spent his earliest years is not due to any memory loss. Like most of Warsaw, his parents' apartment building was completely bombed out during the war and leveled, along with the rest of the street. His former home is now a placid park that is a favorite hangout for mothers pushing baby carriages and pensioners his age.

The dramatic changes in Warsaw's landscape have bedeviled efforts for decades to obtain restitution for privately owned properties like Sztykgold's childhood home, making it difficult for survivors like him to identify assets that may have belonged to their families.

But for many restitution claimants in the capital, identifying assets will become easier thanks to a recent breakthrough with an unlikely source: the establishment of a first-of-its-kind searchable database. Users need only type in the name of their family to obtain a complete overview of all the assets they may claim under a new restitution drive in Warsaw.

It's a high-tech tool only made possible thanks to the recent discovery of an unpublished phone book from 1939

The World Jewish Restitution Organization, or WJRO, set up the database in December 2016. It allowed a relative of Sztykgold to get the first definitive list of the assets the family had in Warsaw before the war, when they headed a real-estate empire.

The database allows users to check whether their family owned any of the 2,613 properties that the City of Warsaw said that year it would reopen for restitution claims.

Especially in Sztykgold's case, the database had "a huge role," he said, because the only adult from his family who survived the genocide was his mother, who "had only partial knowledge of what her family owned."

"Bits and pieces, really," Sztykgold told JTA on Monday during a restitution-related visit to his place of birth.

During the visit, Sztykgold also got a rare chance to examine the key that led to the groundbreaking database: a yellowing proofing copy of a phone book of sorts from 1939. It was never published because the directory was being prepared when the Germans invaded Poland.

Crucially, the phone book, or registry, contained information that allowed genealogist Logan Kleinwaks of Washington, D.C., to find the names of the owners of thousands of assets, including approximately half of those 2,613 properties that Warsaw said it would reopen to claims.

Poland, where 3.3 million Jews lived before the Holocaust, is the only major country in Europe that has not passed national legislation for the restitution of property unjustly seized from private owners by the Nazis or nationalized by the communist regime, according to the WJRO. Instead of passing legislation, Polish authorities and courts handle restitution claims on a per-case basis.

Dozens of such cases have been resolved in recent years. Several Polish property attorneys told JTA that there is no way of knowing how many of the claims are by Jews.

As it carries out its controversial new restitution drive announced in 2016, Warsaw periodically releases a few dozen addresses of properties from its list that had been claimed during communism but whose status has never been resolved. The city does not release owners' names, although it presumably has at least some of them from stalled restitution claims filed for each of the 2,613 assets. Critics of this practice say it deprives claimants of crucial information necessary to gain compensation. Advocates say it is designed to minimize fraud.

Once a property is reopened for restitution, claimants have six months to file a second claim. It is an unreasonably short period of time, according to WJRO. But for people like Sztykgold, who don't even know which addresses their families used to own, the entire 2016 process is irrelevant.

Or, at least, it used to be until Kleinwaks "matched addresses announced in 2016 with the names of the owners" who are indicated in the 1939 registry, he said.

Today, the copy is kept in the vaults of the Central Military Library, which in 2014 bought it for about $3,000 from a book collector at an auction. The library then scanned the book and published the scans online. Kleinwaks, who had heard about the auction and was eagerly awaiting access to the book's content, then used software he developed to build an owners' database from the phone book, matching it with the 2,613 addresses.

So far, the City of Warsaw has reopened only about 300 of the restitution claims from the list of 2,613, and not one of the claimants has received compensation. Kleinwaks said he does not know how many people are using his database to mount claims. He has reached out personally to more than a dozen families whose names he found, he said, and some of them have subsequently initiated restitution work.

None of the Sztykgold family's assets-there are over a dozen of them-have been reopened for restitution. But the Sztykgold family is already doing the footwork-locating birth certificates, building a family tree, proving they are the only heirs and many other bureaucratic chores-so that when their assets are reopened, they would have a hope of making the six-month deadline.

Gideon Taylor, WJRO's chair of operations, said it was "a very positive step" by Polish authorities to purchase and make available online the 1939 registry.

"But Poland has to now follow through and make that information actionable for heirs, instead of introducing procedure that make it more difficult to reclaim properties," he said.

Unlike her husband, Liora Sztykgold, 77, can't even use the WJRO database to find out whether her parents had any assets that are being reopened for restitution. An orphan who was left in the care of a Catholic convent, she knows neither her birth name nor her date of birth.

"It's not about money," said Liora, who has two children with Yoram. "Of course, we'd like to leave more to the grandchildren. It's about achieving a measure of justice."

Poland has returned communally owned properties worth many millions of dollars to Jewish and Christian organizations, among others. But it has resisted calls to pass legislation on privately owned properties.

In Warsaw, attempts to achieve justice on restitution are complicated, messy and feature many non-Jewish claimants.

About half of the 2,613 assets on the list being reopened were probably owned by non-Jewish Poles, according to Kleinwaks.

But "there is a general unwillingness to touch the issue," according to Konstanty Gebert, a Jewish journalist for the Gazeta Wyborcza daily. This is largely because of corruption scandals plaguing it, he said, but additionally, "Many Poles feel the entire nation suffered under Nazism and communism, and that it's wrong for only a few to get restitution."

Then there are cases like that of Krystyna Danko, a non-Jewish woman who risked her life to save Jews during the Holocaust. She was forced out of her home at the age of 100 after the building where she had been living for decades on the ground floor was returned in 2016 to restitution claimants from Paris. (The claimant, Emilia Radziun, who owns a supermarket in the French capital, has told the Polish media that she is not Jewish. She did not reply to JTA's attempts to reach her.)

Now Danko lives in a public housing building on the sixth floor, where her wheelchair barely fits the rickety elevator. Her son, Wojciech, says that his mother, who is nearly 102, went blind during the weeks of the move from the stress involved.

"What happened to my mother wasn't just, but I understand the Jewish perspective of seeking justice through restitution," he said. "I think we need legislation and a compromise because the way this is going isn't good for too many people."
Last week, Heritage ran a story about Kehilat Yonatan, a Reform congregation in Israel, winning a legal battle to build their synagogue. Heritage attempted to contact Lori Stein Erlich for comment. However, because of the High Holidays and the time difference between Israel and the States, a response wasn't received until the Sept. 14 issue went to press (we received her response about 10 minutes after the paper went to the printers).

Erlich is a founder of Kehilat Yonatan and an immediate past president of the synagogue and shared with our Jewish community back in 2014 the uphill battle they were fighting to build a Reform synagogue in Israel. She is also the daughter of Nira and Arnold Stein, members of Congregation of Reform Judaism.

"How nice of you to remember me and us at Kehilat Yonatan! And how exciting that you saw our news on JTA regarding our court appeal for the building of a synagogue for Kehilat Yonatan in Hod Hasharon," she said in email.

"We are very relieved that the Court ruled in our favor, as the City of Hod Hasharon was not processing our request for building the only non-orthodox synagogue in a lawful manner."

Erlich went on to explain that there are now 62 Orthodox synagogues in Hod Hasharon on public land, and not a single Reform/Progressive synagogue.

"Yes, it has truly been a very long journey, and we won't 'truly' believe it until we actually have our first prayers/services in our new synagogue," she said.

The congregation hopes to break ground and begin the first stages of their building very soon.
Ari Fuld, 45, was stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist outside the Gush Etzion shopping mall on Sunday.

Fuld was standing in the parking lot when the terrorist stabbed him from behind. Fuld drew his weapon and gave chase after the terrorist, who ran toward the entrance of the mall.

Fuld and another civilian shot and wounded the terrorist before he collapsed. Through their courageous actions, they prevented a much larger attack.

He was taken to Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead after about an hour.

"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 in Gush Etzion," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on social media.

"With his last strength, Ari fought heroically against the terrorist and prevented a greater tragedy. Ari was a wonderful father to four children. He was an advocate for Israel who fought to spread the truth about Israel. May his memory be a blessing."

Ambassador Friedman: 'America grieves'

Fuld, a resident of Efrat and a U.S. citizen, was a well-known figure in the pro-Israel advocacy world and a member of Efrat's counter-terrorism Rapid Response Team.

"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. He represented the best of both countries & will be deeply missed. May his family be comforted & his memory be blessed," U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman tweeted.

Fuld's friend Lior Shurka told Tazpit Press Service that Ari "was very involved in explaining and defending the good reputation of the State of Israel."

"Ari was about to have launched in a new Hasbara website in English. He was a good friend who you knew would stand by you and protect you in any situation," Shurka said.

'A hero of Israel'

"A lowly terrorist came up behind him, and in a cowardly way stabbed him. Ari was one of the fighters in the Efrat emergency squad. We didn't expect anything less of him. Even after he was wounded, Ari engaged with the terrorist and chased him as he was bleeding, and managed to respond and shoot at the terrorist.

"We are confident that his death will not be in vain, and his activity will grow and intensify. We expect the government to immediately demolish the house of the terrorist and expel his family to the Gaza Strip as soon as possible," Shurka added.

Minister of Education Naftali Bennett tweeted that Fuld was "a hero of Israel. In his death he saved lives. Ari Fuld, who was murdered today in the stabbing attack in Gush Etzion, did not stop until he neutralized the terrorist. With a stabbing in the back, he ran, pulled out a gun and shot before he collapsed, as long as the terrorist could not continue to hurt others."

"The Jewish nation salutes the Fuld family and embraces it," he stated.

"My heart is with the Etzion Bloc. My condolences to the victim's family. We will continue to fight against terror with an iron fist," Minister of Defense Avigdor Liberman tweeted.
Hurricane Florence and the eye of the storm, shown as it approached the U.S. East Coast.

(Chabad.org/News via JNS)-For the last 11 years, the Lieblich family of Wilmington, N.C., have always held Rosh Hashanah services on both days of the holiday.

This year, for the first time ever, they did not have a minyan for the second day because of a looming catastrophic weather threat: Hurricane Florence, which made landfall along the South Carolina, bringing with it massive storm surges and between 30 and 40 inches of rain in some places.

"There's a sense of urgency here that I haven't felt before," said Rabbi Moshe Lieblich, co-director of Chabad of Wilmington with his wife, Chana. "People are scared. Some have been crying. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, people were adamant that they were going to stay in their homes, but by the second day, they had changed their minds."

Wednesday morning found the rabbi driving around town trying to secure additional supplies, including gas and nonperishable food.

"It seems the whole of Wilmington is shut down," he recounted. "Ninety-five percent of stores are closed. Only a handful of gas stations have gas. I need propane for our generator and had to go to seven or eight places before I could get any."

Preparations for assistance are underway

As Hurricane Florence approached, Chabad-Lubavitch centers outside the range of the storm began preparing to help victims in every way

Just a year ago, Chabad brought relief to victims of Hurricane Harvey, trucking in supplies as 50 rabbis from a dozen states joined the clean-up and aid efforts. Soon after, Hurricanes Irma and Maria cut a swath of devastation through the Caribbean islands and the southeastern United States. In the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Florida Keys, Chabad emissaries picked up the pieces, organizing much-needed relief efforts and leading High Holidays services in the most trying of circumstances.

As North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned about this year's first major hurricane: "Disaster is on the doorstep, and it's coming in."

In the coastal, tourist town of Myrtle Beach, S.C., where there was mandatory evacuation orders in place, the Aizenman family left their home and head inland to ride out the storm with family members. They took with them the community's five Torah scrolls.

Rabbi Doron Aizenman, director of Chabad of Myrtle Beach with his wife, Leah, noted that everything in the town was closed-the shops, the businesses and the schools, including the Chabad Jewish Academy. They said they kept in touch with congregants as the storm developed.

"We just installed new windows and a new roof, and it's a strong structure, so we are hopeful there won't be any damage," he said, noting that "20 years ago, we had a roof fall off when we were in the middle of Shabbat prayers during another hurricane, but since then the roof has been sturdy and we've had other storms."

Said the rabbi: "We have a job to do, and as long as people are here and we can help out, if it's safe to do so, we will be there."

This story originally appeared on Chabad.org/News.
Heritage readers have been reading Marilyn Shapiro's warm and nostalgic stories for several months. In addition to the Heritage, her stories also are published in The Jewish World newspaper. She has written illuminating stories about her life and travels for many years, enough to compile a first book, "There Goes My Heart," published in 2016, and she also has a following on her blog theregoesmyheart.me.

Now, she is thrilled that her second book, "Tikkun Olam: Stories of Repairing an Unkind World," has just released. The Hebrew moral principle that every person should leave the world a better place than he or she found it is what tikkun olam is all about. Anyone who knows Shapiro or has read her stories, knows that she never loses her unwavering beliefs in truth, kindness and community service-and her ability to see humor and compassion in all circumstances.

"'Tikkun Olam' is a collection of essays that were originally published in the (Capital Region) Jewish World and more recently the (Orlando) Heritage Florida Jewish News," said Shapiro. "Many reflect my own life: growing up in a very close knit family in a small town on Lake Champlain in Upstate New York, getting married to Larry and raising our children Adam and Julie, spending my career in adult education, and volunteering in my community. Since retiring, I have had the opportunity not only to share my stories but also to capture the heartwarming accounts of others who, through their actions, are helping to make the world a better place."

Samuel Johnson wrote, "A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it," and with that, Shapiro would love for all Heritage readers to 'complete' her book by ordering a copy of it from Amazon in either paperback or Kindle edition.

Feel free to share comments and stories with Shapiro at shapcomp18@me.com.
JERUSALEM (JTA)Israel closed its embassy in Paraguay following an announcement by the South American country that it was relocating its embassy back to Tel Aviv four months after moving to Jerusalem.

The move comes as Paraguay joins the effort to bring peace to the Middle East.

Paraguay wants to contribute to an intensification of regional diplomatic efforts to achieve a broad, fair and lasting peace in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni told reporters on Wednesday.

Shortly after the announcement of the return to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled his countrys ambassador to Paraguay and then ordered the Israeli embassy closed. Netanyahu also holds the foreign ministers portfolio.

Israel views with great severity the unusual decision of Paraguay, which will cloud bilateral relations, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Paraguay opened its new embassy in Jerusalem in May, a week after the United States moved its embassy to the capital from Tel Aviv and days after Guatemala. A previous embassy in a Jerusalem suburb was closed in 2012 in retaliation for Israel shuttering its diplomatic mission in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion as part of a round of budget cuts. A new Paraguayan embassy opened a year later near Tel Aviv.

Then-President Horacio Cartes, who left office in mid-August when the government of Mario Abdo Benitez took over, announced in late April during an event in Asuncion marking Israels 70th Independence Day that he planned to move the embassy before the end of his term. It is not known if Cartes consulted with Benitez before announcing the move.
Last year, Sami Kuperberg, a student at Oviedo High School, planned a program to address anti-Semitism with the support of JOIN Orlando and StandWithUs, titled "One Day Starts Today," that was held in the Oviedo High School auditorium. The event, which hosted two Holocaust survivors, was an overwhelming success with more than 600 students, faculty and parents in attendance. The purpose of the program was to educate students how to effectively respond to hate.

StandWithUs, an international, nonprofit Israel education organization founded in 2001, recently selected Kuperberg and Noa Lotringer of Lake Brantley for the StandWithUs High School Internship program 2018-2019. Ethan Legum was selected as SWU's Emerson Fellow at UCF.

Kuperberg, Lotringer and Legum attended the SWU training conferences in Los Angeles last August. The StandWithUs High School Internship Program is a high school leadership program that prepares students for the challenges they may face regarding Israel in college and in their communities. Students participate in a year-long program that includes two national conferences, ongoing educational online workshops, and they receive guidance and funding to run programming in their high schools and youth groups. Students are encouraged to participate in positive campaigns that inspire their peers and educate people about Israel.

Upon completion of the program, participants will be prepared to comfortably take the reins of leadership the moment they start college and they will be automatically part of the StandWithUs alumni network.

Talia Lerner, Southern campus coordinator, with UCF SWU's Emerson Fellow Ethan Legum.

These students are already taking the reins of leadership. Noa Lotringer's brother Dor, who also graduated from Lake Brantley High School and is a former SWU intern, launched a campaign to show support for the families under fire: the #15SecondChallenge. The goal of the program is to raise awareness about Tzeva Adom-how much can you accomplish in the 15 seconds it takes to find shelter from an incoming bomb? (Dor received a full-ride scholarship to USF for organizing this challenge.)

The challenge was instituted again at the high school and college training conferences. Here is Dor and Noa's challenge:

What can you do in only 15 seconds? Record a video of yourself taking the #15SecondChallenge and upload it to social media using the hashtag.

In only one month's time, over 200 rockets and mortars were. When rockets are fired at Israelis in the south they have only 15 seconds to get to a bomb shelter.

Don't forget to challenge your friends and family members!

To support the families of the south under fire click here: https://my.israelgives.org/en/campaign/IsraelFires2018

For more information about the internship program, please email highschool@standwithus.com.
Step out for a night on the town in your favorite pair of jeans, jazzed up with some glam accessories, at the Jewish Pavilion's Gems and Jeans 2018 Gala. The Oct. 28 affair will be a fun and festive evening of great food, live jazz, and enticing items to bid on in a silent auction.

The slogan for the milestone 18th-chai-anniversary gala is "To Life!" It will be a celebration of the spark of Jewish life and culture that the Jewish Pavilion brings to more than 1,000 seniors living in elder care and independent living facilities in Central Florida. The Pavilion's staff and hundreds of volunteers visit individual seniors, celebrate holidays, and conduct engaging programs that draw active participation of residents from all religious traditions.

The Gems and Jeans Gala will be held this year at Hilton Orlando North in Altamonte Springs. The evening will begin with a cocktail hour with appetizer stations and passed gourmet hors d'oeuvres, while guests can view and bid on silent auction items. The dinner will include an array of options to please every palate, plus desserts and coffee. Michael Kramer's Swing State with special guest Michael Andrew will entertain, so wear your dancing shoes.

New this year will be a "wine pull": an opportunity to choose a wrapped bottle of fine wine (at least 90 points on a recognized wine rating scale) for a modest donation. Also being offered are a 50/50 raffle and a very special raffle to win a gift certificate for $1,800 worth of jewelry from Addeo Jewelers of Lake Mary.

Shirley Schoenberger, who is co-chairing the gala with Susan Livingstone, is looking forward to a memorable evening. "It's just fun, and a great way for you to spend your time and your money!" she said. "The Pavilion brings special programs to seniors all over town, and that is a good cause, because they really need that connection."

Each year, the Jewish Pavilion honors two exemplary volunteers for their dedication in supporting the organization's mission. Honored at this year's gala will be Paul Stenzler and Jason Mendelsohn.

Stenzler is the Pavilion Board of Directors' immediate past president and served on the board for several years prior. Born on Manhattan's Lower East Side and raised in the New York metro area, Stenzler moved to Orlando in 1980. He and his wife, Terri Fine, are active in Orlando's Jewish community. The former vice president of sales for Cues, Inc., an Orlando firm that designs robotic systems for maintaining pipelines, Stenzler is now retired, studies guitar, and is an active runner and soft martial arts practitioner in addition to his extensive volunteer work with the Pavilion.

Stenzler became aware of the Jewish Pavilion when volunteers visited his mother and then followed her to several facilities over the years as her care needs changed. He started bringing his guitar to the Pavilion's Sabbath services at his mother's residences, and his involvement increased from there.

"I love this organization," Stenzler said. "It is a true outreach at the grassroots level. And sooner or later, all of us, if we're local, will need the services of the Jewish Pavilion in one way or another."

Nancy Ludin, the Pavilion's executive director, commends Stenzler's effective board leadership over the last two years, noting that he has also served the Pavilion in a number of capacities over many years. "He has been an active volunteer leader for years leading Sabbath services, memorial programs and musicales," said Ludin. "His band, Rhythm Release, has performed gratis at most of the Jewish Pavilion galas."

Mendelsohn is a Jewish Pavilion board member and a strong voice for the Pavilion in the Orlando community. An almost lifelong Central Florida resident, Mendelsohn moved to Orlando with his parents, Herb and Toby, and brother, Jon, in 1972 from Washington, D.C. His twin sisters, Jamie and Jill, were born here.

The family became very involved in Orlando's Jewish community, and Mendelsohn met his future wife, Ronni, as teens when they were members of United Synagogue Youth, where he served as president and Ronni succeeded him. Ronni's family, the Farbers, are also longtime Central Floridians. The couple has three children: Ryan and Lauren, 17, are seniors at Edgewater High and Adam, 11, is a Maitland Middle student.

Mendelsohn is president of Ashar Group, a family-owned national life settlement brokerage firm. He started the business with his father, an area dermatologist, and brother almost 16 years ago. Mendelsohn's sister Jamie also joined the firm.

Jason Mendelsohn

His involvement with the Pavilion stems in part from seeing what the visits and programs meant to his father-in-law, a resident of Life Care Center of Altamonte Springs who passed away this summer. "I love the idea of caring for people that need to be cared for," said Mendelsohn. "The Pavilion helps Jewish residents of these facilities maintain their dignity and maintain their connection to Judaism when it's easy for them to be forgotten."

Ludin praises Mendelsohn's deep commitment to the organization. Said Ludin, "Jason Mendelsohn is full of ideas. He has served diligently on the Jewish Pavilion Board for the past two years. He has gotten many younger people involved with the organization, and he and his wife are hosting our annual board get together in November."

The Gems and Jeans 2018 Gala will be held Oct. 28, 2018, beginning at 5 p.m., at Hilton Orlando North, 350 S. Northlake Blvd., Altamonte Springs. Tickets are $118/person prior to Oct. 15; $136/person after Oct. 15; call 407-678-9363 to make reservations.
NEW YORK-The New York-based Touro College and University System is pleased to announce the second lecture in the yearlong series it is bringing to Orlando in partnership with The Roth Family JCC.

On Oct. 23, Dr. Marian Stoltz-Loike, dean, Lander College for Women/The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School and vice president of Online Education at Touro College in Manhattan, will be presenting "College Life: 1998 vs. 2018." The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. at The Roth Family JCC, located at 851 N. Maitland Ave. in Maitland, Fla.

Dr. Stoltz-Loike will discuss both the dramatic changes that have taken place since 1998 and some of the arenas that make college education a challenge for today's students.

"2018 is an exciting time for higher education," said Stoltz-Loike. "Technology is driving the development of new educational fields, such as cybersecurity. An aging population will create many opportunities in health care management. Online education enables students to create educational schedules that are flexible. Yet colleges and college life may be challenging for students and, Jewish students, in particular."

The inaugural lecture, "Hope in the Midst of Despair," was delivered by Rabbi Alan G. Ciner, vice president of Community Engagement at TCUS, in May.

"This lecture series and other such programs reflect Touro's sharing its academic and religious resources with communities throughout the United States and Canada," said Rabbi Ciner. "By going beyond the classroom, Touro offers individuals outside of the Touro orbit the benefit of learning and studying with Touro faculty and deans, thereby becoming part of the Touro family."

Added Keith Dvorchik, chief executive officer of The Roth Family JCC, "We are so excited about our partnership with Touro College. Bringing high-level lecturers to The Roth Family JCC to speak on interesting and timely topics is a benefit to the entire Central Florida community."

Touro is America's largest not-for-profit independent institution of higher and professional education under Jewish auspices. Touro's schools provide diverse, innovative and engaging course offerings, from medicine and pharmacy to law; business to education; and speech pathology to Jewish studies-all reflecting the Jewish commitment to values and respect for applied knowledge and discovery.

Founded in 1970 by Dr. Bernard Lander, of blessed memory, TCUS has over 19,000 students spanning four states and four countries, pursuing graduate, professional and undergraduate degrees at over 30 campuses and locations.

"At Touro, Jewish and universal values are aligned to educate thoughtful citizens dedicated to building a responsive and responsible society," said TCUS President Dr. Alan Kadish.

"Touro was established to follow the Jewish ideal of strengthening Jewish continuity while serving the global community," noted Rabbi Ciner. "We, at Touro, are most excited about this program and look forward to its success."

Dr. Stoltz-Loike's lecture on Oct. 23 will be followed by seven others through May 2019 in an effort to share Touro's values and resources on other topics with the Central Florida community. The upcoming study and learning sessions include:

 Nov. 6-Dr. Steven Huberman, founding dean, Touro College Graduate School of Social Work, "Rebuilding Jewish Bridges: Alliances with the Hispanic and African American Communities"

 Dec. 11-Dr. Dana Fishkin, assistant professor Humanities, Lander College for Women/The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School, "Medieval Hebrew Poets: Heroes or Villains"

 Jan. 24-Dr. Alan Kadish, president, Touro College and University System, "Quantum Mechanics and How God Might Run the Universe"

 Feb. 13-Rabbi Alan G. Ciner, vice president of Community Engagement, Touro College and University System, "Biblical Profiles in Courage: Bringing About a More Perfect World"

 March 14-Matthew Bonilla, M.S., vice president of Student Administrative Services, Touro College and University System, "Contemporary College Life as a Venue for Future Success"

 April 2-Dr. Henry Abramson, academic dean, Lander College of Arts and Sciences, "Jews Discover Politics"

 May 15-Dr. Steven Huberman, Founding Dean, Touro College Graduate School of Social Work, "Extremism in America."
MEDFORD, Mass. (JTA)Pro-Israel students at Tufts University say a new course on Palestine is one-sided and demonizes Israel, and violates the universitys own policies on taking political stances.

The course, taught by Thomas Abowd, a faculty member in the American Studies program, was first reported by Jewish News Syndicate. The JNS story sparked a flurry of criticism and concern from the Anti-Defamation League and pro-Israel campus organizations.

Titled Colonizing Palestine, the course is offered through the liberal arts schools Colonialism Studies program and is cross listed with Womens, Gender and Sexuality studies. A course description says it will explore the history and culture of modern Palestine and the centrality of colonialism in the making of this contested and symbolically potent territory.

The description also says that students will address crucial questions relating to this embattled nation, the Israeli state which illegally occupies Palestine, and the broader global forces that impinge on Palestinians and Israelis.

In a statement shared with JTA, the Hillel chapter at Tufts said that while it supports academic freedom, it characterized the course description as prejudicial and unnecessarily provocative.

Tufts Friends of Israel, a student group, wrote in a statement to the universitys president, Anthony Monaco, that the course as described prejudges the Israeli-Palestinian debate.

A course must aid a students pursuit of knowledge and provide ... the information and tools to arrive at their own conclusions, the group wrote.

Ben Shapiro, a junior from Los Angeles and co-president of Tufts Friends of Israel, says the group is still waiting for a response.

Our main issue [is that the course] denies Jewish indigeneity to Israel and presents a one-sided narrative as truth, Shapiro said.

Tufts Friends of Israel also said that the course breaches a 2017 statement by the Office of the President that reads: While members of our community vigorously debate international politics, Tufts University does not adopt institutional positions with respect to specific geo-political issues.

The statement, however, came in a letter by the president rejecting a resolution by the universitys undergraduate student government calling on Tufts to divest from entities doing business with the Israeli government.

It is not clear whether offering a course, however one-sided, suggests that a university has adopted an institutional position on the subject being taught.

The university sees the course as one among many options that offer students an opportunity to become familiar with a variety of perspectives on important and complex issues facing our global society, according to a statement provided to JTA from Patrick Collins, the schools executive director of public relations.

University-facilitated discussion of these issues does not imply endorsement of a particular view, and we anticipate and welcome the Tufts communitys vigorous discussion of varying viewpoints and beliefs, the statement says.

By midweek, fewer than five students had signed up for the course, Shapiro said, reviewing online course registrations.

Collins was unable to confirm how many students had enrolled or pin down whether there is a minimum number required for a class to be offered.

Founded in 1852, Tufts, some six miles north of Boston, has more than 5,500 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students, with a faculty of just over 1,500.

In an email, Collins provided descriptions of several university courses that address a range of perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including one at its prestigious graduate program at the Fletcher School that is open to undergraduates. He also cited an array of courses in Judaic studies and political science that address Israeli politics and culture.

Abowd is the author of the 2014 book Colonial Jerusalem. He supports the academic boycott against Israel and signed a boycott statement by Anthropologists for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions.

In an email, Abowd declined a request from JTA to discuss his course and a response to the objections raised.

Im going to have to decline an interview with you due mostly to the sheer volume of requests Ive been receiving of late, Abowd wrote.

News about the course drew an immediate rebuke from Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti Defamation League and a Tufts alum.

We support academic freedom but @TuftsUniversity must ensure that classes examining the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict are not one sided platform for propaganda that demonize Israel and empower anti-Israeli activists, Greenblatt wrote in an Aug. 16 Twitter post.

Shapiro was not persuaded by the administrations response that the school offers numerous options that examine the contemporary Middle East. Judaic Studies courses are often about religion, history or cultural topics.

They do not have to do with modern Israel, he said.

The current Judaic Studies catalog offers a course on Israeli film dealing with Israeli and Palestinian history and daily life from the late 19th century to the present. The Fletcher School is offering a course this fall titled Negotiation and Mediation in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Past Lessons And Future Opportunities that promises to explore the Israeli and Palestinian narratives.

Tufts Friends of Israel is not trying to shut down Abowds course and will not mount a protest, Shapiro said, since classes wont begin until after Labor Day and he has yet to see a syllabus. Instead, the group is turning its attention to the question of how new courses win approval.

The group is also gathering signatures online for a letter calling on the Tufts administration to reaffirm its opposition to academic boycotts against Israel.

The school has taken a stance against academic and economic boycotts against Israel dating back to 2013, when it issued a statement strongly opposing the American Studies Associations resolution for an academic boycott, and most recently in 2017.

Robert Trestan, the executive director of the Anti-Defamation Leagues Boston office, said the controversy raises an important question about the colleges process for course approvalespecially the way the school promotes and advertises its classes.

No one is saying that this is a forbidden topic or restricting a professors ability to teach about the subject matter, Trestan told JTA in a phone conversation.

But, he said, the course description states as fact that Israel is committing illegal acts, and draws judgments and conclusions before the first class is in session.

Its important to insure that when [Tufts] does advertise a class, its inviting for all students and sends a message that all views and perspectives are welcome for discussion, Trestan said. This course seems to do the opposite.
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(Israel Hayom via JNS)-U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman believes that the Golan Heights will remain under Israeli sovereignty, and certainly won't be placed back in the hands of Syria's current leader, President Bashar Assad.

In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, which will be published in full on Friday, Friedman says that "I can't imagine a circumstance where the Golan Heights will be returned to Syria. I cannot imagine, frankly, a circumstance where the Golan Heights is not a part of Israel forever. There's not even an indigenous population in the Golan Heights seeking autonomy."

"So I think you'd put Israel at a great security disadvantage by giving up the high ground of the Golan Heights," he continued. "Needless to say, I can't think of a less deserving person to receive this kind of reward than Bashar Assad. So there are a whole host of reasons why I would expect the status quo to remain."

Friedman stressed that the Trump administration may consider official recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory in the future.

Two weeks ago, during a visit to Israel, National Security Advisor John Bolton remarked that the Trump administration is not discussing possible U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Responding to this remark, Friedman said that "it is certainly possible" that the United States would recognize Israeli sovereignty, explaining that Bolton's remark "was simply a statement of fact. It's simply not on the list of things that are happening right now."

Friedman also dismissed any possibility that any future U.S. administrations would reverse President Donald Trump's official recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital late last year.

"I really can't see that happening, no matter what party is in control," he said. "In order for an administration to reverse this, they would have to conclude that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel and Tel Aviv is. I think that would be a far more controversial thing to do than what the president did. It would be completely at odds with reality and I don't believe that there is any American politician of any party-of no party-who would take a position that is completely contrary to reality. So I don't think that's going to happen."

Attempting to explain Trump's deep affection for Israel, Friedman revealed that Israeli intelligence had helped prevent terrorist attacks on American soil, and spoke about the president's appreciation for Israel's success.

"He likes to win," Friedman said of Trump. "He's very good at winning, he likes people who win, he thinks that success breeds more success and he knows how difficult it is to succeed, so I think he has greater admiration for what Israel has accomplished, maybe even more than some Israelis."

In the interview, Friedman also addressed the recent U.S. administration decision to defund UNRWA, the U.N. agency that supports Palestinian refugees.

"UNRWA is a critically flawed organization," he said. "It doesn't advance regional peace and actually perpetuates the conditions that make peace even harder to achieve. As such, the U.S. doesn't see how any additional investment in the agency will yield a worthy return for the American taxpayers."
(JNS)A bipartisan bill that would cement U.S. military aid to Israel into law has passed a major hurdle on Wednesday night.

The U.S. House of Representative approved the measure, known as the Ileana Ros-Lehtinen U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018, several weeks after it passed the Senate. It will now head for the presidents desk.

Under the proposed legislation, the $38 billion in military aid over 10 years spelled out under the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding would be funded through a special mechanism that would be separate from the annual budget.

The bills official name was changed to honor Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), as the outspokenly pro-Israel congresswoman is not running for re-election this fall.

[She] has been a stalwart friend of Israel throughout her time in Congress, and it is a fitting honor that this bill to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship bears her name, said Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.). Israel is under constant threat from every direction. A threat to Israel, our strategic ally in a turbulent region, is also a threat to our national security.

The bill would give Israel increased access to sophisticated U.S. technology to ensure it maintains its qualitative edge in the region through the U.S. war-reserve stockpile in Israel, which Israeli forces can use under certain conditions.

It also authorizes the president to bolster the stockpile with $1 billion worth of weaponry, as well as with precision-guided munitions to use against the Hezbollah terror group based in Lebanon. The bill further allows the president to establish a collaborative U.S.-Israel counter-drone program.

The law ensures that U.S. aid would not be cut as long as the memorandum comes into effect starting in 2019, ensuring that the funds would not be influenced by the budget wars between Congress and the White House. It also means that presidents would not be able to suspend U.S. aid as a means of pressuring Israel.

With this measure, we are codifying the assistance levels in the latest 10-year U.S.-Israel memorandum of understanding, which aims to strengthen our already robust relationship, especially on defense matters, chairman of the Houses Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce (R-Calif.) said on Wednesday. This bill also works to build on the United States and Israels successful history of cooperation on technology development.

The American-Israel Public Affairs Committee praised the House for following in the Senates footsteps, saying it applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for adopting the Ileana Ros-Lehtinen U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018.

According to AIPAC, This key legislation seeks to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself, by itself, against growing threatsmost significantly Irans presence on its northern border. This bipartisan bill authorizes agreed-upon increases in Israels security assistance. It encourages expanding U.S. weapons stockpiles in Israel and advancing U.S.-Israel cooperation in anti-drone technologies and space.
By Jonathan S. Tobin

(JNS)When the Trump administration announced that it was ending its funding of the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) last week, the protests from the foreign-policy establishment were loud and anguished. As a New York Times op-ed that masqueraded as a news story sought to explain, UNRWA matters because the experts say it does.

UNRWA has perpetuated the refugee problem it was established to solve and has become one of the chief obstacles to peace. It has served to keep the 1948 refugees and their descendants in place as a weapon to use against Israel and to give hope to those who wish to destroy it. But uttering these painfully obvious facts and drawing the proper conclusions from them is just something the experts about the Middle East dont do. They dont because doing so would be to admit that theyve been wrong about the conflict for a very long time. Coming to grips with this means admitting what amounts to foreign-policy malpractice.

Thats an important point to remember this week as we commemorate a more recent but no less consequential act of folly: the 1993 Oslo Accords. The Oslo process was supposed to serve as a mechanism to end the conflict, and it was celebrated as the answer to the prayers of generations of Israelis who had known nothing but war since the day their state was born.

The celebration on the White House Lawn as President Bill Clinton presided over a historic handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat set off a period of euphoria among most Israelis and their foreign supporters.

The formula by which Arafat and the terrorists of the Palestine Liberation Organization were to be transformed into the responsible bureaucrats and peacemakers of the Palestinian Authority promised an end to violence and the war that Arabs had been waging on the Jews, as well as their return to their ancient homeland since the early 20th century.

Rabin had a clear idea of what would happen. There would be a border, he liked to say. On the one side would be Israel. On the other would be Arafat and his P.A., which would fight Hamas and any other terrorists and, as Rabin never tired of pointing out, without interference from the Israeli Supreme Court and the human-rights groups that sought to hamper his security services.

But Arafat had no intention of fighting terrorists. He was, in fact, fomenting, planning and paying for terrorism. All he had done was to sign a piece of paper and pocketed extensive Israeli concessions that set the Palestinians on the path to statehood. The foreign-policy expertsboth in the United States and Israelwere wrong. But it took years before some of them would admit it, and even then they sought to evade blame for the slaughter that came in Oslos wake by claiming that Israel hadnt been forthcoming enough.

Later, with Clinton again there, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Arafat the independent state he wanted at Camp David in the summer of 2000, the Palestinian answer was still no. Arafat answered the offer of peace with a terrorist war of attrition known as the Second Intifada, which cost the lives of more than 1,000 Israelis and many more Palestinians.

That conflict literally blew up any remaining hope for peace in the minds of most Israelis. Subsequent refusals of even more generous offers that included almost all of the West Bank, Gaza and a share of Jerusalem brought the same response from Arafats successor, Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinians can complain about Israeli settlements, but a clear majority of Israelis understand that what they had done in 1993 was to trade land for more terror, not peace. That conclusion was reinforced in 2005 when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdrew from Gaza. That set in motion the chain of events that created an independent Palestinian terrorist state ruled by Hamas. These events convinced Israels voters, who have elected Oslo skeptic Benjamin Netanyahu prime minister three times in the last decade, not to make the same mistake again.

Yet that is exactly what some on the left, and especially among the experts who have decried Trumps decision to stop pretending as if the mistakes of the past never happened, want Israel to do. Just as some did 25 years ago, they seize on isolated pro-peace statements from Abbas that are continually contradicted by other statementsin addition to actions such as his continued incitement of hate, and subsidies and pensions for convicted terrorists and their familiesthat make it clear he has no more interest in actually signing another agreement than Hamas. Just like its Islamist rivals, the P.A. still wont recognize the legitimacy of a Jewish state, no matter where its borders might be drawn; to do so would effectively be an admission that the long war on Zionism is over.

But the point of remembering the anniversary of Oslo is not just to think on those failed hopes or the lives lost to terror. It is to understand that thinking seriously about the last 25 years of history requires us to stop regarding the peace process as a kind of religious belief, rather than as a policy that can be proved or, as happened in this case, disproved by objective facts and events.

What is needed now is a willingness to discard the sort of conventional wisdom that led to Oslo in the first place. But while the same tired debates about the need to trade land for peace continue, what both Oslo skeptics and its supporters need to understand is that the arguments for this formula were a lot stronger before September 1993. Two states might someday provide a viable solution to the conflict, but only after the Palestinians finally do what Arafat and now Abbas, as well as Hamas, have continually refused to do: give up their long war against Zionism. Until then, we should mark this anniversary by giving up on the illusions that were paid for in blood and crushed hopes.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNSJewish News Syndicate. Follow him on Twitter at: @jonathans_tobin.
By Yoni Ben Menachem

(The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs via JNS)The statement from the Jordanian government spokeswoman Jumana Ghunaimat about Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbass comments on a new U.S. proposal for a Jordanian-Palestinian confederation was short and to the point: The matter is not an option. Jordan supports a two-state solution and an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders.

According to senior Fatah officials, Abbas shared the proposal, which came from U.S. President Donald Trump, with a group of Peace Now activists with the goal of causing a public furor in Israel by demanding that Israel, too, be part of said confederation. He knows that Israel is afraid of becoming a Jewish minority among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as the Palestinians in Jordan, particularly after the passing of the nation-state law.

The Jordanian royal family has never forgotten the events of Black September in 1970, when Palestinian groups belonging to the PLO tried to seize the Hashemite kingdom and assassinate King Hussein, who was forced to declare war on them. As a result, 3,400 Palestinians were killed and tens of thousands wounded. The Jordanian security forces lost 537 people but successfully ousted the terrorist groups from the kingdom, securing the continued rule of King Hussein, the father of the reigning king, Abdullah II.

Those events are still seared into Abdullahs memory. Make no mistake: His current alliance with Abbas stems from vested interested. He knows very well that the PLO has wanted to take over the Hashemite kingdom and oust the royal family from power for years, but he needs his Palestinian ally because he fears that Trumps deal of the century will hurt Jordans special status as guardian of Islamic holy sites in eastern Jerusalem.

A confederation is a government alliance between two or more independent states, and a confederation of Jordan and the Palestinian Authority would require the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank. Its unclear whether this was Trumps intention when his envoy floated the confederation idea. Apparently, he meant a Palestinian state in the West Bank that would exclude the Gaza Strip and would comprise isolated, demilitarized administrative areas with ties to Jordan, which would be responsible for defending the confederation and its borders.

But the Jordanians are worried that the Trump administrations confederation idea is an Israeli idea in American wrappings, designed to remove Israels demographic concerns, cancel the right of return demanded by Palestinian refugees and foist responsibility for fighting Palestinian terrorism onto Jordan.

In 1988, Jordan made the strategic decision to cut itself off from the West Bank. Its no coincidence that Abdullah is keeping away from the idea of a confederation like poison; he wants to keep Jordans borders as they are, and fears that if the idea is implemented, the Palestinians will take his country and depose the Hashemite royal house.

Yoni Ben-Menachem is a fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
NEW YORK (JTA)It has become conventional wisdom in certain circles that the Oslo agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, which was signed 25 years ago Sept. 13, 1993, on the White House lawn, was simply a failure.

There is no doubt that the great hopes of Israeli-Palestinian peace and reconciliation engendered by Oslo have not been realized. Twenty-five years later not only is there no peace, but the parties are not even talking to each other and the Palestinians themselves remain irreconcilably divided.

Moreover, not only was peace not accomplished, but soon after Oslo was signed, Palestinian terrorism surged, leading many on the right to argue that ceding territory to the Palestinians and the general show of perceived weakness by Israel at Oslo had emboldened the terrorists.

While this reading of the cause of terrorism was too monolithicthere have been surges of terrorism during periods of stagnation and frustration with the status quoit did speak to the uncertainties surrounding Palestinian extremism and terrorism and the simplification by some on the left about Palestinian behavior and thinking.

At the same time, in certain left-wing circles, it is assumed the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a right-wing extremist opposed to the peace process was the main reason the hopes of Oslo never came to fruition. If only Rabin had lived, the argument goes, there would be Israeli-Palestinian peace.

There is no doubt that Rabins unique credibility as a defender of Israels security, together with his willingness to take a bold initiative with Israels longtime enemy, the PLO, was not easily replicated. The loss of Rabin at that critical moment not only was one of the saddest days in the history of the nation, but also hurt the chances for peace.

Rabins death was a disaster in many ways, but whether it was the major factor in the stalling of peace efforts remains questionable. Indeed, in addition to the outbreak of suicide terrorist attacks at that time, there is no real evidence that had Rabin lived there might have been peace. The Palestinians had not made the qualitative leap toward accepting Israels legitimacy that was necessary for an agreement. When twice later on, at Camp David in 2000 and at Annapolis in 2008, Israeli leaders offered far more than Oslo for the actual creation of an independent Palestinian state and the dismantlement of many settlements, the Palestinians couldnt bring themselves to say yes.

Still, there is reason to look back at Oslo as an important step forward in the painfully slow process of legitimizing Israel in the Arab world and in establishing a framework for Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation.

Lets remember that before Oslo, Palestinians of all stripes simply spoke the language of rejectionism, of denial of the right of Israel to exist. Its not to say by any stretch of the imagination that that way of thinking has disappearedHamas is the most blatant example of thisbut Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas himself and other members of the P.A. engage at times in such rhetoric.

But it is vital to recognize that since Oslo, with all the disappointments that have followed, there is an alternative narrative, reflected in the words of Abbas, but also in public opinion polls among Palestinians. This is a language, however grudging, of accepting Israels existence and the need to find a solution based on two states.

One can question Abbas sincerity when he talks about two states for two peoples, or when he condemns terrorism, or when he cooperates with Israeli security forces, but at least it is now part of the public dialogue and rhetoricsomething that was not true before Oslo.

And from the Israeli side, Oslo concretized the concept of Palestinian self-government, through the establishment of the Palestinian Authority and the aspiration of a two-state solution, which until that point had been considered purely theoretical or unrealistic. There is enduring cynicism among the Palestinian leadership and its structures, and polls today show little drive for or expectation of a two-state solution among both the Israeli leadership and public. However, the framework established at Oslo remains to be built upon or adjusted at a time when conditions are more conducive for direct Israeli-Palestinian engagement.

The challenge going forward is not simply to reject Oslo but to move its conceptual breakthroughs into the practical realm. In this regard, there are responsibilities on all sides. After the terrorism following the failure of the July 2000 Camp David summit and the conflict following the withdrawal from Gaza, Israelis have every right to be concerned about security. These concerns, however profound, need not stifle conversations and initiatives by Israel that could strengthen forces within the Palestinian community toward actualizing the concept of Israels legitimacy.

Nor should steps be taken that would make an ultimate two-state solution a practical impossibility. And Palestinians, following in the path of Salam Fayyad, the former Palestinian prime minister, need to take practical steps to build up Palestinian institutions and infrastructure to help convince Israelis that the ideas embodied in Oslo are not dead.

Twenty-five years after the White House lawn ceremony, cynicism about Oslo is understandable. However, it could still be celebrated as a watershed moment in the eternal conflict if its conceptual breakthroughs are reinvigorated and translated into steps that could create movement for a secure peace on both sides.

Kenneth Jacobson is deputy national director of the Anti-Defamation League.
NEW YORK (JTA)Former presidents recently served as eulogizers for Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, and U.S. Sen. John McCain, the maverick.

Barack Obama and George Bush spoke for McCain, a former rival of both, while Bill Clinton did the same for Franklin, who performed at his 1993 inauguration.

Neither funeral escaped controversy.

Liberals quickly rebutted the notion that for all the high-minded rhetoric about bipartisanship, McCains memorial represented a rebuke of Donald Trump. Conservatives, and Jews of various political stripes, slammed Clintons willingness to share the stage with the anti-Semitic Louis Farrakhan, a guest of the Franklin family.

Although his Nation of Islam has been praised for promoting self-reliance and instilling pride within the black community for years, Farrakhan is a vicious anti-Semite, not to mention anti-LGBTQ. In 1984 he called Adolf Hitler a very great man; his now de-verified Twitter profile is bannered with a pinned tweet in which he boasts of Thoroughly and completely unmasking the Satanic Jew and the Synagogue of Satan.

Farrakhan at an event in February deemed Jews to be the mother and father of apartheid and have control over some agencies of government. He argued that Jews have induced black male homosexuality through the weaponization of marijuana, portraying Jews as opponents of black masculinity. Among those on hand were progressive Womens March leader Tamika Mallory, who refused to apologize for her attendance or repudiate Farrakhan.

Clinton did not comment on sharing a stage with Farrakhan, although his daughter, Chelsea, defended him on Twitter. After condemning Farrakhans anti-Semitism, Chelsea argued that Arethas family had every right to invite whomever they wanted to celebrate her life.

But would the former president been as comfortable sharing a stage, if requested by the mourners of a similarly respected figure, with an unalloyed bigot like David Duke or Richard Spencer?

Several figures on the left appear to tolerate and tacitly endorse the Nation of Islam leaderan ideological inconsistency that enables anti-Semitism to be tolerated even when other forms of bias, including anti-black racism, are roundly condemned.

The Congressional Black Caucus still maintains ties with Farrakhan. According to The Daily Caller, the caucus held a secret meeting with him in 2005. Contacted recently, all 21 current members of the caucus who met the minister in 2005 declined to denounce him. Some, including Barbara Lee and Gregory Meeks, eventually did so. The popular firebrand congresswoman Maxine Waters, who has long embraced Farrakhan and still does, did not.

There may be simple calculus in this: Politicians dont want to alienate constituents for whom Farrakhan is still a hero. And minority groups, including the Jews, are reluctant to take marching orders from the establishment about whom they should and shouldnt condemn.

Yet for many progressives, and increasingly the left at large, anti-Semitism is fundamentally different from and less serious than anti-black racism or Islamophobia, among other forms of bias.

As I reported in early August, progressives and liberals from Melissa Harris-Perry to Linda Sarsour embrace a hierarchical definition of racism that places importance on power. According to this formula, only the powerful can be racist and powerful people cannot have racism wielded against them. Within this paradigm, white-on-black bias, due to the power gap, is racism; black-on-Jew bias, anti-Semitism, in which the weak attack the strong, becomes simple bias rather than racism.

Without a power gap, anti-Semitism becomes less concerning than anti-black and other racism.

The thing Im always worried about in the world is power, and how power is wielded in ways that cause inequity, Harris-Perry, explaining why she declined to condemn Farrakhan, said earlier this year. So if you can show me that Minister Farrakhan has taken his position and used his position to create inequity and inequality for Jewish people, then I will denounce that tomorrow.

By embracing this definition of racism and relegating anti-Semitism to some lesser form of bias, the left has enabled the continued normalization of bigots like Farrakhan within their ranks.

If Jews are seen as white (which, in this permutation of progressivism, they are), and whites cannot be subjected to racist attacks, then anti-Semitism becomes a trivial concern, K.C. Johnson, a history professor at Brooklyn College, former Fulbright instructor at Tel Aviv University and regular Washington Post contributor, told me in August.

Jews in Great Britain have had a taste of that dynamic this year amid accusations that the Labour Party has crossed the line from deeply critical of Israel to outright anti-Semitic. Jews who have cried foul over party leader Jeremy Corbyns cozy relationship with Palestinian terrorists and heated anti-Israel rhetoric have been told that they are both too powerful and too comfortable to have any real complaint.

Astounding, isnt it, British novelist Simon Maginn tweeted in July, that a group which claims to be silenced, oppressed, powerless manages to keep the [Labour anti-Semitism] story running day after day, week after week, month after month, in every Tory paper and on the Tory BBC. Must be terrible to be so oppressed, so silenced.

While the Trump White House has been and should be excoriated for encouraging white supremacist and far-right groups in the pursuit of far-right votes, it goes without saying that the left should be similarly condemned for fraternizing with and continuing to legitimize Farrakhan and his ilk seemingly in the pursuit of black votes.

Of course, Aretha Franklins family had every right to invite whomever they saw fit to her funeral. Nobody, however, forced Clinton to appear on the stage itself. Clinton could and should have opted not to attend without a change in the dais, thereby refusing to share a stage with, and implicitly elevating, a bigot.

Charles Dunst will soon begin as an intern reporter at Southeast Asia Globe in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He is a former editorial fellow at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and his writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The American Prospect and The Hill, among other publications.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
In 1926, a new religious faith was born in Punjab. Known as the ad-dharm movement, this faith drew inspiration from the Bhakti movement, venerated the poet, Ravidas, had its own sacred book, and aimed to provide Dalits with a separate religious identity, which would aid them in their quest for emancipation. It preached caste equality and liberation.

Had the government of Captain Amarinder Singh been in power in Punjab then, as it is now, the ad-dharmis would have been arrested, prosecuted, and potentially imprisoned for life. This is the effect of the blasphemy law, which inserts a new Section 295AA into the Indian Penal Code. The vague and suggestive wording of the section is a delight for unscrupulous governments: it criminalises injury, damage or sacrilege to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Geeta, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people.

But there are three constitutional problems with Punjabs plan to criminalise blasphemy.

First, by giving four religions an effective veto power over what can or cannot be said, the sacrilege law transforms Punjab into a theocratic state along the lines of Pakistan or Saudi Arabia. This is at odds with our cosmopolitan and inclusive Constitution. It is also at odds with the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.

The famous Article 19(1) of our Constitution does not permit sacrilege or hurt ... religious feelings to be invoked as grounds for restricting the freedom of speech. It recognises that the purpose of freedom of speech in a democracy is not just to allow people to say things that are palatable or comforting, but to offend, shock, or disturb. In particular, it does not give individuals the right to demand that speech be restricted if it hurts their feelings, simply by invoking religion as the basis for those feelings. To accept such a view would be to let religion dictate the scope of the right to free speech, and destroy the delicate balance wrought in the Constitution between protecting religious freedom, and furthering crucial democratic values, such as the freedom of expression.

Second, the dictionary defines the word sacrilege as gross irreverence toward a hallowed person, place, or thing. By criminalising irreverence, the Punjab government has essentially created a regime of thought crime, where showing insufficient reverence can have you arrested and jailed. At its heart, the command that due reverence must be shown to the revealed truth, whether it is in the Guru Ganth Sahib or the Quran, is based on the idea that religion is the ultimate arbiter of truth, and cannot be questioned.

In a free and open democracy, however, very few questions are treated as settled and immutable for all time. Truth is not revealed from above, but something that we discover through debate, discussion, and learning from one another. Therefore, one crucial purpose of the freedom of speech is to ensure that, through constant communication and articulation of competing and even conflicting ideas, we move closer towards identifying truth. But in making the four religious books immune from criticism, the Punjab government appears to be cutting short the debate altogether, simply on the basis of hurt feelings.

Third, in criminalising sacrilege, Section 295AA penalises dissent and debate within religions. The definition of what counts as sacrilege will, inevitably, be determined on the basis of the views of those who claim to represent the religious communities. This, however, gives continued control over the evolution and interpretation of religion to a narrow set of gatekeepers. This is particularly poignant in India, whose entire history is characterised by deep dissent within faiths, and the formation of new religions and ways of life that arise out of these dissents. It is to religious dissent that we owe Buddhism, Jainism, the Bhakti Movement, and  ironically enough  Sikhism. Section 395AA seeks to throttle the lifeblood of any community: the ability to disagree  even to disagree radically  with the prevailing orthodoxy.

The Punjab governments proposed Section 295AA, therefore, is not only about violating individuals rights to freedom of speech and expression, but about the broader question about the kind of democracy that we have proclaimed ourselves to be.

Are we a paranoid democracy that allows religious groups to eliminate all forms of dissent by codifying a blasphemy law with a punishment of life imprisonment? Or are we a courageous democracy, that encourages challenges to, and debates about, all the prevailing ideas that we hold most dear, and are more passionate about. The eventual fate of Section 295AA  whether in the state legislative assembly or in the courts  will help us to answer these two questions.

Gautam Bhatia is an advocate in the Supreme Court

The views expressed are personal
Athleisure is here to stay, and now Bay Area dudes have a locally inspired label from a locally based brand.

Plus, Marc Benioff drops almost $200 mil cash to buy Time mag, Jerry Brown legalizes helmetless scooter riding, and semi-naked "blood" soaked animal rights activists are aggravating workers at a Berkeley Whole Foods. These and more topics to chew on this weekend.

(Courtesy of Gap)

Gap Inc. unveils its first new brand in more than a decade, Fast Company



The San Franciscobased retail giant may be flailing, but its women's athleisure brand, Athleta, is comparatively kicking butt. So why, you might wonder, does Gap not launch Athleta for dudes? Enter Hill City, the performance menswear brand that marks the first new launch for the corporation in over a decade. Read more.





Time Magazine Is Bought by Marc Benioff, Salesforce Billionaire, The New York Times

While publishers around the globe are trying to offload their withering print titles, Meredith Corporation has shown them how its done. With a big shake of the hand, our own Bay Area billionaire scooped up Time magazine for $190 millioncash. Read more.





San Francisco's Eventbrite soars nearly 70 percent in IPO, SF Chronicle

On Thursday afternoon, staffers at the ubiquitous events company were spotted exiting the SF HQ clad in Hawaiian shirts and leis and carrying six-packs. They were celebrating Eventbrite's epic debut on the New York Stock Exchange: The IPO brought the company's valuation to a whopping $3 billion. Read more.





Whole Foods Seeks Restraining Order Against Berkeley Animal Rights Protesters, Eater SF

Scantily clad and faux-bloodied animal rights activists have been parading their flesh around a Whole Foods store in Berkeley in advance of Direct Action Everywhere's #OccupyWholeFoods week of protests. Now owned by Amazon, the grocer is not having it. Read more.





Riding an e-scooter without a helmet to be legal in California. What could go wrong?, San Diego Tribune

In the same week that the first fatality on a Lime scooter was reported in Dallas, TX, Cali gov Jerry Brown has scrapped a law requiring citizens to wear helmets on e-scooters. Mmm-kay. Read more.
Indias environmental jurisprudence has seen considerable development in the last few years. This is largely because of decisions taken by the NGT, which has played a pivotal role in making sure environmental laws are taken seriously. Indias environmental court, which started functioning in 2011, has, over time, become an institution which many countries want to replicate.

But the last few months have seen a massive decline in public confidence in the NGT. The first wake-up call was in July when the new chairperson of the NGT commented that around 50% of the petitions before the tribunal were filed by blackmailers. Nothing could be more distressing because this comes from an institution that was created to protect the rights of the people. Recently, the decision of the chairperson of NGT to rehear 18 cases, which were reserved for judgment, has raised concerns about both propriety as well as legality.

The NGT, over the last two months, seems to have evolved four approaches to deal with litigations. First, dispose of existing cases. Second, form committees, comprising mostly people who were responsible for the problem, and outsource even adjudicatory functions. Third, refuse to entertain matters on the ground that the government has approved the project or other hyper-technical grounds. And finally, rehear cases which were earlier reserved for judgment.

One is not expecting the NGT to always give judgments in favour of those who approach it for protecting the environment. Rather, the cause for concern is the general reluctance of the tribunal to hear matters on merit, to consider the decision of the government as virtually sacrosanct and submissions of project proponents as cast in stone. It must not be forgotten that the NGT is not a special tribunal, but a specialised tribunal set up to adjudicate on complex environmental issues through the use of both judicial and technical expertise.

The decision of the tribunal must reflect the consideration of issues on merit, even if the final decision is to dismiss the appeal and application. Unfortunately, a series of orders were passed disposing of or refusing to hear appeals without consideration on the merits. An example is the appeal filed against the second airport in Mopa, Goa, where the locals opposed the project on grounds of social and environmental impact. The project entails the felling of more than 55,000 trees, loss of tiger habitats and destruction of water sources. This appeal was disposed of with directions to construct additional rainwater harvesting structures. Another appeal against a bio-ethanol plant in the No Development Zone of Kaziranga National Park, Assam, was dismissed on the ground that the appellants were a few days late.

Justice Adarsh Goel, on the day of his retirement from the Supreme Court in July, asserted that if we cannot protect fundamental rights, wind up the Courts. These words are very much applicable to the tribunals, including the NGT. The objective of the NGT is to protect the legal right to a clean environment, to provide a specialised remedy in the form an appellate forum against faulty decisions of the state, and provide compensation for those affected by environmental harm. At a time when India ranks lowest in the world in terms of environmental quality and more people die in India because of pollution than anywhere else in the world, the country cannot afford to have a weak institution to adjudicate on environmental issues.

The Supreme Court has held in numerous decisions that it is improper and undesirable to expose precious rights like the right of life and liberty to the vagaries of individual whims and fancies. In DTC versus DTC Mazdoor Congress 1991 Supp (1)SCC 600 , Justice PB Sawant wrote: It is trite to say that individuals are not and do not become wise because they occupy high seats of power..There is only a complacent presumption that those who occupy high post have a high sense of responsibility. The presumption is neither legal nor rational. History does not support it and reality does not warrant it.

Ritwick Dutta is an environmental lawyer and practices before the National Green Tribunal

The views expressed are personal
In July, the New York Times released Searching for Saraswati, a 20-minute documentary, directed by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya. The extremely well made and engaging documentary captures the state-sanctioned search for a mythical river, Saraswati, in two villages in Haryana. The filmmakers deftly draw a picture of people hypnotised by blind faith, and the opportunistic politicians and religious leaders swooping down on the villages for profit and propaganda.

A few days before the documentarys worldwide release, I spoke to the two directors. Among the many issues that we discussed over a long-distance call (the duo was in Amsterdam), I remember them asking a rhetorical question: What is the public utility of finding that river [Saraswati]? Who goes to find a river when our existing rivers are dying? (Amit clarified that his film does not doubt peoples faith. But spending taxpayers money on a project like this defies logic). I agreed.

THE CPCB REPORT

Our rivers are dying. So are the ecosystems that feed them.

A recent report released by the Central Pollution Control Board once again reveals the sorry state of affairs:

MORE POLLUTED STRETCHES: The number of polluted stretches in Indias rivers has increased to 351 from 302 two years ago, and the number of critically polluted stretches  where water quality indicators are the poorest  has gone up to 45 from 34 in 28 states and six Union Territories. Based on the recommendations of the National Green Tribunal, the CPCB last month appraised the states of the extent of pollution in their rivers.

This is alarming but this is not the true state of our rivers, say river experts.

The truth is much worse, when other factors (disappearing flows, increasing number of structures and diversions, sand mining, disappearing biodiversity, deleterious projects underway and planned etc) more than mere water quality (as is the limited mandate of CPCB) are considered. Except a few uphill and select stretches of tributaries of a few major rivers, mostly all rivers are in a bad shape.

THE TOP OFFENDERS: While the Rs 20,000 crore clean-up of the Ganga may be the most visible of the states efforts to tackle pollution, the CPCB says several of the rivers stretches  in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh  are far less polluted than many rivers in Maharashtra, Assam, and Gujarat. These three states account for 117 of the 351 polluted river stretches.

This is no surprise since these are high and increasingly industrialised and urbanised states, but the increase in Assam is intriguing. Perhaps it is in Assam that the observations points have seen a greater increase, says former forester-turned-river crusader Manoj Misra.

LACK OF EFFECTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT:

A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report of 2015, reported in the Centre for Science and Environments State of Indias Environment 2018 report, brought out the fact that 61,948 million litres of urban sewage is generated on a daily basis in India. But the cities have an installed sewage treatment capacity of only 38% of this.

In reality, more than this amount goes untreated into the rivers or water bodies as the treatment capacity of major sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the country is around 66% of the installed capacity as per CPCB findings of 2013. As a result, more than 38,000 million litres of wastewater goes into the major rivers, water bodies and even percolates into the ground every day.

Over and above this there is industrial effluent. The data on the raw sewage from rural areas are not available.

The national obsession with cleaning of rivers will land us only at its water quality assessment. Unfortunately, other key threats to rivers as an ecological entity are ignored.

Thus the magic word should be rejuvenation and not just cleaning. This is because a clean river is an automatic corollary of a rejuvenated river. But the latter is also far more sustainable in its outcome, adds Misra.

@kumkumdasgupta
The dense forests of Andhra Pradeshs East Godavari Agency, once a safe-haven for outlawed left wing ultras  things came to a head with the kidnapping of eight IAS officers on December 27, 1987 at Gurthedu  is now a peaceful place with visitors from all over the state visiting it. The reason for the turnaround is chicken  rather, bamboo chicken, a local tribal delicacy that has caught the fancy of foodies from far and wide.

The origins of the dish are unclear, as are the specifics of how news of it spread to other parts of the state, but no one denies its role in ridding the area of Maoists, insurgents owing allegiance to the Communist Party of India (Maoist), although there is some debate on the centrality of this role.

The theory is that the popularity of the dish attracted visitors, mainstreaming the area, and reducing its remoteness  thereby making it less attractive for the insurgents.

I started practising law in Rampachodavaram a year before the kidnap of IAS officers before I shifted to Rajahmundry, says Palla Trinadha Rao, a Rajahmundry-based advocate. According to him , the influx of visitors drawn by the chicken was accompanied by an increase in road and mobile networks in the area.

With hardly any villages inaccessible to communication network, the Agency can longer be treated as remote nowadays, he adds.

The retreat of the Maoists from the East Godavari Agency to the Andhra-Odisha border about 150 km away can mainly be attributed to bamboo chicken stalls flooding the area, says Kallu Srinivas, a local activist fighting for tribal rights.

Additional Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Singh confirms that the agency tracts have been completely free of the movements of armed squads of Maoists, but attributes this to police action, among other factors.

Bamboo chicken is prepared by stuffing chicken in a fresh bamboo shoot and slow-cooking it over charcoal. Connoisseurs (Advocate Rao is one) swear by the aroma, tenderness and suppleness of the meat that has stewed in its own juices within the bamboo.

The retreat of the Maoists from the East Godavari Agency to the Andhra-Odisha border about 150 km away can mainly be attributed to bamboo chicken stalls flooding the area, say activists. (M Krishna/HT Photo)

Maredumilli, located in the heart of the East Godavaris Agency area with Rampachodavaram as its Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) headquarters, has now become a picnic spot with bustling crowds, especially over the weekend, with the main draw being the chicken.

The dish, which was initially popular in the Araku area of Visakhapatnam Agency, was introduced by a Kondreddy tribal families that settled in the East Godavari Agency; they also introduced their own variation and spices.

Now, the dish is no longer made by the tribals alone. Many Kondareddy tribals complain that the business has slipped into the hands of enterprising non-tribals over a period of time. Srivas says activists tried petitioning the ITDA authorities at Rampachodavaram for giving some kind of patent to tribals over the bamboo chicken but that this did not materialise.

Interestingly, the dish has also become popular in urban areas such as Vijayawada with posh hotels serving it. Most foodies however claim the local dish, cooked with tender bamboo shoots, tastes the best.

Srinivas says that the bamboo chicken is now being showcased at food festivals held in Silparamam in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. While welcoming the commercialization of the cuisine he says that the interests of tribals must be safeguarded.

Theres a flip side, though. Forest range officer A Sunil Kumar says the increasing popularity of bamboo chicken has resulted in indiscriminate cutting of bamboo in the reserve forests.Even though Rao rules out the possibility of bamboo chicken causing any environmental concerns since the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has started advocating bamboo cultivation to facilitate promotion of the cuisine and adds that bamboo grows fast, Kumar insists that large tracts of bamboo forest have been cleared to meet the demand for bamboo chicken.

That demand is evident in the number of bamboo chicken stalls in Maredumilli, which now even boasts of air conditioned hotels for visitors. The forest department has chipped in with an eco-tourism project by developing waterfalls and parks. Kumar says that the tourist spots are being maintained by the tribals themselves. But it is the bamboo chicken that rules the local economy.
A three-year-old girl was allegedly molested inside a school bus while on her way home in Bhopals Ayodhya Nagar area on Thursday afternoon.

Ayodhya Nagar police station in-charge Baljit Singh said that the girl was molested by the bus conductor Saurabh (18), who has been arrested and booked under Section 354 of IPC.

There were other children on the bus but all of them were of the junior section. The accused sat down next to the victim and started touching her inappropriately. The victim kept quiet at that time, but told her mother about the incident when she reached home. Her parents then approached the police and lodged a complaint, Singh said.

Madhya Pradeshs rape and molestation statistics are grim. According to the state womens cell records, 1,894 rapes and 4,069 molestation cases were registered in the first five months of 2018. This translates to an average of 13 rapes and 27 instances of molestation every day.

Statistics from the preceding years are no better. According to the state crime records bureau, the state witnessed 5,310 cases of rape  or 15 such incidents a day  in 2017. The state registered 4,882 rape cases in 2016  the highest in the country. It had the dubious distinction of topping rape cases with 4,391 cases of sexual assault in 2015 too.

In December 2017, MP became the first state in the country to pass a bill providing for the rapists of girls aged 12 or below to be hanged till death. The minimum punishment, the bill stated, would be 14-year rigorous imprisonment or life term till death. This would go up to 20 years rigorous imprisonment in cases of gang rape of girls aged 12 or less.

Over the last seven months, fast track courts in Madhya Pradesh have pronounced 12 death sentences in rape cases.
Manto

Director - Nandita Das

Cast - Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rasika Dugal, Rajshri Deshpande, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal

Rating - 3.5/5

It is always special when a writer meets a reader who cares. In Manto  the Nandita Das film attempting to unravel Saadat Hasan Manto, wizard of the short story  one such fan spots the writer and leaves concerns of life and death behind to approach the great man. He expresses his admiration (in that awkward way we do when great writers leave the rest of us without word), and enquires why, in the latest issue of his favourite periodical, there is no new instalment from Manto. Something political must have taken up the pages, Manto shrugs with a smile, as if to suggest that the story is merely saved for another time.

His nonchalance is deceptive. The country is being ripped apart. Hindus and Muslims are questioning whether to live in the land where their ancestors are buried, or to leave it behind for a shaky promise of peace. Manto may smile, but he was unaware of the missing story, and doesnt know when it will see the light.

It is a sad day indeed when politics doesnt leave room for prose.

Watch the Manto trailer here

And vice versa. It is too simplistic to look back at Mantos dazzling stories  stories of smells and brothels, of necrophilia and homelessness  and reduce him to the readily admired role of activist or social reformer, when he was a piercing, unflinching observer. Back when he worked at All India Radio, he boasted he could write a story on any subject in the world. Yet his very first published story, Tamasha, was about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Every story may not be political, but prose makes room.

How do you show a writer in action? Das chooses against it. Her film barely gives us a glimpse of Manto writing. We meet instead a man who collects fancy pens but chooses not to use them, a man who proclaims the power of his pencil, a man who claims the sound of a typewriter is too distracting. This doesnt square with legends of Manto at his Urdu typewriter. This film appears less bound by fact, and as fiction it is impressionistic. The writers greatest hits feature prominently: he steps out for a smoke, one of his characters offers him a light. This is a sweet, romanticised mood piece.

The film opens with Manto in Bombay, struggling to get the fattest film industry cats to pay him what they owe him. The film closes with Manto in Lahore, paid in compliments and contraband ghee. Freelance writers have always lived in uncertainty. During the partition, he finds himself carrying both a Hindu topi and a Muslim topi to get out of sticky situations, but the struggle gets stickier.

Even by Nawazuddin Siddiquis own standards, he is improbably brilliant in this deeply internalised role, his wariness like a protective cloak. His words are dry, his tongue is sharp and  like too many of the sharpest and dryest tongues of his generation  it frequently needs wetting. Siddiqui doesnt resemble the writer, but strikingly embodies his restless defiance and all-knowing air.

What a character. He scolds writer Ismat Chugtai for ending a sublime story with pedestrian lines, and actor Shyam Chadda for smoking a cheap brand. When asked if he will address students at a college, he asks only if he is allowed to show up drunk. In one glorious shot, he strolls past a woman begging for money. He knows those he writes about and instinctively hands her something as he passes. She smiles. Sometimes a streetwalker needs a cigarette.

Rajshri Deshpande is superb as Chugtai, and several fine actors show up as characters in Mantos life or stories, including Ranvir Shorey, Divya Dutta and  in the films most haunting moment  the great Vinod Nagpal.

Rasika Dugal shines so brightly as Mantos wife that she threatens to hijack the production. Her role is a cliche  that of the long-suffering wife helplessly waiting for the drunkard husband to come home  but Dugal, with her eyes and her sighs, drinks Manto up. She admires him while feeling sorry for him, and in one scene she reads out a letter from Chugtai. Enraptured by the words shes saying out loud, her passive tone flickers to life, as if she has become Chugtai by proxy, on the strength of those playful sentences. Mrs Manto may have been a stronger film. Dugals mastery lies in how firm she can be with the man she loves. He may write lines, but she draws them.

The maestro Zakir Hussain provides an intricate background score, one that is occasionally highlighted by a discordant, drunken sitar twang. This sense of intoxication informs the visuals as well, as cinematographer Kartik Vijays otherwise-steady camera lurches into tracking shots when following Manto characters going up the stairs or entering refugee camps.

The film, however, lacks flow. Das directs with affection but cant seem to enforce consistency. The Bombay portions feel like clips from a highlight reel, yet these scenes are buoyed by lyricism and spirit, even though the editing is choppy and some moments flash by too hurriedly. The Lahore half is more conventionally linear but feels eventually tedious, with hackneyed scenes about tormented creators and sick children. By the end of the piece, melodrama tragically overtakes wit, but the lovely lines linger.

When composing his own epitaph, Manto had famously (and only half-jokingly) suggested that his tombstone ask: Who was the better storyteller: God or Manto? It is when writing Mantos life that God may have come close. It is a life measured out in messy glugs of whiskey, with the writer dreaming about the bars of unsafe Bombay while drinking the unsafe liquor of Lahore. He belonged to them both, as he does to all who read him. Like the character from his most famous story, Saadat Hasan Manto was no lands man.

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A politician who drew a blank in 2014 could make or break the outcome of the elections in 2019. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati  whose political obituary has been prematurely written several times over by the media  has shown that she can still set the terms in national politics and no one dare protest. In effect, Mayawati has all but declared herself as a contender for prime minister. If the Congress was hoping for a Rahul Gandhi-led Opposition coalition, Mayawatis tough love will now define the contours of any relationship going forward.

Her announcement of a solo fight in Madhya Pradesh and a partnership with Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh is a warning to the Congress, which remains mysteriously complacent about its capacity to build alliances. In Chhattisgarh, the triangular contest definitely hands over the advantage to the BJP. Assembly elections have been won and lost in this state by wafer-thin margins. The BSP picked up a little over 4% of the vote in the last election; alongside Jogi, it is likely to nibble away at the Congress vote bases.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress believes all is not lost yet with Mayawati even though she has unilaterally announced 22 candidates. Kamal Nath, who had gone public with his confidence of an imminent deal, may still be able to keep a channel open for communication and another round of seat-sharing talks.

But there is no doubt that the project of Opposition unity has been stalled, at least for the moment. The Congress, in particular, has been jolted and the whispers have started. One Congressman told me conspiratorially that while Mayawati will not openly support the BJP or Narendra Modi, she can dramatically pull out of the elections right on the eve of polls citing mistrust in the electronic voting machine. Another is convinced that Team Modi has already conveyed its willingness to make Mayawati deputy prime minister to disrupt the Uttar Pradesh alliance with Akhilesh Yadav.

Take the resurrection of Amar Singh and the PMs jocular reference to him at a meeting of industrialists or the breakaway faction of Shivpal Yadav carved out from his brothers party. Both underline the focus that Amit Shah has placed on undoing the gains of an Opposition alliance in UP. The BJP is likely to deploy its trademark mix of persuasion and the threat of punitive action. Mayawatis brother is being probed by tax authorities for an alleged 18000% jump in profit over seven years. But if that is the stick, the carrot of a deputy PM post can always be part of a complex political negotiation. And then there are murmurs that the Modi government will announce a Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram, Mayawatis mentor and founder of the BSP, further shrinking the space for her hostility to the Modi government.

The Opposition is desperately hoping that Mayawati will see 2019 as a battle for survival and not flip sides. Also, new Dalit leaders are emerging  Jignesh Mevani in Gujarat and Chandrashekhar Azad of the Bhim Army in UP  and may slowly occupy any vacuum she chooses to leave open.

The BSP recognises all of this, but at the same time is aware that so far the house of the anti-BJP front is built on the edifice of a single foundation stone: that of a union between her and the Samajwadi Party. Like in a game of Jenga, if you take that piece out or even loosen it a bit, the whole structure comes crashing down.

Regional groups already had an advantage over a weakened Congress; its failure to craft any wider coalitions, and the refusal to move more quickly, has given Mayawati the clear edge in national negotiations. By now Rahul Gandhi and his team should have made efforts to assuage the sentiments of former Congressmen  Jagan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh, Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh and Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra. And the party should have been courting some new partners  Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, Naveen Patnaik in Odisha, DMK in Tamil Nadu and KCR in Telangana.

At the moment, it is Mayawati who is stitching together a state-by-state patchwork quilt of partnerships  the Gowdas in Karnataka, Jogi in the central India and the Indian National Lok Dal in Haryana. In Uttar Pradesh, she will concentrate on her talks with Akhilesh Yadav and Ajit Singh with the Congress being a fourth and bit player in that most critical of equations. Her politics has always been unpredictable and unrevealed; her alliance with Ajit Jogi took both the media and politicians by surprise.

Much could change in the run-up to next year, but one thing is clear: If Mayawati does opt to remain on the side of the Opposition, the next election is not Rahul Vs Modi; It is Mayawati vs Modi.

Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author.

The views expressed are personal
Liquor stores in Delhi will not be able to sell Vat 69 whisky and Smirnoff vodka for nearly two years as the Delhi government financial commissioner blacklisted the manufacturer United Spirits Limited (USL) for allegedly using duplicate barcodes and banned it from selling the brands in the national capital.

In a September 14 order, financial commissioner Anindo Majumdar said USL had violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009 and Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 by using unauthorised and loose barcodes, which could be easily misused.

I am of the view that the appellant violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009, Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, the terms and conditions of the licence issued to it and the standard operating procedure framed by the Delhi Excise Department and that consequently the department has rightly imposed the penalty of blacklisting under Rule 70 of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 upon United Spirits LTD (USL), Aurangabad, the financial commissioner said in his order.

The order came on an appeal filed by USL, which had challenged the orders of the deputy commissioner and commissioner, Delhi governments excise department, which had blacklisted USL, Aurangabad, and its additional source, Sangrur, Punjab, for three years.

United Spirits Limited was not available for a comment on the matter.

The Delhi excise departments counsel advocate Dheeraj Kumar Singh said the order implied that there was a ban of the sale of these two brands in the capital.

The ban of three years on these two liquors was imposed on May 22, 2017, and it was challenged before the financial commissioner. Hence, the two liquor brands would not be available in the stores of the capital for the remaining period, Singh said.

Banning the liquor, the financial commissioner stated, It is, however, established that unauthorised barcodes were used. Moreover, the existence of loose barcodes has been established. These loose barcodes could easily be misused and cause danger to public health.
Delhis 25 mahila courts have only four women government prosecutors to fight cases on behalf of victims, records with the home department have revealed.

Waking up to the glaring gender gap, the Delhi government on Tuesday issued directions to the Directorate of Prosecution (DOP) to deploy 33 female prosecutors in the mahila courts within 60 days  a first in the national Capital.

A mahila court takes up cases only related to crimes against women and has a woman judge. These courts have predominantly all-women teams, including female prosecutors. Ideally, only the accused and the lawyers are supposed to be men, a government official said on the condition of anonymity.

The action came after the government took cognisance of a complaint highlighting that as many as 21 male assistant public prosecutors are posted in these mahila courts despite the availability of 33 female prosecutors in the Directorate of Prosecution (DOP), which comes under the Delhi government.

The complainant, Vijay Kumar, in his letter to the additional chief secretary (home), Manoj Parida, on August 31 also stated that as per the law and the Scheme of Criminal Procedure Code-1973, only female officials are supposed to be involved in cases of crimes against women that come to the citys mahila courts.

Sometimes, it is also seen that when a male assistant public prosecutor asks the exact way of molestation from the women victims then due to hesitation or shame, they keep mum, due to which the entire justice delivery systems get affected and it results in acquittal of the case, read Kumars complaint.

On an average, each of the 25 mahila courts in Delhi hear about 40 cases on a daily bases.

These cases range from incidents of dowry, domestic violence, kidnapping and molestation among others.

A note written by the additional secretary (home) this week stated that apart from posting the 33 female prosecutors, if the courts need more representation then the DOP would have to post contract additional public prosecutors from among women appointees.

In 2002, the National Commission for Women also had recommended that more women prosecutors should be appointed so that they could handle all crimes against women. It also stated that 33% of judicial officers of all ranks should be women.

An official in the DOP said the national Capital as 270 criminal courts out of which 25 are reserved as mahila courts.

We have about 300 prosecutors in total in the Delhi government out of which only around 60 are women, the official said on a condition of anonymity.

When asked why mahila courts do not have adequate female public prosecutors, another DOP official said the women lawyers were not willing to be shifted to the mahila courts.

The female public prosecutors are reluctant to shift to these courts and we do not know why. But, with the latest order of the home department, now they will have to be posted at mahila courts now, the official said.
Garbage piled up as a strike by sanitation employees of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) entered the ninth day on Thursday.

The agitating employees are not picking up garbage from neighbourhoods to protest the non-payment of salaries and pending arrears. EDMC mayor Bipin Bihari blamed the AAP government for the mess and said the employees could not be paid because the Delhi government did not release funds.

The sanitation employees are demanding regular payment of salaries, clearance of dues and regularisation of sanitation workers who have been inducted on a temporary basis till 2017.

The president of MCD Swachhata Karmchari Union, Sanjay Gahlot, said the sanitation workers would not return to work until they get a permanent solution to the crisis.

Today (Thursday) again we have met the EDMC mayor but the meeting was not fruitful as this time we want a final solution to our problems. There are sanitation workers who have not been paid their salaries for the last eight months, Gahlot said.

The areas worst affected by the strike include Dharampura, Kailash Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Trilok Puri, Kalyan Puri, Geeta Colony and Shahdara.

EDMC mayor Bipin Bihari blamed the AAP government for the strike and said the corporation would regularly pay as soon as it receives funds. The corporation is not able to pay its employees and workers since it has not received any funds from the Delhi government. I appeal the CM to release all the funds of the corporation, Bihari said.

Bihari said he had directed the EDMC officials to prepare a list of temporary workers and start the process of regularisation.

The Delhi government spokesperson did not comment.
As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies jockey over seat-sharing for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, speculation is swirling in NDA circles that Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi might replace BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha in the Patna Sahib parliamentary seat.

Sinha, in all likelihood, will not get the party ticket following his anti-party stand over several issues, said BJP officials aware of developments.

There is no smoke without fire, said a senior BJP leader on the condition of anonymity, when asked about the possibility of Modi contesting from Patna Sahib. Modi had been an MP from Bhagalpur from 2004 before becoming the deputy chief minister in the Nitish Kumar-led NDA ministry in 2005.

Modi, however, feigned ignorance about any such possibility. Its too early for such type of decisions, he said.

The BJP officials said a hunt is definitely on for a suitable candidate from Patna Sahib as well as from several other constituencies. It all depends on seat adjustments, one of the officials said.

Sinha, a Bollywood actor-turned-politician, has virtually turned into a BJP rebel, lashing out at his own party leaders on national and state issues, often from public platforms.

He has also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on issues like rising fuel prices, Rafale deal and the Vijay Mallya case.

In June this year, he had slammed the PM and his policies at a party event in Sukulpur on the outskirts of Patna.

Sinha had also announced his intention to contest again from Patna Sahib in 2019, but not specified if he will join any other party. The BJP did not give me a ticket; I took it on my own. And I will contest from Patna Sahib again, he told party workers at the meet. The location (constituency) will be the same, even if the situation is otherwise, he had said.

Sinha has been cosying up to opposition parties such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress but has yet to disclose which one he might team up with in 2019. He has praised RJDs Tejashwi Yadav, calling him a very mature leader.

It is a proud moment for me and our family friend Lalu Prasad, to watch Tejashwi taking on the question with confidence, ease & with great conviction. Is he the Arjun aiming the fishs eye? Sinha tweeted recently.

Yadav reciprocated the gesture at an iftar party last month. Chacha (Shatrughan Sinha) is with us, he said, fuelling speculation that Sinha could be the RJD candidate for the Patna Sahib seat in 2019.

The two-time Lok Sabha MP has also openly praised Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to launch a mass contact programme over the Citizenship (Amendment) bill  which makes illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for citizenship  asking all its chief ministers to get the proposed law translated into local languages, printed on pamphlets, and distributed among people, two leaders familiar with the matter said.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2016, but it is stuck because of strong opposition.

The existing provisions of the law  as per the Citizenship Act, 1955  say an applicant must have lived in India during the last 12 months, and for 11 of the previous 14 years, to apply for citizenship. The amendment proposes to relax this 11-year requirement to six years for people following the six religions and belonging to the three countries.

BJP chief Amit Shah discussed this outreach at a meeting with chief ministers of BJP-ruled states in New Delhi last month, a party said on condition of anonymity. A copy of Shahs statements on the bill, too, was shared with the BJP chief ministers.

Shah has strongly backed the bill in the past and has asked the Opposition to clear to clear its stand on the issue.

The programme is targeted at the North-east states and West Bengal, said a second BJP leader, who asked not to be named.

The BJP move comes amid a controversy over the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which seeks to identify illegal immigrants in Assam. About 4 million applicants have been left out of the final NRC draft list published in July and cases regarding the screening process and re-verification are being heard by the Supreme Court.

Both NRC and the Citizenship (amendment) bill address two issues for the BJP, said the second leader.

NRC is critical to national security issues, as it helps identifies infiltrators from Bangladesh. The citizenship bill, which talks about citizenship to persecuted Hindus and non-Muslim minorities, adds to the Hindutva discourse. The party feels this will help it earn new territory in the North-east, where the settlement of Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh is a major issue, he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) believes that the Bahujan Samaj Partys (BSP) decision to forge an alliance with former chief minister, Ajit Jogi, in Chhattisgarh and unilaterally announce 22 candidates for Madhya Pradesh is a reflection of the contradictions that will emerge both while forming a grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh and carving out a national alternative to the BJP, two BJP leaders said.

This will weaken the Congress further and improve the BJPs prospects, they added.

The BSP was in talks with the Congress in both the states.

BJP leaders argue this will have a repercussion in Uttar Pradesh where the Congress needs her more than she needs the Congress. She has a committed vote. She feels 2019 is her moment. Why will she not dictate terms? a union minister said.

Mayawati is reluctant to accept the Congresss demand for more than a dozen seats in Uttar Pradesh, and she feels the presence of the Congress is limited to Raebareli and Amethi, the pocket borough of the Nehru-Gandhi family, a person close to the BSP chief said. The BSP is in talks with the Samajwadi Party (SP) of Akhilesh Yadav and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) of Ajit Singh for Uttar Pradesh.

There is little room for the Congress, with the kind of demands it is making, the BSP leader said. Chhattisgarh has shown that Mayawati is very clear when it comes to seat sharing negotiations. She will forge an alliance on her terms.

The BJP feels this is good news for the party. The Kairana by-election showed that the BJP had retained its votes and the difference between us and the grand alliance was marginal. Mayawatis decision is surely going to help us. Where is the doubt? the minister said.

Rahul Gandhi will be left alone. Everyone will leave him gradually, former union minister and BJP spokesman, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, said.

Some people were moving around the elephant with banana in hand. They forget that elephant has two set of teeth  one to show off and other to chew with, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh tweeted in Hindi, riffing on the BSPs symbol, the elephant.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said what applies to Chhattisgarh, certainly dose not automatically apply to states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

What applies to Chhattisgarh certainly doesnt automatically apply to Madhya Pradesh, does not automatically apply to other states such as Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan. I dont think you can generalise, Singhvi said.

(With agency inputs)
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday demanded equal share for women in workplaces and public offices, saying more than law, it is important to change the mindset of people to transform society.

It is striking that as of last year, only two nations (Rawanda with 63.8% and Bolivia with 53.1%) have a representation of 50% (or more) women members in Parliament, in any House, she told a gathering at the 2nd Eurasian Womens Forum at St. Petersburg in Russia.

Less than 25% of national parliamentarians across the world are women. Even less is the proportion of women serving as ministers in a government, she said.

We must work to create a climate where women are given an equal share in the workplace and in public office, she said.

Reiterating her partys commitment towards ensuring the passage of a bill that provides 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, Gandhi said such legislation will be an important stepping stone for women in India. But at the same time, she said laws alone cannot change the world. It is far more important to change mindsets. This is the challenge before us.

Gandhi said women across the world face common challenges. All too often, inequality is imposed on women in the name of tradition . That needs to change. We cannot accept recurring ill-treatment, as a way of life, she said. We must recognise that, as women who have been able to exercise political authority and privilege, we have a moral obligation and duty to ensure that we help give voice to women across the world, who have been kept silent so far, she added.
A day after Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy appealed to the people to revolt against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), BJP leaders filed complaints with the police and also submitted a memorandum to the governor seeking Kumaraswamy be charged with sedition.

On Thursday, Kumaraswamy had sparked of a row after he appealed to the people of the state to revolt against the BJP in protest against its alleged bid to topple the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government.

Condemning the statement, the BJP held protests across the state and demanded that the chief minister resign for his comments. In a complaint submitted to director general of police Neelamani Raju, the BJP said: HD Kumaraswamy, the chief minister, having taken oath under the Constitution, is required to uphold the Constitution and the unity and integrity of the country

The BJP has asked the police to book the chief minister under charges of attempting to wage war against the government of India and sedition among others. Party leaders also submitted a similar memorandum to governor Vajubhai Vala.

BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje said Kumaraswamy occupied a constitutional post and had yet called for a revolt. He has called for revolt and this is why we have protested. He is disturbing peace in the state and instigating the people and supporting such calls. This is why we have filed the complaints, she said while addressing the press here.

The JD (S), meanwhile, submitted a letter to assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar saying that the BJP had been behaving unconstitutionally over the past month by attempting to destabilize the coalition government. State BJP president and opposition leader in the assembly, BS Yeddyurappa has stated the coalition government will topple on many occasions in public meetings and to the media, the letter says.

The party has claimed that at least 10 legislators belonging to the Congress and JD(S) had been approached by the BJP with promises of monetary rewards for switching loyalties. You will have to prevent instances of MLAs offering their resignations tendered either under duress, political influence or even because of monetary inducements, the letter said, asking the speaker to take up criminal proceedings against all those indulging in such activities.
The countrys top federal investigation agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday took the unprecedented measure of issuing a statement saying it is probing the role of its own special director Rakesh Asthana, the senior-most officer after the chief Alok Verma, in at least half a dozen cases. The agency also accused Asthana of making frivolous and baseless complaints against his boss to the government.

The statement, which finally acknowledges one of New Delhis worst kept secrets  the poor relationship between Verma and the man he thought had been foisted on him to create a parallel power centre in the agency, Asthana, and the way this is affecting investigations  came following a complaint by Asthana to cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha alleging that Verma was interfering in investigations.

It brings to the fore an ugly fight in the agency that, experts say, is threatening to tarnish its credibility.

CBI has not given any detail of the cases in which it is investigating Asthana, nor has it clarified whether a prior sanction was sought to probe Asthana in these cases as mandated by law.

Meanwhile, the cabinet secretary has referred the complaint made by Asthana to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), a senior government functionary confirmed on condition of anonymity. A person familiar with the developments said the CVC would take up the matter on Monday.

The CBI termed Asthanas complaint as an attempt to intimidate those CBI officers probing him.

It is stated that CVC has sought for certain case files from CBI on the basis of a complaint filed by the Special Director, CBI (Asthana). In its response to the CVC letter, the chief vigilance officer of CBI has pointed out that the complaint is an attempt by the complainant to intimidate the officers of CBI who are investigating his role in at least half a dozen cases, the CBI statement said.

Verma and Asthana were not available for comment.

The agency in its statement said it is unfortunate that baseless and frivolous allegations were being made publically without proper verification of facts to malign the image of the Director CBI and intimidate the officials of the organisation.

Asthana is learnt to have made a serious charge in his complaint to the cabinet secretary in September that the director tried to delay the investigation of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) case. Former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav is one of the accused in the case.

Defending the director against Asthanas charge, CBI said it was absolutely false and pointed out that a charge sheet has been filed in the case and that this could not have happened without the explicit approval of director Verma.

The senior government functionary mentioned in the first instance said even the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) is dismayed at the fight between Asthana and Verma and that a message has been conveyed to both of them to back off.

But it looks that both of them have reached at a point of no return, this person added.

Interestingly, the tussle between Asthana and Verma comes at a time when the agency is slowly recovering from allegations of corruption against two of its former directors - AP Singh (2010-12) and Ranjit Singh (2012-14). The CBI itself is probing both cases.

If there is little bit of truth in the reports (about the various issues between Verma and Asthana), it doesnt augur well for the organisation and it impinges on its credibility in the eyes of general public, said ML Sharma, former CBI special director who later became central information commissioner.

The genesis of the bickering between Verma and Asthana lies in the latters appointment.

In 2017, the director objected to Asthanas appointment as special director in the agency by promoting him from the rank of additional director.

Director Verma informed the CVC-led panel that Asthana was under probe in the Sterling Biotech case. But the CVC panel rejected the contention of Verma and recommended Asthanas name for promotion, which the government immediately cleared, said an official familiar with the probe who asked not to be named. That was in October 2017.

The official added that Asthanas defence was that he had rented out one of his premises to a Sterling Biotech group company and that the property and the rent received were both duly declared in his annual returns to the government. The CBI is yet to clear Asthana in the case.

On the basis of this, Asthanas promotion was challenged in the Supreme Court by activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan, but the top court refused to intervene in the matter and cleared his appointment in November 2017.

The next round of fighting started when agency joint director Rajiv Singh, a Tripura cadre IPS officer, was sent back to his parent state in May. He was heading the Bank Security and Fraud Unit of the agency entrusted with investigating several key cases, including diamond trader Nirav Modis. It was alleged by some officers close to Verma that Asthana had a role in his repatriation, a charge the latter has denied in private.

A few days later, Asthana was accused of leaking a draft probe report in the Aircel-Maxis case. Officials in the agency claimed that a discrete probe was on against Asthana.

A CBI official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the status report Asthana is alleged to have leaked was submitted to the Supreme Court in 2013 when Asthana was not even in CBI. He joined the agency three years later. Asthana wanted a formal denial of the media report in this regard from the agency but agency refused to issue any denial.

Asthana then complained to the cabinet secretary in early September following which a CVC said it would institute a probe. Fridays statement by CBI was a response to that.
A Dalit man committed suicide by setting himself ablaze in Hyderabad in the early hours of Thursday after recording a video blaming his in-laws for taking away his wife and turning her against him, police said.

Chittipaka Srikanth (24) doused himself with kerosene and set himself ablaze at his residence in Santoshnagar area of the old city in yet another tragic end to an inter-caste marriage. He was rushed to Osmania General Hospital immediately, where he succumbed to his injuries in the afternoon.

Srikanths family members told the Santoshnagar police that he had married Gadagoju Sriharsha (23), who belonged to an Other Backward Caste, from Nakirekal town in Nalgonda district, at an Arya Samaj temple in Hyderbabad in 2015, much against the wishes of her parents.

A few months ago, Sriharsha became pregnant and her parents forcibly took her away to their home. Since then, they had not been allowing Srikanth to meet her, the police quoted the relatives as saying.

In a video he shot on his mobile phone before he set himself on fire, Srikanth blamed his wife Sriharsha who is presently pursuing her MBBS, her father G Shanmukha Chary, other family members and a police constable for his suicide.

He alleged that Chary, who converted to Christianity, had brainwashed Sriharsha, forced her to undergo abortion and was looking for fresh alliances for her. When I confronted them, my father-in-law started torturing me and harassing me by foisting cases against me and my family members. We were arrested and jailed for some time, before we came out on bail, he said.

He said his wife had stopped talking to him. I ran from pillar to post, including local politicians, seeking justice, but nobody came to my rescue, he said.

The Santosh Nagar police are investigating the case.

Srikanths father Ch Muttaiah told reporters outside the hospital that his family had borne the entire expenditure for his daughter-in-laws MBBS course and other needs, but her parents had forcibly separated the couple, after she got pregnant. My son was madly in love with the girl and he could not forget her, he said.

This is the third incident of trouble in inter-caste marriages in Telangana in less than a week. Pranay Perumalla, a Dalit engineering graduate was brutally murdered by a professional killer hired by his upper caste father-in-law T Maruthi Rao, who did not approve of Pranays marriage with his only daughter Amrutha Varshni in Miryalaguda town of Nalgonda district. The police arrested seven people including Amruthas father T Maruthi Rao on Tuesday.

In Hyderabad, 21-year old Madhavi from backward goldsmith community was attacked by her father with a sickle on a crowded road Wednesday afternoon. She is battling for her life in a hospital. Her husband, B Sandeep, a Dalit who married her a week ago is recovering from injuries.

Madhavis father Manohara Chary told the police that he targeted his daughter because she married a lower caste man against his wish. He was arrested within hours of the incident.
The death toll in Thursdays violence in a school in Islampur in north Dinajpur district over the appointment of teachers rose to two, with a 23-year-old youth succumbing to his injuries on Friday, raising tensions in the sensitive town.

Violence continued on Friday with two government buses and two wheelers set on fire during a 12-hour bandh called by the BJP to protest the police firing in Islampur, 56 km south of Siliguri. But district police superintendent Sumit Kumar had denied any firing on Thusday.

The administration has deployed a large number of policemen in Islampur.

Tapash Burman, (21), a former student of Daribhit High School who used to run a sweet shop near the school that turned into a battlefield on Thursday, died in a hospital Friday morning. On Thursday, Rajesh Sarkar (19) a former student of the school and a first year student of Islampur College died after allegedly being hit by a bullet.

Partha Chatterjee, who is heading the group of ministers in the absence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is in Europe, blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha for fomenting trouble on Thursday that led to the violence.

We are certain that RSS had a role in Thursdays trouble. They brought people from outside to cause the deaths and indulge in politics of death, Chatterjee said.

Chatterjee also said that irrespective of who was involved, the guilty would not be spared. He also blamed the district inspector of schools for going ahead with the appointments which triggered the clashes.

Rabindra Kumar Mondal, the district inspector of schools, went ahead with the appointments keeping the administration in the dark. We have put him under immediate suspension, added Chatterjee.

The students were protesting the appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers while they needed teachers of science and literature.

While the students were demanding teachers in some particular subjects, the appointment was for some other subjects. There are irregularities in these appointments. We want a probe by a former judge in both the appointments and the firing by the police, remarked BJP state president Dilip Ghosh.

District BJP unit president Shankar Chakraborty alleged the police have launched a crackdown against BJP workers and have already arrested 14 BJP supporters.

It is sad that Partha Chatterjee has accused the RSS. We strongly suspect irregularities in appointment of teachers who were not needed. The hooliganism that Trinamool Congress patronised is getting back at them, said Jisnu Basu, general secretary of south Bengal unit of RSS.

Basu also argued that if the police deny firing, it is their duty to find out who opened fire in the school.
Simple likes and comments on social media posts from unknown users can be an ISI trap for the armed force personnel as well as common people. The investigators of UP Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) discovered this alarming trend while interrogating the BSF jawan Achyutanand Mishra, who was arrested from Noida on charges of spying on Wednesday.

He has been taken into five-day police remand since Wednesday evening. Mishra was honey-trapped by Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) over social media and he was being used to extract crucial information about BSF logistics and troop movement.

Inspector general (IG) of police of ATS, Asim Arun said the BSF jawan was honey-trapped by an unknown Facebook user posing as a woman who simply liked his photograph. The jawan walked into the trap laid by the ISI and sent a friend request to the unknown user, he said. Sources said the Facebook ID that was used to trap Mishra had as many as 90 Indians on its friend list.

Asim Arun admitted that multiple cases of social media trap by ISI have been reported in the recent past in which people got trapped through simple likes and comments on their posts by unknown people, mainly girls. He said the ISI trap trend is not limited to the armed forces alone but some common men were also trapped in this manner for recce of important installations and collect crucial information.

Citing a case, the IG said the UP ATS had recently tracked one similar case where a 19-year-old youth from Alwar, Rajasthan was also trapped using the same trick and was interrogated around a week ago. Similar to the BSF jawan case, the unknown social media user first became friends with the unemployed youth posing as defence journalist of some reputed organisation and asked him to collect information about the armed force movement and logistics. The unknown social media user proposed that the youth regularly work for him for a salary of Rs 4,000, he stated.

He said the youth was let off as he had not shared any crucial information with the unknown social media user.

The IG said the ISI targets such people who are armed forces aspirants or stay somewhere close to important security and armed forces installations.

Another senior police official said some cases of honey trap were reported where the same trick was used to trap the armed forces aspirants. He said the unknown social media user continued friendship with the aspirants till they got inducted in different forces and then used them to extract crucial information.

He said one similar case was that of an armed force personnel. He said the unknown social media user posed as a girl and promised to marry after being friends with him for over two years. He said the aspirant was in love with the girl whom he had never met and started sharing his training pictures and other details. The personnel was later tracked by the intelligence unit and was terminated from his services, he added.
Five militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed in an overnight encounter in Jammu and Kashmirs Bandipora on Friday, police said.

Joint teams of the Army and police had launched an operation in Shokbaba area of Bandipora in north Kashmir on Thursday evening following reports of presence of militants there. The Army had then claimed to have killed one militant.

A police spokesman on Friday said that five LeT militants had been killed in the encounter so far.

The identities of the slain militants are being ascertained and the operation is still underway to see whether there were any more militants in the area, police said.
Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday expressed disappointment at India calling off a meeting between him and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in New York and alleged that internal pressure forced New Delhi to make the unfortunate move.

India cited the brutal killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

Qureshi expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the foreign minister-level talks, saying it was unfortunate.

It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. Indian has once again wasted an opportunity for peace, Qureshi told the media here.

He said that it was important to sit and talk for the sake of peace and stability in the region.

The refusal of India shows that Indian government is facing internal pressure, he said.

It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year, Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

He said it seems that India has priorities other than dialogue, adding there is a group in the New Delhi that doesnt want talks to take place.

He went on to say that if India doesnt want dialogue, then Pakistan also wont be in a haste either.

But, Qureshi reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue, the report said.

He said the world should see that Pakistan has held a positive outlook towards the situation while Indias attitude has not been so forthcoming.

We said that we want dialogue  but in a dignified manner, he added.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents exposed the true face of Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabads evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways, Kumar said.

He noted that two deeply disturbing developments have taken place since yesterdays announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, he said.

Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless.

Former High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit said he was surprised by Indias move as New Delhi should not have agreed for it in the first place due to forthcoming elections but after agreeing for a meeting it was more surprising that it backed out.

Former advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz said that it was unfortunate that India cancelled the meeting as it would have created an environment for peace.

Former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri said the cancellation reminded him of the Agra summit when everything was ready for joint statement but India backed out at the last minute.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.)
Washington

President Donald Trump and his administration get a political boost when Americans arent taught to think critically or to have a deep understanding of civics, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told a crowd at the National Press Club here.

We have a president who says dont watch, dont listen, dont pay attention to what you see out there. Listen to me, Im your source of truth. Thats a very, very, very scary thing, Duncan said Thursday. Its one thing to disagree and disagree vehemently on policy. Its a different thing to say the press are the enemy of the people. And the only way an authoritarian leader keeps his power is to have people who start to believe that, who are beholden to that idea. People who can think independently, people who are going to think critically are not going to embrace anybody, president or anybody, saying Im the source of truth. 

Duncan, who was President Barack Obamas longest-serving education secretary, argued that unlike his former boss, Trump hasnt set any long-term goals for the countrys educational achievement, like leading the world in college graduation rates or pre-kindergarten enrollment.

I would almost argue its intentional. Its by design. Theyre not committed to having the best educated citizenry in the world. And thats a scary thing, Duncan said. We need to have a civically engaged democracy. And the only way I know how to do that is to have well-educated citizens. And I dont think its in president Trumps best interest to have a well-educated citizenry.

On the 2016 campaign trail, Trump said he love[s] the poorly educated . And there was a big gap in results between college-educated and non-college educated voters in the 2016. College graduates backed Hillary Clinton, Trumps Democratic opponent, by a 9-point margin (52 percent to 43 percent), while those without a college degree backed Trump 52 percent to 44 percent, according to the Pew Research Center .

Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have called for giving citizens more opportunities for on-the-job training, even though they havent put federal financial resources behind those efforts. And earlier this week, DeVos decried a lack of focus on civics education in schools . The Trump administration hasnt funneled additional federal resources towards history or government classes.

Duncan was at the press club to showcase his new book, How Schools Work: An Inside Account of Success and Failure From One of the Nations Longest-Serving Education Secretaries. (We wrote about the book here .)

During his talk, he hit on some of the biggest themes in the book, including:

 The need to restrict firearms: We value our guns more than we value our children, Duncan said. People just dont die from gun violence in other nations, he added, ticking off Australia, Canada, and Japan.

And he doesnt think that beefing up school safety by making schools tougher targets is the way to solve the school shooting problem. This quote unquote hardening schools, thats a cute soundbite, Duncan said. But he doesnt see any substance there. This was manufactured by the NRA, he said, referring to the National Rifle Association. Hardening schools wont work on field trips, at recess, on buses, and more, Duncan said.

 Going beyond high school: Duncan said the country needs to move, at minimum, to a pre-K-14 system, instead of the kindergarten through senior year of high school model in most communities. A high school diploma is necessary, it is critical, but it is insufficient, he said. Students need some college credit or an industry certification, he said.

 School desegregation: Duncan said he sees this as an important issue, but he acknowledges he didnt do enough on it as secretary. He gave props to his successor John B. King Jr. for making it a priority.

Thats one [area] I would give myself relatively low marks for, Duncan said of integrating schools. We got less done than I would have liked. Schools are a reflection of their neighborhood, of their community. Thats the first huge hurdle that we are trying to work around. Americans choose to self-segregate. Thats a conscious choice that we make. ... Too many Americans arent comfortable living with people who dont look like us.

He suggested that district leaders place excellent schools in high-minority communities, because white families will follow. Thats something he tried to do in Chicago, he said.

Duncan, who is currently a managing partner at the Emerson Collective, which works on education, immigration, and other issues, was asked if hed be interested in running for mayor of Chicago.

His answer? A hard no. I love what Im doing. I want to keep working in the community, said Duncan, whose focus has been on curbing gun violence in his hometown. There are like, 20 people who want to be mayor. No ones jumping to do what Im doing.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan speaking at the White House in Washington in 2014.

--Jacquelyn Martin/AP-File

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
Some 25 hours after it was announced, India on Friday cancelled the proposed meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in New York citing the brutal killing of security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by the neighbour glorifying a terrorist and terrorism, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

He also launched a frontal attack on Pakistan and its premier, saying the evil agenda of the neighbour has been exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office.

In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, the spokesperson said.

The cancellation of the meeting wasnt received well across the border.

#WATCH: MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar says, "It's obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed & true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to world in his first few months in the office" pic.twitter.com/e25STpUlTh  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

In comments to local media in Islamabad, Qureshi expressed disappointment at Indias announcement. It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. India has once again wasted an opportunity for peace, news agency PTI quoted him as saying.

The refusal of India shows the Indian government is facing internal pressure. It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year.

Pakistans minister for information and broadcasting Fawad Husain Chaudhry termed the statement of the Indian foreign office puerile.

Kumar said the rethink was prompted by two deeply disturbing developments since the meeting was announced.

He said the latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways.

While the killing of a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan happened this week, the stamps were released in July, although news of it reached India only in the past two days. The caption on the postage stamp carrying the photo of Wani read: Burhan Wani (1994-2016) freedom icon. Other stamps feature people that Pakistan Post claims are victims of atrocities by Indian troops in Kashmir.

Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office. Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless, Kumar added.

India on Thursday termed the killing of a BSF jawan by Pakistani troops along the International Border as barbaric and said the issue would be raised with Islamabad in an appropriate manner.

On Friday, Kumar attributed the brutal murder to Pakistan-based entities. The jawan was found with his throat slit and body riddled with bullets.

On Thursday, Indias foreign ministry said the decision to agree to Pakistans proposal for a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was taken in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new Prime Minister and foreign minister of Pakistan.

The Pakistan PM said in that letter that the two countries also need to pay close attention to resolve differences on Siachen and Sir Creek. Pakistan remains ready to discuss terrorism, Khan in his letter, which was seen as a pitch for resuming the comprehensive dialogue process, also called for an Indo-Pak composite dialogue process that had been derailed after multiple terror attacks in India.

PM Modi conveyed New Delhis commitment to build good neighbourly relations and pursue constructive and meaningful engagement last month, the day the cricketer-turned-politician was sworn in as Pakistans 22nd premier.

The Congress, which earlier in the day attacked the government for its decision to meet with Pakistan in New York, welcomed Fridays decision to call off the meeting. Better late than never. And sometimes credit should also be given to us, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said in New Delhi.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan may not have appointed a National Security Advisor (NSA) after resignation of former NSA Nasser Janjua of the previous regime who also served as a backchannel of sorts for India to communicate with its neighbour, but New Delhi does have a back-channel open to Islamabad, senior Modi government officials said on condition of anonymity.

Their admission comes even as Khan has reached out to Modi through a letter with the offer of talks on all issues, including terror, but also Pakistan. The letter, written last week, was delivered to India through the Pakistan High Commission this week.

While the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is not aware of this communication channel, the backchannel becomes important in the context of possible talks, perhaps as soon as next week during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York next week, and between Indias external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart.

Nasser Janjua was designated backchannel with Indias National Security Advisor Ajit Doval from October 2015 to June 2018. The government officials cited in the first instance said the new backchannel has been helpful in lowering the volume of cross border firing from the Pakistan side as well as conveying Islamabads readiness for a dialogue.
The United States Friday hailed Indias acceptance of Pakistani proposal for talks between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ongoing annual UN General Assembly session in New York and termed it as a terrific news.

We saw that (reports of meetings between Indian and Pak leaders). I think thats a terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

On Thursday, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar announced that India has agreed to a meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Pakistans request. He, however, made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue.

Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and also Prime Minister Modi. And we hope that the conditions will be set for a good strong relationship, a good strong bilateral relationship in the future, she said

The United States has traditionally welcomed any talks between India and Pakistan, the pace of which, it has noted, depends on the leadership of the two countries.

In general, the United States supports dialogue between India and Pakistan that can reduce tensions, and we understand and had frequent conversations with the Indian partners on the expectations that there would be demonstrable reduction in cross-border terrorism or infiltration that will help create the confidence for dialogue to take place, Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had told reporters during a conference call last week.
An advanced remote-sensing technology developed by US space agency NASA to map minerals on the moon and Mars is being used in India for the first time to prospect for gold, diamonds, platinum and rare earth elements.

Rare earth metals are a group of 17 elements with many similar properties and are often found together in geologic deposits. Theyre in high demand across the world because of their use in high technology devices such as smart phones, digital cameras, computer hard disks, fluorescent and light-emitting-diode (LED) lights and computer monitors, among others.

In its pursuit for minerals, the GSI is going to use ultra-modern remote sensing technology to find lead, zinc, copper, gold, diamond and platinum, among others. This will be used for the first time in India, Dinesh Gupta, director general, Geological Survey of India (GSI).

Rare earth metals such as lanthanum, cerium, holmium and lutetium among others are a group of 17 elements, which have chemical similarities. They are not rare at all. They are called rare because it is unusual to find them in a pure form, Gupta said.

China has almost 40% of the worlds known reserves of rare earth metals, but because most of the reserves are untapped (or are not viable to tap) it produces almost 80% of rare earth metals sold every year.

Called Advanced Visible Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG), the sensor-based technology that will now be used in India has been proved effective for mapping surface mineralogy on earth, the moon and Mars.

AVIRIS-NG is being used by Australia, USA, Canada and South Africa, said Gupta.

The AVIRIS-NG sensor was mounted on an ISRO aircraft to get hyperspectral images of 14 mineralised blocks across India, including in Jhagadia in Gujarat, Udaipur in Rajasthan, Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh and Kuhi-Khobna in Maharashtra, among others.

GSI signed a MoU with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), a wing of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), on September 5, to analyse data to trace the minerals from the hyperspectral images taken by ISRO in three phases  October to November 2015, January to February 2016, and April to May 2018.

Over the next three years, scientists from the GSI and NRSC-ISRO will analyse the airborne hyper-spectral data to look for surface signatures of mineralization in those 14 promising areas, he said.

Along with minerals such as gold, diamond, platinum, lead, zinc and copper, GSI scientists would be also looking for signatures of the 17 rare earth elements bearing host rocks.

Remote sensing with visible infra-red imaging gives us indirect evidence of mineral deposits. They give us signatures that can at the best narrow down the search to areas with mineral deposits on the surface. Scientists will still need ground verification, said NC Pant, professor of geology, Delhi University. Then, of course, comes the tougher prospect of identifying where the minerals can be extracted in a commercially viable manner.
A bus belonging to IndiGo Airlines caught fire Thursday at the airport in Chennai while ferrying passengers of a domestic in-bound evening flight, according to airport officials.

No one was injured in the incident as the blaze was put out immediately by Fire and Rescue Services personnel, they said.

The bus caught fire as it was nearing the arrival point with about 50 passengers on board.

IndiGo Bus Catches Fire At Chennai Airport, Passengers Rescued https://t.co/H8BmgeVPCm pic.twitter.com/sx8X2qleCD  WhatsNow (@WhatsNowOn) September 21, 2018

Since the blaze was doused immediately, preliminary assessment indicated not much damage, either to the interiors or the exteriors of the bus, they added.

The authorities are looking into the incident.
Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of rape by a Kerala nun, was arrested in Kochi on Friday evening following three days of questioning by the state police.

Mulakkal was arrested at 8 pm and taken for a medical check-up. He has been charged with rape, unnatural intercourse, criminal intimidation, and illegal confinement, Kottayam superintendent of police S Hari Shankar told reporters.

On the time taken to arrest the bishop, he said that cases, which date back to four years, take time... most of these cases will not have scientific or medical evidence.

During three days of interrogation, we got enough information needed for the case. The accused was given enough time to present his side. The investigating officer has a reached a reasonable conclusion that there is evidence in this case and we have arrested him, said Hari Shankar.

Mulakkal (54), who was temporarily divested of his pastoral duties in the Jalandhar diocese by the Vatican on Thursday, will be produced before the Pala magistrates court at 11 am on Saturday, the SP said, adding that the police will seek three days custody.

The news was welcomed with jubilation at the dharna site in Kochi where nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus and officials of various churches have been protesting past ten days.

It is a historic win. It was not a movement against the church but it was move to cleanse the system. It is time for the church to break its silence. We dont need more Francos, said Sister Anupama, who had been leading the stir in Kochi.

Mulakkal, who has been grilled by the Kerala Police over allegations, had reached the Crime Branch office in Thrippunithura on Friday morning after an eight-hour-long interrogation on Thursday.

Hari Sankar had said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case decided to complete the interrogation Friday. Police had said verification was required in matters so far placed before the investigation team and that would be completed by Friday morning.

Police had also ought a legal opinion as to whether Mulakkal, whose anticipatory bail plea is pending before the high court, can be arrested.

Amid the continued outrage over the alleged sexual assault of the nun, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) said Thursday Pope Francis had temporarily relieved him of his pastoral responsibilities, a decision that was welcomed by the protesting nuns who termed the development as the first victory in their fight against the former bishop.

After Nirbhaya case there was an amendment that if a sexual assault takes place after the victims deposition before police or a magistrate, arrest of the accused should not exceed more than two months. In nuns case, police violated this for reasons best known to them, said lawyer and activist VK Mini, adding that Save Nun Forum will approach the court soon.

Mulakkal has been accused of repeated rape and sexual assault of the nun by the Kerala-based nun of Missionaries of Jesus but he has denied the allegations, terming them a conspiracy against the church.
A Mumbai-based model-turned-television actress has accused a 25-year-old man of raping her on the pretext of marriage in Alwars Neemrana on September 4.

The Alwar Police has filed a complaint against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, after they received a zero FIR from Oshiwara police station, Mumbai.

In her complaint, the woman has stated that she met the accused while they were studying in a Mumbai college in 2014 and re-established contact this year through a social media platform.

The friendship between the two deepened, following which they decided to meet up in August when the woman flew from Mumbai to Delhi.

The man introduced her to his family members and friends, after which they decided to travel to Neemrana in Rajasthan on September 04, where the crime allegedly took place.

Speaking to ANI, Incharge of Neemrana Police Station, Sanjay Punia informed, The victim, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, had flown to New Delhi to meet the accused. The accused along with his friends hired a cab and reached Nimrana where they booked rooms for night stay. The accused then allegedly raped the victim in one of the rooms.

He further said that an investigation into the matter has been initiated and the police will soon record the statement of the victim.
Rather than paying reparations for the Rajs exploitation of India, Britain must acknowledge the evil legacy of its colonialism and teach its people, according to Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor.

He also said that the museums in Britain were chor bazaars (thieves markets) of exhibits looted from the colonies and while there was an Imperial War Museum, there wasnt a museum of imperialism.

History has moved on, Tharoor said when asked about reparations during his session at the JLF@New York, an edition of the Jaipur Literary Festival here on Thursday.

How do you quantify the deaths of 35 million people from famines, the generations lost to indentured labour and the colonial loot? he asked.

There could be a symbolic reparation of 1 pound a year paid for 200 years, but it was more important that there was a learning of colonialisms real history and impact by the British, especially the youth who sometimes had dreams of a resurgent empire.

Tharoor is the author of Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, which lays out the depredations of the Raj and its legacies. It was a bestseller in both India and Britain.
A day after the Supreme Court asked the Bihar Police to investigate former minister Manju Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar Verma in connection with the recovery of huge quantity of ammunition from their house, the Begusarai police on Friday conducted raids across the state armed with an arrest warrant.

Manju, who has been representing Cheria-Bariarpur assembly constituency on a JD (U) ticket since 2010, had to resign as Bihar social welfare minister in the wake of the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case where several women were allegedly raped over time. Probe had revealed that her husband had spoken to prime accused in the case, Brajesh Thakur, 17 times between January and June.

We raided their house a couple of times, but the former ministers husband has so far evaded arrest, said Begusarai superintendent of police (SP) Aditya Kumar. He said the police had also prayed to the court for permission to attach their property.

A four-member team, headed by deputy superintendent of police Suryadeo Kumar, was constituted to carry out raids across Bihar after obtaining an arrest warrant order from the court against Chandrashekhar Verma, the SP said.

An FIR was registered against Verma and her husband under the Arms Act in August following the recovery of 50 cartridges from the Begusarai residence, owned by the former ministers in-laws, during a CBI raid in the case.

Since then, the CBI has raided nearly 12 places in four districts of Bihar, including residences of Verma in Patna. The live cartridges recovered from the former ministers residence are of different firearms. A CBI official had registered the FIR against the couple.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seized over 30 articles of clothing of girls living at the Muzaffarpur shelter home to forensically check them for DNA samples that may belong to those who sexually abused them, officials involved with investigations said.

At least 34 girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused over a period of time at the government-funded shelter home in Bihar. The horror came to light after a social audit done by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in May. The CBI investigators have also found evidence suggesting that some of the purported victims were forcibly sent to a hotel in the city where a prostitution ring was allegedly being run by Thakur, the in-charge of the shelter home.

The clothes form the bedrock of our forensic probe. We hope that during forensic examinations, analysts may be able to lift DNA samples of those who used to come to the shelter home to sexually abuse the girls, said an official involved with the probe.

There is evidence to suggest that the girls were sent to a hotel, allegedly owned by Thakur, where a prostitution racket was being run. Besides the hotel, the girls were sent a building adjacent to the shelter home where people used to abuse the girls. It also didnt help that the shelter home was close to the red light area of the city. It was not a place to run a shelter home, he added.

The investigating team istalking to at least 50 more girls. Over 40 girls used to stay in the shelter home. There are around a dozen more who were shifted to other shelter homes but faced sexual abuse when they were under Thakurs care. We have examined around 20 girls so far, but the process is time-consuming as investigators are talking to them through counsellors. The girls are not being approached directly by the investigators, he said.

On Thursday, the CBI arrested four persons in the case, including an assistant director in the Bihar social welfare department.

(With PTI inputs)
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said that no one will be arrested without investigation under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, in Madhya Pradesh.

Interacting with the media in the tribal Balaghat district during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra, Chouhan also said that he wont allow misuse of SC/ST Act in MP.

Later, Chouhan in a tweet reiterated, MP mein nahi hoga SC/ST Act ka durupyog, bina janch ke nahi hogi giraftari (SC/ST Act will not be misused in MP and arrests will not be made without investigation)

    SC-ST   ,        ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) September 20, 2018

Chouhans words come at a time when the Parliament, overturning a Supreme Court ruling, passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018, that rules out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC or ST communities.

Of late, the ruling party leaders are facing opposition from the upper-castes over the SC/ST Act all over the state.

However, when asked whether he was proposing to bring in a change in the law Chouhan said, Nirdesh jari karna paryapt hai iske liye. Samaj ke har warg ka kalyan hoga. Samanya, pichhda, SC and ST, sabke adhikar surakshit rahenge and sabko nyay milega. (Just giving direction is enough. We will work for the welfare of all categories. The rights of General, OBC, SC and ST will be protected and everybody will get the justice.).

Samanya Pichchda Alpsankhyak Adhikari Avam Karamchari Sangh (SAPAKS) state president Kedar Singh Tomar said, Nothing is going to happen with this verbal assurance. Under this law they have taken away the basic human right of the people from general, OBC and minority communities, as they dont get a chance to present their side. Now, seeing the anger among the people, they are changing their stand. Our protests will only end after change in the Act. SAPAKS is one of the organisations that has been opposing the bill.

MP Congress spokesperson JP Dhanopia said, Chief Minister Chouhan has no authority to say what he did. Moreover, he was first in favour of changing the SCs decision that had put some safeguards against automatic arrest under the law, and now he wants the SCs version of the law, as he is rattled by the opposition to the law. He is misguiding the people by giving such loose statement.

BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai maintained that the chief minister has not said anything that is against the law, parliament or SC.
For the opposition parties working out a mega seat distribution deal in Uttar Pradesh, the prickly issue forestalling the final agreement is which election to pick as the benchmark  the 2009 or the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress wants 2009 to be the reference point, when the party had posted its best performance in the state. But others are looking at the 2014 elections  or an average of past three elections, with the formula being the number of seats won, the runner up, and the second runner up.

A senior Congress leader said, As 2014 was not a normal election (referring to the pro-Modi wave), the 2009 election should become the reference point.

Out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress had won 21, the Samajwadi Party (SP) 23, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 22 and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) five seats in 2009 when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) received a second successive term at the Centre.

However, this is not acceptable to both the SP and the BSP as the performance of the Congress in successive elections has been very poor since 1989.

If 2014 is taken as the benchmark for the seat-sharing agreement, according to a Congress leader, there is no question of them settling below a respectable number. He said the party had won two seats  Rae Bareli and Amethi  and ended second in six more constituencies  Barabanki, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Padrauna, Lucknow and Kanpur.

While the SP had won five seats, the BSP and the RLD had failed to open their account.

Thus, the contentious issue, linked with each other, is the BSPs demand vis-a-vis the forthcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and that of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh.

The BSP is demanding about 15 seats in Chhattisgarh, and about 30 to 35 in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, even though its vote share is between 4% and 7% in the three states. BSP president Mayawati has announced a pre-poll alliance in Chhattisgarh with former chief minister Ajit Jogis Janta Congress Chhattisgarh.

Mayawati is following the Karnataka pattern where she bargained a ministers post for her only legislator. Its Uttar Pradesh experiment shows the BSP gains strength after the power formation has taken place, even though as a small ally of a big party.

A senior BSP leader said, Mayawati knows that the Congress needs her support to win the three states. So they will accommodate her demands, even if unreasonable.

A political expert said, From their statements, one can assume that they are not contesting the 2019 polls to unseat the BJP but to remain relevant in the states politics. Much to the consternation of their supporters and voters, the Opposition is only making a mockery of the much-hyped Grand Alliance. It appears winnability is hardly the criteria.

Nonetheless, the talks have geared up at the states level in order to work out a consensus on majority of the seats, leaving the contentious ones for the national leadership to decide.

Apparently, the Opposition is oblivious of the scale on which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched an intensive public contact programme at various levels, monitored personally by the party high command even as they are grappling with seatsharing.

By the time the Opposition takes a final call on the constituencies in their respective kitties, five bikers each from 1.40 lakh booths will be on the move, campaigning for the BJP.

Perhaps, the Opposition will be tackling rebellion in each of the constituencies by the time the elections are announced, leaving little time for the leaders to transfer their respective votes to their allies and the candidates to reach their voters.

Party spokesperson Chandra Mohan said, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav is doing alliance politics, we are doing booth politics strengthening the party at that level. However, he admitted Mayawati has a silent organisation working for her.

The common refrain is the Opposition should have hit the campaign trail by now if it really intended to defeat the boisterous Modi-Amit Shah combine.

Besides clarity on seats the opposition also lacks a decisive joint leadership. While the SP is caught in an intense family feud, Mayawatis campaign starts late while the Congress is erratic in all its poll-related campaigns.

Soon after the BJP had completely decimated the opposition in the 2014 general elections, a senior politician had quipped, Perhaps every political party needs Amit Shah to win the polls. Many had then dismissed his observation with scorn.

As the country heads for another battle of ballots, the same leader quipped, Miracles dont happen, you make them happen. He lamented the oppositions delay in announcing the grand alliance and making conflicting statements instead.

According to BJPs assessment, SP will get about 30, BSP 32-35 odd seats( BSP slightly higher) while Congress and RLD will share the remainder 15-18 seats. RLD had won five seats in 2009.

He said, It appears Shah has taken the challenge from the much-hyped Grand Alliance more seriously than its prime movers. While they are still grappling with the nitty gritty of seat sharing, the BJP has launched a massive voter mobilisation programme.

By February-end, the BJP functionaries will have personally met about 4 crore beneficiaries of various government welfare schemes in Uttar Pradesh to drive home the point that their benefactor was the Narendra Modi-led BJP, he said.

What should alarm BSP leader Mayawati is the claim made by Lalji Prasad Nirmal, the chairman of the UP Scheduled Caste Finance and Development Corporation, that more than 80% of the beneficiaries of the PMs schemes were Dalits. After personal contact, the BJP plans to bombard them with some messages on their cell phones.

A minister recently said, We have huge home work to complete till February 28 next, which includes enrolment of new voters, local level sammelans and social media activities.

This time, the party morcha level workers have been told to even send selfies with the farmers they meet.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has blamed the Centres policies for the abduction and murder of three policemen by militants in the states Shopian district Friday morning, saying that dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now.

Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims, the former CM and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief tweeted.

Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, Centres muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now, Mufti added.

Of the three killed, two were special police officers and one was a constable. A policemens brother was also among the four abducted by the militants. However, he was released later.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the incident but terror group, Hizbul Mujahideen, had recently delivered a final warning to the special police officers or SPOs to quit by September 19.

Jammu and Kashmir police have regularly been on the target list of militants for the past couple of months. Last week, suspected militants killed a 45-year-old army man, who was home to mourn the death of his teenage son in Kulgam.

Last month, 11 relatives of state police personnel were abducted in apparent retaliation to police detention of the families of three Hizbul Mujahideen men. However, they were later released unharmed.
The status report of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case reveals that residents living in the neighbourhood were probably aware of the crime but did not speak out because of the apparent terror of Brajesh Thakur who heads the NGO running the home.

A bench of justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta perused the CBIs report on the progress and noted this revelation. Recording this in its order, the bench directed the CBI to look into the antecedents, connections and the influence of Thakur.

It appears that Brajesh Thakur, in-charge of the NGO Sewa Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti, is a very influential person and people in the neighbourhood are scared of him and not able to make complaint against him. In fact, it has come out that people heard screaming by the girls in the shelter home but did not bring it to the notice of anybody because of the apparent terror of Brajesh Thakur, read the order.

On being told by the CBI that arms and ammunition were recovered in huge quantity from former minister for social welfare of Bihar Manju Verma and her husband Chandrashekhar Verma, the court ordered Bihar police to investigate the couple. Verma had to resign following a disclosure that her husband had spoken to Thakur 17 times between January and June.

Directions were also issued to the Income Tax department to look into the assets of the NGO and Thakur after it was found that the NGO had allegedly received Rs 4.5 crore from Bihar in over a decade. It was also noted that, during this period, the NGO purchased 35 vehicles and Thakurs assets were unclear.

The CBI was ordered to seize records of Bihars social welfare department and investigate the transfer of eight girls from the shelter home after a Tata Institute of Social Sciences audit report exposed the alleged sexual abuse of the inmates in May this year. The report did not clarify why the girls were transferred.

Medical examination confirmed sexual abuse of 34 of the 42 inmates.

The transfer seems to suggest that the social welfare department of Bihar was aware of the unsavoury activities in the shelter home that may have been the reason for the transfer of the victim girls, the court ordered, seeking the states explanation.

Attorney general KK Venugopal, appearing for the CBI, assured the court that the agency will file another status report in a sealed cover within four weeks. The report, the court said, should have the approval of the concerned additional director.

The apex court had on September 18 stayed a Patna High Court order directing the CBI to constitute a fresh CBI team for the case. Despite repeated attempts, Manju Verma could not be reached for comments.
Three policemen, two of them special police officers, were kidnapped on Thursday night and killed hours later in south Kashmirs Shopian, considered the hotbed of militancy in the state.

A fourth person, brother of a policeman, who had also been abducted was, however, released on Friday morning. The four had been kidnapped from Shopians Kapran village.

The three policemen were found dead near an orchard in Wangam village, four kilometres from the spot where they had been taken away.

We have lost 3 of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike. Our tribute to the 3 martyred jawans, Nisar Ahmad, Firdous Kuchay and Kulwant Singh, Kashmir police tweeted, condemning the inhuman act.

No militant group has yet claimed responsibility.

But terror group, Hizbul Mujahideen, had recently delivered what it had called was the final warning to the special police officers, or SPOs, to quit by September 19.

There has been a spike in incidents of attacks on security personnel and their families in recent months that is seen as part of an effort to demoralise them.

Last week, suspected militants killed a 45-year-old army man, who was home to mourn the death of his teenage son in Kulgam.

Last month, 11 members of police families were abducted but later released unharmed.

In June, Army soldier Aurangzeb was abducted from a private vehicle when he was going home for Eid in Shopian. His body was recovered from a Pulwama village.

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, whose tenure as chief minister ended abruptly this June after the BJP withdrew support, was unsparing in her attack on the centre. In two tweets, Mehbooba Mufti said the centres muscular policy was clearly not working at all.

It was a sucker punch aimed at the BJP that had cited Mehbooba Muftis inability to keep militancy under check.

Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims.... Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now, he tweeted.

.
Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has urged Odisha Chief Justice KS Jhaveri to accelerate the process of appointing judges, especially in lower rungs of the judiciary, calling it a generally urgent issue.

India faces a long-standing problem of judicial backlogs or pendency, which means cases take inexorably long to settle. This makes access to justice for millions costlier and cumbersome.

Until August 14, 2018, there were 27.6 million cases pending in subordinate courts across the country, often the first point of litigation for people, according to official data.

One of the underlying reasons for the high pendency is sometimes the inordinate delay in filling up the vacancies of judicial officers, Prasad said in a letter, which has been seen by HT.

Prasad has written similar letters to other chief justices over the course of his term.

The law ministry, in consultation with the judiciary, has increased the sanctioned strength of judges in district and lower courts from 19,518 judges (in 2013) to 22,444 at present.

In contrast, the total working strength of judges stands at 17,221. According to data cited by the law minister, this means the country is running short of 5,223 judges, or nearly a third. Of this, Odisha had 216 vacant positions.

The justice department has been holding video-conferencing with judicial registrars in states to track the progress in filling up vacancies, especially entry-level recruitment examinations.

According to the Economic Survey 2017-18, the average pendency of tax cases is nearly six years per case. Further, the average pendency of civil suits at the Delhi High Court is 5.84 years, while in Delhis lower courts it is 3.66 years.

Prasad, in the letter, said it was evident that high courts have taken steps to expedite recruitment.

The justice department also expects to bring online connectivity to 2,992 more district and lower courts across the country by the year-end, part of the Supreme Court-monitored e-court project aimed at improving access to justice through digitisation.
The United States has imposed sanctions on the Chinese military for buying Russian weapons, including the S-400 air defence missile that is also on Indias shopping list. The Trump administration, without naming anyone, said other countries with similar shopping lists should think twice about their plans..

The punitive actions come under a Russia-related law that requires the US to sanction anyone undertaking significant transactions with Russian intelligence and military services, including arms manufacturers.

The action against the Chinese entity is the first instance of secondary sanctions imposed by the US under Combatting Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), a 2017 law that seeks to punish Russia for invading Ukraine and interfering in American elections in 2016.

Equipment Development Department (EDD), the Chinese agency sanctioned is a part of the Chinese Military Commission and is charged with R&D, developing, procuring defense equipment for the Chinese military.

The US said it was sanctioned for buying Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 systems delivered in December and January.

A senior administration official who briefed reporters on the new action said a determination has not been made yet for other potential recipients of the S-400 but discussions are on with them. Without naming them the official went on to say, We have made it very clear to them that these  that systems like the S-400 are a system of key concern with potential CAATSA implications.

While those discussions are on and in some cases no purchases have taken place yet, the official said the US hoped to dissuade those still talking to Russian, We hope that at least this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors.

India plans to buy five Russian S-400 air defense missile systems at an estimated cost of $6 billion and has pressed the US officials for a waiver under the expanded authority granted to the President in a recent amendment to CAATSA, as sought by senior officials, namely secretary of defense Jame Mattis and secretary of state Mike Pompeo.

Indias request for a waiver came up at the 2+2 ministerial in New Delhi earlier this month, as did the possibility of waivers from Iran-related sanctions that seek to compel buyers of Iranian crude to cut their purchases to zero by November 4.

US officials have indicated that waivers might be considered on a case-by-case basis if certain conditions being met  for both CAATSA and Iran  but they have publicly offered no guarantee to India or any other country in line for secondary sanctions, leading to some uncertainty in New Delhi.

There are other CAATSA decisions like the one on China in the pipeline, said a former US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Turkey, a NATO ally, is said to be at the top of the list as it has decided to press ahead with the purchase of S-400 missiles despite explicit US warnings.

Ashely Tellis, a leading US expert on relations with India, recently wrote that President Donald Trump is personally committed to preventing the proliferation of S-400s. His antipathy toward the S-400 thus extends to acquisitions across the globe, whether by putative adversaries such as China, treaty allies such as Turkey, or emerging partners such as India.

But Indian officials have sounded upbeat arguing can you imagine the US slapping sanctions on India given the recent trajectory in relations? They also point to Mattiss support for waivers to mean a waiver was in the works because he couldnt have been freelancing without the support of the White House.

CAATSA has named specific Russian entities in the defense intelligence sectors with whom any significant business transaction, could leave the buyer open to secondary sanctions of the kind slapped against the Chinese military procurer.

China was the first outside buyer of the state-of-the-art S-400s that are apparently without a rival.

The EDD and its head, Li Shangfu, were sanctioned for completing significant transactions with Russias state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport. The sanctions would mean denial of export licenses, and blocked foreign exchange transactions in US jurisdiction.
Muharram or Yaum-e-Ashura to mourn the death of Imam Hussein and his family, will be observed on September 21. Muharram marks the holy day of Ashura, and it is on this day that Imam Hussain Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad was martyred. It is believed that he was the third Imam of the Shia community. Imam Hussain Ali was killed during the battle of Karbala (in present day Iraq), by the soldiers of the Caliph Yazid in 680 AD. His death is seen as a sign of the continuous struggle against oppression.

The Shia sect marks the day with meetings, mourning processions, fasting feeding the poor in remembrance of Hussains sacrifice and that of his followers who did not bow down to tyranny. It falls on the 10th day of Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic calendar.

Shias men mourn the death of Imam Hussain Ali by working themselves into a frenzy and whipping themselves with sharp objects. There are cries of Ya Hussain and recitation of marsiyas (elegies) and noha-khwani (poems which express sorrow).

Mourners use various objects such as knives, chains which have blades attached to them and other weapons in acts of self flagellation to show solidarity with the martyrs. Others cry and beat their chests in mourning.

Sunni Muslims observe the day in a much quieter way by fasting and holding gatherings to remember the sacrifices of Imam Hussain.

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The Bombay high court on Friday refused to lift the ban imposed by the Maharashtra government on the use of hi-tech sound-amplifying systems such as DJ and Dolby sound during Ganpati immersion and the upcoming Navratri festival.

The ongoing Ganesh festival will culminate with immersion processions across the state on Sunday.

A division bench of Justices Shantanu Kemkar and Sarang Kotwal rejected a plea for interim relief by the Professional Audio and Lighting Association (PALA) which has challenged the ban on sound-amplifying systems.

The association miserably failed to prove that such audio systems can be used without breaching the permissible noise limits, the high court said.

The bench took note of the submissions made by the state government at the previous hearing, where Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni had said that DJ and Dolby audio systems are a major source of noise pollution.

The moment a DJ or a Dolby system is switched on, the noise level goes over 100 decibels, way above the permissible limits under the Noise Pollution Rules of 2000, Kumbhakoni had said.

The maximum noise levels permissible under the rules for various areas range between 50 and 75 decibels during the day and between 40 and 70 decibels at night.

The bench also observed that the Noise Pollution Rules 2000 were framed by the Union government for controlling environment pollution and hence, the government was justified in restricting the use of noise amplifying audio systems.

... it is obvious that the restrictions on use of such systems is covered under the provisions of the Noise Pollution Rules, the bench said.

We are not willing to accept the petitioners argument that noise levels in the city anyway exceed permissible levels and therefore, DJ systems that will only cause a marginal increase in the ambient permissible limits should be allowed, the court said.

When laws are in place and rules have been formed for a purpose, they must be strictly followed, the court said.

While refusing to grant any interim relief, the court asked the state government to file a detailed reply to the petition.
Three years after filing a plea in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to oppose the construction of the car shed for Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) at Aarey Milk Colony in Goregaon, environment group Vanashakti withdrew the petition on Thursday, after being told by the tribunal that the case would be dismissed as only a high or Supreme Court could give them relief. The petitioner plans to move the SC at the earliest.

In June 2015, Vanashakti and another citizens association, Aarey Conservation Group, filed a petition with NGTs western bench in Pune against the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), seeking that Aarey be designated as a forest and construction of the 33-hectare car shed be carried out elsewhere.

The construction of the Metro-3 car shed would lead to destruction of 3,000 trees.

NGT observed the primary plea of the applicants was to declare Aarey a forest and identify the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). As the union environment ministry declared the ESZ in December 2016, which excluded land earmarked for car depot in Aarey, the plea was no more valid, said Kiran Bhagalia, counsel for MMRC.

The petitioners said the matter was disposed of within 10 minutes.

NGT expressed helplessness as it does not have powers under the NGT Act. It has not said anything about clearing construction for the Metro car shed project, said Stalin D, director, NGO Vanashakti and petitioner in the matter.

The tribunal also lifted the stay on debris dumping, tree felling and land reclamation at Aarey, issued as an interim order by the principal bench of NGT on May 14, allowing all construction activity.

With this order, all legal hurdles are cleared and car depot works can progress in full swing, said Ashwini Bhide, managing director, MMRC.
The Shivaji University in Kolhapur (SUK) has topped the list of non-agricultural public universities in the state that partnered with the industry for research and development (R&D) activities in 2017-18, according to the state governments data. The University of Mumbai (MU) stood a distant fifth.

While the Kolhapur university engaged with 381 industries, it was followed by Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) (213), Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Womens University (145) and Solapur University (138). The MU reported 69 industry engagements.

The Kolhapur university also registered the highest number of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and other forms of collaborations with various companies, as well as the number of faculty members and the students working on industrial projects. SPPU leads the varsities in industrial consultancy and technology transfer categories.

MU, however, stood second in four categories  industrial consultancy, MoUs, number of faculty members and students working on industrial projects.

Established in 1962, SUK has 280 affiliated colleges in Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli districts. Around 800 colleges in Mumbai, its suburbs and Konkan region are affiliated to MU  one of the three oldest universities in the country that was established in 1857.

According to experts, the universities in western Maharashtra  SPPU, SUK and Solapur University  lead owing to the high density of industries in the region. Alumni of Walchand Institute of Technology, Solapur and SVER Institute, Pandharpur have established several companies in the region. The region is home to a large number of sugar factories which have tie-ups with colleges. The colleges also collaborate with the textile industry in Solapur and leather industry in Kolhapur and Solapur. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) also has a presence here, said an official from the Solapur University.

The government is pushing the public universities to focus on skill development and enhance the employability of students. Universities have been directed to interact with local industries to improve their curriculum and align it with local requirements. The universities in the state currently lack the initiative to partner with industries in their respective regions. We have obtained the micro-, small- and medium-industry (MSME) profile of each district in the state and conveyed to university officials. MIDC officials have also been roped in, said an aide to education minister Vinod Tawde.
The once scenic Lokhandwala Lake in Andheri, a magnet for migratory birds, is in a precarious condition with broken idols and flower waste left during Ganeshotsav.

The 4.5-acre lake near mangrove forests, which was created after construction of a bund, has become a haven for bird life. Ornithologists say they have recorded 112 species of birds at the lake.

For the past six years, Ganesh devotees had spared the lake and were immersing idols at an artificial pond constructed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). However, this year, the trend seems to have reversed, said environmentalists as hundreds of idols have been immersed over the past seven days at the site. Residents of the area said that unsold idols are being dumped into the lake along with flower waste between 3am and 5am over the past seven days.

In spite of 2,600 idols immersed at the 40x20ft artificial immersion pond developed by the BMC this Ganeshotsav, the lake is still under threat from unsold idols being dumped by unknown persons daily, said Dhaval Shah from the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA). The area needs to be fenced and police patrolling needs to be done in order to stop this.

BMC officials said a team visited the site on Wednesday where they removed around 30 idols from the bank of the lake. They suspect that these were unsold idols dumped by workshops. These idols do not have any colour and most of them are intact. There are a few more idols deeper into the lake but accessibility to that area is difficult, said a BMC officer who visited the site.

Prashant Gaikwad, assistant municipal commissioner, K (West) ward, said, This is a serious issue as immersing idols at the lake is completely prohibited. The artificial pond has been developed for this very reason. However, we will be writing to the Mumbai police to increase patrolling at the site, especially between 3am and 5am and also request citizens to inform us if they spot such activities.

The lake and its surrounding area is home to wildlife species that still includes the odd jackal and jungle cat, and a wealth of bird species such as Spot-billed ducks, Lesser whistling ducks, Shovellers, Pintails, Purple herons, Glossy ibis, Black-headed ibis, Purple swamphens, Slaty-breasted Rails, Asian paradise flycatchers and among many others.

Ornithologists say 112 species of birds were seen at the lake. (Sunjoy Monga/The Yuhina Canopy)

However, with the pressures only rising, the lake and surrounding biodiversity remains under rising threats.

Lokhandwala Lake is an ignored, abused and lesser understood jewel of suburban Mumbai. It is the last remaining semi-wild waterbody here, dominated by the magic of freshwater and subtly by the creek and the sea, said Sunjoy Monga, naturalist writer, photographer and ornithologist.

Meanwhile, Lokhandwala residents said lake-cleaning activities by the BMC were stalled for the past couple of months. This is further aggravating the accumulation of flower waste and even the proposed beautification of the lake is stalled, said Sumesh Lekhi, one of the residents responsible for reviving the lake (see box).

The land owner, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada), said they will coordinate with the BMC and the police to ensure such activities are stopped. We expect a large number of household idol immersions on the eleventh day of Ganeshotsav where the route to the lake will be cordoned off, said a Mhada officer.

The local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Bharati Lavekar was not available for a comment.

HOW THE LAKE GOT PROTECTION

From 2003 onwards, Lokhandawala Lake had fallen prey to direct debris dumping and runoff from debris dumped at the site of the road. Even idol immersions were a regular feature during festivals when large quantity of residue including plaster-of-paris (POP) and fibrous material could be spotted every year. From April end, the lake used to dry up.

In 2012, local citizens convinced the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to construct an artificial immersion pond where 2,000 idols were immersed in the first year itself. In 2014, three likeminded professionals - Sumesh Lekhi, chartered accountant and filmmaker, Dr.Chandrakant Jain, surgeon, and businessman Aashish Mehta  started Friends of the Environment, a citizens group that convinced top officers of the BMC and state mangrove cell to initiate desilting of the lake.

After the lake was desilted and filled up during monsoon the water quality improved and 100 indigenous tree saplings were planted around the lake that started attracting migratory birds to the site.

In 2016, residents of Lokhandwala proposed a beautification project where a teakwood boardwalk with timer rails, boat jetty and lakeside promenade was promulgated. The local administration wanted to remove all vegetation at the site but we stopped this. However, the project remains stalled currently, said Lekhi.

Ashoke Pandit, filmmaker and chairman, Oshiwara Lokhandwala Citizens Association said, These threats will continue until proper protection through this beautification project is implemented.

This lake deserves serious attention beyond the dangerous scope of Beautification u see which planning agencies in the region have robbed away the character and meaning of numerous lakes and ponds in the region. Irrespective of under whose jurisdiction this amazing waterbody lies, keeping it clean and administered such that no more filth and abuse happens, is all that is required, said Sunjoy Monga, naturalist writer, photographer and ornithologist.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

A 2001 Supreme Court order has stated that natural resources like forests, tanks, ponds, hillocks, and mountains are important for maintaining the ecological balance and needs to be protected. It also stated that if fallen to disuse, these sites cannot be used for building houses and authorities are duty bound to clean and develop them to prevent an ecological disaster. Also enables people to enjoy a quality of life.

Impact of immersed materials on aquatic bodies

Material contributed by immersion Impact on aquatic body Plaster of Paris Increased dissolved solids contribute metals and sludge Decoration material such as clothes, polish, paint, ornaments, cosmetic items etc. Contributes to suspended particles such as trace metals (zinc, lead, iron, arsenic, chromium, mercury) metalloids, various organic and inorganic matter, oil greases etc. Flowers, garlands and oily substances Increases floating suspended particle contamination Bamboo sticks and decorative articles Small pieces remain floating in water or settle at the bottom of the waterbody Plastic bags Choke aquatic life

(Source: Maharashtra state environment department)
A 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly attacking his male partner, the Khadak police said on Thursday. A case of attempt to murder under section 307 of the IPC was registered against the accused.

The arrested man was identified as Anurag Kamlesh Bhatia, a resident of Krushna Kamal society on Pashan road. The complaint was filed by 46-year-old Rajesh Anil Vartak, a resident of Subhash nagar in Shukrawar Peth. The incident happened around 6 am at the complainants house on Wednesday.

The complainant approached the police and Bhatia was arrested after which he was produced in a local court and remanded to two days in police custody.

The two met through an online dating application and have been together ever since, said assistant police inspector Umaji Rathod of Khadak police station who is investigating the case.

Bhatia attacked Vartak with a metal sickle for reasons which are under investigation. Vartak, who owns a two-wheeler showroom in Mundhwa, sustained injuries on his head, right shoulder and has a fractured jaw is undergoing treatment.

Bhatia has a diploma in engineering from a local college. He graduated from the college two years ago and has been unemployed ever since, according to the police.

(With inputs from PTI)
Saamy Square

Director and writer: Hari

Cast: Vikram, Keerthy Suresh, Bobby Simha, Aishwarya Rajesh, Soori

Rating: 2/5

Saamy Square is proof that a director requires talent to entertain an audience with exactly the same plot that worked 15 years ago. Director Hari has added just a few elements to present the idea of a sequel. One such an element is to make Vikrams character overpowered (OP), like a character in video games, which wreaks havoc. While it is fun to see characters break loose on the screen when you play a video game, it doesnt look at attractive in a film.

The sequel first introduces the audience to the main players, as it has been 15 years since Saamy released. Aishwarya Rajesh plays the role originally portrayed by Trisha; her part is more a cameo. Aarusamys son Ramasamy (played by Vikram) is the one to carry forward the legacy of his father and he locks horns with Perumal Pichais son Raavana Pichai. The name of the villain and the fact that the character is from Colombo is used by the director to stress on how bad he really is. This is quite similar to the manner in which every invader in period films is portrayed as being barbaric, and so Bobby Simhas Raavana Pichai is one-dimensional.

Vikram is presented as the heroic cop while Bobby Simhas Raavana Pichai is one-dimensional.

That is not the only problem with the film. While, on one hand, we have Aarusamy and Ramasamy talking about respecting women (Keerthy Suresh as Diya, doesnt think twice before slapping harassers), on the other hand, the film also has Soori who tries to be funny (by using rape in his jokes) and doesnt seem to know how. Comedians should not feature when the topic of rape is being touched upon because there is nothing funny about it. All mention of rape is sure to make women cringe and by introducing it, in the name of humour, the film only trivialises it. Everything that the lead cop preaches in the film, simply goes down the drain.

However, even if one was to overlook these drawbacks, Saamy Sqaure still has a problem  it has nothing new to offer that wasnt in Saamy already. The male and the female lead fall in love after a misunderstanding, one of them saves the other from a grave situation and another misunderstanding nearly separates them. There are some intelligent hero moments thrown in to keep the audience entertained. The protagonist faces a loss that is followed by a challenge, which eventually leads to the hunt. The formula for two films remains same though they are 15 years apart. But does the film engage? The answer is yes but in parts.

What does make Saamy Square different is Haris decision to pack something extra to show how heroic Vikrams character really is. For instance, he throws powerful punches that make things fly farther than usual. Also, small bits like the way Ramasamy reacts when he comes in contact with anything that has to do with khakhi, the supernatural element when Ramasamy becomes his father, Vikrams bulging muscles and grand gestures in the romantic department are used to make the oldest trope in the revenge drama interesting. Saamy, back in 2003, was pretty straightforward in comparison.

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Maniac

Director - Cary Joji Fukunaga

Cast - Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, Justin Theroux, Sally Field, Sonoya Mizuno

Rating - 4/5

A pill. A pill to cure all your troubles, to rid you of all your illnesses, a pill that can - as the mad scientist at the centre of the new Netflix mini-series, Maniac, says - eradicate completely all unnecessary and inefficient forms of human pain forever.

Hollywood has had an interesting history with pills, and pain. Decades ago, Morpheus offered Neo the choice between a blue pill and a red one that would take him, like Alice, into a scary wonderland. And only a few years ago, Bradley Cooper developed an addiction to a decidedly more powerful variety in Limitless, and discovered that it gave him the ability to, among other things, out-act Robert De Niro for a couple of hours.

Maniac offers a more complete course, pill-wise. For starters, it doesnt restrict itself to just one, but gives its subjects three -- one to cure each stage of their illness, an A-B-C obstacle course that ends with the all-important confrontation.

Watch the Maniac trailer here

It also makes a case for the most well-earned blank cheque in recent memory. It is, as the trailers have very epically advertised, A new limited series from Cary Joji Fukunaga - the visionary filmmaker behind Sin Nombre, True Detective (Season 1), Netflixs very first original film (the majestic Beasts of No Nation), and as of yesterday, the man chosen to direct the 25th James Bond movie.

And hes cashed that cheque in the riskiest manner imaginable, with a show that is as existential as it is absurd, as funny as it is surreal, filled with the whimsy of a Charlie Kaufman script and the visual fearlessness of the Wachowski Sisters.

Having watched all 10 of its episodes in one go, I still havent quite made up my mind how feel about it - and Id imagine it would take multiple viewings to fully appreciate its many carefully thought-out details. While it is very easy to acknowledge the sheer craftsmanship that must have gone into making the show - the impeccable production design, the flashy camera work and the delicate tonal balance - Maniac is nearly impossible to describe, and ironically - considering what it is about - very difficult to form an emotional connection with.

Emma Stone and Jonah Hill play outcasts who bond at a pharmaceutical lab.

Its set in an alternate reality sometime around the 80s, in a world that is both recognisable and oddly alien. Sometime around that decade, perhaps around the time Sting wrote Every Breath You Take, our timelines diverged. While we marched towards global warming, terrorism and economic disarray, the world of Maniac seemingly underwent an overnight technological evolution. So even though artificial intelligence is very much a reality in the show, the tech is housed inside a clunky white mainframe that seems to be running on 8-bit software. Think of it like how Batman: The Animated Series used modern technology, and yet retained that iconic 40s art-deco style.

But all this is mere table-setting, and Maniac certainly spends a lot of time laying the plates, polishing the cutlery and ironing out the table cloth. For two whole episodes, in fact, Fukunaga and writer Patrick Somerville do little else but introduce the characters - Owen (Jonah Hill), the ostracised schizophrenic son of a wealthy industrialist and Annie (Emma Stone), a chain-smoking drug addict.

Jonah Hill plays against type as the quiet and inexpressive Owen.

In a fit of desperation - Owen is broke and Annie is broken - they enlist themselves as participants in a three-day drug trial at Neberdine Pharmaceutical Biotech, which is where the aforementioned mad scientist comes in.

Dr James Mantleray (a giggle-inducingly good Justin Theroux) has invented a three-pill course that he believes will exorcise whatever personal demons that may be haunting Owen, Annie, and whoever else has been brave enough to put their names in the basket. With the help of an artificially intelligent computer in which he has uploaded the consciousness of his overbearing mother (stay with me, now) he hopes to cure his patients of all their troubles.

Owen has always been an outsider in his family, someone who has, as Annie very insightfully describes it, a low-level sadness that has caring and sweetness underneath it. There is mention of an incident 10 years ago for which he was institutionalised, but his past is mostly a mystery. Annie, meanwhile, has been unable to come to terms with the accidental death of her sister, in which she may or may not have had a hand.

And so they arrive at the facility, a retro-futuristic lab that looks like one of those Japanese capsule hotels. Theyre made to sit beside each other, and like the inmates from One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, are given the first pill, which is when Maniac, without much warning, leaps of a cliff and doesnt look back.

Yes, Maniac goes to Middle Earth.

The pill-induced hallucinations send Owen and Annie on mind-bending adventures within their own subconscious, hopping scenarios as seamlessly as Fukanaga hops genres  we go from 90s sitcom to 40s noir, from a political farce set inside the Icelandic parliament (?) to an impressively accurate facsimile of the Lord of the Rings movies.

The same faces pop up in different dreamscapes, similar to how the Wachowskis used the same actors to play different races and different genders in their overlooked masterpiece, Cloud Atlas. Objects glimpsed in passing three episodes ago reappear; throwaway words, numerical motifs, everything has a purpose. At one point, Jonah Hill spontaneously turns into a hawk and yells the words, Annie, I am a hawk!

Maniac gives Emma Stone and Jonah Hill room to unleash.

And then things begin to go wrong. The computer, named GRTA, develops a severe case of depression. And Owen and Annie realise  in a beautiful homage to Richard Linklaters Waking Life and Michel Gondrys Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind  that their dreams are now connected. Together, they can save each other from whatever CIA operative or masked warlord that gets in their way, and together, they can emerge from the shadow of their past.

And regardless of what character they play  weary elves or white rappers  the essence of Owen and Annie is never lost, buried beneath wigs and masked under makeup. Most of the credit for this must go to Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, reuniting for the first time since their breakout film, Superbad.

Maniac is a show for the patient viewer. Its about identity and destiny. It will most definitely not work for everyone, but thats what makes it so special. The combination of hubris and idiocy is inconceivable, says Sally Fields character in one scene. I couldnt have described the show better myself.

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The author tweets @RohanNaahar
Netflix India on Friday announced that Sacred Games, the crime drama based on Vikram Chandras epic novel, had been renewed for a second season following a hugely popular first batch of eight episodes. While the accompanying teaser video revealed no new footage or lines of dialogue, it did suggest that Nawazuddin Siddiquis gangster, Ganesh Gaitonde, would be returning in some capacity.

Details for the hugely anticipated second season, which pick up from where the finale abruptly left off, have been rare. At the end of season one, Inspector Sartaj Singh had stumbled upon a major breakthrough in his investigation of Gaitondes claims that Mumbai would imminently be attacked. Gaitonde had given Sartaj 25 days to save his city - of which 14 are still remaining.

While most fan theories predict that the next season will unravel a nuclear attack plot, fans of the source novel know exactly where the story will go. So before you go making more speculations, weve collected all the official quotes the cast and crew have made since the release of the show on Netflix, in July.

Speaking of the future, actor Pankaj Tripathi, who plays the mysterious Guruji in the series and appeared briefly in season one, has said that he will have a more substantial role in the new season - this can be corroborated by those who have read the book, which goes into great detail about Gaitondes relationship with Guruji.

Speaking to Mid-Day, the actor said, Guruji is a larger-than-life part and will become the most sought-after character in the series. My character becomes as big as Gaitonde. Guruji is described by gangster Ganesh Gaitonde as his third father - the man who influenced him more than anyone else, and potentially even betrayed him.

The makers have already planned a second season, the shooting of which will start in November in Mumbai. Pankaj, who appears as Guruji, only in three scenes apart from his voice-over in the first season, will have a central role in the second season alongside Nawazuddin as he is the real mastermind, a source told DNA.

In an interview to Hindustan Times, co-director confirmed as much, saying that Pankaj Tripathi will have more to do in season 2.

Meanwhile, to tackle the 1000-page story of the book, Saif had said in a separate interview to DNA that the series had been planned for a total of four seasons, with eight episodes each. The series will be made in four parts as its a 1,000-page book and weve only got through one-third of it now. We begin shooting for the next season in September. Each season will have eight episodes, so overall, the series will have 32 episodes, Saif had said.

In a separate interview to Rajeev Masand, Saif had revealed that co-director and showrunner Vikramaditya Motwane would be stepping down as director in season 2, to focus on running the show. It might be a little premature to say, but I dont think hes directing the second season, Saif had said. It was recently speculated on Twitter that while Kashyap will return to direct the Gaitonde timeline, Masaan director Neeraj Ghaywan will jump on board to helm the Sartaj timeline. Varun Grover made his feature writing debut with Masaan, and will return as head writer for the second season of Sacred Games.

Meanwhile, actors Jatin Sarna (Bunty) and Neeraj Kabi (Parulkar) have confirmed that they will be reprising their roles in season 2.

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A 94-year-old former SS guard faces trial in November charged with complicity in the mass murders at the Nazi concentration camp Stutthof during World War II, a German court said Friday.

The man from the district of Borken, who was not named, was a watchman at the Nazi camp near what was then the free city of Danzig, now Gdansk in Poland.

He stands accused of complicity in the murders of several hundred camp prisoners between 1942 and 1945, said the regional court of Muenster more than seven decades after the end of World War II.

These included more than 100 Polish prisoners gassed to death on June 21 and 22, 1944, as well as probably several hundred Jewish prisoners murdered in the same way from August to December 1944 as part of the Nazis so-called Final Solution operation.

Prosecutors believe that the man knew about the killing methods at the camp and that the guards were a crucial part of the camp system.

As the former SS guard was not yet 21 at the time of the crimes, he will be tried before a juvenile court from November 6.

Germany has been racing to put on trial surviving SS personnel, after the legal basis for prosecuting former Nazis changed in 2011 with the landmark conviction of former death camp guard John Demjanjuk.

He was sentenced not for atrocities he was known to have committed, but on the basis that he served at the Sobibor camp in occupied Poland -- for having been a cog in the Nazis killing machine.

German courts subsequently convicted Oskar Groening, an accountant at Auschwitz camp, and Reinhold Hanning -- a former SS guard at the same camp, when they were aged 94 for the mass murders seven decades back.

But neither served jailtime as they both died before they could be imprisoned.

Prosecutors had filed charges against another former SS guard at Stutthof, a 93 year old from the city of Wuppertal.

But a decision on whether the case will go ahead is pending as it is yet to be determined if he is fit for trial, the court in Muenster said.
A nondescript office in Rigas communist-era Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science may be Latvias last line of defence against threats to next months general election.

There, the nations 29-strong CERT cyber-security group, is bracing for its biggest test to date: repelling attempts by Russia to sway the voting process. Having studied meddling in the U.S. and fellow European Union members like Germany, the team is schooling state employees on suspicious emails and website links that could be phishing attempts, all the while receiving threat feeds from NATO and allied countries.

Elsewhere, the government is working with Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. to stem the spread of fake news. Ballots at the Oct. 6 vote will be scanned electronically and can be counted by hand, should concerns arise at any precinct, adding an extra layer of security.

The awareness that something could happen is clearly much higher than during the last election, Varis Teivans, CERTs deputy head, said in an interview in a secure room containing some basic furniture but no computers. Its clear our big neighbour, Russia, has carried out offensive cyber operations against the Baltic states.

Latvia has particular grounds to be wary: at a quarter, ethnic Russians are a bigger chunk of the population than in Estonia or Lithuania, making the country an attractive target for Putin to try to sow discord inside the EU. On top of that, a political party catering to the Russian minority may have its best shot at taking power for more than a decade.

The Baltic region on the EUs easternmost fringe has felt military pressure ever since President Vladimir Putin swiped Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. But more high-tech threats emerged there long before Russian hackers were accused of aiding Donald Trumps path to the White House.

Estonia suffered whats widely believed to be the first large-scale Russian cyber assault in 2007 amid a row over relocating a Soviet-era monument in its capital, Tallinn. A massive denial-of-service attack ensued, crippling government, banking and media websites.

The interference didnt stop there. Estonian prosecutors recently unearthed a scheme in which Russia secretly bankrolled three supposedly independent news websites, dictating stories containing Kremlin talking points, Buzzfeed News reported in August. One was allegedly instructed to play up tensions in the U.S. or the EU, as well as the Ukraine conflict.

Our adversary is reactive and opportunistic, Liisa Past, a former chief research officer at Estonias Information Security Authority, said by phone. Its goal isnt so much tampering with the result of elections as de-legitimizing the process, raising questions and doubts, much like we saw with the U.S. presidential elections.

Lithuania is also on alert. Its banned state institutions and companies from using software made by Russian anti-virus maker Kaspersky Labs, citing national security, and has even warned citizens against installing a taxi app from Moscow-based Yandex NV.

Outside Influence

Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said during an EU summit this week that coordination is necessary to fight misinformation and cyber attacks. Visiting another part of eastern Europe thats worried about Russian interference, Defense Secretary James Mattis said the US plans to expand cooperation with Macedonia to thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens both our democracies.

Latvian institutions have been paying attention to the elections, preparing for a while to strengthen protections against external interference, said Kaspars Ozolins, deputy director of the state chancellery. Its clear that no country wants to tolerate someone from outside trying to influence the mood of the electorate.

Of most concern to him is the possibility of compromising information -- either stolen or fabricated -- being released on the eve of the vote when theres little time to react. Latvia has good relations with the biggest social-media platforms, which can help to quickly remove obvious disinformation, he said.

Exponential Improvement

Russia, whose internet trolls also targeted the UKs Brexit referendum, vehemently denies interfering abroad. The Kremlin declined to comment.

Latvias jumped the gun before, suggesting the Kremlin contributed to a spate of banking scandals that hurt the countrys reputation early this year. That allegation was never proved.

This time, there are clear signs of increased activity on the eve of the election, according to Cert, which reported the highest number of threatened unique IP addresses in at least a year in August. Latvias most-popular news portal, Delfi, said this month that it repelled the biggest-ever DDoS attack on its infrastructure during a debate between candidates for prime minister.

Can potential aggressors succeed? Maybe, but Latvias readiness to fight them off is dramatically better now, according to Teivans.

If we compare this to the last 10 years, theres has been a constant and exponential improvement, he said.
Beijing on Friday told the US to be ready to bear the consequences if Washington didnt remove the sanctions it has imposed on a key Chinese military agency, set up by President Xi Jinping recently, for buying Russian weapons.

The US action violated the basic principles of international relations, the ministry of foreign affairs (MFA), Geng Shuang said.

We strongly urge the US to immediately correct their mistake and withdraw their so-called sanctions, otherwise the US will have to bear the consequences, Geng warned.

The US State Department said Thursday it was placing financial sanctions on the Equipment Development Department (EDD) of the Chinese Ministry of Defence recently purchasing Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

The latest round of military sanctions by the US against China deepens the diplomatic hostility between the worlds two largest economies already grappling with the escalating tit-for-tat trade tariff war.

In a Thursday statement, the US State Department said that the sanctions had been invoked under Section 231 of Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA) for engaging in significant transactions with persons on the [List of Specified Persons].

These transactions involved Russias transfer to China of [Russian Sukhoi] Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment.

Chinas reaction was swift and sharp.

What made it more so was because the EDD was set up by Xi in 2016 under the Central Military Commission, the powerful Communist party body that controls the massive Chinese military apparatus.

The EDDs primary aim is to improve Chinas military tech and procurement.

The Chinese side expresses strong indignation over the above-mentioned unreasonable practices of the US side, Geng said at the regular MFA regular press briefing.

The US actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries, Geng said.

According to agency reports, it was the first time a third country has been punished under the CAATSA sanctions legislation for dealing with Russia, and signalled the Trump administrations will to risk relations with other countries in its campaign against Moscow.

When asked about the sanctions possible impact on US-China military relations, Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Logan told the South China Morning Post that the Department of Defense wont speculate on potential impacts these sanctions could have on mil-mil relations.

Speculation on this new dispute wont give out a pretty picture anyway.
President Xi Jinping has said those opposing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will never succeed as the multi-billion dollar trade and transit projects are aimed at developing the region.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting on Wednesday with the visiting Pakistan Army chief, Gen Qamar Bajwa. The generals trip came ahead of new Prime Minister Imran Khans visit to China in November.

Describing China and Pakistan as iron friends, Xi further said the militaries of the two countries should ensure the security of CPEC.

A statement issued by the Pakistani militarys media arm quoted Xi as saying that those who oppose BRI or CPEC shall never succeed as this is an initiative of peace and development not only for China but for (the) region and beyond.

The two countries militaries should further deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and at all levels, take resolute measures against terrorist forces, (and) make efforts to ensure the security of the CPEC, Xi told Bajwa, according to a separate statement released by Beijing on Thursday.

The Pakistani statement also quoted Bajwa as saying BRI and CPEC are destined to succeed despite all odds and the Pakistan Army will ensure security of CPEC at all costs.

India has repeatedly objected to CPEC, a flagship project of Xis ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying the trade and transit corridor violates its territorial integrity since it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Beijing has rejected these concerns, saying CPEC isnt directed at any third party and doesnt affect Chinas position on Kashmir. It has also said the Kashmir issue should be addressed by India and Pakistan through negotiations.

According to the Chinese statement, Xi said the China and Pakistan are highly aligned on major international and regional issues, and are iron friends with an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. He added the militaries should serve as a reliable safeguard for the common interests and common development of the two countries.

The Pakistani statement quoted Xi as saying that Pakistan is our time tested iron friend and (the) Pakistan Army has a pivotal role towards this lasting relationship.

Bajwa added, While we work for peace we need to stay strong to thwart designs of all inimical forces challenging our resolve and we greatly value Chinese support in this regard.

Xi and Bajwa also discussed the regional security environment, challenges and the way forward, the Pakistani statement said.

Bajwa also met Chinas military leadership during his three-day visit that ended on Wednesday, including Gen Zhang Youxia, the highest-ranking military official and the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

His visit was preceded by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yis trip to Pakistan two weeks ago.

Bajwas meeting with Xi highlighted the strong military ties between the two sides. Xi hailed the practical achievements achieved through cooperation between the two militaries.

On his part, Bajwa told Xi that Pakistan resolutely supports the BRI and always places relations with China at a primary strategic position in developing foreign relations and always sides with China on issues involving each others core interests.
A woman armed with a handgun opened fire on Thursday on co-workers at a Maryland distribution centre for the Rite Aid drugstore chain, killing three people and wounding three others before taking her own life, the Harford County sheriff said.

The shooting unfolded shortly after the suspect, a temporary employee there, reported for work around 9am EDT (1300 GMT) at the warehouse in Perryman, Maryland, about 34 miles (55 km) northeast of Baltimore, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference.

The sheriff said investigators had not yet determined a motive, but a law enforcement source told Reuters the shooting was believed to have been sparked by a work-related grievance.

The sheriffs office later identified the killer as Snochia Moseley, 26, a resident of Baltimore County. The fact that the assailant was a woman was unusual given that the overwhelming majority of mass shootings in the United States are committed by men.

Gahler said Thursdays gun violence began outside the warehouse and then moved inside, but investigators were still piecing together the precise sequence of events.

He said seven people were hit by gunfire and that four, including the woman who opened fire, were killed. The three others were expected to survive, according to the sheriff.

He said the suspect, who was armed with a 9mm Glock pistol and two or three magazines of ammunition, shot herself in the head, and that no shots were fired by law enforcement.

Investigators believe all the victims were fellow Rite Aid employees, but it was not immediately clear whether any were specifically targeted by the suspect, Gahler said.

The Rite Aid centre, part of a larger warehouse in an industrial park, has nearly 1,000 employees, company spokesman Pete Strella said. The facility packages pharmaceuticals and other products for delivery to more than 2,500 stores.

Police spent several hours searching the 210,000-square-foot (19,510-square-metre) building for possible additional victims, the sheriffs office said.

Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders, Governor Larry Hogan wrote on Twitter. The State stands ready to offer any support.

Agents from the Baltimore offices of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI also responded, the agencies said.

The shooting occurred a day after a man shot and wounded four people, including a police officer, at a Pennsylvania court building before he was killed by police, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Kesong, some 200 km from Arunachal Pradesh, was the first Tibetan village the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) marched into on May 23, 1959, to emancipate it from serfdom, says the Communist Party of China narrative.

When villagers from somnolent Kesong stage a play to mark 60 years of the day in 2019, they know who will be the villain of the piece  the then village chief who had, at the first rumblings of liberation and the fear of losing his life, fled to India following the furtive footsteps of the 14th Dalai Lama.

Along with the Dalai Lama, thousands of Tibetans fled to India through the North East Frontier Agency, which became the union territory of Arunachal Pradesh in 1972.

At the no-frills Patriotism Education Centre, a bare building which serves as a museum for Kesongs past life as a village of Tibetan serfs, village chief Suokang Wangqing Geli lurks like a criminal whose game is up in a faded black and white photograph.

Wang, the local government-appointed guide, recounted the centuries of horror before 1959.

For years, villagers of Kesong had no land, no rights and little to eat, Wang said.

Geli and the likes before him owned much of the land. Villagers who could not pay taxes in cash or kind were tortured. A model torture room at the museum has the tools of torture on display: chains, handcuffs, belt and whips.

The villagers had no access to means of production and had no control of their lives, the guide added.

Kesongs tryst with socialism changed its destiny  the villagers recovered their lives and voices. Within days, the first Communist Party branch was opened in the village.

Tibet was incorporated into China in 1951 but, according to officials accompanying Hindustan Times, democracy reformswith Chinese characteristics in villages such as Kesong across Tibet Autonomous Region were carried out in 1959.

Nearly 60 years later, it is one of Tibets richer villages with a per capita income of around 17,620 yuan (nearly Rs 1.8 lakh) for its 872 residents in 242 households.

Phurbu Tsering is the head of one such household, which has a prominently displayed photograph of President Xi Jinping in the courtyard. A farmer and a trader, Tsering seemed a contented man.

His two-storey home was stacked with Tibetan artifacts for sale, his prosperity protected by a shrine room for Tibetan Buddhist deities and financial incentives for locals doled out by the government.

History proved that without the CPC, we would not have the new socialist Tibet, without the CPC, we would not have the Kesong peoples happy lives today, said a plaque at the exit of the museum.

As for Geli, no one knows what happened to him after he fled to India with his family. We dont have any details, shrugged the guide.

The details needed  and approved -- by the Communist Party are anyway on show at the Patriotism Education Centre.

(HT was in Tibet at the invitation of the State Council Information Office of China.)

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A t the heart of the London Design Festival are the three huge trade shows  100% Design at Olympia, designjunction on the South Bank, and the London Design Fair in the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane. These sales platforms for brands and designers are surrounded by other festival events. It all adds up to fabulous days out.

100% DESIGN: FOR BIG NAMES

This show kick-started a revolution in 1995, the first contemporary design show under one roof. This year its in Olympia with big brands, big ideas, new makers and special features.

The show is divided into interiors, kitchens, bath/bed, emerging talent and, new this year, a build section. Here is the P.A.T.H energy-generating prefab  short for Prefabricated Accessible Technological Homes. Its celebrity designer Philippe Starck lives in one near Paris.

From Tesla comes Powerwall which stores solar energy for later use. 100% Futures is curated by Max Fraser, with techy ways to make life better, including: Blubel, a Bluetooth-connected bike bell for safer routes; Magway, a clever parcel-delivery brainwave; Mimicalab, a monitor for food spoilage: and Sana, a device to lessen pain. Cheerfully low tech is the Velopresso, a coffee trike that pedal-powers your brew.

See big brands alongside a wealth of emerging talent, unparalleled elsewhere.

Olympia is the hub of the new West Kensington Design District with Beazley Designs of the Year just opened at the Design Museum. Opposite the show entrance is the crowd-funded Space Gap pavilion by architects Unknown Works, where free talks, debates and films expose social inequalities and posit design solutions. Polish Oskar Zieta does amazing blow-up metal furniture at the Arthill Gallery in North End Road (onandondesigns.com).

DESIGNJUNCTION: FOR FUN

A big, fun show in the Bankside design district, downstairs are 60 shops/internet traders/designers selling smart stuff you wont see elsewhere. Blend your own fragrance with the Experimental Perfume Club; get free initials on leather goods (katieleamon.com) and on glasses cases (monclondon.com). Enjoy disco at Gufram of Italy and an immersive Japanese spa (earlofeastlondon.com). Plug into a big batch of lighting brands.

Upstairs are international furnishings. Artist Finn Stone has rejigged Andy Warhols Queen Elizabeth II using paints by London-based Mylands. Nearby, over three floors, is the gritty Bargehouse gallery. Design addicts will love Vitras The Original touring show of furniture classics. Artist Vic Lee is live-illustrating the walls. Check out an engrossing talks programme.

LONDON DESIGN FAIR: INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

Upbeat and off the beaten track, the London Design Fair is always the joker in the pack, with a surprise around each corner of its industrial brick and concrete venue, and Brick Lane is huge fun at the weekend. National groups show their best face in country pavilions, with Finland in the Nordic Happiness Hotel and Sweden and Denmark in solid shows. Ever avant-garde, Holland does daring Dutch Stuff  how about a red rubber-coated sofa cut with hot wires from a block of foam (martijnrigters.com)? Or art food experiences (creativechef.co)?

The British Craft Pavilion, lovingly curated by Hole & Corner magazine has 40 makers in for a craft renaissance. Catch up with Cornwall, as seven makers come to London, including The Leach Pottery set up by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada in 1920. Ceramics are in abundance but find also weaving, leather making, glassware, metal and silversmithing and woodwork.

However, contemporary Bohemian glass really steals the show. Head for the Czech Republic, where Umprum, Pragues renowned arts academy, flaunts off-piste handmade vessels and sculpture  exquisitely crafted punk glass anarchy, remarks London Design Fair director Jimmy MacDonald.

THE LOWDOWN

100% Design: open September 19-22, Olympia, Hammersmith Road, W14; trade show but open to the public on September 22, 15. Get half-price tickets here.

designjunction: open September 20-23, Doon Street, Bargehouse gallery and Oxo Tower Wharf, Riverside Walkway, SE1; 16  get half-price tickets online when you quote code ES2018.
(CNN) -- A woman killed three people at a drugstore distribution center Thursday in Harford County, Maryland, before shooting herself twice, officials said.

A law enforcement official who had been briefed on the incident provided the casualty toll for CNN. Another source close to the investigation said the woman was a disgruntled employee. She shot herself in the head in an apparent suicide attempt, but was unsuccessful so she shot herself again, the source said.

The shooting occurred at a Rite Aid support facility about 30 miles northeast of Baltimore. It was not clear if the woman worked for Rite Aid or for another company in the area.

The suspect used a single handgun, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference. The gunwoman is in custody and in critical condition at a local hospital.

No law enforcement officers fired shots during their response, he said.

Rite Aid spokeswoman Susan Henderson said roughly 1,000 employees work at the distribution center, where products are received and processed for delivery.

"The shooting happened adjacent to the primary building," she said. "What I understand is the location is secure."

'It's right on the doorstep'

Colleen Hendrickson, who lives and works in the area, said she was waiting on the bus when someone told her there had been a shooting nearby.

"I, of course, thought it was far off or, that's like down the road or something, right?" she told CNN affiliate WJZ. "No, it's right outside. It's right on the doorstep."

She saw emergency vehicles, including ambulances, and helicopters, which were out of place for the "sleepy" part of the county, she said. The area is home to many warehouses and plants, some belonging to major brands, including makeup and bleach companies.

"It's really just usually very calm, and this is the most chaotic I've ever seen it," she told the station. "It's very scary when it's just right there on your doorstep because you can see a billion news reports about shooters, about emergency instances, and it still doesn't make it real to you."

People were being asked to avoid the area just outside the city of Perryman. Homes, churches and a cemetery are in the vicinity. Railroad tracks run alongside a business park.

Third mass shooting in a day's time

Deputies were dispatched at 9:09 a.m. ET, the sheriff's office tweeted. They were on the scene in five minutes, Gahler said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent agents from Baltimore. The FBI's Baltimore office is also assisting.

"We are closely monitoring the horrific shooting," Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted. "Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders. The state stands ready to offer any support."

This marks the third shooting with multiple victims in the country in the span of a day. A shooting at an office complex in Middleton, Wisconsin left three people injured Wednesday, and a gunman injured four people at the Masontown Borough Municipal Center in Pennsylvania later in the day.

Police killed the shooters in both Wednesday incidents.
Press Release

21 September 2018

Kinseth Hospitality Companies (KHC), an Iowa based hotel development and management company, has announced plans for their 2019 leadership conference and vendor tradeshow. Vendors who attend the tradeshow will be able to meet with top level management from nearly 80 hotels and restaurants, as well as corporate-level management. Debbi Malik, of Mill Distributors, Inc. who attended a previous Kinseth tradeshow stated, "We appreciate that you entice the GM's and Construction people to visit every booth. It is always nice to see the people we have worked with and meet those we have spoken with."

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Robbie Brzymowski of Verdant shared his thoughts about his Full Event Access Sponsorship from a previous tradeshow, "LOVED IT. ... The awards ceremony was fun, we really enjoyed seeing how a great organization treats it's valued employees. Much like ours, it's like family." Robbie continued, "Great people drive results  as a result of a great event, we feel very confident about being part of Kinseth's road to success towards 100 (properties)."

The 2019 KHC Leadership Conference and Tradeshow will be held Sunday, March 3, to Tuesday, March 5, in Urbandale, Iowa hosted at the Holiday Inn & Suites Des Moines Northwest.

If your company has products and services that would bring value to our hotels and restaurants, this is your invitation to share those with Kinseth Hospitality Companies at our 2019 KHC Leadership Conference and Tradeshow, please visit the Conference Website at:www.KinsethHospitalityTradeshow.com. Interested businesses can participate in the event through sponsorship opportunities, tradeshow booths, and/or full event access. After you review the website, if you should have specific questions about the tradeshow, please feel free to contact Scott Lockwood at [email protected].

About Kinseth Hospitality

Kinseth Hospitality is a leading hotel management, development and ownership company. KHC has a proven track record of developing and operating award-winning hotels, restaurant and meeting facilities. Kinseth Hospitality is based in North Liberty, Iowa and currently operates over 70 hotels and 5 branded restaurants in 11 states.

For more information regarding KHC please contact our Corporate Sales and Marketing Team at 319-626-5600 or visit www.kinseth.com.
Performance

21 September 2018

The U.S. hotel industry reported negative year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 9-15 September 2018, according to data from STR.



In comparison with the week of 10-16 September 2017, the industry recorded the following:

Occupancy: -3.3% to 69.8%

Average daily rate (ADR): -0.3% to US$131.03

Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -3.7% to US$91.47

"There were a lot of different factors to parse in the week's results," said Jan Freitag, STR's senior VP of lodging insights. "Performance levels dropped in several major markets as Hurricane Florence moved up the Atlantic Seaboard. On top of that, an earlier Rosh Hashanah and the comparison with the 2017 post-hurricane demand period in Houston and Florida created significant fluctuations in year-over-year percentage changesthe latter will continue for the coming weeks."

"Additionally, performance at this time last year in New York City was lifted by the UN General Assembly, which made the comparable particularly difficult to match."

Among the Top 25 Markets, Miami/Hialeah, Florida, reported the largest increase in RevPAR (+8.0% to US$80.94), due to the only double-digit increase in occupancy (+17.4% to 60.7%).

New Orleans, Louisiana, posted the largest lift in ADR (+9.4% to US$142.12).

Houston, Texas, saw the steepest declines in occupancy (-32.1% to 59.6%) and RevPAR (-38.8% to US$62.31). Houston's hotel performance was lifted in the weeks and months that followed Hurricane Harvey in 2017 as properties filled with displaced residents, relief workers, insurance adjustors, media members, etc.

Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia, registered the only double-digit decline in ADR (-11.3% to US$85.80) and the second-largest decreases in occupancy (-21.9% to 48.9%) and RevPAR (-30.7% to 41.93%).

Orlando, Florida, reported the third-largest declines in each of the three key performance metrics: occupancy (-15.8% to 64.5%), ADR (-8.7% to US$101.72) and RevPAR (-23.1% to US$65.58).

Overall, 18 of the Top 25 markets saw decreases in RevPAR.
Jordan Brand has plans to release a new Chicago-themed Air Jordan 5 next month, but it's nothing like what you'd expect.

Rather than opting for the traditional red, white and black colorway that has been used on countless Air Jordans over the years, this Air Jordan 5 instead features a range of vibrant colors and drawings depicting numerous Chicago neighborhoods.

Dubbed the "Wings" Air Jordan 5, the kicks are built on a white leather upper that has been turned into a decorative art piece complete with hits of teal, including the mesh panels, and a red jumpman on the heel. Additional attributes include a wings shaped lace lock, "Wings" logo behind the tongue and winged detailing on the mesh which also glows in the dark.

Jordan Brand has not yet announced an official release date but rumors suggest the special edition 5s will be hitting select Jordan Brand retailers sometime in October. Scroll through the IG post embedded below for a closer look at the latest "Wings" Air Jordan.
Conor McGregor and UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov came face-to-face for the first time yesterday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City ahead of their UFC 229 showdown- and the press conference was as entertaining as expected.

Despite McGregor's efforts, the presser was closed to the public which definitely took away some of the electricity of event, though it was still worth the watch. As UFC President Dana White noted, "We have had problems in New York and I didn't want anymore problems today."

"If i was an owner and part of the promotion, I would have the fucking fans in the arena," McGregor said about Thursday's event being closed off to the public. "Where the fuck are the fans at? I'm in probation up to me eyeballs and coming in for civil cases. At least bring the fans in. Here we are, let's get a war going!"

In a surprise to no one, McGregor was the aggressor on the mic throughout the event, plugging his recently released "Proper No. Twelve" Irish whiskey all the while. The 29-year old Irish superstar even offered Khabib a shot of whiskey, but the undefeated Russian champ declined.

You are a little weasel, McGregor riffed during the presser (H/T USA Today). A hard man in groups but on his own, when confronted, he cowers away. That what you saw with that little (expletive) on the bus, he (expletive) his jocks. I came for the love of fighting and the love of war and I will love to put a beating on this little glass jaw." I will stomp on his head as he is unconscious. It has been a war zone in my camp. I am preparing for war. Broken orbital bones, broken feet, broken fingers. You hold onto legs for dear life. You fight like a rat. What kind of way of fighting is that?

To his credit, Khabib didn't take any of McGregor's bait and only issued a few verbal jabs through Conor's constant trash talk.

"You look like a clown. Stop pedaling your whiskey bullshit." "Most important is sixth of October," Nurmagomedov said (H/T CBS). "He can talk whatever he want and I know he will talk. But the sixth of October is what matters when they close the cage. "Your grappling is zero, I'm going to dominate you. It's going to be a long night for you. You fight for money and I fight for legacy."

Take a look at some of the highlights from the UFC 229 press conference in the tweet embedded below.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1043042142900219905


Drake is on the verge of postponing yet another set of shows on his "Aubrey & The Three Migos" with the Migos. TMZ reports that Drake and co. are postponing their two upcoming shows in Miami. The two concerts were supposed to take place tonight (Sept. 21) and tomorrow (Sept. 22). TMZ's sources say these shows are canceled due to technical issues on the set. However, the tour dates are expected to be made up in November.

This isn't the first set of postponements on the tour. A few weeks before the tour was supposed to start, it was announced that they pushed the tour back by a week because of technical issues. Drake later postponed one of his three shows in Toronto in mid-August "due to circumstances" beyond their control. However, it was later revealed that the real reason he postponed the first Toronto show was to visit a sick girl in the hospital who was waiting for a heart transplant. Drake also had to cancel one show in Chicago.

Despite the rough patches on the tour, Drake has delivered during his shows. The rapper's brought out several guest appearances including Travis Scott and Meek Mill. Drake and Meek officially squashed their beef during the Boston stop of the tour. Drake also brought Travis Scott in Toronto and New York, fresh off the release of Astroworld. The two rappers performed "SICKO MODE" together for the first time together.
XXXTentacion lived a rough life. He chose to express himself in his music, emotionally telling stories about the experiences he went through. You could easily tell that X was a damaged soul. The way he sang, rapped, and even screamed in his music was deeply haunting and it resonated with his millions of fans. Yes, much of his history is riddled with controversy. There have been the instances of violence against women and general aggression that caused people to pay him no mind. Jah's father, Dwayne Onfroy, gave an extremely rare interview about his son, expressing regret that he couldn't be there for him.

In an interview with a local ABC affiliate, XXXTentacion's father spoke about his upbringing and how he regrets being locked up for most of Jah's life. Onfroy is currently living in Jamaica and although he tried to call as often as he could, nothing could substitute for actually being there in person. He said, "He developed his own rules. He developed his own way of looking at life. Because now his teenage years are coming on. Who's the male role model?" He elaborated on what he meant, saying, "I think a lot of what he battled with was the good parts and the bad parts of me. He wanted to be like me in a lot of ways and a lot of ways he didn't. He was coming to realize that. A lot of his mannerisms, a lot of his behavior, good and bad, without even being around me, was like mine."

The publication has been going into detail about the life and death of the troubled star. Read the entire chapter here.

[via]
Chico, Calif.- The city of Chico will honor it's fallen Fire Captain Joe Duran on Sept. 21.

Duran lost his life to cancer on Sept. 12 after nearly 30 years with the department, serving as leader of the department's Rescue Team.

He retired due to his illness in August of 2017.

Services for Captain Duran begin on Sept. 21 at 11:30 a.m. at the Bidwell Presbyterian Church, located at 208 Est 1st Street in downtown Chico.

A procession of emergency vehicles will carry Captain Duran from the Church to the Chico Cemetary - including up to 50 fire trucks and engines from across the state, as other department members who knew and loved Duran will be present to honor his memory.

The procession will have a few impacts on traffic, as will the accommodation of parking for those visiting departments.

1st Street will be closed between Salem Street and Broadway from 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. to allow for parking of fire equipment before the procession.

Their route goes from the church, South down Broadway, East on 5th Street, North on Main Street, up the Esplanade and East over to Mangrove Avenue to the Chico Cemetary.

Emergency vehicles will park along Mangrove along the cemetery property.

Click this link to see a map of the planned procession.

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WASHINGTON  At a Rice University forum last year, Mexican Energy Secretary Pedro Joaquin Coldwell was asked whether his government would allow refiners to increase the concentrations of ethanol in gasoline beyond the 5.8 percent that it had just approved. Coldwell gave an emphatic no.

"If it goes above that, it can generate a lot of ozone," he said, referring to an air pollutant linked to increased asthma rates. "So that is the rule."

But just nine months later, the Mexican government changed its regulations to permit up to 10 percent ethanol in gasoline -- the same level as the United States. That ruling is now under court review, but it represents a major victory for American ethanol producers, which only 18 months earlier had launched an intensive lobbying campaign to outmaneuver an entrenched chemical industry that has long dominated the Mexican fuel additives market.

The contest between corn and petroleum, fought for years in the U.S. Congress, has moved south of the border, where some of the world's biggest chemical and biofuels companies are vying to control a small, but lucrative niche in the world's fourth largest gasoline market. With Mexico in the midst of a historic attempt to open its state-run energy sector to foreign investment, firms like the Houston petrochemical maker LyondellBasell and the agricultural conglomerate Archer Daniels Midland are sending lobbyists and consultants to Mexico City to meet with energy officials and host educational forums in an attempt to sway the government's plans for Mexico's fuel supply.

"Everyone in the fuel and gasoline business is down in Mexico right now," said Kristy Moore, an Illinois-based energy consultant working for ethanol companies. "All my same people I work with in the United States, every major oil company."

High octane

Mexico is just one front in a global battle to grab share of the fuel additives market, particularly in emerging economies in Asia and Latin America. Modern automobiles don't run well on pure gasoline. Pistons misfire; engine parts wear down more quickly, so gasoline retailers have long relied on additives to help cars run more smoothly  what is referred to in marketing slogans as octane.

For decades, octane came from lead, which was banned as a gasoline additive in the 1990s, then the chemical methyl tert-butyl ether, or MTBE. Since 2004, however, approximately half of U.S. states have banned MTBE, a known carcinogen, after it was found leaching from underground storage tanks at gas stations into drinking water supplies.

Taking its place is ethanol, a biofuel largely made from corn that possesses a particularly high octane and now makes up 10 percent of the U.S. fuel supply. But across much of Asia, Latin America and even parts of Europe, MTBE remains in great demand.

More Information Fueling competition U.S. ethanol exports (2016) - 27.9 million barrels U.S. MTBE exports (2016) - 15.6 million barrels MTBE exports by country in 2016 (barrels) 1. Mexico - 8.7 million 2. Venezuela - 3.9 million 3. Chile - 2.5 million Ethanol exports by country in 2016 (barrels) 1. Canada - 7.4 million 2. Brazil - 6.6 million 3. China - 4.7 million .... 8. Mexico - 708,000 Source: Energy Department See More Collapse

"It's still legal in most countries in the world," said George Martin, editor-in-chief of Latin America for the energy data firm ICIS. "It goes all over Latin America and Asia. The market is improving with the demographic changes there, as population increases and more people drive."

And much of it comes from the United States. Even though MTBE production here is far below what it was a decade ago, it remains a more than $1 billion a year industry and growing, with output up more than 30 percent since 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Department.

LyondellBasell, which maintains its headquarters in Houston, is building a $2.4 billion plant on the Houston Ship Channel to produce two chemicals, one of them, tertiary butyl alcohol, which is the primary feedstock for MTBE.

But with Mexico's announcement in June that it would blend more ethanol into its fuel supply, suddenly all of that is under threat. Last year, Mexico imported more than half of the entire U.S. output of MTBE  more than 8 million barrels.

The June decision "caught a lot of people off guard," said Ed Aviles, a former lawyer for LyondellBasell who now serves as executive director of the Latin America Clean Fuels Association, a nonprofit representing MTBE manufacturers in Mexico. "The ethanol lobby is very good at what they do. They have a compelling strategy, and they've gone into Mexico trying to grow ethanol's market share."

Historic opening

For decades, Mexico's fuel industry had operated virtually unchanged by the state-run monopoly Pemex, which not only drilled for oil, but also refined it and owned all the nation's gas stations.

Then, in December 2014, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto won an unlikely victory when he passed an historic energy reform package through the Mexican Congress, with an aim to opening Mexico's struggling oil, power and fuel sectors to foreign companies. Just over a year later, Moore, the ethanol consultant, said she received a call from a client in the ethanol industry  she would not say who  asking her to "learn everything we need to do to get ethanol into Mexico."

Soon the U.S. Department of Agriculture arranged a workshop in Mexico City so Mexican officials could meet with regulators from Columbia and Paraguay, who had recently implemented their own biofuels program. At the same time, Moore started meeting with officials at the Ministry of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission, to work on convincing them to integrate ethanol into their fuel supply and not rely solely on oil production to ease its energy shortfalls.

"You've got a Mexico government that is moving at an incredibly rapid pace," Moore said. "The mindset was we're going to allow more oil companies, they're going to solve our supplies issues."

Those supply issues came into focus at the end of last year, when the Mexican government, which had long subsidized gasoline for its citizens, officials announced prices at the pump would rise as much as 20 percent as part of the market reforms. That move sparked riots across the country, forcing stations to shut down and leading to the deaths of four people and the arrests of hundred more.

Ethanol lobbyists made the case that if Mexico was to achieve a gasoline market like the United States, where pump prices typically run about 30 percent cheaper, its best chance was to adopt the American ethanol standard of 10 percent, which would allow more U.S. gasoline to flow across the border. Mexican regulators bought the argument, saying at the time of the June announcement that earlier regulations represented "a barrier for those who plan to import into Mexico gasoline used in the United States of America. "

For American ethanol companies, which have seen their attempts to raise domestic ethanol mandates to as much as 15 percent of motor fuel stymied in Washington, expanding exports abroad has become critical to their growth strategy. In addition to Mexico, Midwestern producers are targeting India, China and Peru for expansion, said Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, a trade group for ethanol makers..

"We're likely to break our all-time record on exports this year," he said.

Not so fast

Their expansion into Mexico, however, will have to wait. A Mexican judge recently granted an injunction blocking the government from implementing the new ethanol mandate after Mexican environmental groups, led by Gabriel Quadri, a former presidential candidate, filed suit claiming that more ethanol in the fuel supply would worsen air pollution

Government officials are expected to appeal the ruling, according to Reuters, but it will likely delay implementation until at least next year.

The topic of the effects of ethanol on air pollution is a controversial one. Competing studies disagree not only on ethanol's impact on ozone  a major factor in asthma rates  but also on greenhouse gas emissions accelerating climate change.

As the ethanol lobbyists campaign in Mexico picked up steam earlier this year, the chemical industry responded with data and government studies showing the environmental benefits of MTBE over ethanol.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes high doses of MTBE as increasing the risk of cancer. But a presentation made to Mexican energy regulators in May by representatives of Exxon Mobil, one of the world's largest chemical producers, described the potential harm if MTBE were to spill and leach into underground aquifers as "a disagreeable flavor" in drinking water supplies.

An Exxon spokesman declined to comment.

At the same, chemical companies have worked to shore up relationships with allies in Mexico. Aviles, the president of the MTBE producers group, said following the June decision he spoke with Quadri, the politician leading the charge against ethanol. Quadri did not respond to requests for comment.

"We just spoke about the ruling and what his position was," Aviles said. "It's very difficult to predict anything. We've been surprised by how the process has gone."
Houston banker Alton McDowell has been tapped to lead a new JPMorgan Chase group focused on emerging growth companies.

These companies, with revenues of at least $20 million, are defined as consumer-focused, fast-growing entities with disruptive products or services in sectors including food, health and wellness, home and lifestyle, beauty and pets.

RELATED: Houston's largest bank unveils an all-mobile platform

McDowell is building out a team in Houston to assist these types of businesses with credit and financing, treasury and merchant services, commercial cards and international banking, among other things.

The Emerging Growth group also has a presence in Austin, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.
Machines will soon do most of the worlds work.

Companies are automating their processes and eliminating jobs at a staggering pace, according to a new Future of Jobs Report from the World Economic Forum. Half of the top executives surveyed said they expect to employ fewer humans and more machines in 2022.

The survey confirms that absent retraining, millions of people will find themselves unemployable. For those with the right skills, however, opportunities will abound.

Last year, the McKinsey consulting firm predicted that automation could eliminate 800 million human jobs by 2030. That estimate may have been too conservative. The forums study found that the 300 global companies surveyed plan to eliminate 75 million jobs by 2022 alone.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Personal memory curator, just one of the jobs of the future

To understand why, consider that this year humans will do 71 percent of the worlds work when measured in hours. By 2025, machines will perform 52 percent.

As technological breakthroughs rapidly shift the frontier between the work tasks performed by humans and those performed by machines and algorithms, global labor markets are undergoing major transformations, the researchers concluded. These transformations, if managed wisely, could lead to a new age of good work, good jobs and improved quality of life for all, but if managed poorly, pose the risk of widening skills gaps, greater inequality and broader polarization.

Technology, by definition, eliminates the jobs of the past. The internal combustion engines made farming easier. Assembly lines allowed for mass production, and computers took away jobs by simplifying calculations and communications.

The widespread employment of supercomputers to analyze massive datasets will allow machines to perform more jobs than ever. The most at-risk jobs are data entry clerks, bookkeepers, administrative assistants, factory workers and customer service workers, according to the survey.

Technology also creates the jobs of the future. Those with the brightest prospects include data scientists, artificial intelligence experts, operations managers, software developers and marketing professionals. This fits perfectly with a study last year by technology services firm Cognizant that tied future prosperity to digital skills.

Not all of these jobs will require people to write code, though. Factories will still need people to install, troubleshoot and repair robots. Transportation companies will need people with hand-eye coordination to remotely drive autonomous vehicles when required.

There will be plenty of jobs for kids who enjoy fiddling with Erector Sets and playing video games. But they will need specialized education. Researchers calculate that the average worker will need 101 more hours of learning to perform the jobs of 2022.

Using machines in place of humans will also radically change where companies do business. About half of the executives said they would likely move their operations or value chains by 2022. Instead of looking for the cheapest labor, 74 percent said their top priority now is access to highly-trained workforces.

Nothing will stop these trends because companies are compelled to seek the most cost-effective means of production to maximize profit. The question is how societies will cope with the laid-off workers and the greater demand for highly trained people.

Already we see most of the new jobs and economic growth in the U.S. concentrated in only a few parts of the country, according to the Economic Innovation Groups latest survey of Census data. These tend to be metropolitan areas with educated workforces, research universities and strong technology sectors. Places that prioritize education.

Texas ranked near the middle in 2017, with 29 percent of the population living in prosperous zip codes and 23 percent living in distressed areas, which researchers defined as communities where businesses are closing, and unemployment is rising. Mississippi ranked the worst with 43 percent of residents living in distressed zip codes, while Utah had 47 percent residing in prosperous areas.

The key to economic growth, therefore, is more education. We need to raise the bar on public education and make sure colleges and universities prepare people for the workforce. But we must also devise ways to retrain those who lose their jobs to automation before retirement age, something this country historically does poorly.

On HoustonChronicle.com: An easy way to help the workforce of the future

Politicians will need to rethink tax codes that punish companies for hiring people and reward those that invest in automation. The government will need to eliminate both employment taxes and capital expenditure deductions if it wants to keep revenues flowing.

Employers must also take responsibility for training workers. Companies destroy communities when they demand incentives that cut school taxes, refuse to retrain existing employees and shift jobs around the world seeking a better deal.

Failure to act will create greater income inequality, increase political instability and slow economic growth. We know the old jobs are going away. Its time to prepare workers for whats next.

Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about business and economics.

chris.tomlinson@chron.com

twitter.com/cltomlinson
If anyone wants to find Major Garrett, CBS News chief White House correspondent and former Fox News reporter, when hes in Houston this week, they probably should duck into The Black Labrador pub on Montrose Boulevard, where they might just find him hoisting a cold one.

It was one of his favorite spots when he lived here three decades ago.

Thats where Ill go because thats where I hung out the most after work at the (Houston) Post, said Garrett, who had to moved to Houston after a stint at the Amarillo Globe-News.

The other place he will definitely be is Rice Universitys James A. Baker III Hall on Thursday where he will discuss and sign his just-released book, Mr. Trumps Wild Ride: The Thrills, Chills, Screams and Occasional Blackouts of an Extraordinary Presidency. Its a look at Donald Trumps term so far  through the lens of such issues/chapter headings as immigration, race, Neil Gorsuch and Jeff Sessions  by someone who has been covering it day in and day out.

Mr. Trumps Wild Ride is hitting the shelves in the wake of Bob Woodwards Fear and Omarosa Manigault Newmans Unhinged but, despite its theme-park-attraction title, Garretts book is a decidedly less salacious work. It makes the case that, whether people love or loathe the man, Trump has had a consequential impact on the presidency and politics that may last long after hes gone.

Mr. Trumps Wild Ride: Major Garrett on the Presidents Time in Office When: 7 p.m. Wednesday Where: Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet St., Houston Details: free; reserve a book to be signed online at www.brazosbookstore.com or call 713 523-0701 on the day of the signing. When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday Where: James A. Baker III Hall, Rice University's Baker Institute, 6100 Main St. Details: free; register at www.bakerinstitute.org Other Books by Major Garrett "The Enduring Revolution: The Inside Story of the Republican Ascendancy and Why It Will Continue" (2006) "The Enduring Revolution: How the Contract with America Continues to Shape the Nation" (2005) "The 15 Biggest Lies in Politics" (1998) (co-authored with Timothy J. Penny) "Common Cents: A Retiring Six-Term Congressman Reveals How Congress Really Works - and What We Must Do to Fix It" (1995) (co-authored with Timothy J. Penny) See More Collapse

RELATED: Houston TV meteorologist forecasts a change in his career.

Because it didnt take long for the reactions to the Trump presidency, pro and con, to make themselves loud and clear, I said to myself, Whats a good way to think about this?Whats most likely to be here in five, 10, maybe 20 years down the road? Tweets dont fall into that category, Garrett, 56, said recently by phone. Little policy diversions and back-fighting among the White House (staff), thats not going to be with us. That will long be forgotten.

I dont know what the legacies are. Ill leave that to historians to decide what the cumulative legacy is. But what are the things that are going to be pillars of that judgment many years from now? Thats how I tried to filter it, (through) the things that matter: (for example) in the case of not repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.

Too late for a campaign book

Garrett says that, initially, he wanted to write a book about the 2016 presidential campaign but found too many others had already staked out that territory.

I started talking to my friends, and they said, The presidency is as interesting and probably will be more interesting than the campaign. Youre there every day. Why dont you think about that?It seems like a natural idea but it hadnt occurred to me.

Yet, whereas a campaign has a compressed time frame, a presidency can last up to eight years  and its legacy may take much longer to fully develop  but Garrett and his publisher, All Points Books/St. Martins Press, wanted the book out well in advance of the mid-terms this November.

RELATED: KPRC newsman Jacob Rascon gave up national spotlight to return to Houston.

That turned out to be very ambitious because, as youll note from the book, there are references to things as late as the Helsinki summit (July 16). We were proofreading, copy editing and adding teeny bits of copy here and there until the second week of July, which is incredibly late in the process, he says. I did everything I possibly could to get commitments from my publisher to make the production cycle as rapid as it possibly could, so we could keep the book open as late as we did.

From papers to TV

Though San Diego-raised Garrett got his start in newspapers and has authored or co-authored other books on politics, he is best known for his presence on television news. In addition to his six years at CBS and eight years at Fox, he spent 2 1/2 years at CNN. He also hosts CBS weekly political podcast, The Takeout.

Such a trajectory would have been a shock to the younger Garrett who, after graduating in 1984 from the journalism program at the University of Missouri, was wedded to print journalism and didnt particularly care for broadcast news. After his stints in Texas, he moved on to be a congressional reporter for the Washington Times and was an editor and congressional correspondent for U.S. News & World Report.

But hes not sorry that eventually he made the leap to TV. I enjoy them both for different reasons, he says of the two news mediums. Its quite obvious in my television career, I still pump out books which means I love to be a writer. Its my highest aspiration to be a memorable, effective and believable writer. That will never change. And some of that I can apply in television. You have to have a quick and deft touch in television to make it all work.

Exhausted and traumatized

One of the big differences between covering Trump and prior administrations, he says, is just how exhausting it is. You have to be ready for anything, any day, he says. When I write in the chapter 10 Days in May (about the firing of FBI director James Comey), that I was physically exhausted and emotionally traumatized, thats a fact. Some people may think, Well, youre kind of a weakling, arent you? Whatever. You can come to your own conclusion about that.

When youre a journalist covering the White House, and have had the opportunity, as I have, to cover the previous White Houses, and you live through those 10 days  the stress and the unpredictability and the volatility of those 10 days  you ask yourself, Can this ever happen again with this administration? It could happen again, and youd better be ready.

Still, hes pondering a volume two of Mr. Trumps Wild Ride.

If I have a chance to write another book about the Trump presidency, a lot of people who didnt cooperate with me then, will now, because they will have seen the results of this book, he says. That its not a big, wet kiss, but its not 360 pages calling this the worst, most tragic chaotic presidency in American history.  Its a presidency that deserves what I try to create which is, number one, accurate but also a balanced and measured appraisal.

cary.darling@chron.com
John Kerry in his new memoir describes the process of pushing a climate-change bill in 2009. He was at the time a United States senator from Massachusetts. He was working with a prominent Republican, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, as well as an independent in Joe Lieberman from Connecticut. He had Big Oil cooperation and backing from Texas businessman T. Boone Pickens.

Ultimately, immigration was ahead of climate change in the queue. Graham dropped out because he could take only so much pushback from constituents. And like that it came undone.

The Senate wasnt the Senate anymore, Kerry writes.

Things havent improved since.

The Senate, simply put, is broken today, Kerry says during a phone call. Its something Ive talked about with this book. Its not the rules of the Senate that have changed dramatically. Its the people. The people have created an ideology hotbed where you cant express any individuality without being punished. Both sides are guilty of this.

On Saturday, Sept. 29, Kerry brings Every Day Is Extra to Houston, where hell speak about the memoir at the Progressive Forum. The book charts his youth as the world-traveling son of a diplomat, followed by his enlisting in the Navy during the Vietnam War and his divisive involvement upon his return with the anti-war movement. It steers through his rise in politics to the Senate, and the close-call presidential campaign of 2004. Then more time in the Senate, and then his service as secretary of state under President Barack Obama.

John Kerry When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29 Where: Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Details: $40-$150 (includes book); 888-695-0888, progressiveforumhouston.org See More Collapse

Vietnam is a fascinating fissure throughout the book, one that runs from the moment he enlists to the present. But Kerry spoke of his friendship with another veteran of that war, the late Sen. John McCain, as a source of hope even in divisive times.

In the book, Kerry describes McCain as being initially wary of him: Many veterans were infuriated by statements Kerry made after his time in the service. But he suggests his and McCains friendship remains proof that the worst of disagreements can be reconciled. The protester and the POW found a way to come together and do something significant with regard to Vietnam and lingering questions about POWs. To me that meant we could solve any kind of problem. It speaks to John McCains quality as a person that we found this space despite coming from two poles of polarization. And once we got over that, we began to better understand each other.

The book, Kerry says, is not meant to be a secretary-of-state policy tome. Its a journey described, and in its own way, a road map to some things I think we need to be doing today. To work in a bipartisan way like John McCain and I did. To hold Washington accountable.

Kerry and the present administration have been at odds in public over the past few weeks. A Boston Globe story referred to his shadow diplomacy efforts with Irans foreign minister to salvage a nuclear arms deal struck with that nation during Kerrys time as secretary of state. In May, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would be extracting itself from the deal.

Kerry recently has come under fire for the meetings. Current Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Kerry of actively undermining the administration. Trump tweeted about it, naturally. And Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida called for the Justice Department to investigate.

Kerry calls the past week unfortunate.  Lets be clear: Since the administration changed its policy and moved in a different direction, Ive had zero meetings.

Yet Kerry recently has been quite critical of the president  he told TV host Bill Maher hes got the maturity of an 8-year-old boy with the insecurity of a teenage girl  his criticisms when we spoke were less focused.

I see a path forward, but it requires individuals  particularly those in positions of leadership  to make a conscious decision not to try to exploit every issue that comes along. Fight on some, but pick some key priorities.  Unfortunately, you have firebrands on both sides, so all issues are being held in limbo.

He was heartened to hear from historian Jon Meacham, who read Kerrys book and passed along admiration. He likes to think Every Day Is Extra  like Meachams The Soul of America  presents problems as something to be solved rather than left to worsen.

This is still a remarkable country, to be honest, Kerry says. I still look at all the opportunity we have here. So I dont have a lot of patience with complainers. Weve made so much progress, curing disease, were living longer. Women are doing better than decades before; its not enough still. The transition has been dramatic. But we need to get control of things that we havent been paying attention to. The things that have been left alone and are causing anger: workplace wages, health care. People are fed up with their dysfunctional Congress. These are the things making people angry.

Kerry says Obama thought him too optimistic.

I am optimistic, he says. Ive always been optimistic. But Im convinced we can work through all this. Meachams book goes through American history  the Civil War, the Red Scare  and weve been through some tough stuff. But we always come out better.
Nowadays we associate it with politics and the process of making laws, but with the Texas barbecue renaissance of the past decade, the literal meaning of making the sausage is making a comeback.

In the dark days of Texas barbecue  that era between the late 1980s and mid-2000s when an obsession with automation and efficiency dumbed down the culture and quality of our smoked meats  the art of making sausage from scratch was overwhelmed by the mass-produced kind flooding the market.

Along with automated, electric smokers and pre-made sides such as potato salad procured in 1-gallon tubs, prefabricated sausages were marketed as good or better than handmade sausage.

For a while, of course, consumers fell for it, much like we all fell for the imaginary benefits of TV dinners. (Convenient! Modern! Delicious!)

But then the artisanal food movement caught on, and small-batch, handmade foods regained the spotlight.

More Information Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue 200 N. Elm, Tomball 832-761-0670 Closed Sundays and Mondays Killen's Barbecue 3613 E. Broadway, Pearland 281-485-2272 Closed Mondays Love the smell of wood smoke in the morning? Join J.C. Reid, Alison Cook and Greg Morago as they discuss barbecue culture with special guests by subscribing to the Chronicle's BBQ State of Mind podcast on Apple's Podcasts, or visit houstonchronicle.com/ bbqpodcast. See More Collapse

Craft barbecue became the term for smoked meats made using the low-and-slow, traditional methods resurrected by barbecue joints including Franklin Barbecue, Snows BBQ and Gatlins BBQ in the mid-00s.

High-grade briskets were simply seasoned with salt and pepper and then smoked low-and-slow over a clean fire of post oak wood. Other meats, including pork ribs, chicken and turkey, also got the craft treatment. The production of side dishes such as coleslaw and potato salad were brought back in-house.

In-house sausage-making was slow to catch on, however. The time- and space-consuming process was put on the back burner as other barbecue techniques were resurrected and perfected.

Things began to change several years ago. Though old-school joints such as Byrons Gourmet Bar-B-Q (since closed) had always made sausage from scratch, the newer craft-barbecue joints were just beginning to experiment with it. Killens Barbecue in Pearland was one of the first new-school joints that committed to making all of its sausage in-house.

Newer, smaller barbecue joints without the capacity to make their own sausage began procuring product from smaller, local producers including Ruffino Meats, B&W Meat Co. or Burts Meat Market.

Recently, even the smaller joints have turned to making sausage in-house, including Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue in Tomball.

Were a little out of control, joked Tejas owner Scott Moore, referring to the many different kinds of sausage he now makes from scratch with his brother, Greg.

Tejas offers sausage specials on certain days, such as the Thursdays-only Barbacoa Boudin featuring silky, tender beef cheek combined with spices and rice that are stuffed into a pork casing and smoked on the pit.

But its the sausages on Tejas everyday menu that are the real standouts, especially the new Chile Relleno sausage. As the name implies, this is made from the ingredients of the classic Mexican dish  roasted poblano peppers and melty pepper-jack cheese. These are combined with ground brisket  a mix of 70 percent lean cut and 30 percent fat  and Tex-Mex seasoning and stuffed into a pork casing.

The sausage is then placed in the smoker until fully cooked, then cooled down in a walk-in cooler overnight. It is then placed back on the smoker briefly to bring it back up to temperature and then served.

According to Moore, this process of heat-cool-heat is essential to getting the casing to be snappy, i.e., tender enough to bite through. In my experience, the biggest mistake rookie sausage chefs make is not cooking it properly so that the casing is too tough to chew. Scott acknowledges they are still perfecting the process for tender casings, but the one I sampled was spot-on.

The Chile Relleno sausage at Tejas may be the breakout star of Houston barbecues newfound obsession with handmade sausage. This alchemy of cheese, peppers, spices and beef is the essence of Tex-Mex and Texas barbecue  two of Houstonians favorite things combined in one snappy casing.

jcreid@jcreidtx.com

twitter.com/jcreidtx
Private developers are building a retail center at the northeast corner of the Grand Parkway and Interstate 10 that is designed to primarily cater to the area's Asian population.

Named "Katy Asian Town," the 15.5-acre center is being anchored by an H Mart, a popular Asian grocery store chain. Stakeholders are hoping the property will attract the significant Asian population that has developed around Katy while also becoming a destination for students and staff of a University of Houston System campus that will be constructed nearby.

"We have an incredible Asian population (in Katy)," said RE/MAX United broker Josie Lin, the primary representative of the project. "If you are familiar with Chinatown in Bellaire, you can tell Chinatown is kind of crowded. That's one of the reasons for (Katy Asian Town). There's a high demand in Katy for Asian retail stores."

The roughly 50,000-square-foot H Mart will be surrounded by more than 100,000 square feet of stores and restaurants, according to Lin, who said about 60 percent of the available 51 units of space at the center have been leased. There will be several known Asian businesses such as Gong Cha tea, Atami Steak and Sushi and Soju 101, an Asian bar, Lin said.

The center has been quietly planned for more than a year. It's unclear which developers are involved in the project because they have not publicly disclosed their names and no immediate information was available on them. Developers want to maintain a low profile until the project is complete, Lin said.

The recent growth of the Katy area has brought an influx of Asians that retail developers can capitalize on, said Austin Zhao, chair at the Asian Chamber of Commerce - Houston.

In Fort Bend County, about 20 percent of the roughly 628,000 residents are Asian or "other," a 2015 census estimate shows. In the 181-square-mile Katy school district, Asians represent about 15 percent of the student population, according to the most recent data from Katy ISD. And in nearby Sugar Land, where 37 percent of the city's population is Asian, there are already multiple Asian stores such as the Welfresh Market.

"That area is a growing area. It's booming," Zhao said of Katy. "There are lots of Asian people in Sugar Land, but now, a lot of Asians are also moving to Katy because Asian families care about education and Katy has good schools and transportation. So, it's not surprising that the Katy Asian Town is being built."

Zhao said most of his more than 300 active chamber members live in west Houston-area towns such as Katy and Sugar Land.

Katy Asian Town is being constructed next to land where a University of Houston System campus will open in 2019, giving stakeholders further reason to develop the retail space.

The campus is expected to initially include an 80,000-square-foot building and serve about 2,000 students before expanding to more buildings that will hold roughly 8,000-10,000 students.

Plans for a 300-unit apartment complex just north of the campus also exist. In an information document presented by Lin, the UH System campus is highlighted as a nearby resource.

The first set of stores at Katy Asian Town are expected to open by the end of the year, Lin said. It's unclear when the H Mart will open.

"This will be not only a benefit for Katy, but for Cypress, and even north to The Woodlands," Lin said. "It will serve people who are coming from places like San Antonio, too."
WASHINGTON  The deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, suggested last year that he secretly record President Donald Trump in the White House to expose the chaos consuming the administration, and he discussed recruiting Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office for being unfit.

Rosenstein made these suggestions in the spring of 2017 when Trumps firing of James Comey as FBI director plunged the White House into turmoil. Over the ensuing days, the president divulged classified intelligence to Russians in the Oval Office, and revelations emerged that Trump had asked Comey to pledge loyalty and end an investigation into a senior aide.

Rosenstein was just two weeks into his job. He had begun overseeing the Russia investigation and played a key role in the presidents dismissal of Comey by writing a memo critical of his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. But Rosenstein was caught off guard when Trump cited the memo in the firing, and he began telling people that he feared he had been used.

Rosenstein made the remarks about secretly recording Trump and about the 25th Amendment in meetings and conversations with other Justice Department and FBI officials. Several people described the episodes, insisting on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The people were briefed either on the events themselves or on memos written by FBI officials, including Andrew McCabe, then the acting bureau director, that documented Rosensteins actions and comments.

Now Playing: House Speaker Paul Ryan joined with other House members to say he does not support an effort by conservative lawmakers to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the special counsel's Trump-Russia investigation. (July 25) Video: Associated Press

None of Rosensteins proposals apparently came to fruition. It is not clear how determined he was about seeing them through, though he did tell McCabe that he might be able to persuade Attorney General Jeff Sessions and John Kelly, then the secretary of homeland security and now the White House chief of staff, to mount an effort to invoke the 25th Amendment.

The extreme suggestions show Rosensteins state of mind in the disorienting days that followed Comeys dismissal. Sitting in on Trumps interviews with prospective FBI directors and facing attacks for his own role in Comeys firing, Rosenstein had an up-close view of the tumult. Rosenstein appeared conflicted, regretful and emotional, according to people who spoke with him at the time.

Rosenstein disputed this account.

The New York Times story is inaccurate and factually incorrect, he said in a statement. I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.

A Justice Department spokeswoman also provided a statement from a person who was present when Rosenstein proposed wearing a wire. The person, who would not be named, acknowledged the remark but said Rosenstein made it sarcastically.

But according to the others who described his comments, Rosenstein not only confirmed that he was serious about the idea but also followed up by suggesting that other FBI officials who were interviewing to be the bureaus director could also secretly record Trump.

McCabe, who was later fired from the FBI, declined to comment. His memos have been turned over to the special counsel investigating whether Trump associates conspired with Russias election interference, Robert Mueller, according to a lawyer for McCabe. A set of those memos remained at the FBI at the time of his departure in late January 2018, the lawyer, Michael R. Bromwich, said of his client. He has no knowledge of how any member of the media obtained those memos.

The revelations about Rosenstein come as Trump has unleashed another round of attacks in recent days on federal law enforcement, saying in an interview with the Hill newspaper that he hopes his assaults on the FBI turn out to be one of my crowning achievements and that he only wished he had terminated Comey sooner.

If I did one mistake with Comey, I should have fired him before I got here. I should have fired him the day I won the primaries, Trump said. I should have fired him right after the convention. Say, I dont want that guy. Or at least fired him the first day on the job.

Days after ascending to the role of the nations No. 2 law enforcement officer, Rosenstein was thrust into a crisis.

On a brisk May day, Rosenstein and his boss, Sessions, joined Trump in the Oval Office, where the president informed them of his plan to oust Comey. To the surprise of White House aides who were trying to talk the president out of it, Rosenstein embraced the idea, even offering to write the memo about the Clinton email inquiry. He turned it in shortly after.

A day later, Trump announced the firing, and White House aides released Rosensteins memo, labeling it the basis for Comeys dismissal. Democrats sharply criticized Rosenstein, accusing him of helping to create a cover story for the president to rationalize the termination.

You wrote a memo you knew would be used to perpetuate a lie, Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., wrote on Twitter. You own this debacle.

The presidents reliance on his memo caught Rosenstein by surprise, and he became angry at Trump, according to people who spoke to Rosenstein at the time. He grew concerned that his reputation had suffered harm and wondered whether Trump had motives beyond Comeys treatment of Clinton for ousting him, the people said.

A determined Rosenstein began telling associates that he would ultimately be vindicated for his role in the matter. One week after the firing, Rosenstein met with McCabe and at least four other senior Justice Department officials, in part to explain his role in the situation.

During their discussion, Rosenstein expressed frustration at how Trump had conducted the search for a new FBI director, saying the president was failing to take the candidate interviews seriously. A handful of politicians and law enforcement officials, including McCabe, were under consideration.

To Rosenstein, the hiring process was emblematic of broader dysfunction stemming from the White House. He said both the process and the administration itself were in disarray, according to two people familiar with the discussion.

Rosenstein then raised the idea of wearing a recording device or wire, as he put it, to secretly tape the president when he visited the White House. One participant asked whether Rosenstein was serious, and he replied animatedly that he was.

If not him, then McCabe or other FBI officials interviewing with Trump for the job could perhaps wear a wire or otherwise record the president, Rosenstein offered. White House officials never checked his phone when he arrived for meetings there, Rosenstein added, implying it would be easy to secretly record Trump.

The suggestion itself was remarkable. While informants or undercover agents regularly use concealed listening devices to surreptitiously gather evidence for federal investigators, they are typically targeting drug kingpins and Mafia bosses in criminal investigations, not a president viewed as ineffectively conducting his duties.

In the end, the idea went nowhere, the officials said. But they called Rosensteins comments an example of how erratically he was behaving while he was taking part in the interviews for a replacement FBI director, considering the appointment of a special counsel and otherwise running the day-to-day operations of the more than 100,000 people at the Justice Department.

Rosensteins suggestion about the 25th Amendment was similarly a sensitive topic. The amendment allows for the vice president and majority of Cabinet officials to declare the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.

Merely conducting a straw poll, even if Kelly and Sessions were on board, would be risky if another administration official were to tell the president, who could fire everyone involved to end the effort.

McCabe told other FBI officials of his conversation with Rosenstein. None of the people interviewed said that they knew of him ever consulting Kelly or Sessions.

The episode is the first known instance of a named senior administration official weighing the 25th Amendment. Unidentified others have been said to discuss it, including an unnamed senior administration official who wrote an op-ed for The New York Times. That persons identity is unknown to journalists in the Times news department.

Some of the details in McCabes memos suggested that Rosenstein had regrets about the firing of Comey. During a May 12 meeting with McCabe, Rosenstein was upset and emotional, McCabe wrote, and said that he wished Comey were still at the FBI so he could bounce ideas off him.

Rosenstein also asked FBI officials on May 14, five days after Comeys firing, about calling him for advice about a special counsel. The officials responded that such a call was a bad idea because Comey was no longer in the government. And they were surprised, believing that the idea contradicted Rosensteins stated reason for backing Comeys dismissal  that he had shown bad judgment in the Clinton email inquiry.

Rosenstein, 53, is a lifelong public servant. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School, he clerked for a federal judge before joining the Justice Department in 1990 and was appointed U.S. attorney for Maryland.

Rosenstein also considered appointing as special counsel James M. Cole, himself a former deputy attorney general, three of the people said. Cole would have made an even richer target for Trumps ire than has Mueller, a lifelong Republican: Cole served four years as the No. 2 in the Justice Department during the Obama administration and worked as a private lawyer representing one of Clintons longtime confidants, Sidney Blumenthal.

Cole and Rosenstein have known each for years. Cole, who declined to comment, was Rosensteins supervisor early in his Justice Department career when he was prosecuting public corruption cases.

Trump and his allies have repeatedly attacked Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia investigation because Sessions recused himself because of his role as a prominent Trump campaign supporter. Many of those same critics also have targeted McCabe, who was fired in March for failing to be forthcoming in a Justice Department inspector general investigation. McCabes actions were referred to federal prosecutors in Washington.

The presidents allies have seized on McCabes lack of candor to paint a damning picture of the FBI under Comey and assert the Russia investigation is tainted.

The Justice Department denied a request in late July from Trumps congressional allies to release McCabes memos, citing an ongoing investigation that the lawmakers believed to be Muellers. Rosenstein not only supervises that investigation but is considered by the presidents lawyers as a witness for their defense because he also sought the dismissal of Comey, which is being investigated as possible obstruction of justice.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times
BENICIA, Calif. - DNA evidence has lead to the arrest of a Benicia man suspected to be the notorious "NorCal Rapist."

At around 8 a.m. on Sept. 20, detectives from the Sacramento Police Department arrested Roy Charles Waller, 58, of Benicia, in Berkeley.

The DNA evidence that identified Waller as a positive match, was linked directly to a sexual assault that occurred in October of 2006 in Sacramento.

Waller has been linked to a chain of alleged rape cases dating back to 1991 throughout areas of Northern California.

Areas in which linked sexual assault cases have been reported, include:

Rhonert Park

Sonoma

Vallejo

Martinez

Woodland

Chico

Davis

Sacramento

According to Daniel Hahn of the Sacramento Police Department Chief, Waller is married and was arrested in Berkeley on the way to work, the same job he has held for 25 years.

Police have disclosed that this is still a very active investigation.

Stay with KHSL Channel 12 and actionnewsnow.com for the latest details as they become available.

Below is a video of a victim of the NorCal Rapist speaking out about her experience.
Each morning, when students walk into the newly constructed Booker T. Washington High School building, they immediately are greeted by the past.

To their left, portraits of all nine former Washington principals dating back 125 years, when it became the citys first high school for African-American students, hang high on the wall. Straight ahead, an ornate wooden staff inscribed with school insignia and carried during graduation ceremonies sits on display. To the right, a quote etched into the wall from the schools namesake draws the eye: Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.

Beyond the foyer, though, one of HISDs most historic schools has been outfitted with modern touches, including a spacious engineering wing, window-lined classrooms and a state-of-the-art auditorium. The confluence of old and new serves as a selling point for Washington as it looks to chart a brighter future after years of academic and enrollment declines.

Today is more than just a celebration of a new building and an anniversary, HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said Thursday during a grand-opening ceremony for the northside school. Today is a triumph. Its honor your history, our history, by celebrating how far weve come.

Inside the $52-million facility, local dignitaries joined about 250 people Thursday to mark a new chapter in Washingtons legacy of education in Houston. Construction workers completed the building this summer, about six years after Houston voters approved a nearly $2 billion bond program that resulted in renovations or new facilities for about 30 high schools.

For supporters of Washington, the facility represents a long-term investment by HISD in the Independence Heights neighborhood. Although it never has been slated for closure, local leaders have sounded alarms in recent years about the future of Washington. In 2012, then-state Rep. Sylvester Turner warned residents that you dont need to wait for HISD to say, Times up on Booker T., imploring the community and area organizations to better support the school.

On Thursday, Turner returned to Washington to declare the schools future is brighter than its past.

I look forward to all the future generations that will come here and will exit out of here, with the Booker T. Washington pride remaining strong and steadfast, Turner said.

Few HISD schools, if any, carry the weight of history like Washington.

Founded in 1893, the school originally served students at a Fourth Ward campus known as Colored High. In 1928, the campus was renamed after Washington, the renowned education advocate who established Alabamas Tuskegee University. Three decades later, the school moved to Independence Heights on the citys north side. In the mid-1970s HISD instituted an engineering program at Washington, becoming the districts first school with a magnet offering.

The past two decades, however, have been marked by upheaval at Washington. Longtime principal Franklyn D. Wesley retired in 2007, after 42 years at the helm. Enrollment has dropped from about 1,400 to less than 800. Academic accountability scores have declined, with Washington receiving improvement required ratings in 2016 and 2017 and an F-level grade this year under the states new scoring system. The campus did not receive an official accountability grade this year due to Hurricane Harvey.

Carlos Phillips II, the fourth-year principal of Washington, said he is hopeful the new facilities will rejuvenate interest in his campus. Each day, Phillips wears a small square pin on his lapel that reads I CHOOSE, encouraging families to send their children to Washington. In 2016-17, about 580 students zoned to attend Washington traveled to other HISD campuses, including about 350 of whom traveled to neighboring Waltrip or Heights high schools. Another 100 went to charter schools.

To get back to 1,100 or 1,200, that means the majority of our students are picking this place for their learning, that were offering our students the highest level of academic services they can get, and that theyre coming back to refuel everything in our school, Phillips said.

In a tribute to its history as an engineering magnet school, the new building features science rooms that are wide enough to store 24-foot rockets  students travel to White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico each year to launch their creations  and tall enough to test drones they pilot. Engineering students entertained the crowd Thursday by flying two drones in a choreographed dance to the Cupid Shuffle, moving them to the left, right, up and down along to the lyrics.

We have a lot of opportunities that other students dont have, senior Daisia Washington said. To be in the engineering program with students that can actually work on stuff like this, I feel like we have a better chance in anything we want to do.

Phillips said he believes the fresh facility has contributed to a modest enrollment bump this school year  up from about 760 to 795  but more work must be done in core academics and college preparation.

Students at Washington passed just five out of 321, or 1.5 percent, of Advanced Placement exams in last year, the second-worst rate in HISD. SAT results were better relative to the district, beating out 16 other neighborhood campuses, but only 10 percent of Washington students scored high enough to be considered college- and career-ready. Its six-year high school graduation rate has hovered between 80 and 85 percent, slightly below the district average.

In light of Washingtons struggles, HISD administrators this year bumped it up to the highest tier of schools receiving support under Achieve 180, the districts two-year-old campus turnaround plan. Felicia Adams, the HISD area superintendent over Achieve 180, said central administrators will be sending more help for instructional support and staff development.

They do have pockets of kids who are already performing at the appropriate level, Adams said. But we want to make sure that all kids there are successful.

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The Harris County District Attorney's Building, which came into the world as the U.S. Post Office Franklin Station and Federal Office Building during the Great Depression, is currently undergoing demolition.

Word of the demolition plans was first reported by real estate blog Swamplot in early August. This week the City of Houston confirmed a demolition permit was purchased around that time. Passersby might have noticed demo work under way over the past few days.

GOING DOWN: Former Houston Press building in downtown Houston to be demolished

It's been shuttered for at least a decade, with the doors boarded up, and not accessible to the public for some time. Construction on the 10-story structure at 201 Fannin began in 1935 and was completed finally in 1939. It sits just across the street from event space The Corinthian.

Steve Gonzales

The "New Deal"-era art deco building was designed by Louis B. Simon, then the U.S. Department of the Treasury's supervising architect whose most famous work might be the Internal Revenue Service Building in Washington, D.C. He was known for designing several courthouses and post office buildings across the country during his tenure with the federal government.

GOING UP: See what some of Houston's favorite buildings, landmarks looked like while under construction

As Houston grew, the building only got busier and cramped as the city's needs expanded. By the mid-50s U.S. Rep. Albert Thomas lobbied for a new federal building, which was finally built at 515 Rusk in 1962.

Steve Gonzales

In 1978 the building at 201 Fannin was purchased and remodeled by Harris County and the next year it was reopened as the Harris County District Attorney's Building. The remodel didn't change the exterior too much. For decades it was a hub of justice in Houston in the heart of the courthouse district.

Executive Director David Bush with Preservation Houston is sad to see the building go as he views it as a good, solid building.

"It was not meant to be flashy. It was designed as an office building and was built to last. If the building had been maintained, it could still house offices," Bush said Friday. "We've come to view architecture as disposable. That's not sound financial practice and it's not good environmental practice."

The building was one of several structures built around Houston in part with grants provided by the Works Progress Administration program. Other notable WPA projects include the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, Houston City Hall, Lamar High School, and the now-demolished Sam Houston Coliseum and Music Hall and Jefferson Davis Hospital.

Craig Hlavaty covers Houston history and pop-culture. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | craig.hlavaty@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
Houston ISD trustees voted Thursday to begin a national search for a permanent superintendent, while also voting to postpone a previously undiscussed proposal to make Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan the district's leader through September 2019.

The two votes mean Lathan will, for now, continue to lead HISD for the indefinite future. Lathan, the district's former chief academic officer, was elevated to interim superintendent in March after Richard Carranza abruptly left the district to become chancellor of New York City public schools.

In the meantime, HISD trustees and their lawyers will begin working with the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, the Illinois-based company that helped HISD land Carranza in 2016, after a 6-3 vote Thursday. A timetable for the search will be established in the coming weeks.

DIFFICULT DECISIONS AHEAD: Area ISD trustee resigns amid financial turmoil

While Lathan has received relatively little public criticism from board members during her tenure as interim superintendent, only three of HISD's nine trustees had voiced support for keeping her long-term. One of those trustees, Wanda Adams, made a motion Thursday to retain Lathan for 12 months, but trustees ultimately voted 5-4 to delay any decision on the proposal.

Trustee Diana Davila, who voted against Adams' motion, said board members have not given the public an opportunity to voice opinions on the proposal to retain Lathan until next September. Thursday's agenda did not include any mention of a vote to keep Lathan for one year.

"I am not about to do anything my community cannot have a voice for tonight," Davila said.

Adams argued the district should retain Lathan until September 2019 as a show of stability, particularly with the Texas Legislature set to convene for its 140-day session in January.

"When we move forward with a search, we need to show we at least have a great foundation," Adams said.

Trustees Davila, Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca, Sergio Lira, Elizabeth Santos and Anne Sung voted to move forward with the national search and delay a vote on retaining Lathan. The three trustees who previously backed Lathan  Adams, Jolanda Jones and Rhonda Skillern-Jones  voted against starting a national search and opposed a delay on a vote to keep Lathan through September 2019.

One trustee, Sue Deigaard, supported beginning a national search, while also voting to give Lathan a one-year contract. Deigaard said HISD could have difficulty attracting high-quality superintendent candidates in the coming months given the looming threat of state sanctions.

Under a new state law, the Texas Education Agency must replace HISD's locally elected school board if two things happen: the district does not approve surrendering control over four chronically low-performing campuses to outside organizations later this school year, and any one of those four schools fails to meet state academic standards when results are released in Aug. 2019.

Deigaard said potential superintendents could be reluctant to accept the job prior to Aug. 2019 if sanctions are still on the table.

"While there may be some candidates willing to take that risk and come here, I think it precludes candidates who might be strong," Deigaard said.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: New school honors historic past, offers hope for future

During the 2016 search, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates held interviews and focus groups involving about 800 people, and it conducted an online survey answered by about 2,450 members of HISD staff and the public. The firm generated a report that identified HISDs strengths, challenges facing the district and results from the interviews and surveys.

Carranza unexpectedly announced in early March that he had agreed to become chancellor of New York City public schools, stunning local education and civic leaders. Trustees unanimously voted later that month to make Lathan the districts interim leader.

Lathan, 49, joined HISD in 2015 as chief officer over elementary transformation schools, recruited to the district by her former boss and then-superintendent Terry Grier. After Grier retired and Carranza arrived, Lathan was elevated to chief academic officer.

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When Darrell Myers first came to Cleveland ISD in 2014, demographers told him to get ready for a wave of new students.

With the districts enrollment at about 3,800 at the time, the new superintendent assumed an increase of 100 students would qualify as fast growth. The following school year, 294 new students registered. An additional 587 signed up in 2016-2017. And in 2017-2018, a whopping 847 new students enrolled in Cleveland ISD schools, more than enough new students to fill the district's sole middle school at the time.

This year, enrollment again grew by more than 800 students, causing the district to nearly double in size from the roughly 3,800 students enrolled when Myers first arrived to more than 6,500.

"We've already hit capacity for the schools we don't even have built yet," Myers said. "What we're having to do is get by with portables until we can get the schools built, but this growth is not going to stop."

Cleveland is far from the only district that added students during the last school year.

Of 48 traditional school districts in the Texas Education Agency's Region 4, which encompasses most of greater Houston, 25 saw their student enrollments grow between 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.

Even districts most affected by Hurricane Harvey's torrential rains grew last year. Sheldon ISD saw enrollments rise by 217 students, or 2.44 percent, even as an estimated 70 percent of its students were left homeless by the storm. In both Katy and Humble ISDs, where entire neighborhoods and campuses were swallowed by floodwaters, enrollments grew by more than 2.75 percent in 2017-2018.

Still, the rate of growth in Cleveland ISD is rare.

The last time we saw anything close to that probably was a decade ago or so, and thats Frisco ISD just North of Dallas, said Guy Sconzo, executive director of Texas Fast Growth School Coalition and former Humble ISD superintendent. Even at 5 percent growth, thats challenging for a school district. But when you talk about 15 percent or more? Thats just extraordinary.

Boomtown

Signs of Houstons suburban sprawl are hard to miss 50 miles away in Cleveland, which was estimated to have about 8,125 residents in 2017 by the U.S. Census Bureau, up from 7,675 in 2010.

Model homes pop up as quickly as weeds on vacant lots. Signs for new subdivisions seem to outnumber rusted roadside mailboxes a few miles away from the towns center. Ash-colored stone pylons bear the weight of humongous wrought-iron gates less than a mile from the middle school, guarding bulldozers as they plow through clouds of dust. The Grand Parkway will soon expand near the area, creating a new pathway for commuters.

Cleveland Mayor Otis Cohn, whose family has lived in the city for three generations, said three huge developments are under construction near the citys limits. One, Grand Oaks Reserve on the west side of town, will sell homes for between $200,000 and $1 million, a surprising sum for a town that has been considered lower income for decades.

Another developer plans to build 40 warehouses near the citys industrial district, and yet another group will develop 40 acres into a commercial district. Two new neighborhoods will offer homes in the $100,000 to $250,000 price range.

Much of the growth within Cleveland ISD, however, has come from outside the citys boundaries, in the southern portion of the school district. There, Developer Colony Ridge Land, LLC, has been driving much of the new construction. The group already has begun or completed at least three subdivisions there. It is working to develop another three neighborhoods, creating a total of 15,825 lots.

The developments have led to significant demographic changes in the school district. About 68 percent of students in Cleveland ISD were Hispanic in 2017-2018, up from about 40 percent just five years before. The share of English-language learners also shot up from about 19 percent of Cleveland students in 2012-2013 to 38 percent in 2017-2018.

Cleveland ISD is hardly mentioned on Colony Ridges subdivision websites, other than a mention as the school district students would be zoned to. Those moving in may not know the district would have received a D letter grade in the states accountability rating had it not received a Hurricane Harvey accountability waiver. Cleveland High and Middle both met the states academic standard, although the high school was one point away from being rated as improvement required.

Still, new students are flocking to the district.

Cleveland Middle School added about 200 new students over the summer. Five minutes away, Eastside Elementary added nearly 140.

Although both schools have undergone extensive renovations to add space, portable classrooms remain a must. Eastside Principal Rebecca Smith has 10 on her campus, and she is waiting for more to arrive.

Keeping up

On picture day, Cleveland Middle Schools main hallway buzzed with students wearing their favorite shirts and dresses. Some studied their hair in newly installed windows while other leaned against the white cinder-block walls to chat with classmates.

The hallway used to be part of the schools cafeteria before a new lunchroom was built so officials could create more classroom and hallway space. The old library was converted into additional classrooms, and a new media center has taken shape on the northeast edge of campus.

Renovations at Cleveland Middle School and Eastside, Southside and Northside elementaries were funded by a 2015 bond referendum, which raised $35 million for mostly growth-related construction projects. The district had to pass a larger bond issue just two years later: $85 million in 2017 to build a new elementary school, expand the districts sole high school and build a new multi-service center that will house the districts growing fleet of buses, maintenance equipment and food-service supplies.

Myers said the board of trustees may ask voters to approve a third bond issue in the next year or two, as demographers expect the district to continue adding at least 800 students a year. By 2021, Myers said, Cleveland schools are projected to enroll more than 10,000 students. A new middle school and another new elementary school soon may become necessities. A second high school  once unthinkable  also could be up for discussion soon.

"Our hope is that we plateau and get an opportunity to catch up in regard to the growth," Myers said. "We'll have to wait and see how it plays out. There are so many factors involved that it's hard to know where we'll be next summer."

Frisco ISD officials know the feeling.

Jane Whitledge, a community relations specialist who helps new families settle into the district, said only about 5,000 people lived in Frisco when she moved there in 1988. In 2017, an estimated 177,300 called Frisco home, according to the Census Bureau. District officials went from opening the areas second elementary school in 1995 and a second high school in 2002, to dedicating a new high school, three middle schools and two elementaries in 2010 alone.

On average, Frisco schools welcomed between 2,500 and 3,000 new students a year during their busiest times. That has slowed to about 2,000 new students a year.

We are coming out of hyper growth and into fast growth, said Frisco ISD Director of Communications Jamie Driskill. People say well, the growth is slowing down. Well, what does that look like? Two thousand new students a year doesnt seem very slow.

Growth in Frisco began similarly to Clevelands, Driskill said. Two tollways were completed there in the early 2000s, and folks from more populated suburbs and cities were drawn to the area by the affordable housing, a hot economy and, eventually, a school district that focused on creating smaller school communities.

Growing pains there took the form of frequent school rezonings, a multitude of bond referenda and hiring sprees. Whitledge, who once served on the districts board of trustees, said the key to managing the new students was working with the city, local businesses, teachers and community leaders to develop plans that would benefit as many people as possible.

When youre dealing with changing demographics, the uncertainty of people moving in, how many may move in, what ages are they, are they young adults or starter homes, theres a whole host of variables you cant control, Driskill said.

Of all Clevelands government services, Cohn said the schools are bearing the brunt of the influx of newcomers.

The school system is already overloaded, the mayor said. They are fighting all the time to make the room for the added growth thats coming in, and the growth doesnt seem to stop. It hasnt yet.

Finding enough qualified teachers to keep class sizes reasonable has been a challenge. As of Sept. 17, Smith at Eastside Elementary said her school still had seven teaching vacancies.

The schools can feel crowded, too. Even with an additional 20,790-square-feet of new space in the middle school, 13-year-old Saraih Alvarado said she still bumps into classmates walking through the halls.

It is a familiar feeling for the eighth grader, who attended KIPP: Legacy and Houston ISDs Burbank Elementary before her family moved four years ago from the nations fourth largest city to the rural suburb.

She still remembers the surprise she felt when she could see the stars at night, a welcome departure from the haze that blankets Houstons night sky. The lack of cars seemed strange too, and the two-way roads seemed so tiny compared to Houstons 12-lane freeways.

She also remembers being the new kid in school.

Im very sweet and nice to all the new faces you see around, Alvarado said. You have to welcome them, because we were all new at some point.

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As a child, TeKylah Simpson helped her grandmother make cookies and cupcakes from scratch and dreamed of someday running her own bakery.

Now, the 17-year-old Stafford High senior is on her way to the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Austin, crediting her high schools culinary arts program with helping make her dream possible.

Im really proud of her, said Chef Courtney Ralls, who oversees the Stafford culinary arts program. Shes come a long way. Shes matured. Shes gained discipline. I dont think she knows how far shes come.

Before joining the culinary arts program at Stafford High, Simpson had never left the United States. She and her classmates traveled a plane earlier this year to Italy earlier, where they learned how to make gelato from scratch, took a cooking class at Cordon Bleu and went to a Parmesan cheese factory. Simpson said she was nervous to fly, but her mother pushed her.

We didnt just see culinary. We didnt just try food, said Ralls. We took a guided street tour. We saw where Mozart lived in Venice when he was doing a composition.

That has been the goal since Ralls came to the culinary arts program at Stafford in 2016, exposing students to experiences they may never get the chance to have. At the time, the program only had about 36 students, but has grown to over 200.

Ralls credits the growth to the La Sparta Cafe opening just a few weeks after she arrived, where students serve faculty, staff and administration lunch a couple times a week. Students also hold a monthly breakfast for senior citizens, where they cook and serve the food to guests.

Earlier this month, Simpson wore a white button down with the La Sparta Cafe logo and a black chef hat, as she carried a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes and a biscuit to the Stafford ISD superintendent during the monthly breakfast for September.

A white linen table cloth and yellow flowers were adorned at each table as guests milled around.

When she first joined the program as a freshman, Simpson said she had limited experience, but now she can bake 200 chocolate chip cookies from scratch and learned how to cater events.

Honestly, I thought it was going to be hard, but it was actually pretty easy once she taught us the basics, Simpson said about progressing in culinary arts program.

The basics can include learning how to make sauces, flip an egg properly and making potatoes.

Simpsons favorite  making lasagna from scratch.

She said shes learned respect, honesty and how to a be a leader from being involved in culinary arts.

Ralls said she wants to give students a taste of both cooking and culture.

The experiences that they have are huge, said Ralls. They may not get these experiences ever again.

Simpson doesnt like eyes on her. As breakfast winds down at Stafford High and Simpsons recognized for her achievements, she bows her head to the floor.

One of the things I admire about TeKylah is she does not like to be the center of attention, said Ralls. That is the beginning of a true chef. Somebody that is humble. Somebody that can understand theyre going to make mistakes but theyre going to do good things.

Ralls, who spent eight years managing a restaurant and also taught college students before coming to Stafford, said she had to gain teenage trust her first semester at Stafford.

Once she did, they opened up to her and began to embrace the process of learning to cook. Students will travel to Spain this upcoming March and are currently fundraising for the trip.

Simpson hopes that after she travels to Spain and finishes school, she can open her bakery.

I hope that when I go to the college I can take my knowledge that Ive learned here and move it to there, she said.

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Greg Morago

International Coffee Day is next week, and nothing treats a nice cup of joe better than a delicious, circular baked sweet.

To help Houstonians make their choice of fried dough and icing, Chron.com picked its favorite donut shops around town.
The Trump administration this week proposed eliminating a decade-old regulation that puts hospitals at risk of losing their Medicare funding if too many of their patients die or suffer organ failure after receiving transplants.

The rule the government is proposing to scrap is the same one that led the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cut off funding last month for heart transplants at Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center in Houston after an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and ProPublica revealed an outsized number of patient deaths and complications in recent years.

The proposal was unveiled Monday as part of the White House's push to cut the red tape and do away with burdensome regulation that officials said put paperwork ahead of patients. In a speech announcing the proposed changes, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said the agencys existing policies have put lives in danger.

We are proposing to remove those inefficiencies to reduce the amount of time patients have to wait, so that they can begin healing, Verma said.

HEART FAILURE: At St. Luke's in Houston, patients suffer as a renowned heart transplant program loses its luster

The proposal, now subject to public comment and revision before it is finalized, surprised many transplant physicians who have long called for relaxed federal oversight. Theyve argued that the rules requiring that hospitals meet certain survival thresholds for transplants discourage them from taking on risky patients or accepting less-than-perfect organs, lengthening the time patients spend on the waiting list.

Some experts, however, said the proposal would not help patients because it would weaken the governments authority to hold transplant programs accountable if they fail to provide safe patient care. The regulation was put in place in 2007 after a series of scandals at transplant programs revealed lax federal oversight. Several transplant programs had compiled abysmal patient survival statistics for years while continuing to receive Medicare funding.

Even though it has the authority to do so, Medicare rarely terminates programs for poor outcomes. It is far more common for the government to force underperforming programs into systems improvement agreements, in which hospitals agree to make certain changes and be subject to stepped-up oversight.

Medicare bypassed that process and cut off funding for heart transplants at St. Lukes in August after the hospitals one-year patient survival rate fell below national norms from 2014 to mid-2016. A few St. Lukes cardiologists grew so concerned that they started sending some of their patients to other hospitals for transplants.

Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer / Houston Chronicle

St. Lukes has appealed its Medicare termination, saying, we do not believe CMS recent decisions reflect our ongoing progress and accomplishments to improve the quality of our care. A spokeswoman said officials are still reviewing the Medicare proposal and declined to comment.

In a statement to reporters Friday, CMS said it would continue monitoring transplant programs and is strengthening its process for inspecting transplant programs to ensure they are providing safe, quality care.

CMS will continue to collect the data on each transplant programs performance with regards to patient and graft survival, the agency said in the statement. These data, rather than being a stand-alone measure, will be used as a component of the survey process to further inform and direct the survey.

If the proposed regulatory change had been in place previously, its not clear whether St. Lukes would have faced punitive action from Medicare.

LATEST: St. Luke's appeals loss of federal funding for heart transplants

I am probably in the minority in the transplant community, but I think, based on what is proposed, this is a bad idea, said Laura Aguiar, an Arizona-based transplant consultant who has spent years helping programs improve their outcomes to stave off Medicare penalties. I have been around long enough to remember that there were very valid reasons why CMS, in the George W. Bush administration, took the steps they took in implementing all of this.

Since the rules were put in place 11 years ago, the percentage of patients who survive at least one year after receiving heart, kidney, lung and other organ transplants has increased nationally. But some experts say those gains have come at a cost.

Jesse Schold, a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic, has spent years chronicling what he calls the unintended consequences of holding transplant programs accountable for poor outcomes. Even though CMS relies on data that has been adjusted to ensure that programs arent punished for treating sicker patients or accepting riskier donor organs, Schold said the rules have created a perception that programs need to turn away some ailing patients and reject less-than-ideal organs in order to meet outcome targets.

As a result, Schold said, some potentially viable donor organs are discarded while thousands of patients die on waiting lists each year. Schold said he was surprised to learn a study he co-authored was among the research cited by CMS as justification for the policy change, which he said would be a significant net positive for patients.

I don't want anything to in any way imply that I'm a fan of the current administration, Schold said, referencing the Trump administration's aggressive and often controversial efforts to slash regulations. However, in this case, I think it is something that is beneficial.

Dr. Joel Adler, a liver surgeon at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health whose research also was cited by CMS, said a major weakness of the current regulation is that it focuses only on the survival of patients fortunate enough to have received a transplant. Medicare, he said, does not take into account the percentage of patients who die awaiting a transplant. That can discourage programs from accepting organs for patients who might be less likely to survive afterward.

Despite identifying problems with the current rules, Adler and his co-author did not propose eliminating Medicares standards, but they instead suggested ways to improve outcome measures and create incentives for programs to perform more, not fewer, transplants.

Should we get rid of (the regulation) entirely? Alder said. I dont know. I suspect well swing back to somewhere in the middle, because there has to be some mechanism of capturing things when they are really, really bad. That has to exist.

Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer / Houston Chronicle

Medicare isnt the only organization that oversees transplant centers. The United Network for Organ Sharing, a federal contractor that operates the national waiting list for organs, can put programs on probation or even revoke their good standing for continued poor results, though it rarely takes such actions. Similarly, another federal contractor, the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, analyzes transplant outcomes and publicly reports which centers have mortality rates that are higher than expected based on the characteristics of their patients.

TROUBLED LEGACY: Houston heart surgery 'legend' a factor in transplant deaths, a St. Luke's colleague told inspector

Even if the proposal is approved, it would not mean CMS would stop regulating transplant programs. Last year, for example, CMS cut off funding to Medical University Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina, after the program failed to perform the minimum number of heart transplants required by CMS to maintain certification. That provision, also added during the reforms of 2007, would not be affected by the changes proposed this week.

The Charleston hospital, the only heart transplant program in South Carolina, made necessary changes and regained Medicare certification this year.

Alexander Aussi, a San Antonio-based consultant who specializes in helping transplant programs satisfy regulatory requirements, said he understands the desire to reduce the number of rules and regulations that transplant centers must follow. But he said he fears that the CMS proposal would return the transplant field to an earlier era when some programs were cowboyish about their outcomes.

I cannot tell you in good conscience that if you remove those guidelines and metrics  that youre going to have better outcomes, Aussi said. On the contrary, I believe youre going to have a lot of transplant programs reversing course.

Aguiar, the Arizona-based consultant, shares those concerns. Even without strict CMS oversight, she said, many transplant programs will continue providing high-quality care, but some wont.

There will be others that will take the removal of these requirements as a blessing to go back to the bad old days, she said, and it is patients who will end up paying the price for it.

***

This story is the result of a collaboration between the Chronicle and ProPublica, an independent nonprofit newsroom based in New York. Mike Hixenbaugh is an investigative reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Charles Ornstein is a senior editor at ProPublica.
REDDING, Calif - News of the Carr Fire was reported all over the world showing destruction and devastation for days.

But for students in Florida, it was more than just a horrible fire, it was a blaze affecting their pen pals.

"It started a fire because of a fire and so our teacher decided to give them money," said second graders Ethan and Brooklynn from Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Florida.

So their class put their minds together and put on a no uniform day fundraiser where students could pay two dollars and get a day off from wearing their school uniforms.

Now, weeks later, those students presented a $1,000 check to their pen pals in Redding to buy new books.

This is being presented to Rocky Point Charter, here it comes. Woah look at that, have you ever seen magic like that,  said teacher Nancy Morgan from Florida.

Students at Rocky Point Charter School were ready to Skype and meet their pen pals for the first time on Thursday never imagining they would do so much to help them.

"Surprised, because I never knew they could raise that much money for us, said Redding student Sarah Saavedra.

For one student, it meant so much more after what she experienced.

It was really hard, we had to be evacuated for five days without clothes, said Chelsay Foden.

The kids showed that a little compassion and lack of uniforms can help some friends in need even thousands of miles away.

"Have fun picking out your books," said Ethan and Brooklynn.
Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party.

 Winston Churchill

Apparently taking heed of Winston Churchill, in 1952 the conservative Democratic governor of Texas, Allan Shivers, did something not often done then or now. He put his state before his party and endorsed the Republican nominee for president, Dwight Eisenhower.

The issue was the tidelands, submerged land in the Gulf of Mexico that Texas retained when it joined the Union in 1845. In 1950, the U. S. Supreme Court decided Texas didnt own those 3.5 million acres and the Democratic presidential nominee, Adlai Stevenson, endorsed that decision. Eisenhower supported Texas, and for that reason, Shivers and the State Democrat Executive Committee endorsed Eisenhower. Ike won and Texas regained title to the tidelands. As a result, billions of dollars of oil and gas revenue have been generated for the Permanent School Fund and Texas public schools.

Today we have different, but equally as important, issues in the race between incumbent Republican Land Commissioner George P. Bush and his Democratic challenger, oil and gas attorney Miguel Suazo.

Attracting the most attention is Bushs mismanagement of the shrine of Texas liberty, the Alamo, which Bush operates with nonprofit entities that are exempt from public disclosure. He precipitated a disastrous lawsuit with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, lost on all counts and was compelled by the court to use state revenues to pay the DRT attorney fees. He is negotiating a lease agreement with the city of San Antonio that could give the city the ability to monitor compliance in order to satisfy requirements of the UNESCO designation of the Alamo and the other San Antonio missions as World Heritage Sites. He has refused to take a position on the movement of the Cenotaph, a memorial to the Texans and Tejanos who died at the Alamo fighting for liberty. In fact, when asked if he supported moving the Cenotaph to another location he responded with, As long as Im commissioner, the Cenotaph will always stand. So much for actually taking a stand.

The Hurricane Harvey shelter-at-home emergency housing effort, known as Partial Repair Emergency Power and Shelter (PREPS), was inexplicably delayed until mid-December when he finally signed the necessary contracts to start a program that should have begun in September  when thousands of Harvey victims suffered in shelters across coastal Texas.

While the General Land Office has had great success in generating revenue from Texas school lands, last month Bush, for the first time, decided to forgo the biennial transfer of GLO revenue to the State Board of Education-managed PSF portfolio. Last week all 15 members of the Republican-dominated SBOE signed a letter asking him to reconsider his decision, a decision that flies in the face of more than 100 years of GLO and SBOE co-operation.

Suazo is a cattle rancher and attorney with experience in oil, gas and other forms of energy as well as land use and real estate  critical issues at the Texas General Land Office. He has worked on Capitol Hill and has experience with federal agencies and public policy. He has stood up for the Alamo and has committed to putting Texans in charge of their Alamo and keeping the Cenotaph in its rightful place. And finally, Bush just doesnt have the leadership fit for a state like Texas. He rarely gives interviews, resorts to calling criticism fake news and refuses to debate his political opponents to defend his record and set forth his vision for the future. Texans deserve better.

All four of Bushs former Republican primary opponents have decided to follow Shivers lead. Alamo historian Rick Range and I, after lengthy discussions with Miguel Suazo, have decided to endorse Bushs opponent for land commissioner. His other 2018 primary opponent, land surveyor Davey Edwards, has unequivocally said he will not vote for Bush. His 2014 Republican primary opponent, author and photographer David Watts, adamantly opposes Bushs re-election as well.

While we dont intend to change our party for the sake of our principles as Winston Churchill opined above, we do agree there is one Republican we cannot support for re-election this coming November. His name is George P. Bush.

Patterson is the former commissioner of the General Land Office.
A trend is taking hold in companies across America: Top U.S. companies including Apple, Google, IBM, Whole Foods and others have garnered media attention lately for their iconoclastic move to hire candidates without a college degree.

This shift on the part of some of our countrys most successful and innovative companies is significant in that it bucks a standard that has become entrenched as a truth in American culture: that a college degree is essential to make it in this country. Its no surprise when you consider that total student debt just hit $1.5 trillion and the average young adult graduates with nearly $40,000 in debt.

This unnecessary tragedy has been fueled by the fallacy that a degree is required to enter the workforce and thrive. This unquestioned assumption is false and is something the construction industry has always known and practiced. Its about time other industries started to follow our lead.

The construction industry has always been a gateway to limitless professional opportunity for anyone who wants to work hard and commit themselves to lifelong learning and self-improvement  anyone. I know because Ive walked the walk myself.

In my current position as chief operating officer of a leading American engineering and construction company, many would never guess that I grew up in poverty on a farm in rural Texas, dropped out of college and got my start in construction as a pipefitter helper. For those unfamiliar with the construction industry, a pipefitter helper is the first rung on the long ladder of a career in construction.

I am grateful to the company that extended an opportunity to a 24-year-old with zero professional skills and limited work experience, but the fact is, this is standard in our industry. And, we need to work harder to get the message out that a costly four-year degree may be a practical path for some, but it is certainly not necessary for a rewarding and successful life. Apprenticeships and earn-while-you-learn programs to learn construction trades are dynamic and growing.

The good news is that this path is getting a second look and renewed respect. Young adults are choosing hands-on skilled trades as an alternative to college. Mothers are re-entering the workforce to help support their families and finding rewarding jobs with full benefits. Veterans returning from service are finding their next chapter in life using the skills they learned in the military. Former offenders re-entering society are finding a second chance and a new path in construction.

My first job fitting pipes was more than job: It was the first step in a career that not only led me to become a corporate executive but allowed me to experience the feeling of pride in a job well done and the dignity that comes with being able to grow professionally and provide for my wife and children. I hear stories like this every day as I talk with workers on job sites.

Americans across the country are finding this kind of satisfaction in hands-on work in the trades, and these success stories are happening at a critical time: Our nation faces a severe workforce shortage in the construction industry.More than 500,000 skilled craft workers are needed to rebuild our nations infrastructure. These skilled craft workers will play a key role in strengthening American manufacturing and lead our nation to true energy independence.

Optimism about the future has certainly taken hold in the United States as our economy continues to thrive. Opportunities for rewarding careers and lives are available for so many, but no two career paths must be the same. The lack of a college degree does not need to be a barrier to entry. The reality is that work ethic, drive and other individual characteristics are far better factors to consider when hiring. Its nice to see other industries catching on, but the construction industry has long practiced what we preach. Our door remains wide open to those with ambition and dreams  with or without a degree.

Collins is chief operating officer at S & B Engineers and Constructors in Houston.
The iPhone XS is up to $200 more expensive than last years already pricey iPhone X and represents one of the smallest advances in the product lines history. But that means little to the Apple Inc. faithful or those seeking to upgrade their older iPhone.

Hundreds of consumers lined up at Apple stores around the world either the day before or in the early hours before the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max went on sale Friday. Many consumers were seen lining up at the Orchard Road store in Singapore despite the hot weather. Other outlets, such as the IFC mall in Hong Kong, had much shorter lines as sales were largely restricted to those that had already ordered.

Now Playing: The Highland Village Apple store welcomes early customers to purchase new products at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, in Houston. The newly released products included iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone Xr and Watch Series 4. ( Yi-Chin Lee / Houston Chronicle )

At 8:30 a.m. in London, about 250 people were queuing to enter Apples flagship store on Regent Street. At least one person began waiting in line the day earlier, but most Bloomberg spoke with said theyd be standing for about an hour.

THE VERDICT: iPhone XS, XS Max review: Bigger is better

Several dozen people also gathered at the Apple Store in Houston's upscale Highland Village shopping center, many holding umbrellas to protect them from the morning rain.

This years models include support for dual SIM cards for the first time, a popular feature on Android devices in Asia. Thats what appealed to Li Jun, who works for a trading company in Guangzhou and traveled to Hong Kong to pick up an iPhone XS for HK$9,899 ($1,265).

iPhone XS is expensive for me, but I just cant resist the new dual SIMs feature," Li said. The feature allows me to have a local SIM card installed when I work abroad, without taking out my Chinese SIM card.

Dual SIM functionality isnt as commonly sought after in European markets, but one person queuing in London, who asked not to be identified, said the purchase was entirely based on the appeal of no longer having to carry two phones on international business trips. Another woman in the same line, Eli, who lives in the U.K. capital, said the larger size of the XS Max model was the biggest appeal for an upgrade.

I bought the iPhone X last year, but I took it back the next day and stuck with my iPhone 7 Plus, she said. When youre used to the bigger size its hard to go back to a smaller one.

TRADE WAR: Apple goods spared from latest China tariffs

The global smartphone industry has stalled at about 1.5 billion devices sold each year. But the annual theater of iPhone launch day remains a bright spot. For Apple in particular, the length of lines have becoming less important as it sells more phones online and adjusts its business model. Rather than persuading users to upgrade to the most-advanced, expensive phone each year, Apples goal these days is to steadily raise average prices, while expanding the total number of active devices to support sales of accessories and digital services like streaming music and video.

This year, many consumers ordered online so that theyre delivered on launch day. But those who missed the opening of pre-orders last week have to visit a physical store to get one on the first day. In the U.S., new online iPhone XS orders arent arriving until between Oct. 4 and Oct. 11. Wait times are similar in Hong Kong and Australia, while deliveries are taking one to two weeks in Mainland China.

Those waiting times are shorter than last year when the iPhone X went on sale. But those looking for the latest Apple Watch arent so lucky. New orders of many of the new watch models wont arrive until the end of October in the U.S., while orders from China are seeing a three to four week wait time. Consumers likely feel theyll have better luck grabbing one from a retail store.

This years demand isnt as extreme as the early years of the iPhone, or even last year with the iPhone X. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have faster processors, camera improvements, and the Max offers a bigger screen. But none of the enhancements are significant unless a user upgrading a much older iPhone.

ALL GESTURES: With Apple's 2018 iPhones, kiss the home button goodbye

This years iPhones are some of the most expensive smartphones on the market. In the U.S., the iPhone XS Max with 512 gigabytes of storage costs $1,449. The overall price range is $449 to $1,449 now, up from $349 to $1,149 previously.

The focus on pre-orders led to disappointment for some. Cao Zhongqiang from Shanghai was told he couldnt get any devices on the first day without an existing order.

I hoped I could walk in and buy one, however I was told supply for on-site purchase is insufficient, Cao said in Hong Kong.

-- With assistance from Yi-Chin Lee of the Houston Chronicle.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.

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Scoot operates a lean business with a workforce primarily made up of cabin crew and pilots. As these employees are frequently in the air or at international destinations, maintaining communication and engagement with the airline can be challenging.

Our organisations vision is for our team to be where our customers are, at a time of their convenience and we are determined to leverage digital innovations and technology to best connect our employees with our customers, said Scoots VP Human Resources, Theresa Tan.

A big part of this is keeping our employees informed, motivated and empowering the teams to take ownership to serve the customer. By choosing ServiceNow to create employee profiles and manage requests more efficiently and holistically, we can continue to build on staff engagement levels.

Giving our employees mobile-first experiences to seek help from HR, helps them to do their best work every day, drives team collaboration and ownership and will help us realise benefits  attracting and retaining talented people.

Scoot HR will use ServiceNow to track requests and set service level agreements for response times, resolution times and closure rates.
WASHINGTON D.C. - A suspect in custody being charged for first-degree murder in the stabbing of 35-year-old Wendy Martinez.

Martinez was killed while jogging in a neighborhood near her house.

"We don't have anything to suggest there was any type of confrontation between the two," said Chief Peter Newsham of the Metropolitan Police Department. "It looks like it was an unprovoked attacked."

Anthony Crawford, 23, of Washington D.C., is currently being charged in connection to the crime after he was seen on surveillance footage near the scene of the crime.

Police say that video and tips from neighbors in the area led to the arrest.

"We feel very confident that we have in our custody the person responsible for this murder," said Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Security footage also shows Martinez staggering into a Chinese take-out restaurant after the attack occurred and collapsing. Customers tried to save her life.

Martinez, who was recently engaged as of last week, is described by friends and family as the light of their lives.

"She was kind, loving, empathetic, passionate," said Juan Carlos Martinez, Martinez's brother. "She was cherished by a lot of people."
Formal negotiations on UN high seas biodiversity pact get underway

September 20,2018 | Source: Bridges

On Monday 17 September, UN negotiators concluded a first session of talks towards the establishment of a global treaty to protect marine biodiversity in the high seas, setting in motion a two-year process which, proponents say, could resolve long-standing gaps in international environmental governance.



The formal body responsible for the negotiations, an intergovernmental conference (IGC) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), was tasked by the UN General Assembly in December 2017 with developing an international, legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).



The proposed UN agreement will aim at realising this objective by establishing global rules on various topics, including the creation of marine protected areas, the use of genetic marine resources, the assessment of environmental impacts, and capacity building and marine technology transfer.



In opening this first session of the IGC, the conferences President, Ambassador Rena Lee of Singapore, insisted on the urgent need to change the way marine resources and biodiversity are governed globally. She said that the conference constitutes an opportunity to make a difference on how we manage the oceans while we still can.



She also recognised, however, that reaching an agreement will not be easy, especially given the enormity of tasks, complexity of issues, and variety of views held.



Although the high seas account for almost half of the earths surface, many observers have long highlighted that governance is usually very weak in these areas, especially when it comes to environmental protection and the conservation of marine biodiversity. Given that oceans are facing increasing pressure from commercial activities, such as fishing, mining, prospecting, and pollution, this situation has raised significant and growing concern in recent years.



Overexploitation of these resources, experts warn, could also have implications for communities who have long relied on their use for their economic security and livelihoods; for trade in marine resources; and for the health and long-term viability of marine ecosystems and the valuable services they provide.



The seas and oceans, which have acquired unprecedented commercial value and have become a major source of global nutrition, have also been the subject of considerable international rule making, most of it piecemeal. An estimated 200 million people worldwide make a living from fishing and related activities  mostly in poor developing countries, said Palitha Kohona in a piece published by the Business Mirror this week. Kohona is the former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UN and previously co-chaired a working group that was tasked with an earlier stage in the BBNJ process.



Fishing has drawn particular scrutiny, with various experts and organisations sounding the alarm over the unsustainability of current fishing levels and practices, which have already led in various cases to the depletion of fish stocks. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) latest State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture report, 33.1 percent of marine fished stocks were overfished in 2015, a proportion that has more than tripled over the past four decades.



Indeed, parallel efforts are underway in different negotiating forums to address concerns over unsustainable fishing practices. For example, negotiators at the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO) are aiming to craft binding disciplines on fisheries subsidies, namely those that contribute to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; fishing of overfished stocks; and overfishing and overcapacity. Those talks resumed in the Swiss city last week, with an intense work programme of meetings planned through the end of the year.



The inclusion of a dedicated SDG on life below water, dealing with various facets of marine preservation and conservation, has also been credited by various environmental advocates and governmental officials as providing a useful source of momentum for these processes, many of which date back years, by adding to the sense of urgency of the environmental, economic, and social risks of inaction.



A new UN pact on marine biodiversity in the high seas would be the culmination of a process spanning over a decade. A working group was created in 2004 to examine issues related to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.



After multiple meetings between 2006 and 2011, the working group adopted a series of recommendations, including a package of issues to be addressed. These involve marine genetic resources (MGRs), including questions on benefit-sharing; environmental impact assessments (EIAs); area-based management tools, including marine protected areas (MPAs); and capacity building and marine technology transfer.



At its ninth meeting in February 2015, the group included in its recommendations the development of a legally binding treaty. The UN General Assembly followed this recommendation in July 2015 in the lead up to the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and established a preparatory committee to lay some of the groundwork for the IGC and formulate substantive recommendations on potential elements of a draft text.



During the first two-week session of the IGC, which kicked off on 4 September, negotiators considered an aid document prepared by the chair of the conference. Following the structure of this text, substantive discussions were structured around the four main topics included in the package of issues agreed in 2011.



Four dedicated working groups addressed these topics, discussing the various options on the table for each of them, and giving delegations an opportunity to express their positions before reporting back to the plenary.



At the end of the session, delegates seemed to manifest different feelings regarding the outcome of discussions, according to reporting by Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).



While many negotiators said that the conference played a useful role in helping delegations to improve their mutual understanding of where the more difficult issues lie, others were more sceptical. Pointing out divergent positions, especially when these positions run counter to each other, does not go a long way towards bridging them, one delegate told the news outlet.



Many delegations, however, seemed to agree that there is now a need to switch to negotiating mode, including through the production of some type of text by the conferences president, Rena Lee. Some officials also issued public statements after this weeks talks praising the overall effort, and calling for strong, continued momentum in the months ahead.



This weeks negotiations mark a significant step towards international protection of marine biodiversity on the high seas, said European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella. The EU remains fully committed to delivering an effective legal instrument, with universal application, as soon as possible.



Rena Lee, the conference president, will now issue a text with treaty language by 25 February 2019 for negotiators to consider at the IGCs second session. The document will aim to reflect the different options on the table based on this months discussions, with the aim of facilitating more focused deliberations and helping identify areas of convergence.



The text, however, will not be a full treaty text, noted Lee, emphasising that the process towards a zero draft needs to be state-driven.



Three other two-week sessions of IGC talks are planned until 2020, with the next one expected to take place from 25 March to 5 April 2019, according to a press release from the European Commission.

 International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development

Theme(s): Others.
ECA: Blue economy can be engine of Africas economic growth

September 19,2018 | Source: African Review

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is supporting the African Union, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and member States to ensure that the potentials of the continents blue economy are fully realised, according to ECAs Southern Africa director Said Adejumobi



He said that the ECA will, therefore, continue to support the continent through research and analytical work, technical assistance, capacity building, advocacy and awareness raising activities so that it can collectively and sustainably benefit from its blue economy resources.



The blue economy can be the engine of economic growth, the basis of socio-economic development and industrialization for many African countries, if well utilised. The maritime industry, for example, is estimated at more than US$1 trillion, and there are other related and emerging sectors of tourism, offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, seabed extractive industries, marine biotechnology and bioprospecting, he said.



In China, for example, citing a report of the Economist Intelligence Unit, Adejumobi noted, The ocean economy contributed US$962bn or 10 per cent of its GDP and employed over nine million people in 2014. In the United States of America, the ocean economy was valued at about US$258bn or 1.8 per cent of its GDP in 2010, and in Indonesia, the ocean economy contributed about 20 per cent of its GDP which is similar to the ratio of other middle-income oceanic countries.



While other countries and regions are harvesting the gains and returns from the blue economy, West Africa, for example, is estimated to be losing about US$2bn annually from illegal fishing, the ECA Southern Africa Chief said.



Seychelles has developed a National Blue Economy Roadmap through which it seeks to accelerate economic growth and diversification, while Mauritius has Vision 2030, which provides an overall development framework, including on the blue economy sector.



Some of the associated challenges and risks of the blue economy include issues of governance and security of the ocean, piracy and terrorism, climate change, ocean environmental sustainability, poor infrastructure and technology, effective production connectivity with land-linked and land-locked countries, financing, and poor technical skills and capacity, he said, adding that more needs to be done at the regional level in the transformation of the blue economy sector through an integrated and holistic approach.



Senior policymakers from the region, leading practitioners and experts, private sector operators, civil society, regional and international development agencies, including development financial institutions are attending the meeting. The meeting is hosted by the government of Mauritius.

 2018 Alain Charles Publishing Ltd.

Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture.
24 illegal expat fishermen arrested in Oman

September 19,2018 | Source: Times of Oman

Oman's Ministry of Manpower arrested 24 expat fishermen for operating without a licence in a joint campaign carried out by the Royal Oman Police, Ministry of Manpower, and Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.



A statement by the MoM on Wednesday read, "The Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, with the support of the Royal Oman Police, carried out a campaign against foreign individuals working in fishing without a license in the state of Mahout."



The MoAF added, "(Twenty four) 24 people were found to be in violation of fishing laws around dawn of today (Wednesday). They were handed over to the appropriate authorities, where legal procedure will be carried out against them."



An official with the MoM said, "On our side, we follow such procedure based on reports or also by carefully monitoring the labor market to find any anomalies. In this case, we'll be treating the case on our end as a standard infraction of article 28 of Oman's current labor code, when a non-Omani works in a craft that has been deemed Omanized in its entirety. There may be other procedures that relate to the MoAF."









According to Omani fishing law, fishing boats and fishermen may only carry out their craft after obtaining a license, on which will be stated the type of vessel, fishing methods and equipment, and the number and specialization of crew. On this license will also be stated the designated fishing areas the vessel may operate in. There are also restrictions on fishing methods, barricades, and mass fishing using explosives.



When these laws are broken, "The individual will be fined no less than OMR300-5000 and/or be sent to prison for 1-3 months."

 2018 Muscat Media Group

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
Canada calls for closer international cooperation in combatting illegal fishing and ghost gear

by Levon Sevunts

September 19,2018 | Source: RCI

Canada is leading international efforts to beef up global cooperation in combatting illegal fishing and adopt new measures to deal with the problem of lost or discarded fishing gear at a three-day G7 ministers summit that began in Halifax Wednesday.



Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Canadas efforts going into the meeting are focused on some of the critical issues facing the worlds oceans today.



We are focused on illegal fishing, which is a threat to the sustainability of fisheries around the world and is certainly a threat to our fisheries economy here on the Atlantic Coast and on the West Coast as well, Wilkinson told Radio Canada International in a phone interview from Halifax.



Were focused on marine plastics, which is a really both the plastics that we produce and use as consumers but its also whats often termed ghost gear, which is fishing gear that is left in the ocean.



Research by World Animal Protection Canada suggests that 640,000 metric tons of gear makes its way into oceans every year, resulting in the deaths of more than 136,000 whales, turtles and other sea animals annually.



This discarded gear creates an enormous plastics problem in the oceans, affecting biodiversity around the world but also over time affecting the food chain, Wilkinson said.



Finally, were looking to increase our ocean knowledge by expanding some of the global observation efforts and collecting more data, and sharing it more effectively on international basis to help us make better decisions going forward, Wilkinson said.



Illegal fishing is a lucrative business that puts billions of dollars into the pockets of criminals every year, Wilkinson said.



It is an enormous problem from a sustainability perspective  about 30 per cent of the fish caught in the ocean are done so illegally  and so we need to take action, Wilkinson said.



As it wraps up its presidency of the group of the worlds most industrialized countries, Canada hopes to align G7 countries to take action on all three fronts, to come together and show international leadership on issues that cannot be addressed by any one country, Wilkinson said.



The G7 is an opportunity for these countries to show international leadership about making this a priority, bringing forward some solutions and then going forward and taking this out to the broader international community, and trying to enable international approaches to addressing plastics and illegal fishing, Wilkinson said.



In addition to G7 countries, delegations from Argentina, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Norway, Seychelles, South Africa and Vietnam, as well as representatives of Canadas Indigenous communities have been invited to attend the meeting.



However, some of the biggest fishing powers, countries with big distant fishing fleets capable of fishing anywhere in the ocean, such as China, Russia, and South Korea, where not invited to the meeting.



Wilkinson acknowledged that Canada and its partners will absolutely need to be reaching out beyond the G7 at some later point.



I think the first step though is getting commitment on the part of the G7 countries to this being a priority and to starting to actually move forward to implement measures that will help us to better address these issues internationally, Wilkinson said. For example, using technology to enable us to more easily and effectively track ships that are actually fishing illegally; enhancing the transparency with respect to who is actually fishing internationally.



The federal government will be announcing a number of initiatives over the course of the next few days to back up its talk of international leadership and Canadas commitments, Wilkinson said.

 Radio Canada International 2018

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.
by Andrew Vaughan, FIA, Partner at Barnett Waddingham Our recent research Exploring DB schemes internationally: Dutch companies with UK schemes found that UK DB pensions may be making a disproportionally large impact on the performance of the Dutch parent company. Indeed, although UK companies produce on average only 7% of the global revenue, they account for on average 44% of the global pension scheme liabilities and 33% of the global pension scheme contributions. The report looks at Dutch companies, almost all of which are constituents of the AEX index, and have UK subsidiary companies with defined benefit (DB) pension schemes. Focussing on twelve Dutch companies with around 48.8bn of UK pension liabilities between them, the research considers funding levels and actuarial assumptions on the company accounting basis, the impact of the pension scheme on the companys financial performance, and company contributions paid, as well as looking at the impact of the UK on the global company. What should employers consider to improve their DB funding levels?

Investment strategy  a schemes investment strategy is likely to be the largest long-term driver of funding position. Though the trustees of a scheme are generally responsible for decision making around investment, input from the company can drive improvements in investment decision making and this is likely to lead to improved funding level progression. Actuarial assumptions  corporate bond yields are still low compared to historical levels and the resulting low discount rates have significantly increased the value of the DB liabilities disclosed in companies accounts. However, companies can make significant changes to their reported funding position by optimising the actuarial assumptions used. Contributions  this includes contributions in respect of benefits for current employees, and also contributions in respect of past service deficits (which may be in respect of staff who have long since left the company). With many companies paying significant levels of contributions to their pension schemes, it is important that these companies manage their contribution requirements. This could be achieved through scheme funding negotiations with the trustees of the scheme, putting in place a parent company guarantee to improve the company covenant, or managing the size of their Pension Protection Fund levies. Liability management  there is a range of exercises that companies can undertake to remove risk from the pension scheme and help improve the funding level, including transfer value exercises, pension increase exchanges, flexible retirement offers and trivial commutation exercises. Other highlights of the research show: The average funding level on the company accounting basis was 95%, which was slightly higher than the average funding level of FTSE350 companies DB schemes of 94% at the same date

The past service deficits expressed as a percentage of shareholder funds were on average 37%, suggesting that these are sizeable schemes in relation to the size of the sponsoring employers

Similar trends were also seen in the Southern European and French surveys.
The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of each of MMC and JLT. Under the terms of the transaction, holders of JLTs common shares will receive cash consideration of 19.15 pounds per share. Total cash consideration equates to $5.6 billion U.S. dollars in fully diluted equity value, or an estimated enterprise value of $6.4 billion. The transaction will be funded by a combination of cash on hand and proceeds from debt financing. The acquisition of Jardine Lloyd Thompson creates a compelling value proposition for our clients, our colleagues and our shareholders. The complementary fit between our companies creates a platform to deliver exceptional service to clients and opportunities for our colleagues. On a personal level, I have come to know, and respect, Dominic Burke and his management team from my time both at MMC and as an underwriter. I am confident that with the addition of the talented colleagues of JLT, Marsh & McLennan will be an even stronger and more dynamic company, said Dan Glaser, President and Chief Executive Officer of MMC. Following completion of the transaction, Mr. Burke, Group Chief Executive of JLT, will join MMC as Vice Chairman and serve as a member of MMCs Executive Committee. Mr. Burke said I am enormously proud of what JLT has achieved, founded on our people, our culture and our unwavering commitment to our clients. MMC is, and always has been, one of our most respected competitors and I believe that, combined, we will create a group that will truly stand as a beacon for our industry. JLT was created in 1997 when Jardine Insurance Brokers plc, which was formed almost 50 years ago, merged with Lloyd Thompson Group plc. The firm now operates in 40 countries with particular strength in the UK and Australia as well as in key emerging markets across Asia and Latin America. Through its Specialty business, JLT provides risk and insurance broking advice to energy, mining, healthcare, construction, marine, and aerospace sectors as well as in financial lines, political risk and trade credit. JLT Re delivers world class risk analysis and risk transfer solutions to its insurer clients across all classes of treaty and facultative reinsurance. JLTs Employee Benefits team acts as advisors, brokers and service providers in the areas of pensions consultancy and administration, employee benefits and wellness, life insurance, and wealth management. Strategic Rationale The acquisition of JLT accelerates MMCs strategy to be the preeminent global firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people. JLTs track record of strong organic growth and attractive geographic diversification enhance MMCs ability to accelerate growth and margin expansion across products and geographies. Financial Terms Under the terms of the transaction, MMC will acquire all issued, and to be issued, share capital of JLT for consideration of 19.15 pounds per share in cash. On the basis of the closing price of JLT shares on September 17, 2018 of 14.32 this represents a 33.7% premium. We anticipate annual cost synergies of approximately $250 million that will be realized over the next three years. It is expected that the realization of these cost synergies will result in one-time integration costs of approximately $375 million. We expect the transaction to be immediately accretive to adjusted cash EPS and, as modeled, will produce a double-digit internal rate of return. On an adjusted GAAP EPS basis, we anticipate the deal will be modestly dilutive in 2019, but we expect it to be neutral to adjusted GAAP EPS in 2020. Transaction Details MMC has committed bridge financing from Goldman Sachs to satisfy certain funds requirements of the U.K. Takeover Code to complete the transaction. The transaction is intended to be effected by means of a U.K. court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement and is expected to close in spring of 2019, subject to receipt of required antitrust and regulatory approvals and the approval of JLT shareholders. MMC has received irrevocable undertakings from JLTs largest shareholder, Jardine Matheson Holdings, and JLT directors who collectively represent 40.5% of the issued and outstanding JLT shares in support of the transaction. Advisors Goldman Sachs acted as financial advisor and Slaughter and May and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as external legal counsel to MMC. J.P. Morgan Chase served as financial advisor, and Clifford Chance Rogers & Wells served as external legal counsel to JLT.
Imperial Valley News Center

Reflecting on a Year of Recovery in Puerto Rico

Washington, DC - One year ago, a devastating Category 4 hurricane made landfall just south of the Yabucoa Harbor in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria was a storm of historic strength that required  and received  a coordinated government response of historic proportions that continues to this day.

As the powerful winds of Hurricane Maria bore down on Puerto Rico, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other DHS components were already on the island  as well as the nearby U.S. Virgin Islands  ready to respond. In the days, weeks, and months following Hurricane Maria, FEMA staff, along with other federal partners, remained on the island in full force to work hand-in-hand with the community to recover.

Their mission initially focused on disaster response  far and away the largest in FEMAs history  helping survivors of the storm receive immediate food, water, and shelter. FEMA delivered over 74 million liters of bottled drinking water, 17 million gallons of water, 63 million meals, and 1,100 power generators to Puerto Rico in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

Although the federal aid pouring onto the island was overwhelming, Maria still caused the deaths of many American citizens on Puerto Rico and displaced many more. My heart continues to go out to the families of victims, to the survivors, and to their families. We will continue to do all we can to ease their burdens.

In fact, FEMA remains on the island to this day, ensuring that the people of Puerto Rico are able to emerge from the crisis more resilient than ever. The agency is investing in Puerto Ricos future, including through billions of dollars in aid and by employing 1,900 local hires to perform sustained recovery efforts. So far, more than $4.6 billion has been provided to Puerto Rico for public assistance projects which include emergency repairs to the islands infrastructure, such as for roads, bridges, and the energy grid, and individual assistance.

FEMAs response to Maria in Puerto Rico was not only unprecedented in scope, it was also undertaken amidst multiple catastrophic disasters across our nationHurricane Harvey in Texas; Hurricane Irma and Maria in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, and Puerto Rico; and the extraordinary wildfires in California.

The 2017 disaster season was record-breaking and catastrophic. To date, more than $20 billion in assistance has been made available to individuals to support recovery following Harvey, Irma, Maria and the wildfires alone. For a broader perspective, in the last year, FEMA has responded to 242 disaster, emergency, and fire declarations and provided billions of dollars more in assistance to Americans and communities across 43 states, tribes, and territories. In total, more than 14,000 civilian employees, including over 4,000 Surge Capacity Force from 32 federal agencies deployed to disaster-stricken areas. A truly monumental year of effort.

I am incredibly proud of the work that we have done and the efforts that continue to this day. Disaster response is most effective when it is state managed, locally executed, and federally supported. In our supporting role, DHS and FEMA remain committed to helping people before, during, and after disasters strike. And today we are focused on helping Puerto Rico, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands, further strengthen their emergency response capabilities, capacity, and infrastructure resilience to be prepared for future catastrophes.

We all play important roles in disaster resilience. This month is National Preparedness Month, and I urge Americans to be proactive in preparing themselves and their families before disaster strikes. Its critical that we work together to create a culture of preparedness to make our communities resilient.

Last years disasters were historic, but our response has been historic, too. Amidst these crises, Americans displayed extraordinary resolve, resilience, and compassion. And today we are drawing on the lessons we learned last year to make sure we respond more effectively this hurricane season, including our current response to Hurricane Florence, and beyond.

FEMA and its federal partners were in Puerto Rico before Hurricane Maria made landfall, supported response efforts, and will stay there for years to come, supporting the governments recovery efforts and helping Puerto Rican communities. I thank them for their dedication and service to our country and for lending a helping hand to those in need.

This op-ed appeared in the Miami Herald on September 20, 2018.
We are delighted to report that JB Handley's book How to end the Autism Epidemic has crossed the Amazon 100 line. THIS. IS. HUGE. Any book in or below the 100s is selling out fast. Now, Chelsea Green, the fine publisher, and JB's personal publicity team, fine people, have worked like DOGS to send press releases, secure broadcast appearances from coast to coast. NOT ONE MAJOR MEDIA OUTLET OR NEWSPAPER HAS PICKED UP A STORY ABOUT THIS BOOK.

And the book broke into the top 100 on Amazon DESPITE the cold shoulder from the media. It's a sad thing really. Autism is one of the fastest growing and most difficult, yes difficult, epidemics facing families, schools and now, adult programs and employment in the USA.

ZERO. POINT. ZERO.



There are people who do not like all of the messages in this book. For some, it's too pro-vaccine. I respect that message. For others, they make the leap that ending the epidemic means you HATE ALL PEOPLE WITH AUTISM! Like the three I just tucked in. Weird. And totally untrue. Our systems can not handle 1 in 50 or more Americans being disabled by autism. That's the truth. From the most severe to the highest functioning Asperger's - autism takes away from tax coffers and puts a new unheard of burden on social systems. We're facing a monsoon of debts and families crushed under the care for their loved ones the likes of which we've never seen. We NEED to end this epidemic. If that means going back to 1 in 10,000, I call that a GOOD THING. If that means going back to 1 in 2500, that's progress.



JB, Jenny McCarthy, Robert Kennedy Jr and Rolf Hazelhurst were on Del Bigtree's Highwire. Watch the video and share it please. Like it on YouTube. The tide is turning - these Amazon numbers say much more than how many books were sold.



The book by JB Handley they dont want you to read; Jenny McCarthys fight for truth; RFK Jr., along with Rolf Hazlehurst, reveal unprecedented fraud in the Department of Justice that could save future generations. #JennyMcCarthy #JBHandley #RobertKennedyJr #DelBigtree #TheAvengers #Autism #Vaccines #TheAutismBook #ReadTheBook #Science #EndAutismNow #VaccinesCause #PutKids1st #HighWire #ICAN #TheHighWireinNYC #BeBrave #TheHighWireEpisode77



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz_td2pcMco
Imperial Valley News Center

Americans Came Together in Response, Recovery and Power Restoration after Irma and Maria

Washington, DC - When times are tough, Americans come together. So when Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria struck with terrible force last year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) came together with the federal family and private sector partners to restore power to those impacted. With the hurricane season upon us again, Americans are ready to rise once more in unison.

The 2017 hurricane season was unprecedented, making the recovery from it particularly challenging. Almost 47 million Americans, or 15 percent of the population, were affected by disasters in 2017  either hurricanes or wildfires. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria caused a combined $265 billion in damage, and Hurricanes Irma and Maria packed an especially hard punch  Category 5 storms that swept through the Caribbean just two weeks apart, leaving a trail of catastrophic damage.

Yet as the hurricanes passed, Americans met the challenge. In response to Irma, more than 60,000 workers from nearly 250 investor-owned electric companies, public power utilities, and electric cooperatives joined in the response. In an impressive show of force and compassion, crews came from across the nation  from Washington State and New Mexico to Maine and Michigan and Maryland  to help restore power and peoples lives.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, DOE deployed emergency responders, some of whom flew in ahead of Irma, to both St. Croix and St. Thomas in support of FEMA. The Department also deployed ten line-trucks from the Western Area Power Administration to help restore the transmission system on St. Thomas. They were joined by a number of crews from the private sector, who continued the work of restoration.

A team from DOEs National Renewable Energy Laboratory also went to the USVI to perform a power generation assessment, even as DOE continued to work closely with the USVI and private sector partners to see power fully restored to the islands.

Puerto Ricos situation was considerably more challenging. The one-two punch of Irma and Maria rendered much of the Commonwealths transmission and distribution infrastructure inoperable, and left virtually all of Puerto Ricos 1.5 million electricity customers without power. This was compounded even further by the logistical challenges of moving supplies and personnel to the island, the fact that many of Puerto Ricos first responders were themselves victims of the storm, and the Commonwealths bankrupt utility (PREPA) had long-neglected the electrical grid.

Despite all of those challenges, significant progress was made, especially after Puerto Rico requested mutual aid from the President. As that work proceeded, DOE responders and experts worked closely with the Puerto Rican government and PREPA, federal partners like FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers, and private sector utilities to coordinate and expedite the response.

Many others from DOE also went to Puerto Rico, supporting power restoration as well as the overall government response.

In addition to immediate power restoration efforts, DOE has also looked longer-term to increase Puerto Ricos grid resilience against future hurricanes. Drawing on the capabilities of DOEs National Labs, the expertise of the private sector and the interests of Puerto Rican stakeholders, the Department issued a report this past June that offered a range of recommendations for Puerto Ricos government to consider integrating into its recovery plans.

DOE is also providing grid modeling support to build a more modern and reliable grid system in Puerto Rico. This endeavor will develop a nearly real-time dynamic system model that will be used not only as an operational tool, but also for planning purposes. It will also provide technical insight into resiliency objectives, allowing for coordination and communication of potential solutions across stakeholder groups. As PREPA and the Commonwealth plan financial investments to strengthen Puerto Ricos power grid and increase disaster resilience, DOE, FEMA, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will remain supportive partners.

DOE supports Puerto Ricos goal of an electric sector that is technically reliable, resilient and affordable. Success will ultimately depend on the leadership and commitment of Puerto Ricos own government and PREPA. They must determine the best strategy for meeting the Commonwealths future energy needs.

Im confident that the future will be bright because whenever storms rage, Americans come together. We came together to recover from last years terrible hurricanes. No matter the disaster, we will again unite and build a bright future together.

This op-ed appeared in Real Clear Energy on September 20, 2018.
Imperial Valley News Center

Presidential Proclamation on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2018

Washington, DC - Throughout American history, the men and women of our Armed Forces have selflessly served our country, making tremendous sacrifices to defend our liberty. On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we honor all American prisoners of war and express our deep gratitude for the courage and determination they exemplified while enduring terrible hardships. We also pay tribute to those who never returned from the battlefield and to their families, who live each day with uncertainty about the fate of their loved ones. These families are entitled to the knowledge that their loved ones still missing and unaccounted for will never be forgotten.

As a Nation, it is our solemn obligation to account for the remains of our fallen American service members and civilians and to bring them home whenever possible. We owe an incalculable debt of gratitude to these patriots who gave their last full measure of devotion for our country. For this reason, I have pledged my Administrations best efforts to account for our countrys missing heroes. We continue to work to account for the missing personnel from the Vietnam War. American and partner nation search teams are also working tirelessly in South Korea, Europe, the South Pacific, and elsewhere around the world to recover and identify those who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, and other past conflicts.

During my meeting with Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea in June, I raised my concern for the thousands of grieving American families whose loved ones remain missing from the Korean War uncertainty. As a result, I secured a commitment from Chairman Kim to recover and repatriate the remains of those Americans who were prisoners of war or killed in action. Last month, we repatriated the remains of some of those courageous service members to American soil. As a result of this homecoming, two of our missing fallen have already been identified, renewing our hope for the fullest possible accounting of the Americans who have yet to be recovered from the Korean War. These recovery efforts are vital to fulfilling our Nations promise to leave no fellow American behind.

On September 21, 2018, the stark black and white banner symbolizing Americas Missing in Action and Prisoners of War will again be flown over the White House; the United States Capitol; the Departments of State, Defense, and Veterans Affairs; the Selective Service System Headquarters; the World War II Memorial; the Korean War Veterans Memorial; the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; United States post offices; national cemeteries; and other locations across the country. We do this, each year, to recognize those who have suffered the horrors of enemy captivity, those who have still not returned from war, and the families who have yet to lay their loved ones to rest with the honor and dignity they deserve.

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 21, 2018, as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. I call upon the people of the United States to join me in saluting all American POWs and those missing in action who valiantly served our country. I call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and private organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

twentieth 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
Imperial Valley News Center

President Donald J. Trump Secures Funding to Care for Our Veterans, Rebuild Our Military, and Invest in Our Infrastructure

Washington, DC - "My pledge to you, our noble warriors, is that my Administration will support you, and your loved ones, and your amazing families every single day, now and always." ~ President Donald J. Trump

CARING FOR OUR VETS: President Donald J. Trump is signing legislation that provides historic funding to care for our Nations veterans.

President Trump is signing appropriations legislation that will provide $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.

The legislation provides $73.1 billion for medical care for 7 million patients, including: $8.6 billion for mental health services $400 million for opioid abuse prevention $206 million for suicide prevention outreach $270 million for rural veterans health initiatives

The legislation provides an additional $1.75 billion above the amount already enacted for FY 2019 to improve ongoing healthcare services and to fund certain VA MISSION Act programs.

The legislation includes $1.1 billion to modernize the VAs electronic health record system, a desperately needed improvement to provide seamless care to those transitioning from service.

Oversight and accountability will be strengthened to ensure VA dollars are being used to the best benefit of our veterans.

The legislation accelerates compensation claims processing for more than 450,000 veterans.

BUILDING OUR DEFENSES: The legislation provides billions of dollars in critical funding to further President Trumps national security priorities and rebuild military infrastructure.

The legislation provides $15.14 billion to support a strong nuclear national security strategy, including: $11.1 billion for nuclear weapons activities to maintain a strong deterrence posture $1.70 billion to support the Navys nuclear powered fleet $1.93 billion to keep nuclear materials from getting in the hands of bad actors

Funding is provided to harden our nations energy grid against cyber and other attacks, including $120 million for research and development to strengthen our electric grid.

The legislation will rebuild infrastructure for service members and their families by providing $10.3 billion for 174 military construction projects across the country and overseas. Family housing is fully funded with $1.6 billion and $100 million will go to enhancing anti-terrorism, force protection, and safety efforts on military installations



INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY: The legislation invests in American infrastructure and energy development.
CDFA IT staff shares Best of California award for work on cannabis program

Sacramento, California - The Center for Digital Government held its annual Best of California Awards ceremony Tuesday as part of the California Digital Government Summit in Sacramento. CDFA was recognized as one of four departments for Best IT Collaboration Among Organizations for its work on the Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA). The other recipients were: California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Cannabis Control (DCA/BCC), the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the Department of Technology (CDT).

The IT projects to implement the multiple solutions necessary to comply with MAUCRSA required extensive collaboration between CDFA, DCA/BCC, and DPH in order to share licensing data, and to utilize a single solution developed by CDFA to track and trace cannabis products from plants to points of sale. CDT assisted the collaboration effort by facilitating meetings and helping to mitigate barriers so that solutions could be implemented within a 12-month period.

Receiving the award on behalf of CDFA was the CalCannabis IT Project Director Chris Cox. It was presented to him by the State Chief Information Officer, Amy Tong.
New Voice at CDFA for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers

Sacramento, California - New Voice at CDFA for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers:

From Karen Ross: It has been fun to welcome Farm Equity Advisor Thea Rittenhouse to the CDFA team this week! Diversity is the strength of California agriculture. It is made up of multi-generational families and first-generation beginning farmers and ranchers of every size and ethnic background growing almost 400 different crops. We want to be sure every person engaged in farming and ranching knows about CDFA programs and that our operations reflect the full spectrum of California agriculture. With her experiences in farming and teaching with a focus on underserved communities, Thea is just the person to lead this new CDFA endeavor.

From Thea Rittenhouse: I am thrilled to be joining CDFA as the Farm Equity Advisor, and to be the person to spearhead the implementation of the 2017 Farm Equity Act. The Farm Equity Act ensures that CDFA includes socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in the development, adoption and implementation of programs and policies.

As a female farmer here in California for the past six years, I understand the challenges that socially disadvantaged farmers face as well as the opportunities and resources that exist to help them.

In addition to running a farm business, I have also dedicated much of my career to working with underserved and socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers and farmworkers in California. My experiences providing technical assistance, teaching workshops, and organizing conferences for underserved farmers has allowed me to deepen my understanding of the many different people who are involved in agriculture in California. I am most excited to be able to combine these experiences and my firsthand knowledge of farming to implement effective programs and policies that increase access to resources for all farmers in California and ensure that socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers voices are included and represented in policies and programs. I look forward to establishing stronger connections between the farming community and CDFA and ensuring positive and long-lasting effective programs that serve all farmers in California.
Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Sales on the Release of the Country Reports on Terrorism 2017

Washington, DC - Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Sales on the Release of the Country Reports on Terrorism 2017:

MR PALLADINO: Thank you. Hello, everyone. This is Robert Palladino. Thank you so much for joining us for todays call. Todays call is on the record. And I also want to note that both the call and the report are embargoed until the end of the call.

Today the State Department is releasing its annual Country Reports on Terrorism, which describes the global counterterrorism landscape in 2017 and fulfills a congressional mandate. The report allows us to highlight significant terrorist trends and takes stock of how effective United States and international efforts were in countering these threats. It also helps us make more informed judgments and plans about our policies, priorities, and where to place our resources.

At this point Id like to turn it over to Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, who was sworn in as the coordinator of counterterrorism in August 2017. Nathan, thank you very much for being here today.

AMBASSADOR SALES: Thanks, Robert, very much for the introduction. And thanks to everyone on the line who called in for todays call. Country Reports on Terrorism is an important document laying out the United States Governments assessment of recent counterterrorism trends and highlighting some of the efforts that we and our partners have taken to combat groups like ISIS, al-Qaida, Iran-backed threats, and other terrorist groups of global reach.

Let me start with some numbers. The report includes a statistical annex that was prepared by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism just down the street at the University of Maryland. The annex notes that the total number of terrorist attacks worldwide in 2017 decreased by 23 percent. Similarly, the total deaths due to terrorist attacks decreased by 27 percent. Both of those are compared to the numbers for 2016.

While numerous countries saw a decline in terrorist violence between 2016 and 2017, this overall trend was largely due to dramatically fewer attacks and deaths in Iraq. Although terrorist attacks took place in 100 countries in 2017, they were concentrated geographically. Fifty-nine percent of all attacks took place in five countries. Those are Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Similarly, 70 percent of all deaths due to terrorist attacks took place in five countries, and those are Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria.

The report notes a number of major strides that the United States and our international partners made to defeat and degrade terrorist organizations in 2017. We worked with allies and partners around the world to expand information sharing, improve aviation security, enhance law enforcement and rule of law capacities, and to counter terrorist radicalization with a focus on preventing recruitment and recidivism.

In December 2017, the U.S. drafted UN Security Council Resolution 2396, was adopted unanimously with 66 co-sponsors. UNSCR 2396 requires member-states to collect and use biometrics and traveler data, including passenger name record data, to identify and disrupt terrorist travel and to develop watch lists or databases of known and suspected terrorists.

We continue to engage foreign partners to conclude bilateral arrangements for the exchange of identity information on known and suspected terrorists. This is pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6, or HSPD-6.

Since 2007, the CT Bureau and the FBIs Terrorist Screening Center have signed 71 of these arrangements with foreign partners, and theyre helping to identify, track, and deter the travel of known and suspected terrorists.

2017 saw the United States and a global coalition accomplish major efforts against ISIS. Ninety-nine percent of the territory ISIS once held in Iraq and Syria has now been liberated. Approximately 50 percent of those gains were achieved since January of 2017. Similarly, more than 7.7 million people have been liberated from ISIS brutal role  approximately 4.5 million in Iraq and 3.2 million in Syria. Of those 7.7 million people, an estimated 5 million have been liberated since 2017.

We increased pressure on al-Qaida to prevent its resurgence. Were working closely with our allies to counter al-Qaidas ability to recruit, raise money, travel, and plot. In May of this year, the State Department expanded the terrorist designation of an al-Qaida affiliate in Syria. We also designated al-Qaidas Mali branch earlier this month, on September 5th, and we have led efforts at the UN Security Council to designate numerous organizations and individuals affiliated with al-Qaida.

Despite these many successes, the terrorist landscape grew more complex in 2017. ISIS, al-Qaida, and their affiliates have proven to be resilient, determined, and adaptable. They have adjusted to heightened counterterrorism pressure in Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and elsewhere. Foreign terrorist fighters are heading home from the war zone in Iraq and Syria or traveling to third countries to join ISIS branches there. We also are experiencing an increase in attacks by homegrown terrorists  that is, people who have been inspired by ISIS but have never set foot in Syria or Iraq. Weve seen ISIS-directed or ISIS-inspired attacks outside the war zone on soft targets and in public spaces like hotels, tourist resorts, and cultural sites. Weve seen this trend in places as far afield as Bamako, Barcelona, Berlin, London, Marawi, New York City, Ouagadougou, and many others.

Iran remains the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism and is responsible for intensifying multiple conflicts and undermining U.S. interests in Syria, in Yemen, in Iraq, in Bahrain, in Afghanistan, and in Lebanon, using a number of proxies and other instruments such as Lebanese Hizballah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force. The threats posed by Irans support for terrorism are not confined to the Middle East; they are truly global.

Since 2012 alone, Hizballah has conducted a successful attack in Bulgaria that killed six, it has undertaken two separate plots in Cyprus, and it has developed large caches of military equipment and explosives in Kuwait, Nigeria, and Bolivia while sending terrorist operatives to Peru and Thailand.

On June 30th of this year, German authorities arrested an Iranian official for his role in a terrorist plot to bomb a political rally in Paris. Authorities in Belgium and France also made arrests in connection with this Iranian-supported terrorist plot.

So that about wraps up some of the key points that we made in the report. I thank you for taking the time to join this call, and I anxiously await your questions. Thank you.

MR PALLADINO: Thank you, Ambassador Sales. Lets open it up for questions. Id like to ask that everyone please identify your outlet and name, and to limit your question to one question. Thank you.

OPERATOR: As a reminder, weve reached the Q&A phase of our conference call. Please to press *1 at this time.

Our first question will come from the line of Carol Morello of The Washington Post. Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Hi, thanks for doing this. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit more about what you call in the report the near-global reach of Iran and its proxies. And you mentioned a little at the end. It seems like whenever its mentioned, its a incident here and there, in some cases maybe inspired by as opposed to actually conducted by Iran. Do you think you may be overstating the, quote, near-global reach of Iran and its proxies in terrorism?

AMBASSADOR SALES: Not at all. Iran is the worlds preeminent state sponsor of terrorism, and it brings to its terrorist activities the resources of a state. We have seen Irans and its proxies terrorist-related activities across the globe. There are active fundraising networks in places as far afield as Africa, in South America. Weve seen weapons caches planted around the world. Weve seen operational activity not just in Lebanon by Hizballah, but by Iran-backed terrorists in the heart of Europe. Iran uses terrorism as a tool of its statecraft. It has no reservations about using that tool on any continent.

MR PALLADINO: Next question, please.

OPERATOR: We have a question from the line of Susan George, Associated Press. Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Hey there. Thanks for doing this call. Im wondering if you could talk a little bit about al-Qaida. You describe the group expanding its membership. Could you give us a bit more detail exactly what you mean by that?

AMBASSADOR SALES: Hey, Susan. Thanks for the question. Al-Qaida is a determined and patient adversary. They have largely remained out of the headlines in recent years as theyve been content to let ISIS bear the brunt of the international response, but we shouldnt confuse that period of relative quiet with an  with al-Qaidas abandonment of its capabilities or intentions to strike us and our allies. That is why we are continuing to keep the pressure on al-Qaida, its affiliates, and its individuals. The report details a number of efforts that weve taken to designate  and I mentioned in my opening remarks  efforts that we have taken to designate al-Qaida affiliates in Syria, in Mali, as well as individuals who are associated with the group.

So although ISIS has gotten the headlines, we remain focused and determined to confront al-Qaida wherever we find it.

MR PALLADINO: Next question, please.

OPERATOR: Cristobal Vasquez, Caracol Radio. Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Yes, hi. Thank you. I would like to ask about the FARC. A recent report from The New York Times said that around 40 percent of the FARC militants did not actually sign up into the peace agreement or  and they are still free and theyre still doing illicit activities. Can you dig into  a little bit more into these  those militants that are not in the peace agreement of  that the FARC signed with the Colombian Government?

AMBASSADOR SALES: Well, thanks for the question, Cris. I can tell you its a situation that we at the State Department and throughout the U.S. Government are watching very closely. We have consistently maintained our support for Colombias efforts to secure a just and lasting peace. The Colombian people deserve no less than that. Were committed to cooperating with Colombia to undermine those terrorist groups and their remnants  groups like the ELN, dissidents from the FARC.

MR PALLADINO: Next question, please.

OPERATOR: J.J. Green, WTOP. Please, go ahead. Mr. Green, your line is open.

(Break.)

OPERATOR: We have a question from the line of Maria Molina of W Radio Colombia. Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Hey, thank you for doing this. I want to go back to FARC because we already have FARC members in our congress in Colombia. They signed a peace agreement, as my colleague said, but you still include them in the list of foreign terrorist organizations. Is the State Department considering at any point, and why havent they been taken out of this list if they are already not anymore a terrorist organization? Or theyre not supposed to be, at least.

AMBASSADOR SALES: Thanks for the question. Im not going to be in a position to comment on any internal deliberations that may or may not be taking place. What I can tell you is that the statutory standards for getting on the FTO list or getting off the FTO list are very clear, and it  we apply the standards that Congress has given us consistent with the evidence in front of us, and we do that regardless of the organization or country.

MR PALLADINO: Thank you. Next question, please.

OPERATOR: Kim Dozier of Daily Beast. Please, go ahead.

QUESTION: Hi there. Thanks for doing the call. I would like to understand where you see the terrorist groups in competition in terms of attacks directed at the continental United States. Between al-Qaida, ISIS, other groups, and geographically, where do you see the greatest threat to the continental U.S.? It used to be AQAP, but that seems to have shifted.

AMBASSADOR SALES: Well, I think all three of the major terrorist adversaries that Ive highlighted have both the capability and intent to strike the United States and our allies. Al-Qaidas leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has repeatedly called for AQ members and followers to commit attacks here in the U.S. ISIS-inspired attacks have occurred here in the United States, including in New York City last October. And as far as Iran-backed terrorist organizations are concerned, weve arrested a number of operatives who allegedly were casing targets in support of Iran-backed terrorist organizations and theyre now facing charges in federal court.

So I think all three of them have both the capability and intent, and so the key question then becomes: What are we doing about it? And I think theres a suite of tools that are useful against all three of those diverse threat streams. Youve got to stop the flow of money to these organizations. Thats why we designate individuals and facilitators and financiers. Youve got to be able to stop terrorist travel. Thats why were doing things like collecting biometrics at the border, sharing information about known and suspected terrorists, analyzing airline reservation data to identify previously unknown threats. And another thing youve got to do is use law enforcement tools to prosecute and investigate and, when convicted, to incarcerate suspected terrorists.

MR PALLADINO: At this point, I would like to thank Ambassador Sales, the State Departments coordinator for counterterrorism, for his  for making  providing this opportunity today. This call is now ended. This call has been on the record. And the embargo is now lifted for both the call, its contents, and the reports themselves. Thank you all for joining us today. Bye-bye.
Vice President Pence at Presentation of the U.S. Flag to the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation

Washington, DC - Vice President Pence at Presentation of the U.S. Flag to the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation:

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Secretary Zinke, Deputy Secretary Shanahan, Deputy Secretary Byrne, Secretary Wilson, Administrator Trap, Ambassador Cho, Colonel Dean, and most of all, to the heroic veterans of the Korean War who honor us by their presence here today, and especially to the families of our fallen: Karen and I are deeply humbled to join you on this hallowed ground as a poignant reminder that freedom is not free and that we will always remember at the Korean War Veterans Memorial. (Applause.)

Im honored to be here today to present to this memorial a flag. It was presented to me following the Honorable Carry Ceremony that took place in Hawaii on August 1st, 2018. This flag was among those flags that graced the cases of some 55 remains of fallen American heroes. And it was my great honor to receive it.

As the son of a Korean War combat veteran, I may well have no greater honor in my service as your Vice President than the honor that was afforded to me by our Commander-in-Chief to attend that ceremony, and receive those heroic remains and this flag on that day.

It was my honor to represent the United States, but it was my particular honor to represent the man who made that day possible. A man whose leadership and care for Americans who have served, and who serve in the uniform of the United States of America, is every day.

So let me say thanks and bring greetings, to all those gathered here, from a great champion of our armed forces  past, present, and future  the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump. (Applause.)

As history records, on June the 12th, President Trump traveled to a historic summit in Singapore with North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un. And as our President secured a commitment for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula  as I reflected that day, at that ceremony  he also had our fallen on his heart. And President Trump secured a promise from Kim Jong Un to return the remains of all our missing heroes from the Korean War.

Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, once again, our boys are coming home. (Applause.)

We cherish our alliance with the Republic of Korea, well represented here today by not only their ambassador, but members of their military. It is an alliance forged in freedom, on the battlefield, and through generations. And as the world saw this week, we continue to make progress toward our goal of forging a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons.

As were all aware, just recently, Kim Jong Un announced his commitment to allow nuclear inspections subject to final negotiations, and offered to permanently dismantle a test site and a launch pad in the presence of international observers.

As President Trump said, we welcome this good news. We look forward to further progress. And I can assure you, we will continue to work diligently to achieve peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. And we will never relent in our effort to bring our missing fallen home. (Applause.)

We do this for our security and the security of the free people of South Korea. We do this for peace. But we also do it to fulfill a solemn promise that the American people have made through the generations to every man and woman who has served this great nation in uniform: that the United States of America will leave no one behind. (Applause.)

As I said, it was deeply humbling for us to be there on August 1st. And when I was presented this flag by Rear Admiral Jon Kreitz at Joint Base Hickam, Pearl Harbor, I knew where it belonged. It belonged here on this hallowed ground, the Korean War Veterans Memorial. (Applause.)

After all, it was thanks to the persistence of so many of you that were involved in the construction of this great monument that Americans will remember for generations the sacrifices that were made there.

And soon, a Wall of Remembrance will be constructed here. In 2016, as the Colonel just recounted, Congress authorized the addition of a Wall of Remembrance to be constructed at this memorial, around the Reflecting Pool. It will be entirely funded by the American people in private donations. And all those looking on, who have a heart for those who served in the Korean War and their families, can go to KoreanWarVetsMemorial.org to find how you can support this Wall of Remembrance.

And when its completed, into its glass will be etched the names of the 36,574 Americans who gave the last full measure of devotion in the cause of freedom on the Korean Peninsula. It will also list, as well, the number of wounded, missing in action, and prisoners of war.

When the Wall of Remembrance is completed, for generations to come this memorial will honor those who served and honor those who fell for every American to remember. (Applause.)

Its important that we acknowledge those who played a critical role, many of whom are here today, in the construction of this memorial, as well as the new efforts that are underway.

I cant help but think of a colonel who fought at the Battle of Wonju. His company was tasked with taking a hill. After hours of fighting, they achieved their objective. But when the enemy rallied, that colonel was hit by a grenade and lost his arm in the fight.

The brutal cold stopped the bleeding, and the Colonel returned to battle. An hour later, he was hit again and lost a leg. That took him out of the fight  but not for long. After he recovered, Colonel William E. Weber returned to active duty and became the first double amputee since the Civil War to continue serving in the military of the United States of America. (Applause.)

While he could not be with us today, his leading role in bringing about this memorial and making this extraordinary place available to generations of America needs to be acknowledged. And we honor him today, as well as all of those in the association that continue to labor at his side.

And this monument will commemorate the Korean War. For while it was initially called a police action, then it was called the Korean Conflict, those who lived it and those who fought it know, in every sense of the word, it was a war.

The free nations of the world responded when North Koreas tanks stormed across the 38th parallel to stem the rising tide of communism across the Asia Pacific. Americas best and bravest answered the call. They did, as history records, defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.

And as Karen and I have traveled to South Korea, on every occasion, weve been overwhelmed by the sense of gratitude of the people of South Korea for the sacrifices and the heroism of the soldiers like those gathered here.

They stood firm at Pusan. They landed at Inchon. They pushed toward the Yalu River. Where five years earlier theyd been trudging through the Ardennes in World War II, now they were fighting for their lives in an endless sea of brown, as history described it.

And then there was the cold  20, 30, 40 degrees below zero. Guns froze. Trucks broke down. Mens hands were turned white with frostbite. Near the Chosin Reservoir, men dug holes in a ground frozen 18 inches deep.

In the midst of those brutal conditions, you soldiered on. From Heartbreak Ridge, to Old Baldy, to Pork Chop Hill, you drove the enemy back. You held the line. American forces and South Korean forces won a victory for freedom for the South Korean people and the world. (Applause.)

Now, for those who fought, we understand  we understand the need to set aside the memories of those days. My father is gone 30 years, but I remember the way my fathers voice would often trail off when the subject of the war came up. The memories were painful. And we understand the burden that those of you who fought and returned carry to this day.

While we understand your need to look away from those memories, we as grateful citizens never will. We will never forget the service and sacrifice of the American heroes of the Korean War. (Applause.)

Those who returned home, started families, started businesses. Many went into public service, like Congressman Sam Johnson, who was just remembered here  a man I served with in the Congress. A Korean War veteran serving in the Congress to this day.

But as my dad used to say, he always felt that the real heroes of the Korean War were the men that didnt get to come home. Heroes like Captain John Springer Walmsley, Jr.

Captain Walmsley was the pilot of a B-26 Invader. One night on patrol, he spotted an enemy supply train, dropped all their ordnance against it, but the train kept going. They called in another B-26 to finish it off, and they turned on the searchlight on their aircraft to eliminate the target. That made them an easy target for anti-aircraft batteries.

Captain Walmsleys B-26 was lost that night, but hell never be forgotten. And we are profoundly honored that his daughter, Amy Goyne, is with us today to honor his service and his memory. (Applause.)

Their duty was to serve; our duty is to remember. To the veterans who are with us here today, I say on behalf of a grateful nation: Thank you for your service. No one will ever know better than you the price of freedom.

To the families of our missing fallen: Our hope is that this flag presented to this place will be a comfort and an assurance that your loved one will never be forgotten and that we will never relent in our effort to restore all our missing fallen to the tender care of their families.

We will work and we will pray that the remains that came to Hawaii on August 1st will simply be a vanguard of whats to come.

Tomorrow is POW-MIA Recognition Day, when our nation will pause to remember all the men and women of our armed forces that never came home.

And so while we honor those of you who served and wore the uniform, and your families  we honor the families of our fallen here and looking on  let me assure all of the families across America who lost loved ones in wars, on behalf of our freedom: Just know that we are with you. The names of your beloved fallen will forever be enshrined in sacred places like this and in the hearts of a grateful nation.

May God bless the memory of our fallen and their families. May they ever be comforted with the memory of the hero that came from their midst. May God bless all who still serve in the uniform of the United States. And may God bless America. Thank you.
Trump Administration Makes Crisis Next Door a Top Priority

Washington, DC - The latest estimates show that in 2017, more than 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, most involving opioids like prescription pain medications, heroin and illicitly made fentanyl. These deaths outnumbered deaths caused by motor-vehicle crashes and they outnumbered deaths caused by suicide.

For the second year in a row, overdose deaths were higher than the total number of American service members killed in the Vietnam War.

President Trump has declared Sept. 16-23 Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week. This is the time to remember the lives lost and those in recovery. Importantly, it is also the time to prevent others from going down this path.

Today, Im in Columbus to meet with law-enforcement officers from Ohio and across the Midwest about working together to stop heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs from entering our communities and ruining peoples lives.

Since joining the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Ive met dozens of parents whose children experienced drug overdoses, many fatal. Ive heard about their bright futures that were extinguished because of this epidemic. Ive seen that the victims of overdose arent just the ones we lose, theyre also the ones who are left behind. For every person who has died from an addiction, there are so many loved ones devastated by their loss.

Countless parents have told me I didnt know how dangerous legally prescribed pills could be, or where to turn when their child needed help. Addiction can affect anyone  its touched President Trumps family, its touched my family and its touched millions of families across the country. The same is true for the opioid crisis, which is tearing families apart in every state and nearly every community.

Thats why we call this The Crisis Next Door.

President Trump has made addressing drug demand and the opioid crisis a top priority of his administration. Hes dedicating unprecedented funding to address this crisis, including making sure states and communities have the resources they need to prevent drug use, treat addiction locally and stop the flow of drugs into their communities. Just this week, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded more than $1 billion in grants to states and local communities to achieve these goals.

The White House also has launched a media campaign so parents and young people can Know the Truth and Spread the Truth about the risks of opioids. And the administration has developed fentanyl safety recommendations for first responders so they know how to respond to these potent opioids when they encounter them in the field.

The bottom line is that drug addiction and overdose are preventable. We must turn the tide of this crisis for the health of our families, our communities and our country. If you or a loved one needs help for addiction, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Opioid dependence can happen in as little as five days, so if you have prescription opioids in the house, keep them in a locked container and dispose of unused and unwanted pills right away at your local pharmacy or disposal site.

If you or someone you know misuses opioid medications or uses heroin or fentanyl, the risk for overdose and death increases. Naloxone can reverse opioid overdose, so get it and learn how to use it. And if you believe someone has overdosed, call 911 right away.

Recovery and a fulfilling life are possible after overdose and addiction  the millions of Americans in recovery today are living proof.

Addressing drug abuse, addiction and overdose requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. Our first responders, health-care professionals, law-enforcement officers, educators and members of the community all have roles to play in saving lives As we mark this week of remembrance and awareness, please do your part to prevent overdoses and promote treatment and recovery. Spread awareness among your family, friends and community.

Working together, we can save lives, strengthen our communities and safeguard our country.

Jim Carroll is the deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. This op-ed appeared in the Columbus Dispatch on September 20, 2018.
First Lady Melania Trump Unveils Restored Historic Furniture Suite

Washington, DC - Mrs. Trump is pleased to unveil the recently restored Bellange suite, a collection of furniture made for the White House in 1817 by Pierre-Antoine Bellange. In 2005, in response to the deteriorating condition of the historic Blue Room furniture, the White House curatorial staff began to study how to restore the suite to its original appearance. Plans were submitted to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, which approved the restoration project. For over 10 years, a dedicated team of curators has been working with experts to complete the restoration.

It is my honor to announce the completion of the first phase of this important and historic project, said First Lady Melania Trump. Thank you to the many experts, curators, and White House staff who helped repair the beautiful Bellange suite. I look forward to placing the restored pieces back in the Blue Room so people on the public tour of the White House will be able to enjoy them.

The White House worked to restore the beautiful set using the latest scientific and historical research. In consultation with experts on early 19th century French upholstery and gilding, new upholstery fabrics were selected based on receipts dating from 1817, which detailed the suites original patterns and trims. The gilding of the furniture was done based on evidence of its original appearance from microscopic samples taken from the original 1817 furniture.

The First Lady plans to reinstate the Bellange suite in the Blue Room in the fall of 2018.

Background

The Parisian-made Bellange suite was purchased by President Monroe in 1817 for use in the most important formal parlor in the White House now known as the Blue Room.

In 1859, almost all of the Bellange suite was sold at auction. It was not until 1961 under former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, that the White House began to reacquire pieces from the original suite. Replica arm and side chairs were made to supplement the original pieces. The suite, made up of both the original and reproduction pieces, has remained in the Blue Room since the Kennedy administration.
On the Outcome of Summit Meeting Between President Moon and Chairman Kim

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "The United States congratulates President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong Un on the successful outcome of their summit meeting in Pyongyang.

"We welcome President Moon and Chairman Kims reaffirmation of the Singapore joint statement of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, including the permanent dismantlement of all facilities at Yongbyon in the presence of U.S. and IAEA inspectors.

"We also welcome Chairman Kims decision to complete the previously announced dismantlement of the Tongchang-ri site in the presence of U.S. and international inspectors as a step toward the final fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, as agreed by Chairman Kim at the Singapore summit with President Trump.

"On the basis of these important commitments, the United States is prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations.

"This morning, I invited my counterpart Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho to meet in New York City next week where we are both already scheduled to be in attendance at the United Nations General Assembly meeting. Likewise, we have invited North Korean representatives to meet our Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, in Vienna, Austria at the earliest opportunity. This will mark the beginning of negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations through the process of rapid denuclearization of North Korea, to be completed by January 2021, as committed by Chairman Kim, and to construct a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula."








The average citizen of the United States, living in 2018, is no stranger to the string of tariffs, the Trump tariffs imposed by the president of the country, Donald Trump, on goods being imported into the U.S. from other countries. Some of these countries that have these taxes placed on them, including the likes of China, Canada, India and even the European Union, have retaliated by placing retaliatory tariffs on the U.S.

One of such countries, China, is where tech giant, Apple, assembles most of its top-selling products such as the iPhone as well as many others of its products. It could spell trouble for the huge profits Apple has been making if China decides to directly level tariffs on Apple products made in China. This could also mean a massive price increase for many Apple products today. Tim Bajarin, a leading technology consultant stated that an iPhone that now costs a thousand USD could sell for twice as much as a result of the trade war between the two countries.

Because of this, CEO of Apple Inc. met with President Donald Trump and members of his cabinet, in a bid to advise the administration against a trade war as the effects of which will be devastating on the American economy and on Apple itself. Tim Cook, while praising the corporate tax rules the administration passed in the previous year, indicated that engaging in a trade war would negate their effects. The Trump administration has decided that it will not place tariffs on iPhones which are completely assembled in China, but this does not mean that Apple Inc. is out of the woods yet. China could decide to take measures against Apple locally in response to Trumps moves.

Trump offers a solution to the problem of the increased cost of production that could be brought about by the effects of his tariffs in a tweet he posted on September 8th 2018, stating build factories in the USA and make iPhone here, instead of China. This, however, poses many issues to major tech companies.

First, the cost of production in China is far lower than in the United States. Skilled workers in China are paid about $100 a week which is less than what would be the case in America. Secondly, the parts that are required to assemble these products are largely available in Asia. Many other companies, including Amazon and Samsung, depend on parts made in Asian countries to assemble most of their products. America can barely compete with Asia in the area of manufacturing, so it would be very difficult to attempt to limit the manufacturing of American products to the United States alone. In time, advances could be made to improve the skill and facilities in the United States needed to serve the manufacturing needs of such companies, but for now, levelling such heavy taxes on products from other countries would be a poor step for America to take.
United States and Palau Sign Agreement To Amend the Compact Review Agreement

Washington, DC - The United States and Palau signed the Amended Agreement following the Compact of Free Association Section 432 Review (the Compact Review Agreement), on September 19 in Koror, Palau. The United States and Palau also exchanged diplomatic notes bringing into force the Compact Review Agreement, which was signed in 2010. The signing marks the completion of the first review and amendment process as provided for under the Compact of Free Association (the Compact), U.S. Public Law 99-658.

Since the implementation of the Compact in 1994, the United States has provided over $700 million in direct assistance and investment to Palau. The U.S. investment in Palau under the Compact, and numerous other federal programs, has provided funds for essential government operations, law enforcement, infrastructure development, weather pattern monitoring, immunizations and health screenings, scholarships for higher education, and postal services.

The United States sees Palau and the Pacific Islands as an essential part of a free and open Indo-Pacific region and is committed to the Pacific Islands security and prosperity. The United States is actively engaged in advancing a regional order based on respect for sovereignty, the rule of law, and the principles of free, fair, and reciprocal trade.
Secretary of State Pompeo's Meeting With Philippine Secretary of National Defense Lorenzana

Washington, DC - Secretary Michael R. Pompeo welcomed Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana to the Department of State in Washington, DC today. The two Secretaries reaffirmed the commitment of the United States and the Philippines to the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951. Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Lorenzana discussed cooperation on addressing regional security challenges, including the militarization of the South China Sea and the threats posed by terrorism and efforts to achieve denuclearization in North Korea.

Secretary Pompeo reiterated the readiness of the United States to continue our strong support for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Secretary Pompeo also expressed condolences for the destruction and loss of life caused by Typhoon Ompong and offered U.S. assistance in humanitarian relief efforts.
Amazon knows a lot about the products customers buy on its platform, and the European Union's antitrust chief wants to know exactly how it uses all that data.

The E.U. competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, said at a press conference Wednesday that the E.U. has opened a preliminary investigation into Amazon's dual role--as both partner and rival--to businesses that sell on its site. E.U. regulators have already fined Google more than $7 billion from two separate inquiries on antitrust violations. Previously, Vestager won a case against Amazon over taxes owed to Luxembourg, and the Seattle-based retailer was forced to fork over $295 million in back taxes.

The process is in very early stages, Vestager stressed, and the agency has not yet opened an official investigation. Even so, if the commission rules against Amazon--and the company decides to then cease selling private-label products in the E.U.--that could be good news for European vendors, as they would lose Amazon as a rival. And lest you think what happens in the E.U. will stay in the E.U., consider what happened after the E.U. passed its new data-privacy law, or the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Companies across the globe needed to change their practices to accommodate the changes.

"The question here is about the data," said Vestager, referring to the information Amazon has on the sales of third-party products. "Do you then also use this data to do your own calculations, as to what is the new big thing, what is it that people want, what kind of offers do they like to receive, what makes them buy things?"

It's worth noting that there's a difference between grocery stores and other private-label product sellers, says Sucharita Kodali, a retail analyst at Forrester Research. Traditional retailers like Costco or Walmart actually acquire the goods themselves. Amazon, rather, acts as more of an outlet for vendors to pitch their own products (in some cases, it also buys the products itself, notes Kodali). The key distinction is the platform--the technology that lets anyone create an account and put up their items for sale on Amazon. Amazon doesn't "actually [need to] buy any of the inventory," she says.

Cooper Smith, director of Amazon research at L2, a business intelligence firm, says it was only a matter of time before regulators put Amazon under the microscope. "We're reaching a turning point in Amazon's ability to launch new businesses and products--and [that] immediately extends [to] fear in the traditional businesses."

Amazon's private-label business started with the launch of AmazonBasics in 2009, and L2 has been keeping a thorough record since. In March this year, Amazon operated 80 private-label brands, according to L2's data. More than 80 percent--66 brands--were created and launched in the 12 months prior. The products live across a wide range of categories, from clothing to electronics to household items--and they're often sold at very competitive prices.

The rapid influx of Amazon-owned brands in its e-commerce platform is stoking fear in brands, including some of Amazon's close partners, says Smith. "I think a lot of brands are sitting back and saying, 'This isn't a frenemy situation.'"

Unlike retailers like Walmart or Target, Amazon doesn't "share a whole lot of data with brands," he adds. "[Amazon doesn't] act like an agency or retailer that wants to help brands."
Mini Mansions dont get a lot of time to record music together. Its understandable really, given that the trio also happen to play in some of the worlds biggest rock bands.

Formed in LA just shy of a decade ago, the group are made up of Michael Mikey Shuman and Zach Dawes, bassists for Queens of the Stone Age and Last Shadow Puppets, respectively, and Tyler Parkford, who has been touring with Arctic Monkeys since he recorded keys on their latest album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.

Shuman and Parkford are chilling on the terrace of their palatial (literally, a former palace) hotel in Lisbon, ahead of their bands sets at NOS Alive festival, enjoying a pint in the sun and a few cigarettes. They explain that their latest work, a four-track EP titled Works Every Time, is Mini Mansions dipping their toe back in the water after a summer on tour with their main bands  and also something of a reintroduction to their fans.

The new release arrives three years after their second record, The Great Pretenders, which received critical praise and featured guest appearances from Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner and The Beach Boys Brian Wilson. It opens with the title track: a perfect slice of Eighties-influenced pop-rock that wouldnt have sounded out of place on the Drive soundtrack, complete with a dry, pulsing synth beat.

Midnight in Tokyo deals in the same drawling sleaze as QOTSAs Josh Homme, with Dawess jaunty bass line the perfect fit for Shuman and Parkfords harmonies. Elsewhere, Darkness looms on the heady This Bullet, and theres a scuzzy, industrial rock interpretation of Edwyn Collins 1994 track A Girl Like You.

Fans of The Great Pretenders are likely to have picked up on similarities between that earlier record and the Arctic Monkeys Tranquillty Base, thanks to their mutually sprawling psychedelia, space-age synths and suave lyrical quips.

The comparison has not gone unnoticed. I was listening to Tranquility Base, which I love, but who knows? Shuman shrugs, smiling. We toured with the Monkeys a couple of years ago, and Zach was in Last Shadow Puppets [Alex Turners band with Miles Kane], so they were playing together Im not taking away from an amazing record, but you do get influenced by being with your friends.

Works Every Time, however, is a different animal, Shuman says. It took about a week to record in Hollywood with [producer] Cian Riordan, and we did some other songs that will probably be released later on. Its funny, we were busy with our other bands so we couldnt do the EP for a while, but at the same time, its only been a few years. A lot of bands now have four or five years between records.

In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Show all 20 1 /20 In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Alex Turner Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent In pictures - Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall Photo by Aaron Parsons The Independent

He nods at the suggestion that this take your time approach between releases seems to be most common among rock artists, where pop and hip-hop acts tend to bash out single after single, or a steady album every two years. And I dont think theres a gazillion good pop or hip-hop tracks coming out every f***ing day, he says. Theres a lot of garbage [strategy to break streaming records]. Unlike us, he adds with a laugh. Were not gonna get s**t. No records broken. No money made.

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Works Every Time is much more guitar-centric than Mini Mansions two full-length albums: The Great Pretenders was like our concept album with no concept, Shuman says with a laugh.

I think this is the closest wed come to making a record where in an alternative universe wed be a pop band, he continues, referring to the change in sound from their previous albums. Its definitely the closest in terms of what we consider good pop.

He and Parkford agree that Mini Mansions, and their other bands, are in the best zone weve ever been in. Though Shuman acknowledges that the QOTSA tour, in support of last years Villains, has not been without controversy.

Yeah, a lot of people werent happy with that, Shuman says, referring to the incident where Homme was criticised for kicking a female photographers camera, which struck her in the face and caused her to spend a night in ER, in December last year. Homme issued two separate apologies, calling himself a total d**k and saying sorry to his bandmates and family for embarrassing them, as well as the photographer Chelsea Lauren.

Without diving too much into it, it was taken way, way out of context, Shuman says. Hes got an amazing, strong wife and three kids. Not in your wildest dreams would he ever do it [because it was a woman]. It was unintentional. We have our own photographers that weve worked with for years who are pretty much all men, and they might get kicked in the face. They might get hit. If you wanna be on stage with us, thats kind of the deal.

Bruce Springsteen, when he slid at the Super Bowl, crashed right into the camera with his crotch, Parkford recalls.

The Boss, of course, hasnt released an album since 2014. And despite the appearance of a small cluster of acclaimed rock albums this year, Shuman is unsure how healthy the genre is right now. There are only a few bands who are doing it well, he says. Theres a big hole, where rock should live. Who are those rock bands? I think our bands are doing a good job of it, but I dont know many others. I think its the fanbase. A generation of kids with streaming and digital listening, its being fed to you. Rather than going to a record store and seeing what youre drawn to.

Its great that hip hop took up where punk left off, Parkford says, and I guess theres independent hip hop just like there were independent punk bands. But all youre hearing is the Drakes and Kanyes of the world.

Meanwhile, Mini Mansions are happier trying something new, whether its this band or one of their others, because it keeps both them and the audience on their toes.

Thats kind of our thing, changing things every night, doing things different, Shuman says, talking about QOTSAs varying setlists. It makes it fun for the crowd but it makes it fun for us too. There are bands who do the same s**t every night which is cool but he trails off, and Parkford throws in: But also that aint cool.

It was hard to pick a cover to add to the three original tracks on Works Every Time, he says, because you could do an obscure song, and then its almost like your song because no one knows it. Or you can do one that youve heard a hundred times and try to put your own spin on it. We did Blondies Heart of Glass when we formed the band, to connect with an audience that didnt know who we were, he recalls. Instantly they feel connected in some way. So, with this Girl Like You cover its kind of the same thing.

The other three songs of the EP are all relationship-based, according to Shuman, although he says theyre about different people: Midnight In Tokyo, for example, is largely based on his experiences with his ex-fiance, following the lifespan of a relationship from its beginning, as two people fall in love, to its eventual end.

Whats admirable is that the band explore ideas of female sexuality and power from a male perspective, testing the boundaries of what a traditional love song can be, without allowing their own egos to take over. Shuman is pleased with this interpretation, recalling how the band received a very different reaction to their controversial video for Vertigo, which was inspired by Italian horror films. We got a lot of flak for nudity... but to us, that wasnt the intention at all, he says.

I feel like we were trying to be more concise, on this record, and objective, and have a core that were all revolving around, Parkford says. This is genuinely a lot more human. Were different writers at the moment, and I think well always be exploring.

Our past songs all meant something to us, but we were putting a bit of a mask on, Shuman says. But whether that was because we were scared to be fully vulnerable, I dont know. I think were just older.

Works Every Time is the breakdown of a relationship, basically, a universal experience of one, which doesnt end well, Parkford suggests. But then thats like every great tragedy.

The Works Every Time EP is out on 24 September; new single Midnight In Tokyo is out now
Kanye West appears to have reignited his feud with Drake over a rumour that the Scorpion artist had an affair with his wife, Kim Kardashian-West.

The rapper posted a series of videos on Instagram where he stated that the report was untrue, and also detailed why he was unhappy with how Drake had handled it.

The fact that its people making rumours or thinking that you f***ed my wife and you not saying nothing and you carrying it like that, he said. That dont sit well with my spirit. You know if I had a girlfriend from Chicago, her name was Ranita, and then you was married to Rihanna. I wouldnt have made no song called RiRi.

West was referring to a track on Drakes album Scorpion, In My Feelings, where he mentions a woman named Kiki. Some fans believed it was a reference to Kardashians familial nickname. However, Genius later reported a credible source who said Kiki actually refers to Kyanna Barber.

West went on to claim that Drake was aware he was adding fuel to the fire of a cheating scandal with no merit.

So when youre like, Oh, I dont know where it came from... you too smart for that, bruh, he said. You know where that come from. Dont make no record with nothing that can be confused. Now I told you, I didnt tell Pusha no information about your baby, baby mama, nothing like that. That aint come from me.

West appeared to suggest that Drake believes he was the one who told rapper Pusha T about Drake fathering a child with former adult film star Sophie Brussaux, and the Kardashian rumour is some kind of retaliation.

The fatherhood revelation was made in Pushas diss track The Story of Adidon, which was released earlier this year. Drake confirmed the rumour in his own track Emotionless and also the song March 14.

Kim Kardashian denied ever having a relationship with Drake earlier this month, commenting Never happened. End of story below a post by The Shade Room where Nick Cannon discussed the possibility of her cheating on her husband.

West also called out Cannon and Tyson Beckford in the series of Instagram videos.

'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Show all 10 1 /10 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I was the best new artist this year" Kanye asserted this after losing the New Artist of the Year award at the 2004 American Music Awards Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I am the number one human being in music. That means any person that's living or breathing is number two. Kanye made this claim while appearing on the Wendy Williams show in 2007. He had recently released the album 'Graduation' to critical acclaim Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time! In arguably the most famous incident of his career, Kanye bravely stole the microphone from then 19 year old Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for the Female Music Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards REUTERS 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I walk through the hotel and I walk down the street and people look at me... like I'm Hitler" Kanye said this during a mid-set rant while on stage at the Big Chill festival in 2011. Despite releasing the acclaimed 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' in 2010, he was still widely disliked following the Taylor Swift incident PA Archive/PA Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I am Picasso. I am Michelangelo. I am Basquiat. I am Walt Disney. I am Steve Jobs" Kanye compared himself to these visionaries in a mid-set rant on stage in Paris, 2013 AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live. In 2013, Kanye opened up to reveal more Kanye. His pain is understandable, considering such performances as his at the BRITs in 2015, where he came on stage with an entourage of flamethrower wielding grime artists (pictured) Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I have to dress Kim everyday so she doesnt embarrass me. Kanye tweeted this in 2014, around the time that he was designing the first Yeezy range AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes By 50 percent [I am more influential than] Stanley Kubrick, Apostle Paul, Picasso f***ing Picasso and Escobar. By 50 per cent more influential than any other human being. Kanye made this claim backstage after appearing on Saturday Night Live in 2016, he did not show his working out Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself." This quote followed Kanye's recent expression of love for Donald Trump on Twitter, in which he claimed that he and Trump were "dragon energy" Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "When you hear about slavery for 400 years... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice." Kanye made this comment in a May 2018 interview with TMZ. He later clarified that, in saying slavery was a choice, he meant "we can make our own reality" PA Wire/PA Images

Cannon has since responded with his own video, commenting: Honestly, I got to say this my dude, I have never said anything disrespectful or harmful in my opinion to your marriage or your union. I salute it, keep going.

But youre not going to tell me what I can and cannot say. I am a solid individual, somebody asks me a question, I am going to answer it to the best of my ability. I am going to give my opinion, no harm, no foul.
Iceland says it has become the first UK supermarket to sell fish deemed surplus to requirements by other chains.

Until now, some non-target fish caught in nets has been thrown back into the sea either dead or dying because it did not fit certain requirements.

Now some megrim, grey gurnard and other types of white fish rejected by some stores will be packaged and sold with the cod to be used to make dishes such as fish curry and fish pie.

Forty per cent of all fish caught worldwide is captured unintentionally and returned to the ocean, never to make it to the dinner table.

The unwanted fish, known as "bycatch", is a major issue for the fishing industry because it has a massive impact on sustainability levels.

Iceland's bycatch will be sold as their "What the Fish?" range.

The announcement comes in the wake of the supermarkets recent pledge to go plastic-free on its own-label products by the end of 2023 and to stock biodegradable chewing gum.

Richard Walker, Icelands managing director, said: Enjoying fish that is traditionally seen as bycatch gives us more variety and also helps make eating fish more sustainable.

"The more that supermarkets can do to encourage customers to try to new options, the better for the planet.

Following the bycatch decision, Iceland commissioned research of 2,000 UK adults to explore their attitudes to fish and its sustainability.

Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors Show all 11 1 /11 Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors PA Wire/PA Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors PA Wire/PA Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors PA Wire/PA Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors PA Wire/PA Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors PA Wire/PA Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors PA Wire/PA Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors Getty Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors Getty Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors Getty Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors Getty Images Meghan Markle launches cookbook in aid of Grenfell Tower survivors Getty Images

The results showed seven in 10 thought UK food retailers needed to reduce bycatch or make greater efforts to sell "non-target fish".

One-third admitted they were worried about the sustainability of fish.

Researchers found that UK adults ate fish twice a week on average  amounting to 95 times a year  and that they spent 303 a year on it.

Nearly three-quarters, or 72 per cent, believed they should eat more of it than they do currently.

The most commonly consumed fish among those polled was cod  with 72 per cent revealing this as the fish they typically ate.

Salmon is one of top fish choices

Haddock was the second most favoured, followed by salmon, tuna and plaice in third, fourth and fifth respectively.

One-quarter prefer their fish grilled, one-fifth liked it fried and the same proportion opted to bake it.

Britons are creatures of habit when it comes to fish, the survey found, with three-quarters tending to stick to the same type when eating it at home.

Top 10 most commonly consumed fish

1. Cod

2. Haddock

3. Salmon

4. Tuna

5. Plaice

6. Mackerel

7. Sardines

8. Trout

9. Kippers

10. Pollock

SWNS
La Bonne Mere, the great golden statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the port of Marseille, has seen plenty of drama in her time. But this was surely a first: Couscousmania, 900 dinners served two nights running, and this is only a part of the brand new festival of couscous. If any city can take this in its stride, its Marseille, a natural contender for the world's couscous capital, with a rich 2,000 year history as a crossroad between Europe and Africa, where couscous, one of the great staples of Mediterranean cooking, originated.

And Marseille rose to the occasion, laying on an impressively diverse showcase; from entry level bowls of grain with stewed lamb and vegetables, familiar from a thousand little Algerian-run lunch places, upwards into the realms of squid ink, designer sardine-and-lamb meatballs, and onion petals cooked in rose water, the latter from a chef whod served time at Pierre Gagnaires extravagant London restaurant, Sketch.

The weekend began atypically, on the restaurant terrace of the Intercontinental hotel, Marseilles grandest, where executive chef Lionel Levy, known for outre concoctions such as the Marseille bouillabaisse fish stew transformed into a milkshake, opted instead for a traditional buffet.

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Executed by one of his staff, Moroccan-born Rachida Erbib, this consisted of dozens of tajines, pastries and salads, with centrepiece platters of couscous grain, commercial rather than hand-made, as the latter is now the preserve of a dwindling number of ultra traditional households. And to accompany the couscous and the obligatory vegetables in bouillon, is lamb  stewed, in meatballs and sausages, grilled on brochettes, barbecued mechoui-style kind of lamb.

The key to a good couscous, according to Ms Erbib, is simply good ingredients, which not all Marseille restaurants afford, she added a touch dismissively. Undoubtedly true, though some of the 8 (7) couscous available around town manages to taste pretty good for a tenth of the price of the Intercontinental buffet. Whatever, outstanding memories from the blizzard of tastings which filled the ensuing 48 hours include a Kabyle barley couscous with milk sauce and haricot beans, a couscous of octopus, a dish with merguez sausage, supions (Marseilles favourite baby squid) and two sorts of chickpeas, a sweet couscous with raisins, lemon zest and nutmeg. Luckily, all are perfectly cooked, because internal rupture due to grain swelling would be a nasty death.

Some three dozen chefs and restaurateurs contribute to the weekend festivities, with special menus and couscous dishes served around town, debates and broadcasts (Louise Lextrait)

Some three dozen chefs and restaurateurs contribute to the weekend festivities, with special menus and couscous dishes served around town, debates and broadcasts (Louise Lextrait)

Kouss Kouss  Couscousmania is in fact its subtitle  was born of musical as much as culinary inspiration. The festival was the brainchild of Fabrice Lextrait, director of Les Grandes Tables, a large-scale catering and events operation based in the Friche de Belle de Mai, the big arts and leisure complex housed in abandoned warehouses and loading yards behind Marseille railway station. The nub of the event was a performance by an intermittent super-group, named the Cous Cous Clan for no particular reason, and centred around the Algerian-born rockstar Rachid Taha (who tragically died of a heart attack shortly after the festival). Around this core, some three dozen chefs and restaurateurs contributed to the weekend of mass feasts on the enormous flat roof of the Belle de Mai, special menus in restaurants around town, debates and broadcasts. Fatema Hal, the Parisian restaurateur and author, and, sort of Moroccan-born Nigella Lawson, were both on call to plan menus and discuss couscous lore.

Which is not simple. For one thing, the grain itself  milled durum wheat rolled in flour and steamed  is often confused with semolina, the much finer wheat powder used for desserts and pancakes. For another, the dishs origins are convoluted. The primary impetus for couscous elevation to second or third most popular dish in France was the arrival first of Algerian workers from Frances then-colony and secondly, a few decades later, the million pied noirs, French-origin Algerians, who fled Algeria after independence in 1962. But the Berber tribes of North Africa introduced couscous into the empires of Romans and Arabs, and early references to couscous are found from Islamic Andalusia, through the works of the 16th-century French writer Francois Rabelais to medieval Italy.

Bogota's burgeoning food scene Show all 10 1 /10 Bogota's burgeoning food scene Bogota's burgeoning food scene The food markets are the place to try exotic ingredients and local dishes ProColombia Bogota's burgeoning food scene Leonor Espinosa is one of Bogota's best loved chefs Leo Bogota's burgeoning food scene Leonor Espinosa focuses on Colombian ingredients at Leo Leo Bogota's burgeoning food scene Bogota's burgeoning food scene Bogota's burgeoning food scene Scallop ceviche at El Cielo El Cielo Bogota's burgeoning food scene El Cielo is a full-on sensory immersion El Cielo Bogota's burgeoning food scene Criterion's 10-course taster menu is a work of art Bogota's burgeoning food scene Chef brothers Jorge and Mark Rasch Mario Inti Garcia Bogota's burgeoning food scene Criterion's Jorge Rausch cut his teeth at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir Mario Inti Garcia

So while Marseilles couscous festival is the worlds latest, its not the first. There may well be other traditional celebrations below the media radar, but on an international level the honour belongs to San Vito lo Capo in Sicily, while a new contender, set in Algiers, took place in May. Unsurprisingly, couscous has just been added to the long list of candidates for UNESCO World Heritage status, jointly sponsored by the culture ministries of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia  the dishs major homes.

The San Vito festival, whose 21st edition opens this weekend, exploits Italys own relationship with North Africa, which is not colonial but geographic. Sicily, and its satellite mini-islands, are a short sail from Tunisia, and the fish couscous, which is Tunisias speciality, is also popular in Sicily. The link is not just theoretical: researching the SiciIian connection, I came across a tableful of Tunisian fishermen on the tiny offshore island of Pantelleria, tucking into a copious fish couscous as if to camera for a food TV documentary, washed down with wine out of a jerrycan. I also came across Giorgio Armanis personal couscous cook, but thats another story.

Different chefs from around the globe showcase their couscous varieties at the vibrant food festival (C Dutrey)

Like the Marseille event, San Vitos festival also involves music  a series of increasingly pop-oriented outdoor concerts  but also regional pavilions and stands, demonstrations, tastings and a competition. The food is very good, especially from the jolly-crowded fish restaurants, which line the avenue leading to the beach. I recall an exquisite couscous with a rich sauce of sea urchins in one. At this years San Vito theres a chef from Angola, an extremely rare sighting, as even West Africa, the commonly cited home of sub-Saharan couscous, is little represented in Europe. Marseilles line-up however boasted a young chef named Gagny Cissoko from Mali, who offered not the meat-topped millet couscous typical of his region, but a very Eurocentric, and delicious, combination of the classic wheat grain topped with bouillabaisse.

Although couscous is considered mainly as a savoury dish, countries like Egypt also eat it as dessert (C Dutrey)

And where is the UK in all this? Rather on the sidelines, due to the absence of a colonial relationship with North Africa. The British home scene comprises lots of restaurants, often Lebanese, serving couscous as an ingredient on a menu of wider provenance, but still few purely North African ones, where the dish is central, in spite of a crop of little Moroccan bistros with recently added terraces for smoking shishas. The earliest couscous pioneer I can recall, was a mid 80s London pop-up far ahead of its time off Carnaby Street, run by a moonlighting Tunisian engineer. This was a decade and a half before Momo, the first UK venture of the Algerian restaurateur Mourad Mazouz, which built on the earlier success of his 404 in Paris, one of the leaders in fashionable French couscous in the 90s.

In Marseille, the banner of British couscous was actually borne with great aplomb by a Londoner named Harry Cumings, veteran of well-received French pop-ups across France, and one in the labyrinthine medina of Fez, Morocco, where the butane cylinders were delivered by donkey and the meat on a porters head. Cumings latest is La Mercerie, a former haberdashers shop, where he offered a classily-discreet couscous, spare in ingredients, but with each one, from the top quality rolled oven baked lamb shoulder to the little glazed turnips and the veal stock-enriched couscous itself treated to painstaking individual cooking.

Interestingly, neither Cumins nor any of the other gastronomically ambitious chefs in Marseille would normally have considered couscous for their menus. Its a family dish said the Intercontinentals Levy, just not what my clientele expects. But the hedonistic Sicilian gourmets, and nouveau Provencale couscous fans, may just be moving the dish upmarket.

The clearest demonstration was another Marseille institution, Art-0-Rama, the annual modern art salon, where smart galleries from Berlin and Geneva show mystifying installations to rich collectors. Even this milieu, surely forbidden territory for robust family grub without a pretension to its name, succumbed to couscousmania for its very soigne launch party. A couscous with four garnishes and a choice of red, black or green sauces, inspired by Delacroix and Dali, admittedly. But very welcome. The cult of couscous is a broad church, and la Bonne Mere smiles equally on all her children.
The cryptocurrency market has experienced a dramatic surge, with bitcoin, ether (ethereum) and XRP rising in price by between 5 per cent and 100 per cent over the last 48 hours.

XRP  the digital asset of US tech firm Ripple  saw the biggest gains, doubling in price since Wednesday to rise above $0.50 for the first time since June.

The world's third most valuable cryptocurrency is notoriously prone to rapid price rises and falls, peaking above $3.80 in January before a sudden crash.

Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins  the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images

Cryptocurrency experts and market analysts have struggled to explain the sudden market shift, though many have pointed to the development of xRapid  a new product related to Ripple.

Developers of xRapid say the technology could help banks to significantly speed up transactions using XRP. Rumours that the product was close to launch appeared to be confirmed by a pattern of high-value transactions involving ripple.

"The high transaction values, coupled with market sentiment following the announcement on Monday could indeed be the reason why XRP reached new highs, having gained nearly 50 per cent in the last 24 hours," said Ed Cooper, head of mobile at the digital banking firm Revolut.

"While this is great news for many crypto enthusiasts, and especially for XRP fans, it remains to be seen if the bullish trend will prevail, given the current market conditions that have seen nearly all cyrptocurrencies losing a great deal of their value since the beginning of the year."

This speculation was reinforced by Matthew Newton, an analyst at the trading firm eToro, who said the cryptocurrency had more exposure than bitcoin on its platform.

"The stars seem to have aligned for XRP today. News that Ripples xRapid product may be imminent, combined with a few timely partnership announcements, has created a definite buzz which is impacting price," Mr Newton said.

The cryptocurrency XRP has exploded in price (REUTERS)

He added: Despite being one the most polarising cryptos of them all, eToro customers cant get enough of XRP at the moment; it has more exposure than any other asset on our platform. As weve seen in the past, the price tends to move in short, sharp bursts, picking up a lot of momentum when the hype builds. It remains to be seen how much further it could go."
Barclays has suffered a major outage, with customers unable to access their accounts using online banking.

Barclays customers in the UK were greeted on Thursday morning with the message: "5 - Sorry - Barclays Online Banking is currently unavailable".

A spokesperson for the bank, which has over 24 million customers, told The Independent: "We're currently experiencing some technical problems  customers are still able to use Barclays Mobile Banking app to check their balance, make and receive payments. Were on it, and as soon as its fixed well let you know."

Issues with Barclays online and telephone banking began at around 10 am on Thursday, 20 September

The banking giant has been responding to concerned customers on social media, acknowledging the issue and saying that it hopes to get its systems back up and running soon.

"Hey Zebre, we're experiencing some issues at the moment :( We're hoping to be back up and running very soon so that you can pay your rent," a member of the bank's social media team tweeted in response to a customer complaint.

A statement published to Twitter advised customers to use the mobile app to access their accounts.

"If you're unable to access Online Banking, Telephone Banking, or use some features in our app, we're sorry," the statement read.

"You can still make payments and check your balance in our Mobile Banking app as normal. We're looking into the problem now, and we'll update you here as soon as possible. Thanks for bearing with us."

The bank's website noted issues with online banking, telephone banking and branches.

"We're sorry, you won't be able to speak to us right now  we're working to fix a problem with this service," a status update for its telephone banking service read.

"You can still use our automated Telephone Banking service to manage your account."

Barclays advised customers to keep up-to-date through its online status page.

Money expert Tashema Jackson, who works at uSwitch.com, took the opportunity to advice Barclays' customers on what action they can take in the event of a major outage.

"If you think youre facing a loss due to an unexpected online banking failure you can lodge a complaint with your bank for any financial damages incurred as a result of the disruption," Ms Jackson wrote in an email to The Independent.

"If you dont believe you complaint has been dealt with appropriately by your bank you can take your case to the Financial Ombudsman for review."
The pound plummeted on Friday as Theresa May admitted that the Brexit talks have reached an impasse and angrily criticised the EU for its unacceptable rejection of her own Chequers plan in Salzburg this week.

The currency dipped to $1.3092 as the Prime Minister delivered a special statement in Downing Street, down 1.3 per cent on the day.

This put sterling on course for its biggest one-day drop against the US currency so far in 2018, according to the Reuters news agency.

Against the euro the pound slipped 1.11 per cent to $1.1138.

Ms May also, once again, firmly ruled out the European Union proposal for customs checks in the Irish sea as a Brexit backstop to avoid a hard border on the island.

We are at an impasse, she said.

I will not overturn the result of the referendum nor will I break up my country.



"As the likelihood of a Brexit cliff edge notches up, so too does sterling volatility  and the Pound is closing a rollercoaster week on a downward trajectory against both the euro and the dollar, said David Lamb of Fexco Corporate Payments.

"Either there is compromise or a no-deal but the risks of no-deal have risen," said Sarah Hewin of Standard Chartered.

"The market is still taking a view that the most likely outcome is a deal. At the moment [sterling] seems to be moving one day at a time, one hour at a time and one headline at a time but the fundamental issue is still the same."

Sharpest one-day fall of 2018?

Reuters Eikon

Ms May was speaking a day after EU leaders in Salzburg brutally rejected her plan for future trade arrangements and dealing with the Northern Irish border put together, at the cost of losing two Cabinet ministers, in her official country residence of Chequers over the summer.

Without an agreement on the Irish backstop the UK risks an economically disastrous rupture with the EU on 29 March next year.

In a sign of just how much the Salzburg rebuttal has rattled the Prime Minister, she said it was not acceptable for the EU to reject her plan with no alternative at such a late stage.

Throughout this process I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same, a good relationship at the end of this process depends on it, she said.

At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other sides proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals. So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress.

The EU has proposed a backstop agreement of customs checks in the Irish sea as a way to avoid a hard border descending between Northern Ireland and Ireland after the UK leaves the customs union and single market.

But Ms May says this would be an intolerable incursion on UK sovereignty. It would also risk collapsing her Government, since Northern Irelands DUP, on whose votes her government relies, also vehemently rejects the proposal.

In her statement, the Prime Minister said it would mean Northern Ireland would be permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea and that no UK prime minister would ever agree to that

If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake, she said.
An auction for the sale of Sky has begun, with US group Comcast and Rupert Murdochs Fox battling it out to buy the broadcaster.

The Takeover Panel announced on Thursday that the deal would be settled by auction, after years of attempts at an acquisition - Fox first made a move for Sky in 2016, but the company faced intense scrutiny from the competition watchdog.

The auction, which started at 5pm on Friday, will consist of a maximum of three rounds of bidding. In the first round, Fox can decide whether or not to increase its 24.5bn bid to match or better Comcasts 26bn offer.

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In the second, Comcast will have the chance to raise its bid, and a third round will follow if necessary. All three rounds will take place over a 24 hour period, with the winner to be revealed on Saturday evening.

Auctions are rarely used to decide a takeover battle, and this is only the third to take place in the last 11 years.

In the first round, Fox can decide whether or not to increase its 24.5bn bid to match or better Comcasts 26bn offer.

Sky shares closed at 1,585p on Friday, valuing the group at more than 27m, which is significantly higher than Comcasts most recent bid.

Meanwhile, analysts have warned that the long-awaited takeover of Sky is likely to mean higher prices for customers.

"This is a smart move to get some certainty," James Bevan, chief investment officer at CCLA Investment Management,told the BBC.

"The only real losers in this process, I'm afraid are going to be the people who watch Sky, who are going to have to pay more, because the more that is paid for the bid, the more that the viewer is eventually going to have to make this profitable.
Youve had a bad feeling all summer, a nagging in your gut that somethings wrong. She looks thinner, but shes just turned 11 and kids that age get taller, thin out. Yet, why is she so pale in July? Why is she tired all the time? Your husband says its because shes been staying up too late on her iPad, so you limit her screen time. That doesnt help. She keeps falling asleep smack in the middle of bright summer days.

You notice she isnt enjoying her summer. Shes irritable, picking frequent fights with her younger sister. Its just hormones, you tell yourself. Eleven is a difficult age.

You take her to the doctor for a rash and fever, and you learn that she has strep. Youre relieved. Maybe thats what it was all along. The doctor looks at your daughters torso  she looks right at the tiny bulge in her abdomen  but she sees only the rash. Its scarlet fever, the doctor says. She prescribes an antibiotic and sends you home.
When four former students from the same school died within months of one another in 2015, it seemed random, a morbid coincidence. Then the number kept growing. At least seven more died the next year.

Their fellow alumni, feeling more anxious with each death, started to keep count. By the time a classmate in Ohio died of a heroin overdose in October, the toll had reached at least 87.

Three weeks later, another fatal overdose in New Jersey: 88. Three more weeks saw another, a schoolteacher in the Bronx found dead in the faculty restroom. Ten days later, number 90, in Minnesota.

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Damn, a friend of the last victim wrote on Facebook. This is outta control.

All of the dead were alumni of the Family Foundation School, a small boarding academy in rural Hancock, New York. Since its opening in the 1980s, the school was an option of last resort for parents who sought help for their teenagers troubled by drug and alcohol abuse or behavioural issues.

Some attempted to escape together, dashing through the woods to the nearest town and hiding in a McDonalds bathroom.

And now, alone and back at their respective homes, they are dying, largely of drug overdoses and suicide, their names joining classmates on the list.

Jon Martin-Crawford told a congressional panel in 2008 of the schools problems. He died by suicide seven years later (YouTube)

The school closed in 2014 after a drop in enrolment that followed a self-described truth campaign by alumni telling of abuses there: solitary confinement, blackouts of silence and isolation from others, the restraining of unruly students by wrapping them in rugs and duct tape. There were reports of physical abuse in complaints to state officials and police.

In 2015, a year after the school closed, at least four former students died. The next year, there were at least seven.

Former students sought to find someone to blame, their first target being the school, only to come to terms with a more likely truth, that their dead classmates had been overcome by the sources of despair and addiction that took seed in their youth and brought them to the school in the first place.

Emmanuel Argiros, the son of the schools founders and its former president, declines to comment on the schools history. Im trying to move on, he says. He has had many conversations with angry former students, he says. Its painful to go through it over and over and over again.

There is no clearinghouse for data regarding mortality rates among secondary schools. Robert M Friedman, formerly with the Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic and Appropriate use of Residential Treatment, says he is familiar with the Family Foundation School and the push by alumni to close it down. He says the deaths of graduates are not typically tracked.

Nobody knows how these kids have done, overall, he says.

In recent months, many of the schools former students have pivoted to a sort of social media suicide watch, urging alumni on Facebook to look out for one another. The effort is led by Elizabeth Ianelli, 39, an alumna of the school and a former police instructor, who has tallied the death count  now up to 101, all under the age of 50 and the vast majority under 40.

A special-education teacher, Lillian Becker, heard about a job opening at the school in 1998 and went for an interview.

The school closed in 2014 (Wiki Commons)

It looked wonderful, Becker said in a recent interview. Very professional, very clean, very neat and orderly and everybody was very friendly. They had a student give me a tour. She just seemed so happy to be there.

Becker got the job. On her first day, she saw something strange. She was asked to monitor a timeout room for 20 minutes until a staff member arrived to take over. A storage room, probably like six feet wide by 12 feet long, she recalls. On the floor was this student wrapped in a blanket with duct tape to hold the blanket shut. Just the head was sticking out.

She was told the student was at risk of hurting others or himself.

She settled into her job as a de facto nurse, making outside medical and dental appointments for students and tending to their aches and pains.

Former students could remember who watched them while they were bound or locked up: other students, effectively deputised by staff members to serve as jailers.

Some of those accounts are corroborated by the reports of state officials who, after receiving complaints, conducted surprise inspections.

In 2010, inspectors noted a previous culture of harsh treatment at the facility, adding, in a letter to the school, The Family Foundation School has been working to change this culture, according to documents released by the states Justice Centre for the Protection of People with Special Needs.

In a written response to the inspectors, Argiros, the president, denied that the school acknowledged its past as harsh, and said it has always been open to outside agencies and new protocols for dealing with often incorrigible and oppositional adolescents who have failed to thrive before coming to our school.

Becker enrolled her own son, Lee Grivas, at the school. He did well, earning good grades and going go on to study photography. He eventually dated actress Christina Applegate and moved to California. In 2008, he died of a drug overdose.

In 2004, a 17-year-old student died after jumping from an upper floor of the school. Becker remembers treating students who she believed had attempted to take their lives.

The Family Foundation School stood in an economically deprived city in New York (Getty)

Ianelli says she was repeatedly groped by an employee of the school and then reprimanded when she tried to report the behaviour. The experience left her so distraught that she grabbed a plastic jug marked bleach and entered a walk-in cooler. She gulped the liquid.

I was so excited to die, she says. Nothing happened. She looked at the jug again and saw another word written on the other side: vinegar.

Anne Moss Rogers sent her son, Charles, to the school in 2012 in hopes of treating his depression and anxiety. He left the school in 2014 and killed himself a year later while suffering from withdrawal from heroin.

She believes the school prolonged Charles life: He would have been dead at 17.

Rogers says the list of dead classmates should be placed in a larger perspective. These are high-risk kids, she says. Were in an opioid epidemic and a suicide epidemic.

Jon Martin-Crawford, an alumnus, achieved notoriety among his peers when he testified about the school before a congressional hearing regarding treatment programmes for teens in 2008.

The nightmares and psychological scars of being dragged from your home to a place in the middle of nowhere; restrained in blankets and duct tape; assaulted, verbally and physically  those scars and that trauma never go away, Martin-Crawford, then 28, testified.

For my friends who have since died from suicide because of the nightmares or those who still suffer the nightmares, our time and our voice will not be in vain.

Seven years later, he hanged himself.

Its like, whos next? a former student, Sara McGrath Brathwaite, says when contacted by a reporter earlier this year. Why?

 New York Times
Most people following Brexit now seem to have got the message that the prime ministers Chequers proposals for trade after Brexit are dead  though Theresa May herself seems to be staving off reality for now.

But this weeks Salzburg summit was far from the first time the contents of the Chequers plan had been rubbished by the EU. In fact, theyve repeatedly said no to it for quite some time.

Various dates before the publication of Chequers

Even before Chequers was published, the EU repeatedly ruled out accepting the policies that would eventually find their way into the prime ministers plan.

The two key planks of Chequers are a common rulebook of regulations, where the UK would follow some parts of the single market, but not others; and a customs system where the UK would collect tariffs on the EUs behalf.

But by the time Chequers was published on the 12 July, the EU had repeatedly rejected its principles several times based on media reports about what it might contain.

We cant possible imagine a situation in which we would accept cherry-picking. We are responsible for guaranteeing the integrity of the single market, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier told told a press conference on 27 February, five months before the white paper came into being, but after press reports about what it might contain.

A day before, Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, had a similar message: If the media reports are correct Im afraid that the UK position today is based on pure illusion. It looks like the cake philosophy is still alive, referring to the have your cake and eat it approach advocated by then foreign secretary Boris Johnson.

These were far from the first interventions on the subject  the EU has always said the UK can either have a loose agreement like Canada, or a close agreement like Norway, but not pick the best bits from both.

When all this was pointed out British officials responded that this was simply the EUs opening position  the implication being that it might change. At no point was an account given of how the UK would bring about that change, however.

12 July

The Chequers plan, aka The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union white paper is finally published.

20 July

Michel Barnier welcomed the publication of the proposals and said he would examine them. A week later he took to the podium in Brussels with a series of criticism, which he phrased as questions to the UK.

The EUs chief negotiator did not explicitly reject the plan, but he punched so many holes in its different aspects that it was difficult for any observer to see how it would survive.

Mr Barnier suggested the PMs proposal on customs might not even be legally feasible. He added that there would be practical problems determining which tariff to apply to goods and that there was a major risk of fraud.

On the single market for goods, he said such a plan might give the UK a significant competitive advantage against the EUs own interests, and that it would be unfair to European consumers to exempt certain goods from safety standards.

Overall, he was scathing, telling reporters in Brussels: Theres no justification for us to create additional burdens on business just because the UK wants to leave.

26 July

After about a week, no serious public reply to Mr Barniers questions came. It seems he received none that satisfied him in private either: where he had been careful not to reject outright before, now he pulled far fewer punches.

The EU cannot and the EU will not delegate the application of its customs policy, of its rules, VAT and excise duty collections to a non-member who would not be subject to the EUs governance structures, Mr Barnier said after meeting Brexit secretary Dominic Raab in Brussels  essentially putting a line through the PMs customs proposals.

On the single market for goods proposal, he restated that the single market and its four freedoms were indivisible and could not be cherry-picked.

2 September

In an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Mr Barnier said he was strongly opposed to Theresa Mays plan to split the single market.

The British have a choice, he said. They could stay in the single market, like Norway, which is also not a member of the EU, but they would then have to accept all the regulations and make contributions to European solidarity.

But if we let the British cherry-pick which of our regulations to follow, that would have serious consequences: all sorts of other third countries could insist that we offer them the same deal.

That would be the end of the single market and the European project. I am often accused of being dogmatic in the UK, but the truth is I'm only protecting our fundamental interests.

4 September

Mr Barnier appeared before a committee of MPs in Westminster, where he was asked whether he thought the Chequers plan was dead in the water or not.

Though he said he liked various uncontroversial aspects of the white paper, he said the proposal for trade does not seem workable to us, basically and that there were two issues that we cannot accept. These were, again, the single market for goods, and the customs proposal  the main planks of Chequers.

12 September

In his annual state of the union speech in Strasbourg last week, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said parts of the single market could certainly not be jettisoned for countries outside the bloc.

We respect the British decision to leave our union, even though we continue to regret it deeply, he said

But we also ask the British government to understand that someone who leaves the union cannot be in the same privileged position as a member state.

If you leave the union, you are of course no longer part of our single market, and certainly not only in the parts of it you choose.

20 September

At the start of the Salzburg summit Donald Tusk said that the Chequers plans for trade needed to be reworked and further negotiated.

Brexit negotiations are entering their decisive phase. Various scenarios are still possible today, but I would like to stress that some of Prime Minister Mays proposals from Chequers indicate a positive evolution in the UKs approach as well as a will to minimise the negative effects of Brexit, Mr Tusk told reporters at the summit.

By this, I mean, among other things the readiness to cooperate closely in areas such as security and foreign policy. On other issues such as the Irish question or the framework for economic cooperation, the UKs proposals will need to be reworked and further negotiated.

21 September

Downing Street had been billing the Salzburg summit as EU national leaders first opportunity to discuss Chequers face-to-face. Would there be a change in position?

Following a meeting of those leaders and a discussion about the Chequers plan, the European Council president took to the podium again. His message was very similar, but this time he was speaking on behalf of the 27.

Everybody shared the view that while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, the suggested element for economic cooperation will not work, not least because it risks undermining the single market, Mr Tusk said, giving his account of the Councils working lunch discussion.

Speaking directly after Mr Tusk, the prime minister seemed upset and was seen visibly shaking. She did not accept that the proposal had been rejected and described the presidents comments as a negotiating tactic. But in private, has she finally got the message?
The government has unveiled new plans to help save endangered species such as the orangutan and the Sumatran tiger.

Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, said 2.1m of UK aid would be spent on helping to protect wildlife in Indonesia and Liberia.

It will be used to help give people living near to endangered species a financial alternative to clearing forests and hunting animals, including by setting up sustainable rubber and cocoa farms.

In Indonesia, 16,000 jobs will be created for people who live and work in areas that are home to the Sumatran tiger, the orangutan and the Asian elephant.

Recommended Penny Mordaunt outlines new approach to foreign aid spending

In Liberia, the Department for International Development (DfID) will work with local partners to help preserve the habitat of the West African chimpanzee.

Ms Mordaunt made the announcement during a visit to London Zoo, ahead of the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London next month.

The money will be distributed through the Partnerships for Forests programme, which aims to give people living near to endangered species an economic alternative to poaching and deforestation.

In total, the UK gives 56.5m to the programme.

Ms Mordaunt said: The illegal wildlife trade and the destruction of forests and natural habitats are having a catastrophic impact on both iconic wildlife and the worlds poorest people.

Nobody wants to see extraordinary species become extinct, or the communities living near their habitats struggle for jobs and livelihoods, which is why UK aid has a unique role to play in tackling the underlying causes driving these problems, namely poverty and rapid, unmanaged deforestation.

Its only by working together with local communities that we will preserve endangered wildlife like the Sumatran tiger, and protect them for future generations.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Show all 8 1 /8 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Winner  Pikin and Appolinaire Pikin, a lowland gorilla, had been captured and was going to be sold for bushmeat but was rescued by Ape Action Africa. Jo-Anne took this photograph as the gorilla was being moved from her former enclosure within a safe forest sanctuary in Cameroon to a new and larger one, along with a group of gorilla companions. She was first sedated, but during the transfer to the new enclosure she awoke. Luckily, she was not only very drowsy, but she was also in the arms of her caretaker, Appolinaire Ndohoudou, and so she remained calm for the duration of the bumpy drive Jo-Anne McArthur Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Finalist  Elegant Mother and Calf Every year from July to late October southern humpback whales migrate north from their Antarctic feeding grounds to give birth in the warm sheltered waters off Tonga. Ray encountered this humpback mother and calf peacefully floating in the plankton-filled water around the island group of Vavau, Tonga. After Ray gently approached them, the giants swam a bit closer to have a look at him. While they made this elegant turn, Ray took the shot. He later converted the image into black and white which he felt represented the simplicity of the scene Ray Chin/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Finalist  Warm Embrace When polar bear mothers and cubs emerge from their dens in the early spring, the cubs stay close to their mothers for warmth and protection. Once the cubs are strong and confident enough, they make the trek to the sea ice with their mother so that she can resume hunting for seals. Debra waited six days near the den of this family, in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada, before they finally emerged. In the most challenging conditions she has ever faced, temperatures ranged from -35C to -55C with high winds, making it almost impossible to avoid frostbite and keep her camera gear functioning properly Debra Garside/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Finalist  Roller Rider Lakshitha was on safari in MaasaiMara National Reserve, Kenya, when he spotted an unusual sight  a lilac-breasted roller riding a zebra. Normally they prefer to perch high up in the foliage, but his roller spent an hour or more riding around and enjoying the occasional insect meal. Lakshitha waited for the surrounding zebras to form the perfect background before taking this tight crop Lakshitha Karunarathna/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Finalist  Sloth Hanging Out Luciano had to climb the cecropia tree, in the protected Atlantic rainforest of southern Bahia, Brazil, to take an eye-level shot of this three-toed sloth. Sloths like to feed on the leaves of these trees,and so they are often seen high up in the canopy. Luciano Candisani/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Shortlisted  Reach for the Sky Steven was taking pictures of a small group of adult roseate spoonbills in a rookery in Tampa Bay, Florida, when he noticed a newcomer flying in from afar. With just enough time to back up a few steps, Steven photographed the bird landing exactly square to his camera with its wings in a stunning symmetrical U-shape Steve Blandin/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Shortlisted  Holding On This close-up captures the touching moment an infant lays its small hand in the big hand of its mother. Jami took this photograph while she was in Borneo working on a story about the effects of palm-oil agriculture on orangutan habitat. Loss of primary rainforest is a serious threat to this already critically endangered species Jami Tarris/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award Shortlisted  Blood Ivory In a protected area of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, a rangers bloody hand rests on a heavily grained ivory tusk, also covered in the blood of an African elephant. The bull had to be destroyed due to a severe tusk infection that couldnt be treated.The tusks were removed to a place of safekeeping, where they were carefully catalogued in accordance with legislation Peter Chadwick/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The funding for Indonesia will go to projects in the Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape, which is home to between 30 and 40 of the world's remaining 400 Sumatran tigers. DfID will work with 28 organisations, including charities, local government and private companies, to help create jobs for local people, including in the production of environmentally-friendly rubber and honey.

In Liberia, the investment will help organisations, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), that are working to preserve habitats in the Gola rainforest. The work will involve establishing sustainable cocoa farming to encourage local people to turn away from hunting and deforestation.

DfID said illegal poaching is often carried out by poor villagers who are looking for extra income. Giving them an alternative is seen as one of the most effective ways to protect endangered species.

Tanya Steele, chief executive of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said: We dont have to choose between helping people and saving our wildlife.

Projects like this show UK aid can be used to help the worlds poorest people and save some of our most threatened species, like the Sumatran tiger and Sumatran elephant."
A Tory cabinet minister has insisted Theresa Mays Brexit deal is still credible, despite a humiliating rebuff from all 27 European Union leaders.

The prime minister was left fighting to save her Brexit blueprint and her leadership after a key summit in Salzburg on Thursday, where EU chief Donald Tusk said a crucial part of her plan "will not work".

James Brokenshire, the housing secretary, dismissed the rejection as "tough words" as part of the EU's negotiating strategy and said the government was still "resolute" in seeking a deal.

But behind the scenes, senior Tories including home secretary Sajid Javid, Commons leader Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey, the work and pensions secretary, are considering pushing the government away towards a Canada-style deal, The Times reports.

It comes ahead of a turbulent Conservative party conference, where Ms May is likely to face pressure from on all sides over her Brexit strategy.

Mr Brokenshire told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: The prime minister is acting in the national interest, shes sticking up for Britain, and the Chequers deal is a workable, credible deal to meet our ambitions, our intent.

"Should we be surprised that there are tough negotiations, tough words? No, because we are entering the final phase of those negotiations to get the deal and we remain resolute in getting that and getting that deal for our country.

Mr Brokenshire insisted that Ms May's plan was still the only viable option as the EU's preferred option would risk breaking up the United Kingdom by creating a hard border in Ireland.

"The easy thing for the prime minister to do would be to go with one of those two options that are being proffered," he said.

"EEA, which does not deliver on what the people voted for in the EU referendum on freedom of movement, or Canada, which would effectively break up the UK.

"The Chequers deal is a workable, credible deal to meet our ambitions.

"They have said that it's about the integrity of the single market and we believe the Chequers deal responds to that, and it's for the EU to engage with what's on the table, which is actually Chequers Two."

The government is "preparing hard" for a no-deal Brexit if the impasse over Northern Ireland cannot be broken, said fellow cabinet minister Chris Grayling.

The transport secretary told Newsnight: "We're not going to accept a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

"We are now preparing hard for the option of a no-deal Brexit. We don't want to get there, we don't expect to get there.

"But our European partners if they want to reach a deal, have to find a way of understanding that there are some things we cannot accept."

The so-called Chequers deal has drawn criticism from Eurosceptics and pro-EU alike since it was unveiled by the prime minister in July, prompting the resignations of both Boris Johnson and David Davis in protest.

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

Brexiteers dislike Chequers due to the proposals for a common rulebook, which they believe will keep the UK too closely aligned to the EU, while European leaders reject any plans that could compromise the integrity of the single market.

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith questioned why the prime minister's Chequers plan had been pursued in the first place, when it was clear the EU could not accept it.

He said: "This advice has been off from the word go.

"From the word go there have been question marks over why we were pursuing this when it's quite clear and obvious the EU couldn't accept it.

"Him [Olly Robbins - Ms May's chief Brexit adviser] and others, the whole team, really need to look at this - why we were on Chequers when Chequers so obviously wasn't going to cut the mustard."

The next Brexit milestone is fast approaching, with the October 18 summit labelled a "moment of truth" by Mr Tusk.

An additional Brexit summit could be held in November, but only if a deal is within reach.
 Close Theresa May on Brexit deal: 'no-one wants a good deal more than me'

Theresa May has demanded new proposals from the EU to break the Brexit impasse after European leaders dismissed her Chequers proposals as unworkable.

In an unexpected statement from Downing Street, Ms May said both sides "remain a long way apart" but she was committed to getting a good deal.

She said she has "treated the EU with nothing but respect'' and "the UK expects the same'', adding: "A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.''

Ms May has come under mounting pressure to abandon her Chequers plan after it was widely criticised by EU leaders and many of her own Eurosceptic MPs.

As it happened...
The government has delayed scrapping potentially unsafe nuclear submarines because of concerns over costs, a new report from an influential committee of MPs has revealed.

20 disused submarines are currently awaiting disposal, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), including nine that still contain nuclear fuel.

But despite admitting to potential safety risks, the government will only begin dismantling the next vessel in the mid-2020s, while the total work needed to scrap the entire 20 submaries will not be completed until at least 2045.

The delays were exposed in a report by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, which demanded that ministers stop delaying the disposal of disused submarines.

The committee said continued delays and a lack of investment in the UK's nuclear deterrent had created a ticking time bomb and that current nuclear facilities were not fit for purpose.

It comes months after the National Audit Office warned of a gaping 2.9bn funding gap in government plans to renew the UKs Nuclear Enterprise  the system of equipment and staff that supports the nuclear submarines.

In evidence to MPs, the MoD admitted that cost savings had been a factor behind the delays in dismantling old submarines but said this was no longer an option because of safety fears.

The UK has never completely dismantled a nuclear submarine and is currently in the process of attempting to dispose of the first one, HMS Swiftsure. That work is due to be completed by 2023, with the process of dismantling the other vessels not scheduled to begin until then.

The disused submarines are being kept at Royal Navy bases at Devonport, near Plymouth, and Rosyth, near Edinburgh. The MoD does not currently have enough space to both maintain existing vessels and dispose of disused ones.

Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures The floating nuclear power plant, the 'Akademik Lomonosov', is towed out of the St. Petersburg shipyard. AP Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures Workers on the nuclear atomic icebreaker "Arktika" operated by Rosatomflot watch the floating nuclear power plant "Akademik Lomonosov" being towed . Reuters Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures The 'Akademik Lomonosov', the first in a series of floating nuclear plants planned, will be fuelled, tested and in 2019 towed 5,000 kilometres through the Northern Sea Route and put to use near Pevek, in the Chukotka Region. EPA Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures The Akademik Lomonosov is to be loaded with nuclear fuel in Murmansk. AP Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures The floating nuclear power plant. AP Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures Fishermen sail on a boat past the floating nuclear power plant "Akademik Lomonosov". Reuters Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures The floating nuclear power plant, the 'Akademik Lomonosov'. AP Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures The plant, owned and operated by Russian state controlled nuclear giant Rosatom, will pass through Estonian, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian waters towards Murmansk. EPA Russia's floating 'nuclear Titanic': in pictures The floating nuclear power plant "Akademik Lomonosov" Reuters

Julian Kelly, head of the governments Defence Nuclear Organisation, told the PAC that cost savings were a factor behind the delays, but that this was no longer sustainable because of the safety issue.

He said maintaining the disused submarines in a safe condition costs several million pounds each year, but emphasised that the bigger problem was that in the long term there is a safety issue that we have to manage.

Asked if attempts to cut costs were a factor behind previous delays, Mr Kelly told MPs: You can fully understood that they were deferring this defueling and dismantling programme while they thought they could, but we are now at the point where we are not comfortable continuing to do that, because you also have to persuade the regulator that it is safe to hold a submarine in a basin in Devonport, and you are getting to the point where we cannot keep on assuming that."

He admitted there was no excuse for the work having been consistently postponed.

In contrast to the UKs approach, the US is reported to have retired 100 submarines, while Russia has dismantled 195 of the 201 that have been taken out of service.

MPs said the government must end the practice of delaying disposal of out of service submarines and provide Parliament with a yearly update on the process of decommissioning the vessels.

Meg Hillier, chair of the PAC, said: These challenges, taken with the cost, complexity and risks to delivery of the Nuclear Enterprise, give rise to serious questions about the MoDs ability to meet its national security commitments.

In the past there has been significant slippage across Enterprise programmes. The MoD must now bridge an affordability gap running to nearly 3 billion, fill critical skill gaps and ensure its supply chain is maintained effectively  all at a time of significant uncertainty in international politics and trade.

 What is Trident?

She added: I am particularly concerned that the infrastructure available to support the Enterprise is not fit for purpose. The UK has 20 submarines awaiting disposal, nine of which contain fuel.

The MoD admits that while it has previously put off dismantling submarines on grounds of cost, this is no longer acceptable on grounds of safety and reputation.

The MoD needs to get on top of this quickly and, in general terms, be more open about progress being made with management and delivery of the submarine-based deterrent.

Labour MP Luke Pollard, whose constituency covers the Devonport base, told The Independent: "Theres no clear plan as to how these submarines are going to be dismantled and recycled. Its not fair for these communities [in Devonport and Rosyth] to have this unlimited liability for these old submarines without a clear plan."

Mr Pollard said responsibility for dealing with the vessels should be handed to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, which deals with disposing of fuel from nuclear power plants, because the MoD "simply does not have the financial capability to deal with these submarines".

He added: "We need to stop accepting this idea that theyre just going to sit there for the next year, the next decade. When were building new nuclear submarines, we need to have a clear plan for getting rid of the old ones.

"This is a can that has been kicked down the road by successive governments but the problem is becoming more acute because the space for more submarines is running out.

"The real frustration for me is that it has not been a political priority to recycle these submarines because they can get away with leaving them in Devonport because no one has kicked up a fuss. Weve got to stop accepting that were going to be a nuclear graveyard, and weve got to have a plan for dealing with them."

In a scathing report, the MPs said the MoD has not met many previous promises and that past programmes have slipped. It said current infrastructure does not effectively support the UKs Nuclear Enterprise.

An MoD spokesperson said: Our nuclear programmes are some of the most complex engineering projects ever undertaken by the UK defence industry. They provide the most powerful submarines in our history and support thousands of British jobs.

We are committed to delivering these nuclear programmes on time and within budget and will carefully consider the recommendations in this report to ensure this remains the case.

We continue to press ahead with our dismantling projects. Work is underway to enhance our infrastructure so our programmes continue to run at the highest standards.
Puerto Rico's mayor of San Juan has sharpened her attacks against Donald Trump, blaming his administration for "structural negligence" that led to thousands of deaths in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Carmen Yulin Cruz said the president was responsible for the federal governments slow response to the deadly hurricane estimated to have killed nearly 3,000 people, during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on the one-year anniversary of the storm.

"This is President Trumps Katrina," the mayor said, referring to the catastrophic hurricane that struck the US in August 2005. "He can spin it all he wants  3,000 people died on his watch."

Ms Cruz has frequently criticised Mr Trump ever since Hurricane Marias impact was felt across the US territory, while the president has said he earned a "10 out of 10" for his governments disaster recovery efforts. He's also denied the revised death count from the storm of 2,975, claiming the study commissioned by the Puerto Rican government was a conspiracy created by Democrats to make him "look bad".

The mayor's latest comments arrived shortly after the deadly Hurricane Florence struck the Carolinas, Virginia and other parts of the country. Mr Trump travelled to impacted regions during the week after warning that the storm would be "tremendously big and a tremendously wet" hurricane.

The president was restrained during his visit to North Carolina on Wednesday, serving as consoler-in-chief while touting the storm's damage.

Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Show all 20 1 /20 Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Crew chief Kenney shelters under the blade of an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit preparing to take off during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, Puerto Rico, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico An HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit takes off behind Crew Chief Alexander Blake and his fellow soldiers during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Morovis, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Crew member Bynum stands in tropical rain as a HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit prepares to take off during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot Chris Greenway receives a hug from a woman thanking him for water as he works with the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Verde de Comerio, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico A man carries a case of water away from an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter after soldiers working with 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit dropped off relief supplies during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Jayuya, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Crew chief Alexander Blake from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit loads water into a helicopter during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents wait for soldiers in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade to deliver food and water during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in San Lorenzo Reuters Bringing aid to Puerto Rico An HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit lands in a field to avoid lightning during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Manati, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents hold their hands aloft to signal that they need water as UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade fly past during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, near Ciales, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Tropical rain splashes on a runway as HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit wait for weather to clear during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Isla Grande, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Pilot Eldwin Bocanegra Torres speaks with residents isolated by landslides in the mountains after unloading water and food from a helicopter during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, near Utuado, October 10, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents stand in front of wind-damaged trees as they wait for soldiers in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade to deliver food and water during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in San Lorenzo, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico The contents of a home are seen from the air during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria near Utuado, October 10, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Thomas looks out of the window of an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit, loaded with relief supplies, during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria in Isla Grande, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico A message written on the rooftop is seen from the air during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria near Humacao, October 10, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico A HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit lands in a field during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria in San Sebastian, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Sergeant First Class Eladio Tirado, who is from Puerto Rico, looks for a landing spot for a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade, during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria near Ciales, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Boys carry water away from an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter after soldiers working with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit dropped off relief supplies during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Jayuya, October 5, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Sergeant First Class Eladio Tirado from the First Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade, who is from Puerto Rico, speaks with residents as he helps during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in San Lorenzo, October 7, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson Bringing aid to Puerto Rico Residents peek through a fence at helicopters from 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit that had parked in a locked field during recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, in Lares, October 6, 2017 Reuters/Lucas Jackson

His response to the latest storm appeared to show the presidents greater care and concern for Americans in the mainland US, Ms Cruz suggested.

"You see the contrast right now, she said. "Thank God the situation is different in North Carolina and South Carolina. But you see the presidents attention: he doesn't go there to throw paper towels."

Carmen Yulin Cruz shakes hands with a humbled US President Donald Trump after he criticised her leadership in the the aftermath of Hurricane Maria (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Ms Cruz added, "Today, 3,000 Puerto Ricans opened their eyes, and because they didn't have insulin, they didn't have appropriate medical care, they didn't have dialysis, and they didn't have access to their medication, they died."

The president has sparred directly with Ms Cruz, who previously told The Independent that he has personally attacked her "just out of spite".

In one instance, the mayor was invited to participate in a White House conference call to discuss relief efforts, only to be reportedly be told not to speak.

Hes also mocked her on Twitter and in multiple speeches, describing Ms Cruz as the incompetent mayor of San Juan.
A woman who hit a security guard over the head with a bag containing a pigeon has been arrested in northern Virginia.

Laurie Weaver, 56, also pulled a knife on the guard and threatened him with it, according to Fairfax County Police.

The unusual incident began at a social security office in Fairfax on Tuesday morning, when Ms Weaver was seen yelling at workers.

The New York state citizen is accused of hitting the facilitys security guard with her bag after he approached her in an attempt to calm her down. The woman drew the knife on the official as he escorted her outside.

It was only after the guard closed the door and called the police that the pigeon was discovered.

The officers who arrested Ms Weaver opened her bag and found the small bird inside.

Ms Weaver, from the state of New York, was then charged with unlawful attempted wounding.

Pigeon discovered inside the bag (Fairfax County Police Department)

The pigeon was found to be unharmed after the attack, but was taken to a local animal shelter as a precaution.

Ms Weaver could still face other charges related to the bird. A spokesperson for Fairfax County Police said: The pigeon will be returned to the wild after the investigation is complete.

Animal Protection Police are being consulted regarding other possible charges.

The police force described the case as one of its stranger calls on Twitter.
Rod Rosenstein reportedly suggested he would secretly record Donald Trump in an effort to expose the president as being unfit for office  while attempting to invoke the 25th Amendment.

The deputy attorney general suggested in several conversations with multiple FBI and Justice Department officials that hed be willing to wear a wire to secretly record his meetings with Mr Trump, The New York Times reported on Friday. The papers anonymous sources alleged his intent in recording the president would be to expose him as being unfit for office.

Sources also told The Times that internal memos had been drafted by FBI officials, including then-acting director Andrew McCabe, about Mr Rosensteins comments surrounding secret recordings and the 25th amendment.

The deputy attorney general has denied the report in a statement defending the president, saying: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.

The New York Timess story is inaccurate and factually incorrect, he said. I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda.

A Justice Department source also told the paper that Mr Rosenstein was being sarcastic when he made the proposal to wear a wire while meeting with the president.

However, several sources said Mr Rosenstein was entirely serious about secretly recording the president, suggesting other FBI officials meeting with Mr Trump to replace ex-FBI Director James Comey could do the same.

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

The deputy attorney general began working in his current position during a highly tumultuous time of Mr Trumps presidency last year, just weeks after he had fired Mr Comey and began ramping up his attacks against the federal agency. The Times reported that Mr Rosenstein was caught off guard after the president referred to a memo he wrote criticising Mr Comeys handling of Hillary Clintons email probe in his firing of the former FBI director.

He reportedly began telling people that he was afraid the president had used him as a tool in order to fire Mr Comey.

But it remains unclear whether Mr Rosenstein or any other FBI official may have secretly recorded the president during any of their interactions. The Times noted that none of Mr Rosensteins proposals apparently came to fruition, possibly suggested that he dropped his mission of wearing a wire or eventually invoking the 25th Amendment.

Omarosa Manigault Newman, a reality TV star and former longtime aide to Mr Trump, repeatedly secretly recorded him and others during her tenure in the White House. She even recorded her own exit meeting with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in the Situation Room, which does not allow mobile phones or other recording devices for national security purposes.

By Friday afternoon, ABC News had confirmed the papers story through its own reporting, adding that Mr Rosenstein allegedly encouraged Mr McCabe to wear a wire while meeting with the president.

Meanwhile, the deputy attorney general would reportedly seek to convince Jeff Sessions and Mr Kelly to support a move to use the 25th Amendment against Mr Trump.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The bombshell report quickly garnered the attention of Capitol Hill, with several Republican lawmakers calling for further information on Mr Rosensteins conversations.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump must not use a newspaper report about the deputy attorney general for the corrupt purpose of firing him, the Associated Press reported on Friday.

Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, demanded further information regarding Mr Rosenstein, tweeting: Mr Rosenstein, give Congress the McCabe memos that we asked for in July and all the other documents weve requested so we can all judge for ourselves.

Mr Trump has frequently targeted Mr Rosenstein, describing the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election as a witch hunt.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Venezuela's government is responsible for the worst human rights crisis in its history, Amnesty International has said in a new report.

The organisation claimed several human rights abuses had taken place the South American country, including the use of lethal force against the most vulnerable in its society.

Its report argued that the Venezuelan government had failed to protect its people and had implemented deadly and repressive measures.

Amnesty said 8,292 extrajudicial executions took place between 2015 and 2017.

It also found 4,667 (22 per cent) of homicides in 2016 were at the hands of security officials. Males made up 95 per cent of murder victims, and of those 60 per cent were between 12 and 29 years old.

The report looked at the alarming levels of economic insecurity in the country and found 87 per cent of people lived in poverty.

It also found a 65 per cent increase in maternal mortality and a 30 per cent increase in infant mortality.

Amnesty argued that its report showed how the government had failed to prevent armed violence or investigate other human rights violations.

Instead, it said, Venezuelan authorities had publicly stated that killing people in the context of security operations was a successful practice.

A combination of human rights abuses and lack of security had led to a dramatic increase in the number of people flooding into nearby countries, Amnesty said.

The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million people have left Venezuela since 2014.

The coountry, which was once a wealthy oil-producing nation, has been wracked by severe food and medicine scarcity after two decades of socialist rule.

Amnesty called on the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, to guarantee his citizens' right to life.

A member of the national guard fires a shotgun at opposition demonstrators during clashes in Caracas last year (AFP/Getty)

Venezuela is going through one of the worst human rights crises in its history. The list of crimes under international law against the population is growing, said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnestys Americas director:

It is alarming that, instead of applying efficient public policies to protect people and reduce levels of insecurity, the Venezuelan authorities are using the language of war to try to legitimise the use of excessive force by police and military officials and, in many cases, the use of lethal force with intent to kill.

The government of President Maduro should guarantee the right to life, instead of taking the lives of the countrys young people. The government must urgently launch a national programme to reduce homicides and effectively implement a policing model that includes guidelines on the proportional and differentiated use of force and firearms that fully comply with international human rights norms and standards.

The Independent has contacted the Venezuelan Embassy in London for comment.
At least 22 people have been killed and dozens are missing after a landslide engulfed two villages in the central Philippines, with some trapped people managing to send text messages from beneath the rubble.

Survivors heard a thunderous roar when the mountainside buried dozens of homes in two villages in Naga on Thursday morning.

The disaster came after Typhoon Mangkhut hit the north of the Philippines, intensifying seasonal monsoon rains and increasing the risk of landslides.

Although some people trapped in the sludge managed to send text messages, the messages stopped within a few hours.

 Deadly Typhoon Mangkhut batters Philippines

One resident, Nimrod Parba, told the Associated Press that one of his trapped relatives called for help about three hours after the landslide hit and entombed 13 members of his family.

They are still under the rubble, they are still there. They are covered in shallow earth, we need a backhoe.

A man embracing a child in a house was dug out by rescuers using a digger on Thursday night.

Distraught relatives have begged for more diggers to be brought to the mound of earth and debris, where they hoped loved ones could be pulled out alive.

Authorities have limited the number of rescuers and other people inside the stricken villages, fearing heavy rain on the loose and soaked ground could cause new slides.

Rescuers continue their search for missing miners in a landslide caused by Typhoon Mangkhut at a small-scale mining camp in Itogon (Reuters) (REUTERS)

Philippine troops and police have forcibly evacuated residents from five villages vulnerable to landslides.

Some villages left on their own, but the bulk of more than 1,200 people were forced to move by authorities on Thursday night.

The landslide occurred as parts of the far northern Philippines dealt with damage from Typhoon Mangkhut.

At least 95 people were killed and more than 50 are missing, many in the gold-mining town of Igoton, where landslides buried houses and a chapel where people had gathered to hide from the storm.
Can you trust your memory to accurately recall what happened during those hot and heady years of teenage crushes, student parties and late-night drinking and smoking behind your parents backs?

Christine Blasey Ford is a respected professor of psychology in California, with two teenage sons. A registered Democrat, the largest donation shes given to the cause is $100. Brett Kavanaugh is a right-wing Catholic Republican judge with two daughters who has spent his entire life immersed in politics, and who has assiduously courted power. Now hes reached the pinnacle of his career, and is nominated for a vacant position in the US Supreme Court.

His seamless rise through the white male meritocracy ground came to a juddering halt last month when Ford made public her claim that back in the 1980s  when she was 15 and Kavanagh 17  he pinned her down on a bed at a student party and tried to force himself on her.

She says he tried to pull her clothes off and rubbed his body against her, placing his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. She also says that when a drunken friend of his jumped on top of them, she managed to escape.

The alleged incident affected her so much that Ford decided to tell friends about it and discussed it with her therapist in 2012. She says she has come forward now because shes troubled that a man who can potentially behave like this could be in a position where he can make decisions that will impact so many womens lives.

Hundreds of former students of the school Ford attended have written letters of support, and called for a thorough and independent investigation. Many say her story is consistent with stories they heard while attending the college.

In retaliation, Kavanaugh has published a letter signed by 50 women who have worked with him saying this version of events is not credible and that he is a wonderful man to work with. He denies all allegations.

The big question is: can a teenage memory be trusted?

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

When I wrote two memoirs (Baggage and Fallout) which charted my teenage years and my acrimonious relationship with my mother, I had to reconstruct my childhood and the events which led me to walk out at 18. I lost my virginity at 15 to a man called Jimmy, who I met once at the Marquee Club in Soho. I arranged to go to his flat one Saturday, and that was that. I can remember the precise bus journey before and after, and the furnishings in his flat, but not a lot about the actual event, other than my relief when it was over and the deed done.

I can remember other sexual exploits after that (when I was 16) in a lot more detail. According to many psychologists, central events can be recalled with clarity, while details may change in the telling.

I see no reason to doubt Fords account, even though the right-wing media in the US has been digging through her life and trying to wrong-foot her. Her therapists notes from 2012 reveal she originally said four boys were in the room, while she told The Washington Post this month that there were only two involved. Does it matter? Not really. It suits the media and the Republicans to focus on false memory rather than the central charge of alleged sexual harassment.

The cost of speaking up has been huge: Ford has received death threats and gone into hiding. She has been asked to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee (which includes 11 white men, two of which are in their 80s) who are charged with approving Kavanaughs appointment. Ford has asked for an FBI investigation into her claims, which would mean that witnesses were interviewed in a controlled environment and that a measured and fair account of events would result. Shes said she will testify before the Senate but not this Monday.

Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Reddit are pulsating with false claims about both parties: allegations that Kavanaughs mother (who is a judge) made a ruling which cost Fords parents their home; that Ford accused another judge of sexual misconduct; that her students wrote negative reviews of her work; and that she is a major donor to the Democrats  all 100 per cent false.

Originally, Ford wanted to tell her story in confidence. She wrote to her Congresswoman, who passed it to the senator for California, Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Now Ford is exposed to the full glare of publicity and her life will be changed forever.

Youd think that, post-MeToo, women might feel more comfortable speaking out about events that traumatised them in the past. Forget it  the treatment of Ford shows that any accuser of a powerful man will be fair game as a predominately white male establishment seeks to protect their own. I do not expect this courtroom drama to have a happy ending for either party involved. Meanwhile, other women watch, appalled.
Forty-eight hours after Theresa May became prime minister it was instantly apparent there were important aspects of the job that were going to be entirely beyond her.

It was the weekend, there had been an attempted coup in Turkey, and so it was required of her to speak for the nation by saying some very brief platitudes down a TV news camera, which she found she couldnt do without looking very obviously petrified.

From there, the disaster of the 2017 election was, with hindsight all too clear to see. She was never going to be a great leader.

But what was never, ever clear was that she would be reduced to this, which is to say summoning the cameras, wheeling out the lectern and then snarling and spitting at other world leaders, whose interests are not aligned with hers, for not giving her what she wants.

The most tragic thing of all is that she was too weak to do it when it counted. If she was going to stand up to these EU leaders, who evidently she feels ambushed her and embarrassed her, by sticking to the position from which they have not altered in months, the time to do it was right then, in Salzburg.

Instead she stuttered, stared and panicked her way through her press conference, almost, at times, seeming to hold back tears  in the way you occasionally see when a fully grown adult gets mugged on the street and cries, revealing the frightened child within.

What was truly pathetic was that here she was, 24 hours later, back in the UK, her composure regained, talking all tough to the bigger boys from a safe distance, like the roughed up school kid who waits for his attackers to run off before announcing hes going to go after them.

The best way to track the UKs leverage over the European Union is to track the price of the pound against the euro. The best price youll find in recent times was on 23 June 2016, when the UK was still a member of the EU and not expected to leave.

 Emmanuel Macron calls Brexit campaign leaders 'liars', in extraordinary attack

As she raged like, well, like someone who has completely lost control, the pound sunk yet further, and that will surprise no one. When you publicly announce the only card you have left is howling anger, dont expect the money to fall in behind you.

Of course, to the Brexit faithful, all this is fine. The angrier Theresa May gets, the clearer it is that the EU is being unreasonable. That it is us that voted to leave, that they didnt ask for any of this, is so obvious a point it has long since been forgotten.

I will not break up my country, she wailed towards the end, doing her very best impression of the leader she is not. In her quiet moments, you do wonder if she has come to think of herself as some towering figure, at her countrys hour of need. As if the grave peril she must face down for us all has not been entirely self-inflicted.



That the source of all this anger and resentment is the determination to avoid a hard border in Ireland is the most laughable aspect of all.

At the end of Theresa May's rant, the UK position appears to be thus. We've said how we want to avoid a hard border. You've said no. But be under no illusion, we are so determined to avoid a hard border, we are not afraid to walk away without a deal at all, which will, of course, mean an instant return to a hard border.

It was the behaviour of an adult toddler. When all bargaining positions are gone, all that remains is volume. If you scream loud enough someone might relent or take pity.

Throughout this process, she howled, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect, the UK expects the same.

Thats entirely untrue, by the way. May has got previous experience of getting out the Downing Street lectern and spitting fire at the European Union. The last time she did it was in May last year, when she narrowed her eyes and thundered at the bureaucrats of Brussels who she imagined were seeking to interfere in her election.

What she said then, by the way, was that if we "let the bureaucrats of Brussels run over us, the high paid jobs we want for our children and grandchildren just won't be there". How do we think that's going exactly?

The fire didnt quite take, in the end, and a few weeks later she self-immolated by mistake. Read into that what you will.
Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy has urged people to vote in the referendum (Brian Lawless/PA)

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy has made an order appointing October 26 as the polling day for the referendum on blasphemy.

This is the same day as the Presidential election.

The Bill moved through parliament this week following its introduction by Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan in the Dail on Tuesday, where it passed without opposition.

Mr Flanagan says the move shows Ireland values free speech and embraces multiculturalism.

The line the minister wants removed from the Constitution is: The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law.

Whatever your views are on the proposals in the referendum, can I take this opportunity to encourage voters to go to their polling station.Eoghan Murphy

A Constitutional amendment seeking to remove the reference of blasphemy from the Constitution passed all stages in the Seanad on Thursday.

The majority of Senators were in favour of the Bill. Independent Senator Ronan Mullen was the only one to express opposition to the referendum, labelling the vote as tokenism.

He hit out at the proposal as hypocritical, adding that anti-Catholicism is a bizarre version of free speech.

His suggestion was that the 2009 Defamation Act be amended to remove the offence of blasphemy from Irish law, adding it would reduce the cost of another referendum on taxpayers.

He claimed the referendum could cost the taxpayer between 3m and 4m.

The last known complaint of blasphemy in Ireland was in 2017, when Garda were looking into a formal complaint of blasphemy made against Stephen Fry and RTE after the writers 2015 appearance on RTEs religion programme The Meaning Of Life.

The Garda later said they would not proceed with an investigation as no injured parties had come forward and they were unable to find a substantial number of outraged people.

Mr Murphy encouraged the public to engage in the referendum, no matter what their belief on the matter.

Whatever your views are on the proposals in the referendum, can I take this opportunity to encourage voters to go to their polling station during this 15 hour period on 26 October and have your say in the outcome of the referendum, the minister said.

He has appointed Barry Ryan, a Principal Officer in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, to be the referendum returning officer for the referendum.

The total Irish electorate stands at around 3.3 million.

Polling will take place between 7am and 10pm.
Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in Downing Street in the aftermath of the Salzburg summit, saying that the EU must respect the UK in Brexit talks Credit: Jack Taylor/PA Wire

Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in Downing Street in the aftermath of the Salzburg summit Credit: Jack Taylor/PA Wire

European Council President Donald Tusk has conceded British Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit proposal is a step in the right direction.

However, Mr Tusk said the Prime Minister was surprisingly tough and uncompromising during negotiations at this weeks EU Summit in Salzburg.

Mr Tusk was responding after the Prime Minister doubled down on her Brexit stance and called on the EU to respect Britain as negotiations intensify.

In a statement, the former Polish Prime Minister, who was criticised for goading Ms May with social media posts during the EU Summit, said he was a true admirer of the Conservative Party leader.

After intensive consultations with Member States, we decided that for the good of the negotiations, and out of respect for the efforts of PM May, we will treat the Chequers plan as a step in the right direction, Mr Tusk said.

The UK stance presented just before and during the Salzburg meeting was surprisingly tough and in fact uncompromising. The response of the EU27 leaders was to reiterate our trust in chief negotiator Michel Barnier and to reiterate our position on the integrity of the Single Market and the Irish backstop.

While understanding the logic of the negotiations, I remain convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible, he added.

Earlier on Friday, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May said she will never agree to a border in the Irish Sea in a speech outside Downing Street.

"If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake...we both agree the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop," she said.

"The EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union. As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country."

She addressed Northern Ireland and said that she would do everything in her power to prevent a hard border.

Mrs May sounded frustrated as she said negotiations were at an impasse, in the statement made one day after EU leaders rejected key parts of her Brexit proposals.

"Brexit negotiations were always bound to be toughest in the final straight..there are two big issues where we remain far away," the prime minister said.

She told the European Union that it should come up with an alternative to her Brexit proposals and warned she would never accept a break-up of the United Kingdom.

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An economic relationship where the UK would stay in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU "would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago".

"Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal," she said.

"Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it."

Mrs May concluded her statement by saying: "The EU should be clear, I will not overturn the result of the referendum, nor will I break up my country. We need serious engagement in resolving the two big issues in the negotiations and we stand ready."

The office of the French president Emmanuel Macron said "no comment" when asked about Mrs May's speech on Brexit.
Consumers could lose out on cheaper electricity if the UK leaves without a deal. Stock Images

Householders and businesses face higher energy prices in the event of a hard Brexit.

Consumers could lose out on cheaper electricity if the UK leaves without a deal because the State will effectively be cut-off from trading power with other EU member countries.

Currently, electricity is supplied from generators located in the Republic and Northern Ireland, the so-called single electricity market (SEM), and through two high-voltage power lines called interconnectors - one linked to Scotland, and the second to Wales.

Generators bid to provide power on a daily basis, and national grid operator EirGrid dispatches renewables and then the cheapest available.

But from October 1, Ireland will join the European Integrated Single Electricity Market (I-SEM), which aims to lower prices.

This allows generators across 20 countries to supply power to Irish consumers north and south of the Border, leading to more competition and downward pressure on prices.

The energy will flow through the interconnectors, but if there is a hard Brexit and no deal on energy, it means that cheaper power cannot be transmitted because there is no direct connection between Ireland and the European mainland.

While EirGrid is planning a sub-sea link with France called the Celtic Interconnector, which would provide some security of supply and allow energy for some 450,000 homes to flow, this will not be completed until 2025.

EirGrid director of markets Rodney Doyle said if the UK left the EU without a deal, it would also leave itself exposed, but there was a risk.

"If there was a really hard Brexit which impacted on how we trade with Britain, if people are lacking sense in terms of the approach, any market that isn't aligned with the I-SEM isn't going to be as efficient.

"If it's a very bad one, there's potential for that [higher prices]," he said.

"It would be counter-productive for both economies. Britain gets a benefit from trading with Belgium, Holland, France and other countries. It's not just about Ireland.

"Their system is designed to align perfectly with the market. Any departure is less efficient for us and them."

Ireland is also heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports from the UK to generate electricity and provide home and motoring fuels.

Figures show that last year, some 4.7bn of coal, oil and gas were imported, most of which came from the UK.

If the UK is not subject to EU trading rules, it is not clear what system will take its place.

Experts warn that in the event of an acrimonious Brexit, where tariffs on energy end up being imposed, it could also lead to higher prices, both for Ireland and the UK.

However, this is not expected to happen.

"It would be counter-productive for both economies," Mr Doyle said.
A Limerick man has been convicted and fined in Kilmallock for a number of offences which include causing unnecessary suffering to dogs, and having chained, unburied carcasses of two adult dogs and one puppy on his property.

Mr Seamus Looby of Raheen, Garryspillane, Co. Limerick, pleaded guilty to the charges, and received a fine of 1,150.

Judge Marion O Leary also ordered him to pay an additional 1,000 to the ISPCA toward the costs of the investigation.

Judge O Leary restricted Mr Looby from keeping dogs for a period of 18 months under section 58 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.

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ISPCA Animal Welfare Inspectors seized 37 dogs from Mr Loobys farm on May 16, 2017 after they were alerted to the condition of the dogs on his property by May Humphries, a veterinary inspector for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The dogs, mostly Collies, were found in substandard conditions without access to clean drinking water. Many were flea-ridden, tightly chained in outhouses and sheds, and were weak and lethargic due to the lack of basic care.

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Two adult dogs and one puppy were also discovered deceased on the initial visit, having succumbed to neglect.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine brought the prosecution against Mr Looby, and was represented by Thomas Wallace O Donnell, BL.

ISPCA Senior Inspector Lisa ODonovan said failure to uphold the basic level of care of these animals is just not acceptable.

"The sheer number of them, and the way they were grossly neglected was deplorable. These dogs suffered greatly and it was shocking to see three of these animals had already died. We are grateful to the Department of Agriculture for alerting us to this case and for bringing this the prosecution.

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"Mr Loobys Solicitor told the court that the dogs had been delivered to his property by another man, who chained them in different areas and advised that they be kept that way. He claimed the dogs were only there for 2 weeks, which was confirmed by Ms Humphries, who had visited the property during that time frame and did not see any dogs present.
The blimps had returned, swaying gently in the sky - a sign to far and wide that the Ploughing was back in business.

Only the visible scars - the patched-up stands and the barren wooden platforms sadly devoid of their canvas - told the tale of the devastation that had hit the day before.

Invisible were the worries of traders desperately trying to make up the serious losses incurred by missing out on a day of one of the biggest events in the rural calendar.

Some 10 smaller traders had been wiped out completely - unable to return to the Ploughing this year.

Another 20 to 30 will not be able to attend today for the unscheduled additional day, because of other commitments or because they have to return home, Anna Maria McHugh, the event organiser, said.

But if you rebuild it, they will come, has become the mantra of Ploughing '18 - and after a slow start to the morning - and despite the rain, the steel walkways were thronged once more with people keen to enjoy 'the ploughin' yesterday.

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Nora Ni Ghriofa and her brother Mairtin, from Lettermore, Co Galway, were doing a trawl of the various stands, mopping up complimentary pens, pencils and rulers and stashing them in a wheelie case. "It's our annual pilgrimage," explained Nora, who said they will give them out to friends who are travelling to Vietnam, Laos and Ethiopia, as well as use them for the shoe box appeal for Syria.

"I travel a lot myself," said school teacher Nora, who said that she realises how much these small items are valued.

"We come from a family of 17 ourselves so we know what it's like. We always passed things on," she said.

There was such a large queue for the Aldi tent that the security guard had to plead with people in a desperate effort to stem the tide. "Take it easy guys, it's an Aldi tent," he said.

But inside, Mike Denver was pumping out the hits, going from 'Galway Girl' to 'Country Roads' to 'Tommy K' and at the front, girls in blue-branded cowboy hats were line-dancing.

"You always get a decent crowd here," said Denver afterwards.

He said he was sorry for the smaller traders who had come to the Ploughing, which had cost them "an arm and a leg", only to be wiped out there.

The politicians had returned too - with Micheal Martin hitting out at the Government for its handling of the storm and then Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy grabbing a sneaky burger in the rain, before heading off to the Fine Gael tent to hand out tea and biscuits to punters.

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"What's that minister - is he from this area?" wondered a woman who had come in to fill up her own environmentally friendly keep cup.

After Mr Murphy had defended the Government's stance on the storm, Charlie Flanagan had said something about Brexit and Pat Deering had set off a hand grenade by saying he was "looking forward to welcoming everyone to Carlow in 2019" - thus prematurely announcing the plans of the Ploughing organisers - they were off.

But there were more important things cooking besides political rows.

Just two and a half weeks after giving birth to her third son Paddy, Emma Ferguson was left speechless after walking away with the prize for the Aldi brown bread competition, which will see her own bread on the shelves of the store for the next year.

Formerly working in marketing and from Rathmolyon, Co Meath, Emma said she'd been up since 2am because Paddy hadn't been sleeping.

It was just as well though - because he was sleeping now, she said.

The winning recipe was originally her mother's soda bread recipe - but Emma had tweaked it beyond recognition with chia seeds and "whatever I have in the press," she said.

Sons Johnny (4) and Charlie (2) love it.

"I prefer it with lashings of butter though - I don't know how the judges ate it dry," she said with a shudder.
This year has clearly demonstrated the importance of native grain for both dairy and livestock enterprises.

The strong demand and the lift in prices for this year and prospects for good prices in 2019 have given tillage farmers a much-needed confidence boost.

The success of tillage in Ireland, despite our normal high rainfall and variable weather, is due to farmers' persistent adoption of new technologies, mechanisation and high-input pesticide programmes.

We cannot grow viable crops without robust fungicide programmes.

Those programmes have remained effective and produce the highest yields despite the fact that our climate is probably the least favourable of all grain-growing regions in the world.

The lynch-pin of our programmes has been chlorothalonil, a chemical that we have been using for more than 30 years and which is still effective.

In addition to its own fungicidal effects, it has been the core of our anti-resistance strategy in this country to protect other fungicides.

Without chlorothalonil our septoria control programmes in wheat would have been substantially less effective and substantially more expensive.

I have no doubt that the area of wheat would have been substantially reduced.

It is also very important in barley production, where control of ramularia is highly dependent on chlorothalonil.

The EU Commission has proposed that the approval for chlorothalonil should not be renewed.

That proposal will be voted on, by the member states, in either October or December. If approval is not renewed, usage will have to be ceased within 18 months.

That would give farmers two further seasons on chlorothalonil use. By then it is expected that new chemistry will be available.

However, new chemistry is expensive and that chemistry will also need anti-resistance protection - which, given history, would best be provided by chlorothalonil.

In order for the proposal to be rejected, at least two of the larger countries - France, Germany, Italy and the UK - must vote against the proposal. Of the four, the UK is the only country that needs chlorothalonil.

It is very important for the future of Irish tillage that other member states take into consideration our unique position within Europe and the extra challenges that we face in crop disease control.

A Teagasc report published last week estimates that loss of chlorothalonil would reduce profit from wheat production by 50pc and from barley by 65pc.

Cereal production would only be viable on the best of land and in low rainfall areas.

That would leave growers producing the national average yield with no net income, exclude much of the country from production apart from the east coast, and leave all rented land making a loss.

For a strong case to be made in Europe in favour of renewal of approval, it is important that our politicians understand the importance of pesticide usage for the viability of tillage farms, the availability of Irish concentrates and straw for dairy and livestock farms, the viability of our grain merchants, and the availability of raw materials for our brewing and distilling industries, with the people they all employ.

Mushroom industry

Our mushroom industry, which is struggling for survival, may well be pushed out of existence due to lack of wheaten straw.

Pig and poultry farms are heavily reliant of tillage lands for the management of their organic manures.

Cereal production is a specialist business. The only people who fully understand the importance of pesticide usage are agronomists and farmers who have experienced poor yields and quality due to inadequate pesticide protection programmes.

In order to ensure that the interests of the Irish tillage industries are appropriately represented in Europe, it is important that our politicians are made fully aware of the implications of non-renewal of chlorothalonil - it is now up to the industries and farmers to ensure that their politicians are fully informed.

Make contact with yours this week and voice your concerns.

May sure that they know that we need chlorothalonil more than any other country in Europe and that without it, the viability of cereal production in Ireland will be seriously undermined.

PJ Phelan is a tillage advisor based in Tipperary and is a member of the ACA and ITCA
"Yesterday, I was in Salzburg for talks with European leaders. I have always said that these negotiations would be tough - and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight.

"While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that - despite the progress we have made - there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart.

The first is our economic relationship after we have left. Here, the EU is still only offering us two options.

The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU.

In plain English, this would mean wed still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldnt do the trade deals we want with other countries.

That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago.

The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.

Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea.

Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would not respect that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, in line with the principle of consent, as set out clearly in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake.

Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal.

But I have also been clear that the best outcome is for the UK to leave with a deal. That is why, following months of intensive work and detailed discussions, we proposed a third option for our future economic relationship, based on the frictionless trade in goods. That is the best way to protect jobs here and in the EU and to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, while respecting the referendum result and the integrity of the United Kingdom.

Yesterday Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didnt explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse.

The second issue is connected to the first. We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if theres a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still wont be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union.

As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country.

We will set out our alternative that preserves the integrity of the UK. And it will be in line with the commitments we made back in December - including the commitment that no new regulatory barriers should be created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK unless the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly agree.

As I told EU leaders, neither side should demand the unacceptable of the other.

We cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of our union, just as they cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of theirs.

We cannot accept anything that does not respect the result of the referendum, just as they cannot accept anything that is not in the interest of their citizens.

Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other sides proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals.

So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress.

In the meantime, we must and will continue the work of preparing ourselves for no deal.

In particular, I want to clarify our approach to two issues.

First, there are over 3 million EU citizens living in the UK who will be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterdays summit means for their future.

I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay.

Second, I want to reassure the people of Northern Ireland that in the event of no deal we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to a hard border.

Let me also say this.

The referendum was the largest democratic exercise this country has ever undergone. To deny its legitimacy or frustrate its result threatens public trust in our democracy.

That is why for over two years I have worked day and night to deliver a deal that sees the UK leave the EU. I have worked to bring people with me even when that has not always seemed possible.

No one wants a good deal more than me.

But the EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country.

We need serious engagement on resolving the two big problems in the negotiations. We stand ready."
The chief executive of Nama has said the European Troika tried to force him to 'fire sale' its assets at the pit of the economic crisis in 2011.

A sale would have cost taxpayers as much as 14bn, which was recovered by selling assets more slowly as the economy recovered, members of the Dail's Public Accounts Committee heard yesterday.

Nama CEO Brendan McDonagh described an extraordinary level of tension between the agency and the members of the European Commission, IMF and European Central Bank (ECB) during the early period of the bailout.

At one meeting, Mr McDonagh said, he had "40 people in a room shouting across the table". A senior ECB official "stormed out" of the meeting because Nama would not speed up sales, he said.

The ECB could not be reached for comment last night. It is understood that the ECB wanted Nama to sell assets faster so that it could redeem 30bn of Nama bonds owed to the Irish banks. The banks were using Nama bonds as collateral to borrow funds from the central bank - which the ECB was keen to get back.

"And they would be shouting across the table at me, saying 'Why aren't you selling more? Why aren't you generating the cash? You are too slow at generating the cash'," Mr McDonagh said.

The revelation is a new insight into the degree of tension between members of the Troika and Irish officials.

Nama said it now expects to return 3.5bn to the Exchequer when it is due to be wound up at the end of next year - the surplus after the agency's original 32bn of debt has been repaid and the bulk of assets sold off.

In relation to the housing crisis, the Nama chief said some public and media discussion of the crisis tended to be "overly simplistic".

"The reality is that you cannot fund the development of a residential site if it is not commercially viable to do so," he said.

Under European State Aid rules, even the Government is forbidden from developing sites that would not be viable for private development, he said.
Ryanair has been told to deliver "clear progress" on the succession of its chairman David Bonderman by this time next year, or risk the wrath of at least one big shareholder.

Aberdeen Standard Investments, which manages roughly 11 million Ryanair shares worth about 150m, told the airline's board yesterday that while it had voted for the re-election of Mr Bonderman at yesterday's annual general meeting, it wouldn't do so next year if no succession plan was in place.

Aberdeen Standard Investments, with worldwide assets worth more than $735bn (625bn), said a succession plan should also be made clear for Ryanair's senior independent director, Kyran McLaughlin.

Mr Bonderman (75) - the billionaire co-founder of private equity giant TPG - owns shares worth about 100m in Ryanair and has been its chairman for 22 years. Mr McLaughlin, the deputy chairman of Davy Stockbrokers, has been a Ryanair director for 17 years.

Aberdeen Standard Investments investment director Alison Kennedy told the AGM that the group had thought "long and hard" about voting for the re-election of both directors.

"The length of time both have been on the board suggests a lack of focus on board succession planning. Excessive tenure also calls into question an individual's independence and objectivity and our engagement on governance matters suggests that the board is not listening carefully enough to shareholders' views," she said.

Mr Bonderman secured 70.5pc of the votes cast at the AGM in favour of his re-election. He got 89.1pc last year.

Speaking after the AGM, Mr Bonderman said he was pleased to have been re-elected. "We always want to listen to what shareholders have to say," he said. "They may be right, they may be wrong, but we want to consider it. It's a point of view. For a variety of reasons, those of us on the board think they're barking up the wrong tree, but we'll listen."

He declined to say how long he might remain on the Ryanair board.

"We have been very fortunate to have David Bonderman as chairman for the last 22 years," said Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary.

"He knows it won't go on forever. We know it won't go on forever. But frankly, if we could encourage him to continue to run the company for another couple of years, I would personally encourage him to do so. I don't think he will."
Ryanair dramatically backtracked yesterday on its decision to ban media from its annual general meeting. The last-minute reversal came after reporters from the Irish Independent, RTE and the 'Financial Times' accessed the event as shareholder proxies.

Journalists from global news wires and other Irish media waited outside the front doors of the Co Meath hotel where the AGM was being held, eager to breach the blockade that been imposed by the airline. Security guards patrolled the venue inside and out.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, pictured right, claimed the airline had expected "mass protests" at the hotel, and that the AGM could be "hijacked".

Banning media, he said, would act as a disincentive to protesters turning up.

"We're delighted to welcome you in with open arms," he told journalists.
Rare media outing: Ryanairs Michael OLeary leaving a briefing after the company AGM at the City North Hotel, Co Meath, yesterday. Photo: PA

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has given his clearest indication yet that his days at the airline may be numbered.

In his first major engagement with Irish media since the airline suffered a major pilot rostering failure last year and recognised trade unions, Mr O'Leary said he was unlikely to be running the airline in five years' time.

His existing five-year contract expires in September next year.

"I have no idea when I'll have had enough," said the outspoken airline boss.

"I like this company. I like working for this company. I don't do it for the pay I get. But as long as it remains interesting and fun and challenging, I see no reason not to continue to try to lead it and lead it forward positively."

He said there were a number of internal candidates who could replace him, but said the company should, when the time comes to replace him, also look for external successors.

Mr O'Leary said it had been fun running the company over the past year, as Ryanair faced labour strife across Europe and tortuous negotiations with unions that still haven't been fully resolved.

"Why wouldn't it be?" he said. "We're growing to 142 million customers. We've bought LaudaMotion, we've added another 50 aircraft. Yes, there's been challenges. The rostering thing last September was a balls-up. That was painful. We recovered very quickly from it. Recognising unions was not one of my best days in Ryanair, but it was inevitable at some point in time," he said.

Mr O'Leary said the decision to recognise trade unions last year was his and that it shocked Ryanair's other board members.

He added that he did not expect "that many strikes" at the carrier during the winter.
Waking up every morning being thankful for a job you love and a family that support you can seem to many of us to be the ideal - perhaps an unattainable - goal in life.

But this Irish mum-of-two was determined to make her dream of combining her love of family and business together to do just that; but the road there wasn't the easiest one.

Laura O'Mahony had always been used to pushing herself to the limits and taking on new challenges.

"Entrepreneurship was in my bones", she said, clearly evident from a CV which includes chopping up her dad's wood blocks to sell as kindling and establishing a lucrative lawn mowing business, all before the age of ten.

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Always ahead of the curve, this young woman from Tipperary managed to bag a well-paid marketing manager role at her former college, not least due to her familiarity with social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo - whose power and reach were only beginning to be realised at the time.

With a background in multimedia and a few years working in marketing at a local car dealership under her belt, Laura's one year contract in the role at LIT Thurles - which primarily involved the recruitment of new students (uptake was up 70pc in her tenure) - led to the contract being extended for a further two years.

But it was after the birth of Laura's first baby, Joe, that the trajectory of her career (and life) began to follow a less predictable path. Returning to the college after maternity leave saw an ownership takeover at the college and a subsequent cull of any employee on contract.

Not one to dwell on hard luck, Laura soon took up a short term contract at WIT in a similar role - but the jolt proved to be what she needed to realise what she ultimately wanted to do.

Today I am feeling so thankful. I am so lucky to wake up every morning and do a job that I love. I am so thankful for customers who make this happen. It's been a difficult journey but well worth it. Never give up on your dreams and go out and make it happen. A photo posted by Laura O' Mahony (@happyinyournappy) on Nov 15, 2016 at 2:38am PST

"I always wanted to work for myself but the real idea of setting up 'Happy In Your Nappy' came to me after I made a hand made baby gift (a nappy cake) for my cousin after the birth of her child," she told independent.ie.

"She loved it and later that day I got phone calls from other visitors to the hospital ward asking where they could get one. I started it really as a hobby but, over time, I could see huge potential in the business and I decided to take the leap, left my marketing job and set up my own company."

Laura went full-time with the online baby store initially almost six years ago but it has only been the successful re-launch of the business this summer that she feels she is truly where she needs to be at.

"The concept of the business grew out of being able to balance working with raising my children. I wanted to spend more time with them and this scenario allowed me the flexibility and enabled me to make the most of the time with them while they were small," she said.

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But shortly after the birth of her second son, Dan, Laura got a call "out-of-the-blue" offering her a part-time marketing job. It sounded ideal: working from home, deciding her own hours - and, what many new business owners miss most, regular income.

"At the start it was great. I managed to juggle a four month old baby (who was still breastfeeding) the marketing role and running the business; but over time the goal posts changed. The marketing role became more demanding; I was required to work more hours and to be in the office - it was becoming a full-time role.

"I was trying to have it all and be everything to everyone. I was trying to be the mother who drops and collects her kids, the wife, the businesswoman, the marketing manager and there was no room left for me. I was under severe pressure and suffering very badly with stress and anxiety."

Soon, the very reason that Laura gave up her full-time job became lost in the milieu. She felt that she "failed" her children by missing out on time spent with them while she was working and they "spent their summers in creche and summer camps".

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"They had been my inspiration to set up the business; the main reason so that I could work the business around them and be there for them. I had lost sight of that," she said.

"I made the decision to give up the marketing role and focus my energies on my family and the business."

With a fresh new look, a new handpicked product range that "we have tried, tested and loved", Laura finally feels that she has reached a point where she has successfully combined her family and her business

"Both myself and my husband Paddy are very involved in the business. We have completely restructured the business and it is now an online baby and nursery store.

"Its a family business and one thing we understand is families and that is why we have handpicked a product range that makes life a little easier. We only chose products that we would use ourselves or have used ourselves for our boys."
With almost two weeks of rigorous testing under his belt, Adrian Weckler assesses the iPhone Xs and Xs Max.

Is the screen on the Xs Max too big? Has battery life improved? Is the Xs now the best cameraphone, or is Huaweis P20 Pro still in top spot? And can that big, big price be justified, or is it worth waiting for next months iPhone Xr?

Adrian also meets Jamie White, the young Dublin entrepreneur who set up Start Summit and Leading Social, a marketing agency specialising in social media strategies for big companies.
European Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova said she will discuss the Danske Bank case with the finance ministers of Denmark, Finland and Estonia on October 2 (stock picture)

Danske Bank faces a new Danish investigation into alleged money laundering a day after revealing payments totalling 200bn through its Estonian branch, many of which were suspicious.

CEO Thomas Borgen resigned on Wednesday after an investigation it had commissioned exposed failings in controls and compliance.

The bank's report prompted widespread political criticism and has persuaded Denmark's Financial Services Authority (FSA) to revisit a case which it had put on ice earlier this year, but is reported to have attracted the attention of US authorities.

"We're reopening the investigation of the bank that we initially closed in May," said FSA head Jesper Berg.

While authorities in the United States have yet to say whether they are investigating the payments, many of which came from Russia and other former Soviet states, Danske Bank's case will be high on the agenda of European Union states.

European Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova said she will discuss the Danske Bank case with the finance ministers of Denmark, Finland and Estonia on October 2.

She will also discuss the case with the European Banking Authority.

"I want to understand better where the main errors happened, whether it was purely the fault of the lack of due diligence done by the bank itself or whether there was also some mistakes at the level of supervisory authorities," she said.

Danish prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen voiced his concern over the failings exposed by the country's biggest lender, saying he was "shocked" at the scope of the suspicious payments and pushed the bank for more answers.

"The fact that Denmark has been at the centre of money laundering of this size is frankly quite horrible," Rasmussen told reporters outside a meeting of European Union leaders in Salzburg.

Reuters
Approach: The bar area of an Airbus A380 owned by Emirates, which sources say is keen to acquire neighbour

Dubai's flagship airline Emirates is looking at taking over unprofitable neighbour Etihad, according to four people familiar with the matter, in a move that would create the world's biggest carrier by passenger traffic.

Talks, which are at a preliminary stage, would see Emirates acquire the main airline business of Abu Dhabi's Etihad, which would keep its maintenance arm, said the people, who asked not to be named because the matter is confidential. The negotiations could yet fall through, they said.

Both airlines initially declined to comment, before later denying that talks were under way. Were a transaction to go ahead the enlarged airline operation would be bigger than that of American Airlines, which has a market value of $19.2bn (16.3bn).

Any deal would require the blessing of the rulers of the richest sheikhdoms in the United Arab Emirates. For Abu Dhabi, which sits on 6pc of global oil reserves, it would advance a drive to overhaul state-controlled entities as it adapts to lower crude prices.

The airlines have traditionally been arch rivals, with their hubs competing to attract the same transfer passengers making long-distance trips between Asia and the West.

Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and president Tim Clark have previously played down speculation that the carriers might combine, Sheikh Ahmed saying in May that there have never been merger talks.

Mr Clark said in June that the issue was one for shareholders, while adding that he saw nothing happening in the short-to-medium-term.

A combination of the airlines would provide further evidence of the sheikdoms consolidating businesses to boost competitiveness. Abu Dhabi and Dubai companies formed Emirates Global Aluminium, one of the world's largest producers, in a $15bn combination in 2013, and the two have studied a merger of their stock exchanges. The Dubai government was also the driving force in compelling Emirates to cooperate with local discount carrier FlyDubai.

Etihad has been shrinking its operations following the failure of a so-called equity alliance strategy that saw it invest in a number of generally ailing foreign operators to help feed more traffic through Abu Dhabi. One of those, Air Berlin, collapsed last year while another, Italy's Alitalia, filed for bankruptcy protection, causing the pact to largely unravel.

Bloomberg
British American Tobacco (BAT) CEO Nicandro Durante is stepping down next year as the cigarette industry confronts rising competition from other nicotine products and US regulatory pressure on electronic cigarettes.

Durante, 62, will retire as of April 1, the company announced in a statement.

The board, chaired by Irishman Richard Burrows, has already found a lead candidate and will "make a further announcement in due course". Mr Durante, who took over as CEO in 2011, sought to shift the company's strategy amid a slowdown in cigarette demand.
The Irish Ambassador to the UK will join a host of historians and dignitaries who will lay a wreath in memory of "forgotten" Irish patriot and pioneering activist Anna Parnell tomorrow in Devon.

Ambassador Adrian O'Neill and National Women's Council of Ireland chair Ellen O'Malley Dunlop will be among the dignitaries at the graveside of Ms Parnell, the youngest sister of Irish nationalist Charles Stewart Parnell.

Ms Parnell was the leader of the Ladies Land League but died at the age of 59 on September 20, 1911, under the assumed name Cerisa Palmer after cutting ties with her brother, whom she regarded as a traitor for signing the Kilmainham Treaty.

She tragically drowned after being swept out to sea at the Tunnel Beaches baths in Ilfracombe, Devon.

However she left behind an incredible legacy despite being "almost forgotten by those she had helped in her native country", according to the ambassador.

"It is fitting that we celebrate the extraordinary Irish women who championed justice and social progress and who paved the way for those who followed. Anna defied contemporary convention by leading the Ladies Land League, the first mass political movement of women in Ireland," he said.
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his former partner.

Mother-of-two Ingrida Maciokaite died after sustaining stab wounds at an apartment complex in Dundalk, Co Louth, on Tuesday afternoon.

Edmundas Dauksa (48), of Castleross, Castletown Road, Dundalk, appeared at Dundalk District Court yesterday before Judge Conal Gibbons.

Garda Joseph Bell gave evidence that Mr Dauksa, who was born in Lithuania, was arrested at Dundalk garda station at 10.08pm on Wednesday and charged with murder at 10.38pm. The court was told that when charged Mr Dauksa made no reply.

Wearing a dark blue hoodie, light grey tracksuit bottoms and dark trainers, Mr Dauksa sat silent in the court throughout the short hearing. He was remanded in custody to appear in court again on September 27 via videolink.

No application for bail was made as such an application in a murder charge can be made only through the High Court at a future date. Mr Dauksa's solicitor applied for free legal aid, saying that the accused runs his own business as a fisherman harvesting shellfish.

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Legal aid was granted, as well as a recommendation that the accused receive appropriate medical attention.

A group of people who had gathered at the court shouted abuse at the accused as he was driven away.

Mr Dauksa had been arrested on Tuesday and his period of detention was extended on Wednesday to account for rest periods.

Ms Maciokaite (31) was stabbed to death at the Bridgewater Mews apartments on Linenhall Street, Dundalk, on Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Maciokaite was also originally from Lithuania but had been living in Dundalk for a number of years with her young daughter and son.

She worked in the cafe and restaurant sector in the Co Louth town.

Former colleagues at McCreesh's Deli on Avenue Road paid tribute to her.

"Ingrida was a hard worker and a nice person. She worked here around four years ago," said one ex-workmate at the shop. In recent weeks, she had started work in Ruby's Tea Rooms on Crowe Street in the Williamson Mall.
A landmark legal challenge to a Northern Ireland woman being charged with procuring her teenage daughter's abortion has been put on hold.

Judges in Belfast adjourned proceedings for the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to provide more information on how it reviewed the case following a Surpreme Court verdict on the region's termination laws.

Specific focus is to be placed on the potential impact on the human rights of the woman's daughter.

Re-listing the hearing for two days in November, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said: "For us to deal with it in the absence of an understanding of the PPS response to the judgment of the Supreme Court would be entirely inappropriate."

Lawyers for the mother and daughter are seeking a judicial review amid claims that subjecting the older woman to criminal proceedings is inhuman.

They also contend that the PPS decision breaches privacy rights in a case involving an unwanted pregnancy from an allegedly abusive relationship.

Outside court, Jemma Conlon of Stephen Chambers Solicitors, said: "My client is a devoted mother who, along with her daughter, has had to constantly relive a traumatic and private family matter under the weight of this prosecution.

"This has caused them immense distress and anguish which has been constant over the past five years."

Reporting restrictions have been imposed to protect the identities of both mother and daughter.

Abortions are currently only legal in Northern Ireland if the pregnant female's life or long-term health is at serious risk.

In 2013, the then-15-year-old girl fell pregnant after being involved in a relationship which was said to be both physically and verbally abusive.

Feeling unable to travel to England for a termination, her mother purchased abortion pills online.

The parent now faces two charges of unlawfully procuring and supplying drugs with intent to procure a miscarriage, contrary to the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.

But according to the family's legal team compelling the girl to continue with her pregnancy would have breached rights to protection from inhuman and degrading treatment.

Prosecuting her mother for enabling her to access medication to obtain an abortion also violated those entitlements and rights to privacy and family life, it is contended.

Further issues have been raised about the disclosure of information from a GP and child and adolescent mental health services as part of the police investigation and subsequence decision to prosecute.

The case was due to get underway at the High Court in Belfast today.

However, Sir Declan questioned counsel on the impact of a ruling from the Supreme Court in June.

In that case the justices dismissed an appeal over the legality of Northern Ireland's abortion law.

But a majority held that the existing regime was incompatible with human rights law in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and sexual crime.

"I don't see in the affidavits that there's any indication of whether the PPS has formed a view as to whether the Article 8 rights of the second applicant (the daughter) have been breached by the unavailability of termination and the prosecution in relation to that," he said.

Tony McGleenan QC, for the PPS, confirmed no formal review took place following the Supreme Court decision, but said his client had looked at the issue in preparation for the case.

Karen Quinlivan QC, representing the mother and daughter, insisted: "Our basic case is that bringing a prosecution breaches Article 8 and Article 3 (of the European Convention on Human Rights)."

Following discussions with his judicial colleague Sir Ronnie Weatherup, Sir Declan announced the case as being put on hold.

Directing the PPS to provide a response within two weeks, he also disclosed that a third judge will be brought in due to the significance of the challenge.

"I'm sorry we haven't been able to proceed, but this is an extremely important case and its quite complex," he added.

As the hearing was adjourned Ms Conlon insisted her client was being criminalised for helping her daughter in a harrowing situation.

"An innocent family has effectively been punished for being open and honest with medical practitioners and police," she said outside court.

"We hope the court will take the view that the prosecution of my client is wrong and contrary to their human rights.

"We want them to be allowed to move on with their lives in the privacy of their own family unit."
A law lecturer, whose first class in Trinity College Dublin ended in controversy and is under investigation by the college, insists that it was a case of "crossed wires".

Comments made by barrister Brendan Guildea during an introductory intellectual property law lecture were called into question by students.

Trinity's student newspaper 'University Times' quoted a student as alleging certain comments made by Mr Guildea represented a "very clear and targeted jibe" towards a Muslim student.

A second class due to take place last Friday was postponed. Neither Trinity nor Mr Guildea would comment on the future status of his classes.

Trinity said the university was continuing to investigate the matter and was currently examining its options.

The barrister told the Irish Independent: "I don't want to comment on anything if there is a process. I am new to the college and don't know how it works"

Mr Guildea said that, in the course of the lecture, he was seeking to know what the students understood about intellectual property law.

Headscarf

It included discussion around certain items, one of which was a cable for an iPhone, proffered by a lady wearing a headscarf who, when he asked where she got it, she replied "Afghanistan". According to 'University Times', the student was born in Dublin.

Mr Guildea said in the context of intellectual property law, the fact that the cable crossed international borders was significant. A point he was making was that "importing and exporting is an issue". He said he "wasn't making any political point".

He said he later held up an Irish legal text and asked could anyone identify the book: "Loads of people recognised it but because there were Erasmus students there, I didn't want to put pressure on them. I told them I didn't expect them to get it right if they were not from Ireland."

He said he could "not have been standing further from the students when he was asking these questions" and that "no reasonable person could interpret that as my making a jibe at this young lady", who was "on the opposite side of the room". Mr Guildea said he lectured in Griffith College, Dublin, and had given lectures for the Law Society, and was "well used to talking to diverse groups of students".
Medicines that need to be given to women having a medical termination may not be ready for authorisation in January when the new abortion law comes in to force.

Elaine Breslin, of the medicines' watchdog the Health Products Regulatory Authority, says all efforts are being made to expedite the process but a special exemption may need to be invoked if it is not complete.

"In the event that medicines for the medical termination of pregnancy are not authorised by the end of 2018, there is an exemption in law for the treatment of patients with medical conditions for which an authorised medicine is not available," she said.

"This is known as the Exempt Medicines Scheme. Specifically, an unauthorised medicine is considered 'exempt' from authorisation when it is supplied under prescription from a registered doctor for treatment of their individual patients in order to fulfil an unmet medical need."

The Department of Health said yesterday that "exempt medicinal products are often used in clinical practice in Ireland and this reflects the fact that there are not always sufficient approved medicines to address every medical need".

Officials were unable to confirm if the use of these medicines under the exemption carry a liability for the doctor in the event of a patient suffering complications.

Obstetricians and GPs have already expressed concern about the need for the Department of Health to increase preparations to support the new law if the January deadline is to be met.

The first medicine used in a medical abortion is Mifepristone. It acts by blocking the effects of progesterone, a hormone which is needed for pregnancy to continue. The second medicine, Misoprostol, causes contraction of the womb.

Currently in Ireland, there are no medicines authorised for the termination of pregnancy.

The medicines are authorised in many European Union member states. Across the EU, only a small number of companies supply them.
No justice: Mairia Cahill alleges that she was raped as a child. Photo: Mark Condren

Victims of child abuse or other serious crimes were unlikely to have received justice if their cases were investigated by the IRA, a retired RUC chief inspector told a Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland investigation.

The unnamed officer gave evidence to the Ombudsman's investigation into the PSNI's handling of Mairia Cahill's child abuse allegations.

The report found serious failings in the Northern Ireland police force's handling of Ms Cahill's case.

In a report given to the Belfast woman, a retired police officer said if the RUC's special branch or crime investigation division (CID) investigated a case like Ms Cahill's, the focus would be on gleaning information on the IRA rather than prosecuting a child abuser.

The chief inspector said if the RUC's CARE unit, which investigates child sex abuse, handled the case it would focus on "child welfare".

But if the special branch or CID oversaw the case, they would use the information to "secure co-operation in other matters and disregard or minimise the child protection aspect".

The retired senior officer's comments suggest Ms Cahill would have been unlikely to have received justice should she have gone to the RUC as the police force would have been more interested in getting information on those behind the IRA investigation into her claims.

Yesterday, Ms Cahill said: "The decision by the IRA to involve themselves in a sex abuse investigation meant they robbed the victims of any hope of justice through the proper criminal justice channels."

Sinn Fein has for two days failed to respond to queries about whether the party believes the IRA carried out an investigation into Ms Cahill's child sex abuse allegations.

The Police Ombudsman found RUC intelligence which suggested the IRA investigated republican Martin Morris for child abuse. Separate intelligence also suggested Mr Morris was suspended from Sinn Fein because he was suspected of child abuse.
Dublin footballer Philly McMahon has told how his native Ballymun has been "neglected" and that the drug epidemic which blighted the area in the 1980s has "never gone away".

McMahon said crack cocaine had now replaced heroin in prevalence in the area, and it was actions and not words that would help change issues in the Dublin suburb.

McMahon, who lost his own brother to a drugs overdose, said school visits to Mountjoy Prison, showing young people the pain caused by addiction, could help educate them on the situation.

"When it comes to addiction, I think words don't really work," he said.

"How many mothers and fathers told their kids not to take drugs and yet we have one of the highest overdose rates in Europe? So I think it is about showing kids the pain family members go through, that addicts go through.

"It's the little things like bringing the school visits into Mountjoy, which they don't even do any more - you have to show the pain.

"I had the pain because of my brother, so I never went on drugs, so you have got to show - but telling them not to go on drugs hasn't worked and it won't work.

"I do think showing would, words don't really work when it comes to this issue."

McMahon was speaking just over a week after the Setanta GAA club in Ballymun wrote to Drugs Minister Catherine Byrne claiming they were dealing with the ramifications of a ten-fold increase in crack cocaine use in the area.

The letter said that the club saw "young people being groomed into dealing on a weekly basis due to our Government's failure to deal with the youth unemployment in our community, while also cutting resources in other areas such as housing, youth development and policing".

Last week, a spokesperson for the minister said she had seen the letter online but had not received it yet. She acknowledged the serious issues raised in the letter and anticipated receiving it and engaging with the club.
An investigation has been launched into claims that a taxi driver hit a cyclist with his car on purpose.

A video, which appears to have been taken by the cyclist, has emerged of a man on a bike travelling through Dublin city centre early on Thursday morning.

A silver taxi is seen travelling close to the cyclist and stopping in front of him.

He then appears to hit the cyclist with his car, before driving off.

The footage shows the cyclist then catching up to the driver at a traffic light and saying: "This guy just hit me and I fell off the bike."

The driver of the taxi then claims it was an accident.

The video was posted on YouTube and has also been shared on social media.

A spokesman for The Irish Taxi Drivers' Federation told Independent.ie that they cannot comment on the clip without speaking to the driver.

He said: "The Irish Taxi Drivers' Federation would advise taxi drivers to give as much clearance to cyclists as possible when overtaking them.

"Safety is and must always be our number one priority."

A garda spokesperson said: "Gardai are aware of a traffic incident that occurred on North Strand Road at approximately 6am on 20/9/18.

"This incident is under investigation."
The EZ10, which has made its debut on the streets of Dublin Photo credit: Andres Poveda/PA Wire

Jamie Cudden, Smart City Program Manager, Dublin City Council with Neil Cunningham, CEO Civic Group, during the launch of Ireland's first driverless shuttle bus, the EZ10 Photo credit: Andres Poveda/PA Wire

The EZ10, which has made its debut on the streets of Dublin Photo credit: Andres Poveda/PA Wire

Irelands first driver-less bus made its debut this morning ferrying passengers through Dublin city centre.

The electric-powered shuttle bus which can carry up to 15 passengers at a time was showcased on a promenade alongside traffic in the busy IFSC area in the capital.

The smart bus, brought to Ireland for European Mobility Week, is fully autonomous with sensors on all four sides detecting objects that come within a metre of it.

Meanwhile, LIDAR technology on the roof of the vehicle maps the environment around it within 400m of the pre-determined route.

Right now were being given a glimpse of the future and what mobility might look like in cities, Jamie Cudden, Director of the Smart Dublin team at Dublin City Council said.

The technology is super advanced and you have sensors and LIDAR technology being used. The routes are pre-programmed so its very secure. You could argue traditional vehicles are a lot less safe by comparison.

While the technology could legally not yet operate in shared spaces with motorists, it is thought the shuttle bus could eventually be used to carry passengers from airports and train stations to nearby destinations, as well as in rural parts of the country.

Its not going to be introduced in place like the city centre but its looking at defined routes, whether thats getting you from one terminal to another terminal in the airport or to your end point from a train station.

It is these types of controlled environments that you will start to see these rolled out on, he added.

On a campus environment like UCD it would be ideal while Dublin port could use it for ferrying from terminal to terminal.

There are all sorts o f challenges about who can operate on roads and shared spaces but we should open up the conversations.

Ireland is the 23rd city in the world to debut this technology.

In Germany, the town of Bad Birnbach has introduced the driverless vehicles to shuttle tourists from the local train station to nearby thermal baths while Stockholm in Sweden also uses the mobility vehicles for residential communities.

The pioneering mobility vehicle will be on display alongside electric scooters and bikes outside the Convention Centre in Dublin all day tomorrow.
Mourned: (from the top left, clockwise) Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, Capt Mark Duffy, and winchmen Ciaran Smith and Paul Ormsby

The Transport Minister has called for the speedy implementation of recommendations to address discrepancies in the oversight of Search and Rescue operations in Ireland.

The report was recommended by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) in the aftermath of the Rescue 116 helicopter tragedy in March 2017.

Irish Coast Guard crew members Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Ciaran Smith and Paul Ormsby died after their helicopter collided into Black Rock island off the Mayo coast.

The SAR operations oversight review published today did not examine the circumstances surrounding the Rescue 116 crash.

In total 12 recommendations were made in the report- Review of Oversight of Search and Rescue (SAR) Aviation Operations in Ireland- which should be implemented on a short, medium or long term basis.

The report found that there are inconsistent formal documents on SAR framework which create potential confusion about who is responsible for the safety oversight for SAR operators.

It recommends that the Department of Transport formally and clearly assigns the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) with responsibility for the legal and safety oversight. This should be done urgently within a three-month period.

The report, which involved international experts, also found that the Irish Coast Guard did not have the "necessary knowledge" to monitor regulations in the contract with CHCI, the company which provides the helicopters.

Transport Minister Shane Ross said that the report offers the chance to make a meaningful improvement to the current oversight structures.

I have instructed that all necessary steps be taken without delay to ensure speedy implementation of all of the recommendations.

As the Report explains, search and rescue oversight and regulation is a complex matter, and international regulation is still endeavouring to keep pace with practice on the ground, he said.

However, we now have an opportunity in Ireland - and a blueprint  to make meaningful improvement to our current oversight structures, and in doing so set a benchmark for other jurisdictions, Minister Ross added.

It was announced following an interim investigation by the AAIU into the R116 tragedy.

It gave an update on the progress of recommendations made in a preliminary report in April 2017, and found that two key instructions are still to be fully completed.

Investigators found that CHC Ireland, the aircraft operator, should review and re-evaluate all route guides after it emerged that Black Rock island was not on a mapping system used by the Rescue 116 crew.

The AAIU says it has concerns about the efficacy of the safety systems operated by the company and has recommended that they be fully analysed.

CHC has taken several steps to comply with the recommendations, but the AAIU stated that the recommendation remains open.

A second key recommendation was made last year which called on RFD Beaufort to carry out a review of its life jacket beacons. This finding was made because the crew's locator beacons failed to activate.
The fiancee of a young man killed by a falling tree during Storm Ali has told how the couple had been due to collect their wedding rings last night - but she will now place his in his coffin.

Electrician Robert Matthew Campbell (24) was killed at Slieve Gullion Forest Park in Co Armagh as strong winds battered the country on Wednesday.

Swiss tourist Elvira Ferraii was also killed when the caravan she was staying in was swept off a cliff in Clifden, Co Galway.

Mr Campbell's loved ones said it seemed the former Royal Belfast Academical Institution pupil, who grew up in Glengormley, had been hit on the abdomen by the falling tree and crushed.

His grieving fiancee, Robyn Newberry (23), told how the young couple had last week sent out "save the date" cards, and were also due to put down a deposit on her wedding dress last night in preparation for their dream wedding next August.

Ms Newberry explained: "I first realised that something was wrong when I tried to ring Matt around lunchtime and it kept going to the answering machine, which wasn't like him. I tried calling him six times and there was no answer.

"It wasn't until I was leaving work that a police officer came to my workplace and told me there had been an accident and Matt hadn't survived. I thought it was a joke, that he was just lying.

"We are just devastated - it doesn't seem real."

Meanwhile, friends of Ms Ferraii, who worked in Switzerland as a nurse, have told how she had been looking forward to her trip to the west of Ireland.

Rolf Weber told Swiss newspaper 'Blick': "We are deeply shocked by this tragic accident."

He added that his wife had "a close and personal relationship" with Ms Ferraii and had been friends for a long time.
New houses in Dublin 4 are few and far between, but the Fitzwilliam Quay scheme, on the eponymous quay in Ringsend that's dominated by rental apartments, is poised to change all that.

The McGrath Group has developed four townhouses on a waterfront site that was once home to a commercial yard. Each property has a roof terrace with views across the river Dodder - on which Fitzwilliam Quay was built in the early 19th century - and towards the Aviva Stadium and the Shelbourne Park Stadium.

Because of their proximity to Grand Canal Dock, the south city centre and Ballsbridge, the four-beds will appeal to well-heeled professionals seeking a low-maintenance alternative to apartments within walking distance of the office.

Two of the four have already been reserved. The remaining two are priced from 950,000 and 965,000, respectively.

Each townhouse extends over 1,658 sq ft, with the floor space incorporating a garage, a fitted kitchen, en suites, bathrooms, bedrooms and a large living area.

Fitzwilliam Quay is on view by appointment.
With sexually transmitted diseases on the rise nationally, Alachua County is seeing a similar trend among college-aged students.

In 2017, more than 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were diagnosed nationally, surpassing recorded cases in 2016 by over 200,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the increase isnt as steep for Alachua County, the numbers are growing, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Bacterial STDs, including gonorrhea and chlamydia, have seen a steady increase in Alachua County for people ages 18 to 23. State data shows 1,626 people were diagnosed with bacterial STDs in 2017, which is up from 1,567 diagnosed cases the year before.

The county saw the largest spike between 2014 and 2015, when 200 more people were diagnosed with bacterial STDs, according to the state.

A rise in the rates of STDs within the past few years can be seen at UF, said Cecilia Luna, the marketing and communications coordinator for UF Student Health Care Center. She didnt have any statistics available on UFs increase.

The most common cases of STDs found at UF are chlamydia and gonorrhea, Luna said.

The health center found different reasons why these rates continue to rise, including patient education. Many incoming UF students lack the knowledge that they need to practice safe sex or understand the risk that can be presented to them if they don't, Luna said.

We try to take a wholesome approach, because we know there's more than one factor contributing to not only why people aren't having safe sex, getting tested and not knowing their status in the first place, she said.

The center is also working to fight the stigma against STDs and STIs  sexually transmitted infections, she said.

We want students really to understand getting an STI is not the end of the world, Luna said. Almost all STIs are treatable in some way, including antibiotics.

If students were more aware about safe sex practices and the risks presented when they enter a sexual relationship, Luna said she thinks they would be better prepared, which could help in the long term.

An ideal way to slow the rise of STDs would be for the campus community to talk about subjects that may be taboo, Luna said.

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We have a community of people from different cultures and backgrounds, not coming to college fully prepared with the knowledge they need to practice safe sex, Luna said.

Samantha Evans, the sexual health educator at Gatorwell, said she wonders if the increase in STD diagnoses is because programs like Gatorwell and other sexual education awareness programs across the country are encouraging students to get tested.

That would support the need to continue to have Gatorwell to continue to do what they do, Evans said.

Gatorwell offers free HIV testing at its main office location in the Reitz Union through a collaboration with the Alachua County Health Department, Evans said. The office gives oral swab tests to about 400 to 500 people a year, Evans said.

Lauren Rafanan, a UF psychology junior, believes UF has done a lot to promote students' sexual health.

She said the clubs she is in, like the American Medical Student Association, have brought people from Gatorwell to talk about safe sex practices, and she has seen Gatorwell set up booths around campus to talk about protection.

UF has resources to promote sexual health and actively tries to reach out to students, but it is ultimately up to the students to decide whether they want to use those resources, the 20-year-old said.

Contact McKenna Beery at mbeery@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @mckennabeery

A student distributes free condoms from GatorWell on Turlington Plaza.
There are hobbies. And then there are hobbies.

Over several decades, Michael Kelly (67) has collected some 1,500 diecast model planes - spending up to half-a-million euro in the process.

Now, the Limerick man's collection has gone on permanent display in a most appropriate home - Shannon Airport, where his obsession with collecting began.

"It started when I was a little boy," the Farranshone native recalls in this video (above), produced by Bridge PR. "My Dad, God rest him, used to bring me to Shannon Airport.... whatever was between me and aircraft, it was just magic."

At 16, Kelly visited a model aircraft shop in Wales, returning home with a whopping 17 planes. During a career as a plumber/fitter, he saved as much money as possible - spending up to 25,000 a year on models.

"Mad money!" he laughs. "I spent a luxury house on it."

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Michael Kelly with his collection at Shannon Airport. Screengrab: Bridge PR Michael Kelly's model aircraft collection, at his home in Limerick The world's largest plane, Antonov An-225, which is paying a flying visit to Shannon Airport today. File photo. Model Aircraft Collector, Michael Kelly. Pic: Arthur Ellis Model Aircraft Collector, Michael Kelly. Pic: Arthur Ellis Piggy-back? An Antonov 225 gives a lift to a Space Shuttle / Facebook

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Whatsapp Michael Kelly with his collection at Shannon Airport. Screengrab: Bridge PR

These aren't just any old models, of course.

All of Kelly's collectibles are 1:200 in scale, with individual pieces including a range of Concordes that perfected take-off ability at Shannon to Ryanair's first Boeing 737 and even a 1930s Sunderland aircraft owned by Al Capone.

Modern planes include models of the worlds largest aircraft to fly commercially, the Antonov, which has also transited Shannon; and the full Aer Lingus collection.

Until this year, Kelly kept his collection in a purpose-built, 65-foot display space at his restored farmhouse in Janesboro, Co. Limerick. It gets its official opening at Shannon Airport next Tuesday, September 25.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Michael Kelly's model aircraft collection, at his home in Limerick Michael Kelly with his collection at Shannon Airport. Screengrab: Bridge PR The world's largest plane, Antonov An-225, which is paying a flying visit to Shannon Airport today. File photo. Model Aircraft Collector, Michael Kelly. Pic: Arthur Ellis Model Aircraft Collector, Michael Kelly. Pic: Arthur Ellis Piggy-back? An Antonov 225 gives a lift to a Space Shuttle / Facebook

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Over a number of engagements with Michael we discussed what could be done," explains Niall Maloney, Shannon's Operations Director - who describes the haul as "an aviation enthusiast's heaven".

"This is the largest diecast model collection in the world. Were just delighted, with Michaels goodwill, that its based here now in Shannon.

The catch? You need to be a passenger to see it. The collection is currently on display in a dedicated gallery in Shannon's Departures lounge (i.e. after security), where it has already been attracting huge attention from passers-by.

After a lifetime spend amassing model aircraft, Kellly says he has no regrets.

"It was a very, very hard journey... that I absolutely adored. Im chuffed that theyre in Shannon now."
The mayor of Venice has suggested banning people from sitting down in undesignated parts of the city as part of an ongoing campaign to control tourist behaviour.

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro will put the proposal to a vote in the city council this October. If it goes through, tourists who break the rules could be stopped by officials and face a fine of between 50 and 500.

Tourists are already banned from sitting down in certain parts of Venice, such as the tourist epicentre of St Marks Square and on the steps of Rialto Bridge. This is just one rule in the councils #EnjoyRespectVenezia campaign, introduced in 2017, which also prohibits public picnics, jumping into the canals, dropping litter, wearing inappropriate clothing such as swimwear, feeding the pigeons and riding bicycles anywhere in Venice.

Visitors are also banned from camping in the city, defacing public property with graffiti, placing padlocks on bridges or monuments and buying fake goods from illegal street vendors.

The latter point is part of the UK Foreign Office's advice, which states:

Illegal traders operate on the streets of all major Italian cities, particularly tourist cities like Florence, Venice and Rome. Dont buy from illegal street traders. You could be stopped by the local police and fined.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Venice Venice Venice Venice Venice Venice. Photo: Deposit Venice (Italy): The Lido, a 11 km long sandbar in the lagoon. Photo by: Andia/UIG via Getty Images Venice, Italy Grand Canal at night, Venice. Photo: Deposit Boats and gondolas on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy. / Facebook

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To enforce the respect campaign the city council last year rolled out a team of 22 decorum angels who patrol Venices most popular sights.

Venice | The rules and the fines

Eating or drinking while sitting on the ground at designated sights (200)

Walking the streets topless or in swimsuits (200)

Swimming or diving in the canals (450)

Using a bicycle in the city, or pushing one through the streets (100)

Littering (100-200)

Feeding pigeons or seagulls (50-200)

Camping or erecting a tent (50)

Defacing public or private property with graffiti (400)

Attaching a padlock to a bridge or a monument (100)

Buying fake goods from unlicensed street vendors (100-7,000)

Venices councillor for tourism Paolo Mar explained the thinking behind the campaign. Venice is unique, its a special city and people can have fun here. But they need to understand that Venice is not a beach. It is an important, fragile city. So when people come to Venice, they need to know the rules.

One of the decorum angels patrolling St Mark's Square explained the importance of the rules. Were trying to keep up these rules in order to give you a better Venice. We understand that the rules might seem a little bit harsh and might make the experience less enjoyable, but we do this to preserve Venice as it always has been and to try to keep it alive as long as possible.

However, the mooted sitting ban has received backlash from residents' group Gruppo April 25 and activists from Occupy Venice. Campaigner Tommaso Cacciari said: Its not a problem of respect if a young person doesnt have much money and eats a sandwich on the steps. To respect Venice you should put a limit on the apartments and the flats that you can put on the tourist market. #EnjoyRespectVenezia is just a propaganda campaign.

Cacciari was part of the group of locals who tore down the crowd-control barriers that were introduced in Venice earlier this year. When they put up the barriers we went and threw them away. And we will do this every time that they try to put this kind of thing up. It has nothing to do with controlling mass tourism. Were not in a zoo, were not animals. That was a symbolic operation to put a gate at the entrance. I will not bring my son up in a place where he has to show a document to get inside, he said.

On top of taking a picnic and riding a bicycle, it is also illegal to paint in the city without a permit. In August Venetian police were accused of being overly zealous after ordering an acclaimed British artist to pack up his easel and stop painting in St Marks Square. The 86-year-old artist Ken Howard, OBE, was sheltering from the rain beneath the portico of the Procuratie, a palace that flanks one side of the square, when police approached him and told him to move on.

Police defended the officers intervention. They acted correctly. It was raining and lots of people were trying to pass along the portico of the Procuratie, said Marco Agostini, the commander of the municipal police. He should have asked for permission. There are rules and they need to be respected by everyone.

The issue of tourists sitting in public isnt just a nuisance but, according to local resident Deirdre Kelly, it may be unhygienic for them too. Kelly, an artist living in the less-visited sestiere of Cannaregio, said: I came out my front door to find a small family having a picnic on the ground. I would never sit there, because I know that rats pass by there during the night.

Venice isn't the only Italian city clamping down on tourist behaviour. Authorities in Florence recently banned visitors from eating fast food on the pavement and in shop doorways in certain parts of the city. Tourists who flout the rules, which came into effect on September 5th, will face a fine of up to 500.

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The very first Coolgreany Vintage Day held last weekend has been described as the most successful event in the village this year with an estimate of 2,000 visitors.

'We could not be happier with the day,' said Dan Kennedy, chairperson of Coolgreany Vintage Club. 'The money we raised will be donated between North Wexford Hospice Homecare and Coolgreany Tidy Towns.'

There was a huge number of vintage tractors, smaller engines, vintage cars and a few stationary engines.

Dan said the children had great fun at the carnival, bouncy castle, the pets corner and face painting.

'We had volunteers do traditions that date back a good few years ago,' said Dan. 'In one area we had bread making over an open fire and the old way of washing clothes.'

Around the field there was a variety of different stalls that included bric-a-brac, antiques, arts and crafts, and homemade goods. Dan said some of the stall holders came from afar to attend the event.

Because of the huge demand for it next year, the club are already planning the Vintage Day for 2019.

The Coolgreany Vintage Club said they would like to thank all who attended, the volunteers who gave a hand, to those who sponsored the event and to all who donated.

Dan said it was definitely one of the best vintage days he has seen.
An opportunity to raise money for two separate charities will take place this month in Springmount Garden Centre.

There will be a Hospice Coffee Morning on Thursday, September 20, from 10.30 a.m., until 12 noon, to raise as much for the local hospice homecare. Visitors will be treated to lovely home baking and a warm welcome. All support will be greatly appreciated, for further information call 053 94 21368.

Join expert Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland for an entertaining and informative talk on birds on Friday, September 21, at 7 p.m. It is 5 per person and all proceeds will be donated to Birdwatch Ireland.
A new business providing natural homemade cosmetics has opened on Esmonde Street in Gorey.

The shop called 'Organique' is the very first of its kind to open in Ireland, with 60 already trading world wide.

Anna Baprawska, a former spa supervisor, opened the shop in Gorey with the aim of offering customers the opportunity to buy organic, natural cosmetic products locally.

'We have over 200 different products in the shop,' said Anna. 'We have everything from body care, hair care, to face care. We have candles, soaps, bath bombs and much more.'

Anna, who is also a therapist, will open treatment rooms in three weeks time using all Organique products.

'We will do face and body treatments for hydration to anti ageing,' said Anna, who also has a Natural Shop in Rathdrum, County Wicklow. 'The Natural Shop was the main business that distributed the Organique brand before I set up this shop.'

The Organique brand, produced in Poland, is celebrating 18 years in business, and Anna is celebrating two years of trading in her Natural Shop business.

'Most of the products are handmade such as the Shea butter and bath bombs,' added Anna.

Since opening the first Organique shop in Ireland, Anna has set her sights on trying to expand the business across the country.

'Hopefully I might open another shop this time next year,' she said. The shop is open Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. currently with a plan to extend the opening hours before Christmas.
Minister of State at the Department of Housing Damien English answered a series of 31 questions from councillors about housing issues in the county at the monthly meeting of the body.

The Minister attended the County Council meeting following a stop-off in Enniscorthy, where he had cut the ribbon on a new 1.6m social housing development.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne said the demand for affordable housing schemes in County Wexford is enormous. He said there are people ending up on council housing lists who shouldn't be there, adding that Gorey residents are paying very high rents. Mr English said local authorities, including Wexford County Council, have to do some research into the availability of housing schemes.

Cllr Byrne asked why it takes two years during a four-stage process for a local authority from original plans to reach construction, suggesting that local authorities could get involved. He sought a commitment from Mr English that his department would support any building initiatives put forward by the body, adding: 'In north Wexford we have seen some disastrous large scale developments.'

Cllr John Fleming said measures need to be put in place to encourage builders to get back building. Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy said at a time of economic growth the government should be building houses.

Cllr Lisa McDonald said houses should be built far quicker. She said Wexford County Council's building programme is delayed by all the processes involved. '59 weeks is too long. How come Dublin can come along with a tender worth 950m to build rapid build pod houses?'

Cllr McDonald said it doesn't make sense for the department to keep redesigning new schemes, project by project, when excellent housing estates have been built. 'We need to cut the red tape to deliver the houses quicker to the people. The private sector doesn't have the same moral obligation. The process is the problem, not the time frame. If the houses are good enough for Slippery Green or Enniscorthy they are good enough for other areas.'

Cllr McDonald called for an increase in Housing Assistance Payments allowances saying they are nowhere close to meeting the average rents in the county. 'HAP is a very long-standing temporary solution and it's not working in Wexford town or in Gorey. In Wexford renting a three-bed houses costs 1,000 on average. That's not workable on a limit of 565 and I know it's worse in Gorey. A lot of people wouldn't have the personal skills to deal with this. We need an increase in HAP limits in this county.'

Mr English said 38,000 people are using the HAP scheme nationally. 'For the majority of them it's a good solution. It gets them into a house until they get a permanent home. I accept there are pressure zones and we do track this all the time.'

He said 20 per cent can be added on to HAP payment limits, adding that most of the time the payment add on is 16 per cent. 'I have seen the statistics in Gorey where it's an issue.'

Mr English said the reason it takes 59 weeks to get houses built is due to the processes of designing the houses and estates, acquiring land and the Part VIII planning process.

'If it can be done in 30 weeks we are all for that,' he said.

Cllr McDonald said: 'You are talking about people who are engaging in HAP. I am talking about people who are not reaching the limit and who are in dire straights.'

Cllr Johnny Mythen called for the system to be changed whereby councillors can be notified about tenants who are moved into estates.

He said tenants with a history of drug or anti-social behaviour issues are often moved into old, established estates.

'They could be putting in a gurrier who will wreck the place overnight.'

Mr English said Data Protection is an issue, adding: 'But we need to find a solution to this.'

Cllr Mythen sought a tick box on application forms for social housing granting permission to elected members to access information including the names of the persons and addressees of the housing units that are allocated to the successful applicants.

Cllr McDonald said: 'The HAP scheme needs to be a lot more robust. You should be treated the same way.'

Cllr Michael Sheehan said tenants are being made homeless because their landlords are deciding to renovate their houses or pass them on to their children, with a view towards selling them on or going back into the market at a higher rate.

Cllr Sheehan said 1.25 billion is being allocated to a new housing agency.

'We are looking for every opportunity for the council to advise the department of social housing. It's the last bastion that councillors can have a significant contribution in.'

He said first time buyers grants should never have been abolished as it allowed social housing tenants to get onto the housing ladder.

HAP is the last bastion.

Cllr Davy Hynes said Ozanam House has always been there for men who are going through family break ups.

Cllr Tony Walsh the HAP scheme forces people on low incomes to compete in the private rental market with people on high incomes, calling it a disaster.

Mr English disagreed, saying: 'I meet people every week who are on HAP who are very happy. It's wrong to say that it's not working and it's unfair on the housing team who are working at the front-line day in, day out. It's not all rosy for landlords either.'

Cllr Walsh acknowledged that council housing staff are working 'tirelessly'.

'I know they do work tirelessly and I think it's a thankless job. Outside of all the efforts they make it's a well publicised disaster out there, which is no reflection on the staff. They are playing catch up. HAP is unfair in many senses.'

Mr English said tenants are getting a raw deal in County Wexford from private landlords, 'with or without HAP'.

Cllr Tom Forde called on the minister to ensure that at least 20 per cent of houses in estates are social and affordable housing on all new developments.

'The current provision is only 10 per cent, however developers can opt out of this. Will the minister remove opt outs to truly enable more social and affordable hosing on all new developments?'

He asked what the minister is doing to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse are being protected by law and supported to secure a home and place to rebuild their lives.

Cllr Forde also called on the government to build more student accommodation.

Mr English said an additional 7,000 student apartments are being built. 'In the last year we had 5,000 new builds and 5,000 are being constructed today and another 7,000 have gotten planning. It won't be enough to solve the problems but it will help.'

He said any developer building a new estate has to provide 10 per cent social and affordable housing to local authorities, adding that there were changes to law in 2017 which provide clear guidelines in relation to a blanket support for domestic abuse victims when it come to allocating housing.

Cllr Mythen asked several questions about NAMA. He called for the government under the Rebuilding Ireland Programme to stop excluding family income supplement payments as they are putting people over the limit by as little as 2,000. He also called for the deposit to be reduced to 3 per cent.

Mr English said: 'The Central Bank are approving plans. I can accept these protections can be difficult to manage. We need to stick to what the Central Bank plan is.'

The Help to Buy scheme is helping people, Mr English said. 'We don't want people on low paid jobs to have high mortgages for 30 years like in the past. I do understand that it is regarded as extra wage.

Mr English said the Repair & Lease Back Scheme whereby property owners are given a 40,000 grant to improve their accommodation to be leased to the public within five years has had a very low take up, adding that the councils have a role in promoting this.

He said not every property in NAMA is suitable for social housing.
The Gorey Malawi Health Partnership, based in The Palms Surgery on The Avenue, has been approved by Esther Ireland as a partner, the very first GP surgery to have been granted such a status.

Esther Ireland is tasked with promoting health partnerships between Ireland and the developing world and is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs' Irish Aid Programme. The Gorey Health Partnership took part in a trip to Mzuzu in Malawi in August where they developed a system to help manage and treat patients with asthma and COPD.

'This is effectively a stamp of approval from ESTHER Ireland for the work of the partnership and suggests that our work is moving in the right direction,' said Dr Peter Harrington.

'It also means that the partnership can continue to apply for funds ringfenced for Esther partners to support our work.'

Later this year funds from Esther Ireland will be used to bring two or three health workers from St John's Hospital, Mzuzu and Mzuzu Central Hospital to the Palms GP Surgery to view the chronic disease management programs.

Dr Harrington said they are greatly encouraged by this latest development and are the first GP surgery to have been granted such a status.
Seal pups could be under pressure to find food later this year due to the unprecedented hot summer we just experienced.

Rescue workers in Seal Rescue Ireland, Courtown fear there may not be enough food to support seal pups this year because the animals started having their young two months ahead of schedule due to the good summer.

Melanie Croce, operations manager for the volunteer group, said it is hard to tell as of yet because they have not come across this situation, but the long drought led to seals normal mating cycles being disrupted. She added that fish stocks were higher in the winter and finding food sources in the autumn months could be difficult.

'It is a very complex issue and hard to tell what might happen this year,' said Melanie. 'We did have a big increase in storms and temperatures. All seals are adaptable to change but when the water becomes warmer the stock of cold water fish like salmon and cod decreases and the seals are left with very little food.'

Melanie explained the decrease in fish stock leads to abandonment of seal pups.

'The mothers need to travel far in search of food to help with milk for their young,' said Melanie. 'The young have no energy if they have no milk so they usually are abandoned while the mother searches.'

So far this year Seal Rescue Ireland's rehabilitation centre has helped 52 seal pups. Last year they rescued 140 pups, the highest on record, because of poor weather conditions caused by Hurricane Ophelia.

'Last year we had a 40 per cent increase in seal pups compared to 2016,' she added. 'The past winter we had severe storms and it was our busiest. For the first time ever we had reached full capacity.'

Melanie said they are bracing themselves for the coming year, but it is quite hard to tell what it will be like in terms of rescuing seal pups.

'When we get a storm the water wildlife really do suffer a lot,' said Melanie. 'They are bashed against rocks and become separated from their family.'

In an interview via The Irish Times, Matt Barnes, the group's community manager, said that it was concerning that this year the first seal pup was rescued by the organisation on August 20, nearly a month earlier than last year's first rescue.

However, Mr Barnes did say that it was too early to tell whether the number would exceed the level in 2017 because of the unpredictable nature of storms. He added in the interview that climate change and pollution were the biggest threats to the future of the seal population.

Seal pups are born with a fluffy white 'pre-coat', which they maintain while they are being weaned on dry land by their mothers. After about four weeks they shed their coat and develop a waterproof skin. A positive element of this year's weather was fewer seal pups were separated from their mothers as a result of being washed off rocks in blustery conditions.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to reflect Stansly was not in the Peace Corp. A change was also made to reflect he earned his nickname psyllid slayer" two years ago while working to combat citrus greening in Florida.

The weevil was the best thing that happened to Philip Stansly.

Dad always said that, If it wasnt for weevil, none of yall would be here today, said his son Ted Stansly.

His dad was full of snappy sayings and quotes, Ted Stansly said with a small sigh.

Philip Stansly, a UF professor and international entomologist, died at 74 years old on Sept. 12 in Fort Myers after more than a year-long battle with colon cancer.

Stanslys career began in Africa. He would leave his lodging each morning on camelback to release swarms of ladybugs. His efforts helped keep insects from killing off the date palms locals depended on for food, shelter and fuel, he said.

The self-proclaimed bug doctors travels led him from the Sahara Desert to Mexico to Venezuela and Ecuador in pursuit of fighting small plant-eating pests.

Stansly ventured to a research facility in Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico more than 30 years ago in search of a solution to the boll weevil, a pest wreaking havoc on all kinds of crops. This trip cemented his legacy, his son said.

Ted Stansly, Stanslys oldest of two sons and a 35-year-old UF doctoral agronomy senior, said this trip to southern Mexico is where Stansly met his wife, Silvia Stansly. She survives him along with his two sons, two daughters, one sister, granddaughter and niece.

The extroverted scientist was happy to share knowledge with anyone, said Blair Siegfried, the UF entomology department chair.

Weve all become so specialized that Phil was one of those rare individuals who knew a lot about a lot of different subjects, he said.

Stansly worked with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, Florida since 1989.

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Kelly Morgan, the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center director, said he worked with Stansly at the center for 13 years. Together they studied how to improve tree health and overcome impacts of fertilizers.

He wasnt into science just for the science. It had to improve the production practices and benefit the grower, Morgan said. It really is (his legacy).

He was always there to provide solutions to these crises, Siegfried said.

Phil was one the of the best entomologists Ive ever known, Siegfried said. I think he saved growers in very difficult situations when there were certain pest outbreaks.

Stansly was committed to international agriculture and taught students in his lab who went on to have successful careers in the agriculture industry, Siegfried said.

While working to combat citrus greening in Florida two years ago, Stansly earned the nickname psyllid slayer.

He plans to work with IFAS to create a scholarship fund for international students to honor and continue Stanslys decades of work put into his program, Stansly said.

Stansly spoke at his last Citrus Expo less than one month before his death while battling the painful effects of cancer, Siegfried said. Though most experts gave one presentation, he gave two.

If you listen to his words, near the end you can almost hear he was saying his goodbyes, and I felt like that was pretty noble of him, Ted Stansly said.

Contact Angela DiMichele at adimichele@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @angdimi
Brian with his wife Noreen and daughters Sarah and Lisa at his retirement function at Mountjoy Prison

Wexfordman Brian Murphy has retired as Governor of Mountjoy after four years in charge of the prison and a 40-year career in the public service.

Brian, a native of Coolballow became the 41st Governor of the State's most historic prison which has been operating since 1870.

He took over in September 2014 shortly before the Kinahan-Hutch feud erupted when criminals aligned to both sides of the feuding gangs were accommodated in the prison.

However, as a result of the bitter falling out which has so far claimed the lives of 18 people in the community, measures were taken to ensure the safety of everyone within the prison system and Mountjoy was selected as the facility where members of the Kinahan organised crime gang and their associates would be separately housed.

There are currently 50 such prisoners in Mountjoy, either awaiting trial or serving sentences for involvement in activities directly related to the gang warefare.

As Governor of the prison, Brian played a key role in the management of the feud within the prison system and during his time in charge he found himself having to deal with some of the country's most violent and dangerous criminals.

Speaking at his retirement function in Mountjoy, Director General of the Prison Service, Michael Donnellan, praised the Wexfordman for the many positive initiatives and improvements he had introduced for the benefit of both staff and prisoners in Mountjoy during his time in charge there.

All the guest speakers made special reference to the humanity that Brian consistently showned to prisoners and their families in his dealings with them over the years and for which he would long be remembered.

Mr. Donnellan thanked Brian for the contribution he made as a member of the Senior Management Team of the Irish Prison Service over the past seven years. He praised him for the work he had done as Director of Operations between 2010 and 2014 when a dramatic reduction in the prisoner population was successfully achieved under his direct management.

The Director General said Brian had a very distinguished career in the public service and he thanked him of behalf of the State for his many years of dedicated service across a number of Government departments including Social Welfare, Agriculture Food (in both Johnstown Castle and Kildare Street), Finance and more recently Justice and Equality. Brian said he was looking forward in retirement to spending more quality time with his family, undertaking travel abroad and becoming involved in voluntary work.
If Richard Curtis transplanted one of his frothy romantic comedies full of beautiful, privileged people falling in love across the class divide to the Far East, the result would be strikingly similar to Crazy Rich Asians.

Based on the novel by Kevin Kwan, Jon M Chu's crowd-pleasing confection relies on well-worn genre tropes and lovingly gift-wraps every luxurious frame in the splendour of modern-day Singapore.

Chu's film invests almost two hours showcasing the south-east Asian state's breath-taking beaches, spectacular high-rise hotels, designer boutiques and mouth-watering street food.

If the island wasn't already high on your list of dream holiday destinations, it will be before the end credits roll.

Scriptwriters Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim don't stray from tried and tested rom-com conventions and they arm the good-looking all-Asian cast with some crisp one-liners including some standout barbs from Awkwafina, who was last seen stealing scenes and jewels in Ocean's eight.

The upbeat soundtrack seamlessly melds east and west with Chinese Mandarin cover versions of familiar hits including Money (That's What I Want), Madonna's Material Girl and Coldplay's anthem Yellow.

New York University lecturer Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) has been raised in America by her single mother Kerry (Tan Kheng Hua), who worries about her daughter's sense of cultural identity. 'I'm so Chinese, I'm an economics professor who's lactose intolerant,' jokingly retorts Rachel.

The tug of war between east and west intensifies when Rachel's boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) invites her to accompany him to Singapore to attend the wedding of good friends Colin (Chris Pang) and Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno).

Rachel is blissfully unaware that Nick is the golden boy of Singapore's wealthiest dynasty headed by ferocious matriarch Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), who expects her boy to take up the reins of the family business and marry into money.

Eleanor is deeply unimpressed with lowly academic Rachel as Nick's choice of partner and the mother makes clear her intent to remind her son of his responsibilities. 'When children are away from home too long they forget who they are,' she observes coldly.

Meanwhile, Rachel supports Nick's cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan) as her marriage fractures and the new arrival prepares for the wedding with a makeover courtesy of her fashion-conscious friend Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina) and Nick's flamboyant second cousin Oliver (Nico Santos), who playfully describes himself as 'the rainbow sheep of the family'.

Crazy Rich Asians is a sweet and heartfelt frolic through the battlefields of love, which delivers a full complement of uproarious laughter and tugged heartstrings.

Wu and Golding, making his feature film debut, are a delightful on-screen pairing while Yeoh keeps her fiercely protective mother the right side of caricature.

A prologue set in a rain-drenched 1995 London is hard to swallow but the rest of director Chu's silky-smooth cocktail goes down a treat.
Members of all parties and none united to condemn the closure of six post offices in Sligo.

Motions tabled by Councillors Declan Bree, Thomas Healy, Margaret Gormley and Paul Taylor were unanimously passed by angry councillors last Wednesday.

Councillor Bree called on the Government to bring in a New Zealand model of community banking service operated by An Post and postpone the closures of any more post offices while it's being developed.

The Council will call on Ministers Denis Naughten and Michael Ring to intervene and prevent the closures of Gurteen and other post offices in rural parts of the county. "This definition by

Cllr Healy said An Post's definition of what a settlement means was "very anti-rural" as it states that all the houses have to be less than 100 metres apart which "automatically excludes vast swathes of the countryside where there are the required 500 people."

"I have also contacted the campaign groups in Ballinful and Gurteen with my motion in advance of the national rally to support Post Offices in Dublin this Tuesday" he said.

"We need our rural TDs to come together in the Dail and say 'stop!'," said Cllr Chris MacManus.

"These post offices are a way of life in rural towns and villages," said Fianna Fail Cllr Paul Taylor.

He asked the members to write to the Independent Reviewer and support his and Cllr Gormley's call on the Council to support the campaign to save Gurteen post office.

Cllr Gormley said it was "a sad reflection on the present Government" that they were taking a vital service away from rural areas.

"The post office in Gurteen is extremely busy. Businesses will suffer, schools will suffer and jobs will be lost if it closes," she said.

"It will be a political decision at the end of the day to close it," she said.

Cllr Sinead Maguire supported Cllr Healy's motion and said she had "raised the grave concerns" they had with Minister of State for Rural Affairs and Natural Resources Sean Kyne.

Cllr Rosaleen O'Grady said she spoke to a pensioner in Maugherow: "From one Friday to the next she mightn't see anyone," she said.

"Closing a post office leaves our elderly at a huge loss," she said. "The decision lies with the people in Dail Eireann. We all have to get on to our TDs and ensure our voice is heard," she added.

Cllr Bree said:"The PBFI have pointed out that if the Government and An Post were to establish the Kiwi Post Bank model it would make our post office network financially sustainable and would provide the people of this country with a genuine public banking system," he told the members.

"In this context there is no reason why An Post could not take its rightful share of the banking market in Ireland and secure the future of the post office network," said Cllr Bree.

Cllr Hubert Keaney said he had put a sticker on his post box which read "Post Office closes, post box closes" and urged members to do the same.

Cllrs Jerry Lundy, Dara Mulvey, Gino O'Boyle also supported the motions.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Martin Baker urged everyone to support the protest in Dublin today.
A Sligo antiques specialist with one of the country's largest collections of antique mirrors, will be showcased on the national stage at Timeless, The Irish Antique Dealers Fair, in Dublin's RDS, from September 28 to 30.

From his base at the foot of Benbulben, Mervyn Blanc of Yeats Country Antiques, has built up a collection of thousands of beautiful objects and furniture over the past twenty years.

"People today are very keen to find key antique pieces that will give their home a unique look, even if the home itself is very modern," said Mervyn. A settee made by an Irish furniture maker to the aristocracy and a rare pair of 19th century gilt mirrors with a beautifully aged tone, are among the items Mervyn will have on show at the fair. The 19th century mahogany double settee was made by Butlers of Dublin whose aristocratic patrons included Princes Christian and Henry of Battenberg and their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught.

"Furniture in the Victorian and Edwardian periods was handmade from top-quality wood so it continues to look beautiful and we have many very affordable 19th century pieces available. Timeless brings together some of the finest jewellery and antiques in Ireland and we are delighted to be there," said Mervyn.

Gormleys Fine Art are bringing a collection of 14 Salvador Dali works, worth over 300,000, to the event.
The 4th annual Get Up and Go Inspirational Conference returns to Sligo from September. The theme of this year's conference is 'Inspiring Contribution - Thinking Outside The Box', encouraging and motivating participants to follow the dreams of your own life.

A host of inspirational speakers from Ireland and globally will address a variety of topics including entrepreneurship, adventure, artificial intelligence, human consciousness, sport, business for good, wellbeing and sustainable development.

"The speakers at Get Up and Go 2018 are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. These speakers have had the courage to step outside their comfort zones and to follow their dreams into new areas of self-expression, motivation, freedom and power, and will inspire and empower you to do the same," says Eileen Forrestal, co-founder.

"They are role models who, by 'thinking outside the box' and 'living outside the box' are now inspiring and contributing others to do the same."

The conference organisers will also connect people to the best Sligo has to offer in food, adventure and self discovery.

A highlight of Friday 21st Sept is interviews by MC Bibi Baskin where the audience and in particular younger people/school leavers/college students are encouraged to connect with their dreams and 'not to give up'.

On Saturday there are longer Ted-Style talks for the general audience to listen to and engage with.

"We hope this weekend will motivate and empower the audience to 'get up and go' in life" says Brendan Sands, co-founder. "We invite attendees to participate in new conversations, engage in new activities, indulge in new experiences, and share the magic of this beautiful county with new friends."

For all ages, from teenagers (15+) to seniors and everyone in between this enriching 2-day event is brought to you by Sligo based Get Up and Go Publications, producers of the world's best loved inspirational and transformational diaries and journals.

Tickets to the 2 day event: Friday from 35, Saturday from 55. Additional ticket types and offers for students and seniors on website. Booking: 071 914 6717 www.getupandgoevents.com info@getupandgodiary.com
A large number of people attended a ceremony in Dromore West on Saturday where a commemorative plaque was unveiled to honour the memory of Hannah Rutledge Ormsby, the only Irishwoman to die in the Spanish Civil War.

Speaking at the event Cllr Declan Bree, said it was fitting that the people of Dromore West should come together to remember one of their own - a nurse who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war against fascism in Europe.

"Hannah Rutledge Ormsby, who was better known as Ruth, answered an appeal to travel to Spain in 1937 to tend to wounded Spanish Republicans and members of the International Brigades who were fighting to defend the fledgling Spanish democracy against General Franco's Fascist rebels.

"Having survived unimaginable conditions on the battlefields it was a terrible tragedy that she lost her life in a fire in a medical aid apartment block in Barcelona in May 1938." he said.

"Most of the International Brigaders who died in Spain, were like Ruth Ormsby, buried in unmarked graves while Franco and his regime sought to obliterate their memories.

"On their return home to Ireland the heroes of the Connolly Column and the International Brigade who survived the war were shabbily treated by official Ireland.

"They were blacklisted, hounded by clerical authorities, unable to find employment, many of them had to take the emigrant boat to survive.

"In this context it is fitting, that eighty years after her tragic death, we gather here in her native Dromore West to remember this brave, determined and principled Sligo woman." said Cllr Bree.

As a traditional Irish lament was played on flute by Gregory Daly, the commemorative plaque was unveiled by Joseph Ormsby and Mary Mason, a nephew and niece of Ruth Ormsby. The President of the Friends of the International Brigades Ireland (FIBI) Mr Eddie O'Neill, told those present that the conditions under which Ruth Ormsby and her comrades worked were often unbearable.

During the Summer, the sun scorched the soil around them and helped spread illnesses among patients weakened by gunshot wounds and shrapnel injuries. He said that Ruth Ormsby had "secured her place in the pantheon of Irish women who went out in the world to make a difference."

Mr John Bruen of FIBI paid tribute all those who had assisted in organising the event and he particularly thanked the members of the local committee including Mr Blair Feeney, Mr Cillian Rogers, Ms Bernie Gallagher and Ms Imelda Peppard.

The ceremony concluded with local musicians Cara and Tommie McGee performing a slow air on accordion and flute.
Kim Ni Quattro is the notorious bad girl of the resident Lotto HQ band the Celebrations.

It is here that the band performs (the same song) every time a winner comes to claim a big prize, which as of late is a lot of people. That means a lot of performing...a lot.

So why is it that, 30 years later, Kim Ni Quattro is the hardest working woman in Irish music?

The Celebrations have been around for a long time and you would expect a lull in their career after 30 years of performing. But Kim and the gang are busier now than they have ever been before and it doesn't look like things are about to quieten down anytime soon. Lucky for us, maybe not so lucky for the Celebrations.

"I..I...can't explain it but it seems like we're seeing more and more winners than ever before. I just don't know where they are all coming from. I've heard whispers around the office that the odds of winning are now one in 10 and that theres an average of 16 new millionaires every year on Lotto and Lotto Plus. It's tough but I persevere knowing that my drum playing changes lives for the better." Ni Quattro explained.

The punk star has been known to 'sleep drum' which is a rare nocturnal habit that involves her unconsciously playing the drums in her sleep. Kim attributes her bizarre night time habits to the hours upon hours she spends playing the same song for Lotto winners.

"I always need to be on my A game for my winners. We have to play so frequently because there are more and more winners and I've totally committed myself to the cause."

Since more and more people are winning, the Celebrations have to spend almost every minute together. They need to be ready for a surprise performance at any second so they can't afford to be far apart at any given time. Working in such close quarters has definitely taken its toll on the group dynamic, especially between Kim and her on-and-off-again love interest, Phil not that one Collins.

"It's the excitement you see in each winners eyes that keeps us together, it's something special. We do it for them. I, for one, am a professional which I can't necessarily say about our "lead man" Phil.

Maybe he should put the same energy into his craft as he does wandering up to reception every five minutes, like a sad little puppy dog, to get a glimpse of Aoife the Lotto HQ receptionist, who by the way doesn't even have a mullet!" said the Celebrations drummer.

Where does the future of the Celebrations lie? Being together for three decades is virtually unheard of for music groups but somehow this quartet have stuck it out. According to Ni Quattro's prediction, the group have another 30 years left in them, if not longer.

"Punk will never die and the number of Lotto winners is only going to increase so there are plenty of celebrations to come. Even if it means performing remotely from our retirement home the Celebrations will always be there for our winners." said Ni Quattro.

More Winners, More Millionaires Play Lotto with New Lotto Plus today. Available in app, in store or at Lottery.ie.

Note: The Celebrations is a fictional band, and all characters represented are fictitious.

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When Victoria Beckham announced in 2008 that she would be starting a fashion brand, the move was greeted with scepticism.

Best known at the time for her logo-heavy WAG style, fake tan and figure-hugging party dresses, the fashion world was dubious of her talent, assuming it would be another short-lived celebrity vanity project like Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. or Beyonce's House of Dereon.

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The former Spice Girl ended up presenting her spring-summer collection, a tight edit of bodycon dresses shown on three models, to a handful of fashion editors and buyers in a New York hotel suite. The group was impressed - so impressed that whispers started circulating that Victoria, who had no formal training, may have received help creating the collection. Critics picked up on the influence of her friend Roland Mouret, particularly his famed Galaxy dress. Victoria always denied these rumours, although she has said Mouret introduced her to a couple of her early-team members.

Yet she was open about her lack of technical ability, telling reporters in 2008, "Do I draw? No. Then again, nor do lots of other designers. But I put it all on myself and walk around in it, and I know what feels comfortable. I know how a dress should sit."

A decade on, Victoria's landmark homecoming show at London Fashion Week on Sunday cemented her status as a well-respected designer with just as much credibility as her peers who were educated at fashion colleges or cut their teeth at legacy houses. While other members of her team may be doing the drawing and pattern cutting, the vision is hers alone. "I know that within fashion circles, there was a lot of scepticism 10 years ago about Victoria becoming a designer - but it was like that with all celebrity-endorsed brands, so she certainly wasn't alone there," says Anna Ross, Associate Editor for womenswear at global trend forecaster WGSN. "What gave Victoria the longevity to surpass any initial ambiguities was her passion and perseverance. She worked hard, learning about construction, understanding fabrics and having a really clear vision about her woman. I think the fact that she became so intrinsically involved and immersed within her work generated a huge amount of respect for her within the industry. She isn't just a 'face of the brand' - it's all her."

Every collection since has had a strong base in Victoria's personal style. Over the last decade, Victoria Beckham the brand, and the woman, have graduated from the wiggle dresses (or, as Victoria called them, "sucky-sucky" dresses) to what Ross describes as "an entire empire" of both luxury womenswear and the more affordable Victoria Victoria Beckham diffusion range.

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In between, there was the sophisticated Audrey Hepburn phase, complete with pixie cut; the low-key luxury phase, when she first took to her now-permanent oversized sunglasses; and now the contemporary Victoria, who favours clean lines, intriguing colour combinations and sharp tailoring.

"Aesthetically, Victoria's vision has grown stronger and stronger with each collection," says Ross. "She's become braver and more experimental, her silhouettes are now relaxed and layered, and her play with colour becomes more refined with each offering. She's making clothes that ooze confidence, clothes that women - of all ages - want to wear."

Victoria's acute understanding of what women want and what makes them feel good has been key to her brand's success. Even back in 2008, Vogue applauded her debut collection for its "woman-friendly details", such as a back zipper to prevent messing up hair and make-up.

"Victoria centres her collections on femininity - it's all about the woman and she caters for all sizes, shapes and ages," says Shelly Corkery, fashion director of Brown Thomas, Victoria Beckham's only Irish stockist. "She has done fitted, loose, longer lengths, midi and sexy shorter styles, but always keeps it clean with bright splashes of colour."

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The focus on 'real women' is crucial to Victoria's appeal, both as a designer and as a style icon. Her size range is still limited (with a 14 the largest available), but women of all shapes find inspiration in Beckham's colour clashes, silhouettes and styling tricks. Ross likens her to Phoebe Philo, the former creative director of Celine, who struck a similar balance between approachable and aspirational design. Both designers offer grown-up fashion that speaks to grown-up women, including fluid midi dresses, relaxed silk shirts, wide-leg trousers and high-vamp heels.

"Victoria subverts staples just enough to make them feel new and desirable but not too much that they look unattainable at a commercial level. She knows what women want from their clothes each season, balancing the line between function and form - that's the real knack of a great designer," Ross explains.

Of course, back in 2008, no one was to know what role social media would have in the modern fashion landscape. In this sense, Victoria's clever branding has set her leagues ahead of many of her peers - she has 22.7m followers on Instagram, and wears almost exclusively her own designs. She also uses social media to bolster her family-focused image, often featuring her children or husband David. This month's British Vogue cover, with all four kids and their dog Olive piled on, was just the latest example of a shrewd marketing master.

"She's built a life and career which is incredibly aspirational to most. She wears many hats: mother, businesswoman and wife, and does them all with grace. I think that comes across as really genuine over her social platforms and shapes the overall brand," says Ross.

"She's definitely an influencer. The Beckham brand holds a huge amount of currency and whenever she wears something or endorses something, be it from her own collection or otherwise, it sells. Her personal style has evolved with her label, so it feels only fitting she wears her own designs. You are your own best spokesperson!"

And whatever Victoria wears, women rush to buy.

"She really is her own best advocate as she wears her collections so well. When she wears her designs, we see a huge uplift in sales," Corkery says, highlighting this season's pastel striped dress, a floral midi she wore to fashion week in 2016 and a lace two-piece that appeared on the cover of Grazia in 2015 as "huge sell-outs".

Sunday's anniversary show marked a big shift for the brand, as Victoria presented her collection at London Fashion Week for the first time after years in New York. David and kids Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper sat in the front row, and Victoria gave a nod to ageless style by enlisting 47-year-old model Stella Tennant to open the show. The collection featured androgynous tailoring, roomy trousers with silky camisoles, asymmetric midi dresses and a key new trouser silhouette, slim fitted with a V-shape slit in the front hem.

"Every season there is a move on in the collection and the show on Sunday was one of the big highlights of this year's London Fashion Week," says Corkery.

At a 10th anniversary celebration in her flagship store later that day, Victoria offered that signature blend of approachable and aspirational in the flesh, too. With hundreds of people waiting outside just to catch a glimpse of her, and a fashion show live-streamed on the screens in Piccadilly Circus, Posh has come a long way from that little suite in New York in 2008.
Baby gender reveals have increasingly become fodder for viral stardom, but its when they go wrong that they really set the internet alight.

One of the most common gender reveal methods sees a balloon popped by the mother-to-be, with blue confetti spilling out for a boy and pink for a girl  which is all well and good, so long as this doesnt happen.

Yes, alas the balloon and its precious cargo disappeared into the stratosphere.

The remarkable moment was captured in Coamo, Puerto Rico, by Karina Berberena  and dont worry, they laughed too.

Everyone laughed afterwards, the 19-year-old college student told the Press Association. But at the moment it was a bit of a shame.

Karina said that the parents knew the baby was a girl. They had wanted to throw a party for their family and friends to share their news.

If anyone can take anything from this it, should be to make sure the balloon is correctly tight  or simply dont buy a balloon, said Karina.
When Marty Jourard moved to Los Angeles in 1978 to become a musician, he left the Florida Motel behind, but he took the name with him.

He joined the band The Motels, a nod to his memories of Gainesville when he passed the Southwest 13th Street sign every morning before school.

It was sort of, like, burned into my visual memory as something that was always there, Jourard said.

Forty-two years after he left, the legacy of the retro sign finally came to an end.

On Wednesday morning, the iconic Florida Motel sign was dismantled and taken to a warehouse owned by the city of Gainesville, said Danny Powell, the owner of Signstar, a company specializing in signs. The sign will be restored and possibly displayed again.

The sign was removed in sections over the course of six hours with the help of a five-person crew, Powell said. A crane hoisted it out of the way and onto the trailers. Workers had to be careful removing the sign due to the rust.

The Florida Motel was demolished about two weeks prior to the sign to make way for a Comfort Suites Hotel. At that time, questions about the future of the sign circulated. Florida Motel commercial broker and realtor Chip Patel raised $970 out of the $2,500 he needed for the sign to be donated to the city as of Thursday.

News of the sign reached Tampa, where Signstar is located, and Powell reached out to help.

Its not just unique to Gainesville, but to the state and the country, Powell said.

Money raised from the GoFundMe page will go toward restoring the sign to its original aesthetic from the 1950s, said Wendy Thomas, the director of the city of Gainesvilles Department of Doing.

I think it will be missed, but I think a great part of this story is that it was not demolished, Thomas said.

It will take a lot of care and six months of restoration before the public can see it again, Powell said.

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A lot of these signs, people have grown up seeing them every day, Powell said. I just enjoy being a part of something to restore that.

Growing up in Gainesville, Jourard said the Florida Motel sign reminded him of home.

He last saw it a year ago when he came back to Gainesville to visit his mother. He was disappointed to hear of the icons demise but understood that nothing lasts forever.

Whats really pleased me (is) that against all odds, somebody thought that it was worth saving that sign, Jourard said.

Contact Dana Cassidy at dcassidy@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @danacassidy_

Construction workers dismantle the iconic Florida Motel sign on Southwest 13th Street Wednesday afternoon. It took six hours and a five-person crew.
Catholic nuns have been demanding the arrest of the bishop (AP)

A Catholic bishop accused of repeatedly raping a nun has been arrested by police in India.

Franco Mulakkal was formally arrested after police questioned him for three days in the southern Indian city of Kochi.

The nun with the Missionaries of Jesus order filed a police complaint in June accusing the bishop of raping her from 2014 to 2016.

Mulakkal is the bishop of the northern Indian city of Jalandhar.

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He denied the accusations, saying the nun was angry because he had ordered her to be disciplined.

Police officer Hari Sankar told The Press Trust of India news agency that Mulakkal will appear in court.

Dozens of nuns, activists and advocates have protested outside a court demanding his prosecution.

In her police complaint, the nun alleged that Mulakkal raped her at a guest house in May 2014 and later sexually exploited her on several occasions. She said she had to approach police because church authorities did not act on her complaints.

Earlier this month, she wrote to the Vaticans representative in New Delhi, alleging that the bishop was using political and money power to bury the case and seeking his removal.

On Thursday, the Vatican relieved Mulakkal temporarily of all pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese, the Press Trust reported.

Mr Sankar told reporters on Friday that the police would now investigate charges of rape, illegal confinement, unnatural sex and intimidation. A judge would decide whether Mulakkal would be formally charged.

India has been shaken by a series of sexual assaults since 2012, when a young woman was fatally gang-raped on a New Delhi bus.

While the government has passed a series of laws increasing punishment for rape of an adult to 20 years in prison, it is rare for more than a few weeks to pass without another brutal sexual assault being reported.
China has said it is outraged over US economic sanctions against a Chinese military agency and its director over the purchase of Russian fighter jets and surface-to-air missile equipment, and demanded the US cancel the measure.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing has lodged stern complaints with Washington over the action, which triggers a ban on entering the US, forbids conducting transactions with the US financial system and forces the blocking of all property and interests in property within US jurisdiction.

China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action by the US, Mr Geng told reporters on Friday at a daily news briefing.

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We strongly urge the US to immediately correct its mistakes and revoke the so-called sanctions. Otherwise, it must take all the consequences, Mr Geng said, without giving details.

Chinas purchase of the weapons from Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms exporter, violated a 2017 law, the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, intended to punish the government of President Vladimir Putin for interfering in US elections and other activities.

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US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement that Chinas Equipment Development Department and director Li Shangfu made a significant transaction involving the purchase of Su-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018.

The sanctions were enacted to further impose costs on the Russian government in response to its malign activities, Ms Nauert said in the statement.

The US will continue to urge all countries to curtail relationships with Russias defence and intelligence sectors, both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide, she added.
Embraced: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with her mother, Doria Ragland, (left) at the launch of the cookbook. Photo: PA

Meghan Markle's mother has paid tribute to the "power of women" as she made a surprise appearance at the launch of a Grenfell kitchen book launch.

Ms Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, hosted a lunch for the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen -founded in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, when a group of local women gathered to cook fresh food for neighbours and their families - and said she had felt "immediately embraced" by the women of the kitchen who made her feel welcome on a personal level.

Joined by her mother Doria Ragland, visiting from Los Angeles, she helped make chapatis and turned koftas on a grill as she launched the 'Together' cookbook in a tent at Kensington Palace.

Standing with a small group of Hubb kitchen cooks, Ms Ragland gave an insight into where her daughter's own beliefs have come from. "The power of women," she said. "We make things happens. We're curious, we say yes, we show up. I'm inspired."

In a speech to guests, the duchess said the project had been a "tremendous labour of love".

"I had just recently moved to London and I felt so immediately embraced by the women of the kitchen. Your warmth and your kindness, and also to be in this city and see in this one small room how multicultural it was.

"I felt, on a personal level, so proud to live in a city that can have so much diversity. That there are 12 countries represented in this one small room, is pretty outstanding."

Ms Ragland was the surprise guest. Sitting in the front seat of a Land Rover Discovery with her daughter and son-in-law Prince Harry in the back, she stepped out to greet waiting guests - including Hubb co-ordinator Zahira Ghaswala - introducing herself with the words: "Hi, I'm Meg's mom."

The trio, who at one point stood with their arms around one another in a line, made their way around four food stations, with the duchess getting stuck in to help cook while her mother and husband watched on proudly.

Doria quizzed the cooks about the ingredients, listening carefully to the herbs and spices they described.

One of the cooks promised to set food aside for the royal couple, with the duchess telling her: "Oh thank you, I'll take that home and have it for dinner."
The notorious phrase 'Arbeit macht frei' were emblazoned on the entrance to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland

A 94-year-old German is to go on trial accused of being accessory to hundreds of murders in a Nazi concentration camp during World War Two, a court in the western city of Muenster said.

The man, who has not been named for legal reasons, denies the accusations. He will be tried in a juvenile court, since he was aged less than 21 at the time of the alleged crimes.

The former guard in the SS, the paramilitary wing of Adolf Hitler's Nazi party, stands accused of having known about the killings of hundreds during the three years he served in Stutthof concentration camp near the Polish city of Gdansk.

Between 1942 and 1945, hundreds of prisoners were killed in gas chambers or by having poison injected into their hearts, while others died of exposure or cold, Der Spiegel magazine quoted Muenster prosecutors as saying.

He would have been at most 21 years old at the end of the war. German prosecutors are keen to see as many perpetrators of Nazi crimes put on trial as possible, but the few remaining suspects are now in extreme old age.

That is creating its own problems beyond the unusual sight of a nonagenarian being tried in a juvenile court. Hearings in the Stutthof case, scheduled to start on Nov 6, will last a maximum of two hours each day because of the poor health of the suspect.

In another case, it is undecided whether a 93-year-old is mentally fit to undergo trial for alleged wartime crimes.

Last year, a court ruled that Oskar Groening, known as the "bookkeeper of Auschwitz" for his job counting cash taken from the extermination camp's victims, must serve time after years of wrangling over whether his health and age permitted a prison term. He died in March, aged 96, before starting his term.

Some six million Jews were killed in the Nazi Holocaust carried out under Hitler.
Tourists have been warned to keep out of the water in the Whitsunday Islands on Australia's Great Barrier Reef after two swimmers were critically hurt in shark attacks on consecutive days.

A 46-year-old woman was mauled on Wednesday and a 12-year-old girl was attacked on Thursday while swimming from yachts in Cid Harbour on Whitsunday Island, the largest in the group of islands.

The victims were in critical but stable condition with leg wounds in hospitals in Brisbane.

The girl is from Melbourne and had been on holiday with her father and sister. The woman is from Tasmania.

Queensland Yacht Charter, which managed the victims' boats, said tourists had been advised to refrain from swimming near the Whitsunday Islands for the foreseeable future.

Company managing director Tracey Whittaker said in a statement that the company was in shock and wished the injured swimmers the best in their recovery.

The Queensland government set baited drum lines in Cid Harbour to reduce local shark numbers.

"It is possible that there's more than one shark involved in these unfortunate events," Fisheries Queensland manager Jeff Krause told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

"We don't normally go out and search for any sharks that may have been involved in a shark attack, but due to the nature of these multiple attacks, Fisheries Queensland is going to deploy three drum lines in a bid to try and catch some of the sharks in that area," he added.

The islands attract various whaler shark species as well as bull and tiger sharks.

Bond University shark expert Daryl McPhee said that while the likelihood of being attacked by a shark is slim, the Great Barrier Reef has a higher population of sharks than other areas.
Police block off roads after the shooting in Maryland. Photo: Getty Images

Six people were shot, three of them fatally, after a 26-year-old woman opened fire with a handgun at a warehouse in Maryland.

Police last night said the gunwoman then shot herself in the head and had died in hospital.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said the shooter was a temporary employee who reported for work "as usual" yesterday before brandishing a 9mm Glock semi-automatic handgun.

Mr Gahler said two victims were pronounced dead at the warehouse and another died in a hospital.

Three other victims remained hospitalised with wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, he said.

The woman, whom Mr Gahler declined to identify, had "two, perhaps three" extra clips of ammunition.

She was taken to hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The handgun was legally registered to the woman, who lived in Baltimore County.

Police were dispatched at 9.06am after reports of a shot fired at the warehouse, operated by pharmaceutical firm Rite Aid.

Officers arrived within five minutes, Mr Gahler said, but did not fire any shots. Mike Carre, an office clerk at Zenith Global Logistics at the site, said he was working yesterday morning when a commotion began in a parking lot adjacent to his office.

"There's a shooting at Rite Aid!" said a Rite Aid employee who hobbled into Mr Carre's office after being shot above the left knee.

As they were caring for the man, Mr Carre said, about 20 police cars rushed past his office, responding to the shooting.

He had seen a SWAT team with rifles and officers charging around the area.

One woman was sobbing and barefoot, having fled the scene of the shooting so quickly that she lost her shoes.

"She said her friend had been shot in the head," Mr Carre said.

He added that several Rite Aid employees described the shooter as a woman.

"Normally, she was a nice person, but she came in a bad mood," Mr Carre said, recounting what Rite Aid employees told him.

They had said: "She wanted to pick a fight. And then she started shooting."

 Washington Post Syndication
Donald Trump told the Spanish foreign minister he had a foolproof way to deal with the Mediterranean migration crisis - build a wall across the Sahara.

Josep Borrell, a former president of the European Parliament, revealed the conversation this week, explaining how Mr Trump shrugged off his scepticism about building a wall through the desert.

"The Sahara border can't be bigger than our border with Mexico," he reportedly said, apparently unaware of the size of the desert.

The US-Mexico border is 3,145km wide, while the Sahara desert stretches for 5,000km.

Mr Borrell told the story at a lunch event in Madrid this week, in comments that were widely reported by the Spanish media.

"We can confirm that's what the minister said, but we won't be making any further comment on the minister's remarks," said a spokesman for the Spanish foreign ministry.

The minister offered no further details about when the conversation might have taken place but it is believed to have been in June when he travelled to Washington for the White House visit of Spain's king and queen.

Mr Trump won the election in 2016 promising to build a wall along America's southern border with Mexico - and that Mexico would pay for it.

The plan has been complicated by funding disputes, complex property transactions and the opposition of Democrats in Congress. Mexico has refused to pay for it.

Building a wall through the Sahara would be more complicated still, given that Spain would need the co-operation of foreign nations to build on their territory.

Spain has two small enclaves on the north African coast, Ceuta and Melilla. They have become magnets for African migrants seeking a better life in Europe and refugees fleeing persecution and conflict.
Rachel Kalfin was just trying to go to her fashion design class.

The now-27-year-old former inmate looked forward to her classes at the prison.

They served as an outlet for her to better herself and stay out of trouble.

But one morning, there was more than a gate that stood in her way.

As she approached the gate for her class, it slammed and locked in front of her.

A guard stepped in front of the doorway, his medium build blocking her path, which was just wide enough to fit one person.

The guard said she could earn her way through the gate if she performed oral sex on him.

Kalfin denied, but when she turned to find someone else to open the gate for her, the officer handcuffed her for being disrespectul.

When she reported the harassment and explained the situation to staff members, Kalfin said they agreed that she was being disrespectful. The report landed her in confinement, she said.

They told me it was all my fault, she said.

It was reports like Kalfins that prompted the Department of Justice to launch a federal investigation in August to look into allegations of sexual abuse and harassment at Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala. The investigation is ongoing and could take months, said Laura Cowall, an attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the department. If proof of the allegations is found, the findings will be made public.

Patrick Manderfield, the press secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections, wrote in an email that the investigation is welcome and that the department is committed to assisting the department with the inquiry.

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The Department does not tolerate any form of abuse, Manderfield said. We take all allegations of this type of behavior very seriously.

The womens prison currently houses 2,367 inmates. Since 2015, Lowell has taken significant steps to increase inmate security, Manderfield said.

The Office of Institutions has added additional security cameras in housing units and audio recording to help identify and respond to misconduct, he said. The prison has also increased the storage capacity of video cameras to prevent overwriting.

Lowell is also subject to an independent audit by the Department of Justice to make sure its complying with the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which is designed to investigate and eradicate prison rape, Manderfield said.

The most recent report occurred in 2016, according to the Florida Department of Corrections website. During the audit cycle, there were 158 allegations of sexual abuse and harassment at the prison. Of these, 86 were allegations of abuse and 29 were harassment by staff. The report does not indicate whether the allegations were founded.

Kalfin spent 30 months at Lowell for burglary and grand theft, during which she said it was common to see or hear about girls performing sexual favors for guards for a roll of toilet paper or other products in short supply.

A lot of girls are asked sexual favors, and a lot do them because its their only attempt at survival, Kalfin said.

Kalfins report of sexual harassment landed her in a 4-by-8 foot room for 60 days. While in confinement, she was served Tuscan Stew, a cold mixture of leftover food including rice, beans or noodles from the week before. Twice a week, she got to shower for two minutes, and if she was lucky, she got menstrual pads, Kalfin said.

At any moment, she could have a seizure that would knock her to the floor, and the guard who was supposed to check on her every 30 minutes was often asleep, or worse, apathetic, she said.

Kalfin had six seizures in confinement that left her lying on the ground unconscious and waiting for medical help, Kalfin said.

By the time it was over, Kalfin was 35 pounds lighter, she said.

Kalfin was released in August 2017 and is now engaged and expecting a son, but the effects of the trauma she experienced at Lowell linger, she said.

Its been really hard for me to be close with anyone, emotionally and physically, she said. When my fiance moves, I jump and freak out because Im scared. Its not of him. Its because of what they did in there.

A few minutes from Kalfins home in West Palm Beach, Debra Bennett gets ready to go to work.

After being released from Lowell in March, Bennett started working two full-time jobs: one at a call center and another at a fast food restaurant.

Sometimes, kids stop and stare at her arm, which juts out at an odd angle.

While waxing a floor in Lowell, Bennett slipped and fell, fracturing her right arm. While she received care from nurses at the prison, her arm was fixed crookedly, Bennett said. She wasnt given physical therapy for her injury and now cant move her fingers.

Im tired of having a right arm that doesnt really work, Bennett, 50, said. Im tired of dropping stuff all day long and of the numbness and the pain.

Since the investigation is focused on sexual abuse and harassment at the prison, Bennett fears that the investigation will not uncover the physical abuse that takes place too, she said.

Bennett spent about 16 years in the Florida prison system on charges such as drug trafficking and violating probation and said she has been to every compound in Florida. Lowell was the worst of them all, Bennett said.

She hopes the federal investigation will draw attention to the problems there and cover all types of abuses, instead of just sexual, but she knows the women are scared to talk to investigators out of fear of retaliation, she said.

While Bennett believes there are people who deserve to be sent to prison for their crimes, she said that people never deserve to be treated like the women were in Lowell.

Your punishment is youre removed from society, she said. It doesnt mean that you are supposed to be abused in the way that Lowell Correctional abuses you.

Contact Jessica Curbelo at jcurbelo@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @jesscurbelo

Rachel Kalfin, a former inmate at Lowell Correctional Institution, poses in her I survived Lowell shirt. On August 19, she attended a meeting in Ocala with other former inmates to talk to the Department of Justice team about abuses they experienced.
A Chinese military agency and its director are facing US sanctions over the purchase of Russian weapons, the State Department has announced.

Chinas Equipment Development Department and director Li Shangfu made a significant transaction involving the purchase of Russian combat aircraft and surface-to-air missiles, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a written statement.

The purchase violated a 2017 law intended to punish the government of President Vladimir Putin for allegedly interfering in US elections and other activities.

Anyone engaging with Russian defence contractors or people associated with them can face economic sanctions that include prohibitions from entering the US or from conducting transactions with the US financial system under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

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As part of Thursdays announcement, the US also added 33 names to a list of people who could trigger sanctions for their ties to the Russian military.

Some of those newly added were indicted in connection with special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into alleged Russian election interference, according to administration officials.

The sanctions were enacted to further impose costs on the Russian government in response to its malign activities, Ms Nauert said in the statement.

The US will continue to urge all countries to curtail relationships with Russias defence and intelligence sectors, both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide, she added.

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The legislation triggering the sanctions was overwhelmingly passed by Congress in 2017 and signed into law by President Donald Trump to punish Russia for allegedly interfering in the 2016 presidential election and for actions intended to subvert democracy in Europe.

The sanctions imposed on Thursday include a visa ban for Li and restrict both Li and the Chinese agency, a component of the countrys Central Military Commission, from engaging in transactions with the US financial system as well as blocking their access to property and interests within US jurisdiction.
In this edition of India Briefing Magazine, we make the case for why now is the right time for foreign firms t...
A new report from the Government Accountability Office is highlighting the challenges facing young Native Americans who end up in the justice system.

In the first study of its kind , the GAO found that more than 105,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives under the age of 18 were arrested between 2010 and 2016. The vast majority of the arrests took place at the state and local level, according to the data.

In 2016, for example, more than 11,000 young Natives were arrested by state and local authorities, compared to just 20 in the federal system.

But the data showed that Native Americans were overrepresented at the federal level. Of all federal youth arrests between 2010 and 2016, 18 percent were Native, according to the report, even though they comprise just 1.6 percent of the nationwide population.

The Department of Justice explained the disparity to the GAO by noting that the federal government exercises jurisdiction over certain crimes in Indian Country. But that doesn't immediately explain other differences in the way Native youth were treated.

PDAS Tahsuda & @BIAOJS Director Addington made a field visit to the BIA - Standing Rock Agency Office, the BIA Law Enforcement Center, the @StandingRockSTs Youth Service Center and Adult Detention Center, and met w/ Standing Rock Chairman Mike Faith. pic.twitter.com/voIl3o8P1l  Indian Affairs (@USIndianAffairs) May 24, 2018

For example, offenses among youth of all ethnic groups and races were similar at the state and local level. Property crimes and public order crimes were charged at around the same rates, the data showed.

In the federal system, on the other hand, Native youth are most often charged with crimes against another person, such as assaults and sex offenses. Non-Native youth, in comparison, are more likely to face less serious charges.

The disparity is even more pronounced because there are more young non-Natives confined in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) than Natives, according to the report. That means Native youth are more likely to be face harsher punishments in the federal system than their counterparts in both the federal and state systems.

"Native American youth who were sentenced and confined by the federal justice systemin BOPs custodyhad longer sentences compared to non-Native American youth from fiscal years 2010 through 2016, according to analysis of available data," the report stated

"About half (52 percent) of the Native American youth confined during the period were sentenced for 13 to 36 months," the GAO continued. "Most non-Native American youth (62 percent) had shorter sentences of up to 12 months."

More than 1,000 young Native Americans were arrested in both South Dakota and in Arizona in 2016, according to the Government Accountability Office. Source: GAO-18-591

The report also showed that Native youth in certain states are more impacted by the justice system than others. In Alaska, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, young American Indians and Alaska Natives are overrepresented in state and local arrests, according to the data.

South Dakota, in fact, stood out in a number of ways. More than 1,000 young Natives were arrested at the state and local level in 2016, the data showed. Only one other state, Arizona, had more than 1,000 arrests that year.

And young Natives in South Dakota were far more likely to be arrested than their non-Native counterparts and they were far more likely to be in detention at the state and local level, according to the report.

Comparisons cannot be easily made to the federal system because the data was collected in a different manner. Rather than going by state, the U.S. Marshals Service reported numbers by circuit, with the circuit containing South Dakota and six other states showing the largest number of Native youth in the system. More than 100 young Natives were in federal custody between 2010 and 2016, according to the GAO.

2015 Hearing on Juvenile Justice

To better understand the challenges, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is holding an oversight hearing next week to discuss the report.

This report is essentially the first of its kind to comprehensively evaluate Native youth involvement in juvenile justice systems," Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), the chairman of the committee, said in a September 6 statement "While this important report indicates that the number of Indian youth in the justice systems has declined somewhat, there is still much work to be done to address the risk factors which affect Indian youth and to help them turn their lives around.

He added: "I intend to conduct more oversight into these issues so that Indian youth can thrive and have a hopeful future.

According to the report, the Bureau of Indian Affairs operates three juvenile detention centers. They are located on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana, on the North Dakota portion of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and on the Ute Mountain Reservation in Colorado.

The Northern Cheyenne facility had the largest population, which was attributed by an increase in intakes from reservations throughout the region, the report stated. In 2010, only 14 youth were detained there, a figure that jumped to 204 in 2016.

"BIA officials also noted that the Northern Cheyenne facility services an area where there is a high rate of delinquency among youth, and because the facility works well with Native American youth struggling with delinquency issues, many tribes elect to send their delinquent youth to the facility," the GAO wrote.

The Standing Rock facility opened in May 2016 so comparable data does not exist. The Ute Mountain center had 53 juveniles in detention in 2016, down from 63 the year prior, according to the report.

In addition to the BIA-operated centers, tribes run at least 20 juvenile facilities. Additionally, 89 adult facilities in Indian Country house some juveniles, the report stated.

The Department of Justice plans to collect data about tribal law enforcement arrests in 2019, according to the GAO, to help understand what happens at the reservation level.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing will take place next Wednesday, September 26. A witness list hasn't been posted online.

The panel's last hearing on juvenile justice took place in July 2015. At the time, lawmakers and officials questioned whether placing young Native Americans in detention was the proper approach.

The data in the GAO report showed that overall, the numbers of young Native Americans and Alaska Natives declined in both the federal and state systems between 2010 and 2016.

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Notice

Government Accountability Office Report

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In November 2015, it was reported that Nandita Das had approached actor Irrfan Khan to play the leading role in her film Manto. Nandita said that "Irrfan fits the role to the T as he speaks fluent Urdu, looks a lot like Manto and, above all, is a wonderful actor. He has read a lot of Manto himself and is influenced by him."

But in May 2016, during the 69th Cannes Film Festival Nandita announced that Nawazuddin Siddiqui had been finalized for the central role of Manto in her next film. Nandita said that, "I have had Nawazuddin in mind from the very outset, but in India, economics always interferes with art and there was pressure on me to cast a more mainstream star.





2. Swara Bhasker Slams Haters Who Trolled Shah Rukh Khan For Worshipping Ganpati, Says We're United By Stupidity

bccl

Reacting to the trolling, Swara Bhasker, who never shies away from expressing her opinions on social media wrote, Muslim bigots trolling #ShahrukhKhan for celebrating #GaneshChaturthi only goes to show that their are idiots and fundos among minorities as well. We can take comfort in knowing whatever are religious differences that we are all united by stupidity.





3. Taapsee Pannu Slams Sikh Protests Against Manmarziyaan, Demands Full Drug Test Outside Gurudwaras

Channelling her inner Rumi, Taapsee Pannu recently slammed the Sikh protests against Manmarziyaan in a series of tweets.

Ohooooo! Thank u so much for introducing me to the new rule that u arent allowed to get married into a gurudwara after u have smoked a night before. Now I shall keep that in mind when I get married.  https://t.co/e0Qt06I7xW  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

4. Twinkle Khanna Can Write A Book On Any Subject Except Bollywood Because Its Boring!

twitter

On being questioned as to why she doesnt write a book on Bollywood, she said, Bollywood is boring to me.

I dont write about it in my columns or short stories, I dont find it interesting. I have seen it and why would I write about it. It is too familiar, she added.





5. Virat Kohli Announces 'Another Debut After 10 Years' In An Unusual Poster, Leaves Fans Baffled

suntiros

Virat Kohli recently shared a poster with a cryptic tweet and people are confused if he is making his acting debut. Take a look at the post below.
Gainesville Police are looking for a man accused of attempting to murder someone by stabbing at Circle K early Wednesday morning.

Randy James Gillis, 37, of Gainesville, is accused of stabbing a man during a fight around 5 a.m. at the gas station, at 20 NE Waldo Road, according to a sworn complaint.

The man told police he was sweeping the gas station parking lot when Gillis walked up to him and began arguing with him. The man said Gillis might have been angry with him because he gave Gillis girlfriend two cigarettes last Friday, the report said.

The man told Gillis he didnt want his girlfriend and walked inside the Circle K to avoid fighting, the complaint said. When he came back outside to continue sweeping, Gillis told him, Im going to kill you.

Gillis swung at the man, and the two began fighting. During the fight, Gillis pulled out a knife and stabbed the man in the torso under his left armpit, police said.

After two Circle K employees broke up the fight, the man was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital. He is in stable condition, GPD spokesperson Ofc. Ben Tobias wrote in an email.

Gillis is usually seen in Dignity Village and on Northeast Eighth Avenue near a food store, Tobias said. Police are asking anyone with information to call Alachua County Crime Stoppers at 352-372-STOP.

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa
When Nandita Das and Nawazuddin Siddiqui collaborate for a project, the expectations automatically tend to rise up. The two powerhouses of talent joined hands to tell a tale that not many would have braved to tell. This year has been a year of good cinema and quality content and this year has paved way for a lot of content-driven films.

A lot of extensive research went behind creating this film and in a lot of interviews, Nandita Das revealed how a lot of readings around Manto were involved in the first stage of putting the script together.

Agencies

The film is all set to release today i.e 21st September and if you're confused whether to watch the film or not, here are some interesting facts about the film that makes it a compelling watch.

1. In 2015, when Nandita Das conceived the idea around this film, she wanted to cast Irrfan Khan but things couldn't work out.

In November 2015, it was reported that Nandita Das had approached actor Irrfan Khan to play the leading role in her film Manto. Nandita said that "Irrfan fits the role to the T as he speaks fluent Urdu, looks a lot like Manto and, above all, is a wonderful actor. He has read a lot of Manto himself and is influenced by him."

But in May 2016, during the 69th Cannes Film Festival Nandita announced that Nawazuddin Siddiqui had been finalized for the central role of Manto in her next film. Nandita said that, "I have had Nawazuddin in mind from the very outset, but in India, economics always interferes with art and there was pressure on me to cast a more mainstream star.

2. Rishi Kapoor plays a special role in Nandita Das' film

When Nawaz took to Twitter to thank him for the role, the veteran actor thanked Nawaaz and went on to express his desire to act with him in future as well. Thank you Nawaz! Did that bit for Nandita Das and Manto-title role played by you. We will have fun working together in the future. Regards!, he wrote.

3. After shooting for the film, Nawazuddin could feel some real changes in himself. He confessed that after playing the role, he became brutally honest.

In an interview, he revealed, "You are not a computer. So playing a character like Manto does affect you, and you have to try and get out of it because you have to move on to the next character, the next project, where you need to start from zero. After finishing the shoot, for the next 10-12 days, I was still in the same emotional state. I called Nandita and told her, Yeh character jaldi se mere dimaag se nikalna chahiye, nahi toh gadbad ho jayegi. Because at that time, I became too honest and truthful. Uss waqt itna zyada sach bolne laga tha ki maine apni band bajwa li. "

4. Nawaz charged only Rs 1 for the film

Money is not everything and Nawazuddin's kind gesture towards the project proves just the same. "This is the character that an actor would give an arm and leg for. But to not charge even a nominal fee is very gracious of Nawaz," Nandita said in a statement to IANS.

5. One of the biggest challenges of shooting this film was to find the locations that could be replicated

In an interview, Nandita Das said, "One of the toughest challenges was to find the right locations for Bombay and Lahore of the 1940s amidst modern-day clutter on a budget that didnt allow the luxury of too many sets and visual effects. And sadly, we couldnt shoot in Lahore, as initially planned, because of the political tensions. So, we had to find Lahore in India. Thankfully we did and thats a whole different story."

6. Saadat Hasan Manto's daughters Nusrat and Nuzhat attended a special screening of the film in Mumbai.

Nusrat and Nuzhat were flown down from Lahore to Mumbai along with their spouses to catch a special screening of the film.

7. Nandita Das is in awe of Nawazuddin Siddiqui and she has full faith in the fact that the Indian audience will give as much love to this film as much as international media and press has given.

Talking about Nawaz, film's director Nandita said, "I am waiting for the people to love and appreciate the film and especially Nawaz. The way we have received validation and acceptance for Nawaz internationally, I am sure that people in India will be able to connect in the same way too. Even though awards are subjective in nature and a lot of times, popular films win all the popular awards, I am waiting for people to see Manto. If Nawaz doesn't win all the awards, then I will surely be surprised."
Recently released Anurag Kashyap directorial Manmarziyaan is the latest Bollywood movie to have become the eye of the storm. The films starring Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal has been facing backlash from the Sikh community in various parts of the country.

An objection has been raised to the scene in which a Sikh character played by Abhishek Bachchan is seen smoking after removing his turban. They claim that the movie is sending a misleading message to the society about the identity of Sikhs.

Also Read: Sikh Organisation Demands FIR Against Makers Of Manmarziyaan For Showing Sikh Character Smoking

This all led to deletion of the scene from the movie. And this, has left the cast and the crew of the movie including Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu angry. Channelling her inner Rumi, Taapsee Pannu recently slammed the Sikh protests against Manmarziyaan in a series of tweets.

I am sure this edit will assure that no Sikh will ever Smoke and no woman will ever think about ANYONE else while getting married in a Gurudwara. THIS surely will make Waheguru proud and assures that MY religion is the purest,most righteous and peaceful ! #Proud   taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

I am sure waheguru and his army are aware of that too :) and just when they r done editing the film (and all other films) they will go ahead n handle these Real world issues too https://t.co/UUE8WINn3u  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Im sure waheguru must have approved of drinking but not smoking. Otherwise why will such sensible and pure n pious people protest. https://t.co/1ZU8MvcMf0  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

But y only that sir ? There is a pre marital relationship shown in the film m sure thats also against a pure and righteous religion. I think u should protest against that as well. https://t.co/Z5a3shAAbV  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Oh shit ! All 3 of us have cut our hair  now we have to protest again! Please blur out our hair in the film. It might hurt my religions sentiments.  now how will I be called laal pari  https://t.co/CAD5wq1CgX  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

I always said that the problem is Never when wrong people speak its when the Right people dont speak up. https://t.co/9MlIpkKWVV  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Uffo ab toh there will be a protest to remove that singh from your name. You have totally disgraced the entire Sikh community by enjoying a film where characters CHOSE to lead a certain life without taking approvals from leaders of certain sort. Tch tch. So sad https://t.co/bDC0s0n2I1  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Only if u r sure people will not protest when we get married in a gurudwara and I might be thinking about my past at a given moment. https://t.co/zw3QaFqOga  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Ohooooo! Thank u so much for introducing me to the new rule that u arent allowed to get married into a gurudwara after u have smoked a night before. Now I shall keep that in mind when I get married.  https://t.co/e0Qt06I7xW  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

#Protest I want full drug test outside the gurudwara https://t.co/MW9o49OxtF  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Arre arre ! How dare they ! Can we please send the protest army to them ? I am ready to find their tickets https://t.co/cLM5wgQFlC  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Ofcourse we cant Coz films have no connection to reality. Especially @anuragkashyap72 films. He only makes science fiction and super natural movies where we show a hypothetical world. How dare he show reality on screen. He should be punished for that ! https://t.co/Tvv0QKOQSk  taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 20, 2018

Also Read: Anurag Kashyap Miffed With Producers For Deleting Scenes In Manmarziyaan, Posts Cryptic Tweet
At least 12 lions, six of them cubs, have died in Amreli district alone in the past 10 days, forcing the state government to order a detailed inquiry.

Though eight of these wild cats died due to illnesses, which could not be treated, and three in infighting, the death of a dozen lions in short span has become a cause of worry for the department. Sources said the 11 deaths have been reported in Dalkhaniya range of Gir East alone.

BCCL/Representational Image

According to the forest department, three lion cubs aged between five to nine months died during treatment on September 18. Two were under treatment in Jasadhar animal care centre and one was in Junagadh Veterinary College.

A lioness was found dead in Rajula too after she preyed on a poisoned wild boar on Wednesday.

Forest and environment minister Ganpat Vasava said, I have ordered an inquiry into the deaths of lions. A team from Gandhinagar has been sent to Amreli for investigation. As per primary report, three lions died in infighting which is a natural cause. Once we get the postmortem reports of other lions and unnatural reasons are found for their deaths, we will take necessary action.

On Wednesday, carcass of a five-year-old wild cat, believed to have died five to seven days ago, was found in the same forest area. The body was so badly decomposed that the veterinary doctors were unable to determine whether it was a male or female.

BCCL/Representational Image

Vijay Chaudhary, assistant conservator of forest (ACF), Dalkhaniya range, said: Eight lions died of lung or liver infection. We have sent the samples to Dantiwada animal care centre and Junagadh veterinary hospital to know exact cause of death. However he denied any epidemic behind this death.

Primarily the deaths look due to natural causes, but as they have happened in last 10 days, its a cause of concern. Though the death are in the same range, the area is very vast and they have died at different places, Chaudhary added.

Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani too has expressed concern over the lion deaths. The news that bodies of four lions have been found in the last few days is saddening and unfortunate. It is feared that total 11 lions may be dead and rest of the bodies have not yet been found. If it is true, it is alarming and it is high time that authorities investigate the cause of such deaths and book the culprits, he said in a statement.
On September 14, a sanitation worker who worked as a manual scavenger died due to asphyxiation. Following his sad demise, a photo showing a small child crying behind the deceased identified as Anil went viral on social media. It was later revealed that the child was Anils son and the family didnt even have enough funds to cremate the worker.

After seeing the heart-wrenching photo on social media, the netizens extended their support to the family and an online crowdfunding website, Ketto raised around Rs 50 lakh for the anguished family.

Along with @shivsunny and @udayfoundation,were looking into the ABP news report & will share an update soon. No funds have been transferred until now & funds raised are transferred to a beneficiary following a thorough check of facts and completion of our verification procedure.  Ketto (@ketto) September 20, 2018

Now, a week later the truth has come out where the dead mans parents came forward to say that Anil wasnt married and the child standing beside him was his cousin, not his son, reported Times Of India.

The sudden twist has led the Delhi police and the Delhi government to intervene in the matter. Anils parents, Deendayal and Saroj even met social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Thursday at his residence and told him that the woman being depicted as Anils wife is actually his maternal aunt Rani.

Anils mother also showed me a photograph of her with her sister. The parents belong to Jhansi but have been living in Loni, Ghaziabad, for a while, Gautam said.

The government is yet to hand over the compensation once the real dependents are identified. Rani told TOI that she and Anil had been living in the same house for the last three years. She had her own problems to share. She has been married twice but drifted apart with both the husbands. She alleged that her first husband used to beat her up therefore, she left him.

Photo: BCCL/Representational Image

However, Anils parents went to Ranis house to fight with her when they came to know of the compensation. Ranis landlady, Rammo confirmed that when Saroj and Deendayal came to take their sons ashes on Wednesday they fought with Rani over the money.

Reportedly, Saroj said that Rani had been posing as Anils wife only for the money and didnt even let them perform Anils last rites. However, Rani said she was willing to share the money with Anils parents and only needed it to secure her sons future.
India, on Friday, called off the meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Announcing the decision, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "The recent developments show that any dialogue with Pakistan is meaningless."

Reuters

"Since yesterday's announcement of meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place. The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists," the MEA spokesperson said.

The spokesperson further said "It's obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to world and that too in the first few months itself."

India had on Thursday agreed to a meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart after Pakistan's request.

Earlier today, three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead by the Hizbul Mujahideen, police said.

India had agreed to talks after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to re-start the bilateral talks on key issues "challenging the relationship."

AP

The meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries would have been the first such high-level engagement since suspension of dialogue between the two nations after the Pathankot air base terror attack in 2016.

India-Pak ties have nose-dived since then in view of a number of terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups, which India retaliated by carrying out 'surgical strikes' in September 2016 across the LoC. India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

The last meeting between the two foreign ministers was held during Swaraj's visit to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend the Heart of Asia Summit, where she had met the then Pakistan foreign minister Sartaj Aziz.
Three policemen were shot dead by the terrorists after they were abducted from South Kashmirs Shopian district, on Friday morning.Constable Nissar Ahmed and two special police officers- Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh from Kapren and Heepora areas of Shopian district were the three policemen who were killed. Read More.

Here's More Top News For The Day:

1) Gujarat MLAs Got 60% Salary Hike In Just 26 Minutes, Can They Finish Pending Work As Quickly?

Gujarat lawmakers have passed a bill giving themselves a salary hike of 60 per cent in a debate that lasted for only 26 minutes. Read More.

2) People Heard Girls Screaming While Being Raped In Muzaffarpur, They Didn't Report Out Of Fear

The Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) report on the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault has revealed that the neighbours in the area used to hear women scream but they were too scared to do anything about it. Read More.

3) Deceased Sewer Cleaner Wasn't Even Married, Boy Who Got Crowdfund Turns Out To Be His Cousin

On September 14, a sanitation worker who worked as a manual scavenger died due to asphyxiation. Following his sad demise, a photo showing a small child crying behind the deceased identified as Anil went viral on social media.A week later the truth has come out where the dead mans parents came forward to say that Anil wasnt married and the child standing beside him was his cousin, not his son. Read More.

4) 12 Lions Have Died In Gujarat's Gir Forest In The Last 10 Days And Nobody Knows How To Stop It

At least 12 lions, six of them cubs, have died in Amreli district alone in the past 10 days, forcing the state government to order a detailed inquiry. Read More.

5) India's Sharing Culture Hurts Online Streaming Platforms, 8 Out Of 10 People Use Others' Login

A survey by research and consultancy firm, Pixights has found out that almost eight in ten subscribers in India share their digital subscriptions with family, friends and even office colleagues. Read More.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spent his 68th birthday on September 17 in his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, posted an adorable picture with kids from the city's primary school.

The adorable picture shows PM Modi with, as he calls them, his "young friends" and he is seen striking his favourite pose with kids.

In his official Varanasi trip, PM Modi visited Narur village, where he interacted with children of a primary school, aided by non-profit organisation "Room to Read".

The picture shows him playfully pulling a boy's ear while a little girl looks at him. "My young friends and I," says the caption posted with the photo.

According to reports, in his Varanasi visit, PM Modi launched various development projects worth over Rs. 550 crore.

Among the projects to be inaugurated by PM Modi are Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for Puraani Kashi and an Atal Incubation Centre at BHU. He will also lay the foundation of the Regional Ophthalmology Centre at the university.

There many instances where PM Modi struck his 'pulling ear pose'.

Back in 2016, PM Modi pulled Akshay Kumar's son, Aarav's, ears. Akshay, along with wife Twinkle Khanna and son, was attending the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam.
They say disability is just a state of mind. It's all about the will and determination. And with their recent dance video titled 'Miracles in Motion,' Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, along with Infinite Flow, staff members, doctors, therapists and former patients alike are proving this point in the best way possible, and are looking amazing doing so.

The one hope from all this is that the useless and unnecessary stigma surrounding the differently-abled people gets worn out for good. And one look at the video will make you realise it's working. What only makes this more amazing perhaps is the fact that these dancers learned the routine in just a week. Never has such slaying been witnessed.

One of the people to feature in the video is Eric Westover, a double amputee, who along with recreational therapist Ashley Phelps danced at the Blue Bridge. Westover is the same guy, who after the making of this video and three years after his motorcycle accident (that broke all his limbs), was able to lift his wife. He told Fox News,

"For myself, I hope people see it and they see someone that doesnt have any legs, thats out there doing it, and maybe that just inspires them to get up and do something."

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital

Yet another person to feature in the video is 13-year-old Mackenzie Haag who like her father and brother has familial spastic paraplegia. This little girl was so determined to be a part of this activity that she skipped school in order to attend rehearsals. People think because Im in a wheelchair I am not able to do things an able body person can do, she told ABC.

Anybody would get worn out doing this and we are doing it and we made it look amazing!

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital

The sequence was choreographed by Marisa Hamamoto, a dancer for 20 years who discovered ballroom dancing after recovering from a spinal cord stroke that left her temporarily paralysed from the neck down. It was in 2015 that Hamamoto founded the inclusive dance company Infinite Flow. "There are over one billion people in the world with a disability who have little access to dance. I think it's my destiny to do something about it," Hamamoto told ABC News in an interview.

If there's anything you watch today, it has to be this. More power to them!
A couples trip from Daytona Beach to Gainesville Sunday morning ended with a drug deal gone wrong and jail time, Gainesville Police said.

Police are looking for the two men who stole a mans iPhone and a box of marijuana from his car, GPD spokesperson Ofc. Ben Tobias wrote in an email.

Quade Lorenzo Fachone Eubanks, 20, and Billie Ann Carter, 19, of Daytona Beach, were arrested after two men robbed Eubanks in a parking lot on Northwest 15th Street, behind the Chipotle on West University Avenue, according to arrest reports. Eubanks and Carter were there for a drug deal, police said.

Eubanks was talking with the two men while Carter was sitting in the passenger seat of Eubanks car. After the men stole Eubanks phone at gunpoint, one of the two men walked up to Carter and said Eubanks told him to get something from the trunk, the report said.

Eubanks fought with the second man over control of the gun, the report said. The man fired the gun at least once, but no one was hit by a bullet. The man hit Eubanks in the head with the gun while the man who spoke with Carter grabbed a box from the trunk and ran away, police said.

When police arrived they found several shoes left behind, Tobias said. Carter walked up to police barefoot and led them to Eubanks, who was across the street.

Police saw a bag carrying 10 grams of marijuana in plain sight in the front passenger side of Eubanks Toyota and searched the rest of the car. Police found an unloaded 9mm handgun underneath the drivers seat, pieces of marijuana littered in the trunk, a bag carrying 15 grams of Xanax and four vials of marijuana vaporizing cartridges, the report said.

Carter was charged with one count of possessing drugs to sell and one count of possessing drug paraphernalia, according to an arrest report. She was released from Alachua County Jail Monday night.

Eubanks was charged with three counts of possessing drugs to sell, one count of possessing drug paraphernalia and one count of possessing a concealed firearm, the report said. He is held in jail in lieu of a $27,000 bond.

The men who robbed Eubanks were last seen driving north on Northwest 14th Street either a BMW or Mercedes-Benz, according to a UF Public Safety email.

Eubanks and Carter would not name the two men, and the investigation is ongoing, Tobias said. Police are asking anyone with information to call Alachua County Crime Stoppers at 352-372-STOP.

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa

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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan delivers a speech during an election campaign rally in Islamabad June 30. The newly-elected prime minister has reached out to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in an effort to resume diplomatic talks. (Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images)
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The agreement has been entered into by the CBL subsidiary Intercede 2408 Limited. The sale terms cannot be disclosed at this time.

This is the second sale of CBLs international subsidiaries following on from the sale of the UK-based Professional fee Protection (PfP) business to US private equity firms Highbridge Principal Strategies (HPS) and Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP) in July.

As of August 07, the voluntary administrators had advised that a watershed meeting of the CBL group companies is further adjourned and will be held no later than November 17.

The date of the hearing that will determine whether CBLs largest subsidiary CBL Insurance, which is in interim liquidation, will be permanently placed into liquidation has not yet been set.
Rowena Orr, senior counsel assisting the commission, said CBAs life insurance unit had made criminal breaches of section 12d(b) of the ASIC Act and civil breaches of the Corporations Act and the ASIC Act for running incorrect and misleading ads for trauma policies, in relation to cover for heart attacks, Canberra Times reported.

The advertising issue was related to an ASIC probe into CommInsures use of outdated medical definitions that led some heart-attack victims to miss out on insurance payouts. The insurer altered its definition of heart attack in 2016 amid investigations sparked by media reports.

AMP, meanwhile, notified ASIC that it failed to refund $1.3 million in life insurance premiums to 4,645 dead superannuation members. This was despite an AMP staff member raising concerns in 2016 that the wealth giant might have breached the law for charging dead clients insurance fees.

AMP might have also breached the Corporations Act for its decision to charge non-smokers the same premiums as smokers if they had not specifically declared they were non-smokers, the report said.
Gallagher Bassett has announced its sponsorship of the inaugural Head to Head Fundraising Walk, which aims to support current and former Victoria Police officers living with mental-health issues.

The event will be held Oct. 1 to 23 and will see Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and The Police Association Victoria (TPAV) Secretary Wayne Gatt walk a combined 1,000km from opposite sides of Victoria to raise more than $500,000 in direct support of the Victoria Police Provident Funds new Mental Health Fund.
The likes of RSA and Sompo International have launched units in Luxembourg ahead of the UKs break-up with the European Union now Lloyds Banking Group is said to be eyeing the tiny nation for another subsidiary.

Citing a source familiar with the matter, Reuters said the UK lender has engaged in preliminary talks with regulators, with the goal of setting up shop in the landlocked country to cater to EU-based closed-book policyholders of life and pensions firm Scottish Widows.
Still, Ive detected a sentiment, a feeling  sometimes verbalized, but mostly unvoiced. As a business begins to grow beyond a startup into early maturity, and the danger of survival is replaced with success and more abundant resources, it sounds like this:

Our entrepreneurial spirit isnt quite what is was when we were a startup. Sometimes its completely MIA. More and more, we seem to need more money, people and space to innovate. But thats not how we started. OK, so we didnt start in the proverbial attic or garage, but we started with little of everything: money, space, labour. We had a goal and a passion for reaching it. Those limits made us more creative and resourceful than we are today. Today, the addiction to resources is blocking innovation.

That kind of message is symptomatic of what I call big company syndrome, an innovation malaise often prevalent in large corporations. It goes something like this: Constant, company-wide innovation is no longer something requested, managed or measured at the organizational level. Therefore, the desire for personal reward and recognition drives an informal system intended to produce a promotion and bonus.

These things result in a strong program mentality: sell a program up and request more resources in the form of bodies and budget, regardless of whether it adds value. Approval is assured because it produces a favour owed and supports the bosss own career ambitions. Objectives now become focused on meeting budget projections.

Company expenses then rise faster than sales and add further complexity. That limits organizational effectiveness, requiring even more work to execute the program, leading to yet further requests for more resources. When costs swell, senior management puts the squeeze on to stem the tide. Speed bumps get erected, usually in the form of additional project approvals. Valuable ideas get iced along with circumspect programs. Eventually, the ability to flex, react and innovate is lost.

Its something many big companies struggle with. Compare that to a young, nimble and hungry startup, organized around customer-focused goals, projects and processes, not functions. Projects have a clear start and stop, so resources are mobilized to match the need. But at some point, the startup grows up and becomes vulnerable to big company syndrome. So how do you know if your company is heading toward big company syndrome?

There are at least a couple of ways. First, listen for early warning indicators. You can hear big company syndrome start to creep into the language people use when you pitch ideas: Im OK with how things are. I think this will make things worse. Were already on another track. We dont have buy-in to do this. That may work elsewhere, but not here. We tried something like this before. Yeah, but 

Sound at all familiar? If so, then you need to move quickly and stop the syndrome before it spreads and takes a firm grasp. There are several signs that Big company syndrome has a toehold in your business. I call them the seven signs of innovation anemia, and you can course-correct fairly easily if youre able to recognize them when they appear.

1. Identity crisis

Many companies struggle to identify what their innovative strength and style is. Look back at your founding roots to discover your innovation DNA. Are you a human needs-based innovator? A market-driven fast follower? A leading-edge technologist? Eliminate or radically reduce efforts and initiatives that dont play to your natural strengths and who you are as an innovating body.

2. Inaccessible definition

If you define innovation only in product terms, youre leaving enormous potential on the table. Define innovation for the everyman to open up companywide creativity. Try something simple, such as innovation is the implementation of creative concepts that are both novel and useful. Its easy to understand, in user-friendly language, yet with two clear criteria.

3. Unfocused strategy

Can you articulate the answers to the essential questions of any strategy: Where will you play and how will you win? Like any strategy, innovation strategy is a question of focusing resources, which is something different than prioritization. Its the ability to identify what youre going to say no to.

4. Inconsistent method

The ability to consistently take concepts from inception to commercialization (or value delivery if non-revenue-focused) requires a consistent creative approach. As with the identity crisis issue, pick a method suited to your genetics and culture. For example, if youre a human-centred innovator, try design thinking.

5. Weak experimentation

Remember how you started? Little in the way of resources, running simple, fast and frugal tests of early stage prototypes in an effort to prove your concept. As companies expand their ranks and founders move further from users, theres a tendency to adopt a conceive and go stance, forgetting the more scientific approach that brought success in the first place. The mindset cant be Now that Im successful, I know what will work and Im going to ensure it does. It has to be I think this may work, so let me try it out. Never let go of the ethos of experimentation  and if its slipping out of your grasp, redouble your focus on rapid prototyping and testing.

6. Talent mismatch

Companies love to move high-potential managers into roles related to managing innovation. Those folks are great at plans and budgets, great at execution, great at growing lines of business. But what do you think theyre going to do when you move them into the messy and uncertain world of pursuing mysteries and creating something new? Theyre going to try to plan, budget, execute and obsess over revenue realization. Remember that innovation is about rapid learning, testing and failure. Keep the convergent thinkers planning and executing, and keep the divergent thinkers in their sweet spot of ideating and experimenting. Team them when the time is right for a winning combinations.

7. Weak ideas

A strong idea answers three major questions. Is the concept a fit for our organization? Does the concept solve a problem in an innovative way? Can the concept be scaled effectively? For a portfolio of stronger ideas, reverse any of the previous six signs you believe to be present in your company.

Like any ailment, Big company syndrome is easier to prevent than to correct  and much easier to correct when its caught early.

This story was originally published here.

Matthew E. May is an internationally recognized thought leader on strategy, innovation and lean, and is the author of five books, including Winning the Brain Game, which encapsulates more than a decade of experience in helping teams develop elegant solutions to difficult problems.

Strategy+Business, Rotman Magazine, Fast Company, 99U, and INC.
The insurer offered its first interactive policy in 2015. That model will now be applied across all of its policies, according to BBC News.

The idea of interactive policies isnt without controversy. Privacy advocates worry that insurers will use tracking data to punish customers who dont meet exercise targets, and some called John Hancocks announcement creepy and dystopian.

Naturally the American dystopian surveillance state will combine insurance with fat-shaming, said Matt Stoller, a fellow at the Open Markets Institute. Welcome to hell.

The insurance industry, however, says that tight regulations mean it must be able to justify rate increases. And John Hancock said that customers wouldnt be required to log their fitness activities to qualify for coverage  although those who didnt wouldnt benefit from the discounts.

An international partner of John Hancock, insurance brand Vitality, poularized interactive programs by offering discounted wearable devices with its policies, BBC News reported. John Hancock said that it was too early to know whether it was paying fewer claims because of Vitality programs. However, the insurer said that early data suggested that Vitality policyholders lived between 13 and 21 years longer than the rest of the insured population.
A federal appeals court says an insurance company must reimburse the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford nearly $1 million for payments the archdiocese made to settle sexual misconduct cases involving priests and minors.

A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on Wednesday upheld a lower court ruling in the archdioceses favor.

Chicago-based Interstate Fire & Casualty refused to reimburse the archdiocese, citing an assault and battery exemption in the insurance policy. Many policies dont cover intentional acts, but church officials argued they did not know about the alleged assaults and sued the insurer in 2012.

The settlements, one of many paid by the archdiocese in priest abuse cases, involved four claims of sexual misconduct by priests against minors in the 1970s and 1980s.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Connecticut
Britains finance minister urged the European Commission to help devise European contingency plans for the financial sector in case of no deal on Brexit, pointing to growing concerns about a disorderly departure from the European Union.

Philip Hammond made his plea at the beginning of this month at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Vienna, according to an EU official with direct knowledge of the matter.

He called on the Commission to engage on preparing plans that could reduce or avoid disruption to the financial sector in case of a hard Brexit.

European Union leaders warned Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday that if she did not give ground on negotiations over trade and the Irish border by November, they are ready to cope with Britain crashing out of the bloc.

Hammond was most concerned that, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, financial contracts could be rendered invalid. Although he insisted Britain was still committed to reaching a deal, he acknowledged the risks of there being no agreement before March, the source said.

A spokesman for the British treasury said following the Reuters report: During the discussion on financial stability with fellow EU finance ministers, the Chancellor stressed the need for the UK and EU to work together to mitigate the risks posed by a disorderly Brexit.

EU financial services commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said at that meeting that work was under way to address possible problems, according to the EU official. But he played down Hammonds concerns about the continuity of financial contracts, saying he expected limited problems.

The argument mirrored an earlier clash between the Commission and the Bank of England over contingency planning.

Brussels is saying it is up to supervisors and firms to adapt to Brexit.

The Bank of England has called this approach impractical and said 82 billion pounds ($109 billion) of insurance liabilities involving 48 million policyholders could be disrupted across Britain and the European Economic Area.

Derivatives worth a notional 26 trillion pounds are also likely to be affected by Brexit.

($1 = 0.7539 pounds) (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; additional reporting by William Schomberg in London; editing by Hugh Lawson and John Stonestreet)

Related:

Topics Europe Uk Brexit
Tokio Marine Kiln (TMK) has appointed of Reeken Patel as chief financial officer (CFO). He joins TMK on Oct. 1, when he takes over from James Dover who has chosen to leave the business after 12 years at TMK and eight years as its CFO.

Patel was previously group CFO at Novae, responsible for overseeing the finance, risk, actuarial and investment teams. He played a significant role in Novaes strategic development, ultimately overseeing the sale of the business to AXIS Capital Holdings in October 2017. Before Novae, Patel was a partner at PwC and its London market actuarial practice leader.

Patels appointment subject to regulatory approval.

Charles Franks, group CEO, said: I am really pleased to welcome Reeken to our team at TMK. His background and outstanding track record speak for themselves and he will bring a new perspective and energy to the development of our business. Tokio Marine has developed a powerful international presence over the past 10 years and Reeken will be key to ensuring we continue to advance our strategy within the TM Group.

James leaves us after 12 transformative years during which his skills, insight and drive have played an important role in broadening the scope of the business globally. He has my and the boards personal thanks for his many lasting achievements. We wish him every success in his future.

Source: Tokio Marine Kiln
When Ellie Chisholm grew up in Jacksonville, the only white people she met were the ones who picked up laundry from her grandmothers house.

Chisholm wasnt surprised when a 98-page UF report confirmed what people of color knew to be true, she said. Alachua County has a racial inequity problem.

The median income for white households in the county is $51,700, according to the report from UFs Bureau of Economic and Business Research that was released in January.

For Hispanic households, the median income is $32,100, the report said. For black households, its $26,600, almost 50 percent less than white households.

More than 44 percent of Alachua Countys black children live in poverty, the report said. Fifty percent of high school dropouts are black.

Roughly 80 locals looked for solutions to bridge Alachua Countys racial gaps Saturday morning at the second of two meetings in the Thelma A. Boltin Center, at 516 NE Second Ave., at a talk about racial and economic disparities hosted by the city of Gainesville Office of Equal Opportunity.

The report compiled data on issues including law enforcement, unemployment and child poverty among Alachua Countys white, black, Hispanic and Asian populations.

The first meeting, Aug. 11, focused on healthcare, housing, law enforcement and transportation, according to the Facebook event.

The data brought Chisholm back to memories of using colored water fountains and growing up in poverty, she said.

We could keep developing programs and coming up with all kinds of ideas, but until we address the root causes, I dont think much is going to change, she said.

After an hour of presentations, the audience split into breakout sessions at four tables to tackle issues, including education, economic well-being, employment and family structure.

Volunteers wrote down ideas on large notepads and presented what they discussed.

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Chisholm went to both meetings to collaborate with residents. She sat at the economic well-being table because the topic struck a chord in her heart, she said.

I lived it, she said. I experienced it.

The residents at the table agreed the east side of Gainesville needs more sustainable jobs to support families, not those that pay minimum wage.

Barbara Herbert, 64, who retired from teaching in public schools 10 years ago, taught on both the east and west sides of Gainesville and noticed stark differences in student health, meals and education.

All parents want the best for their children, but income inequality can hinder success, she said.

All children  all people  deserve opportunities in life, Herbert said. We dont have a level playing field.

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa
Theresa May promised fresh plans to break the stalemate in Brexit negotiations after European Union leaders bluntly rejected her blueprint and warned that time is running out for striking a deal.

A two-day summit in Salzburg, Austria, broke up without progress, and leaders piled more pressure on May to shift her stance. They said a special November summit to sign the divorce agreement will only go ahead if the U.K. makes more concessions next month.

The pound dropped about 0.4 percent to $1.3220 as of 9:35 a.m. in London, paring its gain this week to just over 1 percent.

Two key roadblocks to an agreement remain: how to avoid a hard border between the U.K. and Ireland, and what the future trade relationship between Britain and the EU should look like.

There is a lot of work to be done, May told reporters at the end of the summit. I believe there is a willingness to do a deal but let nobody be in any doubt  we are preparing for no deal.

Under Pressure

The setback in Salzburg is a blow to May  and potentially to the chances of getting a deal  at a critical time for the prime minister. In 10 days she will face down her restive Conservative party at its annual conference in Birmingham, amid a growing campaign from her disillusioned colleagues for her to ditch her Brexit plans or quit.

British officials had been hoping for warmer words from European leaders at the Austrian event  to bolster May as she prepares for the conference.

Yet these hopes were largely dashed by a succession of negative verdicts on Mays proposal for a free trade area with the EU, which she drew up with her ministers at her Chequers country residence in July. With just six months left before the U.K. leaves the bloc, time for finding a solution is running short.

Everybody shared the view that while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, the suggested framework for economic cooperation will not work, European Council President Donald Tusk said. Not least because it risks undermining the Single Market.

Moment of Truth

Tusk warned that the moment of truth for Brexit will be the leaders summit in October, by which time there must be maximum progress. Only then will the EU decide if its worthwhile calling an extraordinary summit in November to finalize and formalize the deal, he said.

According to one person familiar with the matter, the special summit will be called for November 17-18  a weekend  but leaders decided to keep it conditional on more progress in an effort to add to the pressure on May to concede further ground.

May told reporters shed had a frank conversation in private with Tusk. She insisted she always knew negotiating Brexit would be tough and would involve the other side using hard tactics.

May said she agreed with the EU that the final deal must include a legally binding backstop guarantee to avoid police and customs checks at the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. But the EUs proposal  effectively keeping the British province in the blocs customs territory while the rest of the U.K. goes a separate way  will never be acceptable, she said.

Mays Gambit

That backstop cannot divide the United Kingdom into two customs territories, May said. We will be bringing forward our own proposals shortly.

May would not be drawn on the details but British officials are weighing up whether to allow Northern Ireland to remain bound by EU single market regulations in areas such as food standards, while the rest of the U.K. adopts its own rules.

This option would be potentially perilous for May. Her minority government is propped up by Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party, who are opposed to any new divisions in the legal status between the province and the British mainland.

Liars

As May was speaking, French President Emmanuel Macron was briefing journalists in a separate room at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, which hosted the summit.

Macron angrily denounced those British politicians who campaigned for Brexit promising a better future as liars and warned that the U.K. will suffer consequences from its decision to abandon the EU. Brexit shows us one thing: its not that easy to exit European Union, Macron said. Its not costless, its not without consequences.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Europe Leadership Uk Brexit
Last Saturday, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched the Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2, which will monitor Earths ice sheets, recording changes in ice thickness as small as half a centimeter. The satellite will allow us to see one consequence of our collective pressure on the planets environment. And yet it will, in a small way, also exacerbate another emerging global problem.

The U.S. Air Force  more precisely, the U.S. Strategic Command  is already actively tracking more than 20,000 satellites, rocket pieces and collision fragments bigger than a softball that are orbiting the earth, which together present a looming menace to satellite operations and everything that depends on them, including global positioning systems, telecommunications, weather forecasts and the internet. Over 50 years ago, when we first started putting satellites in orbit, we seemed small, and the earth very big. Now, with nearly 500 new satellites going up every year, our influence is no longer small. Congested space is another reflection of our entry into the Anthropocene  a new era of history in which everything about the earth and its climate, even the space around it, is profoundly affected by human activity.

NASA scientists began thinking about potential space overcrowding in the early 1970s, when the number of satellites in orbit was approaching 4,000. In an influential paper, space scientists Donald Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais made a rough estimate that, as the number of satellites grew, the risk of collisions would become an issue by the 2000s. They werent far off. In 2009, a U.S. commercial satellite collided with an inactive Russian communications satellite at a speed of some 26,000 miles per hour, creating two clouds of debris that rapidly dispersed throughout low Earth orbits, at anywhere from 400 to 1,000 miles above the earth.

More important, Kessler and Cour-Palais also pointed to a serious risk that would arise if the number of objects in low or medium Earth orbits became too high: A higher density of objects, they argued, makes it more likely that the secondary fragments created in one collision will in turn strike other objects. A sufficient density of debris could set the stage for a fragmentary chain reaction that could quickly render the entire space around Earth unusable.

Space scientist Carolin Frueh of Purdue University told me by email that while this analysis depends on many assumptions, some of which are debatable, It seems to be beyond doubt that an increased space population leads to this effect.

Incredibly, scientists now think were getting close to this critical stage, and that we urgently need to clean it up. There are lots of ideas being pursued by researchers who think of themselves as space environmentalists. This past weekend, a satellite launched in June began testing a technique to throw a net over pieces of space debris and pull them into trajectories that would lead to their burning up after atmospheric re-entry. That kind of approach might work on some of the largest objects, but researchers have other ideas for the smaller ones, such as employing the subtle periodic forcings of the sun and moon to gradually steer debris on easy pathways toward atmospheric re-entry.

Given the stakes, and human ingenuity, the chances are high that well avoid the fragmentary catastrophe, which space scientists call the Kessler syndrome. But its certain that weve moved into a management era of near-Earth space. A space that even a few decades ago seemed unfathomably vast has become subject to perpetual monitoring and management, just so we can go on using it. The need for intense management will only grow if companies such as Boeing Co., OneWeb Satellites and SpaceX go on to deploy thousands of new satellites over the next decade or two.

The notion of the Anthropocene has generated some controversy, in part over the difficulty of deciding on when it began but also how it reflects a new geological phase of Earth history. But theres no question that weve entered a profoundly distinct phase, with people having modified over 50 percent of the earths surface, generating geophysical flows of nitrogen and phosphorous larger than natural processes produce and dispersing plastic waste to every corner of the oceans.

Now add to that the very edge of space  already under perpetual human management.

Related:

Growing Amount of Space Debris Threatens Satellites: Allianz Report

Topics Trends USA
Most states have yet to adopt a cyber security model law for the insurance industry like the one approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2017, but one expert believes the industry should be prepared for what he sees as an eventuality.

The NAIC last year approved the Insurance Data Security Model Law, which creates a legal framework for requiring insurance companies to operate cybersecurity programs.

The NAIC Model Law seeks to establish a guiding framework for regulated entities to set up cybersecurity programs. The law outlines planned cybersecurity testing, involvement with a companys information security program and incident response plans for breach notification procedures.

The NAIC model law is only a guideline until adopted by individual states, but the NAIC is hoping a majority of states will adopt its model law over the next few years. The U.S. Treasury Department has endorsed the model and recommended that Congress should consider preempting the states if it is not adopted over the next five years.

South Carolina last year became the first state to adopt the model law. The South Carolina Department of Insurance Data Security Act was drafted by the NAICs Cybersecurity Working Group, chaired by South Carolina Insurance Director Raymond G. Farmer. Rhode Island has a proposal to adopt the model law making its way through state legislature.

Provisions of the South Carolina law, which follows the NAICs, requires insurers: to protect consumer information by safeguarding individual insurance policyholders personal information; to establish data security standards to mitigate the potential damage of a data breach; to develop, implement and maintain a secure information security program, investigate any cybersecurity events and notify the SCDOI of such events immediately.

The NAIC model law resembles regulations passed by New Yorks Department of Financial Services. The state led the nation as the first to establish cybersecurity regulations, which became effective March 1, 2017.

California in late August passed a law that promises to yield what could be the nations most far-reaching law to give consumers more control over their personal data. The law requires companies to report to customers upon their request what personal data theyve collected, why it was collected and what third-parties have received it.

Tim Owen, a vice president of product management for insurance software provider Denver, Colo.-based Vertafore Inc., believes other states will soon follow.

Owen spoke with Insurance Journal about what the insurance community should be thinking about as states start to consider adopting this model law.

This has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Insurance Journal: Can you talk about the NAIC model law for data security, what it is and what it means?

Owen: Sure. Ill give you a very brief history. There were some large security breaches in the industry a few years ago, 2014-15, which drove the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to create a cybersecurity task force. Their goal there, of course, is to protect customer information and the cyber breaches that occurred drove them to be a little more aggressive on that. So what they did in the task force was meet over a couple years, had a couple drafts of a model law and in that time they also had a couple states being a little proactive and created some cybersecurity laws so what they were trying to do is get a cybersecurity model law that other states could adopt and try to keep it as consistent as possible across all the states so it would make it easier for the industry to comply with that. In 2017 they adopted that model and its now starting to be adopted throughout the country at various states.

IJ: What do you see as the next steps for states in adopting this model law?

Owen: We saw the first state, South Carolina, adopt it in July and were looking for a couple more states to move forward in their legislative processes. Theres a process, of course, that the states have to follow in order to adopt a new model, so the model then goes through the legislative process of each state. The state adopts it, hopefully its close as possible to the model itself, but there are times where they deviate from the model for various reasons in the state as they go through that legislative process. I anticipate kind of a slow uptake at first and then once some of the states start adopting it and get enough momentum, well see more and more states adopt it from there.

IJ: What should agents and insurers know about this? Should they be concerned?

Owen: Well, the agents and insurers should absolutely be concerned about their customers data. I believe they have for a long time but, of course, as the hackers and other organizations looking to get access to this data, its becoming more and more important for them to put additional attention on security. I think its a good thing for them, good thing for their customers to do that. Of course they now have some additional requirements as a result of the model as it starts to get adopted. It does require them to do additional reporting, additional assessments, take a look at their vendors, make sure that theyre putting together the best program for information risk management in their organizations to protect not only their data but their consumers data that they have in-house. Its very important for them to know what their obligations are. I think over the last year with the New York law that was passed the attention has grown quite substantially from the model itself to now the enacted legislation at the various states. This is going to continue to grow over the next year. Theres actually a March deadline for the New York cybersecurity law compliance as well so theres lots of attention being placed on this right now and with the vendors who support those customers.

IJ: You mentioned this New York law. Can you compare the two?

Owen: Well, a lot of the NAIC model incorporates the concept of the New York law but there are some, certainly theres some differences. Requirements for multi-factor authentication is probably the one difference that is most notable but I think a lot of vendors, a lot of carriers, a lot of agencies are looking to adopt those practices not only if they do business in New York but its a general good practice. If they havent theyre certainly considering that now. There are differences but a lot of it was written intentionally to try to be as consistent as possible. Thats the whole point of the model act itself.

IJ: Does this new model law create any opportunities for agents and insurers?

Owen: I think its an opportunity for agents insurers to get closer and deepen the relationship with their customers. One way to do that, of course, is to reach out and educate them about how important the data that they require and need from the consumers, how theyre taking care of it and protecting it carefully.

That would actually help them reassure the actual insured about whats going on with the data that they have given to the agency who has, in turn, given it to the carrier. Its very important for the agency, the carrier to make sure that theyre paying attention to how the consumer datas being protected and educating the consumer on the risks that are out there and inherent in information and cybersecurity issues but also how theyre doing everything they can in applying best practices to take care of that data.

Topics Carriers Cyber Agencies Legislation New York South Carolina
Want the best results out of your employees? Then be nice to them.

New research from Binghamton University, State University at New York finds that showing compassion to employees almost always pays off, especially when combined with the enforcement of clear goals and benchmarks.

Being benevolent is important because it can change the perception your followers have of you, said Chou-Yu Tsai, an assistant professor of management at Binghamton Universitys School of Management. If you feel that your leader or boss actually cares about you, you may feel more serious about the work you do for them.

Tsai and his fellow researchers wanted to determine how both the presence and lack of benevolence affects the job performance of followers.

Tsai partnered with Binghamton University colleagues Shelley Dionne, professor and associate dean of the School of Management, and Francis Yammarino, distinguished professor, as well as An-Chih Wang of China Europe International Business School, Seth Spain of Concordia University, Hsiao-Chi Ling of Kainan University, Min-Ping Huang of Yuan Ze University, Li-Fang Chou of National Cheng Kung University and Bor-Shiuan Cheng of National Taiwan University for the research.

They surveyed nearly 1,000 members of the Taiwanese military and almost 200 adults working full-time in the United States, and looked at the subordinate performance that resulted from three different leadership styles:employee

Authoritarianism-dominant leadership: Leaders who assert absolute authority and control, focused mostly on completing tasks at all costs with little consideration of the well-being of subordinates

Benevolence-dominant leadership: Leaders whose primary concern is the personal or familial well-being of subordinates. These leaders want followers to feel supported and have strong social ties.

Classical paternalistic leadership: A leadership style that combines both authoritarianism and benevolence, with a strong focus on both task completion and the well-being of subordinates.

The researchers found that authoritarianism-dominant leadership almost always had negative results on job performance, while benevolence-dominant leadership almost always had a positive impact on job performance. In other words, showing no compassion to your employees doesnt bode well for their job performance, while showing compassion motivated them to be better workers.

They also found that classical paternalistic leadership, which combines both benevolence and authoritarianism, had just as strong an effect on subordinate performance as benevolent-dominant leadership. Tsai said the reason for this phenomenon may extend all the way back to childhood.

The parent and child relationship is the first leader-follower relationship that people experience. It can become a bit of a prototype of what we expect out of leadership going forward, and the paternalistic leadership style kind of resembles that of a parent, Tsai said.

The findings imply that showing personal and familial support for employees is a critical part of the leader-follower relationship. While the importance of establishing structure and setting expectations is important for leaders, and arguably parents, help and guidance from the leader in developing social ties and support networks for a follower can be a powerful factor in their job performance, Dionne said.

Because of the difference in work cultures between U.S. employees and members of the Taiwanese military, researchers were surprised that the results were consistent across both groups.

The consistency in the results across different cultures and different job types is fascinating. It suggests that the effectiveness of paternalistic leadership may be more broad-based than previously thought, and it may be all about how people respond to leaders and not about where they live or the type of work they do, Yammarino said.

Tsai said his main takeaway for managers is to put just as much or even more of an emphasis on the well-being of your employees as you do on hitting targets and goals.

Subordinates and employees are not tools or machines that you can just use. They are human beings and deserve to be treated with respect, said Tsai. Make sure you are focusing on their well-being and helping them find the support they need, while also being clear about what your expectations and priorities are. This is a work-based version of tough love often seen in parent-child relationships.

The study, Benevolence-dominant, authoritarianism-dominant and classical paternalistic leadership: Testing their relationships with subordinate performance, was published in The Leadership Quarterly.

Topics Education Universities
The Allstate Corporation said estimated catastrophe losses for the month of August were $186 million, pre-tax ($147 million after-tax).

Catastrophe losses occurring in August comprised 16 events at an estimated cost of $137 million, pre-tax, plus unfavorable reserve re-estimates of prior reported catastrophe losses. One hail event, primarily impacting Colorado, accounted for approximately 35 percent of August event catastrophe losses.

Allstate previously announced $262 million, pre-tax ($207 million after-tax), in estimated catastrophe losses for the month of July 2018, bringing catastrophe losses for the months of July and August 2018 to $448 million, pre-tax ($354 million after-tax).

Catastrophe loss estimates do not include Hurricane Florence which made landfall on September 14.

Topics Catastrophe Profit Loss
The city of Austin, Texas, has dropped a lawsuit challenging the determination by state workers compensation officials and an appeals panel that a firefighter diagnosed with cancer is eligible for workers comp benefits.

According to the Austin Firefighters Association, Lt. Carrie Stewart has served in the Austin Fire Department for 18 years. In 2015 she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

The Austin American Statesman reported that Stewart filed for workers comp after her cancer diagnosis, arguing that her disease was work-related. An administrative law judge with the Division of Workers Compensation determined she was eligible for benefits and a three-judge panel ruled in her favor after the city appealed that decision.

The city then filed suit, disputing the outcome of its appeal and seeking to recover attorneys fees generated in fighting Stewarts case, according to various media reports.

On Sept. 18, the Austin City Council made the decision to drop the action against Stewart.

Stewart had been strongly supported by the firefighters union and the general public. In a message on the Austin Firefighters Association website, Stewart thanked her supporters, stating that she was humbled, amazed and overwhelmed by the emails, phone calls, and social media efforts that not only our members participated in, but that were forwarded to friends and family so they might participate also. Council member staff reported they received an influx of opinion and feedback about the lawsuit  She said the support not only made a difference to herself and her family but also will influence how such claims are handled in the future.

Apparently Austin is not alone in Texas in trying to limit firefighters workers comp claims for cancer they say is work-related. The Associated Press reported in August that many Texas cities are denying workers compensation to firefighters with cancer, according to union leaders and state lawmakers.

The AP reported that in the past six years, more than 90 percent of the 117 workers compensation claims filed by Texas firefighters with cancer have been denied, according to the Texas Department of Insurance.

Related:

Topics Lawsuits Texas Workers' Compensation
Hurricane Florence is still wearing out the Carolinas, where residents have endured an agonizing week of violent winds, torrential rain, widespread flooding, power outages and death.

Frustration and sheer exhaustion are building as thousands of people wait to go home seven days after the storm began battering the coast. Roads to Wilmington, which has been cut off sporadically by Florence, are opening and closing as floodwater rushes to the coast.

Florence is blamed for at least 37 deaths, including those of two women who drowned when a sheriffs van taking them to a mental health facility was swept off a road.

Im just ready for this to be over, to be honest, said Evan Jones, a college student who evacuated from Wilmington and doesnt know when he will get back. Im trying to get it all out of my head.

With the remnants of Florence finally out to sea and skies bright over rivers still swelling with muddy water, President Donald Trump visited the disaster zone, riding through soggy neighborhoods and helping pass out warm meals at a church.

America grieves with you and our hearts break for you. God bless you, Trump said during a briefing in Havelock, North Carolina.

There wasnt any presidential fanfare 120 miles (190 kilometers) away in Fayetteville. There, Roberta and Joseph Keithley had been sleeping on cots set up in a school classroom since Friday. They still didnt know if their home was ruined.

Its getting a little frustrating, but you have to deal with it and roll with the punches, said Roberta Keithley, 73. Its just another hurdle to get over in life.

To the south, daybreak brought a return of floodwaters to Nichols, South Carolina, which also was inundated by Hurricane Matthew two years ago. The flooding from Florence had subsided, only to get worse again.

Mayor Lawson Battle said that as far as he knew, everyone in the town of about 360 people evacuated as the water first started to invade town Monday. But Battle just couldnt think about that anymore.

Im focusing on this disaster at hand, he said. I dont have time to think. Im just so tired.

Ferry service for the public has resumed for several coastal routes in North Carolina. Meanwhile, a section of Interstate 95 was closed anew because bridges crossing the Great Pee Dee River flooded, said officials in South Carolina.

Access improved at least temporarily to Wilmington, a North Carolina port city of 120,000 that has been isolated for days by high water. But the state said in a Tweet late Wednesday: No safe, stable and reliable route currently exists for the public to get to and from Wilmington.

Officials said they didnt know when evacuees would be able to return home to the city, where officials are distributing food and water, and it may be next week before conditions improve drastically since the Cape Fear River isnt expected to crest at the city until Monday or Tuesday.

Understand: There is a lot of water inland, and it is continuing to make its way downstream, county manager Chris Coudreit said.

Nearly 3 feet (0.9 meters) of rain fell in places, and dozens of cities had more than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain. Roads remained dangerous, and some were still being closed as swollen rivers emptied toward the ocean.

North Carolina officials said 7,800 people remained in shelters, down from about 10,000 on Monday, despite Gov. Roy Coopers plea to stay put.

In Lumberton, where the Lumber River still covered parts of town, water was deep enough that vehicles passing by on streets sent wakes into partially submerged homes, businesses and a church.

Some of those who left shelters may have been headed toward the coast on U.S. 421, where a long line of cars, utility crews and trucks loaded with generators sat in a jam.

About 110,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity in North Carolina, about 20 percent in the county where Wilmington is located. There, about 25,000 remain in the dark.

The deaths, which have occurred in three states, include those of two women who were being taken to a mental health facility when the van they were riding in was engulfed by floodwaters from the Little Pee Dee River in South Carolina, authorities said.

Horry County Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Brooke Holden said two deputies in the van tried to get the victims out but couldnt. Rescue teams plucked the deputies from the top of the vehicle. They were placed on leave pending an investigation.

Sheriff Phillip Thompson said he does not believe the women were in restraints like those sometimes used on psychiatric patients.

It wasnt clear why the women were being moved in the aftermath of a killer hurricane, and Justin Bamberg, a lawyer who has represented the families of several people injured or killed by law officers, said he was perplexed by the decision.

If that road is in an area where it is a flood risk, and waters were rising, why were they driving on that road anyway? said Bamberg, a state lawmaker.

At least 24 of Florences victims died in vehicles, and most were in accidents linked to flooding.

North Carolinas farmers, meanwhile, are beginning to count up their losses.

The Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina estimated up to 125 million pounds (57 million kilograms) of tobacco leaf could be damaged by flooding, winds and power outages, an amount that could translate to as much as $350 million in lost farm revenue.

Association CEO Graham Boyd said about 40 percent of the crop was still in the field when the storm hit. North Carolina is the nations top producer of tobacco.

The flooding has killed an estimated 3.4 million chickens and 5,500 hogs, authorities said. Farmers are also concerned about cotton, sweet potatoes, peanuts and corn, but swamped roads and fields have made it difficult to assess the damage.

The risk of environmental damage from Florence mounted, too, as human and animal waste was washed into the floodwaters.

More than 5 million gallons (18 million liters) of partially treated sewage spilled into the Cape Fear River after power went out at a treatment plant, officials said, and the earthen dam at a pond holding hog waste was breached, spilling its contents.

___

Collins reported from Columbia, South Carolina. Associated Press photographer Chuck Burton in Sampson County, North Carolina; and AP writers Skip Foreman in Charlotte, North Carolina; Alex Derosier in Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Jay Reeves in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Flood North Carolina South Carolina
Duke Energy activated a high-level emergency alert at a retired coal-fired power plant in North Carolina as floodwaters from the nearby Cape Fear River overtopped an earthen dike at the facility and inundated a large lake.

Duke spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said Thursday that the dam containing Sutton Lake appears stable and they are monitoring the situation with helicopters and drones to react to what she called an evolving situation. Company employees notified state regulators overnight that the plant was at the highest level of alert under its emergency action plan.

The 1,100-acre (445-hectare) reservoir is a former cooling pond at the L.V. Sutton Power Station in Wilmington and is adjacent to three large coal-ash dumps. The coal-fired plant was retired in 2013 and replaced with a new generating station that runs off of natural gas.

A landfill that was under construction at the site ruptured over the weekend, spilling enough material to fill 180 dump trucks. Coal ash contains such toxic heavy metals as arsenic and mercury.

Sheehan said the company did not believe any coal ash is at risk of spilling from the site amid the current flooding, as work continues to clean up the earlier spill. The site has received more than 30 inches (75 centimeters) of rainfall as a result of former Hurricane Florence, with the Cape Fear River expected to crest on Saturday.

Aerial photographs show widespread devastation to farms and industrial sites across wide swaths of eastern North Carolina, with tell-tale trails of rainbow-colored sheen indicating potential contamination visible on top of the black floodwaters.

However, conditions remain so bad more than five days after Florence made landfall that the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality said its inspectors have been unable to visit the hardest-hit areas or collect samples of the floodwater for lab testing. The agencys regional office in Fayetteville had 1 foot (30 centimeters) of water inside, while other locations were without electricity.

DEQ is waiting for travel conditions to improve  before we can safely inspect the damage reported by farmers to the hog lagoons, said Megan Thorpe, spokeswoman for the state environmental agency. Personally, our staff are facing damage to their homes and those who evacuated are trying to get back. Many staff are helping their colleagues with cleanup.

State inspectors were able to make it to Sutton on Tuesday and to collect samples from the area around the breached coal-ash landfill. Sutton Lake is now used for public recreation, including fishing and boating.

Duke Energy said Wednesday that water samples collected by its employees and tested at the companys own lab showed no evidence of a coal ash impact to Sutton Lake or the Cape Fear River.

Thorpe said state environmental regulators were waiting on the results of their own testing before determining whether there were any violations of clean-water-quality rules.

Despite Dukes claims of no evidence of environmental harm to Sutton Lake, the companys own lab results show chemicals contained in coal ash were detected in wetlands immediately adjacent to the shoreline. An accompanying map shows the sample Duke employees tested from Sutton Lake was collected from the opposite side of the reservoir.

Dukes handling of its ash waste has faced intense scrutiny since a drainage pipe collapsed under a waste pit at an old plant in Eden in 2014, triggering a massive spill that coated 70 miles (110 kilometers) of the Dan River in gray sludge. The utility later agreed to plead guilty to nine Clean Water Act violations and pay $102 million in fines and restitution for illegally discharging pollution from ash dumps at five North Carolina power plants. It plans to close all its ash dumps by 2029.

At a different power plant near Goldsboro, three old coal-ash dumps capped with soil were inundated by the Neuse River. Duke said they had no indication those dumps at the H.F. Lee Power Plant were leaking ash into the river.

Staff from the Waterkeeper Alliance, an environmental advocacy group, visited the site by boat on Wednesday and took photographs and collected samples of gray-colored sludge and water that they said was washing off into the floodwaters. The group said the samples would be analyzed by a private lab to determine whether the gray muck contained coal ash.

State officials said they also have received reports that the earthen dam at one hog lagoon in Duplin County had breached over the weekend, spilling feces and urine. According to figures released Wednesday, four other lagoons had some structural damage, 17 had been flooded by nearby rivers and 21 were so full they overflowed. Large mounds of manure are also typically stored at poultry farms.

About 3.4 million chickens and turkeys and 5,500 hogs have been killed in flooding from Florence as rising North Carolina rivers swamped dozens of farm buildings where the animals were being raised for market, according to state officials.

An environmental threat is also posed by human waste as low-lying municipal sewage plants flood. On Sunday, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority reported that more than 5 million gallons (19 million liters) of partially treated sewage had spilled into the Cape Fear River after power failed at its treatment plant.

___

Associated Press investigative reporter Michael Biesecker reported from Washington.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Flood North Carolina Pollution
Andrew Peller A NV (TSX:ADW-A.TO; ADW-B.TO) is a leading producer and marketer of quality wines in Canada. With wineries in British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, the Company markets wines produced from grapes grown in Ontario's Niagara Peninsula, British Columbia's Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, and from vineyards around the world. The Company's award-winning premium and ultra-premium VQA brands include Peller Estates, Trius, Hillebrand, Thirty Bench, Crush, Wayne Gretzky, Sandhill, Calona Vineyards Artist Series, and Red Rooster. Complementing these premium brands are a number of popularly priced varietal brands including Peller Estates French Cross in the East, Peller Estates Proprietors Reserve in the West, Copper Moon, XOXO, skinnygrape, Black Cellar and Verano Hochtaler, Domaine D'Or, Schloss Laderheim, Royal, and Sommet are our key value priced brands. The Company produces wine based liqueurs and cocktails under the brand Panama Jack. The Company imports wines from major wine regions around the world to blend with domestic wine to craft these popularly priced and value priced brands. With a focus on serving the needs of all wine consumers, the Company produces and markets premium personal winemaking products through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Vintners Inc., the recognized leader in personal winemaking products. Global Vintners distributes products through over 170 Winexpert authorized retailers and more than 600 independent retailers across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and China. Global Vintners award-winning premium and ultra-premium winemaking brands include Selection, Vintners Reserve, Island Mist, KenRidge, Cheeky Monkey, Ultimate Estate Reserve, Traditional Vintage, and Cellar Craft. The Company owns and operates more 102 well-positioned independent retail locations in Ontario under The Wine Shop, Wine Country Vintners, and Wine Country Merchants store names. The Company also owns Andrew Peller Import Agency based in Vancouver and The Small Winemaker's Collection Inc. based in Ontario; both of these wine agencies are importers of premium wines from around the world and are marketing agents for these fine wines. The Company has entered into an agreement to produce and market the Wayne Gretzky brands across Canada. The Company's products are sold predominantly in Canada with a focus on export sales for its icewine and personal winemaking products.

AUSTRALIAN VINTAGE LTD (ASX:AVG.AX) is a leading Australian wine company. Championing a fully-integrated wine business model, the breadth of our capabilities extends to vineyards, boutique and bulk wine production, packaging, marketing and distribution

Blue Apron (NYSE: APRN) mission is to make incredible home cooking accessible to everyone. Launched in 2012, Blue Apron is reimagining the way that food is produced, distributed, and consumed, and as a result, building a better food system that benefits consumers, food producers, and the planet. The company has developed an integrated ecosystem that enables the company to work in a direct, coordinated manner with farmers and artisans to deliver high-quality products to customers nationwide at compelling values. Blue Apron's current products include Blue Apron Meals, Blue Apron Wine, the Blue Apron Market, and BN Ranch, a premium supplier of grass-fed beef and pasture-raised poultry.

BROWN FORMAN INC A (NYSE:BF-A; BF-B) For more than 140 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Jack Daniel's & Cola, Canadian Mist, Korbel, Gentleman Jack, el Jimador, Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, New Mix, Tuaca, and Woodford Reserve. Brown-Forman's brands are supported by nearly 4,200 employees and sold in approximately 160 countries worldwide.

Chapel Down Group plc (ISDX:CDGP) produces and markets a range of still and sparkling wines made from English grapes. Whilst most are white wines, the proportion of red and sparkling wines has been increasing steadily. The Company operates a production site, vineyard and retail outlet at Tenterden in Kent. Most of the Group's grapes are purchased from specialist producers across the South-East of England.

China Tontine Wines Group Limited (Hong Kong:0389.HK; OTC:CATWF) produces and sells grape wine. The company offers sweet wines and dry wines under the Tongtian, Tongtian Hong, and TONTINE labels. It is also engaged in the processing of grape juice; plantation of grapes; and wholesale and retail of winery and beverage products. The company sells its products in 22 provinces, 3 autonomous regions, and 4 municipal cities in the People's Republic of China. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Tonghua, the People's Republic of China. China Tontine Wines Group Limited is a subsidiary of Up Mount International Limited.

Citic Guoan Wine Co Ltd (Shanghai:600084.SS) is principally engaged in the production and distribution of wine. Through its subsidiaries, the Company is involved in the farming of grapes, the distribution of wine, the processing and filing of wine, as well as the manufacturing of fruit juice wine, among others. The Company primarily offers grape wines with brands named NIYA, Strong and WESTERN, among others.

Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (NYSE: CCU) is a diversified beverage company operating principally in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay. CCU is the largest Chilean brewer, the second-largest Chilean soft drinks producer and the largest Chilean water and nectar producer, the second-largest Argentine brewer, the second-largest Chilean wine producer and the largest pisco distributor. It also participates in the HOD, rum and confectionery industries in Chile, in the beer, water and soft drinks industries in Uruguay, and in the soft drinks, water and nectar industries and beer distribution in Paraguay and Bolivia. The Company has licensing and / or distribution agreements with Heineken Brouwerijen B.V., Anheuser-Busch Incorporated, PepsiCo Inc., Schweppes Holdings Limited, Guinness Brewing Worldwide Limited, Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Pernod Ricard, Compania Pisquera Bauza S.A. and Coors Brewing Company.

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ; NYSE:STZ-B) is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy. Constellation is the number three beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic, imported brands including Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacifico. Constellation is also the world`s leader in premium wine selling great brands that people love including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Rex Goliath, Mark West, Franciscan Estate, Ruffino and Jackson-Triggs. The company`s premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky. Founded in 1945, Constellation has grown to become a significant player in the beverage alcohol industry with more than 100 brands in its portfolio, sales in approximately 100 countries, about 40 facilities,

Corby Distilleries Limited (TSX:CSW-A.TO; CSW-B.TO) is a leading Canadian marketer of spirits and imported wines. Corby's portfolio of owned-brands includes some of the most renowned brands in Canada, including Wiser's Canadian whisky, Lamb's rum, Polar Ice vodka and McGuinness liqueurs. Through its affiliation with Pernod Ricard S.A., Corby also represents leading international brands such as ABSOLUT vodka, Chivas Regal The Glenlivet and Ballantine's Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Beefeater gin, Malibu rum, Kahlua liqueur, Mumm champagne, and Jacob's Creek, Wyndham Estate, Stoneleigh, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines.

Crimson Wine Group, Ltd. (OTC:CWGL) Based in the Napa Valley, Crimson specializes in handcrafted, estate-grown wines originating from the highest quality winegrowing regions in the United States. Crimson owns and manages over 870 acres of vineyard land across five distinct regions. Crimson's diverse collection of luxury domestic estates and wine brands includes Pine Ridge Vineyards (Napa, Calif.), Seghesio Family Vineyards (Healdsburg, Calif.), Archery Summit (Dayton, Ore.), Chamisal Vineyards (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), and Double Canyon (Prosser, Wash.)

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO; LSE:DGE.L) is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan's, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

Diamond Estates Wine & Spirits (TSX: DWS.V) is a producer, marketer and distributor of wines and spirits in Canada. The company operates two wineries in the Niagara region of Ontario producing VQA and blended wines under such well-known brand names as 20 Bees, EastDell, Lakeview, Dois Amigos, Hat Trick, Dan Aykroyd, Benchmark and Seasons. The company also imports fine wines and spirits from around the world and serves as the marketing and sales agent for these brands in all regions of the country. These brands include Fat Bastard wines from France, Fireball Whiskey Shooter from Canada, Hpnotiq Liqueur from France, Anciano wines from Spain, Francois Lurton wines from France and Argentina and a number of top bourbons.

Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. (NYSE:NAPA) is the premier producer of luxury wines in North America. The acclaimed Duckhorn Portfolio includes Duckhorn Vineyards, Decoy, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration, Canvasback, Calera and Kosta Browne, each with its own dedicated winemaker.

Dynasty Fine Wines Group Ltd. (Hong Kong: 0828.HK) is a leading premier winemaker with a dominant presence in the PRC wine market. Dynasty has a diversified product portfolio, catering to various price segments and consumer tastes and preferences. We now make and sell over 100 types of wine products in five main categories, namely red wines, white wines, sparkling wines, icewine and brandy.

Flanigan's Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BDL) operates a chain of full-service restaurants and package liquor stores in south Florida. The company operates restaurants under its Flanigan's Seafood Bar and Grill service mark that provide alcoholic beverages and full food service; and package liquor stores under its Big Daddy's Liquors service mark, which offer private label liquors, beer, and wines.

Global Key Investment Limited (TSX:GKL.V) is a Canadian listed company engaged in trading, distributing and retailing wine in the emerging markets of China. Global targets key unexploited markets in China using its knowledge and experience of importing wine through its wholly owned subsidiaries in Hong Kong and mainland China.

International Spirits and Beverage Group Inc. (OTCQB: ISBG) is a Nevada-based alcoholic beverage company specializing in the development, marketing and global sales of innovative wine and spirits brands. The Company's expertise lies in the strategic development and aggressive early growth of its brands and establishing these brands as viable and profitable. ISBG intends to build its own brands while seeking out individual acquisition candidates to continue to develop its pipeline of new brands into the ISBG portfolio.

KIRIN Holdings Co (OTC:KNBWY) engages in the manufacture and sale of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and pharmaceuticals and bio-chemical products in Japan, Oceania, Brazil, Southeast Asia, and other regions. It operates in four segments: Domestic Alcohol Beverages, Domestic Non-alcohol Beverages, Overseas Beverages, and Pharmaceuticals and Bio-chemicals. The Domestic Alcohol Beverages segment engages in the production and sale of alcohol beverages, such as beer, sparkling malt liquor, new genre, whiskey, spirits, and wine, as well as engineering and logistics businesses. The Domestic Non-alcohol Beverages segment offers soft drinks consisting of coffee, tea, mineral water, and juices. The Overseas Beverages segment provides beer, whiskey, spirits, wine, soft drinks, dairy products, and other products. It also provides dairy products, seasonings, and freeze-dried soup. The company was formerly known as Kirin Brewery Company, Limited and changed its name to Kirin Holdings Company

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (Paris:MC.PA; OTC:LVMUY) is represented in Wines and Spirits by a portfolio of brands that includes Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Krug, Ruinart, Mercier, Chateau d'Yquem, Domaine du Clos des Lambrays, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Wen Jun, Belvedere, Chandon, Cloudy Bay, Terrazas de los Andes, Cheval des Andes, Cape Mentelle, Newton et Numanthia.

MAJESTIC WINE (LSE: MJW.L) is the largest wine specialist in the UK, selling brilliant wine by the mixed case. Majestic differentiates itself by the high quality of its customer service and advice, the diversity and quantity of stock available to purchase at each store, its dedicated on-site customer parking, wines to taste for free every day, the ability to order in-store or online and the availability of free delivery throughout mainland UK.

Rocky Mountain Liquor Incorporated (TSX:RUM.V) sole investment is in Andersons Liquor Inc. Rocky Mountain Liquor owns 100% of Andersons Liquor Inc. ("Andersons") headquartered in Edmonton Alberta, which owns and operates private liquor stores in that province. Alberta is the only province in Canada that has a fully privatized retail distribution system for adult beverages. The product mix generally offered by Andersons at its retail stores includes beer, spirits, wine and ready to drink liquor products, as well as ancillary items such as juice, ice, mix and giftware. Andersons has focused on store operations while pursuing an active acquisition strategy to acquire additional stores within the Alberta market, focusing largely outside of the major urban centres. To date, Andersons has been successful in improving the performance of its acquisitions through effective integration with its existing operations.

Scheid Vineyards Inc. (OTC:SVIN) manufactures and sells wine in the United States. The company offers red, white, reserve, dessert wines, as well as accessories, such as wine glass. It operates 10 vineyards having 29 varieties of grapes covering approximately 4,200 acres.

SPO GLOBAL, INC. (OTC: SPOM) is a diversified holding company whose strategic plan is to acquire interests in young businesses, and provide financing, advice and guidance to assist them in realizing their potential. A company subsidiary, Wine on Tap, Inc., acquired specific assets of Wine Stream Inc. including key personnel and intellectual property, licensing and franchise rights. The Company has been able to utilize the strategic partnerships and relationships already in place to offer the same high quality products already offered in Florida by Wine Stream.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX:TWE.AX) is engaged in the viticulture and winemaking, marketing, sale, and distribution of wine in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia. It offers commercial, masstige, and luxury wine; distributes beer products; and provides contract bottling services to third parties. The company offers its products primarily under Beringer Vineyards, Lindeman's, Penfolds, Rosemount Estate, Wolf Blass, Annie's Lane, Castello di Gabbiano, Chateau St. Jean, Coldstream Hills, Devil's Lair, Etude Wines, Greg Norman Estates, Heemskerk, Matua, Pepperjack, Seppelt Wines, Stags' Leap Winery, Wynns Coonawarra Estate, and Yellowglen.

Truett-Hurst Inc. (Nasdaq:CM:THST) is a holding company and its sole asset is the controlling equity interest in H.D.D. LLC., an innovative and fast-growing super-premium, ultra-premium and luxury wine sales, marketing and production company based in the acclaimed Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys of Sonoma County, California.. Truett-Hurst, Inc. is headquartered in Healdsburg, California.

Vina Concha Y Toro SA (NYSE:VCO) is an international ambassador for world-class Chilean wines. Founded in 1883 by Don Melchor Concha y Toro, it was among the first Chilean producers to champion wines made from French grape varieties. Today Concha y Toro comprises a collection of individual wineries and brands ranging over multiple estates located throughout the premier wine regions of Chile.

VinCompass (OTC:VCPS) guiding your wine journey with personal curation starting in the restaurant --makes a mobile solution that guides the users through the wine selection process and provides personalized wine club and private label wine while offering ecommerce convenience. Users create a digital blue print of their wine preferences (VinPrint) to overcome the fear and anxiety of selecting wine. In social settings, VinCompass matches consumers' wine preferences with a database of over 1 million wines and wine lists at more than 10,000 restaurants. No other solution solves the $12 billion+ restaurant angst sometime known as "fear of the wine list" (FoWL). With consumers' VinPrint on hand, VinCompass ecomm solution is a one-to-one wine club that tailors its monthly offering based on the preferred quality and tastes of its subscribers on an individual basis. Private label wines are also available to both corporations and individuals via VinCompass' ecomm solution. In the $4 billion wine club and private label business, VinCompass is the first to apply predictive analytics to fulfill consumer ecommerce purchases. VinCompass's mission is to use its patent pending data engine technology to help everyone enjoy wine more with less effort, starting in the restaurant and shipping wine to your office or home in over 40 states

Willamette Valley Vineyards Inc. (NasdaqCM: WVVI) produces and sells wines in the United States and internationally. The company offers various types of wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Oregon Blossom under the Willamette Valley Vineyards label; Semi-Sparkling Muscat under the Tualatin Estate Vineyards label; and Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, The Griffin, and Viognier under the Griffin Creek label. It owns, leases, or contracts for 592 acres of vineyard land. The company markets and sells its wines through direct sales at the Winery; directly through mailing lists; and through distributors and wine brokers.

Xebra Brands Ltd. (CSE: XBRA) is an international cannabis cultivation and product company with global brands and intellectual property. Xebra's products range from wellness to leisure, and include beverages.

Yantai Changyu Pioneer Wine Company Ltd. (Shenzen:000869:SZ) is principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of wine and alcoholic beverages. The Company mainly offers four categories of products: wine, including dry red, dry white and sweet wine; brandy, such as PEGASE XO Brandy, PEGASE VSOP Brandy, PEGASE 12-year Brandy, XO Brandy, VSOP Brandy, Changyu VSOP, 4-star Brandy and 3-star Brandy; healthy liquor, including Specially-made Spirit of Triple Testis and Supreme Treasure Spirit of Triple Testis, among others.

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Ambev SA (NYSE:ABEV) is the largest brewer in Latin America in terms of sales volumes and one of the largest beer producers in the world, according to our estimates. Ambev produces, distributes and sells beer, carbonated soft drinks and other non-alcoholic and non-carbonated products in 16 countries across the Americas. We are one of the largest PepsiCo independent bottlers in the world.

Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. (NYSE:BUD) is the leading global brewer and one of the world's top five consumer products companies. Beer, the original social network, has been bringing people together for thousands of years and our portfolio of well over 200 beer brands continues to forge strong connections with consumers. This includes global brands Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois; international brands Beck's, Leffe, and Hoegaarden; and local champions Bud Light, Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Quilmes, Victoria, Modelo Especial, Michelob Ultra, Harbin, Sedrin, Klinskoye, Sibirskaya Korona, Chernigivske, Cass, and Jupiler. The company strives to be the Best Beer Company Bringing People Together For a Better World.

Attitude Drinks Inc. (OTC: ATTD) is an innovative and opportunistic beverage brand development company. The Company's newly formed subsidiary is the 51% owner of fast growing New England World of Beer, a major franchisee of World of Beer, a unique concept leading the development of the craft tavern category. World of Beer (WOB) is an uncommon establishment where the experience is as essential as the product. Centered on a diverse selection of local and global craft beers, delicious "tavern fare" and live music, WOB offers the best craft variety on the planet to the beer aficionado and casual beer fan alike. Taverns are currently open in 20 states including AL, AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, LA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA and WI and will be opening soon in IN, KY, MA, MN, OK and PA.

Big Rock Brewery Incorporated (TSX:BR.TO) headquartered in Calgary, Alberta , produces premium, all-natural craft beers. As Canada's leading craft brewer, Big Rock boasts a family of exceptional ales and lagers, Rock Creek Cider, an ongoing selection of seasonal beers released through the Brewmaster's Limited Edition and cutting-edge, small batch brews released through the Alchemist Edition. Big Rock products are sold in five provinces and two territories in Canada , and are also available in the Republic of Korea.

BJ's Restaurants, Inc. (NasdaqGS:BJRI) currently owns and operates casual dining restaurants under the BJ's Restaurant & Brewery(R), BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse(R), BJ's Pizza & Grill(R) and BJ's Grill(R) brand names. BJ's Restaurants offer an innovative and broad menu featuring award-winning, signature deep-dish pizza complemented with generously portioned salads, appetizers, sandwiches, soups, pastas, entrees and desserts, including the Pizookie(R) dessert. Quality, flavor, value, moderate prices and sincere service remain distinct attributes of the BJ's experience. All restaurants feature BJ's critically acclaimed proprietary craft beers, which are produced at several of the Company's restaurant and brewery locations in addition to using independent third party craft brewers. The Company's restaurants are located in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Boston Beer Co. Inc., The (NYSE:SAM) brews more than 60 styles of beer. It relentlessly pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of classic beers by searching the world for the finest ingredients. Using the traditional four vessel brewing process, the Company often takes extra steps like dry-hopping, barrel-aging and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. The Company has also pioneered another revolution, the 'extreme beer' movement, where it seeks to challenge drinker's perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company has been committed to elevating the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions around the globe, and is one of world's most awarded breweries at international beer competitions. As an independent company, brewing quality beer remains its single focus. Although Samuel Adams beer is America's largest-selling craft beer, it accounts for only one percent of the U.S. beer market. The Boston Beer Company will continue its independently-minded quest to brew great beer and to advocate for the growth of craft beer across America. In addition to Samuel Adams beers and the other craft brands brewed by Alchemy & Science, its craft brew incubator, the Company's brands include Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard hard cider.

Brick Brewing Company Ltd. (TSX:BRB.TO) is Ontario's largest Canadian-owned and Canadian-based publicly held brewery. The Company is a regional brewer of award winning premium quality and value beers. The Company, founded in 1984, was the first craft brewery to start up in Ontario, and is credited with pioneering the present day craft brewing renaissance in Canada. Brick has complemented its Waterloo family of premium craft beers with other popular brands such as Laker, Red Baron, Red Cap and Formosa Springs Draft. In March 2011, Brick purchased the Canadian rights to the Seagram Coolers and now produces, sells, markets and distributes Seagram Coolers across Canada. Waterloo Brewing, the trade name of Brick Brewing Co. Limited has announced it has made an investment in equipment to produce non-alcoholic beer and reinforce its strategy of regional brewer leadership. Waterloo Brewing will be the first large-scale Regional Brewer in Canada to invest in non-alcoholic brewing equipment. New non-alcoholic products from Waterloo Brewing are planned to be in market by the Summer of 2019. Very significant sociodemographic shifts in Canada's population are driving manufacturer investment in this growth segment.

Coca-Cola FEMSA S.A.B de C.V. (NYSE:KOF) produces and distributes Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Del Valle, and other trademark beverages of The Coca-Cola Company in Mexico (a substantial part of central Mexico, including Mexico City, as well as southeast and northeast Mexico), Guatemala (Guatemala City and surrounding areas), Nicaragua (nationwide), Costa Rica (nationwide), Panama (nationwide), Colombia (most of the country), Venezuela (nationwide), Brazil (greater Sao Paulo, Campinas, Santos, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the state of Parana, part of the state of Goias, part of the state of Rio de Janeiro and part of the state of Minas Gerais), Argentina (federal capital of Buenos Aires and surrounding areas) and Philippines (nationwide), along with bottled water, juices, teas, isotonics, beer, and other beverages in some of these territories.

Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (NYSE: CCU) is a diversified beverage company operating principally in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay. CCU is the largest Chilean brewer, the second-largest Chilean soft drinks producer and the largest Chilean water and nectar producer, the second-largest Argentine brewer, the second-largest Chilean wine producer and the largest pisco distributor. It also participates in the HOD, rum and confectionery industries in Chile, in the beer, water and soft drinks industries in Uruguay, and in the soft drinks, water and nectar industries and beer distribution in Paraguay and Bolivia. The Company has licensing and / or distribution agreements with Heineken Brouwerijen B.V., Anheuser-Busch Incorporated, PepsiCo Inc., Schweppes Holdings Limited, Guinness Brewing Worldwide Limited, Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Pernod Ricard, Compania Pisquera Bauza S.A. and Coors Brewing Company.

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ; NYSE:STZ-B) is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy. Constellation is the number three beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic, imported brands including Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacifico. Constellation is also the world`s leader in premium wine selling great brands that people love including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Rex Goliath, Mark West, Franciscan Estate, Ruffino and Jackson-Triggs. The company`s premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky.

Craft Brew Alliance Incorporated (NasdaqGS: BREW) is a leading craft brewing company, which brews, brands and markets some of the world's most respected and best-loved American craft beers. The company is home to three of the earliest pioneers in craft beer: Redhook Ale Brewery, Washington's largest craft brewery founded in 1981; Widmer Brothers Brewing, Oregon's largest craft brewery founded in 1984; and Kona Brewing Company, Hawaii's oldest and largest craft brewery founded in 1994. As part of Craft Brew Alliance, these craft brewing legends have expanded their reach across the U.S. and more than 15 international markets. In addition to growing and nurturing distinctive brands rooted in local heritage, Craft Brew Alliance is committed to developing innovative new category leaders, such as Omission Beer, which is the #1 beer in the gluten-free beer segment, and Square Mile Cider, a tribute to the early American settlers who purchased the first plots of land in the Pacific Northwest. Craft Brew Alliance is headquartered in Portland, OR.

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO; LSE:DGE.L) is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan's, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Drinks Americas (OTC:DKAM) is the exclusive United States broker for leading premium authentic All the beers are brewed in Mexico's third largest brewery, Cerveceria Mexicana, which is proudly Mexican owned and uses state of the art processes, fermentation and aging systems. Drinks Americas leading premium authentic Mexican beer brands includes specialty craft beer Day of the Dead, Mexicali, Rio Bravo, Crazy Pig and Chili Devil. Drinks Americas (DKAM) brands continues to forge strong connections with consumers through some of the largest retailers and restaurants in the country.

Embotelladora Andina SA (NYSE:AKO-A; AKO-B) through its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes Coca-Cola soft drinks in Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. It also offers fruit juices, other fruit-flavored beverages, and mineral and purified water; and flavored waters and other carbonated beverages. In addition, the company distributes non carbonated beverages, such as herbs, fruit juices, energy and sport drinks, and waters; beer under the Amstel, Bavaria, Birra Moretti, Dos Equis (XX), Edelweiss, Heineken, Kaiser, Murphy's, Sol, and Xing brands; and spirits. Further, it manufactures polyethylene terephthalate bottles. The company offers its products primarily through small retailers, restaurants and bars, supermarkets, and third party distributors.

Evans Brewing Company Inc. (OTC:ALES) develops and distributes premium craft brands including a superior line of lagers and ales that have been honored with over 20 international awards. Operating the oldest brewery in Orange County, California, Evans Brewing supplies restaurants, retailers and beer drinkers across several states. Future plans include the opening of the company's first restaurant/taproom, The Public House by Evans Brewing Company, broader product distribution, and potentially an expansion of the beer brands currently under management.

FEMSA-Fomento Economico (NYSE:FMX) is a leading company that participates in the beverage industry through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world; and in the beer industry, through its ownership of the second largest equity stake in Heineken, one of the world's leading brewers with operations in over 70 countries. In the retail industry it participates with FEMSA Comercio, operating various small-format chain stores, including OXXO, the largest and fastest-growing chain of stores in Latin America. All of which is supported by a Strategic Business unit.

Flanigan's Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BDL) operates a chain of full-service restaurants and package liquor stores in south Florida. The company operates restaurants under its Flanigan's Seafood Bar and Grill service mark that provide alcoholic beverages and full food service; and package liquor stores under its Big Daddy's Liquors service mark, which offer private label liquors, beer, and wines.

Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd. (OTC:GCFB) develops and operates two casual dining concepts: Granite City Food & Brewery and Cadillac Ranch All American Bar & Grill. Granite City Food & Brewery is a polished casual American restaurant that features a great dining experience with affordable, high-quality menu items prepared from made-from-scratch recipes. There is a brewery onsite, serving hand-crafted and micro brews. Granite City opened its first restaurant in 1999 and is expanding nationwide; there are currently 31 Granite City restaurants in 13 states. The Company expects to open 4 additional Granite City locations (Schaumburg, IL; Northville, MI; National Harbor, MD; and Detroit, MI) during 2015. Cadillac Ranch restaurants feature freshly prepared, authentic, All-American cuisine in a fun, dynamic environment. Its patrons enjoy a warm, Rock N' Roll inspired atmosphere, with plenty of room for friends, music and dancing. The Cadillac Ranch menu is diverse with offerings ranging from homemade meatloaf to pasta dishes, all freshly prepared using quality ingredients. The Company currently operates 5 Cadillac Ranch restaurants in 5 states.

Heineken N.V. (Amsterdam:HEIA.AS; HEIO.AS; OTC:HEINY) is the world`s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken brand, the Group has a powerful portfolio of more than 250 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business and delivers value for all stakeholders. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets.

KIRIN Holdings Co (OTC:KNBWY) engages in the manufacture and sale of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and pharmaceuticals and bio-chemical products in Japan, Oceania, Brazil, Southeast Asia, and other regions. It operates in four segments: Domestic Alcohol Beverages, Domestic Non-alcohol Beverages, Overseas Beverages, and Pharmaceuticals and Bio-chemicals. The Domestic Alcohol Beverages segment engages in the production and sale of alcohol beverages, such as beer, sparkling malt liquor, new genre, whiskey, spirits, and wine, as well as engineering and logistics businesses. The Domestic Non-alcohol Beverages segment offers soft drinks consisting of coffee, tea, mineral water, and juices. The Overseas Beverages segment provides beer, whiskey, spirits, wine, soft drinks, dairy products, and other products. It also provides dairy products, seasonings, and freeze-dried soup. The company was formerly known as Kirin Brewery Company, Limited and changed its name to Kirin Holdings Company

Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP) is one of the world's largest brewers. The Company's operating segments include Canada, the United States, Europe, and Molson Coors International (MCI). The Company has a diverse portfolio of owned and partner brands, including signature brands Carling, Coors Banquet, Coors Light, Molson Canadian and Staropramen. Molson Coors is listed on the 2014/2015 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (W1SGITRD), the most recognized global benchmark of sustainability among global corporations.

Rocky Mountain Liquor Incorporated (TSX:RUM.V) sole investment is in Andersons Liquor Inc. Rocky Mountain Liquor owns 100% of Andersons Liquor Inc. ("Andersons") headquartered in Edmonton Alberta, which owns and operates private liquor stores in that province. Alberta is the only province in Canada that has a fully privatized retail distribution system for adult beverages. The product mix generally offered by Andersons at its retail stores includes beer, spirits, wine and ready to drink liquor products, as well as ancillary items such as juice, ice, mix and giftware. Andersons has focused on store operations while pursuing an active acquisition strategy to acquire additional stores within the Alberta market, focusing largely outside of the major urban centres. To date, Andersons has been successful in improving the performance of its acquisitions through effective integration with its existing operations.

Russell Breweries Incorporated (TSX:RB.V) produces premium beers in Western Canada in breweries located in BC and Manitoba. All products are held to the highest quality standards, brewed without any preservatives, ensuring that the passion that goes into crafting the beers comes through in the taste.

SABMiller PLC (LSE:SAB.L; OTC:SBMRF) is in the beer and soft drinks business. We are the world's second largest brewing company and are one of the world's largest bottlers of Coca-Cola drinks. We also produce a portfolio of wholly-owned soft drinks brands. We are a FTSE-20 company. Our brand portfolio includes leading local brands such as Aguila (Colombia), Castle (South Africa), Miller Lite (USA), Snow (China), Victoria Bitter (Australia) and Tyskie (Poland) as well as global brands such as Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Miller Genuine Draft and Grolsch.

San Miguel Corporation (Phillippines:PSE:SMC) is a food, beverage, and packaging company established in 1890 initially as a single-product brewery. The Company's extensive product portfolio includes beer, hard liquor, non-alcoholic beverages, poultry, animal feeds, flour, meats, dairy products, coffee, and various packaging products. SMC's flagship product, San Miguel Beer, is among the world's largest selling beers.

Sipp Industries Inc (OTC:SIPC) is a multifaceted corporation that specializes in technology, manufacturing and distribution of commercial and consumer products. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Major Hemp, the Company provides high quality and competitively priced hemp based products, bulk hemp, CBD supply, co-packing and private labeling services, including "Major Hemp Brown Ale" brewed by Sleeping Giant Brewing of Colorado.

Thai Beverage pcl (Singapore:Y92.SI) together with its subsidiaries, produces and distributes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in Thailand and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Spirits, Beer, Non-Alcoholic Beverages, and Food. It offers beer; spirits, including brown spirits, white spirits, brandy, Chinese herb spirits, and others; gin, vodka, and whisky; and non-alcoholic beverages comprising drinking water, soda water, electrolyte beverages, energy drinks, green tea, ready-to-drink coffee, and fruit flavored drinks. The company also provides chilled frozen foods and snacks; and light construction bricks, fertilizers, animal feed and supplementary animal feed, etc. In addition, it operates Japanese restaurants and bakery shops; trades biogas, molasses, supplies and procurement products, and bottles; produces oak barrels and concentrate materials; and distributes foods and beverages. Further, the company offers transportation and distribution, environmental public relation, consultancy, advertising and marketing services, human resources development, and training services.

Tibet 5100 Water Resources Holdings Ltd. (HongKong: 1115.HK) is an investment holding company with the vision of achieving long term sustainable returns for its shareholders and creating prime capital value. Tibet 5100's operating subsidiaries and business activities are principally located in China. Tibet 5100 has two core business lines, namely, manufacturing and sales of 5100 Glacial Water and highland barley beer. Through Tibet Glacier Mineral Water Co., Ltd., we produce a leading brand in the fast-growing premium bottled mineral water market in China. Tibet Tiandi Green Beverage Development Co., Ltd is principally engaged in the exploration, manufacture and sales of a Tibetan Plateau specialty highland barley beer, which is unique, in the PRC.

Tsingtao Brewery Ltd (OTC:TSGTY; OTC:TSGTF) together with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the production, distribution, wholesale, and retail sale of beer products primarily in the People's Republic of China. The company sells its beer products primarily under the Tsingtao Beer brand name. It also provides wealth management, and agency collection and payment services. Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited also exports beer to approximately 80 countries and regions worldwide. The company was founded in 1903 and is based in Qingdao, the People's Republic of China.

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AIR WATER INC.(Tokyo:4088.T) whose operations are based on gas for industrial and medical applications, has, since its establishment in 1929, expanded its business to a great variety of fields, including chemicals, medical treatment, energy, agriculture, food products, salt, magnesia, logistics, aerosols, and mineral water.

Alkaline Water Company Inc, The (TSX:WTER.V; CSE:WTER.C; NasdsaqCM: WTER) Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkakline88, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88 delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts our trademarked label 'Clean Beverage.' Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88 launched A88 infused in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 infused flavored water is available in seven unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the Company launched A88CBD Infused brand, featuring a broad line of topical and ingestible products. These products are made with lab-tested full-spectrum hemp and include salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, bath-salts, CBD infused drinks, beverage shots, tinctures, capsules, gummies, and powder packs.

Alkame Holdings, Inc. (OTC:ALKM) is a publicly traded health and technology holding company with a focus on patentable, innovative, and eco-friendly consumer products. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Alkame Water, Inc., markets and distributes micro-clustered, alkaline, antioxidant and oxygenated bottled water utilizing an exclusive patented formula and technology. Alkame uses this patented technology to create water with several unique properties which allow the body to absorb and utilize it more efficiently and help to achieve an optimal pH balance. This patented technology also increases the available oxygen content and absorbability which equates to more fuel for improved metabolic efficiency, boosted immune system, and improved cardio respiratory function.

Ambev SA (NYSE:ABEV) through its subsidiaries, produces, distributes, and sells beer, draft beer, soft drinks, other non-alcoholic beverages, malt, and food in the Americas. It offers beers primarily under Skol, Brahma, Antarctica brands, Brahva, Brahva Beats, Brahva Light, Extra, Budweiser, Becks & Stella Artois, Presidente, Brahma Light, President Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Zenda, Quilmes Cristal, Pacena, Taquina, Huari, Becker, Baltica, Pilsen, Patricia, and Bud Light, as well as Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, Stella Artois, and Kokanee brands. The company also offers carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, isotonic beverages, energy drinks, and ready-to-drink teas under the Guarana Antarctica, Gatorade, H2OH!, Lipton Iced Tea, Fusion, Monster, Red Rock, Pepsi-Cola, Seven Up, Concordia, Evervess, Triple Kola, and Gatorade brands. It has an agreement with PepsiCo to bottle, sell, and distribute Pepsi products in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru, and the Dominican Republic; and a licensing agreement with Anheuser-Busch, Inc. to produce, bottle, sell, and distribute Budweiser products in Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Paraguay. The company also produces and distributes Stella Artois under license to Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A./N.V. in Brazil, Canada, Argentina, and other countries. It offers its products through a network of third-party distributors and a direct distribution system.

AMCON Distributing Co. (NYSE MKT:DIT) is a leading wholesale distributor of consumer products, including beverages, candy, tobacco, groceries, foodservice, frozen and chilled foods, and health and beauty care products with locations in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee. AMCON also operates health and natural product retail stores in the Midwest and Florida. The retail stores operate under the names Chamberlin's Market & Cafe and Akin's Natural Foods Market.

American Premium Water Corporation (OTC:HIPH) is a diversified luxury consumer products company focused on businesses in the health and beauty and biotech sectors. The company is focused on harnessing the powers of Nano technologies paired without cannabidiol (CBD) to treat health disorders and enhance quality of life. The company's portfolio includes the LALPINA Hydro and LALPINA CBD brands (www.lalpinahydrocbd.com), Gents (www.gentsco.com), Vanexxe (www.vanexxe.com) and plant + body essentials (www.plantbodyessentials.com). American Premium Water strives in providing only the highest quality CBD sources for its products, with quality control being one of our first and foremost focuses. The Company aims for this standard not only for compliance reasons, but also to provide our customers the highest quality product possible.

Andrew Peller A NV (TSX:ADW-A.TO; ADW-B.TO) is a leading producer and marketer of quality wines in Canada. With wineries in British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, the Company markets wines produced from grapes grown in Ontario's Niagara Peninsula, British Columbia's Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, and from vineyards around the world. The Company's award-winning premium and ultra-premium VQA brands include Peller Estates, Trius, Hillebrand, Thirty Bench, Crush, Wayne Gretzky, Sandhill, Calona Vineyards Artist Series, and Red Rooster. Complementing these premium brands are a number of popularly priced varietal brands including Peller Estates French Cross in the East, Peller Estates Proprietors Reserve in the West, Copper Moon, XOXO, skinnygrape, Black Cellar and Verano Hochtaler, Domaine D'Or, Schloss Laderheim, Royal, and Sommet are our key value priced brands. The Company produces wine based liqueurs and cocktails under the brand Panama Jack. The Company imports wines from major wine regions around the world to blend with domestic wine to craft these popularly priced and value priced brands. With a focus on serving the needs of all wine consumers, the Company produces and markets premium personal winemaking products through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Vintners Inc., the recognized leader in personal winemaking products. Global Vintners distributes products through over 170 Winexpert authorized retailers and more than 600 independent retailers across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and China. Global Vintners award-winning premium and ultra-premium winemaking brands include Selection, Vintners Reserve, Island Mist, KenRidge, Cheeky Monkey, Ultimate Estate Reserve, Traditional Vintage, and Cellar Craft. The Company owns and operates more 102 well-positioned independent retail locations in Ontario under The Wine Shop, Wine Country Vintners, and Wine Country Merchants store names. The Company also owns Andrew Peller Import Agency based in Vancouver and The Small Winemaker's Collection Inc. based in Ontario; both of these wine agencies are importers of premium wines from around the world and are marketing agents for these fine wines. The Company has entered into an agreement to produce and market the Wayne Gretzky brands across Canada. The Company's products are sold predominantly in Canada with a focus on export sales for its icewine and personal winemaking products.

Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. (NYSE:BUD) is the leading global brewer and one of the world's top five consumer products companies. Beer, the original social network, has been bringing people together for thousands of years and our portfolio of well over 200 beer brands continues to forge strong connections with consumers. This includes global brands Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois; international brands Beck's, Leffe, and Hoegaarden; and local champions Bud Light, Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Quilmes, Victoria, Modelo Especial, Michelob Ultra, Harbin, Sedrin, Klinskoye, Sibirskaya Korona, Chernigivske, Cass, and Jupiler. The company strives to be the Best Beer Company Bringing People Together For a Better World.

Arctic Glacier Income Fund (CSE:AG.UN) is a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality packaged ice to consumers in Canada and the United States, primarily under the brand name of Arctic Glacier Premium Ice. Arctic Glacier operates 45 production plants and 51 distribution facilities across Canada and the northeastern, central and western United States servicing more than 75,000 retail accounts. Arctic Glacier also licenses its trade names and proprietary technology to independently owned companies in Canada and the United States under franchise and license agreements.

Ardagh Group S.A. (NYSE: ARD) is a global leader in metal and glass packaging solutions, producing packaging for the world's leading food, beverage and consumer brands. It operates 109 facilities in 22 countries.

Aristocrat Group Corp., The (OTC: ASCC) identifies and promotes unique brands that have mass market appeal across diverse demographics. ASCC's brand management includes premium luxury goods, including top-shelf distilled spirits like RWB Vodka. The Company targeted the growing market for quality domestic spirits in order to deliver maximum returns to its shareholders. ASCC, which hopes to capitalize on unprecedented new brand-building opportunities, is working to build a portfolio of successful brands to compete in a highly profitable sector alongside LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMUY), Diageo PLC (DEO), and Brown-Forman Corp. (BF-B).

Attitude Drinks Inc. (OTC: ATTD) is an innovative and opportunistic beverage brand development company with current focus on the full commercialization of a pure milk recovery drink, exploiting recent scientific evidence, confirming the benefits of milk and protein as an exercise recovery aid. Phase III Recovery is sold in select local, regional and national markets including colleges, universities, convenience stores, fitness centers and gyms, as well as online. The Company's newly formed subsidiary is the 51% owner of fast growing New England World of Beer, a major franchisee of World of Beer, a unique concept leading the development of the craft tavern category.

AUSTRALIAN VINTAGE LTD (ASX:AVG.AX) is a leading Australian wine company. Championing a fully-integrated wine business model, the breadth of our capabilities extends to vineyards, boutique and bulk wine production, packaging, marketing and distribution

Barfresh Food Group Inc. (OTC:BRFH) is a developer, manufacturer and distributer of ready-to-blend beverages, including smoothies, shakes and frappes, primarily for restaurant chains in the quick serve restaurant and casual dining sectors. The company's proprietary, U.S. patent-pending system uses portion-controlled pre-packaged beverage ingredients that deliver freshly made smoothies that are quick, cost efficient and without waste.

Bebida Beverage Company(BeBevCO) (OTC:BBDA) develops manufactures and markets liquid relaxation products including, KOMA Unwind Liquid Relaxation, KOMA Unwind Sugar-free Liquid Relaxation, and KOMA Unwind Liquid Relaxation Shots, as well as POTENCIA Energy, POTENCIA BLAST Energy Shots and Relax 5 Shots. KOMA Unwind currently garnishes over 75 percent of brand awareness in the rapidly expanding relaxation drink category in the United States. Additionally, KOMA Unwind has been featured in The Oprah Magazine, Bloomberg News, the Wall Street Journal, Women's Health and many other publications.

Big Rock Brewery Incorporated (TSX:BR.TO) headquartered in Calgary, Alberta , produces premium, all-natural craft beers. As Canada's leading craft brewer, Big Rock boasts a family of exceptional ales and lagers, Rock Creek Cider, an ongoing selection of seasonal beers released through the Brewmaster's Limited Edition and cutting-edge, small batch brews released through the Alchemist Edition. Big Rock products are sold in five provinces and two territories in Canada , and are also available in the Republic of Korea.

BJ's Restaurants, Inc. (NasdaqGS:BJRI) currently owns and operates casual dining restaurants under the BJ's Restaurant & Brewery(R), BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse(R), BJ's Pizza & Grill(R) and BJ's Grill(R) brand names. BJ's Restaurants offer an innovative and broad menu featuring award-winning, signature deep-dish pizza complemented with generously portioned salads, appetizers, sandwiches, soups, pastas, entrees and desserts, including the Pizookie(R) dessert. Quality, flavor, value, moderate prices and sincere service remain distinct attributes of the BJ's experience. All restaurants feature BJ's critically acclaimed proprietary craft beers, which are produced at several of the Company's restaurant and brewery locations in addition to using independent third party craft brewers. The Company's restaurants are located in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Blue Apron (NYSE: APRN) mission is to make incredible home cooking accessible to everyone. Launched in 2012, Blue Apron is reimagining the way that food is produced, distributed, and consumed, and as a result, building a better food system that benefits consumers, food producers, and the planet. The company has developed an integrated ecosystem that enables the company to work in a direct, coordinated manner with farmers and artisans to deliver high-quality products to customers nationwide at compelling values. Blue Apron's current products include Blue Apron Meals, Blue Apron Wine, the Blue Apron Market, and BN Ranch, a premium supplier of grass-fed beef and pasture-raised poultry.

Blue Diamond Ventures Inc. (OTC:BLDV) seeks to partner with individuals and companies that share a common synergy, mission, and vision to enable products/services that are produced, delivered and consumed utilizing fewer natural resources, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional products on the market today. As a diversified customer centric Management / Holding Company; Blue Diamond Ventures, Inc. seeks opportunities in various markets and is driven by critical thinking and the scientific method. Now-Brands, LLC - (40% Owned by Blue Diamond Ventures, Inc.) Producers of Olde Imperial Mystic Hemp Flavored Vodka; Cannabis Clean, LLC - (20% Owned by Blue Diamond Ventures, Inc.) Providers of Cannabis based cleaning and Special Grow Room Treatments.

Boreal Water Collection Inc. (OTC:BRWC) is a personalized bottled water corporation specializing in providing premium custom bottled water for your company and customers. Whether it is for publicity, promotion, marketing, internal use or a specific event, Boreal offers fully integrated turnkey service, with prize-winning Boreal private label water, made-to-order labeling, and distinctive water containers. Unlike competitors, Boreal also has exclusive access to two pristine and abundant springs: one an award-winning source deep in the untouched wilds of Canada and the other in the prestigious Catskill Mountains in New York. With exclusive unlimited exploitation rights, Boreal has a confirmed volume in excess of thousands of millions of gallons.

Boston Beer Co. Inc., The (NYSE:SAM) brews more than 60 styles of beer. It relentlessly pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of classic beers by searching the world for the finest ingredients. Using the traditional four vessel brewing process, the Company often takes extra steps like dry-hopping, barrel-aging and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. The Company has also pioneered another revolution, the 'extreme beer' movement, where it seeks to challenge drinker's perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company has been committed to elevating the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions around the globe, and is one of world's most awarded breweries at international beer competitions. As an independent company, brewing quality beer remains its single focus. Although Samuel Adams beer is America's largest-selling craft beer, it accounts for only one percent of the U.S. beer market. The Boston Beer Company will continue its independently-minded quest to brew great beer and to advocate for the growth of craft beer across America. In addition to Samuel Adams beers and the other craft brands brewed by Alchemy & Science, its craft brew incubator, the Company's brands include Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard hard cider.

Brick Brewing Company Ltd. (TSX:BRB.TO) is Ontario's largest Canadian-owned and Canadian-based publicly held brewery. The Company is a regional brewer of award winning premium quality and value beers. The Company, founded in 1984, was the first craft brewery to start up in Ontario, and is credited with pioneering the present day craft brewing renaissance in Canada. Brick has complemented its Waterloo family of premium craft beers with other popular brands such as Laker, Red Baron, Red Cap and Formosa Springs Draft. In March 2011, Brick purchased the Canadian rights to the Seagram Coolers and now produces, sells, markets and distributes Seagram Coolers across Canada. Waterloo Brewing, the trade name of Brick Brewing Co. Limited has announced it has made an investment in equipment to produce non-alcoholic beer and reinforce its strategy of regional brewer leadership. Waterloo Brewing will be the first large-scale Regional Brewer in Canada to invest in non-alcoholic brewing equipment. New non-alcoholic products from Waterloo Brewing are planned to be in market by the Summer of 2019. Very significant sociodemographic shifts in Canada's population are driving manufacturer investment in this growth segment.

BROWN FORMAN INC A (NYSE:BF-A; BF-B) For more than 140 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Jack Daniel's & Cola, Canadian Mist, Korbel, Gentleman Jack, el Jimador, Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, New Mix, Tuaca, and Woodford Reserve.

CALCOL INC. (OTC: CLCL) is a holding company operating through its subsidiaries Malibu-Cola Beverage Co., Ltd. and Sanhe MeiLe Soft Drinks Company, Ltd. The company's subsidiaries produce and distribute soft drinks and bottled water. It offers sports, energy, carbonated, and hypertonic drinks; mineral and white grape water; and diet strawberry beverages. The company provides its products under Kulong, Malibu-Cola, Malibu Sunrise Orange, Malibu Surf's Up, Malibu Verry Cherry Cola, Malibu Lemon Squeeze, Malibu Sparkle Green Apple, Malibu Sun-Tea, and Malibu Springs brand names. Calcol, Inc. is headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio.

Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE:CPB) is driven and inspired by our Purpose, "Real food that matters for life's moments." The company makes a range of products from high-quality soups and simple meals to snacks and healthy beverages. For generations, people have trusted Campbell to provide authentic, flavorful and readily available foods and beverages that connect them to each other, to warm memories, and to what's important today. Led by its iconic Campbell's brand, the company's portfolio includes Pepperidge Farm, Goldfish, Bolthouse Farms, V8, Swanson, Prego, Pace, Plum Organics, Arnott's, Tim Tam, Royal Dansk and Kjeldsens. Founded in 1869, Campbell has a heritage of giving back and acting as a good steward of the planet's natural resources. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.

Capita Verde Industries Ltd. (Formerly Arrowhead Water) (TSX:VEG-H.V) is a Canada-based traded bottled water company engaged in the production, sale and distribution of large format 15-litre bottles of drinking water principally in Alberta. The Company distributes reverse osmosis, distilled and natural spring water to the Western Canadian retail grocery market. The Company's revenues from operations are derived from two main sources, which include retail water sales from 15-litre and 18.9-litre channels, which include recycling and environmental levies, and other miscellaneous water sales. The Company produces format bottled water for grocery chains and big box retailers. The Company's products include Arrowhead Spring 15-litre and Arrowhead Reverse Osmosis 15-litre. The Company is also a farming company. The Company grows organic spinach, kale, lettuce, arugula and various salad mixtures.

Castle Brands, Inc. (NYSE MKT:ROX) is a developer and international marketer of premium and super-premium beverage alcohol brands including: Gosling's Rum, Jefferson's, Jefferson's Presidential Select, Jefferson's Reserve and Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon, Jefferson's Rye Whiskey, Knappogue Castle Whiskey, Clontarf Irish Whiskey, Pallini Limoncello, Boru Vodka and Brady's Irish Cream.

Celsius Holdings, Inc. (OTC:CELH) is a science-based functional beverage company, founded to launch the world's first negative calorie beverage. The evolution of the beverage market has evolved from high calorie to low calorie to zero calorie. Celsius negative calorie beverage is unique worldwide and deeply rooted in science. The first clinical study was conducted in 2005. Six additional studies, including five from the University of Oklahoma, were conducted over the next five years. The studies validated the unique benefits Celsius provides to the consumer.

CENTR Brands Corp. (CSE: CNTR) (FSE: 303) develops and markets non-alcoholic beverages for the North American market. The Company's initial focus is on the creation and launch of a global brand for the cannabidiol (CBD) infused beverage market. The Company's first product, named CENTR, is a sparkling, low-calorie, CBD beverage.

Chapel Down Group plc (ISDX:CDGP) produces and markets a range of still and sparkling wines made from English grapes. Whilst most are white wines, the proportion of red and sparkling wines has been increasing steadily. The Company operates a production site, vineyard and retail outlet at Tenterden in Kent. Most of the Group's grapes are purchased from specialist producers across the South-East of England.

Charlestowne Premium Beverages Inc (OTC Pink: FPWM) formerly 1st Prestige Wealth Management - is a company that develops, produces, markets, and distributes alcoholic beverages worldwide. The Company's portfolio showcases spirit brands such as Papa Vodka, Crocodile Tears Vodka, Proprietor's Reserve Whiskey, and Lord Proprietor's Special Reserve Whiskey. Charlestowne Premium also has Wholesaler and Import permits from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau - the governing body for spirits in the U.S. under the Department of the Treasury.

China Marine Food Group Limited (OTC:CMFO) is a food and beverage manufacturer of Mingxiang seafood-based snack foods and "Hi-Power" marine algae-based health drinks, and a wholesaler of frozen marine catch in six provinces in the PRC. Founded in 1994, China Marine has grown steadily and positioned its Mingxiang brand as a category leader in 3,500 retail food sales points and 14,000 beverage sales points in China. The Company has received "The Famous Brand" and "Green Food" awards. Located in Fujian province, it is one of the largest coastal provinces in the PRC and a vital navigation hub between the East China Sea and the South China Sea. The Company is committed to the highest standard of quality control with the ISO9001, ISO14001, HACCP certification and EU export registration.

China New Borun Corporation (NYSE:BORN) is a leading producer and distributor of corn-based edible alcohol sold as an ingredient to producers of baijiu, a popular grain-based alcoholic beverage in China. The Company also produces DDGS Feed, liquid carbon dioxide and crude corn oil as by-products of edible alcohol production, and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and foam insulation that are widely used in chemical industries. China New Borun is based in Shouguang, Shandong Province.

China Tontine Wines Group Limited (Hong Kong:0389.HK; OTC:CATWF) produces and sells grape wine. The company offers sweet wines and dry wines under the Tongtian, Tongtian Hong, and TONTINE labels. It is also engaged in the processing of grape juice; plantation of grapes; and wholesale and retail of winery and beverage products. The company sells its products in 22 provinces, 3 autonomous regions, and 4 municipal cities in the People's Republic of China. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Tonghua, the People's Republic of China. China Tontine Wines Group Limited is a subsidiary of Up Mount International Limited.

ChromaDex Corporation (OTC:CDXC) is an innovative natural products company that discovers, acquires, develops and commercializes proprietary-based ingredient technologies through its unique business model that utilizes its wholly owned synergistic business units, including ingredient technologies, natural product fine chemicals (known as "phytochemicals"), chemistry and analytical testing services, and product regulatory and safety consulting (as Spherix Consulting). The company provides seamless science-based solutions to the nutritional supplement, food and beverage, animal health, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The ChromaDex ingredient technologies unit includes products backed with extensive scientific research and intellectual property. Its ingredient portfolio includes pTeroPure pterostilbene; ProC3G, a natural black rice containing cyanidin-3-glucoside; PURENERGY, a caffeine-pTeroPure co-crystal; and NIAGEN, its recently launched branded nicotinamide riboside, a novel next-generation B vitamin.

Citic Guoan Wine Co Ltd (Shanghai:600084.SS) is principally engaged in the production and distribution of wine. Through its subsidiaries, the Company is involved in the farming of grapes, the distribution of wine, the processing and filing of wine, as well as the manufacturing of fruit juice wine, among others. The Company primarily offers grape wines with brands named NIYA, Strong and WESTERN, among others.

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. (NasdaqGS:COKE) Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Coca-Cola Consolidated is the nation's largest independent Coca-Cola bottler with franchise territories in twelve states. The Company's current major markets include: Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, Greenville, the Triad, and Asheville in NC; Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston in SC; Charleston, Beckley, and Parkersburg in WV; Roanoke and Bristol in VA; Cleveland, Nashville, Johnson City, Morristown and Knoxville in TN; Louisville in KY, Evansville in IN, Columbus and Albany in GA; Mobile, AL; Panama City, FL; and Biloxi, MS.

Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, POWERADE, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia, Dasani, FUZE TEA and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers.

Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE:CCE) is the leading Western European marketer, producer, and distributor of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages and one of the world's largest independent Coca-Cola bottlers. CCE is the sole licensed bottler for products of The Coca-Cola Company in Belgium, continental France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. We operate with a local focus and have 17 manufacturing sites across Europe, where we manufacture nearly 90 percent of our products in the markets in which they are consumed. Corporate responsibility and sustainability is core to our business, and we have been recognized by leading organizations in North America and Europe for our progress in water use reduction, carbon footprint reduction, and recycling initiatives.

Coca-Cola FEMSA S.A.B de C.V. (NYSE:KOF) produces and distributes Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Del Valle, and other trademark beverages of The Coca-Cola Company in Mexico (a substantial part of central Mexico, including Mexico City, as well as southeast and northeast Mexico), Guatemala (Guatemala City and surrounding areas), Nicaragua (nationwide), Costa Rica (nationwide), Panama (nationwide), Colombia (most of the country), Venezuela (nationwide), Brazil (greater Sao Paulo, Campinas, Santos, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the state of Parana, part of the state of Goias, part of the state of Rio de Janeiro and part of the state of Minas Gerais), Argentina (federal capital of Buenos Aires and surrounding areas) and Philippines (nationwide), along with bottled water, juices, teas, isotonics, beer, and other beverages in some of these territories.

Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (LSE:CCH.L) is the second-largest bottler of the brands of The Coca-Cola Company in terms of volume with sales of more than 2 billion unit cases. It has a broad geographic footprint with operations in 28 countries serving a population of approximately 585 million people. Coca-Cola HBC offers a diverse range of non-alcoholic ready to drink beverages in the sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, tea and coffee categories. Coca-Cola HBC is committed to promoting sustainable development in order to create value for its business and for society. This includes providing products that meet the beverage needs of consumers, fostering an open and inclusive work environment, conducting its business in ways that protect and preserve the environment and contribute to the socio-economic development of the local communities.

Coffee Holding Company, Inc. (NasdaqCM:JVA) is a leading integrated wholesale coffee roaster and dealer in the United States and one of the few coffee companies that offers a broad array of coffee products across the entire spectrum of consumer tastes, preferences and price points. Coffee Holding has been a family-operated business for three generations and has remained profitable through varying cycles in the coffee industry and the economy. The Company's private label and branded coffee products are sold throughout the United States, Canada and abroad to supermarkets, wholesalers, and individually owned and multi-unit retail customers.

Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (NYSE: CCU) is a diversified beverage company operating principally in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay. CCU is the largest Chilean brewer, the second-largest Chilean soft drinks producer and the largest Chilean water and nectar producer, the second-largest Argentine brewer, the second-largest Chilean wine producer and the largest pisco distributor. It also participates in the HOD, rum and confectionery industries in Chile, in the beer, water and soft drinks industries in Uruguay, and in the soft drinks, water and nectar industries and beer distribution in Paraguay and Bolivia. The Company has licensing and / or distribution agreements with Heineken Brouwerijen B.V., Anheuser-Busch Incorporated, PepsiCo Inc., Schweppes Holdings Limited, Guinness Brewing Worldwide Limited, Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Pernod Ricard, Compania Pisquera Bauza S.A. and Coors Brewing Company.

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ; NYSE:STZ-B) is a leading international producer and marketer of, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy. Constellation is the number three beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic, imported brands including Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacifico. Constellation is also the world`s leader in premium wine selling great brands that people love including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Rex Goliath, Mark West, Franciscan Estate, Ruffino and Jackson-Triggs. The company`s premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky.

Corby Distilleries Limited (TSX:CSW-A.TO; CSW-B.TO) is a leading Canadian marketer of spirits and imported wines. Corby's portfolio of owned-brands includes some of the most renowned brands in Canada, including Wiser's Canadian whisky, Lamb's rum, Polar Ice vodka and McGuinness liqueurs. Through its affiliation with Pernod Ricard S.A., Corby also represents leading international brands such as ABSOLUT vodka, Chivas Regal The Glenlivet and Ballantine's Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Beefeater gin, Malibu rum, Kahlua liqueur, Mumm champagne, and Jacob's Creek, Wyndham Estate, Stoneleigh, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines.

Cott Corporation (NYSE:COT) is one of the world's largest producers of beverages on behalf of retailers, brand owners and distributors, and has one of the broadest home and office bottled water and office coffee services distribution networks in the United States, with the ability to service approximately 90 percent of U.S. households, as well as national, regional and local offices. Cott produces multiple types of beverages in a variety of packaging formats and sizes, including carbonated soft drinks, 100% shelf stable juice and juice-based products, clear, still and sparkling flavored waters, energy drinks and shots, sports drinks, new age beverages, ready-to-drink teas, beverage concentrates, liquid enhancers, freezables and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages, as well as hot chocolate, coffee, malt drinks, creamers/whiteners and cereals. Cott's large manufacturing footprint, broad distribution network, substantial research and development capability and high-level of quality and customer service enables Cott to offer its customers a strong value-added proposition of low cost, high quality products and services. In addition, Cott, through its new DS Services division, is now a national direct-to-consumer provider of bottled water, office coffee and water filtration services offering a comprehensive portfolio of beverage products, equipment and supplies to approximately 1.5 million customer locations through its network of over 200 sales and distribution facilities and daily operation of over 2,100 routes. Cott operates manufacturing and distribution facilities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico. Cott also develops and manufactures beverage concentrates, which it exports to countries around the world.

Craft Brew Alliance Incorporated (NasdaqGS: BREW) is a leading craft brewing company, which brews, brands and markets some of the world's most respected and best-loved American craft beers. The company is home to three of the earliest pioneers in craft beer: Redhook Ale Brewery, Washington's largest craft brewery founded in 1981; Widmer Brothers Brewing, Oregon's largest craft brewery founded in 1984; and Kona Brewing Company, Hawaii's oldest and largest craft brewery founded in 1994. As part of Craft Brew Alliance, these craft brewing legends have expanded their reach across the U.S. and more than 15 international markets. In addition to growing and nurturing distinctive brands rooted in local heritage, Craft Brew Alliance is committed to developing innovative new category leaders, such as Omission Beer, which is the #1 beer in the gluten-free beer segment, and Square Mile Cider, a tribute to the early American settlers who purchased the first plots of land in the Pacific Northwest. Craft Brew Alliance is headquartered in Portland, OR.

Crimson Wine Group, Ltd. (OTC:CWGL) Based in the Napa Valley, Crimson specializes in handcrafted, estate-grown wines originating from the highest quality winegrowing regions in the United States. Crimson owns and manages over 870 acres of vineyard land across five distinct regions. Crimson's diverse collection of luxury domestic estates and wine brands includes Pine Ridge Vineyards (Napa, Calif.), Seghesio Family Vineyards (Healdsburg, Calif.), Archery Summit (Dayton, Ore.), Chamisal Vineyards (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), and Double Canyon (Prosser, Wash.)

Crystal Rock Holdings (NYSE MKT: CRVP) operating through its subsidiary Crystal Rock LLC, markets and distributes water, coffee, office supplies and other home and office refreshment products throughout the Northeast. The company is the largest independent home and office distributor of its kind in the United States. It bottles and distributes natural spring water under the Vermont Pure brand, purified water with minerals added under the Crystal Rock Waters label and roasts and packages coffee under its Cool Beans brand. Launched in 2010, the Crystal Rock Office brand features traditional office supplies, break room items, furniture and janitorial and sanitation products. The majority of its sales are derived from a route distribution system that delivers water in 3- to 5-gallon reusable, recyclable bottles, and coffee in fractional packs or pods. With a new identity and the tagline, "Little Things Matter", Crystal Rock continues to set high standards in the home and office delivery through technical innovation, a commitment to the environment, and the integration of its family roots into relationships with employees and customers.

Cuba Beverage Company (OTC:CUBV) creates and distributes herbal energy juices to energy beverage market worldwide. It offers CUBA Herbal Energy Juice, a ready-to-drink beverage that offers a healthy and natural alternative to conventional energy drinks. The company is based in San Diego, California

Danone (Paris:BN.PA) is an international company present on five continents. The group holds top positions in healthy food through four businesses: Fresh Dairy Products, Early Life Nutrition, Waters, and Medical Nutrition. Its mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

Dean Foods Company (NYSE:DF) is a leading food and beverage company and the largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of fluid milk and other dairy and dairy case products in the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the Dean Foods portfolio includes TruMoo, the leading national flavored milk brand, along with well-known regional dairy brands such as Alta Dena, Berkeley Farms, Country Fresh, Dean's, Garelick Farms, LAND O LAKES milk and cultured products*, Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms, Mayfield, McArthur, Meadow Gold, Oak Farms, PET**, T.G. Lee, Tuscan and more. In all, Dean Foods has more than 50 local and regional dairy brands and private labels. Dean Foods also makes and distributes ice cream, cultured products, juices, teas, and bottled water.

Dewmar International BMC, Inc. (OTC:DEWM) transforms high profit-margin brands traditionally reserved for niche consumer markets into more widely available general consumer brands while building a sustainable business growth model. The Company's flagship brand, Lean Slow Motion Potion, is rated as one of the top three selling relaxation brands in the United States of the purported over 100 plus relaxation brands currently available in the world has been distributed and sold in 28 states and 3 countries, with successful continuous online sales.

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO; LSE:DGE.L) is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan's, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diamond Estates Wine & Spirits (TSX: DWS.V) is a producer, marketer and distributor of wines and spirits in Canada. The company operates two wineries in the Niagara region of Ontario producing VQA and blended wines under such well-known brand names as 20 Bees, EastDell, Lakeview, Dois Amigos, Hat Trick, Dan Aykroyd, Benchmark and Seasons. The company also imports fine wines and spirits from around the world and serves as the marketing and sales agent for these brands in all regions of the country. These brands include Fat Bastard wines from France, Fireball Whiskey Shooter from Canada, Hpnotiq Liqueur from France, Anciano wines from Spain, Francois Lurton wines from France and Argentina and a number of top bourbons.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (NYSE:DPS) is a leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean. Our success is fueled by more than 50 brands that are synonymous with refreshment, fun and flavor. We have 6 of the top 10 non-cola soft drinks, and 13 of our 14 leading brands are No. 1 or No. 2 in their flavor categories. In addition to our flagship Dr Pepper and Snapple brands, our portfolio includes 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Clamato, Crush, Hawaiian Punch, Mott's, Mr & Mrs T mixers, Penafiel, Rose's, Schweppes, Squirt and Sunkist soda.

Drinks Americas (OTC:DKAM) is the exclusive United States broker for leading premium authentic All the beers are brewed in Mexico's third largest brewery, Cerveceria Mexicana, which is proudly Mexican owned and uses state of the art processes, fermentation and aging systems. Drinks Americas leading premium authentic Mexican beer brands includes specialty craft beer Day of the Dead, Mexicali, Rio Bravo, Crazy Pig and Chili Devil. Drinks Americas (DKAM) brands continues to forge strong connections with consumers through some of the largest retailers and restaurants in the country.

DTS8 Coffee Company Ltd. (OTC: BKCT) is a purveyor of gourmet-roasted coffee in China. DTS8 roasts, markets and wholesales the "DTS8 Premium", "Single Origin Premium", "Don Manuel", and "Private Label" brands in Shanghai and others areas of China. DTS8 coffees are well regarded by consumers for their uniqueness, consistency and special flavor characteristics, and are sold through distribution channels reaching consumers at restaurants, multi-location coffee shops and offices.

Dutch Bros Inc. (NYSE:BROS) is a drive-thru coffee company dedicated to making a massive difference one cup at a time. Headquartered in Grants Pass, Oregon, where it was founded in 1992 by Dane and Travis Boersma, it's now sharing the "Dutch Luv" with more than 500 locations in 11 states. Dutch Bros serves specialty coffee, smoothies, freezes, teas, an exclusive Dutch Bros Blue Rebel energy drink and nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee. Its rich, proprietary coffee blend is handcrafted from start to finish. In addition to its mission of speed, quality and service, Dutch Bros is committed to giving back to the communities it serves. Through its Dutch Bros Foundation and local franchisees, the company donates several million dollars to causes across the country each year.

Dynasty Fine Wines Group Ltd. (Hong Kong: 0828.HK) is a leading premier winemaker with a dominant presence in the PRC wine market. Dynasty has a diversified product portfolio, catering to various price segments and consumer tastes and preferences. We now make and sell over 100 types of wine products in five main categories, namely red wines, white wines, sparkling wines, icewine and brandy.

Eastside Distilling, Inc. (OTC:ESDI) is located in Southeast Portland's Distillery Row and has been producing high-quality, master-crafted spirits since 2008. Makers of award winning spirits, the Company is unique in the marketplace and distinguished by its highly decorated product line-up that includes Barrel Hitch American Whiskies, Burnside Bourbon, Below Deck Rums, Portland Potato Vodka and a distinctive line of infused whiskeys. All Eastside spirits are master crafted from natural ingredients for unparalleled quality and taste.

Eldorado Artesian Springs, Inc. (OTC:ELDO) bottles, markets, and distributes natural artesian spring water and organic vitamin charged spring water under the Eldorado Artesian Spring Water brand primarily in Colorado. The company sells gallon bottles of water directly to businesses, homes, and offices, as well as grocery store chains and distribution companies. It also rents coolers to customers to dispense the bottled water; rents and sells filtration and coffee dispensing equipment to customers for home and office accounts; sells coffee; owns and operates a public swimming pool and a resort building; and rents a single-family home. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Louisville, Colorado

Embotelladora Andina SA (NYSE:AKO-A; AKO-B) through its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes Coca-Cola soft drinks in Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. It also offers fruit juices, other fruit-flavored beverages, and mineral and purified water; and flavored waters and other carbonated beverages. In addition, the company distributes non carbonated beverages, such as herbs, fruit juices, energy and sport drinks, and waters; beer under the Amstel, Bavaria, Birra Moretti, Dos Equis (XX), Edelweiss, Heineken, Kaiser, Murphy's, Sol, and Xing brands; and spirits. Further, it manufactures polyethylene terephthalate bottles. The company offers its products primarily through small retailers, restaurants and bars, supermarkets, and third party distributors.

Emperial Americas, Inc. (OTC:TEXX) develops, imports, markets, and supplies branded alcoholic beverages in the United States. The company primarily offers tequila and bourbon. Its brands include Distinguido Tequila, Broken Barrel Bourbon, Independence Rye, and Recipes.

Farmer Brothers Co. (NasdaqGS:FARM) is a manufacturer, wholesaler and distributor of coffee, tea and culinary products. The Company is a direct distributor of coffee to restaurants, hotels, casinos, offices, quick service restaurants ("QSR's"), convenience stores, healthcare facilities and other foodservice providers, as well as private brand retailers in the QSR, grocery, drugstore, restaurant, convenience store, and independent coffee house channels. The Company's product line includes roasted coffee, liquid coffee, coffee-related products such as coffee filters, sugar and creamers, assorted iced and hot teas, cappuccino, cocoa, spices, gelatins and puddings, soup bases, dressings, gravy and sauce mixes, pancake and biscuit mixes, and jellies and preserves. The Company's primary brands include Farmer Brothers(TM), Artisan Collection by Farmer Brothers(TM), Superior(R), Metropolitan(TM) , Cain's(TM) and McGarvey(R)

FBEC Worldwide, Inc. (OTC:FBEC) is an upcoming beverage company with intellectual property formulas and marketing capability for production and distribution of proprietary supplements, beverages, and H.E.M.P. Energy shot-drinks.

FEMSA-Fomento Economico (NYSE:FMX) is a leading company that participates in the beverage industry through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world; and in the beer industry, through its ownership of the second largest equity stake in Heineken, one of the world's leading brewers with operations in over 70 countries. In the retail industry it participates with FEMSA Comercio, operating various small-format chain stores, including OXXO, the largest and fastest-growing chain of stores in Latin America. All of which is supported by a Strategic Business unit.

Flanigan's Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BDL) operates a chain of full-service restaurants and package liquor stores in south Florida. The company operates restaurants under its Flanigan's Seafood Bar and Grill service mark that provide alcoholic beverages and full food service; and package liquor stores under its Big Daddy's Liquors service mark, which offer private label liquors, beer, and wines.

ForeverGreen Worldwide Corporation (OTC:FVRG) develops, manufactures and distributes an expansive line of all natural whole foods and products to North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, including their new global offerings, PowerStrips, SolarStrips and BeautyStrips. They also offer Azul and FrequenSea(TM), whole-food beverages with industry exclusive marine phytoplankton, the Versativa line of hemp-based whole-food products, immune support and weight management products, Pulse-8 powdered L-arginine formula, TRUessence(TM) Essential Oils and Apothecary, 24Karat Chocolate(R) and an entire catalog of meals, snacks, household cleaners and personal care products

Full Motion Beverage, Inc (OTC:FMBV) makes a core business in the operation and management of non-alcohol based beverage products and brands and the development, acquisition and marketing of additional brand names under its corporate umbrella

Glacier Water Services Inc. (OTC:GWSV) designs, distributes, and operates water vending machines that dispense drinking water to the consumers. Its product line includes water filtration and treatment systems contained in outdoor and indoor vending machines. It also operates a line of PureFill and Water Island equipment, as well as ice bagging machines. The company's machines are located in 47 states in the United States and Canada.

GLG Life Tech Corporation (TSX:GLG.TO) is a global leader in the supply of high-purity zero calorie natural sweeteners including stevia and monk fruit extracts used in food and beverages. GLG's vertically integrated operations, which incorporate our Fairness to Farmers program and emphasize sustainability throughout, cover each step in the stevia and monk fruit supply chains including non-GMO seed and seedling breeding, natural propagation, growth and harvest, proprietary extraction and refining, marketing and distribution of the finished products. Additionally, to further meet the varied needs of the food and beverage industry, GLG has launched its Naturals+ product line, enabling it to supply a host of complementary ingredients reliably sourced through its supplier network in China.

Global Key Investment Limited (TSX:GKL.V) is a Canadian listed company engaged in trading, distributing and retailing wine in the emerging markets of China. Global targets key unexploited markets in China using its knowledge and experience of importing wine through its wholly owned subsidiaries in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd. (OTC:GCFB) develops and operates two casual dining concepts: Granite City Food & Brewery and Cadillac Ranch All American Bar & Grill. Granite City Food & Brewery is a polished casual American restaurant that features a great dining experience with affordable, high-quality menu items prepared from made-from-scratch recipes. There is a brewery onsite, serving hand-crafted and micro brews. Granite City opened its first restaurant in 1999 and is expanding nationwide; there are currently 31 Granite City restaurants in 13 states. The Company expects to open 4 additional Granite City locations (Schaumburg, IL; Northville, MI; National Harbor, MD; and Detroit, MI) during 2015. Cadillac Ranch restaurants feature freshly prepared, authentic, All-American cuisine in a fun, dynamic environment. Its patrons enjoy a warm, Rock N' Roll inspired atmosphere, with plenty of room for friends, music and dancing. The Cadillac Ranch menu is diverse with offerings ranging from homemade meatloaf to pasta dishes, all freshly prepared using quality ingredients. The Company currently operates 5 Cadillac Ranch restaurants in 5 states.

Greene Concepts Inc. (OTC Pink: INKW) is a publicly traded company. Through its recently acquired wholly owned subsidiary, Mammoth Ventures Inc., the Company has entered into the specialty beverage and bottling business and is an emerging leader in the global scientifically formulated beverage industry.

Greggs plc (LSE:GRG.L) operates as a bakery food-on-the-go retailer in the United Kingdom. It offers a range of fresh and frozen bakery products, sandwiches, drinks, snacks, small cakes and muffins, breakfast products, and sweet bakery treats, as well as porridges, salads, and soups. The company sells its products through its shops in travel, leisure, and work-centered catchments; and franchised stores in motorway service stations and petrol forecourts.

Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS:HAIN) headquartered in Lake Success, NY, is a leading organic and natural products company with operations in North America, Europe and India. Hain Celestial participates in many natural categories with well-known brands that include Celestial Seasonings, Earth's Best, Ella's Kitchen, Terra, Garden of Eatin', Sensible Portions, Health Valley, Arrowhead Mills, MaraNatha, SunSpire, DeBoles, Casbah, Rudi's Organic Bakery, Gluten Free Cafe, Hain Pure Foods, Spectrum, Spectrum Essentials, Walnut Acres Organic, Imagine, Almond Dream, Rice Dream, Soy Dream, WestSoy, The Greek Gods, BluePrint, FreeBird, Plainville Farms, Empire Kosher, Kosher Valley, Yves Veggie Cuisine, Europe's Best, Cully & Sully, New Covent Garden Soup Co., Johnson's Juice Co., Farmhouse Fare, Hartley's, Sun-Pat, Gale's, Robertson's, Frank Cooper's, Linda McCartney, Lima, Danival, Natumi, GG UniqueFiber, Tilda, JASON, Avalon Organics, Alba Botanica, Live Clean and Queen Helene. Hain Celestial has been providing A Healthier Way of Life since 1993.

Hangover Joe's Holding Corporation (OTC:HJOE) is the exclusive producer of "The Hangover" Recovery Shot, and one of the nation's top selling anti-hangover recover drink & hangover recovery shot. Git-R-Done-Energy is an officially licensed product of Git-R-Done Productions, Inc and Larry the Cable Guy and is a healthy energy drink.

Healthy Coffee International, Inc. (OTC:HCEI) is the first company to successfully merge the traditional retail business with direct sales, and is revolutionizing the direct sales industry. Healthy Coffee (R) is the first to market the exclusive Healthy Coffee (R) automatic vending machines to mom and pop stores and businesses as well as the big retail chain stores.

Heineken N.V. (Amsterdam:HEIA.AS; HEIO.AS; OTC:HEINY) is the world`s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken brand, the Group has a powerful portfolio of more than 250 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business and delivers value for all stakeholders. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets.

High Performance Beverage Co. (OTC:TBEV) has created a new beverage segment, under the trade name, Throwdown Performance Beverages, which manufactures and distributes a line of sport performance beverages. High Performance Beverage Company's sport performance drinks are carefully formulated to support mental focus and help increase blood flow, thereby giving the body the necessary fuel to power through a specific event or throughout the day. Our unique blends are designed to bridge the gap between supplements, energy and hydration drinks, ultimately broadening our appeal and providing access to an expanding target market. High Performance beverages are sugar free and extremely low in both calories and caffeine. This positioning makes High Performance Beverage Co. beverages first to market with a sustainable competitive advantage.

Hill Street Beverage Company Inc. (TSX:BEER.V) Founded in 2008, Hill Street Beverage Company is the world's most award-winning company exclusively focused on alcohol-free beer, wines, and adult format beverages. Hill Street products include: Vin(Zero) wines, Vintense wines, Hill Street Craft Brewed Lager, and Designated Draft beer. Hill Street's award-winning products have won the Retail Council of Canada's Grand Prix, and numerous medals and accolades including three Gold, two Silver, and two Bronze Medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championships, and a prestigious Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco International Wine Challenge. As a result of the Royal Assent of Canada's Bill C-45, legislation to allow the sale of cannabis-infused beverages is to occur by October 17, 2019. Hill Street is currently applying for appropriate licenses to permit the production and sale of cannabis infused beverages in Canada, with the view of having infused products available for sale once the regulations permit.

International Spirits and Beverage Group Inc. (OTCQB: ISBG) is a Nevada-based alcoholic beverage company specializing in the development, marketing and global sales of innovative wine and spirits brands. The Company's expertise lies in the strategic development and aggressive early growth of its brands and establishing these brands as viable and profitable. ISBG intends to build its own brands while seeking out individual acquisition candidates to continue to develop its pipeline of new brands into the ISBG portfolio.

Inventure Foods (NasdaqGS:SNAK) With manufacturing facilities in Arizona, Indiana, Washington, Oregon and Georgia, Inventure Foods, Inc. (SNAK) is a marketer and manufacturer of specialty food brands in better-for-you and indulgent categories under a variety of Company owned and licensed brand names, including Boulder Canyon Natural Foods(R), Jamba(R), Seattle's Best Coffee(R), Rader Farms(R), T.G.I. Friday's(R), Nathan's Famous(R), Vidalia Brands(R), Poore Brothers(R), Tato Skins(R), Willamette Valley Fruit Company(TM), Fresh Frozen(TM) and Bob's Texas Style(R).

Jammin Java Corp. (OTC: JAMN) d/b/a Marley Coffee, is a U.S.-based company that provides premium, artisan roasted coffee to the grocery, retail, online, service, hospitality, office coffee service and big box store industry. Under its exclusive licensing agreement with 56 Hope Road, the company continues to develop its coffee lines under the Marley Coffee brand.

Jones Soda Co. (OTC:JSDA) markets and distributes premium beverages under the Jones(R) Soda, Jones Zilch(R) and Jones Stripped(TM) brands. A leader in the premium soda category, Jones Soda is known for its variety of flavors, high quality ingredients (including cane sugar), and innovative labeling technique that incorporates always-changing photos sent in from its consumers. The diverse product line of Jones offers something for everyone -- pure cane sugar soda, zero-calorie soda and an all-naturally sweetened sparkling beverage with only 30 calories and 8 grams of sugar. Jones Soda is sold through traditional beverage re
Students can soon study overnight again at Library West after UF Student Government voted to fund the extra hours.

SG senate unanimously passed the bill to refund Library West with $160,000 from the SG reserve account as a 24/7 library Tuesday night. The senate had to pass the bill twice before it could be implemented.

This will apply for the 2018 to 2019 fiscal year. Then, it will be funded for three years by the Office of the Provost, said UF Student Body President Ian Green.

Money in the reserve account comes from student activity and service fees. Library West staff plans for the library to be open 24/7 by the end of September once more employees are hired, Green said.

Its been shown that students want a 24/7 library on campus, however, the study that was done previously did not necessarily reflect that interest, Green said. It was my job as student body president, to show that the interest was there, and that its going to continue to increase, especially as we strive for top five.

Raelin Ogburn, an 18-year-old UF health science freshman, said she didnt know the library used to be open 24/7.

Finding out that it was 24 hours at one point is shocking to me, she said.

Contact Angela DiMichele at adimichele@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @angdimi
Featured Mining Stocks at Investorideas.com Aurcana Silver Corporation (TSXV: AUN; OTC: AUNFF) owns the Revenue Mine, in Colorado, and the Shafter-Presidio Silver Project in Texas, US. The primary mineral resource at both the Shafter-Presidio Project and the Revenue Mine is silver. Both are fully permitted for production. Get news alerts on Aurcana Silver Corporation

Featured Mining Stocks at Investorideas.com Fortune Bay Corp. (TSXV: FOR) is a gold-focused exploration and development company with 100% ownership in two high-quality advanced gold projects in Canada, Saskatchewan (Goldfields Project) and Mexico, Chiapas (Ixhuatan Project), both with exploration and development potential. The Company has a goal of building a mid-tier gold exploration and development Company through the advancement of its existing projects and the strategic acquisition of new projects to create a pipeline of growth opportunities. Get news alerts on Fortune Bay Corp.

Featured Mining Stocks at Investorideas.com O2Gold Inc. (TSX: OTGO.V) is focused entirely on the exploration of the Otu Fault project, with senior management based in nearby Medellin. The team's deep roots and experience in Latin America-in both capital markets and mining-gives it the regional knowledge and operational expertise to create a world-class project. Get news alerts on O2Gold Inc.

1111 Exploration Corp. (CSE:ELVN) is a junior exploration company, focused on creating shareholder value through acquisition, exploration and development of mineral projects.

37 Capital Inc. (CSE:JJJ) - Formerly High 5 Ventures Inc. - is a mineral exploration company. The Company is engaged primarily in the identification, acquisition, exploration and, if warranted, the development of natural resource properties.

49 North Resources Inc. (TSX:FNR.V) is a Saskatchewan focused resource investment company with strategic operations in financial, managerial and geological advisory services and merchant banking. Our diversified portfolio of assets includes direct project involvement in the resource sector, as well as investments in shares and other securities of junior and intermediate mineral and oil and gas exploration companies.

79 Resources Ltd. (CSE:SNR) is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in Canada. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to conduct its exploration program on the Louise Lake Property located in northern British Columbia, approximately 35 kilometres west of the town of Smithers in the Omineca Mining Division

79North Inc. (CSE: JQ) formerly 12 Exploration Inc. is led by a team with extensive mineral exploration expertise and a track record of discoveries and exits in South America and globally. 79North holds an indirect interest in mineral concessions in northern Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana), and aims to become the premier junior exploration company in this underexplored district of the prolific Guiana Shield. 79North's growing portfolio of high-quality targets which have not undergone modern exploration or drilling have a long history of artisanal mining and are strategically located within close proximity to modern gold mines operated by major mining companies.

92 Resources Corp. (TSXV: NTY.V; OTCQB: RGDCF; FSE: R9G2) is a modern energy solution company, focused on acquiring and advancing strategic and prospective modern energy related projects. The Company currently holds six properties in Canada, with three principal assets: the Hidden Lake Lithium Property, NWT, the Corvette Lithium Property, QC, and the Golden Frac Sand Property, BC.

A-Cap Resources (ASX:ACB.AX) is a resources company operating in the investment friendly and low sovereign risk country of Botswana in Southern Africa, where it holds over 12,000km2 of licenses. The company is well funded with strong support from major shareholders, and is focused on advancing its significant uranium prospect

Abacus Mining & Exploration (TSX:AME.V) is a mineral exploration and mine development company with a 20% interest in the Ajax Project located at the historic Ajax-Afton site southwest of Kamloops, B.C. The Ajax Project is a proposed copper-gold open-pit mine currently in the submission stage of a provincial and federal environmental assessment process. Through KGHM Ajax Mining Inc., a joint venture company between Abacus (20%) and KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. (KGHM) (80%), the mine is being funded in large part by KGHM and operated by its wholly-owned subsidiary, KGHM International Ltd.

Abcourt Mines (TSX:ABI.V; OTC:ABMBF) is an exploration and development company with strategically located properties in northwestern Quebec, Canada. The Elder property has gold resources, the Abcourt-Barvue Project has silver-zinc ore reserves and resources and the Aldermac property has historical copper-zinc resources. The reported reserves and resources are considered as current mineral reserves and resources. Abcourt is now focused on the Elder and Abcourt-Barvue projects with Elder as the first priority. Reserves and resources are current.

Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX:ABN.V) is a Canadian gold exploration company developing projects in British Columbia, the Yukon and North West Territories.

Aberdeen International (TSX:AAB.TO; OTC:AABVF) is a private equity investor and advisor focusing on the global mining and natural resources industry. African Thunder Platinum, Aberdeen's premiere investment, is a lower-cost platinum group metals producer in South Africa's well known Bushveld Complex. Aberdeen will further enhance its mineral investment holdings with the acquisition of the lucrative Diablillos lithium project in Argentina.

Abitex Resources Inc. (TSX:ABE.V) is a Val-d'Or, Quebec, based exploration company focused on acquiring and advancing mineral properties in Quebec. ABE is focused on Uranium-Gold in Quebec's Otish Mountains but also has other assets such as the Jolin gold property near Val-d'Or and the St-Stephen Ni-Cu property in new Brunswick which both host historical resources.

ABM Resources Ltd (ASX:ABU.AX) is developing several gold discoveries in the Central Desert region of the Northern Territory of Australia. The Company has a multi-tiered approach to exploration and development with a combination of high-grade production scenarios such as the Old Pirate High-Grade Gold Project, large scale discoveries such as Buccaneer, and regional exploration discoveries such as the Hyperion Gold Project. In addition, ABM is committed to regional exploration programs throughout its extensive holdings including the alliance with Independence Group NL at the regional Lake Mackay Project.

ACME Lithium Inc. (CSE: ACME) is a junior mineral exploration company, focused on exploring and developing the FLV Claims, being 81 lode mining claims totalling approximately 1620 acres in Esmeralda County, Nevada, which is prospective for lithium contained in tertiary claystones.

Adamera Minerals Corp. (TSX:ADZ.V) is exploring for high-grade gold deposits within hauling distance of the operating Kettle River Mill in Northeastern Washington State. The company's strategy is to fast-track the discovery to production process by exploring close to a mill in need of ore. Adamera is exploring several projects with a goal to become the dominant mining/exploration company in the area through discovery.

Adex Mining Inc. (TSX:ADE.V) is focused on developing its flagship Mount Pleasant Mine Property, a multimetal project that is host to promising tungsten-molybdenum and tin-indium-zinc mineralization and is located in Charlotte County, New Brunswick

Admiralty Resources NL (ASX:ADY.AX) is a diversified mining company with mineral interests in Australia and Chile. Admiralty is focused on iron or in Chile, with the company also having projects in Australia; including the Bulman Project in the Northern Territory and the Pyke Hill Project near Leonora in Western Australia.

Adriana Resources Inc. (TSX:ADI.V) engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company holds 40% interest in the Lac Otelnuk iron ore project that consists of 1,398 mineral claims totaling approximately 673 square kilometers located in the Labrador Trough in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec. It is also involved in the development of an iron ore port facility in Brazil.

Advance Gold Corp (TSX:AAX.V) has 51% and the right to earn 75% equity in the Kakamega Project, which comprises the Rosterman, Burkura, and Sigalagala Projects in Kenya, East Africa.

Advantage Lithium Corp. (TSX:AAL.V) is a resource company specializing in the strategic acquisition, exploration and development of lithium properties and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company has signed an LOI with lithium producer, Orocobre, to acquire 100% interest in five projects in Argentina and 75% in a sixth, called Cauchari. Cauchari is host to a near-surface resource of 470,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 1.62 million tonnes of potash (KCL), and a large exploration target of 5.6mt to 0.25mt of LCE and 19mt to 0.9 of KCL. Cauchari is located just 20 km south Orocobre's flagship Olaroz Lithium Facility. The company is also earning an interest from Nevada Sunrise Gold Corp., in a portfolio of five lithium brine projects in the Clayton and Lida Valley regions of Nevada, USA, including 70% in Clayton NE. In addition, the company has acquired 100% of the Stella Marys lithium brine project, immediately adjacent to Orocobre's Salinas Grandes project that hosts an inferred, near-surface resource, in Argentina's Lithium Triangle.

Adventure Gold Inc. (TSX:AGE.V) is a mineral exploration company focused on discovering and developing high-quality gold deposits in the Abitibi region located in eastern Canada, one of the richest gold mining areas in the world.

Adventus Zinc Corporation (TSX:ADZN.V) is a newly formed company focused on zinc exploration in Ireland and Eastern Canada, as well as pursuing the acquisition of advanced zinc projects. Its major shareholders are experienced and respected investors in the mining business, providing significant financial and technical support.

ADX Energy Limited (ASX:ADX.AX) is an Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) listed oil and gas exploration and appraisal company. ADX operates four oil and gas permits in North Africa and Europe, together with gold and base metal interests in Australia held via its stake in ASX listed Riedel Resources (RIE). The company is headquartered in Perth, Western Australia with additional offices operating out of Baden (Austria), Tunis (Tunisia) and Bucharest (Romania).

Adyton Resources Corp.(TSX-V: ADY) is focused on the development of gold and copper resources in world class mineral jurisdictions. It currently has a portfolio of highly prospective mineral exploration projects in Papua New Guinea on which it is exploring for copper and gold. The Company's mineral exploration projects are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire which hosts several world class copper and gold deposits

Aeris Resources Limited (ASX:AIS.AX) is an established mining and exploration company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. It is currently Australia's fifth largest, independent copper producer by volume produced.

Affinity Metals Corp.(TSXV:AFF.V) is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of strategic metal deposits within North America

African Gold Group, Inc. (TSX:AGG.V) is a Canadian exploration and development company that is focused on West Africa. African Gold Group is positioned to grow in value as it progresses the Kobada Gold Project through development and into production.

African Metals Corp (TSX: AFR.V) engages in the exploration and development of natural resource properties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company focuses on the discovery and development of copper and cobalt deposits in the Katanga Copper Belt.

African Potash Ltd. (LSE:AFPO.L) is a company focussed on building a vertically integrated platform for the mining, production and distribution of fertiliser, primarily within Africa. The Company operates the Lac Dinga Project in the Republic of Congo, which is prospective for potash, a key source of potassium fertiliser, and has a trading agreement to supply and deliver fertiliser primarily to the African continent.

African Queen Mines Ltd. (TSX:AQ.V) is an exploratory resource company engaged in exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada and Africa. It is presently focusing on development of its Yellowjacket Gold Project in Atlin, British Columbia.

Africo Resources (TSX:ARL.TO) is a Canadian mineral company engaged in developing, acquiring and exploring for base metal assets in Africa. The company's main project is Kalukundi, a development stage copper-cobalt deposit located in the Katangan Copperbelt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The development team has an operational base in the DRC, with the company corporate offices located in Vancouver, Canada

Agnico Eagle (NYSE: AEM; TSX:AEM.TO) is a senior Canadian gold mining company that has produced precious metals since 1957. Its eight mines are located in Canada, Finland and Mexico, with exploration and development activities in each of these regions as well as in the United States and Sweden. The Company and its shareholders have full exposure to gold prices due to its long-standing policy of no forward gold sales. Agnico Eagle has declared a cash dividend every year since 1983.

Aguia Resources Limited (ASX:AGR.AX) a fertilizer company, mines, explores, and develops phosphate and potash projects in Brazil. Its flagship Rio Grande phosphate assets include the Tres Estradas, Joca Tavares, Porteira carbonatite, and Cerro Preto deposits, which cover an area of approximately 78,150 hectares located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil.

Aguila American Gold Ltd. (TSX:AGL.V) is a publicly traded, natural resource development company involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties. Currently all activities are focused on its Angostura Prospect in Peru.

AJN Resources Inc. (CSE:AJN) is an exploration and development company formed for the purposes of acquiring, exploring and if warranted and feasible, developing Lithium resource properties. We acquire and develop properties of demonstrated potential. AJN's management and directors possess over 75 years of collective industry experience and have been very successful from exploration, to financing, to developing major mines throughout the world.

Alabama Graphite Corp. (TSX:CSPG.V) is a Canadian-based flake graphite exploration and development company as well as an aspiring battery materials production and technology company. The Company operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Alabama Graphite Company Inc. (a company registered in the state of Alabama. With an advancing flake graphite project in the United States of America, Alabama Graphite Corp intends to become a reliable, long-term U.S. supplier of specialty high-purity graphite products. A highly experienced team leads the Company with more than 100 years of combined graphite mining, graphite processing, specialty graphite products and applications, and graphite sales experience. Alabama Graphite Corp. is focused on the exploration and development of its flagship Coosa Graphite Project in Coosa County, Alabama, and its Bama Mine Project in Chilton County, Alabama as well the research and development of its proprietary manufacturing and technological processing process of battery materials. Alabama Graphite Corp. holds a 100% interest in the mineral rights for these two U.S.-based graphite projects, which are both located on private land. The two projects encompass more than 43,000 acres and are located in a geopolitically stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction with significant historical production of crystalline flake graphite in the flake graphite belt of central Alabama, also known as the Alabama Graphite Belt (source:U.S. Bureau of Mines). A significant portion of the Alabama deposits are characterized by graphite-bearing material that is oxidized and has been weathered into extremely soft rock. Both projects have infrastructure in place, are within close proximity to major highways, rail, power and water, and are approximately three hours (by truck or train) to the Port of Mobile, the Alabama Port Authority's deep-seawater port and the ninth largest port by tonnage in the United States (source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/USACE). The state of Alabama's hospitable climate allows for year-round mining operations and the world's largest marble quarry (which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Sylacauga, Alabama), is located within a 30-minute drive of the Coosa Graphite Project.

Alacer Gold Corp. (TSX:ASR.TO) is a leading intermediate gold mining company, with an 80% interest in the world-class Copler Gold Mine in Turkey operated by Anagold Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. ("Anagold") and owned 20% by Lidya Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. ("Lidya Mining"). The Corporation's primary focus is to leverage its cornerstone Copler Mine and strong balance sheet to maximize portfolio value, maximize free cash flow, minimize project risk and, therefore, create maximum value for shareholders.

Alamos Gold Inc. (NYSE: AGI; TSX:AGI.TO) is a Canadian-based intermediate gold producer with diversified production from three operating mines in North America. This includes the Young-Davidson mine in northern Ontario, Canada and the Mulatos and El Chanate mines in Sonora State, Mexico. Additionally, the Company has a significant portfolio of development stage projects in Mexico, Turkey, Canada and the United States.

Alchemist Mining Inc. (CSE:AMS.X) is focused on maximizing shareholder value by continuously seeking out and identifying precious metal properties with great potential. Alchemist is currently in the process of evaluating mining and exploration opportunities at attractive prices in current market conditions.

Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) A global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing, Alcoa innovates multi-material solutions that advance our world. Our technologies enhance transportation, from automotive and commercial transport to air and space travel, and improve industrial and consumer electronics products. We enable smart buildings, sustainable food and beverage packaging, high performance defense vehicles across air, land and sea, deeper oil and gas drilling and more efficient power generation. We pioneered the aluminum industry over 125 years ago, and today, our people in 30 countries deliver value-add products made of titanium, nickel and aluminum, and produce best-in- class bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum products.

Alderon Iron Ore Corp. (TSX:ADV.TO) is an iron ore development company based in Canada. The Kami Project, owned 75% by Alderon and 25% by Hebei Iron & Steel Group Co. Ltd. ("HBIS") through The Kami Mine Limited Partnership, is located within Canada's premier iron ore district and is surrounded by two producing iron ore mines. Its port handling facilities are located in Sept-Iles, the leading iron ore port in North America. The Alderon team is comprised of skilled professionals with significant iron ore expertise. HBIS is Alderon's strategic partner in the development of the Kami Project and China's largest steel producer.

Aldridge Minerals, Inc. (TSX:AGM.V) is a development stage mining company focused on its wholly owned Yenipazar polymetallic Massive Sulfide Project (Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn) in Turkey, a country that is committed to developing its natural resources. The Company is currently advancing the Yenipazar Project on key aspects including land acquisition, project financing, and engineering.

Aldrin Resource Corp. (TSX:ALN.V) is a Canadian-based uranium exploration and development company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange. The company has assembled an exceptional exploration property portfolio in one of the most exciting uranium exploration regions in the world, the Patterson Lake District, Saskatchewan. Aldrin will continue to identify high-grade basement uranium deposits like those found in the Athabasca Basin.

Alecto Minerals PLC (LSE:ALO.L) is an African focussed, gold exploration and development company quoted on AIM, with projects in Zambia, Mali and Burkina Faso. The Company has a clear vision: to rapidly become a gold producer in Africa. With this in mind, it is focused on capitalising on the near-to-mid-term production potential at the Matala and Durnobin Gold Mines in Zambia which combined hold advanced in-situ resources of 760,000 oz Au. The presence of a renewable 25 year Mining Licence and associated environmental permit is highly beneficial towards this goal. The Zambian project is poised to generate cash flow, enabling the funding of the feasibility study of the Company's wholly owned Kossanto East Gold project in Mali, which it plans to develop jointly with owners of neighbouring assets to deliver rapid production whilst benefitting from cost efficiencies. In respect to the rest of its portfolio, which includes the 100% owned Kossanto West Gold Project in Mali and the Kerboule Gold Project in Burkina Faso, the Company is currently holding discussions in respect to securing joint venture partners.

Alexandra Capital Corp. (CSE: AXC) is a mineral exploration Company with a focus on Gold. The Company is currently earning a 100% interest from Eastland Management Ltd., into the Southern Belle (SB) Property which lies approximately 25 kilometres west of Merritt, British Columbia and consists of 8 claims totaling 3,517 hectares. It is an epithermal precious metal project and is road accessible. It lies within the Spences Bridge Gold Belt, a significant emerging exploration target which saw a staking rush in the mid 2000's. Previous exploration located three large linear Au-in-soil anomalies and three target areas based on stream sediment sampling. The potential of the SB Property is high, with much of property remaining to be explored.

Alexandria Minerals Corporation (TSX:AZX.V) is a Toronto-based gold exploration and development company with important gold resources on one of the largest properties along the prolific, gold-producing Cadillac Break in Val d'Or, Quebec, and now with a significant presence in the Snow Lake-Flin Flon gold-base metal mining district of Manitoba and the world-class Red Lake gold district, Ontario. The Company's properties are located in mining districts hosting large, world-class mineral deposits and important mining infrastructure

Alexco Resource Corp. (NYSE MKT: AXU; TSX:AXR.TO) owns the Bellekeno silver mine, one of several mineral properties held by Alexco which encompass substantially all of the historical Keno Hill Silver District located in Canada's Yukon Territory. Employing a unique business model, Alexco also provides mine-related environmental services, remediation technologies and reclamation and mine closure services to both government and industry clients through the Alexco Environmental Group, its wholly-owned environmental services division.

Alianza Minerals Ltd. (TSX:ANZ.V) increases the chances of success in mineral exploration by using the "Prospect Generator" business model, focusing on gold and copper exploration in the Americas. Alianza Minerals Ltd. is a prospect generator focused on the Americas, particularly the Cordilleran regions that characterize western North and South America. Alianza will have four projects in Peru, eight in Nevada, five in Yukon and three Mexico royalties, and the flexibility to acquire new projects in the Americas as opportunities arise.

Alicanto Mining Corp. (ASX:AQI.AX) is an ASX listed mineral exploration Company focused on the exploration and development of a portfolio of gold projects in the prospective geological province of the Guiana Shield in South America. In addition to the exploration of its current Guyanese projects, the Company is continuously evaluating additional projects in both Guyana and overseas for potential joint venture or acquisition.

Alix Resources Corp. (TSX:AIX.V) is a Canadian-based junior exploration company with a focus on lithium exploration, with an initial priority project in Sonora, Mexico.

Alkane Resources Limited (ASX:ALK.AX) is a multi-commodity mining and exploration company with a focus on gold, copper, zirconium, niobium and rare earths. Our projects and operations are located in the Central West of New South Wales, in eastern Australia.

Allegheny Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ATI) is one of the largest and most diversified specialty materials and components producers in the world. ATI has approximately 9,200 full-time employees world-wide who use innovative technologies to offer global markets a wide range of specialty materials solutions. Our major markets are aerospace and defense, oil and gas/chemical and hydrocarbon processing industry, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliance, and construction and mining.

Allegiant Gold Ltd. (TSX-V: AUAU; OTCQX: AUXXF) owns 100% of 10 highly-prospective gold projects in the United States, 7 of which are located in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of Nevada. Three of ALLEGIANT's projects are farmed-out, providing for cost reductions and cash-flow. ALLEGIANT's flagship, district-scale Eastside project hosts a large and expanding gold resource approximately 1 million ounces and is located in an area of excellent infrastructure.

Alloycorp Mining (TSX:AVT.V) Formerly Avanti Mining Inc. - is a TSX-Venture listed company headquartered in Toronto with an operations office in Vancouver. Alloycorp's strategy is to become the unique supplier of steel alloy metals. Cornerstone to this strategy is the development of the Kitsault Project. Parallel to this, Alloycorp is seeking to grow through the acquisition of other assets with commodities that supply to the steel alloys industry.

Almaden Minerals Ltd. (TSX:AMM.TO) is a well financed company which owns 100% of the Tuligtic project in Puebla State, Mexico. Tuligtic covers the Ixtaca Gold-Silver Deposit, which was discovered by Almaden in 2010.

Almadex Minerals Inc. (TSX:AMZ.V) is an exploration company that holds a large mineral portfolio consisting of projects and NSR royalties in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. This portfolio is the direct result of over 35 years of prospecting and deal-making by Almadex's predecessor company, Almaden Minerals Ltd.

Almo Capital Corp (TSX:APT.V) engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. It explores for nickel, cobalt, copper, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, lead, zinc, magnesium, and gold deposits. The company has interests in the Moore property in the Kamloops Mining Division, British Columbia; the D.D. Mineral property located in the Cariboo Mining Division, British Columbia; and the Nickel-Cobalt-Magnesium-Gold property situated in the New Westminster Mining Division, British Columbia.

Alphamin Resources Corp (TSX:AFM.V) is a Toronto Venture Exchange listed Tin explorer and developer. Our strategy is to locate next generation Tin assets and leverage our exploration and development expertise to create sustainable Tin production. Our primary focus is to realise the potential of Project Bisie, a high grade Tin asset located in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

ALQ Gold Corp (CSE:ALQ) is a mineral exploration company whose 100%-owned, royalty-free, Lustdust Property is advantageously situated with nearby road and rail access in north-central British Columbia. Lustdust consists of 20 contiguous mineral claims covering 9,583 hectares and contains twelve known mineralized areas, of which the copper-gold-silver Canyon Creek Skarn Deposit has a NI 43-101 compliant resource.

Alset Minerals Corp. (TSX:ION.V) is a TSX-V listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and acquiring mineral properties containing the metals needed by today's high-tech industries. The Company is actively exploring in Mexico and Canada.

Altai Resources Inc. (TSX: ATI.V) is a Canadian resource company with a diversified portfolio of natural gas, oil and gold properties in Canada. Altai has a 50% joint venture interest in Malartic gold property in the Val d'Or area, Quebec.

Altair Gold Inc. (TSX:AVX.V) engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold and copper deposits. The company was formerly known as Altair Ventures Incorporated.

Altamira Gold Corp. (TSXV: ALTA.V) (FSE: T6UP) (USA: EQTRF) is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits within western central Brazil. The Company holds 12 projects comprising approximately 200,000 hectares, within the prolific Juruena gold belt which historically produced an estimated 7 to 10Moz of placer gold. The Company's advanced Cajueiro project has an NI 43-101 resources of 8.64Mt @ 0.78 g/t Au (for 214,000oz) in the Indicated Resource category and 9.53Mt @ 0.66 g/t Au (for 204,000oz) in the Inferred Resource category and an additional 1.37Mt @ 1.61 g/t Au in oxides (for 79,000oz in saprolite) in the Inferred Resource category (Gustavson Associates, 2016).

Altiplano Minerals Ltd. (TSX:APN.V) is a mineral exploration company focused on evaluating and acquiring projects with significant potential for advancement from discovery through to production, in Canada and abroad. Management has a substantial record of success in capitalizing opportunity, overcoming challenges and building shareholder value.

Altius Minerals Corporation (TSX:ALS.TO) is a diversified mining royalty company with royalty interests in 13 producing mines located in Canada. The royalty interests include mining operations that produce potash, zinc, nickel, copper and cobalt. Altius holds other significant pre-development stage royalties and its project generation pipeline contains a diversified portfolio of exploration stage projects and royalties, many of which are being advanced through various partner-funding arrangements.

Altura Mining Limited (ASX: AJM.AX) is a key player in the global lithium market and is leveraging increasing demand for raw materials for manufacturing lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles and static storage uses. Altura owns and operates the world-class Altura Lithium Project at Pilgangoora in WA's Pilbara, which has a production capacity of 220,000tpa of quality spodumene concentrate. The Company has completed a Definitive Feasibility Study on a potential Stage 2 expansion to 440,000tpa, with a Final Investment Decision due following a review of the Stage 1 operations and ramp-up to nameplate production.

Alturas Minerals Corp. (TSX:ALT.V) is an exploration company dedicated to the discovery of gold and copper-gold deposits in Peru.

Alumina Limited (OTC:AWCMY; ASX:AWC.AX) through its 40% equity interest in Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals, engages in the bauxite mining, alumina refining, and aluminum smelting businesses worldwide. The company operates approximately seven alumina refineries and produces aluminum; and has interests in bauxite mining operations. It also owns and operates a shipping operation that transports dry and liquid bulk cargoes, including bauxite, alumina, caustic soda, fuel oil, petroleum, coke, and limestone.

Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (NYSE:ACH) manufactures and distributes alumina and primary aluminum in the People's Republic of China and internationally. Its Alumina segment is involved in the mining and purchase of bauxite and other raw materials, refining bauxite into alumina, and sale of alumina. This segment also produces and sells chemical alumina and metal gallium. The company's Primary Aluminum segment is engaged in the smelting alumina to produce primary aluminum. This segment also produces and sells carbon products, aluminum alloy, and other aluminum products. In addition, Aluminum Corporation of China Limited is engaged in the production, acquisition, and distribution of limestone ore, aluminum magnesium ore, and related nonferrous metal products; and aluminum smelting, manufacture, and distribution of nonferrous metals. Aluminum Corporation of China Limited is a subsidiary of Aluminum Corporation of China.

ALX Resources Corp. (TSX:AL.V) was formed as the result of a business combination between Lakeland Resources Inc. and Alpha Exploration Inc. ALX is based in Vancouver. ALX is actively exploring a portfolio of early-stage properties. ALX continually and proactively reviews opportunities for new properties, whether by staking, joint venture or acquisition.

AM Gold Inc. (TSX:AMG.V) is a resource company focused on creating shareholder value by exploring for precious and base metals, with the goal of defining gold deposits in the Americas and in particular at its Red Mountain property in Canada's Yukon Territory.

Amador Gold Corporation (TSX:AGX.V) is a Junior Mineral Exploration company based wholly in Canada. Amador's projects include gold, silver and base metal ventures. All properties are located in Canada.

Amarc Resources Ltd. (TSX:AHR.V) is a British Columbia-based mineral exploration and development company with an experienced and successful management team that is focused on advancing the IKE Project, a major porphyry copper-molybdenum discovery near the heartland of BC's copper mining industry with proximity to mining infrastructure, power, rail and highways. Amarc is associated with Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI) a diversified, global mining company with a 25 year history of porphyry discovery and development success.

Amarillo Gold Corp. (TSX: AGC.V) is focused on acquisition, discovery, and definition of gold resources in Brazil. It is the Company's policy to strive to do this in a sustainable, safe way using best practices whilst benefiting our shareholders and the communities we work in. The Company's principal projects are the Mara Rosa Project in the state of Goias, and the Lavras do Sul Project in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The Company also has a portfolio of earlier stage projects and all properties under Amarillo's management are located in areas of good infrastructure and mining-friendly communities.

AMEC Foster Wheeler plc (LSE:AMEC.L) provides consultancy, engineering, and project management services to the oil and gas, mining, clean energy, and environment and infrastructure markets worldwide.

American Battery Metals Corp. (CSE:ABC) Formerly First Division Ventures Inc. - is a junior mineral exploration company engaged in the business of acquiring, exploring and evaluating natural resource properties. The Company has an option to acquire a 50% interest in the Fish Lake property located in Esmeralda County in the state of Nevada, USA and an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Temple Mountain Vanadium Property located in Emery County, Utah, USA.

American Creek Resources Ltd. (TSX:AMK.V) is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral deposits within the Province of British Columbia, Canada.

American Cumo Mining Corporation (TSX:MLY.V) is focused on advancing its CuMo Project towards feasibility. CuMoCo is also advancing its newly-acquired Calida Gold project.

American Manganese, Inc. (TSX:AMY.V) is a diversified specialty and critical metal company focused on capitalizing on its patented intellectual property through low cost production or recovery of electrolytic manganese products throughout the world.

American Pacific Mining Corp. (CSE:USGD) is a new gold explorer focused on precious metal opportunities in the Western United States. Tuscarora is a high grade, early stage gold project located in a prime precious metal district in Nevada, only 35km northeast of the Carlin trend, 20km southwest of the Jerritt Canyon deposit, and 50km east-northeast of the Midas deposit. American Pacific is Eyeing a Gold Discovery amidst gold's next bull market.

American Resources Inc. (NasdaqCM:AREC) is a supplier of high-quality raw materials to the rapidly growing global infrastructure market. The Company is focused on the extraction and processing of metallurgical carbon, an essential ingredient used in steelmaking. American Resources has a growing portfolio of operations located in the Central Appalachian basin of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia where premium quality metallurgical carbon deposits are concentrated. American Resources has established a nimble, low-cost business model centered on growth, which provides a significant opportunity to scale its portfolio of assets to meet the growing global infrastructure market while also continuing to acquire operations and significantly reduce their legacy industry risks. Its streamlined and efficient operations are able to maximize margins while reducing costs.

Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (NYSE American: USAS) is a high-growth, low-cost, precious metals mining company with multiple assets in North America. The Company expects to begin producing gold in the fourth quarter of 2019 at its fully funded Relief Canyon Project in Nevada, USA, which is currently in construction. It owns and operates the Cosala Operations in Sinaloa, Mexico and the Galena Complex in Idaho, USA. The Company also holds an option on the San Felipe development project in Sonora, Mexico.

AMERICAS PETROGAS INC. (TSX:BOE.V) is a Canadian company whose shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "BOE". Americas Petrogas has conventional and unconventional shale oil and gas and tight sands oil and gas interests in numerous blocks in the Neuquen Basin of Argentina. Americas Petrogas and Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited (IFFCO) own GrowMax Agri Corp., a private company involved in the exploration for near-surface phosphates, potash and other minerals, and potential development of a fertilizer project in Peru.

Americas Silver Corp. (TSX:USA.TO) Formerly U.S. Silver - is a silver mining company focused on growth in precious metals from its existing asset base and execution of targeted accretive acquisitions. It owns and operates the Cosala Operations in Sinaloa, Mexico and the Galena Complex in Idaho, USA.

Amerigo Resources Ltd (TSX:ARG.TO) produces copper under a long term partnership with the world's largest copper producer, Codelco, by means of processing fresh and old tailings from the world's largest underground copper mine, El Teniente near Santiago, Chile.

Ameriwest Lithium Inc. (CSE:ALI) Formerly Oakley Ventures Inc - is a junior Canadian-based mining company with a focus on identifying and evaluating mineral resource projects for further exploration and future development, if warranted. The Company is currently focused on completing an exploration program on its Koster Dam property located in the Clinton Mining Division of British Columbia

Amex Exploration Inc. (TSX:AMX.V) is a junior mining exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange whose primary objective is to develop and bring into production viable gold and base metal deposits.

AMI Resources Inc. (TSX:AMU.V) explores precious metal properties primarily gold in West Africa.

Amur Minerals Corporation (LSE:AMC.L) is a developing mineral exploration company focused on base metal projects in the far east of Russia. The company's principal asset is the Kun-Manie sulphide nickel, copper project located in Amur Oblast, with JORC resources in excess of 830,000 nickel equivalent tonnes. The project also contains the by-product metals of copper, cobalt, platinum, palladium, gold and silver. This resource places it among the 20 largest nickel copper sulphide projects in the world with substantial potential to further expand the resource immediately adjacent to the drill identified deposits of which there are five. Geographically, it is located adjacent the three largest nickel consuming markets in the world including China, Japan and South Korea. The Company holds a 20 year production licence on a 36 square kilometre area which allows for recovery of 100% of the contained metal. The licence can be extended beyond the current 1 July 2035 expiration date should additional economic mineralisation be discovered.

Anaconda Mining Inc. (TSX:ANX.TO) Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Anaconda is a growth oriented gold mining and exploration company with a producing project, called the Point Rousse Project, and approximately 6,300 hectares of exploration property on the Ming's Bight Peninsula located in the Baie Verte Mining District in Newfoundland, Canada . Since 2012, Anaconda has increased its property control by ten-fold. It is currently exploring three primary prospective gold trends which have approximately 20 kilometres of cumulative strike length and include four deposits and numerous prospects and showings, all within 8 kilometres of the Pine Cove mill. The Company's plan is to discover and develop more resources within the project area and double annual production from its current rate of approximately 15,000 ounces to 30,000 ounces.

Anatolia Energy Corp. (ASX:AEK.AX) is well placed to become a key explorer and miner in Turkey's emerging uranium sector. Anatolia Energy has a 100% interest in 9 licences covering over 18,000ha of ground, including several advanced exploration and development opportunities, in the central Anatolian region of Turkey. Project activities in Turkey are undertaken by Adur Madencilik Ltd Sti (Adur), a wholly owned subsidiary company and duly registered in Turkey. Adur is considered to be one of Turkey's foremost uranium exploration companies.

Anconia Resources Corp. (TSX:ARA.V) is a base and precious metals exploration and development company, which is focused on providing shareholder value through the advancement of its properties in its portfolio. Anconia is undertaking comprehensive exploration programs to determine the potential of its current projects.

AnGold Resources Inc. (TSX:AAU.V; OTCQB:AAUGF) Formerly AndeanGold Ltd. is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in the proven districts of the Maricunga, Nevada and Ontario. Angold owns a 100% interest in the Dorado, Cordillera and South Bay-Uchi projects, and certain claims that append the optioned Iron Butte project.

Anfield Nickel Corp. (TSX:ANF.V) is a Vancouver mineral exploration company. Anfield is seeking new mineral resource projects.

Angel Gold Corp. (TSX:ANG.V) is a Canada-based gold exploration company focused on responsible development of mineral resources in Colombia, host to some of the world's largest gold deposits. Angel has been working in Colombia for over five years and continues its strategy to acquire strategic opportunities in Colombia's best mining districts.

Anglesey Mining plc (LSE:AYM.L) is carrying out exploration and development work at its 100% owned Parys Mountain zinc copper-lead deposit in North Wales, UK. Anglesey holds a direct 6% interest as well as management and a right of first refusal over a further 51% of Grangesberg Iron AB which is developing the Grangesberg iron ore project in central Sweden. Anglesey holds 15.3% of Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited in Canada.

Anglo-Bomarc Mines Ltd. (TSX:ANB.V) an exploration stage company, engages in the exploration and evaluation of mineral properties

Anglo-Canadian Mining Corp. (TSX. URA.V) focuses on the exploration of resource properties in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as Anglo-Canadian Uranium Corp.

Anglo American (LSE:AAL.L) is a global and diversified mining business that provides the raw materials essential for economic development and modern life. Our people are at the heart of our business. It is our people who use the latest technologies to find new resources, plan and build our mines and who mine, process and move and market our products - from bulk commodities and base metals to precious metals and diamonds (through De Beers) - to our customers around the world. Our diversified portfolio of products spans the economic development cycle and, as a responsible miner, we are the custodians of precious resources. We work together with our key partners and stakeholders to unlock the long-term value that those resources represent for our shareholders, but also for the communities and countries in which we operate - creating sustainable value and making a real difference. Our mining operations, growth projects and exploration and marketing activities extend across southern Africa, South America, Australia, North America, Asia and Europe

Anglo Asian Mining (LSE:AAZ.L) has a portfolio of gold, copper and silver exploration and production properties in Azerbaijan. The Company's key operations span three contract areas in Azerbaijan covering 1,062 square kilometres. Three additional contract areas covering 900 square kilometres are held in territories occupied by Armenia. Its main project is Gedabek, an open pit mine. Gadir, an underground mine, is also being developed at Gedabek. The Company also owns Gosha, an underground mine 50 kilometres from Gedabek. It also has Ordubad, which is at the exploration stage.

AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (NYSE:AU) Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, AngloGold Ashanti has 19 gold mining operations in 9 countries, as well as several exploration programmes in both the established and new gold producing regions of the world.

Anson Resources Ltd. (OTC: ANSNF; ASX: ASN) is an Australian-based exploration and development company, focused on the discovery, acquisition, and development of natural resources that will meet the demand from rapidly growing new energy and technology markets. A key component of this strategy is the development of the Paradox Basin Brine Project in southern Utah, USA, where Anson is targeting the recovery of valuable chemicals from a unique salt brine resource. The Paradox Project is targeting the supply of lithium chemicals to the rapidly growing battery market, while extracting additional value from by-products, including bromine, iodine, and boron, contained within the brine.

Antioquia Gold Inc. (TSX:AGD.V) is a gold exploration and development company that is developing an underground mine at its flagship Cisneros project in Antioquia, Colombia. The mine and processing plant will have an initial 500 tpd capacity and will produce ~30,000 oz/year Au with production commencing in July 2016

Antofagasta Minerals (OTC:ANFGY; LSE:ANTO.L) is a Chile-based copper mining group with significant by-product production and interests in transport and water distribution. The Group creates value for its stakeholders through the discovery, development and operation of copper mining operations. The Group is committed to generating value in a safe and sustainable way throughout the commodity cycle.

Apex Resources Inc (TSX:APX.V) formerly Sultan Minerals - is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on British Columbia, Canada. Apex's business strategy is to acquire quality, under explored, precious metal properties with undiscovered resource potential in established mining camps. The company then advances the projects until they can be joint ventured or sold with a retained NSR royalty to Apex. In addition to its Daylight Gold Project Apex is involved with two additional active projects in BC: the Kena Gold Project and the Jersey-Emerald Tungsten-Zinc project recently sold to Margaux Resources Ltd with a retained 1.5% NSR to Apex.

Aphrodite Gold Limited (ASX:AQQ.AX) is a promising gold exploration company, focused on near term transitioning from explorer to producer. Its flagship Aphrodite Gold Project is located in the world-renowned Kalgoorlie goldfields region of Western Australia.

Apogee Silver Ltd. (TSX:APE.V) is a dynamic Toronto based junior exploration and development company with a strategic focus on advanced stage silver, zinc, and lead deposits in world class mineral districts in South America. Apogee's primary focus is the Pulacayo-Paca Property located in southwestern Bolivia. Apogee is also exploring the Cachinal Silver Property located in northern Chile.

Apollo Minerals Limited (ASX:AON.AX) is a base, precious metals & iron ore explorer. Apollo aims to enhance shareholder value by advancing projects through discovery, development & mining. Apollo's exploration strategy targets highly prospective projects with the potential to become world class projects. These projects are located in world class discovery provinces, where probability of discovery and rewards for investors are high. These regions include the Fraser Range in Western Australia where Apollo is exploring for Nickel, and the South Australian region where Apollo is exploring for IOCG(U) near Prominent Hill.

Appia Energy Corp. (CSE:API) a is a Canadian publicly-traded company in the uranium and rare earth element sectors. The Company is currently focusing on discovering high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Loranger, Eastside and Otherside, as well as delineating high-grade REEs and uranium on the Alces Lake property. The company holds the surface rights to exploration for about 62,976 hectares (155,617 acres) in Saskatchewan. The company also has NI 43-101 compliant resources of 8.0 M lbs U3O8 and 47.7 M lbs TREE Indicated, and 47.7 M lbs U3O8 and 133.2 M lbs TREE Inferred in the historic mining camp of Elliot Lake in Ontario (previously reported in the Company's news release, August 1, 2013). The resources are largely unconstrained along strike and down dip. Appia's technical team is directed by James Sykes, who has had direct and indirect involvement with over

450 M lbs. U3O8 being discovered in five deposits in the Athabasca Basin.

AQM Copper Inc. (TSX:AQM.V) is a Canadian-based company, exploring and developing copper deposits in Southern Peru with a focus on the Zafranal property.

Aquila Resources Inc. (TSX:AQA.TO) is a development-stage company with strategic assets in the Great Lakes Region. The company's experienced management team is currently focused on advancing permitting activities for its 100%-owned gold- and zinc-rich Back Forty Project in Michigan. Aquila's flagship Back Forty Project is a volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit located along the mineral-rich Penokean Volcanic Belt in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Arafura Resources NL (ASX:ARU.AX) explores and develops mineral properties in Australia. The company explores for rare earth deposits, as well as base and precious metals, tungsten, and iron-vanadium. Its principal project is the Nolans project, a rare earths-phosphate deposit that supplies neodymium and praseodymium products located in Northern Territory, Australia. The company is also involved in mining and associated infrastructure, and social and environmental feasibility evaluations.

Arc Exploration (ASX:ARX.AX) is focused on discovering and proving up new gold, silver and base metal projects in Indonesia and Australia.

ArcelorMittal (NYSE:MT) is the world`s leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and an industrial footprint in 19 countries. Guided by a philosophy to produce safe, sustainable steel, we are the leading supplier of quality steel in the major global steel markets including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with world-class research and development and outstanding distribution networks. Through our core values of sustainability, quality and leadership, we operate responsibly with respect to the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, contractors and the communities in which we operate. For us, steel is the fabric of life, as it is at the heart of the modern world from railways to cars and washing machines. We are actively researching and producing steel-based technologies and solutions that make many of the products and components people use in their everyday lives more energy efficient. We are one of the world`s five largest producers of iron ore and metallurgical coal and our mining business is an essential part of our growth strategy. With a geographically diversified portfolio of iron ore and coal assets, we are strategically positioned to serve our network of steel plants and the external global market. While our steel operations are important customers, our supply to the external market is increasing as we grow.

Archer Exploration Corp. (CSE:RCHR) is a junior mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties. The company is currently focused on the Caster Property located in the Lac Paul region of Quebec.

Archer Materials Limited (ASX:AXE.AX) is a graphite, magnesite, manganese, copper, gold and uranium explorer focused on the discovery of world-class ore deposits. The company has carefully acquired a portfolio of projects, covering an area in excess of 10,500 km2, in the highly prospective Gawler Craton and Adelaide Fold Belt regions of South Australia. All projects are 100% owned by the company.

Archon Minerals Limited (TSX:ACS.V) explores for diamonds in Canada.

Arco Resources Corp (TSX:ARR.V) is a junior exploration company traded on the TSX Venture Exchange. Arco's strategic focus is on exploration and development of Gold, Silver and Polymetallic properties in southwestern Mexico.

Arctic Fox Ventures Inc. (CSE: AFX) is a junior mineral exploration company. It's main focus is the Spius copper porphyry property located in the Nicola and New Westminster Mining Divisions, British Columbia. Arctic Fox Ventures Inc. has an option to earn 60% interest in the Spius property from Pacific Ridge Exploration Inc. upon fulfilling certain milestones.

Arctic Star Exploration Corp. (TSX:ADD.V) a junior natural resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for diamond, gold, and copper deposits.

Arcturus Ventures Inc. (TSX:AZN.V) is a Canadian based mineral exploration company head quartered in Vancouver, Canada, and trades on the Toronto Venture Exchange. Arcturus has interests in Gold and Base Metal properties located the in Yukon Territory in Canada.

Arcus Development Group Inc (TSX:ADG.V) engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold.

Arcwest Exporation (TSX:AWX.V) - Formerly Sojourn Exploration - is driven by an unparalleled team of technical experts to explore high quality prospects in the Golden Triangle and other proven mining districts throughout B.C. including the Toodoggone, the Quesnel Trough, the Skeena Arch and Vancouver Island. ArcWest's team has a proven track record of discovery and senior partnerships and strives to generate shareholder value by executing safe, responsible, efficient exploration programs to test high quality targets

Arena Minerals Inc. (TSX:AN.V) s a prospect generator that has two properties under option covering approximately 70,000 hectares within the Antofagasta region of Chile. The properties are at low altitudes, within producing mining camps in infrastructure rich areas. The Company's flagship asset is the Atacama Copper Property, consisting of approximately 70,000 hectares, following a contractual land reduction on July 27, 2016, of essentially undrilled ground in the heart of Chile's premier copper mining district. Currently, approximately 40,000 of the Atacama Copper Property is under option to two parties. Pursuant to option agreements entered into between Arena, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation and Teck Resources Chile Limitada, each have the right to earn into 60% of the respective land holdings within the property, by collectively spending over $40 million in exploration expenditures, amongst certain other commitments.

Argent Minerals (ASX:ARD.AX) is an Australian publicly listed company with a 100% interest in a silver/gold project at Kempfield NSW. Work is underway on the preparation of an EIS and a feasibility study for the first stage of the project which will involve heap leaching some 8.8 million tonnes of mainly oxide and transitional material to produce over 9.5 million ounces of silver and 15,000 ounces of gold over a 5 year mine life. Argent is also earning up to a 70% interest in two other NSW projects - gold at West Wyalong and base metals at Sunny Corner.

Argentex Mining Corporation (OTC:AGXMF; TSX:ATX.V) is an exploration company focused on advancing its Pinguino silver-gold project in Santa Cruz, Argentina. In total, Argentex owns 100% of the mineral rights to more than 27 properties located within approximately 107,000 hectares of highly prospective land located in the Santa Cruz and Rio Negro provinces.

Argex Titanium (TSX:RGX.TO) has developed an advanced chemical process for the volume production of high-grade titanium dioxide (TiO2) for use in high quality paint, plastics, cosmetics and other applications. The company's unique proprietary process takes relatively inexpensive and plentiful source material from a variety of potential vendors, and produces TiO2 along with other valuable by-products. Argex's process provides a significant cost and environmental advantage over current legacy TiO2 production methods.

Argo Gold Inc. (CSE: ARQ) is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker ARQ. Argo Gold is focused on gold exploration projects central and northwestern Ontario. All of Argo Gold's projects are 100% owned and have indications of economic viability.

Argonaut Resources (ASX:ARE.AX) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed mineral exploration and development company focussed on large copper targets with projects in Zambia, South Australia and Queensland. Argonaut's projects are in the advanced exploration and feasibility stages. The Company is exploring for copper at its flagship Lumwana West project in Zambia and copper (+/- gold and silver) at its Alford and Torrens projects in South Australia. The Company also owns a zinc-copper deposit at Mt Kroombit in Central Queensland.

Argus Metals Corp. (TSX:AML.V) is a Vancouver based exploration and development company with a strong portfolio of assets focused on gold in the Yukon and base metals in British Columbia. The 100% owned Ike project in the Yukon is a highly prospective gold and base metal project.

Arian Silver Corporation (LSE:AGQ.L) is a publicly traded company led by experienced mining professionals who are committed to the responsible production of silver in Mexico.

Ariana Resources plc (LSE:AAU.L) is a leading exploration, development and production company presently focused on Turkey. The Company is targeting the discovery of sizeable mineral systems, primarily in the Western Anatolian Volcanic and Extensional (WAVE) Province in western Turkey. This province hosts the largest operating gold mines in Turkey and remains highly prospective for new porphyry and epithermal deposit discoveries. Within this province Ariana has one advanced development project (Red Rabbit Project) and a further two advanced exploration projects (Ivrindi and Demirci). The region surrounding the projects is named the WAVE Project Area. In parallel to our resource development and exploration strategy in western Turkey, Ariana has joint ventured its exploration portfolio in northeastern Turkey to Eldorado Gold Corp. Ariana was also a founding investor in Royal Road Minerals (Jersey-based) which is focused on gold/copper exploration and Asgard Metals (Australia-based), which is focused on technology-metals exploration (Lithium). The Company also continues to evaluate new opportunities for acquisition or joint venture, whether located in Turkey or elsewhere.

Arianne Phosphate. (TSX:DAN.V) is developing the Lac a Paul phosphate deposits located approximately 200 km north of the Saguenay/Lac St. Jean area of Quebec, Canada . These deposits will produce a high quality igneous apatite concentrate grading 39% P 2 O 5 with little or no contaminants.

Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX-V: AMC; OTCQX: AZMCF) owns 100% of the Kay Mine Property in Yavapai County, which is located on a combination of patented and BLM claims totaling 1,300 acres that are not subject to any royalties. The Kay Mine is a steeply dipping VMS deposit that has been defined from a depth of 150m to at least 900m. It is open for expansion on strike and at depth. The Company also owns 100% of the Sugarloaf Peak Property, in La Paz County, which is located on 4,400 acres of BLM claims.

Arizona Mining Corp. (TSX:AZ.TO) is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on the exploration and development of its 80% owned Hermosa Project located in Santa Cruz County, Arizona . The Taylor Deposit, a lead-zinc-silver carbonate replacement deposit, has a resource of 39.4 million tonnes in the Inferred Mineral Resource category grading 11% zinc equivalent ("ZnEq") utilizing a 6% ZnEq cutoff grade calculated in accordance with NI 43-101 guidelines. The Taylor Deposit remains open to the north, west and south over land controlled by the Company and will be aggressively drilled to test the limits of the resource. The Company recently completed metallurgical test work on drill core from the Taylor Deposit that projects overall recoveries of 92.9% Pb; 85.5% Zn and 91% Ag using industry standard froth flotation processing technology. The Company's other project on the Hermosa property is the Central Deposit, a silver-manganese manto oxide development project.

Arizona Silver Exploration Inc. (TSX:AZS.V) does not have significant operations. It intends to identify, evaluate, and negotiate an acquisition, participation in, or interest in properties, assets, or businesses with a view to complete the qualifying transaction. The company was formerly known as Damon Capital Corp. and changed its name to Arizona Silver Exploration Inc. in November 2016.

ASA Gold & Precious Metals Limited (NYSE:ASA) Established in 1958, ASA Gold and Precious Metals Limited is a closed-end precious metals and mining fund registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and domiciled in Bermuda. The Company is one of the oldest investment management firms focused on the precious metals and mining industry. Managed by an experienced investment team, ASA invests primarily in the securities of companies engaged in the exploration, mining or processing of gold, silver, platinum, diamonds or other precious minerals. Investment decisions are supported with thorough bottom-up analysis based on fundamental research, due diligence mine visits and hundreds of meetings with mining executives and specialists each year.

Asanko Gold (TSX:AKG.TO; NYSE MKT:AKG) vision is to become a mid-tier gold mining company that maximizes value for all its stakeholders. The Company's flagship project is the multi-million ounce Asanko Gold Mine located in Ghana, West Africa. The mine is being developed in phases. Asanko is managed by highly skilled and successful technical, operational and financial professionals. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities.

Asante Gold (CSE:ASE; Frankfurt:1A9.F) is a Vancouver, Canada based gold exploration and development company. Our current focus is in Ghana, West Africa where we have announced plans to develop a 500 tpd underground gold mine under the former AngloGold Ashanti open pit Kubi Gold Mine. We also hold: the Fahiakoba exploration project located 9 kilometres west of Kubi and adjoining to the north of Perseus' 6.6 million ounce* Edikan Mine; and a 2% NSR royalty interest in NSS Resources Inc's Seneca volcanogenic massive sulfide copper/zinc/gold project in British Columbia, Canada.

Ascendant Resources Inc. (TSX:ASND.V) (formerly known as Morumbi Resources Inc.) is a mining issuer focused on its flagship operating asset, the producing El Mochito zinc, silver and lead mine in west-central Honduras in which the Company has a 100% interest. El Mochito has been in almost continuous production since 1948. More broadly, the Company evaluates producing and advanced development stage mineral resource acquisition opportunities in North, South and Central America, on an ongoing basis.

Ascot Resources Ltd. (TSX:AOT.V) engages in the evaluation, acquisition, and exploration of mineral properties in the United States and Canada. It explores for gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, sand and gravel, and other base metal deposits.

Ashanti Gold Corp. (TSX:AGZ.V) explores for gold properties in Ghana. It intends to earn an interest in the Kossanto East Gold Project in western Mali covering a 66.41 square kilometers concession. The company was formerly known as Gulf Shores Resources Ltd. and changed its name to Ashanti Gold Corp. in August 2016

Ashburton Ventures Inc. (TSX:ABR.V) is a junior exploration company actively seeking mineral and energy opportunities for the benefit of all its stakeholders. Ashburton is currently pursuing two projects in B.C. including a lithium prospect and copper prospect.

Asian Mineral Resources Limited - AMR (TSX:ASN.V) is one of the few new sources of nickel sulphide supply globally. AMR commenced commercial production from its Ban Phuc nickel mine in Vietnam in mid-2013. The Ban Phuc project currently produces over 6,900 tonnes of nickel and 3,500 tonnes of copper per annum contained in concentrate, plus a cobalt by-product. In addition to in and near-mine expansion projects, Ban Phuc provides a cash-generative operating platform from which AMR can continue to focus on developing a new nickel camp within its 150km2 of concessions located throughout the highly-prolific Song Da rift zone, where AMR has a number of advanced-stage nickel exploration targets.

Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX:BAY.V) is a publicly traded mineral exploration company which holds the mineral rights to the 976,357-acre (395,118-hectare) Aston Bay Property located on northwest Somerset Island, Nunavut. The Property hosts the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc prospects, where historic drilling has confirmed the presence of sediment-hosted copper and zinc mineralization.

Astur Gold (TSX:AST.V) is developing its 100% owned Salave Gold Project in Asturias, northern Spain. Salave is one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Western Europe. The Company is building a partnership with the people of Asturias to generate sustainable economic benefits for the region while balancing the needs of environmental protection and social community development.

ATAC Resources Ltd. (TSX:ATC.V) is developing Canada's only Carlin-type gold district at its Rackla Gold Project in safe and mining-friendly Yukon. The Rackla Gold Project is wholly owned by ATAC Resources with no underlying royalties, covers 1,700 km and hosts two distinct trends - Nadaleen and Rau.

Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation (TSX:ATM.V) is a Chilean-focused precious metals company focused on developing its 100% owned Cerro Maricunga Oxide Gold Deposit, one of the largest undeveloped oxide gold deposits in the world.

Athabasca Minerals Inc. (TSX:ABM.V) is a resource company involved in the management, exploration and development of aggregate and silica sand projects. These activities include contracts works, aggregate pit management, aggregate production and sales from corporate-owned pits, new aggregate development and acquisitions of sand and gravel operations, and development and supply of frac sand for Western Canada. The Corporation also has industrial mineral land holdings for the purpose of locating and developing sources of industrial minerals and aggregates essential to high growth economic development.

Athena Gold Corporation (CSE: ATHA) is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to conduct its exploration program on the Excelsior Springs Project, located in Esmeralda County, Nevada, approximately 45 miles southwest of Goldfield, Nevada.

Atlantic Gold Corporation (TSX:AGB.V) is a well-financed, growth-oriented gold development group with a long term strategy to create a mid-tier gold production group focused on manageable, executable projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions.

Atom Energy Inc. (TSX:AGY.V) Formerly Athabasca Uranium Inc. - is a Canadian-based junior resource company focused on uranium exploration in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, home to some of the world's highest grade uranium deposits and mines.

Aton Resources Inc. (TSX:AAN.V) formerly Alexander Nubia International Inc. - is a focus gold exploration company working in Egypt exploring for and developing of economic gold deposits in the Central Eastern Desert of the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). The Company's 100%- owned concessions, Abu Marawat and the Fatiri, combined cover 2,772 square kilometers of underexplored ground.

Atlanta Gold Inc. (TSX:ATG.V) holds through its 100% owned subsidiary, AGC, leases, options or ownership interests in its Atlanta properties which comprise approximately 2,159 acres (8.74 square kilometres) located 90 air kilometres east of Boise, in Elmore County, Idaho. A long history of mining makes Atlanta very suitable for development of new mining projects. The Company is focused on advancing its core asset, Atlanta, towards mine development and production. The Company is also focused on advancing its exploration and processing methods on the Neal Property, which is located approximately 15 miles from Boise, Idaho and comprises approximately 192 acres (0.78 square kilometres). The Neal Property's geology is similar to that of the Atlanta Project; in that, there are northeasterly-trending shear zones in granodioritic host rocks. The Neal Property provides the Company with all-season access to further refine the processing equipment and procedures. AGC holds a five-year lease on the Neal Property and has staked an additional seven contiguous claims on public land that was open to mineral entry.

Augur Resources Ltd. (ASX:AUK.AX) is a successful Australian based resource development company, with a focus on gold and copper within Indonesia and nickel projects within Eastern Australia.

Augusta Gold (CSE:G) Formerly Bullfrog Gold Corp.is a rapidly growing exploration and development company focused on building a long-term business that delivers stakeholder value through developing the Bullfrog Gold Project as one of the next operating mines in Nevada, a highly prospective mining district and pursing further value enhancing M&A opportunities.

Augyva Mining Resources Inc. (TSX:AUV.V) is an exploration and development company holding properties located in the James Bay regions of the Province of Quebec. Its major project is its interest in the Duncan Lake Iron Property located in the western part of the La Grande Greenstone Belt. The property is subject to an option and joint venture agreement between Augyva and Canadian Century Iron Ore Corporation. In addition to the Duncan Lake Iron Property, Augyva holds an interest in other mineral properties, namely: Yasinski and Kali in the James Bay region. At these mineral properties, the exploration focus is for other than iron ore.

Aura Energy Limited (ASX:AEE.AX) is an Australian based minerals company that has major polymetallic and uranium projects with large resources in Europe and Africa. Since listing in 2006, it has rapidly grown by acquiring new projects in areas with known polymetallic and uranium occurrences such as Sweden, and greenfields areas such as Mauritania. Aura's focus is now on the Haggan Project, located in Sweden's Alum Shale Province, one of the largest depositories of vanadium in the world, with significant additional polymetallic value; and the highly prospective Reguibat Province in Mauritania.

Aura Minerals Inc. (TSX:ORA.TO) is a Canadian mid-tier gold and copper production company focused on the development and operation of gold and base metal projects in the Americas. The Company's producing assets include the San Andres gold mine in Honduras and the Sao Francisco gold mine in Brazil. The Company's other development asset is the copper-gold-iron Serrote da Laje project in Brazil.

Aura Silver Resources Inc. (TSX:AUU.V) is a TSX Venture listed company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious metal prospects in Canada (100% owned Greyhound project) and in Oaxaca, Mexico (73% owned East Taviche project).

Auramex Resource Corp. (TSX:AUX.V) engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, copper, and silver properties. It principally holds 100% interests in the Stewart property comprising approximately 18,000 hectares located in the Skeena Mining Division near Stewart, British Columbia.

Aurania Resources Ltd. (TSX:AOZ.V) through its subsidiary, AuroVallis Sarl, engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in Switzerland. The company explores for gold, silver, uranium, and copper metal deposits.

Aurcana Silver Corporation (TSX:AUN.V) (OTC: AUNFF) owns the Revenue Mine, in Colorado, and the Shafter-Presidio Silver Project in Texas, US. The primary mineral resource at both the Shafter-Presidio Project and the Revenue Mine is silver. Both are fully permitted for production.

AurCrest Gold Inc. (TSX: AGO.V) is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of gold properties. AurCrest has a portfolio of properties in Ontario, which include the Richardson Lake and Bridget Lake gold properties.

Aureus Mining (LSE:AUE.L; TSX:AUE.TO) explores and develops gold deposits in Liberia and Cameroon. It principally owns interest in the New Liberty Gold project located in Liberia.

Aurania Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ARU.V) (OTCQB: AUIAF) (FSE: 20Q) is a junior mineral exploration company engaged in the identification, evaluation, acquisition and exploration of mineral property interests, with a focus on precious metals and copper. Its flagship asset, The Lost Cities - Cutucu Project, is located in the Jurassic Metallogenic Belt in the eastern foothills of the Andes mountain range of southeastern Ecuador.

AuRico Metals Inc. (TSX:AMI.TO) is a mining royalty and development company whose producing gold royalty assets include a 1.5% NSR royalty on the Young-Davidson Gold Mine, a 0.25% NSR royalty on the Williams Mine at Hemlo , and a 0.5% NSR royalty on the Eagle River Mine - all located in Ontario, Canada . AuRico Metals also has a 2% NSR royalty on the Fosterville Mine and a 1% NSR royalty on the Stawell Mine, located in Victoria, Australia. Aside from its diversified royalty portfolio, AuRico owns (100%) the advanced Kemess Gold-Copper Project in British Columbia, Canada. AuRico Metals' head office is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Aurora Gold Corporation (OTC:ARXG) is an America listed mineral exploration company focusing on exploration and development in the Tapajos Gold Province, State of Para, Brazil. Aurora holds tenements in a strategic land package of six exploration licenses covering approximately 16,500 hectares.

Aurvista Gold Corp. (TSX:AVA.V; OTCQB:ARVSF) is a junior gold exploration and development company. Aurvista's only asset is the Douay Gold Project, consisting of 221 wholly owned claims totaling approximately 11,430 hectares. The Douay Project's North West Zone has 32 designated claims for a total of 1,193 hectares and is in a Joint Venture agreement with SOQUEM. The Douay Project is located along the Casa Berardi Fault part of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone in northern Quebec.

Auryn Resources Inc. (TSX:AUG.V; OTC:GGTCF) is a junior mining exploration company focused on delivering shareholder value through project acquisition and development. The Company's management team is highly experienced with an impressive track record of success in the discovery, development, financing and monetizing of mining assets for shareholders. Through the acquisition of North Country, Auryn now owns 100% interest in the Committee Bay project located in Nunavut, Canada. The Committee Bay project includes 217,600 hectares situated along the Committee Bay Greenstone Belt which occurs approximately 180 km northeast of Agnico Eagle Mines' Meadowbank mine and extends for more than 300 km.

Austral Gold Limited (ASX: AGD.AX; TSX: AGLD.V) is a growing precious metals mining, development and exploration company building a portfolio of quality assets in Chile and Argentina. The Company's flagship Guanaco project in Chile is a low-cost gold and silver producing mine with further exploration upside. The Company is also operator of the underground silver-gold Casposo mine in San Juan, Argentina. With an experienced local technical team and highly regarded major shareholder, Austral's goal is to continue to strengthen its asset base through acquisition and discovery.

Auxico Resources Canada Inc. (CSE:AUAG) is a Canadian Company founded in 2014. The company holds a 100% interest in the Zamora Property (Mexico). The Zamora Mineral District (ZMD) is located 85 km southeast of the city of Culiacan and 9 km northeast of the village of El Espinal, from which the properties are easily accessible year round via gravel roads. The ZMD is host to over 15 historical mines and workings, which stretch along a 6 km NE-SW trending structure. Exploration work commenced at the Campanillas and La Franca mines, located along the NE-SW structure. The Campanillas portal was re-opened by removing 350 tonnes of rock and initial sampling yielded results of 15 kg/t of silver and 20 g/t of gold. All properties and historical mines sites are held by Auxico Resources Inc. Mexico, with additional historical mines that will be visited shortly

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (OTC: AVLNF; TSX:AVL.TO) (formerly Avalon Rare Metals Inc.) is a Canadian mineral development company specializing in niche market metals and minerals with growing demand in new technology. The Company has three advanced stage projects, all 100%-owned, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, niobium, and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on its Separation Rapids Lithium Project, Kenora, ON and its East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project, Yarmouth, NS. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.

Avidian Gold Corp. (TSX-V: AVG; OTCQB: AVGDF) brings a disciplined and veteran team of project managers together with a focus on advanced stage gold exploration projects in Alaska.

Avino Silver and Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX:ASM.V) mission is to create shareholder value through profitable organic growth at the historic Avino property near Durango, Mexico , and the Bralorne property in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. We are committed to managing all business activities in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner while contributing to the well-being of the communities in which we operate.

Avnel Gold (TSX:AVK.TO) is a TSX-listed gold mining, exploration and development company with operations in south-western Mali in West Africa. The Company's focus is to develop its 80%-owned Kalana Main Project from a small underground mine into a low-cost, open pit mining operation. The Company is also advancing several nearby satellite deposits on the 387 km2 30-year Kalana Exploitation Permit

Avocet Mining (LSE:AVM.L) is a focused West African gold mining and exploration company with its primary operations in Burkina Faso and Guinea.

Avrupa Minerals (TSX:AVU.V) is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company focused on discovery, using a prospect generator model, of valuable mineral deposits in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany. The Company currently holds nine exploration licenses in three European countries, including six in Portugal. Avrupa is currently upgrading precious and base metal targets to JV-ready status in a variety of districts on their other licenses, with the idea of attracting potential partners to project-specific and/or regional exploration programs.

AXMIN Inc. (TSX:AXM.V) is a Canadian exploration and development company with a strong focus on the African continent. AXMIN continues to closely monitor the political situation at its Feasibility Stage Passendro Gold Project in the Central African Republic.

Azarga Metals Corp (TSX:AZR.V) is a mineral exploration and development company that owns 60% of the Unkur Copper-Silver Project in the Zabaikalsky province in eastern Russia.

Azimut Exploration Inc. (TSX: AZM.V) is a mineral exploration company with the objective of discovering major ore deposits. The Company's core business is project generation using cutting-edge targeting methodologies, concurrently with partnership development. Azimut holds one of the largest mineral exploration portfolios in mining-friendly Quebec, including key gold, copper, tungsten and rare earth element properties.

Aztec Minerals Inc. (TSX.AZT.V) is a mineral exploration company focused on the discovery of large porphyry gold-copper deposits in the Americas. Our first project and core asset is the prospective Cervantes gold-copper property in Sonora, Mexico.

Azure Minerals Limited (ASX:AZS.AX) is Australia's leading mineral exploration company in Mexico. Azure is progressing two advanced-stage copper projects in partnership with two of the world's major mining companies - the Alacran Copper Project with Teck Resources and the Promontorio Copper Project with the Rio Tinto Group. The Company continues to seek opportunities to acquire other assets which the Company believes will add value for its shareholders.

B2 Gold Corp. (NYSE MKT: BTG; TSX:BTO.TO) is a Vancouver based gold producer with four operating mines (one in Namibia, one in the Philippines and two in Nicaragua) and a strong portfolio of development and exploration assets in Mali, Nicaragua, Namibia, Burkina Faso and Colombia.

BacTech Environmental Corporation (CSE:BAC) was created as a result of the BacTech Mining Corporation Plan of Arrangement in December 2010. The Company uses its patented BACOX bioleaching technology to process toxic, arsenic-laden mine tailings. Bioleaching, in addition to stabilizing arsenic, oxidizes sulphides, thereby eliminating a major source of acid mine drainage, while also recovering precious and base metals from tailings for sale to market.

Baden Resources Inc. (CSE; BDN) is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada and the USA.

Baja Mining Corp. (TSX: BAJ.V) is a Canadian mining company. Baja, through Minera y Metalurgica del Boleo S.A.P.I. de C.V. (MMB), owns a 10% interest in the Boleo copper-cobalt-zinc-manganese project located in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The Boleo project is currently under construction.

Balmoral Resources Ltd. (TSX:BAR.TO) is a well-funded, Canadian-based company actively delineating and expanding both high-grade gold and nickel-copper-PGE discoveries on its wholly owned, 700 square kilometre Detour Trend Project in Quebec, Canada. Employing an award winning exploration team, Balmoral has a philosophy of creating value through the drill bit. By focusing our efforts in proven productive precious/base metal belts in one of the world's pre-eminent mining jurisdictions, Balmoral is following an established formula with a goal of maximizing shareholder value through discovery and definition of high-grade, Canadian gold and base metal assets.

Bam Bam Resources Corp (CSE: BBR) - Formely KOPR Point is engaged in the identification, review and acquisition of latter stage Copper and Copper/Gold assets. Management has been mandated to focus on safe, mining friendly jurisdictions and government regulations supportive of mining operations.

Bannerman Resources Limited (ASX:BMN.AX) is an exploration and development company with an 100% interest in the Etango Uranium Project in Namibia; a southern African country which is a premier mining jurisdiction.

Banro Corporation (TSX: BAA.TO) is a Canadian gold mining company focused on production from the Twangiza mine, which began commercial production September 1, 2012, and completion of its second gold mine at Namoya located approximately 200 kilometres southwest of the Twangiza gold mine. The Company's longer term objectives include the development of two additional major, wholly-owned gold projects, Lugushwa and Kamituga. The four projects, each of which has a mining license, are located along the 210 kilometre long Twangiza-Namoya gold belt in the South Kivu and Maniema provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ("DRC"). All business activities are followed in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

Banyan Gold Corp. (TSX:BYN.V) is a gold exploration and development company whose flagship property, the Hyland Gold Project ("Hyland"), is approximately 70km NE of Watson Lake, Yukon, along the southeast end of the Tintina Gold Belt.

Bard Ventures Ltd. (TSX:CBS.V) is a small cap TSX Venture-listed mineral resources company with acquisitions in British Columbia. Vancouver-based Bard Ventures' primary mining focus is the Lone Pine Molybdenum Project (molybdenum drilling program underway), and Grouse Mountain, both located in northern B.C. Canada.

Barker Minerals Ltd. (TSX:BML.V) is advancing exploration on its mineral properties in the Cariboo Gold District, one of the most mineralized belts in British Columbia. The Company has more than 20 projects on its exploration properties, all of which are 100% owned by Barker Minerals. Eight projects have drill-ready gold and/or massive sulphide targets.

Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX:BGM.V) is focused on developing its extensive land package located in the historical Cariboo Mining District of central British Columbia. BGM's mineral tenures cover 1,164 square kilometres along a strike length of 60 kilometres which includes several past producing hard rock mines of the historic Barkerville Gold Mining Camp near the town of Wells, British Columbia. The QR Project, located approximately 110 kilometres by highway and all weather road from Wells was acquired by Barkerville in 2010 and boasts a fully permitted 900 tonne/day gold milling and tailings facility. Test mining of the Bonanza Ledge open pit was completed in March 2015 with 91,489 tonnes of ore milled producing 25,464 ounces of gold. Barkerville has completed a number of drilling and exploration programs over the past 20 years and is currently compiling this data with all historical information in order develop geologic models which will assist new management and provide the framework to continue to explore the Cariboo Gold Project. An extensive drill program is currently underway with the goal of delineating additional high grade gold mineralization.

Barksdale Resources Corp. (TSX-V: BRO; OTCQX: BRKCF) is a base metal exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, that is focused on the acquisition, exploration and advancement of highly prospective base metal projects in North America. Barksdale is currently advancing the Sunnyside copper-zinc-lead-silver and San Antonio copper projects, both of which are in Patagonia mining district of southern Arizona, as well as the San Javier copper-gold project in central Sonora, Mexico.

Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE: ABX) aims to be the leading mining company focused on gold, growing our cash flow per share by developing and operating high quality assets through disciplined allocation of human and financial capital and operational excellence. Barrick has mining operations in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Saudi Arabia, United States and Zambia. More than 75 percent of the company's gold production comes from the Americas region.

Base Resources Limited (ASX:BSE.AX) is a mineral sands producer, focused on the Kwale Mineral Sands Operationsin Kenya, East Africa (ilmenite, rutile and zircon).

Bass Metals Limited (ASX:BSM.AX) is an ASX listed gold and base metal exploration company, focussed on exploring and mining polymetallic (copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold) deposits in north west Tasmania, Australia, and more recently has diversified its exploration interests to Turkey.

Batero Gold (TSX:BAT.V) is a precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on moving the La Cumbre oxide deposit toward a production decision. Once the appropriate level of study has been completed, Batero intends to target the near surface higher grade oxidized gold mineralization at the deposit. Batero is also pursuing opportunities to acquire prospective high-grade, production focused mineral properties in Colombia and Latin America. In pursuing these objectives, Batero plans to leverage its secure treasury position, strong regional relationships, experienced management team, and long-term financial partners.

Bayhorse Silver Inc. (TSX: BHS.V) is transitioning to become a silver mining company with it's Bayhorse Silver mine in Oregon and it's Bridging the Gap silver project in Idaho's highly prolific Silver Valley. The company has a highly experienced team of mining engineers and geologists, and is preparing the on-site crushing plant for commencement of processing run-of-mine material. The company is marrying advanced technology with standard mining techniques to promote environmentally friendly and low cost mining.

Bayswater Uranium Corporation (TSX: BYU.V) acquires and explores for resource properties in Canada and the United States. Its primary asset is the Reno Creek uranium property located in northeastern Wyoming. Bayswater Uranium Corporation is based in Vancouver, Canada.

BCGold Corp. (TSX:BCG.V) is a Vancouver-based junior resource company focused on copper and gold exploration in historic and emerging mining districts in British Columbia and Yukon. The Company acquires prospective gold and copper-gold exploration properties considered to have significant mineral potential by staking, option or purchase agreements. The Company strives to acquire 100% of these opportunities and after cost-effective and diligent exploration to develop drill targets, option 51-70% of these properties to third parties in return for some multiple of the Company's expenditures. The Company currently has a portfolio of 10 - 100% owned gold and copper-gold properties and 2 partially owned gold properties in B.C. and Yukon. BCGold is actively seeking qualified option partners to advance these properties.

BCM Resources Corp. (TSX:B.V) is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company focused on identifying, acquiring, advancing, and joint venturing prospective Copper, Gold, and Molybdenum exploration projects in Utah and British Columbia.

Bear Creek Mining Corp. (TSX.:BCM.V) as formed in 2000 as an exploration and development company focused on Peru, a mineral-rich nation with a favorable investment climate. The Company's Corani and Santa Ana Projects collectively host reserves and resources containing more than 450 million ounces of silver, plus by-product base metals, and provide near-term production potential and excellent leverage to silver prices.

Bearclaw Capital Corp. (TSX:BRL.V) engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Bearing Lithium Corp . (TSX: BRZ.V) s a mineral exploration and development company, primarily focused on lithium. Its primary asset is a free-carried 17.7% interest in the Maricunga lithium brine project in Chile. The Maricunga project represents one of the highest-grade lithium brine salars globally and the only pre-production project in Chile.

Beaufield Resources Inc. (TSX:BFD.V) is a mineral exploration company with its exploration activity focused in Quebec. Beaufield is well positioned to advance its portfolio of exploration properties and identify other potential opportunities in the mineral exploration or development stage. The Corporation is actively exploring, well financed with no debt and has excess work credits on its properties.

Bekem Metals, Inc. (OTC:BKMM) explores and produces mineral properties in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It provides exploration of nickel and cobalt.

Bell Copper Corporation (TSX:BCU.V) is a public company with a focus on copper exploration in North America.

Bellhaven Copper & Gold Inc. (TSX: BHV.V) is a Canadian-listed exploration company exploring for gold and copper in Colombia and Panama. The Company's goal is to be a leader in gold and copper development in Colombia and Panama. Bellhaven focuses on discovery, acquisition and development of high-quality resources in a safe and responsible manner for the benefit of all of its stakeholders. The Company's flagship project is the La Mina gold-(copper) porphyry deposit in the Middle Cauca belt of Colombia.

Belmont Resources Inc. (TSX: BEA.V) is an emerging resource company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada.

Benchmark Metals Inc. (TSXV: BNCH.V) (OTCQB:CYRTF) is a Canadian mineral exploration company with its common shares listed for trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States and the Tradegate Exchange in Europe. Benchmark is managed by proven resource sector professionals, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from grassroots scenarios through to production.

Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. (CSE: BNN) Formerly Mojave Gold Corp. objective is to identify, evaluate, acquire and explore mineral properties for the purposes of identifying a mineral resource deposit on its existing property interests or any of the subsequent properties acquired by the Issuer for the development of a mine.

Benton Resources Corp. (TSX. BEX.V) is a well funded Canadian-based junior with a diversified property portfolio in Gold-Silver, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements.

Beowulf Mining plc (LSE:BEM.L) is an exploration and development company principally focused on the Kallak iron ore project in northern Sweden and its Swedish exploration portfolio. The Kallak North iron ore deposit is located about 40km west of the Jokkmokk municipality centre in the Norrbotten County in Northern Sweden.

Berkeley Energia Ltd (ASX:BKY.AX) clean energy company, engages in the exploration, appraisal, and development of uranium properties in Spain. It focuses on the development of its flagship Salamanca project, which comprises the Retortillo, Alameda, Zona 7, and Gambuta deposits, as well as satellite deposits located in Western Spain. The company was formerly known as Berkeley Energy Limited and changed its name to Berkeley Energia Limited in November 2015.

Berkwood Resources Ltd. (TSX:BKR.V) engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of natural resource properties in Canada. The company holds 100% interests in the Cobalt Fold property, which include 40 claims covering an area of 2,176.19 hectares located in the Cote-Nord area of Quebec; and the Roscoe Vanadium project consisting 40 claims covering approximately 2,189.19 hectares located in Cote-Nord area,

Bezant Resources (LSE:BZT.L) principal focus since it began operation in 2007 has been on early-stage ventures in key commodity sectors. Currently, it has interests in three global assets: The Mankayan Project (a copper/gold porphyry project in the Philippines), the Eureka Project (a "near surface" copper/gold deposit in northern Argentina) and the gold enterprise Mkurumu Project, located in Tanzania.

BHP Billiton Ltd. (NYSE:BHP; ASX:BHP.AX) discovers, acquires, develops, and markets natural resources worldwide. It operates through Petroleum and Potash, Copper and Iron Ore segments. The company explores for, develops, produces, and markets oil and gas with operating assets in the deep water Gulf of Mexico, Western Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and Pakistan; and owns the Jansen potash project located in the Saskatchewan potash basin in Canada. It also explores for copper, silver, lead, zinc, molybdenum, uranium, gold, iron ore.

Big Red Mining Corp. (CSE:RED) ("Big Red") holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Dobie Lake Copper Project (the "Property") in Ontario, Canada, subject to a 2% net smelter returns royalty. The Property is Located in Albanel Township approximately 100 km from Sault Ste Marie, Ont. Highway 546 crosses the property and there are ATV trails covering most of the property. The Property surrounds and covers Extensions of the Past producing Jentina Mine. The Property comprises 131 claims totaling 6,500 Acres (26 Square kilometers). Big Red's management team possess extensive experience in financing, exploration, development and mining. Big Red's mission is to conduct future drilling campaigns on the Dobie Lake copper property to maximize its minable resource potential.

Big Ridge Gold Corp. (TSXV:BRAU; OTCQB: ALVLF) is an exploration and development company managed by a disciplined and experienced team of officers and directors. The Company is committed to the development of advanced stage mining projects using industry best practices combined with strong social license from our local communities. Big Ridge is earning into (up to 80%) the Hope Brook Gold Project located in Newfoundland, owns 100% interest in the highly prospective Oxford Gold Project located in Manitoba, 100% interest in the Destiny Gold Project in Quebec where Clarity Gold Corp. is earning up to a 100% interest and is exploring in the Beardmore-Geraldton gold belt in Ontario.

Birimian Gold (ASX:BGS.AX) is a mineral exploration company holding substantial interests in several highly prospective gold projects in West Africa. Birimian Gold's projects in Mali include the advanced Massigui Gold Project and the Dankassa Gold Project. The company also operates the Basawa Gold Project in Liberia.

Bison Gold Resources Inc. (TSX:BGE.V) is a gold exploration company, listed on the TSX-V Exchange. The Company's primary focus is on creating value for shareholders by exploring high-grade gold deposits in Manitoba.

Bitterroot Resources Ltd. (TSX: BTT.V) is engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Michigan and British Columbia. Management minimizes commodity risk by exploring for several mineral commodities (primarily copper, nickel, gold and platinum group metals). Political risks and exploration costs are minimized by keeping its exploration investments in mining-friendly, road-accessible locations in North America.

Black Iron Inc. (TSX:BKI.TO) is an iron ore exploration and development company, advancing its 100% owned Shymanivske project located in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. This project contains an NI 43-101 compliant resource estimated to be 645.8 Mt Measured and Indicated mineral resources, consisting of 355.1 Mt Measured mineral resources grading 32.0% Total iron and 19.5% Magnetic iron, and Indicated mineral resources of 290.7 Mt grading 31.1% Total iron and 17.9% Magnetic iron, using a cut-off grade of 10% Magnetic iron. Additionally, the project contains 188.3 Mt of Inferred mineral resources grading 30.1% Total iron and 18.4% Magnetic iron.

Black Sea Copper & Gold Corp. (TSX:BLS.V) is a mineral exploration company active in the Black Sea region of Eastern Europe. The Company has over 4 years of regional experience both technically and operationally within Bulg
By Geoff Percival

Michael OLeary has refused to commit himself to leading Ryanair for the long term, but said he has no plans to step down when his contract comes up for renewal next year.

Mr OLearys current five-year chief executive term comes up for renewal next year. Speaking after Ryanairs agm, yesterday, Mr OLeary said he has no plans to step down and that the airlines board is in favour of him staying on for a number of years.

However, he said he would prefer to stay on as chief executive on a rolling 12-month contract, rather than sign a new five-year deal.

We discussed it at the board meeting yesterday [Wednesday]. Im very happy to go on a rolling 12-month contract. I own 4% of the company, its not like Im going to go anywhere.

"They want me to sign up to another contract for a period of years. Im not sure whether I want to sign up for anther five years.

"That would take me to 62. Im not sure Mrs OLeary would be very happy if I agreed to sign up to another five years. So, well come to some agreement in the next number of months. Its not a priority, he said.

I signed a five-year contract for the first time five years ago to give stability [when former senior executives Michael Cawley and Howard Millar left] because there was a perception among shareholders that all the management was going to disappear.

However, Mr OLeary played down any idea that his departure was imminent saying Ive no idea when Ill have had enough. I like this company. I like working for this company. I dont do it for the pay. But as long as it remains interesting and fun and challenging I see no reason not to continue to try and lead it and lead it forward positively.

He said Ryanairs board discusses succession plans annually.

A significant minority of Ryanair shareholders voted against the re-election of chairman David Bonderman, but overwhelmingly rejected calls by trade unions to oppose Mr OLeary.

The votes were the first chance for investors to give their verdict on a series of strikes and a year of management mis-steps.

After a number of shareholders publicly called for Mr Bonderman to step down, he was re-elected with 70.5% of votes, a significant fall from the 89% he received last year. But they reaffirmed their support for Mr OLeary, with 98.5% re-electing him to the board, down from 99% last year.

Ryanair has struggled with labour relations in recent months and endured its worst one-day strike last month, disrupting the plans of an estimated 55,000 travellers. Another one-day strike by cabin crew is planned across five countries next week.

Mr OLeary said he expects Mr Bonderman to still be Ryanair chairman next year:

I think its inevitable in the next number of years... he will decide hes had enough and will want to hand over to someone else... When he does go, well replace him, inevitably, with someone who doesnt have his stature and certainly doesnt have his experience of the airline industry.

Mr Bonderman has been Ryanair chairman since 1996, taking the role two years after Mr OLeary became chief executive.

Additional reporting Reuters
Italy's competitions watchdog has launched an inquiry into Ryanair's plans to charge passengers to take luggage on the plane.

Italian media are reporting that the Antitrust investigation highlights that the charge should be included in the ticket price.
At least 23 developers put into Nama because of their part in the economic crash are still receiving salaries of 100,000 a year.

Nama chairman Frank Daly confirmed the salaries during a meeting in which the groups chief executive, Brendan McDonagh, said that, regardless of the scale of housing shortfall in Ireland, Nama cannot fund housing projects that are not commercially viable.

Speaking during a lengthy Public Accounts Committee meeting, Mr Daly was asked by Independent TD Catherine Connolly about the ongoing salaries given to developers placed into Nama because of their debt.

After initially saying there was a range of salaries, Mr Daly was forced by Ms Connolly to confirm that 23 people currently receive a salary with an average of 100,000 a head and some developers receive as much as 170,000 a year, but did not reveal their identities.

Under questioning from Ms Connolly, Mr Daly confirmed that Nama has made three complaints about developers to the gardai over concerns that they attempted to hide evidence of assets they had from the State by giving them to their partners or families.

Mr Daly said a large number of similar cases which have not been sent to the gardai, but many of these were resolved when Nama uncovered the attempts to hide information.

Meanwhile, during the meeting, Mr McDonagh was questioned on the State property groups approach to addressing the housing crisis. Several PAC members raised concerns over whether Nama is engaging enough in addressing the issue.

Mr McDonagh said that, regardless of the scale of housing shortfall in Ireland, Nama cannot fund housing projects that are not commercially viable.

Yesterdays meeting also heard that Nama cautioned Government officials on setting up a Land Development Agency months before its announcement last week.

Asked by Labour TD Alan Kelly if there were discussions on the matter with Government, Mr Daly said no formal talks took place. However, when Mr Kelly sought clarification by asking did you have any discussions with any person on this earth, Mr McDonagh confirmed talks with the Department of Housing.

It was a courtesy visit... I said my own view would be you would not do it in a big bang approach, Mr McDonagh said of the Land Development Agency, which was launched last week amid claims it could build 150,000 houses in the coming years.

Asked when Nama is likely to close, Mr Daly initially suggested 2020, before saying the group may have a role to play after that point.
By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

A review of policies on pay and other benefits for third-level college staff is about to begin, almost a year after it was due to commence.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) review is to focus on examining policies in respect of pay, pensions, travel, and leave, and how those policies are applied. Sabbatical leave is one issue to be covered by the review, which the HEA said is part of a working plan for rolling annual reviews of governance in the sector.

The HEA allocates most of the 1bn a year provided by the Department of Education for the operation of the seven universities, 14 institutes of technology, and a small number of other publicly-funded third-level colleges.

It also has oversight of governance in the sector, a role which has taken up a growing proportion of time and staffing resources in the HEA in recent years. The problems associated with this extra work, and the increasing reliance on the HEA by the Department of Education for such exercises, were linked to the announcement last month by the authoritys chief executive Graham Love that he is to resign after just 18 months in the job.

The review will include an examination of how sabbatical leave is treated for pay purposes by colleges, an issue raised last year at Dail Public Accounts Committee hearings with the HEA and third-level colleges.

The committee heard that University of Limerick had made a 185,000 tax settlement with the Revenue Commissioners in 2013 after a voluntary disclosure about how income tax and other deductions were not applied to some payments of expenses to university staff on sabbatical.

As reported by the Irish Examiner last week, a note by Comptroller and Auditor General Seamus McCarthy in NUI Galways latest financial accounts said that a staff member was paid over 90,000 while absent on grounds that did not meet the universitys own rules around payments for sabbatical leave. The leave was taken immediately before the person received a severance payment from the university, but the circumstances were not in accordance with some key conditions of the universitys sabbatical leave payments scheme.

The PAC recommended in its July 2017 report on governance and financial matters in the third-level sector that the HEA oversee a review on sabbatical leave practices, with particular reference to tax compliance.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe told the PAC last December the Department of Education had informed him that the national review of staff compensation and benefits in the sector, to include sabbatical leave practices, was beginning in the final quarter of last year.

However, the HEA has told this paper it and the department are currently finalising the terms of reference and scope of the review, which it now hopes will begin in October. A spokesperson said it had been hoped the review would begin before the end of 2017.

There was a delay in relation to the completion of other reviews, which pushed the start date out, said the HEA. As there is significant fieldwork required with this review, we also decided not to commence too near the summer months and that is why it was deferred until October.

Among the reviews whose completion was delayed was an examination by the HEA of how third-level colleges manage intellectual property and conflicts of interest.
The housing crisis is now a threat to the creation and location of jobs, one of the countrys largest developers has warned.

Michael OFlynn, chief executive and chairman of the OFlynn Group, said against the backdrop of a chronic lack of housing supply, potential investors are concerned about where their employees are going to live, and whether they will be able to afford to rent or buy property.

He said Government policies to deliver an immediate housing supply solution are needed  not long-term strategies like its 1bn Land Development Agency which could take a decade to deliver.

In my 40 years in house building, this is as bad as Ive seen it, he said.

If we continue hoping its going to go away, or have long-term strategic plans, I think we are in a very dangerous place because its now affecting jobs, its now affecting the location of jobs.

People making decisions about locating industry are very concerned about Ireland as a whole  where can their people live and can they live at an affordable price or are they consigned to renting?

You have people who are renting that should be buying and people who are being pushed from renting into social, and I dare say from social beyond. People are paying more in rent than theyd pay on a mortgage  and that makes no sense.

Weve quite a problem housing area. [Housing Minister] Eoghan Murphy cant fix it overnight, but we have to have policies and solutions that have an immediate effect.

Mr OFlynn was speaking at a housing conference in Cork hosted by PJ ODriscoll & Sons law firm. It was told that by 2020, housing supply is expected to be in the region of 27,000 units, but the underlying demand is for 35,000 units per annum.

Mr OFlynn said even if the Land Development Agency supplies the number of houses suggested, it will still only be a fraction of whats needed.

While supportive of its objectives, he warned that its powers, including the ability to use compulsory purchase orders on private land, raises State-aid concerns and its activities could actually compete with private developers and affect their ability to raise funding.

He said the cost of development land, and the cost of building on it to provide houses at an affordable price, has to be addressed.

Developers, he said, cant supply housing unless they can achieve a 15% profit margin because of the risks involved in housing.

And if we cant have a 15% profit margin, we cant supply, and if were supplying a product that people cant afford, well that means housing isnt viable.

While the budget can address Vat issues, fundamental changes to the bigger issues, such as development levies, Part 5 requirements, and the cost of land itself, are required, he said.

Elaine ODriscoll, managing partner with PJ ODriscoll & Sons, said it is time for policymakers to consider new laws to deliver powerful solutions.

These solutions may involve interfering with individual rights in the common good. If that is to happen, it must be done with fairness and transparency, she said.
The support of all EU leaders for Ireland on a frictionless border Brexit deal is solid, insists Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

While he warned that agreement on a withdrawal deal for Britain is needed in principle in the next six weeks, Mr Varadkar conceded that Ireland is open to compromises.

He reiterated that a guarantee of no border on the island of Ireland is a red line and would not be conceded, as the clock ticks for the EU and Britain to reach agreement.

His comments follow an EU27 summit on Brexit in Salzburg, as well as a bilateral meeting between Mr Varadkar and his British counterpart Theresa May over the deadlock.

Ms May was forced to deny that her Chequers plan for Brexit, which proposes that the UK share a common rulebook for goods and services, was dead yesterday, after EU leaders and European Council president Donald Tusk said they were not workable.

Mr Varadkar said the plan was never acceptable.

There are difficulties. It proposes to divide the single market, to have one of the four freedoms but not the other three and I think anyone could understand why that [plan] wouldnt be acceptable to the European Union. And that there would be two different customs schedules, which we just dont think is workable. We wouldnt be honest if we were to say we could accept the Chequers proposal lock, stock, and barrel.

The comments from EU figures will isolate Ms May and could make a compromise difficult with just weeks to go before another leaders summit in October.

Mr Varadkar said he wants agreement in principle by then on Britains withdrawal, including on a protocol to prevent a border.

What I would like to happen is to have the deal agreed in principle in October, so that we can finalise it and formalise it at a special EU summit in November. Time is running out. This agreement has to be ratified by the European Parliament and Westminster as well and the clock in ticking. Time is running out.

Mr Varadkar, after meeting fellow leaders at the two-day summit in Austria, said support for Ireland is solid.

Once again, all of the EU leaders who spoke gave me their absolute support in standing behind Ireland, saying that an agreement that doesnt work for Ireland doesnt work for the EU, he said.

Mr Varadkar signalled that Ireland and the EUs position is unlikely to shift. As well as that, a decision was made not to amend or change our guidelines, our negotiating mandate, in any way.

He said there is scope for compromise ahead but not on the protocol for a frictionless border, which is a red line issue. Mr Varadkar said he would like to see Ms Mays alternative proposals to overcome the border problem as soon as possible.

However, the Taoiseach is still confident of a deal being reached between the EU and Britain.

I think we are going to get a deal, an accidental no deal has always been a possibility. But I think we can achieve it.
By Sean ORiordan

The Department of Foreign Affairs is contacting British authorities after fears were raised that submarines using sonar may have caused the deaths of a record number of Cuviers beaked whales off the Irish coast.

Nuclear submarines belonging to Britain, the US, and Russia regularly pass through the Irish Sea and off our Atlantic coast and have carried out exercises in international waters off Ireland. Warships from these countries also use sonar to detect the movements of submarines. The Irish Naval Service does not use sonar.

Mass strandings of Cuviers beaked whales have coincided with naval exercises off Greece, the Canaries, and the Bahamas.

The move by the Department of Foreign Affairs has been welcomed by the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) which lobbied for an inquiry.

Last month, IWDG recorded 16 Cuviers beaked whales washing up dead on the Irish coast and more continue to wash ashore. A further 13 were washed up in Scotland and two in Iceland.

Previous studies have suggested that only a small number of dead whales get washed ashore and recorded, so the number killed in this latest incident may be significantly higher.

IWDG strandings co-ordinator Mick OConnell said he welcomed Tanaiste Simon Coveneys request for information from the British authorities, which also includes input from the National Parks & Wildlife Service.

The number of strandings are the biggest by far and the worst [in a short space of time] that we have come across since records began, Mr OConnell said.

They [the carcasses] are still coming into shore.

He said similar strandings had happened in the waters of other countries which coincided with naval exercises and the extensive use of sonar, which confuses the marine mammals.
Garda security services are happy with the shakeup in national security structures proposed in the Policing Commission report.

The Security and Intelligence (S&I) section is particularly pleased at recommendations that it receives a ring-fenced budget, allowing it to directly recruit specialist skilled staff.

The S&I section is also happy with the new national security layer, with a new strategic office, into which the Gardai and other agencies will feed intelligence into for analysis.

This office, details of which were revealed by the Irish Examiner last week, will be headed by a national security co-ordinator, reporting to the Taoiseach.

The Commission said it had considered carefully whether or not security should be removed from the gardai, but said it was not convinced it was either necessary or realistic.

The report also said: Whether or not a separate agency will be an option at some future point, we believe that it is vital now that security intelligence should be co-ordinated outside the police or any individual agency.

The commission recommends a Strategic Threat Analysis Centre (Stac), based within the Taoiseachs department.

It should have a small permanent staff, supplemented by personnel from An Garda Siochana, the Defence Forces, and the Departments of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Communications.

It will produce regular threat analyses, long-term threat assessments, develop intelligence-gathering requirements, and guide the intelligence collection of agencies.

The co-ordinator should have the authority to convene inter-agency meetings to develop threat assessments for the Taoiseach and synchronise national security strategy. The National Cyber Security Centre, in the Department of Communications, should now report to the co-ordinator.

The report said the intelligence gathering capacity of An Garda Siochana must be strengthened, in particular by means of a ring-fenced budget provision and the ability to recruit specialist expertise  analytical, technological and legal  directly and quickly.

The report said this was a matter of urgency given the serious risks posed to the State from terrorism and organised crime.

A senior garda said the force was happy with the emphasis on boosting the security service and said the ringfenced budget was key, providing not just financial independence but greater operational independence.

S&I will have the funding and sanction to hire people  like the Criminal Assets Bureau does  and have its own training budget.

The funding it sets aside to its own surveillance activities and operations would no longer be capable of being diverted for other reasons.

S&I hope it will also be able to make a business case for capital funding, such as building a cyber security unit or investing in surveillance technology.

The report sees cyber security as dealing with cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, the theft of secrets or the contamination of the democratic process.

The garda source said the coordinator may give strategic direction, but has no power to direct operations, which remains within the Assistant Commissioner Security and Intelligence and the Commissioner.
UF students can now produce original podcasts using free equipment at Marston Science Library.

The library started offering podcast kits for rent two weeks ago. Each kit is valued around $700 and includes a $300 ZoomH5 four-track portable recorder, a standard microphone and a shotgun microphone, which would record more directionally with higher quality audio, said UF Marston engineering librarian Samuel Putnam. Both microphones are valued at about $400. The kit also includes additional memory cards and accessories.

Only two kits are available for rent, Putnam said. Marston is currently the only location on campus offering them. Two annual endowment funds, the Robert Hume Science Library Endowment with $5,500 and the Deborah Herbstman Science Library endowment with $3,500, helped pay for the kits, Putnam said.

Any UF student with a Gator 1 Card is able to rent a kit for the week, Putnam said.

The idea to provide free access to recording equipment started around a year ago, when students began expressing fascination towards the podcasting medium and professors started creating assignments that required vocal recordings, Putnam said. In total, over 50 students via social media and in person had shown interest in using the equipment, Putnam said.

I like the idea of empowering students to share their stories, Putnam said. Podcasting is a really democratic medium.

The concept of lending expensive equipment to students looking to start podcasting is a fascinating idea, said Sophia Meloro, a 19-year-old UF environmental engineering sophomore.

I dont really know much about podcasts or recording, Meloro said. For the people who would use that on a regular basis it could be super helpful for them.

In the future, Putnam, who has a podcast with his friend, hopes to see students utilize the technology offered to pursue a dream of breaking into the podcasting world. He said if enough students express interest in the kits, Marston could consider setting up a studio for people to record in.

Im excited for students to be able to share what they want to share in their own voices, Putnam said.

Contact Dana Cassidy at dcassidy@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @danacassidy_

Marston Library's basement's renovations are almost finished. The area will reopen wednesday.

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Journalist Gemma ODohertys chances of becoming an official candidate in the presidential election race have dwindled dramatically after another council voted not to nominate anyone to contest next months vote.

The potential candidate was unable to secure the support of South Dublin county council last night, meaning she and other still unofficial candidates must now effectively win every council nomination available next Monday.

Under existing presidential election rules, a candidate can only officially enter the race if they are seeking re-election, if they are officially supported by at least four local authorities, or if they have the official backing of at least 20 Oireachtas members.

With nominations set to close next Wednesday, businessmen Sean Gallagher, Gavin Duffy, and Peter Casey, senator Joan Freeman, and Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada are officially on the ballot.

This is because they received the support of at least four city and county councils, and, in Ms Ni Riadas case, was backed by at least 20 TDs or senators from Sinn Fein.

President Michael D Higgins is also certain to make the starting line in the race, as he can nominate himself due to the fact he is the current incumbent and is seeking re-election.

However, the likelihood of a seventh candidate officially making it to the ballot paper looks increasingly unlikely, after South Dublin County Council chose not to nominate Ms ODoherty, Donald Trump super-fan Sarah Louise Mulligan, Marie Goretti Moylan, or John OHare last night.

The decision not to nominate a candidate means that, of the 31 local authorities in Ireland, 17 have nominated a candidate and eight have chosen not to nominate anyone.

This means that, with just days left to go and the Oireachtas door closed on further nominations, no other potential candidate has received any nomination.

If a seventh candidate, the most high-profile of whom is Ms ODoherty, is to still officially enter the race, they would have to win four out of the remaining six councils, which are Laois, Sligo, Kildare, Cork County, Donegal, and Louth.

However, it has been noted that both Donegal and Louth may choose not to hold a meeting before next Wednesdays nominations cut-off point, making the chances of a seventh official presidential candidate even slimmer.

The situation emerged as the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) yesterday published its updated election coverage guidelines, which are based on the BAI code of fairness, objectivity, and impartiality for TV and radio broadcasters.

BAI chief executive Michael OKeeffe said: Broadcasters play an important and valuable role in the manner in which information about an election is communicated to, and discussed by, the Irish public.

The publication of the guidelines today should aid broadcasters so that their approach to coverage is open, transparent and fair to all interested parties.

Ms Ni Riada separately called on all official candidates to agree to take part in a TV debate during the presidential campaign.
The Government was called to intervene and fund new drugs for 25 children suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

At leaders questions yesterday, Fianna Fail deputy leader Dara Calleary raised the life-threatening, rare, and leading genetic cause of death in infants, as he called it.

We heard at the meeting from a parent who was told by their paediatrician that it was as bad as it gets, he said.

Mr Calleary referred to testimony heard from Grace and Cillian, children who have this condition.

SMA is a group of inherited diseases of the motor nerves that cause very debilitating muscle weaknesses and wasting.

There are 25 children in this country with this condition. It presents them with a number of burdens. They are wheelchair-bound, suffer muscle recession and considerable pain, and daily life is virtually impossible when it comes to handwriting and other small things.

Mr Calleary called on the Government to back a new drug called Spinraza, which he said is the first treatment of its kind in the world.

Spinraza is making an enormous difference in over 20 countries across Europe to these children and their families, he said.

Here, however, it is still not available under the refund scheme, despite the fact that on June 22 last the minister [for health], Deputy Harris, announced that Ireland would join Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Austria in the Beneluxa initiative, which aims to secure affordable and timely availability of medicinal products.

The hopes of those 25 children and their families were raised in June by the announcement of our joining this alliance are therefore now cruelly dashed, and their frustration and anger is palpable, said Mr Calleary.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said that the European Medicines Agency had granted market authorisation for Spinraza, and, in October 2017, the HSE received a reimbursement application.

The application is currently being processed by the HSE, he said. No decision has been arrived at yet as to the statutory assessment process that is still ongoing.

Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty raised the fact that there are 3,850 children across the State with a disability or suspected disability who are overdue for an assessment of needs. He said these children are at their wits end given the lengthy delays they have to face to get the treatment they need.

Mr Coveney said progress is being made and will continue to be made.

We will continue to put funding into these services as necessary in order to get back to where we need to be, he said.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Brendan Howlin raised recent media speculation that the Government is looking to consider a capital gains tax break to charge less than half of the regular amount in tax due on the sales or development of vacant property.

He said the financial crash of the last decade was caused by a plethora of housing tax breaks which led to the market overheating.

Yet the Minister for Finance seems prepared to again consider the same failed strategy. He should not, Mr Howlin said.
Abortion services will be in place in Ireland by January.

The Health Minister says they are on track to deliver on time following the referendum in May.

The Health Minister Simon Harris has confirmed women will have to wait three days for abortions once they have seen their GP under the new legislation.

The wait period has been criticised as slighting women's ability to make decisions about their own healthcare .

While this week doctors told an Oireachtas Health Committee there's no medical reason to wait.

But Minister Harris said there will be no amendments to the bill.

Simon Harris confirmed they are on track with delivering abortion services in January.

Next week he'll bring the final version of legislation to Cabinet and publish it.

It will be introduced to the Dail the following week and he aims to have it passed in both houses of the Oireachtas by the end of November.

He also appealed to TDs and Senators not to oppose the legislation despite their personal views as voters have given their view and instructed them to pass it.

Digital Desk
By Liam Heylin

A motorist using the Merchants Quay car park in Cork City caught a member of staff by the throat, video-recorded him and threatened to knock him out.

Yesterday, Maciej Bugno, whose address on the summonses was a flat at 17 Grattan Hill, Cork, admitted assaulting Brian Conlon at Merchants Quay Car Park on June 8, 2015, and engaging in threatening behaviour on that occasion.

Inspector John Deasy said on that date, Garda Emma Henebery arrived at Merchants Quay Car Park to a very irate customer, namely Maciej Bugno, who was shouting about being told he had to leave the car park as he had been barred from there before.

Garda Henebery had to ask him to refrain from such an aggressive attitude on several occasions.

Staff members of the car park alleged that on June 1, 2015, Mr Bugno had been barred because of an incident on that date.

On June 8, 2015, he came back to the car park and was asked to leave as he was barred. A dispute ensued between him and the staff members. Mr Conlon alleged that Mr Bugno had been very aggressive and had tried to record him on his mobile phone during the incident.

He alleged that Mr Bugno caught him by the throat and pushed him back. Richard Carroll (another member of staff) confirmed that he observed Mr Bugno catch Mr Conlon by the throat and added that Mr Bugno threatened to knock Mr Conlon out.

Maire OSullivan, defence solicitor, made a preliminary argument about service of summonses in the case and delay in the matter but when Judge Con OLeary did not find in favour of that application the defendant pleaded guilty to the charges.

Because one of the counts is for assault, sentencing will not proceed until the injured party is given the opportunity to prepare a victim impact statement.
The Governments proposed referendum to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution is a scandalously self-indulgent raid on the public purse.

During a debate in the Seanad yesterday, Independent Senator Ronan Mullen said he was opposed to the hypocritical proposal on several grounds.

He said the referendum could cost the taxpayer between 3m and 4m, adding that it is a time-wasting exercise.

Mr Mullen railed against what he called a liberal elite in the Government, the media, and civic society who are intent on scratching their God itch.

Mr Mullen said the speaking out against some religious institutions is the new accepted norm in Ireland, adding that anti-Catholicism is a bizarre version of free speech.

Proposing the referendum, junior justice minister David Stanton said the removal of the blasphemy clause from our Constitution would be a public affirmation of our belief in an inclusive society.

Maintaining the criminal offence of blasphemy in our Constitution, and as a consequence, on our statute book, has more to do with an unnecessary and anachronistic check on freedom of expression than with the protection of religious values, he said.

Indeed, the most recent prosecution for blasphemy in Ireland seems to have taken place in 1855 and that prosecution resulted in the acquittal of the person involved.

Labour senator Ivana Bacik highlighted the threat of a criminal investigation after an appearance of British comedian Stephen Fry on the RTE programme The Meaning of Life, in which he lambasted religion and the idea of God.

Ms Bacik said the Stephen Fry episode embarrassed Ireland internationally and our countrys blasphemy laws should be removed.
By Tom Tuite

A teenager has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a girl who alleged he touched her after she refused to perform a lewd act on him.

The boy, aged 17, is accused of false imprisonment and sexual assault of a then 15-year-old girl in a public place, in Tallaght, Dublin two years ago.

The teen told gardai he was socially awkward and shy and that he used sexual jokes, but he denied the girl's claims, the Dublin Childrens Court heard.

In an outline of the prosecution evidence, for the purpose of deciding the teens trial venue, Garda Kieran Kilcoyne said it was alleged it happened in a public place when the girl was walking home from a friends house, a distance of about 1.5km, at about 8.50pm.

She was almost back on her own road when she noticed the accused and another younger-looking boy.

The girl, who was interviewed by child specialist gardai, alleges the accused, who was known to her, called her name and she replied, What?.

It was alleged the boy, then aged 15, asked her, Can you give me head? and she replied No and continued walking but he followed her.

He asked her again but she kept saying no, it was claimed.

The girl told gardai the teenager then grabbed her from behind and put his hands on either side of her waist, hard enough that she could not move. Garda Kilcoyne said the girl maintained that when he let go she managed to walk on but he followed and moved in front of her.

It was alleged he was facing her and holding her by the shoulders and breast area, which prevented her from walking forward and he said, Give me a hug.

Garda Kilcoyne said it was alleged the girl managed to get him off by walking backwards but he grabbed her waist.

He was still holding her when the other boy spoke up and said to him, Fuck, that is like rape but the accused, laughing, replied, No, the court was told.

The accused kept holding her by the waist when she tried to walk on but she managed to pull away from him by walking backwards.

The younger boy asked the youth to move away from her but the court heard the accused allegedly replied, Wait, Im getting something.

The girl got away and reached her house at 9.40pm and told her mother who reported it to gardai that night.

Garda Kilcoyne said the incident has made the girl feel sick when she goes out the house.

When the youth was interviewed, he told gardai he was socially awkward and had been shy in school but he thought she was his friend.

He told gardai he made sexual jokes a lot but he never meant to scare her or make her think it was sexual harassment. He also denied touching her breast.

Judge OConnor said it was a serious case but he accepted jurisdiction for it to stay in the Childrens Court instead of sending it to the Circuit Court which has tougher sentencing powers.

Defence counsel Morgan Shelley told the court his client was pleading not guilty.

The trial date has yet to be confirmed and the youth, who was accompanied to court by his parents, was remanded on continuing bail.

The court heard he was taking part in an educational course and wanted to go on to university.

He has been warned that he cannot have any contact with the complainant or witnesses.
British prime minister Theresa May has been left isolated after her alternative economic and trade plans for Brexit were shot down by senior EU figures.

The rejection of her Chequers plan at a leaders summit in Austria has now increased the prospect of an accidental no deal or of Britain crashing out of the EU.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reiterated there is a red line over securing a guarantee for no border on the island of Ireland but that there is room for compromise even with time running out.

A dramatic end to the summit in Salzburg, Austria, saw European Council president Donald Tusk declare that Ms Mays plan would not work, leaving the alternative proposals dead in the water.

While saying Britains blueprint for future relations with the EU has some positive elements, Mr Tusk said: The suggested framework for economic co-operation will not work.

He declared that October would be the moment of truth for reaching a deal.

Mr Varadkar later agreed, saying an October summit needs to agree, in principle, a withdrawal deal for Britain before it is formally signed off on in November.

This agreement has to be ratified by the European Parliament and Westminster as well and the clock in ticking. Time is running out, he said.

Mr Varadkar also rowed in behind criticism of Ms Mays Chequers plan, admitting it was never agreeable. It proposes to divide the single market, to have one of the four freedoms but not the other three, and I think anyone could understand why that wouldnt be acceptable to the European Union.

There is still unflinching support from EU leaders for Irelands position and the need for a backstop to guarantee no border, said Mr Varadkar:

Once again, all of the EU leaders who spoke gave me their absolute support in standing behind Ireland, saying that an agreement that doesnt work for Ireland doesnt work for the EU.

The support was echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said the Chequers plan was not acceptable and that fresh proposals from London would be needed in October.

Attention will now turn towards the EU summit next month, but also on Ms May as she faces into her Tory party conference.

Mr Varadkar agreed that there is still room for compromise, but not on the backstop clause for the border. This is a red line, he reiterated.

He and the Government, while still confident a deal can be reached, accept that there is the prospect of Britain leaving the EU without one.

I think we are going to get a deal; an accidental no deal has always been a possibility. But I think we can achieve it.
With the annual Career Showcase around the corner, students can stock up on their resumes.

Students will be able to print 25 copies of their resume for free at the Student Government Graphics and Copy Center until Wednesday, said Bianca Wilhelm, a student assistant at the copy center. The center is located behind the front desk of the student activities and involvement office on the second floor of the Reitz Union.

Resumes should be brought to the center on a flash drive, or they can be emailed to the copy center when students arrive, Wilhelm said. She recommends people have their resume saved as a PDF document to ensure it prints properly.

Students will need to present their Gator 1 Card when they pick up their resumes, Wilhelm said. Copies can be made in black and white or in color, and students will have a choice between white paper and off-white parchment.

Its a little more professional, Wilhelm said.  I doesnt just look like you printed it out at home.

SG is funding the program, but the cost will be assessed after it ends, Student Body President Ian Green wrote in an email.

The program will allow students to bring copies of their resume to the upcoming Career Showcase Tuesday and Wednesday. Regardless of personal circumstances, students should have the opportunity present a copy of their resume to potential employers, Green said.

Students already have so much to worry about during the job search process, SG is here to make it a little easier by providing free resume printing, Green said.

Michael Arnold, a 20-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering junior, will be attending UFs Career Showcase for the first time next week and said he plans to leave employers with his resume.

The 25 copies are really good so that you can talk to a lot of different people and make sure theyll have something to remember you by, he said.

Contact Gillian Sweeney at gsweeney@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @gilliangsweeney

Representatives from Summit Holdings, Inc. speak to a student about the different opportunities at their company. Summit was one of the hundreds of firms and organizations present at Career Showcase in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on Tuesday morning.

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A memo will go to the Government in the coming weeks outlining how to deal with the infant remains found at the site of the former mother and baby home in Tuam.

Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone also told the Dail the final report of the scoping exercise investigating the scale of illegal birth registrations has been delayed until the middle of December.

Ms Zappone is waiting on a report from Geoffrey Shannon, the special rapporteur on child protection, on the human rights issues arising from the discovery at Tuam. A decision on what to do with the site after the Cabinet examines this report is due this month.

The scoping exercise was announced by Ms Zappone at the end of May following the discovery by Tusla of 126 cases in which births were illegally registered between 1946 and 1969 in the records of St Patricks Guild. The records transferred to the agency in 2016.

It is being led by independent reviewer Marion Reynolds and will involve the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and Tusla.

It was due to publish its report at the end of October but Ms Zappone said the report would now not be ready until the middle of December. She said the delay was due to a very complex task and issues have arisen in relation to data protection and GDPR.

She said: I want to get to the truth and I believe that further analysis which has commenced, together with the ongoing work of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes, will be extremely important in helping us to shape the further steps to be taken.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has declined to reveal the sample size of the 150,000 records to be examined or the methodology.

The scoping exercise has also been criticised for being focused only on illegal registrations and not all forms of illegal adoption.

Ms Zappone was asked why her department has failed to launch an investigation into illegal adoptions before now and why it has not initiated a full audit of adoption records.

The Irish Examiner has revealed issues around illegal adoptions for many years, including the fact that the regulatory body for adoption, the AAI, warned the department about the scale of the problem in 2011, 2013, and in 2015.

In 2015, it sent the department a detailed spreadsheet containing 90 cases that it felt represented illegal registrations. This information was not acted upon at that time.

Ms Zappone defended the actions of her department, stating that the AAI information supplied to it did not contain sufficient evidence to be confirmed as illegal registrations.

As I said on my press statement of May 29, [the AAI] is examining these unconfirmed cases further to see if any further facts can be established but its really difficult to prove these cases in the absence of good records, she said.

But, if the AAI, following this validation exercise, reaches the high level of certainty that I have spoken of, these cases will be added to the 126 that have already been confirmed and announced by me.

Ms Zappone also said that she is still awaiting a reply to a letter she gave Pope Francis last month about the need for the Church to contribute substantially towards the cost of whatever is done to deal with babies remains at Tuam.
By Juno McEnroe and Elaine Loughlin

Ireland must not be pushed or shoved into agreeing a future EU-UK relationship without securing a Brexit deal for a frictionless border, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has warned.

With just weeks to go before a deadline for agreement on a withdrawal deal for Britain, Mr Ahern insisted it would be a disaster to move to the next stage without a deal for Ireland.

His caution comes as the Government tries to get Britain to sign up to a legal text giving effect to the so-called backstop. This, as a last remedy, plans for a border across the Irish Sea, between east and west, as opposed to on the island of Ireland. However, the Tory-led British government looks increasingly unlikely to agree to this.

Speaking to RTE yesterday, Mr Ahern said that not securing a deal on the border would be a disaster.

Mr Ahern said British prime minister Theresa May was unlikely to make any concessions ahead of her forthcoming Tory conference. Nonetheless, there would also be pressure on Ireland.

We might have to make some concessions. Every week that goes by weakens our position. The British have successfully dragged it out.

Mr Ahern warned in April about the timeline of Brexit negotiations, saying talks should not be left until the evil hour or late-night deadlines where there could be pressure.

Running talks down to Halloween in October would be dangerous, he then cautioned.

That deadline itself now looks increasingly likely to pass without a deal.

If this issue is allowed to be pushed into the future relations discussion it will be a disaster, added Mr Ahern.

Meanwhile, a suggestion by Britains trade secretary Liam Fox to scrap EU food standards in order to secure a post-Brexit deal with the US has been criticised.

While the British government has insisted it will not water down EU-wide regulations to prohibit the sale of products such as chlorinated chicken or hormone injected beef, it was reported that Mr Fox is considering using special Henry VIII powers to overhaul standards.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin criticised the suggestion. First of all I think its an extraordinary statement by Liam Fox and he will not be thanked by British consumers, because the issue around food standards, its the consumer who calls that one.

Anyone in food production knows that when something goes wrong on the shelf in terms of contamination or poor standards it is devastating for that particular product, its devastating for that particular company and industry.

I think the British public would revolt against any idea that leaving Europe means a reduction in food quality and food standards, he said.

Mr Martin said he believes there will be a deal as there are 39bn reasons there has to be a deal adding that it would be calamitous for Ireland if an agreement is not reached.
Campaigner, Dr Ebun Joseph, talks to Shamim Malekmian about social injustice, being a middle child, and the battle to get Irelands first black studies university course on the curriculum in UCD.

For as long as she can remember, Dr Ebun Joseph, the woman behind the countrys first black studies university course, had railed against injustice.

I cant say I always wanted to be an academic, but I can tell you that I always hated injustice, she says.

A 47-year-old social justice advocate, with a steely authority in her voice, Dr Joseph believes in education as a vehicle for battling social inequality.

For years, she campaigned for a black studies undergraduate course to be offered in University College Dublin (UCD), where she studied social justice and served as a career consultant for nearly a decade.

The college agreed this year, becoming the first in Ireland to purvey the module, through its School of Education.

Dr Joseph and her former PhD supervisor at UCDs School of Social Justice, a prominent gender and race equality activist, Prof Kathleen Lynch, are now the coordinators of the course.

Im really excited. I think it was long overdue, she says.

Blacks have been in Ireland for many years now. We should have a course that studies and understands them from a non-stereotypical perspective.

Dr Joseph, the middle child of a family of seven, was a bright student, in her home country of Nigeria. She flew through school years, receiving her bachelors degree in microbiology at the age of 20, only to start from nil in Ireland at 30.

As a middle child, she says she had to continually fight for her parents attention, becoming familiar, from early on, with the notion of inequality in its gentlest form.

I grew up having what they call the middle child syndrome. I think thats part of why I hate inequality so much, she says.

The syndrome describes middle childrens feelings of exclusion in response to parents displays of favouritism toward siblings.

When Dr Joseph migrated to Ireland in April, 2002, she says her eyes opened to a heightened level of disparity.

As a career consultant, her job was often focused on helping migrants to land job interviews, where she discovered raging race inequality in the workforce, focused on black and white, familiar names versus strange ones.

It was always easier for us to find work for a person who was white, even when they couldnt speak English properly.

I saw people with 18-years of experience not being able to get even a cleaning job, because of their home countries, she says.

If you look at a person and justify that theyre not any good because of where they come from, youre stereotyping. Youre making their life difficult.

Campaigner, Dr Ebun Joseph, talks to Shamim Malekmian about social injustice, being a middle child, and the battle to get Irelands first black studies university course on the curriculum in UCD.An American study found that resumes sent out under foreign-sounding names have a 50% less chance of landing job interviews than identical resumes sent out under Anglo-Saxon names.

It was just difficult for me to watch. I kept asking myself why and what can we do to change that?, Dr Joseph says.

As an early step, she centred her PhD dissertation, titled Racial Stratification in the Irish Labour Market, on workforce discrimination. She also founded The Unforgettable Women Network, an organisation aimed at empowering women of minority groups in Ireland through motivational talks.

Even though others struggles have motivated her pursuit of social justice, Dr Joseph has felt the strain of being a foreigner of African descent.

Ive been fortunate. Ive worked really hard, and my efforts paid off, she says.

But I promise you, if I wasnt as black as I am, with the skills that I have, I wouldve went so much further than where I am now.

An accredited career counsellor with multiple degrees, Dr Joseph recalls many positions she applied for and how she was repeatedly told that better candidates were coming forward, like long-lost siblings revealed in pursuit of an inheritance.

The most challenging experience for me was that struggle to navigate my way through the labour market. When you apply for a job with a person youd trained yourself, and they get invited for an interview, and you are not even shortlisted, for me, that is shocking, she says.

Proud of the young people from our youth group who gave a presentation of their activities in achieving the SDG goals to a large audience on their pack it in campaign, sch talk, & installation at Tesco @trocaire @Irish_Aid @ECOUNESCO with @AminaJMohammed @IClaudiad @wikhine pic.twitter.com/Rzd1zlCigE  Dr Ebun Joseph (@EbunJoseph1) September 8, 2018

I had two masters in adult guidance and counselling, but I did not even get an interview.

Thats the reality we live with constantly.

Between workforce discrimination and verbalised racism, Dr Joseph prefers the latter.

Abuses I can live with. If Im walking on the streets and somebody calls me the N-word, frankly, I dont care. I dont get bothered by that, I know thats not my name, she says.

But when you have skills and abilities, and youre not able to get a job, that is a bigger frustration, knowing that you have to constantly prove yourself, just to be considered for a job.

Over time, the irksome disparity laid bare to her the importance of education; making her determined to try her hand at colour-blinding the society via academia.

The main culprit for inequality is education. The education system has not changed for a long time, she says.

Take sociology: were still quoting people from a time when blacks did not have any rights.

So, she began discussing with UCD officials the launch of a black studies programme.

In her battle of persuasion, she turned to Prof Lynch for aid  whom she reveres as a stalwart of the gender and race equality movement.

She is one of the biggest allies that we have. She pushes our agenda as much as she can, Dr Joseph says.

The two women joined forces and finally attained their goal. The course will commence in January.

According to UCD, the black studies module aims to counter ahistoricism (lack of appreciation for history) by highlighting historical achievements and struggles of Africans across the globe, while introducing pathbreaking black thinkers and their body of work.

I want people to know that slavery was only a small part of black history, Dr Joseph says.

A single mother to Patrick, 16, and Alex, 14, for whom she did not choose African names, fearing it would ruin their employment prospects, Dr Joseph says her children are the engine of her battle for social equality.

I dont want them to suffer and struggle the same way that I did. I want them to be judged based on their character and their abilities, not their colour, she says.

Her boys had their share of hearing the racist trite, go back home, even though they dont know any home besides Ireland.

Dr Ebun Joseph, author, race relations consultant and module coordinator for the first ever Black Studies focused module in Ireland at University College Dublin. Photograph: Moya Nolan.

When I take them to Nigeria, for them, theyre going on a holiday, and when were coming back to Ireland, they say Were going home. says Dr Jospeh.

She shared the news of UCDs newly included course on her Twitter account with gusto, and says many people have congratulated her on online platforms, with only a few trolls leaving negative comments.

Most of the reactions were positive. If 1% is unhappy, we can live with that, she says.

Besides her new academic role, Dr Joseph is a career development consultant at Irelands Royal College of Surgeons. She also serves as the chairperson of the African Scholars Association of Ireland (AfSAI).
Update - 2.16pm: British Prime Minister Theresa May has said there are two main issues where the EU and UK remain a long way apart in their Brexit negotiations.

Mrs May, speaking inside 10 Downing Street, said: "I have always said that these negotiations would be tough, and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight.

"While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that despite the progress we have made there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart."

Mrs May also reaffirmed the British Government's commitment to no hard border on the island of Ireland, saying she would "we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to hard border".

Mrs May said the first issue was Britain's economic relationship with the EU after Brexit.

"Here the EU is still only offering us two options. The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU.

"In plain English, this would mean we'd still have to abide by all EU rules: uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn't do trade deals we want with other countries.

"That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago."

On the second issue, she said: "We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if there's a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still won't be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland," she said.

"But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the customs union.

"As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country."

Mrs May added the negotiations were at an "impasse", saying: "Yesterday, Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse."

Mrs May warned EU leaders that their approach to negotiations was "not acceptable" and said that the UK now needed clarity on their position.

She said: "At this stage in the negotiations it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposals without a detailed explanation and counter-proposals, so we now need to hear from the EU, what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them, until we do we cannot make progress."

She said the UK has treated the EU with nothing but respect and the UK expects the same, adding: A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

The Prime Minister also offered a reassurance to EU citizens living in the UK that regardless of the outcome of negotiations they would be able to remain in the country.

She said: "There are over three million EU citizens living in the UK who will be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterday's summit means for their future.

"I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected, you are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues, we want you to stay."

Mrs May concluded her statement by saying: The EU should be clear, I will not overturn the result of the referendum, nor will I break up my country. We need serious engagement in resolving the two big issues in the negotiations and we stand ready.

Earlier: Theresa May to make statement on Brexit negotiations

Theresa May is to issue an update on the ongoing Brexit negotiations in the wake of the rejection of her Chequers plans by EU leaders in Salzburg.

The British Prime Minister will make a statement to cameras at 10 Downing Street.

The move comes after European Council President Donald Tusk ripped up Mrs May's blueprint for Brexit on Thursday, saying it risked the integrity of the EU single market and the Northern Ireland border.

The Taoiseach said Ireland is entering a rocky patch in the negotiations.

Leo Varadkar says he believes the Chequers plan can have some input into the talks but there are obvious problems with it.

He says it is not Europe's fault that Theresa May didnt get a better reception in Salzburg.

"Perhaps a sense was created that Prime Minister May would come away with something more positive than what occurred, but I don't think anyone in the EU or Ireland is to blame for that.

"Ultimately the problems that are being created for Britain and the British government are a consequence of Brexit and nobody in Europe or Ireland are to blame for that."

Key EU leaders including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron also said significant progress was needed by the European Council summit on October 18 if agreement on the UK's withdrawal deal was to be reached.

Mrs May has indicated that she will come forward "shortly" with new proposals on the thorny issue of the Irish border, which has emerged as the main obstacle to progress.
Asia China Tightens Embrace of Hong Kong With Bullet Train, Other Mega Projects

A Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail train stations at a depot in Hong Kong, China, on Aug. 16. / Reuters

HONG KONG  Hong Kongs first bullet train glides out of a sleek harborfront railway station bound for mainland China on Saturday, launching a new era of integration and raising fears for some for the territorys cherished freedoms.

Unlike other cross-border connections, the $11 billion train project has stoked considerable controversy, with Hong Kong, a former British colony, having had to concede part of its jurisdiction to China for the first time.

Passengers entering the modernist building will have their documents stamped by Chinese immigration officers and will be subject to Chinese law while zipping across Hong Kong at 200 kph to the mainland.

Hong Kong and Beijing officials have justified the unusual arrangement as a one-off, while touting its logistical and economic benefits.

But critics say the railway is a symbol of continuing Chinese assimilation of Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with guarantees of widespread autonomy and freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, including an independent legal system.

I worry that Hong Kong will no longer be Hong Kong, said Martin Lee, a veteran democrat and barrister who is fighting to derail the project in the citys courts.

He said Hong Kong risked losing its allure as a financial hub underpinned by strong rule of law as Beijing steps up a push to fuse the city into the vast hinterland of the Pearl River Delta including nine Chinese cities dubbed the Greater Bay Area.

Several other infrastructure projects will open this year, including a $20 billion sea bridge to Macau and Zhuhai, while Beijing is now working with Chinese tech giant Tencent to let people replace their travel documents by using a mobile phone WeChat app to cross the border in future.

Little ant in a box

Hong Kong will be completely submerged into the Greater Bay, and we dont know what its going to be like, said the 80-year-old Lee, who helped found the citys Democratic Party.

Thats the worrying thing. Hong Kong is going to be put like a little ant into a box.

In recent years, especially since mass pro-democracy protests in 2014 that ended with no concessions from the government, Beijing has struggled to win hearts and minds, especially among those youths who reject any notion of being part of mainland China and have chafed at perceived meddling in Hong Kongs affairs.

As protesters demanded greater freedoms amid some talk of splitting Hong Kong from China, Beijing tightened its grip, jailing some young protest leaders, forcing others to flee and taking the wind out of the democracy movements sails.

Hong Kong officials dismissed concerns that Hong Kongs identity was being swamped.

In such a closely knitted hinterland, there is always a wish to bring down any sort of unnecessary barriers, Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau told Reuters.

But thats not to say compromising on one country, two systems, Yau said, referring to the formula by which Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule with the promise that its capitalist system and way of life would remain unchanged until at least 2047.

The bottom line will still be one country, two systems, Yau added. The Basic Law [Hong Kongs mini-constitution] does not have an expiry date of 2047.

Bernard Chan, who runs an insurance business and sits on Hong Kongs Executive Council, which advises the government on policy, said he believes China wants to make Hong Kong work in its best interests.

The high-speed rail and bridge will bolster existing infrastructure that already allows more than 600,000 people to shuttle between the two sides daily by road, rail and sea.

Beijing wants the Greater Bay Area, home to some 68 million people with a combined GDP of $1.5 trillion, roughly that of Australia or South Korea, to model itself on San Francisco Bay and Tokyo Bay, to better meld people, goods and sectors including finance, tourism, logistics, manufacturing and tech.

The truth of the matter is, of course, we are integrating fast, economically and socially, said Chan. The one part that is not integrating at all is politics.
Asia Former Malaysian PM Charged with Money Laundering, Abuse of Power

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to journalists as he leaves a court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 20, 2018. / Reuters

KUALA LUMPURMalaysian prosecutors charged former Prime Minister Najib Razak with 21 counts of money laundering and four counts of abuse of power on Thursday over hundreds of millions of dollars received in his personal bank account.

The charges bring the total number against Najib to 32 as investigators ramp up a probe into how billions went missing from scandal-plagued 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund that he founded and chaired.

Najib has denied all charges, which have piled up since he unexpectedly lost a general election in May to Mahathir Mohamad, who reopened the 1MDB investigation.

Prosecutors, describing the abuse of power charges, said Najib used his position as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB to obtain funds totaling about 2.3 billion ringgit ($556.23 million) between 2011 and 2014.

The money-laundering charges describe how Najib received 2.1 billion ringgit ($508 million) from Tanore Finance Corp, which US authorities have said was used to siphon money from 1MDB.

The charges made today will give me a chance to clear my name, that I am not a thief, Najib told reporters.

He was released after the judge set bail of 3.5 million ringgit ($846,430), to be paid by Sept. 28.

Prosecutors said it was a matter of national disgrace for a head of state to be facing such charges.

This is a case involving a man holding the highest elected office. And him, facing such serious charges, must face some consequences in the eyes of the court, lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram said, arguing for a bail amount of 5 million ringgit ($1.2 million).

Najib has faced corruption allegations since the Wall Street Journal reported in 2015 that $681 million was sent to a personal bank account of the then-prime minister in 2013. A year later, the US Department of Justice confirmed the transaction and said the funds originated from 1MDB.

Najib has said the funds were donations from Saudi Arabia, most of which he returned.

Despite growing calls to step down, he clung to power by cracking down on dissent and the media. But Malaysians voted him out earlier this year and he has since come under close scrutiny.

In recent months, prosecutors brought a total of seven charges against Najib over 42 million ringgit ($10 million) that allegedly flowed from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit, into his bank account.

The Department of Justice has said a total of $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB through a complex web of transactions and fraudulent shell companies. Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho is described as a central figure in the scandal.

More charges?

Azam Baki, the deputy commissioner of the anti-graft agency, said more charges could be brought against individuals.

When asked if Najibs wife, Rosmah Mansor, could face charges, he said: Im not denying that. Rosmah was questioned by investigators earlier this year and has been barred from leaving the country.

Najibs lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, described the charges against his client as bizarre.

Can you be accused of money laundering for returning funds? It doesnt make sense, he said.

Shafee himself was charged with money laundering last week after allegedly receiving 9.5 million ringgit ($2.3 million) from Najib.

Both Malaysian and US authorities have described how Najib returned most of the money he received to the Tanore account he originally received the money from.

However, US authorities have said Tanore was controlled by an associate of Low and held funds diverted from 1MDB.
Students can learn what its like trying to run an ethical company when Patagonia comes for a visit.

Chris Gaggia, the global marketing manager for field and fish from Patagonia will speak to students at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Pugh Hall, said Shelby Taylor, the communications director for the Bob Graham Center for Public Service and Leadership.

Patagonia is a California-based brand that sells sustainable clothing, according to its website. The event, Corporate Conscience: Bold Stands from the Patagonia Brand, would get audience members to engage in a talk about social responsibility in businesses, Taylor said.

Companies are seeing more avenues for making change using the brand that theyve built, Taylor said. Patagonia is, I think, one of the first to have ever done that.

The program will cost $515 to host, Taylor said. Gaggia is not being paid to appear.

The Bob Graham Center for Public Service, UF Elizabeth B. & William F. Business Ethics Center, UF College of Journalism and Communications and UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will help put on the event, Taylor said.

The program will be a way for students to have a conversation with Gaggia, said the moderator Cynthia Barnett, an environmental fellow at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service and Leadership and an environmental journalist at the UF College of Journalism and Communications.

The company has always tried to improve the environment while remaining popular and profitable, Barnett said. In the past, Patagonia has donated all Black Friday profits to environmental causes.

The company lives this, Barnett said.

Brian Trupo, a 20-year-old UF business administration junior, likes the Patagonia brand because hes a vegan with a passion for the environment.

I really want to work for a company that either cares about the environment or cares about sustainability, Trupo said. Whether its a real estate company or just a general business.

Contact Gillian Sweeney at gsweeney@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @gilliangsweeney

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Asia Singapore Panel Recommends Regulation of Tech Firms Over Fake News

The Twitter application is seen on a phone screen on Aug. 3. / Reuters

SINGAPORE  A Singapore parliamentary committee said on Thursday the government should consider legislation to ensure technology companies rein in online fake news and that those responsible are punished.

The committee, set up to make recommendations on fighting deliberate online falsehoods, said measures were needed as companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter have a policy of generally not acting against content known to be false.

I think there is increasing recognition on all sides that there has to be responsibility on the part of tech companies and that governments have to intervene to ensure that responsibility, Law Minister K. Shanmugam, a member of the panel, told reporters.

He said the governments response to the recommendations had to be urgent and serious.

The ministries of Law and of Communications said in a statement the government accepted the recommendations in principle and it would work with stakeholders to adopt legislative and non-legislative measures in the next few months.

It did not elaborate on what those measures would involve.

Global tech companies have expressed concern about Singapores plans to bring in new laws to tackle fake news, saying sufficient rules are already in place.

In an emailed statement on Thursday, Google said it took the issue of false information seriously and looked forward continuing to work with the Singapore government to address the issue.

Twitter said it also cared deeply about the issues of misinformation and their potentially harmful effects on the civic and political discourse. It added that it looked forward to the Singapore governments engagement with industry on the full range of approaches to address these issues.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Criminal sanctions

Singapores efforts to tackle fake news and the spread of false information online mirror those in various countries amid growing questions about the influence of internet companies and influence of foreign entities in domestic political processes.

Neighboring Malaysias opposition-led Senate blocked an effort to repeal a law against fake news this month, presenting the first major challenge for the new government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Facebooks WhatsApp messaging platform in July published advertisements in key Indian newspapers to tackle the spread of misinformation there, its first such effort to combat a flurry of fake messages that prompted mob lynchings.

As well as tackling tech companies, the Singapore committees lengthy report also said criminal sanctions should be imposed on perpetrators of deliberate online falsehoods.

It added that for such sanctions, there should be a threshold of serious harm such as election interference, public disorder, and the erosion of trust in public institutions.

Singapore, which has been run by the same political party since its independence from Britain more than 50 years ago, is due to hold elections by early 2021.

Singapore says it is vulnerable to fake news because of its position as a global financial hub, its mixed ethnic and religious population and widespread internet access.

Activists worry that laws aimed at stopping fake news could be used by governments to stifle free speech and target legitimate news outlets that are critical of them.

Another of the committees recommendations was for media organizations and other industry partners to consider establishing a fact checking coalition in Singapore, although it said consideration was needed over whether the government should be involved.

Singapore ranks 151 out of 180 countries in a World Press Freedom Index issued by Reporters Without Borders, a non-government group that promotes freedom of information.
Burma Ethnic Mro Murdered in Maungdaw, N. Rakhine

The body of U Duu Lu was recovered on Thursday. / Maung Wuntha / Facebook

SITTWEAn ethnic Mro man from the village of Thit Tone Na Kwa Sone in northern Rakhine States Maungdaw Township was murdered on Wednesday.

The victim, identified as Duu Lu (40), reportedly went to the woods near his village to put the cattle out to pasture on Wednesday. He did not come back and when villagers searched for him the following day, they found him dead with stab wounds some 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) north of the village.

He took eight cows to pasture, and we only found six cows, Maungdaw Township administrator U Myat Khaing told The Irrawaddy.

Police are investigating the murder, he said.

Lower House lawmaker U Aung Thaung Shwe of Buthidaung Township blamed the lack of rule of law in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships in northern Rakhine State for the killings, adding that security services are not sufficient for the safety of local ethnic people.

Though [authorities] provide a security apparatus, it cant protect ethnic people so, [they] will be continued to be killed in the future, U Aung Thaung Shwe told The Irrawaddy.

I proposed in the Parliament to form a militia with local villagers but it was rejected. Now, almost all the ethnic people have left their villages, he added.

On August 3, last year, eight Mro people of Kaing Gyi village in Maungdaw were killed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, according to reports of state-run media.

State-run media has made several other reports about the murders of individual Mro villagers in Maungdaw since then.

A majority of the Mro ethnic minority live in the northern parts of Maungdaw with more Mro in the southern parts of Maungdaw of Seinpan Myaing, Shwe Baho and Kaing Gyi.
Burma Govt to Probe Claims Citizenship Cards Wrongly Issued to Rohingya, Minister Says

Kyauk Ni Maw Village, Rakhine State, as seen from the sea. / Kyauk Ni Maw News / Facebook

NAYPYITAW  The Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population will investigate allegations that more than 3,000 residents in southern Rakhine States Ramree Township issued National Registration Cards (NRCs) as ethnic Kaman are actually Rohingya.

The Kaman National Progressive Party [KNPP] has filed a complaint, Labor, Immigration and Population Minister U Thein Swe told reporters on the sidelines of a workshop of Myanmars labor market in Naypyitaw on Thursday.

Our ministry has carefully scrutinized it, and we will scrutinize it again. And we will act as necessary in line with the law based on our findings, he said.

The KNPP lodged a complaint with the Presidents Office and State Counselors Office earlier this month alleging that more than 3,000 NRCs designating the holders as ethnic Kaman were wrongly issued to Rohingya in Ramree Townships Kyauk Ni Maw Village.

U Thein Swe insisted that the ministrys Immigration Department was issuing NRCs, which are commonly known as pink cards and grant full citizenship, in line with the Citizenship Law.

Though ethnic Kaman in Kyauk Ni Maw number just over 200, the Immigration Department has issued 3,306 NRCs designating the holders as Kaman in the area, according to KNPP Secretary U Tin Hlaing Win.

The KNPP claimed that some people, in an apparent reference to Rohingya, have been trying to gain citizenship by claiming to be Kaman in order to be able to vote in elections.

The party has been pointing out those who are not Kaman since the campaign season of the 2010 general election. We assume that we are responsible if someone takes advantage of our Kaman ethnicity for political gains, said U Tin Hlaing Win.

The party secretary said the KNPP was not trying to prevent Rohingya from gaining citizenship. But he said issuing NRCs that identify the holder as Kaman to people who have a different language and culture harms the Kaman community.

U Aung Kyaw Zan, a community elder in Kyauk Ni Maw, said the more than 3,000 people issued the NRCs as Kaman are in fact Kaman, speak their language and practice their customs.

We share the same culture. What do they want to say? We speak both Arakanese and Burmese, we go to [public] schools, and we have family members and relatives who are civil servants, he said.

On Sept 10, the Upper House of Parliament blocked a proposal by ethnic Rakhine lawmaker Daw Htoot May to review the NRCs in dispute.

On Thursday, lawmaker U Than Maung, who represents Ramree Township in the national legislature, urged the Rakhine State Parliament to review the cards instead.

The Kaman minority is one of 135 officially recognized ethnic groups in Myanmar and one of the seven ethnic subgroups in Rakhine State. Unlike the Buddhist Rakhine, the Kaman are Muslim.

They have been living in Rakhine for centuries. During the Arakan Kingdom, the Kaman served as royal archers, but the profession vanished when the kingdom fell to the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty in 1784. Nowadays, there are about 45,000 ethnic Kaman Muslims across the country.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma UK's Hunt Says Pressed Suu Kyi on 'Justice and Accountability' for Rohingya

Britain's foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, visits Myanmar leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on Thursday. / Ye Aung Thu / Pool via Reuters

NAYPYITAW  Myanmar must ensure there is no hiding place for those responsible for crimes against its Rohingya minority if it is to avoid a lasting stain on the countrys reputation, Britains foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said on Thursday.

Hunt told Reuters he pressed Myanmars civilian leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, on the importance of holding the armed forces accountable for any atrocities, adding that if that did not happen within the country other options should be considered, including referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

If there isnt accountability through domestic processes the international community will not let it rest at that, Hunt said in an interview at the end of a two-day visit to the former British colony previously known as Burma.

We need to be absolutely clear that there can be no hiding place for anyone responsible for these kinds of atrocities.

Myanmars main government spokesman, U Zaw Htay, was unavailable for comment.

United Nations-mandated investigators have said Myanmars military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with genocidal intent in an operation in Rakhine State, in the west of the country, that drove more than 700,000 refugees across the border to Bangladesh.

The investigators called for commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and five generals to be prosecuted for genocide and crimes against humanity.

Myanmar has rejected the UN findings as one-sided. It says the military action, which followed militant attacks on security forces in August last year, was a legitimate counterinsurgency operation.

Myanmar has launched several domestic probes that have largely dismissed allegations made by Rohingya refugees. In July, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi appointed a commission chaired by retired Filipino diplomat Rosario Manalo to investigate the allegations of human rights violations.

Reuters case raised

Hunt said he had witnessed a climate of fear during a visit to Rakhine, where he was taken to empty centers built by Myanmar to house Rohingya the government says it is ready to welcome back. Refugees needed to see accountability and justice for atrocities to feel confident enough to return, he said. If there isnt accountability and justice, this will be as big a stain on Burmas history as the Khmer Rouge are for Cambodia.

Asked whether he would support referring Myanmar to the ICC, Hunt said there were a number of different options.

In separate comments on Twitter, Hunt noted an ICC referral would need the support of the UN Security Council which it may not get so we need to look at other options too.

A Security Council referral would need nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the permanent members Russia, China, the United States, Britain and France. Diplomats say Russia and China are unlikely to agree to such a move.

The ICC declined to comment. On Tuesday, the ICC prosecutor said her office had begun a preliminary examination into whether alleged forced deportations of Rohingya from Myanmar into Bangladesh could constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity.

During his trip, Hunt visited a group supporting political prisoners in Yangon and met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the capital, Naypyitaw. The military declined Hunts request for a meeting, he said.

Hunt said he was extremely concerned about the case of two Reuters journalists who were arrested last December while investigating a massacre in Rakhine.

Reporters Ko Wa Lone and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted this month under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

Hunt said he raised specific concerns with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi about the conviction and asked her to consider giving them a pardon.

She indicated that the judicial processes would probably need to be concluded before that could be considered, but I did put that squarely on the table as something I hoped she would consider, he said.

This is a critical moment for Burma as one of the newest democracies in the world to show that its court system is effective and there is due process, and I think there are a number of grounds for concern that that didnt happen in this case.
News The issue has prompted serious challenges for us: Presidents Office Spokesman

Myanmars Presidents Office Spokesperson U Zaw Htay. / The Irrawaddy

YANGONMyanmars Presidents Office spokesperson has said the recent UN report on the Rohingya issue may cause divisions between ethnic groups in the country and encourage the disintegration of the state.

Repeating the response made by the Myanmars ambassador to the UN on Sep. 18 during the UNHRC meeting in Geneva, the spokesperson U Zaw Htay told media on Friday that the report could derail the countrys democratic transition.

The spokesperson said the Rakhine issue has badly damaged the countrys image as well as the interests of the state and its people.

The issue has prompted serious challenges for us, he said.

Myanmar has been facing mounting international pressure over the issue in which nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh after security forces clearance operations in northern Rakhine were triggered by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Armys attacks on security outposts there. The government has denounced them as a terrorist organization.

The international community, including the UNHRC, has called for the persecution of Myanmar Army leaders at the International Criminal Court for the security forces human rights abuses against the Rohingya during the clearance operations.

The spokesperson said the issue has taken a front seat for the government pushing back other challenges like the democratic transition, development and the peace process.

When we have an international delegation, they raise the Rakhine issue first. We have lost the trust of international investors, he said.

Despite the call for prosecution, Myanmars government has rejected the UNHRCs fact-finding mission and their report, questioning the reports impartiality and claiming that the information presented in the report is groundless.
News Local Committee Defuses Border Row Between Muse Residents, Chinese Villagers

Residents of Hpai Kawng village in Muse, northern Shan State, object to the construction of a fence on Myanmar territory by Chinese villagers (left) on Wednesday morning. / Kachin News Group

CHIANG MAI, Thailand  District-level officials this week reached a temporary settlement in a dispute over the boundary between Myanmar and China on the Ruli River near northern Shan States Muse Township.

The agreement was negotiated by a district-level boundary committee. The dispute erupted after Chinese villagers put up a fence nearly 30 meters inside Myanmar in Hpai Kawng village near Pang Sai Kyukote sub-township in Muse on Wednesday. When Myanmar villagers complained, the Chinese stopped the activity and took down the fencing materials.

Kachin News Group first reported the story and uploaded a video showing the fence being constructed. The video quickly went viral. Kachin News report quoted locals as saying this is not the first such dispute; squabbles over the location of the border have simmered on and off since 2008.

The fencing activity was halted at around 5 pm on Wednesday after villagers in Hpai Kawng objected, said Sai Poe Myat, a Lower House lawmaker representing Muse constituency.

He told The Irrawaddy, The border boundary pillars are there already as demarcated; they should not be removed by one side, but as we saw on the social media post, it was the Chinese who tried to move the pillars and redraw the boundary.

Local residents lack knowledge about official negotiations relating to the boundary, he added.

Asked about official efforts on border demarcation, government spokesman U Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy on Friday at a regular press briefing at the Presidential Palace in Naypyitaw that, We heard that the district-level committee had settled the dispute, [marking the] boundary [in the middle of] the waterway.

Boundary disputes that cannot be settled at the district level are referred to the ministerial level. In such cases, officials consult technical experts who travel to the areas and conduct surveys in accordance with the bilateral agreements between the two countries.

Parts of the Myanmar-China border near Muse are demarcated in the middle of the Ruli (Shweli) River. A director general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) explained that such disputes emerge often. They are normally settled quickly, as the China-Myanmar border is fully demarcated, the official said.

Disputes are more frequent over boundaries on waterways than over inland boundaries, because sometimes river currents cause changes or sediments build up. Local residents may be unaware and begin farming or putting up fences on the newly created land. It happens all the time with residents of both countries, said U Soe Han, the director general of the MOFAs Political Department and also a ministry spokesman.

He added that the ministry was in constant communication with the Chinese Embassy.

The Irrawaddy tried to contact to the MOFAs Boundary Department spokesman for details, but the official could not be reached.
News UK Foreign Secretary Hunt Gets Rare Cold Shoulder From Commander-in-Chief

Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing addresses reporters during a news conference at the Defense Ministry in Naypyitaw on Sept. 21, 2015. / Reuters

YANGON  Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has received a number of foreign diplomats, UN officials and high-profile international figures over the crisis in northern Rakhine State. UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has just become the exception.

Hunt had asked to meet with the general in Naypyitaw but was declined. Yet the commander-in-chief has received nearly a dozen Western diplomats and UN officials since the start of 2017; some were even given helicopter tours of the countrys conflict zones.

When a 15-member delegation from the UN Security Council visited Myanmar in April, Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing brought nearly a dozen military generals together to meet them. At least one top general from the Defense or Home Affairs ministry meets the visiting diplomats when the commander-in-chief is busy or away.

Hunt, who replaced Boris Johnson as the UKs top diplomat in July, was on his first visit to Myanmar in the role. Before arriving, he even announced his trip on Twitter during a meeting with Rohingya activists in the UK.

The foreign secretary landed in Myanmar on Wednesday and headed by helicopter to northern Rakhine State, where a late-2017 military crackdown that followed militant attacks on local security forces has driven some 700,000 Rohingya to neighboring Bangladesh. There he met with local authorities, displaced Hindus, ethnic Rakhine, and Rohingya villagers in areas spared the arson that engulfed much of the region at the time.

A United Nations Facts Finding Mission (FFM) recently recommended that some of Myanmars top military generals be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for ethnic cleansing and genocidal intent against the Rohingya.

Immediately after meeting with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw on Thursday, Hunt posted a tweet urging the international community to consider all options to bring the countrys military leaders before the ICC if they were not held to account in Myanmar. The government has rejected the FFM report as one-sided.

We need to be absolutely clear that there can be no hiding place for anyone responsible for these kinds of atrocities, Hunt said on Twitter.

The State Counselors Office announced on Thursday evening that Hunt and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had discussed recent developments in Rakhine State including repatriation arrangements and debate on the violence at recent UN meetings.

U Maung Maung Soe, an expert on Myanmars ethnic affairs, said Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaings failure to meet with the UK foreign secretary was likely a reaction to the latters tweet. He said Hunt appeared to come with orders for Naypyitaw rather than for a genuine diplomatic exchange, and predicted that Myanmars relations with some European countries could deteriorate further if they continue to demand accountability of the military.

How can the army meet with a person who supports the ICC prosecutor? I would say this is very simple, said U Maung Maung Soe.

A UN Security Council referral to the ICC requires that there be no vetoes from permanent members Russia, China, the United States, Britain and France. Some local experts predict that Russia and China, which has a long history of military relations with Myanmar and numerous development projects underway in the country, would block any attempt.
News USDP Official in Sagaing Faces Defamation Suit over Rohingya Aid Claims

A man speaks at a public talk about the impact of the Rakhine conflict on national security organized by the USDP in Naypyitaw on Sept. 21, 2017. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGONPolice in Sagaing Region have filed a defamation lawsuit against the chairman of the Union Solidarity and Development Partys Shwebo District.

The lawsuit was filed at the Shwebo Township Court under Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code, which prohibits defaming the state.

Shwebo Township management committee chairman U Soe Min Aung instructed township police chief Police Colonel Tar Zan to file the complaint against U Soe Aye over his alleged use of hate speech at a meeting with local residents in Pa Laing village on Sept. 8.

I have no comment. I was asked by the township management committee to file the lawsuit. I was on leave before that, the police colonel said.

Police quoted U Soe Aye as saying at the meeting: Despite the fact that Bengalis [a term used by the majority of people in Myanmar to refer to Rohingya] raped a schoolteacher in Rakhine State, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has built houses and paved roads and supplied electricity and water utilities to them.

Sagaing Region Chief Minister Dr. Myint Naing also has to assume responsibility for building around 80 houses [for Rohingya]. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has brought around 4,000 Bengalis [from Rakhine] and allowed them to live in Yangon.

[Myanmar] will soon become a Bengali country, he was quoted as saying.

U Moe Kyaw Thu, a National League for Democracy lawmaker in the Sagaing regional parliament, told The Irrawaddy, If they want to rally support from the public, they can do it honestly. They dont need to unfairly criticize the other side and defame the government. Such racial instigation is a dirty trick. For our part, we dont attack others, the lawmaker said.

The Irrawaddy was not able to reach U Soe Aye, but U Aung Soe Win, an executive of the Shwebo district chapter of the USDP, told The Irrawaddy that the township court had not summoned U Soe Aye yet.

As the court has not yet summoned us, it is still too early to talk about the case, U Aung Soe Win said.

We will help him face trial in line with the law. We have no plan to take action against U Soe Aye, said USDP spokesperson Dr. Nanda Hla Myint, adding that the party has sufficient evidence to support U Soe Ayes claim.

Politicians have a duty to the country to point out the faults of the government, he said.

Section 505 (b) carries up to two years imprisonment without labor and/or a fine.
World US Sanctions China for Buying Russian Fighter Jets, Missiles

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe watch the military parade during the Vostok-2018 (East-2018) war games at Tsugol military training ground in Zabaikalsky region, Russia on September 13, 2018. / Reuters

WASHINGTONThe Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping US sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 US election.

The US State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD), the branch of the Chinese military responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms exporter.

The sanctions are related to Chinas purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.

They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating in the US financial system.

It also adds them to the Treasury Departments list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.

The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known as the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.

CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syrias civil war.

Doing significant business with anyone on that list can trigger sanctions like those imposed on China.

Some of those added to the list, which now contains 72 names, were indicted in connection with Russian interference in the 2016 US election, the official said.

Earlier on Thursday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order intended to facilitate implementation of the sanctions.

A federal special counsel is leading a criminal investigation of Russian interference in the US election, and any possible cooperation with Trumps presidential campaign.

Trump has insisted there was no collusion with Russia. Moscow denies any effort to meddle in US politics.

Aimed at Moscowor Beijing?

One US administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.

The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia. CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country, the official told reporters on a conference call.

They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities, the official said.

In Moscow, Russian member of parliament Franz Klintsevich said the sanctions would not affect the S-400 and SU-35 contracts.

I am sure that these contracts will be executed in line with the schedule, Klintsevich was quoted as saying by Russias Interfax news agency. The possession of this military equipment is very important for China.

Security analysts in Asia said the move appeared to be largely symbolic and would serve only to push Moscow and Beijing closer together.

The imposition of US sanctions will have zero impact on Russian arms sales to China, said Ian Storey, of Singapores ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

Both countries are opposed to what they see as US bullying and these kinds of actions will just push Beijing and Moscow even closer together, he said, adding that Moscow needed Chinese money and Beijing wanted advanced military technology.

Collin Koh, a security analyst at Singapores S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the sanctions would do little to counter the evolving research and development relationship between China and Russia.

China relied less on large big-ticket purchases from Russia as in previous years, but Chinese defense industries were seeking expertise from Russia and former-Soviet states to plug knowledge gaps, he said.

The measures come as the Trump administration pursues a variety of strategies to clamp down on China and faces growing pressure to respond strongly to US intelligence agency reports that Russia is continuing to meddle in US politics.

Members of Congress, including many of Trumps fellow Republicans, who passed the sanctions bill nearly unanimously, have repeatedly called on the administration to take a harder line against Moscow.

Administration officials said they hoped the action against EDD would send a message to others considering buying the S-400.

US officials have been discussing the issue particularly with NATO ally Turkey, which wants to buy the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries.

Washington has expressed concern that Turkeys planned deployment of the S-400s could pose a risk to the security of some US-made weapons and other technology used by Turkey, including the F-35 fighter jet.

US officials have warned that Turkeys purchase of the system could contravene CAATSA.

We hope that at least this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors, another US official said.
Hailee Cornetts grandmother will not get to see her walk across the stage at graduation.

The outdoor commencement ceremony in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium would be impossible to endure for her 94-year-old grandmother, who is oxygen-dependent and heat-sensitive, the UF political science senior said.

One of the most important people in my life wont be able to attend because of the new policy, she said.

Cornett attended a rally with eight other people Thursday morning at Tigert Hall to protest the recent changes UF made to its commencement ceremonies. The rally was followed by a meeting between UF President Kent Fuchs and student leaders to talk about the commencement structure.

UF received backlash after students were rushed offstage during the Spring commencement ceremony. Now, UF will hold a university-wide outdoor commencement ceremony where students wont be individually recognized. Colleges will hold their own ceremonies with student recognition.

The change prompted Anthony Rojas, a 22-year-old first-year political science masters student, to create a petition against the new changes that amassed over 11,000 signatures and organize the rally.

No one asked you to change graduation, he said. We asked you to change the way you perceive us, the way you treat us and the way you shoved us.

Rojas said Fuchs made several commitments to him during Thursdays meeting. The Alligator was not allowed to attend the meeting because it was private, according to UF spokesperson Steve Orlando.

Fuchs agreed to create a way for Fall and Spring graduates to offer their feedback on the structure after the ceremony and consider changes to the model accordingly, Rojas said.

Some of the college ceremonies will also be moved to nicer venues for the Spring, which means no longer using the Florida Gym and potentially not the Reitz Union, Rojas said.

All ceremonies could return to the OConnell Center depending on feedback from this years graduates, Rojas said.

Additionally, Fuchs told Rojas he is open to participating in a student panel by the end of this semester to give everyone a chance to ask questions and voice their concerns.

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Rojas plans to reach out to Antonio Farias, UFs chief diversity officer, about creating a race relations task force to address problems facing UFs communities of color, Rojas said.

He also wants to speak with David Parrott, the vice president for Student Affairs, to explore the possibility of posting updates online from the Commencement Task Force meetings.

Fuchs released a statement following the meeting reaffirming the new commencement structure for Fall and Spring.

These recognition ceremonies will absolutely include the individual recognition that students and their families enjoy, Fuchs said.

Contact Jessica Curbelo at jcurbelo@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @jesscurbelo

Contact McKenna Beery at mbeery@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @mckennabeery

Cy-Anne Small, a 21-year-old UF elementary education senior, voices her displeasure about the changes in the commencement ceremony during theSave UF Graduation Rally outside Tigert Hall. Small was in attendance last year when one of her Delta Sigma Theta sisters she said was assaulted on stage and feels that this years students are being punished for the actions of a faculty member.
September 21, 2018



POCATELLO  The new Idaho Dinosaur Exhibit, opening Sept. 22 at the Idaho Museum of Natural History, was created in large part by children age 11 to 15 who participated in Dino Camps hosted this summer by the museum.

I think this is a game changer for how museums think about creating exhibits, said Leif Tapanila, museum director. It really allows for citizen science, bringing it to the kid level and training them up on how to use this equipment. I am positive we are the first museum to do this but I guarantee you that other museums will start doing it once they see how it can be done.

The exhibit features arguably Idahos most famous dinosaur, the Oryctodromeus, a large-dog-sized, plant-eating dinosaur that likely dug burrows for its young. Large numbers of fossils for this dinosaur, whose scientific name means digging runner, have been found in Southeast Idaho near Wayan and Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

The new replicas of this extraordinary animal, the only dinosaur known to dig burrows, will now be found in the Idaho Museum of Natural History, courtesy of museum staff and computer-savvy teens who attended museum camps this summer and worked in the Idaho Virtualization Laboratory, managed by Jesse Pruitt.

We had the kids come in and Jesse taught them the software and by the second day they were building bones, Tapanila said. So every bone in the body of this animal was digitally made by a kid  every vertebra, rib, arm and toe bone every bone in the dinosaurs body.

The participants digitally sculpted the bones, guided by photographs of real specimens, during the first one-week camp. During the next one-week camp they digitally posed the dinosaur so it could be printed by the museums 3D printers. Museum personnel then take the plastic model pieces that are printed out and stitch them together to create the dinosaur models.

The software is pretty complicated, but kids figured it out right away, Tapanila said. The new generation, they have no problem with this digital stuff  you show them what to do and they innately know how to use software and think three-dimensionally on a screen.

The Idaho Dinosaur Exhibit will feature a diorama of a mother Oryctodromeus and its baby in their burrow. The exhibit will be on display until Oct. 9 when it will be replaced by The Buzzsaw Sharks of Idaho exhibit. The Idaho Dinosaur Exhibit will then be moved to the Gate City Fine Arts Gallery in Old Town Pocatello before returning to the Idaho Museum of Natural History as a permanent exhibit.

We are really excited how this new exhibit was created and were planning to do the same with a different animal next summer, Tapanila said.

The campers will be able to create a larger animal because the museum is getting another 3D printer to add to its collection that can print out sculptures as large as 3x3x3 feet in volume.

Most any bone from any animal fits in a 3x3x3 space, so we can start printing very large animals, Tapanila said.

The new 3D printer is courtesy of a grant from the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, and the new 3D printer will become an exhibit of its own that will be put in the front window of the museum where people can view it in action, printing off 3D pieces.

For more information on the Idaho Museum of Natural History, visit imnh.isu.edu or call 208-282-3168.

Photo information: Digital replica of Oryctodromeus skull
The Australian Labor Party has termed "unacceptable" the government's introduction of its encryption bill into Parliament on Thursday, just 10 days after public submissions to the draft ended and with no response released to stakeholders.

In a joint statement, Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, Shadow Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and Shadow Digital Economy Minister Ed Husic said that the government's decision made "s a mockery of the exposure draft process", and suggested the the "consultation" was nothing more than "a sham".

The draft bill  officially known as the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018  was introduced into the lower house of Parliament on Thursday by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

It was released on 14 August and comments were invited until September 10.

The three Labor shadow ministers said it was not plausible that Dutton had been able to consider properly the concern over the bill that had been expressed by industry and other stakeholders.

"Instead, the government appears to have taken a tick-and-flick approach to an incredibly complicated bill, with potentially far-reaching consequence for the privacy and digital security of all Australians," the three said.

"Reflecting the complexity involved, when a similar bill was introduced in the UK, it took two years from announcement of the governments policy to implementation of the bill."

Dreyfus, Rowland and Husic reminded the government of what they described as the "mess" that had been created when the "half-baked metadata bill" was handled in a similar way.

They said proposals that sought to provide security agencies with powers to bypass encryption and access personal communications "must be subject to robust and well-considered consultation".

"This includes rigorous scrutiny by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security once the Bill is introduced into Parliament to ensure proposed legislation is best targeted to combat those who seek to do Australia and our interests harm."

The Labor shadow ministers pointed out that protecting national security and enabling law enforcement agencies to operate effectively in the digital age was a bipartisan commitment.

"Labor is absolutely committed to ensuring our security agencies have the resources and capabilities they require to keep our community safe. In doing so, we need to ensure that Australians also have confidence that appropriate privacy safeguards and transparency measures are put in place, to ensure their rights and freedoms are protected as they go about their daily lives," they said.

"It is vital that the government engages in proper consultation processes when introducing entirely new national security laws with the potential to impact every Australian who uses a phone or computer. Without proper consultation, public confidence in these measures, and the agencies that use them, may be undermined. It is important to get this right and with its rushed process the government has not made a good start towards that outcome."
Tax and accounting software company MYOB is increasing its investment in research and development to $100 million a year, chief executive Tim Reed has told iTWire .

At the MYOB Partner Connect conference in Melbourne, Reed described the increase from 16% to 20% of revenue as "pretty exciting".

The additional expenditure would support sustainable revenue growth, he said.

As MYOB's revenue grows, the percentage expended on R&D would decrease.

Ten years ago, the R&D budget was around $15million to $20 million, Reed said.

"Artificial intelligence and machine learning will dramatically change the way accounting is done," he predicted.

Historically, there have been three separate processes  transaction processing, compliance and advisory  done over an 18-month period by three different groups using different software.

MYOB was investing in its platform to support these activities happening in parallel and in real time, he said, and the company was about half way through the development required.

This would allow more informed business decisions, and consequently more business success for MYOB users, Reed predicted.

MYOB Advisor  a tool that uses AI and ML to turn financial results into a written narrative and raise relevant questions  is "absolutely playing the role it is designed to", according to partner firms who think it t is "the coolest thing they were doing", he said.

There is enough potential value that professional advisors can deliver to a sufficiently large percentage of the small business community to justify these investments.

Small business owners are unlikely to want to use such tools themselves, because "they actually want to have a conversation" and collaborative experience with professionals who understand their aspirations and goals.

While the application of AI is likely to change the skills needed by accountants and bookkeepers, each major change in history (eg, the Industrial Revolution) had been navigated successfully even though people don't like having their skills devalued, he said.

"We will adapt, because we always have."

On the subject of changing skills, "we [MYOB] absolutely invest in training and skills development", said Reed, for example by supporting programmers to learn new languages and providing training in specific skills.
Thousands of people watched 24 people get rushed off the stage at graduation in May, now UF is trying to make it up to them with a gift.

UF mailed framed diplomas to the students who were rushed off stage during the Spring commencement ceremony, said Stephanie McBride, the director of commencement. They were sent as an apology and a reminder that the university appreciates and celebrates them.

In addition to the framed diplomas, UF President Kent Fuchs reached out to all of the students by phone and with a personal mailed letter, McBride said.

The frames cost $3,920 in total. UF spent $148.75 per frame for 24 of the frames and $175 per frame for two of them, however they were all the same frame, she said. The price discrepancy was because the first 24 were bulk purchased, and the last two were bought later when UF realized two students were double majors.

Two students called UF to thank the administration for framing their diplomas, McBride said.

Jamal Waked, who graduated in May with a bachelors degree in physics, said he is happy with his framed diploma.

Waked wasn't upset about the Spring commencement incident because he had already landed his backflip when the marshal came to rush him off the stage, he said.

I didn't feel an apology was needed for me, but for others I can understand the apology, the 22-year-old said.

He said some students were unfairly moved off stage and were upset, so it is a nice gesture from UF to let the students know that they aren't just a name.

I think it's noble that UF is able to realize their mistakes and correct them, he said.

Oliver Telusma, who graduated in May with a bachelors degree in political science, said he is unsure if this was an attempt to make amends, but if it was, it isn't nearly enough.

UFs response to the Spring commencement incident wasn't only an offense against him, but a clear statement of how UF regards communities of color, he said.

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Resolution comes from not only substantive efforts to make amends with me, but with marginalized students who experience a climate like this regularly, the 22-year-old said.

Contact McKenna Beery at mbeery@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @mckennabeery.

A framed diploma given to one of the graduates rushed off stage.
Developers at Google discussed technical means to counter the Trump administration January 2017 travel bans, but the company denied that any of the plans were implemented.

A report in The Wall Street Journal said it had seen internal emails that showed the discussions had centred around changing the search engine to show users how they could send funds to pro-immigration bodies, and contact legislators and government agencies.

The travel ban was upheld in June by the US Supreme Court after it was suspended earlier in the year by other courts.

The court ruled 5-4 in accepting President Donald Trump's argument that the ban was within his power to craft national security policy and his authority to suspend entry of aliens into the US.

The Google developers were said to have suggested ways to counter what they saw as "islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms Islam, Muslim, Iran, etc. and prejudiced, algorithmically biased search results from search terms Mexico, Hispanic, Latino, etc."

The WSJ said the emails contained cautions about being involved in activity that could be deemed political but looked at ways to use the search behemoth's influence on the Internet to counter the travel ban.

It cited one email as saying: "I know this would require a full on sprint to make happen, but I think this is the sort of super timely and imperative information that we need as we know that this country and Google, would not exist without immigration.

A Google spokesperson told the newspaper: "These emails were just a brainstorm of ideas, none of which were ever implemented.

Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideology  not in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trumps executive order on immigration.

"Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies.
Google's reluctance to offer any public comment on its plans to launch a censored search engine in China has been reinforced by a report that the company has made employees erase from their systems a confidential memo containing details about the China plan.

The Intercept, which first broke the story about the Google plan, reported on Saturday that the memo, circulating within the company, had been authored by an engineer, and revealed that the search system, known as Dragonfly, would need users to log in to use it.

It would also track users' locations and share the data with a local partner who would have exclusive access to the data, reporters Ryan Gallagher and Lee Fang wrote.

The disclosure of the project has led to at least five Google employees, including senior research scientist Jack Poulson, leaving the company in protest.

The news about the China plan broke on 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 was 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. And a third report claimed that the China search app would link searches to phone numbers.

The memo was said to have been shared among employees who had been rallying support against the plan. The Intercept cited three sources "familiar with the incident" as saying the Google head honchos had come across the memo and were livid that details were being circulated.

The company's HR department contacted those who had accessed the memo or retained copies, and ordered them to get rid of it immediately. And, Gallagher and Fang reported, the messages sent by HR contained so-called pixel trackers that could track when the messages had been read.

The Dragonfly project is to be operated as a joint venture with a Chinese company and its staff would have the ability to update the search blacklist, the report said, adding that this raised over whether Google's US bosses would have any control over the censorship regime.

The Dragonfly project is said to have been kicked off after Google chief executive Sundar Pichai held discussions with Wang Huning, a senior figure in the Chinese Communist Party, in December 2017. Work was begun during the Western spring of 2017 and was fast-tracked after the Pichai-Huning meeting.

After the meeting with Huning, Google decided to open an artificial intelligence research centre in Beijing. In May 2018, a Google file management app was released for Chinese Internet users. And in July, Google released a Guess The Sketch game on WeChat, the main Chinese messaging and social media platform.

Programmers created a customised Android search app with different versions known as Maotai and Longfei and these were then demonstrated to Chinese government authorities.

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 numerous occasions.

The final version of the app is expected to be launched in the next six to nine months, provided approval is granted by Beijing.

Google had a censored search engine operating in China from 2006 to 2010, but quit the country after its servers were hacked.

iTWire has contacted Google for comment.
Most enterprises will now adopt a once-a-year upgrade model for Windows 10, finally getting some relief from the pressure of seemingly endless rounds of testing and deployment, a Windows expert said today.

"I think enterprises will fall into an annual cadence," Stephen Kleynhans, a Gartner research vice president, said in an interview. "With 30 months of support, you get to choose when to start rolling out [the upgrade]. You may say, 'We'll start kicking tires in January, piloting in March, deploying in June.' That's a nice window."

Kleynhans was referring to the changes he expects enterprises to make following Microsoft's announcement last week that it is extending support of Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education to 30 months. The additional support - previously maxed out at 18 months - will be awarded only to the fall feature upgrade, the one each year labeled xx09 in Microsoft's yymm format. Windows 10 Enterprise 1809 (and the matching Education edition), slated to release later this month or early in October, will be the first to get two-and-a-half years of security patches and non-security bug fixes.

It had been difficult - but not impossible - for businesses to skip one of each year's two Windows 10 upgrades when support expired after 18 months. With support stretched to 30 months, however, skipping will be a relative breeze.

But why the need to skip at all? Because corporate customers have never swallowed Microsoft's assertion that Windows had to be, could be, upgraded several times each year. Instead, enterprises balked at the churn. Unless Microsoft was willing to concede that bedrock principal of its Windows-as-a-service (WaaS) strategy - which it wasn't - the only way businesses could slow the tempo was to bypass one or more offered upgrades. The risk was more than many could accept, though, because missing security fixes was unacceptable.

"I think this was a realization of reality by Microsoft," Kleynhans said of the support extension and the resulting customer ability to deploy just one feature upgrade annually.

Microsoft's original vision, he said, was "pretty aggressive," and customers and analysts had expressed doubt about the schedule's pace from the start. Microsoft's response to those concerns, he said, has been visible in the many changes to the WaaS servicing and support model. "I think we've seen that reflected in that every six months they've tweaked the program, until it's shifted to where it is today."

Some enterprises might be able to minimize disruption by spacing upgrades even further apart, skipping three to deploy just one every two years. "One update out of four, that's possible but you'd better be really good [at testing and deploying]," Kleynhans said.

(Computerworld recently spelled out how organizations running Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education could adopt an every-two-year cadence.)

"You'd only have six months to get it installed," said Kleynhans, talking about the overlap between upgrades two years apart. "That could be challenging."

Others agreed that a once-every-two-years rhythm would be attractive to some Windows users. "The odd cadence of spring gets the shorter period, fall gets the longer, means - in my opinion - that [Microsoft] realizes that enterprises will drop into a fall-only model and only update at most, every two years," said Susan Bradley, a computer network and security consultant, moderator of the PatchMangement.org mailing list, and writer for AskWoody.com, the Windows-centric site run by Woody Leonard, a Computerworld columnist.

"[This support change means Microsoft] acknowledges the problem that the survey results pointed out, that every six months is not working out well for businesses," Bradley added.
Illinois Wesleyan New-Student Enrollment Up 30 Percent

Sept. 21, 2018

Illinois Wesleyan's incoming students exited Presser Hall following the New Student Convocation.

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.  Illinois Wesleyan University welcomed to campus its largest incoming class in five years and its most diverse class in University history for the 2018-19 academic year. Official enrollment figures were computed after the 15th day of classes.

The incoming class includes 540 new students, a 30 percent increase in new-student enrollment from 2017. This growth was achieved while holding new-student GPA and test scores steady.

With each new crop of students comes a burst of energy to campus. This year, its a big class, and a correspondingly big burst of energy, said President Eric Jensen. While test scores and GPAs remain at typical high levels, we are excited and proud to welcome what is by far the most diverse class in University history. We believe that diversity of all kinds  whether racial, demographic, geographic, or socioeconomic  provides the richest learning environment, and are pleased that this year's incoming class reflects our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive campus community.

Domestic new-student diversity  students who self-identify as multiracial, African-American, Latino or Asian-American  increased to 29 percent in 2018, from 22 percent in 2017, to mark the most diverse class in Illinois Wesleyans history. Of IWUs 540 new students, 479 are domestic first-year, 41 are transfer students and 20 are international students. Total University enrollment increased to 1,693, from 1,649 in 2017.

We make our acceptance decisions with a goal of finding best-fit students who will thrive at Illinois Wesleyan, said Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing LeAnn Hughes. This year, an increased percentage of admitted students chose to enroll, which I believe speaks to the value of our holistic, liberal arts education and the ability of our world-class faculty to transform Illinois Wesleyan students into future professional and social leaders.





The incoming class consists of 37 students from McLean County  a 37 percent increase from 27 students in 2017  with a boost from the McLean County Scholarship, which guarantees no less than $27,000 in annual scholarships and grants to students who graduate from a McLean County High School and are admitted to attend Illinois Wesleyan. Students from 28 states make up the incoming class.

Our reputation for individualized, experiential-learning opportunities, which consistently lead to financially and personally rewarding careers after graduation, is clearly paying dividends, Jensen said. We are enjoying these enrollment successes in spite of the challenging climate, in Illinois and nationally, faced by higher education. Our Admissions team will continued to collaborate with talented, dedicated colleagues across the University to make Illinois Wesleyan accessible and appealing on a national stage.

Illinois Wesleyan continues to attract a talented, diverse student body by holding a retention rate of 89 percent  31 percent above the national median of 68 percent, according to data from the College Scorecard, and 92 percent of IWU graduates earn their degree in four years.

IWU students earn an average salary of $55,600 10 years after graduating, compared to the national median of $34,300, also according to the College Scorecard. Personalized attention remains a top priority, with an average class size of 15 students and a student/faculty ratio of 10.

In keeping with the increasingly diverse academic interests of incoming students, Illinois Wesleyan is offering four new majors and seven new minors beginning in 2018-19, in addition to more than 80 existing majors, minors and programs. The new majors include biochemistry, health promotion and fitness management (HPFM), marketing, and neuroscience. Also new for the 2018-19 academic year is Illinois Wesleyans varsity Esports program which will compete as members of the 86-team National Association of Collegiate Esports.

By John Twork
The latest Florida bar exam results show a continuing downward trend for UFs Levin College of Law.

The Florida Supreme Court released the July 2018 bar exam results Monday, and UFs pass rate came in at 70.9 percent, which is about 6 percent lower than the pass rate in July 2017. Of UFs 258 first-time bar takers this July, 183 passed. Law students must pass the bar exam to practice as attorneys in Florida.

UFs pass rate ranked fourth-highest out of 11 schools in the state, but the numbers still fall short of other top law programs. On top was Florida International University with an 88.1 percent pass rate, followed by Florida State University at 84.8 percent and the University of Miami with 83.2 percent, according to the Supreme Court of Floridas press release. FIU and FSU both saw improvements in their pass rates compared to July 2017.

In a message written to Levin College of Law alumni, the colleges dean, Laura Rosenbury, expressed her displeasure with the results and hope for improvement.

As the best law school in Florida, UF Law should also have the highest first-time bar passage rate in the state, Rosenbury wrote in the letter.

The college plans to reach out to those who did not pass and analyze the effectiveness of the support it provided during the summer, Rosenbury said.

The support included an optional bar review course for third-year students in the spring; one-on-one bar exam tutoring from professionals; a multi-day bar exam workshop; licenses for graduating students to access AdaptiBar, a database with over 1,700 licensed questions from past exams; and a young alumni support network, Rosenbury said.

This is not the first time Rosenbury has been dissatisfied with UFs performance on the bar. After UF law students scored the lowest in the state on the February bar exam, Rosenbury released a statement expressing her outrage.

The results are utterly unacceptable given the caliber of our students and the quality of their education, she wrote.

The pass rate then prompted the college to reevaluate how they prepare students for the bar exam. Now, the college is focusing on earlier intervention by offering optional courses for second- and third-year students, Rosenbury said. There will also be a diagnostic assessment of all first-year students to better understand the individual students needs.

We will never teach to the bar, Rosenbury said. But we will provide better advising and support to our students.

Andrea Faverio, a UF Law first-year, said UF gives its law students more freedom to choose their courses, which can be helpful for students taking other states bar exams. Many schools often tailor their courses specifically to the Florida bar exam, she said.

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Though shes nervous to take the bar exam, Faverio thinks the administration is committed to fixing the low pass rates. She has a lot of confidence in the faculty and the dean, she said.

I think (Rosenbury) is really dedicated to showing the rest of the country that UF Law is not a law school that should be underrated, Faverio said.

Laura Ann Rosenbury, dean of UFs Levin College of Law, speaks. She began her role as dean on Wednesday.
The UF Samuel Proctor Oral History Program wanted to put the misunderstandings of refugees to rest.

The event, Home Away from Home: Remembering Refugees in Florida, was co-hosted by Welcoming Gainesville & Alachua County and the UF history program Thursday night in Pugh Hall. The event showcased a video of interviews with refugees in Jacksonville. The audience of 30 people heard from refugee experts.

It cost around $2,600 to produce the film and host the event. It was funded by the Florida Humanities Council, UF Department of Urban & Regional Planning, Center for Humanities & Public Sphere, and Latin American Studies Center, said Seyeon Hwang, a 31-year-old UF urban and regional planning doctorate student.

Hwang, who conducted the interviews in Jacksonville, said the stories of refugees are misinterpreted and lost by the public.

I wanted to provide an outlet of speech to the refugees so that they can tell and share their stories, which is known to help mitigate and overcome their trauma, Hwang said.

This project included interviews with refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, South Sudan, Iraq, Bhutan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Gambia and Cuba, Hwang said.

Presenters included Basma Alawee, a 32-year-old refugee from Baghdad, Iraq. Alawee said kindness is important when community members help refugee neighbors.

The U.S. is built on immigrants and refugees, Alawee said. Everyone has ancestors that came from somewhere else. The only thing we ask for is to feel welcome.

Seyeon Hwang, a 31-year-old UF urban and regional planning doctorate student, opens the event Home Away from Home: Remembering Refugees in Florida on Thursday night in Pugh Hall by introducing the panelists before the discussion portion. Hwang, who came to America as a refugee herself, is involved extensively in both local and national refugee advocacy programs.

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One year ago, Alfredo Ortiz crowded into a windowless closet with his parents, sister and dog while Hurricane Maria pounded against their home in Cayey, Puerto Rico.

Water seeped in through cracks in the roof and cascaded down their staircase like a waterfall, he said. The wind lifted up the 600-gallon water tank connected to his home and banged it against the roof above their closet.

If the roof gave out, the tank would have landed on his family.

Ortiz and his family waded through knee-high water to get food from the kitchen. That was when the front door blew in.

A year later, Ortiz, an 18-year-old UF philosophy freshman, stood in a circle with about 15 other students Thursday afternoon in the middle of dozens of Puerto Rican flags planted on Plaza of the Americas.

The Hare Krishnas stopped playing music while the students stood for a minute of silence, Marrero said. The students continued to hold hands while they spoke about how the hurricane affected them and their families.

Union de Estudiantes Puertorriquenos Activos, the Puerto Rican UF student group, held a book drive to commemorate the one-year anniversary of when the hurricane made landfall in Puerto Rico.

The books will be donated to help Christian Gonzalez, a 17-year-old Puerto Rican high school student, open a new library in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, said Jesse Cosme, a 30-year-old UF sustainable development practice graduate student.

I always wish that we could do more, but this is a very positive drop in the bucket, Cosme said.

The group set up a tent to collect the books from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., said Leyda Marrero, an 18-year-old UF biomedical engineering sophomore and the groups vice president.

Spanish-language books are preferred, but the group is accepting books in all languages, Marrero said. The goal is to collect about 200 books to send to Arecibo by December.

Hopefully thatll be our Christmas gift to Puerto Rico. Marrero said.

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Collection boxes are available in La Salita in the Reitz Union, which is in the Multicultural and Diversity Affairs suite, the UF Law School and the UF Center for Latin American Studies, Marrero said. Students can continue to donate until Tuesday according to the groups Facebook page.

The group has collected over 75 books since Monday, Marrero said.

Marrero remembered when she finally heard back from her family after two weeks of silence.

While studying in Newell Hall, she got a text saying her family was safe. She burst into tears of relief.

Marrero said it does not feel like a year has passed.

There are lives that will never come back, she said. The feeling is still there.

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa

Puerto Rican flags planted on the Plaza of the Americas in the shape of PR honored the victims of Hurricane Maria who died on the island on the anniversary of the hurricane. Union de Estudiantes Puertorriquenos Activos, the Puerto Rican UF student group under the umbrella of Hispanic Student Association, collected books to send to a library and signed a poster offering words of hope to those still affected.
A woman accused of almost mowing down three people, including a baby in a stroller, said police got the story wrong.

Phaedra Aricia Coleman, 36, of Gainesville, was accused of almost hitting them with her SUV after an argument on the 200 block of Southwest Sixth Avenue, near Southwest Second Street, Tuesday afternoon, according to an arrest report. No one was injured.

After arguing with a woman, Coleman got in her car while yelling, B----, imma kill you, the report said.

The woman was standing next to her parked car with another woman, who had her baby in a stroller, about 30 feet away from Colemans driveway, the report said. Coleman backed up her SUV quickly and drove full speed toward the woman she had an argument with, the report said.

The babys mother ran away from the car into the road with the stoller to avoid Colemans SUV. The woman Coleman argued with moved to the passenger side of her car and pulled out her legally concealed gun from her pants pocket, the report said.

When Coleman saw the gun, she stopped her car, backed up and pulled into her driveway, police said. Coleman called 911 to tell police about the gun.

Coleman does not know the victims, the report said.

When reached after her arrest, Coleman said the woman who accused her began berating and threatening her when she got home. When Coleman got in her car to pick up her son from high school, people crowded her car and the woman pulled out a gun, she said.

Coleman went inside her house and called the police with her daughter, she told The Alligator. She denied trying to hit people with her car.

Whats the point of calling the police if Im the one to go to jail? she said.

Coleman was charged with three counts of aggravated assault. She was released from Alachua County Jail Wednesday afternoon on a $30,000 bond.

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa

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Trump is believed to have made the comment on building a wall when Borrell accompanied King Felipe and Queen Letizia to the White House in June.

Spains foreign minister and former president of European Parliament Joseph Borrell has confirmed United States President Donald Trump suggestion that Spain build a wall across the Sahara Desert to tackle the Mediterranean migration crisis.

When Spanish diplomats pointed out that the Sahara stretches for 3,000 miles, Trump shrugged off the skepticism. The Sahara border cant be bigger than our border with Mexico, he said, apparently unaware of the size of the desert.

Trump ran on the promise of building a big, beautiful wall across the US/Mexico border, which is roughly 2,000 miles long, during the 2016 presidential election.

Spain, will, however, face complications if it wants to undertake the suggested task. Spain holds only two small enclaves in Africa, Ceuta and Melilla. Hence if the wall were to be built, it would be on foreign territory.

Borrell told the story at a lunch event in Madrid organized by the cultural association Club Siglo XXI this week, which is his retelling of Trumps comments that were widely reported by the Spanish media.

We can confirm thats what the minister said, but we wont be making any further comment on the ministers remarks, said a spokesman for the foreign ministry.

Spanish daily El Pais said Borrell had made it clear he disagreed with Donald Trumps suggestion but insisted a policy had to be put in place to deal with migration.

Spain saw an influx of refugees in the last year with more than 30,000 migrants and refugees entering the country by sea, with 1,723 losing their lives in the attempt. This saw Spain surpass Italy and Greece as the main destination for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. EU border agency Frontex registered 12,500 arrivals in August  6,500 of them reached Spains Mediterranean coastline, making the country the main EU port of arrival. Most of those reaching Spain were from Morocco, Guinea, and Mali.

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the chosen path of refugees has changed over the years. The most-traveled route from January 2018 to August 2018 was from Morocco to Spain. Last year this western route was the least traveled migration path. From 2009 to 2017, 89,000 migrants arrived on Spains southern coast but in 2018 alone, 28,000 arrived.

This is greater than the Africa-to-Italy central route and Turkey-to-Greece eastern Route which saw 20,000 arrivals each.

Spains socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was widely praised when he announced that Madrid would take 630 migrants who were turned away by Italy and Malta, aboard the rescue ship Aquarius. But an increasing number of refugee influx has strained facilities and infrastructure. It also attracted right-wing criticism who are using the arrival of migrants as a political weapon and accusing Sanchez of being too soft on immigration.

President Trump Suggested Spain Build Its Own Border Wall Across The Sahara | TIME
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(Afterwords)  September 11 is already an annual day of mourning. But while the nation grieved over victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Trump administrations Environmental Protection Agency announced a plan future generations may well grieve as a tragedy in its own right.

While Americans attended memorial services, the EPA announced plans to roll back regulations on methane  a powerful greenhouse gas that damages the worlds climate and threatens human health.

Methane carries up to 36 times more warming potential than carbon dioxide.

More methane emissions mean more lethal heat waves, extreme storms, rising sea levels, drought, and floods. They mean worsening air quality, water quality, and crop damage. They mean certain crops will lose nutritional value, and pest- and waterborne diseases will spread.

Specifically, the White House wants to kill the Obama administrations 2016 New Source Performance Standards, which require oil and gas drillers to limit emissions of methane during fracking and flaring (the process of burning off gas that wont be captured and transported).

Its yet another big present to the oil and gas industry. Meanwhile, ordinary working families will pay the price, and so will their health. Children, the poor, the elderly, and those with a weak or impaired immune system are especially vulnerable.

The EPA itself agrees: Its own analysis concludes that the new proposed rules could send hundreds of thousands more tons of methane into the atmosphere. The EPA acknowledges further this would hurt thousands of people and rack up a huge cost in health care and agricultural damage.

There are short-term threats, too. Both fracking and flaring pose serious risks to nearby communities, including possible methane leaks.

Methane leaks are frequently accompanied by volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are known to be toxic and/or carcinogenic to humans.

VOCs carry a boatload of negative health impacts. For example, when combined with particulate matter in the presence of sunlight and heat, VOCs form ground-level ozone, a pollutant that aggravates chronic lung diseases, pre-existing heart problems, and asthma.

Put simply, theyre terrible for the air you breathe and the water you drink and the ground you walk on.

Fracking itself poses a danger. This past March, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Concerned Health Professionals of New York released a report showing that fracking increases the risk of serious medical conditions such as asthma, birth defects, and cancer.

A study by the Environmental Defense Fund found that the U.S. oil and gas industry emits 13 million metric tons of methane from its operations each year  nearly 60 percent more than currently estimated by the EPA.

This attempt by the EPA to roll back the methane rule undermines the health and safety of families and communities. It flies in the face of scientific and medical evidence that methane poses serious hazards to our climate and health.

We need more regulation of methane, not less.

The EPA is directly tasked with creating policies that protect human health and the environment. Its reckless and irresponsible to weaken a rule that directly fulfills that mission.

Via Afterwords

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative 3.0 License.

-

Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

Donald Trump Admin Reportedly Making It Easier To Release Methane Into Air | Velshi & Ruhle | MSNBC
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Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour was released early on Thursday after serving a month and a half in an Israeli prison over posting a resistance poem on social media in 2016, accused of incitement to violence and supporting terror through her social media posts.

I feel happy to be free after at least three years of suffering in prison and house arrest, Tatour, an Israeli citizen from the Nazareth village of Reineh, told journalists after being released. All this suffering was because of a poem I wrote and it makes me sad they imprisoned me for that At last Im free and I will continue writing.

Tatour was sentenced to five months in prison on July 31, 2018, by a court in Nazareth. She had already served three months in detention and nearly three years under house arrest due to a video of herself reading her Resist, My People, Resist poem posted on Youtube and Facebook in 2015. During her house arrest, she was eventually allowed to leave the house accompanied for two hours on weekends.

Her case became a cause celebre for freedom of speech advocates in Israel and abroad. It drew attention to the advanced technology used by Israeli security agencies to trawl social media in order to identify and arrest users suspected of incitement to violence, or of planning attacks.

The 36-year-old poet and activist fought a long legal battle, aided by lawyer Gaby Lasky, arguing her posts were a legitimate protest against the occupation, protected by freedom of speech.

Via TeleSur

Featured Photo: Dareen Tatour and her lawyer Gaby Lasky, h/t Free Dareen Tatour



Bonus video:

Codepink: Resist My People, Resist Them Read In Front of Israeli Embassy
VANCOUVER, Sept. 21, 2018 /CNW/ - Copper Mountain Mining Corporation (TSX: CMMC | ASX:C6C) (the "Company" or "Copper Mountain") is pleased to announce that following the completion of its Phase 2 drilling program, the Company has updated the Mineral Resource for its New Ingerbelle property. Results of resource estimation based on the Phase 2 drilling program have exceeded the Company's goal set for Phase 3. The drilling program has successfully expanded the resource area and converted a significant part of the previously Inferred Mineral Resource to the Indicated and Measured categories. The New Ingerbelle deposit is located approximately one kilometre from the Company's flagship operation, the Copper Mountain Mine (See Appendix A for New Ingerbelle location map).

APPENDIX A: NEW INGERBELLE LOCATION

Highlights from New Ingerbelle Mineral Resource are:

More than one billion pounds of copper and one million ounces of gold in Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource at a 0.12% copper cut-off grade

Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 151 million tonnes grading 0.29% copper and 0.18 g/t gold (0.41% CuEq) at a 0.16% copper cut-off grade

Inferred Mineral Resource of 69 million tonnes grading 0.27% copper and 0.16 g/t gold (0.38% CuEq) for contained metal of 405 million pounds of copper and 0.36 million ounces of gold at a 0.16% cut-off copper grade.

Gil Clausen, Copper Mountain's President and CEO stated, "Given the size and quality of the Mineral Resource, we believe New Ingerbelle has the potential to be a significant contributor of value to the Company. With New Ingerbelle's Mineral Resource exceeding our target, our next step now will be to move New Ingerbelle into the evaluation phase. The evaluation phase will include a mine plan and economic analysis to move the Mineral Resource to the Mineral Reserve category. Given New Ingerbelle's favourable grade and proximity to our Copper Mountain operation, it has the real potential for growth and flexibility for our near-term production plans. Further, it is just one of several high-quality growth projects we have in our portfolio."

A summary of New Ingerbelle's Mineral Resource estimate is provided below. The new resource estimate is based on approximately 38,000 metres of historical drill data which is below current topography and 15,000 metres of new drilling, which includes drill and assay information up to September 17, 2018.

Cu% cut-off grade Tonnes ('000s) Copper (%) Silver (g/t) Gold (g/t) CuEq (%) Copper (M lbs) Gold (M oz) Measured Resource 0.20% 33,987 0.34 0.68 0.21 0.48 256.6 0.234 0.16% 43,251 0.31 0.61 0.19 0.44 293.2 0.268 0.12% 54,396 0.27 0.55 0.17 0.39 327.6 0.300 Indicated Resource 0.20% 79,928 0.31 0.61 0.19 0.44 551.0 0.501 0.16% 108,027 0.28 0.55 0.18 0.40 662.2 0.604 0.12% 141,251 0.25 0.48 0.15 0.35 764.3 0.699 Total Measured and Indicated Resource 0.20% 113,912 0.32 0.63 0.20 0.46 807.6 0.735 0.16% 151,278 0.29 0.57 0.18 0.41 955.4 0.872 0.12% 195,648 0.25 0.50 0.16 0.36 1,092.0 1.001 Inferred Resource 0.20% 47,608 0.30 0.55 0.19 0.43 319.8 0.283 0.16% 69,035 0.27 0.49 0.16 0.38 404.5 0.361 0.12% 93,459 0.23 0.43 0.14 0.33 480.1 0.428

CuEq% is based on metal content only, as historical recoveries have not yet been verified. Metal prices assumed in the calculation are US$2.75/lb Cu, US$1,250/oz Au, and US$16/oz Ag. The mineral resource has been contained within a US$3.50 per pound whittle pit shell. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. Numbers may not add due to rounding, contained metal calculated at 3 significant figures.

The Mineral Resource includes drilling from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling programs Copper Mountain started in 2017 and completed in September 2018. The Company's original goal for its 3-Phase program was to define sufficient resources in order to complete an initial mine plan and economic analysis. However, as it has already exceeded this goal in its Phase 2 program, Copper Mountain now plans to move New Ingerbelle into the evaluation phase, where the Company will complete an initial mine plan and economic analysis to upgrade the Mineral Resource to the Mineral Reserve category. Following the evaluation phase, the Company will assess the potential to further expand the Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource in a follow-up Phase 3 program.

Mineral Resource Estimation Methodology

The Mineral Resource estimate was completed by company employees under the guidance and supervision of Peter Holbek, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The resource estimate was prepared in conformity with CIM Best Practices guidelines. The estimate was prepared using Gemcom software, a three-dimensional block model (15m cubic blocks) where grades were interpolated into blocks from 7.5m drill hole composite grades by ordinary kriging. Classification of resources is based on the size of the interpolation search ellipse and number of composites and drill holes informing the interpolated blocks. Mineral resources are constrained by a Whittle pit shell generated at a US$3.50 copper price with current mine-site operating costs and metal recoveries.

Competent Persons Statement

The information in this report that relates to Exploration Targets, Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Peter Holbek, B.SC (Hons), M.Sc. P. Geo. Mr. Holbek is a full time employee of the Company and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr. Holbek does consent to the inclusion in this news release of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

Peter Holbek is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

About Copper Mountain Mining Corporation

Copper Mountain's flagship asset is the 75% owned Copper Mountain mine located in southern British Columbia near the town of Princeton. The Copper Mountain mine produces about 90 million pounds of copper equivalent per year with a large resource that remains open laterally and at depth. Copper Mountain also has the permitted, development stage Eva Copper Project in Queensland, Australia and an extensive 379,000 hectare highly prospective land package in the Mount Isa area. Copper Mountain trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CMMC" and Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol "C6C".

Additional information is available on the Company's web page at www.CuMtn.com.

On behalf of the Board of

COPPER MOUNTAIN MINING CORPORATION

"Gil Clausen"

Gil Clausen, P.Eng.

Chief Executive Officer

Note: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents, filed by the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statement.
Drill Testing Planned for November 2018

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 21, 2018) - RosCan Minerals Corporation (TSXV: ROS) ("RosCan" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it has identified numerous high quality gold geochemical anomalies at its 100%-owned Kandiole Project in west Mali. Immediate drilling is warranted and planned for November 2018.

During June and July of this year, RosCan conducted a detailed geochemical sampling program, consisting of soils and termite samples, on the Mankouke and Moussala Nord permits. This program was completed just prior to the commencement of 2018 rainy season and was identified from the reconnaissance prospecting program completed during the dry season of this year. These two areas represent only 20 sq. km of the contiguous 271 sq. km Kandiole Project land package.

A total of 4,916 samples were collected, including 2,806 soil samples and 2,110 termite mound samples. Samples were collected on lines 100 to 200 metres apart with sample stations every 50 metres. There are many anomalous values and these sample values are outlined on the attached maps. Most of the anomalous samples align along northerly trending corridors up to 350 metres wide with individual anomaly groups extending for a minimum of 600 metres along strike.

As can be seen from the attached maps a small portion of the Kandiole Project area was covered with detailed sampling. Map No. 1 shows the Kandiole Project land package with results of work to date and the areas of detailed sampling. Maps No. 2 and 3 show the results of the sample analyses and gold anomalies of the Mankouke and Moussala Nord areas respectively. These major anomalies will first be checked in the field, prioritized and subjected to a first pass drill testing, expected to be conducted in November 2018.

COMMENTARY

Greg Isenor, President and CEO of RosCan stated: "We were quite surprised and rewarded by the amount and strength of these new Au-in-soil and termite mound anomalies that were identified in an area of existing gold mines and along same structures, that management believes, host the nearby, recent discoveries by Oklo Resources and Komet Resources. Our plans are to build on these exciting results, start drill testing the targets and carry out the easy, next steps of collecting more soil and termite samples in this overlooked, highly prospective area."

QUALIFIED PERSON AND SAMPLE PROTOCOL

The technical content in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gregory P. Isenor, P. Geo, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

For quality control, duplicated samples were systematically collected in the field, and blank samples were inserted in the sample batches sent to the laboratory. A total of 91 blank samples and 98 duplicates were included in the sample batches sent to the lab. Before their transportation, the samples were stored in a RosCan secured location in the field. Batches of samples were transported by truck, driven by RosCan contractors, up to the sample preparation installations of Bureau Veritas laboratory at Bamako; prepared samples were then shipped by Bureau Veritas to their treatment installations at Abidjan, Ivory Coast. During the assay process, the laboratory applied its own quality controls with blanks, duplicates and standard samples. The assay method was atomic absorption (AA) with pre-concentration by fire assay (FA); the detection limit of the method is of 5 ppb.

ABOUT ROSCAN

RosCan Minerals Corporation is a Canadian gold exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of gold properties in west Africa. The Company has assembled a significant land position of 100%-owned permits in an area of large gold deposits for its Kandiole Project in west Mali.

For further information, please contact:

Greg Isenor

President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel: (902) 832-5555 or (416) 293-8437

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Map 1

Map 2

Map 3

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is 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. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Vancouver, BC / TheNewswire / September 20, 2018 - Surge Exploration Inc. ("the Company" or "Surge") (TSX-V: SUR, OTC: SURJF, FRA: DJ5C) is pleased to announce that it has secured DTC and CNS eligibility by The Depository Trust Company for its shares traded on the OTCQB under the symbol "SURJF" effective September 18, 2018.

The DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation ("DTCC"), and manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through the DTC are considered "DTC eligible." This electronic method of clearing securities speeds up the receipt of stock and cash, and thus accelerates the settlement process for investors and brokers, enabling the stock to be traded over a much wider selection of brokerage firms by coming into compliance with their requirements.

Continuous Net Settlement (CNS) is a settlement process used by the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) for the clearing and settlement of securities transactions. CNS includes an automated book-entry accounting system that centralizes the settlement of transactions, keeping the flows of security and money balances orderly and efficient.

Being DTC and CNS eligible is expected to greatly simplify the process of trading and exchange the Company's common stock on the OTCQB marketplace in the United States.

"We are pleased to have obtained DTC and CNS eligibility," said Tim Fernback, President & CEO of Surge. "DTC & CNS eligibility simplifies the process of trading and transferring Surge's shares between brokerages in the United States and reduces the costs incurred in trading shares. With our shares now DTC and CNS eligible, we expect this to lead to greater liquidity and execution speeds, as well as our shares being accessible to an even broader range of investors."

The Company has previously announced that it has been approved and its common shares have been upgraded to the OTCQB(R) Venture Market under the trading symbol "SURJF."

The OTCQB Venture Market, operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., offers transparent trading in entrepreneurial and development stage companies that have met a minimum bid price test, are current in their financial reporting and have undergone an annual verification and management certification process. These standards provide a strong baseline of transparency, as well as the technology and regulation to improve the information and trading experience for investors.

U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for FTE Networks at http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/SURJF/quote.

Further to this news, Surge is also pleased to report that the Company has been approved by Mergent's Editorial Board and is "Blue-Skyed" with a new listing in Mergent Manuals and News Reports(TM). Surge's corporate profile, which includes descriptive text, data, news and financial statements, will be accessible through Mergent's online and print products.

As part of Mergent's listing services, the new description will be highlighted separately on www.mergent.com with an active hyperlink back to Surge's website.

The Mergent Industrial Manual and News Reports(TM) is a recognized securities manual in 39 states for purposes of Blue Sky Manual Exemption. First published in 1918, and formerly known as Moody's(TM) Manuals and News Reports, the publication was rebranded as Mergent Manuals and News Reports when Mergent, Inc. acquired Moody's(TM) Financial Information Services division in 1998.

Surge's listing will aid in opening the company up to a much broader investment base. However, it is recommended that brokers confirm with their compliance/legal department concerning "Blue Sky" laws in specific states and other regulatory laws that might affect them.

About Mergent, Inc.

For over 100 years, Mergent, Inc. has been a leading provider of business and financial data on global publicly listed companies. Based in the U.S, Mergent maintains a strong global presence, with offices in New York, Charlotte, San Diego, London, Tokyo, Kuching and Melbourne. Mergent operates one the longest continuously databases of descriptive and fundamental information as well as pricing and corporate action data on domestic and international companies, together with terms and conditions data on corporate and municipal bonds. Mergent subsidiaries provide services in independent equity research and administration tools for portfolio building and measurement.

About Surge Exploration Inc. https://surgeexploration.com/

The Company is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company which has been active in the resource sector in British Columbia and elsewhere in Canada. The Company has an exploration office in Santiago, Chile to review mineral exploration opportunities in Chile and elsewhere in South America.

Cobalt Ontario Properties

The Company has an option to earn an undivided 60% interest in the Glencore Bucke Property and the Teledyne Property, located in Cobalt Ontario.

Atacama Cobalto Project:

The Atacama Cobalto Project is located in the Atacama Province in northern Chile, 15 km northwest of the town of Copiapo, where mining is the largest economic activity, and the mining industry is one of the region's major employers. The Atacama Cobalto Project consists of 1,059 hectares and is located only 3 km East of the Cerro Iman Mine. To date, CAP Mineria has drilled over 20,250 m on the Atacama Coblato Project. The option on this project is subject to TSXV approval.

Hedge Hog Property, British Columbia

The Company has an option to earn an undivided 60% interest seven mineral tenure covering 2,418 hectares (5,972 acres) located approximately 80 km northeast of the town of Quesnel, BC and 20 km north of the historic gold mining towns of Wells and Barkerville.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim Fernback"

Tim Fernback

President & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements.
A Copenhagen appeals court on Friday ruled that a 51-year-old Dane of Rwandan origin can be extradited to Rwanda where he is accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide.

The appeals court upheld a lower court ruling from April.

Authorities in Rwanda have accused the man, whose identity was not disclosed, of participating in the killing of some 2,000 people who had sought refuge in a church and a university in Mutende.

Witnesses have described how the accused walked around the church with his dog looking for Tutsis.

He is accused of killing an elderly woman and an infant, as well as three youths at a roadblock.

The man has denied the allegations and argued that Rwandan authorities have confused him with someone else.

The man left Rwanda in 1997 before arriving in Denmark in 2001. He was granted residency in 2002 and became a Danish citizen in 2014.

Danish police were tipped off about the man, who now has four children in Denmark, more than a decade ago, according to Danish news agency Ritzau.

Danish investigators travelled to Rwanda and interrogated more than 30 witnesses in their probe.

After investigating the case and corresponding with Rwandan authorities for several years, the man was arrested in May 2017.

The 1994 genocide in Rwanda saw 800,000 people, mainly minority Tutsis, slaughtered by the military and Hutu militias.
The International Criminal Court will not open a formal investigation into claims of post-election violence following the disputed 2016 presidential election, an ICC prosecutor said Friday.

There is no reasonable basis to believe that the acts allegedly committed in Gabon in the context of the 2016 post-election violence amounted to crimes against humanity that the court is mandated to investigate and prosecute, Fatou Bensouda said in a statement.

The legal requirements for opening an investigation into the situation in the Gabonese Republic (Gabon) have not been satisfied, the statement concluded.

The reelection of President Ali Bongo in August 2016, by just a few thousand votes, led opposition leader Jean Ping to accuse the administration of electoral fraud.

Violence broke out days after the vote, and opposition figures say that more than 50 people were killed in the ensuing clashes. The official toll was only three dead.

Ping and 15 non-governmental organisations had complained about the violence and Bensoudas office carried out a preliminary examination into the accusations.

The prosecutor said Friday that the courts decision by no means diminishes the seriousness of the violent acts and human rights violations that appear to have occurred in Gabon in the course of the post-election crisis.

Gabonese legislative elections are scheduled in October.

burs-wai-smt/dcr
The brick-red buildings on campus are usually alive and buzzing, but tonight they are muted and sleepy as you jog out of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The whole campus is hibernating. The rattle of a lone scooter can be heard in the distance. Spanish moss sways in the late-night breeze. Its not nearly as hot as during the day, which is why you like to run the stadium steps in the dark like some sort of small Saharan mammal avoiding the midday sun. Your quads burn. But after all that exercise, you need nourishment. Across the street from you, fluorescent lights shine like a beacon through the foggy windows of Gator Corner Dining Center. Condensation from the humid air frosts the glass, obscuring the inside. It seems oddly empty.

You are drawn like a moth to the promise of a sandwich and make your way across the intersection. As you cross, your mind dreams of what lies inside: endless bowls of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, a buffet of ice cream, cookies, salads, and granola. A mix of guilty pleasures and healthy food. But as you approach the front doors, there are no exiting stragglers. You pull at the door but the stiff metal doesnt budge. Your fantasies crash and burn. You are too late. As the mental image of a sandwich fades, an old familiar ache replaces it. Only one thought crosses your mind:

Darts & Laurels

We wish there was a bigger story in the national headlines this week. Desperately. For everyone involved. But the confirmation hearings of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh are hogging the spotlight, so well address them first. Kavanaugh stands accused of sexual assault by Christine Blasey Ford, who said that Kavanaugh assaulted her during high school in the 1980s. This story is too big, and the magnitude of the accusations too heavy for us to do it justice by joking about it.

A laurel to every person, woman or man, who has stood up to sexual assault. Report it. Tell someone. Even if it is thirty years later, and the person who did it is about to take a seat on the nations highest court. We believe in you. You can do this.

On to more uplifting news: Tom Pettys daughter, Adria Petty, and wife, Dana York, have made a new Tom Petty album possible. An American Legend will be released next Friday. It includes a host of unreleased material and alternate versions of songs. Many laurels seem to be merited here, so we award a laurel each to: Adria Petty, Dana York and the bandmates who helped make it possible, including Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench along with studio collaborator Ryan Ulyate.

On an unrelated but very important note, a laurel to Tom Petty for making Wildflowers, which is known as the best album to ever grace the ears of man, woman or child. If you havent listened to it, you need to. Right now. Stop reading this editorial and do it. Seriously. A dart to you if you dont.

The most important story this week didnt make many headlines, however, and it concerns Floridas most beloved grocer. You may be familiar with their slogan: Where purchasing is a hedonic exercise in self-indulgence. (Its Publix, guys.) Were going to take that literally as we gorge on pub subs, all of which are on sale until Wednesday. Thats $5.99 for a bread boat overstocked with crispy chicken tender passengers.

A savory, crunchy, salty laurel to Publix chicken tenders. A second laurel to whoever came up with this idea; youve made Publix millions. A third laurel to those watching faithfully for the sale, guardians of appetite and value, who alert the world and herald deliciousness with the announcement. We thank you.

To those who have the audacity, the shamelessness, the chutzpah to walk into a Publix and order anything but a chicken tender sub, a sad and lonely dart to you.

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This Summer and Fall I have received and responded to numerous emails, letters, messages and videos, and had meetings with students and others surrounding commencement.

Most people have said they support UFs commencement ceremonies in the OConnell Center and are concerned about future changes in the format and venue. An online petition affirms these sentiments.

After the appalling events surrounding the Saturday afternoon commencement in May, I announced UF would re-conceptualize commencement broadly, and that we were seeking input from the community, in addition to creating a Presidents Commencement Task Force. I also decided to begin immediate implementation of important changes in preparation for upcoming graduations. We have further committed to evaluating graduations over the next several years, listening to the community and to being open to and considering changes.

I have had the privilege of presiding over 64 graduation ceremonies since starting as UF president in January 2015. The ceremonies have been in the OConnell Center, the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aka The Swamp. For most, I have also given the commencement address.

We have several traditions that I particularly appreciate.

First, UF is one of the few universities in the prestigious Association of American Universities which has graduation ceremonies three times a year (August, December and late April or early May). In addition to UF, of the 34 AAU public universities, only four have graduation ceremonies three times a year. Most importantly, UF always provides an opportunity for every student to be individually recognized.

We are committed to continuing these cherished long-time traditions.

Although hundreds of faculty and staff work hard to make every ceremony exceptional, there are several areas in which our ceremonies are lacking.

I have been disappointed since my first ceremony in May 2015 that UF does not provide an opportunity for the entire graduating class to gather together.

One of our most valued attributes is that we are one of the nations most comprehensive universities with a wide variety of colleges. Instead of joyously celebrating together, we spread degree candidates from multiple colleges over multiple ceremonies. In May, I presided over 10 ceremonies in the OConnell Center  three each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and one on Monday.

I have also been disappointed in how rushed our ceremonies are. This results from trying to bring together all the expected formalities of graduation with individual recognition of each graduate. Ceremonies in the OConnell Center need to be confined to two hours when three ceremonies are scheduled per day. Thus, we are constantly pressed for time and everyone is rushed, including speakers, musicians and graduates.

By adding a new all-university ceremony and keeping the individual recognition tradition, we will create a new opportunity for our entire campus to celebrate together in The Swamp and enhance individual recognition ceremonies.

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Our new model mirrors how most AAU universities celebrate graduation, including the current top five public universities  the University of Michigan; University of California, Berkeley; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; the University of Virginia and UCLA.

Most of the input I have received asks for students to be individually recognized in the OConnell Center. We will work to schedule the OConnell Center for as many student recognition ceremonies as possible. In fact, 75 percent of those graduating in December will be individually recognized there, with the remainder in more intimate settings.

Although some students will have their recognition ceremonies on Friday or Sunday, we will maximize the number who can attend the all-university ceremony and their individual recognition ceremony on Saturday. This will reduce the need for family members and guests to stay overnight.

We are committed to constantly evaluating and improving our graduation ceremonies. The Presidents Commencement Task Force will have an important impact on the individual recognition ceremonies, which are currently being planned as well as our all-university ceremony.

I look forward to UF celebrating every graduating student with their guests, families, faculty and classmates in the college ceremonies. I also look forward to seeing all our graduating students process into The Swamp led by their colleges dean, hearing the UF School of Music choir and band perform for the first time in many years and listening to distinguished speakers at graduation.

I expect a new commencement tradition will begin when graduates sing, for the last time as students in The Swamp, Tom Pettys I Wont Back Down.

Kent Fuchs is the UF president. His column appears monthly.
If you ever are unfortunate enough to be my friend on Facebook, you will often see me livestreaming Senate meetings Tuesday nights. Its been a responsibility Ive kept up with for the past couple months. It led up to last Tuesday night, when I went up in public debate and, via limerick, presented Student Government with an iPhone, so they cant say they dont have equipment for future livestreaming endeavors.

Livestreaming SG meetings isnt revolutionary. Its an established practice, and I believe its great for transparency and accessibility. Livestreaming SG meetings isnt particularly difficult either, but SG has a special talent for making easy things difficult (and not always due to incompetence).

The Senate passed a bill to mandate livestreaming back in January, but to make it palatable to the powers that be, we included a provision that stated the bill would only take effect once a majority of the Senates Information and Communication Committee voted to make it a reality. Dreams do come true.

Our Senate doesnt have any equipment for livestreaming, and the equipment used needs to be SG owned. Ive heard a lot of talk from secondhand sources about the committee not having any money to buy things with, which is pretty sad since one of the few things SG is actually good at is buying things and calling them accomplishments.

While we waited with the half-hearted hope that our prestigious servant-leaders on the committee would straighten things out, a group of Senators including myself started livestreaming meetings ourselves. Responsibility for livestreaming meetings eventually fell to me since I had prior experience, equipment and a lot of Facebook friends. I was initially terrified that my constant Facebook postings would diminish my social clout, but I would do anything for transparency, so I selflessly took the burden upon my swole shoulders.

But as the weeks passed by, I grew impatient. Is it really that hard to get equipment? Probably not, but I had a feeling no one really wanted to put forth the money toward our initiative, which is why it felt like it was stuck in the mud.

So, I did what any reasonable person would do and ordered a tripod and phone mount from Amazon with my own money. I presented it in front of the Senate and let them know they could have it whenever they wanted.

Of course that didnt really help since SG didnt have anything to livestream with, but at least it was a start. We joked around about donating an old iPad or even buying SG an iPhone to go with the set up. It was a joke of an idea until the day I saw a good deal for an iPhone zip into my inbox. It was a sexy refurbished iPhone SE (a 2016 model) and it was only 20 bucks. Normally, thats the kind of deal that lands you with an iPhone box filled with rocks since its actually a scam, but the vendor was Walmart, where shopping is more or less a pleasure, so I just had to indulge myself.

When the iPhone arrived, I was faced with the question of what I would do at Senate. Do I just go up there, say Hey, my dudes, I got yall an iPhone? Nah, thats boring. Now Im sure none of you would have guessed, but I really slayed the high school literary fair back in the day. Thus, I decided to write a limerick:

Livestreaming meetings, Ive been doing alone/Apparently equipment, Student Government doesnt own/Months ago, for livestreaming, we passed the legislation/But its clearly apparent that we need a donation/Dear Student Government, I bought you an iPhone.

This isnt actually the first time Ive opened my wallet for a SG project since apparently were pretty broke (not really). But hey, at least SG will always have this old man (me) out here willing to buy it nice things like an iPhone.

Zachariah Chou is a UF political science junior and Murphree Area Senator. His column focuses on Student Government.

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Brand new at Liberty High School this year, a cheerleading team is combining talents with students of all abilities calling themselves the Sparkles.

School officials say they wanted a way for students with all types of abilities to interact with each other and learn from each other.

The Sparkles are made of a team of 16 students.

But what sets them apart from any ordinary cheerleading team is that their members are both students with and without disabilities.

Mckenna Schroeder, a team captain, came up with the idea last year to bring the Sparkles to the high school.

Schroeder says the students are excited because they get to practice, hang out with their partners and learn some new moves.

"For me, I learned that it doesn't matter what you are. You can do anything really because some of the even Gen Ed kids can't do a forward roll. They're learning with their partner so it's super cool to see that," says Schroeder.

Jamie Shults, a parent whose 15-year-old is in the program, says it has helped his daughter Madison with her disability and he hopes it'll help other students too.

"With these kinds of programs, it integrates them in a way that probably one of the biggest things you have with kids that are special. Is how do you get them integrated into society after school? And these opportunities like this really afford that. So when they get out into the real world it makes life more social and more acceptable like that," says Shults.

Shults says he would like to see more schools in the area consider adding a Sparkle team to their high school.

The Sparkle Effect is a non-profit started in 2008 by a 15-year-old Iowan to help high schools and universities be more inclusive.

Each team that participates gets a $2,000 grant to help buy uniforms.

Liberty High School is the 212th team in the Sparkle Effect.. but they still need help getting uniforms.

The school is still $600 short of getting all their uniforms.

If you would like to help, you can e-mail uber.lillian@iowacityschools.org
Bowalley Road Rules



The blogosphere tends to be a very noisy, and all-too-often a very abusive, place. I intend Bowalley Road to be a much quieter, and certainly a more respectful, place.

So, if you wish your comments to survive the moderation process, you will have to follow the Bowalley Road Rules.

These are based on two very simple principles:

Courtesy and Respect.

Comments which are defamatory, vituperative, snide or hurtful will be removed, and the commentators responsible permanently banned.

Anonymous comments will not be published. Real names are preferred. If this is not possible, however, commentators are asked to use a consistent pseudonym.

Comments which are thoughtful, witty, creative and stimulating will be most welcome, becoming a permanent part of the Bowalley Road discourse.

However, I do add this warning. If the blog seems in danger of being over-run by the usual far-Right suspects, I reserve the right to simply disable the Comments function, and will keep it that way until the perpetrators find somewhere more appropriate to vent their collective spleen.


When I think of pizza, I usually picture a traditional Neapolitan, an authentic Italian entree made with tomato and fresh mozzarella. However, third-generation pizza maker Jonathan Jon Mora challenged everything I thought I knew about what can and cant go on pies. This causal hole-in-the-wall pizzeria is where Mora is constantly creating new pizza dishes with unique ingredients. If youre in the mood to try something new, check out Mora NY Pizza, at 1220 W. University Ave.

Mora, who has been crafting vegan and non-vegan pizzas for 14 years, describes his restaurant as an edgy New York-style pizzeria that thinks outside the pizza box, providing an imaginative dining experience that connects local creatives.

Mora learned his special dough-making recipe from his grandfather, who at one point owned 40 pizzerias in the northeastern region of New York. This crisp, chewy yet thin crust can make pizza lovers, like myself, question why pizza crust is so underrated. Currently, Mora Pizza serves homemade vegan and non-vegan pizzas, calzones, strombolis, salads and pasta dishes (a recent addition).

The menu is constantly changing, since all products are made from scratch, and top-quality ingredients are brought in from local vendors or distributors.

I take the same approach as a painter, the dough is my canvas, Mora said. I incorporate textures, colors, different cultures, and I dont have like a weekly menu of each item. Its just whatever inspires me that morning when I wake up.

The vegan pizza options are a huge hit. Among them, the Buffalo, Baked Ziti and Bens Burger are the most popular options with customers. Personally, Im a veggie fanatic and always go for the Vegd Out, a light vegan pizza containing spinach, mushroom, onion, tomato and my guilty pleasure: olives.

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Mora Pizza opened May 5, and ever since, business is skyrocketing. The Gainesville community has exhibited unwavering support, according to Mora.

Busy nights can be hectic, especially since Mora and his operations manager are the only ones that actually produce the pizzas, so the wait time varies depending on the crowd. However, most customers are happy to wait for Moras one-of-a-kind pizza.

I was a little backed up one night, only working with one pizza oven I had, and I was worried about this customer because I thought maybe she would be mad, Mora said. After I finished making her food, I brought it to her and apologized. I said sorry for the wait and she just got so emotional, there was such an emotional response she actually started to cry and she said she has been waiting her whole life for a vegan pizza like this. And to me that was very satisfying.

Mora is vegan himself and intentionally hires only a vegan staff for his restaurant because he wants to emphasize the importance of care that goes into his products.

Mora added that there are plans to expand with another location where he will be serving pizza by the slice off University Avenue and Main Street. Also, he wants to open another food truck in Gainesville to work with local breweries, upcoming events and farmers markets.

Before moving to Gainesville, Mora operated a food truck business in Fort Myers, Florida, for two years.He said he is used to connecting and networking events with his food truck and wants to incorporate that with Mora Pizza.

Mora is currently looking for local artists that want to showcase their artwork at his restaurant.

Im very open to anyone who wants to submit their art. It doesnt necessarily have to be pizza-related but I do appreciate the creativity of the artists work they are providing, Mora said.

Daily specials can be found on Mora Pizzas Instagram page @mora_pizza.

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo With Garlic Knot Crust
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A guest column by the American Medical Association, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

Since the 1970s, women have been carving out an increasingly large role in medicine, and the profession is becoming more representative of our society. September is Women in Medicine Month, a great time to acknowledge the changing face of medicine, but also to note that female physicians are not immune from the challenges that face women in every other workplace across the country.

Today, fully half of all U.S. medical school students  and graduates  are women. And those students are receiving instruction from women more often than ever before. Nearly 40 percent of the faculty posts at the nations medical schools are held by women, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Yet the incomes of female physicians, both in practice and in academia, trail those of their male peers by a sizable and widening gap. A 2017 survey of some 65,000 physicians across 40 specialties by Doximity, the nations largest medical social network, showed female physicians earned an average of 27.7 percent less than their male peers.

And its important to note that lower compensation for female physicians persisted even after adjustments were made for differences in age, areas of specialization, faculty rank, productivity measures, and other factors.

The American Medical Association is firmly committed to all physicians lifelong learning and serves as an ally for both patients and the profession. We not only support reducing gender bias in pay, weve taken concrete action to do so. In June, the AMAs House of Delegates agreed to push for pay structures based on objective, gender-neutral criteria, while simultaneously promoting greater transparency in compensation processes and mitigating implicit bias. Further, the AMA has reaffirmed its commitment to equal pay for equal work within its own workforce through routine salary assessments and other steps.

Even so, eliminating the outdated, paternalistic attitudes that persist both within medicine and across society will take much more than advocacy. Many of us will need to drastically readjust our thinking, if not our entire worldview.

Consider the case of Texas internist, who in the September issue of the Dallas Medical Journal said he believes female physicians earn less because they do not work as hard and do not see as many patients as male physicians. Instead, he said, women doctors prioritize something else  family, social, whatever.

This perspective was roundly  and rightly  criticized by many women and men both inside and outside of medicine. However, judging by the fact that some people have come to his defense, outdated attitudes persist in some quarters.

Earlier this month, the AMA hosted a forum for women in leadership in medicine. There, I heard many ideas, concerns, and stories. My takeaway? Physicians must work together to alter the norms and must call on our colleagues and our profession to honor our training, our credentials and our licenses, for which we all paid the same price. We all earned the same title through a rigorous and universal standard. That same standard should be applied to opportunities and to compensation.

Within the medical field, we must also check our own biases where appropriate, and speak out against attitudes that hold women back in medicine, in business and in life. The face of medicine is changing, so lets lead this change ethically. We all must be agents for this change.

Barbara McAneny is president, American Medical Association.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Over one million viewers have tuned into a French TV series which features a well known Kilkenny druid in her home at Threecastles.

TV presenter, Philippe Gougler and a camera crew travelled to the mystical location, just a few miles outside Kilkenny City, where they filmed part of the celebration of the Bealtaine festival and interviewed Eimear, who is a druid.

The programme was an episode in the series 'Des Trains Pas Comme Les Autres', which translates to 'Trains Like No Others'. The popular series involves Mr Gougler travelling by train in a country and meeting some interesting characters who give a flavour on a somewhat alternative way of life.

Local producer, Nadege Dumont, who lives in Kilkenny, explained how Mr Gougler asked Eimear about her chosen way of life.

"They met in the forest close to her home and she speaks about druidism and the significance and importance of trees and she talks about the trees in Jenkinstown and the ritual of preparing fires in druidism," she said.

Eimear and others attend celebrations at Threecastles to mark the eight seasonal festivals which are part of the Druidic wheel of the year. Each celebration is important in itself, and has its own meaning, but the real importance is in following the cycle of the year, making a connection between the land and our lives, continuing and deepening that connection as the wheel turns and time passes.

For more see www.kilkennydruidry.com
Posted on: September 21, 2018 12:45 PM

An ecumenical consultation on the dignity and rights of children in Asia has spoken of the need for churches to work together to tackle sexual exploitation of children. After a five-day meeting this week in Jakarta, participants issued a communique warning that sexual exploitation, including child prostitution and child pornography was rife in countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Philippines, and Indonesia. They say that these countries have become a safe haven for paedophiles to avoid easy detection of their activities. Thy are calling for an ecumenical regional network to uphold and protect the dignity and rights of children.

The consultation was hosted by the Gereja Protestan di Indonesia Bagian Barat  the Protestant Church of Western Indonesia  on behalf of the Christian Council of Asia (CCA) and included social workers, inter-governmental organisations and civil society groups in addition to Church leaders. In their communique, the participants urged churches in the region engage in tactical action with governments, civil society organisations and faith-based networks to tackle issues including sexual exploitation, the juvenile justice system, sexuality, and drug abuse.

They also addressed issues within Churches, saying that they should develop training on child protection; and they encouraged churches to develop child-friendly rights-based programmes in local congregations.

They said: the issues raised during the deliberations of the consultation included challenges to child protection in a digitalised world; children in conflict situations; situations of child labour; implementation of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and subsequent guidelines in Asia today; ending violence against children; early childhood development; and trafficking and sexual exploitation of children in Asia.

Millions of children continue to be victims of the most egregious forms of exploitations such as violence, abuse and neglect. Poverty, sexual exploitation, sale and trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, pornography and forced labour have become serious concerns in several Asian countries. Impoverished children who are forced to live in vulnerable situations continue to face many inhuman and degrading experiences.

Ethnic, religious, political and communal conflicts affect millions of Asian children. The impacts of digitalisation in all walks of life affect children negatively despite the many positive gains of technological advancements. Access to basic education, health care and essential factors needed to nurture and develop the talents of the future generation are limited in many situations.

Those taking part in the consultation say that ensuring the dignity and rights of children is something that Churches should do together. We shared during workshop sessions about finding ways to build coalitions and networks for effective advocacy on upholding and protecting childrens rights and dignity, the communique said. The current situation in Asia identified common issues and also possible actions to address various contexts. In this situation, it is our firm conviction that sharing of experiences and resources as well as collaboration on addressing emerging issues help churches in Asia to work together for the dignity and rights of children.

In response to the communique, General Secretary of the CCA, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, said that he would explore possible options to facilitate an Asia Advocacy Network on Dignity and Rights of Children, as called for by the consultation. The proposal and suggestion that emerged from the participants reflect the successful outcome of the consultation and the efforts of CCA to sensitise the churches to motivate them in taking their engagements in child rights advocacy more seriously, he said.
Living Gospel Equality Now: Loving in the Heart of God: Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
Posted on: September 21, 2018 3:14 PM

The Anglican / Episcopal Archbishop in Jerusalem, Suheil Dawani, has appointed a US-priest as his chaplain and a British priest as Dean of St Georges College. Centred on the City of Jerusalem, the diocese attracts thousands of visitors each year as it is home to the birthplace of Christianity. It also serves Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Syria and Lebanon. Dr Donald Binder, currently Rector of Historic Pohick Church near Mount Vernon in Virginia, will become Archbishop Suheils new chaplain; while the Revd Richard Sewell, currently Rector of the Barnes Team Ministry in South West London, will become Dean of St Georges College. Both will begin their appointments in October.

Dr Binder has spent 30 years in ordained ministry since graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1989. He earned his doctorate in New Testament Studies from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

He is no stranger to the Holy Land, having studied at St Georges College, in the Cathedral precincts, in 1988; and having served as Scholar-in-Residence of Jerusalems Tantur Ecumenical Institute. He has also been part of the University of South Floridas excavations at Sepphoris in Galilee  said to be the birthplace of Mary, mother of Jesus. He and his wife, Christine, have three grown-up children.

Having enjoyed a 30-year relationship with St Georges and the Diocese of Jerusalem, I am thrilled at this opportunity to serve the Archbishop as his Chaplain over these next three years, he said. My wife and I look forward to becoming part of the St Georges Community and to helping the Archbishop advance his ministry of reconciliation, faithfulness to the Gospel, and the welcoming of pilgrims to the land where our Lord Jesus Christ himself once served and offered his life for the redemption of the world.

Richard Sewell worked for the Anglican mission agency USPG as a mission educator with additional responsibilities for USPGs relationship with the Churches in Pakistan and Bangladesh before studying theology at the University of Birmingham; before ministerial training at the South East Institute for Theological Education (SEITE), which is now known as St Augustines College. He has served his entire ordained ministry within the Diocese of Southwark.

He is married to JulieAnn and the couple have two grown-up students. I am so excited and feel very privileged to have been selected as the new Dean of St Georges College, he said. This role brings together a lifetimes interests and commitments in ministry and beyond. I am delighted to be able to join the staff team of the College and the Cathedral and to lead the College into what I pray will be a very positive future.
Posted on: September 21, 2018 2:35 PM

Leaders from Anglican Churches in east Asia have expressed repentance for not playing a proper role in the Korean conflict. The comment was made in a communique issued at the end of this years meeting of the Council of the Church in East Asia (CCEA)  which brings together Anglican provinces from South East Asia, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Taiwan  a diocese of the US-based Episcopal Church  together with the Anglican Church of Australia and the Philippine Independent Church. They had met at the Ganghwa Peace Observatory, which sits on the de-facto border between North and South Korea.

First, we repent that the Church did not play a proper role, Archbishop Moon Hing, the Bishop of West Malaysia, Primate of South East Asia and Chair of the CCEA, said. Despite having a mission to serve as a peacemaker for peace, we confess that we sometimes have defended them on the side of the people at one end of the division and we humbly repent it.

The Archbishop said in the communique that we eagerly await Gods will for the peace settlement of the Korean peninsula, and at the same time, appeal to South and North Korean leaders and people and leaders of countries around the Korean Peninsula including the United States, Japan, and stand on the very place of division for the peaceful settlement of the Korean peninsula.

He said: We do not support any ideological bias, but as an apostle of Jesus in the twenty-first century, as the ambassador of God, who has been charged with promoting reconciliation and peace amongst the conflicting ones. Peace is a universal value that humanity should share. To expect the co-prosperity of humankind without peace is delusional and false.

In many parts of the world today, many people are suffering from war, terror and violence, conflicts amongst ethnic and religious groups, environmental destruction and global warming, the collapse of morality, economic inequality, child and women abuse and discrimination, fetishism. Because of these many people are suffering and refugees are floating everywhere.

He continued: We must now create a new history of true peace. Beyond the border, we must learn to live together beyond language differences. Internationally, resources and assets must be shared. Justice, peace, tolerance and reconciliation must be done. We must strengthen the international network and realise the value of coexistence and symbiosis in solidarity.

South Koreas President Moon Jae-in (right) and North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un shake hands during a press conference at the April 2018 Inter-Korean Summit at Panmunjom. The summit was welcomed by east Asian Anglican leaders, who expressed hope that it will open a new path towards peace.

Photo: Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps

I sincerely hope that the recent summit between the two Koreas and summit between the United States and North Korea will open a new path toward peace. We also appreciate the fact that neighbouring countries such as China, Japan, and Russia are supporting the peace on the Korean Peninsula.

It is our hope that these efforts will cooperate and make good a complete denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula, and eventually a peaceful reunification will be completed.

He expressed hope that peace of the Korean peninsula will become the foundation for peace in East Asia and the world.
New Delhi, Sep 21: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will embark on a four-day visit to India from October 1 at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during which he will attend a series of events on renewable energy and sanitation, it was announced on Friday. According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Guterres and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the joint inaugural ceremony of the first General Assembly of the India-initiated International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Second Global Re-Invest Conference and the Second Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association of States (IORA) member countries on October 2 here. The UN chief will also be participating in the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention the same day which will mark the launch of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations as well as the fourth anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission. UN Chief Antonio Guterres 'Concerned' Over Deaths of Two Indian Journalists.

The inauguration of the ISA General Assembly will be followed by the ministerial level assembly the following day. Launched by Prime Minister Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the Paris climate summit in 2015, ISA was conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs and provide a platform to collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach.

It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and till date, 68 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement. Being organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the Second Global Re-Invest Conference will build upon the success of Re-Invest 2015 and provide an international forum to established players as well as new segments of investors and entrepreneurs to engage, ideate and innovate and explore strategies for development and deployment of renewable energy sources. Citing Kerala Floods, UN Chief Antonio Guterres Says Existential Threat of Climate Change Nears Point of No Return.

The Second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting is expected to provide a platform for discussion on energy needs within the region, identification of hurdles in cooperation and coordination among concerned agencies and potential avenues of collaboration. The IORA is an international organisation consisting of 21 coastal states, including India, bordering the Indian Ocean.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2018 03:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Islamabad, Sep 21: There was no "deal" between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the release of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a top court suspended their sentences in a corruption case, a senior Pakistani minister has asserted.

The Islamabad High Court Wednesday suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi. "No country asked for his release. Nawaz Sharif is not so important for Saudi Arabia that they will talk about him," Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said, rejecting the impression that the three-time former premier and his family members were released from jail under a "deal" between the Imran Khan-led government and Riyadh. Nawaz Sharif And His Daughter Maryam Nawaz's Jail Term Suspended By Islamabad High Court.

The Islamabad High Court's verdict, ordering the release of the trio coincided with Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia, giving rise to speculation that the Sharif family members' release was a result of the Saudis' request, the Dawn newspaper reported. But the report recalled that Saudi Arabia was a guarantor in a deal between the Sharif family and then military dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 2000 under which the Sharifs were released from jail and allowed to leave the country.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and whenever a leader wins an election in Pakistan, the first visit is always to the Gulf nation. Nawaz Sharif never came under discussion during Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia where he had meetings with the oil-rich kingdom's rulers, Chaudhry said.

"He is not that important to be discussed during that visit," he claimed.

"Those who say that Saudi Arabia would have talked [about Sharif during Prime Minister Khan's visit] actually don't know what kind of relationship the Saudis have with Nawaz Sharif," the minister said Thursday without elaborating. NAB Challenges Transfer of Pending Cases Against Nawaz Sharif Family.

"There will be no deal and no dheel (concession) with them (the Sharifs)," Chaudhry declared, adding that soon "they will be back to the place where they had been a few days back".

On July 6, an accountability court in Islamabad sentenced Sharif, Maryam and Safdar, to 10 years, seven years and one year in jail, respectively, in connection with the purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

"Nawaz Sharif will be in and out of jail. This thing will continue," he said, adding that the Sharifs had only been granted bail and the case was still pending against them.

"Those who were questioning the government for putting the names of the Sharifs on the Exit Control List (ECL) would have got the answer now. "Had we not done so, they could have flown to London soon after their release, and where would we have looked for these princes then?" the minister said, justifying the decision of the Cabinet to place the names of the Sharifs on the ECL during its first meeting last month. Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Sent Back to Jail After End of Parole.

"We will not allow Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to leave Pakistan and at the same time we will not allow (former finance minister) Ishaq Dar, and Hassan and Hussain (the two sons of Sharif) to stay out of Pakistan," he said.

Chaudhry said that for them it was not important that how much time the Sharifs would spend in jail, as for the government bringing back the looted money of the people of this country was more important.

Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal. The Avenfield case was among the three corruption cases filed against the ex-premier by the National Accountability Bureau on the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case.
Geneva, September 21: Political activists from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) held a protest today in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council against human rights violations and exploitation of water resources by Pakistan. The protestors also demanded Pakistan to dismantle terror infrastructure in PoK.

Similar protests took place on September 11 against exploitation of natural resources by Islamabad. In Muzaffarabad, the residents hit the streets to demand Pakistan to stop diverting the waters of the Neelum River to Punjab province. Pakistan is depriving the people of Muzaffarabad of their water lifeline -Neelum River - through an elaborate scheme, which has changed the flow of the freshwater from the mountains to Punjab province and in the process drying up the River even in the middle of the monsoon season.

Geneva: Political activists from Pakistan occupied Kashmir held a protest today in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council against human rights violations & exploitation of water resources by Pakistan; also demanded Pakistan to dismantle terror infrastructure in PoK pic.twitter.com/siBsPVqTuz  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

On August 28, Dozens of people were severely injured in Kotli town of PoK after police baton-charged demonstrators who were carrying out a peaceful rally. The demonstrators were demanding their due share of rights, which they have been deprived of under Islamabad's more than seven-decade misrule in the region. Police also lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the huge number of protesters

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2018 06:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Hanoi, September 21: Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang died today at the age of 61 due to illness from which he was suffering. According to a Reuters report, Quang died in a military hospital in Hanoi from a "serious illness despite efforts by domestic and international doctors and professors," Vietnam Television. Vietnam Backs India's Permanent Membership in UNSC.

Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is officially led by the president, prime minister and Communist Party chief. Reportedly, the presidency is largely ceremonial. Quang was appointed to the role in April 2016. He belonged from a small farming community 115 km (70 miles) south of Hanoi.

President Tran Dai Quang in March said that Vietnam supports India's active participation in regional linkages and cooperation mechanisms, including Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2018 11:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Authorities are looking for an alleged heroin dealer accused of attacking a man.

Catrina Middleton, 37, whose last known address was Lehighton, is wanted in two cases.

The first was a controlled drug buy on Aug. 16 in Easton. Police said a confidential informant bought heroin from Catrina Middleton near Seventh and Ferry streets.

The second incident was Sept. 13.

Pennsylvania State Police said they were called to a home in the 1800 block of South Delaware Drive in Williams Township.

A man reported he let Middleton borrow his car on the day before, and he had seen Middleton return the car at about 3 a.m. Sept. 13. The man told troopers he saw Middleton get out of the car with a bottle of alcohol in her hand.

The victim said when he took the keys out of the ignition, Middleton hit him in the right temple with the glass bottle. Troopers reported seeing a raised bruise on the side of the man's face.

The victim said the pair began arguing, and went into an RV on his property. There, Middleton allegedly threatened the man with a meat fork, and he said he left because he feared for his life.

When the man returned at 5 a.m., he found three of the tires on his vehicle were slashed, state police said.

The man only knew the woman as "Catrina," but state police said his description matched that of Middleton. The victim was shown a photo of Middleton and he said he was "100 percent sure" that was the woman who attacked him.

Middleton is charged in the first case with possession with intent to deliver heroin and criminal use of a cellphone. In the second case, she faces charges of simple assault, criminal mischief, harassment and driving with a suspended license.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Easton Opioid Awareness Task Force will show a movie about a high school specifically created for young people who are addicted to drugs.

The screening of "Generation Found" will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at Easton Area High School, 2601 William Penn Highway, Palmer Township. A panel discussion will follow the screening.

"The death rate in America is climbing way too fast. Over 72,000 Americans died last year due to drug overdoses. A recovery high school is one of the solutions," said the news release issued by Bill Walters, president of the Kiwanis Club of Easton.

The Diocese of Allentown will open the nation's first faith-based high school for students in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction next fall.

Resources for recovery for those addicted to drugs and alcohol are primarily focused on adults, not young people, the news release says.

Teachers and educators can get continuing education credits for attending. The press release recommends that they check with their school administration to register.
The Pennsylvania man accused of threatening President Donald Trump and Northampton County's district attorney was captured Friday after a three-month manhunt, the U.S. Marshals Service announced.

Shawn Richard Christy was arrested about 4:45 p.m. in Mifflin Township, Richland County, in northern Ohio, by U.S. Marshals and its task force partners from northern Ohio and eastern Pennsylvania, the Marshals Service said.

Local, state and federal authorities had been looking for Christy since June.

Christy, 27, is a native of Maple Shade, New Jersey, and was living in McAdoo, Schuylkill County.

The search for him moved to Ohio this week, after authorities believe a truck he stole in Pennsylvania was found crashed on an Ohio state highway.

Authorities on Friday found Christy hiding between large rocks in a stream bed and say he was arrested with a knife and a .380-caliber handgun, according to a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service.

Nearly 100 local law enforcement officers were searching the Mansfield, Ohio, area since Sept. 17. Authorities believe Christy stole a pickup in the early morning hours of Sept. 16 from Skitco Iron Works in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, and that he crashed the stolen vehicle near the Interstate 71 and Ohio Route 13 interchange near Mansfield that night and was on foot in the region.

Christy was taken to a local hospital for examination and will be held in custody in a local facility, pending his extradition back to Pennsylvania, the Marshals Service said.

"We are most pleased that this case is resolved with Mr. Christy safely in custody and headed back to Pennsylvania to face justice," U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio Pete Elliott said in a statement. "While he may have exhibited a strong determination to avoid capture, I hope he now understands that U.S. Marshals fugitive task forces are resolute and will not stop until they get their man."

U.S. Marshal for the District of Eastern Pennsylvania David B. Webb stated: "On behalf of the District of Eastern Pennsylvania, I want to thank our federal, state and local law enforcement partners who worked so diligently to bring this fugitive case to a successful close. This case represents the true definition of teamwork and dedication to the pursuit of justice. And we want to expressly thank those in the community who have shown such tremendous support of our efforts to bring Mr. Christy in safely."

Christy was wanted for burglary, probation violation and failure to appear for an aggravated assault case, authorities said last month, and had threatened to use "full lethal force on any law enforcement officer that tries to detain me."

He was also wanted on a federal warrant issued June 19 for Facebook threats to John Morganelli, the Northampton County district attorney, saying: "Keep it up Morganelli, 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 U.S. Marshals Service said.

Morganelli's office prosecuted Christy for threatening to kill an employee at the Berkheimer tax collection office in Bangor in March 2017, and to blow up the building where the woman worked.

Police said as the employee spoke to Christy, he began cursing at her. When the operator said she would not keep listening if he kept cursing, Christy allegedly said, "I'll put a bullet through your f-----g head b---h."

When the operator said she was ending the call, Christy reportedly said, "I'll blow your f-----g building up" before hanging up.

Shawn Richard Christy, 27, of McAdoo, Pennsylvania, is arrested Sept. 21, 2018, by federal, state and local authorities in northern Ohio, following a three-month manhunt related to threats against President Donald Trump and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli. (U.S. Marshals Service | For NJ Advance Media)

Christy pleaded guilty to terroristic threats this past April 20 in Northampton County Court and was sentenced by Judge Stephen Baratta to 12 months' probation. Baratta also ordered him to attend and successfully complete an anger management program, court records show.

Morganelli said Friday that Christy's case in Northampton County was one of 4,000 to 5,000 his office handles in a year.

"I never even knew who Mr. Christy was," Morganelli said. "I didn't really understand why I was on his radar at all, but we took it seriously. Me personally, I wasn't that worked up about it, but my family was and my kids and my wife, they were concerned."

The prosecutor, who lives in Bethlehem, said he was kept abreast of the manhunt by city police, the county sheriff's department and the Marshals Service. He said he was glad to hear there were no immediate reports of injuries to Christy or law enforcement in Friday's apprehension.

"I'm thankful that the law enforcement community did take him into custody," Morganelli said. "I do hope that he gets the help that he needs."

During the search for Christy since June, authorities offered a $20,000 reward for information leading directly to his arrest.

Wanted Card Christy1 by Anonymous arnc2g2N on Scribd

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A woman was killed early Friday morning after her boyfriend pushed her during an argument on Route 611 and she was struck by a passing car, police said.

Brianna Burkhart, 26, of Cockeysville, Maryland, was identified as the woman who was struck and killed at about 2:19 a.m. on the highway in Mount Pocono Borough, Monroe County, Pocono Mountain Regional Police said.

Burkhart was struck by a vehicle driven by an 18-year-old woman from Tobyhanna.

Police did not identify the driver, and said they do not anticipate charging her in the incident. She was taken for a blood test as part of the investigation, but police said there were no signs the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Zachary Collett, 26, also from Cockeysville, Maryland, was charged Friday with homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment.

He was sent to Monroe County Prison without bail.

Police said Collett and Burkhart were drinking earlier in the night Thursday, left a bar together and began driving north in a vehicle.

The two began fighting, according to police, and at about 1:20 a.m. Friday stopped the car in the middle of Route 611 in Paradise Township while they continued arguing and fighting.

The pair were still arguing while getting in and out of the vehicle when, while on Route 611, Collett shoved Burkhart, knocking her to the ground and into the southbound lane of Route 611.

The 18-year-old woman, driving a Chevy Cruz, told police she saw an object as she was driving, but initially thought it was a deer.

The woman was unable to avoid the object in the road, and struck it. Police said the driver realized it was a person and immediately pulled over.

Police said they found Burkhart lying in the road with extensive injuries, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Collett was next to her when police arrived.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Christopher Columbus was a slaver, murderer, mutilator, and torturer of gentle natives after arriving in the New World. He sold women for sex, even girls 9 to 10 years old, as reported in his own log.

His cruelty was legendary in his own time, even toward his own colonists who followed. When he was governor of Hispaniola a female colonist was paraded naked and had her tongue cut out for disparaging him. Another colonist had his nose and ears cut off for stealing corn.



In raids on native villages, Columbus' conquistadors were reported to have pulled infants from mothers, feeding them to their attack dogs. Men bet on who could slice a native in half with one blow of a sword. The atrocities too numerous to mention -- many so brutal and inhuman they are not fit for a family newspaper.



These horrors were described in detail by Bartolome de Las Casas, an eyewitness who left Columbus' employ and became a priest, lobbying against slavery. Other witness accounts from both Columbus detractors and supporters testified to the acts that took place.



Within two years of his first landing, 125,000 natives, half the original population, were dead. The Arawak people were eventually wiped out.



Columbus' only punishment following his arrest was a pardon from Spain and loss of 10 percent profit. He could no longer govern the island, but his slave business could continue.



Columbus wasn't the first to discover the Americas. He never made it farther than Cuba in his four journeys and never set foot on the continent itself.



Columbus was a savage and a failed human being. The statue that stands in Easton's Riverside Park is a tribute to a psychopath.



Matthew Dees

West Easton
A 34-year-old man is charged with sexually assaulting a girl in Phillipsburg, the Warren County Prosecutor's Office reports.

Jose B. Vasquez-Medina, of Phillipsburg, was hiding out and preparing to leave the country when was arrested Sept. 13 in a home on Naughright Road in the Long Valley section of Washington Township, township police said.

He is charged with aggravated sexual assault, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutor's office said.

Vasquez-Medina multiple times assaulted the girl who was at least 13 but younger than 16 while he was at least four years older than her, the prosecutor's office said. He knew the victim, the prosecutor's office added.

Vasquez-Medina made his first appearance on Sept. 14 and remains in Warren County jail, the prosecutor's office said. A motion for pretrial detention will be heard Tuesday, the prosecutor's office said.

The prosecutor's office Special Victims Unit, Phillipsburg police, the U.S. Marshals Service N.Y./N.J. Regional Fugitive Task Force, the New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit, the state police Electronic Surveillance Unit, the state police K9 Unit and Washington Township (Morris County) police conducted the investigation.

If convicted on all counts, Vasquez-Medina faces up to 50 years in prison.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Alzheimer's Mobile Information Service is reaching out to the Laois public by visiting towns around the county to mark World Alzheimer's Month.

The Alzheimer Society of Irelands (ASI) has a Mobile Information Service and it will tour Laois from Saturday September 22 to Friday 28, to bring awareness, support and information to people living with dementia and their families, as well as those concerned about their cognitive health in line with World Alzheimers Month 2018.

A growing numbers of people are living with dementia, more than 4,000 new cases each year.

Alzheimers Mobile Information Service will be in the following destinations:

 Saturday 22nd: The Church Yard, Mountrath (6.30pm - 8.30 pm);

 Sunday 23rd: The Church Yard, Mountrath (11.00am - 1.00pm);

 Monday 24th: Abbeyleix District Hospital, Abbeyleix (10.00am  4.00pm);

 Tuesday 25th: Midland Park Hotel Laois on PPNs Over 50s Information Afternoon (2.00pm - 4.30pm);

 Wednesday 26th: Portarlington Further Education Centre (11.00am - 12.30pm)

 Wednesday 26th: Rathdowney Day Care Centre (2.00pm - 4.00pm) (Adjacent to Church of Holy Trinity in Rathdowney)

 Thursday 27th: Maryborough Clinic (12.00pm - 1.00pm) Stradbally Road entrance;

 Thursday 27th: Psychiatry of Later Life Block Road, 2.30pm - 4.30pm (Social Club on Tour Psychiatry of Later Life)

 Friday 28th: Lyster Square, Portlaoise (10.00am-5.00pm)

For any information on the above dates, contact Ann Munnelly, Home-care Coordinator, 47 Main Street Portlaoise, Co Laois R32 VRX8 via laois.branch@alzheimer.ie or on 057 866 3398/086 8372168

The mobile service launched in 2016, run by trained staff and volunteers. It travels to the heart of Irish communities to create a unique opportunity to connect those affected by dementia with local support services and information.

The service was made possible thanks to funds raised by the Peggy Mangan Foundation, set up by the family of the late 67-year-old from Terenure following her tragic death in 2014.

World Alzheimers Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about a health issue that will affect more and more people as the years pass, while encouraging crucial efforts to support those already affected by dementia around the world. World Alzheimers Day is held on Friday, September 21.

The campaign, which will carry the hashtag #Every3Seconds, highlights the fact that dementia is the global health and social challenge of our time with more than 50 million people currently living with dementia worldwide and the figure is predicted to increase by 10 million in 2018.

The campaign speaks to governments across the world about how they can dramatically increase care and support for, and awareness and diagnosis, research and treatment of dementia, in response to the Global Plan on Dementia adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in May 2017.

The ASI National Information & Advice Services Manager is Samantha Taylor.

Dementia services can be patchy and uncoordinated and so often families feel alone after receiving this challenging diagnosis and dont know where to turn. Almost 3,000 people have contacted our national helpline to date this year looking for information and support, and provide new opportunities for face-to-face support in local areas. Our information service aims to bring our experienced staff and volunteers to towns and villages up and down the country to offer support, expertise and signposting to relevant services.

So far this year the Mobile Information Service has visited Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Wicklow, Louth and Dublin to name but a few. We are delighted to now bring the service to Laois in the coming week and we have more dates in the pipeline for the rest of the year. If you would like this service to visit your local community, then please get in touch with our National Helpline team on 1800 341 341. This service will be travelling throughout Ireland and we want to have a presence in towns, villages and cities to raise awareness about dementia and to provide vital information to people who are affected by Alzheimers and dementia," she said.

Laois man is special guest on Late Late Show

Laois Home Care Coordinator is Ann Munnelly.

The Mobile Information Service gives people the opportunity to access support and information locally. There are an anticipated thousand people living with dementia in Laois, so it is great to have this opportunity to reach out and support people in the community especially during World Alzheimers Month which is held each September," she said.

The Alzheimer National Helpline on 1800 341 341 or helpline@alzheimer.ie
Inspirational Kildare brain injury survivor Jack Fadden returns with Kildares biggest fun run in aid of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland.

If I can do it, you can do it, is the message from inspirational brain injury survivor Jack Fadden from Kildare urging people to join him in the Clane 5k/10k Family Fun Run on November 10 in aid of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland.

Read also: More beds must be opened at Naas Hospital

The 28-year-old is training hard to achieve his goal of running the race in full for the first time with no walking and he encourages runners and walkers of any level to join him for the event, which is sponsored by T&I Fitouts and AMOSS Solicitors.

More than 650 participants took part in the event last year (2017) and this year, it is expected to grow even bigger. The Clane 5k/10k Family Fun Run is fast becoming a firm favourite on the Irish running calendar which is has raised more than 35k to date to make life better for brain injury survivors in Ireland.

Jack said: Like many people after a brain injury Ive struggled with fatigue and memory problems. With the help of my family, friends and keyworker, the Clane 5k/10k was created three years ago. Organising the Clane 5k/10k has motivated me to build up my physical strength and it has tested my memory with planning and organising. In year one I walked 5k. In year two I walked and jogged 5k and now in year three my aim is to run 5k in full.

Seven years ago, at just 21 years of age, Jack suffered a brain injury caused by a bleed on the brain that left him unable to walk, talk or eat. It happened when he was six thousand miles away from home after travelling to Thailand on his way to Australia and one of his friends found him unconscious in his room.

The young carpenter was rushed to hospital in Thailand where he remained for three months before his family were able to fly him home. He spent a further three months in the Mater Hospital in Dublin relearning how to talk and eat again.

Jack left hospital in a wheelchair to go for intense rehabilitation with the NRH (National Rehabilitation Hospital). Eventually he was discharged home to begin community rehabilitation with an Acquired Brain Injury Ireland keyworker, Aidan, who gave him the confidence and motivation to get his life back.

I made a promise to myself that I would never sit in a wheelchair again and from that day to this, I have fought every day to further myself and I refuse to give up. In the beginning I struggled to walk for more than 20 minutes and there were times when I felt like giving in. But with Aidans support, I refused to let it define me," he added.

Thanks to the support of his keyworker from Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Jack feels he has regained his life. He is now back driving with confidence and is studying to become a healthcare assistant so he can help other brain injury survivors. He has also joined his local running club and now runs three or four times a week.

Jonathan Power, Head of Fundraising with Acquired Brain Injury Ireland said: Jack is an incredible inspiration to everyone who meets him and he is fabulous ambassador for our organisation. Organising an event on this scale is an enormous task and Jack has a fantastic network of support around him, making it happen. Jacks determination and commitment to help more brain injury survivors is unstoppable.

Every day in Ireland, 35 people acquire a brain injury from stroke, road traffic accidents, falls and assaults. We believe every brain injury is unique and we champion personalised rehabilitation plans for all our clients. Ultimately our goal is that our clients wont need us anymore. The funds raised from this event make an enormous difference to our work and this year, everyone who takes part in the fun run will be helping to fund a new day service serving Kildare and West Dublin. Our day services provide essential peer support and training for people affected by brain injury that can provide the final step before someone returns to independent living.

Clane 10k & 5k Family Fun Run 2018, 10 November, 10am-12.30pm. 5k ticket 20, 10k ticket 25. Entrants receive a technical tshirt and bespoke medal. Post-race refreshments provided courtesy of Clane GAA.

Register to take part with www.popupraces.ie or see www.abiireland.ie

Tweet #RunWithJack
A prominent unused building in Sallins has been bought by a Naas-based insurance broker.

Murray and Spelman, an insurance and finance broker has today announced the relocation of their office on South Main Street, Naas to the landmark Waterways building in Sallins.

The new office will be open by the end of March 2019, and the company will continue to operate from their existing premises at South Main Street, Naas, until then.

In a statement issued to the Leinster Leader, the company said that the significant move further emphasises Murray and Spelmans long-term commitment to its customers in Kildare and the surrounding areas ensuring that each clients face to face experience with the firm is a pleasant and productive one.

Murray and Spelman was established in 1956 and employs 50 people in offices in Galway and Naas. The company say they have a rapidly expanding team as the business continues to prosper on the east coast.

Read also: Man failed to appear in Kildare court to answer charge of failing to appear in court

Murray and Spelman's Managing Director Michael D. Culhane said the company is delighted to acquire this excellent landmark building. We really wanted to limit the impact that relocation could have on our clients and our employees, Sallins is ideal in this respect.

This expansion has been in the pipeline for a few years now and it is something we are particularly proud of.

Former finance minister and EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy, who is chairman of Murray and Spelman, welcomed the news as did Allan Shine, Chief Executive of County Kildare Chamber, who said it was great news for Kildare . He said he was confident that Murray and Spelman will continue to prosper at their new location in Sallins.
The authors of the hit 'Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling' series of novels will host a book signing at Newbridge Silverware this Sunday afternoon, September 23.

The pair have just released 'The Importance of Being Aisling - Country Roads Take Her Home', a follow up to last year's hit series debut.

Aisling is the quintessential Irish country girl at large in the big city - the type who organises lists, walks to work in her runners and makes sure everyone gets home safely at the end of the night, and described by her creators as "the type of woman who is keeping Ireland going".

The second book in the planned trilogy follows 'Ais' through a major change in her life as she moved back in with her mammy in Ballygobbard.

Kill woman Emer and her writing partner Sarah dreamed up the idea of Aisling over a decade ago - and a popular Facebook group of the same name keeps her worldwide community of fans in touch with each other.

The writers will be signing books and meeting fans at Newbridge Silverware from 1.30pm to 3pm.

Breen and McLysaght will also appear on the Late Late Show this Friday night. It has also been announced that they will take part in this year's Kildare Writers Festival, in conversation with Eithne Shortall in the Riverbank Arts Centre on Friday, October 12.
At its latest Community Forum in Ballymahon yesterday evening, Center Parcs announced that it will host two public recruitment information days for prospective employees on Friday and Saturday, October 12 & 13 in Longford Rugby Club.

Center Parcs is starting to recruit for the 1,000 permanent roles that will be required to power the much anticipated Center Parcs Longford Forest premium short stay resort when it opens in Summer 2019.

The events will take place from 10am  7pm on Friday, October 12th and from 10am  4pm on Saturday, October 13 and provide prospective employees the opportunity to meet with current Center Parcs employees and find out first hand what is required to become a Center Parcs employee.

A 30-strong Center Parcs team comprising of existing UK staff, the growing Center Parcs Ireland team and Center Parcs UK senior management will attend on both days. The team of employees will represent all segments of the business including; leisure, retail, catering, technical services and much more. They will be on hand to talk to prospective candidates and bring to life what its like to work at Center Parcs.

Candidates are advised that CVs can be submitted online to the Center Parcs careers portal at centerparcscareers.ie as these information days are not designed for accepting applications. The focus is on outlining what roles and opportunities exist at Center Parcs Ireland and what qualities, skills and experience is desirable amongst potential candidates.

Commenting ahead of the Recruitment Open days, Daragh Feighery, General Manager of Center Parcs Longford Forest, said, "These events mark yet another key milestone for Center Parcs in Ireland.

"Were very excited about hosting these recruitment information days to outline our employment plans and the 1,000 careers on offer at Center Parcs Longford Forest ahead of opening next year. Most of our employees live locally so we are expecting great interest in the roles. There is no need for people to bring CVs on the day as all future news and applications for employment will be available at www.centerparcscareers.ie.

Center Parcs Longford Forest is due to open in Summer 2019. Once operational, the forest holiday village will have capacity for up to 2,500 guests. Center Parcs estimates that the new holiday village will add approximately 32 million to Irish GDP per annum, having a transformative impact on Co. Longford and the surrounding midlands region.

Read Also:

Gallery: First reveal of the build works ongoing at the 233m Center Parcs in Longford

First lodge completed at Center Parcs Longford Forest
Senator Frank Feighan has welcomed the Government's funding support for community text alert schemes to help prevent crime in Leitrim.

Community groups working to prevent crime in can now apply for funding under the 2018 Text Alert Rebate Scheme, to assist them in their work. 150,000 has been made available to local communities across Ireland by my party colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan.

This scheme allows Text Alert Groups registered with An Garda Siochana to apply for a rebate towards the costs associated with running their local Text Alert Scheme.

This initiative has developed as an important crime prevention mechanism with over 600 local groups across the country involving in excess of 120,000 subscribers and with an estimated 200,000 text messages sent each month under the scheme.

Its an efficient way of tackling crime, allowing Gardai to provide crime prevention information to community contacts who in turn forward the information to all members of a community group.

Last year saw payments made under the rebate scheme almost double to 125,000 paid out to almost 450 groups. The majority of Text Alert Groups who applied in 2017 received a rebate of between 200 and 350 to assist them in their work, and I would encourage even more groups to apply for the funding this year.

The Scheme will be operated by Muintir na Tire again this year and details of how to apply are now available on their website www.muintir.ie."
THE CPE superbug was an associative factor in seven deaths at University Hospital Limerick, this newspaper can exclusively reveal.

New findings, leaked to the Limerick Leader this week, follow an internal and external investigation launched by the UL Hospitals Group into possible association of CPE with patient deaths between February 2009 and May 2017.

Over the past year, the probes reviewed files of 36 patients named in a whistleblowers letter, according to the official documents.

The external investigation was conducted by UK expert microbiologist Dr Robert C Spencer in October 2017, and was completed earlier this year.

The UL Hospitals Group has said it has accepted the conclusion of the review, that no deaths were a direct result of CPE acquisition; however a small number of patients died where CPE may have been an associative factor in their deaths.

In November 2016, the UL Hospitals Group said CPE was a contributory factor in three patient deaths. Chief clinical director Prof Paul Burke said there is no difference between contributory and associative.

In an interview with the Leader, Prof Burke said the bug did not kill anybody.

He also stressed that UHL is safe as it ever was.

These people when they pick up these bugs, they are not infected with it. They are just carrying it. There is always a risk because it is multi-resistant. Its not totally resistant because we do have antibiotics to treat it. When it is there, we isolate these people. We are in control. Lots of hospitals havent been monitoring it as closely as we have been monitoring it.

He added: These people died of lots of other things and in a very small number of people, [CPE] might have contributed, but it did not kill anybody.

The age profile of patients, where CPE was an associative factor in their deaths, ranges from mid-50s to late-80s.

In a letter to coroner John McNamara on February 12 last, the office of chief clinical director said that no death arose as a direct consequence of CPE but there were seven deaths identified in the whistleblower list in which CPE played an associative role.

The majority of these patients had serious comorbidities.

The external review is expected to be published in early October, after next-of-kin of all patients involved in the review have been contacted.

CPE is a multi-drug resistant superbug that is resistant to the carbapenem antibiotic group. For those who carry the superbug, CPE rests harmlessly in the gut.

However, if the patient is infected with CPE, there is generally a 50% mortality rate.

According to the findings, CPE was an associative factor in seven deaths. CPE was not associated with 26 deaths.

The superbug was never detected in one patient, while CPE was not detected in another patient. The findings for another patient wrote: No evidence of death.

In a letter to members of staff on September 10, Prof Burke said that they will be publishing a report into the deaths of known CPE positive patients shortly.

There are some lessons for all of us to learn following on from the investigation and review of patient notes and open disclosure processes.

We are required to inform the coroner of all health-care associated infections that may have contributed to the death of a patient being managed at ULHG, he said.

Prof Burke wrote that the next of kin should be informed of same in a timely manner and this also should be documented within patient notes.

The cause of death and micro-organism (where applicable) should be listed on the death cert whether a direct or indirect factor in the death.

Speaking on the leaked information, Prof Paul Burke said this Wednesday: It is regrettable that sensitive and confidential information of this nature has been leaked to the press in advance of publication of the review.

We will be happy to answer all queries from the media upon publication of the review but our current priority is the ongoing communications with next-of-kin.
THERE has been a backlash against presidential candidate Gemma ODohertys comments on Limerick crime, with one TD describing them as ignorant.

Deputy Jan OSullivan said she needed to call her out after she said Limerick is suffering from a serious crime epidemic.

The statement was part of Ms ODoherty's appeal to have local councillors give her a nomination to allow her contest the presidential election.

Referring to crime, she said: People feel it on the ground. I would love for this fine city to shed this reputation, because it deserves to have a much better reputation.

Since the start of 2014, there have been eight murders in Limerick  just four per cent of the total in Ireland.

Ms OSullivan said: It was very lazy, and obviously an attempt to say I feel your pain, and I understand your problems. But she didnt bother doing the research to find out our reputation over crime relates to over a decade ago. These were ignorant statements made in a public forum, and we need to counter-act them as soon as they are said.

The Labour TD was accused of gaslighting by Ms ODoherty when she took to Twitter to air her views.

I have nothing personal against the woman whatsoever, but she cant go making wrong statements, Ms OSullivan added.

Mayor James Collins added: I think the Limerick Gemma ODoherty was talking about was the Limerick to 10 to 15 years ago. We have come an awful long way since then. An Garda Siochana has done a good job of breaking up the gangs operating in Limerick. We have an awful lot to be proud of here.

Three councillors sought to get her on the ballot paper, however,  Cllrs John Gilligan, Emmett OBrien and John Loftus. All three did so, while also impressing upon Ms O'Doherty that they felt her remarks on crime were untrue.
THIS FRIDAY, thousands of culture seekers are expected to take part in a county-wide celebration of Limericks unique heritage, creativity and history, as Culture Night 2018 gets underway.

From the Pigtown Parade to the Limerick Printmakers, the full range of Limericks vibrant cultural offerings will be on display from Friday evening, with more than 80 free events set to get underway across the city and county.

Some of the many expected highlights include horseback archery at King Johns Castle, the Water Ensemble at Ormston House, a traditional sing-song in West Limerick and a fascinating book-binding workshop in Kilmallock.

In Limerick, culture is not simple, it has many layers, Sheila Deegan, arts officer with Limerick City and Council, explained.

Limericks rich history, culture and strong heritage remain ever present in its structures, streets and people, from the historic towns of Kilmallock and medieval village of Askeaton, to the archaeological site at Lough Gur and Limericks churches, which contain a rich cultural heritage of the work of such craftspeople as Wilhemina Geddes and Harry Clarke, a legacy of Irelands position as a centre for excellence in the design and manufacture of the highest quality of stained glass.

In Limerick City, Bedford Row is set to become a hive of activity with hip-hop performances, dance classes, street animators, arts and crafts and live performances planned as the Bedford Row Bedlam gets underway from 5pm.

Other city-based events include the International Living Statues, who will pay a visit to the Hunt Museum Courtyard, the Pigtown Food Series at the Milk Market and an introduction to the Haiku, hosted by the Limerick Writers Centre.

In the county, Culture Night events are set to take place in Kilmallock, Kildimo, Newcastle West, Adare, Rathkeale, Abbeyfeale, Brur- ee, Garryspillane, Carrig- kerry, with a very special event planned for Ardagh as the 150 year celebrations of the Ardagh Chalice commence.

Culture-seekers in Bruree are invited to enjoy an evening of traditional Irish music while they browse the De Valera Museum and Bruree Heritage Centre. In Ballyneety, the Mens Shed is also set to open its doors, with a night of music, storytelling and arts and crafts getting underway from 7:30pm.

In Kilmallock, the writings of the great poet Aindrias MacCraith are to be explored at the Dominican Priory between 7pm to 11pm.

In Rathkeale, the local Community Arts Group is offering guests A Little of What You Fancy by inviting them to bring along a favourite poem to read themselves or have read out, while local musician Gerry Griffin entertains, all in the intimate setting of the Rathkeale Arts Centre, above the library on the Ballingarry Road. The evening runs from 8pm to 9pm.

A full listing of all Culture Night events planned for Limerick can be found on www.culturenight.ie. All events are free but some venues may require advance booking.

Selected Culture Night highlights:

European Warriors of Horse back Archery - King John's Castle from 5-7pm

Portraits of Illen - Main Gallery, The Hunt Museum from 6 -9pm

Guided Tour of the Book of Kells - Contemplative Centre UL Session 1: 6-7.30pm and Session 2: 7.30-9pm.

Ardagh Chalice 150 Festival - St Molua's Church & Ardagh Community Centre from 6- 11pm

Pigtown Comes to the Milk Market - Milk Market from 5-8pm

Who is Limerick? Narrative 4, 58 O'Connell Street from 6-9pm

Book Binding Workshop - Friars Gate Theatre Kilmallock from 6.30-8pm

Culture Night at Mary I - Main building Mary Immaculate College from 6-9pm

Film Night at Glorach - Glorach Theatre Abbeyfeale from 8-10.30pm
MINISTER for Health Simon Harris has been accused of ignoring the overcrowding crisis at University Hospital Limerick, following high numbers of patients on trolleys this week.

According to daily figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation on Tuesday morning, there were 69 patients being treated on emergency department trolleys and on additional beds or wards at UHL.

On Monday, there were 56 patients on trolleys. This Wednesday, there were 52 patients on trolleys. On all three days, UHL had the highest rate of overcrowding in the country.

This Thursday, there were 42 patients on trolleys and 49 this Friday.

Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan said that he sought a meeting with Minister Harris to discuss ways to assuage the problem at UHL.

Because its abundantly clear his plan for our local hospital is failing, and failing miserably. Im yet to hear back from the Minister for Health.

Its absolutely disgraceful that the trolley crisis in University Hospital Limerick is being totally ignored by the Minister, and continues to escalate to a completely unacceptable level, he said.

Deputy Quinlivan added: The people of Limerick City deserve quality healthcare like every other citizen, yet people are being constantly packed into UHL in an incredibly unsafe manner. The 69 patients on trolleys in UHL today (Tuesday) are more than all those in Wexford, Waterford, Kerry, Sligo, Mayo, Cavan, and Kilkenny hospitals combined.

He said the level of overcrowding in Limerick is incredibly unfair on patients, families, and on the staff and nurses who have to work in these very difficult circumstances.

Minister Harris has far failed to deal with the issues that are causing this emergency. These are the issues of recruitment and retention of staff, capacity - failure to reopen closed beds, adequate step down facilities, and proper primary and community care, he said in a statement.

He said the Minister must intervene before the situation escalates.
LIMERICK City and County Council has turned down plans to double the size of Castletroy Town Centre.

In a move criticised by local councillor Michael Sheahan, local planners have said proposals to add 17 new units, and potentially up to 100 new jobs at the shopping centre would adversely affect the vitality and viability of the city centre.

As revealed by the Limerick Leader, UGP Castletroy SC had applied to the local authority for permission to build the new units to transform the centre near the Kilmurry roundabout.

The plans  which can still be appealed to An Bord Pleanala  would have seen two new anchor tenants move in and the former Castletroy Shopping Centre increase to two storeys.

The anchor tenants, it was planned, would be joined by 10 smaller outlets, four service outlets, and one cafe at first floor level.

Over 600 car parking spaces would be added as part of a two-store,y three-level car park, with approximately 75 jobs created.

Fine Gael councillor Sheahan, who represents the area on the local authority, says he is disappointed by the rejection.

I didnt see how it would in any way be in competition with proposed city centre development. It isnt a huge scheme in the overall scheme of things. The centre needed that extra expansion I feel, he said.

Cllr Sheahan is also upset at the potential jobs which have been lost for a lot of local people.

But there was opposition to the development from city trader James Ryan, of Centra OConnell Street, and the Limerick Chamber chief executive Dee Ryan.

In a submission to council, she wrote: The Chamber contends that investment in city centre redevelopment is required as a matter of urgency, to attract new retailers to our city hub as their primary initial location choice in the region.

She pointed out the city centre has come under increasing pressure in recent years.

Additional competition from a disproportionate enhancement of the retail offering at Castletroy Shopping Centre will likely exacerbate these challenges, Ms Ryan added.

The council offered just one reason for the refusal of permission to expand the shopping centre.

That is, it would materially contravene the retail strategy for the Mid-West region, the Limerick County Development Plan and the Limerick City Development Plan, and would seriously impact the shopping role of Limerick City Centre.
YOUd get a better service in North Korea than you would from Irish Water!

Those are the words of Askeatons Cllr Kevin Sheahan, Fianna Fail, frustrated because of the sewerage situation in his hometown in County Limerick.

Speaking at the Adare Rathkeale municipal district meeting, the councillor became so enraged about the pace of progress on a proposed new sewerage treatment plant in Askeaton, that he proposed to abolish Irish Water altogether.

The councillor has long complained about the water utility company, and proposed that its responsibilities be handed back to the local authority  the type of operation that was used before Irish Water was founded in 2013.

He claimed that raw sewage is flowing untreated into the River Deel, and that he has been trying to address the issue for 14 years. Askeaton is currently on a waiting list for a new treatment plant from Irish Water, but it is not considered to be an priority project.

Cllr Richard ODonoghue seconded the motion to abolish Irish Water, saying: If I ran my business the way Irish Water ran theirs, I wouldnt be in business.

Sinn Feins Cllr Ciara McMahon also voted to abolish, while Fine Gaels Cllr Stephen Keary, Ind Cllr Emmett OBrien, and Fine Gaels Cllr Adam Teskey  who held the casting vote as cathaoirleach  voted to retain the company, defeating the motion.

Later in the meeting, it was

noted that the workers currently installed at Askeaton Castle have mentioned what they have seen in the river.

They said that at certain points of the day, human waste can be seen flowing down the Deel. According to Cllr Sheahan, the visibility of the waste at certain times has to do with the weather and rain conditions, and the rivers levels.

But all the talk of human waste left one councillor feeling unsettled about his leisure pursuits.

Im regretting doing the Deel Swim now! exclaimed Cllr Emmett OBrien, who is an avid swimmer and rower.
BOTH Mr Limerick and Miss Limerick were placed in the top three at the national pageant over the weekend, in what was one of the most successful years for Limerick in the competition.

Mr Limerick Edwin Fitzgibbon was awarded first runner-up, while Miss Limerick Beibhinn Haren was second runner-up.

Beibhinn also took home the title of Beauty with a Purpose, for raising the highest amount for charity. As Miss Limerick, Beibhinn has been working with Clares Wish, Clionas Foundation and the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation.

Laura Mansbridge also reached the final at the Helix in Dublin, as Miss Limerick North.

Both Beibhinn and Edwin are models with the Holman Lee Agency. Celia Holman Lee congratulated the two on their success representing Limerick.

We are delighted with Beibhinn and Edwin's success. This year was one of Limerick's most successful years in the competition, said Celia.

I am so proud of Beibhinn and Edwin and how they represented us on the national stage  Beibhinn spoke so eloquently about Limerick it nearly brought tears to eyes. Well done to them both.

Edwin, from Father Russell Road, said that the experience was incredible and a great way to make friends and boost confidence.

To get second place, it was just fantastic. When it came to announcing the winner, myself and Wayne (the winner of Mr Ireland) were standing beside each other in front of the presenter, holding on to each other for support.

When they announced it, my heart burst out of my chest. I was over the moon, he said.

Business with Marketing Management student Edwins aim for the year is to help to raise awareness and services in the area of student mental health.

My own project is underway - I want to try and improve the mental health facilities and services on campus, starting with my college, LIT, and hopefully spreading awareness for students in all colleges to avail of the services. This week Im meeting with the president of LIT, Vincent Cunnane, he said.

Beibhinn, from Clarina, said that she was thrilled to be announced as Miss Beauty With A Purpose.

I was really delighted about that. So coming in third (second runner-up) was an extra bonus, she said.

Beibhinn added that the entire experience of becoming Miss Limerick has been a huge boost to her confidence.

I actually didnt get nervous. I was more nervous for the prejudging and the earlier stages. The Miss Limerick competition and the different stages towards getting to Miss Ireland really helped me to get used to it, and I wasnt as nervous as I thought I would be on the night, she said.

UCC Genetics student Beibhinn will continue her extensive charity work for the rest of her term as Miss Limerick  maybe even taking in a charity skydive before the year is out.
A LARGER than expected number of people have expressed interest in taking voluntary redundancy from Pallas Foods, the Limerick Leader has learned.

Last week, the company announced it was seeking 55 redundancies across all levels in its warehouse section as part of a restructuring. But the Limerick Leader understands that this number had been exceeded when expressions of interest closed on Monday evening.

The company however declined to confirm this and also declined to answer detailed questions about what kind of package was on offer.

In a brief statement issued this week, a spokesman said: We are satisfied that the proposed voluntary redundancy programme has been well received in the business. It is a confidential process and we are not in a position to discuss it any further.

However, he went on to confirm the 2m investment programme for the Newcastle West plant, also announced last week. would commence in early 2019.

It is to enhance the companys shared services centre and underpins the companys commitment to Limerick. 350 jobs will continue to be supported in Limerick and 1,300 on the island of Ireland, he said.

Local Sinn Fein councillor Seamus Browne has warned however that the 55 redundancies signal the start of the closing of warehousing and distribution operations in Newcastle West .

Many of the local workforce now fear that the Dublin plant has become the overriding priority for Pallas Foods and that more job losses are on the way, he said.

Workers at the plant should not be asked to express an interest in voluntary redundancy without first being made fully aware of the redundancy package, he added. I question whether this is in line with the workers rights.

He had also, he said, serious concerns over the manner in which the workers affected are being denied representation by a union.

Cllr Browne pointed out that in 2015, Limerick City and County Council passed a motion he had tabled, calling on Pallas Foods to recognize the workers right to be represented by a union following a Labour Court recommendation that the management of Pallas Foods should engage with SIPTU.

The Limerick Leader understands that in its letter to workers last week, the company asked for eight worker representatives to take part in the 30-day statutory consultation process which began this week. But the company did not confirm if this had taken place.

Meanwhile, Minister of State Patrick ODonovan said he had been in contact with the company following its announcement.

Any time they reduce numbers, it is regrettable for them. It is something we would prefer not to see, he said.

But, he added: The most important thing from my point of view is the long-term commitment to Newcastle West they have given. They are going ahead with this investment programme which puts flesh on the bone of their commitment to Newcastle West.

Minister ODonovan also pointed out that in February 2012, unemployment numbers in Newcastle West stood at 3,373. Thanks to the governments Action Plan on Jobs, this number had fallen to 1,188, a drop of 65% and at a time when the population was also growing.

We are going in the right direction, he declared. But, he added: We wont take anything for granted.

Asked about Ortec, the US company which announced it was setting up in Newcastle West two years ago with 100 high-end jobs, Minister ODonovan said: The IDA is very happy with the progress made.

All the regulatory details as well as issues about planning, land acquisition, power supply etc had now been sorted, he said.

The company has commissioned design consultants here in Limerick and has recruited local people to start the process of building it out, Minister ODonovan added.

The company was completing a new facility in South Carolina, he said. This project was nearing completion, the minister added, and when that was done, Newcastle West would be next in line.
A SENIOR ISPCA inspector said the way over 30 dogs in County Limerick were grossly neglected was deplorable.

Lisa ODonovan, of the ISPCA, was speaking after Seamus Looby, aged 59, of Raheen, Garryspillane pleaded guilty to a number of offences under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. They included causing unnecessary suffering to dogs, and having unburied carcasses of two adult dogs and one puppy on Mr Loobys property.

Ms ODonovan told Kilmallock Court she attended the farm on May 16, 2017, after being alerted by May Humphries, a Limerick veterinary inspector.

Ms ODonovan said two dead dogs with bones protruding through their skin were found. A dead puppy was also found.

In total, 33 live dogs were taken away by the ISPCA. Ms ODonovan said 16 of the dogs were chained up, 15 were confined and two were very lethargic and weak.

There was no access to water. Dehydration was a big issue. They nearly fought with each other for water, said Ms ODonovan.

Thomas Wallace ODonnell, barrister for the Department of Agriculture which brought the prosecution against Mr Looby, asked that its costs of 1,000 go to the ISPCA.

It was accepted that the dogs did not belong to Mr Looby. Brendan Gill, solicitor for Mr Looby, said that his client doesnt have a dog which is rare for a farmer. The court heard that the dogs belonged to the late John Burke, of Duncummin House, Emly, who was found guilty of numerous animal cruelty charges during his lifetime.

It was accepted that Mr Burke asked Mr Looby to look after his dogs while he went in to hospital. The court heard that Mr Burke put them in the various positions on the farm and told Mr Looby to leave them there

Mr Gill said Mr Looby agreed to keep the dogs on an outside farm for no more than three or four days.

It was supposed to be a short term matter. He couldnt contact the owner. Every day he thought somebody was going to collect them. His own circumstances were not good at the time. He found himself incapable of looking after the animals. He did not want to get anyone in trouble, said Mr Gill.

Mr Burke later died in hospital and it was agreed that the dogs were on Mr Loobys outside farm for less than two weeks.

As well as paying 1,000 to the ISPCA in lieu of the Department of Agricultures costs, Mr Looby was fined a total of 1,250 by Judge Marian OLeary. He was also disqualified from owning, keeping or having control of all canine animals for a period of 18 months.

A number of the 33 dogs that were rescued had to be euthanised but the rest were rehomed by the ISPCA.

Speaking after the case had concluded, Ms ODonovan said: Failure to uphold the basic level of care of these animals is just not acceptable. The sheer number of them, and the way they were grossly neglected was deplorable. These dogs suffered greatly and it was shocking to see three of these animals had already died. We are grateful to the Department of Agriculture for alerting us to this case and for bringing this the prosecution.
THE SCOURGE of addiction comes and goes in cycles, as do efforts by the government to tackle the problem.

Thats according to playwright Grace Dyas, who returns to Limerick with her acclaimed play Heroin this weekend.

Heroin, which has been showcased hundreds of times since the curtains were first raised in 2010, reflects individuals destroyed by drug addiction in a society slow to commit to a cure.

The award-winning showpresented by THEATREclubwill take to the stage for the first time since 2013 at Limerick City Build, Bank Place this Friday and Saturday.

Speaking to the Leader this week, Dyas says the play is for anyone who has walked down OConnell Street and thought to themselves: God, why do we have such a problem with drugs in this country?

Or for people who might not have it in their family, but be on the streets and be disturbed by it, or feel scared about it. [The play] will give them a sense of the reason why we are where we are, she says.

Heroin, written by Dyas and author Rachel Keogh, features three actorsLloyd Cooney, Eva Jane Gaffney and Tony May Juniorwho tell the story of drug policy and society in Ireland through the decades since 1960.

It highlights the real solution to this problem and they are being fulfilled among us in Europe, she explains, referring to Portugal, which decriminalised possession for personal use in recent years.

In 2015, Portugal had four overdose deaths, while Ireland had 348 in the same year.

But she says that not a whole lot has changed in Ireland since the 1960s, which is reflected in the show.

For us, its a cyclical thing, the same thing that happens in cycles. They say, we released a report, we must do something about this, the funding isnt there, the investment isnt there, it gets worse. New drugs come onto the market, more people die. People forget about it for a while, and then it starts encroaching on and starts to become an issue again. We get worried about it again, then we release another report.

She says it was a big deal taking on the project after it had been shown so many times, but she says she always feels hopeful at the end of every show.

She praised the Recovery Walk initiative, which was attended by Minister Catherine Byrne at the weekend.

Drug users used to be marched on for being addicts and now they march together in recovery.

Tickets can be purchased via the Take Your Seats website.
Brexit: tabloids react to EU bombing Mays Brexit plan

Chequers, the half-backed Remain by another name plan for the UKs departure from the EU, is dead. The result, says the Mirror, is a Government in crisis. The message is clear: its us, not them.

European Council boss Donald Tusk (who voted for him  you?) told a meeting of EU politicos in Salzburg, Austria, It will not work. Over pages 4 and 5, were told Europe turns its back. We learn that May had a row with Tusk. You get an inkling of how easy that might be when you see a photo he posted on Instagram in which we see the wonk mansplaining some cakes (surely offering Mrs May a slice of sponge  ed) and adding the barb: A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries. We then hear the condescending one say: In October we expect maximum progress and results in the Brexit talks, and then we will decide whether conditions are there to call an extra summit in November to finalise and formalise a deal.

You know that guff about taking back control  wasnt all guff was it?

Over in the Star, on page 3, we see a bit of kissing. May winces as Jean-Claude Juncker (you vote for him?) greets May. But shes not wincing. Shes smiling. Maybe its the fumes?

The Sun sits on the fence and calls the EU a bunch of two-bit mobsters. French PM Emanuel Macron and Tusk are dressed up like mafioso. Rather than a defeat for May, were told the EU enforcers ambushed her with a cack-handed attempt to sign-up to Brussels unacceptable terms there and then. But May refused to budge.

By page 10, the Suns front-page news has morphed into the papers editorial. The EU is a protection racket. The EU has refused to compromise, insulted the Prime Minister. The EU ignores their own citizens. All the EU wants is to punish us for standing jp to them. But the country should ready itself for a clean-break Brexit  what other papers might call a no-deal Brexit.



Whoever decided May would wear red today (probably May!) against the backdrop of EU suits absolutely nailed it. pic.twitter.com/MXwq5tmACT  Mark Di Stefano  (@MarkDiStef) September 20, 2018

I wont roll over on deal, are Mays words on the Express cover  which turn out to be words said by an unnamed source. She was shaking with anger as the EU bullied her. She was furious. We hear Macron crow: Brexit is the choice of the British people, pushed by those who predicted easy solutions. Those people are liars. But theyd be our liars, you French ****. Step away!

And then it arrives. The EU, the outfit created to control Germany and to help Germany keep its impulses in check, is given the full Nazi treatment. The paper notes on two pages that the venue for the Mays speech to EU leaders was used to film the Sound of Musics song So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye. The Von Trapps sing the song as they plot to escape Nazi persecution. A Mail writer evokes visions of Nazi stormtroopers at the Felsenreitschule theatre in Salzburg. He tells us the EUs game plan is to get Britain to vote again in a second referendum and zis time to vote ze right way. The Mails message to Brussels: Tell em to get stuffed.

Or as the Sun once put it in those halcyon days before the referendum, Up yours Delors!

Weve come a long way, baby.

Anorak

Posted: 21st, September 2018 | In: News, Politicians, Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
THE returning Prima Volta presents Gavin DaVinci and the Auxiliary Phoenix Trio to Limerick's Record Room for Culture Night this Friday.

Prima Volta, which began as a three day music festival as part of City of Culture in 2014, returns after a hiatus with a series of gigs aimed at giving a new platform to Irish artists and introducing some of the countrys finest talent to some fresh ears.

With a focus on left-field hip-hop and beat orientated music, Prima Voltas credentials as purveyors of music taste are impeccable and as such, you should sit up and take notice of this double header in the luxurious surroundings of the Record Room, located below The Commercial bar on Catherine Street.

The Auxiliary Phoenix Trio are a jazz-fusion hip-hop troupe led by producer and composer James Strain, rounded out by James McDermott on keys and Jake Quinn behind the drums. And, transcending genres and tearing up the rule book when it comes to writing a hip-hop album, beatmaker and MC Gavin DaVinci has been blazing a trail in 2018 with his live performances turning heads.

Doors open at 9pm and tickets are 10 and 7 for students and the unwaged.
Sep 21, 2018, 2 AM

Shown here is one of the five different tagging varieties of the United States $1 Johns Hopkins stamp, under normal light (left), and under shortwave ultraviolet light (right). For the full story, see Linn's Oct. 8, 2018 issue.

By Molly Goad

The Oct. 8 issue of Linns Stamp News just landed on the presses and goes in the mail to subscribers Monday, Sept. 24. And if you subscribe to Linns digital edition, youre at the head of the line with early access Saturday, Sept. 22. Here are three stories you'll want to check out.

Johns Hopkins stamp varieties

On June 7, 1989, the United States Postal Service issued a $1 stamp in its Great American series depicting banker and philanthropist Johns Hopkins. Dollar-Sign Stamps columnist Charles Snee takes a deeper look at the five different tagging varieties of this particular stamp.

British circular delivery stamps

The half-penny stamp nicknamed the bantam (Scott 58) was issued by Great Britain in 1870 in response to public demand for a reduced postal rate for circulars, newspapers and other printed matter. In this weeks print issue, Matthew Healey examines these circular delivery stamps  a neglected area that is both historic and affordable.

New Zealands stamps showcase its beautiful mountains

The nation of New Zealand has many beautiful mountains and fascinating volcanoes  so many that it is hard to keep up with them all. But some of the most prominent peaks have been featured on the countrys stamps, as detailed by our Stamps Down Under expert Janet Klug.

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(ANSA) - Milan, September 21 - A Pakistani woman whose arranged marriage in Pakistan was stopped by the Italian government said Friday she had slept in a hotel near Malpensa Airport and "no one came to get me".

"I'm very happy to come back to Italy," 23-year-old Menoona Safdar told ANSA.

"Last night I slept in a hotel, near Malpensa Airport. No one came to get me".

She said "I didn't sleep much, I was very agitated but the return trip went well." Safdar had appealed for help to her old school after she was forced to return to Pakistan by her father to marry a man chosen by her family.

The young woman said her father didn't reveal to her the real reason why he had taken her back to their country of origin until they had arrived.

"Please help me, my future is in Italy", the young woman reportedly wrote, saying her documents were confiscated by family members upon arrival. "My father forced me to leave before I could finish my fourth year" of high school and "I know one of the professors was asking where I was".

Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi announced on Thursday that Safdar was returning to Italy.

Moavero expressed "great satisfaction" at the outcome of the case and said Safdar had already boarded a flight for Italy and was travelling back.

The Italian foreign ministry said "the positive outcome, which ended a grave violation of the fundamental rights of the young woman, was rendered possible by the personal involvement of the minister" and the "effective action of our embassy in Islamabad, in close contact with the Farnesina (the foreign ministry)".


GAZA - Hamas has called on the population in Gaza to participate on Friday afternoon in the so-called 'march of return' along the border fence with Israel to end the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Organizers said participants in such demonstrations are on the rise.



Last night, at the instruction of Hamas, groups of protesters staged repeated demonstrations along the border with the aim of keeping Israeli soldiers in a state of constant alert.



Protesters set tires on fire, hurled stones and used lasers to 'blind' soldiers. Loudspeakers played alarm signals and Palestinian patriotic music. Special units also shot flaming balloons against Israel.



About ten arson attacks were registered in the Negev area last night, a record over the past few weeks.



Palestinian sources said that some demonstrators were wounded, including two seriously. Israel is on high alert in the area.
The harmful effects of air pollution affect far more than a person's respiratory system; previous research has found that it can also hurt babies in the womb.

Now, a new, small study offers insights into precisely how air pollution can harm fetuses. In the study, researchers found microscopic soot particles in the placentas of pregnant women living in London, suggesting that these harmful particles can pass into the umbilical cord.

Earlier studies have shown that there's an "association between maternal exposure to air pollution and effects on the fetus, said study co-author Lisa Miyashita, a postdoctoral researcher at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Miyashita's new research was presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Paris on Sept. 16. The findings have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. [7 Ways Pregnant Women Affect Babies]

The previous studies found that problems including "premature birth, low birth weight, infant mortality and childhood respiratory problems seem to be linked to the mothers' exposure to air pollution," Miyashita told Live Science. No studies, however, have looked at the potential mechanisms behind this association, she added.

To explore the link, Miyashita and her colleagues looked at immune cells called macrophages taken from the placentas of five women, all of whom delivered healthy babies via cesarean section. None of the women's pregnancies had complications, and none of the women were smokers.

Macrophages are white blood cells that can be found in all types of tissues in the body. They're tasked with hunting down threats to the body such as germs, cancer cells and air pollution particles. Once they detect a threat, they engulf it and digest it, to prevent it from harming the body.

The QMUL team has previously studied macrophages taken from the lungs of Londoners and found that they were full of air pollution particles, Miyashita said. The researchers wanted to see if they could also find these particles in macrophages taken from the placenta, a finding that would mean the air pollution particles had crossed into the bloodstream from the lungs.

Indeed, a few recent studies have hinted that so-called ultrafine particles  particles smaller than 100 nanometers in diameter  might be able to do just that, Miyashita said.

Still, the researchers had no idea whether they'd find anything at all, she added.

Placenta cells under the microscope

Using powerful microscopes, the team looked at 3,500 placental macrophages taken from the five women. In 60 of those cells, the scientists found black areas that looked "exactly the same" as the pollution-filled macrophages taken from lung cells, Miyashita said. Contaminated cells were found in samples from all five placentas in the study.

The researchers only found the polluted macrophages in the placental cells; they didn't look for pollution-filled cells in the umbilical cord, which connects the placenta to the fetus, or in the fetus itself. But even if the particles remain in the placenta and don't cross over into the fetus, they could still negatively affect the baby's health, lead study author Dr. Norrice Liu, a pediatrician at QMUL, said in a statement.

"We do not know whether the particles could move across into the fetus," Liu said. Our evidence suggests that this is indeed possible, but even if they only have an effect on the placenta, this will have a direct impact on the fetus."

That's because these are fine particles, [and] all fine particles stimulate inflammatory processes" that could harm the fetus, said Dr. Tobias Welte, the vice president of the European Respiratory Society and a professor of pulmonary medicine at the University of Hannover, Germany, who was not part of the study. Some of these particles could be more toxic and carcinogenic than others, but they are all bad for the body."

Welte said that the new results are significant, because they show for the first time that ultrafine air- pollution particles can directly affect unborn children.

The understanding of air pollution, he said, is shifting, as more studies show that ultrafine air pollution particles don't just stay in the lungs but penetrate further into the body where they could cause harm. [8 Ways That Air Pollution Can Harm Your Health]

"Air pollution is no longer a respiratory problem, it's a systemic problem," Welte told Live Science. "Our hearts, brains, kidneys and lymph nodes could be virtually full of these particles. The exposure of unborn children to these particles is particularly worrying as it can affect the development of their organs."

Miyashita said that pregnant woman living in cities with high levels of air pollution should try to avoid busy roads and areas as much as possible to reduce their exposure.

The researchers are planning to conduct a larger study to develop a better understanding of how the presence of these particles in the placenta might affect the health and development of children.

Originally published on Live Science.
Green shore crabs (<i>Carcinus maenas</i>) are not new to Maine's waters, but a mutant version of the crabs has been invading for the past few years. And they're mean.

An aggressive breed of green crab is invading Maine's waters.

The crabs (Carcinus maenas) threaten blue mussels, soft-shell clams and the eelgrass beds off the state's rocky coast. The crustaceans are also just plain nasty: Researchers who work with the crabs say that instead of hiding from threats, the critters rush forward, pincers waving.

"Anytime I went down to grab one, they went to grab me instead," Louis Logan, a graduate student at the University of New England, told the Associated Press.

The crabs, which measure about 5 inches (13 centimeters) long, belong to the same species that has long lived in Maine's waters. But in the past few years, a genetically distinct population of this species has traveled south from Nova Scotia, Canada, according to research led by Markus Frederich, a professor of marine sciences at the University of New England. These non-native crabs chow down on marine animals that are important for Maine's economy, including mussels and clams, and the invaders shred native eelgrass habitat as they hunt, according to the state's Department of Marine Resources.

Green crabs probably arrived in North America in the 1800s in the ballast water of ships from Europe. In the past decade, Maine's green crab population has exploded, a cycle probably linked to rising ocean temperatures, according to the marine resources department. A similar pattern occurred during a warm period in the 1950s. [In Images: Amazing World of Deep Sea Yeti Crabs]

The Department of Marine Resources is attempting to halt the damage by encouraging municipalities in trapping and removal of the crabs and by working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to install crab fences that would keep the invasive animals out of particularly valuable shellfish beds.

Meanwhile, Frederich and his colleagues are working to understand why the new arrivals from Nova Scotia are so much more aggressive than the green crabs that had previously made Maine their home. The scientists are researching how water temperature and salinity might alter the crabs' behavior, according to the University of New England, and even putting crabs on treadmills to test their endurance and metabolism.

Original article on Live Science.
Palestinian sources say 30 wounded in clashes at Gaza border Thousands in March of the Return, incendiary balloons to Israel

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, SEPTEMBER 21 - At least 30 Palestinian demonstrators were wounded on Friday in clashes with the Israeli Army at various points along the border fence between Gaza and the Jewish state, said medical sources in Gaza Strip.



Palestinian news agency Maan reported that the clashes took place during the Hamas-backed "March of the Return", and said there were several thousand demonstrators at the march.



(ANSAmed).




With a special blend of message and music, Google has created perhaps its most moving Doodle yet.

The search engine's homepage makes for a most welcome neighbor Friday, as the California company celebrates the 51st anniversary of the day that Fred Rogers strolled onto the Pittsburgh TV studio WQED and taped the first episode of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," which would make its national debut the following February and soon move into a nation's emotional heartland ever since.

"Fred was so radical, and he was so on the forefront," Cathy Cohen Droz, the director of special projects for Fred Rogers Productions, says in a special "Behind the Doodle" video. "People really did not understand what he was doing."

What he was doing, of course, was patiently teaching children through care and kindness - affirming lessons forever laced with messages of acceptance and curiosity and love.

Rogers profoundly understood the power of his medium, saying, "Through television we have a great chance to show and tell our children that they really matter." He added, as Google notes: "We have the chance to communicate the fact that childhood lies at the very basis of who people are and who they become."

For the next three decades, Rogers lovingly used television to reach and teach generations as children, masterfully speaking as a warm and beatific host who welcomed us into his TV home as he changed his shoes, donned sweaters knitted by his mother and pulled us into his cozy world of carefully paced dialogues and demonstrations threaded with journeys of the imagination.

To pay tribute to the legacy of Mr. Rogers's neighborhood, Google has created a stop-motion animated Doodle set to the show's theme song composed and performed by Rogers himself, "Won't You be My Neighbor?" (which is also the title of the award-winning documentary about him released this summer).

Fittingly, Google notes how music was Fred Rogers' first love; the Latrobe, Pennsylvania, native studied music composition at Rollins College and would go on to compose more than 200 songs and a dozen children's operas.

So it is Rogers's own musical voice that soothingly carries us through the nearly two-minute animation, from the trolley-tracking shot of his model neighborhood through visual cues to some of his most memorable characters - a progression of picture-pictures that frames his special connection with child viewers - all done with sculpted characters that salute the host's passion for puppetry.

The Google project, directed by Melissa Crowton and Olivia Huynh, worked in collaboration with Fred Rogers Productions, the Fred Rogers Center and the Sen. John Heinz History Center - as well as Joanne Rogers, who says that the "charming tribute" captures her husband's "gentle kindness."

"We are television neighbors, aren't we, you and I?" the host liked to say, looking squarely into - and seemingly through - the camera.

Yes, Mr. Rogers, we are. And now, through innovation, we are screen neighbors again, cozying up to your lasting spirit of love and compassion.
A Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said Thursday that authorities were still investigating the serial murders in Webb County but had no indication at this point that there are other victims.

Ten-year Border Patrol agent Juan David Ortiz, 35, remains jailed on a $2.5 million bond in connection with the four homicides and is being kept on suicide watch.

Although Ortiz went directly from the military into the Border Patrol, following a well-worn path, he also sought other jobs in law enforcement. The San Antonio Police Department approved him for a beginning position and a place at its academy, according to letters obtained by San Antonio television station KSAT. Two weeks before he officially left the Navy, Ortiz turned the job down.

I have chosen to pursue a career with the Department of Homeland Security following the advice of family and friends, Ortiz wrote in the letter.

Ortiz wrote that he was offered two incentives. He would start at a higher pay grade, and he would be able to count his eight years in the military toward the 20 years he needed to retire with benefits that include a lifetime pension.

Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrols parent agency, would not comment on Ortizs letter or what he was promised to join. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost this week assigned a new interim chief agent for its Laredo sector, which has seen two agents charged with murder this year.

Ortiz joined the agency in August 2009, first in the tiny town of Cotulla and then Laredo. He rose to a supervisory position while also obtaining a masters degree in 2013 from St. Marys University in San Antonio.

Ortiz appeared to be living a typical suburban life in a subdivision where rows of new homes stand next to fields of desert brush.

The Navy veteran left the military nine years ago and became a Border Patrol agent, like many others in this city in deep south Texas. He and his wife were raising two children. Neighbors saw him come and go and exchanged waves.

But no one in Laredo could have imagined that Ortiz would someday be described as a serial killer. Investigators said that between Sept. 3 and Sept. 15, he shot four sex workers in the head on rural roadsides in Webb County after picking them up on San Bernardo Avenue.

The case has shocked the border community and baffled law enforcement officials, who are trying to restore faith in Border Patrol agents and other local officers.

Were seeking truth, and were seeking justice for these victims, Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz said. Hopefully, even though motive is not an element to the crime of murder, we will be able to try to piece together what was going on in the mind of this accused killer as to why he did it.

Most people in Laredo have a friend or relative in the Border Patrol. Even those who oppose a border wall or the tough immigration policies of President Donald Trumps administration often speak favorably of the agents they know.

I couldnt believe it, said Colette Mireles, the sister of Claudine Luera, one of the victims.

We were thinking of someone else, but not an agent, sadly, Mireles told The Associated Press. But we cant hold the CBP accountable ... for heinous acts that he committed on his own.

Ortiz grew up in Texas and enlisted in the Navy on July 5, 2001, a little over a month after his 18th birthday. He became a combat medic and served in the Navy for about eight years, including three with the 1st Marine Division based at Twenty-Nine Palms, California.

A week after his arrest, few signs have emerged to explain what happened. His lawyer, Joey Tellez, issued a statement saying he had begun his own investigation of the case and would not comment further.

Records show Ortiz and his wife purchased their home about a year ago. Several neighbors said they knew little about the man now charged with a crime thats drawn international attention. A Border Patrol agent who lives near Ortiz would not speak to a reporter who approached him.

Prosecutors released Facebook posts that Ortiz allegedly wrote before surrendering in a standoff with law enforcement. One reads, Doc Ortiz checks out. Farewell. The other reads, To my wife and kids, I love u.
A suspected drunk driver cut a Laredo police officer with a knife following a recent car crash in central Laredo, LPD said.

Marc Cerda, 21, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault against a public servant with a knife and driving while intoxicated. He was released on bond Sept. 13.

Two days earlier, officers responded to a report of a vehicle crash with injuries in the 6500 block of Springfield Avenue. A blue Subaru had collided into a cinder block fence, police said.

Police identified the driver as Cerda, who was allegedly intoxicated. LPD said he yelled at officers and EMS crews to leave him alone. Then, police said they noticed Cerda had a knife in his hand.

Officers told Cerda to drop the knife, but he refused, according to police. During a struggle, Cerda allegedly swung his arm in a slashing motion and cut an officer in the hand, causing a minor injury, before he was detained.
Confusion reigned throughout Thursday as county authorities received information about suspected serial killer and U.S. Border Patrol agent Juan David Ortiz bonding out of jail.

A report out of a Valley news station was aired with erroneous information stating that Juan David Ortiz was out on bond. At no time did the District Attorneys Office confirm that Ortiz was out on bond. Ortiz remains in custody at the Webb County Jail, said Webb County District Attorney Isidro R. Chilo Alaniz in a Facebook post.
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A convicted sex offender was arrested after Laredo police said he failed to report his change of employment as required by law.

On Wednesday, David Sanchez, 27, was served with an arrest warrant that charged him with sex offenders duty to register.
The man who allegedly shot a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper in the face with a pellet gun in Encinal has been arrested.

Cesar Antonio Adams Jr., 23, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a public servant.
CAIRO - The spokesman of General Khalifa Haftar asked Italy to hand back the skulls of Libyan rebels decapitated during the Italian colonization of Libya, which he said were kept "in Rome", together with Italy's apology for the crimes perpetrated in Libya during the Fascist regime.



The requests formulated by spokesman Ahmed Al-Mismari in statements to Libyan television.



"We remember our martyred heroes, like Omar al-Mukhtar and his heroic companions, whose heads were cut and transferred to Rome", Al-Mismari said in a video published by broadcaster Libya Alhadath Tv. The elderly rebel leader Omar Al-Mukhtar was captured by the Fascists and executed in 1931.



"We have the tombs with the bodies with the beheaded bodies of the heroic mujaheddin. The heads are in Rome. We are now demanding these heads and ask Italy to continue apologizing", added the general. (ANSAmed).


In 2013, in the affluent Miami suburb of Biscayne Park, police officers became so skilled at cracking unsolved burglaries that all it took was the stroke of a pen.

Then-police chief Raimundo Atesiano had never seen such success, as he testified at a village council meeting in July that year. The police department, he said, was boasting a 100 percent clearance rate in burglary cases.

"This is the first time I've ever known that to happen in any department that I've ever been in," he said to loud applause, as the Miami Herald reported.

But in fact, it never happened. And Atesiano knew it.

As Atesiano bragged on his department, Clarens Desrouleaux languished in prison, serving time for grand theft and a burglary that prosecutors and a judge now acknowledge Desrouleaux never committed.

Desrouleax, a Haitian immigrant, was one of three black men who federal prosecutors say were victims of a police department's conspiracy to make itself look good at fighting crime at the expense of innocent people who were framed. One victim was as young as 16. In all three cases, police officers invented evidence, falsified police reports or coerced or fabricated confessions in order to pin the burglaries on the men - all so that they could maintain impressive crime stats, according to federal criminal court documents.

The consequence of the wrongful conviction for Desrouleaux: five years wasted in prison, the loss of his green card and deportation back to Haiti, a federal lawsuit now claims.

Former chief Atesiano pleaded guilty last Friday to conspiring to deprive people of civil rights while admitting that he directed subordinate officers to make knowingly false arrests in order to clear unsolved burglaries. Three other former officers pleaded guilty in July and August to deprivation of civil rights for their roles in the wrongful arrests. They will each be sentenced in the coming weeks.

"The police chief of Biscayne Park essentially wanted to have good stats with 100 percent solve rates on thefts and burglaries, so he ordered his police officers to go after people - from my understanding, black people - with criminal records," said Cam Cornish, an attorney for one of the three framed men, Erasmus Banmah. "Basically, this was a case of people in positions of power picking on the marginalized society."

While race was not a factor in the federal criminal case, a Village of Biscayne Park Police Department internal affairs investigation obtained by The Washington Post suggests the command staff may have instructed officers to specifically target black people.

At least four officers said during the 2014 internal investigation that Atesiano and another police captain ordered them to arrest anybody on the street with a record - while one of those officers, Anthony De La Torre, specified he was told to look for black people.

"Officer De La Torre stated the Captain has told him multiple times to pin cases pending on anyone black walking through the streets at night," the internal affairs report states. "He stated the Chief told him the same thing and the Corporal also relayed the message. He stated, for instance, if they have burglaries that are open cases that are not solved yet, if you see anybody black walking through our streets and they have somewhat of a record, arrest them so we can pin them for all the burglaries. He stated they were basically doing this to have a 100 percent clearance rate for the city."

Atesiano's defense attorney, Richard Docobo, strongly denied that race played a factor in any of the arrests.

"There is no credible evidence that any of the officers at Biscayne Park arrested anyone because of their race or ethnicity," he told The Post. "The suggestion from anyone that that was the case is false."

Cornish said he had no understanding of how his client, Banmah, ended up targeted for the five car burglaries, beyond the fact that he is black and has a record. In each arrest report obtained by The Post, police claim their suspicion of Banmah originated from information provided by a "reliable confidential informant." In some of the reports, the officer claimed Banmah rode with the officer to the crime scene, where the officer claimed Banmah confessed about all that he had stolen: a DVD player, a wheelchair, a "blue blag containing junk."

It was all made up.

Charges were dropped against Banmah and against the 16-year-old victim, who was framed for four residential burglaries, according to court records. But Desrouleaux didn't get so lucky.

Police initially arrested Desrouleaux on suspicion that he forged a check connected to a recent home burglary, according to federal court documents. While he was in custody, Atesiano told the arresting officers to charge him with two open burglaries - knowing that there was no evidence connecting him to them. They claimed he confessed.

Desrouleaux, who also has a record, faced 30 years in prison for those burglaries, according to his federal lawsuit.

Instead of taking his case to trial and risking decades behind bars, he pleaded guilty and served five. (He was not convicted in the suspected check forgery.)

Desrouleaux is now back in Haiti, where he was deported following his release from prison on the wrongful burglary and theft cases in August 2017. A judge has since vacated his convictions.

But his attorney, Sagi Shaked, said Desrouleaux is still not allowed to return to the United States, which he is fighting to change. He is trying to get home to his two children, who still live in Miami.
On a hot, sticky May afternoon in 1970, a crowd of several thousand students and protesters took over the University of Maryland mall. Many were there to protest the Vietnam War. Others were hoping to catch a glimpse of a famous Hollywood actress. Her name was Jane Fonda.

As the war raged, the one-time blonde bombshell cut her naturally brown hair short, trading sex appeal for liberal activism and rebranding herself as a political crusader against the war. On campus, she was pushing her movement to turn U.S. soldiers into pacifists. "The Army builds a tolerance for violence," she shouted at the crowd. "I find that intolerable."

The Washington Post spent that day with Fonda, following her and a dozen or so students to Fort Meade in Maryland, where they planned to hand out antiwar leaflets to soldiers. She was arrested before she got the chance, just as she had been at Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Hood, Texas; and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Fonda told The Post she'd made talking to GIs her full-time job.

For the next several years, Fonda would continue as one of the most prominent public faces in the antiwar movement. But it wasn't until she traveled to Hanoi in July 1972 that she really enraged critics and fundamentally altered how the world viewed her for decades to come.

A new HBO documentary on Fonda's life, "Jane Fonda in Five Acts," explores the fallout for the actress, who is now 80. In it, she apologizes once again for insulting the men and women who fought in Vietnam. More than 58,000 Americans died in the war..

Fonda's transformation from actress to activist began several years earlier. She was active in the Black Panthers and marched for the rights of American Indians, soldiers and working mothers. But she was advised by other activists to focus her political energies, deciding to go all-in as an impassioned voice for the antiwar movement.

She and actor Donald Sutherland started an "anti-USO" troupe to counter Bob Hope's famous shows for the troops. They called it FTA, which they said stood for Free the Army, but it was also a not-so-subtle nod to the expression "f--- the Army."

By July 1972, when Fonda accepted an invitation to visit North Vietnam, America had been at war overseas and with itself for years. She went to tour the country's dike system, which was rumored to have been intentionally bombed by American forces - something the U.S. government to this day forcefully denies. During her two-week stay, Fonda concluded that America was unjustly bombing farmland and areas far flung from military targets. North Vietnamese press reported - and Fonda later confirmed - that she made several radio announcements over the Voice of Vietnam radio to implore U.S. pilots to stop the bombings.

"I appealed to them to please consider what you are doing. I don't think they know," Fonda said in a news conference when she returned home. "The people who are speaking out against the war are the patriots." She said the radio addresses were the only way to get access to American soldiers, because she was barred from meeting them at their bases in South Vietnam.

In Hanoi, Fonda also met with seven American POWs and later said they asked her to tell their friends and family to support presidential candidate George McGovern; they feared they'd never be freed during a Richard Nixon administration. Rumors spread and still persist that she betrayed them by accepting secret notes and then turning them over to the North Vietnamese. The POWs who were there have denied that this ever occurred.

But the action that still enrages veterans most was that photograph of her with North Vietnamese troops on an antiaircraft gun that would have been used to shoot down American planes. This, probably more than anything, earned her the nickname "Hanoi Jane."

After Fonda returned from her trip, the State Department spoke out against her.

"It is always distressing to find American citizens who benefit from the protection and assistance of this government lending their voice in any way to governments such as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - distressing indeed," said State Department spokesman Charles Bray, according to a July 1972 Reuters story.

Some lawmakers called her actions treason. Congress held hearings. The Veterans of Foreign Wars passed a resolution calling for her to be prosecuted as a traitor.

Perhaps most dramatically, in March 1973, the Maryland state legislature held a hearing to have Fonda and her films barred from the state. Del. William Burkhead, a Democrat from Anne Arundel, said, "I wouldn't want to kill her, but I wouldn't mind if you cut her tongue off," according to a Post story.

Fonda wasn't deterred. She continued openly to question the accounts of the U.S. government and American POWs, who told devastating stories of the torture they endured at the hands of the North Vietnamese.

"These men were bombing and strafing and napalming the country," she said, according to an Associated Press report in April 1973, which quoted an interview she gave to KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. "If a prisoner tried to escape, it is quite understandable that he would probably be beaten and tortured."

Over the years, as Fonda reinvented herself as a fitness maven and again a movie star, she apologized many times for the antiaircraft gun photo. But she maintains she was not a traitor by speaking out against the war or trying to turn soldiers against it, because she still believes the U.S. government was lying to them.

In her 2005 memoir, "My Life So Far," Fonda wrote of the infamous photo this way:

"Here is my best, honest recollection of what took place," Fonda wrote. "Someone (I don't remember who) leads me toward the gun, and I sit down, still laughing, still applauding. It all has nothing to do with where I am sitting. I hardly even think about where I am sitting. The cameras flash. I get up, and as I start to walk back to the car with the translator, the implication of what has just happened hits me. Oh, my God. It's going to look like I was trying to shoot down U.S. planes! I plead with him, You have to be sure those photographs are not published. Please, you can't let them be published. I am assured it will be taken care of. I don't know what else to do. It is possible that the Vietnamese had it all planned. I will never know. If they did, can I really blame them? The buck stops here. If I was used, I allowed it to happen. It was my mistake, and I have paid and continue to pay a heavy price for it.

Still, for some veterans, no apology from Fonda will ever change their views of her as an adversary of America and the troops during wartime. In 2015, about 50 veterans stood outside the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, Maryland, to protest Fonda's appearance there. They held signs that read "Forgive? Maybe. Forget? Never." and booed people attending the event, according to the Frederick News-Post.

Fonda told the audience that their protests saddened her.

"It hurts me," she said, "and it will to my grave that I made a huge, huge mistake that made a lot of people think I was against the soldiers."
WASHINGTON - The White House has "authorized offensive cyber operations" against U.S. adversaries, in line with a new policy that eases the rules on the use of digital weapons to protect the nation, National Security Adviser John Bolton said Thursday.

"Our hands are not tied as they were in the Obama administration," Bolton said during a news briefing to unveil a new national cyber strategy.

He did not elaborate on the nature of the offensive operations, how significant they were, or what specific malign behavior they were intended to counter. The Trump administration is focused on foreign governments' attempts to target U.S. networks and potentially interfere in November's election.

The strategy incorporates a new classified presidential directive that replaced one from the Obama administration, Bolton said. It allows the military and other agencies to undertake cyber operations intended to protect their systems and the nation's critical networks.

Bolton's remarks are consistent with the Trump administration's more aggressive posture toward cyber deterrence compared with that ofits predecessors. He cast the latest move as part of an effort to "create structures of deterrence that will demonstrate to adversaries that the cost of their engaging in operatings against us is higher than they want to bear."

In general, the president's directive - it's called National Security Presidential Memorandum 13, or NSPM 13 - frees the military to engage - without a lengthy approval process - in actions that fall below the "use of force" or a level that would cause death, destruction or significant economic impacts, said individuals familiar with the policy who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic information.

"As a policy matter, Bolton's remarks likely mean they are willing to take more risks than previous administrations, but the proof will be in the results," said Michael Daniel, Obama's cyber coordinator.

Trump's strategy builds off those put forward by previous administrations and incorporates initiatives already underway, such as using a "risk-management" approach to stanching vulnerabilities in critical networks.

Overall, they almost directly mirrors the Obama administration's national cybersecurity action plan issued in 2016, which grew from best practices developed by industry and the Commerce Department, said Ari Schwartz, a former senior cyber official in the Obama administration.

The strategy "does not go far enough in accelerating the reforms that need to be made," said Rep. James Langevin, D-R.I., co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus. It's good to clarify the roles of federal agencies in protecting critical infrastructure, he said. But "the document often fails to provide the strategic guidance regarding what trade-offs we should expect to make" between regulating and responding to the needs of critical system owners.

Langevin said it's ironic that Bolton eliminated the position of White House cyber coordinator when he took office earlier this year - what he called "the very position best able to address these trade-offs at a national level."

Bolton said he did so to "eliminate the duplication and overlap" on the National Security Council staff. He said that other directorates - intelligence and counterproliferation, for instance - were headed by directors, but did not also have a coordinator above that position.

The issue of responding to cyber provocations has been hotly debated for years. The Obama administration took criticism for being too slow and too timid. Some former officials pushed back, saying the obstacle to responding aggressively to a foreign cyberattack was not the policy, but the inability of agencies to deliver a forceful response.

"When you got to the point of saying, 'OK, what do you have for us?' there was not much ready to go," said Schwartz, now managing director for cybersseucrity services at Venable law firm.

The new White House document comes on the heels of a Pentagon cyber strategy issued this week that focuses on China and Russia as the United States' top strategic adversaries. "This is attributed to their roles, respectively, in eroding U.S. military and economic vitality and challenging our democratic processes," said Kate Charlet, a former senior Pentagon cyber official who is now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The Defense Department strategy also calls for "defending forward, confronting threats before they reach U.S. networks." U.S. Cyber Command has always been tasked with defending the nation against attacks while operating outside U.S. borders. But now defensive activity will take place in the context of "day-to-day great power competition" rather than in crisis.

"The new approach derives from a growing consensus that lower-level malicious campaigns pose a major, cumulative risk and must be contested," Charlet said. This is right, she said, but the Pentagon "must not find itself so focused on the day-to-day that it underprepares for major conflict."

The strategy also makes more explicit the Defense Department's role in deterring or defeating cyber operations targeting U.S. critical infrastructure that is "likely to cause a significant cyber incident."
Haftar, 'Rome must hand back rebels' skulls from Fascism' Spokesman, 'decapitated during occupation, like Omar al-Mukhtar'

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 21 - The spokesman of General Khalifa Haftar asked Italy to hand back the skulls of Libyan rebels decapitated during the Italian colonization of Libya, which he said were kept "in Rome", together with Italy's apology for the crimes perpetrated in Libya during the Fascist regime.



The requests formulated by spokesman Ahmed Al-Mismari in statements to Libyan television.



"We remember our martyred heroes, like Omar al-Mukhtar and his heroic companions, whose heads were cut and transferred to Rome", Al-Mismari said in a video published by broadcaster Libya Alhadath Tv. The elderly rebel leader Omar Al-Mukhtar was captured by the Fascists and executed in 1931.



"We have the tombs with the bodies with the beheaded bodies of the heroic mujaheddin. The heads are in Rome. We are now demanding these heads and ask Italy to continue apologizing", added the general. (ANSAmed).




Gaza: Hamas calls for new demonstrations today Overnight multiple acts of protests staged along the border

(ANSAmed) - GAZA, SEPTEMBER 21 - Hamas has called on the population in Gaza to participate on Friday afternoon in the so-called 'march of return' along the border fence with Israel to end the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Organizers said participants in such demonstrations are on the rise.



Last night, at the instruction of Hamas, groups of protesters staged repeated demonstrations along the border with the aim of keeping Israeli soldiers in a state of constant alert.



Protesters set tires on fire, hurled stones and used lasers to 'blind' soldiers. Loudspeakers played alarm signals and Palestinian patriotic music. Special units also shot flaming balloons against Israel.



About ten arson attacks were registered in the Negev area last night, a record over the past few weeks.



Palestinian sources said that some demonstrators were wounded, including two seriously. Israel is on high alert in the area. (ANSAmed)
There are 8,139 young people living in County Longford and, with our growing youth population set to surpass one million nationally by 2025, investment in universal youth services is more important now than ever. That was the message from James Doorley, National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) Deputy Director, speaking after the publication of the organisations pre-budget submission recently.

In its Pre Budget 2019 submission Future Proof with Investment in Youth the NYCI, which represents youth organisations working with over 380,000 young people nationwide, is calling on Government to invest a further 11.5 million in universal youth work in Budget 2019 to strengthen voluntary youth work organisations, to provide more supports and activities for young people and to meet the needs of a growing youth population nationally and locally.

Investment in growing youth population essential

Mr Doorley explained: The 2016 census results indicate that the number of young people aged 10 to 24 will increase by 13.2% between 2015 and 2025 and will be just over one million young people by 2025 (1,005,938),making Ireland one of the only European countries with a growing youth population.

NYCI is of the view that wise investment in our growing youth population now would be the best way to ensure long term social and economic success and better secure us against potential economic and financial shocks and difficulties.

Funding still 20% below that of a decade ago.

Investment in youth work services from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) decreased by 31.7% over an eight year period, from 73.1m in 2008 to 49.9m in 2015. While funding for youth work from DCYA had recovered to 58.9m by 2018, mostly for targeted schemes, it is still 20% below that of a decade ago, explained Mr Doorley.

These severe cutbacks have left significant deficits and have put a strain on volunteers, staff and organisations trying to deliver quality youth services and supports for the growing number of young people, while also meeting the increasing level of governance requirements. The Government urgently needs to address the overall funding deficits in Budget 2019.

Less than 1.25 a week per young person currently invested in youth work

In 2008, the investment in youth work services was 76 per young person. By 2014, this had collapsed to 58 per young person. So while there has been an increase in funding, the youth population is also growing significantly. This means the actual investment for 2018 comes to just 64 per young person  or just under 1.25 a week per young person.

We propose that investment in universal youth work services should be increased to 85 per young person by 2020 - which amounts to 82m - to ensure every young person is able to avail of a youth work opportunity in their local community. In order to achieve this, Government must invest an additional funding allocation of 11.5m in Budget 2019, said Mr Doorley.

Economic benefit: state saves 2.20 for every 1 spent on youth work

For every 1 spent on youth work, the state gets a return on investment of over 100%, according to an Indecon report on the economic benefit of youth work, added Mr Doorley.

Investment in youth work services will not just make a difference now, but will generate a social and economic dividend over the coming decades. As the title of our Pre-Budget submission Future Proof with Investment in Youth illustrates, the best means of securing long-term social and economic sustainability is investment in our people, in particular our growing youth population. We call on Government to make that choice in Budget 2019, concluded Mr Doorley.
Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: September 21 2018

Park Family Farm Owner Luke Park Enters Guilty Plea on Charges of Child Labor Violation, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and Failure to Pay Unemployment Contributions.

New York, NY - Sept. 21, 2018 - Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood today announced the guilty plea of Luke Park, owner of the Park Family Farm, for child labor violations related to the death of a 14-year-old boy in July 2015.

Park pleaded guilty today in Cortland County Court before Justice Julie A. Campbell, to Endangering the Welfare of a Child, the Willful Failure to Pay a Contribution to the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and the Prohibited Employment of a Minor. The court ordered Mr. Park to return for sentencing on January 3, 2019.

This incident is a tragic reminder that child labor laws exist for a reason. My office will continue to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who puts a minor in harms way, said Attorney General Underwood.

The Attorney General indicted Park in November 2016, stemming from the July 2015 incident at the Park Family Farm, located in Homer, New York. In todays plea allocution, Park admitted that Alex Smith, a 14-year-old boy, was killed while working on his dairy farm. The boy was operating a New Holland LS170 Skidloader with a hydraulic lift and fork attachment, which is explicitly prohibited by child labor laws, in an attempt to prepare bales of hay for cow feed. Park admitted that he found the boys body pinned underneath the hydraulic lift and bale of hay, with the engine of the Skidloader still running. The medical examiners autopsy concluded that the boys chest and abdomen were crushed, resulting in his death by mechanical asphyxiation.

In addition, Park admitted that he employed other minors on his dairy farm and required them to work approximately 60 hours a week, which exceeds the 48 hour per week maximum for 16- and 17-year-olds when school is not in session. Park also admitted that the majority of his employees were paid off-the-books, resulting in an underpayment in Unemployment Insurance Contributions amounting to approximately $10,500.

Of all the labor violations we see, those against children are some of the most abhorrent. Endangering the welfare of New Yorks children by violating the labor laws is absolutely unacceptable, said NYS Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon. Children are our most valuable asset and compliance with the Child Labor Law is not discretionary  its mandatory.

New Yorks Child Labor Law sets forth some of the strictest guidelines in the country on the employment of minors. The law sets forth safety guidelines with certain absolute prohibitions, including the operation of hydraulic lift machinery. The law also seeks to ensure that burdensome working hours do not interfere with a childs education. For example, minors that are 16- and 17-years old are limited to working no more than 28 hours in any week when school is in session, and 48 hours per week when on vacation or over the summer.

The law also requires that minors obtain an employment certificate (working papers) in order to be employed. There are exceptions for jobs such as babysitting and newspaper carriers.
One morning in May 1879, in the coal cellar of a large London house, a teenage errand boy made a terrible discovery: a decomposing corpse with a rope around its neck.

With that as his macabre beginning, Sinclair McKay tells a compelling story, connecting class, snobbery, sex, immigration, early forensic science and, fascinatingly, if a bit tenuously, Sir David Attenborough.

The house was No 4, Euston Square, which was bulldozed in the Sixties as part of the new Euston station development.

McKay, in this meticulously researched book, has now excavated its lurid secrets.

In May 1879, in the cellar of a London house, a teenage errand boy made a terrible discovery: a decomposing corpse with a rope around its neck. With that as his macabre beginning, Sinclair McKay tells a compelling story, connecting class, snobbery, sex and immigration

In 1879 it was owned by one Severin Bastendorff, an immigrant from Luxembourg who had built a successful business making bamboo furniture.

Severin married an Englishwoman, Mary Pearce. By 1879 they had four children and ran their home as a boarding house.

The rapid proliferation of boarding houses in London in the mid-19th century had changed the culture of the city. This startling new convention of living cheek by jowl with strangers fascinated authors such as Dickens. The Victorian public were captivated by stories of murdered landladies, predatory widows and illicit sexual liaisons, but little intrigued them as much as the corpse in the Bastendorff cellar.

Eventually, thanks to ingenious detective work by a rising star at Scotland Yard, the body was found to be that of Matilda Hacker, a woman in her 60s, who, although wealthy, chose to move between London boarding houses. In 1877 she arrived to lodge at 4 Euston Square, where she was well liked but seen as conspicuously odd, so no one questioned her sudden departure. In fact she had been murdered, her body hidden in the cellar.

The Victorian public were captivated by stories of murdered landladies, predatory widows and illicit sexual liaisons

The prime suspect was the Bastendorffs maid, Hannah Dobbs. On trial at the Old Bailey, it emerged that she had been having a sexual relationship with Severins younger brother, and possibly Severin himself. Had Miss Hacker found out? Or had she simply discovered Hannah stealing from her? The public were agog.

It didnt help Hannah that another sensational case was being reported at the time: that of a servant, Kate Webster, who had murdered her employer in Richmond-upon-Thames. Hannah and Kate met while awaiting their verdicts, and Hannah drew comfort from Kates cheerfulness.

But Kate was found guilty and hanged, her wax effigy soon on display at Madame Tussauds. She had dismembered and boiled the corpse; the skull was found more than a century later, unearthed by builders working for Sir David Attenborough.

Hannah was acquitted and published a bestselling account of her experiences, shedding light on more seedy goings-on at 4 Euston Square. She alleged that an urchin had also been murdered there and, causing yet more indignation among Victorian readers, that a dog had been tortured. She claimed the villain of the piece, to whom shed lost her virginity in a rampant affair, was Severin.

Having denied this during Hannahs trial, Severin was then tried for perjury, found guilty, and sentenced to 12 months hard labour.

Unsurprisingly, his marriage disintegrated. It was also no surprise that, with his attempt to assimilate into the English middle class having come so spectacularly unstuck, he became increasingly unstable.

He was eventually locked up in a lunatic asylum, where nobody listened when he told them who really killed Matilda Hacker . . .
Libya: Tripoli, 96 dead, 444 wounded since August 'Daily violations of truce this week'

(ANSAmed) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 21 - Libya's health ministry on Friday said that 96 people were killed and 444 injured in clashes in Tripoli since August 26, Arab news reports.



Daily violations were also reported this week of the ceasefire agreed in Tripoli to end clashes between militias.



(ANSAmed).




In the wake of Jimmy Butler's trade request from the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week, the Timberwolves are reportedly telling teams they don't plan to trade the disgruntled star according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Per Wojnarowski, Butler prefers the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks as potential destinations. The relationship between Butler and young star big man Karl-Anthony Towns is reportedly fractured.

Of course, this is probably a bargaining maneuver by Minnesota, since Towns is the future of the franchise, right?

From Wojnarowski's report: "Often that's an opening message that's followed with a query on what a prospective trade partner might offer in a hypothetical deal, but that hasn't been the case in the Timberwolves dialogue with teams late this week, sources said."

Well then.

Butler didn't leave Minnesota with much time to make a deal -- the Timberwolves have Media Day on Monday, which could make for an incredibly awkward scene. But the Timberwolves won't want to get fleeced for Butler, especially in the wake of the team's first playoff appearance in 10 years. Waiting for a good deal rather than grasping at a mediocre one makes the most sense from a franchise perspective, if that's what the team is hoping to do.

Is there any chance the Timberwolves are planning to trade Towns instead, building around Butler? If so, the Boston Celtics would certainly seem like a logical option to throw their hats into the ring. The Celtics are well-stocked for the foreseeable future at every position except center, particularly as they look to preserve 32-year-old Al Horford's health and legs. Towns' window fits perfectly with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and he would help create for some enormous, devastating lineups.

But the chances of Towns being dealt feels incredibly slim, especially since Minnesota's ownership group will reportedly be involved in the negotiations. Towns is too valuable, too young and too talented to be moved in favor of Butler, who doesn't make the Timberwolves a contender in the loaded Western Conference. Meanwhile, if Minnesota traded Towns, they still would risk losing Butler to free agency in the offseason, which would be a disastrous worst-case scenario.

So we wait and see. But Minnesota probably can't afford to wait for long.
Massachusetts officials announced Friday an expected date for full utilities to be restored to Merrimack Valley residents following the gas-related explosions earlier this month.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said Friday that he has activated the National Guard to support recovery efforts.

Starting Saturday, units will be dispatched to Lawrence, Andover and North Andover to provide 7,000 hot plates to residents "so they can have a hot meal at home," Baker said Friday.

Additionally, 24,000 space heaters will also be provided starting Monday to residents of homes certified safe by officials, to allow for heat in homes before temperatures begin to dip into low temperatures.

Power is expected to be restored to all homes and workplaces in the three Massachusetts communities impacted by Nov. 19, NiSource President and CEO Joe Hamrock said in a statement released Friday. NiSource is the parent company of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts.

Before the mid-November target date, 48 miles of pipeline in the region must be updated.

Columbia Gas was criticized for its response to the disaster, both for delayed communication with residents and public officials as well as the number of crews deployed to the region in hours immediately following. A day after the explosion, Baker appointed Eversource the project manager of recovery efforts.

On Friday, he announced another overseer. Joseph Albanese, a retired navy captain, will oversee Columbia's reconstruction efforts.

Hamrock said the company is working to rebuild trust with their customers.

"Many people are still hurting in the wake of last week's disaster," Hamrock said. "We owe it to this community to fully address the community's needs and rebuild your trust in us."

Baker thanked residents for their patience and said, "The road to recovery will take time." The governor has spent a significant amount of time in the Merrimack Valley following the explosions.

Explosions in pipes serviced by Columbia Gas in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover caused upwards of 70 fires, injured more than two dozen people and resulted in the death of an 18-year-old from Lawrence, who died after a chimney fell on his vehicle. Homes in each community were evacuated on Sept. 13.

While residents whose homes remained structurally safe were allowed to return home in days following the explosions, thousands remain without utilities.

The first class-action lawsuit was filed against Columbia Gas on behalf of residents impacted this week.
Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera is comparing lawyers from Morgan & Morgan, the law firm bringing a class action suit against Columbia Gas after last week's gas fires and explosions, to "vultures" preying on vulnerable people.

On Thursday Morgan & Morgan held a town hall for residents affected by the gas line leak and explosions that rocked Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover last week.

The meeting originally was scheduled for 6 p.m. at Relief's In on Market Place in Lawrence, where city officials set up a claim center for people affected by the disaster.

When dozens of people arrived for the meeting police officers redirected them to the Claddagh Pub on Canal Street, about a mile away.

Rivera told MassLive Thursday night that he told Relief's In not to host the lawyers because they were fishing for clients while the city is trying to offer a public service.

"I didn't think it was appropriate for a for-profit firm to go and try to get clients there," he said. "People should be able to go and not get accosted by ambulance chasing lawyers."

In the pub, Benjamin Houston Wilson, a lawyer for the firm, said, "There was some disagreement about us being able to share this information with you."

He and other representatives from Morgan & Morgan declined to specify what prompted the last minute venue change.

Rivera said the change was his call. He told Relief's In that the lawyers were not welcomed during the hours residents were seeking help. Rivera called it "despicable" and "disgusting."

If lawyers were interested in helping, they'd do it for free, he said.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Morgan & Morgan, a contingency firm with 50 offices across the nation, in Essex County Superior Court. Representing attorneys include environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Frank Petosa, head of Morgan & Morgan's complex environmental litigation.

"Robert Kennedy Jr. should be ashamed that he is bringing his family name into this heartless enterprise," Rivera said.

At a press conference shortly after the suit was filed, Rivera said the lawsuit was premature.

"I think it's shameful," Rivera said at a news conference. "They are preying on these people's desire for information. That needs to stop."

Rivera said the city intends to set up a fair where residents can seek legal counsel for free, without signing on to a suit.

"At the end of the day we're doing a public service here," he said. "And they are trying to make money."

Asked to respond, Morgan & Morgan attorney Frank Petosa said, "The mayor is obviously doing everything he can right now to help his constituents recover. But - if I had the opportunity to speak to him, what I'd say is, so are we."

Petosa continued: "The purpose of the meeting was to inform community members of their rights so they can make a fully informed decision and proceed in whatever manner makes sense for them."
Lawyers from Morgan & Morgan gathered people affected by the gas line leak and ensuing explosions in the Merrimack Valley for a town hall meeting Thursday night, explaining their class action lawsuit on behalf of people affected by the disaster.

A group of about 30 people gathered in a pool room above the Claddagh Pub on Canal Street to hear from lawyers from the high profile firm. Parents brought young children, and a translator was on hand or any native Spanish speakers.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Morgan & Morgan, a contingency firm with 50 offices across the nation, in Essex County Superior Court. Representing attorneys include environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Frank Petosa, head of Morgan & Morgan's complex environmental litigation.

Residents were emotional at the meeting. They said they are scared and their children are traumatized. As people moved back home, the people who still had homes to return to, they wondered if they can trust gas companies to properly check their lines.

The main question: "When will we get gas?"

Benjamin Houston Wilson, an attorney with the firm, said: "I do not know. However, you are approaching the winter months here and it is the northeast....the cold is clearly coming...and what are you going to do?"

Wilson said, "That is why we are here."

To turn gas lines on in the three communities workers must check each gas line in all of the more than 8,000 homes affected by the disaster. The National Transportation Safety Board has said a preliminary investigation showed an over-pressurized gas line caused the leak. It may take up to two years for the full investigation to be completed.

Gas experts say that gas likely flooded into homes, and actions as simple as turning on a light or an appliance may have caused many of the 60 to 80 fires.

Craig Mullenmeister, 64 of Lawrence, said he no longer trusts the gas workers.

"How do we know the same people who blew up our houses are not going to be the same people checking our gas?" he asked. Mullenmeister's house did not catch fire but needed to be vented.

Jose Colon, 45 of Lawrence, said his children are "traumatized" and afraid to sleep at night.

"What are we supposed to do?" he asked.

Colon said he was out at a store buying his wife a pack of cigarettes Thursday afternoon at a convenience store he frequents. Back at home, he stopped his wife from lighting a cigarette because he smelled gas.

"Really...I saved my family," he said, his voice catching with tears. "I don't know what to say."

Initially, the law firm scheduled a meeting for 6 p.m. at Relief's In on Market Place in Lawrence. As dozens of people drove to the location, they were redirected by Boston Police who told residents to gather in the pub, instead.

Wilson said, "There was some disagreement about us being able to share this information with you." He and other representatives from Morgan & Morgan declined to specify what prompted the last minute venue change.

Morgan & Morgan representatives said Columbia Gas will have to answer some simple questions: "When did you know and what did you do about it?"

Colon and Mullenmeister are neighbors. They both said they received no alerts or warnings during the crisis Thursday.

"There should've been alarms...something," Colon said. Mullenmeister said word traveled "neighbor to neighbor" rather than through emergency vehicles.

Ryan Jones, 37 of North Andover, said there has been no clear communication about which homes have gas and which do not.

"My neighbor...lives 15 feet away from me and has gas. I don't have gas," Jones said. "That's crazy."

Residents were encouraged to document any problems they have in a journal. Wilson suggested including the dates, in case the residents plan to pursue legal action.

Kennedy delivered a fiery rebuke of Columbia Gas, which he said was negligent.

"You need a full-time advocate...to get answers," Kennedy said. "And that's why we came here today."
The ACLU of Massachusetts and Youth Advocacy Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services are voicing support for the appeal of Michelle Carter, the Plainville woman convicted of manslaughterfor pressuring her boyfriend into killing himself.

Conrad Roy III, 18, was found dead in a Fairhaven Kmart parking lot on on July 13, 2014, after he turned on a gas-powered water pump and allowed the cabin to fill with carbon monoxide.

Carter, who was 17 years old when she sent Roy a barrage of texts and Facebook messages encouraging him to kill himself before his eventual suicide, was convicted of a count of involuntary manslaughter in Taunton Juvenile Court on June 16. She was sentenced to 15 months in jail, though her sentence has been stayed pending appeals in state courts.

"You can't think about it. You just have to do it," she texted him. "You said you were gonna do it. Like I don't get why you aren't."

At trial, Carter's defense team argued that Carter was not responsible for Roy's suicide, or even her own actions. They said that the suicide plan was originally Roy's idea, that she was involuntarily intoxicated by the antidepressants she was taking and that she had repeatedly encouraged him to seek help for his depression.

But Judge Lawrence Moniz ruled that phone calls between Carter and Roy on the evening he killed himself caused his death and were the "wanton and reckless conduct" needed to prove a manslaughter charge. While those phone calls were not recorded, she later texted a friend that he left the truck because he was "scared" and she told him to "f------ get back in."

In Carter's appeal brief, her legal team argued that her account of the phone call may not have been accurate, that she should not have been charged as an adult, that Massachusetts' manslaughter law was unconstitutionally vague as used by the prosecution and that the verdict violated Carter's right to free speech.

Prosecutors have disputed all those claims, saying the evidence supported the conclusion that Carter told Roy to get back in the truck and that her conversation with him went beyond encouraging or suggesting suicide.

"Ordering a depressed teenager to resume a suicide attempt is not constitutionally protected speech," prosecutors wrote in their brief.

Now, Carter has two legal organizations backing her appeal.

The ACLU of Massachusetts, which warned after Carter's conviction that the verdict could "chill important and worthwhile end-of-life discussions between loved across the commonwealth," has filed an amicus brief arguing that her First Amendment and due process rights were violated.

Carter could not have reasonably known that her words could be treated as manslaughter, the ACLU said, arguing that expanding the law to include that definition could lead to arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement. And, the ACLU said, speech alone cannot constitute homicide without a "specific intent" to kill, while Carter was only convicted for "wanton and reckless" conduct.

"This brief does not purport to paint Carter's encouragement in a positive light," the ACLU of Massachusetts said in the brief. "But the criminalization of that encouragement now threatens to create some very bad law, and with it the risk that people -- including Carter -- will be improperly convicted and imprisoned."

And the Youth Advocacy Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services has filed an amicus brief claiming that the court erred in holding Carter to adult standards and barring an expert on adolescent psychology from testifying for the defense.

"Juvenile brain science cannot be ignored for the purpose of the substantive criminal law and specifically the determination of culpability, even when a juvenile's conduct ends in tragic consequences," CPCS said in the brief.

Carter's appeal will be argued before the Supreme Judicial Court on Oct. 4.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story originally stated the program was created by a single ACLU attorney. The program is actually a creation of a number of people working within the ACLU's division for law enforcement reform.

NORTHAMPTON -- The lawyer representing a Smith College student who claims a staff member racially profiled her announced the launch of an initiative that aims to protect black students at "predominantly white colleges and universities" from "weaponized bias."

The initiative, titled "Living While Black On Campus," is a "roadmap for student activism," according to the American Civil Liberties Union website.

Attorney Carl Takei represents Oumou Kanoute, a Smith student questioned by campus police as she ate lunch at the school over the summer. A Smith employee reported someone who "seemed out of place." Kanoute has said she believes the call is an example of racial profiling.

The new program, which is a product of the ACLU's division devoted to law enforcement reform, encourages college students to make "demands" of their universities and create policies that "help Black and brown students feel a greater sense of belonging in the campus community."

Public events -- like rallies, teach-ins, and speaker panels -- should be used to garner attention for whatever cause students want to draw attention to, according to the ACLU.

The program also encourages students to use media and news outlets to spread word of their political campaigns, including writing op-eds, agreeing to broadcast and print interviews, and using social media.

Activists should also target new students to become "future leaders" of whatever movement they've adopted, the ACLU said.

"You should be recruiting new leaders who will take over after you graduate, starting at a relatively early stage (you can easily advertise your campaign at the beginning of the year events, including student organization fairs and orientation for freshmen)," the website states.

Takei has said that the ACLU and Smith College are working together to implement policy changes suggested by Kanoute, but if her demands are not met that he will not rule out litigation against the school.

On Sept. 13, Kanoute wrote a letter that was published on the ACLU's website that listed some of her demands of the school. Those demands included reforms to the campus security response process, efforts to "address the history of Black students and the school's legacy of institutional racism," and a private conversation between herself and the staff members involved.
In my latest Sightings column, which appears in the online edition of todays Wall Street Journal, I pay a visit to a new kind of art exhibition. Heres an excerpt.

* * *

What would happen if it suddenly became possible to make perfect copies of paintings of the past? To begin with, the purpose of art museums would change dramatically. It is by going to museums, after all, that most of us discover how different it is to stand in front of a great painting instead of seeing it reproduced on a poster or in a book. I still remember the life-changing thrill I felt when I first saw Vincent Van Goghs The Starry Night in New Yorks Museum of Modern Art. Not only was it much biggerthree feet widethan Id previously imagined from seeing it in the family encyclopedia, but the colors were richer and more intense than any photo could suggest.

Four decades later, I drove to the King of Prussia Mall, located 25 miles from Philadelphia, to see a pop-up show of life-sized three-dimensional reproductions of nine celebrated Van Gogh paintings. The originals are owned by Amsterdams Van Gogh Museum, which put the show together and sent it on a tour of U.S. malls (most of the actual paintings are now too fragile to travel). The reproductions are on display in a pavilion set up outside Lord & Taylor, where you can see them for $5.

As I looked, I wondered: Is anyone here having the same kind of experience that I had when I first saw The Starry Night 40 years ago? And if not, why bother to put nine Van Gogh reproductions on display in a mall? For you dont have to go to Amsterdam to see his paintings: Museums in 21 states own at least one. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has six, two of which are currently on displayand while admission to the PMA is $20, children get in free. Nevertheless, Im told that roughly a thousand people are visiting the pop-up show each weekend.

What are they seeing? The reproductions resemble very skillfully executed hand-painted copies of Van Goghs original paintings. (The colors seemed just a bit bright to me, but that could have been the fault of the lighting.) Not only do they give you a surprisingly clear impression of what the real paintings look like, but their presentation is simple, straightforward and ballyhoo-free

Looking at them felt rather like attending a movie-house simulcast of a live performance by the Metropolitan Opera: Its not as good as being there, but its not bad, either.

But as they say in the infomercials, waittheres more!

* * *

Read the whole thing here.

The original theatrical trailer for Lust for Life, Vincente Minnellis 1956 screen version of Irving Stones 1934 novel about the life of Vincent Van Gogh, starring Kirk Douglas as the painter. The screenplay is by Norman Corwin and the score is by Miklos Rozsa:
AMHERST - Students and faculty in the Afro-American studies department at the University of Massachusetts are talking about how to respond following an alleged incident of racial profiling last week on campus.

On Sept. 14, UMass police received a report of a black man who "seemed very agitated" walking into the Whitmore Administration Building with a large duffel bag. Officers placed the building on lockdown and questioned the man, who turned out to be UMass employee Reginald "Reg" Andrade, who has worked on campus for 14 years.

Andrade believes he was singled out because he is black.

A student in the Afro-American Studies Department wrote to faculty raising concerns about the news, where "one of our own has been the victim in a story we know all too well: racial profiling at the hands of a 'concerned citizen'. This incident and its aftermath hit all too close to home, and I would like to do whatever I can to support this member of our community."

"I see this event as an opportunity for us to reclaim our radical past and to let faculty, staff, and students of color all over the campus to know that they are not alone," the student wrote. The letter was posted on Facebook.

Department Chairwoman Stephanie Shonekan said faculty and students have been brainstorming about the best way to respond. She said they are thinking "about a teach-in, a panel where we can engage with an audience of faculty and students to really think about the context of why these type of things are still happening."

Shonekan said incidents like this one seem to be on the rise.

"In 2018, these things should not be happening -- a person calling (in a warning) just on the basis of the color of the skin," she said. "We need to think about the people who perpetuate these kinds of phone calls."

In July, a Smith College employee called campus police to report a suspicious person in a common area of a college building, saying the person "seemed to be out of place."

The woman, Oumou Kanoute, is an undergraduate who was on her lunch break while working at the school over the summer.

A similar situation unfolded at Yale University in May, when a white student called police over a black graduate student who was napping in her dorm's common area.

Following the UMass incident, Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy sent a message to the campus community.

"As this incident illustrates we still have much work to do," he wrote. "We recognized this when introducing our campaign this fall to build a Community of Dignity and Respect, and we will be fully engaged to build awareness and to educate in the months ahead."
This story elaborates on an article published at 12:08 p.m. Friday, Sept, 21, 2018: Mass Alternative Care medical marijuana facility salutes city of Chicopee at grand opening

CHICOPEE -- The red-white-and-blue banners hanging on the fence told passing drivers Friday that 1247 East Main St. was "Open" -- grand opening of the city's first marijuana business.

"I think the support that you've received in this community reflected our understanding and level of compassion that this is an important component to medical treatment going forward," Mayor Richard J. Kos said. (see video above)

CEO Kevin Collins Sr. of Mass Alternative Care Inc. said the medical marijuana facility's mission will be to provide high-quality products for patients.

He thanked Kos and other city officials for help in getting the business open.

"Everyone has worked in collaboration to bring this project forward," Collins said.

A.J. Crane of A. Crane Construction General Contractor here also made remarks in the event that was held outside in the adjacent parking lot and featured a cake with the company's logo.

Crane identified 18 contractors and vendors that worked on the $6 million renovation of the building that formerly was Chicopee Engineering Associates. (see below)

"The result of that team's work is a state-of-the-art cultivation and processing facility, along with a patient-friendly dispensary that are both fortresses from a security perspective," Crane said.

The building's security features a 24-hour surveillance camera feed to the Chicopee Police Department.

Only those with medical marijuana cards issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and another ID such as a driver's license can enter the facility.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. The business is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

The facility, which opened Aug. 4, eventually will employ 35 full- and part-time employees, officials said.

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.

The plan is for the company to produce and dispense over two dozen different kinds of marijuana products, in edible, rub, capsule and other forms.

Four thousand pounds of marijuana will be produced at the site a year in a facility that will include six plant flowering rooms, company officials said at a presentation in July.

Besides Collins and his son, also named Kevin Collins, Mass Alternative Care's main officials are Vincent Cardillo, who has experience in three dental practice management companies, as chief financial officer; Christopher Mayle, executive director of Advanced Grow Labs in Connecticut, as chief operating officer; and Ronald P. Campurciani, the former West Springfield police chief, who is a security consultant for the company.

Crane said the following contractors and vendors worked on the project:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein denied a New York Times report Friday that he floated the idea of using the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump as unfit for office and suggested secretly recording the president to expose the chaos in the administration.

The Times cited several people, who were not named, who described the episodes that came in the spring of 2017 after FBI Director James Comey was fired. The newspaper's sources also included people who were briefed on memos written by FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Rosenstein is a frequent target of Trump's attacks and the story could add to the uncertainty about his future at the Justice Department, despite his denial.

"The New York Times's story is inaccurate and factually incorrect," Rosenstein said in a statement. "I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment."

A person who was in the room when the comment was made, and provided a statement through the Justice Department, said Rosenstein's comment was "sarcastic" and that he "never discussed any intention of recording a conversation with the president."

The newspaper reported that Rosenstein, frustrated with the hiring process for a new FBI director, offered to wear a "wire" and secretly record the president when he visited the White House. He also suggested that McCabe and other officials who were interviewing to become the next FBI director could also perhaps record Trump, the newspaper reported.

McCabe's lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said in a statement that his client had drafted memos to "memorialize significant discussions he had with high level officials and preserved them so he would have an accurate, contemporaneous record of those discussions."

McCabe's memos, which were later turned over to special counsel Robert Mueller's office, had remained at the FBI until McCabe was ousted in January and McCabe doesn't know how any reporters could've obtained those memos, Bromwich said.

Rosenstein has been a target of Trump's ire since appointing Robert Mueller as a Justice Department special counsel to investigate potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

He chose Mueller for the job one week after he laid the groundwork for the firing of Comey by writing a memo that criticized Comey's handling of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server. The White House initially held up that memo as justification for Comey's firing, though Trump himself has said he was thinking about "this Russia thing" when he made the move.

As deputy attorney general, Rosenstein oversees Mueller's work and has made two public announcements of indictments brought by the special counsel -- one against Russians accused of hacking into Democratic email accounts, the other against Russians accused of running a social media troll farm to sway public opinion.

On Friday, Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr., tweeted the Times' story and said: "Shocked!!! Absolutely Shocked!!! Ohhh, who are we kidding at this point? No one is shocked that these guys would do anything in their power to undermine @realdonaldtrump."
HOLYOKE -- In just a few weeks Brenda Hernandez will wake up in her own bed, her two children will have their own rooms and she will be able to cook them a proper meal on a real stove.

"I can't believe it. God willing on October 15 we will have our apartment," said Hernandez, who has been living in a hotel with her two children since they arrived from Puerto Rico in December, after Hurricane Maria destroyed their home. "After all these month I see a light at the end of the tunnel."

Thursday Sept. 20 marked the one-year anniversary of the hurricane which destroyed Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Rev. Miguel A. Cruz, pastor at Templo Eben-ezer in Holyoke, joined with several other pastors, evacuee families and members of the Pioneer Valley Project to hold a moment of silence for the victims of the hurricane on Thursday night.

"We are not here to celebrate or commemorate this day which caused so much despair and sadness to so many," he said. "Instead we are here to remember the lives lost and to support those who remain both on the island and here in the state."

Rosah Clase, an organizer for the Pioneer Valley Project, has been working to secure housing for families since October.

"We started with about 200 families in October living in hotels. We are down to about 40 families that still need housing," she said.

Clase said those who still remain in hotels are the most vulnerable.

"These are people with medical conditions that make it difficult to work, children with disabilities and elderly people," she said. "While we are relieved to have many of the families settled in their apartments, we will not rest until every one of them has permanent housing."

Down the street from the church more evacuee families and supporters gathered at Veterans Memorial Park to honor the thousands of people who died during and after the hurricane.

"We marched from Morgan School to the park and we had such a show of support," said Holyoke City Councilor Jossie Valentin who along with her wife Myriam Quinones and community members and social activists Nathalie Vicencio, Michelle Falcon, Naiomi Robles, Maria Cartagena and Betty Medina Lichtenstein decided to bring a variety of activities to the park to remember the victims, but also to celebrate the survivors and the community's efforts to help.

"We knew we had done the right thing for the community when 30 minutes into the event somebody came up to us and thanked us for offering the space and it was a woman who described herself as survivor of Hurricane Maria. She relocated here and lost her husband after the hurricane due to health issues," Valentin said. "This was a space for her to come and meet new people, and talk about her grief and talk about the importance of community for her."

Medina Lichtenstein, the executive director of Enlace de Familias in Holyoke, has been working with families since they began arriving in October. The agency has see 2,179 individuals since the hurricane forced thousands of people to flee the island and relocate all over the country. Many moved to Springfield and Holyoke.

"Those numbers do not reflect the families that came with the individuals who registered with us," she said.

Medina Lichtenstein and her staff continue to find housing for families and help them move into apartments.

"We still have 49 families that need housing," she said.

She credited Gov. Charlie Baker for enacting the Massachusetts Evacuee Transitional Assistance Reserve program which has provided housing for people once Federal Emergency Management Agency subsidies ran out on Sept. 14.

"Say what you will about this state, but the governor has done what no other governor has. He has made sure these families are not on the street," she said. "There are still challenges, but the program provides shelter for the time being."

While people shared stories with each other about their experiences during the hurricane Juan Echeverria Roman serenaded the crowd with a typical Puerto Rican song. He left the island in December so that his mother who is terminally ill would have a better chance at survival.

"I brought her to Holyoke Medial Center and they have treated her so well. She is 87 years old and she has terminal cancer. All I wanted was to see her in a safe place where she could have as many days as possible," he said.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, said many families share similar stories about why they left the island in search of help. Still, many remain on the island.

"Thousands of people died. A year later, many are still living under tarps, or without electricity or medical care. The President keeps lying about how badly the islands were hurt, and his Administration failed our fellow U.S. citizen," she said. "We will keep fighting to help Puerto Rico rebuild and recover with dignity."

As the night progressed at both events families spoke about their experiences being far from home in a new state, experiencing winter, homelessness and discrimination.

For sisters Dailerys and Analee Dalmau it has been a struggle leaving their families behind.

Both in their 20s, Dailerys Dalmau has three young son ages 1, 4 and 8.

"It has been incredibly difficult to leave our island and leave our family behind," she said. " I am a mother first and foremost and I did what I thought was best for my children, but we have experienced a lot of hardships here as well."

Dalmau said she has struggled to finds an apartment, faced discrimination from landlords, but she holds out hope for a better future for her children and her sister.

"We are here and we will not give up," she said.
SPRINGFIELD - A Greenfield woman pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges she conspired with her brother to hide $460,000 while he negotiated with a bank over a delinquent loan that he claimed he could not repay.

Marlene Borer, 68, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to make false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and making false statements to a federally insured financial institution.

Judge Mark Mastroianni has scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19. She could face up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

According to the U.S. attorney's office, Borer served as the bookkeeper for her brother and his then-wife.

The brother, who is not named, owed Wells Fargo Bank $1.3 million, but told the bank he was not able to repay the money. He and the bank were in negotiations to settle, and in October 2012, the bank agreed to forgive the remainder of the loan if the brother repaid $50,000.

Six months prior to the settlement, the brother received a payment of $486,000 as part of a judgement in an unrelated case in a Honduran court. The brother asked Borer to keep the money in her bank account to prevent Wells Fargo from finding out that he had it. She agreed.

In May of that year, Borer submitted to the bank a false financial statement to Wells Fargo in which she stated her brother had just $4,600 in the bank.

Prosecutors said Wells Fargo never would have agreed to the settlement amount if it knew the brother had received the court settlement.
NORTHAMPTON - The indictments handed down against a University of Massachusetts fraternity for hazing and serving alcohol to minors are related to series of activities over three months last fall, culminating in a student being hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, according to court documents.

Copies of the indictments obtained through Hampshire Superior Court do not list specifics for the offenses, but they give a timeframe for when the offenses occurred at the Theta Mu chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha.

The fraternity was indicted by a Hampshire County grand jury for two counts each of procuring alcohol to a minor and for hazing.

According to documents, two counts in the indictment charge the hazing and supplying of alcohol to minors took place "on diverse dates" from September through November 2017 at the fraternity chapter at 374 North Pleasant St. Over that time, the indictment charges, the fraternity engaged "in conduct or a method of initiation" against a student that recklessly placed the student in danger.

But two of the charges are date-specific.

One count each of supplying alcohol and of hazing alleges the activity occurred on or about Nov. 26 at the fraternity.

That date was a Sunday, part of the Thanksgiving weekend. Classes at the university resumed the next day.

Grand Jury indictment against a University of Massachusetts Fraternity by Patrick Johnson on Scribd

The grand jury was convened in July. The indictment were issued on Wednesday but not announced by the DA's office until Friday morning.

The charges are the result of an incident from a year ago where a UMass student was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, according to the office of the Northwestern District Attorney.

The University of Massachusetts issued a statement Friday that called the behavior at the fraternity that resulted in the indictments to be "deeply disturbing."

None of the indictments list any individuals named.

The indictments charged that the fraternity engaged "in conduct or a method of initiation" that recklessly endangered a student.

Under the state law, conviction of hazing can result in a fine of up to $3,000 per violation, while the penalty for supplying alcohol to a minor can be up to $2,000 per violation.

An arraignment date has not yet been scheduled in Hampshire Superior Court.

Massachusetts' anti-hazing law defines hazing as any initiation activity that includes any physical punishment such as whipping, branding, beating or forced calisthenics, or forced consumption of food, alcohol, drugs or any other substance, or subjecting someone to extreme mental stress such as through extended sleep deprivation.

UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said the fraternity, located at 374 North Pleasant St., Amherst, was placed on interim suspension last November after the university was contacted about an incident by the Amherst police.

That suspension remains in place, and as a result, the fraternity was barred from conducting any recruitment or social activities.

The university is considering dissolving its recognition of the fraternity's charter, which could ultimately lead to the local chapter being stripped permanently of its recognition by the national Pi Kappa Alpha organization.

Blaguszewski said the University's Dean of Students office is moving ahead with a review of the actions of individual students to determine if there are any violations of the code of student conduct, which could result in discipline by the university.

Statement from the University of Massachusetts, authored by Ed Blaguszewski, Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for University Relations:

The University of Massachusetts Amherst condemns hazing by fraternities or any registered student organization. The behavior by the Theta Mu chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity as alleged in the September 18, 2018 Hampshire County Superior Court indictment is deeply disturbing.

All Theta Mu chapter activities are now suspended under provisions of the Code of Student Conduct, continuing the interim suspension in place since last fall. As part of the student conduct process one sanction that will be seriously evaluated is dissolving the university's recognition of the chapter. In partnership with the national organization, this would equate to revocation of the chapter's charter, which would permanently strip the local chapter of official recognition.

Meanwhile, now that the investigation by Amherst Police Department and the Northwestern District Attorney's Office has concluded in an indictment, the Dean of Students Office is moving forward to review the conduct of individual students for possible sanctions under the student code.

In November 2017, when the incident was reported to the university by APD, UMass Amherst immediately placed the chapter on interim suspension, barring members from all official social and recruitment activities. The university fully cooperated with law enforcement officials, which took the lead in investigating the matter.
The total number of human cases of West Nile virus in Massachusetts stands at 24, state public health officials said. That's up from just six cases in 2017.

Ten new cases were announced Friday. Eight of the 10 people were hospitalized due to the virus.

People over the age of 50 are at greater risk of the virus, which is transmitted through a mosquito bite. Symptoms are flu-like and can include a fever.

According to the state Department of Public Health, the West Nile virus (WNV) cases are:

A female in Middlesex County, age between 71 and 80, who was hospitalized

A Suffolk County male, age between 61 and 70, who was hospitalized

Norfolk County female, between 61 and 70 years old, who was hospitalized

A Middlesex County female, between the ages of 71 and 80, hospitalized

Essex County male between the ages of 71 and 80, hospitalized

Middlesex County female, between the ages of 71 and 80, hospitalized

Suffolk County male, between the ages of 81 and 90, hospitalized

Middlesex County female, between the ages of 41 and 50, hospitalized

Middlesex County male, between the ages of 61 and 70, never hospitalized

Middlesex County female, between the ages of 21 and 30, never hospitalized

Public health officials warned that despite the cooler temperatures, it's still mosquito season.

"People's minds are not always on mosquito-borne disease risk at this time of the year," state epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown said in a statement.

"However it is not unusual to see people get infected in October - and in fact the latest WNV case we have ever had got sick on November 5," she added.
A 29-year-old New York man was found guilty of three counts of rape and a single count of kidnapping in connection with a two-state crime spree in 2014, the Berkshire district attorney's office said.

A Berkshire Superior Court jury deliberated for two hours Friday afternoon.

Shane Harding, of Marcy, New York, is already serving a 30-year prison term for acts he committed on the New York side of the state line that day.

Prosecutors said at the time that, on Sept. 30, 2014, Harding forced a woman to drive to the woods in Hancock where he raped her, then forced her to drive back to New York. She was the second woman Harding kidnapped that day.

He was captured the next day near Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs.

According to the Albany Times Union, which reported on Harding's 2015 trial in New York, the spree started when a 47-year-old woman agreed to give Harding a ride to a nearby hospital. Prosecutors said once in the car he brandished a handgun and tried to force the woman to drive to a secluded park. She fought him off and escaped.

Later, Harding did much the same thing with an Albany acquaintance who was trying to help him. He showed the handgun again and forced the 25-year-old woman to drive across the state line into Hancock, where he raped her.

He forced her to drive back to North Greenbush, New York, where he then forced a man to drive him to several locations.

Harding was convicted in a Rensselaer County court on April 30, 2015, and sentenced to two consecutive 15-year prison terms.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in the Pittsfield court Sept. 25.
NORTHAMPTON -- Police have identified the woman whose body was recovered from the Mill River Thursday as 24-year-old city resident Lucylynn M. Graves.

"We send our condolences to her family, friends, and associates," police stated in a post on the department's Facebook page Friday afternoon.

Graves was reported missing on Tuesday and her belongings were found near the river.

Her body was found underwater, beneath a log, said Capt. John Cartledge of the Northampton Police Department.

On Tuesday around 7:30 p.m. police were called to an area of the river near the Arts and Industry building on Pine Street in Florence for a report of unattended personal belongings, according to a Facebook post by Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper.

Police found the woman's towel, car keys, and some clothes. Her car was parked not far away, police said.

Friends of Graves, contacted by police, said she often swims at that location.

The Mill River was running high and strong due to the heavy rains that fell earlier in the day.

A number of state and local law enforcement agencies assisted with the search, including Northampton police and fire, various Massachusetts State Police units, and the Berkshire Mountain Search and Rescue and Smith College Campus Police.

It was members of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) Special Emergency Response Team that ultimately located the woman's body, not far from Bottoms Road.
BELCHERTOWN -- The Northwestern district attorney's office has dropped a child rape charge against a 62-year-old registered sex offender from Ware.

Joseph David Sinclair was facing a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

When he was arraigned last month, the presiding judge rejected the prosecution's request that Sinclair be held on $25,000 bail, instead releasing him under GPS monitoring.

The reasons for the case being dropped were unclear. The Republican contacted the office of District Attorney David Sullivan and is awaiting a response.

Sinclair is listed by Ware police as a Level 3 sex offender, meaning the state Sex Offender Registry Board deemed him at high risk to re-offend. Sinclair is on the sex offender registry stemming from his 1997 conviction on a charge of indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or older, according to the board.

The DA's office filed a document on Thursday in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown notifying the court of its decision to end its prosecution of Sinclair, which in legal jargon is called nolle prosequi.

The decision to drop the case is not subject to review by a judge, according to Rule 16 of the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure, governing a case's "dismissal by the prosecution."

Contact Jim Russell at newstips123@gmail.com.
SPRINGFIELD - Two city men who pleaded guilty to selling 200 packages of heroin and two firearms to a federal witness were sentenced to serve six years and one year in prison in U.S. District Court Thursday.

Alexis Ayala, 40, was sentenced to six years in prison followed by six years of supervised release and Wilfredo Perez, 38 was sentenced to one year in prison followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni.

The two pleaded guilty to selling 200 packets of heroin, worth $550, to a federal witness on April 5, 2015 in Springfield. Ayala, who is a convicted felon, also pleaded guilty to selling two guns to a witness on Dec. 15, 2015. The guns were a Smith & Wesson MPc .40 caliber pistol and a Walther P22 pistol, which has been stolen from Springfield a year earlier, said Christina DiLorio-Sterling, spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling.

They were charged with one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Ayala also pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, she said.

Lelling, Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri; and Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling's Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
CHICOPEE - Rolling across the runway at Westover Air Reserve Base, the enormous aircraft represented the end of one era and the start of another.

Westover on Thursday welcomed its eighth and final C-5M Super Galaxy cargo plane to the base. The new Super Galaxies replace the C-5B Galaxies that were phased out 18 months ago.

The new planes come with advanced systems and newer, quieter, more powerful engines.

Moments after it taxied to a stop in front of the hangar where a crowd of base personnel and guests were waiting, base commander Col. D. Scott Durham could not contain his excitement.

"That's a pretty good looking airplane over there, isn't it?" he said.

The final C-5M represents "an important milestone for us," Durham said. "This is a red-letter day."

The new planes are important for three reasons, he said.

The four F-138 General Electric engines have 22 percent more thrust, meaning they can carry more cargo anywhere in the world, which means increased air capability for Westover, he said.

The engines, though having more power, are much more quiet and 20 percent more fuel efficient. "That means we're greener, which is important," Durham said.

The eight aircraft combined represent an investment of around $720 million by the Department of Defense. "That is a huge vote of confidence in the men and women at Westover Air Reserve Base," he said.

Maj. Gen. Randall Ogden, commander of the 4th Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, March Air Reserve Base, California, echoed that sentiment.

"The reputation of the airmen here, and the community, is unmatched," he said.

The eighth C-5M delivered to Westover is also the last of 54 such aircraft that have been delivered to Air Force Reserve bases.

To mark the occasion, Ogden was part of the crew who flew it to Chicopee, and spent some time during the flight piloting it.

The aircraft, he said, will improve the overall capability of the Air Force Reserve.

Each C-5M is capable of carrying as much as 281,000 pounds, and can fly more than 2,500 miles without landing to refuel.

The cargo bay for each C-5M is 143 feet long, which Ogden noted is more than 20 feet longer than the very first flight by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903.

"I looked inside it. It is huge, and it is beautiful," he said.

Chicopee Mayor Richard J. Kos said he welcomed the new aircraft at Westover as symbolic of the Department of Defense's commitment to Westover and, by extension, to Chicopee.

And as a mayor, he said he welcomes the quieter engines, because his office will no longer have to handle complaints from residents about the jet noise.

He said he remembers growing up in Chicopee Falls back when Westover had B-52 bombers. When they flew over, there was no point trying to hear the television, or to talk on the telephone, he said.

"All you did was listen to and feel the vibration of the that aircraft," he said.

Senior Master Sgt. Robert Rodrigue has been working aircraft maintenance at Westover for 30 years.

"I've seen the A's come in. Seen them turn into B's, and then involved in the switch to M's."

What's next for Rodrigue, a resident of Belchertown?

"Tomorrow's my last day."

With the last of the M's at Westover, Rodrigue can now retire.

"It's sad," he said "It's like a family here."

He said his one regret going into retirement is he will not have more of an opportunity to work around the Super Galaxies.

He mentioned how the M's are so different from the previous editions of the C-5.

He rattled off the improved electronics, from the digital instrument panels to the lighting in the cargo hold, and the new engines that burn less fuel but still have more power.

"They have a lot more power," he said. "You can get off on a shorter runway."

Lt. Ryan Manning, a member of the flight crew, said the new engines give the C-5M increased capability.

"It's a smooth plane. You don't feel like you have 200 feet of airplane behind you," he said.

There's more thrust, better handling, better controls, and better displays on the instrument panel.

And, he said, while he appreciates the performance of the new F-138 engines, he has a nostalgic fondness for the sound of the louder TF-39 engines that used to power the Galaxies.

At a base in Texas where they trained on them, they used to park on a road near the runway to listen up close as they landed, he said.

"You couldn't hear yourself talk, and you wouldn't be able to hear the guy next to you screaming, it was so loud," he said.

"Obviously, it's not good for the ears but it's kind of like that American muscle thing, the sound of a V8 or a good TF-39."
Kennie Mota-Cruz, who is accused of fatally shooting Jose Ortiz last month over a debt, is being held without bail on a charge of murder.

Mota-Cruz, 25, of Worcester was arraigned in Worcester District Court Friday on charges of murder, armed assault to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, possessing a firearm in a felony, carrying a loaded firearm without a license to carry, possessing ammunition without a FID card and other firearm charges.

A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.

No details of the shooting were discussed in open court. Mota-Cruz was ordered held without bail.

A group of people who appeared to be related to Ortiz sobbed in the courtroom as Mota-Cruz appeared. They declined to comment after the arraignment.

Police were called to 15 Everard St. in Worcester for a report of gunshots at an apartment.

Mota-Cruz was driving a black Mercedes sedan in the area of the shooting, according to court documents.

A witness told police that Mota-Cruz went to 15 Everard St. with the intent to collect a debt from Ortiz, court documents read. The two men argued in the front hall of the address and were the only people present in that area.

"During the argument, there was an explosion," court documents read. "Following the explosion, Mota-Cruz fled the area in the Mercedes. Mota-Cruz told the witness that he had to do what he had to do."

Police officers discovered Ortiz with a single gunshot wound to his head. There was no firearm near Ortiz's body or on the premises, court documents read.

The medical examiner determined Ortiz's death was a homicide by firearm.

Mota-Cruz was arrested earlier this month in New York, where he was charged with being a fugitive from justice.

A warrant was issued for Mota-Cruz out of Worcester District Court in early September in connection with the Aug. 24 fatal shooting of 42-year-old Ortiz.

Charges against Mota-Cruz were upgraded to include murder. Initially, he faced aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, armed assault with intent to murder and several firearms charges.

Additionally, two men have been charged with being accessories to the shooting.

Jermaine Daye, 29, of Worcester is charged with being an accessory after the fact to aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was held on $5,000 cash bail at his arraignment earlier this month in Worcester District Court.

Chayenne Markland, 28, of Worcester was held on $20,000 cash bail on Sept. 4 after he was arraigned on accessory charges.

Authorities said that Mota-Cruz and Markland went to collect a debt from Ortiz on the night of the shooting.

Markland drove Mota-Cruz to the apartment in Daye's car, police said.

Daye was told his car was used in the shooting but failed to notify police, according to court documents. Authorities said Daye was seen on surveillance video cleaning the inside of the car on Aug. 26 and removing the floor mats.

Police searched the car and found stains believed to be blood, court records read.

Mota-Cruz is scheduled to return to court Nov. 2.
Governor Charlie Baker should have found time to debate Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez in Western Massachusetts. The region is distinct and it matters, and the debate schedule for the 2018 gubernatorial race should have reflected that.

But Baker's decline of a western sector debate should also be kept in perspective. It is disappointing and it was a mistake. It is not a "disgrace," as was described by state Senator Eric Lesser, who called the decision "a slap in the face."

When Western Massachusetts voters go to the polls in November, they should consider how Baker is handling the administration of the state, and also whether the Republican incumbent has fulfilled his campaign promise to keep the west in mind. Declining a debate is an irritant that can be considered. It should not become a defining moment.

Baker's decision is particularly noticeable because another favored incumbent has said "yes" to a western sector debate. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren will meet GOP opponent Geoff Diehl in October.

Incumbents and especially heavy favorites generally try to either limit debates or avoid them altogether. The advantages of meeting a rival on the same stage, under one set of rules, swing all to the challenger; desperately needed exposure the incumbent already enjoys, a platform as the appealing underdog, and a chance to force the incumbent into misguided or erroneous statements that can turn a previously lopsided race into a dogfight.

That said, incumbents owe it to the public to engage in at least some debate platforms. It's become an essential part of American democracy that allows voters to see their choices in clear, comparative fashion.

Endless rounds of debates sap the time and energy of candidates. They can become repetitious, especially in an age where voters in one part of the state usually have access to watching panel discussions held in other parts. The Baker campaign has agreed to three such debates.

Could a fourth have been scheduled for Western Massachusetts? That's reasonable. It should have happened.

Instead, Baker will stake his vote-getting popularity on his record in serving the four western counties. For the most part, the governor has fulfilled his promise to visit Western Massachusetts on a semi-frequent basis, and he has kept close tabs in particular on the downtown revival in Springfield.

His record on Western Massachusetts issues is respectable but not unassailable. His refusal to place a single western judge on the seven-member Supreme Judicial Court, despite several opportunities to do so, is particularly glaring and galling.

He has also thrown some obstacles in the path of the proposed east-west rail service that Lesser, a Democrat, has championed. Western Massachusetts legislators hold out hope that Baker will become more amenable to the concept, but he's not making it easy.

The most unfortunate part of the absence of a Western Massachusetts debate is the unlikelihood that these issues will be raised during the Baker-Gonzalez meetings elsewhere in the state.

For those looking to legitimately analyze the governor's commitment to representing the western sector, Baker's record on the region's issues is much more meaningful than whether he sits across the table from Gonzalez for one night. Lesser and other critics are right to assail Baker's decision, but the hyperbole attached to its significance is not.

It's something to be aware about, but how the governor has treated the western counties to this point, and what we can expect from him in the future, matters much more.
A few months back, the number of job openings exceeded the number of people looking for work for the first time in at least 20 years. Nonetheless, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent socialist who caucuses with the Democrats, wants to punish some companies that create new jobs.

Doesn't really add up, does it?

Sanders, who is set to publish another book in November and is widely believed to be gearing up to launch another run at the White House, is pushing a bill that would tax larger employers whose workers receive public assistance, such as food stamps, Medicaid or subsidized housing.

Specifically, the dairy state populist is taking aim at Jeff Bezos, founder, chairman and CEO of Amazon.com Inc, the world's largest online retailer. The senator's bill is called the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies Act. In what Sanders and many of his supporters probably think terrifically clever, the bill's name can be shortened to the Stop BEZOS Act.

Sanders' thinking, plainly put -- and there is generally no other way to describe his economic musings -- goes something like this: If someone working at a company as successful as Amazon needs to rely on public assistance, then Amazon isn't paying its workers enough. The solution, at least in Sanders' eyes? Bring the hammer down on Amazon by taxing the retailing giant 100 percent of each dollar its employees receive in public assistance.

Here's what's obviously wrong with this notion: We are supposed to be encouraging people to get off welfare and into the workforce; Sanders's ill-conceived bill would have exactly the opposite effect.

Imagine a single mom, living in subsidized housing and receiving food stamps for herself and her kids, who has been out of work for a time and is looking to get back on her feet. She finds work at an Amazon distribution center. Think Amazon would rather hire her -- and have to pay the Sanders tax -- or someone not receiving any public assistance? The question answers itself.

To be sure, Sanders' proposal attempts to address this obvious problem by making it illegal for an employer to ask job applicants whether they are receiving welfare benefits. Yeah, that'll work just as planned, right?

But there's another, more deeply seated problem with the senator's anti-Amazon proposal: Sanders imagines an economy that is completely lacking in dynamism, where someone working at Amazon today never gets another job. But that's not how things work in the real world. In fact, one job can lead to another, better one, and so on and so on as one works to move up the economic ladder.

But Sanders, like all socialists, thinks he knows best. Or at least that the strong arm of the government knows better than does the market.

Sanders' anti-Bezos, anti-Amazon bill is actually an anti-jobs act. Rather than wasting time promoting such foolishness, he might want to spend a little time brushing up on economic fundamentals. He can find lots of books on the subject for sale on Amazon's Website.
BOSTON -- A state regulatory agency has sidestepped a request from Attorney General Maura Healey for a full investigation into National Grid's pipeline safety practices since the company locked out 1,250 union workers on June 25.

The Department of Public Utilities "is dedicated fully to investigating all pipeline safety concerns to help ensure the safety of Massachusetts residents," DPU general counsel Shane Early wrote to Healey's office in a brief email on Tuesday.

Early offered assurances that National Grid is already facing "multiple investigations," and that the DPU has "established a plan to meet regularly" with aggrieved workers "to ensure that it thoroughly understands and investigates" their complaints.

The DPU on Sept. 20 confirmed it would not be sending any further response to a four-page letter, penned by Chief Assistant AG Rebecca Tepper, requesting an open, comprehensive, and transparent pipeline safety investigation.

The detailed request for investigation into National Grid's Boston Gas Co., dated Sept. 11, was sent to the DPU two days before natural gas explosions linked to Columbia Gas of Massachusetts -- a separate company -- devastated the Merrimack Valley, north of Boston.

United Steel Workers Locals 12003 and 12012 remain in a labor dispute with National Grid, and have been locked out of their Boston Gas job sites for three months. Sticking points include health care and pensions for new hires.

During the lockout, over fifty complaints have been filed alleging unsafe conditions and violations at company work sites. Complaints allege incorrect use of equipment, work being conducted without proper oversight, improperly installed equipment, misuse of safety mechanisms, and other compliance failures.

The public has "little to no information" about National Grid's response, whether qualified workers are in the field, and which services are actually being provided as ratepayers continue to pay their bills, wrote Tepper.

Healey has been highly critical of National Grid's pipeline safety compliance record, and previously urged the DPU to reject the company's request for new customer charges until a list of alleged violations in its natural gas distribution system were remedied.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

Mass DPU rejects AGO Healey National Grid investigation by Mary Serreze on Scribd
President Trump is challenging a woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, saying if attack was "bad," charges would have been filed.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Trump tweeted Friday. "I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!"

He also claimed his Supreme Court nominee is "under assault by radical left wing politicians."

California college professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward this month with allegations Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers, in which he allegedly pinned her down on a bed at a party and tried to undress her. He has denied the allegations.

While the allegations were initially reported anonymously, Ford went public was beginning to leak. She has since received death threats.

Ford has expressed a willingness to testify against Kavanaugh and share details of the alleged assault before Congress.

"As you are aware, she has been receiving death threats, which have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and she and her family have been forced out of their home," her lawyers told CNN. "She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."
Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy is widening his political reach.

Kennedy, a Democrat rumored to be considering a 2020 presidential run, traveled to Indiana and Michigan this week for campaign events.

Kennedy spent Wednesday in Michigan, where he headlined two student rallies with U.S. House and Senate candidates, including Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Rep. Debbie Dingell, Rep. Dan Kildee and candidates Gretchen Driskell and Elissa Slotkin. Kennedy hosted a mental health roundtable with Stabenow and Slotkin and delivered the keynote speech at the Michigan Democratic Party's "Best of the West" reception.

Kennedy spent Friday in Indiana where he attended a luncheon for the Indiana Democratic Party and is scheduled to give the keynote speech at the St. Joseph County Democrats' annual gala in the evening.

A poll released this week by Suffolk University and the Boston Globe asked voters which Massachusetts Democrats they thought should run for president. Thirty percent of respondents said Kennedy should run and 48 percent said he should not, with 21 percent undecided.
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, on Friday called it "disgraceful" that President Donald Trump challenged Christine Blasey Ford on Twitter.

Ford has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were both teenagers. Kavanaugh denies the allegations.

Negotiations are continuing between Ford's lawyers and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee about whether and under what conditions she will testify during Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings.

Trump tweeted Friday, "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents."

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

The president has also rejected calls to have the FBI investigate Ford's allegations.

The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Markey opposed Kavanaugh's confirmation even before Ford's allegations came out.

Markey called Trump's comments "reprehensible," and said Trump "is the last person in America, given his record, who has a right to attack a woman who is making an accusation that she has been sexually assaulted." During the presidential campaign, multiple women accused Trump of sexual assault.

Markey said Senate Republicans have a responsibility to hear Ford, under conditions that ensure she feels comfortable telling the truth.

"They have a responsibility to ensure that Dr. Ford is given the protection and the safety of being able to come to the Senate without fear that she is going to be attacked," Markey said, speaking after an unrelated press conference in Boston. "We have to respect women who make an accusation of sexual assault. We have to believe her. We have to give her a forum."

Markey said there should not be any time pressure for her testimony, but there is "plenty of time to ensure that Dr. Ford is given the due process which she deserves." The Senate Judiciary Committee initially invited Ford to testify Monday, but her lawyers have since asked to delay that until Thursday.

Markey also said the FBI should investigate Ford's allegations. "The FBI should investigate and interview anyone who could have any knowledge about what happened, and they should give that report to the U.S. Senate," Markey said. "The FBI's job is to vet nominees for posts of high importance inside of our government."
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, accused Columbia Gas on Friday of responding to the gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley by "making this up as they're going along."

Markey criticized the gas company for its latest comments that it could take "several months" before gas service is fully restored to residents of Lawrence and North Andover, as the company replaces 48 miles of old pipes.

"The winter is arriving, but the nights in the fall are very cold as well," Markey said, speaking after an unrelated press conference in Boston. "Families are going to need to be able to have hot water. Families are going to need to have heat at night. Right now, Columbia Gas is not able to tell the people in the Merrimack Valley when that is going to happen."

"Columbia Gas must put every single resource in play in order to get this done fast," Markey said.

Markey said the 8,600 families still affected "deserve the answers to when they're getting back into their home."

Markey and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, plan to send a letter to Columbia Gas on Friday with a list of detailed questions. Columbia Gas has said it is fully cooperating with a federal investigation, but Markey said the company should not be allowed to "hide behind" that investigation to avoid releasing information publicly.

Warren plans to visit Lawrence Friday afternoon. She will meet with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera to discuss recovery efforts. She will then attend a cookout with families impacted by the explosions hosted by the Lawrence Housing Authority.
NEW YORK -- The Red Sox celebrated an AL East title for the second time in three years here at Yankee Stadium.

Meanwhile, Red Sox fans celebrated here for the first time.

In 2016, Boston clinched the title during the bottom of the ninth inning when second-place Toronto lost to Baltimore 3-2 at Rogers Centre. Then the Red Sox blew a 3-0 lead here. Mark Teixeira belted a walkoff grand slam in front of the Yankee Stadium crowd.

The 2016 Red Sox celebrated in the clubhouse but never on the field in front of their traveling fans.

This year was different. Boston won 11-6 over the Yankees here Thursday. Mookie Betts went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer, two doubles and five RBIs.

See the video above. A group of Red Sox fans celebrated on the third base side. They chanted "Let's Go Red Sox" over Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York," which plays after both Yankees wins and losses here.

The group of Red Sox fans also chanted "MVP" while Betts was interviewed on the field.
Brain monitoring is an essential process to study and report the functioning of the brain. With the incorporation of advanced technology in the healthcare sector, various advanced medical devices have been launched to monitor the brain cells effectively. According to the report published by Market Research Future (MRFR), the global brain monitoring market is registered to project expansion at a moderate rate in the next five years.

Market Drivers and Restraints:

Global increase in incidences of neurological disorders due to changing lifestyle and increasing stress levels have induced a high demand for advanced monitoring systems to accurately diagnose the root cause of disorders, which is projected to be fuelling the growth of the global brain monitoring market. Increase in cases of depression, brain injuries caused in road accidents and other neurological disorders are majorly driving the expansion of the global brain monitoring market.

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Rapid advancement in technology has resulted in the introduction of highly effective brain monitoring systems and devices, leading to the significant expansion of the global brain monitoring market. However, the lack of awareness regarding the availability of advanced brain monitoring technology and poor primary health care services in the underdeveloped regions are likely to create hindrance in the growth of the global brain monitoring market during the forecast period.

Brain Monitoring Market Segmentation:

The Global Brain Monitoring Market has been segmented on the basis of devices, procedure, mobility and end users. Based on devices, the brain monitoring market has been segmented into intracranial pressure monitor, magneto encephalography (MEG), electroencephalograph (EEG), cerebral oximeters, and transcranial doppler. Based on procedure, the brain monitoring market has been segmented into invasive and non-invasive. Based on modality, the brain monitoring market has been segmented into portable EEG devices and fixed EEG devices. Based on end users, the brain monitoring market has been segmented into hospitals, diagnostic center and others.

Brain Monitoring Market Regional Analysis:

Geographically, the Global Brain Monitoring Market is segmented into four major regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. The brain monitoring market in the North America region is expanding at a significant pace owing to the easy adoption of advanced technology in the well-developed healthcare sector of this region. The Europe region is growing at a noteworthy rate in the global brain monitoring market owing to the increasing healthcare expenditure and rise in incidences of neurological disorders among the population of this region.

Key Players:

The prominent players profiled by MRFR in the report on the global brain monitoring market are Philips Healthcare (Netherlands), Medtronic plc (Ireland), Natus Medical Inc. (the U.S.), Nihon Kohden Corporation (Japan), Siemens Healthineers (Germany), GE Healthcare (the U.K.), Compumedics Ltd. (Australia), Electrical Geodesics Incorporated (the U.S.), CAS Medical Systems, Inc. (the U.S.), and Advanced Brain Monitoring (the U.S.).

Industry Updates:

In January 2018, Masimo, an American developer of non-invasive patient monitoring technologies, has received FDA approval for home use of Rad-97, its new product that offers non-invasive pulse oximetry and continuous monitoring.

In February 2018, Elekta, a Swedish company that provides radiosurgery, radiation therapy, related equipment and clinical management for treatment of brain disorders and cancer, has received clearance from China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) for its new product, Leksell Gamma Knife Icon Radiosurgery System.

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The uptick in demand for nanotechnology practices that can solve several genetic-related diseases has increased of late. The Multiplex Assays Market is anticipated to progress with a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period. The market for multiplex arrays is advancing due to the increased funding and research being diverted to the market.

Increased awareness of the benefits of multiplex assays is fuelling the growth of the market over the forecast period. The multifactorial nature of several diseases and pathological conditions such as Alzheimer and cancer are motivating the development of the market significantly.

Segmental Analysis

The Multiplex Assay Market is segmented on the basis of types, application, products and services, technology, and end-user. By products and services, the market is segmented into instrument, consumable, and software and services. Based on types, the market is segmented into nucleic acid, protein, and cell-based multiplex assay. On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into fluorescence detection, flow cytometry, luminescence, multiplex real-time PCR, and other technologies. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into clinical diagnostic, research and development, and other diseases. By end user, the market is segmented into hospital and research institutes, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, clinical laboratories, and other end-users.

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Competitive Analysis

The availability of a good labor force along with assets is influencing to the general market advancement. The external factors that are motivating the market expansion which is dependent on the practices and the strategic roadmaps that are exploited by market players. The alteration in the quality of products and services is the chief factor is growing the markets output and swaying the trends that are fortifying their prominence in the market. The essential success factors and players inclinations are progressively improving by the strategies being used by market competitors.

The Multiplex Assay Market has brought in an innovative period of growth as the market is constantly in a state of mutability.

The notable contenders shaping the market development over the forecast period are Illumina Inc, Bio Rad Laboratories Inc, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, Qiagen, Abcam plc, BD, Agilent Technologies, Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, Quanterix, Bio-Techne, Randox Laboratories Ltd and Seegene Inc.

Multiplex Assay Industry Updates:

Jun 2018 Laboratory Corporation of America announced of late that it has gotten US Food and Drug Administration consent for the UltraQual Multiplex PCR Assay for HIV-1, hepatitis C, HIV-2 and hepatitis B for the diagnosing of donated blood plasma.

Detailed Regional Analysis

The North America region is accountable for the prime stake of the market due to robust R&D activities in this region.

The US is a chief country in terms of biopharmaceutical research and development. The important factors that drive the development of the market in this region are the rise in-patient population, and the growing detection of Alzheimer disease, and a substantial rise in research and development activities of the pharmaceutical companies for the treatment of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer.

The Asia Pacific is anticipated to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Due to the increasing geriatric population, mounting prevalence of cataract, and growing prevalence of Alzheimer disease in this region. The European region is estimated to note a high CAGR during the forecast period owing to the increasing geriatric population.

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Pharmaceutical isolators are used in maintaining sterility of a drug by isolating it from potential contaminants. It is a decontaminated unit with 100 (ISO 5) or higher quality of air that ensures continuous and uncompromised isolation of the interior from the exterior environment.

Market Drivers and Restraints:

Rapid development of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and increasing adoption of technologically advanced equipment in this industrial sector are some of the major factors that are propelling the growth of the global pharmaceutical isolators market. Rising number of research laboratories, growing usage of hazardous chemicals in pharmaceutical industry, increasing usage of aseptic methods and stringent regulatory framework are some other factors that are propelling the growth of the global pharmaceutical isolator market.

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However, high installation and maintenance cost and low penetration of advanced technology in the underdeveloped regions are hampering the expansion of the global pharmaceutical isolator market during the forecast period.

Key Players:

Gelman Singapore,

COMECER S.p.A. cf. p.Iva,

IsoTech Design,

LAF Technologies Pty Ltd,

Fedegari Autoclavi S.p.A,

Hosokawa Micron Ltd.,

Bosch GmbH,

MBRAUN,

Chamunda Pharma Machinery Pvt. Ltd.,

Schematic Engineering Industries,

NuAire, Inc., and others.

Industry Updates:

In August 2018, Groninger, one of the leading manufacturers of pharmaceutical processing equipment, and SKAN, one of the leading companies in the cleanroom equipment and isolator designs field, have collaborated to launch a new product, INTEGRA. INTEGRA is the very first line in market that integrates an isolator and filling machine from the design process.

In June 2018, Metall+Plastic, a global leader in design, manufacture, installation and validation of custom-designed isolators, has launched a new sterility testing isolator, STISO, which will be used for drug manufacturing process.

Pharmaceutical Isolator Market Segmentation:

The Global Pharmaceutical Isolator Market has been segmented on the basis of type, system, pressure differential, and end user. Based on type, the pharmaceutical isolator market is segmented into aseptic isolators, containment isolators, bio isolators, sampling, weighing and distribution isolators, active pharmaceutical ingredient & manufacturing isolators and others. Based on system, the pharmaceutical isolator market is segmented into closed systems and open systems. Based on pressure differential, the pharmaceutical isolator market has been segmented into positive pressure and negative pressure. Based on end user, the pharmaceutical isolator market is segmented into hospitals and diagnostics labs, pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, research and academics and others.

Pharmaceutical Isolator Market Regional Analysis:

Geographically, the global pharmaceutical isolator market is segmented into Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. The Americas is projecting dominance over the global pharmaceutical isolator market owing to the rapid adoption of advanced technology in various industrial sectors including manufacturing and production process, high concentration of major healthcare companies and availability of well-developed healthcare facilities in this region. Europe holds second position in the global pharmaceutical isolator market, owing to the increased research and development activities in the pharmaceutical industry to launch advanced pharmaceutical devices in this region. The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to grow at a significant pace due to the rapid development in pharmaceutical sector and growing penetration of medical devices in the developing countries such as India and China in this region. The Middle East and Africa region is witnessing moderate growth in the global pharmaceutical isolator market due to poor healthcare facilities in the underdeveloped areas of this region.

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by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, September 20, 2018

AT&T is asking a federal appellate court to reject the government's attempt to unwind the company's recent $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner.

"This merger ... is designed to unlock the consumer benefits generated by combining content creation with direct consumer relationships," AT&T writes in papers filed Thursday with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The company adds that the merger will enable it "to build a national platform for targeted video advertising that will challenge the digital-advertising duopoly of Google and Facebook" and "to develop more innovative video products for mobile users and make content more responsive to viewer preferences."

AT&T's papers come in response to the Justice Department's appeal of U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon's decision to reject an antitrust challenge to the deal. The DOJ unsuccessfully argued to Leon that the merger -- which brings cable companies including CNN and HBO into AT&T's fold -- was anticompetitive and would lead to decreased competition and higher prices for consumers. Among other arguments, the government contended that the merger would enable the telecom to harm competitors by withholding (or demanding excessive fees) for popular channels.

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Leon rejected the government's position, writing that AT&T has an incentive to distribute Time Warner content "as broadly as possible."

The DOJ recently asked the D.C. Circuit to reverse Leon's decision, arguing that the judge ignored "fundamental principles of economics and common sense."

AT&T counters that Leon "meticulously evaluated the evidence and rejected the factual underpinnings of DOJs case."

The merger closed in late June, but AT&T is managing the Turner network separately from DirecTV and U-Verse. The company plans to maintain that structure until the earlier of February 28, 2019, or the conclusion of the government's appeal.
Lenovos Smart Display with Google Assistant makes a pretty simple value proposition: #Seeing Is Better, the main pitch in a series of new commercials.

The Smart Display includes a 10-inch or 8-inch touchscreen to display answers along with responses to voice commands for the Google Assistant. Its competing against Amazons Echo Show products. May the best mega-tech giant win.

The new spots, from the agency SuperHeroes NYC/Amsterdam and produced by the Good Company, are hyper-hyper targeted to consumers with a certain mindset, says Rob Zuurbier, partner and managing director, SuperHeroes.

The company went looking for You Tube audiences with special interests in cooking, fashion and parenting who are also tech enthusiasts. On top of that, Zuurbier says, We wanted the next wave of buyers. We are looking for people who already own a voice assistant device who are already actively looking to upgrade. And YouTube can really provide that kind of data.

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One spot, titled Black and White and Super Fuzzy, shows a dad trying to decipher what animal his young daughter is talking about.

Another, Unicorn Hair-Do," centers on the same dad watching a YouTube instructional video on his Lenovo Smart Display that shows how to create such a do, in response to his daughter's request.

A third commercial, like the others, shows the Lenovo Display as an ally rather than the all-knowing object on the shelf. Dads on the couch reciting a lemon pie recipe to his wife in the adjoining kitchen when his daughter interrupts by jumping all over him. His wife turns to her Lenovo unit to complete the step-by-step pie plan.

The Lenovo Display was introduced in July, with an 8-inch screen for $200, or a 10-inch screen for $250. Amazons 7-inch Echo Show right now is being discounted $100, down to $125.

A consumer adding up the pluses and minuses wont get see every feature advertised in every commercial.

These Lenovo spots dont showcase the video calls that are possible, nor the fact the Lenovo can be used in landscape or portrait mode.

Some critics say the Lenovo is better looking than the Amazon product, which Zuurbier says was important to his client who wanted to impress that the unit is really a piece of furniture. Its not meant to be something you pick up and take with you, he says, noting that like the Amazon Echo Show, it needs to be plugged in.

Today, Amazon is hosting a show and tell, unveiling several new products. The one getting the most buzz is an Alexa-enabled microwave oven.
by Sean Hargrave , Staff Writer, September 21, 2018

Recent British developments and speeches regarding regulation of the internet and the US tech giants are beginning to make a lot more sense now. They were paving the way for today's news that the government is working on plans for an internet regulator, and possibly also an online regulator for internet advertising.

The story was broken by BuzzFeed, which has seen the proposals that are expected to be announced over the next few months.

The key takeaway is that an internet regulator will be set up to do for the internet what Ofcom does for broadcasting. This could well explain why Sharon White, the head of Ofcom, took to the podium at the Royal Television Society this week to argue that the internet needed to be regulated like broadcasting is.

Was she making a general point? Or was she perhaps suggesting that regulating the internet was in Ofcom's backyard and it should take on the widened role?

There is the addition of the Home Secretary and Culture Secretary working on plans to set a time limit by which sites will have to take down extremist material or face a fine.

BuzzFeed makes the point that although this may come as a surprise to some, an internet regulator was promised in the Conservative manifesto during the 2017 election.

Regular MAD London readers will know I flagged this up at the time. The that just about won the election, with the support of the DUP, had said all along it felt that set standards needed to be in place for the internet and therefore a body to oversee them.

The proposed new regulator would be able to force internet companies to take down not just extremism, but also hate speech, child abuse, trolling and illegally copied content.

There is the potential for the regulator to have another role -- or perhaps for a second regulator to be set up, to act as a watchdog over internet advertising, specifically around enforcing laws on advertising junk food and drinks to children. This is currently carried out by the ASA, which only this week banned a selection of Kinder websites for promoting unhealthy food to children online.

For all of this to happen, a new code of practice will need to be devised and signed up to by internet companies that want to do business in the UK.

This comes at a time of regulation being potentially increased across the EU -- which, of course, the UK is due to leave next spring. Facebook and Twitter have been warned by the European Commission they have until the end of the year to get their T&Cs on data usage clearer. The executive arm of the EU also has its sights set on an investigation into Amazon's use of third-party data.

The upshot? The EU is getting tough on the tech giants so the fear in the UK that regulation here will just drive the big names to set up shop elsewhere is unfounded. There is no easier place for the tech giants to set up in and still be in the EU, or least geographic Europe.

The days of light-touch regulation are coming to an end, and soon enough the authorities will not be relying on cooperation from the tech giants or listening to excuses about workloads over why content was not taken down. Instead, they will be pointing to legal clauses and handing out fines.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, September 21, 2018

A series of emails from Google employees discussed ways they could alter the companys search algorithms to serve information in query results on how people could contribute to pro-immigration organizations and contact lawmakers and government agencies shortly after the Trump administration issues a ban on travel to the U.S. from some countries in January 2017.

The emails, read by The Wall Street Journal, show cautionary notes about engaging in political activity, but suggest ways to use Googles technology to stop islamophobic practices. These were algorithmically biased results from search terms such as Islam, Muslim, Iran, and other categorized as prejudiced algorithmically and biased search results from search terms such as Mexico, Hispanic, and Latino, among others.

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Google said none of the ideas discussed were implemented, the WSJ cites. A company spokesperson told the WSJ that the emails were just a brainstorm of ideas, none of which were ever implemented.

One email from a search product marketing employee discussed a brainstorm session going through the companys marketing division. The string listed several specific ideas. Some involved finding ways to actively counter Google queries that actively returned anti-Islamic and anti-Hispanic search results.

Some of the ideas highlighted by the WSJ include Actively counter islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms Islam, Muslim, Iran, etc, and Actively counter prejudiced, algorithmically biased search results from search terms Mexico, Hispanic, Latino, etc.

Others focused on an experimental feature called Highlights that allows politicians and musicians to post text updates directly in search results.

There has been an ongoing debate as to whether Google manipulates search results and whether or not those results show bias in one area or another. The Attorney General Jeff Sessions is scheduled to meet next week with some state attorneys general to discuss concerns of anti-conservative bias.
by Larissa Faw , September 21, 2018

DDB is evolving the agency's remit by hiring two senior-level strategy leaders.



Susie Lyons is departing Lifetime Networks to serve as head of strategy, New York to lead that discipline across the agency's clients. She replaces Stuart Hazlewood, who transitioned to a new role at DDB Europe as international strategy director.

Tricia Russo arrives at DDB Chicago, as Jack Perone, originally from Toronto, returns to Canada. The ex-BBDO Atlanta's Chief Strategy Officer will be tasked with overseeing Chicago office's strategy and insights department.

Both Lyons and Russo will partner with their local offices leadership and work alongside Eric Zuncic, DDB North Americas Chief Strategy Officer to reevaluate how strategy informs the creative process.

Their arrivals are the latest hires made by Zuncic since he joined DDB North America as CSO in October 2017. At the beginning of this year, James Lou joined We Are Unlimited as Chief Strategy Officer. In May, Sam Renbarger was named group strategy director at DDB San Francisco.

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It's our responsibility as an industry to be more empathetic and human, to put an end to the old idea of 'aspiration' and to reflect and respect people for who they really are, which makes this an exciting time to help shape strategy at an agency like DDB New York, said Lyon.
by Larissa Faw , September 21, 2018

Saatva and agency Preacher are introducing the online mattress company's first integrated marketing campaign since the company launched back in 2010. The creative uses humor and straightforward talk via a hotel bellhop spokesman to educate viewers about mattresses. The two-minute spot follows a couple using the Sleep Guide to navigate the chaotic world of mattress buying, only to achieve "mattress buying nirvana."

The campaign is also releasing a series of funny videos to answer some of the most frequently asked questions shoppers have about buying a new mattress, such as whether a mattress in a box is even a good idea.

New York Times Magazine and Washington Post Magazine. advertisement advertisement The media buy runs on targeted TV and online videos, digital display, paid social, and full page spreads in theand

Saatva has ramped up its advertising budget as the company seeks to gain market share from both bed-in-a-box rivals and traditional mattress chains. The company has spent $17.84 million on advertising during the first six months of 2018, nearly Saatva's entire 2017 $21.28 million ad budget.

This is Preacher's first work for the mattress brand since the Texas-based shop was named AOR in April.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, September 21, 2018

The New York Times Company is asking a judge to order the Federal Communications Commission to turn over information related to possible Russian meddling in the agency's recent net neutrality proceeding.

"The request at issue in this litigation involves records that will shed light on the extent to which Russian nationals and agents of the Russian government have interfered with the agency notice-and-comment process about a topic of extensive public interest: the governments decision to abandon 'net neutrality,'" the newspaper writes in court papers filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. "Release of these records will help broaden the publics understanding of the scope of Russian interference in the American democratic system."

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The new lawsuit stems from the FCC's decision to repeal the Obama-era net neutrality rules, which prohibited broadband providers from blocking or throttling traffic and from charging higher fees for fast-lane service. Last April, Chairman Ajit Pai proposed revoking those rules.

The FCC's proposal drew a record-breaking 22 million comments, but many of those were submitted under fake names, or by Russian bots. While the precise number of fake comments is unclear, around 450,000 came from Russian email addresses.

The Times is seeking IP addresses, timestamps and user-agent headers (which could provide information about commenters' browsers) for all public comments regarding net neutrality submitted between April 26, 2017 and June 7, 2017.

The newspaper says it's entitled to the information under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Times says it initially sought additional data, but narrowed its request in response to concerns raised by the FCC about privacy and security.
by Melynda Fuller , September 21, 2018

After raising $77 million in capital earlier this year, Minute Media is making its first major acquisition withfrom the Felix Dennis estate. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Heart of England Forest, a charity that Dennis established during his lifetime.

A global publishing and technology platform, Minute Media has until now been operating three sports-media platforms, including 90Min, DBLTAP and 12Up. Minute Media has taken a technology-first approach to publishing, relying heavily on video and other media formats.

Mental Floss is Minute Medias first strategic acquisition as it focuses on growing the companys millennial user base and expanding properties.

Following the acquisition, Minute Media will manage Mental Floss digital assets, including its website, social channels, programmatic and direct advertising customers. They will continue to operate under the Mental Floss brand.

Minute Media will also focus on building Mental Floss video production and content surfacing capability on-platform.

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Rich Routmantold, Minute Media president, told Publishers Daily: Video has been at the core of Mental Floss' DNA for years, including its YouTube channel with over 1.3m subscribers. This is a key area where Mental Floss can benefit from our video technology and monetization capabilities.

The main point of this new direction is the focus on non-organic growth streams. We're intent on being acquisitive and aggressive here as we pursue options well beyond Mental Floss, said Routman.

We've proven that we can operationalize media business at better margins than the industry standards. The more assets we integrate into our central platform technology, the more robust we can make the company, he added.
by Maarten Albarda , Featured Contributor, September 21, 2018

Way back when the advertising industry started, N.W. Ayer and Son opened an ad agency in Philadelphia. The year was 1869 (or 1868  even Wikipedia on its own page cant seem to agree). It was the first full-service agency that delivered creative and bought media. To get paid, Ayer negotiated a deal with the media to receive 15% agency commission. The 15% remained in place for almost 100 years, when it was slowly replaced and watered down by fees and fixed rates.

But the 15% remains a thing. There are still media deals made at the 15% rate. In fact, according to a recent Association of National Advertisers study on agency compensation, there is a bit of a resurgence of 15% deals in the programmatic space. Advertisers who need bulk reach forgo the typical negotiation about people x hours x mark-ups x bonus and instead just align on a straight 15% commission.

And 15% serves as a benchmark for agency income. Agencies aim to get as close to, or go over, the 15% equivalent of income from clients. Had N. W. Ayer set his rate at 17% or 10%, I think perhaps that number might have been the benchmark today.

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So 15% media commission is still viable today, even though its role and importance has evolved. And now, in my home country, The Netherlands, the 15% commission story is evolving even further.

In late 2012, the sales house for national broadcasters, STER, announced it would abolish paying 15% to anyone. The argument: Commission was paid to agencies for their services as middlemen between advertiser and  in this case  broadcaster. However, STER had noticed that almost 100% of the 15% was being paid back to advertisers by their agencies. Instead, advertisers paid their agencies through the outlined fee structure. Therefore, STER concluded, 15% was outdated and no longer relevant.

The Dutch market reacted predictably when a major change is announced. Some said it was the beginning of the end, and others said it was a sensible new beginning. It was interesting that no other Dutch media companies followed STERs lead. RTL Netherlands, one of the leading commercial networks, owned by one of Europes largest commercial broadcasters, RTL Group, said STERs move made sense but was happening too soon.

Since Sept. 9 we now know how much too soon it was in the eyes of RTL, as it announced then that RTL, too, was abolishing the 15% commission rule.

Im not aware of any other major media companies or countries that have abolished the 15% as well (and there certainly could be more). But what fascinates me is that, as an industry, this news story has not been picked up more broadly.

As I explained, the 15% commission rule is a bit of an agency standard. It is the one benchmark that has been in place since the invention of modern-day advertising. And now two large media sales companies have done away with it.

I can follow the arguments on why these two companies reached the same conclusion. Still, I wonder if this is indeed the beginning of the end for 15% agency commission, or just another turn in the road of marketing transformation.
by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, September 21, 2018

El Pollo Loco has created a dedicated campaign to reach out to the Hispanic community in the Los Angeles market.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, which started on Sept. 15, the QSR is running a series of four full-page ads in the Sunday edition of The Los Angeles Times.

The ads, from the Vitro agency, are designed to honor the months celebration of Hispanic culture, while explaining why El Pollo Loco is in a credible position to do so, given the brands history and continuing traditions.

The first ad (shown), headlined Why we never changed our name to The Crazy Chicken, points out the chains origins as a small chicken joint on L.A.s Alvarado Street, started by a family of immigrants from Mexico.

The copy that follows celebrates diversity while touching subtly on the tensions around immigration issues today:

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Since that time much has changed. But in many ways, much has not. We are still slow-grilling our chicken in the traditional Sinaloan style. We are still a company of immigrants, in a city of immigrants, in a nation of immigrants. And we are still every bit as proud of our heritage as we are of being American.

"Thats why we still go by the original, untranslated name we first came to this country with: El Pollo Loco. This year, at this moment in our nations history, it seems more important than ever to stand proud and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. To take the time to honor the values, contributions, and accomplishments of this great culture. The hard work. The love of family. The creativity. The passion and perseverance..."

The second ad stressed that 81% of El Pollo Locos employees are Hispanic, and explained why the company aspires to become the Hispanic employer of choice.

The third ad describes how El Pollo Loco is part of the fabric of Los Angeles, and the fourth tells the story of the chains founder, Pancho Ochoa.

El Pollo Loco views Hispanic Heritage Month as celebrating the history, struggles and accomplishments, diversity and power of America  a country of immigrants who have all made significant contributions in a multitude of ways, states a brand rep. We believe thats something all Americans should take pride in.

The chains 480 company-owned and franchised restaurants are located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Louisiana.
There are a number of good reasons that touching, hugging, and kissing the people we love feels comforting and reassuring. In this Spotlight, we will explore how such displays of affection impact your health and well-being. Share on Pinterest What are the benefits of affective touch? In this Spotlight, we investigate. When we touch, hug, or kiss a friend or partner, that gesture is loaded with meaning. We seek affection, try to establish a connection, or attempt to communicate a need. Various cultures use touch in various ways to display tenderness or respect, and other non-human primates use it to create a connection and establish social hierarchies. Recently, however, some experts have expressed concern that Western societies are experiencing a moment of crisis, as physical touch becomes more strictly regulated and we are less and less likely to engage in social acts such as hugging. Of course, physical touch is not always welcome and not always appropriate. Between strangers, it can be an act of violation. As researchers from Finland noted in a study paper published last year, whether touch produces a positive or a negative effect is highly dependent on the context in which it occurs. Touch does not universally lead to positive emotions, they explain. For instance, they note that cultural differences can result in touch being construed as a breach of preferred interpersonal distance. At the same time, research has also found that touch is important for humans when it comes to communicating emotions and maintaining relationships  both romantic and otherwise. In this Spotlight feature, we will look at the importance and benefits of touching, hugging, and kissing for a persons health and well-being.

Why touch is so important Famous studies have demonstrated that children  as well as the infants of non-human primates  who grow up without affective touch have severe developmental issues and are unable to relate socially. Share on Pinterest Touch is a vital social cue, signaling an offer of comfort and empathy. Touching, and being touched, activate particular areas of our brain, thus influencing our thought processes, reactions, and even physiological responses. For example, one study reports that brain scans have revealed that affective touch activates the orbitofrontal cortex , a brain region associated with learning and decision-making as well as with emotional and social behaviors. Certain experiments have also suggested that romantic kissing is an important tool  particularly for women  when it comes to choosing a partner, because the personalized chemical cocktail found in an individuals saliva conveys important information to the brain about their physiological compatibility. Touch can also be reassuring and calming for a person in distress, since it can communicate an offer of support and empathy. A study from Sweden  the findings of which were published last year in the journal Research on Language and Social Interaction  found that embracing and patting children in distress has a soothing effect for them. In such a circumstance, the study authors explain, the interaction involves the adult signaling that they are available to offer soothing contact, followed by the childs acknowledgement of this invitation and positive response to it. The interaction and coordination involved with this scenario allow the child in distress to regain a sense of security and reassurance. As a result of this, there are also many debates surrounding the use of touch during counseling, mainly asking whether the potential benefits outweigh the ethical perils. Scientists recognize that touch has valuable therapeutic potential and that some people might benefit from receiving a reassuring pat on the shoulder when they are feeling down.

Psychological benefits In fact, we seek to receive and give hugs to people we love precisely because they trigger a neural pattern of comfort and affection. Share on Pinterest Studies have shown that sharing a hug can remove existential anxiety. A study found that women who offered physical touch as a symbol of support to their partners showed higher activity in the ventral striatum, which is a brain area involved in the reward system. So, offering a reassuring hug to a person who is in pain or feeling down can actually benefit both the receiver and the giver; both people involved in the interaction experience more positive emotions and feel more strongly connected to each other. Moreover, a series of studies conducted by Dutch researchers showed that hugging could relieve a persons feelings of existential fear and remove self-doubt. Even fleeting and seemingly trivial instances of interpersonal touch may help people to deal more effectively with existential concern, says researcher Sander Koole, from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Our findings show that even touching an inanimate object  such as a teddy bear  can soothe existential fears. Interpersonal touch is such a powerful mechanism that even objects that simulate touch by another person may help to instill in people a sense of existential significance. Sander Koole Other research has revealed that sharing in the nonverbal communication of affection  which includes actions such as hugging and kissing  can buffer the effect of stress and accelerate recovery from it.
Spirometry where the amount of air inhaled and exhaled is measured

where the amount of air inhaled and exhaled is measured Plethysmography test or a body box which enables doctors to assess lung volume

which enables doctors to assess lung volume Diffusion capacity test which tests the efficiency of the alveoli (small air sacks in the lungs) to see how well a patient's lungs transfer oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the bloodstream

Obtaining the AI algorithm using good quality data

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Study

The interpretations of the PFTs by the pulmonologists matched the guidelines in 74 percent of cases while the AI-based software interpretations matched the guidelines with a perfect score of 100 percent

The doctors diagnosed the primary disease correctly in 45 percent of cases while the AI gave a correct diagnosis in 82 percent of cases

AI improves doctors' ability to correctly interpret tests and diagnose lung disease - (https://aitopics.org/doc/news:23E604F8/)

Pulmonary function tests (PFT) include:After these tests are done, doctors have to interpret the results to reach a diagnosis telling what is wrong with the patient.First, the research team trained the AI algorithm - to do this they used historical data from 1430 patients from 33 Belgian hospitals.An expert panel then assessed the data using patients' medical histories, results of all PFTs and any additional tests and came to a conclusion on the correct interpretation and diagnosis for each patient.The team then measured the interpretations againstfrom the European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society.The results were used to, before validating it by incorporating it into real clinical practice. The algorithm was made to recognize patterns up to nine different diseases.The study involved 120 pulmonologists from 16 hospitals situated in European countries like Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg).The doctors made 6000 interpretations of PFT data from 50 randomly selected patients; the same data was examined using AI too.The study measured the results from both interpretations against the gold standard guidelines in the same way as during development of the algorithm.When left to the pulmonologists alone, the task of interpretation of PFTs and the diagnosis of respiratory disease requires more information and further tests to reach a satisfactory level of accuracy.It is certain that- doctors have the ability to see beyond just the PFTs alone. They see a broader perspective which enables them to make decisions based on a combination of many different factors. However,The researchers plan to get more hospitals to use AI in the future and investigate transferring the technology to primary care, where the data would be captured by general practitioners to help them make correct diagnoses and referrals.Source: Medindia
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The research, led by Imperial College London, World Health Organization and NCD Alliance, reveals that a 30-year-old woman in the UK has a 9 percent chance of dying from four key NCDs - cancer, cardiovascular disease (which includes heart disease and stroke), chronic respiratory disease and diabetes - before her 70th birthday, compared to a 12 percent chance for a woman living in the US, and 6 percent for a woman living in Japan.Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man living in the UK has a 13 percent chance of dying from an NCD before age 70, compared to 11 percent for a man living in Switzerland, and 18 percent for a man living in the US.The analysis, published in, also revealed the majority of the world's nations - including the UK, US and China - look likely to fall short of the United Nations (UN) target for reducing the number of premature deaths from NCDs.Professor Majid Ezzati, from Imperial's School of Public Health, who led the study, said: "Non-communicable diseases are the main cause of premature death for most countries. Poverty, uncontrolled marketing of alcohol and tobacco by multinational industries, and weak health care systems are making chronic diseases a larger danger to human health than traditional foes such as bacteria and viruses."Non-communicable diseases kill nearly 41 million people a year, making up seven out of ten deaths globally, 17 million of these deaths are classed as premature (i.e., before the age of 70).The new research is published ahead of a key UN meeting on NCDs next week. In 2015, the UN set the goal of a one-third reduction in premature deaths (between the ages of 30 and 70 years) from four key NCDs - cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes - by the year 2030.The group behind this research, who are collectively known as NCD Countdown 2030, warn that their findings suggest the UN target will be missed in all but 35 nations for women and 30 nations for men.The study also reveals men and women in most countries around the world have a higher risk of dying prematurely from NCDs than from infectious diseases such as malaria or HIV.The researchers analyzed data on deaths from NCDs in more than 180 nations. Their findings revealed the lowest risks of dying early from NCDs were seen in high-income countries, especially in South Korea, Japan, Switzerland and Australia.But other high-income countries are lagging behind the leaders, including the UK (which ranks 17th for men, 27th for women), the US (53rd for men, 44th for women) and China (80th for men, 76th for women).Overall, women in South Korea, Japan, Spain and Switzerland were least likely to die prematurely from the four key NCDs. The countries with the lowest risk for men were Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway.In contrast, men in central Asia (Mongolia, Kazakhstan) and eastern Europe (Russia, Belarus) were among the most likely to die from the four key NCDs before the age of 70. For women, parts of sub-Saharan Africa (Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire), Guyana, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Papua New Guinea were among those with the greatest risk of premature death from the four key NCDs.The study reveals that only 35 countries are on track to meet the UN target for women and only 30 countries for men.Some of those countries on track to meet the UN target for both men and women include Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and South Korea, as well as Brazil, Iran and some of the high-risk eastern European countries. By comparison, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, India, and China will fail to hit the target for both sexes.The authors say if NCD deaths decline slightly faster in a further 50 countries (for women) and 35 countries (for men), they too would achieve the target.According to the analysis, the situation is deteriorating or stagnating in 15 countries for women, including the US, and 24 for men.Katie Dain, from the NCD Alliance, said: "We are sleepwalking into a sick future because of severely inadequate progress on non-communicable diseases. Post the UN High Level Meeting, NCD Countdown 2030 will assist in holding governments and donors accountable and help to ensure that the opportunity before us next week to renew, reinforce, and enhance commitments to reducing the burden of NCDs, translates the rhetoric into reality."Professor Ezzati explained: "While much of the world is falling short of the UN target to alleviate the burden of chronic diseases, dozens of countries could meet this goal with the modest acceleration of already-favorable trends. This requires national governments and international donors to invest in the right set of policies."Professor Ezzati added: "Treatment of hypertension and controlling tobacco and alcohol use alone can prevent millions of deaths from cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other NCDs. But there is also a need for affordable, high-quality care to diagnose and treat chronic diseases as early as possible."The team points out the findings are limited by the available data, citing major gaps in the completeness and accuracy of data in some countries. They explain that improving death registration in countries could improve accuracy.James Bennett, the lead author of the study from the School of Public Health, said: "It's important that international aid agencies and governments are held to account for their commitments to global targets for health. Improving the quality of health data from countries will help us identify which countries are performing best in reducing deaths from chronic diseases, as well as those that need additional help."For women, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs - cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes - were seen in some African countries such as Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire. In these countries, 30-year-old women had a one in three chance of dying from these diseases before their 70th birthday.The lowest risks of premature death in women were in South Korea and Japan, at 5 to 6 percent chance.For men, the highest levels of premature death from the four key NCDs were seen in central Asia, Eastern Europe, and some Pacific Islands, for example in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Fiji. In these countries, 30-year-old men had a more than a one in three chance of dying from these four diseases before their 70th birthday. The lowest levels were in Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden, and Norway, where men had a 10 to 11 percent chance.30-year-old women in the UK had a 9 percent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 27th lowest risk in the world and 19th lowest among 40 countries in Europe.30-year-old men in the UK had a 13 percent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 17th lowest risk in the world and 9th lowest in Europe.The chance of dying from the four key NCDs declined in the UK at the 74th fastest rate in the world for women, and the 27th fastest in Europe (relative to the starting level in 2015).For men, the rate of decline in the UK was 45th in the world and 25th in Europe.For European women, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs were seen in Moldova and Ukraine (17 percent and 16 percent). The lowest levels were in Spain and Switzerland, with the risk of 6 percent and 7 percent.For European men, the highest levels of premature mortality from four key NCDs were seen in Russia and Belarus (37 percent and 35 percent). The lowest levels were in Iceland and Switzerland, with the risk of 10 percent and 11 percent.30-year-old women in the US had a 12 percent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 44th lowest risk in the world but the highest among all high-income nations, and worse than Vietnam, Turkey, and Panama. There has been a small increase in the risk of death from these diseases among American women since 2010.30-year-old men in the US had a 18 percent chance of dying from four key NCDs before their 70th birthday, placing them at 53rd lowest risk in the world but the highest among all high-income nation, and worse than Liberia, Mexico and Angola. There has been virtually no change in the risk of death from these diseases among American men.Source: Eurekalert
Not the Avengers, but conspiracy theorists assemble!

Ever since 'Avengers: Infinity War' released, we have just been waiting for the next one because of how hopeless the ending of the movie left us feeling. No one can wait to find out what happens next  will everyone come back, or our hearts will be ripped out again?

But, the first thing we need to do is stop calling it 'Avengers 4', I mean, it's time that we at least know the actual name of the movie and Marvel may have just given us a little hint to that.

The official Twitter account of the Russo Brothers  the brains behind the pain that 'Infinity War' inflicted on us all  posted a cryptic picture with an even more cryptic caption.

Why can't they just say anything clearly? Haven't they done enough already? We deserve the name now.

You don't have to be a genius to figure out that this unleashed a bunch of conspiracy theories, because that's what Marvel fans are best at.

This guy gets it.

Unleash your best Avengers 4 conspiracy theories: https://t.co/uPe0fQn46X  Hamza Shaban (@hshaban) September 19, 2018

The first guess was obviously related to the name, because that's the first thing Marvel will unveil.

What do you guys think?  I'd ... like to buy an "A." #Avengers4 https://t.co/ZCpJY7QwVd  Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) September 19, 2018

That might be because they're stuck thanks to the Soul Stone for eternity?

'Avengers: Eternity' sounds way better than 'Avengers: Forever', which sounds like the last part of some rom-com, tbh.

I see an A and an E, which seems to tell me that Avengers Eternity might be the title for A4 ... After all, the Russo Brothers did say that the closest title to A4 they got was "Avengers Forever".... https://t.co/7Ma2PHq4mR  This is Christian #Epiphany (@delgado709) September 19, 2018

Good option, but wouldn't 'Endgame' be a little too literal?

GUYS WHAT IF THEY ARE CONFIRMING THE TITLE IS AVENGERS ENDGAME???!!!! pic.twitter.com/WIk3zBFs4o   Hannah  (@MzCaptainMarvel) September 19, 2018

Actually, this makes sense as well.

"We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live-long day, but that up there? That's the endgame. How were you guys planning on beating that?"



We're in the endgame now.



okay look....if ENDGAME isn't the title for a4 i honestly have no idea what else it could be...  court (@lovely_holland) September 19, 2018

Another good contender.

ITS AVENGERS : ASSEMBLE GUYS, THEY'RE TRYING TO TELL US THAT THE TITLE IS AVENGERS : ASSEMBLE AND YOU CANNOT CHANGE MY MIND pic.twitter.com/3CLj1Pjh9H   gg  (@qweenofthegeeks) September 19, 2018

The best one till now. I would be so disappointed if it's not called 'Avengers: Alabama' now.

there are two A's, which means the title for A4 is "Avengers: Alabama" and it's about the avengers going on a roadtrip to alabama while singing "sweet home alabama" the whole time https://t.co/dOoTWq1Scl  tori  (@sebworthy) September 19, 2018

That's too close to 'The Avengers'.

What if the title is just Avengers  L o R i  How you been Buck? (@SPNZookeeper) September 19, 2018

Same man, same.

I swear to all that is holy, if the name is "Avengers 4", I'm gonna lose my shirt. https://t.co/i3drWzACp5  Chris March (@ckmarch123) September 19, 2018

That would be just cruel.

me waiting for marvel to announce that the a4 movie title is actually Avengers 4 and we were all played  pirate angel (@Iadysif) September 19, 2018

IT BETTER!
People have already started to queue up for the iPhone XS and we reported a story yesterday about how fans are even ready to spend the night waiting in line.

However, Apple fans who were stationed outside the store were greeted with a surprise by another smartphone maker  Huawei.

 Twitter

In a brilliant yet snarky marketing gimmick, some people were spotted wearing Huawei shirts and handing out free power banks to hundreds of Apple fans in line. This was first reported by tech360 and here's what they posted:

According to sources, approximately 200 power banks were handed out to people in the line. Here are some of the images shared by Huawei:

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

Each power bank came with a message that basically said You'll need it. We have to commend Huawei for this ingenious marketing campaign that basically targets the iPhone's battery life. The iPhone XS is outfitted with a 2,658mAh battery while Huawei's P20 Pro comes with a 4,000 mAh battery.

Here's a video below that basically shows what Huawei was up to last night in Singapore.
TUSCOLA COUNTY  The decision on building a multi-million dollar processing facility in one of Tuscola Countys townships is expected to be made next month.

Quality Roasting LLC wants to build a $10 million facility at the southeast corner of M-81 and Dixon Road to process locally grown soybeans in to feed for dairy cattle, which can also be further processed into oil and biodiesel products.

The Indianfields Township Planning Commission, in a 3-2 vote, recommended having the township board approve the companys request for rezoning. To have the project move forward, the township board would have to approve the rezoning request for the 17-acre site.

Part of the proposed site to the north is zoned commercial and the back part is zoned residential so the site would need approval to be rezoned industrial.

During the public hearing, concerns and questions about traffic flow, noise and lights, said Scott Rabe, CEO of Quality Roasting LLC.

Company officials explained the processing is solvent free, using only heat and pressure, and operations.

It was pointed out that there are roughly 10 homes within 500 feet of the proposed site and 94 homes within a half mile, which could be affected by noise, dust, odor and lights, according to those who oppose the factorys site.

Those concerns were addressed, and the commission agreed to recommend to the township board that they approve our request, said Rabe.

The township board is schedule to meet 6:30 pm. Oct. 8.

During soybean harvest, which is about a three-week period between September and November, there would be about 50 trucks per day going to the facility. After that, traffic would be about 10 trucks per day.

If the proposed factory is approved, it would generate about $500,000 in revenue for area farmers, generate about $30,000 in property taxes for the township, and employe eight people.

Michigan has 428,000 cows and has about 96 million bushels of soybean production annually. It is the perfect area for us to develop a third processing center, according to Erin Davis, Quality Roasting assistant manager. In Tuscola County, 3.67 million bushels of soybeans are produced, and the factory would need about two million.

If approved, the facility would include a processing building with an office, truck scale, 145-foot soybean storage bins and finished product storage. The operation would be 24 hours a day, Sunday evenings through Friday evenings.
Earlier this year, we reported on a study of various surfaces at the airport and on airplanes that passengers are likely to touch  and how likely it is that those surfaces are contaminated by disease-causing bacteria. But there was one item that study didn't consider, and a new report suggests those may be the germiest of all.

Those items are the plastic bins where traveler put their carry-ons, laptops and shoes for TSA x-ray screening.

The latest study came from Finland and the results were published in Biomedcentral.com's journal BMC Infectious Diseases. The researchers went to Helsinki Airport during cold and flu season to swab various surfaces, looking for the viruses that could transmit those illnesses to passengers. (The earlier study looked for bacteria.)

Of the various surface samples taken during the study, only 10 percent of them turned up traces of disease-causing viruses, the report noted. But the ones with the highest rate of positive detection were the luggage bins at the security checkpoint, with 50 percent of them harboring viruses.

Granted, the sample size was very small, but the results for the bins stood out. "Security check

trays (i.e., bins) appear to pose the highest potential risk and are used by virtually all embarking passengers," the researchers wrote. "They have the potential to be especially problematic if a severe pathogen with an indirect transmission mechanism were to pose a threat for international spread."

On the other hand, many surfaces that passengers frequently touch were found to have no virus material at all. That included airport toilets (the lid, the flush button and the lock handle); armrests of chairs in waiting areas; escalator handrails; luggage cart handles; elevator buttons; and self-service check-in touch screens.

Curiously, the earlier study -- which looked for bacteria rather than viruses -- found that the touch-screens of airport check-in kiosks harbor the largest collection of illness-causing bacteria, followed by airplane lavatory flush buttons.

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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.
When Hurricane Florence flooded Marine Cpl. Jordan Taylor and fiancee Jilia Arroyo's wedding venue and forced his training dates to be bumped forward, the couple arranged a quiet, last-minute ceremony at a Catholic church near Fort Hood, Texas -- no photographer, no cake, no flowers.

But Taylor's mom Stacee, an Air Force veteran and Army spouse, wanted the day to be special. Unable to leave South Carolina herself, she couldn't be there to stand next to her son. So she did the next best thing: She called on her Texas-based military spouse friends.

On Sept. 20, less than 24 hours after his mom asked for help, Taylor and Arroyo were married with all the trappings of a traditional wedding, surrounded by a group of military spouses who dropped what they were doing and made the wedding happen.

"It doesn't matter what race, religion or color -- when people in the military need help, we respond," said Theresa Johnson, whose husband recently retired from the Army. "For us, that's what we do."

After her son called to tell her the wedding had been bumped up, Stacee Taylor went into panic mode, she said. She didn't want to miss the special day, but because she was stuck in South Carolina, she knew she wouldn't be able to attend. So she messaged Johnson out of desperation Sept. 19, in hopes that she could help her find a photographer to capture the day.

"I asked one question  'do you know of a photographer?'" she told Military.com.

Never in her wildest dreams did she expect what happened next. Instead of just finding a photographer, Johnson phoned a Navy wife friend, Mindy Brewster, and asked for help, then posted a message to her Facebook page asking the military spouse community to step up.

And that's exactly what they did.

Marie Reed, who runs Moving With the Military, saw Johnson's post and got a message from Stacee Taylor at about the same time. Armed with her business' photography and film crew, she knew they would have no problem taking video and photos at the ceremony and dove in to work on other details.

Brewster, a former wedding planner, took point on making arrangements, keeping Stacee Taylor in the loop and sourcing cake and other items. Leslie Draffin, a local news anchor and military spouse, worked with Brewster to coordinate donations from local businesses. Johnson, who was several hours away, drove up to be at the wedding. She also made sure the bride had her "something borrowed" and stood in as a surrogate mom.

Cpl. Jordan Taylor, Jilia Arroyo and Theresa Johnson on Taylor and Arroyo's wedding day. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Johnson).

The bride's family threw together food for a reception. The groom's grandmother, who lived locally, was the only member of his family able to attend.

For Reed, Brewster and Johnson, surrounding the bride and groom with help and giving them a loving send off into military life was more than worth the chaos of last-minute wedding planning. Helping the newlyweds, they said, was about more than throwing them a great ceremony; it was about showing them how the military community can be there when you need it.

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Mother of the groom Stacee Taylor chats with her son, Cpl. Jordan Taylor and his grandmother. (Photo courtesy of Mindy Brewster)

"This was, 'Let's show her from the beginning that she can count on us,' " said Brewster, who had her own last-minute wedding in 2003 before her husband's deployment to Iraq. "It may not be the most perfect day, but it's going to be the most memorable day."

Reed said -- in a world where military spouses need to rely on each other for help -- she wanted the bride to see the support and be ready to pay it forward.

"I want her to know, 'Welcome to military spouse life, and know that you have a community that will rally behind you,' " she said. "If you have a need, [know] that we're there, but also be there for other people, because you will meet them along your journey and people will need help."

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Cpl. Jordan Taylor and Jilia Arroyo married Sept. 20, 2018 with help from the military spouse community. (Photo Courtesy of Mindy Brewster)

Stacee Taylor, who was able to watch the wedding over Facebook livestream, said she spent much of the wedding day "ugly crying" with joy and the overwhelming emotion that comes when your community steps in when you need them.

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Mother of the groom Stacee Taylor chats with some of the military spouses who helped pull together her son's wedding. (Photo courtesy of Mindy Brewster)

"I told Theresa, "I help people all the time -- whatever you need, count me in, I got you,'" she said. "And I've never known the feeling of someone really helping me, and I think that's why I'm so emotional.  I said 'Y'all, I just don't understand. All I asked for was a photographer.' I'm just overwhelmed by my military spouse community and how they just took it and made it their own."

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
Capt. Trey Gregory was one of the first 10 Marines to race toward a burning senior-living facility in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday -- and the teamwork he saw there is enough to get him choked up.

From junior enlisted Marines to the base commanding officer, the response was a display of level-headed professionalism and duty for the neighbors of Marine Barracks Washington, he told Military.com.

"Nobody was worried about ranks," said Gregory, an aviation logistics officer by trade who's currently serving as the Barracks' security forces company executive officer. "The level of maturity, accountability and staying calm in the face of a very hectic and somewhat dangerous situation showed me that the training we do, day-in and day-out, plays a huge role."

The three-alarm fire erupted in the Arthur Capper Senior Apartments at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, just behind the Barracks where Gregory's team is based. Within minutes, the security force Marines were equipped with radios as they headed into the building to alert their neighbors, many of whom are elderly and can't walk on their own.

"We knew we had people in there who needed help," Gregory said. "The bottom floors weren't too bad when we got in there, but that top floor got dicey."

The Marines paired off and stayed in communication on the radios, he said, especially on the top floor, where the smoke was much thicker. They steered clear of any doorways that were hot to the touch as they went room-to-room, clearing every unit they checked and helping those who needed it to safety.

"Some of the residents are bedridden or paralyzed, so we picked them up and threw them over our shoulders," he said. "I remember carrying a paralyzed guy down the stairs with the colonel, a lieutenant and a gunnery sergeant. Everybody was just there to help."

Gregory estimates the Marines made 30 or 40 trips in and out of the building. There were no deaths or life-threatening injuries reported in the 162-unit complex. D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief Gregory Dean said Thursday that they're looking into whether all of the fire alarms were functioning.

About 100 Marines from the Barracks eventually pitched in, some racing over with wheelchairs and stretchers. Marine logisticians also brought over food and water, so those moved out of smoke-filled units immediately had something to drink.

Social media was filled with videos and images of the Marines assisting, but Gregory said none of them is concerned with the fanfare or recognition for what they did.

"We have wonderful neighbors at all of our facilities all over the world," he said. "We're just super thankful that everyone could escape this tragedy.

The real credit, he added, goes to the D.C. firefighters and other emergency responders.

"They were in the fight for sure," Gregory said. "The D.C. fire department has a tough, tough job, and we were just there to assist."

The Marines are looking forward to reconnecting with the neighbors they helped move to safety. The community members have always been supportive of Marine Barracks Washington, he said, and the leathernecks were glad to pay it back.

"We just hope that people understand that when Marines see a crisis, we respond," Gregory said. "It's what we do whether we are overseas or here in D.C. Geographic location doesn't matter."

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins.
The original Tun Tavern in Philadelphia was the birthplace of the Marine Corps and was almost as old as the city itself.
In a stunning move, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund announced Friday that its long-stalled plan to build an education center next to the iconic "Wall" is being scrapped for lack of funding and general interest.

Following a meeting of the fund's board of directors, Chairman John Dibble said agreement had been reached to "terminate efforts to construct a physical building on the National Mall."

In a statement, he said, that "funding simply has not materialized" for the project, which originally was to have dealt with the history, context and legacy of the Vietnam War, and later was expanded in concept to include the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Instead of an underground center next to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the fund said it will now focus education efforts on mobile exhibits, online resources and "partnerships with military museums to teach visitors about the Vietnam War and honor those names that appear on the Memorial."

The decision by the board of directors followed a lengthy article by Task and Purpose on the internal struggles over the purpose of the Education Center, the failure to generate private donations, and the public's loss of interest in the project.

The concept for the education center was announced in 2000 by Jan Scruggs, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, the founder and president of the Memorial Fund and the prime mover in the project that resulted in the Wall listing the names of the more than 58,000 killed in Vietnam.

The memorial was dedicated in 1982.

The project eventually won approval from Congress and the Washington Fine Arts Commission for a parcel of land next to the memorial to be used for the education center.

At a symbolic groundbreaking in 2012, Scruggs said the center would also serve as a temporary memorial for the fallen of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The veterans of Vietnam know what it is like to wait for a memorial -- a healing place -- to be authorized and constructed. Today's heroes shouldn't have to wait. Our goal is to have the education center at the Wall open in time to welcome home our last troops returning from Afghanistan," he said at the time.

The goal for an actual groundbreaking was set for 2020, but funding dried up. The center was projected to cost about $84 million, but funding pledges reportedly stalled at about $45 million, and that figure was in doubt.

Scruggs retired as president of the fund in 2014. It will now have to make arrangements to return the five-acre parcel of land reserved for the education center to the National Park Service.

In its statement, the fund said it had received a total of $45 million in donation commitments, and $5 million of that had yet to be received. About $23 million has already been spent on construction design, exhibit planning, awareness building, and preliminary work necessary for specific exhibits, it said.

About $17 million in donations had been limited to actual construction, it added, and those contributions might be returned after discussions with donors.

In his statement, Dibble said, "We know many veterans and supporters are disappointed in this outcome. We also are disappointed that the early enthusiasm and support did not result in a completed building. Since the idea was developed in early 2001, the world is a very different place."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
President Donald Trump said that he consulted "my generals" before announcing via tweet last July a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, but a new batch of internal emails reinforced the view that the Pentagon was blindsided.

"Everyone was caught flat-footed," Air Force Brig. Gen. Kyle Kremer, director of manpower and personnel for the Joint Chiefs, wrote to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford and Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman, following Trump's July 26, 2017, series of tweets.

The emails, many of them heavily redacted, were obtained under a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by the liberal watchdog group American Oversight and were the subject of a report Friday by BuzzFeed News.

"Wow -- that was a surprise," Anthony Kurta, who was then performing the duties of undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, wrote to another Pentagon official whose name was redacted, BuzzFeed reported.

In a series of July 2017 tweets, Trump wrote, "After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military."

"Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail," he continued.

It was widely reported at the time that Trump's tweets caught the Pentagon's top brass by surprise, but the new batch of internal emails gives a glimpse of the panic and confusion among the staff.

The internal emails show that an aide to Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, the No. 2 at the Pentagon, tried to give him a heads-up on the Trump tweets as he was on his way to Capitol Hill to testify at a hearing. The aide warned him that the tweets would likely be of "high interest" to members of Congress questioning him.

In a separate email obtained by BuzzFeed in February, Dunford told the service chiefs that he had no forewarning of Trump's proposed ban. "The announcement was unexpected," he wrote, and "when asked, I will state that I was not consulted."

The proposed ban has since been blocked in four federal courts by separate lawsuits filed by advocacy groups.

In a statement on the new batch of emails, Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the American Military Partner Association, said the emails showed that Trump's tweets "were as shocking and surprising to the Pentagon as they were to the rest of us. Despite what the White House claimed, there was no input from the military's senior leadership."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Men and women on Navy ships faced the highest rates of sexual assaults in the military, according to newly released data, with as many as one in four male sailors aboard one ship experiencing abuse in 2014.

Navy ships "dominate the highest-risk installations" for sexual assault, according to a long-awaited breakdown of the threat by military installation released Friday by Rand Corp. Overseas installations, large bases and those with a "more prominent combat unit presence" were also reported as high-risk locations, according to the report.

The study, based on data from fiscal 2014, was prepared for the Defense Department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. It's based on responses from more than 170,000 service members who completed a survey on the military workplace.

While the 118-page study offers a glimpse into the troubling trend of sexual assaults in the military, it also raises several questions about whether the patterns are still relevant.

The collected information is nearly five years old, for example; accounts only for those on active duty; and excludes troops who served less than six months -- along with midshipmen and cadets at the academies. The report also doesn't explain why risks are higher or lower at different installations.

Officials addressed some of those limitations in the report.

"The one-year rates of sexual assault estimated for each installation should be interpreted descriptively, not as evidence that something about the installation or command is causing or preventing sexual assault," the report states. "... The differences may result from differences in command climate, alcohol availability and price, crime rates in the surrounding civilian community, or the transitory presence of one or more sexual predators."

Some of the lowest-risk locations for sexual assault based on the 2014 data include bases in and around Washington, D.C.; small support installations; and medical centers.

Here's a look at how the risks broke down by service

Army

Per the 2014 data, the highest-risk bases identified in the report where women experienced sexual assault included: Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Fort Drum, New York; Okinawa, Japan; and Fort Riley, Kansas.

Men faced higher risks at bases in Italy; Fort Myer, Virginia; Fort Drum, New York; Fort Benning, Georgia; and Rose Barracks, Germany.

Several large and overseas bases were considered high risk for both Army men and women. Men faced higher risks at "installations with a more prominent combat-unit presence."

Several of the bases considered lower-risk were in the National Capital Region, which could be because of the "seniority or profession of soldiers assigned to Washington-area jobs," according to the report.

Marine Corps

As with some of the other services, the bases with the highest concentration of Marines had the highest rates of sexual assault for the Corps.

For female Marines, several air stations, including Yuma in Arizona, Beaufort in South Carolina and New River in North Carolina, were among the highest-risk locations. Marine Corps Ground-Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, and Okinawa, Japan were also on the high-risk list.

For men, Japan, South Korea, Twentynine Palms and Afghanistan were labeled high-risk, per the 2014 data.

Navy

Ships, or clusters of ships, presented some of the highest risks for both Navy men and women. Of the 15 highest-risk locations for women, 13 were ships. For men, 14 of the 15 riskiest locations were ships.

Some of the ships, including the one where one in four male sailors reported being sexually abused, are not named in order to protect the victims. Several aircraft carriers, including the George Washington, George H.W. Bush, Theodore Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, were high-risk locations for both genders.

Male and female sailors also reported sexual assault risks in Japan.

Air Force

The Air Force saw some of the lowest rates of sexual assaults, according to the 2014 data in the report. Pilot training bases were listed as high-risk for both genders, however.

Women reported the highest risks at Vance and Altus Air Force Bases in Oklahoma; Laughlin and Goodfellow in Texas; and Columbus in Mississippi.

Altus, Laughlin and Columbus were also rated risky for men, along with Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins.
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday signed a spending bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs that for the first time exceeds more than $200 billion.

Trump signed the VA budget for fiscal year 2019 during a ceremony at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System in Las Vegas, flanked by local VA leaders and veterans, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., and VA Secretary Robert Wilkie.

After Trump signed the bill, he joked Wilkie is the one who "has got to make it work."

"We are on the cusp of the greatest transformative period in the history of veterans affairs," Wilkie said. "The signing today gets us on that road."

The budget, passed by Congress last week, totals $208.8 billion. It's another in a series of increases for the agency, which had a budget of $90 billion in 2009.

The spending agreement provides some funding to implement the VA Mission Act -- legislation that aims to expand private-sector medical care for veterans starting in July 2019.

The Office of Management and Budget estimated the implementation of the Mission Act would create a $1.6 billion shortfall in 2019 in the account used to pay for veterans' private-sector treatment.

The Mission Act was signed into law with fanfare this summer, but Trump's administration asked Congress not to break spending caps to pay for it. In the end, lawmakers shifted $1.25 billion to cover some of the cost instead of approving new funding -- a move some Democrats opposed.

In the budget, lawmakers set aside $8.6 billion for mental health care programs, including $206 million for suicide prevention efforts. It directs $400 million to the VA's Opioid Safety Initiative, $779 million to medical and prosthetic research and $1.8 billion to homeless veteran programs.

It also provides $2 billion to address a backlog of maintenance issues at VA facilities, as well as $1.1 billion to begin a massive project to overhaul the VA's electronic health record system.

"We're fighting to make sure you get the care you so richly earned, and today's legislation is one more promise that the Trump administration is keeping," Trump told a crowd of mostly veterans Friday.

Outside the Las Vegas VA were protesters organized by the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing VA workers. The union has been pushing for the VA to fill its thousands of job vacancies.

As of June 30, the VA had more than 45,000 open jobs, more than 40,000 of which were in the VA health care system.
Department of Veterans Affairs mobile units began operating in North Carolina on Thursday to aid veterans who missed appointments or need prescriptions filled in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

The VA Mobile Medical Units set up in a Walmart parking lot in Havelock, North Carolina, where the Morehead City Community Based Outpatient Clinic remains closed.

The VA assets include a mobile command unit, a mobile medical unit for medical triage with three examination rooms, a mobile health unit with telehealth capability, and a mobile emergency nutrition unit to provide three daily meals.

Prescription needs are being fulfilled through an arrangement with Heritage Health Contract at the Walmart, said Tara Ricks, an Army veteran and communications director for the Veterans Integrated Services Network covering North Carolina and part of coastal Virginia.

If veterans who need prescriptions filled cannot make it to the mobile units, the plan is "to send medications to their doors," Ricks said. The VA employees working the mobile units are "all volunteers who want to be out there. It's invaluable for our veterans."

From the outside, the Morehead City clinic did not appear to be damaged, she said, but inside "there was definitely some water intrusion and tile damage."

The VA is assessing whether to send mobile units to Brunswick, Jacksonville and Wilmington, North Carolina, Ricks said. In addition, the department is deploying 10, two-person outreach teams consisting of a nurse and a social worker to various shelters in the areas affected by the storm.

Floodwaters reportedly are receding in some areas, but in visits to North and South Carolina on Wednesday, President Donald Trump warned that the threat from the aftermath of Hurricane Florence was not over. He cited the storm's huge rainfall and the swollen rivers still overflowing their banks.

Trump said, "It's going to get rough for South Carolina," and "you're going to have a lot of water" flowing down from rivers in North Carolina.

In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper asked residents Thursday to "stay alert" to rising waters. "People in flood-prone areas or near waterways need to remain alert as rivers crest and stay above their banks in coming days."

The White House reported Wednesday that nearly 20,000 federal employees had been mobilized to aid in the Florence recovery, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had deployed 136 personnel to assist in installing generators.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had conducted more than 2,000 rescues through Wednesday and is sheltering nearly 15,000 people, the White House summary of storm efforts said.

The Defense Department had assigned a total of about 13,000 personnel to support the recovery, including about 6,000 active-duty personnel and more than 7,000 National Guardsmen.

The Coast Guard had more than 3,000 personnel assigned in 27 helicopters, 11 fixed-wing aircraft, 14 cutters, and 35 shallow-water craft. "To date, the Coast Guard has saved over 400 lives and 200 pets," the White House said.

In addition, the National Guard has performed or supported more than 535 rescue and evacuation missions in North Carolina, the White House said.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Military members and veterans can get up to four free months of Apple Music through the Apple Music military discount -- but...
Your Marketing People Offers Internships to Local Orange County and Los Angeles Students

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018, ORANGE COUNTY, CA  Orange County marketing firm, Your Marketing People, offers paid quarterly internships for local high school or college students to gain real-world digital marketing experience. Located in Irvine, California, the internship is an opportunity for students to learn and assist with social media marketing, paid search, SEO, and more. This is a flexible opportunity designed to suit the needs of full-time students, with hours ranging from 5-10 per week, depending on the interns schedule.

Opening up this internship has been incredibly important to me because my whole career started with one. I was selected for an advertising internship straight out of college and feel grateful for the opportunity, says Co-Founder, Alisha Chocha.

She adds, Internships give students a chance to get their foot in the door, especially in competitive fields like marketing. They get hands-on experience, work closely with a mentor, and get to learn and explore  theres just no better way to find out if a career path is truly suited for you! And were looking forward to bringing in the next generation of marketers.

If interested in applying for the quarterly internship, please see application and eligibility details below.

Entry Requirements:

Interested applicants must send their resume (please include GPA, previous work experience, and contact information) and a 300-word essay (maximum 1000 words) explaining their interest in marketing and how this internship would help them moving forward, to team@yourmarketingpeople.com. The resume and essay must be submitted by September 27, 2018 in order to be eligible for the Fall Quarter Internship.

A 15 minute phone interview will be required to select candidates. The candidate will be selected no later than September 30, 2018 for the Fall Quarter. Applicants who are not selected for this Quarter internship are encouraged to re-apply for the next available Quarter. Each internship will last the duration of one quarter. Please see dates below.

Eligibility:

 Must be between the ages of 16  21

 Must be enrolled full-time as a student in an Orange County/Los Angeles school

 Must be able to demonstrate legal right to work in the United States

 Must have a work permit from school

 Must have access to a laptop/computer

 Must submit transcript with application (a minimum GPA of 3.4 required)

 A teacher referral may be requested

Internship Openings:

 Fall Quarter: October 1, 2018  December 31, 2018

Must apply by September 27, 2018

 Winter Quarter: January 1, 2019  March 29, 2019

Must apply by December 18, 2018

 Spring Quarter: April 1, 2019  June 28, 2019

Must apply by March 18, 2019

 Summer Quarter: July 1, 2019  September 30, 2019

Must apply by June 17, 2019

###

About Your Marketing People

Southern California based marketing firm, Your Marketing People, established by industry experts, offers an array of digital marketing services, from SEO/SEM to video and content marketing. The company has built a team of highly qualified, diverse digital marketing specialists, prepared to do the heavy lifting required to bolster your companys digital marketing efforts. The ultimate resource for navigating the ever-complex digital marketing realm, Your Marketing People will help get your company where you need it to be.

If you would like more information or have questions regarding the internship, please email Shay Willis shay.willis@yourmarketingpeople.com. No phone calls.
Nissan has issued a recall for more than 215,000 newer models in North America due to the risk that the anti-lock brake could leak fluid onto an internal circuit board, which would increase the risk of a fire.

The recall covers the 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder and the 2017 Infiniti QX60, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"The ABS actuator pump seal may leak brake fluid onto the control electronic circuit board causing a malfunction," NHTSA documents read.

"If this occurs, an ABS warning lamp will continuously illuminate on the instrument panel to warn the driver. However, if the warning is ignored and the vehicle continues to be operated in this condition, the brake fluid leak may potentially create an electrical short in the actuator circuit, which in rare instances, may lead to a fire."

If the ABS warning lights stays on for more than 10 seconds, Nissan says to park the affected vehicle outside and keep it away from structures, other vehicles and to not drive it until the issue is resolved.

The Associated Press reports the automaker believes 56 percent of affected vehicles have the defect, which it says has been traced to a faulty seal in the pump. In the NHTSA documents, there is no mention of reported fires related to the recall.

Affected owners should receive notification from the automaker starting on Oct. 15. Once this happens, dealers will inspect and replace pumps as necessary free of charge.

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.
WYOMING - In accordance with new regulations concerning lead and copper in Michigan's water systems, Wyoming has created a new Water System Advisory Council which will help keep residents informed about the negative effects of lead in drinking water and the city's efforts to address those effects.

City Council on Sept. 17 unanimously voted to create the new advisory council, which will consist of five members bearing four-year terms.

Appointed members include Jaime Fleming, laboratory manager within the city's Water Department; Jacklyn Hernandez, a member of the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Board of Education; Aaron Vis, assistant director of Public Works; Myron Erickson, deputy director of Public Works; and City Councilwoman Marissa Postler.

In order to stagger the terms, Vis, Erickson and Postler will only serve on the advisory council for two years each.

As part of the updated regulations to Michigan's lead and copper rules, which were made part of the official state statute by Gov. Rick Snyder in June, one requirement is that all water supplies serving a population of 50,000 or more must establish a water system advisory council by Dec. 11 of this year.

Water system advisory councils necessitated by the updated regulations, which also call for lower lead action levels, or limits, within public water systems from 15 parts per billion down to 12 ppb by 2025, will be charged with a handful of responsibilities.

Among these are developing plans for continuing public awareness about lead in drinking water, reviewing public awareness materials provided by a statewide advisory council, advising the water supply on remediation and public education plans if a lead action level is exceeded, advising the water supply on the replacement of private lead service lines, assisting in promoting transparency of all data and documents related to lead in drinking water and collaborating with community groups in educating the public about lead in drinking water.

Advisory councils are required to meet at least once annually, and their meetings must comply with Michigan's Open Meetings Act.

A Sept. 12 staff report authored by Bill Dooley, director of Public Works, said members of Wyoming's advisory council were selected based on their demonstrated interest or knowledge of lead in drinking water, as was required by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Dooley's report said any costs associated with the activities of the advisory council would be financed out of the Water Fund.

The five-member body is required to hold an organizational meeting by March 4, 2019, for the purposed of electing a chairperson and developing a meeting schedule, which would then be approved by City Council.
ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions just might have Darius Slay on the field after all.

The All-Pro cornerback returned to the practice field Friday, then was listed as questionable for Sunday's game against New England. That indicates he's already cleared concussion protocol and is available to play.

So does the fact he was allowed to speak with reporters after practice, which is prohibited when a player is still in protocol.

"Just going through the process, doing whatever I can, just trying to get back," Slay said. "That's really it."

Of course Slay wants to be on the field when Detroit faces Tom Brady and the Patriots, but he also has to weigh the risks associated with repeated brain injuries, including CTE. He says such an injury takes a toll on his family, but ultimately he just wants to play.

"You do worry about it, but it's a contact sport," Slay said. "Like I say, I signed up for it, I know the risks of it, so I'm just trying to take care of myself."

While the Lions got good news on the Slay front, other injury concerns remain. Receiver Marvin Jones (ankle), tight end Michael Roberts (knee) and linebacker Eli Harold (hip) are all listed as questionable after suffering injuries during the practice week. Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder) is also listed as questionable, the same designation he had before sitting out last week's loss against San Francisco.

T.J. Lang (back) was upgraded to questionable after being as out against San Francisco.

The only player ruled out against the Patriots is reserve offensive lineman Andrew Donnal, who hasn't practiced in weeks because of a knee injury.

Also of note: Offensive tackle Taylor Decker was not listed on the injury report after missing practice on Friday. His absence was described as "not injury related."

In New England, newly acquired receiver Josh Gordon was listed as questionable with a hamstring. Offensive tackle Marcus Cannon (calf), cornerback Keion Crossen (hamstring), safety Nate Ebner (hip) and Eric Rowe (groin) are also questionable, while safety Patrick Chung (concussion) and defensive end Trey Flowers (concussion) are doubtful, and tight end Jacob Hollister (chest) is out.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A collection of blighted city-owned buildings on the western edge of downtown Ann Arbor can be demolished, the city's Historic District Commission has decided.

The HDC voted 6-0 Thursday night, Sept. 20, to approve a request from the city's administration to allow demolition of all five structures at 415 W. Washington St. across from the YMCA.

City officials say they have no immediate plans to move forward with demolition, but they wanted to get approval now as they consider options for a significant redevelopment of the site, which has been an eyesore in the Old West Side historic district for years.

Any next steps, including demolition or selling any part of the property to a private developer, still will require City Council approval.

But the city has cleared a major hurdle in getting the HDC's blessing, as the buildings were considered historically protected.

The property will remain in the historic district, so the HDC still will have a say over what's allowed to be built there in the future.

Commissioners and community members who spoke at Thursday's meeting said there's nothing really architecturally significant about the buildings there now -- they're just old and dilapidated, and don't really define the character of the Old West Side.

Some expressed disappointment that the city let them get so bad, with one resident calling it demolition by neglect.

Some community members who spoke out urged commissioners to consider saving the towering chimney on the site since it's still intact and is a favorite roosting spot for chimney swifts, a migratory bird species that stays here from spring into fall each year before returning to South America. The species is considered "near threatened."

With the swifts in mind, Commissioner Robert White proposed allowing demolition of all structures except the chimney, but that failed to win support from the rest of the commission.

Chairman John Beeson said the HDC would have to clearly articulate why the chimney was worth saving from a historical standpoint and couldn't just single it out because it's a roosting spot for birds.

"There's nothing unique about it in my mind," Beeson said, arguing there weren't grounds for protecting only the chimney.

After nearly an hour of discussion, the HDC went into closed session to privately discuss an attorney-client privileged communication before continuing to publicly deliberate and reach a final decision.

With demolition of the entire site now allowed, the matter of whether to save the chimney is ultimately for the City Council to decide.

City officials have said they're willing to consider it and the chimney could be preserved as part of a redevelopment of the site.

They have no definitive plans for the site just yet, though the general thinking is part of it will become part of the future Treeline urban trail, along with possibly a small park, while part of it may be privately redeveloped, potentially including new apartments or condos, or possibly an arts space or community space of some kind.

City Planner Jill Thacher, the city's historic preservation coordinator, gave a report on the property Thursday night, noting the main two-story industrial building along Washington Street was originally built for the Michigan Milling Co. in 1907 and later used by the Washtenaw County Road Commission for many years before becoming a city operations center. There are some garage-like structures behind the main building and a large parking lot extending to Liberty Street.

The city vacated the buildings and boarded up parts of them in 2007. They've been used for storage on a limited basis since.

Thacher said the city has allowed the buildings to steadily deteriorate for the last 11 years.

"It is failing in a lot of places," she said of the main building's crumbling facade. "There's some steel reinforcement showing in numerous places on the front of the facade."

She added, "I don't know of much work that's been done to assist the building, to help the building, to stabilize it."

Craig Hupy, the city's public services administrator, appeared before the HDC to make the city's request for a "notice to proceed" to allow potential demolition of all five structures.

Thacher noted a notice to proceed means permission to issue a permit for work that is known to be inappropriate under historic district rules and regulations, and that adversely affects a resource in the historic district, in this case the buildings at 415 W. Washington.

The HDC determined that preserving the buildings is not in the interest of the majority of the community, which is one of four circumstances under which a notice to proceed can be granted.

The city has hired consultants to do various assessments of the property in recent years and determined it would cost about $2.9 million just to stabilize the crumbling buildings, not inclusive of the cost of bringing them up to code or addressing floodplain issues.

With the help of consultants, the city determined total rehab would cost $7.4 million, but with no planned use for the buildings, the city hasn't seen a reason to spend that kind of money.

Another factor cited by city officials in deciding that the buildings may need to be demolished is that the property is in a flood zone. Allen's Creek once openly flowed through the site, but it was fully enclosed underground in the early part of the last century.

City officials say the water level in the buildings in the event of a 100-year storm could vary from 4.8 feet to 8.7 feet.

Hupy said the flood issues make any reuse of the first floors of the existing structures economically prohibitive.

Thacher said the city's building official, in discussing rehabilitation of the buildings, has indicated he would likely view the flood elevations on the site as a life safety hazard, so the building code likely would not be waived. And if rehab work would cost more than 50 percent of the value of the structure, Thacher said, the buildings would have to be brought up to current floodplain code.

That would effectively mean abandoning -- or in the high-bay areas, raising significantly -- the first floor and installing a means for flood water to flow through the site, Thacher said.

The city's administration has argued that rehabbing large structures that are significantly out of conformance with today's floodplain elevation requirements would be inconsistent with the city's commitment to strive for exemplary floodplain management.

Any new buildings that might be constructed would be required to be properly elevated to meet the floodplain code.

Thacher noted the modern YMCA building across the street, built in 2005, is in the Old West Side historic district. She said there was a pretty significant fire in the old industrial buildings that used to be on the site about 15 years ago and they were demolished.

"And this building was approved by the Historic District Commission," she said of the new YMCA, noting the building is elevated because of the same floodplain issues that apply to 415 W. Washington.

In addition to the chimney, another piece of the 415 W. Washington property that some have pondered possibly saving is a piece of an old railroad siding support that's still standing.

"It's kind of cool," Thacher said, noting the siding was used to dump stuff from rail cars into trucks on the site.

As for the chimney, Hupy said the city has no plans at this point to remove it and there hasn't been a structural analysis of it to see whether it could stay, "and it would depend on probably any proposed reuse whether that could be integrated into the reuse."

If the chimney is removed as part of a redevelopment of the site, Hupy said, "I would have to believe, with the environmental ethics of the community, we would have to be sensitive to the birds that are using it, finding a suitable relocation structure for them."

Leaders of the local Sierra Club group have joined the Washtenaw Audubon Society in lobbying in favor of saving the brick chimney, arguing there may be opportunities for educational signage about it and its importance to the swifts. They envision it as a landmark feature along the future Treeline trail through the city.

"It does seem to be separate from the rest of the buildings, so it may structurally be able to be saved," said Nancy Shiffler, chairwoman of the local Sierra Club group.

"The other point historically is it represents something of the evolution of the city," she said, noting swifts historically roosted in hollow trees but took to chimneys as trees were cut down and the city was built up.

Thacher said the HDC received 21 emails about the 415 W. Washington demolition and 20 were about the chimney swifts, while one was from the Old West Side neighborhood association, which she characterized as neutral. She said there were no communications in favor or against demolition of the buildings.

Rita Mitchell, an Old West Side resident and local Sierra Club executive committee member, spoke at Thursday's meeting, saying she walks by the buildings all the time.

"I'm pleased to hear Mr. Hupy's comments about the chimney, but I would also like to say that I'm sorry that we're at this point where this is actually a situation of demolition by neglect by the city as the owner," she said. "I think that's sad."

Mitchell said the chimney swifts don't adapt well to artificially built replacement structures.

"So as we are facing a population of these birds that's declining over time because our country is removing roosting areas, we could actually help these birds as they migrate and we need to do that," she said.

Ali Ramlawi, another Old West Side resident who's slated to join the City Council in November as the newest 5th Ward rep, said a lot of residents have reached out to him about the 415 W. Washington property since news of its potential demolition came out.

He said they want to see action taken sooner rather than later to do something with the site.

"It is a site that is an eyesore," he said. "Many in the community are kind of frustrated and upset with city officials for letting it get to this point of disrepair. It's a contaminated site. It's a part of the urban trail. It's mostly a floodplain and a floodway.

"It has a lot of difficulties of development in the future. But as we decide what we're going to do with that at a later point, I advocate for demolition of this site, retaining the chimney in perpetuity as a symbol ... as a transition of who we were and who we are today."

He said Ann Arbor is a community that has values and wants to protect the environment.

"I don't think it would cost much to do that and I think it would have a great impact on our community," he said.

Laura Ramirez, chief financial officer for the Ann Arbor YMCA, also argued in favor of taking action soon to demolish the buildings.

Characterizing it as a safety issue, she raised concerns about pieces of the building falling into the parking lot and onto the sidewalk where there's a lot of pedestrian traffic.

She also suggested the chimney could be saved as a roosting spot for the swifts.

"If you've ever been on that site when the swifts come in and out, there are already people who come and park there, they bring their children there to look at that," she said.

Before the city can demolish the buildings, Hupy said, the city's staff needs to go to City Council for approval of a demolition contract. He said there's no funding allocated for demolition at this time.

Multiple developers have expressed interest in rehabbing or redeveloping the 415 W. Washington site and the city is considering issuing a formal request for development proposals.

Lingering pollution concerns on the site are a major consideration as the city decides its next steps.
PITTSFIELD TWP., MI - A man accused of killing a man who was found dead in the Huron River several days ago is facing murder charges.

Joseph Jonathan Starr, 27, of Ypsilanti, was arraigned on one count of open murder Friday afternoon, Sept. 21, for the death of Ray Anthony Mason.

Mason, 58, of Ypsilanti Township, was found dead Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 18, by a pair of men fishing along the Huron River near Frog Island Park, according to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.

Initially, police said no foul play was suspected, but Mason's death was later ruled a homicide.

Prosecutors allege Starr assaulted Mason and killed him. A cause of death has not yet been released and police have declined to elaborate further on the case as it is still an open investigation.

"Ray was a good man who cared for people and always made people happy," said Pat Glover, Mason's aunt. "He had many friends and would always help someone in need. I don't know why this happened to him."

Mason and Glover recently came to Michigan from North Carolina with Mason making friends in the Ypsilanti area quickly, Glover said.

Glover was surprised a suspect was arrested so quickly as police initially told her it could be a long time before they found her nephew's killer, she said.

"I don't know how they got (Starr), but I was so relieved and I thanked God when they told me they did," she said.

Starr is being held without bond in the Washtenaw County Jail. He is scheduled for preliminary examination Oct. 9.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Dozens of nurses from Michigan Medicine picketed outside the Richard L. Postma Clubhouse Thursday during the University of Michigan's Board of Regents meeting, while the potential for a work stoppage still looms.

A number of those nurses talked about their current work conditions at the close of the Sept. 20 meeting, asking the board to see their side of the ongoing contract talks.

The University of Michigan Professional Nurses Council continues to negotiate a new contract with Michigan Medicine officials for its 5,700 nurses. The nurses' contract expired June 30.

Nurses from the UMPNC voted to authorize a work stoppage up to three days earlier this week. 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.

Mary Beth Carlson, a Pediatric Intensive Care nurse at UM for 16 years, said she worries about future nurse staffing levels within Michigan Medicine, and appealed to the board to help the two sides come together.

"We aren't talking about corporate budgets, new buildings or production lines, as our new administration so crassly refers to clinical care," Carlson said. "We are talking about people. Parents, children, grandchildren, spouses, siblings and loved ones. Not just those that can afford Victors Care.

"Nurses need a written contract that ensures we truly have a voice in the care we provide for everyone," she said. "I, as a nurse, cannot in good conscience accept anything less, and neither can my colleagues."

Negotiations with the administration have been frustrating because executives won't meet with nurses at the bargaining table, Robert Nemeth, RN, said.

"We thought we were in it together for Magnet status but now administration has shown their true colors - the color green, like money," Nemeth said. "Management portrays us as greedy lawbreakers, while in reality it's administration who wants to build fancy new towers with money snatched from nurses' retirement and from those who can afford it the least."

Board of Regents members thanked the nurses for their role in helping the health system run efficiently, and said they hoped the two sides could reach a deal in the near future.

Key issues like retirement cutbacks, increased health care costs and guaranteed staffing levels remain unresolved for the two sides to reach a deal.

"I would ask everyone - it seems like you're down to a few issues," UM Regent Michael Behm said. "To management and the nurses, (I would ask) to redouble your efforts and see if you can find agreement."

Nurses can have a great impact on families in addition to patients, and they have earned the respect of both the regents and UM administration, Regent Denise Ilitch said.

"I'm most saddened to hear words like lack of respect and descriptions that (you) are not valued," she said. "I just want to say that you as nurses, are highly valued and highly respected.

"We have had numerous discussions about this topic, and never once have I heard from any of our leaders at the health system, or certainly at this table, speak in any type of disrespectful way about our nurses. I hope that both parties can come to the table with the spirit of doing the best for everyone."

The vote to authorize the strike was passed by 94 percent of the nearly 4,000 nurses who participated.

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, Michigan Medicine Spokesperson Mary 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.

Because it is illegal for public employees to strike, Michigan Medicine will take legal action to avoid a strike, Masson said.

"We are disappointed that our UMPNC nurses have voted to approve a strike. We have been bargaining in good faith since January and have offered a competitive package," Masson said. "Nurses are critical to the delivery of safe patient care. The most critically ill patients in the state come to Michigan Medicine. A strike could put patient safety at serious risk."
SAGINAW, MI -- A Saginaw County prosecutor investigating sexual abuse allegations in the Saginaw Catholic Diocese says he is pleased to see the Michigan Attorney General's Office is now investigating Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the state.

"I hope it is a sincere effort to address the issue. We're more than willing to cooperate and I'm glad the probe will stretch back as far as 1950," said Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Mark J. Gaertner.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on Friday, Sept. 21, confirmed his office in August began investigating allegations of sexual abuse in all seven Michigan dioceses and that the review would go as far back as the 1950s.

With the Friday announcement, Michigan joins Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska and Florida, all of which have launched similar investigations of alleged sexual abuse of children in their Catholic dioceses.

The issue of sexual misconduct in Michigan dioceses has grown in recent months.

The Lansing Diocese in September announced it would conduct an external review to determine if it has handled claims of sexual abuse of minors appropriately. Schuette's office this month turned down a Freedom of Information Act request by WOOD TV in Grand Rapids, saying the information is part of an open investigation begun in August. The Archdiocese of Detroit stated on its website that it "welcomes the Attorney General's investigation and is prepared to fully cooperate."

The Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office is continuing its investigation into sex abuse claims in the Saginaw Diocese after the Rev. Robert J. "Father Bob" DeLand Jr. on Sept. 4 pleaded no contest to seven charges related to the sexual assault of two teens and a young man.

Gaertner and fellow Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Hoover handled the criminal case against Deland. The 72-year-old priest is free on bond and is to be sentenced on Oct. 8.

Gaertner and Hoover have said that an investigation into the Saginaw Diocese is still ongoing.

The Saginaw Diocese covers Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties. It encompasses 6,955 square miles and is home to 100,000 Catholics.

"Also included in the (Attorney General's) probe should be a big emphasis put on how cases were handled previously, in particular by certain county prosecutors' offices," Gaertner said. "I think you'll find that certain county prosecutors often turned a blind eye to this alleged activity, either because they were spineless or because it was politically expedient for them not to get involved.

"It's important not only what happened, but why it was allowed to happen and continue to happen, not only how various dioceses handled the situation but how various prosecutors' offices handled it," he said.

Gaertner said he has not been contacted by the Attorney General's Office.

"They have no duty to contact us," he said. "The way they are announcing it, I feel is fully proper. I anticipate being contacted, and we will help in any way possible."

He added he thinks the office's involvement is overdue.

The Rev. Robert J. "Father Bob" DeLand Jr. in 2010.

"I would like to see the federal authorities get involved, too," Gaertner continued. "You're going to find that this activity crosses state lines. We have some evidence that we're pursuing that this may cross international borders."

Gaertner said Schuette is running for governor and, whether he wins or not, will no longer be the state's attorney general come the new year.

"I hope it continues after the first of the year," he said. "The more hands and eyes on this, the better. Child abuse is child abuse, no matter what (the accused's) standing in life is."

The Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office's investigation hinges on what comes back from the Michigan State Police Computer Crime Unit, where staff have been analyzing items seized by police during three March 22 raids. Those raids saw police execute search warrants on the Saginaw Diocese office at 5800 Weiss St. and at the home of Bishop Joseph R. Cistone at 32 E. Corral Drive, both in Saginaw Township, and at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption, 615 Hoyt Ave. in Saginaw.

Police seized computers, digital storage devices, and paperwork.

"We were told roughly six months to go through all of the computer stuff that we took, and we took a lot," Gaertner said. "Some of it has been analyzed. It was a big undertaking and they're not done with it yet.

"I think once we get everything from the computers, everything is going to move at a fast pace to either continue (the investigation) or to close it," Gaertner continued. "We should be getting close."

Gaertner added that a special investigative team formed in March, comprising detectives from Michigan State Police, the Saginaw Township Police Department, and the Tittabawassee Township Police Department, is still together.

"They're still receiving tips. There's still followup to be done."

The Saginaw Diocese gave a statement Friday regarding the Attorney General's Office's investigation, saying it "stands ready to fully cooperate" with the agency.

"While the Diocese is confident the policies and procedures it has put in place and carefully followed for over 15 years are effective," the statement reads, "it welcomes the opportunity to work with law enforcement authorities to determine if there is more it can do to protect children."

Gaertner has repeatedly said the Saginaw Diocese has not been cooperative with local investigators and has stonewalled police, a charge the Diocese disputes.

In the weeks after police raided his home, Bishop Cistone in April announced the appointment of retired Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Michael J. Talbot to serve as the Diocese's delegate in independently reviewing matters of alleged sexual misconduct.

Coinciding with Talbot's appointment, the Diocese named the following five clerics who had been permanently removed from ministry since 2002 due to credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors:

Stanislaus A. Bur

John E. Hammer

Richard L. Howard

Jack J. Leipert

Leonard F. Wilkuski

Gaertner said the allegations against those priests were from many years ago. None of them have been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

"It begs the question, 'Why did it take the situation with DeLand to prompt them to now make those public? Why weren't those made public at the time they happened?" Gaertner said.

The Saginaw Diocese suspended DeLand after his Feb. 26 arrest. In March, the Diocese suspended 72-year-old the Rev. Ronald J. Dombrowski as a "precautionary measure" after someone told the organization that Dombrowski had sexually abused them when they were a minor.

While no criminal charges have been filed against Dombrowski, Gaertner said he and at least one other priest not listed above are considered "persons of interest" by investigators, who are looking into whether the alleged crimes are within the statute of limitations. He declined to give precise numbers on how many within the Diocese are being investigated.

The other person of interest Gaertner mentioned has not been suspended from his duties, according to Carlson.

"If law enforcement has described (him) as a 'person of interest,' that has not been communicated to the Diocese," Carlson added.

In addition, the Diocese in May relieved a deacon of his duties.

Carlson said this was done "in order to address some unresolved issues dealing with a time before his coming to the Diocese of Saginaw."

Gaertner said the person also is a person of interest in the probe.

The attorney general's office has established two reporting mechanisms for those who may be victims or having information regarding alleged sexual misconduct. The first is a website at www.michigan.gov/CI, which allows for confidential reporting. The second is a hotline at 1-844-324-3374, which is in operation from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
A home in Harper Woods exploded about 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 21, apparently due to a natural gas leak.

Harper Woods Police Chief Jim Burke told the Associated Press two men were approaching the vacant house, which had presumably been filled with natural gas due to a leak, and when one of the men attempted to open the front door, he may have caused a spark that ignited the gas.

Both men were blown backward and critically injured, but were expected to survive, Burke told the AP.

The home is located in a neighborhood near Verier and Interstate 94 in Harper Woods.

According to the AP dozens of homes and businesses in the area were evacuated as a precaution.

Crews responding to home explosion in Harper Woods. Live: https://t.co/nixH7MlebG pic.twitter.com/DphZTexQur  FOX 2 Detroit (@FOX2News) September 21, 2018

BREAKING: Home leveled in explosion in Harper Woods. We're streaming live coverage from SkyFOX here: https://t.co/DXaYO34zVS pic.twitter.com/LCIvtyBlpq  FOX 2 Detroit (@FOX2News) September 21, 2018
FLINT, MI -- A division director at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says she was told to lie about Flint blood lead data by Dr. Eden Wells, the state's chief medical executive, and another top health official.

Patricia McKane, director of DHHS' Lifecourse Epidemiology and Genomics Division, told Genesee District Judge Jennifer Manley of the alleged pressure from her superiors in testimony Friday, Sept. 21.

But several questions remained unanswered, including exactly when the direction was given.

Wells immediately denied the accusation in a statement issued by her attorney to MLive-The Flint Journal.

McKane said Wells, who is facing charges including involuntary manslaughter and lying to a peace officer in relation to the Flint water crisis, and Corinne Miller, a former state epidemiologist, directed her to lie to a reporter about whether an increase in elevated blood lead levels among Flint children was statistically significant.

"I was asked to lie to the Detroit Free Press," McKane said during the preliminary examination of two colleagues at DHHS -- Nancy Peeler and Robert Scott.

Asked who gave her that direction, McKane answered, "Corinne Miller and Eden Wells."

"They told me ... to say the results were not significant when they were," the division director said.

McKane said she refused to lie about the blood lead data and did not say whether she was ever interviewed by the Free Press.

Attorneys for Peeler and Scott have yet to cross-examine McKane, and they repeatedly objected to her testimony and the tactics of special prosecutor Todd Flood on Friday.

Harold Z. Gurewitz, an attorney for Peeler, called the allegation of top-down pressure "spurious," and Mary Chartier, an attorney for Scott, complained as well.

"He can't just throw mud out there and hope it sticks to these two people," Chartier said of Scott and Peeler.

Steve Tramontin, an attorney for Wells, issued a statement to MLive, saying, "This is the first we have heard of this late-breaking allegation against Dr. Wells.

"It is telling that (McKane) did not appear as a prosecution witness against Dr. Wells during her lengthy preliminary exam to make this claim and be properly confronted.

"The allegation is completely false. Dr. Wells did not lie and never instructed anyone else to lie, about this or anything else," the statement says.

MLive could not immediately reach Kristen Guinn, an attorney for Miller, who reached a plea deal with prosecutors after she was also charged with crimes related to the water crisis.

McKane was the supervisor of Cristin Larder, a DHHS epidemiologist who was asked to compare data on blood lead levels in Flint to determine whether a greater percentage of children had elevated lead in their bodies after the city began using the Flint River for drinking water in April 2014.

Although Larder's work showed what McKane said was a statistically significant spike, a chart she developed that reflected that increase's significance wasn't included in a report Peeler prepared for some top executives at DHHS just a few days later.

In her report, Peeler -- director of the Program for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting -- said increased rates of lead poisoning during the first year the river was used as Flint's source of water were "not terribly different from what we saw the previous three years."

"We commonly see a 'seasonal effect' with lead, related to people opening and closing windows more often in the summer, which disturbs old deteriorating paint on the windows, sills and sashes," she wrote to DHHS officials including Nancy Grijava, executive administrative assistant to Director Nick Lyon.

Lyon has been bound over to Genesee Circuit Court for a jury trial on his own Flint water charges, including involuntary manslaughter -- a charge related his role in Legionnaires' outbreaks in the area during the time the river was in use.

Two months after Peeler's report, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, announced her independent research, showing a statistically significant increase in elevated blood lead levels in children in Flint.

In response, Lyon directed his staff in an email to provide a "strong statement" that the blood lead levels were due to seasonal fluctuations like those referenced by Peeler.

Wells later praised the work of Hanna-Attisha after other DHHS officials initially questioned her study.
KENTWOOD, MI -- A fire that severely damaged a Kentwood house ikely started in the basement, Kentwood fire officials said

Fire crews responded about 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20 to the 5400 block of Pinebrook Avenue SE and found heavy smoke coming from a home.

The homeowner, Ryan Hoekstra, said he was coming home from work and driving down Pinebrook Avenue when he saw smoke.'

When he pulled up to his house, smoke was pouring out windows.

"I ran up to the door and called in," he said, worried that his daughter might be at home.

He couldn't get inside because of the heavy smoke, however.

Hoekstra quickly learned that both his daughter and wife were safe and not in the home. The fire is believed to have killed three cats.

Kentwood Fire Chief Brent Looman said the cause of the fire has not been determined, but said the home is likely a total loss.

He said part of the main floor collapsed into the basement.

Hoekstra said his family moved into the home in 1966, the year he was born, and he eventually bought it from his mother. He's lived in the house his entire life.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A prosecutor disputed any notion that Robin Root, accused in the 2007 killing Grand Rapids businesswoman Janna Kelly, acted of a panic after she pushed Kelly, who fell unconscious on the floor of her home.

More likely, the prosecutor told jurors, Root - who owed Kelly $2,900 in back rent - strangled Kelly and took deliberate steps to dispose of her body and avoid arrest.

Rather than call for help, she put duct tape on the victim's mouth, arms and legs, stuffed her body into the trunk of her own car, and left her to freeze overnight. Root went home. She found Kelly dead the next morning.

She drove Kelly's Acura to Ottawa County. She took a two-track road off Pierce Street in Grand Haven Township.

She removed Kelly's clothes and set her body on fire, causing significant damage on her neck. Root returned to Grand Rapids. She disposed of Kelly's purse and jacket in the garbage at a car wash, then ditched the car and walked home.

"All that time, she had the chance to think, 'What am I doing?'" Assistant Ottawa County Prosecutor Lee Fisher said Friday, Sept. 21.

A Kent County Circuit Court jury is deliberating the case.

Fisher asked jurors to find Root, 55, guilty of first-degree murder. Defense attorney David Dodge said Root panicked after she pushed Kelly, 60, who fell unconscious on the ground.

Dodge, who said his client was guilty of manslaughter, not murder, pointed to a recorded statement Root gave police: "I should have called 911 but I wasn't thinking."

"It's all about what was Robin's state of mind," Dodge told jurors.

Root was previously convicted of first-degree murder in 2015 after an Ottawa County sheriff's cold-case team cracked the case.

But the state Court of Appeals ordered a retrial based on some of her statements admitted at trial that were obtained before Root was given a Miranda warning against self-incrimination.

Kelly, co-owner of an insurance agency, was reported missing Dec. 5, 2007. Her body was found three months later.

Grand Rapids police detectives talked to Root on Dec. 6, 2007. She denied any knowledge about the disappearance and expressed concern because she lived near Kelly.

She provided police a DNA sample, but it was not included with 30 or 40 others that were sent to a state police crime laboratory for analysis.

In 2014, Ottawa County sheriff's detectives Venus Repper and Kreg Brace took another look at the case. Repper realized that Root's DNA sample had not been submitted to the crime lab. It was still in evidence.

Tests showed that Root's DNA matched the blood on the door handle of Kelly's car as well as her jacket. Meanwhile, police determined that tracking of both Kelly's and root's cell phones showed they took the same path at the same time from Grand Rapids to the lakeshore.

A forensic pathologist determined the death to be a homicide but found no evidence that the victim was shot, stabbed or beaten. The only thing that Dr. David Start could not rule out was asphyxiation.

Fisher said Root acted in her own interests in the killing and its aftermath. He said she repeatedly lied until confronted with DNA evidence. Even then, he said, she was concerned only about herself.

Dodge said his client was overwhelmed by emotion when Kelly went unconscious. He said she is not confrontational and has no history of aggression or violence. He said that Root intended to let Kelly out of the trunk, and face the consequences, but found her dead the next morning. The temperature had dropped to 19 degrees.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A 25-year-old Grand Rapids man was sentenced to 35-100 years in prison for a fatal 2017 shooting that a judge linked to "so many young people these days carrying guns."

"There is no excuse. There is no justification whatsoever for this," Kent County Circuit Court Judge Mark Trusock said before sentencing Derin Stephens-Roy on charges of second-degree murder and felony firearm.

Stephens-Roy was part of a gang in April 2017 when he argued with 54-yeare-old Barry Roger Cooper in the 600 block of Letellier Street SW.

Police said he pulled out a .22-caliber gun and shot Cooper in the head.

"This is just another example of a senseless killing as a result of so many young people these days carrying guns," Trusock said.

Stephens-Roy has four misdemeanors on his record but no felonies. He had been in jail once.

At Thursday's sentencing, Cooper's niece described him as a "very kind and giving person."

"How do you put into words the feeling when the life of someone you love was taken so violently and abruptly before their time," Myriah Kauranen sad on behalf of her family.

She said that every year at Christmas, Cooper would show up with gifts for nieces and nephews.

"Even though he had no extra money to spare, he went without just to be able to give what he could to his family. Family was everything to him," she said.

Kauranen said her family believes Stephens-Roy has no sense or remorse or regret.

Donald Pebley, the attorney for Stephens-Roy, said his client has had issues with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder in the past.

"He can't understand why he did what he did," Pebley said.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Stella's Lounge, a popular downtown Grand Rapids restaurant and bar, has apologized for excluding an officer because he was wearing a firearm.

The apology showed up on the Stella's Facebook page Thursday, Sept. 20 and described what happened.

An on-duty Grand Rapids police officer showed up to dine and the restaurant manager asked him to store his firearm in his car and take his food to go.

The officer was wearing "business casual" clothing, including a polo shirt and dress pants, with a holstered firearm and a badge on their hip, according to a police department spokesperson.

The officer decided to leave.

In the apology, Stella's said it was a misunderstanding by the employee. The lounge does prohibit firearms but that does not include law enforcement officers.

"We have personally reached out to the officer and to Grand Rapids Police Chief Rahinsky to apologize for our dumb mistake. We are grateful for their understanding," according to the apology.

Stellla's leadership is making sure all managers know the policy.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI - A West Ottawa High student who brought a gun to school had his bond raised to $750,000 after he posted a rap song on social media that appeared to be a threat to the classmate who turned him in.

Davian Joseph Weston, 17, was free on $5,000 after he was caught with a gun in his backpack while walking between the north and south campuses last week. He was arrested this week on a bond violation for posting what authorities considered to be a threatening rap toward the other student.

"The tone of the video is threatening - there's no mistaking that," Holland District Judge Susan Jones said Thursday, Sept. 20.

"I don't know what's going on inside your head. My job is to protect the community."

Assistant Ottawa County Prosecutor Eduardo Velazquez asked for a "much higher bond" than the original $5,000 bond, which Weston posted. He said that the student who reported Weston possessing the .38-caliber pistol in school looks like a "target" based on the video that Weston and friend produced.

He said Weston showed no concern about consequences by posting the song.

Defense attorney John Moritz said his client posted the song on SoundCloud, a music sharing platform. Weston did not think the rap song was threatening, Moritz said.

He said his client, who turned 17 this month, "is rather immature and adolescent."

Before the hearing, Moritz spoke to his client about the "complete inappropriateness" of recording a rap song that could be considered a threat.

"Obviously, he knows a lot better now," Moritz said.

He said Weston, in recording the song, had no plan or intent to harm anyone. He acknowledged Weston probably violated bond conditions, but asked that the judge reinstate the previous bond.

Outside the courtroom, Moritz said that the gun was not loaded. He said his client had no ammunition when he was arrested at school. The attorney believed that the gun was inoperable

In her courtroom, Jonas, who read portions of the expletive-laced rap song, said she was concerned that Weston violated conditions of his bond - no verbal or physical abusive behavior - in such a "public" and "casual manner."

She noted that Weston was also recently accused of trying to steal pepper spray, a self-defense tool.

"I don't know what you had planned. At this point, the court is very concerned for the safety of the community."

If Weston posts bond, he will be monitored by GPS and cannot have access to social media or electronic devices.

He faces felony charges of receiving and concealing a stolen firearm and carrying a concealed weapon and a misdemeanor charge of violating a weapons-free school zone.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Only two people applied to replace outgoing Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma for the remainder of his term, and both contenders are longtime employees.

Kent County Undersheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young and former-Kent County sheriff's Lt. Marc Burns were the only two applicants seeking to fill Stelma's role until his term ends December 2020.

That fall, voters elect the county sheriff. The interim sheriff can run, if he or she chooses.

When a sheriff dies, resigns, retires or otherwise leaves office during his or her term, state law mandates a trio of county officials appoint an interim top cop to fill the gap between elections.

Stelma is retiring Nov. 1. He has endorsed LaJoye-Young to take over.

That committee consists of Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Kent County Chief Probate Judge David Murkowski and Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker.

LaJoye-Young and Burns are slated for interviews before the committee on Thursday, Sept. 27. Once interview times are finalized, a meeting notice will be posted.

Each candidate has more than two decades experience at the sheriff's office and both have held, or currently hold, command positions within the office.

LaJoye-Young began her career at the sheriff's office as a corrections deputy in December 1989. From there, the former U.S. Army Reserves captain worked a number of leadership roles until becoming the undersheriff in June 2015.

"I have 29 years of service to the sheriff and have served in every rank and in every division of the department," LaJoye-Young wrote in her application. "My experience as chief deputy and undersheriff have afforded me an intimate knowledge of the office of the sheriff which would ensure a smooth transition as Sheriff Stelma retires."

Burns, too, began as a corrections deputy at the sheriff's office. He began in 1990 and later served as detective and a variety of leadership roles. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2012 and was tasked with overseeing the county's central and northern patrol.

Burns left the office in 2016 for his current position as treasury agent with the Michigan Department of Treasury.

"I have worked in law enforcement for 29 years, 26 of which were with the Kent County Sheriff's Department," Burns wrote in his application. "As a law enforcement professional, I can tell you I am uniquely qualified to serve as sheriff during this interim. I do not believe there is one other candidate for this position who possesses the intimate knowledge needed to successfully run the sheriff's office, while also having served in the capacities I have at Kent County."

Burns said he is endorsed by "several" past and present Kent County police administrators and community leaders. No letters of recommendation were provided in his application.

LaJoye-Young, on the other hand, included a number of recommendation letters.

Along with Stelma, LaJoye-Young was endorsed by former-Kent County Administrator Daryl Delabbio, the Grandville police chief, East Grand Rapids police chief, Grand Rapids police chief, Wyoming police chief, two former sheriff's office employees, the Ottawa County sheriff and undersheriff, the Grand Rapids Township supervisor, the chair and vice chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners and the Grand Rapids Chamber CEO, among others.

A sheriff has not been appointed in Kent County since 1991, when then-Sheriff Philip Heffron stepped down.

A committee chose Stelma's predecessor, James Dougan, to replace Heffron.

Although an appointment hasn't happened in three decades, it was a long-standing practice in Kent County for the top cop to leave in mid-term and allow a committee of county officials to choose a successor, according to Grand Rapids Press archives.

The tradition dating back to 1954 gave past undersheriffs an inside advantage as the office-holder going into the election. The chain was broken in 2000, when Dougan announced he wasn't running for re-election.

Stelma, then the undersheriff, ran, won and held onto the position for 18 years.
LANSING, MI - Libertarian candidate for governor Bill Gelineau this week released a plan to pay teens and young women on the state's Medicaid system to delay having kids until age 23.

The proposed pilot program would enroll 5,000 teenage girls, with permission from a parent or guardian, at age 15 or 16. From there, participants would be incentivized with increasingly large dollar amounts to not become pregnant until age 23.

The state would require an annual blood test to be submitted with tax returns to prove a participant wasn't pregnant. By age 23, women who signed up at age 15 would get $27,000 over the life of the program.

Gelineau said the proposal, many months in the making, is based on social science. The investment from the state, he said, will ultimately save taxpayer money.

"A small investment here is going to result in bending the curve and making a difference in the number of kids that are born on the Medicaid system, which is a much much more expensive reality," Gelineau said.

Younger parents, he said, face big obstacles and are more likely to remain in poverty. He considers himself an exception.

"It's really hard to raise a family and go to college at the same time. I dropped out when I was 20, because I started making kids," he said.

He was able to work a lot of hours and take a night shift to support his growing family. But this program would give people a hand up and help them pull themselves out of poverty, he said.

He knew the plan could generate some controversy and has gotten some criticism from within Libertarian circles.

Asked about Gelineau's proposal, Planned Parenthood of Michigan said in a statement: "Women must be able to make decisions about if, when and where to have a child free from government influence or coercion. We believe providing access to comprehensive sex education and birth control are the best steps toward enabling women to make informed decisions about their futures."

Practically, implementing the proposal would require a waiver from the federal government. Gelineau said he expects about a 50 percent failure rate - in other words, people who do get pregnant while in the program. He acknowledges it's "social engineering," but is confident it will work.

Some of the criticism he's gotten accuses his plan of being racist or "eugenics," he said, but he said that was not true and encouraged people to read the plan. It doesn't target any one demographic or stop people from having families after age 23, he said.

Gelineau said most Libertarians aren't in favor of Medicaid generally, but he wanted to put something on the table that could work in terms of saving taxpayers money and helping people break out of poverty.

"At the end of the day if our desire is to govern, I think we need to offer serious programs like this," he said.

Gelineau is up against Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, Republican Bill Schuette and other third-party candidates in the Nov. 6 election for the state's next governor.
LANSING, MI - A new ad from the Michigan Republican Party accuses Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer of refusing to prosecute Larry Nassar on sexual assault charges, sparking dueling press conferences from her and Republican candidate Bill Schuette Friday.

Nassar, a serial sexual predator, was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's office in the Western District of Michigan on child pornography charges and by Attorney General Bill Schuette on sexual assault charges. He has been sentenced in both cases and is currently in federal prison.

Whether Whitmer declined to prosecute has no clear answer, but the idea first arose in December of 2017, when Michigan State University Police Chief Jim Dunlap told The Detroit News Whitmer wanted to charge Larry Nassar in the child pornography case but said it would be difficult to try sexual assault allegations.

An ad from the Michigan Republican Party resurfaced the issue, with a voiceover saying "... she refused to prosecute Larry Nassar on Sexual Assault charges."

Whitmer at a press conference said that was false. She referred the case to the Attorney General, she said.

"For him now to accuse me of failing to prosecute Nassar is not spin, it's not an angle, it's not a falsehood. It is a lie," she said of her Republican opponent, Bill Schuette.

It was the Michigan Republican Party, and not Schuette himself, who put the ad out. The party defended the ad in a statement.

"Our ad correctly stated that Gretchen Whitmer had the opportunity to prosecute Larry Nassar for sexual assaults but failed to do so. This is a statement of fact. Bill Schuette is a leader who took on this tough case and successfully prosecuted Nassar, Gretchen Whitmer did not. This is an important part of Gretchen Whitmer's record that voters deserve to know," said Michigan Republican Party Chief of Staff Colleen Pero.

Schuette, who said he has not seen the ad, seconded the party's assertion at a press conference he said was intended to set the record straight Friday afternoon.

Whitmer said at her press conference she had referred the case to Schuette's office.

"In the course of the investigation it became clear that there were going to be many cases in multiple jurisdictions. And so we, in consultation with Michigan State Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's office, agreed that the state charges should be brought by the Attorney General's office," Whitmer said.

Schuette said that "that is not true. Nothing could be farther from the truth."

As proof he pointed to emails previously released by Gongwer. Obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, they show Dunlap writing after an Oct. 4, 2017 meeting including Gretchen Whitmer and Jim Dunlap. Dunlap wrote Schuette to thank him for taking his call and sending out a team to talk about the case.

"These cases have captured the public and these victim/survivors deserve a review," Dunlap wrote. "I am hopeful now they will get an advocate."

Schuette wrote back, saying "I am your advocate. Look forward to working with you."

He pointed to the emails and said Dunlap, not Whitmer, had referred the case to his office.

At Schuette's press conference, prosecutors said they would have prosecuted the case within their jurisdiction, even knowing it crossed county lines. At Whitmer's press conference, different prosecutors defended Whitmer's actions and said she did the right thing.

Whitmer's press conference also included victims of Nassar's sexual abuse.

"I am so, so hurt that people like myself and the sister survivors are being used for political gain," said Nassar victim Jane Katzer of the Michigan Republican Party's ad.

She and other victims asked that the ads be taken down, something Schuette declined to directly respond to at his press conference Friday afternoon.

"Again, this is about my record, this discussion we're having here today, and it's about the record of Senator Whitmer in making decisions. I made a decision to charge Larry Nassar," Schuette said.

He said his office had the capacity, ability and will to make sure Nassar stayed behind bars.

Dunlap responded to media inquiries with a statement: "Throughout the Nassar investigations, we worked with the Ingham County Prosecutor, the Michigan Attorney General and the United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. Those efforts were meant to achieve the best possible outcome for the survivors of Larry Nassar and by all objective accounts those efforts were successful."

Apart from the Republican Party's ad, Schuette is running a pair of ads featuring the parents of a Nassar victim talking about how the court process his office led helped their daughter heal. Asked about those ads, Whitmer said she was opposed to any politicization of the Nassar case.

Schuette and Whitmer are running for governor. The election takes place Nov. 6.

Note: This story has been edited to add a response from Dunlap.

View the ad here:
VERMONTVILLE TWP., MI - A Charlotte man was killed Thursday evening when he was ejected from his vehicle in a rollover crash.

The 24-year-old man was headed east on W. Vermontville Highway sometime before 7:19 p.m., Sept. 20, when he lost control of his vehicle and left the roadway, according to an Eaton County Sheriff's Office statement.

His vehicle crossed the westbound lanes, entered a field and rolled several times before striking a home and coming to a stop, police said.

The man was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man was the only occupant of the vehicle. No one was injured in the home struck by the vehicle, police said.

Speed, drugs and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash, police said. The Michigan State Police assisted at the scene.
CASS COUNTY, MI - A man was killed and a woman seriously injured early Friday, Sept. 21, in a head-on crash on M-51 North near Dowagiac.

Cody Lee Jenkins, 35, of Decatur, died at the scene of the crash, reported at 1:42 a.m.

The other driver, Marie Nicole Daisy, 42, of Hartford, was taken to Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital in Dowagiac then airlifted by AirCare helicopter to Bronson Methodist Hospital, sheriff's deputies said.

The crash happened in Cass County's Wayne Township.

Police said that Jenkins was driving a Mitsubishi south on M-51 when it collided head-on with a northbound Dodge van driven by Daisy. Jenkins did not use a seat belt but Daisy was belted, sheriff's deputies said.

Both vehicles sustained heavy front-end damage. Police said the investigation is underway and did not immediately assign blame.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Cornell Head Jr., 21, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the July 25, 2017, shooting death of Gabriel Juarez-Montanez.

The verdict comes after a jury trial that concluded this week in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.

Head's attorney, Robert Champion, argued in his closing statements Thursday, Sept. 21, that the killing was done in self-defense. Champion referenced clarims the victim was throwing a punch at Head at the time of the shooting, and said his client had "an absolute right to defend himself."

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Christin Mehrtens-Carlin disagreed, arguing Head had a chance to take other actions besides pulling a gun and shooting.

"He could have taken the punch," Mehrtens-Carlin said. "But instead he took a life."

She called the shooting death avoidable, unnecessary, "and it was murder. It was not self defense."

The jury left to deliberate Thursday afternoon and spent much of the day Friday weighing the case, including a review of testimony presented at trial, before reconvening to deliver the verdict about 4 p.m. Friday.

In addition to an open murder charge, Head was charged with two counts of felony firearm, one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of carrying a concealed weapon. He was found guilty on all remaining counts.

Juarez-Montanez, 31, was gunned down in the 1300 block of Portage Street, near his on-again, off-again girlfriend's apartment.

Officers at the scene found Juarez-Montanez on the ground in a party store parking lot with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. Police found a blood trail near the victim and another blood spot 10 to 15 feet away, behind a car. Two women approached officers at the scene to say they had seen Juarez-Montanez on the ground at the other blood spot, about 30 yards north of where police found him. Officers also found two gun shell casings in the parking lot.

Juarez-Montanez's cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds and his manner of death was ruled a homicide. The Kalamazoo Gazette obtained 95 pages of police reports investigating the homicide through the Freedom of Information Act.

Supporters of both Head and Juarez-Montanez were in the courtroom Friday.

"My grandpa says he hopes the jury hopes they acted how they were told to, neither in favor nor against Mr. Head, but they only made their decision and choice based on the facts and all the evidence that was presented," said Manuel Juarez, 62, the father of the victim, through his granddaughter, Cynthia Diaz-Juarez, who translated.

"Any decision is good for me," Juarez said. "I don't have any problem with anybody. I'm respectful of the law and that's all."

Second-degree murder is punishable by imprisonment for life, or any term of years as determined by the court, according to Michigan law.

Head is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 5.
LANSING, MI -- Four Michigan people have been charged with conspiracy to kidnap and kill a child, the Michigan Attorney General's Office reports.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that after an in-depth investigation by the Michigan State Police, he has charged David Bailey, 37, of Coldwater, formerly of Kalamazoo, Matthew Toole, 32, of Battle Creek, Talia Furman, 32, of Springfield, and Jayme LaPointe, 19, of Athens, for their roles in a conspiracy to kidnap a young child at a local county fair, subdue the child and then torture and sexually assault the child until their death and then dispose of the body.

Schuette charged each with three counts of:

* Conspiracy to Commit Murder (punishable by up to life in prison);

* Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping (punishable by up to life in prison); and

* Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree (punishable by up to life in prison).

The defendants are now all in custody of law enforcement after being apprehended by the Michigan State Police and are awaiting arraignment on these charges in 3-A District Court in Coldwater, in Branch County.

The AG's Office did not immediately respond to a request for more information.
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - A would-be armed robber who demanded cigarettes and money from a gas station got a comeuppance when the clerk pepper-sprayed him early Friday morning.

The robber is suspected to be the individual who held up the same convenience store 10 days earlier, according to a news release from Detective Sgt. Tom Johnson with the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office.

Surveillance image of suspect in Sept. 11, 2 018, robbery of the Adventure EZ Mart in Muskegon County.

The robber entered the Adventure EZ Mart, 3003 Whitehall Road in Dalton Township around 5:30 a.m. Sept 21 and implied a weapon, the news release state. After the robber demanded cash and smokes, the clerk pepper sprayed the subject who then fled out the back door, Johnson wrote in the release.

The individual is suspected to be the same robber who held up the EZ Mart early on Sept. 11, according to Johnson. A surveillance image from that robbery seems to show the suspect wearing a mask.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the sheriff's office by phoning (231) 724-6658 or Silent Observer by calling (231) 722-CRIME or visiting SilentObserverMuskegon.com.
UPDATE: Saginaw investigators welcome statewide Catholic priest probe

LANSING, MI -- The Michigan Attorney General's Office has joined several other states in investigating Roman Catholic clergy sexual abuse spanning more than a half-century.

"The Department of Attorney General opened an investigation in August 2018 into the alleged sexual abuse and assault of children and others by Catholic priests from 1950 to the present for all seven Catholic dioceses in Michigan," reads a Friday, Sept. 21, letter authored by Christy Wendling-Richards, the Freedom of Information coordinator within the attorney general's office. The letter was written in response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the office by Wood TV8 in Grand Rapids.

"In addition," the letter continues, "the investigation includes religious order priests who have worked in Michigan. The investigation will also include any allegations related to the cover up of sexual abuse or assault."

The announcement follows another earlier this month by the Lansing Diocese that it would conduct an external review to determine if it has handled claims of sexual abuse of minors appropriately. WOOD TV said the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids previously identified 14 priests who molested children since the 1950s, but none since the early 2000s.

The Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office is continuing an investigation into sex abuse claims in the Saginaw Diocese after the Rev. Robert J. "Father Bob" DeLand Jr. on Sept. 4 pleaded no contest to seven charges related to the sexual assault of two teens and a young man.

Attorney General Bill Schuette said on his office website he had "determined that a full and complete investigation of what happened within the Catholic Church is required. This investigation is and will continue to be independent, thorough, transparent, and prompt. My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when."

MLive asked the office if it is aware of the ongoing Saginaw County prosecutor's probe of the Saginaw Diocese and whether its personnel plans to intervene in that matter.

"We are aware of that probe, but I cannot comment further at this time," said Andrea Bitely, director of Communications and Government Affairs for the office.

Earlier in September, MLive asked the office if it had any such investigation into clergy abuse underway or planned to launch one, akin to similar investigations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, and Florida.

"I cannot confirm or deny the presence of an ongoing investigation," replied Megan Hawthorne, press secretary for the office, on Sept. 11.

Hawthorne did point out, though, that the attorney general's office in 2014 prosecuted former priest James F. Rapp for sexual assaults he committed when he served as a teacher at Jackson Lumen Christi High School in the 1980s. Rapp ended up pleading no contest to three counts each of first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct and in April 2016 was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison. Now 78, Rapp is serving his time at the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia.

In a Sept. 14 meeting with Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutors Mark J. Gaertner and Melissa Hoover, MLive asked if the attorney general's office or federal law enforcement agencies have been in contact with the Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office.

Gaertner replied that they had not.

"They know about what's going on here," he said, referring specifically to the attorney general's office. "We don't have to reach out to them to have them help us. We have all the experienced prosecutors and law enforcement officers we need. The AG typically comes in on their own. We're the size of an office that doesn't need to ask for their assistance."

"I think that the bigger that it gets," Hoover added, "we might have the Attorney General's Office and federal (law enforcement) at least attempt to be involved, but at this point, I think it's only slowly starting to get into that territory."

The Archdiocese of Detroit stated on its website that it "welcomes the Attorney General's investigation and is prepared to fully cooperate. We have worked closely with authorities from all six counties within our archdiocese since 2002, when we shared past case files involving clergy misconduct and committed to turning over all new allegations regardless of when the alleged abuse occurred. The Attorney General investigation is the next phase of our commitment to transparency and healing."

The Archdiocese added it has "full confidence in our safe environment policies put in place and carefully followed for more than 15 years. We remain committed to protecting everyone - especially children and vulnerable adults - and therefore look forward to working closely with officials to determine if there is more we can do to accomplish this goal."

The attorney general's office has established two reporting mechanisms for those who may be victims or having information regarding alleged sexual misconduct. The first is a website at www.michigan.gov/CI, which allows for confidential reporting. The second is a hotline at 1-844-324-3374, which is in operation from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The office "encourages victims of sexual abuse, their families, and others to report any and all information relevant to sexual abuse, assault, or the cover up of such acts."
MIDLAND MI -- Officials with Dow Chemical Co. have announced a new business venture that will transform its Dow Michigan Operations in Midland into a multi-company industrial park.

Community members, leaders from manufacturing companies and employees attended an event to mark the plan's unveiling on Thursday, Sept. 20 at the Midland Center for the Arts.

"The Dow Michigan Operations Industrial Park will enable growth of manufacturing operations and jobs in Midland by increasing each company's competitiveness through enhanced safety and security measures, more efficient operations, and further enabling the site to attract and retain top talent," said Jim Fitterling, CEO of Dow. "The site remains critical to Dow, and also to the great companies that will share the space with us."

Dow Michigan Operations, a sprawling 2,600-acre manufacturing complex in Midland, encompasses the areas where Dow and Dow Corning have long operated.

The new industrial park there, managed by Dow, is now home to six companies, including three that are anticipated to break-off in 2019 in the wake of the DowDuPont merger: Dow, DuPont, Corteva Agriscience, as well as Cabot Corporation, SK Saran Americas and Trinseo.

The DowDupont spinoffs will focus on agriculture, materials science and specialty products. The other three specialize in chemicals and plastics.

Tenants will have long-term leases with Dow and get utility services, environmental operation services and logistics services. One of the main goals of the I-Park is to usher in a new era of collaboration, growth and inclusiveness in the Great Lakes Bay Region, Fitterling said.

"I think the whole thing with I-Park growth is about creating jobs and opportunities, and whether it's in the I-Park or whether it might be in services that are associated with running a business here, we're looking for all types of opportunities," Fitterling said.

A new visitor entrance is being built at the northern edge of the site, with a design inspired by Midland architect Alden B. Dow. Additional work will further improve the safety and efficiency of operations. Improvements to public roadways and other facilities near the site are also underway, officials said.

"The City of Midland remains committed to the entrepreneurial spirit that has made us the City of Modern Explorers," Midland Mayor Maureen Donker said. "The Midland community and Dow have prospered together through the years in large part because of our ability to work together, for the benefit of all. And we are glad to extend that spirit to the other tenants of the I-Park."
SAGINAW, MI -- Years ago, as a middle-school student, Niesha Little says she was almost kidnapped, but she fought and ran.

Now a senior in high school, Little listened intently on Friday, Sept. 21, as Elizabeth Smart addressed her and more than a thousand other high school students in the Saginaw County area about the nine-month ordeal she suffered when she was 14 years old.

On the heels of one of her captors, Wanda Barzee, being released from prison, Smart spoke to students at The Dow event center on Friday, Sept. 21, about not letting traumatic incidents define them.

Smart was abducted on June 5, 2002, from the bedroom of her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Brian David Mitchell.

Mitchell and his wife Barzee, held Smart captive until March 12, 2003, when police found her walking down a street with Mitchell and Barzee in Sandy, Utah, five miles from her home.

During her captivity, Smart said she was raped and physically abused by Mitchell and Barzee.

Barzee was released from prison after 15 years on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Mitchell is now serving a life sentence for the kidnapping.

Like a movie

Little said she learned about Smart's story years ago and believes that everyone can get something from it, even if they have not been through what she has.

"The central message is don't let it define who you are," Little said. "Even if they couldn't relate to her story."

Smart talked to students, who also heard Friday from local hero Travis Mills. Both were brought to Saginaw by Impact Saginaw, a collaboration of credit unions whose mission is to bring free events to Saginaw.

The soft-spoken Smart dressed in black with a long jacket that had images of a camel draped in sheets and she sported loafers that sparkled. She acknowledged the baby bump that could be seen protruding from her shirt.

"There is nothing in this world that anyone can do to you to take away from your value as a person. As a human being," Smart said as she stood at the podium alongside a sign language interpreter.

That was one of a few different messages Smart delivered to students.

The audience sat quietly as Smart talked about the night she was taken from her bedroom. The night when she heard a man's voice awaken her, saying, "I have a knife to your neck. Don't make a sound. Get up and come with me."

"Nothing in my life prepared me for this moment," Smart said. "No one told me what I should do if someone broke into my home in the middle of the night and held a knife to my neck and told me to go with them."

Smart's story sounded like an unbelievable chain of events to some students.

"Like a Lifetime movie," said Saginaw High School Junior Harriet Campbell.

Finding happiness

Hope and family kept Smart alive for the nine months she was held captive.

"No matter what situation you find yourself in life, find hope," Smart said.

Smart said that though sometimes it is OK to not get out of bed, the end goal in life is finding happiness.

"Just don't lose sight of your end goal which is to always be happy," Smart said. "It's not what happens to you that defines who you are. You define you."

Joshua Fleming, a 16-year-old sophomore at Nouvel Catholic Central, found the speech informative.

"It was uplifting how she got through all of that and not wanting to forget who she was," Fleming said.

Smart said she was honored to be in Saginaw to spread her message.

"Unfortunately, my story is not that uncommon," she said. "It's always an honor to speak to young people especially as they get ready to make that transition from living with their parents to living on their own to moving on with that next stage of their life."

Smart is now married to Matthew Gilmour. The couple has two children and is expecting a third.
SAGINAW, MI -- On parole for only a few months, a man prosecutors say is a Saginaw gang member shot a woman nearly a dozen times.

The woman survived the shooting and police believe she wasn't the man's intended target and was a case of mistaken identity.

Saginaw County Circuit Judge Andre R. Borrello on Sept. 19 sentenced 26-year-old Alonte P. "Brick" Smith to 40 to 50 years in prison, plus two five-year terms.

Sentencing guidelines for Smith, who prosecutors said is a member of an East Side gang and has a street name of "King Alonte," ranged from 18.7 to 62.5 years.

Before sentencing, Smith complained to the judge that he had ineffective counsel. Borrello told him he could file an appeal and assert that issue then.

Smith's victim was not present in the courtroom to give an impact statement. More than a dozen of his supporters sat in the gallery though, proclaiming their love for Smith as a Saginaw County Sheriff's deputy led him from the room to begin serving his sentences.

A jury in July deliberated for about 90 minutes before finding Smith guilty of assault with intent to murder, felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with an electronic monitoring device, and two counts of second-offense felony firearm.

Smith's crime occurred about 12:35 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2017. Smith had followed a 39-year-old woman to her home on South 24th Street in Buena Vista Township. As she and a friend sat in the car, Smith began shooting at them, police allege.

The woman in the driver's seat was struck by 11 bullets, yet survived. Her passenger was not hit.

Smith mistook her for a rival gang member he had wanted to kill, Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Blair Stevenson told MLive. The actual victim was in no way gang-affiliated, Stevenson added.

"This is a case where the victim was 100 percent innocent," he said, adding there was no evidence indicating Smith and his victim had even met prior to the shooting.

Police recovered 14 .40-caliber shell casings from the scene.

The Michigan Department of Corrections had paroled Smith on May 25, 2016. A Saginaw County judge in March 2011 had sentenced Smith to prison on five felony convictions related to weapon possession, motor vehicle theft, and assaulting police.

Due to his parolee status, Smith was on a GPS tether, which proved to be a crucial piece of evidence at trial, as the monitor placed Smith at the crime scene at the time of the shooting, Stevenson said.

Evidence indicated Smith was the lone shooter, Stevenson added.

Smith was on the lam for about a week after the shooting before surrendering to police.

The wounded woman testified in the trial. Smith did not take the stand in his own defense.
SAGINAW, MI -- There's a 10,000-acre wildlife refuge in Saginaw County that's home to nearly 300 species of birds, including bald eagles, wood ducks and great blue herons.

Lelaina Muth, deputy refuge manager at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, said many area residents are surprised to learn this wild place, featuring 13 miles of hiking trails and a 6.5-mile wildlife drive, is located so close to home.

"Right in Saginaw, just a few miles south of the city," she said. "So many people, when they find out about it, are ... amazed."

The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge is hosting its annual open house Friday through Sunday, Sept. 28-30. Members of the public are invited to "go off trail and see the refuge from another perspective" while taking part in guided hikes, kayak tours and more throughout the weekend. It's also the only time of year visitors can scout for hunting locations on the refuge as well.

The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1953, contains 10,000 acres of marsh, bottomland hardwood forest and grasslands. The refuge is designated as a U.S. Important Bird Area for its global significance to migratory waterfowl, according to its website.



Its mission is to "preserve and manage an undeveloped expanse of floodplain forest, marshes, rivers, and associated habitat within an agricultural and urban landscape through habitat management, encouraging public stewardship, educational programs, and private land activities."

Find refuge maps here.

Here's a look at what is offered throughout the open house weekend.

Friday, Sept. 28

Opportunities to scout for hunts at the refuge

7 p.m. Free family night hike at Green Point Environmental Learning Center, 3010 Maple St. in Saginaw, intended for visitors ages 8 and older

Saturday, Sept. 29

10 a.m. Learn how you can serve at the refuge during a volunteer orientation at Green Point Environmental Learning Center

4 p.m. Free two- to three-hour guided kayak trip for visitors ages 10 and older; RSVP by emailing

Sunday, Sept. 30

8 a.m. Guided bird hike; meet at Houlihan Road parking lot in Spaulding Township

Visitors are advised to bring insect repellent and water to drink. Find more event details here.

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge expands area for hunting

Driving tour

The refuge attracts about 65,000 to 70,000 visitors annually. It features trails and plenty of opportunities for birding and wildlife viewing, but, if hiking isn't your thing, you can take a free driving tour of the refuge daily from June 1 through Sept. 30. The wildlife drive, open from sunrise to an hour before sunset seven days a week, attracts an estimated 13,000 visitors each year.

Muth took MLive/The Saginaw News on the driving tour in Spaulding Township Wednesday, Sept. 19.

It's accessible to all people and offers an opportunity to "get away, take a drive and get out in nature," she said.

With up to 280 species of birds on the refuge, it's known as an important bird area, she said. The driving tour closes at the end of September to accommodate the tens of thousands of migratory birds that come to the refuge in the fall, she said.

It should be noted that the Wildlife Drive, Ferguson Bayou Trail and Woodland Trail are closed Saturday, Sept. 22 and Sunday, Sept. 23, to allow for a youth deer hunt.

Free fishing, snowshoeing and more

Want to get out in nature without spending money on gear? Visit the Green Point Environmental Learning Center to borrow a fishing pole, snowshoes, binoculars and other recreational equipment free of charge.

The Green Point Environmental Learning Center, which is affiliated with the refuge,

offers more than 2.5 miles of trails through a bottomland hardwood forest and views of forest, fields, wetlands and the Tittabawassee River. Download a map of the trail, popular among hikers and skiers,

.

Hunting

The refuge has a new hunt plan this year which allows for hunting of all migratory game birds, upland game species and small game and furbearers in specifically designated areas that are consistent with state regulations.

For more information on the new hunt plan, this year's hunts, refuge regulations and a map of the land, call 989-777-5930.
MANSFIELD, OH -- Reality TV star and renowned bounty hunter "Dog the Bounty Hunter" is joining the effort to find a man wanted by authorities for threatening to "put a bullet" in the head of President Donald Trump.

Shawn Christy has been wanted for question since he posted the threat on June 19 targeting Trump and a district attorney in Ohio.

"Dog the Bounty Hunter" -- whose real name is Duane Chapman -- said he is now getting involved in the hunt after a member of the Christy family retained his services.

"I have a very hot lead," Chapman said.

Chapman went on to say that he does not want to use force to bring Christy in and hopes to handle the situation peacefully.

"I have delivered messages to him," Chapman said. "My goal is not to shoot him but get him to surrender."

The hunt for Christy has involved the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI and the Secret Service along with several local agencies. The search has stretched into Canada at some point, but Christy is believed to be in Ohio.

Christy's is also wanted in Pennsylvania for burglary, probation violation and failure to appear for an aggravated assault case. He is also believed to have stolen a truck and abandoned it after he crashed it.

A $20,000 reward for information leading to Christy's arrest has been offered.
Jet Airways said income tax officials are conducting a survey of its premises since September 19.

Shares of Jet Airways slumped 6 per cent on Friday amid concerns over income tax officials conducting a survey of its premises.

New Delhi: Shares of Jet Airways slumped 6 per cent on Friday amid concerns over income tax officials conducting a survey of its premises.

The stock tanked 5.96 per cent to end at Rs 229.70 on BSE. Intra-day, it tumbled 8.55 per cent to Rs 223.35 -- its 52-week low. At NSE, shares of the company dived 5.63 per cent to close at Rs 229.45. In terms of equity volume, 7.03 lakh shares of the company were traded on BSE and over 97 lakh shares changed hands at NSE during the day.

The stock had fallen nearly 4 per cent on Wednesday. Equity markets were closed Thursday for a local holiday. Crisis-hit Jet Airways on Friday said income tax officials are conducting a survey of its premises since September 19. On Wednesday, sources said the I-T Department is inspecting the books to ascertain whether there have been falsification of accounts, suspicious dealings and other possible violations.

In a regulatory filing, the carrier said I-T officials are conducting a survey of the premises of the company since September 19. "The company is fully cooperating with the authorities and responding to the queries by the income tax authorities," it said.

The airline, battling with financial woes, is already under the lens of Sebi and the Corporate Affairs Ministry for various violations, including alleged corporate governance lapses. The full service carrier posted a net loss of Rs 1,323 crore for the three months ended June.
Govt may have to amend the GST law to permit imposition of a new cess in the new indirect tax regime.

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has proposed additional cess on select commodities under GST to raise funds to help Kerala tide over the damages caused due to floods, a state minister said on Friday.

The proposal of levy of cess is expected to come up for discussion at the GST Council meeting on September 28.

"Kerala welcomes the suggestion of hon'ble FM for a national level cess on selected commodities for a specified period to help such states. GST Council to discuss," Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said in a tweet.

Isaac was of the view that GST should be made flexible to take care of "unforeseen urgent demand for resources as in the case natural calamities".

The issue regarding additional cess for funding rehabilitation activities in flood-hit Kerala was discussed on Thursday during a meeting of Isaac with Jaitley.

Isaac has also pressed for additional funds from the Centre to rebuild the state, which is estimated to have suffered a loss of Rs 20,000 crore (as per a preliminary estimate) due to the floods.

The initial proposal of the Kerala government that it be allowed to raise funds by imposing cess on sale of goods and services under GST by the state government did not find favour with the Union Finance Minister as it could complicate the whole structure of the new tax regime-- which is one nation, one tax.

The government may have to amend the GST law to permit imposition of a new cess in the new indirect tax regime. Rolled out from July 1, 2017, Goods and Services Tax (GST) has subsumed all cess, surcharge and local levies.

The GST currently has a four-slab rate structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. Besides, luxury items, sin and demerit goods attract a cess on top of the highest tax rate.

According to industry sources, levying of new cess may not be an easy option as a case in this regard is pending in the Supreme Court.

The government had earlier toyed with the idea of levying a sugar cess to help the industry earlier this year, but abandoned the move after announcement of increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP).
The League of Women Voters of Chattanooga has multiple opportunities for voters in Chattanooga and Hamilton County to register to vote, update and ensure their voter registration status, as well as, engage with candidates.

Monday, Sept. 24: The League of Women Voters of Chattanooga, UTCs Womens Studies Department, The Womens Fund of Greater Chattanooga, and the new UTC group Mocs Go Vote 2018 will co-host a Meet & Greet for the State House candidates in districts 26-30. The Meet & Greet will take place in the Chattanooga Room on the second level of UTCs University Center, 642 E. 5th Street, Chattanooga, Tn. 37403 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Parking is free at the 5th Street garage across the street from the University Center after 5 p.m. All qualified candidates for the Tennessee House in districts 26 through 30 have been invited to participate in the Meet & Greet. The moderator will be Dr. Amanda Wintersieck, UC Foundation Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Service at UTC. The public is invited to attend.

Tuesday, Sept. 25 is National Voter Registration Day. The League of Women Voters of Chattanooga has created tabletop tents that more than 50 businesses throughout Chattanooga have agreed to display. Additionally, LWV Chattanooga will hold a voter registration drive at Chattanooga State Community College and will be at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga Nonprofit Expo. Finally, the LWV of Tennessee is a major sponsor of the Blackburn-Bredesen senatorial debate at 6 pm at Cumberland University, which will be broadcast across the state on public television stations. In Chattanooga, it will be broadcast on Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. on WTCI.

Wednesday, Sept. 26: The League of Women Voters will hold a voter registration drive at The Afternooners EP Release Party with Caney Village at Songbirds at 8 p.m.
The actress, whos all set to make her south Indian debut with Saaho, seems to be having a great time working on the multi-lingual project.

These days, many actresses are identifying themselves as feminists and voicing their opinions in favour of matters like pay parity, but Shraddha Kapoor, whos always been one to do things a little differently, prefers to call herself a humanist.

I would like to believe that I am a humanist. I feel there should be an equality of rights on a human level, Shraddha says.

The actress, whos all set to make her south Indian debut with Saaho, seems to be having a great time working on the multi-lingual project.

The entire team is awesome. Saaho is my first multilingual film  its being made simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi, she says.

About memorising dialogues in Telugu, she says, It is very challenging; I mug up every single one of my lines. But its a lot of fun as well. Its quite something to be immersed in another world, a language that youre not familiar with.

Saaho, starring Prabhas, Shraddha Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Jackie Shroff and Mandira Bedi, is a high-octane action film for which some crucial scenes are being shot in Dubai. Meanwhile, Shraddhas Batti Gul Meter Chalu has just come out this weekend.
Earlier on Friday, 3 SPOs and a police constable were kidnapped by terrorists from Shopian in South Kashmir.

The terrorists barged into their houses in Karpan village and dragged them out. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Srinagar: Three Special Police Officers (SPOs) of Jammu and Kashmir who were kidnapped early on Friday morning have been killed by terrorists.

Terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen is behind the abduction and killing of the police personnel.

Earlier today, three SPOs and a police constable were kidnapped by terrorists from Shopian in South Kashmir.

The terrorists barged into their houses in Karpan village and dragged them out.

The abducted security personnel were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kuldeep Singh, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Fayaz Ahmad Bhat.

The incident comes after a video from the the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen which has gone viral on social media in Jammu and Kashmir since Tuesday threatened security forces and government officials in the state to either resign in four days or get ready to be killed.

The video asked people to quit their jobs and upload evidence of their resignation on the internet.

In the video, the terror group threatened to kill the family members of those who stay back at work.

Jammu and Kashmir police confirmed the authenticity of the video.

The two-minute video reportedly showed pictures of security forces and a Hizbul banner with a voice-over issuing the threat.

The voice is believed to be of the terror outfit spokesperson Umar Ibn Khitaab.

PDP leader and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killings and said "Centre's muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now."

Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims. 1/2  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 21, 2018
Irani said Gandhi has no regard for the Prime Minister's post, which he respected only when a member of his own family held it.

Irani's reaction came on the sidelines of an interaction with Jaipur-based exporters. (Photo: File)

Jaipur: Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his comments on Prime Minister, saying he is desperate to attract attention.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi had said at a public meeting in Dungarpur district that people now thought that the country's "watchman" is a "thief."

Read: Country's chowkidaar a thief: Rahul again attacks PM Modi on Rafale

Irani said Gandhi has no regard for the prime minister's post, which he respected only when a member of his own family held it.

"I think that the desperation of the clown prince, as Jaitley calls him, is to attract attention to himself at the cost of the prime minister's name," she told reporters on the sidelines of an Carpet Export Promotion Council event.

"One needs to ask Rahul Gandhi what is his vision for the country. National building is not something that Rahul Gandhi is keen on," she said.

"People of the country know that Rahul Gandhi lacks vision," she added.

At his rally in Dungarpur, Gandhi had referred to the Rafale fighter deal with France and mocked PM Modi's assertions on tackling corruption.

He said people were now heard saying that the country's watchman is a "thief".

"Galli galli mein shor hai, Hindustan ka chowkidar chor hai," Gandhi had said.

Irani's reaction came on the sidelines of an interaction with Jaipur-based exporters.
Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar, who reached Paris 4 days ago, flew the aircraft in France to assess its efficacy, sources said.

Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar test-flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured for India by Dassault Aviation. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

New Delhi: Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar on Thursday flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation for India, official sources said.

Nambiar, who reached Paris four days ago, flew the aircraft in France to assess its efficacy, they said. He is in France to also assess the progress in the production of Rafale jets by Dassault Aviation.

The delivery of the jets -- capable of carrying a range of potent weapons and missiles -- is scheduled to begin from September next year. A team of the Indian Air Force is already in France to help Dassault Aviation to incorporate the India-specific avionics and weapons system in the aircraft.

The development comes amid a raging controversy in India over the deal to procure the Rafale fighter jets.

In 2016, the Modi government signed a government-to-government deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore. The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the deal, saying the UPA had finalised the price of each aircraft at Rs 526 crore while the NDA was buying the same jet at Rs 1,670 crore.

The government has refuted these allegations.
7. Johnson & Johnson | Market Cap: USD 338.6 billion | Industry : Pharmaceutical

In a bid to prevent incidents similar to the Johnson & Johnson faulty implant case in future, the government may introduce a legal provision under which a company manufacturing medical devices will have to offer compensation to patients in case of an adverse event, The Times of India reported.

The provision will help the government bridge gaps in the existing rules. The absence of such a law rendered the government "helpless" in directing the MNC to compensate patients who had undergone faulty hip implant surgeries.

The government will soon notify such a provision under the Medical Device Rules, 2017, officials told the paper.

If implemented, this would be the first law that would provide teeth to the government to catch hold of such companies in case of an adverse event or death.

Under the proposal, medical device manufacturing companies will have to compensate patients in case malfunctioning of the medical devices or non-compliance with the manufacturing licence, or injury caused to patients, the official added.

Depending on the severity of the case, the government may also direct the company to pay compensation or take care of the patients medical needs (covering medical tests or corrective surgery) or both.

The central expert committee, headed by Dr Arun Agarwal, had also recommended including the provision relating to compensation. The 11-member expert committee constituted in February 2017 examined issues related to Johnson & Johnsons faulty ASR hip implants.

The central government has constituted a five-member central expert committee to recommend the quantum of compensation for patients who suffered from the faulty hip implants.

Such provision is being finalised and will be put up for public comments soon, Drug Controller General of India S Eswara Reddy told the paper.

According to the report, the compensation would be provided only in case of an adverse event/death reported for already approved devices, and not those which are under clinical trials.
Almost two years ago, when Aegon Life Insurance phased out its agents and sold only through the digital channel, its premium collection was expected to take a hit in the short term.

It did. In FY17, the insurers new business premium was down 33 percent compared to FY16. A year later in FY18, the premiums started to see an increase, even though there is still a wide gap between Aegon Life and its peers.

Aegon Life MD and CEO Vineet Arora believes that it will be a gradual uphill growth path from hereon.

In an interaction with Moneycontrol, Arora said they had taken a bold decision in going digital, and the idea is to use technology to sell simple products. Volumes may not be very high in the online business, because our focus is on protection business, he added.

Agency phased out

Aegon Life phased out its agency channel in 2016 and now only sells products direct-to-customer without any intermediary. This is a stark contrast to its competitors that sell policies primarily through bank branches or individual agents.

We were the first company to launch online protection (term insurance) and continue to be strong in the protection space. We are the eighth largest in the protection base and this shows that our strategies are proving right, he said.

Once agency business was replaced by the digital-sales model, premiums took a hit but Aegon Life's persistency, or renewals, saw an improvement. In FY18, their 13th month persistency (by number of policies) stood at 80 percent (compared to 65 percent in FY17), while that of the 61st month was at 48 percent (from 31 percent in FY17).

Online business tends to have a higher rate of persistency. This is primarily because customers themselves come to the platform and buy the policy; it is not a push product, added Arora.

In FY18, Aegon Life collected first year premiums of Rs 147.10 crore, a 61 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase. Their total premium (first year premium, single premium plus renewal premium) increased by 18 percent YoY to Rs 531.2 crore.

Protection to be key business focus

Arora said their digital-only strategy is panning out well because he considers the company to be a protection specialist.

Pure term is the core business in the insurance sector. Now, all our peers are also increasing their focus on the protection business. About 60 percent of the policies sold are protection, while the rest is a mix of unit-linked insurance and savings plan.

The insurance company collected first year premium of Rs 40.4 crore in the April-to-August period, up by 3 percent on a year-on-year basis.

Arora said with their digital-only business, they are able to give more value to customers than the intermediary. In traditional insurance policies, a large portion of the first-year premium is paid as commission to the intermediary.

We are clear as to what we stand for, and are not in the race of matching premiums, said Arora.

While the company is still posting losses (with a net loss of Rs 107 crore in FY18), Arora said as long as they sell the right products, profitability will follow. However, he refused to give a target year to achieve break-even. The company was set up in 2008 and most insurers take between seven to nine years to achieve profitability.

The technology push

Unlike other life insurers for whom the direct/digital channel accounts for 8-10 percent of the premium collection, Aegon Life is 100 percent direct. This is another reason why they cannot afford to go wrong in this distribution channel.

Aegon Life organised a Hackathon for the first time in India on September 20. Their joint venture partner Aegon had earlier held this event in other countries. Here, a winning idea will be implemented as a solution for their customers. Arora said the intention was to bring out an idea that could be used to ease the insurance buying and servicing process for customers.

Dougie Kennedy, Chief Technology Officer, Aegon Life, said they are taking on that challenge of direct selling very seriously.

We have gone direct and the advantage is that we can make decisions much faster through technology that reacts quickly for customer demands, he added.

The idea, he said, is to reduce the time a customer spends offline while buying a product. The touch-points also need to be different so that we take cognisance of customer preferences as well, he added. Kennedy is also working on making the claims settlement friction-less so that the turnaround time for claims is reduced.

Aegon Life does not have the luxury of physical touch-points like the other life insurers, so data is the king. Tim Kersten, Chief Technology Officer, Aegon Asia, said the whole challenge was to get relevant data and speed up the customer onboarding through use of tools like artificial intelligence and data analytics.

Kersten added that contrary to popular perception, the adoption of technology among insurance customers in India has been high and the next step is to make it simpler to use.

At a time when the life insurance industry is turning its focus to the direct sales channel, Aegon Life has already taken the first few steps. How it sustains the premium collection and what strategies it adopts to achieve profitability in the next few years will be areas the market will keenly watch.
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Biopharmaceutical firm Biocon and its partner Mylan on September 21 said the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended approval of Filphila or pegfilgrastim.

Pegfilgrastim is a biosimilar version of Amgens Neulasta used to stimulate the level of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that gets damaged in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The CHMP recommendation takes Biocon a step closer towards the approval of biosimilar pegfilgrastim in Europe.

Amgen's Neulasta had brand sales of more than $450 million in Europe for the 12 months ending June 30, 2018, according to market research firm IQVIA.

The CHMP positive opinion is based upon a review of evidence demonstrating biosimilarity, Biocon said in a statement.

The CHMP opinion will now be considered by the European Commission for approval.

The decision on approval is expected by November 2018, the company said.

Data submitted as part of the Marketing Authorization Application included similarity assessment in analytical testing, preclinical and clinical studies that demonstrated biosimilarity to the reference product, Neulasta, Biocon said.

Fulphila was approved by US FDA earlier this year and is the first USFDA approved biosimilar for Neulasta in the US.

Regulatory applications for Fulphila also have been submitted in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and several other countries.

"CHMP's decision to recommend approval of Biocon and Mylan's biosimilar Pegfilgrastim brings us a step closer to offer this high quality, affordable biologic therapy for cancer patients in the EU, having launched this product in the US, earlier this year, said Biocon CEO and Joint Managing Director Arun Chandavarkar.

Mylan and Biocon are exclusive partners on a broad portfolio of biosimilar and insulin products.

Neulasta is one of 11 biologic and insulin products co-developed by Mylan and Biocon for the global marketplace.

Mylan has exclusive commercialization rights for the product in the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and in the European Union and European Free Trade Association countries. Biocon has co-exclusive commercialisation rights with Mylan for the product in the rest of the world.

While Biocon develops and manufactures the drug, Mylan takes care of regulatory approvals and marketing.
Swaraj's meeting with Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be first high-level engagement since suspension of talks after Pathankot attack.

US also welcomed the exchange of messages between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. (Photo: File | PTI)

Washington/New Delhi: The US on Friday termed as a "terrific news" the proposed meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, expressing hope that the conditions will be set for a "good" and "strong" relationship between the two neighbours in the future.

The meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be the first such high-level engagement since the suspension of dialogue between the two nations after the Pathankot air base terror attack in 2016.

India, however, made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue. "We saw that (reports of meetings between Indian and Pak leaders). I think that's terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

Read: India-Pak foreign ministers to meet in New York: MEA after Imran Khan letter

Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan. "We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and also Prime Minister Modi. And we hope that the conditions will be set for a good strong relationship, a good strong bilateral relationship in the future," she said.

The last meeting between the two foreign ministers was held during Swaraj's visit to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend the Heart of Asia Summit, where she had met the then Pakistan foreign minister Sartaj Aziz.

Also Read: Ready to talk terrorism: Pak PM writes to Modi, seeks to start stalled dialogue

After the meeting, the two sides had announced a resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue under the comprehensive bilateral format, but the initiative did not take off after Pakistan-based terror groups attacked the Pathankot air base.

The Indo-Pak ties have nose-dived since then in view of a number of terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups, which India retaliated by carrying out 'surgical strikes' in September 2016 across the LoC. India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

The US has traditionally welcomed any talks between India and Pakistan, the pace of which, it has noted would depends on the leadership of the two countries.

"In general, the United States supports dialogue between India and Pakistan that can reduce tensions, and we understand and had frequent conversations with the Indian partners on the expectations that there would be demonstrable reduction in cross-border terrorism or infiltration that will help create the confidence for dialogue to take place," Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had told reporters during a conference call last week.
A Jet Airways passenger plane takes off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad

An attempt-to-murder complaint has been lodged against the staff of Jet Airways at Mumbai's Sahar police station, a day after at least 30 passengers on board a Mumbai-Jaipur flight suffered nose and ear bleeding due to drop in cabin pressure, News18 has reported.

The complaint was filed by an advocate, who approached the police stating that the crew members should be held accountable for dereliction of duty amounting to attempt of murder.

Earlier in the day, one of the five passengers who was sent to a city hospital for treatment had demanded Rs 30 lakh in compensation and 100 upgrade vouchers from the airline, alleging lack of proper care.

The passenger had also allegedly threatened to "share" the video of the flight.

Jet Airways Flight 9W697 had turned back mid-way on September 20 after the crew "forgot" to turn on a switch that controls cabin air pressure.

The cockpit crew of the flight, which had 171 people on board, have been derostered and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been directed to probe the incident.
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The ongoing Supreme Court hearing on applications from ArcelorMittal and Numetal may have started over the eligibility of the Lakshmi Mittal-company to bid for Essar Steel.

While ArcelorMittal has questioned the need to pay dues of Rs 7,000 crore to become an eligible bidder, Numetal wants to know why the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) is giving its arch rival the time to make the payment.

In its order, the NCLAT had given ArcelorMittal three days to clear the dues, even as it declared Numetal eligible.

The dues are that of Uttam Galva Steels and KSS Petron, in which ArcelorMittal was a shareholder, before it divested its stakes. According to clause 29A of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, a promoter of a defaulting company cant bid for stressed assets.

But in the last two sessions of the SC hearing, focus has shifted to the legality of ArcelorMittal divesting its stake in Uttam Galva Steels. Numetals advocate Mukul Rohatgi called ArcelorMittal's sale of Uttam Galva stake at Rs 1 a share as a case of fraud. The stake sale is misleading the public, banks and the court, he said.

This may have put ArcelorMittal on the back foot.

The hearing will resume on September 25.

To push its case, Numetal earlier this week submitted a letter that State Bank of India had sent ArcelorMittal in April. This was after the Court asked Numetal to prove its 'subterfuge' charge on ArcelorMittal.

Pointing to the agreement signed between Uttam Galva, ArcelorMittal and the bank, SBI reminded that for any transfer of shares, each promoter needed to get a permission from the lender. And the permission was needed because Uttam Galva had defaulted on loan repayments.

But, contended Numetal, ArcelorMittal hadnt taken SBIs permission to sell its stake in Uttam Galva.

A spokesperson for ArcelorMittal denied the allegation. He said: ArcelorMittal divested its passive shareholding in Uttam Galva following all due processes. ArcelorMittal firmly believes that there has been no violation of a non-disposal agreement.

The moot question

Advantage Numetal? Maybe, maybe not.

Even if it is proven that ArcelorMittal didnt inform, or take permission from SBI before selling its stake in Uttam Galva Steels, the moot question may come back to the payment of Rs 7,000 crore dues.

SBI could say that ArcelorMittal has breached an agreement. So it can ask the company to accelerate the loan payment, said a lawyer at a leading law firm in Mumbai.

Its a breach of contract, but not a fraud. This will add one more layer to Numetals case against its adversary, but eventually the matter will come back to the payment of dues, he added.

Both the sides will be eager to know the Supreme Court's stance on the issue, when the hearing resumes on September 25.
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Lupin may have to settle for only a 4-5 percent sales growth in Japan in the current financial year, as the government there is pushing for steep price cuts and embracing generic substitution to stem the rising healthcare costs of a burgeoning ageing population.

Generic substitution involves substituting a particular brand of drug prescribed by the physician with either an unbranded one or a different one with same chemical composition.

In the year ended March, Lupin's Japan sales grew 23 percent on a constant currency basis.

Japan is the third largest market for Lupin after the US and India and contributed about 13 percent or (Rs 2,054 crore) to its Rs 15,804.1 crore global revenues in FY18.

This is going to be a flat market, said Fabrice Egros, President of Asia Pacific and Japan at Lupin in an exclusive telephonic interview to Moneycontrol from Tokyo. He expects pricing pressure in Japan to remain for a few more years.

Japan aims for 80 percent genericisation of its drug market by 2020 and according to Egros, there is already a 70 percent generic substitution.

Japan reviews the prices of drugs every two years. In April this year, the government pushed drug makers across the board to cut prices by 20 percent.

Lupin entered Japan with the acquisition of local drug company Kyowa Pharmaceutical in 2007. Within a decade it emerged as the sixth largest generic drug maker in Japan. Meanwhile, its Indian peers struggled to crack the highly-regulated and brand conscious East Asian market, which stands third only to the US and China with a size of little over $110 billion.

But the Japanese market has hit stagnation and in fact, has started shrinking.

The trouble for Lupin in Japan comes at a time when its US business is going through a difficult phase, with lack of significant approvals and competition to its key products like Methergine used to treat postpartum haemorrhage and metformin franchise, Glumetza and Fortamet. The warning letter on two of its facilities in Goa and Indore is not helping matters in terms of new product approvals.

Mitigation strategy

To counter the price erosion, Lupin is considering various options to rationalise costs. These include shifting a major part of its production from Japan to India. The company had built a formulation plant in Goa a few years back specifically catering to the Japanese market. The company is also trying to rejig its sales force, as unlike the branded market, generics substitution market may not need a large sales force.

The other strategy Egros said is to focus on products covered under price protection. There are still around 500 listed products, that do not fall under the category of price controls. Here the company is banking on its acquisition of a select brand portfolio from Shionogi & Co to bail them out.

The company bought a portfolio of 21 generic brands from the Osaka-based company paying $150 million two years ago. It is also looking at in-licensing deals to distribute speciality and complex drugs in central nervous system and neurology segments.

Lupin in-licensed and launched Bipresso, a speciality brand from Astellas for the treatment of bipolar depression last year. The drug is a top-selling one for Lupin in Japan.

It is also betting big on biosimilars. Lupin had already filed for biosimilar Etancerpt in Japan in joint-venture with Yoshindo (YLB) and expects approval by end of this year. The company has tied up with Nichi-Iko to market the drug in the Japanese market.

We will continue to sell generics in Japan, thats our strength. But our plan is to increase revenues from non-generic drugs to about 40 percent, from 20 percent in near future, Egros said.

Focus on non-Japanese markets

The company said its focusing on non-Japanese Asia-Pacific markets such as Australia and South East Asia to compensate for the dip in Japanese growth.

Asia Pacific (APAC) as a block, excluding Japan, contributed 7 percent to Lupin sales.

In Australia  Egros said Lupin turned around its loss-making business, which is now growing by 28 percent, outperforming the market. The company expects its Australian business to maintain the growth trajectory. Australian pharmaceutical market was valued at $13 billion in 2017 with generics accounting for over 30 percent of the sales volume.

Lupin now plans to strengthen its presence in the Philippines and expand in Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar through more launches. It is also exploring ways to enter China.

Egros said the plan is to generate $100 million sales from non-Japanese APAC markets.
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Punjab National Bank's Brady House branch in Mumbai, the fountainhead of the Rs 14,000 crore Nirav Modi scam, once again finds itself mired in controversy due to unethical and corrupt practices of some of its officials.

The branch sanctioned a loan to the tune of of Rs 7.5 crore to Delhi's popular F Bar and Lounge but it has come to light that the loan was disbursed on fabricated documents as the collateral given to banks never existed and were actually shell companies.

PK Varun, working as AGM in that branch, has been arrested by the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police in connection with this case.

It was revealed that the account holder had never visited the Mumbai branch of the bank and all formalities of opening of account as well as equitable mortgage of property were facilitated in Delhi by Varun in violation of the existing norms and SOP of the bank. False documents and reports regarding the site inspection and the revenue records were prepared to facilitate the loan. Varuns son was involved in the operation of F Bar & Lounge and owned 20% of share in the company running F Bar & Lounge.

On September 11, following a tip-off, the accused Amarjeet Singh was arrested. Ajay Kumar Sharma, Suresh and Varun were subsequently arrested after Amarjeet was interrogated.

The modus operandi of the accused persons was to obtain the loan on the basis of forged and fabricated Sale Deeds of the property being offered as collateral security with the banks. An account at PNB Mayur Vihar, Phase 3 Branch was opened on the basis of fake documents in the name of Sarita with the help of the then bank manager, Sheetal Garg. The loan obtained of Rs. 49.90 lakh was withdrawn as cash and the said amount was used for setting up of a temporary factory at Surajpur Noida, so that further loan can be obtained by showing the factory in working condition.

Thereafter, another accused Ajay Kumar Sharma, was the main player for facilitating sanctioning of loan in connivance with accused Amarjeet opened a shell/dummy company in the name of Ply Mouth Ventures Pvt. Ltd. having its office at Mumbai. Suresh was made one of the Directors in this company and they availed Rs. 5 crores cash credit facility in name of the shell Company. This loan amount was further transferred into other accounts and siphoned off. They also obtained Rs. 2 crore OD facility from the same bank which was also transferred into another account and misappropriated.

These amounts were sanctioned against the collateral security of the properties situated at Delhi which were bogus and never existed. Moreover, the account holder did not visit Mumbai and all the formalities of opening of account and equitable mortgage of property was facilitated in Delhi only by the bank official. The bank officials prepared the false site visit report regarding the property which never existed.
Action Construction Equipment | The promoter stake holding for September quarter 2019: 70.87%; December quarter 2019: 72.25%; March quarter 2020: 72.42%; and June quarter 2020: 72.43%. It's debt-to-equity for FY20 was 0.19x. In the last one-year stock price has lost 7 percent to Rs 60.85 as on September 08, 2020.

Engineering and IT-services firm Tata Technologies wants to target the issue of the skill-gap among engineering students. Through their Ready Engineer Programme, the company is looking to address the twin-challenges of core skills as well as the softer skills needed in a job.

In an interaction with Moneycontrol, Anupal Banerjee, chief human resource officer, Tata Technologies said their idea was to have engineers ready for the job from day one.

The programme

Tata Technologies works with 35 engineering colleges and takes about 80 people per college. Banerjee said the programme runs over four semesters and above 4,600 engineers get covered.

We look at four factors, including the engineering concepts and fundamentals, contemporary technology, soft skills, and employability. The idea is to have engineers to have skills relevant to the current times. This includes a process of learning as well as unlearning redundant concepts, he added.

Banerjee said the idea is to have relevant interventions at different times over the four semesters. A talent that is trained in new technologies is most attractive across employers.

In the future, he said the company also wants to take it to the other markets they are present in.

The benefits

In most companies, fresh graduates are required to undergo a learning cycle for six to eight months to acquire company-specific skills. Only then are they asked to work on full-time projects.

Across companies, the learning-cycle is shortening. It is to have relevant bite-sized learning. So, we would want to keep adopting newer models and also keep updating the curriculum and technologies on a regular basis, he added.

Tata Technologies also trains the trainers. We have a dedicated staff to work with the professors in these engineering institutes. Since we also depend on the professors to deliver the training, it is imperative that they are trained first, he added.

He said they are in regular talks with the engineering schools to look into the possibility of implementing tweaks in the curriculum so that the course content is tuned to the industry needs.

According to various reports, only 25-30 percent of the 150,000 engineers graduating from institutes are adequately skilled for the available jobs.
File Photo: A security guard stands outside a closed Yes Bank branch in New Delhi

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Yes Bank chief Rana Kapoor will have to step down from his position of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director on January 31, 2019 after the Reserve Bank of India refused to let him continue as chief for three more years.

It would be safe to assume that following the RBI's directive, the hunt for a new MD and CEO would have already started at the mid-sized private sector bank. But getting a new person to replace a man who has been the face of the bank since its inception in 2004 will not be easy.

Yes Bank's board of directors is scheduled to meet on September 25 to deliberate on the matter.

"They (Board) will have to come out with a plan out the next move. While they will look at a possible second-in-command, I presume Yes Bank could also look at all legal aspects to keep Rana Kapoor in control or maybe even challenge the RBI decision," an industry source said.

Another source suggested that Kapoor could appoint himself Chairman.

Meanwhile, some of the names of people likely to replace Kapoor at Yes Bank include that of current Senior Group President of Financial Markets at Yes Bank, Rajat Monga. Another name doing the rounds is that of HDFC Bank's outgoing Deputy Managing Director Paresh Sukthankar.

Phone calls made to Monga and Sukthankar went unanswered. A Yes Bank spokesperson said that any decision on the matter will be taken by the board on September 25.

"Kapoor has been the founding CEO and built Yes bank from scratch. So, replacing him will require someone who can take it head on from here on. Also, the banks financial strength is still quite healthy and stable. There are good second-rung management people who have the capability," a senior analyst said.

The central bank did not provide any particular reason for denying Kapoor an extension of term. However, it is widely speculated that Yes Bank's divergences (of around Rs 10,532 crore) in the reporting of bad loans for two years, which pushed its profits up 20-30 percent, was one of the primary reasons why the RBI wanted him to exit his executive role.

Before he co-founded Yes Bank with Ashok Kapur, Kapoor was the Managing Partner of Rabo India Finance (RIF), a corporate finance and investment banking firm. Starting off his career with Bank of America as a management trainee, Kapoor also worked with ANZ Grindlays Investment Bank and later joined Rabobank.

Top management and board members

Interestingly, on the lender's website, the "Yes Bank team" just has three employees under it -- Rana Kapoor, Pralay Mondal, who is Business Head - Retail and Business Banking, and P Kumar, the bank's Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The page does not mention the names of recently-appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Raj Ahuja or that of Rajat Monga, who along with the rest, figures in the top management team under senior group presidents and group presidents without any specific designations.

The list of the bank's board members mentions nine names, including Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman Ashok Chawla, who is also named in a chargesheet by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Aircel-Maxis case.

YesBankBoard

In a note written recently, independent analyst Hemindra Hazari pointed out that, "Even though Yes Bank has nine directors, their age and background deters them from being considered by the RBI for the appointment of a CEO and a replacement for Rana Kapoor."

According to Hazari, the problem with the board is that it is mainly made up of retired professionals from government banks or from the Indian bureaucracy. Also, barring Rana Kapoor and Pratima Sheorey, all of them are over 65 years of age.

Sheorey is currently the Director of Pune-based Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development. She has been a part of the faculty at the institute and holds a Ph.D in marketing and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

According to RBI rules, the retirement age for private sector bank CEOs is 70 years. The rules also require a new CEO and MD to be appointed from the existing nine directors on the board.

"Hence it (RBI) is unlikely to approve a CEO who is over 65 years of age at the time of appointment. Sheorey, in her late 40s, has a marketing background and lacks banking experience; hence she will not qualify for the post of bank CEO as per the Banking Regulation Act," Hazari said.

Promoters fight

Hazari raised another critical point that the "uncertainty on the bank's future leadership is compounded by a Bombay High Court Order of June 4, 2015, which makes it difficult to appoint a suitable candidate for the CEO's post or even appoint a whole-time (executive) director.

After a dispute in 2014 between Yes Bank's top two Indian promoters -- Rana Kapoor and the kin of Ashok Kapur, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, a High Court judgment said that whole-time directors can only be appointed by a joint recommendation of both the warring promoters of the bank.

"The problem is that the promoters (Rana Kapoor and Madhu Kapur) have been unable to come to an understanding on jointly recommending whole-time directors or on any major issue in the management of the bank, and hence it is extremely unlikely that in future they can jointly recommend a whole-time director," Hazari said.

Rana Kapoor owned 10.7 percent in Yes Bank along with other family entities, while Madhu Kapur (Ashok Kapur's wife) owned 7.6 percent, as on June 30, 2018.

The High Court judgment was appealed in the Supreme Court, where it is still sub-judice. According to sources, Madhu Kapur is likely to pitch for fast-tracking the case. So far, Madhu Kapur hasn't received any communication from the bank's management about the matter.

"The ageing composition of Yes Bank's board of directors and the complete absence of whole-time directors apart from Rana Kapoor exposes the bank to leadership risk," Hazari said.

For now, the Yes Bank board can appoint non-whole-time directors, who can be appointed without the recommendation and approval of the promoters.
What a day it has been at the stock market! The Sensex crashed over 1,000 points, and the Nifty gave up the 11,000 mark during intraday trade. A recovery in the last hours of trade did do some damage control, but the trouble seems to have just begun for Yes Bank.

The stock market had a resounding No to the RBIs decision of not giving Yes Banks MD and CEO a Yes to a full tenure, with the Yes Bank stock tumbling at one point as much as 34 percent, its steepest ever, during intraday trade. NPA divergence issues are the topic of conversation yet again as to why the RBI may not have granted a full tenure to Rana Kapoor.

The Yes Bank stock ended 29.46 percent down on the NSE while also hitting a fresh 52-week low during trade today. The unfolding story of Rana Kapoors truncated tenure as MD and CEO of Yes Bank constitutes our Story of the Day.

What happened?

The RBI has sunk its teeth yet again into the private banking sector. Yes Bank CEO and MD Rana Kapoor will continue at the helm of the bank until January 31, 2019. The RBI has reduced his tenure even as shareholders sought an extension for three years.

In a filing to stock exchanges, the bank said, "Reserve Bank of India has vide letter dated September 17, 2018 received today, intimated that Rana Kapoor may continue as the MD & CEO till 31 January 2019, and the Board of Directors of the Bank are scheduled to meet on September 25, 2018 to decide on the future course of action."

Yes Bank has been under the regulators lens after it reported divergences in classification of non-performing assets (NPAs) as compared to the assessment by the RBI. It was a similar story that we saw in the case of Shikha Sharma at Axis Bank as well.

Despite support from shareholders, Ms Sharma said she would step down at the end of 2018, more than two years before the proposed end of her term, after the central bank refused to extend her tenure.

Lets understand the issue of NPA divergence a little bit better. The RBI obviously has not stated the reasons for not granting Mr Kapoor a full tenure, but it has butted heads with Yes Bank as well as other banks in the past with regards just how much of their loans should be recognized as non-performing.

What is NPA divergence?

So, what is NPA divergence? Its the difference between what the banks cite as the amount of bad loans they have versus what the RBI post its own assessment says the amount is.

If you have been in colleges where they encourage you to self-assess, this is the difference between the grades you give yourself versus the grades you actually deserve by way of marking by a professor. Except, in this case, its loans worth thousands of crores of rupees.

For example, Axis Bank reported Rs 6,087 crore as gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) in FY16. As assessed by the RBI, the GNPAs were Rs 15,565 crore  implying a sharp divergence of Rs 9,478 crore. SBI, for another example, reported bad loan divergence of a whopping Rs 23,239 crore in FY17.

Soumen Chatterjee, head of research at Guiness Securities Ltd, speaking to the Economic Times, said, The RBI is snuffing out any hope bankers had about non-compliance being dealt with gently. Senior management now knows that anyone not playing by the central banks rule book will be shown the door.

The RBI is in the process of cleaning up an overhang of more than $210 billion of stressed assets in the Indian banking system. The amount of stressed assets that the Indian banking system has is among the highest in the world.

To revive lending in Asias third largest economy is therefore vital. Last year, the RBI ordered lenders to come clean in exchange filings if the difference between the soured credit reported in their results and as assessed in subsequent central bank reviews, amounted to more than 15 percent.

The Economic Times reported that Yes Bank later reported a discrepancy of 15 + 300 percent (315 percent), one of the highest in the industry; the difference for Axis was 26 percent, the difference for Bank of India was 27 percent and for SBI, 21 percent.

Yes Bank has argued that the impact of the divergence on the banks results was small because it subsequently recovered many of the loans labeled as problematic by the central bank. If we take a look at the numbers, Yes Bank reported gross NPAs for FY17 at Rs 2,018 crore.

However, gross NPAs of the private sector lender were estimated to be Rs 8,373.8 crore by the central bank. The resulting divergence was nearly three times the reported amount.

Rana Kapoor's legacy

Madhuchanda Dey, Head of Moneycontrol Research, writes, Yes Bank was synonymous with Rana Kapoor. He founded Yes Bank in 2003 and in the last fifteen years created a bank of formidable size and influence. Since its listing in 2005 till date, the stock has risen by 4,378 percentage in absolute terms, generating a compounded annual return (CAR) of 34 percent.

This wealth creation has been accompanied by a similar performance in business. Over the last decade (2006 to 2018) the profitability of the bank had grown 42 percent compounded annually. Business growth has been equally supportive with total assets, advances, and deposits growing at a compounded rate of 43 percent, 77 percent and 42 percent, respectively.

She goes on to note that, In recent times, Yes Bank outperformed most of its peers and the market has rewarded the stock for this. The 28 percent and 34 percent growth in deposits and loans, respectively, in the past four years has silenced critics.

Consequently, its share in deposits and advances of the system has improved to 1.7 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively from 0.9 percent in FY14. The bank had succeeded in taking up the share of low-cost CASA to 37 percent by end of FY18 from 22 percent four years back and in the process managed to improve its net interest margin as well.

However, being a corporate-focused bank, what surprised the markets about Yes Bank is its pristine asset quality (gross NPA of 1.28 percent in FY18) amid the troubled landscape of Indian corporate sector. Nobody knew the secret sauce for this success, and many industry watchers felt it too good to be true.

Kapoor has been the bank's CEO since 2004 and his term ended on August 31 this year. Kapoor has been the founding CEO of Yes Bank, which was co-founded along with Ashok Kapur, who died in the 26/11 terrorist attack in 2008.

As a promoter, Kapoor and his family own 10.66 percent stake in the bank.

In June, Yes Bank's shareholders had approved the re-appointment of Kapoor as the CEO and MD for three years. Every shareholder's approval is subject to a final nod from the RBI.

Stock market and brokerage-house reaction

Shares of Yes Bank Ltd on Friday tumbled over 34 percent, its steepest fall ever, as brokerages downgraded the stock and cut its target price. In intraday trade, the Yes Bank stock fell as much as 34 percent, its steepest fall since listing, to Rs 210.10 a sharea level last seen on 24 June 2016.

So far this year, the stock has declined 17.17 percent. At 12.07pm, the stock was trading at Rs 254.55 on the Bombay Stock Exchange. At the time of closing hours, Yes Bank stock was trading at Rs 227.05, a fall of 28.71 percent on the BSE. On the NSE, the stock closed at Rs 225.15 a fall of 29.46 percent.

How are brokerage houses viewing this development? Well, not well. Most of the brokerages have downgraded the stock and also slashed the target price.

IDFC Securities, saying the cutting down of Ranas tenure could slow down loan and fee growth and impact the banks ability to raise high net worth deposits, maintained an Underperform rating on Yes Bank, and also cut target to Rs 230 from Rs 350 per share.

Research house Citi has downgraded the stock to sell from buy with a potential downside of 15 percent. It also cut the target price to Rs 270 from Rs 440 per share. Citi also feels four months would be too short a time period to find a suitable replacement.

Foreign broking house Macquarie has maintain Outperform rating on Yes Bank with a target of Rs 425 and expect potential upside of 33 percent on the stock. The rejection is a major negative development, while absence of any communication from bank or RBI will be an overhang on the stock, it added.

Goldman Sachs has downgrades the stock to neutral from buy and cut target to Rs 300 from Rs 383 per share. It said, The current news may create uncertainty on strategic direction, also future growth and profitability of the bank is uncertain. The banks current CET-1 capital ratio at 9.5 percent is close to 8 percent. It cut the earnings estimates by 11 percent to 18 percent for FY19-21.

Broking house Nomura has downgraded the stock to neutral from buy and cut target to Rs 345 from Rs 500 per share. According to Nomura, the base case target price is at Rs 365, if capital raising becomes difficult. The firm has cut its earnings growth estimate for the next two years to 20 percent, while credible external CEO candidate and lower FY18 divergence will be positive catalysts.

There is no denying of the fact that this development will have some implications for Yes Banks growth plans, but if investors give time, things should turn around.

If we look at history, the stock is trading at discount to peers. The RBI action suggests that the central bank may want to make a change at the top role of the bank and we feel another gentleman or lady may come and run the show," Krishna Kumar Karwa, Managing Director, Emkay Global Financial Services told CNBC-TV18.

But, this kind of correction in such a strong bank made valuations attractive and is a long-term opportunity for investors," Karwa said.

Madhuchanda Dey writes,  [Of] great[er] concern is the banks ability to raise capital to maintain the blistering pace of growth until all the concerns are allayed. The bank had last raised equity in March 2017. Given the emerging opportunities due to the comatose state of many state-owned banks, Yes Bank would have liked to take advantage of the environment by bolstering its equity base. Investors will have many more questions till the dust settles. In the interim, the stock is expected to remain volatile with a downward bias. Investors should exercise caution and shouldnt bottom fish in a haste till clarity emerges on the quality of its books.

Who next?

That is the next big question. Getting a new person to replace Rana Kapoor, who has been the founding MD and CEO, and for all practical purposes, its face, will not be easy, to say the least. Beena Parmar, writing for Moneycontrol, reports, A source suggested that Kapoor could appoint himself Chairman.

Meanwhile, some of the names of people likely to replace Kapoor at Yes Bank include that of current Senior Group President of Financial Markets at Yes Bank, Rajat Monga. Another name doing the rounds is that of HDFC Bank's outgoing Deputy Managing Director Paresh Sukthankar.

Phone calls made to Monga and Sukthankar by Moneycontrol went unanswered. A Yes Bank spokesperson said that any decision on the matter would be taken by the board on September 25.

Independent analyst Hemindra Hazari, in a note he wrote recently, pointed out that, "Even though Yes Bank has nine directors, their age and background deters them from being considered by the RBI for the appointment as CEO and a replacement for Rana Kapoor."

According to Hazari, the problem with the board is that it is mainly made up of retired professionals from government banks or from the Indian bureaucracy. Also, barring Rana Kapoor and Pratima Sheorey, all of them are over 65 years of age.

Sheorey is currently the Director of Pune-based Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development. In her mid-40s, and with not much banking experience, Sheorey might be considered ineligible for the role of CEO as per the Banking Regulation Act, Hazari went on to add. The current retirement age stipulated for MD and CEOs of private banks is 70.

Hazari raised another critical point that the "uncertainty of the bank's future leadership is compounded by a Bombay High Court Order of June 4, 2015, which makes it difficult to appoint a suitable candidate for the CEO's post or even appoint a whole-time (executive) director.

After a dispute in 2014 between Yes Bank's top two Indian promoters -- Rana Kapoor and the kin of Ashok Kapur, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, a High Court judgment said that whole-time directors can only be appointed by a joint recommendation of both the warring promoters of the bank.

The problem is that the promoters (Rana Kapoor and Madhu Kapur) have been unable to come to an understanding on jointly recommending whole-time directors or on any major issue in the management of the bank, and hence it is extremely unlikely that in future they can jointly recommend a whole-time director, Hazari said.

Rana Kapoor owned 10.7 percent in Yes Bank along with other family entities, while Madhu Kapur (Ashok Kapur's wife) owned 7.6 percent, as on June 30, 2018.

The High Court judgment was appealed in the Supreme Court, where it is still sub judice. According to sources, Madhu Kapur is likely to pitch for fast-tracking the case. So far, Madhu Kapur hasn't received any communication from the bank's management about the matter.

VG Kannan, CEO, Indian Banks Association, speaking to the Economic Times, said one of the issues dogging the Indian private banking system is promoters also leading the banks.

He said, One thing which the Reserve Bank of India has been telling is that banks should be headed by professional bankers and this could be a time for the RBI to push for a professional banker, not in the sense that Mr Rana Kapoor is not a professional banker but he has a majority stake in the company and there could be clash of interest and where a professional banker without any holding in the company would make sense. He added, I do think this is an issue but in the long run, it will be always better to have professional people on board with a very nominal stake in the companies so that there is a total diversity in the board.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Friday slammed the Modi government for its banking policy, saying due to its "heavy-handed" approach towards non-performing assets, banks have no money to lend.

In a series of tweets, the former finance minister also claimed that though export credit had declined from Rs 39,000 crore in June, 2017, to Rs 22,300 crore in June, 2018, the government thinks that it is taking steps to boost exports.

"In a climate of suspicion and vendetta, the only thing a banker looks forward to is the date of retirement. "Thanks to the NDA government's heavy-handed approach to the NPA problem, banks have no money to lend and bankers have no mind to lend," he said.

Chidambaram said the report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative has said 27.1 crore people in India were lifted out of poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16 and of those 10 years, the UPA was in the government for eight years.

"For the BJP government, its bloggers and bhakths, every problem is a 'legacy' issue. Wish to remind them that lifting 27.1 crore people out of poverty is also a 'legacy' issue," he said.

Painting a gloomy picture of the banking sector, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said Gross NPA ratio of banks is likely to rise from 11.6 percent in March 2018 to 12.2 percent by the end of the current fiscal.

In its Financial Stability Report (FSR), the RBI has said stress in the banking sector continues as gross non-performing advances (GNPA) ratio rises further.

"Macro-stress tests indicate that under the baseline scenario of current macroeconomic outlook, SCBs' (scheduled commercial banks) GNPA ratio may rise from 11.6 percent in March 2018 to 12.2 percent by March 2019," it said.

Referring to the 11 state-owned banks under prompt corrective action framework (PCA), the RBI said they may experience worsening of their GNPA ratio from 21 percent in March 2018 to 22.3 percent by this fiscal-end.
Outside the Houses of Parliament, London (REUTERS/Hannah McKay)

Britain leaves the European Union on March 29, yet little is clear: There is, so far, no divorce deal, rivals to Prime Minister Theresa May are circling and some rebels have vowed to vote against a possible Brexit deal.

How will the Brexit finale play out?

Following are scenarios:

1) DISORDERLY BREXIT

If May is toppled, fails to reach an agreement with the EU or parliament rejects her deal, Britain would plunge into crisis. Many opponents of Brexit predict this outcome, as do some supporters of a deeper break with the EU than that advocated by the prime minister.

MAY FALLS

May's snap election in 2017 lost her party its parliamentary majority. Her minority government is now propped up by 10 Democratic Unionist Party lawmakers from Northern Ireland.

Her Conservative Party, which has been split over Europe for 30 years, is in open conflict and some of her lawmakers want a new leader.

If May fell, selection of a new party leader would delay already tight Brexit negotiations. A national election is possible, though not legally necessary. Opinion polls show no party has a clear enough lead to predict victory confidently.

Poll ratings have fallen for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who voted 'out' in a 1975 referendum on membership of the then European Community.

Possible successors to May include former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, interior minister Sajid Javid, environment minister Michael Gove, current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab, her Brexit minister.

Other possible contenders include Tom Tugendhat, a former soldier who chairs the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and hardline Brexiteer lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg.

A majority of Conservative lawmakers voted against Brexit in the 2016 referendum, but many have since switched while up to 80 of the 316 Conservative lawmakers now support a sharper split with the EU than May is proposing.

NO DEAL

Both London and Brussels say they want a divorce deal, though there is limited time if the British and EU parliaments are to ratify a deal by March 29.

Two documents must be agreed: the Withdrawal Agreement Treaty and a declaration on the framework for a future relationship.

Agreeing an arrangement for the Northern Irish border with the Republic of Ireland is a hurdle, though diplomats said a deal could be clinched at the very last minute.

If May cannot get an overall deal in October or November, an agreement could be reached at the Dec. 13-14 EU Council.

DEAL REJECTED

Any deal must be approved by British lawmakers. If they reject it, Britain would face leaving the EU without an agreement. The country would move from seamless trade with the EU to customs arrangements set by the World Trade Organization for external states.

Many business chiefs and investors say a "no-deal" Brexit would weaken the West, panic financial markets and block the arteries of trade. Brexit supporters say such fears are exaggerated and Britain would thrive in the long term outside the EU.

May is betting that fear of a "no-deal" outcome will push many Conservative and Labour lawmakers to support a deal.

Parliament will have votes on the Brexit deal and on the Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill. In recent votes May has had a majority of around six on major Brexit issues.

In a no-deal scenario, other options include seeking an extension of the Brexit negotiations or parliament calling for a rerun of the referendum.

2) LAST MINUTE DEAL

British politicians are trying to persuade German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to ensure the EU accepts a deal that May can sell to her parliament.

Around 85-90 percent of the Withdrawal Agreement text is settled, according to Cabinet Office minister David Lidington.

In that case, little would change immediately after Brexit day because a transition period would last until Dec. 31, 2020.

May has said she will fight the next UK election, due in 2022. However, she would probably face a challenge within her party soon after Brexit as few Conservative lawmakers think she can win a national election.

Business leaders fear politicians have given little thought to how the UK should operate in practice after it leaves the EU.

3) BREXIT REVERSED

If the UK slides into chaos, there is a chance Brexit could be stopped through a popular vote, though May rules out another Brexit referendum. Opinion polls show Britons remain divided, though some have recently signalled a swing towards support for staying in the EU.

A YouGov poll, conducted July 31-August 7 for the pro-referendum "People's Vote" campaign, found 45 percent supported a new referendum whatever the outcome of talks with the EU, while 34 percent opposed it.

Calling a rerun of the referendum on what was a Conservative brainchild would sink the premiership of any leader of the party. Labour's Corbyn has indicated he does not support another referendum but has not explicitly ruled one out.

Brexit supporters say a second referendum would trigger a major constitutional crisis.
business Macro@Moneycontrol I Government to use geo-tagging to crackdown on shell companies Moneycontrols Sakshi Batra in conversation with Gaurav Choudhury, Policy Editor, Moneycontrol to find out how GPS will soon help the government in tracing black money and identifying shell companies.
Relations between RSS-minded Hindus and Muslims will not improve even if several temples come up instead of one, she said.

Lucknow: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati, on Thursday, slammed the Modi government for bringing an ordinance on the triple talaq issue. She also attacked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat who said that the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will ease tension between Hindus and Muslims.

In a statement issued, Ms Mayawati said that triple talaq was a sensitive issue which was being used for political gains. We also do not agree with the RSS chiefs logic that a grand temple in Ayodhya will help end tensions between Hindus and Muslims. Relations between RSS-minded Hindus and Muslims will not improve even if several temples come up instead of one, she said.

Ms Mayawati said that the RSS chiefs statement reflected their basic mindset which is against Dalits, Muslims and the minorities and this is the reason why the BJP, which has originated from them, has adopted policies that are tarnishing democracy of the country.

The BSP leader asked the RSS to change its communal and hatred-ridden thinking and adopt a humanitarian approach which carries the spirit of the Indian Constitution.
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The Finance Ministry is still discussing a request for a bailout for the national carrier, but has ruled out the option of waving off Air Indias working capital debt of Rs 30,000 crore at one go, The Economic Times reported.

"They have other considerations and the money will not come in one go but would come in installments. Air India needs to get rid of its debt trap and a one-time support by the government would have helped Air India," a senior aviation ministry official told the paper.

He added that the other options on the table include a combination of equity and debt. An infusion of cash into the national carrier is essential for it to meet financial commitments. The airline's debt burden had warded off potential bidders when the government put it up for sale earlier this year.

The government wants the airline to be in shape for sale after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections after it failed to find buyers for a 76 percent stake in the airline, the report said.

Read  When systems failed aboard Air India's New York flight risking 370 lives, here's how pilots saved the day

The Aviation Ministry had sought the waiver of Air India's Rs 30,000-crore debt, and also the infusion of cash to the tune of Rs 10,000-11,000 crore after its divestment plan was called off.

If the government agrees, this will be Air India's second bailout in five years. In 2013, the UPA government had approved an equity infusion of Rs 30,231 crore until FY21. The airline has already received about Rs 27,000 crore, the report said.

Read: Centre planning strategic sale of 4 Air India subsidiaries soon

Since the beginning of the year, the government has provided Air India Rs 1,630 crore to tide over the cash shortage. This includes a supplementary provision of Rs 980 crore which was released in August. The amount is in excess of the budgetary estimate of Rs 650 crore.

The airline had sought Rs 2,000 crore from the Centre, of which it has already raised Rs 1,500 crore and can raise an additional Rs 500 crore.

Read: Govt working on strategic sale of Air India subsidiary AIATSL

The airline used the money raised from the government to clear outstanding dues to lenders, both foreign and domestic, as well as vendors. However, it still owes Rs 5,000 crore to oil companies, and Rs 3,000 crore to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
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Indian market slipped for the third consecutive day in a row on Wednesday with Sensex falling as much as 170 points while the Nifty50 plunged below 11,250 to close at 11234.

Technically speaking, Nifty formed bearish candle for the third consecutive day in a row and has now slipped below its crucial 50-DMA. Next support comes at 11,100 and 11,000.

The initial bounce back was quickly sold into, led by losses in Small-caps, FMCG, realty, consumer durable, as well as midcap index.

Weakness in Nifty Bank continue to weigh on Nifty. Nifty Bank closed 164 points lower led by losses in IndusInd Bank, HDFC Bank, Yes Bank and IDFC Bank.

HDFC AMC, Reliance Nippon shares slump as Sebi cuts mutual fund expense ratio

Stocks in news:

Cash-strapped hospitality chain Hotel Leela Venture has defaulted in payment of quarterly interest of Rs 2.12 crore to Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). Hotel Leela Venture, which currently has a debt of over Rs 3,600 crore, had issued secured redeemable non-convertible debentures (NCDs) on private placement basis aggregating to Rs 90 crore to LIC in December 2008.

Yes Bank CEO and MD Rana Kapoor will continue at the helm of the bank until January 31, 2019. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reduced his tenure even as shareholders sought a extension for three years.

Ace investor Ashish Kacholia raised his stake further in Marshall Machines, the auto component maker, to 8.68 percent on Wednesday. He has bought 99,000 shares of the company at Rs 43.15 per share on the NSE, as per bulk deals data available on the exchange.

Technical Recommendations:

The index formed a Bearish candle for the third day in a row

The index tumbled down towards the lower end of the channel. On the way down, the index has broken the swing low of 11250.

It looks like Nifty is in a bear grip but given the fact it is trading near crucial support levels, a bounce back could be on the cards.

On the downside, 11,160 shall be the key level to watch out for. On the other hand, near term hurdle zone tightens to 11270-11300.

Max Call OI: 11500, 11400

Max Put OI: 11200, 11,000

Technical Recommendations:

Tech Mahindra Ltd: Buy| Target: Rs 832| Stop Loss: Rs 739| Returns 8%

TVS Motor Company Ltd: Buy| Target: Rs 649| Stop Loss: Rs 575| Returns 8.2%

JSW Steel Ltd: Buy| Target: Rs 442| Stop Loss: Rs 404.5| Returns 6%

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Sugar

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Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar shares locked at 10 percent lower circuit after Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 12.35 crore for alleged contravention of provisions of the Competition Act.

There were pending sell orders of 240,505 shares, with no buyers available.

Competition Commission of India (CCI) vide its order dated September 18 has passed an order against various sugar companies including Bajaj

Hindusthan Sugar for alleged contravention of provisions of The Competition Act, 2002 in respect of joint tender floated by oil marketing companies (OMCs) for supply of ethanol and imposed penalty of Rs 12.35 crore, company said in release.

"Based on the company's own assessment and advice given by its legal counsels, company believes that it has a good case for succeeding in appeal and will accordingly file its appeal against the order before the appropriate authority, it added.

At 14:14 hrs Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar was quoting at Rs 10.42, down Rs 1.15, or 9.94 percent on the BSE.

Posted by Rakesh Patil
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India's government is planning to ask state oil firms to lock in their crude futures purchase prices, a government source said on Thursday, anticipating a spike when US sanctions on Iran snap back again in November.

The move would be another step to tackle a slide in the rupee, as oil prices are putting pressure on India, which imports some 80 percent of its crude demand. Its currency has fallen sharply this year against the US dollar, amid a wider sell-off in emerging markets.

"The futures should be locked in when crude price is down," said the source, who is familiar with deliberations on the matter, adding the step should have been taken earlier.

The rupee, Asia's worst performing currency this year, has depreciated about 12 percent year-to-date against the US dollar, closing at 72.39 on Wednesday, after a record low of 72.99 on Tuesday. Markets were closed on Thursday.

The government is expected to announce a set of measures to discourage non-essential imports to stem the slump in the currency.

Separately, a senior finance ministry official said there was a view that the rupee could weaken further in the next two months if proposed steps failed to kill "speculation in the rupee market".

"The gap between the announcement of steps and action is creating a space for speculation. We have to stop this," said the official.

Officials at oil companies said they were open to the idea of locking in futures if the government asked.

A senior official at Indian Oil Corp, a state-owned oil marketing company, said they were considering some options in terms of forward contracts. He declined to give details saying this was "market sensitive information".

An official at BPCL, another state-owned oil firm, said they were trying to hedge margins, under a policy reviewed every quarter.

BPCL is also studying a proposal to buy dollars directly from the Reserve Bank of India instead of the market, in a bid to quell strong dollar demand that is denting the rupee.

"Whenever, there is sharp volatility in exchange rates, this dollar window is opened. We're studying the proposal," he said.

Another official at state-run HPCL said the government had not officially asked for it to examine forward contracts.

"In case it is needed, or the government wants us to, we will then look into it," the HPCL official said.

The officials declined to be named as the proposals are still under consideration.

India's risk-averse state-owned refiners have in the past been reluctant to engage in futures trading or hedging strategies, fearing administrative blow-back if bets go wrong.

The refiners typically buy up to 70 percent of their oil needs through term deals and the remainder through spot markets.

Unlike state refiners, private players Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy use hedging tools to lock in costs on the international market.
After a choppy day of trade, stock market ended on a negative note. Nifty could not hold 11,200 at close, Sensex closed over 200 points lower. Here are a few factors responsible for the sell-off in the market.

DHFL crashed over 50 percent on concerns of liquidity crisis. However, management clarified that the fundamentals of the company are intact.

DSP Mutual Fund sold Rs 200-300 crore of DHFL commercial paper this week. Further, the MF added that the fund house has some exposure to IL&FS Group.

Sanjiv Bhasin of IIFL told Moneycontrol that a sell-off in non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) is a lot to do with the fiasco around IL&FS. The real weakness is due to this issue and not a depreciating rupee. All mutual funds and other entities have some exposure to such instruments and that is impacting stocks in the space."

The panic eventually spread to the entire NBFC space and housing finance sector, and other stocks like Indiabulls Housing Finance, too, fell by over 20 percent during the session.

Another factor that contributed to the fall was the sharp move in Yes Bank after RBI denied extension of tenor for CEO and MD Rana Kapoor.
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Shares of State Bank of India (SBI) gained 2.6 percent intraday Friday after bank concluded the issuance of USD 650 Mio Green Senior Unsecured Fixed Rate Notes programme.

The bank has concluded the issue of USD 650 Mio Green Senior Unsecured Fixed Rate Notes having maturity of 5 years and coupon of 4.5 percent payable semi annually under Regulation-S.

The Bonds will be issued through its London branch as September 28, 2018 and shall be listed on Singapore Stock Exchange and lndia lnternational Exchange, GIFT City.

Also, Central board of SBI at its meeting held on September 20 has given approval for transfer of the existing Merchant Acquiring Business (MAB) of the bank to its wholly owned subsidiary, SBI Payment Services (SBIPSPL).

The Bank intends to subsequently induct a JV partner with proven global expertise in this business in SBIPSPL.

At 11:25 hrs State Bank of India was quoting at Rs 278.00, up Rs 6.60, or 2.43 percent on the BSE.

Posted by Rakesh Patil
Answer: Nostrum (File imagDivis Laboratories share price performance in FY18: Up 75 percent | FY19: Up 56 percent | FY20: Up 17 percent.e)

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Shares of Strides Pharma gained about 3.5 percent in the opening trade on Friday as Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) cleared the merger of Arrow Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Strides Pharma Science and Apotex Australia.

At 0947 hours, the stock was quoting at Rs 507.7, up 3.65 perecnt from previous days close.

The company on Thursday informed the exchanges that ACCC would not contest the merger of two companies.

The transaction remains subject to the conclusion of definitive agreements, Board approval and the satisfaction of certain other conditions, including approval from the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board, the company added in its exchange filing.

Arrow Pharmaceuticals imports and distributes generic prescription and over-the-counter drugs to hospitals and pharmacies. Apotex is also involved in a similar business.
Often we take care of people who suffer from some disability and for their treatment we spend lots of money, including taking care of their health, their nursing and another basic requirement. But, have we ever claimed those expenses for deductions to save taxes? In fact, the income tax laws have a deduction clause for expenditure incurred on medical expenses for dependents in case of disability which may not be known to many but can be very useful when it comes to saving taxes.

Here are few things to know before you claim deductions against the expenses made towards a disabled person during a financial year.

What diseases are covered under disability?

Disability is as defined under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

Saraswathi Kasturirangan, Partner, Deloitte India told Moneycontrol that under this Act, disability includes blindness, low vision, leprosy-cured, hearing impairment, locomotor disability (disability of the bones, joints or muscles leading to substantial restriction of the movement of limbs or any form of cerebral palsy), mental retardation, mental illness.

It also includes autism, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities as per the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999, she added.

How to avail such deduction?

Srividya, Senior Manager, Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP explained the following scenario with some real-life situation where such a deduction will be available.

Mr A has a brother, impacted by autism, and is looking to see whether he is eligible for such deductions. Mr A is under the impression that he cannot get any tax benefit for the expenses incurred in maintaining his brother who is primarily dependent on him. He also has a friend who has been abroad for a few years and has a similar situation.

Presuming that Mr A is a resident of India and has met all criteria indicated above, he will be eligible for this deduction. However this deduction is not available to his friend who has been out of India for quite a few years and is considered as a non-resident, she added.

What are the benefits available?

The benefit is available for medical expenses incurred for, by a resident of India. The expenses could be towards nursing, training and rehabilitation as well. The quantum of deduction eligible is Rs 75000 per annum. A higher deduction of Rs 125000 p.a. is also available if there is a severe disability, said Kasturirangan.

Other deduction benefits available

Apart from this, the deduction is also available for amounts paid or deposited with the Life Insurance Corporation or any other insurer or the administrator for the maintenance of a dependent, being a person with a disability. Such schemes should provide for the payment of annuity or lump sum amount for the benefit of the disabled dependent, in the event of the death of the taxpayer.

Dependents for this purpose include the spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters who are wholly or mainly dependent on the tax payer for support and maintenance. It is also to be noted that such dependents should not have claimed a deduction for self in their tax return; in other words, the double deduction is not permitted.

Requirements to claim a deduction

A copy of the certificate validated by either the neurologist or civil surgeon or the chief medical officer in a government hospital should be attached with the return of income to be filed; all details to be provided in the prescribed form. Given the online filing of tax return, the certificate may need to be produced when the tax officer requests for the same. The benefit can be claimed through the employer at the point of tax withholding. However similar documentation will need to be submitted to the employer.

Conclusion

The Income Tax Act provides deductions for health related expenses. It is important to understand opportunities for optimising ones taxes, check out the relevant provisions, make sure that the related documentation is available and reflect the claim in tax returns, said Srividya.
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Small lenders will submit their resolution plans on stressed power assets to a group of bankers and assess the situation on October 10, Financial Express reported quoting people aware of the development.

The move comes after the Supreme Court asked banks to maintain status quo and not initiate insolvency proceedings against loan defaulting power companies in the country. The decision provided a temporary respite to 34 stressed coal-based projects with a combined capacity of about 39 GW and banks exposure of Rs 1.75 lakh crore.

According to Power Finance Corporation (PFC) the Supreme Court's decision would save seven PFC-funded coal-based power projects with generation capacities of 10,190 MW from going to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

A number of resolution plans for stressed assets are stuck at advanced stages because a fraction of small lenders in the consortiums are not agreeing to the plans submitted by major lenders, the report said.

If the small lenders give their consent, it would pave way for the resolution of stressed power assets. The bankers met on September 18 in the headquarters of the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to discuss the issue. The representatives from State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank were present in the meeting.

Major financial institutions who are the leading lenders to stressed power projects include State Bank of India, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, IDFC, IDBI Bank and PNB.

The government has also formed a committee, chaired by Cabinet secretary PK Sinha, to deal with stressed power assets. The committee has deliberated on irregular payments from discoms to independent power producers, possible changes in fuel allocation policies and ways of making discoms comply with terms of power purchase agreements.

The Allahabad High Court has asked the committee to come up with a report by the end of September. The committee comprises senior officials from various ministries and major banks and financial institutions.
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Here are the stocks that are in news today:

Yes Bank: Reserve Bank of India has intimated that Shri Rana Kapoor may continue as the MD & CEO till January 31, 2019, and the board of directors of the bank are scheduled to meet on September 25 to decide on the future course of action.

Moody's affirms Yes Bank's ratings with Baa3; outlook stable

Wipro shareholders approve amalgamation with Wipro Tech Austria

Fitch affirms Tata Motors at BB+; revises outlook to negative

Sterlite Tech clarified, on Airtel, Jio, Sterlite Tech among bidders for Aircel Assets - that this is factually incorrect, and that the company denies having participated in any such bid

Stata Bank of India: The bank concluded the issuance of $650 Mio Green Senior Unsecured Fixed Rate Notes under $10 billion MTN programme.

ICICI Bank: Committee of Executive Directors constituted by the board of the bank is scheduled to have a meeting on September 24 to consider offshore fund raising in single/multiple tranches in any currency through public/private placement by way of issuances of debt instruments, certificate of deposits etc. for the remaining period of financial year 2018-19.

Asda selects HCL Technologies to help drive IT transformation

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced clearance of the merger of Arrow Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Strides Pharma Science and Apotex Australia

Central Bank of India: The bank has received Rs 2,354 crore by way of preferential allotment to Government of India.

Allahabad Bank: Share issue and allotment committee of board of directors of the bank approved raising of equity capital by an amount aggregating upto around Rs 1,500 crore through qualified institutions placement (QIP) in one or more tranches during FY19.

Infosys launches Wingspan, a transformational learning solution for enterprises

Clariant Chemicals (India) to divest plastics and coatings business by 2020

NBCC: Company has secured the total business of Rs 921.67 crore (approximately) in August.

Gravita expands production capacity of its plant situated at Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

Dilip Buildcon declared L-1 bidder for Metro rail project for Rs 228.96 crore by Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Co

Jet Airways: Report suggested that Income tax department conducts survey operation at company

ITC acquired Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa

Max India: Life Healthcare Group Holdings, South Africa, equal JV Partner in Max Healthcare Institute, has decided to sell its entire 49.70 percent equity stake held in Max Healthcare to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. LP, which may complete the transaction through its portfolio company, Radiant Life Care Private Limited.

Future Supply Chain Solutions: The meeting of the board of directors of the company is scheduled on September 25 to consider and approve raising of funds by way of issue of debt securities or any other mode.

Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar: Competition Commission of India has passed an order against various sugar companies including Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar for alleged contravention of provisions of The Competition Act, 2002 in respect of joint tender floated by oil marketing companies (OMCs) for supply of Ethanol and imposed penalty of Rs 12.35 crore on the company.

Great Eastern Shipping: The company took delivery of a secondhand very large gas carrier Jag Vasant of about 83,270 cbm. The company had contracted to buy the vessel in Q2FY19.

: Board approved the composite scheme of amalgamation and arrangement between Sayaji Hotels, Ahilya Hotels, Sayaji Housekeeping

Services, Sayaji Hotels (Pune) and Sayaji Hotels Management and their respective shareholders and creditors.

Shankara Building Products: Company opened its 134th store under the Shankara Buildpro brand.

Manali Petrochemical: The supply of the subject products (Neuthane Polyurethane Cast Elastomers) is scheduled to commence on September 19.

Apollo Tyres: HDFC MF shareholding in company stood at 5.05 percent as of September 17.

Aditya Birla Capital: ICRA has assigned a AAA (stable) rating for the Rs 800 crore non-convertible debenture (NCD) programme.

IL&FS Transportation Networks: Brickwork Ratings has downgraded the rating for structure NCD amounting to Rs 3,550 crore of the company mainly on account of deterioration in financial risk profile of parent company IL&FS (DSRA undertaking provider) on account of elevated debt levels, further high funding commitments to group companies and delay in asset monetisation resulting high gearing levels at IL&FS Limited.

JMC Projects: Shareholders approved sub-division of the face value of the equity shares of the company from Rs 10 each to Rs 2 each.

Blue Coast Hotels: Company has handed over the possession of movable and immovable properties (except stock of raw materials, semi-finished goods, consumable stores, current stocks and book debts hypothecated to working capital bankers) of hotel Park Hyatt Goa, Resorts & Spa to ITC Limited. The aforesaid hotel property was auctioned by IFCI, the mortgagor, for a consideration of Rs 515.44 crore to ITC.

Oracle Financial Services Software: Sussex Mauritius and Wessex Mauritius disposed of 11.89 lakh and 25.26 shares in company by way of open market sales during September 17-19.

ADF Foods: The company closed its buyback of equity shares of the company after deploying Rs 29.99 crore.

Arman Financial Services: Board has allotted non-convertible debentures (NCDs) to AAV SARL (Luxembourg), through its Indian custodian Deutsche Bank AG.

Asian Paints - the commercial production of paints and intermediaries has successfully commenced at the Mysuru plant, Karnataka

Nagarjuna Fertilizer - Update on shutdown of plant - Company is in the process of sorting out the working capital issues with the bankers to restart the plant

CCI approves ArcelorMittal's acquisition of
Alwar Police has filed complaint against accused under various sections of IPC, after they received zero FIR from a Mumbai police station.

Police said that an investigation into the matter has been initiated and the police will soon record the statement of the woman. (Representational Image)

Alwar: A Mumbai-based model-turned-television actress has accused a 25-year-old man of raping her on the pretext of marriage in Alwar's Neemrana on September 4.

The Alwar Police has filed a complaint against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), after they received a zero FIR from Oshiwara police station, Mumbai.

In her complaint, the woman said that she met the accused while they were studying in a Mumbai college in 2014 and re-established contact this year through a social media platform.

The friendship between the two deepened, following which they decided to meet up in August when the woman flew from Mumbai to Delhi.

The man introduced her to his family members and friends, after which they decided to travel to Neemrana in Rajasthan on September 4, where the crime allegedly took place.

Speaking to news agency ANI, in-charge of Neemrana Police Station, Sanjay Punia informed, "The victim, who is from Uttar Pradesh, had flown to New Delhi to meet the accused. The accused along with his friends hired a cab and reached Neemrana where they booked rooms for night stay. The accused then allegedly raped the victim in one of the rooms."

He further said that an investigation into the matter has been initiated and the police will soon record the statement of the woman.
Indian market, which was hitting record highs almost on a daily basis last month, seems to be losing momentum now. The Nifty50 index has slipped over 500 points while the S&P BSE Sensex has lost nearly 2,000 points from their respective record-high level.

The Nifty50 hit a record high of 11,760 on August 28 and since then it has steadily fallen towards its crucial support and a swing low placed at 11,250.

Technically speaking, the index has broken below its crucial short-term supports placed at 5-days exponential moving average, 13-EMA, 20-EMA, and 50-EMA.

The carnage has been more severe in the small and mid-cap space. As many as 67 stocks in the Nifty500 index saw a double-digit cut since August 28 as Nifty broke below 11,250. Stocks like Bharat Electronics, Unitech, Bank of Baroda, 8K Miles, Kwality, Quess Corp, and Ashok Buildcon fell 15-30 percent in just 15 sessions.

Stocks which fell between 10 percent and 15 percent include LIC Housing Finance, United Spirits, Motilal Oswal, Vakrangee, V-Guard, Jaiprakash Associates, Britannia Industries, Pfizer, Jubilant FoodWorks, DB Realty, Reliance Communications etc. among others.

In the Nifty Small-cap index as many as 13 stocks have slipped over 10  15 percent in the last 15 sessions including Bombay Burmah Trading, Ashoka Buildcon, Escorts, Jet Airways, VIP Industries, Jaiprakash Associates, JK Tyre, Radico Khaitan, Ujjivan Financial Services, Reliance Communications, Just Dial, CG Power, and Kalpataru Power Transmission.

Most of the carnage was seen in the small and mid-cap space in the last 15 sessions. Heavy selling by foreign investors, fall in the rupee to record lows, lingering fear of trade war, as well as selling in banking space, are some of the factors which have contributed to the fall in Indian markets.

Foreign investors have pulled out over Rs 7,000 crore (including debt) from Indian markets in the month of September. This is the second consecutive month in which FPIs have dumped Indian equities.

Most experts feel that volatility is here to stay and a correction in the short-term up to 10 percent is very much possible. Investors who are looking to create wealth should ideally have a time horizon of 1-2 years.

We should understand that anything that rallies in a vertical manner cannot sustain the up move for long, and we are seeing such an instance already on the Nifty and Sensex front. A correction of around 10% from current levels is very much possible and such declines must be cashed in and be bought into, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, CEO of Karvy Stock Broking told Moneycontrol.

The current slide in the INR vs the US Dollar could be a major factor in dragging the equity benchmarks lower in the days to come, thereby giving smart investors another chance to get into the markets yet again, he said.

In the Nifty50 index, as many as 34 stocks witnessed selling pressure while the rest of the 16 stocks managed to buck the trend, led by gains in Wipro, UPL, Dr. Reddys Laboratories, HCL Technologies, and Tata Steel.

On the losing front, as many as 5 stocks out of 34 stocks fell over 10 percent which include names like Yes Bank, Bajaj Finance, Maruti Suzuki, State Bank of India, and Indiabulls Housing Finance.

The Nifty has witnessed unabated selling pressure as the index broke-down from a bearish Head and shoulder pattern on the daily chart, which is not a good sign for the bulls.

If the pattern unfolds the way it should, then Nifty is likely to decline towards the potential target of 11100 levels in the near-term, Hadrien Mendonca, a senior technical analyst at IIFL told Moneycontrol.

However, going forward, given the speed and extent of fall, a small rebound cannot be ruled out up to 11400 levels once again. For the entire bearish pattern to get negated, Nifty has to surpass the right shoulders peak of 10603 levels, he said.
Yes Bank

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Shares of private lender Yes Bank ended 28.7 percent down at Rs 227.05 on the BSE. It has touched a 52-week low of Rs 210.10 in the early trade after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the tenor of Rana Kapoor, a promoter, chief executive and managing director, till January 31, 2019.

The share remained the top loser on the indices as its market cap eroded by more than Rs 21,000 crore today.

The board of directors of the bank are scheduled to meet on September 25, 2018 to decide on the future course of action.

Also, Moody's Investors Service on Thursday affirmed its ratings on the bank. The rating agency has maintained the outlook on the ratings as stable.

As Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had curtailed the term of Rana Kapoor, most of the brokerages have downgraded the stock and also slashed the target price.

Brokerage: IDFC Securities | Rating: Underperform | Target: Rs 230

IDFC Securities has downgraded the stcoks to underperformer from neutral with potential downside of 28 percent. Broking firm also cut target to Rs 230 from Rs 350 per share.

According to IDFC Securities the cut in Ranas tenor is a very big negative for the bank as it will slow down loan and fee growth and this could also impact banks ability to raise high net worth deposits.

This risk has not been priced in and expect significant correction, it said further.

Brokerage: Citi | Rating: Sell | Target: Rs 270

Research house Citi has downgraded the stock to sell from buy with a potential downside of 15 percent. It also cut the target price to Rs 270 from Rs 440 per share.

The firm believes that there is premium attached to the stock due to Rana Kapoor and banks will have likley to defer its capital raise plans, which will be impact growth of the comapny.

Time period of over four months could prove short to find a suitable external candidate, it feels.

Brokerage: Macquarie | Rating: Outperform | Target: Rs 425

Forgien broking house Macquarie has maintain outperform rating on Yes Bank with a target of Rs 425 and expect potential upside of 33 percent on the stock.

The rejection is a major negative development, while absence of any communication from bank or RBI will be an overhang on stock, it added.

Brokerage: Goldman Sachs | Rating: Neutral | Target: Rs 300

Goldman Sachs has downgrades the stock to neutral from buy and cut taregt to Rs 300 from Rs 383 per share.

The current news may create uncertainty on strategic direction, also future growth and profitability of the bank is uncertain.

Banks current CET-1 capital ratio at 9.5% is close to 8%. It cut the earnings estimates by 11% to 18% for FY19-21.

Brokerage: Nomura | Rating: Neutral | Target: Rs 345

Broking house Nomura has downgraded the stock to neutral from buy and cut target to Rs 345 from Rs 500 per share.

According to Nomura, the base case target price is at Rs 365, if capital raising becomes difficult.

The firm has cut its earnings growth estimate for the next two years to 20 percent, while credible external CEO candidate and lower FY18 divergence will be positive catalysts.
manufacturer of Titanium alloys in India.

The government Friday said it has struck off around 55,000 shell companies in the second phase of its efforts to curb illicit fund flows and some of the companies have been served notices and are under scrutiny.

The corporate affairs ministry has already struck off over 2.26 lakh firms for non-filing of financial statements or annual returns for a continuous period of two years or more as part of the first phase of the drive.

"So far as the shell companies are concerned, in the first phase, we have struck off around 2.26 lakh companies, which were not only non-compliant firms but also most of them were bogus. More than 400 companies were working from a one-room set up

"In the second phase, we have already struck off around 55,000 companies and more are on the anvil," minister of state for corporate affairs PP Chaudhary told reporters on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the annual convention of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce here.

Asserting that the government does not want the corporate structure to be "misused" by way of money laundering, drug funding or any illegal actives, Chaudhary said that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and other enforcement authorities are investigating the issue (shell companies) and taking action wherever required.

The government had earlier in June said that it has identified 2.25 lakh companies and 7,191 LLPs, which have not filed requisite financial statement for the financial year 2015-16 and 2016-17 and they may be struck off during the ongoing fiscal year.

The corporate affairs ministry is "scrutinizing" some of the companies to whom notices have been issued in the second phase, said Chaudhary.

"We have issued notices (to some of the companies) and we are examining their responses. After examining their responses, we will take action in accordance with the Companies Act," he added.
Representative Image

Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar on Thursday flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation for India, official sources said. Nambiar, who reached Paris four days ago, flew the aircraft in France to assess its efficacy, they said.

He is in France to also assess the progress in the production of Rafale jets by Dassault Aviation.

Air Marshal Nambiar flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation for India, the sources said.

The delivery of the jets -- capable of carrying a range of potent weapons and missiles -- is scheduled to begin from September next year.

A team of the Indian Air Force is already in France to help Dassault Aviation to incorporate the India-specific avionics and weapons system in the aircraft.

The development comes amid a raging controversy in India over the deal to procure the Rafale fighter jets.

In 2016, the Modi government signed a government-to-government deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore. The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the deal, saying the UPA had finalised the price of each aircraft at Rs 526 crore while the NDA was buying the same jet at Rs 1,670 crore.

The government has refuted these allegations.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressed disappointment at India calling off a meeting between him and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York and alleged that "internal pressure" forced New Delhi to make the "unfortunate" move.

India cited the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

Qureshi expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the foreign minister-level talks, saying it was "unfortunate."

"It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. Indian has once again wasted an opportunity for peace," Qureshi told the media.

He said that it was important to sit and talk for the sake of peace and stability in the region. "The refusal of India shows that Indian government is facing internal pressure," he said.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

He said it seems that "India has priorities other than dialogue, adding there is a group in the New Delhi that doesn't want talks to take place.

He went on to say that if India doesn't want dialogue, then Pakistan also won't be in a haste either. But, Qureshi reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue, the report said.

He said the world should see that "Pakistan has held a positive outlook towards the situation while India's attitude has not been so forthcoming".

"We said that we want dialogue - but in a dignified manner," he added.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

He noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

Former High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit said he was surprised by India's move as New Delhi should not have agreed for it in the first place due to forthcoming elections but after agreeing for a meeting it was more surprising that it backed out.

Former advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz said that it was "unfortunate" that India cancelled the meeting as it would have created an environment for peace.
JUST IN | The Superintendent of Police Begusarai has ordered an arrest of the husband of former Bihar minister Manju Vermain in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, according to an ANI news.

JUST IN | India will not meet Pakistan on the sidelines at the United Nations General Assembly.

JUST IN | SEBI has revised the eligibility of Know your Customer (KYC) conditions for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), according to a CNBC TV 18 report.

JUST IN | SEBI has revised the eligibility Know your Customer (KYC) conditions for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs)

JUST IN | A Dubai-based businessman has been brought in by a probe agency to be questioned in relation to the 2008 Mumbai attack, according to an NDTV tweet.

JUST IN | Ramesh Bawa resigns as MD and CEO of IL&FS Financial Services with effect from September 21.

JUST IN | The Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs Subhash Chandra Garg said that India is currently in talks with the United States, where they have been asked to reduce the import from Iran significantly. He also said that steps will be taken accordingly by the government as the situation emerges till November 4, according to an ANI tweet.

JUST IN | Franco Mulakkal has been arrested by the police following three days of questioning after accusations of him raping a nun in Kerala surfaced, according to an NDTV tweet.

JUST IN | Khurshid Aalam, accused of perpetrating the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, has been killed in Nepal according to a CNN News 18 report.

JUST IN | U.S. President Donald Trump on September 21 said that documents from the federal Russia probe would not immediately be released, citing concerns by the U.S. Justice Department that doing so could harm the investigation.

September 21, 2018 / 09:14 PM IST / 09:14 PM IST JUST IN | U.S. President Donald Trump on September 21 said that documents from the federal Russia probe would not immediately be released, citing concerns by the U.S. Justice Department that doing so could harm the investigation.











September 21, 2018 / 11:29 PM IST That's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights.











September 21, 2018 / 10:46 PM IST











September 21, 2018 / 10:40 PM IST JUST IN | Khurshid Aalam, accused of perpetrating the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, has been killed in Nepal according to a CNN News 18 report.











September 21, 2018 / 09:22 PM IST JUST IN | Franco Mulakkal has been arrested by the police following three days of questioning after accusations of him raping a nun in Kerala surfaced, according to an NDTV tweet.











September 21, 2018 / 08:24 PM IST JUST IN | The Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs Subhash Chandra Garg said that India is currently in talks with the United States, where they have been asked to reduce the import from Iran significantly. He also said that steps will be taken accordingly by the government as the situation emerges till November 4, according to an ANI tweet.











September 21, 2018 / 08:04 PM IST JUST IN | Ramesh Bawa resigns as MD and CEO of IL&FS Financial Services with effect from September 21.











September 21, 2018 / 07:17 PM IST











September 21, 2018 / 07:12 PM IST JUST IN | A Dubai-based businessman has been brought in by a probe agency to be questioned in relation to the 2008 Mumbai attack, according to an NDTV tweet.











September 21, 2018 / 06:58 PM IST











September 21, 2018 / 06:10 PM IST JUST IN | The Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaches assets worth Rs. 42.88 crore in connection with the GainBitcoin Ponzi Scheme masterminded by Amit Bhardwaj and associates.










Following this, many conclaves had been held in various southern states.

New Delhi: In what could be yet another flashpoint with the government, Opposition-ruled states are planning a conclave of chief ministers and finance ministers in the national capital next month over the controversial issue of fund devolution from the Centre. Interestingly the conclave would be held barely a month before Assembly polls in at least five crucial states.

Though sources said that invitations would be sent to all state governments across the country, it was unlikely that any Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states will participate. The conclave would discuss the Terms of Reference of the 15th Finance Commission which many states from the South had claimed was detrimental to their interests and would end up diminishing their share of Central assistance.

A similar conclave had been held in April in Kerala which was attended by the finance ministers of Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and the chief minister of Puducherry. It had been resolved in the meeting to enlist the support of all states not ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party and appeal to President Ram Nath Kovind to rework the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission.

The participants at the conclave had decided to involve the governments of West Bengal, Punjab, Odisha and Delhi to submit a memorandum to the President and explore legal options. They would try to elicit the support of Tamil Nadu and Telangana governments, which had not send their representatives to the meeting.

Following this, many conclaves had been held in various southern states. The sources told this newspaper that deliberations for organising the conclave had begun and as a part of this, Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac, who was in Delhi on Thursday met Delhi deputy chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia.

The primary objection raised by the states relates to the change in the base point for revenue allocation from 1971 census to 2011 census as the base point for revenue allocation.

Some of the states, especially from the south, claim that they have managed to arrest population growth and it should not be used to curtail their allocation.
Donald Trump

President Donald Trump will talk about protecting US sovereignty, expanding relations with countries that share similar values and call for a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, his top diplomat to the UN has said.

Trump will participate in a number of UN General Assembly (UNGA) events and bilateral meetings from September 24-27.

Trump will hold bilateral meetings with Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, leaders of South Korea, Egypt, France, Israel, Japan and the UK on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Trump is "looking forward to talking about the foreign policy successes the US has had over the last year and where we are going to go from here. He wants to talk about protecting US sovereignty," and expanding relations with countries that share similar values, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told reporters here Thursday.

Haley cited the example of the US decisions to exit the UN's Global Migration Compact and the Paris Climate Change Accord, saying that "all of these things that we felt like were mandating things on the US, those aren't things we want to be involved in. We really value sovereignty of the country."

She added that this is not saying that multilateralism cannot work, "but it's saying sovereignty is a priority over all of that.

"Anytime the US talks about sovereignty, it's always going to be the will of the American people and not the will of international community," the Indian-American diplomat said.

Haley said the President will also talk about foreign aid and how generous the US is.

"He will also lay down a marker that while the US is generous, we are going to be generous to those who share our values, generous to those who want to work with us and not those that try to stop the US or say that they hate America and are counter-productive to what we are doing."

Haley highlighted achievements in the United States' September UN Security Council presidency and previewed the President's schedule and events for the other members of the Administration who will visit New York next week, as she previewed U.S. priorities for the 73rd UN General Assembly High-Level session, set to begin on September 24.

Haley said Trump will kick-off on September 24 the US global call to action on the world drug problem. She said so far 124 countries have signed up and more will be added, showing how the world drug problem affects so many countries in so many different ways. The focus is going to be on reducing the use of illicit drugs, cutting the supply off, expanding treatment and on international cooperation and how we deal with each other in reference to illicit drugs.

On September 26, he will preside over a Security Council meeting that initially was supposed to focus on Iran but will now be centered on non-proliferation. Haley said with the issues of possible chemical weapons use in Idlib, assassination attempts on a British citizen and his daughter in the UK and reinforced sanctions on North Korea, the need was felt to have a "broader conversation on non-proliferation and what we can do as an international community to move forward" on the issue. On Iran she said the country continues to be "a problem. Every dangerous spot in the world, Iran seems to have its fingerprints in it.

The President and First Lady Melania Trump will also host all heads of delegation on Monday night as well as host a reception for current and next year's Security Council members, their foreign ministers and spouses on Tuesday.

Vice President Mike Pence will also participate in a high level meeting on Venezuela and migration hosted by Colombia, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will chair a Security Council meeting on North Korea. Haley said that every single foreign minister will attend the SC meeting on North Korea, adding that "it's a conversation that needs to be had. It will give a chance for us to look at what we have achieved and the progress on North Korea.

Other top Trump administration officials who will be in New York for the high-level week are Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and first daughter and senior adviser to the president, Ivanka Trump.

When asked about the Rohingya crisis, Haley said she will participate in a ministerial meeting hosted by the UK on the status of the Rohingyas where we have to got to figure out how we are going to bring the Rohingyas back to Myanmar in a way that is safe.

"I dont think the government has done enough and I dont think the military has accepted responsibility, she said adding that the fact Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi acknowledged that the Reuters reporters were right to be detained and impriosned is a real problem. "We have a communication issue right now with Burma in that what they are saying no one is understanding and what we are saying they are not hearing.
Ajit Jogi and Mayawati

The Congress in Chhattisgarh has hit out at Mayawati-led BSP for allying with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's party for the upcoming state assembly election and claimed the pre-poll tie-up has the support of the ruling BJP.

The main opposition party was hoping for an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party to take on the BJP in upcoming polls.

It said the BSP has allied with Jogi, an ex-Congressman, as it was facing heat from central government agencies.

The Congress said the alliance between the BSP and Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) has the support of the BJP, which is ruling the state since 2003.

The alliance between the BSP and the JCC was announced in Lucknow Thursday by Mayawati, who said Jogi will be its chief ministerial candidate. According to her, the BSP will contest 35 seats and the JCC 55 in the 90-member House.

"Pressure from the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate on the BSP has led to the creation of this alliance.

"This alliance had been formed with the BJP's support and the people of the state had an understanding of it," state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel said Thursday.

He claimed the BSP had been fielding candidates on the direction of the BJP in all elections in the state so far.

"In the coming polls too, the BSP will field candidates as per the ruling party's choice. This time the party has been exposed by supporting Jogi who has acted as a 'B' team of the BJP," Baghel said.

On the other hand, the BJP said it sees no threat from the BSP-JCC tie-up and is hopeful that the alliance will benefit it.

"Hopes of the Congress were dashed as it had been trying for an alliance with the BSP. The political scenario emerging after the alliance between the BSP and the JCC reflects that the state will see a triangular fight in the coming election," state BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik said.

"However, the BJP is not at all worried as it (BSP-JCC tie-up) will benefit the party and it will storm back to power for a fourth consecutive term," Kaushik said.

The BJP had been working on a mission to win 65 of the 90 assembly seats this time and it will achieve its goal, Kaushik said.

Political observers said the alliance has come as a jolt to the Congress, which was hoping to end the long reign of the BJP in the state.

The BJP and the Congress have dominated the bipolar political landscape in Chhattisgarh, which came into existence in November 2000, and there has been a very limited impact of smaller parties in elections.

However, the BSP-JCC alliance will make the contest triangular when the elections are held by the year-end.

"The Congress has suffered a setback with the move as it was attempting to take the BSP to his side for the upcoming election in view of the latter's hold among Scheduled Caste population, particularly the Satnami community, in districts like Janjgir-Champa, Raigarh and Bilaspur," veteran journalist Ramesh Nayyar told PTI.

However, the development has made the BJP anxious, Nayyar said.

The BSP-JCC combination will prompt both the national parties to devise strategies to attract Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe voters, who comprise nearly 50 per cent of the population of the state, and Jogi has considerable influence among these sections, he added.

Ajit Jogi's son Amit, a legislator, said only the BSP-JCC alliance is capable of stopping the BJP from coming to power in the state.

"BSP chief Mayawati was well aware of the fact that the Congress is a sinking ship. She knows it is only the JCC which has the potential to snatch power from the ruling BJP," said Amit Jogi, MLA from Marwahi seat.

"The people of the state will get a better alternative this time and very soon a joint programme of both the leaders (Mayawati and Ajit Jogi) will be held in the state," he said.

In the 2013 poll, the BJP had won 49 seats, Congress 39, the BSP 1 and Independent 1. The BJP had secured 41.04 per cent of the total votes polled, the Congress 40.29 per cent and the BSP 4.27 per cent.

Ajit Jogi quit the Congress in 2016 and launched his own party.
Telangana Chief Minister and Telugu Rashtra Samithi (TRS) K Chandrashekar Rao

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao will play an important role in national politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but would not "leave" the State, a key party leader said Friday.

B Vinod Kumar, the deputy floor leader of TRS in the Lok Sabha, also said the Caretaker Chief Minister, popularly known as KCR, would not hand over the reins to his son and Minister K T Rama Rao after the Assembly elections.

Tne Telangana Assembly was dissolved on September six on the recommendation of the TRS goverment, more than eight months before the expiry of its term, to pave the way for early elections.

The Election Commission is yet to announce the poll schedule. "KCR will play an important role in Indian politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections", Vinod Kumar, who represents Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency, told PTI.

When asked about KCR's move to prop up a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front appearing to be not making much headway, he said: "You see after the 2019 elections, the role of regional political parties will be very, very important."

On whether KCR would hand over reins to his son Rama Rao after the Assembly elections, as is being speculated in some quarters, Vinod Kumar said: "No, not at all. KCR is fascinated by Telangana, he will not leave Telangana".

He dismissed criticism by the opposition Congress and BJP that the TRS is a "family party", and also the move to get the State's first Assembly dissolved prematurely.

"In this country, Indira Gandhi started it (early elections) Congress started it, BJP implemented it, more or less all the political parties in this country one or other time, they went for early elections. Why criticism?," he said.

"This is not too-early elections, just three-four months before the schedule. Anyhow, elections may be held in the last week of November or first week of December. Naturally (in the normal course), the elections could have come in March end or April first week. It's a matter of three to four months early elections, that's all", Vinod Kumar said.

On TRS being dubbed as "family party" by opponents, he claimed every political outfit in the country right from the Congress to regional ones are led by some individuals and "they have their own family clout on it. I can't deny".

Citing Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-founded PDP and the DMK in Tamil Nadu, he said every political party right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari "is having that".

Claiming that the TRS would perform better than it did in the 2014 Assembly elections, he said the Congress, by joining hands with the TDP, the CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi for an electoral alliance, has already accepted its defeat in the polls.

"All political parties coming together means the Congress had accepted defeat. That's the reason they are searching for partners, more particularly TDP," Vinod Kumar said.

On BJP President Amit Shah attacking the TRS on different fronts during his recent visit to Telangana, he said: "Let Amit Shah show his show (of strength) in Telangana; the Telangana people are peculiar people, they won't accept any communal politics. BJP will show poor performance in the elections.
Jabin T Jacob

Imran Khans taking over as Prime Minister of Pakistan introduces several degrees of uncertainty in the China-Pakistan relationship given his past record of statements on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Khan has previously criticised the CPEC, if not the Chinese themselves, for favouring the bigger Pakistani provinces and ignoring the smaller ones such as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has been in power since 2013.

After his July election victory, however, Khan spoke specifically about learning from Chinas experiences in poverty alleviation and anti-corruption, besides stating that the CPEC provided an economic opportunity for his country. Of course, Khan was also dealing with the reality of Pakistan facing a tougher United States under the Donald Trump administration, leaving him rather heavily dependent on China and Saudi Arabia to have Pakistans back politically and economically.

Pakistans incomplete reform agenda

One of the objectives for Nawaz Sharifs PML(N) as the political party in power when the CPEC was introduced in 2015 was to ensure that there was enough economic development in the country, especially to put an end to the chronic loadshedding, to ensure re-election in 2018. In the event, the Sharif government claimed, it has added 13,000 MW of new capacity by 2018  thats more than it had in the past 70 years put together. But soon after the government had declared an end to loadshedding, the problem returned with a vengeance on the eve of the elections with a shortfall of some 7,000-8,000 MW due to lack of furnace oil supply to the power stations. This was, in turn, due to the problem of circular debt  of the Pakistani government being unable to collect dues from its consumers, which would allow it to pay its fuel suppliers.

Despite the additional capacity, institutional reforms required to ensure both financial liquidity and fuel supply to the power sector in Pakistan remain unaddressed. These are issues with implications also for the countrys ruling elite cutting across political parties and it remains to be seen if such reforms will be forthcoming. There is only so much the Chinese can do.

Chinas shortcomings

In an otherwise positively framed article on the CPEC by Ishrat Hussain, former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan  also retweeted by the official CPEC Twitter handle  there was criticism of the toxic combination of purchasing second-hand machinery and over-invoicing of imports, clearly a reference to Chinese practices and a call for international inspection of imported machinery and equipment in CPEC projects. Clearly, there is little trust of the Chinese in Pakistan in these matters.

Even after the removal of the Princeton University economist Atif Mian and the resignation of others in protest, Imran Khans economic advisory committee ought to have enough economists able to do the math on CPEC. It remains to be seen if they will be allowed to, even as calls within Pakistan to renegotiate CPECs terms have grown louder.

The Chinese media has indirectly criticised Pakistani authorities for their inability to control the messaging on the CPEC. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang though has acknowledged problems in the economic relationship saying China was willing to import more competitive and high-quality products from Pakistan and facilitate a balanced development of trade.

Beijing has also admitted that the playing field in Pakistan was not level for non-Chinese companies in some economic sectors. How the playing field will be levelled, however, needs to be seen for this would go against the grain of current Chinese business practices and undercut their advantages abroad.

Indias opportunity

This complexity in the Sino-Pak relationship offers much opportunity for India.

The received wisdom is that till the Indian general elections next year are over, there cannot be any forward movement in bilateral relations, if at all. However, waiting that long would only give the Chinese time to undermine Imran Khans resistance. A smart, forward-looking Indian leadership should not pass up the opportunity to increase economic linkages with Pakistan and provide the latter an alternative to China. Pakistani businessmen certainly have no wish to be cornered by the Chinese.

It is also important that New Delhi adopt a multi-pronged approach to talks with Pakistan, involving that countrys army headquarters at Rawalpindi and the provincial capitals. The proposed informal meeting between the foreign ministers of both India and Pakistan, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month, could be a start.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Hindutva hardliner Pravin Togadia Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of going back on his promises on the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and the withdrawal of Article 370, which gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.

"The country elected Modi for Ram temple, Article 370 and rashtravaad. But he started going to mosque instead of temple, advocated for the release of stone-pelters instead of working for the security of jawans and forgot Ram temple," Togadia told reporters in Badaun.

"He was sent as an advocate of Ram temple but Modi ji became the lawyer of wives of Muslims," he said, apparently referring to the ordinance brought by the central government on Wednesday to ban the practice of instant triple talaq.

Under the ordinance, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and attract a three-year jail term for the husband.

Togadia, who had been with the VHP for more than three decades, has been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Modi and the BJP leadership.

Togadia criticised the government on its economic policies and also on matters related to India's security. He said the farmers and the youth are faced with immense problems and the lives of jawans are not safe.

Calling Pakistani troops' act of gouging out eyes of Indian soldiers intolerable, he said those who talked about having a "56-inch chest" are silent now. He asked people to remain vigilant towards the country's security.

Asked about 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Togadia said there is still some time for the poll but stressed that those who have been voted to power should be given a chance to correct themselves.

He said whichever party is voted in 2019 will become the alternative for people.
With opposition accusing govt of politicising surgical strikes, Javadekar rejected their criticism as 'absolutely ridiculous and false'.

Javadekar told reporters that the ruling BJP differed with the Congress as it only gave advice to institutes to follow a programme while the Congress made following its decisions compulsory when it was in power. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said Friday that a University Grants Commission's communication asking varsities to celebrate anniversary of surgical strikes is "patriotism not politics", and it is not compulsory for institutes to organise it.

With opposition leaders accusing the government of politicising surgical strikes, Javadekar, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, rejected their criticism as "absolutely ridiculous and false".

He told reporters that the ruling BJP differed with the Congress as it only gave advice to institutes to follow a programme while the Congress made following its decisions compulsory when it was in power.

An advisory not a direction has been issued to universities, he said. "Where is politics? This is not politics but patriotism," he said, adding that students needed to be informed about the surgical strikes, and military and civil works soldiers do.

He claimed that students and institutes had made suggestions that the second anniversary of surgical strikes, which the Army had carried across the border in Pak-occupied-Kashmir on September 29 in 2016, should be commemorated.

Colleges have been asked to organise parades by National Cadet Corps (NCC) and lectures by ex-army officers. Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had Thursday directed varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as "Surgical strike day".
In a sprawling and diverse country marked by contrasting social and economic realities, political governance can be a complex matter and even a cursory glance at the history of independent India will show us how political ideologies are stretched conveniently by political parties at times to grab majoritarian power in the Parliament.

A fragmented mandate that is stitched together to form a government is rarely symptomatic of a healthy democracy but then neither is absolute majority in the absence of a credible opposition.

In this podcast, we dive deep into the question if opposition parties will be able form a credible alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections. But before that, let us first explore the absolute necessity of a strong opposition in any functioning democracy.

In 2014, The Diplomat, an online magazine rued the fact the Congress Party, was officially denied leadership of the opposition in Parliament on the technical basis that the official opposition party must have at least 10 percent of the seats in the Lok Sabha or the lower house of Parliament. The article had pointed that such a decision was hurtful to the democratic process.

The political commentator Sanjay Kumar had written, "The opposition in India plays an important role in providing practical criticism of the ruling party. It is also consulted when important appointments are made. Therefore, it is important for the opposition to have a leader who can represent the interests of the non-dominant parties in these roles. The absence of an opposition leader will weaken India as the opposition will not be able to put up a unified front against the ruling party."

The piece had further added that by denying the Congress Party  the single largest opposition party in Parliament  the position of leader of the opposition, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had chosen a confrontational path.

There was foresight in the piece because as we have seen, confrontation and not cooperation has been the keynote of parliamentary proceedings in the past few years and as news anchors scream, "If not Modi, who?" in heated prime time debates, it is obvious that a TINA narrative is already under construction. TINA of course stands for the idea there is no alternative' and has been bandied around since the time of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and is rooted not in ground realities but the perception building of a supreme leader with no challenger.

The chequered history of coalitions in India

A study called Coalitions politics in India: A historical analysis by Dr. Dilbag Singh Bisla, Director, Cantre for Rajiv Gandhi Research and Studies informs of the many times coalitions have been formed to gain power but rarely, if ever, to challenge it.

The study remembers the first experience of coalition in free India in 1977, when non Congress forces united under the leadership of Morarji Desai as the Janta government. The four-party Janta government remained in power for about a year and once the no confidence motion against Desai was discussed in the lower house, he tendered his resignation. The Janta government collapsed in July 1979.

The study goes on to recall many subsequent coalitions like the one with Charan Singh as the Prime Minister in October 1979 that ended with Singh tendering his resignation even before facing the house to seek a vote of confidence. Then, there was the National Front led by V.P. Singh and Chaudhari Devilal from which BJP withdrew on ideological issues.

The study goes on to delineate subsequent governments be it the P.V. Narasimha Rao-led alliance between Congress and certain sections of the left to H.D. Deve Gowda's government formed under the banner of the United Front. In most of these cases, the faultiness were more obvious than the unity.

We quote the study,  The United Front Government headed by H.D. Deve Gowda was like a chariot being pulled at times in different direction by 13 horses. 

There was also the brief eight sided coalition headed by I.K. Gujral from 21st April 1997 to 19 March 1998. And yet another instance when a coalition government was formed was when the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with Vajpayee at the helm, survived from 11th October 1999 to 21th May 2004.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA), was formed in May 2004 under the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh. And now of course, we are watching yet another coalition in the political history of India, unfold. This BJP-led coalition was formed in May 2014 as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with the support of 28 parties.

The study is trying to make a simple point. India needs a strong opposition in Parliament and a stable government at the centre to make sure that the two together work not for political gains but for the citizens who they represent .

Two wrongs dont make a right

The Diplomat piece we quoted from earlier also recalled how after winning an overwhelming majority of seats in Parliament in 1984, even the Congress did not allot the post of leader of the opposition to any other party.

However, that does not mean that today India should resort to such undemocratic practices. Two wrongs do not make a right. Additionally, in the present Indian political system, the government seems legally bound to consult the leadership of the opposition in the selection of a number of crucial posts, such as the chief vigilance commissioner and the chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The leader of the opposition has a defined role to play, according to some legislation, though the position is not a constitutional position. This seems to contradict the other rule that the leadership of the opposition cannot belong to a party with fewer than 10 percent of the seats in Parliament.

The article says that Indias laws about the leadership of the opposition should be interpreted and clarified in a manner that provides for a leader of the opposition at all times.

We quote, Denying the second-largest party in Parliament the leadership of the opposition sets the wrong precedent and dilutes democracy. A powerful opposition is necessary to check the power of the ruling party as dissent is extremely important for mature democracies to function properly.

Now let us look at how the scattered opposition to the ruling party is marshalling its forces in the run up to the 2019 elections

A June 18, Mint report narrated how with the 2019 Lok Sabha elections less than a year away, both the Congress and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) have started reaching out to regional parties for alliances.

While the Congress, says the piece is, trying to become the nucleus of a grand opposition alliance that is shaping up and has tasted success in the recent bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, the challenge for the party extends much beyond the state. Congress prospects depend heavily on how it performs in two categories of statesone where it directly takes on the BJP and the other where it is pitted against the BJP and regional parties. In the former, the partys performance would be mainly determined by whether the BJP manages to retain its 2014 popularity level.

All eyes will be on nine statesArunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand, where there will be a bipolar contest between the BJP and the Congress. The BJP had swept these states in 2014 and won 100 out of 106 seats.

The article explores the possibility of the Congress exploring alliances with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and smaller regional parties in these states.

We quote again, Forging alliances will be crucial for the Congress in states such as Assam, Haryana, and Karnataka, which often see a multi-polar contest. The Congress needs to prevent a fragmentation of the opposition vote through alliances with regional parties if it hopes to improve on its 2014 performance in these states.

In Haryana, the article points out, the Congress is already trying to make amends through a merger with Kuldeep Bishnois Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC). "The party had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election alongside the BJP and could now help the Congress on a few seats. Whether it is Maharashtra or Bihar, seat sharing will be the order of the day."

But we are splitting hairs here and without going too much into excruciating detail, the point we are making is simply this. At this time in history, no single party can come to power without streamlining its alliances with regional partners and the role of a stronger opposition can no longer be undermined.

As Sanjay Kumar, a professor and currently director of CSDS, and Pranav Gupta, a researcher with Lokniti-CSDS, say in this Mint story and we quote, While electoral compulsions and lack of alternatives may force parties to come together, in most cases, success would depend on whether the alliance arithmetic is also accompanied with chemistry.

The players in the ensemble cast of the 2019 elections

A recent Indian Express article reported how the mercurial West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while openly critiquing the BJP on various issues including the humanitarian crisis triggered by the exclusion of 40 lakh people from the Assams National Register of Citizens (NCR) draft list, is also busy meeting potential allies.

She recently met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi as part of her strategy to build a federal front against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

While the trio discussed the possibility of contesting elections together in future, given how quickly narratives change, Mamata may choose an entirely different route altogether later.

Another major contender in the 2019 could be Uttar Pradeshs Bahujan Samaj Party leader and former Chief Minister Mayavati. She was quoted in an article in The Hindu where she said recently, the BJP governments in the Centre and States have worsened the condition of the people by showing them false dreams.

The Hindu also reported that Mayavati has indicated that the Bahujan Samaj Party will be compelled to go it alone if it does not get a respectable number of seats in the anti-BJP alliance that is shaping up before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Even though, she has repeatedly criticized instances of mob lynching in the name of cow protection and has accused BJP governments in various States of being indifferent to the problem, it is clear, that it is not ideology that governs alliances sought by her and other leaders, but power sharing.

On one hand, Mayawati has made statements about recent atrocities against SC/ST communities, tribals, backward castes, Muslims and Christians and has said and we quote, The atrocities are going on from BJPs inception and are a result of the partys intention to go against the Constitution...This has been part of the basic policy of the BJP, which has assumed alarming proportions after they came to power. Unquote.

On the other hand, she has also stated unequivocally, 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.

The point however remains that in a country where identity politics can sometimes over rule democratic ideals, we need many diverse voices, ideas and thought processes shaping policies about education, economics and social justice in Parliament. And that can only be possible when all parties put the interests of the voting public first from the grassroots up.

Manipulation of vote banks to bring one majoritarian idea of nationalism or identity can undermine democratic process and players like Mayavati and Mamta Bannerjee will have to come together to form a united front if they are serious about their criticism of communal incidents, demonetization, unfulfilled promises and want to avert what Mayavati calls and we quote, the rule of mobocracy.

Mayawatis endorsement of the ideal of Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay (or wellbeing and progress for every one) is not much different from BJPs Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, But it is tangible work post the elections that needs to become more important than mere sloganeering, regardless of who is indulging in it. Whether it is political players with maximum power or those on the fringes of it.

Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on the other hand is busy figuring out possible political equations too as he reaches out to likely and unlikely allies, and said recently that BJP will emerge as a strong and decisive force. He is also not averse to charting a confrontational route as was visible during a recent visit to Telangana, where he dared the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti to name a SC/ST candidate as its chief ministerial hope and dismissed Rahul Gandhis electoral ambitions as daydreaming.

More alliances..more divisions

What is ironical though is that in the name of political unity, many more divisions are created within parties. As Hindustan Times reported recently,

Shivpal Singh Yadav, younger brother of Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, decided to virtually split the party by announcing the formation of another platform, Samajwadi Secular Morcha supposedly intended to bring like-minded political groups together.

Taking advantage of situation, BJP, according to Hindustan Times, has extended tacit support to Shivpal to counter a grand alliance of opposition parties, notably the SP and Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Adding spice to the brew is the unlikely but necessary cooperation between the Yadavs with the Jatavs in UP who want to put up a united front against the BJP in the 2019 general elections. The success of their unity was visible in the Gorakhpur, Kairana and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls.

As the Hindustan Times astutely puts it, At the end of the day, it is caste that clinches seats in UP. That so many years after independence, we and our political systems are still imprisoned by caste questions is a tragedy.

The Hindustan Times quotes political expert Badri Narain and he says, Some of these castes are numerically small, but have a huge impact in elections as they hold the veto power and vote together.

According to him, as many as 40 Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Most Backward Castes (MBCs) dont have a leader in a state known for its identity politics. By giving them representation in the party in various forums, the BJP is trying to win them over. The Mallahs, the Kumhars, the Binds, the Nishads and the Lohars are a case in point.

The article says that BJP is following BSP founder Kanshi Rams dictum of protect the base vote and chase the core vote and constructing a winning caste combination in each constituency.

We quote from the incisive article, Every party is working on the caste calculus because the charisma of their leaders is not quite enough for the BJP to win 71 seats in the Lok Sabha, matching its 2014 tally, and for the Opposition to increase its 2014 tally of seven seats.

On the other hand, the article cites SC/ST activist Satish Prakash, who believes that it is in the interest of the non-BJP parties to join hands. However, there cant be any grand alliance without the SP and the BSP joining it.

This idea that just ideology will bring together disparate parties to unite against the BJP may be a bit naive because everyone at the end of the day will be looking for a piece of the power pie.

Meanwhile, India Today reports, that the Congress Working Committee has authorized Rahul Gandhi to take decisions on pre-poll or post-poll alliances for next year's general elections.

The broader message being that the Congress is prepared for a larger alliance to defeat the NDA in 2019.

The India Today piece quotes UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi as saying, To save democracy, strategic alliances need to be in place. She also said personal ambitions would have to be kept aside and "We are committed to making alliances work.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also said this week said, The country will witness a revolution in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and people will defeat the BJP.

As permutations and combinations are drawn and redrawn on sand, we will see as time goes by if an opposition front that is more than just need based can stand up to be counted in the 2019 elections.
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Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu Thursday ordered a safety audit of all scheduled airlines and airports, amid recent incidents related to safety of passengers.

The development assumes significance as it comes on a day when at least 30 passengers on a Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Jaipur suffered nose and ear bleeding after the crew "forgot" to turn on a switch that controls cabin air pressure.

The minister has also ordered a probe into the Jet Airways flight incident, which is being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), an official statement said.

In recent times, there have been incidents of mid-air engine failures, involving the Pratt and Whitney (P&W) engine-powered Airbus A320 neo planes being operated by domestic budget carriers IndiGo and GoAir.

The minister has directed officials concerned to prepare a comprehensive safety audit plan, which involves assessment of safety parameters of all scheduled airlines, aerodromes, flying training schools and MROs (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Organisations) immediately, the statement said.

This comes weeks after the aviation regulator DGCA conducted a comprehensive financial audit of Air India and Jet Airways along with special safety audit of scheduled commuter airlines Air Deccan and Air Odisha.

"Minister has further directed that safety audit should be commenced forthwith and a report to this effect should be submitted for his perusal within 30 days," the statement added.

Last month, Prabhu asked the DGCA to submit a report on the status of these planes after IndiGo grounded five of its A320 neos due to non-availability of spare P&W engines.

At that time, he had asserted that the security of passengers is of paramount importance and it should not be compromised at any cost.

On the other hand, Jet Airways has reported as many as three incidents, including the one that took place Thursday, involving its pilots.

On August 6, the DGCA suspended flying licence of two of its pilots pending investigation after the commander attempted a take-off from a taxiway at Riyadh airport.

This resulted in the Boeing 737 aircraft, with 141 passengers on board, exceeding the the taxiway on to the unpaved area and ending up close to the exit of the taxiway.

On August 25, a Jet Airways Boeing 777 flight which was taxiing for take off for London from Delhi reportedly came to a sudden halt as the pilot did not have the ATC clearance.

Subsequently, both of its pilots were taken off from flying duties till investigations were completed.
Ajit Jogi and Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on September 20 set political circles abuzz with her announcement of a tie-up with Janata Congress chief Ajit Jogi for the upcoming Chhattisgarh assembly elections.

The Times of India reported on how the tie-up was a hush-hush affair, with the wheelchair-bound Jogi being brought into Lucknow from Delhi via road, instead of an air or rail route. That was not without purpose  Mayawati wanted neither Samajwadi Party (SP) nor the Congress to get an inkling of what was in the offing, according to reports.

Before the announcement, the Congress was reportedly trying to build an alliance with the BSP in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Reports of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath being in talks with Mayawati on a seat-sharing agreement were doing the rounds, and it was widely believed by observers that a Congress-BSP alliance in Madhya Pradesh would be beneficial for the Grand Old Party. According to a report in NDTV, senior Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh admitted that Mayawatis announcement would make things difficult for the party in the central Indian state. However, they stated that an alliance may still be in the offing.

A tie-up with Mayawati may still happen. Its just that she has introduced a new bargaining chip, a Congress source told the news channel.

Why Mayawati matters

Mayawatis stock, in so far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, rose after widespread support to a shutdown called by Schedule Caste groups in the states Gwalior-Bhind region bordering Uttar Pradesh. The shutdown in April was a response to the Supreme Court order on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act).

Moreover, Mayawatis tie-up announcement was meant to serve as a double whammy for the Congress, since Jogi is a Congress rebel who floated his party in 2016. Jogi had resigned after his son and then Congress legislator Amit Jogi was suspended following anti-party activities.

Another purpose that Mayawati served through her announcement was giving out a clear message to the Congress top brass on seat-sharing, not just for the assembly elections but also for next years general elections. According to reports, Congress was willing to give Mayawati five seats in Chhattisgarh, as opposed to the 35 that BSP will now fight on in its partnership with Jogi.

In addition to that, Mayawati also announced candidates to 22 seats in Madhya Pradesh, which included candidates in Morena and Shivpuri, considered to be strongholds for Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia  this again being interpreted as a message for the partys senior leadership to give respectable seats to her party.

The Chhattisgarh equation

In Chhattisgarh, BSP had contested on all 90 seats but managed to win only one during the 2013 Assembly elections. The Uttar Pradesh-based satrap had polled 4.27 percent of the vote share, but its candidates had polled more than 10 percent of the vote share in 12 seats, and more than 20 percent in five.

Jogis party, meanwhile, is yet to be tested at the poll booth, but the leader reportedly has considerable influence in the states Bilaspur region and tribal belt.

According to Hindustan Times, Jogi also has a following among the Scheduled Caste, Muslim and Christian population in over a dozen constituencies in the state, and can eat into the Congress vote bank. This is especially since in a 90-member assembly, 29 seats are reserved for tribal candidates and 10 for Scheduled Caste. In 40 other constituencies, the SC population is more than 10 percent, which is expected to benefit both BSP and Janata Congress.

BSPs vote share is also important, considering that elections in Chhattisgarh have always been head-to-head. In 2013, the vote share difference between BJP and Congress was 1.7 percent. BSPs 4.27 percent would have added considerable weightage to its alliance partner.

The Chandrasekhar Azad factor

Chandrashekhar Azad, the founder of Bhim Sena who was freed recently after a year in prison for his alleged role in Saharanpur caste violence, could be another factor why Mayawati chose to fire the salvo.

Azad, who had told NDTV that he would support "whoever is willing to throw out the BJP government in 2019", is a younger challenge to Mayawati's Scheduled Caste powerhouse image.

After the Shaharanpur caste violence in April-May 2017, Chandrashekhar's legend as the protector of the Scheduled Caste in the state came into being a legend that cemented when he was in jail and extended his influence, in turn challenging Mayawati's voter base and her hopes for bargaining chips.

After his release, Azad had called Mayawati her bua, but she had refused to acknowledge the compliment.

"I want to make it clear that I have no bua-bhatija relationships. If he had the interests of Dalits at heart, he would have come to me to fight the BJP together, rather than floating his own organisation and dividing our people. This will only help the BJP, not defeat them," Mayawati had said.

After his release, Congress leader Imran Masood was one of the first leaders to have met Azad. Masood had also dismissed Mayawati's statements, stating that it was "uncharitable" of her to dismiss Azad's "show of unity".
US_China_Trade_Trade war_Tariff

An "outraged" China on Friday lodged a diplomatic protest with the US for imposing punitive sanctions on its military unit for buying Russian weapons, warning of "consequences" if the sanctions are not revoked.

The US State Department said on Thursday that the purchases of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles by China's Equipment Development Department (EDD) of China's Ministry of Defence violated US sanctions on Russia.

Both the EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, have been named in Thursday's sanctions.

It is the first time the Trump administration targeted a third country with its Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), designed to punish Russia for its seizure of Crimea and other activities.

Reacting to the US move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, "China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action of the US and lodged stern representations".

"What the US has done gravely violated the basis norms governing the international relations and harmed the state-to-state and military-to-military relations between the two sides," he said.

"We strongly urge the US side to address this mistake and revoke so called sanctions otherwise it will need to shoulder all possible consequences," he said.

Asked whether China would continue its close intelligence and defence cooperation with Russia, Geng said, "China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination. We have been having normal exchanges of cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit in various fields including national defence".

The China-Russia defence cooperation is meant to safeguard the two nations' legitimate interests and regional peace and stability," he said.

It targets no third country and violates with no international law, he added. "We will work with Russia to implement the consensus reached by two leaders and move forward our strategic coordination," he said referring to the close ties between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Founded in 2016 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the EDD was tasked with overseeing and improving the country's military technology. It is regarded as a key part of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi.

The sanctions will deny EDD any foreign export licences, prohibit it from making foreign exchange transactions within US jurisdiction or using the US financial system, and block its property and interests within US control, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

Sanctions on Li will also prohibit his using the US financial system and making foreign exchanges, and block any of his property or interests. He will also be prohibited from having a US visa.

China, which relies on technology for its military modernisation has stepped up its military ties with Russia.

The sanctions are expected to heighten tensions between the US and China, which are currently engaged in a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting $200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting $60 billion worth of American products.
The Asian rout | The continents 128 billionaires lost $144 billion in 2018. The top three losers were from China, with Wanda Groups Wang Jianlin losing $11.1 billion this year. Close to 40 percent of the Asians under the index, lost their billionaire status as of December 7. (Image: Reuters)

China's Foreign Ministry on Friday said it strongly urged the United States to withdraw sanctions on the Chinese military, after the Trump administration imposed the penalties for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia.

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comments at a daily news briefing in Beijing.

The United States said China's armed forces were in breach of a sweeping US sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 US election.
Maldives' former president Mohamed Nasheed speaks during an interview with Reuters in Colombo, Sri Lanka June 4, 2018. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte - RC1E9CFD92E0

Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed on September 21 asked India to exert its influence to ensure a free and fair election in the country as he fears that September 23 presidential polls could be rigged.

The Maldives on September 25 will hold its third-ever multiparty presidential election.

Opposition parties from across Maldivian politics have formed a united front to oust the president, Abdulla Yameen, whose government has been accused of crushing dissent, corruption and jailing electoral opponents on flimsy grounds.

They have nominated a senior MP, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, to run against Yameen.

Mohammad Nasheed, the country's first freely elected president after 30 years of authoritarian rule, told reporters in Colombo that "Yameen will lose the election, but he will hold onto power.

Nasheed, 51, was forced to quit his office in 2012 in what supporters regard as a coup, and was narrowly defeated by Yameen in a presidential poll the following year. He was convicted of terrorism in a dubious trial in 2015 and now lives in exile in Sri Lanka.

He urged the international community not to accept the result. He said that India must exert its influence to ensure a free and fair election.

He stressed the lack of credible international monitoring of the election. He said there was no chance for the incumbent to win the election due to all opposing parties getting together.

"Mathematically, it is not possible for Yameen to win because all opposition parties are united against him. But the results they will announce will be different to what is actually in the ballot boxes," he said.

"The election in the Maldives is not just about less than half a million Maldivians," Nasheed said. "It is also about the stability of the Indian Ocean region where there is a cold war between India and China."

Nasheed charged that Yameen was being backed by China which wants to retain its infrastructure contracts in the country. The United Nations has branded Nasheed's conviction and the jailing for 13 years as politically motivated.
Answer: Google

Google employees discussed how to counter President Donald Trump's 2017 travel ban by modifying search functions to help people contribute to immigration advocacy groups and contact lawmakers, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

They began the email discussion two days after Trump signed the first version of his travel ban targeting people from seven mainly Muslim countries, the paper reported.

Staff discussed how to tweak search functions and work against "islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms 'Islam', 'Muslim', 'Iran', etc.", the Journal reported.

They looked at similar measures for the search terms 'Mexico', 'Hispanic', 'Latino', etc."

An email from an employee of the Search Product Marketing division referred to brainstorming inside Google over how to respond to ban.

Trump's controversial measure was challenged in court and underwent several iterations before ultimately being upheld by the US Supreme Court. The report is certain to anger Trump, who has accused Google of blocking conservative viewpoints in its search results.

Google told the Journal that none of the ideas discussed were ever implemented.

"Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideology not in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trump's executive order on immigration," it said in a statement.

"Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies," it added.

Google was among 100 tech companies that filed a friend-of-the-court brief in February 2017 challenging the travel ban as harmful to US "business, innovation and growth".
Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad, India November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton - RC1E09C0FE10

Ivanka Trump, first daughter and US President's advisor, said that it has always been her dream to become an astronaut and travel to the space as she toured the Johnson Space Center here.

Ivanka, who visited the space centre on Thursday where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted, spoke to the crew of the International Space Station.

"You inspire us all. You actually have my dream job," Ivanka, 36, admitted. 'I always wanted to be an astronaut and I always wanted to go to space. You are fulfilling my dream up there," she said.

Astronaut Nicole Mann provided Ivanka with a guided tour of the space center, including the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility that holds a full-size copy of the International Space Station.

Ivanka, posed outside the doors of the Mission Control Center and met chief Holly Ridings, who made history this week after becoming the first woman in NASA's 60-year history to become the chief flight director of the Johnson Space Center.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick also was with Ivanka, along with US Senator Ted Cruz and US Rep Brian Babin, both Republicans from Texas, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Ivanka toured mock-ups of the station and of the Orion spacecraft which is being built to take astronauts back to the moon for the first time in 50 years, the report said.

She also spoke with students from Clear Creek Independent School District who, with the help of NASA engineers, are participating in an international robotics competition called FIRST Robotics, said the report.

Her visit to the center came during a stop of her campaign tour of Texas for Republican candidates in the November 6 midterm elections.

The White House said her appearance was intended to draw attention to students learning about science and technology.
Representative Image

There was no "deal" between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the release of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a top court suspended their sentences in a corruption case, a senior Pakistani minister has asserted.

The Islamabad High Court Wednesday suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi.

"No country asked for his release. Nawaz Sharif is not so important for Saudi Arabia that they will talk about him," Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said, rejecting the impression that the three-time former premier and his family members were released from jail under a "deal" between the Imran Khan-led government and Riyadh.

The Islamabad High Court's verdict, ordering the release of the trio coincided with Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia, giving rise to speculation that the Sharif family members' release was a result of the Saudis' request, the Dawn newspaper reported.

But the report recalled that Saudi Arabia was a guarantor in a deal between the Sharif family and then military dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 2000 under which the Sharifs were released from jail and allowed to leave the country.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and whenever a leader wins an election in Pakistan, the first visit is always to the Gulf nation.

Nawaz Sharif never came under discussion during Prime Minister Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia where he had meetings with the oil-rich kingdom's rulers, Chaudhry said.

"He is not that important to be discussed during that visit," he claimed.

"Those who say that Saudi Arabia would have talked [about Sharif during Prime Minister Khan's visit] actually don't know what kind of relationship the Saudis have with Nawaz Sharif," the minister said Thursday without elaborating.

"There will be no deal and no dheel (concession) with them (the Sharifs)," Chaudhry declared, adding that soon "they will be back to the place where they had been a few days back".

On July 6, an accountability court in Islamabad sentenced Sharif, Maryam and Safdar, to 10 years, seven years and one year in jail, respectively, in connection with the purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices.

"Nawaz Sharif will be in and out of jail. This thing will continue," he said, adding that the Sharifs had only been granted bail and the case was still pending against them.

"Those who were questioning the government for putting the names of the Sharifs on the Exit Control List (ECL) would have got the answer now.

"Had we not done so, they could have flown to London soon after their release, and where would we have looked for these princes then?" the minister said, justifying the decision of the Cabinet to place the names of the Sharifs on the ECL during its first meeting last month.

"We will not allow Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to leave Pakistan and at the same time we will not allow (former finance minister) Ishaq Dar, and Hassan and Hussain (the two sons of Sharif) to stay out of Pakistan," he said.

Chaudhry said that for them it was not important that how much time the Sharifs would spend in jail, as for the government bringing back the looted money of the people of this country was more important.

Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks outside 10 Downing Street in London

British Prime Minister Theresa May said the European Union (EU) must come up with an alternative to her Brexit proposals, saying talks had reached an impasse after bloc's leaders had rejected her plans without explaining why.

At a summit in Austria on September 20, EU leaders said they would push for a Brexit deal next month but rejected May's "Chequers" plan, saying she need to give ground on trade and arrangements for the UK border with Ireland.

"It's not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals," May said in a televised statement.

"So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are, what their alternative is, so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress."

May said she could not agree to any deal which treated Northern Ireland differently to the rest of the United Kingdom.

The EU insists that there can be no hard border between the British province and the Irish Republic, with Northern Ireland remaining in the bloc's customs union or effectively establishing a border in the Irish Sea if no alternative deal is reached.

May cited Britons' vote in 2016 to leave the EU. "I will not overturn the result of the referendum nor will I break up my country," she said. "We need serious engagement on resolving the two main problems in the negotiations and we stand ready."

Earlier, her Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said some EU leaders had shown unstatesmanlike behaviour in Salzburg.

"We've already compromised hugely with the Chequers proposals. We've engaged and we want to hear more about what the real critique of it is and we've got no other credible alternatives on the table," Raab told the BBC.

"What we're not going to do is be salami sliced throughout this negotiation in a typical style that the EU engages in without movement on the other side."

"YOUR BREXIT'S BROKEN"

For the British media, the message from Salzburg was clear. "Your Brexit's broken," the Daily Mirror newspaper said.

Newspapers led their front pages with a Reuters picture showing May, dressed in a red jacket, standing apparently aloof and alone from a mass of suited male EU leaders.

Few diplomats expected any breakthrough from the Salzburg summit as the EU has repeatedly made clear that May must rework the Chequers proposals.

The tone of some of their comments, particularly the irony of European Council President Donald Tusk, left May exposed at home as she heads into what is expected to be a tumultuous annual conference of her Conservative Party from September 30.
Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with the then French President Hollande in 2015.

The opposition has been accusing the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to benefit the private firm. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi following former French President Francois Hollande's reported remarks on the Rafale deal, saying he has "betrayed" India.

His attack on Modi came after a French media report quoted Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal.

"The PM personally negotiated & changed the #Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to Francois Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

"The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers," he said.

Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with the then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.

The opposition has been accusing the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.
Britain will leave the European Union without a deal unless the bloc's leaders soften their position on the Irish border, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told the BBC.

EU leaders abruptly cautioned May on Thursday that unless she gave ground on trade and the Irish border by November they are ready to cope with Britain crashing out.

"At the moment what the European Union is asking in and around Northern Ireland is simply impossible for any UK government to accept. And actually if they stick with that position, there will be no deal," Grayling said.

"There's tough language and actually a deal is done at the last. And I'm still confident that we will reach agreement," he added.

Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, yet little is clear: There is, so far, no divorce deal, rivals to May are circling and some rebels have vowed to vote against a possible Brexit deal.
Housing finance company Aavas Financiers Limited will open the Initial Public Offer on September 25 and will close it on September 27 to raise Rs 1,734 crore, said Sushil Kumar Agarwal, founder and CEO, addressing a press conference on Thursday.

The price band for the offer starts from Rs 818 to Rs. 821 per equity share. Bids can be made for a minimum lot of 18 equity shares and in multiples of 18 equity shares thereafter.

The equity shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE, he said.

Based in Jaipur, the company has been expanded its operations in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and NCR.

With 186 branches in 92 districts across eight states, the company is aiming to expand branches to 300 in next three years, he added.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
A day after appointing Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in 10 public sector banks (PSBs), the government on Thursday appointed 14 Executive Directors (ED), ending the week that began with the announcement of merger of three state-run banks.

"Government appoints PSB EDs," tweeted Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar attaching the list of appointees. He said all positions that would fall vacant by March 2019 have been filled.

"No uncertainty. Focus to be now on competency-mapping, capacity-building and visionary leadership of senior and middle management," he added.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the 14 appointments in 10 PSBs following proposal from the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.

Three EDs have been appointed in Union Bank of India, two each in Bank of Baroda and United Bank of India, and one each in Punjab National Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Central Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Allahabad Bank, Indian Bank and Syndicate Bank.

Four of these appointments have been made by the ACC to fill the vacancies that will be arise after Wednesday's appointment of incumbent EDs as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in nationalised banks.

On Wednesday, five Deputy Managing Directors (DMDs) of the State Bank of India (SBI) were made MD and CEO of Indian Bank, Syndicate Bank, Central Bank of India, Andhra Bank and Dena Bank.

Five EDs from Syndicate Bank, Indian Bank, Union Bank of India, Allahabad Bank and United Bank of India were named top executives of Allahabad Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, UCO Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank and United Bank of India, respectively.

"Government appoints 10 PSB MDs, with vacancies till January 19 filled well in advance, after widening the talent pool for the first time and arms length transparent selection," Kumar tweeted on Wednesday.

On Monday, the government proposed the merger of three state-run banks -- Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank and Bank of Baroda -- into an amalgamated entity.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
This month the price of uranium reached US$27.30 a pound. Historically speaking, uranium prices have proved fickle, from its peak to trough range of US$143 May 2007 to US$7.10 in December 2000 respectively.

The spot price of uranium remained relatively volatile throughout this year. Before significant production cuts to Africa, Canada, Kazakhstan and the United States, which was announced late in 2016 to early 2017, uranium saw prolonged declines in prices.

Demand for alternative energy aiding uranium price

Global urgency to deliver reliable and avoidable electricity to our cities is at an all-time high. Along with growing populations and compounding pressure from climate change and emissions worries, it seems that Australia and many other countries around the world are in need of a solution.

And this is where uranium comes in. The only problem is that the dangers of nuclear technology are seared into public memory as viscerally as the images of melting skin.

The great uranium comeback: Discover how you could take advantage of the next big resource rush today. Download free report now

Its natural to be sceptical of new technology, and of course we are all well aware of the cons that come with uranium when harnessed incorrectly. But what can be said of its benefits?

Firstly, it doesnt produce any greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide or methane, the leading causes of air pollution. It also doesnt have adverse effects to land or water supplies, like mining coal and crude oil.

Nuclear power also has extremely low operating costs, so its cheap, initial building expensive aside. But even then, nuclear reactors can run for 4060 years, and production isnt dependant on external factors like wind and solar, making it one of the more reliable energy sources.

Another advantage to nuclear energy is its efficiency. One kilogram of uranium produces the same amount of energy as three million kilograms of coal. Think about that for a second. The low operating cost of uranium and nuclear power means less consumer costs  which could result in a big reduction in electricity bills.

Currently China has 18 nuclear conductors underway. But this shouldnt come as a shock to you, the Chinese economy had to support 1.379 billion people in 2016 alone. And while this number is only set to rise, you best believe that China is looking for reliable and affordable energy to power its cities.

Its little wonder that China, as well as Russia, have taken the lead and are now the fastest growing markets for uranium. Other countries like India, and many in Europe and the Middle East are expected to follow suit, by expanding projects and investing in uranium operations. Potentially, this could be the driving force behind a global uranium market breakout.

But as with any commodity based influx, theres a chance demand could out-weigh supply.

Uranium price forecasts supply and demand struggle

Recent uranium prices are well below whats needed to create new supply sources. Specialist at the International Atomic Energy Agency Adrienne Hanly said that uranium resources are able to meet high volume demand situations, but supply challenges may mean shortfalls over the next 510 years.

So heres what we can potentially expect from uranium should demand succeeds supply.

Global uranium inventories will deplete, as low prices have rendered 75% of uranium mines uneconomical according to Investor Intel. Combine this with iron ores volatile prices that are stemming from Chinas economic woes, as well as declining iron ore supply in the bigger mines of Australia and Africa. This could all contribute to uranium mines becoming uneconomical.

In fact, prices are so low that its actually cheaper to purchase uranium from inventory storage than it is to mine. This was the case for Cameco, a Canadian based uranium producer. As David Doerksen, Vice President of the company said in statement:

We will have to rely on our inventories, or make opportunistic purchases, to meet these commitments. It seems that many in the industry are relying on inventory. I would suggest that only a relatively small portion of the inventory overhang is truly mobile.

Comeco predicts that its share of uraniums 2018 production will be around 9.1 million pounds, as well a purchase of 89 million pounds.

That said, 2018 global sources are only set to reach 135 million pounds, thats a 55 million pound gap in contrast to last years demand of 190 million pounds.

From this the US uses about 50 million pounds of uranium but only produces around 2.5 million and imports the rest. Meaning out of the 99 reactors that the US currently has, theres only the amount of energy produced from one reactor. This makes the US economy the most susceptible to a threat in uranium supply.

Uranium Inventory was recorded at 1.79 billion pounds in February this year, which is either sold or kept for strategic reasons. Taking into account the 55 million pound shortfall, its a real possibility that the world could experience a uranium scarcity in the next couple of years.

Reva Klingbiel, president of TradeTech, had this to say about current forecasts:

We should be aware of impending price volatility, which we may expect to see, especially if buyers begin to alter their contracting activity in advance or in anticipation of material changes to the structure of the market, she said.

But this could potentially be preferable conditions for a uranium breakout. Now more than ever, global economies are looking for electricity solutions. And if you think uranium is not a likely alternative, perhaps you should reconsider. By 2030 Australias uranium exploration is thought to double after increasing demand from other countries.

And this trend only looks likely to continue. Stay tuned.

Regards,

Ryan Clarkson-Ledward,

For Money Morning

PS: Discover how you could take advantage of the next big resource rush. Today, Greg Canavan shares how you could capitalise on uraniums next potentially colossal comeback. To find out more read his free report The catalysts set to spark Uraniums next Blockbuster Bounce-Back download now.
The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission set the 2019-20 fishing regulations during its September meeting which concluded Friday.

The commission heard a preview of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agencys proposals during the August meeting of the commission. A public comment period on the proposals was held following the August meeting.

Several of the new fishing regulations are geared toward the agencys effort to battle the invasive Asian carp.

In TWRA Region I and II, skipjack herring, gizzard shad, and threadfin shad will not be able to be transported alive from the Mississippi River and Barkley, Kentucky, and Pickwick reservoirs and any tributaries or oxbows of these waters. The restrictions do not apply to the Duck River above Normandy Dam.

These bait species are similar in appearance to small Asian carp. This change is aimed to reduce the risk of accidentally introducing Asian carp into new waterways.

Change to seasons on the Tellico River, Citico Creek, and Green Cove Pond will allow optimal stocking and fishing conditions during the permit season. Big Lost Creek, Goforth Creek, Spring Creek, and Greasy Creek and their tributaries in Polk County to have been changed to follow statewide regulations. This adds fishing opportunity to these creeks which are currently closed on Friday.

An amendment by the TFWC was passed to include that commercially harvested catfish over 34 inches in length cannot be kept alive after harvest.

The commission heard a chronic wasting disease (CWD) risk assessment in Tennessee. Dr. Krysten Schuler, disease ecologist from Cornell University, has helped TWRA use the risk assessment data to develop a weighted, risk-based surveillance plan that staff will begin implementing this fall. Samples from deer will be collected from potentially higher risk areas.

Frank Fiss, Fisheries Division chief, introduced its annual award winners. David Roddy, TWRA Statewide Hatchery Coordinator and Aquatic Nuisance Coordinator, was named the Fisheries Biologist of the Year. Marilyn Davis, who works out of Eagle Bend Hatchery in Anderson County, was named Fisheries Technician of the Year.

Jason Henegar, Fisheries Division assistant chief, gave an update on the current status of brook trout management and distribution. He also highlighted future directions of management and how additional funding from Trout Unlimited will be used to better inform the agency of future restoration projects.

Representatives from the Tennessee Chapter of Trout Unlimited presented the TWRA with a $10,000 donation prior to the Friday meeting to further TWRAs efforts in brook trout restoration throughout their range in Tennessee.

Lionel Ferguson, who established a new state record for black crappie, was introduced and officially received his certificate for the record. He landed the 5 pounds, 7.68 ounces record fish from a private pond in Loudon County.

Jonesborough resident Kim Woods received special recognition at the meeting in recruiting and promoting youth hunting in East Tennessee. He has introduced many youngsters to the outdoors through his long-time efforts.

The TFWCs next meeting will be Oct. 25-26 in Nashville.
Bhagwat pitched for construction of Ram temple, Sena acknowledged his commitment, but questioned that of 'politicians' towards cause.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, however, opined that the temple issue has been reduced only to a poll promise and therefore, has become a topic for ridiculing Hindutva. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: Two days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat pitched for early construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena Friday acknowledged his commitment, but questioned that of the "politicians" towards the cause.

Attacking BJP chief Amit Shah, the Shiv Sena said he speaks with confidence about the Bharatiya Janata Party ruling the country for 50 years, but "refrains" from commenting on the issues of scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution, that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and the Ram temple.

The BJP's carping ally, in the editorial of its mouthpiece 'Saamana', asked the Narendra Modi government to take "seriously" the issue of constructing Ram temple in Ayodhya after Bhagwat's comments.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, however, opined that the temple issue has been reduced only to a poll promise and therefore, has become a topic for ridiculing Hindutva. Bhagwat, speaking at an event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Wednesday in New Delhi, pitched for early construction of Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.

"Ram Mandir should be built at the earliest," he had said. "The position taken by the RSS chief on the issue of the (Ram) temple is of commitment. But has there left even an iota of that commitment in the inner hues of (among) politicians?" the Shiv Sena asked.

"Shah speaks with a lot of confidence about the BJP ruling the country for 50 years. But refrains from commenting on repealing Article 370 or committing deadline for construction of the Ram temple. Are the rising petrol and diesel prices and beheading of soldiers the future of India?" the Marathi daily asked.

Speaking at the event, Bhagwat had also talked about the RSS being firm on scrapping of Article 370.

Referring to that, the Shiv Sena asked why did then the BJP form government in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, which is opposed to the idea of scrapping the Article.

"Mehbooba would say there would be riots if that Article was to be scrapped. So, was it right for (the BJP) to get married to her (party PDP) for power? And it was a Sangh volunteer like Ram Madhav who performed the role of a kazi (priest) in that wedding," the party, a constituent of the BJP-led NDA, quipped.

Madhav, a BJP general secretary, is considered as being instrumental in the BJP and the PDP coming together to form government in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015. The BJP quit the alliance in June this year, leading to the collapse of the PDP-led government.

The Shiv Sena further said if "anyone" wants to remain in power for 50 years, the RSS chief then needs to rap the "politicians" (to set things right). "But none is ready to tell the truth today," the party added.

The Maharashtra-based party also pointed towards Bhagwat condemning and terming as "unacceptable" mob lynching in the name of cow protection.

"But all were happy with Hindu votes getting polarised in the aftermath of violence unleashed by cow protectors on streets," the Shiv Sena publication said, without naming anyone or any party.
Things evolve, and we have to change with the times and with our customers wants and needs, BMO Harris spokesman Patrick OHerlihy said.

While a shift to a call center may appear uninviting to consumers, OHerlihy said the change isn't less accommodating.

From our perspective, theres some benefits for the consumer, he said. Youre going to get immediate availability of a mortgage banker, and that wasnt always the case in the past. You might go in, and a mortgage banker might be traveling, and you might not get them right away. Now youre going to get them immediately.

OHerlihy also said that the call center setup would bring underwriting, processing, and mortgage-related expertise together. Customers who visit a BMO Harris branch to apply for a mortgage will be directed to call the center, right at the branch.

As the bank continues to move away from in-person applications, O'Herlihy said that an online offering is under development.
He was arrested by the Kerala police after intense interrogation over the last three days.

Kochi: Bishop Franco Mulakkal, a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India, was arrested on Friday night amid mounting public outrage over allegations of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, police said.

He was arrested by the Kerala police after intense interrogation over the last three days.

The development came a day after the Vatican relieved him temporarily of all pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation to which the alleged victim also belongs.

The nun had accused the 54-year old clergyman of repeatedly raping and having unnatural sex with her between 2014 and 2016.

Inspector-general of police (Kochi Range) Vijay Sakhare told PTI that the arrest was recorded at 8 pm and the bishop would be produced in a magistrate court in Pala in Kottayam district Saturday.

Bishop Mulakkal, who had been coming for the interrogation in the bishop attire, was taken to Tripunithura government taluk hospital in civil dress for medical examination and later to Kottayam.

People gathered there booed the bishop as he was being escorted out of the hospital.

Earlier, Kottayam district police chief Hari Sankar told reporters that the bishop has been slapped with charges, including rape, illegal confinement, unnatural sex and intimidation.

There were evidences to arrive at a reasonable suspicion that the clerygyman had committed the crime, he said.

Members of various Christian reformation organisations as also the nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus, who were staging a protest close to the Kerala High Court premises for the last 13 days for the bishops arrest, erupted with joy as the news broke.

Fr Augustine Vattoli, Convenor of the Save our Sisters (SOS) Action Council, which spearheaded the protest, called off the hunger-strike. The five nuns who were taking part in the protest welcomed the arrest of the bishop and said they would end their agitation for the time being.
Midland County Sheriffs Office

A Midland man was arrested Sunday after he allegedly fired a gun in the direction of a residence, according to court documents.

Brayan Alberto Rodriguez, 18, was released Tuesday on a $50,000 bond for a third-degree felony charge of deadly conduct by discharging a firearm.
Watch live stream above.

After weeks of planning, the debate between Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Beto O'Rourke is finally here.

On Friday night, the two Senate candidates will face off in Dallas at 6 p.m. to discuss domestic policy.

In Houston, News KUHF-88.7 FM and KUHT-Ch. 8 will broadcast the debate. The one-hour debate can be streamed online at NBCDFW.com or Dallasnews.com, and will be televised on NBC 5 in Dallas-Fort Worth.

In San Antonio, KLRN will broadcast the debate live starting at 6 p.m.

To get briefed beforehand on where O'Rourke and Cruz stand on the biggest issues, check out the Houston Chronicle's latest article breaking down the candidate's positions on immigration, tax cuts and gun laws.

In recent months, the race between the two candidates has tightened to single digits. Multiple polls averaged together by RealClearPolitics show Cruz leading O'Rourke by 4.5 percentage points.

Read more about Texas' upcoming midterm elections at the Houston Chronicle.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly named some networks that would be airing the debate.

LATEST: Hoping for a blue wave, Texas Democrats instead got smacked this week

Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message.

Fernando Ramirez covers Texas news and politics. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. | Fernando.ramirez@chron.com | @fernramirez93




She blamed the collapse of foreign minister level meeting before it could take place on jingoism and media war unleashed in the country.

SRINAGAR: The Centres calling off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York, citing the brutal killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps glorifying Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani has come as a big disappointment for various political parties and their leaders in the state.

Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, said, It is not any good news for anyone because it is very vital in the interest of the people of the South Asian region that the leadership of the two countries should sit together and talk. They need to talk on the very issues which area widening the gulf between the two sides and to tell what is happenings should not happen.

While speaking to this newspaper, she added that the calling off the planned meeting in New York later this month is a bad news particularly for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. She reiterated that the issues and problems between the two countries can be addressed to only through dialogue.

She blamed the collapse of foreign minister level meeting before it could take place on jingoism and media war unleashed in the country.
The University partners with The JED Foundation to assess and enhance mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention efforts.

Michigan Technological University has joined the JED Campus program to support student well-being and mental health. The program identifies opportunities to enhance emotional health and substance abuse and suicide prevention efforts on campus to ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety nets.

By joining the program, Michigan Tech demonstrates a commitment to the emotional well-being of its students, said Laura Bulleit, the Universitys associate dean of students. JED Campus schools embark on a multi-year strategic collaboration to assess and enhance the work already being done, and foster positive, lasting, systemic change in the campus community. The program provides schools with a framework to support student mental health, along with assessment tools, feedback reports and ongoing technical assistance from the JED Campus team of clinicians.

One of the most exciting things about the JED Campus program is that it gives our students the opportunity to help shape the delivery of mental health and substance abuse services on campus, Bulleit said. In addition to having students complete confidential surveys, we have invited student representatives to have an active role in our JED Campus team.

The college years are the age when many mental health issues first manifest, and it can be a time of significant stress and pressure, said John MacPhee, executive director of The JED Foundation. JED Campus helps schools by working with them to survey everything their university is doing to support their students emotional health and find practical ways to augment these efforts in a comprehensive way. We believe that the implementation of a campus-wide approach to mental health will lead to safer, healthier communities and likely, greater student retention.

Michigan Techs membership begins by establishing an interdisciplinary, campus-wide team to assess, support and carry out program improvements. The team will conduct a confidential self-assessment survey on the Universitys mental health outreach, and substance abuse and suicide prevention efforts. When the assessment is complete, JED Campus clinicians will provide a comprehensive feedback report that identifies successes and opportunities for enhancements. Over the course of four years, the University will collaborate with the JED Campus team to implement enhancements.

In addition to the Jed Foundation, JED Campus is supported by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Children's Hospital of Michigan.

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.
Former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah expressed profound grief over the killings.

SRINAGAR: Various mainstream political parties and their leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have strongly condemned the murder of three Special Police Officers (SPOs) after their kidnapping by militants in southern Shopian on Friday.

CPMs state secretary and legislator Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said, It is unfortunate and tragic. The slain policemen were not on combat duty but were abducted unarmed from their homes.

He asked as to whose cause was being served by such killings? He said, Whether a person is killed by the bullet from one side or the other side, it is a Kashmiri who is losing a life. For how long such killings will continue?

Former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah expressed profound grief over the killings.

We strongly condemn this cowardly attack and express our solidarity with the families of slain SPOs. We also pray for peace to the departed souls, the Abdullahs said in a joint statement.

However, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, said that condemning the killings will not bring any solace to the families of the victims.

The former chief minister tweeted, Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims.

She also sought to blame the Centres muscular campaign in Jammu and Kashmir for continuation of such incidents.

In another tweet, the PDP leader said, Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, Centres muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now.
Morgan County

Sheriff

ACCIDENTS

 Bethany J. Browning, 32, of Franklin was injured about 2:45 p.m. Thursday when the van she was driving overturned in the 3100 block of Nortonville Road.

Browning was flown to St. Johns Hospital in Springfield with unknown injuries, according to the sheriffs department.

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Andres D. Luna, 51, of Pacoima, California, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:45 p.m. Thursday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended.

Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Jonathan S. Cooley, 32, of 206 S. Monroe St., Pittsfield, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 7:37 p.m. Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence, text messaging while driving and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

 Jeremy C. Stucker, 40, of 111 Meadow Ridge Lane was booked into the Morgan County jail at 9:03 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of disorderly conduct.

 Cody T. Dawson, 24, of 1012 Lafayette Ave., Beardstown, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:02 a.m. Thursday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper signaling and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

 Morris E. Chrisman, 42, of 435 S. East St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 3:25 a.m. Thursday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended.

 Casey S. Lumbert, 31, of 250 E. Dunlap St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:26 p.m. Thursday on a charge of unlawful possession of firearms.



Cass County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Elmer B. Perkins, 47, of Springfield was booked into the Morgan County jail at 3:49 a.m. Thursday on charges of driving while license is revoked or suspended and speeding.

Compiled by Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree and Greg Olson
India charged that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning lay their evil agenda.

New Delhi: Reacting sharply to the gruesome killing of three policemen and a BSF jawan in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan-backed terrorists and the release of a postage stamp glorifying slain terrorist Burhan Wani, India on Friday called off the scheduled bilateral meeting between Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi that was to take place in New York later this month, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Stating that Islamabad will not mend its ways and that any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless, India also blasted Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying his true face has been revealed.

India charged that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning lay their evil agenda.

This high-pitched, belligerent rhetoric comes just a day after New Delhi on Thursday agreed to the Pakistan PMs request for the meeting. Hours after India scrapped the scheduled talks, Pakistans in-formation and broadcasting minister Chau-dhry Fawad Hussain termed the MEAs statement as pue-rile while alleging that New Delhi stood for extremist ideologies whi-le Islamabad stood for peace.

In a tweet, Mr Hussain said, It seems that the Indian govt is divided on the issue of negotiations  have never seen such a puerile statement given by any Foreign Office. The world is watching: Pakistan stands for peace while Indian policies are being guided by extremist ideologies.

Fridays developments mark the first severe setback to Indo-Pak ties under the new Imran Khan-led Pakistan government and have dashed what seemed like a steady move on both sides to inch towards talks.

The stage is now set for another Indo-Pak confrontation on the Kashmir issue at the UNGA in a few days. India calling off the scheduled bilateral meeting will also once again open the door to allegations of a flip-flop by New Delhi regarding its Pakistan policy although the MEA said the meeting had been called off due to the changed situation.

With India facing general elections in less than a year, New Delhis decision to call off the talks is being seen as the government buckling under mounting pressure. There was criticism of the governments nod to talks on Thursday as Pakistan has taken no concrete action to crack down on terrorists operating from its soil or territory controlled by it. Thursdays decision had been announced despite a BSF jawan being killed by Pakistani troops.

In a scathing indictment of Pakistan on Friday, the MEA in New Delhi said, Since yesterdays announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place. The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways.

The MEA further said, Now it is obvious that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office. Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless.

There is now some uncertainty about the scheduled Saarc foreign ministers meet in New Yor in which both Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi are to participate in.

While New Delhi said the decision on Friday came as a reaction to the issuing of postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists as well as the killing of Indian security personnel, there were news reports that the 20 postage stamps, which carry captions such as Burhan Wani (1994-2016) freedom icon, were released in Karachi on July 24, allegedly to highlight the plight of people living in Kashmir.

The MEA, however, said the controversial stamps were issued by Pakistan recently.

Justifying Thursdays decision for a bilateral meeting between the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers, MEA said, The decision to agree to Pakistans proposal for a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new Prime Minister and foreign minister of Pakistan. The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism.

On Thursday, the MEA spokesperson had said, I can confirm that on the request of the Pakistani side a meeting between external affairs minister and Pakistani foreign minister will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at a mutually convenient date and time.
Believe it or not, the Environmental Protection Agency is considering digging up radiological waste and placing it on trains and shipping it on Americas railways to one or more new locations. Unnecessarily excavating and transporting radiological waste is both dangerous and costly. Every American has reason to be concerned because this is no longer simply a local issue.

The West Lake Landfill near St. Louis, Missouri, was a farm until 1939, when it became a limestone rock quarry. By the early 1950s, it became a landfill. In 1973, part of the landfill was contaminated with soil that had been mixed with leached barium sulfate residues  a low-level radioactive byproduct left over from the Manhattan Project. Fortunately, numerous scientific studies, including those by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the EPA and state agencies, have found that the waste poses no danger to public health. So while landfills are often eyesores and can stink, West Lake is not a health risk.

Nonetheless, the EPA identified the landfill as a Superfund cleanup site in 1990. For the next 28 years, the EPA studied the problem, but did nothing. Experts, including the EPA, thought the best course of action was to seal the contaminated soil and monitor surrounding air, soil and water. The cost of this remediation would be paid by those who were at fault for the contamination  not the taxpayers. This solution made a lot of sense. Sadly, it wasnt implemented quickly.

Some locals who were understandably frustrated by the EPAs bureaucratic stiff-arm became infuriated and labor unions saw a chance to get new, lucrative government contracts in the cleanup. So a newfangled plan to dig up the landfill and remove 70 percent of the contaminated soil via railway began to gain support.

The contaminated soil is buried in the landfill and poses no health risk  and once capped and monitored, it will never be a risk. But if the contaminated soil is dug up and loaded into trucks and then onto railway cars and then transported along Americas railway system to new locations, the risk to Americans all along the travel routes is dramatically increased. This could lead to a catastrophe, whereas capping the soil endangers no one and saves money.

It is reasonable to wonder if this proposal isnt simply an attempt to give angry local activists a concession for having to wait 28 years for action. Or perhaps the recent EPA leadership troubles contributed to this misguided idea. What we do know is that this excavation and massive transportation plan is risky, dangerous and expensive. It makes one wonder if the EPA hasnt lost its collective mind.

The Coalition to Keep Us Safe  a local organization of citizens, farmers and community leaders that have been advocating for a quick and permanent solution  strongly supports the capping and monitoring solution. The coalition also strongly opposes digging up the landfill and transporting it elsewhere. The facts are on the coalitions side.

First, even the EPA has determined that excavation is 54 times more dangerous because of possible transportation accidents. The National Transportation Safety Bureau, reports that nearly every two hours a person or vehicle is it by a train with nearly 1,000 deaths per year in train related accidents. About every 90 minutes a train collides with another object or is derailed. Almost every two weeks a train derailment leads to a chemical spill. According to the Department of Transportation, about 80 percent of railroad crossings do not have adequate warning systems. So stirring up buried contaminated soil and loading it in trucks and then on trains makes the likelihood of tragedy much greater  both locally and nationally.

Second, excavation would take much longer to complete  likely 13 years as opposed to two years for the capping and monitoring approach. Thirteen years of trains loaded with leached barium sulfate rolling on Americas railways is a bad idea.

Third, it would cost the taxpayers a great deal more to complete this long-term, less-safe solution  likely $620 million. And given government project cost overruns, it could be a great deal more.

Americans everywhere should be alarmed that the EPA would consider adopting a plan that substantially increases health risks to Americans everywhere transporting those risks along Americas railways with the potential for derailment and accidents all along the way. This is why the EPA should no longer be in charge of cleanups.

There is no way Missouri would have allowed this to go uncorrected for 28 years.

George Landrith is the president of Frontiers of Freedom, a public policy think tank. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
In 1994, news reports about genocidal massacres in Rwanda began appearing in the Western media.

I suspect that many Americans had never heard of Rwanda, and probably couldnt locate the nation on a map of Africa. Even more bewildering to westerners was who was doing the killing and who were the majority of the victims.

The Hutus, a tribe that had control of the government, were doing the killing. The Tutsis, the tribe out of power but doing its best in a civil war to gain a share of power, were being massacred. Between April and mid-July 1994, an estimated 100,000 to a million people of the Tutsi tribe were killed, which amounted upward of 70 percent of their population.

Even if we take the lower estimates, the numbers alone are an astonishing count of human suffering.

Why, you ask, am I writing a column in mid-America about events on another continent that happened near a quarter of a century ago?

I have a one word answer, tribalism.

In Africa, in large stretches of the Middle East, and many other places in the old world, people identify more with their traditional tribes than with the nation outlined by the borders where they reside. I suspect that both Hutus and Tutsis identified themselves as such long before they would consider themselves Rwandans.

For me, and I suspect for many Americans who remember these events, the reasons for the massacres remain incomprehensible. How many Americans would be able to distinguish between members of the Hutu and Tutsi tribes?

Well, folks, welcome to identity politics.

On this side of the ocean, we have the lingering vestige of racial identity politics, where a person can claim to belong to a race by citing fractions  as being one quarter this or one-16th that. Such foolish distinctions would be perfectly understandable to Jefferson Davis, but would probably be incomprehensible to your average Tutsi.

Now we have taken identity politics to a new level. For many years, we had the divide between Catholics and Protestants. Few people care much about that old division any more. Interracial marriages are becoming more commonplace, and interracial couples are regularly depicted in TV advertising.

All of this is good. But now we have a new divisive emphasis. If people identify themselves as Democrats or Republicans, it instantly divides the room. Party affiliations can be adopted by individual Protestants, Catholics, Jews, blacks, whites, males and females, along with just about any set of identifiable groups.

As the perceived importance of all of these group identities recede, we are witnessing the hardening of the divide between political parties, whose adherents want to control the government, to the exclusion of the other party  just like in tribal Rwanda.

The crucial difference is that unlike in Rwanda, or any other place where tribe takes primacy over nation, there was a time when we could all identify as Americans first. I can never become a Frenchman or a Tutsi,or a Vietnamese, but they can all become Americans, and they do so in naturalization ceremonies held around the country.

The American identity is unique in that anyone can become an American. By shunning people because they place an R or D after their names is the same retrograde thinking as shunning someone from another tribe.

Are people now beginning to emphasize their political identities more than being Americans?

If so, then E pluribus unum  out of many, one  is in danger of being lost.

Jacksonville resident Jay Jamison writes each Friday for this page.
Some villagers chased the militants, but they fired their AK-47 rifles in the air to scare them away.

Police officers and family members carry coffins of the three special police officers who were killed by militants at a base camp in Shopian, Jammu & Kashmir, on Friday. (Photo: AP)

SRINAGAR: In a gory act, three special police officers (SPOs) were abducted and subsequently killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs southern Shopian district on Friday, evoking outrage across the country. The cowardly act came after a video by an offshoot of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) surfaced on social media on Tuesday, asking policemen to quit within four days or face death.

Authorities in J&K blamed the killing of the SPOs  Firdous Ahmed Kuchay, Kulwant Singh and Nisar Ahmed Dhobi  on Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT), and said that a massive manhunt was underway to capture the perpetrators, dead or alive. I assure you, those involved in this act of cowardice will be brought to justice soon, inspector general of police (Kashmir range) S.P. Pani said.

Soon after the SPOs killing, some news reports said that six J&K policemen and SPOs had resigned, four of whom posted their resignation videos on social media. In one of these videos, a policeman can be heard saying, My name is Irshad Ahmad Baba and I was working as a constable in the police. I have tendered my resignation.

However, a statement issued by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) in Delhi denied that any policeman has resigned in J&K after the kidnapping and murder of three SPOs. Calling the reports untrue and motivated, it termed them as false propaganda by certain mischievous elements.

J&K police said that the three SPOs were found murdered after they were kidnapped by gunmen in Shopians Kapran and Batagund villages early Friday. Their bullet riddled corpses were found in the districts Dangam village, not very far from the places they had been kidnapped from, a police official said.

Bashir Ahmed, brother of slain SPO Nisar, said, They (gunmen) had already captured two persons  Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh  from Batagund (a neighbouring village). Then they came here (Kapran) and asked my brother to come along. He was performing wudu (ritual washing performed in preparation for prayer). They allowed him to do it.

Some villagers chased the militants, but they fired their AK-47 rifles in the air to scare them away. They told us that they would set them free after taking their videos, Bashir said.

The gunmen, along with the abductees, crossed a mountain stream and disappeared. After some time we heard gunshots and we thought the Army has opened fire. But later we came to know that all three have been shot dead, Bashir said. The villagers said that the gunmen had captured one more SPO, but they persuaded them to release him unharmed.

The police said that preliminary investigation revealed the complicity of proscribed terror outfits HM and LeT in this barbaric act. Both the HM and the LeT are, so far, silent over the incident.

The police pointed out that the kidnapping and murder of the SPOs came days after the HM had put out a video threatening to kill policemen, especially SPOs unless they posted their resignations online.

On Tuesday, a video surfaced on social media featuring a collage of images of the J&K police and a voice asking the policemen to quit within four days. They were asked by terrorist Umar Ibn Khitaab belonging to Umar Majeed group, an offshoot of the HM, to upload their resignations on the internet or face death, a police official said. The outfit had also threatened to kill the family members of the policemen who would choose to stay back at work.

MHA asserted that the J&K police is a highly professional and a committeed police force, which is fully geared up to meet any security challenges, particularly the ones related to upcoming panchayat and local urban body elections.
Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime.

New Delhi: HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said on Friday that a University Grants Commissions communication asking varsities to celebrate the anniversary of surgical strikes is patriotism not politics, and it is not compulsory for institutes to organise it. The HRD minister rejected the opposition criticism as absolutely ridiculous and false.

Several political parties including Trinamul Congress in West Bengal and the Congress joined to allege the move was part of BJPs political agenda. Mr Javadekar said that the ruling BJP differed with the Congress as it only gave advise to institutes to follow a programme, while the Congress made its decisions compulsory to be followed when it was in power. An advisory not a direction has been issued to universities, he said. Where is politics? This is not politics but patriotism, he said, adding that students needed to be informed about the surgical strikes, military and civil works of soldiers.

He claimed that students and institutes had made suggestions that the second anniversary of surgical strikes, which the Army had carried across the border in Pak-occupied-Kashmir on September 29 in 2016, should be commemorated. Colleges have been asked to organise parades by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and lectures by ex-army officers.

Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had on Thursday directed varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as Surgical Strike Day.

The Centre said it is not compulsory for the universities and the higher educational institutions to celebrate the second anniversary of the surgical strikes.

Talk sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades by the National Cadet Corps(NCC) and visit to exhibitions are among the prescribed events by the University Grants Commission(UGC) for the celebration.

Meanwhile, West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee criticised the BJP-led central government for trying to malign and politicise the Army and said educational institutes will not abide by UGCs directive. The BJP is trying to push its agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda. We wont abide by the directions of UGC, Mr Chatterjee told reporters in Kolkata.

Mr Chatterjee further added that it was acceptable if the day was being observed as a day in the name of the sacrifices made by the soldiers. We have full respect for our soldiers and their sacrifices, he added

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal sarcastically asked whether the UGC would dare to celebrate November 8, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as Surgical Strike Day.

The Indian Army has always been kept above politics and controversies. But now we are seeing that the BJP is trying to malign and politicise the Indian Army. This is not right and we wont support it, Chatterjee said.

UGC directs VCs of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJPs political ends? Sibal tweeted.

Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihoods? This another jumla! the former Union HRD minister said.

On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control(LoC) as a response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month. The Army had said its special forces inflicted significant casualties on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.
The complainant is now recovering in a hospital while the accused was arrested, police said.

A case of attempt to murder under section 307 of the IPC has been registered against the accused, police said. (Representational Image)

Pune: A 23-year-old homosexual man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his male partner, the Pune city police said on Thursday.

A case of attempt to murder under section 307 of the IPC has been registered against the accused, said a police official of Khadak police station.

The incident happened on Wednesday morning at the 46-year-old complainant's residence, said the official.

"Both men were in a relationship for the last couple of years. On Tuesday night, the accused visited the complainant and they had sex. When the complainant again wanted to have sex in the morning, the accused refused, which led to a fight," the officer said.

During the fight, the accused allegedly stabbed the complainant with a sharp-edged weapon.

He is now recovering in a hospital while the accused was arrested, the official added.

Police did not disclose names of both the men.
Update at 5:40 p.m.: The CHP reports that Pennsylvania Gulch Road has reopened to traffic. Additional fire information is below.

Update at 4 p.m.: CAL Fire spokesperson Emily Kilgore updates that the fire has been contained at one acre. Pennsylvania Gulch Road will remain closed at Woodland Drive as crews will remain on scene mopping up for the next couple of hours. Kilgore adds that what sparked the blaze is under investigation. Further details on the blaze are below.

Update at 3:20 p.m.: CAL Fire spokesperson Emily Kilgore reports that the fire is a quarter acre in size and moving at a moderate rate of spread. She adds that crews are getting a handle on the blaze as incoming resources have been called off the fire. No structures are threatened. Kilgore shares that it is unclear if a reported car fire at the intersection of Pennsylvania Gulch Road and Highway 4 is related to this fire. Further details on the fire and a road closure are below.

Update at 3 p.m.: The CHP has blocked off Pennsylvania Gulch Road at Woodland Drive, which is about a mile in from Highway 4 in Murphys near Skunk Ranch and the Indian Rock Vineyards.

Original post at 2:30 p.m.: Murphys, CA  Fire resources are heading to a reports of a vegetation fire on Highway 4 across from the Pennsylvania Gulch Road intersection near the Chevron gas station in Murhpys.

CAL Fire has toned out both ground and air to the scene. Initially, the CHP reported this as a car fire. It is unclear if the flames spread from the vehicle to nearby grass. Motorists in the area will want to slow down and use caution. We will bring you further details as soon as they come into the news center.

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 more information
Shah also dared Mr Gandhi to make his stand clear on urban Naxals.

Bhopal: BJP president Amit Shah on Friday launched a diatribe against Congress president Rahul Gandhi and accused him of backing urban Naxals who were plotting the assassination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rahul Gandhi and company were supporting the urban Naxals who plotted to eliminate the PM, he said while addressing BJP workers in Raipur in Chhattisgarh.

Mr Shah also dared Mr Gandhi to make his stand clear on urban Naxals in the poll-bound states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, while exuding confidence that his party would return to power in these states in the year-end assembly elections.

Overruling the claim by Mr Gandhi that Congress would return to power in all three states, Mr Shah said, Rahul baba is day dreaming about his party winning elections in these states.

Congress lost states one by one in elections since 2014, when NDA came to power at the Centre, he said. Lambasting Mr Gandhi for questioning Narendra Modi government at the Centre, he said, when terrorists staged attacks in different parts of India, the then PM Manmohan Singh used to keep quiet. But, Mr Modi dealt the terrorism with strong hands by carrying out surgical strikes against Pakistan.
The Prime Minister will be reaching Chhattisgarh from Odisha, where he will depart for on Saturday morning.

New Delhi: A day after BSP chief Mayawati announced a pre-poll alliance with former chief minister Ajit Jogis Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) in the state, lending a serious blow to the Oppositions unity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Chhattisgarh on Saturday to lay foundation stones for a new rail line and a national highway project there.

The Prime Minister will be reaching Chhattisgarh from Odisha, where he will depart for on Saturday morning.

The tribal state, which goes to polls in November this year, is under BJP rule for the past 15 years and the Prime Ministers visit is being seen as a precursor to the partys poll campaign there.

Official sources said that Mr Modi reach Chhattisgarhs Janjgir-Champa district where he will visit an exhibition on traditional handloom and agriculture.

He will lay the foundation stone for national highway projects and the Pendra-Anuppur third railway line.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a public gathering there, sources informed further.

Prior to his visit to Chhattisgarh, Mr Modi will reach Odisha on Saturday morning, where he will unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of work for the revival of Talcher fertiliser plant in the state. This is the first plant in India to have a coal gasification based fertiliser unit.

In addition to fertiliser, the plant will produce natural gas, which will contribute to the countrys energy requirements, a PMO statement said. Mr Modi will then travel to Jharsuguda to inaugurate an airport there. The airport will bring western Odisha on the aviation map of India, and facilitate regional air connectivity through the UDAN scheme, it said.

The Prime Minister will dedicate the Garjanbahal coal mines, and the Jharsuguda-Barapali-Sardega rail link to the nation.
Patrick Bertolino, Houston Comme/Houston Real Estate Photographer

BBVA Compass launched its Center for Financial Education Community Workshops Initiative, partnering 28 with local and out-of-state nonprofits, including the Houston Community College Foundation and Liftfund.

The goal of the initiative is to provide financial literacy courses for 20,000 low-to-moderate income individuals and small business owners. The workshops, covering personal finance, home ownership, and small business matters, will last for a five-month pilot period.
The McNair Center at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy has a new leader and a new focus and is reverting to its former name: the McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth.

It was previously called the McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation under the direction of Ed Egan, who focused on innovation and venture capital-backed startups.
South Houston police arrested one person Friday morning after a high-speed chase that ended with a multiple-car crash.

The chase started in the 900 block of Iowa, police said - in the middle of a residential neighborhood - and sped through southeast Houston after 9 a.m. with several South Houston PD vehicles pursuing a driver in a silver Nissan sedan.

HOURS EARLIER: Driver arrested after police chase, crash in southeast Houston

The chase ended at State Highway 3 and Dixie Farm Road, police said, not far from Space Center Houston. The Nissan driver crashed into two other vehicles at the intersection and was immediately taken into custody.

No further information was immediately available.
Adapted from a recent online discussion.

Dear Carolyn:

My best friend, "Pam," and I have been friends since college, and run a small catering business together. We were married the same year and have children who all grew up together. While Pam is still married, I've been divorced for years.

I love Pam like a sister but she's a little rigid in her thinking and I think she'll disapprove of my current relationship because the man, "Gary," is married. His wife lost interest in both him and sex years ago and has looked the other way when he sees other women, as long as he's discreet, so it's not like we're doing anything really underhanded.

Pam knows I'm seeing someone and has been pushing to meet him, but I haven't told her he's married because I'm afraid she'll freak out and won't accept that the current setup works for all of us: me, Gary and his wife.

Since the wife is an occasional client of our business (that's how I met Gary), I don't want to risk introducing Gary to Pam without telling her the whole story. What's the best way to handle this? Should I keep stonewalling her or come clean?

-- Me

"I'm dating a man who is in an open marriage. Is this going to be a problem?" Proceed from there.



Dear Carolyn:

You've advised posing ideas as questions: "Do you think ... ?"

People will know they are not questions. My family does this, as if I'm too dumb to know what they're really doing. Not helpful.

-- Anonymous

Then say so! And then say what would be helpful to you.

I take issue with the notion, though, that framing things as questions equates to treating people as if they're stupid. I see it as a gesture of respect: I have thoughts, but you have the last word, so I will address whatever you have presented to me, but I will do so in a way that clearly defers to you.

That's also just my view, not a universal one -- and so it's a gesture of respect to let people know what bothers you by saying so and why. "I find this conversation frustrating." And then: "I'd appreciate just having someone to listen," or, "I would rather work this out on my own," or, "I'm well aware of how you all feel, and I respectfully ask you to drop it," or, "If you have a suggestion, them please just say it directly."

The calmer and more specific you can be, the better.



Hi, Carolyn:

I had a mutual interest in someone back in college, around five years ago, that eventually amounted to nothing. I wanted a relationship, she did not, we parted ways and have not kept in touch outside of a few social media posts.

About a week ago, she reached out in what seemed like a harmless, let's-catch-up manner. We've been texting nonstop ever since. She is overseas for work and returns in a few weeks. Am I merely an emotional/boredom crutch for her while she's on her assignment, or is there something she wants to rekindle?

-- Old Flame

Assume it's the least unless and until it proves itself as the most. That's about the limit of my divination skills. Sadly.
MILFORD - A Bronx man has been arrested Thursday on seven charges for allegedly making $3,600 in fraudulent purchases at Costco.

Stanley Porter, 36, of University Avenue in the Bronx, was charged with credit card fraud, third-degree forgery, third-degree larceny, third-degree identity theft, criminal impersonation, giving a false statement and payment card fraud.
The Dalton Police Department is celebrating its second-ever win in the Governors Challenge. The annual competition sponsored by the Governors Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) honors outstanding achievement in traffic safety education and enforcement. Daltons win comes in Category 4 which includes municipal police departments with between 51 and 100 sworn officers.

Competing agencies are judged each year for enforcement programs, educational initiatives, and public information efforts in three categories: occupant safety, speed enforcement, and DUI detection/prevention. In the past year, Daltons Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) has engaged in several education campaigns in Daltons schools to inform students about distracted driving and driving under the influence. The TEU took part in the Teen Maze event that educates young drivers about the impact of dangerous driving behaviors and choices like drinking and driving. While the TEU is focused on traffic issues, the efforts of the departments patrol division as a whole contributed to the different education and enforcement initiatives and their efforts are recognized by this award. The GOHS also considers the work that police agencies do with their local public works departments to try to improve roads or intersections that are especially prone to crashes.



This was the Dalton Police Departments 18th year taking part in the Governors Challenge. Dalton has multiple second and third-place finishes in the past, and last won top honors in 2013-14. The Peachtree City Police Department finished second, and the Rome Police Department finished third in Daltons category. In addition to the overall award, Officer David Saylors was honored individually as the Traffic Enforcement Network Coordinator of the Year for the north Georgia area.


Harvard doctor explains what loneliness does to the brain and hormonal system and why people need to spend time together.

However, it is only recently that scientists been able to identify what is actually happening in the body as a direct result of loneliness. (Photo: Pixabay)

Following recent studies, even doctors are now calling loneliness an epidemic of the modern age.

According to a story published in mail Online, a lot of studies have found strong links between loneliness and risks for a number of diseases, from cardiovascular disease to stroke and even death on the whole.

However, it is only recently that scientists been able to identify what is actually happening in the body as a direct result of loneliness.

Harvard University psychiatrist Dr Charles Bullock explained in a blog post for the university the biology of loneliness - and why it's so crucial that we treat our symptoms with the best medicine: people.

Notably. a review of studies conducted back in 1988 identified higher rates of mortality, illness, injury, smoking, obesity and high blood pressure in lonely people, marking social isolation a risk factor for all of the above.

It turns out that despite all our online connections and friends  the average person has 338 Facebook friends  people are only getting lonelier.

Former surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy wrote in the Harvard Business Review that people live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s.

Speaking to the Washington Post, he went on to add, Its far more widespread than people believe, and like many illnesses that are related to our mental and psychological state, it gets swept under the rug and exists in the shadows.

It turns out that loneliness actually has detrimental effects on the body.

Social activity stimulates a variety of parts of the brain. Like our muscles, the regions of our brains need to be active in order to stay fit.

Several key areas 'atrophy,' so to speak, when we are lonely and isolated, according to Dr Bullock's blog post, i.e, we start to lose gray brain matter in the regions that allow us to read the facial expressions, tones and movements of other people and that allow us to imagine what's happening in another person's mind.

Dr Bullock adds that even if a person spends some time alone, picking up on social cues like these isn't just important to making friends, it's a survival mechanism.

On the other hand, regions of the pain that tell us something is painful thrive on our loneliness.

There is an increase in activity in the amygdala, which regulates emotions and emotional responses, when a person is lonely.

Similarly, the dorsal posterior insula, which regulates how painful something feels actually becomes more active when we are lonely, so injuries - which, incidentally, happen more often to people who are socially isolated - actually hurt more.

Cortisol, the stress hormone tells us when to fight or flee and is key to many biological processes.

However, the body is not designed to be under constant stress, and cortisol is known to disrupt nearly every biological process when levels of it are too high.

The antidote to high cortisol quotients is another hormone called oxytocin and is responsible for the pleasant 'warm' feelings we get from spending time around friends and loved ones.

Maintaining a balance between the stress and social hormones is key to feeling balanced and level.

Dr Bullock says that these effects can be reduced if not reversed even just by being in the presence of other people.

'People are anxiety relievers. And people are antidepressants, as well as blood pressure reducers (mostly). People, in general, are good for you,' Dr Bullock adds.
The president of the prep school that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh graduated from in 1983 wrote a letter Friday to the school community saying that the all-boys institution needs "to continue to evaluate our school culture" and to talk with students "honestly and even bluntly about what respect for others, especially respect for women and other marginalized people means in very practical terms - in actions and in words."

The letter from the Rev. James R. Van Dyke, president of Georgetown Preparatory School, came after several days of news reports describing a culture of excessive drinking, drug use and alleged sexual assault and misbehavior at the Bethesda, Maryland, school during the 1980s, when Kavanaugh was a student there. On Sunday, Christine Blasey Ford publicly accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when she was a 15-year-old student at Holton-Arms School and he was a 17-year-old student at Georgetown Prep.
BERLIN - As Hitler's National Socialist German Workers' Party rose to power in Berlin during the 1930s, the economic woes of the doomed Weimar Republic forced tens of thousands of workers to migrate abroad. Some of them ended up in Brazil, where the National Socialists soon established their own branch, which became the biggest outside Germany.

But a century on, some of Brazil's memories of the Nazis' horrifying legacy appear to have faded. This month, Germany's embassy in Brazil was forced to remind people that Nazis were indeed right-wing - and not left-wing, as some Brazilian commentators have claimed.

The Brazilian backlash came after the embassy posted a video on Twitter, in which it sought to explain Berlin's approach to remembering the Holocaust. "The Germans don't hide their past. Learn how to teach history in Germany," the embassy's caption read. The video, however, came in the midst of a deeply divided presidential campaign.

After one commentator appeared to question whether the Holocaust had ever happened, the embassy felt obliged to clarify: "The Holocaust is a historical fact, with evidence and witnesses that can be found in many places in Europe."

The original video itself drew a direct link between Germany's contemporary far right and concerns that some of its ideology is based on right-wing extremist Nazi thoughts from the World War II era. Some Brazilian far-right supporters then appeared to regard the embassy's association of Nazis with the right wing as slanderous.

"'Right-wing Extremists'? The Hitler Party was called party of Socialist Workers," wrote one commentator, responding on Facebook.

"I feel like you want to influence the election," another Brazilian argued, writing that the diplomats had provided no evidence that "Nazism is right-wing."

While Hitler's party carried the word "socialist" in its name, only a few of the policies pursued by him were left-wing or indeed socialist. Political scientists today assume the Nazis mainly added the word to gain the support of working-class voters who had previously supported left-wing parties.

But in Brazil, the far right has attempted to blur such lines in recent years, and the German Embassy's video was published only a day before the main right-wing presidential candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, survived a stabbing attack during a campaign rally on Sept. 6. The upcoming elections in early October could become the most contentious in recent Brazilian history; Bolsonaro is the current front-runner even though he is deeply unpopular among parts of the polarized electorate.

His critics at times have referred to him as a Nazi or a far-right firebrand - a characterization his supporters reject. But Bolsonaro has been recorded making racist remarks, slandering a left-leaning congresswoman and attacking LGBT communities.

After inadvertently becoming involved in that domestic dispute, the German Embassy this week opted for a safer subject: It posted a video of Germany's first amphibious bus.
WESTPORT  Just four days after saying she saw no reason to shutter Coleytown Middle School, Superintendent Colleen Palmer tweeted Thursday night that perhaps students should be relocated.

At a school board meeting Monday night featuring a parental uprising regarding concerns over the schools ongoing mold problem, Palmer said she saw no reason to close the aging Coleytown. However, she reversed herself in a Thursday night tweet calling for a plan to relocate students to two other Westport school facilities.

At a special (Board of Education) meeting today, I proposed moving (Coleytown Middle School) grades 6 & 7 to (Bedford Middle School), grade 8 to (Staples High School) while the District takes the next month to conduct an in-depth assessment of the CMS environmental concerns. If approved by BoE, CMS students would have partial day on Monday, full day Tues., she tweeted.

Palmer followed up the tweet with an email to parents better explaining the situation.

Given the recent events of earlier this week at Coleytown Middle School where a number of students and staff reported not feeling well inside the school, the District had closed school yesterday and today to assess the status of the school, she wrote in an email sent at 10 a.m. Friday to parents. With an abundance of caution, the District will take the next few weeks to engage in a further analysis of the air quality in that school with additional professionals, including the resources of the Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program.

Starting Monday, Coleytown sixth- and seventh-grade students will be placed at Westports other middle school, Bedford Middle School, with Coleytown eighth-graders moved to a special wing of Staples High School, Palmer wrote in the email, nothing the relocation will take place, during this next month or so, concurrent with the air quality assessment.

Mold, an ongoing issue at Coleytown Middle School, was first identified at the school in August 2016, at which point school officials estimated the work would be complete by the end of the calendar year. Instead it took until May 2018 to address all of Coleytowns identified mold concerns.

Over the summer, however, a failure of the schools air circulation coupled with hot and humid weather caused mold to resurface at the school and led to more than half the school needing remediation, which was completed just days before the first day of school on Aug. 28, Palmer said.

In order to decrease the humidity levels inside Coleytown, which Palmer said reached 85 percent and higher over the summer, and thus prevent mold growth, school administrators placed large industrial dehumidifiers outside of Coleytown before the start of school and kept the dehumidifiers in place throughout the first few weeks of school.

Last Friday, part of a dehumidifier outside the Coleytown eighth-grade wing failed and caused a burning mechanical odor to spread throughout the building, Palmer said.

The mechanical failure was repaired, but the following Monday morning several staff members reported shortness of breath and dizziness, and the building was evacuated for a half hour in order for fire department officials to check for potential carbon monoxide contamination, Palmer said.

Dozens of parents reprimanded Palmer and her team at the Board of Education meeting Monday night and at a separate Coleytown parent Q&A session Thursday night saying they were not given timely notice of the evacuation and why it occurred.

Throughout the past two years, Palmer has not provided transparent information about the schools mold issue and failed to remediate the issue quickly, parents said. Many parents noted their kids have been sick the last few weeks since school started and feared the sickness was caused by the mold.

On Tuesday morning, the day after the evacuation and the night following the first parent uproar, the number of absent students exceeded 50 students, which is double the typical rate, Palmer said.

The number of absences at Coleytown prior to that date was normal and tracked with previous years, Westport Public Schools Supervisor of Health Services Suzanne Levasseur said.

Meanwhile, Westport Weston Health Director Mark Cooper, who has been advising Palmer on the Coleytown mold problem, said he didnt recommend or see the need for Palmer to close the school, noting many of the students symptoms  scratchy eyes and dry throat  may be caused by the dry air the dehumidifiers were blowing into the building to lower the humidity levels. Many students get sick when they return to school for the year because they are exposed to germs from other students, Cooper added.

Cooper will present a report about Coleytowns environmental assessment at a special meeting of the Westport Weston Health District Board of Directors at 7:30 p.m. Monday night in the Health District Conference Room, 180 Bayberry Lane.
Meet and Greet event welcomes Lamont

BRIDGEWATER  Ned Lamont, Connecticuts Democratic candidate for governor, will be in Bridgewater on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for a public get-together with voters. The event will be held at the Pratt Pavilion at the Bridgewater Recreation Center at 2 Sarah Sanford Road East, and will be hosted by the Bridgewater, Roxbury and Washington Democratic Town Committees.

Other Democratic candidates will also be present to meet with voters, including Cathy De Carli, candidate for state Senate, and Greg Cava, candidate for the State House of Representatives.

New Milford resident Chris Meloni (formerly Detective Elliot Stabler on TVs Law and Order: SVU) will be a special guest at the event, which will be emceed by veteran TV journalist Jane Whitney of Washington.

Lamont will outline the reasons for his candidacy and his plans for Connecticut, and will be available to meet with interested voters.

Beer, wine, and soft drinks will be provided as well as live music by local band the Nightbirds. The event is free and open to the public. The Democratic Town Committees of Bridgewater, Roxbury and Washington are the event sponsors.

For more information call Tom Sperry, Co-Chair of the Bridgewater Democratic Town Committee at 860-799-6645 or email: tomsperrynyc@gmail.comor contact Julie Stuart, Committee Member by email: juliestuartct@gmail.com.

Pulmonary support group holding event

LITCHFIELD  In honor of National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month, Charlotte Hungerford Hospitals Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group is holding a Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness event Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside of Stop and Shop in Litchfield.

This event is held to raise awareness about Pulmonary Fibrosis and how it affects individuals and their families, and to help raise funds for research which will go directly to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (pulmonaryfibrosisfoundation.org).

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a lung disease that makes it harder to breathe over time. It is a condition in which lung tissue becomes scarred, thickened and stiff. It can dramatically limit the lifestyles of those afflicted with this disease. There are no known cures and more research is needed. It is estimated that over 200,000 people suffer with this disease and over 40,000 will be diagnosed this year.

CHH also holds quarterly Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group meetings that offer accurate, up-to-date information about Pulmonary Fibrosis, including symptoms, management, forms of treatment, clinical trials and ongoing research. The group talks openly about the challenges of living with Pulmonary Fibrosis in a comfortable and safe environment where participants exchange ideas, compare experiences, and learn from others. It is facilitated by John Morthanos, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation ambassador and lung transplant recipient and Susan Murphy, RCP, of the CHH Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 9, 3 p.m. at the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Hungerford (CHH) Center Conference Room, 780 Litchfield Street, Torrington. For more information and to RSVP for the meeting by Oct. 5, contact Susan Murphy at susan.murphy@hhchealth.org or call 860-496-9381.

American Legion to host ceremony for headstone

RIVERTON  The Riverton American Legion Post No. 159 will conduct a ceremony to unveil a government white marble headstone for World War One Soldier, Leon Starr Bunnell, who 59 years ago (Jan. 5, 1959) was buried in an unmarked grave at the Riverside Cemetery, Pleasant Valley. The ceremony will be held at Riverside Cemetery, 87 River Road, Pleasant Valley (Barkhamsted), at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22.

The ceremony will include American Legion Officers; Town and State Dignitaries; Singing of America the Beautiful by Soloist, Ginger Newman; Placing of a Memorial Wreath by New Hartford / Barkhamsted Daisy Troop No. 40181 and Torrington Girl Scout Troop 40085; Final Honors Rifle Salute by the New Milford American Legion Post No. 31 Honor Guard; Taps by Post 159 Bugler, 2nd Vice-Commander Robert Angus; the playing of the Pipes by Post 159 Bagpipers, Dan and Leah Ward

Seating will be available, Lunch will be provided after the ceremony. Parking is only a short walk from behind the Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church, 93 River Rd, Barkhamsted. It will be held rain or shine.

Wisdom House to hold talk on forgiveness

LITCHFIELD  A program, Plain Talk and Forgiveness, will be presented at Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center, Sept. 28-30. The Rev. Eileen Epperson will facilitate the program.

Forgiving ourselves is an ongoing spiritual practice. Participants in this program will learn new techniques to speak with grace, respect, and results in challenging conversations with others. This weekend will also afford opportunities to practice the skills of plain talk and forgiveness so that participants may live more authentically with greater freedom, and with increasing respect for themselves and others.

Rev. Epperson us a Presbyterian minister currently the Interim Pastor at the Stanfordville United Church of Christ, NY. She has served as a hospice chaplain, and a bereavement counselor. She regularly designs and leads workshops in communication, forgiveness and spiritual growth and has been active in the Parliament of the Worlds Religions. She is the creator of The Forgiveness Process. Visit: www.let-resentments-go.com

For fees and additional information: visit: www.wisdomhouse.org; call: 860-567-3163 or email: programs@wisdomhouse.org

Flanders offers Wednesday Wildlife programs

WOODBURY  Wednesday Wildlife after school programs at Flanders Nature Center gives children in grades K-5 the chance to explore Flanders' 200-acre campus, be active and have fun while connecting to science, nature, farming and art. Everyone helps feed the farm animals at the end of the day.

The program begins Sept. 26 and continues through Nov. 28, 2:45-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons. Parents can provide their own transportation or bus transportation to Flanders is also available from Bethlehem and Mitchell Elementary Schools.

Cost per class for Bethlehem students is $20 and Mitchell Elementary school students $15; Extended care until 6PM is available for an additional fee of $5 per class. Timing and costs will vary but the programs will also run on early dismissal days.

To register or for more information go to www.flandersnaturecenter.org or call 203-263-3711, ext. 10.
PayPal is terminating its relationship with Alex Jones and his website, Infowars, the online payment service said Friday.

After an extensive review of Infowars and its related sites, PayPal said in a statement, the company "found instances that promoted hate or discriminatory intolerance against certain communities and religions, which run counter to our core value of inclusion."

PayPal notified Infowars of the decision Thursday, prompting the site to accuse PayPal in a blog post of a "political ploy designed to financially sabotage an influential media outlet." Infowars said PayPal had given it 10 days to find a new payment platform, after which PayPal's services would no longer function.

RELATED VIDEO: Twitter Bans Alex Jones and 'Infowars' Permanently

PayPal declined to cite specific examples of Infowars's problematic behavior. But Infowars has gained increasing attention - and criticism - for its role in spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation online. PayPal's decision Friday makes it the latest tech company to ban Jones and his content from its platform, following in the footsteps of Apple, Facebook and Google, among others.

Last month, Jones's podcasts were removed from iTunes after Apple said it did not tolerate hate speech. YouTube soon took similar enforcement steps against Infowars, saying Jones had "repeatedly" violated its terms of service. Although Twitter initially resisted banning Jones, it, too, removed him from its platform earlier this month with a permanent suspension.

Twitter's decision came hours after Jones appeared at a high-profile congressional hearing involving Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey and Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. During the event, Jones was recorded heckling journalists and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Afterward, Jones tried to confront Dorsey as he was exiting the Senate office building where the hearing was held.

PayPal's decision to remove Jones hits him where it will probably hurt his business the most: his wallet.

Research by Columbia University's Tow Center for Digital Journalism has found that Jones has been successful at turning his headlines into e-commerce revenue. Revenue could dry up without an online payment processor.

Last month, roughly 1.15 million visitors logged onto Jones's online storefront, Infowarsstore.com, Jonathan Albright, the Tow Center's research director, told The Post's Craig Timberg in a recent interview. Of those, more than 60 percent went to PayPal after visiting his digital shop, implying that Jones is effective at converting visitors into paying customers.

Having learned of the impending ban, supporters of Infowars began urging the site to accept cryptocurrency such as bitcoin.
The Trump administration on Thursday took its most significant step yet to project a tougher stance in cyberspace.

After months of pressure from Congress, the White House unveiled its long-awaited national cyber strategy outlining efforts to harden federal cybersecurity and deter malicious actors from launching digital attacks against the United States. That included authorizing offensive cyber operations against foreign adversaries, said national security adviser John Bolton, who confirmed in a news briefing that President Donald Trump had pared back Obama-era rules restricting such activities, as The Washington Post's Ellen Nakashima reported.

The 40-page document contains little in the way of new proposals, drawing mostly from the work of previous administrations. But it allows the Trump administration to make a more credible case that it's serious about deterring cyberaggression from Russia and other foreign adversaries amid intense criticism from lawmakers and cybersecurity experts that it hasn't done enough.

"I'm glad to see the administration prioritize our nation's cybersecurity and recognize the need for a strong deterrent that includes the use of offensive capabilities," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., chair of the Armed Services subcommittee on cybersecurity, told me in an email. "Taking a more offensive approach to cyberattacks will allow us to swiftly and preemptively address an imminent attack. I look forward to reviewing the full National Cyber Strategy in the coming days."

The document itself doesn't mention the use of offensive cyber operations, but it emphasizes that the administration will use "all instruments of national power" to "impose consequences" on malicious cyber actors. To date, that has involved levying sanctions, issuing indictments and "naming and shaming" those linked to cyberattacks from Russia and North Korea.

But Bolton said in Thursday's news conference that the White House had "authorized offensive cyber operations . . . not because we want more offensive operations in cyberspace, but precisely to create the structures of deterrence that will demonstrate to adversaries that the cost of their engaging in operations against us is higher than they want to bear." He didn't elaborate on the nature of the offensive operations, how significant they were, or what specific malign behavior they were intended to counter, as Nakashima reported.

Democrats signaled they were pleased the administration had offered a formal strategy but criticized the White House for offering few specifics about how it would actually implement the strategy.

"The White House strategy document outlines a number of important and well-established cyber priorities," Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said in a statement. "The Administration must now move beyond vague policy proposals and into concrete action towards achieving those goals."

Trump's strategy contains four broad sets of goals:

1. Improving national security by protecting federal computer networks and securing the country's critical infrastructure. This includes giving the Department of Homeland Security more oversight of civilian cybersecurity efforts and combating cybercrime by cooperating with other countries to track down cyber criminals.

2. Boosting the digital economy by promoting innovation in the technology sector and building up the government's cybersecurity workforce. The administration says it will work with tech companies to promote cybersecurity testing in new products and "improve recruitment and retention of highly qualified cybersecurity professionals."

3. Combating cyberthreats by attributing and deterring "unacceptable behavior" and promoting international norms in cyberspace. The strategy says the administration will use "all instruments of national power" to deter cyberattacks and impose "swift and transparent consequences" against malicious actors. It also calls for a "Cyber Deterrence Initiative" made up of foreign allies to support each other's responses to major cyberattacks.

4. Advocating for internet freedom around the world and helping equip U.S. allies with cyber capabilities to address "threats that target mutual interests."

The strategy largely builds work that has already been set in motion, such as using a "risk management" approach to addressing vulnerabilities in critical networks, as Nakashima notes. Per her Post report: "Overall, the strategy almost directly mirrors the Obama administration's national cybersecurity action plan issued in 2016, which grew from best practices developed by industry and the Commerce Department, said Ari Schwartz, a former senior cyber official in the Obama administration."

Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus, said that although he supported the strategy's aims, "it does not go far enough in accelerating the reforms that need to be made." He noted that the White House had recently eliminated the role of cyber coordinator, which he said was the best position to marshal some of the strategy's goals. "Without strong executive leadership from the White House, I am concerned that agencies will approach their priority actions under this strategy in an ad hoc manner that does not translate into a decisive national policy," he said.

But some former Obama administration officials gave the strategy high marks. Michael Daniel, who served as White House cybersecurity coordinator under President Barack Obama, praised the strategy on Twitter, saying it "charts a solid path forward to strengthen and protect users who rely on the Internet and the digital ecosystem."

He continued: "It strikes a good balance between defensive actions and seeking to impose consequences on malicious actors. Further, it's clear that this strategy is a reflection of a strong policy development process across administrations."

Christopher Painter, the State Departments former top cyber diplomat under Obama, said that making cybersecurity a core national security issue would be "easier said than done." But he, too, said he was satisfied by the Trump administration's move.
ABERDEEN, Md. - Before she shot six co-workers at a Rite Aid warehouse here, killing three of them, Snochia Moseley, 26, had been beset for years by mental illness as well as emotional turmoil related to her struggle with sexual identity, according to authorities and a close friend of Moseley's.

"There's just no way to make sense of something that's so senseless," Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler of Harford County, Maryland, said Friday, a day after he named Moseley as the assailant who opened fire Thursday at a sprawling Rite Aid distribution center 30 miles northeast of Baltimore. Moseley, a temporary Rite Aid employee whom the sheriff said had been diagnosed as mentally ill in 2016, ended her own life in the warehouse with a 9mm bullet from the Glock handgun she had used in the attack.

"We're never going to make sense of it or understand it fully," Gahler said.

Still, as investigators continued digging into Moseley's background and Gahler released a detailed timeline of the shooting, a picture began emerging of a long-troubled woman who carried a semiautomatic pistol and extra ammo clips into a workplace of about 65 people and pulled the trigger more than a dozen times.

The slain Rite Aid employees were identified Friday as a man and two women: Sunday Aguda, 45, of Dundalk, Maryland; and Brindra Giri and Hayleen Reyes, both 41, and both of Baltimore. Authorities said the three surviving victims suffered wounds that are not considered life-threatening.

Giri had emigrated to the United States from Nepal four months ago, said a family friend, Harry Bhandari. He said Giri was learning English and studying to get a driver's license. She had been working at the Rite Aid distribution center for two weeks.

Bhandari said witnesses told him that Giri yelled for other employees to run when Moseley opened fire. She was one of about five workers at the facility who were immigrants from Nepal, including one of the wounded victims. Giri had a husband of 20 years, a daughter in 10th grade and a son in sixth grade.

"She wanted to provide the best for her kids," Bhandari said, which was why she brought her children to the United States. "Kids and family were everything to her."

Aguda's wife, Lena, sobbed on the phone early Friday evening over the loss of her husband in the rampage. "I am grieving for my dear husband because the gun violence is completely out of control in America. It is tragic to have to undergo this grief," she said.

"It's so very, very hard for me now, so very hard. I am sorry," she said in a brief interview "It's just too hard for me even to talk about him."

Relatives of Reyes could not be located. A spokeswoman for Rite Aid did not reply Friday to an interview request about the shooting victims.

Despite her mental-illness diagnosis, Moseley, of White Marsh, Maryland, was able to legally purchase the Glock in March because psychiatric problems alone are not enough to bar firearms ownership under Maryland law, said Maj. William Davis of the Harford County Sheriff's Office. The law lists several accompanying criteria, such as a history of violent behavior toward other people, which did not apply to Moseley, Davis said.

"There were family members, people close to this individual, who had concerns" about her mental state, Gahler said. "Friends and family members relate to detectives that over the last two weeks, she had become increasingly agitated, and they were concerned about her well-being." But the sheriff said none of those relatives and acquaintances conveyed their worries to law enforcement officials.

"You can what-if things to death," Gahler said, declining to specify Moseley's psychiatric issues. "We know that authorities were not notified that they had concerns."

Troi Coley, who described herself as a close friend of Moseley's, offered a closer look at Moseley's mental and emotional troubles in an interview with The Washington Post.

She said Moseley suffered from bipolar disorder and struggled since early in high school with severe depression, partly connected to her feelings of not being accepted when she first came out as a gay teenage girl and later as transgender.

Coley said she and Moseley were freshmen together at Chesapeake High School in Essex, Maryland, a historically working-class suburb east of Baltimore. Moseley transferred in 10th grade to Overlea High in a predominantly middle-class suburb northeast of the city.

"This is a girl who was depressed most of her life because she couldn't accept herself to be who she was after she came out as gay, and she thought nobody else could accept her either," said Coley, now an intern at CharmTV, a cable station run by the Baltimore city government. "Snochia went through a lot of changes, but just could never really accept who she was. She just felt like she wasn't accepted by anybody."

Coley said that during periods when Moseley was undergoing intensive mental health treatment, she had brighter moments and enjoyed writing rap lyrics. She said Moseley wrote an unpublished manuscript about coming out as transgender, titled "No Swagger." In it, Moseley detailed the pain of struggling to accept her sexual orientation and being rejected by others, including some family members, Coley said.

Moseley began receiving hormone therapy about a year ago as she planned to undergo a sex-reassignment operation, Coley said. "Since then, she has been going through a terrible time," said Coley. "She had just gone through this change, the hormone therapy, and struggling to find her way, but she couldn't in the end."

Gahler said Moseley, driving a friend's car, arrived at the Rite Aid warehouse to start her work day at 6:30 a.m. Thursday. She was a seasonal employee who had been hired for a period of about two weeks, the sheriff said.

"There was a mention of an incident involving something about [her] butting in line" as employees were clocking in, Gahler said. But he called this "a little incident" that "didn't seem to be of the nature that caused her too much agitation."

At 7:21 a.m., Moseley, giving no reason, left the warehouse and drove home, Gahler said. He said detectives think Moseley, who once worked as a security guard, went to her residence to get the Glock, as well as handcuffs and a container of pepper spray, which the sheriff said were later found on her body.

She arrived back at the Rite Aid gate at 8:35 a.m., and, apparently after sitting in the parking lot for several minutes, reentered the warehouse at 8:53 a.m., Gahler said.

"She chose to begin the shooting at break time," shortly after 9 a.m., "when the employees came out from the back and had gone outside," he said. He said Moseley fired several shots at people standing just outside the entrance, striking one victim, who died. She then walked inside and opened fire again, killing two workers and wounding three.

Rite Aid has unarmed security guards on its property, but none were in the building where the shooting occurred, Gahler said. The wounded survivors were identified as three men: Hassan Mitchell, 19, of Aberdeen; Wilfredo Villegas, 45, of Gaithersburg; and Purna Acharya, 45, of Ridgewood, New York.

"She was moving pretty quickly, not taking a lot of time to aim," the sheriff said, quoting witness accounts. "A total of 13 rounds that we know of were fired. . . . You don't have to be highly accurate when you're in close quarters."

Authorities received the first report of a shooting at 9:07 a.m., Gahler said. Before officers arrived, he said, Moseley held the Glock to her head and squeezed off a round, which caused only a grazing wound. She then pulled the trigger again, fatally.

One of the first responders dragged the bleeding Moseley to safe cover, thinking she was a victim, and began lifesaving measures, the sheriff said. She later died at a hospital.

Harford County is no stranger to such violence. In October 2017, three people were killed and two others wounded in a shooting at a business park in the county. And in 2016, two Harford sheriff's deputies were shot and killed in a Panera restaurant.

"What makes a person capable of taking a weapon and using it against unarmed, defenseless people?" Gahler wondered plaintively at a Friday morning news briefing, referring to the three deadly attacks. "The mental health issues, we see it time and time and time again. And just the disregard for human life that seems so commonplace across our nation."

As for Moseley's 9mm Glock 17, which sells for about $500 in stores, people in Maryland are legally barred from owning firearms only if certain criteria are met.

They are prohibited from owning guns if they suffer from a mental disorder and have a history of violent behavior against another person; have been found incompetent to stand trial; have been found not guilty of a crime by reason of insanity; have been voluntarily committed to a mental health facility for more than 30 days consecutively; or have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said mental illness was a big factor in each of the three fatal attacks in Harford in recent years.

"A ticking time bomb," he called it.

- - -

The Washington Post's Debbie Truong, Eddy Palanzo and Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.
A journey to Leh is a dream for many. Go prepared for a tough terrain and get mesmerised.

A journey to Leh was a dream for me and my friends, and we had been planning this for a long time. We knew that its a not a regular destination which you can go with little preparation; instead it had a lot of do and donts. So our first efforts were to find them out and some we learnt on the way.

This is an adventurous trip and hence one would follow some precaution and safety measures. We did find a few families with children at some of the high altitudes but I would suggest avoiding taking elderly as well infants to such terrains because of the altitude and the associated issues.

The best time to visit Leh is summer which falls between April and July. One needs a minimum two weeks to plan for a fairly good trip.

Preparations and precautions

Since we went by road, we fitted changed all new tyres, kept a puncture kit as well as a heavy duty air compressor which works on car battery handy. A jumper set is necessary, just in case the battery gives troubles. There are a few stretches of more than 700 kms where there are no fuel stations (sometimes no settlement and not even roads) available. Hence, it is better to always keep enough fuel reserve depending on your route and vehicle. Dont go by the usual mileage your vehicle gives in the plains; it would be much lesser up there. Our automatic Innova Crysta which normally gives 12 kms per litre gave only 7 to 8 km per litre in Leh.

Once the vehicle is taken care of, then turn to yourself. Carrying a few portable oxygen cylinders or cans (cans cost around Rs 700 apiece) and acetazolamide tablets (like Diamox) that make you comfortable at high altitude is advised. Avoid a full meal when you are at high altitude and restrict consumption of alcohol and non-veg food.

You must be watchful for high altitude sickness (HAS): giddiness, severe headache, uneven heart beats, irritation, breathing trouble or vomiting sensation are some of the symptoms. Once you identify HAS, sit somewhere and breathe in oxygen immediately. Drinking water is another remedy to protect your body from dehydration and HAS. Some of our friends confronted these issues at Pangong lake and Khardungla pass which all are at high altitudes.

Always keep stock of enough drinking water and food or fruits for a days survival since you may be stuck in an indefinite traffic block! Keeping a power bank will help you in case you drain out the mobile phone y taking pictures and videos during your ride.

We chose the Delhi  Jammu  Srinagar  Sonamarg  Kargil  Leh route which helps climb the high altitude at gradual intervals. And the challenging stretch was that from Jammu to Srinagar. Since there was a red alert by Army on July 8 (which is the death anniversary of Burhan Wani, who was the commander of a Kashmir militant group) the army advised us take a halt at Patnitop, which is about four hours drive from Jammu. In fact Patnitop turned out to be a beautiful spot to spend a day.

Next day we started for Srinagar and decided to skip our halt at Srinagar and drove till Sonamarg. Missing the Dal Lake experience left us feeling a bit sad but we had no options.

The presence of the Army is very pronounced at Srinagar: you can see a soldier standing with AK47 keeping his index finger on the trigger at every 100 metres.

Sonamarg is a hill station in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, about 80 km north-east of Srinagar and at an altitude of 9200 Ft. It is a scenic valley surrounded by glaciers all around. We did horse trekking at Sonamargand which took us to almost 6 to 8 kilometers up the hills through really tough patches. God knows why the horses always prefer to walk through the edges of rough pathways!

Next day we started for Leh which is around 350 kilometers and which we could cover in 9 hours. Keep an hour for spending at the Kargil war memorial, which is on the way to Leh. If you are in slippers or shorts, you wont be allowed to enter the museum.

Leh is a high-desert city in the Himalayas. It is not a big town and some of the places to visit are Hall of Fame (a museum/war memorial houses weapons, history exhibits & and a souvenir shop - run by Indian Army ) Leh Palace and a few ancient monasteries. The Rancho School featured in 3 Idiots is located at Leh. You can easily cover these since it is advised to spend at least two to three days to get accustomed to the high altitude weather before travelling further.

The destinations were isolated places and hence we arranged for additional fuel, water and food. We left for Nubra valley early morning, which is a 5 hours drive though the distance is only 140 kilometers. As usual, tough terrains, no roads and no settlements on your route and no fuel stations for sure. The main route to follow is Khardungla Road and will find the highest motorable road and an all-weather restaurant and Khardungla top which is at an altitude of 18380 ft. at this stretch.

From Nubra we started for Pangong lake, which is around 190 kilometers away and will take 6 hours drive. Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 14,270 ft. It is 134 km long and extends from India to China. Approximately 60 per cent of the length of the lake lies in China. The lake is 5 km wide at its broadest point. During winter, the lake freezes completely, despite the water being saline .

This lake is very popular with photographers and cinematographers. We arranged our stay in a tent camp, which is pretty close to the lakeshore. It was a clean and well-equipped tent with attached toilet and solar lightings. It rained heavily at night coupled with very strong wind and the temperature dropped to less than 12 degrees and gave us a scary night, since some of us were facing HAS and had breathing issues.

However, the morning was pleasant and after breakfast we started for Tso Moriri, which is a 230 kilometers drive and took around seven hours from Pangong. The lake is at an altitude of 14,840 ft. It is the largest of the high altitude lakes in India. It is about 26 km north to south in length and 3 to 5 kilometer wide. The lake has no outlet at present and the water is brackish.

Our next destination was Jispa, which is a village in Lahaul of Himachal Pradesh. Jispa is 340 kilometers from Tso moriri and took around 11 hours to cover. We needed to halt there for a night to move further down to Manali. At Jispa, you may find one or two fuel stations to refill your tanks.

Jispa to Manali is only 150 kilometers and could cover it in 5 hours. Manali is a resort town nestled in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh near the northern end of the Kullu Valley at an altitude of only 6,726 ft. The town is at fairly safe altitude and having all amenities like restaurants, hospitals, shopping etc. The main attractions of Manali are Rohtang Pass, Vashisht hot spring, Tibetan monasteries, Beas River etc.

The writer is a deputy general manager in a pune based corporate company.
HONG KONG - Vietnam president Tran Dai Quang, one of the three most powerful leaders in Vietnam despite his largely ceremonial role, died Friday at 61, according to state media.

Quang died in a military hospital in Hanoi after "utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese and foreign doctors and professors," said an announcement on state media. It did not elaborate on his illness or the specific cause of his death.

His death opens up a power vacuum in the communist country, which has no paramount head of state. Power is shared between the president, the prime minister, the Communist Party chief and also the head of the legislature, the National Assembly.

Quang was active as recently as this week, when he attended a reception for a Chinese delegation. Last week, he hosted a visiting delegation from Cuba in Hanoi, and met with Myanmar's de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi while she was in the Vietnamese capital for the World Economic Forum's regional meeting in Southeast Asia.

Quang also hosted President Trump during his first state visit to Vietnam last year, and before that, former president Barack Obama when he visited in 2016.

Rumors of Quang's ill health had been swirling in recent months. Observers of Vietnamese politics say he had been doing less and was slowly fading from public view, likely because of his illness.

Though the presidency has been a largely ceremonial role, the exact iteration of this position and how much power it wields "depends largely on the personality" of the individual, said Huong Le Thu, a senior analyst specializing in Vietnam at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Quang's death "creates a vacuum in the highest levels of power within the Politburo," she said. "Who will come up and what's next?"

The late president was born in a farming community in Ninh Binh, a province south of Hanoi. He attended a police college and quickly rose through party ranks in Vietnam's powerful Politburo, the country's main decision-making body. He was appointed Minister of Public Security in 2011, a position with wide-ranging powers including intelligence gathering. He was elected president in April 2016.

He is one of the few sitting presidents to die in office. The last was Ho Chi Minh, the communist revolutionary and Vietnam's independence hero, who died as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam's first president in 1969. The powers and role of the presidency has varied since.
Once you disembark, you can catch a rick, but be warned: they don't ply by the meter.

Until a few years ago, most corporate offsites would succumb to the lure of the Madh Island's Retreat Hotel and its ersatz resort vibe. The area was one of Mumbai's dirty weekend haunts as well as the location for film units to shoot "bungalow scenes" at the local holiday homes. As high-rises begin to dot the landscape, Madh Island is slowly turning into a suburb, which means it is also more accessible by road and by sea.

If you want to escape manic Mumbai over the weekend, it remains one of the easiest options.

Getting There

The road trip is now an obstacle course courtesy the Metro construction and near perpetual bottlenecks on the Western Express Highway. It's cheaper and far quicker to get to the Versova jetty and take the ferry across. A ticket on the junta ferry costs only Rs. 5. The slightly better maintained ferry is a princely Rs.10. Both will deposit you across at the Madh Island Jetty in a couple of minutes, but you will have to brave the putrid stench of the polluted ocean on this stretch.

Once you disembark, you can catch a rick, but be warned: they don't ply by the meter. The starting price for any distance is Rs. 80, and you can try to bargain but there is really no option, so you'll have to quit haggling and give in. Alternatively, you can rent a bicycle from one of the local shops at Versova before you take the ferry across.

Ramya Ramamurthy

Beaches

Marve and Aksa beaches heave with tourists on weekends but have plenty of street food stalls and the typical Mumbai beach paraphernalia. The lesser-known beaches of Erangal and Dana Pani are less crowded and, if you time your visit right, you could have the entire beach to yourself. These beaches are mostly clean and easy to access but don't have food stalls or facilities on the beach so they are as bare and basic as it comes.

STAY

While you could stay at the Retreat or the Resort at Madh Island for a weekend staycation, there are plenty of bungalows that offer the Airbnb experience like Shubham, Aashiyana Villa, Arpita's bungalow, or Umesh's Villa. Apartments at Raheja Exotica also show up on Airbnb, and if you choose a higher floor the sea view is guaranteed. Andy's 1979 Boutique Hotel on the Madh Marve Road is an option if you want to rent an upscale cottage. They also offer dining on site.

LUNCH

As its name suggests, the Retreat Hotel and Convention Centre near Erangal Beach is more of a convention hotel, and a recent visit suggests its glory days are perhaps in the past. The hotel's all-day dining cafe, Tangerine, and its Chinese restaurant, The Oriental Bowl, have poolside views that rank higher than the quality of the food.

You could also try the themed cafes (High Tide, Bay Watch, and Pool Side) at the Resort Hotel in Aksa Beach, Madh-Marve Road. While the food is standard cafe fare, the views score one up over the Retreat, as you can see the beach from here.

Standalone restaurants such as Cafe Laguna near the Raheja Exotica buildings make up for a lack of a view with their ambience and menu.

SEE

St. Bonaventure's Church is a Portuguese era Franciscan church built in 1575 AD. It is right on Erangal beach and hard to miss as it's painted a bright white with blue trim and has squawking parrots perched on its window sills. This imposing church was in use until the Maratha Invasion of 1739. After the invasion, when the church was in ruins, annual celebrations were held only once a year. It was only in 1976 that the Madh Church parish priest had the church renovated and regular church services resumed. On the second Sunday of every January, the Ergal cha Sann (or Erangal Festival) sees thousands gather for food and celebrations as the native East Indians venerate St. Bonaventure. Born in 1221, in Italy, he was known as the prince of mystics, made a cardinal in his lifetime, and was canonized a saint shortly before this church was built.

Madh Island offers the perfect low commitment dial-down from the big city. After a weekend of long beach walks and stirring seaside views, returning to Mumbai may prove hard. But you can always return the next weekend.

  By arrangement with thecitystory.com
The India International Convention and Expo Centre will come up at Sector 25, Dwarka.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a ride in the Airport Express Metro from Dhaula Kuan to Dwarka on way to lay the foundation stone of India International Convention and Expo Centre on Thursday. Metro officials said the ride was completed in 14 minutes.

The India International Convention and Expo Centre will come up at Sector 25, Dwarka.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled in Delhi Metro's Airport Express Line today. He boarded a metro train at Dhaula Kuan Metro Station at 3.13 pm and travelled up to Dwarka Sec-21 Metro Station, leaving the station at 3.27 pm, a senior DMRC official said. He also travelled back from Dwarka Sec-21 to Dhaula Kuan station in the metro, boarding at 4:39 pm and deboarding at 4:54 pm, the official said.

In the train, people were surprised to see him and the prime minister obliged many passengers as they took selfies with him.

Smiles on the Delhi Metro. People interact with PM @narendramodi during the journey from Dwarka, after he laid the foundation stone of a Convention Centre, the PMO India tweeted and shared a few pictures.
A 24-year-old Dallas man who died after falling off a Lime electric scooter was killed by blunt force injuries to his head, county officials said Thursday, likely making him the first person to die while riding the electric mobility devices that have swept across the nation this year.

The death of Jacoby Stoneking has been ruled an accident, the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office told The Washington Post before releasing the information publicly. Police said Stoneking was riding a Lime scooter home from a restaurant where he works when the accident occurred. He was found unconscious and badly injured in the early morning hours of Sept. 1, several hundred yards from a scooter that was broken in half. He was not wearing a helmet, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk freely about the investigation.

The determination by Dallas officials emerged just after California Gov. Jerry Brown, D, signed a bill Wednesday that makes it legal for adults to ride electric scooters without a helmet. The new law also grants cities in California the authority to let scooters operate on streets with speeds limits up to 35 mph, a 10-mph increase.

READ ALSO: The dos and don'ts of riding those electric scooters under proposed city regulations

The three largest e-scooter companies, Lime, Bird, and Skip, said they were unaware of any other fatal accidents involving their devices. When asked for comment about the passage of the California bill in light of the e-scooter death in Dallas, Ali Bay, deputy press secretary for Gov. Brown, simply responded in an email: "The Governor's action speaks for itself."

Lime has pledged to launch an investigation into Stoneking's death. In a statement Thursday, it said: "Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family and loved ones of the victim. We are working tirelessly with local authorities in support of their ongoing investigation. We have and will continue to work with them in a transparent manner."

Financial analysts say Lime may be worth more than $1 billion in market value after receiving $335 million in financing that included a major investment from Uber. In an interview with The Washington Post earlier this year, Uber's chief executive Dara Khoshrowshahi spoke of the critical role e-scooters and bike-sharing could have in his company's efforts to transform urban transportation.

Khoshrowshahi has also taken pains to rehabilitate Uber's image as a grow-at-all-costs company. When an Uber self-driving car struck and killed an Arizona woman in March, Khoshrowshahi quickly froze the company's autonomous driving program until it could be deemed safe.

When told about the Lime fatality, Uber said in a statement: "Customer safety is essential to Uber, whether for bikes, scooters or cars. As we continue working through our scooter product and Lime integration, we're keeping safety top of mind."

The three e-scooter companies have aggressively expanded nationally, and some analysts estimate as many as 65,000 scooters are now on streets across the country. The start-ups have also launched services overseas.

But almost as soon as the scooters arrived in towns and cities, severe injuries have followed.

Emergency room doctors in a dozen cities told The Post that they are seeing a spike in scooter accidents. In seven cities, those physicians are regularly seeing "severe" injuries - including head traumas - that were sustained from scooters malfunctioning or flipping over on uneven surfaces as well as riders being hit by cars or colliding with pedestrians.

"An electric scooter is pretty much a moped, just a little slower," said Dr. Sam Torbati, co-chair and medical director of the Ruth and Harry Roman Emergency Department at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. "People seem to feel safe since it looks like a recreational tool, but it comes with potential for serious injury."

READ ALSO: S.A. council green lights scooter ordinance; official vote expected in October

Torbati said it will take another year for the hospital to collect enough data to make a proper risk assessment for electric scooters, but he parroted a message repeated by every doctor The Post interviewed: Wear a helmet.

"It makes me real anxious when I see someone with ear buds and a cup of coffee riding without a helmet on the sidewalk," he added. "The public is excited for this fun new form of transportation, but the injuries we're seeing suggest they're not aware of the risks involved they could get seriously injured."

Dr. Christopher Michael Ziebell, the medical director for Dell Seton Emergency Department in Austin Tex., said his staff has treated nine "severe traumas" stemming from electric scooters since the devices arrived in Austin in April.

For whatever reason, he said, scooter riders seem to feel "invincible" as they weave through traffic and sidewalks.

But their brains are especially vulnerable during accidents, and a severe head injury can result, Ziebell said.

"A severe head injury is not a simple concussion or a skull fracture," he said. "It's actually bleeding inside the skull cavity in or around the brain that results in damage to parts of the brain that may sometimes be permanent. It requires significant rehabilitation and prolonged hospitalization to treat."

Scooter companies have repeatedly maintained that safety is a top priority. They say their apps and labels on the scooters contain basic safety information, as well as training instructions. Bird requires users to upload a driver's license and confirm they're at least 18 years old.

Bird and Skip have programs that give helmets to riders who request them, and Lime notes that riders must go through an "in-app tutorial" on helmet safety to unlock one of the company's scooters for the first time.
As Animal Care Services staff settled their latest charges in temporary quarters two weeks ago, ensuring the 415 rodents and 136 pythons were safe and comfortable, new worries cropped up.

It was, after all, the largest and perhaps most unusual seizure in the agencys history.

Its not the first time weve brought in rats or snakes but its the first time weve brought in hundreds of rats and snakes to ACS, said agency spokeswoman Lisa Norwood.

Creating temporary, species-specific housing for the new arrivals was one thing; trying to find permanent homes for them was another matter entirely

ACS officials neednt have worried.

Just hours after the call for help went out, several specialized rescue groups responded from around the state and even Oklahoma.

RELATED: ACS releases photos of snakes picked up in biggest animal seizure in city's history

Last week, on the day the animals owner surrendered them, nearly all the rats and mice were picked up by Central Texas Rat Rescue, Dallas/Ft Worth Rat Rescue and Our Little Rat Rescue of Oklahoma to be taken to new homes, where they will be welcomed as pets.

Most of the snakes, including the two that were 15 feet long, were taken in by a reptile rescue group that asked to remain anonymous.

The number of partners we have made it that much easier to deal with the situation, Norwood said. All rescue groups that work with ACS are vetted before they become partners.

The few remaining rodents and snakes that are still in ACS care are receiving medical treatment and will stay there until theyre well enough to be adopted.

ACS officers seized the animals from a South Side home Sept. 5 after receiving complaints they were living in dirty, crowded conditions. They found the animals living in stacked tubs in an outdoor shed and inside the darkened, packed house, which had no electricity or running water. The rats and mice were used as food for the snakes, which owner Thomas Eichelberger said he was breeding for sale.

RELATED: Great-grandmother and Livingston, Texas mayor, Judy B. Cochran, hunts 12-foot, 580-pound alligator

Her grandson killed another gator in the same pond when he was 5 years old.

Friday, Eichelberger surrendered ownership of all the animals before the start of a custody hearing at San Antonio Municipal Court .

Norwood said that members of Central Texas Rat Rescue from Pflugerville were so excited to help that they threw a party to build rodent-friendly housing units to accommodate their new arrivals.

And members of Our Little Rat Rescue drove 466 miles from Oklahoma City to pick up 135 rodents from ACS. According to their website, the rescue group takes in gerbils, guinea pigs and hamsters as well as mice and rats.

Theyre all my spoiled babies, founder Karen Peeler, 47, said during a phone interview Thursday.

Peeler, who raised rats as pets when she was younger, said they can be trained to use a litter box. Two bedrooms in her home are dedicated to rodents, where the rats from San Antonio are quarantined for four weeks. After the quarantine is over, they will be going to their new homes.

She said problems crop up when people get rodents on a whim. A dog may have a litter of eight puppies, she said, but a pet rat owner could end up with a litter of 20.

She acknowledged a large number of people are petrified of rats.

I think people just have to get past the fear that they have, Peeler said.

RELATED: Stolen ACS dog found, suspect arrested from West Side home

The Travelin Rat, a group that offers resources to help rescue groups that take in rats, says there are at least 70 rodent rescue groups in the United States.

Co-founder Danielle Stanley said people often question why someone would have a rat as a pet.

Theyre very misunderstood, Stanley said. I wouldnt go play with rats in the sewers, but I do respect them. These are domesticated pets. My rats are litter-box trained and want to interact.

She said rats are actually loving animals and easier to care for than a dog.

Some rats will even kiss you and if youre lucky your rat may nibble groom you because he or she may consider you another rat in their group, Stanley said. If you cant have a dog, you may want to consider having rats.

Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis
At least 6 people were newly arrested or charged with murder in August, according to records obtained by mySA.com.

In July, three murder suspects were newly arrested or charged. August's tally brings the total number for 2018 to 52.
San Antonio Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for help figuring out who killed a 27-year-old woman more than a year ago.

Joyce Medina, 27, and her 22-year-old brother Felipe Lopez, were shot at their family home in the 4300 block of Sun Vista Lane on March 5, 2017.
senior officer of state police said precautionary measures have been taken in connection with the Muharram procession.

Traffic will be diverted and there will be police posting along with the processions, an officer of Kolkata traffic police said. (Photo: PTI)

Kolkata: The police have made elaborate security arrangements for Fridays mourning processions of Muharram in the city and elsewhere in the state, officials said Thursday.

Police officers would be posted at various crucial points, especially near mosques and alongside the city roads where mourning processions were scheduled, a Kolkata Police officer said.

Around 6,000 police personnel will be deployed on the streets of the city to monitor tomorrows processions so that no untoward incident take place, the IPS officer said.

Besides, Kolkata Polices Quick Response Team (QRT), Flying Radio Squad (FRS) and mobile patrolling vans would also be posted on Friday in connection with the processions.

Muharram processions is scheduled to begin at 9 am and there will be traffic restrictions at certain roads. Traffic will be diverted and there will be police posting along with the processions, an officer of Kolkata traffic police said.

The city police was also keeping a close watch on social media to keep a check on the spread of any fake news or rumour in connection with Muharram processions, the officer said.

Thats a challenge for us. We are keeping an eye on social networking sites so that no fake news, photographs or hate messages lead to communal commotion here. Anybody found forwarding such rumours will attract strict action, he said.

A senior officer of state police said precautionary measures have been taken in connection with the Muharram procession.

We have taken every possible measures to avoid any unwanted incident during tomorrows Muharrams processions. We will not allow anyone to create disturbance in the state, he said.

We have alerted the administration and asked them to take necessary measures to ward off any problem during the processions anywhere in the state. We want absolute peace during Muharram processions, state education minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters at the secretariat.

He said the administration has been asked to keep a note on the spread of hate messages to disrupt peace in the state.

There is no dearth of people for spreading hate messages inciting others in communal passions, said Mr Chatterjee, also the secretary general of the ruling Trinamul Congress.
A Converse neighborhood was the site of a chaotic drive-by shooting and car chase that injured two men on Friday, police said.

The two victims were sitting in a car outside a house in the 9800 block of Twin Saddles around 1 a.m. when the suspects slowly drove past them in what police described as a silver sedan.
New data obtained through a cell phone helped San Antonio police make an arrest in a 2017 robbery of Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.

Tyandre Jackson, who was initially arrested for the same crime in March 2017, was arrested again Thursday on suspicion of aggravated robbery.

In January 2017, the restaurant located at 6626 Blanco Road was robbed, according to the arrest affidavit.

RELATED: Parents alerted about stranger danger incident on North Side involving middle school student

The suspect, armed with a handgun, forced the manager into the office and demanded money from the safe, authorities said.

After surveillance images were posted of the robbery, an informant identified the suspect as Jackson, according to the affidavit.

Police arrested Jackson two months later on the aggravated robbery charge and outstanding warrants, according to the affidavit.

In August 2017, prosecutor's dismissed the case against Jackson "pending further investigation," according to the affidavit.

More than a year later, while investigating a string of robberies on Wednesday, a detective researched Jackson and realized a cell phone analysis was complete, evidence that prosecutors did not have a year ago, the affidavit says.

"Video on one of the phones shows (Jackson) wearing the same clothing that is shown in the surveillance video from the aggravated robbery," according to the affidavit.

The clothing included a white hoodie with distinctive lettering and "slide" style sandals. The video also allegedly showed Jackson brandishing a handgun similar to the one seen in the robbery surveillance footage.

Jackson was arrested on a $90,000. Jail records show he was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A North East ISD middle school principal alerted parents Thursday that a student reported being approached by a man in a red pickup truck while walking on Heimer Road.

Bradley Middle School Principal Todd Bloomer sent a letter to parents and said the incident happened this week.
When Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says that when he went to Washington this summer to ask for President Donald Trumps help campaigning it was about more than any one race.

The trip was about making sure they were focusing on Texas as well as every other state, Patrick told the Houston Chronicle earlier this week in confirming the trip. Its all about getting Republicans elected from the top to the bottom
The accused, Ayaz Sattar Qureshi, a resident of Mankhurd suburb in Mumbai, was arrested from the Kurla railway station.

While she and her colleague tried to arrest the man, other passengers remained mute spectators and the accused managed to flee, the complainant had said. (Representational image)

Mumbai: A 26-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly molesting a student from Manipur while she was travelling in a local train in Mumbai, a police official said on Thursday.

The accused, Ayaz Sattar Qureshi, a resident of Mankhurd suburb in Mumbai, was arrested from the Kurla railway station on Wednesday, he said.

The police managed to trace the accused with the help of his photograph clicked by the 22-year-old girl and analysing CCTV footages of various railway stations, he said.

The woman, studying at a renowned research institute in Mumbai, was molested on September 11 while she was commuting with her European colleague in the local train between Vashi and Govandi stations on the suburban Harbour Line, a police official said earlier.

She had complained that the man touched her inappropriately, taking advantage of the peak hour crowd in the general compartment of the train, he said.

While she and her colleague tried to arrest the man, other passengers remained mute spectators and the accused managed to flee, the complainant had said.

The woman had narrated her ordeal on social media on Saturday.

A case was registered against the accused under IPC section 354 (molestation), the police added.
A U.S.-China tariff war is sure to produce very real economic consequences, and political fallout, in both nations. It also presents an opportunity to reexamine the trade relationship between the world's two largest economies and perhaps set a new course that would address some of the elephant-in-the-room issues of China's trade practices.

Whatever else one might think of President Donald Trump's actions, he is confronting China about its unfair trade practices and theft of American intellectual property when too many others shy away from the truth for fear of Chinese reprisal.

This summer Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on a total of $50 billion worth of Chinese goods, and Beijing retaliated. Trump is now adding more Chinese products  at least $200 billion worth  to that list. The response in the U.S. has been stock market volatility and hand-wringing about rising manufacturing costs and consumer prices.

It bears remembering that the Chinese trade practices that irk Trump truly do bedevil Americans and others doing business with China, and they go back decades, at least to the mid-1980s, when China under Deng Xiaoping was opening to the world.

Once the U.S. formally recognized the People's Republic in 1978, American businesses were tantalized by the prospect of China's untapped market of 1 billion consumers. What American companies soon discovered, though, was that this trade partner did not play by the accepted rules.

The single best example of this disregard for rules remains McDonald's experience in the mid-1990s. The Beijing municipal government broke the company's 20-year lease after just two years and effectively evicted McDonald's from its flagship, three-story, 700-seat restaurant in the heart of the capital to make way for a massive shopping complex. As a U.S. news report at the time said, "the dispute has come to epitomize an entrenched Chinese notion that terms of contracts can be altered at will."

Although the McDonald's example is just one case, we saw many similar situations firsthand when we were, respectively, a wire service reporter and a business executive in Beijing.

China's repeated and unashamed theft of intellectual property has been especially egregious and damaging. A 2017 report by the independent and bipartisan U.S. Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property put the annual cost of IP theft by all parties at $255 billion to $600 billion in counterfeit goods, pirated software and stolen trade secrets; these figures do not include the full cost of patent infringement. The commission named China "the world's principle IP infringer."

When Sino-American trade operated under the framework of "most-favored nation status," Congress conducted an annual review before continuing normal trade relations with China. This gave Washington a mechanism to pressure China to change unacceptable behavior in trade relations and human rights. That mechanism was rendered moot when Beijing won entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. The WTO negotiations on China's membership were the last, best chance to stop Chinese IP theft. But instead of refusing to admit Beijing until it took real steps to stop violations of IP rights, the WTO simply took China at its word that it would follow the rules that bind other members. The past 17 years have shown this to be a false promise.

A now-emboldened China is pushing its "Made in China 2025" campaign, an ambitious plan not only to upgrade Chinese industry  most notably in advanced sectors like information technology, robotics and pharmaceuticals, where IP is key  but to compete with and ultimately displace foreign companies domestically and globally. To that end, it has continued to aggressively push foreign companies to hand over technology and IP rights in exchange for market access  a possible violation of WTO rules.

China's leaders no doubt see things very differently, and the Chinese expression "huo gai" might well apply. Loosely translated, it means "you had it coming." If you leave your door unlocked and get burgled, huo gai  it was your own fault because you didn't lock up. Similarly, if U.S. businesses do not take measures to protect their own intellectual property, it's huo gai if China waltzes in and makes off with it.

Trump's approach, while unpalatable to some and unsettling in the short term, could result in a much-needed new chapter in U.S.-China trade, one in which Beijing can be compelled to at least abide by the rules it agreed to when it won WTO membership. If nothing else, Trump has unequivocally called China out for behavior that should not be tolerated, and paved the way for other nations to do so too.

It appears that may have started to happen. News reports last week tracked an "unprecedented global backlash" against Chinese foreign investment, a "wariness sharpened and accelerated by the Trump administration."

The United States remains the one player that can effectively challenge China's unfair practices. Trump's tariffs have set the stage for policymakers, trade negotiators and China experts to develop a U.S.-led, worldwide strategy that is clear, forceful and has teeth, even if it means short-term economic hardship at home.

Charlene L. Fu is a freelance editor, reporter and translator. She worked in Beijing from 1986 to 2008, much of that time as an Associated Press correspondent. Curtis S. Chin, a former U.S. ambassador to the Asian Development Bank, is managing director of advisory firm RiverPeak Group.
Vikhe-Patil also raised questions over the explanation given by the Finance Commission.

Mumbai: The Opposition has raised doubts over the 15th Finance Commissions U-turn while praising Maharashtra for its economic progress and simultaneously expressing concern over its tax collection.

Calling the U-turn proof of the pressure on such important constitutional institutions, the Opposition has raised concern over their status. It has also blamed the U-turn on governmental pressure on intel-lectuals and the media to fall in line.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said, Before reaching Maharashtra, the commission was worried about the health of the economy. It had said so in the press note. Not just that, it had given a complete picture of the year-wise analysis of tax collection and how it had declined si-nce the BJP government rose to power. What suddenly changed its stand? Now it is trying to wash its hands off the matter by citing the accountant general of Maharashtra as the source of the numbers.

Mr Vikhe-Patil also raised questions over the explanation given by the Finance Comm-ission. The tax collection was 11.07 per cent till 2016-17. It rose to 13.08 per cent in 2017-18. If it increased, why is the government tabling supplementary demands in every session? This means that there is an attempt to cover up the earlier note, he said.

NCP state chief and former state finance minister, Jayant Patil, said, The commission should bear in mind that there is great respect for the institution in Indias financial sector. Chang-ing stand owing to political pressure will put a question mark on the respect it commands. For institutional credibility, such things need to be avoided.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Ajit Abhyankar said the U-turn was clear proof of how constitutional bodies were under pressure in the BJP regime. You cant hide the truth. It will come out today or tomorrow. But till then, the damage to has already been done, he said.
And to think, up until last week, I would have said that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was painfully boring with a confirmation process to match.

What do I know? Scandals are never boring. Still, as a proud American who hates to see our institutions sullied, give me boring any day.

The Kavanaugh proceedings have taken a detour into the sewer, which explains the stench.

Senate Democrats are trying to take out this nominee, for the unpardonable sin of having been nominated by President Donald Trump. And a lot of what has happened over the last several days does not make their side look pure and wholesome.

Consider:

The fact that the accusation of sexual misconduct was initially made anonymously.

The fact that Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California  who learned of the allegation several weeks ago  never mentioned it during the hearings or in a private meeting with Kavanaugh.

The fact that the man who was reportedly with Kavanaugh during this alleged assault says it never happened, and that he never witnessed the nominee being disrespectful to women.

None of this helps the Democrats in their crusade to kill the Kavanaugh confirmation by any means necessary.

To get here, we took a dark and dangerous road.

But here we are nonetheless. And, just days before the scheduled Senate vote on Kavanaughs nomination, were facing a barrage of questions. For instance, do we believe what she said, or what he said?

And: Even if Kavanaugh did  as a 17-year-old who had too much to drink  everything that she said, should it doom Kavanaughs nomination?

And also: What about that article of faith among liberals that says people can change?

Barack Obama admitted to using cocaine. George W. Bush had a drinking problem. Bill Clinton said he smoked marijuana but apparently incompetently since he claims he didnt inhale. American voters gave them all a second chance  and, ultimately, two terms in office.

I could list the moral failings of the current president that his supporters  including on the religious right  are all too willing to forgive, but I dont have the word space. Which brings us to this question: Is the moral standard for a Supreme Court justice higher than it is for the leader of the free world?

And this one: Whats the standard for a U.S. senator? The late Edward Kennedy left the scene of a car crash off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in 1969, where a young woman died. Kennedy served for another 40 years. Why? Because, as they say on the left, people change.

But apparently not Supreme Court nominees put up by Republicans. They arent people, too?

And yet, at the same time, Kavanaugh has not done himself any favors with the way he has responded to his name being dragged through the mud. How he reacts now, as a grown man, says more about his character than what he may have done as a teenager. So far, not so good.

The accuser is Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychology professor who says that she recently passed a lie-detector test about the incident and that she told a marriage counselor about it in 2012, though she didnt mention Kavanaugh by name back then.

Why would she? How many people knew who Brett Kavanaugh was in 2012?

There is no upside for Ford. Whether the allegation is true or not, her life will never be the same. Ask Anita Hill.

To all this, Kavanaugh says coolly: It never happened. Thats it.

His handlers have also released a letter signed by 65 women who claim that they knew the nominee in high school and he never behaved this way. The letter is a ridiculous tactic that proves absolutely nothing, by the way, except perhaps that Kavanaugh didnt behave badly with any of those 65 women.

The nominee must do better. If youre innocent, you dont parse your words. You holler! Its time for a Clarence Thomas high-tech lynching moment where Kavanaugh goes back before the Senate Judiciary Committee  as he is scheduled to do on Monday, along with Ford  and says that, as the father of two young girls, he is outraged that the opposition would sink this low. This is your name, Judge. Lets hear the holler.

Otherwise, Ill be inclined  along with what Im sure will be many other Americans  to discount what he said and believe what she said.

ruben@rubennavarrette.com
Beginning Oct. 1, indigent defendants in Bexar County will receive attorney representation at their bail hearings.

This is a big deal  but only if done correctly. Representation at these critical hearings should ensure people accused of nonviolent crimes do not languish in jail simply because they cannot afford an attorney or cash bail.

Instead of sitting in the Bexar County Adult Detention Center at a taxpayer expense of $50 a day, many indigent defendants  particularly those accused of nonviolent crimes  can remain employed, if they have a job. They can remain with their families and loved ones. They can begin pretrial diversions and be referred to treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues or be directed to potential housing.

They can assert their constitutional right of presumption of innocence instead of trading it in with a guilty plea at jail court simply to secure their liberty.

Its all about fairness, and the uncomfortable truth about the criminal justice system in Bexar County, and many other jurisdictions, is that wealthier defendants can retain immediate representation and secure bail, but the poor cannot. This order is a necessary first step in addressing that disparity.

To me, its ensuring that rights are recognized, District Judge Ron Rangel said. Part of their rights is to have a bail that for them is affordable.

The order appoints the Bexar County Public Defenders Office to represent all indigent defendants who do not already have attorneys at their initial bail hearings. The focus is solely bond. After this, defendants will be appointed counsel.

Numerous studies have shown that meaningful representation at these hearings greatly enhances the pretrial release of defendants charged with nonviolent or misdemeanor offenses.

People are less likely to be unnecessarily detained pretrial when represented by counsel at their bail hearing, Mary Schmid Mergler of Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing social inequality, wrote in an email. Since unnecessary pretrial detention is associated with worse outcomes in terms of convictions and sentencing, representation at bail hearings is one way to reduce the likelihood that money will dictate the outcome of criminal cases in Bexar County.

But the representation has to be meaningful. What does that mean?

It means the public defenders will need enough time before these hearings to conduct thorough reviews. This entails speaking with the defendant, contacting family members and learning about employment.

It means the public defenders office has adequate staff to represent defendants at two sites since the city of San Antonio and Bexar County will soon be conducting their own magistration hearings.

It also means ensuring all bail hearings are open to the public (a point we noted in Fridays editorial). This is no small point. Its the second recommendation in The Constitution Projects 2015 report, Dont I need a lawyer?

The first appearance hearing should be held in public and should provide the opportunity for defense counsel, pretrial release services representatives and family members to present information supporting the least onerous pretrial conditions appropriate, the report says.

It means rethinking the risk-assessment tool the county uses. Numerous experts have praised the Laura and John Arnold Foundation risk-assessment tool, which is based on 1.5 million cases across 300 jurisdictions.

And, finally, it screams for significantly more oversight of the court-appointed attorneys who will take these cases. Bexar County is not monitoring caseloads or outcomes and relies on a voucher system that rewards attorneys for quick plea deals. In Sundays editorial, we outline why Bexar County needs to formally study the system to make changes.

Indigent defendants make up about 67 percent of all cases in Bexar Countys criminal justice system, according to state data. In fiscal 2017, that was about 40,000 cases.

Representation at these bail hearings is a crucial first step to bring fairness to the system, but it will only be as transformative as the reforms that follow.

This editorial is part of the Unequal Justice series, which explores the inequities in Bexar Countys criminal justice system and how they can be fixed.
Re: Drug ODs perilously high in Texas, Editorial, Sept. 12:

UT Health San Antonios response to the opioid crisis by distributing lifesaving naloxone overdose drugs to our Fire Department is encouraging.

The soaring cost of these drugs is overwhelming many communities. As an ABC News headline reported, Health Workers Ration Opioid Overdose Antidote Amid Price Hikes. Taking advantage of a nationwide problem, pharmaceutical companies have spiked the price for naloxone by almost 700 percent. In a rare U.S. surgeon general advisory, the public was urged to carry naloxone, but for most the price is prohibitive.

I previously joined a plea from the city of Baltimore to use an existing law to lower prices and offered a related amendment to recent legislation. Unfortunately, this Trump-dominated Congress only wants to create the appearance of addressing this opioid crisis, while refusing to deal with either price gouging or necessary treatment resources. Instead of looking to medical and substance abuse experts, President Donald Trump has handled this as a communications problem by entrusting federal leadership to his propagandist extraordinaire, Kellyanne Conway. Like his abandoned promises to lower prescription drug costs, Trump has failed completely to meet the opioid challenge.

Congress should help consumers and provide a strong federal backup for local governments and nonprofits to prevent overdose deaths and offer the treatment that so many desperately need. Hopefully, next year we will have the votes to do just that.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett,

D-San Antonio

Appreciate Bush

Re: Obama shines, Your Turn, Wednesday:

Evidently you missed the article Why Bushs quiet role in the financial crisis deserves more attention now in the Wall Street Journal, concerning President George W. Bush and the financial crisis. The recession problems were passed on to Bush by previous administrations and his involvement was, at the most, minor.

It goes on to say that the toughest decisions were made by President Bush, not President Barack Obama. For his role in instilling the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, President Bush was chastised by the Republican Party, and you know how the Democrats have always criticized Bush. In passing TARP, Bush knew this would happen and said, So be it because he felt it was the right thing to do.

Clarence Bryan
Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio has purchased the Forest Park Medical Center, a former boutique hospital at the crossing of Interstate 10 and Loop 1604 that has sat vacant after going through foreclosure more than two years ago.

The health care system, which operates more than a dozen facilities in the area, has bought the 155,000-square-foot facility at 5510 Presidio in order to serve San Antonios growing population, its vice president of communications and community affairs Palmira Arellano said in an email.

That area of the Northwest Side is one of the fastest-growing parts of San Antonio, thanks to the nearby retail centers of The Rim and Shops at La Cantera, as well as company headquarters such as that of Valero Energy Corp.

Forest Park is situated in a very desirable corridor with easy access, and its recent construction allows Methodist to build on the state-of-the art technology that already exists in the hospital, Arellano said. The facility adds to the systems portfolio of nine acute care hospitals.

Arellano didnt say how much Methodist Healthcare paid for the 8.4-acre property. The hospital was valued at $98 million when it was built in 2014. The appraisal district assessed it at $42 million this year, down from $68.5 million in 2015.

The hospitals previous owner was an entity linked to Texas Capital Bank, which bought it at foreclosure auction in spring 2016 for $58.2 million. The bank was among a group of lenders that foreclosed on the hospital when its owner defaulted on a $68.4 million loan.

Yumi Masuda, a spokeswoman for Texas Capital Bank, declined to comment.

Forest Park opened its doors in fall 2014 as part of a small chain of upscale hospitals operating around the state  including in Dallas, Fort Worth and Frisco. It had 54 private patient rooms, 12 operating suites, six intensive care rooms and an emergency room. Some 114 local physicians had invested as partners in the hospital.

The hospital soon ran into financial difficulties when it had trouble reaching agreements with insurers to bring it into insurance networks. When it stopped paying its rent in 2015, the original property owner, FPMC San Antonio Realty Partners, was no longer able to pay the mortgage on the property and filed for bankruptcy protection.

Forest Park closed its doors in October 2015 and has sat vacant ever since. That month, the hospitals former chief operating officer sued FPMC on behalf of the 139 hospital employees who lost their jobs for not giving them 60 days advance notice of their dismissal, as required under federal law.

Methodist recently expanded its hospital campus in the Medical Center area by 445,000 square feet, the largest construction project in its history, according to its website.

Last year, the health care system bought 24 acres of vacant land at the crossing of Loop 1604 and Texas 151 in the booming Alamo Ranch area, adding to the 52 acres it already owned at the intersection. It is still evaluating what it wants to do with that land, spokeswoman Carole Harris said.

Richard Webner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering real estate and development. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rwebner@express-news.net | Twitter: @RWebner
Do you want to study in the most populated university in Nigeria? Below, you will find a ranking of the most popular and populated universities in the country including the number of students in each university.

Image source: twimg.com

Source: UGC

Ranking of the most populated and most popular universities in Nigeria

Studying in certain Nigerian universities is much more prestigious than in others. Some tertiary education facilities are more popular than others and the number of students who study these institutions is really huge. Here are some figures and a little information about the biggest universities in Nigeria.

Image source: pulse.ng

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: ATBU postgraduate admission in 2018

Lagos State University

With its 90,885 of students, its the largest university in Nigeria and one of the most popular educational facilities. The number of outstanding personalities who have graduated from this university and the number of candidates who want to study there now show clearly the quality and popularity of this university.

Image source: seigneurconsults.com.ng

Source: UGC

University of Abuja

The 63,000 students studying at the University of Abuja show its popularity among those who want to gain higher education. This is one of the best Nigerian universities even though its quite new compared to others.

Image source: seigneurconsults.com.ng

Source: UGC

University of Benin

Established in the 1970s, the university has a population of 56,000 students.

Image source: seigneurconsults.com.ng

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: UNN school fees and acceptance fee

University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Universities of Nigeria was established in 1955 and opened in 1960. This is a university built on the American model of education with its aim at research, innovation and the development of human resources in the first turn. The university has 54,000 students.

Image source: theportcitynews.com

Source: UGC

University of Port Harcourt

This is one of the most popular universities in the southern Nigeria and one of the most populated tertiary educational facilities in the country. The university 53,000 students.

Image source: pulse.ng

Source: UGC

University of Ilorin

UNILORIN was one of the first seven universities established by the Federal Military Government back in 1975, meant to bring to the life national strategies from the Third National Development plan. Today, this is one of the most popular and highly populated universities in Nigeria where students receive knowledge of the highest class. the number of student studying in the University of Ilorin runs over 50,000.

Image source: pulse.ng

Source: UGC

Ahmadu Bello University in Kaduna

Everything started in 1961 with the establishment of the University of Northern Nigeria. It had a college of arts, science and technologies, a training center for clericals, an agricultural research station and others. Today, it offers students numerous possibilities of studying at various departments in compliance with the modern professional demands.

Besides that, the university conducts a highly popular and high-quality medical program in the universitys own teaching hospital. This hospital is one of the biggest in Nigeria and even in Africa.

The number of students who currently study here is 49,436 persons according to the recent data.

Image source: unilagnews.com

Source: UGC

University of Lagos

Also known as UNILAG, this university has been around for more than 5 decades. The university is known for being the alma mater for many outstanding personalities who have in a certain way influenced the life and development of Nigeria. Today, it hosts 49,179 students in its numerous departments.

Image source: premiumtimesng.com

Source: UGC

University of Ibadan

This is one of the most popular Nigerian universities with more than 35,000 students. The university is known for the excellent quality of education it provides and also for the tough admission. Due to the reputation and popularity and also the high standards of the university, the admission is not available for just everyone. The competition is high and candidates need to fight for a place in the university.

Image source: pulse.ng

Source: UGC

Obafemi Awolowo University

This university was established in 1962 and now hosts about 30,000 students. The university has been one of the most popular Nigerian tertiary educational facilities with a great international reputation and a number of outstanding personalities who have once studied there.

The university of today boasts of having a Nobel prize laureate and several winners of the National Merit Award among the graduates.

Well, this is the list of the most populated and the most beloved universities in Nigeria. Now you are able to give preference to whichever you like most.

READ ALSO: Oduduwa University School fees for 2018

SOURCE: answersafrica.com

Source: Legit Newspaper
- A PDP presidential aspirant, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has spoken on his reasons for dropping his bid for a second term

- Tambuwal said that he made the decision in the spirit of patriotism and commitment to serve his country

- He further revealed that the resolve was influenced by the fact he saw the north as being dominated by the APC

The governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who is also a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant has said that he dropped his second term as a governor under the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to his commitment to the unity and development of Nigeria.

Tambuwal said this in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, during his campaign to the southwest geopolitical zone where he vowed to provide purposeful and visionary leadership that will foster unity in the nation, Vanguard reports.

READ ALSO: Ortom confirms receipt of N14.9bn paris club refund

Tambuwal, also told party delegates at Osun state party secretariat on Wednesday, September 19, that there is the urgent need to provide a much better alternative than the APC-led administration

The governor said: This country is at a crossroad. We need leaders that can bring people together and reunite us, bring the country together and secure it.

"We need to also provide jobs for our teeming youths and women; there is a lot of poverty all over the land.

"We know how PDP left the economy of this country and we know what is happening today. Dont mind what they are telling you is just simple lie. The economy is not doing well. The fight against corruption is selective and indeed there are no jobs for our people. So have they not failed on their promises to our people?

I assure you that this ticket by all standards and by all measures is not going to be compared to that of Muhammadu Buhari. We have understanding of the dynamics of the Nigerian state, there is no part of this country that I have been to.

"We shall promote national unity and harmony He told the delegates that I have a very good understanding of what it takes to provide leadership in Nigeria.

"I have the energy, the capacity in terms of experience I have been a member of the National Assembly for 12 years four of which I was the speaker, and I am now governor of Sokoto state I have garnered enough executive experience to pilot the affairs of this country.

"Not only that I have been very close to Nigerian judiciary I have been a lawyer who has practiced in many courts in this country so I have understanding of the workings of both the executive, legislature and the judiciary.

We will provide leadership in such a way that every Nigerian will be proud of the country. The security of this country has never been this bad, we shall also work to ensure that every Nigerian live in peace and harmony.

Confirming Tambuwal's rich and enviable leadership experience, an elder statesman and PDP stalwart, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, said: He respects elders said the saddest day in his life was when Tambuwal left PDP and that one of his happiest day was when he heard that Tambuwal has returned to PDP. And that he came back stronger.

On his part, Tambuwal told PDP delegates and newsmen: Yes, I am serving my first term as a governor of Sokoto state with the probability of winning a second term by 60-70 percent

"But because of my patriotism and commitment to the development of this country, I decided to not only volunteer but also heed to the calls of Nigerians not just to run for the presidency but also leave the APC which had majority in the north west.

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"And that is not a small decision that I decided to take because of my commitment to the unity of this country because things are not going well in Nigeria and we are all aware of it and we need to do something.

"It is for us to rally round and effect a change of government at the centre and that is my motivation. He claimed that Nigerian security agencies are unable to protect the nation since, according to him, they are both understaffed and insufficiently equipped.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Tambuwal on Wednesday, August 15, said that he was under pressure to run for president in 2019.

Legit.ng gathered that he stated this while addressing different associations of students and youths as well as resident communities who paid him a solidarity visit.

Can Ambode Get a Second Term Without Tinubus Approval? - Nigeria Street Gist | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
The RSS seems to be learning from the experience of the BJP that you cannot survive in politics by catering only to Hindus.

There is really no need imagine or interpret the message of the September 17-19 event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at Vigyan Bhavan, where by and large only functions related to the government or international organisations are held. The RSS sarsanghchalak, or supremo, Mohanrao Bhagwat, declared it at the very beginning of his first-day sermon delivered on September 17. He said: Sangh ko samajh ne ke liye is kaaryakram ka aayojan hua hai kyonki sangh ab ek shakti ke roop mein is desh mein upasthhith hai (This programme has been organised to enable people to understand the Sangh because the Sangh today is present as a force in the country). He also said that this was in response to the demand of the RSS members in New Delhi who felt that such a meeting should be organised in the national capital to explain the nature and working of the RSS to bigwigs from different walks of life. Neither the RSS nor the media have reported in any detail about who were the people who attended the three-day RSS conclave. The Bharatiya Janata Party is in power at the Centre with a bare majority of its own in the Lok Sabha, and perhaps the RSS brass must have felt that they would not have an opportunity like this ever again, because the outcome of the 2019 Lok Sabha election is up in the air. So, in the fourth year of the BJP government, the RSS had decided to have its social outing, though strictly speaking it was a political outing. It is a different matter, though, that the saffron event has turned out to be a flop politically as none of the leaders of the major parties other than the BJP had turned up at the event. And on all the three days, it was a pure Bhagwat monologue.

The media was more than a little bowled over by the open event of the secretive organisation which controls the BJP, though the relations between the political party and the ideological organisation remains as murky as ever. BJP leaders declare their allegiance to the RSS as a badge of courage, and the RSS demurs. But it is known to everyone that the president of the party is nominated by the RSS, and it is not a party affair. The RSS protests that it does not micro-manage the BJP, which is an interesting way of putting it because it leaves enough room for the RSS to manage the BJP anyway. A senior leader of the BJP had confessed that the RSS volunteers had campaigned for the BJP in 2014, and the only other time they did was in the 1977 post-Emergency election.

The RSS still claims that it has nothing to do with politics and its ambition, as stated by its founder Baliram Hedgewar, is to train swayamsevaks, or volunteers in every village of India, who are trustworthy, virtuous, who do not discriminate and hate anybody. And Bhagwat lets slip in the confession that this was for the rejuvenation of Hindu society. In the second lecture, he did not say that the Sangh ideology was different from Hinduism but that ism is a closed concept and it does not apply to the Hindu faith. Then he resorts to the usual term of Sanatan Dharma. And taking Hindu as a geographical and civilisation notation, he argues quite unconvincingly and sheepishly that everyone living in India is a Hindu!

The interesting twist in Bhagwats monotonous exposition was that he stuck to Hedgewar and passed in silence over M.S. Golwalkar, the man who took over as RSS chief after Hedgewar died. Bhagwat took care to explain that Hedgewar wanted to prepare citizens who were able to take up the responsibilities of an independent India. Hedgewar was certainly a lower middle class Hindu conservative from the Vidarbha region, who perhaps did not preach the clash between Hindus and Muslims in the militant tone that Golwalkar did. Deleting Golwalkar from the RSS discourse should indeed raise eyebrows. The RSS seems to be learning from the experience of the BJP that you cannot survive in politics by catering only to Hindus. The RSS is now updating itself.

But the devil is in the details. For both the RSS and the BJP, diabolical nationalism is the hammer that they want to use to threaten religious minorities and every other dissident group. Bhagwat could not wriggle out of this dilemma because all he could refer to was to Hindu traditions where atheists had their place as well.

It is tempting to speculate whether there is a simmering tension between the RSS and the BJP, and that the RSS too wants its rightful place in the sun. And it is important to ask whether the RSS volunteers will work for the BJP in 2019 in the same way that they did in 2014. The RSS had officially endorsed the Congress victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha election, so it should not come as a surprise if the RSS were to entertain second thoughts about Prime Minister Narendra Modis candidacy. Whatever may be their sibling rivalries, it is inevitable that the RSS and the BJP will hang together. And the truth is that the RSS is not the force in the country that Bhagwat claims it to be. Its strength and importance are overstated both by the partisans and unflinching ideological foes of the RSS. The reason for the growing unimportance of the RSS in India is quite simple. The RSS is not liberal enough to be a cultural organisation, nor does it have the intellectual rigour to be a conservative bastion. It has fashioned itse

lf in the mould of the Boy Scouts, so it cannot but linger at the infra-intellectual level.
- The Trump administration will reduce the ceiling for refugee admission from 45, 000 to 30,000

- This will be the lowest ceiling starting Monday, October 1, to be set by the US since 1980

- Of the current 45, 000 refugees allowed into US, 19, 000 slots were allocated to African refugees

- The ceiling was, however, not reached with only 9,007 African refugees admitted in the 2017 fiscal year

African refugees have suffered another blow as the President Donald Trump's administration plans to lower the admission of refugees in to the United States of America (USA) from the beginning of the next fiscal year On Monday, October 1, 2018.

In what is expected to be the lowest ceiling for refugee admission since 1980, the numbers will be reduced from the current 45, 000 to 30,000.

READ ALSO: Buhari names campaign organisation ahead of 2019 presidential poll

African migrants on their way to Europe. Photo: Business Insider

Of the 45, 000 refugees admitted in to the states, 19,000 come from Africa, a number now set to be reduced further, Council on Foreign Relations reported on Thursday, September 20.

Unfortunately, the breakdown of the new admissions for the upcoming fiscal year is not yet available.

Although it is usual for the number of refugees admitted to the US in a given year to approach or even surpass the ceiling, the admissions made in the 2017 fiscal year are reported to be below the ceiling.

African migrants rescued by European coast guards. Photo: Business Insider

The countries from which the largest number of refugees were admitted in the previous fiscal year running from October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018, were the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 6,820, followed by Ethiopia with 261.

Somalia came in third with 250, Burundi came in fourth with 157, and Central African Republic with 136, putting the totals at 9,007.

It was also reported of the total allocated for Africans, 5,000 spots had been allocated to Congolese living in Rwanda and Tanzania, and another 500 allocated to asylum seekers from certain countries with immediate family in the US.

A photo of African migrants. Photo: Business Insider

At present, the countries from which refugees were allocated asylum are Burundi, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.

While admission to the US as a refugee is a difficult and time consuming process, eligibility for consideration for admission is determined by officials on a case by case basis.

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The applicant is also required to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution based on criteria such as race, religion, or political or social affiliation.

Having established eligibility, a refugee applicant is vetted by multiple government entities, including the Departments of State and Homeland Security and several security agencies.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a batch of 218 Nigerians, which included seven pregnant women on Tuesday, May 8, voluntarily returned from the volatile North African country of Libya where they had been stranded enroute Europe.

The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos about 3.44 am aboard a chartered Libyan Airlines Airbus A330-200 aircraft with registration number 5A-LAU.

Mass deportation: Tales of woes from Libya - On NAIJ .com TV

Source: Legit
- The federal government says it will meet labour's 14-day ultimatum on minimum wage which ends soon

- Amal Pepple, the chairman of the of the committee, says she hopes everything would be resolved before the deadline to beat any strike action

- Pepple says her committee still needs to confer with the federal government concerning some figures from the states

The federal government, on Thursday, September 20, assured the organised labour that the tripartite committee on the national minimum wage would conclude its negotiation before the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Amal Pepple, the chairman of the of the committee, gave the assurance while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

The organised labour had, on September 12, issued a 14-day ultimatum that would expire on September 25, to the federal government for the tripartite committee on the national minimum wage to reconvene and complete it assignment.

READ ALSO: Lagos APC: Tinubu reportedly asks Ambode to drop second term

The report quoted labour as threatening to commence nationwide strike immediately after the expiration of its 14-day ultimatum if their demand was not met.

According to Pepple, we do not want strike and I am sure that even the federal government does not want strike, and also Nigerians.

So, we pray that everything will be resolved before then so labour do not have to embark on any strike, she said while noting that the committee have worked hard and have finished its assignment.

She, however, noted that organised labour, organised private sectors and individuals from others sectors have submitted their figures but the state governors were yet to submit theirs.

We have some figures from organised labour, organised private sectors and individuals from others sectors.

But, we still need approval from the federal government and some figures from the state governments.

We do not want to fix a date for the reconvening of the meeting on our own without everyones opinion.

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We believe it is better to have all the figures and the government position for the sake of peace.

So, that we can comfortably say that we have taken everyone position into consideration before the recommendation, Pepple added.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerias organised labour declared that the 14-day ultimatum it gave the federal government recently over issues with the implementation of the minimum wage of workers will not be extended or reversed.

Osun Election 2018: PDP Has No Candidate for Saturdays Osun Election - Omisore Reveals Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- The minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is to announce other appointments into the Buhari campaign organisation

- Senator Shehu Sani says nothing can stop the president from winning 2019 election

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a campaign organisation for his reelection ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity in a statement on Thursday, September 20, disclosed that the president appointed the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as the secretary/director general of his campaign team.

READ ALSO: Prophet predicts winner of Osun state election

According to the statement, the minister will announce other appointments into the campaign structure as approved by the president.

This is not the first time Rotimi Amaechi will be heading the Buhari campaign team. He once held a similar post when he was appointed the director general of the Buhari-Osinbajo presidential campaign committee in 2014-2015.

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Meanwhile, the senator representing Kaduna central, Shehu Sani, has said that despite the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to address certain issues, he would win the 2019 presidential election.

Speaking on Politics Today on a Channels Television programme, Sani said the president has recorded some achievements with which he can win the votes of Nigerians.

Legit.ng gathered that Sani said he had no doubt that Buhari would win 2019 presidential election based on his achievements in the last three years.

Election 2019: President Buhari Proves He is Fit to Run in 2019 | - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- President Muhammadu Buhari met the new DSS boss, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, in Aso Rock

- The president is reported to have met Bichi for the first time

- Buhari appointed Bichi as head of DSS on September 13, 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, September 20, met with the newly appointed director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, for the first time at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, when Bichi was ushered into the presidents office by protocol officials, he was asked by Buhari if they had met before.

The new DG, however, confessed that he was seeing President Buhari face-to-face for the first time in his life.

READ ALSO: Lagos APC: Tinubu reportedly asks Ambode to drop second term

The report said that the meeting of the president and the DSS boss who was appointed on September 13, went into a closed door session.

Bichi, who replaced Lawal Daura, the former DG of the DSS, is a core secret service operative.

He attended Danbatta Secondary School, the Kano state College of Advanced Studies and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he graduated with a degree in political science.

The new director-general began his career in the security division of the cabinet office in Kano, from where he joined the defunct Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO), the precursor of the present DSS.

The report said the new DSS boss comes to the job with skills in intelligence gathering, research analysis, conflict management, general investigation, risk and vulnerability operations, counter intelligence and protective operation and human resources management.

It noted that in the course of his career, Bichi has worked as the state director of security in Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto and Abia.

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He was at various times the director, National Assembly Liaison, National War College, director at national headquarters in the directorate of security enforcement among others.

Legit.ng earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, September 13, named Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the new director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS). The new boss is now to take over from Matthew Seiyeifa, who replaced sacked Lawal Daura.

Osun Election 2018: PDP Has No Candidate for Saturdays Osun Election - Omisore Reveals Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- A pond in Jos is being evacuated by the Nigerian Army, in a bid to locate Major General Idris Alkali, who has been missing since September 3

- The Army said it stumbled on some intelligence that made it necessary to search the water body

- Some women in the community have, however, stormed the river to protest the evacuation of the water

The Nigerian Army is evacuating water from a mining pond at Dura, Du District, Jos South local government of Plateau, in search of Idris Alkali, a missing retired major general.

Alkali, immediate past chief of administration, Army Headquarters, Abuja, was declared missing on the 3rd of September. He was on his way to Bauchi after leaving Abuja in the morning, NAN reports.

Legit.ng gathers that Brig Gen Ibrahim Mohammed, garrison commander, 3 Division Garrison, Nigeria Army, Rukuba, Jos addressed newsmen on Thursday, September 20, shortly after the commencement of the evacuation.

Mohammed, who is the commander of the search and rescue operation, said that after thorough search and investigation, the Army stumbled on some intelligence that made it necessary to search the water body.

READ ALSO: 2019: I am suited to provide the leadership Nigeria needs - Saraki

In carrying out a directive from the Army headquarters, a thorough search was conducted, hospitals were visited, we searched everywhere. Based on credible intelligence, we had to come to this place and we have been here for the last one week.

We are trying to find three things  an officer, Maj Gen Alkali (rtd), who is still missing, his vehicle, a black Toyota Corrolla, and also ascertain whether Alkali is alive or not.

We have credible information that some vehicles were pushed into this river and we have been here for the last three days trying to see if we can salvage something from the river. The river is a mining site and therefore very deep. We have used all options but as a last resort, we will evacuate the water from the pond to see what is in it," he said.

Meanwhile, some women, numbering about 500 and clad in black, have stormed the river to protest the evacuation of the water.

Mary Yakubu, leader of the protesters, said that the water had been part of the community over time, adding that it had a huge cultural significance.

If the water is evacuated, it could lead to the death of our sons and husbands, she claimed.

But Gen Mohammed, in a reaction, said that nothing would stop the Army from evacuating the water. The only thing that can stop us is a directive from the Army Headquarters," he declared.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Major General IM Alkali and the acting general officer commanding, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General VO Ezugwu's convoy encountered and cleared 4 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) buried by suspected elements of Boko Haram terrorists along their way from Bama to Gwoza.

They encountered the 4 clustered IEDs buried at a crossing point along Banki Junction and Pulka road, about 6 kilometres to Firgi in Borno state.

Nigerian Air Force Day Celebration 2018 (54th Anniversary) - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit
- Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has rallied support for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, and stated that the Lagos governor is not embattled

- The APC national chairman said there is no embattled governor in the party, despite contrary reports in the media

- He also stated that the Lagos governor had been attending all party meetings he had been invited to

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has rallied support for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, as he declared that the Lagos governor is not in any way embattled over the contention for the governorship ticket of the party.

Oshiomhole made the comment during a meeting with the partys governors on Wednesday night, September 19, Vanguard reports.

Legit.ng gathers that the APC boss insisted that the Lagos state chapter of the party was in sound health, irrespective of the discontents against the governor.

READ ALSO: Army evacuates pond to find missing general

He said: Now, the attempt to say an embattled governorthere is no APC governor that is embattled and because we are democratic, the best way to measure democracy is the presence of more than one person showing interest in an office.

That does not make any other person embattled. But, of course, the media can create this impression that there is an earthquake in Lagos; there is no earthquake.

At every level, I have seen people claiming that in one or two offices there was no opposition. In every other office, we have more than one candidate expressing interest. Those people who are currently occupying those positions are not by reasons of those new expressions of interests, embattled.

Three, to say that you have never seen Lagos state governor in our meetings is to the extent that your lens is blurred. My records and minutes of our meetings will show the participation of the Lagos state governor in all the meetings in which he has been invited. I think our party in Lagos is at peace."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the alleged confusion over the re-election bid of Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, failed to clear off on Saturday, September 15, as the APC national leadership could not secure a firm commitment from its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the governors second term ambition.

The APC leaders, led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the partys national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who were said to be acting on the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, met with Tinubu again to prevail on him to forgive Ambode for his alleged infractions and back the governor to secure a second term.

Can Ambode get a second term without Tinubu's approval? - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- Speaker Yakubu Dogara says he did not return to the PDP because he was denied the APCs ticket

- He said he returned because the APC constantly reminded those who joined it from the PDP, that they do not belong

- Dogara further stated that he is waiting for those who boasted about retiring him from politics

- The PDP national chairman, Uche Secondus, welcomed Dogara back to the party and commended his brave decision

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said his return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not because he was denied ticket to contest election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dogara stated this on Thursday, September 20, at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja, where he was accompanied by his supporters to submit his nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for the Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa-Balewa federal constituency election in 2019, NAN reports.

Legit.ng gathers that he said that his return to PDP was not about elections but to join his people to chart a new way for his state, Bauchi and Nigeria.

Dogara said that he left PDP to the APC believing that they were teaming together with spirited people to build a new Nigeria, but the APC does not trust those that joined the party from the PDP.

READ ALSO: Kano govt donates N100m to flood victims

He said that as part of the team that built APC in Bauchi, he could say that the ruling party had not fulfilled a single promise that was made.

Dogara said that though some people were happy with him being in the APC but he was in a situation where he had to clear his conscience, saying, I would rather be hated for who I am than be loved for who I am not.

So, I have decided to come back to my original root because the truth is that when we went into APC after the general elections, there was never an occasion in which we were not reminded that we do not belong.

When there are discussions, you will hear reference to the fact that those who joined us from the PDP are our problems. So, that discussion will end from today since we have left. So, I have decided to join my brothers  members of this great party, the PDP, so that we can chart a new frontier in our state of Bauchi and for our dear nation Nigeria.

So, I am here, not because they have denied me ticket to contest in APC. And I am not bothered about contesting election; what bothers me is the state of my state. The situation in which our people are and the state of this country.

So, even if you give me a ticket to work in a situation where my conscience is totally not aligned with, to be candid, I cannot function effectively.

So, I am here, I have picked a nomination form. For those who say they would retire me from politics, to show them boldly that this is where I am. Anybody who thinks he will retire me from politics, I am waiting for him in the constituency in case they dont know of Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa-Balewa federal constituency. Let them come."

READ ALSO: 2019: Stella Oduah returns to PDP months after joining APGA

Dogara, who said he was still in shock, said he would on another occasion discuss about why he left APC.

He said: I will speak to that maybe at another occasion because I must tell you that I am still shocked. So, when I recover from my shock, I will now tell my story in a way that is devoid of sentiments so that people can clearly understand the reason why I am taking the decision that leads me to the PDP today. I will certainly do that

The PDP national chairman, Uche Secondus, welcomed Dogara back to the party and commended his brave decision; saying his return is like a house owner who traveled and came back home.

Secondus, represented by national deputy chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, said that all the problems that caused Dogaras exist from PDP were fully addressed.

He said: The PDP is now re-branded and re-positioned. We have the hope to reclaim our mandate and return to Aso Villa, come May 29, 2019.

The chairman added that the return of Dogara was worth celebrating, adding that there would be a time when all party leaders would be invited for him to interact with them.

On his part, the partys national organising secretary, retired Col Austin Akobundu, welcomed Dogara back to the party, saying he was a man of integrity.

Akobundu pledged that the PDP leaders would work together with him to achieve the good virtues he and the party leadership stood for.

He also pledged that the party would conduct credible primary elections for all elective positions.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Bauchi state governor, Mohammed Abubakar, on Thursday, September 20, stunned the All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful in Abuja, as he feigned ignorance of the exit of the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, from the party.

While addressing newsmen shortly after completing the screening exercise for a sitting governor seeking a fresh mandate, Governor Abubakar insisted that he was not aware that Dogara had defected to the PDP in Bauchi state.

Senators, lawmakers defect from APC - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit Nigeria
The major headlines from mainstream newspapers today, Friday, September 21, are focused on the continuing impasse between Bola Tinubu and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode over the 2019 Lagos governorship, the APCs latest acquiescence to governors with regards to mode of primaries and the confusion in Osun state over a rumoured alliance between some political parties ahead of the September 22 gubernatorial election.

The Guardian reports that the crisis over who becomes the governor of Lagos state in 2019 may drive a wedge between the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his loyalists on one hand, and the Presidency and some state governors on the other.

This follows reports that Tinubu withdrew support for Ambodes re-election in favour of a former commissioner of commerce and industry, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The party governors are said to have urged the Presidency to prevail on Tinubu to have a change of heart. They do not want Ambode, whom they refer to as governor general to be ridiculed.

Front page of The Guardian, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)

Source: Depositphotos

READ ALSO: Why I returned to PDP - Dogara

Still focusing on the Tinubu-Ambode situation, Vanguard is reporting that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has rallied support for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, as he declared that the Lagos governor is not in any way embattled over the contention for the governorship ticket of the party.

Oshiomhole made the comment during a meeting with the partys governors on Wednesday night, September 19.

The APC boss insisted that the Lagos state chapter of the party was in sound health, irrespective of the discontents against the governor.

He said: Now, the attempt to say an embattled governorthere is no APC governor that is embattled and because we are democratic, the best way to measure democracy is the presence of more than one person showing interest in an office.

That does not make any other person embattled. But, of course, the media can create this impression that there is an earthquake in Lagos; there is no earthquake.

Front page of Vanguard, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)

Source: Depositphotos

Now to the issue of the mode of primaries for APC congresses, Punch is reporting that the ruling party has granted the demand of state governors that each state chapter of the party be allowed to choose the mode of primaries to pick candidates for the 2019 elections.

The decision was reached on Wednesday, September 19, following a three-hour meeting between the partys national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and its 22 governors at the Imo state Governors Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

After its last National Executive Council meeting, the APC had announced that it would choose its candidates through direct primaries. It stated that states wishing to use the indirect method must get the approval of stakeholders in the states and write to the national secretariat.

The APC governors, however, insisted on the indirect method which they eventually got during the Wednesdays meeting.

Front page of Punch, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)

Source: Depositphotos

Mirroring the focus of the previous publication, This Day also reports that the APC finally caved in to pressures from its governors and approved the use of indirect primary for the selection of the partys candidates for the 2019 general election.

The publication points out that the governors had kicked against the outcome of the last meeting of the partys National Executive Committee (NEC) which asked states that wanted to use indirect primary to apply for approval from the NWC; thereby pitting themselves against federal legislators who preferred the direct primary.

The state chief executives, however, had their way on Wednesday, following the meeting with the NWC.

Front page of This Day, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)

Source: Depositphotos

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Finally, to the Saturday, September 22 Osun gubernatorial election, The Nation reports that there was confusion on Thursday, September 20, among the supporters of three major parties participating in the election, following the rumour that they had formed an alliance.

No fewer than three of the five prominent candidates subsequently denied any such alliance; and the denials were broadcast by radio stations.

The candidates are Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Moshood Adeoti of the African Democratic Party (ADP) and Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Speaking for the three candidates at a briefing in Osogbo, the state capital, Omisore said Adeoti and Akinbade did not step down for him, adding that what they had was an alliance for a credible election. He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of intimidating would-be voters at rallies; an accusation that was denied by the party.

Front page of The Nation, Friday, September 21 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)

Source: Depositphotos

Can Ambode get a second term without Tinubu's approval? - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit Newspaper
- The wife of Governor Udom Emmanuel said her husband will be re-elected in 2019

- The first lady cited projects her husband has done

- She said all local governments have benefited from his good governance

Deaconess Martha Udom Emmanuel who is the first lady of Akwa Ibom state has expressed optimism that her husband will be re-elected as governor in 2019 based on his performance.

Vanguard reports that the first lady cited the crash in the price of food as testament of the good work her husband has done.

Deaconess Emmanuel said the plot by the opposition against her husband will not work as there is no local government that has not felt the good work he has done.

READ ALSO: Army evacuates pond to find missing general

She said: His good works will speak for him. There is no local government that His Excellency, Governor Emmanuel has not done one thing or the other, so people have seen, people that like good things have seen and I think nothing will change. They will not do otherwise."

Noting the crash in the price of foodstuff particularly garri, from two cups at the rate of N100 to five cups at the rate of N100, she said: That is just the whole thing. When I launched the campaign Food for All in 2016, I made Akwa Ibom people know that no poor person should be denied of his or her staple food.

When it was so expensive, it became a problem for the people of Akwa Ibom State, so we now went into farming; that was how we went into the planting of cassava with over 100 hectares of land, and when the time of harvesting came, we started processing.

So I give God the glory because we have been able to achieve that. At least the poorest person in the community can afford garri to eat. And also we encouraged so many of our people to go into farming. Now the consciousness has been created. People have gone back to farming cassava.

I dont think we will ever have the issue with garri in Akwa Ibom State as long as God is with us, she said perhaps unwittingly with the finality of her husbands name which means, God with us.

Meanwhile, Godswill Akpabio, the former governor of Akwa Ibom state and erstwhile minority leader at the Senate, has been called to explain the alleged fraud behind the four-star hotel built by his administration in the state.

The allegation was levelled against him by the incumbent governor, Udom Emmanuel. This came barely a few weeks after Akpabio defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Senate.

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In a report by PremiumTimes, Governor Udom Emmanuel was quoted saying the hotel project, besides lacking transparency and quality expected of a best practice, is a fraud left incomplete by his predecessor.

Akpabio had previously accused his successor, Udom, of not making the best use of the four-point hotel project by Sheraton.

The Next President of Nigeria. Who Will Win the 2019 Elections? on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- Herman Gordon is a caretaker at Bristol University

- Students raised funds to treat him to a holiday in his home country of Jamaica

- It was also the first time he visited his family in 10 years

A university caretaker and his wife have enjoyed a fully funded luxury holiday in Jamaica thanks to the students.

The 65-year-old man, Herman Gordon, has worked at Bristol University in the UK for 12 years, Legit.ng gathered, and the students raised over N650,000 in June to pay for a trip to his home country.

A delighted Herman and his wife Denise finally took the week-long trip recently. They shared photos of their stay at the five-star Sandals resort in Montego Bay.

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The couple enjoyed a massage and candlelit dinner at the resort. They then spent time with their family in Kingston for the first time in 10 years, independent.co.uk reports.

Herman and Denise took the opportunity to belatedly celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary. They looked happy and very much in love against a backdrop of blue seas and clear skies.

READ ALSO: Mike Ezuruonye shares hilarious video to celebrate his 36th birthday

The couple were extremely thankful to the students for their kind and generous gesture. Herman said:

"God bless you all. Everybody will see this and think that Im a trillionaire.

Social media users praised the students as well. One wrote, "Well done to all the generous students and others that donated." Another one said, "So heartwarming. Faith in humanity restored!"

Legit.ng earlier reported that a marriage ended after the husband impregnated his 20-year-old maid for the third time.

The man identified as Adebiyi Kayode who resides in Abuja, reportedly got his housemaid pregnant and ran away with her.

Young couple was travelling by car, when suddenly (Funny Nigerian Joke) | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
The world's biggest producer of NAND and DRAM chips expects bit growth of less than 20 percent for dynamic random access memory.

Samsung, which along with SK Hynix and Micron Technology dominate the supply of DRAM and NAND flash memory chips.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is planning to curb growth in memory chip output next year to keep supplies tight amid an expected slowdown in demand, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing people briefed on the matter.

The world's biggest producer of NAND and DRAM chips expects bit growth of less than 20 percent for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and a 30 percent rise for NAND flash, Bloomberg said.

Bit growth refers to the amount of memory produced and is important for measuring demand.

Samsung, which along with SK Hynix and Micron Technology dominate the supply of DRAM and NAND flash memory chips, said earlier this year it expected increases of 20 percent for DRAM and 40 percent for NAND in 2018.

Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The report follows drought warning on chip sales from chip-gear maker KLA-Tencor Corp earlier this month that sparked concerns a two-year memory industry super-cycle may be skidding to a halt.

So many have been worried about a cycle peak but a drop in supply can support pricing. NAND has had too much supply based on Apple pulling back demand and SSDs not catching on as fast as expected, Elazar Advisors analyst Chaim Siegel said.

Rival Microns shares were 3 percent higher, ahead of its fourth-quarter report after markets close. Western Digital and Seagate Technology were up between 1 percent and 2 percent.

This news flow will, of course, give a short-term boost to memory companies like Micron and Western Digital, Summit Insights Group analyst Kinngai Chan said.

We, however, still need to monitor the rate of price declines in both DRAM and NAND in the coming quarters.

(Source)
The federal government on Thursday, September 20, in Abuja said it would advance research activities to mitigate any earthquake hazard in the country.

Ogbonnaya Onu, the minister of science and technology, made this known when he received the report of the Technical Committee on Earth Tremor from its chairman, Seidu Muhammed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on September 7, some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were woken up by earth tremor that shook some parts of the city.

The minister said that research activities were crucial to societal value as evidence for readiness and mitigation of earthquake hazard.

We will keep on carry out research to ensure our nation is secure by taking proper proactive and not reactive measures to address challenges that can hinder efficient forecasting, detection and monitoring of earthquake in Nigeria.

There is urgent need to establish the Nigerian standard for the seismic building code which I think Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NIBRRI) should be able to handle for the nation," he said.

Onu said that he would submit the technical report to the President Muhammadu Buhari immediately for appropriate and urgent actions.

READ ALSO: Army evacuates water from pond in frantic effort to find missing general

Earlier, the chairman of the committee listed the recommendations of the committee to include procurement of more seismometers, ground-based magnetometers and GPS sensors/equipment for the enlargement and networking of the Nigeria National Network of Seismographic Stations.

Further detailed seismotectonic study using state-of art equipment of the area and by extension, the entire country is recommended. Also, detailed Seismic Hazard Assessment for the entire country is very necessary.

An integrated study should be carried out to properly delineate the fault systems in the area while ensuring buildings should be constructed with the right engineering design and materials on approved sites.

Infrared satellite technology space magnetic data for earthquake monitoring are showing more prospects. It is advised that this technology must be adopted and funded.

Others are to monitor, identify and catalog earthquakes locations to improve on future forecasts in time, and releasing of Ecological Fund urgently for Earthquake Monitoring and Hazard Assessment in Nigeria, he said.

READ ALSO: Why I returned to PDP - Dogara finally opens up

According to him, the committee further recommended that there is need to regulate exploitation of ground water resources of Abuja via indiscriminate sinking of boreholes as it was the primary reason for recent Abuja tremor.

Base on the results obtained using the probability of recurrence theory; we confirmed that the probability of recurrence in the very near future is fairly high in Nigeria.

Government should fund the training of geophysicists, geologists, engineers, technologies and researchers to participate in earth science research to improve understanding of Nigerian and West African geophysics and tectonics dynamism.

The Federal Government should empower relevant research agencies mandated to carry out studies on the remote causes of the tremor and proffer solutions, he added.

Muhammed said that more than one million earthquakes occurred daily but very few were either observed or recorded, adding that available seismic records from 1919 to 2018 showed that Nigeria has experienced seismicity (tremor) in the past.

According to him, Nigeria is now prone to seismic hazards following recent earthquake occurrence in Kwoi, Kaduna state (2016); Saki, Oyo state (2016) and Igbogene in Bayelsa state (2016).

The latest occurred in September 7 in Abuja with Mpape as epicenter. Though these earthquakes may have been of low-magnitudes, it is now certain that earthquake occurrence has become a potential hazard to the nation," he said.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had ruled out every possibility of an earthquake disaster in Nigeria following complaints of earth movement in the FCT.

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The agency in a statement released on Thursday, September 6, said the earth shaking could be as a result of earth tremors; a sign of seismic movement within the earth which can be caused by sudden breaks along a fault line releasing energy that cause the shakings.

It also said that the movement could also have been caused by stress in underground rocks due to blasting and mining activities in an area.

List President Buhari's achievements in two years - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Olagunsoye Oyinlola says Fatai Ajibade is the most qualified to take over from Rauf Aregbesola in Osun state

- Oyinlola, a former governor of the state, promises the people that they will not regret voting for Ajibade

- He reminds the people that having served three military govenors in the state, Ajibade has the experience

Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of Osun, has reportedly predicted that the governorship election slated for Saturday, September 22, in the state would be won by Fatai Ajibade, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Oyinlola reportedly said Ajibade was the most qualified candidate to succeed the present Governor Rauf Aregbesola because he has untainted political record and unblemished integrity.

The Punch reports that Oyinlola spoke at the ADC rally in Osogbo, the capital of Osun, where the governorship candidate was presented to the supporters of the party.

READ ALSO: Minimum wage: FG makes promise as labours 14-day ultimatum continues

The report quoted Oyinlola as promising the people that they will not regret voting in the former secretary to the state government in the state.

Ajibade has seen it all as a commissioner in the state who served three military administrators.

The military administrators must have seen something unique in him to have retained him for so long. He is trustworthy and diligent.

Politically, he is experienced and as one who had served the state meritoriously, he is free of all financial crime just like me.

We have never been invited by any of the financial crime commissions for questioning over what we did in office.

Anybody who has any contrary view should confront me. Even other political parties agree with this.

Ajibade is from the Osun West senatorial district. The Osun Central and Osun East have produced governors of the state in this dispensation so there should be a shift.

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If this is considered, the people of Osun West deserve to produce a governor and they had put forward their son, Akinbade, he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said that the party is capable of winning the September 22 governorship election in Osun, Punch reports.

Tinubu said this in an interview with State House correspondents after he led the partys stakeholders from the southwest to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, August 30.

Osun Election 2018: How Much is Enough to Vote for a Politician? Osun Residents Speak | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- Free medical outreach has been organised for 1,000 internally displaced persons in Niger state

- The outreach was geared towards alleviating the plight of victims of the recent flood that ravaged the state

- The medical outreach was said to have commenced on Thursday, September 20

A team of medical experts have been deployed to Zungeru in Wushishi local government area of Niger state by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as part of humanitarian efforts geared towards alleviating the plights of the victims of the recent flood that ravaged the state.

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday, September 20, by the NAF director of public relations and information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.

Legit.ng gathers that the medical outreach was said to have commenced on Thursday, September 20.

The statement read: "The medical outreach, which commenced today, 20 September 2018, is taking place at the Central Primary School Zungeru, where close to 1,000 flood victims now temporarily reside, and is expected to cater to the health needs of about 5,000 members of the Zungeru community.

The outreach was geared towards alleviating the plight of victims of the recent flood that ravaged the state. Photo credit: Facebook, Nigerian Air Force HQ.

Source: Depositphotos

READ ALSO: NANS urges students to shun violence during, after Osun election

"The NAF Medical team is led by Group Captain Azubuike Chukwuka, the director of Public Health and Humanitarian Services, Headquarters NAF, who stated that the 5-day medical outreach is an initiative of the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, as part NAFs constitutional role of providing Military Aid to Civil Authority (MACA).

The medical outreach commenced on Thursday, September 20. Photo credit: Facebook, Nigerian Air Force HQ.

Source: Depositphotos

"He stated that the medical services that would be provided included health and visual acuity checks, de-worming of children as well as provision of prescription eye glasses, treated mosquito nets and required medication. He also noted that minor surgical procedures would be carried out for patients with surgical needs.

Close to 1,000 flood victims now temporarily reside at Central Primary School Zungeru. Photo credit: Facebook, Nigerian Air Force HQ.

Source: Depositphotos

"A large number of displaced persons benefited from the medical services on the first day of the outreach, which was witnessed by the Commander 351 Base Services Group NAF Base Minna, Group Captain Suleiman Usman as well as the state coordinator Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Mrs Hajiya Saratu and the chairman of Wushishi LGA, Alhaji Bashir Umar Maishanu.

The outreach is also expected to cater to the health needs of about 5,000 members of Zungeru community. Photo credit: Facebook, Nigerian Air Force HQ.

Source: Depositphotos

"It would be recalled that the NAF also recently held a special medical intervention in Shinkafi, Zamfara state, where about 4,600 internally displaced persons, who were victims of armed banditry, benefited from medical care."

The medical outreach took place at the Central Primary School Zungeru. Photo credit: Facebook, Nigerian Air Force HQ.

Source: Depositphotos

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it was ready to give some form of assistance to victims of recent flooding that occurred in some states of the federation.

Jacob Ogunseye, the chapters acting publicity secretary, made this known in a statement on Friday, September 21, in Abuja.

Nigeria Breaking News: Kogi Flood Sacks Residents from Their Homes - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Chief Chinedu Eya declares that he is prepared to sell his house just to buy the governorship form for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode

- Eya, a former aspirant on the platform of the PDP, says the governor must be prepared to heed calls to join the opposition party to actualise his dream for re-election

- He alleges a massive gang-up against Ambode and urges the governor to dump the APC

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu, Chief Chinedu Eya, has offered to sell off his Lagos property worth over N53 million to purchase nomination and expression of interest forms for embattled Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

He, however, promised to make the sacrifice only if Governor Ambode is willing to heed calls to contest the 2019 elections on the platform of the PDP.

READ ALSO: Minimum wage: FG makes promise as labours 14-day ultimatum continues

In a statement obtained by Legit.ng, Chief Eya, who is also the national convener of Why It Must Be PDP in 2019, said he was enraged reading reports recently that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Tinubu, and the partys executives were mounting pressure on Ambode to step down from office and endorse his opponent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the candidate.

Eya, a former senatorial aspirant on the platform of the PDP, noted that Ambode must as a matter of urgency dump APC for the PDP to survive the current political turmoil rearing to consume him in Lagos.

The politician hinted that his decision to purchase the governor's reelection forms in the PDP, using his building as bait is to help save Ambode from the alleged gang-up by the Mandate Movement led by Tinubu and the chairmen of the 57 councils in Lagos.

Without mincing words, If Ambody accepts the olive branch of my party already extended to him to join us and contest under our platform, I will sell off my building valued at N53 million to help him purchase our expression of interest and nomination forms and save him from National disgrace.

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As a politician, this is a gang-up...if you look at the case properly, the question is not about Governor Ambode's performance, but a clear case of egocentric and egomaniac superiority over the peoples will and interest, he said.

Eya said that the governor had nothing to fear about joining the PDP as the party will be willing to clear the route for him and possibly form a consensus that will produce him as the candidate of the political organisation.

Legit.ng reported earlier claims that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's meeting with the Governors Advisory Council (GAC) concerning the impasse in the Lagos state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was postponed.

Can Ambode Defeat Tinubu for a second term? - Nigerian Opinion | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
Editor's note: Public affairs analyst, Kelechi Jeff Eme, writes on the implications of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), having its convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital on Friday, October 5 and Saturday, October 6.

Read below:

A great sage once opined that "Music is nothing if the audience is deaf" and the posturing of the leadership of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) towards the 2019 general election is succinctly tilting to wholesome justification of this quote. The essential of history is to guide the actions of the future in other to avoid the mistakes the past. However, men have continuously allowed themselves to be entrapped by greed, ego and sentiment in their bid to change history using same methods to tackle same problems, even when the factors are relatively unchanged. This convergence produces failure in perpetuity.

There is no doubt that majority of Nigerians are looking up to the opposition led by the PDP to redeem them from the abysmal and unproductive administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. So far, the quality of presidential aspirants "hustling" on the party's ticket is commendable. All of them will do a better job than incumbent President Buhari.

However, 2019 is not about who will do better than Buhari. The two important issues are who has capacity to defeat the president and a concrete plan to redirect the country for the benefit of all citizens. A candidate that is a proven unifier, job creator and solid understanding of how a 21st century economy works. PDP has more or less bought the agenda of restructuring Nigeria to engender unity, equity and economic development, but that is the simplest aspect it. The party must in all honesty ask itself the difficult question of who among the aspirants is committed to restructuring and has a discernible vision and political biceps to deliver on the agenda.

READ ALSO: Former VP Namadi Sambo, Speaker Dogara to screen 13 PDP presidential aspirants

Critically, the voting masses are suave enough to know who to trust on restructuring among the presidential gladiators. So, the leadership of the PDP should not deceive itself that anybody flying its flag will convince the masses to vote on restructuring. The point is that the convention to elect the presidential candidate of the party must not just be free and fair, it must be seen to be free of any blemish by generality of Nigerians. Crucially, it must meet the desires of the foot soldiers of the party across the country. Anything short of this will lead to total annihilation of the party.

To this end, the recommended choice of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state as venue for the convention cannot in honesty lead to a free convention considering the antecedent of Governor Nyesom Wike in this regard. For clarity sake, Wike is a very huge asset to PDP and he is strategically located. However, his political vision is obscurely provincial and not in tandem with what is required to rescue the country from the firm grip of an incumbent that will go to any length to remain in power.

It's not hidden that Governor Nyesom Wike is solidly backing one of the presidential aspirants. So many motives have been ascribed to his support for the candidate. One reason making the rounds is his desire to replace whosoever is picked as vice president in 2023 en-route to becoming president in 2027. Another reason is that he is really not interested in the party winning in 2019 since he will be in pole position to contest the presidential election in 2023. Whether the reasons are conjectured or not, only a transparent presidential primary election will give the masses the confidence to vote for PDP in 2019.

Why Port Harcourt? The answers given are more pedestrian than the reasons Abuja was rejected. Why not Enugu, Uyo, Asaba or Calabar? Each of these capitals can accommodate over 6000 guests, ensure safety and provide the needed ambience for free, fair and transparent presidential convention. PDP and Wike must understand that the party has undergone a lot of changes since the convention that elected the present executives. A lot of strong power points have been created to synergize with the existing ones to ensure victory for the party.

As long as Wike has a strong interest on who becomes the presidential candidate of the party, he will adopt methods that will be vehemently opposed and rejected by other aspirants. Nobody is really afraid of Wike's support for any aspirant. What people are worried about is the effect of a bruising battle starring the party in the face if the convention is not moved from Port Harcourt.

The importance of post-convention unity cannot be overemphasized and remains a major panacea for victory in 2019. This is what Port Harcourt will deny PDP as convention venue. The time will be extremely short to restore peace and sanity if the convention is marred by irregularities induced by the strong arm tactics of an impartial host.

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Beyond facing an overbearing incumbent with a "limping" candidate if the convention is fractured because of the reasons earlier stated, the PDP will face immense danger in 2019 and Its survival as a political party elastically tested. States like Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Abia could immensely be endangered if Buhari is re-elected due to the choice of a limping candidate by the PDP.

PDP must understand the difference between opposition politics and that of incumbency. This understanding is overdue.

Last line: APC is not in doubt that without the presidency in 2019, snatching Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta using the Ekiti formula will castrate the PDP and render it politically impotent beyond 2019.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng.

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Nigeria News Today: Will Buhari Get Votes Of Nigerian Youth? | Legit.ng TV

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- Lagos state government has given a new directive to public works corporation

- It mandated them to complete all the inner road projects within four weeks

- It added that rainfall has been a major bane delaying completion of road projects

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state has directed the state Public Works Corporation (PWC) to fix potholes on major and inner roads across the state within the next four weeks.

The commissioner for works and infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, said this on Friday, September 22, during an inspection of the ongoing Pen Cinema bridge in Agege area of the state.

Akinsanya said the repairs would bring relief and succour to the generality of the residents.

He said that due to the heavy rainfall witnessed in the last few weeks, repair works on many roads in the state were suspended.

READ ALSO: Former governor Oyinlola predicts winner of Osun governorship election

The commissioner, however, said that with the rains subsiding, there was need to intensify efforts in completing ongoing repair works and making roads better across the state.

He said: "The operation fix the pothole will last for about three to four weeks."

Akinsanya, therefore, appealed to residents and motorists to cooperate by following traffic diversions put in place to ensure the early and smooth completion of the repair works.

Reviewing ongoing projects in the state, he said that the state government was committed to the completion of the over 70 projects going on across the state.

He said that the Pen Cinema bridge would be completed by the first quarter of 2019, while the Oshodi/International Airport Road would be delivered by December this year.

The commissioner thanked residents for their patience and sued for continued cooperation as the projects progress.

Whatever time we have lost on these projects as a result of the rain, pace will be accelerated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that the commissioner and his team also inspected ongoing Oshodi/International Airport Road project.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the community leaders from across the Mainland area of Lagos had called on the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to urgently intervene in the ongoing misunderstanding between the local PSP waste operators and the Lagos state government to save Lagos from imminent waste disaster.

The community leaders, under the aegis of Community Development Associations (CDA) from across the Mainland, Lagos, said they could not keep silent again as people are choking from piles of wastes in their homes and streets.

Can Ambode Defeat Tinubu for a second term? - Nigerian Opinion | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
By Sandwichman. Originally published at Econospeak

In De-growth vs a Green New Deal, Robert Pollin relies on the same blurring of distinctions that Robert Solow employed 46 years earlier in his condemnation ofThe Limits to Growthas bad science. Nicholaus Georgescu-Roegen pointed out Solows obfuscation in the article that inspired the term degrowth. That historical context is vital for understanding why Pollins blueprint for ecological salvation is no advance over Solows.

In Is theEnd of the World at Hand Solow scolded the bad science of TheLimits to Growthreport on the grounds that its authors model assumed that there are no built-in mechanisms by which approaching exhaustion [of resources] tends to turn off consumption gradually and in advance.[1]Solow cited increases in the productivity of natural resources to illustrate the importance of the price system as the built-in mechanism of capitalism for registering and reacting to relative scarcity.

According to Solow, between 1950 and 1970, consumption of iron in the U.S. increased by 20 percent while the GNP roughly doubled. Consumption of manganese rose by 30 percent. Copper consumption increased by one-third, as did lead and zinc consumption. These increases represented productivity gains ranging from 2 percent per annum for copper, lead and zinc to 2.5 percent for iron. Meanwhile, productivity of bituminous coal rose by 3 percent a year during the same period.

There were, Solow conceded, some important exceptions, and unimportant exceptions. Among the more important ones was petroleum, GNP per barrel of oil was about the same in 1970 as in 1951: no productivity increase there. Nevertheless, Solow was confident that no one can doubt that we will run out of oil [s]ooner or later, the productivity of oil will rise out of sight, because the production and consumption of oil will eventually dwindle toward zero, but real GNP will not.

Solow acknowledged another important exception to his productivity argument: pollution. The price system is flawed, he admitted, in its failure to charge polluters for using the environment to carry away waste. Thus the waste-disposal capacity of the environment goes unpriced; and that happens because it is owned by all of us, as it should be. Solow saw this problem as easily remediable through common sense regulation, user taxes and investment in pollution abatement.

Georescu-Roegens response to Solow, in the 1975 article, Energy and Economic Myths emphasized the distinction between growth and development:

if we are talking about growth, strictly speaking, then the depletion of resources is inherent in the process by definition. Solows exposition of why he thought The Limits to Growthwas bad science relied on blurring the distinction between qualitative development and quantitative growth and counting the former as an instance of the latter. This sort of legerdemainis, of course, standard in so-called growth economics.[2]In 1979, Jacques Grinevald and Ivo Rens translated Energy and Economic Myths and included it with two other articles on bioeconomics in a book titled Demain La Decroissance: Entropie  Ecologie  Economie.[3]The term, decroissance occurs in the translation of a section in which Georgescu-Roegen criticized what he considered the greatest sin of the authors of The Limits  their exclusive focus on exponential growth, which fosters the delusion that ecological salvation lies in the stationary state.

In opposition to that view, Georgescu-Roegen argued, the necessary conclusion of the arguments in favor of that vision [of a stationary state]is that the most desirable state is not a stationary, but a declining one (emphasis in original).His argument was notthat ecological salvation lies instead in a declining (or degrowth) economy. It was that there can be no blueprint for the ecological salvation of the human species. as he elaborated in the subsequent paragraph:

Undoubtedly, the current growth must cease, nay, be reversed. But anyone who believes that he can draw a blueprint for the ecological salvation of the human species does not understand the nature of evolution, or even of history  which is that of a permanent struggle in continuously novel forms, not that of a predictable, controllable physico-chemical process, such as boiling an egg or launching a rocket to the moon.

Pessimistic? Perhaps, but it is less so if one keeps in mind Georgescu-Roegens injunction against blurring the distinction between quantitative development and quantitative growth. There are no built-in mechanisms, either of the price system, of the regulatory and tax regime or of a Green New Deal that can ensure ecological salvation because the latter requires not blueprint or a formula but permanent struggle in continuously novel forms.

So how does Pollins Green New Deal stack up compared to Solows built-in mechanism of the price system? First, with regard to the distinction between qualitative development and quantitative growth, Pollin gives no indication of being aware of Georgescu-Roegens (and Schumpeters) distinction. Instead, Pollin does distinguish between some categories of economic activity [that] should now grow massively such as those associated with clean energy and others, such as the fossil-fuel industry that needs to contract massively. Charitably, this shift may be interpreted as at least tacitly acknowledging a qualitative development rather than simply a quantitative growth/contraction. But because Pollin doesnt make that distinction explicit, his concluding comparison of average incomes from a degrowth scenario vs his Green New Deal is fundamentally flawed.

Decoupling the Derivative

Pollin refers to the process by which this simultaneous massive growth of clean energy and massive contraction of fossil fuel is supposed to occur as decoupling. Decoupling is a synonym for what Solow called natural resource productivity. The calculation is the same  national income divided by the quantity of the resource consumed or waste emitted. But decoupling, as Pollin uses it and as it is commonly used, is a deceptive term. Economic activity is not decoupledfrom the consumption of fossil fuel, as Pollin claims. It is the rate of changeof economic activity that is decoupled from the rate of change of fossil fuel consumption.

Resource productivity (or rate-of-change decoupling) is analogous to labour productivity, as Solow pointed out, and that parallel suggests a method for side-stepping the measurement complications that arise from GDP. One can instead calculate the decoupling of carbon dioxide emissions from aggregate employment. This alternative restores the original sense of productivity measurement, which was in terms of physical inputs and physical outputs rather than dollar values.[4]I will discuss the measurement complications later, in connection with incomes but first, lets review Pollins optimistic account of the prospects for absolute decoupling.

According to Pollin, citing a blog postfrom the World Resources Institute[5], between 2000 and 2014, twenty-one countries, including the US, Germany, the UK, Spain and Sweden, all managed to absolutely decouple GDP growth from CO2 emissions This did not happen. GDP growth was notdecoupled from CO2 emissions. What was decoupled was GDP growth from emissions growthand, more precisely, from growth in one commonly-used estimate of emissions.

Such claims need to be examined for their attention to two important subtleties: territorial emissions can be reduced by outsourcing those emissions to an offshore supplier. What about emissions embodied in trade? And GDP growth incorporates all kinds of distortions (well get to those). What about a more meaningful indicator of the level of economic activity, such as total employment?

Of the twenty-one countries claimed by the WRI to have achieved absolute decoupling between 2000 and 2014. Slovakia, Switzerland and Ukraine had increases in their consumption-based CO2 emissions that adjust for emissions embodied in trade. Bulgarias consumption-based emissions were unchanged from 2000-2014. Portugal, Romania and Ukraine had declines in aggregate employment. Denmark had no increase in employment. There was no consumption-based data for Uzbekistan and its reported employment data (ILO) does not appear credible, so it can be excluded from the analysis.[6]



That leaves 13 countries with absolute decoupling of the rate of change of employment and the rate of change of consumption-based emissions. Of those 13, the Czech Republic had reductions in average annual hours that exceeded the increase in employment. Finland just squeaked through into absolute decoupling territory if defined by changes in aggregate working hours and consumption-based Co2 emissions.

Twelve of the 21 countries touted by WRI meet the more rigorous rates of change decoupling criteria. Again, no countries decoupled employment growth from CO2 emissions. The average gap between growth in employment and decline in emissions, weighted for the size of employed work force in 2014, was a bit less than half of the gap between GDP growth and change in territorial emissions. (17.6 percent versus 37 percent). That is 12 out of the 63 countries that had emissions of at least 12 MtC/yr in 2000, as did Bulgaria. In other words, 51 other countries among the top 63 did not have absolute decoupling of employment growth and emissions decline.

In spite of those 21 or 12 countries that absolutely decoupled the rates of change of GDP/employmnt and CO2 emissions between 2000 and 2014, tons of CO2 emitted globally per employment-year rose from 9.5 to 11.4. That is neither an absolute decoupling nor a relative one. That is a 20% intensificationof emissions per job, a declinein the productivity of emissions. Meanwhile, Chinas increase in consumption-based carbon dioxide emissions from 2000 to 2014 was 8 times the total decrease of all 21 counties for whom WRI proclaimed absolute decoupling of GDP and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

On the Rebound

Pollins treatment of the so-called rebound effect is also inadequate. This phenomenon, also known as the Jevons Paradox is not a separate, add-on effect to productivity and should not be treated as such. It is an intrinsic part of the built-in mechanism of the price system. Again, the use of synonyms and euphemisms adds to the confusion. Just as decoupling is a synonym for productivity, the productivity of resources is another way of referring to the efficiency or economy of their use. When the use of a resource, such as a fuel, is made more economical through technological innovation, its relative cost may fall even though its absolute price may be rising. Thus increased efficiency (or productivity) may lead to increased consumption. Separating out the rebound effect from the analysis of productivity or of rate-of-change decoupling is about as plausible as separating out the butter from a baked cake.

In formulating the paradox of greater efficiency leading to increased consumption in 1865, W. S. Jevons described it as principle recognised in many parallel instances, particularly that of labour-saving machinery eventually increasing employment.[7]But fuel efficiency and labour saving machinery are not merely two parallel instances, they are two defining moments in a single, continuous positive feedback loop.

Pollin speculates that rebound effects from efficiency gains will be modest, at least in developed countries, but he still argues it is crucial that all energy-efficiency gains be accompanied by complementary policies (as discussed below), including setting a price on carbon emissions to discourage fossil-fuel consumption. I would agree with the need for regulation or taxation to discourage fossil-fuel consumption but would insist that putting a price on carbon emissions will also put a damper on the jobs that increased fuel consumption would otherwise generate. Until the link between fossil-fuel consumption and jobs is decisively broken, you cant choose to dial down one without affecting the other. One cant assume post-transition availability and relative prices of clean energy sources during the transition!

This point is missed in virtually every discussion of the rebound effect or Jevons Paradox. There are not two, parallel rebound effects, one for fuel consumption and one for employment. The rebound of employment drives the rebound of fuel consumption, which in turn drives the rebound of employment. To decouple the employment rebound from fossilfuel consumption requires the fantasy that one can substitute clean energy supplies that do not yet existfor fossil fuels that do.[8]



Comparing Average Incomes



In his criticism of Peter Victors Managing without Growth, Pollin argues that per capita GDP in 2035 for a degrowth scenario would plummet to little more than half the 2005 level, while under Pollins proposed clean energy investment programme, average incomes would roughly double. The second chapter of Darrell Huffs 1954 classic, How to Lie with Statisticsis all about averages, so I cant claim originality for this point: Pollins otiose comparison of averageincomes under the two scenarios says nothing but insinuates too much about distribution. To mix a few metaphors, a rising tide lifts all boats as the sparrows pick away at the remnants of oats that have trickled down from the horse.

There are several other egregious distortions in Pollins comparison of average incomes: leisure time doesnt count as income and average income doesnt say anything about what a person has to give up in time and effort to receive it. GDP is not some magic cake that just appears and gets doled out in equal-sized slices. As Maurice Dobb pointed out quite some time ago:

It is not aggregate earnings which are the measure of the benefit obtained by the worker, but his earnings in relation to the work he does  to his output of physical energy or his bodily wear and tear. Just as an employer is interested in his receipts compared with his outgoings, so the worker is presumably interested in what he gets compared with what he gives.[9]In comparing the projected average incomes of his clean energy investment programme and Peter Victors degrowth scenario, Pollin appears to have set aside his earlier solidarity with the values and concerns of degrowth advocates particularly regarding GDP as a measure of wellbeing:

there is no disputing that it fails to account for the production of environmental bads, as well as consumer goods. It does not account for unpaid labor, most of which is performed by women, and GDP per capita tells us nothing about the distribution of income or wealth.

Dividing up GDP into per capita income doesnt eliminate these problems  or others. In 1995 the Atlantic Monthly published an article that asked, If the GDP is up, Why is America Down, a great riff on the title of Richard Farinas novel, Been Down So Long, It Looks Like Up To Me.[10] That article explained a lot of whats wrong with the economy and whats wrong with economics:

Once you start asking what as well as how much  that is, about quality instead of just quantity  the premise of the national accounts as an indicator of progress begins to disintegrate, and along with it much of the conventional economic reasoning on which those accounts are based.

Questions about distribution, about quality vs. quantity of goods, the production of environmental bads and the disregarding of unpaid labor only skim the surface of what is wrong with the GDP. Those questions focus on the symptoms. A deeper understanding of the root causes reveals that the discrepancy between the measurement and the thing that is purported to be measured may be orders of magnitude.

Basic accounting errors of double-counting and asymmetric entry abound in the compilation of National Income and Product Accounts. These fundamental errors have been highlighted by Irving Fisher, Simon Kuznets, Paul Samuelson, Roefie Hueting, Angelo Antoci, Stefano Bartolini and others. These mismeasurements are not one-off discrepancies  they also establish a positive feedback loop of incentives for cumulative misallocation of resources and miscalculation of outcomes.

In his 1948 critique of the Commerce Departments National Income and Product Accounts, Kuznets focused on the double counting of intermediate goods, especially in the form of military expenditures and government services that facilitate commercial activity.[11]Hueting identified the problem of asymmetric entering in which expenditures on remediating environmental damage adds to GDP even though no subtraction was recorded for the damage itself.[12]Antoci and Bartolini analyzed the cumulative role of negative externalities in boosting GDP growth.[13]



It is not only that GDP doesnt distinguish between goods and bads. Systematic mismeasurement puts a premium on expanding the proportion of bads to goods.

Over a century ago, Fisher, one of the most influential American economists in the early 20th century, maintained that faulty definitions of income resulted in rampant double-counting errors. There are three compelling reasons for not ignoring Fishers views on income and double counting. First, Fisher is an acknowledged pioneer of national income accounting  his definitions of income need to be acknowledged, even if only to show that they are not practicable or even are defective. Second, Fishers critique of the ill-defined general concepts of income addresses precisely the heterogeneous combination of goods and services that is standard in the GDP. Third, the recurrent examples of double counting lend empirical support to Fishers claim that the improper definition of income inevitably results in such errors.

In The Nature of Capital and Income, Fisher argued that the usual definitions of income fail one or both of the tests of being both useful for scientific analysis and harmonizing with popular usage.[14]The pitfalls of those faulty definitions go largely unnoticed, making them all the more dangerous.

Fisher focused on two common concepts of income. The first concept, money income, is reasonably adequate for commercial affairs because the purpose of business is to make money. But making money is not the purpose of households. Part of household production takes place outside of monetary exchange and even monetary earnings have as their ultimate purpose the purchase of food, clothing, housing and the like, which constitute the households real income.

The second concept, pertaining to real income, is commonly defined in terms of both goods and services. Fisher criticized this concept for its eclecticism and inconsistency. The procedure treats some items  such as fuel, food and apparel  as current consumption but apportions very long-lived items such as dwellings as if they were being rented. This leaves a variety of moderately durable items such as furniture or vehicles to be treated in an ad hoc manner. Fisher concluded that such a patchwork of arbitrarily selected elements is incapable of furnishing any consistent, reliable, and logical theory of income.

That patchwork is where double counting comes in. Economists have not known where to cease calling the concrete instrument income and begin calling its use income instead. In their hesitation they have in some cases ended by including both. By so doing they commit the fallacy of double counting.

Fishers alternative to the goods and services concept was to regard uniformly as income the service of a dwelling to its owner, the service of a piano and the service of food; and in the same uniform manner to exclude alike from the category of income the dwelling, the piano, and even the food. The latter, he argued are capital, not income.

As logical and consistent as Fishers definition of income may appear in the abstract, it is hard to imagine how it could ever be implemented in national income accounts. Monetary transactions occur when items are purchased, not when they are actually consumed. Fishers definition would require a vast and highly subjective extension of financial record keeping. Similarly, Commerce Department economists responded to Kuznetss critique, conceding many of his points but stressing the technical difficulty of putting an alternative into practice.

The arguments presented in defense of the goods and services concept are usually framed in terms of expediency. Such expedients have a limited shelf life, however. Typically, proponents of the monetized goods and services concept cheerfully admit its perishability, logical frailty and limited portability. This process can never claim complete logical watertightness, Colin Clark confessed in 1937, but we can be satisfied that it works well enough in practice for comparisons over periods up to, say, twenty years, or for comparisons between communities whose ways of living are not too widely different. Once the tabulations are up and running, those caveats are ignored.

If you start with an accounting system that systematically double counts some revenue items and doesnt count others, you also have a system of perverse incentives to shift more and more effort, investment and expenditures, over time, to the double-counted items because that will project the illusion of more robust economic performance. For apostles of growth, double counting is not so much a social accounting debacle as it is a public relations triumph.

Investment Returns



Clearly Pollin presumes there is nothing inevitable about the system of perverse incentives that engorges GDP and proposes that the proceeds of growth can, in effect, be siphoned off to fund investment in clean energy. In this vision, the transition to clean energy would be funded by a portion of the increment of national income rather than requiring diversion of a portion of the principal thus making ecological salvation economically painless. Pollins Green New Deal posits investment in clean energy as a supplementary built-in mechanism that will gradually wean GDP from dependence on fossil fuels (once those powerful vested interests, who wield enormous political power have been defeated). The faster GDP grows, in this vision, the more rapid will be the transition to clean energy because more growth will automatically result in more investment.

The word investment does a lot a work in the Pollin plan. What the term abbreviates is a complex process of institutionalizing selection criteria for the funding of projects, project design and budgeting, ranking and selection of competing projects, project oversight and post-project evaluation of success in meeting objectives. There is not some ready-made pool of self-evidently effective clean energy projects. The whole process  conducted presumably by hundreds of agencies operating in hundreds of countries  is subject to cronyism, administrative padding of costs, inept selection criteria, mislabeling, miscalculation, lobbying, boondoggles, administrative capture by powerful vested interests and outright embezzlement. There is no built-in mechanism to guarantee a trillion dollar annual investment in clean energy delivers what the name advertises.

In short, investment in clean energy is not apredictable, controllable physico-chemical process, such as boiling an egg or launching a rocket to the moon. The successful outcome of such a programme would require a permanent struggle in continuously novel forms not simply the once-and-for-all defeat of thosepowerful vested interests who wield enormous political power.

Deja Vu All Over Again



Forty-six years ago, Robert Solow placed his faith mainly in the built-in mechanisms of the price system, which, he claimed, tends to turn off consumption [of scarce resources] gradually and in advance. Evidence for the success of this mechanism was to be seen in the increasing productivity of a variety minerals used as industrial inputs. But pollution presented an exception to this rule because it escaped the price system. Solow offered a remedy for that defect  investment in pollution abatement:

An active pollution abatement policy would cost perhaps $50 billion a year by 2000, which would be about 2 percent of GNP by then. That is a small investment of resources: you can see how small it is when you consider that GNP grows by 4 percent or so every year, on the average. Cleaning up air and water would entail a cost that would be a bit like losing one-half of one years growth, between now and the year 2000.

Robert Pollins critique of degrowth and his proposed alternative of a Green New Deal unwittingly recycles Robert Solows 1973 rebuttal to TheLimits to Growth. Pollin substitutes the euphemistic decoupling for Solows more conventional productivity. He acknowledges criticism of GDP and then ignores those criticisms when comparing degrowth and Green New Deal scenarios. He updates, refines and globalizes his investment target to one trillion dollars from Solows $50 billion, although both figures are presented as approximately the same percentage of annual gross product.

Pollins one major digression from the Solow blueprint is a curiously nostalgic one. He stresses the need to defeat powerful vested interests of the fossil fuel industry who wield enormous political power and charges the degrowth perspective with the critical error of ignoring the reality of neoliberalism in the contemporary world. Yet Pollin makes no suggestion about how those vested interests might be defeated or how to put capitalism back on the leash that prevailed during the golden age [before the era of neoliberalism].

Speaking at a symposium on The Limits to Growthat Lehigh University in October 1972, Robert Solow could not have foreseen the military coup in Chile the following September that ushered in the regime of neoliberalism nor the OPEC oil embargo a month later that ushered in a new era of petro-political economy.

_________

[1]Robert Solow, Is the End of the World at Hand?Challenge, March/April 1973, pp. 39-50.

[2]Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, Energy and Economic Myths, Southern Economic Journal, January 1975, pp. 347-381.

[3]Jacques Grinevald and Ivo Rens, Demain La Decroissance: Entropie  Ecologie  Economie,Lausanne, 1979.

[4]Fred Block and Gene A. Burns, Productivity as a Social Problem: The Uses and Misuses of Social Indicators, American Sociological Review, December, 1986, pp. 767-780.

[5]Nate Aden, The Roads to Decoupling: 21 Countries Are Reducing Carbon Emissions While Growing GDP, World Resources Institute blog, 5 April 2016.

[6]Consumption-based CO2 emissions estimates are from The Global Carbon Budget 2017 updated from Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011. Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908. Employment estimates are from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT, Key Indicators of the Labour Market, Status in Employment.

[7]William Stanley Jevons, The Coal Question, London, 1865.

[8]On decoupling as fantasy, see Robert Fletcher & Crelis Rammelt, Decoupling: A Key Fantasy of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda, Globalizations, 14:3, pp. 450-467. They write:

[The] dramatic disjuncture between the blind optimism of the decoupling proposal and the daunting (thermodynamic, financial, and distributive) obstacles in the face of its realization suggests that the concept works as a Lacanian fantasy, presenting both the prospect of sustainable development at some unknown future point and a convenient a priori explanation for why this aim is not achieved. 

The pressing danger, of course, is that even if decoupling is infeasible, it will take some time for this to be demonstrated to the satisfaction of its proponents as well as those merely using it as a smokescreen to continue business as usual for as long as they still can. Thus, the decoupling fantasy may allow us to maintain an increasingly destructive path with both the promise of success and demonstration of its impossibility deferred into the future.

[9]Maurice Dobb,Wages, Cambridge, 1928.

[10]Clifford Cobb, Ted Halstead and Jonathan Rowe If the GDP is up, Why is America Down, Atlantic Monthly, October 1995.

[11]Simon Kuznets, National Income: A New Version, The Review of Economics and Statistics, August 1948.

[12]Roefie Hueting, Three Persistent Myths in the Environmental Debate, Ecological Economics,1996, pp. 81-88.

[13]Angelo Antoci and Stefano Bartolini, Negative externalities, defensive expenditures and labour supply in an evolutionary context, Environment and Development Economics, October 2004.

[14]Irving Fisher, The Nature of Capital and Income, New York, 1906.
A 73-year-old Texas mayor killed a huge alligator she thinks ate her miniature horse WaPo. So theres hope.

Raccoons bust into Toronto womans home, stare her down while defiantly eating her bread The Star

A sudden end-Permian mass extinction in South China GSA Bulletin. Fossil range data suggest a nearly instantaneous extinction at the top of a narrow stratigraphic interval limited to 31  31 [thousand years].

Richard Costigan  Exemplar of Whats Wrong with the CalPERS Board Tony Butka, City Watch. Butka seems to have checked his California cool at the door. Refreshing!

HSBC rocked by claim of investment banks failure FT

Report on the Non-Resident Portfolio at Danske Banks Estonian Branch (PDF) Bruun & Hjejle. From the Executive Summary: For a long time, it was believed within Group that the high risk represented by nonresident customers in the Estonian branch was mitigated by appropriate anti-money laundering (AML) procedures. Hilarity ensues.

Wells Fargo to cut 10 percent of workforce over next 3 years Associated Press

Amazon Wants Alexa to Hear Your Whispers and Frustration Wired

A tiny, beleaguered government agency seeks an energy holy grail: long-term energy storage Vox

Brexit

EU ambushes May over Brexit plan FT. Theresa May was ambushed by EU leaders at a summit on Thursday, as they warned that her economic plan for Brexit will not work and gave her four weeks to save the exit talks. No pressure. Chequers goes pop: Theresa Mays Salzburg catastrophe The Spectator

Corbyn Now LRB

Is the deep state trying to undermine Corbyn? New Statesman

SYRIZA: A Cautionary Tale New Socialist

Between Charity and Justice: Remarks on the Social Construction of Immigration Policy in Rich Democracies (PDF) Wolfgang Streeck, Culture, Practice & Europeanization (witters).

Syraqistan

China?

Why Japans First Submarine Visit to Vietnam Matters The Diplomat

Jokowi imposes moratorium on palm oil plantations Jakarta Post. Big if true.

New Cold War

Trump Transition

Democrats in Disarray

The banking industry is spending big on red-state Democrats in 2018 Vox. Thank you for your service.

Health Care

The Crash Ten Years After

Class Warfare

The Printed Word in Peril Harpers

Your gut is directly connected to your brain, by a newly discovered neuron circuit Science

What The Big Lebowski taught me about style FT. Hey, nice marmot!

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
A documentary film about a 91 year-old Carrick-on-Suir nun, who has dedicated her life to educating children in India, will be screened at Brewery Lane Theatre next Tuesday, September 25 at 7pm.

"Sister India" recounts the story of Sr. Loreto (Peg) Houlihan, who left her rural home in Tinhalla, near Carrick-on-Suir in 1943 to become a Presentation Sister in the UK before departing for the distant shores of India.

Her ship set sail from Liverpool to Bombay as the Second World War was drawing to a close. Sr. Loreta celebrated her 17th birthday on board.

She dedicated her life to love and serve others through education in Chennai, India. Sr. Loreto is one of the last Irish Presentation nuns remaining out of 131 who travelled to India and worked there. The documentary about Sr Loreta's life was filmed by Irish filmmaker Myles O'Reilly and produced by Aine Edwards around the time of her Jubilee celebrating 70s years of sisterhood. . Brewery Lane will show this documentary on Tuesday 25th September at 7pm.

Aine Edwards will attend the screening of the film. All are welcome. Admission costs 7 and there will be refreshments afterwards.
On 1718 September 2018, a high-level inter-ministerial delegation from the State of Qatar visited NATO Headquarters to discuss the renewal of the NATO-Qatar Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme. The Qatari delegation was headed by Ambassador Abdulrahman Al-Khulaifi, Head of the Mission of the State of Qatar to NATO, while the Alliances inter-divisional delegation was led by Mr. Nicola de Santis, Head of the NATO Middle East and North Africa Section of the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division.

During the sessions of the meeting, Qatari civilian and military representatives from several ministries discussed the further development of NATO-Qatar cooperation with senior officials of NATOs International Staff and International Military Staff.

The purpose of the meeting was to identify the specific areas of cooperation for the new Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme between NATO and Qatar, in the framework of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.
Marriage and family are ordered for the good of humanity". Singaporeans are discussing whether to abolish the section in the Penal Code that criminalises same-sex relations. Laws must be rooted in truth and the common good.

Singapore (AsiaNews)  Mgr William Goh Seng Chye, archbishop of Singapore (pictured), reiterated the condemnation by the Catholic Church of any kind of discrimination against homosexuals but warns society against the normalisation of same-sex unions.

In his latest pastoral letter, the prelate emphasises "the dreadful consequences" of such normalisation in countries that have taken this direction. Thus, he hopes that Singapore will not repeat the mistake that others have made! I pray that we will not walk the slippery path of no return.

Released three days ago, the letter is meant "To help us form our judgement prudently on Section 377A of the city-states Penal Code, presently at the centre of a heated debate. Introduced in 1938, the section on "outrages to decency" criminalises homosexual relations between men.

Following a ruling by the Supreme Court of India decriminalising homosexual sex, many in Singapore question the law and are demanding its repeal in the name of human rights. They are opposed by those who fear that a repeal would threaten Singaporean families and society.

The issue is also playing out among Singapores 383,000 Catholics (9 per cent of the population)

Mgr Goh notes that the "Church regards everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, with equal respect." However, although the Church does not discriminate against the homosexual person. This does not mean however that the Church condones homosexual acts.

Noting that "Sexuality is ordered to the conjugal love of man and woman" and that the union between them is part of God's plan", the prelate stresses that marriage and family are "ordered for the greater good of humanity".

He notes that the Church is ready to engage in dialogue and work with parliament for the good of the country but warns that "Laws should not be enacted simply on the basis of current or popular opinion but must be rooted in truth and the common good".

In the final part of the letter, Mgr Goh expresses compassion for gay people "when they are ostracised or marginalised by society. At the same time, he shares "the anxieties and fears of those who subscribe to the traditional and scriptural views of marriage and family.

In his view, "repealing the law will not be the end of the saga. Rather, it would only embolden the push to legalise same-sex unions, adoption of babies by same-sex couples, surrogacy, and even the criminalisation of those who hold contrary views of marriage and who oppose same-sex unions".

For the prelate, "the spirit of both the moral and civil laws is to emphasise that same-sex unions are not a social norm as they do not help to foster fruitful and life-giving marriages or cohesive families which are the bedrock of a strong and stable society. This is also intended as a safeguard to prevent champions of gay rights from taking their cause beyond the mere repeal of S377A.

While expressing support for removing penal sanctions against homosexuals, the archbishop ends his message with an appeal to the faithful to make a conscientious decision to reject the repeal for the future of our families, humanity and society.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller is in Tbilisi today (21 September 2018) to reaffirm NATOs strong commitment to Georgia.

In her press conference with Georgias Deputy Foreign Minister, David Dondua, she reiterated NATOs position that Georgia will join the Alliance, and thanked Georgia for its strong commitment to NATO. She said, You are one of the largest troop contributors to our training mission in Afghanistan, helping to stabilize the country, and deny safe haven to terrorists. We deeply appreciate Georgias strong support for NATOs operations and missions.

While in Tbilisi, the Deputy Secretary General is also meeting with President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, Giorgi Gakharia, First Deputy Minister of Defence, Lela Chikovani, and other senior officials. Between her official meetings, the Deputy Secretary General spoke with students at Tbilisi State University.
(Natural News) A cabal of Democrats are conspiring with the Deep State to halt the release of unredacted FISA court applications regarding onetime Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, in direct defiance of an order issued to the FBI and Justice Department by the president.

Earlier this week POTUS Donald Trump said he had given both agencies instructions to declassify and release the documents in an effort to be transparent and to allow the American public to see exactly why former President Obama and officials within his administration believed it was in the vital national interest to spy on an American citizen, and one that just happened to be associated with a rival presidential campaign.

But according to investigative reporter Sara A. Carter, sources say there are elements within the DoJ and FBI that will try to defy the president and instead issue heavily redacted documents.

Carters report comes a day after panicking Democrats Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Senator Mark Warner, and Senator Charles Schumer  sent a letter to Director of Intelligence Dan Coats, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and Director Wray, ordering them not to comply with POTUS Trumps declassification instruction.

We say panicking because the entire operation to spy on the 2016 Trump campaign was not only hatched by a Democratic president but carried out by Deep State operatives who have shown disdain for POTUS Trump and who appeared to be working to both thwart his victory and then undermine him after he took office.

Ive been told by sources that the documents will be turned over to the President next week. I hear that the FBI and the DOJ are redacting, Carter told Fox Business host Lou Dobbs. What theyre going to do is turn those documents over to the president and what theyre going to say is now its up to you to declass  I think they are going to figure ways to stall or maybe put pressure on the president.

Constitutional law experts like D.C.-area attorney Will Chamberlain have said that anyone who defies a lawful order by the president, who is exercising legal authority under Article II of the Constitution as head of the Executive Branch, is seditious.

When are we going to see some arrests?

You are equal branches of government, but theyre not subordinate to you, Chamberlain said of the letter signers, The National Sentinel reported. Im sorry  President Trump has not issued a request to the intelligence agencies that they declassify this information, he has issued an order.

President Trump has issued an order to his subordinates to declassify certain information related to the Russia investigation, he continued. He has plenary declassification authority as the president of the United States. The FBI and DOJ are subordinate to him. Congress does not get to order Executive Branch officials to defy a president  that is actually a constitutional crisis.

Fox News legal analyst and attorney Gregg Jarrett, writing on the news networks website Wednesday, agreed. And he went a step further: He said any Executive Branch official who disobeys the presidents order should be fired for rank insubordination.

And he issued a warning similar to Carters:

In the alternative, [Deep State officials] may endeavor to delay or slow roll the release of documents hoping that the political winds may shift or that control of Congress itself will change hands in the upcoming election.

The Democrats are panicking because Hillary Clinton  who also played a role in Spygate by paying for the bogus Russia dossier  was supposed to beat Trump. All of this nefarious behavior, that is very likely illegal in some respects, was never supposed to get out. The American people were never supposed to learn about it.

Now its all on the cusp of being revealed thanks to a duly-elected president who has been targeted since before he took office.

Its about time. Now, if only his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, would step up, we might actually begin to see some much-needed prosecutions.

Read more about the corruption of the Deep State at Corruption.news.

Sources include:

FoxNews.com

TheNationalSentinel.com
(Natural News) After the 2016 U.S Presidential election, Google executives got together and put their most enlightened elites on stage to discuss the election results and how best to move the company forward.

Google executive Sergey Brin mocked the American majority for acting out of boredom and fear to elect Donald Trump. Arrogant and out-of-touch, the Google elite clapped and boasted, as if they have some great insight into politics, human psychology, and world affairs.

Googles Senior Vice President for Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer, Kent Walker, got on stage and talked big about Googles values. He said there are two worlds to live in: one of the wall and one of the square. According to the pretentious Walker, Google is committed to the open world of the square, where all people are connected to an open and free internet.

In the leaked internal video, Google executives pat themselves on the back for believing in a free and open internet, but actions speak louder than words.

Google executives are now in the business of promoting the political and ideological concepts they believe in, while censoring political dissent from their platforms. For example, Google bans videos on firearms and de-lists websites that talk about natural healing.

Google is now engineering search queries to filter out and bury the concepts and websites they dont want people to learn from. Censoring political dissent, Google engineers have found a way to use their platform to control what people see, learn, and think. Google tracks user searches to understand more about the user and what they desire to learn, see, and engage with online. This gives Google insight into peoples interests, allowing Google a pathway to manipulate what users can see in searches and in advertisements. Google is using data to promote some websites over others, to influence thought, to interfere in elections, and to manipulate public policy.

Even worse, Google is currently engineering search engines that profit from anti-human rights regimes around the world in order to control the information that people have access to. Google is currently working with China to create an Android app that restricts what Chinese citizens can look up. Google executives dont want a truly free and open internet. They want an internet that they can freely manipulate and control. The Intercept revealed that Google has been working with Chinese authorities on a project called Dragonfly. Expanding their business in China, Google has worked out a deal that allows Chinese citizens to search the internet, but the search query censors out anything that the Chinese communist government doesnt want their people to lookup. This includes blocking any searches linked to peaceful protest, freedom of speech or anything that questions communism or engages in political dissent against authoritarian rule.

Google elite are tone deaf hypocrites, clapping arrogantly in their own echo chambers

The Google elite think they know whats best for all Americans, but their intellectual elitism is tone deaf to what America really stands for. These Google executives are cut from the same cloth as the limp-wristed career politicians in Washington. Google executives are only hypocrites to the values they espouse. When they talk about supporting a free and open internet that doesnt censor anyone, they are only engaging in doublespeak, because Google platforms are now designed to interfere in elections and favor special interests.

When they take the stage in front of their echo chamber, they pander to their own clique and applaud their intellectual narcissism. The Google elite think they can dictate the internet and engineer their search engines to censor out certain terms and concepts, while de-listing popular websites that challenge their worldviews. As Google works with China to monitor peoples search queries and censor out information on free speech, human rights, and political dissent, they are proving to be unethical, controlling monsters.

Americans must continue to see through Googles attempts to manipulate with lofty words. Americans must reject Googles plans to control the internet, freedom of speech, expression, thought, and the right to engage in lively debate. Google executives represent the same corruptive, anti-American forces that the American public rejected at the voting booth in 2016.

For more on this hot topic, visit Censorship.News.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

NewsTarget.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) As Democrats and Hollywood women rally around Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault 36 years ago when both were in high school, there has been a concerted behind-the-scenes effort aimed at hiding her own salacious past.

As Infowars reported, Fords high school yearbooks were chock full of references to drunken parties where promiscuous sex occurred and where attendees admitted they got so wasted they blacked out and couldnt remember anything.

But these yearbooks have now been scrubbed from the Internet, along with other personal information no doubt so that Americans super skeptical of Fords claims would not be able to learn that she herself may have led a much wilder life in high school (as most American kids do).

The Cult of the First Amendment blog managed to save copies of the yearbooks before they suddenly disappeared from the Web. A copy of the yearbook PDF has been archived by Natural News at the following link:

www.NaturalNews.com/files/1984-Scribe-by-Holton-Arms-School-issuu-2018-09-20.pdf

The Cult of the First Amendment reports:

On Monday Sept. 17th, Christine Blasey Fords high school yearbooks suddenly disappeared from the web. I read them days before, knew they would be scrubbed, and saved them. Why did I know they would be scrubbed? Because if roles were reversed, and Christine Blasey Ford had been nominated for the Supreme Court by President Trump, the headline by the resistance would be this:

CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD AND THE DRUNKEN WHITE PRIVILEGED RACIST PLAYGIRLS OF HOLTON-ARMS.

Wow. And were supposed to believe her story about Judge Kavanaugh?

The yearbooks, Inforwars Paul Joseph Watson writes, cover Fords sophomore, junior, and senior years  the time she claims the Kavanaugh assault occurred  and they portray a debauched environment of constant binge drinking and partying.

As the blog noted, the scenes depicted in the yearbooks are a testament to the incredible power these girls had over their teachers, parents, and the boys of Georgetown Prep, Landon, and other schools in the area.

Kavanaugh attended Georgetown Prep.

For the record, Blasey Ford has said she cant remember what ought to be key details for someone who really did suffer such an allegedly horrific attack  such as where the party took place, who was there, and the exact date (or even a ballpark date). (Related: CLAIM: Compelling evidence will soon exonerate Judge Kavanaugh.)

Pass-Out parties?

The yearbooks contain some pretty salacious details that Chrissy Blasey Ford appeared to have also taken part in.

Lastly one cannot fail to mention the climax of the junior social scene, the party, reads one entry. Striving to extend our educational experience beyond the confines of the classroom, we played such intellectually stimulating games as Quarters, Mexican Dice, and everyones favorite, Pass-Out, which usually resulted from the aforementioned two.

Another entry talks about how loss of consciousness at these kinds of parties most often resulted in a lack of remembering specifics.

And there were always parties to celebrate any occasion, says an entry. Although these parties are no doubt unforgettable, they are only a memory lapse for most, since loss of consciousness is often an integral part of the party scene.

An entry from Crissy Blaseys senior year talks about how girls from her school would act like sexual predators on the prowl for younger boys.

Other seniors preferred to expand their horizons and date younger men, usually sophomores, who could bring the vitality of freshness and innocence to a relationship, said the entry.

Mind you, these youngsters werent men, they were teen boys and barely that.

Another passage, Watson notes, mentions a girl named Martha who often threw parties, one of which featured a male erotic dancer in a gold G-string. And other passages talked about drunken keg parties while parents were out.

Cast parties, prom parties, post-game parties, pool parties, slumber parties, senior only parties, junior only parties  wherever you looked there were parties, says a 1982 yearbook.

Not only is Crissy Blasey Fords credibility challenging because her allegations surfaced at the last minute before Kavanaughs confirmation vote. Its challenging because she appears to have been immersed in a high school party culture where hazy memories were a requirement.

Read more about this Democratic hoax on Kavanaughs confirmation at Hoax.news.

Sources include:

Infowars.com

Cultofthe1st.com

NewsTarget.com
(Natural News) Smoking wreaks genetic damage to different organs of the body and causes mutations in the DNA. Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, as well as Kings College London, said that on average, smokers accumulate at least 150 extra mutations in every lung cell for each year that they smoked one pack of cigarettes per day.

The study provides a direct connection between the number of cigarettes smoked in a lifetime and its corresponding mutations in the tumor DNA, with the highest mutation rates found in lung cancers. Still, other parts of the body contained the mutations  bolstering the claim that smoking can cause different types of cancer.

The authors of the study discovered that smoking a pack of cigarettes each day prompted around 150 mutations in each lung cell each year. These mutations are noted to be the initial point for any number of genetic damage that may eventually develop into cancer. While the number of mutations may vary from each person, the study demonstrates the increased mutational load caused by tobacco.

Before now, we had a large body of epidemiological evidence linking smoking with cancer, but now we can actually observe and quantify the molecular changes in the DNA due to cigarette smoking, reports Dr. Ludmil Alexandrov, first creator from Los Alamos National Laboratory. With this study, we have found that people who smoke a pack a day develop an average of 150 extra mutations in their lungs every year, which explains why smokers have such a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

The mutation also hits other organs, according to the study. A pack of cigarettes a day caused about 97 mutations in each cell in the larynx, 39 mutations for the pharynx, 23 mutations for the mouth, 18 mutations for the bladder, and six mutations in the liver over the course of a year.

The process by which smoking can increase the risk of developing cancer in other parts of the body that do not interact with smoke has only been fully understood recently. Still, the study reported different ways on how smoking causes these mutations, based on the area of the body it affects.

Additionally, the study yielded five discrete processes of DNA damage caused by smoking cigarettes: the most prevalent of which is present in all cancers.

This gives weight to the claim that tobacco smoking can speed up a cells internal clock and may cause DNA mutations.

Scientists are positive that the results of the study will aid them in understanding the causes of cancer in the body and develop ways to counter it.

Professor Mike Stratton, a co-author of the study states: We can also see the desperate attempts of our genome to defend itself against the damage wreaked by the chemicals in cigarette smoke or the damage from ultraviolet radiation. Our cells fight back furiously to repair the damage, but frequently lose that fight.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists smoking-related deaths as the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., with one in five deaths recorded to be linked to smoking. The World Health Organization (WHO) pegs that number to seven million deaths worldwide: at least one million of those deaths are due to effects of second-hand smoke. (Related: Smoking causes up to 40% of cancer deaths in the US so why are cigarettes still sold by pharmacies?)

You can also visit StopSmoking.news to learn more how this nasty addiction can ruin you and your family.

Sources include:

KCL.ac.uk

DailyMail.co.uk

CDC.gov

WHO.int
(Natural News) Discussing the illegal nature of people who enter the United States without permission is an apparent trigger point for Twitter, which is now actively de-platforming groups like the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) simply for mentioning the topic on the social media platform.

According to The Daily Caller, CIS was unable to promote tweets on its page that contained video footage of alien trespassers crossing the southwest border with Mexico because Twitter decided that the content was hateful.

The footage in question was captured by The Daily Caller, showing hordes of illegal aliens pouring across the United States-Mexico border without obstruction. The tweet containing this footage explained how it depicts precisely why the U.S. is in dire need of an impenetrable border wall at its southern border.

Twitter just rejected paid promotion of the tweet .. saying: This determination is based on the following Twitter Ads policy: Hateful Content,' wrote Mark Krikorian, Executive Director for CIS in a follow-up tweet following the first tweets removal from Twitter.

Its because it contains the phrase illegal alien, which @TwitterAdsHelp deems unacceptable, he added.

Twitter hates federal law and the Supreme Court, both of which use the phrase illegal alien

Three other tweets from CIS posted between September 6  11 were similarly rejected and removed by Twitter for using words like illegal, alien, and criminal to describe people who illegally enter the U.S. in violation of the law.

Though all of this terminology has long been encapsulated in federal law and Supreme Court precedent, Twitter doesnt like it because it apparently has a negative connotation with regards to human beings, none of whom can possibly be illegal, according to the leftist liberals in charge at Twitter.

Twitter is not allowing us to promote any tweets including the phrase illegal alien(s), citing it as Hateful Content, CIS has stated. However, the phrase illegal aliens has been used in both federal law and by the Supreme Court.

Twitter refuses to comment on subjective Hateful Content censorship policy

When questioned about why simple ads demonstrating the illegality of people who dont belong in America rushing across the border are considered Hateful Content, while actual hateful content calling for innocent men to have their lives completely ruined in order to take down the patriarchy is fully allowed, Twitter had this to say:

We dont have a comment. For background, our ads policies are enforced dispassionately and are detailed here for all advertisers.

Upon perusing the link provided by Twitter, Natural News discovered that Twitter doesnt in any way accurately or fairly enforce its Hateful Content guidelines. It clearly states at the link provided above that hate speech, as defined by Twitter, includes disparaging content against gender identity, which would include men being disparaged by angry feminists.

But angry feminist content is all over Twitter and, as far as we know, has never once been removed. Meanwhile, factual information about illegal activity taking place on American soil is being pulled left and right by Twitter for allegedly being hateful.

At the same time, Twitter and others are colluding with one another to manipulate and steal American elections on top of all this censorship, which is why Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, is calling on the heads of all these companies to be arrested and charged with racketeering and fraud for their crimes against America.

Google is a serious threat to democracy, wrote Adams about another major tech giant thats selectively censoring content in defiance of its own stated policies and guidelines.

Just like the other tech giants, Google declares anything it doesnt like to be either fake news or Russian propaganda.'

For more news on tech giant censorship, visit Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyCaller.com

Twitter.com
(Natural News) The new Senate bill intended to combat the opioid epidemic just passed with a nearly unanimous vote of 99 to 1. The piece of legislation, named Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act sets its sights on drug trafficking by requiring the U.S. Postal Service to keep electronic records on incoming foreign shipments, like information on package contents and the packages senders. The bill will also include funding for treatment and increase the availability of specific pharmaceuticals used to treat addiction.

While the bill seems benevolent, it seems that Big Pharma is ultimately going to be benefiting the most from this new arrangement. On what green Earth does it make sense to treat drug addiction with more drugs? And not just any drugs  but more opioids.

Big Pharma cashes in on opioid epidemic

Big Pharma is ultimately the driving force behind the opioid epidemic; reckless marketing of their highly addictive products has long been attributed to the staggering rates of opioid addiction and death.

In fact, the state of New York recently sued Purdue, maker of OxyContin, for running a decades-long scheme to mislead doctors and patients by overstating the ability of opioids to improve bodily function, while downplaying the risk of addiction.

Now lawmakers want to put the salvation of opioid addicts right back into the hands of Big Pharma  a choice any rational person would see as a big, flaming red flag. At the very least, the pharmaceutical industry has made it clear that they cannot be trusted.

While the bill does boast some good points, like funding research and recovery centers, the sections intended to double the amounts of buprenorphine being prescribed are more likely to benefit Big Pharma than patients.

ZeroHedge reports ,The measures would more than double the number of patients to whom doctors can prescribe buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid addiction, to 275.

Buprenorphine is not just a drug, it is an opioid medication.

Yes, our lawmakers are proposing that we treat opioid addiction with more opioids. Because thats what Big Pharma says will work. Buprenorphine is considered a partial opioid antagonist so it is not as powerful as full antagonists like oxycodone. This supposedly makes it safer and less addictive, but only when compared to stronger drugs like heroin.

Regardless, it is still an opioid drug. Ultimately, the suggestion that opioid addicts take buprenophine instead of oxycodone is equivalent to suggesting an alcoholic drink beer instead of vodka.

More importantly, buprenophine is merely the next wave of Big Pharmas pseudo-cures for the opioid epidemic they created. Before buprenophine, there was naloxone. Naloxone was heralded as the cure for opioid abuse just a year or two ago, but recent research has shown that increased access to the drug actually created more overdoses than it prevented.

Also known as the overdose drug or Narcan, it too is an opioid antagonist. Researchers have found that more access to naloxone produces a moral hazard.

Big Goverment keeps real medicine illegal

While the FDA carelessly continues to approve of highly addictive opioid drugs at Big Pharmas behest, federal prohibition on cannabis is keeping a natural solution to the opioid crisis out of reach. Cannabis, while also a drug, is far less addictive than opioid drugs and has an exponentially lower level of risk to the user. Some states are now experimenting with the plant as a treatment for addiction and helping patients to wean themselves off opioids completely, rather than giving them a substitute opioid.

Many people have called for cannabis to be given the green light as an alternative to opioids entirely.

Ultimately, the move to make buprenophine more available is intended to serve the pharma industry and not the people of this country. If Big Government cared about the health of its constituents, it would stop putting a premium on corporate interests.

See more stories about dangerous pharmaceuticals at Medicine.news.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

Reuters.com

NABBT.org

PennLive.com
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has released a final Beneficiary Mitigation Plan for implementing the states initial allocation of $45.7 million from the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust. The purpose of the EMT is to execute environmental mitigation projects that reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides.

"The goal of this plan is to reduce air pollutants that negatively impact our environment and public health, said TDEC Commissioner Dr. Shari Meghreblian. We look forward to supporting projects in our state that will ultimately lead to an enhanced quality of life for Tennesseans.

The states BMP targets the largest contributors of mobile NOx emissions in Tennessee, including the on-road, diesel heavy duty sector and the on-road, non-diesel light duty sector. As NOx emissions contribute to the formation of ozone and particulate matter, reductions in emissions will assist in the states efforts to maintain compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ozone and Particulate Matter.

A proposed BMP was released to the public on July 18. The public was encouraged to submit comments. Following the close of a 30-day public comment period on Aug. 17, all comments and input received were reviewed and considered by TDEC personnel prior to the finalization of the BMP.

The states final BMP may now be accessed here: http://www.tn.gov/environment/VW_BMP. TDEC anticipates that it will employ the following order when releasing project solicitations, with the first solicitation to be released in late September or early October:

(1) Class 4-8 School Buses;

(2) Class 4-8 Shuttle and Transit Buses;

(3) Class 4-7 Local Freight Trucks, Class 8 Local Freight and Port Drayage Trucks; and

(4) Light Duty ZEV Supply Equipment.

Additional project solicitations for these categories will be released until eligible project funds are exhausted.

TDEC will also host workshops throughout the state and/or via webinar in order to provide the public with information regarding the proposal process, program and project eligibility, timelines for implementation, and reporting requirements. Interested persons and entities are advised to sign up for the TDEC VW email list at https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1843437/1737620/ in order to receive related email updates on topics including, but not limited to, revisions to the BMP, funding cycles, and project solicitation. For additional information on the VW Settlement, visit the TDEC website here: http://www.tn.gov/environment/VWSettlement.
Priests and bishops met in Ankawa to discuss the "new lines" of pastoral planning. Msgr. Warduni: help in this difficult time, sharing "problems". The family is the heart of society and the first place for practicing the faith. Strengthen the moments of meeting and discussion.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - The Chaldean Church must become missionary and "go out to meet young people and families", helping them "in difficulty" by sharing "the problems and challenges" first of all "the lack of work" and "the wars" that bloody the region, says Msgr. Shlemon Warduni, auxiliary bishop of Baghdad.

The Patriarchs right hand man was speaking at the conclusion of the Chaldean patriarchal Synod, held from September 17 to 19 in Ankawa, a Christian district north of Erbil, capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. "There are many problems - the prelate warns - this is why today it is even more urgent to strengthen our pastoral outreach".

At the beginning of the meeting the audience listened to the message sent by the Chaldean patriarch Card. Louis Raphael Sako, who asked them to look for "new lines in their pastoral plan. The Cardinal invoked special attention to the theme of young people and families, in a moment of deep historical and social crisis that also affects Iraq where cases of separations, divided families and crisis of the founding nucleus of society multiply. Cardinal Sako urged participants to look to the next Synod of young people scheduled in Rome from 3 to 28 October on the theme: "Youth, faith and vocational discernment".

Regarding the challenges of the Christian family, bishops and priests have emphasized the importance of nurturing faith in homes, especially among young people who face a culture of continuous change, the search for easy profit and immediate satisfaction. Hence the purpose of strengthening listening centers, meetings and conferences, strengthening the role of pastors for the "resolution of conjugal problems", without "imposing" but "remaining at the service" of couples.

Young people, faced with the problem of migration, must be helped to build their own future: in marriage, in daily life, in social and professional growth, in safeguarding the values that underpin life. Priests and lay people must help them in their formation, encouraging them to complete their studies and reiterating the importance of marriage and family formation, also embracing the faithful of the Diaspora.

"Youth and families - underlines Msgr. Warduni - are a central and recurring theme in the life of the global Church today. This is why Patriarch Sako wanted to promote this meeting, analyzing the problems and seeking answers through the discussion between priests and bishops. The family always plays a central role in society, in the face of challenges and threats. This is why we too must look for new ways of meeting and answering needs. It is an element of strength for the Church and it is within it that faith is cultivated and practiced ".

Today, the prelate continues, we must "increasingly meet people", especially those who "have turned away from the Church and the Lord". In this sense, "priests have to set a good example first" and this is also why the Chaldean Synod intends to strengthen the criterion for selecting and choosing "candidates for the priesthood and for monastic life". We want to "expand the moments of meeting and discussion", underlines Msgr. Warduni, so they "increasingly understand that we are their neighbors, helping them to become seeds of peace in a context too often of violence and conflict".

The lack of work, security, economic difficulties, migration represent the heart of the missionary challenge and the Church is called to "be ever more present and participate". Young Iraqis, concludes the prelate, can help foster the message that the family is "the basis on which to reconstruct the future and society. And that we should not just talk, complain, denounce the difficulties but act to confront and overcome these problems and find shared solutions".
Fairfield police recently posted an electronic billboard along Interstate 80 asking for the public to help solve a mystery: What happened to Zachery Rose?

Rose vanished back in February after parking his white pickup in front of his on-and-off boyfriend Phil Lasaters home on Shorey Way in Fairfield.

Its like he dropped off the face of the earth, said Fairfield police Lt. Jausiah Jacobsen.

Rose walked out of the Shorey Way home, leaving the front door open, at 10 p.m. on Feb. 3 by the account of Lasater, a 48-year-old San Francisco sheriffs department supervisor. Police, friends and family say Rose has not been seen since.

Roses mother, Robyn, describes her 28-year-old son as quiet, punctual and dedicated to his work as a biotech engineer  not someone who would just vanish.

I dont believe that he would have walked away and left his cellphone, his wallet, his keys, his truck; thats just not who he is, she said in an interview. He doesnt go anywhere without his cellphone.

Roses colleagues at Bio-Rad, a biotech research firm in Hercules, cant understand it either.

Zach is an engineer, and he is very big on safety, said friend and fellow researcher Leila Ranis. He would never put himself in a situation where hes not going to be safe and hes not able to get home safely.

Another co-worker, Joe Poplete, agreed.

I want to know what really happened, because him just walking away is not what I know of Zach, Poplete said.

Rose left work at 5:37 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, after telling Poplete he planned to spend Super Bowl weekend playing piano, according to investigators. Police say they have security footage and bridge-crossing photos that confirm he drove his pickup from Bio-Rad to Fairfield, where Lasater lives on Shorey Way. The two had met online, and in 2015, Rose left his native Arkansas to move in with Lasater, according to Robyn Rose. But by the time Rose disappeared, he had leased his own apartment in Hercules.

Investigators say Lasater reported Rose missing 17 hours after he said he last saw him at 10 p.m. Feb. 3. In a dispatch call obtained by NBC Bay Area, an emotional Lasater is heard telling a dispatcher how Rose had left the house the night before, leaving behind his parked truck and all his personal belongings, and had not returned. He said he wasnt aware of anyone with whom Rose might have left.

As police began to probe Roses disappearance, they were reminded of the 2012 unsolved death of Lasaters husband of 15 years. Bill Volkl, 41, died unexpectedly, apparently in his sleep. But the Solano County medical examiner was not able to determine what caused his death.

Volkl was obese and had a history of heart problems but also suffered an unexplained neck injury. Our office cannot rule out foul play, in light of that injury, the report noted.

Jacobsen says the two unsolved mysteries have police stymied.

We have one individual who died of a suspicious method or manner inside the home, and fast forward in time, now someones vanished from it, Jacobsen said.

In the case of Volkl, the autopsy report describes an emergency room visit two months before he died. Volkl was treated at NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield. Doctors there suspected he had suffered injuries as the result of domestic violence and notified police. But investigators were unable to pursue the matter after both Volkl and Lasater refused to cooperate, according to the report.

Jacobsen says investigators have repeatedly questioned Lasater as a potential person of interest related to both Volkls death and Roses disappearance. At this point, Fairfield police say, they cannot rule out the San Francisco sheriffs lieutenant as a suspect.

Lasater, who has retained an attorney, declined to be interviewed, saying only that hes been unjustly targeted by homophobic Fairfield police. In a webpage to raise money for Roses search, Lasater wrote: Zach is a sweet, friendly and a humble young man.

Jacobsen, who is heading both investigations, dismisses any suggestion that his department is homophobic. He says investigators only want to be able to rule out Lasater as a suspect.

Its frustrating for us on the side of not being able to solve this, he said, but its also frustrating for the family because they dont know where hes at as well.

Having repeatedly searched the Shorey Way home and surrounding area with helicopters and cadaver dogs and coming up empty, police started to post the billboard along the freeway asking for the publics help.

Robyn Rose, who has repeatedly driven out to California from Arkansas to help find her son, says she wont rest until she does.

I have to come to grips with the fact that its possible I may never see him again, and I may never know what actually happened to him, she said. But I wont stop until I do find the truth. Its out there. I will find it. Ill do whatever it takes to find the truth.
BART is pushing back against a report that said they target African-American riders who fail to pay fares.

In March, BART began issuing tickets with $75 fines for adults and $55 for juveniles for evaded fares. The Mercury News reported that during a two-week period in July, African-American riders received 41 percent of tickets issued.

They claim the tickets issued appear unproportioned since African-Americans only make up 12 percent of riders.

BART said the report covers just a small sample size and that it will post the full numbers online as soon as Friday.

BART police also said all data will be made public at their next board meeting on Sep. 27.
Law enforcement officials in Sacramento on Friday announced the arrest of a 58-year-old Benicia man suspected of being the NorCal rapist who terrorized victims for a 15-year period beginning in 1991.

Suspect Roy Charles Waller was arrested in Berkeley while on his way to work on Thursday after investigators confirmed his DNA to match the serial rapist who committed "horrific crimes" and terrorized victims for "hours at a time," said Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn.

Waller is accused of raping at least 10 victims in six Northern California counties including Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Butte and Sacramento from 1991 to 2006.

Suspected NorCal Rapist Cases

Suspect Roy Charles Walker is accused of raping at least 10 victims in six Northern California counties including Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Butte and Sacramento from 1991 to 2006.

Chief Hahn said Waller, who is married, had been working at the same job on campus at UC Berkeley since 1992 as a safety specialist in the UC Berkeley Office of Environment, Health & Safety, campus officials confirmed.

"The duties include managing programs to help ensure safety and training regarding the use of equipment and machinery including forklifts, aerial lifts, respirators, etc. UC Berkeley began fingerprinting employee applicants in 2004," the university said in a statement.

"According to UCPD and the Sacramento Police Department there is no indication that any crimes occurred within the campus community, however UCPD will be reviewing any open sexual assault cases to determine if any might be related," the statement read.

One victim speaks in 2006 about how the NorCal Rapist pointed a gun to her head. Officials announced Friday the arrest of suspect Roy Charles Waller. Hes charged with 12 counts of sexual assault.

Officials said Waller targeted young Asian women. All his known victims since 1996 have been Asian women who were attacked across a broad swath of Northern California: Sacramento, Davis, Chico and Martinez.

His first known victims, in Rohnert Park in 1991 and Vallejo in 1992, were white.

The NorCal rapist allegedly studied his victims for days, perhaps weeks, learning their names, their addresses, their habits. He found when the women would be vulnerable, then attacked them in their homes.

During the assaults, some lasting hours, he covered their eyes and mouth with duct tape, bound their hands and ankles, and talked to them in an easy, conversational tone. One victim in 2006 said he held a gun to her head.

Nicole Earnest-Payte describes how shes feeling after learning the man police say is responsible for raping her, the NorCal rapist, has finally been caught. Jodi Hernandez reports.

Waller is charged with 12 counts of sexual assault, said District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. He faces life in prison because of the alleged use of a gun during the attacks.

Waller's arrest comes just months after police arrested Joseph James Deangelo as the suspect in the notorious, decades-old Golden State Killer case. Both Waller and Deangelo were identified by investigators through the use of public genealogy website GED Match.

Sacramento Police are encouraging any additional witnesses with information regarding these sexual assaults to contact(916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357).
The San Jose Catholic Diocese is calling on any victims of abuse in the church to come forward and talk at one of its listening sessions, planned as a part of fallout from widespread sex abuse scandals across the Catholic church.

Bishop Patrick J. McGrath said the three sessions held in San Jose will seek input from congregants as he announced the launch of an investigation into clergy sexual abuse.

The sessions will be held at the following locations and times:

Saturday, Sept. 22 at Our Lady of the Rosay in Palo Alto

Tuesday, Oct. 2 at Most Holy Trinity in San Jose

Wednesday, Oct. 17 at Santa Teresa Parish in San Jose

Saturday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of the Rosary in Palo Alto

Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at Most Holy Trinity in San Jose

Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m. at Santa Teresa Parish in San Jose

"Recent revelations of the horrific and heartbreaking crime of the sexual abuse of minors by priests  and the systematic cover-up by bishops  have fueled a crisis, unprecedented in modern times, in the Catholic Church," McGrath said in the statement

The Diocese also said it will release names of all priests "credibly accused" of abusing children or vulnerable adults.

Tanis Crosby, the CEO of YWCA Silicon Valley, a womens organization which also provides services for people who have been sexually assaulted, says part of any change has to include prosecution.

"Sexual assault is a crime, so lets start there. Its a crime that ought to be investigated and the system needs to be centered on justice for survivors, not on protecting the powerful," Crosby said.

The San Jose Diocese is the first in the Bay Area to go public with the names of accused priests. It said the names will be released by the middle of October.
A girl from Honduras has been reunited with her family in New Hampshire after she was separated from them by the Trump administration's "zero-tolerance" policy on illegal border crossings.

Twelve-year-old Nathalia Guzman travelled from Yoro, Honduras with her aunt Francia Guzman, her uncle, Henrry Cruz-Amaya, and her cousin, Fernando Cruz-Guzman. WMUR-TV reports she was sent to a detention center in Chicago when her family reached the border.

Her aunt and cousin were allowed into the U.S. and are living in Twin Mountain, New Hampshire.

Eva Castillo of the New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrants & Refugees says lawmakers like Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen were instrumental in reuniting Nathalia Guzman with her family.

Her uncle, Henrry, is detained in Georgia. A nonprofit group, Honduras Hope, is working to reunite him with the family.
Three former state police lieutenants have been indicted on charges that they received thousands of dollars for overtime hours they didn't work.

Attorney General Maura Healey's office said Thursday that David Wilson, John Giulino and David Keefe are charged with larceny, procurement fraud and public employee standards of conduct violation.

They're the first state charges to be brought against troopers in the ongoing investigations into overtime abuse within the state police. Federal prosecutors have charged multiple troopers.

Prosecutors say the troopers put in for overtime pay for shifts they either left early or didn't work at all.

Wilson pleaded not guilty in federal court last month to embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. His lawyer didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

It wasn't immediately clear if Keefe and Giulino have attorneys.
The Leagues general secretary made the announcement yesterday. The organisation, which promotes "pan-Islamism", wants the meeting open to all Islamic and Christian confessions. The dark page in Sunni-Shia relations must be turned. Irans extremist confessional policies are criticised. What is needed is a return to an Islam that is open to the world and other religions.

Beirut (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The Muslim World League (MWL) has decided to organise a world Islamic-Christian conference next year in Beirut, the organisations secretary general, Mohammad al-Issa, announced yesterday.

The MWL, the religious arm of Saudi Wahhabism, promotes pan-Islamism, the political unification of all Muslim peoples, and has as its mission the spread of Islamic teachings through Islamic schools and institutes.

Al-Issa, a former Saudi Justice minister, has led the organisation since 2016. Yesterday, he met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, National Assembly Speaker Nabih Berry, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Elias Audeh, and Shia (Jafari) Mufti Ahmad Kabalan. Afterwards, al-Issa gave a press conference at the Phoenicia Hotel.

For al-Issa, Lebanon is the "natural" location for the MWL initiative of reconciliation between Muslims and Christians and between Muslims. Addressing the mufti, he said that it was time to "turn the dark page of the past and start a new relationship based on tolerance, equality and cooperation ... and achieve brotherly Muslim reconciliation, developing in depth all that can lead to the purification of hearts and the dissipation of conflicts and differences, particularly between the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, to block those who use the Ummah to pursue personal interests and act according to the principle of divide and rule.

However, al-Issa put a side for a moment such a conciliatory tone when he criticised the "extremist confessional politics of Iran in the region", albeit noting that this does not apply to Shias.

Responding to criticism that his country promotes the most rigid Islam in the world, he said that "Saudi Arabia was not like that before 1979. Saudi Arabia and the whole region were touched by the Sahwa movement (close to the Muslim brotherhood), which has tried to propagate extremist ideas. We want to go back to what we were: a moderate Islam open to the world, open to all religions."

"What we do and what we want to do is to purify Islam, he insisted, in order to free ourselves from extremism, false interpretations, and pass on the correct readings of Islam".
A new trial date has been set for a for a New Hampshire state senator facing domestic violence charges.

Democrat Jeff Woodburn, of Whitefield, pleaded not guilty in August to nine charges alleging he struck and bit a woman, and kicked in the door of her home. He stepped down from his position as Senate minority leader after his arrest, but he declined to resign from his seat despite pressure from fellow Democrats.

Woodburn faces Republican David Starr of Franconia in the November election. A trial date has been set for Dec. 17.
A man suffered serious injuries when he was stabbed following a road rage incident Thursday afternoon in Norton, Massachusetts.

A man called 911 around 3:30 p.m. to report that he had been stabbed after a confrontation on Plain Street in Norton. He said that he and another man were involved in a road rage incident that began in Easton, and the victim drove to Boutas Drive in Norton.

"He waved over to get help, and I guess the guy went over to the window and said 'I've been stabbed," recalled Bruce McMullin, who lives on the dead-end street.

When officers arrived, they determined that the caller, a 25-year-old man had been stabbed in the chest.

The victim was taken to Rhode Island Hospital.

The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Alfred Pond, was found later at his Attleboro home and taken into custody. The knife used in the attack was found on Pine Street in Norton, about half a mile from the scene of the stabbing.

"Everything has gotten so out of hand these days," said Norton resident June Easingwood. "Nobody can seem to handle anything. The answer is to shoot him or stab him. I just think it's so godawful in this day and age."

Pond is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He is due in Attleboro District Court Friday. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

The incident remains under investigation.
Three Wisconsin men found Wednesday morning near north suburban Antioch with guns, drugs and monkey masks inside their vehicle were on their way to retaliate against another group over an earlier confrontation, according to authorities.

Thomas Fleckenstein, 27, of Lake Geneva; Jacob Lapenta, 21; of Genoa City; and Davey Shower, 24, of Genoa City, were taken into custody following a traffic stop about 2:30 a.m. near Route 173 and Lotus Avenue, according to the Lake County sheriffs office.

A deputy saw cocaine inside the vehicle while speaking with the men and conducted a search of the vehicle, the sheriffs office said. Deputies found 15 grams of cocaine, 100 pills of Alprazolam, three loaded guns, three masks, three heavyweight jackets and a crowbar.

An investigation by the sheriffs Gang Task Force found that the three men were on their way to retaliate against another group, which stemmed from a pervious altercation, the sheriffs office said. Additional details were not released.

An alert Sheriffs Deputy successfully stopped a violent confrontation from taking place, which would have likely resulted in a homicide, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said in a statement Thursday. Our personnel work diligently to arrest violent offenders and keep Lake County safe, which is exactly what took place in this situation.

Fleckenstein was charged with armed violence, unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon  all felonies, the sheriffs office said. His bail was set at $100,000.

Shower was charged with a felony count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count of obstructing identification, the sheriffs office said. His bail was set at $10,000.

Lapenta was charged with a misdemeanor count of unlawful use of a weapon and released on a $1,500 recognizance bond.
A Florida man has been charged with severely beating his ex-girlfriends new boyfriend earlier this year in northwest suburban Des Plaines.

Authorities were called at 3:16 a.m. on March 14 following reports of a 26-year-old man laying unconscious in the 1100 block of Holiday Lane, according to a statement from Des Plaines police. He appeared to have been severely beaten to the head and other parts of the body and was bleeding profusely.

The man was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge before being transferred to Northwestern University Hospital, police said. He was released from the hospital several months later but will never fully recover from [his] injuries.

Detectives and evidence technicians processed the scene and, over the next several weeks, were able to identify 28-year-old Justin Foster of Tallahassee, Florida as a suspect, police said. The victim had been dating Fosters ex-girlfriend at the time of the attack.

A warrant for Fosters arrest was issued Aug. 23, according to Cook County court records.

Des Plaines officers traveled to Tallahassee Aug. 25 and took Foster into custody following a five-day investigation assisted by local authorities, police said. Foster waived an extradition hearing and was brought back to Des Plaines by Cook County sheriffs officers on Thursday.

He was charged with one count of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery, police said,

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Anjana M.J. Hansel ordered Foster held without bail during a hearing Friday at the Skokie Courthouse, according to court records. His next court appearance was scheduled for Oct. 3.
The Halloween season is fast approaching in the state of Illinois, and according to a new ranking, there is a new favorite candy in the Land of Lincoln.

According to data compiled by Candystore.com, Sour Patch Kids have been dethroned as the states favorite candy, and have been replaced by KitKat bars, which finished in second last year.

The data says that nearly 170,000 pounds of KitKats will be delivered to Illinois retailers during the Halloween season, over 30,000 pounds more than the amount of Sour Patch Kids that stores order.

'Witchy' Fleetwood Mac Pop-Up Bar Returning to Chicago This Week

Snickers made a jump in the rankings this year, supplanting Reeses Peanut Butter Cups as the third-most popular candy in the state.

For Illinois neighbors, Hot Tamales are the way to go in Indiana, and Candy Corn is the most popular candy in Iowa. In Missouri, Milky Way bars reign supreme, and in Wisconsin, Butterfinger bars rule the Dairy State.
Striking Chicago hotel workers reached Thursday an agreement with Marriott Hotels, the mayors office announced.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel commended members of UNITE HERE Local 1 and Marriott for staying at the table and working in good faith to reach an agreement.

This agreement is a significant step forward for the union, the hotels and the city and I am confident it can light a path forward to ending the labor action at other hotels in the city, he said in a statement. Chicago is on pace of another year of record tourism, and the hard-working men and women who keep our hotels up and running are an important part of that progress.

Emanuel lauded the fact that workers and their families would receive health care under the contract with Marriott.

According to the city, at the end of August, Chicago hotel demand in terms of rooms occupied grew 5.8 percent.
Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto O'Rourke repeatedly traded barbs during a testy first debate Friday night, underscoring how a Texas Senate race that long looked like a cakewalk for the conservative incumbent now appears to be anything but one.

Cruz went on the attack moments after stepping on the stage, charging that his opponent suggested that police officers embodied "modern-day Jim Crow" laws in response to a question about a Dallas policewoman who shot and killed her unarmed, black neighbor after mistakenly entering his apartment, thinking it was her own.

O'Rourke responded that the accusation was "simply not true." Cruz appeared to be referring to O'Rourke previously suggesting that inherent biases in the criminal justice system promote racism.

Later, when Cruz tried to say O'Rourke wanted to abolish the Second Amendment, the Democrat said it wasn't so, and the candidates sniped while the moderators pleaded for them to stop and for the audience to stop hooting. O'Rourke said Texas was ready for a senator who will protect the Second Amendment while imposing small restrictions to save lives and prevent mass shootings. He suggested those were supported by "gunowners and non-gunowners alike," but when he said the common GOP refrain after gun violence of offering "thoughts and prayers" wasn't enough, Cruz bristled.

"I'm sorry you don't like thoughts and prayers," he said. "I will pray for anyone in harm's way."

Cruz was also asked whether Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's accuser could say anything that might make him question his support for the nomination. Cruz said "absolutely," but didn't elaborate while calling the allegations serious.

Democrats have long dreamed of flipping heavily Hispanic Texas, the country's largest red state, and transforming the national electoral map. O'Rourke is giving up his El Paso-based U.S. House seat to try and upset Cruz, even though his party hasn't won any of Texas' two dozen-plus statewide office races since 1994, America's longest political losing streak.

The debate at Dallas' Southern Methodist University also saw Cruz criticize O'Rourke's past support for legalizing marijuana, evoking his older half-sister, Miriam, who died of a drug overdose. O'Rourke, meanwhile, has been open about his 1998 arrest for drunken driving in El Paso, but said for the first time Friday that he did not try to flee the scene, as a witness suggested in the police report. He called the incident a "terrible mistake"

The pair will square off again next weekend in Cruz's hometown of Houston, and a third and final debate is set for San Antonio three weeks before the Nov. 6 election.

Cruz didn't speak to the media afterward except to say he thought the debate "went great." But O'Rourke said the senator "has a tendency to mischaracterize a position."

"If he's talking about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem at a football game to call attention to injustice in this country, he'll talk about flag burning," O'Rourke said. "If we're talking about ending the war on drugs, the war on people, and some people over other people in this country, and ending the prohibition on marijuana, he'll talk about legalizing heroin and cocaine. No one wants to do any of that."

An ex-punk rocker who has attracted glowing attention from national liberal circles for his high-energy campaign and monster fundraising, O'Rourke has been mentioned as a possible 2020 Democratic vice presidential candidate and even a 2020 White House hopeful. Though he may not knock off Cruz, the argument goes, a close loss could only further boost his national profile.

O'Rourke, however, has repeatedly insisted he has no political plans beyond this race.

He's visited all 254 Texas counties, including areas that Democrats long ago gave up on  a fact he mentioned repeatedly during the debate. Cruz dismissed many such visits as photo-ops.

Cruz finished second in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. But a variety of polls show that O'Rourke is staying within striking distance  prompting Cruz to go negative in ads lately, attacking his opponent for defending NFL players' right to protest during the national anthem and his opposition to the Trump administration's hardline stance on immigration.

President Donald Trump has announced that he'll rally in Texas for his once bitter rival Cruz next month  previously unthinkable in a state where Republicans usually rack up landslide victories.

A truck mounted with a portable billboard of a February 2016 Trump tweet declaring, "Why would the people of Texas support Ted Cruz when he has accomplished nothing for them?" was parked near Friday's debate site. It's frequently hit Texas political events since Trump announced plans to visit.

Asked Friday about Trump's 2016 criticism, which included making fun of Cruz's wife's appearance and suggesting that his Cuban-born father had a hand in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Cruz said, "I could have chosen to make it about myself," but instead he said he worked with Trump to further Texas interests.

That ignored Cruz drawing the ire of many Texas conservatives for refusing to endorse Trump during the 2016 Republican National Convention. He eventually supported his party's candidate, though.

O'Rourke criticized Cruz during the debate for failing to rebuke Trump administration tariffs against China, which he said would hurt Texas trade interests.

Things are likely to stay nasty in coming weeks.

Asked what he admired about O'Rourke, Cruz managed to compare him to socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. O'Rourke drew laughs by replying simply of Cruz: "True to form."
The Farm Aid Festival came to Hartfords Xfinity Theatre Saturday, its first-ever stop in Connecticut.

Farm Aid is headlined by Willie Nelson, who organized the first concert more than 30 years ago. He will be joined by other musical powerhouses Neil Young, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, and others.

This event happens one time a year, so they pick where they want to go every year, so again were so happy they chose Connecticut and Hartford," explained Live Nationa General Manager John Huff.

It celebrates the good news of whats going on, but it also pays attention to the plight of that and the help, the actual assistance they give, family farms especially, Ive always admired that, said Ron Pitz, the executive director of the urban farming organization, KNOX.

Pitz said the festival will be a bright spot in what has been a difficult year for some of the states farms.

Farm Aid 2018 takes place in Hartford on Saturday and some local farms will benefit from the festival.

Were really excited that we get a chance to lift up the stories and voices of Connecticut agriculture, said Alicia Harvie, the Advocacy and Farmers Service Director for Farm Aid.

Food, farming, and fundraising are at the core of the organizations mission.

It really is a big family across the country and we hope that comes across for everybody who is there as a festival-goer, said Harvie.

The festival has raised millions of dollars over the years.

Were having bad times on the farm again and so we want to help those families in stress, but we also want to try and help figure out a solution so that they can make a living on the farm, raise their families there so that we can bring that next generation of young farmers onto the land," said David Senter, a Farm Aid historian.

Farm Aid is hoping to inspire a food-from-farm movement for an industry that is deeply rooted.

The role they play in our society and our culture here in the United States is essential and we cant afford to lose any more farmers.
Hamden police continue to search for answers in the killing of a young mother in 1986.

Thursday night Hamden police posted online, asking the public for any information on the death of 28-year-old Virginia Duclos Bruce.

We have not forgotten about Virginia, the post read in part.

And neither has her family, which is devastated by the violent murder of Virginia more than three decades ago.

She has a son and a daughter that dont have a mother, her sister, Carolyn Bird told NBC Connecticut.

On this date in 1986, Virginia Duclos Bruce was murdered and her body left in a trash receptacle off of Morse St. We have not forgotten about Virginia. If you have any information about this case- please call the Hamden Police Department Major Crimes Division at 203-230-4000. pic.twitter.com/1cpbwgQQ3W  HAMDEN POLICE - CT (@HAMDENPOLICECT) September 20, 2018

During a video chat from Rhode Island, Carolyn Bird remembered her sister who was brutally killed 32 years ago Thursday.

She was a disco queen. She loved to dance. She played pool. She was a great mom, a wonderful sister, Bird said.

On Sept. 20, 1986, Ginny  as she was known  disappeared while on a night out with friends at the Highwood Bar & Grill in Hamden. Authorities would later discover her body in a nearby dumpster off of Morse Street. She died after being stabbed multiple times.

Over the years, Hamden police interviewed scores of people and chased down leads. But as of now no one has been charged with the crime.

Tonight Ginnys family wants justice and hopes someone who might know something comes forward.

Maybe they wont be afraid any more. Maybe theyll say something, Bird said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police. The state is offering a $20,000 reward for anyone who can help solve this case.
Tammy Millsaps is a working professional with little down time and says its difficult to meet someone special.

Sometimes its really tough to meet people on a day to day basis, the Hartford resident said.

Tammy opted to go with a matchmaking service, called Its Just Lunch, that claims to do all the work for you.

I mean you hear all of the stories about the online scams that happen. When people pay money for different services. But I did my research, Millsaps explained.

Millsaps said she paid $2,000 to Its Just Lunch and the company assigned her a matchmaker, who identified potential partners for Millsaps based on her profile. She could accept or decline a potential date.

They were actually write-ups where people had success, added Millsaps.

According to her contract, IJL guarantees four introductions or six months of service, whichever comes later. The contract states, Its Just Lunch will issue refunds, at IJLs election and sole discretion if it is unable to provide the agreed upon date introductions under Clients membership. The contract also said, all remaining monies will be refunded on a pro-rated basis, less a $500 interview processing charge and this agreement will be automatically canceled.

Millsaps said she only had one date in six months. Then, a month later she received a second date and turned it down because the person didnt fit her criteria. She said she reached out to the company multiple times by email and phone stating that she wanted to a refund. But got no response until she contacted NBC Connecticut Responds.

Im not happy with that. I mean, I paid a tremendous amount of money, said Millsaps.

And when we reached out to Julie Lopez, VP of Its Just Lunch, the company refunded Millsaps $2,000.

In the statement, Its Just Lunch, wrote:

Thank you again for bringing Ms. Millsaps concerns to our attention as Client satisfaction is of the upmost importance to IJL. We have contacted the Client directly and her concerns have been fully resolved.

I know you get results, said Millsap.

NBC Connecticut Responds have received two other complaints about Its Just Lunch in the past.

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Matchmaking-Service-Not-a-Good-Match-for-2-Connecticut-Women-421406064.html

Connecticuts Department of Consumer Protection says you should always think twice before making a commitment. Ask questions, like how many clients they have, what states do they have clients in, and how many clients are in your area? This will let you know your chances of getting a date.
by Stefano Caprio

Starting tomorrow until 25 September, the pontiff will visit Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Pope John Paul II visited the three Baltic states in 1993. In Vilnius, Francis will visit the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights and remember the martyrs at the Hill of Crosses. Local Churches are strongly committed to ecumenism. Mercy is the main theme.

Rome (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis will undertake his 30th apostolic journey outside Italy tomorrow until September 25. The Holy Father will travel to the three former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, on the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. For the pontiff, this is a return to Eastern Europe two years after he visited other former Soviet republics in 2016, namely Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as Poland, a country that borders the Baltic states, inextricably linked to them by history, recent and past.

The trip coincides with two major anniversaries: the centennial of the independence of the three countries, which broke away from the Russian Empire in 1918 after the Bolshevik revolution, and a quarter century since Pope John Paul II's historic visit in 1993. This last jubilee will be a point of comparison for this apostolic visit since it was the only visit by a Roman pontiff to those countries.

In Lithuania the Polish pope celebrated the great victory over atheistic communism, an event with an even greater symbolic and emotional charge than his visits to his native land. In fact, Lithuania was the first to break the Soviet yoke in 1990, standing up to Gorbachev, the father of perestroika, in his one and only attempt to use force to stop the dissolution of the empire. Instead, the deployment of Soviet tanks was the beginning of end, which took place the following year with the failed KGB coup and the transfer of power to Yeltsin in Russia, and the final deliverance of all the other republics from the now defunct Soviet Union.

Pope John Paul II, however, did not want to out on triumphant airs in the moving meetings he held with the faithful, Catholics and others, who had been persecuted for so long. His speeches at the time called for shared penance and mutual forgiveness, looking more to the future than to the past. Pope Francis is thus reaping the fruits of that solemn appeal.

This visit will also be an opportunity to commemorate again the martyrs of atheistic oppression, especially during the visit to the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius on Sunday. The popes schedule also includes a visit to the cell where Father Sigitas Tamkevicius was held for ten years.

Now 80 years old, the archbishop emeritus of Kaunas remains a legendary figure of the Catholic resistance in the 1970s and 1980s. Arrested in 1983 for publishing Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, an underground paper that gave a voice to the regimes religious dissidents, Tamkevicius was interrogated 70 times in a KGB prison, without ever breaking. Interviewed a few days ago by Agence France Presse, the prelate said that "When I was sitting in that cell deep underground, if someone had told me the pope would come here... that would have been incredible!

The archbishop will not be alone in meeting the pope. Nijole Sadunaite will be with him. She too was arrested for her work defending human rights. Back in January, she received Lithuanias Freedom Prize, the first woman to be so recognised.

The martyrs will be remembered Sunday morning at the Hill of Crosses, the place where Pope Wojtyla mentioned his mystical union with the Lithuanian people in the name of participation in Christs sufferings. Here Pope Francis will also highlight the special ecumenical harmony among Christians in the Baltic lands, where predominantly Catholic Lithuanians and predominantly Lutheran Latvians and Estonians live side by side with Russian Orthodox minorities.

In his message of good wishes before the trip, the pope said, Though I come as Pastor of the Catholic Church, I would like to embrace everyone and offer a message of peace, good will, and hope for the future."

Zbignevs Stankevics, the Catholic archbishop of Riga, told Dutch weekly Katholiek Nieuwsblad that in these lands "we live in peace and defend the same values ... We are not in the majority and we must work with other Christians. We join forces. We are different, but despite the differences, we are one."

For his part, the secretary of the Orthodox Metropolitan of Vilnius, Father Vladimir Selyavko, told Radio Svoboda that "local Orthodox are very happy with this visit. We acknowledge in Pope Francis one of the most important leaders of the Christian world. There will be a meeting with him as well as a joint declaration in defence of Christian and human values for todays society."

The heart of the papal visit, however, will be the meetings with young people, all three days, starting tomorrows gathering at the Mater Misericordiae shrine in the chapel of the Gate of Dawn (Lithuanian: Ausros vartai), also known as Sharp Gate (Polish: Ostra Brama).

The message of mercy is another link to the visit of John Paul II who mentioned beloved Saint Faustina Kowalska, who spent time in Vilnius. Baltic societies need a great infusion of hope, given the recent crisis caused by the emigration of a third of their population, a low birth rate, and growing secularisation.

All this is happening whilst, in the background, tensions within Orthodox Christianity continue over the possible autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The three Baltic states are part of the historic canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate. In both Latvia and Estonia, Moscow and Constantinople have clashed over jurisdictional issues.

When he arrives, Pope Francis will be accompanied by Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and Mgr Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, Archbishop of Minsk (Belarus) and former archbishop of Moscow and the first Catholic bishop nominated after the end of the Soviet Union.
Suffield police have identified the victim in an untimely death investigation and say the death is not suspicious or criminal.

Police said they were called to a home on South Grand Street around 1:49 p.m. for a report of a medical emergency. The initial call was that a woman fell down a set of stairs and was hurt.

Emergency responders found the woman unresponsive when they arrived. She was rushed to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

She has been identified as 71-year-old Olga Paginelli.

The Suffield Police Department and Connecticut State Police Major Crimes Squad were called in to investigate. Police have concluded the death is not suspicious or criminal.
Hundreds of solemn people watched Friday as body after body was pulled from a capsized ferry that Tanzanian authorities said was badly overcrowded and upended in the final stretch before reaching shore. The death toll was above 130 but horrified witnesses feared that would rise as a second day of searching neared an end.

"This is a great disaster for our nation," President John Magufuli said. He announced four days of national mourning and urged calm in the East African country with a history of deadly maritime disasters. And he ordered arrests of all responsible as a criminal investigation began.

In a televised address, the president said the ferry captain already had been detained after leaving the steering to someone who wasn't properly trained, The Citizen newspaper reported.

The MV Nyerere's capacity was 101 people but the ferry had been overloaded when it capsized Thursday afternoon, the government's Chief Secretary John Kijazi told reporters.

At least 40 people had been rescued, he said, but the number on Friday barely rose. Dozens of security forces and volunteers wearing gloves and face masks had resumed work at daybreak after suspending efforts overnight, hauling bodies into wooden boats.

"More than 200 people are feared dead," based on accounts from fishermen and other witnesses, because passengers had been returning from a busy market day, Tanzania Red Cross spokeswoman Godfrida Jola told The Associated Press. "But no one knows" just how many people were on board.

It was obvious that more bodies were trapped in the overturned ferry, the president said, according to The Citizen report. He said even the cargo far exceeded the 25 tons allowed.

Tanzanian ferries often carry hundreds of passengers and are overcrowded, and shifts in weight as people move to disembark can become deadly. Images from the scene showed the ferry's exposed underside not far from shore.

Bodies were lined up on plastic sheeting as hundreds of people pressed near the water's edge, watching the search efforts.

Pope Francis, the United Nations secretary-general, Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of African leaders expressed shock and sorrow.

"His Holiness Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt solidarity with those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and who fear for the lives of those still missing," the condolence telegram said, according to the Vatican.

The MV Nyerere, named for the former president who led the East African nation to independence, was traveling between the islands of Ukara and Ukerewe when it sank, according to the government agency in charge of servicing the vessels.

Worried residents on Friday waited for any word of survivors.

"We try to make calls to friends, relatives," a local guide, Paschal Phares, told the AP. He recalled how crowded his trip on the aging ferry had been last month: "Most of us were standing up. It was full."

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition.

In 1996, more than 800 people died when passenger and cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria.

Nearly 200 people died in 2011 when the MV Spice Islander I sank off Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast near Zanzibar.

Associated Press writers Cara Anna and Frances D'Emilio contributed.
A beaming South Korean President Moon Jae-in returned home from a whirlwind three-day summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday saying that Kim wants the U.S. secretary of state to visit Pyongyang soon for nuclear talks, and also hopes for a quick follow-up to his June summit with Donald Trump.

Moon told reporters in Seoul that he will carry a private message from Kim for Trump on the nuclear standoff when he meets with the U.S. president in New York next week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session.

Both Trump, who has repeatedly spoken of his good relationship with Kim, and the North Korean leader have expressed a desire to meet again, but there are worries among observers about whether Kim is as committed to denuclearization as he claims. Moon faces increasing pressure from Washington to find a path forward in efforts to get Kim to completely  and unilaterally  abandon his nuclear arsenal.

"There are things that the United States wants us to convey to North Korea, and on the other side there are also things that North Korea wants us to convey to the United States," Moon said at a press center in Seoul where reporters watched parts of his summit with Kim on video huge screens that occasionally showed live streams from Pyongyang. "I will faithfully serve that role when I meet President Trump to facilitate dialogue between North Korea and the United States."

Moon, who set up the June summit in Singapore between Trump and Kim and is eager for another to happen, also told reporters that he'll convey to Trump his and Kim's desire to get a declaration on ending the Korean War by the end of this year. The war still technically continues because it ended with a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. Such a declaration would be the first step toward a formal peace treaty, but many in the United States are worried that it could result in Kim pushing for the removal of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to deter the North.

Earlier Thursday, Kim and Moon took to the road for the final day of their summit, hiking to the peak of Mount Paektu, which is considered sacred in the North, their hands clasped and raised in a pose of triumph. Their trip to the mountain on the North Korean-Chinese border, and the striking photo-op that will resonate in both Koreas, followed a day of wide-ranging agreements on Wednesday they trumpeted as a major step toward peace.

However, their premier accord on the issue that most worries the world  the North's pursuit of nuclear-tipped missiles capable of striking as far as the U.S. mainland  contained a big condition: Kim stated that he would permanently dismantle North Korea's main nuclear facility only if the United States takes unspecified corresponding measures.

Photos showed the leaders smiling broadly as they posed at the summit of Paektu, their wives grinning at their sides, a brilliant blue sky and the deep crater lake that tops the volcano in the background. They also toured the shores of the lake, and Moon and his wife filled bottles with its water. Members of the Kim family are referred to as sharing the "Paektu bloodline," and the volcano is emblazoned on North Korea's national emblem and lends its name to everything from rockets to power stations.

Many South Koreans also feel drawn to the volcano, which, according to Korean mythology, was the birthplace of Dangun, the founder of the first ancient Korean kingdom, and has long been considered one of the most beautiful places on the peninsula. Not everyone was pleased, though. About 100 anti-North Korea protesters rallied in central Seoul to express anger about the summit and displayed slogans that read, "No to SK-NK summit that benefits Kim Jong Un."

The leaders are basking in the glow of the joint statement they signed Wednesday. Compared to the vague language of their two earlier summits, Kim and Moon seem to have agreed on an ambitious program meant to tackle soaring tensions that caused many to fear war last year as the North tested a string of increasingly powerful weapons.

Kim promised to accept international inspectors to monitor the closing of a key missile test site and launch pad and to visit Seoul soon, and both leaders vowed to work together to try to host the Summer Olympics in 2032.

But while containing several tantalizing offers, their joint statement appeared to fall short of the major steps many in Washington have been looking for  such as a commitment by Kim to provide a list of North Korea's nuclear facilities, a solid step-by-step timeline for closing them down, or an agreement to allow international inspectors to assess progress or discover violations.

It also was unclear what "corresponding steps" North Korea wants from the U.S. to dismantle its nuclear site.

The question is whether it will be enough for Trump to pick up where Moon has left off. Trump told reporters Wednesday that the outcome of the summit was "very good news" and that "we're making tremendous progress" with North Korea. He didn't indicate in his brief remarks whether the U.S. would be willing to take further steps to encourage North Korean action on denuclearization.

"We have agreed to make the Korean Peninsula a land of peace that is free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threat," Kim said Wednesday as the two leaders announced their agreement. "The road to our future will not always be smooth and we may face challenges and trials we can't anticipate. But we aren't afraid of headwinds because our strength will grow as we overcome each trial based on the strength of our nation."

Moon urged unity for all Koreans in a speech he gave Wednesday night to the crowd gathered for North Korea's signature mass games. "I now propose that we completely eliminate the hostility of the past 70 years and take a big step forward in peace so that we can become one again."

According to a statement signed by the countries' defense chiefs, the two Koreas agreed to establish buffer zones along their land and sea borders to reduce military tensions and prevent accidental clashes. They also agreed to withdraw 11 guard posts from the Demilitarized Zone by December and to establish a no-fly zone above the military demarcation line that bisects the two Koreas that will apply to planes, helicopters and drones.

Other agreements aimed at removing some longstanding irritants from their relations, such as allowing more contact between families divided by the Korean War. Moon also appeared to be making good on his proposals to help build up the North's infrastructure and open cross-border rail links.

___

Talmadge reported from Pyongyang. Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul contributed to this report.
When voters head to the polls in November, they will not only be faced with choices for the US Senate, Congress, governor and other statewide office. They will also see proposed amendments to Connecticuts Constitution, known as ballot questions.

One of the questions has to do with the General Assemblys long-standing practice of transferring public lands without much debate or discussion during the regular session.

Eric Hammerling with the group Protect CT Public Lands, said he likes the autumn much more than the spring not just for going through the states parks, but for the role of government.

I will often say to folks at this time of year this is a great time of year for public lands because the General Assembly is not in session.

One example cited by Hammerling of a surprise public land transfer was the state giving the Hartford Regional Market to the Capitol Region Development Authority.

Hammerling says the question is not about the eventual use, which he says could be up for debate, but says the priority is really on the process and level of transparency that leads to a piece of land being transferred.

My concern is that its not going to be done in a thoughtful way, he said. What can happen right now in the legislature is even if there is a public hearing at the beginning of the session, the very end of the session there are very often amendments for other public lands to be sold, swapped, or given away and there often isnt any public input on those.

The measure passed the General Assembly with support from both Republicans and Democrats.

Specifically, the proposed constitutional amendment would require a public hearing when a piece of public land is being considered for transfer or sale by the General Assembly. After that public hearing has been held, it would then require passage by a two thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.

That high bar, lawmakers say, is the right way to move forward.

Sen. Kevin Witkos (R  Canton) co-sponsored the measure and told NBC Connecticut in statement, A constitutional amendment will ensure that environmental protection always remains a top priority. It will address the need for more transparency and oversight so that the proposed sale of any preserved land is always sufficiently weighed and considered by lawmakers and the public.

Sen. Martin Looney, the top Democrat in the Connecticut Senate said in a statement, "This amendment will provide additional protections before potentially environmentally sensitive property is sold or otherwise conveyed by the state. I hope voters that Connecticut will approve this amendment as an additional commitment to protecting our states quality of life."
Following the arrest of Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger, who is accused of manslaughter after fatally shooting her neighbor Botham Jean, Dallas Chief of Police U. Rene Hall was asked why Guyger hadn't been terminated.

At the time Hall said she wasn't able to fire Guyger. On Thursday, Hall elaborated on why that is, saying:

There is one overriding reason that I have not taken any administrative or employment action against Officer Amber Guyger. I dont want to interfere with the on-going criminal investigation into her actions. Heres why. As an employer, DPD can compel Officer Guyger to provide a statement during a DPD administrative investigation and those statements given to DPD could potentially compromise the criminal investigation. That is not a risk I am willing to take. We cannot let the criminal case be determined on a technicality rather than the facts. An exhaustive and thorough criminal investigation is essential, and as soon as we are assured that conducting an administrative investigation will not impede on the criminal investigation, we will proceed.

NBC 5 Law Enforcement Expert Don Peritz said after the shooting occurred two completely separate, but parallel, investigations began -- one administrative (Internal Affairs) and another that was criminal.



"They are separate investigations designed to protect the integrity of the criminal investigation and to protect the rights of everyone involved -- the suspect, the witnesses, the assigned investigators and the department," Peritz said.



Peritz added that Hall turned over the Dallas police portion of the criminal investigation to the Texas Rangers. At the same time, investigators with the Dallas County District Attorney Office launched their criminal investigation.



Investigations Breakdown



Administrative Investigations (Internal Affairs):

Involve interviews, between Internal Affairs Detectives and the accused officer.

This investigation is focused between the accused employee and the department.

Involves employee requirement to follow departmental policy to fully cooperate with investigators and answer all questions asked (compelled or forced to answer truthfully about what happened).

Involves Garrity protection for the accused officer against self-incrimination, because the accused is compelled to answer. Information gained in the administrative investigation cannot be shared from the administrative side to the criminal investigation side, however, the criminal investigators can share information gained with the administrative side (Internal Affairs). (Garrity v New Jersey (1967)

Administrative investigations are directed toward employee misconduct, such as department policy or rules/regulations violations.

Criminal Investigations:
Newly released court records show three additional search warrants have been served in the investigation into the death of Botham Jean, the Dallas man shot and killed in his own apartment by Dallas police officer Amber Guyger.

Guyger has told investigators she mistakenly believed the apartment was her own and that Jean was a burglar.

The new warrants show investigators with the Dallas County District attorneys office have been seeking additional video footage from surveillance cameras on townhomes across the street from the South Side Flats apartments where Jean and Guyger both lived.

Two of the warrants request doorbell video from two addresses on Arch Place. The warrants were served on Ring, a California-based company that provides doorbell security cameras systems.

In a third warrant, investigators are seeking security camera video from ADT Security Services, for additional camera footage from an address on Arch Place.

A resident at one of the homes targeted in the search warrants told NBC 5 that investigators were looking for video showing Guyger and Jeans apartments. The resident said the view from his camera is obstructed. Video of the area may be crucial evidence for investigators as they try to re-trace Guygers steps in the minutes leading up to the shooting.

Guyger has told investigators she returned home at the end of her shift and found the door ajar at what she believed to be her apartment. In an arrest warrant affidavit, investigators have said Guyger described seeing a large silhouette in the apartment and that she gave verbal commands that were ignored prior to firing the shots that killed Jean.

Jeans family and their attorneys dispute those accounts and say information they have gathered from witnesses will contradict Guygers statements.

Guyger has been arrested and is facing a manslaughter charge but Dallas County prosecutors have said they will conduct their own review to determine if a murder charge or other charges are more appropriate.
A South Texas police officer has been shot following a pursuit and struggle with a suspect who authorities say was known to smuggle people across the border into the U.S.

Starr County District Attorney Omar Escobar Jr. tells The Monitor newspaper that the Rio Grande City officer was shot Wednesday while on assignment with a task force that targets drug-trafficking.

Escobar says investigators began pursuing the suspect in Jim Hogg County and followed him into Starr County where his vehicle struck another and came to a stop.

It appears the officer was shot with his own handgun when it discharged as he was on the ground struggling with the suspect. Escobar says the suspect was attempting to take the gun.

The officer was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover.

Charges were pending against the suspect.
A new landmark California law requires doctors to tell their patients when theyve been disciplined for serious misconduct.

The breakthrough legislation was signed Wednesday by Governor Jerry Brown and is the result of years of debate and compromise by consumer and patient advocates, physicians, and the California Medical Association.

Information about accusations against physicians and discipline handed down by the Medical Board of California has long been available on the Medical Boards website.

But the new law requires doctors to directly inform their patients if theyve been put on probation for serious misconduct involving patient harm.

The specific disciplinary actions covered by the new law are:

Sexual misconduct with a patient

Drug abuse that can harm patients

A criminal conviction involving harm to patients

Inappropriate prescribing resulting in patient harm and five or more years of probation

We never tried to protect those doctors, and we never will, said Dr. Ted Mazer, a San Diego physician and president of the California Medical Association (CMA).

But Mazer said the CMA worked hard to assure that doctors disciplined for minor wrongdoings that did not harm a patient are not branded with a scarlet letter that would unnecessarily harm their relationship with their patients.

For example, doctors who agree to a brief term of probation for faulty medical record keeping do not have to reveal that discipline to their patients.

Is that a problem for patient care? No, it's a problem that the doctor has to keep a better record, but nobody found any problem with the care," Mazer explained.

Patient advocates said the extensive coverage of the conviction of USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar for molesting patients and allegations of sexual misconduct by a gynecologist at the University of Southern California provided the impetus that led to the passage of the new California law.

"Sadly, it usually takes some kind of tragedy or some kind of headline to really get the attention of legislators and make them do the right thing and actually pass these types of reforms," said Bridget Gramme of the University of San Diegos Center for Public Interest Law.

Serious discipline with patient harm which resulted in a probationary term issued on or after July 1, 2019, will be disclosed by your doctor's office, before your exam.

That disclosure will give you the option of talking with your doctor about the issue or leaving their office and finding a new provider.

"You know, it's an individual decision, Gramme told NBC 7. But patients can make that choice now, having all the information that they need."

The Patients Right to Know Act was authored by State Senator Jerry Hill, (D-San Mateo and Santa Clara).

This legislation owes its success to all the brave survivors who have testified about their traumatic and deeply personal experiences in the past three years, Hill said. As the testimony of survivors showed, leaving patients in the dark about this critical information makes them vulnerable to abuse.

More information about the Patients Right to Know Act is available here.
What to Know Peter Chadwick, charged in the 2012 killing of his wife, disappeared in January 2015 while free on a $2 million bond

In an effort to spread the word about the fugitive search, police will release a six-part podcast about the murder case

Investigators say Chadwick made up a story about the killing, claiming a handyman behind the crime forced him to dump the body in Mexico

A six-part podcast series about the 2012 murder of a Southern California woman and the three-year search for her accused fugitive husband will be part of a new effort to bring her suspected killer to justice.

Newport Beach police and the U.S. Marshals Service announced the podcast and a $100,000 reward at a Wednesday news conference. The true crime podcast series is aimed at spreading word about the global search for Peter Chadwick, who was arrested but then disappeared January 2015 while free on a $2 million bond.

"Peter could be anywhere in the world," Newport Beach police Chief Jon Lewis said Wednesday. "He's got the financial means to avoid the restrictions placed on his travel, and he's taken every opportunity to hide his tracks. We want to spread his picture and the story of his crimes far and wide. We want everyone to be looking for Peter Chadwick."

The $100,000 reward for information leading to Chadwick's capture was organized by the city of Newport Beach, U.S. Marshals Service and private donors.

"A $100,000 reward is going to make a difference," Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said.

Chadwick, now 54, was also added to the U.S. Marshals Service Most Wanted List.

The podcast "Countdown to Capture" will detail the crime and Chadwick's escape. Listeners will also hear about the court proceedings and how he has managed to escape justice so far. The first episode was released Tuesday, and five more 15-minute episodes will be released over the next two weeks.

The series is hosted by a spokeswoman for the department.

"I'll tell you about the life he led, the lies he told, and how he abandoned his children," the narrator states in the podcast prologue.

Newport Beach police previously turned to Twitter to help spread details about another killing, the four-decade old slaying of Linda O'Keefe. She disappeared in 1973 after leaving her Newport Beach home for a day of summer school. The department revisited the day she disappeared with tweets using the hashtag #LindasStory.

The Chadwick saga began in October 2012 when Chadwick called police, claiming that a handyman killed his wife, Quee Choo Lim Chadwick. He said he was kidnapped and forced to drive to Mexico to dump her body, according to Craig McCluskey of the U.S. Marshals Service.

But San Diego police arrested Chadwick four miles north of the Mexico border after noticing he had scratches on his neck and "dried blood on his hands," according to McCluskey. Investigators subsequently found a "crime scene" at the Chadwick home, and after questioning Chadwick, he led detectives to a San Diego gas station trash bin where his wife's body had been dumped, McCluskey said.

"Chadwick admitted that he made up the story about the handyman killing his wife," McCluskey wrote.

Chadwick was released Dec. 21, 2012, on $2 million bond. He surrendered his British and American passports and agreed to live with his father, "a wealthy investor," in Santa Barbara, McCluskey wrote in a federal arrest warrant affidavit.

The case took a turn in January 2015 when Chadwick failed to appear at a court hearing. When Newport Beach detectives went to his father's home, they were told the defendant was not living there and no one knew where he was, McCluskey wrote.

Chadwick's family later told investigators that he said he was going to Seattle and left in a cab, McCluskey said.

"At the residence, I saw several books with titles indicative of a person wanting to flee a jurisdiction, including, while not verbatim, titles such as 'How to Change Your Identity,' `How to Live on the Run Successfully' and 'Surviving in Mexico,"' McCluskey wrote in the affidavit.

Chadwick called for a cab at 11 a.m. Jan. 9, 2015, and was taken to the Santa Barbara airport, McCluskey said.

"Video from the airport showed Chadwick leaving the airport in a different taxicab six hours later wearing different clothing," McCluskey wrote. "According to phone records later obtained, Chadwick's cellphone was turned off on Jan. 9, 2015, and was later found in a trash dump."

An arrest warrant was issued Feb. 11, 2015.

Bank records indicate Chadwick drained $600,000 from a bank account in mid-January of that year, McCluskey said.

One of the defendant's three sons told investigators in February 2015 that his father had been planning to flee since Nov. 28, 2014. The son told investigators his father planned "to exit the United States via the Mexico or Canadian international borders, by driving there and walking across," McCluskey said.

Chadwick's son said his father had "a large sum of money at his disposal and would establish himself in a foreign country by obtaining a place to live and getting a menial job," McCluskey wrote.

Investigators believe Chadwick fled with "several million dollars in assets, as well as large amounts of available cash," McCluskey wrote.

Before he became a fugitive, Chadwick would frequently visit China, Malaysia, Canada and Thailand, McCluskey said.
The statement slams the destruction of churches and crosses, the ban on religious education for children, and the pressures to join Party-controlled bodies. One scholar notes that Some suggest that because Christians allegiance is first and foremost to God and not the Communist Party, there is a conflict of interests that the party believes can potentially hinder the process of unification.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  A petition signed by 297 Protestant Church leaders from 21 provinces and autonomous regions calls on the government to stop its "violent actions" against Christians and to accept the separation of state and Church. By signing such a statement, the clergymen show courage in denouncing new religious regulations that have recently come into force (1 February), which have put greater pressure on Chinese Churches, leading to acts of violence not seen in decades.

The petition notes that "In September 2017, the State Council issued the new Regulations on the Administration of Religious Affairs and began implementing these regulations in February, 2018. Ever since then, Christian churches across China have suffered varying degrees of persecution, contempt, and misunderstanding from government departments during public worship and religious practices, including various administrative measures that attempt to alter and distort the Christian faith. Some of these violent actions are unprecedented since the end of the Cultural Revolution."

Such acts include demolishing crosses on church buildings, violently removing expressions of faith like crosses and couplets hanging on Christians homes, forcing and threatening churches to join religious organizations controlled by the government, forcing churches to hang the national flag or to sing secular songs praising the State and political parties, banning the children of Christians from entering churches and receiving religious education, and depriving churches and believers of the right to gather freely."

All this, the statement says, is not only "unjust" and an "abuse of government power" but also an infringement on the human freedoms of religion and conscience and a violation of the universal rule of law.

In reality, "Christian churches in China are willing to obey authorities in China whom God has appointed and to respect the government's authority to govern society and human conduct. We believe and are obligated to teach all believers in the church that the authority of the government is from God and that as long as the government does not overstep the boundaries of secular power laid out in the Bible and does not interfere with or violate anything related to faith or the soul, Christians are obligated to respect the authorities, to pray fervently for their benefit, and to pray earnestly for Chinese society. For the sake of the Gospel, we are willing to suffer all external losses brought about by unfair law enforcement. Out of a love for our fellow citizens, we are willing to give up all of our earthly rights."

"For this reason, we believe and are obligated to teach all believers that all true churches in China that belong to Christ must hold to the principle of the separation of church and state and must proclaim Christ as the sole head of the church. We declare that in matters of external conduct, churches are willing to accept lawful oversight by civil administration or other government departments as other social organizations do.

"But under no circumstances will we lead our churches to join a religious organization controlled by the government, to register with the religious administration department, or to accept any kind of affiliation. We also will not accept any ban or fine imposed on our churches due to our faith. For the sake of the gospel, we are prepared to bear all losseseven the loss of our freedom and our lives.

The attitude of the authorities, according to Aaron Ma, an Asia-based researcher for Open Doors International, shows that Christians are an enigma for the Chinese Communist Party. "The CCP believes the Church is a de-stabilising force, but not because it is bad; in fact, local communities and authorities tend to believe Christians are good people.

The problem is that for some people because Christians allegiance is first and foremost to God and not the Communist Party, there is a conflict of interests that the party believes can potentially hinder the process of unification. Others are more concerned by what they perceive as potential chaos arising from the huge number of Christians.
What to Know The bill was signed into law Friday, allowing utilities to bill their customers to pay for future legal settlements.

The 2017 fires caused more than $10 billion in insured losses.

Critics call it a bailout for PG&E investors.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a measure Friday allowing utilities to bill their customers to pay for future legal settlements stemming from devastating 2017 wildfires, even if the blazes are blamed on the company's mismanagement.

The bill is aimed at preventing bankruptcy or other serious financial trouble for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. The nation's largest utility by revenue faces billions of dollars in liability if investigators determine its equipment caused the Tubbs Fire that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 22 people in Santa Rosa last year.

"Wildfires in California aren't going away, and we have to do everything possible to prevent them," Brown said in a statement. "This bill is complex and requires investment - but it's absolutely necessary."

Critics call it a bailout for PG&E investors.

The bill creates a special process for the 2017 fires, which caused more than $10 billion in insured losses, by far the most in state history. It seeks to determine how much liability the utility can absorb without triggering severe consequences like bankruptcy, and allows any additional costs to be billed to consumers.

For fires sparked in the future, the bill allows the Public Utilities Commission to consider a variety of factors  including weather conditions, a utility's efforts to prevent fires and findings of mismanagement  to decide whether electric companies can pass costs to consumers.

The utility protections are part of more than two dozen bills Brown signed to reduce the risk of wildfires, including efforts to make it easier to conduct controlled burns that aim to clear out dry vegetation that would fuel wildfires.

PG&E is facing dozens of lawsuits from insurers, which have spent billions settling insurance claims from homeowners.

Courts have ruled that utilities are entirely liable for damage caused by their equipment, even the utility followed all safety precautions. Regulators have required utility investors to shoulder the legal burden for fires caused by mismanagement of electrical equipment.

Brown proposed eliminating that standard, known as inverse condemnation, but lawmakers dropped the idea amid pressure from insurers, trial lawyers and fire victims.

Despite the legislation, Moody's Investors Service downgraded the credit ratings for California's three big investor-owned utilities. PG&E and its parent company were just above junk bond status.

Moody's analyst Jeff Cassella said the legislation represented "extraordinary legislative intervention" but failed to rollback inverse combination.

If PG&E is blamed for the most destructive fires and passes along costs to customers, they'll appear as a surcharge on monthly utility bills for the next 20 years.

The cost is unknown because it's not clear which fires will ultimately be linked to PG&E, what its final settlement will look like or how much of the burden will be placed on investors. Sen. Bill Dodd, a key negotiator, said the average residential ratepayer would pay an estimated $5.20 extra for every $1 billion dollars that PG&E must finance.

In the second quarter of this year, PG&E spent more on lobbying in California than any other entity, records show. It dropped more than $1.7 million, nearly three times as much as it spent the previous quarter, most of it on wildfire issues. Up from the Ashes, a group representing trial lawyers and people who lost homes in the fire, spent more than half a million dollars.

The measure is the most hotly contested part of a wide-ranging plan to reduce the threat of wildfires, which have been larger and more destructive in recent years.

The bill also requires investor-owned utilities  including PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric  to harden their equipment so it's less likely to cause fires. It would make it easier, in some circumstances, to do prescribed burns, clear dead trees and brush, log trees and build fire breaks. It includes $1 billion over the next five years for those purposes.

Among the other bills Brown signed is a measure aiming to triple the amount of land in California treated with prescribed burns and to limit liability for private landowners conducting controlled burns on their property. The bill helps clarify that landowners who get a permit to conduct a prescribed burn and comply with its terms have done their due diligence.

"These private landowners were afraid to get permits because they were afraid of getting sued if something happened," Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, a Santa Barbara Democrat who wrote the bill, told media during a conference call earlier this year.

Brown also signed bills to maintain insurance coverage following disasters, improve emergency notifications and to require that garage door openers have a battery backup so people can get their cars out even if the power goes out.
What to Know Cal State's mascot Prospector Pete will soon be removed.

As the university's diversity grew, they began to recognize the gold rush was a time when indigenous peoples suffered.

An alternative has not been presented yet, but the university is opening up the discussion for a replacement.

The statue of Cal State's mascot Prospector Pete will soon be removed in order to decouple the university from California's gold rush and its impact on native Americans, says Cal State Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley.

A timeline is yet to be determined, but the statue will be transplanted to a future alumni center, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported.

The Prospector Pete image reflected Founding President Pete Peterson's common references to having struck the gold of education by establishing Long Beach State College, Conoley told the newspaper in an Email.

"President Peterson was absolutely correct; education is precious." But, Conoley said, as the university's diversity grew and more voices were heard, "we came to know that the 1849 California gold rush was a time in history when the indigenous peoples of California endured subjugation, violence and threats of genocide."

In September 2017, Cal State Long Beach's Associated Students Inc. started working on a resolution that passed in March to move or relocate the statue. It acknowledges the campus's location of being placed on Tongva Tribe land, whose inhabitants are said to have been enslaved by settlers to build missions in the greater Los Angeles area.

The resolution also says more than 80 percent of the Indigenous American populations were killed in the 20 years following the Gold Rush due to malnutrition, enslavement and murder; including legally sanctioned, state-funded incentives for California miners and prospectors to murder Native Americans.

The resolution says Cal State Long Beach will dissociate itself from Prospector Pete and all aspects that "glorify" the Gold Rush. A new mascot is yet to be determined, but the Cal State Long Beach website says input is welcome during the Imagine Beach 2030 event on Nov. 14-15, an online conversation that will discuss the future of the university.

The bronze Prospector Pete statue was erected in 1967. It sits on the South side of campus, near the Psychology and Liberal Arts buildings. A former student in the 1960s was a model for the statue.
What to Know With Brett Kavanaugh denying an allegation of sexual assault, people wonder if he or accuser Christine Ford is lying

Experts say it's possible both Kavanaugh and Ford believe what they say, because memory is mostly true but sometimes unreliable

When it comes to emotionally charged events, it's typical to remember a central person or an item but forget the context and details

She says he sexually assaulted her; he denies it. Is somebody deliberately lying?

Not necessarily.

Experts say that because of how memory works, it's possible that both Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford  the woman who says a drunken Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her at a party when they were teenagers in the early 1980s  believe what they say.

And which one of them believes his or her version more strongly is no tipoff to what really happened.

"Confidence is not a good guide to whether or not someone is telling the truth," said Nora Newcombe, a psychology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. "If they think they're telling the truth, they could plausibly both be confident about it."

As the nation ponders the accusations from Ford before she testifies to the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday morning, the possibility that one of them simply got it wrong has been floated on Capitol Hill. Ford's lawyers have said some senators appear to have made up their mind that she is "mistaken" and confused. Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah told CNN, "Somebody's mixed up."

Experts say a person's memory is not like a video recorder, perfectly capturing an objective record of everything that happens for later retrieval.

"Memory is mostly true but sometimes unreliable," said psychologist Jennifer Talarico of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Generally, "we get the gist mostly right."

Your beliefs and expectations shape what you perceive in your life and how you later remember those events, researchers say.

"You are constructing the reality out there as it happens, and therefore you get stuck with that ... as the most accurate you can have for your memory," said David Rubin, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. "That's all you have to base your memory on."

So in a situation where a woman fears being raped by a man, her memories might be shaped by that fear into a recollection that overestimates the threat, whereas the man might consider it "just playing around" and simply forget it later on, Rubin said. And both could be completely honest about their recollections.

Typically, when people make mistakes in recalling an event, they unknowingly slip in details that would be typical on such occasions, Talarico said. (She would not speculate on particular memories at issue in the Kavanaugh matter.)

When it comes to emotionally charged events, it's typical to remember a central person or an item such as a gun but forget the context and details, Newcombe said. "You have this vivid central thing and everything else is fuzzy," she said. "Emotion makes one thing go up and the other go down."

So it would be wrong to challenge Ford's memory of the alleged incident over inability to recall details, Newcombe said.

Ford, a 51-year-old California psychology professor, told The Washington Post that she told nobody about the alleged incident in any detail until 2012, while in couples therapy. Her husband said he recalled her using Kavanaugh's last name at that time.

Some experts cited a classic case of how memory can fail: the 1973 Senate committee testimony of John Dean, former counsel to President Richard Nixon, regarding the Watergate affair. He testified about conversations that, it later turned out, had been recorded.

In 1981, a psychologist published a comparison of his testimony to the tapes and found that even though Dean was basically right about the existence of a cover-up, his accounts of conversations were often wrong.

As for the Kavanaugh matter, Rubin said, "We don't have the tapes for what happened at the party."
What to Know President Trump asked for Brett Kavanaugh accuser Christine Ford to show that she filed charges against her attacker after the incident

He added that his Supreme Court nominee is "under assault by radical left wing politicians

The president previously had avoided naming the California college professor or casting doubt on her account

The high-stakes brinkmanship over whether Brett Kavanaugh's accuser would testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee came to a momentary standstill as GOP Chairman Chuck Grassley gave Christine Blasey Ford more time to decide on the terms of her appearance.

The Republican-led committee insisted that if Ford missed a Friday night deadline to respond to the panel's latest offer it would hold a vote Monday on recommending Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination for the full Senate to consider.

Ford's accusations of Kavanaugh's behavior 35 years ago and the unusually tense standoff over the terms of her appearance have captivated the nation as the appellate court judge's confirmation to the court hangs in balance.

In a late-night tweet Grassley said he was granting Ford more time.

"I just granted another extension," Grassley wrote around midnight Friday. He did not say how long he would wait for Ford "to decide if she wants to proceed." Aides did not respond to requests for more information.

He also commented "With all the extensions we give Dr Ford to decide if she still wants to testify to the Senate I feel like Im playing 2nd trombone in the judiciary orchestra and Schumer is the conductor."

In backing away from his deadline, Grassley underscored the sensitivity with which Senate Republicans have tried handling Ford. Less than seven weeks before elections in which Democrats could capture congressional control, moderate female voters will be pivotal in many races and the #MeToo movement has elevated the political potency of how women alleging abuse are treated.

But Grassley also struck an apologetic tone toward Kavanaugh, adding he hoped the judge understands. "It's not my normal approach" to be "indecisive," Grassley tweeted.

The late-night back-and-forth left in question whether Ford would appear before the GOP-run committee and describe her allegation to millions of voters. Now a 51-year-old California psychology professor, Ford says an inebriated Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed, muffled her cries and tried removing her clothes when both were teenagers in the 1980s.

Kavanaugh, a District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals judge, has repeatedly denied the accusation. He has said he wants to appear before the committee as soon as possible to clear his name.

Lawyers have been negotiating various aspects of the public session and Grassley set a 10 p.m. deadline Friday to respond to the panel's latest offer.

Just was time was running out, Ford lawyer Debra Katz late Friday requested another day to decide. She called Grassley's deadline "arbitrary" and said its "sole purpose is to bully Dr. Ford and deprive her of the ability to make a considered decision that has life-altering implications for her and her family."

Earlier Friday, Grassley rejected concessions Ford wanted if she is tell her story publicly before the committee.

Grassley turned down Ford's request that only senators, not attorneys, be allowed to ask questions. The committee's 11 Republicans  all men  have been seeking an outside female attorney to interrogate Ford, mindful of the election-season impression that could be left by men trying to pick apart a woman's assertion of a sexual attack.

He also rejected her proposal that she testify after Kavanaugh, a position lawyers consider advantageous because it gives them a chance to rebut accusations.

Grassley's stance underscored a desire by President Donald Trump and GOP leaders to usher the 53-year-old Kavanaugh onto the high court by the Oct. 1 start of its new session and before the November elections, when Democrats are mounting a robust drive to grab congressional control.

Friday was the latest in a string of tumultuous days for Kavanaugh, whose ascension to the Supreme Court seemed a sure bet until Ford emerged last weekend and provided details of the alleged assault.

Earlier, Trump ended a week of constraint and sarcastically assailed Ford, tweeting that if the episode was "as bad as she says," she or "her loving parents" surely would have reported it to law enforcement.

Trump's searing reproach of the California psychology professor defied the Senate Republican strategy, and the advice of White House aides, of not disparaging her while firmly defending his nominee and the tight timetable for confirming him.

The president's tweet brought blistering rejoinders from Democrats and a mix of silence and sighs of regret from his own party. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who hasn't declared support for Kavanaugh, called the remark "appalling."

About two out of every three sexual assaults go unreported to police, according to the anti-sexual violence non-profit RAINN, which stands for Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. The organization tracks data on sexual violence and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Reasons for not reporting the assault to police include fearing retaliation, believing police would not do anything to help, believing it was a personal matter, having already reported it to a different official and believing it was not important enough to report.

On Twitter, women responded with the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport and shared their own reasons for not speaking out. Many users said they felt shame and embarrassment about what had happened, while others said they worried they wouldn't be believed, they would get in trouble or they would suffer further harm.

Ford said in her interview with The Washington Post that she didn't tell anyone about the incident until 2012, when she was in therapy sessions with her husband.

The Judiciary panel's top Democrat expressed fury at Grassley's negotiating position with Ford and maintained Democrats' effort to build the battle into a larger election-year question about the treatment of women.

"Bullying a survivor of attempted rape in order to confirm a nominee  particularly at a time when she's receiving death threats  is an extreme abuse of power," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California.

Grassley said he'd schedule a hearing for Wednesday, not Thursday, as Ford prefers.

Grassley rebuffed other Ford requests, including calling additional witnesses. Ford wants an appearance by Mark Judge, a Kavanaugh friend who Ford asserts was at the high school party and in the bedroom where Kavanaugh's assault occurred. Ford eventually escaped.

Grassley consented to other Ford demands, including that she be provided security and that Kavanaugh not be in the hearing room when she testifies.

Ford's request for security comes after her lawyers said she has relocated her family due to death threats.

The GOP letter to Ford's lawyers said Kavanaugh and his family have received death threats too, "And they're getting worse each day."

Kavanaugh had seemed to gain momentum among Republican senators this week, with growing numbers saying it was approaching time to vote and those who'd voiced concern about Ford's charges stopping short of expressing opposition to Kavanaugh. But with the slender 51-49 GOP majority and the unpredictability of how Ford and Kavanaugh would come across to millions of American voters should she agree to testify, his approval remains in question.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell played verbal hardball of his own, drawing a standing ovation when he assured a gathering of evangelical activists that the conservative Kavanaugh would soon be a justice.

"Keep the faith, don't get rattled by it," McConnell said at the Values Voter Summit. "We're going to plow right through and do our jobs."
Tesla Inc. has turned over documents to the U.S. Justice Department after statements by CEO Elon Musk about taking the company private, the electric car maker confirmed Tuesday.

The Palo Alto, California, company cooperated with the request and believes the matter should be resolved quickly once federal prosecutors review information they have received, according to a company statement.

News of a potential criminal investigation pushed Tesla stock down 5 percent in morning trading Tuesday, but the decline subsided a bit by early afternoon to 3.4 percent, at $284.89.

"We have not received a subpoena, a request for testimony, or any other formal process," Tesla's statement said.

Bloomberg News reported Tuesday morning that the Justice Department is running a criminal probe parallel to an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The news service cited two people familiar with the matter that it did not identify.

The Justice Department generally does not confirm or deny investigations, spokeswoman Nicole Navas Oxman in Washington said. The U.S. Attorney's Office in San Francisco took the same stance.

Tesla said it was contacted by prosecutors after Musk tweeted last month while driving to the airport that funding was secured to take the company private. The announcement raised the stock price 11 percent in one day, but it has since fallen.

Later the company admitted that funding wasn't lined up and eventually Musk abandoned the idea.

Short-sellers, who bet against the stock appreciating, complained that Musk's announcement was done to manipulate the stock price and cost them money.

Stephen Crimmins, a former deputy chief of litigation for the SEC, said prosecutors probably are looking at Musk's tweets to be cautious. "It automatically becomes so high profile that the government enforcers have to be particularly conscientious in taking a look at things," he said.

Crimmins said Musk "speaks loosely," but his conduct probably doesn't rise to the criminal level. Prosecutors would have to prove Musk lied in order to move the stock price, which would be difficult, Crimmins said. Any loss to short-sellers would be for a short period and wouldn't be worth the risk of Musk intentionally manipulating the stock price, Crimmins said.

The SEC likely would pursue a civil remedy that would include a provision that someone at Tesla review Musk's tweets on corporate matters before they are sent out, he said.
What to Know The three justices who are departing from the seven-member court are often part of a majority that has ruled against Scott.

Lawyers for the groups maintain that the court must step in now "to avoid a potential constitutional crisis."

Florida Gov. Rick Scott's bid to replace three justices on the state Supreme Court before he leaves office drew a fresh legal challenge on Thursday.

Two advocacy groups asked the state Supreme Court to block a statewide nominating commission from coming up with a list of replacement candidates for the three justices who are leaving early next year due to age restrictions.

The three justices who are departing from the seven-member court are often part of a majority that has ruled against Scott and the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Scott last week asked the nominating panel to come up with a list of replacements for Justices Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince in the next 60 days. He said that this would ensure that the court would avoid any vacancies once the justices step down. Scott also promised to work with whoever is elected to replace him in November to reach an agreement on who to pick. Outgoing Gov. Lawton Chiles and incoming Gov. Jeb Bush reached such an agreement in 1998.

But the lawsuit from the League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause Florida maintains that Scott does not have the power to make the appointments ahead of when the positions will be vacant. Instead the lawsuit argues the decision must be left to his successor. Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum are the main candidates in the November election.

Lawyers for the groups maintain that the court must step in now "to avoid a potential constitutional crisis."

A spokesman for Scott blasted the lawsuit.

"It's disappointing that these partisan groups filed a politically-motivated lawsuit that would create three prolonged vacancies on the Florida Supreme Court, contrary to all historical practice," said John Tupps.

Age limits are forcing the three justices to retire on the day Scott is scheduled to leave the governor's office. The state constitution requires judges to step down at 70 unless their terms are nearly completed.

Scott had previously said he planned to name the three new justices the morning of his departure. The two groups filed a petition with the court last year in an effort to block the move. But the Supreme Court said it could not rule, however, on something that hasn't happened yet.

Still the litigation led to a back-and-forth among lawyers and justices about exactly when the governor's term ends and when the terms of the justices end. One argument is that the governor's term ends at midnight before the new governor is inaugurated into office, while the justices remain in office until the end of the following day.

Gillum this week said that the constitution does not leave the decision up to Scott.

"That is the first decision that will be on the desk of the next governor," Gillum said.

DeSantis, a former Congressman who has worked as an attorney, said during a Republican primary debate this summer he intended to pick the three new justices if he were elected.

Scott's push to name justices could also be complicated by his run for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. If he wins, Scott could be forced to step down as governor a few days before his term as governor ends. That's because Congress  at least for now  is scheduled to start its 2019 term on Jan. 3  before a new governor is sworn into office on Jan. 8.
What to Know A Polk County Sheriff's Office report says Snover drove through the end of a cul-de-sac and into a retention pond.

It says Snover's 8-year-old passenger was able to get out of the truck and ask neighbors for help.

A Florida woman is accused of drunkenly driving a truck with an 8-year-old in the passenger seat and crashing into a retention pond.

The Lakeland Ledger reports 33-year-old Michelle Lynn Snover was arrested on charges including driving under the influence and negligent child abuse without bodily harm. A Polk County Sheriff's Office report says Snover drove through the end of a cul-de-sac and into a retention pond.

It says Snover's 8-year-old passenger was able to get out of the truck and ask neighbors for help. It says Snover initially told deputies she had taken a ride-sharing service to the pond. It also says she failed a sobriety test and her blood alcohol concentration was .13, which is above the legal limit of .08.

It's unclear if Snover has a lawyer.
What to Know SMA Communications donated $2,000 to DeSantis' campaign and $2,000 to DeSantis' political committee.

SMA Communications' website lists Ron Desantis' campaign as a client, but DeSantis' campaign said that they have not contracted with SMA.

Republican U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis' campaign for Florida governor said Thursday he will no longer accept money from a donor who used the N-word in a tweet about former President Barack Obama, but said contributions the donor's company made won't be returned because they were already spent on the primary.

Campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson said Thursday that money DeSantis and took from Steven Alembik's company, SMA Communications, was spent before the Aug. 28 primary and the campaign hasn't taken any money from him or SMA since DeSantis secured the GOP nomination to replace Republican Gov. Rick Scott.

The Democratic affiliated group American Bridge provided a screen shot of Alembik's tweet, in which he used profanity to describe Obama as a Muslim N-word.

"We've said it before, we'll say it again: we adamantly denounce this sort of disgusting rhetoric," Lawson said in an email.

SMA Communications donated $2,000 to DeSantis' campaign and $2,000 to DeSantis' political committee. Another $11,000 in donations from Alembik and SMA were returned in June, three months before Alembik's tweet. The campaign wasn't sure why the money was returned, but said it was unrelated.

SMA Communications' website lists Ron Desantis' campaign as a client, but DeSantis' campaign said that they have not contracted with SMA.

"He is in no way a vendor for us. He's never done any work for us. Period," Lawson said.

It's not the first time race has come up as an issue in the campaign against Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who is hoping to become Florida's first black governor. The day after the primary, DeSantis said Florida voters shouldn't "monkey this up" by supporting Gillum. Democrats immediately criticized the comment as racist.

"It is up to Congressman DeSantis to explain to Floridians why he has chosen to associate himself with right wing extremist groups and divisive individuals who want to pit us against one another," the Gillum campaign said in an email.

Alembik didn't take a call from The Associated Press on Thursday. Instead, Sean Jackson, chairman of the Black Republicans of South Florida, was handling calls for him.

Jackson said Alembik isn't a racist and that he has a "plethora of black friends."

"All of it is false, all of it is incorrect and all of it is a flat out lie," Jackson said.

He added that Alembik is Jewish, and he said he doesn't "know too many racist Jews" because "they went through the same thing" as African-Americans.

"The tweet has no relevance and it does not speak to the character of this man," Jackson said.

Scott can't seek re-election because of term limits and is instead challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.
A suspect in an FBI hate crime investigation was killed during an intense shootout with law enforcement near Miami International Airport Thursday night, officials said.

Officers responded to the area of Northwest 7th Street and Northwest 72nd Avenue in response to a "wanted subject" who began firing gunshots at officers, according to the Miami Police Department.

FBI Special Agent Brian Waterman said the suspect exchanged gunfire with FBI agents and officers from Miami-Dade Police and City of Miami.

"The FBI was investigating a fugitive case, the subject of this case fled the scene, and he was armed," Waterman said.

The suspect was later identified by the FBI as 40-year-old Alexander Carballido. Officials said Carballido was the subject of a multi-agency hate crime/assault/armed robbery investigation involving a recent home invasion.

The home invasion, which happened in Allapattah, was caught on a surveillance camera in the home that showed Carballido pointing a handgun at the victim.

At one point, he made the victim undress himself, according to an incident report.

"Investigators believed that Carballido committed these acts based upon the victim's actual/perceived sexual orientation," the FBI said in a statement.

Officials said Carballido fled the first scene near Northwest 57th Avenue and 7th Street and opened fire on officers before the pursuit ended. Waterman said a rifle was recovered at the scene.

Carballido died at the scene. There were no other reported injuries in the gunfire, officials said.

Footage from the scene showed the suspect's car, a silver Nissan Altima, riddled with gunshots and dozens of police evidence markers on the road where spent shell casings were found.

Multiple gunshots can be heard in a cellphone video taken by a witness near the scene.

"I see the cops swarm and all I hear is gunshots," one witness told NBC 6. "It sounded loud, it sounded like somebody was gonna die."

The Miami Herald reported Carballido spent 10 years in prison but was released on probation in July for carjacking and assaulting a police officer.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.
What to Know An MTA bus crashed into an apartment building in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn Friday morning

No passengers were on board the bus when the accident occurred, according to FDNY officials

The incident took place on St. Marks and Ralph Avenue; It remains unclear what caused the driver to crash into the building

An MTA bus crashed into an apartment building in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn Friday morning.

No passengers were on board the bus when the accident occurred around 10:12 a.m., according to FDNY officials.

The incident took place on St. Marks and Ralph Avenue.

Although FDNY sources first said that one minor injury was reported, FDNY Chief Patrick Sheridan elaborated that six individuals sustained minor injuries.

According to Amanda Kwan, spokeswoman for NYC Transit, the bus operator was taken to Kings County Hospital for trauma.

The B45 line bus was making a right turn when it struck the building, Kwan said.

According to Sheridan, when the bus turned, it made contact with a mailbox and a dump truck before hitting the building. The initial concern from officials on the scene was that a tenant may have been trapped by the bus, but the apartment involved in the direct impact was vacant at the time.

"Anybody could have been standing at the bus stop. Could have been in their living room," area resident Cheyenne Watts said.

A resident of the apartment building said that he was lucky that his children were at school when the impact occurred.

"I was home at the time I was in the bedroom I hear this really loud explosion type sound, JB Randolph said, adding "luckily my kids are at school so thank God for that one."

Randolph said that his neighbors were home and close to the impact  the bus missing one of them by mere inches.

According to engineers from the Department of Buildings, the building is not structurally compromised although the DOB did issue vacate orders for the two apartments nearest to the site of the crash.

The DOB says that any displaced resident will be offered assistance through the American Red Cross.

Images from the scene revealed a section of the building's wall reduced to a pile of bricks due to the impact.

Friday afternoon investigators called for a heavy duty tow truck, but MTA workers were able to back out the bus  covered in dust, an image that prompted some in the area to realize the accident could have been far worse.

The investigation is ongoing.
by Nirmala Carvalho

The ceremony was in honor of the god Ganesh. On the flyer was the story of two people recovered from serious illnesses thanks to the conversion to Christianity. Sajan K George: "Healing stories give a wrong message, but the girls did not do anything illegal".

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Two Evangelical Christian girls were removed from a Hindu festival because they distributed leaflets proclaiming Jesus Christ as the only true God. The event took place on September 17 in the Chembur area of Mumbai. On that day, the festival celebrated the feast of Ganesh, the Hindu god with an elephant's head. Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), defends the young girls: "They were just distributing flyers to anyone who wanted them. No one was forced to take them ".

The young girls were removed and accused of proselytizing a Hindu religious event. The leaflets told the story of two people who were reportedly cured of serious illness (from a brain tumor and the AIDS virus) after embracing the Christian faith. The booklet said that the healing took place because Christianity is the only true way to achieve peace, freedom and a healthy life.

A local resident complains that the evangelical Christians "refused to move even after the police had asked them to do so. We started to protest and then eventually they left. " Sajan K George recalls that "in secular India, religious freedom is a constitutional guarantee. The two young people wanted to spread the Good News freely and without coercion with anyone willing to listen ".

The Christian leader reports that on the leaflet appeared and the inscription "Jesus Christ died on the cross for [the good] of humanity and witnessed the liberation from all suffering" and a passage from the Gospel of John (3, 16): " In fact, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not die, but have eternal life ". As for the story of the alleged healings from serious illnesses, he warns that "the flyer gave a wrong message of the Christian faith. But girls did nothing illegal or forbidden anyway. "
Police seeking to secure the United Nations General Assembly are on guard for would-be assassins like the two men accused of poisoning a former Russian spy in England.

There have been no specific threats. But New York City's top counterterrorism official, John Miller, said on Thursday that the NYPD has consulted with British authorities to prepare for incidents involving weapons-grade nerve agents.

Miller said the NYPD and FBI have sought to identify and protect potential targets visiting or living in the city. He made the remarks at a news conference about security measures for the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.

A Russian intelligence officer turned double agent for Britain and his daughter fell ill in March from poison that Britain says was planted by Russian agents.

Related: Street Closures for the 2018 United Nations General Assembly
President Donald Trump said Thursday that it's time for the Senate to "get on with it" as the Judiciary Committee works to schedule a hearing to consider Christine Blasey Ford's allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school, NBC News reported.

"I dont think you can delay it any longer," Trump said in an interview with Fox's Sean Hannity just before a campaign rally in Las Vegas. "Theyve delayed it a week, and they have to get on with it."

Trump's rally was in large part to boost the re-election hopes of Sen. Dean Heller, the only incumbent Republican whose race is rated as a "toss up" by the Cook Political Report. He told the crowd during his stump speech that Heller's vote "is more important than mine because hes gotta help Brett get in."

During the rally, he also said former President Barack Obama's return to the campaign trail is "good news" because it would fire up Republican voters and reiterated his pledge to consider American interests first just a few days before the opening of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer says he is providing "critical information" as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance and other charges last month, said Thursday he is providing the information to prosecutors without a cooperation agreement.

Trump's longtime fixer-turned-foe could be a vital witness for prosecutors as they investigate whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Russians. For more than a decade, Cohen was Trump's personal lawyer, and he was a key power player in the Trump Organization and a fixture in Trump's political life.

Cohen pleaded guilty in August to eight federal charges and said Trump directed him to arrange payments before the 2016 election to buy the silence of porn actress Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy model who had both alleged they had affairs with Trump. It was the first time any Trump associate implicated Trump himself in a crime, though whether  or when  a president can be prosecuted remains a matter of legal dispute.

On Thursday night, Cohen tweeted: "Good for @MichaelCohen212 for providing critical information to the #MuellerInvestigation without a cooperation agreement. No one should question his integrity, veracity or loyalty to his family and country over @POTUS @realDonaldTrump."

The tweet was deleted almost immediately and was later reposted by his attorney, Lanny Davis, who said he wrote the tweet for Cohen and asked him to tweet it because he has a "much larger following." Davis said he was delayed posting the tweet on his own account, so Cohen tweeted it first.

ABC News reported earlier Thursday that Cohen has met several times  for several hours  with investigators from the special counsel's office.

The television network, citing sources familiar with the matter, said he was questioned about Trump's dealings with Russia, including whether members of the Trump campaign worked with Russians to try to influence the outcome of the election.

Davis had asserted last month that his client could tell the special counsel that Trump had prior knowledge of a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer, Trump's son-in-law and Trump's eldest son, who had been told in emails that it was part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign. But Davis later walked back the assertions, saying he could not independently confirm the claims that Cohen witnessed Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., telling his father about the Trump Tower meeting beforehand.

In the last two weeks, the special counsel secured the cooperation of Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; signaled that he has obtained all the information he needs from former national security adviser Michael Flynn  who was also a government cooperator; and dispensed with the case of the campaign aide who triggered the Russia probe.

The president has continued a very public battle against the Mueller investigation, repeatedly calling it a politically motivated and "rigged witch hunt." He has said he is going to declassify secret documents in the Russia investigation, an extraordinary move that he says will show that the investigation was tainted from the start by bias in the Justice Department and FBI.

___

Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.
Christine Blasey Ford may testify against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after all, her attorney said Thursday, breathing new life into the prospect of a dramatic Senate showdown next week over Ford's accusation that he assaulted her when both were in high school.

The preference would be for Ford to testify next Thursday, and she doesn't want Kavanaugh in the same room, her attorney told Judiciary Committee staff in a 30-minute call that also touched on security concerns and others issues, according to a Senate aide who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ford is willing to tell her story to the committee, whose senators will vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation  but only if agreement can be reached on "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety," the attorney said in an email earlier Thursday.

In the call, she said Ford needs time to secure her family, prepare her testimony and travel to Washington. No decisions were reached, the aide said.

The discussion revived the possibility that the panel would hold a campaign-season hearing at which both Ford and President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee could give their versions of what did or didn't happen at a party in the 1980s. Kavanaugh, now a judge on the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, has repeatedly denied Ford's allegation.

The accusation has jarred the 53-year-old conservative jurist's prospects for winning confirmation, which until Ford's emergence last week had seemed all but certain. It has also bloomed into a broader clash over whether women alleging abuse are taken seriously by men and how both political parties address such claims with the advent of the #MeToo movement  a theme that could echo in this November's elections for control of Congress.

Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has scheduled a hearing for Monday morning, and he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have indicated it would be Ford's only chance to make her case. Republicans are anxious to move ahead to a vote by the committee, where they hold an 11-10 majority, and then by the full Senate, which they control, 51-49.

Taylor Foy, spokesman for Republicans on the panel, said after the call that Grassley "will consult with his colleagues on the committee. He remains committed to providing a fair forum for both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh."

Attorney Debra Katz said anew that Ford, 51, a psychology professor in California, has received death threats and for safety reasons has relocated her family.

"She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety," Katz wrote in the email, which was obtained by The Associated Press after first being reported by The New York Times.

In the call later Thursday, Katz asked the committee to subpoena Mark Judge, whom Ford has named as the other teen in the room at the time. Judge has told the committee he does not recall the incident and does not want to speak publicly.

Should Ford testify, especially in public, it would pit the words of two distinguished professionals against each other as television close-ups capture every emotion. Assessing them would be not just the committee's 21 senators only four of whom are women, all Democrats  but also millions of viewing voters.

Underscoring the sensitivity of all-male GOP senators grilling a woman who's alleged abuse, Republicans are considering reaching out to female attorneys who might question Ford, according to a person familiar with the situation but who wasn't authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

But in a separate email obtained by NBC News, Katz objected to the idea of outside counsel doing the questioning.

"Senators should be the questioners as they have been for all other witnesses who have appeared before the Committee in connection with this nomination and with respect to all others of which I am aware," she wrote.

If Ford opts not to participate, Republicans could well dispense with the hearing to avoid giving Democrats a forum for peppering Kavanaugh with embarrassing questions. They would argue that they'd offered Ford several options for describing her accusation, but that she'd snubbed them.

Kavanaugh, who's been eager to testify, said he was ready to appear Monday.

"I will be there," he wrote Grassley in a letter. "I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name."

Trump told Fox News on Thursday, "I think it's a very sad situation." He said Kavanaugh's accuser should "have her say and let's see how it all works out. But I don't think you can delay it any longer. They've delayed it a week already."

Ford has contended that at a house party in Washington's Maryland suburbs, a drunken Kavanaugh tried undressing her and stifling her cries on a bed before she fled.

Grassley has said that in the interest of making Ford comfortable, he'd be willing to let Ford testify in public or private. He even offered to send committee aides to her California home to take testimony.

As the week has proceeded, Republicans have seemed to regain momentum toward approving Kavanaugh though his prospects have remained uncertain.

Even moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said it would be "unfair" to Kavanaugh if Ford decides to not appear, and others were urging leaders to proceed quickly to a vote. Still, the bare 51-49 Republican majority means they can lose just one vote and still approve him if all Democrats vote no. Vice President Mike Pence would break a tie.

Democrats have tried using the issue to demonstrate that Republicans treat women unfairly, their eyes on upcoming elections in which suburban, anti-Trump female voters could be pivotal in many races. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., a possible 2020 presidential candidate, said Republicans were "bullying" Ford by giving her a Monday deadline to testify.

Ford went public with her accusation over the weekend in a Washington Post interview and said Monday through her lawyer that she was ready to testify. But Tuesday, she began insisting on an FBI investigation of her allegations and said other witnesses should also participate in a hearing. Those conditions had cast strong doubts on her willingness to appear, and it became unclear whether Republicans would even hold the hearing.

The email said Ford's "strong preference" remains that the committee allow a thorough investigation of her claim before she appears. But that wording fell short of a nonnegotiable demand.

Kavanaugh was spotted at the White House on Thursday, and allies said he is eager to address the accusation. Trump refrained from tweeting about his nominee.

Republicans have resisted all Democratic efforts to slow and perhaps block Kavanaugh's confirmation. A substantial delay could push confirmation past the November elections, when Democrats have a shot at winning Senate control, plus allow more time for unforeseen problems to crop up.

Also Thursday, NBC News reported that the dean of Yale Law School on responded to reports that a prominent professor at the school had advised students seeking judicial clerkships with Kavanaugh on their physical looks, saying the reported allegations of faculty misconduct are "of enormous concern."

On Thursday, a group of Democratic senators, all former prosecutors or state attorneys general, sent a letter to the White House arguing for the FBI probe and for medical evidence and Ford's polygraph test to be assessed.

Declining to have the FBI take action under these circumstances also abandons the precedent that President George H.W. Bush set when he asked the FBI to investigate after Anita Hill raised allegations against Judge Clarence Thomas in 1991, read the letter, signed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, Patrick Leahy, Sheldon Whitehouse, Richard Blumenthal, Doug Jones, Tom Udall and Catherine Cortez Masto.

Meanwhile, demonstrators gathered with raised fists outside Grassley's office Thursday morning to protest how Republicans have handled the allegation against Kavanaugh. Many shared their own stories of sexual assault, with some telling their stories in a call-and-response style with the group.

One woman described an incident at a party when she was 22: a man pushed her into his bedroom and "sexually assaulted me for hours." She said she went back to work, where the man was employed too, and he "pretended it never happened."

"This is the first time I have ever spoke of it," she said.

Another woman said, "Im 62-years-old. I never had a chance to tell my story." She then thanked Ford "for standing up and giving me an opportunity" to talk about her own past.

"Thats why we are here ... to say that its OK what happened to you," she said. "You dont have to hide and have a secret anymore and hold it for 40 years."

Some chanted "We believe Anita Hill! We believe Christine Ford!" and were seen wearing "I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford" pins. Hill is the law professor who, during the Senate's 1991 consideration of Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court nomination, accused him of sexual harassment.

Other women demanded senators vote no on Kavanaugh's confirmation. One said a confirmation for Kavanaugh would be "totally inappropriate" and "unbelievable," saying, "It just breaks my heart."

Demonstrators occupied the offices of Sens. Bob Corker, Joe Donnelly, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins as well. Many senators were not in the building, as the Senate is not in session Thursday or Friday.

More than 50 people were removed from the Senate building for unlawful demonstration activities and charged.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was joking when he discussed wearing a wire to secretly record President Donald Trump and does not believe Trump should be removed from office through the use of procedures outlined in the Constitution's 25th Amendment, according to sources familiar with his conversations.

The sources were responding to a New York Times report that Rosenstein, in the tumultuous spring of 2017, had discussed with other Justice and FBI officials the possibility of recruiting members of Trump's Cabinet to declare him unfit for the job and that he offered to wear a recording device during conversations with the president, NBC News reported.

In a May, 16, 2017 meeting at a secure facility at the Justice Department  one week after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey  Rosenstein argued with Andrew McCabe, then the acting director of the FBI, about the president, according to a senior Justice Department official.
People who want straws with their drinks at California restaurants will have to request them under a new law.

The law signed Thursday by Gov. Jerry Brown makes California the first state to bar full-service restaurants from automatically giving out single-use plastic straws. It takes effect next year.

The law doesn't ban plastic straws outright like some cities have. San Francisco and Seattle passed bans earlier this year.

California restaurants that don't comply will get two warnings before being fined up to $300 per year. It will apply only to full-service restaurants, not fast food establishments.

Democratic lawmakers who support the policy call it a small step toward reducing ocean pollution.

Brown, who has made environmental issues a signature priority, pointed to the large amount of plastic dumped in oceans every year that can kill whales and fish and contaminate people's food and water supply.

"Plastic has helped advance innovation in our society, but our infatuation with single-use convenience has led to disastrous consequences," Brown wrote in a statement. "Plastics, in all forms  straws, bottles, packaging, bags, etc.  are choking the planet."

Critics argue California's new law is government overreach that won't significantly improve the environment. Some say restricting straws hurts disabled people who rely on them.

Some Republican lawmakers who voted against the measure said it would unfairly punish restaurants, although the restaurant industry didn't oppose the proposal.
What to Know Architect Robert Venturi rejected austere modern design and instead ushered in postmodern complexity with the dictum "Less is a bore."

The Philly-based architect died Tuesday after a brief illness, his family said. He was 93.

Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates, the architecture firm he founded in the 1960s said "all of us at VSBA are heartbroken. Viva Bob."

Architect Robert Venturi, who rejected austere modern design and instead ushered in postmodern complexity with the dictum "Less is a bore," has died. He was 93.

His family released a statement on his firm's website saying Venturi died at home in Philadelphia on Tuesday after a brief illness, surrounded by his wife, the architect Denise Scott Brown, and son, James Venturi.

He remained active well into his 80s at Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates, the architectural firm he founded in the 1960s. It's now known as VSBA Architects + Planners.

"All of us at VSBA are heartbroken. Viva Bob," the firm said in a statement.

Unlike the spare aesthetic of modernists like Mies van der Rohe, Venturi's work celebrated complexity and even inconsistency in design. He encouraged architects and consumers to enjoy "messy vitality" in architecture  whether whimsical, sarcastic, humorous or honky-tonk.

Often referred to as the father of postmodernism, Venturi shunned the title, calling it "an easy catch phrase ... the equivalent of a political sound bite."

In 1991, Venturi was awarded the Pritzker Prize, architecture's equivalent of the Nobel Prize, for "expanding and redefining the limits of architecture in this century, as perhaps no other has."

"Architects today are too educated to be either primitive or totally spontaneous, and architecture is too complex to be approached with carefully maintained ignorance," Venturi wrote in his 1966 manifesto against what he saw as the excesses of modernism entitled "Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture."

In that book Venturi first established his "Less is a bore" philosophy  in defiance of the minimalist approach to architecture espoused in van der Rohe's credo "Less is more."

The 1972 book "Learning from Las Vegas," which Venturi and Scott Brown wrote with the late Steven Izenour, embraced the blinking facades and flashy signs of the Las Vegas strip as a reinvigoration of architectural design.

"Naturally, we were punished by the architecture establishment for being so vulgar," Venturi told The Associated Press in a 1991 interview. "But we used it as a vehicle to learn about symbolism."

In downtown Philadelphia, for example, a painted steel outline of the former site of Benjamin Franklin's house serves as a monument, while a museum is buried underground. A firehouse near Walt Disney World in Florida is decorated with Dalmatian spots, and Venturi once proposed a 90-foot-tall red apple for Times Square in New York.

In 1978, Venturi set a series of 34-foot letters along the facade of the box-like Basco showroom and warehouse in Philadelphia that spelled out the store name. In 1979, he had a windowless Best Products Co. showroom in suburban Langhorne painted over with enormous, stylized red and white flowers.

He approached the design of living spaces with the same slant: Guild House, an elderly housing complex in Philadelphia with a nonfunctional gilded TV antenna on top (it has since been removed), is loved or loathed by architects and residents alike.

"I think he's one of the most important American intellectuals of the 20th century," said David Brownlee, an expert on Venturi's work and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

"He took and academic approach to architecture," he said on Thursday. "It wasn't about style, it wasn't about flash and shape. It was about seriously coming to terms with the material and intellectual challenge of the work."

Removing architecture from its rarefied air was criticized by traditionalists who saw some of Venturi's work as lacking in refinement, but he argued that buildings should reflect the culture in which they exist.

"Architecture must be tolerant of different tastes and cultures," Venturi told the AP. "There's not just an elite culture. There is elite and folk cultures."

Elsewhere, his most prominent works include the Seattle Art Museum, completed in 1991, which has been incorporated into a larger building, and the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in London, also completed in 1991. Venturi became involved in the British project after Prince Charles denounced an earlier design as a "monstrous carbuncle."

Venturi was born in Philadelphia on June 25, 1925, the son of a fruit-and-vegetable wholesaler. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Princeton University.

From 1954 to 1956 he was a fellow at the American Academy in Rome. He returned to Philadelphia in 1957 to teach at the University of Pennsylvania and practice architecture, and quickly gained prominence in the "Philadelphia school" of architects dominated by the late Louis I. Kahn.

He founded his own practice in 1958. Scott Brown, whom he met at Penn and married in 1967, joined the firm that year and became a partner in 1969.

Venturi's first notable building was a house he designed for his mother in the city's Chestnut Hill neighborhood in 1961.

The building's broken classical pediment that splits the gabled roof and its over-scaled moldings on each side of the symmetrically positioned doorway represented a major break from the established architectural thinking of the time: that a modern house should contain no historical elements.

Architect Frederick Schwartz referred to the Vanna Venturi House as "the first postmodern anything."

The American Institute of Architects in 1989 named the Vanna Venturi House the winner of its 25 Year Award for its "enduring significance that has withstood the test of time."

"A while back, when it was considered very daring, we did very simple things," Venturi said in 1991. "We did buildings that looked ordinary, that were not trying to be revolutionary the way modern architecture was going to go.

"That horrified people. We did houses that looked like houses, elemental concepts of houses. We did fire stations that looked like fire stations."
What to Know In Pennsylvania, Republicans hold 10 of 18 congressional district seats, despite a nearly 800,000 voter disadvantage to Democrats.

Much of that disadvantage comes from southeastern Pennsylvania, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 700,000.

Former President Obama will take the stage of Dell Music Center in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park about 90 minutes after doors open at 2:30.

When former President Barack Obama visits North Philadelphia on Friday afternoon to pack an outdoor music venue for a voters' rally, he'll be speaking within the confines of one of the bluest areas in the country.

He'd have to stop in either the South Bronx or the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in fact, to be in a more liberal domain than Philadelphia's Third Congressional District.

The decision to spend his time trying to rally voters in such a Democratic stronghold confounds some like Bryan Leib, the Republican candidate challenging Third District incumbent U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans.

"If I was President Obama, I wouldn't be coming to Philly," Leib said. "He's making the same mistake as Hillary Clinton did in 2016. She came to Philadelphia and ignored the suburbs. It cost her."

Obama will be speaking to the choir, in other words, when he comes to rally liberals for Pennsylvania's Democratic candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. Incumbents, Sen. Bob Casey and Gov. Tom Wolf, along with some of the state's congressional Democratic candidates, will be part of the get-together inside the city's lush Fairmount Park setting.

That type of audience might seem safe, maybe even too safe. But its essential those choir members actually make it to church - that is, the polls - on Election Day. As political history professor Randall Miller of Saint Joseph University puts it, "The big thing in any election is voter turnout. It's a special problem if you don't have a presidential election."

"The purpose of this rally is obvious on this front," Miller added. "But it's an obvious purpose that needs to be done. Many people don't appreciate the importance of down-ticket elections and off-year elections."

WATCH LIVE: Obama's speech to Democrats at the Dell Music Center in Fairmount Park will be available on this page starting at 4 p.m. Friday.

The Democratic Party is hoping to turn liberal voters' energy into a blue wave come the Nov. 6 election. As is often the case in the first congressional election following a new president's election, the vote is a referendum on the commander-in-chief's job performance. President Trump's controversial first two years in office have led many to believe Republicans could lose control of Congress.

Obama is uniquely qualified to gin up interest. He's an iconic figure in a Democratic Party bereft of powerful central leadership.

Unlike his predecessor, George W. Bush, Obama is still widely admired by those within his party.

"You worry about him [if you're a Republican] because he has the ability to excite people and get them to follow him," Miller said. "Some people hate him for it. Some hate him for being African American. But he's a very powerful figure. His charisma makes him so dangerous."

Following a court-mandated redistricting of Pennsylvania's 18 congressional districts, Democrats believe the state could be one of the keys to winning back control of the House. Under what the state Supreme Court deemed a gerrymandered map, Republicans currently hold 10 of the 18 seats  despite a nearly 800,000-voter disadvantage statewide.

Much of that disadvantage comes from southeastern Pennsylvania, where Democrats in the five-county region, including Philadelphia, outnumber Republicans by more than 700,000.

Obama rode enthusiasm for his candidacy in the Philadelphia region to victory in Pennsylvania twice. Hillary Clinton lost Pennsylvania to President Donald Trump, and her vote totals in the southeast region were considerably lower than Obama's.

So what does the Republican candidate Leib think about the prospects of not only overcoming a massive Democratic voter total, but also having Obama stump in his district?

He said the buzz around Obama didn't translate into success for many Philadelphians in the eight years he was president, pointing to the city's enduring poverty and low median incomes.

And Leib thinks Obama is wasting his time.

"President Obama coming to Philadelphia 45, 50 days out from the election, I don't know if that's time best spent for him," Leib said.
What to Know Attorney Patrick Collins was forced to withdraw at the last minute because of a conflict of interest.

16 inmates were charged with murder, kidnapping, assault and other crimes following the Feb., 2017 uprising

Correctional officer Steven Floyd was killed during the riot, and three other staffers were taken hostage

One of 18 Delaware inmates charged in a deadly prison riot last year told a judge Thursday that he wants to represent himself after his court-appointed lawyer was forced to withdraw at the last minute because of a conflict of interest.

The judge granted Jarreau Ayers' request but also appointed an attorney to assist him during his trial, which starts with jury selection Oct. 8.

Attorney Patrick Collins was forced to abruptly withdraw from representing Ayers after prosecutors waited until Aug. 30 to give him the names of inmate witnesses they expect to call, one of whom was previously represented by Collins.

Prior to that date, the only information defense attorneys had received about potential prosecution witnesses was in May, when they were given the entire roster of all 128 inmates housed in Building C at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center when the riot broke out Feb. 1, 2017.

Collins told Superior Court Judge William Carpenter Jr. that it "never occurred to me in a million years" that his former client would be on the list of 18 inmate prosecution witnesses he received three weeks ago.

Ayers told Carpenter that he had been thinking about representing himself all along, but that he was satisfied having Collins as his court-appointed lawyer.

"I was cool with that," said Ayers, adding that if he could not keep Collins, he preferred to represent himself.

Carpenter told Ayers that prior representation of the prosecution witness, whose name was not disclosed, had put Collins in a "difficult position," and that he would be unable to represent Ayers or even assist him.

"It's just unfortunate," Carpenter said. "This is one of those circumstances where a conflict has been created, and there appears to be no way out of it."

Following the hearing, deputy attorney general John Downs refused to explain why prosecutors didn't provide the list of inmate witnesses to defense attorneys until Aug. 30, barely a month before the start of jury selection.

"No comment. It's a pending trial," Downs said.

Brendan O'Neill, head of the Office of Defense Services, said he does not think the Department of Justice has acted fairly or appropriately.

"The defense should have more time to know who the witnesses are, to conduct independent investigation about those witnesses, and to prepare a defense in order to give these defendants a fair trial," he said. O'Neill speculated that prosecutors may have security concerns about their witnesses and don't want to disclose their identities "until absolutely necessary."

Asked whether he thought prosecutors have acted in good faith, O'Neill said, "I think they could be acting in better faith."

Stephanie Volturo, head of the unit that assigns private attorneys to represent defendants when public defenders are unable to do so, said prosecutors could have easily identified the conflict involving Collins' former client "with a simple search."

Meanwhile, Ayers assured Carpenter that he is ready to represent himself.

"I know there's no physical evidence against me at all," said Ayers, adding that his main concern is cross-examining witnesses.

"I have 16 hours a day to prepare for that. I have nothing else to do but prepare for that," he said.

Ayers is the second inmate charged in the riot to decide to represent himself. The other, Dwayne Staats, is also among the first group of four inmates to be tried.

Ayers declined Carpenter's offer to be granted another attorney and be moved to one of the groups of defendants to be tried later.

"I know nobody's going to fight for me the way I'm going to fight for me," he said.

Carpenter said he would make sure that Department of Correction officials provide Ayers and Staats with adequate computer access so they can prepare for trial. Carpenter indicated that Staats had expressed concern that the computer he has access to can't run all day on battery power, a sentiment echoed by Ayers.

While jury selection for Ayers, Staats and fellow inmates Deric Forney and Roman Shankaras starts Oct. 8, opening statements and testimony won't begin until Oct. 22, Carpenter said he expects the trial to last three or four weeks.

The four are among 16 inmates who were charged with murder, kidnapping, assault and other crimes following the uprising. Two others, including one who is expected to be a key prosecution witness and is in the group of defendants to be tried last, are charged with kidnapping, riot and conspiracy.

Correctional officer Steven Floyd was killed during the riot, and three other staffers were taken hostage. The siege ended when tactical teams used a backhoe to breach a wall and rescue a female counselor, hours after the release of two guards who had been beaten.
What to Know A section of 59th Street in Overbrook is now named for former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode Sr.

An emotional Goode accepted responsibility for the deadly MOVE bombing in 1985 as protesters chanted behind him at the naming ceremony.

Goode, 80, says he hopes people look at his entire record, not just the MOVE bombing.

Former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode Sr. "accepted responsibility" for the 1985 MOVE bombing and asked that he not be defined by one terrible day of his life as protesters chanted behind him at a street naming ceremony Friday.

W. Wilson Goode Sr. Way now runs along 59th Street between City and Overbrook Avenues in Overbrook Park, near where Goode lives.

Goode and other dignitaries took part in Friday morning's event as demonstrators shouted their displeasure about having a street named for Goode. Some protesters chanted "murderer" as Goode spoke.

A section of 59th Street in Philadelphia is set to be named for former Mayor Wilson Goode Sr. and not everyone is happy about the honor.

Goode was the city's first black mayor, a Democrat who served from 1984 to 1992. But he's most remembered for the deadly MOVE bombing, which happened under his leadership.

Theres still a lot of pain, theres still a lot of unresolved issues, community activist Maisha Sullivan-Ongoza said ahead of the ceremony.

Ahead of the dedication ceremony naming a block of 59th street after former mayor W. Wilson Goode, MOVE family activists are gathering to protest the naming, saying Goode should be held responsible for the bombing @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/DtYI3qNIsr  Randy Gyllenhaal (@RandyGyllenhaal) September 21, 2018

On Friday Goode said, "I accept responsibility... I was mayor that day. It happened on my watch."

Despite his admission Friday, Goode remained somewhat defiant.

"You will not define me by one day in my life," Goode said.

An emotional Goode promised to speak with demonstrators if they would speak with him, turning toward a police line and directly addressing them during his speech. "I was responsible," he repeated three times to those shouting at him.

"I grieve for the children who died, I grieved for the adults who died," Goode said Friday.

The now 80-year-old told NBC10 he hopes people take into account his entire career as mayor not just the 1985 police bombing of MOVE headquarters that killed 11 people, including children, and destroyed dozens of row homes.

I would hope they would objectively look at this and say Dr. Goode, former Mayor Goode, is a good man, hes a decent man, who worked every day of his life to do good for the people of Philadelphia Goode said ahead of the ceremony.

As protesters surrounded the street sign, some threatening to tear it down, following the ceremony Friday, Goode walked to his nearby home. No word if Goode and the demonstrators will have a meeting.
The authorities did not reveal the exact nature of his illness. Together with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, he took over the leadership of the regime in 2016. During his tenure, he received the harsh criticism from the international community for suppressing dissent. His election had confirmed the political domination of the conservatives.

Hanoi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Vietnamese president Tran Dai Quang (photo) died this morning at the age of 61, State media announced. A conservative figure of the communist regime, he had been seriously ill for months, but continued to perform his official duties despite visible fatigue and weight loss. The authorities did not reveal the exact nature of his illness.

Along with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Tran Dai Quang took over the leadership of the regime in 2016. Although his was a rather ceremonial role, he was one of the key men within the powerful Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Vietnam (Pcv) . It names the president and is the highest governing body in the country, being responsible for all the most important decisions. The death of the president does not destabilize the dictatorship: the real number one of the regime remains the general secretary of the Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong.

Former Minister of Public Security, key role of the regime, during his tenure, Tran Dai Quang received the harsh criticism of the international community: he contributed to the repression of any discordant voice, ordering the detention of political prisoners, bloggers or journalists. It was the first time that a police general was elected president in Vietnam. His election had confirmed the political domination of the conservatives, after a CP congress in January 2016 marked by strong struggles between conservatives and reformers.
What to Know A gunman injured four people Wednesday at a software company in Wisconsin

The gunman died after being shot by police, and authorities are searching for a motive

A day later, multiple people were killed in a shooting at a Rite Aid distribution center in Maryland

A Wisconsin software worker who opened fire on his fellow employees in their suburban Madison office had worked for the company for almost 18 months and had no criminal history in the state, authorities said Thursday.

Police killed the gunman in a shoot-out Wednesday morning inside WTS Paradigm's Middleton offices while responding to reports of an active shooter. The Dane County medical examiner identified the shooter Thursday as 43-year-old Anthony Tong.

Police said three people were seriously wounded in the attack and remained hospitalized Thursday. A fourth person was grazed but a bullet.

Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said the gunman had worked at WTS Paradigm since April 2017. Foulke said he had no criminal history in Wisconsin and lived alone. Officers searched Tong's house in nearby Verona Wednesday evening, but Foulke didn't say what they found.

The chief said investigators still don't know what prompted the attack .

"I'm dying to know the motive also," Foulke said during a Thursday news conference. "We just have not found one yet."

One victim was critically wounded but had been upgraded to serious condition by Thursday morning, while the two other victims remained in serious condition at University Hospital, according to a spokeswoman.

Foulke said investigators had interviewed two of those victims. He did not say what they divulged but called the conversations "really important interviews." The victims' names haven't been released.

WTS Paradigm officials issued a statement Wednesday saying the incident was shocking and heartbreaking, but the company provided no information about the shooting. A company spokesman didn't reply to emails Thursday.

Officers were called to WTS Paradigm in Middleton, a Madison suburb of about 17,440 people, just before 10:30 Wednesday. Foulke said officers arrived within 8 minutes of receiving emergency calls and found a man wielding a semiautomatic pistol. Foulke said the man was carrying extra magazines as well.

Two Middleton officers and two Dane County sheriff's deputies exchanged gunfire with Tong, killing him. The officers and deputies were not hurt, Foulke said.

The police chief said he didn't know if the victims were targeted or shot at random. He added that federal authorities are tracing the history of the pistol to determine how the gunman's acquired it.

WTS Paradigm makes software for the building products industry. A Wisconsin State Journal profile from 2014 listed company employment at about 145 workers and noted the company was looking to move to a larger location at the time.

The company has posted You Tube videos depicting a loose atmosphere in an upscale office marked by a breakroom that resembles a bar, a ping-pong table and a shuffleboard table, and workers in jeans and sweatshirts.

One video depicts an office Olympics in which workers compete by pedaling themselves around in their chairs and toss garbage in wastebaskets. Another video touts the company's charity contributions, including donations to the Madison Children's Museum, the American Diabetes Association and Habitat for Humanity.

Just a day later across the county, multiple people were killed in a shooting at a Rite Aid distribution center in Maryland.
A Wikipedia entry incorrectly connecting the naming of Balboa Park in San Diego to the famous movie character was flagged Thursday by a reporter for the Voice of San Diego.

According to a social media post, the entry on Wikipedia stated, Named for the famous Italian American prize fighter, Rocky Balboa, the park hosted the 1915016 Panama-California Exposition.

The fighter is, of course, fictional and the brainchild of producer and actor Sylvester Stallone who starred in seven movies centered around the so-called "Italian Stallion."

In the first film, Balboa prepares for a fight using the 72 stone steps near the Philadelphia Museum of Art as his training ground. The area and the dramatic score that accompanies the moment in the film have become synonymous with the determination of an underdog preparing for the fight of his life.

As a result, the steps and the statue have become two of the most popular attractions in the City of Brotherly Love, according to tourism sites.



[[341800071, C]]

So what is the origin of the name given to the largest park in San Diego?

According to the House of Pacific Relations, there was a contest in 1910 to find a name and Balboa Park won. The name was intended to honor Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the first European explorer to see the Pacific Ocean.

The Wikipedia entry has since been corrected.
Hundreds of guns and multiple cases of ammunition were seized from a Lakeside home during a raid tied to a year-long, multi-agency crackdown on San Diego County gangs, according to a complaint unsealed Thursday.

Inside Robert Thomas Welsh's home, the San Diego Sheriffs Department found 228 firearms, including AR-15 rifles and guns with destroyed serial numbers, multiple high capacity magazines and firearms silencers.

Welsh is one of 27 people indicted by the Southern District of California U.S. Attorney's Office for their alleged connection to criminal gang activity in San Diego County, according to a complaint unsealed Thursday.

Welsh told deputies that he considers himself a stay at home dad and has been colecting guns for more than 15 years, the complaint said.

The defendants were charged with racketeering, drug trafficking, and felony firearm possession, among others. All entered a plea of not guilty to their charges.

If convicted, the defendants could face anywhere from three years to life in prison. They are set to next appear in court on September 25.

About 200 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies raided dozens of locations in San Diego County before dawn Thursday looking for people who were believed to be street gang members and members of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman said.

A total of 20 people are in custody. Another five suspects remain at large, the attorney's office said.

About seven pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of over $150,000 was also seized as a result of the raids.

The raids came as the result of an investigation into drug and gun-related conspiracies that includes allegations of attempted kidnapping and attempted armed robbery, both of which were thwarted by law enforcement, according to the the U.S. attorneys office.

The U.S. attorney's office said the year-long investigation was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods backed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office released more than two hours of video Friday as part of its investigation and review of procedures involving the death of Earl McNeil after his arrest by National City police.

Law enforcement officers are not criminally liable in the incident according to the prosecutors' review.

McNeil, 40, of San Diego died on June 11, days after he was detained by National City police.

The video from cameras worn by officers as well as surveillance cameras showed a man who was behaving erratically, yelling, cursing, spitting and biting at fabric placed to protect law enforcement officers from being exposed to bodily fluids.

At moments, McNeil had conversations with himself  posing questions to himself and then answering them as if he were a law enforcement officer.

DA Summer Stephan described the video as "heart-wrenching."

She met with McNeil's family Friday before releasing the results of the investigation to the public.

In what may be graphic video, Earl McNeil bangs his head against the plexiglass of a law enforcement patrol car. The video was released after multiple community protests demanded video evidence showing what happened after McNeil was taken into custody by the National City Police Department on May 26, 2018.

The incident sparked several protests outside the police department and in front of the city council multiple times in June and July.

An attorney representing McNeil's family said they are still seeking video of the incident not released Friday and would pursue legal action if necessary.

[G] Earl McNeil Death Investigation

At 5:27 a.m. on May 26, McNeil used a phone outside the police department.

He "told the dispatcher that he had a warrant, was high, and wanted to kill Jesus," police officials said.

He suffered from schizophrenia and had a long history of contact with law enforcement that included a recent possession of a loaded firearm, the district attorney said.

Throughout the video McNeil made statements threatening violence and suicide. At other moments, he screamed for help and said he believed he was going to be killed.

Here is the timeline of events according to the DAs Office:

5:28 a.m. Phone contact with police dispatch

5:32 a.m. First contact with officers

5:47 a.m. Placed in police SUV, monitored

7:04 a.m. Transported to county jail

7:13 a.m. Arrived at county jail intake

7:18 a.m. Evaluated by nurse

7:22 a.m. Nurse completes medical evaluation

7:26 a.m. Psych and medical decision

7:28 a.m. Paramedics receive call for service

7:34 a.m. SD Fire paramedics arrive

7:37 a.m. McNeil moved into ambulance

7:42 a.m. McNeil moved out of ambulance for treatment

7:53 a.m. Ambulance departs for hospital

Every minute of custody was captured by either body-worn cameras or surveillance cameras, Stephan said.

Stephan said she believed, sharing as much information with the public is important in order to build trust and provide information that makes it clear to the public that there is open and accountable government.

In an official statement released on June 13, National City police said that when officers came out, McNeil was "agitated, made irrational statements, and acted paranoid."

Officers found 1.8 grams of methamphetamine and a knife in McNeil's possession, the DA said.

Officers restrained McNeil using a WRAP. As they were driving him to the county jail, officials said, McNeil showed distress. Paramedics were called and while he was being treated by paramedics, McNeil stopped breathing, police said.

McNeil stopped yelling and was calm before beginning to spit on the officers, the DA said. At one point, National City police placed a spit sock on McNeil's face.

"Mr. McNeil injured his mouth by grinding it on the cement," the district attorney said. "The officers tried to hold his head so he wouldn't injure himself further."

During an 8-minute ride to the jail, McNeil struck his head several times against the plexiglass partition in the patrol car, officials said. Officials say the injuries sustained in the patrol car were superificial.

It was when the patrol vehicle arrived to the central jail that a nurse evaluated McNeil.

For approximately two hours and 20 minutes, while he was asking for help, he really wasnt evaluated until the paramedics got there, the McNeil familys attorney Doug Applegate said. He never got any medical attention until just before his heart stopped at 7:44 a.m. in the central jail.

He said the family would continue their investigation.

Theres a lot of questions that still need to be explored and the only place I know that were going to be able to conduct that investigation is in the building across the way in U.S. Federal District Court, he said.

The coroners report stated the methamphetamine alone was sufficient to kill Earl McNeil, District Attorney Summer Stephan explained.

Brain damage due to lack of oxygen was the cause of death, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office. The manner of death has been determined to be a homicide.

The homicide label is used for anything that involves human hands in a situation like this, Stephan said.

Toxicology results taken at 8 a.m. on May 26 by hospital workers showed McNeil had .61 mg of methamphetamine and .04 mg of amphetamine in his system, Stephan said.

The coroners report stated the methamphetamine alone was sufficient to kill him.

The medical examiner was unable to determine if the cardiac arrest caused the respiratory arrest or vice versa, the DA said.

McNeil's heart stopped while he was in the care of medical professional, she added.

Here is a timeline released by the DA's Office in advance of the media briefing.

McNeil's family and members of the community have held multiple protests demanding to see bodycam video from the morning of May 26.

San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan addresses if Earl McNeil was having a seizure or was unable to breathe when she reveals the results of the investigation into his death.

A San Diego Union-Tribune article states McNeil was a paid informant for National City police. The paper said police denied McNeil was working for the department.

Stephan confirmed McNeil worked with law enforcement and the DA's office on a major murder case that took place on New Year's Eve 2002.

Two women were killed and a boy was shot six times shielding a toddler, the DA said.

He was not an informant in that he was offered a deal but served as a witness, she said.

McNeil was very courageous. He drew a line even as a gang member, Stephan said. He decided to have the courage to step up to that risking his own life.
A trial date has been set for a San Diego-area priest accused of forcibly groping and making sexual advances towards an adult seminary student.

Juan Garcia Castillo, 35, is accused of unlawfully touching an intimate part of another person on February 4, according to a complaint filed against him.

Castillo, who is a naturalized United States citizen originally from Honduras, had served as an associate pastor at St. Patrick's Parish in Carlsbad since 2011.

He was removed from the parish in March and criminally charged with one count of misdemeanor sexual battery in May.

A trial date of December 11 was set for Castillo at an arraignment hearing Friday.

Attorney Victor Pippins said he looks forward to clearing his client's name at trial.

"we set a trial in this case because my client has dedicated his life to the Catholic church and obviously these allegations have challenged his ability to remain with the Catholic church," Pippins said.

"Thats why we think a trial is appropriate and we look forward to it."

If convicted, Castillo faces six months behind bars and a $2,000 fine.

The diocese of San Diego suspended Castillo the day after they got the report from officials, according to Kevin Eckery, Vice Chancellor of Communications and Public Affairs for the Diocese of San Diego.

In a statement released Tuesday night, Eckery said the diocese did not inform the parish in an attempt not to influence the criminal case.

If the allegations involved a minor, the diocese would have made an announcement to every parish where he had served, he said.

Last week, the Catholic Diocese of San Diego released the names of eight priests who at one time worked in San Diego County and have credible reports of child abuse against them.

The eight names: The Reverends Jose Chavarin, Raymond Etienne, J. Patrick Foley, Michael French, Richard Houck, George Lally and Paolino Montagna, and Monsignor Mark Medaer.

The cases against them date as far back as the 60s and 70s, and not all of the alleged abuse incidents happened in San Diego, the diocese said. Five of the eight priests are now dead and the diocese was only able to provide photographs of three.

The addition of the names brings the total number of abusive priests connected to the diocese to 56. The previous 48 were identified after a 2007 settlement in which the diocese paid out almost $200 million to victims.

The release of the names followed a grand jury report implicating hundreds of Catholic clergy members in six Pennsylvania diocese in the sexual abuse of thousands of children over several decades.

You can read the entire grand jury report here.

Included in that report is Father Ernest Paone, who volunteered at at least two San Diego County parishes while on loan from the Pittsburgh Diocese from the 60s to the 90s.
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican challenger Corey Stewart debated in Northern Virginia Wednesday evening on NBC4.

NBC News political director and "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd moderated the debate, and News4 Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey and anchor Aaron Gilchrist were on the panel along with George Mason University Dean Dr. Mark J. Rozell.

The candidates in Virginia's U.S. Senate race had a quarrelsome first debate in July, with President Donald Trump serving as a frequent focal point of the sparring.

Stewart, a one-time state chairman of Trump's presidential campaign, accused Kaine of being an ineffective elitist who puts his opposition to the president above all other considerations. Stewart said Trump-backed tax cuts and increases in military spending were helping Virginia's working class and chided Kaine for not being more supportive.

Kaine, a former vice presidential candidate seeking his second term in the Senate, said he's worked with Trump on areas of common agreement but always puts Virginia's interests first. Kaine said he's a needed check against the president and mocked Stewart for saying the president was "standing up" to Russia.

A survey conducted Sept. 4-9 for the University of Mary Washington by the national research firm SSRS found Kaine had a 51 percent to 33 percent margin among registered voters and a 52 percent to 36 percent margin among likely voters. Libertarian candidate Matt Waters received 5 percent support in both subsets.
Say goodbye to Taylor Gourmet.

The D.C. sandwich shop will close all locations after Sunday, Sept. 23, a company representative confirmed.

Known for its large hoagies with fresh ingredients, Taylor Gourmet has 10 locations in D.C., plus others in Maryland, Virginia and Chicago.

Sources told Washingtonian, which was first to report the news, that the company would file for bankruptcy. A company representative declined to comment on the matter.

Co-founder Casey Patten drew criticism last year after attending a White House ceremony with President Donald Trump. Sales dropped and then recovered, according to the representative. Patten told The Washington Post that his White House visit was apolitical and that in 2012 he participated in an event with former president Barack Obama.

Taylor Gourmet's first location opened in 2008 on H Street NE.
What to Know The shooting happened Thursday at a Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland.

The Harford County sheriff said the suspect was identified as a temporary employee, Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County.

Three people were fatally shot and three more were wounded, the sheriff said. Moseley died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, he said.

The woman who killed three people and wounded others before shooting herself to death at a Maryland drugstore warehouse had been diagnosed with a mental illness and used a legally purchased gun in the rampage, a law enforcement official said Friday.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told news reporters Friday that the suspect, 26-year-old Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County, had been diagnosed with a mental illness in 2016. "That's as far as I'll go with it," he said, declining to give any more details about the illness.

He said Moseley had become increasingly agitated in recent weeks, and relatives had been concerned for her well-being.

Gahler said she used a handgun that she legally purchased in March to fire a total of 13 rounds Thursday morning and died after shooting herself in the head.

Gahler identified the three people Moseley fatally shot as Sunday Aguda, a 45-year-old man from Baltimore County; Hayleen Reyes, a 41-year-old woman from Baltimore; and Brindra Giri, a 41-year-old woman from Baltimore County.

A family friend said Giri was a mother of two and recent immigrant from Nepal whose relatives were devastated. Attempts to reach family members of the other victims were not immediately successful.

The sheriff identified the wounded survivors as Hassan Mitchell, a 19-year-old man from Harford County; Wilfredo Villegas, a 45-year-old man from Montgomery County; and Acharya Purna, a 45-year-old man from New York.

He also gave more details about how the violence unfolded.

Moseley had been hired for the holiday season and had been working there for less than two weeks. She entered the building at 6:30 a.m. As people lined up to come in the building, Gahler said she cut in line and words were exchanged, but it was a "little incident." She left around 7:21 a.m. Moseley, who had worked security jobs in the past, drove to her White Marsh home and got a handgun, pepper spray and handcuffs. She arrived back at the parking lot around 8:35 a.m. and entered the front door around 8:52 a.m.

He says she pulled a hooded shirt over her head and began shooting, striking and killing Aguda outside the building. Inside, where there were about 65 people, she fatally shot Giri and Reyes and also shot Mitchell, Villegas and Purna, who survived. She shot herself twice before police arrived, he said  once with a grazing wound and then with the fatal shot. She was already down when officers arrived and an officer moved her from the scene, not knowing that she was the shooter, he said.

When asked how Moseley could legally buy a gun after being diagnosed with a mental illness, officials said it had not been determined that she had a "propensity for violence to self or others."

The sheriff said the motive is still a mystery and may remain so.

"There's just no way to make sense of something so senseless," he said. "There's still a lot of questions that we don't know."

The shooting sent survivors screaming and running in all directions from the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland. Others nearby helped the wounded, and one person tied blood-soaked jeans around an injured man's leg trying to stanch the bleeding.

Worker Walter Zambrano, 64, said he was fortunate that he was in a bathroom when shooting broke out during a 9 a.m. morning break, when workers were gathering in a cafeteria. He hid in the bathroom until the shooting stopped, fearing for his life.

The person was "shooting like crazy, bam! bam! bam!" Zambrano said, speaking in Spanish. "Everyone was screaming, running this way and that. I didn't know which way to run."

On Thursday, 33-year-old Dominique Norton of Aberdeen, endured an excruciating wait of nearly two hours to be reunited with her mother, 62-year-old warehouse worker Irene Norton. The younger woman said she didn't know that her mother was unharmed until she got off a bus at the fire station and they tearfully embraced.

"I busted out crying. I was relieved and shaken," she said. "I am praying for all of the victims."

Giri had joined her husband in the U.S. in April, bringing her son and daughter and thinking the children would do well here, said Harry Bhandari, a community leader and candidate for Maryland state delegate who said he has known her family for about 10 years.

"It's terrible," he said.

Giri was an energetic hard worker who saw the job at the distribution center as a "stepping stone," said Bhandari, who was at a funeral home with her relatives Friday afternoon as they made arrangements.

Speaking through Bhandari, Giri's husband said they had married young and were happy together and that there was not a bad thing to say about her.

The attack came nearly three months after a man with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper. It came less than a year after a fatal workplace shooting less than 10 miles from the warehouse, in which five were shot, three fatally.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that, unfortunately, shooting like this are "becoming a too-often occurrence" in the nation.
Students walking to school in Waldorf, Maryland, on Friday morning found the body of a man near a bike path, police say.

The students were walking along a trail toward Benjamin Stoddert Middle School about 7:30 a.m. when they saw what they believed to be a body, police said. They walked to school and reported their disturbing discovery.

School officials confirmed that Charles County Sheriff and Maryland State Fire officials investigated and found the body of a man. Police said the body had signs of trauma to the lower body but indicated the injuries are not consistent with a gunshot or stab wound.

There is a wooded area behind the school with trails connecting Wakefield Circle, Bannister Circle and the school grounds on the 2000 block of St. Thomas Drive.

Many people in the area use the trail because it connects different neighborhoods and the school. Investigators believe the body had not been there for very long, said Charles County Sheriff's Office Spokeswoman Diane Richardson.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.
What to Know Election Day is on Nov. 6, but voting has already begun

Minnesota law allows in-person voting to begin Friday, making it the first battleground state to begin casting actual votes

South Dakota opens early voting on Friday, and key states like New Jersey and Missouri allow voting in the next six days

Much of the political world is consumed with a battle over a Supreme Court nominee, an expanding international trade war and President Donald Trump's social media posts. Yet in Minnesota, the first votes of the 2018 midterm elections are being cast.

Voting machines are set up inside city buildings. A series of get-out-the-vote rallies is scheduled. And each party is spending millions of dollars to push its supporters to the polls.

While Election Day 2018 is technically Nov. 6, Minnesota law allows in-person voting to begin Friday  a full 46 days early  making it the first battleground state to begin casting actual votes in the broader fight for control of Congress.

Voters in every corner of the nation will soon follow.

South Dakota also opens early voting on Friday, and four more states follow in the next six days, including key states including New Jersey and Missouri. California, Montana and Arizona are among seven others that allow early voting in the subsequent two weeks.

It may feel early, but make no mistake: The final phase of the 2018 midterm season has begun.

"It's like Election Day every day," said Jake Schneider, spokesman for Minnesota Republican Senate candidate Karin Housley. "It really changes the dynamic of an election. It really does. And it's exciting."

The commencement of voting in key states underscores the heightened significance of virtually every major development  political or otherwise  on the state and national stage in the coming days. Economic indicators, the president's tweets, new revelations in the special counsel investigation and even the weather begin to matter much more as voters decide whether to go to the polls.

It's been an inauspicious beginning to the voting season for Trump and his Republican Party, which continue to struggle under the weight of near-constant self-imposed crises and chaos.

The president escalated a trade war with China in recent days, triggering new waves of concern among farmers and major employers across Minnesota and beyond. And the GOP's continued embrace of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, despite an allegation of decades-old sexual misconduct, threatens to further alienate suburban women, a key constituency this fall that has already largely turned away from Trump.

Political parties and their allies are ramping up voter outreach programs in several states to mark the beginning of the early voting phase.

The Democratic allies, Priorities USA Action and the Senate Majority PAC, for example, are launching a multimillion-dollar digital ad campaign next week as part of a voter mobilization program across five states that targets African-Americans, young Hispanics and other young people.

One of the new ads, shared with The Associated Press, highlights the rise of white supremacists in the Trump era. In another, a young black man says, "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to vote this year."

As is the case in many midterm battlegrounds, outside groups for several weeks have been dumping money into Minnesota, which features at least four competitive House elections, two U.S. Senate contests and a governor's race.

Each of the political parties deployed paid staff and volunteers on the ground several months ago to identify supporters and persuade them to vote.

Democrats are focused on turning out "communities of color" in Minnesota, particularly in the areas around Minneapolis that feature large Somali and Southeast Asian populations, according to Ramsey Reid, the Midwestern regional director for the Democratic National Committee.

Democrats are working to ensure that minorities, who are considered more sporadic voters in some cases, comprise more than 8 percent of the Minnesota electorate, Reid said, noting that they made up less than 6 percent in the last midterm elections.

Republicans are focused on trying to bank their own set of "low-propensity" voters in the initial days of early voting, a group identified through several months of on-the-ground work with its expanding network of field staff and volunteers, according to Matt Dailer, the political strategy director for the Republican National Committee.

The RNC has a permanent presence on the ground in Minnesota and 19 other early voting states, he said, noting that the GOP is running a series of nationwide get-out-the-vote tests beginning Oct. 1 to ensure its system is running smoothly.

Minnesota faces an unusually high number of competitive races this fall.

Recent polling gave narrow leads to Democratic Rep. Tim Walz in the gubernatorial race and incumbent Democratic Sen. Tina Smith in the special election to fill the final two years of Democratic former Sen. Al Franken's term, but their Republican opponents were within striking distance.

And four of the state's eight congressional races are considered tossups. Two of those races, in southern Minnesota's 1st District and northeastern Minnesota's 8th District, are for open seats held by retiring Democrats, and they afford Republicans two of their pickup opportunities in the nation. That's essentially the only place where the GOP is poised to flip a Democratic seat. In the suburban 2nd and 3rd districts, however, Democratic challengers stand good chances of defeating Republican incumbents.

Minnesota Democrats have planned an early vote campaign blitz this weekend with a series of rallies and surrogate appearances featuring people like former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and David Wellstone, the son of the late Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone.

After a Friday rally at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Smith and other Democrats plan to encourage attendees to hop on the nearby light-rail train and head downtown to vote.

Democratic congressional candidate Angie Craig, who's taking on GOP incumbent Rep. Jason Lewis in the 2nd District, was planning her own "Early Vote Weekend of Action."

"This race will come down to who turns out to vote between Friday and Election Day," Craig told the AP. "We need every Democrat to turn out for this election."

Minnesota is among 37 states that offer "no-excuse" absentee voting or another kind of early voting this year. Roughly 40 percent of ballots nationwide were not cast in a polling place on Election Day in the 2014 and 2016 elections.

Minnesota's no-excuse absentee voting system has soared in popularity since it rolled out in 2014. Voters don't have to give a reason for voting early, as some states require, and they can change their minds until a week before Election Day.

"We no longer have an Election Day; we have an election window," said Wendy Underhill of the National Conference of State Legislatures. "It's beginning now."
What began as a trip to Dick Dunmire's hometown of Pittsburgh has turned into an 11-day evacuation. And counting.

Its been that long since Dunmire and his wife, Linda, have set foot in their home in Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina, which is not far from the Cape Fear River and the North Carolina coast.

They've been staying with family in North Wildwood, New Jersey for the past week and a half. But the couple are anxiously awaiting their trip home in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

Im anxious to get back home," Dunmire said. "Its been too long.

Sept. 9, Dunmire left for his 50th class reunion in Pittsburgh. It was good timing to take a trip north.

Florence was boiling in the Atlantic Ocean, aiming right at his North Carolina home.

Still, preparing for the then-Category 4 storm felt familiar. They've lived in North Carolina for 10 years, so the Dunmires have had experience in hunkering down. They did it most recently for Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

And Dunmire had served in the Coast Guard about two hours north in Morehead City. Hed evacuated that area on several occasions.

Florence, though, was different.

[NATL]Florence in Photos: Long Recovery Ahead for Carolinas From Record Flooding

"The rainfall was unimaginable, Dunmire said. At one point, his area received 20 inches of rain in two hours.

Luckily, the Dunmires have received no reports of damage to their home. The town of Boiling Spring Lake has running water, but no electricity and many roads leading to their community have been washed away.

He does not expect the power to come on until at least Sunday night.

Still, he doesn't mind returning to the dark. He's planning to leave as soon as he can, perhaps even Friday.
One week after gas fires and explosions rocked the Merrimack Valley, first responders and residents in three Massachusetts communities are telling their stories about what they experienced. Meanwhile, some residents learned Thursday that their gas service may not be restored for several months.

Emergency crews were trying to help as many people as possible. At the Andover Police Department, the 911 calls started coming in late Thursday afternoon as dispatchers Katie Ramos and Melissa Kurkjian were about to leave for the day. First, they got a call about a fire at a restaurant and then a call for a house fire, which they said was unusual for Andover. When the calls did not stop after that, they knew something was wrong.

I just remember looking around the room at one point and seeing every single phone we had light up and we had no idea why this was happening or what to tell the town besides to leave, Ramos said.

Ramos and Kurkjian said the toughest part was figuring out which resources to send where when the need seemed to be everywhere.

We had to prioritize and ask people do you see a flame or do you just smell the gas, Kurkjian said. We probably had 9 or 10 calls at the same time and you couldnt get off the phone fast enough to answer the next call.

Nancy Wright of Andover frantically dialed 911 after she and her husband, Brian, saw a fire in their neighbor's basement.

"I was scared to death," Brian Wright said. "I mean, it was bright, blazing. I said, 'It's going to go up like a tinderbox.'"

He ran next door to tell his neighbor, Shawn Harty. He was unable to find him immediately, and as the fire grew, so did Nancy's fear while she was talking to dispatch.

"I couldn't breathe. It sucked the air out of me. I went back outside, went in, started banging on doors, yelling 'Fire,'" he explained.

He finally found Harty, who had to get a fire extinguisher and use it. Fire officials say the quick actions may have saved the house.

Columbia Gas said Thursday that while gas service is being turned back on for customers who are not on the system impacted by the incident, restoration is expected to take several months for those on that system.

In North Andover, firefighters responded to 114 calls in an 8 hour period. They had 44 firefighters respond to what they have since confirmed was 33 fires. Lt. Michael Beirne responded to a half dozen of them.

At one point, were crawling through a basement maze, past boilers that are spewing burning gas to reach a gas meter so we can shut it off and save a house. There was no hesitation, Beirne said.

North Andover's Deputy Fire Chief Graham Rowe said it was the first time in his career he put out an all department callback, meaning all hands on deck. He said the mutual aid coming from as far away as Manchester, New Hampshire was a lifesaver. They had no civilian injuries in North Andover.

In Lawrence, they treated 13 patients at Lawrence General Hospital. Two of them were critical. The hospital had the gas turned off as a precaution and at one point ran on generator power due to the incident. Director of Emergency Services Kim Moriarty said the entire staff felt the duty to come in and help.

I was blown away by the staff that rerouted themselves 20 times due to the road closures and the staff that didnt know where their families were and were affected by the tragedy, Moriarty said.

One week later they see the signs of appreciation amidst the devastation. Cards and donations are pouring into their departments as the public says thank you.

We appreciate everything they do for us, thats why we do what we do for them, Rowe said.

As proud as they are of what they were able to do, many first responders said they will still study the response in the coming months to try and learn what they can do better.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services says it will conduct meetings across the state to get public input on a 10-year mental health plan.

The department's director Julianne Carbin said Thursday that the development of the plan has been underway since the beginning of the year. New Hampshire Public Radio reports a draft report of the plan is expected by mid-October.

Children's Behavioral Health Collaborative Coordinator Rebecca Whitley says the last 10-year plan issued in 2008 didn't address children, something that she feels should change with this plan.

Carbin says the draft plan will be published in time for a final public meeting in Concord in October.
Final inspections of prospective marijuana businesses were underway, Massachusetts' top marijuana regulator said Thursday, but the question of when the state's first pot shops will finally open their doors remained unanswered.

Steven Hoffman, chairman of the Cannabis Control Commission, declined to offer a date for the start of recreational marijuana sales, but he expressed confidence it would happen sometime in the fall. There was a "distinct possibility," he added, that the panel could begin issuing final licenses at its next public meeting on Oct. 4.

The stores, when they do open, would be the first in the eastern United States. A 2016 voter-approved law that legalized recreational marijuana called for retail sales to begin by Jan. 1, 2018. The Legislature later moved the target date back to July 1, yet there is still no place in Massachusetts for people to buy the drug legally, except for medical purposes.

Hoffman acknowledged the frustration that consumers and many in the cannabis industry were feeling about the slow rollout of recreational marijuana sales but defended the panel for thoroughly reviewing prospective businesses to assure safety and compliance with all regulations.

"I will not apologize for the behavior of the commission," Hoffman told reporters. "I will say I'm sorry for the people that had expectations that were not met."

The panel on Thursday approved provisional retail licenses for proposed marijuana stores in Ayer, Hudson, Pittsfield and Salisbury. That brought to 15 the number of retailers that have been issued provisional licenses since July 1, but none can begin selling recreational pot until final licenses are issued.

For a business to be granted a final operating license, it must pass inspection by the commission, and all its employees must register with the state.

Hoffman said he did not know the results of the first inspections conducted earlier this week, but he said they demonstrated that the process was moving forward.

"The final inspection is to see if there are any issues. And if there are issues we are going to have to have those issues dealt with and we are going to have to go out and re-inspect," he said.

Shaleen Title, an associate commissioner on the five-member panel who has expressed her own impatience with the delays, thanked commission investigators for being thorough in their review of license applicants. But she said regulators should continually update consumers on the timeline for opening stores.

"They have been waiting for two years," said Title, who has also been critical of cities and towns for demanding too much from businesses in return for allowing them to operate in their communities.

Also Thursday, Hoffman said the decision by GFA Federal Credit Union, of Gardner, to be the first financial institution to offer banking services to marijuana businesses in Massachusetts was "incredibly significant," and he urged other banks to follow suit.

Banks are reluctant to service the cannabis industry because marijuana remains illegal under federal law, restricting many businesses to cash-only sales.
A Red Sox fan from Hudson, New Hampshire, was killed on Wednesday night while attempting to climb on top of a train on his way home from Yankee Stadium.

Michael Vigeant, 24, was electrocuted while trying to climb from inside a train car on the Metro-North train heading from Yankee Stadium to New Haven, Connecticut. Vigeant's brother Lenny, who also tried to climb on top of the train, was safely removed by train personnel.

"It all happened really quick," Lenny Vigeant told NBC10 Boston. "It was going from having a great time to the worst possible thing that could ever happen."

Vigeant touched a catenary wire, which is an overhead electrified wire, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials. Passengers on the train attempted CPR on Vigeant, who was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

"The train came to a stop, and after a while the conductor came through looking very nervous, asking if there were any doctors or nurses on board," New York Post senior writer Bob Fredericks, a passenger on the train, told the New Hampshire Union Leader.

"A woman who said she was a nurse went running past me. She was gone for about 40 minutes then came back looking pretty shaken, saying a man had climbed on top of the train and was electrocuted," Fredericks said.

Delays on the New Haven Line trains lasted nearly two hours according to some passengers. The incident occurred about half an hour after the train originally departed at 11 p.m. and the train didn't reach its final stop in New Haven until roughly 3:20 a.m.

"I felt like there was more I could do in the situation that I wasnt able to do," Lenny Vigeant said.

The Vigeant family, now coming in from across the country, is left to grieve.

"I really can't even... I can't even adjust that he's not part of us anymore," said father Leonard Vigeant. "There's times we'll set the table and I'm sure there will be a plate for him."

The family said Vigeant had an adventurous, caring spirit that he showed even on his last night alive.

"There's no one that he ever had a difference with. Everyone just loved Mike," said Leonard Vigeant.

"He was getting heckled by a couple guys and they were pretty aggressive and Mike just looked at them and smiled and said, 'I love you, brother! I love you man,'" added Lenny Vigeant.
What to Know Philip Horner, 38, was ordered held without bail and to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital.

Horner is facing charges of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and resisting arrest.

Police said Horner stabbed a tow truck driver 5 five times in Watertown after the driver fatally struck Horner's mother on Sept. 19.

A Massachusetts man charged with stabbing a tow truck driver during a chaotic road rage confrontation that started when the driver allegedly struck and killed the suspect's mother with his vehicle, faced a judge on Thursday.

In Waltham District Court, Philip Horner, 38, was ordered held without bail and to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital, per the recommendation of a psychologist who said there were concerns of mental health issues following the incident on Wednesday. A not guilty plea was entered on Horner's behalf.

Horner faces charges of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and resisting arrest for stabbing a tow truck driver accused of striking his 68-year-old mother with his vehicle in Watertown.

The Middlesex District Attorney's Office said police responded to a call around 11:20 a.m. Wednesday for a reported road rage incident underway on Watertown Street after a woman in her late 60s was struck by a flatbed tow truck.

The woman, since identified as Benita Horner, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Immediately after the crash, authorities said Philip Horner became engaged in an altercation with the tow truck driver, stabbing him five times in the torso. In a police report, the driver was identified as 60-year-old Thomas Fogerty.

Fogerty is currently in critical condition at a Boston hospital.

In court, the psychologist said Horner had suicidal thoughts, a hard time speaking and was severely depressed. Horner also reportedly banged his head against a wall while in custody Wednesday night.

According to a police report, when officers arrived at the intersection of Watertown and California streets, Horner was screaming, "he ran over my mother, he ran over my mother," while holding a knife.

Moe Taha, who owns nearby Jana Grill, said the driver ran inside his restaurant for help.

"The driver was running for his life," Taha said. "I brought water and I brought rags. Yeah, a lot of rags, because they are bleeding a lot."

According to the police report, Horner was ordered several times to drop the knife. Two officers were able to place him under arrest while he put up a struggle.

Fogertys Towing, the company that owns the flatbed tow truck, said they were aware of the incident and are concerned for their driver.

NBC10 Boston spoke with one of Benita Horner's neighbors who said she had concerns about her son's mental health.

"She just said he's not getting the help that he needs. The bottom line that she always said, 'It takes time, it takes time,'" neighbor Anna Pizzuto said.

Horner's arraignment is scheduled to take place Oct. 10, after his psychiatric evaluation.
What to Know Columbia Gas announced Friday that they plan to have service restored to all residents by Nov. 19 after last week's gas explosions.

More than 8,000 customers in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover are still without gas service in the wake of the disaster.

Hotplates for cooking and space heaters for warmth will be distributed to affected residents beginning on Saturday, officials said.

Columbia Gas officials said Friday that it will be two months before all residents of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover affected by last week's explosions and fires have their service restored.

The company said gas service will be restored to all of the roughly 8,600 affected customers by Nov. 19 as they work to replace 48 miles of pipeline. The Sept. 13 disaster killed one person, injured 25 others and damaged or destroyed dozens of homes and businesses in the three communities.

While most residents who were forced to flee their homes have been allowed to return, thousands remain without natural gas service needed for cooking, hot water and to heat their homes as fall arrives and temperatures begin to drop as soon as this weekend.

The Padilla family in Lawrence can't believe how long they may have to go without service at their Dunstable Street home. They're already boiling water for baths and showers.

"Every day, for everyone to take a shower, they need to heat it up in the microwave," said Camila Lopez. "[They] let it cool down and everyone takes a shower with that."

"We all share the same goal of getting people back to their normal daily life, whether it's a hot shower, a home-cooked meal or the ability to open up a business," said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who declared a state of emergency last week. "We're bringing every available resource to make this happen."

Twenty crews are currently deployed to work on the pipeline, with that number increasing to 60 on Monday. By Oct. 8, 195 crews will be working to restore the pipeline. Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Joe Albanese will serve as chief recovery officer for the restoration project.

Baker and local officials also announced Friday that hotplates for cooking and space heaters for warmth will be distributed to residents without natural gas service.

The self-contained hotplate units will be delivered door-to-door to Lawrence residents beginning on Saturday and will be distributed to affected Andover and North Andover residents at designated claim centers in those towns over the weekend.

About 24,000 space heaters will be made available to homes and businesses starting on Monday, but officials said local fire chiefs and electricians must first certify that the devices can be operated safely in each of the homes before they can be used. For homes where space heaters are not an option, "alternative home heating options'' will be explored.

"Safety will be paramount," said Albanese.

"I'm not crazy about a space heater, but I mean, if it's going to help," said Joan Mejia of Lawrence.

Mejia also says he's sick of going to the gym to shower, and he has many questions for Columbia Gas that he says he can't get answered.

"Are my pipes going to freeze? Am I going to have to leave my house again? That type of stuff," he explained.

The governor said members of the Massachusetts National Guard have been activated to assist with the distribution of the hotplates and heaters.

As many as 2,000 natural gas meters could be turned back on within a couple of weeks, according to officials, and the utility hopes to have nearly 200 crews working on the ground by early October.

Joe Hamrock, the CEO of Columbia Gas' parent company, NiSource Inc., said the company on Wednesday would begin deploying teams to homes and businesses to determine if any damaged appliances need to be replaced before gas can be safely restored.

"We owe it to this community to make sure everyone's needs are addressed," he said.

Meanwhile, a claims center remains open for Andover, North Andover and Lawrence residents where customers can file loss and damage claims as well as receive gift cards to cover the costs of food for the week.

Columbia Gas will hold a job fair on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Greater Lawrence Technical School at 57 River Road in Andover. The gas company is seeking plumbers, electricians, customer service representatives and IT professionals interested in working on the restoration process.

The investigation into the explosions is ongoing. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is looking into work that was underway at a Columbia Gas site at Winthrop and South Union streets in Lawrence.

The agency said it discovered evidence that pressure sensors had been attached to a gas line that was being taken out of service on the day of the explosions. While the agency has not identified this as the cause, they explained that the sensors are used to indicate when gas is low and more is needed.

Feeney Brothers Utility Services of Dorchester was one of two subcontractors used by Columbia Gas in Lawrence, according to the city's Public Works Department.

The company issued a statement Friday confirming that one of its crews was working at the direction of Columbia Gas on a low-pressure to low-pressure gas main tie-in at the intersection of South Union and Salem streets on the day of the gas explosions.

Feeney Brothers said it is assisting with the NTSB's investigation and four of its crew members have been interviewed by the agency.

"While the investigation will take time, we have no doubt that Feeneys crew will be found to have done their work professionally, safely and correctly. We stand by our crew and all our workers," the company said in its statement.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren planned to meet with Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera later Friday to discuss recovery efforts before attending a cookout for affected residents being hosted by the Lawrence Housing Authority.

Warren and the state's other U.S. senator, Democrat Edward Markey, wrote to utility officials earlier this week that the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration had determined that the pressure in gas pipelines prior to the explosions and fires was 12 times higher than it should have been.
Regular columnist Ruth Lilley has been running a half marathon, but she did have some help

Regular columnist Ruth Lilley has been running a half marathon, but she did have some help

Christian care home celebrates Fran's service Tenants at Brakendon Close independent living community enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea in celebration of nearly ten years dedicated service by Fran Veale. Read more

Chance to see epic tale of man who changed China The epic tale of a Norwich man who gave up all to change the Chinese nation is being told in the feature documentary, Children of Shanghai at Cinema City Norwich on Tuesday November 23 at 6pm. Read more

Convert Nissar to tell his story at Norwich dinner Nissar Hussain, a high profile convert from Islam to Christianity, who has suffered persecution for his decision, is the speaker at the Christmas dinner of the Norwich FGB on December 13 in Norwich. Read more

Norfolk charity provides some soul space for young people As we move into a new season North Breckland Youth for Christ is finding innovative ways to engage with young people. Read more

Eaton quilt of kindness displays bright things from darks times A Quilt of Kindness produced by a crafters group in Eaton will be on display in Christ Church later this month. Read more

Engagement, property and youth worker needed YMCA Norfolk is looking for a Housing Engagement Worker, a Property Co-ordinator and a Youth Project Lead. Read more

Lady Dannatt praises Community Chaplaincy Norfolk Lady Dannatt, the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, applauded the work of Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) when she spoke at its annual meeting. Read more

New cross sculpture illuminates Norwich church The Open Door Christian Fellowship in Norwich switched on its new illuminated cross which sits a top The Building in Ramsey Close. Read more

Christmas Events Week at Dereham bookshop Green Pastures Christian bookshop in Dereham is holding a Christmas Events Week. The managers, Irene Humphrey and Helen Cockburn, explain. Read more

When God the master chef gets to work. Regular contributor Jane Walters has been creating soup, and marvels at how such a combination of sometimes disparate and random ingredients can produce a nourishing and worthy end product. Read more

Diocese of Norwich votes to sell fossil fuel shares Today the Diocese of Norwich Synod voted overwhelmingly (by 61 votes to 5) to approve a motion to divest from fossil fuels, following a thoughtful debate. Read more

YMCA to stage Christmas craft fayre in Norwich YMCA Norfolk will be staging a Christmas Craft Fayre at its Aylsham Road Community Hub in Norwich on November 27. Read more

Fakenham Baptists building for the future Fakenham Baptist Community Church is developing a brand-new building on the outskirts of Fakenham which they will use to provide a range of amenities to serve the community as well as for worship. Read more

Impossible choices: Christian Aid Christmas appeal At Christmas, we all have decisions to make whether its which presents to buy or who to invite for lunch - but imagine having to make the impossible choice of giving your children dirty water to drink or none at all. Read more

Christian unity service set for new year All Christian churches and groups are invited to a service on January 20 at St John's Cathedral in Norwich to pray for Christian unity. Read more

Eco-activists call on Diocese of Norwich to divest Church eco-activists are calling on the Diocese of Norwich to withdraw from fossil fuel investments and plan to stage a small prayer vigil outside Norwich Cathedral before the diocesan Synod meets on Saturday to take a decision on the matter. Read more

Caister church gets funding for repairs Holy Trinity Church in Caister-on-Sea has been awarded two grants totalling 17,500 which will enable essential repairs and improvements to be carried out. Read more
Former Intel executive Renee James, who could have been the CEO following the ouster of Brian Krzanich last June, has instead launched a broadside attack against her former employer in the form of Ampere Computing, a startup company that develops ARM-based chips for the data center.

Sound familiar? Its what Cavium has been doing for some time  and gaining a good bit of momentum. However, the fields are still very green, and Ampere has more than enough room to grow.

Ampere is based in the Silicon Valley but has an office in Portland, Oregon, not far from Intels primary development facility in Hillsboro, and apparently Ampere has been picking up Intel employees left and right.

Ampere isnt exactly starting from scratch. It acquired the X Gene Arm server processor business from MACOM, which in turn acquired that business from Applied Micro, which started out with its ARM server business back in 2011.

The initial releases, the X-Gene 1 and X-Gene 2, werent terribly impressive; only eight cores running at 2.4 GHz. Work had begun on the X-Gene 3 chip, codename Skylark, but was not completed when the company got passed around. Once Ampere picked up the pieces, it ran with what it had.

Ampere has given the X-Gene 3 chip, now known as eMAG, quite a boost. It has 32 cores running at 3.3GHz with L2 and L3 cache hierarchy, integrated SATA I/O ports and 42 lanes of PCI-Express 3.0 peripheral bandwidth across eight controllers. The chip also includes twice as many memory channels, eight per socket, which doubled the memory capacity up to 1TB per socket and doubled the bandwidth. Ampere also has a 16-core chip in the works.

Ampere gets vendor support from Lenovo

The first server vendor to support Ampere is Lenovo, which is also making prototypes powered by Caviums ThunderX. It is getting ready to ship 1U and 2U rack servers based on the eMag chip, and later this year Ampere will ship its own white box servers, which are aimed at the hyperscale server market that is buying all the white box servers as it is.

"We are partnering with world-class OEMs like Lenovo and several ODMs to address the unique design requirements for our cloud customers and meet their total cost and performance targets," James said in a statement.

A question mark over the company is Oracle. The company offered a positive, supportive statement to the announcement of eMAG but made no commitment. Oracle does have a server business it inherited when it purchased Sun Microsystems in 2010, but it sells highly decked out servers in low volume. And in a recent quarterly filing, Oracle acknowledged owning a 20 percent stake in Ampere. Plus, James is a member of Oracles board of directors.

"Ampere's high performance, high memory capacity and 2P roadmap provide a strong platform to support Oracle's enterprise workloads. We applaud Ampere for its aggressive roadmap and rapid progress," said Edward Screven, chief corporate architect at Oracle, in a statement. Ironically Screven is on extended leave from Oracle for reportedly clashing with Chairman Larry Ellison over cloud strategy.

Tough battle ahead for Ampere

Ampere hasnt laid out a roadmap, but it will have its work cut out for it. It has to face Intel and a newly aggressive AMD on the x86 side, and Cavium on the ARM side, which is gaining OEMs and has been buoyed by the seeming exit of Qualcomm from the ARM server business. Thats a lot of adversaries to take on at once. It has to make its pitch for both x86 and ARM customers.

Ampere has to line up more OEMs than just Lenovo to be successful, and it needs a better story going against Caviums 48-core processor. But it does have James and a whole lot of Intel talent going for it, so it remains to be seen what the company can produce.
Russell Jordan hid 6,000 bags of cannabis and child porn in his home

A NEWBURY man who went on the run after police found child porn, cannabis and 21,000 cash hidden in his home has been jailed.

Russell Jordan fled to Thailand after police raided his former home on August 1, 2016, where they found 6,000 bags of cannabis along with tens of thousands of pounds in cash.

The search of Jordans Bartholomew Street address uncovered memory sticks hidden in the cove cornicing of his living room, containing thousands of images and videos of children.

The 48-year-old sold his home shortly after the raid and went on the run for 18 months after being arrested and bailed.

But the fugitive was detained by police in Hong Kong and extradited back to the UK after spending time with a woman he had befriended online, having travelled around South East Asia.

Dressed in grey smart trousers, a striped shirt and a navy jacket, Jordan sat emotionless in the dock at Reading Crown Court on Monday as the court heard how a drugs raid had escalated into a serious sexual offences investigation.

Richard Witcombe, prosecuting, told the court that police found 6,000 bags of wrapped cannabis weighing almost half a kilo behind kitchen boards when police raided Jordans property.

More of the Class B drug was concealed behind a water tank in a communal area, as well as three sets of scales.

Officers also discovered bundles of cash totalling more than 21,000 stashed around the house, including some stuffed into the arm of an armchair.

Police also found a hard drive, a memory card and a computer tower in a panel above the coving in the living area.

On closer examination, the devices were found to contain almost 15,000 indecent images of children, 173 of which  some including videos  were classified as type A, the most serious.

Jordan admitted three counts of possessing the indecent images, including one charge of possession of extreme porn, which showed sex with an animal.

Mr Witcombe also revealed Jordan been jailed in the last 10 years for both possession of indecent images of children and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Michael Edmund, defending, told the court that Jordan had fled Newbury when neighbours heard about the nature of the police raid; finding a threatening note posted on his door, which read youre a dead paedo.

The court heard that he spent three months in appalling conditions in a Hong Kong prison while waiting to be extradited to the UK, where he was beaten by fellow inmates when they found out what he was wanted for.

Mr Edmund said: It was an extremely difficult experience, with 40 other men, in appalling conditions, where he was subjected to physical violence.

Jordan admitted possession of a Class B drug, cannabis, with intent to supply, possession of criminal property worth more than 21,000 pounds, as well as five child porn charges.

Citing his previous offences were an aggravating factor, Judge Grainger ordered Jordan to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Jordan was sentenced to two years and six months and ordered to sign a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which forbids access to the internet, until a judge allows him back online.
Village Center for the Arts in New Milford will offer a variety of events in the coming days, including a Senior Art Program, a summer camp gallery art show and many classes and workshops.

Senior citizens age 60 and older are invited to participate in the Senior Art Program which will include a watercolor class starting Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon and a pottery sculpture class starting Oct. 18.

No experience is needed for the 12-week watercolor class with painter Betty Ann Medeiros. The cost is $78 and includes supplies to take home, instructions and use of studio equipment.

No experience is needed for the pottery sculpture class led by teacher Sharon Kaufman. The cost is $38 and includes instructions, supplies, glazing and firing.

The program is offered with funding from the Connecticut Community Foundation, the Village Center for the Arts and the New Milford Senior Center.

In addition, the senior center is offering a full scholarship to seniors that request assistance. Registration forms are available at the senior center and the arts center on Main Street.

The arts center will hold a summer camp gallery art show, Colours of Genius, Sept. 22 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Sept. 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Johns Episcopal Church on Whittlesey Avenue.

Numerous genres will be featured, including selected pieces from clay sculpture, acrylic painting, pottery wheel, mosaic, video game, papier mache, Harry Potter, and 3-D board games.

In addition, creations made from the centers half day campers, including outer space, famous artist and under the sea.

Refreshments will be served.

Future classes will include a senior watercolor class with Betty Ann Medeiros for 12 sessions beginning Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon (78); a senior pottery sculpture class Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon ($38); and Paint Along with Miss Deb Sept. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. ($35).

For information and registration for classes, call the Main Street center at 860-354-4318.
By Tyler Paytas, Research Fellow in Philosophy, Australian Catholic University

from www.shutterstock.com

The use of animals in scientific research is a complex ethical issue, and these studies typically take place behind closed doors.

But since 2012, more than 120 of Britains universities, research institutions and pharmaceutical companies have signed a public pledge committing them to greater openness in their animal research programs.

The commmitment is called the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research  and theres an argument to be made that a similar movement should be started in Australia.





Read more:

The live export trade is unethical. It puts money ahead of animals' pain





Pros and cons

Crucial advances in fields such as medicine and psychology have occurred through clinical trials and experiments involving animals. Experiments on living subjects are inherently risky, and many would argue that it is better to impose the initial risk on non-human animals and only move on to human subjects after there is more evidence of safety.

Proponents of this approach sometimes appeal to the (controversial) idea that human beings have a higher moral status due to greater rational capacities that are supposedly necessary for having rights.

On the other hand, there have been numerous instances of animals being forced to endure extreme suffering for the sake of trivial findings, such as the infamous 1972 learned helplessness experiments of Martin Seligman, in which dogs were given repeated painful shocks.

Even if it is necessary to conduct at least some trials on living subjects, its not unreasonable to suggest that human beings should be the ones to bear the burdens of their own scientific pursuits.

Such a position draws support from the ethical intuition that a given quantity of suffering endured by any one individual is of no more or less importance than the equal suffering of any other (regardless of race, gender, or species).

And, unlike human beings, non-human animals are incapable of consenting.

A history of hostility

As with most contentious ethical issues, the apparent reasonableness of each sides concerns can lead to hostility. Animosity between researchers and animal welfare advocates can make it all the more difficult to resolve their disagreements.

Further, as activists become more vocal, scientists are motivated to be less open about their use of animals. This lack of transparency leaves the public less informed while fuelling distrust on the part of those who aim to protect animals interests.

It seems reasonable to aim for reduced hostility while searching for an arrangement that comes as close as possible to being morally tolerable for all parties to the debate.

A promising strategy along these lines has been implemented in the UK.





Read more:

Animal research: is it a necessary evil?





Concordat on openness

The Concordat on Openness in Animal Research in the UK has led to substantial improvements in the way researchers engage with the public about their use of animals.

The pledge requires institutions to:

be clear about when, how and why they use animals in research

enhance communications with the media and public

be proactive in providing opportunities for the public to learn about animal research

report annually on their experiences and share their practices.

Some facilities even offer virtual lab tours.









Screen shot captured September 19, 2018.





Although openness is not enough to eliminate ethical concerns, it has the important benefit of preventing the public from assuming the worst when it comes to animal experiments. It also helps ensure that research institutions follow ethical guidelines.

For countries such as Australia that have strong regulations on animal research, it only makes sense to encourage a pledge of transparency similar to the UK Concordat.

It wont be easy

Some researchers may not be eager to make such a pledge. One obvious interpretation of such reluctance would be that animals are being used in ways that are morally objectionable.

But hesitancy could also be motivated by concern that the publics lack of understanding will obscure the potential benefits, and perhaps also make the treatment of animals seem more severe than it is.

However, this possibility is all the more reason for researchers to take the opportunity to explain themselves and educate the public.

Of course, doing so requires substantial time and effort. But these costs are outweighed by the potential improvements in relations among researchers and animal activists, as well as a more informed dialogue about these issues.









from www.shutterstock.com





Secrecy only leads to more divisiveness and hostility, including possible direct action that can interfere with research. Lack of openness can also lead to a general lack of trust in scientific researchers among the general public, which is something that isnt good for anyone.





Read more:

Should lab-grown meat be labelled as meat when it's available for sale?





Some animal activists might worry that a formal pledge of openness will be used as a shield in order to legitimise the use of animals in perpetuity. Perhaps the prevailing view will be that as long as researchers are transparent and follow regulations, there are no legitimate grounds for further protest.

However, given that animal experimentation is ongoing, the most promising route to reduce unnecessary suffering is to ensure openness. Rather than putting an end to the debate, transparency can carry it forward with more information and a higher degree of amicability. This would be an improved outcome for all parties involved, including the animals.

Tyler Paytas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Originally published in The Conversation.
In past years, the demand for cobalt has been on the increase due to its many applications. For one thing, the metal is a crucial component of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for smartphones and electric cars. Around 60% of the world's cobalt supply comes from the mineral-rich Katanga Copper belt, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Researchers at KU Leuven (Belgium) and the University of Lubumbashi have now shown that cobalt mining takes a high toll on both the creuseurs - the 'diggers' who work in the mines, often by hand - and on the environment.

Previous research by KU Leuven and the University of Lubumbashi (2009) had already found high concentrations of trace metals in the urine of people living close to mines. The new case study, published in Nature Sustainability, confirms the health risks of cobalt mining.

Mine dust in Kasulo

The researchers conducted a case study in Kasulo, an urban neighbourhood in Kolwezi, in the heart of the Congolese mining area. When cobalt ore was discovered under one of the houses there, the entire area quickly became an artisanal mine. The houses are now interspersed with dozens of mine pits where hundreds of creuseurs hunt for cobalt. Most residents remained in the area.

The major problem is the dust - containing cobalt and many other metals, including uranium - that is released during the mining process and settles on the ground.

Too much cobalt in children's urine

The researchers collected blood and urine samples from 72 Kasulo residents, including 32 children. A control group with a similar composition was selected in a neighbouring district.

According to Professor Nemery, a doctor-toxicologist at the KU Leuven Department of Public Health and Primary Care, the results of their study are worrisome: "Children living in the mining district had ten times as much cobalt in their urine as children living elsewhere. Their values were much higher than what we'd accept for European factory workers. This study may be limited in scope, but the results are crystal-clear. The differences cannot be attributed to coincidence."

Detrimental effects on public health and society

The long-term consequences of this increased exposure to cobalt are not clear (yet), but Professor Nemery is not optimistic. "Cobalt is less toxic than other metals such as lead, cadmium, or arsenic. But we found increased concentrations of several other metals as well. Furthermore, we found more DNA damage in children living in the mining area than in those from the control group. And the preliminary results of an ongoing study suggest that miners' new-born babies have an increased risk of birth defects."

According to Professor Nemery, artisanal cobalt mining causes other problems as well. "Young men looking for quick cash often start working in the mines, because they earn much more as creuseurs than, for instance, as farmers, which may lead to food shortages. And after their arduous work, many miners spend some of their money on alcohol and prostitutes, further adding to social problems."

"Solving these issues is no easy matter. Simply banning artisanal mining in the DRC is not a good option because the industrial mines usually leave a lot to be desired as well. So, unfortunately, sustainable cobalt mining in the DRC is still a utopia."
In a comprehensive study, researchers from Aarhus University show that grieving patients who receive what is known as talk therapy at the general practitioner shortly after a relative's death, have a lower risk of suicide and psychiatric illness than others. Data from 207.000 million Danes is included in the register-based study, which can contribute to new practices in the preventative area.

Losing a close family member is psychologically painful. In fact, it is so painful that the risk of committing suicide or developing other serious psychiatric conditions increases for grieving people who have experienced a serious bereavement. A study now suggests that talk therapy with a general practitioner early in the grief process can reduce this risk.

This is shown by a new, nationwide study of health data on Danes over the age of 18 who have lost a child, a spouse, siblings or parents during the period 1996-2013. The results have just published in Clinical Epidemiology.

"The study shows that patients whose general practitioners often use talk therapy have a lower risk of suicide and other psychological disorders than others," says senior statistician and PhD student, Morten Fenger-Grn from Aarhus University, who is behind the study.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of early treatment with talk therapy or antidepressant medicine on grieving patients. The researchers looked at three specific consequences in connection with the grief resulting from the death of a close relative: suicide, self-harm and admission to a psychiatric hospital.

Scalpels and prescriptions are not enough

A simple comparison showed that the grieving patients who were treated with talk therapy or antidepressant medicine had an increased risk of developing psychological disorders or committing suicide.

In the period from six months to two years after the bereavement, 4,584 patients (2.2 per cent) were affected by one of these events; suicide, self-harm and admission to a psychiatric ward, of which suicide was the rarest. Among patients who had received antidepressant treatment in the first six months, the figure was 9.1 per cent, and among patients who received talk therapy, it was 3.2 per cent.

"It was an expected finding which could in principle be due to the fact that the treatment is harmful, or the more desirable situation that the general practitioners are able to target the treatment towards the most seriously ill patients. The question was whether these patients would have had an even greater risk, if they had not received treatment," says Morten Fenger-Grn.

To answer this question, the researchers used a new analytical approach, where they utilised the fact that there are differences between general practitioners' propensity to use different treatments.

"We're talking about a so-called marginal patient, a patient that some doctors will choose to treat and others will not," says Morten Fenger-Grn.

The study showed that the risk of a serious psychiatric condition during the grief process would be 1.7 per cent lower if the patient received talk therapy.

"It seems to document the importance of doctors having other means than scalpels and prescriptions. Our results suggest that early intervention in response to grieving patients can prevent serious psychiatric events. Unfortunately, the study cannot tell us the most effective form of therapy, or whether general practitioners are well enough prepared for the task, but it appears that taking time to talk with the patient works," he says.

The research results have been adjusted for both the patient's characteristics and the general practitioners' propensity to prescribe antidepressant medicine. The study could not, however, provide any precise measurements for the significance of antidepressant medicine in this context.

The research results - more information

The study is a so-called population-based instrument variable study - a systematic register-based study with health data from more than five million Danes who had a general practitioner between 1996-2013, with special focus on the 207,000 people who experienced a serious bereavement during the period.

The researchers made use of a new analytical approach which has been developed in collaboration between the Research Unit for General Practice and the Section for Biostatistics at Aarhus University.
People with deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) can substantially cut their risk of potentially debilitating complications by starting adequate compression therapy in the first twenty-four hours of DVT therapy (known as the acute phase of treatment), suggests a study published today in the journal Blood.

DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, commonly in the legs. DVT affects as many as 900,000 people in the United States, and the condition carries a high risk of recurrence, death, or chronic debilitating symptoms such as pain and swelling.

The largest study to track outcomes from compression therapy in the acute phase of DVT to date, this research examined if immediate compression therapy could prevent residual vein occlusion and post thrombotic syndrome. Residual vein occlusion -- when clots persist in veins with or without symptoms -- is thought to be a contributing factor in the development of post thrombotic syndrome, a collection of persistent and often debilitating symptoms that can greatly diminish a person's quality of life, including pain, swelling, and discoloration and scaling in the affected leg.

Researchers prospectively studied nearly 600 DVT patients in the Netherlands who received compression therapy that began within 24 hours of diagnosis compared to patients that started compression therapy at a later point in time. Compression therapy was randomly administered using multilayered bandaging or compression hosiery until edema were reabsorbed, at which time all patients wore fitted compression stockings. In addition to compression, patients also received anticoagulants.

Patients who received immediate compression therapy were 20 percent less likely to develop residual vein occlusion and 8 percent less likely to suffer post thrombotic syndrome compared with those who did not receive immediate compression.

"We found little reason for those treating DVT not to use compression therapy as a prevention measure against future complications," said senior study author Arina J. ten Cate-Hoek of Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Compression therapy was not associated with any adverse side effects. Patients with a blood clot lower in the leg appeared to benefit from compression to a greater extent than those with a blood clot higher in the leg, a result that is consistent with previous studies, according to researchers.

Patients with DVT are typically treated with clot-busting medications to dissolve the clot and blood thinners to prevent the formation of new ones.

"Although the use of compression stockings after DVT is routine across much of Europe, it is less common in the United States, where guidelines emphasize compression primarily for patients who complain of ongoing symptoms," said Dr. ten Cate-Hoek.

According to Dr. ten Cate-Hoek, compression therapy is thought to improve blood flow by reducing the diameter of veins so that blood is pushed through them more forcefully, helping to clear clot material.

"I think we can infer from our findings that this improved blood flow certainly helps prevent complications like residual vein occlusion and post thrombotic syndrome after DVT," she said. "Given these outcomes, and that compression stockings are fairly easy to self-administer, relatively inexpensive, and minimally intrusive, compression therapy offers a clear benefit for all patients with DVT."
An international research team, led by scientists from the German Primate Center, the Robert Koch Institute, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, McGill University, Masaryk University, the University of Tubingen and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, has successfully recovered genomes of the bacterium Treponema pallidum, which causes syphilis and yaws in humans, from wild nonhuman primate populations across sub-Saharan Africa. Monkeys showed severe symptoms including lesions on their genitals, face, and extremities. The pathogen's genomes revealed that nonhuman primates across a large geographic range are infected with the same bacterium causing yaws in humans.

Co-lead author Sascha Knauf of the German Primate Center suggests that "the World Health Organization's efforts to eradicate human yaws must continue, but our finding of the widespread distribution of this pathogen in nonhuman primates calls for even more rigorous post-eradication surveillance in countries where nonhuman primates and humans coexist."

Yaws is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue, which is closely related to the bacterium causing the venereal disease syphilis, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. Yaws is characterized by lesions of the skin, bones and cartilage and when untreated, can lead to disfigurement, disability, and sometimes death. It is thought to be primarily spread by skin to skin contact from human to human and despite the availability of effective antibiotics, yaws continues to affect thousands of people annually across at least 14 countries in the tropics, predominantly children. "The bacteria responsible for yaws were long thought to mainly infect humans, but this new research confirms that this is not the case," says co-lead author Verena Schuenemann of the University of Tubingen.

The international team first collected samples from sick wild monkeys in Tanzania, the Gambia, Senegal and the Cote d'Ivoire. These bacteria are extremely difficult to culture - the researchers generated full genomes using hybridization capture coupled with next generation sequencing. Phylogenomic analyses showed that the pathogens infecting nonhuman primates and humans were extremely similar. In some cases the genomes were 99.989% identical, and no bacterial lineage was specific to humans or monkeys. "The yaws-causing strains infecting humans and nonhuman primates had extremely similar genome structures and only limited functional divergence," says co-corresponding author David Smajs of Masaryk University. "More genomes of this pathogen infecting humans, including from ancient samples, will help us understand the evolutionary history of this bacterium and in particular if and how often spillovers between humans and nonhuman primates have occurred," says Johannes Krause of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and co-corresponding author.

Yaws has not been reported for several decades in humans in some of the countries where nonhuman primate infections were observed. "This suggests that if transmission occurs between nonhuman primates and humans, it happens at a low rate or that these spillover events rarely lead to establishment in the human population," says co-lead author Jan Gogarten of McGill University. The discovery of nonhuman primates infected with the same bacterium that causes yaws in humans across sub-Saharan Africa is an exciting indication that disease eradication efforts require multidisciplinary teams that include wildlife disease ecologists. Co-corresponding author Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer of the Robert Koch Institute says, "This is a nice example of an international One Health approach providing us with public health-relevant information. Improving surveillance in countries where potential zoonotic reemergence might occur may prove critical after initial eradication in humans."
States serve as laboratories of democracy, as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously said. And states are also labs for health policy, launching all kinds of experiments lately to temper spending on pharmaceuticals.

No wonder. Drugs are among the fastest-rising health care costs for many consumers and are a key reason health care spending dominates many state budgets  crowding out roads, schools and other priorities.

Consider Vermont, California and Oregon, states that are beginning to implement drug price transparency laws. In Nevada, the push for transparency includes the markup charged by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). In May, Louisiana joined a growing list of states banning gag rules that prevent pharmacists from discussing drug prices with patients.

State-based experiments may carry even greater weight for Medicaid, the federal-state partnership that covers roughly 75 million low-income or disabled Americans.

Ohio is targeting the fees charged to its Medicaid program by PBMs. New York has established a Medicaid spending drug cap. In late June, Oklahomas Medicaid program was approved by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to begin value-based purchasing for some newer, more expensive drugs: When drugs dont work, the state would pay less for them.

But around the same time, CMS denied a proposal from Massachusetts that was seen as the boldest attempt yet to control Medicaid drug spending.

Massachusetts planned to exclude expensive drugs that werent proven to work better than existing alternatives. The state said Medicaid drug spending had doubled in five years. Massachusetts wanted to negotiate prices for about 1 percent of the highest-priced drugs and stop covering some of them. CMS rejected the proposal without much explanation, beyond saying Massachusetts couldnt do what it wanted and continue to receive the deep discounts drugmakers are required by law to give state Medicaid programs.

The Medicaid discounts were established in 1990 law based on a grand bargain that drugmakers say guaranteed coverage of all medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration in exchange for favorable prices.

The New England Journal of Medicine dives into the CMS decision regarding Massachusetts and its implications for other state Medicaid programs in a commentary by Rachel Sachs, an associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, and co-author Nicholas Bagley. They dispute the Trump administrations claim that Massachusetts plan would violate the grand bargain.

We talked with Sachs about Massachusetts proposal and the implications for the rest of the country. Her answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Why do you think states, such as Massachusetts, should be allowed to exclude some drugs, a move the pharmaceutical industry has said would break the deal reached back in 1990?

In our view, theres a way to frame it where the bargain has been broken and Massachusetts is simply trying to restore the balance. The problem is that the meaning of FDA approval has changed significantly over the last almost 30 years. Now we have a lot more drugs that are being approved more quickly, on the basis of less evidence  smaller trials, using surrogate endpoints  where the state has real questions about whether these drugs work at all, not only whether they are good value for the money.

Q: You suggest that Massachusetts could make a reasonable case if it chose to challenge the CMS denial. How?

CMS did not explain why it didnt grant Massachusetts waiver. It needs to give reasons for denying something that Massachusetts, in our view, has the legal ability to do. CMS failure to give reasons in this case resembles their failure to give reasons in a number of other cases that have recently led courts to strike down actions by the Trump administration for failure to explain the actions that they were taking.

(Note: A spokeswoman for Health and Human Services in Massachusetts says the state is not going to challenge the CMS decision.)

Q: While CMS blocked the Massachusetts experiment, it has approved the value-based purchasing plan in Oklahoma, and New York has capped its Medicaid drug spending. Arent those signs of flexibility for states?

In some ways, yes, and in other ways, no. New York passed a cap on state Medicaid pharmaceutical spending. But once the state hits that cap, it doesnt mean the state will stop paying for prescription drugs. It just means the state is empowered to negotiate with some of these companies and seek additional discounts. They didnt need CMS approval for this. New York doesnt have the ability to say If you dont take this deal, were not going to cover this product.

Oklahoma is pursuing outcomes-based pricing, which is of interest. Its the first state to express interest in doing so. However, there are a lot of observers who are skeptical that outcomes agreements of this kind will materially lower prices or if they just provide companies cover to charge higher prices in the first instance.

Q: So what options do you see ahead for states given what happened in Massachusetts with the Medicaid waiver?

Unfortunately, states are quite limited in what theyre able to do on their own, in terms of controlling prescription drug costs  both costs that are borne by the state in its capacity as a public employer and its capacity as an insurer for the Medicaid population. and then more generally for the many citizens who are on private insurance plans throughout the state.

This is a real problem, this concern of federal pre-emption where states ability to go beyond federal law is often limited. So what were seeing now is more states like Massachusetts and Vermont taking action that forces the federal government to do something or say something. States are increasingly putting pressure on the federal government because they know that their ability to act on this problem of drug pricing is limited.

This story is part of a partnership that includes WBUR, NPR and Kaiser Health News.
Kira Hinslea wanted to play outside, but she knew she couldn't until her mom checked an air-quality app on her phone.

"Is it OK?" the 6-year-old eagerly asked her mother, Shirley Hinslea, one day late last month.

Hinslea gave Kira the green light, and the child beamed with excitement. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" she yelled, sprinting from the kitchen, across the living room and out to the porch of their mobile home in this small Kern County town.

Kira's freedom didn't last long. Within 20 minutes, her throat started to itch and her chest felt heavy, she told her mom. She wearily returned inside and sifted through her backpack for her inhaler.

Kira has had severe asthma since she was 2, and the polluted air in the San Joaquin Valley exacerbates her symptoms.

Valley residents inhale some of the dirtiest air in the nation, and families know to keep masks in their cars and inhalers within reach and to check the air quality on a daily  sometimes hourly  basis.

But Hinslea questions the air-quality readings. The mobile phone apps she uses to search for conditions in her ZIP code often lag hours behind the real-time data. Occasionally, apps and websites show conflicting readings, she said.

Now, local health and environmental groups in the San Joaquin Valley are helping residents like Hinslea get up-to-the-minute air-quality readings by distributing 20 monitors that measure particulate matter.

"We just don't have all the information we need  not at the neighborhood level," said Kevin Hamilton, a respiratory therapist and CEO of the Central California Asthma Collaborative, a nonprofit organization based in Fresno. "The regulatory agencies think regionally  not at the neighborhood level."

Hinslea is enrolled in the collaborative's asthma management program, and it offered her one of the palm-sized devices. She jumped at the opportunity. The monitors cost about $230 and require a Wi-Fi connection. A map showing all active monitors around the world  along with their data  can be viewed online.

"For [Kira's] health, I want to have the best, real-time information," said Hinslea, 47, as a staff member from the collaborative mounted the monitor on the side of the house near her front door.

Efforts by such nonprofits will supplement a new state law that aims to improve air quality  and air-quality monitoring  in communities such as Wasco that are heavily affected by air pollution.

As part of the law, the California Air Resources Board later this month is expected to name 10 polluted communities chosen to get help from the state to clean up their air. They will each have an air-monitoring system composed of several monitors strategically placed in different neighborhoods.

The monitors will track all types of air pollution, including the two most common: ozone, the main ingredient in smog, and particulate matter, which is pollution made up of ash, soot, diesel exhaust and other small particles.

The data from these monitoring systems will help communities identify specific pollution sources, such as sprayed pesticides, emissions from local oil refineries and from port operations. Then the California Air Resources Board and regional air districts will devise a plan to reduce those emissions, said Lindsay Buckley, a spokeswoman for the board. More communities will receive monitoring systems in later years.

Wasco, Calif., in northwestern Kern County, has a population of about 26,000. It is surrounded by farm fields and agricultural operations  and isn't far from oil fields. Pollution from these and other sources worries some residents.

Communities slated to receive monitors in the first round include Shafter (near Wasco), south-central Fresno, Boyle Heights, south Sacramento, San Bernardino, El Centro in Imperial County and portside neighborhoods in San Diego County.

The state plans to begin monitoring those communities by next July.

Although Wasco is not among the first communities to receive a tracking system from the state, its residents will likely benefit from the data collected and lessons learned in nearby Shafter, Buckley said.

Wasco, home to about 26,000 people, takes pride in having the ideal climate for growing roses. It is also a big almond producer.

But as more farmers grow almonds, there's more spraying of pesticides, said Gustavo Aguirre Jr., an organizer with the Central California Environmental Justice Network, which is helping distribute the 20 off-the-shelf air monitors.

Wasco is "surrounded 360 degrees by agricultural production," he said, and the San Joaquin Valley is also a key player in oil and gas production for California.

"On top of that, we're also in the middle of Highways 5 and 99," Aguirre said. "So you have this cumulative effect from all these sources of pollution."

Kira Hinslea, 6, takes a puff from her inhaler after having some trouble breathing and feeling chest pressure. The dirty and dusty air in Wasco, Calif., exacerbates her asthma symptoms.

Wildfire smoke this summer compounded worries over air quality for residents in the region, including Hinslea. "Now you've got smoke, and dust and just everyday pollution.  It can get really bad," she said. "You look outside and think, 'Is it overcast or is it smog?'"

When her daughter Kira's asthma flares up, the little girl often coughs and wheezes through the night and misses school the next day, Hinslea said.

Having more timely and reliable information from the small air monitor near her front door will help her decide if her daughter can go to school  and if she does, whether she should stay indoors during recess, she said.

"It wasn't always like this," said Hinslea, who was born and raised in Wasco. "When I was little, it seemed crisper and brighter, fresh. It was just different."

This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.
Lee Universitys Dr. Joong Han (Jonathan) Jung, assistant professor of piano, and Dr. Joohae Kim, piano instructor, will present a recital on Tuesday performing works by Mozart, Camille Saint-Saens, F. Shubert, and M. Ravel.

South Korean-New Zealand pianist Dr. Jung concertizes regularly across the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. He has performed with the Eastman Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean Philharmonic Orchestra of New Zealand, University of Auckland Symphony Orchestra, and Auckland Youth Orchestra.

The New York Concert Review referred to Dr. Jungs playing as virtuosic and truly moving. As a composer, Dr. Jung has premiered and performed his own compositions at Carnegie Hall, University of Southern Mississippi, Tulane University, Hatch Recital Hall, and Brevard Music Center.

Dr. Jung received prizes in the Kerikeri Piano Competition, Eastman Concerto Competition, Kapiti Coast National Piano Competition, and the Christchurch National Piano Concerto Competition. His solo recitals and concerto performances have been recorded and broadcasted by Radio New Zealand and World TV.

Dr. Jung joined the faculty of the Lee University School of Music in 2017 as an assistant professor of piano. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts, Master of Arts in theory pedagogy, and Master of Music from Eastman School of Music and his bachelors degree from University of Auckland.

Born in South Korea, New Zealand pianist Dr. Kim began learning the piano at the age of three. In 2008, she received an invitation to study at Florida State University, where she later earned a Doctor of Music in piano performance.

Dr. Kims performances have earned numerous prizes in major piano competitions, including the Kerikeri Piano Competition, Kapiti Coast National Piano Competition, and the Christchurch National Piano Concerto Competition. She was awarded the University of Auckland Blues Award for achievement in music in piano performance and was also a recipient of the Miss Willa Chapman Award from the Rotary Club of Tallahassee.

She has collaborated with renowned artists and orchestras, including Michael Strauss, Jesus Castro-Balbi, Magnolia Chamber Orchestra, and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. She was invited as a collaborative guest artist in Whitehead Hall, Valdosta State University, and Southeastern Louisiana University. Dr. Kim recently joined the faculty of Lees School of Music to teach applied piano and class piano sequences and to continue performing as a solo/collaborative artist.

The concert will be held in Squires Recital Hall on Lees campus and will begin at 7:30 p.m.

This event is free, non-ticketed, and open to the public.

For more information about the concert, contact the School of Music at 614-8240 or email music@leeuniversity.edu.




In a case study published online last week in Academic Medicine, an international team of researchers led by the University of Cambridge and Johns Hopkins Medicine looked at what prevented employees from raising concerns. The study identifies measures to help health care organizations encourage their employees to speak up and recommends a systematic approach to promoting employee voice that appears to have already made a positive impact at Johns Hopkins.

"It's not enough just to say you're committed to employee voice. Health care staff must genuinely feel comfortable speaking up if organizations are going to provide safe, high-quality care," says Mary Dixon-Woods, D.Phil., M.Sc., a professor at the University of Cambridge, director of THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute) and the study's lead author. "Even when reporting mechanisms are in place, employees may not report disruptive behaviors if they don't feel safe in doing so and don't think their concerns will be addressed."

Health care workers often are reluctant to raise concerns about co-workers and unsafe behaviors, so leadership at Johns Hopkins Medicine sought to encourage employee voice in the organization by first identifying barriers. The research team interviewed 67 administrators and front-line staff members about raising patient safety issues at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The researchers found that some staff members said they didn't know how to report their concerns, and others said that reporting processes were difficult to navigate. More generally, employees reported a culture of fear--they worried about hostile or angry responses, retaliation, or being labeled a bad team player. Even when employees did speak up, they reported, nothing seemed to happen in response. A particular concern for many employees was a small number of senior staff members who engaged in poor conduct with apparent impunity. Quietly referred to by many as the "untouchables," their behavior was regarded as unacceptable, but they were so powerful that many felt that raising concerns would go nowhere.

To address the issues raised in these interviews, Johns Hopkins leaders developed, implemented, and in some cases expanded a series of interventions from fall 2014 through summer 2016. These interventions included clear definitions of acceptable and unacceptable behavior, well-coordinated reporting mechanisms, leadership training on having difficult conversations, and consistent consequences for disruptive behaviors. Safe at Hopkins, a program dedicated to addressing and investigating concerns, was designed, researchers say, to make everyone feel comfortable and safe. It means that instead of relying on individual accounts that could be disputed, Johns Hopkins Medicine leadership now investigates an entire clinical unit. During the period studied, 382 individual reports of disruptive behavior were made that led to 55 investigations in which a whole clinical unit was interviewed.

"Once Safe at Hopkins came into units where there was disruptive behavior, people started to speak up and make reports," says Janice Clements, Ph.D., professor of molecular and comparative pathobiology, the vice dean of faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an author of the study. "Although there is a lot more work to be done to formally evaluate and refine this program and all the other interventions we have put into place, I think it's safe to say that giving people a 'safe' way to speak up can be done."

With further testing in different contexts, Dixon-Woods says the interventions used at Johns Hopkins could be applicable to other health care organizations looking to promote employee voice and improve how they respond to transgressive behavior. "Though the importance of giving voice to employees--and the difficulties in doing so--are widely known, the two-stage approach of diagnosis and intervention that we undertook for this study demonstrated some intriguing promise in remaking norms in health care organizations."
A new federally-funded research project at the Ohio University Edison Biotechnology Institute and Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine could lead to treatments that extend human lifespan and allow people to enjoy better health in their old age. The study, led by John Kopchick, Ph.D., has been awarded a five-year grant for more than $2.23 million from the National Institutes of Health.

"We're very excited about it," said Kopchick, Goll-Ohio Eminent Scholar and Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Heritage College, and principal investigator at the Edison Biotechnology Institute at Ohio University. He noted that one of the main objectives of NIH's National Institute on Aging is funding research to increase human "healthspan," which translates as "a better old age; a healthier old age."

Among those collaborating with Kopchick on the new research will be co-investigators Darlene Berryman, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., associate dean for research and innovation at the Heritage College, and Edward List, Ph.D., associate investigator with the Edison Biotechnology Institute.

"Dr. Kopchick's research on growth hormone has been tremendously important for our college, the University and the whole field of endocrinology," said Ken Johnson, D.O., executive dean of the Heritage College and OHIO's chief medical affairs officer. "This new avenue of that research, in collaboration with Dr. Berryman and Dr. List, has the potential to make real improvements in the health and wellness of our aging population. It's very exciting that it's happening here."

Kopchick, who is principal investigator on the new project, said it builds on his past research in growth hormone, which led to the discovery of the GH receptor antagonist drug, pegvisomant (trade name Somavert). This drug, the first specific drug of its kind, is used to treat the disease acromegaly, and its commercialization has yielded $97 million in royalty income to Ohio University as of 2018.

"Dr. Kopchick is a world-renowned researcher whose work has been life-changing for those who suffer from acromegaly," Ohio University President Dr. M. Duane Nellis said. "With this grant, Dr. Kopchick and his team will remain on the cutting edge of growth hormone research and its impact on aging. We're proud that such revolutionary work is happening here at OHIO."

Unlocking the secrets of the world's oldest mouse

In the early 1990s, Kopchick and a graduate assistant genetically engineered a strain of mouse in which the receptor gene for GH was disrupted, preventing it from working. The dwarf mouse that resulted was found to live longer than normal mice (it holds the world record for oldest lab mouse) and to be healthier in significant ways. These mice are resistant to cancer, diabetes and cognitive decline and show less accumulation of senescent cells (cells that have stopped dividing and that play a role in aging). Kopchick's team has supplied these long-lived mice to gerontology researchers all over the world.

The long-term goal of the new project, according to a description given to NIH, is "to determine the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for these remarkable health and longevity benefits."

The researchers will investigate whether the health and lifespan improvements seen in the mice that were genetically modified in utero can be replicated if the disruption of the GH receptor gene is initiated in adult mice at six months of age - corresponding to about 25 years old for a human. They also want to see if lifespan can be further extended by treating the animals with rapamycin, a drug known to lengthen the lives of mice.

"There are two aims in the grant," Kopchick explained. "One is disrupting the gene in the early adult life of a mouse. The second is to take the long-lived mouse, the longest-lived mouse in the world, and see if we can make it live longer and healthier by adding rapamycin, which in normal mice will promote longevity a bit. So we want to tweak what we already did to see if we can make it better."

A promising approach to life extension

Kopchick noted that at a workshop of scientific experts on aging, held in Italy in 2013, participants discussed the various types of interventions now available for extending human lifespan. An article on the workshop in the journal Aging Cell, titled "Interventions to slow aging in humans: Are we ready?" recounted that the participants voted on six known life-extending strategies, ranking Kopchick's drug, the GH receptor antagonist, as the most promising.

"That's really what led to us doing all this work," Kopchick said. "The idea is, could a drug - our drug or similar compound - be used, not to delete the growth hormone receptor in humans, but to tie it up, to antagonize it, to prevent it from working." If the two aims of the research are successful, he believes this would suggest the approach should be tried with humans. He added that his team has already disrupted the GH receptor gene in mice of about six weeks old and found that in mice so treated, females do live longer.

"So we have the longest-lived mouse, and we know that in young life we can see the [increased longevity] effect in females," he said. "Now we want to see if we can see it in later adult life, and if we can, then can we use our drug or some similar yet-to-be-discovered compound to slow aging?"
Ethiopia is one of the world's least developed states. Yet for the past two decades the country has been making extraordinary progress. Targeted investment in health, education and employment has improved the standard of living and triggered a rapid decline in the fertility rate. If it succeeds in consolidating these achievements, Ethiopia could become one of the first sub-Saharan countries to benefit from the "demographic dividend" and demonstrate how development can work in Africa. A new study by the Berlin Institute shows how the country has already managed to come such a long way and which challenges remain to be overcome if it is to serve as a model country on the African continent.

By African standards, Ethiopia is already doing well. With the second-largest population in Africa, it is one of the world's fastest-growing economies. Together with assistance from abroad, the government's long-term development plans have already improved the lives of many people and more than halved the share of the population living in poverty. Through the expansion of the health system, child mortality has decreased. The rate of school enrolment has more than doubled thanks to increased investment in education of up to 30 percent of national budget expenditure. In less than 20 years, the number of schools has risen by a factor of 25. Grain yields have more than doubled since 1990. At the same time, Ethiopia is increasingly becoming a target country for foreign investors, whose financial commitment should help to create jobs for the growing population.

Development progress to date has also ushered in another positive trend. The fertility rate is falling rapidly, putting a brake on population growth and changing the country's age structure. Because women are having fewer children, the population of working age has been growing faster than the population as a whole since the early 2000s. Ethiopia is thus heading for a "demographic bonus", which in many other countries worldwide has paved the way to more growth and prosperity. Given the right framework conditions, this bonus could be transformed into a demographically determined spur to development. Like the Asian tiger states before it, Ethiopia could benefit from its demographic dividend provided it manages to consolidate its progress to date.

Despite all its achievements, the country still faces enormous challenges. The development process has been marked by ethnic tensions and ruthlessly driven forward, often with little regard for human rights. The expansion of basic infrastructure has barely been able to keep up with population growth, and the number of people of working age is still growing faster than the number of jobs. Hopes are now pinned on the young prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, to introduce the necessary reforms and measures with which to overcome these challenges.

The hoped-for further progress is unlikely to happen without international assistance. Ethiopia is depending on foreign help to achieve its goals. Were the engine of development to stall, there would be far-reaching consequences. "If Ethiopia fails, the stability of the entire region in the Horn of Africa will be endangered," says Reiner Klingholz, director of the Berlin Institute for Population and Development. Flight and explusions would be inevitable. The European Union should therefore give Ethiopia as much financial support and advice as possible so that the country can break out of the vicious circle of poverty and rapid population growth, the study concludes.

The study was financed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds from the Austrian Development Cooperation as well as by the DEG (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft) and the GfK Verein. You can download the study free of charge as a PDF under:
The words "fly like an eagle" are famously part of a song, but they may also be words that make some scientists scratch their heads. Especially when it comes to soaring birds like eagles, falcons and hawks, who seem to ascend to great heights over hills, canyons and mountain tops with ease. Scientists realize that upward currents of warm air assist the birds in their flight, but they don't know how the birds find and navigate these thermal plumes.

To figure it out, researchers from the University of California San Diego used reinforcement learning to train gliders to autonomously navigate atmospheric thermals, soaring to heights of 700 meters--nearly 2,300 feet. The novel research results, published in the Sept. 19 issue of Nature, highlight the role of vertical wind accelerations and roll-wise torques as viable biological cues for soaring birds. The findings also provide a navigational strategy that directly applies to the development of autonomous soaring vehicles, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

"This paper is an important step toward artificial intelligence--how to autonomously soar in constantly shifting thermals like a bird. I was surprised that relatively little learning was needed to achieve expert performance," said Terry Sejnowski, a member of the research team from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and UC San Diego's Division of Biological Sciences.

Reinforcement learning is an area of machine learning, inspired by behavioral psychology, whereby an agent learns how to behave in an environment based on performed actions and the results. According to UC San Diego Department of Physics Professor Massimo Vergassola and PhD candidate Gautam Reddy, it offers an appropriate framework to identify an effective navigational strategy as a sequence of decisions taken in response to environmental cues.

"We establish the validity of our learned flight policy through field experiments, numerical simulations and estimates of the noise in measurements that is unavoidably present due to atmospheric turbulence," explained Vergassola. "This is a novel instance of learning a navigational task in the field, where learning is severely challenged by a multitude of physical effects and the unpredictability of the natural environment."

In the study, conducted collaboratively with the UC San Diego Division of Biological Sciences, the Salk Institute and the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, the team equipped two-meter wingspan gliders with a flight controller. The device enabled on-board implementation of autonomous flight policies via precise control over bank angle and pitch. A navigational strategy was determined solely from the gliders' pooled experiences collected over several days in the field using exploratory behavioral strategies. The strategies relied on new on-board methods, developed in the course of the research, to accurately estimate the gliders' local vertical wind accelerations and the roll-wise torques, which served as navigational cues.

The scientists' methodology involved estimating the vertical wind acceleration, the vertical wind velocity gradients across the gliders' wings, designing the learning module, learning the thermalling strategy in the field, testing the performance of the learned policy in the field, testing the performance for different wingspans in simulations and estimating the noise in gradient sensing due to atmospheric turbulence.

"Our results highlight the role of vertical wind accelerations and roll-wise torques as viable biological mechanosensory cues for soaring birds, and provide a navigational strategy that is directly applicable to the development of autonomous soaring vehicles," said Vergassola.
Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau will visit Washington, DC in the US, and Ottawa and Montreal in Canada from September 23 to 29.

During his stay in Washington, DC, between September 23 and 26, Mr Yau will meet government officials, members of congress, think tanks and leaders of chambers or business organisations.

He will exchange views on Hong Kong-US trade and economic relations and update them on the latest economic developments in Hong Kong.

On September 25, Mr Yau will attend a gala reception and dinner hosted by Cathay Pacific Airways to mark its inaugural direct flight between Hong Kong and Washington, DC.

He will also witness the signing of the Statement of Intent on Smart Technology Collaboration by the US Department of Commerce and the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

On September 26, he will deliver a keynote speech at a seminar entitled "The United States, Hong Kong & China: Innovation Economies in the 21st Century" co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Washington, DC and the Atlantic Council.

Mr Yau will then travel to Canada to meet government officials and Canadian Parliament members to discuss issues relating to trade and economic co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada.

He will also meet key members of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association Ottawa.

In Montreal, he will meet with government officials responsible for trade matters.

During Mr Yaus absence, Under Secretary Bernard Chan will be Acting Secretary.
Tokyo : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet US President Donald Trump in New York next week during the UN General Assembly (UNGA), a government spokesperson said here on Friday.

Yoshihide Suga said that Abe would depart for New York on Sunday to participate in next week's UNGA and other sideline meetings, Efe news reported.

Suga said that Trump and Abe would first meet for a private dinner and then hold a formal meeting on Wednesday.

The Japanese Premier is expected to address the General Assembly on Tuesday, the first day of the annual UN meeting.

North Korea is expected to be high on the agenda during meetings at the General Assembly.

Suga said the Abe-Trump meeting would cement the close bilateral coordination between Japan and the US on the regional and global challenges facing them both, including the denuclearization of the Pyongyang regime.

Abe's visit to New York comes after his re-election as President of the Liberal Democratic Party, allowing him to continue as Prime Minister for another three years.
New Delhi : Breaking the ice in bilateral relations, Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session that begins later in September -- the first such interaction after a long hiatus.

"I can confirm that the two foreign ministers will meet on the sidelines of the UNGA. At this stage we have just agreed to the meeting," External Affairs Ministry (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told the weekly media briefing here.

"The permanent missions of India and Pakistan will work out the date of the meeting," he said, indicating it is not a resumption of dialogue.

This follows a letter written by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking resumption of dialogue and suggesting a meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of UNGA, and a letter written by Qureshi to Swaraj.

Replying to questions, Kumar said this is just a meeting and there is nothing much to be read into this at this stage.

"This meeting is taking place at the request of the Prime Minister (of Pakistan). We have not analysed details, we have just taken note of the letter written by Khan to Modi."

Kumar also revealed that India has confirmed that it would attend a meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) foreign ministers.

"The existing policy on the Saarc process will continue. I don't think there is any change in it," said the MEA spokesperson.

Asked whether the foreign ministers meeting in New York is the beginning of a dialogue process, he merely repeated that they requested for a meeting and we have not discussed details.

On reports of brutality on a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan who was killed in firing from the Pakistani side, he said it was a barbaric incident and the BSF has written a strong communication to its counterparts in Pakistan.

"It is a serious issue and we will take it up Pakistan."




New Delhi : Following fresh US sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme that puts the strategic Chabahar port in jeopardy and calls for a complete stop to all Iranian oil exports, India is in touch with all stakeholders in the matter, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

"We are very closely monitoring the developments and assessing their implications," ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a media briefing here.

"We are in touch with all stakeholders in the matter," Kumar said.

The sanctions on Tehran that will come into effect in November have jeopardised the Chabahar port project in Iran, being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan.

The port facilitates access to Afghanistan by bypassing Pakistan and is also a vital link in the International North-South Transport Corridor.

"Chabahar is a very important project for us not only for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia but also for Afghanistan itself for our own developmental assistance and developmental programmes in Afghanistan," Kumar said.

He said that the matter figured in the discussions during the first ever India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi on September 6 in which External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis participated.

"I can say that these discussions have led to a better understanding by the US of our objectives, concerns, sensitivities and expectations," the spokesperson said.

Also, with the new US fresh sanctions, there have been concerns in New Delhi as India is heavily reliant on Iran for crude oil imports.

"We, of course, will continue to work with the United States and other stakeholders to ensure our energy security and also our national interests," Kumar said.

Earlier this month, briefing the media about the 2+2 Dialogue, a senior US State Department official said that there has been expert-level discussions between India and the US on issues related to crude oil exports from Iran and ways to bring those exports down.

Stating that these conversations are ongoing, Principal Deputy Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Alice Wells said: "We are working very hard with our partners so that there are no disruptions in the market and adequate supply is available to substitute for Iranian oil."
The first hydrogen-powered train, by French train maker Alstom, arrives at the station in Bremervoerde, Germany, as it enters service

New Delhi : Germany creates history by rolling out the world's first hydrogen-powered train which supports eco-friendly technology. The train challenges the polluting diesel trains which are considered costlier in the current economic condition.

Built by French TGV-maker Alstom, the two bright blue Coradia iLint trains began running a 100-kilometre (62-mile) route between the towns and cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde and Buxtehude in northern Germany, an area covered by diesel trains.

The manufacturer said that the technology plans to deliver another 14 of the zero-emissions trains to Lower Saxony state by 2021, with other German states also expressing an interest.

"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.

About Hydrogen trains

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.

Also, the trains can run for around 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen, similar to the range of diesel trains.

Alstom believe that the train technology is eco-friendly and smart alternative to diesel on non-electrified railway lines. It is an attractive mode of transport in 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," said, Stefan Schrank, the project's manager at Alstom.

Besides, countries including Britain, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Italy and Canada are also looking for hydrogen trains. It has been reported that France government has already said it wants the first hydrogen train to be on the rails by 2022.
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New Delhi:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah is set to Chattisgarh on Friday, a BJP spokesperson said. Apart from attending several scheduled events, Amit Shah will address a meeting of BJP workers and leaders in Raipur.

The saffron party president is also scheduled to visit Shadani Darbar, a religious place for the Sindhi community in Raipur.

State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party is excited over the visit of partys National President Amit Shah to Raipur for a day, said State BJP president Dharamalal Kaushik.

Amit Shah will also fix target for the party to win a minimum of 65 seats as targeted in the 65 Plus Mission as he is set to interact with ground level party workers for the Mission 2018.

Shah is also slated to participate in the Shakti Kendra Workers Convention at Dumartarai. He will then inaugurate the brand new auditorium in the partys State headquarters in Kushabhau Thakre premises.

State assembly elections are slated for the year-end in the state and Shahs visit now will only strengthen partys chances in the assembly elections.

Shahs visit is also significant as it comes a day following Bahujan Samaj Part (BSP) announced its alliance with former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogis party  Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC).
New Delhi:

Sebi on Friday slapped a fine of Rs 35 lakh on Falcon Tyres for not providing the information sought by the regulator in a matter related to preferential allotment of shares of the firm.

In April 2012, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) issued various summons to Falcon.

One of the summons sought the balance sheet of Falcon for the financial years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Another summon directed the company to confirm whether it signed any deed of assignment with three other entitiesSuncap, Regus and Salputrifor assigning a loan of Rs 144.04 crore to itself.

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In an order, Sebi said Falcon was informed to furnish required documents, but it had sought extension of time.

According to the order, despite multiple time extensions being granted to the firm, it failed to file its reply which depicts an approach to not cooperate with the investigation.

Thus, for not complying with the summons for supplying information/ documents sought by the IA (investigating authority) during the investigations, it is held that Falcon has violated... Sebi Act, the regulator said.

Noting that Falcon is liable for monetary penalty, Sebi slapped a fine of Rs 35 lakh on the firm.

In a separate order, the regulator imposed a penalty of Rs 4 lakh on Excel Castronics non-executive director Payal Jayeshbhai Madiyar for disclosure lapses.

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In August 2014, the holdings of Payal in Excel Castronics increased from 3,91,532 shares to 4,20,762 shares, which is 5.167 per cent of the share capital of the company.

For the change in holding, Payal failed to make relevant disclosures in terms of SAST (Substantial Acquisition and Takeovers) Regulation and PIT (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulation.

It is held that Payal has violated SAST and PIT Regulations, Sebi said and imposed a penalty of Rs 4 lakh on her.

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Bengaluru:

The Karnataka unit of the BJP accused Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of sedition over his remark asking people to rise in revolt against the saffron party on Friday. In a complaint to the Director General of Police (DGP) Neelamani N Raju, the BJP alleged that the chief minister had violated section 124(A) (relating to sedition) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Holding placards and raising slogans against former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his sons, including Kumaraswamy, the BJP staged a protest near the Mysore Bank Circle, the nerve centre of the city, terming the chief ministers remark as a call for anarchy.

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Kumaraswamy, who holds a constitutional post, has given a call for people to rise in revolt, BJP MP from Udupi Chikkamagaluru constituency Shobha Karandlaje said.

Karandlaje said the person who was supposed to protect the Constitution and citizens of the country was provoking people.

Whatever was in Kumaraswamys mind finally came out in the form of words, the BJP MP charged.

Another BJP parliamentarian Prahlad Joshi termed the statement as the most irresponsible and unpardonable offence and said the chief ministers choice of words displayed his state of mind.

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Upset over the alleged toppling game of the BJP, an angry Kumaraswamy had on Thursday warned BJP to be restrained in its speech about Gowda and his family, saying he can even ask people to rise in revolt against it if it continued to disturb Congress-Janata Dal-Secular coalition government headed by him.

Launching a no-holds-barred attack on state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, Kumaraswamy had said: If you dig too much (into our affairs), then we too have many things at our disposal.

Government is in our hand. Dont I have the authority to do whatever I can? I caution him to be careful, he added.

Hitting back, Yeddyurappa said if the state government was with Kumaraswamy, the central government was with the BJP.

Soon after, Congress and JD(S) activists staged a demonstration outside Yeddyurappas house raising slogans against him for his alleged attempts to destabilise the coalition government.

The BJP condemned the demonstration, saying that the state government was trying to muzzle the voice of the Opposition, which showed its anti-democratic face.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi:

Hours after Manipur University appointed Y Yugindro Singh as interim vice chancellor, as many as 200 strong forces of police commandos carried out mock bomb attacks at the varsity campus Thursday midnight. According to reports, over 90 students and five faculty members have been taken into custody by Manipur police.

The major crackdown came on the heels of an ongoing protest, which brought day-to-day functioning of Manipur university to a halt. The 85-day agitation by MUSU, MUTA and MUSA had started back in June, demanding the removal of incumbent Vice-Chancellor AP Pandey, accused of several administrative and financial irregularities during his tenure.

With Pandey placed under suspension by the president, the university started functioning from August 23. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) also constituted a fact-finding committee headed by former Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court to probe into allegations levelled against Pandey.

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"Taking into account the volatile law and order situation in the campus, Pandey has been placed under suspension till the completion of the enquiry and action to be taken thereon in the interest of justice for free and fair enquiry or till further order," the order issued by the Ministry of HRD said.

However, resuming of duties by Pandey has further deteriorated the atmosphere of the university, forcing police to launch a midnight attack in the student and faculty quarters.

The midnight raid also witnessed firing in which several students have suffered injuries. The university students have slammed the attack by Manipur police, terming it undemocratic and shameful. The mock bomb attack also evoked condemnations from across several parties, including the Congress, who called it a new facet of fascism.

New Facet of Fascism: Midnight raid at Manipur University. #SaveManipurUniversity pic.twitter.com/RlhcaB76iF  INC Manipur (@INCManipur) September 20, 2018

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In wake of this huge clash between Manipur police and students, internet services have also been suspended in the northeastern state. Manipur Friday woke up to isolated streets with all business establishments, shops and transports remained closed across the state.
New Delhi:

The Centre on Friday appointed Anil Kumar Chaudhary as the new chairman of the Steel Authority of India (SAIL), official said.

The order issued by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) said Chaudhary will be in the post till his superannuation in December, 2020.

Chaudhary, at present, has been serving as the Director (Finance) in the countrys largest steel maker SAIL company since September 2011. Prior to that, he was Executive Director (Finance & Accounts) at SAIL s Bokaro Steel Plant, said sources.

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Chaudhary joined SAIL in 1984 as junior manager (F&A), it said.

According to reports, the top post of SAIL was lying vacant after the retirement of P K Singh on June 30 this year.

Meanwhile, the top appointments-making panel also deputed P K Rath as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL).

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Rath has been serving as the Director (operations) in the same company, the second largest steel-making firm in the public sector enterprises since June 1.

The ACC also appointed V Gopi Suresh Kumar as Director (Projects) in RITES Limited, a railway consultancy firm.

Currently, Kumar is serving as the executive director in the EPIL.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Bhubaneswar:

Cyclonic storm DAYE hit the Odisha coast near Gopalpur Friday causing heavy rain and Malkangiri district, which bore the brunt, was virtually cut off from the rest of the state.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said no loss of life has been reported till 12 noon.

The SRC said, Malkangiri district was severely affected by the cyclonic storm and some people were left marooned in submerged areas, including Poteru.

Around 150 people have so far been rescued from some places in the district, the SRC said.

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Immediate steps have been taken for distribution of relief materials in the affected areas and damage caused by the natural calamity was being ascertained, he added.

Rain water was flowing over major roads, submerging low-lying areas in the district that experienced a total rainfall of 1163.8 mm since Thursday, Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal said.

After reviewing the situation, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed the Malkangiri district administration to reach out to the affected people and extend all assistance to them, an official in the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) said.

Patnaik also sanctioned gratuitous relief for seven days at Rs 60 per day per person and Rs 45 each for children below 12 years in the district, he said.

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The cyclonic storm DAYE over northwest Bay of Bengal crossed south Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh coast close to Gopalpur in the early hours of Friday, Director, Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, H R Biswas said.

The cyclonic system then moved west-northwestward with a speed of 26 kmph and weakened into a deep depression and lay centred over south interior Odisha and its neighbourhood, about 65 km east-southeast of Titlagarh.

After making a landfall, the storm triggered heavy rainfall in several places in Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput and Nabarangpur districts of the state, MeT officials said.

Malkangiri, which recorded an average rainfall of 166.25 mm since Thursday, witnessed severe waterlogging and disruption in road connectivity in many areas.

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As major roads were submerged with rain water, connectivity with Jeypore, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh remained snapped, said an official.

Water level in the Balimela reservoir had also risen alarmingly, he said.

While rain water gushed into a health centre in Janbai, four persons who had been marooned in a forest nursery near Malkangiri since Thursday were rescued Friday, he said.

Incessant rainfall also left major rivers like Saleru, Saberi and Saptadhara in the district swollen, while power supply remained snapped.

Heavy rains also lashed nearby Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur districts.

The MeT centre forecast heavy to very heavy rain in several places in Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput and Nabarangpur districts till Saturday.

Heavy to very heavy rain is also likely to occur at some places in Balangir, Bararh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts till Saturday morning, it said.

The impact of the cyclonic storm was also felt in Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts, while districts like Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak were lashed by heavy downpour.

The state government has instructed officials in coastal districts and various departments to tackle any emergency situation, official sources said.

While the IMD had predicted damage to thatched hut, roads, crops and minor damage to power and communication lines in Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts at the time of landfall, the state government is in the process of assessing the damage, if any.

Taking the situation into account, the NDRF and the ODRAF have been deployed in different districts. One NDRF team each has been deployed in Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts with 17 boats and other emergency equipment.

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New Delhi:

The Congress on Friday accused the NDA government of treating the people of Jammu and Kashmir like guinea pigs and playing with the crown of India.

Attacking the government, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said that there had been a marked quantitative increase in ceasefire violations, deaths of security personnel, civilian killings, and terror incidents in the state since the BJP came to power at the Centre and in the state.

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He blamed the government for the deteriorating security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and cited the abduction and killing of three policemen and the reported resignations by police personnel in the state.

The Home Ministry, however, said Friday that no policeman has resigned in the state following the killing of the three police personnel by terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and described such reports as false propaganda by mischievous elements.

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There is a quantitative and qualitative change. The quantitative change is reflected in any of the four parametersceasefire violations, death of security personnel, civilian deaths, terror incidents, Singhvi said.

It is shocking that 414 jawans have died since the BJP came to power at the Centre and in the state, he said.

Singhvi said, 256 civilians have died. As I have said on all parameters there is 100, 200, 300 per cent increase. In the case of ceasefire violations, there is a 500 per cent increase.

He said the UPA had brought the state and its people in the mainstream, but the NDA government converted that mainstream into midstream.

Singhvi also accused the government of treating Jammu and Kashmir like a laboratory experiment and its people like guinea pigs.

The government has betrayed each and every part of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the Congress leader said.

He alleged that to all the incidents of violence and deteriorating security situation, there was silence on the part of the government.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

Nearly 24 hours after agreeing to talks with Pakistan, India on Friday called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York later this month, because of the brutal killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani, the MEA spokesperon said.



Announcing the cancellation of the meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the incidents exposed the true face of Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabads evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

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The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways, Kumar said.



He noted that two deeply disturbing developments have taken place since yesterdays announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.



In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, he said.



India had on Thursday accepted Khans request for a meeting Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

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Three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmirs Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen Friday.



Following the incident, opposition parties criticised the government and asked it to explain the rationale behind accepting such a meeting when Pakistan-based terror outfits are killing Indian security personnel along the border in J&K.



Kumar said Indias decision to agree to Pakistans proposal for the meeting was in response to the spirit reflected in separate letters from Khan and Qureshi.



The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia, bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism.



Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office, he said.



The MEA spokesperson said any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless.



In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, he said.



The Swaraj-Qureshi meeting would have been the first such high-level engagement between the two sides since suspension of dialogue between the two nations after the Pathankot air base terror attack in 2016.



India-Pakistan ties have nose-dived since then in view of a number of terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups. India retaliated by carrying out surgical strikes in September 2016 across the Line of Control (LoC). India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.



Accepting the proposal for the meeting, India had, however, made it clear that it was not resumption of dialogue and the decision doesnt change the countrys position on cross-border terrorism.



(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

After the raging outrage owing to allegations against Bishop Franco Mulakkal on repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun went public, the Bishop was arrested by the police. Franco Mulakkal is a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India.

Kerala nun rape case: Kottayam SP Hari Sankar says, "On basis of the evidence collected so far & interrogation that continued for 3 days,we arrested Bishop Frankkol at 8 pm today. Subsequent investigation will continue.He'll be produced before a magistrate court tomorrow morning" pic.twitter.com/ruvGTnldEI  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

The police interrogation lasted for over three days after which the 54-year-old Mulakkal was arrested by the Kerala police.

The issue was raised immediately a day after the Vatican relieved him "temporarily" from the pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation. The alleged victim also belonged to the same Missionary.

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According to the Kottayam district police chief Hari Sankar, the Bishop was arrested at 8 pm. The police informed the reporters that he was taken for medical examination immediately after the arrest.

Mulakkal would be produced in a magistrate court in Pala in Kottayam district tomorrow, as per a statement released by Inspector General of Police (Kochi Range) Vijay Sakhare.

The charges against the bishop were made by the nun who accused the clergyman of repeatedly raping and having unnatural sex with her between 2014 and 2016. However, he has denied any such crime.

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New Delhi:

Days after Hizbul Mujahideen warned the Special Police Officer to quit their jobs by September 19, militants reportedly abducted and killed three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Thursday night.

The policemen, all SPOs, have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kuldeep Singh and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi. Their bodies were recovered from Shopian.

The fourth abducted person, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat who is a brother of a policeman, was released on Friday morning. No organisation has claimed responsibility so far.

Jammu & Kashmir: Three policemen who were kidnapped by terrorists in south Kashmir's Shopian, found dead. pic.twitter.com/OV9xwHrDBn  ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

The incident came less than a month after as many as eight family members of policemen were kidnapped on the night of August 30 after militants raided their homes in Jammu and Kashmir.

Read | Jammu and Kashmir LIVE: Security forces eliminate two militants in Bandipora encounter

Releasing a 12-minute video, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions and issued a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of militants, who were in police custody.

The August 30 incident came after the NIA arrested the second son of globally-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group. Salahuddin's son was arrested on charges of receiving secret funds.

Read | Cyclone DAYE to hit Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh today; Here is how to stay safe

In June, Army soldier Aurangzeb was abducted from a private vehicle when he was going home for Eid in Shopian. His bullet-riddled body was recovered from a Pulwama village hours later.

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New Delhi:

An unknown fever has claimed 84 lives in the past six weeks in Uttar Pradesh, forcing the Yogi Adityanath government put on high alert across the state, a government official said on Friday.

The cases have been reported from six districts --- Bareilly, Badaun, Hardoi, Bahraich, Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur, said the sources.

UP Director General of Health Services Padmakar Singh said, "Prima facie, it seems like these are cases of viral fever, typhoid and malaria. We are distributing medicines, organising camps and conducting mosquito-fogging drives. I am confident that we will be able to control this."

Also Read | Bigg Boss 12 Day 5 Highlights: It's 'Kaal Kothari' time! Invitation to a new controversy

State Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said, people take their sick relatives to quacks first, and approach authorised health officials only after things have gone out of control.

This was one of the main reasons for the high casualty rate, he said.

According to official reports, an awareness drive has been launched to ensure there is no panic and to counter the unnecessary alarm being caused misleading and incorrect media reports.

Read More | Kerala nun rape case: Bishop Franco Mulakkal arrested

Death audit is being conducted in all the cases and an active surveillance has been initiated in the rural and urban areas to prevent spread of the disease, the state spokesperson said.

The state government has constituted three teams of doctors to look into the cases in Bareilly and Badaun, UP DG (health) Padmakar Singh had told reporters in Bareilly.

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Islamabad:

Saudi Arabia will be the third strategic partner of the $ 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a senior Pakistani minister announced Thursday, soon after Prime Minister Imran Khan returned from his first foreign trip to the cash-rich kingdom.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship project of the multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a pet project of Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed at enhancing Beijings influence around the world through China-funded infrastructure projects.

Addressing a press conference here on Khans two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE), Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry said that Pakistans main interest lies in cooperation with Saudi Arabia on matters of trade and security.

Also Read | Take Ram temple issue 'seriously' after Bhagwat comments: Sena to Modi government

Pakistan has invited Riyadh to join the CPEC as the third strategic partner, The News quoted him as saying.

Saudi Finance and Energy Ministers will visit Pakistan in the first week of October, Chaudhry said.

He said the projects that Saudi Arabia would be investing in the CPEC will be smoothed out during the Saudi delegations visit.

China has rejected accusations that its financial backing for the CPEC was a debt trap that could compromise cash-strapped Pakistans sovereignty.

The CPEC is the fastest-moving and flagship part of President Xis global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The CPEC aims to construct and upgrade the transportation network, energy projects, a deep-water port at Gwadar and special economic zones to eventually support Pakistans industrial development as a manufacturing hub by 2030.

Read More | 'Iron Lady': AR Murugadoss unveils title poster of the Jayalalithaa biopic

Chaudhry said Prime Minister Khan has assured Riyadh that Pakistan will stand with Saudi Arabia.

We have also assured the Saudi leadership that we will continue to provide security to their country and provide strategic support wherever needed, he said on the close defence partnership between the close allies.

He also said that a high-level coordination committee has been constituted [to look into matters of trade and commerce] and it has the complete backing of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and Prime Minister Khan.

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New Delhi:

At least twelve people were killed and 14 others injured in an attack by suspected jihadists in the northern village of Paqueue in Mozambique, said sources.

Ten people killed were shot by firearms and two burnt (to death) after 55 houses were charred. A person was beheaded after being shot dead in the northern village of Paqueue late Thursday, said the official.

As per health official report, an ambulance was dispatched to Paqueue for immediate rescue of the injured people.

Also Read | Asia Cup 2018: BCCI reveals reason behind India playing all matches in Dubai

According to reports, since October, the southeast African countrys plans to exploit its gas reserves has been thrown into doubt by an explosion of bloodthirsty assaults in the region where the industry plans to base its hub.

In another incident on Thursday night, a military convoy came under attack near the Tanzanian border north of Paqueue, killing a senior army officer, according to a police source.

The attack occurred at night when defence and security forces routinely patrol. The attackers wore military uniforms and had large-calibre firearms, said the sources.

Read More | Talks between India, Pakistan foreign ministers called off

Mozambique witnessed its first jihadi terror attack in October 2017, when a police station and a military post in the coastal town of Mocimboa da Praia came under attacked, killing two policemen.

The surged of terrorism and terror attacks in the southern African nation has caught experts and policy analysts by surprise, said the sources.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Washington:

The United States Friday hailed India's acceptance of Pakistani proposal for talks between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ongoing annual UN General Assembly session in New York and termed it as a "terrific news".

"We saw that (reports of meetings between Indian and Pak leaders). I think that's a terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

On Thursday, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar announced that India has agreed to a meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Pakistan's request. He, however, made it clear that it was not the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue.

Read | Imran Khan writes to PM Modi: 'Look forward to working with you'

Nauert also welcomed the exchange of messages between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and also Prime Minister Modi. And we hope that the conditions will be set for a good strong relationship, a good strong bilateral relationship in the future," she said

The United States has traditionally welcomed any talks between India and Pakistan, the pace of which, it has noted, depends on the leadership of the two countries.

Read | Modi government can no longer escape pruning fuel prices for a favourable poll verdict

"In general, the United States supports dialogue between India and Pakistan that can reduce tensions, and we understand and had frequent conversations with the Indian partners on the expectations that there would be demonstrable reduction in cross-border terrorism or infiltration that will help create the confidence for dialogue to take place," Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, had told reporters during a conference call last week.

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Trump orders feds to declassify evidence of FBIs Russia witch hunt

President Trump played his trump card on Monday and ordered the feds to declassify tons of evidence related to the Russia witch hunt.

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

From Fox News:

President Trump orders declassification of the FISA warrant for Carter Page, FBI interviews with Bruce Ohr and text messages relating to the Russia investigation of James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page and Bruce Ohr. President Trump on Monday ordered the declassification of several key documents related to the FBIs probe of Russian actions during the 2016 presidential election, including 21 pages of an application for a renewed surveillance warrant against former campaign aide Carter Page, and text messages from disgraced FBI figures Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.

Here it is: Trump declassifies key parts of Carter Page FISA app; all Bruce Ohr 302s; plus 'all text messages relating to the Russia investigation, without redaction, of James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr.' pic.twitter.com/4sTP7e3dRc  Byron York (@ByronYork) September 17, 2018

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump had ordered the documents released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Justice Department [a]t the request of a number of committees of Congress, and for reasons of transparency. The documents to be declassified also include all FBI reports on interviews with Justice Department official Bruce Ohr and all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with all other applications to surveil Carter Page. Trump also ordered the Justice Department to release text messages from a number of the key players in the Russia investigation without redaction  including Ohr, Strzok, Lisa Page, former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

The entire Russia meddling hoax was nothing but a scam to sabotage Trumps presidency and prevent his campaign pledge to normalize US relations with Russia and end the neocon cold war.

Finally, this is all going to come out!

Immediately after Comeys firing Peter Strzok texted to his lover, Lisa Page We need to Open the case weve 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?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2018

We applaud the Presidents decision to declassify portions of the Page FISA application and communications from the key people at the FBI and DOJ who ran the Russia investigation: Comey, McCabe, Strzok, Page, and Ohr. Transparency is a good thing.  Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) September 17, 2018

Read more at: Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
WASHINGTON  Most people in town probably already know the story of the white Colonial known as Cogswell Tavern, where George Washington once ate breakfast nearly three centuries ago.

But, only a few have likely gotten the chance to see inside the historic home  at least until now.

The tavern-turned-home will be one of five featured next weekend in the Washington Environmental Councils House and Farm Tour, a scholarship fundraiser that will let residents visit and learn about significant properties throughout towns.

I think, like all of us, many people wonder whats behind (Cogswell) doors, Karen Silk, one of the councils directors, said . We thought that would be the linchpin because it is such a famous house.

The tour will let attendees visit the homes in any order and talk with council representatives at each property.

At Cogswell Tavern, they can see many of the sites original features that have been maintained since it was used as a rest stop for travelers in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Paula Krimsky, whose family has been close friends with the owners family for generations, will be on hand to discuss the homes expansive history. Krimsky had helped the family sort through a collection of artifacts and papers found in the attic during a restoration in the early 2000s.

Like typical New Englanders, they never threw anything out, Krimsky said. They had unbelievable treasures up there.

The tavern was built in 1756 by Major William Cogswell, who served with Gen. George Washington in the Revolutionary War and was one of New Prestons first settlers. Cogswell bought the property from Chief Waramaug, a prominent Native American leader at the time.

Cogswell was a justice of the peace, a selectman in New Milford, a member of the 1774 Committees of Correspondence, a moderator for Washingtons first town meeting, the towns first selectman and a representative on the General Assembly.

Perhaps the homes most notable claim to fame occurred on May 25, 1781, when George Washington stopped by with his troops on their way to West Point, which is noted in Washingtons diary.

Anna Whittlesey Cogswell was about to sit down for breakfast when a rider came and said General Washington is on his way and that she would have to feed 300 troops, said Sally Woodroofe, who lives in the home and is an eighth-generation descendent of Cogswell.

The fireplace that Cogswell likely used to cook for guests can still be seen when entering the home, along with antique pots and a Revolutionary War musket hanging above it. It is believed the floors, ceilings and other features in the house are part of the original structure.

Krimsky and Woodroofe said family stories attribute the home to other brushes with history  including as a stop on the underground railroad  though it is difficult to confirm many of the exact details.

Other properties to be featured on the tour include Back 40 Farm, a ranch renovated by two notable designers, a house built from a Sears Roebuck kit and an Arts and Crafts house with solar panels that produce 24,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

All proceeds from the $50 tickets, which include a reception at Gunn Memorial Library, will be used to provide scholarships to students studying the environment.

The tours and reception will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.

aquinn@newstimes.com
LONDON - Prime Minister Theresa May went to dine with European leaders this week, to pitch her compromise proposals for a soft departure from the union and its trading bloc, but she ran into a wall of criticism on Thursday, hearing her counterparts declare her Brexit plan unworkable.

The beleaguered British leader was in Salzburg, Austria, to try to convince a tough audience that the United Kingdom could remain so closely aligned with European Union rules and regulations that it would allow for the continuation of "frictionless" trade the modern economy is built upon.

She was also asking for more time to solve the thorny issue of what to do about the border between Northern Ireland, which remains a part of the United Kingdom, and Ireland, which is a member of the European Union.

May faces opposition from not only a hard-bargaining Europe, which does not want to make it too appealing for members to leave their club, but also her own Conservative Party, populated by hard-line Brexiteers such as former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who disparages the prime minister's exit plan as a weak capitulation to Brussels.

Challenges to her Brexit plan and her leadership will take center stage at a raucous party conference in early October.

Her trip to Salzburg did not help her.

Speaking to the media in Salzburg on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the staunch Brexit backers had deceived the British people, promising them a windfall of funds and a painless exit.

Brexit was pushed by those "who predicted easy solutions," Macron said. "Those people are liars. They left the next day so they didn't have to manage it."

May had warned European leaders her plan - agreed to by her divided cabinet in July at the prime minister's official country manor, Chequers - was the only way forward.

But Macron countered, "The Chequers plan cannot be take it or leave it."

Donald Tusk, European Council president, said May's signal proposal to create a British-European free trade regime covering agriculture and goods - but not services - was not acceptable.

"There are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, but the suggested framework for economic cooperation will not work, not least because it risks undermining the single market," Tusk said.

The European Union's single market offers much to its members but also requires the free movement of people among its countries. Britain wants to controls its own immigration and make its own independent trade deals.

Tusk said May has just four weeks to amend her plan - or perhaps face the dreaded prospect of leaving Europe with no deal - a so-called doomsday scenario.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned, "There is still a lot of work to do on the question of how future trade relations will look."

Speaking of May's proposals, Merkel said, "You can't belong to the single market if you are not part of the single market, but you can develop a lot of creativity to find practical, good, close solutions."

Answering her critics at the meeting in Austria, May told the media, "If there is no agreement on a deal that is acceptable to the United Kingdom, then we're preparing for no deal."
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Friday walked back his order earlier this week to declassify information in the ongoing probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, saying Justice Department officials and others had convinced him not to declassify it for the time being.

The retreat from his declassification decree issued just four days ago underscores the ongoing tensions between the White House and the Justice Department over the probe by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is examining whether any Trump associates may have conspired with the Kremlin to interfere in the election.

In a pair of Friday morning tweets, Trump said: "I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies' called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me - and everyone!"

His reversal was preceded by a series of conversations between White House lawyer Emmet Flood and senior law enforcement and intelligence officials - chief among them deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, according to people familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Flood had been engaged in those discussions for weeks, but the pace and intensity of the talks picked up considerably after the president's declassification announcement earlier this week, these people said.

Trump was also swayed by foreign allies, including Britain, in deciding to reverse course, these people said. It wasn't immediately clear what other governments may have raised concerns to the White House.

On Monday, the president ordered the Justice Department to declassify significant materials from the Russia investigation, a move that threatened another showdown with federal law enforcement officials resistant to publicizing information from an ongoing probe.

The White House issued a statement Monday saying Trump was ordering the department to immediately declassify portions of the secret court order to monitor former campaign adviser Carter Page, along with all interviews conducted as officials applied for that authority.

Trump also instructed the department to publicly release the unredacted text messages of several former high-level Justice Department and FBI officials, including former FBI director James B. Comey and deputy director Andrew McCabe.

For months, conservative lawmakers have been calling on the department to release Russia-related and other materials, many of them accusing law enforcement of hiding information that might discredit the Mueller investigation. Those calls were amplified by Fox News hosts, whom the president had previously cited as influencing his decision.

The president's declaration on Friday appears to indicate he is willing to let the Justice Department's inspector general - which is already conducting an internal investigation of how the Russia probe has been handled - review the material rather than release it publicly.

"Thankfully it seems that saner minds have prevailed, at least for the time being," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. "This underscores why the President should be relying on the expertise and advice of intelligence and law enforcement professionals, not cable news hosts."

- - -

The Washington Post's Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report.
In one of the most significant state and local tax developments in the last 50 years, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly sided with the state of South Dakota in allowing the state to impose a sales tax on out of state online sales. The 5-4 decision in the case of South Dakota v Wayfair will have a big impact on emerging internet sellers, who will be confronted by the need to collect state taxes, along with significant variations in rules and filing requirements across different jurisdictions, but may lack the internal accounting resources to comply.

Related: Supreme Court Gives States OK to Collect Sales Taxes on Online Sales

A bit of tax history

Prior to the Wayfair decision, state sales tax policies were guided by a 1967 Supreme Court ruling in the case of National Bellas Hess. The Court held that the state of Illinois could not collect "use tax" (a close cousin of sales tax) from the mail order company because it did not have a physical presence in the state. It was determined that National Bellas Hess lacked the minimum contacts needed in the state required by the U.S. Constitution's Due Process and Commerce Clauses to require it to collect tax.

Later in the early 1990s the Court came to a similar conclusion in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota. These are the two most commonly cited cases in the area which basically protected many internet companies from having to collect sales/use tax for out of state sales.

Evolution of our economy

Unless you have just emerged from a deep hibernation, you may have noticed that our economy has changed a bit in the 50 years since National Bellas Hess was decided. As more and more retail transactions have been occurring over the internet, states grew increasingly frustrated as billions of dollars of sales tax per year went uncollected. Smaller local retailers felt increasingly disadvantaged as they were required to collect sales tax on their sales but the internet retailers were not.

Related: Why Internet Sales Tax is Bad Public Policy (Opinion)

Many thought that something had to be done to equalize the playing field. Although bills have been put forth in recent years, Congress failed to reach any agreement as to the correct course of action. Therefore, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped back into the breach to readdress the problem.

In direct contravention to the earlier court rulings, South Dakota put a new law in place to help it capture the millions in revenue it was losing annually. South Dakota's new law requires out of state retailers that made at least 200 sales, or sales totaling at least $100,000, to collect and remit a 4.5 percent sales tax. South Dakota then sued several retailers that had no physical presence in the state and were not collecting the tax. In one of those cases the Supreme Court determined that when a business "avails itself of the substantial privilege of carrying on business" in a jurisdiction it creates an adequate connection to require it to collect tax.

What this means for you

Many consumers who were not paying their fair share will be paying more sales or use taxes. As a business owner you need to be aware of what this means for your company. If engaging in out of state sales, the cost of complying with the new law may become significant. Many states have already passed laws similar to that of South Dakota, using it as a guide of what may be acceptable under the new rules. Other states have passed laws that are different from South Dakota. Still others have not yet acted.

Related: Your Ecommerce Business Might Owe a Ton of Taxes You Don't Know About

Larger businesses have internal tax departments that can shoulder the burden of creating systems to track and comply with the different laws in all 50 states. But, smaller businesses typically lack such internal resources, and will need to hire outside consultants or accountants to help them meet their filing obligations. Among the issues small businesses will need to address: a myriad of differing rates and rules in each state, remitting withheld tax and filing tax returns as required in each of the states.

Business owners first need to address their current exposure to these rules, remembering that the laws are changing on a weekly basis. Second, either via their own internal personnel or in conjunction with their outside consultants, they must develop a plan and systems to comply with the rules as they become effective. Additionally, they should consider planning strategies that might minimize exposure to these rules now and in the future.

Tax professionals are concerned that states may apply the Wayfair decision to other types of state taxes, such as an income tax, and that states may become more aggressive in trying to assert nexus even when a company does not have a presence in the state. There also exists the possibility that the federal government may attempt to step back into the picture and put legislation in place that will either do away with this rule or create some type of uniform sales/use tax to apply to all 50 states, which at the least would lessen the compliance burden on small businesses.

In any event, unless the federal government acts to make state sales tax rules more uniform and consistent, emerging online sellers will find more of their resources and brainpower will be needed to address these changing and diverse rules and filings.

Related:

U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Sales Tax Could Be Costly for Emerging Online Businesses

Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre las nuevas herramientas de compra en Instagram

2019 Will Be a Revolutionary Year for Online Shopping



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Peter Zeihan lists problems around the world. I disagree with his conclusions and his claims of inevitability.

The demographic problems identified in the age pyramids in different countries range from challenging to severe.

The non-performing loans in Italy and Italys extremely poor demographics make for very bad scenarios for Italys financial crisis.

Zeihan predicts three wars and massive oil and gas disruptions.

Zeihan is smoking something weird as he thinks just because the US becomes a net exporter of oil that the US would allow Europe and Asia and oil to go to hell while doing almost nothing.

Russia vs. Europe

I agree that Russia has major weaknesses. Russia is an aging petrostate. Zeihan thinks that Russia can roll over the rest of the Ukraine and Poland and Baltic countries. He thinks that it will take pushback from Germany, UK, Sweden etc to stop it.

He thinks the US will provide only minor support.

He also thinks that Russia will lose its oil and gas exports to Europe and then Russia would have to shut-in its oil.

I think Russia is and will ramp up oil and gas sales to China and India.

Russia will not be allowed to push further into Ukraine or the Baltic States. The US and Trump will meet NATO obligations. It would be politically impossible for Trump and Republicans to allow Russia to take Ukraine, Poland and Baltic states.

Iran vs. Saudi Arabia

He predicts a war between Iran and Saudi Arabia and 11 million barrels of oil goes offline for many years.

Iran is getting squeezed by the US sanctions. The sanctions are having a strong effect. Iran is far weaker economically, militarily and politically. Israel will assist Saudi Arabia. The US will do more to quickly collapse Iran than Zeihan thinks. Russia has been assisting Iran but Russia is weaker than Zeihan thinks.

Asian Tanker War

Zeihans third war is dependent on one of the first two. Zeihan thinks China would lose out on not getting oil in a severe oil shortage. He thinks Japans Navy could beat Chinas.

A Russia to China gas pipeline is about completed.

Gazproms Power of Siberia natural gas pipeline from Russia to China is 93 percent complete, the Russian gas giant said in an update on its major projects.

A total of 2,010 kilometers (1,249 miles) of pipes are laid for the Power of Siberia gas pipeline between Yakutia and the Russian-Chinese border, or on 93 percent of the routes length, Gazprom said in a statement.

The natural gas pipeline is expected to start sending gas to China at the end of 2019 and its completion is among Gazproms top priorities.

China will become the worlds largest natural gas importer by 2019. The share of imports in Chinas natural gas supply is seen rising from 39 percent to 45 percent by 2023.

A second Sino-Russian oil pipeline began operations on Jan 1, 2018. It doubled Chinas capacity to import crude from the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean system. China can now import 30 million tons annually (about 600,000 barrels a day) of Russian ESPO crude via pipeline, up from 15 million tons before the second branch opened. The two lines run parallel to each other between Mohe at the border and Daqing in northeast Heilongjiang Province.
Connecticuts economy added 1,100 jobs in August and also benefited from a revision of previously announced employment figures for July, an official with the state Department of Labor said Thursday.

The states unemployment rate fell by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.3 percent, Andy Condon, director of the agencys Office of Research, said. That is still 0.4 percent higher than the national unemployment rate.

The July unemployment data, which had shown a decline of 1,200 jobs when it originally was announced, was revised upward to a gain of 500 jobs, according to Condon.

After dips in March and April, we have now seen four straight months of employment gains in Connecticut, he said in a statement. On an annual basis, the construction, manufacturing, education, health services and leisure and hospitality sectors are all showing good growth.

The education and health services sector added 1,000 new jobs compared to August 2017, while the leisure and hospitality business added 700 jobs. The trade, transportation and utilities sector saw a decrease of 900 jobs last month while the manufacturing and information sectors saw declines of 100 each.

The Hartford and lower Fairfield County labor market areas led the state in job growth during August.

The Hartford labor market area added 1,000 jobs while the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwlak area added 900. The New Haven labor market area lost 100 jobs last month compared to August 2017.

Economists said while the latest employment data is encouraging, the states economy has been unable to show it can achieve a sustained recovery.

We have not been able to sustain positive gains month-to-month for long periods, and we need to have that to really start to see long-term changes in our economy, Pete Gioia, an economic adviser to the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, said in statement.

Gioia said the fact that the state financial services sector added just 200 jobs in August was especially troubling.

We have negative year-over-year growth for the financial sector, which is very important for well-paying jobs and very important for Fairfield County, Gioia said.

Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven-based DataCore Partners, said the states labor markets are treading water at this point with no discernible strength.

This means were presently 13,700 jobs from attaining full job recovery, Klepper-Smith said, referring to the workers need to be hired for the state to return to the employment levels it was at prior to the 2008 recession. Extrapolating this growth out in time, we see that the states economy is not likely to see full job recovery until sometime in late 2019.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
BRIDGEPORT - Jefferson Sumpter had his one chance on Friday to try and make amends for beating and raping a Guilford woman he rescued from the throes of a winter storm.

She isnt dead, and she should appreciate that, Sumpter told Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin as his victim sat in the back of the courtroom, a shocked expression on her face. It was very cold that night and I was very intoxicated, she should have known better than going with a stranger. And we all know that women and the media make up rape allegations.

Devlin said he was going along with the plea agreement, sentencing Sumpter to 15 years, suspended after he serves eight years in prison and followed by 10 years of probation.

But the idea that she was somehow responsible for what you did is totally ludicrous, the judge continued. Your claim that sex assault complaints by women is somehow a ploy is offensive.

The 49-year-old Sumpter previously pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault and first-degree unlawful restraint as his case was about to go to trial.

My life has not been the same since my terrifying experience with Mr. Sumpter, the 67-year-old victim stated in a letter read aloud by Senior Assistant States Attorney Joseph Harry. I dont know whether he thought he had the right to rape me, choke me, chase me when I tried to escape and punch me, saying, I am going to kill you bitch.

Harry said on Feb. 1, 2015, officers were dispatched to Frankies Diner on Barnum Avenue for a report of an assault. When officers got there, they found the victim crying hysterically with red finger marks around her neck.

The woman told detectives that she had taken the train to the city to visit a friend but had then gotten caught out in a storm, the prosecutor continued.

Unable to get back to the train station and with no place to wait out the storm, Harry said the woman went to the diner where she met Sumpter who offered to let her stay at his home until the storm cleared.

However, once they got into Sumpters house, the prosecutor said, Sumpter beat the woman in the head and pushed the woman onto a couch. When she tried to call for help he ripped her cell phone from her hand.

Harry said Sumpter then began choking the woman until she nearly passed out. He ripped her clothes off and sexually assaulted her.

She was just looking for a place to get out of the storm, the prosecuted added.
NEW HAVEN  Reeling from recent cuts to staff and programming, parents from John C. Daniels School arrived Thursday at a public meeting with Superintendent of Schools Carol Birks intent on protesting.

Maria Flores, the mother of a third-grade student at the school, said the parents wrote three letters to the district complaining about the decision to lay off library media specialists, leading to the schools full-time specialist splitting her time between John C. Daniels and another school.

It was like water under the bridge to them, and they thought it would go away, she said.

Flores and about a dozen other parents arrived to a scheduled coffee conversation with Birks Thursday morning at the Atwater Senior Center with signs decrying the personnel cuts.

East Haven parent Michelle Morgan, whose child is in sixth grade at the school, said the school has a heavy bilingual population  including a number of evacuees from hurricanes in Latin America and Puerto Rico last year  and the students rely heavily on bilingual staff for services.

Sylvester Salcedo, an Orange resident and president of the schools parent organization, said his children bring in money for the district through the magnet school grant, yet cuts are being made to the school. Salcedo, who was on Birks transition team, said he had heard Birks speak about equity, but he wanted to see her demonstrate it.

When Birks arrived, she told Salcedo that Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Iline Tracey had been communicating with parents at John C. Daniels School. Later, Salcedo said he was surprised to learn that, as president of the parent organization, he hadnt been contacted.

At the meeting, Birks apologized that a meeting with John C. Daniels parents had been canceled, saying she would like to have it be rescheduled. She said she could not commit to being present for the meeting, though.

Before Thursdays meeting, parents at Daniels outlined in a letter to the media what their library media specialist had done for the school.

Mrs. (Patricia) McGovern taught typing classes to students from Kindergarten - 3rd grades. This helped with keyboarding skills and confidence with computer-based learning that is taking place in the classrooms, the parents wrote in a news release. Her contributions continued with the production of JCD News, a newscast featuring school events and happenings delivered by student anchors. Plus she took care of the technology and computer needs for the entire school and oversaw the after school programs. Now these programs are no longer available to students.

Sarah Miller, a mother of a student at Christopher Columbus Family Academy and a community organizer for the NHPS Advocates organization, said it is extremely difficult sharing that schools library media specialist with East Rock Community Magnet Schoool. (The library) is only open the 2.5 days shes there.

Miller said library media specialists do more than help students check out books, as they also focus on enrichment and technical literacy programs.

During the conversation, a parent challenged Birks on the decision to lay off several school counselors, opting instead to have one full-time social worker at each school.

John C. Daniels parent Melissa Vera said the school doesnt need a full-time social worker.

We need full-time counselors who serve our kids better than a social worker, she said. She said the schools library is also a ghost town right now.

Birks said she is not bending on the social worker because they have specialized training that counselors do not.

I know we have our own interests, Birks said, but she challenged parents to step back and think of the 22,000 students. Have an outward mindset.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump lashed out at Congress on Thursday for failing to deliver his long-promised border wall, unleashing a tweet that accused Democrats of "obstructing" border security and demanded that "REPUBLICANS MUST FINALLY GET TOUGH!"

The trouble for Trump is that it's his own GOP allies - not just his political opponents - who have been standing in the way.

The same Republican lawmakers who rushed through the tax bill Trump wanted, confirmed his first Supreme Court pick and are fighting to defend his second, and have remained largely deferential amid multiple scandals, have taken a far different approach when it comes to one of Trump's most memorable campaign promises - deeming the wall to be impractical, unrealistic and too costly.

"People can climb over the wall or go under the wall or through the wall. We've seen that in different places," said Sen. John Cornyn, Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, explaining why a system of technology, infrastructure and personnel is preferable to a physical wall. "If it's just unattended without sensors, without technology, without people, then it won't work."

Another powerful Republican, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Shelby, Ala., said he told Trump that funding a 2,000-mile-long wall could jeopardize money for the military and other core programs.

"Some things are reachable and some things aren't," Shelby said he told Trump. "I'm committed to securing the borders, whatever it takes in this country; it's something we haven't done. But I'm also committed to funding the government."

The GOP's recalcitrance on the wall underscores the extent to which immigration and border issues continue to roil the party in the two years since Trump swept into office vowing to take a hard-line approach on the issue.

The idea of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border remains hugely popular among Trump's core supporters, with chants of "build that wall" still ringing out at his rallies, and numerous candidates in this year's midterms echoing Trump's rhetoric. In Florida, gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis released a campaign ad showing him urging his little son to construct a wall using building blocks.

But the issue is not as clear-cut for many other Republicans. Border state lawmakers face concerns from landowners and businesses that could be face disruption by the construction of a massive barrier. Others represent states and districts with large Hispanic electorates that could be turned off by the idea, while others say the idea of a big wall may be a nice applause line but risks funneling precious funds away from more essential government functions.

Behind all the rationalizing lies a hardening reality: Many congressional Republicans just aren't that into Trump's wall.

Now, Republican leaders are more focused on urging Trump to delay a fight for the wall than on fighting for it themselves. Congress is working to pass a short-term spending bill that would avert a government shutdown Oct. 1 and punt a showdown over wall funding into December, after the November midterms.

Republican leaders have been lobbying Trump to stick with their strategy, which would deliver a big increase in Pentagon spending. The president has speculated publicly that shutting down the government to get more wall money could be good politics, but Republicans fear a shutdown just ahead of the midterms would be disastrous.

No one really knows what Trump will do, and some White House officials have begun preparing a contingency plan for the partial shutdown that would occur if Trump vetoes the spending bill.

Trump is now being told by aides that he will get more wall money after the election - even though many in the White House are concerned there won't be the votes, according to a Trump adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk freely. Trump asks frequently what the strategy is for getting the wall money after the election.

"I want to know, where is the money for Border Security and the WALL in this ridiculous Spending Bill, and where will it come from after the Midterms? Dems are obstructing Law Enforcement and Border Security," Trump tweeted on Thursday.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a Trump critic who is retiring, said the wall hasn't gotten done because "we have priorities here."

"As much as he wants to say I campaigned on this, this was the central pillar of the campaign, always attached to it was Mexico will pay for it. And they're not, of course," Flake said. "So now for him to come to Congress and say 'pony up,' Congress says no. We never agreed to this."

Administration officials acknowledge privately that there is no plan for how additional funding will be achieved after an election that could see Republicans lose seats in Congress or even their majority.

"I don't know that I see an answer after the midterms in terms of getting money for the wall either," said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., head of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. "Here we are almost two years into an administration, and significant funding has not happened. . . . Most conservative members are serious about it. I'm not so sure about some of the others."

Meantime, Trump continues to remind aides about the cheers the wall gets at rallies but has expressed concerns that his supporters are not seeing enough progress. "We have to keep saying the wall is already happening," the president said recently, according to the Trump adviser.

The president continually tells lawmakers the wall is a national security issue, and asks whether he can use defense money, according to a senior administration official who requested anonymity to speak freely.

At times Trump has demanded $25 billion for the wall, but a deal giving him that much in exchange for deportation protections for immigrants brought illegally to the country as children fell apart earlier this year, with Democrats blaming the White House and the White House blaming Democrats.

Trump's current ask for the wall is $5 billion for 2019, but Senate Democrats won't go along with that figure after striking a deal with Republicans to provide $1.6 billion for 2019, which was the original White House request.

Republicans including Shelby have tried to convince Trump that the lower number is the best they can do for now, and the issue will have to be worked out after the election.

But earlier this year Trump blew up at aides over the $1.6 billion, saying it was not enough. Former legislative affairs director Marc Short, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and others explained to him that it was what his own budget team asked for. Trump did not understand why they didn't get more - and seemed unaware of what was in his own administration request, according to the Trump adviser. The president has griped periodically about the Office of Management and Budget request.

Then, at a meeting with congressional appropriators in June, Trump demanded $5 billion, without a clear justification for the number.

Trump also has pressed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to eliminate or modify the filibuster rule that gives Democrats effective veto power over spending bills in the Senate, according to a second senior administration official. McConnell has disagreed.

Officials planned a trip to see prototypes to quell Trump's anger. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and others give him periodic updates with pictures.

"We haven't given up the fight. But if it keeps us from doing other things that are pretty important, like defending the country, then I think it's a fight not worth having right now," said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. "Let's get these critical day-to-day functions of the government done, and the American people will be expressing an opinion in the election. We'll see where we're at when we come back."
NEW HAVEN  A new controversy related to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh rose up at Yale Law School Friday, with signs in the schools courtyard calling the school a model of complicity in the accusations that Kavanaugh may have assaulted a woman when they were in high school.

A story in The Guardian newspaper of London on Thursday claimed that law professors Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld, who are married, would advise female students applying for clerkships with Kavanaugh to have a certain look during their interviews.

It went on to say that Chua would tell students it was not an accident that Kavanaughs female law clerks all looked like models.

Kavanaugh, 53, a federal appeals judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, graduated from Yale in 1987 and received his Yale law degree in 1990. He has been accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford, now a professor at Palo Alto University, when they were in high school.

A sign posted next to Kavanaughs portrait in the law school says, We believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford #MeToo. Another quotes professor Ahkil Reed Amar as saying that nominating Kavanaugh is the one most sane, most sober, most classy thing that the administration has done.

Chua, who gained national notoriety in 2011 with her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, advocating a super-strict parenting style, fell ill shortly after the fall semester began and reportedly was hospitalized. She has been known as a mentor for potential Kavanaugh law clerks and one of her two daughters is set to clerk for him if he is not confirmed as a Supreme Court justice.

Chua issued a statement disputing that Kavanaugh seeks attractive women as law clerks. For the more than ten years Ive known him, Judge Kavanaughs first and only litmus test in hiring has been excellence, she wrote. He hires only the most qualified clerks, and they have been diverse as well as exceptionally talented and capable. There is good reason so many of them have gone on to Supreme Court clerkships; he only hires those who are extraordinarily qualified.

The Guardian also claimed that Rubenfeld is the subject of an internal investigation at Yale  focused on Rubenfelds conduct, particularly with female law students.

The newspaper quotes a statement from Rubenfeld saying he was told he was the subject of an informal review but that he was not told specifics. I was further advised that the allegations were not of the kind that would jeopardize my position as a long-tenured member of the faculty. That quote is also posted in the Yale Law School courtyard.

While law school spokeswoman Janet Conroy said she could not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, Dean Heather Gerken issued a statement addressing the reports.

The allegations being reported are of enormous concern to me and to the School, Gerken wrote. While we cannot comment on individual complaints or investigations, the Law School and the University thoroughly investigate all complaints regarding violations of University rules and take no options off the table. Neither the Law School nor the University prejudges the outcomes of investigations. Any statements to the contrary are inaccurate.

Gerken added, Faculty misconduct has no place at Yale Law School. You have my word that we will take appropriate action on any complaints.

I think people are unbelievably upset about the alleged investigation, said a second-year law student who would not give her name. I think theyre serious about investigating, but they havent done anything to show students that theyre serious about investigating.

But the decades-old sexual assault allegation and the Guardians story have mobilized students, who reportedly plan a sit-in on Monday unless classes are canceled so they can go to Washington to protest at Kavanaughs confirmation hearings. Dana Bolger, a third-year law student, said in a Facebook message that a number of professors have cancelled class, in response to students requests.

Everybodys talking about it in the hallways and people are extremely passionate and are mobilizing and having conversations about how to proceed, said a first-year student. When theres bias in who gets these clerkships, that means bias in whos going to get on the Supreme Court 20 years from now, the student said. The things that are talked about were open secrets and are things that students hear even before they start at the law school.

Lorianne Updike Toler, a fellow at the law school, said she thought the criticism of Chua and Rubenfelds coaching of women who wanted to be clerks was silly. Theres no allegations here. Youre talking about being dressed femininely or assertively. Its unclear what theyre charging.  Kavanaugh hires and promotes and forwards the careers of women. He takes on diverse women.

On Friday, 49 Yale Law School faculty issued an open letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying they are concerned about a rush to judgment that threatens both the integrity of the process and the publics confidence in the Court.

Allegations of sexual assault require a neutral factfinder and an investigation that can ascertain facts fairly, the letter states. Those at the FBI or others tasked with such an investigation must have adequate time to investigate facts.  In subsequent hearings, all of those who testify, and particularly women testifying about sexual assault, must be treated with respect.

The letter concluded, The confirmation process must always be conducted, and appointments made, in a manner that gives Americans reason to trust the Supreme Court. Some questions are so fundamental to judicial integrity that the Senate cannot rush past them without undermining the publics confidence in the Court. This is particularly so for an appointment that will yield a deciding vote on womens rights and myriad other questions of immense consequence in American lives.

Kavanaugh, who would replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, is expected to create a strong conservative majority on the court, with opponents fearing that he would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion.

His nomination split the law school community as soon as he was nominated July 9, when the school issued a press release in which Gerken and faculty praised the judge. I can personally attest that, in addition to his government and judicial service, Judge Kavanaugh has been a longtime friend to many of us in the Yale Law School community, Gerken wrote. Ever since I joined the faculty, I have admired him for serving as a teacher and mentor to our students and for hiring a diverse set of clerks, in all respects, during his time on the court.

That prompted a July 10 letter from students, alumni and faculty who said they were ashamed of our alma mater.

The press releases focus on the nominees professionalism, pedigree, and service to Yale Law School obscures the true stakes of his nomination and raises a disturbing question: Is there nothing more important to Yale Law School than its proximity to power and prestige? Judge Kavanaughs nomination presents an emergency  for democratic life, for our safety and freedom, for the future of our country.

Two days later, a pro-Kavanaugh letter stated: Judge Kavanaugh is eminently qualified to serve as a Supreme Court justice and called him one of our nations most distinguished jurists.  He has demonstrated a principled approach to interpreting the law. He has reached legal conclusions free of political partisanship. Judge Kavanaugh has devoted his professional life to upholding the rule of law and our Constitution.

edward.stannard@

hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
NEW HAVEN  Frustrated Shore Line East commuter railroad riders didnt have to wonder what they have to do to get the state Department of Transportation to listen to their complaints about recent problems in the lines service.

About a dozen DOT and Amtrak officials  led by DOT Commissioner James Redeker  came to Union Station Thursday to talk to riders and hear their complaints about delays and cancellations face-to-face.

There was no shortage of lively feedback.

Susan Feaster, a member of the newly-formed Shore Line East Riders Advocacy Group who regularly commutes from Ivoryton, boarding Shore Line East in Westbrook to get to her legal job in New Haven, blamed the problems on mismanagement  gross mismanagement.

I know lack of funding is one of the problems, she said before she had the opportunity to speak with Redeker. But she didnt think the problems stop there.

Ive had to drive five times in the last couple of weeks, Feaster said. That not why I bought a (monthly) pass.

Trains are habitually late and one, which is supposed to depart from New Havens State Street Station at 5:48 p.m. each day, is on the schedule but almost never runs, Feaster said. Just take it off the ... schedule and make the 6:08 (train) run on time.

I know people who arent riding anymore because they cant rely on the service, Feaster said. One guy has been written up three times so far this year for being late to his job, she said.

Theyre touting this whole Hartford Line service between New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, Mass., which is great, she said. But not to the detriment of another line.

DOT officials, including Redeker and Richard Andreski, the DOTs bureau chief for public transportation, acknowledged that while they dont yet have precise numbers, Shore Line East ridership has slipped in recent months because of the problems.

Theyre taking steps to address the situation, which they said is unrelated to the beginning of Hartford Line service, they said.

Redeker said he and other DOT officials are well aware that there are problems and are taking steps to fix them and make the service better.

He blamed many of the recent problems on two key issues:

A decision by Amtrak, which runs the Shore Line East service under contract with the DOT, to do necessary undercutting to replace sections of track along the Shoreline, requiring Shore Line East to route trains traveling in both directions over the same track, this past summer.

With all Amtrak Shore Line East trains on one track, any problem is exacerbated, Redeker said.

Some of the six locomotives used for the service are now well beyond their useful life and need to be overhauled, he said. Now, all six locomotives, including four used daily for Shore Line East service and two that act as backups, are going to be refurbished, he said.

To improve reliability, Amtrak next month will add a third shift in the New Haven maintenance shop so work will now be done on trains seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

The DOT also is making standby buses more readily available just in case there are problems with the trains.

And continuing for the next few weeks, DOT officials now are riding the train every day so they can experience conditions for themselves, he said.

Ridership is down some. Thats why were trying to address this in a holistic way, Redeker said.

We are not satisfied with the service, said Andreski. He said it will improve, but the improvement will be incremental ... as the improved locomotives are put back into service.

While riders were not shy about letting officials know about what they believe is wrong, several said they were glad to be heard.

I think theyre hearing us for the first time, said Jeri Duefrene of the Niantic section of East Lyme. She rides Shore Line East from Old Saybrook five days a week to her job as assistant to a director of patient services at Yale New Haven Hospital.

While she pays $152 for a monthly train pass, Duefrene said she often ends up riding a leaky, sometimes dirty backup bus because of problems with spotty train service, including trains that get canceled for unexplained or poorly-articulated reasons.

I was late twice (to work) this week, Duefrene said.

Duefrene, a member of the Shore Line East Riders Advocacy Group, said she came out to meet with DOT officials because I want to know whats going on to help us  and the truth.

After speaking directly to Redeker for 15 or 20 minutes, she said, I feel better that the state is aware of everything now.

Nancy Considine, who commutes from Westbrook to her job at Yale New Haven Hospital, said she paid $136 for her monthly pass so she didnt have to sit in traffic, but now she sometimes ends up driving, anyway, so I am sitting in traffic.

Another Shoreline resident, who did not want his name or employer to be published , gave officials an earful, telling them he experiences missed connections, reliability issues and other problems over and over and over and over  its a story every day.

If youre late in Westbrook or Saybrook, then you make everybody late down the line, said the man, who commutes five days a week from Westbrook to a medical facility in Bridgeport.

The man began to engage DOT officials, but had to run because his train was arriving.

Bureau Chief Andreski walked with him out to his train so they could continue talking.

He was in a hurry, Andreski said. I wanted to give him an opportunity to be heard.

Andreski, who also pinned the problems on the undercutting project and the reliability of the locomotives, said that while several commuters mentioned the new Hartford Line service as a potential drain on Shore Line East resources, the problems are totally unrelated to Hartford Line.

The DOT said in a news release earlier this week that as a result of an Amtrak construction project and the ongoing rehabilitation of locomotives, the service has not been operating at levels customers have come to expect.

According to the DOT, an average of 1,927 passengers use Shore Line East each weekday and 778 use it on weekends.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
A 76-year-old man suffered a life-threatening head injury when he was struck by a utility company truck as he crossed a Bergenfield street Friday, police said.

The badly injured borough man was crossing eastbound on South Washington Avenue as the PSE&G truck turned left from Magnolia Street to head south around 10:20 a.m., according to Capt. Mustafa Rabboh.

The truck driver, a 55-year-old Rutherford man, was not issued any summonses as the investigation continued.

Citing the severe injuries, police called in the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit to help in the case.

The man was being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center, where his condition was not disclosed Friday afternoon. PSE&G did not immediately return a call.

The crash occurred on a busy stretch of South Washington Avenue that includes apartments and stores.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A woman charged in the bizarre water-borne burglary of a World War II-era submarine stuck in a murky Bergen County river is a psychologist and ghost hunter with an apparent hobby of exploring abandoned buildings.

Laura B. Palmese, 38, and Jon P. Stevens, 48, both of Connecticut, swam to the USS Ling, which is moored in the Hackensack River, after leaving their car at a nearby diner, city police said in a statement Thursday.

The duo allegedly stole a lantern and a medical corps lieutenant's shoulder lapel from the historic former Navy vessel on Aug. 11.

Palmese has worked as a member of Thames Society of Paranormal Investigations, a Connecticut-based team of ghost hunters who seek out the supernatural around the region.

"Our mission is to research, investigate, educate and provide assistance to those who are experiencing the paranormal phenomenon," the group website says.

The group's director, Shamus Denniston, insisted Palmese was not tracking down a spirit on the Ling for his team during the alleged burglary.

"I know she has a side hobby to do urban exploring," Denniston told NJ Advance Media, referring to people who visit abandoned sites.

"She wasn't working with us," Denniston added.

Denniston said Palmese, a doctor of psychology, served as a "paranormal investigator" with his team.

"She joined the team following a life-long interest in all things paranormal, which was perhaps fueled by her love of horror novels and movies," according to her profile on the TSPI site.

The ghost investigators follow a strict set of bylaws, which prohibits trespassing, Denniston told NJ Advance Media.

Denniston said the group wasn't investigating any possible apparitions related to the Ling, but does work cases in New Jersey.

Attempts to reach Palmese by phone and social media were unsuccessful. Online profiles matching her name were deleted after a message sent by a reporter.

Stevens, the man charged alongside Palmese, also could not be reached. The two were scheduled for an Oct. 1 court hearing in Bergen County.

Meanwhile, police were continuing to investigate another case of vandalism and theft targeting the submarine. Vandals flooded the 312-foot Ling and stole four plaques, valued at more than $10,000 that honored sailors and U.S. submarines lost during World War II.

Palmese and Stevens were not connected to that incident. Police and city officials did not immediately respond to messages Thursday.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
UPDATE: Saudino, and several of his staffers, resigned Friday afternoon

--

With everyone from the governor to the state attorney general calling for his resignation, Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino asked for forgiveness Thursday evening.

But he did not say he's stepping down.

In a 207-word statement emailed to reporters by Bergen County Sheriff's Office Director of Communications William Schievella, Saudino offered his "sincere apology to the people of Bergen County for the insensitive recorded remarks that were made public today" in a recording released by WNYC.

Saudino did not deny the authenticity of the tape and instead talked about damage control.

"In an effort to repair the damage to the friendships that I have built with these communities, I have reached out directly to several respected leaders in the communities I have offended and I have personally offered my apologizes and I have asked for their forgiveness and for their communities' forgiveness," Saudino said.

"These remarks are not representative of the person that I am and they are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County," he added.

In the recording, Saudino is caught making racist remarks about African-Americans and the state's Sikh attorney general.

In talking about Gov. Phil Murphy's inaugural address, Saudino said: "He talked about the whole thing, the marijuana, sanctuary state ... better criminal justice reform. Christ almighty, in other words, let the blacks come in, do whatever the f--k they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops," according to the WNYC report.

Saudino also said Murphy, a fellow Democrat, chose state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal only because of his turban, the report said. Grewal is the nation's first Sikh to serve as a state attorney general.

(Here's a full list of what the recording caught.)

In his statement Thursday night, Saudino touted his apparent diversity efforts.

"During my time as the Bergen County Sheriff I have worked hard to successfully increase the diversity of the membership in the Bergen County Sheriff's Department," Saudino said.

"This increased diversity has been accomplished while working hand-in-hand with the members and leadership of our minority communities in Bergen County."

County sheriff is an elected position. Saudino was elected most recently in 2016. The three-term sheriff's current term expires at the end of 2019.

"Going forward I will continue to treat everyone with the respect and dignity that is deserved by all and to be diligent in my duty to protect and defend the rights of all our residents," Saudino said.

Murphy, who called the comments made in the recording "appalling," was just one of a long line of public officials and groups calling for Saudino to step down Thursday.

I have now listened to the recording obtained by @WNYC. If thats in fact Sheriff Saudino's voice, then he should resign immediately.  Gurbir S. Grewal (@GurbirGrewalNJ) September 20, 2018

Bergen County Sheriff Saudino must resign  Loretta Weinberg (@SenatorLorettaW) September 20, 2018

Words of @SheriffSaudino are:

Demeaning to Black New Jerseyans. Denigrating to the AG, discrediting not just @NewJerseyOAG's accomplishments, but others in S Asian & Sikh communities and beyond.

Contemptuous of LGBTQ folks.

Degrading to @LtGovOliver.



Resign. https://t.co/WxyTGS2BKA  ACLU of New Jersey (@ACLUNJ) September 20, 2018

NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco and Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino has resigned, one day after a recording of him making racist comments surfaced -- setting off a slew of calls for him to step down.



A brief, three paragraph statement was released at about 3 p.m. Friday by a spokesman for Saudino saying the resignation is effective "this date and at this time."

Executive Undersheriff George Buono, Undersheriff Robert Colaneri, Undersheriff Brian Smith and Undersheriff Joseph Hornyak also submitted their resignations effective immediately, the statement says. It did not provide an explanation for their resignations.

Sheriff's Office Chief Kevin Pell will be the officer-in-charge of the sheriff's department's operations, and Bergen County Sheriff's Office Warden Steve Ahrendt will be the officer-in-charge of the Bergen County jail's operations until Gov. Phil Murphy appoints an interim sheriff, the statement says.



Thursday, WNYC released a recording of Saudino discussing Murphy's inauguration. In the recording, he can be heard making remarks about African Americans, the state's Sikh Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver.



In reference to Murphy's January inauguration speech, Saudino reportedly said, "He talked about the whole thing, the marijuana, sanctuary state ... better criminal justice reform. Christ almighty, in other words, let the blacks come in, do whatever the f--k they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops."



He also said Grewal only got his job because he wears a turban, and asked if Oliver was gay, noting she's never been married, the report said.

In a statement Friday, Grewal said his office will consider an investigation into the sheriff's office in light of the comments.

"The fact that a top official could make racist comments about the African-American community - and that no one in the room would challenge or correct him - raises serious concerns," Grewal said.

His office, he said, "will work with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office to examine whether there are deeper issues that warrant a wider investigation."

According to his biography on the sheriff's office website, Pell -- who will be running office operation on an interim basis -- has been in law enforcement since 1992. He was promoted chief of the sheriff's office in 2016 by Saudino.

Gov. Phil Murphy in a statement Friday said he will appoint "an interim sheriff who can rebuild the public's trust. The Bergen County Sheriff's Office is home to countless dedicated officers who no doubt were as horrified and disappointed by their former boss's comments as we were."

Who is Michael Saudino?



In a statement Thursday night, Saudino apologized for the comments, and did not dispute their validity. In the statement, he resisted calls to step down from Murphy, Grewal, and countless other state officials, politicians, police unions, and others.



"These remarks are not representative of the person that I am and they are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County," he said in the statement.

He did not release comments with Friday's announcement.



The Bergen County Sheriff oversees a budget of $79.8 million, or about 15 percent of the county's total finances, and 600 employees. The county is home to more than 948,000 people.

Statement of Attorney General @GurbirGrewalNJ regarding the resignation of Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino: pic.twitter.com/bq6mmgTpIE  AG Gurbir Grewal (@NewJerseyOAG) September 21, 2018

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Eagles receiver Mike Wallace understands what Le'Veon Bell is going through.

Long before he signed with the Eagles, Wallace was playing on a third-round rookie contract for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After making the Pro Bowl in 2011, Wallace held out of organized team activities and parts of training camp during the final year of his deal in 2012.

Eventually, Wallace left Pittsburgh in free agency to sign a long-term deal with the Miami Dolphins. At the time, Steelers fans and media criticized Wallace's handling of his deal and now the veteran wide receiver sees a similar situation brewing with Bell.

On Thursday, Wallace quote tweeted an article about Bell entitled "Le'Veon Bell's holdout has reached point of career-damaging consequences." Wallace wrote "It's crazy how they will make you out to be the villain when you want what you've earned."

Its crazy how they will make you out to be the villain when you want what youve earned https://t.co/J27ocJ7dfP  Mike Wallace (@Wallace17_daKid) September 20, 2018

Bell held out all summer and through the first three weeks of the regular season after receiving the franchise tag for the second straight year. He has yet to sign his franchise tender. Bell is looking for a long-term mega deal after being named a two-time All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his career. He has only played for the Steelers.

After leaving Pittsburgh, Wallace played for the Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens and is now on the Eagles' injured reserve with a broken fibula.

Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Mike_E_Kaye. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Onstage as Celie, the main character in "The Color Purple: The Musical," Adrianna Hicks deals with violence, sexual assault, poverty, racism and sexism on a near nightly basis. Perhaps that would wear down other performers, but the actress says the story's powerful message, uplifting ending and present-day relevance help her fully embody the role without losing herself.

"It's difficult what I go through every night, but I understand I'm part of something so much bigger than me," said Hicks, who has played Celie more than 345 times. "What Celie goes through to learn to love herself, I feel we all go through that journey as human beings. It's universal: We come into this world and wonder, 'Where is my place?' A lot of people can relate to the story."

The coming-of-age story based on Alice Walker's 1982 novel comes to the Paper Mill Playhouse to launch the 80th anniversary season, running Sept. 26 - Oct. 21. It is the first show to be produced in Paper Mill's newly renovated space.

Set in the first half of the 20th century, the story features 40 years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman raised in the South who is abused by her family and scorned by society because of the color of her skin. She struggles to rise above adversity and to be reunited with her sister, Nettie. (Trenton native Carrie Compere stars as Sofia, an outspoken friend of Celie's.)

Despite being set a century ago, there is "a very strong case to be made for 'The Color Purple' being done anywhere anytime," said Tony Award-winning director John Doyle, who helmed the Broadway revival of the musical in 2015 and its run in London in 2013.

"A classic doesn't have to be an old play written by a white man," Doyle said. "Anyone who knows (the story), knows it's still relevant. It deals with issues of race, issues of abuse, issues of power -- and it also deals with empowerment and how the quiet voice can rise against all that is negative and bad."

Paper Mill has free programming built around the show, including four pre-show "Conversation Clubs"and a post-matinee question-and-answer session with the cast.

Hicks said audience members at similar events come in speechless, clearly moved by what they saw.

"Everybody has this kind of 'one spirit' feel: 'I just went to church,'" Hicks said. "We're all experiencing something together. That's what the human connection is about."

THE COLOR PURPLE - THE MUSICAL

Paper Mill Playhouse

22 Brookside Dr., Millburn.

Tickets: $ 34-112, available online at https://papermill.org. Sept. 26 - Oct. 21.

Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at nataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.
Residents of a Jersey City neighborhood are concerned about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of three feral cats, fearing they may have been poisoned.

Marie Caskey, of Jersey City, said she found two dead kittens behind a bush on Milton Avenue in the Heights on the evening of Aug. 22. The following day, she found a third cat who appeared sick and was later euthanized at an animal clinic.

The deaths of the three cats has led Metro Cat Rescue, a local nonprofit, to offer a $1,000 reward for anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

But Liberty Humane Society (LHS) -- the animal control response team serving Jersey City, Hoboken and Bayonne -- told The Jersey Journal it found no evidence that support the residents' belief of the cats' poisoning.

"There has been no evidence of poisoning or deliberate poisoning," said Kim Saunders, director of operations at LHS. She noted that the cats could have died a number of other ways, since they are feral.

Saunders said it's possible the cats were deliberately poisoned, but there isn't information to suggest that.

"Unfortunately, there's nothing to show that. ... No one saw anything. No one is aware of anyone who threatened to do that," Saunders said.

Saunders said LHS is conducting an investigation by talking to the residents in the area and clarifying information from people who called animal control about the cats.

"I think the reward is great because it could lead to more information if anyone actually has information," Saunders said.
A body was found on the Jersey City banks of the Hudson River Friday morning, near Morris Canal Park, authorities confirmed.

The Homicide Unit of the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the death of a man whose body was recovered on the rocks near Washington and Dudley streets, spokesman Ray Worrall said.

The park is located in Downtown Jersey City, just north of Liberty State Park.

Saleem Khan, who lives in Portside Towers, said first responders arrived at about 7:30 a.m. Among the agencies responding were the Jersey City police and fire departments, the HCPO and NYPD Harbor Patrol, Khan said.

The body -- which was clothed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt -- was not pulled from the rocky area until 10 a.m., Khan said, noting that it appeared that authorities pulled a wallet from the man's pocket.

The HCPO did not release the identity of the man.
NEWARK  A Jersey City school board member accused of violating a state ethics law when he took legal action against a member of his own board of education faced an administrative law judge in Newark on Thursday.

Lorenzo Richardson, the board's vice president, is accused of violating a state law that bans school board members from representing any party other than the school board or district in a proceeding involving the district they serve. The ethics complaint that led to Thursday's roughly 90-minute hearing was filed by one of Richardson's fellow board members, Matt Schapiro.

Geoffrey Stark, a deputy state attorney general who acted as the prosecutor during Thursday's hearing, described the case to Judge Kelly J. Kirk as a "very simple" one. Richardson violated the ethics law, Stark said, when in 2016 Richardson filed a complaint against fellow school board member Vidya Gangadin with the state education commissioner and later a lawsuit against her with a state appellate court.

Richardson's attorney, Stuart Ball, said Richardson's actions were an "honorable" attempt to get clarity on the contract for Jersey City's schools chief, Marcia V. Lyles.

Thursday's hearing, in a seventh-floor room on Washington Street in Newark, included testimony from three witnesses: Schapiro, Gangadin and Ramon Rivera. Rivera was the board's attorney from 2012 until December 2017 and he was named with Gangadin in the complaint Richardson filed in 2016.

Schapiro and Gangadin told The Jersey Journal they were ordered by subpoenas to testify.

Stark asked each witness few questions, largely focused on whether Richardson's complaint to the education commissioner and subsequent appeal were authorized by the board. Gangadin and Rivera said they were not. Ball, meanwhile, tried to veer the testimony toward specifics about the board's conversations in 2015 and 2016 about Lyles' contract. Stark objected, telling Kirk that those discussions are "irrelevant" to whether Richardson had the legal authority to file a lawsuit against Gangadin and Rivera.

Gangadin sparred with Ball several times as he tried to get her to answer his questions with just yes or no. At one point after one of Ball's questions, Gangadin said, "I'm going to object, your honor."

"You can't object," Kirk told her.

Later, Ball noted that during an early 2016 meeting, Gangadin said that an objection to Lyles' contract should go "to the commissioner at this point."

Gangadin was first elected to the board in 2012. She is seeking re-election in November.

The hearing is expected to continue for a second day that has yet to be scheduled. If Kirk finds that Richardson violated the School Ethics Act, he would face reprimand, censure, suspension or even removal from the board. He was first elected in 2014 and re-elected to a second term last November.

The matter at the center of Richardson's legal action stretches back to late 2015 and early 2016, when the school board was grappling with Lyles' then-expiring contract.

Roman and Gangadin argued then that the contract automatically renewed in December 2016 when the board did not tell Lyles whether it would renew or not renew the agreement, as required by Lyles' contract. Richardson, a Lyles critic, argued the the board was required to vote on the renewal and he attempted repeatedly to force a vote. When he failed, he filed his complaint against Gangadin and Rivera asking the education commissioner to force the board to act before March 2, 2016. That's the date Lyles' contract would have automatically renewed by state law.

In June 2016, Schapiro, who had not been elected to the school board yet, filed his ethics complaint about Richardson. In December 2016, Richardson's complaint was dismissed when the education commissioner decided that Lyles' contract had renewed automatically on March 2, 2016.

Asked about Thursday's hearing, Jersey City Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas said, "It was a sad day for Jersey City to see two current board members and a former board counsel subpoenaed to court testify in a matter against another sitting board member. Precious tax dollars which should be going to the classroom."

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
Hudson County hospitals are teaming up with the state to help the homeless. Plus, Hoboken initiatives will include donation meters and an all-access food pantry.

N.Y. Giant Sterling Shepard helped bag groceries, signed autographs and took photos with fans, all for a good cause. Also, Ferris High Schools is remembering slain classmate Jayden Fondeur, and district officials said the school is working with students to raise funds to help the family defray funeral costs.

Plus, a second arrest has been made in the murder of a Bayonne man in Jersey City earlier this month.

In Sports, Danan Hughes will make his return to Bayonne High School tonight when the school formally retires his No. 3 jersey. Plus, Ed Lucas looks back on David Wright's career with the Mets.
The memorial services for the high school student who was shot and killed near his home in Jersey City on Sept. 18 will be on Monday at 4 p.m. at Michalski Funeral Home in Jersey City.

Jayden Fondeur, 17 and a junior at Ferris High School, was shot and killed at the corner of Old Bergen Road and Pamrapo Avenue in Jersey City Sept. 18 at 6:25 p.m. The family called it a drive-by shooting, but they believe Jayden was not the intended target.

No arrests have been made so far.

Visitation for Jayden is scheduled for 4-8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home, 463 Monmouth St. in Jersey City. The funeral is Tuesday at St. Anthony's Church, next to the funeral home, at 10:30 a.m. Jayden will be interred at Holy Name Cemetery.

A GoFundMe page has been created to help Jayden's family with funeral costs.
JERSEY CITY -- At least one juror consulted a book containing the state criminal codes that had been left in the jury room, spurring the judge in the retrial of an accused murderer to declare a mistrial.

"As a result of what transpired, I am dismissing you," Hudson County Superior Court Judge Patrick Arre told jurors at 3 p.m., ending the retrial of Gangaram Maharaj, 60, during the third full day of deliberation.

Maharaj is charged with strangling his brother, Rajendra Maharaj, 62, in Rajendra's apartment in a Journal Square building where they both lived. The body was discovered by their sister on Feb. 27, 2016. His first trial ended in a hung jury in April after four days of jury deliberation.

The issue of the book came to light Friday afternoon when the jury passed a note to Arre saying a juror had looked at the book and that jurors had discussions related to it. They wanted to know if they had broken any rules by looking at it.

Attorneys often use jury rooms to conference with their clients prior to hearings and the book could easily have been left behind. Peter Festa, the defense attorney representing Maharaj, said there is no suggestion of any misconduct on anyone's behalf.

The judge cleared the public from the courtroom to question each juror individually regarding the book's use during deliberations and after speaking to the second juror, he declared a mistrial.

Festa had argued that the jury was instructed that their deliberations must be based only on the evidence presented at trial and the law as explained by the judge before they began deliberating.

Arre thanked jurors for their service, but noted that "Court procedures are very important and when they are not followed, it results in this."

After the jury was dismissed, Festa said "Our client stands by the fact that he is not guilty. We felt like we had a fair trial and we are satisfied with the results. It's the state's decision whether or not to bring another case and if they do, we will be prepared to fight it."

Rajendra Maharaj was found dead in the third-floor apartment at 72 Van Reipen Ave. on Feb. 27, 2016 at about 10:30 a.m. by EMTs responding to the 911 call placed by his sister. who had a business on the first floor.

In both trials, prosecutors pointed out that a bone in Rajendra Maharaj's throat was damaged, he had scratches on his face when he was found dead and the medical examiner ruled he was strangled and the death was a homicide.

The defense has argued that Rajendra Maharaj could have died from any of the many potentially fatal health conditions he suffered from.

A hearing on how to proceed in the matter has been scheduled for Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. before Arre in the Hudson County Administration Building. Maharaj chose not to comment after the mistrial was declared and referred questions to Festa.
JERSEY CITY -- Sentencing has been pushed back in the case of a 42-year-old woman who filed a false statement saying a Jersey City police officer sexually assaulted her in a Downtown alley in October.

In June, Jessica L. Miller, of Oak Street in Jersey City, pleaded guilty to knowingly giving false information to law enforcement with the purpose of implicating another person in connection to the incident she claimed occurred on Oct. 18, officials said.

Miller faces up to five years in prison and was to be sentenced Friday morning by Hudson County Superior Court Judge John Young, but the sentencing has been pushed back to Oct. 26.

On Oct. 18, Miller gave a sworn statement saying she was pulled over early that morning on Brunswick Street and the officer asked her to get out of the car before groping her while patting her down for weapons, criminal complaints says.

Miller said the officer handcuffed her and threatened to arrest her for resisting arrest and assaulting him before taking her into an alley, according to the complaint.

She claimed the officer then partially stripped her and violently sexually assaulted her as she screamed. She even described the officer's private parts, the complaint says.

Based on the complaint, Miller never accused a specific officer, but said only that her attacker pulled her over in a police car and was wearing a Jersey City police uniform. Investigators later showed her a series of police patches and she picked out the Jersey City patch.

Miller said that after the officer left, she called her boyfriend and he picked her up at Fifth and Brunswick streets. Investigators reviewed surveillance video and spotted her car passing Holy Rosary Church at 5:22 a.m. that day before turning onto Brunswick, the complaint says.

The complaint says "Her vehicle is seen continuing on Brunswick Street and pulling over by the alley, where she said the incident occurred, with no vehicle behind her. At no point in time is a police car seen behind her or police lights observed."

A warrant for Miller's arrest was signed on Nov. 6 and the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office arrested her the same day. She was also charged with obstructing a governmental function and filing a false report, but pleaded guilty to the single count on June 12.

A court official said the sentencing was postponed because Miller has applied to enter the drug court program.

Defendants charged with non-violent crimes are eligible for drug court and potential participants must show through testing that addiction is a root cause of the crime or crimes committed. To participate, the accused must agree to a plea deal with the prosecutor's office and are sentenced.

If accepted into the program, the offender serves a probationary sentence contingent on fulfilling the demands of drug court. Those who fail out of the program often have their probation converted to prison time.

Another court official said Miller also has drug charges pending.
When "Errol Flynn's Ghost: Hollywood in Havana" screens at SPU's Roy Irving Theatre as part of the Golden Door Film Festival, it will be a bit of a homecoming for director Gaspar Gonzalez. He was born 1968 in the Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital (part of the original Jersey City Medical Center space that is now condos).

His family had settled in West New York in the 1960s - after they left Cuba.

"For me personally, I was always fascinated by the fact that my parents and grandparents, who otherwise were not steeped in American pop culture, could rattle off the names of classical Hollywood stars and recount the plots of even obscure movies," says Gonzalez, "because they had seen them in Cuba."

Funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Hammer and Nail Productions documentary explores the phenomenon that Hollywood movies were in 1940s and 50s-era Cuba, with Havana, as their press release notes, "reportedly boasting more movie-theatre seats per capita than any city in the world."

"Errol Flynn's Ghost" also explores the continued impact of classical Hollywood in modern Cuba, and parallels Flynn's popularity as an action star and subsequent twilight in that vein with the revolutionary going-ons in Cuba.

It's easy to think that Cubans went to the movies for the most obvious reason anyone does - escapism - but why stories resonate with people is often more complicated.

"What was most interesting to me about the cultural impact of Hollywood movies in mid-20th century Cuba was not that they were seen as escapist fare, but the degree to which they were seen as reflecting the realities of Cuban life," says Gonzalez. "Historian Megan Feeney, author of the forthcoming book 'Hollywood in Havana,' describes how the 1939 Frank Capra classic 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' was seen by Cubans at the time as a kind of cautionary tale about the how American-style democracy -- despite all of its stated virtues -- could be corrupted by unscrupulous politicians. Cubans at the time, of course, were well acquainted with the limits of American democracy, knew that the American government was all too willing to prop up strong men in places like Cuba, if that suited its foreign policy goals.

"So the point of 'Errol Flynn's Ghost' is that these Hollywood films really spoke to Cubans in a very fundamental way. Cuban audiences saw these films as relevant to their own lived experience."

The most marked difference between American and Cuban fandom, according to Gonzalez, is that in the latter there was more of a hunger for "the cinematic 'man of action' (which) -- whether a pirate or gangster or cowboy -- really held sway in pre-revolutionary Cuba, because it was a type that was also popular in Cuban culture.

"What makes Flynn a special case is that he actually turns up in the middle of the revolution in late 1958, working as a war correspondent for the Hearst newspaper chain," says Gonzalez. "It was the ultimate example of life imitating art -- as if Flynn had somehow leapt off the movie screen in Havana to take his place alongside this real-life Robin Hood, which is the way Fidel Castro was seen at the time by a majority of Cubans.

"Both Flynn and Castro absolutely tried to capitalize on the association," says Gonzalez. "For Flynn, whose career and life had been in decline for the better part of a decade, it was a chance to be relevant again... And for Castro, it was a chance to bask in the glow of Flynn's star image."

Gonzalez says one of the things he's particularly proud of about "Errol Flynn's Ghost" is that it's "a true collaboration between (Hammer and Nail Productions) and the Cuban state film agency Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC)."

"Even though Cuba developed a vibrant film industry in the years after the revolution, to this day classical Hollywood films like 'Casablanca,' 'The Killers,' '3:10 to Yuma,' etc. still air on Cuban state television.

"And, if you drive around Havana, you'll see contemporary Hollywood films playing in certain theatres. They acquire them from distributors outside the U.S., so there's no violation of the embargo. But it goes to prove the point: Cubans never got over their love affair with American movies."

Gonzalez says that even though his family moved to Miami soon after he was born, West New York and Jersey City still have a warm place in their hearts. "Both of my brothers graduated from Memorial High in West New York. The oldest, Nelson, was killed in Vietnam and today our family sponsors an annual award for graduating seniors in his name: the Nelson R. Ramirez Memorial Award, which is given to a Memorial High student who successfully balances schoolwork with significant outside employment. My brother worked in a garment factory while he attended high school, so it's a way to honor his memory and give back to a place that meant a lot to him, and to us."

"Errol Flynn's Ghost: Hollywood in Havana" screens Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Roy Irving Theatre, St. Peter's University, 850 Montgomery Street, Jersey City. Short documentaries "Harv" (2017; Dir. Stephen Tucker) and "John Hemmer & The Showgirls" (2017; Dir. Kirsten Larvick) are also on the program. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased in advance through www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org.
Three masked men - two brandishing handguns - robbed a Krauszer's Food Store in Hamilton Thursday night.

Photo from Hamilton police

An employee from the store in the 1700 block of Greenwood Avnue called police at 8:45 p.m. and told responding officers that three males held up the business.

Two had handguns, and one had a small black bat, and all wore masks and dark clothing, police said.

After grabbing cash - at least one charged behind the counter - they fled the store on foot and out of sight, police said.

Hamilton police, on Friday, released an image of one of the robbers in action behind the counter.

No employees or patrons were injured during the crime.

Anyone with additional information about the crime, or the robbers, is asked to contact Detective Dan Inman at 609-581-4035 or the Hamilton police tipline at 609-581-4008.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Starting Saturday, ambulances from Capital Health in Mercer County will start providing emergency medical services (EMS) to a portion of Falls Township, Pennsylvania.

And later this fall, the company will take over primary EMS in Morrisville, just across the river from Trenton, where the ambulance service in the town of about 8,500 is winding down.

Falls Township is acting now because the Morrisville Ambulance Squad had covered emergencies in about 12 percent of their town, Falls leaders said this week.

Falls Supervisor Chairman Bob Harvie said in a statement that Falls Fire Marshal Rich Dippolito was "very impressed and very comfortable" with Capital Health assisting the township with the area formerly served by Morrisville ambulances.

The Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad will continue to be the primary medical responders for the majority of the 34,000 residents in Falls, LevittownNow.com reported.

In a statement, Capital Health's EMS director, Jim Boozan said patients who are transported by ambulance will be taken to the medical center of their choosing. He said concerns about Capital Health "stealing" patients, or only taking patients to their facilities, are a nonissue.

"You want to take them where they want to go, where their physician is, where their medical records are," Boozan said.

The Capital Health service in Falls starts on Saturday, Sept. 22.

In Morrisville, the town's rescue squad said last month they would close down by Nov. 1, after years of financial setbacks, prompting the town to seek a full time ambulance service, the Bucks County Courier Times reported.

Capital Health plans to operate from the Morrisville squad's North Washington Street location, Boozan said in a statement.

Capital Health operates two hospitals in Mercer County which bear the Capital Health name, in Trenton and Hopewell Township, as well as an outpatient center in Hamilton.

The healthcare company also provides advance life support (ALS) paramedic service in Mercer County as well.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A man wanted for sex crimes against children in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was spotted crossing into Trenton on the Calhoun Street Bridge early Friday, police said.

David A. Hamilton Jr., 47, is from Lower Southampton, Pennsylvania, where police on Wednesday issued a warrant for his arrest on "multiple sex offenses against minors," the town's police said in an online bulletin.

Police say they suspect he is in the Trenton or Morrisville, Pennsylvania areas and urged people and local officers to keep an eye out for him along the Delaware River and its canal towpaths.

David A. Hamilton Jr. on a bike in Morrisville, Pa. on Sept. 20.

A Trenton police spokesman said Friday afternoon he had no information about Hamilton.

On Thursday, he was spotted in Morrisville and recorded on a surveillance camera riding a blue mountain bike in the area of East Palmer and Centre Streets at 8:10 a.m.

He was wearing a "boonie" hat and dark jacket and light-colored shorts. Morrisville officers later found his 2016 Toyota Corolla in the 400 block of North Delmorr Avenue.

On Friday, Lower Southampton police said Hamilton was seen crossing the Calhoun Street bridge into Trenton at 12:15 a.m. Police did not say exactly how he crossed.

Lower Southampton did not elaborate on the sex crimes he's charged with committing.

Anyone who spots Hamilton is urged to call 911, police said.

Anyone with information that could help locate him can call Lower Southampton Detective Sgt. Gerald Scott at 215-357-1235, ext. 344 or gscott@lstwp.org.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A Long Branch man accused of leaving a dog to drown in Sandy Hook Bay this summer was ordered jailed on faulty pretenses, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The decision overturning Aaron Davis' pre-trial detention remained sealed as of Thursday, but its order overturning a Superior Court judge's ruling indicates the appellate court disagreed with his reasoning.

Davis, 36, had been held in the Monmouth County jail since August, when he surrendered to the Highlands Police Department.

Davis faces a fourth-degree charge of animal cruelty for allegedly leaving a 10-month-old pit bull -- since named "River" -- locked in a cage in tidewaters off Veterans Memorial Park in Highlands.

Superior Court Judge James McGann had cited the genesis of the attempted drowning in a domestic violence incident involving Davis' girlfriend, and the judge's concern Davis posed a threat to her and her children, in ordering Davis remain jailed pending trial, according to court papers.

New Jersey's criminal justice reforms, which took effect in 2017, all but eliminated cash bail, but left prosecutors with the option to seek continued detention of certain defendants pending trial.

State law now requires a judge to be satisfied that there are no conditions that will guarantee the defendant's appearance in court and the safety of the public, or prevent them from obstructing "the criminal justice process," before imposing pre-trial detention.

Davis' attorney, Adamo Ferreira, told NJ Advance Media at the time that Davis' community ties should have factored "more heavily" into the judge's decision, arguing his client was charged only with a fourth-degree offense and did not present a flight risk.

The appeals court appears to have agreed at least in part.

While calling the judge's concerns "understandable," Appellate Division Presiding Judge Carmen Alvarez noted Davis' only prior criminal record was a disputed case of simple assault -- a disorderly persons offense rather than a felony indictable charge -- from 2006.

Nothing in the record supported McGann's concerns of a risk to Davis' girlfriend or her children, "or the concern that he would attempt to obstruct his prosecution," Alvarez wrote.

The court ordered McGann to reevaluate the case and impose "appropriate conditions of release."

Monmouth County jail records show Davis was no longer in custody as of Thursday afternoon.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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MORE: Predators use these 19 apps to lure minors. This is what parents need to know.

First, parents worried about their children being approached by predators at grocery stores and on playgrounds. Then the threat moved online via shady profiles on social media.

Now, authorities say, some phone apps have opened even more channels of communication between adult predators and minors -- including some video games like Fortnite and Minecraft.

Earlier this week, in announcing the arrests of 24 alleged predators, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal warned the public that people looking to take advantage of young teens and children have more options to do so than ever due to the ever-developing landscape of internet communication.

"It is a frightening reality that sexual predators are lurking on social media, ready to strike if they find a child who is vulnerable," Grewal said in describing how the 24 suspects were attempting to lure and elicit sex with teenagers.

Some of the apps N.J. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal warned parents about monitoring. (Michael Mancuso | For NJ.com)

Some of them -- a police sergeant, included -- posed as teenagers, themselves.

The suspects, all men, varied in age and walks of life.

But Grewal said most were taking advantage of a multitude of apps allowing them to reach out to children, or in this case, undercover detectives.

The men thought they were chatting with 14- and 15-year-old boys and girls, but were instead talking with detectives with the New Jersey State Police's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The task force trains its detectives to maintain online profiles on apps known for hooking up like Tinder and Grindr.

But Grewal said their presence can reach far beyond that.

Arrests of alleged child predators have been made after communicating through apps like Kik, Wishbone, Tumblr and even video games like Fortnite, Minecraft and Discord.

The similarities to the more social apps are that the gaming apps have a chat area.

"These arrests serve as a sobering reminder that parents should closely monitor their child's online activity," State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan said Tuesday.

Some of the apps, like Tinder, have an 18+ age requirement, but users are able to enter a birth date that's older or younger than they actually are. A person's age listed on Facebook sets their age on Tinder, as well, if the apps are synced.

But the app wasn't always adult-only.

Up until June 2016, a user only had to be 13 to sign up. The company changed its requirement after being heavily criticized by parents, parentinfo.com reported.

Many other social mediums and apps, like Tumblr, Instagram and Snapchat also have a minimum age requirement of 13. Tumblr says it's serious about its age requirement, writing:

"You have to be the Minimum Age to use Tumblr. We're serious: it's a hard rule. "But I'm, like, almost old enough!" you plead. Nope, sorry. If you're not old enough, don't use Tumblr. Ask your parents for a Playstation 4, or try books."

But Tumblr and other apps don't have a surefire way of keeping children off the app. If a kid can calculate a birthday that would make them older than the required age, they can access the app.

Making sure a child or teenager doesn't get wrapped up in a conversation with someone much older than they are pretending to be boils down to parents taking note of the apps their kids are using and talking through what is appropriate, authorities say.

"If children appear anxious of evasive when the topic is raised, it may be a red flag," Grewal said.

"It's critical that parents talk to their children about social media and chat apps to let them know that the people they encounter may not be who they initially seemed to be."

Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross
How can New Jersey better prepare students and learners for the jobs of tomorrow -- careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics?

Kim Case, executive director of the Research and Development Council of New Jersey, has been tapped to find strategies that will make New Jersey's STEM workforce one of the most competitive in the nation one day.

Case was recently selected as one of 20 fellows in LEAD STEM, a national leadership development program aimed at bolstering STEM education throughout the nation.

The program, Case said, will allow her to return to New Jersey with the knowledge and know-how needed to develop a coalition of investors in the state that will support the funding of STEM programs throughout New Jersey.

"I am honored to take part in the LEAD STEM program and join peers from across the nation who are as eager as I am to drive excellence in STEM," Case said in a statement. "STEM is part of our DNA and I hope to build on this and help lead more programs that support a quality STEM education for all students."

LEAD STEM is an initiative of the STEM Learning Ecosystem Community of Practice, a collaborative movement of 68 STEM Learning Ecosystems in the nation. There are four STEM Learning Ecosystems in New Jersey.

The goal of the program is to learn how to build a network of investors who will ultimately shape STEM education in those STEM ecosystems.

Eventually, that could mean improved STEM learning materials, teacher training and other learning tools.

Case also wants to help create a system in which all students and learners in the state can get a quality STEM education so that employers in New Jersey can get the "homegrown talent they need," the statement said.

"The achievement gap in New Jersey is real and STEM is no exception," she told NJ Advance Media in an interview. "We need to be preparing all learners for the workforce of tomorrow -- no one should be left behind."

She ultimately envisions a future in which "New Jersey students are some of the most competitive in the country for STEM job opportunities."

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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It was fascinating to watch the Republican reaction to the allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

It started off with party leaders decrying the allegations as politically motivated and morphed into a "boys will be boys" justification of "rough horseplay" and youthful indiscretion and finished off with heartfelt pleas from paragons of virtue like Orrin Hatch and George W. to consider the man Kavanaugh has become, not the teenager he was.

Iowa senator and Scooby-Doo villain Chick Grassley even tried to make it about him by whining about how doing his job and insuring a lifetime appointee to the Supreme Court is not a sex criminal was messing with his schedule. Boo-hoo.

The latest development is the judiciary committee's insistence that Kavanaugh's accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, show up and testify this Monday and not a day later. Ford has, quite reasonably, asked that the FBI investigate before she subject herself to what is sure to be a fair and balanced testimony before a GOP majority committee that is hell bent on confirming a political operative as an associate justice.

What's the rush, you say?

Why not take the time and let the process run its course? Hell, Merrick Garland never even got a single hearing on his nomination, the Court remained intact and the world continued to spin. The unspoken fear is that if Kavanaugh's nomination slips past the midterms the political landscape in Washington may change, drastically. They would very much like to avoid the political fallout from ramming Kavanaugh through during a lame duck session. Boo-hoo, once again.

Tough choices for the GOP: do they rush the process and risk looking like they don't give a damn about sexual assault or slow down and face the possibility of a blue wave. Of course, all of this could have been avoided if they nominated a better candidate.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
Teenagers do the darndest things. Some of those things can kill them.

Remember the so-called "Tide Pod Challenge?" It enticed young people to post videos of themselves popping the small pouches of detergent in their mouth before chewing and swallowing them.

Not surprisingly, the thrill-seekers experienced vomiting, abdominal pain, breathing problems and damaged digestive tracts, among a long list of ills.

Now we're seeing a dramatic rise in the use of electronic cigarettes - a phenomenon the federal Food and Drug Administration this month called an epidemic among teenagers.

The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine warns that the nicotine kids ingest through "vaping" is highly addictive. In addition to raising blood pressure and adrenaline levels, the toxins also increase the likelihood of heart attacks.

Right up there on the list of The Most Dangerous Habits for the Teen Set is the phenomenon known as "swerving."

You may have seen it in your neighborhood: A bike rider takes aim at your car, heading straight at you while performing and forcing you to veer away, often with grim results.

Sometimes groups of young riders band together as a lark, snarling traffic and having a good laugh as drivers try to maneuver around them. Then they post their exploits so friends can share in the merriment.

In a suburb of Boston, police arrested four teenagers and took away their bikes after they caused traffic to come to a stand-still with their antics.

Kids think it's fun. But it could be fatal.

Kids think they are immortal. But they're not.

In Hertforshire, England, police put together a video warning about the ways the stunt could go horribly wrong after a boy was hit by a car he was pranking, hurling head first over the handlebars.

Now municipalities throughout the state are finding ways to ban swerving, warning that perpetrators could be arrested. Others are trying positive reinforcement.

The Logan Township police force turned to Facebook to educate residents about the dangers of swerving, cautioning that bikers are often breaking laws when they indulge in the habit - among them riding without a helmet, practicing tricks or fancy riding while on a bike, and failing to stay on the right side of the road.

In Delran, police began issuing coupons for goodies at local stores to kids they saw riding bikes safely and wearing protective gear.

Teenagers, bicycles and cars can be a deadly combination. The fad shows no signs of abating, and that should be a real concern for parents, teachers and clergy members.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
UPDATE: Saudino apologized for his comments but did not resign

Gov. Phil Murphy called the remarks "utterly unacceptable."

The New Jersey governor and a growing number of public officials urged Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino the sheriff to resign Thursday after WNYC reported he was caught on tape making racist remarks. The radio station later posted brief audio clips of the sheriff's controversial statements.

"If that is indeed his voice," Murphy said of the sheriff, he should resign immediately. Many other state and local leaders said the same.

Saudino, a Democrat, released a statement late Thursday saying he apologizes and has asked local leaders for "their forgiveness and their communities' forgiveness."

"These remarks are not representative of the person that I am and they are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County," he added.

But Saudino did not say he would resign.

Here's what Saudino is on tape, which was recorded on Jan. 16, the day fellow Democrat Murphy was sworn into office, caught saying:

'The blacks' will 'do whatever the f--k' they want'

"He talked about the whole thing, the marijuana, sanctuary state ... better criminal justice reform," Saudino, recounting the details of Murphy's Jan. 16 inaugural address, said. "Christ almighty, in other words, let the blacks come in, do whatever the f--k they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops."

What he said about New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal

The third comment on the recording that has officials calling for his resignation is a remark he made about state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, whom Saudino worked with when Grewal was the Bergen County prosecutor.

Saudino is heard saying Grewal only got appointed to his current position because of "the turban."

"He (Murphy) didn't do that to help Bergen County, he did that because of the turbin. ... He talked about how his cabinet is already is so diverse ..".

Grewal is the first Sikh in American history to serve as a state attorney general.

"I have now listened to the recording obtained by WNYC. If that is in fact Sheriff Saudino's voice, then he should resign immediately," Grewal said in a statement.

"I have thick skin and I've been called far worse," Grewal added. "But the comments about the African-American community are wrong, racist, and hurtful. The comments about our lieutenant governor are inappropriate and homophobic. New Jersey and Bergen County deserve better."

What he said about Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver

There was also a comment about Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver that a top official in the state said was homophobic after Saudino is heard questioning whether she's gay. "Is she gay? .... She's never been married."

The reaction from Murphy and Bergen County office-holders

MURPHY: "It is inconsistent not just with our values but New Jersey values and American values, and there's no choice as to what the next step needs to be," the governor said during an unrelated news conference in Atlantic City.

U.S. REP. BILL PASCRELL, D-9th Dist.: "When I heard Sheriff Saudino's comments, I felt sick inside. This is not the Michael Saudino I thought I knew. For the good of the people of Bergen County, the Sheriff's Department, and his family and himself, he must resign."

U.S. REP JOSH GOTTHEIMER, D-5th Dist.: "Like many others, I was surprised and saddened by Sheriff Saudino's unacceptable comments. I know that the sheriff would never want to do anything to distract from the excellent work of the men and women in law enforcement. I believe it's best that the sheriff resign. Bergen County needs to have full confidence that its sheriff represents and protects all of the people, equally under the law."

STATE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER LORETTA WEINBERG, D-Bergen: "The racist, homophobic and derogatory words employed by Sheriff Saudino are a highly offensive assault on the principles of respect and decency that are a vital part of American society. They cannot be excused, condoned or accepted. ... Mr. Saudino should resign from his position immediately."

ASSEMBLYWOMAN LISA SWAIN AND ASSEMBLYMAN CHRIS TULLY, Both D-Bergen: "The statements of Sheriff Saudino are abhorrent and unbecoming of a public servant representing Bergen County," the lawmakers said in a statement. "For the good of the office and for the good of the residents of Bergen County, we are calling on Sheriff Saudino to resign immediately."

BERGEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE JIM TEDESCO: "Having worked with the sheriff for years, I am shocked and disappointed to hear these comments. Bergen County's diversity is our strength and his statements are clearly inconsistent with our values. In the best interest of the public, he should step down."

STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JOHN CURRIE: "I'm disappointed. The sheriff making those comments -- I always found him to be an honorable man. And I'm really, really disappointed that he made the comments that he made," Currie said Thursday night at the state party's annual convention in Atlantic City. "I think he should resign. ... No one should make comments like that."

Currie added that he didn't know what he or other elected officials could do to force Saudino to resign. "I think that's gonna be up to the people of Bergen County, when they start to put pressure on him. Let's give it a little time. It's only been since this morning."

ABOUT SAUDINO:

* The sheriff was elected to a third term in 2016. Saudino ran as a Republican for his first two terms, but he switched parties to run as a Democrat that time.

* He's up for re-election in November 2019, according to the sheriff's website.

* Saudino pulls in $130,312 a year from his sheriff's salary and collects a $129,987 annual public pension from his time as Emerson Borough police chief, according to public records.

* He's in charge of about 600 employees and officers.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Brent Johnson and Samantha Marcus contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
Some of the state's highest-profile advocates for women and the LGBT community gathered Friday to assail the record of Bob Hugin, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, warning if he defeats incumbent Bob Menendez, the state's progress on same-sex marriage and women's rights would be in jeopardy.

Menendez and his supporters staged the rally across from the Princeton University campus as a reminder to voters how Hugin had once fought efforts to open Princeton University's famed all-male eating clubs to women.

In June , Hugin expressed regret for his role, saying "The decision, made by the undergraduate members, to admit women back in the early 90s was without question the right thing to do."

Elizabeth Meyer, founder of the New Jersey Women's March, scoffed at Hugin's remarks that he "evolved over time." She challenged his campaign ad message that he is "a different kind of Republican."

In a new television ad, Hugin identifies himself as supporting abortion rights, same-sex marriage and equal pay. He includes his support of LGBT rights on his campaign website.

She said as a mother, she fears her daughters will grow up in a country in which women have fewer rights than she does now.

"Electing Bob Hugin would mean sending to the Senate a minion of Donald Trump," Meyer said. "He fought for more than a decade against's women's inclusion at Princeton, gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to support Trump, the Heritage Foundation and right-wing politicians that have repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood and repeal the Affordable Care Act, denying women access to the health care they deserve."

In a statement later in the day, Hugin chastised his opponent for "trying to paint me as something I'm not." He also released a statement from a group of LGBT local elected officials and community leaders saying he is "a man of character, honor, and integrity and he will be a strong advocate for the LGTBQ community."

"I'm proud that my views have evolved over the four decades and I view that as a positive. It's unfortunate that someone who has spent 25 years in Washington has nothing positive to campaign on and instead has to resort to political attacks like these," Hugin's statement said. "As Senator, I will put people above party and politics to get results for the people of New Jersey. Another six years of failure is not an option."

Menendez's appearance showed an avenue of attack he will take as faces his toughest challenge yet in a run for a third full term as U.S. Senator.

Hugin and his allies have flooded the state's TV airwaves with negative ads highlighting recent federal corruption charges against Menendez. He was acquitted thanks to a hung jury, and the federal government dropped all charges rather than retry him. In April, he was admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee for accepting gifts from a friend and campaign donor.

Earlier Friday, Hugin blasted Gov. Phil Murphy for praising Menendez, saying in a statement that "his loyalty to party over principles when it comes to Senator Menendez is embarrassing."

In Princeton, Meyer was interrupted by sign-waving Hugin supporters who stood outside the rally's perimeter and shouted that Menendez was corrupt and should resign. Meyer retorted: "I know who you are and whose office sent you, and it does make sense that you would try to stifle the voice of a woman."

Hugin's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Menendez and his backers also pointed to Hugin's support, stated in a recent WPIX New York interview, for U.S. Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh as proof he should not be elected. Last week, a woman who knew Kavanugh as a teenager came forward to say he tried to sexual assault her at a high school party. Kavanaugh denies the allegations.

"I know what I was doing 35 years ago," Menendez said. "I've spent my entire life fighting for equal rights for every American...Hugin has had ample opportunity to take a principled stand against Trump over the last two years. He failed to do so," he said.

"Hugin stood with Trump when he nominated two anti-choice justices, like Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh...He supports both. But he's a different kind of Republican," Menendez said sarcastically.

A statewide Quinnipiac University poll from August found Menendez leading Hugin, 43 percent to 37 percent -- but that's a 17-point drop from a poll by the same group in March.

Louise Walpin and Marsha Shapiro, the lead plaintiffs who sued for the rights of gay couples to marry in New Jersey, also lent their support for Menendez. Citing campaign finance records, Walpin noted Hugin had donated $200,000 to the National Republican Committee, which in its party platform defined marriage as the union between a man and a woman.

Shapiro said she was recently diagnosed with cancer, and worries the federal government will someday not recognize her marriage -- jeopardizing her health care and social security benefits.

Staff writers Brent Johnson and Jonathan Salant contributed to this report.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
The woman who accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault should be given more time to prepare for a Senate hearing, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said.

Booker, a member of the panel considering Kavanaugh's nomination, said Christine Blasey Ford should not be forced to testify on Monday and there should be an independent investigation of her charges beforehand.

"Will we listen to a woman who is making a credible accusation?" Booker, D-N.J., told reporters after he delivered a rollicking address at the state Democratic Committee's convention in Atlantic City. "We should be honoring a process that gives her time to prepare."

Ford, a Northern California research psychologist, has not said whether she will testify with Kavanaugh on Monday, the date set by Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

She had 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.

"The way she's being treated, to me, is unbecoming of her dignity and the goodness of the United States Senate," Booker said. "She's been experiencing death threats, she's had to move out of her home and now we want to bully her into a Monday hearing? Let's all take a deep breath, give her a few more days and let's all hear the truth."

I strongly support Dr. Fords request for an FBI investigation before holding a hearing. These are serious and credible allegations that should be properly investigated by the FBI, which would be consistent with precedent.  Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) September 19, 2018

In a letter released by the White House Thursday, Kavanaugh told Grassley that he would testify before the committee on Monday.

"I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name," Kavanaugh wrote. "Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity."

Grassley has been blowing through normal procedures in order to quickly confirm Kavanaugh to create a new five-member conservative Supreme Court majority, including letting a Republican lawyer rather than the National Archives decide what papers from the nominee's tenure in the White House under President George W. Bush will be made public.

Booker used those documents to question Kavanaugh and then made them public before the committee acted, though the lawyer in question, Bill Burck, had approved their release in advance.

Though Senate Republicans agreed to postpone a scheduled vote on Thurday after Ford came forward, they said they would not agree to much more of a delay.

Requiring an FBI investigation of a 36 year old allegation (without specific references to time or location) before Professor Ford will appear before the Judiciary Committee is not about finding the truth, but delaying the process till after the midterm elections.  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 19, 2018

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
NEW YORK -- The Yankees' clubhouse was as quiet as it's been all year.

By the time reporters were let in, most players were mostly finished changing into street clothes. Some milled around, chatting. Voices were low. There was no music.

The mood couldn't have been any less like what was happening in the visitors clubhouse, where the Red Sox were dousing each other in beer and champagne, celebrating a 11-6 win that clinched them the American League East title.

Winning it was one thing for Boston, which was going to capture the crown at some point -- it was inevitable.

But doing it in the Bronx must have tasted just a little bit sweeter.

For the Yankees, it was a somber moment, a transition period as they turn their attention to preserving a 1 1/2-game lead over the A's for the right to host the AL Wild Card Game.

Here's what Yankees manager Aaron Boone, slugger Giancarlo Stanton and starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka each had to say about it:

"They've had a solid year. You can't deny that. You never want it to be here, that they (win the division title), but we gave it what we've got. They can celebrate now and we've got time to celebrate later."



Aaron Boone

"This stings a little bit, but we also feel like we've gotten our guys back, we feel like we're in position to hopefully take off and start playing well and we'll have that expectation and that intention going into tomorrow."



Masahiro Tanaka

"Obviously, it's disappointing. We had two good wins and wanted to come here and really give the team a chance to win and, obviously, I wasn't able to do that. But now it's done and now I think we need to look forward and just kind of change our mindset and move forward."

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
The Times-Picayune is marking the tricentennial of New Orleans with its ongoing 300 for 300 project, running through 2018 and highlighting 300 people who have made New Orleans New Orleans, featuring original artwork commissioned by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune with Where Y'Art gallery. Today: community activist Linetta Gilbert.

The icon: Linetta Gilbert.

The legacy: Linetta Gilbert is rewriting the rules of philanthropy, showing us that it isn't restricted to people with fat checkbooks who donate to already-flush organizations. Through her years of experience, including nearly a decade with the Ford Foundation, Gilbert -- whose areas of concern including housing, violence prevention, health and education policies, and child-welfare services -- has worked to strengthen community-based philanthropic organizations, such as the Greater New Orleans Foundation, to build community strength and enhance the overall quality of life. In addition to getting money to organizations that need it, Gilbert also works to strengthen the boards that run these enterprises, to enhance the diversity of board membership and to make New Orleans a better, strong and more resilient city.

The artist: Jessica Strahan.

The quote: "She talked about how philanthropy is re-tooling -- that issues around social justice are again up for conversation and that we have more assets and resources than in the past. ... She told us to always look at an issue from the standpoint of the local level, stretch yourself, recognize that our jobs are to be talent scouts (and to) err on the side of the person who has a good idea." -- Jennifer Shanks, writing about Linetta Gilbert on www.epip.org, the website of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy

Explore more of Strahan's work online at WhereYart.net and in person at the Where Y'Art gallery, 1901 Royal St.

She founded Gilbert & Associates, a New Orleans-based firm that shows companies how to achieve their goals. She is its managing partner.

By John Pope, contributing writer

Source: The Times-Picayune archives; www.epip.org, gopropeller.org; staff research

More on 300 for 300:
The exercise is as old as the Republic, but the first thing you need to understand about redistricting is that hot-water cornbread is as ubiquitous in north Louisiana as etouffee is in the south, says Rick Gallot, the Ruston Democratic representat
Managing Editor

Having lived and worked in Indy on and off since 1977, and currently living in Carmel, I've seen the city change a great deal. I love covering the arts in all its forms, and the places where the arts and broader cultural issues intersect.


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[By all accounts, Timothy Caughman was a benevolent man content with an unassuming life, living in a former single room occupancy residence that had been his longtime home. For more about his life, read here.]

Twenty-five hours later, Mr. Jackson, who had seen his image from surveillance video in news reports, walked into the police substation in Times Square and told officers to arrest him, the police said. He was taken to the same precinct where Mr. Caughman had sought help.

Mr. Jackson spent about two hours talking to detectives, prosecutors said. They showed about an hour of the interview on Thursday, and planned to show the rest on Friday.

I was going for something a bit bigger, Mr. Jackson told his interrogators, explaining that over the course of several days in New York, with a hotel in Times Square as his base, he walked around Manhattan actively stalking between 10 and 15 individuals or groups with the thought of killing them. He said he almost carried out other attacks, using two knives hidden in his pockets, but hesitated.

Its more complicated than you think, he said.

[Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke at the funeral of Timothy Caughman, who was remembered as a individual of quiet dignity and broad interests. Read more here.]

He said he felt kind of bad that his victim was an older man  but only because he wanted to kill somebody younger. When Detective Barbara asked him if he felt any remorse, Mr. Jackson said, No, adding, Hes a homeless black guy.

Mr. Jackson said his next step was to move on to a larger attack in a city that he called the center of the media universe. I wanted to basically influence the national conversation, he said.
Without the context that the findings of an F.B.I. investigation could provide, the Senate hearing planned for Monday pitting Brett Kavanaugh against Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused him of sexual assault, runs the risk of being seen as little more than Kabuki theater, or, more pointedly, a gesture of appeasement to the #MeToo movement.

In other words, we gave her a hearing, now were ready to vote.

With no other witnesses or evidence, well end up with a high-status, high-profile male judge squaring off against an unknown female research psychologist from Northern California. This he said, she said standoff is unlikely to change any minds and might merely reinforce the preconceptions of the senators who will vote on Judge Kavanaughs nomination to the United States Supreme Court. And we know how that is likely to turn out.

This is why we need context. To suggest that the F.B.I. doesnt do these sorts of investigations, as President Trump did, is simply false. The F.B.I. is responsible for doing background investigations of judicial candidates. I know; I went through one after President Bill Clinton nominated me for a federal judgeship in Massachusetts.

The investigation begins with an application that could not be more intrusive. Youre asked to list the name of everyone you ever lived with, every address you ever inhabited, every detail of your finances. Did you ever experiment with illegal drugs and, if so, which and when? If you had, your nomination might be nixed, depending on the drug. It didnt matter if you had experimented in college and were now in your 50s. It didnt matter if you had led an otherwise exemplary life in the intervening 30 years.
Can you tell me what incidences occurred  of the ones youve described to us  occurred in his office? The incident with regard to the Coke can  thats spelled out in my statement. Would you describe it once again for me, please? The incident involved his going to his desk  getting up from a work table  going to his desk, looking at this can and saying, Who put pubic hair on my Coke? Are there any other incidences that occurred in his office? I recall at least one instance, in his office at the E.E.O.C., where he discussed some pornographic material. What was the content of what he said? Well, this was a reference to an individual who had a very large penis and he used the name that he had been referred to in the pornographic material. Um  Do you recall what it was? Yes, I do. The name that was referred to was Long Dong Silver. You testified this morning in response to Senator Biden that the most embarrassing question involved  this is not too bad  womens large breasts. Thats a word we use all the time. That was the most embarrassing aspect of what Judge Thomas had said to you? No, the most embarrassing aspect was his description of the acts of these individuals, these women. The acts that those particular people would engage in. It wasnt just the breasts. It was the continuation of his story about what happened in those films with the people with this characteristic  physical characteristic  With the physical characteristic of  The large breasts. Well, in your statement to the F.B.I., you did refer to the films. But theres no reference to the physical characteristic you describe. I dont want to attach too much weight to it. But I had thought you said that the aspect of the large breasts was the aspect that concerned you. And that was missing from the statement to the F.B.I. Ive been  I have been misunderstood. Are you a scorned woman? No. Are you a zealot, civil-rights believer  that progress will be turned back If Clarence Thomas goes on the court? I  no, I dont. I think that I have my opinion. But I dont think that progress will be turned back. I think that civil rights will prevail no matter what happens with the court. Do you have a militant attitude relative to the area of civil rights? No, I dont have a militant attitude. Do you have a martyr complex? No I dont. Well, do you see that coming out of this, that you can be a hero in the civil-rights movement? I do not have that kind of complex. I dont like all of the attention that Im getting. I dont  I would not  even if I liked the attention, I would not lie to get attention. Why in Gods name  when he left his position of power or status or authority over you  and you left it in 1983  why in Gods name would you ever speak to a man like that the rest of your life? Thats a very good question. And Im sure that I can not answer that to your satisfaction. That is one of the things that I have tried to do today. I have suggested that I was afraid of retaliation. I was afraid of damage to my professional life. And I believe that you have to understand that this response  and that, and thats one of the things that I have come to understand about harassment, that this response, this kind of response, is not atypical. And I cant explain. It takes an expert in psychology to explain how that can happen. But it can happen because it happened to me.
President Trump has authorized new, classified orders for the Pentagons cyberwarriors to conduct offensive attacks against adversaries more freely and frequently, the White House said on Thursday, wiping away Obama-era restrictions that his advisers viewed as too slow and cumbersome.

Our hands are not as tied as they were in the Obama administration, John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, told reporters in announcing a new cyberstrategy.

Mr. Bolton rewrote a draft of the strategy after joining the administration in April. Many of his remarks on Thursday focused on a secret order  which Mr. Trump signed in August but which has never been publicly described  that appears to give far more latitude for the newly elevated United States Cyber Command to act with minimal consultation from a number of other government agencies.

The order essentially delegates more power to Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, who took over this year as the director of the National Security Agency and the commander of United States Cyber Command. During his Senate confirmation hearing in March, General Nakasone complained that Americas online adversaries attacked with little concern about retaliation.
TORONTO  Faisal Hussain, the gunman who staged a deadly rampage in Toronto this summer, had four cellphones in his bedroom and another on him. The police found what appeared to be cocaine in a drawer under his bed. And while Mr. Hussain stood over a woman and shot her four times, he waved a man in his path away, casually saying, Dont worry, Im not going to shoot you.

These are a few of the details revealed in three police requests for search warrants that were unsealed by a Toronto judge on Thursday.

Mr. Hussain, 29, shattered the calm of a July night, opening fire on a busy Toronto street and sending diners in restaurants and packed patios scurrying for cover. He continued his shooting spree as he walked, aiming at people enjoying the summer evening. By the time he exchanged gunfire with the police and shot himself in the head, hed killed two people and injured 13 more.

While the police documents paint a clearer picture of the terror Mr. Hussain caused that night, and the lonely life he lived, they leave many important questions unanswered: What was Mr. Hussains motive. And was he was connected to others?
But this summer, Ms. Lorenzins successor in the new populist government, Giulia Grillo of the Five Star Movement, sought to loosen the requirements, at one point offering something she called flexible obligation. Ms. Grillo, who declined to comment for this article, finally settled on the extension for students without proof of vaccination.

Nothing has changed; its exactly like it was, Rocco Casalino, the spokesman for the Five Star Movement, said after the law was approved on Thursday  raising the question of why, then, it was passed at all.

On Thursday, Five Star senators said they would next seek to undo the vaccine law altogether.

Unfortunately, the state has diffused ambiguous information that can confuse the parents who are trying to decide whether or not to vaccinate their kids, said Roberto Burioni, a leading immunologist at Universita Vita-Salute San Raffaele and a bete noire of the anti-vaccine movement. (One mother posted a Facebook message saying she hoped hed drowned on his summer vacation.)

The state should be clear, and be clearly on the part of science, Mr. Burioni said.

The measles vaccine, which over the past 50 years has helped eliminate the disease in the United States, was introduced in Italy in 1976. The percentage of coverage climbed steadily to more than 90 percent in 2003. But the obligation was eased in 1999, Ms. Lorenzin said, because Italy had mistakenly believed it had ingrained the belief in science and vaccines into the culture.

Instead, she said, the opposite happened. She attributed the surge of distrust in vaccines to the fact that the diseases had become so rare as to seem unreal, to the debacle of a since-rejected and retracted report in the scientific journal The Lancet linking vaccines to autism, and to what she called Doctor Google.

By 2015, coverage had declined to about 85 percent. Cases of measles, which can cause blindness, brain inflammation, pneumonia and in some cases death, have been rising.
Of all New York Citys classic attractions, a stroll through Times Square may be the one that least appeals to people who live in New York, especially at rush hour. But on Thursday evening, there was reason to brave the crowds, the noise and the invitations to take a photo with Spiderman. Danspace Project, an East Village organization housed at St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery, had come to Midtown.

In Danspace Project at Times Square, presented with Times Square Arts through Sunday, three new works  by Laurie Berg, luciana achugar and Full Circle Souljahs  allow even the most jaded New Yorkers to see the citys commercial epicenter through fresh lenses, sometimes literally.

Before watching Ms. Bergs enchanting scape, in Duffy Square at 47th Street, viewers were encouraged to grab a pair of 3D glasses. As seven dancers appeared, walking calmly through the throngs with linked hands, you could see  but only through these frames  messages printed on their vibrant patterned costumes (the work of Liliana Dirks-Goodman, Jaime Shearn Coan and the designers at Print All Over Me). Some read as subtle calls to action (Is it a show? Show up.), others as checks on our scattered attention (Look again.).
LONDON  Its one of the most celebrated graphs ever produced by economists.

The chart, first published in 2013 by Branko Milanovic and Christoph Lakner using data from the World Bank, shows global income gains from 1988 to 2008. The graph climbs sharply on the left, indicating how outcomes improved in the developing world from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the Great Recession. Further to the right, it shows how equivalent outcomes declined dramatically for the working and middle classes in the developed world, but soared for the planets wealthiest 1 percent. This arrestingly unequal pattern of global income distribution has become known, famously (at least to economists), as the elephant graph.

What does this have to do with the art market? Well, pretty much everything. A decade after the fall of Lehman Brothers and Damien Hirsts era-defining Beautiful Inside My Head Forever auction at Sothebys, the art market remains one of the most glaringly visible symptoms of global income inequality.

High-value celebrity art is completely disconnected from the everyday world, said Stephen Bayley, a cultural commentator based in London. It only exists for the very, very, very rich. Art is a new financial asset class, and this has altered the perspective of the more modest buyer.
Private museums have been criticized as vanity projects where wealthy people take great art out of circulation and avoid taxes by keeping their collections in outbuildings and only occasionally making the art accessible to visitors. Collectors can deduct the market value of any art, cash and stocks they donate to their museums or foundations, even when those are only a stones throw from their living rooms.

Glenstone is among 11 private museums whose tax-exempt status was investigated by the Senate Finance Committee in 2015 regarding their degree of public accessibility and lending policies. Tax-exempt museums should focus on providing a public good and not the art of skirting around the tax code, Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, the committees Republican chairman, told The Times at the time. Under the law, these organizations have a duty to promote the public interest, not those of well-off benefactors, plain and simple. The I.R.S. has yet to respond.

But Mr. Rales, 62, an industrialist and Ms. Wei Rales, 42, a former curator and dealer, maintain that they have always been generous lenders  as well as donors  to other museums of their renowned collection of modern and contemporary art. And now they are doubling down on the public aspect of their collection, having completed a five-year expansion of Glenstone  including two new cafes and three parking areas  that will be free to the public (with scheduled visits) four days a week (and, eventually, possibly six) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Theyre giving birth to a whole new institution, said the dealer Matthew Marks, who has artists in Glenstones collection.
In a striking development likely to surprise the art world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is in discussions to turn over the Met Breuer to the Frick Collection. By off loading the last three years of its eight-year lease in the Madison Avenue building, the Met could free itself of an $18 million annual financial burden and focus on improving its Fifth Avenue galleries for modern and contemporary art. And the Frick could satisfy a need for temporary space while its Gilded Age mansion undergoes renovation.

Critics of the original deal will no doubt see the arrangement  announced jointly on Friday by the Met and the Frick  as confirmation that the Met Breuer was a bad idea to begin with, particularly since opening the Madison Avenue location forced the museum to divide its resources at a time of financial distress and to invest heavily in upgrading the buildings restaurant.

But the Met said the Frick venture, which would start in 2020, merely represents an evolution in planning, from using the Met Breuer as a temporary exhibition space for modern and contemporary art to expanding that type of programming in its Fifth Avenue flagship. Our future is in the main building, Daniel Weiss, the Mets president and chief executive, said.

And while it may be hard to envision the Fricks Rembrandts, Goyas and Renoirs in the Marcel Breuer-designed Brutalist building, Ian Wardropper, the Fricks director, said the museum would use the Breuer as an opportunity to juxtapose its old master art collection with contemporary loans. It gives us a chance to think ahead when it comes to reinstalling the collection, he said.
Just how much control did the artist Robert Indiana have over his work during the last years of his life?

A lot, according to two of the artists associates: his caretaker in Maine, Jamie L. Thomas, and a New York art publisher, Michael McKenzie, who worked closely with the artist.

Very little, according to a lawsuit filed this spring that accused both men of exploiting Mr. Indianas advanced age to sell bogus artworks that they attributed to him.

One focal point of the debate has been BRAT, a huge sculpture said to have been Indianas last monumental work, designed not as a homage to an ethereal concept like Mr. Indianas LOVE or HOPE, but to the humble bratwurst. Skeptics said they were dubious that Mr. Indiana, who died in May at 89, actually signed off on the work commissioned last year by Johnsonville Sausage in Wisconsin.
KEY WEST, Fla.  In 1941, Tennessee Williams arrived here to dry out in a little cottage on Duval Street. Over the next four decades, living off and on in Key West, Williams became one of Americas foremost playwrights, amassing a body of work that included poems and stories as well.

He also made hundreds of paintings that give us an intimate, unfiltered look at how he struggled with his sexuality and loneliness and reconciled himself to his place in the world. Through Oct. 7, nine of Williamss paintings are on display at Florida International University at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU in Miami. Like his plays, these works map social taboos that still haunt America.
The crowd booed. I am not defensive, he said.

According to people in attendance and a recording of the meeting obtained by The New York Times, one member accused Mr. Holland of sending misleading emails. People clapped when a person called for the clubs leadership to resign. Still others questioned why a change was necessary given the clubs overall financial health.

Depending on whom one talks to, the proposed change to Harvard Hall is either a vast conspiracy to turn the esteemed club into a catering-venue-for-hire or an attempt by the leadership to stem losses in its food and beverage business.

It is not uncommon in the genteel world of New York private clubs for members to weigh profit and convenience. But the members of the Harvard Club seem to be taking this proposal personally.

Ivan Shumkov, an architect, called it one of the most sacred spaces in New York, having been created by an architectural icon, the Harvard alumnus Charles McKim. If we destroy Harvard Hall, he said that night, I think it will be the worst thing ever.
It referred to his 2015 song Dont Laik, a dense take on secularism in France, which includes the line I put fatwas on the heads of idiots. The petition also mentioned Medines 2005 album Jihad: The Biggest Fight Is Against Oneself.

The campaign gained support from politicians outside the far-right and some victims of the attacks by the so-called Islamic State. This week, for instance, two lawyers representing victims said they would try to get the concerts canceled, according to a report on the news site RTL.

Philippe Duperron, president of 13onze15, an organization that provides support to victims of all the Paris attacks in November 2015, was quoted in Le Figaro saying that his group would not call for the shows to be banned  the Bataclan is not a sanctuary  but had asked the venues promoters to have more tact and delicacy in their choice of programming.

The campaign occurred even though Medine has repeatedly criticized Islamic fundamentalism and objected to the divisions that both Islamists and the far-right have stirred in France. In 2016, he told The New York Times that Dont Laik was criticizing French secularism. Its title, he said, is a mash-up of the English dont like and the French word for secularism, laicite. (The song is also a play on a track by the American rapper Chief Keef called I Dont Like.)

Medine has announced that instead of the Bataclan shows, he will play the Zenith, on the outskirts of Paris, next February.
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Great Wall of  Africa?

In a recent meeting, President Trump told Spanish officials that they ought to build a wall across the length of the Sahara in order to curb migration from Africa, according to the Spanish politician Josep Borrell.

The desert stretches some 3,000 miles, but Borrell said that Trump erroneously stated: The Sahara border cant be bigger than our border with Mexico. (The border with Mexico is about 2,000 miles.)
European Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday that Britain's Brexit proposals "will not work" as it may risk undermining the EU single market.

Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, speaks during a press conference after the informal EU summit in Salzburg, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. [Photo: AP/Kerstin Joensson]

Tusk made the statement at a press conference following a two-day informal summit partly focusing on Brexit talks in the Austrian city of Salzburg.

Regarding British Prime Minister Theresa May's Chequers plan for Brexit, Tusk said that "the suggested framework for economic cooperation will not work, not least because it risks undermining the single market".

May defended her Chequers proposal for Brexit on Wednesday when arriving in Salzburg by saying that "It's the only credible and negotiable plan on the table that delivers no hard border in Northern Ireland and also delivers on the vote of the British people".

According to the proposal, frictionless trade in goods between Britain and the EU could be maintained through a new free trade area.

Tusk hoped that substantial progress over Brexit talks with Britain could be made in October this year.

"The moment of truth for Brexit negotiations will be the October European Council (summit)," Tusk said.

"In October we expect maximum progress and results in the Brexit talks. Then we will decide whether conditions are there to call an extraordinary summit in November to finalize and formalize the deal,"he added.

Should the extraordinary summit take place, it would be on November 17-18, according to Tusk.

In addition, the 27 EU leaders reconfirmed that "there will be no Withdrawal Agreement without a solid, operational and legally binding Irish backstop".

"We continue to fully support (EU chief negotiator) Michel Barnier in his efforts to find such a model," the president said.

The negotiation of Brexit could be tough in October as EU and Britain are both defending their positions.

"It must be clear that there are some issues where we are not ready to compromise. Firstly, of the four fundamental freedoms, the single market, this is why we remain skeptical of Chequers," Tusk said.

"The Irish question remains our priority too and for this, we need not only goodwill, which we feel, the atmosphere was better than two or three weeks ago, but the Irish question needs something more than good intentions," he noted.

If an agreement is to be finalized by March 29, May and other EU members states leaders need to find an acceptable compromise for a solution in coming weeks so parliaments have enough time to ratify the agreement.

However, the gaps between Britain and EU is not easy to be bridged while time is running short.

"We need to compromise on both sides," Tusk noted. The decisive phase would be the Oct. 18-19 summit in Brussels, where Tusk wants a substantial breakthrough.

There is actually the risk of failing to get the deal ratified by parliaments before Brexit Day.

After two-day summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "it was clear today that we need substantial progress by October and that we then aim to finalize everything in November."
You never felt that you lived up to your fathers expectations  that he thought you were fat, that you made him ashamed. When did you stop seeing yourself through his eyes?

I think when I married Vadim in my 20s, and then I became Vadims girl. I wanted him to teach me how to be a woman, and he taught me to be a female impersonator. Oh, its kind of a flippant way to describe my trying to be what he wanted me to be. But I dont regret the marriage at all.

Is that when you came to believe in your own worth and beauty?

No, no, no, that didnt happen until I was in my 60s. Im still a work in progress. You know, when your father doesnt show up for you or isnt able to really show you that he loves you unconditionally, then you spend a lot of your life trying to be lovable rather than authentic.

Your stance against the Vietnam War continues to inflame. Last month, protesters gathered at the Traverse City Film Festival, where Michael Moore gave you a lifetime achievement award.

There was a veteran inside the theater who stood up, and I thought, Well, O.K., let him say his thing, and we will talk, and that will be cathartic for both of us. But instead, he said: If I had a Congressional Medal of Honor, I would present it to you. I am so grateful that you helped end the war. It was very, very beautiful. The men and women who were outside were extremely well behaved, and I just feel badly that they dont understand the war. Because if they did, and they understood what was true then, I wouldnt be the lightning rod that I am. It would be the series of presidents and administrations, both Republican and Democrat, that they would be angry at, because we were lied to.

Whats the focus of your activism today?

Grass-roots organizing. The organizations that are going door to door and helping people understand that the white working class is not the enemy of people of color, and vice versa. That we have to stand together against a common enemy, which is people that only care about money and power and dont give a hoot about average Americans.
 President Trump will meet with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and other leaders early next week at the United Nations General Assembly, where he will face tensions with allies in Asia and Europe.

This week, Mr. Moon attended a three-day summit meeting in Pyongyang with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, and requested that the U.S. declare an official end to the Korean War as an incentive for North Korea to denuclearize. There is a growing risk of a split between the U.S. and South Korea over the pace of diplomacy with the North.

The White House also hopes to reinforce its message that the Iranian nuclear deal was a failure and that European companies are largely complying with reimposed sanctions that compel them to cut their ties to Iran.
Cody Wilson, a leading proponent of 3-D printed guns, has been arrested in Taiwan after being charged in Texas with sexually assaulting a 16-year old girl there, Taiwanese officials said on Friday.

The police arrested Mr. Wilson in the Wanhua district of Taipei and delivered him to the National Immigration Agency, officials in the city said.

The police in Austin, Tex., said on Wednesday that Mr. Wilson had failed to board a flight back to the United States from Taipei, and that they had asked the United States Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force for help finding him. The marshals will return Mr. Wilson to Austin authorities after he returns to the United States, the Austin Police Department said Friday.

He had not been charged when he went to Taiwan, so he is not considered to have fled the country.

Mr. Wilson, 30, is accused of taking a girl he met via the website SugarDaddyMeet.com to a hotel in Austin on Aug. 15, having sex with her and paying her $500 in cash.
Most of all, Mr. Boies said, he felt misunderstood. While he concedes he made mistakes, he maintains he was simply defending his clients interests to the best of his abilities, including protecting them from damaging headlines.

You dont know all the facts when you take on a client, he said, but once you do, you have a duty of loyalty. You cant represent them halfway. If, as a lawyer, you start to value how you are going to look to the media, as opposed to how your client will look, then you should find a new profession.

A bedrock of lawful society is that every defendant, no matter how repugnant, has the right to a zealous attorney. But  as he himself has put it  that doesnt mean the right to David Boies. He can afford to be selective about whom he represents, and he told me that he accepts as clients fewer than 20 percent of the people who approach him.

Throughout his half-century of practice, Mr. Boies has shown an almost unerring instinct for picking clients who burnish his reputation. It has made him one of the highest-paid lawyers in the country, with an hourly rate of $1,850. And it has baffled legal observers that, in what could have been his gilded years, Mr. Boies ended up representing both Mr. Weinstein and Theranos, led by Elizabeth Holmes, in ways that arguably helped prolong their misdeeds. For the first time in his career, the most vaunted advocate in the United States has been a defendant in the court of public opinion.

The Golden Boy

One afternoon in August, Mr. Boies occupied a prime corner table at the newly reopened Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan. It was his third meal there in 36 hours. With tousled dark-blond hair and a rather slight build, he looked tanned and relaxed and was looking forward to a safari in Kenya. He was drinking a glass of cabernet from the vineyard he owns in Northern California, visibly relieved that he could again indulge his craving for the Four Seasons version of pigs in blankets.

From his vantage, any clouds over his reputation had dissipated. His firm, Boies Schiller Flexner, was thriving, and he was in demand. In just the first six months of this year, he had generated $35 million in billings. A lawyer for Leslie Moonves, who in early September was forced out as CBSs chief executive after allegations of sexually aggressive behavior, recently approached Mr. Boies to see if hed consider representing Mr. Moonves. Mr. Boies demurred, saying, I dont think that would be good for Les, and I dont think that would be good for me.

Although hes a Democrat, Mr. Boies said hed be more than happy to represent President Trump in the investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel. Whether you agree with him or not, he needs to have effective representation, Mr. Boies said of the president. This long, drawn-out morality play isnt in the countrys best interests. It needs to be resolved. Of course, hed have to agree to do what I told him.
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__________

Deliveroo users know the anguish of waiting an hour for a red-faced cyclist to deliver a lukewarm hamburger. Investors in the European food-delivery app, and its rival Uber Eats, are similarly at risk of going hungry while the pair fight for market share.

Uber is in early talks to buy the London-based food delivery start-up Deliveroo for more than its latest valuation of $2 billion, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. A deal would be a significant statement of intent by the American ride-hailing giants chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over from founder Travis Kalanick last year: he wants Uber Eats to become the worlds largest meal-delivery business.

Deliveroo would be a big mouthful. Uber has made just six acquisitions to date, according to the business information provider Crunchbase  mostly of smallish technology companies. Integrating a well-known brand, which has 2,300 employees and a popular app, would be a new challenge for Uber, which historically focused on building its ride-hailing business in the face of opposition from licensed taxi drivers and local politicians.
Switching to electric vehicles, though, as UPS has discovered, is not simple. Fleet vehicles like those UPS operates are logical candidates for conversion because they stick to similar daily routes, only go limited distances and come home to the same building. Yet making the switch to electricity has proved challenging and expensive.

Delivery trucks that would meet the companys standards were not readily available, UPS said, forcing the company to the awkward step of converting used diesel trucks to electricity.

In addition, the power grids in London and elsewhere in Britain are not robust enough to meet the hefty demand for electricity that large numbers of trucks plugging in at once might create.

The limit on the UPS setup was about 65 vehicles, which the company has reached. Even that ceiling was a stretch because the company also runs power-hungry conveyor belts for loading and sorting packages in the early morning as well as space heaters.
Perhaps that is why the Kellogg-Briand Pact is often belittled, when it is remembered at all. George Kennan, the eminent diplomat, historian and strategist, called the pact childish, just childish in its utopian aspirations.

Yet the book makes a spirited argument that a series of legal and institutional changes gradually flowed from that 1928 treaty, helping to create the rules of a world order that are now as pervasive  and as little noticed  as the air we breathe. And in interviews, the two professors said the Trump administrations actions and threats are endangering that stabilizing environment.

Its not just that allies like China, Germany, Japan and Canada say they are preparing reciprocal measures in response to the rising tariffs threatened or imposed by the United States. Its not just that financial markets and economic sectors have begun to react, or even that the escalating trade war threatens global economic growth. Its not even the increasingly acrimonious relationship between China and the United States.

At stake are even bigger issues, the professors say.

Consider, Professor Hathaway said, what kind of a world we could be re-entering, if the Trump administrations escalation of its conflicts with other nations were to shred the current international consensus.

Some pivotal principles are at stake, she said. Recall that punishing aggressive behavior through trade sanctions was illegal before the treaty in 1928, and acquiring territory through war was legal, she said. But in 1928, and with the rules that gradually developed, that was reversed.

She continued: Its important to realize that if you disrupt the world trading system  and the consensus outlawing war that is in place today  you are disrupting the financial means of punishing violations of war. In the end, you may be left with nothing but reliance on force.

Without robust trade, she said, geopolitical disputes over such issues as dominion over the South China Sea could flare more easily into military confrontations between great powers. Mutually beneficial commerce  and the need to abide by the international rules that make it possible  have successfully moderated the behavior of sovereign states.
WESTERN ANDES CLOUD FOREST, Colombia  Just before sunrise on a crisp summer morning high in a rain forest in Colombias Western Andes, the renowned ecologist Stuart Pimm gathered his research team over breakfast and made final plans for that mornings journey to install motion-sensor cameras to monitor hummingbirds.

In just a few hours, the installations would be done by Andrea Kolarova, 20, who was here with other students from Duke University, where Dr. Pimm holds the Doris Duke Chair of Conservation. She was getting some advice from him and from Luis Mazariegos, founder of the Hummingbird Conservancy of Colombia.

My daughter, Alexandra, 11, a student at Saxe Middle School in New Canaan, Conn., had also been invited to participate in the Colombia project, which is how I found myself for two weeks this summer living in a cabin in this remote mountainous territory. Although not far from the town of Jardin, which is about two and a half hours from Medellin, it takes a slightly harrowing hourlong ride in an ATV along a dirt switchback road to get here.
Removing trees leads to soil erosion, a dangerous phenomena in countries where the majority of people eke out a living from farming, and contributes to landslides across the nations mountainous terrain.

And trees are needed to absorb carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. (Carbon dioxide is also released during the destruction process.) As a result, deforestation accounts for 11 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations.

Rwanda launched its national biogas program in 2009 following an initial pilot program supported by aid from GIZ, formerly the German Technical Cooperation Agency, and the Dutch nonprofit SNV. The Rwandan government eventually took over the biogas program and helped establish more than 50 private companies to support projects at homes and schools.

Today there are biogas systems at more than 80 Rwandan boarding schools, and all of the nations prisons use biogas from latrines for cooking. Rural homes also rely on more than 11,000 biogas systems to create methane from cow dung and other types of animal waste.
Yet both events unfold against a backdrop of deep concern. Hurricanes in the West and typhoons in the East recently raged with unpredictability and destruction, while barely a year has passed since President Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement, raising the possibility that other major nations would follow suit.

Nonetheless, Climate Week organizers say they are confident that these setbacks will only inspire further gains, particularly with leaders like Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand and President Carlos Alvarado Quesada of Costa Rica scheduled to speak this week.

There is a level of uncertainty out there, but we see Climate Week as having an even stronger sense of ambition and momentum this year, said Helen Clarkson, chief executive of The Climate Group, the London-based nonprofit behind the event.

She added that climate change has become a business case with a strong focus on renewable energies. We now need to ratchet up emission reductions and political pressure before the next round of Paris cuts arrive in 2020, she said.
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For the past 40 years, thanks to satellite measurements, scientists have known that sea ice coverage in the Arctic is shrinking. Global warming has reduced the extent of ice in the region in summer, when it is at its lowest, by nearly 13 percent a decade. That has led some researchers to predict that the Arctic could be ice-free in summers by the middle of the century.

But ice extent is only part of the story. Scientists want to know thickness, too, because together with extent that tells them the total volume of ice in the Arctic.

Average thickness has also declined sharply, as melting of multiyear ice leaves a greater proportion of thinner, first-year ice. Winds and currents can also move more older ice out of the Arctic.

Measuring the thickness of sea ice is trickier than measuring its extent. Theres a European satellite, Cryosat-2, that can do the job using radar to determine ice elevation and therefore thickness. But Cryosat-2 works best in winter; in summer, when the ice is melting, it has difficulty distinguishing between ice and open water. ICESat-2, a NASA satellite that was launched this month, will provide even more precise thickness data but will have similar summer limitations.
Its still a very alert lobster, but theres no sign of agitation, no flailing of legs, no trying to pinch you, she said. So calm, in fact, that youre able to freely touch the lobster all over without them trying to strike at you or to be aggressive in any way.

This method is preferable, she said, to dropping a live crustacean into boiling water without the marijuana.

Ms. Gill, 47, grows the marijuana at her home, and she said she had a license to do so. Voters in Maine narrowly approved a measure in 2017 to legalize recreational marijuana for adults over 21.

But on Thursday evening, Ms. Gill said, she received notice from Maines health department that she was using the marijuana in a prohibited way because it is supposed to be used only for myself and not a lobster.

Ms. Gill, a self-professed animal lover, has faced a quandary since starting to serve lobsters about six years ago. She began investigating the marijuana idea this year with the staff at her restaurant, which is about 50 miles southeast of Bangor. As the experiment got publicity, some wondered if it was a marketing gimmick, but Ms. Gill maintained it was not.

Staff members have tested their urine after eating the marijuana-treated lobsters, she said, and no trace of the drug has been found. In the latest experiment, Ms. Gills 82-year-old father has been eating copious amounts of marijuana-sedated lobster every day; he will soon take a blood test.

She said she hoped her tests could prove to the state that the lobsters were not absorbing the marijuana. But as of Thursday evening, it appeared that plans toward making the lobsters available to the public had stalled. State regulators are still examining the issue, Ms. Spencer said.
Nite Yun has no memories of the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp in Thailand where she was born in 1982.

The chef and owner of Nyum Bai in Oakland, Calif., a restaurant that has attracted national attention, was just 2 when her parents, Cambodians who had fled the Khmer Rouge in the previous decade, scooped up her and her older brother and headed to America, sponsored by a family affiliated with a church group. They eventually settled in Stockton, drawn there because a family friend said the hot weather and farmland would remind them of Cambodia.

The family spoke Khmer at home, but Ms. Yuns parents didnt talk much about their days in Cambodia under the violence of the Khmer Rouge regime. It was a very uncomfortable, sensitive topic, Ms. Yun said. To this day, I still dont know how my parents met.

Her main point of access to her familys history was what she had for dinner in that one-bedroom apartment in Stockton: catfish, dried out until it shriveled to the texture of jerky, that she ate with her hands, along with scoops of green mango salad. Soups of pumpkins, squash, bitter gourds, bay leaves and toasted rice powder, all floating in broth given some funk from prahok, a fermented fish paste elemental to Cambodian cooking. Bowls of jasmine rice. Always rice.
No? Youll be sitting home, watching BoJack Horseman, thinking about laundry, about whats going to happen when the L train goes dark? (Hi!) Have a fiery, cumin-bright lamb burger courtesy of the kids at Lucky Peach, listen to some Car Seat Headrest. Later you can go for a bike ride, visit Superiority Burger for some charred broccoli.

Thats how it might go for some in New York City, at any rate. For you, perhaps, pozole is the way to go instead. Or Cincinnati-style chili over spaghetti. Its important to remember that there are many across the southeastern portion of the United States who will be hurting this weekend, still mucking out from Florences wrath. Cook a North Carolina-style fish stew in their honor, perhaps, or if youre lucky enough, serve some to those who havent had a good hot meal all week.

Youll find thousands more recipes to make this weekend on NYT Cooking. (You can also discover ideas for what to cook on our Facebook and Instagram feeds.) Yes, you will need a subscription to access them. Subscriptions allow us to continue doing this work. They are our oxygen.

And we work hard to make them worthwhile. If something goes wrong while youre cooking, either with a recipe or with the technology we use to support the recipes, just reach out for help: cookingcare@nytimes.com. Well get back to you.

Now, it has nothing to do with fregola or beets, but Maniac gets underway on Netflix today  Emma Stone and Jonah Hill in an adaptation of a dark, sci-fi-ish Norwegian comedy series, directed by Cary Fukunaga, who made True Detective Season 1. The trailer suggests hell bring the weirdness once more.
MILAN  A strange scene unfolded at Linate, one of Milans three airports, just after 9 p.m. on Thursday. As bemused business travelers with wheelie bags stood in the departures hall, waiting for their last flights home, a crowd of 2,300 guests, dressed in sequins and suits and clutching their passports, descended upon the check-in area, ready for take off.

To where, you ask? The vast aircraft hangar at one end of the airport, a.k.a. the latest location of the Emporio Armani catwalk show.
We will continue until we no longer have questions and hypotheses that our C.L.S. population can help to address, Sally said.

Among those questions: What are some of the specific factors that might ameliorate or exacerbate the effects of dyslexia over a lifetime? What are the specific adult outcomes of early reading difficulties? What do the participants wish they had known about their dyslexia early on?

They plan to invite a subset of the participants back for brain imaging to investigate, among other things, whether there has been a change in the neural signature of dyslexia  an anomaly in the brain that shows up in imaging  now that the participants are mature adults.

It is a follow-up to work they did in the early 1990s, when Bennett, who trained as a pediatric neurologist, suggested they scan the brains of 100 of the studys participants. They were among the first researchers to describe a neural signature for dyslexia, which is characterized by inefficient functioning of neural systems for skilled, fluent reading.

People with dyslexia have trouble separating words into phonemes, the sounds that correspond with each part of a word. For example, the word dog is broken down into the phonemes duh, aah and guh.

Hearing these discrete sounds is a vital part of learning to read. But people with dyslexia hear the word only in its entirety: dog.

Perhaps the most important contribution of brain imaging to dyslexia is that it made visible this previously hidden disability, said Bennett, who was chief of pediatric neurology at Yale for 40 years.
Update, Sept. 27: Since we originally published this, a second accusation of misconduct surfaced against Judge Kavanaugh on Sept. 23, and more charges surfaced on Sept. 26. The Times has also published a piece headlined What Teenagers Think About the Allegations Against Brett Kavanaugh. We have updated the piece to include quotes from that article. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing will take place on Sept. 27.

_________

On Sept. 16, The Times reported:

President Trumps bid to confirm Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court was thrown into uncertainty on Sunday as a woman came forward with explosive allegations that Mr. Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers more than three decades ago. The woman, Christine Blasey Ford, 51, a research psychologist at Palo Alto University in Northern California, said in an interview with The Washington Post that during a high school party in the early 1980s, a drunken Mr. Kavanaugh pinned her on a bed, groped her and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming.

What is your reaction to Dr. Blaseys allegation? What should happen now with Judge Kavanaughs confirmation process?

In On Kavanaugh, a Changed America Debates an Explosive Charge, Kate Zernike writes:

It was 36 years ago. The accusation: There was a party, alcohol. A 17-year-old boy was drunk and started groping a 15-year-old girl, pinning her down and covering her mouth so she couldnt scream. Today, she doesnt remember some of the details. He insists it didnt happen at all. It was 36 years ago. The culture: What 15-year-old girl would tell her parents she had been at a party where kids had been drinking, much less that a boy had attacked her? It was 36 years ago. The country: Ronald Reagan was president. The Supreme Court had only one female associate justice, its first, Sandra Day OConnor. It was nine years before the Clarence Thomas hearings, where the spectacle of an all-male Senate panel casting doubt upon Anita Hill would provoke the outrage that drove a record number of women to run for  and win  congressional office. A very different United States is now deep into a debate over how long-ago allegations involving teenagers and alcohol should be regarded and treated in the confirmation process of the accused, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, in his nomination to the Supreme Court.

On Sept. 21, The Times published a piece about teenage reactions to this news. It begins:

Teenagers across the country are watching how adults are handling the allegations against President Trumps Supreme Court nominee, and taking notes. Layla King, a high school sophomore in St. Louis, Mo., was asked by her mother this week what she thinks about Brett M. Kavanaugh: If he was guilty at 17 of sexually assaulting a girl at a party decades ago, should he still be held accountable? He should, said Ms. King, who is 15, because youre definitely supposed to know right from wrong by my age. Defenders of Mr. Kavanaugh have argued that events dating from so long ago are irrelevant and should have no impact on his confirmation. Mr. Kavanaugh, who is 53, has also denied the allegations. But teenagers across the country said in interviews that they were disturbed to see so many adults dismissing the accusations against Mr. Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford. Much of the story felt familiar to them.

Students, read both articles, then tell us:

 What is your reaction to the sexual assault accusation by Dr. Blasey, who met Judge Kavanaugh when they were teenagers and now is a research psychologist in Northern California? He insists unequivocally that the incident never happened. She insists that it did and that it was traumatic and harrowing. What do you think?

 Do you think this accusation is relevant? Does it matter what a 17-year-old boy did, or didnt do, 36 years ago? Is it relevant to whether Judge Kavanaugh should be confirmed to be a Supreme Court justice? Why?

 Do you think politicians are treating this matter with the right degree of seriousness? Do you think the Senate is fulfilling its responsibility to provide advice and consent, as instructed by the Constitution, in its handling of Dr. Blaseys accusation? Should the F.B.I. investigate what did, or did not, happen, as Dr. Blasey has asked? Should Republican senators delay the confirmation vote for the sake of the Supreme Court and its importance in American government? Or should they move quickly and not get sidetracked, as many conservative leaders want?

 In this article, The Times reports on what teenagers around the country are thinking about the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh. Which points of view do you agree with most? Why? Do you, too, recognize the scenario outlined in Dr. Blaseys allegation, as many teenagers said they did?

_________

Related Resource

The Reckoning: Teaching About the #MeToo Moment and Sexual Harassment With Resources From The New York Times
Festivals are visual gold mines, no matter the cause for celebration. The more extravagant, the better.

A seasonal festival in Algeria, locally known as waada, offers plenty of dazzling visuals. Yet in The Cult of Souls, the photographer Fethi Sahraoui forgoes busy wide shots and opts for the intimate and absurd. His dreamlike images almost convey a hushed scene, as if they were taken backstage where not much is happening.

Mr. Sahraoui, 25, is a self-taught documentary photographer from northwestern Algeria whose work has been shown at the Arab World Institute in France and at the Museum of Modern Art in Algiers. One of his earlier projects, Escaping the Heatwave, is currently on view at Photoville in Brooklyn.
The sheriff of the most populous county in New Jersey resigned Friday, a day after a recording in which he made racist remarks about black people and Sikhs was published by WNYC.

The sheriff of Bergen County, Michael Saudino, a Democrat who was in his third term, had initially issued an apology Thursday evening, but declined to step down even after numerous public officials  including Gov. Philip D. Murphy, Representative Josh Gottheimer, whose district includes a large part of Bergen County, and Gurbir Grewal, the state attorney general  called for his swift resignation.

But on Friday afternoon, facing mounting pressure, Mr. Saudino and his four deputies submitted their resignations, effective immediately.

The recording was made at Mr. Murphys inauguration in Trenton. Soon after the governors speech, Mr. Saudino disparaged Mr. Murphys proposal to legalize marijuana, saying in other words, let the blacks come in.
Update: Officials suspect that the residence was used for so-called birth tourism  to house women who traveled to the United States to give birth to children to secure them American citizenship. Read more.

Kayla Cho woke up shortly after 3:30 a.m. on Friday to the sound of screaming coming from a home on the block where she lives. Another neighbor, Mike Hsu, heard loud thuds. Soon the frightening noises turned into a cry for help from what neighbors described as a day care in a red brick townhouse in Queens.

A woman was screaming, Help me! Somebody just help me! Ms. Cho said.

Moments later, the police swarmed the block and discovered a ghastly scene: three infants, including a 3-day-old, and two adults, had been stabbed by an employee who then cut her own wrist.

The employee, Yu Fen Wang, 52, of Queens, was charged Friday night with five counts of attempted murder, the police said. A motive for the stabbings was unclear. She remained hospitalized on Saturday.
COOL GOODS While Ryan cleans up, Ill hit the streets for a shopping excursion. I try to bring along a girlfriend, which makes the trip so much more fun. Often, its Janell, who Ive known for more than 10 years, or Megan, who is one of my best friends from F.I.T. Im always on the hunt for cool goods, and Artists & Fleas, in SoHo, is a staple to find them. Some of the sellers there are already on Etsy, but either way, Ill chat up with the ones Im most interested in and learn more about their making process. No matter the day, Im always wearing something, whether its a piece of jewelry, a scarf or an item of clothing thats made by a small designer.
It exposed corruption

By his desk at The Voice, Wayne Barrett kept a photograph of himself being attacked by Ramon S. Velez, a beefy city councilman from the Bronx whose self-enrichment though running anti-poverty programs was just the sort of story that triggered monthslong investigations by Barrett and The Voice. The fight was lopsided, but Barrett didnt need to win: he just needed to survive another day. Another day, another fight, another scandal, another pile of documents that only he had. In the last days before his death in 2016, as many as 60 reporters trooped to his Brooklyn home to tap his expertise or see his files on Donald Trump, which dated back to a two-part 1977 expose of the then-little-examined developer  Fred Trumps twerp kid, Mr. Robbins called the future president.

But Barretts fiercest and longest-running battles were with New Yorks mayors and their administrations, especially those of Koch and Rudolph W. Giuliani. Koch had been a friend of The Voices founders; Barrett had admired Mr. Giuliani for his work as a federal prosecutor. No matter. As soon as Barrett caught a whiff of corruption, he was relentless and unforgiving.

He and Jack Newfield were obsessed with the minutia of who donated money and what they got in return, said William Bastone, who started at The Voice in 1985 as an intern to Barrett and now runs thesmokinggun.com. They would go to all the fund-raising dinners to get that nights program, and using the seating chart, theyd create index cards: heres who was sitting at Table 1. It took so much time to gather and combine it all, it was just mind-boggling. You could never do that today. The paper was about trying to track the impact of money on policy and government.

Scandals at the Parking Violations Bureau, reported by Barrett and others, crippled Kochs third term and kept him from a fourth. Brevity was not a consideration. Youd learn more than you ever anticipated or wanted about a scandal, said Mitchell L. Moss, professor of urban policy and planning at New York University. They had a way of engaging the reader, and politicians had to respond. Thats gone now. People are writing much shorter. Its much harder to hit a home run. The press is in City Hall, but theyre not in the city agencies and police precincts, where the scandals start.

Barrett and The Voice were less successful in derailing Mr. Giuliani or Mr. Trump. Sometimes the public just doesnt respond or agree. But as Barrett used to say, the struggle was its own reward.
Dr. Richner was born in Zurich on March 13, 1947. Little is known about his early life, but by his own account, after receiving his medical degree in 1973 and working at the Zurich Childrens Hospital for a year, he was asked by the Swiss Red Cross to travel to Cambodia on a relief mission in 1974.

There he treated children at a hospital called Kantha Bopha, named for a Cambodian princess who had died of leukemia as a toddler.

At the time, the country was in the grip of a civil war between the United States-backed regime of the Cambodian general Lon Nol and Communist insurgents, the Khmer Rouge.

On April 17, 1975, Khmer Rouge forces swept into Phnom Penh and overthrew the government, ushering in a nearly four-year period of repressive agrarian Communism. The new regime destroyed the countrys medical system and systematically targeted intellectuals, including doctors, for execution. Most members of the medical staff at Kantha Bopha were killed.

Dr. Richner fled the country, returned to Switzerland and established a pediatric practice, but he never forgot his time in Cambodia. In 1992, after a peace treaty had been signed between the warring factions, he returned and was asked by Cambodias king, Norodom Sihanouk, to help restore the Kantha Bopha.

It was not the will of Dr. Richner to have this huge hospital, Dr. Laurent, the deputy director, said. He had only one goal, which was to save the maximum number of children with the best quality of treatment.

This led to clashes with Cambodian officials. In one episode Dr. Richner was criticized for spending lavishly when he imported a CT scanner to diagnose tuberculosis. Enraged by the implication that Cambodian children did not deserve top-of-the-line treatment, he sent a young Dr. Santy to France for a graduate course in pediatric radiology so that at least one person in the hospital network would know how to use the machine.
Lawrence Martin-Bittman, who as a Cold War spy for Czechoslovakia specialized in running disinformation schemes to roil the West, and who, after defecting in 1968 to the United States, taught the perils of propaganda to journalism students, died on Tuesday at his home in Rockport, Mass. He was 87.

His partner, Liz Spaulding, confirmed the death.

I openly admit that I did a lot of damage to the West, particularly to the United States, as a specialist in dirty tricks, Mr. Martin-Bittman told the NBC News series Dateline in 2009.

Mr. Martin-Bittman  whose original name was Ladislav Bittman  joined the Czech intelligence service out of university in 1954 as tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were rising.

The Czech service, which collaborated with others in the Soviet-dominated Eastern bloc, was deeply involved in forgeries, like taking the signatures of United States diplomats from Christmas cards and using them on faked documents detailing supposed American conspiracies worldwide, and political sabotage, like setting up a brothel with the Soviets to trap West German politicians in compromising positions.
Marilyn Lloyd, a conservative Democrat who in 1974 became the first woman from Tennessee to be elected to a full term in Congress, winning a House seat that she held for the next two decades, died on Wednesday in Hixson, Tenn. She was 89.

The cause was complications of pneumonia, her daughter Nancy McConnell said.

Ms. Lloyd was thrust into politics after her husband, Mort Lloyd, a popular television news anchor, died in a plane crash shortly after winning the Democratic nomination to represent Tennessees third district in the House of Representatives.

Democratic officials chose Ms. Lloyd to replace him on the ballot, even though her only political experience had been in helping her husbands campaign.

Though running in a conservative district in eastern Tennessee, Ms. Lloyd narrowly defeated the two-term Republican incumbent, LaMar Baker, at least in part because of anti-Republican backlash after the Watergate scandal.
President Tran Dai Quang of Vietnam, a former police general who presided over a crackdown on free speech in that one-party state, died on Friday. He was 61.

The state-controlled Vietnam News Agency said the death resulted from an unspecified serious illness.

Nguyen Quoc Trieu, a government doctor, was quoted by the state news media as saying that Mr. Quang had died of a rare and serious viral disease at a military hospital in Hanoi, the capital. Mr. Quang had fallen ill last July and traveled to Japan six times for treatment, Dr. Trieu said.

Vietnam, like China, is governed by an authoritarian Communist Party but promotes a version of state capitalism. Unlike China, where Xi Jinping is both president and Communist Party chief, Vietnam has a power structure in which responsibilities at the top are split among a party chief; a president, who serves as head of state; and a prime minister, who runs the government.
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About a decade ago, thousands of Latino children began quietly dropping out of public schools in 55 counties across the country. One year, the students would be enrolled; the next year, they wouldnt be. Sometimes they left in the middle of the year.

Over a two-year period, the number of Latino students in these counties fell 10 percent  or by almost 300,000 children. The vast majority of the children who disappeared from the rolls were American citizens. Some moved elsewhere in the United States, while others likely left, returning to the countries where their parents had been born.

Either way, many of the children paid a price. Abrupt moves usually arent good for kids, academic research has found. Their education and social lives are disrupted. Their families finances can suffer too.
Since 1967, Israel hasnt been able to identify a Palestinian leadership that can be trusted to keep the peace and maintain order. Likewise, Israel doesnt really believe that a tiny Palestinian enclave trapped between Israel and Jordan could be economically viable. And so it has always hoped that Israels eventual separation from Palestinians will include a guarantee of  to put it bluntly  adult supervision.

The Jordanian option is much more mainstream than Israel publicly admits. Even Shimon Peres, the foreign minister who forged the Oslo accords with Yasir Arafat 25 years ago, did not believe that a stand-alone Palestinian state was a good idea, recounted Avi Gil, Mr. Peress longtime confidant, in a recent book. He never abandoned the idea of a Jordanian-Palestinian confederation, writes Mr. Gil. (Disclosure: I am the editor of Mr. Gils book, as well as Mr. Gelbers.)

What exactly would this confederacy entail? There are many versions of this idea, but most suggest that the Palestinians get something that is less than a fully independent state, while Israel gets a partner that is more than an unreliable Palestinian neighbor. To achieve this, Jordan takes over some parts of the West Bank, keeps its role as guardian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, and becomes the political and economic center of gravity for Palestinians who live on both sides of the Jordan River. The Palestinians will be the citizens of a confederated Palestine, or Jordan.

The Jordanians oppose the idea of confederation, and so few Israeli leaders are willing to publicly promote it. But from time to time their true colors show. A decade ago, Gen. Giora Eiland, Israels national security adviser in the early 2000s under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, wrote several influential articles in which he preached a return to the the Jordanian confederation option of years past. Ayelet Shaked, an influential minister from the right-wing Jewish Home party, has likewise envisioned a future in which parts of the West Bank would be linked to Jordan. A few days ago, Gideon Saar, a former minister and a powerful figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Likud party, spoke about the possibility of a link in the future between an Arab autonomy in Judea and Samaria and the Kingdom of Jordan.

And, of course, there are the reports that the Trump administration, led by Jared Kushner, is also pushing the Jordanian option. Though the Israeli government flatly denies it, at least one report said the idea came from the Israelis.
Yet Mr. Kim seemed dissatisfied with the pace of development, and in his New Years speech this year called for a breakthrough in re-energizing the economy. In April  just days before his first summit meeting with Mr. Moon  he declared that byungjin was over. In its place, he said, all efforts should go to socialist economic construction.

Since then, the-economy-as-priority has been regular fare in North Koreas media and from propaganda organs. Mr. Kim spent the summer months visiting farms, factories and tourist resorts, often chastising cadres for failing to implement development projects fast enough. During recent festivities celebrating the countrys founding, the parade featured floats with economic slogans and no ICBMs. If the iconic image of Mr. Kim in 2017 shows him watching a missile test, the one for 2018 shows him inspecting a fish cannery.

But much of the international community, and Washington in particular, has been so fixated on North Koreas nuclear capabilities that it hasnt paid enough attention to Mr. Kims broader strategic intentions  or how to make progress on denuclearization by working with, rather than against, them.

Mr. Kim wants North Korea to become a normal East Asian economy, catch up with and integrate into the region, and its in everyones interest to help him do so.

For North Koreans, economic development would bring opportunities to feed their families and run businesses, trade and perhaps travel. As the economic and social chasm between North and South began to close, South Koreans could slowly envisage a time when reunification seems plausible. With the peace process on the Korean Peninsula moving forward, Americans  who already have enough to worry about  could remove the threat of a North Korean nuclear strike from their list of pressing concerns.

Mr. Moon clearly understands that Mr. Kims economic ambitions are the key to keeping the diplomatic process going. On his visit to Pyongyang this week, Mr. Moon brought the heads of state-backed rail and energy corporations, along with the CEOs of South Koreas top conglomerates. No deals were struck, and the group has been mum so far about its meetings. But its presence was enough to send the message that South Korea stands ready to move forward with major economic cooperation projects with the North.

In one astonishing scene, Mr. Moon addressed a crowd of 150,000 cheering North Koreans and pledged to hasten a future of common prosperity. He praised Pyongyangs remarkable progress and said he understood what kind of country Chairman Kim and his compatriots in the North want to build. In a formal agreement known as the Pyongyang Declaration, the two leaders committed to reconnect rail and road links between the two countries, reopen a frozen joint industrial zone in Kaesong and a tourist site at Mount Kumgang, and make plans for a special economic zone, of the kind Deng promoted to open up China to foreign investment in the 1980s.
To the Editor:

U.S. Revives Rutgers Bias Case in New Tack on Anti-Semitism (front page, Sept. 12) asserted that our organization, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, presses campuses to squelch anti-Israel speech and activities and urges colleges and universities to discipline students who are part of the B.D.S. movement  (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions). Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Brandeis Center is a staunch supporter of freedom of speech. A main part of our mission is defending Jewish and pro-Israel students First Amendment rights from being trampled by anti-Israel protesters, a growing threat on college campuses.

In addition, we recently testified before the United States Commission on Civil Rights, calling for greater protections from rising bullying, including suppression of speech, against Jewish, Sikh and Muslim students at universities and in K-12 public schools. And we have never urged universities to discipline B.D.S.-supporting students or groups for their views.

But we take our mission of protecting civil rights seriously, and we will not tolerate behavior meant to intimidate, threaten or physically assault Jewish students, or any students, on campus.
To the Editor:

In your information-laden and convincing Sept. 20 special report, The Plot to Subvert an Election: Unraveling the Russia Story So Far, you quote a former ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, as saying of Vladimir Putin, It feels to me like hes winning and were losing. I think Mr. Putin has already won.

Mr. Putin won his battle to make our country, our trade alliances and our military alliances weaker and much less of a bulwark against Russian aggression. Russian aid, as you show point by point, was aimed at helping Donald Trump win, and I dont doubt that it had a strong effect. I also feel that collusion took place  at least between Trump advisers and the Russians, with a wink-wink or more from Mr. Trump himself.

Now our allies realize that America is no longer committed to mutual defense or to strong alliances. Increasing trade between nations increases friendship and makes war less likely; Mr. Trumps trade war is now making an enemy out of China. We are also antagonizing Canada and Europe.

Putting Mr. Trump into office has disrupted the unity this country might have felt with a gentler, more thoughtful and less selfish leader. We are now a divided nation. And we have lost the respect of most of the civilized world. All because Mr. Putin managed to get his man elected. Mr. Putin won.
Those of us who are committed to the radical evolution of American democracy are not merely resisting an unwanted reality. To the contrary, the struggle for human freedom and dignity extends back centuries and is likely to continue for generations to come. In the words of Vincent Harding, one of the great yet lesser-known heroes of the black freedom struggle, the long, continuous yearning and reaching toward freedom flows throughout history like a river, sometimes powerful, tumultuous, and roiling with life; at other times meandering and turgid, covered with the ice and snow of seemingly endless winters, all too often streaked and running with blood.

Harding was speaking about black movements for liberation in America, but the metaphor applies equally well to the global struggle for human dignity and freedom.

The Guatemalan mother desperately fleeing poverty and violence in her home country stands at the border, young child in her arms, yearning for freedom no less than the American mother hundreds of miles away who puts her hands to the plexiglass in a prison visiting room, desperate to hug her child who sits quietly on the other side. The movements that have arisen to honor the dignity of both women  movements to end mass incarceration and mass deportation  are separate streams feeding the same river.

Donald Trumps election represents a surge of resistance to this rapidly swelling river, an effort to build not just a wall but a dam. A new nation is struggling to be born, a multiracial, multiethnic, multifaith, egalitarian democracy in which every life and every voice truly matters. In recent years, weve seen glimpses of this new nation at Standing Rock, in the streets of Ferguson, in the eyes of the Dreamers, in the voices of teenagers from Parkland and Chicago, as well as at L.G.B.T. pride celebrations, the Womens March and the camps of Occupy Wall Street. Confederate statues are coming down as new memorials and statutes are going up in Montgomery, Ala., and beyond, honoring victims of lynching as well as the courageous souls who fought for the abolition of slavery and the end of Jim Crow.

For many, the election of Barack Obama to the presidency symbolized the imminent birth of this new America, and many whites feared their privileged status, identity and way of life would die in the transition. The reaction was swift and fierce. It shouldnt have been surprising.

As the historian Carol Anderson documented in White Rage, every single advance toward racial justice in this country has been met with virulent, often violent, resistance. But the 2016 election was not about only race or gender. That perfect storm had been brewing for a long time, drawing strength from many political and economic forces and gathering speed as the pace of change accelerated.
Mr. Gopal first gathered support from Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky and Representative Hal Rogers, both Republicans. They were instrumental in the Appalachian Regional Commission approving $2.7 million to get the training program off the ground. The Department of Labor authorized apprenticeship status for its graduates.

Mr. Rogers is a conservative who represents Kentuckys Fifth District, home to many unemployed coal miners and one of the poorest and most population-depleted districts in the country. He found an unlikely ally in Mr. Khanna, a progressive Democrat and former official in the Obama administration, who represents Californias 17th District, one of the richest, fastest-growing and most liberal districts in the country. In the 2016 presidential vote, it went 73.9 percent for Hillary Clinton. Mr. Rogerss district went 79.6 percent for Mr. Trump. But Mr. Rogerss office called Mr. Khannas, and invited him to see Interapt in a widely promoted visit last year.

Mr. Rogers wants the tech companies in Mr. Khannas district to consider investing in Kentucky and hiring its citizens. Mr. Khanna was remarkably open to the idea. We believe in distributed jobs, he said. There is no reason these companies cant engage thousands of talented workers in Iowa, Kentucky or West Virginia for projects.

Despite these gestures of bipartisanship, the initiative has had to overcome stereotypes, the first one being about Interapt itself. Many locals were suspicious of outsiders intentions. Maybe Interapt was associated with some big-government, Obama-era program, or maybe it was a fraud pulled on rural towns by fast-talking city people. Even after I was chosen, a trainee told me, I didnt completely trust the program until we were asked to open our folders and I found a check for $400, the weekly stipend for trainees. Then I knew it was for real.
When President Jimmy Morales of Guatemala announced last month that he would not reauthorize a joint United Nations-Guatemala anticorruption commission to remain in the country, he set in motion what some are calling a slow-motion coup.

The International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, known as Cicig, has been operating there since 2007. In the mid-2000s, Guatemala was on the verge of becoming a narco state  and Cicigs international prosecutors and investigators, and their Guatemalan counterparts, were tasked with fighting organized crime and ending the institutional impunity that gave free rein to powerful criminals and corrupt officials.

Cicig has become especially effective since Ivan Velazquez, a renowned Colombian prosecutor, was appointed commissioner in 2013. In the last five years, more than 60 criminal groups, many deeply embedded in the government, have been exposed, and some 680 people have been jailed for corruption and related crimes.

In 2015, President Otto Perez Molina was imprisoned, along with his vice president, for presiding over a corruption network. Nearly 70 percent of Guatemalans view Cicig favorably.
ATHENS  Gazing at the Acropolis the other day from an Athens rooftop, I was reminded of Samuel Becketts words: Ever tried. Ever failed. No Matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

Athenian democracy, a male preserve, far from universal, failed in due course. Still, to see that white citadel in the Athenian dawn is to be reminded of the millenn iums of human striving for a political system permitting citizens to exercise power through the ballot box: government of the people, by the people, for the people, as Lincoln put it.

Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

Its important to put our current democratic travails in perspective. At its best, democracy is a culture that empowers free citizens to participate in shaping their fates. At its worst, it is a charade in which civic bonds erode, power accrues to the few, self-aggrandizement becomes the norm, and tolerance and restraint are consumed by the howling mob. Then the very word becomes a sham, a disguise deployed by autocrats like Vladimir Putin.

The Parthenon exhorts us to be stubborn about the sacredness of truth.

At the Athens Democracy Forum, hosted by this newspaper, I listened to the Greek foreign minister, Nikos Kotzias, allude to undemocratic liberalism as a catalyst to the current wave of illiberal democracy in places like Poland and Hungary. The voter is wise. Voters have been telling us something about failure these past several years. To ignore those failures  involving impunity, arrogance, inequality and remoteness  is to invite ruin.
The New York Times has started a group on Facebook to discuss Chinas role in the world, and wed like to invite you to join. The goal is to host a gathering place for intelligent conversation about Chinas impact globally.

The Times has been covering China for more than a century and introduced a Chinese-language website in 2012. Now, with more than a dozen reporters covering topics including geopolitics, economics, human rights, technology and culture, wed like to add your voice and hear from you.

If youd like to join the community, stay informed about new stories and help shape how we cover China, please sign up below or answer the questions presented to gain access to the Facebook group. We encourage readers of all races, religions, ages, nationalities and political beliefs to join. You dont need to be a subscriber.

What will you do?

 Provide feedback on The Timess coverage of China: Which stories spoke to you? What are we missing?
Each week, technology reporters and columnists from The New York Times review the weeks news, offering analysis and maybe a joke or two about the most important developments in the tech industry. Want this newsletter in your inbox? Sign up here.

Greetings from the real economy. Im Steve Lohr, a tech reporter for The Times, and I tend to focus on the effects of technology beyond Silicon Valley. No question, the Valley is a wellspring of innovation and home to the ascendant digital corporate giants, both feared and admired. But its just a sliver of the $20 trillion American economy.

Technology is only a tool in service of greater ends, and those ends presumably extend beyond creating billionaires and enriching investors. The larger agenda, in economic terms, includes growth, productivity, living standards and jobs.

Lets take one of those economic ingredients  jobs.

Forecasts of technologys impact on jobs run the spectrum from apocalyptic to sanguine, depending largely on the pace of progress in artificial intelligence. But there is a consistency to the serious research on the coming course of automation: In the near term, occupations are more likely to be transformed by digital technology than destroyed by it.
SAN FRANCISCO  PayPal has become the latest tech giant to cut off Infowars, the conspiracy website run by the right-wing provocateur Alex Jones.

Infowars was informed by PayPal on Thursday night that it would have 10 business days to find a new payment processor.

PayPal handles all transactions, including credit cards, for the Infowars online store. The store has been a significant source of revenue for the company, selling vitamins and nutritional supplements, as well as Infowars-branded apparel. PayPal has also handled donations that Infowars receives from its supporters.

PayPal acted weeks after Twitter, Facebook and other large tech companies blocked Infowars from their services. Most of those companies said the site had violated their policies by promoting hate speech and misinformation.
Scuba divers descending to the BVI Art Reef off the British Virgin Islands may encounter schools of snapper, sea turtles and rays. But they will certainly see something not native: a giant sculpture of a mythic kraken gripping a shipwreck.

The arty artificial reef is part of a wave of new underwater installations visible to divers and snorkelers. Anchoring sculptures on sandy ocean floors, these cultural attractions have a scientific double life, providing habitats for fish, invertebrates and coral.

Coral reefs are often called the rain forests of the ocean because they harbor so much biodiversity, said Duane Silverstein, the executive director of Seacology, a nonprofit that works to restore marine ecosystems, often by building artificial reefs.

According to the Coral Reef Alliance, a conservation group, reefs occupy about one percent of the oceans but are responsible for 25 percent of marine life. Yet by 2050, experts say that all corals will be threatened because of overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction and more. It is a decline that the creators of artificial reefs aim to reverse.
He drove the speed limit. He kept his car in good repair. Instead of shorts or T-shirts, he wore Ralph Lauren dress shirts.

For years before he was fatally shot by a Dallas police officer who says she mistook him for a burglar in his own home, Botham Shem Jean had gone out of his way to avoid even routine encounters with the police, his mother, Allison Jean, said during a visit to New York City on Thursday with her lawyer, Lee Merritt.

Ms. Jean said her son had to explain life in America  where for black men in particular, a minor traffic stop can turn deadly  to his family back home on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.

I always told him, Why do you have to be so dressy? Ms. Jean recalled in an interview. He said Mom, I dont want to be stopped. I dont want for them to think Im somebody Im not.
Gender Letter helps you keep up with the world, and the women shaping it. Tell me what you think at dearmaya@nytimes.com.

For the past week, I have immersed myself in the testimony of Anita Hill. I was 11 in October 1991, when Professor Hill sat before an all-male panel of Senate Judiciary Committee members and was prodded to tell, in excruciating detail, her account of being sexually harassed years earlier by Judge Clarence Thomas, who would soon after become Justice Thomas.

I understood little of what had happened at the time, in part because the adults in my life shielded me from the graphic nature of the proceedings. Only now  as the accusations against the Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, in many ways echo what transpired almost exactly 27 years ago  have I been able to grasp the gravity of Professor Hills stand against Judge Thomas.

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There are plenty of similarities between Ms. Hill, then a professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, who says that Judge Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her during a party in the 1980s, when they were teenagers.
Good Friday morning. Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today.

 Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual assault, is prepared to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week, so long as senators offer terms that are fair and which ensure her safety, her lawyer told the committee. [Read the story]

 Evangelicals say religious conservatives may feel little motivation to vote in the November elections unless Senate Republicans defend and confirm Judge Kavanaugh. [Read the story]

 For two years, Americans have tried to absorb the details of Russias attack on the 2016 election  hacked emails, social media fraud, suspected espionage  and President Trumps claims that its all a hoax. The Times explores what we know and what it means. [Read the story]

 The number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates running for office this year is higher than ever. But there is a partisan split among the nominees. [Read the story]
Reporter: What would be the problem with the F.B.I. reopening their background investigation into Judge Kavanaugh  would you support such a thing? It wouldnt bother me, other than, the F.B.I., John, said that they really dont do that. Thats not what they do. Now, they have done, supposedly, six background checks over the years as Judge Kavanaugh has gone beautifully up a ladder. Hes an incredible individual, great intellect, great judge, impeccable history in every way  in every way. I feel so badly for him that hes going through this, to be honest with you. I feel so badly for him. This is not a man that deserves this. This should have been brought to the fore  it should have been brought up long ago  and thats what you have hearings for. You dont wait till the hearing is over and then all of a sudden bring it up. When Senator Feinstein sat with Judge Kavanaugh for a long period of time  a long, long meeting  she had this letter. Why didnt she bring it up? Why didnt she bring it up then? 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. And frankly, I think theyre lousy on policy and, in many, ways theyre lousy politicians. But theyre very good on obstruction and its a shame because this is a great gentleman. With all of that, I feel that the Republicans, and I can speak for myself, we should go through a process. Because there shouldnt even be a little doubt. There shouldnt be a doubt. Again, they knew what they were doing. They should have done this a long time ago  three months ago. Not now. But they did it now. So I dont want to play into their hands. Hopefully, the woman will come forward, state her case. He will state his case before representatives of the United States Senate. And then they will vote. They will look at his career. They will look at what she had to say from 36 years ago and we will see what happens. But I just think he is at a level that we rarely see, not only in government, anywhere in life. And honestly, I feel terribly for him, for his wife, who is an incredible, lovely woman, and for his beautiful, young daughters. I feel terribly for them.
what was said

When it comes to health insurance, Donald Trump and Republicans will protect patients with pre-existing conditions.

 President Trump, at a campaign rally on Thursday night in Las Vegas

the facts

This requires context.

The Justice Department told a federal court in June that it would no longer defend provisions in the Affordable Care Act that protect patients with pre-existing medical conditions.

In a brief responding to a lawsuit filed by Texas and 19 other states, the Justice Department called the individual mandate  which requires most Americans to buy insurance or face financial penalties  unconstitutional.

Government lawyers argued that protections for pre-existing conditions and other medical issues cannot be separated from the individual mandate, and should also be overturned.

In a letter to Congress explaining the brief, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that decision was made with the approval of the president of the United States.
A Republican congressman from South Carolina has been criticized for making a sexual assault joke about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, saying the 85-year-old was groped by Abraham Lincoln.

The congressman, Ralph Norman, was making reference to recent allegations against Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trumps nominee for the Supreme Court. Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist from California, has said that Judge Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

Did you all hear the latest breaking news from the Kavanaugh hearings? Mr. Norman told the crowd at a Thursday meeting of the Kiwanis in Rock Hill, S.C. Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out that she was groped by Abraham Lincoln.

A video of his comments was posted on the website of The Herald, a newspaper in Rock Hill. Mr. Norman was debating his Democratic challenger, Archie Parnell.
Hillary Clinton won this area only narrowly over Mr. Trump. But as in many swing districts, the energy about voting in Novembers midterm elections has been higher among Democrats. Interviews reflected that; Democrats said that the way Republicans in the Senate had responded to Dr. Blaseys allegations  refusing her calls for an F.B.I. investigation and trying for a quick vote on the nomination  had stoked the passion of local activist groups.

No one invoked Anita Hill, whose allegations of sexual harassment against Clarence Thomas in 1991 might seem a parallel to Dr. Blasey. Several people, though, raised the example of Merrick B. Garland, whose Supreme Court nomination by President Barack Obama was stymied by Senate Republicans who refused to hold hearings for him.

The Republicans are very shortsighted in recognizing their own shenanigans of the past, ignoring a Supreme Court nominee for 293 days, said Spring Moore, 41 and a Democrat, who was eating pizza with her 7-year-old daughter.

And many saw too many gaps and doubts piling up around Judge Kavanaugh: the White Houses withholding of 100,000 pages of records from his time as a lawyer in the Bush Administration; his credit card debts; and his celebration of heavy drinking in a speech and in emails that were turned over to the Senate.

Mr. Elliot, at the record store, said that while he had not liked Mr. Trumps first pick, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, he understood that it was the presidents right to choose. I didnt think there was anything there that meant he shouldnt be confirmed, he said. Theres so much to look at with Kavanaugh. Why are they trying to keep this information from the American people?

Robert Pennington, 28 and a Democrat, agreed. He had watched Judge Kavanaughs hearings with increasing doubt. There are people who I dont agree with their policies but they dont give me bad vibes, he said. He gives me bad vibes. Hes dodged so many questions.
Mr. McCabe, who was later fired from the F.B.I., declined to comment. His memos have been turned over to the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, in the investigation into whether Trump associates conspired with Russias election interference, according to a lawyer for Mr. McCabe. A set of those memos remained at the F.B.I. at the time of his departure in late January 2018, the lawyer, Michael R. Bromwich, said of his client. He has no knowledge of how any member of the media obtained those memos.

The revelations about Mr. Rosenstein come as Mr. Trump has unleashed another round of attacks in recent days on federal law enforcement, saying in an interview with the newspaper The Hill that he hopes his assaults on the F.B.I. turn out to be one of my crowning achievements, and that he only wished he had terminated Mr. Comey sooner.

If I did one mistake with Comey, I should have fired him before I got here. I should have fired him the day I won the primaries, Mr. Trump said. I should have fired him right after the convention. Say, I dont want that guy. Or at least fired him the first day on the job.

Days after ascending to the role of the nations No. 2 law enforcement officer, Mr. Rosenstein was thrust into a crisis.

On a brisk May day, Mr. Rosenstein and his boss, Mr. Sessions, who had recused himself from the Russia investigation because of his role as a prominent Trump campaign supporter, joined Mr. Trump in the Oval Office. The president informed them of his plan to oust Mr. Comey. To the surprise of White House aides who were trying to talk the president out of it, Mr. Rosenstein embraced the idea, even offering to write the memo about the Clinton email inquiry. He turned it in shortly after.

A day later, Mr. Trump announced the firing, and White House aides released Mr. Rosensteins memo, labeling it the basis for Mr. Comeys dismissal. Democrats sharply criticized Mr. Rosenstein, accusing him of helping to create a cover story for the president to rationalize the termination.
It was a week before the Wisconsin Democratic Party primary in August, and Shelia Stubbs was searching for potential voters in a part of the district she was running to represent.

Wearing a plainly visible royal blue name tag, Ms. Stubbs, 47, began walking up to houses and knocking on doors on the west side of Madison. She told those who answered the door that she was running to represent the 77th District in the State Assembly, and left those who didnt with campaign literature.

About 20 minutes into her shoe-leather canvassing, Ms. Stubbs was speaking to a man and his parents when she saw a police car pull up behind her silver Lincoln MKZ, where her mother and 8-year-old daughter waited. She excused herself from the residents, she said, and went up to the officer, a woman.

The officer told her that an unidentified man had called 911 and said he suspected the sedan and its passengers of being part of a drug deal. Ms. Stubbs, who is African-American, said she was canvassing in a predominantly white neighborhood.
The presidents abrupt reversal could anger those supporters if they view the decision as evidence that Mr. Trump exhibited weakness by caving to pressure from within his own administration.

In his tweets, Mr. Trump said that Justice Department officials had agreed to release the unredacted documents, but had also warned of what the president called a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. The tweet did not explain further.

The president also said in the tweet  without elaboration  that key Allies had called to urge him not to declassify the documents.

According to a former American official and a former British official, the British government expressed grave concerns to the United States government about the release of classified information. The material includes direct references to conversations between American law enforcement officials and Christopher Steele, the former British spy who compiled a dossier alleging ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Britains objection, these former officials said, was over revealing Mr. Steeles identity in an official document, regardless of whether he had been named in press reports.

Some of the documents at issue involve the beginnings of the Russia investigation, when law enforcement officials submitted an application seeking permission from the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to wiretap Mr. Page. Mr. Trump and his Republican allies have claimed that law enforcement officials misled the court to get that permission.

The presidents declassification order on Monday called on law enforcement officials to release about two dozen pages from the surveillance application. Much of the application has already been released, but Mr. Trumps order would make more of the application available to the public.
Now, I have to say this, Mr. Trump said. We werent friends  I didnt like him, he didnt like me, and as we fought and fought and fought, believe it or not, we started to respect each other, then we started to like each other, then we started to love each other, and the fact is, he has been a tremendous supporter.

We have to keep him, the president said of Mr. Heller.

Mr. Heller, the only Senate Republican running in a state that Hillary Clinton carried in the 2016 election, badly needs the help. He is facing a costly and highly competitive race against Representative Jacky Rosen, the Democratic nominee in a state where recent polls indicate that about half the voters do not approve of Mr. Trump.

Mr. Heller was openly critical of Mr. Trump during the 2016 contest, but more recently, he has embraced the president, and during a conference call on Wednesday with White House officials and Nevada Republican leaders and activists, he called him a great leader.

At the rally on Thursday, Mr. Heller waxed ecstatic about Mr. Trump, praising him for enacting legislation to help veterans, to steer more money to the military and to cut taxes.

Mr. President, its an honor to work with you in putting Nevada back to work, Mr. Heller said.

Only hours before the event here, the Trump campaign endorsed Mr. Heller, handing the senator what has become a potent tool for Republicans seeking to rally the partys core supporters. What is less clear, however, is how it will affect other voters in Nevada, where Mr. Trumps approval rating is around 40 percent, usually grim territory for members of the presidents party who are seeking re-election.

Ms. Rosen has worked to link Mr. Heller to Mr. Trump, pointing out that the senator has voted with the president 96 percent of the time and arguing that he would be a rubber stamp for Mr. Trumps agenda should voters return him to Washington.

Mr. Trump spent much of the rally focusing on what he characterized as his successes as president, boasting about the strength of the economy, his attempts to build a southwestern border wall and his Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, whose confirmation has hit a snag with a decades-old sexual assault allegation.
The late-night missives were the latest twist in a legal tango that has riveted Washington, with a lifetime appointment to the nations highest court hanging in the balance. The back-and-forth has also infuriated Mr. Trump, who lashed out on Friday at Dr. Blasey on Twitter, saying that if the attack was as bad as she says, she or her parents would have reported it to the authorities when it happened more than 30 years ago.

The comment was Mr. Trumps first direct attack on Dr. Blasey, 51, a research psychologist in Northern California who has accused Judge Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed, grinding his body against her and muffling her screams at a party when they were teenagers in the early 1980s. She has said that she is willing to testify publicly, though not on Monday, the date Mr. Grassley had scheduled a hearing.



Throughout the day on Friday, Dr. Blaseys lawyers and Senate Judiciary Committee aides tried to work out details like how many photographers and television cameras would be in the room (Dr. Blasey, fearful of being mobbed by the news media, wanted one of each); who would ask the questions (Republicans wanted an outside lawyer, Dr. Blasey favored senators); and what day the session would take place (Dr. Blasey asked for Thursday, Republicans wanted Wednesday).

But as the workday drew to a close, Mr. Grassley announced that the judiciary panel would vote on Judge Kavanaughs confirmation on Monday morning unless negotiators reached an agreement by 10 p.m. Friday. One of Dr. Blaseys lawyers, Debra S. Katz, responded a few hours later with a blistering email, accusing Mr. Grassleys aides of pressuring her client to agree to conditions you find advantageous to the nominee, and of imposing aggressive and artificial deadlines whose sole purpose is to bully Dr. Ford.

Ms. Katz asked for an additional day to negotiate, and in the end, Mr. Grassley acquiesced.

But he did not seem happy about it. In a follow-up tweet sent after the one directed to Judge Kavanaugh, Mr. Grassley wrote: With all the extensions we give Dr Ford to decide if she still wants to testify to the Senate I feel like Im playing 2nd trombone in the judiciary orchestra and Schumer is the conductor. He was referring to Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader.


The authorities in Maryland on Friday provided more details on the workplace shooting at a Rite Aid facility there a day earlier, identifying the six victims, half of whom were killed, and giving more information about the woman they say carried out the attack.

Friends and family close to the shooter, Snochia Moseley, 26, had grown concerned in recent weeks as she had become increasingly agitated, the police said.

While the authorities continued to search for a motive, they warned at a Friday news conference that there is little logic to such attacks.

I know so many people out in the public are looking to make some sense of this and theres just no way to make sense of something thats so senseless, Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler of Harford County, Md., said.
A Pennsylvania man who threatened to put a bullet in President Trumps head and then evaded the police for three months by surviving in the wilderness was arrested on Friday in Ohio, the authorities said.

The fugitive, Shawn Richard Christy, 26, was captured in a wooded area of Mifflin Township, a town of about 6,000 in Richland County in northern Ohio, according to the United States Marshals Service.

Mr. Christy was found hiding between large rocks on a streambed and had a knife and handgun on him, the authorities said. He was arrested without incident, said Robert Clark, a supervisory deputy United States marshal.

Mr. Christy, a self-described survivalist, had evaded the authorities since June by stealing supplies and living in wooded areas. The manhunt intensified this week after the authorities found a truck, which they believed that Mr. Christy had stolen, near Mansfield, Ohio.
My younger foster daughter stormed out of the living room where wed been doing battle.

You knew what you were getting into when you signed up for me! she screamed, the crash of the front door shattering my heart.

But the truth was I didnt know what I was getting into when I became a foster parent. My husband, Saul, and I had had Janine and her sister Mariah as foster children for almost four years by then. I had known the girls since they were small. I was their pediatrician. I met them on the day their mother, Linda, dragged them into my office with no appointment  they were not even my patients yet  and announced that Mariah was sick.

Shes not well! Linda bawled. You have to help her!

Indeed, she was not well. She had a fever of 105, was shaking, sweaty and pale. She had just come from the emergency room across the street where theyd drawn blood, diagnosed her with pneumonia, and sent her home with a prescription for antibiotics. But instead of going to the pharmacy, Linda had come to my office, unannounced, demanding more.

Linda was a mentally ill alcoholic, but her maternal instincts were spot on. I gave Mariah a shot of a potent antibiotic and hospitalized her. Sure enough, the next day her blood cultures turned positive. She was septic. And Linda had known. Or at least she had known that Mariah needed more.
Q. Having had all the common childhood illnesses, such as measles and mumps, 70-plus years ago, how much immunity do I still retain?

A. You are probably immune to some of these illnesses.

But it is difficult to be definitive about the duration of immunity, because definitive studies, known as challenge studies, are rarely conducted. In a challenge study, subjects are intentionally exposed to an infection to which they are thought to be immune. The subjects prove they are immune by not getting sick.

Challenge studies have been conducted for some respiratory viruses, such as influenza and the common cold. But for ethical and safety reasons, challenge studies cannot be conducted for more serious infections, such as meningitis, pneumonia and polio.

In the absence of challenge studies, doctors rely on antibody levels as a surrogate marker of immunity. In 2007, doctors at the University of Oregon conducted what may be the best study of antibody levels to common infections. They followed 45 subjects for as long as 26 years, measuring their antibody levels to eight common pathogens: measles, mumps, rubella, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella zoster virus (chickenpox), diphtheria, tetanus and vaccinia (the cowpox virus that eradicated smallpox).
He also vowed to sell the presidential plane and fly commercial.

Wednesdays unexpected delay  a result of bad weather that temporarily closed the Mexico City airport where the flight was headed  offered the opportunity for Mr. Lopez Obrador to show off his man-of-the-people persona.

He smiled at fellow passengers as he explained that politicians had an obligation to use their power to serve others.

Power is humility, Mr. Lopez Obrador said during the delay. Any politician who acts arrogantly wont last.

Some have welcomed his commitment and said Mr. Lopez Obrador is leading by example.

Carmelo Gasca, a security guard in Mexico City, applauded Mr. Lopez Obrador for living and traveling like the rest of us, but was eager to see if the new leader would deliver on his campaign promises.

He continues to show that he does not want to live with the luxury that all politicians live with in Mexico, at the expense of all the rest of us, said Mr. Gasca, 46. I think that is why we all voted for him, for that to change for once and for all.

Many heads of state use private planes for greater ease of travel, privacy and security. Miguel Trejo, a software developer, supports Mr. Lopez Obradors decision to sell the presidential plane but thinks the president-elects intention to fly on commercial airlines is unrealistic.

It is unnecessary and unpractical for him to be traveling in commercial airlines, not to mention it is unsafe, Mr. Trejo said. He should be using a private plane, a modest one, for him and his team.
RIO DE JANEIRO  A Brazilian diplomat accused of assaulting women in the past was fired this week after neighbors heard a woman calling for help from his home in Brasilia and summoned the police.

The diplomat, Renato de Avila Viana, had previously been accused of kicking and head-butting an ex-girlfriend in November 2016, knocking out a tooth. The episode prompted a group of female diplomats to raise the nearly $15,000 the woman needed for reconstructive surgery.

Violence against women is endemic in Brazil. A nationwide poll in 2017 found that one-third of women had been threatened or assaulted in the past year, often by a partner.

Brazilian women have launched several social media campaigns seeking to raise awareness about harassment and violence, but there has not been a widespread public reckoning of powerful men here.
The Taliban dont want peace, because they think they can win the war, said the embattled governor of Baghlan Province, Abdul Hai Nimati, at his office here in Pul-i-Kumri. If it goes on like this, theyre going to win.

Appointed by President Ashraf Ghani, Mr. Nimati is a former jihadi commander who fought the Soviets and the Communist government during the 1980s and 1990s. Back in those days, we had all the advantages of fighting a guerrilla war that the Taliban have now, he said, almost wistfully. We have to defend everywhere, and they can attack anywhere.

The figure of 400 Afghan soldiers and police officers killed last week leaked out of a meeting last weekend between Gen. Austin Scott Miller, the new American military commander, and Western diplomats in Kabul, according to two of those present, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was meant to be off the record.

Asked about the meeting, the American military spokesman, Col. Dave Butler, did not specifically address the number killed last week, instead saying, General Millers remarks are not accurately reflected by your sources recollection. He added: He was reflecting on Afghan sacrifice over a several-week period. He was relaying a sense of urgency to the team and encouraging focus on the mission.

The quiet acknowledgment of higher casualties is coming at a time of alarm about the Talibans gains across Afghanistan. More districts than at any time since 2001  including some provincial capitals  have fallen under threat or outright control by the insurgents over the past year.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia  An Australian filmmaker whose imprisonment in Cambodia on espionage charges made him a symbol of the governments crackdown on journalists and opposition figures was pardoned on Friday, his lawyer said.

The filmmaker, James Ricketson, 69, had been jailed since June 2017, when he was arrested after filming a street rally held by the countrys most popular opposition party. After his arrest, the Cambodian police searched his computer and found emails to members of the opposition, seeking information and discussing the possibility of collaborating on a documentary.

Mr. Ricketson defended his actions as normal journalistic conduct, and vigorously denied that he was a spy. He was convicted last month and sentenced to six years in the Prey Sar prison; his family said he had suffered health problems on account of the unsanitary conditions there.

His arrest presaged a large-scale crackdown on dissent ordered by the authoritarian prime minister, Hun Sen. Beginning last summer, journalists were arrested and threatened, and a number of newspapers and radio stations were shut down. Ultimately, the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved by court order and its senior officials were barred from politics, just in time for a major election in July.
Breast Cancer Awareness Events in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - October is International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same.

That's why, each October, HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta focuses on Breast Cancer Awareness with a variety of special activities and events. This is not to raise any monies, it is all about creating AWARENESS! We hope that you will participate with us.





Friday, October 5, 2018Hospital San Javier MarinaFrancisco Medina Ascencio 2760

We kick off each October with our Pink Wave Cocktail. Join us for some sweet and savory nosh, pink lemonade or pink cocktail along with some absolutely amazing raffle prizes as we kick off October. This is a no charge event for men and women and no RSVP is necessary. We will transform the lobby of Hospital San Javier Marina into a lovely, pink lounge, where we will honor our breast cancer survivors and those who have passed while promoting awareness of the disease.

Let's Talk About Breast Health

Thursday, October 11, 2018

11:00 am

Diagnosti-K

Francisco Villa #1389

Please join us as Dr. Guillermo Ramos (plastic surgeon) and Dra. Claudia de Moral (breast imaging specialist) speak on "Breast Health." They will cover all aspects of breasts, from mammograms, ultrasounds, breast cancer diagnosis, self-breast exams and 2D Tomosynthesis, as well as the various types of breast surgeries, from implants to reductions, reconstruction to breast lifts. This will be a very informative and interesting event. No charge. RSVP as space is limited! Bring a friend! This will be repeated in Spanish on October 25, 2018.

Cocktails at Lujo Lifestyle

October 18, 2018

6 pm til 9 pm

Lujo Lifestyle

#500 Lazaro Cardenas, Bucerias

If you have never been to Lujo in Bucerias, definitely a must-do! An eclectic shop, filled with all types of treasures and little luxuries! Join us as we celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month with some canapes, a glass of wine and good chatter. For those of you in the northern part of the bay who cannot attend our October 5 Pink Cocktail in Puerto Vallarta due to distance, we have created this event just for you! Special pink prizes! No charge event. Have a peek at the place on Facebook. We look forward to seeing our northern bay neighbors!

Pink Brunch at Bravos

Sunday, October 28, 2018

10:00 am

Bravos Restaurant

Francisco I. Madero #263, Col. E. Zapata

Enjoy a lovely Sunday morning as we close out our month of Breast Cancer Awareness events with a Pink Brunch at Bravos. Owner Michael Boufford has put together a scrumptious menu that costs just $250 pesos per person, including gratuity. In addition to fabulous food, we will have a fashion show by La Sirena Reina, showcasing quality swimwear for women of all sizes, and celebrate our breast cancer survivors. Men are welcome, of course, but space is limited, so you MUST reserve your place. This event fills up very quickly every year so, if you plan to attend, RSVP to pamela(at)HealthCareresourcespv.com as soon as possible!

We encourage you to support the local businesses that promote and participate in our October Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Watch for these on the HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta Facebook page, and don't forget to Think Pink!
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  A burglary targeting a New Zealand professor who has examined the Chinese Communist Partys influence in Western countries has drawn the interest of Interpol and other police agencies.

Prof. Anne-Marie Brady, a China specialist at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, said her home was burglarized in February while she and her family were out. The thief or thieves ignored a glass jar of cash and other valuables, she said, in favor of an old, broken laptop, on which she had conducted her most recent research, and a cheap cellphone the professor had used on travels to China.

Analysts said there was strong circumstantial evidence that agents of Beijing were responsible.

Peter Mattis, a former C.I.A. analyst and now a China Program fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, said the burglary, along with previous break-ins at her office, meant there was only one likely culprit for this, referring to China.

Ms. Bradys high profile on matters of Chinas influence worldwide meant intimidating her into silence would in a sense be a major win for the country, he said.
TAIPEI, Taiwan  As the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York, Taiwan, a democracy of 23 million people without U.N. representation, is making its case to be heard.

To say it has its work cut out for it would be putting it mildly.

China, which insists that Taiwan is part of its territory, is a major power at the U.N., not least because of its veto as a permanent member of the Security Council. Barring seismic political shifts in Beijing, Taiwan wont be joining the United Nations anytime soon.

Taiwan deserves to have a role in the United Nations, just as any other country in the world, Taiwans foreign minister, Joseph Wu, said in an interview last week.

Although Taiwans voice is absent from the United Nations, some members do speak up for it. Among them are the 17 countries, including Haiti, Paraguay and the Marshall Islands, that have formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.
LONDON  Negotiations on Britains exit from the European Union are at an impasse, the countrys prime minister, Theresa May, said on Friday, after the blocs leaders rejected her proposals at an unexpectedly bitter meeting that cast doubt over the prospects of reaching an agreement.

Back in London after the bruising meeting, held Thursday in Salzburg, Austria, Mrs. May was greeted by British newspaper headlines describing her humiliation after an ambush at the two-day event.

She responded with a mixture of bravado and hurt pride, saying the way ahead could be unblocked only with serious engagement from the European side, and demanding that her country be treated with more respect.

But the dramatic aftermath of the meeting prompted a fall in the value of the currency, the pound sterling, stoked political tensions in Britain and raised serious questions about Mrs. Mays ability to avoid a collapse of the talks  and a chaotic and economically harmful departure.
Mr. Downss story has also shone a spotlight on what critics call Qatars opaque judicial system, which gave him little opportunity to defend himself during a trial conducted in Arabic, which he does not understand. Neither his family nor American consular officials were permitted to attend most of the proceeding, and his lawyers at the time did little to challenge the prosecution.

His family has since hired another legal team, which contends that Mr. Downs was incorrectly accused of espionage  a capital offense in Qatar  based on an unfounded assumption that he had intended to provide Iran with large quantities of proprietary data from his employer.

They didnt know what he was up to  they took every piece of information off his desk and said, This was what you were planning to give Iran, said Randy Papetti, one of his lawyers.

Qatari prosecutors asserted that the information was worth billions of dollars. But Downs never took, let alone offered to sell, all that information as part of his $20,000 proposal to Iran, Mr. Papetti said.

He described the prosecution of the case and the conviction, which received intense publicity in Qatar at the time, as a mix of misinformation and fact used to reach an absurd outcome.

Youve got a nerdy geologist who very wrongly tried to raise some money for his kids tuition, when he thought he had been cheated out of his bonus, the lawyer said. This was turned into, We caught someone who was a spy.

Last month, Mr. Papetti and other lawyers working for Mr. Downs submitted a petition to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, a panel of the Human Rights Council, seeking urgent action in their effort to persuade Qatar to release him.
Vallarta to Bury Centennial Time Capsule September 27

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Since tourism is one of the main activities in "Mexico's Most Authentic Port," and Puerto Vallarta is celebrating its centennial this year, the municipal government is creating a Time Capsule that will be buried on September 27, as part of the city's World Tourism Day celebrations.

The brainchild of local businesswoman Martha Dau, the Puerto Vallarta Time Capsule project is a joint effort between the municipal government, private initiatives and the University of Guadalajara's Centro Universitario de la Costa, who aim to leave a historical legacy for future generations.





The idea is to fill a stainless steel box with objects that symbolize the first hundred years of this tourist destination, bury it underground, and unearth it on May 31, 2043 as part of the municipality's 125th anniversary celebrations.

Dau said that the most important thing will be the contents of the Time Capsule, which will be filled with items contributed by citizens, educational institutions and the City Council, so she extended an invitation to the general public, encouraging everyone to participate in the project.

The Deputy Director of the Municipal Tourism Department, Miguel Zepeda Becerra, said that participants can contribute any objects that are considered relevant to the current history of Puerto Vallarta and the university community of the future, including documents of reflection, photographic collections, art works, digital archives on USB flash drives, etc.

Zepeda Becerra said there will be two collection points: the Municipal Tourism Office in El Centro and the Asociacion de Hoteles y Moteles office located at Avenida Grandes Lagos #222 in Fluvial. The deadline to receive the public's contributions will be on September 24 at 3:00 pm, and the burial of the capsule will take place on September 27 at 10:00 am.

He added that the stainless steel metal box will be buried behind the fountain on the traffic island at the intersection of Av. Fluvial Vallarta and Francisco Medina Ascencio, and will remain sealed for 25 years under the watchful eye of the Centro Universitario de la Costa faculty, who will make an exhibition with the objects that are not claimed as part of Puerto Vallarta's 125th anniversary celebrations.

The City Official also announced that Puerto Vallarta will celebrate World Tourism Day 2018 with a large program of activities that are relevant to this year's WTD theme "Innovation and digital transformation," and that Ecuador will be participating as the guest country.

Though an official schedule of events has not yet been released, the festivities traditionally begin on the morning of September 27 with an opening ceremony in the courtyard of the Municipal Presidency, followed by a recognition ceremony for the people and businesses that have contributed to the development of this tourist destination.
Local Realtor Explains Vallarta Home Financing Options

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - With the real estate market in Puerto Vallarta continuing to boom with no signs of slowing down, many foreign buyers are recognizing that now is the time to get into the market. If you are considering financing a home in Mexico, there are several funding options which may be available.

Mortgage Brokers

Companies like MEXLend offer a variety of home mortgages in Mexico, including private USD loans, MXP loans through Mexican banks and loans for commercial ventures. A mortgage broker is also able to provide you with an array of different loan options and rates and guide you through the process of securing your home loan easily.

Developer Loans

Some developers will offer financing options on new construction properties, often requiring a 30% or more initial deposit with the bulk of the remainder to be paid at set intervals during the construction process and a final payment to be made at the time the owner takes occupancy.

Owner Financing

Some sellers may also be willing to provide financing, which is frequently structured as a bank trust with the seller/lender named as primary beneficiary and the buyer as the secondary beneficiary. When the loan is fully paid, the bank will then approve and amend the trust, naming the buyer as the primary beneficiary.

At Tropicasa Realty, we offer an in-house legal department and have long-standing professional relationships with reputable notaries and developers so that you can approach any real estate purchase with confidence. Contact us for more information on buying your dream home in Puerto Vallarta today.

Click HERE for more Puerto Vallarta real estate and lifestyle tips from Tropicasa Realty.
In a wide-ranging interview, the leader of the opposition, Micheal Martin, will chat with host Ryan Tubridy about his time leading Fianna Fail, rebuilding the party in the past decade and his vision for the future.

Hell be discussing the decision to support the current Fine Gael-led Government through a confidence and supply motion, how he thinks that has impacted on Fianna Fails popularity with the electorate and how long more that agreement might last. And he'll be asked what he really thinks of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald.

Ryan will be chatting to Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, the two women behind the publishing phenomenon that started with the huge success of Oh My God, What A Complete Aisling. Now onto their second novel and with a film in development, theyll be telling viewers where the inspiration for the Aisling books comes from and why they think it has connected so well with audiences.

As he prepares to take to the stage at the 3 Arena for the first time, Laois man and Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick will be in studio to chat about the incredible life story that forms the backbone of his new stage show and how love, hope and science can make miracles happen in the veterinary surgery.

Sports broadcaster and recent dancing convert, Des Cahill joins Ryan to chat about uncovering some unexpected family secrets in his new book, Play It Again, Des.

Plus Sibeal will be performing her stunning version of The Cranberries Linger as Gaeilge; and more music from Kodaline.

Only on The Late Late Show, RTE One, Friday, September 21st at 9.35pm.
A Twitter user has expressed disgust over the apparent misuse of disabled parking spaces in Tullamore.

The user reported noticing an apparent misuse of parking spaces in Tullamore. The issue has also arisen in supermarkets around the county.

The issue shines a light on a widespread issue of motorists illegally using spaces designated for blue badge holders.

Two disabled Irish bloggers have already launched a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of disabled car parking spaces around the country.

Paddy Smyth and Sean O'Kelly will attend the Disabled Drivers Motor Show in the RDS later this month to continue their campaign. They are both drivers and have noticed a problem with other drivers parking in disabled spaces.

As the law stands, gardai and traffic wardens cannot issue tickets to cars illegally parked in disabled spaces in carparks belonging to private companies, like shopping centres and schools, and Paddy and Sean want that changed.

Paddy Smyth said, Able-bodied drivers don't realise the effect that that illegal parking has on someone who is actually 'disabled' and needs that space, so we need to make more people aware of this.

The Disabled Drivers Motor Show in the RDS is a free event at the end of September dedicated to the latest vehicles and services available to people with limited mobility when it comes to the road.
With Offaly's youth population standing at over 16,000, the Youth Council is calling on the Government to invest in youth work across the country.

Nationally, number of those aged 10-24 to grow to over 1,000,000 by 2025

Total youth work funding still 20% below 2008 levels, despite growing youth population

Less than 1.25 a week per young person currently invested in youth work

"There are 16,071 young people living in County Offaly and, with our growing youth population set to surpass one million nationally by 2025, investment in universal youth services is more important now than ever." That was the message from James Doorley, National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) Deputy Director, speaking after the publication of the organisations pre-budget submission recently.

In its Pre Budget 2019 submission Future Proof with Investment in Youth the NYCI, which represents youth organisations working with over 380,000 young people nationwide, is calling on Government to invest a further 11.5 million in universal youth work in Budget 2019 to strengthen voluntary youth work organisations, to provide more supports and activities for young people and to meet the needs of a growing youth population nationally and locally.



Investment in growing youth population essential

Mr Doorley explained: The 2016 census results indicate that the number of young people aged 10 to 24 will increase by 13.2% between 2015 and 2025 and will be just over one million young people by 2025 (1,005,938)[1], making Ireland one of the only European countries with a growing youth population.

NYCI is of the view that wise investment in our growing youth population now would be the best way to ensure long term social and economic success and better secure us against potential economic and financial shocks and difficulties.

Funding still 20% below that of a decade ago



Investment in youth work services from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) decreased by 31.7% over an eight year period, from 73.1m in 2008 to 49.9m in 2015. While funding for youth work from DCYA had recovered to 58.9m by 2018, mostly for targeted schemes, it is still 20% below that of a decade ago, explained Mr Doorley.

These severe cutbacks have left significant deficits and have put a strain on volunteers, staff and organisations trying to deliver quality youth services and supports for the growing number of young people, while also meeting the increasing level of governance requirements. The Government urgently needs to address the overall funding deficits in Budget 2019.

Less than 1.25 a week per young person currently invested in youth work

In 2008, the investment in youth work services was 76 per young person. By 2014, this had collapsed to 58 per young person. So while there has been an increase in funding, the youth population is also growing significantly. This means the actual investment for 2018[2] comes to just 64 per young person  or just under 1.25 a week per young person. We propose that investment in universal youth work services should be increased to 85 per young person by 2020 - which amounts to 82m - to ensure every young person is able to avail of a youth work opportunity in their local community. In order to achieve this, Government must invest an additional funding allocation of 11.5m in Budget 2019, said Mr Doorley.

Economic benefit: state saves 2.20 for every 1 spent on youth work



For every 1 spent on youth work, the state gets a return on investment of over 100%, according to an Indecon report on the economic benefit of youth work, added Mr Doorley.

Investment in youth work services will not just make a difference now, but will generate a social and economic dividend over the coming decades. As the title of our Pre-Budget submission Future Proof with Investment in Youth illustrates, the best means of securing long-term social and economic sustainability is investment in our people, in particular our growing youth population. We call on Government to make that choice in Budget 2019, concluded Mr Doorley.
Submitted photos. Submitted photos.

Shawnee Honor Choir and Korean Childrens Choir to Perform at OBU Sept. 25 September 21, 2018

The Shawnee Honor Choir and the Korean Childrens Choir will perform in concert Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 6:30 p.m. in Raley Chapels Potter Auditorium on OBUs campus in Shawnee. The event is free and open to the public.

The Korean Childrens Choir, with children ranging from ages 7-13, will perform numbers from their 2018 touring program. The choir has performed for audiences around the United States and throughout the world, with their beautiful voices, colorful costumes, skilled choreography and traditional Korean dance. They have performed at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, The Pentagon, Walter Reed Medical Center, and numerous churches, colleges, universities, and music festivals. Their performances include American folk arrangements, patriotic songs, sacred music and hymns, popular music, contemporary Christian songs and Korean traditional songs.

The Koreans Children Choir is a ministry of the Far East Broadcasting Company in Korea. The broadcasting company was started by Dr. Billy Kim and his wife more than 50 years ago. Kim is a world-renowned evangelist and broadcaster. He will be speaking during OBUs chapel service Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 10 a.m. in Raley Chapel.

Kim began the Korea radio ministry in 1956 to broadcast the gospel message to North Korea, China, Russia and Mongolia where missionaries were not allowed to travel. Today, FEBC-Korea broadcasts on 10 local FM stations in Korean and two high-powered AM transmitters proclaiming the Gospel in Korean, Chinese, English, Japanese and Russian.

The Shawnee Honor Choir, directed by Dr. Patty Nelson, associate professor of music education, is composed of third through seventh grade students. It is part of OBUs Music Preparatory Department. The choir will perform four songs, including Chatter with the Angels, a Spiritual arranged by Charles Collins; All the Pretty Little Horses and Appalachian Folk Song, adapted and arranged by Ruth Artman; and Jazz Cantate by Andy Beck.

The Korean Childrens Choir will also perform during OBUs chapel service Wednesday, Sept. 26, in tandem with Kims chapel address.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order to further implement a U.S. sanction act against Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. [Photo: AP/Evan Vucci]

Named Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), the order "authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to employ all powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and certain sections of CAATSA for the implementation of certain sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation," said a White House statement.

In a separate statement issued on the same day, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that in line with this executive order, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken actions to implement his delegated authorities "and to further impose costs on the Russian Government in response to its malign activities."

According to the statement, Pompeo added 33 additional entities and individuals to the CAATSA List of Specified Persons "for being a part of, or operating for or on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors" of the Russian government.

These sanction actions are "in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, annexation of Crimea, cyber intrusions and attacks, interference in the 2016 elections, and other malign activities," Nauert said, urging all countries to curtail relations with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors and claiming "both of which are linked to malign activities worldwide."

The U.S. Treasury Department in March announced a decision to sanction five entities and 19 individuals under the CAATSA.

The United States has been accusing Russia of interference in the U.S. presidential elections in 2016, hacker attacks against the United States, among others. Russia has repeatedly denied such allegations.
Watch: Lion obliges after forester speaks to him in Gujarati

11 lions found dead in Gir forest in 10 days, forest officials suspect infighting

India

oi-Deepika S

Ahmedabad, Sep 21: The sudden death of 11 lions in the 10 days in the Gir sanctuary in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat has caused anxiety to forest department officials. All the dead lions were found mainly from Dalkhaniya range.

According to reports, eight lions died owing to infections, one due to food poisoning and three due to infighting. The government has ordered an enquiry into the incident.

"We have found carcasses of 11 lions from Gir east forest range," said P Purushothama, the Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gir (east). For administrative purpose, the Gir forest has been divided in east and west parts.

Also Read | Men's best friend: Dog risks his life to save his master after he was attacked by lions in Gujarat

A carcass of a lioness was found in a forest near Rajula of Amreli district Wednesday, while three more lions were found dead the same day in Dalkhaniya range area in the Gir forest, a senior official said.

Carcasses of seven other lions were found in the last few days, he said.

"We have collected viscera samples of the dead animals and sent them to the Junagadh Veterinary Hospital and are waiting for the postmortem report," he added.

Additional chief secretary of the Forest and Environment Department Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta said the state government has ordered an inquiry which would be conducted by the principal chief conservator of forest (wildllife).

"Primary information shows that eight deaths have occurred due to infighting. For the rest three, postmortem reports are awaited,"Gupta added.

Also Read | Adorable white lion cubs in a German zoo melt hearts

PCCF wildlife A K Saxena, who rushed to the Gir forest, told PTI that most of the deaths are due to infighting and resultant injuries.

"Most of the deaths are due to infighting and injuries caused thereby, mainly affecting cubs and females. This trend is being noticed over a period of three to four years. No foul play or suspicion is suspected,"Saxena said.

As per the 2015 census, Gir is home to 520 lions.
2 held after police bust fake bail bond racket

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Noida, Sep 21: With the arrest of two persons, the police in Gautam Budh Nagar here busted a gang which allegedly prepared fake bail bonds, officials said.

Based on a tip-off, the duo was arrested by the Surajpur police from the district and sessions court premises in Greater Noida, a policeman said.

Honey trapped by ISI, BSF jawan arrested for spying

The accused were identified as Amit Kumar, a resident of Gautam Budh Nagar, and Rajkumar Chaudhury, a resident of Ghaziabad, he said.

"The two used to prepare fabricated bail bonds to get accused persons released on bail. After their arrest, seven fake Aadhaar cards, one fake identity card, five bogus stamps of different government officials, passport size photographs of 15 persons and some cash was seized from their possession," he added.

Delhi: 2 arrested for trying to abduct woman

Some other documents, including fake letterheads and registration certificates, and three mobile phones were also seized and a motorcycle was impounded by the police team, he said.

Kumar and Chaudhury have been booked under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc) of the IPC and related offences, the policeman said.

They have been remanded in judicial custody, he said.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 6:38 [IST]
7th Pay Commission: Rs 1,500 crore assistance sought even as govt mulls disciplinary action

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 21: With no positive progress regarding the 7th Pay Commission, the Central Government employees had to face another setback.

The government issued a stern warning that those employees protesting would face a pay cut and also disciplinary action.

7th Pay Commission latest news: CG employees could lose money, here is why

The protest which was meant to bring to the attention of the government the need for action on the 7th Pay Commission may have had an adverse affect. The government has put out a stern note for those employees protesting and said that there would be deduction of wages and appropriate disciplinary action.

Meanwhile Tripura Chief Minister, Biplab Deb has sought a major assistance from the Centre to offer salaries to the employees as per the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

He sought a special assistance of Rs 1,500 crore when he met with Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley at New Delhi. The matter was taken positively, Deb said following the meeting.

He said that the previous government had left a burden of Rs 1,200 crore as loan, which had made it difficult to carry forward the development projects and also meet aspirations.

Warning for CG employees:

The Department of Personnel and Training said, " it has been brought to the notice of the government that the NJCA has decided to observe All India Protest Day. The instructions issued by the Department of Personnel and Training prohibit the Government servants from participating in any form of strike including mass casual leave, go slow etc. or any action that abet any form of strike in violation of Rule 7 of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964."

"Besides, in accordance with the proviso to Rule 17(1) of the Fundamental Rules, pay and allowances is not admissible to an employee for his absence from duty without any authority. As to the concomitant rights of an Association after it is formed, they cannot be different from the rights which can be claimed by the individual members of which the Association is composed."

7th Pay Commission latest news today: Good news for these employees of BJP ruled state

"It follows that the right to form an Association does not include any guaranteed right to strike. There is no statutory provision empowering the employees to go on strike. The Supreme Court has also ruled in several judgments that going on a strike is a grave misconduct under the Conduct Rules and that misconduct by the Government employees is required to be dealt with in accordance with the law."

"Any employee going on strike in any form would face the consequences which, besides deduction of wages, may also include appropriate disciplinary action. Attention of all employees of this Department is also drawn to this Department's O.M. dated 12.9.2008,

on the subject for strict compliance."

"All officers are requested that the above instructions may be brought to the notice of the employees working under their control. All officers are also requested not to sanction Casual Leave or any other kind of leave to the officers and employees, if applied for, during the period of proposed protest, and ensure that the willing employees are allowed hindrance free entry into the office premises."

"4. In case employees go on protest, all Divisional Heads are requested to forward report indicating the number and details of employees, who are absent from duty on the day of protest, i.e., 19.09.2018."

Meanwhile in other states:

As part of the festival season, employees in some states would get a pay hike under the 7th Pay Commission. The J&K state employees would get a hike of 2 per cent in their dearness allowance.

The state administrative council (SAC) under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik, sanctioned the release of an additional installment of 2 per cent DA, with effect from July 1 this year over the existing rate of 7 per cent of the basic pay/pension, an official spokesperson said. The impact on the exchequer would be Rs 118 crore for the current financial year and approximately Rs 177 crore annually.

It may be recalled that the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission as a result of which the state employees would get an increased salary for 32 months. This was announced on September 7.
Lawyer without brief is like Tendulkar without his bat on cricket ground: SC

Appointment of judges: Leave it to us says Supreme Court

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 21: "Leave the issue of judges' appointment to us, we can take care of ourselves", the Supreme Court said as it dismissed a number of petitions filed on issues related to the judiciary.

The top court also dismissed a plea that sought contempt action against lawyers who have signed the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. A bench of Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan made the comment on the appointment of judges while dismissing the petition related to the issue.

SC to monitor probe into Muzaffarpur shelter home case

The counsel appearing for a writ petitioner said he has the right to be informed correctly as the media had misled the people during the elevation of Justice KM Joseph that he may not be elevated to the top court. "This matter pertains to appointment of judges. Leave it to us, we can take care of it. The petition is dismissed," the bench said.

The top court also dismissed a petition filed by advocate ML Sharma, seeking contempt action against the lawyers who have signed the impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra.

SC reserves order in Bhima Koregaon case

"Leave the issue to us. We can deal with it," the bench said and dismissed the petition. Sharma said it is up to the court to decide what to do with the petition and he has only brought the issue before it. A similar petition filed by an association of lawyers was also dismissed by the court. The petition pertained to judiciary.

"This petition also deals with judiciary. Leave it to us. Sorry, we are not entertaining these kind of matters," the bench said.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 6:01 [IST]
Lawyer without brief is like Tendulkar without his bat on cricket ground: SC

Cannot allow default sentences to run concurrently: SC

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 21: The Supreme Court has held that default sentences cannot be directed to run concurrently, as it may defeat the very objective of the punishment.

A bench of Justices A M Sapre and U U Lalit said, "If imposition of fine and prescription of mandatory minimum is designed to achieve a specific purpose, the very objective will get defeated if the default sentences were directed to run concurrently."

Appointment of judges: Leave it to us says Supreme Court

The top court's verdict came on a plea filed by Maharashtra resident Sharad Hiru Kolambe, challenging a Bombay High Court order passed in December 2013, which upheld his conviction under various offences including MCOCA.

Kolambe was charged under provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999 and under Sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion) of the India Penal Code.

He was never released after arrest, during the trial as well as during the pendency of the appeal and thus completed 14 years of actual sentence awarded to him.

Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Kolambe, had contended that the cumulative fine imposed upon Kolambe under various counts of punishment was over Rs 15 lakh and the default sentence in case of non-payment was cumulatively 10 years.

He submitted that it was impossible for Kolambe to deposit the fine due to the financial condition of the family.

"For a person whose family was reduced to a state of starvation, it was impossible to deposit payment of fine as directed. Resultantly, the appellant would have to suffer default sentence of 10 years," said Gonslaves.

He said that though the substantive sentence stood remitted and the appellant was directed to be released on completion of 14 years of actual sentence, he would still be inside till he completes 24 years.

The court in its 20-page verdict penned down by Justice Lalit said that if default sentences awarded in respect of imposition of fine in connection with two or more offences, are directed to run concurrently, then there would not be any occasion for the convicts to deposit the fine in respect of the further offences.

SC to monitor probe into Muzaffarpur shelter home case

"It would effectively mean imposition of one single or combined sentence of fine. Such an exercise would render the very idea of imposition of fine with a deterrent stipulation while awarding sentence in default of payment of fine to be meaningless," said the bench.

The court highlighted the Sections 31 and 427 of the CrPC, which confers the power on court to direct running of sentences concurrently.

"In the circumstances, we reject the submission regarding concurrent running of default sentences, as in our considered view default sentences, inter se, cannot be directed to run concurrently," the bench said.

However, the court even while rejecting the submissions, considered Kolambe's financial condition and reduced the default sentence to three years and four months out of which three years have already been served by him.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 6:14 [IST]
CBSE releases advisory to alert people against fake websites

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Sep 21: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has warned public against certain commercial websites which are using the board's logo to mislead students.

"It has come to notice of the board that various commercial websites have created CBSE look alike pages with logo of CBSE on social networking sites for registration of candidates. This is creating confusion among public," an advisory by the board said.

The CBSE has asked people to visit its official website for any query. "The members of public are, therefore, advised to visit CBSE official website for authentic and official information and prevent themselves from being cheated by the unscrupulous elements.

Any information available or displayed other than the CBSE website, must be got verified from the official website. CBSE never asks for any details directly from the students through e-mail, facebook, twitter, phone or any other source," it added.

PTI
Chhattisgarh: A state where BJP turned the tables on Congress since mid-1990s

India

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Raipur, Sept 21: The upcoming elections in Chhattisgarh will be a big test both for the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress. While for the saffron party which is in power in the state for 15 years now, beating the anti-incumbency will be key ahead of the next general elections in 2019; for the Congress, this will be one last chance to return to some kind of reckoning ahead of its president Rahul Gandhi's litmus test next year.

On Thursday, September 20, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) stirred up the poll-bound state's politics by announcing a pre-poll alliance with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janta Congress. It not only raised fresh doubts over the prospects of a united federal front against Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the next Lok Sabha elections but also created a scenario for the first time in the central Indian state's 18-year history when it will witness a triangular fight in place of a generally bipolar one. Mayawati's move in Chhattisgarh is aimed at giving the Congress a stern message in the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, which is also heading for the elections and where the Congress and BSP are still short of reaching a comprehensive agreement on seat-sharing.

BSP forges alliance with Ajit Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh

BJP has grown fast in a state which was once Congress's fortress

However, looking from Chhattisgarh's election perspective, this is significant. The BJP, Congress and BSP have a significant presence in Chhattisgarh's politics. The Congress has been traditionally strong in Chhattisgarh region when it was a part of MP. Barring 1977 when the Janata Party won all the 11 parliamentary seats in the state, the Congress dominated it till 1984.

Chhattisgarh elections: Roads a major issue in Raigarh; rain caused problem, says local MLA

The BJP's first emergence in the state happened in 1989 when it won six out of 11 seats though in 1991, it lost all those seats in an otherwise good election year. In 1996, the promise to make Chhattisgarh a separate state earned the saffron party a mileage there and it won six seats in the parliamentary election that year. In 1999, its tally of seats went up to eight. In 2004 and 2009, the Congress could win just one parliamentary seat from the state out of 11 even when they did well overall. It shows how the BJP's stature in the state has grown since the mid-1990s.

In the 1998 Assembly election in undivided MP, the Congress won 46 of 90 seats in the Chhattisgarh region. The BJP had only 33 seats in the region. After the state was carved out in 2000, Ajit Jogi became the first chief minister of the state as a Congressman (he was expelled from the party two years ago).

In 2003, in the first Assembly election in Chhattisgarh, the BJP won 50 of the 90 seats on offer while the Congress saw a slide in its traditional bastion and could manage 37. In terms of vote-share, though, there was not much difference between the two parties (Congress's 36.7 to BJP's 39.3). One reason behind the BJP's mega success in Chhattisgarh has been its grip on the tribal areas where the RSS has done comprehensive ground work for tribal welfare. The BSP, on the other hand, hasn't been able to keep pace with the bigger parties and that has made the politics of the state bipolar.

Raman Singh govt's populist policies eclipsed those of the UPA govt

The Raman Singh government has been successful in the state owing to its populist policies that even eclipsed those of the former UPA government led by the Congress at the Centre. The Congress's state-level organisation also did not have the teeth to propagate about the Centre's pro-poor policies, hence leaving less challenge for the Singh government.

Elections in four states may get delayed as preparation still underway

However, having said that, factors like the state government's support for the Salwa Judum movement and farmers' suicides in the state added fuel to the anti-incumbency mood against the party which is in power for a decade and half.

(With inputs from 'Party Competition in Indian States': Edited by Suhas Palshikar, KC Suri and Yogendra Yadav)

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 12:43 [IST]
'Would have been Udta Maharashtra...': NCP leader Nawab Malik makes big claim on Aryan Khan drugs case

Chhath Puja 2021: No mass gatherings at seafronts in Mumbai, says civic body

Security beefed up outside Mukesh Ambani's Antilia after alert from taxi driver about suspicious passengers

Complaint filed against Jet Airways staff for dereliction of duties

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Mumbai, Sep 21: A complaint has been lodged against Jet Airways staff and crew members of Mumbai-Jaipur flight No. 9W 0697 for dereliction of duties amounting to attempt of murder of travellers on board.

Jet airway's victim claims Rs 30 lakh and 100 upgrade vouchers as compensation

Thirty out of 166 passengers suffered nose and ear bleeding due to the loss in cabin pressure in the flight on Thursday. During climb, the crew forgot to select bleed switch due to which cabin pressurisation could not be maintained. As a result, oxygen masks got deployed.

The Boeing 737 aircraft returned to Mumbai due to "loss of cabin pressure" and the pilots have been taken off duty pending investigation, a Jet Airways spokesperson said.

Inside visuals of Jet Airways which returned to Mumbai after passengers bleed mid air

There were 166 passengers and 5 crew members on board flight 9W 697.

The incident comes at a time when the airline is struggling to cut costs and locked in a pay dispute with pilots

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 17:45 [IST]
Congress attempt to take off career of Rahul by Rafale will not work: BJP

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Sep 21: In the wake of the Congress targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the issue of corruption especially Rafale jet deal. But the Bharatiya Janata Party has been saying that it would not help the Congress to save the career of the Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the Congress was spreading lie about everything all across but it is not going to help the party. The Congress tried to launch Rahul Gandhi on cot in Uttar Pradesh but it failed, then bicycle was used to launch him but again tyre of bicycle got flat and now they are trying to use Rafale to help taking off career of Rahul Gandhi but they seem to be failing again.

War of words between the Congress and the BJP intensified more when Rahul Gandhi used 'pahredar chor' jibe againt the party as the BJP was targeting the Gandhi family for their involvement of fleecing money from Karnataka through Hawala route. Union agriculture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat accused the Gandhi family of its involvement in the Bengaluru-Delhi hawala highway via Chandani Chowk.

Also Read | Jaitley attacks Rahul Gandhi over Rafale, calls him a 'Clown Prince,' in his blog post

Patra said again that there was no substance in the allegations of the Congress, which is trying to help the Congress president to help in his career building which is unlikely to happen. They are involved in all kind of gimmicks but none of them will work for the party.

He accused the family of receiving money in KG from the Karnataka government which was getting received at the party office at 24 Akbar Road. The money was in crores that has reached Delhi. Actually the Congress needs money for image building of the Congress president and their entire focus is on Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and the family's focus is on money.

Also Read | Rafale minister Nirmala Sitharaman a liar, must resign: Rahul Gandhi

Another BJP spokesperson Anand Jha said that the Congress does not have any policy of programme they just want image building of the people belonging to the Gandhi family.
PM says notion that Army, police meant for men no longer exists, lauds rise in number of women cops

Dark is also lovely: Two women have done something that will put fairness hunters to shame

India

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Bangalore, Sept 21: For those aunties who hunt for 'fair skin' in packs, this is a nail hit hard on the head. While the country is feeling more and more obsessed with glowing skin (racism?), a completely opposite thought recently made the rounds and it has left the critical thinkers influenced and impressed.

It is all about an illustration done by Bangladeshi artist Waseka Nahar which shows a dark-skinned woman holding a face cream tube called 'Dark and Lovely'. It hits the establishment which believes fairness is an important parameter of being lovely, hard. To be lovely doesn't mean one has to be fair as well. Nahar's illustration posted on facebook was received 3.2k shares at the time of writing this article.

Nahar's illustration was inspired by a self-image clicked by Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar who resides in Canada. She posted the photo on Instagram and it was appreciated by several.

"Discrimination based on your skin colour is still prevalent. And fairness creams add fuel to the fire," NDTV quoted 25-year-old Waseka as saying. "Through my artwork I want to address colourism."

Also Read | Why are Twitterati replacing Donald Trump with penguin in some famous pic?

"Zainab's picture symbolises that there is a certain 'stigma'- for lack of a better word - surrounding dark skin. The picture boldly says that dark skin is as beautiful as its counterpart," the young artist further added.

"The social message behind this is specifically directed to the Indian subcontinent which is why I am in traditional attire," Zainab told NDTV.

The women with their origins in the subcontinent are happy that they have succeeded in igniting a discussion which they thought was long due.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 13:36 [IST]
Dilli Gupshup: It is Har Har Modi verses Bam Bam Bhole

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

The Congress has been tirelessly looking for an answer to the BJP and has come up with Bam Bam Bhole as an answer to Har Har Modi. Canadian citizen was indicated by the government to go back as it did not want any trouble in elections year and he complied with it. But there are two real hurt burn where the government failed to protest interest of its committed people for turncoats and lens men who were raking mullah by clicking pictures of party leaders with workers facing the slump in view of not so towering leader in the party except BJP president Amit Shah who does not appreciate such practice. Read on straight from the power corridor:

It is Har Har Modi verses Bam Bam Bhole

New Delhi: Grapevine is abuzz that the Congress has got the answer for the signature slogan of the Bharatiya Janata Party 'Har Har Modi'. The Congress planning Bam Bam Bhole slogan beginning from Rajasthan where the Congress president Rahul Gandhi's rally is scheduled anytime soon. Har Har Modi slogan has become a signature slogan for the BJP by people spontaneously getting connected with it. Similarly the Congress is cultivating Shiv Bhakt image of the Congress President Rahul Gandhi and will shout Bam Bham Bhole in Rahul's rally but with its huge minority base, it is a big question mark if it would work for the Congress or not but no harm in trying!

Also Read | Dilli Gupshup: Original Gandhi verses Chinese Gandhi

Government gives fillers to Tarek Fateh to go back

A Pakistani by birth and Canadian by citizenship, Tarek Fateh has been indicated to go back to Canada by the government since elections are coming close in India. Fateh was in India for over a month attending different programmes but his radical view on Islam and Pakistan has been on the line of Sangh Pariwar ideology. He was getting applauds and brickbats alike in India but now the government does not want him to be around as trouble might start in the country. So Fateh has packed his bag to go back to Canada and would be waiting for the further instruction from the government of India.

Outsiders get fair deal while insider neglected in HRD!

Diluting powers of chairman of the two autonomous institution under Union Home ministry namely National Book Trust and Indian Institution of Advance Studies led by Baldev Bhai Sharma and Kapil Kapoor respectively is being looked upon as tussle between the Sangh Pariwar insider verses outsider. Baldev Bhai Sharma is former editor of RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya and Kapil Kapoor is former Pro-Vice Chancelor of JNU while Rita Choudhary is wife of Chandra Mohan Patowary an AGP turncoat and similarly Markand Paranjape a neo-Sanghi. Humiliated Sharma, who is miffed with the state of affairs at NBT, is focusing more at Dharmshala where he is working as a professor in the university. Kapoor seems to be the lone Woolf with some more fighting spirit but his health is not by his side.

Also Read | Elusive grand alliance in UP?

For lens men, none worth getting photo clicked with for BJP workers

Grapevine is abuzz that restricted entry in the Bharatiya Janata Party's new headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay road is causing existential crisis for many journalist who are filing to justify themselves but some poor lens men. They used to make some quick bucks by clicking pix of local leaders with party president but now that is not happening and there is restriction on such practice. Earlier general secretaries too were very touring leaders but now no local leader wants to get picture clicked with present day general secretaries so a slump in the business. They were expecting some high profile leader in the team but that does not seem happening with only solace being Sambit Patra who still has some spark for them.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 12:52 [IST]
Ahead of Diwali, Petrol and diesel prices come down: Check rates here

Fuel prices up again; petrol nears Rs 90 mark in Mumbai

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Sep 21: Fuel prices continued their steep rise, with petrol hitting Rs 89.69/litre in Mumbai.

Petrol and diesel prices in Delhi stood at Rs 82.32 per litre and Rs 73.87 per litre respectively. Petrol prices reached an all-time high of Rs 89.69 in Mumbai whereas the diesel prices stood at Rs 78.42 in the financial capital.

Since the start of the calendar year, the petrol price in Delhi has gone up by 15.4 per cent from Rs 69.97 on January 1, 2018. The hike in diesel price has been steeper. It has gone up by 22 per cent since January 1 when it cost Rs 59.70.

Mumbai has the highest VAT of 39.12 per cent on petrol, while Telangana levies the highest VAT of 26 per cent on diesel. Delhi charges a VAT of 27 per cent on petrol and 17.24 per cent on diesel.

The rise in fuel prices triggered wider criticism of the government for not cutting excise duty on the heavily taxed petrol and diesel.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 8:36 [IST]
The Congress sweep in Himachal: I take responsibility for defeat says Jai Ram Thakur

By election: Results kindle hopes for Congress in string of Assembly polls next year

UP polls: RLD chief rules out possibility of alliance with Congress

High fuel prices Modiji? Congress mocks PM after Metro ride

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Sep 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a ride on the Airport Express Metro from Dhaula Kuan to Dwarka to avoid creating traffic due to VVIP movement. The Congress, however, has found another reason behind the trip.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders have been attacking the Modi government over rising petrol and diesel prices.

Dilli Gupshup: It is Har Har Modi verses Bam Bam Bhole

The Karnataka unit of the party took to twitter and asked the whether the rising fuel prices has also burnt a hole in the PM's pocket or is it another election jumla?

High Fuel prices in Delhi has forced @narendramodi ji to use Delhi Metro? Or one more election jumla? https://t.co/uiDCBqrUd1  Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) September 21, 2018

Rising fuel prices and a weakening rupee have emerged as major challenges for the Modi government. Though states like Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal have reduced taxes on the fuel, the Centre has not taken any such action yet.

Meanwhile, people on board the train were surprised to see him and the prime minister obliged many passengers as they took selfies with him.

Imran Khan writes to PM Modi, seeks resumption of India-Pakistan talks

"Smiles on the Delhi Metro. People interact with PM @narendramodi during the journey from Dwarka, after he laid the foundation stone of a Convention Centre," the PMO India tweeted and shared a few pictures.

PM Modi has been using the Metro service to reach distant venues to avoid traffic jams which occur during VVIP movement.

Woman sets bus on fire after being stopped from meeting Modi

PM Modi and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, during his state visit to India had taken a ride together in the metro to Noida in July, on way to inauguration of a Samsung facility to manufacture mobile phones.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 15:24 [IST]
Raghunath Nambiar

Raghunath Nambiar, who reached Paris four days ago, flew the aircraft in France to assess its efficacy at Istres-Le Tube Air Base. The air base is a large multi-role tasked French Air Force base located near Istres, northwest of Marseille, France

Raghunath Nambiar in cockpit of Rafale

Air Marshal Nambiar flew the first Rafale fighter jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation for India, the sources told PTI. The development comes amid a raging controversy in India over the deal to procure the Rafale fighter jets.

Rafale jet

Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. The Rafale is referred to as an "omnirole" aircraft by Dassault.

Anil Ambani takes sortie

It may be recalled that Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani took Rafale aircraft for a sortie during the 11th biennial edition of AERO INDIA 2017 at Yelahanka Air base in Bengaluru in 2017.
India turns down Paks request for talks, says no meeting between Sushma, Qureshi at UNGA

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Sep 21: India on Friday called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister & Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi that was scheduled to take place in New York later this month on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Upset over the killing of Jammu and Kashmir policemen, sources told News18 that New Delhi has declined Islamabad's request for talks.

Speaking to media, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "It's obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed & true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to world in his first few months in the office.''

''Since y'day's announcement of meeting of foreign ministers of India & Pakistan, 2 deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities & recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists,'' he also said.

Three Jammu and Kashmir policemen, who were abducted in Shopian district on Thursday night, were killed Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists. Militants had kidnapped the three Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police personnel after barging into their houses on Thursday.

India is also upset over Pakistan's decision to declare slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as a "freedom icon", according to News18. Pakistan also commemorated the "victims of atrocities by Indian troops in Kashmir" by issuing 20 special postage stamps which carry captions such as: 'Burhan Wani (1994-2016) freedom icon'.

The stamps carry photos of Wani and his two associates who were killed in a gunbattle with police in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir in July 2016.

On Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said Swaraj will meet Qureshi on the sidelines of UNGA, but the date will be decided later through consultations. He also said that the meeting did not imply a resumption of talks between India and Pakistan, while adding, "This meeting is taking place on the request of the Pakistani side. We have not finalised the agenda of this meeting."
Indian govt proposed Reliance Defence as partner in Rafale:French media quoting Hollande

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Sep 21: In a significant development, a French media report quoted former French President Francois Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.

Reacting to Hollande's remark that is at variance with the stand taken by the Indian government, the defence ministry spokesman said on Friday,"The report referring to former French president Hollande's statement that government of India insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified."

The spokesperson also said,"It is reiterated that neither the government nor the French government had any say in the commercial decision." Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, had chosen Reliance Defence as its partner to fulfill offset obligations of the deal. The government has been maintaining it did not have any role in selection of the offset partner. Hollande's remark is set to escalate the political slugfest over the controversial multi-billion dollar deal.

The French media report quoted Hollande as saying "we did not have a say in this...the Indian government proposed this service group and Dassault negotiated with (Anil) Ambani group. We did not have a choice, we took the partner who was given to us." The Congress and other opposition parties latched on to the report and stepped up their attack on the Modi government over the deal.

"President (Former) Francois Hollande should also enlighten us how the price went up from 590 crore in 2012 to 1690 crore in 2015 per Rafale fighter jet? Escalation of a mere 1100 crore. I am sure the Euro equivalent would not be a problem to calculate," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.

The opposition has been accusing the government of chosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.

PTI
How the National Investigation Agency is getting the better of terrorists in J&K

For more effective probes against terror State Investigation Agency formed in J&K

The inside rot: How govt employees are abetting terror in Jammu and Kashmir

Appeasement vs national security: Forests of South India are breeding grounds for terrorists, naxalites

J&K: All 3 cops kidnapped by terrorists found dead in Shopian; several resignation videos emerge

India

oi-Deepika S

Srinagar, Sep 21:Three Special Police Officers (SPO) who were kidnapped from south Kashmir's Shopian have been killed by terrorists.

The slain policemen were identified as constable Nissar Ahmed and two special police officers, Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh.

A Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group has claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing.

They were kidnapped early this morning from their homes at Batagund and Kapran villages, a police official said.

J&K: Wave of Army men being killed by terrorists while on leave continues

The killings come days after Hizbul's threat to SPOs asking them to resign from their jobs.

Many J&K cops resig; govt rubbishes report

The shock news of the killing of the three men prompted at least two police personnel to issue video messages announcing their resignation from the force.

However, J&K Police have confirmed that these reports are untrue&motivated. These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements: Ministry of Home Affairs

Earlier this week, Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists had put out videos in which they had said policemen should either post their resignations online or prepare to be killed.

Spooked over pinpointed intelligence, here is why Hizbul wants cops targeted

Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter to condemn the killings. "Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims," Mufti said in a tweet.

In another tweet, she attacked the Centre and said, "Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, Centre's muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now."

Earlier, at least eight people, whose relatives were working in the Jammu and Kashmir police, were abducted by terrorists from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora in August.

Revenge strikes: Terrorists go on a rampage in south Kashmir

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of terrorists who were in police custody.

The August 30 abductions happened after the NIA arrested the second son of globally-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group. Salahuddin's son was arrested on charges of receiving secret funds.
Hyderabad rape case: The rapist will be caught and killed in encounter, Telangana minister

Justice for Pranay: This is how netizens react

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Hyderabad, Sep 21: In the aftermath of the infamous honour killing of Pranay on September 14, Pranay's wife Amrutha has started a social media campaign 'Justice for Pranay' on facebook. The page has received 121,314 people likes and followed by 122,734 people.

Pranay (24), a Dalit from the Mala community was hacked to death on Friday in broad daylight by an unidentified assailant hired by Amrutha's father Maruthi Rao, who had opposed their marriage.

Telangana honour killing: Inspired by movie Drushyam, how father tried to create an alibi

"Don't worry Pranay...U r not alone.. Not only me u are in the heart of crores of people.. Many people are fighting for justice (sic)," a post read on Facebook page named 'Justice for Pranay'.

Some Facebook users extended their support to the cause and some others have given their opinion about the incident that shook Telangana.

Dishonour killing of Dalit engineer: Father of girl fixed contract murder at Re 1 crore

On the other hand, Amrutha's father has been hailed as a casteist hero by a section of netizens. Netizens not only extended their support through encouraging messages like Jai Maruthi Rao, Jai Maruthi Sena, but have also started hailing the killer by changing their Facebook profile pictures to his.
Karnataka: Govt formation in sight, BJP says Yeddyurappa will take final call

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Bengaluru, Sep 21: The BJP in Karnataka has empowered B S Yeddyurappa to take a call on the formation of a government in case the ruling coalition collapses. The past week has seen several developments with dissent brewing within the Congress and some of its leaders threatening to break away.

The BJP held a meeting to discuss the crisis in the government, following which it was decided that Yeddyurappa would take the final call. As many as 99 out of the 104 BJP legislators attended the meeting. Balachandra Jarkiholi, the brother of dissident Congress leader, Ramesh Jarkiholi was however absent.

BJP seeks action against Kumaraswamy for seditious statement

Yeddyurappa said that there were several within the Congress who were upset with the party and were ready to quit. We have nothing to do with this. In fact those leaders have stated in public that they are unhappy with the Congress. The current dispensation has a very short life span and would collapse soon, Yeddyurappa also added.

Meanwhile, B Sriramulu who has been accused of engineering the dissent said that he is not concerned. He said that Ramesh Jarkiholi can go to Delhi, resign from the Congress.

How a video clip saved the government and ended the Karnataka crisis

He can go to hell for all I care. The BJP is not involved in luring anyone from the Congress into its fold, he also said.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 7:44 [IST]
World War II veteran, POW, and Olympic runner Louis Zamperini was one of Americas greatest heroes. He also was a well-known evangelist.

Zamperinis story of overcoming the odds is being told through Pure Flixs new movie, Unbroken: Path to Redemption, which is the squeal to Angelina Jolies hit 2014 film Unbroken. The sequel dives much deeper into his conversion to Christianity.

Zamperinis son, Luke Zamperini, appeared on PureFlix.coms Pure Talk this week to share details of his late fathers death-defying journey.

My dads story is full of great stories, Zamperini said, going on to summarize the major benchmarks of his dads life. Punk kid makes it into sports, athlete makes it to the Olympics, Olympian joins the military, soldier crashes at sea and survives for 47 days, famous American athlete picked up by Japanese and put into a prison camp.

The new movie will show Zamperinis journey after he arrived home from the war. He suffered from PTSD symptoms and turned to alcohol to cope. He later accepted Jesus at a Billy Graham revival and experienced an incredible life transformation.

My father was having these tremendously horrible dreams, Luke Zamperini explained. He was self-medicating with alcohol, he was getting in fights. He didnt know where to turn.

Louis Zamperinis wife, Cynthia, had threatened divorce due to the alcoholism. She got invited to a revival meeting in downtown Los Angeles and Louis refused to attend. Cynthia came away from that Billy Graham event with a renewed perspective on life, and told Louis she wouldnt divorce him on one condition: he needed attend a Billy Graham revival meeting with her.

After his first time going, Louis left flustered and told his wife dont ever take me to a place like that again. Cynthia convinced him to try one more time, and something finally clicked.

Luke Zamperini said that his dad had an instant flashback to his 47 days stranded at sea on a raft, recalling how he had made a promise to God, praying, God, if you get me home from this alive I will seek you and serve you my entire life.

He just walked down to the stage, accepts Jesus, Zamperini said of his dad. He felt this great weight lifted off his shoulders.

Zamperini left alcohol behind and went on to forgive the Japanese prison guards who had abused and tortured him.

The former Olympian and war hero devoted the rest of his life to spreading the Christian faith and helping youths, dying in 2014 at the age of 97.
MLC polls: Is Karnataka Congress staring at another dissent?

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bengaluru, Sep 21: The Karnataka Legislative Council will go for polls on October 4 to fill three vacant seats. The coalition partners Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) have decided to field two and one candidates respectively.

A member needs 112 votes to get elected in the election to be held from the Legislative Assembly constituency. With a combined strength of 118 in the Assembly, Congress and JD(S) are well set to clinch the seats in the face of the fact that BJP has just 104 members in the House.

Backed by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Nivedith Alva and MC Venugopal have emerged as the frontrunners for the two MLC seats from the Congress quota. Alva, the son of Congress veteran Margaret Alva represents minority and Venugopal belongs to the backward class category.

Karnataka: Govt formation in sight, BJP says Yeddyurappa will take final call

A source in the Congress party, however, denied the finalization of the names of the candidates till party president Rahul Gandhi takes a call.

"Parameshwara gets upper-hand in the election process if these two emerge as candidates form the party. This move may send the wrong message to Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar and KPCC President Dinesh Gundurao," said the source.

According to reports, Gundurao is said to be backing B Guruppa Naidu, who unsuccessfully contested the assembly polls in 2008. Former minister Ramalinga Reddy is lobbying for businessman UB Venkatesh, a Brahmin, who helped his daughter Sowmya Reddy get elected from Jayanagar assembly constituency.

The party high command has to take a judicious call to avoid a new round of dissent in the party. The Congress is already battling crises one after another. The tussle between Jarakiholi brothers and MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar in Belagavi district has been tamed as of now. On the other hand, Vokkaliga strongman DK Shivakumar may get arrested by the ED in the money laundering case. Besides, the BJP is looking to destabilize the coalition government ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

No preference for Vokkaliga candidates:

Also, it is being conveyed that the Congress party is not interested in fielding a candidate from Vokkaliga community in the MLC election. The party believes that the current dispensation carries the image of 'Vokkaliga government image'. Hence, doesn't want to prefer Vokkaliga face keeping in mind 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

BJP seeks action against Kumaraswamy for seditious statement

Source said, " The high-command has sent a clear message that it is not possible to accommodate Vokkaliga this time because the Congress-JDS coalition has Vokkaliga government image."
Not competitors, pests are the biggest problem for IKEA in India: Here's why

India

pti-Deepika S

Hyderabad, Sep 21: Not competitors, the biggest challenge IKEA has faced so far in India are pests. In another embarrassment for Swedish firm IKEA in India, a customer has said that he found a insect in a chocolate cake that he ordered at the store.

This is the second time such an instance was reported at the Hyderabad store.

Kishore took to twitter to complain that he had found an insect in the cake he bought for his daughter at the food counter in the IKEA outlet. In the video, an insect can be seen crawling over the chocolate cake.

"I found an insect inside the chocolate cake which came out while my daughter was eating the cake at Ikea store today in Hyderabad," he said in his tweet.

IKEA regrets the incident

According to a statement, IKEA regrets the latest episode. A spokesperson said, "In our Hyderabad restaurant when a customer was eating a chocolate cake which he bought, a fly was seen on the cake which eventually flew away. We regret this and apologize to our customer for the unfortunate experience. We are taking steps to avoid such occurrences. However, no samples were collected or inspection carried out by GHMC on the said incident. Further, IKEA has not been issued any notice or fined by the corporation."

Worm found in biryani at Ikea Hyderabad

Earlier this month, a customer found a caterpillar in vegetable biryani served at Ikea store in Hyderabad. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) fined the store management for Rs 11,500 as per norms and got the biryani consignment kept in quarantine.

"At Ikea, we have the strictest guidelines when it comes to food safety and quality as customers' health and safety are something we care about deeply," Ikea had said in statement.

Veg biryani temporarily banned at Ikea store



The global home and furnishings retailer has decided to stop the sale of its vegetarian biryani and samosas.

In a statement, Ikea said that it takes its food safety and quality very seriously. "Ikea India has voluntarily stopped sales of two of its most appreciated products - vegetarian biryani and samosa," a statement said.
Political backlash over UGCs advisory to observe September 29 as Surgical Strike Day'

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Sep 21: In a first, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed universities and higher educational institutes across the country to observe 29 September as "Surgical Strike Day" to mark the second anniversary of the Indian Army's strike against terror cells across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The UGC has issued list of activities that universities can do to mark the occasion.

Talk-sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades, visit to exhibitions and sending greeting cards to pledge their support for armed forces, are among the activities prescribed by the commission for the celebrations.

Ban sale of junk food on campuses, UGC directs varsities, colleges

"The NCC units of all universities should organise a special parade on September 29 after which the NCC commander shall address them on the modalities of protection of the borders. The varsities may organise a talk-session calling ex-servicemen to sensitise students about sacrifices made by the armed forces," the UGC said in a communication to all Vice Chancellors.

"A multimedia exhibition will be organised around India Gate on September 29. Similar exhibitions may be organised in states, union territories, important towns and cantonments across the country. The institutions should encourage students and faculty members to visit these exhibitions," the letter added.

UGC directive 'shocking', says Kapil Sibal

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal described the UGC's notice as 'shocking'. "It is absolutely shocking. In fact, I don't think since independence, we have seen UGC giving any kind of directive of this nature to universities. For UGC, to give a directive is destroying the very independence of the university system," Sibal said.

Surgical strikes, barking dogs, leopard urine: What is the connection

In the first such action, India carried out surgical strikes on September 29, 2016 on seven terror launch pads across the Line of Control with the Army saying its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

'Advisory, not a Diktat', says govt

Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday clarified that the circular is only advisory in nature, not mandatory or imposed. "We have not made any compulsions on institutions or students. We have issued a program because of suggestions from many students and teachers that they need to commemorate the second anniversary of surgical strike," the HRD minister told reporters.

"We never mandate anything, we suggest and issue advisory. There is no politics, it is only patriotism," the Union minister added.

West Bengal refuses to follow UGC's directive

Opposing the UGC's directive, West Bengal education minister criticised the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for trying to "malign and politicise" the Army.

Video evidence of surgical strikes emerge

"This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda," Chatterjee said.

The UGC's move also comes months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Poll-bound Odisha to get a fertilizer unit and airport on PMs visit on September 22

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Sep 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha and Chhattisgarh on September 22, 2018 to inaugurate coal gasification based fertilizer plant which will be first of its kind in India and an airport at Jharsuguda. The PM will lay the foundation stone for national highway projects in Chhattisgarh on the same day,

At Talcher in Odisha, the Prime minister will unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of work for the revival of Talcher Fertilizer Plant. This is the first plant in India which will have a coal gasification based fertilizer unit. In addition to fertilizer, this plant will produce natural gas, thereby contributing to the country's energy requirements.

The Prime Minister will go to Jharsuguda, where he will inaugurate the Jharsuguda airport. This airport shall bring western Odisha on the aviation map of India, and facilitate regional air connectivity through the UDAN scheme.

Also Read | 'Congress has no concern for country's security,' Amit Shah says in Chhattisgarh

The Prime Minister will dedicate the Garjanbahal coal mines, and the Jharsuguda-Barapali-Sardega rail link to the nation. He shall also unveil a plaque to mark the commencement of coal production and transportation from Dulanga coal mines.

The Prime Minister shall then arrive in Janjgir Champa, in Chhattisgarh. He will visit an exhibition on traditional handloom and agriculture. He will lay the foundation stone for national highway projects, and the Pendra-Anuppur and third railway line. He will address the gathering there.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 17:01 [IST]
Three more Rafale jets to land in India from France in non-stop flight

Rafale: HAL, Dassault Aviation had serious differences when UPA was negotiating deal

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 21: There were "serious differences" between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Dassault Aviation for production of Rafale jets in India when the UPA government was negotiating the deal with the French company, official sources said on Thursday.

The previous UPA government in 2012 started negotiations with Dassault Aviation to buy 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). The plan was for Dassault Aviation to supply 18 Rafale jets in fly-away condition, while 108 aircraft were to be manufactured in India by the company along with HAL. However, the deal could not be sealed.

Jaitley attacks Rahul Gandhi over Rafale, calls him a 'Clown Prince,' in his blog post

Sources said the HAL, in a letter dated October 11, 2012, to the defence ministry, brought out various disagreements pertaining to the work share between HAL and the Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale jets.

Subsequently, in July 2014, HAL in its letter to the ministry has also highlighted one major unresolved issue regarding responsibility sharing between Dassault Aviation and HAL for licence manufacture of the aircraft, the sources said.

They said observations by experts that the HAL was capable of manufacturing Rafale jets was incorrect. "There were serious differences between HAL and Dassault Aviation when the UPA government was negotiating the deal with the French company," a source said.

Last week, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said negotiations for procurement of 126 Rafale jets under the UPA government fell through as HAL did not have the required capability to produce the jets in India in collaboration with Dassault Aviation.

Rafale minister Nirmala Sitharaman a liar, must resign: Rahul Gandhi

After rounds of negotiations with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Dassault Aviation felt that the cost of the Rafale jets will escalate significantly if they were to be produced in India, she said.

The Congress has demanded answers from the government on why HAL was not involved in the new deal. In 2016, the Modi government signed a government-to-government deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore. The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the deal.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 6:07 [IST]
Rajasthan elections 2018 to see highest increase in youth voters since 1998

India

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Jaipur, Sept 21: Rajasthan, the country's largest state, will go to elections later this year. Every year, the state sees 25 per cent of its voters in the age group of 18-19 years. According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, the number of youth voters in the state has increased between six and 12 per cent since 1998. In 2018, the number has gone much higher to 18 per cent. The lowest rise in the number of youth voters was seen in the year 1998 (six per cent). More than 70 lakh new voters will cast their ballots in this year's election, the report added.

In 1998, Rajasthan saw the rise in youth voters by almost 18 lakh while in 2003, it increased by almost 38 lakh. In 2008, the rise was by 23.44 lakh while last time, the rise was by 45.56 lakh.

A state with a two-party competition

Rajasthan is one of the few states of the country which still witnesses a two-party competition - between the ruling BJP and the Indian National Congress with a change of guard every five years. The saffron party first came to power in Rajasthan in 1990 and returned to power after a brief period of President's rule which was imposed following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992.

Rajasthan elections: Polling in all constituencies to be conducted through VVPAT

Bhairon Singh Sekhawat's government completed its term in 1998 and was followed by Ashok Gehlot's Congress government between 1998 and 2003. Since then, it has been an alternative arrangement between Gehlot and Vasundhara Raje Scindia, the current chief minister.

The Congress has ruled Rajasthan for most part between 1949 and 1990 barring a brief interval of three years when the Janata Party was in power. In that sense, the post-1990 period in the state's politics has seen a bipolar arrangement replacing a one-party dominance and this has played a big role in shaping the state's electoral politics in the last 28 years.

If not for Rajasthan we would have had a 'dhulmul sarkar,' says Amit Shah

In the 2013 elections, the BJP got 163 out of 200 seats with a seat share of 46 per cent while the Congress got just 21 seats with a seat share of 33.7 per cent.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 5:53 [IST]
Take Ram mandir issue 'seriously' after Bhagwat comments: Sena to Modi govt

India

oi-PTI

Mumbai, Sep 21: Two days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat pitched for early construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena Friday acknowledged his commitment, but questioned that of the "politicians" towards the cause.

Attacking BJP chief Amit Shah, the Shiv Sena said he speaks with confidence about the Bharatiya Janata Party ruling the country for 50 years, but "refrains" from commenting on the issues of scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution, that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and the Ram temple.

The BJP's carping ally, in the editorial of its mouthpiece 'Saamana', asked the Narendra Modi government to take "seriously" the issue of constructing Ram temple in Ayodhya after Bhagwat's comments.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, however, opined that the temple issue has been reduced only to a poll promise and therefore, has become a topic for ridiculing Hindutva.

Bhagwat, speaking at an event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Wednesday in New Delhi, pitched for early construction of Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya. "Ram Mandir should be built at the earliest," he had said.

"The position taken by the RSS chief on the issue of the (Ram) temple is of commitment. But has there left even an iota of that commitment in the inner hues of (among) politicians?" the Shiv Sena asked.

"Shah speaks with a lot of confidence about the BJP ruling the country for 50 years. But refrains from commenting on repealing Article 370 or committing deadline for construction of the Ram temple.

"Are the rising petrol and diesel prices and beheading of soldiers the future of India?" the Marathi daily asked. Speaking at the event, Bhagwat had also talked about the RSS being firm on scrapping of Article 370.

Referring to that, the Shiv Sena asked why did then the BJP form government in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, which is opposed to the idea of scrapping the Article.

"Mehbooba would say there would be riots if that Article was to be scrapped. So, was it right for (the BJP) to get married to her (party PDP) for power? "And it was a Sangh volunteer like Ram Madhav who performed the role of a kazi (priest) in that wedding," the party, a constituent of the BJP-led NDA, quipped.

Madhav, a BJP general secretary, is considered as being instrumental in the BJP and the PDP coming together to form government in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015.

The BJP quit the alliance in June this year, leading to the collapse of the PDP-led government. The Shiv Sena further said if "anyone" wants to remain in power for 50 years, the RSS chief then needs to rap the "politicians" (to set things right).

"But none is ready to tell the truth today," the party added. The Maharashtra-based party also pointed towards Bhagwat condemning and terming as "unacceptable" mob lynching in the name of cow protection.

"But all were happy with Hindu votes getting polarised in the aftermath of violence unleashed by cow protectors on streets," the Shiv Sena publication said, without naming anyone or any party.

PTI

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 15:42 [IST]
Urban naxals: Branding security forces as enemies is not dissent, it is anti national

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Sep 21: Even as a section debated that the arrest of the activists, who have been dubbed as 'urban naxals,' was to quell dissent, the probe by the police shows that the intention was to demoralise the security forces by ambushing them.

The Pune police recovered a document from the computer of one of the activists, which refers to the government forces as the enemy. This document refers to lowering the morale of the forces by ambushing them.

What the urban naxals are not telling us: Their jungle friends are taking up govt jobs

The letter also spoke about the need to provide logistic support on force deployment and movement of road opening parties. In the Supreme Court additional solicitor general, Tushar Mehta drew the attention to the Bench and said, " please note how the author of the letter is speaking about how the cadre is not able to move freely. It refers to the checking by the security forces as a result of which the cadre is not able to move around freely, he also said. The author then goes on to seek assistance from the recipient of the note on conducting bigger attacks. They speak about six places where they planned on attacking the security forces. Moreover four ambushes did in fact take place."

The police also stumbled upon a 100 page document which was prepared by the eastern bureau of the CPI (Maoist). This speaks about a sustained propaganda to be carried out.

Urban naxal: Activists were planning to ambush security forces

In a bid to change a narrative, the plan was to brand the killed naxals as innocent tribals. The document further boasts about how the cadre had killed 25 security forces.

Mehta added before the Bench that anyone could dissent against the government's policies. They can write articles, protest etc. However branding the government forces as the enemy is surely not dissent.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 7:30 [IST]
Man suffers heart attack on first date; doctor girlfriend's kiss saves his life

International

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Santa Cruz (California), Sept 19: They 'kissed' on their first date but more than a romantic one, it was a life-saving one. And Max Montgomery would know by now that he wouldn't have chosen a better date for he is still breathing because of it, TODAY reported.

It all happened last October when 56-year-old Montgomery went to a date with Dr Andi Traynor, 45,- their first one and at the beach near his home here, he had a heart attack and collapsed. They had no idea that the memorable outing would soon turn out to be a forgettable one soon.

Indian student killed in Australia after meeting teenage girl on dating site

Traynor, who is an obstetrical anesthesiologist at Stanford University, did not take time to turn Montgomery over and administering him CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). She barely knew him but gave him that life-saving 'first kiss' which helped the man survive. The nervous moments were filmed by Alexander Baker, a videographer, who was around shooting for a video.

Montgomery woke up in the ambulance as paramedics took him to the hospital and he eventually got back to his normal life after a bypass surgery. But had not he opted for a doctor partner on the day, it could have been a different outcome for the man.

Dating sites may be spreading HIV: Study

When Traynor came to meet Montgomery in the hospital, he told him it would be understandable if she left him for nobody would like to be with a heart patient. To that, Traynor said she was there for him, TODAY reported further.

The couple even turned the day into a milestone by starting Paddle4Good, a non-profit organisation to teach CPR techniques to other paddleboarders and raise awareness.

A terrific love story that went to the edge. Isn't it?
At least 8 deaths as Hurricane Ida's remnants hit New York City, New Jersey

Several injured, including a child, in Syracuse mass shooting

International

oi-Deepika S

New York, Sep 21: Seven people, a child among them, have been injured in a shooting in the city of Syracuse in the US state of New York, local reports say.

Witnesses said they saw two or three possible shooters. One witness reported at least 10 shots near the house, according to the reports.

The Syracuse Firefighter's union also posted on Facebook that several people are injured, including children.

US: Shooting incident in Maryland leaves 3 dead, suspect nabbed

News website Syracuse.com reported that up to seven people had been shot, including children, and that multiple ambulances were seen driving away from the scene with a police escort at about 9:15 pm local time.

The website said that at least 10 shots had been fired in the shooting in downtown Syracuse, about 402 km northwest of New York City.
Drinkers' dilemma: No more Vat 69 and Smirnoff in Delhi

New Delhi

oi-Pushyarag Shetty

New Delhi, Sep 21: United Spirits Limited (USL), Indian alcoholic beverage company has been blacklisted by the Delhi government for using duplicate barcodes. As a result the supply of alcoholic beverages such as Vat 69 whisky and Smirnoff vodka will not be available in stores for atleast two years.

USL has been accussed of using unauthorised and loose barcodes, which is against the Delhi Excise act, 2009 and Delhi Excise Rules, 2010. the loose barcodes can be easily misused to cause danger to public health, ssaid the Delhi financial commissioner.

"I am of the view that the appellant violated provisions of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009, Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, the terms and conditions of the licence issued to it and the standard operating procedure framed by the Delhi Excise Department and that consequently the department has rightly imposed the penalty of blacklisting under Rule 70 of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 upon United Spirits LTD (USL), Aurangabad," the order said.

Be fit to get booze; Indian coast guards given strict orders

The USL had earlier filed an appeal to challenge the orders of the deputy commissioner and commissioner, Delhi government's excise department, which had blacklisted USL's Aurangabad unit and its additional source, Sangrur, Punjab, for three years.

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Story first published: Friday, September 21, 2018, 15:46 [IST]
reports that the Johannesburg Labour Court has ruled that Infinity Media Networks must reinstate employees that were fired with immediate effect.Infinity Media Networks was in breach of a section of the Labour Relations Act according to the ruling.Infinity Media Networks ran the Afro Worldview news channel that shut down in mid-August after its contract was terminated by pay-TV operator MultiChoice.Read more on this story here
The House version of the Farm Bill contains language that could stop local cities' efforts to limit the use of pesticides.

At Minnesota Public Radio, Elisabeth Dunbar reports in Minnesota cities to Congress: Let us help the bees:

The new federal farm bill could force several Minnesota cities to stop banning a pesticide that can harm bee populations. A final version of the farm bill, which would replace the one expiring at the end of September, is still under debate in a House-Senate conference committee. But the House version of the bill included a provision that would bar cities from placing stricter regulations on pesticides. Shorewood, Eden Prairie, White Bear Lake, South St. Paul, Minneapolis, Andover, Lake Elmo, Maplewood, Mendota Heights and others have banned the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on public property following University of Minnesota research showing the pesticides can harm bees. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also said the pesticides can harm bees in some cases. Shorewood, located in the western Twin Cities suburbs, is among 60 cities that signed a letter, including five in Minnesota, urging congressional leaders to reject the provision in the final version of the farm bill. The letter-signing effort was organized by the environmental group Friends of the Earth. Mayor Scott Zerby said his city banned the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on public property several years ago.

The letter is the most recent foray in the effort by cities across the country to block the change. Environmental Health News reported in Farm Bill: House proposal could wipe out communities power to prohibit pesticides:

As lawmakers convene on Capitol Hill to finalize the latest federal Farm Bill, environmental advocates warn that a House proposal could put public health at risk by rolling back restrictions on pesticides in 155 communities nationwide. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) today released its analysis of data from the nonprofit group Beyond Pesticides, including an interactive map of local policies that it says could be scuttled if the House measure passes. Those regulations vary widelysome communities restrict neonicotinoid use to protect pollinators, while others map out pesticide-free buffer zones or require that public notice be posted when pesticides are applied on public or private property. According to EWG's analysis, 58 of those communities have adopted more comprehensive policies that prohibit the use of glyphosate, the widely used weed killer under increasing scrutiny for its human health impacts. Last month a California jury ordered chemical maker Monsanto to pay $289 million in damages to a school groundskeeper who blamed the company's glyphosate-based Roundup and Ranger Pro herbicides for his terminal cancer. Monsanto, which Bayer recently acquired, now faces some 8,000 glyphosate-related lawsuits in the U.S. The analysis arrives as work begins for the conference committee charged with sorting out differences between House and Senate versions of the new Farm Billthe informal name for a vast legislative package renewed about every five yearsbefore September 30, when the current bill expires. "We're just trying to bring as much attention to this issue as we can while Congress is deciding what's going to be in the final Farm Bill package," Melanie Benesh, legislative attorney for EWG, told EHN. "It was included in the House bill, and I think we have to treat everything in either the House or the Senate bill as something that could be part of the final package." The Farm Bill includes a broad array of programs covering nutrition assistance, crop insurance, habitat conservation and other priorities. But blocking cities from regulating pesticides is beyond the scope of even such a sweeping bill, Benesh contends. "I don't think the Farm Bill is supposed to dictate what local governments can and cannot do," she said. . . . The National League of Cities and the National Association of Regional Councils sent a joint letter to lawmakers last month urging them to reject the measure. Likewise, 107 House members sent a letter to agriculture committee leaders that included it in a list of "anti-environment provisions" that had them "deeply concerned." Other groups, including the Pesticide Action Network and the Natural Resources Defense Council, also have stated their opposition. The measure would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act to say specifically that "a political subdivision of a State" may not regulate the sale or use of pesticides.

Here's the most recent letter:

City Official Farm Bill Preemption Letter uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

Here's the letter from the National League of Cities; the pesticide ban concerns appear on page 3:

Farm Bill Letter August 2018-1 uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) flagged the pre-emption language back in April in 5 Ways House Farm Bill Would Roll Back Protections from Pesticides:

Preempting Local Pesticide Restrictions  Section 9101 would prevent cities, counties and communities from restricting certain uses of pesticides even if they deem restrictions necessary for protecting children's health or the environment. For example, this provision would prevent a city or county from restricting chlorpyrifos  an insecticide so dangerous it was slated to be banned by the Environmental Protection Agency  from being sprayed near schools or hospitals. 

We'll keep an eye on this corporate power grab. Cities and other local governments have led the way in limiting pesticide use in order to help pollinators.

Correction: A early version of this post quoted a source that incorrectly listed Douglas County MN as an adopter of a pesticide ordinance; the published source confused the Minnesota county with one of the same name in Wisconsin. We apologize for the error and removed the quotation from our post. [end correction].

Photo: Bluestem likes having bees around, for the pollination as well as the honey.

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Over 8,000 Church Leaders and Volunteers Set to Gather at The Orange Conference 2019



ATLANTA, Sept. 21, 2018 /



This year's theme, "It's Personal," delves into the idea that there's a reason some volunteers have a deeper commitment, some parents engage at a more practical level, some ministries make a greater impact, some churches have a wider influence, and some leaders leave a lasting mark. These things happen when they make it personal, so the event will focus on helping leaders change how their church sees its community, which will, in turn, change how the community see the church.



Ministry leaders come, and bring their teams, to hear innovative ideas, discover resources to help them do their jobs better, network with peers, spend time together, and have fun. And with a series of main stage keynotes as well as over 100 breakouts based on specific ministry roles and topics, people will certainly hear the messages they need most.



While most information centers around family ministry, that is birth through high school, those who lead adults and marriage ministries will also find breakouts relevant to them. This is yet another reason that entire ministry teams come to The Orange Conference. There is something for just about everyone. Additionally, many in attendance may utilize Orange's curriculum, but that is not a prerequisite, and groups who do not still return again and again due to the numerous benefits.



A diverse group of educators, pastors, and professional leaders will provide practical insights for helping leaders improve how they do ministry and grow as a leader. In fact, a few of the incredible speakers already announced for 2019 include: Bob Goff, Danielle Strickland, Doug Fields, Kara Powell, Carlos Whittaker, Sam Collier, Ryan Leak, Mike Foster, and Reggie Joiner.



Registration opens October 18th. For one day only, people can save $90 off regular rates plus get insider first access to breakouts, which have sold out the past few years. For more information, please visit



Share Tweet Contact: Lindsay Gonzalez, 866-343-4874, lgonzalez@rethinkgroup.org ATLANTA, Sept. 21, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- The Orange Conference, a world-class event for entire family ministry teams, will be held May 1-3, 2019, in Atlanta. Entering its 12th year, the conference is on track to gather over 8,000 key ministry influencerssenior, NextGen, student, children's, and preschool leaders, along with volunteersto learn how to have a greater impact on the faith and character of the next generation.This year's theme, "It's Personal," delves into the idea that there's a reason some volunteers have a deeper commitment, some parents engage at a more practical level, some ministries make a greater impact, some churches have a wider influence, and some leaders leave a lasting mark. These things happen when they make it personal, so the event will focus on helping leaders change how their church sees its community, which will, in turn, change how the community see the church.Ministry leaders come, and bring their teams, to hear innovative ideas, discover resources to help them do their jobs better, network with peers, spend time together, and have fun. And with a series of main stage keynotes as well as over 100 breakouts based on specific ministry roles and topics, people will certainly hear the messages they need most.While most information centers around family ministry, that is birth through high school, those who lead adults and marriage ministries will also find breakouts relevant to them. This is yet another reason that entire ministry teams come to The Orange Conference. There is something for just about everyone. Additionally, many in attendance may utilize Orange's curriculum, but that is not a prerequisite, and groups who do not still return again and again due to the numerous benefits.A diverse group of educators, pastors, and professional leaders will provide practical insights for helping leaders improve how they do ministry and grow as a leader. In fact, a few of the incredible speakers already announced for 2019 include: Bob Goff, Danielle Strickland, Doug Fields, Kara Powell, Carlos Whittaker, Sam Collier, Ryan Leak, Mike Foster, and Reggie Joiner.Registration opens October 18th. For one day only, people can save $90 off regular rates plus get insider first access to breakouts, which have sold out the past few years. For more information, please visit TheOrangeConference.com
We have gathered as a community to celebrate the International Day of Peace. We know that peace is elusive. Wars and conflicts are many. Some among us might be refugees from some of these conflicts, and so peace seems even more elusive. While peace seems far away, the call for peace remains strong within us. It is rooted in our faith traditions. So, even when we fail to live in peace, the witness to peace remains with us.
The merger process of Botswana Postal Services Limited and Botswana Couriers and Logistics (Pty) Ltd is expected to complete this financial year, Botswana Guardian has learnt.In November last year government approved the merger of the two parastatals under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Through the merger the companies will continue as one company being Botswana Post.

Botswana Post Group Secretary, Dzuke Baliki told BG Business that they aim to complete the process by the end of this year. The process is still ongoing and we are working hard to fasttrack and complete by the end of this calendar year. Currently, we have not yet put up the new organizational structure.

The merger will provide postal, courier, logistics and financial services to support the governments agenda in providing efficient and cost effective services. He said they are working hard to avoid any job losses in this merger although there will be combined services from the two companies. Our aim is to avoid job losses but it might happen, said Baliki.

Botswana Post stated that whilst the process is underway, both entities will continue with their respective business and do not anticipate any interruptions in its operations in relation to customers, suppliers and partners. In its year ended March 2017, the organisation has reduced its loss position by 51.9 percent to P12.9 million compared to P27.4 million recorded last year.

In its 2017 annual report, Botswana Post Chief Executive Officer, Cornelius Ramatlhakwane said the parastatal has managed to expand its revenue base despite the fact that the mail business has taken a large hit during the period. Mail revenues declined by 9.1 percent as many of the large institutional clients such as commercial banks and government agencies have migrated to electronic platforms.

We at Botswana Post see this setback as temporary. We now have access to leading edge innovations such as Reverse Hybrid Mail, which will enable us to pivot and revive these relationships with the important clients we served for many years. Through technology we are able to recover these income streams and even grow them, he said.

To diversify revenue streams, Botswana Post leveraged on mobile technology and introduced the Botswana Post App which is available for download on both Android and iOS devises. Ramatlhakwane said their growth plans go beyond Botswana. They are currently in the process of generating revenue streams from within the region by completing money transfers with other postal operators.

The post is already transacting with Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. We believe we can connect the entire region and will be in Malawi soon. Our intention is to do that and more, ultimately reaching out beyond the diaspora, said Ramatlhakwane.
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

IronX, a new Crypto Exchange joint venture between global online broker IronFX Group and EmurgoHK, creator of the Cardano blockchain, has been awarded full regulatory licence approval by the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

The firm is now one of the first exchanges in the whole of Europe to achieve such feat. The licensed was received a month earlier than expected.

The new license allows IronX to operate as a fully regulated exchange for the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies, as part of their drive to set the industry standard and one of the first in Europe to seek and receive this level of approval.

The license also allows it to operate as a provider of a virtual currency wallet service.

Founder & Chairman of IronFX Group, Markos A Kashiouris, says: "We have brought all our years of experience in regulated online derivative and commodity trading to create this new seamless trading platform for our customers."

He adds: "Being awarded regulatory approval, which was one of our key milestones in our whitepaper, means we now stand apart from many of our competitors in the sector, allowing investors, both private and institutional, to trade cryptocurrencies, within in same protected environment as they would trade forex, commodities, equities and other long-established tradable assets."

The beta version of the IronX Exchange is scheduled to go live by the end of September 2018 with a priority opening for ......................

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Pulmonary Drugs Market Continues Growth | 2018 Key Players are Meda Pharmaceuticals, Circassia Pharmaceuticals Plc., AstraZenca Plc., GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Plc.

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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 Sample Copy @Increasing 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 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 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 consumptionElse 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
Luxury Packaging Market | Worldwide Overview By Amcor, HH Deluxe, Ekol Ofset, DS Smith, Pendragon, MW Creative, Lucas Luxury and CLP Packaging Solutions

Luxury Packaging

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Luxury Packaging Market Research Report 2018 published By Market Research Future, provides information on Global Luxury Packaging Industry Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Opportunity Assessment, Regional Analysis and Segmentation By Material (Paperboard Material, Plastic, Glass and Others), by End-user (Food & Beverage, Confectionery, Personal Care & Cosmetics, and Others) and By Region - Global Forecast To 2023Market HighlightsPackaging is no longer done simply to protect products from damage, but has become an essential part of luxury branding. Luxury packaging is mostly used to package highly expensive and sophisticated products. The packaging employed is a part of a companys brand image. Companies spend more on packaging innovation rather than on production cost. They are adopting active packaging and intelligent packaging so as to enhance the performance of the packaging technique. Rise in the number of product launches, especially in the cosmetic and fashion sectors, drives the growth of the luxury packaging market. Additionally, rise in penetration of online retail and travel retail also contributed in the global luxury packaging market. However, fluctuating price of raw materials, are the factors may be a hindrance in the growth of the market.Get Sample Report with Complete TOC @On the basis of regions, Europe dominates the global luxury packaging market, mainly due to rise in the number of flagship stores and surge in online sales. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Increase in spending capacity, drives the growth of the region. North America is another major market for the luxury packaging. Increase in sales of personal luxury products in the region, drives the growth of the market. Latin America and Middle-East & Africa regions are also expected to set the growth during the forecast period due to rising demand from the e-commerce sector and expansion by global luxury manufacturers. Global luxury packaging market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.8% during the forecast period.Key PlayersThe prominent players in the luxury packaging market include Amcor Limited (Australia), HH Deluxe Packaging (U.K.), Ekol Ofset (Turkey), DS Smith Plc (U.K.), Pendragon Presentation Packaging Ltd (U.K.), Design Packaging, Inc. (U.S.), Elegant Packaging (U.S.), MW Creative Ltd (U.K.), Winter & Company AG (Switzerland), Lucas Luxury Packaging (Ireland), and CLP Packaging Solutions Inc. (U.S.).Scope of the ReportThis study provides an overview of the global market, tracking two market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW). The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next six years for each region. The scope of the study segments the global luxury packaging market by its material, product, manufacturing process, application and region.By Material Paperboard Material Plastic Glass OthersBy End-user Food & Beverage Confectionery Personal Care & Cosmetics OthersBy Region North America Asia Pacific Europe Rest of the WorldMarket Research AnalysisGlobal luxury packaging market has been segmented based on material, end-user, and region. On the basis of material, the market segments are paperboard material, plastic, glass and others. Paperboard dominates the material segment of the market and is expected to be the fastest growing material segment. Growing demand for sustainability packaging drives the growth of the paperboard segment. It is light weight and is gaining prominence due to the rising need for renewable and recyclable solutions for various packaging needs. This material is used for packaging cosmetics, food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and household products. Plastic is one of the most widely used materials for packaging across various end-use industries. The material offers high barrier, cost efficient, temperature resistance and durable packaging options.On the basis of end-user, the market has been segmented as food & beverage, confectionery, personal care & cosmetics, and others. Personal care packaging refers to casing of products used for personal hygiene and beautification. The applications of these include hair care, foams & gels, gel toothpaste, deodorants & antiperspirants and skin care products. Increasing demand for personal care & cosmetics packaging, across the globe drive the demand of luxury packaging. Food & beverage industry is expected to contribute, significantly, during the forecast period.Early Diners Are Offered Free Customization- Up to 20%Get Attractive Discount @Table Of Contents1 Executive Summary2 Scope Of The Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope Of The Study2.2.1 Definition2.2.2 Research Objective2.2.3 Assumptions2.2.4 Limitations2.3 Research Process2.3.1 Primary Research2.3.2 Secondary Research2.4 Market Size Estimation2.5 Forecast Model3 Market Landscape3.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis3.1.1 Threat Of New Entrants3.1.2 Bargaining Power Of Buyers3.1.3 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers3.1.4 Threat Of Substitutes3.1.5 Segment Rivalry3.2 Value Chain/Supply Chain Analysis4 Market DynamicsContinued...........Ask for your specific company profile and country level customization on reports.Get More Information on Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Edibles.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Market Research FutureMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Acoustic Wave Sensor Market 2018 Global Key Vendors: Qualtre, SENSeOR SAS, Vectron International, Transense Technologies, Sensor NanoTemper Technologies

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Market Research Future published a research report on Acoustic Wave Sensor Market Research Report- Global Forecast 2023  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Market Scenario:The global acoustic wave sensor market can be bifurcated as type, device, end-users and region. On the basis of type, the market can be segmented as bulk acoustic wave sensor and surface acoustic wave sensor. Out of these, surface acoustic wave sensor accounted for the largest market share majorly due to wireless and passive nature of sensors, penetration of micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) technology and low manufacturing cost. However, bulk acoustic wave sensor segment is expected to grow over the forecast period, 2017-2023.The factors contributing to the growth of the Acoustic Wave Sensor Market are high demand for saw-based temperature sensors from end-user verticals and growing concern toward security and surveillance and high implementation in the automotive industry. However, factors such as computational cost and technical issues associated with energy consumption, and sensitivity are hindering the growth of the acoustic wave sensor market. Furthermore, increasing investments in the wave sensor market and increasing opportunities across various industries are expected to boost the growth of the acoustic wave sensor market over the forecast period, 2017-2023.Get Sample of Report @Acoustic wave sensors can be explained as micro electro mechanical systems which rely on the modulation of surface acoustic waves for sensing a physical phenomenon. The sensor helps to pass an electrical signal into a mechanical wave which can be easily influenced by physical phenomena. The device helps to transduce the wave back into an electrical signal.The global acoustic wave sensor market is highly competitive. Various established international brands, domestic brands and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. The key players are nonstop increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. The acoustic wave sensor market is highly competitive due to the presence of several large vendors.The global acoustic wave sensor market is expected to reach approximately USD 895 million by the end of 2023 with 11% CAGR during forecast period 2017-2023.Key PlayersThe key players in the global acoustic wave sensor market include- Althen GmbH Mess- und Sensortechnik (Germany), Vectron International Inc. (US), Qualtre Inc. (US), SENSeOR SAS (France), NanoTemper Technologies GmbH (Germany), Transense Technologies plc (UK), Sensor Technology Ltd. (US), Pro-micron GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Hawk Measurement Systems (Australia) and H. Heinz Mewiderstande GmbH (Germany) among others.SegmentsFor the purpose of this study, Market Research Future has segmented the market of acoustic wave sensor into type, device, vertical and region.Type- Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor Bulk Acoustic Wave SensorDevice- Resonator Delay Line Holographic Television Holographic Tele presence OthersVertical- Healthcare Automobile Industrial Food and Beverages Environment Defense OthersRegion North-America Europe Asia-Pacific RoWRegional AnalysisThe global acoustic wave sensor market is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period, 2017-2023. Automotive segment of acoustic wave sensor market globally drives the market majorly due to their extensive range of uses in the automobile industry. The market is expected to have higher growth rate as compared to the previous years. The global acoustic wave sensor market segmented into four main regions such as North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World. Automotive segments hold a largest share in the North American region. The reason is attributed to implementation of sensor devices in various industries and the growing concern about security.Also, organizations are looking for better technologically advanced solutions in this region. Therefore, automotive sector of the North American market accounted for the largest market share.Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow over the forecast period. Countries such as Japan, China and India contributes largely to the overall market share. The reason is attributed to the increasing number of businesses in this region and the growing adoption of sensors by the automotive industry.North-America accounted for the largest market share. Countries such as U.S. and Canada contributes largely to the overall market share. The reason is attributed to increasing number of vendor present across this region and the growing use of technologically advanced solutions and presence of technical expertise.Get complete Report @Intended Audience Raw material providers Original equipment manufacturers Semiconductor component suppliers Acoustic Wave Sensor distributors Software solution providers Connectivity Service providers for hazardous equipment Research institutes and organizations Technology standards organizations Technology investors Research institutes, System Integrators Research/Consultancy firmsAbout Us:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Media Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Dental Consumables Market 2022 Ready to Boom in North America by Eminent Players as Institut Straumann AG, Henry Schein, Inc., Patterson Dental Supply, Inc., Dentsply Sirona, Kerr Corporation, etc

Dental Consumables Market

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The North America Dental Consumables Market is growing with a rapid pace. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, the North America Dental Consumables Market is booming and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period and is projected to grow a sound pace. The market is projected to demonstrate a sound growth by 2023, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a sound CAGR during the anticipated period (2017-2023).Dental Consumables are a category of products that are used on patients by dental practioners or dentists in order to treat and /or perform procedures associated with preventive, restorative, diagnostic and emergency oral health issues. Factors such as increasing prevalence of dental diseases and rising number of dental procedures are the major drivers for the market growth. According to the American Dental Association, in 2014, 52.3% of adults reported to visit the dentist in every six months, 15.4% reported once per year, and 11.0% reported once every two to three years. Moreover, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2014, 19% of the children aged 5-19 years and 31% of adults aged 20-44 have untreated dental caries. Additionally, growing geriatric population is fuelling the market growth. However, poor reimbursement policies and gray market of dental distribution are estimated to restrain the market growth during the forecast period. According to the National Coalition on Health Care, in 2012, American families spent an average of USD 9,000 on out-of-pocket health insurance and other medical costs like co-pays and deductibles.To Get Sample Report visitKey Players for Global North America Dental Consumables MarketInstitut Straumann AG, Henry Schein, Inc., Patterson Dental Supply, Inc., Dentsply Sirona, Kerr Corporation, Danaher Corporation, GC orthodontics, Planmeca Oy, and American Orthodontics, and others are some of the prominent players at the forefront of competition in the North America Dental Consumables Market and are profiled in MRFR Analysis.Characterized by the presence of several well-established and small players, the North America Dental Consumables Market appears to be highly competitive and fragmented. International players are increasingly expanding their footprint in the developing economy, making it difficult for regional vendors to compete with them, especially in terms of features such as product differentiation, product portfolios, quality, and pricing. The market is witnessing intensified competition which is expected to get more intensified further during the forecast period. The intense competition prevalent in the market dictates the consolidation among marketers.Well established players incorporate acquisition, collaboration, partnership, expansion, and product launch in order to gain competitive advantage in this market and to maintain their market position.In August, 2016- Henry Schein announced that it will acquire 80% ownership of Marrodent, which is a full service dental distributer of Poland, thus marking Henry Scheins entry into the dental market of Poland.In July, 2016- Kitron signs supply agreement with Dentsply Sirona. This agreement will add Kitron as a new supplier for Dentsply Sirona.In April, 16- Straumann acquired 51% residual ownership of Neodent. This deal augments Straumann's presence in the tooth replacement sector in the Latin American region and Brazil, which is the second largest market for implant dentistry.In February, 16- Septodont signed an agreement with Egalet Corporation, a specialty pharmaceutical company, for exclusive marketing rights to promote Sprix nasal spray to the dental market in the United States.In May, 16- Knifeless Tech Systems was acquired by 3M. The business acquired is an installation tool used to cut self-adhesive films applied to vehicle wraps.In February, 16- Septodont acquired DLA, an injectable dental anaesthetic manufacturing plant from Dentsply International.In February, 16- DENTSPLY International Inc. and Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. Announce Completion of Remaining Regulatory Milestones for Proposed Merger.Regional Analysis for Global North America Dental Consumables MarketRegionally, North America is divided into the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. is estimated to lead the North America Dental Consumables Market owing to high expenditure on the health care within the region. Moreover, the fastest uptake of new products in the U.S drives the dental consumables market. Additionally, concentration of the major healthcare companies in the developed economies of this region coupled with large insurance penetration is also adding fuel to the market growth.To Get an Exclusive Discount on Report VisitAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureHadapsar, Pune  411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Hormone Replacement Therapy Market Prophesied to Grow at a Faster Pace by 2027

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Hormone Replacement Therapy is any form of hormone therapy where in the patient, in course of medical treatment, receives hormones, either to supplement a lack of naturally occurring hormones, or to substitute other hormones for naturally occurring hormones.Menopause, is the time in most women's lives when menstrual periods stop permanently, and the woman is no longer able to have children. Menopause typically occurs between 45 and 55 years of age. Medical professionals defined by a decrease in hormone production by the ovaries. In those who have had surgery to remove the uterus but still have ovaries, menopause generally occurs at the time of the surgery or when hormone levels fall. Following the removal of the uterus, symptoms typically occur earlier at the average of 45 years of age.Request For Report Sample@Estrogen and progesterone are female hormones that play important roles in a womans body. Falling levels cause a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including hot flushes, mood swings and vaginal dryness. The aim of hormone replacement therapy is to restore female hormone levels, allowing the body to function normally again.Hormone Replacement TherapyMarket: Drivers and RestraintsThe prime drivers of hormone replacement therapy are increased demand from regenerative medicines such as anti-aging and reproductive-cycle boosting therapy such as menopausal hormone replacement. Rising demand in other therapeutic areas such as Growth Hormone Therapy and Thyroid Hormone Therapy due to comparatively safe profile, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of these drugs is expected to positively impact market growth. Moreover, new formulations such as transdermal drugs, gels and creams that offer benefits such as ease of drug administration and impact at location are expected to increase the growth of hormone replacement therapy market during the forecast period. Advantages associated with the hormone replacement therapy such as reduction in risk incidence of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and reduction of vasomotor symptoms are also expected to boost the growth of hormone replacement therapy market in the coming years.Hormone Replacement Therapy has side effects such as fluid retention, headache, indigestion, and depression. These are anticipated to hamper the popularity of the therapeutic area. Furthermore, UK-based NICE notes that hormone replacement therapy could be associated with breast cancer risk if the drugs oestrogen and progesterone are taken in combination. Prolonged consumption of HRT drugs could also lead to increased risk of blood clots. Studies have estimated that for every 1,000 women taking HRT tablets for 7.5 years, less than two will develop a blood clot. These restraints seem quite negligible when compared with the benefits of HRT.Hormone Replacement TherapyMarket: SegmentationHormone Replacement Therapy Market segmented based on product type, ApplicationBased on Therapy Type,Estrogen Replacement TherapyGrowth Hormone ReplacementDopamine AgonistSomatostatin AnaloguesThyroid Hormone ReplacementTabletsCapsulesInjectionsBased on ApplicationCancerMenopauseHypopituitarismHypothyroidismOthersBased on Distribution ChannelHospital PharmaciesRetail Pharmacies and DrugstoresCompounding PharmaciesE-commerceOthersHormone Replacement TherapyMarket: OverviewIncreasing use of HRT in menopause conditions due to safety, efficacy and cost effectiveness of the drugs are expected to boost the growth of the Global Hormone Replacement Therapy market. North America is contributing more income to the Global Hormone Replacement Therapy and Asia region is showing fastest growth rate because of having more population base in this region.Hormone Replacement TherapyMarket: Region wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, Global Hormone Replacement Therapy market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America is having more market for Hormone Replacement Therapy, In North America, U.S. represents the largest market because of increasing use of Hormone Replacement Therapy among patients aged 35 years and over. The availability of compounded drugs i.e. drugs in varied strengths, dosage forms, etc  is a major factor, which tends to boost the revenue growth of this extremely popular treatment market. Early onset of aging coupled with rising disposable income levels are other important factors fuelling market revenue growth.Asia region is expected to have more growth rate in upcoming years because of increasing awareness about Hormone Replacement Therapy in this region. In Asia region India, China, Japan are expected to have more growth rate for Hormone Replacement Therapy.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Hormone Replacement TherapyMarket: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in Global Hormone Replacement Therapy market are Bayer AG, Pfizer, Merck & co., BioSante Pharmaceuticals and Amgen, QuatRx Pharmaceuticals, Noven Pharmaceuticals.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:
Cosmetics Market Products by Brands and Key Companies Analysis (L'Oreal, P&G, Unilever, Estee Lauder, KAO, Shiseido, Avon, lvmh, Chanel, Amore Pacific, Jahwa, Johnson & Johnson.......)

cosmetics

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This report studies the global market size of Cosmetics in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Cosmetics in these regions.This research report categorizes the global Cosmetics market by players/brands, region, type and application. This report also studies the global market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.Cosmetics are care substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Traditionally cosmetics include skin care, color cosmetics, hair care, nail care, oral care and perfumery & deodorants.In terms of value, USA sales account for 13%-14% of total market share, EU growing at a good pace owing to large population and high economic growth rate occupies the 20% market share of the global consumption value. The increasing demand for skin care drives Cosmetics industry developing fast. For the brand owners, such as L'Oreal, Shiseido and Kao are very popular in the world.Request a sample of this report @For the production, China is the largest production region contributing to nearly 23%-25% market share. They provide a wide range of services for many famous brands with lower processing cost.Due to the higher price and gross margin of high-end products compared with the low-end products, in the next few years, companies will invest much more on R&D and transfer to high-end product field.In 2017, the global Cosmetics market size was xx million US$ and is forecast to xx million US in 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% from 2018. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Cosmetics market based on company, product type, application and key regions.The various contributors involved in the value chain of Cosmetics Market include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers.The key manufacturers in the Cosmetics Market includeL'OrealP&GUnileverEstee LauderKAOShiseidoAvonlvmhChanelAmore PacificJahwaBeiersdorfJohnson & JohnsonJialanInoherbSisleyRevlonJane iredaleHenkelCotyMarket Size Split by TypePersonal CareColor CosmeticsPerfumesOtherMarket Size Split by ApplicationHair CareSkin CareMake-upFragranceOtherMarket size split by Region:North America: United States, Canada, MexicoAsia-Pacific: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, VietnamEurope: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, RussiaCentral & South America: Brazil, Rest of Central & South AmericaMiddle East & Africa: GCC Countries, Turkey, Egypt, South AfricaMake an enquiry of this report @Some Points from Table of Content:Chapter One: Study Coverage1.1 Cosmetics Product1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Cosmetics Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Personal Care1.4.3 Color Cosmetics1.4.4 Perfumes1.4.5 Other1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Cosmetics Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Hair Care1.5.3 Skin Care1.5.4 Make-up1.5.5 Fragrance1.5.6 Other1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years ConsideredChapter Two: Executive Summary2.1 Global Cosmetics Market Size2.1.1 Global Cosmetics Revenue 2016-20252.1.2 Global Cosmetics Sales 2016-20252.2 Cosmetics Growth Rate by Regions2.2.1 Global Cosmetics Sales by Regions2.2.2 Global Cosmetics Revenue by RegionsChapter Three: Breakdown Data by Manufacturers3.1 Cosmetics Sales by Manufacturers3.1.1 Cosmetics Sales by Manufacturers3.1.2 Cosmetics Sales Market Share by Manufacturers3.1.3 Global Cosmetics Market Concentration Ratio (CRChapter Five: and HHI)3.2 Cosmetics Revenue by Manufacturers3.2.1 Cosmetics Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2018)3.2.2 Cosmetics Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2016-2018)3.3 Cosmetics Price by ManufacturersAbout Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019
How Pan Masala Business is Growing in Current Market Scenario? Key Players- Manikchand, Kothari Products, DS Group etc

MarketResearch

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Analytical Research Cognizance has published new research report on Pan Masala-Global Market Outlook (2018-2023) to its database.In this report, Analytical Research Cognizance covers the present scenario (with the base year being 2017) and the growth prospects of global Pan Masala market for 2018-2023.Pan Masala refers to a balanced mixture of betel leaf with lime, areca nut, clove, cardamom, mint, tobacco and many other ingredients. It is prepared with precise measurements so as to maintain a balance of all ingredients while keeping in mind its taste and human health.Browse Global Pan Masala Market 2018 ReportPan Masala acts as a mouth freshener and unlike other Western synthetic pan masala which are made with chemical and petroleum ingredients, the Indian pan masala is considered safer. It is available in hygienic and attractive foil packets (sachets) and tins which are easy to store and carry.The global average price of Pan Masala is in the increasing trend, from 29.37 USD/Kg in 2012 to 32.37 USD/Kg in 2016. With the situation of global economy, prices will be in increasing trend in the following five years.The classification of Pan Masala includes Pan Masala with Tobacco, Plain Pan Masala, Flavored Pan Masala and other, and the proportion of Pan Masala with Tobacco in 2016 is about 54%, followed by Plain Pan Masala and Flavored Pan Masala.Pan Masala is widely used in Retail Stores, Supermarket, Online Stores and others. The most proportion of Pan Masala is Retail Stores, and the proportion in 2016 is 67%.Over the next five years, LPI(Analytical Research Cognizance) projects that Pan Masala will register a xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, reach US$ xx million by 2023, from US$ xx million in 2017.Within the last decade, the global Pan Masala market has been witnessing a steady surge in the consumption of the products, industries being the majority shareholders in terms of the consumption. Home owners hold a substantially small percentage of the share since the applications for home use are quite limited. Industry experts have claimed that the rise in demand from other industry verticals is expected to rise, resulting in more demand and higher consumption in the future. According to the new report by Analytical Research Cognizance on the global Pan Masala market, the consumption figures promising as the Pan Masala market is expected to reach the value of US$ XX million at the end of 2023.As per the survey conducted for gathering information for the research report, the information that has surfaced verifies the expert views. The Pan Masala market has been estimated to have valued US$ XX million at the end of 2017 and the major factors affecting the market trend have been discussed in detail with its analysis in the report. The global Pan Masala market research report dwells in the study of the Pan Masala market, providing the customers with the latest developments in terms of market share, growth opportunities, sales and production statistics, and much more.The Pan Masala market is segmented by product as follows:Pan Masala with TobaccoPlain Pan MasalaFlavored Pan MasalaOtherThe consumption, sales, value, market share, etc. of each individual product is covered in the global Pan Masala market research report.Get Sample of Global Pan Masala Market 2018 Report@Applications have a major influence on the consumption figures in the Pan Masala market. The various applications analysis helps understand and accurately forecast the market.The applications segmentation is done as follows:Retail StoresSupermarketOnline StoresOthersRegional analysis provides the information to the customer as to which region is the largest consumer and which is the fastest growing consumer.The regional segmentation of the Pan Masala market is as follows:AmericasUnited StatesCanadaMexicoBrazilAPACChinaJapanKoreaSoutheast AsiaIndia.The key players in the market have a major influence with their marketing plans to push the sales and hence consumption in the global Pan Masala market.Some of the top players covered within the report include:DS GroupManikchandGodfrey PhillipsKothari ProductsLalwani GroupA & C- Pan BaharDinesh Pouches Limited...Purchase Pan Masala Market Report @The global Pan Masala market research report is a comprehensive study to analyze the Pan Masala market in terms of various market segmentations and their sub-segments such as regions, applications, product types, etc. for the forecast period. It focuses on the major players in the Pan Masala market in terms of the competition analysis, value, sales volumes, SWOT analysis, and detailed company profiles. The report further dwells into the various drivers, restraints, and trends in the market and their contribution in the Pan Masala market. The products individual growth analysis, future prospects, major influencing factors, risks, opportunities, regional performance and its analysis are all included in the Pan Masala market report. The mainstay of the global Pan Masala market research report for the customers is the competitive developments which include the new product launches, agreements, expansions, and the mergers and acquisitions in the Pan Masala market.Some Points From TOC :-Chapter One: Scope of the Report1.1 Market Introduction1.2 Research Objectives1.3 Years Considered1.4 Market Research Methodology1.5 Economic Indicators1.6 Currency ConsideredChapter Two: Executive Summary2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Pan Masala Consumption 2013-20232.1.2 Pan Masala Consumption CAGR by Region2.2 Pan Masala Segment by Type2.2.1 Pan Masala with Tobacco2.2.2 Plain Pan Masala2.2.3 Flavored Pan Masala2.2.4 OtherChapter Three: Global Pan Masala by Players3.1 Global Pan Masala Sales Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Pan Masala Sales by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Pan Masala Sales Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Pan Masala Revenue Market Share by Players3.2.1 Global Pan Masala Revenue by Players (2016-2018)3.2.2 Global Pan Masala Revenue Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.3 Global Pan Masala Sale Price by Players3.4 Global Pan Masala Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players3.4.1 Global Pan Masala Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales Area by Players3.4.2 Players Pan Masala Products Offered3.5 Market Concentration Rate AnalysisChapter Four: Pan Masala by Regions4.1 Pan Masala by Regions4.1.1 Global Pan Masala Consumption by Regions4.1.2 Global Pan Masala Value by Regions4.2 Americas Pan Masala Consumption Growth4.3 APAC Pan Masala Consumption Growth4.4 Europe Pan Masala Consumption Growth4.5 Middle East & Africa Pan Masala Consumption GrowthChapter Five: Americas5.1 Americas Pan Masala Consumption by Countries5.1.1 Americas Pan Masala Consumption by Countries (2013-2018)5.1.2 Americas Pan Masala Value by Countries (2013-2018)5.2 Americas Pan Masala Consumption by Type5.3 Americas Pan Masala Consumption by Application5.4 United States5.5 Canada5.6 Mexico5.7 Key Economic Indicators of Few Americas CountriesAbout US:is an initiation in this new era of analysis @ thought. We are on a mission to replace the conventional research programs and give way to the latest methods and information for the organizations. We have created this hub of analytical research papers where you can get an access to the latest and the best research papers coming out from some reliable and budding research houses. After the advent of new analytics based on the data collection facilities of big data, the face of business research facilities has changed drastically. With ARC our experts have created a bookshelf where you can check out the research reports that are an outcome of the progression of knowledge in various industry sectors. Alongside you can also check some research papers, market reports, and forecasts that are talking about the out of the box developments in the market.Get In Touch With Us :Matt Wilson,100 Church street, 8th floor,Manhattan, New york, 10007Phone No: +1 (646) 434-7969Email: sales@arcognizance.com
Robot Software Global Market Top Key Players  IBM , ABB , Nvidia, Cloudminds , Liquid Robotics, Brain Corp, Aibrain and Forecast to 2023

Robot Software Market

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Global Robot Software MarketWiseGuyRerports.com Presents Global Robot Software Market 2018 by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023 New Document to its Studies Database. The Report Contain 128 Pages With Detailed Analysis.DescriptionThis report focuses on the global Food Additives Testing status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Food Additives Testing development in United States, Europe and China.In 2017, the global Food Additives Testing market size was million US$ and it is expected to reach million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of during 2018-2025.Get sample Report @The market in North America is expected to have the largest market share. The APAC region is projected to provide significant opportunities in the market and is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. APAC being a manufacturing hub is expected to adopt the robot software substantially, to remain cost-efficient and export high-quality goods to other countries.The global Robot Software market is valued at xx million USD in 2017 and is expected to reach xx million USD by the end of 2023, growing at a CAGR of xx% between 2017 and 2023.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Robot Software.Europe also play important roles in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2017 and will be xx million USD in 2023, with a CAGR of xx%.Market Segment by Companies, this report coversIBMABBNvidiaCloudmindsLiquid RoboticsBrain CorpAibrainFurhat RoboticsNeuralaEnergid TechnologiesH2o.AIOxboticaMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversRecognition softwareSimulation softwarePredictive maintenance softwareData management and analysis softwareCommunication management softwareMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIndustrial robotsService robotsComplete Report Details @Table of Contents -Major Key Points1 Robot Software Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Robot Software1.2 Classification of Robot Software by Types1.2.1 Global Robot Software Revenue Comparison by Types (2017-2023)1.2.2 Global Robot Software Revenue Market Share by Types in 20171.2.3 Recognition software1.2.4 Simulation software1.2.5 Predictive maintenance software1.2.6 Data management and analysis software1.2.7 Communication management software1.3 Global Robot Software Market by Application1.3.1 Global Robot Software Market Size and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2013-2023)1.3.2 Industrial robots1.3.3 Service robots1.4 Global Robot Software Market by Regions1.4.1 Global Robot Software Market Size (Million USD) Comparison by Regions (2013-2023)1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Robot Software Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Robot Software Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) Robot Software Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.4 South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia) Robot Software Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.5 Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Robot Software Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.5 Global Market Size of Robot Software (2013-2023)2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 IBM2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Robot Software Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Product A2.1.2.2 Product B2.1.3 IBM Robot Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 ABB2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Robot Software Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Product A2.2.2.2 Product B2.2.3 ABB Robot Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Nvidia2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Robot Software Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Product A2.3.2.2 Product B2.3.3 Nvidia Robot Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Cloudminds2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Robot Software Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Product A2.4.2.2 Product B2.4.3 Cloudminds Robot Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Liquid Robotics2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Robot Software Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Product A2.5.2.2 Product B2.5.3 Liquid Robotics Robot Software Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)..CONTINUEDAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, Industry research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)
Chemotherapy Market Witness For Robust Expansion By 2023 With Remarkable CAGR Growth | Eli Lilly & Company, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim

Chemotherapy Market

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Crystal market research published Chemotherapy Market By Drugs (mitotic Inhibitors, Antimetabolites, Anti-tumor Antibiotics, Topoisomerase Inhibitors, Alkylating Agents, Topoisomerase Inhibitors), Route Of Administration (intravenous And Oral), Indication (lymphoma, Leukemia, Ovarian Cancer, Lung Cancer, Sarcoma, Myleoma, Breast Cancer) And End User (research Institutes And Hospitals) - Global Industry Analysis And Forecast To 2023 from its database. The report reviews top companies involved and enlists all trials pertaining to the company.Competitive Insights 2018:The leading players in the market are Eli Lilly & Company, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim and others. The major players in the market are profiled in detail in view of qualities, for example, company portfolio, business strategies, financial overview, recent developments, and share of the overall industry.Browse Full Report @Market Highlights:The Chemotherapy Market is expected to witness considerable growth during the forecast period. Chemotherapy is a sort of malignancy treatment which includes the utilization of at least one chemotherapeutic specialist, for example, hostile to tumour drugs. The treatment keeps the tumour cells division and development of growth cells by slaughtering the dividing cells.The Chemotherapy Market is segmented as follows-Chemotherapy Market, By Drugs, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2023 ($Million) Mitotic Inhibitors Antimetabolites Anti-Tumor Antibiotics Topoisomerase Inhibitors Alkylating Agents Topoisomerase InhibitorsChemotherapy Market, By Route of Administration, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2023 ($Million) Intravenous OralChemotherapy Market, By Indication, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2023 ($Million) Lymphoma Leukemia Ovarian Cancer Lung Cancer Sarcoma Myleoma Breast CancerChemotherapy Market, By End User, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2023 ($Million) Research Institutes HospitalGet Sample Report Here @Industry Outlook and Trend Analysis:The treatment keeps the tumour cells division and development of growth cells by slaughtering the dividing cells. It is utilized for the treatment of different sorts of tumour, for example, lung growth, breast cancer, leukemia, myeloma, sarcoma, lymphoma, ovarian malignancy, and others.The chemotherapy medications can be controlled specifically into the circulation system or can be focused to particular disease locales. In any case, the treatment has different reactions, for example, queasiness and spewing, alopecia, male pattern baldness, weakness, hearing debilitation, mucositis, loss of hunger and other symptoms.Application Outlook and Trend Analysis:The worldwide chemotherapy market is driven by the expanding pervasiveness of different sorts of growths, for example, lung disease, sarcoma, lymphoma, breast cancer, myeloma, and others. Furthermore, the innovative headway and expanding accentuation on innovative work in the field of oncology fuel the development of the market. However, the staggering expense of treatment and poor repayment strategies in the creating districts are a portion of the elements which may limit the market development amid the figure time frame.Regional Outlook:North America is expected to witness considerable growth of the market over the forecast period. The American chemotherapy market is driven by the expanding number of market players fabricating chemotherapy tranquilizes, the expanding tolerant populace, and the expansion in human services use. Furthermore, the changing way of life and dependence on smoking and liquor additionally fuel the market development. In addition, accessible social insurance offices and utilization of present day innovations in malignancy research and treatment likewise impact the market development.Middle East and Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South AfricaNorth America: U.S, Canada, MexicoEurope: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Rest of EuropeAsia-Pacific: Japan, China, Australia, India, South Korea, Rest of Asia-PacificRest of the World: Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, OthersClick to Purchase In-depth TOC Exclusive Report @Reasons to buy a Exclusive report? Our experts provide in depth coverage of the market from various aspects right from global market scenario to future trends and opportunities. Our research methodologies are designed in such a way that our clients are able to find the answers theyre looking for, in the way they want. We offer 24/5 research support to solve all your queries through a team of our industry experts having holistic knowledge of local as well as global markets. Our research services help transform clients organizational data into intelligence to support fact based business decisions. We offer best in industry consultation services by a group of experts to advice our clients on growing their business portfolio. We understand unique requirements of our clients so as to provide tailored - made research services. We focused on maintaining long lasting relationship with our clients by catering to their research requirements and providing them with consulting services. We highly respect our clients confidentiality by adherence to advanced methods for data security and privacy.Major TOC of Chemotherapy Market:Chapter3. Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Market Definition3.1.2. Market Segmentation3.2. Market Dynamics3.2.1. Drivers3.2.2. Restraints3.2.3. Opportunities3.2.3.1. Emerging Markets to Offer Lucrative Growth OpportunitiesChapter4. Market Analysis by Regions4.1. North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)4.1.1. United States Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.1.2. Canada Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.1.3. Mexico Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.2. Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe)4.2.1. Germany Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.2.2. France Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.2.3. UK Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.2.4. Russia Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.2.5. Italy Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.2.6. Rest of Europe Market States and Outlook (2014-2023)4.3. Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Rest of Asia-Pacific)Chapter5. Chemotherapy Market, By Drugs5.1. Introduction5.2. Global Chemotherapy Market Revenue and Market Share by Drugs (2014-2018)5.2.1. Global Chemotherapy Market Revenue and Revenue Share by Drugs (2014-2018)5.3. Mitotic Inhibitors5.3.1. Global Mitotic Inhibitors Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)Chapter6. Chemotherapy Market, By Route of Administration6.1. Introduction6.2. Global Chemotherapy Market Revenue and Market Share by Route of Administration (2014-2018)6.2.1. Global Chemotherapy Market Revenue and Revenue Share by Route of Administration (2014-2018)6.3. Intravenous6.3.1. Global Intravenous Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)6.4. Oral6.4.1. Global Oral Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)CONTINUED FOR TOCGet Amazing Discount @About Crystal Market Research:Crystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contacts UsJudy | 304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesE-mail: sales@crystalmarketresearch.com | Ph: +1-888-213-4282Web:
Europe GDPR Assessment Tools Market Research Report Forecast during 2018-2028 Including Size, Share, Trends Analysis and Upcoming Growth Opportunities

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In order to study the various trends and patterns prevailing in the concerned market, Fact.MR has included a new report titled Europe GDPR Assessment Tools Market to its wide online database including upcoming trends and growth factors through 2018-2028. This research assessment offers a clear insight about the influential factors that are expected to transform the global market in the near future. The report studies the Europe GDPR Assessment Tools Market worldwide, especially in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, India and Other Regions with production, size, growth, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions. The intelligent report also anticipates that the market would grow at a constructive CAGR until 2028.You can Get Free Sample Report about Market Here -The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which has superseded the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, aims at harmonizing data privacy laws across Europe. With GDPR becoming the standard of reliability among consumers, with regard to their personal datas privacy, there has been a rise in number of service providers of GDPR assessment tools in Europe. GDPR assessment tools have gained high demand recently as, aiding the businesses in achieving 100% GDPR compliance.GDPR assessment tools market is envisioned to witness a rapid rise, driven by the requirement for the regulation of data processing apropos of an individual, company, or organization. Mandates on compliance of GDPR to not only EU organizations, but also non-EU companies operating in Europe or handling clients in Europe, will further proliferate expansion of the GDPR assessment tools market. Growing cyber-crime prevalence and privacy concerns with regard to personal data, which have made enforcement of GDPR essential, will continue to be one of the key growth determinants for the GDPR assessment tools market.The GDPR assessment tools market is envisaged to record a spectacular 35.6% CAGR between the forecast period 2018 and 2028, according to a recent Fact.MR study. Albeit rising anxiousness across the IT and relevant business sectors is considered as a key concern, GDPR assessment tools market will be substantially underpinned by high penalties imposed on organizations that do not comply with GDPR.Exorbitant Emphasis on Data Protection Advocating Essentiality of GDPR Assessment ToolsProliferation of the internet across the globe has meant that concerns apropos of personal data, its protection and privacy have become exorbitant. Recent privacy issue crisis, such as that of Facebook, has led consumers to rethink on sharing their personal information with online portals. GDPR assessment tools are therefore gaining tremendous momentum in Europe, facilitating regulation of data privacy and protection.Growth of the GDPR assessment tools market will continue to be significantly driven by requirement of German businesses to gain intelligence on their customer datas location, which is an imperative need when customers demand deletion of their data. Organizations are continuously seeking GDPR assessment tools providers, as understanding data controllers & processors currently fall among their top priorities as well as is a key prerequisite of GDPR.You can Browse Complete Market Report In-Depth Here -GDPR Assessment Tools Market: Expeditious Requirement of GDPR Assessment Tools among Non-compliant Organizations Creating Lucrative AvenuesNearly half of the organizations in Europe are not yet compliant to GDPR, although they have been preparing for the same since 2016  when the law was approved. These organizations are therefore rapidly seeking GDPR assessment tools on account of the complexity and extensive steps involved in the compliance process. With absolute data control being sought-after among the GDPR non-compliant organizations, for maintaining their market reputation and preventing the associated penalties, growth of the GDPR assessment tools market will witness significant momentum in the forthcoming years.Amid swelling expansion of modern businesses, there has been a dramatic evolution in the IT industry, which in turn has made data distribution rigorous and data mapping challenging. GDPR assessment tools are likely to witness robust adoption among these businesses, as they lack intelligence on data storage location, and data transmission, and therefore are vulnerable to threats of data breach. The need for identifying dishonest business processes, which result in contractual risk with suppliers of unsanctioned IT, will further continue to fuel growth of the GDPR assessment tools market in Europe.GDPR Assessment Tools Market: Adoption in Social Media & Digital Marketing and Penetration of Cloud-based Tools to Emerge as Key TrendsComplexity of the GDPR has intensified the cloud technology service platforms, leading the cloud-reliant businesses to comply with GDPR for ensuring their data practices. Lower percentile of identification of GDPRs impact on the cloud-based services among IT organizations is a major focus area for GDPR assessment tools providers. As personal data sharing is a default procedure for cloud-service providers assisting organizations, their services are required to be unique to comply with GDPR. GDPR assessment tools providers are therefore introduced cloud-based tools to tap the potential opportunities in the area, thereby supporting growth of the GDPR assessment tools market.You can Buy This Market Report from Here -About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized global 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 -FactMRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone @ +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.comWebsite:
Big Data Market Is Thriving Worldwide | Leading key players (Amazon Web Services, Cloudera , Couchbase)

Big Data Market

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A new independent 121 page research with title 'Vietnam Big Data Market Report 2018 guarantees you will remain better informed than your competition. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like North America, Europe or Asia and important players/vendors such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle ,Teradata, Amazon Web Services, Cloudera , Couchbase, EMC, Google, Microsoft, SAP, Splunk, Pentaho With n-number of tables and figures examining the Big Data Market, the research gives you a visual, one-stop breakdown of the leading products, submarkets and market leaders market revenue forecasts as well as analysis to 2022Get customization & check discount for report @Summarywith the slowdown in world economic growth, the Big Data industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Big Data market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of xxx from xxx million $ in 2014 to xxx million $ in 2017, HTF MI Report analysts believe that in the next few years, Big Data market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2022, The market size of the Big Data will reach xxx million $.This Report covers the Major Players data, including: shipment, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better.Besides, the report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment, channel segment etc. cover different segment market size. Also cover different industries clients information, which is very important for the Major Players. If you need more information, please contact BisReportSection 1: FreeDefinitionSection (2 3): 1200 USDMajor Player DetailHewlett-PackardIBMOracleTeradataAmazon Web ServicesClouderaCouchbaseEMCGoogleMicrosoftSAPSplunkPentahoSection (4 5 6): 500 USDType Segmentation (Descriptive Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Prescriptive Analytics, , )Industry Segmentation (Hospitals & Clinics, Finance & Insurance Agencies, Research Organization, , )Channel (Direct Sales, Distributor) SegmentationSection 7: 400 USDTrend (2018-2022)Section 8: 300 USD Type DetailSection 9: 700 USDDownstream ConsumerSection 10: 200 USDCost StructureSection 11: 500 USDConclusionRequest a sample report @Table of ContentsSection 1 Big Data DefinitionSection 2 Vietnam Big Data Market Major Player Share and Market Overview2.1 Vietnam Major Player Big Data Business Revenue2.2 Vietnam Big Data Market OverviewSection 3 Major Player Big Data Business Introduction3.1 Hewlett-Packard Big Data Business Introduction3.1.1 Hewlett-Packard Big Data Revenue, Growth Rate and Gross profit 2014-20173.1.2 Hewlett-Packard Big Data Business Distribution by Region3.1.3 Hewlett-Packard Interview Record3.1.4 Hewlett-Packard Big Data Business Profile3.1.5 Hewlett-Packard Big Data Specification3.2 IBM Big Data Business Introduction3.2.1 IBM Big Data Revenue, Growth Rate and Gross profit 2014-20173.2.2 IBM Big Data Business Distribution by Region3.2.3 Interview Record3.2.4 IB....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.Place a Purchase Order for this Market Study (Single User License) at:HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact US :Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.comConnect with us at
Mammography Systems Market Global Research Report Analysis On Fujifilm Medical System, GE healthcare, Hologic, I.M.S., Konica Minolta, Korean C, Medical technologies

Mammography Systems

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The 2018-2024 report on global Mammography Systems market explores the essential factors of Mammography Systems industry covering current scenario, market demand information, coverage of active companies and segmentation forecasts.Mammography Systems Market size is estimated to reach USD 3.2 billion by 2024. U.S. mammography systems market will be impelled by a rising patient pool of breast cancer coupled with high awareness in the U.S. population about breast cancer. Greater adoption rates of newer technologies in U.S. will favor industry growth.Request a Sample of this premium Research Report@This report focuses on the top Manufacturers and players in global market are given bellow:-Amico JSC, Canon, Carestream healthcare, Fujifilm Medical System, GE healthcare, Hologic, I.M.S., Konica Minolta, Korean C, Medical technologies, Planmed Oy, Philips, Siemens HealthineersHospital segment is estimated to foresee significant growth during the forecast period owing to a favorable reimbursement structure, rising hospital number coupled with a high incidence rate of breast cancer across developed and developing countries. Increase in disposable income of the people and a better healthcare infrastructure will further propel hospital segment growth in forthcoming years.Increase in incidence rate of breast cancer throughout the world due to hormone replacement therapies, increased alcoholism, decreased child bearing and genetic factors will majorly assist in the growth of mammography systems market. High obesity prevalence rate coupled with rising geriatric population leading to age-related risks will also result to increase in breast cancer incidence.Increasing government funding activities to various organizations and foundations to offer breast diagnosis at affordable rates or free of cost for eligible women will augment the market growth.Technological advancements resulting into improved screening and diagnosis of invasive breast cancer, reduced radiation exposure as well as better outcomes will assist the market growth.Additionally, large percentage of population is becoming aware about the various breast screening systems available along with the benefits of early cancer diagnosis. This will act as a high impacting factor in adoption of mammography systems.Mammography Systems Market Size By Product (Analog Systems, Full Field Digital Mammography Systems, Breast Tomosynthesis Systems)By Technology (Screen Film, 2D Mammography, 3D Mammography)By End-Use (Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Centers)Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa)Application Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018 - 2024Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium MammographySystems Market Research Report@High capital cost is involved in acquisition of mammography systems along with expensive screening charges for the patient population. Additionally, false-negative and false-positive results that can result in increased mortality rate due to undiagnosed breast cancer may impair the growth of mammography systems market.Full field digital mammography systems segment led the mammography systems market in 2017 and is expected to grow significantly over the forecast timeline. High replacement rates due to better diagnostic efficiency and relative cost involved will drive segmental growth.2D mammography technology segment renders largest market share, that is driven by greater detection sensitivity, also in dense breast tissues and accurate result generation. 2D mammography technology is used in combination with other technological systems too, that will assist in the segmental growth of 2D mammography systems.View Full Report At:About UsLMarketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:
New Report On Ammonium Heptamolybdate Market - Analysis By Top Key Player Like Molibdenos y Metales S.A., Climax Molybdenum Company, NIPPON INORGANIC COLOUR & CHEMICAL, Rubamin, TAIYO KOKO

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UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Ammonium Heptamolybdate Market Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 94 pages which highly exhibits on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Get Free Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of This ReportAmmonium Heptamolybdate Industry research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Ammonium Heptamolybdate Industry global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018 - 2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.For More Information Please VisitThe report for Ammonium Heptamolybdate market analysis & forecast 2018-2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Global Ammonium Heptamolybdate Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis Molibdenos y Metales S.A. Climax Molybdenum Company NIPPON INORGANIC COLOUR & CHEMICAL Rubamin TAIYO KOKO Jinduicheng Molybdenum Group China Molybdenum Anqing Yuetong Molybdenum Taizhou Anda Nonferrous Metals Henan Energy And Chemical Industry Group Sichuan S.Y Moly Technology Jiangsu Dongtai Fengfeng Tungsten & Molybdenum,Material Taizhou Best Molybdenum ProductsMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers United States Europe China Japan South Korea India Other RegionsAmmonium Heptamolybdate Breakdown Data by Type Industrial Grade Agricultural GradeAmmonium Heptamolybdate Breakdown Data by Application Petrochemical Industry Agrochemical DyesBuy Ammonium Heptamolybdate Market analysis & forecast 2018-2025 Report along with complete TOCIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Ammonium Heptamolybdate are as follows:History Year: 2013-2017Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year 2018 to 2025The Report covers in-depth analysis as follows1 Study Coverage2 Executive Summary3 Market Size by Manufacturers4 Ammonium Heptamolybdate Production by Regions5 Ammonium Heptamolybdate Consumption by Regions6 Market Size by Type7 Market Size by Application8 Key Industry Players9 Entry Strategy for Key Countries10 Production Forecasts11 Consumption Forecast12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting Factors13 Key Findings in the Global Ammonium Heptamolybdate Study14 AppendixAmmonium Heptamolybdate Market Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. 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Global Play Room Furniture Market Overview Includes Industry Development Scenario and Trends Analysis during 2018-2028 | Key Regions/Countries Covered - North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC, Japan, MEA

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In order to study the various trends and patterns prevailing in the concerned market, Fact.MR has included the latest Forecast report on Play Room Furniture Market to its vast database. This study offers data about the prime regions operating in the Play Room Furniture Market, along with their production, consumption, revenue and market share details. Further, the intelligent report also anticipates that the market would grow at a constructive CAGR until 2028.Request a Free Sample Report Here -Production trends of playroom furniture have largely been influenced by changing consumer preferences. In recent years, steady rise in consumer preference for multi-functional playroom furniture has significantly rubbed off on growth of the playroom furniture market. Additionally, rising awareness on sustainability among consumers has led manufacturers to focus more on hand-crafted yet affordable & durable products.Flourishing furniture industry worldwide, coupled with the rise in middle-class population across developing nations will continue to be key growth determinants for the playroom furniture market. Albeit the playroom furniture market presents the occupancy of few established stakeholders, a large number of domestic players collectively account for major shares of the market. This has further inhibited prospects of import penetration of playroom furniture, as local vendors of playroom furniture are first in the line to leverage potential opportunities by attracting consumers through their novel offerings. This, along with lower mass production of playroom furniture owing to rising trend of customization, will continue to constrain its market growth prospects.A new Fact.MR study envisions the playroom furniture market to present an impressive 6.1% value CAGR during the forecast period, 2018 to 2028. Urbanization and expansion of the real estate industry has significantly impacted prospects of the furniture industry. This has led housing contractors to deliver a wide range of home infrastructures, with playroom furniture being one of the key offerings. This has further lured consumers who seek creative aesthetics for their childrens rooms, thereby favoring growth of the playroom furniture market.Playroom Furniture Market: Formal Child Care Arrangements being Leveraged by Surging MiddleClassA dramatic transformation has been witnessed in the way child care arrangements are employed in recent years, with the statistics from the U.S. Census Bureaus survey indicating nearly 2X rise in out-of-pocket costs apropos of child care. Ripple effects of this increased expenditure on child care have underpinned demand for playroom furniture. Growth of the playroom furniture market will also remained supported by growing number of families with employed mothers, which have been reported to spend nearly 170 percent more on child care according to the survey of U.S. Census Bureaus survey.View Full Market Report Here -Manufacturers of playroom furniture are concentrating on the adoption of smarter production techniques, to keep their product offerings in line with evolving consumer preferences. With the trend of nuclear families on the rise, sizes of homes have reduced over past years, which in turn has led the development and demand for compact household products and accessories, and furniture is no exception.Key stakeholders in the playroom furniture market have introduced products that are easily disassembled and foldable. Consumers continue to seek playroom furniture that can be put to use even after the kids grow up, which in turn has augured well for sales of multifunctional playroom furniture that feature storage facilities.Playroom Furniture Market: Partnership between Leading Players to Introduced Novel Products Influencing GrowthCompanies operating in the playroom furniture market have directed their focus toward the provision of innovative designs that fall in line with interest of children. Playroom furniture with superhero designs dedicated for boys and dollhouses for girls are key trends observed in the market since the recent past. As the residential sector is witnessing a resurgent growth worldwide, to cater housing requirements of the growing population, manufacturers have introduced a wide variety of theme-based playroom furniture to leverage the potential opportunities.Leading stakeholders in the market are joining forces to enhance their portfolio and introduce novel products in the market. A prime example of such partnerships is the one between Pottery Barn - North Americas leading furniture brand, with Lilly Pulitzer  a renowned resort wear brand. The partnership has recently introduced the collection of Lilly Pulitzer for Pottery Barn Kids. On the back of surging number of working women, day care centers have been gaining increased traction worldwide, wherein manufacturers of playroom furniture are focusing to capitalize the opportunity. This is another key growth determinant for the playroom furniture market.With the growing consumer appetite for online shopping, playroom furniture manufacturers have adopted online sales channel to expand the exposure of their products. Playroom furniture has become one of the popular categories sought by consumers on e-commerce platforms. Domestic playroom furniture manufacturers are approaching online portals such as Trendsutra Platform Service Private Limited (pepperfry.com) and Urban Ladder to showcase their products. Along with organized retailing, the online retail platform is expected to add fuel to the growth of the playroom furniture market.If You Need This Useful Market Report Proceed Here -About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized global 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 -FactMRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone @ +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.comWebsite:
Technical and Vocational Education Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players  CfPA, City & Guilds, Learndirect, Pearson

Technical and Vocational Education Market

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Global Technical and Vocational Education Market 2018 by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023.Description:-TVE equips people with essential skills to successfully transition from classrooms to workplaces. In many countries, it is referred to as technical vocational education and training (TVET). The TVE system in North America is complex as it incorporates various grade levels, providers, and subject areas. This complexity is because the decision-making regarding the framework of the TVE varies from state to state. demandScope of the Report:This report studies the Technical and Vocational Education market status and outlook of Global and major regions, from angles of players, countries, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global market, and splits the Technical and Vocational Education market by product type and applications/end industries.Factor inciting growth in this market is the rising digitization of technical and vocational education. With advances in technology, trainers are improving the delivery of vocational and technical education through the incorporation of online as well as offline platforms. Though classroom-based training is still the dominant method of teaching in this region, many vendors have started to incorporate blended learning in their training methods. Furthermore, apart from using PCs, some trainers have also started using mobile devices to improve their distance learning programs. With increasing advances in technology, technical and vocational training providers have been compelled to use educational software solutions, virtual learning platforms, simulations, and interactive multimedia content to provide training.The global Technical and Vocational Education market is valued at xx million USD in 2017 and is expected to reach xx million USD by the end of 2023, growing at a CAGR of xx% between 2017 and 2023.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comThe Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Technical and Vocational Education.Europe also play important roles in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2017 and will be xx million USD in 2023, with a CAGR of xx%.Market Segment by Companies, this report coversCfPACity & GuildsLearndirectPearsonMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversSTEM Technical and Vocational EducationNon-STEM Technical and Vocational EducationMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCorporatesIndividual CustomersEnquiry About Report @Table Of Contents  Major Key Points1 Technical and Vocational Education Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Technical and Vocational Education1.2 Classification of Technical and Vocational Education by Types1.2.1 Global Technical and Vocational Education Revenue Comparison by Types (2017-2023)1.2.2 Global Technical and Vocational Education Revenue Market Share by Types in 20171.2.3 STEM Technical and Vocational Education1.2.4 Non-STEM Technical and Vocational Education1.3 Global Technical and Vocational Education Market by Application1.3.1 Global Technical and Vocational Education Market Size and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2013-2023)1.3.2 Corporates1.3.3 Individual Customers1.4 Global Technical and Vocational Education Market by Regions1.4.1 Global Technical and Vocational Education Market Size (Million USD) Comparison by Regions (2013-2023)1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Technical and Vocational Education Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Technical and Vocational Education Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) Technical and Vocational Education Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.4 South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia) Technical and Vocational Education Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.4.5 Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Technical and Vocational Education Status and Prospect (2013-2023)1.5 Global Market Size of Technical and Vocational Education (2013-2023)2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 CfPA2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Technical and Vocational Education Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Product A2.1.2.2 Product B2.1.3 CfPA Technical and Vocational Education Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 City & Guilds2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Technical and Vocational Education Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Product A2.2.2.2 Product B2.2.3 City & Guilds Technical and Vocational Education Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Learndirect2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Technical and Vocational Education Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Product A2.3.2.2 Product B2.3.3 Learndirect Technical and Vocational Education Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Pearson2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Technical and Vocational Education Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Product A2.4.2.2 Product B2.4.3 Pearson Technical and Vocational Education Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)3 Global Technical and Vocational Education Market Competition, by Players3.1 Global Technical and Vocational Education Revenue and Share by Players (2013-2018)3.2 Market Concentration Rate3.2.1 Top 5 Technical and Vocational Education Players Market Share3.2.2 Top 10 Technical and Vocational Education Players Market Share3.3 Market Competition TrendContinuedFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Industrial Hydrogen Peroxide Market Key Trends 20172025 : Evonik Industries AG, Kemira Oyj, Arkema SA, Merck Group, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc

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Global Industrial Hydrogen Peroxide Market: SnapshotA number of industries have benefitted from a wide spectrum of applications of hydrogen peroxide. Considered as one of the most versatile chemicals available, it is extensively used in the pulp and paper industry for bleaching wood pulp before paper is manufactured. This is done to enhance the brightness of the manufactured paper. Some of the other major applications of hydrogen peroxide are in the bleaching textile and a variety of environmental cleaning applications such as in cleaning wastewater and control of odor in waste treatment plants. Hydrogen peroxide when purified to a high level find wide applications in manufacturing semiconductors. The chemical is used in making other peroxide compounds which are used as disinfectants and pesticides.Since the exposure to hydrogen peroxide even in mild concentration (less than 6%) may be harmful, several regulatory norms govern the manufacture, sale, and transportation of this chemical, which may differ from country to country. For instance, people working in facilities manufacturing hydrogen peroxide are recommended to wear personal protective equipment to avert any exposure or ingestion. In the U.S., these regulations are made by agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The implementation of better hygiene practices in industrial facilities are likely to limit the possibility of exposure. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has confirmed that the compound is carcinogenic while conducting experiments with animals when they are exposed to relatively high doses. However, studies havent yet confirmed the carcinogenic effect of hydrogen peroxide on humans, unless exposed to unusually high concentrations. Several emerging economies are opening up more production facilities to manufacture hydrogen peroxide, which bodes well for the market in developing regions.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Industrial Hydrogen Peroxide Market: OverviewHydrogen peroxide is chiefly used in several industries due to its bleaching properties. Its day-to-day use is found in washing powders as well. Hydrogen peroxide is vastly brought into use to make sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate, which acts as bleaching agents in liquid and solid detergents.The global industrial hydrogen peroxide market can be classified on the basis of function into sterilizing/disinfecting, oxidizing, bleaching, and propulsion. Based on end-use industry, the market may be segmented into chemical synthesis, water and wastewater treatment, healthcare and personal care, pulp and paper, food processing, textile, and electronics and semiconductor.In the report, TMR Research provides a detailed analysis of drivers and restrictions in the global industrial hydrogen peroxide market. It also offers insight to the various segments and regions of the market.Global Industrial Hydrogen Peroxide Market: Key TrendsOn the basis of function, bleaching will hold a prominent share in the global industrial hydrogen peroxide market. This particular function is rising due to its excessive usage in the pulp and paper and textile industries. To achieve the desired brightness suitable for magazine papers, board and tissue products, bleaching of pulp and paper becomes more than necessary, thereby increasing the significance of the bleaching function of industrial hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, industrial hydrogen peroxide is favored for bleaching of cotton fabrics to accomplish the preferred whiteness after the removal of the catalyst.The pulp and paper industry is a key contributor to the growth of the global industrial hydrogen peroxide market and is expected to grow at a higher rate during the said period. Industrial hydrogen peroxide is used for bleaching of mechanical pulp, chemical pulp, and recycled pulp (de-inking). With the help of industrial hydrogen peroxide in the pulp and paper industry, bleaching increases brightness stability, improves brightness levels, and reduces manufacturing cost, as it is the only chemical required. In addition, with the use of hydrogen peroxide, dangerous halogenated composites and effluents present in pulp are reduced and the color of the effluent is also lightened.Industrial hydrogen peroxide achieves better results in oxidizing, bleaching, sterilizing/disinfecting, and etching applications than its alternatives present in the market and it is also environment friendly. However, there are numerous limitations of industrial hydrogen peroxide. If eyes are exposed to industrial hydrogen peroxide with a concentrations of 5% or more, it can result in permanent loss of vision. Moreover, skin exposure can cause burns, painful blisters, and skin whitening, restricting the growth of the global industrial hydrogen peroxide market.Request TOC of the Report @Global Industrial Hydrogen Peroxide Market: Regional OverviewGeographically, the global industrial hydrogen peroxide market can be segmented into North America, South America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific held a significant share in the market in 2015 and is projected to continue its positive streak through 2025. In the Asia Pacific region, China is presently an immensely strong player in the industrial hydrogen peroxide market. The key factors driving the growth include increasing demand from the pulp and paper, textile, and chemical industries and the rising need for environment-friendly and chlorine-free bleaches. India and Japan are two other promising markets for industrial hydrogen peroxide in Asia Pacific.Global Industrial Hydrogen Peroxide Market: Key PlayersThe report profiles key players in the global industrial hydrogen peroxide market based on various attributes such as company overview, business strategies, recent development, and financial overview. Some of the players in the market are BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Ecolab Inc., Solvay SA, AkzoNobel N.V., Evonik Industries AG, Kemira Oyj, Arkema SA, Merck Group, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Waterproofing Admixture Market With Top Key Players are Dow Corning Corporation, Mapei S.p.A, RPM International, Sika A.G.

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Waterproofing admixture reduces the permeability of concrete hence making it waterproof. Concrete waterproofing require waterproofing admixture which consists of water-repellent or hydrophobic chemicals that are derived from soaps, vegetable oils, fatty acids and petroleum. These materials when mixed with concrete form a water-repellent layer alongside pores in the concrete, thus increasing the water resistance. Integral waterproofing offers various advantages increased durability during backfill, resistance to delamination, and decomposition. The demand for waterproofing admixtures is from new construction and also from maintenance and repair activities.As compared to the conventional waterproofing systems, crystalline waterproofing admixture offer various advantages such as easy handling and transportation, easy use in powdered or crystalline form and comparatively cheap. Waterproofing admixtures have various applications such as foundations, water tanks, underground vaults, sewage and water treatment plants, water reservoirs, precast components, secondary containment structures, tunnel and subway systems, parking structures and swimming pools. High versatility and wide application of the product creates a highly conducive environment for growth of the waterproofing admixture market.Download PDF Brochure at :Crystalline waterproofing admixtures are hydrophilic in nature and occur in a dry and powdered form. Crystalline systems prevent concrete damage by using available water to grow crystals within concrete, effectually closing off conduits for moisture. Crystalline waterproofing admixtures block water from all directions making the concrete itself a water barrier. On demolition the concrete can be recycled completely as no VOCs are used in manufacturing. Hydrophobic admixtures are available in liquid form and contain oil, stearates, hydrocarbons, and other long-chain derivatives of fatty acids. Waterproofing admixtures provide various advantages such as reduced penetration of water and other liquids, sealing against hairline cracks, resistance for positive and negative side hydrostatic pressure, and protection against industrial and sewage wastes. Crystalline admixtures are self-healing that enables them to automatically seal cracks of concrete structures up to half a millimeter wide. This makes admixtures valuable on large concrete pours, as waterproofing of cold joints is facilitated with no additional treatment.Waterproofing Admixture Market Outlook  Increasing Demand for Durable and Waterproof Materials Expected to Boost DemandIncreasing demand for waterproof products in the construction industry is one of the major factors boosting the growth of waterproofing admixture market. Asia Pacific is one of the major contributors in the market. This mainly attributed to the rapidly growing urbanization and modern infrastructural needs in the emerging economies such as India and China in the region. In 2016, the construction industry in China exhibited a growth of 17% which was greater than 5% as compared to 2015. According to India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF)part of the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of Indiathe Indian construction industry is expected to grow to US$ 5 billion by 2022. From April 2000 to March 2016 the infrastructure and construction development in India received foreign direct investment valued at US$ 25.19 billion. This trend is expected to be followed over the forecast period (20162024).High initial price is one of the restraining factors for the waterproofing admixture market globally. Mergers and acquisitions, developing innovative portfolio are some of the key strategies adopted by the top players in the global waterproofing admixture industry. BASF has developed new admixture sureTEC (Super Retention Technology) that enables concrete manufacturers to gain control over workability between the batching manufacturing plant and the engagement site for more than two hours in hot weather. In 2016, BASF signed an agreement with Henkel to acquire Henkels Western European business of waterproofing and tiling. Some of the companies operating in the global waterproofing admixture market are Dow Corning Corporation, Mapei S.p.A, RPM International, Sika A.G., BASF SE, W.R. Grace, Wacker Chemie A.G, Xypex Chemical Corporation, Fosroc International, Evonik A.G., and Pidilite Industries.For More Information :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
Bioactive Fillings Market Trending with CAGR of 9.2 % Till 2023 | Global Key Players  Septodont, Inc., DePuy Synthes, Medtronic, Stryker, Zimmer Biomet, SCHOTT AG

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New Report on "Worldwide Bioactive Fillings Market" added to marketresearchfuture.com database. The Industry Report Provide analysis and assessment of the present profitability.Global Bioactive fillings Market HighlightsBioactive fillings as the name suggests are bioactive materials and react with tissue surroundings as opposed to bio inert fillings resulting in biocompatibility. These are also called bio glasses and have a glass-ceramic composition.Bioactive fillings are used as implant material in the human body to repair and replace diseased tissue.Get Sample Copy for Future Advancements @Global Bioactive fillings Market Growth and AnalysisThe market drivers for global bioactive fillings market are rise in demand due to growing population and per capita income, technological advancements such as development of bio active fillings with market antibacterial activity, greater emphasis on restorative procedures, rising safety and success of bioactive fillings treatment, and others.The market restraints are poor mechanical weakness, low fracture resistance, poor load-bearing capacity and mechanical strength, possible toxicity, high cost of bioactive fillings treatment, rejection of the bioactive fillings and others.Product development represents the best strategy for the market growth. The market is expected to witness exponential growth over the review period owing to technological advancement in bio fillings and procedures.The development of antibacterial bioactive fillings with excellent efficacy and superior protection is also expected to drive the market. The growing application of bioactive fillings in the dentistry segment is expected to raise the market for bioactive materials.Market development is another strategy as there are a number of unmet needs in the developing regions such as India and China. Cost of the product will be a decisive factor in the developing regions such as Asia Pacific and especially Africa.Global Bioactive fillings Market  Leading PlayersSeptodont, Inc.DePuy SynthesMedtronic, StrykerZimmer BiometSCHOTT AGAap Implantate AGGNI GROUP LTD.Arthrex, Inc.BaxterRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Bioactive fillings Market -Regional AnalysisThe Americas account for a significant market share owing to high expenditure on the health care especially of the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, the greater number of restorative procedures in the U.S. and Canada drives the bioactive fillings market.Europe is the second largest market in the world due to growing medical devices industry and healthcare penetration. The European market growth is led by countries such as Germany and France. Germany is expected to be the fastest growing market over the assessment period due to its large medical devices industry and its large research base.Asia Pacific region is expected to grow rapidly; China and India are likely to lead this market due to fast growing healthcare sector and large unmet needs over the forecast period. The South East Asian countries such as China, India, and Malaysia are projected to contribute highly to the market growth.The growing penetration of healthcare industry in the Asia Pacific region is expected to drive the future bioactive fillings market in the region.The African region is expected to witness a poor growth owing to poor economic and political conditions, and poor healthcare development. Other regions are expected to be laggards due to poor social development and tribal identities such as sub Saharan Africa.Global Bioactive fillings Market SegmentationThe global bioactive fillings market has been segmented on the basis of material, applications and end user.Based on the material, the market has been segmented as silicon dioxide based, calcium oxide based, phosphorus pentoxide based, and sodium oxide based.Based on the applications, the market has been segmented as orthopedic, dental, tissue engineering and others.Based on the end user, the market has been segmented as orthopedic hospitals, dental hospitals, research and academics and others.For Exclusive Discount Visit @Major Points form TOC for Bioactive Fillings Market Research Report  Forecast to 2023Chapter 1. Report PrologueChapter 2. Market IntroductionChapter 3. Research MethodologyChapter 4. Market DynamicsChapter 5. Market Factor AnalysisChapter 6. Global Bioactive Fillings Market, By TypeChapter 7. Global Bioactive Fillings Market, By TreatmentChapter 8 Global Bioactive Fillings Market, By End UserChapter 9. Global Bioactive Fillings Market, By RegionChapter 10. Company LandscapeChapter 11. Company ProfilesChapter 12. MRFR ConclusionChapter 13. AppendixAbout US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Oral Solid Dosage Pharmaceutical Formulation Market to Reflect a Significant Growth US$ 926.3 Bn by 2027

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Instead of increasing pipeline productivity for biologics and patent cliff challenges, oral solid dosage forms hold substantial opportunity in extending product lifecycle and leveraging growth potential. Manufacturers are employing various life cycle management patent strategies which include obtaining patents on isomers, metabolites, prodrugs, and new drug formulations such as extended, controlled, or rapid release formulations.Future Market Insights (FMI), in its report, projects the global oral solid dosage pharmaceutical formulation marketto register 6.5% CAGR during the forecast period 2017 to 2027. In terms of revenue, the market will reach nearly US$ 500,000 Mn in 2017; by 2027 is further estimated to surpass US$ 900,000 Mn.A Sample of this Report is Available upon Request @North America to Remain Largest Market for Oral Solid Dosage Pharmaceutical FormulationNorth America will remain the largest market for oral solid dosage pharmaceutical formulation, followed by Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) and Western Europe. Revenue from the market in North America is expected to surpass US$ 300,000 Mn by 2027-end. In addition, APEJ is projected to reach revenue worth US$ 294,750.4 Mn in the market by 2027. Latin America is expected to be the fastest growth region in the market, expanding at 9.2% CAGR through 2027. In contrast, Japan will witness a sluggish growth in the market.By dosage form, tablets will continue to remain preferred in the market, with sales estimated to surpass US$ 500,000 Mn by 2027-end. Sales of tablets are anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR in the market, followed by capsules. Capsules are expected to be the second most lucrative dosage form in the market, expanding at 6.1% CAGR through 2027.Immediate Release to Remain Dominant in the Market during 2017-2027Based on release mechanism, immediate release will remain dominant in the market, expanding at 6.4% CAGR through 2027. Immediate release is expected to generate revenue over US$ 400,000 Mn by 2027-end. Controlled release under extended release segment, is expected to register 7.4% CAGR through 2027.Retail pharmacy is expected to be the largest end-user of oral solid dosage pharmaceutical formulation market by 2027-end. Retail pharmacy is expected to exhibit highest CAGR in the market through 2027. In contrast, Hospital pharmacy is expected to exhibit lowest CAGR, even though it stands as second largest end-user in the market during the forecast period.Increasing Presence of MNCs to Drive Market Growth in Latin AmericaLatin America is emerging as a manufacturing hub for oral solid dosage forms on the back of availability of low-cost resources. Multinational companies are focusing on expanding their presence in this region. These factors are expected to propel market growth in Latin America. Oral solid dosage forms are cost-effective and comparatively easy to manufacture than other dosage forms. They are most commonly used pharmaceuticals for treating various disease conditions in North America, which in turn is driving growth of the market in this region.Growing effluent consumers in APEJ countries such as China, India and Korea are boosting growth of the oral solid dosage pharmaceutical formulation market in this region. Consumers here are adopting wealthy-life-fast-paced western lifestyle, leading them to suffer western lifestyle-related diseases including diabetes, cancer, and obesity. This compels them in seeking innovative drug treatments, which in turn is expected to fuel market growth in APEJ. However factors such as decreasing productivity of Asian manufacturers and containment issues, and low R&D expenditure coupled with challenges incurred in USFDA compliance are expected to impede growth of the market in APEJ.Request Report for Table of Contents @Key players identified in FMIs report include AstraZeneca Plc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Gilead Sciences, Merck & Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., AbbVie Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Hoffman-La-Roche Ltd., Johnson & Johnson, Biogen Inc., Bayer AG, Teva Pharmaceticals, Amgen Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shire Plc., Celgene Corporation, Astellas Pharma Inc.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact UsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:
Global Manufacturing Execution System Market 2018 Key Players: ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), Dassault Systems (France), Emerson Process Management (U.S.), GE (U.S.), Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.).

Manufacturing Execution System Market

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Manufacturing Execution System Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Manufacturing Execution System Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2025reports to its database.Executive SummaryThis report studies the global Manufacturing Execution System market size, industry status and forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. This research report categorizes the global Manufacturing Execution System market by companies, region, type and end-use industry.This report focuses on the global top players, coveredABB Ltd. (Switzerland)Dassault Systems (France)Emerson Process Management (U.S.)GE (U.S.)Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.)Schneider Electric S.A. (France)Rockwell Automation (U.S.)Siemens AG (Germany)Werum Software and Systems (Germany)Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoProcess IndustriesDiscrete IndustriesMarket segment by Application, Manufacturing Execution System can be split intoChemical IndustryPaper IndustrySewage TreatmentAutomobile IndustryOtherRequest Sample Report @The study objectives of this report are:To study and forecast the market size of Manufacturing Execution System in global market.To analyze the global key players, SWOT analysis, value and global market share for top players.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, end use and region.To analyze and compare the market status and forecast between China and major regions, namely, United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Rest of World.To analyze the global key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth.To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments.To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the marketTo analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the marketTo strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Manufacturing Execution System are as follows:History Year: 2013-2017Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year 2018 to 2025For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2017 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered.Key StakeholdersManufacturing Execution System ManufacturersManufacturing Execution System Distributors/Traders/WholesalersManufacturing Execution System Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsAvailable CustomizationsWith the given market data, We offers customizations according to the company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:Regional and country-level analysis of the Manufacturing Execution System market, by end-use.Detailed analysis and profiles of additional market players.Table of ContentsGlobal Manufacturing Execution System Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Manufacturing Execution System2 Global Manufacturing Execution System Competition Analysis by Players3 Company (Top Players) Profiles4 Global Manufacturing Execution System Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2018)5 United States Manufacturing Execution System Development Status and Outlook6 Europe Manufacturing Execution System Development Status and Outlook7 China Manufacturing Execution System Development Status and Outlook8 Japan Manufacturing Execution System Development Status and Outlook9 Southeast Asia Manufacturing Execution System Development Status and Outlook10 India Manufacturing Execution System Development Status and Outlook11 Market Forecast by Regions, Type and Application (2018-2025)12 Manufacturing Execution System Market Dynamics13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Research Finding/Conclusion15 AppendixContinuousFor further information on this report, visit Contact Us:Norah Trentsales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US); +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone :+91 841 198 5042
Global Machine Translation Market 2018 Key Players: App Tek, Asia Online Pte Ltd, Cloudwords Inc, Lighthouse IP Group, Lingo24 Ltd., Lionbridge Technologies Inc.

Machine Translation Market

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Machine Translation Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Machine Translation Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2025 reports to its database.Executive SummaryGlobal Machine Translation Market to reach USD 1483 million by 2025.Global Machine Translation Market valued approximately USD 435 million in 2016 is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 14.60 % over the forecast period 2017-2025. The major factors driving the Machine Translation market are the growing volume of big data, the need for cost effective translation, and increasing online content. Moreover, globalization is raising the demand for location based content across various industry verticals such as electronics, travel, e-commerce and hospitality. However, the availability of free translation tools may limit the adoption of translation machine. The industry is witnessing a transition from human translators to Machine Translation as is an efficient tool to deliver similar linguistic conversion with significantly lower time and cost. Advances in Machine Translation technology and new implementation approaches including crowdsourcing are expected to reduce the cost of Machine translation while improving its efficiency.The regional analysis of Global Machine Translation Market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Rest of the World. North America dominated the industry in 2016, with U.S. alone accounting for over 66.0% of the regional market. The growth is characterized by presence of a large number of service providers and favorable government initiatives. Asia Pacific region is anticipated to exhibit higher growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2018-2025.The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:Request Sample Report @By Application:AutomotiveMilitary & DefenceElectronicsITHealthcareBy Technology:RBMTSMTBy Regions:North AmericaS.CanadaEuropeUKGermanyAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of the WorldFurthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year  2015, 2016Base year  2017Forecast period  2018 to 2025The industry is seeming to be fairly competitive. Some of the leading market players include App Tek, Asia Online Pte Ltd, Cloudwords Inc, Lighthouse IP Group, Lingo24 Ltd., Lionbridge Technologies Inc, Lingotek Inc., Moravia IT, Pangeanic, ProMT, Raythean BBN Technologiesand so on. Acquisitions and effective mergers are some of the strategies adopted by the key manufacturers. New product launches and continuous technological innovations are the key strategies adopted by the major players.Target Audience of the Global Machine Translation Market in Market Study:Key Consulting Companies & AdvisorsLarge, medium-sized, and small enterprisesVenture capitalistsValue-Added Resellers (VARs)Third-party knowledge providersInvestment bankersInvestorsTable of ContentsChapter 1. Global Machine Translation Market Definition and Scope1.1. Research Objective1.2. Market Definition1.3. Scope of The Study1.4. Years Considered for The Study1.5. Currency Conversion Rates1.6. Report LimitationChapter 2. Research Methodology2.1. Research Process2.1.1. Data Mining2.1.2. Analysis2.1.3. Market Estimation2.1.4. Validation2.1.5. Publishing2.2. Research AssumptionChapter 3. Executive Summary3.1. Global & Segmental Market Estimates & Forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)3.2. Key TrendsChapter 4. Global Machine Translation Market Dynamics4.1. Growth Prospects4.1.1. Drivers4.1.2. Restraints4.1.3. Opportunities4.2. Industry Analysis4.2.1. Porters 5 Force Model4.2.2. PEST Analysis4.2.3. Value Chain Analysis4.3. Analyst Recommendation & ConclusionChapter 5. Global Machine Translation Market, By ApplicationChapter 6. Global Machine Translation Market, By TechnologyChapter 7. Global Machine Translation Market, by Regional AnalysisChapter 8. Competitive Intelligence8.1. Company Market Share (Subject to Data Availability)8.2. Top Market Strategies8.3. Company Profiles8.3.1. App Tek8.3.1.1. Overview8.3.1.2. Financial (Subject to Data Availability)8.3.1.3. Product Summary8.3.1.4. Recent Developments8.3.2. Asia Online Pte Ltd.8.3.3. Cloudwords Inc.8.3.4. Lighthouse IP Group8.3.5. Lingo24 Ltd.8.3.6. Lionbridge Technologies Inc.8.3.7. Lingotek Inc.8.3.8. Moravia IT8.3.9. Pangeanic8.3.10. ProMT8.3.11. Raythean BBN TechnologiesContinuousFor further information on this report, visit About Us:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone :+91 841 198 5042
Global Cannabidiol Market Size, Future Trends, On Demand, Leading Players: Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc., Nightfood Holdings,Marijuana Company of America Inc. Forecast Until 2027

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A fresh study, covering Cannabidiol Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking - Global Review 2017 to 2026 has been broadcasted to wide online repository of FactMR, which presents deep focus on the Cannabidiol Market This smart study contains precise data that offers a clear insight about market current scenario and future projections for the benefit of readers. Moreover, the study enclosed significant data which tends to make the research a powerful source for analysts and industry experts who are looking to gain necessary knowledge about the prevailing market trends, opportunities and drivers present in the Cannabidiol Market.Request TOC of this Report:Increasing CBD Sales: Regulatory Changes Regarding Industrial Hemp to Reduce THC Content & Cost of CBDCannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating and non-psychotropic cannabinoid, which not only imparts myriad beneficial health effects, but also is deprived of relevant side effects. CBD is industrial hemps primary cannabinoid, present in concentrations between the range 0.5% and 4%. Major stakeholders in the hemp industry have been focusing on continued growth, in tandem with progress being made in legislature and product development.The Industrial Hemp Regulations (IHR) address specific topics apropos of the production, processing, control, and export measures within various stages of the industry. Current IHR require two conformances namely, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing of every field, except cultivars depicting low THC in provided province, and THC sampling & testing in production process concerning food derivatives. These process are expensive and entail the need for significant administrative investments by health regulatory bodies.Recognizing the concern, the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) proposed an efficient infield science-based alternative for generating reliable results. The proposal involves elimination of THC testing with respect to food derivatives. The alterations suggested are expected to aid achieving the objective of reducing THC content in crops with relatively less investment. Such regulatory changes are further expected to facilitate harvest, processing, and sales of non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as CBD from industrial hemp.Improving Accessibility to CBD-based Therapies: WHO Report aids Alleviation of Restrictions on CannabidiolCannabis comprises over 100 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids, with the most common among them being CBD and THC. The WHOs Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) published a report in 2017, which acknowledges clinical employment of CBD to be the most advanced treatment of epilepsy.CBD is perceived to have significant therapeutic value for seizures on account of epilepsy and relevant conditions. In addition, clinical trials conducted on CBD have depicted its efficacy in treatment of various forms of epilepsy. The report further acknowledged existence of primary evidence underpinning utilization of CBD in treatment and management of various other diseases that include Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns disease and Huntingtons disease.ECDDs conclusion states that current state of research with regard to scheduling of CBD is not justified, and it could impact accessibility for medical and scientific research. ECDDs impending final recommendations, to be published soon, will reaffirm or reinforce these conclusions, in order to alleviate legitimate basis for Secretary of Department of Health in maintaining present restrictions on CBD. This will not only relieve burden from companies developing medicinal products, but also improve access for consumers to effective and novel therapies.Visit here to obtain full report about Cannabidiol Market:Notable Developments in CBD MarketPivot Pharmaceuticals Inc., in coordination with SolMic GmbH, its German technology partner, announced the initiation of its development of PGS-N001 in 2017. PGS-N001 is a water-soluble, natural, and pure oral CBD solution, which shows highest bioavailability and is devoid of THC. PGS-N001 will be developed and formulated for treating a wide range of disease indications such as the chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV)  major therapeutic challenge in cancer supportive care area.Nightfood Holdings, a startup that manufactures and markets products in nighttime snacking category, entered into a joint venture with Players Network Inc. in 2017. This joint venture is dedicated toward the development of CBD-infused line of products such as cannabinoid oil.Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (MCOA) has partnered with HoneyB Healthy Living for developing a series of CBD-based products. These products will be launched under the brand name BeniHemp and are intended to be distributed through convenience stores. The partnership aims at full-scale launch of their new product series by 2018-end, while coordinating supply chain arrangements via their partners in Colorado.This analytical research study imparts an all-inclusive assessment on the market, while propounding historical intelligence, actionable insights, and industry-validated & statistically-upheld market forecast. Verified and suitable set of assumptions and methodology has been leveraged for developing this comprehensive study. Information and analysis on key market segments incorporated in the report has been delivered in weighted chapters. A thorough analysis has been offered by the report onMarket DynamicsMarket SizeMarket SegmentsDemand & Supply TrendsCurrent Issues and ChallengesCompanies and Competitor LandscapeValue ChainTechnologyRegional Segments Analyzed IncludeNorth America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)JapanMiddle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)Compilation of authentic and first-hand intelligence, insights offered in the report are based on quantitative and qualitative assessment by leading industry experts, and inputs from opinion leaders & industry participants around the value chain. Growth determinants, macroeconomic indicators, and parent market trends have been scrutinized and delivered, coupled with the market attractiveness for each market segment encompassed. Qualitative impact of growth influencers on the market segments across regions has also been mapped by the report.Highlights from the ReportElaborated scenario of the parent marketTransformations in the market dynamicsDetailed segmentation of the target marketHistorical, current and forecast market size based on value and volumeLatest industry developments and trendsCompetition landscapeStrategies adopted by the market players and product developments madePotential and niche segments, along with their regional analysisUnbiased analysis on performance of the marketUp-to-date and must-have intelligence for the market players to enhance and sustain their competitivenessAny Query? Ask to our Analyst anytime:About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Follow Us on Linkedin:
Smart speaker Market Technological Innovation Growth Over Amazon.com, Bose Corporation, Altec Lansing, Apple, Samsung Electronics, Logitech International SA, Sonos, & Sony

Smart speaker

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Smart speaker market in personal applications is expected to hold the majority share of over 90% due to the increasing usage of the devices in smart homes. The integration of these devices with devices such as smart lightbulbs, thermostats, and TVs is encouraging the consumers to adopt these devices for personal uses. Devices such as Google Home allow the users to make phone calls and send messages, monitor the user activity, set alarms, and go shopping.Smart Speaker Market is set to exceed USD 30 billion by 2024 owing to the several benefits of these devices such as the ability to communicate with other devices and keeping users connected to the internet. For instance, these devices can perform a range of tasks such as giving information, sharing audio files, and provide on-command to other connected devices. The increasing penetration of IoT technology and the adoption of connected devices will boost the smart speaker market growth in the next six years. The increasing popularity of connected devices to perform domestic tasks, such as controlling lights and security doors, through single devices is fueling the industry demand. The integration of these devices with connected households will propel the industry growth.Request a Sample of this premium Research Report@The smart speaker market is expected to grow at a significant pace over the forecast timeframe owing to the growing proliferation of smart homes across the globe. Factors such as high network connectivity and growing need to increase consumer convenience are anticipated to drive the market. Several device manufacturers are investing in improving the functionality of legacy systems beyond playing music. This, coupled with increasing demand for wireless devices will escalate the industry size.This report focuses on the top Manufacturers and players in global market are given bellow:-Amazon.com, Inc., Bose Corporation, Altec Lansing, Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, Logitech International SA, Sonos Inc., and Sony Corporation.Rise in demand for Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to fuel the smart speaker market growth. The manufacturers are increasingly investing to develop devices that work with the devices such as Wink Hub, Logitech Harmony Elite, and Philips Hue Bulbs. For instance, Amazon Alexa works directly with several smart home devices using If This Then That (IFTTT) methodology.Smart Speaker Market Size By Technology (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC), By Product (Single Room, Double-Room, Multi-Room)Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers(U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, South Korea, China, India, Japan, Brazil, GCC, Africa), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2024Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium Smart Speaker Market Research Report@The study objectives of this report are:Implementation of virtual personal assistants are expected to positively impact the smart speaker market growth. This technology can stream music and audio books with a single voice commands. The launch of Amazon Echo has caused disruption in the market, with several other companies such as Google and Apple following suit. For instance, Apple has announced the launch of HomePod in December 2017.Factors such as connectivity range, compatibility, and power are expected to restrain the smart speaker market growth. The market faces growing security concern, owing to the connection of these devices to the internet. The voice assistant-enabled speakers inadvertently store consumers' private data into Amazon servers. The threats of hacking and data leaks persist, though the company claims that the data is secured. This is expected to hamper the market growth during the forecast timeframe.More Report At:Related Report:Global Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023Real-time locating systems (RTLS, also known as real-time location systems) are local systems for the identification and tracking of the location of assets and/or persons in real or near-real-time. Scope of the ReporAbout Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:
Dental Services Market is expected to exceed US$ 6850 Million globally by 2022 | Top Key Vendors - Apollo White Dental, Dental Services Group, Pacific Dental Services, Gentle Dentistry, Coast Dental Services

Dental Services Market

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Global Dental Services Market Report 2018 report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability. The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.Global Dental Services Market Overview:The report spread across 125 pages is an overview of the Global Dental Services Market Report 2018. The Global Dental Services Market is projected to grow at a healthy growth rate from 2018 to 2022 according to new research. The study focuses on market trends, leading players, supply chain trends, technological innovations, key developments, and future strategies.Available Exclusive Sample Copy of this Report @With the slowdown in world economic growth, the Dental Services industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Dental Services market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 6.43% from 3915 Million $ in 2014 to 4720 Million $ in 2017, market research analysts believe that in the next few years, Dental Services market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2022, The market size of the Dental Services will reach 6850 Million $.Dentistry is Dental Care for individuals of all ages. It integrates treatment and identification of your overall health. Dental practitioners and general offer a range of services, including oral surgery, dentures, dental implants or treatment of gum disease. Root canal treatment is the treatment for your infection. Gets into the tooth if the tooth is decayed or when a filling leaks. Gum disease may include gum irritation that is simple, or it may be the type that damages tissue and the bone that support your tooth causing the loss of your teeth. The dentist might deal with gum disease through deep cleaning, that involves either planning the root or scaling. In extreme cases, surgery can be recommended. General dental and preventative dentistry also deals with cosmetic procedures.North America is anticipated to dominate the global market during the forecast period, followed by Europe. High incidence of dental diseases, rise in geriatric population, increase in the number of dental awareness campaigns, and well-established health care infrastructure augment the dental services market in North America. The market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a high CAGR during the forecast period, driven by India and China owing to their large population base, increased government initiatives, and availability of developed health care facilities providing dental services.Purchase this report online with 125 Pages, List of Tables & Figures and in-depth Table of Contents on Global Dental Services Market Report 2018 @Major Key Players:1 Apollo White Dental2 Dental Services Group3 Pacific Dental Services4 Great Expressions Dental Centers5 Gentle Dentistry, LLC6 Coast Dental Services, LLCMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Grab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @This study answers to the below key questions:1 What will the market size be in 2022 and what will the growth rate be?2 What are the key market trends?3 What are the challenges to market growth?4 Who are the key players in this market?5 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?In the end, this report covers data and information on capacity and production overview, production, market share analysis, sales overview, supply, sales, and shortage, import, export and consumption as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin of Dental Services Market.Major Points in Table of Contents:Global Dental Services Market Report 20181 Dental Services Product Definition2 Global Dental Services Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview3 Manufacturer Dental Services Business Introduction4 Global Dental Services Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Dental Services Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)6 Global Dental Services Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Global Dental Services Market Segmentation (Channel Level)8 Dental Services Market Forecast 2018-20229 Dental Services Segmentation Product Type10 Dental Services Segmentation Industry11 Dental Services Cost of Production Analysis12 ConclusionAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune  Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940
Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market to grow at a CAGR of 14.04% during the period 2018-2022 by Key Vendors (ASV Global, thyssenkrupp (Atlas Elektronik), Group Gorge (ECA Group), Boeing (Liquid Robotics), Elbit Systems)

Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market, Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market Player, Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market Region

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This report studies the Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market with many aspects of the industry like the market size, market status, market trends and forecast, the report also provides brief information of the competitors and the specific growth opportunities with key market drivers. Find the complete Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market analysis segmented by companies, region, type and applications in the report.About Unmanned Surface VehicleUnmanned surface vehicle (USV) are autonomous vehicles that can be operated on the surface of water with the help of a remote control. These vehicles can be preprogrammed to perform tasks such as collecting data, conducting surveys, ad monitoring marine life.Research analysts forecast the Global Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market to grow at a CAGR of 14.04% during the period 2018-2022.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global unmanned surface vehicle market for 2018-2022. This industry research report provides a detailed analysis of the market by end-users (defense and commercial).Inquiry for buying a sample copy @Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market continues to evolve and expand in terms of the number of companies, products, and applications that illustratesthe growth perspectives.The report also covers the list of Product range and Applications with SWOT analysis, CAGR value, further adding the essential business analytics. Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market research analysis identifies the latest trends and primary factors responsible for market growth enabling the Organizations to flourish with much exposure to the markets.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAGlobal Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market 2018-2022, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors ASV Global thyssenkrupp (Atlas Elektronik) Group Gorge (ECA Group) Boeing (Liquid Robotics) Elbit SystemsBrowse full table of contents and data tables@The Unmanned Surface Vehicle Market research report completely covers the vital statistics of the capacity, production, value, cost/profit, supply/demand import/export, further divided by company and country, and by application/type for best possible updated data representation in the figures, tables, pie chart, and graphs. These data representations provide predictive data regarding the future estimations for convincing market growth. The detailed and comprehensive knowledge about our publishers makes us out of the box in case of market analysis.Market driver Increased applicability of USVs For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Lack of regulations For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Introduction of USVs operating on alternative energy sources For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2028 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analyst's time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.Inquiry for Discount on Report Copy @About Us: - MarketResearchNest.com Market Research Nest (MRN) is an offering of GRN Research Pvt. Ltd. It is a one-stop-shop for market research products and services. At MRN, we offer reports from almost all top regional and global publishers and research firms who specialize in their domains. We ensure that you receive the most reliable and up to date research data. We update our collection daily to help our clients have an access to a most up-to-date database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends. Our database covers research studies including periodic updates on a range of industries, companies, products, SWOT profiles, recent marketing, and other trends.Contact us: - Mr. Jeet Jain, Sales Manager, sales@marketresearchnest.com ;+1-240-284-8070, +44-20-3290-4151;Connect with us: Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Gene Therapy Market to grow at a CAGR of 22.42% during the period 2018-2022 by Key Vendors (Biogen, Gilead, Novartis, Orchard Therapeutics, Spark Therapeutics)

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This report studies the Gene Therapy Market with many aspects of the industry like the market size, market status, market trends and forecast, the report also provides brief information of the competitors and the specific growth opportunities with key market drivers. Find the complete Gene Therapy Market analysis segmented by companies, region, type and applications in the report.About Gene TherapyGene therapy is one of the most recent innovations in the pharmaceutical industry for the treatment of serious, life-threatening diseases, typically in the areas of oncology and cardiovascular. It is the usage of modified gene injected into the patient's body primarily through virus as a vector. This transmitted gene reaches the intended site to kill or treat the infected cell, thus curing the disease.Research analysts forecast the Global Gene Therapy Market to grow at a CAGR of 22.42% during the period 2018-2022.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the gene therapy market. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated by the use of gene therapy across the globe.Inquiry for buying a sample copy @Gene Therapy Market continues to evolve and expand in terms of the number of companies, products, and applications that illustratesthe growth perspectives.The report also covers the list of Product range and Applications with SWOT analysis, CAGR value, further adding the essential business analytics. Gene Therapy Market research analysis identifies the latest trends and primary factors responsible for market growth enabling the Organizations to flourish with much exposure to the markets.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAGlobal Gene Therapy Market 2018-2022, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors Biogen Gilead Novartis Orchard Therapeutics Spark TherapeuticsBrowse full table of contents and data tables@The Gene Therapy Market research report completely covers the vital statistics of the capacity, production, value, cost/profit, supply/demand import/export, further divided by company and country, and by application/type for best possible updated data representation in the figures, tables, pie chart, and graphs. These data representations provide predictive data regarding the future estimations for convincing market growth. The detailed and comprehensive knowledge about our publishers makes us out of the box in case of market analysis.Market driver Market entry of novel molecules during the forecast period For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge High treatment costs For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Growing research in gene therapy for CVDs and orphan diseases For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2028 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analyst's time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.Inquiry for Discount on Report Copy @About Us: - MarketResearchNest.com Market Research Nest (MRN) is an offering of GRN Research Pvt. Ltd. It is a one-stop-shop for market research products and services. At MRN, we offer reports from almost all top regional and global publishers and research firms who specialize in their domains. We ensure that you receive the most reliable and up to date research data. We update our collection daily to help our clients have an access to a most up-to-date database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends. Our database covers research studies including periodic updates on a range of industries, companies, products, SWOT profiles, recent marketing, and other trends.Contact us: - Mr. Jeet Jain, Sales Manager, sales@marketresearchnest.com ;+1-240-284-8070, +44-20-3290-4151;Connect with us: Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Online Education Market to grow at a CAGR of 20.03% during the period 2018-2022 by Key Vendors (BYJU's, Dexler Education, Educomp Solutions, IGNOU, NIIT)

Online Education Market, Online Education Market Player, Online Education Market Region, Online Education Market Type

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This report studies the Online Education Market with many aspects of the industry like the market size, market status, market trends and forecast, the report also provides brief information of the competitors and the specific growth opportunities with key market drivers. Find the complete Online Education Market analysis segmented by companies, region, type and applications in the report.About Online EducationOnline education is a mode of education in which students receive instructions via the Internet and can access this information through digitized platforms such as computers, laptops, or smartphones. It is delivered in many ways, including online courses, massive open online courses (MOOCs), and hybrid courses that a combination of online and classroom courses.Research analysts forecast the Global Online Education Market to grow at a CAGR of 20.03% during the period 2018-2022.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the online education market in India. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from online services in segments such as K-12 and higher education.Inquiry for buying a sample copy @Online Education Market continues to evolve and expand in terms of the number of companies, products, and applications that illustratesthe growth perspectives.The report also covers the list of Product range and Applications with SWOT analysis, CAGR value, further adding the essential business analytics. Online Education Market research analysis identifies the latest trends and primary factors responsible for market growth enabling the Organizations to flourish with much exposure to the markets.The market is divided into the following segments based on products: Content ServicesGlobal Online Education Market 2018-2022, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors BYJU's Dexler Education Educomp Solutions IGNOU NIITBrowse full table of contents and data tables@The Online Education Market research report completely covers the vital statistics of the capacity, production, value, cost/profit, supply/demand import/export, further divided by company and country, and by application/type for best possible updated data representation in the figures, tables, pie chart, and graphs. These data representations provide predictive data regarding the future estimations for convincing market growth. The detailed and comprehensive knowledge about our publishers makes us out of the box in case of market analysis.Market driver Penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity in the country For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Lack of infrastructure and essential learning environment For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Growing emergence of cloud computing For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2028 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analyst's time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.Inquiry for Discount on Report Copy @About Us: - MarketResearchNest.com Market Research Nest (MRN) is an offering of GRN Research Pvt. Ltd. It is a one-stop-shop for market research products and services. At MRN, we offer reports from almost all top regional and global publishers and research firms who specialize in their domains. We ensure that you receive the most reliable and up to date research data. We update our collection daily to help our clients have an access to a most up-to-date database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends. Our database covers research studies including periodic updates on a range of industries, companies, products, SWOT profiles, recent marketing, and other trends.Contact us: - Mr. Jeet Jain, Sales Manager, sales@marketresearchnest.com ;+1-240-284-8070, +44-20-3290-4151;Connect with us: Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Market to Benefit from the Rise in FDA Approvals for Drugs Forecasts by 2023 | MRFR

Market Research Future

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The Global Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Market is expected to exhibit an upswing and capture a CAGR of 8% over the forecast period of 2017-2023, proclaims Market Research Future (MRFR) in an exhaustive research report. The Global Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Market is expanding at a rapid pace due to the increasing burden of type 2 diabetes across the globe. Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been increasing exponentially, and the market has observed a high prevalence rate in both developed and developing countries due to multiple risk factors of diabetes and delayed diagnosis. Development of novel efficient therapies is expected to create a supportive dais for building up the global type 2 diabetes mellitus market.The inefficiency of current therapies and life-threatening complications arising out of type 2 diabetes mellitus has necessitated the development of appropriate preventive measures. The government of various countries have initiated awareness programs and are investing heavily in research & development. Moreover, there has been a rise in the number of FDA approvals for new drugs which have also helped the market expand. Other driving factors include an increase in healthcare expenditure on a global scale and a rise in risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Conversely, the market growth might be hindered by lack of awareness, the high cost of treatment and diagnosis, complex regulatory framework for FDA approvals of therapies, and the side effects of available treatment options.Get Exclusive Sample Copy @SegmentationThe global type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment market has been segmented based on treatment and end user. By treatment, the market has been segmented into drug and devices. The drug segment has been further segmented into Insulin, Sensitizers, Sglt-2, Alpha-Glycosidase Inhibitors, Others. The devices segment has been further segmented into Blood Glucose Monitoring, Insulin Delivery Devices. By end user, the market has been segmented into hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, drug stores, pharmacies, and others.Regional AnalysisThe global type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment market spans across the regions of the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. The Americas account for the largest share of the global type 2 diabetes mellitus market owing to the presence of a huge patient pool, well-developed healthcare sector, and the presence of leading players in the region. Moreover, due to the rising burden of diabetes mellitus on the healthcare, various companies and governments are endeavoring towards improving diabetes care. Europe is the second largest market for type 2 diabetes mellitus market. Government grants for research & Development coupled with favorable reimbursement scenario drive the market in Europe. Throughout Europe, charges for diagnosis and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus are covered under health insurance, especially for pregnant women. Asia Pacific is poised to be the fastest growing market on account of an epidemic increase in diabetes occurrence in the region which induces high demand for treatment and diagnosis. Also, the market is expanding due to substantial investment in the healthcare sector by the governments in the region. The Middle East & Africa market accounts for the least share of the market due to low healthcare penetration and poor medical facilities, especially in the Africa region. The Middle East market is expected to exhibit considerable growth over the forecast period due to improving the healthcare sector in the region.Competitive LandscapeThe notable players operating in the global type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment market include Abbott Laboratories, Adocia, Amgen, Bayer AG, Dickinson and Company, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Acon Laboratories, Inc., Akros Pharma, AstraZeneca, Becton, Biocon, Daiichi Sankyo, Merck, Novartis & Co., Peptron, Roche Diagnostics Ltd., Sunpharma, and others.Browse Complete Report @About US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
CONRIC PR & Marketing launches DRINK PINK campaign

An estimated 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in 2018. Among men, another 2,550 new cases are expected, according to the American Cancer Society. The team at CONRIC PR & Marketing relates to this staggering statistic through family experiences spurring the launch of the inaugural DRINK PINK campaign in honor of national breast cancer awareness month in October.The firm is challenging local restaurants to offer a signature DRINK PINK beverage that will incite people to Cheers for Change all month long. Participating restaurants are encouraged to donate a minimum of 10 percent of revenue from their signature pink drink sales in October to a nonprofit breast cancer organization of their choice. CONRIC PR & Marketing has identified four nonprofit organizations in Southwest Florida that support breast cancer patients: Cancer Alliance of Naples, Partners for Breast Cancer Care, Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support and From Our Hearts.Breast cancer knows no boundaries, but early detection and treatment can be the key to a healthy prognosis. The campaign seeks to increase awareness of the disease and raise money for local organizations that offer services to support patients. Everyone is welcome to take part by simply enjoying a signature beverage at a participating restaurant and sharing a photo on social media with the hashtag #DRINKPINK. The following establishments are already on board: Azure Restaurant, 15301 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers Boat House Tiki Bar & Grill, 17101 State Road 31, Fort Myers Boat House Tiki Bar & Grill, 5819 Driftwood Parkway, Cape Coral Bubbas Roadhouse & Saloon, 2121 Southwest Pine Island Road, Cape Coral Downtown Social House, 1406 Hendry Street, Fort Myers Fathoms Restaurant & Bar, 5785 Cape Harbour Drive, Cape Coral Gather, 5971 Silver King Blvd., Cape Coral Keylime Bistro, 11509 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva Luna Rossa Italian Grill, 10801 Corkscrew Road, Estero Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktails, 3522 Del Prado Blvd. S., Cape Coral Prawnbroker Restaurant Group, 7790 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers RC Otters Island Eats, 11506 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva Society Restaurant + Lounge, 13499 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers The Jac Sanibel Island Bar & Grille, 1223 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel The Firestone Grill Room, Martini Bar & Skybar, 2224 Bay Street, Fort MyersFor more information on the DRINK PINK campaign, visit conricpr.com/drink-pink/.CONRIC PR & MarketingCONRIC PR & Marketing was founded in 2007. The award-winning, full-service PR agency provides strategic brand awareness campaigns, integrated public relations programs, marketing development and consulting services, advertising concept and campaigns, media buys, custom and niche publishing, creative writing and design, digital marketing strategies, website development and crisis communications strategy and implementation. The firm serves clients in many industry sectors including banking, legal, medical, government, nonprofit, restaurant, manufacturing, construction, building and development, real estate, professional association, hospitality, salon and spa. CONRIC is a recipient of multiple Image Awards from the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association and Golden Image Awards from its statewide chapter, and Charlie Awards from the Florida Magazine Association. For more information, please call 239-690-9840 or visit ConricPR.com.Josh Milton, Vice President of Media RelationsCONRIC PR & Marketing6216 Whiskey Creek Drive, Suite BFort Myers, FL 33919239-690-9840Josh@ConricPR.com | ConricPR.com
Acrylic Acid Market Projected to Reach $34817.86 Million at 9.8% CAGR Till 2026 | Global Key Companys - BASF SE, Dow, Bayer AG, Evonik Industries AG, Arkema, Formosa Plastics, Nippon Shokubai, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings

Acrylic Acid Market

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Marketprognosis.com Publish a New Market Research Report On Acrylic Acid - Global Market Outlook (2017-2026) which contains global key players survey information and forecast to 2026.Overview of the Global Acrylic Acid Market:Acrylic Acid market is accounted for $14956.48 Million in 2017 and is expected to reach $34817.86 Million by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 9.8%. Growing demand in emerging markets, increasing demand from end user industries and rising demand for high strength materials are factors fuelling the market growth. However, volatile prices of the raw materials and stringent government regulations are hindering the market growth. Moreover, demand for Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resins in different industries provides ample opportunities for market growth.Get a Sample Copy of this Report @Acrylic acid is an organic compound having tart or acrid smell. The glacial acrylic acid (GAA) is a clear, colorless liquid with a pungent odor. Properties of it includes adaptable to low temperature, acidic odour easily miscible with water, colorless liquid, good weather ability, alcohols, ethers, and chloroform. It is formed from propylene which is a byproduct of ethylene and gasoline production. It is miscible with water, alcohols and ethers.Based on end user, personal care segment is projected to grow at a steady rate due to increasing demand for super absorbent polymers. Personal care products such as diapers and adult incontinence products are increasingly using super absorbent polymers. By geography, Asia Pacific is anticipated held largest market share due to rising derivatives consumption in surfactants, coatings, personal care products and adhesives. In addition, North America is expected to have considerable market share owing to increasing demand in end user industries and growing geriatric population in the U.S. and Canada.Purchase this report online with Top Key Players Analysis and List of Tables & Figure @Major Key Players:1 BASF SE2 The Dow Chemical Co.3 Bayer AG4 Evonik Industries AG5 Arkema6 Formosa Plastics Co.7 Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd.8 Wanhua Chemical Group9 Rohm and Haas10 Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings and More.Market Segment by Derivatives:1 Acrylic Polymers2 Acrylic Esters3 Other DerivativesAny Query? Ask to our Expert @This study answers to the below key questions:1 What will the market size be in 2026 and what will the growth rate be?2 What are the key market trends?3 What is driving this market?4 What are the challenges to market growth?5 Who are the key vendors in this market space?6 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?7 What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?In the end, this report covers data and information on capacity and production overview, production, market share analysis, sales overview, supply, sales, and shortage, import, export and consumption as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin of Acrylic Acid Market.Table of Contents:1 Executive Summary2 Preface3 Market Trend Analysis4 Porters Five Force Analysis5 Global Acrylic Acid Market, By Type6 Global Acrylic Acid Market, By Product7 Global Acrylic Acid Market, By End User8 Global Acrylic Acid Market, By Geography9 Key Developments10 Company ProfilingAbout us:We at Market Prognosis believe in giving a crystal clear view of market dynamics for achieving success in todays complex and competitive marketplace through our quantitative & qualitative research methods.We help our clients identify the best market insights and analysis required for their business thus enabling them to take strategic and intelligent decision.We believe in delivering actionable insights for your business growth and success.Contact us:ProgMark Pvt. Ltd.Thane  421501India.sales@marketprognosis.com+1 973 241 5193
A Lake Oswego family of four who was awakened at night to the sound of a 17-year-old boy throwing a Molotov cocktail into their kitchen -- which caught on fire -- has filed a $5.5 million lawsuit against the arsonist's parents.

The lawsuit claims that Thomas and Alison Toal knew "well before" their son, Travis Toal, was arrested in December 2016 that he had committed the crime. But even so, the parents failed to notify law enforcement and are liable for "hiding" what their son had done, the suit alleges.

The suit -- filed by Trudy and Christopher Corrigan and their two children, Keely and Rory -- says the family anguished in uncertainty over whether the unknown arsonist would return before DNA from the crime scene helped identify Travis Toal as the culprit and he was arrested 2.5 years later.

Ken Abere, a Portland attorney representing the Toals, declined to comment on the lawsuit's allegations, including whether Toal's parents knew about his crime and didn't come forward to police.

Portland attorney Leta Gorman is representing the Corrigans. She declined to answer questions, including about what evidence the Corrigans have to support the suit's allegations.

Toal comes from a "loving, stable and supportive home environment," according to court papers filed by his criminal defense attorney who represented him in his arson case. His father is an orthopedic surgeon. His mother is a real estate agent.

Before graduating from Lake Oswego High School, Toal was captain of the varsity ski team, co-anchor of the school's video newscast and an accomplished trumpet player in the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra, according to court papers. He was a 20-year-old junior at University of Southern California studying astronautical engineering at the time he was booked into Clackamas County Jail in December 2016.

But the lawsuit claims he has struggled with mental illness and unpredictable and dangerous behavior -- and his parents failed to ensure that he was taking his medication at the time he set fire to the Corrigan's home about 11 p.m., June 18, 2014.

"But for the quick action of Trudy and Christopher Corrigan, (their) home would have been destroyed and plaintiffs and their pet could have died," the suit states.

The fire burned part of the kitchen, the rest of the home had to be treated for smoke damage, and many possessions were destroyed by smoke, the suit states.

For the first six weeks, the Corrigans felt too unsafe to live in their home because they didn't know who or why someone targeted them, the suit states. They set up a video surveillance system.

"(O)nly after checking the camera footage night after night, (the Corrigans) moved back into their home," the suit states.

Toal was accused of first-degree arson in adult court. Last October, Toal pleaded guilty to second-degree arson and was sentenced to one year in jail and five years of probation. He ended up serving about 9.5 months in jail and was released in July. He is now 21 years old.

During sentencing last fall, Christopher Corrigan described Toal as an "overprivileged and unaccountable young man," according to an article in The Lake Oswego Review. Trudy Corrigan said Toal was targeting their then 18-year-old daughter, Keely, because Toal had verbally and physically bullied her at school and she had stood up to him, according to The Review article.

Toal was ordered to pay about $9,200 to the Corrigans. But their lawsuit states that their damages are far greater.

The suit seeks at least $500,000 in economic damages to the Corrigans, plus $5 million for emotional distress.

The suit was filed Thursday in Clackamas County Circuit Court. Read the lawsuit here.

-- Aimee Green
House Speaker Tina Kotek wants to sit down with Washington lawmakers before the end of the year with a simple goal: Talk about meeting again sometime in 2019 to discuss replacing the Interstate Bridge.

"I know that might seem like a low bar," Kotek said about talking about talking, "but that will get us started."

The Portland Democrat spoke Wednesday at a transportation forum in North Portland, saying she welcomes a renewed commitment from Washington legislators who appear ready to start talking about replacing the Interstate 5 bridge connecting the two states.

Washington politicians' change of heart comes five years after their state declined to pay for its share of the controversial Columbia River Crossing Project. Washington's Legislature in 2017 backed a study to investigate what pieces of the failed CRC project were still salvageable.

House Speaker Tina Kotek (right) and Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly at a transportation town hall in North Portland Sept. 20, 2018.

Kotek is the latest Oregon leader to publicly say they're ready to sit down and talk about how to replace the aging Columbia River span -- the only drawbridge on the entire stretch of I-5 in Oregon, Washington and California.

In August, the Vancouver City Council unanimously threw its support behind an effort to restart discussions about building a new bridge with "high-capacity transit" included. That action drew Senate President Peter Courtney to say the two states "need to put the history on this project behind us and begin working together toward the future once again."

Gov. Kate Brown told The Oregonian/OregonLive this month she was "encouraged" Washington wanted to start "constructive conversations on this vital piece of transportation infrastructure."

Kotek said starting discussions "isn't resetting the CRC." She views it as getting back to the negotiating table.

She also wants the I-5 bridge talks to be tied to another controversial big-picture transportation issue: Tolling sections of Interstates 5 and 205.

Kotek urged the crowd to stay involved in the bridge and tolling discussions, which will be ongoing for years.

"It's coming people," Kotek said. "Tolling is coming to our area, and I think you all know it."

Read more:

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen
TriMet transit police and fare enforcement officers violated Oregon's constitution by stopping, citing and arresting a David Douglas School Board member in March during a fare evasion sting.

A Multnomah County Circuit Court judge on Friday ruled that Ana del Rocio was "stopped and seized without individualized suspicion" on March 13 at an Old Town Chinatown MAX station. Del Rocio, whose legal name is Rosa Valderrama, was arrested and charged with evading fare and giving false information to a police officer.

Read: The ruling

Judge John Wittmayer's six-page opinion appears to throw TriMet's fare-enforcement strategy, particularly large stings where all passengers are indiscriminately stopped and asked for proof of fare, into doubt.

Mat dos Santos, the ACLU of Oregon's legal director, called the ruling a "tremendous victory" and predicted it would have wide-spread implications for the transit agency and its passengers. "It confirms what we have believed," he said in an interview, "which is that these dragnet searches violate the rights of all people that are stopped."

The Marion County District Attorney's Office, which tried the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It's unclear whether the agency would appeal the judge's ruling.

In a statement, TriMet said it was "evaluating the judge's opinion and determining next steps."

"TriMet does say that fares are required on all our vehicles," the agency said, "We will continue fare enforcement."

But it was not immediately clear how those fare enforcement missions would continue, or in what nature they would occur going forward. MAX platforms don't have turnstiles like other transit systems, where law enforcement officers can observe passengers hopping over barriers or otherwise evading fare.

TriMet has taken steps in the past year to decriminalize fare evasion, a move championed by groups like the ACLU and transit advocacy organizations as a step in the right direction. As of July, fare evaders now can opt for community service and face reduced fines.

The agency issues about 20,000 citations for fare evasions each year, and its estimated fare evasion rate was 13.1 percent last year.

Noah Horst, del Rocio's attorney, said the ruling was based on a "careful constitutional analysis."

"The court's order confirms that for years, transit dependent Oregonians have been unconstitutionally stopped and subjected to harsh criminal penalties - including lengthy sentences - all for not having proof of a $2.50 payment," Horst said in a statement. "The constitutional requirement that fare inspectors have reasonable suspicion that a particular rider does not have their fare before stopping them is important because it prevents unequal and biased fare enforcement."

Del Rocio was one of the first passengers who stepped off the train March 13, and she immediately encountered a fare enforcement officer. The 32-year-old, according to the judge's ruling, was holding her cellphone when she exited the train, and the fare officer watched del Rocio activate an unused ticket on her cell phone "in her presence."

The incident escalated, as the fare officer called over a transit officer, who asked for her identification and her legal name.

In court documents, del Rocio said she was scared during the encounter. "I obviously don't look like a white person, so the possibility of me being racially profiled was definitely on my mind," she said, according to court transcripts. "So being asked where I was from, being asked for my IDs and my address, because of the way they were speaking to me and the way they were engaging with me, I didn't feel safe having these strangers know where my kids and I sleep at night.

Dos Santos said he viewed the case as an example of prosecutorial overstep. "There was no public safety benefit to prosecuting this case," he said.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen
The owner of a former cannabis lab in Eugene who was at the center of a firestorm over her ties to local white nationalists was sued in Lane County Circuit Court this week by a dozen former employees who allege she didn't pay them for hours worked.

Bethany Sherman, 36, whose address in public records is in Eugene, operated OG Analytical until late last year when she was identified by local activists as an associate of white nationalists.

At the time, Sherman told The Oregonian/OregonLive she was not a neo-Nazi but was proud of being white. Her business closed almost immediately after the revelations.

In their lawsuit, her former employees allege they learned of her white nationalist ties from reading her statements in The Oregonian. They claim Sherman called a meeting of employees after the article published and "immediately berated and blamed" them for failing to defend her and announced plans to sell the business.

The employees also accuse Sherman of blocking access to their 401(k) accounts, which are valued at a total of $108,000. They say she owes them a total of $10,891 in wages. They are also seeking "penalty wages" in the amount of $45,000, the equivalent of 30 days of work.

Sherman on Friday did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries has a record of one case in its wage and hour division related to OG Analytical. Spokeswoman Christine Lewis said Ryann Haworth filed the complaint last year. The agency has since closed the case without making a determination and sent a "warning letter" to the company about wage and hour laws.

Last year, Eugene Antifa alleged Sherman had supplied food and support for neo-Nazi gatherings and operated a now-defunct Twitter account under the handle @14th_word. The bio said the account belonged to a "#nationalist mommy. Our children deserve to be raised in a wholesome environment free of oppression against whites."

The Anti-Defamation League says "14 words" is a white supremacist slogan, meaning, "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children."

Though quickly shunned by Oregon's cannabis industry, Sherman was embraced by two Lane County men viewed by national groups tracking extremists as fixtures of the region's white nationalist movement.

One of the men, Jacob Laskey, spent more than a decade in prison for desecrating Eugene's largest synagogue.

Earlier this month, Laskey, who called Sherman "a hero," was sentenced to more than two years for stabbing an acquaintance.

-- Noelle Crombie

503-276-7184

@noellecrombie
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has revived a lawsuit brought by a former Portland resident who alleged the government violated his due process rights by placing him on the no-fly list without notice.

The appeals panel found that a U.S. District Court judge shouldn't have dismissed Yonas Fikre's lawsuit simply because the FBI had removed Fikre from the list while his lawsuit was pending.

Fikre's removal from the no-fly list does not "completely and irrevocably eradicate the effects of the alleged violation(s)," the court wrote.

Fikre, a Muslim American who had lived in Portland until 2009, contends the U.S. government placed him on the no-fly list while he was abroad to coerce him to serve as an FBI informant and provide information on the place where he worshipped, Portland's biggest Sunni mosque.

Brandon Mayfield, who won a $2 million settlement against the FBI after the federal agency wrongly identified him as a suspect in the 2004 Madrid train bombings in a separate case, represented Fikre in the appeal.

Fikre's entanglement with federal authorities began during a trip to Sudan in 2010. He planned to use his experience working for a cellular phone company in the U.S. to distribute and sell consumer electronic products in East Africa.

On April 21, 2010, he received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, asking him to contact embassy officials. The next morning, Fikre went to the embassy and was met by FBI agents from Portland. When Fikre asked to be represented by his Oregon-based lawyer, one of the agents told Fikre he couldn't return to the United States because he was on the no-fly list, according to Fikre's appeal.

Fikre was questioned for several hours about the As-Saber Mosque in Portland, where he attended prayer services, and was asked to be an informant in exchange for "substantial compensation'' and removal from the no-fly list, according to Fikre and his lawyer.

Ultimately, Fikre flew to Sweden, where he sought asylum in 2012.

The FBI maintains the no-fly list of people who cannot fly in, out or over the United States as possible threats to civil aviation or national security, according to the government. The Department of Homeland Security's travelers redress inquiry program allows people to seek a review by the Transportation Security Administration. If appropriate, the TSA can correct the files if it determines a person has been erroneously placed on the list.

Fikre filed his lawsuit against the federal government and the FBI in May 2013. While it was pending, he learned his name had been removed from the no-fly list on May 9, 2016, but he never was told why or what had changed.

The government then successfully argued before U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown in Portland that the matter was moot because the list no longer contained Fikre's name.

But Fikre argued the government never explained to him why his name was placed on the list in the first place, why it suddenly took him off the list years later and if he will stay off the list in the future.

The 9th Circuit found that Fikre's removal appeared to result from a discretionary decision instead of a broad change in agency policy or procedure.

The government also never repudiated the addition of Fikre to the list or why he stayed on it for about five years, the appeals court noted.

"Absent an acknowledgment by the government that its investigation revealed Fikre did not belong on the list, and that he will not be returned to the list based on the currently available evidence, Fikre remains, in his own words, 'stigmatiz(ed) ... as a known or suspected terrorist and as an individual who represents a threat of engaging in or conducting a violent act of terrorism and who is operationally capable of doing so," the appeals court wrote.

Mayfield praised the ruling as a "good, well-supported opinion that upholds due process." He said the appeals court understood that the FBI's pledge not to return Fikre to the list wasn't sufficient.

"The court recognized that the FBI's 'I won't do it again, trust me' pledge isn't good enough when someone's liberty and justice is at stake," Mayfield said.

Fikre, most recently living in Washington state, is now working as a long-haul truck driver.

Lena Masri, litigation director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which assisted in Fikre's case, also applauded the ruling.

"This decision will give Yonas Fikre his day in court to challenge the government's ability to place innocent Americans--people who have not been charged, arrested, or convicted of a terrorism-related offense--on its no-fly list," Masri said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
Cannabliss manager Matthew Price fought Friday to maintain his livelihood, hoping to continue to run the Portland and Eugene medical marijuana dispensaries before and after he serves a seven-month prison sentence for failure to pay income taxes.

As long as the Oregon's U.S. Attorney's office continues to allow marijuana businesses here to operate in compliance with state law, then Price should be allowed to continue his business once he gets out of prison, his attorney Whitney Boise argued.

Cannabliss is one of 548 retail marijuana businesses licensed by the state, Boise said. Boise urged a judge not to impose any supervised release following Price's prison term. Federal supervision would require Price not to violate any federal laws, including possession or sale of marijuana.

"A term of supervised release that disrupts his professional pursuits for a year could be financially and professionally devastating,'' Boise wrote to the court.

Price, 32, failed to pay $262,776 in taxes during a four-year period, from 2011 through 2014, for nearly $1 million in income from the Cannabliss dispensaries. He was ordered to surrender to federal prison on Nov. 1 to begin his sentence.

Prosecutor Seth Uram countered that the law is clear: Price is prohibited from possessing any controlled substances while on supervision, and possession or sale of marijuana remains a federal crime, regardless of the state's legalization.

Uram argued that supervised release is commonly required for those convicted of similar tax crimes, particularly as a way to help an offender resume their life after incarceration. He urged U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman to place Price on one year of supervision following his prison time.

For someone like Price, who has never spent any time in custody and committed his crimes largely due to his "immaturity,'' Uram argued supervised release is necessary and important to help him reintegrate into the community.

Price's lawyer shot back that the supervision would have the opposite effect.

"Almost certainly, if he gets supervision, he will lose his job,'' Boise argued, adding that Price doesn't own any more stock in the company. "You're making it more likely he will have a more difficult time reintegrating into society.''

While Price's case is unusual, Mosman said it's not that extraordinary to warrant eliminating his federal supervised release. The judge, though, limited Price's supervision to one month following his prison term.

Mosman said he considered several factors in reducing the supervised release period: the fact that the crimes are misdemeanors, Price's lack of a criminal history, and no need to monitor him for payments of restitution or an addiction problem.

The judge said he did want a probation officer to make sure that Price has stable housing, is not harmed by his prison experience and is prepared to pursue a crime-free life once he's done with his sentence.

While under supervision after his prison term, Price will be on GPS monitoring and ordered to remain home from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. He also will have to submit to substance abuse testing up to 12 times a month, and won't be able to open new lines of credit without his probation officer's approval.

Price also will be restricted from working at Cannabliss until his Nov. 1 surrender to prison.

Oregon lawmakers approved a medical marijuana dispensary registry system in 2012, regulating an already-robust retail market for medical cannabis. Two years later, Oregon voters said yes to recreational marijuana, allowing anyone 21 and older to possess and grow marijuana and creating a taxed and regulated system for retail sales. Oregon issued its first licenses to recreational cannabis retailers in the fall of 2016.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
An Oregon man is accused of threatening on Twitter to kill 100 YouTube employees if they didn't return his YouTube channel and sending a direct message to the company's chief executive officer, writing, "I'm coming for you today #pray.''

FBI agents arrested William Gregory Douglas, 35, of Cave Junction, outside a convenience store there on Thursday.

William Gregory Douglas

Douglas is being held at the Jackson County Jail in Medford, and is set to make his first appearance in federal court in Medford on Monday.

He's accused of cyberstalking and transmitting threats in interstate commerce to injure another.

The arrest comes five months after a woman upset that YouTube had restricted her videos opened fired at the company's headquarters in San Bruno, Calif., , wounding three before killing herself.

In at least four Twitter posts on Aug. 28, Douglas expressed frustration that YouTube had banned his channel. In each, he used an alias, "LiamXmaiLRevolutionX,'' according to FBI agent Jeffrey M. Gray.

In one, he's accused of writing, "no more warning expect mass casualties.'' In another, he's accused of writing, "Return my channel you low life ...before someone else comes and shoots more of your employees...''

On Sept. 17, Douglas is accused of posting a threatening message on Twitter to @SusanWojcicki, YouTube's chief executive officer, saying he was coming for her, according to a federal complaint. Wojcicki immediately alerted her security detail, the complaint says.

Douglas also allegedly sent an email containing videos in which he ranted about being "shadow-banned'' from YouTube, promised to visit a YouTube campus in Mountainview, Calif., and said he was going to set up a "Revolutionary Donut'' shop on the Redwood highway between Portland and San Francisco, the complaint says.

Google investigations alerted the FBI office in San Francisco in late August. The FBI received screenshots of the Twitter messages, and traced the Twitter user to Douglas in Cave Junction. Authorities did not say why Douglas' YouTube channel was restricted.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
A 53-year-old man who beat, choked and forced his girlfriend to have sex over three days while she was trapped in his trailer on the Umatilla Indian Reservation was sentenced Thursday to more than five years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones called Don Douglas Lovell's crimes "chronic, terrible, unforgivable abuse.''

Jones sentenced Lovell to five years and four months in prison after hearing testimony from the victim, a tribal police officer and an FBI agent. Lovell pleaded guilty to assault and strangulation.

Lovell's former girlfriend described how Lovell held her down by her throat and slammed her in the head with a red heavy-duty Maglite flashlight at least twice.

She said she was afraid if she didn't agree to his demands "the violence was going to get worse."

The sentencing came on the same day that the U.S. Department of Justice announced more than $4.8 million in grants awarded to seven tribes and one tribal commission in Oregon to help combat and investigate domestic violence against Native American women.

The violence greatly exceeds that against any other population of women, with 56 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women experiencing sexual violence and 55 percent having experienced violence by an intimate partner, according to a 2016 report by the National Institute of Justice.

The victim ultimately escaped on Jan. 3 after Lovell left the trailer to go work. She tried to walk in below-freezing temperatures to her brother's home more than 10 miles away. She made it to an off-duty officer's home, who called tribal police.

As she was being treated at a hospital, Lovell called tribal and area police, claiming his girlfriend had roughed him up in a fight, that she had outstanding warrants for her arrest and had stolen his dog, which actually belonged to her.

Abusers like Lovell often use a victim's arrest warrants or their pets as manipulation to keep them from reporting the assaults to law enforcement, FBI agent Alexander White testified. White, who worked out of the FBI's Pendleton office at the time, was the investigator in the case.

The former girlfriend acknowledged that she had a warrant at the time for failure to appear in court on a probation violation stemming from a heroin possession conviction.

Lovell's defense lawyer Alison Clark argued that the woman's injuries didn't rise to the level of "serious bodily injury,'' which would enhance the prison time for her client. The victim didn't suffer a concussion from the flashlight strikes to her head, Clark noted. Lovell also never admitted to committing any sexual assault or abuse, his lawyer said. Clark urged a sentence of three years and five months.

Prosecutor Jennifer Martin countered that the victim required hospitalization and a week later still had a black and swollen right eye, bruises to her head and neck and complained of dizziness.

Lovell's former girlfriend testified that she started "going in and out" after the flashlight attack.

"My head was like mush from this,'' she said. "I had never been hit like that ever.''

The judge concluded the victim suffered serious injuries and the flashlight was used as a dangerous weapon, which enhanced Lovell's sentence. Jones agreed to recommend that Lovell be placed at a federal prison with a medical facility because he has diabetes, Hepatitis C and pulmonary disease.

"Your Honor, I'm very sorry, and please forgive me,'' Lovell told the judge.

"It's not for me to forgive,'' Jones said. "It's for me to give a fair sentence.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
Oregon wildlife officials say this adult female cougar, caught on surveillance video Sept. 14, likely killed Gresham hiker Diana Bober on the Hunchback Trail in Clackamas County. The cougar was killed by authorities also on Sept. 14.

Oregon wildlife officials announced Friday they've ended their search for a cougar suspected of killing a Gresham woman hiking in the Mount Hood National Forest in Welches saying all evidence appears to show they fatally shot the culprit last week.

The female adult cougar killed last Friday was the only mountain lion spotted over a 78-square-mile area where more than 30 cameras were set up on trails and other areas near the Hunchback Trail to find the large cat suspected in the death of 55-year-old Diana Bober, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The cougar was recorded the same day walking through the trail near where Bober was attacked.

Bober, an avid outdoorswoman, was found dead Sept. 10. State officials said her wounds indicated a wild cougar was responsible, the first such reported fatal attack in Oregon history, and were awaiting the results of DNA testing to confirm the animal's involvement. Bober was reported missing by out-of-state relatives on Sept. 7. They said they hadn't heard from her since Aug. 29.

Authorities haven't been able to pinpoint when Bober was attacked. They began installing cameras near where Bober was found on Sept. 12 and kept expanding the area in the hopes of finding the suspected killer cougar.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab in Ashland wasn't able to extract DNA from any of the evidence provided in the case because there was a "significant lag" between when Bober was found and when the attack likely happened, according to Derek Broman, an ODFW carnivore coordinator.

Rainy weather washed away a lot of DNA that also could have been used to determine conclusively if the female cougar killed attacked Bober, Broman said.

"At best case, the DNA that they would be able to obtain would identify cougar but not likely be able to identify an individual cougar," he said.

Wildlife officials haven't found any clear evidence why the attack occurred, according to Broman. At 64.5 pounds, the cougar killed wasn't emaciated, hadn't had kittens in several years and tested negative for rabies and other diseases.

With the cougar killed, wildlife officials said they believe the Hunchback Trail area should be safe for hikers again and will be reopened Monday. But people recreating in the area should be aware of their surroundings and know what to do in the event they encounter a cougar themselves, Broman said.

"We still are certain that these types of events are incredibly rare, however the odds are still there that any time you have cougars and humans something like this can happen," he said.

Oregon has about 6,600 cougars, and they typically travel alone, wildlife authorities said. The state wildlife department receives about 400 complaints a year of cougars injuring livestock or threatening the safety of people or pets, he said.

Bober's death is the second in the Pacific Northwest this year after two mountain bicyclists were attacked in Washington in May, one of them fatally.

Everton Bailey Jr. of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report.

-- Kale Williams

kwilliams@oregonian.com

503-294-4048
Sure, Christy Lynn Woods, 37, may have boosted an ambulance while paramedics performed CPR on an unconscious woman in southern Oregon.

Sure, she then led police officers, sheriff's deputies and state troopers on a high-speed chase up Interstate 5 for nearly 30 miles  ambulance lights flashing the whole way, authorities say.

And yes, she is accused of ramming a cop car off the freeway as her speedometer hit 85 miles an hour.

But, seated and handcuffed in the back of a patrol car Sunday, Woods apparently wanted to know what the fuss was all about.

"I was a good [expletive] driver," she reportedly told Officer Chris Bonebrake, court records filed in Douglas County show. "I didn't try to hurt anyone."

Furthermore, Woods seemed to think the whole thing wasn't her fault.

"Why did they leave it unlocked?" she asked Bonebrake, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the officer.

The wild episode began just before 3:30 p.m., when emergency paramedics rushed to the aid of an unconscious woman at an apartment building on Southeast Jackson Street in downtown Roseburg, court records show.

As the medics attempted to revive the woman, police said Woods  a local with a lengthy and colorful rap sheet  apparently came across their ambulance parked outside on the street.

No bother. Woods decided to fire up the engine and take off, police said.

The medics, who needed to take their patient to the hospital, returned to find their emergency vehicle missing.

Soon after, an Oregon state trooper on patrol attempted to pull Woods over while she cruised around downtown, authorities said.

Instead, the woman pulled onto the freeway, hit the emergency lights and stepped on the gas, documents show.

The ambulance chase was on.

Woods reached speeds of 85 miles an hour as she raced north on I-5, court records allege. At one point, near milepost 130, she rammed a state police cruiser that was driving in front of the ambulance in an attempt to divert traffic, the records say.

The collision sent the cop car careening into the highway's wire median, which shaved the light bar off the top of vehicle completely and shattered the windshield.

"There was so much dirt and debris from the crash that I could not see the roadway for about a second," wrote Bonebrake, who was tailing the suspect.

The trooper inside suffered minor injuries, police said.

Woods drove another 16 miles before officers managed to slash the ambulance's tires with spike strips across the road, police said. She eventually pulled off the freeway and into a gas station, leapt from the ambulance and immediately dropped to the ground.

"I gave up when I should," she informed Bonebrake, who arrested her.

On her way to the Douglas County Jail, Woods seemed truly astonished by the whole string of events.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I just did that," she said, records show.

She was booked on 13 charges, including assault, interfering with an EMT, criminal mischief and reckless driving.

Court records show Woods has had multiple run-ins with the law in recent years. In February, she was convicted of attempting to clobber bar patrons with a bottle at the Idle Hour Tavern, yelling racial slurs and later kicking a police officer.

This time she may have taken things a bit too far, she seemed to concede to Bonebrake.

"Piss," she reportedly said. "I'm going to prison."

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaugh
SALEM  Seeking the return of millions of dollars of forced union fees, 12 Oregon public employees filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the state's three largest public sector unions, a smaller union, and affiliates.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Janus v. AFCME ended a provision in Oregon and 21 other states that compelled public employees to pay "fair share" fees as a condition of their employment, even if they opted out of union membership. The fees are supposed to cover bargaining and contract administration, including handling grievances.

The plaintiff was Illinois public employee Mark Janus, who sued his union in 2015. He contended that the union's non-member fees still supported its political activities in violation of his First Amendment rights.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is handling the Oregon class-action lawsuit and 200 other cases across the country.

The group said the suit, filed Thursday in federal court in Oregon, seeks fees collected in recent years from thousands of public sector employees who left their unions or never joined.

Defendants include the Service Employees International Union; American Federation of State, Local, and Municipal Employees; and the Oregon Education Association.

At least one Oregon public employee has already collected a refund. Debora Nearman, who works for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, had filed a lawsuit in April challenging the mandatory union costs as a condition of her employment. After the Janus decision was issued June 27, SEIU Local 503 moved to settle the case and returned more than two years of fees to Nearman, or $2,959.81.

 The Associated Press
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Friday pointedly questioned the credibility of the woman who has accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were teenagers, contending that she or her parents would have reported the attack to law enforcement at the time if it were as bad as she has said.

Trump's tweet marked a sharp break from the days after the accusation first surfaced, during which he refrained from attacking Christine Blasey Ford, a professor in California, and said she deserved to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Trump said in the tweet, which was his first to mention his Supreme Court nominee's accuser by name.

Trump's comments produced a widespread backlash from Democratic lawmakers and advocates for victims of sexual assault. By Friday afternoon, the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport was trending on Twitter, with thousands of people coming forward to explain their hesitation to contact authorities.

Negotiations remained open Friday afternoon over whether Ford would testify before the Judiciary Committee and under what conditions.

Republican senators on the panel held a conference call late Friday morning to discuss how they should respond to requests made by Ford's lawyers on Thursday.

Republicans were preparing to offer two key requests back to them: that the hearing be held on Wednesday instead of Thursday, as Ford proposed, and that Ford must testify first, according to several Republican officials directly familiar with the call. Ford had asked that Kavanaugh speak first, a major non-starter with Republicans.

As of early Friday afternon, the GOP counteroffer had not been formally relayed to Ford's attorneys or shared with Democrats on the committee, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

Ford, meanwhile, planned to meet with the FBI on Friday afternoon as part of its investigation of death threats she has received since agreeing to come forward with her allegations, her attorney said.

The attorney, Debra Katz, said the FBI contacted Ford with material about the death threats. She agreed to confirm the upcoming meeting after a person with knowledge of the FBI interest contacted the Post.

Katz said she does not expect FBI agents to discuss any details with Ford about the alleged attack by Kavanaugh in the early 1980s.

"This is strictly about the death threats she has been receiving," Katz said.

Ford told The Washington Post in an interview published online Sunday that Kavanaugh drunkenly pinned her to a bed on her back, groped her and put his hand over her mouth to stifle her screams at a house party. The alleged incident occurred while both were students at separate schools in Maryland.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts dont matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Ford said she told no one at the time what had happened to her. She was terrified, she said, that she would be in trouble if her parents realized she had been at a party where teenagers were drinking, and she worried they might figure it out even if she did not tell them.

Amid the firestorm over Trump's tweet, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, predicted Friday that Kavanaugh would soon be confirmed, calling him a "stunningly successful individual."

"You've watched the fight. You've watched the tactics," McConnell said during remarks at the Values Voter Summit, an annual gathering of social conservatives, in Washington. "Here's what I want to tell you: In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court. ... Keep the faith. Don't get rattled by all of this. We're going to plow right through it and do our job."

Over the span of three hours, Trump tweeted several more times about Ford and Kavanaugh from Las Vegas, where he held a political rally on Thursday night and had a couple of events on Friday.

In one tweet, he contended that Kavanaugh is under assault by "radical left-wing politicians" who are not interested in finding the truth about the allegation but instead "just want to destroy and delay."

"Facts don't matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.," said Trump, calling Kavanaugh "a fine man, with an impeccable reputation" as he voiced his mounting frustration with the roiled confirmation process.

The president also took aim at "radical left lawyers" who are seeking to get the FBI to investigate Ford's allegations, saying: "Why didn't someone call the FBI 36 years ago?"

Democrats have called for the FBI to reopen its background-check investigation into Kavanaugh, rather than a criminal probe.

The FBI has said it has no plans to do so unless the White House asks for such an investigation. And a Justice Department spokesman said earlier this week that Ford's allegation "does not involve any potential federal crime."

Katz said Friday that the FBI has not given its reasons for declining so far to investigate the allegation that has put Kavanaugh's nomination in peril.

"We have not gotten any explanation from the FBI," she said.

In another tweet Friday, Trump urged senators to "TAKE THE VOTE" whether Ford agrees to testify or not. And he criticized Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, for not waiting to address a letter she received from Ford in July until after his Kavanaugh's initial hearing before the Judiciary Committee.

The timing, Trump alleged, was "done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay."

Feinstein has said she was honoring Ford's request to remain anonymous until after her named leaked out.

About six dozen women appeared at a news conference in Washington Friday morning to show support for Kavanaugh. Standing under a banner with the hashtag #IStandWithBrett in pink lettering, several of them spoke about their interactions with him over the years and vouched for his character.

One of the women, Meghan McCaleb, said she knew Ford when she was younger, but, "Not well. She was friends of friends." McCaleb said she never recalled being at a party with her.

"She hung with a different crew than we hung with," said McCaleb.

McCaleb said she has known Kavanaugh for 38 years and was close friends with him in high school. The accusations he faces "represent a stark departure from the behavior my friends and I have witnessed for more than four decades," McCaleb said.

Sara Fagen, who led the news conference and worked with Kavanaugh in the George W. Bush administration, called the allegation against him "false." She provided no specific evidence for her claim, beyond arguing it goes against everything she and others know about him.

"The reason that we know that this allegation is false is because we know Brett Kavanaugh," said Fagen. She declined to comment on Trump's Friday tweet about Ford.

Though he did not mention Ford by name, Trump raised questions Thursday about the timing of Ford's allegation in a television interview with Fox News before his appearance at a political rally in Las Vegas.

"Why didn't someone call the FBI 36 years ago?" he asked.

Samantha Guerry, a friend and former classmate of Ford, expressed exasperation at Trump's question during an interview Friday morning with CNN.

"The idea that someone would have told the FBI 36 years ago is ludicrous," she said, noting that many women who are assaulted "are extremely unlikely to tell anyone."

"This is a deeply personal, traumatic experience that has a lot of psychological complexity to it," she said. "Anyone who looks at this thoughtfully will see that women who make these claims are often belittled, told they are mistaken, bullied and shamed."

A 2015 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of current and recent college students found that 88 percent of women who experienced unwanted sexual contact did not tell police or university authorities about the incidents.

This result was the same among women who reported sexual assault by force or threat, as well as those who were incapacitated and unable to give consent.

Trump's contention that Ford should have come forward at the time was harshly criticized by some Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, including Sen. Christopher A. Coons, D-Delaware, who called Trump's tweet "unacceptable and beneath the Presidency of the United States."

Several female senators also took to Twitter to express outrage.

"These comments reflect exactly why it is so hard for survivors of sexual assault to come forward  society has doubted, diminished, and attacked survivors," wrote Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire. "President Trump is part of the problem, carrying out the same painful attacks, trying to shame and marginalize Dr. Ford."

The Washington Post
Authorities are seeking the public's help in finding a 89-year-old Portland woman who has been missing since early Wednesday.

Marcine Herinck left her home in the 1500 block of Northeast 150th Avenue in the morning, and as of Thursday still hasn't been found, according to Portland police. She lives alone and has trouble with her memory, police said.

Herinck is described as 4-foot-10 and 100 pounds and has white hair. It's not clear what Herinck was wearing because no one saw her when she left, but people who know her say she always wears a skirt, police said.

Police ask anyone with information that leads to Herinck being found immediately or anyone that finds her to call 911. Anyone with non-emergency information related to her disappearance is asked to contact Detective Heidi Helwig at 503-823-0797.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
Anthony Torres, the man who was mocked across the Internet for lathering up and shaving on a New Jersey train, says he has gotten several offers for job interviews - including, perhaps fittingly, from New Jersey Transit.

Torres told The Washington Post that he is not able to work because of medical conditions, including pneumonia and a work-related injury from several years ago. But he has been touched by the invitations.

"I fee so happy, I feel like a new man," said Torres, 56.

His turn of fortune has been swift and decisive, as he went from being a homeless man who was a laughingstock last week to today having more than $38,000 in donations from GoFundMe - and the roaring support of the Internet, which felt a collective shame for briefly kicking a man when he was down.

"Before, I was scared to show my face," he said.

New Jersey Transit declined to confirm the offer to interview Torres for a job, saying, "We don't comment on prospective employees."

In the weeks before that train ride, Torres said, he slept in homeless shelters and beneath bridges. He was mugged and scared. He phoned one of his brothers for help, and the brother sent Torres money for a train ticket to visit another brother.

On the New Jersey Transit train out of Penn Station, Torres said, he felt hungry, dirty and downtrodden. He wanted to clean up to look presentable for his brother's family. So he pulled out his razor on the train.

Another passenger on the train took a video of Torres shaving and posted it to social media, where it was viewed more than three million times in the first few days. The reaction was quick, with tens of thousands of negative comments, many of them unsparing. People called him gross, an animal and worse.

When a niece showed Torres the video, he was embarrassed. He told his family he'd never ride a train again.

But then the tide started to turn. People started defending him and telling the haters to back away. Soon, there were more people sticking up for him than shaming him. Jordan Uhl of Washington, District of Columbia, started the GoFundMe page that raised more than $38,000 for Torres in two days.

Torres welcomes the help and says he's glad he's no longer being publicly ridiculed.

"Now people know the real story," he said.

-- Allison Klein, The Washington Post
Hundreds of balloons bearing messages of love and devotion floated up into the sky on that crisp summer morning.

"Bye, Bill," said Kay G. Main, watching the multicolored balloons drift away. "Bye, honey."

The solemn ceremony at Portland's Veterans Medical Center took place on July 20, 1984, when National POW/MIA Day was still a new commemoration. Main's late husband, William F. Main, had been a prisoner of war during World War II.

"He went through hell and back," Kay Main said that day 34 years ago.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day now falls on the third Friday in September every year and has become a fixture on the calendars of military personnel and those who support them. The message remains the same: "You are not forgotten," a call out of love and support for the families of service members who remain missing in action.

The day also commemorates prisoners of war, who "selflessly served our country, making tremendous sacrifices to defend our liberty," stated the White House on Thursday. "On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we honor all American prisoners of war and express our deep gratitude for the courage and determination they exemplified while enduring terrible hardships."

Americans such as John McCain, the longtime U.S. senator from Arizona who died August 25 at 81. McCain, a Navy flier, famously endured more than five years of torture and deprivation as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam conflict. Americans such as Pendleton native Paul G. Graham, who died Sept. 7 at 98. Graham was a prisoner of war for more than three years during World War II.

There have been persistent misperceptions about POWs over the years, misperceptions that are finally being lost to time and increased awareness.

"Some say, 'POW? Don't you feel a little ashamed?'" Bend's Richard R. Caldwell, a prisoner of war during World War II, said in 1988. "I say, 'No. We feel right proud!' ''

Caldwell, who was a gunnery sergeant, had it right. America's prisoners of war have always represented -- and lived -- the highest of American values: courage, sacrifice, determination, love of country.

McCain, because he was the son of a prominent admiral, was singled out during his captivity for "special attention" -- meaning especially brutal treatment in hopes of making him break and publicly denounce the U.S. war effort.

"I was finding that prayer helped," he later said of his time in solitary confinement, his broken bones left untreated. "It wasn't a question of asking for superhuman strength or for God to strike the North Vietnamese dead. It was asking for moral and physical courage, for guidance and wisdom to do the right thing."

Like so many of his fellow POWs, he received that guidance and exhibited great courage, for all Americans.

-- Douglas Perry
Attorney General Bill Schuette has opened an investigation into all seven Michigan Catholic dioceses citing a "full and complete investigation of what happened with the Catholic Church is required."

A Schuette spokesperson told The Associated Press the investigation was prompted by a recent grand jury report in Pennsylvania that said an estimated 300 Roman Catholic priests there molested more than 1,000 children since the 1940s.

Schuette is asking people who might have information on alleged sexual abuse or coverup to contact his investigation hotline at 844-324-3374 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or send information by email through the website, https://www.michigan.gov People can remain anonymous.

"My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when," Schuette stated on the Michigan Department of Attorney General website.

The Catholic Diocese issued a statement Friday afternoon stating, "The Diocese of Saginaw stands ready to fully cooperate with the Michigan Attorney General's investigation of the seven Catholic dioceses in Michigan. While the Diocese is confident the policies and procedures it has put in place and carefully followed for over 15 years are effective, it welcomes the opportunity to work with law enforcement authorities to determine if there is more it can do to protect children."

Five former priests, including three with local connections, were removed from ministry because of credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors, it was announced by the Diocese of Saginaw in April. They are: John E. Hammer (former priest, associate pastor, Blessed Sacrament, 1991-1995); Jack E. Leipert (former priest, temporary administrator St. Philip Neri, Coleman, and St. Anne, Edenville, 1978, and Sacred Heart, Bad Axe, 1990-2001) and Leonard F. Wilkuski (former priest, assistant pastor, St. Brigid of Kildare, Midland, 1963-1965 and pastor, 1990-1999)

In addition, two priests are currently on administrative leave related to allegations under investigation, according to the diocese. They are: Robert J. DeLand and Ronald J. Dombrowski

WXYZ reports the investigation, which opened in August, includes religious order priests who have worked in Michigan and will include any allegations related to the coverup of sexual abuse or assault.

Many states have taken similar steps in opening investigations.

In a letter to WOOD-TV, Schuette's office says it's investigating allegations that could go back to 1950, including any coverup by church officials.

Schuette, a resident of Midland, is a Republican candidate for governor.

The Archdiocese of Detroit says it welcomes the investigation. It says it has worked closely with authorities since 2002.
When the Gladwin County Animal Shelter was at part-time capacity, officer Jim Maveal and assistant officer Krystal Moore used their own time to ensure the animals were cared for -- their dedication was noted and recently earned the facility "2018 Shelter of the Year."

"It was an honor to be recognized by our peers," Maveal said.

The award was presented by the Michigan Association of Animal Control Officers. The Gladwin shelter was nominated by Rudi Hicks and Bob Dodson at the Clare County Animal Shelter.

"A lot of it has to do with last year," Maveal said, of the time prior to the passing of the animal control millage. "It got so bad last year, that we were cleaning and doing things on our own time."

Maveal was working 24 hours a week and Moore was clocking in 12. The pair didn't want to see the animals suffer, so they resorted to working many hours off the clock.

"Gladwin Animal Shelter is an older, small shelter, with very limited space to hold many animals," Hicks said of the nomination. "They are constantly fighting to get homes for the many animals they received, in order to make room.

"Last year, they fought a huge battle to stay open (against the odds), and with a very limited budget and no staff they continued to have a great adoption rate and the shelter was clean," Hicks added.

Hicks said Moore and Maveal are "as dedicated as they come."

Beaverton resident Pam Cingano deems the two officers an asset to the community.

Moore said she is also grateful for the honor and said she is further grateful to the community. The two officers said they were recently down to three bags of dog food. Moore posted the need on Facebook and now they have 23.

"The community has been very good and supportive of what the animals need," Moore said.

In addition, an anonymous donor is paying the adoption fee for all cats adopted through the end of September and for Mama, a 7-year-old pit bull mix. Mama is described as calm, doesn't bark, is spayed and housebroken.

For more information about the Gladwin County Animal Shelter, call 989-426-4579 or visit https://www.facebook.com/GladwinAnimalShelter.
In this series, The Gambit, Entrepreneur associate editor Hayden Field explores extraordinary risk, speaking with successful people about how they overcame unusual obstacles to found a company or switched industries entirely in a "career 180."

Mark Greene started his path to the Air Force during a time of peace, but when the 22-year-old graduated, he was sent almost immediately to Afghanistan.

I was the class that graduated right after the towers came down, Greene said. It was a really strange time to start a career as a military pilot.

The new fighter pilot had just completed a training program in Mississippi, and he began his first day as a second lieutenant -- outranking 85 percent of the military. Greene said he remembers 19-year-old Marines being shot by snipers or running from roadside bombs, and from the air, it was Greenes job to listen to what was happening on the ground and then respond accordingly.

Image credit: Alec Lloyd

[There was] really no air battle in these fights -- it was more protecting people on the ground, he said.

Whenever he returned home, Greene would hear news reports mention dead Americans in Mosul and other cities. He could imagine those places. It was difficult to come home, but Greene said it was also tough to go back. By 2008, he was spending as many as 220 days a year overseas.

In the following years, Greene went on to fly about 170 combat missions. However he felt about the war itself, he enjoyed the mission aspect of his job: responding to the needs of struggling U.S. soldiers.

Later, hed apply that same mission-oriented thinking to something else entirely: creating new financial tools for struggling consumers across America.

Image credit: Alec Lloyd

Greene is the director of SafetyNet, an innovation lab thats part of CUNA Mutual Group, a nationwide insurance company. The innovation labs ultimate goal is what sets it apart: Listen to the needs of millions of Americans struggling through financial hardship -- people that banks and credit unions may not view as first-priority customers -- and create entirely new financial tools for them. Heres his story.

The Itch

Greenes family is staggering in number. His father is the youngest of 14 siblings, while his mother is the youngest of five -- yielding hundreds (yes, hundreds) of cousins. Relatives of all ages riddle Greenes childhood memories. His family members future trajectories would vary as much as their personalities -- some found great success, others struggled with personal finance and still others, as he put it, ended up on the wrong side of law.

Greenes parents didnt often discuss money, but he remembers seeing them struggle -- there were hints, he said, that the family wasnt necessarily on secure financial footing. One memory in particular sticks with Greene, and it would go on to shape how he thinks about service and gratitude. When, at age 10 or 11, he had his heart set on the newest pair of Nike shoes, his father presented him with a pair by a brand Greene had never heard of. He recalls that his reaction -- upset and ungrateful -- hurt his father deeply.

Thats something that affected me my whole life, Greene said. He recalled thinking, I have to change this. From that point forward, he had a renewed resolve to help people struggling in any difficult situation.

The Detour

After the financial crisis hit in 2008, the government decided to consolidate military bases, and Greenes squadron was discontinued. He had a choice: Either relocate to Germany or do something else. Greene decided to apply to law school with the goal of eventually prosecuting war crimes -- after all, hed learned about law by studying the laws of war as a pilot. At the same time, one weekend a month, he flew training missions for the Air National Guard.

Greenes first class in law school, Contracts 1, changed his career trajectory. One day in class, he read about a costly dispute that could have been avoided if the defendants had organized their business differently from the get-go. Since Greene had been trained as an engineer, he was naturally interested in how things are built and put together. Because of that, he said, learning about the structure of businesses blew [his] mind.

Image credit: SafetyNet

Studying how a contract is written kind of changes the way you think about how everything is structured, he said. That was the first moment where I saw the power of business.

The class didnt only teach Greene about long-term business structure -- it also taught him that companies could effectively boost their efficiency by listening to direct feedback from consumers. Through his time in the military, Greene had learned that on the government side, that feedback loop -- connecting directly to the people -- was exceedingly convoluted.

The idea of listening to customers to inform a businesss foundation would come into play sooner than Greene realized. Post-graduation, he snagged a job at Merrill Lynch in Madison, Wis., but his affluent client base -- and a report on the states racial disparity -- sparked new resolve in Greene. He felt he could be doing much more to help a larger cross-section of consumers on the ground.

The Leap

One day in 2016, Greene met with Dan Kaiser, an executive at CUNA Mutual Group. Kaiser wanted to talk through ideas about different financial solutions Greene wished existed. Kaiser was helping to develop an innovation lab, he said, to focus on solutions for consumers personal finance issues, and it was being kept largely under wraps. The project was spurred by a Federal Reserve report citing figures that close to half of Americans would be unable to come up with $400 in an emergency -- and that a greater number of individuals than that didnt have $1,000 in savings.

After ordering coffee, the men talked about how insurance could be flipped on its head to help struggling people with immediate cash flow needs or insure their savings accounts. But Greene didnt realize he was interviewing for a job until he received a game-changing phone call that same week. Were building a team, he recalled hearing from an executive on the other end. Greene accepted the offer and joined the innovation lab as soon as it launched.

On Greenes first day as director of SafetyNet, he said he met the team and read the mission statement on the wall: Improve the financial well-being of millions of hard-working people by developing innovative financial solutions that help individuals manage unexpected cash flow, bill payment and savings challenges.

Members of the team were tasked with thinking of creative ways to solve enduring financial problems, and Greene soon discovered he would embark on a nine-month venture to talk with 7,000 consumers in states including Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Illinois about the tools they wished they had to take control of their money. Greene said he didnt believe the statistics that Trunzo had cited in their coffee meeting until his eight-person team began speaking with consumers across the country.

The Breaking Point

On April 11, 2016, Greene sat in a Hilton hotel in Madison, Wis. He was waiting to speak with a woman named Chelsea about her money struggles as part of SafetyNets new venture. Chelsea had called earlier in the day to cancel the interview, but she eventually changed her mind and finally walked into the Hilton around 5:30 p.m.

Greene listened as Chelsea explained how hopeless she felt -- that she avoided almost all contact with her financial institutions, including opening mail, and that managing her money paycheck to paycheck had become almost a traumatic experience. She said the money that she owed family members had driven a rift between them, and though she wished she could take control of her financial life, she didnt know where to begin.

Image credit: SafetyNet

Chelsea shivered as she talked, and as she unloaded more and more of her story, she became more emotional. Her pain was so great that Greene felt like he was speaking with a victim of domestic violence. All he could think to do was offer her a glass of water -- and listen.

I left that conversation with the feeling that that relationship that she had with her finances and financial institution was abusive, he said. When he imagined Chelsea representing millions of people in the U.S., Greene said he knew he had to work to change the way people interact with the financial institutions that should be serving them.

The photos of the consumers Greene and his team spoke with ended up in neat rows on the wall of SafetyNets primary meeting room. Every time the team meets to discuss an issue, theyre under the watchful eye of the people who were honest enough to share their money woes with a company they believed may be able to help them.

The Next Step

After 7,000 conversations with consumers, Greene started brainstorming solutions he and his team could build -- including layoff insurance for people without emergency savings.

This year, Greenes team is building 25 different products to meet the needs of financially strapped Americans, including an employer-match savings account product, a type of insurance aiming to protect people from eviction, a new type of peer-to-peer lending platform and even pet insurance. The conversation Greene had with Chelsea in April 2016 inspired SafetyNet to develop a new type of budgeting app, and Chelsea is currently beta testing it.

By the end of 2017, SafetyNet was growing at a rate of more than 8 percent week over week -- primarily via word of mouth, Greene said, and without using insurance agents. The company now operates in 10 states.

What we want to be, Greene said, "is a company that understands our consumers better than anyone."

Related:

This Military Pilot Pivoted From Fighting Wars to Creating Financial Tools for Struggling Americans

From Totally Broke to Multimillionaire: How Jen Sincero Pivoted from Rock Star to Bestselling Self-Help Author and Success Coach

How the Founder of Pressed Juicery Turned $30,000 Into a Projected $75 Million Company



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Third-graders from St. Brigid Catholic School spent their recess and lunch hour at the Midland Area Farmers Market on Wednesday, where they had lunch with Riverside Place residents 10 times their age.

The students and seniors are generations apart, but started a relationship meant to span at least the rest of the academic year over local fare.

Sandra Goik said her class was excited to meet their Riverside Place resident they will be paired up with this school year as part of a new program called Increasing Intergenerational Connections.

I thought it was a good opportunity for the students, Goik said. It allows them to learn from someone older than them and its great that its just a few blocks away.

About 10 residents from Riverside Place were paired up with two students each from Goiks class. They shared food sourced from vendors at the market and got to meet each other over conversation, icebreakers and educational activities about healthy eating, budgeting and local food grown in Michigan.

Goiks class and their Riverside partners will keep in contact throughout the school year and meet in person four more times, meeting back at the market for the last meeting of the school year in May 2019.

The Increasing Intergenerational Connections program was created by Next Chapter Communications President Jennifer Sigsworth and Emily Lyons of the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce, who also manages the farmers market. Lyons and Sigsworth were among a group of Midland community leaders who took part in a Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology program and used the program as their capstone project for the class.

We wanted to do something to bring together youth and elderly, Lyons said. Its needed. With the farmers market being so close, it worked out. Everyone has to eat.

Studies have shown fostering intergenerational relationships is beneficial for both young people and seniors, which was one of the main reasons for the program.

The program is supported financially by Next Chapter Communications and MidMichigan Health. Food for the Wednesday lunch came from an array of farmers market vendors, including a donation from Barry Creek Farms. Extra food was donated to the Open Door of Midland.

Elias Young, 8, was smiling widely as he waited for his partner from Riverside to sit down and eat with him.

I am excited to be with someone I have things in common with, Young said. We both like reading.

For Joan C. Miller, 90, of Riverside Place, the program was a good opportunity for her to connect with young people because her grandchildren live far away, she said.

The program is good for Riverside, because its creating longer term connections with a young age group, said Rene Johnson Riverside Place activity director.

If it is successful in its first year, hopefully other nearby schools will participate in the future, Sigsworth said.

We wanted it to be fun, and get them thinking, Sigsworth said. Wed love to do it again next year.
To the editor:

Who draws the legislative district lines in Michigan? It has been politicians with the influence of lobbyists and big money. It has caused Michigan to be one of the worst gerrymandered states in the U.S. That process has been done without accountability or transparency. It has been a back room process to advantage politicians and big money.

There is a remedy for this unfair way of drawing district lines. On Nov. 6 voters will be able to vote yes on Proposal 2. Voters have the chance to shift the process away from politicians, lobbyists, and big money and put it in the hands of a commission of citizens. A yes vote on ballot Proposal 2 will be the end of drawing the lines based primarily on political advantage.

It is a whole new ballgame geared towards making the process fair, impartial and transparent. The transparency part is that the commission will have hearings around the state where public input will be heard. This will be done before the legislative lines are finalized. What a difference from the current process.

It is expected that big money and politicians will come at this proposal with all they have, but you the voter can have your voice heard. Vote yes on Proposal 2.

EILEEN GREW

Midland
To the editor:

I am a firm believer that our historic places matter and that it is our duty to save them for future generations.

By restoring the state historic preservation tax credit, the Michigan Legislature has the chance to make a small financial investment in our states future that will pay huge dividends.

Preservation matters, not only because it saves our architectural treasures, but because it generates a serious boost for the economy. For every $1 the state put into the tax credit, Michigan saw $11 in economic impact. Nevertheless, the historic preservation tax credit, which was a crucial part of restoration projects everywhere from Detroit to Menominee, was phased out along with other tax credits in 2011  victims of the States ongoing budget crisis. Michigan is now one of only 12 states that does not offer tax credits to help save historic properties.

Not only that, unlike the federal tax credit, Michigans historic preservation tax credit can be used on residential properties like homes, helping to keep our states gorgeous neighborhoods intact.

Please join me in urging our legislators and Gov. Rick Snyder to support Senate Bill 469 and House Bill 5178.

JENIFER ACOSTA

Midland
To the editor:

Over the last several months, Christopher Graveline has attempted to qualify as an independent candidate for Michigan attorney general. Graveline is running as a political moderate who wants a non-partisan approach brought to the Attorney General's Office. As part of that effort, he attempted to submit petitions containing about 14,157 signatures to the secretary of state. The secretary refused to accept the petitions because they failed to meet the statutory minimum 30,000 signatures.

Graveline along with the three undersigned persons filed a lawsuit in Detroits U.S. federal district court alleging that several provisions of Michigans election laws violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution. On Aug. 27, federal Judge Victoria Roberts granted a temporary injunction and ordered that will place him on the ballot.

The ruling was based on the courts finding Michigans election laws created an unconstitutional deprivation of Gravelines right to run as an independent and our rights as voters to have a choice beyond the candidates nominated by political parties.

This ruling is a victory for all citizens. The voters will now be able to have a choice other than the candidates nominated by, and beholden to, the traditional political parties. In recent years, as a result of the monopoly of the political parties and the creation of term limits, the Attorney Generals Office has become increasingly an office devoted in too many instances to partisan politics designed to pave the way for the attorney general to run for governor. We believe that it is essential for the citizens of Michigan to have the opportunity to break that cycle by having the choice of a highly qualified independent candidate who owes no allegiance to a party but only to the rule of law.

Roberts has given the people this opportunity and we are honored to have been part of this process.

WILLARD H. JOHNSON

Chelsea

MICHAEL LEIBSON

Southfield

KELLIE K. DEMING

Auburn
The New York Times has published a story that cites anonymous sources who claim that in the chaos after President Trump fired James Comey last May, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussed secretly taping the president and possibly invoking the 25th Amendment. Rosenstein denied the accusations in a statement:

The New York Timess story is inaccurate and factually incorrect. I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.

The upshot of the article: The sources, all of which are all second-hand, are furthering the nonsensical but insidious narrative of a deep state coup of Trump. The article presents this insanity almost blithely, and lacks critical context.

If the Times truly wanted their readers to fully understand this story, then the writer, Mike Schmidt, would have cited a source for every claim, but he doesnt. We have no way of knowing whether the facts here are accurate  they might well be  but I do know the article, presumably approved at multiple editorial layers, was irresponsibly shaped and deprived of important context. And considering the above takeaway  that the man who chose Robert Mueller is complicit in a conspiracy to overthrow the President  that level of neglect is dangerous.

But a follow-up anonymously sourced article from the Washington Post complicates this narrative, and puts Rosenstein in a more favorable light, implying his comments about wearing a wire were clearly sarcastic and in response to FBI Director Andrew McCabes suggestion to launch an investigation into the President. Both, without context, leave Rosenstein alone on the 25th Amendment issue, and both also imply a deep state conspiracy.

But in order to fully analyze what weve read, we need to dig out what these pieces dont give us. So ask two questions:

1. Who benefits from these stories?

2. Why did they leak now?

I mean, the answer is clearly Trump. The NYT article paints Rosenstein as a rogue agent deep in the DOJ who wants to sabotage the President. This bolsters the Trump teams (including propagandists at Fox News) insane deep state conspiracy narrative. In terms of divining attribution, its also worth noting Trump just said in an interview that he should have fired Comey much earlier, including, idiotically, after the primaries. The leak could have been planned for a while.

As for the meat of the NYT piece, Schmidt quotes sources (all second-hand) saying that in the days after Comeys firing Rosenstein was behaving erratically. Schmidt doesnt question or complicate this assertion, and he also fails to mention that in the days following Comeys firing all of Washington was behaving erratically. And though he reports (in non-sourced statements, as if of fact) that Rosenstein suggested taping the President, he fails to mention that in these same weeks Trump himself suggested he had secretly taped Comey.

Schmidts second-hand sources also say Rosenstein suggested to DOJ officials he could convince Jeff Sessions and John Kelly to build a movement to invoke the 25th amendment, a recondite constitutional mechanism for removing a President deemed unfit for office. The sources dont suggest anyone else was floating this idea, and the article neglects to allude in some way to the many, many accounts from many, many government officials (books from Woodward, Omarosa, and Wolff; the anonymous NYT op-ed; Rex Tillerson calling Trump a f*cking moron; dozens and dozens of articles quoting officials as questioning Trumps mental health, basic compassion, and intelligence; etc) so the article leaves Rosenstein out alone on this branch, reinforcing the image of a rogue agent.

The 25th amendment detail  and sole focus on Rosenstein  helps the White House in another way. The Trump administration has been desperate to find someone to take the fall for the recent anonymous NYT op-ed, and though no one in this article accuses Rosenstein of being the author, the connection is easy to make. But to be clear: Theres no indication Rosenstein wrote the op-ed. In fact, the idea he believed he could convince Sessions and Kelly suggest a broad circle of high-ranking suspects.

Finally, it seems undeniable that Rosenstein would be a witness in an obstruction of justice investigation. This is a much more palatable reason for Congressional representatives to call for, or support calls for, his recusal. Should Trump fire Rosentein, or Rosenstein recuse, he would be replaced by Solicitor General Noel Francisco  or perhaps by someone else of Trumps choosing already confirmed by the Senate, though that process hasnt been tested.

Finally, we have the only primary sources themselves: The memos from McCabe. The NYT doesnt offer those memos and its unclear who in their news team might have seen them, if they saw them at all. Copies of memos, according to McCabes lawyer, went two places: To Muellers team, and to the FBI. McCabe doesnt know how they got to the media, but a) Mueller doesnt leak; b) its nonsensical for them to leak this; and c) members of the Trump team, such as Rudy Giuliani, have contacts within the FBI.

At any rate, its obvious that the Trump team is launching a new and forceful campaign to beef up the deep state conspiracy and subsequently discredit the Mueller investigation. However, if theyve had this information on hand for over a year, why put it out there now?

On Thursday we learned that Michael Cohen has offered Robert Mueller help with every aspect of his investigation into Trump: financial dealings; hush money payments; the Trump Organization; the Trump Foundation; conspiracy with Russia; etc etc etc. We can also expect another round of indictments from Mueller to drop soon. Its clear the noose is tightening on Trump and his inner circle. Trump faces, as he always has, an existential choice: Get indicted, or stop the investigation. Though it might seem extreme and politically stupid to fire Rosenstein, he needs to stop or slow the investigation somehow.

Of course we also have the mounting scandal about SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the allegations against him of sexual assault. Trump would want those out of the headlines, but this seems much too broad to be simply a distraction.

We should also apply the why now question to the Washington Posts follow-up, because that piece  which unlike the NYT cites first-hand sources  paints a competing picture. It reads like a rebuttal from DOJ  including possibly Rosenstein himself  and seems an attempt to clear the Deputy Attorney General of the allegations he wanted to record Trump. The sources for that article (who were in the meeting in question) say Rosensteins comment about wearing a wire was not only indisputably sarcastic, it was made in response to McCabes suggestion to investigate the President. (The headline, however, doesnt include the complicating context.)

But like the NYT, the WaPo piece doesnt contextualize the claim that Rosenstein wanted to invoke the 25th. It does, however, mention that contemporaneous memos didnt include that detail. And again, remember the NYT piece didnt cite first-hand sources there.

The big question is what happens next. None of the WaPo reporting throws water on what was almost certainly the Trump teams intentions from the NYT leak, which is that theres a silent deep-state coup against the President. We can in the coming hours expect Trump to rant about this. But will he take it further and fire Rosenstein?

It might hurt Republicans in the midterms, and if they lose the Senate its a certainty that Trump will be removed from office. But on the other hand, Rosenstein isnt really a household name, and because hes a layer removed from both of the big players in the DOJs investigation  Mueller and Sessions  the public might not react viscerally to an attempt to force him to recuse or to fire him outright. But even if Trump replaces Rosenstein, and even if he tries to shut down or restrict the Mueller investigation, it will probably do no good. Mueller has handed down dozens of indictments, and along with reams of evidence were still unaware of, he also has the cooperation of key players in the conspiracy, including Michael Cohen, Robert Gates, and Mike Flynn. (Flynns sentencing was once again delayed, indicating Mueller probably still wants his help  perhaps with corroborating Cohens claims.)

Its not clear whether anything can save Trump now aside from a full-blown constitutional chaos and the threat of widespread political unrest and violence. Thats not out of the question, but whether Trump truly has the pathological degree of amoral, zero-sum selfishness  and more basically, whether the known coward has the courage  still isnt a surety.

Still, should Mueller hand down more indictments  especially about obstruction of justice, to which Rosenstein is a witness  Rod Rosenstein will be the one to announce them on camera to the American people. Dont be fooled: The coup is coming from the top.

Beyond that, though, the New York Times has a lot of explaining to do. Schmidt knows who this comes from and why they want him to run it. He knows what the agenda is here, and he has a professional duty to neutralize it. Bottom line: Trumps team wanted Schmidt to isolate Rosenstein, and thats exactly what he did.
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
The average person builds a website so they can share their thoughts online, promote interesting hobbies, or sell a few items. If this describes you, a shared server is a well-balanced investment in terms of cost and power. However, businesses and other large organizations demand the hosting flexibility and reliability that only comes from dedicated servers.

What Is a Dedicated Web Hosting Server?

Launching a business-focused website is not a simple task, as you must build your online destination with commerce, search engine optimization, security, and other factors in mind. For a rock-solid website foundation that can withstand high traffic volumes and let you install your own scripts, however, a dedicated server is an easy choiceif you can afford one.

Unlike a shared server, which powers multiple sites, a dedicated server hosts just one site. Website stability and reliability are the twin benefits of investing in a dedicated serveryour site leverages a server's full CPU, RAM, and storage resources, as it doesn't share them with other sites. You shouldn't underestimate the importance of these benefits in terms of site speed and reliability.

Building your website on a shared server means that your pages may be affected by a neighboring site that devours too many server resources. For example, if that site receives a huge spike in traffic, your pages might load slowlyor not at all. Investing in a dedicated server greatly reduces this potential problem, plus it gives system administrators greater control over the apps and scripts that they can install on the server, too. Shared hosting is far more limited when it comes to what you're allowed to do, because everything you do could potentially affect the other sites with which you share the server. When you've got the server all to yourself, your scripts and apps won't impinge on anyone else's bandwidth or RAM.

How Much Does Dedicated Hosting Cost?

Dedicated servers sound pretty great, right? They are. That said, you should be aware of their relatively high prices. Setting up shop on a dedicated server will likely cost you more than $100 per month; shared servers, on the other hand, are far less expensive. The cheapest web hosting services will lease you space on the web for well under $10 per month. In addition, you'll need to handle firewalls and maintenance yourself unless you opt for a managed server, which costs even more.

Dedicated web hosting isn't cheap, so you should only consider it if you need that level of server power. If you plan to create a personal blog or a business website that does little more than list your location and hours of operation, shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting, or VPS hosting are sufficientand more wallet-friendlyoptions.

You can save a nice chunk of money if you sign up for a year or more of dedicated hosting at a time. For example, you can rent a GoDaddy dedicated server for $129 per month, but if you commit to a 12-month contract, the price drops to $79.99 per month. Chances are, if you're serious enough about your site that you think it needs a dedicated host, you're probably planning for it to be up for a year. Of course, that's where the money-back guarantees come in, and some sites definitely offer more than others in that regard, so do your research. All our web-hosting reviews cover these guarantees. Please note that dedicated servers featuring Linux as their operating systems are often $20 cheaper than their Windows-based counterparts.

The Dedicated Hosting Features You'll Need

A cursory glance at the many web hosting services we've listed here reveals many similar-looking offerings, but the discerning eye will identify some subtle differences. You'll want a dedicated server with significant amounts of disk spacepreferably 1TB or morefor storing files. You can typically choose either a traditional hard drive or a solid-state drive as your website's storage medium. There's a trade-off, however. Solid-state drives are often faster and more reliable than HDDs, but they cost more money and have smaller storage capacities. Traditional hard drives, on the other hand, have large capacities and lower prices but aren't quite as resilient as their SSD counterparts. Unless you truly need blazingly fast storage, a traditional hard drive will get the job done.

Ample RAM (5GB or more), e-commerce options for selling products, 24/7 customer service, and unlimited monthly data transfers are highly sought-after features, too. Many web hosts cap their dedicated monthly data transfer offerings at 16GB, which is probably fine for most users. Some web hosts offer unlimited monthly data transfers, but they are few and far between, and you need to read the terms of service very carefully to understand just what "unlimited" means to the host in question. In addition, companies that offer dedicated web hosting typically offer daily backups, security options, and malware detection and removalall very important factors in your website's day-to-day operation.

Additionally, you'll want a web hosting service that offers Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) if you plan to sell products. Here's why: An SSL connection encrypts the data that travels between your site and users' web browsers, thus safeguarding the transmission of purchasing information. You've probably seen a green padlock in your web browser's address bar while logging into your online bank account or making online purchases. It's a symbol of trust. Some companies include a free SSL certificate when you sign up for a hosting plan, while others charge close to $100. You can save some money by shopping around for the services that offer the cheapest SSL plans.

You'll also want to consider how long you'll need dedicated web hosting. If it's a short-term projectsay, less than a month or twoyou'll typically receive a refund should you cancel your hosting within 60 days. Some companies offer 30-day money-back guarantees, while others offer 90-day money-back guarantees. Once again, it's beneficial to do your homework.

Uptime, Downtime

All the aforementioned features are valuable to the Web hosting experience, but none matches the importance of site uptime. If your site is down, clients or customers will be unable to find you or access your products or services.

Recently, we've added more formal uptime monitoring to our review process, and the results show that most Web hosts do an excellent job of keeping sites up and running. If they don't, they suffer for it in our scoring. Even if they get everything else right, sites with uptime problems aren't eligible for high scores. All services suffer ups and downs, sometimes for reasons beyond their control. Those sites that fail to address the problem are penalized accordingly.

Worth the Investment

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If you're just getting started with web hosting, make sure to check out 5 Factors You Need To Consider Before Choosing a Web Host, 10 Easy But Powerful SEO Tips to Boost Traffic to Your Website, and Linux vs. Windows: How to Pick the Best Server OS for Your Website.
A Carlisle student has finally met her famous prom date.

Aspiring filmmaker and former Carlisle High School student Allison Closs drew a lot of attention when she showed up to her senior prom with a cardboard cutout of Danny DeVito in May.

Closs admitted at the time that she was hoping the stunt would somehow lead to her meeting the actor in real life.

Instead, DeVito -- star of films and series such as "Taxi," "Romancing the Stone," "Matilda," "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest" and "The Lorax" -- took photographs of himself with a cardboard cutout of Allison on the set of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

It seemed the humorous gesture had come full circle ... until Closs was invited out to Los Angeles to appear on an episode of CBS's "The Talk" for her viral prom maneuver.

That's when Closs was surprised by an appearance by DeVito himself, finally fulfilling her master plan.

We're not sure what the next move is in this escalating series of appearances. Maybe DeVito will crash her wedding someday? Or next time they meet, they can both bring their cardboard cutouts of each other? Whatever it is, we're here for it.

Closs isn't the first high school student to interact with the cast of "It's Always Sunny." In 2016, when Bishop McDevitt student Aniya Wolf was banned from her prom for wearing a tux, she was invited by the cast to come to the set by actor Rob McElhenney.
Hershey at Homeschool Day for home-schooled students will be held 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 17 at The Hershey Story Museum, 63 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey.

The theme is "All Things Hershey."

Students participate in last year's Hershey at Homeschool Day. This year's program will be held on Oct. 17, 2018.

Home-schoolers can learn about Milton Hershey, the town of Hershey, Pa. and the town of Hershey, Cuba. Students also will visit the Chocolate Lab to learn about cacao beans, where they are grown and how they are made into Hershey's Chocolate. Students also will have the opportunity to make their own candy bar. Also included is a scavenger hunt in the museum's galleries.

Cost is $10 per person for ages 3 and older. Registration is needed by Oct. 15 by going to hersheystory.org.

For more information, send an email to kaday@hersheystory.org or call 717-520-5588.
Three students at Cedar Crest High School are facing charges after being found with marijuana on school grounds, South Lebanon Township police reported Friday.

School officials contacted police after finding the drug on the pupils Tuesday, investigators said.

The students, two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old, were charged as juveniles with drug possession and released to their parents, police said.
district said.

Lower Paxton Township Police were called immediately and they made contact with the student and guardian at a residence, the district said. Police learned the gun in the photo was a bb gun.

The district will work with the Lower Paxton Township Police throughout their investigation, and will take disciplinary action against the student in accordance with the district's code of conduct, the district said.

"The safety of our students and staff is of the utmost importance," the district said. "As a reminder, we encourage parents and students to report any threatening social media posts to their building principal(s)."
Edward Printup, once of Harrisburg but for 37 years a resident of the state prison system, doesn't deny killing his step-father and, over the course of time, he has made seemingly sincere declarations of remorse about it.

Now, he's taking a shot at seeing whether the rest of the world - as personified by the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons and, ultimately, Gov. Tom Wolf - is ready to give him a second chance at life on the outside.

Printup, 57, is seeking commutation of the life sentence he received for the July 4, 1980 shooting of Richard Sergeant, an action that he now calls "the worst decision in my life. ... causing change and hardship in many other lives besides his and mine."

Printup's case is one of several testing the redefined limits of a restricted commutations process a generation after a campaign-season crime by a different released inmate significantly hurt the gubernatorial campaign of then-Lt. Gov. Mark Singel.

Printup's story.

Printup was 19 when he shot Richard Sergeant in what he claims in his application for clemency was an act of self-defense. Sergeant, 33 at the time, worked at the New Cumberland Army Depot and was a veteran of the Vietnam War.

The case received relatively little news coverage at the time and attempts to reach the attorneys involved in his trial were not successful for this story, so it's hard to synch Printup's version up with what jurors heard at the time.

But according to the shooter's story, Sergeant had just agreed to reconcile with Printup's mother, Wilma, after a separation, and they were all to move in together to a new home at the start of July.

But on the day of the scheduled move, Printup says, Sergeant never showed up with the rent money, leaving he, his Mom and sister high and dry with no place to go.

Printup's family wound up at a motel, all their belongings packed into their car - including a rifle Sergeant had kept at their old home on Crescent Street in Harrisburg for self-defense.

The family had tried to reach Sergeant through the day, Printup writes, with no success.

Angry about the seeming abandonment that was literally putting his family on the cusp of homelessness - their previous lease had expired - Printup decided to drive over to Sergeant's apartment that night to see if he could find him.

He did, and Sergeant suggested they take a drive, but he soon became increasingly angry with Printup's questions about where the rent money was and what were they supposed to do in the wake of his broken promises.

Sensing the situation was going to escalate to a fight - there had been some drinking on both sides, and Printup said Sergeant had regularly turned violent with he and his Mom - he jumped out of the car near the Harrisburg Area Community College to get out of Sergeant's reach.

When Sergeant got out of the car and came toward him, Printup grabbed the gun which he contends was still in the back seat of the car and aimed it at Sergeant, hoping that would cause him to stop.

It didn't. Printup has stated in his commutation application that the last thing he remembers is Sergeant stating: "Now you're really going to get it," and charging him.

Eleven shots later, according to police, Sergeant was on the ground and Printup said he was panicked. He drove back to the motel, throwing the rifle away in a trash dumpster along the way.

He and his mother identified Sergeant's body the evening of Sept. 5.

Printup was arrested on July 15 and charged with the homicide.

He was found guilty of first-degree murder that December, with prosecutors suggesting the shooting was pre-meditated, hanging their case in part on the number of shots fired and an inconsistent prior statement from Printup that the gun was in the trunk.

Though Printup does use the "battered victim" defense as an explanation for his actions that night - and he has filed a long litany of appeals seeking appellate reviews of his case - it is no longer seen by him as an excuse.

In his words:

"In the end it does not matter how much he used me as his personal punching bag or what I endured growing up. What does matter is I should never put myself or him in that situation and when I saw he was drinking that night I should have left instead of pushing the issue with him about the rent money.

"I have and will carry the weight of his death on my soul for the rest of my life. I am responsible for my own actions which lead to Richard's death which affected many more than just him and I...

"That is something i will have to live with till my dying breath."

The prison record.

His time in prison didn't start well.

Printup and another inmate tried to escape from SCI Camp Hill in 1982, successfully crawling out of their cell window but getting captured as they tried to scale the fences.

But in the 36 years that have passed, Printup's application suggests he has made a better adjustment to his circumstances.

He has earned an associates' degree in accounting from the Pennsylvania Business Institute, completed a variety of counseling courses and held steady employment through the Department of Corrections Correctional Industries, most recently as a shipping clerk.

Printup says he is eager to get out now while he still has some time to work and contribute to society, with the potential of eventually becoming eligible for Social Security.

Printup was voted down 3-1 last December, but was granted this reconsideration.

In the interim, state Corrections Department Assessment and Classification Chief Ross Miller says, he has completed an additional course on dealing with trauma, in an effort to deal with the abuse he suffered as a kid from both Sergeant and an earlier step-father.

Lifers coming out of the prison system are required to spend a year in a halfway house program to help with their readjustment and provide time to finalize employment, housing and other plans.

Still, there are opponents.

Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo said Thursday he has written the board in opposition to an immediate commutation.

"Given the nature of the offense, it's our position he (Printup) hasn't served enough time to be considered for a commutation," Chardo said. "Eleven shots is a lot."

Chardo noted that position, in recognition of Printup's good record in prison, does leave the board the option of commuting Printup's life without parole sentence to a set minimum term of years, after which he would be eligible for parole.

The process.

Commutations used to be granted infrequently to lifers who, in the eyes of corrections officials and prosecutors, had earned a second chance through sterling commitment to rehabilitation.

That came to a screeching halt after a 1994 case involving Reginald McFadden.

McFadden was released by Gov. Robert P. Casey after serving 25 years of a life sentence and currying favor with Corrections officials by identifying some of the ringleaders of the 1989 Camp Hill prison riots.

Singel was part of the 4-1 vote recommending the commutation.

McFadden went to New York and killed three people in three months, raping and imprisoning another woman.

Outcry over McFadden's crimes contributed to Singel's defeat in the governor's race, but they also prompted a change to Pennsylvania's constitution, to require a unanimous vote by the Board of Pardons instead of the previous majority.

The board's positive recommendations are forwarded to the governor, who makes the ultimate decision. Only eight inmates have received pardons in the 21 years since the changes.

Wolf has pardoned two lifers; three more cases are pending with him, including that of Dauphin County's Tina Brosius, who was convicted in 1995 for permitting her newborn baby to die in a portable toilet.

By the time you are reading this, Printup will have had a face-to-face interview with Pardons Board members at SCI Camp Hill - that was scheduled for Thursday night.

Richard Sergeant's 1980 obituary listed no survivors beyond the Printup family, so it was not clear at this writing if anyone from his side of this sad tale will testify at Friday's hearing.

Printup is expected to have several supporters speaking on his behalf.

After that testimony is taken, and the last few questions are asked, Printup will learn what the rest of the world thinks about whether he's ready for a second chance.
Another former Rite Aid executive has been charged by the feds with scamming the drug store giant in a $5.7 million kick-back scheme that lasted 22 years.

James W. Pilsner, 60, of Harrisburg, Rite Aid's ex-vice president for advertising, already has a tentative agreement to plead guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion charges, counts that will send him to federal prison.

That plea agreement won't be final unless it is approved by U.S. Middle District Judge John E. Jones III.

Accused along with Pilsner are two Georgia businessmen, Larry Nuckols and Vance Taylor, owners of Nuvision Inc. of Atlanta, U.S. Attorney David Freed said Friday. He said Pilsner, Nuckols, 69, and Taylor, 71, ran the con against Rite aid from 1995 until last year.

Investigators claim Pilsner conspired with the Nuvision owners to have falsified and inflated invoices submitted by the firm paid by Rite Aid. Pilsner got a cut of the overpayments, they contend. Pilsner received $411,500 in kickbacks in 2013 alone, Freed said, and never reported his ill-gotten income to the IRS.

Pilsner's tentative plea agreement notes the charges to which he intends to enter guilty pleas carry a maximum total penalty of 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

If accepted by Jones, the deal will require Pilsner to forfeit the 50 percent interest in his home, along with $7,450 in cash seized by investigators. Also under the agreement, he would have to pay more than $5.7 million restitution to Rite Aid and another $592,386 in restitution to the IRS.

Pilsner has no solid promise for a sentence. His tentative agreement states only that prosecutors will recommend a prison term that falls within the sentencing guidelines for the crimes. Those guidelines will factor in any cooperation with authorities and acceptance of responsibility for the wrongdoing.

Nuckols is charged with wire fraud as well. The feds are seeking forfeiture of nine properties he owns in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Costa Rica, Freed said. Taylor faces 40 charges including mail fraud, wire fraud and unlawful monetary transactions. From him, the feds are trying to seize more than $1.2 million in cash, eight investment accounts and 73 properties. They also are requesting forfeiture of a $1.3 million yacht Nuckols and Taylor jointly own, Freed said.

He said the charges against the three resulted from an investigation by the Harrisburg office of the FBI and the criminal investigation division of the IRS.

Pilsner is the latest in a string of former Rite Aid executives who have been charged with scamming the firm. In November 2016 Judge Jones sentenced another former VP of the firm, Timothy P. Foster, to 5 years behind bars for running a nine-year, multimillion dollar scam against Rite Aid involving the liquidation of surplus inventory.
A passenger ferry carrying hundreds of passengers capsized in Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Thursday, multiple media outlets are reporting.

Reuters reported an official told them the number of people who drowned could be more than 200.

The BBC reports rescue efforts were halted Thursday night until dawn on Friday.

The ferry, called MV Nyerere, was carrying more than 300 people when it went down Thursday afternoon, just a few meters from the dock in the Ukerewe district, Reutrers reported.

A spokesperson for the national ferry services operator TEMESA told Reuters the operator carried out maintenance on the ferry in recent months, overhauling two engines.

Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa, which borders Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

As of Thursday night, 37 people were pulled out of the water by emergency teams during rescue operations, CNN reported.
Photos of frozen food boxes sitting on the ground outside a Harrisburg elementary school and a tray of spotted hot dogs have gone viral on social media, prompting questions by parents.

The photos prompted the Harrisburg school district to send out an automated phone call to parents Thursday saying the district was investigating the matter.

A woman posted the photos to her Facebook page Thursday and said she had visited a friend at Ben Franklin Elementary school, at 1205 N. 6th Street, where she saw boxes of apparent frozen food piled up outside on the concrete, unattended. Stacks of new disposable cafeteria trays also were seen in the photos.

"This is unacceptable," the woman wrote. "How long was this food here?"

The boxes featured labels of "tater tots," and "pancakes" and directions: "Keep frozen."

The woman who posted the photos could not be reached by PennLive so it's unclear when the photos were taken, how long the boxes may have been outside and how she obtained photos in the kitchen of the tray of hot dogs.

Parents, however, have said there were no hotdogs served for lunch this week.

Her post has been shared nearly 800 times and drew more than 115 comments. Some parents said they may start packing their students' lunches. The district provides free breakfast, lunch and after-school food for all students because of the district's high-poverty rate.

Some people who commented on the photos, including School Board Member Brian Carter, said the hot dogs were being thrown away. They were never intended for students to eat.

But it's unclear why the old hot dogs were still being kept at the school. Also, questions remain about why the food boxes from an apparent fresh delivery were left on the ground unattended.

"It came to the attention of district officials that an alleged food service photo is circulating on social media. The District is working with food service staff to look into this matter," said a district statement posted to the district website. "Please know that all food service staff are trained in food safety and are dedicated to serving the best quality of food and providing the best customer service to our students. The safety and welfare of our students is the first and top priority of the Harrisburg School District."

Carter wrote on Facebook that the district hired a new company for food service this year and that the company had been notified as part of the investigation.

Among the answers the investigation should reveal is who signed for the delivery at the school. People who have worked in the school food industry say deliveries are normally brought directly into the kitchen, where the boxes are promptly carried into the coolers or freezers.

The school is under the purview of the City of Harrisburg's Health Department. The city's health officer visited Ben Franklin on Thursday, according to sources.

Under the state food code, refrigerated and frozen food are required to be kept at certain temperatures, even while they are being delivered. Deliveries also are required to be kept on wooden pallets or otherwise raised from the ground to avoid contamination.

"How long the food has been sitting on the loading dock is an issue that would be determined in investigating a complaint, since you cannot tell from the photo whether someone just went inside to retrieve a dolly to bring in the food," said Shannon Powers, a spokeswoman from the Department of Agriculture. "As far as the hot dogs, you also cannot tell from the photo whether the spots are freezer burn or something else. Freezer burn is a food quality issue rather than a food safety issue."

There is generally a four-hour window in which any food may be out of refrigeration, Powers said, but the time limit varies for the type of food and how it is packaged.

"The facility should test food for proper temperature," she said. "If it is not at the correct temperature, they should discard it. If food is not delivered at the correct temperature, they should reject the delivery. Again, there's no way of telling from the photo why this food is sitting there, how long it had been there, or even if it is food that was being discarded."

Powers said the city's health department should be able to provide more information. No one from the city was immediately available to comment.

School Board Member Carrie Fowler said she emailed the administration for answers Thursday but had not received any information.

A school district spokeswoman said the district business office is responsible for the food service department and that the business office would be responsible for providing a comment.

Chief Financial Officer James Snell did not respond to an email and neither did Acting Business Manager Bilal Hasan.

The state Secretary of Education previously asked the school board to replace Snell and Hasan because Snell can only work part-time and the district needs a full-time CFO; and Hasan doesn't have the proper experience or certifications to be a business manager. But the school board has not taken action.
Schools that fall under the primary jurisdiction of Pennsylvania State Police will see an increased presence of troopers in and around their buildings moving forward.

Gov. Tom Wolf and Acting Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. Robert Evanchick announced earlier this week that station commanders will ensure troopers visit schools and colleges in their primary coverage areas on a regular basis.

That mandate was the result of statewide School Safety Task Force meetings.

"A theme that resonated at all of the School Safety Task Force regional meetings was that students and faculty feel safer if there is a visible presence of a community safety resource at our schools," Wolf said in a news release. "The Pennsylvania State Police will help support safer schools with enhanced trooper presence."

Troopers will check in on schools and colleges in state police jurisdictions at least once per shift, and will visit at different times throughout the day and night.

READ MORE: School safety task force report gets OK from school boards group, which adds 2 suggestions

Some visits could be just to check the parking lot and exterior, while others will involve troopers going inside the schools to interact with students and staff.

These visits aren't out of the ordinary for state police, according to state police spokesman Cpl. Adam Reed.

"Troopers were already doing a lot of this and, with the focus being on schools within our patrol zones, they will still remain in or stay close to their assigned patrol areas," he said. "That will still allow them to respond to calls as needed."

Visits where state police isn't the primary law enforcement agency will also be made "as time and resources allow," according to the news release.

Tracy Panzer, spokeswoman for Cumberland Valley School District, said law enforcement checking in on her district is not an uncommon occurrence.

"We are in regular communication with the station commander of the Carlisle barracks, which serves Monroe Elementary School, and with all local law enforcements agencies that serve our community," she said. "In addition, local law enforcement agencies play an active and vital role in development of our safety and security plans."

Reed couldn't say how many schools in Pennsylvania fall under the direct jurisdiction of state police.

He did say, however, the benefits of daily visits extend beyond the benefit of security thanks to a visible presence.

"We encourage our troopers to form positive relationships with the school administration and students," he said. "This promotes a positive, trusting relationship between law enforcement, students, and school administration. Those relationships are crucial in fostering safe learning environments and building community trust."
HARRISBURG--An elevator broke down at a Harrisburg high-rise apartment last week and when state inspectors showed up to check it out, they shut down two additional elevators for deficiencies.

Residents told PennLive they've been dealing with consistent breakdowns with the aging elevators at Bellevue Towers, 2400 Market Street. Paramedics had to hike six flights of stairs last week to get to a 66-year-old man who suffered a medical emergency in his seventh-floor apartment and take him back down the stairwell to get him to a hospital. The paramedics then had to carry him back upstairs after he left the hospital, and again several days later when he became trapped in the elevator.

So when was the last time the 79-year-old elevators at Bellevue Towers were inspected? Did the property owner keep up with his state requirement of hiring a contractor to perform annual inspections?

What about elevators at commonly used buildings like the county courthouse or other high-rise commercial buildings? Dauphin County dispatchers were called 68 times so far this year for elevator assistance at various buildings. When were any of those buildings inspected?

The public doesn't have a right to know, under Pennsylvania law.

Elevator inspection reports, just like school bus inspection reports, can be withheld under the current Right-to Know Law under the exemption for "non-criminal investigations."

In the case of Bellevue Towers, there were no certificates of inspection posted at their four elevators. In fact, property managers told PennLive they didn't know where the most recent inspection certificates were.

The way it's supposed to work, property owners would send proof of their annual inspections to the state department of Labor and Industry, which would issue a certificate. But a spokeswoman told PennLive she could not provide the inspection history or even the last inspection date because they weren't accessible under the Right-to-Know Law.

When PennLive pressed for the records, because agencies can provide them, they just aren't required to, officials said several days later they could not because of the "active investigation.

"To protect the integrity of that investigation, ensure the cooperation of witnesses, and make sure that all parties are provided with due process," said a statement by Labor and Industry Spokeswoman Penny Ickes, "we cannot release any related documentation or specific details at this time. This includes the inspection records and dates you requested."

The way the law is written, members of the public must rely on faith in the system that elevators are safe.

"Like most laws," Ickes said, "the elevator inspection laws rely on property owners to carry out their legal obligations and ensure that the elevators in their buildings are inspected as required, which most do. Owners have other reasons to ensure the safety of elevators in their buildings including insurance coverage, liability concerns and reputational harm. Because most property owners behave responsibly, we would caution against inadvertently creating the impression that most elevators are uninspected or unsafe."

Elevator inspection reports weren't originally envisioned to be closed records, but rather were one of several "unintended consequences" revealed years after the monumental Right-to-Know law went into effect, said Sen. John Blake (D- Lackawanna, Luzerne and Monroe Counties.)

"We've been trying to correct this for some time," said Blake, who introduced legislation with Sen. Dominic Pileggi in 2015 to strengthen the law and tighten certain loopholes.

While the bill passed the Senate unanimously with bipartisan support, the bill has not gotten any traction at all in the House.

Since legislators are running out of time to act this session, Blake plans to reintroduce the legislation in January.

All "final safety inspection reports" would be public under Senate Bill 465, said Erik Arneson, executive director of the state's Office of Open Records. "I strongly support Senator Blake's legislation."

In the meantime, if people want to find out if an elevator has been inspected, they can ask to view the certificate of inspection from the building owner.

If a person is unable to access a copy of an elevator certificate from the building owner, they can contact Labor & Industry at 717-787-3806 (select option "2") or send an email to elevators@pa.gov.

The Department of Labor & Industry maintains a database of all elevator equipment throughout Pennsylvania, which includes inspection dates/reports for all equipment, regardless of whether the inspection was performed by the department or a third-party agency.

Regulations allow for building owners to contract with third-party agencies to perform reoccurring inspections, according to state officials. And most of these reoccurring inspections are performed by third party agencies that electronically submit their inspection reports to Labor and Industry.

State inspectors focus most of their time on newly installed elevators and recently repaired elevators.

When the inspectors visited Bellevue Towers Tuesday to inspect the completed repairs on the Tower C elevator, that elevator passed inspection.

Inspectors checked the other three elevators and determined two could not pass inspection. Those elevators in Towers A and B were then shut down while property managers ordered parts for mandated repairs and updates.

While the elevators are sealed, dozens of residents in the 8-story building will have to use the stairs, like residents of Tower C did last week.

The Harrisburg Fire Department has been called to Bellevue Towers four times this year for elevator issues.
The ex-girlfriend of Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy said in a news conference Friday she is certain that he was involved in an assault and robbery against her in July and doubled the reward offered Thursday for any information related to the case.

Delicia Cordon said she now would give $40,000 to anyone providing information related to the incident.

"The LeSean McCoy that I know behind closed doors is different than the LeSean McCoy in front of the cameras," Cordon said. "This attack was about the jewelry that LeSean expressed he wanted back from me weeks before the attack."

The press conference highlighted a busy week for both parties, beginning with McCoy injuring his ribs in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

On Tuesday, the mother of McCoy's 6-year-old son, Stephanie Maisonet, filed a sworn affidavit in support of a lawsuit Cordon filed against him last month. In the filing, Maisonet alleged their son would "often come home with bruises" after spending time with McCoy and that he would consistently offer "outlandish excuses" to her on where those came from.

A day later, TMZ.com ran a story with graphic injury photos from Cordon. They showed her face bruised and battered after the beating she took during a home invasion back in July, the news outlet reported.

Delicia Cordon included the photos in legal docs filed in a Georgia court ... where Cordon is suing McCoy - accusing him of orchestrating the break-in and assault.

Then, on Thursday, Cordon announced she would hold a Friday press conference where she would, among other things, offer a reward of $20,000. That amount has now doubled.

McCoy repeatedly has asserted his innocence throughout this episode, in which an assailant was alleged to have broekn into a Georgia home owned by McCoy on July 10, showing a pistol and demanding jewelry. According to a 14-page complaint Cordon filed in the State Court of Fulton County in August against McCoy, the jewelry was worth $133,000.

Cordon called a 911 operator on the morning of July 10, saying that a man beat her in the face with a gun. Her former boyfriend, she said, played a part in what police called a targeted attack, according to audio clips of the call obtained at the time by PennLive.

"My face is demolished right now," Delicia Cordon said in the audio recording.

According to a story this afternoon on usatoday.com, Cordon told reporters: "Every day I live my life in fear, not knowing if I'm walking past the man who savagely attacked me. It is unfair that I have to be afraid to do normal things like grocery shop. I have panic attacks. I can't sleep at night, I can't. I don't feel comfort protecting my children. I have my daughter sleep in the bed with me every night. LeSean said that he was going to deal with all of this after his season. I don't have that option. I have to deal with this every day.

"He's not helping," she added. "He's not giving up any information with the security cameras that we have asked. He simply is - I don't know. I don't know what he's doing. I am afraid for my children. I am afraid that the intruder will attempt to take the remaining items that were demanded, but did not collect."
A woman was killed early Friday morning after her boyfriend pushed her during an argument on Route 611 and she was struck by a passing car, police said.

Brianna Burkhart, 26, of Cockeysville, Maryland, was identified as the woman who was struck and killed at about 2:19 a.m. on the highway in Mount Pocono Borough, Monroe County, Pocono Mountain Regional Police said.

Burkhart was struck by a vehicle driven by an 18-year-old woman from Tobyhanna.

Police did not identify the driver, and said they do not anticipate charging her in the incident. She was taken for a blood test as part of the investigation, but police said there were no signs the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Zachary Collett, 26, also from Cockeysville, Maryland, faces charges including involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and simple assault, police said.

Police said Friday afternoon the charges against Collett were upgraded to include one count of homicide.

Collett was in custody and awaiting arraignment in the case on Friday.

Police said Collett and Burkhart were drinking earlier in the night Thursday, left a bar together and began driving north in a vehicle.

The two began fighting, according to police, and at about 1:20 a.m. Friday stopped the car in the middle of Route 611 in Paradise Township while they continued arguing and fighting.

The pair were still arguing while getting in and out of the vehicle when, while on Route 611, Collett shoved Burkhart, knocking her to the ground and into the southbound lane of Route 611.

The 18-year-old woman, driving a Chevy Cruz, told police she saw an object as she was driving, but initially thought it was a deer.

The woman was unable to avoid the object in the road, and struck it. Police said the driver realized it was a person and immediately pulled over.

Police said they found Burkhart lying in the road with extensive injuries, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Collett was next to her when police arrived.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
WILLIAMSPORT - The throat-slashing killing in Williamsport was a premeditated act and done by a man who had a fetish to kill someone.

That was the gist of the testimony Friday by Williamsport Detective Edward Lucas at the preliminary hearing for the two men charged with killing Sonja Rowe Heck.

District Judge Christian Frey found Lucas presented sufficient evidence to hold Edward Heck, 49, and Kenneth Wayne Smith, 33, for trial on charges that include criminal homicide.

Kenneth Wayne Smith

Smith is accused of killing Heck's wife and Heck is alleged to have paid him approximately $1,000 plus $500 in expenses related to traveling to Indiana after the killing.

Smith confirmed the payment, according to Lucas, who revealed the two men began conversing on social media more than a year ago.

They did not meet until Aug. 15, when Heck drove to Smith's home in Nanty Glo and brought him back to Williamsport, he said.

It was during their exchanges that Smith indicated he had a fetish to kill someone and Heck asked, "How about my wife?" the detective testified.

They conversed more often after that, Lucas said, as he read some of the messages that made reference to a killing.

Smith is accused of killing Heck's wife early on Aug. 16 by hitting her in the head with a hammer and slashing her throat.

Lucas recited the following chain of events based on interviews with Heck and recovered text messages:

After arriving in Williamsport, Smith stayed in the cellar of the Heck home in the 2500 block of Linn Street.

Sonja Heck arrived home from work after 11 p.m. Aug. 15 but did not go to bed for several hours. Heck went into his bedroom and exchanged texts with Smith, who was in the basement waiting for the woman to fall asleep.

They included Heck wanting to know if his wife's throat would be slashed and telling Smith to hit her on the head if he had to. A text message of "time has come" was exchanged at 1:50 a.m.

Smith killed Heck's two dogs in the cellar before going upstairs.

A hammer was on the bedroom floor next to the bed where the body was found and a hunting knife, believed to have been used to cut Sonja Heck's throat, was found later among his belongings in a large garbage bag, Lucas said.

There was blood on the knife and clothes, but Lucas responded under cross-examination he could not confirm it was that of the dead woman because he did not have the results of forensic testing.

During an interview, Lucas said Heck admitted writing a note found on the kitchen table that stated: "Forgive me for what I have done. This is goodbye to everyone."

The detective characterized the note, which also included instructions not to try to find him, as an apology to his stepdaughter, Emily Rowe.

Rowe found the body on Aug. 17 when she went to the house after being told her mother had missed two days of work.

She told police she had caught Heck cheating on her mother several weeks earlier.

While Rowe was being interviewed in police headquarters, she received a text message from Heck advising her not to go to the house because he and his mother were ill with the flu, Lucas said.

READ MORE: Pa. man accused of slashing wife's throat, killing two dogs arrested out of state

Heck and Smith drove to Lebanon, Indiana, after the murder, where both were detained.

Heck was arrested. Smith was released but arrested later in Muskegon, Michigan.

Smith showed no emotion during the hearing that lasted about an hour while Heck had his face in his hands most of the time.

A charge of conspiracy to commit homicide was added to the counts of homicide, aggravated assault and cruelty to animals against Heck.

Besides homicide, Smith is charged with conspiracy to commit homicide and killing domestic animals. Both men are being held without bail.

No decision has been made whether to pursue the death penalty against either or both men, Lycoming County District Attorney Kenneth A. Osokow said.

The Hecks had moved to Williamsport from Exeter in June, Lucas said.
Sprint Car driver Greg Hodnett was killed in a crash Thursday night at BAPS Motor Speedway in York County, the World of Outlaws said in a press release.

Hodnett, 49, was a resident of Spring Grove and a member of the PA Posse.

PennLive racing correspondent Emily Winslow was at the track and said Hodnett ran into the wall at the pit entrance, coming off turn one, and flipped.

"To me, Greg represented the true gentleman competitor in the pit area," World of Outlaws CEO Brian Carter said.

Thursday's race was not a World of Outlaws event, but the sanctioning body issued a release about the popular driver. Hodnett was the World of Outlaws 1993 Rookie of the Year and a 20-time winner on the national touring series.

"Please keep Sherry, the entire Hodnett family, and the Heffner racing team in your throughts and prayers," a post on Hodnett's website said late Thursday night. "Greg was a professional in every sense of the word, and will desperately be missed!"

A screenshot of the statement posted to Greg Hodnett's website late Thursday night.

Lincoln Speedway promoter Alan Kreitzer told PennLive he was saddened by the news.

"He was a multitime champion," Kreitzer said. "He was one of the best the area ever produced. And more than that, he was probably the greatest ambassadors to the sport we've ever had.

"This is just a devastating loss to our community."

Thursday's fatal crash marked the second time a driver was killed at the York County track since August 2015.

According to speedway officials, that single-car crash occurred during the final lap of the 20-lap All-American Outlaw feature event.

BAPS was known as Susquehanna Speedway in 2015.

Hodnett is the second well-known Sprint Car driver to be killed this year. Jason Johnson was killed in June after his car flipped out of the track at a Wisconsin speedway.
JERSEY SHORE - A substitute teacher has been accused of having sex with a 15-year-old male she met in 2017 while student-teaching in the Jersey Shore Area School District.

Alexandria Sandra Kaluzny, 25, of Salona, in Clinton County, also is alleged to have sent sexually explicit pictures of herself to the boy using social media.

The Mansfield University graduate, who was on the substitute list of several school districts, was arrested Thursday and released on $75,000 supervised bail.

Kaluzny was a student-teacher for one of the boy's classes during the 2017 spring semester and sexual contact between the two started that summer, the arrest affidavit states.

The teen told investigators they had sex that summer and this summer in Jersey Shore in her car and behind his garage. She had a box of condoms in the middle console of her car, he said.

READ MORE: Sex crimes with students cost teachers their jobs: List of Pa. educators in trouble

She acknowledged sending him a graphic picture of herself on Aug. 23 but claims it was intended for her sister, the affidavit states.

The teen had taken a screen shot of the picture and had it on his phone, the document states.

Pictures and chats were recovered during searches of their cell phones, Lycoming County Chief Detective William Weber said.

The teen's father suspected inappropriate contact in 2017, but when he was questioned by school officials he denied it, Weber said.

When the youth in late August confirmed it, his father contacted law enforcement, he said. The teen received a picture from her as recently as Aug. 30 that said "hi babe," the charges state.

Kaluzny is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent and statutory sexual assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, disseminating sexual materials, unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a communication device.
The Republican-controlled state House and Senate return to Harrisburg on Monday for a comically short pre-election session.

The House has nine voting days on its calendar, the Senate has 10. But there's no shortage of serious and vexing policy issues facing the 253-member General Assembly.

Here are four things that we'd like to see lawmakers accomplish before they run down the curtain on the 2017-18 session in mid-November.

1. Statute of Limitations Reform:

The only question of any relevance confronting Pennsylvania lawmakers is not whether they should act on the reform recommendations included in a grand jury report detailing decades of child sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, but how quickly they should do so.

Significant disagreements over how to proceed remain. But they should not be allowed to deter this important work.

The voluminous report released by Attorney General Josh Shapiro's office calls for four key reforms to existing state law. They include:

Eliminating the statute of limitations for the sexual abuse of children. Current law now permits victims to come forward to pursue criminal charges until they're 50 years old.

Creating a "civil window" so that older victims can sue for damages in civil court. Current law gives victims 12 years, from age 18, to sue for damages. But victims aged 30 and older fall under a different law, and only get two years. The window would offer an additional two years to those older victims.

Clarifying the penalties for the continuing failure to report child abuse by amending current law requiring someone to report abuse "while the person knows, or has reasonable cause to believe," the abuser is likely to commit additional acts of child abuse.

Specifying that civil confidentiality agreements do not include communications with law enforcement.

To be clear, these reforms would not only benefit the victims of clerical abuse but the victims of all abuse, from the classroom to the staff room - no matter where it is committed.

While victims of clerical abuse have recently taken the spotlight, thousands of other survivors of childhood abuse also live among us and are entitled to redress.

2. Domestic violence fixes: The state House currently has before it a commonsense measure that will keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.

The House left town in June without voting on a unanimously approved Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Tom Killion, R-Delaware, requiring people with protection- from-abuse orders to surrender their firearms within 24 hours. Those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses would have 48 hours instead of the current 60 days.

Killion's bill, which was part of a larger, seven-bill domestic violence package, further bans domestic abusers from storing their weapons with friends and families. Gov. Tom Wolf has said he will sign the bill when it reaches his desk.

This one should be an easy lift for the House. And it should have been approved before the chamber went on an extended summer recess in June.

Now that the House is back in session, we have a simple request: Get it done.

3. Opening up primaries to unaffiliated voters:

As PennLive's Jan Murphy reports, two powerful leaders, one in the Senate and one in the House of Representatives, have shown interest in opening up primary elections to allow "unenrolled" (meaning third-party, independent, and unaffiliated) voters to cast their ballots in either the Republican and Democratic primaries.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, has introduced legislation that has been sent to the Senate State Government Committee for consideration.

Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, who chairs that committee, called it an interesting proposal and said he would like to hold a hearing on it. However, he made no promises that a hearing would happen before the legislative session ends. "I do believe we have a full plate," Folmer said.

House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana, who is leaving office at the end of this session, also has expressed interest in allowing open primaries in Pennsylvania and is crafting a bill.

Get it done.

4. #MeToo movement:

The state House and Senate now have before them bills inspired by the wave of sexual harassment and misconduct claims and cases that swept the nation over the past year.

Domestic violence advocates have been pushing for action after media reports brought to light sexual misconduct accusations and a settlement involving current lawmakers as well as a former one.

Among the many bills that have been offered that have yet to see action are ones:

to prohibit non-disclosure agreements related to sexual harassment or misconduct claims,

to ban taxpayer dollars from being used to settle sexual harassment or misconduct claims,

to improve sexual harassment protections for Capitol employees and interns, and

to increase the statute of limitations for victims to file discrimination and harassment complaints.

Lawmakers should make these proposals a priority.

Bubbling under: A proposed constitutional amendment reducing the size of the 203-member House only requires a vote by that chamber to get onto the fall ballot. Finish what you started.
Game wardens have been investigating dozens of reports of dead deer in northern Chester and southern Berks counties over the past several weeks, the Pennsylvania Game Commission revealed on Thursday.

They've been following up on reports coming into the commission's Southeast Region office, confirming the deer deaths and taking samples from the dead deer.

"We are aware of a significant deer mortality event in northern Chester and southern Berks counties and have submitted numerous samples to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study laboratory in Georgia to determine the cause," said Southeast Region Director Bruce Metz.

Similar, localized, deer mortality events have occurred elsewhere in Pennsylvania, and beyond, in the past and were found to be caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease.

EHD is suspected in the Chester and Berks county deaths, but the commission has not yet received confirmation from the SCWDS laboratory.

EHD is an often-fatal disease caused by a virus affecting white-tailed deer populations in U.S. It is contracted through the bite of insects called biting midges. It is not spread from deer to deer by contact.

In more northern states, such as Pennsylvania, EHD occurs less often and affected deer are less likely to mount an effective immune response. The virus usually kills the deer within five to 10 days.

While EHD is not infectious to humans, deer displaying severe symptoms of EHD are usually not suitable for consumption because of the rapid deterioration of their meat and secondary bacterial infection.

Hunters are encouraged to wear rubber or latex gloves when handling or field-dressing any animal, and wash their hands and tools thoroughly after field dressing

The commission is encouraging residents to call the Southeast Region office in Reading at 610-926-3136 to report dead, sick or injured deer.

More information about EHD and other wildlife diseases can be found on the Pennsylvania Game Commission website.

More about EHD in Pennsylvania:
Fitzgerald memorial to be closed to the public and live-streamed

The annual S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald memorial event, which takes take place every Nov. 10 at Whitefish Point, will be a closed event this year.
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Rachel Maddow tore into Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley on Thursday, exposing the Iowa Republican for running a sham investigation into Brett Kavanaugh.

The MSNBC host pointed out that the man running Grassleys so-called investigation into the allegations  a guy named Mike Davis  just so happens to be the biggest Kavanaugh cheerleader.

On the same day that Davis claimed to have personally questioned Kavanaugh, he tweeted that he was unfazed by the controversy and determined to confirm Kavanaugh.

So you can see the problem if this is the lead investigator that Chuck Grassley has put on this matter, Maddow said.

Video:

Maddow said:

By his own description, hes the guy who is personally conducting the investigation of this matter. When Chuck Grassley said that the committee investigators are following up on leads and doing these  apparently who hes talking about is Mike Davis. So you can see the problem if this is the lead investigator that Chuck Grassley has put on this matter. This guy  already proclaiming himself to be unfazed by this little problem that has arisen in the confirmation process. And theres Chuck Grassley saying no other outside investigation is necessary because his committee investigators are taking this on and nobody should have any reason to doubt their impartiality or whether they have an open mind on these matters.

Republicans dont want the truth; they want a SCOTUS seat

Its clear whats going on here. Republicans dont have any interest in getting to the bottom of Dr. Christine Blasey Fords credible allegations against Brett Kavanaugh because they know it could cost them a Supreme Court seat.

If turning a blind eye to sexual assault means getting a vote to overturn Roe v. Wade or dismantle health care for millions of Americans or continue to allow dark money into political campaigns, Republicans are willing to do it.

In the Trump era, there is no low to which the GOP isnt willing to stoop.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook.
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Republicans may be sitting on their hands hoping the explosive controversy surrounding Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court nomination blows over, but Democrats are fighting back.

Responding to new reporting that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is receiving death threats following her decision to step into the public arena to share her story, Democrats sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray urging him to open an investigation into the crimes which appear intended to intimidate Dr. Blasey Ford.

We are increasingly concerned by reports of alleged death threats against her, the hacking of her email, and the harassment and intimidation she has faced since being forced into the spotlight late last week, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote.

More from the letter:

The federal crimes potentially being committed against Dr. Blasey Ford may include, inter alia, violations of 18 U.S.C.  875 (threats transmitted via interstate communications), 18 U.S.C.  1030 (the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act), 18 U.S.C.  1505 (obstruction of proceedings before committees), and 18 U.S.C.  1512 (witness intimidation).1 Investigating such serious federal crimes is, of course, squarely within the duty of the Bureau and does not require a referral from the White House or any administration officials. Moreover, because these alleged federal crimes appear intended to intimidate Dr. Blasey Ford and potentially prevent her from testifying about her credible allegations of sexual assault by Judge Brett Kavanaugh, the FBI may obtain information concerning criminal activity not within the FBIs investigative jurisdiction, including for example violations of Marylands criminal code dealing with rape and sexual assault. As you are aware, when an FBI employee receives such information, the employee must promptly transmit the information or refer the complaint to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. The FBI may also provide such information to Congress or to congressional committees. The Bureau should promptly investigate these potential crimes against Dr. Blasey Ford and provide updates to Congress as appropriate.

Democrats are doing their job while Republicans sit on their hands

As Rachel Maddow pointed out last night, Republicans have called for FBI investigations during previous SCOTUS confirmation processes. In the case of Brett Kavanaugh, however, they seem to be breaking their own precedent.

Not only are the allegations against Kavanaugh serious and credible enough to warrant a full and fair investigation, but the potential crimes now being committed against Dr. Blasey Ford  all because she chose to speak out  are more than enough to warrant an inquiry.

Republicans in Congress should join their Democratic colleagues in calling for an immediate investigation into Blasey Fords allegations and the crimes now being committed against her. If they dont, they should prepare to be replaced in November by lawmakers who will.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook.
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The accused, that is, Mr. Trump a man credibly accused of sexual assault 19 times before he was elected president  returned to his true form Friday morning after getting his ego puffed up beyond capacity at his rally last night, and attacked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, because its not enough that his cult have threatened her life and forced her family out of her home.

First, he thinks his word as a self-confessed sexual assaulter is a meaningful character reference for someone who is also facing the same accusations:

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts dont matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Trump tosses some of his trademark convenient dumbness our way, pretending that rape charges are usually brought right away  when in fact only 35% are ever reported to the police:

The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Did you not hear his screams? Baby Toddler might not get his way, so he will repeat himself for the people in the back because who cares about the 1 out of 6 women who are sexually assaulted in this country, along with the children and men who are sexually assaulted. Trump mad and Trump does not believe her does not believe her does not believe her:

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

And the he had a pivot to the Russia probe about those documents, yeah he promised them but something something law enforcement whom he hates yada yada not yet Russia.

And then right back at it with a deleted tweet: Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER  done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay. Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!

And again, like the stable genius he is:

Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER  done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay. Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Actually, Senator Feinstein did not release a very damaging letter that could have helped the Democrats, because she was honoring the wishes of the victim. Only when the media found out about the accusation and hunted Blasey Ford down at her place of work did she decide she would have to come forward. She did not want to come forward.

This is exactly what Donald Trump was not supposed to do, especially given Kavanaughs already historically low polling numbers that keep dropping with news that he belonged to a fraternity that chanted, No means yes, yes means anal in front of the University Womens Center.

Once again, Trump cant resist the bait. He falls for Obamas bait every time  one word from Obama and Trump will spin out of control for a week trying to prove Obama wrong. He also falls for the Fox News bait almost daily.

The President of the United States, a man accused of sexual assault at least 19 times, a man who calls female journalists c*nts when they write things he doesnt like, is punching so far down from his bully pulpit that hes basically attacking a woman in the Intensive Care Unit of emotional health.

Charles Blow, a survivor of child sexual assault himself, explained this feeling quite well  oh, and by the way he also explains the things Republicans pretend they cant understand, like the delays the memories, which I also explained as a survivor myself:

The way the media is covering this, the way Republicans are talking about it, and the way Donald Trump just suggested that if it were real charges would have been filed immediately (when he knows from personal experience that this is untrue because many women have not filed immediate charges against him)  its all not just a revictimization of Blasey Ford, but an attack on assault survivors everywhere. And if they were not stuck in Fox News land, theyd do the math. Lets see. One of out six women is a sexual assault survivor, they often have friends, loved ones, and family who know about their assault and know they did not file immediately, and now they are hearing Republicans attack an alleged and credible victim.

Trump is punching a victim from the bully pulpit, because even if the things she said werent true  and they seem like they are  the way shes being treated is so outrageously wrong. Not only have we gone back to Anita Hill times, but its even worse, because Blasey Ford is not even being being given a real investigation.

Let us not forget, Donald Trump is The Accused as well. He is hardly objective in this matter. Grabbing them by the p*ssy is not assault to him; its locker room talk.
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Wealthy donors  including one prominent Republican  gave over $17 million in August to the main Democratic Senate super PAC. This is a clear sign that many people believe Democrats have a chance to win control of the U.S. Senate as well as the House of Representatives. And they are putting their money where their mouths are.

According to the Washington Post:

The Senate Majority PAC, which works to elect Democrats to the Senate, posted a strong haul in August at $17.6 million, far above its monthly fundraising average of $10.5 million so far for the midterms. The super PAC has raised $94.4 million so far, compared with the $61.5 million by its GOP counterpart, according to new Federal Election Commission records posted Thursday evening.

A hedge fund billionaire from Boston named Seth Klarman, who was once the biggest GOP donor in New England, was one of the biggest contributors to the Democratic Senate PAC last month. FEC records show that Klarman gave $1 million to the Senate Majority PAC and $2 million to the super PAC supporting House Democrats last month alone.

Klarman has been living up to his pledge earlier in the year to spend up to $20 million to support Democrats in this years crucial elections. By way of contrast Klarman gave just $2.9 million to super PACs in 2016, mostly to Republican candidates.

Klarman recently told a New York Times columnist that he has switched parties because he feels betrayed by spineless Republicans. He said that Republican leaders in Washington have largely been profiles in cowardice.

We need to turn the House and Senate as a check on Donald Trump and his runaway presidency, Klarman told the Times.

According to the Post analysis, there have been additional rich contributors who donated millions of dollars last month to help Democrats get elected to the Senate.

Among the donors who spent heavily in August to support Democrats were hedge fund founder George Soros and the head of Newsweb Corp., Fred Eychaner, a prominent media mogul.

FEC records show that Eychaner gave $4 million to the Senate Majority PAC, and Soros gave $1.4 million in August. Eychaner also gave another $2 million last month to the House Majority PAC to help Democrats take back control of the U.S. House.

The fact that Democratic Senate candidates are receiving such large sums of money from wealthy donors so close to election day is a totally positive sign for their chances to take back control of the Senate. Big money people dont waste their money in situations where there is no chance of payback.

The renowned political prediction website FiveThirtyEight.com gives Democrats a one-in-three chance of winning Senate control. As the Kavanaugh drama plays out in the Senate Judiciary Committee, making Republicans look bad, those odds could improve.

Right now, if you follow the money, it will lead you to one simple conclusion: There will be big Democratic victories in November.
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When you listen to Republicans in Washington you get the impression that they think Christine Fords sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are no big deal.

The conventional wisdom is that Fords charges from 35 years ago are just a small bump in the road as Kavanaughs confirmation steamrolls ahead. Everyone in the GOP seems to be saying that the right-wing judge will be approved by the Senate so he can take his rightful place on the Supreme Court in October.

But under the surface a different story is playing out. Beyond the TV cameras and the sound bites there is consternation and worry that if Dr. Ford does testify it will be a public spectacle with no good outcomes for either Kavanaugh or the Republican Party.

GOP moderate Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have not said if they will vote to confirm Kavanaugh, and seem to be taking a wait and see approach.

If Ford testifies and appears credible it will put huge amounts of pressure on the two women senators  who supposedly are pro-choice  to vote against Kavanaughs confirmation.

Democratic senators in red states, such as Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota, Joe Donnelly in Indiana, and Joe Manchin in West Virginia have also not said if they will vote to confirm Kavanaugh.

These Democrats have also been under pressure within their own party to vote against Trumps latest high court appointment. And the new allegations against Kavanaugh may be the cover they need to follow the party line without threatening their own chances to win re-election in November.

If the Kavanaugh situation continues to blow up for the GOP his nomination will in no way be assured. But they dont seem to recognize this.

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have not been very helpful since they scheduled a hearing for Ford to testify on Monday without checking with her schedule to see if she can make it. Yesterday her attorney said she still wants to testify but not on Monday, and only if certain conditions are met.

What the public has seen so far is that Republicans are discounting Fords story, with many calling her a liar. Women see this as not only a lack of respect but also a lack of concern about the hot-button issue of sexual assault.

For his part, Kavanaugh is acting like the cocky, entitled white frat boy with a prep school/Ivy League background that he is. He gives the impression that he thinks hes above the law, just like he has written before that he believes President Donald Trump may be above the law also.

None of this looks very good to the average American, especially to the average American woman voter.

This morning the Los Angeles Times published a lengthy analysis about the trouble that Republicans are in because of the Kavanaugh situation.

In that article outspoken Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii predicted Republicans treatment of Dr. Ford will backfire in the midterm elections because many voters believe she is being mistreated.

I hope the women of America  as well as the men, by the way, because why should it just be the women who care about fair treatment? Its men. Its all of America, Hirono said. I think theres a lot more attention being paid to how this whole thing is being handled.

Republicans have not successfully resolved the Kavanaugh situation. It appears that they still are deluding themselves by thinking that they have the upper hand because they are in control of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But the truth is that the GOP does not control the media narrative, and they are in a horrible no-win situation. If they are not panicking about the predicament they are in it can mean only one thing: they are in denial.

In this case the only cure for denial is for them to receive a wake-up call on November 6th that makes very clear to them just how many mistakes they have made.
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The news yesterday that Michael Cohen has spent many hours over the past month telling Bob Mueller everything he knows could not have been worse for President Donald Trump and his three favorite children, Don Jr,. Eric, and Ivanka.

It basically confirmed what weve been suspecting for a long time: that all four of them could be headed to jail.

Back on September 12th we reported that New York state prosecutors were moving to file criminal charges against them.

The following passage from that article is worth repeating:

Weve always known that Donald Trump cannot pardon anyone on state level charges, so this news is a big deal for the president and his family. Also, there is no rule that says the presidents business (The Trump Organization) or the presidents children cannot be indicted while he is president.

New York prosecutors look like they are moving very aggressively and dont want to wait to pursue criminal charges.And theres nothing Donald Trump can do about it.

Three of his children Don Jr, Eric, and Ivanka  are involved in finances of both the Trump Organization and the Trump Foundation. So they might be implicated in the companys illegal financial maneuvers.In short, New York State can indict and arrest Trumps kids while hes still in office.

Now lets look again at what ABC news reported yesterday:

Cohen is also cooperating with a separate probe by New York state authorities into the inner workings of the Trump family charity and the Trump Organization.

Donald Trump is the head of the Trump Organization and the Trump Foundation.

Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump have had their fingerprints all over the operations of both entities.

The importance of the Cohen news cannot be overstated. It means that he has VOLUNTARILY been cooperating with prosecutors, even though he doesnt have a cooperation agreement. And he is cooperating with Mueller, the Southern District of New York, AND New York state law enforcement agencies.

Mueller is in such a position of strength that he didnt even have to give Cohen a cooperation deal in order to get him to cooperate. Cohen almost begged Mueller to let him spill the dirt on the Trump Crime Family.

But remember: Mueller DID give a formal cooperation deal to Paul Manafort. This tells us that Manafort really has the goods on Trump. If he didnt have some very powerful evidence against Trump then Mueller would have ignored his request for a plea deal, like he did with Cohen. So Manafort has given Mueller exactly what he needed to put the nails in Donald Trumps coffin.

Also, the chief financial officer for the Trump Organization and the Trump Foundation, Allen Weisselberg, is testifying against the Trumps under an immunity deal. This is the man who wrote all the checks and kept all the books for Trump since the 1970s.

On August 26th we reported that Weisselbergs deal was bad news for the Trump family:

A lawsuit filed back in June by the State of New York has the potential to bring down Donald Trump and his children as it exposes a conspiracy to misuse charitable funds and break multiple laws. This is especially true now that Trumps financial executive, Allen Weisselberg, is cooperating with prosecutors.

With Weisselberg, Manafort and Cohen all working for the prosecutors now, the only worse news Donald Trump could get is if his own children agreed to testify against him also.

And the way things are going for the president, dont be surprised if that actually happens some day. Mueller has proven that he can get ANYBODY to flip on Trump. Especially when they are faced with the prospect of spending decades in jail. Which is exactly what Trumps children are looking at.

But even if they dont flip, one thing is clear: Donald Trump is doomed.
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The clues for Carol were in the catfish. Or rather, in the shortage of catfish at a Democratic fundraiser in Texas.

Carol Donovan is the Democratic chairperson for Dallas County, Texas, and she knew 2018 could be a good year for Democrats when they ran out of catfish at their annual fish fry fundraiser.

Donovan runs the Democratic Party in a region of 2.5 million people, and according to her Donald Trump is motivating Texans to support Democrats in a way that she has never seen before.

Some people are inspired to vote because they are afraid of what hes going to do. And some are inspired because theyre so aghast at what hes already done, Donovan said.

Donovan said she had to print 50,000 more voter information packets this year because so many people were volunteering to get out the vote. Also, she said that Dallas County Democrats will run a candidate in every major race in November for the first time in at least 20 years.

This information is supported by a new poll which shows record-high enthusiasm among Democrats with just a few weeks to go before the November midterm elections that will decide control of Congress.

Democrats enthusiasm to blunt Trump soars for congressional election: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Democrats' enthusiasm to blunt Trump soars for congressional election: Reuters/Ipsos poll https://t.co/TXKCAwYa9l pic.twitter.com/HtngBrcInI  Reuters Top News (@Reuters) September 21, 2018

According to the new Reuters/Ipsos poll Democrats of all kinds say they are more motivated to vote this year than ever before.

But, as expected, if Republican candidates drown in this years Big Blue Wave it will be primarily because of the enthusiasm  and voter turnout  of white women.

According to Reuters:

White women Democrats over the age of 60 are leading the way: 74 percent said they are certain to vote on Nov. 6, up 18 percentage points from four years ago.

Many people were shocked after the 2016 presidential election to learn that the majority of white women did NOT vote for Hillary Clinton. This is a major factor in why she lost. So the fact that white women Democrats will be turning out in record numbers this year is truly a big deal, and a great sign for Democrats.

The new poll also found the following:

Democrats have the edge in enthusiasm within most major demographic groups: college graduates, people between 18 and 34 years old  the so-called millennial generation  and mid-career adults.

Again, this is great news for Democrats. Millennials are known to favor Democrats over Republicans by about a two-to-one margin, but their voter turnout has historically been low. If this year the younger voters turn out in large numbers to support Democrats than the Blue Wave could turn into a Blue Tsunami.

Historically, only about 40% of eligible voters have cast ballots in midterm elections. All indications are that this year the percentage will be much higher. So far in 2018 weve seen record turnouts in Democratic primary elections and in special elections.

Donald Trump and his supporters are in denial, and do not believe that a Blue Wave election is coming. But this new poll is evidence that the record-high enthusiasm and turnout among Democrats will indeed carry them to victory in November.
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So, there are many reasons why sexual assault victims do not come forward to report the assault, and young victims are even more unlikely to come forward.

But in the 1980s, when The Accused Brett Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted Christine Blasey Ford, his mother was working in a states attorneys office in the state where the assault took place.



In July, CBS reported:

Martha Kavanaugh became prosecutor in Montgomery County, Maryland. While in states attorneys office, she was a member of the spouse abuse commission.



Martha Kavanaughs biography states:

Associate Judge, Montgomery County Circuit Court, 6th Judicial Circuit, 1995 to June 2, 2001. Retired June 2, 2001.

Associate Judge, District Court of Maryland, District 6, Montgomery County, 1993-95.

Assistant States Attorney, Montgomery County, 1978-84. Member, Spouse Abuse Commission, Montgomery County, 1982. Member, Character Committee, Court of Appeals, 1990-93.

NPR did a handy timeline:

Summer 1982

Alleged assault. Christine Blasey Ford says this is when she was attacked by Kavanaugh. She said his friend Mark Judge was also present. Ford was 15 and Kavanaugh was 17 at the time. See below: Kavanaugh unequivocally denied the accusation when it became public, 36 years later.

The assault took place in Maryland. Its unclear what county it took place in, but thanks to conservatives fake news about Blasey Fords parents and Brett Kavanaughs mother, we are now aware that his mother was a judge in Maryland who at one point had jurisdiction over a bankruptcy of Blasey Fords parents. This suggests it was near where Professor Blasey Ford would have had to report the alleged assault of the prosecutor in the states attorneys offices son, and even if not the same district, it would be likely that Kavanaghs mother would hear about such an accusation.

Recall, if you will, the recent desperate attempt to smear Blasey Ford by the Right, as fact-checked by PolitiFact:

Blogs such as America First Media Group and The Gateway Pundit have speculated about her motives, highlighting the 1996 case involving Fords parents and Kavanaughs mother.

Christine Fords Parents Paula K Blasey and Ralph G Blasey were the Defendants in a foreclosure case in Maryland in 1996, The America First Media Group post said. Guess who the Judge was America? None other than Brett Kavanaughs mother, Martha G Kavanaugh. You literally cannot make this up.

The blog Pacific Pundit went even further. Martha G. Kavanaugh, the mother of Brett Kavanaugh was a Maryland district judge in 1996. In an amazing coincidence, Martha Kavanaugh was the judge in a foreclosure case in which Christine Blasey-Fords parents were the defendants. Now it all becomes clear, the blog wrote. Blasey-Ford is going after Brett Kavanaugh, not because of what he did in high school. Instead, Christine Blasey-Ford is going after Brett Kavanaugh out of spite and revenge for a case rulled (sic) on by Brett Kavanaugh mother.

Of course, like so many fake news desperations, this one took a right turn to fail. They found that the Blaseys settled with their mortgage lender, and the bank requested Martha Kavanaugh dismiss the case. She did. They found no evidence that the Blaseys appeared in her courtroom.

This suggests nothing, except that its likely Brett Kavanaughs mother would have heard about any reports made against her son  and this alone could have been enough to silence the victim.

However, victims do not need the threat of a high placed, powerful judge or states attorney office prosecutor as parent to the alleged perpetrator to silence them. Statistically speaking, only 35% of rapes are even reported and even less by young people.

Additionally, this was the 1980s, way before the #MeToo movement, and reporting was not kind to victims. Apparently, it is still not kind to victims. See above for proof.
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Minnesota state Rep. Jim Knoblach abruptly ended his reelection campaign as Minnesota Public Radio was about to drop a story about his inappropriate touching of his daughter.

MPR reported:

Republican state Rep. Jim Knoblach abruptly ended his re-election campaign Friday as MPR News prepared to publish detailed accusations from his daughter of inappropriate behavior toward her since childhood.

The announcement came hours after an attorney for Knoblach denied the allegations in an interview.

Knoblach, an eight-term representative, is accused of inappropriately touching his daughter Laura for most of her life. His daughter came forward in the media after every other option to hold her father accountable went nowhere.

The Party Of Family Values Is Now The Party Of Family Predators

The Republican Party has become a party in Donald Trumps image. Trump is accused of sexually harassing or assaulting dozens of women. Trump has had staffers, including his former White House staff secretary Rob Porter accused of violence against women. Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh is accused of sexual assault. The Republican Party ran a Senate candidate in Alabama who was accused of being a statutory rapist.

It isnt surprising that Knoblachs daughter could not get justice. People who have power can cover up their crimes. It is a common story that a victim is often silenced, ignored, or punished when he or she tries to come forward against a person or an institution that has power in a community.

However, there seems to be a distinct problem in the Republican Party. As the GOP has pushed women out of their party, they have become the party of white male Republicans.

The Republican Party was once self-described as the party of family values. They are now the party of predators.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
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All ten Judiciary Committee Democrats tried to school Republican Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) (and Republican Senators) to learn from past mistakes, that is, to ease himself into the modern era where sexual assault is no longer something to be ignored.

The Democrats kindly outlined steps the committee should take to ensure a thorough investigation of Dr. Blasey Fords allegations and fair hearing.

The Senators tried to draw a line for Grassley on the parallels between 1991 and 2018, explaining Twenty-seven years ago, it was Anita Hill who bravely shared her account of sexual harassment by Clarence Thomas. Today, Christine Blasey Ford has bravely shared her own account that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. The question is how the Senate Judiciary Committee responds in 2018.

And carefully spelling it out lest Grassley be lost in his good old boys memories, Then, Professor Hills confidential report to the Judiciary Committee was leaked against her wishes, and she was asked to testify just five days later, after a three-day FBI investigation. Today, just a week after Dr. Ford came forward, there has been another attempt to rush into a hearing without ascertaining all the facts.

Then, the Judiciary Committee and the Bush White House demanded that the FBI investigate before the hearing, the hearings were conducted over three days, and twenty two witnesses testified. Today, Senate Republicans and President Trump are refusing to allow the FBI to do its job and falsely claiming that this is not what the FBI does Senate Republicans have stated that they believe Dr. Fords allegations are uncorroborated and there are gaps that need to be filled and yet are also refusing to allow any additional witnesses  including Mark Judge who has been identified as a participant. This is not an effort to get to the truth.

Yikes.

Democrats have not missed that the Republicans have actually managed to go way, way back, further than Anita Hill.

We fear that rather than learning from the past, Senate Republicans and the Trump Administration are repeating this Committees previous mistakes and making new ones. Up to this point, the Committee majoritys treatment of Dr. Ford has unquestionably been worse than the disgraceful treatment that Anita Hill received 27 years ago.

Democrats have a few ideas on how to help Republicans pretend they are looking for the truth instead of jamming Brett Kavanaugh through to save Donald Trumps hide:

This means the Committee should at a minimum hear from the FBI, the individual who administered Dr. Fords polygraph test, and all witnesses to the event. This includes Mark Judge, each of the individuals Republican staff have contacted, and other relevant witnesses. There is simply no reason not to hear all the facts. The Committee should also hear from character witnesses for Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford  it is only fair to both  as well as from outside experts who can speak to these allegations. We will submit a list of minority witnesses we would like to call in the next day.

They closed by reminding Republicans of more rules Republicans are breaking and asking them to cut it out and provide the minority with the materials they should be.

Its come to this- Democrats trying to drag Republican into this century, but Republicans arent budging. They will take alienating women and all victims over doing the right thing. Because Donald Trump needs his get out of jail free card, and Republicans need a far right justice with very little integrity.

Full text of the letter as sent to PoliticusUSA follows:

September 21, 2018

Honorable Charles Grassley

Chairman

Committee on the Judiciary

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairman Grassley:

The country is watching our Committee to see how we handle Dr. Fords serious and credible allegations. It is imperative that we handle this matter with respect and fairness.

The parallels between 1991 and 2018 are undeniable. Both episodes have prompted the country to engage in serious conversations about sexual assault and harassment. Twenty-seven years ago, it was Anita Hill who bravely shared her account of sexual harassment by Clarence Thomas. Today, Christine Blasey Ford has bravely shared her own account that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. The question is how the Senate Judiciary Committee responds in 2018.

Then, Professor Hills confidential report to the Judiciary Committee was leaked against her wishes, and she was asked to testify just five days later, after a three-day FBI investigation. Today, just a week after Dr. Ford came forward, there has been another attempt to rush into a hearing without ascertaining all the facts.

Then, the Judiciary Committee and the Bush White House demanded that the FBI investigate before the hearing, the hearings were conducted over three days, and twenty two witnesses testified. Today, Senate Republicans and President Trump are refusing to allow the FBI to do its job and falsely claiming that this is not what the FBI does. In addition, majority staff have unilaterally reached out to potential witnesses without notifying the minority and have solicited letters where individuals refuse to come before the Committee to answer questions. Senate Republicans have stated that they believe Dr. Fords allegations are uncorroborated and there are gaps that need to be filled and yet are also refusing to allow any additional witnesses  including Mark Judge who has been identified as a participant. This is not an effort to get to the truth.

Finally, we are disheartened to see many of our colleagues in the majority have already made up their minds and begun to dismiss and diminish Dr. Fords experience. Some have gone so far as to state, Shes mixed up; Shes mistaken; Shes not in really a position to make conditions; and, Ill listen to the lady, but were going to bring this to a close. These shameful attacks show why it is so difficult for survivors of sexual assault to come forward.

We fear that rather than learning from the past, Senate Republicans and the Trump Administration are repeating this Committees previous mistakes and making new ones. Up to this point, the Committee majoritys treatment of Dr. Ford has unquestionably been worse than the disgraceful treatment that Anita Hill received 27 years ago.

We are better than this.

Now that it appears the Committee may be holding a hearing potentially as soon as next Thursday, we need to ensure the hearing is fair, impartial, and designed to uncover the truth. This means the Committee should at a minimum hear from the FBI, the individual who administered Dr. Fords polygraph test, and all witnesses to the event. This includes Mark Judge, each of the individuals Republican staff have contacted, and other relevant witnesses. There is simply no reason not to hear all the facts.

The Committee should also hear from character witnesses for Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford  it is only fair to both  as well as from outside experts who can speak to these allegations. We will submit a list of minority witnesses we would like to call in the next day.

In the meantime, we ask that you provide all of the notes and transcripts from the outreach and interviews conducted by majority staff in connection with Dr. Fords allegations. We also request a copy of the news reports your staff indicated were the basis for identifying these individuals, along with any other materials or sources. Finally, please identify all of the participants in each call or interview, including any representatives from the White House or Justice Department. Senate Rules XXVI(10) and XXVII(1) require that all Members and staff are provided equal access to these materials, and we ask that you provide them today so that our preparation for next weeks hearing is not further delayed.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein

Ranking Member

Patrick J. Leahy

United States Senator

Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator

Sheldon Whitehouse

United States Senator

Amy Klobuchar

United States Senator

Christopher A. Coons

United States Senator

Richard Blumenthal

United States Senator

Mazie K. Hirono

United States Senator

Cory A. Booker

United States Senator

Kamala D. Harris

United States Senator
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By Jon Herskovitz and Yimou Lee

AUSTIN, Texas/TAIPEI (Reuters)  A Texan running a 3-D printed guns company who flew to Taiwan as police investigated an accusation that he had sex with an underage girl was apprehended in Taipei on Friday after U.S. authorities annulled his passport, officials said.

Cody Wilson, 30, was taken to immigration authorities in the capital by officers from Taiwans Criminal Investigation Bureau, according to local media reports and an official from the bureau who asked not to be named. However, two Taiwanese officials denied Wilson was arrested or in custody. His exact status was unclear.

Wilson, who is at the center of a U.S. legal battle over his plan to publish instructions for the manufacture of 3-D printed plastic guns, flew into Taiwan legally, the countrys National Immigration Agency said in a statement on Friday. Because his U.S. passport was later annulled, the agencys statement said, he no longer has the legal status to stay in Taiwan.

A lawyer for Wilson, as well as representatives of the Austin Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, were not immediately available for comment on Friday.

Taiwan does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.

Austin police have said Wilson flew to Taiwan earlier this month after a friend told him officers were investigating an allegation by a 16-year-old girl who said she was paid $500 to have sex with him at a hotel in the Texas capital.

Police said investigators interviewed the girl and on Wednesday obtained a warrant for Wilsons arrest, but he had flown to Taiwan by then.

Police said they are aware that Wilson travels often for business, but that they do not know why he went to Taiwan.

Wilson is the founder of Defense Distributed, the focus of a legal and political battle over its placing on the internet blueprints for plastic guns that can be made with a 3-D printer.

The files could previously be downloaded for free, but a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction last month that blocked the posting of the blueprints online.

Gun control proponents are concerned that such weapons will be untraceable, undetectable ghost firearms that pose a threat to global security.

Some gun rights groups say the technology is expensive, the guns are unreliable and the threat is overblown.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Additional reporting by Yimou Lee in Taipei and Gina Cherelus in New York; editing by Bill Berkrot)
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(Reuters)  Walmart Inc said that it may hike prices of products if the Trump administration imposes a tariff on Chinese imports, according to a letter the company wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer two weeks ago and seen by Reuters on Thursday.

The letter comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

Walmart, the worlds largest retailer, in its letter said the tariff would impact prices of everything from food products to beverages and personal care items.

Walmart confirmed it sent the letter and in a statement to Reuters urged the two countries to find solutions.

The U.S. Trade Representatives office was not immediately available for comment.

Earlier this week, Trump escalated his trade war with China by imposing 10 percent tariffs on about $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, including consumer products like gas grills, luggage and travel bags, mattresses and helmets.

As the largest retailer in the United States and a major buyer of U.S. manufactured goods, we are very concerned about the impacts these tariffs would have on our business, our customers, our suppliers and the U.S. economy as a whole, Walmart wrote in its letter to Lighthizer.

In its list of consumer products that could be affected by these tariffs, Walmart included gas grills, bicycles, Christmas lights and bicycles.

CNN Money reported the news first, citing Walmarts letter.

(Reporting by Rishika Chatterjee and Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Food editor and chief critic

Eating all of the chicken livers just as fast as I can.
Core members of the Soul Food Sessions, chef, Greg Williams, left, stands with a smile as his fellow chef, Michael Bowling describes Williams' influence on the menu during the first Soul Food Sessions dinner at Free Range Brewery, June 19, in Charlotte, N.C. Bob Leverone/Special to The Post and Courier
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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.
Joseph Cranney is an investigative reporter in Columbia, with a focus on government corruption and injustices in the criminal legal system. He can be reached securely by Proton mail at jcranney@prontonmail.com or on Signal at 215-285-9083.
Parents residing in downtown Charleston sued the school district to admit their daughter to kindergarten at Mount Pleasant Academy. They argued that their daughter was eligible to attend there because she was a 1-percent owner of property in the attendance zone. File/Staff
For three of the past four years, cotton farmers in the Pee Dee have lost their crops to catastrophic flooding.

In 2015, the 1,000-year-flood brought more than $330 million in damage. A year later, Hurricane Matthew cost another $50 million.

Florence will provide yet another hit, and several farmers across the Pee Dee know their crops will once again be decimated. They are waiting with anxiety to learn how much federal crop insurance will not cover  and how much, if anything, the government will provide in emergency farm aid.

The ultimate answers will affect everything from farmers' ability to remain in business to government balance sheets to the future availability of boiled peanuts on the side of the road.

In central Marion County, seventh-generation row crop farmer Neal Baxley surveyed the damage to his cotton, peanuts, hemp and soybeans.

Of the 1,800 acres of cotton he planted this year, most were compromised by the storm.

And that's a particularly bitter pill for Baxley, as this cotton was poised to be one of the best yields yet, priced higher by the Chicago Board of Trade than in recent years. It would have gone overseas for clothing production. The seeds would have provided the base for livestock feed or cooking oils. Harvest time was only weeks away when Florence hit.

After borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars from multiple lenders to produce his cotton, Baxley now has to wait months before trying again. No farmer wants a hand-out, he said, but if the government has an interest in keeping farming domestic and keeping prices low for consumers, something needs to change.

Farming and losing money

Did You Know? The U.S. farm bill includes funding for government subsidies, such as food stamps, and outlines rules for farm financing and crop insurance. The bill is re-evaluated every five years. The current bill is set to expire on Sept. 30. The 2008 and 2014 farm bills removed emergency disaster aid packages for farmers. The Pee Dee region, nestled in the northeast corner of the state and up against the North Carolina border, is responsible for 157,400 acres of cotton  roughly 52 percent of the states average production, according to the Farm Service Agency. The region also grows 70 percent of the states soybeans and 43 percent of its peanuts. Before Hurricane Florence... Only 28 percent of cotton in the Pee Dee had seen its bolls open, and zero percent had been harvested.

Only 1 percent of peanuts had been harvested.

Only 4 percent of soybeans had dropped their leaves, and 75 percent were still setting pods.

Many farmers obtain federal crop insurance as a provision of the Farm Bill. The federal farm bill is updated every five years and expires on Sept. 30. The 2018 bill is working its way through the House.

The 2014 Farm Bill does not include disaster aid for agriculture. Such aid, along with traditional farm subsidies that offered direct payouts, was removed from the Farm Bill in 2008.

"There was a time where farmers were getting a black eye from the general public," said farmer and Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun County.

Harry Ott, father of Russell Ott, is the president of the South Carolina Farm Bureau. Since 2014, farm income across the nation has fallen by 52 percent, Ott said. Then came a series of natural disasters. Then, for corn and soybean farmers, came tariffs.

"Without farm assistance, it was already going to be very thin margins to maintain any semblance of profitability," Harry Ott said. "Most people believe crop insurance will make a farmer whole. Even if you have a total loss, and you have crop insurance maxed out, youre going to get about two-thirds of the cost of production back. There's no way to break even if you have a total loss."

Crop insurance typically maxes out at 85 percent of farmed land, and premiums are based on a 10-year historical average of yield sizes and prices. Averaging three disaster years into that 10-year average skews the production history.

The 2014 Farm Bill does include some price protection programs designed to work like subsidies, Russell Ott said. But those, too, are based on average prices, said JC Carroll, co-owner of Agriliance Insurance Group.

In 2017, peanut prices fell drastically and peanut farmers received aid. But even though corn, cotton, wheat and bean prices also fell, those prices had already been so low that the change in price did not trigger subsidies, Carroll said.

"Everybody thinks crop insurance works like auto insurance, where you insure the full value of the car," said Horry County cotton farmer Cornelius Squires. "As crop prices drop and yields are bad, insurance doesnt even cover input costs. Youve basically been farming and losing money every year."

Squires said many Pee Dee farmers have refinanced their land, which feels like taking a second or third mortgage on a home. It is an emotional, but necessary step to ensure they can survive until the next harvest.

In Dillon County, Daniel Baxley (no relation to Neal Baxley), lost most of his 1,150 acres of cotton.

"Now three out of the last four years we've lost a cotton crop," he said. "It's been very tough being a farmer in the state. ... We're not trying to farm and make insurance claims each year."

Cameron Flowers is a loan officer for Florida-based Ag America Lending. Based in Aynor, Flowers helps customers in both Carolinas use the value of their land to stretch loans on equipment and other farm costs.

The way crop insurance is currently structured is not working, Flowers said, but he admitted he does not see an easy solution.

"It's going to take a lot of help from different sources and people getting creative," he said. "We've got to have the farmers in the Pee Dee region and in the Carolinas. The world depends on our food."

'Never in my life'

South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers and U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, R-7, flew over the Pee Dee on Tuesday and met with 60 farmers who sustained damage from Florence.

Ronald Rabon, 63, is a third-generation farmer in Horry County. This year, he spent roughly $402,000 planting 700 acres of cotton and $187,000 planting 500 acres of soybeans. Insuring the 700 acres of cotton cost him another $40,000.

His premium increased this year because flooding from 2015 and 2016 affected his historical yield average, a major factor in crop insurance. In 2015, he paid only $34,000 to insure 900 acres of cotton.

That's not the only financial burden he's faced. In 2016, Rabon refinanced several tractors, ranging in cost from $60,000 to $240,000. He also refinanced a used cotton picker he bought for $250,000. He estimated he has borrowed nearly $500,000 to cover the cost of the 2018 harvest, which was near completely destroyed by Florence.

"I'm being punished for what Mother Nature's done," Rabon said. It doesn't help that harvest time for cotton and peanuts coincides with peak hurricane season.

His story fits a larger trend in the Pee Dee and southeastern North Carolina, Flowers said. These areas of the Carolinas have very fertile soils and a good climate for row crops  providing the backbone of the economies in both states.

Most of Ag America Lending's customers in these two regions sustained devastating damage from at least two of the three most recent storms.

Some, like Rabon, suffered the wrath of all three.

"It's a very difficult time in the agriculture industry, all over the U.S., but really in the Carolinas with the disasters we've been dealt over the last four years," Flowers said.

Rabon has two sons, but neither has pursued farming. Without heirs to his grandfather's land, and his financial options dwindling, Rabon worries about the future of his farm  and other multi-generational farms in the Pee Dee.

"Never in my life had three years out of four I lost a crop," he said. "I don't know how we're going to survive this. I really don't."

How will politicians respond?

In 2015, after the 1,000-year flood caused more than $330 million in damage to crops across the state, Congress recognized that crop insurance would not cover the costs of production for farmers. The House allocated millions to emergency farm aid, Carroll said. At the time, Gov. Nikki Haley needed only to apply.

Farmers in the Pee Dee hoped Haley would pursue that supplemental aid. She didn't. The farmers had chosen to be under-insured, Haley spokeswoman Chaney Adams said at the time.

To help The S.C. Farm Bureau is accepting donations for aid for the state's farm families. Send checks to SCFB Agricultural Aid Foundation, P.O. Box 754, Columbia, SC 29202. Attn: Ron Quesinberry

"The governor does not believe we should treat farmers differently than any other business owners in South Carolina," Adams said.

Many Pee Dee farmers barely hung on, said Russell Ott.

Even though state lawmakers allocated $40 million in emergency aid  a move that overrode a Haley veto  Ott said many farmers still remember what they saw as a lack of understanding when it came to crop insurance.

In contrast to Haley's 2015 decision, McMaster included agricultural losses in the state's application for federal aid on Thursday. He assessed the current damage at $125 million.

Neal Baxley, the Marion County farmer, said farmers don't want handouts, "but when you live in this northeastern part of South Carolina, which is one of the poorest parts of the state, where (we have) lost textile mills and there is high unemployment, ag is pretty much all that's left."
In this photo taken from a monitor, U.S. astronaut Nick Hague, right, and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin work inside a mock-up of a Soyuz space craft final preflight practical examination at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City outside Star City, Russia, Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. They are scheduled to launch on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for a six month mission on the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
Rain from Hurricane Matthew flooded the town of Nichols in Marion County. The county is one of the areas where the S.C. Disaster Recovery Office focused on home rebuilding and may be called on for help again after Hurricane Florence. The Town of Nichols/Provided
A screenshot from a debate between U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, and Sumter Democrat Archie Parnell on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Norman opened with an off-color joke suggesting that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg claimed to have been groped by Abraham Lincoln.
I was looking for details on a visit to Rochester by a former president and stumbled upon this treasure trove that's got me paging through the days of FDR.

FDR's day in Rochester

I'm a fan of presidential libraries and the historical collections that help us see more about the residents of the White House. I found the day's details on President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's visit to Rochester for the American Legion ceremony for the Mayo brothers honoring their treatment of disabled veterans. But then I realized there are many days and a search function on this Marist College site of the FDR Library. You might enjoy. Its items are sparse in detail, but it helps you narrow in on other sites to get more information. Here's the Aug. 8, 1934, page for FDR's visit to Rochester and then a ride on the Mayo Yacht, North Star. Explore more.

www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/daybyday/daylog/august-8th-1934/

Mayo TV

If you had a chance to screen the Ken Burns production on Mayo Clinic recently in Rochester, you'll want to check out the partner website before its national airing. It's got tidbits that are fun to poke around and remember. It's a good stop in case you plan to view again on your local PBS station.

www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-mayo-clinic/

Restricted areas

I've been fascinated by abandoned sites and equipment. This site from artist Danila Tkachenkohas some stark looks at aircraft, research buildings from the old Soviet era. It's stark and beautiful, but also sad. Look it over.

http://www.danilatkachenko.com/projects/restricted-areas/

Rochester's subway

A video three years ago chronicles Rochester's subway system and other areas for wandering the Queen City. In some ways it's a bit nostalgic even at three years ago, because of the big changes underway here. Take a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uLvOBXxxY0&feature=youtu.be

State Parks

Fall is in the air. Where to go? I say to the woods, the prairies and lakes. Minnesota's state parks are a great place to enjoy my favorite season. Check out the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' site on parks. It's a great place to find the gems that exist near us, but also plan a trip to another spot. Make sure you scout out the weekly fall leaf color report, if you go to maximize the enjoyment.

www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/index.html
Travel writing interweaves history, culture, politics and personal experience with the complexity of being an outsider in an established community. And the best travel writing comes from writers who are honest about the sometimes challenging realities of travel, and who revel in the joy and growth that comes with it. Heres where to start.

"An African in Greenland" by Tete-Michel Kpomassie

"An African in Greenland" tells Tete-Michel Kpomassies journey from his childhood in Togo, where he first read about Greenland, to his eventual journey, through luck and the kindness of strangers, to the remotest parts of that country. Its told with such earnestness and joy that you can easily see how Kpomassie managed to charm so many strangers along the way. It also frees the reader from the conventions of so much travel writing that rely on crafted novelty or tour-guide knowledge, replacing them with awe and sincerity.

"Blind Spot" by Teju Cole

Through photography and writing, Teju Cole curates a voyage through about 20 countries. Ranging from broad cityscapes to up-close portraits, objects and scenes, Coles photos and short essays give snapshots of place. Cole seems preoccupied with what exists outside of these photos  how little we see, how blind we are even when were traveling to expand our worldview.

"Catfish and Mandala" by Andrew X. Pham

Born in war-stricken Vietnam, Andrew Pham escaped to the U.S. as a boy, then returned to Vietnam many years later as an Americanized young man. Pham finds Vietnam very much changed, and himself as much of an outsider as he was in the U.S. He travels along blurred lines of identity, seeing shades of his own family history and ripping away much of the exoticism through which Vietnam is often viewed by Western travelers  all while realizing he is now very much a foreigner in the place where he was born.

"Lose Your Mother" by Saidiya Hartman

Saidiya Hartman traced her own familys journey from the hinterland in Ghana to the Atlantic coast, where they would have been sold as slaves destined for the United States. Like many black Americans descended from slaves, Hartman admits that she hoped to find a sense of belonging in the country her ancestors came from. Instead, she finds herself an outsider there. She returns to the U.S. having discovered little about her family, but with a new understanding of how thoroughly the Atlantic slave trade devastated families on both sides of the Atlantic.

"A Long Way From Home" by Claude McKay

A poet by trade, Claude McKay always told it like it was. Throughout his career, he was sometimes criticized for the cutting honesty of his portrayals of the communities he wrote about, but he never held back. "A Long Way From Home" is an unfiltered take on his travels from Jamaica to Harlem to Europe to post-Revolutionary Russia and back again. When he describes the many people urging him to visit the illustrious Gertrude Stein while in Paris, he writes, "I never went because of my aversion to cults and disciples." McKay resists the urge to romanticize that marks so much of travel writing, and instead boldly denounces, criticizes and lays bare the realities of the people and places he encounters.

"Low Visibility" and other essays by Bani Amor

Bani Amor is among the contemporary travel writers bringing some necessary change to the genre. They highlight the experiences of queer and nonbinary travelers in essays like "Low Visibility" in the anthology "Outside the XY," and in a piece for Bitch magazines travel issue, on "spiritual tourism" and its effects on indigenous communities. Amor addresses these issues through the sudden mainstream popularity of ayahuasca, a plant-based drink with hallucinogenic properties long used by Amazonian healers. In all their pieces, Amor writes beautifully but sternly, insisting that we take responsibility for the effects we have on the places we travel to, and highlighting the different, often problematic, ways we move through the world.

"Notes From a Trip to Russia" by Audre Lorde

In her essay collection, "Sister Outsider," Audre Lorde recounts her travels through Russia in the essay "Notes From a Trip to Russia." She is the ultimate observer, finding remarkable comparisons between Moscow and New York and Tashkent and parts of West Africa. But as a black woman, she cannot just quietly observe. As she recalls being questioned about her blackness by locals, she perfectly captures how traveling as a person of color is often to be both the curious and the curiosity.

"I Wonder As I Wander" by Langston Hughes

Hughes is a poet, and he remains very much the poet as he writes of his travels over seven years through many different countries  Spain during the Spanish Civil War, Russia during the implementation of the second "5 Year Plan," the U.S. during the height of segregation and the Depression, Cuba, Haiti, Japan, Paris  Traveling as a black poet in the 1930s, Hughes seamlessly infuses art and social issues with his personal experiences of varying degrees of freedom and racism. "I Wonder As I Wander" is artful, fun and often deeply serious, depicting the places Hughes visited as much more than "destinations."

"The Motorcycle Diaries" by Ernesto "Che" Guevara

OK, so youve probably read this one, but maybe not as "travel writing." Che Guevara was a 23-year-old medical student when he and his best friend set off on a motorcycle journey from Argentina to Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and all the way to Miami. They returned home forever changed by the people and the poverty they encountered along the way. What began as a quirky idea for a year off medical school quickly became a personally and politically transformative journey, as Guevara traveled and gained a stronger understanding of the region hed long called home, and the struggles that unite people across borders.

"Equal in Paris" and "Stranger in the Village" by James Baldwin

No review of travel writing is complete without James Baldwins travel essays from "Notes of a Native Son." In "Equal in Paris" he describes a Paris in which he is poor and uncertain of how to navigate race. "None of my old weapons could serve me here," he writes. "I did not know what they saw when they looked at me. I knew very well what Americans saw when they looked at me."

In "Stranger in the Village," Baldwin is regarded as a novelty in a small Swiss town where he is the only black man. Treated as such, he arrives a stranger and leaves a stranger, meditating all the while on how places where a black man is so strange a sight will soon no longer exist. "The world is white no longer," he writes, "and it will never be white again."
Gov. Eddie Baza Calvo on Friday announced he sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting a major disaster declaration, which may provide a wide range of federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure.

If granted, the federal aid would supplement local recovery efforts throughout the island in response to the damage from Typhoon Mangkhut.

"Joint preliminary damage assessments wrapping up this week provided the necessary information to submit this request," Calvo stated. "Guam has come a long way to rebuild from devastating events like Paka and Pongsona, and it shows in the hardening of our critical infrastructure and homes. However, I have seen the reports and seen first-hand the destruction Mangkhut bore down on our island and our people need help."

Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense and local agencies have been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess the damage to homes, businesses and government buildings and infrastructure.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

On Sept. 10, Typhoon Mangkhut damaged or destroyed homes, particularly those in northern Guam, and damaged the island's power distribution infrastructure, disrupted water distribution, caused crop loss for farmers and more, the governor's office stated.

Following Supertyphoon Pongsona and Typhoon Chata'an in 2002, FEMA had asked for cash repayments or had to reduce allocations, the governor's office stated in a news release, without providing details.

Additionally, an audit of federal grants in 2004 pointed out $12.5 million of questioned costs related to FEMA assistance, the governor's office stated.
On Veterans Day, we remember and thank all who have served under the American flag - those who continue the missions today and and those who c Read more
He doesnt want people to have to walk in his shoes

DACA advocate Elias Rosenfeld wont stop until immigrants like him secure their future

Photo/Credit: Stadtratte

Elias Rosenfeld 20 just wants to have the same worries as most college students. Worries about exams, papers and projects.

Instead, he wakes up every day wondering whether breaking news will change his life.

"I check the Google alerts every morning not knowing if a news story will say I cant be here anymore," he said.

Rosenfeld is a DACA recipient. DACA, the acronym for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an executive order issued by former President Barack Obama, allowed some 800,000 children brought to this country with their parents to continue living in the U.S. without fear of deportation, even though it did not carve out a path to citizenship.

Rosenfeld immigrated to the United States from Venezuela with his mother, father and sister when he was 6 years old via a visa granted to his mother through a program for business executives. While some things took getting used to ("I couldnt believe I could just walk out in the street," he recalled), Rosenfeld adjusted to life in America quickly. His family moved into a home in Weston, Florida owned by his grandfather, where they had previously vacationed. He started school in kindergarten and despite a language gap, caught up with his classmates quickly.

"I had a pretty normal life," he said.

That changed when he was in sixth grade. His mother died of cancer after a two-year battle. Compounding the tragedy, her death meant that Rosenfeld and his older sister were no longer protected by her visa status. Suddenly, they were living in the U.S. without documentation. Their father never explained that their immigration status had changed.

Rosenfeld thought he was living the life of an ordinary teenager in America, until he tried to apply for a driving learners permit. "I couldn't even fill out the paperwork," he said. "I thought maybe something wasnt quite right before, but it wasn't until that moment that I knew for sure."

At first he was upset with his father for not telling him about the reality of his situation, but these days he directs his focus elsewhere. "When I was young I had anger toward him, but now it's anger toward the system because I know it so well," Rosenfeld said.

Yet even before he even knew of his complicated immigration status, Rosenfeld had developed a passion for politics  particularly immigration-related issues. He advocated for changes to laws regarding healthcare for immigrant children in Florida, and interned at a state senators office even before starting high school.

"I've never feared speaking out," Rosenfeld said. "I know there could be consequences, but I also know that 800,000 lives wouldn't have been changed if people before me got scared and didn't pressure the president to pass DACA."

Crucially, DACA also allowed him to attend college here, which would have been far more difficult without its protections. The undocumented immigrants who pushed for changes leading up to DACA further fueled his passion for politics and advocacy that had taken root in middle school. In high school, Rosenfeld established United Student Immigrants, an advocacy coalition for young students.

"If people don't know our stories, then they don't see the complexity of the issue and they won't pressure their legislators," he said.

When it came to considering colleges, Rosenfeld was drawn to Brandeis in part because of its history and commitment to social justice.

"I knew the school would have my community's back for sure," he said.

It was also appealing because of the location. It's proximity to Boston would give him an opportunity to connect with Massachusetts politicians whose values aligned with his own, and New Hampshire, a notorious political battleground, is only 30 miles away.

His advocacy kicked into high gear with Donald Trumps election because Trump promised his supporters vast changes to immigration policies, including termination of the program that guaranteed Rosenfeld protection.

One of Rosenfelds first calls was to Risa Levine '83, a lawyer and advocate for infertility issues who sits on the board of the national infertility association RESOLVE. Rosenfeld met Levine at a Brandeis Democrats event in 2016, where she told the personal story that led her to advocacy. Although decades apart in age, the pair has sparked an unlikely friendship.

We found we had so many things in common, Levine said. We shared the same outlook. It was wild to find each other.

Levine helped Rosenfeld get legal representation to prepare for potential changes to his status, but that was only the beginning. The pair talks or exchanges messages almost every day.

There is not a day that goes by that he's not doing something to pursue a greater sense of justice in this country, and his knowledge is with such a mature and sophisticated eye, Levine said. He's a real gift to Brandeis.

Not long after the 2016 election, Rosenfeld got involved with the university coalition of FWD.us, an immigrant advocacy group established by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. In 2017, he completed a summer internship with the organization in Washington, D.C. When President Donald Trump announced the end of DACA in September, Rosenfeld found himself in a unique position to tell his story publicly. He has made the most of it. He gave media interviews and spoke at a rally that day, and he hasnt let up since.

I knew from that day forward I was going to be deeply involved with the movement, he said.

DACA program recipients, known as Dreamers, after a similar program that would have paved the way for U.S. citizenship, have been on an anxiety-laden roller coaster ride since Trump became president. Both Democrats and Republicans have disappointed Rosenfeld with their inaction, and he takes every opportunity to let them know. Regularly shuttling between Brandeis and Washington, he tells his story at rallies, and in TV and newspaper interviews. Hes met with political leaders from both parties, including Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Next, Rosenfeld, who is majoring in politics and sociology, is looking to establish a new coalition to target upcoming congressional elections, and he wants to make connections with Republican lawmakers who he hopes to convince to support the cause. Hes also lobbied hundreds of members of congress and done a national speaking tour to mobilize Jewish communities across the country.

It's exhausting. It can feel like Im always under pressure, Rosenfeld said. But then I think about the people who fought to get DACA passed in the first place. Going to college was impossible for them. DACA made it possible for me. That's what drives me. I don't want people to have to walk in my shoes.
Ideological consistency is a challenge for all segments of the political spectrum, but the Left in particular wallows in hypocrisy. While I could fill a book with examples, given the limited space available here well just talk about a favorite part of the so-called progressive agenda: Campaign finance reform.

There is nary a left-wing candidate for a federal or state office who does not wail loudy, and rend their garments over what they call the corrupting influence of money in politics. What they really want is to place restrictions on contributions and curtail the free speech rights of donors and groups on the Right. They rail against conservative donors like the Koch brothers, while happily raking in the big bucks from left-wing billionaires like George Soros.

Progressives decry what they see as the corrupting factor of money in political campaigns and tout public (ie: taxpayer) funding as a way to supposedly cleanse the system from the evil influence of private individuals freely giving to the candidates of their choice.

While still mounted on their soap boxes calling for further restrictions on individual rights, the Left aggressively rakes in money from large donors. Not only are those donations being used to influence campaigns, but it is used to directly influence public policy as several recent eyebrow raising examples prove.

It is possible that several left-leaning groups actually crossed the line between influence and bribery in threating Susan Collins, a U.S. Senator from Maine by offering to donate $1.3 million to any candidate who challenges her unless she votes against the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

Left-wing hysteria over the pending confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh has reached a fever pitch as the Senate vote nears. The appointment of John Kyle to the Senate seat of the late John McCain restored a 51-49 Republican majority virtually assuring Kavanaughs confirmation, even in the wake of unproven last minute allegations of wrong-doing.

Collins is one of two Republican U.S. Senators who could possibly vote against the appointment, although she has signaled her satisfaction with Kavanaugh. Thus did Mainers for Accountable Leadership and the Maine Peoples Alliance issue the million dollar threat against Collins.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), an accomplished constitutional lawyer, suggested the threat rises to the level of potential illegal bribery. Prominent Republican elections attorney Cleta Mitchell told Newsmax the unusual fundraising efforts by the group may violate election laws because it links official actions to monetary rewards. Collins herself minced no words saying I consider this quid pro quo fundraising to be the equivalent of an attempt to bribe me.

Meanwhile, here in Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf, who has himself decried the influence of money in politics, will be the beneficiary of $2.5 million in spending on behalf of his re-election campaign by the pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood. Wolf has also accepted substantial contributions from a PAC funded by business interests that sells medications of questionable value through the states workers compensation system. The governor recently vetoed legislation that would have ended that dubious practice.

Another example of the left pouring massive amounts of money into influencing public policy is the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In 2015 labor unions contributed millions to the campaigns of three candidates seeking seats on the high court. Their candidates prevailed and just recently the justices repaid the favor by ruling an executive order by Governor Wolf unionizing home health care workers constitutional. Unions stand to rake in millions as a result of the forced unionization of such workers.

The Democratic Supreme Court Justices also impacted the political process earlier this year when they ruled Pennsylvanias congressional districting plan unconstitutional, then hired a California college professor to re-gerrymander the lines which they put into effect by judicial fiat. The new lines have been drawn to advantage Democratic candidates in the upcoming November general election.

And so, the next time a left-wing candidate or elected official starts pontificating on the evils of money in the political and public policy processes, keep in mind their own segment of the ideological spectrum has unapologetically used such money to fund crass political power plays in furtherance of their own agendas.

Lowman S. Henry is chairman & CEO of the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research in Harrisburg and host of the Lincoln Radio Journal. His email address is lhenry@lincolninstitute.org
As Steve reported last night, our friend Ed Whelan set off a storm yesterday with a series of tweets suggesting Christine Blasey Fords allegation that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her was a case of mistaken identity. There had been plenty of buzz about this possibility, triggered mainly by Eds earlier tweets stating that compelling evidence would exonerate Kavanaugh.

In his tweets yesterday, Ed went so far as to identify the person he thought Dr. Ford mistook for Kavanaugh. That person was a classmate of Kavanaughs at Georgetown Prep, who lived near the Country Club near where Ford said the party in question occurred, and who resembled Kavanaugh. Ed was careful to add that he wasnt accusing this person of misconduct. However, he did inject the guy into a highly contentious dispute over events that occurred (or didnt occur) 36 years ago.

The four of us discussed Eds theory on our program for subscribers last night. Our view was that Eds tweets making the case for his mistaken identity theory were not compelling; that we were surprised Ed, without more, identified by name the person he thought Ford mistook for Kavanaugh; and that, given Eds track record, it seemed likely he had more evidence to support his theory.

Today, however, Ed apologized for naming Kavanaughs high school classmate, and deleted his tweets. He tweeted:

I made an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment in posting the tweet thread in a way that identified Kavanaughs Georgetown Prep classmate. I take full responsibility for that mistake, and I deeply apologize for it. I realize that does not undo the mistake.

In addition, Ford has stated unequivocally that this is not a case of mistaken identity. She says:

I knew them both [Kavanaugh and the classmate], and socialized with [the classmate]. I even visited [him] when he was in the hospital. There is zero chance that I would confuse them.

When Ed predicted that Fords allegations would be rebutted by conclusive evidence, I expressed surprise, writing:

The conventional wisdom among Kavanaughs supporters is that this a case of he said, she said and that the alleged episode occurred so long ago that evidence doesnt exist conclusively to prove or disprove Ms. Fords allegation.

Right now, it looks like the conventional wisdom had it right.
 Has anyone stopped to notice that amidst all the extreme political turmoil of the week, the stock market has leapt sharply to a new record high? Its almost as though the real economy of the real world isnt much concerned about the madness in Washington. Or maybe the market is discounting favorably the likelihood of increased gridlock in Washington. Gridlock, as my late mentor M. Stanton Evans liked to say, is the next best thing to constitutional government.

 Speaking of M. Stanton Evans, he used to like to joke in his dry midwestern drawl that whenever a new political issue popped up, he wanted to know first what Hollywood actors and rock stars think. I want to know what Bono thinks. And sometimes life imitates art (or at least comedy):

P.S. I did once many years ago have a one-on-one lunch with the other, sensible Bono: Sonny Bono. This was way back around 1990 or so, just after Sonny had finished up a creditable turn as mayor of Palm Springs, and he was thinking about running against Gray Davis for some statewide office in California. Which naturally led me to suggest that his bumper sticker slogan was obvious: Better Sonny Than Gray. He liked it! But he ended up running for Congress instead.

 Silicon Valley liberals are all about their moral superiority. So it is fun to see this sentence in a news story about Cupertino (home city of Apple) residents not liking the citys approval of a new housing development that might actually includegasp!affordable housing! Heres how the San Francisco Chronicle reported it:

But the request to dedicate some of that residential space for affordable housing inflamed Cupertino residents. According to the sales pitch, the new housing units would include low-income high-density housing apartments, said one Cupertino resident at Tuesday nights meeting. This would mean that we would have uneducated people living in Cupertino. A lot of other residents and I are concerned that this would make the current residents of Cupertino uncomfortable, and would split our city in half.

 Speaking of liberal idiocy, get a load of this story:

Wealthy L.A. Schools Vaccination Rates Are as Low as South Sudans The Hollywood Reporter has a great investigation for which it sought the vaccination records of elementary schools all over Los Angeles County. They found that vaccination rates in elite neighborhoods like Santa Monica and Beverly Hills have tanked, and the incidence of whooping cough there has skyrocketed. . . Parents in these schools are submitting a form called a personal belief exemption, which states that they are not vaccinating their kids due to a diffuse constellation of unproven anxieties, from allergies and asthma to eczema and seizures, reporter Gary Baum writes. In some schools, up to 60 to 70 percent of parents have filed these PBEs, indicating a vaccination rate as low as that of Chad or South Sudan. Unlike in Santa Monica, however, parents in South Sudan have trouble getting their children vaccinated because of an ongoing civil war.

And lo, it is these very same L.A. neighborhoods that are experiencing a resurgence of diseases like whooping cough, otherwise known as pertussis. Measles cases have also hit a high in California this year.

The Atlantic quite rightly calls this vaccine roulette.
Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time. Winston Churchill

Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof. Inscription on the Liberty Bell
Brandeis welcomes new faculty to campus

The 28 new faculty span 20 different academic departments across campus

A diverse group of new full-time faculty members and postdoctoral faculty fellows has arrived at Brandeis University.

These new faculty members, along with our new part-time faculty, will deepen the already robust academic experience and scholarly exploration in our university community, said Provost Lisa Lynch. They represent a tremendous amount of knowledge, perspective and expertise.

The 28 new faculty span 20 different academic departments across campus. Four additional searches for faculty positions that were conducted during the 2017-18 academic year have also concluded, and those new hires will officially join the Brandeis community in the 2019-20 academic year.

Brandeis is pleased to announce the following new faculty and postdoctoral faculty fellows:

College of Arts and Sciences:

Division of Creative Arts

Fine Arts

Sheida Soleimani

Assistant Professor

Soleimani's research investigates the intersections of art and activism, as well as how social media has shaped the landscape in current sociopolitical affairs and uprisings. Soleimani makes work that melds sculpture, collage and photography, and highlights her own critical perspective on historical and contemporary sociopolitical occurrences in Iran. She received her MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Division of Humanities

Classics

Caitlin Gillespie

Assistant Professor

Gillespie has held faculty positions at Temple University and, more recently, at Columbia University. Her research examines the intersection between social history and historiography, focusing on women of the early Roman Empire. Her current book project, Boudica: Warrior Woman of Roman Britain, is under contract with Oxford University Press. She received her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

English

Dorothy Kim

Assistant Professor

Kim joins Brandeis from Vassar College, where she was a tenuretrack faculty member. Her research areas are Early Middle English culture (11001350) and the digital humanities. Current research projects include a forthcoming monograph published by the University of Toronto Press, Jewish/Christian Entanglements: Ancrene Wisse and Its Material Worlds, and an NEHsupported digital humanities project, Archive of Early Middle English. Kim received her PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2009.

English

Chen Chen

Jacob Ziskind Poet-in-Residence

Chens teaching and research interests include literature by underrepresented peoples, poetry of the political imagination, intersectionality and hybridity as politics and writing practice, erasure texts, the use of humor in poetry, innovative structures of poetry books, and the role of research in creative work. His full-length poetry book, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities, won the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize and was longlisted for the 2017 National Book Award for Poetry. His most recent teaching appointment was at Texas Tech University, where he is completing his PhD. Chen holds an MFA in Poetry from Syracuse University.

Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

Hassan Almohammed

Madeleine Haas Russell Visiting Professor in the Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Program

Almohammeds work focuses on the relationship between text and images in social and political context. He has written on the Palestinian characterist Naji Al Ali, on Iraqi traditional Maqam, and on religious practices on Jaafarya in Damascus. He worked as an interpreter and journalist in France as well as a translator for the French newspapers Le Monde, Radio France Info, and France Culture. He also wrote the subtitles for four French documentary films describing the current situation in Syria that aired on French television. His scholarly output was severely impacted by his status as a refugee after deserting the Syrian army in 2012. In academic year 2017-18, Almohammed served as a visiting professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. At Brandeis, he is teaching Photology of the Syrian Uprising." He holds a PhD from the Universite Blaise Pascal.

Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

Alexander Kaye

Assistant Professor, The Stoll Family Chair

Kaye has been appointed to the Karl, Harry and Helen Stoll Family Chair in Israel Studies. He comes to Brandeis from the Ohio State University, where he has held the position of assistant professor of history since 2014. He received his doctorate in Jewish history in 2013 from Columbia University, where he studied ancient, medieval and modern Jewish history and European intellectual history, specializing in the legal and political thought of religious Zionists in the 20th century.

Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

Lynn Kaye

Assistant Professor

Kayes area of expertise is Rabbinic literature with a particular focus on the application of methods current in comparative literature, philosophy and gender studies to classical texts. After receiving her PhD from New York University in 2012, she was appointed assistant professor of Rabbinics at Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, where she served for two years. She joins Brandeis from the Ohio State University, where she has been assistant professor since 2014.

Philosophy and Neuroscience

Brendan Cline

Florence Levy Kay Fellow in Philosophy and Neuroscience

Cline has been appointed Florence Levy Kay Fellow in Philosophy and Neuroscience. He received his doctorate in philosophy from the University at Buffalo, SUNY in 2017. His areas of specialization are ethics (with a particular interest in metaethics) and moral psychology; more broadly, his interests encompass environmental ethics, bioethics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of science. He comes to Brandeis from Grand Valley State University, where he has served since August 2017 as a visiting assistant professor.

Romance Studies

Andrew Sewick

Lecturer in Hispanic studies

Sewick comes to Brandeis from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he has served as lecturer in Spanish since 2013. He earned his masters in Spanish and Latin American languages and literatures from New York Universitys graduate program in Madrid, Spain, in 2008. He has taught Spanish at all levels at a variety of institutions ranging from elementary schools to colleges.

Romance Studies

Kristen Turpin

Lecturer in Hispanic studies

Turpin joins Brandeis from the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at Villanova University, where she has served as visiting assistant professor of Spanish since August 2016. She holds a PhD in comparative literature and literary theory from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research and teaching fields include writing and second language pedagogy, Latin American literature and culture, and disability and gender studies.

Division of Sciences

Biochemistry

Niels Bradshaw

Assistant Professor

Bradshaw comes to Brandeis from Harvard University where he has served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology since 2009. His work combines mechanistic enzymology, structural biology, genetics, and cell biology, and aims to identify the signals to which cells respond, and the conserved molecular mechanisms of enzyme regulation. He received his PhD from the University of California, San Francisco.

Biochemistry

Julia Kardon

Assistant Professor

Kardon joins Brandeis from MIT, where she has been working in the Department of Biology as a postdoctoral scholar since 2009. Her research identifies the mechanisms that control the quality and activity of mitochondrial proteins and the signals that direct these mechanisms. In carrying out this work she draws on genetic, metabolomics, cell biological, and biochemical techniques. She received her PhD from the University of California, San Francisco.

Chemistry

Grace Han

Assistant Professor

Han comes to Brandeis from MIT, where she also received her doctorate in 2015, and has been working as a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. In broad terms, her recent work has focused on solving energy problems at the interface of chemistry and materials science.



Chemistry

Rebecca Gieseking

Assistant Professor

Gieseking joins Brandeis from Northwestern University, where she has been working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry since 2015. Her research uses a combination of computational and theoretical approaches to study materials for emerging energy technologies. She received her PhD in 2015 from Georgia Institute of Technology.



Computer Science

Hongfu Liu

Assistant Professor

Lius research interests include machine learning, data mining and bioinformatics, with a specific focus on cluster analysis. He has served as a data scientist intern at Adobe Research in San Jose, California, and at Microsoft Research Asia in Beijing. He has a number of publications in journals and in computer science conferences such as IEEE BigData. He received his PhD in computer engineering from Northeastern University.

Mathematics

Thomas Fai

Assistant Professor

Fais primary research interests are mathematical biology and computational fluid dynamics. He joins Brandeis from Harvard Universitys School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where he has served as a postdoctoral research fellow in applied mathematics since 2014. He received his PhD from the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University.

Mathematics

John Wilmes

Assistant Professor

Wilmes research is in discrete mathematics with applications to the analysis of algorithms. Present areas of focus include theoretical guarantees for machine learning and the dynamics of Markov chains for combinatorial sampling problems. He joins Brandeis from Georgia Institute of Technologys Algorithms and Randomness Center, where he has worked as a postdoctoral scholar since 2016. He received his PhD in 2016 from the University of Chicago.

Division of Social Sciences

African and Afro-American Studies and Politics

Amber Spry

Assistant Professor

Spry's research examines the relationship between group identity and political attitudes and behavior in American politics. Broader research interests include political psychology, public opinion, race and ethnic politics, and inequality. Professor Spry received her PhD in 2018 from Columbia University.

Anthropology and American Studies

Lee Bloch

Florence Levy Kay Fellow in Native American and Indigenous Studies, Lecturer in Anthropology and American Studies

Bloch is an anthropologist trained in sociocultural and archaeological subfields. He works with members of a small Native American community in the U.S. South who identify as of Muskogee (Creek) ancestry. Blochs research utilizes the nondestructive methodologies of archaeological ethnography, oral history research, and collections-based research, to understand how Indigenous ways of knowing and caring for ancestral places can inform alternative ways of doing archaeology. His current book project focuses on the unfinished histories of mound landscapes: earthwork constructions built by diverse Native American peoples across eastern North America over the past 5,500 years. Bloch received his PhD from the University of Virginia in 2018.

Anthropology

Dorothy Hodgson

Professor and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Hodgson is a cultural and historical anthropologist who has worked in East Africa for more than 30 years, primarily among Maasai pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in Tanzania. Her research has examined such topics as gender, ethnicity, cultural politics, colonialism, nationalism, modernity, the missionary encounter, transnational organizing and the indigenous rights movement. She has authored numerous books about the intersection of gender, culture and politics in Africa. Prior to joining Brandeis, Hodgson served as senior associate dean for academic affairs at Rutgers Universitys School of Graduate Studies. Hodgson earned her PhD at the University of Michigan.

Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program

Barry Shrage

Professor of the Practice in the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program



Shrage served for 30 years as president of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, and continues to serve as a powerful voice on the American Jewish communal scene. He is known in Boston and throughout the world for his tireless support of Jewish education; his promotion of engagement by religious and nonreligious Jews; his commitment to working for social justice at home and abroad; his strong support of Israel; and his bridge-building, outreach and engagement with the non-Jewish community in creative partnerships. At Brandeis, Shrage is training and mentoring students in the Hornstein Program for future roles as Jewish professional leaders. He is also leading a new initiative on Jewish identity that will draw on Brandeis deep strength in the study of Jewish life to develop innovative programming for teaching and engaging members of the Jewish community. The Initiative for Jewish Identity is be housed at the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies/Steinhardt Social Research Institute.

Politics

Alejandro Trelles

Assistant Professor

Trelles is a political scientist, political analyst, and expert in electoral matters. He specializes in the comparative study of public institutions, elections and electoral boundary delimitation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Professor Trelles received his PhD in 2017 from the University of Pittsburgh.

Politics and the Crown Center for Middle East Studies

Gary Samore

Professor of the Practice in the Department of Politics and Senior Executive Director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies

Samore is an expert on U.S. foreign relations. His career includes leadership roles at the Department of State, the National Security Council, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He earned a PhD in government from Harvard University, where he recently served as executive director for research at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government.

Sociology

Siri Suh

Assistant Professor

Suh joins Brandeis from the University of Minnesota, where she served as assistant professor in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies and Global Studies. Her research bridges the fields of global maternal and reproductive health, population and development studies, and feminist studies of technology, medicine and science. Professor Suh received her PhD and MPH from Columbia University.

Heller School for Social Policy and Management

Joanne Nicholson

Professor of the Practice

Nicholson is a clinical and research psychologist. She joined the faculty at the Heller Schools Institute for Behavioral Health in the spring 2018. She continues to serve as adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where she is co-editor of the Journal on Parent and Family Mental Health, and is an affiliated investigator with the Dartmouth Center for Technology and Behavioral Health. Nicholson is internationally known for her work with families living with mental health and substance use disorders. She is the author of more than 100 publications, and is co-principal investigator for the National Research Center on Parents with Disabilities at the Lurie Institute on Disability Policy at the Heller School. She holds a PhD from The Pennsylvania State University.

International Business School

Sava Berhane

Senior Lecturer

Berhane started her career in mergers and acquisitions at General Electric. She then earned a law degree from Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Journal of Regulation. Most recently, she was the chief operating officer for Building Excellent Schools, managing the operations, finance, marketing and data analytics teams serving 110 schools across the U.S. and over 25,000 students. She has received the distinguished Pinnacle Award from the Boston Chamber of Commerce. A recipient of a 2018 Brandeis Provost Research Grant, Berhane's research focuses on the future of work, leadership in an evolving society, and women in the workplace.

International Business School

Ahmad Namini

Professor of the Practice of Business Analytics

Naminis expertise is in quantitative strategies and he brings both academic and industry experience to the International Business School. Namini was previously a tenured associate professor at the University of Miami and was executive director of the quantitative finance program at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University. He has also served as a quantitative analyst and developer at Deutsche Bank in New York, and as head of analytics and technology at City Bank in Hong Kong. He holds a PhD from the University of Maryland.

International Business School

Steve Xia

Professor of the Practice of Finance

Xia comes to Brandeis International Business School having lead the quantitative research effort supporting the active asset allocation decision for over $200 billion of multi-asset funds at Fidelity Investments. Prior to Fidelity, Professor Xia was a principal at the Vanguard Group, where he led a team of quantitative analysts focusing on developing fixed income trading strategies and managing credit long-short hedged strategies. Xia is a CFA and FRM charter holder.
Ammo Grrrll seems to have gone LITERALLY BAT-GUANO CRAZY. She writes:

I may have been one of the few who really enjoyed Cory Bookers Oscar-worthy Spartacus impression on his audition tape for Democrat Presidential Timber 2020. You know why? Because hes a guy, thats why. And I am sick to death of women cornering the market on crazy. Its downright embarrassing.

Let us begin by returning to Joy Behar and her Trump is LITERALLY Hitler histrionics. In the sage words of Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) in The Princess Bride, You keep using that word, but I do not think you know what it means. Dictionary def of Literally: exactly, precisely, really, truly. If DJT were LITERALLY Hitler, he is remarkably energetic for 129. And praying at The Wall in Jerusalem, his new home for the American Embassy? What a lousy Hitler.

You notice that the wretched womans program on which Behar pontificates is called The View. Not A View or A Bunch of Diverse Views. Just THE View. This is the Word from On High concerning what women are told to think. Hard pass. Especially delivered by strident, arrogant, humorless, incredibly overpaid women whose main qualification seems to be that their IQs can be no larger than 1/3 of their weight. Who the hell WATCHES it? Who gives a rats patootie what these left-wing mush-brains think about anything?

We turn now to Unfunny Mean Girl Kathy Griffin who thinks high humor is accessorizing with a bloody severed head of the Commander In Chief of the United States. Let us briefly review her many attempts at redemption: first she apologized tearfully. Okay, to err is human, to forgive, divine. But wait! Theres more! Within minutes, she took back her apology and blamed DJT for ruining her. SHE was the victim here. Remember, kids, in Feminist Bizzaro World, men are all-powerful and women are Perpetual Victims who bear no responsibility for any consequences resulting from idiotic actions. Then, she said she was GLAD she had done it and would do other equally effective stunts, such as make fun of young Barron Trump.

Finally, she asserted nothing would have happened to a MALE who had himself photographed with a bloody severed head of the President. The last refuge of any disgraced member of a protected class nowadays is to hide behind xer Official Victim Status. (See: Williams, Serena; Spacey, Kevin; Brazile, Donna.)

Let me break it down for you, Ms. Griffin. Normal, sane people are not fans of beheading or the people who do it  Radical Muslims, serial killers, and cartel criminals. It is many degrees worse even than wishing for John Wilkes Booth to reappear (a popular, if unoriginal, Tweet), because it is uniquely personal and horrifying.

Normal, sane patriots may have differences with the President, but they dont like people who advocate  in front of our enemies  the murder of a fellow American, especially the President. I despise Barack Hussein Obama, but I would have felt exactly the same way had you carted around his severed head. It is outside the bounds of acceptable behavior or protest. Period. And had it been done by a man, nothing about that would change. Look at yourself in the photo. You look demented. Get help. And maybe a sammich.

And how would Ms. Griffin have fared with that stunt under LITERAL Hitler? Ah, how well I remember the sad tale of Kati Von Griffinwurst, who carried a bloody severed head of Hitler around for well over seven minutes before she disappeared from the face of the earth. Unlike Ms. Griffin, she didnt live long enough to change her story multiple times.

And merrily we roll along to the Kavanaugh hearings where women once again scaled new heights of crazy. Rosie shrieks that women are going to die! Yes, dear, and men too. All of us. 100%. Sad. The older I get, the more likely it seems that my cunning childhood plan to be the first NOT to die may not work out. Cher tweeted that our lives will never be the same. Did you know that with Kavanaugh on the court, this will be at least the 3rd or 4th Republican Administration in a row that weve been told was fixin to outlaw birth control? Luckily, for Cher and me, short of Divine intervention, that ship has sailed. Ditto for her son, Chaz.

The loons seem to have temporarily abandoned the attractive pink lady bits hats for the orange Little House on the Prairie style dresses and bonnets. This represents the dystopian view of a very bad writer who has evidently never known an actual man. If she had, she would know that no man who had total control over women  except for members of The Religion of Peace and Genital Mutilation  would opt to cover womens bodies in shapeless orange.

Did The Handmaids Tales author never watch an episode of Star Trek? In THAT future, even the ugliest female alien beings have scantily clad beautiful bodies. They might have massive facial scars, scales or outsized ears, but they are thin, shapely, and identifiable as hotties, generally sporting cleavage. Not an orange maxi-dress or silly bonnet in the bunch.

And what must the author think of our wimpy sex that we would quietly submit to such nonsense? We are AMERICAN women, tough from day one  crossing oceans, rivers, mountains and prairies, farming and ranching alongside our menfolk, bearing children, working in defense plants during wars, becoming doctors and lawyers and astronauts and soldiers, and, yes, I have met a real woman Indian chief. I have been to Ladies Day at the tactical range. Trying to stuff us into ugly orange dresses and bonnets is not going to sit well with that strapped-up group in tight jeans, boots or high heels, and  sometimes  ill-advised low-cut tops which look cute but are not practical with hot flying shell casings.

No mention of mentally unhinged women would be complete without Crazy Maxine Waters, whose incoherent babbling has been reduced lately to the single repeated mantra, impeachment! She has urged fellow leftists to get in the faces of Trump staff and supporters wherever and whenever the thugs might find them  restaurants, stores, gas stations.

I must advise her and her minions that a very bad place to be would be between me and brunch. Especially featuring Cornbread, Muffins, Cinnabuns or other Butter Delivery Systems. Dont say you werent warned.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-21 04:20:01

Legal Cannabis Business Expected to Generate $57 Billion Globally by 2027

Arcview Co-Hosts Hong Kong's First Ever Cannabis Investor Symposium

The Arcview Group

John Downs, +1 310-890-2702

johndowns@arcviewgroup.com

Hong Kongs first-ever Cannabis Investor Symposium will take place on November 1, 2018 at the W Hotel. The one-day gathering is hosted by The Arcview Group, CannaTech and URI Capital Management.

The Cannabis industry is the fastest growing market in the world and the legal cannabis business is expected to generate $57 billion globally by 2027 as countries throughout the world continue to legalize its use and demand continues to grow exponentially.

The Hong Kong Symposium will focus on the global investment opportunity but is specially curated toward the Asian market.

The most powerful cannabis business leaders and investment experts from around the world will gather to discuss the burgeoning industry.

Keynote and panel discussions will cover Cannabis and China, The Cannabis Value Chain, Market Insights: Australasia, Public and Private Investment Opportunities, Risks and Regulations, World Cannabis Policy and more.

The event is designed for those looking to gain insight into investment opportunities in the global cannabis market, family offices, money managers, venture capital firms, private equity funds, and institutional investors.

Troy Dayton, CEO of The Arcview Group adds: The worldwide cannabis market is exploding, and Asian investors are increasingly paying attention. Up until now, pioneering Asian investors have only been able to simply read about this fascinating industry. Not anymore. We are bringing the cannabis industry to them.

Saul Kaye, CEO of CannaTech and iCAN said of the symposium, The time has come for serious Asian investors to enter the market. The Hong Kong event will take place days after CannaTech Sydney, Australias first Medical Cannabis Summit. The regions attitude is evolving quickly, particularly with respect to Medical Cannabis and the industry needs to learn more. Currently dominated by American and Canadian investors, the time is right for the Asian investment community to join this industry. We are thrilled to partner with Arcview and URI Fund on this important event.

Uri Capital Management added: Cannabis usage as a medicinal plant dates back in Chinese history for thousands of years. Medicinal cannabis research is rapidly progressing, and we need to redefine our attitude towards cannabis and hemp. Asia, more specifically China, is poised to leverage its unique advantages in Hemp and agriculture to become a dominant global leader. URI is proud to become the first Chinese financial conglomerate to focus on the Asian cannabis industry and will leverage the firms world class research and investment resources to lead the way.

For more information about the Hong Kong Cannabis Symposium, click here.

About The Arcview Group

Founded in 2010, The Arcview Group is responsible for a number of groundbreaking ventures in the cannabis industry. The Arcview Investor Network has helped more than 1200 investors place $200 million+ behind 190 companies. Arcview Market Research has published over 20 reports analyzing and forecasting the rapidly evolving cannabis space, and the flagship annual report, The State of Legal Marijuana Markets, has become the industry standard for market analysis and data in the sector. In 2015 Arcview became a partner in Canopy, the first seed-stage mentor-driven business accelerator. Arcview is also co-founder of Cannasure Insurance Services, the leading provider of business insurance to the cannabis industry. The Arcview Venture Fund is focused on providing growth and expansion capital to best-of-breed cannabis companies. Forbes Magazine recently named Arcview among the top 5 financial firms in the cannabis sector. Learn more at arcviewgroup.com.

About CannaTech

CannaTech is the only Medical Cannabis event of its kind with a global focus that offers senior industry leaders, medical and scientific experts, and new ventures the platform to come together, drive innovation, form partnerships and promote knowledge exchange.

About iCAN: Israel-Cannabis

iCAN is committed to accelerate Israel's Canna-Technology industry, capitalizing on Israeli innovation and a leading cannabis regulatory environment to bring premier products to market. iCAN is powered by CannaTech, the premier international cannabis summit held annually in Tel Aviv, and internationally in London, Panama, and for the first time in Sydney, Australia in October 2018 and Hong Kong in November 2018.

About URI Management

Qianhai URI Fund Management Co., Ltd. is a financial conglomerate sponsored by the China Association for the Promotion of Industry-University-Research. It was established with the approval of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce and is the first national fund management company to be stationed in the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone. The company focuses its core competency on three divisions: financial transactions, research and government relations. URI's investment team focuses on venture capital, private equity and M&A. The research team focuses on advanced R&D with universities. As a bridge and link between Industry, University research and the Government, URI Fund, in coordination with a large number of social and government resources, jointly aims to build an innovative China and actively promotes the transformation of Industry-University-Research into actual productive forces.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180920006

@arcviewgroup co-hosts Hong Kongs first ever Cannabis Investor Symposium, bringing together industry leaders & the investment community on Nov. 1, 2018 at the W Hotel. In partnership with @Canna_Tech & URI Management. Register now! http://bit.ly/2OBrOJ8
Fact.MR

PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-21 08:18:27

Press Information

Fact.MR

Suite 9884



27 Upper Pembroke Street,



Dublin 2, Ireland



Abhishek Budholiya

Marketing Manager

+353-1-6111-593

email

https://www.factmr.com/





# 743 Words

Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandMarketing Manager+353-1-6111-593

The global automotive fog lights market has witness a potential upturn over the last few years and is likely to carry the prominence over the time. This can be attributed to the stellar progress of its parent market i.e. global automotive market. As the automakers persist to penetrate growing and emerging markets, the demand for automotive fog lights will also escalate. People are getting highly aware of the benefits offered by adaptive fog light solutions and are raising substantial requirements from the automotive fog light market. To enhance the lifespan of fog lights and upgrade their efficacy, deliberate attempts are being made by the industry participants of automotive fog light market. As per the report published by Fact.MR , automotive fog light market has raised a valuation of US$ 2,130.2 Mn in 2017 and is further expected to value around US$ 2,699.2 Mn by 2022 end.Several government regulations and policies are restricting the use of automotive fog lights, thereby adversely affecting growth of automotive fog light market. Moreover, affordability of automotive fog lights could also impede the revenue growth of automotive fog light market. Lack of cognizance about safety implications, low usage of automotive fog lights in necessary situations, both in developing and undeveloped regions, could hamper the growth of automotive fog light market.Request For Sample Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=30 From the end market standpoint, the automotive fog light market has been segmented as OEM and Aftermarket. The aftermarket segment looks promising with sales flourishing at the highest CAGR through 2022. On the basis of positioning, front fog lights will continue to be the most sought-after in the automotive fog light market.The debut of major technological enhancements and breakthroughs in the lighting industry has crafted an optimistic outlook for the companies of automotive fog light market. Partnerships and alliances with automobile OEMs are believed to revitalize the quality of new product developments in automotive fog light market. The major challenges which the manufacturers might get subjected to is developing cost-effective and high quality lighting systems. Minimalizing the effect of bright light to prevent driver distraction is another area of concern for the stakeholders of automotive fog light market to address. The go-green revolution has set the standards for eco-friendly products, which is a preeminent reason of rising demand for environment friendly solutions. To keep with the aforementioned rage, manufacturers of automotive fog light market are developing energy efficient products to procure high return on investments.One of premium opportunities that have knocked the doors for manufacturers operating in automotive fog light market is the rising preferences for fog lights among huge vehicles. This requirements is to ensure safety as rejuvenate the aesthetic appeal of those vehicles. In line with this prevalent trend, some companies in the automotive fog light market have extended their product lines with products catering the requirements of heavy-duty vehicles.To get more Insights on Automotive Fog Light Market, Visit - https://www.factmr.com/report/30/automotive-fog-light-market Several bodies such as SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) and DOT have laid legislations pertinent to use of lighting systems. Compliance with those legislations have been identified to be beneficial for companies in the long run. The legislations laid by SAE have been considered to be recommended practices and some companies are vying to keep up with the standards as well. For instance- companies such as Truck-Lite added SAE-compliant LED fog light kits and LED auxiliary driving light kits to its existing product portfolio. Efforts by manufacturers in similar lines may prove extremely beneficial for the growth of automotive fog light market.A latest trend gaining ravenous momentum in the automotive fog light market is the adoption of collaborative robots. The disruptive advent of industrial robots has resulted in the curtailment of manual labor by a large margin. In a bid to optimize the performance of automotive lighting and establish high-end safety, debut of collaborative robots in the automotive fog light market looks significantly promising and manufacturers might exploit this trend to underline a well-constructed corporate brand.To Buy Automotive Fog Light Market Report, Visit- https://www.factmr.com/checkout/30/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.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-21 16:55:05

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Published by

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+65 6304 8926

e-mail

https://www.acnnewswire.com/







# 1053 Words

ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926

HONG KONG, Sept 21, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Major events under the "In Style, Hong Kong" mega promotion in Ho Chi Minh City concluded today, including a symposium that highlighted Hong Kong's professional services, an expo that showcased products from Hong Kong's leading brands, and a gala dinner that forged closer ties between business communities from Hong Kong and Vietnam. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the promotion received enthusiastic support from Vietnam government officials, business leaders and consumers, with the three events attracting more than 2,900 participants.Symposium Highlights Hong Kong's World-class Professional ServicesThe "In Style, Hong Kong Symposium" was held yesterday (20 Sept) at GEM Center in Ho Chi Minh City. Senior officials from Vietnam; Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR); and Vincent HS Lo, Chairman of the HKTDC, delivered speeches at the symposium opening.Speaking at the symposium's main session, Nicholas Kwan, Director of Research at the HKTDC, as well as Hong Kong business leaders including Jonathan Choi, Chairman of Sunwah Group, John Cheh, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Esquel Group, and Wallace Lam, Managing Director and Co-head of Global Banking at HSBC Hong Kong, examined how closer collaboration between Vietnam and Hong Kong could generate win-win results for companies from Vietnam and Hong Kong, particularly in global business expansion.At a thematic session on cross-border logistics and the future of retail business, moderator Brian Wu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics (HAFFA), was joined by speakers including Anthony Lau, Chairman of Pacific Air (Hong Kong) Limited; Gary Chan, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Giordano International Limited; as well as Carol Wan, Vice President, Sales & Business Development for South Pacific Region, PCCW Global Limited. The speakers discussed ways to create winning partnerships between the logistics industries of Vietnam and Hong Kong, while exploring new opportunities in supply chain management and logistics brought by growing trends of e-tailing, cross-border transactions and online payment.Another thematic session, on creative branding and design, was moderated by David Lo, Creative Director at LOMATTERS Creative Studio. Speakers included Steve Leung, founder of Steve Leung Design Group Limited; March Richardson, Group Director at Sedgwick Richardson (Hong Kong) Limited; as well as Eddie Hui, Managing Director & CEO at Semk Products Limited. They promoted Hong Kong's experience in upgrading Asian enterprises' businesses through creative design, branding strategy and licensing solutions.Apart from Mr Paul Chan, guests at the symposium included Le Hoai Trung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Le Thanh Liem, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and Wu Jun, Consul General of The People's Republic of China in Ho Chi Minh City.Gala Dinner Showcases Hong Kong's Creativity and InnovationThe "In Style, Hong Kong Gala Dinner" held last night (20 Sept) at the InterContinental Hotel Saigon was themed "Starry Night on the Waterfront", and was attended by 360 government officials and business leaders from Vietnam and Hong Kong. At the event, Mr Lo, Chairman of the HKTDC, expressed gratitude to the guests for their support to the "In Style, Hong Kong" campaign. He also said the gala dinner highlighted the unique cultures of Vietnam and Hong Kong, in addition to their shared passion for creativity and innovation.The dinner presented an exquisite fusion menu of Vietnamese and Hong Kong cuisines by Hong Kong star chefs KK Chan and Vicky Lau. The guests were entertained by an "Ao Dai" (the Vietnamese traditional dress) fashion presentation showcasing a sand art-and-cheongsam crossover by Hong Kong talents - sand-painting artist Hoi Chiu and fashion designers Grace Choi, Polly Ho and Janko Lam.Guest at the dinner included Mr Paul Chan, Mr Le Hoai Trung, and Vu Tien Loc, President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.Trade Expo Presents Lifestyle BrandsThe two-day "In Style, Hong Kong Expo" (20-21 Sept) at GEM Center brought over 130 of Hong Kong's leading branded and designer-led lifestyle products to Ho Chi Minh City, and welcomed more than 1,500 buyers from Vietnam and neighbouring countries.Products on display included activewear and fashion, gourmet and delicacies, fashion accessories, premium houseware, gifts and toys, fine jewellery, electronics, watches and clocks. Exhibiting brands included Chow Tai Fook, Zero To One, as well as activewear brands such as Xamas, Gourami, Rising Lotus and Big Horn. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Hong Kong Pub presented at the expo offered a variety of Hong Kong snacks and craft beer to visitors.Ho Chi Minh City Treated to a Taste of Hong KongTo highlight Hong Kong's dynamic lifestyle and wide variety of design-led products and fashion, the HKTDC partners with Hong Kong-linked merchants and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City to stage a Citywide Promotion, providing Vietnamese consumers with a range of promotional offers until the end of this month. Participating merchants include well-known brands such as G2000 and Starbucks. Furthermore, in collaboration with Foody.VN , the Citywide Promotion features more than 10 Hong Kong-style restaurants that offer unique culinary experiences.The Citywide Promotion coupon booklet is available at participating merchant outlets. E-coupons are also available for download at citywide.instyle-hk.com Event websites:In Style, Hong Kong Website: http://www.instyle-hk.com In Style, Hong Kong Symposium and Speakers' List: http://symposium.instyle-hk.com In Style, Hong Kong Expo and Exhibitors List: http://expo.instyle-hk.com In Style, Hong Kong Citywide Promotion: http://citywide.instyle-hk.com In Style, Hong Kong Highlights: https://youtu.be/QqthZqlfhMU Photo Download: https://bit.ly/2OO0veA About HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing business insights and information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. Please visit www.hktdc.com/aboutus or follow us on Google+, Twitter@hktdc, LinkedIn.Contact:Nguyen Thieu (Vietnam), Tel: +84-28-38235883, Email: nguyen.thieu@hktdc.org Banbi Chen (Hong Kong), Tel: +852 2584 4525, Email: banbi.yc.chen@hktdc.org
PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-21 16:09:26

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# 935 Words

ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926

SINGAPORE, Sept 21, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Asian Downstream Summit is the anchor oil and gas event during Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), hosted by the Energy Market Authority. The event will gather 1,000+ industry professionals and oil & gas leaders under one roof to offer insights on the latest innovations in the industry. Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is expected to attract over 10,000+ energy professionals in Singapore.We are honoured to have Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade, and Industry & Ministry of National Development of Singapore to grace the event and announce the winners of the Digital Transformation Awards 2018.The Award categories are included as below and top nominated posters will be displayed at the Exhibition Hall:- Best Digital Transformation Programme (Operator - refinery, petrochemical, chemicals)- Best Innovative Technology for Improving Operational Efficiency (Digital)- Best Innovative Technology for Improving Operational Efficiency (Other technology)Dr Koh was elected as a Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC on 11 September 2015. He has served at the Ministry of Trade & Industry and Ministry of National Development since 11 January 2016, and was appointed Senior Minister of State on 1 May 2017.As the Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Dr Koh oversees the research and development matters, and is the patron of the Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE). He is involved in the implementation of the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) domain strategy under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 (RIE2020) plan. Dr Koh also co-chairs two subcommittees in the Council for Skills, Innovation and Productivity (CSIP) where he oversees the transformation of the manufacturing, trade and connectivity clusters.Over 400+ industry leaders including refiners, petrochemical players, and chemicals manufacturers, EPCS, consultants and leading technology experts have already registered for the Asian Downstream summit this year.Notable companies in attendance include:ADNOC Refining, Air Liquide, Aramco Asia Singapore, Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited, Binh Son Refining & Petrochemical, BP Singapore Pte Ltd, Borouge Pte Ltd, COSMO OIL INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD, Denka Chemicals Holdings Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, Honeywell UOP, KBC (A Yokogawa Company), MOL Hungarian Oil & Gas PLC, PEMEX, Wanhua Chemicals, Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore, Pertamina, Petrobras, Petronas Penapisan Terengganu (PPTSB), Petronas Downstream, PT. KREASINDO RESOURCES INDONESIA, PTT Global Chemical, Reliance Industries Ltd, SABIC Asia Paciifc Pte Ltd, Shell, Singapore Refining Company, S-Oil, SK Global Chemical Singapore Pte Ltd, Thai Oil, Indian OilOther exciting features at Asian Downstream Summit 2018 include:1. TechTalks @ ExpoHall: Asian Downstream Summit 2018 will feature an interactive exhibition by top solution providers and technology experts. A purpose-built, FREE-to-attend, technical theatre on the exhibition floor will provide technology companies with the opportunity to host expert talks showcasing their latest innovations. TechTalks are open to all conference delegates and visitors. Topics at TechTalks include:- Measurements of contaminants in Ethylene using OA-ICOS laser technology by Marc-Andre Laliberte, Product Manager - LGR-ICOS(TM) Gas Analyzers, ABB, Canada- Utilizing New Chemistries to Reduce Mechanical Cleaning Time in Critical/Non-Critical Path Equipment by Ka Siang Chua, Technical Sales Engineer, Zyme-Flow Decon Technology, Singapore- Fit to Operate - Real time safety barrier health and proactive management to lower operational risks by Welmer van Ginkel, Senior Business Consultant, eVision Industry Software, Netherlands- SDx - Smart digital transformation from Hexagon PPM by Adrian Park, Vice President Information Management & Global Business Development, Hexagon PPM, Norway- Foundations for Digital Transformation: Connecting the Workforce to the Operations by Edi Gittenberger, CEO, Rider International, Netherlands- NaviTrack - Industry's leading work process deployment system by Daniel Phan, Consultant, AP-Networks, Singapore- Human assisted machine learning: past, present, prediction by Dr. Christopher Chin, Analytics Engineer, Seeq Corporation, Malaysia2. FREE-TO-ATTEND Workshop by KBC (A Yokogawa Company) on Digital readiness assessment: This workshop will walk people through the process of identifying the gap between their organization and the leaders in the industry; in particular the characteristics behind the digital leadership and change management practices of those leading organizations when it comes to leading a Digital Transformation. To drive this analysis KBC will leverage our Digital Readiness Assessment process; and Operational Efficiency global database3. VIP Breakfast gathering: This year, Baker Hughes (A GE Company), will host a VIP Breakfast gathering on 31st October from 7.50 am - 8.50 am. Registered conference delegates will be selected for this "VIP invite only" breakfast in an intimate setting for private networking opportunities4. 1-to-1 private Business Meetings: enhancing the event experience by helping you to connect with the other event attendees who are relevant to you for private networking opportunities. It is provided at complimentary for your use, as part of your participation at the event.For more information, please visit: http://www.downstream-asia.com About Asian Downstream SummitThe 11th Asian Downstream Summit is the region's largest conference and exhibition for the downstream refining and petrochemical industries. As one of the world's largest downstream-focused events, Asian Downstream Summit is an ideal platform for networking, seeking partnerships, and learning the latest technologies.Hosting more than 80+ speakers, 40+ international sponsors & exhibitors and 1,000+ attendees & Key Government Officials including Ministerial Delegations, Asian Downstream Summit brings together decision makers to address the future of the downstream oil & gas industry. This year, the focus will be about revolutionizing their operations and maximizing efficiency through the implementation of digital technologies.Asian Downstream Summit is the anchor event during the Singapore International Energy Week - expected to attract 13,000+ visitors this year.Event dates and location:Conference: 31st October - 1st November 2018Location: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, SingaporeEvent website: www.downstream-asia.com For more information, interviews and media accreditation:Marketing & Communications, Rahmah Ishak, Clarion Events Pte Ltd, Email: Rahmah.ishak@clarionevents.com , Tel: +65 6590 3970, Fax: +65 6223 9196
PR-Inside.com: 2018-09-21 13:58:01

To support Kings College London in offering the first Master of Arts in STEM Education in the UK and launch Teacher Fellowship and Teacher Mentor programmes with Sheffield Hallam University

Wipro Partners with Kings College London and Sheffield Hallam University to Strengthen STEM Education in the UK

Wipro Limited

Subhashini Pattabhiraman

subhashini.pattabhiraman@wipro.com

or

Kings College London

Holly Finch

holly.finch@kcl.ac.uk

or

Sheffield Hallam University

Andrea Ruttan

a.ruttan@shu.ac.uk

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced partnerships with two leading UK academic institutions  Kings College London and Sheffield Hallam University, for strengthening STEM education in state schools in the United Kingdom.

Wipro will partner with Kings College London, to support the development of the first Master of Arts in STEM Education in the UK, and Sheffield Hallam University to offer the Wipro Teacher Fellowship and Wipro Teacher Mentor programmes. Both initiatives aim to provide high quality continuing professional development to early and mid-career educators, to address the shortfall and high turnover of STEM teachers in the UK.

Wipro will support Kings College London in developing the curriculum for a proposed Master of Arts in STEM education course, which will take a blended learning approach, involving face-to-face as well as online learning. The company will also offer bursaries to cover up to 80% of tuition fees, to ensure accessibility of the course for diverse cohorts of in-service teachers and educators from within and outside London. There will be a strong focus on attracting teachers from Opportunity Areas. The course will be taught by academic staff in the Centre for Research in Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (CRESTEM) in the School of Education, Communication and Society at Kings College London and will be aimed at education professionals from science, mathematics, engineering and computing backgrounds, as well as education policy makers. The program will help develop their disciplinary capacities while broadening their understanding across the entirety of STEM. It will also enable students to engage with policy and practice in a range of global contexts.

Wipro will also support Sheffield Hallam University to launch and run the Wipro Teacher Fellowship and Wipro Teacher Mentor programmes. The 18-months programmes, which will commence in January 2019, will support early career teachers of STEM subjects and STEM teacher mentors from schools in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster and Derbyshire. Teachers will have the opportunity to improve their pedagogical & subject knowledge, understand practice through research and receive individualized support through local mentors. The teacher mentor programme will offer a blended model of face-to-face and online support for senior STEM teachers to become effective mentors, drawing on expertise from Sheffield Institute of Education. All teachers and mentors will also have the opportunity to work towards accreditation of 30 MA level credits, through optional participation in the Research and Development in Educational Contexts module, which is part of the Universitys MA Professional Practice in Education. Each academic year, a new cohort of 20 early career teachers and five to 10 teacher mentors will join the programme.

Both partnerships will address crucial issues in the UK by generating more interest in STEM subjects, developing higher standards of teaching, and investing in teacher retention, especially in the national social mobility cold spots.

Anurag Behar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Wipro Limited said, We are deeply committed to contributing to our communities through helping improve public education. We believe that teachers are the cornerstone of good education. These partnerships will provide directly relevant professional development support to teachers. Empowering, enabling and supporting teachers is the key to achieving continuous improvement in education.

Professor Beatrice Szczepek Reed, Head of The School of Education, Communication & Society, Kings College London said, For over forty years Kings has been at the forefront of teacher education and education research and has gained an international reputation for science and mathematics education. We believe that Wipros support for developing a Masters course in STEM Education, and its keenness to ensure accessibility of the course for early career educators from diverse backgrounds, will be of great help in addressing the issues of developing and retaining STEM teachers. Kings STEM Education Masters will provide educators an excellent grounding in the understanding of STEM education, as well as broader educational issues in the national and international context.

Dr Emily Perry, from the Centre for Development and Research in Education at Sheffield Hallam University's Sheffield Institute of Education, will lead the Wipro Teacher Fellowship and Wipro Teacher Mentor programmes. Dr. Perry said, The Wipro Teacher Fellow and Teacher Mentor programmes aim to increase young people's enjoyment, attainment and progression in STEM subjects by supporting teachers to develop their practice in an innovative, evidence-based, collaborative programme of professional learning.

We are committed to improving the educational outcomes of young people in the diverse communities of South Yorkshire, and share Wipros desire to support the professional development and retention of teachers in our schools as a key driver to achieve this. We are delighted to welcome Wipro as our partner in these programmes, which have the potential to make a significant contribution to the region.

Interested educators can find more information at:

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/education/r

Contact: Dr Melissa Glackin, melissa.glackin@kcl.ac.uk

&

https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-us/academic-department

About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 160,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future.

About Kings College London

King's College London is a multi-faculty institution, providing high-quality teaching, research and innovation across the sciences, humanities, medicine, law, dentistry, and social sciences. As a member of the Russell Group, an association of leading UK research-intensive universities, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards in research and education. King's is one of the top 25 universities in the world and the fourth oldest university in England, based in the heart of London. Kings has over 31,000 students (including more than 12,800 postgraduates) from some 150 countries and over 8,500 employees.

About Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield Hallam University's vision is to become the world's leading applied university, transforming lives and creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds.

As one of the UK's largest higher education providers, with over 30,500 students, the University is committed to the Sheffield City Region, providing leadership to drive improvements in social mobility, health and the economy.

Sheffield Hallam offers a comprehensive range of courses and is one of the country's largest providers of health and teacher training. Its industrial partnerships ensure that the knowledge students develop is relevant, addresses the skills gap and helps business grow.

The Universitys research is characterised by a focus on real world impact - addressing the cultural, economic and social challenges facing society today.

Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005
The national leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Association (PENGASSAN) on Thursday accused Chevron Nigerias management of unilaterally sacking thousands of contract workers in defiance of established labour laws.

But, the oil firm in a response on Friday, rejected allegations its management did anything illegal outside established standard procedures and requirements by the regulatory and monitoring authorities.

The two oil industry unions said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES they were becoming extremely worried and concerned with the manner Chevrons management was executing some of its contracts.

The statement, signed by PENGASSAN general secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, and his NUPENG counterpart, Adamu Song, said the decision end the contracts was laced with hidden plans and intentions to unilaterally and heinously sack.|

They said the purported sack of the contract workers was in spite of ongoing intervention of federal ministry of labour and employment as well as the established Labour Contract Staffing Guidelines in the oil and gas industry.

The two oil workers unions said although Chevron has decided to close M-15 and H-15 contracts by October 31, 2018, it was disturbing to see the new contractors being engaged and their labour contract scheduled to take off on November 1, 2018.

Already they said the company has started advertising all jobs, in spite of clear provision for roll over of the existing workers on the jobs.

The oil workers said the likely outcome of the decision would be that large numbers of the current workforce would most likely to be abruptly thrown into the labour market in their own country.

The leaderships of the two Unions in the oil and gas industry see such arrangement as cruel, callous and by all standards an affront on the Nigerian constituted authority and industry extant rules, the statement said.

Without sounding immodest, it has now become quite glaring that Chevron Management is flippantly overstretching the good intentions of the Unions (NUPENG & PENGASSAN- NUPENGASSAN) to entrench peaceful and harmonious industrial relations, particularly at a critical time like this when the country is approaching an election year.

The unions said they were deeply bothered by alleged claims by Chevrons management that their action of sacking Nigerian workers was a directive from National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) and the Nigeria Contents Monitoring and Development Board (NCMDB).

Questioning the roles of the NAPIMS and NCMDB, the oil workers wondered if they were established to create jobs for Nigerians or to compound unemployment situation as already prevalent in the country.

They appealed to the National Asembly, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant authorities to prevail on Chevron Nigeria Limited to exercise restraint and engage in peaceful transition into new contract circle by strictly following established guidelines that provide for roll over of workers.

It warned the general public that NUPENG and PENGASSAN would not hesitate to embark on nationwide industrial action on the matter if Chevrons management would not reconsider their position.

We have already placed our members on red alert should the management of Chevron remains recalcitrant or adamant to rescind its anti-labour decision which is grossly injurious to Nigerian workers who are oil and gas workers and by extension the nations economy, the statement said.

In its response to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry on the allegations, CNL, through its general manager, policy, government and public affairs, Esimaje Brikinn, confirmed its existing contracts on all its manpower services providers would expire by end of October 2018.

Mr Brikinn said the company has since commenced the process to replace the affected contracts in accordance with stipulated procedures.

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Operator of the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture, confirms the existing contracts of all its manpower services providers will expire by end of October, 2018, Mr Brikinn said.

The expiring contracts are being replaced with new manpower services contracts, which have been awarded in accordance with the open tender process conducted by the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture in accordance with its standard procedures and requirements, he added.

He said the requirements were set out by both the NAPIMS, a subsidiary of NNPC in charge of management of investments in the oil industry, and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the government agency in charge of monitoring compliance with the provisions of the Nigerian content policy in the petroleum industry.

While confirming the company was already executing the contracts with the successful contractors from the tender process, CNL reiterated its commitment to support the economic development of the country through its strategic investments and economic development programmes.
South African cabinet has approved the latest version of the long-delayed mining charter which lay outs requirements for black ownership levels and other targets, a cabinet minister said on Thursday.

Communications minister, Nomvula Mokonyane, told reporters that more details about the charter would be announced on Friday by the president, Cyril Ramaphosa when he unveils a new economic stimulus package.

The mining charter could still be the subject of legal challenges from the mining industry, if companies are unhappy with its contents after it is published.

The mining charter was deliberated upon and indeed cabinet has approved the mining charter, Mr Mokonyane told a news conference.

Analysts say policy certainty in the mining sector could lead to billions of dollars of new investment, in a boost for Mr Ramaphosas drive to kick-start economic growth.

Separately, mines minister Gwede Mantashe had withdrawn the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment (MPRDA) bill, a draft law which was the subject of hot debate within the industry, Mr Mokonyane added.

The MPRDA amendments were initially passed by parliament four years ago but were then sent back to lawmakers by former president Jacob Zuma in 2015 due to concerns over whether they were constitutional.

The bill had planned to give wide-ranging powers to the mines minister, including requiring a portion of extracted resources to be processed domestically and not be exported in raw form.

It would have also allowed the minister to declare minerals strategic.

By so doing, he aimed to give the state 20 per cent minority stake in new gas and oil exploration and production ventures, which the industry had said would discourage investment.

(Reuters/NAN)
The Nigerian government has launched a new campaign to curb the spread of HIV amongst young people.

The National Adolescents and Young People (AYP) HIV Prevention Campaign aims to reduce new HIV infections among young people by increasing their access to gender responsive, HIV prevention information and services.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), adolescents and young people are persons between 10 and 24 years of age.

This age group is characterised by rapid physical growth and development as well as sexual maturation.

A 2016 report by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) estimates that out of about 1.8 billion adolescents and young people worldwide, about 2.1 million were living with HIV.

With about 240,000 adolescents living with HIV, Nigeria has the second highest burden of adolescents living with the virus globally.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign in Abuja last week, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) Sani Aliyu, said it will increase access to HIV information and services amongst young people in Nigeria.

Mr Aliyu advised Nigerian youth to embrace the opportunities provided by the campaign to educate their peers and stay safe for the good of their future.

UNICEF Chief of Health, HIV Section, Dorothy Ochola-Odongo, described the campaign as timely, saying it should be encouraged.

She said UNICEF would continue to sustain advocacy to keep young people alive, noting that preventing young people from contacting HIV would guarantee their future.

Some of the issues the campaign aims to address are inadequate knowledge on HIV transmission and prevention, low risk perception, early sexual debut and multiple sexual partnerships.

Others are transactional sex (male and female), low condom use, low uptake of HTS, sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) messaging targeting boys and early marriage (for Northern states).

The implementation of the campaign has officially kick-started in four states: Benue, FCT, Kaduna and Lagos.
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...
Tanko Al-Makura, Governor of Nasarawa State, says he is probing a former governor of the state, Abdullahi Adamu, now because some his activities were just unfolding.

Mr Adamu, a key supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari in the Senate, is the sitting senator for Nasarawa West district on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The senator virtually led the revolt against Senate President Bukola Saraki in the Senate on behalf of Mr Buhari and the APC. He is along those tipped to emerge senate president if the APC succeeds in removing Mr Saraki as senate president.

Speaking to journalists after his screening in Abuja on Thursday, Mr Al-Makura, who is also running for a Senate seat, said government is dynamic and some activities provoke other activities.

He said this was the reason why he is probing Mr Adamu, who left office of governor about 11 years ago.

Government is dynamic, operations of government are also dynamic. Certain things provoke certain things, certain actions precipitated certain actions and as far as governance is concerned, the gestation period for a number of issues dont come at the same time.

Certain issues take a long time before they unfold themselves. That is the case with the commission of enquiry I have constituted yesterday because the issues that were at stake were issue that have taken many years to culminate into the need and necessity for investigation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Mr Al-Makura on Wednesday set up a 10-member committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the abandonment of the the N4.5 billion Farin-Ruwa independent power plant project.

This power projected was awarded in May 2004 by the former governor with a completion period of 36 months, which lapsed in 2007. The project was abandoned and was not continued by the succeeding administrations of former governor Aliyu Doma.

About two months ago, the federal government through the Ministry of Water Resources announced moves to complete the project to generate 20 megawatts of electricity from it.

Speaking on his screening, the governor who has declared to run for Nasarawa South senatorial seat, said it ended on a happy note and he was confident that with him in the race, APC will have a plus in the Senate.

I have had opportunity to interface and brainstorm with my party leaders on the issues relating to my aspirations for the office of Senate, Nasarawa south senatorial zone, having looked into my documents, discussed with me on issues of how to promote the party ideals and the chances of APC emerging in the area of my interest. The meeting came on a very happy note and ended on a very happy note with the committee asking me to take a bow.

Yes, by the special grace of God and the will of the people of Nasarawa State, particularly those in Nasarawa South senatorial zone, my chances are very bright and you can rest assured that there will be plus one in the Senate as far as this constituency is concerned.

On the mode of primaries for the state, he said he believes everyone was happy with the choice of the state executives to go for indirect primaries.

As a matter of fact, in line with the decision of NEC, every state was supposed to have a stakeholders meeting where people should express their views with regards to the preference of any of the three options in our constitution; consensus, direct or indirect and having met with all the critical stakeholders in my state, we opted for indirect primaries and as I speak to you, everybody is happy that, that is the option of choice of the people of Nasarawa State and we are going to embark on the procedure of indirect in Nasarawa State.

On who will succeed him, the governor also said the question on who will succeed me, only God knows, only the people at the end of their decision will determine.
Presidents and governors naturally seek the maximum two terms allowed them by the Nigerian Constitution. While most in the Fourth Republic have succeeded, some like Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, as well as Ayo Fayose and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti failed to secure consecutive terms but kept trying until they returned for a second term. A few others failed.

But after the second term, what next? The trend now is that governors see the Senate as the next destination after their second term in office. Presently, about 15 senators in the Eighth Assembly of the Senate (2015-19) are former governors who have served one or two terms in their states.

These are the Senate President Bukola Saraki (Kwara, 2003-2011); Theodore Orji (Abia, 2007-2015); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom, 2007-2015); George Akume (Benue, 1999-2007); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi, 1999-2007); Danjuma Goje (Gombe, 2003-2011); Joshua Dariye (Plateau, 1999-2007) and Jonah Jang (Plateau 2007-2015).

The others are Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe, 1999-2007); Ahmed Sani Yerima (Zamfara, 1999-2007); Rabiu Kwankwaso, (Kano, 1999-2003, 2011-2015); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi, 1999-2007); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa, 1999-2007) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto, 2007-2015).

Rubbing shoulders with them are also two deputy governors  Eyinnaya Abaribe of Abia State and Biodun Olujimi of Ekiti State.

Out of the former governors, only a few like Messrs Orji and Akpabio have sponsored a substantial number of bills. Mr Saraki was able to use his political background to secure the position of the Senate president.

In spite of the unimpressive records of former governors in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, some outgoing governors are attempting to muscle out serving senators in 2019 and claim their seats. Already, about eight governors have expressed interest in running for the coveted seats.

Governors Seeking Senate Seat

Abdulfatah Ahmed

Just like his political godfather and immediate predecessor, Mr Saraki, the Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has indicated interest to run for the Senate.

He has obtained and submitted the nomination form to contest the senatorial election in Kwara South on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election.

Ex-Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed

Mr Ahmed will be contesting against the current occupant of the seat, Rafiu Ibrahim, a fellow protege of Mr Saraki who has also picked up the nomination form to seek re-election under the platform of the PDP.

The governor explained that his decision to run for Senate was in response to demands by his constituents and he has promised to provide them purposeful representation.

Since both the governor and the incumbent senator are loyalists of the Senate President who is expected to decide the contest, there is no telling who Mr Saraki will favour.

Should Mr Ahmed make it, all three senators of Kwara State may be ex-governors if Shaaba Lafiagi of Kwara North Senatorial district also returns next year. Mr Lafiagi was the governor of the North-central state in the short-lived Third Republic.

Abdulaziz Yari

Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State wants to take the seat for Zamfara West from former governor of the state, Ahmed Yerima. The governor announced his ambition to journalists in Gusau. He said the reason behind his decision was because he was interested in the legislative process and to serve his people.

Zamfara State ex-Governor, Abdulaziz Yari. [Photo credit: Daily Post]

Although, there has been no word from Mr Yerima who has served three terms in the Senate since the end of his governorship term in 2007, the lawmaker may seek re-election for a fourth term.

The emerging contest between Mr Yari and Mr Yerima is one observers would pay attention to, especially as the latter has long been considered the most influential politician from the North-western state.

Rochas Okorocha

The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, was one of the first governors to declare his senatorial ambition. In February, he said he will run for Imo West senatorial district in the 2019 general election under the platform of the All Progressives Party (APC).

Former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha

Mr. Okorocha said it would be a disservice to the nation if he failed to contest considering his wealth of experience as a governor for eight years.

The senatorial seat is currently occupied by Hope Uzodinma who was elected under the flag of the PDP but defected to the APC. The duo have been at loggerheads as the lawmaker recently decried Mr Okorochas desire to own the Imo State Chapter of the APC.

The senator also accused Mr Okorocha of attempting to hand over his governorship seat to his chief of staff and son-in-law, Uche Nwosu. Mr Uzodinma said he will soon make a public declaration of his ambition for 2019.

Should the lawmaker decide to return to the senate, the battle between him and the governor will be within the party as both politicians claim to have the upper hand in the state.

Ibikunle Amosun

After Mr Amosun declared his ambition to run for the seat of Ogun Central Senatorial district in 2019, the APC Ogun State chapter resolved to produce consensus candidates for the National Assembly.

Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun

The governor was soon named the partys candidate for the Ogun Central senate race as he and elders of the APC unveiled the consensus candidates for the National Assembly.

Mr. Amosun held the Senate seat between 2003 and 2007, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2007 but was elected in 2011. Now at the end of his second term, he wants to displace the incumbent senator, Lanre Tejuoso, also of the APC.

If he succeeds in elbowing out Mr Tejuooso, he will also have to battle Abisola Shodipo-Clark, the wife of Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark, who is running for the same seat under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Abiola Ajimobi

The Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who is serving his second term in office as governor, was elected senator on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2003.

Former Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi [Photo: Today.ng]

He thereafter ran for governor in 2007 on the platform of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party but lost the election to Adebayo Alao-Akala of the PDP. In 2011, he defeated Mr. Alao-Akala and was re-elected for second term in 2015.

Although Mr. Ajimobi once vowed not to seek political office again at the end of his governorship tenure, he recently indicated he has changed his mind.

An aide to the governor disclosed to PREMIUM TIMES in February that constituents of the governor had pleaded with him to run for Senate and that in the interest of good governance, he should be in the senate by 2019 by the grace of God.

The governor will have to battle the current occupant of the seat, Soji Akanbi, for the Oyo South Senatorial seat. Should Mr Ajimobi secure the APC ticket, he would have to battle candidates of the PDP and the ADC, two parties with significant following in the state.

Kashim Shettima

With his second term coming to an end, the political ambition of the Borno State Governor seems to be headed towards the senate even though he had said he will further his studies at the end of his second term in office.

It is, however, not clear if the governor will contest for the Borno Central senatorial seat or that of Borno North. If he is running, he will have to face Kaka Garbai who represents Borno Central or Abubakar Kyari who represents Borno North in the Senate.

Former Governor Kashim Shettima Photo: VOA Hausa

Mr Shettima has governed the state as an indigine of Borno Central but recent controversies in the politics of the state led to the discovery of Borno North as his real origin.

Mr Kyari, on the other hand, is said to be popular in the constituency and the state in general. Although Mr Kyari has not disclosed his intentions for 2019, the Borno State Governor might have to give him the gubernatorial ticket to stand a chance of going to the senate.

Tanko Al-Makura

Taal, as he is popularly known in Nasarawa State, has also made known his senatorial ambition.

Former Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura

Mr Al-makura, who first won election as governor on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) in 2011, in June announced he will run for the seat of Nasarawa South Senatorial District under the platform of APC.

To take the seat, Mr Almakura will battle the incumbent from the PDP, Suleiman Adokwe, a third term senator.

Political experts believe the governors chances of winning the senatorial seat are slim because the incumbent senator is well grounded in the constituency.

Ibrahim Geidam

The battle for the Yobe East senatorial seat will be an interesting one. The governor, Ibrahim Geidam, whose tenure expires in May 2019, already has eyes on the senate.

Yobe Governor, Ibrahim Geidam

The incumbent senator for the district, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, who is also a former governor of the state, is seeking reelection for a fourth term in the Senate.

The lawmaker was recently quoted saying he is physically and mentally fit to contest again and that is what he will do. He also said he doesnt see anyone as a threat and expressed optimism of securing victory in 2019.

Mr Geidam attempted to contest for the Senate in 2003 but was denied by Mr Ibrahim, his mentor and godfather.

Other Outgoing Governors

Two other outgoing governors who have not indicated interest in the Senate are Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State.

Mr Dankwambo is aiming for the presidency in the 2019 general election.

There are speculations that he decided to run for presidency because he is scared of losing the Gombe North Senatorial District seat should he run against the incumbent senator, Bayero Nafada of the APC. But Mr Nafada may also not contest for the Senate in 2019, as he is believed to be eyeing the governorship seat.

Mr Aregbesola is yet to state the next phase of his political career.

Contesting for double pay?

Besides heeding the calls of their constituents and being interested in the legislative process, there are other possible reasons these outgoing governors are eyeing the Senate.

Revelations last year showed that senators and ministers who were former governors still receive salaries and pensions running into billions of naira from their states; in addition to their salaries and allowances as senators.

Listed among the beneficiaries were Messrs Akpabio, Kwankwaso, Saraki, Olujimi, and Abaribe, among others.

This revelation caused nationwide criticisms and made groups like the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) sue the federal government for wastage of funds by states that were struggling to pay workers salaries.

Although, a few like Messrs Saraki and Fayemi (until recently Minister of Solid Minerals Development), Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; and Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola denied receiving double payments and retirement benefits, many of the others still receive such.

However, none of the outgoing governors who have declared interest in Senate seats have categorically said they would not receive such double payments. Should the eight governors all secure their party tickets as expected, and eventually win their senatorial elections, they would join the growing list of ex-governors in the Senate; many of whom only use the legislative chamber as retirement homes.
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court has ordered that Kayode Odukoya, the managing director of First Nation Airline, must face trial over an alleged N1.7 billion theft charge proffered against him by the EFCC.

The airlines operating licence has since been suspended by the aviation authorities.

Mrs Dada in a ruling on Friday dismissed a preliminary objection dated April 30, filed by Mr Odukoyas defence team seeking to quash the charges.

The totality of the preliminary objection fails and is hereby dismissed.

The proper parties are before the court and the application is a time wasting device. I so hold, Mrs Dada ruled.

Following the ruling, Zainab Ettu, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC informed the court that nine prosecuting witnesses were to testify against the airline boss.

We will be asking the court for trial dates, Mrs Ettu said.

Mrs Dada fixed Nov. 7, Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 for Mr Odukoyas trial.

On June 29, Mr Odukoyas Defence Counsel, Olawale Akoni, had via a preliminary objection, prayed for an order of the court striking out the charge.

The application, supported by an 11-paragraph affidavit had sought an order quashing or striking out the charges filed by the EFCC, dated Dec. 11, 2017 for want of jurisdiction.

The defendants in the application said the EFCC charge contravened the provisions of Sections 249, 252 and 77 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), No. 10 of 2011.

According to the defence: Section 249 of the ACJL stipulates that prosecutorial authority before the High Court of Lagos State shall be exercised only in the name of `the state of Lagos.

The information/charge No. ID/239C/2012 filed against the applicants does not comply with Section 249 of the ACJL as stated above.

Opposing the application however, the EFCC in an 18-paragraph affidavit, dated June 19, argued that the EFCC did not require a fiat from the attorney-general of Lagos State to prosecute the matter.

The anti-graft agency urged the court to dismiss Mr Odukoyas application on the ground that it lacked merit and was an abuse of process of court.

The EFCC is prosecuting Mr Odukoya alongside First Nation Airways and Bellview Airlines on a four-count charge bordering on forgery, use of false document, perjury and stealing.

Mr Odukoya allegedly committed the offences of forgery, use of false document and perjury on March 21, 2013.

The EFCC alleged that the defendant forged the memorandum of Loss of Lagos State certificate of occupancy registered as No. 33 at page 33, Volume 1011 at the Lagos State Land Registry in Alausa, in order for the document to be acted upon as genuine.

The forged document was in respect of a property located at No. 29, Oduduwa St., GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

Mr Odukoya is alleged by the EFCC to have used the false document, and that he also gave false information on oath, concerning the loss of the certificate of occupancy at the Lagos State land registry.

The anti-graft agency also alleged that on Oct. 7, 2016, Odukoya stole and dishonestly converted to his own use N1.7 billion, belonging to Skye Bank.

The offences violate Sections 85, 86(1) 278(1) (b), 285, 361(1), (a) (b), 363 and 364(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. (NAN)
Indiscriminate sinking of boreholes caused the earth tremor that shook parts of Abuja earlier this month, a presidential committee has claimed.

Residents of Jabbi, Gwarinpa and Mpape districts in the Federal Capital Territory experienced the violent vibration between September 5 and 7.

Though it was not the first time the districts experienced the tremor, the magnitude of the last quake caused panic among residents.

Following the development, the Nigerian government set up a committee to determine the cause.

The committee headed by the Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Seidu Mohammed, turned in its report on Friday.

Some residents had expressed suspicion that the tremor was as a result of massive quarry activities around Mpape.

However, the presidential committee in its findings disputed that quarry activities were responsible for the earth tremor.

According to the findings, some spots and locations have been identified and considered to be earthquake prone in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja.

The presidential committee, as reported by Channels TV, said the earth tremor was as a result of indiscriminate sinking of boreholes in the FCT.

The committee said the indiscriminate sinking of boreholes is a major problem in the territory.

The committee, while submitting its report to the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, recommended that the government strictly regulate hydrological activities in Abuja.

The committee attributed the recent quake to the multiple drilling of boreholes and the daily extraction of 330,000 metric tonnes of water from the earth.

The quake, they said, would still continue if the government does not find a lasting solution to earth drilling.

The committee predicted the possibility of more tremors in the country unless the sinking of boreholes was controlled.

Relying on the results obtained, using the probability of recurrence theory, the committee warned that the probability of recurrence in the near future remained fairly high in Nigeria.

The chairman of the committee, Mr Mohammed, said about 110,000 boreholes sunk in Abuja produce 330,000 metric tonnes of water daily.

The latest occurred in September 7th of 2018 in Abuja with Mpape as epicenter. Though these earthquakes may have been of low-magnitudes, it is now certain that earthquake occurrence has become a potential hazard to the nation, Mr Mohammed said.

The report of the geological, hydrogeological and geotechnical investigations carried out in 1978 by Julius Berger for Abuja identified Mpape as a Shear zone that is weak with several fractures and fault system.

Mr Mohammed said the 110,000 boreholes within Abuja metropolis and about 330, 000 metric tonnes of water extracted daily were not sustainable.

There is the need to regulate the exploitation of ground water resources of Abuja via indiscriminate sinking of boreholes because this has been the primary reason for the stress build up leading to the Abuja tremors of 5th-7th September, 2018.

Government should release fund for the training of geophysicist, geologists, engineers, technologists and researchers to participate in earth science research, in order to improve our understanding of Nigerian and West African geophysics and tectonics dynamism. We emphasize that this research has crucial societal value as it is evident in earthquake hazard readiness and mitigation.

The minister said the committee would continue its research after the submission. He urged the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) to develop seismic building code that can resist tremors in future.

Other earth tremor prone areas in Nigeria include Bayelsa, Oyo and Kaduna states.
The campaign drums have fallen silent. The hostile milieu is now wearing a look of innocence. All seems to have been said, none was left out of the fray. The parties and their candidates have given a good account of themselves in showing off on the campaign stages and rallies- the shouts, the marches, the convoys and of course, the dances.

Money, nay huge sums of money, have been spent for the bill boards, the posters, the crowds for hire, the votes for buying and for other campaign necessities. The tempo of campaigns and electoral activities was high, but nothing close to that witnessed in Ekiti State. What is left is for the voters who were entertained and wooed to make their decisions through the ballot on Saturday.

Although 48 political parties and their candidates enlisted for the contest for the governorship seat, five of the candidates, namely, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Party, Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party, Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress and Moshood Adeoti of the Action Democratic Party, also known as the Big Five, have made impressions ahead of the polls.

The contest therefore, is mainly among familiar foes. The candidates of the SDP and the ADC were shortly before the conduct of primaries, leading members of the PDP. The same goes for Mr Adoeti, who incidentally was the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the State of Osun under Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Mr Adeleke himself had been a member of the APC until June 2017, when he contested the Osun West senatorial seat and won on the PDP platform.

The other political parties have made their own efforts to reach the mass of voters in Osun State, but the tumult of campaigns from the Big Five drowned the sounds of the no less important manifestos of the rest 43 parties. The lot of the smaller parties in this encounter is not for want of ideas, ideological focus or the oratory to deliver them, but as observed by most political analysts, for the low level capacity of the average electorate to look beyond paltry inducements and focus on real developmental issues. The rest of the parties no doubt, lack the financial and political influence available to the leading candidates and their parties.

It is almost settled that the winner of Saturdays election will emerge from the pentad of the PDP, APD, ADC, SDP and ADP. They offered to change the face of Osun and make it better. They promised to improve infrastructure and boost agriculture. All agree that there was the need to pay salaries of workers being owed several months of unpaid arrears. There were no disagreements as to the poor state of health care and the economy. They had proffered a range of solutions. There are concerns that the voters who were always available to listen to the campaigners may not have got the messages from these rhetorics.

For instance, workers, who were disillusioned over unpaid salaries, were a week to the election, thrown into celebration as the state government under the leadership of the outgoing governor, Rauf Aregbesola, deployed huge sums of money to settle a good part of workers salary arrears. This is even as threats of strikes, protest marches and demonstrations had earlier failed to break the government or prick its conscience to pay salaries and pensions.

All said, the governorship election is here. Votes are crucial for ealising the continuity slogan of the APC government and its endorsed would-be successor. The megabucks had rolled in for campaigns and the no money songs are no more to be heard.

It has been a moment of harvest for many others whose business would be to make as much money from the election as possible. Some who were mobilised to rallies had also participated in the poverty alleviation. Poverty is here as the weapon of control.

The candidates, besides the APCs, have held that the Osun people are poor due to be poor deployment of the relevant governance machinery to harness the potentials of the state to uplift the economy. There is also the I am richer than Osun gaffe of Bola Tinubu, whose rendition at the palace of the Osogbo monarch, underlined the poverty theory now the most discussed issue in Osun politics.

To an average voter in Osun, knowing who will win the race at the end of Saturday is not so easy. Mr Omisore is rated as the most experienced politician among the pack of five candidates. He was a deputy governor, a senator and had contested for the governorship seat as the candidate of the PDP in 2014. He stands tall in popularity, covering Ife and the entire Osun East which he once represented in the Senate. But his SDP platform, which is yet to take a wider placement in the minds of the people, retards his rush to power.

On the other hand, the PDP candidate is riding on the sentiment of his late brother, Isiaka Adeleke, and the zoning controversy. His dancing prowess has earned him to name Dancing Senator as he never failed to show off his dancing skills whenever the opportunity beckoned. He has campaigned rigorously across all the zones in the state. He is hopeful and certain that if given a fair chance he will arrive safely as the governor-elect on Saturday.

He has however, suffered several blows from both within and outside the party. His battle to clear himself of the allegations of forgery and examination malpractice has dwarfed his image in the eyes of many within and outside the state. Prolonged litigation over his secondary school qualification, coupled with the fact that he walked away from writing a WAEC exam he registered for and ended up with a failure of the only subject he sat for, is another dark end in the entire saga. Only on Wednesday, the police authorities chose an auspicious moment to rub salt on his injury when they came up with fresh allegations accusing the senator of exam malpractice. The police had summoned him to Abuja to face immediate trial for his alleged offences. Although President Buhari was reported to have intervened, overruling the polices summons, another dent seemed to have appeared on the face of the PDP candidate as he seeks the coveted office of governor.

The PDPs reaction was expected. It accused the police of pandering to the whims of the APC-led federal government, seeking to compromise the election in favour of the APC candidate. While there are fears that the whole episode might affect the outcome of election against him, many of his supporters believe that none of the attacks would determine how the voters would make their decision when they go behind the cubicle on Saturday.

The APC candidate, Mr Oyetola, is often regarded as calm and calculated. Although new in politics, he has learnt enough to ride the tide. He also has the backing of the Jagaban himself, Bola Tinubu who had described him as an encyclopaedia of finance. He is believed to be knowledgeable and possesses the poise to be a good governor. His articulation is revealing of his persona and comportment, which distinguishes him as a gentleman of sort. But his politics stands on the tripod of Mr Tinubu, Mr Aregbesola and the APC. These footings are the forces the opposition will not break easily. They all know that but they have not done much to change that equation.

If he wins on Saturday, not many will be surprised. If he loses, it will be attributable to the prolong sufferings of workers who were owed many months of salaries. This is the sore point of the APCs campaign. When the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, led the PDP campaign on Wednesday, his point was how could Osun people allow their workers to be owed as much as three years when states with Boko Haram attacks are not owing so much. If that message stuck to the minds of the voters, the APC might be in serious trouble despite the rush to pay some salaries last week.

Moshood Adeoti, the acclaimed Shehu of Osun politics, is noted for his grassroots politics from Iwo and also from Osun West as Mr Adeleke. He had served as the Secretary to the Osun State Government. His candidature of ADP was informed by his contention with the APC over the conduct of the primaries. He had been an APC person, his supporters are largely from APC. The APC in the state views his moving away as a way of getting back on the party over his failure to secure the endorsement of the governor and the party structure to succeed the incumbent governor. He is also a believer in the zoning structure, holding stronger that it was the turn of the Osun West District.

His performance in the polls on Saturday will depend on his political structure which he had built over the years; as well as the fact he is coming from Iwo, a voting area that is equally large. The fact that most of his supporters are APC members could become his Achilles heels.

Mr Akinbade of the ADC is an experienced politician in the standing of Mr Adeoti, being a former Secretary to the State Government. He is a businessman of note and well respected in the political circles. He was the candidate of the Labour Party in 2014. He recently joined the PDP, but jumped out in a bid to achieve his ambition to be governor. He is also from the Osun West zone. His choice of the revered retired justice, Folaran Oloyede, a woman who tackled the Aregbesola government over alleged corruption even as a serving judge, may add some credibility pecks to his campaign.

Their various strengths and following notwithstanding, the odds seem to favour the APC on Saturday. The last minute efforts by the ADP, ADC and SDP to reach an accord and unite forces against the APC is a demonstration of the weaknesses which each of their candidates carry into the contest. The PDP votes are split in the ADC and the SDP. This weakness will be fully exploited by the APC.

Kunle Oyatomi is the Publicity Secretary of the APC. He had boasted: When they were together as PDP, we defeated them, how much more now that that they have broken into pieces. We will still defeat them separately.

Rumours of a merger or step down talks between Messrs Adeleke and Omisore filtered into town 48hours to the election. The failure of that effort had given rise to several rebuttals and rejections from all the parties, claiming they had not stepped down for the other.

Besides the alleged murder of a PDP adherent in one of the local government areas of the state in the build up to the election, the campaigns have been peaceful. There is also no show of force by the military and police apparatus to intimidate voters as witnessed in Ekiti State. INEC says it is prepared to deliver a model election that would herald the 2019 general elections. Security agents have also prepared themselves to protect voters, electoral officers and electoral materials. What is left is for the people to turn out and elect the governor of their choice.

With advent of vote buying, a number of permutations are possible. The INEC has vowed to stop it at the Osun polls. Measures have been taken. There is no doubt that the politicians seeking to buy votes will seek to circumvent that barricade. The news is already in town of the movement of cash and payments of different forms. But the choice is for the Osun voter, who is very familiar with this exercise. Since every choice has an outcome, the citizens must be prepared to make the best of the opportunity to change their fortunes from a poor Osun State to a prosperous one using the ballot.
A Kano-based lawyer, Ali Jamilu, has sued the Attorney-General of the Federation, All Progressive Congress (APC) and its national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, over the alleged threat to remove Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate.

An originating summons filed at Federal High Court, Abuja, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES indicated that Mr. Jamilu sought the courts interpretation of section 50 (1) (a) and 50 (2) (c) of 1999 Constitution whether the seats of the president or a deputy president of the Senate belong to the senators or a political party.

Mr Jamilu told PREMIUM TIMES that I seek court interpretation as a result of statement credited to Adams Oshiomhole in Daily Trust newspaper of Wednesday 15th August, 2018 in page 5 where he was quoted to have said that court cannot save Saraki.

He faulted Mr Oshiomhole for saying that the court cannot save Saraki as nobody has gone to court to seek interpretation or protection for Saraki.

What has court got to do with this issue? Has anyone run to the court to seek interpretation or protection for the senate president? Nobody has done that. I am not going to court to protect the interest of the senate president. Ours is to protect the interest and integrity of the Constitution and our courts.

My concern is, has the senate president been elected to represent the interest of APC alone or his constituency? Is he a leader of all senators or APC senators?

Mr Jamilu said his move was not to protect Mr Saraki but the integrity of the Constitution of Nigeria.

He faulted Mr Oshiomhole for saying with 56 senators, the APC would legally remove Mr Saraki from Senate President.

He said this contradicted sections 48 and 50 (2) of the 1999 Constitution which says president of the Senate and deputy president of the Senate can be removed from their offices by the votes of not less than two-thirds of 109 members of the Senate.

I challenge the National Chairman of APC for saying even the court cannot save senate president because APC has 56 senators while PDP has 49, they are in the majority, the senate president must vacate office.

The Constitution said the senate president should only be removed by two-third majority of the senate. My own understanding of two-third of 109 senators would not be something less than 72 senators, he said.

Other defendants in the originating summons are president of the Senate, deputy Senate president, Senate leader and clerk of the National Assembly.

The defendants have 30 days to respond to the originating summons.

It is not only Mr Oshiomhole who believes that senate president can be removed by less than 72 senators.

Few weeks ago, an online newspaper (Daily Nigerian) published an op-ed by the national coordinator of National Consolidation Ambassadors Network (NCAN), Sunusi Musa, saying 25 senators can remove Mr Saraki.

Mr Musa argued that what is required to remove Mr Saraki is two-thirds of members present at a sitting, provided they form a quorum, that is, at least one-third of the members (37).

A federal court in Abuja last week dismissed a suit by two senators on the same issue.
More than 50 per cent of Nigerias awaiting trial inmates are under the age of 30, a group, the Network of University Legal Aid Institutions, has said.

In Nigeria, awaiting trial inmates constitute over 70 per cent of total prison inmates, the group said.

Nigeria currently has 75, 589 prisoners out of which 24, 450 are convicted while 51, 139 of them are awaiting trial. The figure includes 1, 509 women currently in detention.

NULAI, an association created to promote access to legal sector reforms and help undergraduate public interest lawyers cultivate the tenets of the profession, gave the figure at a two-day workshop intended to track the compliance of the Kuje prisons with the requirements of the Administration of Criminal Justice ACJA, in Abuja.

The workshop held September 19 and 20.

Explaining the reason for the high population of youth in prisons, NULAIs monitoring and evaluation officer, Charissa Kabir, said young inmates without money or someone to support them are often forced to remain in prison for a long time.

Once a person has been remanded in prison, bail is usually supposed to be based on certain amounts. Sometimes, N4, to N5, 000. But if these people dont have that money, or any one to support them, they are forced to remain there for a long time, he said.

Ms Kabir said NULAI was working to ensure that all kinds of data relating to prisoners across Nigeria are obtained by the institution and others who can contribute to change the plight of inmates in Nigerian prisons.

Also speaking at the event, head of the Information Technology department at the Nigeria Prisons Service, Felix Agada said the service is putting together an information management system that has already enrolled over 11, 000 prisoners.

He added that the data is aimed at helping the prison service meet its constitutional responsibility of providing information about prisoners to regulatory authorities.

We have already enrolled 11, 257 prisoners on the system so far. The data increases, because the enrolment is ongoing, Mr Agada; an assistant controller of prisons said.

In another opinion, NULAIs founding secretary, Yemi Akinseye-George, said security operatives and other government officials have a constitutional duty to comply with the provisions of ACJA whether their states have adopted the act, or not.

Mr Akinseye-George, a professor of public law, said state governments have a duty to obey the provisions of the ACJA, with regards to two issues.

The ACJA application is of nationwide application in respect of two issues; human right issues including the rights of detained people.

Also the ACJA is of nation-wide application in respect to law enforcement. The Nigerian police are under obligation to enforce the law, just as they are bound to obey the constitutions of the land. Therefore states that have not adopted the law are not exempted from operation of the law with respect to human rights issues and functions of law enforcement agencies.

Also speaking at the event, NULAIs president, Ernest Ojukwu said the program is part of a two year reform program aimed at deconjesting the kuje prisons.

He added that the two year program is being implemented by NULAI other organisations, namely partners global, partners west Africa Nigeria New rule.
Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has deployed about 200 trained observers to Osun state for the upcoming 2018 Governorship elections. Mr. Mboho Eno, the Accountability Program Manager at the PTCIJ disclosed this on Friday after addressing the Observers their deployment to the 30 local government areas in Osun state.

Mr Mboho described the observers as ready after a one-week intensive training program designed to bring up their level of readiness, these observers were trained on how to be highly observant and alert as they discharge their duties of ensuring free and fair elections in Osun State. He explained further that the observers are well-positioned to evaluate all aspects of the election process and collect relevant data as they are made available thus allowing for an accurate assessment of Election Day procedures.

Each of these observers has been equipped with access to the open election platform a civic technology tool designed with the goal of ensuring confidence in the process, deter fraud, and provide an accurate assessment of the election, he said.

Charged with the all-important role of promoting open electoral data principles and practices as a means of increasing public confidence in genuinely democratic elections in Nigeria, these observers will comment on the transparency of electoral practices and processes during the election.

These efforts are being made to contribute to promoting public confidence in the Osun elections, calming tensions in the post-election period and promoting accuracy, transparency and accountability and ultimately a free and fair election.

Credible elections are characterized by inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, and competitiveness, and these observers have been equipped with requisite knowledge to provide insight on the actions and activities of all parties involved in the election including that all eligible citizens in Osun are able to exercise their right to vote and elect their representatives of choice into office.

It is worthy of note that most of these election observers are campus journalists who have undergone several pieces of training and have been exposed to some measure of journalistic rigour under the Premium Times Center for Investigative Journalisms Campus Journalism Program.

Past Administrations in Osun

Osun state has experienced its fair share of political intrigues especially for the highest seat of the state. After the epileptic dabblings into democracy interspersed with military rule; in 1999, the beginning of the countrys longest stretch of democratic rule, Chief Bisi Akande was elected as the Governor and he served the state from 29th May 1999- 29th May 2003. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola took over from Chief Akande and served his first term from 29th May 2003 to 29th May 2007 without hitch. His second term however was cut short in its fourth year when a landmark judgment on the 26th November 2010, by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Ibadan nullified his election and Engr. Rauf Aregbesola was declared the validly elected Governor in the 14th April, 2007 Gubernatorial Election. Engr Rauf Aregbesola is the present Governor of the State and having served two terms will be handing over the baton to the next democratically elected candidate.

It is hoped that as Osun decides on 22nd September 2018, the only intrigues will be that of the supremacy of the democratic process.

Observers undergoing training Observers undergoing training
The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has withdrawn the award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, recently conferred on a lawyer, Ikhide Ehighelua, following allegations he instigated contradictory judgements from sister courts.

The LPPC announced the withdrawal in a statement issued at the end of its emergency meeting which held on Wednesday.

The statement, signed by the committees secretary, Hadiza Mustapha, said the LLPC has also placed Mr Ehighelua on a five year-probation period during which his conducts will determine whether he can re-apply to be made a senior advocate or not.

That the nomination for the conferment of the Award of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Ikhide Ehighelua, Esquire on July 12, 2018 is hereby withdrawn;

That Ikhide Ehighelua, Esquire is hereby barred from applying for the Award of Senior Advocate of Nigeria for the next five (5) years or five applications beginning from 2019; and

That after the expiration of this period, Ikhide Ehighelua, Esquire would be at liberty to apply for the rank subject to good behaviour as assessed by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee.

According to the statement, the committee acted based on a petition written against Mr Ehighelua.

The said petition alleged that Mr Ehighelua instituted a suit with the number: A/36/2017 at a High Court lsseleUku, Delta State where he had filed a motion for interim injunction which was dismissed for lack of merit.

Following the dismissal, the accused lawyer filled an appeal at the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal. After filing the appeal, Mr Ehighelua curiously went ahead to institute a fresh suit at another high court seeking the same reliefs as those dismissed in suit number A/36/217.

Subsequently on July 30, Mr Ehighelua controversially secured the intended interim injunction at the other court and proceeded to implement it.

He subsequently wrote a letter dated July, 31 2018 to the Executive Governor of Delta State notifying him of the existence of the Interim Injunction above, the statement said.

The LPPC described the actions of Mr Ehighelua as a blatant disregard for the provisions set out as guidelines for senior advocates in Nigeria.

The statement however said nothing about the judge who granted the controversial order or if the court was even aware of the previous ruling on the same matter.

The NJC has condemned the actions of lawyers and judges who encourage the issuance of conflicting judgements by sister court on similar issues.

In a previous remark on the matter, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmoud Mohammed, said the NJC would investigate and ensure that penalty is meted on judicial officers culpable in propagating conflicting court judgements.
Sokoto State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Aminu Tambuwal, has assured that he will support agitation to restructure Nigeria if elected president of Nigeria in 2019.

Mr Tambuwal, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, made this promise in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Friday, while meeting with the delegates of the party in the state.

The aspirant recently dumped the All Progressives Congress to the PDP where he intends to realise his presidential ambition.

He said his campaign would not fan the embers of ethnicity, and would be devoid of elements of sectionalism as being experienced under President Muhammadu Buharis government.

He said he decided to contest the 2019 presidential election after realising the lopsidedness in the Buhari administration in terms of poor performance and failure of governance.

Mr Tambuwal said he had thought through the cost of being a president of a complex nation like Nigeria, and had joined the race to offer dynamic leadership.

He urged the PDP members not to waver in spite of oppression and humiliation being meted on some of their leaders by the APC-led federal government.

The focus of every Nigerian in 2019 is to vote for a president that is Pan-Nigerian. A man who is not an ethnic jingoist or religious bigot, Mr Tambuwal said.

We are all aware that the present government is desperate to perpetuate itself in power. They are ready to do those things outside the laws of the land to remain in power. That is why they have been harassing leaders like Governor Ayodele Fayose.

You must try and give the PDP flag to someone who believes in the unification of this country, someone who has traversed the length and breadth of this nation. Someone who has moved from Maiduguri to Lagos, from Port Harcourt to Sokoto and from the east to the extreme north as a private person.

As the former deputy minority whip, minority leader and Speaker in the House of Representatives, I have an idea about the geographical configuration of this nation, so I am in good position to respect individual rights .

I will not be that President that will shut the doors against restructuring, I will even facilitate debate that will quickly enhance true and proper fiscal federalism. As a leader, it is not good for you to impose your will on the people, you must allow diverse opinions based on our religious and ethnic diversity.

He also urged the members of the party to be resolute in spite of the alleged intimidation of members using the state apparatuses, saying, We need a courageous PDP to take over power in 2019.

He thanked Mr Fayose for his resilience and leadership.

Mr Fayose, in his remarks, described the APC-led federal government as a monster that was only interested in oppressing people with power, rather than transforming their lives .

He said the federal government had denied the state from benefiting from the N2.5 billion budget support and N11 billion Paris Club funds released to some states recently.

The outgoing governor urged the aspirant to campaign for the PDP the way he did in 2015 for President Buhari.

You (Tambuwal) were one of those who repackaged President Buhari in 2015 and ensured he won the presidential election. You must make sure you do same in the 2019 election, Mr Fayose said.

Every now knows that we need a youthful president with energy. Someone who can see Nigeria as one indivisible entity, not a tribalist and religious bigot. The treasure of any man is his vitality, which would make him work harder to deliver his people from poverty.

Look at what they did now, they excluded Ekiti from N11.6 billion Paris Club (cash) and N2.5 billion budget support fund I would have used to pay the backlog of salaries.

I want to appeal to all workers to ensure that the money is not diverted. They should ensure that it is used to pay their salaries the way I would have loved to do.

So, in selecting the presidential candidate for our party, Ekiti delegates will vote wisely. We will vote for a president we can trust and the one that will see all Nigerians as one.
It has been an exciting month for Midland Lead, which has won H&B groups Supplier of the Year, and been shortlisted for two Burton Mail Business Awards.

The lead manufacturer was recently awarded the Peter Buttle Supplier of the Year Award from buying group H&B, beating five other finalists.

And now the company has also been nominated for Medium Business of the Year, and its Regional Sales Manager Kyle Hazeldine has been nominated for Young Employee of the year in the Burton Mail Business Awards, which celebrate the best businesses across East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire.

A panel of industry experts will judge the finalists, and the winners will be announced in a gala awards evening in the Pirelli Stadium in Burton-on-Trent on 18 October.

Midland Leads Sales and Marketing Manager Lynn Street (pictured) said: I am hugely proud of this achievement for our company. The last nine months have seen a lot of positive changes for Midland Lead, and the award is another indication that we are continuing to move in the right direction.

We strive to show that the ability to provide excellent customer service exists within us all at Midland Lead.
The Nigerian military has accused some journalists of working for the terror group, Boko Haram, after reports showed security forces had suffered heavy losses in recent months.

In an apparent targeting of the media, the military said it was known that some journalists work for Boko Haram and fraternise with terrorist commanders. The military provided no evidence backing its claim.

Its statement on Thursday came amid reports showing the army has lately faced a string of heavy losses, with over a hundred soldiers killed by Boko Haram.

In July, PREMIUM TIMES reported that no fewer than 23 Nigerian soldiers went missing after insurgents ambushed a military convoy at Boboshe village in Bama local government area of Borno State. Five officers, 18 soldiers and eight trucks were missing after the attack.

More attacks have occured since then with at least 31 soldiers killed in a September onslaught, military sources told PREMIUM TIMES.

Reuters also reported this week the deaths of soldiers. It appears the military statement was in response to the report.

John Agim, the military spokesperson, said the statement that the campaign was spearheaded by a particular foreign news agency.

Mr Agim denied soldiers had been killed. He said the report was calculated to dampen the spirit of the troops at the theatres of operation and to demean the successes recorded so far in the war against terrorism.

It is more worrisome when such an ill-informed report is coming from a supposed credible news agency expected to be a partner in progress. It agitates the mind whether the reporter is working in isolation or speaking the mind of its sponsors, the statement said.

It is a well-known fact that terrorism thrives on publicity and propaganda. It is also known that some journalists work for Boko Haram and fraternise with terrorist commanders against the standing forces to whip up sentiment, he said.

The military said at the peak of Boko Haram insurgency, the armed forces with limited weapons chased Boko Haram out of Abuja and other cities into Sambisa forest.

How much more now that the military is well equipped with determined troops to take on any terrorist group, be it Boko Haram or Islamic State In West Africa, he quipped. If this is still seen as struggling by the purveyors of the false reports, then the word may have assumed a new meaning, he said.

He said the strategy of drawing out the enemy had been a great success as hundreds of terrorists had been killed in their desperate attempts to recapture some cities in the North-east.
The Director, Plateau Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), John Dayah, has said that about 800 tricycles had been impounded for non-compliance with registration.

Mr Dayah disclosed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that the impounded tricycles would be released to those operators that were fully registered.

We make them do the needful, then allow them go with their tricycles to continue their business, Mr Dayah said.

He said that VIO officers had been positioned strategically within Jos-Bukuru metropolis to arrest tricycle operators that were not registered.

The director said that most of the impounded tricycles had been released to their owners after registration.

He, however, advised that all tricycle operators to comply with the VIO registration to avoid their tricycle being impounded.

NAN
The FCT Police Command has deployed its personnel at strategic locations in the territory to prevent members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria or Shiites from protesting in the capital city.

The spokesman of the command, Manzha Anjugiri, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

The Shiites are demanding the release of their leader, Ibrahim ZakyZaky, who had been in detention since 2016.

Although, the police spokesman did not provide further detail, NAN learnt that the deployment of security personnel is to prevent break down of law and order.

Shiites protested on Thursday, but the police supported by other security agencies deployed personnel to prevent the protest from turning violent.

The action resulted in traffic gridlock, which forced commuters to trek long distances to reach their destinations. (NAN)
Ogori community in Kogi State will on Saturday hold a special memorial service in honour of Emmanuel Abisoye, a former Nigerian Army general and civil war hero, who died March 17 last year.

Mr Abisoye, who was the Federal Commissioner for Health under the military government of Olusegun Obasanjo, between 1976 and 1979, died March 17 last year and was buried in Lagos two months later on May 12.

According to a statement by Matthew Keyi, spokesperson of the planning committee, the service will hold at the Anglican Cathedral of St. Peter, Ogori in Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area.

He said the interdenominational service will be followed by the launch of the Major-General Emmanuel Abisoye (Rtd) Scholarship/Endowment Fund and a post humous award presented by the Ogori Descendants Union.
A mid-year report issued by Kaduna State Maternal Perinatal Deaths Surveillance and Response (MPDRSR) team says 123 pregnant women died in the state between January and July 2018.

The chairman of the MPDSR, Lawal Abubakar, disclosed this on Friday during a quarterly interactive forum organised by Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM).

According to him, the deaths occurred in 30 government-owned hospitals in the state.

Mr Lawal said the figure does not include women that died in private hospitals, primary healthcare units and those who died in their homes.

He said the committee also identified four major causes responsible for the deaths: haemorrhage, anaemia, sepsis and eclampsia.

The January-June 2018 MPDSR report has recorded a total of l23 maternal deaths across the public secondary/tertiary health facilities in the state.

From the report, 42. 5 per cent of the deaths were caused by haemorrhage, eclampsia, l6.5 per cent and sepsis l4 per cent.

Information on previous trends in maternal deaths In these health facilities was unavailable at the time of producing this factsheet. The maternal deaths were in 30 state-owned public health facilities of Kaduna State, he said.

Mr Lawal listed some of the hospitals where the women died as: General Hospital Kafanchan (seven deaths), GH Kachia (three), GH Kaura (two), GH Kagoma (29), GH Doka (two), GH Zangon Kataf (one), GH Kwoi (one), GH Kagorko (11).

Others are: RH Pambegua (0), RH Zunkwa (0), Barau Dikko (24), GH Giwa (10), Yusuf Dan Tsoho (eight), GH Birnin Gwari (six), Gwamna Awan (five), GH Kawo (five), GH Kawo (five), GH Rigasa (four), RH Kujama (one), RH Idon (0), GH Hunkuyi (five), GH Makarfi (five) , MIBA Zaria (four), HGS Zaria (three), GH Maigama (one), and GH Turunku (0).

Mr Lawal said all the 30 hospitals visited had adequate stock of essential life-saving drugs which if used effectively could have helped in preventing the deaths.

He explained that 36 per cent of the hospitals do not have ready to use blood, due to lack of a state-owned blood supply chain system.

He said 77 per cent of the hospitals have non-functional blood banks due to irregular supply of electricity while 36 per cent of them have non-functional ambulances.

Also, he said 56 per cent of the hospitals do not have the Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) kit for the management of incomplete abortions.

The official said the tragedies could be prevented in the future if the state establishes a mechanism that will ensure that essential life-saving drugs available at hospitals are accessible to all pregnant women in the state.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the committee presented the report to KADAM on August 18.

Meanwhile, the state commissioner for health, Paul Dogo said the state government is working hard to reduce maternal and infant deaths.

He said the government is already started working on how to address the issue of lack of blood in hospitals across the state. He added that very soon, the issue of lack electricity in hospitals in the state, particularly in rural hospitals would be addressed.

The chairman, KADMAM, Mustapha Jumare, the committee has a mandate of using evidence to promote accountability, in order to advocate for the elimination of preventable maternal and perinatal deaths in Kaduna state.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has condemned the destruction of campaign billboards of Governor Udom Emmanuel in the state.

Some billboards promoting Mr Emmanuels second term bid were torn into pieces about two days ago along the airport road, Ekpene Ukim, in Uruan Local Government Area, by unknown persons.

The billboards for a senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East, Bassey Albert, were also destroyed in the area.

There is suspicion that APC supporters may have been responsible for the destruction.

But the APC chairman in the state, Ini Okopido, said his party supporters couldnt have done such a thing.

I am not even aware of that, Mr Okopido told PREMIUM TIMES, Friday morning.

The chairman condemned the destruction of the billboards, saying it is very unfair.

Theres no way we can support that kind of criminality, that kind of destruction of anybodys property.

He added, Why would my party supporters bother about the governors billboards? We are concerned about how we are going to bring out credible candidates to win in all the elections in the state.

Since the inception of this administration, we have been having billboards from day one till date, nobody has ever bothered about it.

Maybe, they (the governor and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party) are having internal issues.

The police in the state said on Thursday they were saddened by the development which they said was a criminal and electoral offence.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Command has put in place mechanisms to identify and prosecute those involved in such criminal acts.

Henceforth, anyone caught removing, defacing or destroying campaign posters or billboards of their political opponents or those found breaching any part of the Electoral Law will be apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with extant laws, Odiko MacDon, the police spokesperson in the state, said in a statement.
This appears to be a season of resignation in the Akwa Ibom state government, as Governor Udom Emmanuel has lost yet another aide.

The aide, Mfon Udeme, on Thursday resigned his appointment as a special assistant on electoral matters to the governor.

Mr Udeme, a lawyer, is the second among the governors aides to resign within the past 20 days, and the fourth since the inception of the current administration.

Another of the governors aide, Anietie Ebe, who resigned on September 1 because of lack of basic work tools, told PREMIUM TIMES that more people would likely abandon the administration before the 2019 general elections.

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, said Mr Ebe, who was working as a special assistant on project investments and industries.

The latest of the governors aides to resign his appointment, Mr Udeme, also cited lack of basic tools as part of the reason for leaving the government.

He said, in addition, that a few of the governors aides were enjoying preferential allocation of statutory perks of office and undue favours, while majority of the aides, according to him, were being maltreated and allowed to suffer untold hardship.

Mr Udeme, in his resignation letter, told Governor Emmanuel, I certainly cannot stand being treated with such disdain, levity, and ignominy as you have done as though my life would end if I am no longer your Special Assistant.

I am not also in that ilk of politicians given to seeking relevance where there exist no electoral value.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Udeme, a former caretaker chairman of Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, to ask about his political future, he said he was going to meet with his political allies and supporters to determine where he would likely go to.
The National Youth Service Corps has said corps members who engage in any form of electoral malpractice during Saturdays Osun election are on their own and would face the full wrath of the law.

The Osun State coordinator of the service, Emmanuel Attah, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday on the preparations of the corps for the election, however, said he was confident that the corps members would perform well.

Our corps members in the state of Osun are prepared to discharge their duties with all patriotism and zeal, he said.

We have talked with them, we have sensitised them, and one thing we keep harping on, not just of recent, in fact in the past few months, the NYSC is apolitical. We dont belong to any political party. We belong to all.

The NYSC over the years have given credibility to the Nigerian electoral process and we intend to maintain such. They have their names to protect, the names of their families. They have their own integrity to protect.

We have told them, the uniform they put on is not immunity in committing any electoral offence. I must say that I have full confidence in the corps members to discharge their duties as prescribed to them by INEC and I have confidence that they will never let this nation down, he said.

On the allegation made by some political parties that the NYSC was working with certain political parties to manipulate the card readers, Mr Attah said the allegations were baseless and an attempt by the parties to hype themselves.

I want to say that as far as we are concerned in this election, nobody has approached us and nobody can approach us, Mr Attah said.

We have said it, we are apolitical, and we have said it that anybody who dares to intimidate our corps members or make any attempt at our corps member, we will not take it lightly. These are our children. They have been called to duty to serve this country and we are ready to protect them.

The security agencies have assured us of their safety, both during and after the election, and I have absolute confidence in the security apparatus of the state. We have met with them severally and they have given us that guarantee.

What is important is for the people here to know that in as much as other peoples children are serving in this state; their children are also serving in other states, he added.

The official said the corps members had been well motivated for the job and the citizens should simply cooperate with them so they could deliver optimally for the credibility and acceptability of Saturdays election.
Ahead of Saturdays governorship election in Osun, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) say vote buyers and their customers risk being arrested and prosecuted.

Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

According to the statement, the decision was the outcome of a meeting between the two commissions at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

The statement said the INEC Chairman had led a team of National Commissioners to the meeting.

According to the statement, the issue of vote buying and selling had become worrisome to the two commissions and therefore evolved measures to address the menace.

Mr Yakubu, however, said the incidence of ballot box snatching and kidnapping of INEC officials had reduced significantly due to a number of strong reforms INEC had put in place to strengthen the electoral process.

We are here as part of our consultations with critical agencies that are connected to the electoral process.

We have undertaken a number of innovations to strengthen the electoral system and these days, you hear less of ballot box snatching and kidnapping of INEC officials.

But as we solve one problem, another one is coming up.

Of immediate concern is the election we are holding on Saturday in Osun State and it is going to be the last major election before the 2019 general elections.

We have taken steps as a Commission, but we need the support of the EFCC in this respect.

Vote buying and selling is earning a bad reputation for our democracy, for our elections.

We thought we should visit national institutions like the EFCC because they have the powers under the law to arrest, to investigate, to prosecute.

They can assist us to stem this ugly tide of vote buying and selling, the statement said.

Mr Yakubu expressed regrets at increasing inducement through electronic transfers in order to influence their decisions on election day.

We believe that you have both the law and the capacity on your side to help us in this respect, he said.

He implored the EFCC to also monitor campaign finances of political parties and their candidates.

As we go into the elections proper in 2019, we need your support in the area of campaign finance and spending by candidates.

The law has prescribed limits as to what candidates can spend in elections but we need the enforcement of these laws.

We dont want the money-bags to determine our democracy. We want the votes of the people to determine who wins in our elections, it said.

The EFCC Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, on his part, said there was cause for concern over vote buying and selling.

We have the mandate to monitor money transfers and we are collaborating with the banks.

We have the mandate to arrest, investigate and prosecute and we are going to use the Osun governorship election as a test case, he said.

Mr Magu pledged to work with the INEC Chairman to curb the menace and appealed to Nigerians to support the EFCC in the fight against corruption.

(NAN)
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




| BY Ricki Green |

By Aussie expat Ben Yabsley (left), ex-The Monkeys and M&C Saatchi, now a senior copywriter at Anomaly, New York.

Theres a story about Jack White that pops into my mind whenever things are getting tough at work. I read somewhere that he likes to make things hard for himself when hes on stage. He likes to set his equipment up just a little out of reach. It means he has to strain to get back to the microphone in time for the chorus, and you can hear that tension in his voice. Its what gives him his trademark, strangled tone.

Creative departments are no strangers to tension. Jack White has to construct it, but were in no short supply of the stuff. Our job is to bring about change. And when we run into obstacles that hinder our ability to bring about this change, it creates tension. How you deal with that tension determines the success of your creative career, and your overall creative fulfillment.

So, no biggie.

So how do we manage this stressful but necessary evil? How can we ensure that tension doesnt ultimately undermine our creative pursuits or lead us to become raging alcoholics?

We cant just give up on having goals. We cant just retreat to a cave, meditate, and accept the world as it is. The very nature of our job requires us to be dissatisfied with the status quo. Without change we are nothing. We need our goals. Without them we wouldnt have our shiny awards or things we can point at in our portfolios at job interviews.

This creative tension, it seems, is inevitable. But if youre aware of the factors that create it, you can employ strategies to manage it. And when youve got your stress under control, you might just make it through to retirement with your health, family and sanity intact.

On the surface it might seem a little strange for an advertising professional to look to Buddhism for answers. How can a religion that is all about accepting the status quo be compatible with an industry that exists solely to burn it to the ground? Well theres actually a bit of common ground, which can give us some valuable tools when it comes to managing creative tension.

There is an element of play to the creative process that requires you to be totally engrossed in the moment. When we stop focusing on the goals that weve set for our work, and allow ourselves to become completely engrossed in the actual act of creating the work itself, the experience can become almost meditative. People paint and draw for the fun of it. It could even be how you got into this industry in the first place. Theres joy at the heart of the simple act of creation that gets drowned out by the louder emotions that placing goals on our work creates.

Eckhart Tolle argues in his best seller The Power of Now that all happiness comes from focusing your mind into the present moment, and depowering thoughts of the future and the past. And if you think about it, that kind of makes sense. All the activities that we associate with pleasure are ones that require us to be completely in the moment. Fishing, playing music, surfing, hiking, yoga, sex (if youre doing it right) all focus the mind and offer a reprieve from thoughts of the past or the future.

His theory also explains why drinking makes us happy. Alcohol literally makes your mind less active and therefore makes it easier to keep your thoughts present. Its no surprise that this is the stress management tool of choice for the advertising industry.

The great news is that by understanding all this, you can take more control over your emotional state and avoid becoming one of those jaded creatives who fly off the handle at every single client change.

When you start to feel the stress building, realize that its probably because youre focusing too much on the outcome of whatever it is that youre doing. Try bringing your mind back to the present by concentrating on the actual task at hand. It doesnt matter if its constructing a sentence, finding a song for a manifesto rip, or designing a logo give that task your complete attention. The specifics of the task are actually irrelevant its the tasks ability to focus you into the moment that brings peace.

This doesnt mean the requirements of your job suddenly vanish, and your goals cease to exist but sometimes you just need a way to defuse a particularly stressful moment. Or maybe youd just like to enjoy what you do every day a bit more.

It sounds a little contradictory, but by concentrating less on the outcome of your creativity, and more on the process itself, youll ultimately have more energy to keep creating, and therefore increase your chances of better creative output and fulfillment.

Advertising can be a stressful game. With so many links in the chain between concept and creation there are a million different hurdles to clear before we can achieve our creative goals. And every single one of those hurdles creates a little bit more tension.
Not 24 hours after Hurricane Maria had brought destruction and tragedy to our beloved Island, we at Acacia were ready to lend a hand, and had identified a formidable group of people both in the diaspora and on the Island who would end up forming the core of an uncompromising army of love, hope, and relief. We were one among many others, and that always gave us an immense of community at a time we most needed it. A year ago, Acacia decided to work with organizations and people that had a proven record of commitment, transparency, accountability, and care with their communities. Folks that today are not defined by the hurricane; people and organizations that were and will always be deeply committed to Puerto Rico.

When our crew in Puerto Rico first made it to Utuado, a forgotten town in the mountains, they delivered canned food and other supplies. When they thought their work there was done and they were ready to go back home to San Juan, an elderly woman yelled from afar: "no se vayan sin comer", "don't leave without eating". She had just cooked the jamonilla with rice and offered them food. And they had lunch together. This is the spirit of our people. Their resilience is our inspiration!

We are proud to remember the efforts of our employees, our volunteers, of the local leaders in every community, of the doctors, the farmers, the priests and pastors, the artists and cultural workers, the scholars and activists that supported our efforts, and the efforts of the many other groups and organizations that supported the love, hope, and courage of our people. We are also moved today to remember the efforts of our brothers and sisters of so many other diasporas here in the mainland; the efforts of local government officials, administrators, fire-fighters, labor leaders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, teachers, and of all of those that lend an open hand in that most tragic of times.

Today, the Acacia family chooses to remember that love and friendship, because it is only love and friendship that will get us through these challenging times. We also remember our losses. With love, te amamos Puerto Rico.

About Acacia Network, Inc.

Acacia Network, the leading Latino integrated care nonprofit in the nation, offers the community, from children to seniors, a pathway to behavioral and primary healthcare, housing, and empowerment.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Juana Ines Pacheco

917-504-6765

SOURCE Acacia Network
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Automation Anywhere, the leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), today announced a technology alliance partnership with Celonis, the leader in operationalizing process change for business transformation, to integrate their respective platforms and collaborate on sales and marketing programs. RPA combined with process mining further enables organizations to streamline and automate processes, ensuring they operate at maximum efficiency.

Built on its process mining technology, Celonis provides visibility into existing process flows, a detailed analysis of process metrics, and an intelligent framework for process improvements that can be automated with Automation Anywhere's RPA and cognitive automation platform.

"Customers can now automatically visualize and screen their processes for areas with the highest automation potential, and as a result, build, test, and deploy RPA in a smarter way," said Peter Meechan, Chief Corporate Development Officer at Automation Anywhere. "The powerful combination of these two category-leading companies is a game changer."

"We are delighted to see the alliance between Automation Anywhere and Celonis," said Irfan Ali, RPA Head at Bosch Service Solutions. "The integration of their respective platforms will identify even more new automation opportunities and further enhance the value of our business transformation process initiatives."

"Celonis is pleased to join Automation Anywhere's technology alliances program to offer customers a seamless experience from understanding their processes to identifying automation opportunities and then executing on them," said Marc Kinast, VP Global Business Development at Celonis. "Together we are helping global organizations realize the benefits of operationalizing process change in their business to achieve significant improvements and impressive results."

The Celonis solution recommends bots from the Automation Anywhere Bot Store, the leading marketplace for pre-built, plug-and-play bots, to make it even faster and easier for organizations to add new automations. Celonis has an "Analyze Business Process" bot in the Bot Store which works with the Automation Anywhere Bot Insight solution to automatically identify automation potential and monitor the impact of automation on business processes.

Interact with Automation Anywhere:

Visit our website: www.automationanywhere.com

Check out our monthly webinar series BotVisions: https://www.automationanywhere.com/company/webinars

Follow us on Twitter: @AutomationAnywh

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/automation-anywhere

About Automation Anywhere

Automation Anywhere is the leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), the platform on which more organizations build world-class Intelligent Digital Workforces. Automation Anywhere's enterprise-grade platform uses software bots that work side by side with people to do much of the repetitive work in many industries. It combines sophisticated RPA, cognitive and embedded analytic technologies. Over 1,100 organizations use this AI-enabled solution to manage and scale business processes faster, with near-zero error rates, while dramatically reducing operational costs. Automation Anywhere provides automation technology to leading financial services, insurance, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, telecom and logistics companies globally. For additional information, visit www.automationanywhere.com.

About Celonis

Celonis (www.celonis.com) is a New York- and Munich-based enterprise software company that offers an Intelligent Business System based on the process mining technology it pioneered. As the market leader in process mining, Celonis helps organizations to rapidly understand and improve operational process flows for business transformation. Companies around the world including Siemens, GM, 3M, Bayer, Airbus and Vodafone rely on Celonis technology to guide them in creating new, automated business processes that save millions of dollars while delighting their customers with improved experiences.

SOURCE Automation Anywhere

Related Links

http://www.automationanywhere.com


| BY Ricki Green |

Bashful Group has today launched Smile Agency, a specialist creative agency providing 360 degree services across strategy, creative, production, design and digital for the luxury, fashion, beauty and lifestyle sectors as a sister agency to acclaimed creative agency Bashful.

Smile Agency is born from Bashfuls unrivalled pedigree in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle sectors developing award-winning brand strategy and creative for Saba, Sportscraft, Goldwell, KMS, Zimmermann, and General Pants.

Says Simon Bookallil (above left), CEO and co-founder, Bashful: Smile Agency brings together a world-class team with a breadth of specialist fashion, beauty and luxury experience. We are launching with a very simple philosophy  fashion, beauty and lifestyle creative must be driven by an intimate understanding of category while being underpinned by business and brand strategy. We believe we are uniquely placed to offer this to the Australian market.

Smile Agency will become one of Australias first dedicated agencies to offer a service combining robust business and brand strategy, large scale agency advertising experience and proven practical expertise in the specific codes of fashion and beauty, whilst Bashful continues to grow and diversify across finance, travel and FMCG.

Bookallil, along with co-founder and creative director Emil Vrisakis (above centre) and business director Jolene Cornford (above right) have launched Smile Agency with a line-up of covetable foundation clients including Zimmermann, alice McCALL, David Lawrence, Noni B Group (Noni B, BeMe, and Autograph), Jag Jeans Phillippines, Hot Springs (Lover, Vestire and Cooper Street) and Goldwell Hair.

Says Vrisakis: Our vision for Smile is to create exceptional work that is as distinctive as it is inspiring. We want to make stuff that is strategically robust, informed by culture and that people fall in love with.

Smile Agency will next week unveil a new website for celebrated Australian designer Alice McCALL that is anticipated to set a new standard for best-in-class. Continuing a nine-year relationship with Zimmermann as brand guardians, developing campaign imagery and collateral design, Smile Agency will also reveal their latest campaign in October.
ALBANY, New York, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to TMR, the global automotive battery market is expected to value US$54.5 bn by the end of 2022. Between 2017 and 2022, the market is forecast to exhibit a CAGR of 5.7%. Holding over 38% of the market based on chemical composition, the small lead acid segment held dominant in 2017. Europe, among key regional markets, is expected to remain dominant through the course of the forecast period. The Europe market for automotive battery is expected to reach US$15.1 bn by the end of 2022.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg )



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Impelled by the rising demand for advanced performance in vehicles, the leading players in the global automotive battery market are focusing on product innovation. As per a new study by Transparency Market Research. For instance, original equipment manufacturers are developing novel components for automobiles to enable electricity optimization. Furthermore, companies such as Hitachi Ltd, Exide Industries Limited, Furukawa Electric Co.Ltd, and Johnson Controld International plc and investing in novel designs to gain a stronghold in the global automotive battery market.

Their efforts have resulted in the launch of the automotive battery technology, which offers quick recharging and power-saving options. Considering the prevailing trends, TMR expects the market players to focus on optimizing power consumption while developing vehicle system components. Strategies adopted by the market players are likely to have a profound impact on the overall market.

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Stringent Emission Control Norms to Aid Growth Witnessed Worldwide

TMR predicts rapid rise in demand for SSLLA automotive batteries. The increasing production of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles is also expected to create steady sales opportunities for lithium-ion automotive batteries. Also OEMs are introducing new electric and hybrid electric models encouraged by attractive incentives and successful commercialization. Also, strict emission control norms are encouraging the production of automotive batteries, in turn creating lucrative growth opportunities for the market.

In the coming years, the market will witness immense opportunities for sales in response to the rising demand for electric vehicles. With leading automakers focusing towards the production of hybrid vehicles and electric cars, the automotive battery market is likely to gain considerable impetus in the near future.

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Underdeveloped Support Structure May Hinder Demand

On the downside, infrastructure supporting the production of electric vehicles is yet to be fully developed. This may negatively impact the automotive battery market to an extent. Furthermore, it is not a cakewalk for manufacturers to offer products at a competitive pace on account of the increasing sale of mid-size and compact vehicles compared to other vehicle types. This has an adverse impact on the overall automotive battery market. Nonetheless, manufacturers complained lesser about producing automotive batteries for mid-size and compact vehicle because it was less complex. This could bode well for the overall market.

TMR projects that the rising trade activities will fuel the demand for commercial aircrafts and automobiles. This as per the report will contribute towards the market's expansion around the world. Also, the rising knowledge about the technological and economic benefits of using automotive batteries in vehicles will fuel their demand in the coming years.

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The report segments the global automotive battery market as:

Global Automotive Battery Market: Chemical Composition

Lithium-ion

Nickel-metal Hydride

Nickel-cadmium

Small Sealed Lead Acid

Global Automotive Battery Market: Vehicle

Compact Vehicle

Mid-sized Vehicle

Premium Vehicle

Luxury Vehicle

Commercial Vehicle

Heavy Commercial Vehicle

Global Automotive Battery Market: Sales Channel

OEM

Aftermarket

Global Automotive Battery Market: Region

North America U.S. Canada

Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina

Europe Germany U.K. France Spain Italy Nordic

Japan

Asia Pacific excluding Japan China India Malaysia Thailand Singapore Australia

excluding Middle East and Africa GCC Countries South Africa Nigeria Israel

and

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Automotive Battery Plate Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2018 - 2026:

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-battery-plate-market.html



Automotive Battery Powered Propulsion System Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025:

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-battery-powered-propulsion-system-market.html

About Us

Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals.

Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.

TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision.

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
LONDON, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) today will host its 2018 Investor Day and introduce the Company's new long-term strategy to "Open Up Avon" and return to growth.

"We are excited to share our plans to Open Up Avon as we continue to build on the progress we have made in the last eight months to reboot direct selling, modernize the brand, leverage strategic breakouts and begin a cultural transformation," said Jan Zijderveld, Avon CEO. "We have assessed our operations, our markets and value-creating opportunities, and are implementing a plan to make Avon more attractive to beauty entrepreneurs and accessible to more consumers. Critical elements of the plan are expanding recruiting and retaining more Representatives, capturing our share in fast growth areas, opening our eco-system to more third party providers, and ensuring we have the right team and execution rigor. We are confident that these efforts can increase shareholder value and position Avon to become the leading digital social selling beauty company."

Mr. Zijderveld continued, "Avon is grounded by our steadfast commitment to empowering women. Our 'Open Up Avon' strategy will enable us to provide more relevant earnings, contemporary products and meet the dynamic needs of women globally. While transformations of this nature take time, we are already working hard and committed to executing on these new strategic breakout priorities and building the Avon of the future."

At today's event, members of Avon's leadership team will present the core tenets of the strategy including:

Pivoting to a New, Open Avon

Focusing on restoring competitiveness, modernizing and digitizing the Avon brand, and capitalizing on strategic breakout opportunities by:

Recruiting and retaining more Representatives by increasing Her earnings and training with intent;



Opening up access to all consumers anywhere, anytime;



Capturing share in fast growth areas by expanding into those categories, markets and channels; and



Managing our product portfolio, winning in all price tiers, expediting innovation both in-house and with outside partners.

Leading a performance-based cultural transformation aimed at:

Identifying news ways of working by enhancing speed and agility; and



Injecting new capabilities within the sales organization and our digital initiatives.

Rebooting Avon's Social Selling Proposition

Segmenting communication and training for Her based on her intent and expectations;

Providing her with products and tools that transition Her to becoming a trusted Beauty Advisor to Her customers; and

Injecting new sales talent in key markets.

Modernizing Avon's Brand and Unlocking E-Commerce for the Future

Refreshing the brand identity to capitalize on Avon's strong brand recognition and provide relevant, on-trend innovative products; and

strong brand recognition and provide relevant, on-trend innovative products; and Unlocking e-commerce, data and digital capabilities, as well as an open and simplified eco-system to increase access, reduce effort and provide tools to improve Her earnings.

Focus on Value Creation and Simplification

Avon also intends to outline near-term cost savings and capital investments to support the strategy and accelerate revenue and margin growth.

Webcast

Today's investor day presentation will begin at 9:00 a.m. EDT and will be webcast live at www.avoninvestor.com.

About Avon Products, Inc.

Avon is the Company that for 130 years has proudly stood for beauty, innovation, optimism and, above all, for women. Avon products include well-recognized and beloved brands such as ANEW, Avon Color, Avon Care, Skin-So-Soft, and Advance Techniques sold through approximately 6 million active independent Avon Sales Representatives. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This material contains "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to revenue trends, cost savings, efforts to implement new digital and e-commerce strategies, improved Representative engagement and service, product launches and commercial and digital spend. Because forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties, actual future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the possibility of business disruption, competitive uncertainties, and general economic and business conditions in Avon's markets as well as the other risks detailed in Avon's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Avon undertakes no obligation to update any statements in this material after it is posted to the Investor Relations section of our website.

Contacts

INVESTORS:

Amy Greene

Vice President, Investor Relations, Avon Products, Inc.

914-935-2172

[email protected]

MEDIA:

Chris Wermann

Group Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Avon Products, Inc.

+ 44(0) 7867185442

[email protected]

SOURCE Avon Products, Inc.
FOSHAN, China, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bright Scholar Education Holdings Limited ("Bright Scholar," the "Company," "we" or "our") (NYSE: BEDU), the largest operator of international and bilingual K-12 schools in China*, today announced that it entered into an agreement to acquire 75% equity interests in Chengdu Yinzhe Education and Technology Co., Ltd.("Yinzhe") for a total consideration of RMB202.5 million which will be paid in four installments subject to the satisfaction of various closing condition and earn-out arrangements. Subject to the future financial performance of Yinzhe and other conditions under the acquisition agreement, the Company may acquire up to an additional 15% equity interests in Yinzhe from year 2021 to 2023.

Established in 2015, Yinzhe primarily engages in online career and education mentoring services to overseas Chinese students under brand "DreambigCareer". During the past four years, Yinzhe had successfully helped overseas Chinese students obtain over 4,000 offers, including interview, internship and full-time job offering in many countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Europe, Mainland China and Hong Kong till the end of May 2018. In 2017, Yinzhe's total revenue and net profit was RMB54.1 million and RMB12.0 million, respectively; in the first half of 2018, Yinzhe's total revenue and net profit was RMB30.0 million and RMB6.8 million, respectively.

Jerry He, CEO of Bright Scholar comments, "Since 2015, Yinzhe has developed an excellent reputation for its success in placing Chinese graduates from overseas into career-boosting internships and entry-level positions with the world's leading companies. With the acquisition of Foundation, Can-Achieve and now Yinzhe, Bright Scholar provides a comprehensive range of services covering K-12 education as well as consulting services for application to overseas institutions and now education mentoring services for career placements."

* In terms of student enrollment as of September 1, 2017, according to an industry report commissioned by Bright Scholar and prepared by Frost & Sullivan in 2017.

About Bright Scholar Education Holdings Limited

Bright Scholar is the largest operator of international and bilingual K-12 schools in China*. The Company is dedicated to providing quality international education to Chinese students and equipping them with the critical academic foundation and skillsets necessary to succeed in the pursuit of higher education overseas. It also complements its international offerings with Chinese government-mandated curriculum for students who wish to maintain the option of pursuing higher education in China. As of May 31, 2018, Bright Scholar operated 67 schools covering the breadth of K-12 academic needs of its students across eight provinces in China. In the first six months of the 2018 school year ended May 31, 2018, Bright Scholar had an average of 35,275 students enrolled at its schools.

* In terms of student enrollment as of September 1, 2017, according to an industry report commissioned by Bright Scholar and prepared by Frost & Sullivan in 2017.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to, among others, the consummation of the Company's investment, and can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations of the consummation of the Company's investment and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under law.

SOURCE Bright Scholar Education Holdings Ltd.
NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Elliptic Curve Ventures today announced the commencement of its operations providing seed and early-stage funding for companies focusing on industrial and business-to-business blockchain and fintech products. Specific focus areas will include disruptive technologies in credit, insurance, central banking, side-chains, and algorithm level enhancements.

Elliptic Curve Ventures is managed by Worth Venture Partners and springs from the collaboration of Matt Stack of XLP Capital, and Abby Flamholz and David Wertentheil of Worth Venture Partners. Explained Mr. Stack, "we believe that blockchain solutions have focused on revolutionizing retail financial services for the consumer, with emphasis on exchanges, wallets, and mobile apps. However, some of the most exciting developments over the past several years have been in algorithms that facilitate novel forms of institutional decentralization in structured financial products beyond cash, including decentralizing structured contracts, securities lending, re-hypothecation, and fractional reserving."

Leveraging the combined experience as serial entrepreneurs and investors, Elliptic Curve Ventures will find and invest in technology teams with promising new approaches to and solutions for the institutional financial sector. Target investments will be startup companies that offer technologies that can disrupt the core mechanisms of institutional capital and risk allocation.

"Our model for investment," stated Ms. Flamholz, "is to work with startup entrepreneurs to structure and deploy proof-of-concept pilots rapidly, leveraging our collective experience and contacts across the financial sector. We believe this model allows entrepreneurs to focus on technology solutions, with minimal distractions in the early stages of company formation."

"We will focus on companies that could scale faster with access to our team's resources and connections across the financial system."

About Matt Stack

Matt is a founder of XLP Capital. He is an experienced early- and seed-stage investor in high tech hardware and analytics companies and serves as a technology advisor to a variety of institutions and family offices. Over the past decade, Matt has acquired and developed a collection of minority interests in companies across North America ranging from university spinouts in medtech and machine learning to mid-sized industrial technology companies. Matt serves as an advisor to a number of privately held companies and sovereign investment trusts, where he manages and supervises technology and high-performance computing investments. He serves as the lead cryptocurrency and blockchain advisor to the United Nations, where he advises governments on technology and central banking policies. Matt has served as the Director of High Performance Computing at the Mars Corporation, Senior Quantitative Strategist at a leading private equity firm, and as a Partner at 3LP, a Boston-based elite Intellectual Property investment advisory. Matt's experience also includes managing acquisitions for a $120M corporate-led technology buyout fund in Palo Alto and spending six years at The Boston Consulting Group in the Boston and New York offices, where he worked on projects in the Health Care, IT, Retail, Industrial Goods, and Strategy practice areas. Matt holds a B.S.E. in electrical engineering from Princeton University.

About Abby Flamholz

Abby is the Managing Member of Worth Venture Partners. Her experience includes being Managing Director, Head of Convertibles & Special Situations at Stifel Nicolaus; Managing Director, Head of Convertibles, at Bank of America; and Co-Founding Partner of ADAR Investment Management. Abby attended Cooper Union Civil Engineering and graduated from NYU with a B.A. in Mathematics.

About David Wertentheil

David is a Partner and Founder of Worth Venture Partners. His experience includes being Managing Director, Head of Prime Services, Lazard Capital Markets; Managing Director, Global Prime Services Division as Head of Sales and Business Development - RBC Capital Markets; Managing Director, Institutional Direct Market Access Platform - Carlin Financial Group; and Co-Founder of the Risk Arbitrage Trading Desk for NextGen Trading LLC. David received a Bachelor of Talmudic Law at Neveh Zion College of Judaic Studies, Telshe Stone, Israel.

For more information about Elliptic Curve Ventures, contact David Wertentheil at 212-558-9017 or visit www.ellipticcurveventures.com.

SOURCE Elliptic Curve Ventures
BOSTON and LOS ANGELES and WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- "Today's announcement that former MiMedx Chairman and CEO Parker H. "Pete" Petit and former MiMedx President and COO Bill Taylor were dismissed 'for cause' is deeply disappointing," said Quinn Emanuel attorney Bill Weinreb. Weinreb commented, "Regrettably, public companies facing government investigations into alleged malfeasance have developed a standard playbook: identify purported 'wrongdoers' among top management, dismiss them without severance, and then argue that the 'problem' has been fixed and there is nothing more for the government to do. Our clients Mr. Petit and Mr. Taylor are the latest victims of this unfortunate practice. The Company effectively accused, tried, and convicted them of unspecified inappropriate conduct without first giving them notice of the 'charges' or a fair and meaningful opportunity to respond."

Bill Taylor commented, "I am extremely disappointed by the Company's decision and by the manner in which it was reached. The investigators conducted an unfair investigation that has needlessly damaged employee morale, productivity, and shareholder value. Despite today's announcement, both Pete Petit and I remain immensely proud of our tenure at the helm of one of the fastest-growing public companies in the country. I hope every MiMedx employee shares our pride in having been part of that accomplishment. I thank every employee and am honored to have worked with each of you."

Pete Petit also commented, "It was a great privilege for me to serve MiMedx shareholders as CEO and Chairman of the Board. I now look forward to joining our shareholders in initiatives that will refocus the Company and its fiduciaries on getting back to efficient and effective business management."

"The internal investigation that led to today's announcement has spun out of control. Shareholders should question whether the Audit Committee, which has led the investigation, is acting in the Company's best interests or its own best interests in finding others responsible for accounting matters for which the Committee itself bears ultimate responsibility," concluded Weinreb.

Quinn Emanuel is a 780+ lawyer business litigation firmthe largest in the world devoted solely to business litigation and arbitration with 22 global office locations. Firm lawyers have tried over 2,600 cases, winning 88% of them. When representing defendants, Quinn Emanuel's trial experience gets better settlements or defense verdicts. When representing plaintiffs, Quinn Emanuel lawyers have won over $60 billion in judgments and settlements. Quinn Emanuel has also obtained five 9-figure jury verdicts, thirty-four 9-figure settlements, and fifteen 10-figure settlements. FTI Consulting named Quinn Emanuel the biggest litigation firm in the world. The American Lawyer named Quinn Emanuel the top IP litigation firm in the U.S. and the firm as one of the top six commercial litigation firms in the country. Four times in the last 5 years, we were voted as one of the four "most feared" firms by General Counsels at Fortune 500 companies  the lawyers they "least like to see" on the other side. The UK legal periodical, The Lawyer named us "International Firm of the Year." Law360 selected us as Antitrust, Appellate, Banking, Class Action, Insurance, Product Liability, IP, White Collar, and Trials "Practice Groups of the Year." Managing IP twice recognized us as having the "Best ITC Litigation Practice" and honored us with the "Patent Contentious West" award. Legal Business has named us "US Law Firm of the Year" three times, and our German offices have been named both IP Litigation and Patent Litigation Firm of the Year by JUVE, Germany's most prestigious legal publication. Global Investigations Review, a leading legal periodical covering global white collar investigations, named us the "Most Impressive Investigations Practice of the Year." Global Arbitration Review named us the 11th best arbitration practice in the world. Further information is available at www.quinnemanuel.com.

SOURCE Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

Related Links

https://www.quinnemanuel.com


"We are delighted to open the doors of our newest office in Patchogue, which demonstrates our commitment to Long Island and the people who count on a local health plan like Healthfirst to meet their needs," said Paul Portsmore, Healthfirst's Senior Vice President for Growth. "This location is providing our members and other residents with personal attention and the opportunity to learn firsthand about Healthfirst's program offerings. We have already had great success and look forward to continuing to cultivate new relationships and strengthening our long-standing rapport with community partners."

Founded more than 25 years ago by New York's leading hospitals, Healthfirst is the fastest-growing health plan on Long Island. This is the second Healthfirst Community Office, and the company's sixth retail location on Long Island. With nearly 130,000 members in Patchogue and the surrounding areas, opening a new location is important to Healthfirst's promise of delivering high-quality customer service to its members. The office is staffed with bilingual representatives fluent in English and Spanish who will answer questions and help enroll those interested in obtaining health insurance coverage. The location serves as a hub for workshops and events held in partnership with local community-based organizations.

Local political and community leaders invited included:

State Senator Thomas D. Croci , 3rd District

, 3rd District Assemblyman Dean Murray , 3rd District

, 3rd District Mayor Paul V. Pontieri, Jr.

Town Legislator Robert Calarco, District Office 7

Patchogue Chamber of Commerce Officials:

Chamber of Commerce Officials: David Kennedy (Executive Director)

(Executive Director)

James Skidmore (President)

(President)

Lou Commisso (Vice President)

(Vice President)

Melissa Kuehnle (Vice President)

(Vice President)

Jacqueline Hensle (former President)

The Patchogue community office is open to the public Monday to Saturday, 8:30am5pm. For more information, please visit www.healthfirst.org.

About Healthfirst

Healthfirst is New York's largest non-profit health insurer, providing Medicaid plans, Medicare Advantage plans, long-term care and other integrated plans, qualified health plans and individual and small group plans to nearly 1.4 million members. Sponsored by New York City's leading hospitals, Healthfirst's unique advantage is rooted in its mission of putting members first by aligning goals with the health care providers who deliver care. This value-based care model has been a catalyst for sustained growth in one of the most dynamic markets in the country. As part of the community for 25 years, Healthfirst earns the trust of its members by offering consistently high-quality, market-leading products. For more information on Healthfirst please visit www.healthfirst.org

For more information on Healthfirst please visit www.healthfirst.org

Media Contact:

Channell Mellish

(212) 803-1856

INA18_56

SOURCE Healthfirst

Related Links

https://healthfirst.org


PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the newest rounds of grants marking its 20th anniversary, Hyundai Hope On Wheels 501(c)(3) celebrates National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by awarding the $300,000 Hyundai Hope Scholar Grant to Kathleen Sakamoto, MD, of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. This September, 38 new doctor-researchers will receive a combined $14.1 million in grants to support novel therapeutic approaches and innovative research options in pediatric cancer. The award will be officially presented to Dr. Sakamoto at Packard Children's on Monday, September 24th at 10 a.m.

Childhood cancer researchers depend largely on private funding for groundbreaking therapies to get off the ground and to advance treatment approaches to the next phase of testing, ultimately, bringing better therapies and cures to kids with cancer. With this latest award, Packard Children's has received more than $2 million in grants, part of Hope On Wheels' $145 million total lifetime giving.

"Throughout the country, talented doctors are working tirelessly to help kids fight cancer by conducting research or providing bedside care," said Scott Fink, chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. "Our goal at Hope On Wheels is to provide these doctors with the grant funds they need to perform their lifesaving work."

During the event, children being treated for cancer at Packard Children's will participate in the program's signature Handprint Ceremony, in which they will dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on a white canvas. As "Every Handprint Tells a Story," the colorful handprints of brave pediatric cancer fighters represent their individual and collective hopes, dreams and journeys.

Supporters are encouraged to visit the HHOW website (www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org) to view this year's grant winners along with stories of brave cancer survivors and passionate doctor-researchers. Once there, supporters may add their handprint to a wall of hope to show their support for the cause. They will also find information on additional ways to support HHOW through social media efforts and events throughout the month. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $145 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels

Related Links

http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org


SAN FRANCISCO and BENGALURU, India, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Offers suite of cloud solutions for enterprises to transform their businesses

Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, today announced a new partnership with Google Cloud to develop cloud transformation and migration services. Through this partnership that enhances Infosys' existing capabilities, the company will offer solutions and services on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), creating a scalable, on-demand cloud model that will enable enterprises to easily transition and adopt a cloud-first strategy.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/Infosys_Logo.jpg )



As part of this partnership, Infosys has built artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven industry-specific solutions on GCP that are foundational to digitizing the data supply chain, such as Analytics Workbench, which augments data platforms to deliver end-to-end self-service capabilities, Information Grid, which provides a data pipeline for seamless movement of data to Google Cloud (GCP), and Customer Genome, a holistic offering that helps enterprises build a self-service driven and entity-centric foundation for explorative, predictive and prescriptive analytics. These solutions will enable enterprises to modernize their IT and use the power of insights to monetize and digitize their businesses as they navigate the next stages in their transformation journey.

In addition, Infosys today announced the launch of a new offering called the 'Data Native Intelligent Enterprise' powered by the 'Infosys Digital Brain' on GCP. Data Native Intelligent Enterprise is a solution that learns from the data collected from various sources, connects it across silos using Artificial Intelligence and encodes this intelligence. This allows enterprises to react to external signals in real time and create intelligent, engaging experiences for their customers. This offering will help organizations accelerate their digital journeys and lead them towards sustainable growth.

Ravi Kumar, President and Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Infosys, said, "The technology landscape is moving at a rapid pace, making it difficult for our large customers to maintain their legacy technology infrastructure and cater to the needs of the digital consumer. Infosys solutions on GCP will provide clients the best-in-class digital technologies, as well as a path to migrate and modernize their legacy infrastructure by leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, compute and analytics to build modern digital apps. We see Google Cloud as a key partner in the cloud-first landscape, putting our partnership in a great position to provide exceptional value to our global customer base."

Kevin Ichhpurani, Corporate Vice President, Strategic Alliances at Google Cloud, said, "Google Cloud customers are looking for simple solutions to shift their systems to the cloud in order to apply our machine learning and Artificial Intelligence technologies to their businesses. We are excited about our partnership with Infosys which will help them achieve those goals. The new 'Digital Brain' from Infosys is a great example of how customers can benefit from Google Cloud's technology in combination with Infosys' unique consulting services."

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 45 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over three decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.

SOURCE Infosys
SUZHOU, China, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. (Innovent), a world-class China-based biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes high quality drugs, today presented clinical trial data from a phase Ib clinical trial (NCT02937116) that treated patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) who have failed of standard therapy with single agent sintilimab, a fully human anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody (mAb), at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO).

To our best knowledge, this is one of the largest clinical studies of anti-PD-1 antibody for the treatment of NET. Based on data from 22 patients with at least one radiological assessment, the objective response rate (ORR) is 22.7%. Furthermore, in 19 patients with poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma, the ORR was 26.3%. As of the data analysis cutoff on June 28, 2018, median duration of response (DOR) is 5.8 months and progression free survival (PFS) is 2.2 months, median overall survival has not been reached. The safety profile of sintilimab in this trial is consistent with safety profile in trials with other tumors.

"The efficacy of current treatments available for poorly differentiated NET is very limited. We are excited to see the solid evidence of significant clinical activity with sintilimab in the patients with difficult-to-treat cancers. We are delighted to see that sintilimab may give such patients a new option as an effective therapy," said Professor Jianming Xu, from the 307 Hospital of PLA, and study data presenter.

"At present, the overall prognosis of neuroendocrine tumor is still unfavorable, with limited therapeutic approaches," said Michael Yu, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Innovent, "We are encouraged by the initial study results and we anticipate a new therapy will be developed for this patient population. Hopefully, it can help to extend the overall survival and quality of life for NET patients."

About Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET)

Arising from neuroendocrine cells, neuroendocrine tumor is one kind of neoplasm which can develop in any part of the body, but most commonly occur in the digestive system such as stomach, intestine and pancreas. Medical treatment aims at controlling tumor growth and relieving symptoms caused by functioning NET. Biotherapy and target therapy are considered for well differentiated NET. Cytotoxic medication remains the first-line treatment for poorly differentiated NET, the overall survival of which is approximately 10 months.

About Sintilimab

Sintilimab is a fully human anti-PD-1 antibody. It binds to the PD-1 receptor on T cells, blocking the PD-L1 ligand from interacting with PD-1 to help restore T-cell response and immune response, thus destroying the tumor cells. Sintilimab is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody jointly developed by Innovent and Eli Lilly and Company in China. National Medical Products Administration (NMPA, formerly known as CFDA) accepted the New Drug Application (NDA) submitted by Innovent for sintilimab on April 16, 2018, and granted it priority review status on April 23, 2018. The indication for the first new drug application is relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

About Innovent

Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action", Innovent's mission is to develop and commercialize high quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Since its establishment from 2011, Innovent has developed a fully-integrated platform which includes R&D, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), clinical development and commercialization capabilities, and a pipeline of innovative and commercially promising monoclonal antibodies and other biologics in the fields of oncology, ophthalmology, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Innovent has built up a pipeline of 17 antibody drug candidates, with four core products in late-stage clinical development in China and one that has a New Drug Application (NDA) accepted by the NMPA with priority review status.

Innovent has a highly talented international team, including many expert returnees with experience in innovative biopharmaceutical drug discovery, development, production and commercialization. The company has also entered into various key strategic alliances with Eli Lilly and Company, Adimab, and other biopharmaceutical companies. Innovent has raised 580 million USD in private financing from numerous world-renowned VC or PE firms, including Eight Roads and F-Prime Capital (which form part of the proprietary investment business of Fidelity), Lilly Asia Ventures, Capital Group, Legend Capital, Temasek, Rock Springs Capital, Cormorant Private Healthcare, Hillhouse Capital, China Life, Ally Bridge, Taikang Insurance Group, and State Development & Investment Corporation.

About the partnership between Innovent Biologics and Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) and Innovent Biologics (Innovent) in March 2015 announced one of the largest biotech drug development collaborations in China to date between a multi-national and domestic company. Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly and Innovent shall collaborate to provide support to the development and potential commercialization of at least three cancer treatments over the next decade. In October 2015, they announced an expansion of their drug development collaboration. These collaborations represent that Innovent has struck one of the most comprehensive strategic partnerships of any Chinese company with a multinational partner in terms of the scope and breadth ranging from discovery to commercialization and involving up to six therapeutic antibodies for cancers.

For inquiries, please contact:

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 86 512 6956 6088

SOURCE Innovent Biologics, Inc.
PETALUMA, Calif., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Running a business and making it into a successful enterprise takes a lot of dedication. But dedicating oneself entirely to a business is a quick way to burn out and lose out on a lot of the other things life has to offer. Brandon Frere, successful entrepreneur and owner of several businesses, advises business owners and CEOs -- new and seasoned, alike -- to be careful to not lose themselves to their work.

"I don't set alarms for work anymore, and I take time to enjoy myself with stuff like dirt biking. Years ago it was scuba diving," said Brandon Frere. It may seem like it's impossible to give too much time and effort to a business to make it reach its peak potential, but devoting 100 percent of emotional and mental resources on work deprives people of the other things in life worth living for. Going outside, sometimes literally, sometimes just out of a comfort zone, not only can reinvigorate a person but can highlight what the point of working so hard is all about. Being constantly buried under mountains of work causes unnecessary amounts of stress and doesn't allow for new experiences to come up that could be beneficial for personal and business wellbeing.

Limiting oneself to one type of experience is really one of the biggest ways to potentially harm a company in the long run, because new ideas will be that much harder to come by. While it may not be explicitly detrimental, it may starve the company of new ideas stemming from the CEO, the person best in charge to guide the company. It may mean only working a typical eight-hour workday instead of an 11-hour day, or actually taking a hard-earned vacation, maybe even cutting a day short to visit friends and family, but the potential rewards can be so good, they'll be worth the shorter hours. "Working on a thriving business can sometimes mean hard work on top of long hours, but that shouldn't be all someone works on. A thriving business needs a thriving leader, not just a surviving one," said Frere.

About Brandon Frere

Brandon Frere is an entrepreneur and businessman who lives in Sonoma County, California. He has designed and created multiple companies to meet the ever-demanding needs of businesses and consumers alike. His website, www.BrandonFrere.com, is used as a means of communicating many of the lessons, fundamentals and information that he has learned throughout his extensive business and personal endeavors, most recently in advocating on behalf of student loan borrowers nationwide.

As experienced during his own student loan repayment, Mr. Frere found out how difficult it can be to work with federally contracted student loan servicers and the repayment programs designed to help borrowers. Through those efforts, he gained an insider's look into the repayment process and the motivations behind the inflating student loan debt bubble. His knowledge of the often confusing landscape of student loan repayment became a vital theme in his future endeavors, and he now uses those experiences to help guide others through the daunting process of applying for available federal repayment and loan forgiveness programs.

BrandonFrere.com

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SOURCE Brandon Frere

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| BY Ricki Green |

Googles Creative Development team have partnered with Mona (Museum of Old & New Art) to bring you this years Skippys. A YouTube Competition where four creative agencies ~ 72andSunny, BMF, Ogilvy and CHE Proximity ~ battle it out to be crowned the winner.

Each agency was given the same client brief from Mona and asked to create a TrueView ad up to 2 minutes long. The ads will run on YouTube with an equally weighted and targeted media plan and the winner will be crowned based on view-through rate, average watch time and organic view count.

Says Vix Berthinussen, creative development lead, Google Australia: For us its about the piece of creative which not only grabs the attention of the viewer in the skippable ad format but also retains it.

These videos are now live and will be for the month of September with the winner announcement happening at the Create with Google Launch event on Thursday 4th October.

Says Robbie Brammall, director of marketing and communication, Mona: David (the museum owner) loves a glorious failure, and was adamant these would all be sh*t. Theyre not. Hell probably be disappointed.

Says Micha Walker, ECD, 72andSunny Sydney: Having a chance to play with two great brands like Google and Mona, has been good times. Hopefully our simple entry keeps folks interested. Big thanks to Finch and all the folks who helped make it happen.
"We are extremely excited to deliver the first order of My Special Aflac Ducks to Palmetto Health Children's Hospital so that the children being treated here can find some comfort in what is often a very challenging time," Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "Palmetto Health Children's Hospital and the entire Midlands community have always welcomed Aflac with open arms, and we want to make sure that we give back to this community, as well as the entire nation, as we kick off this remarkable program that will help make children with cancer feel better."

At the delivery event, attendees were treated to a demonstration of My Special Aflac Duck by Aaron Horowitz, chief executive officer of Sproutel, showcasing how it will help comfort children and serve as a tool for health care professionals to use with their patients. After the demonstration, children and their parents were sent on a fun scavenger hunt, finding clues and visiting various locations at the hospital, eventually leading them to the discovery of their very own My Special Aflac Duck.

"Today's introduction of My Special Aflac Duck here in Columbia is a memorable day for the children being treated for cancer at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, their parents and, of course, the entire Aflac family," The Aflac Foundation, Inc. President Kathelen Amos said. "The Aflac Duck has now become a tangible, innovative companion for brave and special children as they go through their cancer journey. Delivering My Special Aflac Duck here and to hospitals across the nation is a source of great pride for Aflac."

Later this year, Aflac will expand its My Special Aflac Duck campaign to hospitals across the country, providing a My Special Aflac Duck to any newly diagnosed child, ages 3-13, free of charge. At a cost of $200 per unit, Aflac has invested approximately $3 million to the program to date.

In addition to My Special Aflac Duck, Sproutel has created a companion app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The app can be downloaded on smartphones and tablets free of charge. Additional features of My Special Aflac Duck include:

Emotional expression : Seven RFID-enabled feeling cards help children communicate; the duck acts out a given feeling when that feeling card is tapped to its chest.

: Seven RFID-enabled feeling cards help children communicate; the duck acts out a given feeling when that feeling card is tapped to its chest. Medical and nurturing play : A chemotherapy port allows children to mirror their care experiences via play, giving them a sense of control during the process. The duck's no-cost companion app allows users to "bathe" it, "feed" it and give it "medicine" via augmented reality.

: A chemotherapy port allows children to mirror their care experiences via play, giving them a sense of control during the process. The duck's no-cost companion app allows users to "bathe" it, "feed" it and give it "medicine" via augmented reality. Music, dancing and nuzzling : The duck dances when music is played. Customizable sounds include gentle waves, wind and a farm.

: The duck dances when music is played. Customizable sounds include gentle waves, wind and a farm. Breathing and heartbeat : The duck produces a naturalistic heartbeat and deep breathing, which caregivers can incorporate into calming routines and exercises.

: The duck produces a naturalistic heartbeat and deep breathing, which caregivers can incorporate into calming routines and exercises. Batteries and accessories: Provided so it is ready to use out of the box.

Provided so it is ready to use out of the box. Convenience: A removable skin, which can be washed to adhere to hospital hygiene standards.

"Today, and every day, we celebrate the incredible work of the Aflac family," Palmetto Health Foundation President Samuel Tenenbaum said. "My Special Aflac Duck symbolizes Aflac's unwavering commitment to fighting childhood cancer in our community and beyond. We're very proud to partner with them to bring joy to our children being treated for cancer at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital."

"This is a great way to celebrate National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Aflac's commitment to the people and families of Columbia and South Carolina," Aflac Group President and U.S. Chief Operations Officer Virgil Miller said. "For more than two decades, our company has been at the forefront of corporate responsibility, dedicating time and resources toward helping children and families cope with childhood cancer. After nearly two years of research and development, we could not be more proud to extend this commitment by introducing My Special Aflac Duck to this wonderful community."

"It's an honor and privilege to be a part of something so special. My Special Aflac Duck will provide countless hours of support, comfort and joy to children undergoing cancer treatment and their families. I'm proud of Aflac's commitment to this cause," said Rich Williams, Aflac executive vice president, chief distribution officer.

Since 1995, Aflac has contributed more than $125 million to the pediatric cancer cause, including more than $500,000 donated each month by 17,000 independent agents licensed to sell Aflac products. The funds are committed directly from their monthly commission checks. To see My Special Aflac Duck in action and to learn more about this important cause, please visit AflacChildhoodCancer.org.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For more than six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite. Through its trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative, for eligible claims, Aflac U.S. can process, approve and electronically send funds to claimants for quick access to cash in just one business day. In Japan, Aflac is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For 12 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2018, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the 20th consecutive year and included Aflac on its list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 17th time. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, visit aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

Media contacts  Aflac  Jon Sullivan, 706.763.4813 or [email protected]

Ashley M. Dusenbury, APR, Palmetto Health Foundation, 803.730.4969 or [email protected]

Aflac analyst and investor contact  David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX 706.324.6330, or [email protected]

SOURCE Aflac

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LAWRENCE, Mass., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, a unit of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), today announced the next phase of recovery and replacement activities for the Greater Lawrence Area following the tragic events of September 13.

NiSource President and CEO Joe Hamrock hosted a press conference with Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan, North Andover Town Manager Andrew Maylor, Adjutant General of the MA National Guard Gary W. Keefe, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director Kurt Schwartz, and public safety officials to announce utility restorations for the impacted areas, continued community support and the replacement plan for the gas pipeline system.

"Many people are still hurting in the wake of last week's disaster," said NiSource CEO Joe Hamrock. "We owe it to this community to fully address the community's needs and rebuild your trust in us."

Hamrock said Columbia Gas' recovery and replacement plan will:

aim to have service restored to all homes and workplaces by November 19 ;

; bring immediate help to people who need it most;

replace and upgrade appliances and other natural gas equipment damaged in customers' homes and businesses; and

provide the assurance of a safe and modern energy system, installed with the highest levels of scrutiny and accountability.

Governor Charlie Baker announced that through his executive authority under a state of emergency, he has instructed the Department of Public Utilities to request that Columbia Gas hire an outside contractor. Columbia Gas announced today that Navy Captain Joe Albanese, Ret., Founder and CEO of Commodore Builders, a construction management firm, will serve as the Chief Recovery Officer for the project. He will be assisted by Rear Admiral Richard E. Cellon, Ret., President of Cellon and Associates. Albanese spent 25 years of military service with the naval construction forces, most recently leading more than 2,000 Navy SeaBees in contingency operations and more than 2,000 SeaBees throughout the Middle East in 2007. He will be responsible for command, control and communications.

To assist with the next steps in the recovery effort, Governor Baker has activated the National Guard to support delivery of hot plates and provide resources for the assessment team.

Starting Saturday morning, hundreds of the Massachusetts National Guard will assist Columbia Gas in providing nearly 7,000 self-contained hot plate units to customers who need them for cooking until natural gas service is restored. This will be followed by a similar distribution of space heaters next week.

On Monday, 60 Columbia Gas and contracted construction teams will begin the massive replacement program in all three communities. The effort will ultimately replace the 48-mile, cast iron and bare steel distribution system with state-of-the-art infrastructure and safety features such as excess flow valves that automatically shut off gas flow if a service line is damaged or broken.

"We will return natural gas services as quickly as possible  but our core commitment to safety will underpin these efforts," Hamrock noted. "Services will be restored only after new facilities have been fully inspected, tested and proven safe."

Columbia Gas is working closely with industry and regional partners, including local fire and police departments, elected officials and the Department of Public Works, which is reviewing all engineering and construction plans.

Next week, teams of electricians, plumbers, and assessors will begin electrical assessments and installation of 24,000 space heaters in homes. Before installation, local fire chiefs and electricians must certify that a dwelling is safe for a space heater to operate without risk of fire hazards. For places that do not meet these criteria, the team is exploring alternative home heating options. Language translators will be available and residents should be aware that teams of workers and guardsmen that visit homes will present an identification card.

On Wednesday, September 26, teams will begin deployment to every impacted residence or business to do a full assessment and determine what appliances need to be replaced or repaired. This assessment will help prepare customers to have gas service restored safely. Residents will receive a communication from Columbia Gas to confirm the assessment so they can plan to be home. It will take several weeks for all assessments to be completed.

As part of planning, the team is in the process of evaluating all 48 miles of pipeline that service approximately 8,600 meters and will prioritize affected systems and address those immediate concerns first. Preliminary work to restore service for a very limited number of customers is also underway. Customers will be updated as more details become available. Updates are also available on www.ColumbiaGasMa.com.

Situational History

On September 13, a series of fires broke out and explosions occurred in South Lawrence, Andover and North Andover related to the delivery of natural gas. The fires tragically killed one individual, caused a number of injuries, destroyed homes and led to the evacuation of significant portions of each municipality. A mobile command center was stood up in Lawrence and supported by first responders, utility companies, federal officials and members of state and local government.

On Friday, September 14, Governor Baker declared a state of emergency to facilitate a comprehensive emergency response and recovery effort for the people of Greater Lawrence. The action authorized the Chairman of the Department of Public Utilities to authorize Eversource to take management control over the coordinated effort to safely restore utility services in South Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. Over the course of the weekend, teams accessed the 8,527 meters that were impacted by the gas incident, turned them off, and safely cleared the home for any gas detection. By Sunday, September 16 all impacted homes had been safely cleared of gas, power was restored to nearly all homes in the area, and people were allowed to return home.

On Saturday, September 15, Columbia Gas opened a claims center in Lawrence and later subsequent claims centers in Andover and North Andover for affected residents to establish an initial claim and a monetary advance payment toward loss to meet immediate needs for evacuation costs, food spoilage, child care costs, and other expenses.

On Sunday, September 16, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency opened up a Recovery Resource Center (RRC) in Lawrence to provide services and programs to meet the needs of residents of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover who were impacted. The Recovery Resource Center has been staffed by representatives of key local and state agencies, the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, disaster relief organizations affiliated with Massachusetts Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and Columbia Gas. State agencies at the RRC include the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Department of Children and Families (DCF), Department of Mental Health (DMH), Registry of Motor Vehicles, and Division of Insurance (DOI).

On Monday, September 17, the Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund was formed to serve the needs of impacted residents, including housing, sustenance and support services. Columbia Gas of Massachusetts President Steve Bryant announced a $10 million contribution by Columbia Gas.

About Captain Joe Albanese:

Albanese has 28 years of military service and retired as a Captain in the United State Navy Civil Engineer Corps and is the Founder and CEO of Commodore Builders, a construction management firm started in 2002. Joe Albanese spent 25 year of military service with the naval construction forces, where he focused on thinking strategically about world defense, security and the global economy. Most recently, he led more than 2,000 Navy SeaBees in contingency operations and more than 2,000 Sea Beas throughout the Middle East in 2007. Albanese's priorities have been on driving development and change locally by attracting entrepreneurs, creating affordable housing, improving commerce and the economy in Massachusetts. He has deep ties and strong roots in Massachusetts, working at the executive level at a number of local construction firms and serving on the advisory board of UMass Lowell College of Engineering, as past chairman of the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts and as current Chairman of the Board of Directors, New England Center for Homeless Veterans. Albanese graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from UMass Lowell and has an MBA from Boston University.

About Rear Admiral Richard E. Cellon:

Admiral Cellon currently serves as President of Cellon and Associates, where he consults for multiple clients on a wide variety of business management and leadership issues. Prior to this, he was Director of Operations of Sustainable Biofuels Solutions (SBS) in Hamilton, Virginia after serving as President of the Downstream Oil and Gas business segment in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1978, he has over 31 years of Naval service commanding Naval Facilities Engineering Commands across the nation. Retiring in October of 2009, his final duty assignment was as Commander of the FIRST Naval Construction Division. After leaving active duty, he worked at Willbros Group, a global engineering and construction contractor specializing in energy infrastructure serving the oil, gas, petrochemical, and power industries, headquartered in Houston, TX. Cellon holds master's degrees from the University of Florida (Civil Engineering) and the Naval War College (National Security and Strategic Studies). He also completed the Wharton School's Advanced Management Program, at the University of Pennsylvania. Cellon is a native of Gainesville, Florida.

About Columbia Gas of Massachusetts

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts delivers clean, affordable and efficient natural gas to over 320,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Massachusetts, the greater Springfield area and the Merrimack Valley. Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, the company is the largest gas-only provider in the state and is one of NiSource's seven regulated utility companies. NiSource (NYSE:NI) is one of the largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.5 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. More information about Columbia Gas of Massachusetts is available at www.ColumbiaGasMA.com. NI-F

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Investors and prospective investors should understand that many factors govern whether any forward-looking statement contained herein will be or can be realized. Any one of those factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release include statements and expectations regarding NiSource's or any of its subsidiaries' business, performance, growth, commitments, investment opportunities, and planned, identified, infrastructure or utility investments. All forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that management believes to be reasonable; however, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, forecasts, estimates, plans, expectations and strategy discussed in this press release include, among other things, NiSource's debt obligations; any changes in NiSource's credit rating; NiSource's ability to execute its growth strategy; changes in general economic, capital and commodity market conditions; pension funding obligations; economic regulation and the impact of regulatory rate reviews; NiSource's ability to obtain expected financial or regulatory outcomes; any damage to NiSource's reputation; compliance with environmental laws and the costs of associated liabilities; fluctuations in demand from residential and commercial customers; economic conditions of certain industries; the success of NIPSCO's electric generation strategy; the price of energy commodities and related transportation costs or an inability to obtain an adequate, reliable and cost-effective fuel supply to meet customer demands; the reliability of customers and suppliers to fulfill their payment and contractual obligations; potential impairments of goodwill or definite-lived intangible assets; changes in taxation and accounting principles; potential incidents and other operating risks associated with our business; the impact of an aging infrastructure; the impact of climate change; potential cyber-attacks; construction risks and natural gas costs and supply risks; extreme weather conditions; the attraction and retention of a qualified work force; advances in technology; the ability of NiSource's subsidiaries to generate cash; tax liabilities associated with the separation of Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc.; NiSource's ability to manage new initiatives and organizational changes; the performance of third-party suppliers and service providers; the availability of insurance to cover all significant losses and other matters set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors" section of NiSource's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A credit rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities, and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating organization. In addition, dividends are subject to board approval. NiSource expressly disclaims any duty to update, supplement or amend any of its forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Columbia Gas of Massachusetts

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sustainable Healthy Communities (SHC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), today announced a new population health initiative aimed at improving patient outcomes in underserved communities. The initiative is kicking-off during Walmart's Wellness Day at several Walmart locations throughout Kentucky. SHC's initiative features multiple demonstration programs working with local health systems and other healthcare settings across the country designed to close the gap in influenza vaccination rates, particularly among older patient populations in communities of color.

"Flu vaccination is one of the most important tools that we have in addressing population health," said Laura Lee Hall, PhD, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Sustainable Healthy Communities. "People of color and underserved populations, particularly those aged 65 years and over, are disproportionately impacted by chronic health conditions, which are made worse by influenza. Because of this, they are more likely to suffer life-threatening flu complications, including heart attack, stroke, increased frailty, loss of function, hospitalization and death."

SHC is planning to conduct several evidence-based demonstration projects in select markets throughout the county and in partnership with a variety of health systems and other healthcare settings located in Kentucky, Louisiana, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, and New York City.

The demonstration programs are designed to create localized, sustainable, easy-to-implement influenza immunization models. Each location will identify a multi-disciplinary advisory group to guide the program and will require community participation, working closely with hospitals, health systems, pharmacies, places of worship and local community leaders and groups. These local advisory groups will aim to foster an environment of trust in the community to overcome flu vaccination barriers among racial and ethnic groups. By increasing influenza immunization rates in these communities, health systems will realize improved population health outcomes and overall wellness.

A large percentage of underserved older Americans live with chronic health conditions, like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes, which puts them at greater risk for serious flu-related complications, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Influenza immunization rates among people of color are well-below public health goals. Key barriers to improving population health outcomes includes broader access to newer flu vaccine interventions that may provide greater protection for older adults and people with chronic health conditions.

SHC Demonstration Locations

Sustainable Healthy Communities kicks off its demonstration projects this fall with Walmart partners in Kentucky and Louisiana. Participation in Walmart's Wellness Day health fairs will provide an opportunity for physicians to reach underserved populations and communicate the benefits of flu vaccination. Additional demonstration projects will launch in October, including partnerships with non-profit health systems in Delaware and South Carolina and Federally Qualified Health Centers in New York City with others being planned.

About Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)

Social determinants of health (SDOH), defined in Healthy People 2020 as where people live, learn, work, play, worship, and age, can be as powerful as genetics in determining risk for chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease. For people of color and lower socioeconomic status, SDOH can result in barriers in access to health care, including preventive care and care for these life-threatening chronic health conditions. This extends to influenza vaccination, which plays an important role in overall wellness and preventing serious flu-related complications in people with certain chronic conditions, including heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes.

About Vaccine Preventable Diseases

In the last century, the availability and use of vaccines has dramatically improved the health and well-being of adults and children by protecting against infectious diseases that once commonly caused illnesses, some of which were fatal or severely debilitating. Adult vaccines, including influenza immunizations are known to prevent illness, decrease morbidity and mortality, and lower costs of care. And yet, influenza immunization rates lag well below public health goals among the most vulnerable populations including older adults, with growing racial and ethnic disparities.

About Sustainable Healthy Communities (SHC)

Sustainable Healthy Communities (SHC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) and is a pioneering healthcare information company that measures population health, provides actionable analysis to clinicians, health care systems, researchers, corporations and policy makers.

In 2016, a partnership was formed between Sustainable Healthy Communities (SHC), Sanofi Pasteur, a leader in producing vaccines protecting against infectious diseases, and the QHC Advisory Group (QHC), dedicated to delivering cost effective and sustainable solutions to improving health care.

For more information, contact Dr. Laura Lee Hall at SHC: [email protected]

SOURCE Sustainable Healthy Communities
SHANGHAI, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PPDAI Group Inc. ("PPDAI," "Paipaidai," or the "Company") (NYSE: PPDF), a leading online consumer finance marketplace in China, today announced the resignation of Mr. Zehui Liu from the board of directors of the Company (the "Board"), effective September 21, 2018, due to his own personal reasons. Upon the effectiveness of Mr. Liu's resignation, the Board will consist of eight directors, including two independent directors.

"We would like to thank Zehui for his contribution to PPDAI during his tenure. On behalf of PPDAI, I wish him the best in his future endeavors," said Mr. Jun Zhang, chairman of the Board and co-chief executive officer of the Company.

About PPDAI Group Inc.

PPDAI is a leading online consumer finance marketplace in China with strong brand recognition. Launched in 2007, the Company is the first online consumer finance marketplace in China connecting borrowers and investors. As a pioneer in China's online consumer finance marketplace, the Company benefits from both its early-mover advantages and the invaluable data and experience accumulated throughout multiple complete loan lifecycles. The Company's platform, empowered by its proprietary, cutting-edge technologies, features a highly automated loan transaction process, which enables a superior user experience, as evidenced by the rapid growth of the Company's user base and loan origination volume. As of June 30, 2018, the Company had over 78 million cumulative registered users.

For more information, please visit http://ir.ppdai.com.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

PPDAI Group Inc.

Jimmy Tan / Sally Huo

Tel: +86 (21) 8030 3200 - Ext 8601

E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Ross Warner

Tel: +86 (10) 5730-6202

E-mail: [email protected]

In the United States:

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Brandi Piacente

Tel: +1-212-481-2050

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE PPDAI Group Inc.

Related Links

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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sigma Financial Corporation, a mid-west comprehensive financial services broker-dealer, is celebrating their 35th anniversary this week.

Jerry Rydell, owner of Sigma Financial Corporation, contributes their continued success to their dedicated and knowledgeable staff. "Sigma's achievements relate directly to our staff's longevity. Our average employee tenure is nearly a decade with our management team averaging 18 years and executive team over 26 years." Jerry goes on to say, "Having a staff who is experienced and enthusiastic is an important part of what makes us thrive."

While staff longevity plays a major role in the company's success factor, the firm also recognizes that it cannot happen solely without innovative thought leadership to accompany it. "We have spent the last two years creating a technology stack that integrates well with each other and this technology stack is offered to all of our advisors as part of their affiliation fee," says Tony Bacarella, Director of Case Planning. The tech stack includes systems and software such as: RedTail CRM, Riskalyze, Peter Montoya Marketing Library, Horsesmouth, Wealthscape, Microsoft Outlook-Hosted Exchange, and Docupace.

Many industry leaders have taken note and recognized Sigma's on-going accomplishments. Jennifer Bacarella, Director of Firm Development explains that over the last 35 years, Sigma has been a key contender for many awards throughout the industry. "Sigma has been the Broker-Dealer of the Year with Investment Advisor Magazine 9 times, coming in as runner up in 2018. We also walked away with a WealthManagement Industry Award the last two years, and has been named one of InvestmentNews Top Independent Broker Dealers for as long as I can remember," Jennifer says. Jennifer, herself, has been named as one of "Crain's Detroit Notable Woman in Finance". She earned this most recent accolade for her work in promoting women in finance heavily over the last few years.

Over the last 35 years, Sigma Financial has celebrated many wins with the biggest one being their charitable involvements. "I am very proud of our staff and advisors for their huge contributions to our nation's vets over the last few years. In 2016, they raised over $30,000 for the Semper Fi Funds, and in 2017 we raised over $64,000 for the Travis Mills Foundation- both dedicated to our military veterans," explains Jerry. The firm's staff also raised funds throughout the year in their "Choose Your Charity" initiative, where the staff votes on charities to donate to each quarter, and raises funds through potlucks, silent auctions, raffles, and more. In 2017, the staff alone raised $1500 for 5 charities, donated over 100 toys for Toys for Tots, and sponsored three families through the Salvation Army.

To find out more about Sigma Financial Corporation and their continued success in the financial industry, contact Director of Firm Development, Jennifer Bacarella at (888) 744-6264 or at [email protected].

About Sigma Financial Corporation

With a caring staff empowered to deliver personal, innovative support, Sigma Financial Corporation partners with independent financial advisors committed to enhancing their clients' experience in an ethical, trustworthy manner. They provide comprehensive financial planning tools, solutions, and services supporting their representatives' efforts in guiding their clients toward financial success.

300 Parkland Plaza | Ann Arbor, MI 48103 | 888-744-6264

SOURCE Sigma Financial Corporation
The goal of the package of grants is to foster innovation and create an educational pipeline into art museum leadership that is more representative of our nation's increasing diversity. The initiative will position the Atlanta University Center as a leading incubator of African-American museum professionals in the United States.

"The Atlanta University Center has a rich history of excellence in the arts. Atlanta University was the home to the first art department at a historically Black college and university and their Art Annuals event was one of the most prestigious exhibitions for black artists. The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art and Clark Atlanta University Art Museum are national treasures," said Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. "The Walton Family Foundation grant builds on this history. We applaud the foundation's commitment to closing the diversity gap to ensure that leadership at the nation's cultural institutions begins to reflect the shifting demographic profile of the communities they serve."

A 2015 demographic survey of U.S. art museums by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation found that only 16 percent of museum leadership positions are held by minorities, even though 38 percent of Americans identify as Asian, Black, Hispanic or multiracial. Among art museum curators, conservators, educators and leaders, only four percent are African American and three percent are Hispanic, the study reported.

With the five-year Walton Family Foundation grant, Spelman will create an Art History major and elevate its Curatorial Studies program to a minor that will begin enrolling students from Spelman, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University in fall 2019.

"When we increase access to art, we plant the seeds of inspiration for the future," said Alice Walton, Board Member of the Walton Family Foundation. "This grant to Spelman College and the Atlanta University Center will encourage and support greater diversity within the Arts, expand inclusion efforts in the museum community and inspire the next generation of art and museum leadership. I am thrilled to support this collaboration with these historic institutions and look forward to celebrating their success."

The initiative began this fall with planning for enhanced coursework in Art History and Curatorial Studies, guest lectures and other efforts to raise awareness of the new course offerings and attract current and prospective students to the new program.

Over the course of the Walton Family Foundation grant, the funding will support:

Scholarships for AUC students to incentivize their enrollment in the Art History major and Curatorial Studies minor and for Art History majors to minor in fields such as business and technology.

Opportunities for hands-on experiences through paid internships at major museums, archives and other cultural institutions across the country.

Hiring a distinguished visiting professor/director, a visiting associate professor of art history and curator-in-residence.

A 2019 lecture series, featuring at least three guest lecturers who will deliver public lectures in the field of art history and museum professions on all three campuses.

An intensive summer program for high school students, starting in 2019, to cultivate a pipeline of talented, diverse students interested in pursuing museum careers.

Bringing in guest faculty members in art history for each academic year.

Leaders in the fields of art, museum curation, higher education and philanthropy shared their thoughts on the transformative initiative:

Ronald Johnson, Ph.D., President, Clark Atlanta University

"We greatly appreciate the Walton Family Foundation for their generous support of the AUC Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies," said Dr. Ronald A. Johnson, President of Clark Atlanta University. "This grant not only reflects the growing global interest in Art History and Curatorial studies, but also recognizes the importance of our collection of mid-century African American Art at CAU."

David A. Thomas, Ph.D., President, Morehouse College

"I would like to thank the Walton Family Foundation for its commitment to increasing diversity in the arts. This gift will enable men of Morehouse and their peers at the Atlanta University Center to increase their studies in the arts, graduate with degrees in art history, and be competitive for top graduate programs in art and curatorial studies."

Ayoka Chenzira, Ph.D., Chair, Division for the Arts, Spelman College

"Fundamentally, the new AUC Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies is about creating new opportunities to grow diversity and inclusion in the arts and museum fields. Introducing new perspectives and inspiring a new generation of museum leaders are extremely important goals and are destined to be game changers.

Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D., C'93, Director, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art

"For many decades Spelman alumnae have thrived as curators, museum educators, administrators, and directors. The Walton Family Foundation grant is transformative and coupled with our collaborations with current and future partners, aids us in extending experiential learning opportunities and supports our commitment to leading the critical charge to create pathways for the next generation of museum professionals."

Cheryl Finley, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, Spelman College

"The visionary generosity of the WFF grant in establishing the AUC Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies uniquely addresses the historic and longstanding barriers to leadership roles for people of color in the oft cloistered art world. The AUC Collective will create a nexus of activity where scholars and the brightest students can leverage state-of-the-art resources, innovative pedagogies, internships, mentoring and networks to train the next generation of black women art historians, curators and museum professionals sorely needed to diversify mainstream institutions and the art world."

Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director, Brooklyn Museum

"American museums must reflect the vibrancy of our diverse cultures; mentoring students of color through internships is a critical way for them to gain necessary experience and build networks to gain entry into the field. In turn, as we have learned from our partnership with the Spelman College Curatorial Studies program, these students give back a great deal in broadening the lens from which we think about our work. And we are excited to do more together as Spelman launches the Atlanta University Center Collaborative for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies."

Thelma Golden, Ph.D., Director and Chief Curator, The Studio Museum in Harlem

"With the creation of the Atlanta University Center Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies, the Walton Family Foundation, Spelman and Morehouse Colleges, Clark Atlanta University, and their collaborators are providing real and meaningful educational pipelines for young people of color to launch their careers in art museums around the country. Equity and representation have been profound and persistent issues in the art world for decades, and many people of color in the art museum field, myself included, can trace much of our success to mentorship and professional development opportunities provided early in our careers. I am confident that the Atlanta University Center Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies will likewise support many of the field's future leaders."

Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation

"Museums need leaders who can bring varied perspectives and life experiences to ensure their exhibits and programs are inclusive and relevant for the diverse communities they serve," said Darren Walker, president, Ford Foundation. "This initiative will help address the lack of diversity in the art and curatorial fields not only in the Atlanta area, but across the nation."

Lowery Stokes Sims, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, Spelman College

"This catalytic collaboration between the Walton Family Foundation and the Atlanta University Center reflects a new day in the recognition of the art of the African diaspora and its long-time proponents, custodians and audiences. The building of a curatorial studies minor and the accompanying ramp-up of the Art History major allows for a renewed appreciation of the prophetic and committed collecting and exhibiting within the AUC since the 1940s. The program of study will enrich existing professional opportunities that have been offered to students to take advantage of the historic collections and exhibitions of the AUC, and will empower them to go forth into the global art world as a professional cadre of museum and gallery professionals. I am honored to be part of the team that is involved in building this program."

Adam Weinberg, Alice Pratt Brown Director, Whitney Museum of American Art

"Internships are essential avenues for university students to discover and develop careers in museums. As many, if not most internships are unpaid, this is a barrier for young peopledisproportionately effecting students of colorwho might not be able afford to volunteer their services and have opportunities to learn through hands-on mentorships. The Walton Foundation support to Spelman College to establish these internships, as part of the Atlanta University Center Collaborative for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies, will benefit not just the students who participate but American culture writ large that consequently will be enriched by their ideas, insights and diversity of views. These opportunities, combined with college scholarships in art history, professorial support, a visiting lectureship, and a summer program for high school students, all made possible through the Foundation, will revolutionize the museum field."

About the Walton Family Foundation

The Walton Family Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. The children and grandchildren of our founders, Sam and Helen Walton, lead the foundation and create access to opportunity for people and communities. We work in three areas: improving K-12 education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support, and investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. In 2017, the foundation awarded more than $530 million in grants in support of these initiatives. To learn more, visit waltonfamilyfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Spelman College

Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College's picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.'s in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The College's status is confirmed by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 61 among all liberal arts colleges and No. 1 among historically Black colleges and universities. The Wall Street Journal ranked the College No. 3, nationally, in terms of student satisfaction. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman, Starbucks Group President and COO Rosalind Brewer, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman's first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and author Pearl Cleage. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.

SOURCE Spelman College

Related Links

http://www.spelman.edu


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SpringCM, a DocuSign company, today announced that it has launched a social media campaign to raise money for New Genes, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to gene replacement therapy to address terminal childhood diseases. The campaign runs during Dreamforce 2018, the most innovative software conference of the year.

SpringCM is promoting the campaign across social media, including releasing a series of videos and Tweets with the hashtag #DreamWithJames. Every time someone tweets or retweets the hashtag, SpringCM donates one dollar to New Genes.

Last year, James Serra, DocuSign's Social Media Marketing Specialist, shared his dream of meeting Marc Benioff and getting a selfie with him. He accomplished that and a donation was made to the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in honor of that achievement. This year, James is again featured in campaign videos as he seeks to meet all of the Dreamforce keynote speakers, as well as the musical act performing at Dreamforce 2018. If he meets the band and gets onstage to promote the charitable donation, SpringCM will double the donation amount.

Comments on the News

"This campaign is building on the success of our "award-winning" campaign at last year's Dreamforce where James Serra set out to meet Salesforce co-CEO Marc Benioff and get a selfie," said Will Wiegler , Vice President of Marketing at DocuSign, (formerly Chief Marketing Officer at SpringCM). "Not only did Serra meet Benioff, he also got a picture with him which led to a donation of $10,000 to the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. In this year's campaign, James is dreaming bigger and hopes to meet even more influential trailblazers that make Dreamforce such an impactful event."

set out to meet Salesforce co-CEO and get a selfie," said , Vice President of Marketing at DocuSign, (formerly Chief Marketing Officer at SpringCM). "Not only did Serra meet Benioff, he also got a picture with him which led to a donation of to the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. In this year's campaign, James is dreaming bigger and hopes to meet even more influential trailblazers that make Dreamforce such an impactful event." "New Genes was founded to fund desperately needed research in the cutting-edge area of gene replacement therapy," said Shawn Stilwell , Founder and Director at New Genes. "Our vision is to bring hope to the hundreds of thousands of children who suffer from a disease due to a defect in their DNA. We are delighted and grateful that SpringCM has selected New Genes as the beneficiary of this program."

SpringCM and DocuSign are Platinum Sponsors at Dreamforce 2018, which takes place in San Francisco from September 25-28. SpringCM and DocuSign are exhibiting at booths 1118 and 1128 in the Dreamforce Customer Success Expo, showcasing the launch of the Modern System of Agreement platform, enabling you to accelerate and simplify how you prepare, sign, enact and manage agreements.

In addition, SpringCM and DocuSign will be speaking on the Rise of Modern Systems of Agreement at the following times during Dreamforce:

Tuesday, September 25th

Accelerate Sales and Renewals with Salesforce CPQ, DocuSign and SpringCM (Session Information)

Wednesday, September 26th

Make Your Contracts More Agree-able: The Rise of Modern Systems of Agreement (Session Information)

How Shell Transformed Their System of Agreement with SpringCM and DocuSign (Session Information)

Thursday, September 27th

Accelerate Sales and Renewals with Salesforce CPQ, DocuSign and SpringCM (Session Information)

Improve Citizen Experiences and Compliance in Public Sector with Technology Platforms (Session Information)

Salesforce, Dreamforce and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.

About DocuSign, Inc.

DocuSign helps organizations connect and automate how they prepare, sign, act-on, and manage agreements. As part of its cloud-based System of Agreement Platform, DocuSign offers eSignaturethe world's #1 way to sign electronically on practically any device, from almost anywhere, at any time. Today, more than 425,000 customers and hundreds of millions of users in over 180 countries use DocuSign to accelerate the process of doing business and simplify people's lives.

For more information, visit www.docusign.com, call +1-877-720-2040, or follow @DocuSign on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

Copyright 2003-2018. DocuSign, Inc. is the owner of DOCUSIGN and all of its other marks (www.docusign.com/IP). All other marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE SpringCM

Related Links

https://www.docusign.com


EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is the official statement from Teamsters Local 251 Principal Officer and Secretary-Treasurer Matt Taibi on the Providence First Student Strike.

"In consideration for the hardship for the children and parents involved with Providence Schools, as well as the request of the Mayor's office for advance notice, Teamsters Local 251 will strike First Student Providence the morning of Thursday September 27th, if an agreement with First Student is not reached.

"The Teamsters will continue to be ready, willing and able to meet any day at anytime to avoid a work stoppage. If the company refuses to come back to the bargaining table, we are willing to meet at anytime if they force the strike.

"First Student must recognize the value of the bus drivers. Providence bus drivers are valuable members of this community, who safely transport our school children to and from school every day. Many Teamster drivers are parents as well, working a part-time job to support their families.

"First Student is a highly profitable private corporation based in Scotland that derives a significant profit from the Providence area. It is incredibly cynical of this multi-national company to pretend that they are concerned more for the community that the actual residents and their families who live in Rhode Island.

"With First Student, retirement benefits are largely overlooked. Providence Teamsters deserve the ability to retire with dignity, as do all workers. First Student has publicly mischaracterized the retirement issue, and their stance in negotiations is a total affront to the desires of their employees. UPS, one of the most profitable companies in the United States, has recently committed to its continued participation in the fund with a value of more than $100 million in the next four years.

"Good jobs benefit the overall Providence economy, helping families meet their daily needs and hopefully prosper. Providence drivers have helped set the standard for school bus drivers in the region. When bus drivers didn't have healthcare benefits, Providence Teamsters won healthcare. Over the years, healthcare benefits have significantly improved, and drivers want to continue that improvement. Providence drivers have raised the standard for guaranteed hours of pay, in consideration for working a split shift, and seek additional improvements.

"Providence drivers deserve dignity and respect as the face of the company in safely transporting school children every day."

Contact:

Nick Williams (401) 434-0454

SOURCE Teamsters Local 251
This marks the first time that vivo has presented its design to key leaders in the fashion industry. This is also the first time a Chinese smartphone brand has officially shown its product on the runway of one of the "big four" fashion weeks.

The show was inspired by traditional Chinese pirates from the Tsing Dynasty. The accessories on the runway, designed by vivo and Angel Chen are unique and attractive but also full of practicality. Liu Wen, the famous Chinese supermodel, appeared on the front row together with Mr. Ren An, the product designer of vivo.

It has become a trend that many Chinese consumer brands collaborate with fashion designers on the new product design. When talking about the cooperation with vivo, CFDA CEO Steven Kolb said, "Collaborations are a good way to increase brand awareness, and I think it is interesting to explore non-traditional categories and partners."

The relations between fashion and technology are getting closer. "Technology has greatly influenced the fashion business. From 3D printing to e-commerce to social media and now AI, we are incorporating technology to position the fashion industry for the future, Kolb said.

Along with editors from L'Officiel China, Mr. Ren An visited 2 designers from CFDA. One of the most innovative jewelry and accessories designers, Monica Sordo showed great interest in vivo X23. "I really love the way it reflects the lights on the different colors. It's so beautiful," she said. "Fashion nowadays is about technology, about innovating. I do believe that technology is very important, which can be used in both new stuff and classics."

Famous American fashion designer Nicole Miller highly praised the color design of vivo X23. Nicole's modern design aesthetic is known for its bright prints and patterns. Talking about her inspiration, Nicole said that it's a combination of everything she has seen. "I always keep my eye on the youth because they are always one step ahead," she said. vivo focus on the youth as well. The whole design of X23, especially the use of lights reflects the taste of the young generation. Nicole thinks that lights are now a very popular fashion element. It's unique and innovative to see them used in smartphone design.

"I love the intersection of fashion and technology so much," Nicole said. "I put LED lights on dresses, which is fun and interesting. I don't think its usable right away, but I think we are getting there. It's going to become more mainstream as we go more further."

SOURCE vivo
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross is recognizing Walmart, Sam's Club and its customers for donating $4 million to help provide around-the-clock shelter, food and comfort to thousands of people impacted by Hurricane Florence.

Starting September 15, Walmart registers and websites collected donations that were matched $2 for every $1 by Walmart. On September 19, due to the generosity of Walmart and Sam's Club customers, the Walmart 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund administered by Foundation For The Carolinas has contributed $4 million to the Red Cross.

This funding has enabled the Red Cross to send thousands of disaster workers to the affected areas to help shelter, feed and comfort people in large portions of South and North Carolina who are impacted by prolonged and catastrophic flooding due to the hurricane. As rivers continue to rise and crest, many more people are expected to need help for an extended time.

"Support from partners such as Walmart, Sam's Club and its customers, enabled the Red Cross to quickly mobilize volunteers, equipment and supplies to provide help and hope to people across the East Coast impacted by Hurricane Florence," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "We deeply appreciate Walmart's generous donation as we work together to support people in need with shelter, food, comfort and other emergency support."

The American Red Cross and Walmart have worked together in communities nationwide for years helping to prepare families for the unexpected and respond to large and small disasters. Walmart coordinates with the Red Cross to source life sustaining supplies such as water, snacks, formula and diapers quickly.

"The benefit of this close partnership is seen daily during major disaster responses," said Brad Kieserman, vice president of Disaster Services Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross. "This week we coordinated with the Walmart and Sam's Club in Raleigh to get supplies to a shelter surrounded by water. The Red Cross drove Walmart shelter supplies to the Air National Guard for delivery to the isolated Fairmont Middle School, and thanks to this teamwork, a one-month old baby with critical food needs was helped at the shelter."

"As our neighbors in the Carolinas continue to recover, we are proud to support organizations on the frontline, providing critical support," said Julie Gehrki, Vice President of Walmart. "Thanks to the generosity of our customers we fully met our match. The funds from Walmart and Walmart customers will immediately assist communities with response and sheltering while investing in essential long-term recovery across the Carolinas."

WHAT THE RED CROSS IS DOING

More than 3,600 Red Cross disaster workers from all over the country have been mobilized to help shelter, feed and support people affected by Florence. Working with partners, the Red Cross has served about 300,000 meals and snacks, and distributed more than 3,400 relief items like diapers and comfort kits that contain deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other hygiene items for people forced from their homes. Volunteer mental health and health services professionals have provided some 9,600 contacts to provide support and care to evacuees.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD More than 200 blood drives have been forced to cancel through this week due to Hurricane Florence, resulting in more than 5,400 uncollected blood and platelet donations. The Red Cross urges people in unaffected areas to make an appointment to give blood or platelets to care for patients in the Southeast and throughout the country. There is a critical need for platelet and type O blood donations. Appointments can be made by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

HOW YOU CAN HELP The Red Cross has launched a massive response to this disaster and depends on financial donations to be able to provide disaster relief immediately. Help people affected by Hurricane Florence by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS or texting the word FLORENCE to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. The Red Cross honors donor intent. Donors can designate their donation to Hurricane Florence relief efforts by choosing that option when donating on redcross.org or on 1-800-RED CROSS.

About the 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.

SOURCE American Red Cross

Related Links

http://www.redcross.org


| BY Ricki Green |

Good for Nothing is returning Saturday, October 6 at WeWork Collins St, proudly supporting local not-for-profits with a one day intensive hackathon.

Some of Melbournes brightest creative and strategic thinkers will donate a day of their time to answer briefs from not-for-profits who may not otherwise afford advertising, marketing and design services.

On October 6 Good for Nothing will collaborate with SHINE for kids, a national charity that supports the children and families of people involved in the criminal justice system, and Minus18, an organisation driving social change by creating an Australia where all LGBTIQ young people feel safe. A third organisation will be announced.

All projects will need help with planning, creative and technical execution across the disciplines of marketing, design, media, PR and digital. Therefore, Good for Nothing is calling for creatives with a heart who can help with graphic and UX design, art direction, copywriting, strategy, web development, project management and more.

The one day event is supported by the generous donations of sponsors WeWork, Deliveroo, Sample, COS, Carmans, Emma & Toms, Messina and Presha Fruit who make a days worth of do-gooding a whole lot sweeter.

Good For Nothing originated in London and currently operates in 44 locations across the world.

This is the 5th event for the Melbourne chapter, an event which attracts between 50-60 volunteers each time and that has helped over 12 local not for profits to date.
PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Real estate investments in targeted urban and rural communities in the United States are increasingly seen as attractive opportunities for achieving positive and sustainable social impact outcomes and attractive risk-adjusted returns.

Some examples include (1) brownfield revitalization projects in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (2) investments in designated Opportunity Zones created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and (3) Public-Private Partnerships used to create sustainable economic growth within low- income census tracts.

In collaboration with a team of students in the Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) WISE program, the Wharton True Impact Focus (WHATIFMS) team undertook a project to assess the financial viability and positive social impact of an innovative real estate project: an urban redevelopment venture in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Atlanta, GA.

For the project, the WISE student Fellows assisted WHATIFMS in further developing Mechanicsville Partners' impact assessment and discussed possible approaches for building a model for replication and impact strategy within real estate investments. According to Sherryl Kuhlman, Managing Director of WSII, "Having our WISE Fellows work on projects like Mechanicsville is a chance to blend educational opportunity with meaningful impact. We're delighted to have been a part in connecting Wharton alums to our passionate students." Serge Devieux, WHATIFMS Principal and a 20-year veteran of the World Bank and IFC said, "Our focus on impact combined with the rigorous finance skills we acquired at Wharton allowed us to analyze Mechanicsville's critical success factors. We aim to apply this winning combination to similar sites in the future."

Mechanicsville Partners, LLC is a for-profit social entrepreneurship that invested in a group of brownfield properties in Mechanicsville, an "economically challenged" neighborhood in transition. The company was founded by Wharton alumnus, Ric Geyer, in July 2015. According to Ric, "Our Mission, as my grandmother would say, is to, 'Always leave a place better off than when you found it.' Our strategy is to enlist the community in our success. I think our neighbors would say we've done both."

In analyzing the social entrepreneurship approach by Mechanicsville Partners, the team identified key factors evident in this case:

(1) Real estate investments by anchor institutions (hospitals, universities, cultural institutions, etc.) stimulate community and economic development;

(2) Investments that are coupled with arts and cultural programming can have a compounding impact on communities;

(3) Local community partnerships are essential. In Mechanicsville's case, partners include the EPA, Atlanta Workforce Development Agency, and Mechanicsville Civic Association.

The team also drafted several assessment tools for the Mechanicsville site to test out. The WHATIFMS team will be exploring the applicability of these tools for new projects (or expansion of existing projects):

(1) Vulnerable population with promise;

(2) Strong real estate indicators;

(3) Promising economic trends and "secret sauce"  region and project specific metrics.

The MBA and undergraduate students working on the project also worked on the identification and analysis of risks and mitigation strategies, application of impact logic models, impact return-risk analysis, and other site-specific data.

WHATIFMS is a partnership of Wharton alumni who are interested in identifying investment opportunities that achieve quantifiable and sustainable social impact while delivering attractive risk/adjusted returns. Real estate projects, such as workforce housing, in both urban and rural USA are of significant interest to WHATIFMS. The team is also currently looking to apply the methodology described above for projects within several cities in Georgia and in rural Alabama.

According to Steve Marks, WHATIFMS Principal and Co-Manager and an investment professional with more than 30 years of experience, "We are performing due diligence on social impact opportunities in the Southeast in partnership with state and local government, the US EPA, stakeholders in the communities, and well-respected developers. And to measure the transformation of brownfield sites into viable sustainable and attractive investments around workforce housing, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and water and outdoor destinations. In the hopes of achieving meaningful population growth and job creation in rural communities going through a transition and addressing an important housing issue for hospitality industry employees."

About the Wharton Social Impact Initiative

Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) advances knowledge at the intersection of business and social impact with data, analytics, and innovation. Our cutting-edge research and distinctive training opportunities provide students and professionals the tools to create business-driven solutions for a better world. Visit socialimpact.wharton.upenn.edu to learn more.

For more information, please contact Steve Marks, Principal and Co-Manager, WHATIFMS at [email protected].

SOURCE Wharton Alumni True Impact Focus
CINCINNATI, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 80 Acres Farms, a fast-growing Cincinnati-based firm in the indoor vertical farming industry, announced it is building in Hamilton the first fully-automated indoor farm in the U.S.

80 Acres Farms executives will join Hamilton city officials in a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, September 24, 2018 at noon to mark the first phase of the project. The ceremony will take place at 7512 Hamilton Enterprise Drive in the southeast part of the city. The initial phase is expected to be completed later this year. It will feature state-of-the-art grow centers to produce specialty greens that include microgreens, culinary herbs, leafy greens and kale.

The company plans three additional phases at the Hamilton site. When completed the project will comprise over 150,000 square feet of fully-automated indoor farming, also known as controlled environmental agriculture (CEA). The full-phase expansion will allow 80 Acres Farms to provide more product to serve its existing customers and new ones with just-picked, year-round produce.

Produce grown at the Hamilton site will supply Whole Foods Markets, Dorothy Lane Markets, Jungle Jims, U.S. Foods, and other retailers and foodservice distributors. 80 Acres Farms currently serves Cincinnati-area customers from its facility in the Cincinnati community where it grows microgreens, culinary herbs, leafy lettuce, kale, vine crops like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

"We already have demonstrated that we can provide to our customers the freshest, best-tasting and nutritious locally-grown produce, while using renewable energy, very little water, and no pesticides," said Mike Zelkind, co-founder and chief executive officer of 80 Acres Farms. "With the Hamilton facility we will achieve the next-generation of indoor vertical farming using best of breed technology. This project will deliver our proof of concept that indoor farming can be fully-automated, commercially scalable, higher-yielding, and profitable. It will serve as a prototype for our ambitious plans to co-locate similar facilities with commercial customers in other parts of the country.''

Zelkind said the Hamilton site will be automated from seeding to growing to harvesting for highest quality and food safety standards. 80 Acres Farms personnel will manage the Hamilton facility, which will feature robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and around-the-clock monitoring sensors and control systems to optimize every aspect of growing produce indoors.

Hamilton officials worked closely with the company for the past year on the site selection. "The City of Hamilton is very excited about the expansion of 80 Acres in our community," said Joshua Smith, City Manager. "This is a first-in-class company, whose innovations will improve access of fresh foods to areas that need them the most."

Pat Moeller, Hamilton's mayor, also commented on the announcement: "Hamilton thanks 80 Acres Farms for its investment in our City. 80 Acres' high-tech indoor farm efficiently grows fresh produce that will continue to be sold locally. I have had the opportunity to purchase 80 Acres produce and really enjoyed the fresh, flavorful taste."

Zelkind said that 80 Acres Farms will be working with multiple international and local partners such as Warm Construction and Open Architecture. Site Solutions Consulting will be doing excavation site preparation work.

"We also will be working with current technology partners, Signify, formerly Philips Lighting and Priva," said Tisha Livingston, president of 80 Acres Farms. "Signify supplies the company with its LED horticultural lighting systems. Priva provides environmental control systems and process management software for indoor farming."

80 Acres Farms is headquartered in the Spring Grove community of Cincinnati, where the company was founded in 2015 by Zelkind and Livingston, both veteran food industry executives. It now employs more than 60 people in Cincinnati and other company R&D, engineering and production facilities in three other states. In its mission to locally grow the best tasting, most nutritious fruits and vegetables, the company partners in research with many agrotechnology and academic research institutions.

Contact: Rebecca Haders - 80 Acres Farms

[email protected]

513-910-9089





Joshua Smith - City of Hamilton, Ohio

[email protected]

513-785-7002

SOURCE 80 Acres Farms
PETALUMA, Calif., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alvarado Street Bakery, a cooperatively owned organic bakery that produces sprouted-grain breads for customers across the country, is launching a new campaign poking fun at Facebook for rejecting Facebook ads and posts promoting its new Sprouted Wheat Hemp & Hops Bread.

Politicized Bread Image

Seeing its ads and boosted posts were rejected by Facebook on the grounds that "Facebook doesn't allow the promotion of illegal drugs," Alvarado Street Bakery appealed to Facebook by clarifying that its products are made with organic hemp and hops, not illegal, hallucinogenic cannabis. While a few ads were eventually approved, some ads were still rejected  so Alvarado Street set out to poke the bear.

"With so many Russian trolls still lurking out there, it was surprising to see Facebook continually spending their energy rejecting our humble little organic bread," says Michael Girkout, president of Alvarado Street. "They made life a lot harder for our team to promote our new dizzyingly delicious new product, so we decided to have a little fun with our predicament."

The digital campaign will feature pseudo-political campaign tactics to both poke fun at Facebook in a lighthearted way while building awareness for the Hemp & Hops product. To let people know the company is intent on doing good and not just stirring up trouble, $1 of every Hemp & Hops sale from Sept.15 to Oct. 15 will be donated to Feeding America, the nonprofit national network of food banks.

Customers can find Alvarado Street Bakery's Sprouted Hemp & Hops Bread at their local grocery store and learn more about the campaign at AlvaradoStreetBakery.com/bread/hh.

ABOUT ALVARADO STREET BAKERY

For nearly 40 years, Alvarado Street has been making bread the right way  sourcing organic grains direct from family farms and sprouting them to life for healthier, more delicious breads. Solar-powered and worker-owned, Alvarado Street Bakery products can be found across the nation, as well as in select global markets. Learn more at www.alvaradostreetbakery.com.

Contact:

Jim Canterbury

707-291-3352

[email protected]

Related Files

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Related Images

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Alvarado Street Campaign Image

Politicized Bread Image

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Sprouted Wheat Hemp & Hops Bread

Alvarado Street's Sprouted Wheat Hemp & Hops Bread

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Protest Banner

Alvarado Street Bakery Protest Banner

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Facebook Rejections

Alvarado Street Bakery Facebook account screenshots

Related Links

Product Information

Charity Link

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBjf4myZ4XY

SOURCE Alvarado Street Bakery

Related Links

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WAYLAND, Mass., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Analgesic Solutions LLC, a company that focuses on increasing assay sensitivity in the conduct of clinical trials through consulting, innovative tools, data science, technology and training, announced today changes within its leadership structure. Effective immediately, Robert Newman is promoted to Chief Executive Officer from Chief Operating Officer, Nathaniel P. Katz, MD, MS will move from Chief Executive Officer to Founder & Chief Scientific Officer, Andrea Licari is promoted to Chief Operating Officer from Vice President, Operations, and Arturo Morales, Ph.D. will assume the title Chief Technology & Data Officer.

"Our company has made remarkable progress under this leadership team, and we collectively remain committed to advancing the technology, tools and ideas that enable our customers to improve clinical trial success rates. This is the concept on which I founded the company and will continue to steer as its scientific leader," said Dr. Katz. "I believe my deep clinical experience, and the business and strategic acumen that Bob and this management team brings, is the right combination to deliver continued company growth, both within and outside the pain space, and expansion into more data-driven application areas."

Robert Newman joined the company in March 2016 and has worked closely with Dr. Katz to formulate the strategy that has enabled Analgesic Solutions to accelerate year-over-year growth in revenues and reach. Prior to joining Analgesic Solutions, he spent over 25 years in various sales and management positions at several biopharmaceutical companies, most recently as Chief Operating Officer at TissueGene Inc., a Rockville, MD based cell and gene therapy biotechnology company.

Dr. Nathaniel Katz is considered one of the leading experts of treatment and clinical study design in pain clinical trials. He is a neurologist and pain management specialist with a distinguished career at Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Katz founded Analgesic Solutions in 2006 with the mission of modernizing the design and conduct of pain clinical trials to advance the scientific quality of clinical research and empower effective treatments for subjects. Dr. Katz holds the position of Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anesthesia at Tufts School of Medicine. Dr. Katz was an Associate Editor at the Clinical Journal of Pain, and Associate Editor (Pain) for the Encyclopedia of Neurological Sciences.

Andrea Licari joined the company in April 2017 as Vice President of Operations. She has spent her career leading the operations of healthcare technology companies focused on improving the health of patients by optimizing patient education, treatment and outcomes. Andrea's passion and expertise is in developing strategies to achieve team and organizational effectiveness. Prior to Analgesic Solutions, Andrea was the Chief Operating Officer at Modus Health and Inflexxion, Inc.

Arturo Morales, Ph.D. joined the company in June 2016 as Chief Technology Officer. Upon completing his doctoral work with Dr. Paul Schimmel at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr. Morales started his industry career with Genome Therapeutics as a Senior Computational Biologist. He subsequently led a variety of biology, IT and data science teams at various companies, including the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, where he was Global Lead for Biology Platform Informatics.

ABOUT ANALGESIC SOLUTIONS

Analgesic Solutions, LLC., founded in 2006, is a privately held company that reduces the risks in clinical trials through consulting, innovative tools, data science, technology and training. With hundreds of projects completed and ongoing collaborations with regulatory authorities, Analgesic Solutions is the premier choice for mitigating risk associated with measurement error in clinical trials.

http://analgesicsolutions.com

SOURCE Analgesic Solutions

Related Links

http://www.analgesicsolutions.com


UTRECHT, Netherlands, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

AxonIQ, the company behind the open source Axon Framework, launches Axon 4.0 the open, integrated development and operations tool for Microservices and Event Sourcing on the JVM.

Nowadays, many organizations prefer open source software and the enterprise products that often come with it. Last year, AxonIQ developed and launched products such as a purpose built event store - AxonDB, and a unified messaging platform for commands, events and queries - AxonHub.

These products became popular in modern software projects rapidly. In combination with the open source Axon Framework they accomplish amazing results. Non-functional requirements like scalability and performance are taken care of straight out of the box. AxonHub, AxonDB and AxonGDPR proved to save development time and significant configuration efforts.

"The value of a tight integration between Axon Framework and the Enterprise products is enormous. The communication, documentation, maintenance, support and usability are all very smooth in Axon 4.0," said Allard Buijze, CTO of AxonIQ.

The Axon 4.0 offering is of a high value to all of our current and future Axon Framework users. AxonIQ has decided to further increase its commitment to Open Source by making Axon 4.0 available for free under an Open Source license. This way customers can use the full Open Source software for production environments. For companies that are scaling up and require additional features we will also have an Enterprise version and specific extension packs.

Axon 4.0 is a complete Java development platform allowing teams to focus on functionality first while keeping the ability to scale out and distribute components when necessary. Starting with a structured monolith enables to speed up the delivery of innovation; extracting functional components later minimizes rework effort. Axon supports this evolutionary approach to Microservices and enables agile delivery to market.

The launch of the new open source offering is announced on 21st September 2018 at the AxonIQ Conference in Amsterdam and will be explained to all users, customers and community on October 18th, 2018 in the product launch webinar.

About AxonIQ

Founded in 2017, AxonIQ is based in Utrecht, The Netherlands, provides an Open Source integrated development and operations suite for Microservices and Event Sourcing on the JVM: Axon 4.0. For additional features and scaling it also provides an Enterprise Edition that can be enriched with several expansion packs.

AxonIQ offers professional development support and training. Axon is being used by a wide range of companies in highly demanding sectors such as healthcare, banking, insurance, logistics and public sector.

http://www.axoniq.io

SOURCE AxonIQ
ZYRARDOW, Poland, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Belvedere Vodka will take part in the fourth edition of Le Journee Particulieres by LVMH, a bi-annual event created at the initiative of Antoine Arnault, taking place October 12-14th, 2018. Centered on showcasing the savoir-faire and creativity of the artisans behind LVMH's businesses, the campaign invites the public across four continents to experience a behind-the-scenes look at the unique architectural and cultural heritage of over 56 Maisons.

Belvedere Vodka Beautiful to See Polmos Zyrardow Distillery

The Polish distillery where Belvedere Vodka is produced, Polmos Zyrardow, has designed an exciting and unique experience for the three-day affair. Distillery experts will lead 90-minute sensorial tours that take guests on rarely-seen journey of the process of making Belvedere Vodka, including a presentation of the production process and four production areas, an interactive olfactory demonstration of the house's all-natural flavor essences, and a view into the final touches from bottling to seal. Finally, there will be a surprise tasting opportunity for guests showcasing a new innovation from Belvedere that is redefining the vodka category.

"We welcome the opportunity to offer a peak behind the scenes to our guests, and not only share the incredible history of our distillery and our product, but also convey how truly natural the production process is," said Rodney Williams, president of Belvedere Vodka. "The Journee Particulieres program is a wonderful way to showcase our commitment to craftsmanship with our community."

This year marking its 108th anniversary, Polmos Zyrardow is one of the world's longest continuously operating Polish distilleries, that has been making vodka since 1910. It recently became the first spirits distillery to receive a grant from the European Union to further its sustainability leadership. Overall, Belvedere has been able to reduce CO2 emissions by 42% since 2012 and over the next three years hopes to cut emissions even further by 80%, becoming one of the greenest distilleries in the world.

Belvedere has an established history of supporting the Polish community with sustainability initiatives. It co-founded the Foundation for Local Environmental Protection, and only sources its Polska Rye grains locally, working to nurture long-term relationships with Polish agricultural partners. It also started the Raw Spirit Program, launched in partnership with agricultural producers to promote the sustainable growth of Polska Rye.

Today, Belvedere raises a glass in celebration of the outstanding Journee Particulieres program and welcomes its guests!

From October 12th to 14th. By registration only. Limited number of participants.

Pre-Registration on September 22nd on https://www.lvmh.com/lesjourneesparticulieres

ABOUT BELVEDERE VODKA

Produced in the one of the world's longest continuously operating Polish distilleries that has been making vodka since 1910, Belvedere was the first to generate a new standard of excellence by establishing the super- premium vodka category. Today, Belvedere's distinctive taste and uncompromising integrity are recognized internationally by discriminating vodka enthusiasts who appreciate its dynamic and complex character. Crafted using only superior grade Polska rye and water from its own local pristine source, Belvedere is all natural, contains no additives and no added sugar, and is produced in accordance with the legal requirements of Polska Vodka. Its taste profile is structured, elegant and balanced, with a subtle sweetness, rich mouthfeel and smooth, clean finish. For more information visit https://www.BelvedereVodka.com

ABOUT LVMH

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is represented in Wines and Spirits by a portfolio of brands that includes Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Krug, Ruinart, Mercier, Chateau d'Yquem, Domaine du Clos des Lambrays, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Colgin Cellars, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Belvedere, Woodinville, Chandon, Cloudy Bay, Terrazas de los Andes, Cheval des Andes, Cape Mentelle, Newton, Bodega Numanthia and Ao Yun. Its Fashion and Leather Goods division includes Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior Couture, Celine, Loewe, Kenzo, Givenchy, Thomas Pink, Fendi, Emilio Pucci, Marc Jacobs, Berluti, Nicholas Kirkwood, Loro Piana and RIMOWA. LVMH is present in the Perfumes and Cosmetics sector with Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, Parfums Givenchy, Kenzo Parfums, Perfumes Loewe, BeneFit Cosmetics, Make Up For Ever, Acqua di Parma, Fresh, Kat Von D and Maison Francis Kurkdjian. LVMH's Watches and Jewelry division comprises Bvlgari, TAG Heuer, Chaumet, Dior Watches, Zenith, Fred and Hublot. LVMH is also active in selective retailing as well as in other activities through DFS, Sephora, Le Bon Marche, La Samaritaine, Royal Van Lent and Cheval Blanc hotels.

SOURCE Belvedere Vodka

Related Links

https://www.BelvedereVodka.com


MANDEVILLE, La., Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Brian P. Anderson is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Platinum Lifetime Member in the field of Aerospace and Defense and in recognition of his role as Director of Global Business Development at Textron Systems.

With a fifty year history of success, Textron Systems is a publically held international aerospace and defense company that specializes in both design and manufacturing.

Having developed over fifteen years of experience in the field of International Business Development in the Aerospace & Defense sector, Brian P. Anderson is highly praised for his outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the industry. Spending three and a half years in his current position, throughout his career, Anderson has attained extensive expertise in the areas of defense trade, international affairs, and policy and strategy development. Serving three years in the US Navy and 18 years in the USAF, Anderson pursued aviation and international affairs. A Veteran of Operation Northern and Southern Watch (OSW, ONW), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and various other peace keeping and coalition training events, Anderson employed the F-15C Air Superiority Fighter, F-117 Stealth fighter and the B-2 Stealth Bomber. Anderson also flew the C-12 as an Air Force Attache with the responsibility of safely transporting U.S. and foreign dignitaries and VIPs. Anderson retired honorably from the US Air Force as a Senior Pilot, Military Diplomat and at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Early in his career, Anderson earned his Bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics and Master's Degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Thereafter, Anderson obtained a Master of Arts degree in National Security Affairs with a focus on Southeast Asia from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and an Associates degree for Thai language from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. He is currently attending the Jack Welch Management Institute for his third Master's Degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.) with the intention of graduating in June of 2019.

Anderson maintains professional associations as an esteemed member of several organizations including the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), and Association of the US Army (AUSA), US Air Force Association (AFA), and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in Louisiana.

In recognition of his professional military accolades, Anderson was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Medal.

For more information, please visit www.textronsystems.com

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

https://www.continentalwhoswho.com


VANCOUVER, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Namaste Technologies Inc. ("Namaste" or the "Company") (TSXV: N) (FRANKFURT: M5BQ) (OTCMKTS: NXTTF) is pleased to announce that the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Cannmart Inc. ("Cannmart") has received its Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR") medical cannabis "sales-only" license (the "License"), which is the first of its kind to be issued by Health Canada. The License represents the most significant milestone in the history of the Company and is the final component of its strategy for Cannmart to become Canada's leading online platform for medical cannabis.

Cannmart will operate as an online marketplace for medical cannabis sourced from multiple Licensed Producers, which will offer patients a curated selection of medical cannabis strains in one location. Cannmart has secured over 13 domestic and international supply agreements and will also focus on developing arrangements with micro-cultivators who will provide high-end craft strains, subject to the upcoming regulations of the Cannabis Act. Cannmart's goal is to offer the largest and most diverse selection of medical cannabis products available in the Canadian market.

Further to the Company's September 18th news release, Cannmart will be allowed to buy pre-packaged, labelled and tested cannabis products. This development is very significant for Cannmart in that it will eliminate the need for buying in bulk, testing and packaging which will significantly reduce overhead costs for Cannmart and thus increase gross profit margins and profitability. By allowing Cannmart to purchase pre-packaged medical cannabis products it can remain focused on its areas of expertise in e-commerce and technology, and further expand on the products and services that can be provided through Cannmart.

Namaste operates the largest global online marketplace for cannabis consumption devices, with over 1.5 million customers globally. The Company has acquired and developed industry-leading technology including its e-commerce AI platform, Findify.io ("Findify") and NamasteMD ("NamasteMD.com"), which is Canada's first medical cannabis consultation app available in both the Apple and Google Play Stores. The Company plans to leverage its e-commerce technology and expertise to provide a unique user experience for each customer. Medical patients acquired through NamasteMD will be able to onboard and purchase products through Cannmart.

With Namaste's operations in over 20 countries and consumer databases established in strategic regions including the United Kingdom and Australia, the Company is well-positioned to expand on its cannabis platform in launching telemedicine and cannabis e-commerce platforms in global markets where the company maintains strong market share.

Special Edition Live 420

Namaste is pleased to announce that it will be hosting a special edition live-stream Namaste 420 show on Sunday September 23rd at 7PM EST to discuss Cannmart and the Company's growth strategy with management. To join the live feed please visit the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OESUiCkUSBk

Management Commentary

Sean Dollinger, President and CEO of Namaste comments: "Today marks a monumental achievement for the entire Namaste team and our shareholders. Receiving our "sales-only" license not only validates the vision which we set forth to achieve over two years ago, but it sets the stage for Namaste to become the first fully-integrated platform of its kind. We plan to soft-launch Cannmart's website next week and look forward to feedback from our shareholders. I'd like to thank our investors for their patience and our management team including our staff at the Cannmart facility for their hard work and dedication. Namaste has never been better positioned to execute our strategy and to become the dominant global player in medical cannabis e-commerce."

About Namaste Technologies Inc.

Namaste Technologies is Your Everything Cannabis Store. Namaste operates the largest global cannabis e-commerce platform with over 30 websites in 20+ countries under various brands. Namaste's product offering through its subsidiaries includes vaporizers, glassware, accessories, CBD products, and the company will soon be selling medical cannabis through its wholly owned subsidiary CannMart in the Canadian market.

Namaste has developed and acquired innovative technology platforms including NamasteMD.com, and in May 2018 the Company acquired a leading e-commerce AI and Machine Learning Company, Findify AB. Findify uses artificial intelligence algorithms to optimize and personalize a consumer's on-site buying experience. Namaste is focused on leveraging its cutting-edge technology to enhance the user experience throughout its platforms. Namaste will continue to develop and acquire innovative technologies which will provide value to the Company and to its shareholders as well as to the broader cannabis market.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Sean Dollinger"

Chief Executive Officer

Further information on the Company and its products can be accessed through the links below:

NamasteTechnologies.com

NamasteMD.com

NamasteVapes.ca

Everyonedoesit.ca

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains forward-looking 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. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, Namaste assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

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 press release.

SOURCE Namaste Technologies Inc.
WESTMINSTER, Colo., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Coalfire, a provider of cybersecurity advisory services, hosted U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) in its Westminster, CO headquarters on Wednesday to discuss critical cybersecurity issues and challenges facing businesses and consumers.

Senator Gardner met with Coalfire CEO Tom McAndrew and the executive management team and held an open Q&A session with the company's local employees. During the visit, Coalfire recommended improvements to voting processes based on insights from their recent security testing of voting systems and networks across 10 states. The company also discussed approaches to procuring secure cloud solutions in government and driving continued improvements to the US Federal Risk and Management Program (FedRAMP). Coalfire learned more about Senator Gardner's ongoing legislative efforts on IoT security controls in government and provided him with thoughts on how public/private partnership can effectively work together to improve global IoT device cybersecurity. The discussion also touched on international cybersecurity policy and best practices as well as driving greater consumer transparency around the security of IT products and services.

"Having a whole of government approach to cybersecurity has never been more important, and visits with companies like these play an important role in helping to craft cybersecurity policy in Washington," Senator Gardner said. "I will continue to work with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the federal government is doing everything it can as it faces an ever-evolving threat."

"Coalfire was honored to host Senator Gardner for a candid and timely discussion about the most significant cybersecurity challenges facing both government and industry, and on how the public and private sectors can collaborate and share ideas more effectively," said Tom McAndrew, CEO of Coalfire. "As the leader in voting security, Coalfire was pleased to have the opportunity to share our findings and recommendations on voting security, among other cybersecurity-related insights."

About Coalfire

Coalfire is the trusted cybersecurity advisor that helps private and public-sector organizations avert threats, close gaps and effectively manage risk. By providing independent and tailored advice, assessments, technical testing and cyber engineering services, we help clients develop scalable programs that improve their security posture, achieve their business objectives and fuel their continued success. Coalfire has been a cybersecurity thought leader for more than 17 years and has offices throughout the United States and Europe.

For more information, visit Coalfire.com.

Press Contact:

Mike Gallo

For Coalfire

212-239-8594

[email protected]

SOURCE Coalfire

Related Links

https://www.coalfire.com


More than one billion pounds of copper and one million ounces of gold in Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource at a 0.12% copper cut-off grade

Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 151 million tonnes grading 0.29% copper and 0.18 g/t gold (0.41% CuEq) at a 0.16% copper cut-off grade

Inferred Mineral Resource of 69 million tonnes grading 0.27% copper and 0.16 g/t gold (0.38% CuEq) for contained metal of 405 million pounds of copper and 0.36 million ounces of gold at a 0.16% cut-off copper grade.

Gil Clausen, Copper Mountain's President and CEO stated, "Given the size and quality of the Mineral Resource, we believe New Ingerbelle has the potential to be a significant contributor of value to the Company. With New Ingerbelle's Mineral Resource exceeding our target, our next step now will be to move New Ingerbelle into the evaluation phase. The evaluation phase will include a mine plan and economic analysis to move the Mineral Resource to the Mineral Reserve category. Given New Ingerbelle's favourable grade and proximity to our Copper Mountain operation, it has the real potential for growth and flexibility for our near-term production plans. Further, it is just one of several high-quality growth projects we have in our portfolio."

A summary of New Ingerbelle's Mineral Resource estimate is provided below. The new resource estimate is based on approximately 38,000 metres of historical drill data which is below current topography and 15,000 metres of new drilling, which includes drill and assay information up to September 17, 2018.

Cu% cut-off grade Tonnes ('000s) Copper (%) Silver (g/t) Gold (g/t) CuEq (%) Copper (M lbs) Gold (M oz) Measured Resource 0.20% 33,987 0.34 0.68 0.21 0.48 256.6 0.234 0.16% 43,251 0.31 0.61 0.19 0.44 293.2 0.268 0.12% 54,396 0.27 0.55 0.17 0.39 327.6 0.300 Indicated Resource 0.20% 79,928 0.31 0.61 0.19 0.44 551.0 0.501 0.16% 108,027 0.28 0.55 0.18 0.40 662.2 0.604 0.12% 141,251 0.25 0.48 0.15 0.35 764.3 0.699 Total Measured and Indicated Resource 0.20% 113,912 0.32 0.63 0.20 0.46 807.6 0.735 0.16% 151,278 0.29 0.57 0.18 0.41 955.4 0.872 0.12% 195,648 0.25 0.50 0.16 0.36 1,092.0 1.001 Inferred Resource 0.20% 47,608 0.30 0.55 0.19 0.43 319.8 0.283 0.16% 69,035 0.27 0.49 0.16 0.38 404.5 0.361 0.12% 93,459 0.23 0.43 0.14 0.33 480.1 0.428

CuEq% is based on metal content only, as historical recoveries have not yet been verified. Metal prices assumed in the calculation are US$2.75/lb Cu, US$1,250/oz Au, and US$16/oz Ag. The mineral resource has been contained within a US$3.50 per pound whittle pit shell. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. Numbers may not add due to rounding, contained metal calculated at 3 significant figures.

The Mineral Resource includes drilling from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling programs Copper Mountain started in 2017 and completed in September 2018. The Company's original goal for its 3-Phase program was to define sufficient resources in order to complete an initial mine plan and economic analysis. However, as it has already exceeded this goal in its Phase 2 program, Copper Mountain now plans to move New Ingerbelle into the evaluation phase, where the Company will complete an initial mine plan and economic analysis to upgrade the Mineral Resource to the Mineral Reserve category. Following the evaluation phase, the Company will assess the potential to further expand the Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource in a follow-up Phase 3 program.

Mineral Resource Estimation Methodology

The Mineral Resource estimate was completed by company employees under the guidance and supervision of Peter Holbek, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The resource estimate was prepared in conformity with CIM Best Practices guidelines. The estimate was prepared using Gemcom software, a three-dimensional block model (15m cubic blocks) where grades were interpolated into blocks from 7.5m drill hole composite grades by ordinary kriging. Classification of resources is based on the size of the interpolation search ellipse and number of composites and drill holes informing the interpolated blocks. Mineral resources are constrained by a Whittle pit shell generated at a US$3.50 copper price with current mine-site operating costs and metal recoveries.

Competent Persons Statement

The information in this report that relates to Exploration Targets, Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Peter Holbek, B.SC (Hons), M.Sc. P. Geo. Mr. Holbek is a full time employee of the Company and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr. Holbek does consent to the inclusion in this news release of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

Peter Holbek is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

About Copper Mountain Mining Corporation

Copper Mountain's flagship asset is the 75% owned Copper Mountain mine located in southern British Columbia near the town of Princeton. The Copper Mountain mine produces about 90 million pounds of copper equivalent per year with a large resource that remains open laterally and at depth. Copper Mountain also has the permitted, development stage Eva Copper Project in Queensland, Australia and an extensive 379,000 hectare highly prospective land package in the Mount Isa area. Copper Mountain trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CMMC" and Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol "C6C".

Additional information is available on the Company's web page at www.CuMtn.com.

On behalf of the Board of

COPPER MOUNTAIN MINING CORPORATION

"Gil Clausen"

Gil Clausen, P.Eng.

Chief Executive Officer

Note: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents, filed by the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statement.

SOURCE Copper Mountain Mining Corporation

Related Links

http://www.CuMtn.com


| BY Ricki Green |

WARC, the global authority on advertising and media effectiveness, has today released the Effective Innovation Report 2018, highlighting key trends of the worlds most original marketing thinking.

Drawn from the winners of the Effective Innovation category of this years international WARC Awards, a global search for next-generation marketing effectiveness, the report showcases innovative thinking that has transformed a business or disrupted category conventions to deliver tangible results.

Says Lucy Aitken, managing editor, case studies, WARC: Following our analysis of the metadata around all the entries, we see that despite the considerable challenges presented by innovation, it is an increasingly popular and effective way for brands to grow.

WARCs Effective Innovation Report highlights four key trends that provide valuable lessons to the advertising industry of marketing innovation that works:

Innovation that appeals to influencers

Many of the top-performing campaigns were designed with sharing among millennial influencers in mind to improve organic reach via their personal networks.

Says Christopher Yu, jury member and VP integrated marketing strategy, innovation, and technology, U.S Bank: Persuading these communities to invest their influence on your behalf is an acid test of a marketing teams preparation and ingenuity.

Campaigns that disrupted received ideas of how to engage millennials and the value of doing so include: Grand Prix winner 7-Second Resumes for the Ad Council by 22squared, USA; Denmark vs. Trump for Danish political party Socialistisk Folkeparti by UncleGrey; and BBC Asian Networks campaign 100% Asian. 100% British by MullenLowe London.

Says Yu: Each demonstrated a clear grasp of Gen Ys digitally native expectations without indulging in technical showboating.

Innovation that builds brand equity

Innovation can be an efficient and effective way to build and strengthen a brands appeal by problem-solving, bringing the brand closer to its purpose.

Says Kate Smither, jury member and chief strategy integration officer, Publicis Communications Australia: Innovation is not about the wacky or the weird, but instead should come from context and build brand equity.

Innovation is fast becoming a tool modern marketing can use to build brands from equity out, not from technology in.

Stand out campaigns that used brand-led innovation to build brand equity, demonstrating to consumers how they could fulfil their promise or purpose include: Odds for adidas by Taproot India; Prils One-Drop Bottle and Nissans Camelpower both by TBWA\RAAD, UAE.

Product-led innovation that drives growth

Innovating thorough products is a popular way for brands to strengthen their appeal and stand-out to attract new customers.

Says Joseph Smeaton, jury member and planning director, DDB Sydney: This years winners show how changing your product can drive growth and bring new customers to your brand. Instead of only looking to change other peoples behaviour, perhaps we should first change our own.:

Saregamas Carvaan for older Indian consumers by The Womb, and Royal Caribbeans Seek Deeper by MullenLowe US, that stimulated demand for cruises among a younger crowd by using Snapchat spectacles are good examples.

Utility that helps build connections

Brands benefitted from being in service to their audiences through the creation of useful tools, products and services as opposed to traditional campaigns.

Says juror Howard Pull, strategic development director, MullenLowe Profero: By starting from a perspective of utility, by being in the service of others, you can reach new audiences, find new relevancy and change perceptions.

He cites IDFCs Bank in a Box by McCann Worldgroup as a stellar example of brand utility that helped build connections.

A sample of WARCs Effective Innovation Report 2018 can be downloaded here. The report in full is available to WARC subscribers on WARC.com and includes chapter analysis with views and opinions from the judges, as well as summaries  objectives, insights, strategies and results  of the winning case studies.
BALTIMORE, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Elizabeth Ann Lilly is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a 2018 Lifetime Achiever in the field of Psychiatry in recognition of her role as Psychiatrist and Associate at J. Richard Lilly, M.D., A.B.F.P and Associates.

Serving the Crownsville, Maryland region for decades, Dr. Elizabeth Ann Lilly owns her own psychiatric practice specialized in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. Aside from her own practice, she is associated with her husband's practice, J. Richard Lilly, M.D., A.B.F.P and Associates, that is specialized in several facets of healthcare and offers a wide array of services to their clients including 2D Echo's, Auto Accidents, Diabetic Teaching, Dopplers, Holter Monitor, In-House Labs, Liability, VAT Testing and more.



Having gathered over forty seven years of experience in the field of psychiatry as a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist, Dr. Elizabeth Ann Lilly has become a trusted name in the industry and is revered for her outstanding contributions. Throughout her illustrious career, Dr. Lilly has specialized in several facets of Psychiatry and gained expertise within the areas of ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, insomnia, manic depression, schizophrenia, and sleep disorders. A firm believer that "giving your best talents to help your fellow man is true happiness, but family must not be sacrificed in the process," Dr. Lilly is equipped in handling all aspects of mental health.



Attaining extensive knowledge in handling children, adolescents, and adults, Dr. Lilly worked as a family doctor for three years before completing her residency in psychiatry. Dr. Lilly is an advocate of an Early Identification Program utilized in an effort to detect early warning signs of potential psychiatric disorders for seven years in her career as a psychiatrist. For seven years, she served as Associate Professor at the National Children's Medical Center at its inception of their eating disorder program.



While pursuing her educational endeavors, Dr. Lilly attained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College. Later, Dr. Lilly received her Medical Degree from Temple University School of Medicine and completed her four year Residency at the Psychiatric Institute of the University of Maryland. There, Dr. Lilly would complete a two year Residency in Adult Psychiatry, and two year Residency in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.



To further enhance her professional career, Dr. Lilly is an affiliate of several organizations including the American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the American Medical Association.



EPSDT and Board Certified in Psychiatry, in recognition of her professional achievements, Dr. Lilly was honored from 2015-2017 with a Top Doctor Award in Crownsville, Maryland. Top Doctor Awards is dedicated to selecting and honoring those in the healthcare field who have portrayed clinical excellence while delivering the highest standards of care and accommodation to their patients.



When she's not working, she loves doing a bit of watercolor painting, reading, writing poetry, visiting her family vacation home in the Florida Keys to relax, and spending time with her five grandchildren.



Dr. Lilly dedicates this recognition to her husband, J. Richard Lilly, M.D., her children John Richard Lilly and Donald Wellington Lilly, and her grandchildren; John Richard, Cameron, Donald Austin, Arielle Marie and Jason Benjamin Lilly.



For more information about Dr. Elizabeth Ann Lilly or her services, visit: www.doctorlilly.com.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

https://www.continentalwhoswho.com


TEL AVIV, Israel, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Ellomay Capital Ltd. (NYSE: ELLO)(TASE: ELLO) ("Ellomay" or the "Company"), a renewable energy and power generator and developer of renewable energy and power projects in Europe and Israel, today announced that the project for construction of a photovoltaic plant with a peak capacity of 300 MW in the municipality of Talavan, Caceres, Spain (the "Talasol Project"), promoted by Talasol Solar S.L. ("Talasol"), which the Company indirectly wholly owns was approved for financing under the European Fund for Strategic Investments ("EFSI" or the "Juncker Plan").

EFSI is an initiative launched jointly by the European Investment Bank ("EIB"), the European Investment Fund and the European Commission (together, the "EIB Group"). EFSI is a EUR 26 billion guarantee from the EU budget, complemented by a EUR 7.5 billion allocation of the EIB's own capital. The total amount of EUR 33.5 billion aims to unlock additional investment of at least EUR 500bn by 2020. EFSI is implemented by the EIB Group and projects supported by it are subject to usual EIB procedures.

As part of Talasol's process with EIB, EIB is required under its transparency policy (http://www.eib.org/infocentre/publications/all/eib-group-transparency-policy.htm) to publish the EFSI scoreboard of each EFSI project on its website.

The following is the summary project description as it appears on the EFSI operation scoreboard:

"The project comprises the financing, under a project finance scheme, of a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with a total capacity of ca. 300 MWP. It also includes its overhead grid connection line of ca. 24 km in length and a voltage level of 400 kV and the related transforming substation. The project would be one of the first greenfield renewable energy projects to be financed in Spain following a wide-sector reform implemented in 2014 and amongst the first solar PV projects to be developed on a merchant basis and without any form of government support. In addition, the project will contribute to the EU Climate objectives and will help Spain meet its renewable target of 20% of primary energy generated by renewable sources by 2020. The project would be a major investment to be directly implemented by the promoter. The promoter acquired the project in an advanced development stage, and kept the staff originally involved in its development. In addition, the promoter has selected an owner's engineer to assist in the final development steps, including the tendering process for the Engineering, Procure and Construct (EPC) contract. An experienced EPC contractor has been appointed, and technology from reputable suppliers has been selected - including for PV panels, inverters, single-axis trackers, main transformers, etc. The project has the highest possible score in terms of contribution to EU policy, being eligible within Higher Priority Areas for projects inside the EU, fully accountable towards Climate Action objectives and located in a Cohesion region."

The continued development of the Talasol Project is subject to risks and uncertainties, including with respect to the occurrence of the conditions subsequent set forth in the Talasol share purchase agreement, and other conditions that are not entirely within the control of the Company or Talasol, as they include the issuance of regulatory approvals and the procurement of project financing on terms acceptable to Talasol. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide not to pursue the Talasol Project in the event of changes in the market or other circumstances.

About Ellomay Capital Ltd.

Ellomay is an Israeli based company whose shares are registered with the NYSE American and with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "ELLO". Since 2009, Ellomay Capital focuses its business in the renewable energy and power sectors in Europe and Israel.

To date, Ellomay has evaluated numerous opportunities and invested significant funds in the renewable, clean energy and natural resources industries in Israel, Italy and Spain, including:

Approximately 22.6MW of photovoltaic power plants in Italy , approximately 7.9MW of photovoltaic power plants in Spain and a photovoltaic power plant of approximately 9 MW in Israel ;

9.375% indirect interest in Dorad Energy Ltd., which owns and operates one of Israel's largest private power plants with production capacity of approximately 850 MW, representing about 6%-8% of Israel's total current electricity consumption;

75% of Chashgal Elyon Ltd., Agira Sheuva Electra, L.P. and Ellomay Pumped Storage (2014) Ltd., all of which are involved in a project to construct a 156 MW pumped storage hydro power plant in the Manara Cliff, Israel ;

51% of Groen Gas Goor B.V. and of Groen Gas Oude-Tonge B.V., project companies operating or developing anaerobic digestion plants with a green gas production capacity of approximately 375 Nm3/h, in Goor, the Netherlands and 475 Nm3/h, in Oude Tonge, the Netherlands , respectively.

Ellomay Capital is controlled by Mr. Shlomo Nehama, Mr. Hemi Raphael and Mr. Ran Fridrich. Mr. Nehama is one of Israel's prominent businessmen and the former Chairman of Israel's leading bank, Bank Hapohalim, and Messrs. Raphael and Fridrich both have vast experience in financial and industrial businesses. These controlling shareholders, along with Ellomay's dedicated professional management, accumulated extensive experience in recognizing suitable business opportunities worldwide. Ellomay believes the expertise of Ellomay's controlling shareholders and management enables the Company to access the capital markets, as well as assemble global institutional investors and other potential partners. As a result, we believe Ellomay is capable of considering significant and complex transactions, beyond its immediate financial resources.

For more information about Ellomay, visit http://www.ellomay.com.

Information Relating to Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company's management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company's plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements. The use of certain words, including the words "estimate," "project," "intend," "expect," "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by the Company's forward-looking statements, including the availability of financing for the Talasol Project on terms acceptable to the Company, if any. These and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business are described in greater detail in the filings the Company makes from time to time with Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Kalia Weintraub

CFO

Tel: +972-(3)-797-1111

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Ellomay Capital Ltd
DUBLIN, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "An Overview of European National Defence Strategies, 2018" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Europe's economic recovery has been slow, countries are trying to reduce their national debt by reducing government spending , and this, in turn, has the potential to influence defence allocation .The economic situation of Cyprus, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland continues to be worrying and future bailouts to support these countries might put additional pressure on defence spending. Even against this background, emerging conventional and unconventional security threats and the pressure from NATO and the US to meet the spending commitments might be sufficient to see a considerable defence spending growth in the future. The exit of the UK might result in higher defence spending to conduct operations more independently.

The increased tempo of air policing measures carried out by European air forces and the need to maintain high availability of the combat aircraft fleet might result in the military aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul business grow in the coming years. With newer and more advanced threats appearing from rival nations such as Russia and China, more funds might be invested in larger European nations into newer capabilities. Central European countries will build their air forces around the purchase/lease of aircraft. Larger countries and Central European countries will look to bolster their air defence equipment, both tactical and missile defence systems, to counter Russian missile deployments.

The ground deployments by NATO in the Eastern Flank of Europe would require high-readiness armour and mechanised and artillery forces. Larger countries might invest in a small number of new tanks and artillery. While inducting new infantry fighting vehicles and wheeled personnel carriers, vehicles in storage might be put back into service along with upgrades to existing vehicles, which might create opportunities for repair and upgrades. Central European countries primarily aim at upgrading existing vehicles and adding new wheeled armoured vehicles and procuring used self-propelled howitzers.

The cyber and perception warfare might require upgrading cyber defence tools, cyber intelligence gathering, infrastructure, and training. The use of chemical weapons in conflicts in Syria and by ISIL might convince European nations to upgrade their CBRN capabilities; this might open up business avenues in NBC suites, new vehicles, or upgrades to existing vehicles with enhanced NBC reconnaissance capabilities. Larger European nations invest in configurable multi-mission ships for anti-air, anti-submarine , anti-surface warfare. Maritime patrol might be improved through upgrades to the P-3 and Atlantique fleets and procurement of smaller aircraft. The refugee crisis has highlighted the need for enhanced search and rescue and patrol capabilities. Smaller European nations might invest in patrol vessels to replace older vessels.

Key Issues Addressed

What are the drivers for defence spending in Europe and how are they impacting European spending priorities?

and how are they impacting European spending priorities? How much do European countries spend on defence-current defence budgets, budget pressures, and spending priorities?

How are defence forces structured and what are their key procurement and modernisation programmes?

What are the future scenarios that could unfold in the next ten years and how will they impact defence budgets and prioritisation?

How will the offerings of defence contractors need to evolve for them to compete?

Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary

Key Findings

Study Scope

Key Questions this Study will Answer

2. Introduction

An Overview of the European Security Scenario

European Geopolitical Scenario-Threats

European Defence Spending

European Security Strategy

European Defence Cooperation Frameworks

EU and NATO Members-2018

Operational Priorities for Cooperation

EU Common Security and Defence Strategy

European Bilateral and Multilateral Defence Cooperation Agreements

PESCO Capability Enhancement

Future European Strategy and Capability Enhancement

NATO and US Ground Deployments in the European Eastern Flank

NATO Engagement in Europe

US Policy Towards Europe

Future of US and NATO Role in Europe

3. Growth Opportunities and Companies To Action

Growth Opportunity 1-Simulated Training and Automated Logistics Management

Growth Opportunity 2-Compressing the Sensor to Shooter Loop

Growth Opportunity 3-Performance Based Logistics

Growth Opportunity 4-Europeanization of the Defence Industry

Growth Opportunity 5-ISR as a Service

Strategic Imperatives for Success and Growth

4. Europe-National Defence Strategies

Albania

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Kosovo

Latvia

Lithuania

Macedonia

Malta

Montenegro

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Serbia

Slovenia Republic

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

The Czech Republic

The Netherlands

The UK

Turkey

5. Conclusion

6. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2x849h/european_national?w=5

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Did you know that we also offer Custom Research? Visit our Custom Research page to learn more and schedule a meeting with our Custom Research Manager.

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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About FCA US LLC

FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The Company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler Corp., established in 1925 by industry visionary Walter P. Chrysler and Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA).



FCA is an international automotive group listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."



Follow FCA US news and video on:

Company blog: blog.fcanorthamerica.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter (Spanish): www.twitter.com/fcausespanol

YouTube: www.youtube.com/fcanorthamerica

Media website: media.fcanorthamerica.com

SOURCE FCA US LLC

Related Links

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AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstCare Health Plans announced today that it has earned a Commendable status for its Medicaid HMO line of business from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

As with our initial interim accreditation in 2013followed by full accreditation (2015) and our accreditation renewal for our Commercial, Marketplace and Medicaid lines of business (early 2018)we received this notable accolade because of our dedication and commitment to the highest quality health care for our Medicaid members throughout the communities we serve in North, West and Central Texas.



"This recognition of Commendable status confirms that FirstCare continues to go above-and-beyond our commitment to quality for our members," said FirstCare President and CEO Darnell Dent. "As a plan with well-established programs for service and clinical quality that meets rigorous requirements for consumer experience, clinical excellence and quality improvement, we are honored to be recognized for our hard work and dedication to working together to serve Texans and build healthier communities."

"Our ratings for member satisfaction (CAHPS) and clinical quality measures (HEDIS) were critical to earning this status, and they demonstrate our commitment to provide access to high-quality services and our providers' commitment to delivering those health care services," commented FirstCare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Adolfo Valadez. "It proves that FirstCare is bringing better health and increased value to Texas Medicaid members."

NCQA accreditation provides consumers and businesses with an unbiased third-party review to verify, score and publicly report health plan performance across the nation in five categories including: Access and Service, Qualified Providers, Staying Healthy, Getting Better and Living with Illness.

About NCQA

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Web site (www.ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

About FirstCare Health Plans

At FirstCare, our mission is to work together to serve our customers and build healthier communitiesone member at a time. Since 1985, we've been serving the health care needs of members across North, West, and Central Texas. Today, our service area includes 143 counties, with local offices in Abilene, Amarillo, Lubbock, and corporate offices in Austin, Texas. We offer a wide range of HMO, PPO, HSA, and ASO products through a variety of programs, including small and large employer plans; state, federal and teacher plans; government programs; and the Health Insurance Marketplace. With the support of our owners, Covenant Health in Lubbock and Hendrick Health System in Abilene, we serve over 160,000 members. For more information, please visit FirstCare.com.

SOURCE FirstCare Health Plans

Related Links

http://www.firstcare.com


CHICAGO, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to the new market research report on the "Foam Tape Market by Resin (Acrylic, Rubber, Silicone), Technology (Solvent, Water, Hot-Melt), Type (PE, PU, Acrylic), End-Use Industry (Automotive, Building & Construction, Electrical & Electronics, Paper & Printing), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is estimated at USD 7.44 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 10.35 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 6.83% between 2018 and 2023. Foam tapes are pressure-sensitive and self-adhesive tapes that are coated with adhesive on one side or both sides of the foam types such as PE, PU, acrylic and (nitrile, EVA, rubber, polyester, polyether, PVC, and vinyl). These tapes are created by applying a thin adhesive layer to various foam types. The type of adhesive and the type of foam play important roles in determining the strength, cost, and ease of use and life of the foam tape. Foam tapes are widely used in the industries such as automotive, building & construction, and electrical & electronics for bonding, holding, mounting, splicing, and other purposes.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg )



For more Insights on this report, Speak to Our Analyst:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=129611939

Browse in-depth TOC on "Foam Tape Market"

105 - Tables

54 - Figures

151 - Pages



https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/foam-tape-market-129611939.html



Silicone - to be the fastest-growing resin type for foam tape during the forecast period.

The silicone segment is projected to grow at the fastest rate than the other resin types because of its better adhesion properties. Silicone resin-based foam tape maintains adhesion over a larger temperature range and possesses the ability to adhere to difficult surfaces. These factors are expected to drive the market for silicone resin-based foam tape during the forecast period.

Hot-melt-based - to be the fastest-growing is technology for foam tape during the forecast period.

The hot-melt technology segment is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. Hot-melt-based foam tape is widely used in the healthcare, aerospace & defense, and wind and solar energy industries. It has an extreme rate of bond formation, which can translate into high production rates. In the US, the hot-melt-based technology is widely used in tape production by the key players such as 3M Company (US) and Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (Canada).

Request for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=129611939

Acrylic - to be the fastest-growing foam type during the forecast period.

The acrylic segment is projected to register the highest CAGR from 2018 to 2023 as acrylic-backed foam tapes are high-performance tapes, which are used in a variety of industries such as aerospace, solar energy, and wind energy. These tapes are ideal for bonding many substrates such as metals, higher surface energy plastics, glass, composite materials, unpainted metals, and where the demand for thicker conformable products is required.

APAC- to be the fastest-growing market for foam tape during the forecast period.

The Foam Tape Market in the APAC region is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to the rising demand for foam tape in the emerging economies such as India, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Singapore. China is leading the market for foam tape in the region. The growth of various industries such as automotive, electrical & electronics, and paper & printing, is projected to drive the demand for foam tape in China.

3M Company (US), Nitto Denko Corporation (Japan), Tesa SE (Germany), Lintec Corporation (Japan), Intertape Polymer Group, Inc. (Canada), Avery Dennison Corporation (US), HALCO (US), 3F (Germany), and Scapa Group Plc (UK) are some of the key players operating in the Foam Tape Market.

Coatings Adhesives Sealants and Elastomers Market Research Reports & Consulting

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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/foam-tape-market.asp

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 20, 2018, General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), began construction on the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), the first ship for the U.S. Navy's John Lewis fleet oiler program.

Representatives from NASSCO and the U.S. Navy gathered in San Diego for a ceremony to cut the first piece of steel, signifying the start of construction for the first of six vessels for the U.S. Navy. Construction of the first ship is scheduled to be complete in November 2020.

Designed to transfer fuel to U.S. Navy carrier strike group ships operating at sea, the oilers will feature the capacity to carry 157,000 barrels of oil, a significant dry cargo capacity, aviation capability and a speed of 20 knots. "These oilers are critical to the Navy's ability to operate around the world," said Kevin Graney, President of General Dynamics NASSCO. We are honored to build the lead ship of this class and have worked with our Navy and industry partners to ensure the design, planning, material and facility are ready to begin construction."

NASSCO is the largest shipyard on the West Coast of the United States conducting design, new construction and repair of ships. In the past decade, NASSCO delivered more than 30 ocean-going ships to government and commercial customersincluding the world's first LNG-powered containerships and several other lead ships.

More information about NASSCO can be found at www.nassco.com.

More information about General Dynamics can be found at www.generaldynamics.com.

SOURCE General Dynamics NASSCO

Related Links

http://www.nassco.com


"This expansion was my father's vision and something he worked on prior to his death. He was always looking forward to plan what was needed next to help people with cancer," said Huntsman. "Our family is honored to continue to carry his and my mother's vision forward to ease the suffering caused by cancer. We are immensely grateful and humbled by the generous support of the donors who have helped realize my father's dream to eradicate cancer from the face of the earth."

The funding will support a proposal to significantly expand the Cancer Hospital at HCI, part of the University of Utah Health system. The proposed addition would extend from the north end of HCI's existing buildings on the campus of the U of U in Salt Lake City. The expansion will be called, The Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women's Cancers at Huntsman Cancer Institute, and add an additional 100,000 square feet to HCI's cancer campus, including up to 50 additional inpatient rooms and workspace for oncology specialists. The new proposed structure would also expand the number of procedure, consultation and outpatient exam rooms and would increase the size of the HCI's Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness and Integrative Health Center.

"This expansion reflects HCI's continuing commitment to serve cancer patients and to provide access to the compassionate, state-of-the-art care of our comprehensive cancer center," said HCI's CEO, Mary Beckerle, PhD. "Growth of our facilities is critical to allow us to reach the patients and families in need of our services. We are extremely fortunate to have the passionate support of so many generous donors for our lifesaving work."

The plan for the remaining project funds of the estimated $80 million project will be finalized in the coming months. The next step is a review of the proposal by appropriate approval bodies, including the U of U Board of Trustees, the Utah State Legislature and key U of U building oversight committees. The proposed project timeline estimates construction would begin in December 2019, with an opening planned for fall 2022.

About Huntsman Cancer Foundation

Huntsman Cancer Foundation's sole purpose is to support the mission of Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah. HCI is the official cancer center of Utah. The cancer campus includes a state-of-the-art cancer specialty hospital as well as two buildings dedicated to cancer research. HCI treats patients with all forms of cancer and is recognized among the best cancer hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report. As the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West, HCI serves the largest geographic region in the country, drawing patients from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and beyond. HCI scientists have identified more genes for inherited cancers than any other center in the world, including genes responsible for breast, ovarian, colon, head, and neck cancers, along with melanoma. HCI manages the Utah Population Database, the largest genetic database in the world, with information on more than 11 million people linked to genealogies, health records and vital statistics. The institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.

Contact:

Debby Rogers

Huntsman Cancer Institute

801-587-7639

SOURCE Huntsman Cancer Foundation

Related Links

http://huntsmancancer.org/giving/foundation


DALLAS, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the newest rounds of grants marking its 20th anniversary, Hyundai Hope On Wheels 501(c)(3) celebrates National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by awarding the Hyundai Hope Scholar and Young Investigator grants, totaling $500,000, to pediatric oncologists at Children's Health and instructors of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Ted Laetsch and Dr. Erin Butler. The awards will be officially presented to Dr. Laetsch and Dr. Butler at Children's Medical Center Dallas on Monday, Sept. 24 at 10 a.m.

This September, 38 new doctor-researchers will receive a combined $14.1 million in grants to support novel therapeutic approaches and innovative research options in pediatric cancer. Childhood cancer researchers depend largely on private funding for groundbreaking therapies to get off the ground and to advance treatment approaches to the next phase of testing, ultimately, bringing better therapies and cures to kids with cancer. With this latest award, Children's Health has received more than $1.5 million in grants from Hope On Wheels, contributing to the organization's $145 million in the organization's total lifetime giving.

"Throughout the country, talented doctors are working tirelessly to help kids fight cancer by conducting research or providing bedside care," said Scott Fink, chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. "Our goal at Hope On Wheels is to provide these doctors with the grant funds they need to perform their lifesaving work."

During the event, children being treated for cancer at Children's Medical Center Dallas will participate in the program's signature Handprint Ceremony, where they will dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on the Hope Vehicle, a white 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. As "Every Handprint Tells a Story," the colorful handprints of brave pediatric cancer fighters represent their individual and collective hopes, dreams and journeys. From now through the end of September, the Hope Vehicle will travel nationwide to honor kids battling cancer, raise awareness of the disease, and to inspire hope toward a cure.

Supporters are encouraged to visit the HHOW website (www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org) to view this year's grant winners along with stories of brave cancer survivors and passionate doctor-researchers. Once there, supporters may add their handprint to a wall of hope to show their support for the cause. They will also find information on additional ways to support HHOW through social media efforts and events throughout the month. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $145 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels

Related Links

http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org


Starting on September 30 th , illy will host an exclusive tasting for coffee lovers that encompass this year's recently announced Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award (EIICA) growers. The ticketed event at Chefs Club Counter includes cuisine by Chef Alfio Ghezzi, a two Michelin Starred culinary talent from the Trentino area of Italy. For information and tickets visit https://www.exploretock.com/chefsclubcounter/ .

The Sunday event includes a "blind tasting" and voting for the Coffee Lovers Choice Award presented by United Airlines, which will go to a top Arabica grower among this year's EIICA participants from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Nicaragua, and Rwanda. In its third year, the EIICA recognizes coffee growers who demonstrate excellence in achieving sustainable quality, and celebrates their achievements via award gala ceremony at The Rainbow Room.

Following the coffee tasting event, Chef's Klugmann and Ghezzi will cook exclusive dinners at Chefs Club Counter (62 Spring St. NYC) throughout the week bringing their inspirational, creative cooking to foodies in an approachable meal and setting that highlights fresh, seasonal ingredients and their signature dishes and approach to cooking. For more information and tickets visit https://www.exploretock.com/chefsclubcounter/.

"Chefs Club Counter 's rotating chef residency format allows us to open our doors to celebrated culinary talent from around the world," explains Chefs Club Culinary Curator Aaron Arizpe. "Illycaffe and their guest chefs, Chef Klugmann and Chef Ghezzi, share in our commitment to delicious, sustainable, seasonal ingredients. We are looking forward to what will surely be a delicious and unique dining experience."

MEDIA CONTACTS:

FOR illy

Alison Brod PR: Erika Berg | [email protected]

FOR CHEFS CLUB COUNTER

Collective: Nicky Wyman | [email protected] | 908-612-4500

About Chef Antonia Klugmann

At the helm as owner and chef of L'Argine a Venco, in Dolegna del Collio next to the Slovenian border, Michelin Starred Chef Antonia Klugmann is surrounded by vineyards in Northern Italy. The small restaurant focuses on seasonal food and purveyors. Her tasting menus are cerebral and gastral experiences that interpret territory through local products while also reducing food waste. With a local based on the Italian Slovenian border, Klugmann celebrates diversity, playing with unusual flavor combinations to create dishes like no other.

About Chef Alfio Ghezzi

At the helm of the elegant, intimate, contemporary country restaurant, Locanda Margon, two-starred Michelin Chef Alfio Ghezzi focuses attention on Italianness and refinement leveraging his surroundings which are reflected in his gastronomic menu. His objective is to enhance the raw ingredients with a cuisine that is an ordered set of products, execution, objects and gestures --Ghezzi views raw ingredients as a non-mediated expression of the territory. He is dedicated to his Italian roots of his homeland (Trentino territory) with a focus on sourced ingredients from local producers.

About the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award

Now in its third year, the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award (EIICA) recognizes coffee growers who demonstrate excellence in achieving sustainable quality. The award is named in honor of illycaffe's beloved late, second-generation leader, and celebrates the company's nearly three decades of hand-in-hand work with farmers on a global scale to realize a dream of offering the best coffee to the world. illycaffe will bring a total of 27 growers (three per country) to New York City for a ceremony in the Delegates Room at the United Nations. An expert jury's evaluation of beans in three different preparations -- espresso, drip and cold brew  will determine, a sole "Best of the Best" honoree while a "Coffee Lovers' Choice" award presented by United Airlines will be conferred to the grower whose beans were voted best by consumers during multiple tasting events around the world.

About Chefs Club

Chefs Club is an innovative restaurant concept originating in New York City's Nolita, where guests can experience spectacular dishes from the world's top culinary talent. Chefs Club invites visiting chefs to take over the space and menu for residencies lasting 3 weeks to 3 months, and beyond. Recent residencies include Abe Conlon, Sota Atsumi, JJ Johnson, Jeremiah Langhorne. Founded in 2014 by Belgian entrepreneur Stephane de Baets, Chefs Club also has locations in the iconic St. Regis Aspen, and Chefs Club Counter, a fast-casual location on the corner of Spring & Lafayette in SoHo which has recently featured Alvin Cailan of Egg Slut, Jordan Andino of FlipSigi, and Adam Gertzler's Dog Haus.

SOURCE illycaffe

Related Links

https://www.illy.com


| BY Lynchy |

Hakuhodo Japan has acquired shares in brand agency Beginnings Communications, Inc. (BCI) and events and activations company eNAV Logistics Management Services, Inc. (eNAV), both of the Philippines.

BCI is a brand agency with strengths in corporate and product and service branding in both creative and promotion. It has a track record in supporting a broad range of Japanese and global clients, in addition to local Filipino companies. In recent years, it has also been focusing energy on data-driven branding, and has collaborated with Hakuhodo on numerous projects. eNAV is a company with a proven record in planning and organizing events and activations large and small across the Philippines.

By welcoming BCI and eNAV into the Hakuhodo Group, the Group strengthens its integrated marketing response capabilities in the Filipino marketplace, where sustained high growth of 6-7% per annum is forecast, and will provide high quality services to Japanese and local clients.

We are very excited to be part of the Hakuhodo family and represent them in the Philippines. Hakuhodo is a welcome partner that will further strengthen the synergized thrust of BCI and eNAV in integrated communications. Hakuhodos expertise in data-driven marketing reinforces our own teams expertise in people-centered and experiential marketing. We believe that combined with our empathy for the local pulse, Hakuhodos global view now offers our clients a uniquely empowering advantage. Together, we look forward to fulfilling our joint commitment to forging relationships and inventing the future, said Gemma G. Alcantara, CEO of the two companies.

The Hakuhodo Group will continue to expand its marketing service network in Asia to provide marketing knowledge based on sei-katsu-sha* insight we have amassed until now to Japanese, local and global clients in each country.
"Urban water demands are projected to rise 80 percent by the year 2050 1 , a pace that will see more than a fourth of the world's largest cities outstrip their freshwater capacity in our lifetime," said Jacobs Global Director of Water and Senior Vice President Peter Nicol. "To combat these challenges, Jacobs is advancing the industry's most in-demand solutions and technological innovations for holistic water management and resiliency."

Nicol joined Jacobs Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities President Bob Pragada and Executive Vice President Greg McIntyre to discuss addressable markets and growth prospects for the company's global water business serving agriculture, industrial and municipal clients' needs for technologically advanced facilities, operations management and solutions to combat climate and security threats. Among examples highlighted:

Florida's 4G Wetlands, a multi-award-winning, 175-acre groundwater recharge wetland system to revitalize and restore the ecology of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, which supports more than $7.5 billion in agriculture and provides drinking water to 10 million people.

4G Wetlands, a multi-award-winning, 175-acre groundwater recharge wetland system to revitalize and restore the ecology of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, which supports more than in agriculture and provides drinking water to 10 million people. The Thames Estuary Asset Management 2100 Program, protecting 1.3 million people and 275 billion worth of property from tidal flooding  including a half-million homes, eight power stations, more than 80 railway and Tube stations, and Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament along the River Thames.

The Tuas Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore , to be the world's largest membrane-bioreactor facility to treat used water for renewal and reuse, while recovering biogas to generate electricity to power it, maximizing the water-energy-waste nexus.

, to be the world's largest membrane-bioreactor facility to treat used water for renewal and reuse, while recovering biogas to generate electricity to power it, maximizing the water-energy-waste nexus. The cost-effective Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility in Arizona , designed, built and currently operated by Jacobs using innovative treatment processes to manage scarce water supply in the desert environment.

, designed, built and currently operated by Jacobs using innovative treatment processes to manage scarce water supply in the desert environment. The Thames Tideway Tunnel Program to create a cleaner, healthier Thames, while enabling treatment that will continue to serve London for the next 100 years. The company has been leading the program including the 25-kilometer Thames Tideway Tunnel, and the award-winning Lee Tunnel, which was completed in 2016.

Known for introducing industry innovations such as the world's first aquifer storage and recovery project and the first use of membrane-reactor technology for wastewater treatment, the company in 2015 was honored with the Stockholm Industry Water Award for its leadership advancing clean water methodologies and technologies and increasing public acceptance of potable reuse. This is the topic of a white paper Jacobs will publish in October, titled "The Water of Our Future Is the Water of Our Past."

Jacobs leads the global professional services sector delivering solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. With $15 billion in fiscal 2017 revenue when combined with full-year CH2M revenues and a talent force of more than 77,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of services including scientific, technical, professional and construction- and program-management for business, industrial, commercial, government and infrastructure sectors. For more information, visit www.jacobs.com, and connect with Jacobs on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements. For a description of some of the factors which may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements please refer to our Form 10-K for the year ended September 29, 2017, and in particular the discussions contained under Items 1 - Business, 1A - Risk Factors, 3 - Legal Proceedings, and 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements made herein.

Jacobs Contacts

Investors : Media : Jonathan Doros, 817-239-3457 Lorrie Paul Crum, 303-525-2916 [email protected] [email protected]

1 Florke, Martina; Schneider, Christof; and McDonald, Robert I.: Nature Sustainability Journal, "Water competition between cities and agriculture driven by climate change and urban growth", January, 2018.

SOURCE Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.jacobs.com


VIENNA, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson Vision, a broad-based global leader in vision, will highlight key clinical data and latest solutions in a growing portfolio of innovative products designed to improve vision care throughout a lifetime at the upcoming European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) 2018 Annual Meeting in Vienna, Austria from September 22  26. The company will offer a series of educational sessions for the ophthalmology community about the latest advancements in surgical vision, including diagnostic tools, available treatments, and the importance of a healthy ocular surface, to support them on the front lines of patient care.

Currently, half of the world needs vision correction, yet only 10% are treated.1 At the meeting, Johnson & Johnson Vision will be showcasing innovations designed to address the needs of the people living with impairment due to cataracts, as well as the 340 million people currently suffering from dry eye, worldwide.2

"We are constantly innovating to introduce meaningful new products that support the needs of our patients across a lifetime of eye health needs," said Tom Frinzi, Worldwide President, Surgical, Johnson & Johnson Vision. "At ESCRS, we're proud to share new data that furthers supports TECNIS Symfony lens as an important option for patients, as well as present multiple opportunities for industry and experts to come together to tackle important issues facing our field today."

Our continued portfolio growth includes the addition of solutions such as LipiScan Dynamic Meibomian Imager and LipiView II Ocular Surface Interferometer, as well as LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System, which is indicated to treat meibomian gland dysfunction, the leading cause of dry eye.

TECNIS Symfony IOLs Data of Note (REFERENCES ABSTRACTS)

This year, new clinical data will be presented that builds on the wealth of evidence supporting the safety, efficacy and overall benefits of TECNIS Symfony IOLs for cataract patients, reinforcing the excellent contrast sensitivity,3 and dysphotopsia profile4 of TECNIS Symfony lenses over multifocals.

In addition, clinical data will be shared showing better tolerance of TECNIS Symfony IOLs to defocus5 and residual astigmatism6 than multifocals, as well as supporting use in post-myopic LASIK surgery patients7 and the positive impact on patient satisfaction4 and quality of life.2

Key presentations include:

1. "Evaluation of a novel measurement method using an eye tracking device to assess quality of reading with different presbyopia-correcting approaches," Baumhauer, I.

Paper Session: Ocular Surface & Quality of Vision

Monday, 24 September, 15:00 CEST , Room A3, Podium 1

2. "Visual quality, quality of life, and spectacle independence with 6 multifocal IOLs (Acrysof ReSTOR SV25T0, Tecnis ZKB00, Tecnis ZLB00, AT LISA 809M, ATLISA Tri 839MP, Tecnis Symfony ZXR00) and one monofocal IOL (Tecnis ZA9003), 6 months after cataract intervention," Gil, M.

Presented Poster Session: EDOF IOLs

Saturday, 22 September, 15:00 CEST , Poster Village: Pod 1

3. "Visual acuity, defocus curves, and contrast sensitivity with 6 multifocal IOLs (AcrySof ReSTOR SV25T0, Tecnis ZKB00, Tecnis ZLB00, AT LISA 809M, ATLISA Tri 839MP, Tecnis Symfony ZXR00): 6 months after cataract intervention," Gil, M.

Paper Session: EDOF vs Multifocal IOLs

Sunday, 23 September, 14:21 CEST , Poster Village: Pod 1

4. "Visual performance following implantation of 4 presbyopia-correcting IOLs," Hamid, A.

Poster Session: Pseudophakic IOLs: Multifocal

5. "Comparison of defocus tolerance between premium IOLs," Palomino, C.

Poster Session: EDOF IOLs

Saturday, 22 September, 15:55 CEST , Poster Village: Pod 1

6. "Comparative analysis of tolerance to postoperative residual refractive error after implantation of trifocal Finevision and extended-range-of-vision Symfony intraocular lenses," Zabala, L.

Paper Session: EDOF vs Multifocal IOLs

Sunday, 23 September, 14:50 CEST , Room A4

7. "Comparative analysis of clinical outcomes of a monofocal and an EDOF IOL in eyes with previous myopic LASIK," Zabala, L.

Poster Session: EDOF IOLs

Saturday, 22 September, 15:20 CEST , Poster Village: Pod 1

Supporting and Educating the Ophthalmology Community

Johnson & Johnson Vision is committed to providing 360-degree support for the ophthalmology community, helping to spark conversation around the latest research, future trends and solutions to vision care that best serve patients worldwide.

Throughout the meeting, the company will host a series of educational and interactive sessions to offer attendees the opportunity to share, discuss and learn amongst leading experts in the field of ophthalmology.

Key sessions include:

Ocular Surface Symposia: Informative and eye-opening event to discuss recent trends and clinical data in Ocular Surface Disease (OSD), including prevalence, impact and outcomes of surgical procedures. Speakers will discuss current diagnostic tools and introduce new perspectives in understanding OSD with new diagnostic tools

Informative and eye-opening event to discuss recent trends and clinical data in Ocular Surface Disease (OSD), including prevalence, impact and outcomes of surgical procedures. Speakers will discuss current diagnostic tools and introduce new perspectives in understanding OSD with new diagnostic tools Saturday, September 22, 2018 , 13:00  14:00 CEST

13:00 

Reed Messe Wien Congress Center; Room A6

PCIOL Symposia: Discuss preoperative diagnostics and tools to improve planning for refractive intraocular lenses (IOLs), including lens-based presbyopia correction options, such as trifocals, EDOF IOLs and monovision.

Discuss preoperative diagnostics and tools to improve planning for refractive intraocular lenses (IOLs), including lens-based presbyopia correction options, such as trifocals, EDOF IOLs and monovision. Sunday, September 23, 2018 , 12:45  14:15 CEST

12:45 

Reed Messe Wien Congress Center

Satellite Symposia: Dry Eye: All You Ever Wanted to Know About the Leading Cause of Dry Eye and Never Dared to Ask

Sunday, September 23, 2018 , 13:00  14:00 CEST

13:00 

Reed Messe Wien Congress Center; Room A4

Biometry Masterclass: Discuss best practices for successfully measuring and identifying the best lenses for your patients, including tricks and pitfalls in calculating toric lenses and keys to success for reliable patient outcomes.

Discuss best practices for successfully measuring and identifying the best lenses for your patients, including tricks and pitfalls in calculating toric lenses and keys to success for reliable patient outcomes. Saturday, September 22, 2018 10:00  11:30 CEST

10:00 

Johnson & Johnson Vision Lighthouse

Additionally, Johnson & Johnson Vision is proud to host the inaugural Vision Run 5K on Sunday, September 23 at 6:30AM at the Johnson & Johnson Lighthouse. This event will bring together ESCRS delegates and citizens of Vienna to support the Eye Care Foundation in providing affordable vision care in developing countries. Interested participants should register online here: http://tracs.net/escrs5k/.

Johnson & Johnson Vision

At Johnson & Johnson Vision, we have a bold ambition: to change the trajectory of eye health around the world. Through our operating companies, we deliver innovation that enables eye care professionals to create better outcomes for patients throughout their lives, with products and technologies that address unmet needs including refractive error, cataracts and dry eye. In communities with greatest need, we work in collaboration to expand access to quality eye care, and we are committed to helping people see better, connect better and live better. Visit us at www.jjvision.com. Follow @JNJVision on Twitter and Johnson & Johnson Vision on LinkedIn.

TECNIS and TECNIS Symfony are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. LipiFlow, LipiScan and LipiView are trademarks of TearScience, Inc.  Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. 2018

1 Brien H, et. al. The challenge of providing spectacles in the developing world: Community Eye Health, Vol. 13, #33. 2000. REF2018OTH0032.

2 Market Scope 2016. Dry Eye Products Report: A Global Market Analysis for 2015 to 2021. p. 57. REF2018TS4011.

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson Vision
Justice Kennedy chaired this year's selection committee which included Judge Raymond Kethledge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Lucy Koh of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The committee deliberated over two days in New York City along with the award sponsor, the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation executives.

"I am grateful to Justice Kennedy and the esteemed judges who reviewed an unprecedented number of highly impressive and fiercely dedicated nominees from all across the country," Julie C. Opperman said, the Foundation chairman.

"The committee and I are fascinated and inspired by the integrity, the commitment and the dedication of federal judges throughout the country," Devitt Committee Chairman, Justice Kennedy stated. "The committee noted that in addition to his nationwide reputation as being a skilled and fine trial judge, he has contributed to the judiciary in many ways including being on the panel for multi-district litigation and on the United States Sentencing Commission. Most important of all is the great respect that Judge Breyer enjoys among his own colleagues, members of the bar and the community at large. He honors us all by his continued commitment to the Rule of Law and the Constitution that it sustains."

Judge Breyer said in response, "I am honored to accept the Devitt Award." He added, "Even more so, I feel very privileged to have worked with so many selfless and dedicated colleagues over the past two decades. Their work in promoting the Rule of Law is the true award."

"Judge Breyer's exemplary record of service illustrates well the prestigious nature of the Devitt Award," said Judge Raymond Kethledge. Judge Lucy Koh continued, "He generously shares his time and wisdom with lawyers and judges in need of guidance. Judge Breyer volunteers to take extra cases to help his colleagues as well as assisting other districts in need."

After attending college at Harvard and law school at Berkley, Judge Breyer entered public service, joining the Army Reserve and working as a line prosecutor in the San Francisco attorney's office. In 1973 he joined the Watergate Special Prosecution Force in Washington and then returned to San Francisco where he went into private practice. In 1998, he was appointed as a district judge in the Northern District of California.

SOURCE The Dwight D. Opperman Foundation
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, announced today that data from LUNGevity's Patient-Focused Research Center (Patient FoRCe)'s study"Reaching the Unreached"on gaps in dissemination of patient education will be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2018 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) to be held this month in Toronto. This study is one of four that were accepted from LUNGevity to be shared at this year's conference.

Patient education is imperative to understanding one's diagnosis and making informed treatment decisions. However, many patients and their caregivers report that they do not receive materials or information from their healthcare providers (HCPs). "Reaching the Unreached," a mixed-method study of over 200 healthcare providers from academic research centers, community cancer centers, and private practice, was fielded to identify attitude toward usage, distribution, and development of education materials.

Findings show that distribution practices for educational materials are not standard and tend to be subject to the HCP's own discretion. Of the HCPs surveyed, surprisingly only 75% reported that lung cancer educational materials are distributed. Notably, there is a discrepancy in who actually does the distributing: nurse navigators and community cancer center administrators say oncologists most often distribute them (80%), while oncologists and pulmonologist claim they only distribute materials some of the time (56%).

"Health outcomes improve when patients are educated about their disease and can engage in shared decision-making with their healthcare provider," Andrea Ferris, president and CEO of LUNGevity, said. "The results of this study demonstrate there is more to be done to ensure that patients are receiving education resources from their healthcare providers."

Detailed results of "Reaching the Unreached" will be shared in Toronto at a poster presentation on September 26.

LUNGevity's Patient-Focused Research Center (Patient FoRCe) is the organization's in-house research institute that brings evidence-based research and scientific rigor to understanding the lived experience of people diagnosed with lung cancer. Patient FoRCE conducts, analyzes, and disseminates studies examining the perspective and voice of the patient in order to impact policy as it is developed, research as it is conducted, and treatment as decisions are made, ensuring patient centricity.

"Dissemination is important for all Patient FoRCe studies," Dr. Upal Basu Roy, director of Patient FoRCe, said. "This ensures that relevant stakeholderspatients, caregivers, clinicians, regulators, and industry partnersare made aware of study findings and implications, with the ultimate goal of driving practice change."

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity is the nation's leading lung cancer organization investing in lifesaving, translational research and providing support services and education for patients and caregivers. LUNGevity's goals are three-fold: (1) accelerate research to patients, (2) empower patients to be active participants in their treatment decisions, and (3) remove barriers that patients face in accessing the right treatments.

LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. LUNGevity's comprehensive resources include a medically vetted website, a toll-free HELPLine in partnership with CancerCare, a unique Lung Cancer Navigator app, peer-to-peer mentoring for patients and caregivers (LUNGevity LifeLine), and survivorship conferences. LUNGevity also helps patients find and navigate clinical trials through our Clinical Trial Finder tool, a Clinical Trial Ambassador program, and participation with EmergingMed.

Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, a four-star Charity Navigator organization, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.

About Lung Cancer in the U.S.

About 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime

More than 234,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year

About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers

Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined

Only 19% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation

Related Links

http://lungevity.org


WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, announced today that they will be presenting findings from two studies conducted by LUNGevity's Patient-Focused Research Center (Patient FoRCe) related to biomarker testing at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2018 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Toronto later this month. These studies are two of the four that were accepted from LUNGevity to be shared at this year's conference.

LUNGevity is a strong advocate for patient access to precision medicinebringing the right therapy to the right patient at the right time. LUNGevity encourages every patient with non-small cell lung cancer to ask their doctor about the benefits of comprehensive biomarker testing and is working to ensure that every patient has access to these tests. Despite the fact that there are 18 biomarker-driven lung cancer treatments approved by the FDA, many patients' tumors are still not tested for the presence of biomarkers that would indicate the likelihood of benefit to the patients of using these treatments.

The first study focused on the attitudes of healthcare providers about prescribing additional biopsies when a patient's therapy stops working (re-biopsying the patient). This is a follow-on study to one that LUNGevity conducted and presented at the 2016 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Vienna focused on the patient attitude toward re-biopsy. The study among healthcare providers found that re-biopsy practices vary by practice settings and volume of advanced-stage lung cancer patients. Furthermore, a comprehensive biomarker profile may not always be obtained at re-biopsy, which could lead to suboptimal treatment options for a patient.

The second study was an audit of the diverse communications and messages that patients are receiving about biomarker testing. The inconsistencies in marketing and education materials lead to confusion in the patient population about what to ask for from their doctors. The study highlights the importance of consistent and actionable messages for lung cancer patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) so that the importance of biomarker testing is appropriately conveyed. When results of the audit were presented to a stakeholder group consisting of patient advocacy groups, pharmaceutical companies, and diagnostic companies, participants agreed that all materials should at least answer important questions on biomarker testing, such as Why is biomarker testing important?, Who should get tested?, and When should patients get tested?

Detailed results of both studies will be presented in Toronto on September 24. The re-biopsy study will be presented as an oral presentation in the session "Towards Survivorship: The Landscape, Support, and Barriers," while the messaging study will be presented as a poster.

"Both studies are part of LUNGevity's ongoing work to ensure that all people diagnosed with advanced-stage lung cancer have access to timely, high-quality, comprehensive biomarker testing," said Andrea Ferris, president and CEO of LUNGevity Foundation. "Precision medicine holds great promise for lung cancer patients, but you need to know your tumor profile before you can benefit from these treatments."

LUNGevity's Patient FoRCe is the organization's in-house research institute that brings evidence-based research and scientific rigor to understanding the lived experience of people diagnosed with lung cancer. Patient FoRCE conducts, analyzes, and disseminates studies examining the perspective and voice of the patient in order to impact policy as it is developed, research as it is conducted, and treatment as decisions are made, ensuring patient centricity.

"Dissemination is important for all Patient FoRCe studies," Dr. Upal Basu Roy, director of Patient FoRCe, said. "This ensures that relevant stakeholderspatients, caregivers, clinicians, regulators, and industry partnersare made aware of study findings and implications, with the ultimate goal of driving practice change."

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity is the nation's leading lung cancer organization investing in lifesaving, translational research and providing support services and education for patients and caregivers. LUNGevity's goals are three-fold: (1) accelerate research to patients, (2) empower patients to be active participants in their treatment decisions, and (3) remove barriers that patients face in accessing the right treatments.

LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. LUNGevity's comprehensive resources include a medically vetted website, a toll-free HELPLine in partnership with CancerCare, a unique Lung Cancer Navigator app, peer-to-peer mentoring for patients and caregivers (LUNGevity LifeLine), and survivorship conferences. LUNGevity also helps patients find and navigate clinical trials through our Clinical Trial Finder tool, a Clinical Trial Ambassador program, and participation with EmergingMed.

Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, a four-star Charity Navigator organization, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.

About Lung Cancer in the U.S.

About 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime

More than 234,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year

About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers

Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined

Only 19% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation

Related Links

http://www.lungevity.org


WOODBURY, N.Y., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lustgarten Foundation is pleased to announce two new pancreatic cancer research laboratories through respective partnerships with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The opening of these Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratories will usher in a new era of research progress and represents an initial $10 million investment. These laboratories position the Foundation to be the only non-profit in the country to have three laboratories devoted to pancreatic cancer research.

"The addition of these two laboratories, along with our dedicated laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, will help us bring together the best science and research minds to foster and advance the goals of finding a cure for pancreatic cancer," said David Tuveson, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientist and Director of the Lustgarten Foundation Dedicated Research Laboratory, and Director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cancer Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

United in the shared goal of improving patient outcomes, the laboratories will increase collaboration between world-renowned pancreatic cancer researchers and explore new, promising avenues for understanding and treating this disease from the bench to the bedside. At the time the Lustgarten Foundation was established in 1998, pancreatic cancer was indeed an "orphan" disease, with fewer than 15 researchers studying pancreatic cancer nationally. Twenty years later, and with the additions of these dedicated laboratories, thousands of researchers are now focused on pancreatic cancer.

At Dana-Farber, under the leadership of Brian Wolpin, M.D., MPH, Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Director of the Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, and the Robert T. & Judith B. Hale Chair in Pancreatic Cancer, the Lustgarten Laboratory at Dana-Farber will be a critical hub for advancing pancreatic cancer translational research, initiating scientifically-driven clinical trials, and identifying new approaches to early pancreatic cancer detection. This work will also capitalize on the large, multidisciplinary network of investigators working on pancreatic cancer at Dana-Farber, under the umbrella of the Hale Center.

The research conducted in the Lustgarten Laboratory at Dana-Farber will focus on three main objectives:

Study the genetic composition and functionally characterize the driver pathways of pancreatic tumors, which will lead to personalized treatment options for patients;

Expand clinical trials for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, in which treatments are selected using organoids, or miniature 3-D tissue samples taken from a patient's tumor. Organoids allow multiple drugs to be tested in real time to identify the best course of treatment for the patient; and

Identify new blood-based and imaging markers of asymptomatic pancreatic cancer and new models for pancreatic cancer risk prediction to facilitate earlier cancer detection.

The Lustgarten Laboratory at MIT will leverage its unparalleled expertise in cancer biology and engineering to advance pancreatic cancer research. Led by Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., Director of MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Daniel K. Ludwig Scholar and David H. Koch Professor of Biology, the laboratory will examine the immune responses to the disease using molecular profiling to characterize patients' pancreatic tumors.

The main objectives of the Lustgarten Laboratory at MIT will be to:

Evaluate the role the immune system plays in the development of pancreatic tumors and progression of the disease to lead to better therapeutic options;

Explore pancreatic cancer progression using single cell profiling technologies, which will provide new insights into the mechanisms of disease development as well as identify new targets for intervention;

Reduce the time required to produce an organoid; and,

Use organoids and mouse models with specific mutations to examine genes that may be responsible for tumor development and explore DNA manipulation through screenings to examine disease progression.

About the Lustgarten Foundation

The Lustgarten Foundation is America's largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research. Based in Woodbury, N.Y., the Foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, facilitates dialogue within the medical and scientific community, and educates the public about the disease through awareness campaigns and fundraising events. Since its inception, the Lustgarten Foundation has directed $165 million to research and assembled the best scientific minds with the hope that one day, a cure can be found. Thanks to separate funding to support administrative expenses, 100 percent of your donation goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. For more information, please visit www.lustgarten.org.

About Dana-Farber

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world's leading centers of cancer research and treatment. It is the only center ranked in the top 4 of U.S. News and World Report's Best Hospitals for both adult and pediatric cancer care. Dana-Farber's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. We provide the latest in cancer care for adults through Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center and for children through Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique and equal balance between cancer research and care, translating the results of discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world. For more information, visit www.dana-farber.org/PancreasBiliaryCenter and www.halecenter.dfci.harvard.edu.

About The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, a National Cancer Institute-designated Basic Cancer Research Center, is the hub of cancer research on the MIT campus. Bringing together biologists, chemists, engineers, computer scientists, clinicians, and others in a state-of-the-art facility, the Koch Institute offers fresh perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches to advancing the fight against cancer. Working within the vibrant MIT research community and with external collaborators, including NCI-designated clinical cancer centers and biotech/pharma partners, the Koch Institute is dedicated to developing novel insights into cancer, as well as new tools and technologies to better detect, treat, and prevent the disease. For more information about MIT's Koch Institute, please visit https://ki.mit.edu/

SOURCE The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research

Related Links

http://www.lustgarten.org


BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The belief that exercise works as preventive medicine has led many Americans to incorporate an exercise routine into their daily activities. In the short run, some people say they feel physiological and psychological improvements when they exercise, but everyone complains about the soreness after an intense workout routine. For this and other kinds of body pains, Marshalls Traditional Healthcare created Panol.

Feeling soreness after a workout is a good thing. It means that your muscles went through a physical stress that stretched the muscle to a point it wasn't used to; therefore, the muscle fibers break, leaving some space for new fibers to build.

Some resources that can help people cope with soreness include ice, anti-inflammatory medications, heat, stretch and massage. A research study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research said that, for example, about 15 minutes of massage post workout could improve proprioception and strengthen the calves.

Panol contains 100 percent natural oils  cinnamon, rosemary, peppermint, thyme, eucalyptus, clove and sesame seed oil  and it can be used for post-workout massages. It not only helps alleviate pain in sore muscles, but it also helps with Arthritis and rheumatisms, sinus pain, sport injuries and sprains, cramps associated with menstrual pain and headaches and migraines.

"Its easy-to-spray mechanism offers a more convenient and targeted application," Vick Maharaj, Marshalls CEO, said. "Its unique combination of essential oils have analgesic properties that contribute to pain relief, and its pleasant natural fragrance, might uplift your mood."

Some people like to get a massage before and/or after a workout. When getting a massage before a workout, people get their muscles warmed up and stretched out; and when getting a massage after a workout, people are usually looking for relaxation and prevention of soreness.

For more information on Marshalls Traditional Health Care and its Lays Beauty line, visit www.lays-beauty.com or https://www.lays-beauty.com/testimonials/.

Please direct inquiries to:

Michelle Bizet, 561-544-0719

[email protected]

SOURCE Marshalls Traditional Healthcare
FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Sept, 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of blood cancer experts are meeting in New York City to discuss how treatment options have transformed over the past year, as part of the NCCN 13th Annual Congress: Hematologic Malignancies. The congress is hosted by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and moderated by co-chairs Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Quality Informatics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Ranjana H. Advani, MD, Saul Rosenberg Professor of Lymphoma, Stanford University Medical Center. The congress features a keynote session on CAR T-cell therapy and educational sessions on treatment updates for 14 different cancer types, some of which include acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma (MM), and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), as well as the management of bone health in patients with blood cancers.

"We are devoted to making sure that providers who serve people with cancer are knowledgeable about promising new cancer treatments," said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. "This congress and our frequently-updated NCCN Guidelines allow us to share the best new evidence and to offer insights into new care recommendations from our expert panelists."

"Numerous advances have been made in the biology and treatment of hematological malignancies in 2018," said Dr. Zelenetz. "Today, an unprecedented number of novel drugs have been approved or are in the developmental pipeline. Many of these drugs act through entirely novel mechanisms of action and target particular molecularly defined subsets of disease."

Dr. Advani agreed: "The complexity of integrating risk assessment, optimal therapy, molecular profiles, surveillance and the continuum of care concepts across hematological malignancies has challenged the practitioner to keep abreast of an evolving diagnostic and treatment landscape, which is best addressed by ongoing comprehensive educational opportunities and utilization of guidelines."

The day-and-a-half long event begins with a series of keynote addresses on milestones in CAR T-cell therapy from Frederick L. Locke, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, plus a closer look at using CAR T-cell therapy in lymphomas and leukemia from Reem Karmali, MD, MS, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, and Patrick A. Brown, MD, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, respectively. Richard M. Stone, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, follows with an address about considerations for the use of novel agents in AML.

The second day focuses on patient case studies and panel discussions, and includes the following additional faculty:

Enduring webcasts from the NCCN 13th Annual Congress: Hematologic Malignancies will be available online at education.nccn.org starting on November 1. Join the conversation online with the hashtag #NCCNhem18.

This congress is taking place just after the publication of a brand new NCCN Guidelines for Systemic Mastocytosis, the most common form of mastocytosis diagnosed in adults. Systemic mastocytosis mainly results from the accumulation of abnormal mast cells (a type of white blood cell) in one or more extracutaneous organs (with or without skin involvement). The new guidelines were developed by the NCCN Guidelines Panel for MPN, and include recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with all variants of systemic mastocytosis.

Looking ahead, the NCCN 2019 Annual Conference will take place March 21-23, 2019, in Orlando, FL. The NCCN 2019 Annual Congress: Hematologic Malignancies is scheduled for September 27-28, 2019, in San Francisco, CA.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of 27 leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education, is dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care so that patients can live better lives. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers.

The NCCN Member Institutions are: Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Omaha, NE; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center/University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, OH; City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA; Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center | Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA; Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA; Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, and Rochester, MN; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY; Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, CA; University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL; UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA; UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO; University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN; and Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital, New Haven, CT.

Clinicians, visit NCCN.org. Patients and caregivers, visit NCCN.org/patients. Media, visit NCCN.org/news. Follow NCCN on Twitter @NCCNnews and Facebook @National.Comprehensive.Cancer.Network.

Media Contact:

Rachel Darwin

267-622-6624

[email protected]

SOURCE National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Related Links

https://www.nccn.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Neo4j, the leading platform for connected data, has announced the 11 winners of the 2018 Neo4j Graphie Awards. The winners were honored at the closing reception of the company's annual user conference, GraphConnect held in New York City on September 20, 2018.

The Graphie Awards celebrate the world's most innovative graph technology applications, recognizing success in connected data across multiple categories. Neo4j's customers, partners, startup program members, investigative/data journalists, community members and ambassadors, were encouraged to submit their graph-based projects for consideration.

"We're proud to have the chance to work with these world-class organizations and community members who demonstrate the value of connected data in ways we could never imagine," said Lance Walter, chief marketing officer at Neo4j. "We are consistently blown away by the scale, impact and innovation of how they've used the Neo4j Graph Platform, and we're glad to honor them with this year's awards."

Congratulations to the 2018 Graphie winners, who include:

Adobe Behance

Graph Impact: Cloud Infrastructure Savings

Adobe Behance drastically reduced infrastructure costs and increased performance using Neo4j, resulting in an order-of-magnitude decrease in DevOps staff hours and improvement in sign-in to initial activity experience.

Microsoft

Graph Impact: Scalability

To perform customer segmentation with near infinite granularity across massive datasets, Microsoft turned to Neo4j for a graph that provides their sales and marketing organization with the data needed to enter new markets.

Comcast

Graph Vision: Artificial Intelligence

Comcast uses Neo4j to personalize and enhance their customer experience from Xfinity X1 to XFi.

eBay

Graph Impact: Revenue & Reach

To power hub-pages and "virtual browse nodes" that aid in discoverability and PageRank score, eBay partnered with Neo4j and was able to improve their Google search rankings.

Pitney Bowes

Graph Vision: Embedded Machine Learning

By combining Neo4j's graph platform with powerful machine learning, Pitney Bowes helped their clients to identify money laundering networks, Ponzi schemes and fraud structures three years before they were reported.

The German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)

Graph Impact: Medical Research

The German Center for Diabetes Research uses Neo4j to combine heterogeneous research data sources and connect data across disciplines and locations in order to halt the emergence and progression of diabetes.

DXC Technology

Graph Impact: Digital Transformation

DXC Technology is globally impacting how customers engage and view the potential of digital transformation within their industry, and using Neo4j, they were able to identify $500M of new potential revenue worldwide.

Convergys

Graph Impact: Risk & Compliance

Convergys used Neo4j to deliver a successful hybrid cloud GDPR solution spanning multiple data sources across hundreds of clients and +10,000 employees.

Graphen

Graph Impact: Graph Analytics

Graphen built a tool to migrate relational data into Neo4j, as well as an immersive augmented reality environment to visualize graph data.

Juit

Graph Impact: Unstructured Data

Juit used Neo4j to consolidate data across the complex Brazilian legal system, comprising 93 courts, 18,000+ judges, 60+ legal research sources, 200+ million lawsuits and 26 million verdicts to simplify and accelerate jurisprudence research.

Iryna Feuerstein

Graph Community MVP

Iryna is recognized for her commitment to teaching and growing the Neo4j community since 2014. She runs the Neo4j Dusseldorf meetup, has delivered multiple Neo4j + R workshops and has written articles on graph data processing with Neo4 and Apache Spark. Iryna is a consultant for Neo4j partner PRODYNA.

For additional information visit: neo4j.com/graphies.

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About Neo4j, Inc.

Neo4j, Inc. is the graph company behind the #1 platform for connected data. The Neo4j graph platform helps organizations make sense of their data by revealing how people, processes and digital systems are interrelated. This connections-first approach powers intelligent applications tackling challenges such as artificial intelligence, fraud detection, real-time recommendations and master data.

The company boasts the world's largest dedicated investment in native graph technology, has amassed more than 20 million downloads, and has a huge developer community deploying graph applications around the globe. More than 300 commercial customers, including global enterprises like Walmart, Comcast, Cisco, eBay, and UBS use Neo4j to create a competitive advantage from connections in their data.



Neo4j is privately held and funded by Eight Roads Ventures (an investment arm of Fidelity International Limited), Sunstone Capital, Conor Venture Partners, Creandum, Dawn Capital and Greenbridge Investment Partners. Headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., Neo4j has regional offices in Sweden, Germany and the UK. For more information, please visit Neo4j.com and @Neo4j.

SOURCE Neo4j, Inc.

Related Links

http://Neo4j.com


SAN BRUNO, Calif., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Freshworks, the leading provider of cloud-based customer engagement software, today announced a new Forrester Consulting study, Riding The Next Wave in SaaS CRM, that found a majority of businesses are frustrated with their current SaaS customer relationship management (CRM) software and currently making plans to replace these solutions.

"This study suggests that a massive shift in CRM market share is coming, and it will be quick and dramatic," said Freshworks CEO Girish Mathrubootham. "Businesses of all sizes  particularly small and medium-sized organizations  realize they have been overspending on systems that over-promise and under-perform."

According to the research commissioned by Freshworks, 56 percent of respondents say they will replace their CRM solutions within two years. More than 25 percent are already looking for more efficient, user-friendly systems that aren't as costly and don't require as many IT resources as systems currently dominating the market.

Buyers, users differ widely on satisfaction

The study also found a sharp disconnect between CRM buyers and users on their attitudes toward their current solutions. Almost half (49 percent) of buyers said they're very satisfied with their current SaaS CRM systems, but only 34 percent of users say they're very satisfied.

Additionally:

Only 19 percent of buyers said training for their CRMS was insufficient, compared to 45 percent of users

43 percent of buyers said their solution is straightforward to learn, compared to just 29 percent of users

46 percent of buyers said their solution is easy to use, compared to 36 percent of users

"Clearly, current SaaS CRM systems are not meeting the expectations of firms today, especially from a user perspective," Mathrubootham said. "The implications are significant. The promise of CRM systems is to provide a 360-degree view of a company's customers, but long and cumbersome implementations, poor integration with other systems and  most significantly  poor user experiences are interfering with achieving that promise. If you were to ask the vast majority of users today what they want most in a CRM system, you'd find they want a solution that makes them better, more efficient workers. They're not getting that right now."

Why customers are looking for alternatives

Businesses that have abandoned their old CRM software agree with that assessment. "What we were promised with our previous system and what was delivered were two different things," said Brian Engles, Director of Partnership at Facilitron. "It was a bloated, bulky, unwieldy package that had a steep learning curve. What Freshworks has provided is a feature-packed yet easy-to-use system that has considerably eased user burden. We also moved from a terrible customer support environment to one that is extremely accessible and friendly."

Cost was a significant factor in Offset Solar's decision to switch. "There were so many cost traps with our previous system," said Rob Schmidt, CTO, Offset Solar. "We experienced a variety of additional expenses related to integrations and multiple tools created by their development community. Freshworks delivered what was essentially an easy-to-use out-of-the-box system with a great set of native features as well as integrations with other tools."

Methodology

The study, commissioned by customer engagement platform Freshworks, polled 300 users and buyers of SaaS CRM solutions from small and midmarket enterprise firms across industries in the U.S., U.K. and Germany. Approximately half of the 300 respondents were from tech, retail, travel/hospitality, ecommerce, education and nonprofit organizations numbering between 250 and 499 people, with the rest totaling between 500 and 2,000 employees. Half of the respondents use their systems every day, and 40 percent served in customer-service roles.

For more information on the Forrester Consulting study or to download the study, please visit, https://www.freshworks.com/forrester-saas-crm-software-report/

About Freshworks

Freshworks Inc., is the leading provider of cloud-based customer engagement software. Freshworks products make it easy for teams to collaborate with each other and help provide their customers with the best experience possible. Freshworks' suite of products includes Freshdesk (customer support helpdesk), Freshservice (ITSM tool), Freshsales (Sales CRM software), Freshcaller (call center software), Freshchat (customer messaging software), Freshteam (applicant tracking software) and Freshmarketer (conversion optimization suite). Freshworks Inc., is backed by Accel, Tiger Global Management, CapitalG, and Sequoia Capital India. Freshworks headquarters are located in San Bruno, Calif., with global offices in India, UK, Australia and Germany. The company's suite of SaaS products is widely used by over 150,000 customers around the world including Honda, Bridgestone, Hugo Boss, University of Pennsylvania, Toshiba and Cisco.

Media Contact

Victor White

Method Communications for Freshworks

[email protected]

415-891-4907

SOURCE Freshworks

Related Links

http://www.freshworks.com


TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobbo, the leading mobile SDK intelligence solution, has released a new, mobile SDKs trends report, after analyzing 8 Million mobile apps.

The study offers a look at the best performing mobile SDK (Software development kits) solutions, covering 9 categories: Payment, Data Monetization, Rewarded Ads, Analytics, Attribution, Engagement, Crash Reporting, Social and Monetization

Top 20 iOS monetization SDK's Top attribution SDK's

As with preceding editions, The Mobbo Power Index offers app publishers and marketers insightful benchmarks of mobile app SDK components, helping them to make informed decisions about the best technology stacks. The new report sheds light on the scale and performance of popular SDK components and tracks the movers and shakers in the mobile industry.

"We're excited to release the latest edition of The Mobile Power Index," said Ofir Krisspel, CEO of Mobbo. "To improve and ultimately perfect an app, developers need to select the right SDKs. However, in today's marketplace app developers are literally inundated with SDK choices, making it difficult to choose the best ones. As the leading SDK intelligence provider, we are in a unique position to offer an in-depth look with valuable information for app marketers in their quest to pinpoint the best SDKs to integrate with. The new Index reveals industry changes and new players in the always-evolving mobile app landscape."

Some of the key findings of the research include:

PayPal is the most popular Payment SDK on Android with 66% market share.

Unity Ads is the most popular Rewarded Ad SDK on Android with 68% market share.

Appsflyer takes the first place as the most popular Attribution SDK with 74% market share on Android and 59% on iOS

Appboy is the leading engagement SDK on Android with 65% market share, the next most popular Engagement SDK is Onesignal with 11%.

Crashlytics is the most widely used Crash Reporting SDK on both Android and iOS.



Some of the main companies in the mobile marketing market are:

Stripe, Alibaba, Yandex, Smaato, Mopub, inmobi, Heyzap, Revmob, Opera, Appodeal, Leadbolt, Aol, Flurry, Ironsource, Appnext, Swelen, Amazon ads, Mobvista, Hyprmx, Airpush, Lifestreet, Appnexus, Fyber, Vungle, Adcolony, Cuebiq, OneAudience, Twine, Areametircs, Umeng, Adjust, Tune, Kochava, TalkingData, Intercom, Leanplum, Branch, New Relic, Chartboost.

Most of these companies are based in the U.S because of the size and importance of that market. However, companies from Asia Pacific are also expected to become major players soon.

To explore additional trends, please download the full report here.



About Mobbo:

Mobbo measures the mobile world and offers powerful data-driven market research tools, providing insights to help publishers, investors, marketers and analysts across the world make more informed decisions, and succeed in the global app economy.

For more information go to: https://mobbo.com/sdk-power-index

For media inquiries, contact:

Ofir Krisspel

+972523958796

[email protected]

SOURCE Mobbo

Related Links

https://mobbo.com/sdk-power-index


RESTON, Virginia and FRANKFURT, Germany, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

OpenLegacy was recently selected as one of nine startups in Fintech Europe's initial accelerator batch. Sponsored by Plug and Play in partnership with Deutsche Bank and Tech Quartier, the Frankfurt-based program intends to run two 12-accelerator batches per year.

OpenLegacy's API integration and management software accelerates digital innovation by quickly connecting the core and legacy systems to new digital services for mobile, cloud, and web.

"We take our role in driving the fintech industry forward very seriously, so we're especially honored to have been awarded a spot in Fintech's inaugural group," said Zeev Avidan, OpenLegacy's Chief Product Officer. "FIs and the fintechs need to accelerate time to market to maximize customer value and retention. By combining microservices and APIs, OpenLegacy closes the gaps between the legacy systems and innovations."

This partnership gives OpenLegacy the opportunity to demonstrate its disruptive capabilities to Plug and Play's corporate partners and participating institutions who have been unable to invest in the newest fintech because of the rigidity of their legacy application investments.

Using OpenLegacy, companies can fast-track their digital transformations to tackle immediate business demands while slashing legacy API integration initiatives at speeds measured by a stop watch, not a calendar. The solution allows them to overcome backlogs and reduce legacy IT complexity.

OpenLegacy specializes in automating API creation, optimization, testing, deployment, and management for core and legacy systems across the entire API lifecycle, including the creation of microservices. Its patented approach bypasses layers of complexity to directly access and extend business logic to web, mobile, or cloud innovations; the process is not only fast, easy and secure, but it also does not require special staff skills or changes to existing systems or architecture.

"We're focused on startups creating disruptive technologies that can change markets and make incremental improvements for our corporate partners," says George Damouny, Partner at Plug and Play Ventures. "We have selected pre-seed to pre-IPO companies working on solutions from operational efficiency and security automation to food safety and augmented reality. We hope to see these companies grow immensely over the next few months through our expansive corporate ecosystem."

About OpenLegacy

OpenLegacy helps organizations quickly launch innovative digital services by extending their core (legacy) systems to the web, mobile and cloud in days or weeks versus months. Our API software quickly reduces project backlog by automating and accelerating API creation, deployment, testing and management from core applications, mainframes and databases. Together, business and IT teams can quickly, easily and securely meet consumer, partner or employee demands for digital services without modernizing or replacing core systems, and without special programming skills or invasive changes to existing systems and architectures. Learn why leading companies choose OpenLegacy at http://www.openlegacy.com.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 20 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 6,000 startups and 220 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. We provide active investments with 200 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and host more than 700 networking events per year. Companies in our community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, PayPal, SoundHound, and Zoosk. For more information, visit http://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com

Media Contact

Amy Kenigsberg

K2 Global Communications

http://k2-gc.com/

[email protected]

tel: +972-9-794-1681 (+2 GMT)

mobile: +972-524-761-341

U.S.: +1-913-440-4072 (+7 ET)



SOURCE OpenLegacy
NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. (TSX-V: NINE;OTCQX: VRNDF), the holding company for Delta 9 Bio-Tech Inc., has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Delta 9 upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market.

Delta 9 begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "VRNDF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

"Delta 9 joins over 40 Canadian companies that have chosen to upgrade to our OTCQX Best Market this year," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "Trading on OTCQX provides companies with increased visibility and more efficient trading for their global investors. We look forward to supporting Delta 9 and their shareholders in the U.S. market."

Delta 9 Chief Executive Officer John Arbuthnot says that trading on the OTCQX comes at an opportune time for the Company, and for US investors.

"Our company is in final preparations for the historic legalization of recreational cannabis across Canada," explained Arbuthnot. "We have been ramping up our production to prepare for this emerging market, and we are among the few companies in Canada that will have retail outlets open for business on Day One of legalization. Exposure to OTC investors really could not come at a better time."

Delta 9 was sponsored for OTCQX by McMillan LLP, a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership.

About Delta 9 Cannabis Inc.

Delta 9 was the fourth company in Canada licensed by Health Canada as a producer and seller of legal cannabis through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Delta 9 Bio-Tech Inc., with a large-scale production facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Company also owns 50 per cent of the Delta West production facility in Calgary, Alberta, and runs its retail operations through Delta 9 Lifestyles Inc.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


MEXICO CITY, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and Talos Energy (NYSE:TALO), as operator of the Block 7 Consortium, are pleased to announce that Pemex and the international Block 7 Consortium (Talos Energy, Sierra Oil and Gas, and Premier Oil) have signed a Pre-Unitization Agreement (PUA) related to certain tracts within the Amoca-Yaxche-03 allocation (assigned to Pemex as part of Round 0) and the contiguous Block 7 production sharing contract (assigned to the consortium by the National Hydrocarbons Commission as part of the first tender of Round 1). Both areas are situated in the offshore portion of Mexico's prolific Southeast Basin.

This is the first Pre-Unitization Agreement ever to be signed in Mexico. Under the country's recently revamped legal and regulatory framework, this two-year agreement enables information sharing related to the recently announced Zama discovery and its potential extension into Pemex's neighboring block. It also sets a clear path for the signing of a Unit Agreement and Unit Operating Agreement in the event a shared reservoir is confirmed, as it establishes a defined process based on international practices to determine the resulting participation of each party in the potential overall development.

As a result of the agreement, both parties will immediately form a Working Group, with the objectives of maximizing operational and informational efficiencies, defining activities on each tract that optimize the collection of data in the area, and reducing any potential hazards, all to maximize the benefits for Mexico. The Working Group will be comprised by legal and technical representatives from the member companies.

The PUA has previously been approved by the Ministry of Energy (SENER).

About Pemex

Pemex is the largest company in Mexico. It operates through the whole chain of value of the industry, from exploration and production -upstream- to industrial transformation, logistics and marketing downstream.

About the Consortium

The Block 7 Consortium comprises Talos Energy (Operator, 35% interest), Sierra Oil and Gas (40%) and Premier Oil (25%).

About Talos Energy

Talos is a technically driven independent exploration and production company with operations in the United States Gulf of Mexico and in the shallow waters off the coast of Mexico. Our focus in the United States Gulf of Mexico is the exploration, acquisition, exploitation and development of shallow and deepwater assets near existing infrastructure. The shallow waters off the coast of Mexico provide us high impact exploration opportunities in an emerging basin. The Company's website is located at www.talosenergy.com.

About Sierra Oil & Gas

Sierra Oil and Gas is based in Mexico City, and is the leading and largest independent company in Mexico. Sierra Oil & Gas and its international partners, have won 6 blocks in highly competitive auctions carried out by CNH in Mexico's southeast basin, by offering the highest government take in each round and a total of six commitment wells combined. Sierra Oil & Gas philosophy is totally entrepreneurial, with an experienced team and core values such as transparency, corporate ethics, and international governance practices. Sierra Oil and Gas has established leading collaboration with academic institutions UNAM and ITAM as well with Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (IMP) to advance research, education and training in Mexico's oil and gas sector. Sierra Oil & Gas is backed by prestigious equity firms Riverstone, EnCap Investments and BlackRock, as well as Afores (Mexican retirement and pension funds) through local investment instruments CKD's, from Riverstone (RIVERCK15) and BlackRock (ICUA2CK14).

About Premier Oil

Premier Oil is a FTSE 250 independent exploration and production company with oil and gas interests in the UK, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Falkland Islands, Mexico and Brazil.

Press contacts

Pemex

Carmen Rocha Maguey

+ 521 55 74813994

[email protected]

Talos Energy

Sergio Maiworm

+1.713.328.3008

[email protected]

SOURCE Talos Energy

Related Links

http://www.talosenergy.com


NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rafael Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: RFL) today announced that its Chief Financial Officer, David Polinsky, will present an overview of the Company's business and strategy at the Sidoti & Company Fall 2018 Investor Conference. The presentation will begin at 1:30 PM Eastern on Thursday, September 27, 2018.

Presentation slides will be available for download in the investor relations section of the Rafael Holdings website, www.rafaelholdings.com.

The Sidoti & Co. conference will be held at The Grand Hyatt in New York, NY. Mr. Polinsky will be meeting with conference attendees throughout the day. Investors wishing to schedule a meeting should email [email protected].

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, Rafael Holdings, Inc. assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

About Rafael Holdings, Inc.:

Rafael Holdings holds commercial real estate assets and interests in two clinical stage pharmaceutical companies. The real estate holdings consist of properties in Newark and Piscataway, New Jersey and Jerusalem, Israel. The pharmaceutical holdings consist of interests in Rafael Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and a majority stake in Lipomedix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Both are focused on development and commercialization of drugs in the oncology space. For more information, visit www.rafaelholdings.com

SOURCE Rafael Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

http://rafaelholdings.com


ENCINO, Calif., and LONDON, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Research Solutions, Inc., (OTCQB: RSSS), a pioneer in providing cloud-based workflow solutions for R&D driven organizations, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Reprints Desk and technology company Digital Science have forged an agreement bringing together the power of two research tools: Article Galaxy and Dimensions. Reprints Desk's award-winning Article Galaxy research platform provides customers with fast, reliable, and personalized access to full-text scientific literature and intelligent data insights. Digital Science's new research and discovery database, Dimensions, integrates more than 135 million publications, grants, clinical trials, and patents.

The Dimensions database supports Article Galaxy's ecosystem of Gadgets  powerful research productivity apps for science. Article Galaxy users searching or managing citation data within certain apps or Gadgets in Article Galaxy are offered automated 'More Like This' recommendations with actionable citation references powered by Dimensions  and can access, purchase, or rent the full-text paper on the spot.

"Article Galaxy's intelligent ecosystem of gadgets enables scientists to personalize and simplify their research workflows by gathering the data that's important to them. Dimensions helps us to achieve this goal," said Peter Derycz, President and CEO of Research Solutions.

Christian Herzog, CEO of the Data and Analytics group at Digital Science, adds, "Dimensions is pleased to collaborate with Reprints Desk to address the latest research challenges facing scientists. Our organizations share a vision to impact the research lifecycle and to facilitate innovation."

More than 70 percent of pharmaceutical companies, prestigious universities, and other R&D driven corporations rely on Article Galaxy, Reprints Desk's cloud-based research intelligence platform, for simplified and lowest cost access to the latest scientific research and data. Article Galaxy combines on-demand research retrieval, scientific data analytics, and enterprise literature management in one platform, featuring an ecosystem of app-like Gadgets and a Gadget Store for easy enhancement and visualization of data. For more information on Article Galaxy, please visit: http://info.reprintsdesk.com/the-all-new-article-galaxy-featuring-the-gadget-store

About Dimensions

Dimensions is a modern, innovative, linked research knowledge system that re-imagines discovery and access to research. Developed by Digital Science in collaboration with over 100 leading research organizations around the world, Dimensions brings together grants, publications, citations, alternative metrics, clinical trials and patents to deliver a platform that enables users to find and access the most relevant information faster, analyze the academic and broader outcomes of research, and gather insights to inform future strategy. For more information on Dimensions, visit the Dimensions website at https://dimensions.ai and find us on Twitter @DSDimensions.

About Digital Science

Digital Science is a technology company working to make research more efficient. We invest in, nurture and support innovative businesses and technologies that make all parts of the research process more open and effective. We believe that together, we can help researchers make a difference. Visit www.digital-science.com for more information.

About Research Solutions

Research Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: RSSS) provides workflow efficiency solutions for R&D-driven organizations in life sciences, technology and academia worldwide. Our Software-as-a-Service platform provides tools or "Gadgets" that allow users to discover, access, manage and collaborate around science, technology and medical (STM) content and data. Our customers range from 70 percent of the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies to emerging small and medium-sized businesses. We generate recurring revenue from subscriptions to our SaaS platform and transactional revenue from the sale of STM content. For more information, visit www.researchsolutions.com.

About Reprints Desk

Reprints Desk, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Research Solutions, simplifies how organizations procure, access, manage, and use scholarly journal articles, patents, and other content in scientific, technical, and medical (STM) research. Organizations fueled by intellectual property choose Reprints Desk because of its collaborative business approach, efficient article supply system and services, and commitment to quality post-sales support. Reprints Desk has ranked #1 in every Document Delivery Vendor Scorecard from industry analyst and advisory firm Outsell, Inc. since 2008. For more information, visit www.reprintsdesk.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Such matters involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the following: changes in economic conditions; general competitive factors; acceptance of the Company's products in the market; the Company's success in obtaining new customers; the Company's success in technology and product development; the Company's ability to execute its business model and strategic plans, and all the risks and related information described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the financial statements and related information contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and interim Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company assumes no obligation to update the cautionary information in this release.

SOURCE Research Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.researchsolutions.com


DALLAS, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RKD Group proudly announces that SPCA of Texas, North Texas Food Bank, and other North Texas nonprofit clients raised more than $1.4 million on North Texas Giving Day.

RKD Group is a leading fundraising and marketing agency to over 250 regional and national nonprofit organizations. The Dallas-based marketing agency's strategic campaign development and execution helped each of their clients meet their ambitious Giving Day fundraising goals.

"Each year the fundraising goal for this special day is bigger and bigger and to meet our 2.4 million meal goal, we needed expert counsel. RKD empowered us to think about our marketing and fundraising efforts as one holistic campaign. I am very proud of what our teams accomplished together on North Texas Giving Day," stated Anna Kurian, Director of Marketing and Communications at North Texas Food Bank.

RKD provided strategic, creative and digital marketing expertise to enhance each of its clients' campaigns. "Collaborating with RKD allows the North Texas Food Bank to benefit from lessons learned with other RKD clients and enabled the team to create the best strategy to hit our goals," said Kurian.

"The SPCA of Texas and RKD Group make a great team and our partnership has propelled our digital fundraising strategies forward significantly on North Texas Giving Day and throughout the year," said Debra Burns, Sr. VP of Development at SPCA of Texas. "The team approach has allowed us to expand our capacity to reach our donors. RKD Group's wonderful work made our jobs easy."

North Texas Giving Day is an important fundraising day for nonprofit organizations. The 18-hour online giving event brings significant awareness and support for nonprofits throughout North Texas. This year, more than 47 million was raised on North Texas Giving Day, a record amount for the yearly event.

Tim Kersten, CEO of RKD Group stated, "North Texas Giving Day provided a great opportunity for RKD Group to benefit our community by helping SPCA of Texas, North Texas Food Bank, and other clients deploy sophisticated strategies to raise the funds they need to fulfill their missions. Giving Day was a great success for our clients and we are grateful to be partners with them."

About RKD Group

RKD Group raises more than $100 million annually for nearly 250 nonprofit organizations, including hospitals, social service, health, disease research, animal welfare, and faith-based charities. RKD Group's data-driven, multichannel approach accelerates net revenue growth, builds long-term donor relationships, and drives online and offline engagements and donations. With a growing team of 200 professionals, including award-winning creative leadership, over 40 digital fundraising experts, and world-class data scientists, RKD Group creates breakthroughs never thought possible.



About CFT's North Texas Giving Day

Communities Foundation of Texas' North Texas Giving Day is an 18-hour online giving event designed to empower every person to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits and causes they care about in one easy-to-use platform.

Contact:

Suzanne Anderson

[email protected]

972-664-2376

SOURCE RKD Group

Related Links

http://www.rkdgroup.com


SAO PAULO, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  Sabesp ("Company" or "Sabesp"), pursuant to the provisions of article 157,  4, of Law No 6,404/76 as well as with the provisions of CVM Instruction No 358/02, informs its shareholders and the market in general that the signing of a Protocol of Intentions (Protocolo de Intencoes) between the City of Guarulhos, the Government of the State of Sao Paulo and the Autonomous Service of Water and Sewage of Guarulhos (Servico Autonomo de Agua e Esgoto de Guarulhos  SAAE), with Sabesp as a consenting intervening party, is scheduled for tomorrow, September 21, 2018, with the following purposes:

Formalize the intention of the signatory parties to the negotiation of the necessary conditions to the associated management of the services, as to comply with the metropolitan and regional directives, in the form of the applicable legislation; and

Express the interest of the City and the State in attributing to Sabesp the provision of services of water supply and all the scope of sewage services not included in Contract No 056/2014 (partial sanitary sewage public-private partnership - PPP) previously concluded by the municipal administration, which can be reduced or altered in order to comply with the metropolitan directives set forth by the State of Sao Paulo.

The Protocol of Intentions (Protocolo de Intencoes) will, once formalized, also determine that:

The Municipal Executive ( Poder Executivo Municipal ) will have to send to the Municipal Chamber ( Camara Municipal ) of Guarulhos, within 20 (twenty) days, a Proposed Bill for a Municipal Law ( Projeto de Lei Municipal ), in order to, at least, (i) authorize the conclusion of a Technical Cooperation Agreement ( Convenio de Cooperacao Tecnica ) between the City of Guarulhos and the State of Sao Paulo , thereby setting forth the integration of the planning and execution of the services of water supply and sewage service of Guarulhos; (ii) acknowledge the Regulatory Agency for Sanitation and Energy of the State of Sao Paulo (ARSESP - Agencia Reguladora de Saneamento e Energia do Estado de Sao Paulo) as the regulatory and oversight entity for the public basic sanitation service of the City of Guarulhos; and (iii) authorize the conclusion of a Public Service Agreement ( Contrato de Prestacao de Servicos Publicos ) between the City of Guarulhos, the State of Sao Paulo and Sabesp; and

) will have to send to the Municipal Chamber ( ) of Guarulhos, within 20 (twenty) days, a Proposed Bill for a Municipal Law ( ), in order to, at least, (i) authorize the conclusion of a Technical Cooperation Agreement ( ) between the City of Guarulhos and the , thereby setting forth the integration of the planning and execution of the services of water supply and sewage service of Guarulhos; (ii) acknowledge the Regulatory Agency for Sanitation and Energy of the State of Sao Paulo (ARSESP - Agencia Reguladora de Saneamento e Energia do Estado de Sao Paulo) as the regulatory and oversight entity for the public basic sanitation service of the City of Guarulhos; and (iii) authorize the conclusion of a Public Service Agreement ( ) between the City of Guarulhos, the State of Sao Paulo and Sabesp; and The signatory parties commit to using their best efforts in order to sign the Technical Cooperation Agreement (Convenio de Cooperacao Tecnica) and the Public Service Agreement (Contrato de Prestacao de Servicos Publicos) with Sabesp within 90 (ninety) days of the signing of the Protocol of Intentions (Protocolo de Intencoes).

The provisions of the Protocol of Intentions (Protocolo de Intencoes), will remain in effect for 4 (four) months or up to the conclusion of the definitive documents, whichever takes place first.

The terms for contracting Sabesp, which are subject to changes throughout the effective period of the Protocol of Intentions (Protocolo de Intencoes), are based on the following:

Concession of service of water supply and part of the sewage service of the city;

Investments by Sabesp of approximately R$1.7 billion during the contract in the city exclusive systems and in the metropolitan systems to serve Guarulhos, in addition to the transfers of resources for supplementary investments to be made by the City Hall ( Prefeitura Municipal ) of Guarulhos; and

during the contract in the city exclusive systems and in the metropolitan systems to serve Guarulhos, in addition to the transfers of resources for supplementary investments to be made by the City Hall ( ) of Guarulhos; and Judicial agreement to suspend the payment of the City debt with Sabesp of about R$3.2 billion and the proportional amortization of its value until the end of the term of the service agreement.

The content proposed in the to-be-signed Protocol of Intentions (Protocolo de Intencoes) replaces the conditions previously negotiated with the City and disclosed in the Material Fact of August 28, 2017.

The signing of the Protocol of Intentions (Protocolo de Intencoes) will be confirmed as soon as it takes place, whereas the conclusion of the judicial agreement and of the service agreement will depend on the prior approval by the Board of Directors of Sabesp, as well as by the Legislative Municipal Chamber (Camara Legislativa do Municipio) of Guarulhos.

The company will keep the market informed of any developments related to the subject matter of this Material Fact.

IR Contacts:

Mario Arruda Sampaio: (55 11) 3388-8664 ([email protected])

Angela Beatriz Airoldi: (55 11) 3388-8793 ([email protected])

SOURCE Sabesp (Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo)

Related Links

http://www.sabesp.com.br


AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ScaleFactor, makers of next-gen financial operations software, are announcing their newest integration with marketing and sales monolith, Salesforce.

Working hard on behalf of small businesses, ScaleFactor develops software that cuts the red tape and streamlines the back office. The new Salesforce Lightning Integration is a critical next step in the automation of front office and back office operations for small companies.

ScaleFactor

"Salesforce Lightning is the transactional data backbone for millions of users that brings powerful capabilities to a generation of small businesses," said Brian Simmons, ScaleFactor's Senior Director of Products. "For the first time, critical metrics such as profitability, customer acquisition costs, and budgets are available in real time. AI-powered business intelligence apps such as Salesforce's Einstein Platform become insanely great when fed tangible financial metrics instead of just marketing and sales data."

By marrying the powerful data provided by Salesforce Lightning with ScaleFactor's in-depth financial analysis, small businesses are armed in real time with game-changing information.

Small businesses can see customer impacts on gross margin, cash contribution, expenses, and other financial KPIs -- capabilities only available to much larger companies with big finance departments.

About ScaleFactor:

ScaleFactor is the automated accounting and finance software changing the way modern businesses operate. By eliminating tedious accounting tasks and translating financial information into usable business insights, ScaleFactor is enabling business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs to focus on what they love: running and growing their business. Find out more about how ScaleFactor is solving the problems that businesses face every day at scalefactor.com.

Media Contact:

Amy Furr

(512) 593-2999

[email protected]

SOURCE ScaleFactor

Related Links

http://www.scalefactor.com


LONDON, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The following documents (the "Documents") are available for viewing:

Prospectus Supplement dated 19 September 2018

Shell International Finance B.V. unaudited interim financial statements for the six month period ended 30 June 2018

The Documents must be read in conjunction with the Information Memorandum dated 3 August 2018 relating to the Programme. The Information Memorandum constitutes a base prospectus for the purposes of Article 5.4 of Directive 2003/71/EC as amended. Full information on Shell International Finance B.V. and Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE:RDS.A) (NYSE: RDS.B) is only available on the basis of the Information Memorandum.

The Documents are available for viewing at the 'Financial Publications' section of Shell's website. To view the Documents, please paste the following URLs into the address bar of your browser.

Shell International Finance B.V. unaudited interim financial statements for the six month period ended 30 June 2018

https://www.shell.com/investors/financial-reporting/debt-information/shell-international-finance-bv-reports/_jcr_content/par/textimage.stream/1534938119438/dd9b8b5417fac21554c3dfd44ca389ae79b74116eb67b80b020eb523c9d7393f/sifbv-2018-06-signed-interim-accounts.pdf

Prospectus Supplement dated 19 September 2018

http://www.shell.com/investors/financial-reporting/euro-medium-term-note-programme.html

Other content available on Shell's website and the content of any other website accessible from hyperlinks on Shell's website is not incorporated into, and does not forms part of, this announcement.

The Documents have also been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm .

DISCLAIMER - INTENDED ADDRESSEES

Please note that the information contained in the Information Memorandum may be addressed to and/or targeted at persons who are residents of particular countries (specified in the Information Memorandum) only and is not intended for use and should not be relied upon by any person outside these countries and/or to whom the offer contained in the Information Memorandum is not addressed. Prior to relying on the information contained in the Information Memorandum, you must ascertain from the Information Memorandum whether or not you are part of the intended addressees of the information contained therein.

This publication does not constitute an offering of the securities described in the Information Memorandum for sale in the United States. This is not for distribution in the United States. The securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under any relevant securities laws of any state of the United States and are subject to U.S. tax law requirements. Subject to certain exceptions, the securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, as such terms are defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of the securities in the United States.

Your right to access this service is conditional upon complying with the above requirement.

Enquiries:

Shell Media Relations

International, UK, European Press: +44(0)207-934-5550

Shell Investor Relations

Europe: +31(0)70-377-3996

SOURCE Royal Dutch Shell plc
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkCognition has announced the addition of Vijay Doradla to its leadership team as Chief Business Officer. Doradla brings decades of diverse experience in technology and innovation to SparkCognition from serving in engineering, research, and investment roles.

"SparkCognition is at the forefront of the world's greatest technological shift, pioneering the application of artificial intelligence for society's most critical industries," said Doradla. "I am honored to be a part of the team shaping the AI 3.0 revolution. I'm thrilled to join SparkCognition in building AI to advance the most important interests of society."

With over 20 years of experience in technology, Doradla has served as a semiconductor engineer, industry analyst, and investor in the field of technology. Before joining SparkCognition as CBO, Doradla led several successful investments as lead Director at Verizon Ventures. Prior to Verizon, Doradla was the Founder and CEO of SilverSting Capital, a crossover fund focused on innovative technology investments in the public and private sector.

"Vijay is an industry leader who has vast experience with innovative technologies. We are thrilled to have him join SparkCognition's executive team as our Chief Business Officer," said Amir Husain, Founder and CEO of SparkCognition. "As SparkCognition expands its applications and international reach, Vijay's multidimensional skill sets will prove invaluable as we march forth in making AI meaningful across the globe."

As CBO of SparkCognition, Doradla will lead the company's business strategy. The addition of Doradla closely follows SparkCognition's appointment of Sridhar Sudarsan as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in July, as part of an ongoing push to expand the company's executive team.

"Vijay is an established leader with tremendous knowledge and experience. There is no doubt that he will propel SparkCognition's mission forward. He joins an esteemed leadership team that is playing a critical role in beneficially applying artificial intelligence in both industry and government," said Steve Nordlund, Chairman of the Board of Directors at SparkCognition and Vice President, Boeing HorizonX & NeXt.

About SparkCognition:

With award-winning machine learning technology, a multinational footprint, and expert teams focused on defense, IIoT, and finance, SparkCognition builds artificial intelligence systems to advance the most important interests of society. Our customers are trusted with protecting and advancing lives, infrastructure, and financial systems across the globe. They turn to SparkCognition to help them analyze complex data, empower decision-making, and transform human and industrial productivity. With our leading edge artificial intelligence platforms, our clients can adapt to a rapidly changing digital landscape and accelerate their business strategies. Learn more about SparkCognition's AI applications and why we've been featured in CNBC's 2017 Disruptor 50, and recognized two years in a row on CB Insights AI 100, by visiting www.sparkcognition.com.

For Media Inquiries:



John King

SparkCognition

[email protected]

512-956-5491

SOURCE SparkCognition

Related Links

http://www.sparkcognition.com


The collaboration between St. Jude and Tessa aims to advance cellular immunotherapy treatments for childhood cancer

St. Jude and Tessa will pioneer a novel approach to pediatric high grade gliomas, aggressive brain cancers in children, in which multiple cancer antigens will be targeted by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified Virus-Specific T cells

MEMPHIS, Tenn. and SINGAPORE, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (St. Jude), the U.S. hospital leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, together with Tessa Therapeutics (Tessa), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced the establishment of a strategic collaboration focusing on the development of novel cellular immunotherapies that could lead to new treatment options for children with brain cancer.

The goal of the partnership is to accelerate the preclinical development of CAR-expressing Virus-Specific T cells (VSTs) leading to clinical testing in the near future. Stephen Gottschalk, M.D., chair of the St. Jude Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, leads the St. Jude team of investigators, which also includes Giedre Krenciute, Ph.D., and Jean-Yves Metais, Ph.D.

"The strategic collaboration will advance our understanding of how CARs work in VSTs," Gottschalk said. "The gained knowledge will be critical for optimizing CAR VSTs targeting multiple tumor antigens expressed in pediatric high-grade gliomas."

For the collaboration's first project, the research teams of Gottschalk and John E. Connolly, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Tessa Therapeutics, will develop a new treatment for pediatric high-grade gliomas, an aggressive form of brain cancer in children, which currently has very few treatment options.

"We are excited to team up with St. Jude in the fight against childhood cancer," said Andrew Khoo, Tessa Therapeutics CEO and Co-Founder. "St. Jude, one of the leading pediatric cancer hospitals in the U.S., shares our vision of working toward a cure for cancer. We believe our joint effort will accelerate advances in cellular immunotherapy and lead us a step closer to achieving this vision. Together, we aim to bring new hope to children suffering from cancer in the U.S. and around the world."

Notably, the teams at Tessa and St. Jude will explore a new approach to cellular immunotherapy by targeting multiple tumor antigens with CARs using Tessa's VST platform. This novel multi-CAR VST approach carries the potential to improve survival rates in children as well as reduce the chance of tumor escape, a phenomenon where cancer evolves to evade a successful treatment.

"If successful," Gottschalk said, "multi-CAR VSTs could be adapted to other pediatric cancers that cannot be cured with conventional therapies."

Connolly added, "High-grade glioma is a tumor where in some cases, we have seen a reduction in tumor volume following cell therapy treatment. However, after some time the tumor starts growing again. One reason could be that current therapies only target single tumor antigens. Over time, cancer cells may mutate and stop displaying the target antigen. Targeting multiple antigens should prevent the cancer from taking this escape strategy. The promise of the multi-CAR VST approach we are taking together with St. Jude is incredibly exciting."

Cellular immunotherapy is a new cancer treatment that harnesses the patient's immune system to fight the disease. It is widely considered one of the most promising advances toward a cure for cancer. T cells are removed from the patient's blood and re-engineered to recognize the cancer cells. The T cells are then expanded to large numbers and infused back into the patient where the T cells seek out and destroy the cancer cells.

St. Jude Media Relations Contacts

Tessa Therapeutics Media Contacts

Brunswick Group

Will Carnwath, Ben Fry

[email protected]

+65 6426 8188

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food -- because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. To learn more, visit www.stjude.org or follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.

About Tessa Therapeutics

Tessa Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with the scientific vision of revolutionizing the treatment of cancer by redirecting the body's potent anti-viral immune response to recognize and kill cancer cells. Tessa's virus-specific T cell (VST) platform has shown compelling results in the treatment of solid tumors, and the Company is building a portfolio of therapies addressing a wide range of tumors by combining the qualities of its T cell platform with complementary technologies. Tessa's lead Phase III trial for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the world's largest Phase III T cell immunotherapy trial for any cancer indication. The Company is also conducting a Phase I trial targeting cervical cancer and oropharyngeal cancer which is expected to move into Phase II in 2019. In addition, Tessa is developing a broad pipeline of pre-clinical programs targeting major cancers such as liver and lung cancer. The Company has built up robust operational and supply chain capabilities to successfully deliver T cell therapy treatments to a large patient pool across five countries. The combination of technologies from its academic, clinical, and commercial research partners have enabled Tessa to create a fully-integrated approach to the treatment of cancer with immunotherapy. For more information on Tessa, please visit www.tessatherapeutics.com.

SOURCE Tessa Therapeutics

Related Links

http://www.tessatherapeutics.com


ATLANTA, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech Alpharetta, the nonprofit organization helping the City of Alpharetta lead in innovation, welcomes five new members to its strategic advisory board. Focused on conceptualizing and guiding strategies for growing the Alpharetta tech ecosystem, the Board is comprised of some of the city's leading technology companies.

The 28-person Board features local c-suite and senior executives, along with community partners ATDC, Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), Gwinnett Tech and the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. The new Board members include:

Edwina Payne , Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Avanos Health

, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Avanos Health Doug Ring , Partner, Bedford Funding Capital Management

, Partner, Bedford Funding Capital Management Rachael Nagrowski , Executive Director, Business Sales for Southeast Market, Verizon Wireless

, Executive Director, Business Sales for Southeast Market, Verizon Wireless Robert Hendricks , Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, IntegraConnect

, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, IntegraConnect Walt Eisele , Chief Technology Officer, Scientific Games, Lottery

"We're excited to add this exceptional group of people to our Board," says Karen Cashion, CEO of Tech Alpharetta. "We've been mindfully growing our Board, and I'm humbled by the phenomenal talent of our Board, and our Board members' enthusiasm for serving our tech community. Our new Board members include Robert Hendricks, who was a founding Board member and former chairman for Tech Alpharetta; our first investor member, Doug Ring, and three additional, senior tech thought leaders that bring a breadth of expertise."

Tech Alpharetta was established in 2012 to act as a strategic advisor to the city of Alpharetta to help grow its technology ecosystem. Its Board was charged with identifying and pursuing key opportunities and policy decisions. Since its inception, the Board's recommendations have led to the launch of Tech Alpharetta's Innovation Center, a successful tech startup incubator that is home to 50 tech startups; the creation of the city's economic development website, www.growalpharetta.com; a cellular gap study conducted on behalf of the city; the adoption of the ItsMyTown city app, developed by an Innovation Center-affiliated tech startup, ITSimple; and many other key recommendations.

For more information about Tech Alpharetta, its mission and it programs, or for information about the Tech Alpharetta Innovation Center, visit www.techalpharetta.com.

About Tech Alpharetta

Tech Alpharetta (previously the Alpharetta Technology Commission), the first organization of its kind in Georgia, was established in 2012 by the City of Alpharetta and is an independent, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization today. The organization includes a strategic advisory board of Alpharetta's leading technology companies, a technology events pillar, and the Tech Alpharetta Innovation Center, a flourishing tech startup incubator.

MEDIA CONTACT

Rachel Jimenez

Trevelino/Keller

(404) 214-0722 Ext.113

[email protected]

SOURCE Tech Alpharetta

Related Links

http://www.techalpharetta.com


The new deals mark a significant expansion in the fair's engagement plan with the international community. The partnership with China Southern Airlines will serve buyers from North America, while Turkish Airlines will provide participants with selected benefits on a wide range of routes from Middle East, Africa and South America.

Travellers flying China Southern Airlines will be entitled to special discounts on first class, business class, premium economy and economy tickets on routes between Los Angeles-Guangzhou and Vancouver-Guangzhou. Turkish Airlines passengers will be eligible for special discounts and extra mileage on both business and economy class tickets.

"Over the past 61 years, the fair has received overwhelming support from countries across the world. During the 123rd Canton Fair, in particular, we welcomed over 33,426 buyers from America and over 90,576 from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, " said Alan Liu, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office at Canton Fair. "This year, and with this continued support in mind, we are pleased to announce our new partnership with two leading Airlines, which will greatly expand our offering and extend our invitation to global buyers from developed and emerging markets."

The Canton Fair, China's largest and most inclusive trade exhibition, is considered the window to China. According to recent customs data, bilateral trade between China and Africa reached USD170 billion in 2017, with an average growth rate of 14.1 percent per year. In the same year, China-Arab trade approached $200 billion (Dh734 billion), up 11.9 per cent year-on-year, while direct Chinese investment in Arab countries increased 9.3 per cent to $1.26 billion.

Development cooperation is increasing at all levels. With significant room for further global collaboration and growth, the fair is continuously looking to expand its offering and extend their invitation to 'discover more at the Canton Fair' to buyers and sellers across the world.

For more information on exclusive travel deals, booking tickets to the Fair or finding out more information on the new partnership, please login the "BEST (Buyer E-Service Tool)" on the Canton Fair official website invitation.cantonfair.org.cn.

About the Canton Fair

The China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is held biannually in Guangzhou every spring and fall. Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is now a comprehensive exhibition with the longest history, highest level, largest scale and largest number of products as well as the broadest distribution of buyer origins and the highest business turnover in China.

SOURCE Canton Fair
SYDNEY, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Governor of New South Wales, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), officially launched the Governor Phillip Scholarship with a reception at Government House on Tuesday 18 September 2018. Governor Hurley is the first Patron of the new scholarship which aims to invest in the postgraduate education of outstanding young Australian and British men and women from all fields of endeavour to create an inspirational generation of leaders, academics and global citizens for the benefit of Australia and the United Kingdom.

His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) giving a speech during the official launch of the Governor Phillip Scholarship

The Governor Phillip Scholarship celebrates the outstanding qualities of Governor Phillip, Commander of the First Fleet and first Governor of modern Australia. All scholars selected for this prestigious award must be outstanding in their chosen academic field.

"It is important for us to recognise the lasting legacy Governor Phillip had on modern Australia," said Governor Hurley. "An inspirational leader, with forward-thinking views from statecraft to indigenous relations, Governor Phillip's attributes make him an excellent example for a new generation of young Australian and British leaders."

To date, the Governor Phillip Scholarship has been generously funded by personal and corporate benefactors and will continue to grow its endowment over time. At the launch event, an ambassador of the scholarship, Warren Mundine (former National President of the Australian Labor Party and chairman of the Australian Government's Indigenous Advisory Council), further endorsed the Scholarship.

The first scholar, Katherine Shen (from Sydney with undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago), commenced her Masters in Political Theory at the University of Oxford in 2017. A further two scholars are commencing their studies at the University of Oxford in the 2018 academic year - John De Bhal (from Brisbane with undergraduate studies at the University of Queensland) and Hayley Pring (from Perth with undergraduate studies at the Australian National University), both studying International Relations and Government. Support from the University of Sydney will see British students coming to Australia to commence their postgraduate studies.

David Slessar, Chairman of the Governor Phillip Scholarship Trust, said, "We have taken the first steps to creating what will undoubtedly become the largest bilateral scholarship between Australia and the United Kingdom on a par with the Fullbright, Marshall and Jardine scholarships."

About the Governor Phillip Scholarship

Established in 2016, the Governor Phillip Scholarship has been created to fund postgraduate awards to outstanding students who wish to study in the United Kingdom or Australia. It is expected that the scholarship will become the most important bilateral postgraduate scholarships in Australia and the United Kingdom. By acknowledging the achievements of Governor Phillip as a statesman, naval officer and humanitarian, the Governor Phillip Scholarship aims to foster leadership, knowledge and excellence and to further the advancement of a modern Australia. Ambassadors of the scholarship include Professor Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO (former Governor of New South Wales), Major General The Honourable Michael Jeffrey AC CVO MC (Retd) (former Governor General of Australia) and Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO (former chairman of the Australian Indigenous Advisory Council). Visit www.governorphillip.org for more information.

Media Contact:

Alice Ilich

Phone: +61 2 9247 9244

Email: [email protected]

Related Links

Governor Phillip Scholarship website

Governor of New South Wales

SOURCE Governor Phillip Scholarship

Related Links

http://www.governorphillip.org


ALBANY, New York, September 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The global wearable injectors market has been gaining traction in the last few years and holds immense growth potential. Thanks to this, several new players are entering the global market in order to expand their product portfolio and enhance their market penetration across the globe. According to a research study that has been presented by Transparency Market Research, in 2017, the global market for wearable injectors was worth US$ 2,920.2 Mn and is projected to reach a value of US$ 9,038.1 Mn by the end of 2026. The market is estimated to register a promising 13.0% CAGR between 2018 and 2026.

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Some of the major factors that are anticipated to encourage the growth of the wearable injectors market across the globe have been given below:

The rising prevalence of chronic diseases, including diabetes and cancer is considered as one of the major factors anticipated to accelerate the growth of the global wearable injectors market throughout the forecast period.

Wearable injectors are drug delivery devices that have been designed for the patients in order to easily administer the drugs inside their body. The growing need for such devices is predicted to enhance the market growth in the next few years.

Technology advancement and innovations in the healthcare industry and the increasing preference of patients to administer drugs at home is considered as one of the key factors estimated to encourage market growth in the next few years.

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On the other hand, the low awareness among consumers regarding the easy availability of these devices and the easy administration it offers is projected to restrict the growth of the global wearable injectors market in the next few years. In addition to this, the high cost of these products is another key factors predicted to restrict the growth of the overall market in the coming years. Nonetheless, the key players in the market are focusing on creating an awareness among consumers regarding the importance and benefits of using these devices, which is projected to accelerate the growth of the overall market in the coming years.

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Easy Availability of Advanced Products to Encourage Growth of North America Market

Furthermore, among the key regional segments, North America is projected to witness a healthy growth rate in the next few years. The high growth of this region can be attributed to the easy availability of products, technological developments and innovations, and the high penetration of the healthcare segment in this region. In addition to this, the presence of a large number of players operating in this region and the high awareness among people are further predicted to enhance the growth of the overall market in the coming few years.

Browse Press Release: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/wearable-injectors-market.htm

According to the research study, the global wearable injectors market is highly competitive in nature and is estimated to witness a substantial rise in the level of competition in the next few years. The increasing number of players and the expansion of the product portfolio are some of the key factors that are estimated to strengthen the competitive scenario of the global wearable injectors market in the next few years. Some of the key players operating in the wearable injectors market are West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., CeQur SA., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc., SteadyMed Therapeutics, Inc., Insulet Corporation, Ypsomed AG, Debiotech S.A., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., and Sensile Medical AG.

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Body Sensor Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/body-sensor-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/body-sensor-market.html Smart Medical Devices Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-medical-devices-market.html

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
New York, Sep 21 : Rather than paying reparations for the Raj's exploitation of India, Britain must acknowledge the evil legacy of its colonialism and teach its people, according to Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor.

"History has moved on," Tharoor said when asked about reparations during his session at the JLF@New York, an edition of the Jaipur Literary Festival here on Thursday.

"How do you quantify the deaths of 35 million people from famines, the generations lost to indentured labour and the colonial loot?" he asked.

There could be a symbolic reparation of 1 pound a year paid for 200 years, but it was more important that there was a "learning" of colonialism's real history and impact by the British, especially the youth who sometimes had dreams of a resurgent empire.

Museums in Britain were "chor bazaars" (thieves markets) of exhibits looted from the colonies and while there was an Imperial War Museum, there wasn't a museum of imperialism, he mused.

Tharoor is the author of "Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India", which lays out the depredations of the Raj and its legacies. It was a bestseller in both India and Britain.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arullouis)
New Delhi, Sep 20 : The NIA will produce Nashidul Hamzafar, an alleged Islamic State (IS) sympathiser who was deported from Afghanistan to India on Tuesday, in a Kerala court later on Thursday, an official said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will seek Hamzafar's custody for questioning, the official said.

Hamzafar was arrested by the NIA after his deportation and produced in a Delhi court on Wednesday.

According to the NIA official, the alleged IS sympathiser had travelled to Afghanistan along with 21 others to join the terror organisation.

He was arrested by the counter-terror probe agency after he landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here from Kabul after his deportation.

In 2017, Hamzafar a resident of Wayanad district in Kerala, was detained by the Afghan security agencies for illegally entering the country to join his associates in the IS.

This is the first extradition of an alleged IS sympathiser from Afghanistan.

A Special Court here where Hamzafar was produced on Wednesday granted the NIA a two-day transit remand.

Hamzafar will be produced before the Special NIA Court in Ernakulam in Kerala that had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

According to the NIA, the case relates to a criminal conspiracy hatched by the accused from Kasaragod district, along with his associates, since Ramadan 2015 with the intention of joining and furthering the objectives of the Islamic State terror group.

At least 14 accused persons from Kasaragod had left India for their work places in the Middle East between mid-May and early-July in 2016 before travelling to Afghanistan, where they joined the IS.

Hamzafar was part of the conspiracy as he interacted with the other absconding accused like Abdul Rashid Abdulla and Ashfak Majeed through encrypted social media messages.

Abdulla and Majeed were known to Hamzafar through his college mates Shihas, Firoz Khan and Bestin Vincent, a NIA official said requesting anonymity.

According to the NIA this is a big breakthrough in the case as earlier the agency had only second hand information about the Kerala youth group which had gone to Afghanistan to join the IS.

This arrest would reveal much more about who all were involved in radicalising the youths in the state. The NIA said that Hamzafar was in touch with the leaders of the group.

The official said that Hamzafar had left India on October 3, 2017 and travelled to Muscat, Oman before going to Iran and then reached Kabul where he was detained.
New Delhi, Sep 20 : Amid the raging controversy over the Defence Ministry's procurement of the Rafale fighter aircraft from French firm Dassault Aviation, a senior Swedish official has said that his country's firm Saab, in its Gripen aircraft, has the requisite experience to contest for the upcoming Indian deal for manufacturing 110 new fighter jets under the Make in India programme.

"I know that Saab is interested, they want to be a part of this procurement," Teppo Tauriainen, Director General for Trade in the Swedish Foreign Ministry, told IANS in an interview here.

"They think they have something good to offer that will be of interest to India," Tauriainen said.

"They, of course, know what the expectations of the government is in terms of local production and cooperation with a local partner."

India is expected to select by the end of this year one fighter aircraft that will be manufactured by the private sector under the Make in India programme for supply to the Indian Air Force.

The Saab Gripen will be contesting with the likes of the Russian MiG 35, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Boeing F/A 18 and Lockheed Martin F-16 for the upcoming deal.

While MiG has already said that it will have state-owned Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL) as its local partner, Indian companies like Tata, Reliance Defence, Mahindra and Adani are in the fray for local partners in the project that is expected to be worth over $20 billion (Rs 1.44 lakh crore).

Tauriainen said that for Saab, contesting for the deal will be nothing new as it has signed a similar deal for Gripen with the Brazilian government with Embraer as its local partner.

"I have myself visited the Brazilian partner, Embraer, and seen there are a lot of spin-offs locally in the Brazilian economy from this fighter jet deal," he said.

"So, I think for Saab, as a company, it won't be unusual to do it the way the Indian government wants it to happen."

During his visit to Sweden in April this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that defence and security have emerged as an important pillar of the India-Sweden bilateral partnership.

"Sweden has been a partner of India in the defence sector for a long time. I am confident new opportunities for cooperation in this sector will arise in the future, especially in defence production," Modi said.

During that visit, an India-Sweden Partnership was also announced with a fund of 50 million Swedish kronor (around $5.6 million) for innovation cooperation in the fields of smart cities and sustainability.

Asked what steps have been taken in this connection, Tauriainen said that the dialogue for these projects has started though none of these projects have started operating.

"But we have come quite far to identify areas where we think there is a potential to do cooperation," he said.

He said that sustainable technology is a broad area and is very much related to how cities are built in terms of transport, energy, waste and waste water.

"There we have some interesting experiences and I hope that is of relevance to India," Tauriainen said.

"Some technologies we have already tested in Sweden. Other technologies will have to be adapted to Indian conditions," he added.

In Sweden, waste is actually used to generate power and only one per cent of the waste goes to the landfill.

Asked about the presence of around 180 Swedish companies in India and their role in the Indian economy, Tauriainen said these are doing good business despite "some limitations".

"They wouldn't mind if those limitations are taken away. But they are interested in the Indian market and most of them are interested in expanding," he said.

(Aroonim Bhuyan can be contacted at aroonim.b@ians.in)
Washington, Sep 20 : An Indian-origin doctor has pleaded guilty to a healthcare fraud in the US, the Justice Department said.

Jayam Krishna Iyer, 66, from Clearwater, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of the healthcare fraud earlier this week and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, or 20 years, if her offence involves serious bodily injury, the Department said in a press release.

As part of the plea on Tuesday, Iyer agreed to surrender both her Drug Enforcement Administration registration number that she used to prescribe controlled substances, her Florida medical licence, and to a permanent exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programmes.

According to officials, Iyer owned and operated Creative Medical Centre in Clearwater that functioned as a pain management clinic.

She billed Medicare and Medicaid for office visits, tests and services provided to patients using her National Provider Identification number, as well as wrote prescriptions for controlled substances.

Beginning as early as July 2011 and continuing through December 2017, Iyer executed and carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare by billing for face-to-face office visits with Medicare beneficiaries, when, in fact, certain patients did not go to her centre and were not examined by her on the claimed dates.

Instead, family members of the patients went to her with notes requesting her to issue and provide prescriptions.

Officials said that she thereby violated a law requiring doctors to perform an in-person office visit and examination of each patient before issuing controlled substance prescriptions.

Iyer also falsified her electronic medical records to make it appear that the patient was present in her office. She submitted at least $51,500 in these types of false and fraudulent Medicare claims, the release said.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Office of Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
Mumbai, Sep 21 : Director Prakash Bhardwaj, who is receiving positive response for his web series "Sare Jahan Se Achha", has said that host Prakash Jha is the identity of the show.

Bhardwaj was interacting with the media to promote the show on Thursday here.

Acclaimed filmmaker Jha who has directed films like "Raajneeti", "Gangajal", "Apaharan", "Aarkashan" and "Chakravyuh" is hosting the show on unsung heroes of the country.

Bhardwaj said: "Each show has its own identity. When you talk about a show like 'Satyameva Jayate' then you think of Aamir Khan and when you talk about 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', then you think of Amitabh Bachchan similarly, our show is being recognized among audience as Prakash Jha's show.

"He has the image of a filmmaker who thinks and makes films about different aspects of society which is a big plus point for our show and I think he is the identity or USP of the show because if he wouldn't have been on our show then there wouldn't have any takers for it."

Talking about the show's concept, Bhardwaj said, "On the digital platform people prefer to watch content which entertains them but 'Sare Jahan Se Achha' talks about people whose work has not been recognised.

"In an atmosphere when there is so much negativity floating around us in the social media and news, we were in dire need of something that would make us proud of our fellow citizens. Their efforts that help us lead a better life. That is what this show is about.

The series showcases the lives of ordinary individuals who try to create a change in the society. It aims to recognise the extraordinary work done by these individuals and is an attempt to inculcate the spirit of giving back selflessly to the society.

"Sare Jahan Se Achha" is being aired on Play Next channel on You Tube.
New York, Sep 21 : Hinduism is a "wonderful" religion suited for the modern era of uncertainty and questioning because it values incertitude, according to Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor, who also excoriated the politicisation of the faith.

"Hinduism rests on the fact that there is a heck of a lot we don't know about," Tharoor said on Thursday during an interactive session at JLF@NewYork, the edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival.

What makes it fit for today's world, he said "the first is the wonderful fact that in an era of uncertainty, incertitude, you have uniquely a religion that privileges incertitude".

About creation, the Rig Veda actually says "where the universe comes from, who made all of this heaven and earth, may be He in the heaven knows, may be even He does not know", he noted.

"A religion that is prepared to question the omniscience of the Creator is to my mind a wonderful faith for a modern or post-modern sensibility.

"On top of that, you have got extraordinary eclecticism" and since no one knows what God looks like one is free to imagine God as one likes in Hinduism, he said.

The Congress Party MP, who is the author of "Why I am a Hindu", took issue with those who condemn the religion as built on misogyny and discrimination.

About the Laws of Manu, he said, "there is very little evidence as to whether they were observed" and there were many texts that existed.

Of these texts, "I don't think every Hindu took the advice of the Kama Sutra, either", he joked.

"For every misogynistic or casteist pronouncements (in Hindu texts) I can give you other equally sanctified texts that preach against casteism," he said.

He explained that Hinduism "is not a religion of one holy book, but of multiple sacred texts. There's an awful lot to pick from. What you pick is up to you. If you choose to pick the misogynist or casteist or offensive bits of the religion and say my religion allows me to discriminate against people or to oppress people, it is your fault not the religion's."

He made a distinction between religion and social practices that are not based on faith.

Tharoor's expansive and deep explanation flies in the face of campaigns in the US against Hinduism with claims about caste discrimination and misogyny, including attempts to disrupt the World Hindu Congress earlier this month in Chicago.

Tharoor held out hope for the spirit of tolerance and acceptance to triumph in India.

The spasms of bigotry were a passing phase in India because tolerance and acceptance of the other was "built into the bones" of the Indian people, he said.

"That kind of bigotry that we have seen whipped up in the recent years is essentially a political exercise and to my mind not in any way reflective of the spirit of most of the Indian people," he said.

"You can't really change their fundamental nature," he added.

The "resurgent Hindu nationalism is actually based on a dismaying inferiority complex" of those who feel their "religion has been conquered, subjugated; they feel a humiliation, an ancestral humiliation", he said.

"Whereas the Hinduism that I have seen, read, grown up with, practiced and being taught is a much more self-confident Hinduism," he said, conceding that the approaches may be a sign of a north-south divide.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Patna, Sep 21 : A youth was killed and another injured in Bihar's Hajipur on Friday morning by unidentified assailants ahead of the Tazia procession to mark Muharram, police said.

Police Station Officer Incharge Om Prakash said a youth was shot dead near Masjid Chowk and another sustained serious bullet injuries.

Angry over the incident, residents blocked roads, shouted slogans against the state government and staged protests for hours.

The district administration has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in Masjid Chowk area, 30km from here. Heavy security forces have been deployed to maintain law and order.
Tokyo, Sep 21 : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet US President Donald Trump in New York next week during the UN General Assembly (UNGA), a government spokesperson said here on Friday.

Yoshihide Suga said that Abe would depart for New York on Sunday to participate in next week's UNGA and other sideline meetings, Efe news reported.

Suga said that Trump and Abe would first meet for a private dinner and then hold a formal meeting on Wednesday.

The Japanese Premier is expected to address the General Assembly on Tuesday, the first day of the annual UN meeting.

North Korea is expected to be high on the agenda during meetings at the General Assembly.

Suga said the Abe-Trump meeting would cement the close bilateral coordination between Japan and the US on the regional and global challenges facing them both, including the denuclearization of the Pyongyang regime.

Abe's visit to New York comes after his re-election as President of the Liberal Democratic Party, allowing him to continue as Prime Minister for another three years.
Lucknow, Sep 21 : Five persons were killed and two dozen injured after a bus overturned in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha district on Friday, police said.

The bus, which was going from Joya to Sambhal, overturned apparently due to bursting of its rear tyre. It then hit a mini-truck, an official said.
Islamabad, Sep 21 : Pakistan observed Muharram with solemnity on Friday to pay homage to Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and other martyrs of Karbala amid strict security.

Processions were taken out in various cities amid tight security, Dawn online reported.

Shia Muslims all over the world take part in large processions where they self-flagellate with sharp objects and beat their chests, mourning the death of Hussein, who was killed during the Battle of Karbala (in present-day Iraq) in the year 680, an event that solidified the schism that separates Sunni and Shia Muslims to this day.

Apart from the security measures, hospitals and ambulance services across Pakistan were put on high alert.

Pillion-riding was banned in many cities. Citizens faced partial suspension of cellular service in several cities.

In their separate messages to the nation on Muharram, President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan called for forging unity to fight terrorism and counter what they said were the nefarious designs of the country's enemies, Radio Pakistan reported.
Bhopal, Sep 21 : A three-and-a-half-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by the conductor of her school bus here. The accused has been arrested, police said on Friday.

According to police, the incident came to light when the girl's mother spotted blood stains on her clothes on Thursday. After that, the child detailed the horrific incident.

The girl, who lives in Ayodhya Nagar, studies in Sagar International School.

The accused was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act after the girl underwent a medical check-up, police said.

Police Inspector, Ayodhya Nagar, Baljeet Singh told IANS that a complaint has been filed against the accused, who is claiming to be a minor.
Patna, Sep 21 : Police on Friday issued an arrest warrant against former Bihar Minister Manju Verma's husband in an arms case related to a raid connected to the Muzaffarpur home rape horror.

At least 34 girl inmates of the shelter home were found to have been raped during a social audit in June.

Begusarai District Superintendent of Police Aditya Kumar issued the arrest warrant against former Social Welfare Minister's husband Chandrasekhar Verma in connection with an FIR registered by the CBI under the Arms Act.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had searched their residence in Patna and Begusarai. Fifty live cartridges were recovered from their Begusarai house.

"Police have raided a few places to arrest Verma," a district police official said.

In August, a Begusarai district court rejected the anticipatory bail of the former minister, Manju Verma, and her husband.

Manju Verma resigned on August 8 following allegations that Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzaffarpur home rape case, had links with her husband.

Arrested on June 2, Thakur is currently lodged in Muzaffarpur jail.

Of the 42 girls lodged at the short-stay home run by Thakur's NGO, 34 were found to have been sexually assaulted. The crime came to light after a social audit by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

The shelter home has since been sealed.
Panaji, Sep 21 : The Congress on Friday alleged that ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is "threatening people" from his hospital room.

The party also demanded a medical bulletin on the status of the Chief Minister, who after being hospitalised in Goa, Mumbai and New York over the last few months, is now being treated for advanced pancreatic cancer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

"He may be in the hospital yes. I hope you (Parrikar) are very well but I am getting messages that while sitting in the hospital, you are calling people, threatening them," Congress observer for Goa A. Chellakumar said. This is the first direct assault by the Congress.

The allegation comes a day after Vijai Sardesai, President of the Goa Forward Party, a coalition ally, told the media that Parrikar spoke to him over the phone on Thursday over administrative matters.

Chellakumar also said that in view of the Chief Minister's alleged involvement in a Rs 1.44 lakh crore illegal mining scam which is being probed by the Goa Lokayukta, he should assure the people that he would forfeit his properties if he is found guilty.

"I pray to God even now, let Manohar Parrikar get well soon. Let God give him a long life, but it is my duty also to remind him. All these days you initiated so many actions on so many former ministers. In all the corruption charges, you filed complaints. Moreover you have attached some of their properties also. Now it is your turn," Chellakumar said.

The Goa Lokayukta is probing the mining lease allotment scam, in which former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who succeeded Parrikar and held office from 2014 to 2017, is one of the key accused.

Parsekar in his affidavit filed before the anti-corruption body has said, that he renewed the bulk of the mining leases by adopting processes put in place by his predecessor and that the renewals were done in adherence to a formal policy, on advice from the advocate general and were in sync with a High Court ruling.

The BJP has denied the allegations, calling them "baseless and unsubstantiated".

The Congress observer is in Goa to monitor political developments following Parrikar's hospitalisation that have raised doubts over the continuance of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government.

With ruling allies and several Independent MLAs stepping up pressure on the BJP for a greater role in governance as well as on issues related to choice of a leader of the coalition, the Congress too claims that it is in touch with disgruntled non-BJP MLAs, who Chellakumar said, are keen on a switch over.

But he clarified that the Congress is not in a hurry to form a government in the coastal state.
New York, Sep 21 : Ever felt nauseous before an important presentation, or foggy after a big meal? It is because your gut is directly connected to your brain and is not linked to the hormones, say researchers who found that messages from the gut travel to the brain in milliseconds.

This indicates that conditions from appetite disorders and obesity to arthritis and depression may get their start in the gut, said researchers from the Duke University in North Carolina, US.

However, it was not clear how messages in this so-called "second brain" spread from our stomachs to our cerebrum.

For decades, researchers believed that hormones in the bloodstream were the indirect channel between the gut and the brain.

In the study, appearing in the journal Science, the researchers used a rabies virus jacked up with green fluorescence and traced a signal as it travelled from the intestines to the brainstem of mice.

They were shocked to find the signal cross a single synapse in under 100 milliseconds -- that's faster than the blink of an eye.

"Scientists talk about appetite in terms of minutes to hours. Here we are talking about seconds," said Diego Bohorquez, assistant professor at the varsity.

"That has profound implications for our understanding of appetite. Many of the appetite suppressants that have been developed target slow-acting hormones, not fast-acting synapses. And that's probably why most of them have failed," Bohorquez added.

Human brain takes in information from all five senses -- touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste -- through electrical signals, which travel along long nerve fibres that lie beneath your skin and muscle like fibre optic cables.

But, brain had a way of perceiving cues from the gut more quickly. Bohorquez noticed that the sensory cells lining the gut shared many of the same characteristics as their cousins on the tongue and in the nose.

"We think these findings are going to be the biological basis of a new sense," Bohorquez said.

"One that serves as the entry point for how the brain knows when the stomach is full of food and calories. It brings legitimacy to idea of the 'gut feeling' as a sixth sense."
Mumbai, Sep 21 : Filmmaker Rima Das, whose "Bulbul Can Sing" is part of the India Gold section -- the competition category -- at the upcoming Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star, says it's a deja vu moment as the platform gave her acclaimed film "Village Rockstars" a great start.

"It's life's deja vu and a very surreal feeling for me. The prestigious MAMI festival invited 'Bulbul Can Sing' to compete in the India Gold Competition section this year. Having won the coveted Golden Gateway Award, Oxfam India Best Film On Gender Equality Award and the Young Critics Choice Award last year with 'Village Rockstars', it began an unbelievable trajectory for the film getting huge recognition," Das said in a statement.

"I feel I am truly blessed to receive so much love and appreciation from MAMI and I offer my best wishes to Festival Director Anupama Chopra, Creative Director Smriti Kiran and their team of organisers for this year's festival. I am truly and eagerly looking forward to showcase 'Bulbul Can Sing'," she added.

The new movie is Das's third feature, and it's a coming of age tale about three teenagers trying to come to terms with their sexual identities.

At the gala, the selection this year is a cauldron filled with India's cultural diversity.

It spans multiple states and languages including Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gaddi.

The movies include Ere Gowda's "Balekempa", Vinit Chandrasekharan's "Buddha", Aadish Keluskar's "Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil", Aditya Vikram Sengupta's "Jonaki", Rahul Riji Nair's "Light In The Room", Kabir Chowdhry's "Mehsampur", Ivan Ayr's "Soni" and Ridham Janve's "The Gold-Laden Sheep and The Sacred Mountain", apart from "Bulbul Can Sing".
New Delhi, Sep 21 : Sunil Goel, second largest promoter of Omaxe Group, has filed a legal petition against elder brother and Omaxe CMD Rohtas Goel alleging mal-practices and financial mismanagement at the real estate company.

"On September 17, Sunil Goel and his group filed oppression and mismanagement petition before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Chandigarh in respect of Omaxe Limited," a statement issued on behalf of Sunil Goel said.

Sunil Goel was ousted from the company in 2017 when he acted as a whistle-blower raising objections about the financial fraud, it said. Omaxe Group was founded by the Goel brothers in 1987 and has footprints in eight states and 27 cities.

Chairman and Managing Director Rohtas Goel is the largest promoter and shareholder group of the company and Sunil Goel is the second largest promoter with 20 per cent shareholding in the company, the statement said.

Shareholding of the promoter and promoter group is through Guild Builders Private Limited, which holds around 65-70 per cent shares of Omaxe Limited and is a holding company of Omaxe Limited.

The younger brother has sought reinstatement as Director, status quo on assets and an injunction that shares of Omaxe Limited held by Guild Builders Private Ltd should not be pledged for taking further loans by Omaxe Limited.

"The current financial scenario of the Group is not stable, and the profitability dipped despite taking extra loans from various banks and financial service providers," it said.

In the last one year, Omaxe Group has increased its loan exposure from Rs 1,300 crore to Rs 1,800 crore. Sunil Goel has even written letters to various financial institutions and major shareholders of the company informing them about the financial mismanagement.
New Delhi, Sep 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on September 23, officials said on Friday.

Under this scheme, over 10 crore families will be provided health assurance worth Rs 5 lakh each every year.

The Prime Minister will visit an exhibition on the PMJAY. He will witness a demonstration of activities such as beneficiary identification and e-card creation.

At the same event, Modi will lay the foundation stone for medical colleges at Chaibasa and Koderma. He will inaugurate 10 health and wellness centres and address the gathering before departing for Gangtok.

On Monday, the Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate Pakyong airport, which will bring Sikkim on the country's aviation map.

"The airport will provide a big boost to connectivity in the Himalayan state, and also give a fillip to tourism. The Prime Minister will unveil a plaque to mark the inauguration of Pakyong airport. He will later address a gathering," officials said.
New York, Sep 21 : While we have always heard that sharing is caring, a new study has shown that an individual's tendency to be generous depends on how much people around him or her are sharing.

The findings showed it is not that people, who like to share, choose to live with those having same habits. Rather, they adapt their own sharing tendencies so as to match that of the group they currently live in.

In other words, sharing, being contagious, is driven by local group norms and behaviour and not individual generosity.

"We were surprised to find that people do not have a stable tendency to cooperate and are instead influenced by those around them," said Coren Apicella from the University of Pennsylvania.

"If you find yourself surrounded by selfish people, you don't necessarily have to find a new crowd, but by being generous yourself, you can get others to be generous as well," added Kristopher Smith, from the University of Pennsylvania.

The study, published in Current Biology, is based on Hadza hunter-gatherer people in Tanzania -- also one of the last populations left on the planet.

During the study, the team visited 56 camps in Tanzania over six years. They asked nearly 400 Hadza adults to play public goods game where, instead of money, they were asked to consider sharing straws of honey, their favourite food.

Each person started with four straws, which they could put toward the whole group or not. The honey straws contributed to the group got tripled.

The results revealed that Hadza individuals living in certain camps were consistently more generous than others were.

Moreover, individuals behaved differently over time, modifying their behaviour to match the norms of the camp they were currently living in.

"We found that year after year, willingness to share with others clustered within residence groups or what we call 'camps,'" Apicella said.

"People were living with other people who were similar to them in levels of generosity," Apicella noted.
Washington/Beijing/Moscow, Sep 21 : The US has imposed sanctions against China's military for its purchases of Russian military equipment in a move US officials said is meant to punish Moscow for its "malign activities", prompting stern warnings from Beijing and Moscow on Friday.

"Today's actions are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of any country... but rather to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the US election process, its unacceptable behaviour in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities," the US State Department said on Thursday.

The penalties were applied under a law that requires the US to sanction anyone undertaking significant transactions with certain people affiliated with Russian intelligence and military services, including arms manufacturers, reported CNN.

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo also expanded that blacklist on Thursday, adding the names of 33 of Russia's most high-profile citizens, bringing the total roster to 72 people.

In response, Beijing asked the US to lift the sanctions on the Chinese military or "bear the consequences".

"China expressed strong indignation towards the unreasonable move by the US and has made solemn representation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

He added that Washington had violated the basic norms of international relations and disturbed ties with China. "We strongly call on the US to remedy the mistake and cancel the sanctions. Otherwise, it has to bear the consequences."

The US slapped the sanctions on the Chinese military's Equipment Development Department and its Director Li Shangfu for buying Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia.

Russia said Washington's latest batch of sanctions on it "undermined global stability and was akin to playing with fire".

"It would be good for them to recall the notion of global stability, which they recklessly upset by whipping up tensions in Russian-US relations," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement cited by TASS news agency. "It's foolish to play with fire, because things could get dangerous."

"We've been keeping a close eye on how the US applies its sanctions against our country. This seems to have turned into some sort of national sport, with yesterday's anti-Russian measures becoming the 60th since 2011.

"Every new round of sanctions shows that our enemy's previous attempts to pressure Russia have failed to yield any result. Numerous US blacklists duplicate each other more and more. That's funny, but this is true," the minister said.

Among the blacklisted people was billionaire mogul Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as "PutinAs chef" and allegedly responsible for orchestrating the digital fake news campaign against the US.

The security and military businesses targeted by the sanctions included the Wagner Group, a private security company which Moscow allegedly use in their Syria operations; Oboronlogistika 000, responsible for feeding and transporting Russian troops in Crimea and KnAAPO, an aircraft manufacturer.

A US official said it was the first time anyone had been sanctioned for doing business with people on the blacklist of Russian operatives.

The list is mandated by the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, passed by Congress amid concern that President Donald Trump would not take tough action against Russia and could even move to ease sanctions on Moscow.

The US move added to its already strained ties with China as the two are locked in a festering trade dispute.
Mumbai, Sep 21 : "Manmarziyaan" actor Abhishek Bachchan, who features in a smoking scene which is among the three deleted scenes from the film, says there's no harm in excluding some content if it hurts people's sentiments.

Director Anurag Kashyap has been vocal about expressing anger over deletion of scenes from "Manmarziyaan", which apparently happened without his knowledge. The film's lead actress Taapsee Pannu also slammed the decision.

During an interactive session of Jagran Cinema Summit on Friday, Abhishek was asked to comment about it.

He said: "Each individual has a right to react and if people have felt bad over some scenes, then I feel there is no harm in deleting those scenes from the movie unless it does not change the narrative of the film.

"Being a part of film fraternity, our main purpose is not to hurt anyone's sentiments. If there are some scenes and if people's opposition to scenes can affect the business of the film, then I guess exhibitors are right on their part because it is not an actor who stands to lose. It is the production people and exhibitors who have to suffer the loss in the end."

The scenes were deleted after Sikh groups complained that three scenes -- including two smoking ones -- offended their religious sentiments.

The scenes include one featuring Abhishek Bachchan's Robbie smoking and one with Taapsee Pannu's Rumi smoking. The third scene had the two of them enter a Gurudwara as bride and groom while Rumi thought about her past with Vicky Kaushal's character.

For Abhishek, deletion of scenes from the film is not a "big deal" as he feels the decision was taken in the interest of people.

"If someone has objections over some scenes, then it's her/his opinion and everyone has all the right to express their issue. I believe even one member of the community is not happy over something, then we all should try to understand each other beliefs and if there is some genuine issue, then we should act on it happily," the "Guru" actor added.

At the same time, Abhishek said that if the cuts and objections would have changed the film's storyline, then he would have also reacted on it and taken it up as a debate.

"Before taking any stand, it is important to understand what's the issue and what's the objection."
Islamabad, Sep 21 : Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday termed as "unfortunate" India's cancellation of talks with Islamabad in New York next week.

"We had already told India that if they take one step towards us, we will take two. However, it seems that they faltered after taking just one step," Qureshi told Dawn online.

Blaming Pakistan for the killing of the security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and accusing it of glorifying terrorism, India called off talks between Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. They were set to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York marking the first thaw in bilateral ties.

Qureshi said the world should see that "Pakistan has held a positive outlook towards the situation while India's attitude has not been so forthcoming".

He said it appeared as if New Delhi was facing internal pressure. "If the meeting is not to be considered as part of talks between the two countries, then what is the purpose of it?

"I would only say that there was a chance, which was missed. Talks will only be held in a dignified and respectable manner... If they are not willing for it, then we also won't act in haste."
New Delhi, Sep 21 : The Supreme Court is likely to pronounce next week a spate of judgement including on Aadhaar, Ayodhya and adultery that would have bearings on the right to privacy, politics and social morality.

The verdicts on the challenge to the constitutional validity of Aadhaar on the touchstone of it being violative of right to privacy and the "discriminatory" adultery law that punishes the man alone for being in extramarital relationship will be delivered by constitution bench.

In the case of Aadhaar, the court pronouncement whether it could have been brought as a money bill will have a bearing on the powers of the Speaker to allow a bill to be presented as a money bill that debars Rajya Sabha from deciding its fate.

The issue was raised by Congress lawmaker in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh questioning the Lok Sabha Speaker's decision to allow the tabling of Aadhaar Bill as a money bill.

The next five days starting with Monday (September 24) become significant as both the constitution bench and the three-judge bench are headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and he is left with six working days -- from September 24 to September 28 and October 1 - his last working day as Chief Justice in regular court.

Though Chief Justice Misra retires on October 2, it being the national holiday on account Mahatama Gandhi's birth anniversary, the court will not be functioning. In all likelihood, most of the judgements are likely to be pronounced in the coming week.

In the case of Ayodhya, the court will decide whether challenge to the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict on Ayodhya title suit be heard by a regular bench or a five-judges constitution bench.

The Muslim litigants have insisted that the matter be heard by a five-judge constitution bench as the High Court verdict dividing the disputed land in three parts giving one to deity of Ramlala Virajman, another to Hindu sect Nirmohi Akhara and a third to the Muslims have relied on a 1994 top court judgment.

The Muslim litigants contest the 1994 judgment which says mosque is not integral to Muslim practice of offering prayers.

Besides the likely pronouncement of judgments on Aadhaar, Ayodhya and adultery, the top court is likely to give verdict on challenge to the prohibition of menstruating women in the age group of 10 to 50 years to enter Ayyappa's Sabrimala temple, and challenge to the practice of female genital mutilation among Dawoodi Bohra community.

Another important judgment will be on Centre's petition questioning the 2006 judgement laying down criteria of quantifiable date demonstrating the inadequacy of SC/ST representation in higher echelon of administration coupled with administrative efficiency for grant of reservation in promotion.

It is politically sensitive for the government as it has questioned the conditions for permitting reservation in promotion.

The Centre has contended before the top court that being SC/ST is a "great stigma" that can't be erased by having the benefit of reservation for two or more generations.

Another judgment that may have a bearing on cleansing the legislatures of politicians with criminal antecedents would be at what stage a person charged with criminal cases be ousted from the electoral fray.

Besides the verdict on the plea for top court monitored SIT probe into the recent arrest of five right activists, another important judgement will be challenge to Gujarat High Court order on the 2017 election of Congress leader Ahmed Patel as Rajya Sabha member.

Patel has challenged the High Court permitting trial on the election petition by defeated candidate Balwantsinh Rajput alleging corrupt practices in the election.

(Parmod Kumar can be contacted at saneel2010@gmail.com)
New Delhi, Sep 21 : Amid media reports of former French President Francois Hollande claiming that the Indian government suggested a particular private firm for Rafale offset contract, the Defence Ministry on Friday reiterated that neither government had any say in the "commercial decision".

"The report referring to former French president Mr. Hollande's statement that government of India insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified," the Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

"It is reiterated that neither government of India nor French government had any say in the commercial decision," it said.

Hollande has been quoted by an article in French website "Mediapart" as claiming that the Indian government had asked the French government to nominate Reliance Defence as its India partner in the Rafale jet offset deal. "We did not have a say in this," Hollande was quoted by the website as saying. "The Indian government proposed this service group and Dassault negotiated with Ambani."

The opposition has been alleging that the Anil Ambani firm was favoured in the Rs 21,000 crore contract at the cost of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) despite the private firm having no prior experience in aerospace manufacturing.

The Narendra Modi government has repeatedly said it was Dassault that chose its India partner and that the government has had no say in the deal.
Hyderabad, Sep 21 : With the "Global Open Access Week" scheduled to be celebrated next month, Hyderabad-based Omics International has invited the academic and research communities to join the Open Access movement.

It urged the community to share what they have learned and help inspire wider participation by making Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.

Global Open Access Week is a global event in its 10th year, and will be celebrated from October 22 to October 28.

The annual event, conceptualised by the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) since 2008, is aimed at inspiring more people to join the Open Access movement.

Open Access (OA) writings are digital, virtual, free of charge and unrestricted of most copyright and licensing constraints. What makes it promising is the internet and the approval of the writer, said a statement by Omics.

The OA system provider aims to celebrate the 10th International OA Week with a reinforced commitment to make excluded voices in the scientific community to be inclusive. Several activities are planned on this occasion for authors, reviewers, editors, and readers.

Srinubabu Gedela, Founder and CEO at Omics International announced, announced special recognition for articles processing for the manuscripts submitted during the Open Access Week.

With the support of Human Proteome Organization (HUPO), Gedela founded the Omics to make healthcare and scientific information Open Access. These OA journals perform peer review and then make the approved contents freely available to the ecosphere.

Omics publishes more than 1,000 open access journals in the fields of clinical, medical, pharmaceutical engineering and managerial science in association with over 1,000 academic associations. The readership/ viewership of Omics journals has crossed 50 million in 2018.
New Delhi, Sep 21 : Two men were shot and wounded by their employer's relative, a friend of the victims said on Friday. However, police said that they were wounded in a shootout.

The two worked at a scrap warehouse in south Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan area.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal said "the two opened fire at each other during a scuffle over a money-related issue" post midnight on Thursday.

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the two -- Rameshwar, 19, and Sunil, 21 -- were admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

"Rameshwar has been shifted to ICU (intensive care unit). Doctors said his condition is serious and his chances of survival are bleak," their friend Raju Chaudhary told IANS.

Chaudhary complained that the police were not lodging a First Information Report (FIR) even after recording Sunil's statement.

"We have been at the police station since morning but they haven't lodged an FIR."

He said a relative of the owner of the warehouse opened fire at the two when they were asleep.

"First, he shot Rameshwar in the head and later targeted Sunil," Chaudhary said. "There wasn't any trouble between the employer and the victims."
Patna, Sep 21 : A property dealer was on Friday shot dead in broad daylight in Bihar's capital city Patna by unidentified assailants, police said.

Tabrej Alam was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne youths near Kotwail Police Station in the heart of city, on a day when security had been beefed up in view of Muharram.

"Five bullets were pumped into him when he was returning from the mosque after offering prayers on Friday," a senior police officer said.

According to him, a named FIR has been filed against four accused based on the statement of Tabrej's wife, who accused them of killing her husband over a land dispute.

Tabrej was involved in several crimes and was known as a close associate of politician Shahabuddin, former RJD MP, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.
New Delhi, Sep 21 : Delhi Police on Friday arrested a sweeper of an ESI hospital for raping a minor girl patient within the compound.

Police said the girl,11, was admitted to the ESI Hospital in Rohini on September 13.

On Friday morning around 4.30 a.m, the girl had a stomachache due to which she stepped out of her ward in search of a nurse.

"The 40-year-old accused identified as Radhe spotted her and took her to his quarters where he allegedly raped her. He was later arrested," Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajneesh Gupta said.

The accused worker was employed on a contractual basis.
Islamabad, Sep 22 : Pakistan on Friday expressed deep disappointment at India's decision to cancel a meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session next week.

"The government of Pakistan is deeply disappointed at the announcement made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi today (Friday) about the cancellation of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan, which was to be held on the sidelines of UNGA in New York," the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement late on Friday night.

"The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the Foreign Ministers' meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing," it said.

"The so-called 'disturbing developments' alluded to in the Indian statement predated the Indian agreement to hold the bilateral meeting in New York."

Blaming Pakistan for the killing of security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and accusing it of glorifying terrorism, in terms of releasing a postage stamp featuring Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani who was killed by Indian security forces, India on Friday called off talks between the two foreign ministers in New York.

India announced its decision just 24 hours after Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in his media briefing on Thursday that New Delhi has accepted Islamabad's request for a meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Qureshi at the UN.

On Friday, the Indian government said in a strongly-worded statement that since the announcement of the talks on Thursday, two "deeply disturbing" developments had taken place that led to Islamabad's "evil agenda" being exposed.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirmed that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been revealed to the world," Raveesh Kumar said.

Earlier in the day, Hizbul Mujahadeen terrorists abducted and gunned down three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a sharp escalation in militancy in the state which India says is backed by Pakistan.

Earlier this week, the mutilated body of Narendra Singh, a Border Security Force (BSF) Head Constable, was found after Pakistani forces had resorted to unprovoked firing in Ramgarh sector of Jammu.

Kumar said the that BSF has "strongly taken up the matter with their counterpart on the Pakistani side".

In this background, Kumar said on Friday that "conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless".

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

In its statement, the Pakistan Foreign Office did not allude to the killing of the police officers in Jammu and Kashmir but said that the "alleged" killing of the BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting.

"When the allegations of Pakistan's involvement first appeared, the Pakistan Rangers clearly conveyed to BSF through official channels that Pakistan had nothing to do with it," the Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

According to the statement, Pakistan Rangers also extended help in efforts to locate the soldier's body.

Stating that these facts were known to the Indian authorities, it stated: "Pakistan takes this opportunity to categorically reject these allegations once again. Our authorities would be prepared to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth."

As for the Burhan Wani postage stamp mentioned, the statement said that it was issued before the July 25 general elections in Pakistan "as a result of which the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan assumed office".

The Pakistan Foreign Office statement termed as "most unfortunate" India's reference about Imran Khan.

"We choose not to further comment beyond saying that these comments are against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication," it said.

It said Pakistan believed that by its "ill-considered cancellation" of the meeting, New Delhi "has once again wasted a serious opportunity to change the dynamics of the bilateral relationship and put the region on the path of peace and development".

"For its part, Pakistan will persist with its quest for peace and development," the statement said.

Qureshi also termed as "unfortunate" India's cancellation of talks with Islamabad in New York next week.

"We had already told India that if they take one step towards us, we will take two. However, it seems that they faltered after taking just one step," Qureshi told Dawn online.
BNP Paribas Real Estate has continued to strengthen its senior management team in Spain with a number of new appointments, in line with its strong commitment to growth in the country over the coming years. This year, the company plans to increase its workforce by around 80 people to

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Craig Titley On this special evening, we have stars in the sky, and on stage, stated Dianne Travis-Teague, Director, Alumni Relations. We are extremely honored to welcome Craig Titley home to Pacifica Graduate Institute!

Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association (PGIAA) and Pacifica Graduate Institutes Office of Alumni Relations will host its 2nd PGIAA Tete-a-Tete, An Evening with Craig Titley & Friends on Saturday, Sept. 22, 7 pm to 9 pm, at the Pacifica Graduate Institute Ladera Campus, 801 Ladera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. The PGIAA Tete-a-Tete series is geared towards creating deep and meaningful conversations among Pacificas alumni, the community and professionals. Dialogues exploring many of todays most compelling topics, current events, newly published books, careers, and hot subjects will be led by Pacificas alumni and faculty.

PGIAA Tete-a-Tetes are free to the public and take place each month. PGIAA alumni and friends are encouraged to email questions (via Zoom) during the live broadcasts so that Tete-a-Tete participants can answer questions in real-time. For those unable to listen live, a recording of the talk will be made available online via the Alumni Association website.

On this special evening, we have stars in the sky, and on stage, stated Dianne Travis-Teague, Director, Alumni Relations. We are extremely honored to welcome Craig Titley home to Pacifica Graduate Institute!

About Craig Titley

Currently both a writer and Executive Producer for ABC/Disney/Marvels Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Titley grew up in Mattoon, Illinois, blessed with teachers that encouraged his self-described nerdy kid introvert self. His parents also cheered on his star-gazing and comic-book habits, as long as he knew he would someday need a way to support himself.

Like so many children, Craig found comfort in comic books, especially those of the Marvel Universe, where people who were picked on became empowered. Later, his studies in Mythology and Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute triggered an insight that stories like those in the Marvel comic book can satisfy more than readers wish fulfillment: they exemplify a Jungian principle of the psychethat power resides somewhere in all of us.

After double-majoring in English Literature and Business at Eastern Illinois University, Craig headed west to study at USCs Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing program. Internships at Universal followed, and he spent a brief time as an executive for Nickelodeons feature film division. In television, Craig worked as a writer/producer on The Cape, and also with George Lucas and Lucasfilm Animation, penning episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Craig wrote for three huge movie franchises: Scooby-Doo, Cheaper by the Dozen, and Percy Jackson (See more of filmography at IMDB.) before landing his current, epically fulfilling gig as a writer/producer for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Titley is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, received his MFA from USCs Peter Stark Program, and is currently completing a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute.

About Pacifica Graduate Institute

Pacifica Graduate Institute is an accredited graduate school offering masters and doctoral degree programs framed in the traditions in depth psychology. The Institute has established an educational environment that nourishes respect for cultural diversity and individual differences, and an academic community that fosters a spirit of free and open inquiry. Students have access to an impressive array of education resources on Pacificas two campuses, both of which are located between the coastal foothills and the Pacific Ocean, a few miles south of Santa Barbara, California.

For the PGIAA Tete-a-Tete Talk Series Application (for alumni only) click here: Alumni Application

For all questions regarding the PGIAA Tete-a-Tete Talk Series visit Craig Titley or contact Dianne Travis-Teague, Director of Alumni Relations, (805) 969.3626 (Ext. 303) or email at dTravis-Teague(at)pacifica(dot)edu.
Collectors Love Fall Flea Markets

Temperatures are starting to drop up north, but collectors and antiques lovers still have a wide choice of flea markets to explore throughout the country. Heres a roundup of 7 of Kovels' favorite large markets that are worth a trip. Some of these markets only come around a few times a year and each is renowned for its scale, variety of items, negotiable prices and popularity among both locals and tourists. Best of all, they are overflowing with treasures waiting to be found.

1. Burton Ohio Antiques Market

Geauga County Fairgrounds, Burton, Ohio

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Now in its 58th year, this twice-a-year market is held rain or shine at Ohios oldest county fairgrounds. With dealers under tents on the racetrack and inside under the grandstand, dealers from across the U.S. and Canada will be displaying silver, china, jewelry, porcelain, glassware, textiles, advertising, Americana, furniture, decorative accessories, rugs, primitives, old tool and much, much more. Burton advertises itself as the only antiques event in the U.S. where show employees pick up your purchases from the dealers and take them to a loading area where they put them in your car for free. Earlybird shoppers pay $25 to enter at 8 a.m.; general admission is $8 after 10 a.m. Closing time: 4:30 p.m. Burton is located just east of Cleveland and is home to one of the largest Amish communities in the world.

2. Randolph Street Market

1340 W. Washington St., Chicago, Illinois

Saturdays and Sundays, September 29 and 30, October 27 and 28, November 17 and 18, and December 15 and 16, 2018; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Downtown Chicagos Randolph Street Market, located west of the Loop, features vintage, antique, and global goods with a mix of price ranges from thrifty to extravagant. Open one weekend during almost every month of the year, its considered one of the hippest markets around. Booths are separated into categories within the market: Chicago Antique Market, Indie Designer Market and Modern Vintage. For those looking for just about anything retro or vintage, this is a great place to go. From embroidered hankies and estate jewelry to vintage and indie fashion, household and kitchen items, memorabilia, and art its one-stop shopping for treasures and memorable holiday gifts. $10 admission, $8 pre-paid, family package available with drinks and snacks.

3. Renningers Antique and Collector's Extravaganza

Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Thursday, September 27 to Saturday, September 29, 2018

Located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, Renningers hosts a flea market extravaganza three times a year  September 27 to 29 is the final market of the year. The extravaganza is set up behind Renningers Antique & Farmers Market, with exhibitors outside, under tents and in two 350-foot long pavilions. Admission for Thursday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) is $10; Friday (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) is $6; and Saturday (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) is $4. Exhibitors switch it up a bit so each day is a different and unique experience. The event goes on in all weather conditions, so prepare accordingly.

4. Round Top Texas Antique Week

4036 Texas Hwy. 237, Round Top, Texas 78954

Monday, October 1 through Saturday, October 6, 2018

Everything is bigger in Texas, and its premiere flea market is no exception, especially in its 50th year. Round Top offers three shows a year  Spring and Fall Antiques Fairs and a newer Winter Antiques Show in the Big Red Barn. Round Top prides itself on being 100 percent antique and vintageno reproductions or new merchandise. VIP ticket holders pay $20 and can shop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first day, October 1. General admission is $10. One ticket is good for all 6 days of the show. Thousands of other dealers from across the country line Highway 237 in communities around Round Top and Warrenton, showcasing arts and crafts and a wide variety of merchandise, as well as antiques and collectibles. These shows open and close on different dates from September 20 to October 8 and attract tens of thousands of buyers. For information on other venues and their opening days contact the Round Top Chamber of Commerce or the City of Warrenton.

5. Scotts Antique Market

Atlanta Expo Center, Atlanta, Georgia

Thursday, October 11 to Sunday, October 14, 2018

Thursday, November 8 to Sunday, November 11, 2018

Thursday, December 6 to Sunday, December 9, 2018

Scotts advertises itself Americas favorite treasure hunt. Its one of Americas largest antiques shows, with over 2,000 booths both outdoors and in two buildings with a shuttle that runs back and forth. Browse through furniture, rugs, architectural elements, silver, copper, jewelry, pottery, glass, paper, and housewares for hard-to-find antiques from a variety of eras and regions. Plenty of bargains. Thursday 10:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission $5. Parking free. Other fall Scott shows are held at Fayette County Fairgrounds in Washington Courthouse, Ohio: September 28 to 30, 2018, and at the Columbus Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio: November 24 and 25 and December 15 and 16, 2018.

6. Portland Expo Antique & Collectible Show 2018

Portland Expo Center, Portland, Oregon

October 27 and 28, 2018

With more than 1,000 vendors, outstanding collectibles, and even prizes and contests, the Portland Expo thinks they are all things to all people. Content covers items from the mid-1880s to early 1970s. They advertise cool things for the collector who remembers G.I. Joe, Star Trek and Fisher Price as well as the baby boomer who wants to connect to the things that were around when they were in their teens. Other categories include vintage sterling flatware, smalls, rare books, advertising, clothing, decorative items and estate jewelry. Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., $8; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., $7. Look for another fair by the same organizer at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, Washington, on November 3 and 4, 2018!

7. Long Beach Antique Market

Veterans Stadium, Long Beach, California

Third Sundays: September 16, September 30  Special Sale, October 21, November 18, 2018

The Long Beach Antique Market calls itself the flea market with style. Over 800 sellers feature a huge selection of antiques, collectibles and everything chic, cheap, unique and vintage, all at bargain prices. Find collectibles, home decor, jewelry, furniture, vintage clothing and more. The sale is spread out over 20 acres at the Veterans Stadium in Long Beach come rain or shine. But please leave pets at home! Early admission from 5:30 a.m. until 6:30 a.m., $12. 6:30 until 2 p.m., $7; children under 12, free.

Terry Kovel is Americas foremost authority on antiques and collectibles. She is the well-known columnist and author of more than 100 books on antiques and collecting. The 2019 edition of Kovels Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide will soon be available at Kovels.com and local bookstores. This all-new 51st edition of Kovels popular annual price guide features 16,000 prices and more than 2,500 photos, larger than ever before, on items in categories most sought-after by collectors. New this edition  300 marks to help identify pottery, porcelain, glass and other collectibles. Terry Kovel will discuss antiques and collectibles topics with accredited media. Photographs are available. Contact pr(at)kovels(dot)com.

About Kovels.com

Kovels.com, created by Terry Kovel and her daughter, Kim Kovel, provides collectors and researchers with up-to-date and accurate information on antiques and collectibles. The company was founded in 1953 by Terry Kovel and her late husband, Ralph. Since then, the Kovels have written some of Americas most popular books and articles about antiques, including the best-selling annual Kovels Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide. The website, Kovels.com, online since 1998, offers more than a million free prices, and includes a free weekly email, Kovels Komments. It gives readers a birds-eye view of the market through the latest news, auction reports, a Marks Dictionary, readers questions and answers and much more.

Contact Information:

Liz Lillis

216.752.2252

Pr(at)kovels(dot)com
Artifex Software, Inc. and First National Title Insurance Company announced today a confidential agreement to settle their legal dispute. Case No. 4: 18-cv-00503-SBA, filed by Artifex in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, concerned the use of Artifex's open source software MuPDF under the GNU Affero General Public License and the GNU General Public License. While the parties had their differences in the interpretation of the open source licenses, the companies were able to reach an amicable resolution based on their mutual respect for and recognition of copyright protection and the open source philosophy. Terms of the settlement remain confidential.

About Artifex Software, Inc.

Artifex Software is a leading provider of core technologies for document handling and management. For over 20 years, Artifex has provided premiere software products to top-level global customers. The list of global customers/partners who depend on Artifex technology include HP, EMC, Kyocera, Ricoh, Adobe, IBM, Xerox, Google, Ernst & Young, Dropbox, BlackBerry, Siemens, LG Electronics, and many more. Artifex's major product offerings include Ghostscript (PDL Interpreter that is an industry leader in PDF, PostScript, PCL, and XPS rendering and conversion), MuPDF (lightweight PDF and XPS interpreter that offers all the interactive features for PDF), and SmartOffice (mobile document productivity suite for viewing, editing, creating and printing MS Office documents and related files). Artifex is headquartered in Novato, CA, with offices in North America, Europe, and Asia.

For more information, visit: http://www.artifex.com.

About First National Title Insurance Company

First National Title Insurance Company (FNTI) is a regional title insurance underwriter operating in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Florida. FNTI's mission is to be the independent title agent's preferred source for its underwriting needs by providing outstanding service and solutions with integrity and respect. FNTI strives to be the underwriter agents rely upon to answer all underwriting concerns, and to be your partner for all educational needs. Our goal is to be the underwriter agents count on to keep the interests of the independent title agent at the forefront of our efforts. Most importantly, we continue to work hard to become the underwriter that earns your business every day. FNTI is headquartered in Plano, TX. For more information about our company, please visit http://www.fnti.com.
We are deeply grateful to all those who answered our call for support. Much more help is needed. We urge more pathologists and laboratory professionals to join us in this relief effort.ASCP President James Wisecarver, MD, PhD, FASCP

A year ago, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, making it one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. Maria led to an estimated 2,975 deaths in Puerto Rico. Today, medical laboratory professionals and pathologists there are gradually rebuilding their lives and labs, thanks in part to continuing support from the ASCP Foundation.

ASCP members have responded generously to several appeals from the ASCP Foundation to support rebuilding Puerto Ricos health care system. We are deeply grateful to all those who answered our call for support, says ASCP President James Wisecarver, MD, PhD, FASCP. Much more help is needed. We urge more pathologists and laboratory professionals to join us in this relief effort.

Ines Barreto, MLS(ASCP)CM, vividly recalls the night before the hurricane, when she and her colleagues remained at their hospital in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The hospital was on lockdown for four days, she says. The first night, I was able to make contact with my family. From inside the hospital, we could not see all that was happening outside. The next day, I was talking with my niece and we lost communication.

We didnt know about (our) families. No communication. That was the hardest part, she says, tearfully.

The morning after Hurricane Maria struck, Lurmag Orta, MD, FASCP, surveilled its devastation from her balcony in San Juan. Knowing her patients needed laboratory testing, she sent desperate pleas to several U.S.-based pathology and laboratory medical organizations.

Over the past year, the ASCP Foundation has responded to the call, delivering medical supplies and support to members of the laboratory team in Puerto Rico, including



biopsy needles

syringes

disposable gowns

safety needles

65 emergency relief grants to ASCP laboratory professionals and pathologists

We cant thank our donors enough for their past support. Yet, much more help is urgently needed. Please consider giving to the ASCP Foundations General Fund today, and offer hope to the citizens of Puerto Rico tomorrow.

One hundred percent of all donations to the ASCP Foundation go to member programs and services. All personnel and administrative costs are made possible with the generous support of ASCP. Give now by visiting http://www.ascp.org/foundation.

About ASCP

Founded in 1922 in Chicago, ASCP is the worlds largest professional membership organization for pathologists and laboratory professionals. ASCP provides excellence in education, certification, and advocacy on behalf of patients, anatomic and clinical pathologists, and medical laboratory professionals. To learn more, visit http://www.ascp.org. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ascp_chicago and connect with us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ASCP.Chicago.
Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Attorney Jorge J. Perez has joined the firms Ft. Lauderdale office as a Member.

Mr. Perez is a former Circuit Court Judge who was appointed to the bench by Governor Jeb Bush. His practice focuses on complex litigation involving commercial, restructuring and insolvency matters, corporate turnaround and distressed properties, particularly receiverships and other fiduciary appointments as well as alternative dispute resolution.

Mr. Perez brings a wealth of knowledge to his clients and specializes in receiverships, fiduciary appointments, mediation, arbitration and general commercial litigation matters. He has extensive litigation experience in state, federal and administrative courts on the trial and appellate levels. During his nearly five years as a Circuit Court Judge in the 11th Circuit, Miami Dade County, Florida, Mr. Perez presided over nearly 100 jury and bench trials to verdict or ruling. Since leaving the bench to return to private practice in 2007, he has received numerous court appointments as Receiver, Special Magistrate, Special Master, and Mediator.

His broad experience includes receiverships, special magistrate appointments and other fiduciary appointments, as well as arbitration, mediation, and commercial litigation. In that capacity, Mr. Perez specializes in restructuring of distressed properties, recovery of assets, and entities placed into receiverships due to gross mismanagement, fraudulent activities, and other wrongful schemes. Mr. Perez has extensive experience in recovering of funds, clawback litigation, and marshalling of assets.

Mr. Perez is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Cuban American Bar Association, the Dade County Bar Association, the Bankruptcy Bar Association of The Southern District of Florida, the Turnaround Management Association of Florida, and the American Bar Association. He received his B.B.A. from the University of Miami and his J.D. from the University of Florida.

About Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC is a general practice business law firm with more than 475 attorneys among more than 40 practice areas and 16 industry groups. Headquartered in Detroit and founded in 1878, the firm has 19 offices, including six in Michigan (Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Saginaw) and 12 other domestic offices in Austin and El Paso, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Lexington, Ky.; Nashville and Music Row, Tenn.; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Silicon Valley, Calif.; and Washington, D.C. The firms Canadian office is located in Toronto.

Dickinson Wright offers our clients a distinctive combination of superb client service, exceptional quality, value for fees, industry expertise and business acumen. As one of the few law firms with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, Dickinson Wright has built state-of-the-art, independently-verified risk management controls and security processes for our commercial transactions. Dickinson Wright lawyers are known for delivering commercially-oriented advice on sophisticated transactions and have a remarkable record of wins in high-stakes litigation. Dickinson Wright lawyers are regularly cited for their expertise and experience by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and other leading independent law firm evaluating organizations.
(From left) Michigan Agri-Business Association President Jim Byrum, award winner John Diehl and association Vice President Tim Boring at the award ceremony. While most in Michigan agriculture know John Diehl as being Michigans most knowledgeable man on soybeans, Johns true impact on the industry is rooted in his heart -- association President Jim Byrum

Soybeans expert and D.F. Seeds founder John Diehl received the 2018 Leaders and Legends award from the Michigan Agri-Business Association in Lansing recently for a lifetime of achievements that have helped boost the states agricultural industry.

Diehl, 71, was presented with the award on Saturday at the associations 2018 outlook conference held on Mackinac Island. The Leaders and Legends Award has been given out annually since 2013 by the association to honor individuals who have exhibited innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial skills in Michigan agriculture.

While most in Michigan agriculture know John Diehl as being Michigans most knowledgeable man on soybeans, Johns true impact on the industry is rooted in his heart, association President Jim Byrum said in a news statement. Johns path to such a place of expertise and influence has not been easy. It has been as winding and colorful as youll find anywhere.

Diehl grew up on a farm in Dansville originally owned by his great grandfather, and he pursued a career as an engine designer with International Harvester after graduating from Purdue University with a bachelors degree in ag engineering. After a tour of duty during the Vietnam War in the U.S. Navy as an anti-submarine operator on a P-3 patrol plane, he returned to the family farm and began to expand its certified seed production business known as Diehl Fields.

During the next 20 years, Diehl earned a reputation in agricultural circles as an expert in developing specialized varieties of soybeans that successfully competed against seed produced by larger regional and international companies. He formalized the competition with its Best of the Best program at Diehl Fields.

The company became known for producing a quality product through the use of innovations that Diehl himself invented, such as custom bean ladders with rubber coatings to reduce seed damage and a gravity table to improve seed physiology. In 1979, the operation released the first bean in Michigan with Brown Stem Rot resistance.

Diehl changed the operations name to D.F. Seeds in 1992 to concentrate further on certified seed production, sometimes partnering with larger companies such as Asgrow, Dairyland, Callahan, Channel Bio, Crop Production Services, The Andersons and Remington. At the same time, D.F. Seeds continued to produce its own GMO and non-GMO varieties of seeds. In 1997, Diehl was able to launch D.F. Seeds as a stand-alone company with financial backing from former classmates at Purdue.

In 2015, Diehl assumed the responsibilities as research director at D.F. Seeds after completing a transition that transferred ownership and overall management to Chris Varner, who became president of the operation. In 2017, Tillerman Seeds LLC, a Grand Rapids-based company created to acquire regional producers of specialty seeds, purchased the assets of D.F. Seeds and now is combining back-office functions with another acquisition, Legacy Seeds in Scandinavia, Wis. Diehl remains with D.F. Seeds as research director.

In addition to the associations award, Diehl received the Purdue University Agricultural Alumni Association's Certificate of Distinction in 2014, its highest award for alumni of the College of Agriculture.

For more information on the associations Leaders and Legends award and Diehl, please refer to the association link at Leaders and Legends. For more information on D.F. Seeds, please refer to this link at D.F. Seeds. For more information on Tillerman, please refer to this link at Tillerman & Co.
Exhibitus announced today that industry veteran Rob Majerowski has joined the company as General Manager  Chicago Division. Majerowski brings more than 20 years experience leading and mentoring creative design and business development teams for experiential marketing success.

In his role as Chicagos General Manager, Majerowski will oversee creative services, business development and day-to-day operations for this fast-growing division that serves some of Exhibitus largest clients.

From 2002  2017, Majerowski was Vice-President Creative at mg, a leader in experience marketing, where he interfaced with clients throughout the sales and creative processes, from initial prospecting to deep discovery through the final sales pitch. In 2017, he transitioned to Vice-President, New Business Strategy at mg, where he developed a marketing strategy for business development executives to focus their approach as industry experts.

Exhibitus President Brad Falberg said, The exhibit industry is no longer just about creating a stunning exhibit, but more and more we are strategic partners with our clients, helping them engage trade show attendees with meaningful experiences that meet marketing objectives. As both a leader of creative talent and a proven business strategist, Rob is the perfect choice for continuing to build success for our clients and the Exhibitus brand in the Chicago market. We are excited to welcome him to the Exhibitus team.

Majerowski holds a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign.

Exhibitus

Driven by the philosophy Design Matters, Exhibitus is an award-winning, full-service exhibit house that offers custom and rental exhibits, innovative engagements and event measurement programs  all designed so global customers can inspire audiences and deliver measurable results.

Headquartered in Atlanta with offices in Chicago, New York and Orlando, Exhibitus clients include AGCO, Cox Business, Georgia Pacific, Kawneer, Lexus, Mimaki, MBX Systems, Sandvik, Toshiba, Unifi, United Therapeutics and Verizon Wireless.
Liz Dudek, Director of Health Care Affairs for global law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A. will speak at the Sept. 25 Hillsborough County Chapter meeting of the Florida Assisted Living Association (FALA) at 10:00 a.m. at Tessera of Brandon located at 1320 Oakfield Drive in Brandon, Florida.

Dudeks presentation will provide an overview of the success of the first five years of Floridas Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program, and the changes that will be facing assisted living facilities and their residents as a result of the programs new contracts for 2018-2023. She will address specific information on changes that will affect facilities in Hillsborough County.

The Florida Assisted Living Association is the oldest assisted living association in the state. For more than 25 years, they have provided members with advocacy, education, and regulatory support. It is the largest state association representing nearly 500 assisted living facilities and adult family care homes and 200 associate members who provide assisted living products and services.

Based in Greenberg Traurigs Tallahassee office, Dudek is Director of Healthcare Affairs, and is part of the firms state and national Health & FDA Business Practice, as well as the Government Law & Policy Practice. She helps the firms clients navigate the healthcare system, interact with agencies, and better understand legislative affairs and their accompanying issues. Her career in Floridas state government spanned over 40 years across a variety of senior management positions including Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration and Deputy Secretary of Health Quality Assurance. As Secretary, Dudek oversaw one of the largest Medicaid programs in the nation. Under her administration, the Agency successfully implemented the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program and the establishment of the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. She has worked extensively with health care facilities, providers, and insurers.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2017 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
HEADs have been working in partnership with PROMAN, for over 3 years since becoming a majority shareholder back in 2015. Both companies have worked in harmony to create a partnership that utilizes both growth and knowledge of the UK market.

With over 25 years experience, PROMAN has more than 240 branches across Europe. Originating from France, PROMAN is now the fifth largest recruitment company within the temporary labour market. The recruiters cover all sectors including Engineering, Finance and Distribution with both temporary and permanent positions available.

PROMAN have helped us to expand our service areas. We have taken the first few steps of our national expansion plan with new offices in the East Midlands, Bristol, Doncaster, Liverpool and many more. As our areas expand our aim remains the same. We will always find out precisely what you need and deliver it to a far higher standard than you have experienced before. Said a company spokesperson.

The acquisition of HEADS Recruitment was part of the wider growth strategy set out by PROMAN back in 2015. The company set out to open 350 offices and achieve a revenue of 2 billion, of which 300 million will come from overseas, by 2020. The new merger will still see core company values of trust, loyalty and responsiveness at the forefront of everything PROMAN.

As a result of the company re-brand, HEADS have decided to rebrand all of their social media pages. This will also coincide with the soon-to-launch new website.

Be sure to follow the pages and keep up to date with all things PROMAN, including industry news, trends and latest jobs.
In INFOhios Educator Tools, teachers can find the best-in-class learning resources for all grades and all subject areas to differentiate and to personalize learning for Ohios PreK-12 students.

Access to quality open education resources (OER) is now easier for Ohio educators and students. In a partnership announced today, INFOhio will provide school districts with access to the Knovation Content Collection, using its full array of digital library applications.

Ohios PreK-12 digital library, INFOhio, transforms student learning by providing equitable access to quality resources, and cost-effective instruction and technical support for each student, educator, and parent in Ohio. We leverage technology to provide an integrated library system for users; offer curated digital instructional content for educators; develop web-based tools for educators; and deliver cost-effective technical and instructional development and support, according to Theresa M. Fredericka, Director of INFOhio.

Knovation recognizes that quality open educational resources (OER) and open access learning resources can engage students and improve learning if those resources are well organized and presented for easy access. That is why this partnership is such an exciting step in helping us achieve our vision for the future success of Ohio students, said Geoff Andrews, CEO of The Management Council.

In the PK-12 world where the number of OER is growing almost exponentially, teachers have told us less is more  provide a targeted collection of OER that is trusted, aligned and classroom-ready, said Randy Wilhelm, CEO of Knovation. At Knovation, we do just that and our partnership with INFOhio will help Ohios PreK-12 teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders find the right OER that is of highest quality, safe for use in teaching and learning, and educationally relevant.

Certain resources from Knovation's Collection are now available through Educator Tools (https://www.infohio.org/educator-tools), powered by INFOhio and includes more than 45,000 teacher-approved lesson plans, best practices, articles, websites, and other instructional resources, curated by Knovation, to support personalized learning, project-based learning, and the inquiry process. In INFOhios Educator Tools, teachers can find the best-in-class learning resources for all grades and all subject areas to differentiate and to personalize learning for Ohios PreK-12 students.

About INFOhio

INFOhio is Ohios PreK-12 digital library with a vision that each Ohio PreK-12 student has equal access to high quality digital resources for a successful education and future. INFOhio transforms student learning by licensing a collection of instructional contentselected to support Ohios Learning Standardsand making it easily accessible to all Ohio PreK-12 students, their parents, and teachers from any Internet-connected deviceat no cost to Ohio's schools. INFOhio is optimized by the Management Council, which represents and supports the collaborative efforts of Ohios Information Technology Centers. Visit INFOhio at https://www.infohio.org.

About Knovation

Knovation makes it easy to find, to organize, and to share free digital content for learning. Knovation hires curriculum experts to professionally evaluate, tag, and standards-align K-12 learning resources covering all subject areas, all grades and all learning resource types. Additionally, Knovation uses advanced technology to continuously maintain its collection of hundreds of thousands of online resources. Since 1999, Knovation has delivered on the promise to do something good for kids, every day by helping districts and organizations that serve them meet the needs of diverse K-12 learners in digital learning environments. For more information, please visit https://www.knovationlearning.com.
We are excited to be at our first fashion show, says Mei Li founder James Ng. Its important for us to support organizations that support diversity.

Mei Li, a start-up handbag brand that focuses on representing diversity, will be a sponsor at the 10th Annual AsiansInNY Fashion Show. The fashion show features several Asian fashion designers, performers, and brands. The event will be held on Saturday September 22, 2018 in the TF Chen Art Building (335 W. 35th St.) in New York City from 2-4PM.

AsianInNY is pleased to present Mei Li at our 10th Anniversary Fashion Show, says co-founder Diana Lee.

We are excited to be at our first fashion show, says Mei Li founder James Ng. Its important for us to support organizations that support diversity. Both founders of Mei Li are immigrants, and organizations like Asians in NY help facilitate new immigrants to adjust to life in their new homes. We really want to support organizations that represent diversity and represents the Asian culture.

Mei Li will present its line of handbags at the show. The company will be introducing the Audrey, its latest handbag for the women explorer at the show.

About Mei Li

Mei Li is a fashion brand located in San Francisco with operations in Hong Kong and China. Its mission is to create products with style and versatility beyond imagination and representing diversity in the fashion industry.

Contact: social(at)mymeili(dot)com

About AsiansinNY

Founded in 2008, AsianInNY is the leading Asian networking and multicultural sharing site dedicated to inspire, educate, and connect the community in New York City. AsianInNY provides the resources and tools to help all immigrants ease into the transition of living in the big city. To learn more, visit us at http://www.asianinny.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
"...Im proud to be part of this community in the Midwest thats embracing innovation and driving industry forward, said Brad Keywell, co-founder and CEO, Uptake.

mHUB, and Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII), have named Marmon Holdings, Inc. as Manufacturer of the Year; Microsoft as Corporate Champion; and Brad Keywell as Fourth Revolution Champion of the second annual Fourth Revolution Awards. The industry awards ceremony will take place on October 10, 2018, at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago to recognize the leadership, innovation and achievements of the Midwests manufacturing community.

The Manufacturer of the Year award recognizes an individual or manufacturing company that has demonstrated its excellence in business practices, innovative processes, and productivity enhancements, and has made a significant financial investment to manufacturing capacity in the region.

Marmon Holdings, Inc., with more than 100 autonomous manufacturing and service businesses across 13 diverse business sectors, is dedicated to developing creative, customer-focused products and services. During the 13-year tenure of outgoing Chairman and CEO Frank Ptak, Marmon has achieved significant growth through both internal investment and acquisitions. Additionally, Chicago-based Marmon is a strong supporter of the entrepreneurial community through its founding partnership with mHUB.

We are honored to receive this award along with our retiring leader Frank Ptak, said Marmon President Angelo Pantaleo. Marmon companies manufacture a wide range of products, from railroad tank cars and platform trailers, to commercial beverage dispensers and residential water softeners, to industrial flashlights and metal screws. One thing they all share is a commitment to continual innovation in technologies, materials, processes, and products in order to deliver meaningful solutions to our customers.

The Corporate Champion award recognizes a corporation or business that has made an impact on manufacturing through community-focused efforts, and significant financial investment throughout the region. As a founding member of DMDII, and a driving force behind industrial technologies that enable predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, and factory optimization, Microsoft is enabling smart manufacturing in the Chicago region and beyond.

It is an honor to be recognized as a Corporate Champion with this Fourth Revolution Award. Through our work with DMDII and the community, we know that the digital transformation in manufacturing is accelerated through partnerships and collaboration, ultimately rewarding the manufacturing ecosystem and its stakeholders. We truly appreciate this recognition, said Caglayan Arkan, General Manager, Microsoft Worldwide Manufacturing & Resources.

The new category of Fourth Revolution Champion recognizes an individual who is leading industry into a new era where digital and physical systems converge and lead to advances in productivity, efficiency, and safety in manufacturing.

Brad Keywell, co-founder and CEO of Uptake, is the inaugural recipient of this award, recognizing his work at the company to help industrial companies digitally transform with open, purpose-built software that delivers outcomes that matter.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is happening now; not 10 or 20 years from now. The Internet of Things and artificial intelligence are impacting how we all live, work, and interact with each other, said Keywell. The rise of these technologies creates massive opportunity for people who, I believe, will be empowered to innovate, create new jobs and business models, and drive greater productivity and efficiency than what we'd previously imagined was possible. The global industries that power, transport, build, and feed our world are already stronger and better because of these changes. Im proud to be part of this community in the Midwest thats embracing innovation and driving industry forward.

Additional Fourth Revolution Award Finalists Announced

Award winners in five additional categories are being reviewed by the Fourth Revolution Awards prestigious judging committee, and will be acknowledged on October 10 at the award ceremony. These include: Community Empowerment, Product Design of the Year, Rising Star Startup of the Year, Innovation of the Year, and Small and Mid-Sized Manufacturer of the Year.

The finalists for the Rising Star Startup of the Year will pitch at mHUB on September 26 to determine the winner, and public voting on the Product of the Year award will close the same day. Meet the finalists in each category:

Community Empowerment Award Finalists



Product of the Year Award Finalists



Rising Star Startup of the Year Award Finalists



Innovation of the Year Award Finalists



Small-Medium Manufacturer of the Year Finalists



Confirmed Fourth Revolution Award sponsors include Accenture, Bank of America, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Chamberlain Group, GE Ventures, Granite Creek Capital Partners, Grosvenor Group, JLL, KPMG, Marmon Holdings, Inc., MB Financial, Museum of Science & Industry, Pritzker Group Venture Capital, RW Ventures, Uptake, UL, WaterSaver Faucet, and Wintrust. Community host partners include IMEC, and The Technology & Manufacturing Association.

For more information on the ceremony, sponsorship opportunities, and awards, visit http://www.4RevAwards.com and follow @4RevAwards on Twitter.

About mHUB

mHUB is Chicagos innovation center for physical product development and manufacturing. mHUB is a co-working community of product designers and developers, entrepreneurs, engineers and manufacturers, a network of manufacturing mentors, industry experts and investors, and a source of intellectual and economic capital. mHUB is home to ten shops and labs, including electronics, plastic fabrication, metals and rapid prototyping as well as a microfactory for small production runs.

About DMDII

The Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute is where innovative manufacturers go to forge their futures. In partnership with UI LABS and the Department of Defense, DMDII equips U.S. factories with the digital tools and expertise they need to begin building every part better than the last. As a result, its more than 300 partners increase their productivity and win more business.
The Albright family celebrates the naming of Albright Innovation Hall at NC State on Thursday night. Were grateful for the impact Andy and Jane have made by supporting the development of NC State students as entrepreneurs and leaders.Tom Miller, NC State senior vice provost for academic outreach and entrepreneurship.

North Carolina State University will officially recognize a Burlington, N.C. couple for their generous $5 million donation pledged to support the various areas of the universitys entrepreneurship programs, during a ceremony called Entrepalooza at Stafford Commons outside of Talley Hall on Thursday night in front of a crowd of more than 1,500.

Andy and Jane Albright, who were the guests of honor at Thursdays announcement, made the pledge in November of 2016, and in honor of the gift NC State has named Innovation Hall after the Albrights.

Andy Albright is the president and CEO of National Agents Alliance, one of the countrys largest insurance marketing companies, which is based in Burlington. He is a 1986 graduate of NCSUs College of Textiles, and is a member on the advisory board of NCSUs Entrepreneurs.

The gift also endows the Albright Entrepreneurs Village, a living and learning village that the couple established in 2013. The villages are interest-based communities that engage students inside and outside the classroom.

Andy and Janes generous gift bolsters both NC State Entrepreneurship and the General H. Hugh Shelton Leadership Center, said Dr. Tom Miller, senior vice provost for academic outreach and entrepreneurship at NC State University. Were grateful for the impact Andy and Jane have made by supporting the development of NC State students as entrepreneurs and leaders. Gifts like the Albrights enable NC State to Think and Do the extraordinary. The naming of Albright Innovation Hall will serve as a permanent reminder of their generosity and its impact.

The Albrights gift supports all five of the Campaigns priorities  leadership, experience, purpose, places and opportunity.

Albright, who serves on the Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, said he wants to lead by example and encourages others to support the university.

Im a businessman, and Im always looking for the right places to invest in, Albright said. Outside of my own business, I see NC State as a place where I can do that and help sharp, young people who want to be the next wave of job creators in America. This is about our young peoples future, and the direction our country is headed in years from now.

Additionally, the Albrights gift helped create the Shelton-Albright Entrepreneurial Leadership Youth Program, which is administered jointly through the Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Shelton Leadership Center. The program is aimed at high school students in rural N.C. counties.

The Albrights support will allow the Shelton Leadership Center to move from its current offices in the McKimmon Center to Valley Hall on Centennial Campus. This will provide additional space for workshops and courses.

The Albright Entrepreneurs Village and the Shelton Leadership Center provide so many opportunities for our students to gain real-world experience building businesses and learning to be bold, values-based leaders, Chancellor Randy Woodson says on NCSUs website. These are the innovators who will lead our state and nation in the decades to come.

ABOUT ANDY ALBRIGHT

Andy Albright is an entrepreneur, business owner, author and motivational speaker, who lives in Burlington, N.C.

Albright co-founded National Agents Alliance (aka The Alliance) in 2002 and quickly helped it grow into one of the countrys largest and most successful insurance marketing organizations, specializing in life event marketing and sales insurance marketing organization in the United States. As the top seller with companies like Mutual of Omaha, Transamerica and Foresters, The Alliance posts $100 million in sales annually.

The Old North State Council of Boy Scouts of America named Albright as its Man Of The Year on May 31, 2018, in recognition for his contribution to the efforts of the Scouts.

Andy has appeared in regional North Carolina magazines and newspapers, and his company was selected from a pool of 35,000 area businesses as the N.C. Triads Fastest Growing Company by Greensboros Triad Business Journal in 2007. Albright was named to the Triads 2011 Movers & Shakers list by Business Leader magazine, and has appeared on several national radio shows.

Albright is the author of The 8 Steps to Success, Millionaire Maker Manual and Inside The Circle. His fourth book is slated for release in January of 2019.
Jim Blair and Marc Kiner of Premier Social Security Consulting. (ITN Productions Image) Americans are living longer and having retirements that can last up to 30 years," said Kiner. "Maximizing Social Security income can help retirees make sure they dont outlive their money.

Premier Social Security Consulting of Cincinnati was among leading educational companies in the financial advising and insurance industry featured in the Planning Your Financial Future program unveiled at the annual National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) conference held Sept. 13-16 in San Antonio, Texas.

Premiers National Social Security Advisor (NSSA) training program, which educates professional advisors about the Social Security program so advisors can help clients maximize Social Security income, is the nations only accredited Social Security education certificate program.

Premier partners Marc Kiner and Jim Blair were featured in the online video program including in-depth news, interviews, and sponsored editorial profiles of leaders and key organizations in the insurance and financial advising industries.

The full program was played on a continuous loop throughout the conference in an NAIFA viewing area. The conference draws financial advisors and insurance agents from across the nation each year. ITN Productions of London, England, created the news program.

About 76 million Americans are classified as baby boomers, with 10,000 of them turning 65 years old each day in the U.S. This is one of the largest demographics in the U.S.

"Americans are living longer and having retirements that can last up to 30 years," said Kiner. "Maximizing Social Security income can help retires make sure they dont outlive their money."

Kiner, a certified public accountant for 38 years, sold his CPA firm to focus on Social Security education. He and Blair formed Premier Social Security Consulting in January, 2010, to help individual baby boomers understand and maximize their Social Security benefits.

But they quickly realized that people did not have qualified financial advisors to go to who were knowledgeable about the Social Security program. They formed the National Social Security Association and now offer Social Security education training to professional advisors nationwide as part of the NSSA program. More than 1,600 professional advisors have taken NSSA education training and earned the NSSA certificate.

Financial advisors who advise clients on how to structure an income stream for retirement better know what youre talking about when it comes to Social Security, said Joseph Duffy, a financial advisor for 28 years who works at Everest Financial, Inc. in Fort Mitchell, Ky.

Ive taken the NSSA class not just once, but several times, said Duffy. Its a great refresher for me. My education with the NSSA course allows me to be effective with my own Social Security seminars. Our attendance continues to go up at our seminars and our closing rate has gone from 25 percent to almost a 50 percent closing rate.

After the 8-hour NSSA class is completed, Social Security education for advisors will continue. Kiner and Blair host regular webinars to keep advisors posted on Social Security program changes and provide answers to tough-nut Social Security questions. Webinar topics typically include: Social Security-related articles; case studies; Social Security options software; marketing strategies; and advisor questions.

The National Social Security Advisor (NSSA) certificate program is accredited by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) in Washington, D.C.

The NSSA Advisor program is offered in 18 cities across the nation this year.

Founded in 1890 as The National Association of Life Underwriters (NALU), NAIFA is the oldest, largest and most prestigious association representing the interests of insurance professionals from every Congressional district in the United States.

NAIFA is dedicated to advocate for a positive legislative and regulatory environment, enhance business and professional skills, and promote the ethical conduct of its members. For more information about NAIFA visit http://www.NAIFA.org.

To enroll in NSSA courses and webinars, visit http://www.premiernssa.com.

For more information about the National Social Security Advisor certificate program, visit http://www.nationalsocialsecurityassociation.com or http://www.premiernssa.com, email Kiner at mkiner@mypremierplan.com, or call him at (513) 247-0526.

# # #

Contact: Marc Kiner

Premier Social Security Consulting

Email: mkiner@mypremierplan.com

Phone: (513) 247-0526

About Premier Social Security Consulting:

Marc Kiner and Jim Blair are partners at Premier Social Security Consulting of Cincinnati, which teaches the National Social Security Advisor (NSSA) certificate program. The men educate professional advisors on the Social Security system so advisors can counsel clients on how to maximize Social Security income.
"We're delighted to have one of the most highly-regarded LMSes on the market. Recognition from the likes of our peers at Training Industry is testament to the great functionality that NetDimensions LMS customers are enjoying," - Bill Mastin, NetDimensions SVP of Global Sales

For the seventh consecutive year, NetDimensions has been ranked by industry experts, Trainingindustry.com, as one of their Top 20 Learning Portal/LMS Companies for 2018.

Training Industry, which describes itself as a global resource which reports the latest updates from the training world and helps learning professionals find the right tools for their training needs also included sister company PeopleFluent on its companies to watch Watch List.

The selected 2018 Learning Portal/LMS Watch List Companies demonstrates excellence in many areas, including:



Quality of learning portal/LMS user and administrative features

Industry visibility, innovation and impact

Number and strength of clients

Geographic reach

Company size and growth potential

The 2018 Top 20 Learning Portal/LMS companies are the leaders in the learning

technologies market, said Ken Taylor, president of Training Industry, Inc. These

companies offer platforms that are customized to the learner experience and engage the

learner across devices and through innovations like gamification. They also provide

robust measurement and reporting for learning administrators and meaningful,

immediate feedback for users.

Its no small feat to be featured as one of the worlds top 20 LMSes seven years in a row, said NetDimensions SVP of Global Sales, Bill Mastin. Were delighted to have one of the most highly-regarded LMSes on the market. Recognition from the likes of our peers at Training Industry is testament to the great functionality that NetDimensions LMS customers are enjoying.

Its been a bumper year of awards for NetDimensions. In addition to the Training Industry accolade, there have been industry recognitions from Aragon Research, G2 Crowd, FeaturedCustomers, as well as a Gold rating in CSR from Ecovadis and being awarded Partner of the Year by Humentum.

The full list of Training Industrys 2018 Top 20 Learning Portals/LMS Companies can be found here.

To see NetDimensions award-winning learning management solutions for yourself, contact us today to schedule a free demo.

About NetDimensions

NetDimensions is a global provider of learning management solutions, particularly for highly-regulated industries with large and complex compliance requirements.

NetDimensions provides companies, government agencies and other organizations with learning management solutions to personalize learning, share knowledge, enhance performance, foster collaboration and manage compliance programmes for employees, customers, partners and suppliers.

Rated the worlds top compliance Learning Management System (LMS) by respected learning industry experts, Talented Learning, NetDimensions enables organizations to manage the entire learning and development process from enrollment and delivery to testing, tracking, certifying and reporting in a highly personalized, multilingual learning environment.

Established in 1999, NetDimensions is headquartered in Hong Kong, with offices in the US, Germany, Australia and UK.

NetDimensions is ISO 9001 certified and NetDimensions hosted services are ISO 27001 certified.

NetDimensions is part of Learning Technologies Group plc (LTG).

For more information, visit http://www.NetDimensions.com or follow @netdimensions on Twitter.
Ideal Implant Structured Breast Implants Coupled with the already high-performing IDEAL IMPLANT, this new program is a win-win for women desiring more natural looking and feeling breast implants, with the greater peace of mind that comes from both the safety of saline inside and the expanded financial protection.

Women who undergo breast implant surgery naturally want a beautiful, worry-free outcome. However, the implant manufacturers warranty does not always protect them against uninsured expenses for unexpected complications. Women can now elect low-cost, extensive protection for their breast augmentation with the IDEAL IMPLANT Premium Protection Plan for greater peace of mind if an issue should arise, and the plan is renewable for life.

This first-of-its-kind breast implant protection plan provides women with financial assistance for uninsured expenses of early complications that may include bleeding, infection, anesthesia, blood clots and wound healing events, as well as late complications such as deflation, capsular contracture and scar revision. Women enroll with their surgeon prior to the procedure for a one-time payment of $189 for primary breast augmentation or $249 if exchanging existing implants. Continuing protection costs $79 a year.

The IDEAL IMPLANT Premium Protection Plan provides financial assistance up to the limits shown:



$10,000 PROTECTION during the first 60 days after the procedure for bleeding, infection, anesthesia, blood clots and wound healing events.

$5,000 PROTECTION during the first year for capsular contracture, deflation, insertional scar revision and related events.

$5,000 PROTECTION during renewal years for capsular contracture, deflation, insertional scar revision and related events.

RENEWABLE ANNUALLY FOR LIFE for greater peace of mind and financial protection.

All women receiving IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implants receive replacement implants for life due to deflation and for 10 years due to capsular contracture. Women who do not select the Premium Protection Plan are automatically enrolled in the companys Basic Protection Plan, which provides up to $3,500 in financial assistance for deflation for 10 years.

We feel our responsibility to women receiving our implants doesnt end when the final stitch is tied, said Dr. Robert S. Hamas, IDEAL IMPLANT inventor and board-certified plastic surgeon. While IDEAL IMPLANT offers some of the lowest rupture and capsular contracture rates among implants, we want to provide women with financial peace of mind in case an unexpected expense arises, whether for an early post-operative complication, or a problem that arises many years in the future.

The IDEAL IMPLANT Premium Protection Plan has benefits that go far beyond what other implant companies offer, Dr. Hamas explained. Coupled with the already high-performing IDEAL IMPLANT, this new program is a win-win for women desiring more natural looking and feeling breast implants, with the greater peace of mind that comes from both the safety of saline inside and the expanded financial protection.

For more information, visit https://idealimplant.com/protection/.

About IDEAL IMPLANT

Ideal Implant Incorporated is a privately held company that was founded in 2006 by Robert S. Hamas, MD, the plastic surgeon who invented the IDEAL IMPLANT. After years of dealing with ruptured silicone gel implants and listening to patient concerns, Dr. Hamas realized that women wanted a new type of breast implantone that would combine the natural feel of a silicone gel implant with only saline inside for safety and peace of mind.

The unique design of the IDEAL IMPLANT provides a natural feel and youthful lookwithout using silicone gel. The IDEAL IMPLANT incorporates a series of shells nested together and two separate chambers that hold saline. This patented internal structure controls movement of the saline and supports the implant edges to prevent collapse and wrinkling. IDEAL IMPLANT has undergone 10 years of development, testing, and refinementincluding contributions of clinical expertise from other board-certified plastic surgeons. The IDEAL IMPLANT was approved by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada in 2014.

For more information, visit https://idealimplant.com/.
Coming at a time when they were at war with another gang, members of the Ibarra Bloods say the TPRF peace education workshops had a profound impact on them to stop fighting. The Peace Education Program could help more gangs, more groups, more young people who are in the street or any part of the world. Because the message is an intense message that makes us open our eyes and helps us change our perspective

To mark the UN International Day of Peace on September 21, the Bloods of Ibarra, Ecuador made a music video that celebrates how peace education inspired them to transform into a force for good in their community.

Although the group still identifies as the Bloods, they are no longer engaged in criminal activities like some of their contemporaries in other cities who claim membership in notorious global gangs. About five years ago, sparked by TPRFs peace education workshops, these youths embarked on a different path, relinquishing their weapons and lawless behavior in favor of productive activities and community improvement projects.

The multimedia Peace Education Program (PEP) sessions are based on excerpts from Prem Rawats international talks and are designed to help participants gain an inner sense of strength, dignity, hope and contentment. Coming at a time when they were at war with another gang, members of the Ibarra Bloods say the workshops had a profound impact on them to stop fighting. Prem Rawat also met with gang members in person, offering further inspiration to chart a new course.

I think that if we hadn't heard Prem Rawats message, the worst wouldve happened. We wouldve continued killing each other, stealing, says Jefferson, one of the groups leaders. Christian, another leader, echoes that sentiment, saying, Im sure that I would either be in jail, in a clinic, or Id be dead, because thats where I was heading.

Now the Ibarra Bloods have become positive role models in their impoverished neighborhood of Alpachaca, receiving praise from the mayor and regional leaders. They have presented peace education workshops at local schools to help others avoid the mistakes they made, and for two years they produced their own program on National Public Radio Ecuador to inspire youth across the country to follow their peaceful example.

With the support of local authorities and their neighbors, the Ibarra Bloods recently opened the CultivArte Center, a community gathering place in Alpachaca where they can offer workshops in peace education, job training, music, dance and creative arts.

Now, we have the joy of working for the good. If you feel peace within, you can feel peace with everyone, says Christina, an Ibarra Bloods leader.

As their Peace Day video demonstrates, the group includes talented rappers, producers and dancers, who will only get better as they now have their own safe space to practice. Their CultivArte Center serves as the backdrop of the video, covered in a newly painted graffiti mural that amplifies their hopeful message that La Paz es Posible (Peace is Possible). Putting their message into action, the Ibarra Bloods invited the Quito Bloods and their previous rivals, the Latin Kings, to join them in creating the heartening song and video.

The message of their music and mural echoes that of Prem Rawat and a new London mural he worked on with world-renowned artist Ben Eine in response to a gang crime epidemic in the UK. The Bloods painted their mural in solidarity with everyone working in the UK and around the world to find peaceful solutions on Peace Day and every day.

A feature documentary about the transformation of the Bloods, Peace is Inevitable, recently made its UK debut at a forum on tackling gang violence, and its their hope that their story will touch youth like them across the globe who are at risk of making bad choices.

The PEP could help more gangs, more groups, more young people who are in the street or any part of the world. Because the message is an intense message that makes us open our eyes and helps us change our perspective, says Cunini, an Ibarra Bloods leader. We all need to live in peace. All human beings need peace, our own peace.

Previous TPRF Peace Day videos have received more than 10 million views, and the charity is hoping to reach millions more with the new uplifting message from the Bloods.

Watch the video and sign up for exclusive free access to the powerful documentary, Peace is Inevitable, that reveals more about the transformation of the Bloods.
Russell Finex, a worldwide leader in separation technology established in 1934, and which sells into over 140 countries across the globe, has purchased FastClose for financial reporting, and month end close, for its Epicor ERP system. http://www.RussellFinex.co.uk/en

Ken Armour, Russell Finexs Finance Director, explained, When we first saw Epicor we really liked the chart of accounts design, where you can have normal accounting segments but also the ability to stamp GL transactions with what Epicor calls dynamic segments.

However, once we started to implement Epicor, the dynamic element was never used, and we were left with a standard chart of accounts. We could not analyse GL transitions by product and customer, which is what we had planned to do originally.

We found out the reason. There was no easy way to report on these additional segments in standard Epicor. Fortunately, IT consultancy Clear Business Outcome introduced us to FastClose and showed us the product, and we could see that FastClose was what we needed to take advantage of these dynamic segments.

Fabien Viallevieille, Business Systems Analyst at Russell Finex, expanded further, We took FastClose on trial, and what I liked from the get-go was all the video tutorials on their website. I was able to build our management reporting pack really quickly.

As well as the videos, FastClose also supplied starting templates that enabled us to build reports easily. Previously, we had been using a spreadsheet product that comes with Epicor and, interestingly, FastClose uncovered some missing accounts in a number of our reports. So, we ended up auditing all of our reports using FastClose.

We also found that FastClose was very stable. Using our previous spreadsheet tools, we often encountered errors when Windows was upgraded or when we tried to install on different PCs and share spreadsheets. FastClose comes with a database, called a repository, where all the reports can be published and saved. When a new accountant wants to run FastClose, we just link them to the repository, and all the reports are available. We are now in the process of replacing our management reports with FastClose.

The support we get is impressive as the team at FastClose is very responsive to suggestions and puts enhancements in the product quickly, which I like.

Nick Gomersall, the CEO of FastClose, said, Currently, when you buy Epicor, there are technical reporting tools that only people who know SQL  and how to join tables  can use. So each time a report is built, it is only for that customer.

FastClose takes all the suggestions from our customers and puts them in the standard product so that everyone benefits. A good example was when Russell Finex built a stock report. Currently, in the ERP database, the movements of stock do not follow the correct debits and credits, so you have to run an Epicor report as of today to get a stock figure.

However, with FastClose we can build conditional calculations and get the right sign for movement of stock for each transaction type; it was something that was needed for stock reconciliation and As Of reporting. We can now give this to all our customers.

Fabien Viallevieille added, The speed of getting data back was also very impressive as well as the drill down to the transactions for audit purposes. FastClose connects directly to the Epicor database, so there is no need to stage the data or run an overnight batch update to another database. Its truly real-time.

We can also monitor the hit on that database as they have an audit option that shows you exactly how long it has used the database. So far, we have not noticed any impact on the server when running Epicor.

Finally, Ken Armour concluded, It was great to have FastClose on trial as you can gauge the ROI before you buy. Following our success with FastClose, we have plans to do our management and statutory consolidation with them as well.

Recently they brought in the account mapping tables which enables us to restate the chart of accounts from one company to our standard chart. This is great for countries like France and Belgium where you have  by law  to use the government chart of account, the Plan Comptable.

This is a much better feature than with standard Epicor as you dont have to re-post all the current transactions and history into another book which duplicates everything.

FastClose. FastClose Ltd is a specialist reporting company offering a tool that links directly to the Epicor database and gives unprecedented access to data. Designed to be super easy-to-use, accounts departments will be using the product in a few hours leading to a rapid ROI. FastClose bridges the gap between complex and costly BI tools and uncontrolled spreadsheets.

For more information visit http://www.FastClose.uk or contact Nick Gomersall on 07515544321 or email Nick.Gomersall@FastClose.uk

To view an online demo click on http://www.Demo.FastClose.uk

Clear Business Outcome.

Clear Business Outcome Ltd. is an Epicor ERP consultancy company; it has a large and knowledgeable team which has over 300 years of combined Epicor experience. They specialise in delivering value to their customers by aligning the ERP system with robust and consistent business processes designed to achieve the company's goals.

For more information, please visit http://www.clearbusinessoutcome.com or contact them by emailing enquiry@clearbusinessoutcome.com or call on 01947841232.
Wayne Diviney of SailTime, Stefano Pizzi of Spartivento, Simone Morelli of NSS Charter and Todd Hess of SailTime This isnt just an expansion for SailTime, but the growth of the partnership with Beneteau thats been nurtured in the United States for the past several years.

SailTime Group LLC, the worlds leading boat membership franchise, recently announced the opening of two new SailTime bases in Italy. The openings of the new bases in Tuscany and Salerno launches SailTime into a new era of international expansion, with several more bases expected to open in Europe and Asia over the next three years.

The Tuscany and Salerno SailTime bases were awarded to NSS Charter and Spartivento Charter respectively, both the largest Beneteau Yacht dealers in the Italian market. SailTime CEO Todd Hess says, this isnt just an expansion for SailTime, but the growth of the partnership with Beneteau thats been nurtured in the United States for the past several years.

In the United States, weve have partnered with 14 Beneteau Group dealers and have engaged in a long-term Strategic marketing agreement with Beneteau American and Jeanneau America. The relationship with Beneteau Group and SailTime has strengthened both of our brands in the United States with over 50 new boats added to the SailTime program in less than 3 years. Expanding into Europe and beyond is the next phase of that relationship, he said.

With more than 20 years of experience working in the nautical sector, NSS Charter will own and operate the SailTime base in Tuscany and has the exclusive development rights for Northern Italy with plans to open additional bases in Sardinia and La Speitza by the end of 2019. The Tuscany base will operate out of the Marina Cala de Medici, Tuscany and will officially launch SailTime Tuscany at the Genoa International Boat Show this upcoming weekend.

Our company has spent the last three decades providing the best in sailing yachts to Italys boat enthusiasts, NSS Charter CEO Simone Morelli said. With the launch of SailTime Tuscany, well be expanding our appeal to a whole new customer base of boaters who want to enjoy all the fun of sailing but may not be ready to own a yacht.

Spartivento Charter, one of Italys largest charter companies with a fleet of over 45 sailing boats and catamarans, will open SailTime Salerno at the Marina d Arechi, Salerno (Amalfi Coast) . In addition to the Salerno Franchise, Spartivento has the exclusive development rights for Southern Italy and plans to open additional bases in Rome and Sicily in the next year.

The SailTime model works very well with our business because it offers boaters a path to take the next step, a boost from the occasional charter to a new level of boating that offers all of the experience of boat ownership but with less commitment, Spartivento Charter CEO Stefano Pizzi said. Well have memberships that offer multiple sailing dates every month on the same boat each time. When they go out sailing, it will feel like their personal yacht.

Herve Gastinel, CEO and President of Beneteau Group, is delighted to see his companys partnership with SailTime expand from the United States into Europe and sees much success to come for both brands.

We are quite excited to start a new partnership with SailTime in Europe as their fractional membership program perfectly fits with our strategy to become the global benchmark for all boating experiences. A great group of people bringing a breath of fresh air on this side of the Atlantic! Compliments to NSS and Spartivento for being trendsetters, he said.

What is SailTime?

Boat ownership can be expensive, and the National Marine Manufacturers Association reports more than 70 percent of U.S. boat owners earning less than $100,000 a year.

With a fee that starts at only a few hundred dollars a month, SailTime members can conveniently schedule blocks of time online to enjoy a new model sail or powerboat without the commitment or expense of ownership. When finished, they turn the keys over to the SailTime team to clean up and maintain the boat.

Boat owners can make money by placing their sail or powerboat in the SailTime program, allowing franchisees to sell blocks of time on their vessel.

For more information, visit sailtime.com

About SailTime

Now celebrating its 17th anniversary, SailTime has more than 30 franchise-owned bases in North America and five bases in Australia. SailTime client-members share the use of a professionally managed boat through the use of a unique and proprietary online scheduling system. A monthly membership covers the slip fees, maintenance, insurance, and operating costs. These memberships offer an attractive alternative to boat ownership. SailTime also offers a generous Owner Member Program where the owner receives a monthly income, as well as the benefits of membership and complete professional management of their boat.

SailTime also has a significant network of sailing schools, via bases that are certified American Sailing Association (ASA) and Royal Yachting Association (RYA) affiliates. The instruction provided at these locations has been a key component in providing a pathway for members to achieve their goals and dreams for the sport of sailing.

For more information, please visit http://www.sailtime.com

About NSS Charter

Founded in 1998, NSS Charter specializes in chartering and selling sailing boats, catamarans, and motorboats. Launched from his passion for boating, CEO and former Navy crewmember Simone Morelli has earned NSS Charter a significant position in the European market thanks to the help of his professional staff and sizeable fleet.

NSS Charter began with a fleet of only seven boats in Portisco, in the Costa Smeralda and has grown to 58 monohulls and 25 catamarans! All boats feature grand large bimini, sprayhood, chart plotter, GPS, CD player, and VHF with several offering teak decking and bow thrusters; with A/C, generator and watermaker on the princesses of our fleet.

NSS Charter offers personalized itineraries, guarantees 24/7 assistance and can reach sailors with their RIB in every point of the La Maddalena Archipelago to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday!

About Spartivento Charter

Inspired to the finest Italian sailing tradition, Spartivento Charter was born in 2000 as the pioneer company for charter yachting in South of Italy, Sicily, and the near Aeolian Islands, the famous archipelago in the southern Mediterranean historically renowned as one of the best destinations for sailors.

A longtime partner with the world leader shipyard Groupe Beneteau, Spartivento has a natural instinct for pleasure and innovation, keeping the forefront when it comes to previews and latest comforts, showing off the finest and most modern charter fleet including, every year, newest models available on the market to test and appreciate on holidays.

The company, made of enthusiastic entrepreneurs and specialists in sailing holidays, grew quickly in years, repeating the same quality standards and customer care from the Sicilian property base Marina di Portorosa to others among the most requested and welcoming venues around Italy: Tropea, Trapani for connections to the Egadi Islands, Salerno newest Marina dArechi for unforgettable cruises on the Amalfi Coast and the Caribbean, with a dedicated fleet of catamarans moored in the elegant Grenada Yacht Club, bringing a touch of Italian lifestyle in one of the dreamiest sea ever.

This is how Spartivento built year by year a premium fleet composed by over 45 Beneteau and Jeanneau monohulls, together with the most acclaimed Lagoon catamarans, each one charter optimized with the latest technologies to guarantee top comfort and maximum performance in sailboat holidays in Italy and the Caribbean.

About Groupe Beneteau

As the boating industry global market leader, Groupe Beneteau, through its Boat divisions 11 brands, offers over 200 recreational and professional boat models serving its customers diverse navigational needs and uses, from sailing to motorboating, monohulls, and catamarans.

Leading the European leisure homes market, the three brands from the Groups Housing division offer a comprehensive range of leisure homes, lodges, and pods that combine eco-design with high standards of quality, comfort, and practicality.

With its international industrial capabilities and global sales network, the Groupe employs 6,500 people, primarily in France, the US, Poland, Italy, and China.
Santhigram Wellness Kerala Ayurveda is delighted to announce its plan to open a premier Ayurvedic Wellness Center at 30 E 40th St., between Madison and Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016 in accordance with its mission to advocate and propagate the holistic science of Ayurveda, a five thousand year old system of healthcare and wellness and make it part of the mainstream health and wellness option in the USA and the World.

The opening of the mid-town Manhattan Center, in the heart of the Financial Capital, is soon to be followed by their first Center on the West Coast in Fremont, California by November 2018. With the on-boarding of the two new Centers Santhigram will be on course with its expansion plans for this year and will have further enhanced its position as the Premier and National Ayurveda Company in the USA to offer its specialized services and therapies to a good section of the population with holistic, non-invasive, and drug free therapies.

Santhigram Kerala Ayurveda is a pioneer in the Kerala specific Ayurvedic and Panchakarma Therapies to alleviate various ailments. Santhigram also provides specialized proprietary treatments for the management for chronic health problems related to Stress-depression, Musculo-skeletal disorders, Life Style Disorders, and Rehabilitative care for Geriatric age group.

Santhigram's Chief Consultant, Dr.Ambika Nair, who is world renowned for her expertise in Ayurveda and co-hosts the health and wellness television program on TV Asia called "AYURVEDAMANTRA ", will also be available for Consultation at Manhattan Center on appointment basis.

Dr. Gopinathan Nair, Founder, President & CEO of the company was very optimistic and excited on the companys upcoming launch of the Ayurveda Wellness Center in the heart of New York City, where the demand for Yoga and Ayurvedic therapies are very high among the targeted demographic profile the company plans to promote its services. "The specialized Ayurveda wellness regimes of Santhigram could offer much to counter the stress related health problems of a high paced executive life style of people of New York City along with complications borne from office fatigue syndrome ", he noted.

In addition to the two new centers in Manhattan, New York and Fremont, California, Santhigram in its second decade has ambitious plans to open another 100 Centers in all the major metropolitan hubs of the nation, along with Ayurvedic wellness villages in partnership with the Native American Indian Communities.

We wish to take this opportunity to welcome and express our gratitude to all our patrons on this wonderful of occasions and look forward to your continued support and patronage and request you to await regular updates as we make progress.

Santhigram Wellness Kerala Ayurveda

1503 Finnegan Lane, North Brunswick NJ 08902

Phone: 1-888-537-2987, 1-732-915-8813,

Email: info@santhigramusa.com

http://www.santhigramusa.com

http://www.ayurvedasanthigram.com
Salt Lake Community Colleges 2018 Tanner Forum on Social Ethics is hosting Van Jones Oct. 9 at the SLCC South City Campus in the Grand Theatre, 1575 S. State Street, Salt Lake City.

Free tickets to this event are available at http://www.slcc.edu/tanner. Seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 6 p.m., and at 7 p.m. Jones will give a presentation, followed by a Q & A and then a book signing at 8:30 p.m. Those needing special accommodations are asked to call 801-957-4659.

Jones is president and founder of the nonprofit Dream Corps, a justice incubator with the goal to propagate unique solutions that close prison doors and open doors of opportunity. Jones has led the nonprofit civil rights advocacy group Color of Change and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. Jones is a Yale-educated attorney who has written three New York Times bestsellers, including The Green Collar Economy, Rebuild the Dream and Beyond the Mess Truth: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together. Jones was also President Barack Obamas green jobs advisor, and he was named as one of Rolling Stone magazines 12 Leaders Who Get Things Done and one of Times 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Each year, the Tanner Forum on Social Ethics brings nationally and internationally recognized speakers in the area of social ethics to Salt Lake Community College. The Tanner Forum enhances the colleges mission as a community-based learning institution by providing opportunities for students, faculty, staff and the wider community to come together for the thoughtful examination of critical issues in contemporary social ethics. The Tanner Forum on Social Ethics is funded in part by the O.C. Tanner Company.

Salt Lake Community College is an accredited, student-focused, comprehensive community college meeting the diverse needs of the Salt Lake community. Home to more than 60,000 students each year, the college is Utahs leading provider of workforce development programs and the number one provider of applied technology courses in the Salt Lake area. SLCC is also a top 10 college nationally for total associate degrees awarded and the largest supplier of transfer students to Utahs four-year institutions.
Software Reviews Data Quadrant awards are created entirely from expert-user feedback. Vendors are evaluated by IT leaders, business professionals and end-users, examining relative performance across two axis: Product Features & Satisfaction and Vendor Experience & Capabilities.

This is the first iteration of the Data Quadrant awards for the EMM category. Gold Medals are earned by providing customers with a well-rounded software experience. Jamf Pro, Cisco Meraki, Trend Micro and Microsoft not only demonstrated fantastic technical aspects in their offerings, but also delivered great support and customer experience.

About Data Quadrant Awards and Software Reports

Software Reviews Data Quadrant Awards are awarded annually to recognize outstanding vendors in the technology marketplace as evaluated by their users. Top vendors in a software category are eligible to receive Data Quadrant Gold Medals, provided their scores meet the threshold for sufficiently high user satisfaction across four areas of evaluation: vendor capabilities, product features, likeliness to recommend, and vendor experience. Full vendor evaluations are available in our in-depth software evaluation reports.

About Software Reviews and the Data Quadrant Awards

Software Reviews is a division of Info-Tech Research Group Inc., a world-class IT research and consulting firm established in 1997. Having worked in the vendor space for two decades, Software Reviews is a leading source of expertise and insight into the enterprise software landscape and client-vendor relationships.

By collecting real data from IT and business professionals, Software Reviews methodology produces the most detailed and authentic insights into the experience of evaluating and purchasing enterprise software.
The Clinton Hill Courses seek to showcase the activity taking place at St. Joseph's College, and project it, said Thomas Travis, Ph.D., interim provost at SJC. This program will be a glimpse into the passions of our scholars - these experiences are too important not to share with our community.

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE TO LAUNCH CLINTON HILL COURSES

Slate of new, limited-run courses to discuss myriad of topics this fall

St. Josephs College (SJC) is pleased to announce that it will launch the Clinton Hill Courses, a series of continuing education offerings that reflect the diversity of both its scholars and the interests of the surrounding community this fall.

The courses are the following:



Reading and Writing the American Gothic: Tuesdays, September 25 - December 11, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Led by Lee Clay Johnson of SJCs Writers Foundry.

Flash Fiction Writing: Tuesdays, October 9  November 13, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Led by author and SJC adjunct professor Sara Lippmann.

Introduction to Indian Theater Arts: Wednesdays, October 10 - November 14. 7-9 p.m. Led by Preeti Vasudevan, founder of the Thresh Performing Arts Collective.

Science, Technology, and the Great War: Wednesdays, October 10 - November 14. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Led by Michael Hanophy, Ph.D., SJC Brooklyns executive dean for academic affairs and professor of biology.

The Clinton Hill Courses seek to showcase the compelling activity taking place at St. Joseph's College, and project it into the vibrant intellectual scene of Clinton Hill, said Thomas Travis, Ph.D., interim provost at SJC. This program will be an ongoing glimpse into the passions and interests of the scholars who call SJC Brooklyn home. These experiences are too important and valuable not to share with our community.

The cost for the six-week courses is $300; 12-week courses are $600. To register, or for more information, visit sjcny.edu/chc.

About The Clinton Hill Courses

In Brooklyn, every day offers its own lessons and markers along life's continuous journey of learning. In keeping with this tradition, St. Joseph's College (SJC) is proud to launch The Clinton Hill Courses. This series of one-off courses projects SJC Brooklyn's scholars and their passions into the intellectual ecosystem that is Clinton Hill and Fort Greene. With a limited run and at a modest cost, these courses are where personal edification, thoughtful conversation and an engaged community converge.

About St. Josephs College

St. Josephs College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in more than 50 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.
The Academy of Home Staging and Design offers the only week long, hands on course for Interior Design. The course teaches the principles of Interior Design along with the business of Interior Design. The course also provides mentoring to create a successful business.

The Academy of Home Staging and Design offers the only week long, hands on course for Interior Design. The course teaches the principles of Interior Design along with the business of Interior Design. The course also provides mentoring to create a successful business.

The Academy of Interior Design, our friendly team specializes in helping aspiring designers turn their creative passions into a thriving career. This interior design training has an exceptional certificate program built around a core 5-day intensive course.

The 5-day format is ideal to accommodate out-of-town designers and anyone else looking to start or take their design career to the next level.

Students receive personalized instruction and real-world examples. Students leave our classroom feeling fully prepared and confident to start designing right away. We are so invested in our students success, that we include 6-months post graduate business development support.

"In less than a week we will change your life!"

Interior Design Certificate Class Starts:

Oct 15 - Oct 19, 2018

1.800.574.5576
ALUART Innovative Swiss Engineering Located in Acworth, Georgia, The Flag Company, Inc. has been locally owned and operated since 1989, being recognize for their customer excellence and high-quality product standards, made in the USA.

The Flag Company, Inc., one of the most traditional flag companies in the United States, has expanded its partnership with Aluart, a flagpole manufacturer based in Switzerland.

For more than 20 years, Aluart has stood for the best Swiss quality, great service and attractive cost-effectiveness. The drive for innovation and many years of experience in development and marketing have led Aluart to become one of the leading providers of flagpoles in Europe.

Through its flagpole division  Flagpole Warehouse  The Flag Company, Inc. has maintained a relationship with the Swiss-based company for years, offering a line of high-quality Swiss flag and banner poles.

Now, as the Official United States Distributor for Aluart, Flagpole Warehouse can provide its customers with a wider stock of Aluart Flagpoles, ensuring a comprehensive supply for those in the market for high-end flagpoles and top-rated customer service.

Known for their functionality, weather-resistance features, and unique design, these Swiss-engineered flagpoles make an excellent choice for price-savvy customers that wont compromise quality.

Aluart manufactures a wide range of flagpoles, including Deluxe Lockup Flagpoles, Crank Flagpoles, Deluxe Lockup Banner Poles, Triflag Banner Poles, Display Banners, among other products ideal for businesses of all types.

All these best-sellers and other top quality products are readily available and can be found at http://www.FlagpoleWarehouse.com or directly with The Flag Company, Inc.s Customer Service team at 1-800-962-0956.

About The Flag Company, Inc.

Located in Acworth, Georgia, The Flag Company, Inc. has been locally owned and operated since 1989, being recognize for their customer excellence and high-quality product standards, made in the USA. Theyve been operating their webstore since 1996, making them one of the pioneer e-commerce sites on the web.

The Flag Company, Inc. staple product is the Farming Flag, the miniature stick flags that Real Estate Agents have traditionally distribute. From there, the company grew to other areas, always selling the best quality products at very reasonable prices. Carrying a wide array of international, military, message, religious, and nautical flags, The Flag Company, Inc. positioned itself as the worlds best online source for all flags and accessories.

Catering to eighteen distinct categories of customers, The Flag Company, Inc. provides an extensive inventory of over 8,500 items. The Flag Company, Inc. also partnered with a dedicated machine and manufacturing company to expand its capability to provide custom brackets, finials, hardware and other similar products for special orders.

Today, The Flag Company, Inc. runs on five major divisions, including Flags, Flagpoles, Lighting, Graphic Design (Custom Flag printing), and Warehouse & Shipping.
Using CML libraries as provided now by Lumerical for the HHI InP foundry platform can enhance both the accessibility and design quality of novel photonic devices for multiple applications.

The Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), a mobile and information technology development leader based in Berlin, Germany and Lumerical Inc. (http://www.lumerical.com), a leading developer of photonic simulation tools, today announced the availability of the Compact Model Library (CML) for HHIs InP Integration Platform, further building the rapidly expanding ecosystem for photonic integrated circuits.

HHIs InP Integration Platform provides a toolbox for TxRx photonic integration with quick MPW turnaround time with tape-outs every three months, and customer specific private runs in HHIs ISO certified, qualified production facility. The facility further offers e-beam services beam and epitaxial growth. InP offers amplification and laser sources which are monolithically integrated within the chip. InP also offers efficient modulators and detectors as well as a broad range of passive waveguide structures and devices. The platform is ideal for 100+ Gb/s data transmission and detection and sensor applications from industrial combustion sensing to satellite-to-satellite optical communication such as interrogators for optical sensors, optical filters with integrated gain, and advanced optical sources.

The new HHI CML, based on Lumerical INTERCONNECT, enables photonic designers to create, test, and optimize their product designs on the circuit level, without requiring a deep knowledge of the materials, the processing, and the device physics of various building blocks. These predictive capabilities enable the scientific and engineering community to validate designs prior to manufacturing, create new product concepts, and explore long-term innovative photonics research. Components included in the HHI CML are waveguides, multimode interference couplers (MMIs), spot size converters, butt-joint couplers, polarization beam splitters and rotators, current-injection phase modulators, tunable gratings, DBR & DFB lasers, EAMs, MZIs, photodetectors, and semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs).

During my entire career, designing optoelectronic devices relied on homegrown simulation models. This is still common practice in the photonic industry. Using CML libraries as provided now by Lumerical for the HHI InP foundry platform can enhance both the accessibility and design quality of novel photonic devices for multiple applications, said Andreas Umbach, CEO of AUCCEPT Consulting.

Photonics, the science of light and its interaction with matter, unlocks many possibilities for the worlds leading technology companies across diverse fields including biotechnology, data communications, information storage, solar energy, environmental sensing, and consumer electronics. This new CLML will help us service our customers and fellow researchers better by providing them with components accurately modeled, so that they can focus on their system rather than building their components , said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ronald Freund, Head of Photonic Networks and Systems Department at HHI.

James Pond, CTO of Lumerical said HHI has long been a leader for Germany and globally in photonic research. The new CML, combined with Lumericals photonic simulation tools will speed the application of their advanced research to commercial applications.

HHI InP CML is available immediately from HHI. Corresponding CML Reader licenses are available immediately from Lumerical. MPW reservations are accessible at the Joint European Platform for Photonic Integration of Components and Circuits (JEPPIX) at http://www.jeppix.eu/hhi-mpw.

The new CML featuring HHIs InP Integration Platform and Lumericals INTERCONNECT will be demonstrated at the 44th European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) in Rome, September 24  26 at HHIs Stand 308.

About the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute

The Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute is a world leader in the development of mobile and fixed broadband communication networks and multimedia systems. From photonic components and systems to fiber optic sensor systems and high speed hardware architectures, the Heinrich Hertz Institute works together with its international partners from research and industry on the infrastructures for the future Gigabit Society for the international market. At the same time Fraunhofer HHI also develops forward-looking applications for broadband networks with key research foci on 3D TV, 3D displays, HDTV, man-machine interaction through control by gesture, image signal processing and transmission, and use of interactive media.

About Lumerical

Lumerical develops photonic simulation software  tools which enable product designers to understand light, and predict how it behaves within complex structures, circuits, and systems. Since being founded in 2003, Lumerical has grown to license its design tools in over 50 countries and its customers include 10 of the top 15 companies in the S&P 1200 Global IT index, and 46 of the top 50 research universities as rated by the Times Higher Education rankings. Lumericals substantial impact on the photonic design and simulation community means its tools are among the most widely cited in the scientific press, with references in more than 10,000 academic publications and patents. Lumerical enables its customers to achieve more with light, and establish a leading position in the development of transformative technologies employing photonics.

For more information, contact:

HHI: Dr.-Ing. Moritz Baier| +49 30 31002-690| moritz.baier@hhi.fraunhofer.de

Lumerical: Rich Goldman| +1 604 733 9006| rgoldman@lumerical.com
The leadership and support of Presidents Council members is vital to advancing our overall mission  that of ensuring an innovative and high-quality educational experience for eating disorders treatment professionals, Harken said.

The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation, recognized for providing first-quality education and innovative training standards for healthcare treatment providers who treat the full spectrum of eating disorders, is pleased to announce that Center For Discovery has joined its Presidents Council.

According iaedp Foundation Managing Director, Bonnie Harken, the Presidents Council is an expanding group of eating disorder treatment organizations which provides ongoing support for the iaedp Foundation and its mission.

The leadership and support of Presidents Council members is vital to advancing our overall mission  that of ensuring an innovative and high-quality educational experience for eating disorders treatment professionals, Harken said.

Mental health treatment with Center For Discovery is designed to provide each client and family with personalized treatment to safely affect real behavioral, social, emotional and spiritual growth. The program focuses on learning about the relationship between the brain and behavior and how to adopt effective coping skills for managing symptoms in order to support long-term recovery.

Each member of the Presidents Council are sponsors of the 2019 iaedp Symposium, the annual conference which offers the latest research in the treatment eating disorders presented by the worlds leading professionals in the field. This years event is scheduled for February 7-10, 2019 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, California. Complete information about the 2019 iaedp Symposium can be found at iaedp.com.

The current membership of the iaedp Presidents Council includes: Center For Discovery; Center for Change; Center for Hope of the Sierras; Eating Recovery Center; Laureate Eating Disorders Program; McCallum Place Eating Disorder Centers; The Meadows Ranch; Rogers Behavioral Health; Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders; Selah House; The Renfrew Center; Timberline Knolls; KellerLife Center for Eating Disorders; and Veritas Collaborative.

For more information about the iaedp Foundation and Advanced Certification for ED treatment, go to http://www.iaedp.com. About the iaedp Foundation: Since 1985, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals has provided education and training standards to an international and multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions. MemberSHARE.iaedp.com is an iaedp business journal and online member resource to learn about noteworthy member achievements, continuing education webinars and U.S. and international chapter activity and events; for more information, visit MemberSHARE.

Early registration -- for discounted rates to attend the iaedp Symposium and for hotel rooms -- for the 2019 iaedp Symposium is now open. More information about all aspects iaedp and its 2019 Symposium can be found at iaedp.com.
Chief Executive Officer, Doug Padgett Were grabbing that window of opportunity thats critical right after their surgery or right after they stabilize, where it has been proven that regular, robust therapy will have a long term outcome for the rest of their lives.

Children with severe injuries tend to achieve more therapy-related progress, go home and rejoin their communities sooner as a result of a unique and proven treatment program at Totally Kids Acute Rehabilitation Hospital in Loma Linda.

The 25-bed acute unit serves ages 3 to 21 with short-term needs (two to six weeks), providing aggressive in-patient physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and recreational therapy.

These kids are coming from the hospital, but theyve had an accident or surgery, and theyre needing aggressive, robust rehab on a regular basis., said Totally Kids Chief Executive Officer, Doug Padgett. Were grabbing that window of opportunity thats critical right after their surgery or right after they stabilize, where it has been proven that regular, robust therapy will have a long-term outcome for the rest of their lives.

The 24/7 staff helps the kids do what kids do best  play, said Padgett. The Totally Kids website explains guided play is proven to help successfully transition a severely injured child from hospital to home and communities. The staff uses guided play as part of scientific principles and individualized therapeutic plans to restore a childs life.

Theres nothing this side of San Diego and Los Angeles that serves these kids in this way, Padgett said.

(Click here to view Padgett's full video interview)

Data show Totally Kids patients achieve more therapy-related progress, in less time than patients at other rehabilitation facilities according to the Functional Independence Measure Instrument. FIM is a yardstick used to measure the progress a pediatric patient achieves at a facility. Totally kids uses the WeeFIM tool for pediatrics

The Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation shows the average length-of-stay was nearly a week to two-weeks less at Totally Kids when compared to similar pediatric rehabilitation, and to all rehabilitation facilities across the country.

In an interview on California CEOs Good Hearted Leadership program, the Totally Kids chief tells host Ray Anderson that the hospitals team of professionals is the greatest in the world at serving injured children with all their hearts.

We have loving caregivers that are certified nurses aides, LVNs, RNs, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, and a host of social workers and case managers that help support them, said Padgett.

The synergy of the staff is cultivated from the top down. Most of the leadership has been with Totally Kids for 16 to 18 years, some over 20 years.

Totally Kids is a compilation of all of these staff members ideas, said Padgett. They lead from the heart.

They nurture each other, he said, to create an environment in which everyone can grow, flourish and achieve superior results.

In a high-reliability organization (known as HRO), youre training a lot, a lot of education. But you are giving authority to the people that are in their respective world, and not second-guessing them.

Totally Kids also operates a 56-bed pediatric subacute wing, a 15-bed residential intermediate care facility for developmentally disabled and delayed children, and a pediatric medical day care program blended with pre-school on its six-acre campus.

Totally Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is owned by Mountain View Child Care, Inc. in Loma Linda.

For more information, visit

totallykids.com

or call (909) 796-6915.

Article by

KJ Thomas
The partnership with Human Capital Media was a natural fit as they are the leading voice for companies that care about their people and are on the same wavelength as UNLEASHs company mission.

UNLEASH (formerly HR Tech World), the fastest-growing international show on the Future of Work & HR Technology, announced today it has entered into a strategic alliance with Human Capital Media. Additionally, Human Capital Media will be UNLEASH Americas premier media partner at its upcoming U.S. show. Human Capital Media, publisher of Workforce magazine, is the leading media brand in the human capital management industry, through award-winning content, events, awards and research.

For the second year, UNLEASH America will be hosted at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, N.V. The event in May 2018 brought thousands of HR practitioners and executives looking to change the world of work. Together, with the leading HR software vendors such as Avature, Cornerstone, IBM, SAP SuccessFactors, SmartRecruiters, Sumtotal, Ultimate Software, WalkMe, Workday, and Workplace by Facebook, UNLEASH America has brought a new kind of event to the U.S. with insightful speakers covering topics such as Trust & Technology, and the balance of happiness in the workplace and at home. Additionally, more than 100 CHROs and HRIT executives from leading companies such as Cisco, FBI, GE Digital, GoogleX, PepsiCo, UPS, and Walgreens went on stage to share their greatest challenges and how theyve figured out solutions for their companies growth. UNLEASH shows are also home to the greatest Startup Expo and competition with next-gen innovators sharing whats next for us in HR Technology.

The UNLEASH team firmly believes that the core of any great company is its people, and were invested in helping companies realize the power of their people with the most innovative technology out there, said Marc Coleman, Founder and CEO of UNLEASH. The partnership with Human Capital Media was a natural fit as they are the leading voice for companies that care about their people and are on the same wavelength as UNLEASHs company mission.

The future of work isnt something far off and distant. Its already here, being created by forward-looking companies that combine talent and technology with tenacity to unlock growth and create exciting new opportunities, said John Taggart, CEO of Human Capital Media. Now is the perfect time for industry leaders like Unleash and Human Capital Media to come together to spotlight those examples and help elevate the practice of HR.

For more information about UNLEASH America, visit https://www.unleashgroup.io/america

For more information about Human Capital Media, visit https://humancapitalmedia.com/about-human-capital-media/

About UNLEASH

We are passionate creative people on a mission to inspire and transform the world of work and technology. Our shared vision is that by 2020, UNLEASH will be the platform of choice globally on the Future of Work. Our shows attract the worlds leading visionaries, entrepreneurs, disrupters and doers including Sir Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, Sir Ken Robinson, Rachel Botsman, Gary Vaynerchuk and more. The UNLEASH community represents the most diverse brands and organizations from +120 countries worldwide. UNLEASH (previously HR Tech World) is much more than just its events; we are in the change the world for the greater good business. One mission: Unleash Your People! #UNLEASH18

For more information or any media inquiries, please contact pr@unleashgroup.io

About Human Capital Media (HCM)

Through editorial content, events, research and awards programs, Human Capital Media is the leading voice for companies that care about their people. HCM is a multimedia and events company dedicated to providing organizations with the tools and insights necessary for success. Brands include Chief Learning Officer, Workforce and Talent Economy. For more information, visit humancapitalmedia.com.
WorldPix is proud to announce the opening of its "Arizona For Africa" gallery with a charity dinner and auction on September 22, 2018 from 6-9 PM. Taking place in northern Scottsdale at Desert Foothills Lutheran Church, this event unites talented photographers from around the world with charitable causes in the communities where their photos were taken. Through WorldPix, art and service meets to change lives.

Focused on some of the most vulnerable and at-risk populations, WorldPix partners with charities across the world. In South Africa, WorldPix is especially proud to support Khaya Centre. Meaning "home" in the Nguni group of languages, Khaya is dedicated to helping over 700 orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa.

This countrystill reeling from the effects of apartheidwas also one of the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Today, the World Bank notes that South Africa is still one of the most unequal countries in the world.

Khaya Centre provides support for South African children who are most at risk. Beyond basic food and shelter, this life-changing charity also provides access to education, home-based and palliative care, early childhood development, and poverty alleviation programs.

Closer to home, WorldPix also donates proceeds from photographs taken in Arizona. Their partner charities in the state include Sunshine Acres, the Arizona Medical Clinic, and the Chandler I AM Project. All of these charities serve a variety of at-risk populations, but their boundless compassion is the same.

At Sunshine Acres, children who were separated from their parents receive loving, wholesome care. With a mix of enrichment, therapy, and education programs, they help Arizona children thrive.

The Arizona Medical Clinic provides vital preventative and on-going care to Cambodia and Mynamar refugees in the Phoenix Valley. Dr. Linda Som, who along with Dr. B. Andy Le, runs the clinic was once a refugee herself and understands the healthcare challenges refugees face.

The Chandler I AM Project is a local charity that serves at the front-lines of the opioid crisis, which contributed to over 1,689 Arizona deaths in the last year. The Chandler I AM Project provides hope, treatments, resources, and support to those who have been affected by opioid addiction.

Through community involvement, WorldPix aims to support life-changing charities across the world. The "Arizona For Africa" kick-off dinner will cost $100 per person, with the donation directly benefiting WorldPix partner charities. During the auction, attendees will have the opportunity to bid on signed photographic prints, photography workshops, and even safari trips to African countries. WorldPix is also inviting corporate sponsors to help, with multiple sponsorship levels available. As a 501(c)3 charity, all donations are tax deductible.

If you are not able to attend the event but would like to view the gallery, WorldPix's "Arizona For Africa" exhibit will be displayed through November 17th at Desert Foothills Lutheran Church at 29305 N. Scottsdale Rd., near the intersection of Scottsdale Rd. and Dixileta.

Additionally, if you are interested in purchasing a print to support our causes you can do so on our online gallery found at WorldPix.org.

About WorldPix

At WorldPix, we believe in the power of a photograph to tell a story and inspire action. By supporting WorldPix photographers, you can effect change and bring a powerful work of art into your home. Proceeds from our photographic prints are donated directly to charities in the country where they were taken.
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This week, the Music Modernization Act passed by unanimous consent in the Senate, following a similar bill passing 415-0 in the House in April. Its great news for the music business, as the bill will streamline the way online services license music and pay artists, and it federalizes the patchwork of state laws that has governed music recorded before 1972.

But the bill doesnt make everybody perfectly happy. And that may be the best thing about itafter a decade of contentious debate, we have finally seen something elusive in copyright reform: true compromise.

Ars Technica has a good report on the bill.

For the last decade, the Congressional debate over copyright law has been in a stalemate. Content companies have pushed for stronger protections, but their efforts have been stopped by a coalition of technology companies and digital rights groups. But on Tuesday, we saw a rare moment of bipartisan and trans-industry harmony on copyright law, the report states. The bill managed to get the support of several groups that are normally at each others' throats: music publishers, record labels, songwriters, major technology companies, and digital rights groups.

Its not an entirely done deal yetthe Senate and House still have to reconcile the bill before it heads to President Trumps desk. But it's going to happen, and we will soon see a copyright bill that suggests meaningful copyright reform is possible. And a process that can hopefully serve as a template for stakeholders in other realms of copyright to work from.

Reserve Reading

From Publishers Weekly: In opening the 2018 annual meeting of the Association of American Publishers on September 20 in New York City, chairman and Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle greeted the roughly 200 attendees by exclaiming, Welcome to the new AAP. Dohle cast the new AAP, now under the leadership of former Register of Copyrights Maria Pallante, as focusing on a "new, more aggressive" public policy mission.

From the Johns Hopkins News-Letter, a student run publication, comes this eye-opening story about Tamsyn Mahoney-Steel, a former digital scholarship specialist at the Sheridan Libraries, who was forced to leave the U.S. on 10 days notice, reportedly because of the nations new immigration enforcement policies. According to Mahoney-Steel, University officials failed to submit her application for a new visa, "fearing that it would be rejected under current immigration policy, reports the News-Letter. An online petition to support Mahoney-Steel has garnered over 1,800 signatures as of September. 19.

Congratulations to the Madison County Public Libraries (MCPL) in North Carolina for taking home the top honor as Library Journals 2018 Best Small Library in America, sponsored by Baker & Taylor. Where the Appalachian Trail meets the French Broad River in western Madison County, NC, 21,000 citizens celebrate their great library, reads a fearure on MCPL over at Library Journal. On operating revenue of just $25 per capita, the Madison County Public Libraries has totally engaged its community with partnerships, outreach, relationships, and top-notch professional service.

For her weekly column in the Washington Post, Katrina vanden Heuvel (who is also of course the editor and publisher of The Nation) argues that an effective way to support democracy is to support your public library. With so much inequality and balkanization, public libraries are critical within the public sphere and, when fully supported, represent the best of government at work. They uphold the virtues of equality and community. If your library is under threat, its worth defending.

Its that time of year againnext week is Banned Books Week. Check out whats going on at the Banned Book Weeks web site.

But heres one to get us started. Apparently a handful of pastors in Rumford, Maine, objected to an LGBTQ display at the public library for Banned Books Week. The news even garnered the support of the National Coalition Against Censorship, which issued a release. But after a town hall (which sounds like it was very respectful) The Rumford Fall Times reports that display will stay.

Oh, and hey while were at it, check out this American Libraries piece on one of the latest crazes in libraries around the country: drag queen story time.

According to a report in Reuters, regulators in the European Union could sanction Facebook for failing to comply with consumer protections enacted in March. Seven months after Europes Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova told Facebook and other tech companies to bring their user terms in line with EU consumer laws, the social media giant has yet to address all her concerns, the sources said.

The Verge reports that FCC chairman Ajit Pai in a speech last Friday said that Californias newly passed net neutrality bill, SB 822, is egregious, radical, anti-consumer, and illegal. Pai mantains that FCC rules prohibit states from legislating in this arena and that the FCC will prevail in court if tested. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on California Governor Jerry Brown who has until the end of the month to sign SB 822. But all signs suggest he will do so, as Gizmodo report suggests.

EBSCOs 2019 Serials Price Projections Report is out. In sum, the report concludes, the serials marketplace continues to see steady annual publisher price increases, with no indicators this will change. For 2019, EBSCO predicts overall effective publisher price increases for academic and academic medical libraries for 2019 (before any currency impact) to be in the range of five to six percent.

Spurred on by a labor dispute in California, there is apparently a discussion of whether academic librarians are entitled to academic freedom. Over at Inside Higher Ed, the great Barbara Fister shares her view.

And check out this video from the Indianapolis Star: What Modern Day School Librarians Look Like.
Pale Horse Rider: William Cooper, the Rise of Conspiracy, and the Fall of Trust in America is Mark Jacobson's enthralling, claustrophobic biography of William Cooper, an influential conspiracist. Cooper, who popularized the term sheeple, had a radio show The Hour of the Time and a bestselling book, Behold a Pale Horse, and found fans as diverse as Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and rappers the Wu-Tang Clan. Jacobson discusses who William Cooper was, and his impact on American conspiracy culture.

A recent Rolling Stone headline called Milton William (Bill) Cooper, author of the infamous bestseller Behold a Pale Horse and host of the 1990s short-wave radio show The Hour of the Time, the Granddaddy of American Conspiracy Theorists. He has also been called, somewhat less charitably, the Titan of the Tinfoil Hats. All that is true, especially from the neo-rationalist, liberal-leaning point of view, those who automatically associate conspiracy with neo-Neanderthal forces seeking to undermine the science and good grammar acquired over the 400 year stretch of the Enlightenment.

This isnt to say that Cooper was not a hard-boiled Barnum of parapolitics, which is what many conspiracists call their no longer fringe discipline. It takes balls to stand before a crowd night after night hawking fifth generation dupes of the Zapruder film, claiming the washed out images proved JFK was killed by the Secret Service agent driving the Presidential limousine, but Cooper did it for years. He also said that on February 21, 1954, President Eisenhower met with ambassador O.H. Krill, emissary from the Pleiadian star system, to cut a deal that allowed aliens to abduct Americans in exchange for interplanetary weaponry that would keep the U.S. ahead of the Soviet Union.

But to regard Bill Cooper, subject of my book, Pale Horse Rider: William Cooper, the Rise of Conspiracy and Fall of Trust in America, as merely a willful, if talented, fabulist does him a disservice. The fact is, rather than some fear-mongering right-wing talk show of the Alex Jones stripe (Jones used to listen Cooper broadcasts as a boy in Austin, Texas), Bill Cooper was, and remains, a special breed of folk hero, part huckster, part prophet, all legitimate American seeker.

In contrast to the orthodoxies of so-called Truth movements, as well the divide-and-conquer techniques of the mass media propaganda cults like MSNBC and Fox News, Bill Cooper offered an individualized, auto-didactic path to knowledge. It was in the standard admonition, his challenge (which all fans know by heart) to read everything, listen to everyone, but believe nothing until you can prove it with your own research. According to Cooper, truth is not fixed, everyone is entitled to their own versions of it, as long as that truth conforms with the Creator-endowed rights as delineated in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

The problem, Cooper said, was that these personal truths were being subjugated by an overweening structure of hidden forces undermining the right of Americans to think for themselves. He saw demons under every pillow, stitched into the saga of humankind dating back to the dawn of consciousness. Every day was another episode in the endless battle between Good and Evil.

Bill Cooper did not plan to make his life into a harrowing saga of American despair, but thats how it turned out. Born in 1943 into a military family, Cooper never became an officer like his father and uncles. Instead, he wound up on a river boat patrolling the Cua Viet River only a few klicks from the DMZ. As the North Vietnamese filled the skies with 122 missiles, it began to dawn on the hitherto gung-ho Cooper that he was fighting on the wrong side, that everything hed been told about the nation he was willing to die for might be a lie.

Cooper landed in the VA PTSD ward for months at a time. It was a malady that he never shook. For all his Norman Rockwellesque celebration of home and hearth, he was married at least five times, abused the women who loved him and abandoned his children before finally finding a degree of domestic harmony in his final years with his last wife and young daughters.

But the die was cast. As he offered his prediction of the 9/11 disaster (in June of 2001, he told listeners to expect a major attack that would be blamed on Osama bin Laden), Cooper also prophesized his own death. The cops were going to come up to his home on a rural Arizona hilltop in the middle of the night and shoot me dead on my doorstep, Cooper said, which is exactly what happened around midnight on November 6, 2001.

Though the Pale Horse Rider story of rising conspiracy and declining trust in the American project is timely, Coopers tale does not quite fit into the tight drumbeat of the news cycle in these Trumpian times. It is simply too much off-the-beaten path, too full of contradictions.

One of the questions the story raises is how, and why, Coopers slapdash book Behold a Pale Horse (current sales now approaching 300,000), a text pulled together by a white, allegedly right-wing guy became one of most read texts in the countrys prison systems, primarily among African-American inmates. It was a trend that crossed over into the tunes of many early hip-hop stars like Tupac Shakur, Busta Rhymes and the Wu-Tang Clan. The reason might be summed up in what the famous Wu-Tang member Ol' Dirty Bastard once told me. Everyone gets fucked, the oft-arrested ODB said before his death at age 35. William Cooper tells you who fucking you. When youre someone like me that is valuable information.

One last thing about Bill Cooper. People belittle his analysis of the Cold War, which he said was one big distraction aimed at brain-washing the American public. Yet if we examine the resume of John McCloy, the former head of CIA and one of the so-called Wisemen in charge of American foreign policy during the Iron Curtain years, another question arises.

Among other things, McCloy, the architect of the WWII Japanese internment camps, opposed the bombing of the Nazi train line to Auschwitz. He was the President of the World Bank and the Chase Manhattan Bank. He was the chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was a highly influential member of Warren Commission, which said Lee Harvey Oswald killed Kennedy and acted alone. McCloy was a prime arbiter of so-called reality for nearly half a century. Yet the question remains, who would you rather buy a used car from, him or Bill Cooper?
In opening the 2018 annual meeting of the Association of American Publishers on September 20 in New York City, chairman and Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle greeted the roughly 200 attendees by exclaiming, Welcome to the new AAP.

Dohle then spent a few minutes reviewing the changes that have taken place at the association over the last 18 months. He said that when former AAP CEO Tom Allen announced he planned to retire in early 2017, the board felt it was the right time to evaluate where the association stood and what changes needed to be made to keep pace with shifts in not only publishing but the economy in general.

The board centered around two long-time AAP themescopyright protection and the protection of freedom of expressionbut added a new, more aggressive public policy position, through which the AAP plans to protectively advocate about the value of publishing to the culture and to the economy as well as to more actively support laws and regulations that, according to the AAPs mission statement, incentivize the publication of creative expression, professional content, and learning solutions.

To achieve its new goals, the AAP has been refined, Dohle said. This process, he elaborated, meant resulted in in closing its New York City and Philadelphia offices and centering its organization in Washington, D.C. Dohle said the board has been energized by the early results of the new approach.

Since January 2017, the AAP has been led by Maria Pallante. The shift in focus mandated by the board and executed by Pallante was reflected in the creation of a new AAP award. The Award for Distinguished Publish Service was presented to Representative Doug Collins, a congressman from Georgia and the cochair of the Creative Rights Caucus, which was formed to protect the rights of content creators. In presenting the award to Collins, Pallante cited his work in sponsoring policies that respect the value of original works and distinguished him as someone working to improve the copyright system.

The AAPs focus on dealing with new competition was seen in the presentation by Benjamin Marks of Weil Gothsal & Manges, whose subject was Competition and Consumer Protection: What Regulators Are Asking About Big Tech and What It Means for Publishing. Marks spoke against the backdrop of hearings being conducted to review antitrust laws and other consumer protection regulations. Marks noted that, under current antitrust laws, regulators are mostly concerned with protecting competition, not competitors, adding that they see nothing wrong with a new company offering products at a lower price, which would have the effect of knocking out competitors.

But with the new populist sentiment, regulators are considering looking beyond pricing to examine such issues as whether the presence of some of the new mammoth tech companies reduces consumer choice. He noted that it is reasonable to investigate if the different technology platforms that have been developed may skew choice. He said it is only natural to ask if Amazon, which has its own publishing division and movie studio, would favor those products over those of competitors.

He said the current government hearings are a golden opportunity for publishers to bring what they see as antitrust behavior to the attention of regulators. He also said the hearings may make the tech companies more willing to work with publishers on a more collaborative basis. He concluded his remarks by noting that the hearings present a chance for publishers to show that, in the era of misinformation, publishers play an important role in the delivery of credible information.

AAPs ongoing commitment to free speech was reflected in the awarding of its 16th International Freedom to Publish/Jeri Laber Award. Freedom to Publish chair Geoff Shandler said the need for the award persists as publishers are threatened in numerous parts of the world. This years award went to Azadeh Parsapour, the publisher of Nogaam Publishing. A native of Iran, Parsapour operates her digital publishing company from London, where she publishes a range of books for readers back home, that likely would be banned or censored in her home country. Parsapour delivered her acceptance speech in a recorded video since, being an Iranian citizen, she was prevented by Homeland Security from entering the U.S.
Mrs Comfort Brew has been GHC17,600 by the Koforidua Circuit court in the Eastern Region.

She was arrested last year for diverting various food items in connivance with the school's driver.

Following the development, the headmaster of the school, Reverend Abraham Donkor, the matron and the school's security man who made the arrest, were invited for questioning by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.

The court heard that the accused persons tried to smuggle a quantity of food items out of the school using a pick up vehicle with registration number GN 5717  15 belonging to the Regional Education Service to sell the items.

Luck eluded the matron when the security man on duty, stopped the vehicle at the school gate for inspection following which he discovered several boxes of sardines and tin tomatoes being hauled out of the school, according to the prosecutor of the case Assistant State Attorney Dickson Donkor.

While the security man rushed to inform the Schools store keeper to come and see what hed found, the driver and the matron drove away.

READ MORE: GHANASS to be closed down

The security man then lodged a complaint with the Schools Headmaster, Rev. Abraham Donkor following which a three member committee was formed to investigate the matter.
This comes after the successful signing of the cocoa syndicated loan in Amsterdam with 21 banks. The facility will ensure that adequate funds are made available to the Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to pay cocoa farmers promptly for their produce during the 2018/19 crop year.

This will motivate the farmers to work hard to ensure our production targets are met, he said.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Aidoo said: By appending your signature to this facility you are not only sealing the deal, but you are also indicating your confidence in the cocoa industry and, by extension, the entire economy of Ghana.

We are indeed encouraged by this confidence reposed in us and want to assure you that it is not misplaced. Over the past 25 years, we have consistently maintained that exquisite reputation of honouring repayment of the year-after-year syndicated loan without a single default. This record in the financial market is remarkable."

But whilst painting such enviable credentials, we must not be deceived that all is rosy in the cocoa industry back home. Perennial pests and diseases, the ubiquitous Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease, volatility and fall of cocoa prices, climate change and poor road infrastructure linking our producing communities to markets and service centers and to the warehouses and the ports are fundamental challenges that contrive against the industry.

Within the past dozen and half months, we have been able to reverse the declining trend of cocoa production in Ghana from 778,000 metric tonnes to 968,000 metric tonnes, and sustained the upturn because of the productivity enhancement programmes (PEPs  i.e. hand pollination and mass pruning) which COCOBOD introduced along with our conventional CODAPEC and HI-TECH measures.

Even though the annual facility comes in handy to facilitate these PEPs and payment to cocoa farmers, hardly can it be relied upon for addressing the fundamental challenges. COCOBOD, for instance, has programmed to undertake irrigation on cocoa farms, rehabilitation of diseased and moribund farms, expansion of warehouse capacity, improvement of the conditions of roads that link cocoa communities and promotion of domestic consumption of cocoa. These are largely capital-base projects which require medium to long-term financing and not annual facility. The imperative is that so long as these fundamental challenges remain, the full and real measure of the annual facility cannot also be realized.

It was against the foregoing backdrop that we made a call for medium to long-term financing. I am happy to note that some of our friends in the international financial sector have responded positively. We urge all others who may not have been aware of this call to join this laudable endeavour. In essence, the annual facility must be complemented with medium to the long-term facility if the former were to bring real and meaningful impact onto the cocoa industry in Ghana.

Let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to our gallant cocoa farmers who have, through their toils, enabled us to achieve this enviable record in the past 25 years. Their resilience in the face of all the challenges has ensured that we continue to produce enough cocoa of premium quality to fulfill our contractual obligations to our trading partners. If you and I are here today, then it is because of our cherished cocoa farmers. Let us together, therefore, assist them to make the industry a sustainable one, Mr. Aidoo stated.
The rogue banker was due for deportation to Ghana on September 18 after serving a four-year jail term. He, however, got a a last minute reprieve after a judge awarded a judicial review of the embattled bankers case.

He was convicted by the UK authorities in 2012 over his involvement in a 1.8 billion fraud at Swiss bank UBS.

He was released in 2015, but was later taken into custody again and is currently being held by Scotland Yard authorities.

But following news of his imminent deportation, 113 MPs and MSPs in the UK wrote to the Prime Minister and Home Secretary to demand they intervene to stop the deportation.

In a last-minute effort to prevent his deportation, Adobolis lawyers submitted an application for a judicial review of his case.

And, fortunately for him, a judge has granted the appeal for judicial review and injunction against deportation.

This means Adoboli will be freed from an immigration removal centre near Heathrow airport and subsequently released on bail until the outcome of the judicial review.

Meanwhile, the judicial review is expected to take several months (currently unspecified) before its outcome is made public.
The statement comes following tension between him and the board of the Ghana Audit Service after he accused the board chairman of interference.

"We all know the truth, who will say it but like I said, as for me I will say it if that means to go home. Im ready to go home this evening. Thats the problem Ghanaians have, they think their life and the job are the same so going home becomes so difficult for them. If I should say the truth and because of that I should go home, my dear brothers and sisters Im ready to go home even this evening," the outspoken Auditor General said on Thursday at a public lecture.

He said corruption in Ghana has become like a religion and the officials caught in corrupt practices know nothing will happen to them.

In the developed countries when youre caught youre finished; there are consequences," he said. "In Ghana or Africa when youre caught you can even bluff them; they say and so what because he knows nothing will happen.

He also decried the practice of bringing back retired officials to their old post or as board chairmen of institutions they once served as CEO.
He said comments by Amewu that fuel prices would have been extra high if the NDC were still in power showed that he is not on top of issues.

Without governments intervention, prices today would have been 5.54 per litre for petrol and 5.55 for diesel. So what it means that the price we are paying today, if the Mahama-led administration was still in power, you would have been paying quite close to between nine and 10 percent higher than the current prices that Ghanaians are paying", he said.

"He said the Special Petroleum Tax levy has been reduced on two occasions from 17 percent to 13 percent on two different occasions, adding its time we give this government the recognition for caring for the people of this country", he added.

But Jinapor, who is a former Minister of Power, says such comments shows that Amewu lacks understanding of the sector.

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Speaking on Joy FM, he said: "You have superintended over a depreciation of the cedi by about 20 percent, which has culminated in fuel price increases, Ghanaians are crying and your excuse is that but for you, it should have increased more than what we are witnessing".

When fuel prices are very low on the world market, you put tax elements on it because you need to raise revenue, but when fuel prices increases, taxes are removed."

As I speak, the benchmark price is about $77 meaning that Ghana is getting extra $20 on every single barrel that we export, that is additional revenue coming into the country and so when we say that you are getting additional revenue beyond what you anticipated and so you can use that to cushion Ghanaians, it is grounded in fact, he said.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has consistently contested making Nkrumah the founder of Ghana, saying many others also contributed to the Independence struggle of Ghana.

In a tweet Friday morning, Mr Mahama refused to recognise the day as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, maintaining Founder's Day.

said: "Today remains our countrys Founders Day- a special day to reflect on the life & works of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. His contribution to Pan-Africanism is beyond Africa. His vision for Ghana is profound."

Last year, President Akufo-Addo proposed legislation to designate August 4 and September 21 as Founders Day and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day respectively.

Both days will be observed as a public holiday, a press statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Flagstaff House.
The apex bank said it has decided to establish a bridge bank 'Polarise Bank,' to secure the assets and liabilities of Skye Bank

Umar Ibrahim, chairman of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), revealed this in a press briefing in Lagos on Friday, alongside Godwin Emefiele.

Emefiele said: As a responsible and responsive regulator and in consultation with the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), we have decided to establish a bridge bank Polaris Bank, to assume the assets and liabilities of Skye Bank.

The result of our examinations and forensic audit of the bank have revealed that the Skye Bank requires urgent recapitalisation as it can no longer continue to live on borrowed times with indefinite liquidity support from the CBN. The shareholders of the bank have been unable to recapitalise it, he said during the press briefing.

CBN took regulatory actions on Skye Bank Plc in 2016

In 2016, Nigeria's apex bank took over of Skye Bank Plc following persistent failure to meet minimum thresholds in critical prudential and adequacy ratios.

The reasons also included the bank's huge non-performing loans (NPLs) profile as well as its low liquidity ratio.

ALSO READ: Nigerian banks illegally charged customers over N65 billion in 6 years

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor, had explained that the apex bank took a proactive step in order to save the health of the bank from further deteriorating.

Customers' deposits in safe hands

The Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) will capitalise the bridge bank and begin the process of sourcing investors to buy out AMCON.

The CBN chief said: We wish to assure all depositors that under this arrangement, their deposits shall remain safe and that normal banking services shall continue in the new bank on Monday, 24th September, 2018, to enable customers to transact their businesses seamlessly.

What is a bridge bank - Polarise Bank

A bridge bank is an institution created by a national regulator or central bank to operate a failed bank until a buyer can be found for its operations.

The task of the bridge bank is to ensure seamless continuity of banking operations.

Recall that in 2011, the Central Bank of Nigeria also revoked the licences of three banks  Afribank, Spring Bank and Bank PHB and established Mainstreet Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited as bridge banks in their place.
A bold plot that would have seen Wikileaks founder Julian Assange smuggled from the Ecuadorian embassy in London to Russia in 2017 has been revealed.

UK newspaper the Guardian reported that Russian diplomats held secret talks in 2017 with people close to Assange to hatch a plan to help Assange escape the UK.

A tentative plan that would have seen Assange snuck out of the embassy in a diplomatic vehicle on Christmas Eve 2017 and ultimately brought to Russia was the result.

Sources told the Guardian that the plan involved giving Assange diplomatic documents so that Ecuador could claim that he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

Four separate sources told the newspaper that the Kremlin was willing to offer support for the plan.

Assange traveling to Ecuador by boat was also considered.

The plan was ultimately abandoned as it was too risky. One source said that the plot was abandoned just days before it was due to be executed.

Assange has been in the embassy for six years. Britain and Ecuador fear
The "Guardians of the Galaxy" star spoke up while reacting to claims that Hollywood is anti-religious. According to him, the industry is not against Christianity or religion in general, adding that this is simply a false narrative.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Pratt said, "I think that there's this narrative that exists out there that Hollywood is anti-Christian or anti-religious, but it's just not the case."

He added, "They are kind of not anti-anything" but rather "kind of pro-whatever is authentic to you."

Pratt went on to say no one in the industry has criticised or shamed him for sharing his faith.

He said, "I've never had anyone try to shame me, to my face. Maybe they go say it behind my back. But if that's the case, go ahead. You can say whatever you want about me - to my face or behind my back. I'm not going to change."

Chris Pratt and his Christian faith

Over the years, the actor has become really vocal about his faith. Recently, he used his time on stage during a recent MTV award showto make a passionate speech about God.

In his words, "God is real. God loves, you, God wants the best for you. Believe that. I do." Pratt also encouraged people to "learn to pray," adding "It's easy, and it's good for your soul."

He explained why he did this while speaking with AP. The actor said his decision to share his faith was due to the current state of the world and "what I'm feeling called to do right now."

"That kind of a message, it might not be for everybody. But there is a group of people for whom that message is designed," he said. "And nothing fills my soul more than to think that maybe some kid watching that would say, 'Hey, I've been thinking about that. I've been thinking about praying. Let me try that out.'"

Several Bible verses can be found across his social media platforms.
The rap star took to his Instagram on Thursday, September 20, 2018 to bare his mind on how he perceives comments made by the trio about his wife.

Kanye said he's willing to discuss with the trio about their perception and opinions about his wife but won't have them discuss her just any how on social media.

"What are you talking about, I am married, we are in love, we are family, you all will be promoting that negativity and you think those things are cool for social media? It don't sit right with my soul, it don't sit right for my spirit and as for me, all three of you can come talk to me. You can all call me, we will work it out. we come to a resolution," he said.

On Nick Cannon

Kanye took on Nick Cannon for making suggestive opinions about his wife.

In a recent VladTV interview, Nick, who once dated Kim, excitedly reminisced about her body, saying ... "That white girl got ass!!"

Replying him, Kanye said: "I just want to express some things that were not sitting right with my spirit. Now that I'm at a certain place where I can think and speak and say certain things as Ye, there are some certain things I want to address. First of all I want to address Nick Cannon. Like I understand that you used to date my wife but you getting an interview, don't mention my wife or someone brings up my wife, just say I respect that man, I'm not speaking on that, don't be making those suggestions like nobody fuck my wife."

On Drake

Speaking on Drake, Kanye called out the rapper for disrespecting his family in a song insisting that he respects his family and would want Drake to do same.

"The next thing is with Drake. Yeah, I told you that if I wasn't in a medicated state, I might have thought he had the wherewithal to say hey Pushy don't diss Drake on my beat and I spoke about that and take accountability for that. What I am waiting for my spirit to take accountability for is the fact that these people making rumours or thinking that you fuck my wife and you not saying nothing and you carry on like that, that don't sit well with my spirit. You know if I had a girlfriend from Chicago and her name is Renita and you was married to Rihanna, I won't make no song called Riri, so when you say you don't know where it comes from, you are too smart for that, you know where that comes from, don't make no records where nothing that can be confused. I told you, I didn't tell Pusha no information about you, baby, babymama, nothing like that came from me but when you play that record for me in the studio that says we got some cally's we got some candles, I told you it's a hard decision, I told you men, don't make a record like that. That man just had a baby with her, that is going to be offensive to her, I hate to have about the ecstasy record, that is cool because we are family, so I did tell you not to do that so, period, don't speak on nobody from my family, don't speak about my wife, we don't have to talk, period," he said.

On Tyson Beckford

Kanye didn't leave out Tyson Beckford out of his angst over his wife, Kim Kardashian.

With a clear reference to Kim'sfeud with the model, Kanye said, "I am not giving any energy to that and as far as Tyson Beckfor goes, don't speak about my wife. Like none of you should speak about my wife period. What are you talking about, I am married, we are in love, we are family, you all will be promoting that negativity and you think those things are cool for social media? It don't sit right with my soul, it don't sit right for my spirit and as for me, all three of you can come talk to me. You can all call me, we will work it out. we come to a resolution."
On Friday, September 21, 2018, a Kenyan judge temporarily lifted the ban on the movie paving the way for the LGBT love story to go further after its world premiere at the Cannes.

'Rafiki' is aiming at nabbing the foreign-language Oscar award alongside other movies from around the world.

ALSO READ: Rafiki director sues Kenyas Film Board for ban on film

The legal battle on Kenyan LGBT film

The legal battle on 'Rafiki' became a global knowledge when the Kenya Film Classification Board, CEO Ezekiel Mutua, banned Rafiki from local theaters in April 2018.

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The film board had described the film as its depiction of homosexual practices that run counter to the laws and the culture of Kenyan people.

The board's CEO also suggested that 'Rafiki' was an attempt to legitimize lesbianism in Kenya, where homosexuality is illegal.

Unhappy with the ban, Kahiu filed a lawsuit against the film board on Sept. 11, contending that banning the film violated her constitutional right as an artist to free speech and free expression.

The filmmaker also sued for 8.5 million Kenyan shillings (around $84,200) in compensation for projected lost revenues from a local theatrical run.

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On Friday, Judge Wilfrida Okwany's ruling overturned a decision by the Kenya Film Classification Board while opening the door for 'Rafiki' to join the foreign-language Oscar race, which requires that nominees must be shown in their country of origin for seven consecutive days.

Judge's ruling on Kenyan LGBT film

According to Variety, Judge Wilfrida Okwany, in her ruling, said she was not convinced that Kenya is such a weak society that its moral foundation will be shaken by seeing such a film.

The judge further noted that one of the reasons for artistic creativity is to stir the societys conscience even on very vexing topics such as homosexuality.

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The judge further said such creative works stirring society's conscience did not begin with 'Rafiki.'

About 'Rafiki'

'Rafiki' tells the story of two teenage girls whose romance is opposed by their families and community.

The film is an adaptation of Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyekos short story Jambula Tree.

ALSO READ: "Rafiki" receives massive applause at Cannes Film Festival

The short story was awarded the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing in 2007.

Our abilities to tell stories is what makes us human - Kahiu
Dr Ashiru Hamza, the Advocacy and Accountability Advisor of the organisation, disclosed this while presenting the evidence at an Editorial Roundtable meeting in Kaduna on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that MNCH2 organised the meeting in order to step up media coverage on health related issues aimed at sustaining the MNCH2 intervention in the six northern states of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Zamfara as the programme is exiting its five years intervention by May 2019.

According to him, the country accounted for 10 per cent annual maternal death globally based on a survey conducted in Nigeria in 2016.

He said: The under-5 mortality in the northern parts of the country is also much higher than the national rate which is 265 and 120, respectively.

He noted that women and under-5 children suffered treatable complications in pregnancy and childbirth such as injury, infection and disability.

He further said several studies conducted in the country indicated a drop in maternal mortality in Southwest and South East by 165 and 286, respectively, while the situation had remained as high as 1,549 and 1,026 in the North East and North West, respectively.

This, Hamza said, was also caused by lack of accountability and transparency where a substantial proportion of health funds do not reach the end user with the consequences of children who lost their mothers 10 times likely to die prematurely.

The Deputy Team Leader (Results) of MNCH2 Nigeria, Dr Dauda Suleman, had earlier urged the participants to influence concern from policy makers to improve the healthcare indices.
His death came four days after escaping from kidnappers in Delta State. The cause of his passing remains a mystery according to reports.

Members of the Catholic Diocese of Warri are reportedly devastated about the loss. Odudu had complained of pain which prompted a visit to a hospital. But unfortunately he died there.

He was just assigned to the chaplaincy at PTI about two months before his kidnap and untimely death.

It was a black Wednesday for the Diocese of Warri as Very Rev. Fr. Louis Odudu died on the day the diocese was holding a prayer vigil for one of the deceased priests, Very Rev. Fr. Stephen Ekakabor, who died early this month after battling with a brain injury he sustained when he was attacked by armed robbers.

"The robbers invaded the priests rectory in 2017 at his parish of St. Joseph, Okpare-Olomu, in the Ughelli South Local Government Area," says a source who spoke to Punch News.

ALSO READ: Catholic priest abducted while jogging is rescued without paying ransom

Earlier, two suspected murderers were arrested by the police in Imo State for the death of a Catholic priest, Rev Father Jude Egbom.

A report by Punch confirms that the deceased was killed on the evening of Monday, September 10, 2018.
Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta.

Akinbiyi stated that the accident, which occurred at Danco filling station on the expressway, was caused by excessive speed and loss of control on the part of a Kia Rio car.

TRACE, he said, gathered that the expatriate was from Syria and was on his way to Lagos from Akure with his Toyota Forerunner Jeep marked LND 345 CV when the accident occurred at about 2:20 pm.

He stated that the expatriate car was hit by another car, a development which made him to alight to assess the extent of damages done.

In the process of returning back to his vehicle, a Kia Rio with registration number KSF 725 AX knocked him down and he died on the spot while his personal assistant was injured.

The car and the driver that hit the white man has been arrested and taken to Sagamu police station, he said.
The pregnant wife of the deceased, Martha Okereke, 27, told journalists that the caretaker had been threatening to deal with her late husband even before the incident.

The widow who sobbed while narrating what happened said that the caretaker fled after killing her husband.

According to her, trouble started when she returned from the market and wanted to take her bath in the general bathroom.

She said the caretaker refused and told her to use the collapsing bathroom.

I returned from the market and wanted to take my bath in general bathroom but our caretaker said I should not use it. The bathroom we used earlier was bad.

He said that I and my husband would not use the bathroom again. My husband came back and demanded reasons why I had not taken my bath and I explained.

My husband went to ask the caretaker why but he started shouting that he had been warning my husband and that he would deal with him.

As he was shouting, he used pistol to hit my husband on the head.

He brought out a knife and my husband ran away. He pursued my husband to our room and stabbed him on the chest.

That was how my husband collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.

The caretaker ran away almost immediately and we have not seen him. I want government to look for him and make him face the law. My husband did not do anything, she narrated.

Police spokesman in the state, DSP Chidi Nwanbuzor, confirmed the story and said that two persons had been arrested in connection with the incident.

A tenant in the house, one Paul Simeon, reported the case at our station that the now deceased was fought by the caretaker and two others.

In the process, the deceased was stabbed and later pronounced dead at the hospital where he was rushed to.

However, this morning, it was reported that some hoodlums and friends of the deceased attacked the house and wanted to burn down the building.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Demian Chukwu, made the confirmation while reacting to the incident at a news conference in Maiduguri.

Chukwu said that the toddler was nabbed from school and taken to unknown destination.

The commissioner said the command had lunched full scale investigation to rescue the child from his abductors custody.

He warned politicians against plotting evil against their opponents because of political ambition.

This is a clarion call to all politicians to always watch their back against their opponents.
The incident occurred during a training exercise at an army base in Borno State.

Punch News confirms that the incident occurred on Wednesday, September 19, 2018. The online publisher also confirmed that four other people were injured in what the army describes as an accidental discharge.

Army chief, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has ordered an inquiry following the incident.

ALSO READ: Soldier gives up on Nigeria after returning home to a cousin killed by SARS

Twitter doubts army's claim of "accidental discharge"

Many observers have questioned the army's claim of an accidental discharge leading to the deaths of two soldiers.

Comments have followed the tweets and they have expressed doubts over the explanation given on Twitter.
A bank staff also died in the heist which occurred on Wednesday, September 19, 2018. Other people were confirmed with injuries following the incident.

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There was an intense fire exchange between policemen and the robbers who escaped into the bush with their loot. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered in a statement offered by DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, a spokesperson for the state police.

There was exchange of gunshots between the robbers and our personnel. Our men tried their best to manage the situation.

It is true that two persons were killed during the operation. The robbery was regrettable and the death of the two persons was painful.

AFP

According to reports, the thieves had planned to escape through the road before making for the forest.
She has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault says a report by People Magazine. Brown who is from Augusta, Georgia reportedly stabbed two riders while they were returning from an outing.

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ALSO READ: Find out why a police woman stabbed husband now battling for his life

According to reports, one of the victims was drunk and threw up in her vehicle. This allegedly invited physical abuse from the suspect who stabbed the passengers with an utility knife.

The ride began normally according to one of the riders Daniel Millard.

The Uber driver showed up we all get in. Everything is fine and dandy. We are like were going home. Great.

She went down another wrong road and Amber just said, Just get us where we are going please, and the driver got offended by that Ill take it," Millard says in a report by WRDW.

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The police arrested Idris following a tip-off. She allegedly planned with some accomplices to abduct the victim, a three-year-old girl identified as Fatima Nura.

According to reports, the goal was to use this situation to collect a ransom from the victim's family.

ALSO READ: Woman jumps off speeding taxi to escape from alleged ritualists

Punch News confirmed this in a report where the woman was captured lamenting about a poor upbringing which has prompted her to make bad choices.

My father did not consider it necessary to train me to be responsible, otherwise, why should I involve myself in this wicked act? Why should I even kidnap my neighbours child who always played with my children? Its unfortunate.

"Allah and my neighbours will forgive me for what I did to this little girl; in fact, I dont deserve to be alive to face this shame," says Safiya Idris in a report by Punch.

ALSO READ: Little girl looks fresh after getting freed from kidnappers

The abducted has been released while law enforcement officers make preparation to arraign the suspect at a court.
Gorillas are unique in their various species across the continent.

1. Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park comes to mind when talking about gorillas in Rwanda. A very small country in East Africa, Rwanda is not known for many things. Hpwever, the popular film Gorillas in the West dramatised the image of gorillas in the country.

2. Uganda

Another country in East Africa, Uganda, bears the flag when it comes to gorilla sightings in the national parks. The country has two gorilla parks in the south-western parts  Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. At the top of Mt Sabinio, where Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo meet, is a great place to spot gorillas. The national parks allow other activities like hiking the glaciers in the Rwenzori Mountains to white-water rafting on the Nile.

3. Nigeria

At Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River, you can spot gorillas. However, the total population is dwindling, at less than 200 individuals, spread across an area of 12,000 km according to Culture Trip. You can find them scattered around Afi Mountain, Mbe Mountain, and the Okwangwo Division of the Cross River National Park.

4. Cameroon

The English-speaking parts of Cameroon share borders with Cross River state in Nigeria. The Cross River gorillas can be spotted in the forests around there. Captive gorillas can be found at the Limbe Wildlife Centre, one of the top attractions in Cameroon.

5. Gabon
Abdualsaslami said this at the Maiden Edition of General Abdulsalami Abubakar Foundation Peace Lecture, organised by the staff and students of the Abdulsalami Abubakar Post Graduate Students Hall of the University of Ibadan. The lecture was titled; Collaborative Peace Building in Nigeria,

According to the former head of state, Nigeria cannot be that great nation we all want, except we all agree to collectively work together and collaborate on peace.

Peace is not absence of disagreement. Every society must have disagreements. This is because we are not born alike, even twins do not operate in a like manner, hence there is nothing wrong with people having disagreements.

What is expected is that when we have disagreements we would find peaceful solutions to the issues,  he said.

He said there can be no sustainable development where people find it difficult to deal with the problems around them peacefully.

It is therefore, my honest opinion that we are going nowhere until we have a national consensus to work for peace.

What our politicians should focus upon at a time like this is to be working with professionals on how to make a difference in 2019.

The former head of state stressed the need for Nigerians to focus more on addressing the escalating development crisis in the land.

No matter how good those managing INEC are, if things are not well managed as they are, it might be difficult for us to have credible elections in 2019, he said.

He advised the students to reject being used in the forthcoming elections and not be allowed to be dragged into electoral malfeasance and violence.

He also appealed to politicians to be more conciliatory in their relationship and public utterances.

INEC must be an unbiased umpire. The security agencies in the country must be fair to all, people must be free to vote their leaders.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Idowu Olayinka, praised the former head of state, adding it is very rare for a military head of state to say he has to grant the wishes of the people for a democratic government.

This is the kind of things we need in Nigeria for our leaders to forge peace in the country, he haid.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the University presented a peace award to Gen. Abdulsalami, while a cafeteria was built in his honour.
The donation was made by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha.

Mustapha, represented by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, said the presentation was to fulfill one of the promises government made to the surviving children of late Ocholi.

According to him, It is a promise kept. He said that the government made three promises to the family during the burial ceremony namely; scholarship for children in school, employment for the graduates and acquisition of a befitting house in Abuja.

He said that he promises were made by the president in recognition of the diligent service to the country by the late minister.

He said that the house is a four- bedroom terrace house in Flower Gate Estate, along Apo Resettlement, Abuja.

Receiving the document of the property on behalf of the family, Mr Aaron Ocholi, son of the late minister, commended the government for keeping to its promise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Mr James Ocholi died in March 2016 with his wife and son on the Abuja-Kaduna express way in a ghastly accident.
SP Muhammad Shehu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Gusau.

Shehu said the new commissioner, who hails from Adamawa state, replaced Mr. Kenneth Ebrimson.

He said Alhassan holds B.Sc Sociology from Bayero University, Kano, and joined the Police force in 1988.

On successful completion of his training, he was posted to Adamawa state police command where he had his one year compulsory attachment and later served in different police formation including, Personal Assistant to Commissioner of Police, Borno state, General Investigation SCID Borno State Police Command, and Director Central Planing Training Unit, Police Staff College, Jos,

Other positions held were: Deputy Defence Adviser Permanent Mission of Nigeria to United Nations in New York United State and Commissioner of Police Special Protection Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja among others, he said.

The PPRO said the commissioner, who had since assumed duty, tasked officers and men of the command on commitment and dedication to duty.

Shehu said the commissioner reiterated his determination and commitment to enhance robust policing in actualising the transformation agenda of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris.

I will work within the ambit of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will use community policing to achieve the desired goals, Shehu quoted the commissioner as saying.

The new commissioner sought for cooperation, collaboration and partnership from all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful and secured Zamfara.
Asogwa at a ceremony organised to receive him at PDP Enugu North Zonal office in Nsukka, said he decided to join PDP because of APCs led Federal Government failure to fulfill its campaign promises to Nigerians as well as good performance of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

My decision to dump is because the party has failed Nigerians in all its electoral campaign promises.

The good performance of Ugwuanyi in Enugu State also `seduced me to join PDP because even a blind man can see his good works in the state, he said.

The former APC chieftain predicted victory for PDP in 2019 presidential election, explaining that many people have left APC to PDP and more aggrieved members would leave the party before next years general elections.

With the gale of defections across the country from APC to PDP, I have no doubt that PDP will return to Aso Rock in 2019, he said.

In a remark, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi, representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the Senate, said Asogwa is a respected elderly statesman and prolific writer.

He said that his joining PDP means that APC had suffered serious setback in 2019 general elections in Enugu State.

Today PDP in Enugu State has added another feather to its red cap.

Enugu State people are happy for your decision to join the party so that you will join hands to move the state to the next level, he said.

Mr Michael Onyeze, PDP Chairman in Nsukka Zone, who spoke, said that stakeholders and PDP faithful had gathered to receive Asogwa to let him know he had taken a wise decision.

Asogwa is a respected elder statesman and celebrated writer who had been in the forefront in the struggle for the creation of Adada State for Nsukka people.

This former APC chieftain was governorship candidate of Great Nigeria peoples Party (GNPP) in 1979, as well as close friend of Chief Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, the Ikemba Nnewi of blessed memory.

On behalf of PDP, I hereby welcome you, the party umbrella is too big to shelter everybody in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by President Muhammadu Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, he said the Senate President's recent "crude speeches" against the president, despite working with him for three years, prove that he only has his own interests to cater to.

He said Saraki has always been complimentary of the president until his recent defection to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), a move he alleged was for the sole purpose of contesting against Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

Despite Saraki's remarks against the president, Shehu urged Buhjari's supporters to exercise "restraint in language and conduct" and not join the Senate President in "lowering the quality of political discourse".

The statement read, "The Presidency wishes to react the crude speeches hitting the news from Senator Bukola Saraki who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party with the sole ambition of running as the president of Nigeria.

"In response to the condemnable and extremely derogatory speeches by the PDP aspirant, we urge all Buhari supporters to display restraint in language and conduct and to always put across their points of view in a decent language.

"Throughout his political career, Senator Saraki has shown that he is a very dangerous person who can go any length to promote his personal interests. The language of his campaign is such that cannot be used against a domestic help.

"Is he just knowing that the President lacked vision? This is someone that the Senator had worked with very closely for more than three years. Amazingly, he never said all that he is now saying against him.

"Rather, his word for and on the President were always respectful and reassuring. That's the man he called 'My Father,' about him 'there is no cause for alarma President who is healthy, witty and himself'. What then changed, all of a sudden?

"Is he saying these blatantly false and crude things against the President because he is gunning for the same office? Could it be that he is targeting President Buhari because the party he just joined does not have any real issues to highlight?

"Be that as it may, our appeal to our supporters is to ignore Saraki and any such politicians bent on lowering the quality of political discourse. Let them drown in their own waters."

Saraki's "crude speeches" against Buhari

Whileaddressing PDP delegates at the party's Lagos secretariat on Monday, September 17, Saraki said Nigeria needs visionary leaders.

"We should stop using sentiments to vote for our leaders because a man cannot give what he does not have," he said.

While speaking to PDP delegates in Oyo State the next day, he said the president does not understand leadership and has failed to command the respect of world leaders.

He said, "The President we have now does not understand leadership. We have endured him for more than three years but it is the same thing.
The governor made the announcement while speaking at the maiden Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar Foundation Peace Lecture held at the Trenchard Hall of University of Ibadan, the state capital, on Friday, September 21, 2018.

The governor said, "You know I am running for the Senate. So, I went to Abuja for the screening exercise of our party and just returned yesterday."

Ajimobi previously served as the representative of Oyo South Senatorial district between 2003 and 2007 before he was elected Oyo State governor in 2011 and won re-election in 2015.
Wike said this during an interview with reporters at government house, Port Harcourt on Thursday, September 20, 2018.

There are aspirants who have promised me the position of the vice-president, but I said I will not seek the position; not even in the dream will I seek that position at this point, he said.

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Continuing, Wike said, I am a first-term governor and the national chairman of PDP is from my state and the south-south these are mere allegations. People can carry rumours, but everything I will do, will be in the interest of Rivers state.

ALSO READ: I will unseat Wike  APC governorship aspirant

Nobody can use Rivers state as a tool; they did that in the past, but not anymore.

No 2019 election in Rivers State, Wike warns

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that there is a sinister plot by the All Progressives' Congress (APC) to deliberately disrupt the 2019 general elections in the state with the aide of security operatives.

In a recent interview with Premium Times, published on Monday, September 10, 2018, the governor said the current government has hatched a plot to postpone the election by using security agencies to cause crisis.

Wike also claimed that the government is ready to kill him and several other Nigerians to cheat in the 2019 general elections.
The Convener of the group, Mr Kindness Jonah stated this while briefing newsmen at the end of its meeting in Abakaliki on Friday.

The group said that time had come for political parties to get it right if they really wanted a united Nigeria where equality, credibility and competence would thrive.

Jonah, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevail on political parties to cancel the planned indirect primaries for choosing its flag bearers.

He noted that election by delegates rather than by direct participation of the eligible voters posed a clog in the wheel of democracy in Nigeria and fuels inequity.

There is no way the masses can make input in determining who should fly the flag of a political party except by direct primaries.

The idea of using delegates to choose candidates in indirect primaries poses a clog to the development of democracy and democratic practices in Nigeria.

We, therefore, call on INEC as a matter of expediency to prevail on parties which have adopted indirect primaries for the selection of party candidates to drop the option for the sake of growth of democracy, Jonah said.

The group also alleged that delegates participating in indirect primaries were often bought by money-bags against popular will of party members and to the disadvantage of more credible aspirants.

The delegates in an indirect election are usually quartered in Porsche hotels and lavishly entertained including giving huge sums to sway their choices to preferred candidates.

Such waste of our common patrimony is the main reason why public officers loot treasury in Nigeria once they ascend to power, he added.

The group clamoured for abolition of indirect primary in the nations electoral system and called for the use of Option A-4 wherein the electorate queue behind their choice candidates.

This group therefore proposes the use of Direct Secret-Open ballot system whereby each voter has all privacy to vote for his or her choice candidates and we believe that this remains the best for our fledgling internal party democracy, he said.
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, expressed the view in Lagos while addressing party delegates at the PDP secretariat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kwankwasos visit was in continuation of his tour of state chapters to seek support for his aspiration.

The aspirant said restructuring would strengthen the various federating units to reach their potential to promote the countrys prosperity.

Kwankwaso said he was a strong advocate of restructuring, and would speed up the development of the country, if elected president.

There have been agitations for restructuring in the South West and other parts of the country.

Let me assure you that I am for anything that would promote the countrys progress.

I am for anything that would deliver democratic dividends. I support restructuring and I am going to implement it if elected,  he said.

The aspirant said the All Progressives Congress (APC) had failed in the delivery of its electoral promises to Nigerians.

He said the ruling party had not been able to address security and economic challenges, among other problems facing the country.

Kwankwaso said the PDP would provide the kind of impactful leadership needed to reposition the country, if elected.

He said he had the capacity, experience and passion to turn the country around.

The aspirant appealed to Lagos delegates to vote for him at the convention.

He said apart from having the capacity to deliver, he was the only aspirant with the wide support needed to defeat the APC.

On why he left the PDP in 2014 to join the APC, Kwankwaso said he did so because of the problems in PDP then.

He said he was back because of the new spirit in the PDP, and that it was the only party that could move the country forward.

When we left the PDP, we thought it was the worst party due to the crisis then.

Now, the party has been repositioned and we are back.

We have since realised that PDP is 1000 times better than the APC.

We are back in the PDP to join forces with our great party men to ensure we defeat the failed APC in 2019, he said.

The aspirant expressed regret that PDP had never won Lagos despite the strategic importance of the state politically.

He promised to mobilise his supporters in the Kwankwasiya Movement and others to ensure that the party wins the 2019 governorship election in the state.
Staff discussed how to tweak search functions and work against "islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms ?Islam?, ?Muslim?, ?Iran?, etc.", the Journal reported.

They looked at similar measures for the search terms ?Mexico?, ?Hispanic?, ?Latino?, etc."

An email from an employee of the Search Product Marketing division referred to brainstorming inside Google over how to respond to ban.

Trump's controversial measure was challenged in court and underwent several iterations before ultimately being upheld by the US Supreme Court.

The report is certain to anger Trump, who has accused Google of blocking conservative viewpoints in its search results.

Google told the Journal that none of the ideas discussed were ever implemented.

"Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideology -- not in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trump?s executive order on immigration," it said in a statement.

"Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies," it added.
"The meetings were held in good spirits and the representatives shared a professional, open and transparent discussion on various issues," the Israeli army said in a statement after the visit by Norkin.

"Both sides emphasised the importance of the states' interests and the continued implementation of the deconfliction system," the army said, referring to information exchanged between Israel and Russia to reduce the risk of air incidents.

Syrian air defences shot down the Russian Il-20 military plane on Monday, killing all 15 soldiers aboard after Israeli missiles struck the coastal region of Latakia.

The incident was the worst case of friendly fire between Moscow and Assad's regime since Russian forces intervened in the war-torn country in late 2015.

Afterwards, the Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences".

Israel denied the allegations, saying its jets were already back in its airspace when Syrian forces launched the missiles that hit the Russian plane.

In a letter to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday, Assad offered his condolences for the deaths after the plane was downed by Syria's Russian-made S-200 air defence system.

"This unfortunate incident was the result of Israeli arrogance and depravity," the Syrian leader said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he had sent Norkin to Moscow to "preserve cooperation between our two countries".

Netanyahu expressed his "sorrow" to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Tuesday but insisted the Russian plane was shot down by "extensive and inaccurate Syrian anti-aircraft (fire)".

Putin has said the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances," but also warned Netanyahu against carrying out such operations in the future.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin held talks with his Security Council on Thursday.

"The strengthening of the security of the Russian military in Syria after the disaster of Il-20 was on the agenda," Peskov said, quoted by news agency Ria Novosti.

Israel has vowed to stop its arch-foe Iran, which backs the Assad regime, from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria.
He said the two sides had committed to the "very effective" mechanism but stressed that Israel's "freedom of movement is paramount".

The arrangement was agreed by Israel and Russia in 2015, when Russian forces intervened alongside the regime in Syria to avoid clashes between their militaries inside Syrian territory.

Israel regularly carries out strikes in war-torn Syria against the Syrian government, its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Iranian targets.

But Syrian air defences on Monday night mistakenly struck a Russian Il-20 military plane after an Israeli raid on a Syrian army facility, killing all 15 crew members.

The Russian military accused Israeli pilots of using "the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences", saying they reserved the right to respond.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, later adopted a more conciliatory tone, saying the incident was the result of "tragic accidental circumstances".
The woman's attorneys called the date set by Republicans "arbitrary," according to multiple US news reports.

However, they said that she is open to negotiating a new date -- under strict conditions, given the increasingly nasty atmosphere around the case.

AFP

"As you are aware, she has been receiving death threats, which have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and she and her family have been forced out of their home," Ford's lawyers said in a letter, The Washington Post and The New York Times reported.

"She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."

That question of fairness is at the heart of a bitterly partisan debate over how to deal with the allegation that Kavanaugh drunkenly assaulted Ford at a party when he was 17, she was 15, and they were attending private schools outside Washington, DC.

Kavanaugh denies knowledge of any such assault and no further direct witnesses have come forward.

Trump backs Kavanaugh

Ford's lawyers repeated their call for the matter to be dealt with in a rigorous investigation, not what Democrats describe as a rushed hearing in the Republican-dominated Senate aimed at confirming Kavanaugh as quickly as possible.

"Her strong preference continues to be for the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow for a full investigation prior to her testimony," the letter said.

The lawyers and numerous Democrats have repeatedly called for the FBI to open a probe.

However, Trump has rejected ordering FBI involvement. His Republican party accuses the Democrats of using Ford as a last-minute spoiler to try and wreck Kavanaugh's path to the highest court, where he would tilt the bench firmly to the right for possibly years to come.

AFP

Republicans also fear that if the nomination is delayed any further, that remaking of the Supreme Court could be endangered by a possible Democratic sweep in the congressional midterm elections set to take place in seven weeks.

At a midterms campaign rally in Las Vegas late Thursday, Trump told the crowd that he fully backs Kavanaugh.

While he steered away from criticizing Ford, he lavished praise on his nominee, calling him "one of the finest human beings you will ever have the privilege of knowing or meeting."

Trump went on to suggest that he already considers Kavanaugh likely to surmount the row and be confirmed to the lifetime appointment.

"Let it play out," Trump said. "I think everything's going to be just fine. This is a high quality person."

#Metoo cloud over hearing

An agreement on a new hearing date would set the stage for a showdown that could impact the future of the Supreme Court and the course of congressional elections in November.

The allegations come in the shadow of the powerful #Metoo movement against sexual harassment and assault, and echo the 1991 hearings for conservative Clarence Thomas to join the Supreme Court, when his former assistant Anita Hill accused him of repeated sexual harassment.

At the time, an all-male panel of Republicans ruthlessly smeared Hill's character, sparking a national backlash from women infuriated by her treatment.

This time, the Republicans on the committee are also all men, and they will have to tread delicately in a situation that could end up an intractable he said/she said debate.

A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that Kavanaugh's nomination faces growing opposition from voters, with 38 percent in opposition, compared to 29 percent in the same poll last month.
An original production from Asian streaming platform HOOQ, Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, has been selected to represent Indonesia at the Oscars.





The film, directed by Mouly Surya, will be Indonesias entry for the Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film and, said HOOQ, could help encourage more industry support towards local originals.Available to stream for HOOQ subscribers in the Philippines, Thailand, India, Indonesia and Singapore, the movie premierred last year at Cannes Directors Fortnight . Marlina the Murderer in Fourt Acts has since played at film festivals globally including Toronto International Film Festival's Contemporary World Cinema, and Tokyo Filmex where it won the Grand Prize.We are thrilled and honoured that our very first Indonesian original production Marlina The Murderer in Four Acts is representing the creative community that HOOQ is working so hard to build across Asia on the world stage, said Jennifer Batty, chief content officer of HOOQ The film has had a great run on international film circuit and has received overwhelming support from local viewers. The vote of confidence from Indonesian authorities is truly icing on the cake. It not only highlights the production quality of a HOOQ Original, but sets the stage for more industry support towards local originals. The film depicts the story of a widow on her journey to look for justice after her husband dies and a band of robbers sexually assaults her. Distinctive in its treatment, critics have coined Marlina the world's first satay western, an Indonesian take on classic spaghetti western with a feminist twist.Written by Mouly Surya and Rama Adi, the film is based on Garin Nugrohos story idea. A co-production between Cinesurya, Kaninga Pictures, Sasha & Co Production, Astro Shaw, HOOQ Originals and Purin Pictures, Marlina stars Marsha Timothy, Dea Panendra, Yoga Pratama and Egi Fedly.Marlina The Murderer in Four Acts outdid my expectations in many ways and this selection to represent Indonesia in the Oscars is a great honour but most of all, an encouraging move for more Indonesian filmmakers to pursue uniquely local stories and genres going forward, said director Mouly Surya.As well as Marlina the Murderer, other HOOQ originals, such as Brata, Critical Eleven, Danur 2 and Yowis Ben, are offered by the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform, which is a joint venture established in January 2015 by Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros.
The recent natural gas pipeline explosion in Massachusetts showed that many of our oil and gas pipelines are aged. In fact, much of the countrys natural gas pipeline system was constructed in the 1930s and 1940s, susceptible to rust and corrosion, which can lead to leaks and explosions. There is a national necessity not only to build more pipelines but also to replace the old ones.

Given that oil and gas are modeled by the U.S. Department of Energy to still supply 55 percent of our energy in 2050, is there any more obvious energy reality for us than the requirement to upgrade the expansive system that transports these irreplaceable fuels?

Natural gas, in particular, is increasingly the go-to, low-carbon energy source as well as the flexible backup for intermittent wind and solar. In fact, gas could overtake oil as the largest U.S. energy source this year, according to experts at DNV GL. Those of us wanting to fight climate change must keep in mind: Thanks to Natural Gas, U.S. CO2 Emissions Lowest Since 1985.

But in certain areas of the country, there is an urgent need to replace aged pipes. This is especially true in the New England area, where anti-pipeline activists are not just causing much higher energy prices but also dangerously blocking the need to upgrade the system. This cant be tolerated in a region where natural gas is increasingly the main source of electricity. For as far as the U.S. Department of Energy models, gas will supply 36 percent of New Englands energy in 2050. The region has a known need for more natural gas pipelines. Fortunately, upgrading the system is an effort that is supported by U.S. Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey.

More and newer pipelines arent optional but mandatory: Pipelines are safer, cheaper, and greener. Its completely unrealistic to think that more wind and solar means less pipelines are needed. If anything, more renewables mandate that more pipelines are needed because gas is the essential backup for their intermittency, which is an obligation in a consumer society like ours.

It will be a challenging endeavor. But it is an absolutely essential one. For example, our gas pipeline grid is an integrated system of interstate and intrastate transportation links that ship gas to nearly any location in the U.S. The American Gas Association reports that our network, is composed of more than 210 pipeline systems, includes over 300,000 miles of transmission pipelines, more than 1,400 compressor stations, and more than 11,000 delivery points to as many as 5,000 receipt points and 1,400 interconnection points.

Thats enough U.S. gas pipelines to circle the Earth 12 times.

Unfortunately, however, the push to build more and newer pipelines, which are made from steel, is hampered by President Trumps steel tariffs. A 500-mile pipeline, for instance, requires 64,375 tons of steel. Since a lot of the specialty steel required isnt made in the U.S., tariffs are increasing energy costs for American families and businesses. This goes against the presidents U.S. Energy Dominance plan.

Policymakers take note. As important as building new bridges and roads, the need for bigger and better pipelines is an essential part of the $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan that has bi-partisan support.

Jude Clemente is Editor of RealClearEnergy.
In early October the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to review a decision by a California state court that held three companies responsible for the costs of abating lead paint inside millions of California homes. Without intervention from the countrys highest court, the decision threatens to upend longstanding and sound housing policy, the effects of which will be felt most profoundly by low-income and minority communities.

The California court held that lead paint in private homes is a public nuisance and ordered the companies to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to abate the nuisance. The decision applies to homes built prior to 1951 in 10 California cities and counties. Before the California ruling, seven other states had flatly rejected similar public nuisance claims.

In their petitions to the United States Supreme Court, the companies argue that, in violation of their First Amendment rights and the Due Process Clause, the court improperly applied todays scientific understanding of the dangers of lead paint to the companies decades-old lawful promotion of a legal product. Apart from the legal arguments against it, the decision makes for bad public policy, and it should raise alarm bells for anyone in charge of, or concerned with, affordable housing policy for low-income and minority communities anywhere in the country. If the courts ill-advised abatement plan is realized, it will undoubtedly wreak havoc on the already short supply of affordable housing in California and will turn long-standing housing policy on its head.

California law, and the laws of nearly every jurisdiction in the country, hold property owners responsible for the condition of their property, including conditions such as peeling or chipping lead paint. However, the California courts abatement plan actually rewards slumlords for putting children at risk since property owners with 10 or more housing code violations go to the front of the line to receive abatement funding first.

This creates perverse incentives for property owners not to maintain their properties, knowing they can shift responsibility to the paint manufacturers who will be forced to pay for this scheme. And it creates incentives for local and state governments not to enforce existing law against slumlord property owners. Without the incentive of enforcement actions against owners who dont maintain their properties, low-income and minority residents will continue to be put at risk by unsafe housing.

In addition, the California decision requires abatement of even intact lead paint on certain surfaces, which is contrary both to California and federal law, both of which establish that lead paint is not hazardous if it is well maintained. In the early part of the last century, state and federal governments actually encouraged the use of lead paint in housing and other buildings. Yet the California court has ignored state and federal law, and, as a result, tenants and residents will likely be displaced from their homes while unnecessary abatement work is performed.

Millions of California homes are presumed to contain lead paint and will be directly impacted by the court ruling. However, property owners were never given notice or an opportunity to participate in the California court proceedings. Conscientious and responsible property owners, a number of which may be first-time minority homeowners, will therefore face a blizzard of lawsuits, fines, and dramatically reduced property values for maintaining what is now defined as a public nuisance: properly maintained property that happens to contain lead paint. And rental properties with this newly declared public nuisance are deemed to be untenantable as a matter of law. The supply of affordable rental housing likely will shrink even more.

The worst part of all? There is no public health crisis in California that warrants such a massive upheaval of longstanding housing policy. In 1986, California developed a comprehensive program to reduce childhood lead exposures from all sources. The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has since helped to reduce the blood lead level for Californias children below the national average. It is a public health success story.

Public officials know what and where the problem is today  failure to enforce housing standards in some of our most troubled communities. The mayors, city councils, supervisors, city and county attorneys who brought this lawsuit nearly twenty years ago likely never considered that the outcome would reward slumlords at the expense of responsible, law-abiding property owners, and threaten the ability of lower income families to remain in or find safe and healthy homes. But thats where well find ourselves if the Supreme Court declines to hear the case.

Kevin Marchman is Board Chair and Managing Director of NOAAH, the National Organization of African Americans in Housing, a national non-profit that seeks to improve conditions for all residents and foster the development of affordable housing and sustainable communities.
Will the government hamstring what is potentially the most important public health innovation of the 21st century?

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration announced historic action against e-cigarette manufacturers for what it sees as an epidemic of vaping among teenagers. E-cigarette makers have 60 days to come up with plans to mitigate teenage use of their products or face civil or criminal prosecution as well as new regulations such as sales bans on some of their products.

Such a move could reverse recent stop-smoking achievements. While smoking rates have been declining steadily over the last half century, the pace has dramatically picked up in recent years as e-cigarettes have gained popularity.

If regulators dont get in the way, e-cigarettes can continue to chip away at the one-in-six Americans who still smoke. This would be a major victory for public health. Smoking is still responsible for one in every five deaths. That is nearly three times more than the combined number of suicide, overdose, and alcohol-related deaths, whose rise has been attributed to the decline in U.S. life expectancy.

E-cigarettes are a comparably safe alternative that help people quit smoking because they deliver nicotine through water vapor  without the tar, smoke, carbon monoxide, and countless carcinogens in cigarettes.

Public Health England has concluded that vaping is at least 95 percent less harmful than smoking. The Royal College of Physicians finds that large-scale substitution of e-cigarettes  has the potential to prevent almost all the harm from smoking in society. Last month, a comprehensive U.K. Parliament report concluded that e-cigarettes can significantly accelerate the decline of smoking rates and called on policymakers to lessen regulatory and tax burdens holding back their use.

Stop-smoking aids that deliver nicotine without the filth are not new. Nicotine gum and patches have been on the market for decades. But they have had limited success, with just 7 percent of users stopping smoking as a result.

Compare that to the use of e-cigarettes. A recently released Center for Substance Use Research survey of roughly 19,000 e-cigarette users found that nearly two-thirds of respondents were able to quit cigarette smoking as a result. Most of those respondents who continued to smoke cigarettes cut their intake by more than half.

Dont trust survey data? A study published in the journal Addiction measured the carbon monoxide exhaled by e-cigarette users and found that two-thirds of participants had quit smoking. Center for Disease Control data suggest that well over 2.5 million American e-cigarette users have quit traditional cigarettes.

Its true that teenagers, like adults, have transitioned from smoking to vaping. So much so that e-cigarette use now outpaces cigarette use: 11.7 percent of high-schoolers vaped over the past month while only 7.6 percent smoked cigarettes. Yet the CDC data also show that e-cigarette use has actually fallen among American high-schoolers since 2014. Dont expect to hear this statistic amid the activist and editorial-board handwringing over vaping.

It is possible that vaping could still be a net negative if people who otherwise would never have smoked cigarettes were to start vaping in large numbers. Or even worse, if vaping were to serve as a gateway to smoking. Yet the evidence suggests these fears are misplaced. According to the large-scale survey of vapers, just 2 percent of respondents transitioned to smoking traditional cigarettes. University of Michigan researchers Kenneth Warner and David Mendez found that even with additional vaping-induced young smokers, e-cigarettes would save 3.3 million life-years because of the number of people giving up smoking.

The FDA claims the vaping epidemic gives it the right to take dramatic regulatory action. This includes forcing certain e-cigarette products off the market and subjecting others to so many compliance hoops that brands may not be able to keep them on the market. But forcing some or all e-cigarettes off the market means users could turn to far more dangerous nicotine sources.

Rather than threaten e-cigarette companies with extinction, the FDA should work with them to develop strategies and interventions that target the kids most likely to become vapers or smokers.

Anti-smoking extremists who want a total ban on vaping are salivating at the chance to sue e-cigarette makers out of existence. If the FDA aligns itself with this radical strategy it could endanger the public health. To be sure, vaping companies and the FDA must monitor its long-term effects. But right now, as Dr. Warner notes, we have a crisis on our hands: Five hundred thousand people are dying each year because of smoking. If the FDA engages in regulatory overreach, that number could grow.

Robert Goldberg is the vice-president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest.
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On the heels of its houses 50th anniversary, Delta Gamma is in the process of renovating its house to match the look of Milledge Avenue thr
Cupcakes on the colonnade was how the University of Georgia celebrated the 15th anniversary of one of the most popular study spots on campus 
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable.
While the Connecticut Department of Labor reported strong job growth Thursday, some economic observers worry that jobs could leave the state. Where those jobs would go is a point of disagreement.

Congressional Democrats issued a report Thursday that warned nearly 200,000 Connecticut jobs could be at risk of being moved overseas.

With state labor leaders, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat representing the 3rd District, decried the GOP tax plan passed in December 2017 at a news conference.

It is unspeakable that President Trump and Republicans would advance a tax bill that promotes outsourcing, she said. That is why earlier this year, I introduced the Close Tax Loopholes That Outsource American Jobs Act. My bill would undo this incentive to outsource, striking the provisions of the tax law that allow for a lowered tax rate abroad.

But Pete Gioia, an economic adviser to the Connecticut Business Industry Association, said with lower corporate tax rates here in the U.S., the GOP plan incentivized companies to bring their money back  not move more business overseas.

Is there a threat of Connecticut outsourcing jobs elsewhere? Yes. But its not overseas ... its to other states because we are having trouble filling jobs, said Gioia. Companies that have operations in other states may say, Oh geez we cant fill the jobs in Connecticut, maybe well fill them in Tennesee and North Carolina and Florida and Texas. That could happen. Thats a threat.

He said Connecticut needs better job training programs to fill existing vacant positions.

The Democrats report identified two provisions of the tax plan that they believe encourage companies to move tangible assets like factories abroad.

Workers in the insurance carrier, aerospace manufacturing, computer systems design, company management, accounting, technical consulting, depository credit intermediation, architecture, engineering and scientific research services industries would be most vulnerable, the report said.

I talked to steel workers yesterday, and BIC is laying off 134 workers because they are offshoring some of components of lighters, said Lori Pelletier, president of the AFL-CIO, a union representing those workers. They are in the midst of it now, and they are getting Trade Administration assistance Its a side-effect of our policies.

Gioia said mostly, Connecticut jobs in those sectors have not been lost, though.

The Connecticut Department of Labor reported Thursday that the state added 24,000 jobs year over year.

Thats the best performance weve seen since the 80s, said Gioia.
WASHINGTON  New Region 12 Superintendent, Megan Bennett will present Shaping Shepaug: The Inclusion of AgriScience, Thursday, Oct 4, 6:30 p.m. in the Wykeham Room of Gunn Memorial Library in Washington.

Many Region 12 families and community members have expressed interest in the new Agriscience Center that will open next year on the Shepaug campus. The new Region 12 Superintendent will host an hour-long community conversation.

Bennett will discuss the history, status, and future of Shepaug Valley School, focusing on how Agriscience will be integrated into the schools educational program and culture to enhance learning.

Community members are encouraged to ask questions and share ideas that will help school leaders, faculty, and families shape the new Agriscience Center and form a comprehensive profile of the Shepaug graduate.

Bennett has spent her adult life seeking opportunities to improve student learning experiences and student achievement levels. She has supported students as a classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, principal and, now, superintendent.

Her work has allowed her to serve communities in urban, suburban and rural areas, and her math curriculum work has afforded her the opportunity to work with both the Connecticut and Massachusetts State Departments of Education. An important career focus has been to close the achievement gap in education, successfully meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for Taunton Schools during her time in the math department.

Bennett has presented at national and state level conferences, including National Teachers of Mathematics (NTCM), ATOMIC, and Common Core Implementation at the Connecticut State Department of Education. Additionally, Bennett has served on the Individual Education Plan (IEP) Advisory Council for the General Assembly. She now brings her efforts and love for teaching and learning to the staff and students in Region 12. Her personalized approach to working with students and families has been highlighted in articles, blogs and interviews, and she is committed to continuing this work for Region 12 students.

Visit www.region-12.org This program is free and open to the public but registration is requested; call 860-868-7586 for further information or visit www.gunnlibrary.org

The Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at Route 47 on the Green, in Washington.
Cambodian authorities pardoned Australian filmmaker James Ricketson on Friday, clearing the way for his release from a six-year prison term imposed following his conviction last month on a charge of espionage.



The pardon, signed by Acting Head of State and Senate President Say Chhum, was followed quickly by a warrant issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court ordering prison authorities to free Ricketson, who had been sentenced on Aug. 31 in a trial widely regarded by rights groups as unfair.



Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service on Friday, Ricketsons lawyer Kong Sam Onn welcomed his clients release, saying he had requested the pardon and had sent a letter to Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen voicing regrets for anything Ricketson might have done to offend government officials.



James had no intention of opposing the government, he said.



Also speaking to RFA, Soeng Sen Karuna, spokesman for the Cambodia-based rights group Adhoc, said that Ricketson may have been released in order to defuse political tensions in the country, adding that no evidence of espionage by Ricketson had ever been presented in court.



James Ricketson should have been released immediately after his trial, he said.



As of Sept. 21, no word of Ricketsons actual release from custody had been received.



Ricketson, 69, was arrested in June last year after flying a drone over a rally by the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November over an alleged plot to overthrow the government,



Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) then swept all 125 parliamentary seats up for grabs in a general election this year in July.



Judge Seng Leang of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court found Ricketson guilty on two charges of espionage and ordered him to spend six years in jail, without providing details about which country he had been convicted of spying for.



The filmmaker had faced up to 10 years in prison for the charges.



Hun Sen, who secured another five-year term to add to his 33 years in office after official results of the July 29 election were announced on Aug. 15, has made a practice of heavy-handed crackdowns on his critics in the lead up to ballots, followed by a relaxation of restrictions after facing international condemnation.



Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Richard Finney.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party's media regulator is considering banning the broadcast of overseas-produced news during prime time on domestic channels, while the country's ministry of education has ordered a purge of foreign content from textbooks in primary and secondary education.



The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) issued a "consultation" paper on Thursday that proposed forbidding radio and television broadcasters from airing any foreign news content, as well as from transmitting audio-visual programs made overseas during prime time in the evening.



The paper called for "opinions" on the proposed rule changes.



Shandong-based journalist Qi Chonghuai said the move is part of an ongoing bid to limit not just what people can see, but the tools they have to think about it.



"There is [already] some news that you can't get in China, and a lot of people only find about about it when it is reported overseas," Qi told RFA. "Now, they want to block up that channel, for fear that foreign ideas will get into China; they are afraid of people finding out about democracy."



"The Communist Party has always controlled the news, to pull the wool over the eyes of ordinary people," he said.



An official who answered the phone at SARFT referred inquiries to the press office. However, calls to that number rang unanswered during office hours on Friday.



Further limits seen



Overall, Chinese stations are currently limited to airing no more than 30 percent of foreign content on domestic networks, but the new rules would set further limits on prime-time viewing hours, as well as on the use of foreign anchors and actors on Chinese screens.



If the rules are adopted, broadcasters will be barred from using foreign hosts, writers, and directors, while only one lead actor at a time can be non-Chinese.



The notice also suggests a ban on the dissemination of any foreign content that "damages the dignity, honor, or interests of the Chinese nation, [or] that endangers social stability or hurts its feelings."



Chinese media organizations may also be banned from participating in the production of such content, it said.



Sichuan-based dissident author Tan Zuoren said the document isn't likely a genuine consultation exercise.



"It isn't asking people for their opinions," Tan said. "If they really wanted my opinion, it would be to oppose these new rules."



"Government departments are constantly using various rules to change 'temporary' measures, and leaders even order changes to the law," he said. "This just destroys the rule of law."



Inspections ordered



Meanwhile, the education ministry ordered a full review of primary and high-school textbooks in a bid to expunge all "foreign and unauthorized content" from the country's curriculum.



"The illegal use of textbooks written by schools, foreign, and unauthorized textbooks should be resolutely rectified, and the results reported by Oct. 15," the Global Times newspaper quoted a directive from the education ministry as saying.



Inspections had revealed that some publishing houses had been editing textbooks without permission from the government.



Some schools had also substituted foreign textbooks for approved texts, or had been using "other unauthorized classroom materials," the paper said.



Schools have also been ordered to re-evaluate previously authorized self-authored textbooks, reporting the results by Oct. 10.



The ministry said it would make a final review of any adjustments, and that its feedback must be incorporated by March, and materials authorized again before being handed out to students, the article said.



Cultural isolation



The moves come after a government shakeup in March that saw President Xi Jinping begin an indefinite term in office, and expanded power for the ruling party's propaganda department.



Online free speech activist Wu Bin, known by his internet nickname Xiucai Jianghu, said the move is another sign that China is becoming more and more shut off from the outside world.



"We just keep going backwards, towards a situation of cultural isolation," Wu told RFA. "This is getting worse and worse for the kids currently in school."



Wu said there is an inherent conflict in the government's approach.



"They are saying that foreign teaching materials [have to be purged], but the ideologies of Marx and Lenin ... were a foreign import, and yet they keep on using them as before," he said.



Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Yang Fan and Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service.
Chiu Chui-cheng, spokesman for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission, tells a news conference in Taipei that the agency plans to set up a registration system for people who have been granted full residence rights in mainland China, Sept. 19, 2018.

Authorities on the democratic island of Taiwan are planning to counteract China's offer of smart residence permits for its 23 million people by barring anyone who takes up the offer from public office.

Beijing announced last month that residents of former colonies Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Taiwan, which has never been ruled by Beijing, will now be eligible for permanent residency and a smart ID card like those issued to citizens of mainland China.

But Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) warned that the offer will result in its people becoming "effective" citizens of mainland China, as they will be plugged directly into the ID card system that Beijing uses to track and control its population in every aspect of their daily lives.

Beijing began accepting applications for the cards at the beginning of the month, and its state-controlled media have run glowing endorsements of the scheme from Taiwanese people who can now access accommodation, banking, hotel rooms, and even education for their children on the same footing as Chinese citizens.

But the MAC has warned that the move is part of the Chinese Communist Party's "united front" strategy to neutralize potential threats to its rule and will expose its residents to comprehensive surveillance and monitoring.

Taiwan lawmakers have called for legislation requiring holders of the new card to be stripped of their citizens' rights on Taiwan.

This week, the MAC said it is planning to set up a registration system that will indicate who has been granted full residence rights in mainland China, which regards Taiwan as a province of China awaiting "reunification."

"We are hoping ... that this will strengthen security ... by requiring people living with these residence permits in mainland China to register on their return to Taiwan," MAC spokesman Chiu Chui-cheng told a news conference in Taipei on Wednesday.

"For those people who hold the permits and who have lived there a long time, we would look at whether they should be [allowed to] hold public office or certain other roles, for example, those requiring security clearance," Chiu said.

On Sept. 9, Wang Ding-yu, lawmaker for Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party tabled an amendment to a law governing relations between the people of Taiwan and mainland China that would revoke citizenship from Taiwanese who apply for the new permits.

The move would be reversible if people wished to renounce their mainland Chinese residency and resume their status as nationals of Taiwan, Wang said.

He warned people against being lured to apply by the huge convenience attached to the cards.

"I believe Taiwanese businessmen will have to weigh these issues [of convenience versus surveillance] very carefully," said Wang.

Other similar amendments are in the pipeline from other parties, local media reported.

A number of risks

Academia Sinica researcher Lin Thung-Hong agreed that the residence card could pose a number of risks, citing the jailing of Taiwan democracy activist Lee Ming-cheh for subversion by authorities in mainland China last year.

"Personally, I think that the issue everyone should be most concerned about is the income tax law that was enacted at around the same time," Lin told RFA. "When you get a residence cards, you are admitting that you are resident in mainland China for more than 183 days a year."

"ID cards are linked in to the income tax law as an affiliated document, because to send someone a tax bill, you have to have their address, and you have to have their name, and evidence," he said. "They will be able to use information your residence card to estimate your income."

Around 60 percent of people polled in recent days said they support some kind of regulation for holders of the new residence cards, according to the Cross-Strait Policy Association.

And 59 percent of respondents agreed that applying for the card entails privacy risks, given Chinas strict surveillance of its citizens, compared with 34.4 percent who disagreed.

Respondents were evenly split on whether the new arrangements would affect the political opinions of Taiwan voters, however, with around 47 percent on each side.

The Association said more than 20,000 people have reportedly applied for the permit from Taiwan, out of a million of the island's residents currently living on the mainland.

'Infiltration' and 'sabotage'

Last Sunday, China accused Taiwans spy agencies of stepping up their infiltration and sabotage activities on the mainland, warning against further damaging already strained cross-strait ties.

State television is running a series of programs detailing cases in which Chinese students studying in Taiwan have been targeted by undercover agents, who lure them with money, love, and friendship.

But the MAC rejected the allegations.

"The Mainland Affairs Council asks the mainland authorities not to politically manipulate mainland students studying in Taiwan and frame our personnel for engaging in espionage," it said.

The island's Republic of China government, a remnant of the Kuomintang nationalist regime that abandoned the Chinese mainland after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists in 1949, has said it will continue to pursue "greater democracy, freedom, and sovereignty."

Recent opinion polls indicate that there is broad political support for self-rule in Taiwan, where the majority of voters identify as Taiwanese rather than Chinese.

But Beijing regards the island as part of China, and has threatened to invade if Taiwan seeks formal independence. Beijing has succeeded in isolating Taiwan diplomatically by insisting that its diplomatic partners break off ties with Taipei under the "One China" policy.



Reported by Chung Kuang-cheng for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Yang Fan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Wu Yuhua (L) is shown with supporters after being released on bail in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 21, 2018.

UPDATED at 05:30 p.m. EST on 09/21/2018

A Thai appeals court on Friday granted bail to Chinese dissidents Wu Yuhua and Yang Chong, who face charges of violating Thai immigration law despite holding United Nations documents describing them as refugees.

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 judge at the Pathumwan Municipal Court read out an appeals courts ruling that the couple deserved bail because of the nature of the relatively lenient charges and the good behavior of the couple, a reporter for BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, heard in the courtroom.

The bail bond for each is 300,000 baht [U.S. $9,240], said the judge, overruling a lower courts denial of bail last week. They are not allowed to leave the country without courts approval.

Clad in a prison uniform and a surgical mask, Wu Yuhua looked sickly in court but brightened when a translator informed her of the bail grant around midday.

Yang Chong, jailed in Bangkok Remand Prison, appeared healthier but was chained at the ankles during the court appearance.

Lawyers from the Center for Asylum Protection, an advocacy group, posted bail for Wu Yuhua at midafternoon.

One of them who refused to give her name told BenarNews that supporters of the couple had been able to raise only half the total amount.

An official at the Central Womens Correction Institute on the outskirts of Bangkok informed BenarNews by phone at around 8:30 p.m. in the evening that Wu Yuhua had been released.

Other sources said that Yang's supporters were still trying to raise funds to make his bail.

Damaged health

Speaking to RFA's Mandarin Service following her release on bail, Wu Yuhua said that conditions in detention had damaged her health.

"Because the sanitation there is so bad, I now have some gynecological problems. I also have some problems with my stomach, and a sore throat that I had has now developed into bronchitis," she said.

"My husband, Yang Chong, is still detained by the police," Wu said. "We did not have enough money to pay his bail."

"But our case will be heard in court next Wednesday, and if we are charged in court, he will be put into an immigration jail and he will lose all hope of being bailed out."

Also speaking to RFA, a supporter named Yu Yanhua said that the cost of Wu's and Yang's bail had steadily increased after they were detained.

"We were told on the evening of Aug. 29, when they were caught by the police, that we could pay just 10,000 baht to get them out, but we could not pay it that night."

But after the case came to court, the amount jumped to 60,000 baht, and the next day it increased again to 250,000 baht, Yu said.

"When we finally bailed Wu out, we actually paid 300,000 baht," Yu said, adding, "This situation is really devastating for all political refugees from China."

Existence without papers

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.

In a related development, a senior official at the Lumpini police station in Bangkok told the court that police will charge Ai Wu for illegal entry and Yang Chong on overstaying a visa next Wednesday at the same courtroom. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.

We will file the lawsuits Wednesday, Police Lt. Wiwat Naklada told the judge.

When BenarNews asked why they were arrested, Wiwat said: They made disturbance at the New Zealand Embassy so that they were caught by the security guards and they were sent over to the police station.

Wu and Yang were detained on Aug. 29 along with another Chinese national named He Weiyi outside the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok, where they had hoped to persuade New Zealand officials to consider them for resettlement.

Thai laws violated

The police found they had violated Thai immigration laws, regardless of their UNHCR status, she said.

The man entered Thailand legally with tourist visa via Suvarnabhumi Airport but the visa was expired 3 years ago, she told BenarNews, citing immigration records. He will face overstaying visa charge.

Then woman will face the charge of illegal entry and illegal staying. We dont see any records to show that she entered the country legally, she said.

Lawyers with the Center for Asylum Protection declined to comment on Wednesdays court action, saying they had not seen the case file yet.

Thailand has sent refugees from 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, with additional reporting by RFA's Mandarin Service.


Thai and Cambodian civil society organizations rejected an invitation from the Lao government to attend a regional stakeholder forum on the Pak Lay dam, saying that the prior notification and consultation procedures for the controversial hydropower project are not transparent.

The Mekong River Commission (MRC), a platform for regional cooperation among the countries along the key regional waterway, held the forum on Sept. 20-21 in the Lao capital Vientiane for stakeholders to discuss the 770-megawatt project in northwestern Laos Xayaburi province and updates on a joint action plan for the proposed 912-megawatt Pak Beng hydropower project in Oudomxay province.

The Pak Lay project, which will be the fourth dam on the lower Mekong mainstream in Laos, began the MRCs six-month prior consultation process in August.

The process is a required procedure under the 1995 Mekong Agreement by Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, which established the MRC as a platform for regional cooperation among the countries along the Mekong River.

It allows member nations to jointly review proposed dams on the Mekong mainstream with the aim of reaching an agreement on whether the projects should proceed and under what conditions, and seeks to minimize and mitigate possible harmful effects on the environment and people upstream and downstream.

The Cambodia Mekong Alliance (CMA), a coalition of 52 NGOs, did not take part in the forum because its previous request to convey concerns over the potential impacts of the Pak Lay and Pak Beng dams to the MRCs representative body in Cambodia was ignored.

The CMA and other groups have warned that the Pak Lay and other dams in Laos will have negative impacts on the environment and the livelihoods of river communities throughout the region.

Neewat Riokeo, a well-known Thai environmentalist and chairman of an environmental civil society organization (CSO) based in Chiang Khong district in Chiang Rai province, told RFA on Thursday that the Pak Lay dam will affect people downstream and that the prior consultation and agreement mechanism will not resolve the problems.

Riokeo has taken the lead in filing a lawsuit in Thailand against the Xayaburi dam project in Laos  the largest dam on the Mekong River, which is about 80 percent completed. Green groups have warned that the dam will block fish migration routes and sediment flows downstream.

If Thai and Cambodian civil society organizations had attended this forum, it would have helped accelerate the dam construction because the [prior notification and consultation process] is open to the public, he said. That means all the participants agree with the dam construction.

No one will resist

Lao CSOs cannot object to plans for building the Pak Lay dam even though they are aware of its potential negative impacts.

This is a government project, so Lao CSOs dare not get involved in it because they find it difficult to present the negative impacts to the government, a Lao CSO official who declined to be named told RFA on Thursday.

No one will resist the construction of the Pak Lay dam even if the government wants to build it so that its structure is similar to that of other dams, he said.

International NGO as well as CSOs in Laos cannot object to it, but can only report the negative impacts to the government, and thats all, the official said.

Actually, people dont even receive information about the negative impacts; they are just given propaganda about the positive impacts of dam projects, he added.

Speaking at the opening of the forum, Bounkham Vorachith, Laos deputy minister of natural resources and environment who co-chaired the event, said that Laos is committed to implementing the terms of the 1995 Mekong Agreement.

Call for dam suspension

During the forum, Save the Mekong, a coalition of NGOS and community-based groups in the Mekong region, called for a suspension of the Pak Lay dam until a new transboundary environmental and social impact assessment has been completed, citing the poor quality of the current assessment.

[D]ue to serious flaws, the Pak Lay assessment does not provide a reliable basis to inform planning and decision-making on the potential transboundary and cumulative impacts of the project, the CSO said in a statement issued Thursday.

Prior consultation should therefore be halted until new assessments are conducted of a sufficient standard to ensure informed and meaningful participation in decisions regarding the project, it said.

Save the Mekong noted that large sections of the current assessment report had been copied directly from the Pak Beng dams 2015 assessment report.

As a result, the Pak Lay report is flawed and outdated, with most data and references dating prior to 2011, the group said.

It also pointed out that the current assessment had been previously criticized for containing inadequate data and analysis, raising questions over the adequacy of the information relied upon to inform the prior consultation process.

The Pak Lay assessment does not draw on available studies, including those conducted by the MRC, the statement said, adding that it incorrectly stated that the MRCs 2010 Strategic Environmental Assessment of Mekong mainstream dams was not yet available and that relevant environmental and social legislation was is incomplete and out of date.

The 2010 report pointed to the dams potentially devastating effects on regional food supplies and the likelihood of irreversible environmental damage, prompting the MRC to call for a 10-year moratorium on the construction of main-stem dams until more data had been collected.

Save the Mekong also said that the current assessment contains no references to a U.S. $4.7 million MRC Council Study issued in February, which indicated that the series of dams planned on the Mekong and its tributaries poses serious threats to the environment and will have profound social and economic impacts in the region.

The group recommended that a new assessment be drawn up based on updated studies and that those responsible for the report hold consultations with potentially affected communities both in Laos and in neighboring countries in accordance with international standards.

Save the Mekong had previously said it would boycott the prior consultation process for the Pak Lay dam because of serious and outstanding concerns that remain unresolved regarding three other mainstream dams in Laos that have undergone the process to date.

Pressing on, despite disaster

The MRCs Joint Committee Working Group decided to begin the six-month prior consultation process for the Pak Lay dam on Aug. 8  a day after the Lao government announced a suspension of new dam projects and independent investigations of existing ones, following the collapse of an auxiliary dam at the U.S. $1 billion Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project in Champasak province.

The July 23 disaster caused severe flooding that claimed the lives of at least 40 villagers, according to official figures, and displaced thousands of others who are now living in temporary camps.

Local authorities in Laos, who have equal or greater power than central government officials, decided to continue with both the Pak Lay and Pak Beng projects, despite Prime Minister Thongloun Sisouliths order to halt new hydropower projects.

Though the parties to the MRC consult each other and reach agreements on the construction of large dams, the body itself lacks the authority to force members to delay or halt dam-building activities.

The Lao government hopes that its mega-dams will help it become the battery of Southeast Asia and turn it from being one of the regions poorest nations into a middle-income country through sales of most of the hydroelectricity they produce to Thailand, Vietnam, and China.

Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Members of the civil society organization Peace MoMo demonstrate outside the headquarters of SK Engineering & Construction in Seoul, calling on the company to take responsibility for a dam collapse in Laos, Sept. 18, 2018.

South Korean civil society organizations called for their government and the main partner in a joint venture to take responsibility for the deadly breach of an auxiliary dam at the South Korean-backed Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project in Laos, which left at least 40 people dead and displaced thousands of others.

The dam collapse on July 23 caused devastating floods that swept through Champassak and Attapeu provinces in southern Laos, displacing about 7,000 people, most of whom have been living in five temporary camps after losing their homes and possessions.

The auxiliary dam was part of a larger U.S. $1 billion hydropower project being built by a joint venture comprising South Koreas SK Engineering and Construction  the projects main partner  Korean Western Power Company Ltd., Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Public Company Ltd. of Thailand, and Lao Holding State Enterprise, a state corporation primarily involved with the financing of the energy industry.

The project, part of the South Korean governments official development assistance (ODA) to Laos, was to be fully operational by February 2019.

Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines has blamed the collapse of the auxiliary dam on substandard construction, prompting calls by Lao officials for the projects main developer to be held accountable.

At an international public forum in Seoul on Sept. 17-20, South Korean civil society organizations (CSOs) and government representatives discussed how the disaster has affected peoples livelihoods and natural resources, as well as the current situation on the ground in Laos.

The groups called for transparency and accountability during an on-site investigation they want conducted in order to produce credible measurements of damage caused by the dam collapse on affected communities in both Laos and Cambodia.

They also want fair compensation for these people and policy reviews related to the matter and on future investment in hydropower dams in Laos.

Yun Ji Young from the organization Peace MoMo said SK Engineering & Construction must assume responsibility for the dam collapse.

Korean, Thai, and Cambodian CSOs requested that SK Engineering & Construction join the forum and answer questions about the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy dam collapse, but it declined to participate, she told RFAs Lao Service on Tuesday, the day that Peace MoMo activists demonstrated outside the companys headquarters in Seoul, demanding that it take responsibility.



Specific guidelines needed

Soyeun Kim, an associate professor at the Institute for East Asian Studies at Sogang University in Seoul, whose research focuses on development cooperation between East and Southeast Asian aid providers and its social and environmental impacts on the region, said the dam catastrophe shows a need for specific guidelines when it comes to ODA.

For ODA, we need to have particularly clear guidelines so we dont mess up, because were actually there to help them, she told RFA on Wednesday, referring to developing countries in the region.

But when it comes to the dam disaster in Laos, Kim said the South Korean government must be held accountable.

South Korean companies are actually reversing what the development community has done for the last 20 to 30 years in Laos by destroying everything and not taking any responsibility, she said.

Of course, legally theres no way you can actually make the South Korean government responsible, she added. But theres accountability for this. The South Korean government needs to explain what happened.

So far, Seoul has sent two disaster relief teams to Laos to support relief efforts in the flood-affected areas.

Premrudee Daoroung, coordinator of Project SEVANA South-East Asia and the Laos Dam Investment Monitor, which she set up after the dam disaster to keep an eye on large companies investing in mega-dam projects in Laos, said that some level of investigation has been conducted in South Korea, but that the country should conduct an on-the-ground probe of the dam disaster and its aftermath.

[W]e believe Korea has a legitimate role in providing more support to Laos  more than merely going there to invest in dam projects, she said, according to notes provided to RFA by one of the forum participants.

It is very important to have various ways of working and even of intervening in the process of the present investigation to make it more transparent and really responsive to the situation of thousands people who have lost everything and are still waiting for help, she said.

Because the South Korean companies involved in the dam have been silent on the issue, CSOs want assurances that the countrys National Assembly and the office of President Moon Jae-in are taking the issue seriously and will respond in a timely manner, she said.



Lawmakers respond

Speaking to CSOs from South Korea, Thailand, and Cambodia on Tuesday, Kim Sung Whan, a South Korean lawmaker who is a member of the National Assemblys Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee, noted that SK Engineering & Construction blamed the dam break on heavy rainfall, while Korean Western Power attributed it to substandard construction.

Our government would like all the relevant stakeholders to investigate the cause of the collapse, so we can move forward with this issue with the government, he said.

Ryu Sung Jae, senior secretary for public policy in the Korean National Assembly, said his office called the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of Korea, which issues loans to companies undertaking infrastructure projects abroad, to discuss the cause of the dam collapse, but the bank did not provide any clear explanations.

Now the government is keeping a close eye on the reaction of the Exim Bank Korea and hopes it will reveal the real cause of the dam break to the Korean government, he said. That means [the government] might issue an order to the bank to suspend loans for the two Korean companies.

In response to the catastrophe, the Lao government announced that it was temporarily suspending consideration of new investments in hydropower projects and ordered safety reviews of all existing and under-construction dams. It has also paid compensation to those affected by the flooding.

The operators of the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project, which was nearing completion, planned to sell most of the 1,880 gigawatt hours of electricity per year the dam was expected to generate to Thailand.

Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Authorities in western Afghanistan say at least 15 people, including three women and two children, were killed early on September 21 when a bus hit a truck on Afghanistan's Highway 1 -- the ring-road highway that links the city of Herat to Kabul.

At least 30 other people were injured by the accident in the Pozak area of the Bakwa District in the western province of Farah, officials said.

Nasir Mehri, a spokesman for Farah's provincial governor, told RFE/RL that the bus was traveling to Kandahar from Herat Province when the accident happened.

Mohibullah Mohib, a spokesman for Farah's provincial police chief, said the bus driver was driving too fast at the time of the accident.

Underdeveloped highways, reckless driving, and poorly maintained vehicles are blamed for the deaths of hundreds of people every year on Afghanistan's roads.

With on reporting by dpa
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May says that negotiations with the European Union on Britain's withdrawal from the bloc are at an impasse.

May spoke in a televised address from 10 Downing Street in London on September 21, after the EU rejected key parts of her proposals for a Brexit deal.

European Council President Donald Tusk said at a summit in Salzburg this week that May's plan would not work.

May said it was "not acceptable" for the EU to reject her plan without offering alternatives, adding that "serious engagement" was needed to resolve the main obstacles to a deal.

She also said she would "not overturn the result of the referendum," referring to a June 2016 plebiscite in which Britons voted to leave the EU.

May said that the best outcome from talks with the EU would be for Britain to leave the bloc with a deal in place, but that exiting with no deal would be better than a bad deal.

Britain is slated to separate from the 28-nation EU in March 2019.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
A rare meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan has been canceled just a day after India announced the talks would take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in late September.

India's Foreign Ministry said on September 21 the talks were called off after what it described as the "latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities."

The ministry said the meeting was also being canceled by New Delhi in protest of the release by Pakistan of a series of 20 postage stamps "glorifying a terrorist and terrorism."

Pakistan recently issued postage stamps of Burhan Wani, a Kashmiri militant commander who was killed by Indian troops in July 2016.

The ministry did not provide further details about the killings.

On September 20, India announced that talks had been scheduled after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to request talks on long-running disputes between the nuclear-armed neighbors -- including the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir.

India has long accused Pakistan of arming rebel groups in Kashmir.

It also blames Pakistan for financing the deadly 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since independence in 1947.

Based on reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and the Daily Mail
Israels air force chief held professional, open talks with officials in Moscow in the aftermath of the shoot-down of a Russian warplane by Syria earlier in the week that Russian officials said was caused by Israeli actions.

Major General Amikam Norkin traveled to Moscow on September 20 to share his military's findings on the incident in which 15 Russian service-members aboard the Il-20 surveillance plane were killed off the coast of Syria.

Russia has acknowledged that antiaircraft forces of its ally Syria inadvertently brought down the plane, but it also blamed Israel for conducting a fighter jet raid on Syrian forces around the same time.

A statement released by the Israeli military after Norkin's Moscow visit said that "the meetings were held in good spirits, and the representatives shared a professional, open, and transparent discussion on various issues."

"Both sides emphasized the importance of the states' interests and the continued implementation of the deconfliction system," the statement said.

Israel and Russia have set up an exchange of information between their forces operating in and around Syria to reduce the risk of air incidents.

The Russian plane was shot down by Syrian air defenses on September 17 after Israeli missiles struck the coastal region of Latakia.

The Israeli military said its jets had targeted a Syrian site that was in the process of transferring weapons to Iran-backed Hizballah militants.

It added that Israeli planes were already in Israeli airspace when Syria fired the missiles that hit the Russian plane.

Israel insisted it warned Russian forces of its raid ahead of time in accordance with previous agreements.

Russias Defense Ministry said the Israeli warning came less than a minute before the strike, and it accused the Israeli military of using the Russian plane as a cover to dodge Syrian defense systems.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Russian President Vladimir to express sorrow over the deaths of crew member, blaming Syria and offering to send Norkin with detailed information.

"I told him that we have the right of self-defense," Netanyahu said on September 20, adding that "there is also very great importance to maintaining the security coordination between Israel and Russia."

Russia, along with Iran, has given Syrian President Bashar al-Assad support throughout the countrys seven-year civil war, which began with a government crackdown on protesters in March 2011.

Russian air support has been particularly crucial in allowing Assad to hold off Islamic insurgents and Western-backed rebels and maintain power.

With reporting by AP and AFP
The United States has expressed concern about a Russian court's decision to close rights activist Oyub Titiyev's trial to public, and repeated its call for Titiyev's release.

"We are troubled by the news yesterday that in the baseless drug-possession case against Chechen human rights defender Oyub Titiyev, the judge ruled to close the trial to public observers," Michael Murphy, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said on September 21.

"The eyes of the international community remain on this case and on the human rights situation in Chechnya. We again call for his release," Murphy said at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw.

Earlier, Russia's Memorial Human Rights Center said that a judge in Chechnya had ordered closed-door court proceedings in the trial of Titiyev, one of Russia's leading human rights activists.

Memorial's press service said on September 21 that the judge in Chechnyas Shali city court granted the prosecutor's request for closed hearings in the trial against the 61-year-old head of Memorial's office in Chechnya.

The prosecutor claimed Titiyev's case file contains state secrets and asked that some witnesses be questioned behind closed doors "to prevent the disclosure of personal information" about operating law enforcement officials.

Memorial said it expected the trial to be reopened to the public after certain witnesses testify.

Titiyev's lawyer, Pyotor Zaikin, said on September 21 that closing the trial to the public violated Titiyev's rights under the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Titiyev has been in custody since January, when he was arrested on drug charges after police in Chechnya said they found a plastic bag with some 180 grams of marijuana in his car.

'Bogus' Charges

Titiyev insists the drugs were planted in the car as evidence against him. He faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence if convicted.

Mikhail Fedotov, the head of President Vladimir Putin's advisory council on human rights, called in January for Russia's Interior Ministry to investigate the possibility that the drugs were planted in the car.

But in May, the Chechen court rejected Titiyev's request to open a criminal case against police.

The United States, several European Union member states, and the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner have condemned Titiyevs arrest and expressed concerns about the case.

Memorial has called the charges against Titiyev "bogus," saying they were "clearly fabricated as a means of silencing him."

Human Rights Watch has called the charges a "pure fabrication" and Amnesty International has called the case "a grave injustice that strikes at the heart of Russias human rights community."

"The Russian authorities are hellbent on silencing anyone who speaks out against human rights abuses in Chechnya...and Titiyev has faced years of harassment and intimidation," said Denis Krivosheyev, the head of Amnesty's Eastern Europe and Central Asia office.

With reporting by RFE/RLs North Caucasus Service and Interfax
The UN and human rights watchdogs say China has detained huge numbers of ethnic minorities, mainly Uyghurs, in what Beijing calls "reeducation camps." Many Kazakhs say their relatives in China's Xinjiang Province have also been targeted, and they are desperately searching for loved ones who have disappeared.
There is an unspoken agreement in the Russian political scene: the heads of the country's 85 regions enjoy the Kremlin's backing, and in exchange they deliver high local support and election turnout for the ruling United Russia party.

Yet a handful of unexpected results in gubernatorial elections, including the surprising annulment of a runoff vote in Russia's Far East, have exposed possible cracks in that arrangement.

United Russia candidates -- including incumbent governors -- were forced into unexpected runoff elections on September 23 against candidates whose financing and administrative resources pale in comparison.

The opposition, however, is seen to benefit from simmering public anger over the government's plans to reform the pension system by hiking the retirement age by five years. The government's approval rating has dropped precipitously since the initiative was announced in April, and many analysts see protest votes behind the four September 9 polls that will ultimately be decided in the upcoming runoffs.

Vyacheslav Polovinko, a political analyst for the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, says that "protests against the pension reform and the government's disgusting conduct in elections plays perfectly into the hands of the left."

But the Communist Party (KPRF), which is fielding runoff candidates in two of the four regions, is unlikely to take advantage. "The KPRF doesn't need a conflict with the Kremlin," Polovinko notes.

An Omen To The Kremlin?

The Kremlin appears to be scrambling to avert second-round upsets. Ahead of the September 23 votes, it has dispatched officials from its Domestic Policy Directorate to three of the regions -- Primorye, Vladimir, and Khabarovsk. In the fourth, Khakasia, the Communist candidate has been pressured to withdraw amid threats of a black PR campaign against him, sources in his party told the newspaper Vedomosti. It's unclear who issued the threats, and the Communist Party has publicly refuted the claims.

The recent failure of United Russia to walk away with a victory in Primorye, seven time zones from Moscow, may serve as an omen for the Kremlin. The election commission there stands accused of brazen vote tampering during the region's September 16 runoff, an alleged effort to secure the victory of Andrei Tarasenko, the United Russian candidate and acting governor since October 2017.

Late on September 16, with 95 percent of the ballots counted, Tarasenko was nearly 6 percentage points behind his Communist challenger, Andrei Ishchenko. Ishchenko's supporters began reveling in an astounding victory over a system they believed was rigged. "It was PEOPLE who voted for Andrei Ishchenko," one wrote on Facebook. "Ballot stuffing, double-voting, bribes, blackmail and threats -- none of this worked."

But the celebration proved premature. An extraordinary last-minute surge handed Tarasenko a razor-thin victory. Ishchenko cried foul, announcing an indefinite hunger strike and calling on his supporters to join him in central Vladivostok. On September 19, the Central Election Commission (TsIK) in Moscow called for the result to be annulled and a new vote to be held by December. It will mark the first time since Vladimir Putin took power that an election rerun will determine the governor of a Russian region.

Moscow has conceded that vote-rigging took place on September 16, but far from admitting systemic problems, it portrayed the situation in Primorye as an isolated incident. Ella Pamfilova, the former human rights ombudswoman who now heads the TsIK, warned that the perpetrators of the election fraud would face up to four years in jail.

'Systemic Opposition'

Polovinko believes the Kremlin has learned its lesson, and that "it will try to at least soften the falsifications" after the debacle in Primorye. "And if the systemic opposition wins," he adds, "then it won't insist on its candidates but build relations with the new governor."

Polovinko says not to expect anything revolutionary, however, even if the results go against the ruling party.

The candidates running against United Russia in the September 23 runoff votes, he argues, are from the so-called "systemic opposition" -- meaning they "fit into the system."

"The Kremlin cares less about a United Russia victory than that the winning candidate can be worked with," he adds.
A Moscow court has again ordered the closure of a Russian activist group renowned for its efforts to stop bad driving in the country.

The September 21 ruling by the Moscow City Court came after an appeal from the Justice Ministry, which had accused the group, known as StopKham, of "gross violations of the law."

Founded in 2010 by members of a pro-Kremlin youth group, StopKham, which roughly translates as "Stop being a boor," gained notoriety for targeting boorish drivers in Moscow and elsewhere around the country.

The group's signature action was to physically stand in front of cars, particularly those parking or driving on sidewalks or pedestrian walkways, and berate the "boorish" drivers.

Typically, the confrontations, which are videotaped and posted online, end with angry words, and the activists pasting a large, difficult-to-remove stickers on the car's windshield reading "Piss off. I park where I want."

The group attracted a large following nationwide, particularly among younger Russians. Its YouTube channel has nearly 1.5 million subscribers.

The ruling was the second time the Justice Ministry had sought to shut the group down. In 2016, the same court had ordered StopKham closed, but the ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court.

In a video posted on its YouTube channel following the Moscow court decision, an unidentified member of the group said the ruling was wrong because he said StopKham wasn't technically a nongovernmental group, but a "social movement."

"StopKham was, is, and always will be," he said.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service
Russia and China have criticized new sanctions the United States has imposed over what Washington describes as Moscow's "malign activities."

Officials from the two countries lashed out in multiple comments on September 21, a day after U.S. authorities blacklisted nearly three dozen people and companies they say have ties to Russia's military and intelligence agencies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the measures had "no legitimacy in terms of international law," and bitterly joked that Washington "has resorted to this practice so frequently that you would run your legs off if you tried to respond to each of these unfriendly manifestations."

But he suggested that Moscow would respond in some way at some point, saying "nobody should doubt that we have adhered and will continue to adhere to the principle of reciprocity."

Russia will take "measures that best correspond to [its] interests," Peskov added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asserted that U.S. sanctions undermined trust in the dollar, and that Moscow was taking steps to lower its reliance on the U.S. economy and currency.

"We are already drawing conclusions, doing all necessary not to depend on those countries that are acting that way with their international partners," Lavrov said during a visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina. He did not give specifics.

Lavrov also said that targeting Russian plane manufacturer Sukhoi was an "act of unfair competition" by Washington.



Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the blacklisting of nearly three dozen people and companies with ties to Russia's military and intelligence agencies had increased tensions between Moscow and Washington and "thoughtlessly" stirred up "global instability."



"Each new round of sanctions proves our foe's complete lack of success in pressuring Russia with previous such attempts," Ryabkov said.



Ryabkov described the U.S. sanctions as "futile" and said Washington "wont succeed in dictating terms" to Russia.



"Playing with fire is stupid and can become dangerous," Ryabkov said a day after the U.S. State Department announced the latest sanctions.



Beijing expressed "outrage" over the inclusion on the blacklist of a Chinese military agency and its director for buying Russian fighter jets and surface-to-air antiaircraft equipment.



U.S. officials said the company, Equipment Development Department, and chief officer, Li Shangfu, had engaged in "significant transactions" with Russia's main arms exporter, Rosoboroneksport.



Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing has lodged complaints with Washington over the "unreasonable action" and has urged the United States to revoke the sanctions or face unspecified "consequences."



The sanctions include bans on entering the United States or conducting transactions within the U.S. financial system. They also block all property and interests in property within U.S. jurisdiction.



Among Russians targeted by the new sanctions are the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller earlier this year for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Many of those named have also been sanctioned or blacklisted previously under different designations.

In all, 33 Russians and Russian companies were added to the blacklist, which also included Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon known colloquially as "Putin's chef" for the catering contracts his company has with the Kremlin.

Prigozhin's catering companies and a private military company known as ChVK Vagner, whose fighters have turned up in conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and Africa, were also blacklisted.

Prigozhin and his companies were indicted by Mueller in February for alleged election meddling. He has repeatedly denied the U.S. accusations, responding to the February indictment by saying, "If they want to see the devil, let them."

The new sanctions were imposed under the 2017 law known as CAATSA, which was overwhelmingly passed by Congress over President Donald Trump's objections.

The law was passed specifically to target Russia, along with several other countries, setting up a wider framework for punitive financial measures, while also making it harder for the White House to lift existing measures.

"The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia," a State Department official told reporters. "They are...aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities."

Another even harsher bill that is currently making its way through the U.S. Congress aims to punish Russia by targeting its ability to issue sovereign debt and going after major energy companies like Gazprom and Rosneft.



That legislation, known by its acronym DETER, has bipartisan support. But it is unclear whether it will come up for a vote before the November midterm elections in the United States.
Editor's Note: To receive Steve Gutterman's Week In Russia each week via e-mail, subscribe by clicking here.

The Kremlin suffered setbacks along edges of its sphere of influence over the past week: Syrian forces shot down a Russian reconnaissance plane, killing 15 servicemen; a ruling-party win in the Russian Far East was annulled amid evidence of "shocking" fraud; and the Russian Orthodox Church slipped closer to a historic loss of clout in Ukraine.

Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week, and some of the takeaways going forward.

Chess Or Checkers?

The troubles in Syria, Primorye, and Ukraine pose challenges for the Kremlin, and its responses may contain clues about President Vladimir Putin's priorities -- as well as lessons about how he handles problems.

For one thing, the Syria shoot-down shows once again that Putin is highly pragmatic: He picks his battles, seeking to avoid confrontation when it's too much of a risk.

Four years of assertive, often aggressive Russian activity on the world stage have generated debate over whether Putin is a strategist or a tactician, acting or reacting, a chess master thinking several moves ahead or a checkers player just hoping to double-jump an overconfident opponent and cry "King me!"

Either way, his reaction to the downing of a Russian plane -- hit by a missile Moscow provided to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad -- reinforces the fact that Russia's return to the Middle East comes at a price. And that Putin is ready to pay it.

In a kind of good-cop bad-cop routine, the Russian Defense Ministry raged against Israel, accusing its warplanes of using the Russian Il-20 as cover and threatening to take "commensurate measures in response."

But then Putin weighed in with a much softer line, blaming a "chain of tragic accidental circumstances" and saying "an Israeli plane didn't shoot down our jet" -- a fact that may not have been obvious to some who heard Russian military officials talk about it.

Yellow Light



Sure, he admonished the Israeli military, and warned of measures in response that would be plain for all to see.

But he made clear those measures would be aimed to protect Russian troops, not to avenge the Russian deaths, suggesting he is eager to avoid risking a real rift in ties with Israel.

Putin "needs to exercise caution" to keep hold of the gains Russia and Syria's government have made since Moscow launched air strikes and stepped up its military presence on the ground four years ago, Leonid Bershidsky wrote in a Bloomberg Opinion article.

"This is perhaps the most difficult position for the Russian leader in Syria since 2015," he wrote.

Primorsky Cry?

Still, Putin may be more worried about developments in a more peaceful place that is much further than Syria from Moscow: Russia's Primorsky Krai, or Primorye.

Primorye has always posed a problem for post-Soviet leaders in Moscow. Seven hours ahead and more than 6,400 kilometers east of the capital, its people have complained of being cut off and ignored.

The capital, Vladivostok, has repeatedly been an arena for raucous political battles fought far from the Kremlin between protagonists like "Winnie the Pooh" -- the nickname of a convicted felon who won a 2004 mayoral election after his closest rival "tripped" on a grenade outside his office days before the vote.

Echoes of that restive history have haunted the gubernatorial election this month in Primorye, where Communist Andrei Ishchenko was headed for victory in a September 16 runoff until a last-minute surge put Kremlin-backed United Russia party candidate Andrei Tarasenko ahead  and was quickly followed by allegations of blatant cheating in the vote count.

With speed that surprised some, Russia's elections chief called on regional electoral officials to declare the vote invalid, citing violations on a scale she said "shocked" the authorities -- and they complied less than 24 hours later.

Interesting Times

Russian gubernatorial elections were annulled six times in the 1990s, but this is the first time it has happened since Putin became president in 2000 -- sort of. Following a 2002 runoff in the Krasnoyarsk region, officials voided the result over "numerous legal violations" but reversed the decision after Putin went ahead and appointed ally Aleksandr Khloponin acting governor anyway.

One journalist called the Primorye vote "Russia's most interesting election in years" -- and it's not over yet.

The Central Election Commission announced that a new election will be held in three months, but the Communists are planning a legal challenge against the decision to void the election. They say their candidate was robbed and that the best solution is to review the results in some 20 districts where they contend that ballot-stuffing and other illegal methods gave Tarasenko the lead at the last minute.

But if the Kremlin wants a new vote, of course, that is what's pretty much certain to happen. And it looks like that's what the Kremlin wants.

In fact, the online publication The Bell suggested there was a method to the mad rush of falsifications that both the Communists and election officials suggested occurred late in the vote count: United Russia and its backers in government may have deliberately set out to torpedo the election once they realized their candidate -- the incumbent, appointed acting governor by Putin in 2017 -- was headed for defeat.

United Russia may win in the end, of course. But even if it does so, and its formal dominance is not dented, the vote may forever be seen as a sign of Kremlin weakness -- an embarrassing show of the machinations required to "manage democracy" in Russia -- and a harbinger of potential trouble to come later in what may be Putin's last term.

Orthodox Conflict



Moscow's involvement in the Syria war is part of Putin's 21st-century effort to restore Russian clout in lands to its south, and its possession of Primorye is the result of tsarist-era expansion to the east. To the west, meanwhile, the Russian Orthodox Church  which has close ties to the Kremlin -- is struggling to maintain influence in Ukraine.

It looks like a losing battle.

With the "first among equals" in the Orthodox Christian world apparently edging closer to granting the Ukrainian Orthodox confession that is not loyal to the Russian Orthodox Church ecclesiastical independence, Moscow-based Patriarch Kirill traveled to Istanbul in late August to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew in an apparent last-ditch effort to prevent that from happening.

It did not go well: Kirill didn't even stick around for lunch, reports said. And a week later Bartholomew sent two bishops to Ukraine "within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine," strongly suggesting it had already decided to grant independence to the Ukrainian church.

'Friend' To Foe

So far, the Russian Orthodox Church has responded by saying it is suspending participation in all structures chaired or co-chaired by representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople -- a step a senior Russian cleric, Metropolitan Ilarion, likened to cutting diplomatic ties.

There's probably plenty more tension to come: Ilarion warned that disputes over church property in Ukraine could lead to "bloodshed."

He may have overstated the threat in order to attract attention, but in any case the developments in Ukraine's religious landscape are part of a rift that has opened wide between Kyiv and Moscow since 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and fomented separatism in eastern Ukrainian regions where the ensuing war has killed more than 10,300 people.

Another sign of the growing divide: On September 17, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree to terminate a 20-year-old Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership treaty with Russia.
President Donald Trump will speak about Iran, the Skripal poisoning case in England, chemical weapons, and North Korea when he addresses the United Nations next week, the U.S. ambassador says.

"It is time for us to have a real discussion [about Iran] and that's what you will see the president do when he chairs the Security Council," Nikki Haley told Fox News on September 20.

"It will be the most watched Security Council meeting ever, I'm sure," she added.

Trump will address the General Assembly's 193 member nations at the official opening on September 25 and the next day chair a Security Council meeting focusing on Iran, nonproliferation, and chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain.

"With Iran, he does not think we should turn away. He does not think we should let our focus go away. He thinks they're dangerous. He thinks there are issues, and he thinks the international community has to take that into account," she told Fox.

Trump in May pulled out of the 2015 nuclear accord that Iran signed with six world powers and last month began reimposing sanctions that had been eased as part of the deal in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear program.

The other signatories of the accord have vowed to remain in the deal amid threats by Washington to sanction any companies that continue to deal with Iran.

In Tehran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called Trump's administration a "threat" to the Middle East and to the global community.

"It is true that there is a real threat to our region and to international peace and security: That threat is the Trump Administration's sense of entitlement to destabilize the world along with rogue accomplices in our region," Zarif tweeted on September 21.

"The US must start acting like a normal state," Zarif added.

Ambassador Haley said Trump was also "going to talk about the chemical weapons issue that we had to work on this month to prevent from happening in Idlib, Syria."

Western powers have expressed concerns that the Syrian government could use chemical weapons as it launches an offensive in Idlib Province to drive out the remnants of rebel fighters in that country's seven-year civil war.

Haley said Trump will also discuss North Korea and efforts to bring about denuclearization on the peninsula.

'We're Being Strong Again'

The president will address "the fact that we had to take on the Russian incident in the U.K. with the Skripals," she added, referring to the Novichok poisoning case in the English city of Salisbury that the West has blamed on Russia. Moscow has denied the allegations.

Haley was not more specific on what Trump would say on the issues listed.

She said the president will also discuss foreign aid but would "lay down a marker that while the U.S. is generous, we are going to be generous to those who share our values and not those who try to stop the United States and say they hate America."

She acknowledged that many countries are upset with U.S. policies, but she said that was because "we're being strong again" and that "we're not going to have these multilateral organizations mandate" U.S. actions.

Trump has so far pulled out of several international accords, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, the Paris climate accord, and the UN's science, educational, and cultural organization.

"A lot of leaders have gamed out how to deal with the president," Jon Alterman, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Associated Press.

"They will be nice to him in person, but will work to create broad coalitions to block or undermine a lot of the president's initiatives because they think they are misguided. They'll try to use this meeting to advance strategies that promote their vision and not the president's, but not rub the president's face in it," he added.

With reporting by dpa, Fox, and AP
Viktor Zimin, the acting governor of the Russian region of Khakasia, has withdrawn from the second round of the gubernatorial election that was scheduled for September 23, citing poor health.

Zimin, the candidate of the ruling United Russia party, made the announcement on September 21 in a letter to the regional election commission, an unidentified election official told the Interfax news agency.

In the first round of voting on September 9, Zimin came in second, polling 32 percent of the vote compared to 45 percent for Communist Party candidate Valentin Konovalov. Andrei Filyagin, of the A Just Russia party, came in third with 11 percent.

With Zimin's withdrawal, the second round of voting will be postponed for two weeks. Filyagin will be offered the chance to participate. If he refuses, Konovalov will run unopposed and will need to pick up at least 51 percent of the vote.

Across the country, United Russia candidates failed to win first-round victories in four regions -- Primorye, Khabarovsk, Khakasia, and Vladimir -- on September 9. Voters were angry after the government of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the United Russia party earlier this summer proposed raising retirement ages.

Based on reporting by TASS, RBK, and Gazeta.ru
(CNN Money)  Chinese tech billionaire Jack Ma's promise to create 1 million new U.S. jobs is the latest casualty of the trade war.

The Alibaba chief grabbed attention at the start of last year when he made the highly ambitious pledge following a meeting with Donald Trump, who was president elect at the time.

But in an interview published late Wednesday by China's official news agency, Xinhua, Ma said the waves of new tariffs imposed by Washington and Beijing in recent months have undermined the plan.

"This promise was on the basis of friendly China-U.S. cooperation and reasonable bilateral trade relations, but the current situation has already destroyed that basis," Ma said. "This promise can't be completed."

A spokeswoman for Alibaba, China's biggest e-commerce company, confirmed Ma's comments to CNN.

Analysts had already expressed serious doubts about the pledge, which Alibaba announced after Trump and Ma met at Trump Tower in New York in January 2017.

"Jack and I are going to do some great things," Trump said at the time.

Ma's vague promise wasn't based on Alibaba investing in the United States to build factories or fulfillment centers. Instead, he talked about stimulating trade by helping American small businesses sell their products to consumers in China and elsewhere in Asia.

Alibaba held a big conference in Detroit last year to encourage American small businesses and farmers to sell their products to Chinese consumers through its platforms. The company didn't immediately respond to a request Thursday for information on how many US jobs those efforts have created so far.

In the Xinhua interview, Ma said Alibaba "will not stop promoting the healthy development of China-U.S. trade."

A strong advocate of globalization, he has expressed growing fears about the trade war, telling investors earlier this week that it could drag on for as long as 20 years.

"It's going to last long, it's going to be a mess," Ma said Tuesday in Hangzhou, the city where Alibaba is based.

The 54-year-old tycoon, who set up Alibaba in his apartment nearly two decades ago, announced this month that he will step down as executive chairman of the company next year. Daniel Zhang, the current CEO, will succeed him.

Ma, a former English teacher, said he wants to return to education.

Yong Xiong and Sherisse Pham contributed to this report.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Jack Ma: Trade war has killed my pledge to create 1 million US jobs."
Photo: Contributed

Big and hairy spiders are persistent home invaders every fall, but their reputation for turning up in a favourite shoe or coffee cup and scaring people witless is completely undeserved, says a spider expert at the Royal BC Museum.

The creepy crawlies, some big enough to fit in the palm of your hand, are not looking for a warm cupboard to camp for the winter, they're looking for love in all the wrong corners, said Claudia Copley, the manager of the museum's entomology collections.

Every time an eight-legged creature crawls across a pillow or lands on your daughter's doll house, the spider's fear factor expands, she said.

But Copley is on a quest to dispel spider myths: they don't want to be inside your house, they're not scary and they won't hurt you.

In fact, Copley, said having spiders in your home should be viewed as a good thing because they hunt down other bad things, like ear wigs and wood bugs.

"People should just think of that spider as doing good work for them, keeping other things at bay," she said. "There's a lot of mythology around spiders in general. They are not wolf spiders and they are not trying to come in to get out of the cold. They are looking for a mate and they are actually called a funnel web spider and they were introduced from Europe."

Copley said another common myth is the spider in your bathtub or sink crawled up through the drain. She said the particulars of plumbing dont allow this, and the spider has actually fallen into the basin and simply cant get out because the of the slippery surface.

BC, with its dense ancient forests and desert-like grasslands is home to the majority of Canada's spider populations. Canada has about 1,500 hundred different species of spiders, with about 800 identified in BC, she said.

Copley believes there are at least another 200 species of spiders in BC that have yet to be identified.

She acknowledged that spiders scare people, but all but one species of spider in BC, including scorpions found in the Osoyoos area, do not possess a bite that can harm people.

"There's only one dangerous-to-people spider in British Columbia and it's called the black widow spider," she said. "All the rest are harmless and some are big enough to bite but they are not harmful."

Copley said spiders have a strange walk that may scare some people, but she downplays the fear of being bitten by a spider.

"People will handle a kitten with needle-like teeth and be bitten by it and survive, but for some reason the spider is the most terrifying thing they've seen," she said.

Copley said the best way to prevent these unwanted intruders is to make sure all doors have sweeps and all windows have screens, eliminating the easiest entry points.

She said to remove a spider humanely involves putting a glass over the spider and sliding a piece of paper under the glass and then placing the spider outside.

Some homeowners, however, are not as compassionate, she said.

"They just might use their shoe."
SIR Kevin Barron called for transport improvements and more school places ahead of housing developments in Treeton.

The Rother Valley MP attended a packed meeting at the villages community centre to discuss plans for 94 properties off Wood Lane.

Sir Kevin (pictured above, addressing the meeting) said: Whilst I recognise the national shortage of houses, they cannot just be built without investing in the local infrastructure beforehand.

During my meeting with Treeton residents, they explained there is already a vast shortage of school places in the village even before these houses are built.

The level of traffic on Wood Lane is also a major issue. I am glad that these issues have been raised by the parish council.

Jones Homes has submitted proposals for houses on the 3.14-hectare site, which was taken out of the greenbelt this summer.

Treeton Parish Council has noted that the timing of the submission came soon after the protected status was removed, saying the plan would likely have been turned down before.

A spokesman added: The additional houses could add another 150 cars to the already congested road through the village.

Jones Homes said the development would be in keeping with the village and the entrance feature pit wheel would be improved.
The severe bruising Lorraine suffered as a result of her treatment.

A DENTAL patient left in excruciating pain after dentists failed to spot and treat tooth decay has been awarded 7,000 in compensation.

Lorraine Cuthbert-Hoyle (59) lost her tooth and had her holiday to the Caribbean ruined by the aftermath of the poor treatment she was given at Ivy Cottage Dental Care in Rotherham town centre.

Not only did dentists Dr Diana Gardner and Dr Nazma Majid fail to deal with the decay at first, they did not remove the root of the tooth properly when it was finally extracted.

After instructing lawyers, Mrs Cuthbert-Hoyle eventually agreed the four-figure out-of-court settlement, although the dentists did not admit liability.

Id never had any problems with my teeth, she said. As far as I knew, bar a few fillings, they were in good condition and I trusted my dentist.

So when a filling broke in 2014, I just thought Dr Gardner would fix it with minimal fuss.

Dr Gardner restored Mrs Cuthbert-Hoyles filling in April 2014, but only a few weeks later she was back in the dentists chair.

After the filling had been restored, something still didnt feel right, she said.

Food suddenly kept getting trapped around the tooth, for example.

I went back to see Dr Gardner and told her. But she assured me nothing was wrong and said Id be fine.

The following February, Mrs Cuthbert-Hoyle went to see Dr Majid because she was suffering from pain and throbbing at the same tooth.

The dentist prescribed antibiotics, but advised that one option to stop the pain was to have the tooth extracted.

She decided to go ahead as she was due to go on holiday, but the surgery did not go to plan leading to a horrific extraction.

It took far longer than anticipated, which meant my anaesthetic had to be topped up, she said.

It also meant that I needed medication after the extraction was completed as I had contracted an infection, which caused a terrible allergic reaction.

My arms and legs were covered in a rash and I was shaking uncontrollably when my husband returned from work.

Mrs Cuthbert-Hoyle flew out for her holiday, but found chewing food painful and spent much of her time worrying about what treatment she faced after she returned home.

Medics at hospital back in the UK confirmed much of the tooths root was still there, causing continued toothache.

Investigations by the Dental Law Partnership revealed her tooth decay was clearly visible on X-rays taken as far back as 2012, and the tooth should have been removed then.

To add to that, the eventual removal of the tooths root caused Mrs Cuthbert-Hoyle facial swelling and bruising.

I should have been on an incredible holiday in the Caribbean but the pain made it a nightmare, Mrs Cuthbert-Hoyle said.

On top of this I feel that Ive lost my tooth for no reason.

A spokeswoman for Ivy Cottage Dental Care said: We are sorry to hear about the pain and suffering suffered by Mrs Cuthbert-Hoyle and are pleased a settlement has been agreed with the dentists concerned, who no longer work at this practice.

Our current experienced and enthusiastic team genuinely love what they do and are committed to forging long term partnerships with all of our patients. We cannot comment further because of our duty of patient confidentiality.
Convict James Stanforth Ricketson is pardoned, said the royal decree, which was signed by the acting head of state, Say Chhum. It said the request for the pardon had come from the countrys prime minister, Hun Sen. The prosecution had accused Ricketson of working as a filmmaker in Cambodia for years as a front for espionage, but the verdict did not mention for which country he was alleged to have been spying. Last month he was sentenced to six years in prison.



Ricketson during jail

Government-friendly media outlets had named him as an important spy. Following the sentencing in August, Ricketsons family and members of the Australian Cambodian community called on the Australian Government to put pressure on Cambodia to release Ricketson.  Ricketson had been making documentaries in Cambodia for more than 20 years. During trial, the prosecution argued that Mr Ricketsons work had damaged Cambodias reputation on the world stage. During the jail timeMr Ricketsons health had deteriorated and he had lost weight, prompting a transfer to a prison hospital.
Photo: Toronto Star

Last week, I passed through Kelowna to catch a flight and noticed a fuel price at a gas station - $1.28/litre.



I thought I had misread, so I pulled in and checked and sure enough the gas was down almost 13 cents cheaper than at other stations.



Not paying attention any more and not sure if what I saw was real because I filled up with premium and said to my son that I had no idea prices had come down so steeply in Kelowna.



He thought I was simply forgetful or too busy to notice the real price  $1.43+/-



Turns out he was right.

We went out for supper and every gas station I passed was $1.43  the usual collusion. I must have not been paying close enough attention.



On my return from the U.S., I pulled into Kelowna and noticed a gas station at $1.31. I wasnt dreaming. But later in the day, that same station was back to everyone elses pricing.



The family still doesnt believe me, but I am back in Kelowna today and on my way to the airport more than two Chevron stations were $1.31 while everyone else was hovering around $1.40.

They had obviously put pressure on their neighbouring stations in each proximity because those stations were following suit. But everyone else around was the higher price.



So do we have a gas war?

I am not sure, and whatever is happening it is probably not long term, but if I saw gas at a seven per cent discount, I would take advantage of it.
Photo: .bmc.com

In 2016, U.S. intelligence agencies indicated that Russian hackers may have targeted the voting systems in many American states in an effort to interfere with the presidential election.

And In 2017 unknown computer hackers gained access to the Equifax credit reporting agency, stealing social security numbers, birth dates and other data on almost half the U.S. population.

A recent hack of a Tokyo-based cypto-currency exchange called Coincheck resulted in the theft of over 58 billion yen. The Asia Pacific region by itself has lost $171 billion to cybercrime this year.

It's been estimated by experts that the global cost of cybercrime has now reached almost $600 billion, which is about 0.8 per cent of global GDP. According to McAfee, the cost of cybercrime in relation to the global internet economy of $4.2 trillion in2016 would equate to about a 14 per cent tax on growth.

And if your tempted to think that cybercrime isn't as active in our neck of the internet, think again. A recent survey suggests that more than one-third (36 per cent) of Canadians have been a victim of cybercrime in the last several years.

That same survey also found that less than half of Canadians know how to deal with cybersecurity threats and protect themselves.

From espionage to financial fraud, the potential impact and costs of cybercrime are truly staggering. Cybercrime has no boundaries, and while the majority of it is obviously focused on much larger targets, it doesn't make individuals impervious to it.

In fact, cybercrimes targeting individuals are actually on the rise.

I spoke with a man last week who had received an alleged call from Microsoft claiming that that his computer had been infected with a virus and required an immediate update to remove the threat.

The purported Microsoft representative assured him that the process was very simple and would only require a few minutes of his time. Somewhat reluctantly, the man agreed, and was directed to a website to install some remote software.

Shortly after, the user gained remote access to the man's system and informed him that completing the process would involve a one-time fee of $600.

At this point, the man attempted to close the remote software only to discover that his mouse and keyboard was unresponsive. Feeling frustrated, desperate and overwhelmed, he got out his credit card and made the payment.

Unfortunately, this man's story isn't as rare and uncommon as I would like. And I continue to get calls on a regular basis regarding similar circumstances. That being said, there are some things you should know and do to avoid becoming a

Microsoft And Apple state on their website that they will never send unsolicited email messages or make unsolicited phone calls to request personal information or financial information, or to fix your computer.

Your bank, credit card company or any other legitimate financial institution will also have a similar policy.

Always keep your operating system and hardware drivers up-to-date as well as any anti-virus software. And don't be afraid to listen to your gut instinct,

if something doesn't seem legit, there's a good chance it's not, and in my experience, it's better to err on the side of caution.

If you or someone you know may have been a victim of cybercrime, I encourage you to report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
STILLWATER, N.Y.  Local Daughters of the American Revolution members took part in a recent ceremonial wreath-laying at Saratoga National Historical Park to mark Constitution Week, which is observed from Sept. 17-23.

The event was held at the parks DAR monument for the unknown American soldiers who perished during the Battles of Saratoga on Sept. 19 and Oct 7, 1777.

Our Constitution has endured longer than any other constitution in the world, a national DAR spokesperson said. Imagine being in Philadelphia that long, hot summer in 1787. Citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania see the many influential men arriving in their city from all over the 13 states. Retired General George Washingtons arrival is celebrated with cheering, church bells ringing and a thirteen-gun salute. What will the citizens of the young nation have for governing and laws when they are done with the Constitutional Convention?

The convention began on May 14, 1787. Debates were held in secret, behind locked doors guarded by sentries. Even the windows were closed.

Fifty-five of the 70 state delegates attended. George Washington, a delegate from Virginia, was elected unanimously as Constitutional Convention president.

Virginia delegate James Madison, known as the Father of the Constitution, wrote The Virginia Plan. He was the driving force behind the convention.

The first two months saw angry arguments over The Virginia Plan by The Committee of the Whole.

The Virginia Plans 15 resolutions expanded the debate to incorporate what method of structure and authority the national government should have to administer laws. It is the first test to create a separation of controls into an executive, legislative and judicial branch.

The Virginia Plan also recommended that the legislative branch should be comprised of two houses. In the two houses, each state will be represented in proportion to its population. States with a large population will have more representatives than smaller states.

The larger states approved this notion, but the smaller states did not.

The New Jersey Plan, written by New Jersey delegate William Paterson, proposed a single chamber legislature in which each state, regardless of size, would have one vote, like the Articles of Confederation. The delegates found this plan unacceptable, too.

Then Connecticut delegate Roger Sherman proposed The Great Compromise. He said each state be equally represented with a creation of two houses.

The first, the House of Representatives, would have representation according to population, and the second house, the Senate, would have an equal number of representatives regardless of population (two per state).

Pennsylvania delegate James Wilson proposed the idea of an individual for the executive branch with direct election by the citizens. The individual would have absolute veto powers over the legislation passed by the two houses.

Some delegates feared the veto power and called for election of the individual chief executive by Congress. The final compromise said the president would have limited veto powers and be elected by the people, through establishment of the electoral college.

On July 24, the Committee of Detail was authorized to carry out the writing of a Constitution draft. The convention adjourned from July 24 to August 6. For 13 days, a committee comprised of Edmund Randolph, Oliver Ellsworth, James Wilson,and Nathan Gorham worked with Chairman John Rutledge, referencing state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, plans submitted to the convention, and other relevant material.

The Declaration of Independence was also used as an important model for its outline of ideals of self-government and fundamental human rights.

On Aug. 6, the convention reconvened. The Committee of Detail presented approximately 60 copies of its work to the delegates. These copies were used by the delegates as they worked through each clause to create a final constitution.

The Preamble, written by Gouverneur Morris, was added to the Constitution as its opening during the last days of the convention by the Committee on Style, which wrote the final draft. It was not proposed or discussed on the floor of the convention beforehand.

The final draft was done, ready for ratification, and the signatures of the delegates. However, not all the convention delegates signed the new Constitution.

Virginia delegate George Mason authored the Virginia Bill of Rights. Mason refused to sign the Constitution because he was very concerned about the power given to the federal government and the delegates refusal to end the slave trade.

Mason said, I would sooner chop off my right hand than sign a Constitution without a Bill of Rights. Masons need to have the rights and freedoms of the countrys citizens precisely detailed was eventually preserved in the first 10 amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

Virginia delegate Patrick Henry and New York delegate George Clinton also refused to sign and are called Anti-Federalists. They preferred the reorganized nature of the Articles of Confederation as a check on the power of the central government.

Others express reservations, but 34 still signed, anticipating vigorous debates within their states. The five signatories who signed the Constitution, but did not serve in the Continental Congress were Richard Bassett of Delaware, Jacob Broom of Delaware, John Blair of Virginia, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina, and David Brearley of New Jersey.

On Sept. 17, 1787, the Constitution was ratified and signed, on the 10th anniversary of the First Battle of Saratoga.

By June 1788, the necessary nine states ratified the Constitution as law of the land, and the Continental Congress announced that the new government would begin in March 1789.

James Madison, a newly elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives, presented 19 amendments to the Constitution. On Sept. 25, 1789, Congress adopted 12 of the amendments and sent them to the states for ratification. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified and became part of the Constitution on Dec. 10, 1791.

Today there are 27 amendments. The 17 amendments that followed The Bill of Rights were added from 1798 to 1992.

The framers of the Constitution knew that no document could include all the changes that would take place to guarantee its longevity, a news release said. The process isnt easy. After a proposed amendment makes it through Congress, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.

The framers knew it wasnt a perfect document. However, as Benjamin Franklin said on the closing day of the convention in 1787: I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such, because I think a central government is necessary for us I doubt too whether any other convention we can obtain may be able to make a better Constitution.
Scientists have challenged the theory of "love at first sight" after discovering that they can boost the reproductive success of zebrafish by pairing them by personality, rather than appearance.

Experts at the University of Stirling, collaborating with the Autonomous University of Barcelona, conducted the first study into the impact of animal personality and external coloration patterns on the reproductive success of a fish.

The team -- led by Dr Sonia Rey Planellas, from the welfare and behaviour research group of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture -- then assessed how these factors influence the fitness of the species as a whole.

"There is a lot of research on the impact of coloration patterns on sexual selection and reproductive success -- and animals tend to choose mates that look better and have more defined coloration patterns, or those that look similar to them," Dr Rey Planellas explained. "Other studies link animal behaviour traits, or personality, with assortative mating and the fitness of the species."

"Our research explored both areas -- coloration patterns and personality traits -- to see if they were linked in some way and how they impacted the fitness of the species." Dr Rey Planellas worked with Professor Simon MacKenzie, Director of Research at the Institute of Aquaculture, and the study formed part of the thesis -- on zebrafish personality and phenotypic variability -- by PhD student Reynaldo Vargas, now working at the University of Panama.

The team selected fish -- males and females -- on both their personality and coloration patterns and crossed both parameters, creating four combinations: proactive, or bold, fish with clear defined coloration; proactive fish with undefined and unclear coloration; reactive, or shy, fish with clear defined coloration; and reactive fish with undefined and unclear coloration.

From the successful crossings, the scientists counted a number of reproductive parameters: the number of eggs, survival of the eggs, embryos, and growth and survival of the larvae up to juvenile stages among others.

Dr Rey Planellas said: "For all of the parameters of fertility and fitness of the species, proactive animals were the best, regardless of their external coloration pattern. However, both parameters were additive meaning that proactive fish with defined coloration patterns always achieved the best scores. This is also a very interesting result.

"Behaviour of the males during female guarding was also different, with proactive animals being more aggressive and protective of the females, compared to the reactive fish." She added: "Our research concluded that personality plays an important role that surpasses the effect of external appearance in the reproductive success under this conditions, and therefore, in the fitness of the species.

"This is important in understanding the evolutive drivers for the ecology and conservation of fish, and for the industry to select specific phenotypes that will perform better. It may also inform how we select fish for aquaculture, and the potential impact upon conservation."

The study, 'Love at first sight': the effect of personality and colouration patterns in the reproductive success of zebrafish (Danio rerio), is published in PLOS One. It was funded by the Ministry of Science and Education in Spain under the Consolider-Ingenio Programme 2010's Aquagenomics project and the Government of Panama through a PhD grant to Dr Vargas.
Photo: Contributed

For the small Kootenay town of Fernie, The Great War was more than a battle in a distant land.

The First World War not only claimed the lives of Fernie residents who went off to battle, it threatened the very fabric of the community itself.

Some 100 years after the final shot was heard, author Wayne Norton chronicles the trials and tribulations of the B.C. city in his book Fernie at War: 1914-1919.

The British Columbia Historical Federation awarded Norton with the Community History Award which recognizes local and community history.

Fernie at War explores what it meant to live in the town during the confusing and divisive years of the Great War and its aftermath.

As a resource-based economy with unusually large and varied immigrant populations, and exceptionally high recruitment levels, Fernie was profoundly affected by conflicting impulses of labour, loyalty and ethnicity.

Demands for internment of enemy aliens, resistance to prohibition and moral reform, the consequences of natural and man-made disasters, the unprecedented banning of recruitment, and the western labour revolt were all issues that contributed to a war-time experience for Fernie that was more dramatic and more revealing of underlying tensions than that of any other Canadian community.

The public is invited to Nortons presentation at the Greater Vernon Museum & Archives 3009 32nd Ave. for a concise and in-depth presentation on Fernie at War and history pertaining to Vernon on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m.

Admission is by donation. Space is limited and re-registration required by calling 250-542-3142.

Books will be available for sale and signing.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have made a surprise discovery about how subtle changes in the way cell survival is regulated during embryonic development can have drastic health implications.

The study, published today in the journal Cell Reports, suggests that it is important to strike a healthy balance between too little cell death, which can cause cancer, and too much cell death, which can lead to developmental abnormalities.

The research was led by Dr Stephanie Grabow, Dr Andrew Kueh, Dr Francine Ke, Professor Andreas Strasser and Associate Professor Anne Voss and performed in collaboration with researchers at Monash University and the United States-based biotechnology company Genentech.

A perfect dose of cell death

Programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis, is a process that removes unwanted cells from the body. Apoptosis is crucial for normal development, for example removing the webbing between our fingers.

In this new study, researchers discovered that subtle changes in the regulation of apoptosis can have drastic consequences on development, particularly of the face and brain.

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"There is a remarkably tight balance between the 'pro-survival' and 'pro-death' proteins that regulate cell death during development," Dr Kueh said. "We found that reducing certain regulators by only 50 per cent, which is relatively subtle for these types of experiments, can cause craniofacial abnormalities such as eye and palate defects."

Dr Kueh said altered levels of apoptotic regulators could be due to differences in the genes themselves, but could possibly also be affected by environmental factors such as nutritional deficiencies or infections.

Striking a healthy balance

Associate Professor Voss said the fine balance between apoptotic regulators may have evolved as a protection against cancer.

"The tight balance we see between apoptotic regulators -- with only just enough of the pro-survival proteins to keep cells alive -- makes it relatively easy to trigger cell death when cells are damaged or no longer needed.

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"The 'clearing out' of damaged cells helps to safeguard tissues against cancer formation. This is important as cells that grow rapidly -- such as those present during development -- are intrinsically at risk of becoming cancerous.

"However, if the amount of pro-survival proteins dips too low during development, there may not be enough cells produced for structures such as the face and brain to form properly, resulting in devastating birth defects," Associate Professor Voss said.

Collaboration accelerates research

Professor Strasser said the findings exemplified the powerful collaborative nature of research at the Institute.

"Our discovery of the fine balance between apoptotic regulators during development was a complete surprise.

"We were actually studying the role of two pro-survival proteins, called MCL-1 and BCL-XL, in blood cancer, not embryonic development, so it was a total shock when we halved the amount of both proteins and saw dramatic developmental abnormalities," he said.

"I immediately contacted my colleague and developmental biology expert Associate Professor Voss to examine precisely what was going wrong.

"This research is a perfect example of how collaboration accelerates research discoveries," Professor Strasser said.

The research was supported by Cancer Council of Victoria, Lady Tata Memorial Trust, Leukaemia Foundation Australia, Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America, University of Melbourne, Cancer Therapeutics CRC, Australian Government and the Victorian State Government.
Have you ever used your credit card at a new store or location only to have it declined? Has a sale ever been blocked because you charged a higher amount than usual?

Consumers' credit cards are declined surprisingly often in legitimate transactions. One cause is that fraud-detecting technologies used by a consumer's bank have incorrectly flagged the sale as suspicious. Now MIT researchers have employed a new machine-learning technique to drastically reduce these false positives, saving banks money and easing customer frustration.

Using machine learning to detect financial fraud dates back to the early 1990s and has advanced over the years. Researchers train models to extract behavioral patterns from past transactions, called "features," that signal fraud. When you swipe your card, the card pings the model and, if the features match fraud behavior, the sale gets blocked.

Behind the scenes, however, data scientists must dream up those features, which mostly center on blanket rules for amount and location. If any given customer spends more than, say, $2,000 on one purchase, or makes numerous purchases in the same day, they may be flagged. But because consumer spending habits vary, even in individual accounts, these models are sometime inaccurate: A 2015 report from Javelin Strategy and Research estimates that only one in five fraud predictions is correct and that the errors can cost a bank $118 billion in lost revenue, as declined customers then refrain from using that credit card.

The MIT researchers have developed an "automated feature engineering" approach that extracts more than 200 detailed features for each individual transaction -- say, if a user was present during purchases, and the average amount spent on certain days at certain vendors. By doing so, it can better pinpoint when a specific card holder's spending habits deviate from the norm.

Tested on a dataset of 1.8 million transactions from a large bank, the model reduced false positive predictions by 54 percent over traditional models, which the researchers estimate could have saved the bank 190,000 euros (around $220,000) in lost revenue.

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"The big challenge in this industry is false positives," says Kalyan Veeramachaneni, a principal research scientist at MIT's Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) and co-author of a paper describing the model, which was presented at the recent European Conference for Machine Learning. "We can say there's a direct connection between feature engineering and [reducing] false positives. ... That's the most impactful thing to improve accuracy of these machine-learning models."

Paper co-authors are: lead author Roy Wedge, a former researcher in the Data to AI Lab at LIDS; James Max Kanter '15, SM '15; and Santiago Moral Rubio and Sergio Iglesias Perez of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria.

Extracting "deep" features

Three years ago, Veeramachaneni and Kanter developed Deep Feature Synthesis (DFS), an automated approach that extracts highly detailed features from any data, and decided to apply it to financial transactions.

Enterprises will sometimes host competitions where they provide a limited dataset along with a prediction problem such as fraud. Data scientists develop prediction models, and a cash prize goes to the most accurate model. The researchers entered one such competition and achieved top scores with DFS.

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However, they realized the approach could reach its full potential if trained on several sources of raw data. "If you look at what data companies release, it's a tiny sliver of what they actually have," Veeramachaneni says. "Our question was, 'How do we take this approach to actual businesses?'"

Backed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Data-Driven Discovery of Models program, Kanter and his team at FeatureLabs -- a spinout commercializing the technology -- developed an open-source library for automated feature extraction, called Featuretools, which was used in this research.

The researchers obtained a three-year dataset provided by an international bank, which included granular information about transaction amount, times, locations, vendor types, and terminals used. It contained about 900 million transactions from around 7 million individual cards. Of those transactions, around 122,000 were confirmed as fraud. The researchers trained and tested their model on subsets of that data.

In training, the model looks for patterns of transactions and among cards that match cases of fraud. It then automatically combines all the different variables it finds into "deep" features that provide a highly detailed look at each transaction. From the dataset, the DFS model extracted 237 features for each transaction. Those represent highly customized variables for card holders, Veeramachaneni says. "Say, on Friday, it's usual for a customer to spend $5 or $15 dollars at Starbucks," he says. "That variable will look like, 'How much money was spent in a coffee shop on a Friday morning?'"

It then creates an if/then decision tree for that account of features that do and don't point to fraud. When a new transaction is run through the decision tree, the model decides in real time whether or not the transaction is fraudulent.

Pitted against a traditional model used by a bank, the DFS model generated around 133,000 false positives versus 289,000 false positives, about 54 percent fewer incidents. That, along with a smaller number of false negatives detected -- actual fraud that wasn't detected -- could save the bank an estimated 190,000 euros, the researchers estimate.

Stacking primitives

The backbone of the model consists of creatively stacked "primitives," simple functions that take two inputs and give an output. For example, calculating an average of two numbers is one primitive. That can be combined with a primitive that looks at the time stamp of two transactions to get an average time between transactions. Stacking another primitive that calculates the distance between two addresses from those transactions gives an average time between two purchases at two specific locations. Another primitive could determine if the purchase was made on a weekday or weekend, and so on.

"Once we have those primitives, there is no stopping us for stacking them ... and you start to see these interesting variables you didn't think of before. If you dig deep into the algorithm, primitives are the secret sauce," Veeramachaneni says.

One important feature that the model generates, Veeramachaneni notes, is calculating the distance between those two locations and whether they happened in person or remotely. If someone who buys something at, say, the Stata Center in person and, a half hour later, buys something in person 200 miles away, then it's a high probability of fraud. But if one purchase occurred through mobile phone, the fraud probability drops.

"There are so many features you can extract that characterize behaviors you see in past data that relate to fraud or nonfraud use cases," Veeramachaneni says.
We are all exposed to a vast and dynamic cloud of microbes, chemicals and particulates that, if visible, might make us look something like Pig-Pen from Peanuts.

Using a re-engineered air-monitoring device, scientists from the Stanford University School of Medicine have peered into that plume and discovered a smorgasbord of biological and chemical minutia that swirl in, on and around us. Their findings show, in unprecedented detail, the variety of bacteria, viruses, chemicals, plant particulates, fungi, and even tiny microscopic animals that enter our personal space -- a bombardment known as the human "exposome."

"Human health is influenced by two things: your DNA and the environment," said Michael Snyder, PhD, professor and chair of genetics at Stanford. "People have measured things like air pollution on a broad scale, but no one has really measured biological and chemical exposures at a personal level. No one really knows how vast the human exposome is or what kinds of things are in there."

That curiosity -- to see, for the first time, what a person's exposure looks like at an individual level and how much it varies among people -- was what motivated the study, Snyder said. But studying the exposome also provides an opportunity to clarify environmental influencers of human health that are otherwise obscure, he said. For example, rather than simply blaming pollen, those with seasonal allergies would be able to identify exactly what they're allergic to by monitoring their exposome data and symptoms throughout the year.

The study's findings also reveal information about geographic- and household-chemical spikes and weather-related patterns, and likewise show the wide range of chemical and biological particulates that can be found between individuals -- even within a relatively small geographic region, such as the San Francisco Bay Area.

The study will be published online Sept. 20 in Cell. Snyder is the senior author. Postdoctoral scholar Chao Jiang, PhD; research scientist Xin Wang, PhD; research associate Xiyan Li, PhD; and postdoctoral scholars Jingga Inlora, PhD, and Ting Wang, PhD, are co-lead authors.

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'About 70 billion readouts'

For two years, the scientists collected data from 15 participants who traversed more than 50 different locations. Some people were monitored for a month, some for a week, and one (Snyder) for two full years. To capture bits of each individual's exposome, a small device that straps snuggly to the participant's arm "breathes" in tiny puffs of air -- about one-fifteenth the volume of an average human breath.

The device, about the size and shape of a large matchbox, accompanies participants everywhere and is equipped with a sub-micron filter that traps particulate matter in the device. The data -- bacteria, viruses, chemicals, fungi and anything else sucked up by the device -- is brought back to Snyder's lab and extracted for DNA and RNA sequencing, as well as chemical profiling to identify all the collected organisms and chemicals that the person is exposed to.

This idea -- to siphon up bits of an individual's exposome and systematically categorize what's in it -- is quite novel, Snyder said. And it required Jiang to stitch together an entirely new database.

"Scientists had assembled separate bacteria, viral or fungi databases, but to fully decode our environmental exposures, we built a pan-domain database to cover more than 40,000 species," Jiang said. It includes information on bacteria, viruses, fungi, animals, plants and more, all organized in a single searchable database.

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"We sequenced these samples in incredible detail," said Snyder, who is also the Stanford W. Ascherman, MD, FACS, Professor in Genetics. "No one has ever done a study this deep before. We ended up with about 70 billion readouts."

Parsing particulates

Between participants, Snyder and Jiang found that exposomes could be vastly different, even in a reasonably tight geographic region -- in this case, the San Francisco Bay Area. Snyder cited an especially well-controlled portion of the study, in which four participants, including Snyder, were closely monitored over one month, as a case in point.

Each person lived in a distinct region of the San Francisco Bay Area: Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Redwood City and San Francisco (though the person who lived in Redwood City commuted across the bay to his job). "It turns out, even at very close distances, we have very different exposure profiles or 'signatures,'" Snyder said. These personal signatures are essentially traces of specific fungi, plants, chemicals and bacteria that are consistently seen on or around a single person, but that vary between people. Many environmental aspects contribute to this microscopic amalgam -- pets, household chemicals, flowers in bloom and even rain.

"The bottom line is that we all have our own microbiome cloud that we're schlepping around and spewing out," Snyder said.

Specific and unique signatures were captured for every individual (although Snyder added that DEET, an insect repellant, along with several carcinogens were found in just about every chemical sample). For example, the resident from San Francisco showed high rates of "sludge bacteria," or bacteria typically found in wastewater and sewage treatments. Snyder had consistently high fungal exposures at home due to what he suspects is the use of "green" paint. "The guy who painted my house was a really environmentally friendly, green person. And he avoided using paints with a substance called pyridine in it," Snyder said. Pyridine, which used to be a popular additive to house paints, has an inverse relationship with fungus, meaning the less pyridine, the more fungus.

Snyder's profile was the most diverse, as he took the device everywhere he went, both nationally and internationally, for two years, swapping out its filters for every new location. Outside his pet exposures (Snyder has a cat, a dog and a guinea pig), his signature also showed evidence of eucalyptus in the early spring months, providing some nuanced information about what might be causing his April allergies.

Connecting it to human health

Besides the four highly controlled participants, a dozen participants were added during different times of the year, helping Snyder capture exposures brought by weather, seasons and location.

"There are a lot of findings that haven't been descried before -- all kinds of fungal, bacterial and plant seasonal patterns," Snyder said. The device can even pick up viral/bacterial signatures and carcinogenic particulates in the air. Although the devices picked up potential pathogenic viral and bacterial sequences, it can be tricky to distinguish a threatening pathogen to humans from one of its harmless close cousins, he said.

As for the carcinogens, it's also more complicated than simply detecting them in the device. "We're measuring individual exposures, not absolute levels," he said. "So at this point the data isn't generalizable enough to make broad claims."

But that's not to say that one day it won't be. Snyder said that this study is just scratching the surface of human exposome data and how it relates to health, and his team's future goals center on better understanding the exposome as it relates to human health. "We want to measure more people in more diverse environments," Snyder said. "We also want to simplify the technology, ideally to the point that everyone can be out there measuring their own personal exposures -- perhaps something like an exposome-detecting smartwatch."
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.

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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.

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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."

A portion of this work was done at the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility, which is supported by the National Science Foundation. Support also came from the NIH, the National Cancer Institute and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship program.
New Zealand teenagers are less fit and weigh more than their parents were at the same age, new University of Otago research reveals.

A comparison of 15-year-olds across two generations -- believed to be the first study to directly compare the physical fitness of two generations of 15-year-old New Zealanders -- has found there has been a decline in adolescent physical fitness.

The decline in fitness between generations has been accompanied by an increase in body weight, in keeping with global trends of increasing body weight among children and young people.

Fitness was measured on an exercise cycle among members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study when they were aged 15 in 1986/1987. The same fitness test was done on 343 of their 15-year-old children between 2007 and 2015.

The decline in fitness was particularly noticeable for girls who weighed more and were less fit than their mothers had been at the same age. The decline in fitness among boys was smaller, but they were also less fit than their fathers had been at age 15, once body weight was taken into account.

One of the researchers Dr Helena McAnally says that while both girls and boys were less fit than their parents had been, the change was particularly noticeable for girls whose fitness test scores were about 25 per cent lower than their mother's generation.

"It is well recognised that girls become less physically active earlier in adolescence, and this may be why their fitness levels were so much lower," Dr McAnally says.

"We know fitness in adolescent tracks into adulthood and so these changes may have important long-term consequences for health and well-being."

The research was led by Professor Bob Hancox who explains that while trends of increasing levels of overweight and obesity among young people are well recognised, there has been little research on changes in fitness.

"Our study is unusual in that we have measured fitness using the same technique in two generations of New Zealanders. The findings support many people's perception that young people are less active and fit than their previous generations," Professor Hancox says.

The study measured fitness using a cycle test. The cycle test measure used is less likely to be influenced by changes in body weight than running tests because it does not require you to carry your weight while exercising. Therefore, findings of reduced fitness in this research are not likely to be explained by increases in body weight.
Madison Erhardt

The Youth Exhibition Powwow returned to Okanagan College Thursday for its 10th year.



Students and community members joined in the celebration of Indigenous culture in the courtyard of the college's Kelowna campus.

To mark the 10-year milestone, this years event featured a special ceremony honouring two Indigenous community members who have played integral roles in its success over the past decade.

Elder Richard Jackson Jr. of the Lower Nicola Indian Band and Noel Ferguson of the Canoe Creek First Nation and Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society will reprise their roles this year as Master of Ceremony and Arena Director, roles theyve held for the past 10 years.

Working with and learning from the Indigenous community is one of our key directions at Okanagan College, said College President Jim Hamilton.

The powwow has been and continues to be a very meaningful and significant opportunity to strengthen relationships and celebrate Indigenous knowledge and culture on campus," he added.

The Annual Exhibition Powwow is a high-energy, family-friendly event that draws participants from across the Interior. Dancers and accompanying drummers perform in a variety of dance categories including grass, fancy, chicken, jingle and traditional.

Its a great opportunity to increase peoples understanding of our ways of knowing and doing and create a sense of belonging for all of our learners," said Anthony Isaac, Okanagan College Aboriginal services co-ordinator.

The College has one of the fastest growing rates of Aboriginal student participation of any post-secondary institution in B.C. In 2017, the College provided educational programming to more than 1,745 Aboriginal students.
Photo: www.courthouses.co

A man convicted and sentenced in April to five years in prison for a Penticton armed robbery has now been found guilty of manslaughter for the killing of a man in Abbotsford.

Shayne McGenn, a 35-year-old former Penticton resident, was found guilty of manslaughter Monday by a judge in Abbotsford, a lesser charge than the second-degree murder the Crown was trying to prove.

His co-accused girlfriend, Sarah McGather, was found not guilty of accessory after the fact.

Justice Martha Devlin ruled that McGenn killed his roommate, David Delaney, on Feb. 7, 2016 by strangling him with a belt during a fight between the pair. McGenn had admitting to the killing but claimed it was done in self defence.

The victim previously had a common law relationship with McGenn's mother in Penticton. The pair had split amicably and Delaney and McGenn stayed friends.

In Spring 2015 McGenn left Penticton to work with Delaney at a restaurant in Abbotsford. The pair lived together, along with McGenns girlfriend, Sarah Sather, and child. The judge found that the dispute arose between the two men months after McGenn had been fired from the restaurant for drug use, and McGenn demanded the use of Delaneys car to go buy drugs.

McGenn told an undercover police officer posing as his cellmate that he hit Delaney with a frying pan before finishing him off with his belt.

Justice Devlin found that level of violence, and given the fact that Delaney was a thin 63 year old, meant McGenn was not acting in self defence.

The Crown alleged Sather helped McGenn clean-up after the homicide, as Delaneys body was not found until weeks after  but Justice Devlin found the Crown failed to prove so beyond a reasonable doubt.

It was the Abbotsford homicide investigation that actually ended up leading to the Penticton robbery conviction. The armed robbery of Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy on May 22, 2014 had gone completely unsolved until DNA gathered from McGenn during the homicide investigation matched with DNA found on a hat and bandana at the crime scene of the robbery.

McGenn, who was sentenced to five years for the robbery, has not been sentenced for the count of manslaughter yet.
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged the former chief financial officer of Barrett Business Services Inc. for his role in an accounting fraud involving BBSI's workers' compensation expenses. The SEC also charged BBSI in the accounting fraud and charged the company's former controller for his role in improperly approving certain of the CFO's accounting entries. Both BBSI and the former controller agreed to settle the Commission's charges against them.

The SEC's complaint against BBSI's former CFO James D. Miller, filed in federal district court in the Western District of Washington, alleges that Miller manipulated BBSI's accounting records to hide the fact that its workers' compensation expense was increasing relative to its revenue. According to the complaint, Miller took steps to conceal from BBSI's independent auditor a third-party actuarial report concluding that BBSI needed to add tens of millions of dollars to its workers' compensation liability. BBSI's stock dropped 32 percent when the Vancouver, Washington-based firm announced it needed to restate its financial results to reflect increased workers' compensation expenses. The SEC's complaint alleges Miller violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), Sections 10(b) and 13(b)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"), and Rules 10b-5 and 13a-14 thereunder, and Section 304(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The complaint also alleges Miller aided and abetted the company's violations of Sections 13(a), 13(b)(2)(A), and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act, and Rules 12b-20, 13b2-1, 13b2-2, 13a-1, 13a-11, 13a-13 thereunder.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington today announced criminal charges against Miller.

The SEC today instituted a settled administrative proceeding against BBSI for violations of the antifraud, books and records, internal accounting controls, and reporting provisions of the federal securities laws, and former Controller Mark Cannon for books and records violations. Without admitting or denying the SEC's findings, BBSI agreed to pay a $1.5 million civil penalty and Cannon agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty and to be suspended from appearing and practicing before the Commission as an accountant, which includes not participating in the financial reporting or audits of public companies. The SEC's order permits Cannon to apply for reinstatement after one year.

BBSI CEO Michael Elich, who was not charged by the SEC, has reimbursed the company for $20,800 in cash bonuses he received during the period of the alleged accounting violations.

The SEC's investigation was conducted by Rahul Kolhatkar, Michael Foley, Chrissy Filipp, and Jason H. Lee, and the case was supervised by Monique Winkler and Jennifer Lee of the San Francisco Regional Office. The litigation against Miller will be led by Suzy LaMarca and Mr. Kolhatkar. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On September 13, 2018, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia entered a consent judgment against Nashville, Tennessee based Hope Advisors, LLC ("Hope") and its principal, Karen Bruton, in connection with their scheme to collect extra monthly fees from a pair of hedge funds they managed.

In its complaint, filed on May 31, 2016, the SEC alleged that Hope and Bruton managed two private hedge funds in which their only compensation was an incentive fee, calculated as a share of the profits earned in the funds' accounts each month. The complaint alleged that Hope and Bruton engaged in a continuous pattern of trading to inflate their incentive fee by structuring trading so that a profit would be realized at the end of the month and guaranteeing that losses would not be realized until the following month. Many of these trades could not reasonably have been expected to generate a profit for the funds, and thus served solely to generate advisory fees for Hope to the detriment of the funds' investors. The scheme allegedly enabled Hope to avoid realizing more than $50 million in losses in the hedge funds while earning millions of dollars in fees to which it was not entitled. According to the complaint, if Hope and Bruton had not engaged in the scheme, they would have received almost no incentive fees between at least October 2014 and June 2016.

The court entered the consent judgment against Hope and Bruton ordering them to pay disgorgement of $1,237,235 and a civil penalty of $250,000. The judgment also enjoins them from violations of the antifraud provisions of Sections 206(1), (2) and (4) of the Investment Advisers Act and Rule 206(4)-8 thereunder.

The Commission is represented by Joshua Mayes, Robert Gordon and M. Graham Loomis of the Atlanta Regional Office in this litigation.

For more information see Litigation Release 23551.
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump waves as he arrives for a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

His own political fortunes intrinsically linked to his party holding control of Congress, President Donald Trump on Thursday offered full-throated support for the most vulnerable incumbent Republican senator, while unleashing a torrent of grievances against Democrats and the news media and claiming they are sabotaging his administration.

Trump, appearing at a boisterous rally in Las Vegas, defended his embattled Supreme Court justice nominee, touted the booming stock market, cited progress in talks with North Korea and pledged to build his long-promised border wall, while also making the pitch for Nevada to re-elect Sen. Dean Heller. The president noted that he and Heller  who once said he "vehemently" opposed Trump  did not always get along.

"We started out, we weren't friends. I didn't like him, he didn't like me!" said Trump to laughs. "But as we fought and fought and fought, believe it or not we started to respect each other, than we started to like each other, then we started to love each other.

"Ever since I won the election, he's been there for us," said Trump, who urged Heller's re-election because the Republican majority in the Senate is so slim, 51-49, that the GOP would lose its advantage if "someone had a cold." The president also bestowed one of his signature nicknames on Heller's opponent, Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen, dubbing her "Wacky Jacky."

Heller returned the praise: "Mr. President, I think you just turned Nevada red today," he said. Trump narrowly lost Nevada to Hillary Clinton in 2016 despite his deep ties to Las Vegas  he has a golden-hued hotel just off the famed Strip  and repeatedly campaigning in the state.

Trump in particular focused his pitch for Heller on the need to confirm more conservative judges, in particular his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, whose seat on the bench had been thrown into question by allegations that he sexually assaulted a young woman while in high school more than 30 years ago.
Oakland students can count on taking the bus to and from school through at least June 2020, thanks to a deal between the Oakland Unified School District and AC Transit and some financial assistance from the state.

But whether the bus will continue to show up after the end of that school year is uncertain.

Oakland Unified School District and AC Transit officials joined with East Bay elected leaders this week to mark a deal that guarantees an extra year of supplemental bus service in which AC Transit runs special routes serving Oakland schools.

Like most California school districts, Oakland Unified doesnt own a fleet of yellow school buses or provide regular service. AC Transit has provided the service to all Oakland Unified schools for two decades, with the school district helping cover the cost of special buses to three schools in the Oakland hills  Skyline High, Montera Middle and Community Day.

But in January 2017, the district stopped paying the $2.25 million annual fee, arguing that other districts didnt have to pay for supplemental service.

Months of tense negotiations between the school district and the transit district, both of which struggle to balance their budgets, eventually resulted in a plan to stagger school hours and reduce the number of buses and drivers required to provide the special school service.

At the same time, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the regional transportation planning and financing agency, and the school district agreed to each contribute $1 million to keep the buses running through the end of the 2018-19 school year.

State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, obtained $1 million in state funds to keep the buses rolling for another year. School district officials also credited Assemblymen Rob Bonta, D-Alameda, and Tony Thurmond, D-Richmond, for their assistance.

Oakland schools Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell said she grew up in Oakland and relied on the AC Transit buses to get to Montclair Elementary and Montera Middle schools.

I know firsthand how important this service is to our students and families, she said in a statement. The partnership with AC Transit is critical to thousands of our young people and many staff members.

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.

Robert Lyles, an AC Transit spokesman, said the district welcomes the one-year deal, but said a long-term fix is still needed.

We are very happy there has been a fix, he said, and we are very happy to know that the students still have AC as an option. But we are only cautiously optimistic.

Johnson-Trammell acknowledged the need for a permanent solution to funding supplemental bus service. She said the $1 million buys the district another year to find an answer.

We now have more time to work together on a long-term legislative solution to ensure our families can count on affordable bus transportation for next year and beyond, she said.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
A man accused in a violent San Francisco kidnapping that led to a fiery and fatal crash in Emeryville was ordered to stand trial on several charges, including murder, a judge ruled Thursday.

Michael Brown, 42, is facing charges including kidnapping, conspiracy, assault, pimping and murder. A second defendant accused of assisting in the abduction, 26-year-old Timothy Attaway, was held to answer for a kidnapping charge.

Judge Samuel Stevens decision comes after a dramatic preliminary hearing last month in which the kidnapping victim testified over two days about the June 10 ordeal.

The victim, a sex worker called Miss B to protect her identity, described an abusive relationship with Brown, who she said at first acted like her boyfriend and later turned into her violent pimp.

When she cut off the relationship and began seeing another man who began acting as her pimp, Brown set her up, prosecutors said.

Miss B said she was lured to San Franciscos Tenderloin on her birthday by Browns associate, 40-year-old Daphne Pink Bailey, who promised they would celebrate with cupcakes and cocaine.

When the two met on Leavenworth Street, Brown sneaked up from behind, and punched Miss B in the face, she said. He and Attaway then heaved her into the trunk of a nearby Dodge Challenger before Attaway walked off and Bailey got in the passenger seat, prosecutors said.

The attack was captured on a nearby security camera and played in court.

Miss B later found an emergency escape latch and got out of the trunk as witnesses followed the car calling 911 as it sped through city streets, prosecutors said.

When the Dodge headed over the Bay Bridge a few minutes later, a San Francisco police officer recognized the vehicle and began to follow it. Thats when the driver gunned it onto the West MacArthur Boulevard off-ramp and slammed into a pole on Peralta Street.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In harrowing footage captured on the officers body camera, bystanders are seen pulling Brown from the crumpled wreckage that had caught fire. The officer and others at the scene could not get Bailey out of the passengers seat before fire overtook the car.

Bailey was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stevens on Thursday ordered Brown to be held to answer for second-degree murder in Baileys death under the legal standard of implied malice. Prosecutors have also argued that the case is a first-degree murder under Californias felony murder rule, which classifies deaths that happen during the commission of certain felonies as murders.

Both defendants are being held without bail in San Francisco Jail.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
Deanna Hodgin vividly remembers the first time she saw him. She was eating hamburgers with her husband and their daughter, Claire, just 12 at the time, in a window seat at Kezar Bar & Restaurant.

Suddenly, a mans face appeared in the plate glass window, his eyes trained on Claire.

He was snarling and angry, Hodgin recalled of that encounter six years ago. Then he started masturbating.

Right there on the sidewalk in the middle of Cole Valley, the tony neighborhood with a fancy cheese shop, charming cafes and multimillion-dollar houses.

Hodgin called 911, and a dispatcher told her to call the police nonemergency number instead. It went to voice mail, and nobody called back. The family changed tables and tried to put the ugly incident out of its mind.

Claire, now 18, still remembers that day.

It was just creepy, she said. It was just weird.

And she remembers another time when the same man jabbed a broken umbrella at her and her mom and threw garbage at them, forcing them off the sidewalk into traffic. And she remembers being on the lookout when jogging, crossing the street a few times to avoid him.

Now Playing: Nearly half a million trips are taken on BART every single day around the Bay Area. In 2017, BART police made 428 arrests for violent crimes, though the majority of arrests are for petty crimes. Video: Edited by Katie Wood / SFGATE

By the time I heard about the man, whose name is Max, several weeks ago, complaints about him had piled up for years. The encounters were all a little different, but boiled down to the same general theme. A clearly mentally ill man was tormenting neighbors, mostly women and girls. Police had known about him for years. And had done very little.

Park Station police Capt. Una Bailey declined an in-person interview with me but emailed a statement on Sept. 12 saying she couldnt discuss any individuals health conditions or previous contacts with police.

We remain attentive to community concerns regarding this individual, she wrote.

Bailey said the Police Departments psychiatric liaison and Department of Public Health clinicians had been notified about him.

The Cole Valley neighbors complaints are very much in keeping with the concerns of San Franciscans citywide who know that any walk around town or trip on Muni could involve a scary encounter with a person whos mentally ill and untreated, with city officials tossing up their hands.

With strict laws governing the conservation of mentally ill people, the usual routine has those who are violent or threatening cycle in and out of jail or in and out of hospitals with little opportunity for real improvement. And plenty of opportunity for frightening innocent people.

State Sen. Scott Wieners bill to expand the definition of who can be conserved to include the drug-addicted has passed the Legislature and is on Gov. Jerry Browns desk, though its not clear it would apply in this case.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Hodgin said Max has become Cole Valleys Boo Radley, the neighborhood recluse in To Kill a Mockingbird who neighbors spin stories about because so few facts about him are known. Police say Max has no fixed address, but public records show he at one point lived in an apartment on Frederick Street in Cole Valley, and neighbors say they still see him coming and going from there.

He is usually dressed fairly nicely and doesnt appear homeless. He is 36 years old. He has shaggy gray hair and burn marks on his face. He comes from Oregon. The Chronicle is withholding his last name because of his mental illness and because he hasnt been charged  or even arrested  in the vast majority of the Cole Valley incidents.

I feel bad for him, actually, I feel like he needs help, said one woman who had a frightening encounter with Max on the N-Judah streetcar a few months ago and declined to be identified. But I feel like the neighborhood needs help, too.

The woman said she was riding the train when Max struck her on the back of the head. She called police, who investigated but declined to pursue the case because, basically, she doesnt have eyes in the back of her head and didnt actually see the violence. And, officials added, it could have been an accident.

Even dogs know when theyre being kicked or when theyre being stumbled over by accident, the woman told me.

Another woman who also declined to be identified said she had two bad encounters with Max on the N-Judah, with him following her, pressing himself against her and calling her a whore. She said the second time, she jumped off the train, rushed to a local business and called police.

As she told it, officers took a report but said nothing more could be done because there was no evidence of intimidation or assault. She asked if she could legally use pepper spray on him next time, and they said then shed be the one facing assault charges.

Like many Cole Valley neighbors, Barbara Deuel remembers her first encounter with Max. It was a couple of years ago, and she was walking in the Inner Sunset with her son, then 13. She said Max approached them, got within a couple inches of them, refused to move and screamed in our faces.

They got away and watched as he grabbed a young womans arm and then harassed a young couple with a toddler. Deuel said she called police, who responded promptly. She watched Max walk into Golden Gate Park, but the police didnt track him.

They said they were going to go follow up on it, but I felt like they werent, she said. It shouldnt be easy to have people committed, but I think it shouldnt be this hard.

Occasionally, his victims are men.

John Dorning, a resident of the Haight, said he was on a Muni train the evening of Sept. 12 when Max started pushing people, flailing around and then punched Dorning repeatedly.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

He kept muttering, Whos the president? Whos the president? which Dorning thought was an echo of officials asking him that question in the past to test his mental acuity. A couple of men pushed Max off the train onto the platform at the next stop, Dorning said. He didnt call police.

And the stories go on and on, traded regularly on Nextdoor and a neighborhood Facebook group. And yet, nothing got done.

Until Sept. 14. That day, police issued an arrest warrant for Max in connection with an Aug. 13 incident in which he allegedly hovered over a woman on the N-Judah near Stanyan and Carl streets and threatened to kill her. Police arrested him the next morning in the Mission.

He was arraigned Tuesday on a felony charge of making criminal threats and another felony charge of false imprisonment.

He was released on $40,000 bail and the conditions he enter the Assertive Case Management program, run by the San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project with the goal of providing mental health treatment instead of jail time. He must also stay off the N-Judah and nearby bus lines and stay away from the woman he allegedly threatened.

He was assigned a public defender, who declined to comment for this column. He is due in court Friday.

Deanna Hodgin and I met up in Cole Valley shortly after Maxs arraignment. Like every time she leaves her house, she had checked the neighborhood Facebook group to ensure there were no reports of Max out on the streets acting erratically.

Shes pretty sure the reason police arrested him is that The Chronicle started asking questions. After all, there was more than a monthlong gap between his threats on the N-Judah and the arrest warrant.

I think they know youre writing about it, she said. I think thats it, and they dont want to be embarrassed.

Whats embarrassing is a city that leaves mentally ill people untreated and women and girls to fend for themselves.

The long-sought action may have also been prompted by Supervisor Vallie Browns office starting to hear from a lot of concerned residents and relaying their worries to police. Brown said shes told her constituents to file police reports about any frightening encounter with Max or anybody else. It doesnt have to be immediate, but it helps police build a case.

She said its obvious that leaving people like Max on the streets untreated isnt working for anybody, including the mentally ill themselves. While state law regarding conservatorships is lacking, police still have the power to arrest people, and the courts can connect them to services. Thats the idea  finally  for Max.

He needs to be off the streets and be taken care of, she said. He has a mental illness, and he needs help. I cant have people on the streets like that going for children and women. Just no.

At least somebody in power finally sees it that way.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Tuesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
Photo: Jana Dinsmore Black Widow spider near Summerland B.C.

Most spiders in British Columbia are nothing to worry about, except this one!

Even experienced arachnophiles are cautious about two species, the black widow and the false black widow.

Jana Dinsmore took this photo of a black widow in her compost pile on her property in Prairie Valley Summerland earlier this week.

"We're inundated with them on our property. We have a big rock wall that they just seem to love."

The species found in British Columbia is the western black widow spider which contains a venom that can induce flu-like symptoms especially in the very young and very old.

But Dinsmore says, fortunately, they keep to themselves, "they're not aggressive if I shake a broom or flash a light they scatter pretty quick."

Black widows are an outdoor spider that almost never comes into human homes. Unless you are an outdoor hiker and looking for them, you are unlikely to encounter one.

Dinsmore says one of them did find its way indoors a couple of weeks ago but she managed to get it back where it belongs without any adverse effects.

"I was in bed and there was one in my bedroom so that gave me cause for concern but I managed to get it outside. I am an arachnophobe but they are also quite beautiful to photograph, they're interesting."

They prefer dry, warm habitat and despite its venom, the black widow is not an aggressive animal where people are concerned. Faced with something the size of a human, its first impulse is to flee. Even directly confronted and deliberately provoked, it is reluctant to defend itself with a bite.
Morgan Mohun-Gholson was sitting in a New York hotel room far from her baby girl, thinking, What am I going to do?

Bags of breast milk, enough to feed her 10-month-old for 48 hours, sat in an ice bucket in the hotel mini-fridge. Mohun-Gholson, a sales manager at Pinterest in San Francisco, had another meeting the next day in Ohio.

Determined to keep her daughter on breast milk, she flew six hours back to San Francisco with bottles packed on ice she got from an airport bar and delivered them to her husband before flying out again.

She wont face such an arduous journey again: A few weeks later, she discovered her employer would ship her breast milk for free.

I almost broke down in tears I was so excited, Mohun-Gholson said.

By the numbers, employers dont seem to be doing enough to persuade mothers with young children to stay in the workforce. From 1975 to 2000, the proportion of mothers with children younger than 3 who worked rose from 34 to 61 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2017, it had barely grown to 62 percent.

In seeking to attract and retain women, a growing number of tech and finance companies are adding breast milk shipping, directed at new mothers who often travel for work. Pinterest uses a 3-year-old Palo Alto company called Milk Stork; Goldman Sachs offers MilkShip, a new service from LifeCare of Shelton, Conn.; and some companies handle the logistics on their own.

Milk Stork sends a cooler with a postpaid shipping label to the customers destination. Mothers can pump up to 72 ounces of breast milk, package it, and drop the box in the hotel lobby for overnight shipping anywhere in the U.S.

The service starts at $139 a day, and several Bay Area companies offer it at no cost to their female employees. Milk Stork says it has 133 business customers, and more than a hundred other firms reimburse traveling moms who sign up on their own.

Mohun-Gholsons job requires frequent overnight trips to visit advertisers. When she came back to Pinterest after her maternity leave, she said she didnt travel for the first couple of months purely because of the milk situation. She worried that her work suffered as a result. Seeing the companys advertisers in person shows that Pinterest is invested in the relationship, she said.

Then she saw a sign in a Pinterest mothers lounge, where she pumped her milk, advertising the Milk Stork benefit.

The next time she traveled, Mohun-Gholson logged onto Milk Stork and plugged in the details of her trip. She pumped on the flight to Los Angeles and packed her breast milk into a Milk Stork cooler at her hotel. There are no gel packs or dry ice; the cooler evaporates small quantities of water at low pressure that protect the milk from changes in temperature during shipping.

Milk Stork commissioned a survey of its customers; 91 percent of participants said they were more likely to accept business travel assignments because of the benefit. Studies show that women who planned on returning to work in shorter time frames are less likely to start breastfeeding in the first place. Mothers who work full time tend to breastfeed for shorter durations than do part-time or unemployed mothers.

CEO Kate Torgersen said she never considered pitching businesses on Milk Stork when she started the company in 2015. She figured employers wouldnt spend money on a service for a very specific subset of their workers.

Today, most of Milk Storks revenue comes from individual customers who are reimbursed by their employers, but more than 600 businesses have expressed interest in becoming corporate clients and offer the service at a discounted rate to their employees. Torgersen hired her first salespeople this year to keep up with that demand.

Even at the office, pumping milk isnt always easy. Federal law requires employers to provide break time and a place for nursing moms to pump, but it exempts companies with fewer than 50 employees. In 2018, less than half of U.S. employers have on-site mothers rooms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Moms are still pumping in closets and bathrooms, Torgersen said.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Zillow Group, TripAdvisor, SAP, the Home Depot and others provide breast milk shipping to employees through Milk Stork, which said it has shipped 1 million ounces of breast milk to date. LifeCare introduced MilkShip in August, and the company said this month it is experienced a significant increase in demand for its work-life balance services, including benefits targeted at mothers.

IBM, which began offering a breast milk shipping benefit in 2015, said it makes good business sense.

We have a large population of women who were, as consultants, doing a lot of travel, said Carrie Altieri, vice president of communications. They asked us for this.

IBM buys insulated shipping containers for storing breast milk and uses UPS to ship materials to its traveling employees hotel rooms.

Its not only about attracting them into the workforce, but its ensuring that they have a welcoming workplace that keeps them here, Altieri said.

Of Pinterests 1,500 employees in the U.S., only a dozen women have used Milk Stork since the company began offering it in July. Alice Vichaita, head of global benefits, said its too early to tell whether the service has had an impact on retention. Pinterest employs significantly more women  they are 45 percent of its workforce  than do similar tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Uber.

More tech firms are competing for talent through perks, though Torgersen, a mother of three, said she prefers to think of Milk Stork as a necessity, not an amenity.

The reason I chose the name Milk Stork is because its like the second delivery youre doing, Torgersen said. Your huge concern going back to work is, one, sleep. But also, how am I going to continue this relationship that Ive established over the last three months? Its not just about covering the trip but feeding your child.

Melia Russell is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: melia.russell@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meliarobin
The man whose arrest on Wednesday night resulted in a tense confrontation between police and an angry crowd had bloodied another man in an attack and lunged at officers, police said Thursday.

Police said a witness alerted passing officers to a fight at the corner of Valencia and Sparrow streets at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The witness said a man, whom police later identified as 21-year-old Josiah Cox, was yelling and trying to start fights with people. One victim was found with a nose bleed and cut under his eye, police said.

When police moved in to apprehend Cox, he allegedly lunged at officers and resisted arrest, police said. As officers held him down on the sidewalk on Valencia Street, police said Cox verbally threatened officers and uttered homophobic slurs.

As police arrested Cox, they were confronted by members of the Black and Brown Social Club who were having a meeting across the street on police brutality against people of color. At one point, they arrested member Ilyich Sato, a local activist/rapper known as Equipto.

Sato, who was cited and released Wednesday night, was accused of resisting and obstructing or delaying police.

Now Playing: Arrest sparks protest in Mission Video: San Francisco Chronicle

Cox was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of making threats, aggravated assault, obstructing or resisting an executive official, resisting/obstructing or delaying a peace officer and battery. He was on probation in Alameda County for aggravated assault, police said.

On Thursday, some of the members of the Black and Brown Social Club described Coxs arrest as brutal and said officers used excessive force  not just against Cox but against their members who videoed the arrest.

We all ran over there and see this officer on top of this young, African American man, beating on him, as hes handcuffed, said a member of the Black and Brown Social Club, Asale Chandler, 55. I was in a state of shock but I picked up my phone and proceeded to film.

Chandler told The Chronicle that when officers saw her lift up her cellphone to record the arrest, at least four officers surrounded Cox, blocking her cellphone camera from capturing any footage of the arrest.

They started pushing me, literally pushing me, Chandler said. I was in a state of shock. I felt like I was in the 60s, in the time of the water hoses and the police dogs, because there was nothing I could do.

In videos posted to social media, an unidentified woman can be seen pressing a bullhorn to her lips and telling the growing number of officers in front of a boutique across the street that the police have to stop harassing black and brown communities.

Multiple residents could be seen getting jostled among a tightly packed group of police officers, each raising their cellphones in the air to capture footage of Cox on the ground.

As the woman with the bullhorn continued pleading for police to stop, Chandler can be seen getting shoved by at least two officers while raising her cellphone in the air with her left hand, with her right palm spread out above her head.

We gotta stop police from doing this, the woman screams into the bullhorn while Chandler and other residents confront police in video posted to social media. This is totally wrong.

Officers at the scene called for backup when the crowd of residents started swelling in the street, police said. Police called the crowd hostile, while witnesses said they were rightfully angry at the officers aggressive arrest of the two men and their decision to forcefully shove witnesses away from the scene.

Police said Sato walked into the roadway toward officers arresting Cox, approached an officer from behind, and started screaming and aggressively advancing on the officer.

Officials said Sato refused to leave the roadway and leaned in toward the second officer who stepped in between Sato and the officer with his back toward Sato.

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 Picazo and other witnesses told The Chroncile that Sato was merely trying to capture video of officers arresting Cox.

How are you resisting arrest when youre just videoing? He wasnt breaking any laws, said Mission resident Victor Picazo.

The confrontation later turned into a protest of about 50 people outside the Mission police station.

Chandler said she plans on filing a complaint.

The bottom line is that we dont want their services. We dont trust the police, Chandler said. Im planning on filing a complaint against SFPD, but they wont do anything.

The San Francisco Police Department could not be reached for comment Thursday regarding allegations of excessive use of force.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LaurenPorFavor
A longtime UC Berkeley employee was arrested as the suspected NorCal Rapist  a serial predator accused of sexually assaulting 10 women in six counties over a span of 15 years starting in 1991  in the latest cold case solved through genealogical records, authorities said Friday.

Roy Charles Waller, 58, of Benicia was taken into custody Thursday in Berkeley after being linked to DNA evidence from the crimes by his family lineage, officials announced at a news conference in Sacramento. Few details were released, but Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said the genealogy connection to Waller, who is married and has worked the same job on UC Berkeleys campus for 25 years, was made just 10 days earlier.

It was probably record-setting in how fast they were able to determine that Waller was the person they were looking for, Schubert said.

Sacramento County prosecutors have charged Waller with 12 counts of sexual assault stemming from two cases, and he will appear in court Monday.

Now Playing: Arrest Made In NorCal Rapist Case Video: KCRA

UC Berkeley officials said Waller is on investigative leave from his job at the schools Environmental, Health & Safety office, where he has worked since 1992.

We were shocked today to learn that a campus employee was arrested in connection with a series of rapes that occurred more than a decade ago in several Northern California communities, school spokesman Roqua Montez said in a statement.

The NorCal Rapists assaults began in 1991, when the attacker slipped through an unlocked door and raped a woman in her Rohnert Park townhome. The man went on to attack a woman in Vallejo in 1992, and then another in Martinez on Halloween 1996.

In the Martinez case, police said, the assailant wore a skeleton mask and called the victim at work weeks later to apologize.

Later crimes were committed in Woodland and Davis in Yolo County, Chico in Butte County and in Sacramento, authorities said. Police tied the cases together through DNA evidence from more than a decade ago, but until now they werent able to match the crimes to a suspect.

Authorities said in 2006 that the NorCal Rapist would blindfold and bind his victims with duct tape, and either brandish a gun or tell victims he was armed. He would chat with his victims or apologize to them, and in some cases called them later to say he was sorry for using their ATM cards.

Officials at the time described the NorCal Rapist as a white man in his late 30s or early 40s, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10, between 250 and 300 pounds, with brown spiked hair and a protruding belly.

On the UC Berkeley campus Friday, Xochi Driscoll, a staff member at the School of Public Health, located in the same building where Waller worked, said she had changed her morning route because of uncomfortable interactions with him.

She and a friend, who declined to give her name, said Waller would be the only one around early in the morning in the buildings basement entrance. He kept his office door open and would always put his glasses down to his nose and just stare at you, Driscoll said.

We both stopped using that entrance because we felt weird about him, she added.

According to campus records, Waller worked on the third floor of a building bordering the west side of campus, near downtown Berkeley. Two doors that lead into the office were locked as of midday Friday, and co-workers entering and exiting declined comment.

Wallers on-campus duties include managing programs to help ensure safety and training regarding the use of equipment and machinery including forklifts, aerial lifts, respirators and other tasks, Montez said.

There is no indication that any crimes occurred within the campus community, he said. However, (university police) will be reviewing any open sexual assault cases to determine if any might be related.

Fridays announcement comes just five months after the arrest of a suspect in the Golden State Killer case, another high-profile cold case involving a serial rapist who terrorized Northern California.

In April, authorities said they linked 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo to at least 12 slayings and 45 rapes that terrorized the Bay Area and other parts of California from 1976 to 1986.

Investigators tied DeAngelo to the crimes with the help of an open-source genealogy website called GEDmatch. Using old crime-scene evidence, officials used the site to match the unidentified suspects DNA to a family member who had also uploaded his or her information.

Neighbors of Waller told The Chronicle they knew little to nothing about the couple who live in the modest yellow home in Benicia  the only one on the block with a white picket fence.

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.

Marcia Shigemoto, a neighbor from across the street, said she never noticed him until last week, when he was on the roof of his house pruning the trees.

I was worried he might fall, she said. She asked her boyfriend to go help, but he declined.

And there was a woman there, too, a younger woman, Shigemoto said. And their interactions seemed pleasant, seemed normal.

Other than that, Shigemoto said, shed never once noticed the couple in her eight years on the block.

Susan Vandenberg, a neighbor from a few doors down, said she didnt even recognize Wallers face when news broke of the arrest.

I got online to look, and (saw) the pictures of him. ... I looked and looked and looked, and I dont remember ever even seeing him walk by the house, she said.

Vandenberg described the tree-lined neighborhood as really, really quiet, the type of place where the chief complaint is cars from the nearby high school driving too fast. She said all of her neighbors were in disbelief and none had known the couple.

No one at Wallers home answered the door Friday afternoon, and the curtains or blinds were closed in every window.

But the area was bustling with commotion Thursday, said Vandenberg, who arrived home with groceries when she noticed a white van that said Sacramento on it in her usual street-side parking spot.

There were two or three of them, and (the people in them) went into one of those houses down there, she said. I just thought, Well, thats odd.

Megan Cassidy, Kimberly Veklerov and Bob Egelko are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com, kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy @KVeklerov @BobEgelko
A Contra Costa County jury found a 56-year-old Granite Bay man guilty of murdering his former girlfriend nearly 35 years ago in Richmond, a verdict that the victims family called closure.

The verdict Thursday capped a six-week trial in a Martinez courtroom, where prosecutors presented evidence that Sherill Smothers fatally stabbed single mother Marsha Carter in 1983.

The jurys decision drew gasps and tears from the gallery, from supporters of both Carter and Smothers. A bailiff handed tissues to the victims relatives.

Hey, Grandma Fanny, you have closure, one of Carters sons, Travis Carter, said into his phone just after the trials conclusion.

This is a win, he said. Shes redeemed. We fought for her. We did this.

Marsha Carter was 25 on Dec. 7, 1983, when three of her four boys woke up and found a pool of blood on Carters bed. Her body was discovered in the trunk of her car in West Sacramento.

Police at the time didnt name any suspects, but started taking another look at the case in 2008.

Investigators ultimately linked Smothers to the crime through blood evidence found on a piece of Carters clothing in her master bathroom, prosecutors said. He was arrested in 2016.

Asked whether the family had always believed Smothers was Carters killer, the victims sons said they had their suspicions. Travis Carter said there was a real fear of Smothers, both 35 years ago and more recently.

When nothing happens for 35 years, youre like, Was it random? You just dont know, he said. You have a feeling, but you cant just go around pointing that finger.

Deputy District Attorney Chris Walpole, who prosecuted the case, said he was pleased with the outcome.

Im glad for the family, he said. They can finally go to sleep knowing that the person who killed their mother is going to be locked up.

Prosecutors had also sought a charge enhancement, alleging personal use of a deadly weapon, but the jury dismissed it.

Walpole attributed this to a belief that there was a second person involved in the crime.

I think he definitely had an accomplice, Walpole said, explaining that he believed Smothers plan all along was to have someone come with him to kill his ex-girlfriend. So I think the jury found that there was an accomplice there, and they couldnt necessarily say who exactly plunged the knife into her.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The verdict was supposed to be read Tuesday, but Smothers, who was out on bail, failed to show up. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

On Thursday, defense attorney Michael Markowitz told Judge John Kennedy that his client had been at home having a panic attack. Smothers, who uses a wheelchair, then fell in his pool but managed to drag himself out, Markowitz said.

Investigators staked out Smothers house Tuesday night and pulled him over after he left in his van, Walpole told reporters. The prosecutor said the defendant had clothes in a plastic bag.

Smothers family members declined to comment after the trial. His former attorney, Gary Gwilliam, said he was extremely sad about the verdict.

Hes led an exemplary life, Gwilliam said. Those of us who know him and care for him continue to support him.

Smothers faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 28.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
An FBI investigation of Christine Blasey Fords sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh may well never happen. But Fords request for an inquiry has already revealed plenty  namely, that Senate Republicans remain determined to elevate the conservative appellate judge regardless of what he might have done.

Even before Fords story surfaced, the Judiciary Committee was trampling regular procedure and due diligence in an effort to outrun the midterm elections. But Fords disturbing charge, particularly at a time of heightened national outrage over mistreatment of women, required senators to do something. So they decided to do what the district attorney attorney advised in Chinatown: as little as possible.

Under pressure, Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he would allow Ford and Kavanaugh to testify Monday. He has so far refused to depart from that schedule, call additional witnesses or accommodate further investigation. The case for this rush begins and ends with the will to gloss over the charges and quickly confirm the nomination.

Any interest in the truth of the matter supports an FBI inquiry. Unlike the polarized Judiciary Committee, the bureaus investigators could bring expertise and neutrality to the task of establishing the facts, along with criminal penalties for anyone who lies to its agents. The FBI has done so before: In 1991, it investigated then-nominee Clarence Thomas alleged harassment of Anita Hill in less time than the committee has spent bickering over Fords testimony.

The Palo Alto professors story, which dates to her and Kavanaughs high school years, certainly provides avenues for investigation and testimony beyond the he-said-she-said argument to which Republicans are artificially limiting the inquiry. Ford has placed a Kavanaugh friend at the scene  a strange choice, by the way, if she were fabricating the incident  and says she recounted the attack to a therapist who took notes.

Rather than consider and pursue such facts, Republican senators and President Trump have provided a case study in how sexual assault is treated differently from all other crimes  and why women who endure it hesitate to come forward. The judges defenders have offered irrelevant assertions about his character while baselessly questioning the professors. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, described Ford  a research psychologist who teaches in a doctoral program and has written a book about statistical analysis  as mixed up.

Fords testimony deserves to be heard in any case. Whats unfortunate is that so many senators dont seem likely to listen.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
In the district with the highest concentration of homeless services in San Francisco, candidates for the District Six supervisor seat said they would welcome even more permanent services in the area  including another Navigation Center  but that other districts need to share the burden, too.

This will require a bit of peer pressure, candidate Christine Johnson told The Chronicles editorial board Thursday. Those peers apparently would be her fellow supervisors, if she were to win.

There has long been a fault line when it comes to where San Franciscos homeless services are concentrated: Neighborhoods on the east side of the city, such as the Tenderloin and SoMa, have historically offered more services than neighborhoods in the west, like the Sunset, where many residents and politicians argue the homeless population isnt large enough to justify facilities like Navigation Centers.

Nearly all of the candidates in District Four, which encompasses the Sunset, told The Chronicle earlier this week they wouldnt support opening a Navigation Center in their district. But District Six  which includes the Tenderloin, South of Market and Mission Bay  feels the brunt of the homeless crisis, and all three candidates for that seat said all members of the Board of Supervisors must support additional services in their districts, even if it would be an unpopular political move for them.

As individuals, many of the District Four candidates would probably, support a Navigation Center, said District Six candidate Sonja Trauss, a housing activist. But as candidates, they know they cant say they would. There are political pressures.

Trauss proposed creating a coalition of eastern districts to override some of the other districts, while school board member and candidate Matt Haney said creating a balance among the districts would require leadership from the top.

We need citywide leadership on this, he said. I would have hoped that Mayor (London) Breed would have come forward by now and said we need a shared sacrifice and say, We need everyone to come forward and say I would support a Navigation Center in my district.

The three candidates all agree that the city needs to create more shelter beds, add more foot patrols in the district, allocate more resources to cleaning up the streets and build more affordable housing. They all support safe injection sites and would also like to increase the number of public spaces  like public parks and benches  along Market Street and in SoMa.

Their differences have to do more with campaign style and personality.

Johnson, an engineer and a former planning commissioner with 14 years of experience in public finance, is running a joint campaign with Trauss, who built the national pro-housing movement dubbed YIMBY, for Yes in My Backyard. Haney is a member and former president of the San Francisco Board of Education.

When it comes to making the districts streets cleaner and safer, Haney proposed increasing the rigidity of stay-away orders for drug dealers in the district, a move he said would likely lead to more arrests. Johnson said she would like a Homeless Outreach Team that is specifically dedicated to Mid-Market.

A dedicated outreach team, she said, would lead to more people getting help, as opposed to lingering up and down Market Street, waiting for someone to approach them.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani
More than 500 women assembled in San Francisco on Thursday for what organizers billed as an unprecedented gathering of women of color in politics.

We women of color are the saving graces of our democracy, Aimee Allison, founder of summit organizer She the People, told female officeholders, candidates and activists from 36 states who gathered at the Julia Morgan Ballroom.

We women of color are the leaders our country has been waiting for, Allison said. Its a politics weve not yet seen.

The summit marked the start of an initiative intended to elevate the profile of women of color in American politics.

She the People is working with female candidates of color who are running in Novembers midterm elections. Afterward, the group intends to focus on the 2020 elections and persuade more nonwhite women to try for office.

It needs to be explicitly women of color because when you say women in political parlance, you mean white women, Allison said. Im inviting everyone, but its time to trust, engage and follow women of color.

Linda Sarsour, one of the co-chairs of the Womens March, told the crowd that if you want to know if youre going the right way in the movement, follow women of color. ... Those closest to the pain are closest to the solution.

The summits tone was decidedly celebratory. But despite the optimistic mood, contentious events outside the ballroom  in particular, the controversy surrounding the confirmation process for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh  were on the minds of many participants.

The Kavanaugh hearings are more evidence that we need to double down, Allison said.

Summit-goers were closely following developments that will determine whether Christine Blasey Ford, the Palo Alto University psychology professor who accuses Kavanaugh of trying to rape her when they were in high school, will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.

We have got to have a paradigm shift in this country, said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland. I think this moment, with Dr. Ford and Kavanaugh and remembering Anita Hill, says a lot about the work thats left to do.

While the summit served as a celebration for women of color, the event was framed by overarching strategic goals.

Its not like a girl power thing, because that rings empty when the president is attacking immigrants, putting kids in jail  its dire, Allison said.

The conference is the first national recognition that black women are a powerhouse voting bloc, she said. Black women are the strongest progressives, the most loyal Democrats. Moderate whites are an unreliable base of the Democrats, and theyre shrinking in size.

Allison cited last years unexpected victory of Doug Jones to a U.S. Senate seat from Alabama, in which African American voters are widely believed to have provided the Democrats margin of victory.

Alabama was an independent effort to show the power of a new playbook run by black women, she said.

Women of color will be the swing vote, Allison said. If the Democrats win back the House, it will be because of the enthusiastic turnout and strategy and candidates of women of color.

Lee added, Its clear that women and women of color are going to lead on this. I see breakthroughs all over the country, but we cant stop now.

Holly Honderich is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: holly.honderich@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @hollyhonderich
Is modesty a new kind of power dressing?

Its a question many in the fashion industry are asking in the #MeToo era, and #modestfashion is trending on social media. Within the Muslim community, its a topic that has deep resonance. Now, the de Young Museum takes on this and other questions with Contemporary Muslim Fashions, a first-of-its-kind exhibition that explores the present-day global style stories of Muslim women.

So what does it mean to dress modestly in 2018? For exhibition curators its about more than just measuring hemlines, sleeve lengths or concealing parts of the body.

For the purposes of this exhibition, modesty is however its defined by the individual, says Laura Camerlengo, the shows associate curator with Jill DAlessandro. In terms of certain religious aspects, there are some guidelines in the Quran that intersect with how respectable women dressed at the time of Mohammed, but its not rigidly defined. Its an area thats had such a flurry of activity around it these past few years with the rise of Muslim modest fashion bloggers and fashion weeks. Its changing very rapidly.

Former Fine Arts Museums director Max Hollein calls the exhibition an overdue, much-needed exploration of a multifaceted topic as yet largely unexplored by museums.

More Information "Contemporary Muslim Fashions" Sept. 22-Jan. 6, 2019. De Young Museum, S.F. https://deyoung.famsf.org/ See More Collapse

The exhibition, running Sept. 22-Jan. 6, looks at how Muslim women have become style influencers and brought renewed outsider interest to contemporary Muslim life. The Bay Area has one of the highest concentrations of Muslims of any metropolitan area in the United States (almost 250,000, or 3.5 percent of the regions population, according to a 2013 study by the Santa Clara University Institute for Social Policy and Understanding). With issues like President Trumps travel bans still in the news, its a timely discussion.

Here in the epicenter of tech innovation, the curators have a special interest in how social media have facilitated conversations around modest fashion and personal redefinitions of Muslim dress. Its not surprising that c urators DAlessandro and Camerlengo name Instagram as one of their primary sources in their search for designers and fashion influencers. The exhibition focuses mainly on objects from the past two years, with a geographic focus on the Middle East, Southeast Asia and diaspora communities throughout Europe and the United States.

Designers include Faiza Bouguessa, Mashael Alrajhi and Wadha Al Hajri representing the Middle East; Itang Yunasz, Khanaan Luqman Shamlan and NurZahra of Indonesia; Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Celine Semaan Vernon of Slow Factory; and Saiqa Majeed of Saiqa London. Nikes Pro hijab and a burkini swimsuit by Aheda Zanetti are on display  among 80 ensembles.

Sebastian Kim/Courtesy Fine Arts Museums of SF

The fashions range from extravagant haute couture by Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier and Valentino made to modest specification for her highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, to an almost minimalist jersey dress by Nzinga Knight. Nora Aldamers boldly colored crepe de chine maxi reads as secular and contemporary, while Slow Factorys U.S. Constitution and First Amendment flight jacket from 2017 is an obvious political statement. Malaysian designer Melinda Loos ornate fantasies evoke the rich history of orientalism in Muslim design; Dubai-based Rebecca Kelletts Utopia ensemble, with its extreme silhouette, nods toward futurism.

Photographs in the exhibition by Wesaam Al-Badry and Hassan Hajjaj capture how and where women actually wear modest fashion, and document the communities from which these designs emerge. This, DAlessandro says, demonstrates that Muslim fashion (and modest dress) is a topic much larger than simply who chooses to cover her head and who doesnt.

There are some individuals who have a fairly rigid, literal definition of modesty, says DAlessandro. But across faiths, you see texts can also be up to interpretation and things can be porous. We have a street-style photographer in the exhibition, Langston Hues, who would do call-outs on Instagram within the modest-fashion community. Hues photographed subjects based on each persons definition of modesty. Says DAlessandro: You can see how broad the interpretation is. Its parallel to the exhibition.

Sebastian Kim / Courtesy Fine Arts Museums of SF

Muslim womens representation has recently been on the upswing in the Western fashion industry. Anniesa Hasibuan presented an all-hijab runway show at New York Fashion Week in 2016, and Indonesian designers Dian Pelangi and Vivi Zubedi presented modest fashion at shows in New York. Halima Aden was the first model to wear a hijab at Kanye Wests Yeezy fashion show in February 2017 (one of the most widely covered shows at fashion week), and her visibility has risen steadily since then. Macys began carrying the Verona Collection, a modest, Islamic-focused collection by Lisa Vogl, in 2018  a major leap into mainstream America .

With Islam continuing to be one of the fastest-growing religions in the world, both Muslim women and women who choose modest dress are demographics designers can not afford to ignore. As such, the modest-dress market continues to expand with retail portals like ModLi and luxury site the Modist. These offer fashion specifically created with modest dressing in mind and modest clothing from major mainstream fashion houses.

The shopping experience had always been time consuming and borderline alienating to put together an outfit, says Ghizlan Guenez, who founded the Modist in 2017. There was a very clear knowledge that there are millions of women who dress this way across religions and backgrounds. And yet, Guenez felt it was a market that was mostly unserved.

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Theres a misconception that modest dressing, whether personal or for faith, is frumpy, Guenez says. We wanted to flip that on its head. This is a woman who exists, she's abundant, shes everywhere. We wanted to smash all these stereotypes and showcase her in a way she deserves.

The Modist now carries 100 major brands, including Oscar de la Renta, Lanvin and Mary Katrantzou. In 2018, Guenez made the Business of Fashions influential BoF 500 list. She says part of the Modists success is that the women we speak to dont just dress modestly for religious reasons, we speak to executives, women of a certain age. Because we address a diverse audience, we have the flexibility in what modesty is, which has allowed for a wider reach.

Guenez doesnt believe that the modesty movement is part of a backlash against recent sexually provocative and revealing trends like naked dressing. She sees it as part of a larger conversation about who women dress for.

One day it's the maxi dress, the next its the mini, Guenez says. But also theres been a long period in fashion where theres a lot of the male-gaze perspective in trends, magazines, editorials and whats considered in. Now were seeing a different perspective. Its different, the female gaze, how we look at each other. That can naturally be a more demure aesthetic. And, of course, social media also created a dialogue around modesty.

DAlessandro says that Muslim fashion and modest fashion are bigger than any one definition.

How we define modest fashion is changing, DAlessandro says. As these design weeks go forward, were going to see a lot more cross-cultural influences. I think people will start taking higher risks. In the last decade the clothes are becoming more fashion forward and avant-garde.

Tony Bravo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tbravo@sfchronicle.com
Photo: The Canadian Press

Abandoning his previous restraint, President Donald Trump challenged the credibility of the woman accusing his Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault on Friday, declaring that if the alleged attack was so terrible she would have reported it to law enforcement.

Trump's change in tone  and apparent shift in tactics  came as Christine Blasey Ford's lawyers negotiated with the Senate Judiciary Committee on the terms for her possible testimony next week in a dramatic showdown over her accusation that threatens Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Trump tweeted: "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!"

The president previously had avoided naming Ford or plainly casting doubt on her account. Ford alleges Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her more than 30 years ago when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied the allegation.

The accusation has jarred the 53-year-old conservative jurist's prospects for winning confirmation, which until Ford's emergence last week had seemed all but certain. It has also bloomed into a broader clash over whether women alleging abuse are taken seriously by men and how both political parties address such claims with the advent of the #MeToo movement  a theme that could echo in this November's elections for control of Congress.

With his comment, Trump went against the advice of advisers who had counselled him to stay out of the fray. But it was in keeping with his past defence of friends and other men against the claims of women.

Ford has said she didn't tell anyone at the time about the incident, as is often the case with victims of sexual misconduct. She told The Washington Post that she told no one about the episode in detail until 2012, when she was in couples therapy with her husband.

Trump's tweet could weaken GOP support among women going into the midterm elections. It could also threaten Kavanaugh's support with several Republicans -- including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Jeff Flake of Arizona -- who have not declared their stances on his nomination. If two Republicans vote against Kavanaugh, his nomination could fail.

In another tweet, Trump, who was in Las Vegas for various events, wrote: "Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who don't want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts don't matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C."
If a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir has the word Willamette on its front label, would you assume that it comes from the Willamette Valley?

Probably, but if the bottle in question happened to be the 2017 Willametter Journal Pinot Noir, you would be wrong. Although the brands name implies a connection to the Willamette Valley, and although the front label includes the text the Willamette region of Oregons coastal range, the wine does not, in fact, qualify for the Willamette Valley appellation.

Its one of the points in a larger controversy brewing over the Willametter Journals creator, Joe Wagner.

As the winemaker behind mega-hit Pinots like Meiomi and Belle Glos, Wagner is one of Californias most prominent winemakers. Now, the Oregon Winegrowers Association, along with a state lawmaker, alleges that labels on both the Willametter Journal and another of Wagners Oregon brands, Elouan, may have violated state and federal regulations by falsely advertising the grapes place of origin.

Although the controversy hinges on technical nuances of labeling laws, it raises much deeper concerns for wine producers and consumers. When it comes to wine, location  terroir  is everything.

Any successful wine region, whether Bordeaux or Napa Valley or Willamette Valley, depends economically on its names ability to command prestige. Thats why the federal government regulates the creation and use of American Viticultural Areas, to establish hard boundaries  and a common language  for wine regions.

The idea of geographic standards of identity is a global phenomenon, says Tom Danowski, president of the Oregon Winegrowers Association.

Whether its Florida orange juice, Idaho potatoes, kobe beef from Japan, people around the world who are engaged in commerce have to protect the name of their geographies.

The industry here has spent 53 years creating an image for the Willamette Valley, says David Adelsheim, who founded Adelsheim Vineyard in 1971. Now our concern is the potential of people who may not have our best interests at heart to take advantage of the brand that is Willamette Valley Pinot.

At the Oregon associations urging, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission is investigating the complaints surrounding Elouan and Willametter Journal and has requested attention from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Meanwhile, Oregon state representative David Gomberg, D-District 10-Central Coast, has asked the fraud and consumer protection division at the state attorney generals office to conduct its own probe.

Wagner denies that he violated any statutes. We have followed all TTB rules and regulations and have done nothing to warrant this type of press, he wrote in an email.

Mandy Morgan

At the heart of the Wagner kerfuffle is the use of fanciful names on the wine labels  words that sound like they refer to a geographic place but are not legally recognized terms for American Viticultural Areas.

The use of Willamette on the Willametter Journal label is fanciful; the question is whether thats OK. And its not the only potential misnomer on the Willametter Journal bottle, according to the Oregon winegrowers group. The wines back label reads Sourced from: Territory of Oregon. But Territory of Oregon is not an American Viticultural Area  nor is Oregon, which was granted statehood in 1859, a territory.

In fact, the wine appears to have no AVA, says Danowski. That on its own would be a violation of federal code. We would write a letter to the TTB about that even if that was an Oregon winery.

What stood out to Gomberg, who discovered the Willametter Journal bottle while browsing in his local wine shop, was the phrase Oregons coastal range. He represents a coastal district. There is no Pinot Noir grown on Oregons coast, he says. Thats kind of like saying from the Sacramento region of San Francisco.

Wagners response: Everyone in Oregon, including the Oregon Wine Board, refers to the inland winegrowing regions as having coastal influences.

We believe this validates our own statements within our romance language to describe how the character of the wine is developed with coastal and coastal range conditions, he wrote.

The Elouan wine label presents a different, though similar, set of complications. The 2017 Elouan Pinot Noir carries the Oregon AVA, but the label makes mention of three of the states sub-AVAs: Rogue, Umpqua and Willamette  again, as fanciful names.

In order to use any of Oregons official vinticulture designations, at least 95 percent of a wines grapes have to come from the named region. It would be impossible for at least 95 percent of any wine to come from the Rogue, Umpqua and Willamette Valley AVAs, which do not overlap, simultaneously.

Finally, Oregon state law requires that any Oregon grapes processed outside of the state  trucked down to, say, California  carry only the Oregon AVA, and not a sub-AVA like Willamette Valley. The Elouan and Willametter Journal wines were finished in Rutherford, Calif., according to their back labels, which would further compound the violations surrounding their use of the words Willamette, Rogue and Umpqua.

The Commission has reason to believe that some wines labeled with an Oregon AVA were not fully finished in Oregon, wrote Oregon Liquor Control Commission chairman Paul Rosenbaum in a Sept. 6 letter to the Tax and Trade Bureau.

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Wagner believes hes done nothing wrong, since the wines do carry the simple, catch-all Oregon AVA, which permits a wine to be finished out of state. But he does not address the possibility that the use of fanciful names that happen also to be the official names of sub-AVAs might constitute its own violation.

Why should it matter where a wine is finished  that is, transformed from grapes into wine  if the label reflects truthfully where the wine is from? Simple: because Oregon imposes a unique set of rules on winemaking within its borders.

Oregon has more restrictive labeling guidelines for wines made in Oregon than are in place in federal statutes, says Danowski. Oregon requires that a wine be at least 95 percent from its listed AVA (federal law requires just 85 percent), and at least 90 percent its listed grape variety (federal law requires just 75 percent).

Many wine consumers may be surprised to learn how loosely enforced many wine labeling rules really are. The Tax and Trade Bureau employs fewer than 60 field investigators to cover 50 states, says Bernie Kipp, a retired district director of trade investigations at the bureau who currently advises on alcohol compliance for the law firm Stoel Rives.

All wineries are required to keep detailed documentation of their wine production  including records of their grape sources, varietal makeup, alcohol content and much more  but many will never have to show those records to anyone.

Do the field investigators go out to wineries and do what they call product integrity investigations? Kipp says. Yeah. But its not real common, and it certainly is not every year.

If found to be in violation of state and federal labeling laws, Wagner will likely simply be asked to correct future labels, Kipp speculates. Its possible Wagner could face a fine from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission or a license suspension from the TTB.

The good news for Oregon wine: If you have to worry about protecting your name, it probably means youre doing something right. Napa Valley, for instance, has spent decades trying to defend its name. The Napa Valley Vintners helped get a 2000 truth-in-labeling law passed in California that then became locked in a legal fight with Bronco Wine Co., which produced three wine brands  Napa Creek, Napa Ridge and Rutherford Vintners  not made with Napa Valley fruit. Bronco, better known as the maker of Two Buck Chuck, lost.

Similar battles surely lie ahead for Oregon wine as its star continues to rise. We hope to get an early start on this, now that weve had a wake-up call, Adelsheim says.

For the last year Adelsheim and other Willamette vintners, including Ken Wright, have been developing state legislative proposals to strengthen labeling requirements. For instance, any wine labeled as Willamette Valley Pinot Noir would have to be 100 percent Pinot Noir and 100 percent from the Willamette Valley if lawmakers agree.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
A group of two dozen people gathered in the driveway of Christine Blasey Ford's Palo Alto home Thursday to show support for the professor who says she was sexually assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

The Mercury News reported the group of mostly moms and a few men linked arms and chanted "Protect Christine! Protect Christine."

"We've got her back," Jamie Barnett told CBS San Francisco. "Her story is our story. She's one of us."

Ford emerged in the public eye when she accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her while he was drunk at a high school party in the early 1980s.

Her quiet life as a psychology professor in Palo Alto has been turned upside down since going public with her story.

ALSO, A new twist in the Kavanaugh saga raises some very unpleasant questions

Kavanaugh denies the accusation and said he would be willing to appear before the committee to refute it.

While the Palo Alto neighbors marched in front of Ford's house, the advocacy group UltraViolet hired a plane to fly over the region with a banner reading, "Thank you Christine. We have your back."

"Ford has demonstrated tremendous courage in coming forward and sharing her story of how Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. She is a hero and we have her back," explained Shaunna Thomas, a co-founder of the women's advocacy group. "Violence against women should have no place in our society and it certainly should have no place on the highest court in the nation. Brett Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination."
Investors in Gilead Sciences are still waiting for the company to prove the value of last years purchase of Kite Pharma, and time may be running out.

The Foster City biotech firms shares have traded sideways since the Kite deal was announced in late August of last year. Sales of Kites first treatment, Yescarta, failed to impress in its first two full quarters on the market, and competition is looming. Adding to concerns, Gileads longtime chairman, chief executive officer and chief medical officer have all recently stepped down.

Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst Brian Skorney says Gilead may have to write down the Kite deal, which the company values at $11.9 billion. That means lowering the projections on its balance sheet, if the multibillion-dollar sales that Wall Street expects dont materialize. The longtime bull cut his rating on the stock to neutral in July, after the management exodus.

A lot of people take a bearish view, myself included, that they are not going to get that return that the company expected, Skorney said. Gileads most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission says the fair value of Kites assets is about $9 billion, based on lower cash flows of future sales.

Gilead doesnt comment on speculation, a company representative said in an email.

The next year will be critical for Gilead to prove it can turn things around, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Tyler Van Buren. He expects that the cancer drugs acquired from Kite, known as CAR-T therapies, will bring in $2.8 billion in sales for Gilead by 2025. Analysts, on average, estimate that Yescarta sales will be $2.3 billion in 2025.

People need to see some sort of inflection, Van Buren said.

Even Wall Streets biggest bull says it could take a decade or more for Gilead to prove that the acquisition was worth it.

I dont think there will ever be a scenario in the next five years where you will be able to crunch the numbers and say they got back their investment in Kite, said Raymond James analyst Steven Seedhouse. Its just way more long-term of a vision.

Seedhouse holds the highest price target on Gilead shares at $97, based on a bullish outlook for new drugs to treat HIV.

To be sure, Gilead has told investors to be patient. Last year, the company said it will take at least three years for the Kite deal to add to earnings. The problem is that the competitive landscape for cancer immunotherapy is changing fast.

Just last week, Allogene Therapeutics  run by Kites former management team  filed for an initial public offering after raising more than $400 million to advance off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies. These new products could threaten drugs like Yescarta because they dont need to be personalized for each patient and could cost much less.

The increasing competition in cellular therapies makes it unlikely that Gileads CAR-T platform will be the winning technology, Skorney said.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Asthika Goonewardene cautions that its premature to draw conclusions, because the industry is still in its infancy.

Consensus is all over the place, and rightfully so, Goonewardene said. What we know is that cell therapy is giving us amazing response rates, and in some cases, functional cures. There is so much more work to be done.

Tatiana Darie is a Bloomberg writer. Email: tdarie1@bloomberg.net
Sandwiched between Building 20 and Building 21 in the heart of Facebooks Menlo Park campus, an approximately 25-foot-by-35-foot conference room is under construction.

Thick cords of blue wiring hang from the ceiling, ready to be attached to window-size computer monitors on 16 desks. On one wall, a half dozen televisions will be tuned to CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and other major networks. A small paper sign with orange lettering taped to the glass door describes whats being built: War Room.

Although it is not much to look at now, as of next week the space will be Facebooks headquarters for safeguarding elections. More than 300 people across the company are working on the initiative, but the War Room will house a team of about 20 focused on rooting out disinformation, monitoring false news and deleting fake accounts that may be trying to influence voters before elections in the United States, Brazil and other countries.

We see this as probably the biggest company-wide reorientation since our shift from desktops to mobile phones, said Samidh Chakrabarti, who leads Facebooks elections and civic engagement team. The company, he added, has mobilized to make this happen.

The misuse of Facebook by foreign influence campaigns has been rampant. In July and August, the company detailed previously undisclosed efforts by Iranians and Russians to mislead users of the social network through divisive ads and posts. Now, with the midterm elections in the United States seven weeks away, Facebook is in an all-out sprint to convince the world that it is ready to handle any new attempts at such meddling. It is under tremendous pressure to prevent a repeat of the foreign manipulation that unfolded during the 2016 presidential campaign.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has vowed to fix the problems, and he said this month that the company is better prepared to handle potential interference. But he has acknowledged that Facebook is in an arms race against those who are trying to manipulate the site. The company has taken steps to build defenses against spammers, hackers and foreign operatives  including hiring thousands of people to help moderate content and starting an archive to catalog all political ads  but the War Rooms half-finished state shows how nascent and hurried many of the efforts are.

Already, foreign operatives have evolved their online influence campaigns to skirt the measures Facebook has put in place ahead of the midterms, said Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

If you look at the way that foreign influence operations have changed these last two years, their focus isnt really on propagating fake news anymore, Moriuchi said. Its on augmenting stories already out there which speak to hyperpartisan audiences.

She added, Its going to be harder for companies like Facebook and Twitter, from my perspective, to find them now.

Facebook invited two New York Times reporters into the War Room before it opens next week to discuss the work of the elections team and some of the tools it has developed to try to prevent interference. The company limited the scope of what the Times could see and publish, out of a concern about revealing too much to adversaries who may be looking for vulnerabilities. The company said the War Room is modeled after operations used by political campaigns, which are typically set up in the final weeks before Election Day.

The War Room is a way to build systems in anticipation of attacks, Greg Marra, a product manager working on Facebooks News Feed, said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

One of the tools is custom software that helps track information flowing live across the social network, said Chakrabarti, who joined Facebook about four years ago from Google.

These dashboards resemble a set of line and bar graphs with statistics that provide a live view into how activity on the platform is changing. They allow employees to zero in on, say, a specific false news story in wide circulation or a spike in automated accounts being created in a particular geographic area.

The dashboards were tested before the special Senate election in Alabama in December. Without specifying the dashboards, Zuckerberg has said that a new tool helped Facebook identify political interference more quickly in that election.

Since then, Facebook has tested and redesigned the software during elections worldwide. This month, before Brazils presidential election, it will introduce the newest versions of the dashboards, Chakrabarti said.

Facebook created what it calls its elections and civic engagement team in 2007 to work with governments and campaigns on how they could use the social network most effectively. For a long time, the team numbered just a few dozen people in Silicon Valley; it expanded in 2013 to include people in offices outside of the United States.

After Facebook disclosed that agents linked to the Kremlin had manipulated the social network to spread inflammatory messages to American voters during the 2016 campaign, the company began to increase the teams ranks. The group was also restructured to focus more on the security of elections.

Since then, the team has mushroomed to its current size, augmented by other people at the company whose jobs involve some aspect of stopping election interference. Facebook has said each of its units  including Instagram and WhatsApp  has been told to make election security a top priority.

Chakrabarti meets several times a month with Facebooks top executives, engineers and product managers. The meetings often include Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer.

Facebook decided this year to create a War Room so a core group of engineers, data scientists and executives could sit together in the same space before the midterms. They chose an empty conference room off the hallway that connects Building 20 and Building 21, a central point that is easy for employees to get to.

Construction began a few months ago and the room, with its whiteboard walls and clusters of long tables, is set to open for operations Monday. It has been refitted with cables and internet boosters, and new wiring was installed for the monitors and other equipment.

What happens in the War Room will be a last line of defense for Facebook engineers to quickly spot unforeseen problems on and near election days in different countries, Chakrabarti said. Many of the companys other measures are meant to stop disinformation and other problems long before they show up in the War Room.

Once a problem reaches the War Room, the dashboards will be set to spot and track unusual activity, while data scientists and security experts take a closer look. Chakrabarti said the team is particularly on guard for posts that manifested real-world harm, and plans to remove posts that try to disenfranchise voters by giving incorrect polling data or spreading hoaxes like encouraging people to vote by text message.

The best outcome for us is that nothing happens in the War Room, he said. Everything else we are doing is defenses we are putting down to stop this in the first place.

Sheera Frenkel and Mike Isaac are New York Times writers.
NEW YORK  Investors are craving marijuana stocks as Canada prepares to legalize pot next month, leading to giant gains for Canadian companies listed on U.S. exchanges. Some experts are concerned that the ending will be a buzzkill.

Billions of dollars have poured into the stocks in the past few months, and investors smell green (money, not leaves) as they consider the opportunities these companies might have as the marijuana market in Canada grows, along with the possibility that the U.S. and other countries could follow suit.

The value of one company, British Columbias Tilray, has jumped tenfold since its initial public offering just two months ago. The company had $20 million in sales in 2017, but its now worth considerably more than Macys or Hasbro. With those huge gains have come extreme swings.

Wednesday was a trip for Tilray stock: After closing at $154 the previous day, it opened at $233 a share, soared to $300, and then plunged to $151 before rallying to close at $214. Trading was halted several times because of that volatility.

Its easy to see why investors are so optimistic. This week, Coca-Cola acknowledged it could one day offer cannabis-infused drinks. That came after reports Coke was in talks with Aurora Cannabis about drinks containing cannabidiol, or CBD, a marijuana component that isnt psychoactive. Aurora stock, which is listed in Canada, surged.

That would be a sort of return to Coca-Colas roots, as the drink contained some cocaine when it was invented.

In August, Molson Coors said it will team up with Hydropothecary Corp. to sell marijuana-infused drinks, and Canopy Growth announced a $4 billion investment from Constellation Brands, the company that makes Corona beer.

The stocks jumped Tuesday when the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at UC San Diego said the government will allow it to import capsules containing cannabis compounds from Tilray so the center can study their effectiveness in treating tremors.

The total global (cannabis) category could reach upwards of $200 billion, as suggested by Constellation Brands, said Stifel analyst Christopher Growe.

Growe noted that governments considering marijuana legalization or similar policies are likely to move very slowly. And Ken Mahoney, CEO of Mahoney Asset Management, said if there is a bubble, larger investors will protect themselves and wont overinvest in single companies, but smaller investors who see a chance to get rich quickly could suffer painful losses.

The small investors always end up with the short end of the stick, he said. They dont have the insight, they dont have the experience.

An investor who bought Tilray stock Wednesday might have agreed, as the shares fell 18 percent to finish at $176.

Marley Jay is an Associated Press writer.
A nearly 40-minute BART delay Friday in San Francisco was caused by an assault on an operator, according to a train worker who announced the assault to passengers over a loudspeaker.

The alleged assault occurred about 9:30 a.m. at the 24th and Mission station and comes on the heels of a violent summer in which numerous passengers have been attacked. Some of those attacks, such as the July stabbing of 18-year-old Nia Wilson, were fatal.
Photo: Castanet Staff MP Nathan Cullen (left) and MP Richard Cannings at a Penticton town hall on electoral reform in 2016. The pair will be holding a town hall next week on the Trans Mountain pipeline

Prominent NDP MP Nathan Cullen is coming to Penticton next week for a town hall with South OkanaganWest Kootenay MP Richard Cannings on the Trans-Mountain pipeline expansion.

The federal Liberals have vowed to push ahead with the pipeline following a federal court ruling that halted construction last month, just days after Ottawa purchased the existing pipeline from Kinder Morgan for $4.5B.

I know that for many residents in Penticton and across B.C., the prospect of the Liberal government spending over $10 billion of taxpayers money to build a pipeline is deeply troubling. A seven fold increase in tanker traffic not only increases the risk of an oil spill, which would be devastating for our coastline, but poses a direct threat to the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale, said Cannings in a news release.

But more than just the immediate risks, the rush to ship out raw, unrefined bitumen speaks to a government that is not committed to fighting climate change. Imagine what this money could do if it was invested in clean energy, electric vehicle infrastructure and incentives, and building retrofits, added Cannings. Instead of posing a direct threat to the thousands of jobs in the marine and tourism industries here in BC, we could be helping to build a low carbon economy.

SkeenaBulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen was a leader in the opposition of the ill-fated Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and introduced his own private-members bill proposing a ban on oil tanker traffic off the north coast years before the Trudeau government followed suit.

The town hall meeting will be held at the Penticton Public Library Auditorium on Friday Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.
An man who somehow got himself stuck inside a steam vent inside the Humboldt County courthouse was pulled out early Friday morning in Eureka.

According to a Facebook post, dispatchers for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office heard someone yelling from within a vent shaft around 4:45 a.m. Friday. But when firefighters arrived to get him out, he resisted rescue and "refused to come out." He also self-reported that he had injuries.
On a whale watching trip in Monterey Bay Thursday, the most exciting sight wasn't even a whale.

Sure, the group saw 45 humpback whales, two harbor porpoises and a killer whale, but there was an especially rare creature hiding among the approximately 200 Risso's dolphins they spotted frolicking in the water: an albino dolphin.

Pictures and video show how the albino dolphin's coloring dramatically differs from a typical Risso's dolphin. Its bright white color makes it stand out in the pack.

The albino appeared to be a juvenile, said Nancy Black, marine biologist with Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

ALSO: Video shows humpback whale defending her calf in intense 40-minute standoff

In June 2017, a baby white dolphin was spotted in Monterey Bay, though it appeared to have more yellow tones in its coloring than Thursday's visitor.

The drone video taken by Monterey Bay Whale Watch also shows sea lions munching on a Mola Mola sunfish and humpback whales lunge diving deep underwater.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.

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ABERDEEN, Md.  A 26-year-old woman reported to work Thursday at a Maryland warehouse and got into an argument, then used a gun to kill three people and wound several others before taking her own life, according to authorities and a witness account.

The suspect was a temporary employee at the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference. Gahlers officer later identified her as Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County.

She had reported for her workday as usual, and around 9 a.m. the shooting began, striking victims both outside the business and inside the facility, Gahler said. We do not at this time have a motive for this senseless crime.

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, works at the facility and told her told her that the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a town hall meeting.

And she went off, she said.

She didnt have a particular target. She was just shooting, Watson said as she drove away from a fire station where relatives tried to reunite with loved ones.

The sheriff said the call about shots fired came in at about 9:06 a.m. and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes. The shooting began outside the business and continued inside, he said.

It appears only one weapon was used  a 9 mm Glock handgun that was registered in Moseleys name  and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Gahler said.

The sheriff said three victims were fatally shot and three more were wounded but expected to survive. They were not immediately identified. Moseley died at a hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Gahler said.

Susan Henderson, spokeswoman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the building where the shooting took place as a support facility adjacent to a larger building. The company said in a statement that the facility had been closed temporarily and grief counselors will be made available to workers.

The company didnt immediately respond to an inquiry about Moseleys employment history.

The attack came nearly three months after a man armed with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Md., killing five staff members.

David McFadden and Michael Kunzelman are Associated Press writers.
WASHINGTON  In a rare retreat, President Trump on Friday reversed himself and said he was no longer demanding that documents related to the Russia investigation be immediately declassified and released to the public.

Taking to Twitter on Friday morning, Trump said that instead of an immediate release, Justice Department officials would review the documents, adding that in the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary.

Less than a week ago, Trump had ordered that law enforcement and intelligence agencies declassify and release the documents, which include text messages about the Russia inquiry, along with other documents related to the surveillance of a former Trump aide.

A White House statement Monday said the president had called for the immediate declassification of materials that officials used to authorize surveillance of the aide, Carter Page. The president also ordered the release of unredacted text messages sent by current and former law enforcement officials whom Trump has accused of being part of a deep-state conspiracy against him.

Ordering the release of the documents was a cause celebre for Trumps most fervent supporters on Capitol Hill and at conservative media outlets, who have been claiming that the release of the documents would help prove a liberal plot to undermine Trump.

The presidents abrupt reversal could anger those supporters if they view the decision as evidence that Trump exhibited weakness by caving to pressure from within his own administration.

In his tweets, Trump said Justice Department officials had agreed to release the unredacted documents, but had also warned of what the president called a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe.

The president also said in the tweet that key Allies had called to urge him not to declassify the documents.

The material includes direct references to conversations between U.S. law enforcement officials and Christopher Steele, the former British spy who compiled a dossier alleging ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Michael D. Shear is a New York Times writer.
Photo: Proactive Investors Ascent Industries' Philip Campbell will be a keynote speaker.

It is almost time for the legalization of retail marijuana in Canada, and Pretium Group realizes there is plenty of opportunity on the business side of the industry.

Thats why the Vernon-based business firm will be hosting the Okanagan Cannabis Business Symposium on Tuesday at the Delta Grand Okanagan Conference Centre in downtown Kelowna. It is nearly sold out.

Pretium president Sherman Dahl knew something needed to be done when he noticed one recent morning that more shares of Canopy Growth, a cannabis industry leader from Smiths Falls, Ont., had been traded than those of Canadas five major banks combined.

The cannabis sector has exploded, Dahl said. The investor interest in this is stunning, and we sort of recognized there was no event of its kind in the Okanagan.

We just thought there was an opportunity to get investors together with the individual companies, both public and private.

Pretium has tried to cover every angle of the cannabis industry for Tuesdays symposium, and it has a long list of distinguished and respected players lined up to attend. Some of the participants include Philip Campbell, the co-founder of Ascent Industries, Darcy Bamford, the CEO of True Leaf Medicine, and Cintas, a global player in the uniform and laundry business.

The addition of Cintas highlights the economic impact legalization is going to bring to not only cannabis producers but also the broad spectrum of cannabis-related suppliers across a range of services and sectors of the economy, conference director and Pretium marketing vice-president Paula Harned said.

For more on this story, visit Okanagan Edge.
WASHINGTON  Christine Blasey Ford would testify next week to the Senate about her accusation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her when both were high school students if agreement can be reached to terms that are fair and which ensure her safety, a Ford attorney told the Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

The message and positive tone of the attorneys email breathed new life into the possibility that the panel would hold a dramatic hearing at which both Ford and Kavanaugh could give their versions of what happened at a party in the 1980s in a Maryland suburb of Washington. The allegation has jarred Kavanaughs prospects for winning Senate confirmation to be a justice, which until Fords emergence last week had seemed all but certain.

Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has scheduled a hearing for Monday morning, and he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have indicated Monday would be Fords only chance to make her case.

Kavanaugh, whos been eager to testify, said he was ready to appear Monday.

Katz reiterated that Ford, now a psychology professor at Palo Alto University, has received death threats and for safety reasons has relocated her family.

She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety, Katz wrote in the email, which was obtained by The Associated Press after first being reported by The New York Times.

The email was a sharp turnabout from statements by Ford and her lawyers in the past few days, in which her insistence on an FBI investigation of her allegations and other demands had cast strong doubts on her willingness to appear. Because of that, it had become unclear whether Republicans would even hold the hearing.

The email said Fords strong preference remains that the committee permit a thorough investigation of her claim before she appears. But that wording fell short of a non-negotiable demand.

Late Thursday, a Senate aide says Fords lawyer told the Judiciary Committee she prefers to testify next Thursday, doesnt want Kavanaugh in the room and wants to be questioned by senators, not an outside counsel. She also wants the committee to subpoena Mark Judge, who Ford has said was present for the alleged assault.

Grassley had said that in the interest of making Ford comfortable, hed be willing to let Ford testify in public or private. He offered to send committee aides to her California home to take testimony.

Alan Fram and Lisa Mascaro are Associated Press writers.
After President Donald Trump questioned the credibility of the woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, thousands of people took to social media Friday to share the reasons they did not report their sexual assaults.

Trump's Friday tweet marked a sharp departure from the days after the accusations of Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, first came to light. Ford claims Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were both teenagers.

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Trump said in the tweet.

The statement produced widespread backlash from celebrities and Democratic lawmakers. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport began trending on Twitter by Friday afternoon after thousands of people revealed the reasons they did not contact authorities.

Alyssa Milano, an actress who has been an outspoken advocate for the #MeToo Movement, said by tweet that she was sexually assaulted twice, once as a teenager.

"I never filed a police report and it took me 30 years to tell my parents," she wrote, accompanied by the #WhyIDidntReport hashtag.

Actress Ashley Judd recalled being sexually assaulted at age 7. "I told the first adults I came upon," she wrote by tweet. "They said, 'Oh, he's a nice old man, that's not what he meant.' So when I was raped at 15, I only told my diary. When an adult read it, she accused me of having sex with an adult man."

Reactions to the #WhyIDidntReport hashtag are compiled in the above gallery.

In a Washington Post report on Sunday, Ford said Kavanaugh tried to force himself on her during a party, attempted to remove her clothes and covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream. Ford initially reported the allegations to Rep. Anna Eschoo, D-Calif., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Kavanaugh has denied the claims. In a statement released through the White House Monday, 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."

Kavanaugh said he plans to appear for a Monday hearing to respond to the allegations against him.

A source close to Ford told the Associated Press that she plans to meet with the FBI in San Francisco about death threats she's received since coming forward.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

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LAS VEGAS  His own political fortunes intrinsically linked to his party holding control of Congress, President Trump on Thursday offered full-throated support for the most vulnerable incumbent Republican senator, while unleashing a torrent of grievances against Democrats and the news media and claiming they are sabotaging his administration.

Trump, appearing at a boisterous rally in Las Vegas, defended his embattled Supreme Court justice nominee, touted the booming stock market, cited progress in talks with North Korea and pledged to build his long-promised border wall, while also making the pitch for Nevada to re-elect Sen. Dean Heller. The president noted that he and Heller  who once said he vehemently opposed Trump  did not always get along.
Photo: The Canadian Press The Sutton 1971 coal ash basin is seen Sept. 21, 2018, near Wilmington, N.C.

Florence's floodwaters breached a dam holding back a large reservoir at a Wilmington power plant Friday, and coal ash from an adjacent dump could be flowing into the nearby Cape Fear River.

Duke Energy spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said the company does not believe the breach at the L.V. Sutton Power Station poses a significant threat for increased flooding to nearby communities because the river is already running high after the hurricane.

Floodwaters from the Cape Fear opened several breaches overnight in the earthen dam at Sutton Lake, a 1,100-acre (445-hectare) reservoir at the power plant. Water from the lake then flooded one of three large coal ash dumps lining the lakeshore.

Sheehan said the company can't rule out that ash might be escaping from the flooded dump and washing into the river.

Grey material that the company characterized as "coal combustion byproducts" could be seen floating in both the lake and river Friday.

The ash left over when coal is burned to generate electricity contains an array of components, including mercury, lead, arsenic and other toxic heavy metals. Duke said Friday that the inundated basin at the plant contains about 400,000 cubic yards (305,820 cubic meters) of ash.

Floodwaters at the site were continuing to rise Friday. The area received more than 30 inches (75 centimetres) of rain from former Hurricane Florence, with the Cape Fear River expected to crest Saturday.

North Carolina's top environmental regulator said the extent of the potential environmental harm is not yet known.

"What we don't know at this point is if any coal ash has filtered into the Cape Fear River," said Mike Regan, secretary for the state Department of Environmental Quality. "We plan to conduct flyovers ... to see if we can ascertain that."

Security personnel for Duke blocked access Friday to Sutton Lake Road, which leads to a public dock on the reservoir, a popular local destination for boating and fishing.

Duke denied a request for an Associated Press reporter at the scene Friday to pass the barricade, saying that the situation at the lake "continues to change" and is "not safe." Aerial photos released by the company showed a wide breach in the earthen dam and the affected ash dump largely underwater.
Photo: CTV

Police say a pedestrian was seriously injured Friday morning in downtown Vancouver after a carjacking that ended with the arrest of a suspect and multiple collisions.

Const. Jason Doucette says police received a call at about 8:40 a.m. from a motorist who reported being pepper sprayed in a downtown parking lot by someone who took off with his car.

Doucette says the suspect drove erratically through the downtown, causing numerous collisions and also striking the pedestrian, who was rushed to hospital.

Police say the pedestrian's injuries are serious but not life-threatening.

After the car came to a stop, Doucette says the carjacker jumped out of the vehicle and was chased by construction workers, who were also pepper sprayed.

Doucette says the group was able to hold the man until police arrived.

He says a 27-year-old man has been arrested and several charges will be recommended against him.

Police say the car was stolen at Cambie and Pender streets and ended up in the area of West Georgia and Hamilton, about three blocks away.
The United States has welcomed India's acceptance of Pakistan's proposal for a meeting between of the foreign ministers of the countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), calling it 'terrific news'.

While addressing a press conference, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, "I think that's terrific news for the Indians and Pakistanis to be able to sit down and have a conversation together."

Citing the letters exchanged between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Nauert added that the conditions will hopefully boost bilateral relationship in the future.

"We saw the reports about the positive messages being exchanged between Pak PM and PM Modi. We hope that the conditions will be set for a good, strong relationship, a good, strong bilateral relationship in the future," she said.

These comments come a day after Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, at a press briefing, announced that India has accepted Pakistan's proposal for a meeting between Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

He said the two leaders will meet at a mutually convenient date and time.

However, Kumar also clarified that the meeting between the counterparts does not imply resumption of dialogue or talks with Pakistan.

Imran Khan, in a letter to Prime Minister Modi, had proposed a meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi, on the sidelines of the UNGA.

In the letter, Khan also called for the resumption of the comprehensive bilateral dialogue between the two countries.

-ANI
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A woman critically injured after being hit by a truck Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood has died, officials with the city's medical examiner's office said today.



The victim has been identified as Marlene Aron, 75, of San Francisco.



The collision occurred around 2:50 p.m. near the corner of Cortland Avenue and Ellsworth Street, police said.



A large truck traveling on Cortland Avenue struck Aron as she was walking in the crosswalk. Aron was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.



The truck's driver remained at the scene and was not arrested, according to police.



According to a Facebook profile, Aron was an artist and was going to have her work on display at The Reclaimed Room at 701 Amador St. in San Francisco, beginning on Friday.





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A Benicia man who worked for 25 years at the University of California, Berkeley was arrested Thursday in Berkeley on suspicion of sexually assaulting 10 women in at least six counties between 1991 and 2006.



Law enforcement agencies and district attorneys from the counties announced the arrest of Roy Charles Waller, 58, allegedly the so-called Nor-Cal Rapist, at a news conference in Sacramento this morning.



DNA evidence linked Waller to a sexual assault that occurred in October 2006 in Sacramento, the Sacramento Police Department said in a news release.



Waller is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon in Sacramento County Superior Court on 12 felony charges, some of which carry life prison terms, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. He is in main Sacramento County Jail on no bail status.



The alleged rapes occurred in Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Butte and Sacramento counties. The first assaults happened in Rohnert Park in 1991 and in Sonoma in 1992. The most recent was in Sacramento in 2006, law enforcement officials said at the new conference.



Waller entered homes late at night, overcame or bound women and committed repeated sexual assaults, law enforcement officials said. He ransacked homes and took some of the property or took the victims to an ATM machine to get cash, officials said.



Law enforcement officials described the 27-year investigation as complicated.



"The answer has always been in the DNA," Schubert said.





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ALAMEDA (BCN)



Visitors to the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum in Alameda Saturday can get in free as part of Smithsonian magazine's 14th annual Museum Day, officials with the Hornet said.



Admission is free with a downloadable ticket available at www.Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay.



More than 250,000 people downloaded tickets last year. This year's theme is "Women Making History," which honors women who are trailblazers in science, the arts, innovation and culture and who embolden others to blaze trails of their own.



Also, on exhibit at the Hornet through Oct. 14, is a Smithsonian traveling exhibition titled "Mail Call," which explores the history of the U.S. military postal system and looks at how even today troops overseas still treasure the letters and packages they get from home.





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Responding to a viral cell-phone video showing a Pittsburg police officer throwing a man to the ground and punching him repeatedly last weekend, police on Thursday released body-cam video to show the officers' point of view.



The department addressed the video on social media, posting on its Twitter and Facebook pages.



"We are aware of a video circulating on social media that shows disturbing cellphone video of Pittsburg Police Officers making an arrest," the post states. "Some who've viewed the video mistakenly believe the suspect was handcuffed - but he was not.



"Several citizens have brought this video, which has limited audio and was taken from a distance, to our attention," the post continued. "It is important to note that often a single video does not tell the full story."



The incident took place Saturday when police received a call about a man walking along Power Avenue holding a cup of gasoline, possibly stealing gas from parked cars. Police say an officer arrived on the scene and approached a 31-year-old man matching the suspect's description and who appeared to be concealing something in the pocket of his large puffy jacket.



The man's name has not been released, but police said he has had previous contact with Pittsburg officers.



In the body-cam video, the officer is seen asking the man to drop whatever is in his hand and to keep his hands out of his pockets. He asks if the man has been stealing gas and if the officer could check to see what's in the man's backpack. The man takes off the pack and hands it to the officer but then slides a crowbar out from his sleeve and refuses to drop it, spreading his arms wide and saying, "shoot me, shoot me."



The officer backs up and pulls out his weapon, continuing to tell the man to drop the crowbar, shouting "Drop it, dude, just f---ing drop it!" When a second officer arrives, the man throws the crowbar on the ground, but refuses to comply with officers' multiple commands to get on the ground.



That's when the officers take the man to the ground in a scuffle, shouting, "Dude, stop resisting!" They then deliver punches in a technique police call "distraction blows" meant to get a suspect to bring his hands back for cuffing. Police say he was not cuffed when the punches were thrown.



The man received cuts to his face and later received medical treatment, police said. He was arrested for resisting arrest and for probation violations.



"Officers do believe he is the man who stole the gas, but the theft investigation is still ongoing," the department's post said. An internal investigation was launched to determine if the use of force was appropriate, police said.



The body-cam footage is available online at https://youtu.be/uUbmf4VbnfE.







A structure fire Thursday in Soquel severely damaged a home and displaced four residents.



Firefighters responded Thursday at 7:52 p.m. to a residence on Tola Ranch Road on a report of a structure fire and a burning vehicle.



Responding crews located a single family home on fire with flames coming from all the windows of the residence.



There was also a vehicle burning in a carport adjacent to the home.



Four residents, two adults and one child, had already safely evacuated the residence.



Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby wild land and were able to contain the blaze in about 20 minutes.



It took four hours for crews to have the fire under control.



The home sustained extensive damage and has been deemed uninhabitable.



Firefighters said the residents of the home reported they initially discovered the fire in the carport after hearing popping and banging noises coming from the area after arriving home.



An exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.







A woman who was killed in a hit-and-run in San Jose on Thursday has been identified as 77-year-old Uma Vishwabhan, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.



The crash happened at 7:33 p.m. in the area of Vistapark and Copperfield drives in South San Jose, according to police.



Vishwabhan was walking across Vistapark Drive when a dark blue minivan or SUV hit her, police said. The vehicle then fled the scene.



Vishwabhan was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead a short while later, police said. Officers have not yet identified or arrested the suspect.







Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed a bill to extend a pilot program allowing the state's community colleges to offer four-year bachelor's degree programs in specific fields.



Senate Bill 1406, introduced by State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, extends the program through July 2026, allowing students to begin a bachelor's degree program as late as the 2022-23 academic year, Hill said in a statement.



Three community colleges in the Bay Area are participating in the program: Foothill College in Los Altos, offering a degree program in dental hygiene, Skyline College in San Bruno, offering a program in respiratory care and Solano Community College in Vacaville, offering a degree in biomanufacturing.







A probation search Thursday led to the arrest of a Santa Rosa man for allegedly possessing a handgun and ammunition in his residence.



Santa Rosa police gang crimes detectives were conducting a probation search at a residence in the 900 block of Clark Street around 3:20 p.m. when Ricky Ponce, 23, of Santa Rosa, got out of his vehicle in the driveway, police said.



Ponce was detained while detectives searched him, his residence and vehicle.



Detectives found a loaded and modified handgun equipped to attach a silencer, a high capacity magazine, additional ammunition for the handgun, ammunition for a shotgun and additional ammunition in a diaper bag, police said.



Ponce was arrested and booked in the Sonoma County jail for possession of an assault weapon, high capacity magazine and violation of probation, police said.



Police said Ponce is a known gang participant.







New outdoor fun is set to open at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, including six campsites for urban outdoor getaways with amazing bay views.



The campsites - developed in partnership by California State Parks and Literacy for Environmental Justice, will be available as of Oct. 1. Reserving a spot in advance is recommended, as park officials expect the sites will be popular.



The campsites complement the point's existing recreational opportunities such as trails, fishing piers and picnic sites and are part of a multi-phase plan to enhance the point.



Other improvements to the recreation area include improved trail conditions to provide ADA access to the campsites and new interpretive panels telling how humans have shaped the shoreline over time.

























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Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed a bill to extend a pilot program allowing the state's community colleges to offer four-year bachelor's degree programs in specific fields.



Senate Bill 1406, introduced by State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, extends the program through July 2026, allowing students to begin a bachelor's degree program as late as the 2022-23 academic year, Hill said in a statement.



Three community colleges in the Bay Area are participating in the program: Foothill College in Los Altos, offering a degree program in dental hygiene, Skyline College in San Bruno, offering a program in respiratory care and Solano Community College in Vacaville, offering a degree in biomanufacturing.



The bill "is about the future workforce in our state and bringing greater opportunities for higher education within reach of more students, close to their homes and at much less cost," Hill said.



California is one of 23 states allowing community colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A man charged with involuntary manslaughter and numerous gun offenses for fatally shooting his friend last week in San Francisco will be released from custody, a judge ruled today.



Jose Manuel Beltran, 28, is accused of shooting Victor Sosa, 23, on Sept. 15, around 2:35 a.m. in the 1100 block of Polk Street, following a night of excessive drinking. Sosa, who was driving when he was shot, was pronounced dead at the scene.



During his arraignment this morning, Beltran pleaded not guilty to the charges.



His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Bonnie Chan, said that the shooting was an accident. Arguing for his release, she said that although Beltran initially fled the scene, he eventually turned himself in to police later that day.



Judge Robert Foley agreed to release Beltran on his own recognizance with ankle monitoring and under a no alcohol and no weapons condition. He's set to return to court on Oct. 10.



According to prosecutors, on the night before the shooting and into the early morning, Beltran, Sosa and a female friend had been drinking at a bar.



Beltran later allegedly admitted to investigators that prior to meeting up with Sosa and the woman, he had been drinking heavily that day and was carrying an illegally purchased, loaded 9mm handgun, which he said he carried daily for protection.



Around 2 a.m., the trio left the bar and Sosa drove the two to Polk Street, where Beltran allegedly said he knew of a place that would sell them alcohol after hours.



As the three drove on Polk Street, with Sosa driving, the woman sitting in the front passenger's seat and Beltran sitting in the back, Beltran allegedly removed his gun from his waistband because it was uncomfortable.



Beltran then began waiving around the gun to the tune of music playing in the car. The woman in the front witnessed Beltran waiving the gun and told him to put it away, prosecutors said.



The gun suddenly went off with at least one bullet striking Sosa in the torso. Sosa cried out and blood began seeping from his body, according to prosecutors.



Sosa's car, a black Toyota Corolla, then collided with a gray Honda Civic, police said. The female passenger, who was uninjured, was able to stop Sosa's car and began screaming for help.



Prosecutors said Beltran immediately began apologizing for shooting Sosa, before taking off and discarding the weapon along the way.



The female passenger told responding officers that there was no animosity between Sosa and Beltran and said she believed the shooting was an accident, prosecutors said.



Later that day, Beltran turned himself in to police, admitting that he was drunk at the time of the shooting.



He also admitted to making gestures with the gun but said he had no idea how it went off. Beltran told investigators where he discarded the gun and investigators were able to retrieve it, according to prosecutors.



In 2009, Beltran was convicted of carrying a concealed handgun.



According to a GoFundMe page set up for Sosa - father to a young son - his family is devastated by his death.



They're seeking donations for expenses related to his funeral at https://www.gofundme.com/64mm6ps. The account had raised $3,885 as of this morning.





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OAKLAND (BCN)



An Oakland man was convicted today of first-degree murder and other charges for the fatal shooting of a San Francisco Municipal Railway bus driver outside a bar in unincorporated San Leandro two years ago.



Jurors deliberated for about a day before announcing their verdict against 36-year-old Sophy Kong for the shooting of Sukia Jackson, 43, of Foster City outside the Shooter's Lounge and Bar in the 1500 block of 150th Avenue in unincorporated San Leandro at about 2 a.m. on June 4, 2016.



Kong was also convicted of the special circumstance of lying in wait and two counts of premeditated attempted murder for shooting at two other men and wounding one of them.



Kong, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity after charges were filed against him, is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 2, when there will be a separate sanity phase in his trial in which the same jurors will decide whether he was sane at the time of the shooting.



In his closing argument in the guilt phase of Kong's trial on Wednesday, his lawyer, James Reilly, said Kong should be found not guilty because he was blacked out and in an unconscious state when the shooting occurred and he doesn't remember anything about it.



Reilly told jurors, "Make no mistake about it, it's clear that he (Kong) shot Mr. Jackson."



But Reilly said, "If you find he (Kong) was unconscious at the time he shot Mr. Jackson it's a complete defense."



Reilly said Kong, who was born in Cambodia and lived in Thailand for a time before he came to the U.S., bought a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun because he felt he needed to protect his family after hallucinating and hearing threatening voices in his head.



The defense lawyer said Kong has suffered from mental health issues since 2012.



Reilly said Kong was "semi-homeless" at the time of the shooting and occasionally stayed with his mother, his sister and his girlfriend, with whom he had a child who's now 3 years old.



Alameda County prosecutor Danielle Hilton told jurors in her closing argument that Kong should be found guilty as charged.





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OAKLAND (BCN)



A man was sentenced today to 35 years to life in state prison for fatally shooting another man while the victim was eating his dinner and drinking beer as he was sitting in a car in East Oakland two years ago.



Danny Hogg, 20, was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of Arturo Barrera Rodriguez, 43, in the 3700 block of Penniman Avenue at about 10:12 p.m. on June 9, 2016.



Prosecutor Alex Hernandez alleged during Hogg's trial that Hogg killed Rodriguez because he wanted to steal Rodriguez's necklace.



Hernandez said Rodriguez was murdered "for money in an unprovoked, unjustified shooting."



Hernandez said Rodriguez had just finished working at a job in Berkeley and on his way back to his home in Oakland he picked up some food at a Taco Bell restaurant and was eating his food and drinking beer with two other men in a car they parked in the 3700 block of Penniman Avenue.



The prosecutor said Hogg lived nearby, was armed with a loaded concealed firearm and was wearing a mask, a hoodie and latex gloves as he walked with a friend to a corner store to buy a product for rolling and smoking marijuana.



Hernandez said after Hogg and his friend left the store they walked past the car where Rodriguez was eating and drinking with his companions and then walked over to the car, put a gun to Rodriguez's face and tried to steal his necklace.



Hernandez said that when Hogg was unable to steal the necklace quickly he shot Rodriguez at point-blank range without any interaction or provocation.



Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene.



Hogg's lawyer Francesca Serrano didn't deny that Hogg shot Rodriguez but said the shooting occurred only after there was "a struggle" at the window of the car in which Rodriguez and the other two men were sitting.



Serrano also said there wasn't any evidence that Hogg was reaching or grabbing for Rodriguez's necklace and said alcohol was thrown in Hogg's face during a struggle at the window.



Serrano told jurors, "This loss of life was not a murder and Mr. Hogg cannot be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in this case."



After Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gloria Rhynes sentenced Hogg today she walked up to one of his friends and scolded him for laughing when Rodriguez's family members spoke about how they've been devastated by his death.



Rhynes told the man, "Don't do that again. Your conduct was inexcusable."





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OAKLAND (BCN)



Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf thanked Gov. Jerry Brown today for signing a bill that allows her city to lease public land for future homeless centers.



Schaaf said Assembly Bill 3139, which she sponsored and was authored by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Alameda, allows Oakland to lease up to 10 unused Caltrans parcels for $1 per month.



She said the parcels give Oakland new options to pursue outdoor emergency shelters.



"Finding vacant parcels to set up emergency outdoor shelters, such as Oakland's Tuff Shed cabin communities, has proven to be a time-consuming and expensive obstacle in our community's response to the homeless crisis," Schaaf said in a statement.



Bonta said, "Housing is a basic human need and a basic human right. Too many Californians are suffering without shelter."



Bonta said, "This legislation is a great example of state and local leaders working together to devise a creative solution in one city for one of our most pressing problems."



There currently are an estimated 2,500 unsheltered people in Oakland, according to Bonta.



Schaaf said the three outdoor sites that Oakland has set up for the homeless are a compassionate and temporary intervention strategy designed to help people get onto a path to housing.



She said the long-term solution to homelessness is more permanent affordable housing and adequate care for residents.



Bonta said if AB 3139 hadn't been approved and signed the cost to lease the Caltrans parcels in Oakland would have been full market rate, which he said would have been cost-prohibitive and resulted in the land remaining vacant, blighted and a nuisance.



He said once the parcels are leased, the city of Oakland can provide aid in the form of temporary housing and/or food distribution.



Bonta said, "AB 3139 will provide another tool in the toolbox to help the city of Oakland address the growing homeless crisis. By leasing these parcels of land for emergency shelters or food service programs, we can tangibly help the many people in our community who need vital assistance."





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SANTA ROSA (BCN)



A probation search Thursday led to the arrest of a Santa Rosa man for allegedly possessing a handgun and ammunition in his residence.



Santa Rosa police gang crimes detectives were conducting a probation search at a residence in the 900 block of Clark Street around 3:20 p.m. when Ricky Ponce, 23, of Santa Rosa, got out of his vehicle in the driveway, police said.



Ponce was detained while detectives searched him, his residence and vehicle.



Detectives found a loaded and modified handgun equipped to attach a silencer, a high capacity magazine, additional ammunition for the handgun, ammunition for a shotgun and additional ammunition in a diaper bag, police said.



Ponce was arrested and booked in the Sonoma County jail for possession of an assault weapon, high capacity magazine and violation of probation, police said.



Police said Ponce is a known gang participant.





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CUPERTINO (BCN)



The Cupertino City Council voted Wednesday night to approve a potential plan for the revival of Vallco Mall, a nearly 50-year-old property left vacant and neglected during the last two decades.



Developer Sand Hill Property Company, which owns Vallco Mall, can now decide between its own plan for "Vallco Town Center," modeled under affordable housing regulations in California's Senate Bill 35, or the plan formulated by the city and community, called the Specific Plan.



The two plans vary in the number of housing units, commercial property space and regulations. The city plan offers the option of 2,923 residential units, while the SB 35 plan contains 2,402 residential units with the requirement that 50 percent be affordable. The city plan also has stipulations for affordable housing, and both allow for about 2 million square feet of office and commercial space.



The City Council began the process nearly a year ago of creating the Specific Plan to ensure community input in the Vallco project, according to Sand Hill managing director Reed Moulds.



City Council members and the mayor were split over approving two versions of the Specific Plan, which culminated after 14 hours of discussion, public comment and back-and-forths between two meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.



Ultimately, Mayor Darcy Paul and Councilman Steven Scharf voted against the housing-dense Specific Plan while Councilmembers Savita Vaidhyanathan, Barry Chang and Rod Sinks voted in support.



Vallco Mall was built in the 1970s and is located about 1 mile south of the Apple campus. Despite boasting prime real estate, it suffered in the last two decades as big-name department stores shut their doors.



The complex currently houses a bowling alley, an ice rink, a fitness club and two restaurants, and Sand Hill will decide on a case-by-case basis which businesses will be integrated into the new plan.



Sand Hill has not yet announced which plan it will choose, but Moulds said at the meeting on Tuesday that he prefers a plan backed by enthusiastic community support.



Sand Hill Properties submitted its own plan for SB-35 approval on March 27. The 180-day processing deadline ends this week, according to company spokesman Matt Larson, and the company can begin construction and demolition as soon as next week.



Unlike the city's plan, the plan based on SB 35 does not require any community benefits, such as donations to Cupertino Unified School District or open space regulations. Moulds said, however, that the company plans to give the school district a $14.25 million cash gift and educational infrastructure at the Vallco Town Center.



The SB 35 plan is also immune to a referendum, according to Larson, while the city-approved plan could be overturned. Better Cupertino, a political action committee that has strongly opposed the Specific Plan, began collecting signatures this morning for a referendum.



The group says it supports below-market-rate, or BMR, and inclusionary housing, which both plans feature heavily, but called Vallco Town Center an oversized, "office-heavy" project.



"VTC is not a housing project, not an affordable housing project, but an office-heavy project, which uses BMR units to sugarcoat its huge office park," the group said in a statement today.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A member of the San Francisco Unified School District's Board of Education is proposing that the district do away with its school lottery system.



According to school board commissioner Matt Haney, the lottery system, which was intended to reduce segregation in schools, is not working.



"After years of failed goals and frustrated parents, we've got to accept that the lottery system isn't working," Haney said in a statement. "It's time to move on.



"The lottery system was created with specific goals and it has accomplished none of them. It hasn't desegregated our schools. It hasn't provided equity in choice. And it hasn't been transparent or accountable to families," he said.



Haney is set to introduce a resolution at Tuesday's school board meeting that in addition to ending the lottery system, would develop a "community-based student assignment system" that ensures that students are secured a spot in elementary schools within a defined area.



Furthermore, the resolution calls for families to have access to an elementary school within a reasonable distance and accessible by public transit, access to a diverse and high-quality school and access to a school where a sibling attends. Families would also be able to make the final decision about where their child attends school, with the entire process being transparent.



"We've seen school districts across the country successfully use a community-based school assignment system including our neighbors in Berkeley," Haney said. "The reality is that San Francisco is a small, dense city. We can draw lines that cross neighborhoods and actually create diverse community areas that do a better job of desegregating our schools than the current system."



The current lottery system was put in place in 2008 and works using an algorithm.



In January, families with children starting kindergarten are asked to list their top choices for more than 70 San Francisco schools.



The algorithm then chooses a school for the student, considering factors such as geographic location, test scores in their area and whether a sibling attends schools on their list.



Families are notified in March of the school chosen, with the families then having the option of staying with that school, taking a chance on a second or third round lottery pick, or leaving the school district altogether.



Data from the 2015-2016 school year showed that 30 San Francisco schools have a student population made up of more than 60 percent of one race. A recent study also showed that the city's neighborhoods are more diverse than the schools located in them, Haney's office said.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



New outdoor fun is set to open at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, including six campsites for urban outdoor getaways with amazing bay views.



The campsites - developed in partnership by California State Parks and Literacy for Environmental Justice, will be available as of Oct. 1. Reserving a spot in advance is recommended, as park officials expect the sites will be popular.



The campsites complement the point's existing recreational opportunities such as trails, fishing piers and picnic sites and are part of a multi-phase plan to enhance the point.



Other improvements to the recreation area include improved trail conditions to provide ADA access to the campsites and new interpretive panels telling how humans have shaped the shoreline over time.



For more information and to plan a visit to Candlestick Point, visit www.parks.ca.gov/CandlestickPoint.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Police in San Francisco have arrested a suspect in connection with several recent armed robberies in the city's Portola District.



Michael Crayton, 29, of Antioch, was arrested Sept. 14 on suspicion of five counts or robbery, two counts of battery with serious injuries and one count of aggravated assault, according to the San Francisco Police Department.



Police said Crayton approached women walking by themselves and used force when committing the robberies.



Police have linked him to robberies that occurred on Sept. 5 on Bacon and Hamilton streets, Sept. 7 in the 500 block of Holyoke Street, Sept. 9 on Bacon and University streets and Sept. 10 on Woolsey and Girard streets.



Following Crayton's arrest, police served search warrants for his residence in Antioch and for his vehicle and discovered evidence linking him to an unreported robbery that occurred on Sept. 11, police said.





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LIVERMORE (BCN)



Firefighters are battling a vegetation blaze this afternoon in the area of Airway Boulevard and Isabel Avenue in Livermore, near the state Highway 84 exit off Interstate Highway 580, according to the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department.



In a tweet at 3:32 p.m., firefighters said, "Multiple fire units are working to contain this fire. Please use caution in the area."



No other details were immediately available.





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For the second time this month, President Donald Trump called out California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom during a campaign rally, and the former mayor of San Francisco responded.

During a Thursday night rally in Nevada for incumbent Republican Sen. Dean Heller, Trump called Newsom a "clown" who "wants open borders."

"Democrats want to give welfare and free health care to illegal aliens," Trump said. "How about this clown in California who's running for governor? He wants open borders and then he wants to give them health care, education, everything."

After the rally concluded, Newsom took to Twitter to compare Trump to Pennywise, the villainous clown in Stephen King's "It."

"lol, hi @realDonaldTrump," Newsom tweeted with a clown emoji. "Interesting description coming from the guy who is literally locking up kids like Pennywise."

MORE NEWSOM: Gavin Newsom finally addresses Kimberly Guilfoyle's relationship with Donald Trump Jr.

Newsom has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration's policy of separating children from their parents at the border. In "It," an ancient demon takes the form of a clown named Pennywise and feasts on the fears of children.

Two weeks ago, Trump took aim at Newsom for his proposal to to have California pay for universal health care for state's undocumented immigrants.

"How about the governor, governorship of California," Trump said in an attempt to refer to Newsom. "He just announced that he wants to open borders, and he wants to let anybody come in that wants to. And then he wants to pay for all medical, all school."

RELATED: Candidates for California governor agree to radio debate

Newsom fired back with, "Hey, @realDonaldTrump -- Next time you call me and my policies out, have the guts to @ me and we can have a chat."

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter
LONDON  British Prime Minister Theresa May accused the European Union on Friday of creating an impasse in divorce negotiations by bluntly rejecting her blueprint for Brexit, sending the value of the pound falling as worries about a chaotic British exit from the EU soared.

With British newspapers declaring that May had been humiliated by EU leaders, the prime minister used a televised statement from 10 Downing St. to insist she was prepared to take Britain out of the bloc without a deal if it did not treat the country with more respect.
KLAK, Slovakia  A priest in the conservative Roman Catholic stronghold of Slovakia has challenged the churchs celibacy rules, voicing his dissent at a time when clerical celibacy is once again a topic of debate amid ongoing sex abuse scandals.

The Rev. Michal Lajcha has written a book in two versions  one for theologians, the other for the laity  that asserts the church would benefit greatly if married men were allowed to be ordained and celibacy were made voluntary.

In The Tragedy of Celibacy  The Death of the Wife, Lajcha called celibacy a festering wound in the church and said that making it voluntary could also help prevent sex scandals.

The title is intentionally shocking and morbid: A married man can only be ordained in the church if he is a widower.

Thats the tragedy of celibacy, the dead wife, said Lajcha. Another priest, the Rev. Peter Lucian Balaz, co-authored the version of the book for theologians.

Lajcha argues that priests simply cant understand the troubles and worries of ordinary Catholic faithful since they inhabit such a different world.

The mission of the church is to be close to people. But how can I be close to people when I live such a radically different life? 34-year-old Lajcha asked. Theres a huge abyss between the clergy and the laypeople.

Its a point made recently by the Vaticans top family official, who made headlines when he said priests have no credibility when it comes to training others in marriage preparation, since they have no experience.

In the popular version of the book, Lajcha writes that a priest has no worries and also no joys as those people he should take care of spiritually.

Its like the difference between being on top of Mount Everest, and hearing a story about it, he wrote of the secondhand information priests have about the lives of their flock.

To make his point, he gives the example of the night he invited several men from his parish to watch a movie about a father who sacrifices his son to save the lives of passengers on a train. After some of the men were unable to hold back tears, Lajcha said he realized how harmful his celibacy had been for him, since he was only able to grasp a small idea of what it was like to be a father.

Lajcha doesnt propose the abolition of celibacy; only to make it voluntary.

His call is shared by many in the priesthood, including clergy in Ireland, Germany and the U.S., and prominent lay groups. They argue that the celibate priesthood is a tradition in the church dating from the 12th century, not doctrine, and therefore can be changed.

Pope Francis has made the same point, though in the 2012 book On Heaven and Earth, written when he was still a cardinal, he said that for now he favors maintaining it.

As pope, however, he has expressed an openness to ordaining married men, particularly to respond to the shortage of priests in places like the Amazon, where the faithful can go weeks at a time without Mass.

Karel Janicek is an Associated Press writer.
MALE, Maldives  As election officials made final preparations for nationwide elections in the Maldives, the European Union said it is not sending observers because the country has failed to meet the basic conditions for monitoring.

In the capital, Male, election commission spokesman Ahmed Akram said the country was fully prepared to hold a free and fair election on Sunday. But in neighboring Sri Lanka, exiled former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, a leader of the opposition, said Friday that the vote could be rigged.

A decade after Maldivians took to the streets to welcome democracy to the series of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, voters head to the ballot box in what has become a referendum on whether democracy will stay.

The Maldives third multiparty presidential election is being held five years after incumbent President Yameen Abdul Gayoom began consolidating power, rolling back press and individual freedoms, asserting control over independent governmental institutions and jailing or forcing major political rivals into exile.

There is a need to reorient ourselves and take stock of what we have lost, said Ahmed Tholal, a former member of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives. There is a need to ask ourselves if we are willing to allow the hard work of democratizing the country to go to waste.

Beyond the postcard image the Maldives has of luxury resorts and white sand beaches, the 400,000 citizens of the former British protectorate have struggled to maintain the democratic system established in 2008.

Yameen has jailed two former presidents including his half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the Maldives former strongman, his former vice president, two Supreme Court justices, two former defense ministers and scores of others after trials criticized for a lack of due process.

As protests culminating in violent confrontations with police and mass arrests have grown, opposition parties  many of them Yameens own former political partners  formed an alliance in exile with the aim of unseating him.

Transparency Maldives spokesman Aiman Rasheed said that Sundays vote is a referendum on authoritarianism versus freedom.

Yameens only contender in Sundays election is longtime lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who is backed by Nasheed.

Bharatha Mallawarachi and Krishan Francis are Associated Press writers.
DUBROVNIK, Croatia  Marc van Bloemen has lived in the old town of Dubrovnik, a Croatian citadel widely praised as the jewel of the Adriatic, for decades, since he was a child. He says it used to be a privilege. Now its a nightmare.

Crowds of tourists clog the entrances to the ancient walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as huge cruise ships unload thousands more daily. People bump into each other on the famous limestone-paved Stradun, the pedestrian street lined with medieval churches and palaces, as fans of the popular TV series Game of Thrones search for the locations where it was filmed.

Dubrovnik is a prime example of the effects of mass tourism, a global phenomenon in which the increase in people traveling means standout sites  particularly small ones  get overwhelmed by crowds. As the numbers of visitors keeps rising, local authorities are looking for ways to keep the throngs from killing off the towns charm.

Its beyond belief, its like living in the middle of Disneyland, says van Bloemen from his house overlooking the bustling Old Harbor in the shadows of the stone city walls.

On a typical day there are about eight cruise ships visiting this town of 2,500 people, each dumping some 2,000 tourists into the streets. He recalls one day when 13 ships anchored here.

We feel sorry for ourselves, but also for them (the tourists) because they cant feel the town anymore because they are knocking into other tourists, he said. Its chaos, the whole thing is chaos.

The problem is hurting Dubrovniks reputation. UNESCO warned last year that the citys world heritage title was at risk because of the surge in tourist numbers.

The popular Discoverer travel blog recently wrote that a visit to the historic town is a highlight of any Croatian vacation, but the crowds that pack its narrow streets and passageways dont make for a quality visitor experience.

It said that the extra attention the city gets from being a filming location for Game of Thrones combines with the cruise ship arrivals to create a problem of epic proportions.

It advises travelers to visit other quaint old towns nearby: Instead of trying to be one of the lucky ones who gets a ticket to Dubrovniks sites, try the delightful town of Ohrid in nearby Macedonia.

In 2017, local authorities announced a Respect the City plan that limits the number of tourists from cruise ships to a maximum of 4,000 at any one time during the day. The plan still has to be implemented, however.

Romana Vlasic, head of the towns tourist board, said that over 800,000 tourists visited Dubrovnik since the start of the year, a 6 percent increase from the same period last year. Overnight stays were up 4 percent to 3 million.

The cruise ships pay the city harbor docking fees, but the local businesses get very little money from the visitors, who have all-inclusive packages on board the ship and spend very little on local restaurants or shops.

Dusan Stojanovic is an Associated Press writer.
KAMPALA, Uganda  Hundreds of solemn people watched Friday as body after body was pulled from a capsized ferry that Tanzanian authorities said was badly overcrowded and upended in the final stretch before reaching shore. The death toll was above 130 but horrified witnesses feared that would rise as a second day of searching neared an end.

President John Magufuli announced days of national mourning and urged calm in the East African country with a history of deadly maritime disasters. A criminal investigation has begun.

In a televised address, the president said the ferry captain had been detained after leaving the steering to someone who wasnt properly trained, The Citizen newspaper reported.

The MV Nyereres capacity was 101 people but the ferry had been overloaded when it capsized Thursday afternoon, the governments Chief Secretary John Kijazi told reporters. He said those responsible will face charges.

At least 40 people had been rescued, he said, but the number on Friday barely rose. Dozens of security forces and volunteers wearing gloves and face masks had resumed work at daybreak after suspending efforts overnight, hauling bodies into wooden boats.

More than 200 people are feared dead, because passengers had been returning from a busy market day, said Tanzania Red Cross spokeswoman Godfrida Jola.

Tanzanian ferries often carry hundreds of passengers and are overcrowded, and shifts in weight as people move to disembark can become deadly. Images from the scene showed the ferrys exposed underside not far from shore.

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition.

In 1996, more than 800 people died when passenger and cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria.

Rodney Muhumuza is an Associated Press writer.
Page Content

Work-hours arrangements are one of the most important aspects of employment law, particularly in relation to attendance, rest and overtime compensation. Regulations in mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore vary significantly.

General Work Hours

In mainland China, laws concerning work hours are mainly included in the Labor Law and supplementary regulations. There are three types of regulations: the default standard system; the comprehensive system of calculating work hours on a weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual basis; and the flexible system. Work-time limits under the standard system are no more than eight hours a day and 40 hours a week. Implementation of the comprehensive system or the flexible system, however, is limited to certain positions and subject to prior approval from the labor authority.

The Hong Kong Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), or EO, provides some basic rules regarding rest days and specifying work hours in an employment contract for employees working under continuous contracts (i.e., employees who work at least 18 hours a week for a period of four weeks), but otherwise there are very limited work-hours laws in Hong Kong. The Minimum Wage Ordinance governs the minimum payment for hours worked (currently $34.50 in Hong Kong dollars, or about $4.40 per hour in U.S. dollars). It does not apply to live-in domestic workers, student interns or work-experience students.

In Singapore, work hour regulations are governed by the Singapore Employment Act (EA) and apply to a limited category of employees protected under the EA, called "protected employees." Protected employees are not required to work more than six consecutive hours without a break, more than eight hours per day or more than 44 hours per week. There are, however, provisos to this general rule to accommodate specific requirements of the job (e.g., when the work must be continuous) or when there is an agreement with the employee, which is also subject to certain limitations.

Rest

Under the standard and comprehensive systems, Chinese law requires employers to provide at least one rest day per week for employees. Under the standard system, it is common practice to designate the weekend as the weekly rest days. Work time under the flexible system is not fixed, though an employer must still ensure its employees have reasonable time to rest.

In Hong Kong, employees working under continuous contracts are entitled to one rest day of at least 24 hours every seven days. It is an offense for an employer to fail to provide rest days or to force an employee to work on a rest day, with a maximum penalty of HK$50,000, or about US$6,374, for either offense. There is no legislation on daily rest or meal breaks; however, the government has published a nonbinding guide on this, and it is common practice for employees to be permitted a one-hour lunch break in most industries. Doing so helps fulfil employers' obligation under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance to ensure the safety and health of employees at work.

Every protected employee in Singapore is allowed one rest day each week without pay, which is usually a Sunday or a day determined by the employer. There are some exceptions that allow the employer to substitute the rest day.

Maximum Work Hours and Overtime

In mainland China, overtime work under the standard system must not exceed three hours per day and 36 hours per month, and for the comprehensive system, the average overtime work during the calculation period must not exceed 36 hours per month. Overtime compensation is calculated on an hourly basis. Under the standard system, this is 150 percent of the basic rate on regular working days, 200 percent on rest days if compensatory time off cannot be arranged, and 300 percent on statutory holidays. In the comprehensive system, if the total work hours during a calculation period exceeds those for the same period under the standard system, compensation is also paid at 150 percent of the basic rate on regular working days and 300 percent on statutory holidays. In the flexible system, most cities do not request overtime payment, although some request 300 percent of the basic rate on statutory holidays.

There is currently no legislation in Hong Kong governing maximum work hours, other than for children (ages 13 to 15) and young people (ages 15 to 18). Children are not permitted to work during school hours, more than two hours on a school day, more than four hours on a day other than a school day, or more than eight hours on a day during the summer holidays. Young people are not allowed to work more than eight hours a day or 48 hours a week in industrial work. After every five hours of work, children must also be given a break of at least one hour.

Pursuant to the EO, an employment contract must state the hours that an employee will normally be required to work, but there is no provision requiring employers to compensate employees who work additional hours. Overtime may, however, be provided for contractually. The Hong Kong government is expected to introduce legislation later this year that will require employment contracts for low-income employees (workers who earn less than HK$11,000, or US$1,403, per month) to include a provision for overtime payments, the amount of which will be agreed to by both parties.

In Singapore, there are also situations allowing employers to require protected employees to work beyond the stipulated limits (e.g., if their work is essential for defense or security, or when urgent work to machinery or plants is needed), but the overarching provision is that a protected employee cannot work more than 72 hours' overtime a month. Overtime pay is generally 1.5 times an employee's hourly basic rate of pay, except in certain situations when the provisos apply. Protected employees are not compelled to work on a rest day unless they are engaged in work that, due to its nature, requires a continuous succession of shifts. If the protected employee is required or requests to work on his or her rest day, then he or she shall be entitled to enhanced pay, depending on the number of hours worked on that day.

Ius Laboris is the world's largest global HR and employment law firm alliance. The article was led by Tracy Zhu, an attorney with Chinese law firm Fangda Partners. Other contributing members include Desmond Wee, an attorney with Singapore law firm Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP, and Kathryn Weaver, an attorney with Lewis Silkin in Hong Kong.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Each day, the Staten Island Ferry shuttles hundreds of thousands of commuters and tourists between St. George and Lower Manhattan.

One of them, authorities, said, was former borough resident Steven Ildefonso, who regularly returned to his one-time hometown from the Bronx, not for social calls, but to peddle drugs.

Ildefonso, 40, who once served time as a juvenile offender for his role in the 1991 robbery and murder of a borough restaurateur, was among nine suspects busted for the alleged distribution of heroin and fentanyl on Staten Island, as well as the supply of narcotics in the Bronx and Manhattan's Upper West Side, said authorities.

Two of those arrested are Staten Islanders - Peter Faustin, 59, and Anthony DeVito, 38, - officials said.

Bridget G. Brennan, the city's special narcotics prosecutor, said an investigation by District Attorney Michael E. McMahon's office helped upend the citywide drug supply chain.

Earlier this year, cops identified Ildefonso's narcotics suppliers through a court-sanctioned wiretap obtained by McMahon, said officials.

Brennan and McMahon announced the arrests along with Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill.

"Selling deadly fentanyl became a banal everyday affair for members of this drug ring," said Brennan. "I commend Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon and his staff, the NYPD and all of our law enforcement partners for tenaciously tracing the daisy chain of potent fentanyl dealers across the city to find the highest-level suppliers."

McMahon said the arrests "represent another significant step" in the fight against those who fuel the heroin and fentanyl epidemic on Staten Island and in the city.

"As we continue to see lives lost to addiction illness, it remains crucial that we hold the dealers accountable for peddling this poison on our communities," said McMahon.

The long-term investigation kicked off in September of last year and focused on Ildefonso, Faustin and DeVito, authorities said.

Despite moving to the Bronx, Ildefonso regularly commuted to Staten Island to oversee the drug business, said officials. He would be picked up by car at the St. George Ferry Terminal and driven around to conduct deals, authorities said.

According to an indictment, Ildefonso sold heroin on multiple occasions to undercover officers between September and November 2017, as well as in March of this year.

The transactions occurred around the borough in St. George, New Dorp and Randall Manor, the indictment said.

Ildefonso, DeVito and Faustin dealt heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogues (chemically similar substances) in individual-dose packets, authorities said.

The defendants sold opiods of varying types and potency interchangeably or mixed together, said officials.

In one deal, DeVito left heroin for a buyer inside an unlocked car in Randall Manor, said the indictment.

Ildefonso also sold drugs in the Bronx, authorities said.

On one occasion, Ildefonso and co-defendants Juan Reyes, 28, of Manhattan, and Vincent Hanemann, 34, of the Bronx, along with another man, conducted a drug deal at the bar in a Bronx Applebee's, said officials.

Ildefonso's three children were sitting at a table in the restaurant at the time, authorities said.

In April, during a search of Ildefonso's home, cops recovered heroin and fentanyl analogues from a closet in his twin daughters' room, said officials. The girls were home then.

Ildefonso was charged with multiple counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, as well as conspiracy.

DeVito is charged with drug sale and conspiracy, while Faustin is charged with conspiracy.

They were expected to be arraigned Thursday in Manhattan state Supreme Court. Their lawyers' names were not immediately available.

The other suspects charged were Julio Delacruz, 34, of Fairview, N.J.; Leon Greathouse, 38, and Jose Rosa, 44, both of Manhattan, and Danny Santana, 41, of the Bronx.

Advance records show Ildefonso was sentenced as a juvenile offender in June 1992 to five years to life in prison after previously pleading guilty to murder stemming from the July 18, 1991 death of Mark Raffone.

Raffone died when large chunks of broken concrete were dropped on him as he lay helpless at the base of a 20-foot precipice near the Kill van Kull in West Brighton, said the Advance.

The victim had been previously beaten, bound and gagged and tossed down the precipice, the Advance said.

Ildefonso, then 13, was one of two youths who handed the chunks of concrete to a third co-defendant, who then dropped them on Raffone, prosecutors said.

More recently in 2010, Ildefonso served a prison sentence of 15 months to 18 months for a drug-related conviction, according to online records of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A woman who was injured while riding her bicycle Thursday morning in Brookfield Park was transported to a nearby hospital with a leg injury, according to an NYPD spokesman.

The middle-aged woman did not suffer from a severed leg, which is what emergency officials initially feared, according to a source with knowledge of the incident.

Police said details of how the woman was injured weren't immediately clear, but it didn't appear as if a vehicle was involved. A spokeswoman for the city's Parks Department said the office does "not have any information regarding this matter."

Members of the FDNY, NYPD Emergency Service Unit and patrol officers responded to the incident.

A man who said he works at the park pointed to a spot along the bike path, about a mile from Arthur Kill Road, where he said emergency personnel treated the woman.
NEW YORK -- A former top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been sentenced to six years in prison for fraud and accepting bribes.

Joseph Percoco, an ex-Staten Islander, was sentenced Thursday by a federal judge in New York City.

U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni said she hoped the sentence would be heard in the state capital.

Percoco, a former Huguenot resident, was convicted earlier this year of accepting more than $300,000 from companies that wanted influence with the Cuomo administration.

The governor wasn't charged in the case and denied any knowledge of Percoco's influence peddling. However, trial testimony presented an unflattering picture of the inner workings of his office.

Percoco's conviction also gave ammunition to Cuomo's opponents in this year's election.

They say it proves the two-term Democrat hasn't done enough to address chronic corruption in state government.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As 25 percent of New York City public schools continue to show elevated levels of lead in their water, the Department of Education (DOE) is in the process of testing every fixture in every public school across the five boroughs.

More than 140,000 fixtures will be tested. The first third will be completed by the end of 2018, a second third by 2019, and the final third by 2020.

"We remain vigilant and will begin retesting fixtures in schools this year as part of our continued focus on water safety," city Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said.

DOE would not comment on why the testing process is taking as long as three years.

STATE PROTOCOL

According to the New York State Regulation for Lead Testing in School Drinking Water, schools are required to collect water samples in 2020 or at an earlier time as determined by the New York State Department of Health commissioner.

"Schools shall continue to collect first-draw samples at least every five years thereafter or at an earlier time as determined by the commissioner," the regulation states.

Education officials first conducted citywide testing of all fixtures across city schools in the 2016-2017 school year. Results released in April 2017 showed 8 percent of all fixtures citywide reported high levels of lead, compared to 1 percent, or 1,165 fixtures, in September 2018.

The DOE would not comment on how long it will take to remediate all 1,165 school fixtures currently showing high lead levels.

19 STATEN ISLAND SCHOOLS HAVE LEAD

Nineteen schools on Staten Island reported high levels of lead in a recent report released by the DOE.

In those 19 schools, 76 fixtures reported lead levels above the 15 parts per billion threshold. Lead levels above 15 parts per billion are considered dangerous by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

When fixtures used for cooking or drinking, such as water fountains, have high levels of lead, they are immediately kept out of service and remain offline until successful remediation. For fixtures that aren't used for cooking or drinking, such as a hand-washing sink, signage indicates the water is not for drinking until successful remediation.

A lead remediation plan is implemented to mitigate the lead level of the outlet, which includes replacing fixtures. The fixtures are then retested for elevated lead levels following remediation.

Fixtures in schools that continue to have high levels of lead after remediation are investigated under a case-by-case basis and will undergo further remediation, according to the DOE.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In recognition of National Hunger Action Month, Staten Island's three ShopRite locations hosted "Help Bag Hunger" events on Thursday, and various community leaders were on hand to show their support.

"The event takes a serious subject like hunger and raises awareness and funds through competition," said Deputy Borough President Ed Burke.

In addition to Burke, those participating at the event at the Charleston ShopRite included: Vincent Ignizio, director of Catholic Charities of Staten Island; Assemblyman Ron Castorina. In addition, a representative from Sen. Andrew Lanza's office was also present.

Castorina rang up the highest sale during the event's charity shopping spree -- $500 after just five minutes of shopping.

"Today was a really fun way to bring attention to a nationwide problem of hunger," said Castorina. "It's a great way for the government to work with the community."

Similar events also took place at the ShopRites in New Dorp and Graniteville.

As a result of all three events, Kevin Mannix, who owns all three locations, will donate a total of $17,000 to local food pantries.

ShopRite Partners in Caring has raised $48 million for more than 2,200 charities. The food store works with food manufacturers and local communities year-round to provide $3 million annually to charitable agencies in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania -- all the states where ShopRite stores operate.

Nearly 40 million Americans, including more than 12 million children, suffer from food insecurity. ShopRite is helping to raise awareness and inspire action within their local communities through its hunger-fighting initiative.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Want to speak your mind about legalizing weed? Here's your chance.

As officials in Albany debate adult use of marijuana in New York City and beyond, staff for the state's Regulated Marijuana Workgroup -- spearheaded by Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- are gauging the interest and concerns of stakeholders and residents.

An open forum where Staten Islanders can speak their minds will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Williamson Theatre at the College of Staten Island, 2800 Victory Blvd., according to the governor's website.

The work group has been tasked with drafting legislation for an adult-use marijuana program for the legislature to consider during the upcoming session.

The state Health Department determined earlier this year that the positives of a legal and regulated market would outweigh the negatives.

Residents can pre-register for the session online.
Hi Bill ...

Usually, it's "Hi Neighbor..."

Today, I'm writing the mayor. (No disrespect here. He likes to be called Bill.)

That said...Mr. Mayor, we need you on this one.

This "one" is the NY Wheel. Its future depends on whether you think it's a worthwhile, viable project.

From what I've read, and heard, I'm not getting a good feeling.

What I'm sure of, after covering Staten Island for a lot of years, many of them working to convince people we don't deserve to be the butt of jokes on TV. That we shouldn't be the "forgotten borough." That we have a lot of wonderful things happening here that shouldn't be a secret off Staten Island. That we can be a better place and this project can get us there. That something of this magnitude will bring even more diversity to Staten Island when people from across the globe discover what this borough has to offer.

What I am sure of...what a lot of Staten Islanders are sure of... is the NY Wheel is a worthwhile and viable project. Something that will not only enhance our reputation but will bring jobs (500 permanent ones, I'm told), smart development on the North Shore, tourists and tourist dollars to surrounding businesses. Not to mention enormous tax revenue for the City of New York. And community pride.

So please, Bill. Hear me out.

We need you to believe a Municipal Revenue Bond program to let the Wheel project continue will work and is a safe bet. And before anyone else reading this gets excited, this does not mean one cent in city money.

Fifteen years ago, a bunch of us created a non-profit called SINY. Its mission was to boost the borough's image. Business people from all parts of the Island got excited, and donated money to get it off the ground. We hired a small staff and giant New York PR guru Howard Rubenstein to let everyone know we were part of the newly polished Big Apple.

We fell flat on our face. Why? We didn't have a product. I thought Staten Island was the product. Our parks. Restaurants. Cultural institutions.

Nope. They were already part of a community that was the butt of jokes. Jersey Shore wanna-bes. The New York version of the New Jersey Sopranos.

We needed a WOW to get attention, to show the naysayers, the critics, the joksters they were dead wrong.

Out of nowhere, it seemed, a bunch of investors decided the St. George waterfront was the perfect place for an enormous Ferris wheel. The biggest on the planet.

When word began to spread, so did action on the tip of Staten Island. New York's first outlet center - Empire Outlets -- signed on. An outfit called Triangle Equities took on the eastern side of the ferry terminal for a development called Lighthouse Point - 115 luxury apartments with retail, office space and a glitzy Westin Hotel. Nearby on Bay Street, another fancy hotel is being planned where the old Karl's Klipper stood.

Wow.

A lot of Staten Islanders got excited. Of course, there were some here who hated the idea. There always are. "You're cutting us off from the waterfront," they complained. In fact, the opposite is true, but more on that later.

What needs to be made abundantly clear - I know the mayor is aware: The Wheel, although built on city land, is entirely funded by private investors. Not one penny of anyone's taxes was spent. Every penny came from the pockets of private investors.

The Empire Outlets, on the other hand, has received $47 million in grants from New York State. That's about a fifth of the cost of the project.

Why the Outlets and not the Wheel? You got me.

Another thing the mayor will understand: Costs for the Wheel swelled. Construction cost always does in New York City. The private investors poured in more money. Much has been made about the cost of the garage, even in the Advance and on SILive, where it was said the garage cost $250 million.

It didn't. Oh, there was $250 million spent, but not just on the garage. That came in between $60 million and $70 million. The rest was for a three-and-a-half acre public park and ancillary buildings for the Wheel.

And we should not ignore the fact that the garage is a public amenity. It's not just for the Wheel. It serves a parking-starved St. George area that anyone can use. And the parking fee - eight bucks - is frozen forever.

To top it all off, the construction outfit building the Wheel declared bankruptcy.

It's a mess. But a mess the major investors have not walked away from. They still are committed to seeing the Wheel built. But they also feel they have poured in so much money that now they need help. They never planned to spend the volume of money now needed. At some point, enough is enough. But remember: They are NOT asking for a dollar from the mayor.

They have been negotiating with the city for months. At a Staten Island town hall not long ago, the mayor offered some hope:

"I'm willing to see the city push everyone toward resolution," he said. "I want to make sure that city resources are protected ... we can try and aggressively get everyone back on the same page. The outlets I think are going to work out fine, but the Wheel we've got to figure out a solution," he said.

A few days later, the city's Economic Development Corporation called the Wheel "too risky" to get involved with.

This is where the train jumps off the tracks for me, and apparently for Borough President Jim Oddo too.

No one is asking for city money. No one wants a bailout.

The investors have proposed a Municipal Revenue Bond program. As you might imagine, it's complicated. They are called PILOT bonds -- non-government obligation bonds. The city serves as the conduit in the issuance of the bonds but the city is not responsible for them. The city does not guarantee them. They are free of federal, state and city taxes. And they are insured by the investors to minimize risk.

It appears the city does not believe Wheel ridership will provide sufficient revenue needed to stabilize the Wheel to cover the bonds. But that's where the insurance comes in.

It's puzzling how the city reached this conclusion. Exhaustive studies have been done by the Wheel developers, by the Outlet developers and by Lighthouse Point developers. Every one points to the near three million tourists on the ferry annually. And ferry tourists wouldn't be the only customers.

CitySightseeing, for example, will add a ferry stop on Staten Island when Empire Outlets opens. Why? More than 80 percent of their riders said they would get off here. (By the way, the Wheel and Outlet developers have committed to building the $5 million dock with their own money.)

And then there are the Wheel developers themselves. They are enormously successful real estate people in New York. It's unfathomable they would sink the money they have in a project too risky.

Before the Wheel, and then the Outlets, and then Lighthouse Point, the St. George waterfront was mostly a wasteland. The Richmond County Ballpark came and then the September 11 memorial opened it up a bit.

But the new development opens the entire area, from a renovated Bank Street to Bay Street Landing. What were unpaved empty lots will be parks for the entire community. Free. There is no need to go on the Wheel, or shop in the Outlets, to use those parks and to get waterfront access.

The public amenities for Staten Island's North Shore will be more than we have seen in my lifetime. Tourism in New York is exploding. The financial benefit to Staten Island, to the city, to the region could be enormous.

The possibility is real - probably guaranteed -- that without the city embracing the Wheel in concept, not with dollars, that the project is doomed.

Without the Wheel - the dazzle, the sizzle that will bring people to the area - who knows what will happen with the other developments.

That could be an economic blow from which Staten Island won't recover.

Could you take another look, Bill? This is incredibly important.

Brian

(Brian J. Laline is executive editor of the Staten Island Advance/SILive)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York Wheel investors told the Advance on Thursday that the project, which has been in the works for six years, will not happen without the help of the de Blasio administration.

The investors even said that they will allow the multi-million dollar parts for the 630-foot tourist attraction to be auctioned next month by its former contractor, the Holland-based Mammoet-Starneth, if the city doesn't provide support. A plan for the city to provide tax-exempt bonds was denied by the city Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) earlier this month.

In an interview with the Advance, Jeffrey Feil of The Feil Organization, who is one of the lead investors in the project, said: "The developers and myself are still committed to the project. We have hope the city could provide some tax-free bonds. ...We have been meeting with the city for months now and they have been throwing roadblocks up rather than helping us with this endeavor."

"But without the mayor's office and the mayor committed to this, there is no way we can proceed," said Feil, who along with Lloyd Goldman, a New York real estate developer and founder of BLDG Management, have taken the reins of the project since Rich Marin, co-founder of the New York Wheel, took a lesser role in the organization last year.

While the project is being built on city-owned land, it has been fully funded by private investors, and through the Eb-5 program, which allows foreign investors to fund a project in exchange for help facilitating their green cards.

Ross Moskowitz, of STROOCK, a Manhattan-based law firm, which represents the NY Wheel, told the Advance: "Without involvement from the city, it's impossible to proceed [with the project]. It's not going to happen."

"I think the issue is whether the city recognizes the value and economic development this project will have for Staten Island," he added.

What NY Wheel LLC wants are non-taxable bonds.

"We have proposed this [bonding] to the city. ... and they have totally come out and rejected it," said Feil. "They have used this method and various other forms of financing throughout the city so why have they rejected it on this project?"

Said Moskowitz: "These would be non-government obligation bonds. There's no recourse to the city ... They are sold in the marketplace and they are underwritten. Institutions will make these purchases, and then they will be the bond holder."

"The key here is there is not a obligation to the city whatsoever. It doesn't impact their bond rating. ... The city would be the conduit and would issue the bonds; they are a tax-exempt entity. There's no recourse to the city and no dollars being spent by the city."

In addition, the NY Wheel also issued the following statement on Friday to the Advance: "Currently, 93 percent of the Wheel structure is completed and in storage. No city tax dollars have been spent on The New York Wheel project, nor has any City funding been requested by the developers. In contrast, the developers are asking the city to approve tax exempt bond financing in the form of PILOT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) Bonds, similar to what the City has allowed for other economic development projects such as Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Barclays Canter and sections of Hudson Yards."

DE BLASIO CALLS PROJECT 'SPECULATIVE'

However, on the Brian Lehrer show Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio called the Wheel a "somewhat speculative idea."

"I understand very deeply why people on Staten Island want to see more economic development, want to see more jobs. ... but the Wheel was a private sector endeavor that was supposed to pay for itself, and I think the economics were a little shaky from the beginning, and they've proven to be shakier," said de Blasio.

"And we are very careful about exposing any public resources when we're not sure something is going to work and also ... it's a for-profit entity, it's not something built for a pure public purpose so the specific request that was made of the city we've said 'no' so far. If there's a new option, a new request, we will evaluate it. But the bar is high on that because I think we have a long history of public sector getting involved in private sector activities and subsidizing or bonding in ways that prove later on to be not the best use of public resources," the mayor added.

Said an NYCEDC spokesperson: "From inception, this ambitious project was always intended to be privately funded. While the city remains supportive of the New York Wheel, there is no assurance that a municipal bond would help them close a significant funding gap to move the project forward. Despite many recent conversations with the developers and assistance in helping to advance this endeavor, we remain convinced that public funds are too scarce to be leveraged for this venture."

However, Island officials say they are still committed to the project.

Said Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore): "We all agree that the New York Wheel always has been and always will be a privately funded project, one that the city's Economic Development Corporation fought hard to bring to Staten Island. The proposed PILOT bond package puts zero taxpayer dollars at risk, with assurances in place to protect the city's interest. While I am disappointed that Mayor de Blasio and EDC are inexplicably not interested, other options are being explored."

"I want my constituents to know that I will continue to advocate for the completion of this iconic project, which will bring not only jobs and economic development, but a host of public amenities, including a children's playground, increased waterfront access and public open space for leisure, outdoor concerts and more," she added.

NEW CONTRACTOR NOT YET SIGNED



The NY Wheel told the Advance it is close to hiring American Bridge Co. -- the builders of the Las Vegas High Roller -- to complete the project, but no agreement has yet been signed.

COURT PROCEEDINGS



On Sept. 7, the embattled Wheel filed a motion for an order approving an amendment in Delaware Bankruptcy Court that -- among other things -- gives the developer a final standstill deadline of Jan. 7, 2019.

The amendment states that no party will be allowed to seek additional extensions beyond that January deadline.

In exchange for the extension of the standstill period, the amendment provides, among other things that "if no termination event has occurred on or prior to October 23, 2018, NYW shall be deemed to have waived and released its rights with respect to the ownership of the Wheel Components and allocation of proceeds of any sale related thereto," the motion states.

However, if the Wheel can provide proof to Mammoet-Starneth and Mammoet USA that it has the financing to purchase the parts, the developer can participate in an auction of the Wheel components, according to court documents.

A source of dispute between the Wheel and its contractor has been the rights to the Wheel parts.

The developer has been paying high storage costs for the Wheel components -- close to $500,000 per month.

In the interview with the Advance, Moskowitz said the next payment is due Oct. 15.

MORE RECENT STORIES ABOUT THE NY WHEEL:

Source: Here's how $400M in NY Wheel money was spent

Embattled NY Wheel: Court motion outlines last shot at mediation

Exclusive: NY Wheel says project is still being pursued

NY Wheel applies for an extension to get the project back on track

New York Wheel deadline is Wednesday. What happens next?

One NY Wheel investor's reason for pulling money out of the project

50 days into NY Wheel agreement, no word on getting project back on track

Exclusive: NY Wheel gets green light to hire new contractor

New York Wheel stalled for 10 months: How did we get here?

Exclusive: Former NY Wheel CEO Rich Marin now involved with Eye of Texas Wheel

Former contractor pushing to auction $9M NY Wheel legs, other parts

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An on-duty MTA bus driver was busted for drunk driving in New Dorp Thursday night, police said.

Authorities arrested Richard Hatton, 46, near Burbank Avenue and Richmond Road at around 8:17 p.m, said an NYPD spokesman.

A law enforcement source said Hatton, a Staten Island resident, allegedly had a blood alcohol level of .283 percent. The legal threshold in New York is .08.

Hatton had bloodshot, watery eyes, reeked of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet when officers responded to the scene, police said.

He was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated.

Hatton was arraigned in Criminal Court Friday and released without bail, according to online state court records. He is due back in court Oct. 25.

The bus route he was driving was not available.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed Max Rose, the Democratic candidate for Staten Island's congressional seat, on Friday.

Biden praised Rose, a decorated Army combat veteran, for his military service and experience as chief of staff at Brightpoint Health, a nonprofit healthcare provider with clinics in all five boroughs.

"Staten Islanders and South Brooklynites deserve a representative who works as hard as them and that is Max Rose. After serving our country in Afghanistan, Max came home to help provide health care for those who needed it most - including those struggling with opioid addiction," said Biden, who has been frequently floated as a potential presidential candidate in 2020. "Even in the middle of this campaign season, Max took two weeks off of the trail to train with his national guard unit.

"That is the kind of dedication to country and integrity that we need right now in Washington D.C.," Biden continued. "I am supporting Max Rose because he understands that the stability and growth of our middle class is one of the most important challenges we face as a country today, and with leaders like him in Congress, we can improve the lives of middle-class families in New York and around the country."

Rose is challenging Rep. Daniel Donovan (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), a two-term Republican incumbent, and has raised over $1.6 million while Donovan has raised about $1 million.

Rose thanked Biden for his endorsement and pledged to address gun violence, transportation, and Staten Island's opioid crisis if elected.

"It is an honor and a privilege to have the endorsement of Vice President Joe Biden. His commitment to working Americans, our first responders, and putting party aside to solve problems is why he is one of the greatest public servants of our time," said Rose. "Once elected, I hope to serve my fellow Americans as honorably as he did as we seek to end our commuting nightmare, help those suffering from the drug epidemic, and ensure no child ever has to worry about being gunned down in school ever again."

The St. George Democrat has been named to the the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) "Red-to-Blue" program, which provides strategic support and other resources for candidates, earlier this year. He's also garnered nods from U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-New York) and some of New York's most influential unions, including SEIU 1199 and 32 BJ.

A spokeswoman for Donovan's campaign, Jessica Proud, responded to the endorsement, saying "Max Rose is running tv commercials masquerading himself as anti-establishment, but it's the entire liberal Washington establishment that is behind his campaign. The last thing the people of Staten Island need is a puppet of the liberal swamp and their socialist policies that will destroy our economy and put our safety at risk."

The general election is on Nov. 6.

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By ALBERT RIZZI

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Where to Turn is collecting toys for victims of Hurricane Florence who are living in the Carolinas.

Last year, the organization collected and sent thousands of toys and stocking stuffers to Texas for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, said Dennis McKeon, executive director of Where to Turn.

"This year, we want to do the same for the Carolinas," he said.

In addition, the organization is collecting for its annual holiday toy shop for families in need.

McKeon said Where to Turn can arrange pickup, if need be, from any school or business that starts a collection. Toys will be sorted and shipped to trusted sites for distribution, he added.

"When the holiday season rolls around, many of these victims will have no funds to buy presents for their kids. People were good to us after Sandy, so let's return the favor," he said.

Anyone who wishes to participate can contact McKeon at dennis.mckeon@where-to-turn.org.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A bag containing narcotics and a firearm was tossed from a speeding car in New Brighton early Friday morning, police said.

Police responded to Park Place between Franklin and Harvard avenues following a ShotSpotter activation around 12:36 a.m., according to a spokeswoman for the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

When officers attempted to stop a vehicle, a yellow bag was tossed from it, police said.

The vehicle, which had New York plates, was captured on surveillance cameras driving off at a high rate of speed, according to police.

Police allegedly found bags of narcotics and a loaded firearm in the yellow bag.

No arrests have been made, according to the police spokeswoman.

Police were on Park Place for several hours Friday morning, according to a resident.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - If the City of New York can't see the harm in safe injection sites for drugs, at least the feds do.

In a letter to Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn), the Department of Justice said the department would not "stand idly by" as the city and others move toward opening the sites.

The DOJ wrote that any facilitation of illicit drug use would be violation of the Controlled Substances Act, and that the department would be vigilant about enforcing the law.

Because, yes, shooting heroin is against the law, even if it's done in a city-sanctioned injection site. Even if the city wants to close its eyes to the fact that it's illegal.

The letter came in response to Malliotakis' concerns about the injection sites. The city in May announced that it would launch pilot programs known as "Overdose Prevention Centers" in some areas of the city. Staten Island, mercifully, is not included. At least not so far.

The sites would be places where addicts could shoot up drugs under medical supervision. Which supporters say would certainly be better than having them shoot up on the street.

That's right. In the midst of an epic drug crisis in this country, which is hitting particularly hard here on the Island, the city in its wisdom is looking to make it easier to shoot up drugs.

Let's take a look at that word 'safe.' There's nothing safe about encouraging people to inject heroin, no matter how antiseptically clean the injection facility is. It is by its nature a harmful act, even if medical staffers are there to make sure there are no overdoses, or to make sure that any overdose is taken care of quickly.

If you really want to save people from overdoses, let's put naloxone everywhere we can in public. That should help.

I know that those who promote these sites say that it's a way to help people actually get off of drugs. You've got addicts coming to a government facility, where they can get information about how to kick the habit. In Vancouver, for example, drug treatment facilities are right upstairs from the area where people are shooting up the drugs.

I don't know. To me it makes more sense to think that you'll just be encouraging people to keep shooting up if you make it easier for them. That's just human nature. What's the incentive for people to quit? It just perpetuates addiction culture while putting the government imprimatur on it.

And if somebody already has it in their head to quit, do you want them to come to a place where people are shooting up in order to get information or treatment? A place where people are encouraged to shoot up? A place where people are helped to shoot up? A place that casts no negative aspersions on the act of shooting up? I think that's the last place you'd want to have a person go if they really wanted to quit.

Not to mention what having an injection site on the block could do to a neighborhood. It's not going to make conditions better, that's for sure. Addicts are going to be in the neighborhood carrying drugs. It's not a big leap to imagine drug dealers coming to the vicinity as well. After all, that's where their customers are.

But if safe injection sites can truly can be a boon to a community, then the lawmakers who are pushing them should make sure that the sites are as close to their own homes as zoning permits. That would be a good way to put their money where their mouths are.

Just not on Staten Island.
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The peak committee governing the self-regulated general insurance industry says that while it has recorded 31,000 breaches of the industry code it has not sanctioned a single company for them.

The gap in regulation covering companies that sell general insurance products such as home and contents insurance, travel insurance, and car insurance and the views held by peak body the Insurance Council of Australia came under the spotlight during Fridays royal commission hearings.

Another peak body, the Financial Services Council, was also quizzed about gaps in regulation of the $44 billion life insurance sector including that claims managers are not covered by rules regarding breach reporting, training of staff and the obligation to act fairly towards customers in claims handling.

Senior counsel assisting the commission Rowena Orr, QC, turned to reviewing the industry codes that govern the insurance sector after two weeks of hearings where allegedly unfair practices in the claims handling processes of TAL and Comminsure were put under the spotlight.
Online bookmakers taking bets in Victoria will be hit with a new tax from January, expected to collect $30 million a year, after a bill passed the state upper house on the last day of parliament before the state election in November.

Victoria will become the latest jurisdiction to introduce a new levy on the nations mostly foreign-owned online bookmakers, which for the first time will tax digital gambling losses based on where the customer is located rather than the bookmaker.

Online gambler losses will be taxed based on where a bet is placed. Credit:Joe Armao

The so-called point-of-consumption tax will apply to bookmakers such as Sportsbet, BetEasy, Ladbrokes, Bet365 and Betfair, and collect 8 per cent of their net wagering revenue statewide.

The rate is substantially lower than tax rates of 10 per cent to be introduced New South Wales and 15 per cent in other states including South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.
Matthew Wilson doesn't get to talk about what he does very often.

"We operate in a world of secrets," says the co-founder of cyber security firm Penten.

But after being awarded the Telstra Australian Business of the Year at a ceremony on Thursday night Wilson is slowly getting used to the spotlight.

Penten co-founder and chief executive Matthew Wilson.

Wilson and his co-founders started Penten just over three years ago and have grown it to a staff of more than 50 people and turnover of more than $11 million.
"The coffee is never strong enough. And look what I have to put up with," she said, pointing to an old man bashing his foot repeatedly on a table leg. By then, the Howard government had essentially contracted out aged care. People had to pay large bonds and fees, but "no one was going to have to sell their family home", the apologetic political refrain went, not daring to trespass on Australia's holy grail of home ownership. The profit motive might well have delivered "efficiencies" but it was never going to deliver better "customer service" through competitive forces or "self-regulation". There were so few nursing-home places that the corporations had the old people and their families over a barrel. Moreover, the hassle and fees involved in transferring the bond made competition an illusion. We were lucky. In my discussions with this nursing home, I had dropped hints that my mother's bond would be a fairly large one. She "owned her own home"  in fact a rundown dump in Chiltern that you could hardly give away. It sold for $24,000 in 2006. She had been married to a canon of the Anglican Church  there was no Anglican clergy pension fund then. The manager's jaw dropped when I told him, after it was too late to reverse the decision to let my mother in, that she was in fact an aged pensioner. No fat fee this time. But also no chance of the "choice" the privatisation was supposed to deliver.

Back at the home, my mother was not going to let up. "It gets worse. Look at that," she said, pointing to the television in the communal lounge. It was tuned to a commercial channel's mindless morning talking-heads advertorial show. "I have to put up with that. Crispin, can you imagine life without the ABC?" Ah. She had hit a major guilt button. Her clapped-out old TV had been left in Chiltern. Sure, we should have been more thoughtful, but you would think the nursing-home staff would have mentioned it to us, if they had been giving the attentive care that all the advertisements for the private-sector nursing homes boasted. Obviously, straight after the visit, I went to the nearest shop that sold TV sets and bought her one.

So, as yet another betrayal of trust by the corporate-political world is exposed by our public broadcasters and outlets like Fairfax Media, the answer is: "No, Mum, I can't imagine life without the ABC." ACCC chairman Rod Sims. Credit:Michele Mossop The issue with regulators From the time of the first wave of privatisations and deregulations until quite recently, our regulators have been like baleen whales. Big, toothless, scary for small fry but completely useless at catching big fish. Some regulators are still like that. Often with privatisation, unresponsive public entities were turned into rapacious private monopolies.

Deregulation has not led to greater efficiency and better service. Rather, it has often led to greater profits generated from poorer service. Replacing independent government-run regulation with self-regulation has allowed big corporations to get away with an array of malfeasance, as the banking royal commission and other inquiries have revealed. There is nothing like the chill of the possibility of an unannounced spot audit by an independent government official with big penalities attached to encourage compliance. And spot audits are far more efficient than trying to inspect everything. Remember annual vehicle registration checks? They were a waste of everyone's time and money because tyres and brakes can wear out between checks. The threat of random roadside checks are just as effective and cheaper. It is sad that the undoubted benefits of privatisation and deregulation have come at such a cost because of early overexuberance verging on religious zealotry untempered by acknowledging obvious human weaknesses such as greed and exploitation.
Head registrar Sara Kelly, and curator Dr Lily Withycomb, both of the National Museum of Australia, with the head of Augustus Caesar. Credit:Jamila Toderas The responsibility of object handling lies mainly with the British Museum staff, says Kelly. This team heads back to England once the objects and lighting are installed. Loading Bubble wrap?

So how are the items packed for their lengthy passage? I ask - jokingly - whether bubble wrap does

the job. I am quickly assured that zero items are wrapped in bubble and I vow to never make a joke again. "The objects are placed into museum-standard, double-insulated crates. Everything is placed in a box that meets its shape, and some of the crates have a special webbing to withstand vibrations," said Kelly.

Each case is fabricated internally, created to fit each object. British Museum staff cut all these materials by hand. Double-insulated crates ensure the rate of temperature change is reduced during times when items are exposed to elements different to their normal storage climate, for example in the cargo hold when temperatures drop or on the tarmac where it can be hot and humid. The statue of Augustus Caesar in its custom-made crate. Credit:Jamila Toderas Climate control

Once the artefacts arrive in Sydney they are moved into unmarked trucks bound for Canberra. "We don't want to advertise the movement of a collection worth millions and millions of dollars," said Kelly. Which is why I suggested that using a Woolies truck as a decoy could be cool.

The trucks are climate controlled, which is apparently a relatively new resource. When Kelly first started with the museum they used chocolate trucks to transport artefacts. Once items are unloaded at the museum, they are left to acclimatise for 48 hours in their crates which are placed in the exhibition room. Funerary relief of a woman from 200273 CE. Credit:Jamila Toderas The relative humidity in the room is controlled and monitored to ensure it meets museum standards. If the humidity exceeds the acceptable range, staff are alerted via an alarm. We don't want to advertise the movement of a collection worth millions and millions of dollars.

Getting lit

While many of the artefacts are crafted from robust materials like marble and stone, several items are fragile, having been made from papyrus, wood and textiles. As light damage is accumulative, special lighting is set for each artefact to minimise this. British Museum staff, one of the National Museum conservators and a lighting professional take specific readings according to the lighting needs of each object. Once public hours conclude, all lights are switched off. This is presumably when the artefacts come to life a la Night at the Museum. The statue of a Roman magistrate featured at the Rome: City and Empire exhibition at the National Museum. Credit:British Museum Border patrol

As the objects have come from a reputable organisation, the National Museum has been granted special permission for quarantine officials to examine objects once they've been properly installed.

Challenging times

"It's our job and we do it for every exhibition, and we've been doing it for many years. But one of the most challenging things is co-ordinating the timing of the cargo flights, as these sometimes only run once a week," said Kelly. "If one cargo flight is delayed by one day, it can throw the whole exhibition out." Details about when the objects arrive are on a "need to know" basis. Dates are not revealed to anyone beyond a small working group. If one cargo flight is delayed by one day, it can throw the whole exhibition out. "The security is rigorous and constantly monitored, and done according to all international protocols. The British Museum likes working with us because we're all on the same page."
When Blair Williams worked at a fast food chain as a 14-year-old, she and other young workers were often rostered on to "close" the store a few times a week.

The rostered finish time was always an hour after the store closed, but the clean up always took at least two hours, sometimes up to three, for which she and her coworkers were never paid.

Young women at work face higher rates of exploitation, a new report has found.

When Ms Williams spoke up and asked to be paid for the extra hours, because it was impossible to finish the required tasks within the rostered shifts, she was told she had to do the work, or face no longer getting rostered on for any shifts at all.

"They blamed it on us and said you're taking too long."
Editors note: Michael D. Pante is an assistant professor at the Department of History at Ateneo de Manila University. He teaches Rizal and the Emergence of the Philippine Nation, Philippine History, and Philosophy of History, among others. The opinions in this piece are the authors.

Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  The dance might have been baduy and their organization is arguably laos, but the issues generated by Imee Marcoss disco-infused Kabataang Barangay (KB) reunion at UP Diliman last month are certainly sizzling based on the media attention this event has gotten. This fiasco was lamentable and despicable, for sure. It was not just the case of the outdated trying hard to do a throwback; having the remnants of a Marcosian political apparatus celebrate like it was the 1970s all over again at the UP Bahay ng Alumni disrespected the universitys legacy in the anti-dictatorship movement.

Nonetheless, the controversy at least brought back to public consciousness, even for just a short while, a nearly forgotten aspect of martial law  the importance of the barangay to Ferdinand Marcoss regime.

People often think of dictatorship as a topdown form of governance, and for good reason. Such is the case with the Filipinos usual perception of the Marcos regime, especially the martial law years. However, such a perspective may prevent us from seeing other significant facets of his authoritarianism.

Of course, one cannot deny that his was a reign of plunder and murder at a national scale, made possible by his maneuvers at the highest levels of administration: padlocked Congress, neutered the Supreme Court, coopted the military top brass, and railroaded charter change.

Unfortunately, lost in this traditional narrative is how his authoritarianism also relied on his control over the lowest rungs of Philippine politics. And the KB was one of the regimes tools to do just that  consolidate power through the lowly barangay, the most basic political unit in the country.

***

Established in April 1975, the KB sought to involve Filipino citizens between 15 and 18 years of age in community affairs at the barangay level. Behind this seemingly wholesome intention, however, was the underlying objective of stifling dissent. Marcos tried to suppress the rising tide of youth activism at the grassroots through KB, which was chaired by no less than presidential daughter Imee Marcos.

But prior to KBs founding, one of the first things he did as part of changing the governments administrative structure under martial law was to institutionalize the barangay unit as the fundamental building block of Philippine politics. Presidential Decree No. 86, promulgated on Dec. 31, 1972, just a few months after the declaration of martial rule, created in each barrio in every municipality and municipal district, and in each district in every chartered city a Barangay (Citizens Assembly).

Two years after, and on the occasion of the second anniversary of the martial law proclamation, Marcos delivered his ninth state of the nation address (SONA). In that 1974 SONA speech, titled The Barangay and the Imperative of National Unity, Marcos exalted the barangay, proclaimed it as a crucial institution to his trumpeted Bagong Lipunan (New Society). He then ordered the conversion of all barrios into barangays. An entire SONA dedicated to the barangay  clearly, the local is integral to anything that is dictatorial.

Despite martial laws sham promotion of popular participation and democratization through the barangays, one should also not lose sight of the fact that anti-Marcos movements also emerged from the very communities that bore the brunt of the dictators assault at the grassroots level.

Two important points are worth noting with regard to Marcoss fixation with the barangay. One is its connection to the Marcoses nativist nationalism, and the other is its role in the so-called new democracy under martial law.

Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos believed in a nativist type of nationalism, which was evident in how they were so preoccupied with finding and presenting the purportedly pure Filipino soul. In various government endeavors they constantly used indigenous, pre-colonial concepts (both real and imagined) as though these were anting-antings that could help legitimize the regime and drive away malas. In fact, the official KB logo is composed of two characters  ka and ba  from the precolonial baybayin script.

Other examples illustrate this dimension of the conjugal dictatorship: the writing of the Tadhana (Destiny) history project, which sought to connect the Marcoses to a lineage that stretches back to the precolonial times; the discovery of the Stone-Age Tasaday in Mindanao, which turned out to be a world-class hoax that drew international attention; and the proposal to rename the Philippines Maharlika, based on the mistaken notion that the word referred to a prehispanic noble class; and much more. They even presented themselves as personifications of the mythical Malakas and Maganda, complete with ridiculous portraits of the first couple. The use of the precolonial concept barangay is just another example of how the Marcoses tried to latch on to essentialized meanings of Filipino-ness to depict themselves as the rightful caretakers of national identity.

At the same time, the barangay aids the regime in its effort to demonize political structures that initially blocked Marcoss attempt at one-man rule, such as the national legislature and the mainstream political opposition. To make his authoritarian rule seem palatable, if not absolutely necessary, he denounced his enemies as representatives of either the oligarchic elite or totalitarian communism. He made it appear that his new democracy rescued the Philippines from these two extremes, as it espoused the supposed true will of the ordinary Filipino. According to Marcos, the barangays are therefore more representative than a national legislature or the National Assembly, and they are more expressive of the popular will.

***

The problem was that the use of the barangay for Marcoss ideological rhetoric was just, well, purely rhetoric. In a 1978 address, Marcos hailed the development of the Barangay [as] the basic vehicle not only for the achievement of political normalization but also for the restoration of political power to its rightful owners, the people. But rather than empower marginalized communities and individuals or advocate genuine nationalism, Macoys barangay reinforced the lack of democracy that had been entrenched in Filipino society since colonial times.

It was a system of administration that lacked proper consultative and democratic processes, and forced communities to surrender control over their own resources, among others. In a 1982 academic essay about political participation during the first five years of Marcoss New Society, Mohd. A. Nawawi puts it bluntly: It is quite obvious, then, that the New Society was committed to reducing the local governments to empty shells.

A case that illustrated this ironic turn of events is the role played by the barangays in Marcoss ballyhooed flood-control efforts. For decades, the national government could not pull off a flood-control program that could cover Metro Manila due to the significant level of autonomy exercised by city and municipal mayors. Martial law removed this supposed administrative impediment by neutralizing local officials and mobilizing grassroots support through the barangays.

Marcos even created barangay disaster teams that would be mobilized to deliver services during times of disasters. In essence, once-powerful mayors had surrendered their powers to two institutions: the Metro Manila Flood Control and Drainage Committee, which was chaired by Marcoss public works minister; and the Metro Manila Commission, which was headed by First Lady Imelda Marcos, who also took on the title as Metro Manila Governor.

Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos believed in a nativist type of nationalism, which was evident in how they were so preoccupied with finding and presenting the purportedly pure Filipino soul.

From a tactical perspective, the president relied on barangay officials because they were the ones who dealt regularly with ordinary people and income-poor communities, including flood-prone estero settlements. Yet at the same time, these barangay officials, especially those in informal communities, had no power whatsoever to prevent Marcoss de facto policy of wholescale demolition of shanties of poor households in the name of flood control and Imeldas fetish for metropolitan beautification.

***

That the long-defunct KB reared its ugly head under the current administration of Rodrigo Duterte is no mere coincidence, amid a sustained campaign to erase from our collective memory the atrocities of martial law and revise Marcoss image from autocrat to that of a hero.

Dutertes admiration for and actual application of Marcoss authoritarian governance is there for everyone to see. His deployment of empty rhetoric to rouse popular support for his agenda of federalism mirrors how his predecessor mobilized the barangay as a political concept. He depicts federalism as a panacea to Philippine society hobbled by oligarchic capture and its accompanying undemocratic structures that favor those occupying positions of political and economic power at the national level.

The marginalized local must therefore prevail over the voracious national. Drowned in the bombast of his populist platitudes, however, is his administrations inability to implement urgent pro-people measures that could have addressed these concerns even without changing the constitution; instead, labor contractualization remains the norm, agribusinesses make a mockery of agrarian reform, and foreign mining companies destroy the lives and livelihood of indigenous peoples  practically the same record of administrative negligence left by his fallen idol.

Despite martial laws sham promotion of popular participation and democratization through the barangays, one should also not lose sight of the fact that anti-Marcos movements also emerged from the very communities that bore the brunt of the dictators assault at the grassroots level. In many cases the regimes tactics backfired, as local communities organized themselves  whether in the rural countryside, in urban poor settlements, or in IP communities  and forged alliances with other sectors of society, including those operating at the national level.

Perhaps in the present-day struggle against the farcical repetition of another Marcos-style tragedy, Filipinos might be better served looking for direction and guidance, not from populist tyrants or from traditional opposition politicians, but from grassroots and peoples organizations who truly represent the local.
NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes wants his federal counterparts to increase money for public schools to match the billions they have promised private schools, saying governments shouldn't play favourites with Australian kids.

State and federal Coalition governments were at odds on Friday, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison deflecting NSW's criticism by saying Mr Stokes did not have a "full understanding" of the $4.6 billion funding package.

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes. Credit: Simone De Peak

Mr Stokes said his view was based on information the federal government had given him, and was backed by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. "But if there is information I am unaware of, I look forward to seeing it," he said.

Mr Stokes was happy for private schools to have more federal money, as long as funding to state schools was lifted, too. "You can't play favourites in education, every child is special and every school deserves to be treated fairly," Mr Stokes said.
Not to worry, says Murdoch, according to the ABC report, "They'll only be in for three years  it won't be so bad. I did alright under Labor and the Painters and Dockers; I can make money under Shorten and the CFMEU." According to this version of events in the days after the conversation News Corp titles ramped up the pressure on Turnbull, abetted by shock jocks Ray Hadley and Alan Jones, employed by 2GB which is owned by Fairfax Media. The conservative chorus insisted that leadership instability would cease only when Peter Dutton replaced Malcolm Turnbull. Rupert Murdoch and Malcolm Turnbull. Credit:Fairfax Media Finally Stokes was convinced that Turnbulls fate was sealed, but rather than back Dutton, who was planning to rip up a GST deal that benefited Western Australia, he backed a third contender, Scott Morrison, according to the ABCs report.

On Thursday, August 23, Stokes' newspaper The West Australian ran a front page headline reading: "PM SHOULD STAND ASIDE FOR SCOMO." Stokes has since denied these versions of events in an interview with The Australian newspaper. It is perhaps notable that though Stokes is quoted in this story, Murdoch is not. Loading One close observer says that Stokes has a problem not so much with the reporting of the conversation with Murdoch, but the way he was cast as being party to a coup. According to this line of reasoning, from Stokes' point of view he had objected to the removal of the Prime Minister and, in the end, once accepting that Turnbulls leadership was terminal, he backed the successor that Turnbull himself preferred. Others in the News Corp stable have ridiculed the notion that Murdoch calls his editors to direct them on what lines they should take on particular issues. This is a point made by News Corp insiders whenever it is claimed that Murdoch micro-manages his editors.

To be fair though, no one suggests that this is how Murdoch exercises influence in his newsrooms. As former Herald Sun editor Bruce Guthrie told ABC radio this week, Murdoch does not issue daily orders to his editors. He simply lets his views be known in the knowledge that they will be duly reflected in his outlets. A former News Corp executive, Bruce Dover, once described this process as anticipatory compliance. Loading Others argue that Sky News commentators like Peta Credlin, the former chief-of-staff to Tony Abbott, who savaged Turnbull from the day he took office - and who is known to be close to Lachlan Murdoch - are simply not as powerful as some imagine.

Sky News ratings, particularly for the night-time commentary programs that have come to resemble Fox News, are dwarfed by those of the free-to-air stations. This misses the point, though. Few Australians might watch Sky News, but every Australian politician does. Either way, Australians may now reasonably ask what role two media moguls, one of them an American citizen, had in removing a sitting Australian prime minister. Loading And whether or not you accept the reports that their role was significant, the circumstances surrounding the fall of Turnbull still highlights both the extent and the limitations of Murdochs power in contemporary Australian politics.

There was a time not long ago in which Murdoch's political favour was up for auction. During those years centrist governments and oppositions in Australia and Britain were forced to compete for his blessing, or at least to take care not to cross him. Its the Sun Wot Won It, boasted Murdochs most influential British tabloid after an unexpected Conservative victory in 1992. Just two years later Tony Blair introduced the world to New Labour and won Murdochs support. He even became godfather to one of Murdochs children. Bob Hawke and, in particular, his treasurer Paul Keating famously backed Murdoch's bid for the Herald and Weekly Times group, paving the way for Murdoch to consolidate his Australian power. As Robert Manne later wrote, "Labor was rewarded with the support of the three most popular Australian newspapers, Sydneys Daily Telegraph and Melbournes Herald and Sun, in the 1987 election." The competition between the parties prompted by Murdochs lack of political fealty significantly amplified his power. Ray Hadley helped pile the pressure onto Malcolm Turnbull. Credit:AAP

But recently News Corps stance has hardened to the right, a shift that is to the considerable benefit of the left, at least in Australia, says one former senior Labor politician. There is no point in [Labor] trying to please Murdoch anymore, he said this week. From his point of view the most powerful voices in the News Corp stable, both in print and on Sky News, will now back the Coalition in any circumstances. Further, he notes, despite what he calls determined campaigns against the ALP in key western Sydney seats in elections in 2013 and 2016, Labors vote held. Loading There are competing theories about what caused News Corp to align steadfastly to the right, given the success it has had playing the parties against one another.

Some believe it simply reflects an evolution in Rupert Murdochs personal views. Another theory is that the hard conservative line is actually pragmatic. News Corp, said the Labor veteran, is utterly wedded to a workforce deregulation policy that centre-left governments simply cannot provide. More than one observer has suggested that generational change is behind the shift. According to this theory, Lachlan Murdoch is more ideological than his father. After all Lachlans tutelage in power came about in America when Fox News was rising to dominate conservative politics in that country. As Lachlan undertook his American apprenticeship, Fox News, created for Murdoch by the hardliner Roger Ailes, had open access to President George W. Bush as he prosecuted a war in Iraq that Fox championed. Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch in 1996 announcing Ailes as chairman and CEO of Fox News. Credit:AP

Ailes genius was his understanding that Foxs attraction was its hard line and its certainty. Whatever the cause of the shift, the result in Australia over recent years has been dramatic but almost unnoticed. While key Coalition figures are still drawn to the sorts of thing that curry favour with Murdochs commentators, like parliamentary coal fondling and culture warfare, the newly stabilised Labor Party has been left alone to stake out positions that are more in line with centrist Australia. On gay marriage, climate change and on energy policy, the Coalition, egged on by conservative commentators, has gone to war with itself over just how far to the right it should veer while Labor has adopted positions that not only suit its base, but are in line with popular opinion. Just this week as female Coalition MPs revolted over the brutality of the internal politics that accompanied the leadership spill, an analysis revealed that after the next federal election the Liberal Party might be left with just five women in office. In response, the party engaged in a debate over the ideological purity of a quota system that might improve female representation.

By comparison Bill Shorten responded by releasing a photograph of himself surrounded by his beaming female colleagues, the women who make up around 45 per cent of the parliamentary Labor Party, including half of its leadership team. As though to hammer home the point Labor then released a policy to help overcome the hole left in womens superannuation policies when they take time off work to have children. Whatever happened during the August bloodletting, Turnbulls backers are certain that Rupert Murdoch - and/or Lachlan - played an active and decisive role. Asked why though, one of that group struggles for an answer. After all, Murdoch had done well out of Turnbulls government, he observed. The economy is humming along, media law reforms welcomed by Murdoch had been passed and there was even talk of introducing a tax on digital giants that have battered Murdochs business model.
A "teacher stuff-up" has been blamed for NAPLAN results being deemed inadmissible and withheld from a group of Illawarra students.

Thousands of students have been checking out their NAPLAN results this week but a group of year 9 students from Oak Flats High School did not receive the full test results.

Parents expressed their outrage after the results were withheld. Credit:Illawarra Mercury

By allowing students to take a break, a supervisor didnt follow protocol during the numeracy exam, leading to the results being withheld.
Her Australian research replicated American findings that clearly indicates four times as many adult women and twice as many adult men are sexually abused by clergy than children, Dr Robinson told the royal commission in February, 2017. Clinical psychologist Dr Gerardine Robinson. About 2500 people gave evidence at royal commission private hearings about being sexually abused as children by Catholic offenders. Dr Robinson used the figure, acknowledged as an under-representation of the actual number of children sexually abused, to estimate the number of adults in sexual interactions with Catholic clergy. Evidence to the royal commission included research indicating only 50 per cent of clergy practise celibacy at any one time. Children are not the primary target; vulnerable adult men and women are, Dr Robinson told the royal commission. While some Catholic clergy were able to have healthy consensual sexual relationships with men and women, despite breaking their celibacy vows, others had abusive and exploitative sexual relationships with vulnerable, devout or troubled adult men and women that the church had difficulty recognising as abusive, she said.

Celibacy did not cause sexual abuse but was a contributing factor, she said. For some priests filled with shame about their sexual needs, held up on a pedestal and with ready access to devout and emotionally vulnerable adults, mandatory celibacy was a recipe for disaster, Dr Robinson told the royal commission. My personal opinion is that I think celibacy should be optional, she said in evidence. In a speech to the National Council of Priests of Australia last week Dr Robinson was more blunt. Those who resign themselves to mandatory celibacy as a necessary sacrifice required at ordination are hugely at risk of sexual boundary violations, she said. It came only weeks after Pope Francis acknowledged the churchs duty to protect minors and vulnerable adults after damning allegations about the grooming and sexual abuse of altar boys and adult seminarians by American Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

In 2015 Victorian Blessed Sacrament Congregation priest Tom Knowles became the first Australian Catholic priest defrocked for having a long-term inappropriate sexual relationship with NSW Central Coast woman Jennifer Herrick. She sought redress for a relationship that began with grooming by the priest when she was a vulnerable young woman with a disability. In a 2018 study involving 23 women and six men who experienced clergy sexual misconduct as adults, Queensland University of Technology researchers argued the Catholic Church maintained an overall attitude of victim blaming by focusing on adults consenting to sexual interaction, while failing to acknowledge abusive clerics taking advantage of the vulnerable. Researcher Stephen de Weger said the findings required a response from Australias legal profession. Clergy sexual misconduct against adults does not occur because there is a vulnerable adult but, rather, because there is a cleric willing to misuse their powers to abuse adult vulnerabilities, researchers Stephen de Weger and Jodie Death said. Clericalism within the Catholic Church led to an institutional tolerance for sexual misconduct and the protection of perpetrators and a failure to see the sexual abuse of adults in the context of professional misconduct and boundary violations, they found.

In comparison to other professional bodies the Catholic Church has not yet fully, officially or culturally accepted a framework for clergy sexual misconduct of adults that begins with the behaviour of the power-abusing cleric/professional, instead of with the status or behaviour of a vulnerable adult. Mr de Weger said the findings of a small but growing body of literature on the sexual abuse of adults in the church required a response from Australias legal profession to investigate this form of professional sexual misconduct more closely. Loading Sydney lawyer Jason Moody of Artemis Legal said his firm had received many inquiries from adults alleging abusive sexual relationships with clergy and we have seen evidence of considerable harm arising out of this type of adult sexual abuse. In many cases there was a legal duty of care on the clergy and church, particularly where there was evidence of a power imbalance, he said.

A major barrier for personal injury claims against the church was they were often made out of time, Mr Moody said. The law was recently changed in most jurisdictions in Australia to largely remove the limitations period of child abuse, but for those who were adults when they were abused claims in NSW need to be made generally within three or six years from the date of the act, he said. In 2002 the Discalced Carmelite order gave its deepest apologies for the grave wrong that has been done to Ann, after she reported Father Smiths reverencing of her body following his death in 1994. The apology letter included acknowledgement of the steps you sadly had to take to bring this case to light. The sexualising of her spiritual sessions with Father Smith at the Carmelite Varroville priory started during their third session when he invited her from his office to his adjoining private room, and linked the contemplative life of the order with the spirituality of the reverencing of the body.

He would talk about Mary (the mother of Jesus) and tell me I was blessed because this was the purity of the contemplative life. He would tell me I had to believe in this. He would say I reverence you like I would be reverencing Mary, she said. He stressed it had to be kept a secret and telling anyone about it would be like throwing pearls to swine. Their extended sexual interactions did not include intercourse but he requested she pleasure him through oral sex. From that point the spiritual meetings focused on his requests for her to pleasure him. At their last meeting only months before his death in 1994 Father Smith was depressed and said he was in a dark place, but asked Ann to pleasure him. Ann said she experienced a breakdown after a psychologist described how child sex offenders groom children.

I was able to see the experience with Father Smith for what it was because I had a perspective about it I didnt have while I was in it, that he had groomed me, she said. I felt such shame and guilt. I blamed myself. Loading In 2009 Discalced Carmelite leader Father Greg Homeming wrote to the Carmelite secular order to advise of Anns complaint and that I find no reason not to believe the allegation. Father Homeming acknowledged it was a grave matter which could seriously undermine the bonds of charity within our order.

The secular order in February 2010 noted Father Homemings letter but treated the matter with confidentiality within our community. Hunter priest Geoff Mulhearn, who supported Ann, said Father Smith did a great deal of harm by sexualising the spiritual sessions of a woman whose devout family background made her much less likely to challenge the head of an order. In the wake of the royal commissions findings about aspects of Catholic culture that contributed to child sexual abuse, the church has to look at the whole issue of sexuality and the body in a healthy way, Father Mulhearn said. In her speech at the National Council of Priests of Australia conference last week which considered the royal commissions findings, Dr Robinson urged priests to find your voice and be an agent of change because the system has failed its seminarians and clergy. It is easy to point the finger of blame at individual clergy who have breached boundaries either with children or vulnerable adults, labelling them as bad apples, Dr Robinson said after pressing for reforms including voluntary celibacy, an understanding of sexuality, an end to clericalism and the screening, teaching and on-going development of priests.
Griffith winemaker Marcello Casella has been sentenced to at least six months behind bars for failing to tell police about a large cannabis crop grown by a long-time friend.

Casella, 58, pleaded guilty in June to concealing a serious indictable offence after he failed to tell police about the crop of 2750 cannabis plants grown on a farm at Crowther in south-western NSW in late 2013 and early 2014.

Marcello Casella is facing at least six months behind bars. Credit:AAP

At the time, Casella was a director of Casella Family Brands, a high-profile wine business behind labels including Yellow Tail and Peter Lehmann Wines. He stepped down in February 2014 and is no longer involved in managing or operating the company which is headed by his two older brothers.

Casella's sentencing hearing was told he may have been guided by "misplaced loyalty" to his friend and one of his employees, who was also involved with the crop, when he kept quiet.
A 22-year-old man will be summonsed for the offence of stealing and the 23-year-old woman for the offence of receiving. The meerkat enclosure at Perth Zoo was closed on Saturday as the young animal recuperated. Zoo staff said the animal was stressed but recovering well. Perth Zoo senior veterinarian Simone Vitali said: All the things are lining up that were going to have a good outcome. Sergeant Dean Kelland speaks to media at Perth Zoo on Saturday morning. Credit:Cameron Myles Kensington Police Sergeant Dean Kelland said on Saturday inquiries were ongoing but said there was no suggestion the Beverley property was connected to animal trafficking.

Details on the heist were scant, but Sergeant Kelland said police and zoo staff would continue to pore over evidence in the coming weeks to figure out just how the baby meerkat was swiped from its enclosure. He said it was a relief to have a happy outcome to the case and always held faith the officers assigned to investigate would get to the bottom of it. I can tell you, at 8 oclock last night when I received a text message I was very relieved myself, he said. But it is surely one of the stranger cases to come across the desk at Kensington Police.

I dont think theres anything normal about anything being stolen from a zoo, Sergeant Kelland said. You hear about it, you hear rumours about things like this, but being involved in its a completely different thing. Its definitely got us standing up like a meerkat. Not out of the woods yet Perth Zoo senior vet Simone Vitali. Credit:Cameron Myles

Dr Vitali said while the baby was recovering well from its ordeal, there was still potential that it would not be taken back by the other meerkats at the zoo enclosure. Were all really relieved to have him back with us now, she said. Weve done a full examination on him now  he was very stressed and tired and hungry just like any bub thats been away from mum. But after an evening of getting his favourite foods and getting a bit of warmth and a bit of quiet hes really bounced back quite well, so were really happy with his progress so far. Zookeepers will keep a watchful eye over the coming days to properly reunite the meerkat with his family. Weve got high hopes that the family will take him back again, Dr Vitali said.

Were very lucky that he was almost weaned by the time he went, so he didnt miss out on a lot of mums milk and he was already eating the things that a mature meerkat should eat. All the things are lining up that were going to have a good outcome, and thats what were going to be pushing for. While referred to as a he by Dr Vitali, the senior vet said staff had still not confirmed the meerkats sex  but signs pointed to it being a boy. I wish it was easier to determine whether these are boys or girls but theyre really tricky at this age, she said. The baby meerkat is back in safe hands after its ordeal. Credit:Perth Zoo

We think its a boy so were going with a he until further notice but we should know more in a month or so. The meerkats mother, Bamba, initially had a litter of five. But first-time meerkat mothers often struggle and Dr Vitali said staff were ecstatic to have one surviving kit. And at just four weeks old the kitten has already proved itself to be hardy, bouncing back from its ordeal admirably. This kit is a real fighter, Dr Vitali said. It was obviously very stressed last night when we got it back. But it came back and it fed and it showed the resilience of youth and has really got itself back on track quite quickly, so were very, very relieved.
The deadlock over climate change policy in the past decade is often cited as the great example of what is wrong with Australian politics but federal school funding is right up there with it. The deal Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just announced is unlikely to end that mess.

Since the 1960s, when the federal government started funding private as well as public schools, there have been constant arguments between private and public schools and between different strands within private schools over money.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The bulk of federal schools funding, currently about $20 billion, has for some time gone to private schools which has resulted in a higher share of Australian students attending private schools than almost anywhere in the world. The ALP has advocated a switch back to public education while the Coalition has backed maintaining ''choice''. Each federal election produced a new ad hoc stitch-up.

The Gillard government tried to heal this open political sore by proposing its Gonski formula based on the principle that government funding for all schools, public and private, should meet a basic "resourcing standard", with extra cash for schools if their students had specific learning disabilities.
Canberra is enjoying what my friend dubs "fake spring"  days of warm sunny weather that encourage you to pack away the blanket on the couch and venture out without your puffy coat, only to be caught shivering when the temperature inevitably drops.

But fake spring is not the only season out of whack. This year, bushfire season started in winter in Australia. There were bushfires in the Arctic Circle. It's hard to wrap your mind around.

Yet the Morrison government appears content to head to the next election with no clear plan to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, the cause of rising temperatures. It has dumped its signature policy, the national energy guarantee, and though the Prime Minister has assured the public we will meet our Paris target to reduce emissions, he has not outlined how his government will make this happen.

On climate change, Scott Morrison is the man without a plan.
That sentiment is echoed in Australia, where modelling has found a best-case scenario from the trade fallout will cost Australia $36 billion and raise costs for consumers - particularly for tech products such as smartphones - over the next five years. PwC chief economist Jeremy Thorpe is one of many aghast at Trump's justification for the tariffs, the threat it poses to the dominant world order and his disregard for any flow-on effects. "Tariffs do not directly address IP issues and so it is a bit disingenuous for the US administration to clothe its tariff increases in the righteous cloak of protecting intellectual property," he says. Trade Minister Simon Birmingham in his Parliament House office. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Birmingham, who flew into the middle of the conflict two weeks ago at the G20 in Argentina, has urged both countries to avoid "digging an ever-deeper hole".

"Neither major player comes to this dispute with purity, with arguments over intellectual property, distorting subsidies, unilateral tariffs action and World Trade Organisation disruption all having degrees of validity," he says. "Theres absolutely scope to improve World Trade Organisation rules and how those processes work through more transparency and better dispute resolution, but Id encourage everyone to keep engaged with the system." His Coalition colleague Trevor Evans, an economist and member of the parliamentary economics committee, is more hawkish. He warns Trump's current tariffs are likely to be a precursor to a much wider dispute. Its preparing the ground for the mainstream Americans to acquaint themselves with trade," he says. "Intellectual property and copyright are hard to get your head around. With China, tensions over the theft of ideas are not just about market power, he says, because of the threat that the Chinese state could take over a company and therefore commercial intelligence.

"If the US-China trade dispute leads to a reckoning about how we put limits on sovereignty, then that is in the long-term interests of Australia," Evans says. Peter Jennings, a former defence official who now heads the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra, says China has been as active in Australia as it has been in the US in attempting to steal intellectual property. One example was the cyber hacking of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in 2015. "People often say 'what is the economic value of that?'," he says. "It is easily understandable if you think of the value to China of being able to manage its food crops more effectively, then good quality meteorology is a major part of that." China said it was "opposed to all forms of cyber attacks" and denied the allegation, but was also accused two years later of targeting the Australian National University - a claim it has yet to respond to publicly.

"This was not just a bunch of Chinese kids in a garage somewhere," says Jennings. "They are interested in wholesale intellectual property theft against any area of hard science research that is occurring inside the ANU. "This is stuff that China can mine for its own economic purposes. A billboard showing Chinese President Xi Jinping on a street in Beijing. Credit:AP "It tends to happen beneath a veil. I just think that Western governments are now sick to death of having this theft go on at the same time as we are attempting to have cordial relations with China."

The US Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property labelled China the world's principal intellectual property infringer". "The theft of American IP is not just the 'greatest transfer of wealth in human history', as General Keith Alexander once put it; IP theft undercuts the primary competitive advantage of American business - the capacity for innovation," it said. Loading That assessment was ramped up this year by US trade representative Robert Lighthizer's investigation, which warned China's regime forced US companies to either cede substantial control over their valuable technologies or be closed out of one of the worlds largest and fastest-growing economies. Foreign car companies seeking to assemble cars in China have had to do so through a 50 per cent joint venture with an existing Chinese firm, leaving them commercially exposed, while airlines are also prime targets - an environment where "technology can easily leak out the back door", according to Branstetter.

Here business executives are not only motivated by maximising profits but also keeping the government happy, so there are incentives to share stolen intellectual property. "Very few US or foreign firms have been willing to come forward with explicit allegations of being pressured into transferring their intellectual property," says Branstetter. "China is a big market and if you publicly criticise the government or state-owned entities you are probably going to be blacklisted." It's an area of particular sensitivity for the Chinese, says Branstetter - because it reminds the world that they are not like other capitalist economies. That looks set to change under the "Made in China 2025" plan, where President Xi Jinping has laid out a path to transform China from a low-wage manufacturing hub to a technological superpower - with a focus on robotics, autonomous cars, aviation and biotech.

"It's almost an attack priority list for Chinese intelligence," says Jennings. Monash University business law lecturer Alice De Jonge says foreign investors have long taken advantage of cheap labour costs in China and that it was now balancing the books as it caught up to the developed world. "From the Chinese perspective that seems fair enough," she says. "From the US perspective they want to retain the rights in American hands so they get the royalties going back to America. A visitor takes a photo of a display of robotic military technology at an exhibition highlighting China's achievements under five years of leadership by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Credit:AP "China is simply providing support for its own research and development and for its own companies, which are increasingly of world standard," she says.
Aretha Franklin was a much-loved figure who used her celebrity in the cause of justice. When she passed, people lined the streets to pay respects. In his eulogy, the Reverend Jesse Jackson lamented that there were "long lines to celebrate death and short lines for voting". At the event that marked her passing, there was strong sense of political purpose. "We lost Michigan by 11,000 votes. One-hundred-thousand in Detroit are unregistered. Long lines at the deaths of icons, short lines for voting. Something is missing."

Something is indeed missing. With the death of each person who sacrificed for a cause, the absence of purpose in modern politics is as keenly felt as the loss of the individual. The vacuum left has now been filled with all manner of dishonesty, as well as an assiduously cultivated fear of the other. In the United States, the lack of an alternative has left many people marginalised. Disengaged and angry, they are looking for something to blame.

The accepted economic orthodoxy has reduced many to a miserable existence, yet timorous leaders and traditional parties remain slow to embrace the possibilities that radical departure from the status quo could bring. The lack of alternative has condemned us to a politics of gradualism, a language of equivocation, and a body politic that puts elected representatives' interests ahead of the people's welfare.

One wonders how many of the unregistered, non-voters in Detroit would have been engaged had self-described socialist Bernie Sanders been the Democratic Party's nomination for United States president. Had there been a more radical alternative in the presidential race, one wonders whether Donald Trump would have been as successful using race as an outlet for people's anger. History shows where this path will take us, and we are running hard in that direction.
Hanoi: Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, a former chief of internal security who became one of the most high-profile leaders in the communist-ruled country, died on Friday after an illness, state media said.

Quang's rise, at a time of growing dissent on social media and challenges to the party's authority, signalled limits to the country's liberal agenda, despite a growing openness to social change and sweeping economic reform, experts say.

Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang passed away on Friday. Credit:AP

The 61-year-old died in a military hospital in Hanoi of a "serious illness despite efforts by domestic and international doctors and professors," Vietnam Television said.

He had hosted a reception for China's Supreme Court chief on Wednesday, state-owned newspaper Vietnam News said.
The second option the EU offered, May correctly said, was a free trade agreement. But, May said, that "would introduce [customs] checks at the Great Britain/EU border. Even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea. Damn strait it would (pardon the pun). All countries, even those who've signed free trade deals, have checks at their external borders. They can be streamlined by technology, but either you have border checks or you put up a sign saying smugglers, tax dodgers and illegal immigrants this way please. Loading Of course you could enter a union that aligns your trade, manufacturing, service and labour policies so closely that border checks arent necessary.

But thats what Britain voted against, according to May. See above. If the UK wont put checks at the Northern Irish border, which would risk reigniting old divisions, it must put them in the Irish Sea, creating new ones. The border has to be somewhere. And yet, said May, a border in the Irish Sea has been rejected by the UK Parliament and is something I will never agree to, indeed something no British prime minister would ever agree to. So. No Single Market. No Customs Union. But no border checks in Northern Ireland or in the Irish Sea. Theresa May's Brexit plan was not welcomed warmly at the informal EU summit in Salzburg this week. Credit:Bloomberg

Mays government had, at great political cost, come up with the Chequers plan that would, it said, tick all these boxes. Britain would vow to abide by the EUs rule book for trade in goods, apply EU rules at its own borders, but go its own way on services. The EU looked at Chequers and decided it was unworkable, that it would undermine the Single Market. May seems to accept this. Neither side should demand the unacceptable of the other, she said. And then the wave of the flag. At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other sides proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals, she said.

So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress. Loading Extraordinary. The EU had already told Britain what the alternatives were. May just listed them, a minute ago in her speech. But that was a minute ago. Britain chose Brexit. And now, this minute, its Prime Minister is demanding that Europe explain how Britain can get everything it wants from Brexit. Shell wait. The only alternative May will apparently accept is the "no deal Brexit". According to a series of analyses and reports, including from the UK government and the Bank of England, that would cause Britain widespread economic harm, hit exports and imports, send businesses fleeing the country to the continent and result in shortages of food and vital medicine.

Give me what I want or I will hit myself with this brick and give you my money is not the best negotiating tactic. Nevertheless, its Britains. A no deal Brexit would still mean border checks (and much more extensive ones) either at the Irish border or in the Irish Sea. It would solve nothing the UK wants solved. No one wants a good deal more than me, May said. Smiling assassins: European leaders met for a tense summit in Salzburg this week, largely killing off Theresa May's Brexit plan. Credit:Bloomberg She wants a good deal. She wants a good deal more than the EU has consistently said it's willing to give her.

Of course, the EU might come up with something. It might have a previously unmentioned idea on how to compromise the fundamentals of the Single Market, make Britain a special case, deal with the queue of still-in-the-EU countries who want beneficial exemptions on trade and regulation too. It could maybe, somehow unpick the complex interweaving of goods and services in the modern economy, in a way that could be waved through a border on trust or the remote scan of a licence plate. Loading It might decide that its better to attempt this than leave the UK to self-immolate in a no-deal Brexit. This might be the beginning of the end of a long and hard negotiation, where both sides make the most noise before edging towards a previously invisible compromise.
"It's a message we send to society: do not always be on your phones." The ban expands on a current law that applied only to junior high school and forbade the use of smartphones during class. The new law includes lower grades and will also apply to the entire school grounds, including the schoolyard. The only exception is when smartphones' use is assigned by a teacher. Around 93 per cent of French children ages 12 to 17 have mobile phones, and an estimated 86 per cent in that age group have models that support apps, according to French government and research institute data from 2016 and 2017. Just under two-thirds of middle school and junior high students are signed up on social networks like Instagram and Snapchat and video games like Fortnite. Many schools in France already ban smartphones. Credit:New York Times

The problems with smartphone use are well known. Students' insecurity can rise as they constantly worry about keeping up with "likes" and "shares" on social media. Teachers worry about cyber bullying and abusive practical jokes like photographing classmates from under the bathroom door and then posting the images online. France is rare in legislating a solution. In Denmark, legislators are examining a similar approach, but have said they do not want to put it into law. In Britain, each school makes its own rules. And in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio won points three years ago when he lifted a school mobile phone ban put in place under his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg. New York lifted an earlier ban on smartphone use in schools. In New York, as in many American school districts, parents want to be able to check on their children throughout the day. And in school shootings in the US, students have often used their phones to call 911 and report "active shooter" situations. In France, where there have been no school shootings, few parents have objected to the ban. The law, a campaign promise of President Emmanuel Macron, flew through the legislature this summer with strong support from parents and many teachers.

Loading About 60 per cent of French junior high schools already had similar bans, said Frederique Rolet, the secretary-general of a national teachers union. Under the new law, students can bring their phones to school but must keep them out of sight in their bags or lockers. If they are caught using them, the phones can be confiscated for a day. Yet students say they know how to get around the ban. Grace, in year 8, said that even after her school, Francoise Dolto middle school in Paris, introduced its rule last year, she continued to film her friends for Snapchat and Instagram. She just did it clandestinely.

Both she and her classmate Zoelinh say they take their phones to school even though they are not allowed to use them there. "In theory I could leave it at home and pick it up after school, but I'd be missing something," Zoelinh said. "I would not feel good at all." Grace added, half joking, "We'd be depressed." Both said they felt a void when their phones were not close by. During an interview in a cafe, both girls restrained themselves from doing much texting, but kept touching their phones. Teachers also doubt whether the ban is enforceable, especially with young teenagers for whom rebellion often trumps any inclination to follow a teacher's instructions.

"I just don't know how the law will be put in place," said Cecile Dhondt, who teaches students who have trouble keeping up in class at College Jean Jaures middle school in a suburb of Lille, in northern France. As for taking away phones if students refuse to put them away, she said, "If I confiscated them, my students would not come anymore to class, and that is not the objective." David Scellier, who teaches French language and literature at a school in a Paris suburb, said that he doubted the law would be an effective "answer to the addiction problem," and that responsibility was being put in the wrong place. "Who buys the phones for the children?" he said. "Who doesn't give them a framework and set limits on using them? Parents. But everyone blames the school, which is very typical in France: school should be responsible for all the children's problems." However, he acknowledged that phones were a top concern of the young teachers he trains, who inevitably ask how to deal with smartphone use in class. "Most of them think that they will be more protected with the law," he said. "Let's wait and see. But I doubt it."

The culture of the internet is of immediate pleasure, the inverse of school, which is about delayed gratification. Monique Dagnaud, social researcher For local sociologists and scientists who study attention spans and the digital culture, removing smartphones from school makes sense even if it does not fully address the difficulty of managing the siren call of social networks. "It's a culture of presentism," Monique Dagnaud, a researcher at the government-run National Centre for Social Research, said of social media. "It creates a rapport with the world that is very immediate, very visual, fun." "The culture of the internet is of immediate pleasure," she added  the inverse of school, which is about delayed gratification. Smartphone use sets off the production of dopamine "the same system that is implicated in addictions and drugs," said Jean-Philippe Lachaux, a neuroscientist at the National Institute for Health and Medical Research.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Each Year on September 21st, the United Nations celebrates International Day of Peace. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.

The theme for the 2018 Day of Peace is The Right to Peace - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70. The theme celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration  the most translated document in the world, available in more than 500 languages - is as relevant today as it was on the day that it was adopted.

Sustainable Development Goal 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions calls for promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. A peaceful society is one where there is justice and equality for everyone. Human Rights are instrumental to get and maintain peace.

It is time all nations and all people live up to the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human race. This year marks the 70th anniversary of that landmark document. -- Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated.

What is our Sint Maarten government intending to do on Peace and Justice for all?

Before 2010 Sint Maarten and Curacao have started to Build Strong Institutions, with the establishment of the High Council of State, The Ombudsman, The SER etc. If we look at the current Governing program 2018-2022, Building a Sustainable Sint Maarten, some key priority areas for development of the country are mentioned. The parts that refer to SDG 16, Peace and Justice, building strong institutions, are: Introduce Electoral Reform and Implement Integrity Chamber. Strengthen collaboration with Saint Martin and Kingdom partners are also to be considered falling under SDG 16. On action level: Develop a National Safety and Security plan and Be more safety smart, fall indirectly under Peace, justice for all.

The themes Transparency, Integrity, and Accountability are also highlighted in the St. Maarten Governing program, as also Electoral Reform. It states: We must consider that there is a fundamental public lack of trust in past governments.

We believe that both constitutional and electoral reform can contribute to the restoration of trust. While Sint Maarten enjoys free and fair elections, an increasing concern is, that there is still a need to educate the community of our electoral system. To this end we will review the laws governing elections, improve electoral awareness on all levels and where necessary improve the democratic process of electing a parliament and appointing a government to office.

Under Protecting Industries and Communities the Government of Sint Maarten is focusing on Crime prevention, and it states: To protect the people of Sint Maarten and visitors to our island, we must intensify the crime prevention practices in the Justice chain. Strategic and tactical deployment of our officers in critical business and residential districts are some of the much-needed deterrents against crimes. However, we must not see crime prevention solely from the standpoint of increasing police presence. There must be significant investments in our Youth to prevent juvenile delinquency.

To reduce crime in general we will strengthen our neighborhood crime watch programs, deploy more blue on the street, better equip and train the community police officers, finalize and extend the camera project. However, the task of crime prevention does not stop here and will have to include active identity theft programs and educate the community on the ills of the internet as it relates to private information.

The Right to Peace

The Universal Declaration states in Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. These elements build the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Yet, the Universal Declaration does not include a separate article on Right to Peace.

What does The Right to Peace mean to you? What can you do?

In the lead up to the International Day of Peace on 21 September, the UN calls upon all to act. You can support SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions by seeking peaceful resolution of conflict when disagreements arise around you. You can be part of the solution by taking small steps. You can prevent an injustice at school or in your community by adopting a non-violent approach to problem solving and reporting potential crimes, including online bullying.

You can promote human rights by collecting and promoting videos of as many articles as possible in as many languages as possible. Record yourself reading one of the 30 articles of the Declaration in any of the 135 languages currently available and share your video with your friends.

You can engage by speaking up when others are at risk and stand with others human rights at work, in school and around the dinner table.

You can share your ideas with the UN through #peaceday and #standup4humanright.

You can reflect how each of us can stand up for our rights, every day. Human rights are everyone's rights.

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or per telephone number +1721-5271223.

The governing program can be downloaded from the Sint Maarten government Website www.sintmaartengov.org
Peace is supposed to be a stress-free state of security and calmness that comes when there is no fighting or war, everything coexisting in perfect harmony and freedom. I believe this best defines St. Maarten both French and Dutch, North and South.

We generally live in a peaceful society that is not directly threatened by wars like many other countries in the world. In our society, we thrive on peace as our differences are handled peacefully and for this, we should be grateful. Through the various community-oriented groups, we see the workings of partnerships while working for the ultimate dignity for all in our community with persons of various ethnicities, religious backgrounds and origins.

As Minister of Justice, I have to ensure that there is peace and order in our community. That our borders are secured and not threatened by outside forces. Our main aim collectively should be to continue to provide and protect peace for all of our citizens within our authority. There can be no prosperity if we do not have safety and security.

In order for world peace to exist, there must be peace in every community and that begins with an inner peace that must be radiated throughout our community and the world.

We must remain vigilant and proactive when we look at the videos on social media with our students fighting in the videos and being glorified for it, and when we see adults passing by who turn a blind eye instead of stopping it.

John F. Kennedy once said, "Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures."

This quote fits nicely with this years theme of Partnerships for Peace-Dignity for All, as achieving peace is something we have to work on continuously in order to achieve our goals of a society filled with peace, justice, nonviolence and social change in our community for which this monument we are standing at was dedicated for in 2014.

We need to address it holistically. We cannot stay in a bubble hoping that it will go away and resolve itself. When we have tried everything and done our fair share only then we can have a peace of mind.

As we join the Rotary International on this International Peace Day, let us remember the luxury we have here in St. Maarten, a peaceful community for everyone. Let us continue to work collectively to maintain the peace that reigns supreme in our communities, St. Maarten the island that we call home that continues to coexist in perfect harmony and freedom.
Den Haag/PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic & Telecommunication the Honourable Stuart Johnson discussed a number of topics such as the US-Preclearance and incentives for large and small businesses during his visit to the St. Maarten House in The Netherlands this week.

I felt it imperative to meet with Minister Wuite and Deputy Minister Somersall to discuss a number of concerns and also to find ways in which the Ministry of TEATT could be further supported in The Netherlands by the Honourable Minister Plenipotentiary Jorien Wuite and her Deputy Minister Michael Somersall and members of their cabinet, Minister Johnson said.

Minister Johnson also took the opportunity to present Minister Plenipotentiary Wuite and Deputy Minister Somersall with the priorities of the TEATT Ministry highlighted out of the governing program.

While in The Nethetlands, Minister Johnson will be making a special presentation to various stakeholders and media outlets. He said, Its time we get St. Maarten back on track, and I remain fully committed to ensuring our country regains its maximum potential. He will use the opportunity to promote St. Maartens 50th Anniversary of Carnival which will be celebrated in 2019 and will be looking at securing additional airlifts from KLM for that period and for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, from The Netherlands to St. Maarten.

Johnson gave a progress report on developments in St. Maarten and highlighted areas in which he envisages close collaboration with the St. Maarten House would be instrumental in ensuring some projects are finalised.

Minister Johnson outlined the general scope of the plans for the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) and explained that the formalising of US Pre-Clearance will require the approval of the legislative branch on St. Maarten and that of the Dutch Government as well.

The Air Service Development Agreement and the work being done in conjunction with PJIAE on an incentive program geared at returning direct service to St. Maarten.

Government incentives for large and small properties as a means of improving the speed of their recovery and the work being done to determine the profile of the Dutch Visitor while at the same time attracting niche segments of the International visitor market were also discussed.

The St.Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) and the St.Maarten House have also committed to closer ties and further strengthening of its working relationship.

"The St.Maarten House plays an important role in showcasing our country in the Kingdom. Promotional materials and the overall visibility reflective of our island needs to be found there and through STB this will be immediately improved on," Minister Johnson said.

During his visit to The Netherlands Minister Johnson also met with Mr Carlvin Brooks, Chairman of the Board of the Unleashed Potential Group, (UPG) who is a financial lawyer by profession. Brooks gave some insights on the developments within the foundation and its goals. The UPG has as its primary objective the revitalisation of St. Maartens economy and the improvement of the social welfare of its citizens as well as promoting the return of young St. Maarten professionals to the island after studying and gaining professional experience abroad.

The Minister encouraged Brooks to also look at opportunities in St. Maarten that currently require his expertise. Minister Johnson Commended Brooks on his service as a member of the foundation and as a role model for St. Maarten students in Holland.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Each year for over 30 years, the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day empowers people to reduce ocean trash while collecting crucial data on the types and amounts of trash which are invading our shorelines. Under the theme One island, one ocean, one world, the Dutch side foundation Environmental Protection the Caribbean (EPIC) joined forces with the French side organization Clean St. Martin. Together they organized a large clean-up at Grand Case, with over 165 volunteers cleaning 2.1 tonnes of waste from 2 kilometers of coastal shore and parallel roads.

Volunteers teams of 4 to 6 people managed the data collection and waste separation. The 27 registered teams competed for most waste collected, with the following winners: first place went to Team Alpha with 234 kg of waste, second place to Team Rugby Union with 188 kg of waste, and third place went to Team Colibri with 130 kg of waste.

During the clean-up volunteers collected a large amount of construction material and debris, leftovers from the past hurricane season. The strangest item found at the beach was a broken microwave.

The message at this event was clear; we need to keep the island and ocean free of pollution and cooperation between both sides can help to achieve this. Pollution travels by land, sea, and air and therefore EPIC encourages cooperation and participation of all citizens of the island in keeping it free of pollution, recommending minimizing or stopping the usage of single-use plastics and discarding all waste safely and correctly.

This event was sponsored by Heineken and FIJI Water, provided by International Liquor and Tobacco Trading N.V. (ILTT SXM). The organizers would like to thank ILTT SXM for the donation of beverages, clean up gear, and prizes for the competition, as well as the great support throughout the event.

They would also like to thank Kooyman St. Maarten for the donation of gloves and participation during the event with four teams. A big thank you also to Super U for the donation of juices and St. Martins Collectivite for their support.
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.
Ocean Highway southbound near Sandy Island Road in Pawleys Island flooded Sept. 17 after Hurricane Florence dumped heavy rains in the area. More flooding is expected to reach Georgetown County.
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.  Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on Friday delivered a proposal that details the responsibilities and structure of a future Space Force. In a speech on Monday at the Air Force Association's annual symposium, Wilson called the proposal "bold" and one that "carries out the president's vision."

Wilson's speech focused on the future of air warfare and did not discuss details of her Space Force recommendations. SpaceNews obtained a copy of the proposal.

Wilson's submitted the proposal Sept. 14 in response to a Sept. 10 directive from Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who asked Wilson and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin to each develop a concept for establishing a Space Development Agency as a new organization dedicated to space innovation and rapid technology development. [Trump's Space Force Plan Revealed by VP Mike Pence]

Wilson did far more than that. She put forth a concept for how to set up a Space Development Agency but also offered a comprehensive vision and detailed plan for how military space forces, programs and agencies could transition to a future Department of the Space Force if and when Congress approves it. Wilson also articulated a strategic vision for the Space Force and provided a rough estimate of the personnel and funding needed.

In her proposal, Wilson strenuously opposes an initiative by the White House to name an assistant secretary of defense for space. She insisted that the transition should minimize disruption and ensure space warfighting missions are not disrupted.

"This proposal establishes a clear mission, directly related to the strategic problem we are trying to solve. It preserves close ties to the warfighter, ensures strong authorities and avoids unnecessary delays and disruptions to ongoing programs," Wilson wrote.

Space Development Agency

Wilson suggested the Space Development Agency be assigned to the Air Force Space Rapid Capabilities Office, an organization that Congress already funded and that has authorities to experiment and prototype next-generation technology. Wilson sees the SDA as a natural evolution from the RCO. [The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Ever]

The Space Development Agency would evolve to a "hybrid" organization with elements of the RCO and National Reconnaissance Office. The RCO, she noted, "exists now and has the personnel and expertise to meet the needs of U.S. Space Command."

Wilson strongly opposes the notion of an SDA as a Pentagon think tank with no direct connection to the military services that organize train, equip and "have the organizational strengths" to bring technologies to fruition. Her concept "contrasts sharply with an OSD-level technology policy organization that is far removed from operational needs, fielding and sustainment issues."

The SDA would be staffed by representatives from all services and government agencies, and it would be closely aligned with U.S. Space Command. The deputy director of the SDA, for example, could be dual-hatted as a director of operations at U.S. Space Command.

To ensure continuity in space efforts, existing programs would remain within each service until a new department is in place, "With the exception of space superiority and some enabling capabilities."

Wilson is insistent in her proposal that the portions of the intelligence community that support military space should be in the Space Force. She suggests the next director of the National Reconnaissance Office could serve simultaneously as the director of the Air Force RCO. "This would establish unity of command and deepen the connection between military space and the space elements of the intelligence community."

Department of the Space Force

If Congress provides the authority and resources to establish a Space Force headquarters in fiscal year 2020, "this would allow DoD to build the foundation of a new department," Wilson said, "allowing the Air Force to transfer personnel and programs in fiscal year 2021 after congressional approval."

This proposal, she said, "avoids detours that do not support the president's policy position to establish a new military department."

Wilson is against the appointment of an assistant secretary of defense for space, a move she suggests would be unnecessary and counterproductive. In his Sept. 10 directive, Shanahan directed the Pentagon's chief management officer to start the process of creating that office and coordinate with the White House Liaison Office, which will begin identifying candidates.

Establishing an assistant secretary of defense for space or a new defense bureaucracy or moving programs to a temporary holding organization "is not in line with the president's intent," Wilson wrote.

Wilson included in her proposal a list of missions and functions of the Space Force. This is the first time since President Trump directed the establishment of a space branch that any DoD official has explained what that force will do.

The Space Force would be "responsible for the preparation of forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war," Wilson wrote. It will "organize, train and equip and provide space forces for military operations." It also will develop tactics and doctrine for offensive and defensive space operations, including missile defense, and will be responsible to "gain and maintain space superiority."

Other Space Force missions: conduct space operations to enhance joint campaigns, provide combat support and joint space bases or other support that is not organic to the individual military services. It would also oversee "global integrated command and control for space operations."

Space Force size, budget

As a military department of equal status to the other services, the Space Force would have about 13,000 personnel, including a headquarters of about 2,400 with its own secretariat and general staff. Most of the force, about 10,000 people, would be satellite operators, threat analysts and forward deployed units.

Wilson estimated the Space Force budget for the first year should be about $3.3 billion, and $13 billion over five years. The first-year budget includes $425 million for a headquarters, $351 million for direct reporting units, $1.3 billion for space force elements, $114 million for combatant command personnel and $1 billion for combatant command military construction.

To avoid disruption, personnel should stay in their current service units until the Department of the Space Force is created, Wilson said.

The major components of the Space Force would include the Space Development Agency, the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, elements of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, and elements of the Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. Wilson stressed that the National Reconnaissance Office should be closely connected to the Space Force as well, and that "this action will not adversely affect the equities of the director of national intelligence and the intelligence community."

Wilson suggested the Space Force also should include some space activities of the Missile Defense Agency, the Strategic Capabilities Office, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Commerce's space traffic management office.

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
An artist's illustration of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flying by the small object 2014 MU69, also known as Ultima Thule, on Jan. 1, 2019. Recent observations suggest that Ultima Thule may actually be two co-orbiting bodies.

Don't sleep on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.

The history-making probe, which famously zoomed past Pluto in July 2015, is closing in on its next flyby target, a frigid chunk of ice and rock about 4 billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) from Earth dubbed Ultima Thule.

New Horizons is now just 80 million miles (130 million km) from Ultima Thule, mission members said Wednesday (Sept. 19). That's less than the distance from Earth to the sun (about 93 million miles, or 150 million km). [Destination Pluto: NASA's New Horizons Mission in Pictures]

The spacecraft has already begun photographing Ultima Thule for navigation purposes and remains on track to cruise within a mere 2,200 miles (3,540 km) of Ultima in the wee hours of Jan. 1, 2019. The data New Horizons gathers during that encounter hshould shed considerable light on the solar system's early days, said mission principal investigator Alan Stern.

"Ultima Thule was formed at the origin of our solar system, and it's been in this deep freeze ever since," Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said during a webcast event Wednesday.

"Going to it is like making an archaeological dig into the history of our solar system," he added. "We've never been to anything like this."

Ultima Thule was discovered in 2014 (and is formally known as 2014 MU69). The object's surface is reddish and dark  about as reflective as potting soil, Stern said. And Ultima Thule appears to be about 23 miles (37 km) wide.

But the object remains shrouded in mystery. Its composition and shape are unknown, for example, as is its precise orbit. Researchers don't know for sure if Ultima Thule has any moons or debris rings or even if it's a single object. Indeed, Ultima may well consist of a pair of close-orbiting bodies, New Horizons team members have said.

The upcoming flyby will clear up such questions. But pulling off the epic encounter won't be easy, Stern stressed Wednesday.

Ultima Thule lies 1 billion miles (1.6 km) beyond Pluto and is much smaller than the dwarf planet. New Horizons is 3 years older now, with lower power levels. And the probe will attempt to get much closer to Ultima on Jan. 1 than it ever got to Pluto. (The 2015 encounter had a close-approach distance of 7,800 miles, or 12,550 km.)

"Everything about this flyby is tougher," Stern said.

New Horizons will have one shot at the flyby, which will occur as the probe is zooming along at about 32,000 mph (51,500 km/h). Stern said he thinks the team and the spacecraft are up to the challenge. But, as in the rest of life, there are no guarantees, especially given the boundary-pushing nature of this mission.

"It's really an adventure of exploration," Stern said.

The $720 million New Horizons mission launched in January 2006, tasked with lifting the veil on Pluto. The Ultima Thule encounter is the centerpiece of the probe's extended mission, which also includes the study from afar of a variety of other objects in the Kuiper Belt, the ring of icy bodies beyond Neptune's orbit.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
Japans Hayabusa2 spacecraft captured this image of the asteroid Ryugu (and its own shadow) on the night of Sept. 20, 2018, when the probe was about 440 feet (135 meters) above the space rocks surface. Hayabusa2 was descending at the time, preparing to deploy the two tiny MINERVA-II1 hopping rovers toward Ryugus surface.

Two little hopping rovers appear to have hit their asteroid target, but it's still unclear if they're safe and sound on the surface.

The MINERVA-II1A and MINERVA-II1B minirobots separated from their mother ship, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft, as planned at 12:06 a.m. EDT (0406 GMT) today (Sept. 21) and headed down toward the big asteroid Ryugu.

The Hayabusa2 team confirmed the rovers' deployment and established communication with them shortly thereafter. That communication link was lost early this morning  but this was no reason to panic, mission team members said. [Japan's Hayabusa2 Asteroid Ryugu Sample-Return Mission in Pictures]

"Communication with MINERVA-II1 has currently stopped. This is probably due to the rotation to Ryugu, and MINERVA-II1 is now on the far side of the asteroid. We are currently working to confirm if there are images capturing the MINERVA-II1 landing," the Hayabusa2 team said via Twitter at about 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT) today.

Being isolated on the far side is just a temporary setback, however. The 3,000-foot-wide (900 meters) Ryugu completes one rotation every 7.5 hours, so the MINERVA-II1 duo should swing into radio view soon if they haven't already.

We cannot assume that everything is fine, of course  touching down on an asteroid 200 million miles (300 million kilometers) from Earth is a very tricky business. For example, it's hard to stick a landing on a body with such a slight gravitational pull, as the experience of the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission shows.

In November 2014, the Rosetta mother ship dropped a lander called Philae onto the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which is about 2.5 miles (4 km) wide. Philae was supposed to anchor itself to the comet's icy surface with a harpoon, but that didn't work, and the lander bounced several times before settling in a shady spot next to the wall of a cliff. Philae didn't get enough sunlight there to recharge its batteries as planned, and the lander's science work was cut short as a result.

Hayabusa2 engineers are doubtless doing all they can to hail the MINERVA-II1 bots, but all the rest of us can do is wait.

The $150 million Hayabusa2 mission launched in December 2014 and arrived at Ryugu in late June of this year. The deployment of MINERVA-II1A and MINERVA-II1B  each of which is 7 inches wide by 2.8 inches tall (18 by 7 centimeters) and weighs 2.4 lbs. (1.1 kilograms)  kicks off an ambitious surface-exploration campaign at the big asteroid.

In early October, the orbiter will deploy a bigger lander, called the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT). And another little hopper, MINERVA-II2, is scheduled to head toward the surface next year.

Also in 2019, the mother ship will send a (nonexplosive) impactor barreling toward Ryugu. The orbiter will then cruise down to the newly created crater and collect a sample of pristine, previously subsurface material, which will come down to Earth in a special return capsule in December 2020, if all goes according to plan.

Scientists around the world will study this cosmic grit and gravel, looking for clues about the early history of the solar system and the role that carbon-rich asteroids such as Ryugu may have played in delivering life's building blocks to Earth long ago.

This information will be combined with data gathered by the MINERVA-II hoppers, MASCOT and the Hayabusa2 orbiter.

The MINERVAs  whose name is short for "Micro Nano Experimental Robot Vehicle for Asteroid"  are designed to hop because traditional roving doesn't work well in very low-gravity environments. A slight turn of a wheel would send a robot up into space, so hopping is the way to go.

And these hops will be pronounced, lasting about 15 minutes and covering perhaps 165 feet (50 m) of horizontal distance apiece, Hayabusa2 team members have said.

And about the "II" in the hoppers' name: The first Hayabusa mission, which was also operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and arrived at the asteroid Itokawa in 2005, featured a hopper named MINERVA. The original MINERVA failed to land safely on its asteroid target.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
NEW YORK  Last night (Sept. 20), London-based band Public Service Broadcasting performed its beloved album "The Race for Space" underneath NASA's space shuttle Enterprise in honor of NASA's 60th anniversary.

The band has cultivated an international fan base with music inspired by science and spaces. On top of heavy, danceable drum parts and delightful, choppy instrumentals , the band adds "lead vocals" that are usually either prerecorded and played live or sampled from historical films and footage.

The band played to a crowd of adoring fans underneath the Enterprise at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museumm's Space Shuttle Pavilion. Fans sported sT-shirts reading, "I believe in progress," inspired by the band's song "Progress." Music and visuals that played behind the band throughout the night entranced the audience. Footage from the era of Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite, and clips dug out of historical archives ran on a screen behind the band during its set. [Photos: A Space Shuttle Called 'Enterprise']

Under NASA's space shuttle Enterprise, aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York, the London-based sampling band Public Service Broadcasting played a number of space-themed songs for a crowd of adoring fans. (Image credit: Chelsea Gohd/Space.com)

This performance is part of the hseventh annual Space & Science Festival, which takes place at the Intrepid Museum Sept 20-23. The festival features a number of events, including appearances by special guests like astronaut Sunita Williams and even a Space.com booth (available on Sept. 22 and 23), where visitors will be able to build Alka-Seltzer rockets, as well as enter a free giveaway for a chance to win a Celestron telescope.

A whole host of events will celebrate NASA's 60th anniversary. The space agency officially reaches six decades on Oct. 1, 2018, and you can keep up with the anniversary events here.

To learn more about the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and the Space & Science Festival, you can visit intrepidmuseum.org. You can also keep up with all the Space & Science Festival fun on social media using the hashtag #SpaceSciFest.

Follow Chelsea Gohd on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Geneva Sept 20, 2018 (SPS) - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres criticized in a report the human rights situation in the occupied Sahrawi territories, stressing that Morocco has violated the International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Treatment or Punishment.

Antonio Guterres' services released the report on the occasion of the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva from 10 to 28 September, media reports said.

The UN Secretary-General's report focused on the UN's cooperation programme with human rights representatives and mechanisms, the sources said.

Concerning Morocco, the document mentioned in particular three cases of Sahrawi victims of cruel treatment and deprivation of their rights, illustrating the deplorable situation of human rights in the Sahrawi territories illegally occupied by the Kingdom.

"Several Sahrawi human rights groups continued to experience difficulties in carrying out their activities. Indeed, they were not recognized legally, as the Moroccan Government had not answered their applications for registration," denounced the report

On the basis of the work of the UN Committee Against Torture, composed of 10 independent experts, Antonio Guterres particularly referred to the poor conditions of imprisonment of Naama Asfari, sentenced to 30 years in prison after the Gdim Izik trial. Placed in solitary confinement from 13 February to 13 March 2018, the detainee is still deprived of visits of his wife, Claude Mangin. SPS

125/090/TRA
Under a new Connecticut law passed earlier this year, top hedge fund managers and other financiers could reap millions of dollars in tax savings, according to a Bloomberg analysis Thursday of a little-noticed element in the state statute.

In June, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed into law a new tax treatment for pass-through entities like limited liability companies and partnerships, under which taxes on profits are assessed directly on individuals controlling those firms so that they do not get taxed twice.

Under the new law, owners of those companies get a credit of 93 percent of the income taxes they pay the state, while being able to take a full deduction of the tax as a business expense for the purpose of reporting their federal returns to the IRS. And for fund managers who claim a 20 percent tax rate after cashing in investments they have held for three years, one accounting method can reduce their long-term capital gains rate by 1.4 percentage points, according tot he Bloomberg report.

According to several accounting experts queried by Bloomberg, the Connecticut provision has not gone unnoticed among the wealthiest money management firms and their bookkeepers, with New York residents who work in Connecticut not being able to grab the same benefit. Connecticut is third nationally for the concentration of households with at least $1 million in investable assets, at 107,000 in all or one of every 7.8 percent of households, as calculated by Phoenix Marketing International in its annual ranking of millionaire households.

Finn Dixon & Herling partner Michael Spiro told Bloomberg the IRS could yet issue a clarification barring the tax break.

The IRS already intervened earlier this year after Connecticut and other states explored creating a way to restore the benefits lost by residents after the December passage of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which among other measures capped at $10,000 the IRS deductions taxpayers could take for the state and local taxes they pay, or SALT.

Connecticut, New York and other northeast states have since sued the federal government, with the Malloy administration estimating Connecticut residents will lose $10.8 billion in SALT deductions they could have claimed on this years taxes.

In August, income tax and pass-through entity tax collections were up 13.8 percent in Connecticut from a year earlier, according to the state Department of Revenue Services, representing an additional $55 million in revenue, with sales tax collections jumping more than 6 percent. The two taxes drive DRS collections, amounting to 80 cents of every dollar that taxpayers sent to Hartford in August.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
The state Board of Examiners for Nursing on Wednesday disciplined three nurses, including suspending the license of a Stamford Hospital nurse accused of stealing Dilaudid meant for 21 patients.

The registered nurse, Kerrisha Stacy-Ann Hurd of Elmont, N.Y., took the painkillers meant for the patients but did not administer the doses to them between January and March while she worked in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit of the hospital, state records show.

In March, she fainted while on the job, and a syringe with a bloody needle was found in her uniform pocket, records show. Then on April 26, she admitted that she gave herself a shot of Dilaudid while working, records show. She was taken to the emergency room and tested positive for opiates, records show.

The board concluded that Hurds continued practice as a nurse represents a clear and immediate danger to the public.

On Wednesday, the board came to the same conclusion about Presley Eze, a West Hartford licensed practical nurse, and suspended his license.

Eze has a long history of disciplinary action before the board, and state records show that in 2011, he was high on PCP when he brandished a long sword outside the Trader Joes store in West Hartford, records show. He has been arrested four times since then, records show.

In May, the board placed his license on probation for four years and ordered him to undergo random drug tests. Since June, however, he has not complied with the terms of his probation, records show, so the board suspended his license.

The board also reprimanded the RN license of Gregory Coyle of Ansonia, who in 2017, while working for All About You Home Care Services, failed to appear for scheduled home care visits for a patient and failed to administer medication to the patient, a consent order he signed said. He also falsified medication records, the order said. Coyle has completed courses in documentation standards, ethics and patient rights. In signing the order, Coyle chose not to contest the charges while admitting no wrongdoing.

Records show that Coyle does not currently live or practice in Connecticut. The board placed a restriction on his license that requires him to give the board 90 days notice before resuming practice in Connecticut. If that happens, he must also wait until the board can issue an order to monitor his practice.

Kate Farrish is a Connecticut Health I-Team writer. This story was reported under a partnership with CHIT, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting. (c-hit.org)
Dallas's ear-to-ear grin and bright brown eyes seem to sparkle with joy.

The 3-year-old pit-bull-type dog's radiance makes it difficult to believe he was once a member of a fighting ring and later the subject of multiple court battles, narrowly escaping a death sentence.

Now Dallas's demeanor is leading him to a new chapter in life: He is among the first pit bulls ever rescued from fighting to train as a police K-9. Next month, after about six weeks of training to sniff out narcotics, he is set to join the force in the southwest Virginia town of Honaker.

His love for balls was key, said Jen Deane, founder and president of Pit Sisters, a Florida rescue group: "We knew that his combination of ball drive and his wanting of human praise was the perfect combination to be a police dog."

That would have been hard to predict in 2015, when police and agents from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized Dallas, then a puppy, and 30 other pit bulls from a compound in the Canadian province.

According to court documents described by Canadian news media, the dogs were chained to metal stakes in the ground, and evidence of fight training - including schedules, muzzles, sticks, steroids and suture kits - was found on the property. An inspector noted "severe scarring consistent with dog fighting," the Globe and Mail reported.

Five people were charged with weapons and animal cruelty violations, as well as with breaking an Ontario ban on pit bulls.

Rob Scheinberg, the co-founder of a rescue and sanctuary in Ontario called Dog Tales, said that when he read news accounts of the raid, he knew he wanted to save as many of the seized dogs as possible.

"I thought, 'There is no way there are not a few good dogs,' " Scheinberg said.

Soon he had hired a lawyer, and for two years he waged a court battle in protest of an OSPCA application to euthanize 21 of the dogs, including Dallas, based on a behavioral assessment that deemed them dangerous. By this spring, celebrities had gotten involved, and #Savethe21 was circulating on social media.

After various twists and turns, the court eventually ordered the dogs' owner to surrender 18 of the animals for rehabilitation; two others died in OSPCA custody, and a third was deemed dangerous and ordered to be euthanized, local media reported. It helped that Dog Tales had pledged to pay for the care of the animals and their transport out of Ontario, where a pit bull ban made their presence illegal.

"We were relentless," Scheinberg said of the court fight. "They knew we were not going to stop."

All 18 dogs were sent to rescues or were adopted, and Pit Sisters took in 10. Dallas was enrolled in the group's program that matches hard-to-adopt dogs with prison inmates, who socialize, train and care for the canines.

"When Dallas arrived, he was always alert and attentive to everything and everyone. He would stay standing in his kennel looking around his surroundings and wag his tail when someone would walk by," Nicholas Ramos, an inmate who worked with the dog at Lawtey Correctional Institution, southwest of Jacksonville, said in an email. "He loved attention and was very affectionate toward people."

Deane said it didn't take long for her and the prison program's administrators to decide that Dallas would be a great K-9. But K-9 training is expensive and intense.

Enter Carol Skaziak, founder and chief executive of a Pennsylvania nonprofit group called the Throw Away Dogs Project, which says it seeks to "repurpose unique dogs." Some go on to be adopted by families, she said, while others have become service dogs for veterans and children with disabilities.

After Deane contacted Skaziak and sent her videos of Dallas in action, Skaziak and a police K-9 trainer her group works with, Bruce Myers, traveled to Florida to assess him.

"We knew almost right away that we had to do this," Skaziak said.

Myers, an 18-year veteran of training police dogs, is working with Dallas in as many as three daily sessions aimed at teaching him to sniff out narcotics.

"He will save many lives," Myers said. "If he helps take one brick of heroin off the street, that can save 1,000 people. And he will be incredibly proficient by the time he leaves here."

Hundreds of miles south in Virginia, Honaker police are preparing to welcome the soon-to-be K-9 narcotics officer. They had long wanted such a member on the force, Police Chief Brandon Cassell said, but the town of about 1,500 couldn't spend the $10,000-plus needed for such a highly trained dog. Pet Tales, the Canadian rescue group, covered the training costs and is donating Dallas to the department.

"We are going to treat him just like a regular officer," said Cassell, who added that he has no concerns about having a pit-bull-type dog, even one born into a fighting ring, on staff. "We know what he is going to wear, have ordered him a badge and are going to welcome him to the department just like we would a human officer."

When Dallas finishes training, he'll live and work with Honaker police officer Cody Rowe. A former K-9 officer with the Virginia Department of Correction, he lobbied to establish a K-9 program in the police department.

"I worked with a lot of German shepherds, but I remember many handlers worked with pit bulls," Rowe said. "They are incredible police dogs. . . . It's amazing to watch them work."

Myers, the Pennsylvania trainer working with Dallas, said that shouldn't surprise anyone.

"Pit bulls are misunderstood because many are improperly trained," Myers said. "Dogs aren't born vicious. We make them vicious. Don't blame the dog. Blame us."
A shish took us to a late-night, grim-but-great house party for his spring/ summer 2019 show during London Fashion Week.

Dotted around a runway constructed from mismatched bits of old carpet, were podiums on which jittery, wide-eyed boys bopped and flailed as though in a techno den.

From atop a mound of mismatched speakers, a DJ pumped out techno, while two PVC-clad girls canoodled and caressed each other nearby.

All the raver garb was reimagined entirely in Ashishs favourite sequins, giving glamour to the griminess.

Ashish SS19 / AP

Boys and girls walked in ruffled sequinned midi skirts paired with oversized hoodies embellished with phrases sex and magic and send nudes.

Backstage at Ashish SS19 / Will Sanders

Elsewhere a sequinned silver bikini was worn under a salmon pink sequinned trench and a glorious lime green billowing sequinned jumpsuit gathered at wrist, ankle and neck.

For the hair, super hairstylist Sam McKnight created a super slicked 'Sunday raver' look, with strands of hair stuck to models' faces. Im using a lot of glycerine mixed with water, because the glycerine stays wet looking," said McKnight backstage.

At times the sweat look look was so authentic models were literally drenched with water.

Backstage at Ashish SS19 / Will Sanders

He used a combination of glycerin and other oils to stick strands of hair to the models faces to create a dishevelled, clubbed-out effect.

Backstage at Ashish SS19 / Will Sanders

Makeup artist Isamaya French continued the raver theme with glistening neon-flecked faces. Using all MAC products she ensured skin was hydrated to the max with MAC mineralise moisture gel (30), then perfected where needed with Studio Waterweight Concealer (18.50). She then used MACs strobe cream (25) to give luminosity before pressing clear lip gloss onto cheekbones, the bridge of the nose and cupids bow for a super sweaty effect.

Backstage at Ashish SS19 / Will Sanders
L loyds of London bounced back from its annus horribilis last year to eke out a slim half-year profit after a crackdown on underperforming syndicates.

The 327-year market, based in Leadenhall Street, made 588 million of pre-tax profit after underwriting revenue from its 80 syndicates rose to 500 million from 400 million.

Gross written premiums rose to 19.4 billion from 18.8 billion.

The results mark the last for chief executive Dame Inga Beale, who is stepping down next month to be replaced by former QBE chief John Neal.

Beale said she wanted a new chief executive role once she left Lloyds but would consider her options after she stepped down. Im still too busy to take (recruiters) calls, she told the BBC. I would love to have a new chief executve role.

Lloyds is undergoing rapid modernisation, moving to digital placement and being more aggressive with syndicates after the market fell to a 2 billion loss last year.

Chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown warned against complacency despite making a profit as the market headed into the autumn, when weather-related losses are normally greater.

Insurance can be a game of halves and weve got typhoons in the South China Sea and the Carolinas, he said. The first half is not a predictor of overall results. The work we are doing to cut out underperforming lines of business and to invest in digitisation in the market continues to be really important.

Carnegie-Brown said Lloyds would scrutinise the merger of two of Lloyds largest brokers, Marsh and JLT unveiled this week, to assess the impact on syndicates who may fear rising fees.
L ondon's tech scene was set alight on Friday by reports that US giant Uber was in talks to buy takeaways giant Deliveroo for billions of dollars.

A bid for the capitals tech darling would have to be significantly above Deliveroos latest valuation of $2 billion for a deal to be inked. Deliveroos owners are also concerned about giving up their independence.

The talks, first reported by Bloomberg, would help boost Ubers own Uber Eats service as the food delivery arena heats up. The taxi firm claims to have built the largest food delivery business outside China and is on track to make $6 billion (4.4 billion) sales this year.

However, insiders at Deliveroo cautioned against hopes for a deal.

Talks were reported to be at their very early stages. Rival Just Eats shares fell 7% to 658p at the prospect of an even-bigger giant on its doorstep.

Shares in European peers Delivery Hero and Takeaway.com both fell 2%.

This will be seen as a threat to Just Eat and other services such as Delivery Hero, where Uber also plans to acquire a Middle East business that would compete with the latter, said Ian Whittaker, analyst at broker Liberum.

He said, however, that Just Eat investors should feel reasonably comfortable even if a deal were to happen as it already had a considerable market share in cities where Uber and Deliveroo are weaker.

Nigel Parson, analyst at Canaccord, said: This is an area thats really evolving fast and the big players are lining up. You could easily see Amazon coming in.

Deliveroo, whose app is available in more than 200 cities on four continents, raised about $480 million (363 million) last year from investors, who included Fidelity Investments and T Rowe Price.

Its early investors include innocent founder Richard Reeds Jam Jar, Farfetch backer Felix Capital and private equity firm Bridgepoint.

The business, which employs 900 staff in London, was in financing talks last year with Tokyo-based Softbank, one of Ubers major backers but a deal never materialised.

The speculation was that Uber had complained about the investor putting money into its rival.

Deliveroo made a 129 million loss, according to its last set of Companies House accounts.
H ere's a thought that will get some Tories spluttering over their afternoon tea: Emily Thornberry is well placed to be the countrys third female Prime Minister.

The Islington South MPs robust interview in the Evening Standard, on the eve of the Labour Party Conference, reminds us why.

First, and most obviously, Ms Thornberry is right at the top of the Opposition. She is the shadow foreign secretary, she deputises for her party at Prime Ministers Questions, and will be omnipresent in Liverpool next week: she tells us, without drawing breath, that she is giving 17 speeches there.

Second, she is close to Jeremy Corbyn without being a Corbynista. She calls her constituency neighbour completely lovely, Zen even, but makes it clear that she regularly disagrees with him.

She has stayed out of all the far-Left shenanigans over the machinery of the Labour Party, saying in her disarming way that its a blessing shes not on the ruling NEC and, frankly, has other stuff to do. Shes a member of the beleaguered Labour Friends of Israel, and  truth be told  she could easily have been a New Labour Cabinet Minister under Messrs Blair and Brown if she had entered Parliament a generation earlier.

Third, she has character and profile in an age when even Labour MPs couldnt tell you who most of the shadow cabinet are. Her performances on BBC Question Time, and in interviews, are sparky and irreverent.

Most of Parliament, and now the EU, thinks the Prime Ministers Chequers plan is bollocks  she has the gumption to say so in her interview today.

She also has the tactical astuteness to make it clear Labour wont fall for the false choice Mrs May is trying to create of my way or no deal. As we report today, the Cabinet is also backing away.

Snobbish Tory MPs delight in calling her Lady Nugee, because shes married to a judge and her father was a senior UN official  but the truth is her upbringing was in a broken home that relied on free school meals.

Shes put behind her the misstep when she disdainfully tweeted a picture of a house in Rochester festooned in Cross of St George flags  although a political weakness remains an apparent metropolitan disdain for the prejudices of the general populace.

Finally, she is a woman  and a Labour movement that claims to champion equality has never elected a female leader (although Mses Beckett and Harman deputised).

The Tories have had two. Its getting embarrassing  and it will be a big feature of the next Labour leadership contest.

John McDonnell, her powerful shadow cabinet colleague and potential rival, said this week: I am hoping the next leader of the party will be a woman.

In her interview today, she says hes probably right.

If not Ms Thornberry, then who? There are others, such as the impressive Angela Raynor, but they are seen as more maverick.

Of course, the next election is not due for four years and the Tories are more likely to ditch their current leader than Labour is.

But with the parliamentary car-crash over Brexit looming, and our poll today confirming Mr Corbyn is up there in the unpopularity stakes with Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband before they went on to lose elections, whos to say what might happen in the next few months?
E ven for a former Hollywood actress and a veteran of the Afghan frontline, it will be a challenge: two weeks of back-to-back official engagements across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific in front of a vast, unforgiving international media entourage. As the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare for their first major tour together in three weeks time, they can, at least, draw on the experience of one who knows exactly what its like.

It was 65 years ago that a newly-crowned Queen did exactly the same thing. Whereas the Sussexes will be home before the end of October, the new monarch and Prince Philip were away for six months. What became known as the Coronation Tour of 1953-4 remains the most ambitious royal adventure of all time, covering 40,000 miles (and 13,213 handshakes).

Realms such as Australia and New Zealand had never seen a reigning monarch before. In Sydney alone, 2,000 people required medical treatment simply trying to watch her arrive at the Lord Mayors Ball.

Things should be calmer now but the focus on Harry and Meghan will still be relentless, even in Dubbo, a farming town in the middle of nowhere (or, as its mayor puts it, in the middle of everywhere). The arrival of the Sussexes will be arguably the biggest thing to happen in Dubbo since, well, the Queen visited in 1954.

There is, though, a steely purpose to this trip. Its not just about boosting the royal brand Down Under. We have reached the stage where the Queen is carefully handing on the baton to the younger generations  especially Princes Charles, William and Harry  as viewers will see next week on ITV.

Robert Hardman / Kerry Davies

I have just completed a book and television series on the international role of Elizabeth II and her family, with privileged access to her staff, her prime ministers, her foreign secretaries and ambassadors past and present. And what has struck me most is the extent to which the Queen has always been an executive player in world affairs. The notion of the elegant but innocent tourist on a gilded treadmill is tosh.

I have discovered how, time and again, she has been the proactive one, pushing against ministerial inertia and opposition. Fearing mortal danger, Margaret Thatchers government tried to stop her going to Zambia in 1979, just as some in John Majors government wanted to delay her visit to post-apartheid South Africa. The original plan for her great 2011 state visit to Ireland was to limit the whole trip to 36 hours. In each case, it was the Queen who disagreed and put her foot down. Not only did she win but she was, demonstrably, proved right in the end.

In foreign policy terms, however, nothing has mattered to her more than her Commonwealth. She might have inherited the Crown, the Forces and the Church but her position as Head of the Commonwealth was  and is  not hereditary. This post-imperial association of former colonies had just eight members when she was crowned. Today it has 53. She is very proud of it and very keen to maintain that royal connection.

It is why, this year, she pointedly hosted all 53 leaders in her own home, asked them to endorse the Prince of Wales as the future Head (which they did unanimously) and made Prince Harry her Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. It is why she was so pleased when Meghan Markle arrived at Windsor on her wedding day wearing a veil embroidered with flowers from every member state.

"There is, though, a steely purpose to this trip. Its not just about boosting the royal brand Down Under"

In next weeks ITV documentary, Queen of the World, well see the new Duchess of Sussex reunited with the veil as she explains how it all came about. We will see how the Queen, in her 10th decade, remains a hands-on boss while, at the same time, handing more strenuous Commonwealth duties on to her family.

Her attachment is much more than a sentimental one. My book includes the extraordinary story of how she sided with the Commonwealth in a bitter row with her own church here in London. The Queen gladly accepted an invitation to the first multi-faith service at the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) to mark Commonwealth Day in 1966. Some clergy, however, were appalled that the service at St Martin-in-the-Fields involved heathen rites.

The Bishop of London subsequently ruled that the event should never have been a service and that it should not take place in a church again. For a few years, it was renamed an Act of Witness and held at the Guildhall until the Queen let it be known that she would stop coming if it remained a secular event.

She felt it was a faith occasion and should be organised like one, says Stuart Mole, former director-general of the RCS. It was the Queen who came up with a solution. Westminster Abbey is a royal peculiar, a church that does not answer to a bishop but to the monarch herself. As Mole recalls: The Queen said: You can use my royal peculiar to do this. You dont need bishops on your back. So they did. It has been there ever since.

As she prepares to mark the Commonwealths 70th birthday next year, the Queen can now look back on one of her lifelong passions, secure in the knowledge that her son, her grandsons and their families are maintaining the connection  and that, perhaps, many decades hence, theyll still be hanging out the bunting in Dubbo.
I t is welcome to read of Lord Evans support for the Prevent Strategy [Protect children from extremism with beefed-up RE classes, says ex-MI5 boss, September 14] and he is right to stress that Prevents work  which revolves entirely around safeguarding  differs significantly from law enforcement or the work of the security services.

Lord Evans is also right to stress the role of education in countering extremism, although in my view this extends far beyond the teaching of religious education. Whether it be exploring Britains political system and shared values, developing critical thinking skills in history, meeting students from different backgrounds, or simply as the natural platform to engage with new ideas in the formative years, education is fundamental to increasing resilience to extremism among the young.

This is why Prevent works so closely with the education sector. It has helped organise workshops and events for thousands of students on issues ranging from online safety and critical thinking, to foreign policy and tolerance. In addition, more than 90 per cent of the 1,700 teachers who filled out a questionnaire after receiving training by my team since April 2017 stated they felt more confident discussing extremism in the classroom after the training. The strength of British counter-terrorism is the fact it appreciates the role of safeguarding and education when facing these challenges.

Pinakin Patel

Chair of the London Prevent Network

EDITOR'S REPLY

Dear Pinakin

I agree with all that you say and am grateful for the very valuable work that you and others do in trying to divert vulnerable young people away from extremism.

Your point about developing critical thinking is particularly strong, and as teachers already recognise, can benefit pupils not just in identifying harmful extremist ideas but also in helping them to assess claims made in all sorts of other areas of life, such as advertising or political debate.

You are right, too, to defend the role of the Prevent programme in schools. As Lord Evans said in his remarks to this newspaper, raising the alarm when a young person is suspected of being lured into extremism should be no different to trying to safeguard a child thought to be at risk of sexual or physical abuse.

Indeed, it would be reprehensible if any teacher were to ignore signs that a child was being radicalised and in danger of wrecking not just other peoples lives but their own.

Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor

We need genuine debate on hospital

My daughters were born at St Heliers Hospital and I have nothing but praise for the staff. I understand the passion of Colin Crilly and the Keep Our St Heliers Hospital group. I am also an NHS manager and committed to the service as one of the foundation stones of a civilised society. But, with all respect, I am wary of Save this ... or Keep that ... lobbying. However much we admire the NHS, there is never a bottomless pot of gold.

With the NHS, we have a particular difficulty in that all change is seen as negative and the debate around choices is often derailed by special pleading. All that does is move the problem to the next financial year or another, less vocal groups suffer.

I dont know whether what is proposed for St Heliers is right  that is not my point. What we need is a genuine public debate at the: this is the situation, here are some options stage; not, heres our plan, what do you think?

So, if not St Heliers, then, who else, where else and what else?

Simon Diggins

Resolve cash issue to help nurseries

It was depressing to read about the decline of maintained nursery schools in the capital.

However, they are not the only nurseries to be put at risk. A recent report shows London nurseries are closing as a result of a combination of insufficient funding, high rents and lack of available buildings.

If London is serious about giving young children a good educational start in partnership with their parents, then we need to resolve the funding and structural issues that prevent us from doing so.

June OSullivan

London Early Years Foundation

Sound approach that may still work
Ensuring your fashion show has the X factor is a chief concern for every self-respecting designer at Milan Fashion Week, but last night Giorgio Armani went to extreme lengths to make sure his show stood out from the rest, enlisting an X Factor judge to stage a special live performance.

Robbie Williams, a judge on the ITV talent contest, was flown in especially for the blockbuster showcase to unveil the brands latest Emporio Armani collection.

Williams, who sits on the panel alongside his wife Ayda Field, serenaded 2,300 fans and fashion week attendances with renditions of hit songs including Let Me Entertain You and Angels. His father Pete also travelled to the Italian city from Stoke-on-Trent to join his son on stage and sing a duet of Sweet Caroline.

Of course, for Armani - a designer valued to be worth $8.4 billion by Forbes this year - big budget productions are all part of the business.

Certainly, Armani has clout like no other. To prove it, he held the show inside Milans Linate airport, where an aircraft hanger is emblazoned with the Armani logo, welcoming visitors to the home of Italian fashion.

Passengers, ready to board flights, looked on with bemused expressions while the international fashion press - bound for a fashion show and not an aircraft - passed through security. They were remarkable scenes. But for Armani, whose giant logo has greeted visitors arriving at the airport since it was installed above the hangar in 1996, it made perfect sense. Its an image that welcomes the thousands of travellers who land or functions as a farewell as they depart Milan, he said.

Models walk the runway at the Emporio Armani show / Getty Images

The showcase was something of a homecoming for the house, who has chosen to hold events in London and Paris in recent seasons.

Its ever-widening reach on the global stage was also evidenced on the catwalk, from the topless male models who carried Armani-branded surf boards to the super-luxe athleisurewear and intercontinental tailoring for which the label is renowned.

Male models accessorised their looks with surf boards / Getty Images

Earlier in the evening, another Italian fashion heavyweight also claimed a top spot on the bill as Prada unveiled its latest offering in a showcase which sought to position fashion as the main spectacle. In a collection that was part sports-luxe, part Sixties, part sci-fi, Miuccia Pradas unrivalled ability to create clothes which are as thought-provoking as they are beautiful served Milan Fashion Week with its highlight.

Prada's Spring/Summer 2019 show / AFP/Getty Images

In Pradas words, speaking backstage after the show, it was a clash between two opposites - one the one hand, freedom, liberation and fantasy and the other extreme conservatism. This conflict resulted in an offering in which each look proposed a new set of ideas.

From the keyhole cut-out sweaters to the peacoats designed with zip sleeves for ease of carrying a bag in the crook of your arm, the attention to detail was of paramount importance to Prada.
They were founder members of the Do Bits Society who forged a strong  if competitive  friendship on the show.

Now, Love Islands Wes Nelson and Josh Denzel are joining forces once again as they partner with Boohoo Man as the brands new UK ambassadors.

The six-month contract will see the pair work with the online e-tailer on a series of projects and events. First up, the launch of their very own autumn 2018 capsule collection.

We caught up with the Islands resident jokers to hear more.

Tell us a bit about the new collaboration with Boohoo Man...

Wes: Its flame. End of.

Josh: You know what it is, I think usually youll see Boohoo Man and theyll do stuff with individuals. But when they saw me and Wes together on the show they were probably like we need to get these two bouncing off each other and there was a natural rivalry. Everything we did in the villa was a competition. I think they saw that and they thought we can work with this. Id hosted some events for Boohoo before, Ive gone to LA with them before so I knew the brand. Wes had been wearing Boohoo, and we both spoke in the villa about wanting to collab, wanting to design and create something.

Wes / Boohooman

Wes: We were plotting. These guys just made it happen. We had the blueprint.

Would you summarise the collection as lads' night out or night on the pull?

Wes: Wed call it lads looking fire on any night out.

Josh: Its the Do Bits Kit. It could be nice in and nice out.

And whats your go-to outfit when youre trying to impress ladies on a night out?

Josh: Were just trying to impress our missuses

Wes: The bangin co-ord. Its like a nice chequered suit slash bomber slash tracksuit with a green slash. Its a big blend of fire goodness.

Josh / Boohooman

Whats your biggest fashion disaster?

Josh: This. Were wearing the same thing today.

Wes: Did you watch Love Island? [points at Josh]

Josh: Shut-up mate. Youre rude mate. Id say it was the boot-cut chronicles from 2006-2011. Tight on the thighs and flared at the bottom. It wasnt good. Im like seven years older than Wes so Ive had more time for fashion faux pas

Did you ever do the '90s flame flares?

Josh: Ive never done flame flares but Ive done the flares

Wes: You definitely did the flame disco t-shirt though  the black one with the red flames. Oh actually! Josh has had a serious fashion faux pas! Do you know the story of the green kimono?

Josh: This is not PG13 business.

Wes: So Josh has had a green kimono that he whipped out to impress someone before

Josh: I wore it in like a sexy way. One of those you come out of the bathroom and do a spin

Boohooman

Ok moving on If you had to swap wardrobes with another Love Islander who would it be?

Wes: Jack Fincham.

Josh: Jack Fincham for sure, his shoe collection was insane. Hes got an array of designer belts, he loves his name brands. I would say that all of the smart shirts I ever wore on the show were Jack Finchams. They started off as Larges, but once hed given them to the dry cleaners in the villa theyd come back a bit tighter and turn into mediums. So any smart shirt I wore was actually second-hand from Jack Fincham.

Wes: The shirt I wore in the final was Jack Finchams.

Josh: It hugged the biceps very well, Wes.

Whats your most extravagant fashion item?

Josh: Wes has lived in Selfridges since hes come out of the villa.

Wes: I bought a bag in there last week that was almost two-grand. However, I was only there to buy Megan some nice Gucci shoes, just being a nice guy, and, then Post Malone was there and thats how I met him, thats how weve become friends. Thats good karma.

Boohooman

Talk me through your skincare routine...

Josh: Wes was the chief eyebrow plucker in the villa.

Wes: Yeah Ive let them grow now though you know.

Do you ever get them waxed?

Wes: No I just do them myself, Im a DIY kind of guy. I think I did everyones apart from Joshs actually.

Josh: Kaz did mine. But cause Wes cant grow a beard he has more skin to look after.

Do you both use moisturiser?

Josh: Wes and I do but very few guys in the villa did.

Wes: When Laura found me and Josh downstairs, just cocoa buttering up, she shrieked (in Lauras fine Scottish accent) Ive never seen a man cream.

Boohooman

Who takes longer to get ready the girls or you guys?

Josh: Theres no denying the girls. In the villa there was only one shower, so the girls would basically get ready two hours before we would.

Wes: Me and Josh knew we could procrastinate and leave it to the last five minutes, go to the outside shower and skip the queue, then wed have loads of time to get ready.

London Fashion Week with Megan Barton-Hanson

Tell me about the fade haircut youre both rocking how often do you get it trimmed and who has the better one out of you two?

Wes: So I got mine trimmed about three hours ago actually. I would let you touch it, but you need gloves cause obviously youd cut your fingers.

Josh: We have barber wars. Hell snap me from the barbers chair.

How often are we talking? Every couple of days?

Wes: Every five to seven days.

Josh: In the villa it was every three days. Me and Wes cut each others hair. Everyone kept saying like your trim was sick in the villa, who did it. No one believes that we cut each others hair.

Wes: I have loose curly hair when it grows out.

Boohooman

Was it easy to stay healthy in the villa?

Josh: No. We drank every day.

Did anyone get really drunk ever?

Wes: Yes!

Josh: Definitely. We were only allowed two glasses of wine at night, but it depended what you ate in the day, because if you didnt eat much the glasses of wine would go to your head.

Boohooman

What does the future hold for Josh and Wes?

Wes: Onwards and upwards. Fashion, TV

Josh: Were cooking up something.

Wes: Yes, me and Josh are cooking up our own thing stay tuned.
A cross the course of more than 45 years and 18 studio albums, Bruce Springsteen drew in the hope, the glory and the anguish of the American experience, all inextricably woven into one and delivered in a way that no-one else could ever quite resemble.

He wrote and recorded some of the best American rock songs  maybe even the best  ever, and is now rightly regarded as one of the countrys finest performing musicians, still going strong to this day.

Springsteen's recorded efforts are blisteringly powerful, but it was in the live setting that he became a deity of modern rock music. He is the archetypal stadium-filler, an artist who can captivate a 50,000-seater stadium all at once, but still make it feel as if hes singing to each of them personally.

With the singer celebrating his 71st birthday, weve listed the 15 best songs of his entire career. All but two of them were released roughly within the space of a decade, between the release of his breakout album, Born to Run, in 1975, and what is probably his defining record, 1984s Born in the USA. It was a period in which he became arguably the biggest American rockstar on the planet.

15. My City of Ruins (2000)

Something like a gospel number, My City of Ruins was written in 2000 for Springsteens hometown, Asbury Park, which had fallen apart. The church door's thrown open/I can hear the organ's song/But the congregation's gone he starts, later we hear of Young men on the corner/Like scattered leaves. But it became something else on September 21, 2001, 10 days after the planes flew into the Twin Towers, when he sang at a televised fundraiser, introducing the song with This is a prayer for our fallen brothers and sisters. About half way through, the call to Rise Up rallied, a prayer delivered with unshakeable American optimism. The album its on, The Rising, came out in 2002, after a stranger pulled up beside Springsteen, rolled down his window and told him "We need you now." Springsteen responded by putting on record the essence of what hes always offered: hope.

14. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out (1975)

One of the best Springsteen tracks to be written about absolutely nothing. I still have absolutely no idea what that song is about, he conceded after performing it at his last London show. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out is packed with infectious energy makes it a live highlight and one of the most enduring tracks from Born To Run. The call and response caught on record between Springsteen and legendary Big Man saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who passed away in 2011, adds an emotional pang with every listen too.

13. Meeting across the River (1975)

Haunting ballad Meeting across the River paints a picture of petty criminality, focusing on two characters preparing for a job over the Hudson (All we gotta do is hold up our end. Here stuff this in your pocket, it'll look like you're carrying a friend.) Its markedly different in feel and production to the other tracks on Born To Run, and its remarkably atmospheric too, given the sparsity of its arrangement  it features beautiful trumpet playing, performed by Randy Brecker, Roy Bittans elegant piano and understated upright bass from Richard Davis, all combining perfectly with Springsteens expressive vocals. It proving a reflective moment ahead of the albums epic, bombastic closing track Jungleland.

12. Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

There are multiple darknesses to be found here: the dodgy outskirts of the city and the great, fearful unknown beyond its borders, but also the darkness plaguing all those helplessly dissatisfied within its boundaries. Everyones got a secret, Sonny, says Springsteen. Darkness on the Edge of Town is not a concept album as such, but here the friend from Racing In The Street reappears, hinting at the entire album as a profile of a broken community that is all too translatable to towns across America.

11. Atlantic City (1982)

Stripped of all the stage lights and bravado, Nebraska left Springsteens coarse spirit in plain view. The album was recorded on a four-track cassette tape, using little more than just a guitar and his own voice  by necessity, the album is devoid of any theatrics. But theres still an incredible depth here, despite the icy sparseness. Atlantic City is one of the coldest songs there, shivering after being stripped down to its bones, although it does sometimes pull that wiry instrumentation back over itself. As Springsteen grapples with gang violence and morbid inevitability in the lyrics, his own pained backing vocals echo in the background. Its sobering, disquieting and brilliant.

10. Racing In The Street (1978)

Plaintive piano sells this one. Springsteens vocals reverberate through nothing, but haunt all the same; theres something in the way he sings that sounds like hes looking away from us. Its the perfect delivery: the whole thing is seven minutes of desolation and disaffection. Early Springsteen lyrics were carnivals of character, rattling, unravelled poetry. This song marks his turn to understatement: it reads like a short from Raymond Carver. All he talks about his car and about his girl, whos as lost as he is. Some guys they just give up living/And start dying little by little piece by piece/Some guys come home from work and wash up/Then go racin in the street he sings, and that theyre much the same thing stays unsaid. Here, hes a small town guy, with a small time future.

9. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (1973)

Tunnel of Love  though not represented here  is still among Springsteens best albums. It is understated and quiet, devastating in its own way. Take One Step Up: There's a girl across the bar/I get the message she's sending/She ain't lookin' too married/And me, well, honey I'm pretending. Are dissolving marriages usually so catchy? The Boss wasnt always that way. Fifteen years earlier, on Sandy, Springsteen took on the beauty of teenagers looking for something like love. A buskers cabaret of strummed acoustics, whispered lyrics, and accordion, Sandy is West Side Story gorgeous, a celebration of hopeless teenage romanticism, with all its complications (Love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever?!) and cynicism. In the middle, glockenspiels pan from speaker to speaker. Briefly, hopeless teenage fumblings seemed celestial.

8. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) (1973)

Live performances of this classic Springsteen track are nothing short of legendary. The track, taken from the groups second album The Wild The Innocent and E Street Shuffle, formed the highest-energy parts of the bands shows for decades and often saw fans join them onstage. The studio version of the song, which tells of a forbidden love story, doesnt quite do the live experience justice, but its still a joy in its own right.

7. Jungleland (1975)

The song that closes Born to Run, the album which turned Springsteen into Springsteen, is a nine-and-a-half-minute rock opera. His lyrics wring romance from despair  operas out on the turnpike, ballets being fought out in the alley  as he describes this Jungleland, with its streets on fire and whispering bedrooms. It builds from those glorious, rolling pianos and then, with a theatrical burst, explodes. The iconic three-minute saxophone solo, played by Clemons, adds a sheen of jazzy sublimity, before dousing the track in a sunset glow as it romps away towards a glorious finale. Structurally, at least, the song is a vivid reflection of the man who wrote it  it just doesnt know when its beat.

6. Streets of Philadelphia (1994)

Recorded as a demo his own home studio, this Oscar-winning song starts with something like a hip-hop shuffle, before a cloud of chords comes down and the Boss begins. It was written for 1993s Philadelphia. The film follows Tom Hanks as a lawyer dying of AIDS; Springsteens lyrics are achingly clear, covering the physical (I was unrecognizable to myself/I saw my reflection in a window, I didn't know my own face), the internal (At night I could hear the blood in my veins/It was just as black and whispering as the rain) and the alienation (Ain't no angel gonna greet me  the church has broadly turned its back on those afflicted). Then comes one line, sung with a crack, And my clothes dont fit me no more. So simple, so stinging.

5. The River (1981)

Fateful couples whose passions burn and die amid mediocrity litter Springsteens repertoire, but few are so acutely drawn as Mary, her husband and their waterside escapades. Romantic visions of trips to the river (her body tanned and wet down at the reservoir) are stifled by a decidedly businesslike shotgun wedding (no flowers no wedding dress). The story is as close to home for Springsteen as youd expect from its precision: the song is a tribute to his sister Ginny, and is based on the early years of her relationship with husband Mickey, to whom she is still married today.

4. Im On Fire (1985)

Though the drums tick like a watch running double time, Im On Fire is Springsteen burning with lust. Over the twitching, hungry beat and unsettled synths, the Boss goes country on his guitar while singing with all the tension of Elvis on his 68 Comeback Special. Im On Fire is an off-kilter account ode to sexual tension, with Bruce urgent and urging as he growls through his story. Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull/And cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul/At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet/And a freight train running through the middle of my head. Desire is a dangerous thing.

3. Dancing In The Dark (1984)

Among Springsteens talents is one superpower, his comprehension of contrast. On 1984 album Born In The USA, he used music like negative space, upbeat tracks revealing downbeat words. The albums title track came out as a jolly, rousing anthem, at odds with its raging heart lamenting the senselessness of Vietnam. On this one, a joyous 80s pop gem of swampy synths and whipping snares, the man with a cap in his back pocket has everyone twisting to his loneliness, isolation and weary restlessness. While the hit factory is screaming, hes talking: I ain't nothing but tired/Man I'm just tired and bored with myself. Desolation to dance to.

2. Thunder Road (1975)

Springsteen found beauty in the mundane and everyday with some of the most inspired lyrics of his career in Thunder Road (Show a little faith, theres magic in the night. You aint a beauty but hey, youre alright.) The opening track of his transformative hit album Born To Run, it proved to be one of the Bosss most evocative moments of songwriting, painting a picture of life and young love in the outer reaches New Jersey (There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away. They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets.) Its formed one of the most emphatic, life-affirming live moments in the bands live shows since it was released in 1975, with Springsteen often performing the song acoustically, or with piano backing.

1. Born to Run (1975)

Dont you want to be loved with all the madness in someones soul? This chrome-plated, fuel-injected hit catapulted Springsteen from critical acclaim to international stadium-filling stardom, capturing imaginations across the world with a soaring search for freedom beyond Highway 9. The songs might is legendary; the story goes it even saved Bruce and the E Street Band themselves. They were broke and hungry and relations with the record company were so tense that Springsteen had been ordered to re-record his second album with studio musicians instead (he demurred). There was no support and no back-up plan. Out of this came Born To Run, which could just be the greatest rock 'n' roll record ever etched in the grooves of a vinyl.
T he UK may have just had more than a week of sunshine, but Monday is the last day of summer.

Autumn is just around the corner, with the first day of the new season coming on Tuesday.

For astronomers Tuesday, September 22nd marks the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere for 2020  a season also known as fall in the US.

So as head into the new season, here's all you need to know about the the 2020 autumn equinox.

Soon you'll be able to hear the crunch of leaves under foot / Pixabay

What is the Autumn equinox?

An equinox is a phenomenon which only happens twice a year - once during spring and once again in the autumn.

It happens when the sun positions itself exactly above the equator between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn equinox marks the beginning of autumn and for those in the southern it marks the beginning of spring.

Once the equinox hits in the autumn the nights become longer than the day, while the opposite happens after the spring equinox.

The term "equinox" stems from the Latin word "equi," meaning equal and "nox," meaning night.

When is the Autumn Equinox?

This year, the Autumn equinox takes place on September 22 at 2.30pm BST.

The autumn equinox always falls on one of three days towards the end of September.

The date varies because of the difference between how the Gregorian calendar calculates a year (365 days) and the time it takes for the Earth to complete its orbit around the sun, which is 365.25 days.

Because of the difference in the days, it means each September the equinox occurs around six hours earlier than the previous year.

When does meteorological autumn begin?

But according to the meteorological calendar autumn starts on September 1 and ends on November 30.

The seasons have different start and end dates because they are measured differently by different groups.

The astronomical seasons are based on the position of earth in relation to the sun while the meteorological seasons on the other hand are calculated using annual temperature cycles.

In the meteorological calendar autumn is from September to the end of November, winter runs from December to the end of February, spring is March, April and May while summer is June, July and August.

How is the Autumn equinox celebrated?

People travel to the Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico to mark the Autumn Equinox / Filip Gielda/Unsplash

People have been commemorating the Autumn equinox for centuries.

Ancient peoples such as the Druids in England and the Maya in Central America see it as a marker of the harvest season.

During the Autumn equinox, neo-druids gather at Stonehenge to perform rituals.
T his week welcomes the International Day of Peace, a commemorative day implemented by the United Nations.

Observed around the world every year on 21 September, it's a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace among all nations and peoples.

It's organised with the vision of promoting a peaceful society, which the UN describes as "one where there are justice and equality for everyone."

Here's everything you need to know about the International Day of Peace, including this year's themes and peace quotes to inspire you:

What is this year's International Day of Peace theme?

This year's theme will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

Although the declaration states in article 3 that "everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person," it does not include an article on "right to peace."

That's why this year, the UN is asking: 'What does "The Right to Peace" mean to you?' and is encouraging people to share their ideas using the hashtags #peaceday and #standup4humanrights.

What International Day of Peace activities are there?

People all around the world will be observing International Day of Peace in their own ways.

Some of the activities taking place across the globe include a minute silence held at 12 noon, meditation, prayer and yoga workshops and gathering for 'feast for peace.'

Peace quotes to inspire you:

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." - Buddha

"We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom" - Dwight D. Eisenhower

"If you want to end the war, then instead of sending guns, send books. Instead of sending tanks, send pens. Instead of sending soldiers, send teachers." - Malala Yousafzai

"If you want peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies." - Desmond Tutu

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."- Mother Teresa

"If the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another." - Winston Churchill

"Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation for such a method is love." - Martin Luther King Jr.

"Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways." - Dalai Lama XIV

"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner." - Nelson Mandela
O utraged pet owners have rubbished police claims that the deaths of cats attributed to so-called Croydon cat killer are in fact down to the actions of foxes.

One said the person who did this is still out there while a London animal charity has still claimed a human must have been the culprit.

The announcement came on the same day as Samantha Glasss cat, Harley, would have turned five. She refused to believe it was a fox and warned the "sick and twisted individual" that "we are coming for you".

Croydon Cat Killer: Scotland yard reveal identity of attacker

Ms Glass added the Met made her sick for closing the case. She even called for grieving cat owners to march against the force.

In a post to Harley on Facebook, she added: I know you cant read Facebook posts and chances are you cant even feel my thoughts.

But, I want you to know that today is your birthday and you would have been five today if that evil person had not cruelly murdered you and cut short your beautiful life.

Ms Glass's daughter, Tabitha, pictured with Harley before he was found mutilated

The person who did this is still out there. Still hurting other cats and torturing other families. So much pain and suffering. It makes me so angry.

Another furious victim, Helena Smith, aired her furious grievances with the Met.

She tweeted to the force: "What absolute b******* your findings are about the #CroydonCatKiller. I found my cat with her tale cut off with straight incisions by her tailbone, and her intestines laid out in a circle with no mess. What fox does that?

"Of course you didnt investigate and now cite evidence from five out of 500-plus cats for your fake conclusions. This is a crime, one you have chosen to ignore repeatedly. Just like you ignore other minor crimes. Didnt even get notification as a victim that you were shutting down the investigation."

Police concluded the cats were more likely to have been killed by foxes than a human attacker / Alamy

Trevor Williams, founder of the Fox Project charity, told the Standard: "It's bizarre. Foxes will behead prey. But actually killing cats? I have never seen an instance of a fox launching a successful attack on a cat.

"Cats have far more weaponry. I can't make any sense of it."

South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL), which had taken on numerous cases of dead cats since 2015 questioned the Mets investigation and said it would continue carrying out its own probe.

It said in a statement: The cats who have been decapitated have had their heads removed in exactly the same manner and place each time.

Where we have recovered both head and body, the same small part is missing from each.

We find it difficult to understand how foxes can replicate this perfectly across a range of victims across a vast geographical area.

It came as a petition was launched calling for the Met to reopen the investigation. It had been signed by more than 2,000 people on Friday morning.

Vinnii West, who started it, said: "Animals are being killed by blunt forces. And a clean cut. Surely the animals' killing them would have teeth marks?

"Ive started the petition because we need the metro [sic] to open the case again and to keep looking to find this disgusting person. Theres no way that they were killed by other animals!"
A gunman has open fired on a north London street, leaving two injured and reported holes in a taxi window.

Armed police were deployed to Islington on Thursday evening, at about 9.30pm, after witnesses reported hearing gun shots and people running from the area.

The suspect then fled the scene, on Essex Road, police said.

Officers found two people  a 34-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man  suffering from minor injuries.

The woman, police added, was taken to hospital after suffering from injuries believed to have come from shattered glass.

A taxi driver posted images on Twitter of his car reportedly with bullet holes cracking the glass later that evening.

One Twitter user said they heard six shots fired during the frightening altercation.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: Officers, including firearms officers, attended.

"A 34-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man were found suffering from minor injuries.

"The woman has been taken to hospital for treatment to a hand injury believed to have been caused by shattered glass. The man was treated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service.

"A bus sustained minor damage in the incident. The unknown suspect fled on foot."

No-one has been arrested in connection with the incident, the spokesman added.
A 34-year-old teacher allegedly used his own daughter to steal prizes from an arcade machine last week in Massachusetts.

Anthony Helinski turned himself in on Wednesday after Salem Police issued a warrant for his arrest following an incident at a mall in Rockingham Park.

Footage circulated by police shows a man telling a young girl how to remove prizes from the arcade machine while shes inside it on September 14.

He can be heard saying turn around, sit up and instructing the girl before she passes out two prizes and pokes her head out of the machine.

Anthony Helinski, turned himself in to Salem Police / Salem NH Police Department

Helinski was sought in connection with the footage and later charged with three counts of theft by unauthorised taking and two counts of criminal trespass.

He was also charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

The 34-year-old has since been identified as a teacher at Doherty Middle School and has now been placed on administrative leave, according to WCVB-TV.

A statement released to the television station by Andover Public Schools, which employs Helinski, said: One of our teachers at the Doherty Middle School was involved in an incident in Salem last week.

Andover Public Schools is fully cooperating with authorities.
A model who killed his rival by stabbing him in the heart has been jailed for at least 25 years for murder.

George Koh, 24, became obsessed with Harry Uzoka and the pair had a dispute over a girlfriend, the Old Bailey was told.

The two met publicly in Shepherds Bush to settle the disagreement, after exchanging text messages, on January 11.

Mr Uzoka and his flatmate, Adrian Harper, took dumbbell bars as weapons.

Koh arrived equipped with two knifes and machete-wielding friend Merse Dikanda, 24, and personal trainer Jonathan Okigbo, 24, alongside him.

CCTV footage captured the broad daylight confrontation, in an area where children were playing, before Mr Uzoka, who was seen trying to flee, collapsed and died in the street outside his Shepherd's Bush home in west London.

Koh had plunged a blade deep into his heart.

Koh, from Camden, was handed a life sentence on Friday after he was found guilty of murder and pleaded guilty to possessing a knife.

He was told by Judge Wendy Joseph QC he must serve at least 25 years.

Dikanda, also from Camden, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 22 years after he was found guilty of murder and possessing knives.

Okigbo, of no fixed address, was jailed for 14 years after he was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

The loss of any life is tragic, the more so when a victim is so young, able and generous," the judge said.

Mr Uzoka was signed with London's Premier Model Management agency and counted catwalk star Jourdan Dunn among his friends.

The Old Bailey heard Koh was obsessed with Mr Uzoka, who had recently landed a role in a movie.

The relationship deteriorated after Koh bragged to Paris-based model Annecetta Lafon that he had sex with Mr Uzoka's girlfriend, Ruby Campbell, who is also a model.



Ms Campbell did not give evidence at the trial but in a later Instagram post, including a picture of her and Mr Uzoka, insisted she had never met Koh.

She told of receiving "multiple death threats" because of the case.

The court heard that Koh, who was said to have turned his life around after he was jailed in 2012 for drug dealing, has written a letter to Mr Uzoka's family - who were sitting in court for the whole trial - expressing his "profound remorse".

Mr Uzoka's mother, Josephine Jackson, paid tribute to her "beautiful boy" who had helped to pay her mortgage and treated her to holidays abroad.
A new rival to the McDonalds Big Mac and KFC bucket meal is about to enter Londons fast-food market - fried chicken and spaghetti.

Jollibee is Asias biggest home grown fast food chain and opens its first UK branch in a former Wagamama outlet in Earls Court on October 20.

The chain, which started as an ice cream parlour in Manila in 1975, is known for its fried chicken with spaghetti signature meal.

A glitzy social media campaign on Facebook and Instagram featuring the brands trademark jolly red bee mascot and aimed primarily at Londons estimated 200,000 strong Filipino community launches tomorrow.

It will be only the second Jollibee branch in Europe following a launch in Milan in March when huge queues built up from the early hours of the opening day.

Jollibee's signature fried chicken and spaghetti meal

Jollibee Foods Corporation chief executive Ernesto Tanmantiong told the Standard: We aim to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world. Opening our first store in the United Kingdom brings us one step closer to realising this vision.

The menu features an eclectic mix of US and Asian influenced dishes including fried chicken with spaghetti covered in a red sauce loaded with slices of hotdog sausage and ground beef; fried chicken with a beef patty mushroom gravy and rice; and corned beef, garlic rice and fried egg. Sides include mashed potato and gravy and creamy macaroni soup.

Customers in a branch of Jollibee in the Philippines / AFP/Getty Images

Prices have not yet been revealed but are expected to be in line with those in US branches where chicken with rice costs $5.89 (4.43) and chicken with spaghetti is $6.29 (4.73)

The trademark fried chicken, known as Chickenjoy, is said to be crunchier and spicier than conventional US influenced versions.

Its food has been praised by the late TV chef Anthony Bourdain, who described Jollibees spaghetti with hotdogs deranged but strangely alluring when he tried the dish while filming in Manila.

The brand has a devoted and huge following in the Philippines, one of the few major markets in the world where the local fast food operator is bigger than McDonalds.

Earls Court was chosen for the first UK site as it has historically been home to Londons biggest Filipino community.

The opening is seen as so culturally significant for the Filipino community that it is expected to be attended by the Philippines ambassador.

Further stores are expected to be opened around London before further branches outside the capital.
M ayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he cannot be sure when Crossrail will be complete.

Mr Khan said he will talk about a revised timetable at some stage, but only when he has confidence in it.

It was announced on August 31 that the capital's new east-west railway would open in autumn 2019 rather than December this year.

Mr Khan previously revealed that he only learned of Crossrail's delay two days before the announcement.

Sadiq Khan in a Clayton locomotive at Custom House in London to ride the Elizabeth line for first time / PA Archive/PA Images

The mayor was asked on BBC Radio London if he could reassure listeners and Londoners that he has put the checks and balances in place to ensure the current situation would not be repeated.

Mr Khan told presenter Eddie Nestor: "I can't yet give Londoners the confidence that we will finish the project when we've been told by Crossrail with the most recent report.

"What we're doing now is trying to make sure we have the rigour in Crossrail Limited so we've instructed someone to do a report into governance, a very speedy report that will come back in a couple of weeks, in relation to what the governance is like now, what it needs to be, and we're doing several pieces of work.

"And at some stage I will come out and say what the revised timetable is, but only when I've got the confidence in that revised timetable."

Crossrail Ltd confirmed on August 31 that more time is needed to complete the railway's infrastructure and testing.

It was announced in July that the project's budget has been increased from 14.8 billion to 15.4 billion due to "cost pressures".

Trains were due to operate through the central tunnels from Paddington to Abbey Wood from December, when separate services on the Paddington-Heathrow and Liverpool Stree-Shenfield routes would continue.

In May 2019, direct trains from Paddington to Shenfield were due to launch, with the line fully open from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east from December 2019.

Once the service begins it will be known as the Elizabeth line.
S luggish mobile internet in central London is set to be boosted by ultra-fast mini-cell towers strapped to lamp posts in some busy tourist areas.

Westminster council has approved the first shoebox-sized transmitter to combat not-spots, as networks struggle to cope with demand from more than 1.5 million daily West End users.

The move could net the council 21 million once the network is rolled out. It follows complaints that download speeds can slow to just one megabit per second  not enough to stream 1080p films  when 4G should be at least five times that speed.

Some of the worst areas are Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Mayfair. The council said mobile users complain of being unable to use data-heavy services such as 4K video streaming and high-resolution online gaming, which lags and leads to choppy graphics.

The new lower-power transmitters, called small cell nodes, will be powered by the lamp posts. Similar boxes have already been installed in the City.

They transmit their own concentrated signal within networks run by providers such as EE and Vodafone, but over a smaller distance than big rooftop masts. The grey boxes, made by Nokia and supplied by infrastructure firm Ontix, will be painted black and could also be attached to road signs.

The first device will be fitted to a Trafalgar Square lamp post in November. The ambition is to fit one box every 100 metres along roads to maximise coverage. This new network will help support 5G when it goes London-wide, probably in 2020.

Westminster council will take a cut of the rental fee from phone providers using the boxes as part of a 10-year contract. It says 10 million income is guaranteed, plus up to a further 11 million based on revenue share from usage.

As part of the deal, Ontix has been allowed to buy the rights to use existing street-level infrastructure. The firm said it was more straightforward for mobile networks to add their small boxes to lamp posts and street signs instead of having them seek permission from building owners to install large mobile masts on rooftops.

Ontix said the lower power of the boxes means people are not exposed to levels of radio frequency emitted by traditional masts.

Antony Tomlinson, the companys chief executive, said: They are mini-cell towers broadcasting bandwidth from a lower power unit over a small area.
T heresa May said the UK and EU remain "a long way apart" on two major Brexit issues with negotiations having reached an "impasse".

The Prime Minister, speaking inside 10 Downing Street, said European leaders must show Britain respect, adding: "A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it."

She said: "I have always said that these negotiations would be tough, and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight.

"While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that despite the progress we have made there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart."

The Standard covered this live and updates from the time are below
"Yesterday, I was in Salzburg for talks with European leaders.

"I have always said that these negotiations would be tough - and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight.

"While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that - despite the progress we have made - there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart.

"The first is our economic relationship after we have left.

"Here, the EU is still only offering us two options.

"The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU.

"In plain English, this would mean we'd still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn't do the trade deals we want with other countries.

"That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago.

"The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.

"Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea.

"Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would not respect that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, in line with the principle of consent, as set out clearly in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

"It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake.

"Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal.

"But I have also been clear that the best outcome is for the UK to leave with a deal. That is why, following months of intensive work and detailed discussions, we proposed a third option for our future economic relationship, based on the frictionless trade in goods. That is the best way to protect jobs here and in the EU and to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, while respecting the referendum result and the integrity of the United Kingdom.

"Yesterday Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse.

"The second issue is connected to the first. We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if there's a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still won't be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

"But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union.

"As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country.

"We will set out our alternative that preserves the integrity of the UK. And it will be in line with the commitments we made back in December - including the commitment that no new regulatory barriers should be created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK unless the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly agree.

"As I told EU leaders, neither side should demand the unacceptable of the other.

"We cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of our union, just as they cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of theirs.

"We cannot accept anything that does not respect the result of the referendum, just as they cannot accept anything that is not in the interest of their citizens.

"Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it.

"At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals.

"So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress.

"In the meantime, we must and will continue the work of preparing ourselves for no deal.

"In particular, I want to clarify our approach to two issues.

"First, there are over 3 million EU citizens living in the UK who will be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterday's summit means for their future.

"I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay.

"Second, I want to reassure the people of Northern Ireland that in the event of no deal we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to a hard border.

"Let me also say this.

"The referendum was the largest democratic exercise this country has ever undergone. To deny its legitimacy or frustrate its result threatens public trust in our democracy.

"That is why for over two years I have worked day and night to deliver a deal that sees the UK leave the EU.

"I have worked to bring people with me even when that has not always seemed possible.

"No one wants a good deal more than me.

"But the EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country.

"We need serious engagement on resolving the two big problems in the negotiations. We stand ready."
E mily Thornberry is so keen to avoid the question of whether she will be the next leader of the Labour Party that, when asked if she agrees with John McDonnell that it will be a woman, she says only probably. Probably? Its a long way off. We have to get Jeremy into No 10 first.

Didnt the union leader Len McCluskey already anoint her as his own chosen successor on the basis that she is the great unifying figure? There is not a competition, she states. There is no vacancy.

So we ask in a different way. Is Thornberry psychologically robust enough for the top job? After all, Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, ruled it out on the basis that she values her mental health too much.

Here Thornberry chuckles. Good try, she says. But she cant resist. Im not a depressive. No. She is cheerful and hyperactive  a bit of a Duracell bunny. And anyway, at 58 she has seen a great deal Clearly that gives me stability.

Only a quarter of people think Jeremy Corbyn is a good leader, poll shows ahead of Labour party conference

If you like your politicians poised and polished, Emily Thornberry is not that. She smokes.

Shell have a glass of wine. She mouthed swear words in the Commons and asked whether Boris Johnson should have a paternity test over Brexit. She called the Governments EU divorce plans blah blah blah and told Tory MP Michael Fallon on live television he was talking bollocks. Actually, she likes the word bollocks: she uses it three times in the two hours we are with her, to describe Theresa Mays threat of Chequers or no deal.

More than half the councillors in Islington are women. We have been feminising Labour in a very profound way

Not that the Left has got off lightly. She blasted its National Executive Committee when she thought it was trying to quash Corbyn and called some newer members of Momentum naive. Shes the sort of person to go on the record when everyone else does background, and looks at home in the punchy theatre of PMQs, as a barrister with 20 years in court might. Even when sexist Tories call her Lady Nugee  her husband is High Court judge Sir Christopher Nugee  she laughs. Its a big deep laugh that fills the room. At other times she flicks her nails or stares over her folded arms.

Today weve met in her constituency office in Islington South and Finsbury. Its in one of the pretty Georgian streets she calls the leafy lanes, as opposed to the estates there, and she gives us strong coffee and chocolate biscuits. On the shelves are the complete works of Shakespeare (People send me books. I dont always read them).

Thornberry answers questions as if shelling peas. Yes, if she were Foreign Secretary she would stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Yes, she would tick off Donald Trump over climate change  the fact that the American administration thinks that it can walk away from Paris [the accord] is appalling.

Shes making a total of 17 speeches at the party conference, which starts tomorrow, but the main one is on foreign affairs and Labours policy thereon.

But her real focus is how Labour gets power. One of her major criticisms of the Conservatives is that theyve just been faffing around for a couple of years, never thinking about the good of the country, only thinking about fights among themselves. Clearly she doesnt want Labour to be accused of the same.

She seems bored to the point of annoyance by the kerfuffle over structure and deselection. How much time are we going to spend on this when we could, frankly, be spending it on developing policies for when we get power? she says.

And on the NEC debates on limiting the deputy leaders power in the event of a change of leadership, she emits an audible sigh. Im afraid youre hitting my blind [spot]. Im not on the NEC  I have to say, this is a blessing.

On Brexit she is pragmatic, while admitting if there was a second referendum shed still vote to remain. How many of the front bench would? I wouldve thought the majority. Would Corbyn? Yeah, I think so.

She volunteers that she has often disagreed with Corbyn, the neighbouring Islington MP, as if healthy debate were absolutely where the Labour Party is, instead of threatening to snuff out dissent.

Its fine, she insists. He has always been completely lovely. Hes kind and supportive we look after each other.

In the past, if I was being criticised on the Left, Jeremy would say, I dont agree with Emily but I understand why she is saying this and it comes from principles And he would defend me.

Corbyn is Zen. Hes easy-going. And sure of himself in his own skin and of what hes doing.

The only time shes seen him floored was over anti-Semitism. Because it goes so against his idea of who he is. He has taken it personally.

For instance, during the last rebellion [against his leadership], people were saying the most terrible things. And I remember him saying, One of them says Im incompetent! What do you think Emily? Ha ha ha. He was fine.

But calling him an anti-Semite? Calling him a racist? That just went straight to the absolute core. It really distressed him.

As a result, she suggests, he didnt halt the row as quickly as he might have. It reminded me of Gordon Brown: do you remember during the expenses scandal when the son of the Manse, the last person on Earth who would have misused public funds, was accused of misusing public funds? He found it very difficult in those circumstances to get past his righteous indignation to be strategic and to divorce the emotion and think things through.

She draws the comparison to make it clear that no leader is a God. We are just people. We have emotions. Of course, that isnt to say there isnt a big issue.

Being Thornberry, she tackles anti-Semitism head-on. When people come up in the street and say: Well done Emily. Hopefully Jeremy is going to be Prime Minister, and dont let the Jews get you down she gives them short shrift. I say: Thats not acceptable. I have Jewish members of staff. They work night and day to get Labour elected.

Her children, too, have Jewish heritage. I joined Labour Friends of Israel when I became an MP in 2005, she says. I support the Palestinians right to have a state and I support the state of Israel. It doesnt mean I agree with Netanyahu, for goodness sake.

Arguably, her fascination with foreign affairs can be traced to childhood: her father Cedric was an Assistant Secretary-general of the UN. But he walked out when Emily was seven, leaving her, her mother Sallie and two brothers with nothing. They moved into social housing, were given free school meals and second-hand clothes.

But she is careful to draw a distinction on class lines. We were middle-class, but poor. There was a level of expectation from my mum: I expected to go to university, I just wasnt entirely sure how I would get there. Im as aware of the class system as anyone and it would be disingenuous to say I am working class.

Her father left because he fell in love with someone else, she says simply. No wonder she has so little time for Boris Johnson. When the family moved from Guildford to London, she went to a large secondary modern. A Sex Pistol was at school, she doesnt know which one so consults Google for fear of getting it wrong. Glen Matlock. She looks none the wiser. Turns out that the bassist from Culture Club was also there, she adds. Dont remember any of them. She had a good gang  they were into soul music and upstairs at Ronnie Scotts.

She met Nugee practising law  hes clever and kind, Im very proud of him and I love him. They moved into a dilapidated house in Islington and did it up while raising three children. She doesnt iron shirts  No! Although to be fair we tend to do [domestic] things together. They have a cleaner who she says is from Holloway. How much do they pay her? Thornberry delivers one of her looks.

The day they moved in, another removal van carrying another legal couple parked up. Four lawyers on the same day having their furniture unloaded, she laughs. The other two were Tony and Cherie Blair.

Shes blase, saying they didnt really know the Blairs. But she vividly recalls returning on foot from the Festival Hall amid the explosion of celebration after the 1997 election result. The Blairs drew up in their car to be met by crowds of well-wishers. I thought I should go and stand in the crowd but I was so tired. Instead she crept to bed. After that, the Blairs were swallowed up by No 10 and fame but she plays it down. All sorts of people live in Islington. Theres a culture of, Ive just walked past Jimmy Somerville but I am not going to look twice.

Its often said that Thornberry wouldnt have been out of place in any Labour Cabinet or shadow Cabinet since Blairs. Whether true or not, she won her own seat in 2005 when the shine had definitely gone off Blair following the Iraq war. When she looks for comparisons its Gordon Brown she draws on, and indeed she inherited her aide Damian McBride, from his side.
F ormer leader of UKIP Nigel Farage has said he was really upset over suggestions the party could allow former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson to become a member.

Mr Farage has warned his old party faces total and utter marginalisation if it embraces elements of far right politics.

On the eve of the party's conference in Birmingham, Mr Farage said he was completely opposed to the idea of Mr Robinson becoming a member.

He said: "I wrote very explicitly into the rules of the party when I first became leader: we did not want anybody in the party that had taints with organisations we deemed to be on the far right of British politics.

Nigel Farage passes a European Union flag as he rides a bus while campaigning against Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May's Chequers Brexit plan / REUTERS

"I couldn't have been clearer. It really upsets me to see the fact this debate is even taking place."

Tommy Robinson pictured on his release from prison / PA

Ukip leader Gerard Batten was recently criticised by Mr Farage for attending an anti-Muslim rally in Sunderland which descended into violence.

In recent months Mr Batten has spoken out in support of Mr Robinson, a move that reportedly alarmed more moderate members of the party.

Mr Farage continued: "I'm less than impressed with the current direction in which we're going. It devalues, undermines many of the incredible achievements.

"(Ukip is) in danger now unless it changes direction very, very quickly, of total and utter marginalisation."

Gerard Batten / PA

Asked if he had plans to return to the UKIP leadership, Mr Farage said he was focused on Brexit campaigning, but added: "I've got my hands full - right at the moment."

The long-time Eurosceptic gave his comments after delivering a speech in Westminster about what he said were social media companies' anti-conservative bias.

During the address, he said: "We cannot allow the whole future political discourse affecting the young people across entire Western world to be held in the hands of two or three people who through their own mouths and utterances have shown themselves not to be politically neutral.

"There is now an absolute mountain of evidence. It is unarguable that since November 2016 (the election of Donald Trump) there's been a huge shift. There is now a massive bias that has become endemic on social media."
L abour was rocked on the eve of its party conference as it was revealed just than one in four Britons think Jeremy Corbyn is doing a good job as leader.

Mr Corbyns ratings for both leadership and likeability have plunged in the year since Labours last conference, found Ipsos MORI.

Three years into his leadership, his scores are akin to those of Ed Miliband and William Hague at similar points in their careers, and worse than Gordon Browns. All three went on to lose general elections.

The exclusive survey for the Evening Standard reveals how badly Mr Corbyns personal brand has been tarnished in a year in which he was criticised by Jewish leaders for failing to root out anti-Semites from Labours ranks.

Key findings show:

Just half of Labour supporters are satisfied with Mr Corbyns performance, down from 71 per cent in October last year to 48 per cent now. Among the general public as a whole, just 24 per cent think he is doing a good job, down from 42 per cent.

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Two-thirds of the public say they do not like Mr Corbyn, which is sharply up from 48 per cent a year ago.

Just 32 per cent say they like him, down from 46 per cent in September 2017.

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It is Mr Corbyns lowest score for likeability and similar to those achieved by Mr Miliband before he lost the 2015 election and by Gordon Brown in 2008.

The research points to Mr Corbyn being the problem rather than his party, because Labours like rating has gone up. One in three say they like Labour but dislike its leader, up from one in five a year ago. Among Labour supporters, the proportion who dislike Mr Corbyn has doubled from 18 to per cent to 37 per cent in a year.

Asked if he had the makings of a good Prime Minister, Mr Corbyns score slipped since July from 31 per cent to 27.

In a head-to-head with Theresa May for who would be a better PM, Mr Corbyn is beaten by 46-37.

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Comparisons with past party leaders at around three years into office do not augur well for Mr Corbyns election chances. Mr Miliband was on 24 per cent in 2013, Mr Brown was on 35 in April 2010, and Mr Hague was on 29. John Major was on 21 per cent in 1993, four years before his Government was routed by triple-winner Tony Blair, whose score at the three-year mark was 70 per cent.

Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said Labours brand as the party of the heart is as strong as ever. And dissatisfaction with the Government is high. But the gains Jeremy Corbyn made over the election campaign in his public image have fallen away over the last year.

Labour supporters are still attached to the party, but no longer feel quite the same affection for its leader.
T heresa May delivered a defiant message to EU leaders on Brexit today after they humiliatingly rejected her Chequers plan at a summit in Salzburg.

She said negotiations had reached an impasse and that the ball was now in the EUs court.

Mrs May repeated that she would not overturn the result of the EU referendum and that no deal was better than a bad deal.

Here are five key points from the speech.

Theresa May delivers an ultimatum to EU leaders on Brexit

Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in Downing Street / PA Wire/PA Images

The PM said she would offer no more concessions until EU leaders give ground. She said she had treated the EU with nothing but respect and that the UK expects the same.

Mrs May said the only offers made so far by EU leaders were bad deals that she could only reject as they failed to respect the referendum result of 2016.

Anything that fails to reflect the referendum or divides our country in two would be a bad deal. And I have always said, no deal is better than a bad deal, she said.

At the end of her speech, she said: "The referendum was the largest democratic exercise this country has ever undergone. To deny its legitimacy or frustrate its result threatens public trust in our democracy.

"That is why for over two years I have worked day and night to deliver a deal that sees the UK leave the EU. I have worked to bring people with me even when that has not always seemed possible.

"No one wants a good deal more than me.

"But the EU should be clear: I will not overturn the result of the referendum. Nor will I break up my country.

"We need serious engagement on resolving the two big problems in the negotiations. We stand ready."

PM says UK and EU are at an impasse

Under pressure on Brexit: Theresa May at the European Union leaders informal summit in Salzburg (REUTERS) / Reuters

A day after the humiliating rejection of her Brexit plans at the EU summit in Salzburg, the PM recognised that negotiations had reached an impasse.

She dismissed EU suggestions that the onus is on Britain to shift its stance, insisting that the ball is now in the EUs court.

Mrs May suggested that European Council President Donald Tusks had asserted that her Chequers plan will not work without explanation. She said: "At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side's proposals without a detailed explanation and new proposals.

"So we now need to hear from the European Union what the real issues are and what their proposals are so we can discuss them.

"Until we do, we can't make progress."

Mrs May added: "Donald Tusk said our proposals would undermine the single market. He didn't explain how in any detail or make any counter-proposal. So we are at an impasse."

All offers from the EU are bad deals

Chequers plan doomed? Theresa May's Brexit blueprint was torn apart by EU leaders in Salzburg / Getty Images

Mrs May said that the EU has put forward two options.

"The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU, she said.

"In plain English, this would mean we'd still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn't do the trade deals we want with other countries.

"That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago.

"The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.

"Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea.

She said her Brexit deal, based on the frictionless trade of goods was the best way to protect jobs in the UK and the EU and to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The Irish border

Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron / REUTERS

The Prime Minister has called on the EU to come forward with fresh proposals on Northern Ireland and trade.

She said she was willing to come forward with new ideas on unblocking the disagreement over future arrangements on the Irish border.

Mrs May said both the UK and EU agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs a backstop to ensure that if there is a delay in implementing the new relationship, there still will not be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

But she said that the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the customs union.

She said: Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would not respect that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, in line with the principle of consent, as set out clearly in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

"It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake."

Mrs May reaffirmed the Government's commitment to no hard border in Northern Ireland, saying "we will do everything in our power to prevent a return to hard border".

EU demands threaten integrity of United Kingdom

Mrs May said she would never agree to the EUs demand that Northern Ireland stay aligned with EU rules, which threatens the integrity of the United Kingdom.

She said that this would mean breaking up our country which she would never agree to.

The PM said that her own Brexit proposals would respect the referendum result and preserve the integrity of the United Kingdom.

She said: "As I told EU leaders, neither side should demand the unacceptable of the other.

"We cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of our union, just as they cannot accept anything that threatens the integrity of theirs.
T he prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Malta have called for a second referendum on Brexit.

Andrej Babis, the Czech leader, and Joseph Muscat, the Maltese PM, insisted Britain would change its mind if a second vote was called on the terms of Theresa Mays deal.

Mr Babis, speaking at the Salzburg summit, said the Brexit vote had caused a difficult time for Europe.

He said: "We hope that finally we will reach a deal but basically I am very unhappy that the UK is leaving.

Theresa May stands by Brexit plan in Salzburg

So it would be better maybe to make another referendum and maybe the people in the meantime could change their view.

Mr Muscat, meanwhile, claimed: There is a unanimous, or almost unanimous I would say right now, point of view around the table that we would like the almost impossible to happen, that the UK has another referendum.

Andrej Babis: 'Basically I am very unhappy that the UK is leaving' / AFP/Getty Images

"I think most of us would welcome a situation where there is the possibility of the British people putting things into perspective, seeing what has been negotiated, seeing the options and then deciding once and for all."

However, Ms May flatly rejected the calls.

Joseph Muscat: 'Almost unanimous' support for second referendum / AFP/Getty Images

"There will be no second referendum, she said. There has been a vote of the people, it took place in June 2016 and people voted to leave the European Union.

"Of course, you have heard those voices from Europe that talk about a second referendum.

"Actually, I think others have started to recognise rather more this is going to happen. We are going to leave the European Union.

Mrs May remains wedded to the Chequers blueprint, noting it is the only proposal on the table as the deadline approaches, although she indicated the UK will unveil new measures on the future status of the Northern Irish border in a bid to break the deadlock.

She has flatly rejected a European Commission backstop proposal for Northern Ireland to remain within the EU customs area after Brexit, arguing this would draw a border down the Irish Sea.

The PM's remarks came following an eventful two-day EU summit in Austria, which also saw German Chancellor Angela Merkel talk of the need for "substantial progress" over the next four weeks and French President Emmanuel Macron describe leaders of the Brexit campaign who told British voters it would be easy as "liars".

Leave-backing Transport Secretary Chris Grayling insisted Britain is "preparing hard" for a no-deal Brexit.

Asked whether he would stay in Cabinet if concessions were made on Chequers, Mr Grayling told BBC Two's Newsnight: "I'm not going to comment on specific changes to Chequers.

"There are none on the table at the moment. There are things that I wouldn't personally accept, but nor would the Prime Minister.

"The PM has set out red lines that this country is not going to stay in the single market, we're not going to stay in the customs union - I agree with her on those, that's the Government's position.

"We're not going to accept a border between NI and the rest of the United Kingdom.

"We are now preparing hard for the option of a no-deal Brexit. We don't want to get there, we don't expect to get there. But our European partners if they want to reach a deal, have to find a way of understanding that there are some things we cannot accept."
J eremy Corbyn was so distressed by accusations that he was anti-Semitic that emotion clouded his response to the political crisis, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry revealed.

In an exclusive interview with the Standard, she said the charge proved very difficult for Jeremy to deal with because it went so against his idea of who he is.

Ms Thornberry laid into Theresa May for trying to blackmail Parliament into supporting her Brexit blueprint.

She said Chequers was bollocks and the House of Commons would not be taken hostage by threats to crash out of the EU with no deal if MPs refused to back it.

Only a quarter of people think Jeremy Corbyn is a good leader, poll shows ahead of Labour party conference

She said: If shes not capable of getting an agreement, I can see no reason why she should hold us hostage or, frankly, Parliament hostage and say, Unless you agree to this we are not going to have a deal. If you [Mrs May] cant govern, lets have another general election. In a series of key statements, the former barrister tipped as a future party leader also:

Dismissed the Peoples Vote campaign for a second referendum as for the birds, saying Labour should focus on forcing a general election to put Mr Corbyn in power.

Warned Labour activists against mandatory reselections for MPs in case they damaged the election campaign.

Predicted Labours next leader will be a woman but insisted: Its a long way off.

Pledged Labour would stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia and change the law if necessary to stop such exports.

Revealed she would vote Remain in another EU referendum, but said Labour would honour the Brexit vote because we dont double-cross.
H ave you ever fancied eating spaghetti with your fried chicken? No, us neither but millions around the world enjoy chowing down on this very meal every day.

Jollibee, Asia's biggest home grown fast food chain, is set to open its first UK branch next month, bringing with it the joys of corned beef with rice and hotdog sandwiches.

The chain is famous for its eclectic menu and has a huge and devoted following across Asia.

What is Jollibee?

Customers in a branch of Jollibee in the Philippines / AFP/Getty Images

Jollibee is huge in Asia - in fact, it is larger than McDonald's in the Philippines.

Asia's biggest fast food chain Jollibee comes to London

The chain started as an ice cream parlour in Manila in 1975 and now there are around 1,300 Jollibee restaurants around the world - and roughly half of those are in the Philippines.

What's on the menu?

The menu features an eclectic mix of US and Asian influenced dishes. These include its signature spaghetti with red sauce and slices of hotdog sausage and ground beef, which can be served with fried chicken.

Other items include its trademark fried chicken, known as Chickenjoy, with a beef patty, mushroom gravy and rice.

Its chicken is said to be crunchier and spicier than Western fried chicken, while its burgers are called 'Yumburgers'.

More meals include a Yumburger served with mushroom gravy, rice and spaghetti with hotdogs, while you can also get a burger and sauce with chips, rice and an egg.

Jollibee's signature fried chicken and spaghetti meal

If you really want to push the boat out, the 'Chickenjoy with burger steak and half spaghetti' also comes with rice and a drink.

For breakfast you can grab yourself a bacon and egg pancake sandwich, or corned beef with garlic rice and egg.

Sides include mashed potato and gravy and creamy macaroni soup.

Where is Jollibee opening in London?

The chain opens its first UK branch in a former Wagamama outlet in Earl's Court on October 20.

Earl's Court was chosen for the first UK site as it has historically been home to Londons biggest Filipino community.

Around 200,000 Filipinos live in London and the opening is seen as so culturally significant that it is expected to be attended by the Philippines ambassador.

More stores are expected to be opened around London and outside the capital.

A glitzy social media campaign on Facebook and Instagram featuring the brands trademark jolly red bee mascot and aimed primarily at Londons estimated 200,000 strong Filipino community launches tomorrow.
A Russian model who was taken to hospital with her husband after a nerve agent scare at a Salisbury restaurant has denied it was an elaborate hoax.

Anna Shapiro has claimed she really feared her husband Alex King had been poisoned at the Prezzo Italian restaurant on Sunday.

Ms Shapiro, who was born in Russia, later told a newspaper she feared she and her husband had been the victims of poisoning. The pair tested negative for Novichok and have since been discharged from hospital.

Officers outside of Prezzo restaurant, in Salisbury / EPA

A police source had told the BBC one line of inquiry could be that the incident was a hoax.

But a statement from Janes Solicitors, on behalf of Ms Shapiro, said: "There has been some media speculation that our client may have participated in an elaborate hoax as regards her fear of her husband's poisoning at Prezzo Restaurant on Sunday 16th September and its possible cause.

"She has asked Janes Solicitors to emphasise that she was not involved in any hoax and that her fears were genuine, both as to the poisoning and her suspicion of foul play.

"However, as the incident is now being investigated by the Wiltshire Police force, it is not appropriate to comment further at this stage.

"We ask that the media respect our client's privacy whilst she recovers from her ordeal."

Wiltshire Police said both Ms Shapiro and Mr King have been interviewed and there have been no arrests made as the investigation continues.

A spokesman for the restaurant, which reopened on Thursday, said its staff had been "brave and resilient" during the "very difficult" incident.
T hree people are in hospital and 13 more were injured after a suspected chemical incident at a Scottish Gas site in Edinburgh.

Emergency services warned people to stay away from the Waterfront area of the city after being called at 5.15pm on Friday.

Police and paramedics raced to the Scottish Gas building, in Waterfront Avenue, and the surrounding roads were closed.

Three people were taken to hospital for further observation, officials said.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said 13 were treated at the scene for "minor illness".

He said: "We are working alongside our partners in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to establish the cause of this incident.

"We would ask people to avoid the Waterfront area while the emergency response is ongoing."

Multiple fire engines and ambulances could be seen outside the building.

In the wake of the incident, Edinburgh Police on Twitter said: "We received a report of a possible chemical incident within a Scottish Gas building in Waterfront Avenue around 5.15pm today.

"Please avoid the Waterfront area while our response is ongoing."
T he UK is set to be battered by heavy rain and strong winds again after storms Ali and Bronagh wreaked havoc this week.

The Met Office has put yellow warnings for wind and rain in force from 6am on Sunday until midnight.

Both warnings are in place for London, south-east England, south-west England, the east and west midlands, east of England, Wales and Yorkshire and Humber. The yellow warning for rain is also in place for north-west England.

Forecasters said that there remained some uncertainty in the precise track and intensity of the system but there could be up to two inches of rain in places.

Storm Ali - In Pictures 1 /21 Storm Ali - In Pictures Police clear a tree as Storm Ali hits land on September 19, 2018 in Ardrossan, Scotland. Severe gales which are set to get up to as much as 80mph are causing road, rail and ferry travel disruption as Storm Ali hits parts of Scotland. Getty Images Workmen deal with a fallen tree on Finglass Road by Glasnevin Cemetary, Dublin as Storm Ali has made itself felt across the Republic of Ireland PA The scene in Claddaghduff, near Clifden in Co Galway where a woman died after her caravan was blown off a cliff in Storm Ali which has brought gusts of 91mph. PA An ambulance which crashed into a fallen tree in Newcastle as the Met Office has updated its amber wind warning for Storm Ali PA Strong winds blow sand across the seafront at Troon Beach in Ayrshire as Storm Ali has begun to make itself felt across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland and England with 60mph winds. PA Wind surfers take advantage of Storm Ali hits land at Barassie beach on in Troon,Scotland. Getty Images People walk along Tynemouth Beach on the North East Coast, as the Met Office has updated its amber wind warning for Storm Al PA Photo taken with permission from the twitter feed of @cuthbert_church of a blown over tree in the ground of St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh as Storm Ali has hit the region. PA A tree which has fallen onto a car in Belfast as Storm Ali has begun to make itself felt across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland and England with 91mph winds. PA A plane lands in strong cross winds at Leeds Bradford Airport as Storm Ali hits the UK. PA A plane lands in torrential rain at Leeds Bradford Airport as Storm Ali hits the UK. PA A fallen tree on part of the A75 in Dumfries and Galloway, near the Collin bypass, which blocked the road for about an hour on Wednesday, as Storm Ali causes major traffic disruption in Scotland. PA A member of the public walks her dogs on a beach ahead of Storm Ali on September 19, 2018 in Saltcoats, Scotland Getty Images Workmen deal with a fallen tree on Finglass Road by Glasnevin Cemetary, Dublin as Storm Ali has made itself felt across the Republic of Ireland. PA Strong winds blow sand across the seafront at Troon Beach in Ayrshire as Storm Ali has begun to make itself felt across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland and England with 60mph winds. PA Members of the public struggle in the wind as Storm Ali hits land in Blackpool, England. Getty Images Members of the public struggle in the wind as Storm Ali hits land on September 19, 2018 in Blackpool, England Getty Images A man looks at debris at the scene in Claddaghduff, near Clifden in Co Galway where a woman died after her caravan was blown off a cliff in Storm Ali which has brought gusts of 91mph. PA Sand is blown in the wind as Storm Ali hits land on September 19, 2018 in Saltcoats, Scotland. Getty Images A man walks along Troon beach in Ayrshire as Storm Ali has begun to make itself felt across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland and England with 60mph winds. PA Workmen deal with a fallen tree on Finglass Road by Glasnevin Cemetary, Dublin as Storm Ali has made itself felt across the Republic of Ireland. PA

Southern Britain could fell the worst of the spell of strong winds and a swathe of persistent heavy rain, the Met Office said.

The exact timing and intensity of the associated weather system still remains uncertain, but there is potential for strong winds to develop across the west early on Sunday, strengthening further as the system tracks eastwards, the Met Office said in a statement.

Residents sand bag their houses as flooding hits Newcastle-under-Lyme / REUTERS

Should these occur parts of East Anglia and South East England might also suffer some coastal impacts from large waves, particularly at times of high tide. Winds should ease from the west later on Sunday.

Met Office spokesman Graham Madge said reasonably good weather conditions were anticipated during the rest of Friday and on Saturday as Storm Bronagh was now leaving our shores.

Storm Ali hits Saltcoats, Scotland, on Wednesday / Getty Images

"It exited the North East last night and in the early hours of the morning into the North Sea, although the back end of the storm will still cause heavy winds in offshore areas in the North East, he said.

"Its influence over the weather picture is waning, and in truth it is only really going to be impacting upon those offshore north-eastern areas."

Mr Madge said forecasters anticipate nationwide sunshine and showers in the coming days, with some strong winds still anticipated.

A dog walker in Troon in Ayrshire earlier this week / PA

Saturday is expected to bring rain moving from the South West into the South East and the Midlands as the day draws on.

Despite the warnings in place for Sunday as another low pressure system moves in, Mr Madge said it will be "perhaps not as bad as first feared".

At its worst, Bronagh brought heavy rain and showers as it swept across the country, with 78mph gusts recorded overnight in the Needles on the Isle of Wight.

Earlier in the week, two people were killed as Storm Ali hit the British Isles. A woman died after her caravan was blown off a cliff during high winds and has been named locally as Elvira Ferraii.
B ritain's four million contact lens wearers were today advised to improve their hygiene practices after an outbreak of a rare eye infection that can cause blindness.

Researchers at University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital said there had been a three-fold increase in the number of cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) in the south-east since 2011.

One in four sufferers are severely affected and typically require 10 months of hospital treatment, corneal transplants and three years of follow-up visits. They are left with badly impaired vision or blindness.

Patients describe the disease, which is linked to contact lenses coming into contact with water, as incredibly painful and incredibly frightening.

The number of cases seen at Moorfields has risen from 15 to 23 a year in the last decade to 36 to 65 a year since 2011. The hospital treats about a third of all UK cases.

Anyone can be infected, but contact lens users face the highest risk. People wearing reusable contacts are more at risk but those using daily disposables can also contract the infection.

Irenie Ekkeshis, who went blind in her right eye as a result of AK

The Acanthamoeba microorganism is found in the UKs domestic water supply in higher rates than in other countries. Water is absorbed by contact lenses, enabling an infection to develop in the front of the eye.

The research found the risk was three times higher in people who did not wash and dry their hands before handling lenses, in those who used a now-discontinued lens solution or who wore lenses while swimming or in hot tubs.

Showering and face-washing while wearing lenses was also likely to be a risk factor, according to the study in the British Journal Of Ophthalmology.

Irenie Ekkeshis, who went blind in her right eye as a result of AK and runs the Moorfields AK patient support group raising greater awareness of the condition, said: Warnings should be provided on contact lens packaging. This is a massive problem.

She had been using daily disposable lenses when she was diagnosed in January 2011. Despite two corneal transplants, her sight has never returned and she is still receiving treatment.

Ms Ekkeshis, 39, from Enfield, said: My case is one of the most difficult and severe that Moorfields have had to treat. I woke up one day with a sore eye. I knew it was something out of the ordinary as it was painful for me to be near bright lights. I took myself to Moorfields. I had terrible shooting pains and my eye was watering a lot.

Ms Ekkeshis does not know how she contracted the utterly life-changing infection. I lost my job, she said. I lost my confidence. I lost my social life. She now works for a healthcare strategy company.
T heresa May has warned that Brits "must prepare" for a no-deal Brexit, with political difference between EU leaders still rife.

With less than 200 days until the UK leaves the EU, concerns are growing that the country will leave the bloc without a deal in place.

But some hardcore Brexiteers believe that a no-deal Brexit would actually be better than a soft Brexit.

Prime Minister Theresa May speaking in Downing Street / PA Wire/PA Images

What is a 'no-deal' Brexit, and how would it affect Britain?

The UK is set to leave the EU on March 29, 2019 but there are fears the country could crash out of the block without having secured a formal withdrawal agreement.

The government has until the end of March to secure a deal, but after Mrs May's Chequers plan was rebuffed by European leaders, this is looking increasingly unlikely.

If the country leaves under a no deal scenario, it could have an impact on a whole range of issues for Brits.

Both the EU and the UK have issued guidance on what could happen if a formal withdrawal deal is not in place.

What will happen in the event of a no-deal Brexit?

Dr Simon Usherwood, a reader in politics at the University of Surrey, told the i that when the UK leaves the EU, "everything associated with that would come to an end".

"[A no deal] doesnt stop the UK leaving but it means there is absolutely no clarity about what happens," he added.

In reality, a no deal scenario would mean there would be no transition period for consumers, businesses and public bodies and they would have to respond immediately to the changes.

This scenario would allow Britain to try and broker trade deals with other countries, but they take years to complete.

Mrs May warned that Brits "must prepare ourselves" for a no-deal Brexit / Sky News

But it would mean the country would not be legally obliged to pay the 39 billion divorce bill.

Under the current deal, the UK can only implement trade deals with other countries after the transition period.

The transition period would allow Britain to make new trade deals with the EU but in a no deal situation, there would be no adjustment time to allow for changes in laws or negotiations for trading deals.

Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier rejected the Chequers proposal / AFP/Getty Images

What affect would a no-deal Brexit have on Britain?

EU nationals living in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU could see their residency rights disappear overnight and become subject to domestic immigration rules.

A no deal Brexit threatens to put pressure the Good Friday agreement, as the EU would want Ireland to impose customs and other checks on its border with Northern Ireland which neither want to do.

Tariffs would be imposed on goods that the UK sends to the EU and the same for goods that the EU sends to the UK. Tariffs on agricultural products could be as high as 60 percent.

Britain would also exit the single market for goods and agriculture which could result in red tape for businesses.

Customs checks at ports would affect the supply of food and goods and there are fears of long queues at borders and disruption to air travel.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that house prices could plummet by a third over three years and that homeowners could be left with negative equity and spiralling mortgage rates.
D onald Trump has demanded that a woman who has accused his Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault provides evidence.

The US President has questioned why law enforcement were not informed at the time of the alleged 1982 assault if it was as bad as she says.

Mr Trumps nomination of Brett Kavanaugh has been held up while 51-year-old California psychology professor Christine Blasey Fords allegations against him are assessed. Both have agreed to testify before a Senate committee.

Abandoning his previous restraint, Mr Trump declared that if the alleged attack was so terrible she would have reported it to law enforcement.

His remarks came as Dr Ford's lawyers negotiated with the Senate Judiciary Committee on the terms for her possible testimony next week over her accusation that threatens Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation.

President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh / AP

Mr Trump tweeted: "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!"

The president previously had avoided naming Dr Ford or plainly casting doubt on her account. Dr Ford alleges that at a party when they were teenagers 30 years ago a drunken Mr Kavanaugh held her down on a bed, tried to remove her clothing and clapped his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream before she managed to escape. Mr Kavanaugh has denied all parts of the allegation.

Shortly after Mr Trump's tweet, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed his determination to get Mr Kavanaugh confirmed. He told evangelical activists at the annual Values Voter conference the Senate will "plough right through."

The accusation has jarred the 53-year-old conservative's prospects for winning confirmation, which until Dr Ford spoke out last week had seemed all but certain.

With his comment, Mr Trump went against the advice of advisers who had counselled him to stay out of it. He has previously defended friends and other men against the claims of women.

Dr Ford has said she did not tell anyone at the time about the incident.

In another tweet, Mr Trump, who was in Las Vegas for various events, wrote: "Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who don't want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts don't matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C."

Dr Ford is willing to tell her story but only if agreement can be reached on "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety," her lawyer said Thursday. She said Dr Ford needs time to make sure her family is secure, prepare her testimony and travel to Washington.

Attorney Debra Katz said that Dr Ford has received death threats and for safety reasons has relocated her family.

Her preference is to testify to the Senate committee next Thursday, and she does not want Mr Kavanaugh in the same room, her attorney told the panel's staff in a 30-minute call that also touched on security concerns and others issues, according to a Senate aide.

In addition to security, expected to be provided by Capitol Police, Dr Ford has asked for press coverage of her testimony to be the same as for Mr Kavanaugh. Reporters had assigned seating and were kept separated from the nominee, who was whisked to and from the room.

Dr Ford has expressed a wish to testify first, but that might be complicated because Mr Kavanaugh has already agreed to Monday's scheduled hearing.

She has told the panel she would prefer the committee not use outside counsel to question her because that would make it seem too much like a trial, the attorney told the panel. All of the Republicans on the panel are men.

Senate Republicans are likely to propose moving the committee hearing to Wednesday, CNN reported on Friday afternoon quoting sources.

The sources were quoted as saying that Dr Ford would testify first, then Kavanaugh. Republicans are not willing to subpoena any outside witnesses, as Dr Ford requested.
F ive people, including an eight-year-old girl, have been shot in Syracuse, up state New York, police said.

Officers in Syracuse said they responded to a shooting at about 9pm (local time), on Thursday night, and found multiple people with gunshot wounds.

The extent of those injured or details how they came to be injured has not been released yet.

According to local reports, many people had gathered to celebrate the life of a relative who had recently died of cancer, before the shooting.

Tammy Jamison said she was gathered for a memorial before gunshots broke out, Syracuse.com reported.

She said she tried to take cover inside, saying: When the shooting started, I ducked.

The website also reported several ambulance crews being called to the scene, with some individuals being taken to hospital.
A black politician has revealed a homeowner called police on her while she was door-knocking on the campaign trail.

Sheila Stubbs was canvassing for election to the Wisconsin Assembly when she was questioned by officers in front of her eight-year-old daughter and 71-year-old mother.

Police had received a 911 call about a suspicious vehicle. The male caller thought they were waiting for drugs at the local drug house.

Democrat Ms Stubbs told CBS: I felt humiliated, I felt outraged, I felt angry, I felt embarrassed.

She recalled how the officer asked: How do you know which doors to knock on? I said the walk list. She said: Can I see it? I said sure. And then she said: I am really sorry that happened to you.

Ms Stubbs won nearly 50 per cent of the party primary vote in her county of Madison. Because she is running unopposed, she will take her seat on the state assembly in January.

The former probation and parole officer will be the first African-American to represent Madison, and had a message for the man who called police.
T he shooter in Maryland who turned a gun on herself after shooting four dead has been named.

Hartford County Sheriff Jeffey Gahler has named Snochia Moseley, a 26-year-old from Baltimore County, as the shooter involved in the attack.

The lone suspect open fired on a Maryland distribution center, for the Rite Aid drugstore chain, killing three people and wounding three others before taking her own life, the sheriff said.

People were shot inside and outside the building where the incident occurred, near to Spesutia and Perryman Road.

The shooting took place on Thursday / EPA

At an earlier press briefing, Sheriff Gahler, of Harford County, said there were "multiple wounded and multiple fatalities", describing the incident as "another tragic event".

He said: "Many people have been affected by the events here this morning.

"There are a lot of families irreparably harmed."

It has been confirmed by the sheriff that she was a temporary employee at the center and had reported to work at about 9am (US time).

The sheriff said investigators have not yet determined a motive, but a law enforcement source told said the shooting was believed to have been sparked by a work-related grievance.

Mr Gahler said Thursday's gun violence began outside the warehouse and then moved inside, but investigators were still piecing together the precise sequence of events.

He said a total of seven people were hit by gunfire and that four, including the woman who opened fire, were killed. The three others were expected to survive, according to the sheriff. He said the suspect shot herself in the head.

No shots were fired by any law enforcement officers, he said.

An officer on the scene / AP

The Rite Aid center, located among other warehouses in an industrial park, has nearly 1,000 employees, company spokesman Pete Strella said. The facility packages pharmaceuticals and other products for delivery to more than 2,500 stores.

Police spent several hours searching the 210,000-square-foot (19,510-square-meter) building for any possible additional victims, the sheriff's office said.

"Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders," Governor Larry Hogan wrote on Twitter. "The State stands ready to offer any support."

EPA

Agents from the Baltimore offices of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI also responded, the agencies said.

The shooting occurred a day after a man shot and wounded four people, including a police officer, at a Pennsylvania court building before he was killed by police, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
T his is the moment a brave woman chased a man through a New York subway station after he allegedly groped her on a train.

Police said the suspect grabbed the 26-year-old womans rear while she was walking down a staircase inside Grand Central subway station on August 31.

Detectives hunting the suspect have released CCTV footage which shows him strolling through the station when suddenly the woman runs up and shoves him.

She continues to pursue him as he tries to fend her off, before she swings her arm at the back of his head.

Police have released CCTV of the suspect as they attempt to track him down / NYPD

The footage shows him then running through the station in a bid to escape her, eventually disappearing through an emergency exit.

New York police said the victim lost sight of the suspect when he fled the station onto 42 Street.

The woman chased the suspect through the station and repeatedly tried to grab him / NYPD

Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea tweeted: "This individual grabbed a 26-year-old female victim's buttocks as she walked down a staircase, when confronted, he fled the station.
P assengers on an Indian Jet Airways flight were left bleeding from their noses and ears after the crew reportedly failed to properly pressurise the cabin.

The flight returned to Mumbai shortly after take-off after dozens of passengers complained of ear pain and nose bleeding due to the loss in cabin pressure in the plane.

Oxygen masks were deployed inside the Boeing 737, which was carrying 166 people bound for Jaipur, before it landed safely back in Mumbai, the airline said.

Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Lalit Gupta, deputy director general at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said the crew had forgotten to turn on a switch regulating the cabin pressure.

Medical help was given to 30 passengers on board the plane, which stopped climbing at 11,000 feet before returning to Indias financial capital, according to Flightradar24.

One person described panic stations as footage showed passengers using the oxygen masks deployed before the plane returned after 45 minutes.

Another added: Flight 9W697 made an emergency landing back in Mumbai. Airplane lost pressure immediately after taking off. Scores of passengers including me bleeding from the nose.

No staff to help No announcement on board to wear the oxygen mask. Passenger safety completely ignored, the angry passenger wrote on social media.

Jet Airways said in a statement: Five guests who were referred to a hospital for additional medical check-up accompanied by the Jet Airways Care Team have since been released.

We will continue to offer necessary medical care and attention to the concerned guests. We are also extending full cooperation to the DGCA for the ongoing investigation of the event.

We regret the inconvenience caused to our guests.
A t least 136 people were killed after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on Lake Victoria in Tanzania.

Anxious families watched as body after body was pulled from the capsized ferry that officials said was badly overcrowded.

President John Magufuli said it was a great disaster for our nation and declared four days of national mourning.

He said that the ferrys captain had been detained because he allegedly left the steering to someone who had insufficient training. The president ordered the arrests of all those responsible as a criminal investigation began.

The MV Nyerere ferrys capacity was 101 people but the ferry had been overloaded when it capsized on Thursday afternoon, the government's Chief Secretary John Kijazi told reporters.

Rescuers search for bodies in the water after a ferry overturned off the shores of Ukerewe Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania / REUTERS

At least 40 people were rescued. It is feared that more than 200 people in total have drowned.

Dozens of security workers and volunteers wearing gloves and face masks had resumed work at daybreak on Friday after suspending efforts overnight, hauling bodies into wooden boats.

It was obvious that more bodies were trapped in the overturned ferry, the president said, according a Citizen newspaper report. He said even the cargo far exceeded the 25 tonnes allowed.

Tanzanian ferries often carry hundreds of passengers and are overcrowded, and shifts in weight as people move to disembark can become deadly. Images from the scene showed the ferry's exposed underside not far from shore.

Bodies were lined up on plastic sheeting as hundreds of people pressed near the water's edge, watching the search efforts.

Red Cross volunteers during rescue operation near Ukerewe island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania / EPA

Pope Francis, the United Nations secretary-general, Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of African leaders expressed shock and sorrow.

"His Holiness Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt solidarity with those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and who fear for the lives of those still missing," the condolence telegram said, according to the Vatican.

The MV Nyerere, named for the former president who led the East African nation to independence, was travelling between the islands of Ukara and Ukerewe when it sank, according to the government agency in charge of servicing the vessels.

Worried residents on Friday waited for any word of survivors.

"We try to make calls to friends, relatives," a local guide, Paschal Phares, told the AP news agency. He recalled how crowded his trip on the aging ferry had been last month: "Most of us were standing up. It was full."

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition.

In 1996, more than 800 people died when passenger and cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria.
Ferry disaster death toll of 44 may rise

Officials in Tanzania fear the death toll from the Lake Victoria ferry disaster will rise as rescue efforts continue this morning.

Forty-four people were confirmed dead after the passenger ferry capsized yesterday and it is feared there were hundreds on board.

Thirty-seven people were initially saved before rescue attempts were suspended overnight.

The ferry was travelling between Ukara and Bugolora and capsized near the area of Mwanza.

Wolf Alice win the Mercury Prize

Rock band Wolf Alice have won the Mercury Prize for their album Visions Of A Life.

The four-piece group from north London were visibly stunned to beat fellow contenders including Lily Allen, Arctic Monkeys and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds last night.

The result didnt win universal acclaim, however.

Allen tweeted: Someone call 999 Ive been robbed, before adding Wolf Alice were deserved winners.

Grayling defiant in the face of slapdown from EU leaders

Chris Grayling has said there are no changes on the table at the moment to Theresa May's Brexit plan despite EU leaders blunt warnings that it will not work .

The Transport Secretary insisted Britain is preparing hard for a no-deal Brexit, although he predicted a sensible agreement will be reached with Brussels.

His comments came following an eventful two-day EU summit in Austria.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke of the need for substantial progress over the next four weeks while French President Emmanuel Macron described Brexit campaign leaders of lying to British voters.

Now it's Storm Bronagh hitting UK

You had better brace yourself for another morning of bad weather with Storm Bronagh bringing gale force winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK.

Yellow warnings for wind are in place until 9am right across England and Wales, with gusts predicted to reach 70 miles per hour.

Chelsea and Arsenal win

Its been a successful night in the Europa League for British teams.

Celtic beat Rosenborg 1-0 in Glasgow, while rivals Rangers achieved a 2-2 draw at Villarreal.

Chris Evans reveals twins' names

The radio star caused a little confusion when he referred to them that way in his announcement yesterday they had been born but hes told the Sun their actual names are Walt and Boo.

On this day

1327: Edward II was murdered in the dungeon of Berkeley Castle in

Gloucestershire to ensure his son Edward III could succeed to the throne.

1792: France was declared a Republic and the monarchy abolished.

1866: Author HG Wells - famous for The War Of The Worlds - was born in Bromley, Kent.

1915: Stonehenge, and the surrounding 30 acres of land, was sold by Sir Edmund Antrobus to Mr CH Chubb for 6,600 at auction. Chubb presented it to the nation three years later.
I f you've ever meticulously cleansed your face only to find your towel smeared with make-up as soon as you've dried it, you may be wondering where you're going wrong.

With an influx of electric cleansing brushes now on the market, it might be time to up your game and revolutionise your beauty regime.

Much like electric toothbrushes , these facial cleansers have the power to clean deeper than most manual efforts, allowing for a better cleanse that will remove even the most long-lasting make-up.

Cosmetic doctor and skin care specialist Dr Ross Perry, who runs the Cosmedics Skin Clinics, explains: "Electric brush cleansers go a step further than simple washing, providing more of an exfoliating function for a more thorough cleanse. They can be a great help to those who struggle with build-up of oil or work in the city, where grime and pollution can linger on the skin."

Not only this, but facial cleansing brushes will help to reduce breakouts, the appearance of fine lines and leave you with clearer, brighter and more radiant skin.

For your fast track to envy-inducing skin, we've found the best cleansing brushes that will have you polished, buffed and primped in no time.

FOREO LUNA 2

Once you add the Foreo cleansing brush to your beauty routine, you won't know how you lived without it. Following the widely popular first model, which was the size of a macaroon, the LUNA 2 is handy device that holds up to seven months worth of charge in only one power-up.

The device works to minimise appearances of blemishes and smoothing fine lines, resulting in firmer skin that looks refreshed and revived. The Foreo Luna 2 uses bursts of T-sonic pulses to clean and clear clogged pores with devices specifically created for different skin types, including Sensitive, Normal, Combination and Oily that have a range of thicker or thinner touch-points for lighter or stronger cleansing. The device also has a two-year warranty and a 10-year guarantee.

169 | Space NK | Buy it now

BeGlow TIA All-in-One Sonic Skin Care System

BeGlow TIA has a two ends that work to cleanse and tone both simultaneously and at once. The innovative gadget, on the one side, uses ultra-gentle silicone bristles that oscillate upon contact on the skin to remove make-up and impurities more effectively than just using your hands. On the other, the titanium plate uses high frequency pulses to massage skin and boost micro-circulation, encouraging oxygen and nutrients to penetrate more effectively. The heads at each end are removable for ease in cleaning as well as replacing when needed.

To use the device, wet your face and apply cleanser. Press the first button for cleansing and the second to activate the plate. Pressing both the buttons together for three seconds activates another handy feature of the gadget, which is lifting. Hold both ends of the TIA on you face to firm and tone skin. The device is available in pink, white and black.

199 | Look Fantastic | Buy it now

Darphin Facial Sonic Expert

This gadget features two heads: a soft brush for a deep clean and a steel massager to give your moisturiser  and facial muscles  a lift. The Darphin works by removing impurities that age skin while boosting the natural cellular process. This leaves your skin feeling plumper and smoother by combatting the appearance of fine lines, pores and ageing.

125 | Space NK | Buy it now

Braun FaceSpa Pro

Get ready to supercharge your beauty routine with the Braun facial cleanser that works six times more effectively than cleansing by hand. Approved by dermatologists, the FaceSpa Pro has multiple heads to cleanse, tone and even epilate, removing facial hairs quicker and more efficiently than tweezers.

The cleansing brush has different head types for exfoliating or heads for more sensitive skin, while always ensuring a deep pore cleanse. The toning head has microvibrations with different modes that encourages the product to penetrate more than just the surface of skin. Whats more, this innovative device has a smart timer to tell you when its time to change the treatment area.

74.67 | Amazon | Buy it now

Bliss Pore-fector

This sonic tool, used in Blisss signature facial, works by stimulating skin to loosen impurities for a clean and clear complexion. The device extracts impurities and smooths skin through sonic waves that extract dirt that gets clogged in your pores in order to promote a radiant appearance. The gadget is offered alongside a facial toner and two purifying mask samples from the beauty label.

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More than just a face-saver, this multitasker boasts a cleansing brush, exfoliating body head and a pedi-buff foot file in one. With a pulselift toning mode and pulsing oscillations, both of which energise skin by boosting micro-circulation, this device will be sure to boost your beauty routine, leaving you feeling fresher and more radiant than with traditional cleansing methods.

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J acqueline Jossa appeared to hit out at those who have criticised her marriage to Dan Osborne, warning people not to judge.

Jossa, 25, posted a cryptic message on Instagram as Osborne, 27, jetted off to Romania for Celebrity Road Trip.

If you havent been through what others have. Dont judge them, she posted.

Everyone is fighting their own battles. Its nice to be nice.

Cryptic: Jacqueline Jossa posted a message on Instagram / Instagram/ Jacqueline Jossa

The couple, who have daughters Ella, three, and three-month-old Mia together, recently rekindled their relationship, weeks after announcing they were separated.

The duo faced a tumultuous time after Osborne was accused of cheating on Jossa with former Love Island star Gabby Allen. Both vehemently denied the claims.

Jacqueline Jossa posts videos supporting Dan Osborne on CBB final

Osborne later appeared on Celebrity Big Brother alongside Allen, a move Jossa said she was sceptical about.

Its a shame he went on the show while we were still figuring things out, she told OK! magazine. The timing wasn't great for us, but I told him that if he felt like it was something he needed to do then I'd support him wholeheartedly.

Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughters - In pictures 1 /6 Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughters - In pictures Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughter Ella Rex Features Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughter Ella Rex Features Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughter Ella Rex Features Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughter Ella Rex Features Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughter Ella Rex Features Jacqueline Jossa and Dan Osborne with daughter Ella Rex Features

She said it had been hard to watch her husband discuss the state of their marriage during his time on the show.

Osborne later said the experience had made him appreciate family time and revealed it had given him time to reflect on his mistakes.
M illie Bobby Brown has defended her lovely friendship with Drake after the pair were criticised over the age gap.

The 14-year-old actress has hit back at people who criticised the 31-year-old rapper after Brown told how he gives her boy advice and texts her all the time.

The Stranger things actress addressed the backlash on Instagram, writing:Why you gotta make a lovely friendship ur headline?

U guys are weirdFor real. Im lucky to have people in the business extend their time to help me further my career and offer their wisdom and guidance.

Not Impressed: Brown slammed haters of her 'lovely' friendship / Millie Bobby Brown Instagram

Im very blessed to have amazing people in my life. U dont get to choose that for me. Its nice to have people understand what I do.

Now get back to talking about real problems in this world other than my friendshipsjeez (sci).

Standard Online has contacted representatives of Drake for comment.

Millie Bobby Brown says she texts Drake for boy advice

Speaking to Access Hollywood at the Emmys on Monday night she said: I love him I met him in Australia and hes honestly so fantastic and a great friend and a great role model.

We just texted each other the other day and he was like, 'I miss you so much' and I was like 'I miss you more.

Asked about what advice he gives her, she revealed: About boys, he helps me.

Brown also went on to reveal plans to meet-up with her pal soon.

She said: Hes coming to Atlanta so Im definitely gonna go and see him. Im so excited.
R uth Wilson admits her troubled characters leave her feeling uncomfortable, but has no desire to do rom-coms as she would get bored far too easily.

The actress, 36, is best known for her roles as Alison Lockhart, a woman racked by guilt after her son drowns in The Affair, and Alice Morgan, an ex-Oxford University student who is suspected of murdering her parents in Luther.

Wilson told A list: I find [rom-coms] not as alluring because theyre too straightforward and Id just get bored and probably overthink it and make it more complicated anyway.

I probably have done simple things but made them more complicated. I always look for the other side of whats on the page. I lose my attention quite quickly so I need things that are quite complex in order to keep interested.

The Little Stranger - Trailer

Wilson said she was left unnerved by her latest film role as Caroline Ayres, the daughter of a British aristocrat in Lenny Abrahamsons adaptation of Sarah Waters psychological thriller, The Little Stranger. Wilson said accepting a role alongside Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling was a no-brainer but that the atmosphere on set was strange.

She said: I try not to take a character with me. There are some things Ive done that have been so demanding so theyre rattling round in your head all day and into the evening. This wasnt particularly that sort of film  but it was a weird atmosphere.

Troubled: Ruth Wilson as Alison Lockhart in The Affair / Phil Caruso/Showtime

It was so repressed and everyones playing these repressed characters who dont express themselves in this huge empty house and every scene felt really odd and very uncomfortable because it was so static with deeply uncomfortable people. It felt strange.

Wilson, who said she has no plans to pen her own screenplays, also spoke about working as an actress in the wake of the #MeToo and Times Up movements, saying she feels actresses now have a community in which to share their stories.

I feel women are talking to each other more, she said. They didnt have a community as such, not a supportive one anyway. This has opened up the dialogue for women to share their stories.

Emmy Awards 2018: Winners 1 /17 Emmy Awards 2018: Winners Claire Foy accepts the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award for 'The Crown' Getty Images Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special winner Glenn Weiss (R) poses with Jan Svendsen in the press room during the 70th Emmy Awards Getty Images Writer-producer D.B. Weiss (C-L) and the cast of "Game of Thrones" accept the award Outstanding Drama series onstag AFP/Getty Images The cast of Game of Thrones pose with the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series AFP/Getty Images Supporting actor in a drama series winner Peter Dinklage poses with his Emmy AFP/Getty Images Joel Fields, left, and Joe Weisberg accept the award for outstanding writing for a drama series for "The Americans" Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Henry Winkler accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for "Barry" Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Regina King accepts the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'Seven Seconds' Getty Images Lead actress in a comedy series winner Rachel Brosnahan AFP/Getty Images Matthew Rhys accepts the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series award for 'The Americans' Getty Images Ryan Murphy accepts the award for outstanding directing in a limited series, movie or dramatic special for "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Alex Borstein accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series award for 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Getty Images Thandie Newton accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series award for 'Westworld' Getty Images Merritt Wever poses backstage with her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series and Movie award for "Godless." Reuters Lead actor in a comedy series winner Bill Hader AFP/Getty Images William Bridges and Charlie Brooker for USS Callister (Black Mirror) win the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Limited serie Reuters Merritt Wever poses backstage with her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series and Movie award for "Godless." Getty Images
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 20)  The mayor of Itogon, Benguet is asking for the cooperation of the owner of the abandoned mining site where at least 26 people died due to a landslide.

Six days after Typhoon Ompong triggered a deadly landslide in Barangay Ucab, Itogon Mayor Victor Palangdan on Thursday appealed to Benguet Corporation to help provide a temporary relocation site for affected residents.

He also asked the company to look for a temporary burial site for those who perished.

"Wala na pong sisihan. Nakikiusap po ako sa Benguet Corporation na dapat boluntaryo na maghanap sila ng relocation site ng mga taong ito. They should also provide a temporary burial area (for unidentified bodies)," he said in a media briefing.

He said tents have been donated, but there are no areas to place them, and he needs the mining company's help. The mayor added there is a representative from the company at ground zero, but no one is coordinating with the local government.

"Kung may nakikinig na taga-Benguet Corp, pumunta na kayo dito. We should have a meeting for the solution to this problem... If Benguet Corporation will not provide any space, I don't know what will happen," he said.

He said schools used as evacuation sites should be vacated by Monday upon the resumption of classes. Of the 418 affected residents, only 18 were willing to go back to Ifugao. He said majority of the residents of Sitio 070 are pleading to go back to their homes.

"Ang mga tao kanina nagmamakaawa na sana ay payagan silang bumalik," he said.

Twenty-six bodies have been recovered and rescuers are looking for 47 more. Four backhoes will be used to fasttrack the rescue and retrieval operations. He said rescuers are still hopeful they can find survivors in the rubble.

"Iyon ang ipinapanalangin natin. Kasi may buhay pa at iyun ang nagpapalakas sa mga rescuers na alam nila, feelings nila, may buhay pa silang maaabutan," he said.

The mayor added those affected by the landslide will receive livelihood assistance once the town goes back to normalcy. He said the funds will come from the cash donations they have received.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Monday ordered a stop to all small-scale mining operations in the Cordillera Administrative Region following the dozens of landslides recorded in the region due to Ompong.
W hat can I tell you? Its on, its episode six, there is an ending. Is the ending satisfying? You may want to make your own mind up about that. It is and it isnt. Mostly it is. The instructions from the BBC publicity department are keep it vague, which is fair. Vagueness is the new black. So, vaguely speaking, here is the news.

The ending comes at the end. Many of the loose threads are tied up. Possibly, without wishing to tear at the fabric, one or two of the knots in those loose threads look suspect. Would [REDACTED] really say that, unless they were under pressure, acting under duress, or speaking from a script?

Maybe in a normal thriller they would. Similarly in Scooby Doo. (If it hadnt-a-been for you meddling kids/cops/spooks/morally ambiguous Afghan war veterans I woulda gotten away with it.) The urge to Cough It Up is a useful plot device, but not something that will ever trouble the real world. Its too neat (until it unravels in series two).

Vaguely speaking, Bodyguard isnt a normal thriller. Its not even a normal Jed Mercurio drama, except in the way that it casually disposed of a lead character in order to re-rail its own logic halfway through. Did you believe in that bit, where the sexy Home Secretary, Keeley Hawes, went up like a Roman candle nailed to a Catherine wheel?

Stuart Bowman refuses to talk about massive Bodyguard plot twist

Look at it again, like a hard-boiled TV detective with an honest face, a guilty secret and an outdated tub of pesto in the fridge. Freeze the frame, enhance the action, run the video. Look, there! How plausible is it that a functionary would get to walk onstage in the middle of a speech, holding a briefcase, and blow up the plot? Just because nobody mentioned that Keeley was an active member of the Magic Circle, it doesnt mean she wasnt capable of staging her own disappearance. And look again  when DS Budd (Richard Madden) inspected the briefcase: he didnt see a bomb at all, he saw a white rabbit and a black hole, which explains his grey pallor.

BBC's The Bodyguard - In pictures 1 /11 BBC's The Bodyguard - In pictures BBC/World Productions/Sophie Mutevelian A security adviser has said the depictions of the police operation surround the Home Secretary in Bodyguard are extremely accurate BBC Keely Hawes as Julia Montague with Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC Keely Hawes as Julia Montague with Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC Line of Dutys Gina McKee starring as Anne Sampson in The Bodyguard BBC Keely Hawes as Julia Montague with Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC Julia Montague in The Bodyguard BBC BBC/World Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC A scene from the first episode of The Bodyguard BBC Richard Madden as David Budd in The Bodyguard BBC

Shall we have a spoiler? Not a plot one, obviously. A stylistic one. The thing people say about Bodyguard is that isnt Line of Duty. It isnt. Except in the middle, where Mercurio relaxed into his (dis)comfort zone and made it all about the interrogations. That was Line of Duty. Set pieces in which the truth is probed, lies are told and honest people are misled. In the middle of this theres Budd, who appears to be a flawed hero, even though he implicates himself from time to time.

A clue? The answer is in episode one. Its as plain as day. It relies on a coincidence that isnt plausible. Possibly that will unwind. But the main clue isnt in the plot, or in the way the blood on Budds face dries into a Masonic symbol, its in the challenge Mercurio set himself. In episode one he was playing with tension. Yes, he gave it contemporary clothes  Jihadis, Afghan vets, mendacious politicians, the whole post-truth show  but the episode on the train was a ticking time-bomb.

Here the vagueness ends. The finale is the same. It is a bomb primed with paranoia. DS Budd is the new Jack Bauer.
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The meat, which has a use or freeze by date of July 10, was sold by Aldi as 80 percent lean fresh ground beef in 2-pound packages and four-count, one-third pound patties. The product includes the stamp EST.85M inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection mark, the company said.
With that unusually speedy resurrection, Carsons joins the ranks of bankrupt retailers trying to find new life after liquidation, alongside companies like Wet Seal, The Limited and Circuit City. For buyers, its a bet that at least some of the brands that succumbed to rapid changes in the industry still have enough loyal fans to keep a version of the business afloat  even if the goal falls short of a full bricks-and-mortar comeback.
The three traders all used the same spoofing pattern, according to the settlement order. Each would issue a small buy or sell order at or near the best price, while placing a series of larger orders on the opposite side of the market, at prices designed to avoid being filled.
Heartfelt condolences go to the families, friends and compatriots of 15 Russian servicemen who lost their lives this week in Syria.

These brave comrades were serving in the call of duty to protect an allied country, Syria, from an armed aggression.

Several more Russians have already given their lives during the past three years since Russia responded to a request from the Syrian state to help that country fend off a foreign-backed assault.

An investigation is underway to establish what exactly happened when the Ilyushin IL-20 reconnaissance plane was shot down on Monday night, as it was coming into land at the Russian airbase at Hmeimim in northwest Syria. The plane was lost some 20 kms off the Syrian coast, with all 15 service onboard killed.

There appears to have been an accidental shoot-down by Syrian air defenses using an outdated Soviet-made S-200 system.

Russias defense ministry has blamed the Israeli air force for conducting an attack on Syria at the time, which led to the fatal shoot-down. It appears that four Israeli F-16 fighter jets in the vicinity confused Syrian air defenses to target the Russian recon plane. It remains to been if the act was deliberate, putting the Russian servicemen in danger.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has subsequently expressed regret over the incident. The Israelis have promised to provide air flight data to the Russian side to help the investigation into how the IL-20 was shot down.

The onus is on the Israelis to account for the incident. Because at this stage it looks like their warplanes were using the Russian plane as cover for their aggressive actions, apparently firing missiles at Syrian targets in Latakia and Tartous.

Whatever the Israelis may say, the fact is that Syria once again was being targeted by their warplanes.

Over the past months, hundreds of such attacks have been carried out by Israel on Syria. That is unacceptable under international law, no matter what minutiae Tel Aviv presents regarding the latest incident.

Moreover, NATO warships and warplanes have also been targeting Syria, with impunity for the past four years. On the latest incident of the shooting down of the IL-20, a French navy frigate was recorded by Russian military as firing missiles at Syria. The French deny any involvement in a coordinated aggression with Israel over the incident.

But lets get this clear. Neither NATO nor its partner Israel have any right to target Syria, no matter the pretext, even if that is stated as fighting terrorism.

Russia and Iran are the only foreign countries which have any legal mandate to mount operations in Syria, given the formal request made to them by the Syrian government. All other states conducting military actions in Syria are doing so unlawfully. That is clearly the case in regard to Israel which doesnt even bother to obscure the fact under the faux cover of fighting terrorism used by the United States and the other NATO powers.

Israel has been attacking Syria relentlessly in what is nothing short of aggression against that country.

The disgraceful fact is that 15 Russian servicemen lost their lives this week because NATO and Israel are grossly violating Syrias sovereignty. The so-called fog of war excuse is completely irrelevant.

It seems abundantly clear that the deaths of Russian military were as a result of a provocation by NATO and Israel to derail the efforts by Syria and Russia to bring an end to the eight-year war in that country.

Only hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded a de-escalation deal with Turkey to pacify the last-remaining militant stronghold in Syrias Idlib northwest province, then we saw the shoot-down of the Russian recon plane. Several commentators have viewed this as a provocation to try to sabotage that deal.

Why? Because the war in Syria has always been about a US-led covert effort for regime change in Damascus against President Bashar al-Assad. The US and its NATO, Israeli and Arab partners have covertly deployed terrorist mercenaries for that objective. But that criminal war has been thwarted by Russias principled intervention three years ago in support of the Syrian state.

Evidently, the coalition of foreign aggressors against Syria do not want to see the war ended on Syria or Russias terms. The aggressors are obviously trying to prolong the war. Instead of defeated terrorists on the ground, NATO and its partners now appear ready to provide warplanes and warships to do the job that their terror proxies failed at.

The NATO powers and their Israeli partner appear to be itching to start a larger war in Syria that would embroil Russia. It is unacceptable that 15 Russian servicemen lost their lives this week in a situation where NATO and Israeli unlawful aggression on Syria is recklessly increasing risk of deaths and a catastrophic confrontation.

International law has been abandoned. The United Nations is pathetically derelict in condemning or sanctioning aggression. Russia therefore should close Syrian airspace by installing upgraded S-300 or S-400 air defenses.

Syria is under the protection of its ally Russia. Henceforth, NATO and its Israeli partner must know that further aggression against sovereign Syria must stop. The installation of upgraded Russian air defenses would be warning enough for all aggressors to back off.

Photo: Twitter
Actually, there is nothing new about Polish President Andrzej Duda urging President Donald Trump during a joint news conference on Sept. 18 to deploy more American troops and military equipment in Poland, suggesting that the US establish a permanent military base to be named "Fort Trump."

According to Politico, This proposal outlines the clear and present need for a permanent US armored division deployed in Poland, Poland's commitment to provide significant support that may reach $1.5-2 billion by establishing joint military installations and provide for more flexible movement of US forces."

Poland has been pushing for a larger US permanent presence for a long time. The suggestion of a base was made in late May by the Defense Ministry. The US didnt take it too seriously until President Dudas visit to Washington and his talks with President Trump. Its a change of attitude thats truly new, because this time the US president said he was open to the idea, on the condition that Poland pay  something it is obviously willing to do.

Warsaw has already offered more than $2 billion to set up a base on Polish soil. Donald Trump promised that the offer was being taken very seriously." He said Washington is in discussions with numerous countries about paying for American military bases. In his words, "We're looking at that more and more from the standpoint of defending really wealthy countries."

This is the first time the issue has been raised during a summit and actually publicly approved by the US administration, at a time when President Trump is ordering a review of the costs of basing US troops in Germany. He has complained about the expense of the American military presence in Germany and South Korea.

The US administration appreciates Polands contributions of over 2% to NATO, its decision to purchase American Patriot air-defense systems, and its staunch opposition to the Russian-European Nord Stream 2 undersea gas pipeline.

In a clearly pointed gesture, Moscows expected reaction was not mentioned, but the presidents agreed that Russia was aggressive. Russia has acted aggressively, the US president said at the news conference, adding, They respect force, they respect strength, as anyone does.

Nor was NATO mentioned, thus making this a bilateral deal and chipping away at the unity of the alliance. The 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act states that in the current and foreseeable security environment, NATO would not seek additional permanent stationing of substantial ground combat forces inside nations close to Russia. Previously the forces had been deployed on a rotational basis. The establishment of a permanent American base in Poland would be the kiss of death for that act, as well as for other provisions that are still preventing the already tense situation in Europe from deteriorating further. Nothing was said about it during the US-Polish summit.

A full, armored division is a huge force. Setting one up in Poland would mean a return to the darkest days of the Cold War. It would require reliable protection from the air. Additional Air Force units and missile-defense systems could be stationed in Poland and other countries, such as the Baltic states, which are also asking for more American military deployments on their soil. The foreign ministers of the Baltic states visited Washington in May to ask for a larger military presence within their borders.

While anti-US sentiments are growing stronger in Europe, Poland and the Baltic states are obviously united by their anti-Russian, pro-US stand. At the same time, the UK is boosting its defense cooperation with Poland through the Quadriga talks. In December 2017, those parties signed the Treaty on Defense and Security Cooperation. The UK-Poland Defense Action Plan is in the works and will be signed soon. The UK is to leave the EU in March, and the EU-Poland rift is growing, making Polexit a possibility. Those two have a lot in common.

With NATO and the EU teetering on the brink, a new military alliance may emerge at a time when the bonds between Europe and North America are under strain. The planned US deployment in Poland is just part of the process. Meanwhile, Sweden and Finland, non-NATO countries, are forming an alliance of their own with the United States.

The US sees Warsaws suggestion of a military base as a purely commercial enterprise. Turning a profit is a good thing, but with the NATO-Russia Founding Act no longer in effect, this will trigger an unfettered arms race. Evidently not all European states will support this policy. Unlike the days of the Cold War, the Western camp is divided into groups pursuing different interests and goals. The problems of migrants and other divisive issues, added to an arms race and a military standoff with a stronger Russia, may be too heavy a load for it to bear. The West will split, with its unity undermined once and for all. That will happen at a time when a West vs. China confrontation is looming on the horizon, a US-Chinese trade war is already in progress, and military preparations are underway as tensions continue to grow in the South China Sea.

Getting paid for defense may look like a lucrative deal but a substantial US military deployment in Poland will have far-reaching consequences. The US military will inevitably find itself overstretched, with commitments in the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and in Europe. No payments from other states or hikes in defense budgets will be able to help. The mood of the public in the pro-US European states may also change, once the voters become unhappy about their homelands being turned into prime targets for Russias armed forces as a result of a provocative policy that actually benefits no one.
By initiating an attack on the Syrian province of Latakia, home to the Russia-operated Khmeimim Air Base, Israel, France and the United States certainly understood they were flirting with disaster. Yet they went ahead with the operation anyways.

On the pretext that Iran was preparing to deliver a shipment of weapon production systems to Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli F-16s, backed by French missile launches in the Mediterranean, destroyed what is alleged to have been a Syrian Army ammunition depot.

What happened next is already well established: a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft, which the Israeli fighter jets had reportedly used for cover, was shot down by an S-200 surface-to-air missile system operated by the Syrian Army. Fifteen Russian servicemen perished in the incident, which could have been avoided had Israel provided more than just one-minute warning before the attack. As a result, chaos ensued.

Whether or not there is any truth to the claim that Iran was preparing to deliver weapon-making systems to Hezbollah in Lebanon is practically a moot point based on flawed logic. Conducting an attack against an ammunition depot in Syria  in the vicinity of Russias Khmeimim Air Base  to protect Israel doesnt make much sense when the consequence of such protective measures could have been a conflagration on the scale of World War III. That would have been an unacceptable price to achieve such a limited objective, which could have been better accomplished with the assistance of Russia, as opposed to NATO-member France, for example. In any case, there is a so-called de-confliction system in place between Israel and Russia designed to prevent exactly this sort of episode from occurring.

And then there is the matter of the timing of the French-Israeli incursion.

Just hours before Israeli jets pounded the suspect Syrian ammunition storehouse, Putin and Turkish President Recep Erdogan were in Sochi hammering out the details on a plan to reduce civilian casualties as Russian and Syrian forces plan to retake Idlib province, the last remaining terrorist stronghold in the country. The plan envisioned the creation of a demilitarized buffer zone between government and rebel forces, with observatory units to enforce the agreement. In other words, it is designed to prevent exactly what Western observers have been fretting about, and that is unnecessary collateral damage.

So what do France and Israel do after a relative peace is declared, and an effective measure for reducing casualties? The cynically attack Syria, thus exposing those same Syrian civilians to the dangers of military conflict that Western capitals proclaim to be worried about.

Israel moves to 'damage control'

Although Israel has taken the rare move of acknowledging its involvement in the Syrian attack, even expressing sorrow for the loss of Russian life, it insists that Damascus should be held responsible for the tragedy. That is a highly debatable argument.

By virtue of the fact that the French and Israeli forces were teaming up to attack the territory of a sovereign nation, thus forcing Syria to respond in self-defense, it is rather obvious where ultimate blame for the downed Russian plane lies.

The blame for the downing of the Russian plane and the deaths of its crew members lies squarely on the Israeli side, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said. The actions of the Israeli military were not in keeping with the spirit of the Russian-Israeli partnership, so we reserve the right to respond.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, took admirable efforts to prevent the blame game from reaching the boiling point, telling reporters that the downing of the Russian aircraft was the result of a chain of tragic circumstances, because the Israeli plane didnt shoot down our jet.

Nevertheless, following this extremely tempered and reserved remark, Putin vowed that Russia would take extra precautions to protect its troops in Syria, saying these will be the steps that everyone will notice.

Now there is much consternation in Israel that the IDF will soon find its freedom to conduct operations against targets in Syria greatly impaired. Thats because Russia, having just suffered a friendly-fire incident from its own antiquated S-200 system, may now be more open to the idea of providing Syria with the more advanced S-300 air-defense system.

Earlier this year, Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached an agreement that prevented those advanced defensive weapons from being employed in the Syrian theater. That deal is now in serious jeopardy. In addition to other defensive measures, Russia could effectively create the conditions for a veritable no-fly zone across Western Syria in that it would simply become too risky for foreign aircraft to venture into the zone.

The entire situation, which certainly did not go off as planned, has forced Israel into damage control as they attempt to prevent their Russian counterparts from effectively shutting down Syrias western border.

On Thursday, Israeli Major-General Amikam Norkin and Brigadier General Erez Maisel, as well as officers of the Intelligence and Operations directorates of the Israeli air force will pay an official visit to Moscow where they are expected to repeat their concerns of continuous Iranian attempts to transfer strategic weapons to the Hezbollah terror organization and to establish an Iranian military presence in Syria.

Moscow will certainly be asking their Israeli partners if it is justifiable to subject Russian servicemen to unacceptable levels of danger, up to and including death, in order to defend Israeli interests. It remains to be seen if the two sides can find, through the fog of war, an honest method for bringing an end to the Syria conflict, which would go far at relieving Israels concerns of Iranian influence in the region.
John VIBES

Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell recently revealed that Donald Trump suggested that the government of Spain build a wall across the Sahara desert to prevent immigrants from traveling into the country.

During one meeting, a Spanish diplomat reportedly pointed out that the Sahara desert was over 3,000 miles long, to which Trump replied, The Sahara border cant be bigger than our border with Mexico.

However, Spain only occupies a small part of the border, so the wall would need to be built through many different countries.

It seems that Borrell may have revealed details that the agency was not comfortable with.

A spokesperson for the foreign ministry told The Guardian that We can confirm thats what the minister said, but we wont be making any further comment on the ministers remarks.

In a transcript of a White House meeting that was leaked last year Trump reportedly told staffers and reporters that the proposed border wall in the United States should be transparent so that drug cartels dont crush people with launched drug packages.

Regardless of theoretical concerns, government borders are a utopian idea to begin with, especially when considering areas as large as Europe and the United States. In most of the world (and especially in Western countries), governments cant even secure their own prisons and airports, which increasingly resemble fortresses.

Furthermore, creating an effective and staffed wall for the border of the U.S. is barely even physically or financially possible. Over the course of a three-year project, the U.S. government spent $2.4 billion to build 670 miles of very unimpressive fencing along the Mexican border.

Considering the U.S. shares roughly 6,000 miles of international borders, it would cost $19 billion to construct a small, unimpressive fence along that entire border. This figure does not include the cost of staffing the fence, or the costs that would come along with making a fence large enough, the barbed wires, weapons, and a buffer zone. These additional expenses could easily double or triple the cost of the project.

Additionally, this militarized border would require an expansion of the already bloated police and surveillance states. Currently, most of the U.S. border is not even fenced or staffed with military, and there have been no major disasters as a result. Some would argue the violence along borders, particularly the southern border between the U.S. and Mexico, is an example of a major disaster that could be remedied with tighter border controls. However, it is the state and the insistence on intervening in free humans movement and exchange of goods which fuels the cartels and gangs that cluster around distribution points along the border.

themindunleashed.com
Last week the website of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko posted an account of his meeting in Kiev with Ambassador Sam Brownback, former US Senator and Governor of Kansas, currently Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. According to the posting, President Poroshenko outlined the measures taken to establish the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. The Head of State thanked the American party [i.e., Brownback] for an active support in this process. Moreover, according to Kiev, Brownback assured Poroshenko that the United States would further support Ukraine in its struggle for the right to have the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

Poroshenkos administration thus claimed explicit and public American official endorsement for his quest for the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople to grant autocephaly (complete self-rule among the various member Churches of the Orthodox Christian communion) to a schismatic body headed by self-styled Patriarch Filaret Denysenko  an entity recognized as canonical by no local Orthodox church in the world, including (as of this writing) by the Ecumenical Patriarchate itself. As noted in this space two months ago when hardly anyone was paying attention, this effort by Poroshenko, Denysenko, and their supporters is part of a two-pronged attack against Russia and against the Holy Orthodox Church itself, in part to further the agenda of academic purveyors of moral/sexual LGBT and genderqueer theology like Orthodoxy in Dialogue and the hardly less revolutionary Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University  both, unsurprisingly, staunch supporters of Constantinoples neo-papal pretensions.

Kievs account of the Brownback-Poroshenko meeting immediately seemed suspicious when it was first noticed by this analyst. Brownback is a careful and principled advocate for religious freedom. While as a State Department official he is bound by administration policy  which is overtly anti-Russian, whatever President Donald Trumps preferences may be  Brownback would know better than to wade into the internal canonical affairs of Orthodoxy, in which he has no particular authority. Upon investigation it seems he said nothing of the sort attributed to him concerning Poroshenkos claimed right to have the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

Support for that suspicion is found in the words of a high State Department official, Ambassador Michael Kozak, speaking at the 2018 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting of the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe, who stated on September 13:  the United States is a staunch supporter of religious freedom, including the freedom of members of religious groups to govern their religion according to their tenets. We therefore believe any decision on autocephaly is an internal church matter. (video at 2:52:29; -12:21) Granted, Kozak introduced and concluded his short remarks with the standard anti-Russian rhetoric, but the point is clear: contra Poroshenko, the US government hasnot taken an overt official stand in support of Ukrainian autocephaly.

One would hardly know that from the behavior of Poroshenko and Denysenko, who seem to think that the status of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine is not only a matter to be decided from on high by the Ecumenical Patriarchate (about which more below) but by western geopolitical experts who wouldnt know Orthodoxy from orthodontia. Like mushrooms in Ukraines forests, analyses of the Ukrainian church situation have popped up in learned Orthodox theological journals like The Economist and Newsweek. Taras Kuzio, writing for the Atlantic Council, a top establishment think tank funded heavily by US and foreign government agencies and their corporate contractors (at page 64) but not particularly renowned for its spiritual perspicacity, weighed in with what clearly are the real goals of the push for autocephaly, which are entirely political and directed at Russia:

Its no exaggeration to write that the granting of autocephaly from the Russian Orthodox Church to Ukraines millions of Orthodox believers is as significant as the disintegration of the USSR for Ukraine. Granting Ukraines Orthodox Church a Tomos [from Orthowiki: a small book that contains a major announcement or similar text promulgated by a holy synod, such as a recognition of autocephaly] is the last step Ukraine needs to take in order to become truly independent. [  ]

With the Russian Orthodox Church as the last source of Putins soft power now gone, Ukraines movement out of Russias orbit is irreversible. The creation of an autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church is Ukraines ultimate answer to Putins aggression.

Not surprisingly Denysenko was reverently received in Washington by the Atlantic Council on September 19, which also by pure coincidence was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. In an address (video) heavy on politics and hostility to Russia and meager on anything relevant to tradition or spirituality, Denysenko confirmed that his own church is currently illicit in the eyes of the whole Orthodox world and would (he contended with no supporting authority) be legitimated by a Tomos, absent which many people would remain hesitant to join it. He also confirmed it would up to the Ukrainian government to decide upon the seizure from their rightful owners, the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, of major centers like the Kiev Pechersk (Caves) Lavra and the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra  all peacefully, of course, and in accordance with law.

The abbot of Pechersk reports that violent threats have already begun. If and when fighting breaks out, we can be sure that western governments, think tanks, and media will with one voice rush to blame it all solely on Russian meddling, not on militant nationalist supporters of autocephaly, many of whom are not even believers:

Soon there will be one unified national church, says Crimean Tatar journalist Aider Mudzhabayev in his videoblog, I see this as a big step forward. God willing.hmmm, Im an atheist, but God willing itll go that way.

For many church passers-by [i.e., occasional or nominal] and atheists like Mudzhabayev, our Ukrainian church should be recognised and receive a Tomos on autocephaly. [ . . . ]

The main thing, after all, is to create a symbol: an Independent United National Ukrainian Church  patriotic and recognised by Orthodoxy around the world.

In the circumstances, however, this united church is very unlikely to be genuinely united. Practicing believers, who mostly belong to the Moscow Patriarchate, will not join it. This will be for various reasons: their conservatism, their conception of the unity of the Russian Church and their reputation in the eyes of the public. In this sense, the united national church  if it receives its Tomos  will be merely a symbolic victory for Ukraines patriotic church passers-by.

Poroshenko, who hopes achievement of a united national church will be his ticket to reelection next year, is also making his pitch to the DC Swamps powerbrokers. Via a Washington Post interview with Lally Weymouth, whose lack of interest in the issue is palpable even through the medium of print, once the important stuff like Ukraines becoming a full member of the European Union and of NATO has been dealt with, its evident that Poroshenkos case is entirely a political one against Russia:

We have another topic  the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from Russia.

Q: I hear that youre the architect of an imminent deal regarding the orthodox church.

A: I am proud of that. I hate the idea that the Ukrainian church is manipulated from Moscow.

Q: Has it been manipulated by Moscow?

A: Yes, because the formal patriarch of part of our church is Russian, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. We hate to accept that. We asked the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, to give us independence. Shortly, we will have an independent Ukrainian church as part of an independent Ukraine. This will create a spiritual independence from Russia.

Now the next step is up to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and his purported exarchs sent from North America to Kiev without agreement from Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev, who heads the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine.Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of the Moscow Patriarchate suggests they may be planning to reconsecrate Denysenkos schismatic hierarchs to at least give them the appearance of legitimacy, as at least two bishops are needed to celebrate an episcopal consecration. Such an action, which would be the equivalent of a declaration of war against Moscow, is itself a tacit admission that the priestly orders of Denysenkos church are invalid, and that in Ukraine the only canonical hierarchy recognized by the entire world  including Constantinople!  is the one led by Metropolitan Onufry, who has not asked for autocephaly.

Almost ignored in western accounts of the dispute is the fact that Constantinople has no lawful power to reach into the territory of another autocephalous church to consecrate bishops and confer canonical status on schismatics. The contrast is painfully apparent between Patriarch Bartholomews increasingly extravagant claims of papal or even imperial authority (for example, in his failed bid, after decades of preparation, to convene an Eighth Ecumenical Council, a modernizing Orthodox Vatican II in 2016) and the virtual absence of an organic flock within his own home area. If it were not for administration of the Greek Diaspora (including this analyst) in places like the Americas, Australia, and parts of Western Europe  which Constantinople has only by virtue of its status of the once-great capital of the Christian East Roman Empire, Constantines New Rome,  (Tsargrad) to the Slavs, Miklagard (Great City) to the Vikings  the Constantinopolitan synod is revealed as a group of bishops almost without any people, a rotten borough able to count perhaps only a few hundred mostly elderly Greeks left huddled in Istanbuls Fener district. As Saint John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco observed decades ago, Constantinople had even then become in truth only a pitiful spectacle, a sorry shadow of its former glory, even while in theory embracing almost the whole universe. If the Ecumenical Patriarch imprudently unleashes the worldwide schism now looming, forcing other autocephalous Churches to choose sides, it cannot be excluded that one casualty may be his own Sees fictional and anachronistic standing.

Returning to the official position of the US government, Kozak at least is correct in stating that the status of Ukraines church is an internal Orthodox affair. Whether that can be relied on is another matter, in light of Denysenkos open appeal for American support during his Atlantic Council talk. It should also be noted that the Greek government, which has been moving towards closer cooperation with NATO in light of growing discord between Washington and Ankara, has undertaken a campaign of harassment against Russian clergy seeking visas to Greece and specifically to enter as pilgrims en route to Mount Athos. A few months ago, as the church controversy was building, Ernst Reichel, the German Ambassador in Kiev, openly endorsed autocephaly for Ukraine.

In short, given the level of political interest in sowing havoc in the Orthodox Church and taking a jab at Russia, a hands-off approach from Washington, Brussels, Berlin, etc. cannot be taken for granted  whatever the pro forma stated position of the State Department. All Orthodox believers, as well as anyone genuinely dedicated to freedom of conscience, should join in inviting the US and NATO governments to just butt out of where they dont belong.

Photo: News On Ukraine
The U.S. will no longer release data on the number of enemy fighters killed in Afghanistan. The reason is that this body count data tends to be used as a measure of success or failure. American military leaders point out that this is not the case and that there are numerous factors that go into calculating who is winning or thinks they are in Afghanistan. The U.S. also wants to avoid repeating the problems with "body count" during Vietnam (especially pressure on commanders to increase it for the enemy). Actually, the Department of Defense has downplayed body count data in Afghanistan since 2004 but that effort never got much attention in the media. It still wont because there are plenty of other sources for casualties. These vary greatly in terms of accuracy, as does the reporting on what goes on in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense does have methods for measuring progress, or lack of it, in Afghanistan. These calculations contain a lot of classified information (especially the stuff obtained from sources inside the Taliban or Pakistani military). So these internal measures of progress are kept secret until long after the events they cover were current events.

Talk To Us

The Americans are trying to use their decades of experience with Afghanistan (a very complex place as these veterans put it) to reduce the chaos and prevent the place from becoming a safe haven for drug gangs. If Afghanistan becomes a narco-state that means Islamic terror groups that seek to conquer (or at least terrorize) the world will find sanctuary there. The Afghan Taliban is divided especially over the issue of being controlled by Pakistan and responsible for the growing number of Afghan drug addicts. Then there is also the fact that Afghanistan has been in chaos since the late 1970s (when Russian backed Afghan communists tried to start a revolution). The communists were followed by a Russian invasion, drug gangs, an Islamic revolution, civil war and Pakistan seeking to take control in the 1990s with their Taliban. That led to the American invasion and Pakistan continuing to support the drug gangs and Taliban while assisting the U.S. in its war on terror. Many Americans want to just leave. The problem is that leaving just leaves Afghanistan at the mercy of Pakistan, Iran and Russia, as well as all the drug gangs, Islamic terror groups and numerous Afghans who oppose the drugs and all the outside interference. The drugs and Islamic terrorism will still be major exports. The West can leave Afghanistan but the ills of Afghanistan wont leave the West.

A growing number of Afghan Taliban leaders want peace and an end to being manipulated by the Pakistanis. Despite that, the senior Afghan Taliban leader and the Pakistani generals are not inclined to consider peace talks because of all that money from the drug gangs as well as the ability to control (or at least disrupt) Afghanistan. This week the U.S. repeated its accusation that Pakistan had done nothing about the Pakistan sanctuary for the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network and several other Islamic terror groups that do the bidding of the Pakistani military.

Direct peace talks between Afghan Taliban leaders and the United States, which is now a possibility, are very risky for the Taliban and their Pakistani patrons because the existence of their sanctuaries in Pakistan, while denied by the Pakistani military, are an open secret in Pakistan where it is also obvious that the Pakistan military and its intelligence agency (the ISI) handles these sanctuaries. Those sanctuaries make it possible for the Afghan Taliban to plan and organize attacks on internal enemies (factions that oppose Pakistani control). Peace talks between the Americans and factions of the Afghan Taliban are just one of the problems the Afghan Taliban faces. There has been growing internal unrest, mainly between factions that believe they are serving Pakistan at the expense of Afghans. On an individual basis, more Afghan Taliban veterans are quitting to join ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) because they see the Afghan Taliban becoming more of a drug gang security force than anything else. Other Taliban veterans just quit. The Afghan Taliban is gradually losing its true believers (in the original goal of establishing a religious dictatorship in Afghanistan) and turning into mercenaries.

Whatever the Afghan Taliban evolves into the Pakistani military will have a major role to play. The Pakistani military does what it wants in Afghanistan, just like it does in Pakistan, where the military is very much above the law and can usually act like it. That is not a secret because about half the time since Pakistan was created in 1947 the military has openly run the government (after a coup) until popular opposition (and frustration at the task of governing) forced the generals to allow elections again. The Afghan Taliban insist their main goal is to get foreign troops out of Afghanistan but say nothing about suppressing the widely unpopular drug trade. Moreover, terrorism related deaths are overwhelmingly caused by the Islamic terrorists, mainly Taliban and Haqqani Network attacks. These men die protecting the drug production that has turned millions of Afghans into addicts and crippled efforts to build the economy and educate the children. Few Taliban really believe they are doing anything good for Afghanistan or the average Afghan.

To maintain control of the Afghan Taliban the ISI calls on another of their protected Islamic terror groups; the Haqqani Network. This group was once a faction in the 1990s Afghan civil war but always had a good relationship with the ISI. Over the last two decades, Haqqani have turned into a criminal gang that also manages terror operations in Afghanistan for ISI. Because of that Haqqani, at the behest of ISI, also became part of the current Afghan Taliban senior leadership. Most Afghans know all about this and are not happy with how the Pakistani military gets away with it. This has caused a split in the Afghan Taliban with several factions still working for drug gangs but refusing to take orders from the ISI controlled Afghan Taliban leadership.

Since 2015 there has been a lot more violence and most of it has involved fighting between Islamic terror groups as well as with local tribal militias and Afghan security forces. What drives this extraordinary degree of violence is the drug trade, which is seen as a quick path to wealth by many uneducated and unemployed Afghans. While Taliban attacks on urban areas is always big news outside of Afghanistan what is important to the Taliban is control of key rural areas where opium and heroin are produced as well as the routes to external markets (usually via Pakistan, as well as Iran and Central Asia). The routes to Pakistan are also important for importing chemicals (to turn opium into heroin), weapons and other illegal suppliers. The Americans are apparently revising their strategy in Afghanistan to recognize the key importance of Pakistan. This is where most of the heroin moves from Afghanistan to world markets (via the Port of Karachi) and where the Pakistan military makes sure whatever the Taliban in Afghanistan needs gets safely to the Afghan border. Since 2oo2 the U.S. has respected Pakistani demands that the Taliban leadership sanctuary in Quetta (the capital of Baluchistan Province and near the Afghan border and Kandahar province, where most of the worlds heroin comes from) not be attacked by American UAVs Apparently those conventions are being reviewed while all military aid to Pakistan has been halted. Pakistan received over $33 billion in aid since 2001. This has caused the Taliban and Pakistan to reconsider their strategy towards the drug trade and efforts to maintain influence over Afghanistan by sponsoring lots of violence inside Afghanistan. By continuing to refrain from hitting Afghan Taliban sanctuaries Pakistan has an incentive to continue allowing NATO to move supplies from the port of Karachi, by road, into Afghanistan.

The Taliban peace talks are with the Pakistan controlled Afghan Taliban and their main demands are an exchange of prisoners, the departure of all foreign troops (except Pakistanis) and enforcement of strict lifestyle laws (especially no education for girls beyond age 12 and women unable to leave the home without a male chaperone). The majority of Afghans oppose this but the Taliban have an army funded by the drug trade and Pakistan (which also provided sanctuaries). The Taliban act like local warlords (a staple of local history for thousands of years) who pledge allegiance to the supreme Taliban leadership that resides in Pakistan and is controlled by Pakistan. Afghans are much more aware and angry about this than foreigners (especially those in the West). Afghans are also aware of how violent their culture even when there is not a major conflict (more the drug gang/Pakistan war than the Taliban war).

American Special Forces medical specialists noted this when they arrived in force after 2001 and got to know tribes in many parts of the country. Each Special Forces team has two medical specialists who can act as primary care doctors for rural Afghans who have had little contact with modern medicine. The Special Forces medics noted that the norm in many of these tribes was lots of domestic violence and judging from the scars seen on adult males, lots of violence between the men even when there was no war going on.

Meanwhile, the remnants of the Pakistani Taliban hide out in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border. A favorite hideout for all sorts of Islamic terrorists, smugglers and outlaws is Nangarhar province where the Afghan military and American forces are constantly seeking out all manner of Islamic terrorists (Haqqani Network, al Qaeda, ISIL and both flavors of Taliban). For example, on August 25th an American airstrike killed the head of the Afghan branch of ISIL. This sort of thing is one reason ISIL has not been able to spread into Pakistan. This is something the Pakistani military would rather not dwell on because Pakistan prefers to insist that Afghanistan and the Americans are not doing enough to suppress Islamic terrorists who are hostile to Pakistan (especially the Pakistani Taliban).

The Iranian Immunity

Due to the worsening economy in Iran (made worse by the American revival of sanctions in March) over 15 percent of the three million Afghan refugees still in eastern Iran have returned to Afghanistan so far this year. Nearly all of these Afghans are Shia who feared to return as long as the Afghan Taliban (and ISIL) were active in Afghanistan. These two groups, and Sunni Islamic terror groups in general, consider Shia heretics and targets them for death on a regular basis. But Iran has made returning to Afghanistan easier by increasing its support for the Afghan Taliban. This gesture is also a favor to Pakistan, which Iran is trying to maintain good relations with (as Pakistan is also an ally of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is the only Moslem nation with nukes).

September 20, 2018: Today is the Shia Ashura, commemorating of the key Shia saints. The government has armed and paid Shia to provide additional security for the annual Ashura events. Because Ashura is the major annual Shia religious event it is always a prime target for any anti-Shia groups, mainly ISIL. In the last few days, police arrested 26 suspected ISIL members in Kabul, where ISIL likes to carry out its attacks. While 15 percent of Afghans are Shia most live in central Afghanistan. But they dominate several neighborhoods in Kabul and these are where most of the IISL attacks occur. The Taliban denounce attacks like this and anti-Shia violence has been monopolized by ISIL of late. But in the past, the Taliban killed a lot of Shia. Now, however, the Afghan Taliban is receiving support from Iran, a Shia majority nation that is hostile to groups that kill Shia.

September 17, 2018: In the west (Badghis province) police suffered ten dead in several Taliban attacks. The Taliban lost even more dead and wounded in what was another round of violence to gain control of roads needed to smuggle heroin and opium. These attacks were linked with similar violence in nearby Farah province.

September 16, 2018: In the west (Farah province) the Taliban attacked several checkpoints leaving 27 policemen dead. These attacks are meant to intimidate and eliminate police security on roads the Taliban want to use freely.

September 12, 2018: In the east (Paktika province) police seized a truck from Pakistan carrying over half a ton of ammonium nitrate (used for explosives). Two Haqqani Network members were arrested and it was discovered that the ammonium nitrate came from a Haqqani base across the border in Pakistan (South Waziristan). This shipment of ammonium nitrate was headed for Ghazni province where Islamic terrorists were planning another series of attacks.

September 11, 2018: In the east (Nangarhar Province) over 60 demonstrators were killed (and more than a hundred wounded) in several bombings, included one protesting the appointment of a corrupt police commander as police chief and two more bombs in Jalalabad, the provincial capital, which went off in front of a girls high school. The Taliban denied responsibility for the demonstration bombing and ISIL did not take credit.

September 10, 2018: In the east (Kunar province) there were battles between ISIL and Taliban groups over the last several days. There were several dozen casualties including at least ten dead. The operation also involved American and Afghan special operations forces who checked out the site of the remote ISIL camp after the airstrike.

September 9, 2018: In Kabul, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle exploded (killing seven and wounding 20) near a procession honoring the memory of Ahmad Shah Masud. He was a Tadjik leader assassinated by al Qaeda on September 11, 2001. This killing was done for the Taliban, which had been unable to conquer all of Afghanistan (especially the north) because of the military and political leadership of Mesud. The organization Medud led, the Northern Alliance, still exists and represents the interests of the non-Pushtun majority in Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance is no longer a military coalition or even much of a political one. It is more the continued potential for the Northern Alliance to once again become an armed force opposing Pushtun tyranny (especially Pakistan supported Pushtuns).

September 5, 2018: There were several bombings in Kabul, one at a wrestling competition (which Islamic terror groups forbid). All these attacks left 26 dead, most of them Shia Moslems. ISIL took credit.

September 4, 2018: The recent death of Jalaluddin Haqqani, 79 year old founder of the Haqqani Network, was revealed by the Afghan Taliban. Jalaluddin Haqqani was thought to have died in 2014 but that was actually when he became so disabled that he had turn over control of the network to his successor (Siraj Haqqani). This transition was smooth and Siraj Haqqani continued to cooperate with the Taliban and maintain subservience to ISI (Pakistani military intelligence). Because Jalaluddin Haqqani helped Mullah Omar and other Taliban leaders escape Afghanistan in 2001 there has always been a sense of mutual dependence. For that reason, Haqqani leaders were able to help deal with the mid-2015 power struggle within the Taliban and thwart the recruiting efforts of ISIL. Given that Haqqani works for ISI (the Pakistani CIA), Pakistan had to approve, if not help bring about this new arrangement.

August 28, 2018: The U.S. reported that their warplanes in Afghanistan had used more smart bombs and missiles 746) there during July than any month since 2010. That was also 30 percent more than the 572 in June and 113 percent more than the 350 in May.

August 27, 2018: In the north (Takhar province) a group of Taliban and drug smugglers got into a gun battle at the Tajikistan border with Tajik border guards that left two Tajiks dead. Then there was an airstrike on the Taliban led force that left six Taliban dead and six wounded. The Taliban force retreated. No one could identify the nationality of the attacking aircraft and the Tajiks and Russians (who have troops and warplanes in Tajikistan) denied the aircraft was theirs. Same with the U.S. and Afghanistan. The most likely culprit was Russia, trying to help an ally out while maintaining a low profile.

August 25, 2018: In the east (Nangarhar Province) airstrikes by American and Afghan aircraft killed the ISIL leader for Afghanistan and ten of his followers.

August 24, 2018: In Pakistan, the newly elected prime minister Imran Khan stated his goals; reduce corruption, reduce debt (and constant borrowing to cover budget deficits) and make peace with India by negotiating a deal on Kashmir. What was most telling was what was not mentioned; the dominant political power of the Pakistani military, the militarys use of Islamic terrorists to get Kashmir from India by force and to keep Afghanistan in a constant state of disorder because the Pakistani military prefers it that way. All these unmentioned issues have a lot to do with the high levels of corruption and Indian determination to hang onto Kashmir and deal with the Pakistani use of Islamic terrorists. That has caused Pakistan to become more isolated as more nations agree that for decades the Pakistani military has been supporting and using Islamic terror groups to attack its neighbors. Imran Khan may try to ignore this issue but the rest of the world will not. Imran Khan is believed to be prime minister because the Pakistani generals allowed it to happen and will remove him if the prime minister threatens military wealth, immunity and power. Imran Khan won the elections but did not, as the Pakistani constitution mandates, become the head of a government that actually rules Pakistan.

August 23, 2018: In the east ( Ghazni province) the Afghan Taliban have been waging a major campaign over the last two weeks to gain control of the province. This effort has failed and the Taliban have suffered about a thousand casualties. This is exceptionally high for the Taliban and led to some embarrassing consequences for Pakistan. Among the more than 300 Taliban dead Afghan security forces were able to examine many foreigners (Pakistani, Central Asian and Chechen) were identified. Since the 1990s the Pakistani ISI has sent reinforcements recruited in Pakistan to the Afghan Taliban. Officially the Pakistani denies this happens but occasionally evidence becomes so visible that it is difficult to ignore or deny with any assurance of being believed. In addition to the foreign dead left behind the Afghan Taliban took some of their dead with them (as they always try to do to prevent identification) and those from Pakistan were smuggled across the border so their families in Pakistan could bury them. This practice is essential if the Afghan Taliban want to continue recruiting from Pushtun tribes across the border in Pakistan and maintain good relations with those tribes. A growing number of people in those tribes now have smartphones and access to social media sites where they post family news, like recent funerals and who the deceased was. A lot of deaths recently were young men who, gossip indicated, were working in Afghanistan. The pay was good but it was dangerous. But at least the family got the body back and a substantial cash payment.

In addition, a lot of the Taliban casualties showed up in Pakistani hospitals and received treatment. That became news because it was rare for there to be so many casualties like this at once when, officially, there was nothing going on in Pakistan. Those casualties were the result of unexpectedly prompt and effective resistance by Afghan security forces, armed locals and American air support in Ghazni province. This disrupted and defeated the large-scale effort against the city and several rural areas nearby. Ghazni is near the Pakistani border and contains some major heroin smuggling routes into Pakistan. These routes are kept open by the Taliban. Ghazni has long been fought over, because of the heroin smuggling routes. Normally the drug gangs find it cheaper and more reliable to use bribes but because of the growing number of addicts inside Afghanistan the bribes sometimes dont work and the national government often sends down commandos and NDS (Afghan intel) agents to carry out specific tasks which tend to be bribe-proof. Massive intimidation attacks like this often fail, mainly because of the popular anger towards the drug gangs that keep supplying the local addicts. The fact that the Afghan Taliban has always been supported by Pakistan is another incentive to fight back.

Opposing Pakistani meddling in Afghan affairs is a popular issue among most Afghans. One reason Western troops are tolerated in Afghanistan, which has, for thousands of years been hostile to foreigners, is because the Westerners and Afghans are both eager to shut down the drug trade and keep the Pakistanis out. Pakistan sees battles like Ghazni as a success because over 400 Afghans (including security personnel and civilians) were killed and there was a degree of intimidation achieved. Operations like this cost Pakistan little as the Afghan drug gangs supply the cash required. They have no choice because the ISI can deny easy access to Pakistan for needed supplies (chemicals for converting opium into heroin) and secure smuggling routes through Pakistan to the port city of Karachi. It was later discovered that most of the 500 (or more) foreign fighters ISI supplied for the Ghazni battle cane from three known Pakistan based Islamic terror groups known to work for ISI. The most prominent of those with a contingent in Ghazni was the Haqqani Network, whose leader currently runs the Afghan Taliban.

The Afghan prime minister is demanding that his newly elected Pakistani counterpart do something about what happened in Ghazni province. So the official Pakistani response is; it wasnt us. Pakistani prime minister Imran Kahn will eventually meet with his Afghan counterpart but first he has to meet with leaders of nations that are more important to Pakistan, like Saudi Arabia and China. To Pakistanis, Afghanistan is more than of a potential problem than anything else. But to Afghanistan, and most of the world community, the biggest problem in Afghanistan is not the Taliban or the drug gangs, but Pakistan.

August 17, 2018: The Afghan air force received the first five of 30 MD-530F armed helicopters that were ordered in 2017. All 30 of these armed helicopters will be delivered by 2019.
Their letter comes months after privacy advocates filed a complaint about YouTube with the Federal Trade Commission. The complaint alleges that YouTube violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, known as COPPA, which bans kid-oriented websites from collecting personal information from children under 13 without their parents' express consent. The FTC hasn't said if an investigation has been opened.
Clayton Mitchell

New Zealand First MP

Since becoming a Member of Parliament almost four years ago, I have worked hard to establish an effective link between my local community and central government in Wellington. This is the role of all MPs  to connect with the community, investigate concerns, and take any wider issues to Parliament.

I do this by meeting with people in my office, and also by hosting coffee mornings in a couple of locations around Tauranga every month. This is a great opportunity for the public to come and join in an open conversation.

We discuss anything, from current affairs to NZ Firsts position on legislation before Parliament, through to local issues. It is always positive and productive to engage with the public face-to-face on any topical issues featuring in the media.

New Zealand First caucus members also come to the area regularly. A recent visit by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones was hugely successful. And at 2pm on September 30, Winston Peters will be making his Leaders Address at the partys annual convention at Tauranga Racecourse. It will be a time to reflect on how far NZ First has come in 25 years and to consider how the future is shaping up. The public are welcome to attend.

I encourage you to join me at one of my local coffee mornings for a cuppa and a lively discussion. They are held the first two Mondays of every month. The next ones will be at St Peters at the Mount at 10am on October 1 and at St Enochs Hall at 10am on October 8. And of course, I would love to see you at the Leaders Address on September 30.
Bay of Plenty

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The Steamers have endured a Friday night from hell at Rotorua International Stadium taking a 54-21 thrashing from Waikato in their Mitre 10 Cup encounter.

It was a dramatic change of fortune for the Bay of Plenty after playing so well in their last appearance at the venue, when they beat Taranaki 30-10.

They simply had no answer to the confidence, energy and verve of the Waikato side, who had looked impressive in winning their last three matches including a Ranfurly Shield challenge victory over Taranaki.

By contrast the Steamers, despite a strong start, struggled to find a pathway through the committed Waikato defence.

Discipline fell away too as they found themselves taking a hammering in the penalty count from referee Angus Mabey.

Waikato had a 21-0 lead with three converted tries by the time flanker Hugh Blake got over for the Bay's first four minutes before halftime.

That gave the home side some hope of a second half comeback, but it was a shortlived one as Waikato immediately turned up the wick after the break and added another five tries. At times they were almost breaking the Steamers' defensive line at will.

The Mooloo men had reached 42 when wing Bailey Simonsson finished one of the rare quality passing moves the Steamers managed for their second try, and the third from lock Kane Le'aupepe right on fulltime barely even counted as consolation.

Earlier in the evening it was better fortune for a team in blue and gold hoops as the Bay of Plenty Volcanix handed Taranaki a 73-0 thrashing in their Farah Palmer Cup encounter.

It was a record setting win for the Volcanix, their highest ever score in the provincial competition, and a morale-boosting way to get their first win in the Premiership division of the competition.




The school agreed to donate an empty building at 619 S. Wabash Ave. in the South Loop, and cover the cost of utilities, but otherwise, the shop was on its own. The staff scoured other university buildings for discarded furniture and supplies. Its success depended not just on art submissions from members of the Columbia community  but that they sold. The first five years were really about establishing who we were to people and creating a stable business model, said Tracey Drobot Brouwer, ShopColumbias operations coordinator.
The new iPhone is now available in stores, and you might not have to wait in line very long to get one.

The Apple store in Destiny USA opened at 8 a.m. Friday to a crowd of just a dozen customers eager to buy the iPhone XS or the bigger iPhone XS Max. There were more employees inside the store than people waiting to get in.

A small crowd waits in line for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max launch at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 21, outside the Apple store in Syracuse's Destiny USA.

"It's Syracuse, not New York City," one customer said when asked about the diminished crowd.

But lines for Apple's flagship store in Times Square appeared shorter than previous years, and CNBC reports crowds were smaller in cities like Tokyo and London. Mac Rumors says some places, like Singapore and Berlin, still drew hundreds before stores open but most U.S. locations were seeing shorter lines.

There were also more than 150 people at the Syracuse mall as stores opened last year when the 10th anniversary iPhone X went on sale.

Crowds wait to buy the iPhone X at the Apple store at Destiny USA in Syracuse, November 3, 2017.

An Apple employee at the Syracuse store declined to comment on the crowd size.

Demand for this year's upgrade may be smaller due to limited improvements and higher price tags. The overall price range for different iPhone models is $449 to $1,449 (iPhone XS Max with 512 GB storage) -- up from $349 to $1,149 last year.

Bloomberg reports waiting periods for shipments were lower this year, in part because the "global smartphone industry has stalled at about 1.5 billion devices sold each year." Apple is also relying more on online sales for the annual iPhone launch and investing more money in other products, such as the Apple Watch Series 4.

The tech giant is also finding ways to squeeze more out of iPhone fans, with more expensive options. The company also discontinued including its headphone adapter and no longer has a headphone jack for the latest iPhone models; as a result, users have to pay $9 for a Lightning dongle for headphones, or buy the $159 wireless Apple AirPods -- also sold separately.

Pre-orders for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and Apple Watch Series 4 began last week. The cheaper iPhone XR, available in bright colors like coral, blue, yellow, and red, will go on sale Oct. 26 with preorders starting Oct. 19.

Granted theres significant construction and an alternate location, I havent seen such low turnout for an iPhone launch at the NYC flagship Apple store in at least three years. Not even a hundred people waiting. pic.twitter.com/Is7w0bzOoZ  Ben Ratner (@BenMakesTV) September 21, 2018

The line has formed outside the Boston Apple store for the release of the iPhone 10X. On the right, dozens of people whove been here all night. On the left, 2 guys who preordered. #wcvb pic.twitter.com/paWhjt14HU  Katie Thompson (@KThompson_WCVB) September 21, 2018
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Richard Harris' family gathered Thursday in front of his house on Midland Avenue to celebrate his life. He'd been in hospice care and by Thursday morning, pancreatic cancer killed him.

They threw a party with music, and about 50 people came to the house at 1315-17 Midland Ave, family members said. Some were inside and some were outside; many had been there all day, they said.

Just before 9 p.m., a neighbor, who also asked not to be identified in this story, noticed at least two people in black hoodies outside of a house on West Beard Avenue.

The woman said she flicked on a light above a "No Trespassing" sign on her property to signal for the people in hoodies to walk away.

When the light went on, the two people walked into the backyards of nearby houses on Midland Avenue near the party.

The neighbor started eating dinner. Then shots rang out. She said she dropped to the floor as at least 10 shots were fired.

"All I heard was screaming," the woman said.

Five people were shot, including an 8-year-old girl, according to police Chief Frank Fowler. The victims' ages range from 8 to 35 years old. All five were taken to Upstate University Hospital and are expected to live, police said.

The neighbor said after the shooting she believed the two people in her yard were the ones who eventually fired on the party. When they were hanging around, she didn't think much of it. After the shooting, she wished she had called police.

Thursday's shooting involved the most reported victims during a shooting in Syracuse this year. No one has been arrested.

Residents of the neighborhood described a hectic scene after the shots were fired.

Shooting with multiple victims on Midland Ave in Syracuse 9 Gallery: Shooting with multiple victims on Midland Ave in Syracuse

One of the city's ShotSpotters at 1313 Midland Avenue picked up the shots fired at about 9 p.m. before several calls came into the Onondaga County 911 Dispatch Center. Callers reported seven people had been shot in and out of the house at 1315-17 Midland Ave.

"We're surrounded by human beings, by neighbors, by family members," Mayor Ben Walsh said. "They're hurting."

One witness, Tammy Jamison, said she was gathered for the memorial when gunshots rang out.

The shooters emerged from between 1318 and 1322 Midland Avenue, according to witnesses at the party. Police are not talking about the number of shooters or shots fired.

Jamison said the people ran inside the home for cover.

"When the shooting started I ducked," she said. "What would you do?"

Once the shooters fired, many people took cover, witnesses said. Some of the people who had been shot were hit as they tried to run up the steps of the house and inside for cover, a witness who lives at the house said.

When police responded to the scene, they cleared people out of the house, but let most people stay on the sidewalk or in the street in front of the home for a short time.

Some family and friends rushed to the hospital to await news on their loved ones.

Some people returned to the scene of the shooting to try to find relatives. Others showed up after having heard about the shooting, also looking for relatives.

One woman standing outside the police's crime scene tape tried to recount how many people and who had been shot. She stared at her hand and cried as she touched her right pointer finger to her left thumb.

"My daughter."



She touched her pointer fingers.

"My nephew."

She touched her pointer finger to her left middle finger.

"My friend."

She touched her pointer finger to her left ring finger.

"My niece."

She touched her pointer finger to her left pinky finger.

"And my other niece."

Children who were short enough to walk under police tape without lifting it walked away from the crime scene. All of them had tears dotting their cheeks. At least one had a toy in his hand.

Another woman, Barbara Hills, leaned on her walker as she waited to see if her grandson would be among those who walked away from the shooting. Hills' son, Verdel Hills, was killed on East Genesee Street in 2010. She was looking for Verdel's son.

One of her nephews walked away from the house, ducking under the police tape. Hills stepped slightly away from her walker to embrace him.

A woman who lives in the house at 1315-17 Midland Avenue stood on the street. She couldn't head to the hospital because her grandkids were still on the scene. As she stood outside the police tape, she paced and prayed.

Even as she folded her arms, she shook slightly.

She looked on as police combed the area for shell casings and looked around her house. Eventually, she asked others at the scene for a pair of shoes.

In the chaos of the shooting, she didn't have time to put shoes on.
LIVERPOOL,NY -New York State Police investigated a threat earlier this evening involving a Chestnut Hill Middle School student, according to the Liverpool Central School District.

Liverpool School Superintendent Mark Potter said in a Facebook post that police determined the threat "to be not credible.''

"I thank our students and parents for being vigilant and reporting their concerns," he said

Details of the threat were not released.
Syracuse, N.Y. --Five people, including a child, have been shot on Midland Avenue Thursday night, according to Syracuse police

Syracuse police shortly after 11 p.m. said that five people including an 8-year-old girl were injured in the shooting at 1315-17 Midland Ave. Police expect victims will survive.

The Syracuse firefighters union and a witness originally reported seven victims including some children were involved.

Police responded to the call at 9:01 p.m., dispatch logs show.

Witnesses said they saw two or three possible shooters. One witness reported at least 10 shots near the house.

As a woman talked to a reporter, she counted off how many victims she knew.

"My daughter, my nephew, my friend, my niece and my other niece," she said, crying.

People had gathered at the house to mark the death of Richard Harris, who died in hospice care of pancreatic cancer, neighbors said.

Tammy Jamison said she was gathered for the memorial when gunshots suddenly broke out.

She didn't see the shooter or shooters but said it was not a drive-by shooting. She heard at least 15 gunshots and tried to take cover inside.

Jamison said the people who had gathered, about 50 of them, ran inside the home for cover.

"When the shooting started I ducked," she said. "What would you do?"

Multiple ambulance crews were called to the scene to take victims to Upstate University Hospital, according to dispatchers. Some left with a police escort by 9:15 p.m.

Syracuse police said they responded to several calls to the 911 center reporting that more than one person was possibly injured.

Upon arrival, officers observed a large crowd of people and located several people who had been shot, police said. Officers at the scene requested additional ambulances and officers respond to the scene.

The injured were transported to Upstate University Hospital,

police said.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler were on the scene after 10 p.m.

The home where the shooting occurred, 1315-17 Midland Ave., is the home where Rashaad Walker Jr.'s family lived, according to witnesses and family members.

Walker, 20-months-old, was fatally shot on the afternoon of Nov. 28, 2010 in the 300 block of Coolidge Avenue.

The toddler was sitting in a car seat in a parked minivan when Saquan Evans, a reputed member of the Bricktown gang, opened fire into the vehicle in what authorities contended was an attempt to kill the child's father, a reputed member of the rival 110 gang.

Evans was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for second-degree murder plus an additional 15 years for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Outside the home is a 6-foot-tall sign with the boy's photo. On Thursday night, as police roamed around seeking witnesses, candles in front of it were lit.

This is a breaking news story. We are updating as new information becomes available.
ArtRage Gallery, in Syracuse's Hawley-Green neighborhood, is currently exhibiting the work of San Diego based artist, Neil Shigley in an exhibit entitled "Invisible People." The show, featuring stunning large scale block print portraits of homeless individuals, aims to bring attention to the issue of homeless in our community and the nation. The ArtRage exhibition is in collaboration with the homeless outreach organization, In My Father's Kitchen.

When Shigley began the series in 2005, it more or less began as an artistic practice of creating a portrait of an interesting face. But since that time, and as the series has continued to grow, Shigley says he now "looks at this project not just as an artist but as a human being." Shigley takes time to get to know each of his subjects, most of whom he meets nearby his studio in downtown San Diego. Shigley says that most of his subjects feel invisible, that they are the people society has "forgotten." He hopes by creating these portraits, an artistic practice once reserved for the nobility, he can in a way make these people, and their experiences, visible. In 2013, Shigley received national recognition for his work as a finalist in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition at National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. To Shigley, the fact that a larger than life portrait of a homeless man named Michael, hung on the same walls that hold America's presidential portraits meant that he had helped redefine who deserves to seen and remembered.

Through his art, Shigley has gained insight into the lives of his subjects and he is passionate about telling their stories. In the last few years, Shigley has focused on creating portraits of women and children. Included in the ArtRage exhibition is a portrait of Bella, a seven year old who was living on the streets and in shelters with her mother. Bella's father was abusive so her mother, seeing no alternative chose to flee. The portrait was created in 2015 and today Shigley is happy to report that the family is safe and off the streets.

Through this project, Shigley has seen the power of art to transform the world. Shigley is pleased that this series has become a way to engage communities about the issue of homelessness. And at ArtRage, an arts organization with a mission to exhibit art on social justice issues, that is exactly the idea. The exhibition is in partnership with In My Father's Kitchen, a homeless outreach organization whose founder, John Tumino works one-on-one with the homeless, bringing food, supplies and friendship to those who often refuse assistance from elsewhere. ArtRage wants to use this exhibition as a way to gather our community in a conversation about homelessness, its root causes and what we can do to end it.

In the coming weeks, Tumino will moderate two panel discussions at ArtRage and he will be joined by representatives from the Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, Vera House and the Onondaga Country Homelessness Coalition.

On Oct. 6, ArtRage and In My Father's Kitchen will host Mark Horvath, the founder of Invisible People TV. Horvath has gained national attention for his internet videos interviewing the homeless across the United States. The exhibition runs until Oct. 27 and is free to attend. ArtRage is open 2 to 7 p.m, Wednesdays to Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
A cultural reflection



Colgate University Press recently published a collection of essays that capture the history of Jewish students and faculty at Colgate University. Founded as a Christian school meant to educate Baptist ministers, the university evolved to become a non-sectarian school that takes pride in its diversity.

"Repression, Re-Invention, & Rugelach" is the work of group of Colgate students who used a variety of archival and interview sources to write about the experiences of the earliest Jewish students at the university, with editing by Alice Nakhimovsky, a renowned professor of Jewish Studies and award-winning author.

The timing of the book coincides with Colgate celebrating their bicentennial. Noel Rubinton, who wrote the forward for the book, shares some details about the history that must be included when looking at how the university has grown over the years. "The book's interlocking essays tell the story of widespread anti-Semitism faced by Jews at Colgate in the first half of the 20th century, first through discriminatory quotas and later severe social sanctions. It describes how the school's Jews were accepted and became a large and influential part of the university's student and faculty groups. The groundbreaking history begins with the earliest days of the university and the stories of Russian immigrant Maurice Hindus, who in the early days of the 20th Century became the first known Jewish Colgate student, and Albert Parry, another Russian emigre who was the first Jewish faculty member and who adopted a Christian veneer to fit in. The book highlights students, faculty, and incidents crucial to shaping the school's Jewish character and the establishment of a Jewish community. This history also represents an important window into the greater American Jewish experience, documenting the story of the persecution and ultimate acceptance of Jews in the U.S. in the 20th and 21st centuries."

The book is currently being sold on campus, and is set to be the subject of some alumni events in the months to come. "Repression, Re-Invention, & Rugelach" can be ordered through the Colgate Bookstore on both their website and through Amazon.com.

Book and writing events



The Dewitt Barnes and Noble will be hosting an event with author Paula Saunders on October 4 at 7:00 pm. Saunders is promoting her new book "The Distance Home"- a family saga that explores the life of two siblings, Rene and Leon, living in South Dakota after WWII. Both dancers, vivacious Rene is treated as the golden child, while Leon endures taunts in class and a lack of affection at home. Over the years the family is thrown into turmoil with Rene and Leon follow wildly different paths into adulthood.

The publisher describes it as, "Tender, searing, and unforgettable, The Distance Home is a profoundly American story spanning decades--a tale of haves and have-nots, of how our ideas of winning and losing, success and failure, lead us inevitably into various problems with empathy and caring for one another. It's a portrait of beauty and brutality in which the author's compassionate narration allows us to sympathize, in turn, with everyone involved."

Saunders is a graduate of the Syracuse University creative writing program, the same program where her husband George Saunders is currently teaching. The event is free and open to the public.

The Palace Poetry Group is hosting a workshop event at the Fayetteville Free Library on October 3 at 7:00 pm. Richard Levine will be leading a session called "How to Be Spontaneous in Our Writing Process" which is open to both new and experienced poets. Attendees will learn new ways of opening up and creating, and learn about the "mask" that prevents poets from evolving into new processes. The event is free and funded in part by Poets and Writers with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts.

Have a book to share?

Are you a local author or have you come across a book set in Central New York? Tell us about it. Send a brief description of the book and the author and we'll add it as a candidate for coverage. Write us at features@syracuse.com.
Red Cross volunteer Tom Margrave of Cortland arrived in Charlotte, N.C. last Friday morning and waited as the worst of Hurricane Florence hit.

Once it passed, Margrave drove east to the towns hardest hit, stopping at the American Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina in Durham.

As Margrave traveled further east through towns like New Bern and Cherry Point the devastation became more clear. He witnessed people being rescued from rooftops, cars destroyed by fallen trees, standing water, porches twisted from houses, ground that would suddenly flood and metal roofs ripped off structures, said Margrave.

In the wake of Hurricane Florence, 27 American Red Cross volunteers from Western and Central New York deployed to the South to assist in relief efforts.

According to the Red Cross, 15,000 people across six states sought shelter at one of over 150 Red Cross community shelters this past Sunday night. As of Monday, Sept. 17 about 3,000 Red Cross volunteers had mobilized and provided 150,700 meals and snacks to people in North and South Carolina. Along with the volunteers, the red Cross sent about 130 emergency response vehicles and more than 70 equipment and supply trailers.

The objective for Margrave and other volunteers is simple: to alleviate human suffering. Specifically, Margrave deployed as a spiritual caregiver. Regardless of their faith or denomination, Margrave talks or prays with groups and individuals in need. Along with mental health specialists addressing the trauma, Margrave aims to provide a compassionate presence and to let people know they're safe, he said.

All the volunteers help to meet the immediate physical needs of those affected by Hurricane Florence. Margrave described shelters, many of which are school buildings, where everyone receives a cot, blankets and at least heater meals. But Margrave encountered volunteers who went beyond just meeting needs. Over 200 agricultural workers received assistance at a high school turned emergency shelter, Margrave said. Volunteers from a local church bought out the food at a Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits to feed the workers.

Between shelter workers, emergency medical teams, nurses, paramedics, mental health professionals, drivers and distributors, there is still much work to be done, said Margrave.

Margrave, on his second Red Cross national deployment, will be volunteering for a total of 10 days. But if need be, he says he'll return.

From the Red Cross:

HOW YOU CAN HELP The Red Cross depends on financial donations to be able to provide disaster relief immediately. Help people affected by Hurricane Florence by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS or texting the word FLORENCE to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

The Red Cross honors donor intent. Donors can designate their donation to Hurricane Florence relief efforts by choosing that option when donating on redcross.orgor on 1-800-RED CROSS.

The best way to ensure your donation will go to a specific disaster is to write the specific disaster name in the memo line of a check. We also recommend completing and mailing the donation form on redcross.org with your check.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD More than 140 blood drives have been canceled through early next week due to Hurricane Florence, resulting in over 4,200 uncollected blood and platelet donations. Eligible donors in unaffected areas are urged to make an appointment now to give blood or platelets to help maintain the nation's blood supply. There is a critical need to platelet and type O blood donations. Appointments can be made by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The state comptroller's office will audit SUNY Upstate Medical University in the wake of revelations by syracuse.com that Upstate paid a former hospital CEO $660,500 for an off-campus assignment that involved no work.

The audit of Upstate's human resources practices will begin next week, according to Jennifer Freeman of the comptroller's office.

The $660,500 payment to Dr. John McCabe, former CEO of Upstate University Hospital, was part of a secret non-disclosure agreement syracuse.com obtained through a freedom of information law request. McCabe has said he wanted to return to Upstate's faculty when he left the CEO job, but Upstate wanted him to "disappear." As part of the agreement, he agreed to quit Upstate's faculty and clinical staff.

Under the agreement, McCabe was given the title of "senior assistant" to Upstate President Dr. Danielle Laraque Arena and allowed to keep his CEO salary for 14 months.

In that role McCabe was supposed to provide administrative services to Laraque-Arena as assigned, including the development of reports and coordination of special projects, according to the agreement. The deal required him to work off campus.

But there is no evidence McCabe received any work assignments, according to monthly reports he filed with Upstate.

The reports show he read journals, chatted with personal and professional contacts and looked for other jobs during the 14-month off-campus assignment.

After seeing syracuse.com's stories about the issue, the comptroller's office looked into employment contract and human resource issues at Upstate and determined an in-depth audit was warranted, Freeman said.

The audit is expected to take six to 12 months.

syracuse.com's coverage also prompted state Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt, to introduce a bill in the state Legislature that would ban state and local government agencies in New York from using secret non-disclosure agreements.

Upstate is also being investigated by the Onondaga County District Attorney and the state Inspector General.

A recent report in the Albany Times-Union, based on unnamed sources, said the investigation is focusing on the McCabe agreement, Upstate's hiring practices and construction projects.

Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245
At the time, Patten defended the meeting with Trump, saying that he used it as a chance to ask the president to cut the red tape at the Small Business Administration and to talk about Taylor Gourmet's immigrant workforce, which was "nervous about the potential regulations coming down the road." At that time, Patten said that more than half of the company's 300-plus employees were immigrants or the American-born children of immigrants.
WASHINGTON - An attorney for Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers, said Thursday that her appearing at a hearing on Monday to detail her claims is "not possible" but she could testify later in the week.

Debra Katz, Ford's lawyer, relayed the response to top staffers on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, requesting to set up a call with them to "discuss the conditions under which [Ford] would be prepared to testify next week."

"As you are aware, she's been receiving death threats which have been reported to the FBI and she and her family have been forced out of their home," Katz wrote to the committee. "She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety. A hearing on Monday is not possible and the committee's insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event."

The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said through a spokesman late Thursday that he would be consulting with colleagues on how to proceed. Kavanaugh wrote to Grassley in a letter released by the White House that he looks forward to testifying.

"I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name," Kavanaugh said in the letter. "Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity."

Amid the maneuvering, the nomination was roiled further late Thursday by incendiary tweets from a prominent Kavanaugh friend and supporter who publicly identified another high school classmate of Kavanugh's as Ford's possible attacker.

Ed Whelan, a former clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia and president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, pointed to floor plans, online photographs and other information to suggest a location for the house party in suburban Maryland that Ford described. He also named and posted photographs of the classmate he suggested could be responsible.

Ford dismissed Whelan's theory in a statement late Thursday: "I knew them both, and socialized with" them, Ford said, adding that she had once visited the other classmate in the hospital. "There is zero chance that I would confuse them."

Republicans on Capitol Hill and White House officials immediately sought to distance themselves from Whelan's claims and said they were not aware of his plans to identify the former classmate, now a middle school teacher, who could not be reached for comment and did not answer the door at his house Thursday night.

Whelan did not respond to requests for comment. He had told people around him that he had spent several days putting together the theory and thought it was more convincing than her story, according to two friends who had talked to him.

Whelan has been involved in helping to advise Kavanaugh's confirmation effort and is close friends with both Kavanaugh and Leonard Leo, the head of the Federalist Society who has been helping to spearhead the nomination. Kavanaugh and Whelan also worked together in the Bush administration.

Kavanaugh and his allies have been privately discussing a defense that would not question whether an incident happened to Ford, but instead would raise doubts that the attacker was Kavanaugh, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

Democratic senators, pointing to the highly-charged Anita Hill hearings in October 1991, have defended Ford's request to have the FBI do its own probe before she testifies. Back then, the FBI report into Hill's allegations of sexual harassment against now-Justice Clarence Thomas was finished on Sept. 26, 1991 - three days after its inquiry began, according to a Washington Post report at the time.

"Someone who is lying does not ask the FBI to investigate their claims," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said Thursday at an event on Capitol Hill. "Who is not asking the FBI to investigate these claims? The White House. Judge Kavanaugh has not asked to have the FBI investigate these claims. Is that the reaction of an innocent person? It is not."

Gillibrand said Senate Republicans' ultimatum of a Monday hearing was "bullying."

Republicans have rejected the comparisons to the Hill proceedings. Grassley wrote in a Wednesday letter to Democrats on the Judiciary Committee that the FBI investigated Hill's accusations against Thomas when they were still not public. Because Ford's accusation is already public, Grassley argued that it was appropriate for the Senate to step in with their own investigation as lawmakers did when the Hill allegation first became public.

A senior Senate Democratic aide noted that reopening FBI background checks was fairly routine; 10 such probes into judicial nominees had been reopened in the last three months alone, the aide said. A Republican aide didn't dispute the figure, but said those updates can be relatively minor, such as adding a nominee's tax records or educational information that had been inadvertently excluded.

Meanwhile, the Judiciary Committee has interviewed lawyers to be potential outside counsel who would lead the questioning in the highly-charged hearing, according to two people familiar with the process. If the outside counsel was a woman, it could help with an optics issue facing the 11 Republican senators on the committee, who are all men.

The objective of bringing in an outside lawyer, one Senate GOP official said, would be having an "experienced attorney who hasn't been so deeply involved in the nomination and could bring some fresh eyes to evaluate everything fairly and firmly."

A variation of this plan had been discussed since at least Tuesday, when Republicans had discussed a proposal to hire a female attorney and have her do all the questioning, while the GOP senators on the committee would ask no questions, according to another Senate GOP official.

"There is a deliberate and conscious effort to not seem like we are attacking the woman in any way," this person said.

Earlier this week, Kavanaugh told Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, one of his most fervent supporters, that Ford has the wrong perpetrator in mind and that he has not attended a party like the one Ford described in the Post account.

A handful of pivotal senators have yet to disclose how they will ultimately vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation, including Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, Alaska. On Thursday, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott - both independents - issued a statement opposing Kavanaugh's nomination.

"Mr. Kavanaugh's record does not demonstrate a commitment to legal precedent that protects working families," Walker and Mallott said in the joint statement, remarks that could put political pressure on Murkowski. "Key aspects of our nation's health-care and labor laws may be at risk if Mr. Kavanaugh receives a lifetime appointment."

Earlier Thursday, Senate Republicans had reiterated their resolve to press forward with a vote on Kavanaugh in the coming days if Ford chose not to testify before the 21-member Judiciary Committee.

"If she doesn't want to participate and tell her story, there's no reason for us to delay," Sen. John Cornyn, Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, told CNN. "I think it all depends on what she decides to do. We've all made clear this is her chance."

Ford has alleged that while she and Kavanaugh were at a house party in the early 1980s, when the two were in high school, Kavanaugh drunkenly pinned her to a bed, groped her and put his hand over her mouth to stifle her screams as he tried to take off her clothes. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Late Thursday afternoon, Republican and Democratic staffers on the Judiciary Committee spoke on the phone with Katz to begin negotiations for a potential hearing next week. The first concern Katz raised on the call, according to a senior Senate aide directly familiar with the conversation, was the issue of Ford's security - asking the staffers what the protocol is for ensuring that she is safe and whether reporters could be kept at a distance from her, as was done for Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings.

The roughly 30-minute conversation also touched on the scope of the questions, and Katz raised concerns about the potential of an outside counsel coming in to question Ford, arguing that the scenario would be too much like a trial, according to the aide. Ford also does not want Kavanaugh in the hearing room when she testifies, Katz told the staffers, and requested that the nominee speak first.

Katz also raised the possibility of a subpoena for Mark Judge, the person who is alleged to have been in the room at the party, and other potential witnesses, and suggested that Thursday would be a good hearing date.

Republicans are sure to push back on Katz's requests. One Senate GOP official familiar with the call said Ford's request to have Kavanaugh testify first is a "non-starter," adding that "it only makes sense for the accused to respond to the charge."

The committee also does not plan to issue subpoenas, the GOP official said, who added that other potential witnesses have already made it clear they have no intention of testifying on this matter.

Republicans have so far stuck to the Monday timeline, as well as Grassley's decision to limit the hearing to two witnesses: Kavanaugh and Ford.

"What is happening with the Judiciary Committee, really, I would call it a railroad job," Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said alongside Gillibrand on Thursday. "They are totally intent on getting Judge Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court come hell or high water . . . You have to ask yourself why."

Hirono spoke at an event on Capitol Hill to highlight a letter of support that was said to have been signed by more than 1,000 alumni of Ford's high school in Maryland. A flood of anti-Kavanaugh protesters also descended on Capitol Hill Thursday while more Senate offices reported receiving threats related to the nomination.

"We're getting a lot of calls, many of which are angry and some of which are threatening," said Tom Mentzer, a spokesman for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee who has played a central role in the Ford developments.

Cornyn said Thursday that he sees no reason to call additional witnesses since the committee had already held a full hearing on Trump's nominee.

"We already had a hearing," Cornyn said. "That's what I call hijacking the regular committee process to accommodate political interests."

On Thursday, a group of eight Democrats wrote to Trump, asking him to direct the FBI to reopen its background check on Kavanaugh, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The Democrats, all of whom served as prosecutors or state attorneys general, noted that President George H.W. Bush asked the FBI to investigate after Hill raised allegations against Thomas.

"Senate Republicans are attempting to make Dr. Blasey Ford testify on just a few days' notice - without having the FBI follow up on her allegations and provide a report first," said the letter, which was spearheaded by Sens. Kamala Harris, Calif., and Amy Klobuchar, Minn. "This strikes us as simply a check-the-box exercise in a rush to confirm Judge Kavanaugh."
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein denied a New York Times report Friday that he floated the idea of using the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump as unfit for office and suggested secretly recording the president to expose the chaos in the administration.

The Times cited several people, who were not named, who described the episodes that came in the spring of 2017 after FBI Director James Comey was fired. The newspaper's sources also included people who were briefed on memos written by FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Rosenstein is a frequent target of Trump's attacks and the story could add to the uncertainty about his future at the Justice Department, despite his denial.

"The New York Times' story is inaccurate and factually incorrect," Rosenstein said in a statement. "I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment."

The 25th Amendment to the Constitution spells out that a president can be declared "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office" upon a majority vote of the vice president and the Cabinet.

A person who was in the room when Rosenstein made the 2017 comment, and provided a statement through the Justice Department, said Rosenstein was "sarcastic" and that he "never discussed any intention of recording a conversation with the president."

The newspaper reported that Rosenstein, frustrated with the hiring process for a new FBI director, offered to wear a "wire" and secretly record the president when he visited the White House. He also suggested that McCabe and other officials who were interviewing to become the next FBI director could also perhaps record Trump, the newspaper reported.

McCabe's lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said in a statement that his client had drafted memos to "memorialize significant discussions he had with high level officials and preserved them so he would have an accurate, contemporaneous record of those discussions."

McCabe's memos, which were later turned over to special counsel Robert Mueller's office, had remained at the FBI until McCabe was ousted in January and McCabe doesn't know how any reporters could've obtained those memos, Bromwich said.

Rosenstein has been a target of Trump's ire since appointing Robert Mueller as a Justice Department special counsel to investigate potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

He chose Mueller for the job one week after he laid the groundwork for the firing of Comey by writing a memo that criticized Comey's handling of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server. The White House initially held up that memo as justification for Comey's firing, though Trump himself has said he was thinking about "this Russia thing" when he made the move.

As deputy attorney general, Rosenstein oversees Mueller's work and has made two public announcements of indictments brought by the special counsel -- one against Russians accused of hacking into Democratic email accounts, the other against Russians accused of running a social media troll farm to sway public opinion.

On Friday, Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr., tweeted the Times' story and said: "Shocked!!! Absolutely Shocked!!! Ohhh, who are we kidding at this point? No one is shocked that these guys would do anything in their power to undermine @realdonaldtrump."

The story elicited an immediate response from members of Congress.

Rep. Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican who chairs the conservative Freedom Caucus, said in a tweet that "if this story is true, it underscores a gravely troubling culture at FBI/DOJ and the need for FULL transparency."

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the Times story "must not be used as a pretext for the corrupt purpose of firing Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein in order install an official who will allow the president to interfere with the special counsel's investigation."
Dave Valesky is waiting to decide whether he will continue campaigning for the 53rd state Senate district as a third-party candidate.

Valesky narrowly lost a Democratic primary to Rachel May, but will still appear on November's ballot with the Independence Party and very likely the Women's Equality Party.

He could choose to continue campaigning, or he could suspend his campaign and endorse another candidate.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, Valesky said he has not yet decided whether he will keep running.

"Since last week's primary, countless individuals have urged me to actively campaign as an independent," he said. "Out of respect for them, I will take some time to consider all options going forward."

Heading into the primary last week, Valesky had 10 times more money in his campaign account than May.

Thursday evening, May said she was grateful to Valesky for his service and thanked him for running a classy campaign. She said she hopes he will not keep running.

"I, of course, would appreciate it if he would respect the will of the Democratic voters and not continue to run," she said.

May said party leaders in Onondaga County have reached out to her and expressed support, including Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter.

The district has 70,9017 registered Democrats, compared to 47,242 Republicans and 42,634 non-enrolled voters.

Republicans nominated Janet Burman to run for the seat. Her campaign has raised about $2,500 so far. Burman has previously run for city, county, state and federal positions, all unsuccessfully.

Shortly after Valesky conceded, Onondaga County Republican Committee Chairman Tom Dadey issued a statement blasting May as a "radical extremist." In the seven paragraph statement, he made no mention of Burman, nor did he mention there was a Republican in the race.

He did, however, encourage voters to choose someone other than May.

"There is an alternative to Rachel May and the Democrat socialists who are attempting to takeover our state government, and the voters of the 53rd Senate District would be wise to choose it," Dadey wrote.

Dadey previously ran for the 53rd District seat in 2004. He lost a Republican primary, but stayed on the ballot with the Conservative Party. His presence on the ballot helped propel Valesky to victory by splitting the Republican vote.

In 2011, a profile on Dadey in The Post-Standard noted that Dadey and Valesky had developed an amiable political and personal relationship since that race, despite their ideological differences.

May dismissed Dadey's characterization of her as an extremist. She said most people agree with her policies and ideas.

"I'm not some kind of fringe extremist candidate, that's not where I'm coming from," she said. "And I think those kinds of attacks are maybe all they have because they are not appealing to the majority of the voters."
WASHINGTON - A conservative legal commentator and former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia on Friday denied communicating with the White House or Judge Brett Kavanaugh about his theory that the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault while they were teenagers was mistaking him for someone else.

Ed Whelan, in a brief interview with The Washington Post, declined to answer further questions about his tweets or views on Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination process, which has been upended by the allegation of an assault decades ago.

"I have not communicated at all with [White House counsel] Don McGahn or anyone at the White House, or Judge Kavanaugh, about the topic of the Twitter thread," Whelan said when reached by phone.

Whelan's comment follows his apology on Twitter on Friday morning for naming a former classmate of Kavanaugh's and suggesting the man could be responsible for the assault Ford alleges.

"I made an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment in posting the tweet thread in a way that identified Kavanaugh's Georgetown Prep classmate," Whelan wrote at 8:38 a.m.

"I take full responsibility for that mistake, and I deeply apologize for it. I realize that does not undo the mistake," he wrote.

Whelan, who is president of the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center and a contributor to National Review Online, suggested Thursday in now-deleted tweets that he had identified a possible location for the house party in suburban Maryland where Ford said she was assaulted. He posted floor plans and online photographs of a home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, as well as photographs of the Kavanaugh classmate he suggested could have been responsible.

Ford dismissed Whelan's theory in a statement late Thursday: "I knew them both, and socialized with" the other classmate, Ford said, adding that she had once visited him in the hospital. "There is zero chance that I would confuse them."
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Friday walked back his order earlier this week to declassify information in the ongoing probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, saying Justice Department officials and others had convinced him not to declassify it for the time being.

The retreat from his declassification decree issued just four days ago underscores the ongoing tensions between the White House and the Justice Department over the probe by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is examining whether any Trump associates may have conspired with the Kremlin to interfere in the election.

In a pair of Friday morning tweets, Trump said: "I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies' called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me - and everyone!"

His reversal was preceded by a series of conversations between White House lawyer Emmet Flood and senior law enforcement and intelligence officials - chief among them deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, according to people familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Flood had been engaged in those discussions for weeks, but the pace and intensity of the talks picked up considerably after the president's declassification announcement earlier this week, these people said.

Trump was also swayed by foreign allies, including Britain, in deciding to reverse course, these people said. It wasn't immediately clear what other governments may have raised concerns to the White House.

On Monday, the president ordered the Justice Department to declassify significant materials from the Russia investigation, a move that threatened another showdown with federal law enforcement officials resistant to publicizing information from an ongoing probe.

The White House issued a statement Monday saying Trump was ordering the department to immediately declassify portions of the secret court order to monitor former campaign adviser Carter Page, along with all interviews conducted as officials applied for that authority.

Trump also instructed the department to publicly release the unredacted text messages of several former high-level Justice Department and FBI officials, including former FBI director James B. Comey and deputy director Andrew McCabe.

For months, conservative lawmakers have been calling on the department to release Russia-related and other materials, many of them accusing law enforcement of hiding information that might discredit the Mueller investigation. Those calls were amplified by Fox News hosts, whom the president had previously cited as influencing his decision.

The president's declaration on Friday appears to indicate he is willing to let the Justice Department's inspector general - which is already conducting an internal investigation of how the Russia probe has been handled - review the material rather than release it publicly.

"Thankfully it seems that saner minds have prevailed, at least for the time being," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. "This underscores why the President should be relying on the expertise and advice of intelligence and law enforcement professionals, not cable news hosts."
Syracuse, N.Y. -- The strong weather system aiming for Upstate New York has already generated a tornado watch in Ontario.

That's no guarantee it will do the same in New York, but it does hint at the strength of the line of storms expected to sweep across Upstate this evening. The Storm Prediction Center says there's a 5 percent chance of any given spot in in Western New York seeing a tornado.

The center also said it will likely issue a severe thunderstorm watch soon for parts of Western New York.

The National Weather Service office in Buffalo issued a special bulletin on the storm at 3:13 p.m.

"A powerful cold front over southern Ontario this afternoon will take aim on our region this evening," the bulletin said. "Showers and thunderstorms will develop along and ahead of this front, with some of the thunderstorms likely producing damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 mph.

"An isolated tornado can't be ruled out."

The best chances for damaging winds are in Western and Central New York. The line of storms is expected to weaken after dark as it moves east of I-81.
Last year, we concluded that Microsofts only competitive advantage in the deal that saw Cortana coming to Alexa, and vice versa, was Skype. Now, Microsoft has said that it will offer Skype to Alexa devices, too.

Later this year, according to Microsoft, Alexa-powered devices will be able to tap into Skype to place Skype audio and video calls to other devices, accept calls, and even place calls via Skype to landline and cellular phones. (As an example, youll be able to say Alexa, call Steve on Skype, or say Alexa, answer when an incoming call comes in.)

Microsoft called this the next step in the collaboration between the two companies, which included the original partnership, as well as the first implementations of the Cortana skill on Alexa devices, and the ability to use Alexa on Windows in August. Alexa can now be used on the Xbox, as well.

What this means: Skype was perhaps the only remaining competitive advantage for Cortana, if you considered its relationship with Alexa an adversarial one. That doesnt appear to be the case any more, however, as Alexa and Cortana have formed a lasting relationship. It's worth noting that Amazon's Alexa-powered devices could already use Alexa Calling to place calls to cellular phones and landlines in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; Skype, however, is virtually worldwide. If you're just hanging out in your living room and want to place a Skype call to the "old country," this new partnership will allow you to do that.
Audi unveiled the E-Tron, an all-electric crossover that's due to hit showrooms later this year, during a big bash in Tesla's backyard on September 17.

After years of all-electric concepts and short fires, the German luxury brands have finally launched product to compete with the American electric vehicle maker. Mercedes-Benz revealed its own electric crossover earlier this month, the EQC, and BMW showed off another Tesla-fighting concept model on Sunday.

Though headlines deem every new electric offering a "Tesla Killer" and automakers around the world have been coveting Tesla's stock valuation and clean-car reputation for years, the series of events shows Elon Musk's company is on the verge of seeing more serious competition from the leaders in automotive luxury.

Audi's first fully electric auto will be made in Brussels and will arrive in the U.S. during the second quarter of 2019, the company said in an emailed statement. The five-seater starts at $74,800 and will qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit. Tesla's electric vehicle credit will get cut in half in the first half of 2019. Like Tesla, Audi is taking $1,000 reservations for deliveries expected in mid-2019.

Audi unveiled the E-Tron at the site of an old Ford plant in Richmond, California, across the bay from San Francisco and roughly 35 miles north of Tesla's sole auto assembly plant in Fremont.

"Audi is going electric and this is our our first major step," Scott Keogh, president of Audi of America, said in an interview Monday before the unveiling. "We feel we have an extremely compelling product."

Audi chose the San Francisco area for the E-Tron's global debut for several reasons: California is the biggest luxury auto market, the tech industry is prominent, and Governor Jerry Brown just hosted a Global Climate Action Summit.

"California is a big, impactful market," Keogh said. "Electrification, the tech industry, the ecosystem is all here. It's the right place to do it."

E-Tron seats five and is loaded with cutting-edge technology, some of which may or may not make it past U.S. regulators. The interior will feature dual touch screens instead of buttons, and Audi's excellent MMI multimedia system will integrate with Amazon Alexa. Instead of side mirrors, the concept and press photos show cameras, which are narrow and more aerodynamic than mirrors. The rearview projection of those cameras appear on seven-inch touch screen monitors inside the door above the handle. But it's not legal in the U.S.

The all-wheel-drive E-Tron, whose anticipated range in the U.S. is expected to be about 225 miles per charge, offers an opportunity for a fresh start at Audi if the model proves popular with customers. It's two electric motors are powered by a 95 kWh battery pack, which accelerate the crossover to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds with a top speed of 124 mph, according to Audi. It has Level 1 standard charging from a typical garage outlet through Level 3 fast-charging, which can charge up to 80 percent in 30 minutes, an industry average.

The marque plans to add two more battery-powered vehicles by 2020. While the E-Tron is largely based on standalone technology, VW is pushing for deeper cooperation with sister brand Porsche, especially in the area of electric-car development, to share costs.

Audi said it plans to introduce a total of 12 fully electric vehicles in its main markets by 2025. By then, these models and Audi's hybrids will account for about a third of global deliveries, according to a statement. Audi has about 300 dealers in the U.S.

"Dealers were the target audience of this event," said Chelsea Sexton, an electric vehicle marketing consultant, at the show. "The idea is to get Audi dealers enthusiastic about the product."

The E-Tron crossover will be flanked by a Sportback variant next year, followed by a slew of other vehicles covering all major segments from compact vehicles to upscale limousines. A new design concept, the E-Tron GT, is slated to be unveiled at the Los Angeles auto show in November.

Despite Audi's ambitions  and those of Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and others  Tesla faces little direct competition before 2020, Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein Co., wrote in a report Monday.

Luxury electric vehicles entering the market now are mostly priced like Tesla's Model S sedan and Model X crossover. But Musk's auto business is increasingly moving toward the mass-luxury market, first with its smaller Model 3 sedan and eventually with the Model Y crossover.

With General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Bolt lacking a luxury nameplate, the Model 3's first true rival will be the Polestar 2 sedan that Volvo Cars is planning for 2020, Sacconaghi said in a note to clients.

"Let's make this clear: There is no actual flood of competition coming," he said.

While the next couple of years may be less of a fight than Tesla bears anticipate, Audi as a brand represents a legitimate foe, according to Musk's past statements. In 2012, he dismissed comparisons to Nissan Motor Co.'s Leaf, an inexpensive electric model intended to sell in the hundreds of thousands.

"When somebody is looking at buying a Model S, they're considering that against something like an Audi A6 or A8, or against a Porsche Panamera or who knows, BMW 5 Series, 7 Series," Musk said on a conference call. "That really tends to be the basis of comparison."

Chicago Tribune autos editor Robert Duffer contributed.
Some speakers are criticized for their overt personality, for exaggerated (or undernourished) tonal characteristics that can misrepresent the music. But its hard to imagine anyone taking Q Acoustics to task for what theyve wrought with the personable 3020i bookshelf speakers. These speakers' special distinction is a focus on soundstage optimization and unwavering clarity that serves almost every musical master exceedingly well, from classical to folk, rock to hip hop to jazz.

These speakers will send you running for your favorite recordings, so you can hear what nuances will be revealed. They imbue studio performances with such presence, depth, and bounce as to create a sort of sonic hologram that pinpoints musicians spatial placement in the mix, not just in the horizontal plane but also forward and aft, high and low. And it all comes from an attractive package that positively oozes quality at an almost unbelievably low price: Just $299. For the pair.

The 12-year-old Q Acoustics design team is largely comprised of alumni from a host of august home audio brands, including KEF, Meridian, Mission, and Tannoy. The companys pinch-me pricing is achieved by manufacturing its speakers in China and selling them direct, at QAcoustics.com and via online storefronts at Amazon, Jet, Reverb, eBay, and Walmart.

Q Acoustics The 3020i is the second up model in a full range of 3000i-series speakers. You can mix and match them for multiple rooms and multi-channel home theater installations.

The 3020i are in the middle of a range of speakers consisting of the smaller 3010i speakers at one end and the 3050i floor-standers at the other. If youre looking to build out a 5.1-channel system for your home theater, Q Acoustics also offers the 3060S subwoofer and the 3090Ci center channel.

On their own, however, a pair of Q-Acoustics 3020is fabulous for both music and TV/film presentations, especially in a small to mid-sized room. Honestly, these two-way, rear-ported speakers could easily pass for floor-standers. On the cinematic front, they swept me away with precisely calibrated dialog, dynamic in-motion sound effects, and robust scoring.

Test equipment and selections

My test equipment included a Sonos Connect:Amp and a Oppo BDP-103 Universal Blu-ray CD//SACD/DVD-A steaming video player player. With 55 watts per channel, the Sonos falls smack dab in the middle of the recommended power range (25 to 75 watts) for the moderately sensitive (88dB) 3020is. Sufficient to crank the speakers to a Spinal Tap-ish eleven with most content in my family room, though really sounding at their best at the middle of the amps range.

Q Acoustics Yes, these are bookshelf speakers, but they beg for placement on stands so you can set them a little further from the wall behind them.

These ears also obsessed over made-abroad musical content, from Stings arresting Live in Berlin, videoed in concert with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra on Deutsche Grammophone/UMG Blu-ray disc, to the newly unearthed (by Columbia Legacy) 1960 Euro concert sessions of Miles Davis and John Coltrane (The Final Tour  The Bootleg Series Volume 6). Yes, the quintet romps through the likes of Bye Bye Blackbird, On Green Dolphin Street, and All Blues in pristine monaural. And everything is firmly phantom-centered on the Q Acoustics; yet, theres a sense of staggered depth and room ambience in the playback that sounds 3D-ish!

I also streamed the new self-titled set by Cuban mambo jazz band Orquesta Akokan (on the Daptone label.) The 3020i charmingly celebrate both the quaint, brassy sound of the ensemble, and the fabled, resonant qualities of the wood-paneled Areito studios at EGREM, the state-owned music complex in Havana where Buena Vista Social Club also recorded.

Our test speakers also showed their mettle with the just-out ECM classical oddball Tangere performed by Alexei Lubimov. Covering works by the lesser known C.P.E. Bach, the Russian keyboardist is playing the now obscure tangent piano, a hybrid invention of the 1700s that is evocative at turns of harpsichord, clavichord, and hammer dulcimer. With the 3020i put to the task, that eccentric, quirky nature is apparent and intriguing. Youll never confuse the sonic portrayal as just another small piano.

Q Acoustics While deeper than the average bookshelf speaker, the recessed, banana plug-friendly binding posts on the 3020i reduce the space needed behind the cabinets.

Set-up essentials

To coax tight and accurate sound out of small boxes with extended bass response, Q Acoustics engineers built the 3020i with a 25-percent larger cabinet than was deployed in the earlier 3020 (without the i). The cabinets grew in depth especiallyto 10.9 inchesso theyre nearly as deep as they are high (11.1 inches), a fortuitous formula for boosting dynamics. While no wider (6.7 inches) than average bookshelf speakers, you might find these too deep for shelf placement, even with their deeply recessed binding posts.

If you do intend to place them on a bookshelf against a wall, youll likely want to insert the included foam bungs into their rear reflex ports, to subdue exaggerated bass. A better placement would be on stands, a few feet away from the wall, preferably at ear level (when seated, that is).

Clean, curved-corner unibody construction (there are no visible seams or indents) and robust internal stiffening are key to the 3020is sonic refinement. These design elements aim to eliminate unwanted vibration and coloration and fine-tune signal delivery. Q Acoustics applies its trademarked P2P (point-to-point) bracing technology here to tighten up areas of the MDF-constructed box that suffer the most strain, such as the corners and the front baffle that supports the tweeter and low-frequency/mid-range driver.

Q Acoustics Have it your way: magnetically-attached cloth covers lend a discrete look to the Q-Acoustics 3020i, while taking the covers off provides a flashier tech fashion statement and airier sound.

Q Acoustics is equally proud of its proprietary, coloration-free drivers, of course, which collectively achieve a frequency response of 64Hz to 30kHz (+3 dB, -6dB.) The 5-inch low/midrange units utilize an extra sturdy Aramid fiber material for the cone, coated with an acoustically neutral material (mostly to prevent damage in humid climates). The cone is surrounded with low-lag rubber for accurate movement. The 0.9 inch soft dome tweeter is polyester microfiber with a polypropylene surround that decouples it from the baffle.

I prefer the look of these speakers (available in vinyl-laminated Graphite Grey, English Walnut, Carbon Black, or Arctic White finishes) with their magnetized black cloth grills in place. With grills off, your eyes are drawn to the semi-shiny bling of metal trim rings surrounding the woofers and tweeters, a look that shouts boom box to me. But I found it essential to take the grills off for my listening tests. It was the only way realize the full holographic effects these magic makers can create, and to eliminate any trace amounts of signal blunting and distortion. This was particularly noticeable while listening to Sting and the symphony vamp like mad on Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. The issue here is that the artist introduces a bit of intentional microphone distortion to thicken his vocals. That extra grit is bearable with the grills off, but it sounds more like nasty sputtering with them on.

I also found the need to futz with the Sonos amps EQ controls with the grills on, making adjustments when revisiting familiar album pleasures such as bassist Rob Wassermans sonically immaculate Duets, with collaborators like Aaron Neville, Rickie Lee Jones, and Jennifer Warnes (also available in Wassermans Trilogy collection); the newly remixed (by Bob Clearmountain) 50th anniversary edition of Music from Big Pink (The Band); and when jumping into Stevie Wonders masterwork Songs in the Key of Life in 24 bit/96KHz fashion on Pure Audio Blu-ray.

It was a totally different story with the grills off. I could then leave all settings flat and just flip on the Sonos amps Loudness setting to let the 3020i frolic: bold, free, and happy. Me, too.

Editors' note: This story was updated shortly after publication to correct the reference to the Ultra HD Blu-ray player that was used during the evaluation.
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Michelle Cirocco is head of global marketing for Televerde, a company focusing on business-to-business demand generation and inside sales solutions.

Televerde staffs a portion of its contact centers with incarcerated women, providing them with training and helping them find career opportunities after their release.

In this exclusive interview, Cirocco explains how everyone wins when a company provides employees with the opportunity to turn their lives around.

Televerde Head of Global MarketingMichelle Cirocco

TechNewsWorld: What is Televerdes mission?

Michelle Cirocco:

Televerde is the global leader in market insight. Our mission is to provide opportunities for our clients to grow their businesses and achieve their personal best.

Were a B2B sales and marketing agency, and we generate demand and accelerate sales for our clients. Our clients are the largest technology companies in the world, as well as startup, high-tech, high-growth companies. Ninety-eight percent of our customers are in the high-tech space.

Were a true extension of our clients sales and marketing organizations, and were consistently delivering measurable value for our customers.

Our company was founded with the idea of providing job opportunities for women in corrections. Our CEO came with a technical background, and when he came to Televerde, he found the answer to what sales, marketing and technology companies needed.

Sales reps needed good-quality leads, and he believed he could teach women in corrections all the skills they needed to enter the technical sales field. He built the business on this idea of providing job opportunities.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Weve had over 1,700 women work for us inside correctional facilities in Arizona and Indiana, and weve expanded the business outside of corrections to provide jobs when theyre released and want to build real careers.

TNW: Could you describe the trajectory of your career. How did you get where you are today?

Cirocco:

My real business career started with Televerde, and Ive been with the company for almost 20 years. When you have the opportunity to work with a company with such an amazing social purpose, it makes it easy to fall in love and be committed to the mission of the company.

Thats also part of what the company is about  investing in individuals and helping to achieve their personal best. I started in an entry-level position in project management and account management, and my career has been a procession of increasing responsibility within the company, from sales to sales operations to marketing.

As my responsibilities increased, so did my education. When I started, I had an associates degree, and then I got my bachelors in marketing and finally an MBA. Its been a commitment to lifelong learning.

TNW: Why do you have a passion for what you do?

Cirocco:

I have a passion for what Televerde does. When you have the opportunity to work with people to recreate themselves and build a meaningful career for themselves and their families, and you get to watch and help that happen, its very rewarding.

It enables me to have my arms around the brand and, promoting Televerde so that it becomes a bigger organization that can provide more jobs and more opportunities for women. The bigger this company gets, the more women and families we can help.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

TNW: What does it mean to use technology to accentuate the human connection? And why is it important?

Cirocco:

The thing about technology is that were a human-touch organization. Were people people. Everybodys using technologies like artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, marketing automation tools, search engine marketing and lead analytics tools.

Were using all these tools and technologies to identify who we should communicate with, and we use them to set the stage for our marketing and demand-generation efforts, and to get our names or clients names in front of their prospects.

Ultimately, though, our real goal is to build relationships. At the end of the day, people buy from people. Technology is a tool for us to enable trust and build relationships.

TNW: What kind of work do the women do?

Cirocco:

A large portion of the work involves contact centers, lead development and inside sales. But we have people in a wide variety of roles outside of those, including project management, technical reporting, IT work and QA testing.

We have women certified in marketing automation tools who are designing and setting up our marketing automation campaigns. We have folks in our finance department doing financial reporting and analysis. I have my marketing and communications team thats responsible for writing content and graphic design.

Our own inside sales and sales development is also a job opportunity for women. They all have career paths at our corporate office when they get out, and many have career paths to go work for our clients.

TNW: Why do you think its a good idea to work with people in correctional facilities?

Cirocco:

Theyre a highly motivated, committed workforce. Theyre women who went left when they should have gone right, and theyre at the lowest point in their lives. Every single one wants to have a better life.

Theyre all willing to work hard at whatever will enable them to have a better life, to get their children and families back. Its a workforce of people who are in love with their jobs. These are people who truly love what theyre doing, because they have the time and focus and ability to commit to it.

Theyre in an environment that encourages them to be naturally supportive of each other to be more successful. Because of this environment, we have the highest-quality call centers in the world. Our clients buy from us because were the best at what we do, and thats because we have a phenomenal workforce.

TNW: Is Televerdes mission being adopted by other companies?

Cirocco:

Most states have correctional industries responsible for jobs within the community or within the government, providing work opportunities for inmates. While people are incarcerated, theyre required to have a job, unless theyre medically exempted.

Many companies are using this kind of workforce, but were one of the biggest employers. Were also one of the few employers developing knowledge workers.

Most correction industry job opportunities tend to be vocational and blue collar, but our employees are truly knowledge workers, in fields like sales and technology. We offer more than just job opportunities. These are career opportunities.
In context: Back in May, several studios started targeting movie-pirating sites and services. Dallas Buyers Club, Cobbler Nevada, Bodyguard Productions, and several other copyright owners filed a lawsuit against ShowBox, a movie-streaming app for mobile devices.

The companies tried pressuring CDN and DDoS protection provider Cloudflare into releasing information on the operators of some of these platforms. However, Cloudflare told them if they wanted such information they would have to get it the right way  through legal action.

The plaintiffs did just that. A subpoena was issued in the case from a federal court in Hawaii. The documents were not made public, but TorrentFreak was able to obtain a portion of the subpoena from a source.

The court order demands the details of the operators behind the Showboxbuzz website, Showbox.software, website Rawapk, Popcorn Time, and others. Cloudflare has not filed a motion to quash, so it appears likely that the company will hand over the requested data.

TorrentFreak notes that other than ShowBox, the targets listed in the subpoena are not named in the original lawsuit from May. It surmises that these sites and services might have links to the defendants in the legal action.

Even if Cloudflare turns over identifying information to the courts, it is highly likely that it will be of little use. Most pirate site operators go to great lengths to mask their identities. Rarely does one information request result in a direct link to the real operator.

In fact, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, Cobbler Nevada LLC, had a lawsuit shot down twice (once in appeals court) back in August because the judge ruled that an IP address was not sufficient enough information to establish identity.

It is also worth mentioning that Cobbler and other plaintiffs in the lawsuit are known copyright trolls.

Image via TorrentFreak
Top trolling As is usually the case with the launch of a new iPhone, Apple stores around the globe are seeing lines of people waiting to get their hands on a device. Taking advantage of the waiting masses at Singapores store was Huawei, which managed to promote some of its products while trolling Apple.

As reported by CNET, Huawei arrived at the Singapore outlet at 11 pm local time the night before the store started selling the new iPhones. The Chinese firm handed out its power banks to the waiting customers, which it said was to "offer respite from the weather and grueling wait."

While giving away 10,000mAh power banks might seem like an altruistic gesture on Huaweis partdefinitely something people standing outside for hours would appreciateit appears that the firms main goal was taking a dig at Apple. Printed on the packaging of these devices were the words: Heres a power bank. Youll need it. Courtesy of Huawei.

Huawei has been promoting its triple-camera P20 Pro recently. Not only is the handset one of the best phones you can buy right now, but its also several hundred dollars cheaper than Apples pricey iPhone XS and XS Max. One of the most praised features of the P20 Pro is its 4,000 mAh battery unit, which has been described as offering Epic all-day battery life.

August saw two separate industry analysts reveal that Huawei had replaced Apple as the worlds second-largest smartphone vendor. Well soon find out if the latest iPhones have helped Apple reclaim the spot.

In other iPhone launch-related news, UK-owned company Deliveroo was taking orders and delivering food to those waiting outside Apples stores in locations around the world, ensuring that no hungry customers lost their place. The option was available in 12 countries, but the US wasnt one of them.
Why it matters: As the leading search engine serving billions of users, Google employees wanted to intentionally implement bias into search results pages. Instead of returning the most relevant results ignoring personal opinions, Googlers wanted results matching their own political views to be shown which would completely destroy the integrity of Google Search.

Search engines are critical tools of the internet that make it possible to discover new content. Although social media now plays a larger part in content discovery, search engines are still responsible for an astoundingly large amount of web traffic. Google is often the "go to" search engine and keeps a tight lid on how exactly its ranking algorithms work in the name of preventing manipulation.

Google has very good reasons as to why its internal ranking system is not explained to the public, but this lack of transparency also has other implications. As a company with vast influence across the entire planet, Google's search results can quickly change public perception of events. As discovered by the Wall Street Journal, Google employees were found to be discussing how to intentionally manipulate search results to counter President Donald Trump's travel ban.

Following executive orders to restrict immigration from certain countries, emails between Google employees show discussion on how to best oppose the plan. In a brainstorming chain of emails, words such as Islam, Iran, Muslim, Mexico, Hispanic, Latino, and others were suggested to trigger ads for groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and display other resources opposing the travel ban.

Internal communications do contain warnings about participating in politically motivated activities and that there is an expectation of neutrality, but these cautionary notes did not put an end to the conversation. One Googler writes, "I know this would require a full on sprint to make happen, but I think this is the sort of super timely and imperative information that we need as we know that this country, and Google, would not exist without immigration."

Although Google is adamant that none of these ideas were ever implemented, it does raise some questions as to why Google would not put a stop to any such discussions immediately to protect their reputation from being dragged through the mud. Despite the fact that there is no known wrongdoing, Google has come extremely close to abusing its platform.
True Detective director Cary Joji Fukunaga is confirmed to helm the 25th James Bond movie. It will be shown in theaters in February 2020.

The announcement was made by the Bond series producers via Twitter on Sept. 20. The newest Bond film will start filming in March next year under London's Pinewood Studios.

"Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and Daniel Craig announced today that Bond 25 will begin filming at Pinewood Studios on 4 March 2019 under the helm of director, Cary Joji Fukunaga with a worldwide release date of 14 February 2020," reads the statement.

Cary Joji Fukunaga's Directorial Career

Fukunaga has cemented his reputation as an acclaimed director in his works such as Jane Eyre, Sin Nombre, and Netflix's Maniac, a dark comedy focused on the pharmaceutical industry starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone. He also directed Beasts of No Nation, starring Oscar-winning actor Idris Elba, wherein he also served as the producer, writer, and cinematographer.

He will be the first-ever American to direct an 007 movie. Other Bond directors were mostly British, including Lewis Gilbert, Sam Mendes, and John Glen. Additionally, the 41-year-old director has won TV BAFTA and Emmy awards for directing the first season of True Detective.

He has taken over the spot of Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting director Danny Boyle who left his post last month because of creative differences. Rumors suggest that the director did not push through with the job after he had disagreed with Craig and its executive producer over casting Tomasz Kot as the film's antihero.

Furthermore, Said Taghmaoui also claimed that he was cast by Boyle to portray the villain. Currently, it is unclear whether or not Taghmaoui or Kot will be involved in Fukunaga's project.

Notably, when Boyle was announced to be responsible for the film, EON Productions said that it would start filming in Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire in December.

"We are delighted to be working with Cary. His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure," stated Broccoli and Wilson.

Last James Bond Film With Daniel Craig

The upcoming film is set to be the last movie where Daniel Craig will portray the charismatic agent. So far, Craig has appeared in four Bond films including Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre.

The actor previously said that he would prefer to slash his wrists rather than play Bond again. However, he defended himself by saying that he said the statement only two days after he had finished shooting for Spectre.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Phi Delta Theta house on LSU's campus has undergone a religious conversion.

According to the Clarion Herald, a Catholic-focused newspaper in New Orleans, the frat house where Max Gruver was hazed to death is now being leased to the on-campus church, Christ the King, and is home to nine Catholic students.

The report said Christ the King's the Rev. Andrew Merrick approached the fraternity's national leadership after Gruver's death, asking if it'd consider leasing the house to the church. After initially saying it had no plans to sublease the house, the office called Merrick back and asked if he was still interested.

Phi Delta Theta has been banned from campus until at least 2033. Christ the King's church is located about three blocks away from the house.

After some light renovations and investment by the church, the frat house became known as the John Paul II house and opened in August.

+3 Ex-LSU student shot frat pledges with airsoft gun before hazing death, prosecutors say A former LSU student accused in last September's alcohol-related death of Max Gruver was rebuked by fellow fraternity members for shooting ple

There, six students from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, two from the Baton Rouge Diocese and one from the Shreveport Diocese reportedly have dinner together, study scripture and pray, among other group activities. A bedroom is being turned into a chapel.

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I kind of like the idea of having really good, authentic Catholic guys in the house and really striving to be like holy men, especially in college, Huy Tran, 22, an accounting major from Metairie who attended Haynes Academy, told the Clarion Herald.

In the first month of classes last year, Gruver, a freshman, died in a hazing incident while he was pledging the fraternity.

+6 Two former LSU students plead no contest in hazing death of Max Gruver Two former LSU students pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor hazing in the alcohol-related death of freshman fraternity pledge Max Gruve

Gruver's blood alcohol level registered at 0.495, more than six times the legal limit to drive in Louisiana. Coroners officials said his death could be attributed to alcohol poisoning and also aspiration, meaning he suffocated on his own vomit.

Police said the night before he died he was playing an initiation game called Bible study where he was forced to chug alcohol every time he answered questions incorrectly about his fraternitys history.

Click here to read the full Clarion Herald story.
We Americans love boozy coffee too  increasingly, it seems. Not since the Dude in The Big Lebowskis obsession with White Russians have we seen so many delicious coffee cocktails on offer. Perhaps its the cold brew craze, or maybe folks just realize a little caffeine buzz complements an alcohol buzz in a delightful way. Here are some coffee cocktails to imbibe in Chicago, both bitter and sweet, hot and cold.
A leading addiction medicine expert says doctors are still prescribing too many opioids, and that those in the medical community should taper down doses and create deprescribing clinics.

Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, said that in Louisiana, 91 opioid prescriptions are written per 100 people, which is above the 2016 national average of 66 prescriptions per 100 people. She emphasized, though, that communities nationwide are grappling with the crisis and said doctors are under too much pressure to please patients rather than to practice medicine in the best way.

Patients need to be able to walk into any emergency room, maternity ward, doctors office, and say, I have addiction, can you help me? and get the care they need, said Lembke, who penned the book Drug Dealer, MD: How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why Its So Hard to Stop.

Speaking before a crowd of more than 100 Thursday at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Lembke said she advocates decreasing opioid doses for patients who are in pain and not necessarily addicted. But, she said, health care providers often make the mistake of cutting doses too quickly. She explained that the resurgence of pain when someone starts taking lower opioid dosages is linked to the withdrawal that a patient feels because they crave the drug.

And she encouraged doctors to slowly taper down the drugs.

She also focused on the way perceptions of pain have changed over time. While medical attitudes used to be akin to the idea that what doesnt kill you makes you stronger, the cultural narrative today is that any form of pain is dangerous, Lembke said.

She said, though, that doctors need to encourage patients to find other ways to manage their pain without necessarily taking medicine for it.

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We have to create life worth living for people, we have to think of creative ways to promote human flourishing so that the opioid is not the best option for them, Lembke said.

+14 Baton Rouge grandmother becomes one of many newfound guardians amid state, national opioid crisis Avas blonde hair sticks straight up in the air after she whizzes down her favorite slide at the playground.

After Lembkes discussion, which was sponsored by the Baton Rouge Health District, she joined a question-and-answer panel with six other members of Baton Rouges health care community who represented hospitals, research centers and insurance providers.

One issue was whether Baton Rouge health care providers are set up to link people into medication-assisted treatment that helps addicts temper their desire for drugs like heroin by using Suboxone and Subutex instead. Lembke described herself as a proponent of those sorts of treatments, calling them an absolute lifesaver for those who are severely addicted.

But Amy Giarrusso, who represented Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center on the panel, said they struggle to connect people from inpatient treatment to medication-assisted treatment once they leave the hospital.

We dont have that bridge, Giarrusso said.

Jan Kasofsky, executive director of Capital Area Human Services, said she hopes her agency can help to be part of that link. And John Spain, executive vice president of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, encouraged the health care providers to support a longtime BRAF priority of building a mental health center and crisis stabilization center. Baton Rouge voters will weigh a property tax on Dec. 8 for that measure.
ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge facilities are being under-assessed by several hundred million dollars, the parish's parks and recreation system claims, an omission that it said is set to cost local agencies nearly $5 million in tax revenue.

BREC is requesting that roughly $338 million be added to the collective fair market value of Exxon's refinery, chemical plant, plastics plant and polyolefins plant.

If the property assessment is left as is, East Baton Rouge Parish taxing authorities stand to lose nearly $5 million next year, according to a nine-page appeal filed by BREC.

+4 East Baton Rouge School Board prepares to vote on multi-million dollar tax break for Exxon Mobil The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted unanimously Thursday to grant a multi-million-dollar property tax break to ExxonMobil on a pote

In a statement, BREC Superintendent Carolyn McKnight said the department "received notice" that about $338 million in property value was not included in the tax assessor's rolls. Because the impact to BREC would be "significant," totaling more than $700,000, McKnight said the agency decided to look into it and found it was backed up by information from the tax assessor, tax commission, owner of the property, state statues and other information.

"As responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, we are simply making sure we receive what is legally due to the community which allows us to serve them in a manner that we would not be able to do without this funding," McKnight said. "We hope to gain a clearer understanding of how the properties are assessed if it is outside of the process outlined in state statues or by other public agencies such as the Legislative Auditor.

BREC's Board of Commissioners did not vote on the appeal, but was informed of it at a meeting Wednesday.

Exxon said aside from original cost and state-issued depreciation tables, "our property values can be influenced by a multitude of factors," including plant design, location, functionality and others. The firm also said BREC "has not made ExxonMobil aware of any concerns" about the assessed value of its properties.

BREC's appeal goes to the board of review, which in East Baton Rouge Parish is the Metro Council. Agencies that lose appeals before that board can appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission and then the court system.

East Baton Rouge Tax Assessor Brian Wilson said he's "not sure whether those numbers are correct," but added he would continue to look at the assessments.

The community organizing group Together Baton Rouge and a coalition of educators first raised questions about the assessed value of ExxonMobil's properties earlier this month. The group wrote in a letter to Wilson that Exxon made several hundred million dollars worth of capital additions last year, and should have seen increased property value from expiring exemptions granted 11 years ago.

ExxonMobil under-assessed on property taxes in Baton Rouge, group says A group of teachers and community activists have asked the East Baton Rouge Parish assessor to add several hundred million dollars worth of ca

Instead, Wilson's assessment saw Exxon's property value drop from $1.45 billion in 2017 to $1.39 billion in 2018 for its four facilities in the city.

BREC's appeal also comes as Exxon is seeking an Industrial Tax Exemption for a potential expansion of its polyolefins plant worth north of half-a-billion dollars. That potential expansion is not part of BREC's appeal.

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Wilson previously said the firm's capital investments ended up being lower than announced. Exxon said it made $340 million in additions to its property last year, but this month confirmed it only ended up spending $269 million on additions.

Much of that is eligible for the state's Industrial Tax Exemption Program, a decades-old tax break for manufacturers that has been at the center of a prolonged battle between industry and critics, like Together Baton Rouge.

Wilson, who consulted Louisiana Economic Development on the issue, told Exxon not to declare the portion of its investment that was eligible for ITEP as taxable, even though the ITEP applications have not been granted. LED argues the property should not be counted in the interim because the company could become ineligible for the ITEP exemption if it declared it prematurely.

Wilson said if Exxon's request for exemptions are voted down, he would go back and add more property to the tax rolls.

BREC is arguing Exxon should declare that property because it does not have an exemption in place.

But the parks department also said that doesn't explain why Exxon's property value decreased by so much in 2018.

BREC said in its appeal that a collective $216.7 million is "omitted and unexplained."

Domoine Rutledge, general counsel for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, said he spoke directly with Wilson and representatives from ExxonMobil over the past week, asking them to address the criticisms of Together Baton Rouge. He said both parties vouched for the accuracy of Exxon's 2018 property assessment. Rutledge said he shared that information with board members.

He added that school leaders have no problem with BREC seeking more clarity on how the assessments were derived.

Were certainly interested to see and monitor what happens as the process goes forward, he said, adding hes looking in particular for anything the assessor says that varies with what Wllson told him previously.

When asked this week specifically why its year-over-year depreciation rate appears to be so high, even when accounting for the non-declared property eligible for ITEP, Exxon said in a statement: "There are numerous property specific characteristics that must be considered in rendering an accurate market value on complex properties."

"With a facility that is nearly 110 years old containing thousands of taxable pieces of equipment, estimating fair market value is complex," Exxon spokeswoman Megan Manchester said in an email. "In addition to M&E, our 1200+ accounts are comprised of land/outlots, inventories, computers, buildings, vehicles, railcars, and other assets that make up our overall tax liability."

Exxon said since 2011, the firm's yearly property tax payments to East Baton Rouge Parish have increased from roughly $29 million to $32 million. It also said things like plant design, location, functionality, utilization rates and market conditions can impact taxable value.

The company did not say specifically why its assessed value decreased by the amount it did this year.
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After the press conference, EBRSO Major Todd Morris, center, smiles along with EBR Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, right, and District Attorney Hillar Moore III, left. More than seven years after Sylviane Finck Lozada, a Brusly High School teacher disappeared, her husband Oscar A. Lozada has been arrested in her death and her daughter, Angelina Lozada, now 12 years old, has returned safely to Louisiana. East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said Oscar A. Lozada, 43, was arrested Thursday in Texas after Mexican authorities helped bring him to the border on a second-degree murder warrant Friday Sept. 14, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. Mexican authorities also took custody of couple's daughter, Angelina, this past week, and returned her to U.S. officials. She is now in the care of a foster family in Baton Rouge.
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Short-term rentals would be limited to residential properties with an owner or permanent resident on site, and multi-unit buildings in business districts would be prohibited from turning more than 25 percent of those units into short-term rentals  those are some of the recommendations from the New Orleans City Planning Commission staff, which released its extensive 155-page report this week as officials look to revisit its year-old rules governing rentals on platforms like Airbnb.

As City Hall prepares for more public hearings before the City Council considers adopting new rules, residents and short-term rental operators and critics are hoping to shape new legislation, in the hopes of avoiding the failures and unintended consequences of the current and more permissive short-term rental laws.

Proposed New Orleans short-term rental rules would cap commercial units, require on-site occupant New Orleans should limit short-term rentals to residential properties with a permanent occupant and should prohibit most multiple-unit propert

Resident group the Short-Term Rental Committee held a public forum Sept. 20 to review the CPC recommendations, as well as the fallouts and impacts to neighborhoods and the citys housing stock under the current rules.

Residents pointed to the dominance of whole-home rentals in residential areas, single operators with multiple properties, the displacement of renters (and potential voting power), and insignificant contributions from STRs into the citys affordable housing funds.

The city is not making back what we were promised, said Allen Johnson, president of the Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association.

The CPCs staff report largely agrees with the criticisms and concerns from housing advocates and residents from the last few years, particularly the impacts from the proliferation of temporary listings.

There currently are three types of STRs under the citys current licensing and permit rules: among them, temporary rentals allow a whole home or apartment to be rented up to 90 days a year, which critics have said effectively takes it off the housing market, rather than act as a way for homeowners to earn some extra cash from renting their home when theyre out of town.

The proliferation of that type of rental, many from companies and developers with multiple listings at other properties, inspired the City Council to place a moratorium on most kinds of whole-home rentals earlier this year until it could draft new rules based on recommendations from the CPC staff report. The CPC staff will present its report Sept. 25.

New Orleans is in the midst of an affordable housing shortage making every housing unit essential, the report says. Therefore, if housing units are being taken off the market for STR use that would otherwise be available to the citys residents or if the proliferation of STRs is causing an increase in sale and rent prices, it is important to ensure the regulations for STRs are considering these factors as well as considering homeowners ability to benefit from the regulations.

Breonne DeDecker, program manager with Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative, pointed to one block of Kerlerec Street in the 7th Ward that at one point had 16 STR permits representing 40 bedrooms, able to house 74 tourists per night. Nine of those permits were held by operators that controlled 34 rentals.

While the CPC staff recommendations are a start, DeDecker says they dont go far enough to address crucial failures of the current rules.

Jane Place helped assemble the Residents for Ethical and Sustainable Tourism proposal, supported by a coalition including Step Up Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, among others, that would simplify the permitting system to allow one permit per person with a homestead exemption, without day limits, as its proved impossible to enforce them, the group argues. It also calls for a stronger data sharing and a shared enforcement model with the ability to delete illegally listed rentals

We think our ordinance will massively simplify the permitting and enforcement process, saving time and resources the city needs, DeDecker told Gambit.

Efforts to revisit New Orleans' STR laws follow similar changes around the U.S. and elsewhere as cities and states begin to rein in proliferation and density of tourist rentals.

Under direction of the City Council, city planners looked at efforts in Austin, Charleston, Nashville and Savannah, where officials "expressed the same concerns regarding illegal listings and the inability to adequately regulate and enforce their regulations when the platforms do not cooperate with city laws," according to the report.

"New Orleans echoes these concerns which is compounded by limited resources to properly enforce the Citys regulations or to adjudicate all of the properties illegally operating or violating current policy."

DeDecker also proposes capping STRs in commercial areas to 15 percent of the building, rather than the CPC staffs 25 percent, and attaching a one-to-one match for adding affordable units, which DeDecker argues the city could lean on to ease affordable housing needs in places like the CBD.

Others also expressed concern about potential issues or loopholes, should the city adopt the CPC staffs proposals.

In a statement to Gambit, Cashuana Hill, director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, agreed the recommendations are a good start, but still include too many loopholes and giveaways that will let speculators exacerbate displacement and segregation in our neighborhoods.

"We're particularly concerned about the give-away of commercial permits on our transit corridors without any requirement for affordable housing and the failure to require Airbnb and other platforms to take down illegal listings."

The CPC staff proposal sort of redraws the types of STRs currently available.

Instead, an owner or permanent resident would have to be present to be able to rent out up to three rooms in their home. Another category mirrors the current accessory rentals, allowing people to rent out one side of a double or similar arrangement with a homestead exemption, provided there arent more than four units on the property.

Commercial rentals would carry a cap of 25 percent or at least one per building, whichever is greater, and would prevent commercial buildings with residential units from renting out space on the first floors, an attempt to preserve ground-level retail or restaurant space. It proposed fewer restrictions for some Canal Street areas to encourage more use of vacant properties on that street.

The staff also proposed a possible fourth type of STR that would allow an owner or permanent resident to rent out their space up to 14 days a year, a special event rental during times of year like Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest. The Short-Term Rental Committee said putting a number on those restrictions already has proved difficult to enforce  people could list 14 days on one platform, and another 14 on another. Without strong enforcement assurance, the committee recommends the city put that proposal on hold.

The proposal also suggests the city open STR permitting to renters, with their landlords permission  but the Short-Term Rental Committee says while it may be a good idea for people other than property owners to participate in the platforms, it could be primed for abuse. STR developers could enlist employees or people to work for the owner.

The committee also wants the CPC to consider density restrictions on STRs by limiting STRs to one STR per block, and it opposes the CPC staffs plan to open up the French Quarter to certain STRs.

STRs currently are banned in the neighborhood, except for some commercial types on a part of Bourbon Street. Residents in other neighborhoods have argued that its unfair no other neighborhoods have similar protections; the CPC staff report, in part, agrees, and suggests lifting the ban would ensure a level playing field and, potentially, ease the demands in the French Quarters neighboring areas like Treme and Faubourg Marigny.

Meg Lousteau with the Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates said the bans success  in that area should be replicated in other neighborhoods, following a market correction that burst inflated home prices and rents in the French Quarter.

The report also recommends higher fees into the Neighborhood Housing Improvement Fund, up from $1 to $8 per booking, and requiring platforms register with the city and obtain an annual license to operate in New Orleans  and collect and remit annual taxes.

STR platform HomeAway, which pitched its own ordinance with input from several community meetings held in August and September, said the CPC staff report is a step in the wrong direction.

"Neighbors and short-term rental stakeholders across the city want fair and effective policies that work  not restrictive and onerous bans, the group said in a statement this week. This plan will only harm New Orleanians who have played by the rules and invested in their community."

Rather than punishing law-abiding short-term rental owners, the CPC and City Council should look to create smart regulations that improve New Orleans communities while ensuring responsible homeowners have an avenue for renting out their whole-home property, the group said.
Reserve released the following statement from CEO Greg Hong: "When the FBI requested data thats in our possession, we provided it. Otherwise, Reserve moved on from the matter many months ago so that we could focus on whats most important to us: serving our restaurant partners the best we can.
For years, aspiring chefs from minority communities in New Orleans have attended culinary school in New York with the support of Chefs Move, a program from the John Besh Foundation.

That foundation now has a new name and new leadership, while its mission remains focused on developing more diversity in the next generation of New Orleans culinary leaders.

The nonprofit is now called the Made in New Orleans Foundation, or the MiNO Foundation. While announcing its new name, the group also introduced its executive director, Lauren Darnell, who has run the organization since May.

The foundation also announced its first public event, a re-birth event scheduled for Oct. 18 in New Orleans that will gather past Chefs Move scholarship recipients and supporters (see details below).

Darnell was previously director of partnerships and programming for Son of a Saint, a local nonprofit serving boys who are growing up without fathers. The New Orleans native is also founder of Yoga Power Play, a wellness program for children.

As the culture of the kitchen and of restaurants is transforming, I am honored to serve and equip others to traverse the challenges, Darnell said in a release.

MiNO will continue the culinary school scholarship program along the same lines as Chefs Move. The foundation pays for tuition for recipients to attend the International Culinary Center in New York, and provides more career support in New Orleans afterward. The goal has been to provide both professional training and different life and career experiences for promising local talent, and helping them grow as future leaders for New Orleans when they return home.

Applications for the next scholarship are slated to open on Jan. 1, 2019.

MiNO has also named goals of developing a program to address barriers to advancement and access to opportunity in the culinary field, and bringing more educational opportunities to New Orleans youth.

Darnell described her vision for MiNO as leading the charge to inclusively provide mentorship, educational opportunities, and consistent support to lead spaces that have historically been exclusive.

We aim to build a local and national network of chefs and chefs of color to mentor and share best practices and to continue to learn, grow, and build community in New Orleans and beyond, she said.

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Like the John Besh Foundation before it, MiNO is incorporated as a separate organization from the restaurant company, now called BRG Hospitality. A representative for the foundation said MiNO will collaborate with BRG Hospitality.

The foundation once administered a similar culinary school scholarship through the Aaron Sanchez Scholarship Fund, named for the celebrity chef and partner in the BGR Hospitality restaurant Johnny Sanchez. That program continues but is now under a separate organization.

The introduction of the Made in New Orleans Foundation is the latest in a raft of changes following sexual harassment allegations leveled against Besh and his company last year.

Besh stepped down from his leadership role in the company and has kept a low profile since. Meanwhile, company CEO Shannon White has been leading the restaurant company. The Besh foundation's former executive director, Caroline Rosen, left that organization last year and is now executive director of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.

The MiNO Foundation plans to hold a series of fundraiser dinners to support its scholarships and programs.

MiNO Foundation re-birth event

When: Oct. 18, 7-10 p.m., patron party at 6 p.m.

Where: Felicity Church, 1220 Felicity St.

Details: Alumni scholarship recipients will cater the main party. Chef Todd Pulsinelli and the forthcoming restaurant Warbucks will cater the patron party.

For tickets ($100; $200 for patron party) and details see minorebirth.eventbrite.com.
The names of Louisiana clergy members with credible accusations of abuse against them may have their names released in the future, according to a report from NOLA.com.

New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond told NOLA.com in an interview Thursday he and other Louisiana bishops are discussing the possibility, but said releasing the names of accused clergy members is "riddled with problems" and "messy," particularly in cases where the abuser is deceased.

Aymond also said he believes transparency is key, and a decision from the state's bishops is expected soon. Louisiana has six dioceses, each headed by a bishop, and one archdiocese, headed by Aymond.

"This has been heart-wrenching, painful," Aymond said to NOLA.com. "I go to bed thinking about it. I wake up thinking about it."

Aymond's announcement comes during a time of turmoil for the Catholic Church, both nationally and in southeast Louisiana. On Wednesday, The Advocate reported on a $450,000 settlement paid by Jesuit High School six years ago to settle an abuse claim made by Ricky Windmann alleging that former janitor Peter Modica sexually abused him in the late 1970s.

That settlement came on the heels of the school's settling of two other sets of abuse claims from the same era. Those involved Donald Dickerson, a Jesuit scholastic, and religious brother Claude Ory.

Jesuit High School President Rev. Christopher Fronk responded to The Advocate's report Thursday, reassuring the Jesuit community at an afternoon staff meeting that "what happened then is very different from what happens now." Fronk also sent a letter via email to alumni and families of the Catholic school Thursday evening.

'Disgusting time in our history': Jesuit leader horrified by 1970s abuse claims, urges vigilance The president of Jesuit High School sought to reassure a shaken Jesuit community Thursday that while he was horrified by the sexual abuse th

Jesuit High School falls within the Archdiocese of New Orleans, but it is run by the Jesuit order, making it unclear which guidelines prevail.

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The local leadership of the Jesuits didn't publicly report the settlements to Jesuit High School students, parents or the broader community. Their guidelines related to addressing abuse cases do not appear to include any notification requirements.

Aymond told NOLA.com he had no knowledge of the incident other than what was reported.

News of the Jesuit High school settlements comes on the heels of an explosive grand jury report from Pennsylvania saying that more than 1,000 children there were molested by hundreds of Catholic priests in six of the state's eight dioceses since the 1940s.

Around the same time, reports of sexual abuse by defrocked Metairie deacon George Brignac, who's been accused by as many as 10 victims, became public after the church recently settled several claims of abuse involving Brignac from the 1970s and 1980s. The church, however, did not alert parishioners until those settlements were reported by The Advocate. Brignac also continued to serve as a lay minister until recently.

Exclusive: At least 10 more victims accuse defrocked N.O. deacon George Brignac of sexual abuse The second-grader dreaded recess at St. Matthew the Apostle School.

Aymond has addressed the widespread claims of abuse by the Catholic church twice in the last month -- once during a homily at St. Louis Cathedral after news of the Pennsylvania grand jury report broke, and again at a special Mass to pray for forgiveness and for the victims of abuse on Aug. 28.

New Orleans archbishop calls sex abuse scandal 'man-made storm,' promises action with apology New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond on Tuesday likened the sexual abuse scandal engulfing the Roman Catholic Church to the "incredible destr

Archbishop Aymond offers 'sincere, heartfelt' apology to victims of Catholic Church abuse in Sunday homily Archdiocese of New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond called for a time of purification in the Catholic Church in his homily delivered Sunday a

Read NOLA.com's full report here.
An audit of the New Orleans City Council's credit-card usage found sloppy bookkeeping and questionable purchases were widespread among council members, but that Mayor LaToya Cantrell's spending habits while she was on the council  the subject of political attacks that prompted the audit and an investigation by the Attorney General's Office  were not out of line with those of her former colleagues.

The report from the state Legislative Auditor's Office notes that the council's policies for credit-card use were problematic when Cantrell served as a member, leading to lax oversight and potentially questionable purchases by council members and their staffs.

However, the auditors determined that "due to the council's lack of policies, procedures and records, it was not possible for us to determine if these expenditures were improper."

The audit covers the period from June 2014 to September 2017, before most of the members of the current council were in office.

The audit is expected to be published on Monday. The New Orleans Advocate obtained a copy ahead of its formal release.

Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera declined to comment on the audit Thursday, saying the office does not discuss its audits before they are released publicly.

The brief report may not lay to rest the controversy and investigation into Cantrell's credit-card use, but the mayor claimed victory in her response, which is included with the report.

"The audit determined that my city credit-card usage was not unlike several other council members and their staff," Cantrell wrote. "I agree with this finding as it supports my assertion from the beginning that my use of the card was consistent with the then-established policies of the City Council."

Cantrell's use of her city credit card became a hot-button issue last year when her opponent in the mayoral runoff, Desiree Charbonnet, alleged that thousands of dollars Cantrell and her staff charged to the card amounted to using public funds for personal expenses.

Charbonnet's campaign zeroed in on large, lump-sum reimbursements Cantrell had made to the city over the years as evidence that improper purchases had been made.

Charbonnet's allegations prompted Attorney General Jeff Landry to take the unusual step of publicly announcing during the campaign that he was launching a criminal investigation into the accusations.

Landry has said he is waiting on the auditor's report before making a decision about the case.

Ruth Wisher, a spokeswoman for Landry, declined to comment on the audit Thursday because it has not yet been publicly released. She also cited a policy against speaking about ongoing investigations.

AG Jeff Landry says probe of LaToya Cantrell ongoing and broader, despite rumors Four days before LaToya Cantrell takes the oath of office as New Orleans' next mayor, state 

The audit does not rule out the possibility of a criminal prosecution, noting that various purchases by council members "may have violated the Louisiana Constitution and state law," a common finding in reports from the Legislative Auditor's Office.

However, audit reports on allegations that auditors expect to be prosecuted as serious crimes typically delve far more deeply into the specifics of those acts than does the credit-card audit.

Instead, the report focuses on the weak oversight in the past of the council's credit-card usage and the frequency with which members ignored policies requiring receipts and documentation showing why a particular purchase was made. That criticism largely tracks The Advocate's analysis at the time, which showed that council offices used their credit cards for a range of expenses, from travel and meals to equipment and furniture, without getting any outside approval.

Overall, the report found that the seven council offices used their credit cards on about $379,000 in purchases over the roughly three-year period. The money from those charges came from each office's yearly $35,000 budget for operating expenses.

The potentially problematic categories of purchases by council members listed in the audit include $6,754 spent on meals that could qualify as parties or celebratory functions, $2,814 spent on floral arrangements, $3,142 on gifts, $140 on gift cards, and money spent on food items.

The report also notes about $36,130 was spent on meals. In their responses, various council members defended those items as either working lunches, meals for staff and themselves during meetings, or food purchased for constituents, community groups or students.

Without specifically naming Cantrell, the report does single out $897 her office spent on Thanksgiving turkeys for the needy, noting that there were no objective criteria to determine who qualified for that giveaway.

The report also notes that council members' use of the cards to purchase tickets, meals and lodging while traveling may have violated city policies if the offices did not fill out authorization forms, document the purpose of their trips or ensure they were receiving the lowest rate.

In responses included in the audit, Councilman Jason Williams and former council members James Gray, Susan Guidry and Nadine Ramsey said they followed or attempted to follow city policies.

A chief line of attack from Charbonnet's camp  that Cantrell's decision to reimburse $9,725 worth of charges amounted to an admission of guilt  is barely mentioned in the report.

All of Cantrell's reimbursements occurred before the campaign and before her credit-card spending was made a public issue, and she has said the repayments were simply an attempt to ensure no public money was spent on personal expenses.

At least some of the problems spotlighted in the new report were addressed by the council in May, at the last meeting Cantrell participated in as a council member. The council at that meeting unanimously passed a policy requiring documentation and receipts for all purchases on city-issued credit cards and setting out a formal policy for reimbursements.
More cases have surfaced involving quietly settled, decades-old sexual abuse claims against the Catholic Church in New Orleans, naming a pair of diocesan priests as well as an educator.

Three separate, unnamed plaintiffs pursued claims against Malcolm Strassel, a priest who served at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in New Orleans; Michael Fraser, a priest assigned to St. Raphael the Archangel Church; and Nolan Delatte, an educator who worked at St. Pius X School, according to documents filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court.

Records show the disputes were resolved in 2009, and the attorney representing the plaintiffs  Felecia Peavy  said Thursday that all of the claims resulted in undisclosed monetary settlements for her clients.

However, despite past pledges to be open and transparent following the sexual abuse scandal that devastated the Catholic Church in 2002, the Archdiocese of New Orleans did not notify local Catholics of the claims against Strassel or Delatte, which date back decades but which Peavy said were deemed to be credible.

Archdiocese attorney Wendy Vitter said Thursday that the administration, led at the time by Archbishop Alfred Hughes, did not notify the public of the claims against Strassel and Delatte because both had died by then and the allegations dated back to the 1960s and 1970s.

As for Fraser, Vitter said, the archdiocese had publicized its decision to remove him from ministry years earlier after he faced unrelated allegations of sexual abuse involving a parish in Pearl River.

Vitter said Hughes later also notified congregants at St. Raphael of the allegations involving their parish. It wasn't immediately clear whether that was before or after the disposal of the case. It doesn't appear the St. Raphael claims were reported in the news media before Thursday.

Local archdiocesan officials in the past have been loathe to draw attention to sexual abuse claims against clerics who are dead or out of ministry, saying that they are no longer considered to be threats.

But groups such as SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, have long criticized that policy, saying the wide disclosure of allegations typically results in more victims stepping forward who could benefit from therapeutic and spiritual counseling.

Longtime Times-Picayune religion reporter Bruce Nolan, who spent years covering SNAP and the Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis, said the church's notification practices do not always seem to comply with what was intended by nearly 300 American bishops who met in Dallas in the early 2000s to draft a charter aimed at shielding children from abuse and rooting out cover-ups of predatory clergy.

The whole ethic of agreeing to be more public is to signal to people that its now safe to come forward about whoever it may be  alive or dead, Nolan said of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The Advocate uncovered information about the settlements of claims naming Strassel, Fraser and Delatte because they came out of a civil case that also targeted the Rev. Donald Dickerson, who is now dead.

Dickerson was involved in one of three cases rooted in allegations of sexual abuse at Jesuit High School in the 1970s, when he was a teacher studying to become a priest. Those claims  handled by local officials of the Jesuit order rather than the Archdiocese of New Orleans  all resulted in financial settlements as well.

Multiple people have contacted The Advocate since stories on the newly unveiled cases first appeared, saying they were also sexually abused by the men. Some said they had not yet come forward because they were unsure they would be believed or because they thought they were the only victim.

Echoing comments he made a day earlier to nola.com, Archbishop Gregory Aymond  Hughes successor  told The Advocate on Friday that he and other Louisiana bishops were discussing the possibility of releasing the names of clergy members statewide with credible allegations of abuse against them.

Dioceses in other states, including in Pennsylvania, New York and Arkansas, have recently released such lists, according to media reports.

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Aymond told The Advocate that the policy change isn't definite and that a release of names wouldn't happen anytime soon. He said such a release would first require personal conversations with those against whom allegations will be disclosed. He also said it would be particularly tricky to disclose allegations against dead clergymen, who wouldn't have the opportunity to explain themselves to internal and law enforcement authorities who probe such matters.

"If we do it, we want to do it correctly and in the spirit of justice," Aymond said.

Nonetheless, he said he would be open to disclosing credible allegations against the dead because "the most important person in all of this is the victim  that they find a sense of justice and healing."

The Advocate months ago reported how the archdiocese had settled several claims of abuse involving defrocked Metairie deacon George Brignac without following its own guidelines to publicly report such a matter. The church alerted parishioners about the claims against Brignac  who is still alive  only after the newspaper reported on them.

Fraser, among other things, was accused of fondling the genitals of one boy while he was at St. Raphael the Archangel in about 1983.

Delatte was accused of raping a boy on multiple occasions over several months, beginning in 1962, while teaching at St. Pius X.

And Strassel was accused of fondling the genitals of a boy while he was a priest at Our Lady of Lourdes in Uptown New Orleans from 1969 through 1971, according to court records.

In court documents, Peavy argues that the statute of limitations on the cases had not lapsed because church officials had worked in concert to conceal the abuse for years.

Public records available online show two men with the name Nolan Delatte and ties to New Orleans died in the mid-1990s. Strassel, who later attained the prestigious church title of monsignor, died in 1987, those records show.

Hughes removed Fraser from ministry in 2004 after learning of an allegation that he sexually abused a child at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Pearl River in the mid-1980s, according to a report at the time in The Times-Picayune.

Fraser sued Hughes the following year, accusing the archbishop of defaming him and violating due process rights afforded to him by church policy.

A 69-year-old man named Michael Fraser  who once listed a home address on the same street as Sts. Peter and Paul Church  appears to be living in Texas, online public records show.

St. Raphael the Archangel merged with two other parishes after Hurricane Katrina to become Transfiguration of Our Lord. Our Lady of Lourdes was closed after Katrina, and the building was sold.

Note: This post was updated Sept. 21 with additional comments.
Uber Technologies is in early talks to buy food-delivery company Deliveroo for several billion dollars, according to people familiar with the plans.

A bid for London-based Deliveroo, last valued at more than $US2 billion ($2.74 billion), would mark a major attempt by Uber to dominate the food-delivery business in Europe. An acquisition price is unknown. Any offer would need to be considerably above its latest valuation, according to people with direct knowledge of Deliveroo plans.

A bid for London-based Deliveroo, last valued at more than $US2 billion ($2.74 billion), would mark a major attempt by Uber to dominate the food-delivery business in Europe. Credit:Jason South

The talks could fall apart, in part because Deliveroo and its investors had been reluctant to relinquish independence, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Spokesmen at Deliveroo and Uber declined to comment.

Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi has made the company's food-delivery business a top priority ahead of a planned initial public offering in the second half of 2019. The San Francisco-based company is weighing other acquisitions, too. It's in talks with Middle Eastern ride-sharing rival Careem, people familiar with the matter have said. After selling its ride-hailing businesses in South-East Asia, China and Russia, Uber is eager to buy competitors, rather than sell its remaining local businesses.
Larry Fink, chief executive of BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, on Thursday said the United States is "a big winner" in the trade war with China "in the short-term," but not necessarily over time.

Larry Fink is chief of BlackRock, which manages nearly $10 trillion in funds. Credit:Bloomberg

Fink, speaking at Yahoo Finance's second annual "All Markets Summit," said the United States is currently the dominant force in the trade war because US companies are benefiting from the strong dollar. That has driven US stocks up, while equities have fallen elsewhere.

In the long term, however, trade tensions will hurt the United States as they are leading more non-American companies to expand their business ties with China, Fink said.

Still, Fink said he did not expect China's renminbi to become a global currency of choice anytime soon, even though US President Donald Trump's protectionist policies may benefit China in the long-term.
Brie Larson has hit back at Marvel fans who claim she needs to extend her acting range by  of all things  smiling more frequently.

After the release of the Captain Marvel trailer this week, scores of men began taking to social media to question why Marvel's mightiest avenger wasn't grinning from ear to ear. (Probably because she was busy saving the known universe, but don't let that get in the way of a good internet tantrum.)

Larson hit back at the haters by photoshopping smiles onto the faces of the likes of Captain America and Iron Man and sharing the images on Instagram. Even the promotional poster for Doctor Strange, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, got a spin to prove how ridiculous it looked for a superhero to put on a gleeful smile.

In response to the criticism, a hashtag called #SelfiesForBrie was spawned, and numerous women shared pictures of themselves going about their day. Many used it as an opportunity to protest men  particularly strangers  constantly telling them to smile for no apparent reason.
A third woman, a 34-year-old lawyer Doyle is alleged to have groped so close to her genitals under the table at a Melbourne Health awards night that her medical researcher-husband noted her distress and swapped seats, had her veracity supported by a second inquiry, but has stated the experience was so traumatising she would "definitely not" report sexual harassment again. For a prime example of why more women do not take the enormous risk of speaking out, look to this week's treatment of respected rural businesswoman Catherine Marriott as Exhibit A. "Marriott" is the name this alleged victim of sexual harassment by then deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce never wanted to show up on Google as the first listing on a search of "Joyce/sexual harassment". She has stated she was adamant the National Party handle her complaint confidentially, only to have it leaked and to have exactly what she was desperate to avoid occur: she became "that woman", defined in the minds of most Australians outside her home state of Western Australia as "the one who says Barnaby harassed her". Loading She has been chastised by a high-profile conservative commentator this week for not saying exactly what Joyce is alleged to have done to her  a smart move by any woman who doesn't want to fuel salacious interest in her own trauma (consider how the name 'Tessa Sullivan" has become inextricably linked in Melbourne with "had her breast allegedly grabbed by the then mayor, Robert Doyle").

Sullivan had her credibility flamed in the first third of this year, and in the lead-up to being vindicated by the inquiry into her claims told Fairfax Media "my whole life has been ripped apart". My husband was getting 50 to 100 calls a day from the media. We had to move into my mothers house, just to be able to take our children to school, the mother of three said. Every time a big story broke we went to a different place." Catherine Marriott attempted to avoid the same ignominy, yet like so many other alleged victims right back to the dark days in the 1990s when US attorney Anita Hill had her character forensically assassinated, this former WA Rural Businesswoman of the Year could only watch as her power to control her situation was blown up for the (alleged) second time after her identity was leaked by the Nationals. This week on ABC TV, she described the harrowing experience that followed as "one of the most frightening things that you will ever have to live through". Even so, she was sledged on Sky TV for not going straight to police and having potentially "over-reacted".

The use of the words "over-reacted" was pertinent. Last week, the findings of the Fourth National Survey on Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces found that by far the greatest factor keeping workplace sexual harassment victims silent about their harassment was "people would think it was an overreaction". This is how young women, especially, have been conditioned to feel; to see it levelled at an award-winning businesswoman in a male-dominated field (the land) was lamentable, but predictable. Fear of having their identity dragged into the open if they complain on the record has been listed as a reason several other alleged Australian harassment victims have not wanted to be named, just in the last 12 months. In each case bar one (the surname of the Melbourne Health/Robert Doyle alleged victim was never outed), they have been named despite their wish for confidentiality and despite reporting privately to the appropriate authority. For them, too, the humiliating scenario Marriott has said she specifically wanted to avoid has begun. What these women have to look forward to is years of having people recognise their names as "that girl" a well known man is alleged to have sexually harassed (usually the detail of what he did or is said to have done is attached to their name too). Thanks to suggestions if they don't "rush to the police", as the conservative commentator suggested they must if they wish to be believed, these women will live knowing some people continue to view them with suspicion. And you wonder why more women don't dare to call out their accuser. Actually, you don't.
ACT Policing confirmed it was investigating three possible fruit contamination incidents in Canberra.

One was at a Gungahlin supermarket last week as well as a Civic supermarket and Evatt Primary School on Thursday.

Sewing needles were found in a punnet of strawberries bought at a Gungahlin supermarket on Saturday, September 15 that were returned by a customer

A sewing needle was found in an apple at Evatt Primary School on Thursday.

The same day, a customer returned mandarin packaging with a sewing needle inside to a Canberra supermarket but did not return the fruit.
In the video, Phoenix appears as "Arthur," until his face is interspersed with images of him as the Joker. The camera gradually pulls in closer and we only see him as the grinning villain, with his signature white face and red lips. The video, set to "Laughing" by the Canadian band The Guess Who, ends when his expression suddenly falls.
Queensland bushfires continue to burn

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A schoolboy has been arrested and a fake gun seized after he allegedly made threatening messages about his high school on social media.

Police said a 17-year-old boy was arrested at his Viewbank home, in Melbourne's north-east, at about 10.30am Thursday, where officers seized an imitation firearm.

It is understood the student had allegedly made threatening messages on Instagram about Viewbank College on Wednesday night. He was arrested the following morning.

A second 17-year-old boy was also arrested on Thursday morning, shortly after the first boy, while he was at school.

Both boys have been released pending enquiries and the investigation is ongoing.
More than 120 patients have died or suffered serious harm due to errors in Victorian hospitals in the past two years.

In one case, a person died after being administered a dose of medication 10 times higher than prescribed.

And three cancer patients had urgent colonoscopy procedures delayed as a result of administration errors, meaning their cancers were already well progressed by the time they were eventually discovered.
The states peak business body has described the governments plan for extended trading hours this Christmas as "pushing shoppers online and strangling WA jobs in the process".

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA said the 34 hours of extended trading the government approved for Perth metro shops was a 30 per cent reduction from last years 49 hours.

Shopping hours will be reduced this Christmas. Credit:James Alcock

Under the plan, from December 9 shoppers will have an extra four hours each Sunday to do their Christmas shopping. Shops will be able to open at 8am and close at 6pm through to Sunday December 30.

From December 17 shops can choose to open from 7am weekdays.
A Perth animal rights group has donated cameras to a WA free range chicken producer in order to promote transparency after an undercover investigation last year claimed it found animals in "distressing" conditions.

Mt Barker Free Range Farms came under fire last year after the In Defense of Animals activist group showcased footage of birds they said were kept at the facility "cannibalising" each other, and struggling to stand up due to poor condition.

At the time the footage was released, Mt Barker denied their chickens were mistreated and an RSPCA audit found the company innocent of any mistreatment.

Protesters outside the Welshpool factory.

Following the controversy, Mt Barker Chicken chief executive Graham Laitt told ABC Great Southern radio the business was looking into ways it could be more transparent.
A former Perth school teacher has been jailed for four years after he was arrested as part of a nationwide child abuse police investigation, which also snared former A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack.

Reale was arrested last year.

Mathew Paul Reale, 30, was sentenced in the WA District Court on Friday after he pleaded guilty to 12 charges including nine counts of distributing child exploitation material and producing child exploitation material.

The judge who sentenced him on Friday described some of his offending as horrific and disturbing.

Reale was arrested and charged by WA detectives in February last year after they raided his Tuart Hill home.
Police have charged a 44-year-old man they allege indecently assaulted two young girls over the course of seven months at a Perth martial arts centre.

Child Abuse Squad detectives said the man assaulted an eight-year-old girl and a 10-year-old girl during social activities at a Forrestdale martial arts gym between February and September this year.

The Byford man has been charged with four counts of indecently dealing with a child under the age of 13.

He will appear in Armadale Magistrates Court on Friday.

The investigation is ongoing and detectives urge anyone with any information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online.
The independent candidate for Wentworth Kerryn Phelps has announced she will now preference the Liberals ahead of Labor in a major backflip on her earlier claims.

Just days ago, Dr Phelps, a GP and Sydney City councillor, said she would be recommending her backers put the Liberals last on their ballots in the vote on October 20.

Speaking in Double Bay on Friday, Dr Phelps said she would hand out how to vote cards which would encourage her supporters to put Liberal candidate Dave Sharma ahead of Labors Tim Murray.

The media had assembled in Double Bay on Friday morning for a press conference due to be held by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Mr Sharma, when Dr Phelps unexpectedly appeared.
A company part-owned by mining magnate Gina Rinehart has lost its $2.7 billion court case against the Victorian government over the state's ban on gas exploration.

The Supreme Court in Melbourne on Friday rejected claims by oil and gas company Lakes Oil that the governments state-wide moratorium on onshore petroleum exploration was unlawful.

Lakes Oil was seeking damages for $92 million it had already spent, plus more than $2.6 billion in lost future earnings, after being prevented by the ban from using six permits it owned to explore for gas in Gippsland and the states south-west.

The company first went to court in 2016, after the Andrews government slapped its ban on fracking and all exploration and development of unconventional onshore gas.

The company said the state deprived it of the use of its exploration permits "for the purpose for which they were intended" and wanted damages for losses suffered as a result of then-Resources Minister Wade Noonan's conduct.
I imagine that's a difficult thing to do. "Hamilton" has won Tony Awards, Olivier Awards, a Grammy, a Pulitzer Prize and the first Kennedy Center Honors ever given to a work of art and not a person. It has been hailed as a landmark for bringing hip-hop seamlessly into a Broadway musical, for its nontraditional casting of minorities as white Founding Fathers, and for its thrilling execution of the American origin story. Who are the few poor souls who don't actually like this thing?
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has rushed into parliament a bill which would grant the WA Police Force and Corruption and Crime Commission broad powers to force technology companies to give it access to encrypted communications.

This is despite the public consultation on the wide-ranging powers only closing 10 days ago.

The new laws would give the WA law enforcement agencies the ability to force technology companies to give them access to "available information" or to compel them to "develop and maintain a capability to respond to agency requests".

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in Question Time on Thursday after introducing a bill to expand the interception powers of federal and state law enforcement agencies. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Although the government denies this will permit security and intelligence agencies to build "back doors" into encryption software, digital rights organisations are concerned the security of computer systems will be compromised.
Brett Kavanaugh. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Christine Blasey Ford came forward publicly with an allegation of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh last week, nearly 30 years after the attack allegedly occurred. Her allegation has put her past, and those who were a part of it, into the public spotlight  and polarized those who support Ford and those who support Kavanaugh, who has repeatedly denied the allegation.

Those who knew her at the time described a change in her behavior around the time the alleged attack occurred. An unnamed male friend told the New York Times that after the summer of the alleged attack, Ford, then known as Chrissy Blasey, fell off the face of the earth socially.

All I remember is after my junior year thinking, Wheres Chrissy Blasey? the source told the Times. She was the sort of person a lot of people paid attention to  she was a leader, she was great. I was like, where did she go?

Rather than attend parties, Ford disappeared. Other former classmates described Ford as universally well-liked, self-possessed, cheerful, affable, funny, and super smart.

These accounts given to the Times support Fords own statements that she was derailed for years after the alleged assault. Her life following high school centered around her academic research, and later her family. Those who spoke to the Times about Ford in her adult life described her as a friendly but kind of geeky scientist, very meticulous with data, and someone taken very seriously.

It is possible that Ford will be open to testifying sometime next week about the allegation, though the conditions under which she would do so have not yet been determined.
Brett Kavanaugh. Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Bloomberg via Getty Images

After Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley announced that Christine Blasey Ford had until 10 a.m. on Friday to decide whether to testify against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Monday, Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she would be prepared to testify next week, as long as senators remain conscious of her safety.

Ford, who recently accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s, initially called on the FBI to conduct a full investigation before she would testify, but Republicans have made it clear that they will not comply with her requested timetable. In an email obtained by the New York Times, Fords lawyer Debra Katz reiterated that Ford has a strong preference that a full investigation occur before she go in front of the the Senate Judiciary Committee, but also relayed that she would be willing to testify as long as she and senators agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety.

However, Katz wrote in the email that a Monday hearing was not possible, and that the committees insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event.

Since revealing herself to the Washington Post as the anonymous woman whose letter accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault ended up in Senator Dianne Feinsteins mailbox, Ford has been inundated with death threats, which has compelled her and her two children to move out of their home. Earlier, she had explained to the Post why she had been apprehensive to come forward, saying, Why suffer through the annihilation if its not going to matter?

Katz has requested that by later today, she and top Republican and Democratic aides on the committee set up a call to discuss the conditions under which Ford will testify.
According to allergist Dr. Donald Leung, executive editor of the journal, "This may prove to be a valuable enhancement for treatment options for African Americans with atopic dermatitis. It will also reinforce the importance of racial diversity in clinical research studies for effective treatment" for the skin condition.
He elaborated on that idea in his Pritzker Prize acceptance speech. Frank Lloyd Wright said architects should design from the inside out, Venturi said. But we now accept within our more complex view of things, as we acknowledge context as an important determinant of design, that we design from the inside out and the outside in.
Unfortunately, that was the case for an athlete in Germany though who was banned after eating too many plates of food...

For most people it's eating enough food for a full stomach, but for triathlete Jaroslav Bobrowski it's eating so much food the restaurant bans you from consuming any more.



Mr Bobrowski ploughed his way through 100 plates of sushi as part of the $26 buffet option at the Running Sushi restaurant in Landshut, Germany.

"This is not normal, how much he eats. I myself am dead after 13 plates, but he always took five or seven plates at a time, so there was a gap on the sushi carousel and the other guests asked if we had skimped on fish," owner Tan Le complained to Bild.

Photos on TripAdvisor appear to show three pieces of sushi on each plate, meaning Mr Bobrowski could well have consumed around 300 pieces of sushi in the one sitting.

SOURCE: Newshub.
3D-Printed Gun Maker Cody Wilson Has Been Arrested in Taiwan

Cody Wilson, the controversial 3D-printed gun maker, has been arrested in Taiwan for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor in Texas.

Taiwanese authorities said on Friday, Sept. 21, that police in the Wanhua district of Taipei arrested Wilson and handed him over to the National Immigration Agency, the New York Times reported.

A real estate agent in the Taiwanese capital alerted the police after seeing news reports that Wilson, who signed a six-month lease for a studio in Taiwan, was wanted for sexual assault in the United States, according to Taiwan News.

The 30-year-old Wilson stands accused of giving $500 cash to a 16-year-old girl in exchange for sex in August after meeting her on SugarDaddyMeet.com, according to court documents filed in Travis County on Sept. 19, the Statesman reported.

Immigration authorities in Taiwan are reportedly searching for travel documents for Wilson so he can be deported to the United States, according to BuzzFeed News.

A self-described crypto-anarchist, Wilson is the head of the startup Defense Distributed, a non-profit, private defense firm principally engaged in the research, design, development, and manufacture of products and services for the benefit of the American rifleman, its website says.

Blueprints for 3D-printed guns could at one point be downloaded from the website until a federal judge ordered Defense Distributed in August to stop distributing the blueprints, citing public security concerns.

At issue is the ease of access people with expensive printers would have to guns. With the guns having no serial numbers for tracing them and no background checks required to make them, gun control advocates are worried about who will get their hands on them. The attorneys general argue that the distribution of the files violates their state gun control laws.

In addition to helping arm terrorists and transnational criminals, the settlement and proposed rules would provide another path to gun ownership for people who are prohibited by federal and state law from possessing firearms, the attorneys general wrote in a letter (pdf) to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Wilson agreed to take down the blueprints, saying instead that he would sell the files and mail them to buyers instead of making them freely available for download on the Internet.
4 Dead, Including Suspect, After Maryland Warehouse Shooting

ABDERDEEN, MARYLANDAn employee at a Rite Aid warehouse opened fire at work on Sept. 20, killing three people before taking her own life, authorities said. Several other people were wounded.

The suspect was a 26-year-old temporary employee at the Rite Aid distribution center in northeastern Maryland, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told a news conference. She had been taken into custody in critical condition that morning. Her name was not immediately released.

It appears only one weapon, a handgun, was used and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Gahler said. The shooter used a 9 mm Glock that was registered in her name, he said. He said authorities dont know her motive.

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, works at the facility and told her told her that the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a Town Hall meeting.

And she went off, she said.

Watson said her husband told her the shooting started in a break room.

She didnt have a particular target. She was just shooting, Watson said as she drove away from a fire station where relatives tried to reunite with loved ones.

She didnt aim. She just shot, Watson said.

Area hospitals reported receiving five patients from the incident.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore said it was treating four patients with gunshot wounds. Two were in stable condition and two who were seriously injured.

A spokesman for a health system that includes Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, said one patient was being treated there. Christiana Care Health System spokesman Hiran Ratnayake said the person was in serious condition.

Gahler said the call about shots fired came in at about 9:06 a.m. and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes.

Mike Carre, an employee of a furniture logistics operation next to the distribution center, said he helped tend to a wounded man.

Carre locked the doors of his workplace after the injured man came hobbling in, bleeding from his leg. He called 911 from a bathroom before helping colleagues wrap the mans blood-soaked jeans above his injury to cut off blood flow.

Carre said the man told him the shooter just came in in a bad mood this morning. He said shes usually nice. But today, I guess it wasnt her day. She just came in to pick a fight with someone.

She pulled out a gun and she just started shooting at her co-workers.

At a nearby fire station, family members were waiting to be reunited with loved ones. Police blocked off the road outside but were waving in cars driven by people who said they were there to meet up with people who were at the distribution center.

Reggie Rodgriguezs mother works at the distribution center. His wife had tried calling her numerous times but got no answer.

I was calling her all morning. It went to voicemail because they keep their phones in lockers, said Kelly Rodriguez, 40.

When they finally reached his mother Thursday afternoon, Reggie Rodriguez said, Thats all I wanted to do: Hear her voice. His mother was uninjured. He said she sounded relieved the crisis was over.

A law enforcement official said authorities were working their way through the distribution center to clear the facility.

We obviously need to methodically go through the entire complex, ensure there are no other victims inside, ensure that there is no one that was hiding from violence and ensure that there were no other suspects, said Christie Hopkins is communications director for the sheriffs office.

At this time, we are confident that the suspect acted alone. And that person is in custody. We do not believe there is any further threat to the community now, but we still have to completely clear that building.

The attack came nearly three months after a man armed with a shotgun attacked a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five staff members. Authorities accused Jarrod W. Ramos of attacking The Capital Gazette because of a longstanding grudge against the paper.

Susan Henderson, spokesman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the warehouse as a support facility adjacent to a larger building.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said that unfortunately, incidents like this are becoming a too-often occurrence not only in Harford County but in the country.

By David McFadden
57-Year-Old Woman Airlifted After Fall Down Stairs

A 57-year-old Brentwood woman was transported via air ambulance after falling backward down a flight of 12 steps at home in Brentwood on the early morning of Sept. 20, according to East Contra Costa Fire Protection District officials.

Fire crews responded to the home on Iron Club Drive around 12:11 a.m. today, where they found the woman at the bottom of the stairs, according to Battalion Chief Jeff Burris.

Emergency crews requested an air ambulance for the victim, who Burris said was unconscious when they arrived at the scene. She was transported to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek with apparent head, neck and possible internal injuries, according to Burris.

Burris said the cause of the fall appears to be accidental.

By PF
9-Year-Old Brings Gun to School: Las Vegas Police

A 9-year-old boy was caught with a gun at an elementary school in Las Vegas, police said.

Clark County School Police said officers were called to Helen Marie Smith Elementary School on Wednesday, Sept. 19, around 8:45 a.m. after school officials received an anonymous tip.

The student was taken into custody, but not arrested, and officers recovered an empty .22-caliber gun.

The student, who has not been named, was referred to The Harbor, which is a diversion program for first time juveniles who get into trouble, reported CBS 8. The student is too young to be booked into juvenile detention.

Taking a 9-year-old to juvenile detention, I dont think that would help them, John Jack Martin, director of The Harbor told Las Vegas Review-Journal. There are literally hundreds of things that could be going on, and we want to look at the most pressing. And we want to make sure we put guards in place to address those things.

The student will be expelled, which state law requires when a gun is brought onto school property, Assistant Superintendent Tammy Malich said.

The 9-year-old showed the gun to another student, and a third student overheard the discussion and reported it to a teacher. Social Services and Child Protective Services were also notified, according to KTNV.

Its the eighth gun incident since the county started its 2018-19 school year; the others have been at high schools.

The father of a 9-year-old student who brought a gun and ammo to a Las Vegas elementary school Wednesday could face a child endangerment charge, @ccsdpd said https://t.co/VCfLBtsPze  Las Vegas RJ (@reviewjournal) September 20, 2018

Father Could Face Charge

The father of the 9-year-old could face consequences in the case after Clark County School District Police Capt. Roberto Morales filed a charge of one count of child endangerment.

The decision to move on the charge is up to the Clark County District Attorneys Office, which received the file.

Morales said on Thursday he filed the charge because the gun was unsecured in the family home, allowing the 9-year-old to obtain it.

The gun didnt belong to the father but he had authority over the weapon, so its his responsibility to secure, Morales said, reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

District Attorney Steve Wolfson said Wednesday that he couldnt recall charging a parent for a child bringing a gun to school previously.

But there could be circumstances where we could bring charges, he added. Wolfson has brought charges against other cases when a child obtained a parents gun, including the parents of 4-year-old Bradley Whitis. The parents were charged with child abuse after Whitis died last year from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Parents are shocked after a 9-year-old CCSD student was caught at school with a gun. @CherneyAmharaTV has the latest update. Story: https://t.co/tI4EipSbR7 pic.twitter.com/QRczVrqWyd  FOX5 Las Vegas (@FOX5Vegas) September 20, 2018

Parents React

Several parents said they were stunned by what happened.

Why did he bring it? Did he think it was a toy or did he want to hurt someone? Samantha Johnson told KTNV. I honestly want to think it was because he thought it was a toy.

Weve had a couple of different ones because of October 1 and different things that have happened at schools, Shellie Tingey told CBS.

Its frightening to hear your kids talking about hard lockdowns, but we just talk about it and as we discuss as a family, I kind of take the temperature of what theyre comfortable with, she said.

From NTD.tv
Treasured Chinese Stories: A Surprising Reward for a Handicapped Man

In the Qing Dynasty, there was a person who lived in Chiayi State of Taiwan. His name was Lin Dengzhang, and he was very kind and honest. But unfortunately, he was falsely accused and imprisoned. His wife sold all their property and even their son in order to have enough money to get her husband out of prison. She took 40 taels of silver to pay the county government official for her husbands release, but she lost the money on her way there.

The money was picked up by a handicapped man named Xu Liangsi. Liangsi couldnt stand and could only use his hands to crawl around. After he found the silver, he thought, Whoever lost such a large amount of money might commit suicide. Although I am poor and could really use this money to buy some food and fill my stomach, this is related to someones life; it is really a big deal. I would rather die of hunger than keep the money for myself.

With this thought in his mind, he was determined to stay and wait for the owner of the money to return.

After a little while, sure enough, Lin Dengzhangs wife scrambled around, looking everywhere with a worried face. Liangsi saw her and crawled over to ask if she lost anything. After he verified the facts, he was sure the lady was the one who lost the money, and he then returned all of it to her.

The very same day that Liangsi returned the silver to the lady, he slept in Taigong Temple. That night, he had a dream in which two Gods wearing golden armor came at him. Without any explanation, one held his body and the other one took his feet. The two vigorously pulled him. Liangsi suddenly felt sharp pain and sweat all over his body. He screamed loudly and woke up from his dream. He also woke up two monks.

The next morning, Liangsi was surprised to find that he could stretch his legs and walk normally. From then on, he never begged for food, and he carried water for other families. Although he was doing hard labor, his heart was full of joy because he could live normally like everyone else.

Translated by Dora Li into English, this story is reprinted with permission from the book Treasured Tales of China, Vol. 1, available on Amazon.
Whizzing along, I wondered if other drivers were listening to the same radio station and if so what they were thinking. A lot of them were probably preoccupied by other concerns. They were hungry or tired, mad at the boss, worried about a child. No matter how important this trial is to the city, the people in it have their own lives to live.
Cathay Pacific Apologizes for Misspelled Plane Logo

One wouldnt think Cathay Pacific would be particularly hard to spelland one would think the company, at least, would know its own name.

However, one of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacifics Boeing 777-367s showed up at Hong Kong International Airport bearing the logo Cathay Paciic in large letters along the side of the plane, CNN reported.

Thats rightsomebody left the F off.

Cathay Pacific posted a photograph of the misspelled logo on its Twitter page, with the comment, Oops this special livery wont last long! Shes going back to the shop!

Oops this special livery wont last long! Shes going back to the shop!

(Source: HKADB) pic.twitter.com/20SRQpKXET  Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific) September 19, 2018

The photo soon went viral.

Some people wonder how such a monumental spelling mishap could have been made. After all, the letters are painted on the planes using stencils. If there was a bad stencil, many planes should have shown the error.

The plane had flown into Hong Kong early on Sept. 19 from a maintenance depot in Xiamen, China, the Guardian reported. That maintenance facility is run by Haeco, a Cathay Pacific subsidiary. Haeco is responsible for keeping the planes flying and for painting the logos.

That particular plane had been in the Cathay Pacific fleet since 2004, according to the Guardian. The paint must have been changed recentlyprobably at that maintenance stopor else someone would have noticed already.

That Was an Error? Really?

Some people seem to think the whole missing letter was just a publicity schemea way to get everybody talking about Cathay Pacific without the company having to spend a lot of money.

An engineer for Haeco, a Cathay Pacific subsidiary, told the South China Morning Post: The spacing is too on-point for a mishap.

We have stencils. Should be a blank gap in between letters if it was a real mistake I think.

Was the file for the stencil mistyped? Did no one notice the typo through the entire process of enlarging, printing, and painting?

The error, if it was an error, could cost several thousand dollars to fix, The Morning Post said.

No one seemed to know if Cathay Pacific would be absorbing the cost, or holding Haeco responsible.

A spokesperson for Cathay Pacific told CNN Travel: We did not intend to make it a big fuss in the first place, but photos went viral within the aviation enthusiastic groups, so we just shared the hilarious moment with everyone.

Twitter loved the misspelled logoit gave other users a chance to make poke fun.

One poster took things a little moremaybe a little tooseriously.

Mike Cooper posted, Im not sure why this is not funny to me. I fly Cathay and to me this just shows a breakdown in qualityno humor (and Im a funny guy).

Not something I think should be so blatantly and proudly publicized on a brand I spend money to support. How much did this mistake cost?

Of course if this were a calculated mistake and the company calculated the cost of painting on logo versus the cost of a multimedia ad campaign

The company might not be able to spell its own name, but apparently, executives at Cathay Pacific can spell Cheap publicity.

From NTD.tv
City Council Considering School for Former Naval Weapons Station

The Concord City Council is looking to evaluate their options for setting aside 120 acres on the shuttered Naval Weapons Station for the development of a university or a research and development facility.

To that end, theyve established a 14-member blue ribbon committee, including several education professionals, workforce development specialists and representatives from major industries throughout the Bay Area as well as Vice Mayor Carlyn Obringer and Councilman Ron Leone.

This Committee will play a critical role in evaluating campus trends in higher public education, research and development parks, and innovation districts as well as funding and financing mechanisms, Obringer said on Sept. 19 in a statement. The City is fortunate to have so many experienced thought leaders who are willing to volunteer their time to this effort and who are committed to bringing a much-needed campus for higher learning to our community.

The committee will be meeting on a monthly basis starting at 6 p.m. on Sept. 20, at the Concord Senior Citizens Center at 2727 Parkside Circle, and those meetings will be open to the public.

Together they plan to outline the programmatic priorities, potential investors as well as other sources of funding and map out the necessary steps needed to complete the project.

By db
Customer Pours Iced Coffee on 7-Eleven Store Counter in Dispute Over Cost

Police in Suffolk County appealed to the public for help to identify a woman who poured iced coffee over a counter at a 7-Eleven store, allegedly damaging hundreds of dollars of merchandise.

Suffolk County Police shared footage of the incident on Sept. 19, which they said occurred at a 7-Eleven store on Montauk Highway, in Mastic, New York, on Aug. 30, and was sparked by a dispute over the price of the drinks.

The video shows the woman standing opposite the clerks at the convenience store, with three beverages in front of her on the counter, as well as several other items.

The woman can be seen arguing with the clerks, while talking on the phone at the same time.

At one point she removes several items that were stacked on top of one of the beverages, takes off the lid, and throws the liquid on the counter.

The apparently disgruntled woman then storms out of the convenience store, before getting into a GMC Yukon with New Jersey plates, and escaping, according to WNBC.

The coffee damaged approximately $200 worth of cigarettes stored under the counter and the woman is wanted on suspicion of criminal mischief, police said.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 cash reward as they call on witnesses to contact them with any tips on the crime.
Former judge in the U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York Barbara S. Jone and Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan speak during a news conference in Manhattan, New York Sept. 20, 2018. (Reuters/Jeenah Moon)

New York Cardinal Appoints Retired Judge to Review Archdioceses Sex-Abuse Cases

NEW YORKCardinal Timothy Dolan of New York named a former federal judge and prosecutor on Sept. 20 to independently review how the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York has handled allegations of sexual abuse, after what Dolan said was a summer of hell.

Barbara Jones, who retired as a U.S. district judge in 2013, said she and a team of lawyers would have unfettered access to all materials as they reviewed sex-abuse claim policies and procedures in the countrys second-largest archdiocese.

The cardinal has told me to leave no stone unturned and to provide him directly with the results of our work, Jones, who is now in private practice, said at a news conference.

She recently served as a court-appointed special master to review items seized by federal agents in raids on the home and office of Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney for President Donald Trump.

The church in the United States, Chile, Australia, and Ireland is in the midst of a crisis over sexual abuse of minors.

Many of our people and priests are calling it the Summer of Hell for our Catholic family, Dolan said at the news conference. He asked Jones to look for any gaps in the archdioceses policies for dealing with sex-abuse allegations.

In August, Pope Francis wrote a letter to all of the worlds some 1.2 billion Catholics asking each of them to help root out this culture of death and vowing there would be no more cover-ups.

In July, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington resigned his position in church leadership after a review concluded that claims that he had sexually abused a 16-year-old boy were credible.

In August, Pennsylvanias attorney general released a grand jury report that said 301 priests had sexually abused minors over the past 70 years. Earlier this month, New Yorks attorney general issued civil subpoenas to all eight Catholic dioceses in the state as part of a sex abuse investigation.

By Peter Szekely
Ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) during a hearing about the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 14, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Feinstein Hasnt Complied With Grassleys Requests to Turn Over Kavanaugh Accusers Letter

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) hasnt complied with repeated requests from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to release an unredacted version of a letter thats crucial to the committees investigation of allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

The letter in question, written by Christine Blasey Ford and dated July 30, 2018, details an allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Ford at a party while they were in high school 36 years ago. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied the allegation, most recently under oath before the committee on Sept. 17, according to a spokesperson for Grassleys office.

Since Feinstein, the top Democrat on the committee, disclosed the existence of the letter and forwarded it to the FBI, Grassleys office made several requests for a copy, to which Feinsteins office hasnt responded as of the afternoon of Sept. 20, a spokesperson for Grassley confirmed.

The only version we have of this letter is a redacted version contained in the supplemental FBI background investigation file that only senators and a handful of very select staff are authorized to read, Grassley wrote in a formal request addressed to Feinstein on Sept. 19.

Sexual-assault allegations deserve serious attention, and those who make such allegations must be heard. They should not be deployed strategically for political gain.

You received this letter approximately seven weeks ago. But the contents of the letter were leaked only last week when it appeared the Senate was about to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.

Feinsteins office didnt respond to a request for comment.

Feinstein only revealed Fords letter after Kavanaugh had met with dozens of senators, went through background calls with lawmakers, faced 32 hours of testimony, including a closed-door session dedicated to discussing sensitive matters, and answered more than 1,300 questions in a written questionnaire.

Feinstein has said that she held on to the letter because Ford wanted to remain anonymous. Grassley wrote there were many opportunities to raise the allegation privately and that Feinstein instead chose to sit on the allegations until a politically opportune moment.

I cannot overstate how disappointed I am in this decision, Grassley wrote.

The standoff over the letter continued with less than 24 hours left before a 10 a.m. Sept. 21 deadline Grassley set for Ford to indicate whether she will testify before the committee on Sept. 24. At least two Republicans have called for a vote on Kavanaughs confirmation if Ford refuses to testify.

None of the Democrats on the committee attended the Sept. 17 questioning of Kavanaugh, when the judge fully, candidly, and unequivocally answered all questions.

He understood that he was under penalty of felony if he was not truthful, Grassley wrote. We have no reason to doubt the truthfulness of Judge Kavanaughs testimony.

Republicans on the committee invited Democrats to participate in the investigative process, but the Democrats declined, according to Grassley.

Fords lawyer told multiple media outlets that her client would be willing to testify, but later backtracked and demanded that the FBI conduct a full investigation before Ford appears before the committee. The FBI said that it isnt investigating the allegation.

In an earlier letter to Fords attorney, Grassley explained that it is not the FBIs role to investigate a matter such as this and that the responsibility lies squarely with the Senate.

Fords lawyer wrote to Grassley on Sept. 20 in an email obtained by The New York Times that a hearing on Sept. 24, as scheduled by the committee, is not possible and that the committees insistence on the date is arbitrary in any event.

The lawyer asked to set up a call with Grassley to discuss the terms of Fords testimony.

She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety, the attorney wrote. Her strong preference continues to be for the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow a full investigation prior to her testimony.

Feinstein argued for an FBI investigation on Sept. 20 by referring to the 1991 FBI probe of accusations by Anita Hill against Supreme Court nominee Judge Clarence Thomas.

Its time for the FBI to do the same today. Why are Republicans resisting an investigation? Feinstein wrote on Twitter.

Grassley had already outlined the differences between the two cases in a letter to the Democrats on the committee, explaining that the FBI conducted a handful of interviews in 1991 but not a full investigation. Unlike Fords case, Hills allegations were private when the bureau conducted the interviews. In a matter of days, the FBI passed on their findings to the White House, which appended the findings to Thomass background file and shared it with the committee as a courtesy.

One of the FBIs reports to the White House in 1991 was leaked and the committee reopened the confirmation hearings five days later.

We are in the same position the Committee was in after Professor Hills allegations were leaked, Grassley wrote. After that leak, we did not ask the FBI to conduct an investigation. Instead, we reopened the hearing and assessed the testimony that was given on our own. As in 1991, it is now up to the Senate to gather and assess the relevant evidence.
Georgia Police Seize Drugs Disguised as Candy

Georgia police are warning about what may look like colorful candy, but could be the dangerous and illicit drug ecstasy.

On Sept. 8 police in Duluth seized bags of ecstasy pills that look like candy for children, and are concerned the dealers marketed and sold the drugs to local youth, Fox5 reported.

Officers made the bust after someone called 911 over a dog in a hot car. Smelling marijuana, deputies searched the car and found over 2 pounds of ecstasy in the form of colorful candy.

Drug enforcement agents told Fox5 reporters that drug dealers purposely make ecstasy or its other form Molly to resemble candy in order to make it attractive to teenagers and to make it easier to hide from the watchful eyes of parents.

If you saw kids have that, would you even think twice? a reporter can be heard asking an unnamed young woman featured in the video.

No, I wouldnt, I would think its candy, the woman replies.

Agents said the pills are sold on the street for between $10 and $20 each, putting the value of the bust at between $10,000 and $15,000.

Duluth police believe dealers may have tried to sell these pills to the youth in the metro. Officers arrested 27-year-old Terrell Magbie on charges of trafficking ecstasy, and 39-year-old Shameeka Hires was cited on possession of marijuana.

Parents need to be vigilant about what appears to be candy, Duluth police warn, could in fact be drugs in disguise.
Girl Arrested After Allegedly Stabbing 13-Year-Old Boy at School in Philadelphia

A 13-year-old Pennsylvania girl was arrested after allegedly stabbing another student at a school, police officers said.

The stabbing on Friday, Sept. 21 happened around 10:50 a.m. after the girl got into a fight with another 13-year-old boy, an eighth-grader, at William Dick School on West Diamond Street, in the neighborhood of Strawberry Mansion.

The girl wielded a pair of adult-sized scissors and stabbed the boy in the upper torso, CBS reported.

Lee Whack, a spokesman for the School District of Philadelphia, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the stabbing happened as students were transitioning from one class to another.

The altercation started during a science class and the teacher de-escalated it and thought it was resolved, he added.

The teacher was working to deescalate the argument, but a female student produced a pair of scissors and did stab the male student, Whack said.

Whack said the scissors were not the duller ones used by younger children, but were more pointed.

Philadelphia police were called around 11 a.m. Friday to the William Dick Public School on the 2400 block of North 24th Street for the report of a stabbing https://t.co/qmcz3d1g7J pic.twitter.com/LMxpkDgUsq  Action News on 6abc (@6abc) September 21, 2018

Heavy police presence at William Dick School at 24th and Diamond. Woman just ran into and then out of school and told me her son was just stabbed. She sped off to the hospital. @6abc pic.twitter.com/QtK6aRCfd7  Bob Brooks (@BobBrooks6abc) September 21, 2018

#BREAKING: Skyfox over school stabbing at William Dick School 24th & Diamond #NorthPhilly

13 yr old stabbed in abdomen by fellow student pic.twitter.com/OdUXWwximT  FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) September 21, 2018

A teen girl stabbed a 13-year-old boy with scissors at a North #Philadelphia school, #police say https://t.co/kov34Ri2jC  CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) September 21, 2018

Violence like this is unacceptable, Whack said. Our hearts and thoughts are with the student who was injured, for his speedy recovery.

The boy was rushed to Hahnemann Hospital and is in stable condition and the girl was arrested.

A student who witnessed the stabbing told ABC 6 that the boy was bleeding and taken to the nurses office before being rushed to the hospital. The witnesses mother said the victim was placed in a wheelchair in the nurses office before being carried onto a stretcher into an ambulance.

She said the boy looked alert when she saw him.

Parents told the Inquirer that they were upset with the stabbing; one said she was moving away next year while another considered putting her son in a different school.

According to the schools website, William Dick has students from kindergarten to 8th grade.

From NTD.tv
He Overcame Addiction and Incarceration, Now Hes Helping Others Successfully Reenter Society

Christopher Poulos fulfilled his dream of becoming a lawyer and is now the head of Washington State's Reentry Council

As a little kid, Christopher Poulos would stand in his grandfathers basement reading through the attorneys old legal case books.

I realized that all cases are peoples stories, they tell the stories of peoples lives, and I was fascinated, Poulos, 35, told The Epoch Times.

He had dreams of becoming a lawyer himself one day. But before he could achieve that, he had to overcome addiction, incarceration, and the stigma they brought.

Poulos grew up in Maine with his mother and stepfather. When he was about 12 years old, he began drinking and smoking marijuana, as well as taking prescribed medication such as Ritalin, then later Adderall and sleeping pills, for ADHD.

My brain literally formed from early teen years on a cocktail of prescription medications and self-medicating both with those and with other substances, Poulos said.

A series of tragedies only exacerbated matters.

During high school, he worked with his stepfather as a commercial fisherman. One day, his stepfather was lost at sea.

We believe [his boat] was struck by a tanker, and the tanker didnt report it. Either way, his boat was lost at sea and he did not survive, Poulos explained.

Shortly after, a close friend was murdered at a party after a fight. Then a beloved family member passed away.

Right around that same time, my grandfather, the attorney, died in my arms as I held him after a long battle with cancer, Poulos recalled.

The traumas pushed him further into addiction.

As a teenager, I never felt comfortable in my own skin.  As soon as I discovered substances, all of that anxiety, all of that fear, all of that pain and trauma went away, he said. That trauma that I experienced was pivotal in everything that followed.

Becoming Homeless

Months later, when Poulos was 18 years old, he wasnt able to live at home any longer. He and his mother did not know a lot about addiction at the time, and struggled to contend with it.

She felt that I could no longer live there as long as I was actively in the grips of it, and [she] didnt know what else to do except to have me leave her home, Poulos said.

Poulos spent the next few years sleeping on friends couches.

Every day I didnt know where I would be sleeping that evening, Poulos recalled.

If he didnt have any other options, he would go to the emergency room at the local hospital and sit in the waiting room for hours until someone eventually noticed him.

Instead of asking for help, hed pretend to make a phone call to his mom, act like hed made a mistake and was waiting at the wrong hospital, and run out into the cold.

I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I didnt have any place to go and I was addicted to drugs and was just trying to stay warm, Poulos said.

Eventually, his grandmother took him in and he lived with her intermittently.

In his late teens and early twenties, his peer group started to gain access to cocaine and opiates.

At that point his addiction became unsustainable, and for a few months he began selling cocaine to support his habit and daily life.

The FBI Calls

At a certain point, the drugs and alcohol stopped working for him.

When I was 24, I got to a point where I could no longer could find that relief from the substances, Poulos explained.

In May 2007, he sought treatment and started his recovery. Hes been sober since.

Several months into his recovery, he moved back into his mothers house. It seemed like things were looking up, but Poulos had a long journey ahead of him.

One day he received a call from a private numberit was the FBI. They told him his mothers house was surrounded by federal agents.

Poulos was arrested and would ultimately be convicted of distribution of cocaine.

As he sat in the county jail after his arrest, his court-appointed attorney told him over the phone that there was very little chance he would receive bail. It was like he had already concluded that Poulos would be incarcerated.

The way I felt when he was saying these things was that he was just like another cog on the machine towards incarceration, Poulos recalled.

Using some money left to his family by his grandfather, Poulos was able to hire a private attorney.

His attorney called the prosecutor and told him that Poulos was already in recovery and had a job, and strong family and community ties. Furthermore, Poulos didnt have the means to flee.

The prosecutor agreed, and allowed Poulos to be released until his trial and sentencing.

When he was leaving jail that day, he noticed that many lower income white people and people of color would not be able to be released on bail for similar charges.

It was that exact moment when I left jail that day that I really became determined to actually become a lawyer, he remembered.

Pursuing Law

Poulos was sentenced to almost three years in federal prison in September 2008. After serving his sentence, he was released from a halfway house in January 2011.

While at college, he was doing a federal work-study program at the University of Southern Maine Student Legal Services when he got the opportunity to meet the dean of the law school.

He wanted to apply to the law school and now he could find out if this would be possible.

During the meeting, the dean asked him what adversity he had faced in his life. So Poulos told him his story. When he got to the part about being incarcerated in federal prison, Poulos felt like the atmosphere changed.

When I said that, it was like a wall was built between the two of us immediately. I felt like we might as well have been a million miles away, Poulos recalled.

The dean was worried Poulos wouldnt be able to practice law and suggested other career options.

Poulos felt crushed, but he was determined.

I said Dean, why didnt the judge give me a life sentence? He looked at me surprised by my question, and said he didnt know. So I said, So why are you giving me a life sentence here today?

Poulos could see the dean reflecting on what hed said. You have a great point, Poulos remembers the dean replying.

Ultimately, the admissions committee unanimously voted in Pouloss favor. The same dean voted in his favor too and became a great supporter.

It felt awesome. It was surreal, but awesome, Poulos remembered. It also felt like I was being reclaimed by society. It felt like I was not going to be labeled an outcast for the rest of my life based on my past.

Poulos started law school in the fall of 2013 and graduated with honors in the spring of 2016. He remained quiet about his past with the exception of telling a couple of friends.

The White House

During his second year of law school Poulos was presented with a huge opportunity.

He was working with a substance use disorder task force in Portland, Maine.

At one of the meetings he learned that the Director of National Drug Control Policy, Michael Botticelli, was going to come and present to their committee.

During the presentation, Botticelli shared that he was in long-term recovery from addiction, and that he had been arrested in the past.

My mouth dropped open when he spoke openly about this stuff because I thought we were supposed to hide everything. Anything bad in our past were supposed to just keep it quiet, keep it quiet so it doesnt harm our careers, Poulos recalled.

Lawyers and admissions people had told him that being open about his past might cost him an opportunity.

Poulos approached Botticelli after the meeting, and told him about his past. He told him that he was in law school, and that hed love to come to Washington, D.C.

After some discussion, he received an offer to intern at the White House for a semester. But first he had to pass the security background check.

As you can imagine it wasnt exactly routine, Poulos said.

Months later, Poulos was driving through Massachusetts on his way to Maine when he received a call from a private number.

It was the Secret Service telling him that he had been cleared for the internship.

Poulos leaped out of his car in the parking lot of Papa Ginos Pizza in Worcester, Massachusetts, and jumped for joy.

It was absolutely phenomenal. Of all the moments, I think I recognize that that was the biggest, Poulos said.

When he had his fingerprints taken the first day, the woman taking them asked if he had ever had his fingerprints taken before.

Poulos responded: Yeah. Every time Ive been arrested.

Everyone in the room laughed and thought he was joking. He just smiled.

Becoming a licensed attorney, however, was much harder.

The Bar

Poulos passed the bar exam, but because of his felony drug-trafficking conviction, he had to prove he was of good character and fitness to be admitted.

It became a roughly nine month process, including a two-day hearing with the Maine Board of Bar Examiners.

It was the most stressful thing that Ive experienced.  It was more stressful than prison going through that, Poulos recalled.

Despite the assistant attorney general arguing Poulos should not be admitted to the bar, the board voted in his favor 51 in spring 2017.

Poulos was admitted in June of 2017.

It felt like the culmination of decades of work since I was a kid, Poulos said.

In fact, Poulos was recently sworn in as a member of the federal bar in the same courthouse that he was sentenced in.

Poulos is now the head of the Reentry Council in Washington State. He makes policy recommendations to elected officials and also spends time with incarcerated individuals listening to their concerns and providing them guidance.

Its just the perfect balance for me to be able to impact policy, but also truly stay plugged in to the people who are actually experiencing these issues on a daily basis still, he said.

If you have an uplifting story youd like to share, write to Andrew Thomas at andrew.thomas@epochtimes.nyc
People work in the reconstruction of Rodanthe pier after being partially damaged after the pass of Hurricane Florence, on Sept. 18, 2018. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)

Hurricane Raises Questions About Rebuilding Along North Carolinas Coast

RODANTHE, N.C. When Florence was raging Sept. 14 on North Carolinas Outer Banks, the hurricane tore a 40-foot chunk from a fishing pier that juts into the ocean at the states most popular tourist destination.

The privately owned Rodanthe pier has already undergone half a million dollars in renovation in seven years and the owners started a new round of repairs this week.

The maintenance and upkeep on a wooden fishing pier is tremendous, said co-owner Terry Plumblee. We get the brunt of the rough water here.

Scientists have warned such rebuilding efforts are futile as sea levels rise and storms chew away the coastline but protests from developers and the tourism industry have led North Carolina to pass laws that disregard the predictions.

The Outer Banks, a string of narrow barrier islands where Rodanthe is situated, may have been spared the worst of Florence, which flooded roads, smashed homes and killed at least 36 people across the eastern seaboard.

Still, the storm showed North Carolinians on this long spindly finger of land that ignoring the forces of nature to cling to their homes and the coasts $2.4 billion economy may not be sustainable.

Some have called for halting oceanside development altogether.

We need to actually begin an organized retreat from the rising seas, said Duke University geologist Orrin Pilkey.

In a government study published in 2010, scientists warned that sea levels could rise 39 inches by 2100.

Higher sea level will cause more flooding and render some communities uninhabitable, as well as affect the ocean vegetation, jeopardize the dune systems that help stabilize the barrier islands, and cause more intense erosion when storms like Florence make landfall, scientists said.

Developers said the study was too theoretical to dictate policy.

Some argue policymakers do not need a 90-year projection to know something needs to change.

When we have a hurricane, that shows everybody where their vulnerabilities are today, forget 100 years from now, but right now, said Rob Young, a geologist at Western Carolina University who co-authored the study by the states Coastal Resources Commission (CRC).

Young said he would like to see development move back from the oceans edge and laments that homeowners and developers rebuild almost any structure damaged or destroyed by a bad storm.

But the idea of retreating is a tough sell for the people who live there and have invested in property.

Youre asking us to say, Hey, 4,000 or 5,000 people on little Hatteras Island, its time for you to pack up and move, and thats not a reasonable expectation, said Bobby Outten, manager for Dare County on the Outer Banks.

Opponents of using the CRC study to set policy said that most Outer Bank homeowners recognize the risks.

If youre buying on the coast, anyone that buys in an area surrounded by water, youre always taking a risk that youre going to have storm damage, said Willo Kelly, who has worked in real estate for more than a decade.

Even though she acknowledges that sea levels are rising, Kelly is also among those who opposed making state policy decisions, including anything affecting home insurance or property values, based on the studys dire 90-year forecast of sea-level rise.

Kelly supported a 2012 state law that banned North Carolina from using the 90-year prediction on rising sea levels to influence coastal development policy.

The CRC released a second report in 2015 predicting sea level rise over a 30-year period, instead of 90 years. The new report was praised by developers as being more realistic and said sea levels would rise 1.9 to 10.6 inches.

The 2012 law was welcomed by the development community and panned by scientists whose warnings, they felt, were going unheeded. Members of the legislature who sponsored the bill did not return requests for comment.

By Anna Mehler Paperny
Iranian Official Slams Regime Over Mistreatment of Imprisoned American Resident

A senior Iranian officials pointed public criticism of the regimes mistreatment of a U.S. permanent resident imprisoned in Iran for three years is offering a glimmer of hope for his family and advocates of all western prisoners held in Iran after years of despair and stalled negotiations.

Shahindokht Molaverdi, an outspoken senior adviser on human rights to Iranian President Rouhani, late last week for the first time said the Iranian government had failed to help Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese-born internet-freedom advocate who she had invited to a government-sponsored summit.

After participating in the summit and posing for photos with Molaverdi and several other Iranian officials, Zakka was captured on his way to the airport to fly back to the United States by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Sept. 18, 2015, and jailed, according to his attorney and Molaverdi. He was later charged with spying for the U.S. government and sentenced to 10 years in Irans notorious Evin prison.

This is in no way approved by the government, Molaverdi told the Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview published on Friday. We did all we could to stop this from happening, but we are seeing that we have failed to make a significant impact.

Zakka, who has lived in the United States for decades, is one of 15 publicly known prisoners with strong western ties unjustly imprisoned in Iran, according to Amnesty International.

The Washington Free Beacon first reported that Molaverdi had invited Zakka to the government-sponsored summit and the exact timing and details of his imprisonment in September 2015.

Zakka was arrested and imprisoned a day after delivering a presentation on information communication technology for women empowerment at the conference, a presentation designed to help women become more active within their communities.

Molaverdi has requested the presentation and approved it, according to Zakkas attorney, Jason Poblete.

Zakka has gone on six hunger strikes and last year issued a desperate plea for his release in an audio recording, asserting his innocence on the spying charges. Poblete said Zakkas health is in sharp decline and he continues to refuse to sign a confession to the spying charges despite repeated demands by his prison guards to do so.

The willingness of an Iranian official to publicly challenge the governments actions surprised some U.S. human rights activists who said such internal public dissension on the treatment of an American prisoner is virtually unprecedented.

The comments spurred a new round of speculationand a degree of hope for families and advocates of western prisoners held in Iranthat Irans economic turmoil and ongoing nationwide protests over the regimes brutal and oppressive policies is starting to give moderates more leverage against the regime hardliners.

Its a huge risk to criticize the judiciary like thatI have to admire her for doing it. Its encouraging, Elise Auerbach, an Iran country specialist for Amnesty International USA, told the Washington Free Beacon. Rouhani himself, left to his own devices, I think would not choose to be imprisoning all these prisoners of conscience  but he doesnt have any real control on what the security agencies do.

Molaverdi has a history of speaking out on controversial subjects, including womens rights. She has condemned police actions against women loosely wearing their mandatory headscarves and has pushed for access for women to sporting events.

Poblete, Zakkas U.S.-based attorney, called Molaverdis remarks a welcome sign and an acknowledgement that his client was falsely accused. Still, more direct action is needed to secure his release, he said.

Nizar was in your country as a guest. You extended a personal invitation, signed by you. Nizar responded to your letter with the information you requested. As Nizar has said before, Nizar was kidnapped and thrown in jail, not treated like a guest, he said in a statement. You have not visited him or called him. This injustice has caused great and some unspeakable stresses on Nizar and his family.

There are humanitarian and other grounds for Nizars release, and all parties of interestthey know who they areneed to work expeditiously to right this injustice, he urged.

Others who closely monitor Irans human rights record stress that the Rouhani government is complicit in the unjust imprisonment of Americans and other western citizens and argue that the international community should hold them far more accountable for these violations of international law.

Tzvi Kahn, a senior Iran analyst with the Foundation for Defense of Democracy, a foreign-policy think tank, says the IRGC, which imprisoned Zakka, and routinely collaborates with the Rouhani administration, as well as intelligence ministry and police that report directly to Rouhani, to suppress protests and any kind of dissent within the government.

Overall, [Molaverdis] critique rings rather hollow because the government itself is complicit in this hostage-taking, Kahn said. Its important to remember that even though there are often turf wars and disagreements in the [Iranian] government, for the most part, they cooperate in fueling repressions and suppressing protests and in the capturing of dual nationals.

Kahn also brushed aside suggestions that Molaverdis comments could help further efforts Zakkas and other western prisoners release and blamed the Obama administrations early 2016 prisoner swap and payment of $1.7 billion to Tehran for encouraging Iran to continue taking American hostages and demanding payments or other exchanges for their release in violation of international law.

Overwhelmingly, the regime wants to keep these people in prison to use them as bargaining chips with U.S. and the West, he said. They have done it in the past successfully, but I dont think the Trump administration would negotiate a similar release.

Kahn credits the Trump administrations decision to scrap President Obamas nuclear deal with Iran and new rounds of U.S. sanctions with fueling a pressure campaign that could play a role for some Iranians to push back a little.

Top officials in the Trump administration and several key members of Congress have made the imprisonment of dual nationals a sticking point to the United States reopening the nuclear negotiations, Kahn noted.

Pompeo included the release of dual nationals in 12 broad conditions he laid out in a May 21 speech that Tehran must meet in any new nuclear treaty, along with providing international inspectors with unqualified access to all nuclear sites in the country, ending its proliferation of ballistic missiles and further launches of nuclear-capable missile systems, and its support for Middle East terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.

Susan Crabtree is a senior writer for the Washington Free Beacon. She is a veteran Washington reporter who has covered the White House and Congress over the past two decades. She has written for the Washington Examiner, the Washington Times, the Hill newspaper, Roll Call, and Congressional Quarterly.

This article was first published in the Washington Free Beacon.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 21)  Motorists should brace themselves for even heavier traffic in the cities of Makati and Mandaluyong once widening repairs for the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge  also known as the Rockwell Bridge  start on September 23.

The bridge connecting Estrella Street in Makati and Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong will be closed to traffic starting 8 a.m. of Sunday.

MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said the bridge will be demolished and replaced with a wider one - from two to four lanes. Replacing the bridge will take 30 months.

He said an average of 100,000 vehicles pass the bridge on a daily basis and warned of worse traffic situation as the vehicles will be diverted to Guadalupe Bridge.

"Please bear with us. This is just one project under the government's effort to address traffic in Metro Manila," Garcia said on Thursday.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is also repairing the Old Sta. Mesa Bridge, Nagtahan Bridge, Mabini Bridge, Concordia Bridge, Otis Bridge, and Sevilla Bridge.
Kalchik said he twice was a victim of sexual abuse, the first time by a neighbor, when he was 11, and the second time by a Chicago-area priest when he was a teenager. The priest Kalchik names as the one who abused him died in the 1990s and has not been among those who have been named by the Diocese of Joliet or the Archdiocese of Chicago as a priest with substantiated allegations against them. Kalchik equates the flag with predatory behavior, he said.
Police officers gather below crime scene tape in front of a Rite Aid Distribution Center where multiple people were killed and injured in a shooting on Sept. 20, 2018 in Aberdeen, Maryland. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Maryland Woman Kills 3, Herself in Warehouse Shooting

A woman armed with a handgun opened fire at a Maryland distribution center for the Rite Aid drugstore chain on Sept. 20, killing three people and wounding three others before taking her own life, the Harford County sheriff said.

The shooting unfolded shortly after the suspect, a temporary employee there, reported for work around 9 a.m. local time at the warehouse in Perryman, Maryland, about 34 miles northeast of Baltimore, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference.

The sheriffs office identified the assailant only as a 26-year-old woman whose last known address was in Baltimore County. Investigators havent yet determined a motive, Gahler said, but a law enforcement source told Reuters the shooting was believed to have been sparked by a work-related grievance.

Gahler said the gun violence began outside the warehouse and then moved inside, but investigators were still piecing together the precise sequence of events.

He said a total of seven people were hit by gunfire and that four, including the woman who opened fire, were killed. The three others were expected to survive, according to the sheriff. He said the suspect shot herself in the head. No shots were fired by any law enforcement officers, he said.

The Rite Aid center, located among other warehouses in an industrial park, has nearly 1,000 employees, company spokesman Pete Strella said. The facility packages pharmaceuticals and other products for delivery to more than 2,500 stores.

Police spent several hours searching the 210,000-square-foot (19,510-square-meter) building for any possible additional victims, the sheriffs office said.

Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders, Gov. Larry Hogan wrote on Twitter. The State stands ready to offer any support.

Agents from the Baltimore offices of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI also responded, the agencies said.

The shooting occurred a day after a man shot and wounded four people, including a police officer, at a Pennsylvania court building before he was killed by police, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Reporting by Gina Cherelus
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland takes part in a news conference at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, DC, on Aug. 31, 2018. (Reuters/Chris Wattie)

NAFTA Talks Grind On; Canada Quells Talk of US Quota on Autos

WASHINGTONCanada and the United States showed scant signs of being close to striking a deal on revamping the trilateral NAFTA that underpins $1.2 trillion in annual trade, as Canadian sources played down talk of a U.S. quota on autos.

Canada says it doesnt feel bound by a U.S.-imposed deadline for the end of September to conclude a deal.

While multiple deadlines have come and gone during the more than year-long negotiations to renew NAFTA, pressure on Canada to agree to a deal is growing, partly to push it through the U.S. Congress before Mexicos new government takes office on Dec. 1.

Trump, who struck a side-deal with third NAFTA member Mexico last month, has threatened to exclude Canada if necessary. He also warned of tariffs on Canadian autos exports.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has held talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in each of the past four weeks and opened another round on Sept. 20.

A senior Canadian labor leader briefed on the negotiations told Reuters that an immediate breakthrough was unlikely.

Weve made progress according to the briefing I got, but, of course, there is no agreement and there are some predictable issues that need to be resolved, said Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Yussuff said a standoff over how to settle disputes was a critical issue. The two sides are also at odds over U.S. demands for more access to Canadas dairy market.

The Globe and Mail newspaper on Sept. 20 reported that U.S. negotiators want Ottawa to agree to cap its auto exports to the United States at 1.7 million vehicles a year, something that Canadian industry sources have dismissed as unacceptable.

Canada absolutely  would not agree to a self-imposed quota, a person familiar with the talks said.

Separately, a Canadian source directly familiar with the negotiations said, We have not discussed a cap.

As part of the bilateral deal between Mexico and the United States, the Mexican side agreed to limit its exports of autos and SUVs.

By David Ljunggren
Needle Found in Mango From NSW Supermarket

A customer has found a needle in a mango bought from a Coles supermarket in West Gosford, NSW, on Sept. 17.

After the customer reported it to the Brisbane Water Local Area Command on Sept. 20, the police followed up with an investigation, The Daily Telegraph reported.

They had it for two days and later discovered, while cutting it up, a small needle, Chief Inspector Nigel Webber said. Police have seized the needle for forensic examination. No persons were injured.

A Coles spokesman told the Telegraph we take food safety seriously and this matter is being investigated.

Health officials advise everyone to cut their fruit before consuming.

QLD MP Encourages Strawberry Consumption

The first incident of sewing needles appearing in fruit was back on Sept. 9 when a Queensland man bit into a strawberry and swallowed half a needle, resulting in a trip to the emergency department. Since then, more incidents of strawberry contamination have been reported, with at least one case in each Australian state or territory.

Federal Liberal MP Lucy Wicks wanted to reassure her community in QLD by taking decisive action to keep Australians safe from the tampering that has been seen with local food.

Wicks proposed a bill, the Criminal Code Amendment (Food Contamination) Bill 2018, to increase the penalties for individuals who tamper with or contaminate goods.

The maximum jail term for the associated offences will increase from 10 to 15 years.

She encouraged her community to support farmers by continuing to buy strawberries. For those still concerns, she said they could cut and inspect the strawberries before eating.

Wicks plans on making strawberry and white-chocolate muffins for her kids this weekend, and her colleagues plan on bringing their favourite strawberry desserts to the office.

To prevent more needle contamination in their fruit, Woolworths has taken the initiative of taking sewing needles off their shelves, news.com.au reported.

Weve taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale in our stores. The safety of our customers is our top priority, Woolworths spokesman told the news site.

Meanwhile, Coles said they had no plans to take needles off their shelves.

Instead, they have taken their own precautions by having their strawberrries inspected along the supply chain before they arrive on the shelf.

We have worked with our suppliers to implement additional control measures to ensure strawberries are inspected before they are sent to supermarkets, a Coles spokeswoman told news.com.au.

The First Culprit Caught

A 12-year-old girl from NSW was arrested on Sept. 19 after she confessed that she had been putting needles in strawberries; believing that it was a copycat prank.

Initially it was believed that the youngster was male, but the mix-up was due to New South Wales Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Stuart Smith misspeaking when he called the female suspect a he, SmoothFM reported.

The police caught the girl putting needles into strawberries. She explained she did it to show her friends from a NSW Blue Mountains school.

After a student reported it to the police, the police and her teachers talked to her at home and got her to confess.

The 12-year-old girl will be dealt with under the youth cautioning system.

Farmers Struggling to Make a Sale

Australian farmers have been adversely affected due to this prank.

This is no doubt the worst thing to ever happen to my family. This here is a video of our strawberries being dumped, this here is worth more then you could ever imagine and within 3 days we lost it all. My mum Leena Lee Cufari and my step dad has worked years to build the empire theyre sitting on now, they put all their money and effort in to build such a successful business. They work hard to make the money for our family and to have these selfish individuals destroy it is just so upsetting. My mum works day through to the night, controlling the shed and her 250 employees, making sure her strawberries are packed to perfection. This will not stop my family from doing what they do best, if anything theyre going to do better. I thank everyone who supports us and all the other farmers who were affected by this horrible issue. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts *** To everyone who does not know, this is due to the needle contamination. We have to throw them out because the markets wouldnt take our strawberries due to the needle scare.** video produced from Donnybrook Berries** Donnybrook berries will be adding precaution and putting in metal detectors and other safety equipment we can think of to give our consumers the best quality strawberries. Posted by Stephanie Chheang on Monday, September 17, 2018

Stephanie Chheangs family-owned farm has thrown out all their strawberries in three days because none of the retailers within the market would take their strawberries due to the needle scare.

They have had to use metal detectors and other equipment to ensure the safety of the produce.
Armed Chinese paramilitary police officers stand guard along a street in Urumqi, Xinjiang region in China on May 23, 2014. (Goh Chai Hin/AFP/Getty Images)

Pakistan Urges China to Ease Pressure on Muslims Minority

ISLAMABADPakistan is urging China to ease pressures on the countrys Muslim minority amid warnings by human rights groups that the Uyghurs in China face restrictions on religious activities and mass detentions in so-called re-education camps.

Pakistans minister for religious affairs, Noorul Haq Qadri, met Chinese envoy Yao Xing this week to discuss the situation of the Uyghurs in Chinas western Xinjiang region.

Human Right Watch says forcible detentions of thousands of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities in Xinjiang started in 2017.

Qadri says such pressures could foment reactionary extremist viewpoints and urged Beijing to take concrete steps on the issue.

Analysts say Pakistans move is significant amid growing pressure on China over human rights violations.

The United Nations human rights panel said in August that China is believed to be holding up to 1 million ethnic Uyghurs.

Uyghurs and other Muslims held in concentration camp-like facilities, known as re-education centers, are forbidden from using Islamic greetings, must learn Mandarin Chinese, and sing propaganda songs, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.

The Chinese regime has used the excuse of potential Islamic threats and ethnic riots to crack down on the local Muslim population in Xinjiang.

By The Associated Press
Four-year-old Chandler Mahaffey was bitten by a rabid raccoon on the porch of his Covington, Ga., home on Sept. 13, 2018. (Screenshot/Fox)

Rabid Raccoon Attacks Georgia Toddler, Mother Shoots It

A Georgia toddler was attacked by a rabid raccoon on the porch of his home and will have to undergo rabies treatment.

Amber Mahaffey heard screams coming from the porch of her Covington, Georgia, home. She ran to investigate and found her 4-year-old son Chandler wrestling with a raccoon.

My son went outside on the porch. And as he went to walk on the front porch, he started screaming and hollering, Amber Mahaffey, told FOX 5. I peeked around the corner and there was a raccoon holding onto him on his hand.

They got into a tussle on the floor and he was trying to fight the raccoon off of him, and as he tried to fight him off, the raccoon kept holding on to him and biting repeatedly, so we kicked the raccoon off of him. Mahaffey said.

The raccoon ran inside the Mahaffeys home. Amber Mahaffey got a gun and shot the crazed rodent before it could cause any more harm.

It ran around the house trying to attack everyone, Mahaffey explained.

She then put little Chandler into her car and raced to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta in nearby Egleston, Georgia.

The attack occurred on Thursday, Sept. 13. Little Chandler got his first rabies shot the next day. A treatment regimen takes two weeks in total, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Rabies: Dangerous, Rarely Deadly

Rabies is fairly well controlled in the United States, where dogs a vaccinated for rabies. However, according to KidsHealth, about 50,00 people die from the disease each yearmostly in developing countries. In most countries, where there are no dog vaccination programs, dogs are the primary infection sources.

Untreated, rabies is almost always fatal.

In the United States rabies is usually contracted by a bite from a bat, raccoon, skunk, or fox, but any mammal can carry the disease. Bats infect more people than any other animal, KidsHealth reported, even though raccoons are the most common carriers.

Rabies spreads from the bite site to the brain, where it develops and eventually kills, according to the CDC.

Symptoms start with fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort, progressing to insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, and fear of water. Death usually occurs within days of the onset of these symptoms.

Thinning the Raccoon Population

Back in Covington, Georgia, Chandler Mahaffey has several more injections to endure until he is safe. One good thing is that with modern treatment, the vaccine is injected into the patients shoulder or thigh, according to the North Dakota Department of Health website.

Up until about 1980, rabies treatment involved 21 very painful injections into the patients navel.

Meanwhile, the neighbors are wondering how to respond to the possible presence of more rabid raccoons in the area.

It makes you nervous a little bit but Ive lived in the woods all my life, neighbor Joseph Scroughams told Fox 5.

Ive been wanting to get with the neighbors take some shotguns to walk through the woods, three or four of us together.

From NTD.tv
Report: 75 Women Come to Judge Brett Kavanaughs Defense

More than 75 women have come to the defense of Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Sept. 21, in light of allegations of sexual assault against him by a professor in California.

The group of dozens of women took to the stage at a Washington, D.C. hotel to support Kavanaugh, who is being nominated for the Supreme Court.

We know the man, we know his heart and we have known him over every aspect of his life, said Sara Fagen, who worked with him in the White House for former President George W. Bush, according to the Washington Examiner.

The Examiner said that the dozens of women are colleagues, friends, and ex-girlfriends.

Fagen added: The charge leveled against him is inconsistent with every single thing we know about him.

Another woman, Meghan McCaleb, who has known him since high school, said that the acts of which Brett is accused represent a stark departure from the behavior my friends and I have witnessed in more than four decades.

McCaleb also said that Kavanaugh is a gentleman of the highest caliber who always treated women with decency and respect. She said, He stood out as the most responsible guy who always treated us with kindness and respect.

She said that he dated McCalebs sister at the time.

Brett wouldnt do that in a million years. Im totally confident. That would be completely out-of-character for him, said Paula Duke Ebel, who knew Kavanaugh when they were students in several Catholic schools in Washington D.C. in the 1980s, according to The Associated Press. Meanwhile, the AP reported that she interacted with Kavanaugh hundreds of times during that time period.

Christine Blasey Ford, a 51-year-old psychology professor, has said that Kavanaugh cornered her into a bedroom during a party in the 1980s. She alleged that he pinned her to a bed and tried to undress her while clamping his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. A friend of his jumped on the bed and knocked them over, and she was able to escape, she said.

Kavanaugh said that Fords allegation is completely false.

The Senate Judiciary Committee invited Kavanaugh and Ford to testify at a hearing on Sept. 24, but Ford has declined. Fords lawyers said she wants the FBI to investigate her allegations of what happened 35 years ago.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts dont matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Trump Responds

President Donald Trump responded to the allegations and Fords letter, which was put forward by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, on Sept. 21.

Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER  done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay. Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE! he tweeted. The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago? the president asked.

Kavanaugh, Trump added, is a fine man who has an impeccable reputation, but who is under assault by radical left-wing politicians. They dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts dont matter, he said, adding: I go through this with them every single day in D.C.
Rome's artificial beach, Tiberis, on Sept. 12, 2018. The beach, sited along the banks of the Tiber River in the south of the city, opened to the public on Aug. 4, 2018. (Maria Michela D'alessandro/Special to The Epoch Times)

Romes Promised Artificial Riverside Beach Opens After Delays; Faces Criticism

ROMESurrounded by daily traffic jams, the numerous signs on the Ponte Marconi bridge, located in the southern part of the Italian capital, simply say Tiberis, the beach of Rome.

Officially inaugurated on Aug. 4, 2018, the 10,000-square-meter (107,639 square-foot) artificial beach is inspired by the City of Lights Paris Plages, where temporary beaches pop up along the Seine in summer. The long-awaited beach is open every dayfor freeuntil the end of September, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

If the summery temperatures of this period last over the next month, the beach might be open until the first days of October, Daniele, one of the beach cleaners, told The Epoch Times on Sept. 12.

In contrast to the Tevere Village, a man-made beach set up on both sides of the Tiber River between the central Ponte SantAngelo and Ponte Umberto in 2005, Tiberis sits along the Tiber just south of the bustling historic center between the San Paolo and Marconi districts. Tiberis literally means Tiber (river) in Latin.

Of course, Tiberis is different from a typical beach; it isnt possible to take a soak or swim in the riverthe Tibers too polluted for swimmingthere is not a cafe or a restaurant and it is small, but it is for free, it is clean and calm, and it is not easy to find something similar nearby, said Daniele, who went to the beach to get a tan during his day off.

Every day, a cleaner working for the Colser Cooperative is responsible for keeping the bathrooms and showers clean, while for security reasons, two retired unarmed policemen supervise the area. They both requested anonymity and were unable to talk about their job, but said there have been no incidents since the beach opened. Both said it was a needed place in Rome.

Other beachgoers werent so sure.

Criticism

It looks like a horrific place, I do not like it at all, Barbara Li Donni told The Epoch Times. For the woman, who reluctantly went to the beach with a friend, seeing it only confirmed her dissatisfaction with the project.

As the sun goes down and people leave, the feelings of Emanuele and Martina, both in their 20s, are clear. It is our first time here and we really like it; we can finally go to the beach without going to Ostia, 24 kilometers away, Emanuele told The Epoch Times.

This oasis in the concrete jungle of the city was indeed supposed to be an alternative to the coast and a summertime gift from Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi, a member of the Five Stars Movement. But some criticisms have affected the overall impression of the venue.

There was the delay in opening. While the city administration began discussing the project a year ago, it wasnt announced until the end of the year that the first new beach in the city in more than 10 years would open in June.

There also were ideas to privatize the area, but in December, it was announced that the site wouldnt be privatized, but rather managed by the city and its newly established Special Office for the Tiber. The office was set up as part of a larger plan to regenerate the Tiber and make it more accessible to residents.

The delay became evident, as piled-up sand and access ways onto the site near Ponte Marconi were still idle by the end of July.

Regeneration

Despite not opening until well into the summer, the 22 umbrellas and 48 sunbeds, drinking water fountain, portable toilets, eight changing rooms, and eight showers provided by the city seem to satisfy the citizens who frequent the beach.

For years, the land was abandoned and dirty, and once known for illegal shantytowns. Today, we see the first part of the development of an area where people and children can play beach volleyballthere are two courtsand to let citizens appreciate the natural and faunal beauties of the Tiber that few know, Silvano Simoni, an engineer in the Department of Environmental Sustainability, said during the inauguration of the beach.

The city started the reclamation of the area one year ago, with the removal of about 90 truckloads of garbage. The trash was replaced by a sandy beach and grassy areas, along with the other amenities. While there is currently no refreshment area, there are vending machines that sell drinks and snacks.

I grew up in Rome, in the Trastevere district, and now that I am retired, I enjoy coming here, said city resident Anna Maria. Today, I decided to come with my little niece to show her how nice this place is. I think the city of Rome has done a great job; only one year ago, there were gypsies, rats, and garbage. People who dont appreciate small things cannot enjoy this beach, they can only complain. I am satisfied.
Russian Bombers Intercepted by UK Jets After Ignoring Air Traffic Control, Says UK

UK fighter jets were scrambled on Sept. 20 to intercept Russian bombers over the North Sea after they reportedly ignored air traffic control.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) sent out Typhoon fighter plants scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth to monitor two Russian planes approaching UK airspace, according to a statement.

Pilots of the Russian Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjacks, which are long-range bombers, were not talking to air traffic control in the United Kingdom and made them a hazard in the area, said the RAF.

Russian bombers probing UK airspace is another reminder of the very serious military challenge that Russia poses us today, said Gavin Williamson, the secretary of defense. We will not hesitate to continually defend our skies from acts of aggression. Once again the rapid reactions of our RAF have demonstrated how vital our armed forces are in protecting Britain.

The air force worked with NATO partners to monitor the jets as they passed over international airspace before they were intercepted. The RAF jets then escorted the Russian planes out of the UK area of interest, and at no time did the Russian planes enter the countrys airspace.

RAF QRA was launched today because the Russian military aircraft were not talking to air traffic agencies. The RAF routinely intercept, identify, and escort Russian aircraft that transit international airspace within the UKs area of interest and continue to be on call every day, the RAF statement concluded.

Other details about the encounter were not disclosed.

Russian Planes Near Alaska

On Sept. 11, two U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter planes (seen in the top video) intercepted two Russian TU-95 Bear long-range bombers as well as two Su-35 Flanker fighters near Alaska. The four Russian planes were about 200 miles west of the state.

And on Sept. 1, two Tu-95 bombers were intercepted by American F-22 planes after passing into the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone south of the Aleutian Islands, Fox News reported.

Earlier this week, according to reports published on Sept. 17, Syrian anti-aircraft fire downed a Russian plane in Syria, with Russia saying that it came after an Israeli attack on Syrian positions. In all, 15 people died in the incident.

As a result of the irresponsible actions of the Israeli military, 15 Russian servicemen were killed, which is absolutely not in keeping with the spirit of Russian-Israeli partnership, said Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian military, CNN reported. Israel expressed sorrow for the loss of life, blaming the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

On Sept. 11, Russia also launched the largest military exercise in decades, according to Russian state-backed RT.com. The massive maneuvers, called Vostok-2018, involved about 300,000 Russian ground troops and tens of thousands of ships, planes, and ground vehicles.

Some communist Chinese military units are also taking part in the exercises.

RT reported that more 1,000 planes, drones, and helicopters were involved. Approximately 36,000 armored vehicles and 80 combat and support ships were also taking part.
Solar Is Worth More on Long Island Than Anywhere Else in US

The best place to generate cash from a solar farm in the United Sates isnt California or sunny Floridaits Long Island.

While New York ranks 11th in the country in terms of solar capacity, photovoltaic power there can sell for more than anywhere else in the continental U.S., according to a report Sept. 20 from Bloomberg NEF. Last year, solar in New York City and Long Island earned an average of about $45 a megawatt-hour, compared with as little as $15 a megawatt-hour in Southern California, according to the report.

The reason is largely due to unique constraints within each market, notably high wholesale power prices in New York City and limited exports to Long Island. That creates a premium for developers who build power plants locally, and especially for sources like solar that generate electricity when demand peaks each day. The report shows that the continued expansion of solar depends not just on strong demand for clean energy, but on finding business models that make the economics of specific projects work within the complex, existing power markets.

Long Island is the best for solar, in terms of revenue, Joshua Danial, the BNEF analyst who wrote the report, said in an interview. California isnt as bad as we suspected but its getting worse as saturation increases.

Prices in California are lower in part because theres so much solar capacity available. While that energy is available during periods of peak daytime demand, the sheer abundance drags down prices.

While solar power on Long Island commands a high price, that doesnt mean its the most profitable. Developers there must also contend with expensive real estate, complicated permitting processes and high construction costs, all of which may offset the higher revenue. Plus, solar farms in California and the deserts of the Southwest get more sunshine, so they produce, and sell, more electricity than in New York and the Northeast.

By Christopher Martin
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at a press briefing at the State Department in Washington, on Aug. 16, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

State Department Announces Deadline for North Korea Denuclearization

Mike Pompeo to meet with North Korean counterpart at G-20 meeting in New York

The U.S. State Department said for the first time that it has a deadline for North Korea to denuclearize: January 2021, according to comments by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The deadline was announced as South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong Un, wrapped up a three-day summit in Pyongyang.

In the same announcement, Pompeo said he has invited his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, to meet during a nine-day UN General Assembly meeting in New York that starts on Sept. 25. He also said the United States has invited North Korean representatives to meet the U.S. special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, in Austria at the earliest opportunity.

I talk to my counterparts [in North Korea] with some frequency, Pompeo told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. It doesnt get reported. Im glad about that; Im glad were able to keep that quiet. And so, were making the progress that we need.

After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will tell!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2018

Pompeo said the United States is ready to engage after North Korean leader Kim reaffirmed his commitment to denuclearization, which he had promised President Donald Trump at their historic June meeting in Singapore.

At that summit, Trump said that Kim threw out the timetable of one year for the denuclearization process, although that timetable was never set as a demand from the White House. The United States worked with other nations to impose sanctions on North Korea and has said that it will continue to impose sanctions until North Korea has shown that it has dismantled its nuclear facilities.

The announcement to re-engage is no small measure of progress, after Trump canceled a trip that Pompeo was scheduled to take to North Korea in late August because the United States hadnt seen enough progress on denuclearization.

Another point of progress the White House pointed to is the lack of missiles on display during this years annual founding day parade.

North Korea has just staged their parade, celebrating 70th anniversary of founding, without the customary display of nuclear missiles. Theme was peace and economic development. Experts believe that North Korea cut out the nuclear missiles to show President Trump  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2018

After Moons trip to North Korea on Sept. 19, the South Korean president said that Kim had expressed his wish to complete denuclearization quickly and to focus on economic development. But that wish seemed to come with some stipulations.

Kim agreed to have inspectors from the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) present during the dismantling of its nuclear facility in Yongbyon and the missile engine testing site and launch pad at Tongchang-ri, if the United States takes corresponding steps in line with the spirit of the June 12 DPRKU.S. joint statement, according to North Korean state-run media.

What those steps are is unclear.

Publicly, Moon has said that the United States must end its hostile stance toward North Korea before it would dismantle its nuclear weapon facilities.

As North Korea takes denuclearization processes and measures, accordingly, the U.S. will end the hostile stance toward the north, building a new relationship with the North. And then the North will further accelerate the move toward denuclearization, he said during a Sept. 19 press conference, when asked about what North Koreas demands to the United States were.

In the past, Kim has asked for an official end to the Korean War. In 1953, the two sides agreed to an armistice but not a peace treaty.

North and South Korea have reaffirmed their commitment to the Panmunjom Declaration to end the war and promote economic unification, which they signed in April.

They have also agreed to a no-fly zone above the demilitarized zone, to dismantle several armed guard posts, and to halt military drills near the border, as well as put in a joint bid for the 2032 summer Olympics and hold another high-level meeting in Seoul.

After their meeting, Trump told reporters this showed tremendous progress with North Korea.

Russia and China

Russia and China have taken heat from Washington for meddling in sanctions that both countries agreed to as members of the U.N. Security Council.

Trump said in August, he was postponing Pompeos trip to North Korea until after the ChinaU.S. trade relationship was on better ground. Because of our much tougher trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions, which are in place), Trump said in an Aug. 24 tweet.

Russia has also aroused the ire of the United States for allegedly tampering with a report on ship-to-ship oil transfers to North Korea not allowed under UN sanctions.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said that a report on compliance with the sanctions was edited by Russia before it was submitted to a committee, and that the information that was omitted was all transgressions by Russia.

Russia cant be allowed to edit and obstruct independent U.N. reports on North Korea sanctions just because they dont like what they say. Period, Haley said in a statement.

This comes after Russia and China suggested easing sanctions on North Korea after Trump and Kims meeting in Singapore, which the United States declined to entertain.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen officers who worked underneath Watts remain on the force, including some who were under FBI investigation but were never charged, records show. A total of 15 police officers associated with Watts' crew over the years were placed on desk duty a year ago pending an internal Police Department investigation, records show. A Police Department spokesman could not immediately comment Friday on the status of that probe.
The US Capitol in Washington on Jan. 22, 2018. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Texas Republican Wins State Senate Seat Held by Democrats for 139 Years

A Republican candidate, in a stunning upset, has won a seat in the Texas state Senate that had been held by Democrats for 139 years.

The seat, in what had been a reliably Democratic district, was won by political newcomer Peter Flores, a retired game warden, who defeated Democrat Peter Gallego, a former U.S. representative. The upset further eroded hopes of a purported blue wave touted by Democrats.

Flores is the first Hispanic Republican to serve in the state Senate and is the first Republican to be elected in Senate District 19 since 1874. The last Republican to hold the seat was Andrew Phelps McCormick, who left office in 1879, according to the Legislative Library of Texas.

Flores won 53 percent of the vote (23,576) compared to 47 percent (20,911) for Gallego, according to BallotPedia.

We did it! he wrote on Twitter on Sept. 18, the night of his victory, while thanking other Republicans who had supported him. The upset helps solidify the GOPs control in Texas, giving them 21 out of the states 31 Senate seats.

There was no official statement from Gallego, Floress opponent, who wrote in a Facebook post a day after the election that he wanted to give A heartfelt thanks to all of you who have helped and supported my family & me throughout my journey.

Flores retired from Texas Parks and Wildlife agency in 2012, according to his official campaign website. He holds conservative stances on issues such as taxes, energy, the constitution, and gun rights.

Pete Flores will help keep Texas the greatest state in America, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on Twitter on election night.

The 17 County District has flipped from blue to red. @PeteFlores_TX is going to make a great senator & work hard for the people of SD 19, Dan Patrick, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas said. I am proud to have endorsed him.

Flores and Gallego competed in the Sept. 18 runoff after emerging from an eight-candidate field in first and second place, respectively, in Julys special election to replace former state Sen. Carlos Uresti. The longtime lawmaker vacated the seat in June after being convicted of 11 felony charges.

In a Sept. 19 opinion piece, Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich further dismissed any talk of an electoral blue wave.

Flores, a political newcomer competing against a seasoned former Democratic congressman, won in a district that is 73 percent Hispanic and African Americandespite virtually all political analysts expectations, Gingrich wrote for Fox News.

Republicans everywhere should study this Texas state special election and make the 2018 midterms a big choice election for all American voters, he added. And with only 48 days left until November 6, they must act now.

Meanwhile, in Texas, incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is being challenged by Rep. Beto ORourke in the upcoming general election. According to a Sept. 18 poll by RealClearPolitics, Cruz is leading by about 5 percent.
Playboy Magazine publisher Hugh Hefner is pictured during a press conference to introduce the new season of his TV show "Girls of the Playboy Mansion" on E! Entertainment, 11 Jan. 2007 at the Palyboy Mansion in Beverly Hills. (GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

The #MeToo Movements Blind Spot

Commentary

The #MeToo movement has scored a significant victory: Les Moonves has stepped down as CBS chairman and CEO after multiple accusations of predatory sexual behavior spanning many years came to light.

The #MeToo movement appears to be an amorphous, spontaneous uprising against people in positions of power who have engaged in serial sexual predation. That strikes me as a quintessentially American phenomenon. Whatever the particulars of the movements structure, leadership, etc., it is accomplishing several worthy objectives.

First, justice: Moonves comeuppance illustrates the old Biblical principle that one reaps what one sows (Galatians: 6:7). What perfect justice in this case would be, I cannot venture to say, but there is at least partial justice now that Moonves victims see him paying the price of public disgrace and removal from his position of power as a consequence of his misdeeds.

Second, deterrence: Clearly, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg during this, the first year of #MeToo. That means that there are a lot of guilty men (and a few women) out there who are sweating bullets that their shameful mistreatment of others (whether violently criminal or merely unethical, obnoxious, and abusive) will be revealed. And for others who havent yet crossed the line to engage in predatory sexual misconduct, most will be far more likely now than a year ago to refrain from crossing that line.

Third, accountability: The dam has broken. The notion that one could engage in such ugly behavior with impunity and hide safely behind an unwritten code of silence has been shattered. Notice has been served: Do it, and you will pay a heavy price.

This is all to the good. The norms of our society are changing for the better. Treating others with greater respect is much needed and much welcomed. That being said, I have a bone to pick with the #MeToo movement.

By all means, let there be days of reckoning for the guilty. Let the perpetrators be unmasked and receive their just desserts. But if the movement stops thereonly bringing to light more misdeeds by more perpetratorsthen it is only treating the symptoms of a societal problem and not its causes. The real culprit here is the mindset that fuels the impulses, rationalizations, and self-justifications that trigger such misconduct.

Can anyone deny that American society has become increasingly preoccupied and saturated with increasingly lurid and demeaning concepts of sex over the past 50 to 60 years? This isnt to say that intense interest in sex arose with the baby-boomer generation; powerful sexual desires are as old as the human race. But the Playboy philosophy that emerged in the 1950s and the sexual revolution that exploded in the 60s and 70s magnified and amplified those natural instincts, exalting sex and sexual liberation and indulgence as the mark of a hip modern man or woman.

A year ago this month, just before the #MeToo movement rose to prominence, Hugh Hefner, the founder of the Playboy empire passed away. I have no personal animus against Hefner, but as long as the peccadilloes of living men are being discussed openly, why not take a look at a deceased individual who played a key role in glamorizing sex-without-commitment promiscuity?

How was Hefner different from a pimp? No, he didnt ply his wares on street corners, but he still paid women to disrobe for the titillation of males who were willing to pay. And how would you characterize his flagship publication, if not as pornography? (You might say high-class porn, but pairing high-class with porn seems like an oxymoron, so perhaps a more accurate description of Playboy is that it is porn with more polish than some of the cruder versions thereof).

Let me emphasize that Im not alleging that Hefner singlehandedly debased human sexuality in American culture. He was a figurehead for a vast number of people in our society who were seduced into believing that sex is a toy that takes one to the pinnacle of happiness when, in fact, sexual hyperactivity has destroyed families and brought pain to millions of devastated American children who have wondered why Mom and Dad didnt stay together.

Besides ignoring Hefner and fellow pornographers role in eroding standards of sexual self-control, the #MeToo movement also has given Hollywood a pass. The movie industry has played a huge part in the exaltation of sex over love. Scenes that were left to the imagination as recently as the early 1960s have became increasingly explicit in the years since. The constant bombardment of the senses with vivid scenes of sexual passion inflamed those passions in others.

Indeed, the #MeToo movement lost a golden opportunity at last springs Oscar ceremony. There, a famous actress used her time on national TV to call for more offenders to be brought to account. That was fine, as far as it went. However, she blew a golden opportunity to address Hollywoods culpability in fanning the flames of sexual desire. Hollywood has contributed heavily to generating a cultural miasma in which morally weak individuals abandon self-restraint and instead commit sexual depredations against others.

As the book of Proverbs warns, Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? (Prov. 6:27) Hollywood films have ignited a lot of fires of desire over the years with graphic and mesmerizing depictions of sex as no-strings-attached thrills, best enjoyed with someone other than ones spouse. For Hollywood figures to denounce those who are consumed by those fires, without accepting any responsibility for its role in pouring fuel on those fires is shortsighted, if not hypocritical.

The #MeToo movement is propelling needed change. The next step in its development should be for its spokespersons to courageously challenge the social acceptability of exalting sexual gratification above healthy relationships and time-tested moral norms. Its time for them to address the roots of this cultural and social scourge.

Dr. Mark Hendrickson is an adjunct professor of economics at Grove City College. He is author of several books, including The Big Picture: The Science, Politics, and Economics of Climate Change (CFACT.org  2018).

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Thermal Spring Erupts at Yellowstone, Not Linked to Supervolcano

Scroll down for video of Ear Spring eruption

A Yellowstone National Park thermal spring near the famed Old Faithful geyser erupted for the fourth time in 60 years.

Ear Spring, which is shaped like a human ear, began shooing steam 20 to 30 feet up in the air, U.S. officials said. A height of that size has not been recorded since 1957.

The U.S. Geological Surveys Yellowstone Volcano Observatory said in a statement: Ear Spring, normally a docile hot pool, had a water eruption that reached 20 to 30 feet high on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018.

The eruption ejected not only rocks, but also material that had fallen or been thrown into the geyser in years past, like coins, old cans, and other human debris, it added. The last known similar-sized eruption of the spring was in 1957, although smaller eruptions occurred as recently as 2004. As a result of these changes, Yellowstone National Park has closed portions of the boardwalk.

Officials had to close some boardwalks and trails in Yellowstone. New activity was recorded in the Geyser Hill area of the Upper Geyser Basin, East Idaho News reported.

The eruption of the Ear Spring comes as the same year that the Steamboat Geyser started experiencing high activity. The geyser has erupted 19 times in 2018, and the latest eruption was on Sept. 17 (the video at the top shows the eruption), Yellowstone officials said.

Yellowstone Supervolcano?

Officials have stressed that there have been no signs of volcanic activity at the park. There have been a bevy of reports in recent years, namely from U.K. tabloids, that the Yellowstone supervolcano is about to erupt due to geyser activity or rockfall in the area that officials have said was not linked to any seismic activity. The Express tabloid on Sept. 21, in its headline, attempted to link the Yellowstone supervolcano to Ear Spring.

Changes in Yellowstones hydrothermal features are common occurrences and do not reflect changes in activity of the Yellowstone volcano. Shifts in hydrothermal systems occur only in the upper few hundred feet of the Earths crust and are not directly related to movement of magma several kilometers deep. There are no signs of impending volcanic activity. There has been no significant increase in seismicity nor broad-scale variations in ground movement, said the USGS.

Geologist Jeff Hungerford at Yellowstone National Park, said last year that the volcano wont erupt in the near future.

The volcano is not going to erupt anytime soon; however, we definitely have stories saying otherwise, Hungerford told NBC Montana at the time. They usually dont spin them in the right direction.

The Yellowstone area is the most monitored volcanic system in the world, said seismologist Mike Stickney, with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology.

We would likely see years to decades of anomalous activity at Yellowstone before any kind of a significant eruption, Stickney added.

However, if the volcano were to erupt, some scientists said that it would cause catastrophic damage, or about 2,500 times more powerful than the Mount St. Helens eruption in Washington state in 1980. The Yellowstone volcano has erupted three times in the past 2.1 million years, the officials say.
The statue of Lady Justice stands at the Federal Courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, on Aug.17, 2018. (Reuters/Joshua Roberts)

Trump Chips Away at Liberal Appeals Court Majorities

WASHINGTONAided by fellow Republicans in the Senate, President Donald Trump is rapidly filling vacancies on appeals courts, moving some that had liberal majorities closer to conservative control in an ideological shift that could benefit his administration.

These 13 courts wield considerable power, usually providing the last word on rulings appealed from lower courts on disputes involving federal law.

Their rulings can be challenged before the Supreme Court, but most such appeals are turned away because the top court typically hears fewer than 100 cases annually. Eleven of the courts handle cases from specific multi-state regions, one handles cases from Washington, while another specializes in patent cases.

Presidents can reshape the federal judiciary with their appointments and seek to appoint judges they believe share their ideological leanings. Republicans typically strive to pick conservatives while Democrats generally aim to appoint liberals, all subject to Senate confirmation.

Although there are no guarantees a judge will rule the way a president might like, the number of Republican and Democratic appointees is generally an indicator of an appeals courts conservativeliberal balance.

With the Republican-led Senate rapidly considering and confirming many of his judicial nominees, Trump already has appointed 26 appeals court judges. That is more than any other president in the first two years of a presidency, according to Russell Wheeler, a scholar at the Brookings Institution think tank, although he points out that there are more appellate judges now than in the past.

Trumps Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, appointed 55 in eight years as president.

Only four of the 13 federal appeals courts currently have more Republican-appointed judges than Democratic selections.

The two appellate courts closest to shifting to Republican-appointed majorities are the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Trump already has made three appointments to the 11th Circuit, leaving it with a 66 split between Democratic and Republican appointees. The 3rd Circuit, to which Trump has made one appointment, now has a 75 Democratic-appointee majority, with two vacancies for Trump to fill.

Should further vacancies open up on those courts, Trumps appointees would tip the ideological balance.

The ideological flipping of a judicial circuit, where cases typically are decided by panels of three judges, can have a direct impact on how cases are decided and new legal precedents established. Cases before circuit courts span a wide range of issues, from hot-button topics such as abortion and the death penalty to voting rights, regulatory and business disputes, employment law, and the environment.

Trump pledged as a candidate in 2016 to appoint conservatives to the bench. So far, he has largely kept his promise.

Inherited Vacancies

Trump inherited a large number of vacancies, in part because the Senate, controlled by Republicans since 2015, refused to act on some of Obamas nominees.

There are currently 13 appeals court vacancies, six of them with pending nominees picked by Trump, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Both the 11th Circuit and 3rd Circuit have major cases pending in which Trump appointees could make their mark.

An 11th Circuit three-judge panel on July 25 revived a civil rights lawsuit challenging the state of Alabamas move to prevent the city of Birmingham from increasing the minimum wage. Alabama has asked for a rehearing, which would be heard by the entire 12-judge 11th Circuit if the request is granted.

In the 3rd Circuit, the Trump administration has appealed a lower court decision blocking the Justice Department from cutting off grants to Philadelphia over so-called sanctuary city policies limiting local cooperation with federal authorities on immigration enforcement.

When Obama took office in 2009 after Republican President George W. Bushs eight years in office, the courts were tilted heavily toward Republican appointees, with only one having a majority of Democratic appointees. When Obama left office in 2017 after his own two four-year terms, nine of the 13 regional courts had majority Democratic-appointees.

Leonard Leo, who took leave from his role as executive vice president of the Federalist Society to advise the White House on judicial nominations, said there is tremendous desirability to flipping circuits that are majority liberal activists.

Flipping courts that have solid Democratic-appointee majorities will be difficult for Trump. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has seven vacancies and Trump has already filled one. Even if Trump fills all of them, Democratic-appointees would still hold a 1613 majority.

Trump and conservative allies have criticized the 9th Circuit for high-profile rulings against his administration including over the legality of the presidents ban on people entering the United States from certain countries which present a high risk of terrorism. The Supreme Court, with its conservative majority restored by Trump appointee Neil Gorsuch last year, in June upheld the travel ban policy.

By Lawrence Hurley
Trump Demands Evidence From Kavanaughs Accuser, Steps Up Defense of Supreme Court Nominee

President Donald Trump doubled up on his support of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Sept. 21, and demanded that the judges accuser provide evidence of her allegations.

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place! the president wrote on Twitter.

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

California professor Christine Ford detailed an accusation against Kavanaugh in a July 31 letter sent to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee which is conducting Kavanaughs confirmation hearings. To date, Ford has not provided any evidence of the claims and there is no publicly available copy of her letter. Feinsteins office has refused to share an un-redacted copy of the letter with Sen. Chuck Grassley, the committee chair.

Due to the lack of evidence, The Epoch Times is not republishing the details of Fords allegation. The alleged incident occurred 36 years ago, but Ford is unclear on the exact date and location.

Kavanaugh denied the allegations against him on several occasions, including under oath before the judiciary committee.

Fords lawyers reached out to Grassley on Sept. 20, to discuss the terms under which she would testify before the committee. Ford still prefers that the FBI conduct an investigation before her appearance. The FBI declined to investigate.

The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago? Trump wrote on Twitter on Sept. 21.

The radical left lawyers want the FBI to get involved NOW. Why didnt someone call the FBI 36 years ago?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018

Grassley set a 10 a.m. deadline on Sept. 21, for Ford to indicate whether she would be testifying at a hearing set for Sept. 24. Fords lawyers wrote to Grassley that Sept. 24 does not work for Ford.

Minutes after the deadline lapsed, a spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee had no update on the prospects of Fords testimony.

Feinstein disclosed the existence of Fords letter days before the committee was set to recommend Kavanaugh for a full Senate vote. Grassley detailed his disappointment in scathing letters to committee Democrats and Feinstein, pointing out that the ranking Democrat withheld a crucial document until after the confirmation hearings were completed.

You chose to sit on the allegations until a politically opportune moment. I cannot overstate how disappointed I am in this decision, Grassley wrote in a Sept. 19 letter (pdf) to Feinstein.

Republicans are eager to hear from Ford and move the confirmation forward before the midterm elections in early November. Democrats are calling to delay the confirmation with hopes of recapturing the majority in the Senate in the midterms.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who dont want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay. Facts dont matter. I go through this with them every single day in D.C., Trump wrote on Twitter on Sept. 21.

In a follow-up message, Trump wrote that the Senate should vote on Kavanaughs confirmation whether Ford testifies before the committee or not.

Senator Feinstein and the Democrats held the letter for months, only to release it with a bang after the hearings were OVER  done very purposefully to Obstruct & Resist & Delay. Let her testify, or not, and TAKE THE VOTE! Trump wrote.
Trump Rallies in Las Vegas Ahead of Nevada Midterm Race

LAS VEGASPresident Donald Trump returned to Las Vegas, Nevada, to head one of his flagship campaign rallies as he endorsed party candidates, energized his voter base, and planned to sign bills in the major resort city.

Trumps Sept. 20 visit ahead of the midterm elections comes just two weeks after Vice President Mike Pence was there, a signal that the White House is pressing for political control in the critical election swing state. In June Trump addressed the Republican Party Convention in Las Vegas.

Republicans Dean Heller, a senator vying for re-election, and Danny Tarkanian, a congressional candidate, both received endorsements from the president during the Make America Great Again style rally at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Trump will also attend a fundraiser to benefit the two candidates and the GOP campaign arms.

Trump first pumped up the crowd with a slew of recent economic highlights, including the historic stock market highs. He then mentioned specific reports, Weve also just identified the first remains from our fallen warriors from North Korea these great heroes can finally rest on American soil.

The president will soon sign his first batch of spending bills into law at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System on Sept. 21, dubbed the minibus appropriations bill, which contains funding for Energy and Water, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch for 2019.

As he introduced Heller up on the stage he called him a great friend and joked about their once-sour history.

We started out not friends but believe it or not we started to respect each other. We can count on his vote, Trump reassured the stadium.

As he lamented over the Democrats recent obstruction of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the crowd broke into chants of support, chanting Kavanaugh!, Kavanaugh!

Trump called him a great gentleman with an impeccable reputation, adding that he has tremendous support. I think everything is going to be fine.

The president then invited Heller onto the stage, touting his work on veterans affairs, Dean really is a champion, I work with him. He led the charge in congress to pass the most significant veteran reform in half a century, including the VA Accountability Act.

In response, Heller mentioned the 300,000 veterans in Nevada who want to thank you [Trump] for giving them the benefits and the support that they deserve.

Heller will face Democratic candidate Jacky Rosen in the Nov. 6 midterm election. The race is seen as particularly tight since Hillary Clinton won the state in 2016 by around 27,000 voters.

Trump said Rosen was bought and paid for by her donors 100 percent and is never going to vote for us.

She doesnt even want to go on a debate with Dean, Trump said. Rosen doesnt represent Nevadas values She voted no on Tax cuts, she voted for the disaster known as Obamacare.

According to his official biography, Heller was the representative for Nevadas 2nd congressional district and Nevadas Secretary of State before his service in the senate. He also received an endorsement from the presidents official campaign on Sept. 20.

Its critical that we re-elect Dean Heller from the great State of Nevada to the U.S. Senate to build on the booming Trump economy thats lifting up families throughout Nevada, Lara Trump, senior advisor to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc, said via email. Deans vote was instrumental in passing President Trumps historic tax cuts, and hes strong on immigration, border security, and support for our veterans.

Hellers opponent, Rep. Rosen, serves on the House Armed Services committee and is a member of the subcommittees on Tactical Air and Land Forces and Military Personnel. She also sits on the House Science, Space and Technology committee, her biography said.

According to the latest data from the Center for Responsive Politics, Heller has $5.874 million campaign cash on hand while Rosen has $3.828 million.

Meanwhile in the 3rd congressional district race, Tarkanian will be facing off against Democrat Susie Lee.

Tarkanian, a businessman and former attorney, wants to repeal Obamacare, protect gun rights, and block illegal immigration, among other issues, according to his bio. Lee, born in a working class family, has progressive stances on similar issues, and is advocating for education as a top priority.

According to the latest data, Lee had $1,138,991 on hand, while Tarkanian had $656,320 in his war chest.

Charlotte Cuthbertson contributed to this article.
A U.S. Marine stands as caskets containing the remains of American servicemen from the Korean War handed over by North Korea arrive at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii, Aug. 1, 2018. (Reuters/Hugh Gentry)

Trump Releases First Two Names of US War Dead Handed Over by North Korea

WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trump released the names of two Army soldiers, killed during the 19501953 Korean War, whose remains were among those handed over by North Korea this year in a goodwill gesture.

Trump said the first of those remains identified by the U.S. military belonged to Army Master Sergeant Charles H. McDaniel, 32, of Vernon, Indiana, and Army Private First Class William H. Jones, 19, of Nash County, North Carolina.

These HEROES are home, they may Rest In Peace, and hopefully their families can have closure, Trump said Sept. 20 in a Twitter post.

North Korea handed over 55 boxes containing the remains of war dead in July, fulfilling a pledge by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his June summit with the U.S. president in Singapore. The remains, which were repatriated to Hawaii on Aug. 1, included only one dog tag, an identification tag worn by members of the U.S. military.

The U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) said earlier this month it had identified the first two U.S. troops from the boxes of remains, but declined to name them publicly, saying their relatives would be notified first.

On Sept. 20, the DPAA said it was hoping to speak next month with the North Korean military about resuming field operations inside North Korea to find remains of U.S. service members.

We have communicated, through the DPRK mission to the U.N., an invitation to sit down with them to negotiate the resumption of field operations inside North Korea that would commence in the spring of 2019, Kelly McKeague, director of the DPAA, told Reuters. McKeague said North Korea hadnt yet accepted the invitation.

More than 7,700 U.S. troops remain unaccounted for from the Korean War.

The United States and North Korea worked together to recover remains from 1996 to 2005, until Washington halted the operations after expressing concerns about the safety of its personnel.

The Trump administration has hailed the handover of the remains as evidence of the success of Trumps summit with Kim.

By Idrees Ali and David Alexander
Trump Says Inspector General Will Review Russia Probe Documents

President Donald Trump said that the DOJ inspector general has been asked to review unredacted documents related to the Russia probe. The announcement came days after the president ordered the declassification of the documents.

I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe, Trump wrote on Twitter.

Also, key Allies called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis, the president added.

I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me  and everyone!

Trump ordered the director of national intelligence (DNI) on Sept. 17, to declassify a list of documents related to the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign.

The documents include parts of the June 2017 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant application to surveil former Trump-campaign volunteer Carter Page, the FBIs interviews with DOJ official Bruce Ohr, the bureaus interviews related to the Carter Page FISA application, and text messages related to the Russia probe sent by James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr.

Four Democrats from the Gang of Eight congressional leaders group attempted to stall Trumps order by demanding that the Justice Department, the FBI, and the DNI meet with them before releasing any documents.

Similar to the Justice Department, the Democrats argued that the release of the documents would impact Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation of alleged coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Mueller took over the FBIs counterintelligence probe on the Trump campaign in May 2017, the month before a secret court approved the June 2017 FISA application to renew the warrant to spy on Page.

Trump has repeatedly excoriated the special counsel investigation as a hoax and a witch hunt because the premise of the FBI probe Mueller inherited appears to be based largely on an opposition research dossier funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee.

The dossiers author, Christopher Steele, used second- and third-hand sources with ties to the Kremlin and Russian intelligence agencies to compile the dossier. None of the claims in the document have been verified.

Muellers team has not produced any evidence or indictments of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The White House and the Office of the Department of Justice Inspector General did not immediately return requests for comment.
Sukhoi Su-35 multi-role fighters of the Sokoly Rossii (Falcons of Russia) aerobatic team fly in formation during a demonstration flight at the MAKS 2017 air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, Russia, July 21, 2017. (Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin)

US Sanctions Chinese Military Unit for Buying Russian Fighter Jets, Missiles

WASHINGTONThe Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Sept. 20 for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions meant to punish Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

The State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD), the branch of the Chinese military responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms exporter.

The sanctions are related to Chinas purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.

They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating the U.S. financial system. It also adds them to the Treasury Departments list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.

The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syrias civil war.

Doing significant business with anyone on that list can trigger sanctions such as those imposed on China.

Some of those added to the list, which now contains 72 names, were indicted in connection with Russian interference in the U.S. election, the official said.

Earlier on Sept. 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order intended to facilitate implementation of the sanctions.

A federal special counsel is leading a criminal investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election, and any possible cooperation with Trumps presidential campaign. Trump has insisted there was no collusion with Russia; Moscow denies any effort to meddle in U.S. politics.

One U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.

Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Patricia Zengerle.
UKs Nuclear Deterrent Is Not Fit for Purpose, British Lawmakers Say

LONDONBritains nuclear deterrent is not fit for purpose, a report by the countrys Parliament has found.

The report from the public accounts committee found that maintenance had been delayed at 13 sites that support nuclear submarines.

Brexit could also affect the nuclear missile program, according to the report that was released Sept. 21, because of materials that are imported from other European countries. Skilled engineers that come from across the continent may also be more difficult to bring in following Brexit.

The committee warned that there is a 2.9-billion-pound ($3.8-billion) shortfall that needs to be filled, as well as a skills gap if the current deterrent is to be maintained.

Britains Ministry of Defence (MoD) already has a potential 20-billion-pound ($26-billion) shortfall over the next 10 years, putting the purchase of fighter jets, submarines, and armored vehicles at risk, according to a previous report by the committee.

Serious Questions

Committee Chair Meg Hillier said there are serious questions over the MoDs ability to meet its national security commitments.

Hillier said in a statement: The MoD must now bridge an affordability gap running to nearly 3 billion pounds, fill critical skill gaps, and ensure its supply chain is maintained effectivelyall at a time of significant uncertainty in international politics and trade.

I am particularly concerned that the infrastructure available to support the nuclear enterprise is not fit for purpose.

The MoD admits that while it has previously put off dismantling submarines on grounds of cost, this is no longer acceptable on grounds of safety and reputation.

The MoD needs to get on top of this quickly.

The committee said that the MoD attempted to save money by not dismantling old submarines that were no longer in use. There is now a backlog of 20 vessels that need to be disposed of, including nine that still contain nuclear fuel.

Although work has begun on the disposal of the first old nuclear sub, it wont be completed until 2020.

Designing, producing, and maintaining the fleet of nuclear submarines is forecast to cost the MoD almost 51 billion pounds ($67.4 billion) over the next decade.

In May, the National Audit Office also criticized the MoD for its 10-year spending plan, saying it was unaffordable and that forecasts of equipment and support projects were understated by 1.3 billion pounds.

And in January, the committee reported that Carrier Strikea project incorporating two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, new F-35 Lightning II jets, and a new radar systemmay go over budget, threatening the MoDs other defence programs.

Brexit Risks

The committee also said that the current state of the MoDs accommodation for its personnel is sometimes woeful.

Brexit has been recognized by the MoD as having an effect on its supply chain, the report said, and the MoD is actively looking at risks that may arise from Britain leaving the bloc. Such risks may include the price of chemicals used by the nuclear program, because the UK needs to import these chemicals from European countries.

Two senior MoD officials told the committee that finding and maintaining the right people with the right skills were the biggest risks to their programs.

An MoD spokeswoman told The Guardian that the UKs nuclear programs employee thousands of people and are extremely complex.

We are committed to delivering these nuclear programs on time and within budget, and will carefully consider the recommendations in this report to ensure this remains the case. We continue to press ahead with our dismantling projects. Work is underway to enhance our infrastructure so our programs continue to run at the highest standards, she said.
After Gaughan announced his decision, Van Dykes wife, Tiffany, began crying in the courtroom. Van Dyke, who had been smiling after court recessed for the day, saw her weeping and walked into the gallery to comfort her. He was heard explaining to her that its very rare for judges to acquit defendants in the middle of a trial and that the ruling was not an indication of the jurys eventual verdict.
Update: Three Rescued at Aquatic Park; One Person in Critical Condition

Fire department crews have rescued three people at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on the morning of Sept. 20, including one person who has suffered major injuries, according to fire officials.

Fire officials said the rescue was underway around 6 a.m. A person that was rescued from the water via a fireboat has been transported to a hospital in critical condition.

Two others who were rescued at the base of a cliff are in stable condition and also transported to a hospital.

No further information is immediately available.

By PF
Update: Witness Tells Police Two Vehicles Struck Male Pedestrian On the Night of Sept. 15

Santa Rosa police this afternoon said two vehicles may have been involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision with a pedestrian on Occidental Road on the night on Sept. 15.

A witness came forward this afternoon and said the victim, Matthew Thomas Eck, 37, of Santa Rosa, was initially struck by a brown or maroon-colored sedan in the westbound lane of Occidental Road just west of Stony Point Road, police said.

The female driver stopped, got out of her vehicle then got back in the vehicle and pulled to the side of the road before leaving the area, police said.

The female driver was described as a white adult with brown or red hair and a medium to large build, police said.

According to the witness, several vehicles then drove around Ecks body before he was struck again by a white sedan and dragged to the entrance of the Round Table Pizza restaurant at 2065 Occidental Road, police said.

The driver of the white sedan also drove away, according to the witness.

This afternoon police released surveillance camera video and photos of the white vehicle. Police described it as a compact sedan, possibly with a spoiler, similar to a Honda Prelude. The vehicle may have major front damage, police said.

Officers responded to the hit-and-run collision around 9:20 p.m. on Sept. 15. The collision closed Occidental Road until around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 16.

Police said Eck was found in the westbound lane in front of the Round Table Pizza restaurant. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone with information about the vehicles involved in the collision is asked to call police Sgt. Summer Gloeckner in the traffic division at (707) 543-4108.

By James Lanaras
The seal of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission hangs on the wall at SEC headquarters in Washington, on June 24, 2011. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

US Prosecutors Charge Three Men in $364 Million Ponzi Scheme

WASHINGTONFederal prosecutors have accused three men of portraying themselves as investment professionals and using a phony portfolio of consumer debt to defraud hundreds of unwary investors out of tens of millions of dollars as part of a $364 million Ponzi scheme.

Kevin Merrill of Maryland, 53, Jay Ledford of Texas and Nevada, 54, and Cameron Jezierski of Texas, 28, misused millions of dollars to maintain a lavish lifestyle, according to an indictment unsealed on Sept. 18 in a federal court in Baltimore.

The indictment charged the three with conspiracy, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.

The indictment says that from 2013 onward, the men offered individuals, family offices and funds an opportunity to invest in consumer debt portfolios that they claimed generated profits by collecting debt payments or by selling the debt to third parties. Instead of deploying the investments as promised, the defendants made payments to earlier investors while funding their own lavish lifestyle, prosecutors said.

The defendants lured investors and defrauded their victims with a web of lies, duping them into paying millions of dollars toward buying bundles of debt people owed on student loans and their credit card debt, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Robert Hur, said at a news briefing on Sept. 19.

Its been ten years since the 2008 financial crisis and it is easy to forget the financial system is one built on trust, he added.

The defendants defrauded at least 400 victims in the Baltimore area, Virginia and in Texas, Gordon Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Baltimore Field Office told reporters at the same briefing.

Merrill and Ledford spent tens of millions of dollars on luxury cars, jewelry, houses, boats, private jets and gambling at casinos, according to the indictment.

By Michelle Price & Katanga Johnson
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang speaks during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam 23 March 2018. (Minh Hoang/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

Vietnams President Dies After Unspecified Illness

HANOIVietnams President Tran Dai Quang, a former chief of internal security who became one of the most high-profile leaders in the communist-ruled country, died on Sept. 21, after an illness, state media said.

Quangs rise, at a time of growing dissent on social media and challenges to the partys authority, signaled limits to Vietnams liberal agenda, despite a growing openness to social change and sweeping economic reform, experts say.

Quang, 61, died in a military hospital in Hanoi of a serious illness despite efforts by domestic and international doctors and professors, Vietnam Television said.

He had hosted a reception for Chinas Supreme Court chief on Sept. 19, state-owned newspaper Vietnam News said.

Quang had been ill for months, said former health minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu, who now oversees healthcare for high-ranking officials.

He began showing symptoms of illness in June last year and has been treated in Japan six times since, Trieu told Reuters.

He suffered from a kind of highly virulent virus, for which there has not been any efficient treatment.

Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is officially led by four pillars: its president, prime minister, the chief of its Communist Party and the national assembly chair.

The president has a more ceremonial role, although he sits on the powerful decision-making politburo.

Before his April 2016 appointment as president, Quang had been minister of public security, heading an organization with broad powers responsible for intelligence gathering and thwarting domestic and foreign threats to the party.

Illness Rumors

Posts about the death of Quang, once tipped by some analysts as a potential general secretary, spread quickly on Facebook before state media took the rare step of announcing it within two hours of the event.

Rumors of his illness had circulated on social media for months, and there was no significant reaction in Vietnams benchmark index.

At one of Quangs last appearances, during a visit to Hanoi by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on September 11, the president appeared visibly unwell and stumbled as he stepped on to a platform to inspect a guard of honor.

Quang hailed from a small farming community 115 km (70 miles) south of Hanoi, rising through party ranks to become a police general and Politburo member.

We are saddened to hear the news that the president has died, said Bui Duc Phi, council chairman of the village where he was born.

Vietnams constitution provides for the vice president to perform the presidents duties should he be unable to work.

Vice president Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh will handle his duties until the National Assembly elects a new president, said prominent lawyer Tran Vu Hai.

The national assembly is set to meet in late October, but the date could be brought forward, he added.

By Khanh Vu and James Pearson
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to defend Japan's interests as he prepares for talks with President Donald Trump in New York next week amid concerns that the U.S. could follow through on threats of further tariffs on exports.

On Monday, Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is set for a second round of talks on bilateral trade with his U.S. counterpart, Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Abe is scheduled to hold broader discussions with Trump on Sept. 26.

While the U.S. is pressing for a bilateral trade agreement, Abe has persistently urged Trump to reconsider his decision to quit the Trans-Pacific Partnership, seeking to entice the U.S. back to the regional trade pact.

"National interests will always clash," Abe said in an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK Thursday, hours after winning a third consecutive term as leader of the country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The victory clears the way for him to become Japan's longest-serving premier.

"I want to defend Japan's national interests to the hilt," Abe said. "For example, on agricultural products I have said I won't go any further than what was offered in TPP."

Abe has invested in building a personal relationship with Trump, who tweeted his congratulations to the Japanese leader after Thursday's election. But he has failed to secure an exemption for Japan from U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs implemented in March. Japan's steel exports to the U.S. have since fallen to their lowest level in more than seven years.

Concerns are simmering that Japan may soon face punitive tariffs on its auto exports or more demands to open up its farm sector, which remains protected even under TPP regulations.

"Tit-for-tat trade sanctions don't benefit any country," Abe told a gathering of LDP lawmakers on Monday, without mentioning Trump by name. "Now is the time for Japan to take the lead in creating the rules of the new era as a flag-bearer for free trade."

Abe's ultra-loose monetary policy has helped Japan achieve its strongest period of economic growth in decades. But U.S. trade sanctions are a looming threat to what he claims as a major success of his almost six years in office.

While playing down the conflict between the two sides as "a difference in methods" with the common goal of expanding trade and investment, Abe told NHK the issue of automotive trade should be dealt with strictly under World Trade Organization rules. Motegi told reporters Friday that he didn't believe concerns about agriculture would be substantiated, Kyodo News reported.

Trump told reporters earlier this month that it would be a "big problem" if the two countries aren't able to reach a trade deal. U.S. ambassador to Tokyo William Hagerty kept up the pressure in a Sept. 10 interview with Japanese broadcaster BS Fuji.

"We need a trade agreement, we should have a trade agreement, and I feel confident we will have one," Hagerty said. Dismissing TPP as impossible to pass in the U.S. senate, he said a bilateral agreement must be agreed quickly so as to avoid U.S. farmers and other businesses being put at a disadvantage. "I think the president will be able to articulate that very clearly when he and the prime minister meet next."

Japan, which has been critical of U.S. tariffs on China amid a growing trade dispute between Washington and Beijing, will also send Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko to the U.S. from Sept. 24. Seko told reporters Friday that he was set to hold talks on WTO reform with his U.S. and European Union counterparts.

Japan has seen overall trade deficits in the past two months, largely triggered by higher oil prices. Its imports of liquefied natural gas from the U.S. climbed to a record high in August, just as sanctions imposed by China are set to make U.S. LNG less competitive in that market.
One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy

By Carol Anderson

Bloomsbury. 271 pp. $27

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Yet, the harsh fact is that in many places in this country, men and women are kept from voting simply because they are Negroes. Every device of which human ingenuity is capable has been used to deny this right.

(BEGIN ITAL)- Lyndon Johnson, Voting Rights Act Address, 1965(END ITAL)

With the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, many Americans (except African-Americans and Latinos) believed that the voting rights fight was over - taken care of, time to move on. Democracy won. Next.

But as Carol Anderson demonstrates in her powerful new book, "One Person, No Vote," the right to vote - a central tenet of our democracy - is under threat. Chief Justice John Roberts has said voting is "preservative of all other rights." If that is so, then according to Anderson, all our other rights are in serious jeopardy. Her book is a disturbing drill down into how the right to vote is being slowly destroyed with too few of us noticing.

"One Person, No Vote" is an important sequel to Anderson's "White Rage," which examined the nefarious ways white America sought to oppress, repress and marginalize African- Americans after the Civil War. The key element of that oppression was an ongoing - and successful - effort to deny blacks the right to vote. Some tactics were less than subtle: poll taxes, literacy tests, limited hours for voting, allowing only whites to vote in primary elections. Other strategies were violent and cruel: Blacks were subjected to rampant voter intimidation and lynchings. Many were incarcerated on made-up charges and then as felons denied the right to vote. The deterrents worked. In 1867, just after the Civil War, more than 65 percent of newly enfranchised blacks registered to vote in Mississippi; by 1955, that figure had plummeted to 4.3 percent. The same dismal story was witnessed all across the South.

But 100 years after the Civil War, the 1965 Voting Rights Act gave blacks unfettered access to the ballot box. And with its passage, it seemed that the moral universe was, to paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr., bending toward justice - and democracy. By 2008, in North Carolina, a higher percentage of blacks voted than whites.

But when Anderson examined voting patterns in the 2016 presidential election, she discovered that some black voters had disappeared, a circumstance that she calls "the campaign's most misunderstood story." In 2016, the number of black voters nationwide dropped from a 66 percent turnout to under 60 percent. The decline was even more precipitous in places like Milwaukee, where it slumped from 78 percent of African-Americans voting in 2012 to less than 50 percent in 2016. And thanks to those lower turnouts, Donald Trump carried Wisconsin by a slim margin of fewer than 23,000 votes.

Anderson argues that this decline in black voters in 2016 was not a one-time anomaly but rather was evidence of a systemic hijacking of our democracy. The genesis of the hijacking began after Barack Obama's 2008 election. Republicans then faced a quandary: How should they deal with the rising demographic tide of minority voters? In 1992, nonwhites represented just 13 percent of the voting population - by 2012, they were 28 percent. Republicans had a choice: They could change their policies to appeal to new voters or find a way to suppress their votes.

As Anderson makes clear, they chose the latter.

Republicans took to heart the words of Paul Weyrich, the conservative founder of the Heritage Foundation. In a 1980 speech, he opined: "I don't want everybody to vote. ... As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down."

Anderson catalogs how Republicans, beginning after 2008, put Weyrich's manifesto into action. Their tactics included purging voters, gerrymandering, instituting voter-ID laws, closing polling places and preventing felons from voting (1.7 million felons aren't allowed to vote in Florida - representing about a fifth of possible black voters). As Anderson writes, "Voter suppression had now gone nationwide as it became a Republican-fueled chimera that by 2017 gripped 33 states and cast a pall over more than half the American voting-age population."

In 2010, Republicans managed, with generous funding from the Koch brothers among others, to take over numerous state legislatures in the midterm elections. Soon, state after state, most of them Republican-controlled, passed new voter laws, often requiring stricter types of identification. These voter IDs included driver's licenses that white voters often had or could easily get. Not surprisingly, these IDs were much less commonly held by minority voters. For instance, when Texas enacted a voter-ID law in 2013, 600,000 African-Americans and Latinos did not have the proper ID to vote. Sherrilyn Ifill of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund sees these voter-ID laws as "old poison in a new bottle."

Republicans claimed that voter-ID laws were the perfect prescription for an election system that was riddled with voter fraud. Yet Anderson amply demonstrates that a slew of academic studies prove that voter fraud, or illegal voting, is very rare. In fact the North Carolina Board of Elections found that out of the millions of votes cast in the state in 2016, there was only one case of voter fraud that a voter-ID system would have prevented. Yet half of Americans believe that voter fraud is common.

And it is not only politicians who have rallied to the cause of finding new ways to make voting more difficult. In 2013, the Supreme Court, by a 5-to-4 vote, overturned a key clause of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The pre-clearance clause required many Southern states to clear any changes in state election laws with the Justice Department before implementing them. After the court's ruling, a number of Southern states, including North Carolina and Texas, quickly put voter restriction laws into effect. North Carolina's law required a stricter level of voter ID, cut back on early-voting days and did away with same-day voter registration. The illegitimacy of these laws was demonstrated in the summer of 2016 when federal courts struck down or amended many of them. Of the North Carolina law, the federal court wrote that it targeted "African-Americans with almost surgical precision."

Despite these federal court rulings, politicians proved adept at coming up with innovative laws to suppress the minority vote.

After Obama carried Indiana in 2008, the Republican legislature of this traditionally red state, along with its then-governor, Mike Pence, passed a law that said counties with more than 325,000 registered voters could have only one early-voting site unless the county election board ruled otherwise. In Indiana, there are only three counties with more than 325,000 registered voters; all three have large numbers of black voters. And data shows that blacks vote early in much higher percentages than white voters do. As a result of this new law, early voting in Marion County, which comprises Indianapolis and, as Anderson puts it, "the lion's share of African-Americans in the state," fell 26 percent.In 2012, Indiana went for Romney and in 2016 for Trump.

As we look toward this fall's elections, Anderson gives us the lowdown on the voter suppression tactics of two Republican candidates running for governor: Brian Kemp in Georgia and Kris Kobach in Kansas. Both men are currently secretaries of state, the office that oversees state elections. Both preached the dogma of voter fraud and the need for what they call "election integrity" - code words, according to Anderson, for voter suppression.

Kobach was also vice chairman of Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which was formed after Trump claimed that millions of noncitizens voted illegally in 2016. But the commission crumbled after eight months and found no proof of voter fraud. Nonetheless, Anderson sees Kobach as an accomplished practitioner of the dark art of voter suppression. He passed a Kansas law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. The American Civil Liberties Union sued. When a federal court agreed with the ACLU and banned the practice, Kobach quickly adjusted and made proof of citizenship a requirement for registering to vote in state (not federal) elections.

For his part, Kemp fought to turn back the rising demographic tide in Georgia. Anderson notes that while the state's population has grown, unbelievably, the number of registered voters has dropped since 2012 (Kemp was elected in 2010). This is due in no small part to Kemp, a "voter-suppression warrior," in Anderson's words, who led a purge of more than 1 million voters from the rolls between 2012 and 2016.

If the trend in voter suppression looks bleak, Anderson finds a ray of hope in Alabama's 2017 special Senate election. In that vote, African-Americans overcame myriad voter suppression obstacles and turned out in high numbers to elect the Democrat, Doug Jones, and defeat the Republican candidate, Roy Moore. Moore had infamously said, among other things, that removing all the constitutional amendments passed after the 10th "would eliminate many problems." Those amendments abolished slavery, guaranteed the right to vote without racial discrimination and gave women the vote.

While Anderson notes some progress in battling voter suppression, she remains clear-sighted about the continuing dangers. She decries how voter suppression skews the electorate and the resulting consequences to our democracy. "Voter suppression has made the U.S. House of Representatives wholly unrepresentative," she writes. "It has placed in the presidency a man who is anything but presidential. It has already reshaped the U.S. Supreme Court ... and as a slew of Trump's unqualified nominees to the federal bench get greenlighted by a compromised Senate, it threatens to undermine the judiciary for decades to come." Her conclusion: "In short, we're in trouble."

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Smith was a senior producer for MSNBC and currently is the executive producer of a new feature documentary, "Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook."
We're entering the run-up to perhaps the most important election in the Western Hemisphere this year. Next month, Brazilians will elect new governors and legislatures in each of the country's 27 states; all 513 members of the lower house of Congress; some two-thirds of the Senate; and, most importantly, a new president.

The first round of the presidential election will be held on Oct. 7. For now, there's only one politician who most expect to qualify for the two-candidate runoff on Oct. 28: 63-year-old Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right nationalist whose ascent echoes the rise of right-wing populists across the West, including that of President Trump.

Brazil has been wracked by years of tumult: A vast corruption scandal has caused presidential impeachments and rolling political feuds. Economic havoc has led to a recession and millions of Brazilians are backsliding into poverty. Meanwhile, crime rates have soared.

But, despite the mounting public anger and waves of mass protests that have hit the country's major cities, little has fundamentally changed. While some establishment politicians are now in jail, dozens of others implicated in allegations of graft may win reelection to their seats in Congress. A poll last year found that only 13 percent of Brazilians were satisfied with their democracy.

That backdrop has given Bolsonaro, a former army captain who eked out most of his career on the fringes of politics, his moment to shine. Like Trump, Bolsonaro has marshaled widespread disaffection to build a viral, anti-establishment movement. He, too, promises sweeping, bludgeoning reform - including the privatization of major state-owned companies - while pandering to a socially conservative base of voters, particularly an increasingly influential bloc of evangelical Christians. His campaign has, at least informally, sought the counsel of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. And Bolsonaro himself has welcomed comparisons to the U.S. president, whom he hails for challenging "political correctness" and the "rotten media" elite.

Bolsonaro's supporters see him as a "messiah" who will make Brazil great again. Others are not so convinced. A new cover story in the Economist branded the populist front-runner as "Latin America's latest menace."

Two weeks ago, Bolsonaro survived a near-fatal stabbing attack while on the campaign trail. The ordeal added to his sense of epochal purpose. "What's at stake? It's not my future," said the wounded candidate, speaking from his Sao Paolo hospital bed. "We live in a time when the future of more than 200 million Brazilians is at stake."

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro's critics - and there are many - point to the rather unseemly side of his politics. Brazil's top court recently ruled he would not have to stand trial for racist remarks he made during a speech in 2017, during which he said "that members of rural settlements founded by the descendants of slaves, called 'quilombolas,' are 'not good even to procreate,'" according to the Associated Press. "He also talked about the weight of those slave descendants using a measure that Brazilian farmers apply to animals."

Bolsonaro does still have to go to court over accusations of slander and incitement to rape, dating back to a 2014 incident when he attacked a left-leaning congresswoman, saying he would not rape her because she was ugly and "didn't deserve it."

He's also well-known for his disparagement of LGBT Brazilians: Bolsonaro has said he would prefer a dead son to a gay one and has likened the right of gay couples to adopt to pedophilia. He has attacked immigrants as "scum" and has proposed selling off the lands of indigenous Brazilians.

Unsurprisingly, Bolsonaro's backers have framed his grossly offensive rhetoric as plain-speaking banter meant to cut through the platitudes of the corrupt and out-of-touch political class.

Arrayed against Bolsonaro is a cast of centrist and center-left challengers. One potential opponent in the second round is Fernando Haddad, a former mayor of Sao Paolo and a key figure within the left-leaning Workers Party. Haddad was tapped to run by popular former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who languishes behind bars on a corruption conviction his supporters insist is politically motivated.

A Bolsonaro vs. Haddad showdown raises the prospect of a bitter left vs. right clash. "Many thought that by the time we got close to the election, some middle ground would be found, and that is not what we are seeing," said Monica de Bolle, director of Latin American studies program at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, to Reuters.

To the alarm of his opponents, Bolsonaro has spoken admiringly of Brazil's brutal military dictatorship, which ruled for multiple decades and disappeared and tortured countless leftist dissidents. His running mate, retired army general Hamilton Mourao, has even floated the idea of a coup against the judiciary and rewriting Brazil's constitution to constrain civil liberties.

"Bolsonaro represents a new brand of populism in Latin America, one that returns to its fascist origins across the world," wrote Federico Finchelstein, a historian at the New School. "Bolsonaro's rise should serve as a reminder that we are experiencing a worldwide crisis of democracy, one not limited to Trumpism or the rise of the extreme right in Europe."

"If Brazil falls, if Brazil goes authoritarian, I would worry a lot about the rest of the region," Harvard political scientist Steven Levitsky said to HuffPost. "People in Latin America  militaries in Latin America, demagogues and democrats in Latin America  will be paying close attention to Brazil. It would have devastating regional consequences."

Like far-right leaders in Europe, Bolsonaro could still stumble at the final hurdle, with a critical mass uniting against him in the second round. "The 'outsider' option seems particularly attractive to many citizens. In Brazil, the 'outsider' candidate will probably make it to the second round," noted Felipe Krause and Andre Borges in The Post's Monkey Cage blog, before pointing to centrist French leaders who beat back far-right challenges. "But the nation's constraints on extremists suggest whoever else reaches that round will be Brazil's Jacques Chirac or Emmanuel Macron."

Still, in an era of virulent nationalist rage, it would be naive to count Bolsonaro out.

- - -

Tharoor writes about foreign affairs for The Washington Post. He previously was a senior editor and correspondent at Time magazine, based first in Hong Kong and later in New York.
Jacob Kaplan, the Cook County Democrats executive director, said he believes its the first time the party has ever recommended a no vote  at least in the past 40 years. He called it a difficult but necessary decision to maintain the high integrity of the partys values and mission.
One September morning just over a year ago, Philip Roselle got up, put on his uniform, and reported for duty as a police officer sworn to protect the citizens of Norwalk, just as hed been doing for the past 30 years.

A diabetic his entire adult life, the veteran cop never let his condition get in the way of his police work, for which hed been awarded a Meritorious Commendation Certificate. As he says, For 30 years, I did everything a police officer is required to do, and I did it to the fullest.

On Sept. 5, 2017, all that changed, following a routine training session at the gun range at police headquarters. Another officer accidentally discharged his pistol while cleaning it, thinking hed cleared the chamber. The lone remaining bullet tore through Roselles right arm and into his ribcage.

The bullet remains lodged in his chest; he can feel it whenever he moves. Thats the constant. Little else is the same. He cant work. Complications from the shooting have left him with blood clots, a partial blockage of his heart, and permanent nerve damage in his right hand. While he waits for a donors kidney, Roselle relies on dialysis three times a week. Post-traumatic stress and its kissing cousin, depression, have sent him to the emergency room more than once.

Given Roselles years of service, the fact that he was shot while on duty, and the gravity of his injuries, one would hope that at the very least he and his family would be receiving financial support, enabling him to focus on regaining his health.

Sadly, that isnt the case. His benefits ended in May. He has since used up his accumulated vacation and sick days.

The police unions position is straightforward: because he was injured on the job, Roselle is entitled to workers compensation. But the Connecticut Workers Compensation Commission has twice denied Roselle benefits on the grounds that an underlying condition, his Type 1 diabetes, is whats keeping him out of work; that despite the 30 years of good health that preceded the shooting.

While his police family has stepped up, creating a GoFundMe account that has raised nearly $17,000, Roselles lawyer continues to fight for workers compensation as the medical bills continue to pile up.

And where is the city in all this? Mayor Harry Rilling, a former Norwalk police chief and police union president, has said the city has no role in the decision. We need to do everything we can to protect our first responders, Rilling said. They put their lives on the line day in and day out, and we need to make sure that were here for them when they need us.

Just so. But while the mayor has reached out to the family to figure out what options are available, the Roselles say nothing has changed. Its a chilling message not only for them but for all the citys first responders, the men and women who run toward danger rather than away from it.

They deserve better.
And he listed other entities that already do or will soon oversee police in Chicago, among them the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the Police Board, the city Inspector Generals Office, and the federal judge and monitor who will both be part of the federal consent decree Emanuel has agreed to after Attorney General Lisa Madigan sued the city. None of those entities, however, are primarily intended to give community oversight to the police.
Contempt: A Memoir of the Clinton Investigation

By Ken Starr

Sentinel. 338 pp. $28

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Whitewater. Webb Hubbell. The McDougals. Madison Guaranty Savings & Loan. Jim Guy Tucker. The Rose Law Firm. Billing records that mysteriously appeared on a table on the third floor of the White House residence. Please - please - not all that again.

But wait. It gets worse. Pizza deliveries during a government shutdown. Phone sex. Gift ties. That woman. Vast right-wing conspiracy. The meaning of "is." Nobody's business but ours. Please - please - spare me. Spare us.

But no, it's all roaring back, all of it, in part because President Trump's opponents are talking impeachment, that forbidding tool employed only 20 years ago against Bill Clinton. But the whole episode - diminishing and demeaning to all it touched, president, prosecutor and press alike - is on our lips again, and now it is on the booksellers' shelves, too. Kenneth W. Starr, the independent counsel in the whole tawdry affair - the sexual relationship between Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky that shook Washington and shocked the country - has written a book and, like Bob Woodward with "Fear," which deals with the incomprehensible innards of the Trump White House, its title is a single menacing word: "Contempt."

For in these pages contempt abounds: Clinton's contempt for normal presidential comportment, an issue of contemporary resonance. Clinton's contempt for the truth, another casualty of our current passage. The president's contempt for his investigator, the soundtrack of this earlier epoch and of the epochal struggle going on right now in the capital. And there is more: Starr's contempt for Hillary Clinton, another persistent element of our politics.

And so there is something eerily contemporary about contempt, and in the pages of "Contempt." Open this volume and you will discover that Starr, no ally of the sort of liberals panting for a presidential trial, believes that occupants of the White House should not be shielded from lawsuits, even if the matter in question occurred before the administration of the oath of office. Surely someone will run with this. Nor does he believe that a president - presumably any president - "is simply too busy to respond to lawsuits the way others have to." Another argument likely to have new life.

And Starr takes a dim view of White House wars against independent investigators. This has a contemporary feel, too: "Clinton's determination to win at all costs significantly compromised the Justice Department's hallowed independence from politics," he writes. "Just as Richard Nixon compromised the DOJ, so did Bill Clinton." You can almost hear Attorney General Jeff Sessions adding three words in his head: (BEGIN ITAL)and Donald Trump(END ITAL).

Lest you think the echoes end there, Starr's book has cameo roles for two names in the news today. One is Rod Rosenstein, present for the White House deposition of Hillary Clinton and now the deputy attorney general who is the putative supervisor of the Russia investigation being undertaken by Robert S. Mueller III. (Rosenstein was, in Starr's estimation, "an up-and-coming courtroom litigator ... extremely well prepared and precise.") Another is Brett Kavanaugh, the "chief wordsmith," as Starr characterizes him, of the searing independent-counsel report that became a soft-porn sensation and then the basis for Clinton's impeachment in the House, followed by acquittal in the Senate.

But this is not a book about the Trump years but about the Clinton era, though it is no roman a clef. We know it ends - badly, for the president, for the presidency and for the prosecutor, who no doubt was prompted to produce this memoir a clef to exonerate himself from the belief that he was a Peeping Tom to a tomcat, that he went too far, that he took too long, that he wrote too much. His argument (and this is the premise of the entire volume) is that he believed too deeply in the rule of law, in the sanctity of the truth and in the notion that nobody, including the president, is above the law.

That's the conflict at the heart of this book, written by a man cursed - like so many on both sides of this titanic struggle - by his association with this episode but otherwise blessed with a charmed career, with stops at Duke Law, a clerkship with Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, postings as chief of staff to Attorney General William French Smith and as solicitor general, and an appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where he sat with, among others, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (Later he became dean of the Pepperdine law school and then president and chancellor of Baylor University, leaving after questions about the handling of sexual assault accusations at the Waco, Tex., campus.)

Starr takes us on a tour of Whitewater, and though it once was the principal point of his inquiry, it now is largely beside the point. But its enduring importance may be the insight Clinton's testimony provided when he said he didn't remember jogging from the governor's mansion in Little Rock to Jim McDougal's office to ask him to send a little legal work to his wife. "It defied credulity that the president would not remember such an unusual episode," Starr writes. It was then that the Starr team determined that Clinton was, in the words Starr attributes to former U.S. attorney Hickman Ewing Jr., "a lying dog."

A page later Starr asserts, "We were convinced there was a lot Hillary was holding back."

Indeed, Starr has special contempt for the onetime first lady and two-time presidential hopeful, and he basically employs a Trumpism (Crooked Hillary) when he writes: "No matter the subject, Hillary was a classic noncredible witness. For starters, she was smug and dismissive. Her brittle personality was evident in all our interactions. ... There were two Hillarys. The supersmart, articulate policy-wonk Hillary; and the private, mean-streak, vulgar Hillary."

Starr has a few regrets, though one of them seems especially significant: "I deeply regret that I took on the Lewinsky phase of the investigation. But at the same time, as I still see it twenty years later, there was no practical alternative to my doing so."

His defense, referring to an earlier case where Clinton was accused of sexual advances on a state employee: "The President's premeditated perjury in the [Paula] Jones federal civil rights case cried out for investigation."

Along the way Starr shares his views of many of the principals in this classic struggle over principles: Lewinsky attorney William Ginsburg ("appallingly unprofessional and wildly ineffective"). Attorney General Janet Reno (guilty of "moral cowardice"). Rose Law partner Webb Hubbell ("at heart a decent person"). And of course Clinton himself ("a life brimming with talent, but fatally infected by self-indulgent exploitation of the vulnerable").

The final verdict from Judge Starr, as he often was called, comes in the final paragraph. "In her fierce but misguided loyalty, Monica [Lewinsky] allowed herself to become a tragic figure of late twentieth-century America," he writes. "She carries with her forever the living reality of the Clintons' victim-strewn path to power, the most visible casualty of the Clintons' contempt."

A century and a half from now, history may remember this episode the way Starr does, or, more likely, it may choose to forget it, the way the impeachment of Andrew Johnson exactly 150 years ago has been largely forgotten. The question of presidential veracity and responsibility will remain a vital issue, but, as we have seen in our own time, it reappears with frightening frequency, and the Clinton affair, and Clinton's affairs, may in the future be little more than supporting footnotes. And consider this: Less than three years after the country was consumed with talk about DNA on blue dresses and tortured definitions of sex, the United States was attacked by terrorists in an episode that tested American values in new and in vastly more profound, more significant and more enduring ways.

---

Shribman, the executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, supervised the Boston Globe's coverage of the Clinton era in his decade as the newspaper's Washington bureau chief.
BETHALTO  In a time of crisis, a Bethalto group is seeking donations to be hand delivered to North Carolina victims in light of recent havoc of the countrys southeastern coast.

Hurricane Florence has roughly subsided, and with the aftermath of the storm leaving many devastated, Bethalto Church of God member David Thomason is rallying support to aid in the recovery process.

Search and rescues occur there first, but when that work is done the need is still strong, said Thomason. When the storm first hits, help goes to the big cities. We mainly go to smaller communities that get left out. There are a lot of things they need that they dont currently have.

Over the next week, Thomason and volunteers are asking for donations, primarily: hygienic items, such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo and toilet paper; beverages, including plenty of water and Gatorade; and cleaning supplies, to help repair houses impacted by the natural disaster.

Monetary donations are also accepted and can be delivered or mailed to the church. Checks can be made out to: Bethalto Church of God, 800 E. Bethalto Blvd., Bethalto, IL, 62010.

No clothes please, that will come later, added Thomason.

Donations can be dropped off at Alton fires Station 1 entryway, and Bethalto and Wood River fire departments until Tuesday, Sept. 25 during regular hours, before the Bethalto crew leaves Illinois Wednesday morning at 5 a.m.

Thomason hopes to fill a pickup truck, an attached trailer and a moving truck with donations before the day-long drive to LaGrange, North Carolina, an Inner Banks town of less than 3,000 people. Community Hope Center in Cottage Hills, where Thomason volunteers some of his time, is providing the truck along with some donations.

Usually we are situated near a church, but they are all destroyed, said Thomason. It will be a little rougher than last year.

He said Thursday that a North Carolina team is currently getting a small church hall ready, as the Riverbend volunteers prepare to bring their own bedding. The crew of about 20 to 30 people plans to return home Monday.

Once on site, crews set up tents and tables, and organize donated materials. Those in need are then encouraged to come to visit volunteers as they hand out various items. The crew will also travel to different pockets of the region to hand-deliver goods to people unable to seek help for themselves.

Bethalto volunteers will have a hand in the undertaking.

Crews from as far as Washington state and Florida come to help, said Thomason.

The crew will not only supply essential goods while volunteering, but is partnering with the Men and Women of Action Organization to help recover impacted houses.

We will go in and strip houses, especially for people without insurance, said Thomason. The organization specializes in construction and disaster relief and assists the Bethalto crew, mostly free of charge.

We go in as a team, said Thomason. Then another team from a different church comes in after us. Theyre so thankful to have people keep coming back.

The Bethalto crews efforts began in May 2011, after a tornado ripped through neighborhoods of Joplin, Missouri. Thomason also said volunteers worked in a suburb of Houston last year after Hurricane Harvey triggered mass flooding.

God puts it on our heart to do this stuff, he said.

Though Hurricane Florence has been downgraded to a tropical depression, after hitting the Carolinas as a slow-moving, Category 1 hurricane last week, it has left behind inches of rain water in some places, forced winds and hazardous conditions. Flooding has hit the coastal region the hardest, leaving thousands without power, and displaced.

This kind of work is hard, but is very rewarding knowing you can help, said Thomason. When one guy found out we were from Illinois, he just reached out and hugged me. We have never had anyone turn down a prayer.

For more information, call Thomason at 618-670-3394.
EDWARDSVILLE  Local school districts are benefiting from a new tax distribution schedule implemented by Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser that accelerates real estate tax distributions.

I came up with the idea after meeting with Dr. Jill Griffin, the Bethalto Schools Superintendent, in August 2017, Slusser said. The distribution schedule now delivers funds sooner than expected. With the state withholding funds during the budget crisis, Bethalto schools were not going to be able to make payroll and unable to open their doors to start the school year.

Slusser said the decision was made to deliver extra distributions to get the property tax funds to the taxing districts sooner than anticipated, which allowed them to make their payroll obligations.

Illinois state law requires the county treasurer to distribute real estate tax funds to the local taxing districts at least once every 30 days while taxes are collected. Traditionally, distributions in the Madison County Treasurers Office were made once every 30 days, as the law required.

However, under the new distribution schedule, additional payments will be made to taxing districts twice per month, allowing the funds to hit the districts accounts just prior to payroll dates.

When we put our distribution schedule together for year, I reached out to some of the school superintendents and asked for feedback, Slusser said. I wanted to be helpful and accommodating to meet their needs.

Griffin said Slusser made a concerted effort to reach out to school districts to ensure the local tax dollars were distributed when they were needed most.

(Slusser) made school districts a priority and worked to determine how he can best serve us, Griffin said. Last school year, when state revenue stopped flowing, Chris and his team met with our district business manager and myself to determine how he could help.

He changed the distribution schedule to allow our funds to arrive sooner and improve our cash flow.

Griffin said Slusser also contacted her to ask about a distribution schedule that would best serve the districts needs.

He was willing to make modifications to the existing schedule and again, working alongside school districts to ensure local dollars were flowing, she said.

Alton Community School District Superintendent Mark Cappel echoed Griffins comments.

Alton school district appreciates the accelerated tax revenue payments received from the Treasurers office, Cappel said. As an entity dependent on local tax revenue, the school district is grateful to receive funds earlier than anticipated. The receipt of the local revenues assists the district in planning and meeting its financial obligations.

Granite City Community School District Superintendent Jim Greenwald agreed.

The additional distributions are working well for us and our district, Greenwald said. We have been frugal through the hard times and what the treasurer is doing to help the schools is much appreciated.

Collinsville Community School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Green said the additional payments improve cash flow, which benefits everyone from teachers to students. After going years with no new revenue, and with uncertainties in state funding, these additional payments have been tremendously helpful, Green said.

Slusser said the additional payments do not mean districts are receiving additional revenue or any advances on future tax revenues.

It simply means they will get their funds sooner rather than later, Slusser said. We can only distribute what weve collected at the time, so were somewhat limited in what we can do in treasurers office.

Slusser said while the law requires a distribution every 30 days; there is nothing that says it cannot be done more than once every 30 days.

We cant control what the state will do, but we can control what my office is doing, Slusser said. We thought it was the least we could do to help our local schools, who are often at the mercy of poor public policy at the state level.

While every taxing district in the county will receive funds on the accelerated schedule, the greatest benefactors are the school districts.

Some politicians reach out to school districts for the photo op, Dr. Barrett Deist, Bethaltos assistant superintendent of finance and operations, said. Chris Slusser reached out to our district to truly see how he could support us and continues to reach out and serve schools across Madison County.

Slusser, a Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Christopher L. Miller on the November ballot.
WILMINGTON, North Carolina  Altons former Can Man Charley Moyer now can claim surviving Hurricane Florence unscathed as another adventure in his 73 years on Earth.

We are going to get him a T-shirt that says, I survived Hurricane Florence, said Pat Lowery, a former Alton and Bethalto resident, who now lives a block from the Intracoastal Waterway in Wilmington  and less than 10 minutes from Moyers studio apartment in an assisted living facility.

Yesterday, he was proud of himself that he got through it, Lowery said Thursday. Charley did fine, at the beginning he was really, really scared but later seemed more comfortable. I told him, If you are afraid, push the (panic) button. He got through it fine. He knew help was just a push of a button away.

Lowery said Florence was her eighth hurricane, not all being in North Carolina. Lowery and her husband Roger did not evacuate.

Prior to the storm hitting the area, Pat Lowerys daughter Pam, a counselor, talked with Moyer to ease his concerns. We kept assuring Charley that weve been through this, you will have food, you will have water. A plus was that the pounding winds hit windows on the opposite side of the building from his apartment.

Lowery said the couples house no longer can facilitate Moyers physical needs, so it was better for him to remain at his home.

He was in a safer house that was built to be sturdy and there were a lot of workers who stayed through the hurricane, she said. He got three hot meals a day. They had a generator that provided electricity for the common areas; they were only out of electricity for three days in the remainder of the building.

She said some staff members stayed at the facility because they were safer than if they had been at home.

More Information Charley Moyer Born with cerebral palsy, Charley Moyer has logged more than one lifetime's worth of adversities, changes and adjustments. Moyer's ever-changing life started with his single mother Agnes Kevilus naming him Charles John and putting him up for adoption shortly after his birth on May 1, 1945 in Chicago. The late William and Pauline Moyer subsequently adopted the boy and changed his name to Joseph. The Moyers, who also adopted four other boys, dropped him off at the former Illinois Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children in Lincoln, Illinois, when he was 2.5 years old and never returned for him. The facility later was renamed Lincoln State School and Colony, then Lincoln Developmental Center. It closed in 2002. Moyer lived at the school until he was 23, when he relocated to a foster home in Alton in 1968. He lived at the home for eight years before moving out to live on his own. For years, independent Moyer refused to apply for Social Security disability benefits, but when he finally did so, he discovered the four brothers that the Moyers had adopted, and they subsequently found out about him. Then, State Rep. Dan Beiser (D-Alton) had helped Moyer obtain a copy of his adoption records, then located the Moyers' marriage certificate. The Moyer sons first reunited in 2009, and have visited and kept in contact since then. Besides the physical challenges in collecting aluminum cans, nonverbal Moyer encountered other difficulties but was undeterred. He was beaten, hit by a car and fell and was injured in his quest for cans. Thieves also stole his cans from the collection spots. See More Collapse

People kept checking on him, Lowery said. They took their jobs and responsibilities very seriously.

The Lowerys bought Moyer some battery-powered nightlights for his apartment. The only thing nobody had there was TV in their rooms, she said, so the residents mingled in the areas with electricity from the generator. He fortunately was able to charge up his power chair for mobility, she said.

Lowery said the property is on a hill and in no danger of the flooding that is devastating parts of North Carolina.

Moyer  who also went by the names of Charley Kevilus and Joey Moyer  for decades had scoured streets and sidewalks of mainly Upper Alton for aluminum cans to trade for cash under his business, Joeys Can Co., thereby earning the nickname, Can Man.

The Lowerys got to know Moyer through Dale Neudecker, Moyers longtime caretaker, now of Godfrey. The couple opened their home to Moyer in December 2016.

He stayed with the Lowerys until the summer of 2017 before moving to the assisted living facility that provides the independence he always has craved, but with support.

Pat Lowery is a retired speech therapist; Roger Lowery is a retired professor of political science and department chairman at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and grew up in Roxana.

The couple also fared well during Hurricane Florence, particularly since they wisely had a whole-house generator installed a few years ago that kept their lights, freezer and refrigerator operating. They alternated between using the electricity and turning it off to conserve, not knowing when Duke Energy Corp., would restore power.

After six days without Duke electricity, the power came back on at the couples home at about 11 a.m. Thursday, shortly before a Telegraph reporter called Lowery.

We never lost phone service, she said. It rained for five days straight, but because of the cloud cover, it never got above 80 degrees.

Many old oak and pine trees fell near their home during Florence, which hit nearby Wrightsville Beach on Sept. 14, shortly after being downgraded to a Category 1 storm. While the downed trees blocked nearby streets, preventing them from visiting Charley for some time, the couples home was undamaged from falling trees because of the wind direction.

Fortunately, Florence came ashore during low tide and her accompanying rushes of water went back to sea. There was very little storm surge in our area, she said. Our ground is high, right on the Intracoastal Waterway. Our water has a place to flow. For that reason, she does not expect their neighborhood to flood in Florences aftermath.

Reach Linda N. Weller at 618-208-6450 or on Twitter @Linda_Weller
Mendozas report noted that lack of funding to public universities and community colleges led to a loss of nearly $1 billion in economic output and a drop in students and jobs. It also said grants to nonprofits decreased by 38 percent from the year prior to the impasse, a possible indication of social service providers closing their doors.
EDWARDSVILLE - A trio of restaurants will be opening next spring at the Ironworks development: Strange Donuts, Sugarfire Smoke House, and Global Brew Tap House & Lounge.

Leases have already been signed, and Sugarfire and Global Brew, at least, plan to open for business by March of 2019, according to Jim Mundy, Project Executive for Contegra Construction, Inc.

Ironworks sits off Plum Street, near The Bike Surgeon and the Madison County Transit Districts Goshen Trail. Workers have finished laying the foundation for one building and have been working this week to lay the foundation for a second. When they are finished, the buildings will have brick exteriors similar to those at nearby First to the Finish, which Contegra completed in 2016.

Footings are being laid for a third building that will eventually open in front of the other two. The two buildings have a total of about 22,000 square feet of retail space of which nearly half is taken up by Strange Donuts, Sugarfire and Global Brew. About 9,000 square feet of available space remains.

Weve had some really good interest from other tenants but were negotiating terms, and we cant divulge who they are yet. But well have some additional tenants signed up by the end of the summer, Mundy said.

The fact that the development sits in a low-lying area has caused problems for Contegra from the start. About a half-acre of the site was delineated as wetlands, and the company spent nearly a year working with state officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before permits were finally issued.

The designation of Ironworks connotes a structural theme, and the buildings themselves will have plenty of exposed structural steel elements as well as canopies and steel pergolas, Mundy said. Weather permitting, the two buildings should be enclosed by the end of the year.

Both Sugarfire and Global Brew will have outdoor dining areas, and developers are planning outdoor dining areas for the third building.

Developers are setting aside space where bicycles can be parked, and patrons will have quick access to the Goshen Trail with its nearby connection to the Nature, Nickel Plate and Ronald Foster trails.

As to dining fare at the new restaurants, that will vary considerably.

Strange Donuts first opened its doors five years ago in St. Louis and today they operate stores in Maplewood, Kirkwood and Creve Coeur. Collaborating with local restaurants, artists, makers and recently national brands, Strange has quickly become a staple of St. Louis culture and its own unique way of life. Our from scratch menu rotates monthly to reflect in season fruits and available ingredients, the company says on its website.

Sugarfire offers a wide range of St. Louis-style barbecue selections, including pulled pork, ribs, brisket and sausage. The have restaurant in OFallon, Ill and eight others in Missouri.

Global Brew is located at 112 S. Buchanan St. in Edwardsville, where they offer 50 beers on tap and more than 200 bottles.

For now, there has been no official word about who the next tenants will be at Ironworks.

Ideally, wed love to have a breakfast place, Mundy said. The Egg and I is in OFallon, Ill. We havent had any direct communication with them but wed love to see a breakfast restaurant come to the center.
Anthony Torres poses for a photograph at his brother's home in Atco, N.J., Sept. 17, 2018. Torres says he was the rider caught shaving on a New Jersey Transit train in a video that went viral. Torres said he was just trying to clean up after days spent in a homeless shelter. (Matt Rourke / AP)
After The Post contacted the White House for comment Sunday morning, deputy White House press secretary Raj Shah called a number of Trump allies to warn them about the upcoming story, according to a person familiar with the calls, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. He disclosed Ford's identity to a number of these people but did not talk to Whelan, the person said. Other White House officials, including McGahn, also made calls according to a second person, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.
At that point, Rosenstein said to McCabe something to the effect of, "What do you want, you want me to wear a wire?" according to the person. Rosenstein was asked in the meeting if he was serious, and he said yes, but he did not mean for the wire comment to be taken seriously as a tactic to investigate Trump, the person said.
That incident from long ago keeps replaying in my head now, as the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could hinge on accusations that he assaulted Christine Blasey Ford in the early 1980s, when they were both in high school. I know how attacks like the one Ford alleged happen, because that's what happened to me. I understand why Ford kept it to herself for so long, because I did the same thing, and so have so many other women. And I understand why, even if Ford is telling the truth, Kavanaugh could honestly have forgotten about it.
Hua Hin completes laying shark net off beach

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: Hua Hin authorities have finished installing a shark net off the beach where a Norwegian was attacked during his swim five months ago.

animalshealthSafetytourism

By Bangkok Post

Friday 21 September 2018, 08:50AM

A shark net equipped with buoys is installed on Hat Sai Noi Beach. Photo: Chaiwat Satyaem

Jeerawat Phramanee of the Hua Hin Municipality Office said a company commissioned to install the net at Sai Noi Beach at Ban Khao Tao finished the job yesterday (Sept 20) at a cost of B400,000.

The net was erected at a depth of three metres covering a demarcated area of 50m by 310m from the shore. It was equipped with buoys to alert boats going into the area and blocks only big fish from coming close to the beach.

Hat Sai Noi in Hua Hin district is the first beach in the country where a shark net has been set up.

The demarcation of the safe swimming zone was mooted after Norwegian Werner Danielsen was bitten by a bull shark while he was swimming off the beach in April. A survey in the location later found more of them.

Officials drew a lesson from Australia which installed shark nets off its shorelines to protect swimmers.

Hat Sai Noi resident Boonsong Tempiem said tourists could now swim safely near the beach. She hoped the net would draw more beachgoers to her village to boost income.

Thanyamas Ketkaew, another villager, said the net would also save swimmers from poisonous jellyfish which sometimes hurt tourists on the beach.

Read original story here.
Iranian denies kidnapping, raping former Thai girlfriend

PATTAYA: A 21-year-old Thai woman has accused her Iranian ex-boyfriend of kidnapping her in full view of others and then forcibly detaining and raping her before shaving her head in a condominium room in Jomtien.

crimesexpoliceviolence

By Bangkok Post

Friday 21 September 2018, 02:08PM

Mohsen Sarafrazi, 39, accused of forcibly detaining and raping his ex-Thai girlfriend and then shaving her head, turns himself in to Pattaya police and denies all charges. Photo: Chaiyot Pupattanapong

Mohsen Sarafrazi, 39, turned himself in to police this morning (Sept 21) after the court issued a warrant for his arrest, and denied all charges. He claimed she was just jealous.

The young woman, her head shaved, was accompanied by a foreign friend when she filed a complaint with Pattaya police yesterday night (Sept 20). She was identified only as Neung, of Prachinburi.

She told police her ex-boyfriend had a condominium rental business in Pattaya.

He approached her on Walking Street in South Pattaya around 3:30am on Wednesday (Sept 19), grabbed and forcibly took her to his motorcycle. She called for help and an American tourist tried to intervene, but the Iranians two companions kept him away and said it was a family affair, threatening to assault him if he became involved.

Ms Neung said the Iranian took her to a condominium room on Jomtien Beach, where she was handcuffed and detained. He put a mask on her and kept threatening her, she said. He allegedly demanded that she return B30,000 to him by Oct 15, or he would send his men to assault her.

He also asked her to sign a contract as evidence, before raping her twice.

She alleged Mr Mohsen then shaved her head and would not let her leave the room. She pretended to agree, but later told him she needed to fetch her clothes from her room before returning to stay with him. Convinced, he let her leave, she said.

She later consulted her friends before deciding to file the complaint, and feared for her own safety, Ms Neung said.

Mr Mohsen today told police he ran a motorcycle rental service and managed foreign affairs for a company in Pattaya, saying he had a work permit.

He rejected the womans allegations of rape and kidnapping, saying they had been romantically involved for one year before separating. He had met her on Walking St by chance and then took her to his condominium room. He denied using force.

He claimed he neither handcuffed nor assaulted her. He admitted he had sex with her, but said it was with her consent.

Mr Mohsen also denied shaving her head, saying she did it herself. After they had sex, the woman had checked his mobile phone and saw photos of an Iranian woman, his new girlfriend. He claimed Ms Neung acted out of jealousy after seeing the photos.

Pattaya police chief Col Apichai Krobphet said investigators would view surveillance camera recordings on Walking St and then put the case to public prosecutors.

Earlier on the same day, Ms Nueng was called in to give further statements to Col Apichai and Lt Col Piyapong Ensarn, Pattaya tourist inspector about the incident.

Ms Neung later gave another statement to police, saying she said and the man had been sweethearts for one year, but she left him four months ago because he often assaulted her.

She said she spoke the truth and would fight the case to the end.

Read original story here.
New and exciting culinary experiences await at The Pavilions

The Pavilions Phuket is proud to welcome on board new Culinary Director, Chef Rey, a dynamic and innovative New Zealander who brings 19 years of experience to elevate and enhance the culinary experiences cementing the message that new and exciting ventures are coming to the Phuket resort.



By The Phuket News

Friday 21 September 2018, 03:45PM

Chef Rey at The Pavilions Phuket

From humble beginnings in New Zealand where Chef Rey developed his profession with guidance from industry leaders, he has since taken his craft to Australia, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi and Vietnam. Before joining the team at The Pavilions Phuket, Chef Rey worked for well-known luxury restaurants and hotels, including the award-winning '2016 Top 50 restaurant', Bracu, in New Zealand, under the watchful eye of renowned Chef, Peter Thornley, and most recently at the multi-award winning resort, Paresa, in Phuket Thailand, where he was the Executive Chef.

As Culinary Director at The Pavilions Phuket, Chef Rey will oversee the resorts three main outlets, - The Plantation Club, Firefly and 360Bar as well as in-villa dining - redesigning the concept and culinary experiences at each touch point to take dining in Phuket to new adventures heights, creating distinct dishes ensuring guests have a culinary adventure they will not forget.

"I want the resort's outlets to be known for delivering high-quality culinary experiences, using ingredients that wow our guests'' Said, Rey. 'to think outside the box creating a bespoke experience our guests will not forget and always remember'', he further added.

Exciting experiences really do await at The Pavilion Phuket with the launch of Chef Reys new concepts in the coming months, including a new Plantation Club culinary journey menu, an innovative and exciting breakfast concept along with a complete revision of the Signature Weekend Lunch at Firefly.

To sample some of these upcoming experiences, book your ticket to the New Zealand Wine & Food Showcase on 5 October, at Firefly. Tickets are limited, for more information please visit here or reservations please email firefly.phuket@pavilionshotels.com
The world of a Pop Surrealism artist

It was on a stroll along Phang Nga Road in Phuket town on a particularly sun-blinding day that I realised just how surreal life is. Not more than a few months previous I was hauling my butt along Oxford Street, London through the pouring rain in a failed attempt to get to a tedious media launch on time. In the blink of an eye Im living in S.E. Asia as a Lifestyle Editor. But I should have braced myself, it was about to get a whole lot weirder.

ArtCommunity

By David Jacklin

Friday 21 September 2018, 06:00PM

Gan in her Gantu Studio 88 on Phang Nga Road in Phuket tow

Suddenly theres an audience of big eyes looking down at me. Not just big eyes, I mean great, vast cavernous peepers staring at me from some secret sisterhood, all living together amidst a swirl of vivid colour and bold patterned backdrops. My life just became one giant candy psychedelic dream.

Welcome to the inhabitants of Gantu Studio 88. The mother of these canvas-mounted beauties is the Pop Surrealism artist, Kanjana Khumcruth (Gan). This other-worldy studio space is shared with local artistic talents, Rittipong Nupan and Somkiat Kaewnow, but Im already lost in Gans arcana.

Pop Surrealisms journey began in the late 1970s when the underground art movement termed Lowbrow started to emerge on the West Coast of America, particularly in Los Angeles. Lowbrow art was connected to modern imagery found in comics, tattoo parlours, experimental illustration, punk rock motifs and street art amongst other things. It certainly had its roots in movements such as Dadaism, Surrealism, and Fauvism.

As the art form established, emerging artists produced increasingly sophisticated paintings and their style became known as Pop Surrealism. Some consider the artist Kenny Scharf to be the godfather of its name. Scharf describes his journey into Pop-dom as, Surrealism is about the unconscious, and I feel my work is about the unconscious. The images come from the unconscious except that my unconscious is filled with pop imagery. My unconscious is pop, therefore the art would be Pop Surrealism. One should have expected such a response.

Gans journey, however, is far removed from the confused glitz of West Coast America. But Gan had a plan to follow her creative passion from her rural home town in Ratchaburi.

She gained a place and graduated from the Product Design degree at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok. Throughout this time Gan worked in a local gallery, learning her skills from the resident artists. On graduating she became a highly skilled reproduction artist, creating like-for-like canvases of great works using a range of artistic techniques and styles.

After eight years reproducing art masterpieces in both Pattaya and Kamala Beach, Phuket, Gan became inspired to create her own original work, and opened a gallery on the island.

I love Pop Art and contemporary works. The influences from elements in my life when I was a young girl. The cartoons, fantasy books, 60s and 70s retro magazines. They were all so colourful in my life. I loved them, proclaimed Gan. I realised when starting my own work that I must learn from my own lifestyle. An artist has a long time to spend with and learn from themselves. My art is a release into my thoughts and childhood.

Her influences are clearly identifiable within the strong themes and consistency which appear to haunt her solo work. Gans provocative oil paintings present a solitary girl as the key focus on the canvas. Each child-like entity has familial traits in their appearance, the mutant offspring from the marriage of the artists mind and method. Yet spirited styles and characterisation give the canvas a life of its own, adorned by prominent imagery and design details that provide insights into the subjects deeper self.

Similarities in style of the facial features define the work as a never-ending collection and study. Most notably, Gans exaggeration on her subjects eyes as a focal point in the composition.

She is the girl from my heart, Gan reveals. She has big eyes, and within them is a truth, everything is real. The character is a microscope. You cannot hide from the truth in someones eyes.

The complex layers of the artist are to be found represented in her many characters. The girl is her younger self. She presents her dream world, fears and desires. She is her superstar. Looking directly at Gans characters one cant help but feel an uneasy contradiction. The innocence in those big eyes holding a deeper secret. And it keeps the observer transfixed in a vain attempt to make a connection, to fleetingly understand each starlet.

Perhaps its time the art world entered her surrealist dreamscape, and woke up to the fact that Gan herself just might be the superstar.

Enter Gans world at www.gantustudio88.com
An air passenger rights advocate has filed a regulatory complaint against Swoop Inc. claiming the new low-cost airline is unlawfully charging baggage fees.

In a complaint to the Canadian Transportation Agency, Gabor Lukacs says the commercial carrier is flouting Canadian law by failing to offer passengers a basic fare that includes a carry-on and a checked bag.

The Canada Transportation Act requires domestic airlines to offer a basic fare for travel within the country that has no restrictions with reasonable baggage.

Karen McIsaac, a spokeswoman for the Calgary-based airline, says Swoop provides travellers with a la carte service where they pay a low base fare and add on features such as a checked bag for a fee.

She says the airline has specifically designed the self-booking website and mobile app to be extremely clear around what is provided in the fare and what the optional fees and added features entail.

But Lukacs, the Halifax-based founder of the independent non-profit organization Air Passenger Rights, calls the airlines approach deceptive.

I find it deceptive to tell people, We have very cheap tickets, but, by the way, if you want to have a carry-on, its $80 plus tax,  he said.

According to the airlines website, carry-on luggage is about $35 if paid in advance, $50 if paid at the time of check-in at the airport and $80 at the gate.

Swoop was announced by WestJet last September and offers service to Hamilton, Halifax, Edmonton, Abbotsford and Winnipeg, as well as some U.S. destinations.

McIsaac says Swoop is catering to a demand for more travel options.

We are confident that Canadians are appreciative of the ability to be in control of what they pay for and what they dont, as our aircraft have been more than 90 per cent full since day one of operations, she says in an email.

While Lukacs says he supports airlines offering different options to passengers, he says one of those options must be a basic fare that includes baggage.

If you look at Air Canada, for example, they have a number of different fare classes and thats perfectly fair game, he says.

There is no law that says you have to always offer baggage with every fare but rather you have to have one fare which is unrestricted and includes transportation for an adult with reasonable baggage.

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Even for those not accused of personal misconduct, #MeToo can sting. Ian Buruma, editor of The New York Review of Books, lost his job after the magazine published an essay by a former Canadian radio broadcaster accused of sexually assaulting women. Buruma outraged many readers when he seemed to shrug off the charges against the broadcaster, The New York Times reports. Im no judge of the rights and wrongs of every allegation, Buruma told Slate. How can I be?  The exact nature of his behavior  how much consent was involved  I have no idea, nor is it really my concern. In other words: Not my problem. Now it is.
MONTREALCoalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) Leader Francois Legault used the last leaders debate before the Oct. 1 provincial election to soften his tone regarding his controversial position to expel immigrants who fail a French-language test.

The question of immigration has dogged Legault over the past couple of weeks and he has seen his partys lead in the polls slowly vanish since the start of the campaign.

His answers to questions about how immigrants who fail a French test would be expelled from Quebec have not been clear  and his opponents have jumped on his stance to paint him as heartless toward newcomers.

I am not perfect, Legault said directly to Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard in Thursdays televised debate. It happens, I make mistakes, when I answer certain questions on immigration.

I listen  and I correct my mistakes.

Legault didnt specify exactly what he was talking about, nor did he renounce his position that newcomers should be forced to pass a French and values test if they want to stay in the province and become a citizen.

But he did brandish a new line that he subsequently used two more times during the debate.

The only people I want to expel are the Liberals! he said.

After the testy exchange on immigration, the theme turned to another thorny issue: the secular nature of the Quebec state.

Three of the four parties who have seats in the legislature want to ban certain state employees from wearing religious symbols on the job such as the hijab or the turban.

Legault, in a one-on-one exchange with Couillard, accused the Liberal leader of ignoring the wishes of the majority of Quebecers.

Polls indicate most citizens in the province want the state to ban people such as police officers and judges from wearing religious symbols at work.

Do you want a police officer to wear a hijab? Legault asked Couillard, noting that people in positions of authority should be dressed in a religiously neutral way.

Couillard responded by asking Legault, Why do you want to remove peoples rights?

Legault shot back: Why do you ignore the majority of Quebecers?

Because a society has to respect and defend its minorities and not legislate based on polls, Couillard said.

How many police officers are wearing hijabs right now? Couillard asked, knowing the answer is zero.

Legault responded: A premier needs to foresee. Its going to happen.

Following the exchanges on immigration and secularism, the leaders squared off on the economy.

Manon Masse, a co-spokesperson for the left-wing Quebec Solidaire, said wealth begins with people at the bottom of the ladder.

There are people who try to live on $12 an hour, said Masse, whose party wants to immediately increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. We have to create good jobs and improve working conditions for everyone.

Legault suggested, we have to let the laws of the market play and not force things.

The debate moderator then asked the leaders how they would protect companies from the impact of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and cope with threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to tear up NAFTA.

Couillard said Trump wants to impose his way on the world.

He negotiates in different ways than we understand, he said. There has to be one winner and the other has to completely fail.

All Quebecers must defend their farmers and dairy producers, Couillard added, referring to reported demands by the Trump administration for Canada to give up its system for protecting some farmers from foreign competition.

At the start of the debate, Couillard was forced right away to fend off attacks from Legault over doctors salaries.

Doctor specialists in Quebec make more than $450,000 a year, leaving little money for nurses and other workers in the health-care network, Legault said.

He just doesnt understand, Legault said about Couillard. Doctors (in the province) are the best paid in Canada, but nurses are underpaid. Its shameful.

Couillard responded by saying the salaries translate into more services to citizens.

Following that exchange, Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee began attacking Masse over her political formations uncommon leadership style.

Quebec Solidaire has no official leaders but has Masse and Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois as co-spokespersons  and Masse looked somewhat frustrated that Lisee didnt want to speak about health care, the first theme of the debate.

Who pulls the strings in Quebec Solidaire? Lisee asked, ignoring pleas from the debate moderator for him to stick to the subject.

Masse answered that in her party, we learned how to share power.

Two previous debates  one in French and one in English  didnt have any clear winners, although a Mainstreet poll indicated respondents preferred Lisees performance in the first French debate by a few percentage points over that of the three other leaders.

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OTTAWAA U.S. watchdog whose investigations have found that billions of dollars in American aid has been lost to corruption, waste and futile efforts in Afghanistan suggests Canada has likely suffered similar problems in its own strategy to help the troubled country.

For six years, John Sopko has served as Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction with a broad mandate to assess how U.S. cash for Afghan reconstruction is spent.

His quarterly reports and special lessons learned investigations focussing on work to rebuild Afghan security forces, develop the economy, stabilization programs and a counternarcotics strategy underscore how international efforts have struggled to improve the economic and security situation in Afghanistan  often with little to show.

We spent too much money, too fast, too small a country with too little oversight. And we totally, totally overwhelmed the Afghan economy, Sopko told the Star in an interview.

To a great extent it was wasted. Like spaghetti on a wall, some of it will stick. But a lot of it fell off and became money that was turned into bank accounts in Dubai and houses in Dubai, houses in Vancouver and houses in northern Virginia, said Sopko, who was in Ottawa to speak with officials at Global Affairs and speak at the University of Ottawa.

He bluntly notes that 17 years after Western nations deployed to Afghanistan to root out the networks that spawned the 9/11 terror attacks, problems remain endemic. The capabilities of Afghans security forces remain a question mark, corruption is endemic and rampant narcotics production helps fuel the insurgency, he said.

These are problems we still have to face. Some of them we contributed to. On corruption, we threw gasoline on the fire, he said.

Read more:

Special forces secrecy impeded probe of potential wrongdoing in Afghanistan, report finds

Editorial | Canada should stay away as Trump recommits in Afghanistan

They left Afghanistan to study. Their family told them not to come back

Canada has been involved in Afghanistan from the early days with military deployments to Kandahar and Kabul that cost the lives of 158 military personnel. Between 2001 and 2016, the federal government earmarked for $2.8 billion for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, of which close to $2.2 billion has been disbursed for development assistance.

In 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed a further $270 million for development and $195 million for security through to 2020.

Sopko stressed that his role has no jurisdiction to probe how Canadian development dollars have been spent. But hes certain that the problems catalogued by his office are not unique to the Americans.

And he notes that funds channelled through international organizations, such as the World Bank and its Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, have also run into trouble. In an April report, his office said that the trust fund  used by Canada to dispense more than $700 million of Afghan aid  had problems with transparency, implementation and monitoring.

The problems that we find are the problems that the Canadians should find, he said.

Canada has no similar oversight office. In a statement to the Star, Global Affairs Canada said its programs in Afghanistan are subject to a third-party review every five years as well monitoring by Canadian officials in Afghanistan and reporting by partner agencies.

This is enhanced by contracted third-party monitoring of projects at the ground level. On a case-by-case basis, Canada elects to commission project evaluations to better understand the results and to gain lessons learned, department spokesperson Amy Mills said in an email.

Mills noted that the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund publishes third party reviews of its operations  most recently done in 2017  and scorecards on its programs and initiatives.

Sopko says its vital that Western nations learn the lessons from the Afghan experience for the next time.

Were going to do this again  .There will be a place where we have to come in and try and rebuild the economy, try and build a military or police force, try to fight the drugs, he said.

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Rayne Fisher-Quanns activism used to amount mostly to tweeting from the comfort of her couch.

Now, the 17-year-old is a driving force behind the provincewide high school walkouts scheduled for Friday to protest the repeal of the 2015 sex-ed curriculum and demand better Indigenous education. Shes also joined forces with another student activist, Indygo Arscott, to demand more Indigenous education.

What we really want is to open up a conversation, said Fisher-Quann, a Grade 12 student from William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute in North York. We want to talk and we want to have our voices heard.

About 75 schools  an estimated 38,000 students  in cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, London, Kitchener and Peterborough have said they will participate in the walkout, making it among the largest student actions in recent years. Some elementary schools, including Scarboroughs Courcelette Public School, are also taking part.

Although the main day of action is on Friday, some students walked out Thursday, including those from Notre Dame High School, because it conflicted with a school event, or a professional activity day.

We are students fighting for our human right to proper education, especially for younger students, said Notre Dame student Flora Nwakobi, 16. At the end of the day, what affects one student affects us all.

Read more:

Telephone town halls, online surveys will be part of sex-ed consultations, education minister says

Second human rights case to challenge government over sex-ed curriculum

School boards sex-ed guideline for parents meant to clear up confusion

In Toronto, both public and Catholic school boards say students require parental permission to leave class; otherwise theyll be marked absent. The Toronto District School Board advised high schools not to plan major tests or assignments for Friday so students arent penalized academically and says staff will monitor protests on school property to ensure student safety.

At Queens Park, Education Minister Lisa Thompson said she hopes students become engaged with the public consultations that the government will begin rolling out next week, on a new sexual education curriculum and other issues.

I hope on Friday theyre talking about and looking forward to the consultation that we are embarking on, because we want to make sure every student in Ontario has an opportunity to put their best foot forward, said Thompson. And I encourage all of them to exercise their voice in the consultation as well.

Liberal MPP and former education minister Mitzie Hunter said the walkouts are being staged because students deserve to have the best curriculum available to them, and its irresponsible of this government to deny them that.

Fisher-Quann said that as the daughter of educators  her father is a Grade 1 teacher and her mother is a college professor of early childhood education  she was always encouraged to think critically.

By the time she started high school, she had an understanding of systemic oppression, recalls English teacher David Regan, who was the staff adviser for the school newspaper, where Fisher-Quann wrote about violence against women and rape culture. And she was part of an ad hoc committee to change the schools dress code, which it argued was racist and sexist because it prohibited wearing hair picks and clothing that was strapless or exposed the midriff.

She has a really sophisticated grasp of systemic oppression, said Regan. She has the capacity to articulate that understanding clearly, passionately and reasonably.

He recalled that when the committee met with administrators to rewrite the dress code, Fisher-Quann wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words Feminism: The radical idea that women are people. Neither she, nor anyone, ever referred to it, and she remained patient and reasonable, even when the committee was met with some resistance.

Fisher-Quann said she has long engaged in casual activism, describing herself as the kind of person who attends rallies and protests, and tweets about the issues from my couch, but never really does anything.

That changed this summer, when news broke that the Progressive Conservatives were repealing the 2015 health and physical education curriculum for elementary students, and replacing it with material used between 1998 and 2014 that doesnt specifically address issues such as gender identity, consent and same-sex relationships.

Although high school students continue to learn the updated 2015 curriculum  it was never a source of controversy nor questioned for age-appropriateness  Fisher-Quann felt compelled to do something because everyone should have a stake in this. Her resolve deepened later that day when a man on the street catcalled her and she remembered how difficult it was for her younger sister when she came out as gay in middle school.

I looked through Facebook and nobody else was doing anything  I jumped right in.

Fisher-Quann started an online petition to save the curriculum, which has more than 44,000 signatures. And she and friendFrank Hong, 16, founded March for Our Education. The name was inspired by March for Our Lives, the historic U.S. protest for tighter gun control led by Parkland, Fla., students after a high school shooting last winter left 17 dead. (Parkland survivor and student activist David Hogg is Fisher-Quanns celebrity crush.)

The friends planned a rally at Queens Park for late July in support of the modern sex-ed curriculum and more Indigenous education. With just 10 days to prepare, it meant that after a full day of working in retail  Fisher-Quanns summer gig  she toiled into the wee hours, promoting the event online, writing speeches, contacting media and lining up speakers, including Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

It was really tough for me because I was working full-time, she recalled. But, like, I was so passionate about this.

The goal was to attract a crowd of 50. Hundreds showed up, including students, parents, teachers and LGBTQ activists.

It was super-overwhelming, she said of the rally, where her speech garnered raucous applause. I kind of refer to it as life-changing.

Her incredibly proud father, Jason Fisher, was in awe watching her address that crowd, noting, Shes always been a fierce orator. Fittingly, she was named Rayne because it means mighty.

She has never been afraid to stand up for what she believes in  even if thats the right to go to a concert on a school night.

Fisher-Quann says shes standing up for this issue because scrapping the modern curriculum could be a matter of life and death.

That became apparent when she spoke with Rehtaeh Parsons father, Glen Canning, at a rally in support of the modern curriculum. The Nova Scotia teen was 17 when she died by suicide in 2013, after she told her parents she had been sexually assaulted by four teens and bullied online. Canning, who now lives in Toronto, says its crucial that sex-ed include discussion of consent.

He said to me, That education would have saved my daughters life, recalls Fisher-Quann. That was just so deeply haunting and sad. It was so sad for me to think that people could go through that again.

And she thought of her sister, now 14, who was bullied by students when she came out.

Her middle school experience was just hell because those kids had never learned about LGBTQ rights and their parents had never taught them, Fisher-Quann recalled. It broke my heart  I dont want anybody else to go through what my sister went through.

Although her parents support the 2015 curriculum, they didnt encourage her to take up this cause and were surprised when she did.

They were worried, of course, but they have always completely supported me.

They had reason to worry. As her activism intensified  in August she spoke at a Queens Park rally organized by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario  she received threats by email, social media and phone. These days, she answers her phone only if she recognizes the number.

People were sending me stuff that was like, I hope you get raped. I hope you die.  The hate has never super-scared me, but it can definitely be a lot sometimes.

She hasnt gone to police because she chalks it up to online creeps and trolls. If anything, she says, it made me believe, even stronger, that I have to fight for this.

Weeks ago, Fisher-Quann contacted Indygo Arscott, an Indigenous student in Grade 11, who started the group Decolonize Canadian Schools, which advocates for more Indigenous content in the curriculum and a safer space for Indigenous students. Both were planning walkouts to demand a return to the modern sex-ed curriculum and more Indigenous content in schools, so they worked together. They spread the word on social media, creating a student guide on becoming a walkout ambassador and an information package for faculty.

Arscott said connecting with Fisher-Quann was an opportunity to talk about the pressures and anxieties of being a student activist.

When youre a young organizer, youre vulnerable to people wanting to tear you down, said Arscott, who attends Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. When Rayne called me, I could share those stressors.

Fisher-Quann and Arscott are also organizing a rally at Queens Park on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Despite Fisher-Quanns new-found activism, she still plans on becoming a theoretical physicist.

Ive wanted to do physics since I was 9, she says. I was a scientist way before I was an activist.

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In the moments after Danforth Ave. shooter Faisal Hussain put a bullet in his head, the word Home flashed on the screen of his ringing cellphone.

Toronto police officers answered it and spoke to his parents, who were unaware their son had just opened fire on a busy stretch of Danforth Ave., killing 18-year-old Reese Fallon and 10-year-old Julianna Kozis and leaving 13 others injured.

Police included the cellphone detail in a just-released information to obtain (ITO) document, used to seek a warrant to search the home, at 43 Thorncliffe Park Dr., where the 29-year-old lived with his parents.

On Thursday, the Ministry of the Attorney General complied with Superior Court Justice David Corbetts ruling ordering the partial release of three ITOs connected to the case: two searches of the Hussain family apartment and one of a police locker, containing property  most of it electronics, including cellphones and computers  which was then seized.

Corbetts ruling comes after separate applications by the Star and other media to unseal the documents. Investigators obtained sealing orders, prohibiting the disclosure of the warrants and their grounds, on the basis that it could compromise the nature and extent of an ongoing investigation, according to court documents.

Minutes after his rampage on the evening of July 22, Hussain exchanged gunfire with two Toronto police officers near an alleyway on Bowden St. and fled toward the Danforth, where he was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, the ITO confirmed. Ontarios police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), is probing Hussains death. SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon said Wednesday that investigators are in the final stages of processing evidence.

Read more:

How the Star covered the Danforth shooting

Who was the Danforth shooter? Faisal Hussain had no criminal court files associated with his name, but a complicated past full of family misfortune

It was an incredible thing she did for us: After the Toronto shootings, tales of grace on the Danforth

Toronto police Emergency Task Force officers, accompanied by an explosives dog, did not wait for a warrant to search the apartment that night: they entered it under exigent circumstances, as there was a concern for human life and a fear that there could be explosives there, according to one of the ITOs.

While Hussains parents voluntarily went to a police station, where they were interviewed, the tactical team officers found a sleigh bed with two drawers and located white powder, thought to be cocaine, and an Islamic headdress, among other items Corbett ruled cannot be made public.

Within hours of the carnage, Toronto police were making their case, to present to a justice of the peace, as to why they needed access to Hussains electronic communications, and why the items sought will afford evidence to the offence.

(Had he lived, Hussain would have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempt murder.)

It is reasonable to believe that this occurrence was planned and that items of planning, both tangible and on computer-based systems, will be located within his residence, Toronto police wrote in the ITOs submitted to a justice of the peace.

The accuseds electronic communications may have data pertaining to counselling or assisting other people carrying out similar attacks, or provide evidence of others counselling or inciting Faisal Hussain to commit his offence.

Other previously unknown details emerge from the ITOs about Hussains final hours. They were based on police interviews with family members.

Hussain had a twin brother who is married. His first name was redacted in the court documents. On July 22, he was visiting his parents apartment. During the visit, at the request of his mother, he spoke to Hussain about getting his life together, getting married and getting direction, according to the twin brothers police statement.

In the past, Hussain was receptive to such advice. But that afternoon he was not, calling himself mentally retarded numerous times and disappearing to the balcony for a smoke, the ITO says. Hussain was still at home when his brother left at 9 p.m.

An hour later, when he heard about what happened on the Danforth, his brother sent a text to Hussain telling him to stay home.

He told police his brother was deeply troubled and had started attending a mosque with his father, but did not seem that interested in religion. He said Hussain was into guns when he was young, but has no idea how he would have obtained on(e). Police have not said publicly where Hussain got his gun. An older brother, who remains in a coma after suffering a drug overdose, was previously arrested for possessing ammunition.

Police also interviewed Hussains parents. Both of their first names were redacted by the judges order.

His father reported his son took sleeping pills, but did not drink or do drugs. His father also said he took his son to Pakistan two or three years ago to visit family. Faisal was happy on the trip and did not want to return because people left him alone there, one of the ITOs says.

When Hussain left the apartment around 9 p.m., he said goodbye to his family. Nothing seemed unusual. He was wearing a shoulder bag he always wore, his father told police.

The father added he never saw any evidence of guns in the apartment, nor did his son have any mental health issues. One day after the shootings, the family released a statement saying Hussain had severe mental health challenges, struggling with psychosis and depression his entire life.

The ITOs also contain details of Hussains interactions with police, including an arrest for shoplifting four days before the shooting, and as a complainant in an unspecified mischief investigation. Toronto police also had three emotional disturbed person reports, from 2010, believed to be the same person as the shooter in this offence.

Hussains mother, contradicting her husband, told police her son had never left Canada. She also told them she had seen no change in his behaviour and that he never talked about guns and (she had) never seen him angry.

The ITOs also contain chilling witness accounts from the Danforth that warm summer evening. Area resident Jaspal Singh said he was walking along a laneway when a person behind him said: Dont worry, Im not going to shoot you. Singh replied sarcastically, Thanks, the ITO says.

He told police the male was smiling as he was shooting.

Toronto police dispatchers also received a call from someone who said the shooter stood on top of a woman and shot her four times.
Displaced residents of the St. James Town apartment building heavily damaged by fire and smoke last month are demanding the city intervene on their behalf and force the buildings owner to provide them with temporary housing while renovations are underway.

Dozens of residents and housing advocates from ACORN held a demonstration Thursday in the community, marching to City Hall from St. James Town and delivering a letter to Mayor John Torys office demanding an immediate solution to their housing crisis.

On Aug. 21, more than 1,500 residents of 650 Parliament St. were forced from their home after a six-alarm fire. Most have found their own accommodations with friends or family, but about 200 are currently sheltered inside the Regent Park Community Centre.

Protesters said they were especially upset that the owner of the building, Bleeman Holdings, is going ahead with an application for a new 51-storey tower in the St. James Town area as part of a broader revitalization proposal while displaced residents dont have proper accommodations.

The company has money to build a fancy condo building, but not enough money to house displaced residents who are now living in community centres? asked ACORN East York representative Alejandra Ruiz Vargas.

The landlord has a responsibility to accommodate their tenants, and this should not happen in a city like Toronto.

In the letter, ACORN also asks the city to encourage the developer, which owns several buildings in St. James Town, to sign a community benefits agreement, which would include setting aside at least 30 per cent of the new development as affordable housing for low- and moderate-income people.

Several attempts to reach Bleeman Holdings went unanswered. The Star also contacted Greatwise Developments Corp. and Bousfields Inc., two companies listed in the development application for the 51-storey tower and other revitalization projects in the St. James Town community. Neither of them responded.

Mimi Tesfa said she, her two young children and her mother have been staying with a friend since the fire. They are sharing a two-bedroom apartment with the host family, who also has three children. She called the situation stressful.

Imagine sharing one washroom for nine people, she said, noting its a matter of days before shell have to move again as to avoid being too much of a burden to the host family.

Shirisha Amatya, another resident of 650 Parliament who is living with a friend in a nearby building, said all the clothing she retrieved from her apartment smell like smoke and are unwearable. That makes her concerned that everything she left in her apartment will be ruined.

Its not possible for us to keep moving around like this, she said. At least the owner should talk to us, give us information and please find us a place to live.

Don Peat, a spokesperson for Mayor John Tory, said in an email the mayors office has received the letter and is reviewing it.

He said Tory has been working with city staff and area Councillor Lucy Troisi to make sure the property owners and management understand and fulfil their responsibilities to the residents.

(The mayor) continues to get a daily update on the situation to make sure the city continues to do everything possible to help the people involved, he said.

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The King St. pilot project is saving downtown Toronto commuters approximately $11.5 million a year in terms of time, a new study has concluded, with the authors recommending Toronto city council make the project permanent.

Ryerson Universitys City Building Institute (CBI) released a report Thursday saying that according to their calculations the project saves $10.9 million in time for existing streetcar users and $0.6 million for new users.

That works out to about 50 cents per trip, said Graham Haines, CBI research manager.

He said the study used data from the City of Toronto and analyzed time savings using Metrolinxs standard measurement of $17.36 for each hour of in-vehicle travel time, noting they used the Metrolinx number as the agency developed a standard methodology for how they evaluate the cost and benefits of transit projects.

The pilot project, launched in November 2017, prioritizes streetcars on King St. between Bathurst and Jarvis Sts. It is scheduled to be completed before the end of the year, and a report from city staff is expected in February 2019.

In Ryersons analysis, the institute took data from official city reports that found all-day weekday ridership increased from 72,000 pre-pilot to 80,000 in June, and that the pilot generally reduced travel and wait times for streetcar riders.

Read more:

Share your thoughts

Opinion | How King St. pilot project is improving our health

Latest King St. pilot data shows higher ridership, shorter commutes

Editorial | King St. pilot project is working

Using city data, the CBI assumed that commuters saved 0.68 minutes per trip on average during peak periods, a minute for other periods, a wait time reduction of 0.25 minutes and that 40 per cent of daily traffic took place during rush hours.

When we took assumptions, we want it to be conservative to make sure we werent trying to overestimate the benefits of the project and rather give a conservative take on what they might look like, Haines said.

However, the report said there is a lack of data in some areas, such as where specifically passengers get on and off, how ridership varies throughout the day, or the number of boardings and exits at each stop.

According to city data collected between May and June this year, drivers in the downtown area have been able to find alternative routes to King St., and the traffic network has largely been able to absorb and respond to the changes in routing that drivers have made. The study tried to look at drivers, but the authors said there was insufficient data.

In the report, CBI said the project is a success, and researchers are recommending city council expand it.

We all know that congestion is having a big impact on the city of Toronto, on how fast were able to get around, Haines said. The fact of the matter is streets in downtown Toronto are not going to get bigger, theyre not going to get wider, so we need creative ways of moving people better and faster to our city.

Toronto Transit Commission spokesperson Brad Ross said he hadnt seen the CBI report but praised the project.

We know, through the citys reporting of the pilot, that it has so far been very successful from a transit perspective, Ross said. If theres added benefits ... then were happy to see those.

Ilya Banares is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @ilyaoverseas

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Mark Pugash, head of corporate communications for the Toronto Police Service, will retire after 15 years on the job.

Police said in a Friday statement that Pugash will be leaving his post effective Sept. 27 after a career of more than 30 years in media relations advising three police services, including Londons Metropolitan Police Services.

Working for one of the largest municipal police services in North America has been a highlight of my career, Pugash said. While I look forward to my retirement, I am proud of my service and I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the professional and dedicated members of the Toronto Police.

Police spokesperson Meaghan Gray will take over the position until further notice.

Police chief Mark Saunders thanked Pugash for his work. I wish him well in his retirement and, on behalf of the Toronto Police Service, offer our appreciation for his many years of service, Saunders said.

Ilya Banares is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @ilyaoverseas

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All Toronto homes have stories, and they usually come and go with the people who live there. Unless someone thinks to hide a few secrets.

Jenny Reich and her family found the time capsule when they renovated their Atlas Ave. home last year. Contractors moved a fireplace on the second floor, and tucked in behind, out of reach of the flames, was an envelope of letters, receipts and postcards. It wasnt the only discovery she made. A few months later she learned that a family down the street was in the midst of creating their own message to the future, choosing just the right Archie comic and photos for a time capsule of their own. Someday, a future resident might move a wall and inadvertently discover how much a cucumber cost in 2018, and maybe that person will stop and think about the lives that came before.

One of the contractors who found the envelope tucked behind the fireplace in Reichs home thought it might have slipped behind by mistake, but she believed it was intentional, with the items spanning 1912 through the 1960s. They seemed like the kind of things youd purposely leave behind to give a glimpse of life as it was. But who left it there?

Toronto city directories, available on the librarys website, are a great resource for historical mysteries. The directories tell you, by address and last name, who was living where in any given year. Historically, the directories skew towards men  although some working women and widows are listed. I had a look to see who was living at the house on Atlas Ave. during the eras narrated by the receipts and papers, and it became apparent that many of the people were different generations of the same family, along with a few boarders.

One of the newer items in the time capsule, likely left by the person who put it in the wall, was a charge account for Eatons in the early 1960s, for A.L. Coolidge.

Alan Coolidge shows up in the city directory at that address for a few years in the early 60s. An online search revealed a recent obituary for an Alan Lawrence Coolidge living in Oshawa, and several names in the obituary matched the history of the home.

One afternoon this summer, Sylvia Coolidge answered the phone, even though it was a Toronto number and she usually lets those go to voicemail this time of the day  telemarketers being as persistent as they are. I told her this call was a little out of the blue, but a time capsule had been found at a home on Atlas Ave, a few blocks north of St. Clair Ave. Yes, she lived there almost 60 years ago, and yes, she recognized the charge account Eatons for a Viking portable sewing machine that cost $133.85. Her husband, Alan, had purchased it.

My first sewing machine! she says. That was it, it was from Eatons.

She and her husband were newlyweds in the attic apartment of his grandmothers home, trying to make it in the city. Sylvia tore apart her old clothes and sewed new outfits for her children on that machine, purchased in the familys first experiment with a charge account, when times were really tight. She isnt sure, at first, if her husband was the one to leave the time capsule behind, but she put me in touch with her son Paul, the family genealogist, for the rest of the story.

The Knox family  Alan Coolidges grandparents  first appear at the home in the 1939 city directory.

James Knox, born in Ireland, and his wife, Effa, born in the United States, had met in Thunder Bay and married in 1906. They raised their four children in Detroit, and then in northern Oshawa, where they farmed and had an orchard before moving to Atlas Ave. in their later years. Most of their children were grown, except for their youngest son, Stan, who they had adopted. He was a teenager.

They owned the home on Atlas and often had tenants renting the other floors. James planted some more fruit trees in the big backyard. There is still a cherry tree, and a peach tree today  a beautiful, spindly thing that still produces a few inedible peaches.

When James died in 1952, Effa stayed on the main floor, another couple rented the second floor, and her grandson Alan Coolidge moved into the attic apartment in 1960 with his wife, Sylvia, and their young family. Alan worked for a stockbroker downtown. Sylvia remembers everyone crammed into the tiny kitchen at the back of the house pitting cherries in the summer, and the peanut butter sandwiches that Effa made for her grown son Stan year round. He would throw them in the trash in the garage, until he was found out.

Many of the neighbours were Jewish or Italian, and a synagogue was built on St. Clair W. The Birnbaums next door always brought over pickles, and the big brick home buzzed with activity. Effa  who sometimes went by Effie  had quilting bees and listened to preacher Billy Graham on the radio. Sylvia got a job at Woolworths, and a girl across the street babysat her son Paul, but Sylvia didnt like missing out on those early years, so she gave up the job.

After Effa died in 1961 and the house was sold to a Finnish-Canadian family, Alan and Sylvia Coolidge stayed in the house for a few more years, taking another room on the second floor, within hearing distance of the Siamese cat belonging to the new owners parents.

Their oldest son, Paul Coolidge, now 57, remembers looking down from the second floor, watching his dad come down the street with ice cream cones. The family left in 1963 when Alan got a job at a trucking company in Oshawa, Paul says, and then at General Motors. We thought wed died and gone to heaven, Sylvia says. We had money to spend on Christmas.

This summer, she was in the process of packing up the Oshawa home she and Alan shared since 1965.

She didnt recognize some of the items in the time capsule  a Christmas card addressed to Grandma Donna, a childs painting. They might have come from other tenants. But as the weeks go on and she has more time to think about it, she is convinced. There were too many items from different generations of her husbands family  postcards, a letter from a great-aunt in Vermont  for him not to have had a role in it. Alan probably talked his Uncle Stan into it, she thinks. Leaving something for the future, not knowing when it would be discovered  that was something her husband would have done. He died in the fall of 2017, just a few weeks before the fragments of his life were discovered.

I cant believe that Al passed away and then it was found. I wish he was here when they found it, then I would have known about what was going on, she says with a laugh. Because I dont have a clue why or when this happened, I dont have any memory of it. But then I was busy, too.

Atlas Ave., running north of St. Clair Ave. W., in between Dufferin and Bathurst Sts., was once a dense cedar and pine forest north of an Indigenous trail.

After settlers came, the land was cleared for farmland, and then, as the rolling meadows were parcelled off at the turn of the century, it became Kennedy St., sparsely populated, with streams and grazing fields. Farmers, do you want to sell your farm? the realtors asked in bold, enticing print in the city directory advertisements.

It was a faraway place until the St. Clair streetcar came in 1913, and then more homes began to rise, everything from sturdy brick houses to a shack made of wooden egg boxes. The Reichs home, a three-storey farmhouse with a big maple tree in the front yard, is believed to be from this pre-war era.

The 1913 fire insurance map shows one brick home and two wooden houses on the lot that is linked to the current house in city files. According to tax assessments, the brick home was owned by Miss Jessie McNab as far back as 1909. McNab was the well-known daughter of a Toronto lawyer who had built the Dundurn Heights estate, and by 1909, she owned this big lot on Atlas, and a few more along nearby Dundurn Ave., in addition to her home on St. Clair Ave.

During the First World War, some farmland was taken over by a church to help grow food, the men of Atlas went to fight, and Jessie McNab created the Canadian Womens Home Guard, an all-female brigade that drilled twice a week in the neighbourhood, waiting to be called into service. (McNab would later give 10 acres of her undeveloped land over to returned veterans to farm at the close of the war.)

In 1916, Kennedy St. became Atlas Ave., a growing street just north of Toronto. It was in the middle of York township, an entity that was independent of the city but which had been shrinking for years, pieces of it swallowed by the growing city of Toronto. Now the street is bordered by brick homes, the majority of them holdouts from a century ago, their interiors modernized with pot lights and granite countertops.

On the same street as the Coolidges used to live, Anthony Westenberg and his daughters are building a time capsule, selecting the same kinds of things that Alan and Uncle Stan hid away all those years ago.

Westenberg has croissants on the table, and Jenny Reich comes in with rhubarb cake and the Coolidge time capsule from her home. Westenberg and Reich realized that they were on opposite ends of the capsule game earlier this year at the schoolyard, and it sparked a conversation, about homes being silent witnesses to history, the clues you find, the clues you leave behind, the little footprints to the past, Reich says.

What is it about humans that need to leave something behind for the next generation? Westenberg asks. I dont know where that comes from, but its cool to add to your own layer.

Westenberg is renovating the basement of his First World War-era home, and a few months ago, he and his daughters started building a similar package. He wanted to capture life in 2018 with a few photos of his neighbours: a man and his cherry tree, a neighbour at the knife-sharpening truck.

His daughter Fenna, 12, painted a water skier to put in the tin box. Her younger sister, Bella, 10, is including a story she wrote about a mermaid trapped under the modern city, in long-lost Garrison Creek, which used to flow nearby until it was covered as the city modernized and sewers were built in its place.

Its going to be a lot of fun, going underneath everything, Bella says. She wants to be in the big city. It will be a huge adventure of how she gets back to the sea.

The sisters debate including their coin collection, and a beloved Archie comic, its pages softened by time. What if they want to read it again?

We have way older ones, Bella says and she goes upstairs to find one. (The Archie comics were bought second-hand and they are out of date, their dad says  with boy-crazy Veronica and hubba-hubba Reggie  and he wondered about what the people of the future might think of them. But oh well: You want to put your best foot forward, but you want it to be real, you dont want to overthink it, he says.)

They are careful about technology. When a golden record of sounds from Earth, including Beethovens music was attached to the sides of twin spacecraft Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in 1977, Westenberg notes, NASA included a record player so any spacefaring civilization might understand what Earth is like.

We cast this message into the cosmos. It is likely to survive a billion years into our future, when our civilization is profoundly altered and the surface of the Earth may be vastly changed, then U.S. President Jimmy Carter said in a message recorded in electronic impulses. This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours.

In the future, there is no guarantee that the people of Atlas Ave. will be able to extract information from a memory stick. So Westenberg and his daughters told their story in tangible ways: Here is a TTC token. Here is a picture of Bella and Fenna getting freezies at the corner store. Here is a trinket from the pawn shop down the street.

Their dining-room table is covered by ephemera from time capsules of the present and past  which Bella and Fenna read eagerly.

Katie Daubs on how she found the owner of the original time capsule on Atlas Ave.

In the Coolidge capsule, there is a fundraising letter written in the early days of the Second World War to the members of a masonic service group, with a salutation that seems like it is reaching out to the future: Dear Prophets, it begins.

(The Coolidge family is not sure if that letter relates to James Knox. In one of their old photos he is wearing a Loyal Orange Lodge sash, but no indication he was a member of Rani Ghar Grotto.)

Reich has already framed that letter for her wall  a testament to the houses history. She plans to put the rest of the time capsule in a crawlspace so someone else can find it someday. She offered Sylvia Coolidge the receipt for the sewing machine, but Coolidge was OK to leave it be. Reich says that her family will add their own layer to the capsule before they put it back.

You guys gave me the idea, she says to Fenna and Bella.

Later that day, Westenberg sends an email. Hes been thinking about the balancing act of time capsules. You want to put your best self forward (do you admit that you read Archie comic books in the bathroom?), but too much of yourself and its bragging. You want it to be spontaneous and genuine, but too much whimsy seems to trivialize the serious business of sending a secret message to the future, he writes. Too much slick preparation makes the time capsule come across as contrived. Also, the daily mundane sounds boring, no? Or is it?

You never think your own stuff is interesting, Jenny Reich says later. But something as simple as a receipt for a sewing machine becomes remarkable in time, those pieces of everyday history that show how much things cost, what the paper felt like, how it was printed. It tells you a lot.

Maybe, Reich and her family will include a bill of her own, but she notes that modern receipts disintegrate easily. Theyll definitely have their children write something, and who knows, she says. Maybe in 50 years, someone will find it, and find them too. Reich says theyll be happy to connect with that future family making our house their home.

Maybe that family will be inclined to add their own layer.
Torontonians unable to vote in the civic election on Oct. 22 will have a chance to cast their ballot early for mayor and city councillor.

The city clerks office announced Friday that advance voting will happen from Wednesday Oct. 10 to Sunday Oct. 14, between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily

Each of the 25 wards will have two polling locations, which are now posted on the citys website. People will also be able to vote early at city hall during the Oct. 10 to Oct. 14 period.

On election day, Oct. 22, polls will open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On that day, Torontonians must vote in the ward in which they live or own or rent property.

Location information will be on voter information cards being sent to people eligible to vote  Canadian citizens aged 18 and older who live in Toronto, and non-residents with property in Toronto owned or rented by themselves or their spouse.

Whether advance voting could happen this election was in question amid confusion and turmoil after Premier Doug Fords government moved to impose a 25-ward race months after the May 1 start of a 47-ward election.

When it was unclear which scenario would prevail amid new legislation and court challenges, city clerk Ulli Watkiss recently told city council she was committed to advance voting but timelines were getting tight to be able to conduct a full, legal election.

Read more:

What you need to know about Torontos 25 new wards

Bill 5: The winners, the losers and the in-betweeners

Coming to a screen near you, Toronto election attack ads
SALZBURG, AUSTRIABritain and its European Union partners failed on Thursday to secure a breakthrough in Brexit talks, largely because of seemingly intractable divisions over the best way to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and how to deal with future trade.

With Britains departure from the EU looming  March 29, 2019  there are growing concerns that a deal on the post-Brexit relationship may not be cobbled together in time to ensure a smooth and orderly British exit.

All leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May, are desperate to solve the biggest Brexit riddle  how to keep goods moving freely between Northern Ireland in the U.K. and EU member state Ireland.

Despite reports of a friendly spirit at a summit in Salzburg, Austria, the fundamental differences remained and EU Council president Donald Tusk said parts of Mays Brexit plan  dubbed Chequers after a key Brexit meeting at the premiers country residence of the same name  simply will not work.

But just minutes after he spoke, May insisted that her Brexit plan is the only serious and credible proposal on the table.

Like many leaders, including May, Tusk said we need to compromise on both sides. He wants to see a major breakthrough by the time the leaders meet again in Brussels on Oct. 18-19. A special Brexit summit could still be set up in mid-November if things progress as hoped.

If Britain is to leave with a deal in six months, May and the Europeans must find solutions in coming weeks so parliaments have enough time to ratify the agreement.

Theyve spent two days in Salzburg trying to do just that, but with things at a standstill, the sides have tried to ramp up pressure on each other. Each is urging the other to compromise while the EU issues constant warnings to Britain about the Brexit clock ticking.

Time is running short, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told reporters. We want to avoid a No Deal Brexit, but we are preparing for that. We are hiring extra staff and officials, bringing in IT systems. We are ready for that eventuality, should it occur.

Tusk said that key parts of the British proposals to leave would undermine the union of the 27 remaining members.

May has been looking to keep some part of trade between the U.K. and the EU in the blocs single market but not others. The EU has insisted that the single market cannot be cherry-picked like that.

Europe isnt an a la carte menu, French President Emmanuel Macron said, noting that as it stands, the Chequers plan seems to be a take-it-or-leave-it plan.

Tusk said of her Chequers proposals that the suggested framework for co-operation will not work, not least because it risks undermining the single market of seamless movement of goods, services, capital and persons.

Macron agreed: The proposals are not acceptable as they stand, particularly in the economic realm because they dont respect the integrity of the single market.

Any Brexit deal will include a withdrawal agreement and transition period to smooth Britains exit from the bloc.

Currently thats expected to last until the end of 2020 but if there is no deal to avoid the hard border in Ireland and no political declaration outlining future relations then there will be no so-called transition period. That would lead to Britain crashing out of the EU on Brexit day, a development that in theory could see flights parked and trade between the two sides grind to a halt.

For Ireland, its important not to undermine the hard-won peace after decades of sectarian tensions in neighbouring Northern Ireland.

What we want to avoid is any new barriers to the movement of goods, any new barriers to trade, any new barriers to the movement of people, Varadkar said.

May said Britain and the EU agreed on the need for a legally binding backstop to guarantee there would be no hard Irish border. But, she added, that backstop cannot divide the United Kingdom into two customs territories, and we will be bringing forward our own proposals shortly.

It all suggests a fractious summit in Brussels next month.

We are today at the moment of truth, Macron warned.

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Having the president of the United States go down this well-worn and pathetic path in the year 2018 raises this story beyond Fords accusation against Kavanaugh. That accusation will be addressed, hopefully, in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Whether its addressed in a fair and thorough manner  one that gives both parties as well as any witnesses a chance to prove, under oath, what theyve said publicly  is yet to be seen.
WASHINGTONCanada and the U.S. are still unable to resolve their NAFTA differences.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland was expected to leave Washington late on Thursday without an agreement. There was no set plan for additional meetings.

Leaving a three-hour meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Freeland said they had discussed some tough issues. That language was a departure from her usual upbeat, if unspecific, post-meeting assessments.

Asked what the tough issues were, one Canadian government official said, 19. As usual.

The two governments have been sparring over the Chapter 19 system for resolving NAFTA disputes, which the U.S. wants to eliminate and Canada insists on keeping, and Canadas protectionism of its dairy industry, which the U.S. wants to loosen.

Another issue appeared to be the question of automotive tariffs. Canada has been seeking some sort of protection against the possibility that President Donald Trump would impose tariffs on Canadian-made cars and auto parts even after the two countries reached a deal on an updated North American Free Trade Agreement.

Read more:

Doug Ford dines at Trump hotel on his NAFTA visit to Washington

Canadian government shrugs off Republicans pressure and criticism

Opinion | Delacourt: Ottawa worried Fords Washington visit could impact NAFTA talks

Trump has threatened to impose the auto tariffs only if a deal is not reached, but at present nothing stops him from changing his mind.

Were not going to sit there and allow Trump to put a gun to our economic head anymore, Jerry Dias, president of the Unifor union that represents Canadian auto workers, told reporters. Dias said leaving the auto tariff threat unresolved would allow Trumps administration to say, Doesnt matter if we have a formal trade deal. We reserve the right to jerk around your economy at our whim.

The U.S. has hinted that it might leave Canada behind on NAFTA as early as the end of the month, when Trump could theoretically submit to Congress the official text of a trade agreement with Mexico alone.

But it is far from clear whether Congress would either give final approval to such a deal or even declare that it is legal under U.S. trade law for Trump to proceed without Canada. And multiple supposed deadlines set by U.S. negotiators have been missed with no apparent consequences.

Freeland shrugged off a question about whether the two countries can meet the latest deadline, saying again that Canada is looking only to make a good deal.

Freeland will be in Montreal on Friday for a meeting of female foreign ministers, and she is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting next week. She said she is in regular touch with Lighthizer when they are not meeting in person.

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KAMPALA, UGANDAHundreds of solemn people watched Friday as body after body was pulled from a capsized ferry that Tanzanian authorities said was badly overcrowded and upended in the final stretch before reaching shore. The official death toll was 127 but horrified witnesses feared that would rise as a second day of searching neared an end.

President John Magufuli urged calm in the East African country with a history of deadly maritime disasters. And a criminal investigation began.

The MV Nyereres capacity was 101 people but the ferry had been overloaded when it capsized Thursday afternoon, the governments Chief Secretary John Kijazi told reporters. He said those responsible will face charges.

At least 40 people had been rescued, he said, but the number on Friday barely rose. Dozens of security forces and volunteers wearing gloves and face masks had resumed work at daybreak after suspending efforts overnight, hauling bodies into wooden boats.

More than 200 people are feared dead, based on accounts from fishermen and other witnesses, because passengers had been returning from a busy market day, Tanzania Red Cross spokeswoman Godfrida Jola said. But no one knows just how many people were on board.

Tanzanian ferries often carry hundreds of passengers and are overcrowded, and shifts in weight as people move to disembark can become deadly. Images from the scene showed the ferrys exposed underside not far from shore.

Bodies were lined up on plastic sheeting as hundreds of people pressed near the waters edge, watching the search efforts.

Pope Francis and a number of African leaders expressed shock and sorrow.

His Holiness Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt solidarity with those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and who fear for the lives of those still missing, the condolence telegram said, according to the Vatican.

The MV Nyerere, named for the former president who led the East African nation to independence, was travelling between the islands of Ukara and Ukerewe when it sank, according to the government agency in charge of servicing the vessels.

Worried residents on Friday waited for any word of survivors.

We try to make calls to friends, relatives, a local guide, Paschal Phares said. He recalled how crowded his trip on the aging ferry had been last month: Most of us were standing up. It was full.

Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition.

In 1996, more than 800 people died when passenger and cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria.

Nearly 200 people died in 2011 when the MV Spice Islander I sank off Tanzanias Indian Ocean coast near Zanzibar.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.A fugitive priest suspected of child abuse decades ago in New Mexico was arrested Thursday in New York, according to court documents filed Friday.

Arthur J. Perrault, 80, has been charged with criminal aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact in assaults that federal authorities say happened at Kirtland Airforce Base and Santa Fe National Cemetery, according to an arrest warrant filed in federal court in Albuquerque.

He is scheduled for a federal court appearance Friday in Albuquerque.

Perrault had been a chaplain at the base in Albuquerque, records show.

He vanished in 1992, just days before an attorney filed two lawsuits against the archdiocese alleging Perrault had sexually assaulted seven children at his parish.

Perrault turned up last year in Morocco, working at an English-language school for children, where he was subsequently fired.

Perrault, a one-time pastor at St. Bernadette parish in Albuquerque, is one of many priests sent to New Mexico from around the country for treatment over pedophilia.

Victims, lawyers and church documents show that the priests were later assigned to parishes and schools across New Mexico  especially to assignments in small Native American and Hispanic communities.

Perrault is accused in a number of lawsuits of sexually abusing at least 38 boys in New Mexico in a number of lawsuits.

He was recommended for a teaching post at St. Pius X High School in 1966 by a psychologist under contract with the Servants of the Paraclete, a religious order that ran a treatment centre for pedophile priests in Jemez Springs, New Mexico.

Records show Perrault was sent to Jemez Springs in 1965 after he was accused of molesting young men while serving in Connecticut.
WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump is getting very, very close to moving on with a trade agreement that includes Mexico but not Canada, one of his economic advisers warned on Friday.

The comments from Kevin Hassett were the latest in a series of attempts by Trump and his allies to pressure Canada into quick concessions. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government has shrugged off such warnings, saying it will not be forced into accepting a bad deal.

Hassett, chairman of Trumps Council of Economic Advisers, said on Fox News that the U.S. is fast approaching the deadline where were going to have to move ahead with Mexico all by themselves.

Im a little surprised that the Canadians havent signed up yet. Theyve got a really, really good deal that they should be participating in, Hassett said. I worry that politics in Canada is trumping common sense, because theres a very good deal that was designed by Mexico and the U.S. to appeal to Canada. And theyre not signing up, and its got everybody over here a little bit puzzled.

Trumps team has set multiple so-called deadlines that have come and gone without apparent consequences.

This deadline may be at least slightly more substantial than some of the others: by the beginning of October, the Trump administration could submit to Congress the official text of a trade agreement with Mexico alone. Trump is trying to use this possibility as leverage in the ongoing talks with Canada.

Read more:

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Freeland cites tough issues as NAFTA talks break again with no deal

Doug Ford dines at Trump hotel on his NAFTA visit to Washington

But it is not clear if the administration even has the legal authority to move on with Mexico alone. And it is possible that the administration could strike a deal with Canada at some point after submitting the U.S.-Mexico text to Congress, then add Canada to the text at that later date.

There does not appear to be a precedent for the late addition of a third country into a text initially submitted with two countries. But congresspeople of both parties strongly prefer a deal that includes Canada, and some observers believe Congress is more likely to bend to accommodate Canada than to take a hard line on the rules and approve a Mexico-only agreement.

Never underestimate Congresss ability to avoid making a decision if they dont have to, said Dan Ujczo, an Ohio-based trade lawyer with Dickinson Wright. He added: This is a political decision, not a procedural decision.

Trudeau and his officials have said that they are holding out for a deal that includes the Chapter 19 dispute resolution system the U.S. wants to eliminate. The system allows disputes over tariffs to be challenged at an independent tribunal rather than in the domestic courts of the country that imposed the tariffs.

The Trump administration has said that the primary sticking point is a Trudeau refusal to loosen restrictions shielding Canadian dairy farmers from foreign competition.

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Deprivation of liberty is one of the most invasive measures a government can take against an individual.

Yet Canada remains one of only a few liberal democracies in the world without a legislated limit on the length of time an immigration detainee can be held behind bars for purely non-criminal, administrative reasons. In one instance, an immigration detainee was held for more than 11 years. Children can also be detained.

This week, Canada responded to 275 recommendations from member states on the United Nations Human Rights Council to improve its human rights record. Canada was urged to stop detaining children and to enact a maximum length of time that anyone can spend in immigration detention.

Regrettably, Canada did not accept any of the recommendations on immigration detention and missed yet another opportunity to live up to its international human rights obligations on this issue.

Instead of agreeing to introduce essential legal safeguards, the federal government will continue to rely on non-legislative measures that can be easily undone, and which ultimately fail to guarantee meaningful protection against human rights abuses.

Over the past five years, Canada has detained more than 35,000 people. The number of detentions is increasing. Last year, Canada detained 8,355 people, the largest number since 2012-13.

It is crucial that robust legal safeguards be enacted to ensure that when deprivation of liberty happens, it is justifiable. Although such safeguards exist in our criminal justice system, they are woefully inadequate in the immigration detention system.

Today, non-citizens in Canada may be jailed without charge, without a countdown to a date of release, without access to basic mental health services and rehabilitation programs, and without adequate access to a meaningful judicial review.

Advocates have long called for reform in the immigration detention system, including in a joint submission to the UNs Universal Periodic Review by the University of Torontos International Human Rights Program, Amnesty International and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, among others.

A recent external audit commissioned by the government found a significant lack of procedural fairness in detention review hearings.

Adjudicators are misinterpreting or outright ignoring basic facts of the cases before them, compromising their independence by relying uncritically on allegations made against detainees, and discouraging or even disallowing detainees to present evidence and test evidence presented against them.

The Federal Court and Superior Courts across the country have also drawn attention to these problems. One judge went as far as referring to Canadas immigration detention system as Kafkaesque.

Ottawa does deserve some credit. Over the past year, the government has issued policies, directives and guidelines with respect to immigration detention.

These are important stepping stones, but not the ultimate answer to meaningfully address the shortcomings. They amount to rules written in pencil that can be easily erased.

As part of its engagement with civil society across the country during the UN review process, the government compiled a document entitled What We Heard. The report acknowledges that at every engagement Canada was urged to dramatically revise its immigration detention regime and better align it with Canadas international human rights obligations.

Regrettably, the government seems content to simply listen and do very little to meaningfully remedy and prevent human rights abuses in the immigration detention system.
Quite predictably, the commission set up by Premier Doug Ford to raise concerns about the Liberal governments accounting of Ontarios finances has delivered exactly that. This really is one of the oldest tricks in any political playbook.

When the Liberals came to power in 2003, after eight years of Progressive Conservative rule, they uncovered a hidden deficit of $5.4 billion.

Now the PCs have their turn, and theyre touting a deficit $8.3 billion higher than what the Liberals claimed ($6.7 billion), to total the eye-popping number of $15 billion.

Finance Minister Vic Fedeli was quick to accuse the Liberals of being responsible for a crippling hidden deficit, and engineering a cover-up.

But in reality there is very little in the financial report released Friday that wasnt already publicly known.

The biggest piece of the increased deficit number has to do with how the province records pension assets, and thats never been a secret. Its the subject of an ongoing, contentious and very public disagreement among accountants on what constitutes the best practice.

Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk decided two years ago that pension assets should be counted in a new way, adding billions to the deficit, instead of how its been done in Ontario since 2002. A panel of independent experts appointed by the Liberals said Lysyk was wrong, and now the commission appointed by Ford has said the government should adopt her view on a provisional basis until an agreement can be reached.

The other elements of Liberal deception that Fedeli pointed to include accounting for borrowed money to reduce electricity bills on the books of the Crown-owned Ontario Power Generation; $1.4 billion in efficiencies not yet realized; and a reduction to the reserve fund, which was publicly itemized in the Liberal budget.

As interim Liberal Leader John Fraser put it, Fedeli was pretending that he didnt know something that he already knew.

Indeed, there has been plenty of debate, and no doubt theres room for more, around these various accounting practices. But no matter how many adjectives Fedeli pulls out to describe the commissions report, it does not amount to the financial malfeasance that the PCs suggest the Liberal government was guilty of while in office.

Ford promised voters an audit to uncover spending that was so reckless and inappropriate that he suggested a few Liberals might head to jail for it. Theres nothing here that justifies Fords election rhetoric, or what is undoubtedly yet to come.

For this was always a political exercise far more than a financial one. And whats really concerning is that the commissions report is just the opening act. The real show starts when Ford moves on his election promise to cut $6 billion out of the budget.

And, right on cue, Fedeli said this: The hole is deep and it will require everyone to make sacrifices without exception.

Who and what will be sacrificed in Fords Ontario is something many Ontarians are deeply concerned about.

To recap, the PCs overarching election promise was to find $6 billion in efficiencies without cutting programs or jobs, while reducing taxes and hydro bills, increasing spending on a variety of files and balancing the books.

But when it comes to the details of how any of that will supposedly happen Ontarians arent much farther ahead than they were during the election, when these were just campaign slogans. Although the government did manage to find $150 million toward that total on the backs of the poorest among us by cutting a planned 3-per-cent welfare increase in half.

Where will $6 billion in government spending reductions come from? When will the promised income tax cuts come? When will the budget be balanced?

Ford and his finance minister still wont say.

What we do know is that the PCs are banking on the fact that a suddenly ballooning deficit sounds like the Liberals did something terribly wrong and that theyll use that as cover when they try to turn their impossible election math into a real provincial budget.

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From assessing newborns to monitoring seniors with complex conditions, Ontarios doctors provide an incredible range of vital services. And collectively they bill OHIP billions each year for those services.

But the Ontario Medical Association thinks the details of those payments  specifically who Ontarios highest billing doctors are  is information the public just cant handle.

So much so that it is continuing its misguided fight against public disclosure, ordered by the provincial information and privacy commissioner and two Ontario courts, all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Theres little sense in this, as even many doctors are now saying.

This all stems from a Toronto Star freedom-of-information request for Ontarios 100 top-billing doctors in 2014. The OMA has fought, and lost, at every step so far to keep that information from coming to light.

The association argues that physican billing is protected private information, and reporting it without context provides an incomplete and sometimes misleading picture of Ontarios physician pay structure.

On the first point, the courts have repeatedly ruled that the publics right to know how substantial government funds are spent trumps privacy concerns. And the second is simply nonsensical.

Ontarians are perfectly capable of understanding that doctors are essentially small business owners and that a good chunk of what they bill OHIP  about 30 per cent on average, according to the OMA  goes to pay staff and office costs, and not into their pockets.

Thats a simple piece of context that British Columbia (which, along with Manitoba and New Brunswick, already publishes all physician billings) manages with an explanatory paragraph on top of their alphabetical list.

Beyond that, some doctors have compellingly argued that more transparency around OHIP billing would help start a discussion around pay gaps between specialities and whether change is needed. Doctors in ophthalmology, cardiology and radiology are among the highest billers, while geriatricians, psychiatrists and family doctors are among the lowest.

Revealing what doctors receive from OHIP would provide much-needed transparency that could ultimately help build a stronger health-care system for doctors and patients alike.
Could the Jian Ghomeshi story have become greasier and more sinister, sending out even more sulphurous gas? Yes, because thats the nature of the beast.

Ghomeshis JAccuse, his wretched New York Review of Books essay, was sandwiched between his claims of serial success at charming younger women who didnt know his name. Perhaps he used an alias: Chareth Cutestory, maritime law, or Big Ears Teddy, personal assistant.

It reads like a cheesy crooner on his way out, saying Look, the ladies love me! as journalist Ruth Spencer, who knew him, described it. This is pure Ghomeshi, who once told a CBC producer he wanted to hate-f--- her, which sums him up.

Its funny because Ghomeshi, 51, pitched an older man, NYRB editor Ian Buruma, in a cafe, and smarmed him into giving him space to plead victim status. Buruma was easily won over, as were many women who met Ghomeshi and walked into danger.

It ended badly for Ghomeshi, who now looks more Uriah Heepish than ever, and disastrously for Buruma, who is wounded, humiliated, bitter and out of work.

Isaac Chotiner of Slate expertly interviewed Buruma, who sprinkled cyanide on the cake he had made and said Bake me. Buruma said he was interested in the fallout of public pillorying, which he thought was a fresh angle though it began with Jon Ronsons insightful 2015 book So Youve Been Publicly Shamed, and has been widely discussed.

When Chotiner reminded Buruma of Ghomeshis history of violence, including allegedly punching women in the head unawares, Burumas response was icy. All I know is that in a court of law he was acquitted, and there is no proof he committed a crime. The exact nature of his behaviour  how much consent was involved  I have no idea, nor is it really my concern.

Read more:

Republicans try to avoid furious backlash as hearing looms on sexual assault allegation against court nominee

Opinion | Tony Burman: With Kavanaugh in the spotlight, is America finally ready to listen to Anita Hill?

Editor of the New York Review of Books is out amid outrage over Ghomeshis #MeToo essay

The first problem is obvious. Men are rarely convicted of sexual harassment or even rape in court. Women know that courts and police will rarely help them anywhere along the scale of sexual brutality. Buruma, who spoke of a generational divide in his newsroom, should know that but didnt care to find out.

And that is the second problem. A good journalist cares to know as much as possible  they must be the person upon whom nothing is lost  and information is the precise thing a good editor should know in order to stage the piece properly.

The NYRB has now added a preparatory note about Ghomeshis sexual violence and how he was caught, including the fact that there were more than 20 accusations of hitting, biting, choking and more. The effect is then to shade Ghomeshis plea for pity with a greenish Jekyll and Hyde haze: how the accused sees himself vs. the facts.

What it does is make Ghomeshi what is known in fiction as an unreliable narrator. The best crime writing does this: the reader automatically takes the narrators part and then odd things begin to happen. People drop dead around him. Could it be him?

Another thing about Burumas bloodless nor is it my concern is his obliviousness to what women endure, which has worked out fine for him in his writing, almost always about men. His world is male, rigid in scope. At some point, time stopped for Buruma. It happens to a lot of people as they age, but when it happens to an editor, its time to go.

Simon Kuper, a writer I admire, has defended Buruma as a person and an intellect. I too admired Burumas 2006 book on Muslim conflict in Amsterdam, but havent read his troubling memoir of his depraved youth in Japan, which might explain things. But you can be a good writer yet miss the elephant passing by.

As American essayist Jia Tolentino wrote, Buruma will likely believe he was pushed out because of a Twitter frenzy of histrionic women, but the Ghomeshi essay & Slate interview added up to a truly abysmal professional performance: you cant be a good editor with such pathological distance from the texture of the world. Twitter didnt destroy Buruma. Other smarter writers did.

The texture of the world now includes the other half of the planet, women. It isnt that Buruma and men like him actively dislike women (though I suspect they do), its that they havent given women any thought whatsoever beyond wishing to regulate their lives.

Heres the tragedy of a world ruled by men. Because the personal is political, American women need Prof. Christine Blasey Ford to be disembowelled, Anita Hill-style, by 11 Republican men on the Senate Judiciary Committee this week  also the week of Bill Cosbys sentencing  in order to jolt female voters into voting Democrat in the mid-terms to fend off frat boy Supreme Court justices.

Prof. Ford will suffer, possibly at the hands of a female lawyer, as Ghomeshis accusers in court did, under mens rules that dont match womens natures.

Prof. Ford is Everywoman. For our sake, she should agree to suffer in public, but if she declines women will weep and know why.

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U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Polands president, a fellow traveller, to the United States Tuesday, saying, Last summer, I had the privilege to . . . address the people of Poland about our shared commitment to defending our heritage and our civilization.

It was carefully coded, like Make America Great Again, but the intent was: we are in a war of our civilization against others unlike us, so let us defend together.

The leader of Germanys hard-right AfD party has attacked a dance piece by local youths and young Syrian refugees as amateurish multiculturalism aiming to break down the difference between ourselves and the Other. It means a break with your national culture. Steve Bannon, the high-end version of Trump, gets teary recalling how our forefathers defeated Islam at the gates of Vienna in 1683 or Tours in 742 (!) as if he was there.

This takes xenophobia a step beyond the fear of losing your job to Mexican rapists and murderers (or in the U.K. version, the Polish plumber  ironic, wot?). Its about selfhood and identity: Us versus Them.

But it also exposes the incoherence of the civilizations/heritage argument. The best rebuttal to the existence of identifiable if not quite monolithic civilizations is Trump himself. Behold him! Its as if the parts came together in a blizzard. Nothing fits properly and the separate bits contradict each other endlessly. Hes culturally incoherent. The last thing you think of is: here is the culmination of an admirable thing called Western civilization. What heritage? The deepest need of the movement to defend it is never to define it clearly.

We owe the late Edward Said for making this argument best and earliest when he challenged stereotypes of the Orient and Arab world as fabrications built by Europeans to help them conquer those regions  then challenging, by rebound, the notion of Western civilization itself. Of course there are human groupings, but theyre a huge, intersecting mishmash, hybrids and mongrels all.

Its rough for many of us who grew up with these notions and took courses in Western Civ. One of my intellectual heroes, Harold Innis, spoke often about threats (mainly internal) to Western civilization. But he also had moments of doubt. (It is perhaps a unique characteristic of civilization that each believes in its uniqueness and superiority. . . Indeed this may be the meaning of culture.)

Why the recent resort to the war of civs argument, versus the tried-and-true, theyre-coming-for-your-job line? The latter may not be working well. A Pew poll last week showed 74 per cent Canadian support for welcoming refugees. I know refugees arent the same as immigrants but most people dont draw a strong line, and they may be right. Why would anyone leave home, where theyre at ease, speak the language etc., if they didnt feel a need to get out?

Pew found majority support even in Germany, Italy and the U.S., where hostility was strongest two years ago. Those populations are starting to grasp the economic need for outsiders. Trumps racist response is to call for Norwegian, not Arab, immigrants  a sure sign of his logical western inheritance.

Is Canada welcoming because we have a weak national culture? It doesnt hurt. I often ask students about their notions of Cancult. The main response is multiculturalism. I used to feel scorn for this as a weak basis for a national identity, but they dont back down. Theyre also unembarrassed by Tim Hortons (owned by Brazilians) or hockey as Cancult keystones. Maybe theyre just ahead of the curve and dont plan to pass through the uglier phases of nationalism.

Quebec is where atavistic, race-tinged nationalism had its firmest Canadian grip. In its current election, the recently formed Coalition Avenir Quebec party once looked unbeatable, based on Trumpian signals about the danger of Others. The main competing parties scrambled to concur. But, as the campaign unfolded, the CAQ faltered and the Liberals, especially, blushingly backtracked. Meanwhile, the overtly left, principled Quebec Solidaire, has doubled its vote.

In the first English-language TV election debate ever (also a sign, nest-ce pas?), the three male party leaders tried to yell over each other while QS leader Manon Masse said nothing and rolled her eyes. The camera loved it. TV debates are so fine.

Rick Salutin is a freelance columnist based in Toronto. Reach him on email: is a freelance columnist based in Toronto. Reach him on email: ricksalutin@ca.inter.net

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Free Toronto!

Its time for a tenacious, unwavering movement that demands the province of Ontario take its jackboots off Torontos neck.

Wrap it in concepts like city charter or independence, if you wish. Or draft a manifesto for the province of Toronto. Embrace the frightening word secede. Dont be afraid of the label separatist.

And dont be deterred by Pharaoh and his armies; neither the Uncle Toms within, nor the naysayers grown accustomed to and benefiting from the servitude.

The cause is just and right. How is possible that one man  the premier  can get up one morning and decide he doesnt like the people who youve elected to run your city, disrupt an election that has already started, and do it without any limitations from anyone or any institution? How is it defensible that this one man could, if he chooses, wipe out your entire city council, abolish the mayors office and take control of your city?

How is it possible that he can do so  proudly mendacious, defending his slapdash recklessness with demonstrable false claims that his sycophants repeat without public scorn and shame  and all you can do is protest, without judicial or legal recourse? Such is Torontos reality, as evidenced by the scurrilous, disrespectful, anti-democratic and, apparently, legal interruptions of one Premier Doug Ford.

Read more:

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Toronto running out of legal options to challenge city council cuts before election

Toronto cant make a move without Queens Parks permission. Its gone on for more than a century now. At some point, enough is enough. Now is as good a time as any to fight back.

Over three decades covering municipal politics  always to the rhythm of provincial hegemony  the record shows cities are creatures of the province. Its like being born into servitude. Minus the physical and psychological torture, it echoes the practice of chattel slavery, on a plantation owned by a benevolent Massa, who, whenever he chooses, can inflict horrors.

Rhetoric aside, the municipal servitude is real. And the psychological reflex towards acceptance of the condition is as binding and debilitating as being in perennial shackles, to the point that the oppressed and subjugated fail to even recognize the fetters clamped around their necks.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds, the great Marcus Mosiah Garvey once said, and Bob Marley sang.

It is possible that this is Torontos destiny and calling  to free cities from the constitutional shackles that bind them to the dictates of the provinces.

This is not a cause for the weak or the impatient or the easily discouraged. Emancipation just might take several lifetimes. But start.

Dont expect solace from the mayor, or anyone seeking to replace the mayor, in next months despoiled election. Co-opted and corrupted by the singularly undemocratic governance model that creates the current debacle, these timorous leaders can be counted on to maintain the status quo.

Sometimes, like now, when the enemy is so clearly exposed in its legally buttressed malevolence, the pushback requires a jangling discordant wail from the aggrieved.

Other times  in polite company or infused in bedtime stories  the message might have to be more subversive, though resolutely unyielding.

Before the courts of the land, the drumbeat must rise to a crescendo until activist judges on this file are not the exception but the rule.

In the council chambers and committee rooms, the case can be relentlessly argued until the narrative is repeated as easily as a nursery rhyme.

Drake and other rappers and musicians might splice the Free 6IX message in lyrics and verse; sitcoms and drama episodes know how to explore the theme.

Like Diversity Our Strength, it should inform and reflect and become part of our expectation and desire and aspiration, until it is a cultural and civic mantra.

A good start would be one or two bold enough to run a mayoral campaign on a Free Toronto platform. The Green party was a gleam in someones eyes until the movement gained enough stature to elect its leader to the Ontario legislature.

But dont expect to be embraced and applauded by the masses. This is not a popularity contest. Neighbours who are normally reasonable and wise lose all sense of decency when the matter is politics. Dont you remember your progressive friend who was quick to find excuse for the bad behaviour of Bill Clinton when he was caught with his pants down? Why, then, be surprised that Republicans would adopt a see no evil stance with Donald Trump?

Dont you recall how otherwise smart friends were willing to find excuses for Rob Ford and argue that city council should not suspend his powers  even as Rob Ford himself told council: Yknow what, if I were in our position I would censure me as well. After all, I was in a drunken stupor more days than I can remember.

How many times can you count when the newspaper you love is seen cheerleading bad behaviour of government  including the use of the notwithstanding clause by the current Doug Ford government, in an unholy race to downsize the city government?

The road to a Free Toronto will be long and hard and complicated and controversial. But many decades hence, even its opponents will seek to take credit for its final outcomes. Other cities  less adventuresome and more psychologically damaged and frozen by years of servitude  will rise up and call you blessed.

Finally, dont be sidetracked by panaceas like the City of Toronto Act, approved by the Ontario government in 2007. That tiny first step gave very little, but managed to stop real, lasting reform.

Imagine this. Twenty years ago, the Ontario government amalgamated six municipalities in Toronto, cutting the number of councillors in half and dumping many of its costs on the new megacity. Now, it is cutting the number of councillors in half again. And we await the real reason for the action, not the false reasons proffered so far.

Our mayor timidly accepts his fate, as a supplicant being careful not to further anger the Massa.

Someone more vexed by the provinces actions would be diligently seeking ways to resist. Civil disobedience. Motions that declare the Tory caucus personae non gratae at Toronto city hall. How about shutting off the power to Queens Park on the 5th of each month  for 31 minutes  in memoriam of Bill 5 and Bill 31. Reason? Unscheduled, unspecified maintenance.

Notwithstanding what the city lawyers advise, think of the mischief one could conjure. In protest.

Free Toronto.

Royson James is a former Star reporter and freelance columnist based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @roysonjames

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Maybe President Donald Trump has a point when he tweeted Friday that Ford, now a college professor, should have reported her assailant to the police. But, under the circumstances, calling in the FBI to investigate as Ford has requested makes more sense. So far, the wind appears to be at Kavanaughs back unless new dramatic witnesses or evidence turn up. Amid a mix of accusations and memories, Kavanaugh has a good chance of gaining enough benefit of Senate doubts to be confirmed, as Thomas was in 1991.
Ontario must tackle a sobering $15-billion deficit this year, Finance Minister Vic Fedeli said Friday as the official Opposition branded the number political theatre paving the way for deep cuts to services.

Fedeli warned citizens to gird for sacrifices as Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservatives take steps to balance a budget left in a shambles by a reckless Liberal government defeated in the June 7 election.

The task ahead is not an easy one, the former mayor of North Bay told a breakfast meeting of the Economic Club of Canada at a downtown Toronto hotel.

While the previous Kathleen Wynne administration pledged to run a deficit of $6.7 billion this year, the new number is more than twice that.

This is mainly because of the accounting Fedeli said was improperly used to include teacher and civil service pension plan surpluses  over which the province has no claim  as assets.

Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk had refused to sign off on the provinces financial statements for two years because of this, saying the Liberal government needed to abide by new public sector accounting standards.

She credited the Ford administration with agreeing to the change and certified the books as clean in a statement issued Friday.

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The move came despite a report from Fedelis hand-picked financial commission of inquiry, headed by former B.C. Liberal premier Gordon Campbell, stating the government should adopt Lysyks method on a provisional basis and continue negotiating with her.

Observers noted Fedelis higher-than-expected deficit figure includes expanded daycare and other initiatives from Wynnes ill-fated spring budget that the new Conservative government will never implement.

It looks very much like political theatre, said NDP finance critic Sandy Shaw, MPP for Hamilton WestAncasterDundas and a former board chair of FirstOntario Credit Union.

Were being set up for an austerity budget, she predicted, calling Fedelis caution of tough times to come chilling.

The credit agency DBRS said it is holding Ontarios credit rating at AA (low) with a stable trend given that the pension asset issue doesnt affect the governments cash position  even with the higher deficit number.

Its essentially the Liberal budget adjusted for the auditor generals number and some contingencies, said Paul LeBane, vice-president of public finance at DBRS in Toronto.

Theres no Conservative platform elements built into this.

Those contingencies include a slowing economy and changes to the accounting for the previous governments fair hydro plan that subsidized electricity rates with long-term borrowing of billions shifted to the books at Crown-owned Ontario Power Generation.

Fedeli would not say how long it will take for the government to balance the budget or what steps that will involve, beyond $6 billion in spending cuts with no public sector layoffs promised during the spring campaign.

He pledged to eliminate the deficit in a reasonable, modest and pragmatic manner.

Some details on how that will unfold are expected in his fall economic statement, due in November, when the government could release an updated deficit number.

The positive aspect is theres a clear recognition that theres a concern about the sustainability of the provinces finances and a clear intent that theyre going to do something over the medium term, said LeBane.

What that looks like, though, is still very uncertain.

Fedeli took off the gloves in attacking the former government, which had been in power almost 15 years under Wynne and predecessor Dalton McGuinty.

The Liberals pursued a reckless spree of deficit-financed spending and then deliberately deployed a series of accounting tricks, the finance minister charged.

They deliberately hid the evidence of this fiscal hole and they attempted to undermine the auditor general when she called them out.

Fedeli called the $15 billion discovered by his commission of inquiry, appointed early in the summer, a crippling hidden deficit.

Although the New Democrats and interim Liberal leader John Fraser insisted the Ford Conservatives will have to cut deeper than the $6 billion promised, Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy vowed the target figure will not change.

Were going to stand behind that, he told reporters, noting it amounts to four cents on every dollar of government spending.

This is not about cuts. Its about transforming the way the government runs its businesses, about modernizing government services  without threatening front-line workers.

Aside from running a $3.7-billion deficit while publicly claiming the budget was balanced, the Liberals booked $1.4 billion in efficiencies not yet achieved and lowered the fiscal emergency reserve by $300 million, said Fedeli, who boosted the emergency fund back to $1 billion.

Only when the government of Ontario truly accounts for its real deficit position can we begin to put the province back on a path to fiscal sustainability, Fedeli said, accusing the Liberal government of a coverup of its accounting practices.

Fedelis language is ridiculous because the accounting spat with Lysyk and the hydro plan liabilities shifted to OPG were well known and widely reported before the election, said Fraser of the Liberals.

Vic Fedeli this morning was pretending that he didnt know something that he already knew.

Fedeli told the breakfast audience there are many more steps ahead in getting the provinces finances under control and noted annual interest payments on Ontarios debt are $11.9 billion  equal to half the education budget.

Balancing the budget is not only a fiscal imperative; its a moral imperative, he said.

Fedeli warned the hole is deep and it will require everyone to make sacrifices without exception.

The finance minister did not say when Ontarians can expect income tax cuts Ford promised during the campaign once the deficit is eliminated.

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MAPLE RIDGE, B.C.Rose Yalowica takes baths. If she was the type to take showers, she might never have learned about the threat of lead contamination in her apartment building.

The waters blue tinge is only noticeable when it clashes against the white walls of her tub. Yalowica asked her neighbours whether they noticed anything similar, and as they filled their tubs, they too discovered their water was slightly blue.

The residents worried copper could be leaching into the water. Building management ran some tests at their urging, but as time passed the tenants grew concerned about the lack of information.

So they came to us.

We planned to take samples in three apartments from taps that hadnt been run recently, as experts say its more likely tests will detect any potential metal contamination in standing samples. So we arrived at the Maple Ridge building, about 40 km east of Vancouver, just as the early morning light was starting to show above the horizon in late August.

The copper levels were well below Canadas esthetic standards, leaving questions about the mysterious blue colouring unanswered. But elevated levels of lead, which is invisible, were detected in two samples: one from a kitchen sink and one from Yalowicas tub faucet.

Holy cow, Yalowica said when she heard the results. Im feeling sick to my stomach.

Its not clear just how many homes or apartment buildings in B.C. have lead-contaminated water.

Before 1990, pipes, fixtures and solder used in plumbing may have contained lead. Provincially mandated testing has already revealed lead contamination in water at more than 120 schools. In Vancouver, politicians are now calling for more widespread testing in publicly owned buildings like community centres and daycares.

But when it comes to homes, the B.C. government says municipalities and water-system operators are only responsible for drinking-water quality up until the property line. Theres no requirement that it test the water at the tap in privately-owned buildings.

That is a problem, said Theresa McClenaghan, executive director of the Canadian Environmental Law Association.

There is an obligation, especially given how well known this issue has become in the water industry and in the health industry ... to find out whats going on in each municipality.

Some municipalities may be in good shape, but there are going to be other communities guaranteed that have a big problem and they just dont know about it, she said.

The starting place is not to just live in ignorance about this issue when it could be presenting serious harm to people in general and especially to children.

How safe is your water? | Story Behind the Story

Bodies such as the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics say there is no safe level of lead exposure. Pregnant women, infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to the metals toxic effects.

Lead levels can accumulate in the human body over time. Even at low levels, the metal can affect childrens brain development, leading to lower IQs and behavioural issues such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In adults, lead can increase the risk of high blood pressure, kidney damage and miscarriages, according to the World Health Organization.

Were working on it, said Guy Bouchard, one of the owners of the Maple Ridge apartment building. Its been a challenging situation.

If there was a bit more instruction or direction on our end it would be very helpful, but at this time, weve just been kind of left in the dark to deal with this ourselves, he said.

Bouchard acknowledged there was miscommunication but said the owners sent a letter to the tenants this week to clarify where things are at.

The tests the owners had done this summer found the lead levels in sampled apartments were within standards, he said. The only sample that exceeded lead standards was taken from the boiler room, and Bouchard said the sample may have been contaminated when the bottle touched the pipe.

At this point, he said, the owners are trying to get a third party to come in and do independent testing to find out whats happening and what the source of any potential lead contamination may be.

The main concern is the health and safety of the tenants; thats a big concern for us, he said.

The metal is invisible in water, so it doesnt explain the blue tinge Yalowica and her neighbours observed when they filled their bathtubs.

However, the conditions that cause slightly blue water can sometimes also cause very high lead, said Marc Edwards, a professor of environmental and water resources engineering at Virginia Tech, who helped expose the lead poisoning in Flint, MI.

It is universally acknowledged that water lead contamination comes from building plumbing interacting with a corrosive water supply, Edwards said in an email.

B.C. should be testing for lead in homes and other private buildings, he said, because corrosivity of water is a key factor they can control.

But B.C.s efforts to reduce these public health risks are lagging behind.

For more than a decade, Ontario has required municipalities to test for lead in drinking water at a sample of private residences at least twice a year. The number of homes tested varies between five and 100 depending on the size of the community.

If lead is detected, the municipality is required to come up with a plan to prevent corrosion by controlling the acidity of the water, McClenaghan said.

The legislation also requires the municipality to inform the occupant of the home and pass on advice from the medical health officer. Currently, though, its still up to private building owners to deal with lead plumbing on their property.

The rules were brought in after testing in London, Ont., revealed lead-contaminated water in a concerning number of older homes, McClenaghan explained.

Further testing revealed it was a problem across the province. In Toronto, 13 per cent of 15,000 water samples collected by city residents between 2008 and 2014 failed to meet lead standards.

In many cases, changes at water-treatment plants that made the water more acidic was to blame.

Meanwhile, in B.C., a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said the provincial Drinking Water Protection Act has no jurisdiction in private buildings.

Municipalities or the operator of the water system has the responsibility to ensure that the water that they provide in the pipes up to a building is clean and safe to drink, said Laura Heinze. Once that water goes into a building, its the responsibility of the building owner.

David Pollock, a municipal engineer with the City of Maple Ridge, said the city takes samples from the water mains at hydrants. They are required to test for bacteriological contaminants such as E. coli and like most municipalities also test for metals such as lead.

Last year the citys tests showed only minimal amounts of lead in the collected water samples, he said.

There wasnt much lead showing up in the samples collected from water mains in Ontario, either. It was a different story when the Ontario government changed the rules and started requiring tests from taps in homes.

StarMetros tests at the Maple Ridge apartment building  and results of lead tests at schools across the province  suggest the same could be true in B.C.

In Canada, the current standard for lead in drinking water is 10 micrograms per litre (ug/L), though a more stringent standard of 5 ug/L has been recommended.

Two of the samples StarMetro collected at the 119th Ave. apartment building in Maple Ridge tested above that recommended standard.

The first, collected from a kitchen tap that had run for a few seconds, contained 8.21 ug/L of lead. Another sample, collected from Yalowicas bathtub, contained 33.5 ug/L of lead.

A sample collected from a kitchen tap in a third apartment tested well below the standard at 0.5 ug/L of lead.

Dr. Ingrid Tyler, a medical health officer with Fraser Health, noted that lead levels can vary from day-to-day or season-to-season.

Should there be lead plumbing in the home or building, the amount of lead thats released into the water does depend very much on the plumbing materials used, the volume of the plumbing materials that could have lead in them, the corrosiveness of the water, as well as the length of time that the water sits in the plumbing, she said.

For those concerned about lead, Tyler suggested running the tap for a few minutes before consuming the water or using filters certified to remove lead. Boiling does nothing.

The risks of high lead levels increases with older buildings, which is a challenge for the whole industry, said David Hutniak, the CEO of Landlord BC.

There are no easy or inexpensive solutions, he said.

Meanwhile, tenants at the Maple Ridge apartment building, which made the news last year when rents jumped following major renovations, are still wondering about the safety of their water.

Marilyn Bradley, who moved from Arizona with her two dogs earlier this year, said both dogs started getting diarrhea when they moved into the building. She worries the water may have been to blame.

Theres just no communication about it, thats where the alarm kind of gets raised, said Richelle Benoit, who drinks only filtered water after dealing with water issues in a previous home. This is a huge deal.

With files from Robert Cribb

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Kennedy looked down at his lectern for five excruciating seconds when it was his turn. "I mean," he stammered at last, "I'm challenged in this election, because I think that as Democrats, we believe government can be our ally. And when J.B. emerges as the poster child of all that's wrong with the corrupt system in our state, it's difficult for me to heap praise on him. And that's where I unfortunately need to end it."
EDWARDSVILLE  Felony charges filed Sept. 20 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Shantae Cannon (AKA Shante Cannon), 24, of Chicago, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony, after allegedly striking a state employee, performing official duties Sept. 1 in Alton, on the face and stabbing them with a pen. Bail was set at 80,000.

 Justin L. Hazelip, 33, listed as homeless by Alton Police, was charged with burglary, a Class 2 felony, after allegedly entering the office of NR Deed LLC, in the 3300 block of Franor Street, Alton, to commit theft. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Devin S. McVey, 22, of the 300 block of South 13th Street, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence while license revoked/suspended, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 20 he was arrested by Wood River police. Bail was set at $25,000.

 Peter R. Stasinec, 55, of Chicago, was charged with forgery, a Class 3 felony, after allegedly attempting to fraudulently cash a $7,000 check on Aug. 3. The case was filed by the Glen Carbon Police Department. Bail was set at $30,000.

 Melissa A. Brown, 38, of the 400 block of Anna Avenue, Wood River; and Brandon W. White, 39, of the 400 block of Evans Avenue, Wood River, were both charged with unlawful use of a credit card, a Class 3 felony, after using multiple gift cards to purchase more than $300 in merchandise without the consent of the owner on Aug. 16. The case was filed by the Glen Carbon Police Department. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Curtis J. Jenkins, 25, of the 200 block of Andes Drive, Glen Carbon, was charged with unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, a Class 3 felony, after allegedly being found in possession of between 30-500 grams of cannabis Aug. 14 in Glen Carbon. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Monica A. Olenhouse, 26, Of Grain Valley, Missouri, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, after allegedly being found in possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine May 3 in Glen Carbon. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Scott E. Ruthardt, 53, of the 200 block of Matterhorn Court, Glen Carbon, was charged with aggravated driving while under the influence, a Class 2 felony. According to court documents, on May 9 he was allegedly driving a 1994 Oldsmobile on N. Bluff Road near Sugar Loaf Road in Collinsville. Documents listed previous convictions out of Lake and DuPage counties in Illinois, and Camden County in Missouri. Bail was set at $25,000.
ALBANY  When a customer skipped out on their $150 bill at Nuance  A Boutique Salon in Malta, the owner's only recourse was to bring a case in small claims court.

Under existing state law, a person can be charged in New York with misdemeanor theft of services for not paying their taxi fare, getting free cable television and a variety of other crimes, but the work of cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians and nail technicians isn't covered.

"For whatever reason, this industry was left out," said Todd Garofano, executive director of the state Association of Salon & Spa Professionals, which was launched in May and now has 200 members.

Legislation adopted during the final days of the legislative session in June and delivered to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday would close that loophole. The governor has until early October to sign or veto the bill.

It can be a shock for shop owners who expect law enforcement will bring a criminal prosecution, only to learn it falls on them to pursue a civil case in small claims court. It's a different story if products are taken, which opens the door to petty larceny charges.

Hairdo-and-dash crime "happens more than you would think," said Garofano.

"It usually involves a new client who comes in, has services completed and then claims to have forgotten their wallet and/or credit card," he said. "They promise to come back or call with the credit card, but have no intention to do so."

The legislation is one of the first bills championed by the recently launched association, which advocates for priorities and provides members with access to continuing education, industry events, business tools and assistance navigating state rules and requirements.

Garofano, who co-owns Nuance with his wife, Holly, came up with the idea for the organization after hearing the daily barrage of concerns she raised. He was surprised to learn there wasn't a statewide association she could turn to. (A previous incarnation folded years ago.)

One of the group's priorities for the 2019 legislative session is a bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, that requires cosmetologists and barbers to complete 36 hours of continuing education in order to renew their license.

The bill memorandum maintains continuing education is a key element of ensuring providers are keeping up with changes in their industry and offering safe services.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87
The week of Sept. 17-21 as seen through the lens of Telegraph photojournalist John Badman.
The Monitoring,Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Associate will support theeffective Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning of theWFP-Agriculture and Market support project in Masindi, Omoro, Kiryandongo andAdjumani Districts. Under the supervision of the MEAL Coordinator and ProjectCoordinator, s/he will responsible for process monitoring, data collection,analysis, management, learning activities and use of monitoring outs to improveproject programming. S/he will be working closely with project teams to assessfield conditions, support capacity building initiatives for improvedprogramming.
Platinum Credit is a leading Regional Micro Finance Company providing emergency loans to employed individuals in Eastern Africa. We have a wide spread branch network in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Platinum Credit (U) Ltd has introduced a new product available to formally employed persons working in the Private Sector. Platinum Credit (U) Ltd is a subsidiary of Platcorp Holdings Ltd.
When my brother and I were kids back in the 80s, we loved going to Long John Silvers.

But it wasnt just for the fish.

It was for the vinegar  malt vinegar. We would uncap a bottle at the table and swig that tangy, delicious nectar of the gods straight.

Are most of you repulsed? Probably. Were we way ahead of our time? Apparently.

Some social media and online searches would have us believe that drinking vinegar is a cure-all. Our friends and colleagues will regale us with stories of the healing power of apple cider vinegar for whatever problem we may have just mentioned. Oh, that backache from mowing? Vinegar. That last 10 pounds? Vinegar will melt that right off. Syphilis, again? You know it  vinegar.

As a practicing physician and professor of medicine, people ask me about the benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar all the time. I enjoy those moments, because we can talk about the (extensive) history of vinegar, and then distill the conversations to how it could, maybe, benefit them.

A cure for colds, the plague and obesity?

Historically, vinegar has been used for many ailments. A few examples are that of the famous Greek physician Hippocrates, who recommended vinegar for the treatment of cough and colds, and that of the Italian physician Tommaso Del Garbo, who, during an outbreak of plague in 1348, washed his hands, face and mouth with vinegar in the hopes of preventing infection.

Vinegar and water has been a refreshing drink from the time of Roman soldiers to modern athletes who drink it to slake their thirst. Ancient and modern cultures the world over have found good uses for sour wine.

While there is plenty of historical and anecdotal testimony to the virtues of vinegar, what does medical research have to say on the subject of vinegar and health?

The most reliable evidence for the health benefits of vinegar come from a few humans studies involving apple cider vinegar. One study demonstrated that apple cider vinegar can improve after-meal blood glucose levels in insulin-resistant subjects. In 11 people who were pre-diabetic, drinking 20 milliliters, a little more than one tablespoon, of apple cider vinegar lowered their blood sugar levels 30-60 minutes after eating more than a placebo did. Thats good  but it was only demonstrated in 11 pre-diabetic people.

Another study on obese adults demonstrated a significant reduction in weight, fat mass and triglycerides. Researchers selected 155 obese Japanese adults to ingest either 15 ml, about one tablespoon, or 30 ml, a little more than two tablespoons, of vinegar daily, or a placebo drink, and followed their weight, fat mass and triglycerides. In both the 15 ml and 30 ml group, researchers saw a reduction in all three markers. While these studies need confirmation by larger studies, they are encouraging.

Studies in animals, mostly rats, show that vinegar can potentially reduce blood pressure and abdominal fat cells. These help build the case for followup studies in humans, but any benefit claims based only on animal studies is premature.

In all, the health benefits we suspect vinegar has need to be confirmed by larger human studies, and this will certainly happen as researchers build on what has been studied in humans and animals to date.

Is there any harm in it?

Is there any evidence that vinegar is bad for you? Not really. Unless you are drinking excessive amounts of it (duh), or drinking a high acetic acid concentration vinegar such as distilled white vinegar used for cleaning (consumable vinegars acetic acid content is only 4 to 8 percent), or rubbing it in your eyes (ouch!), or heating it in a lead vat as the Romans did to make it sweet. Then, yeah, thats unhealthy.

Also, dont heat any kind of food in lead vats. Thats always bad.

So have your fish and chips and vinegar. Its not hurting you. It may not be doing you all the good that youre hoping that it will; and it certainly is not a cure-all. But it is something that people all over the world will be enjoying with you. Now raise high that bottle of malt vinegar with me, and lets drink to our health.

Gabriel Neal, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Texas A&M University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Come October, the literary awards season will commence. Topping the list is the most coveted prizethe Man Booker. This year, there are no Indians in contention for the award. But, closer home, there is still hope. The competition will be intense for the DSC Prize for South Asian literature, and the brand new JCB Prize.

The JCB Prizewhich will be awarded for the first time this yearis open only to Indian writers living in India. The winner will get a whopping Rs 25 lakh (shortlisted authors get Rs 1 lakh). This is the biggest cash award so far, and hopes to give the writers a sum of money that will allow them to sustain themselves without a day job. Translators, too, are eligible for the cash prize. The longlist for the prizeten books in allhas been announced. The prize was instituted last year, with Rana Dasgupta as its literary director. The shortlist will be announced on October 3. The winner will be announced later that month.

The longlist is a mixed affair. It includes debut novelists Shubhangi Swarup for Latitudes of Longing, and Devi Yeshodharan for Empire. Other books on the list are Jasoda by Kiran Nagarkar, When the Moon Shines By Day by Nayantara Sahgal, The Book of Chocolate Saints by Jeet Thayil, Half the Night is Gone by Amitabha Bagchi. There are translations as wellJasmine Days by Benyamin and Poonachi by Perumal Murugan.

The DSC Prize for South Asian Literatureas the name suggestsis open to writers from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan. DSC is a little less rigid on the description of a South Asian writersomeone living in Norway, with a book based on the sub-continent, is also eligible to enter. The boundaries of continents, or the colour of passports, dont matter. Translated books can also win, and the prize money of 25,000 dollars has to be shared equally by the writer and the translator. The jury is busy reading books and putting together the longlist. Women have been given adequate representation in the DSC award.

In an industry that is spinning books out at a dizzying pace, do these awards matter? Money always helps writers. But, awards like the DSC Prize are created with a mission to provide a global audience. The DSC Prizewhich has been around for seven yearsaims to create a buzz akin to the Man Booker event. So, the shortlist is announced in November at the London School of Economics. The winner be announced at a ceremony held in a South Asian country, in February. The venue, like the winner, is kept under wraps.

Gear up, the battle has just begun. This will be a long season of awards.
A range of medical devices, old or new, will soon have an 'Indian standard' and nearly 1,000 products are currently being benchmarked, a top government official said Thursday.

NITI Aayog member V.K. Paul, in his address at a conference here, said the standardisation is expected to be completed in the next two months.

"We don't have any Indian standards (for medical devices). As we speak, about 1,000 products' standards are being completed, and the deadline for that is about two months from now.

"And, from old devices to new, most of the important devices will carry Indian standardisation from the BIS," he said.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standards body of India working under the aegis of the ministry of consumer affairs, food & public distribution.

The conference MedTekon 2018MedTech Vitalsing Ayushman Bharat, organised by Medical Technological Association of India (MTaI) was also attended by Swedish envoy Klas Molin.

Molin said Sweden, both at government and company-level, would like to engage with India when it comes to health and life sciences.

Paul, a key architect of the Centre's flagship health schemeAyushman Bharat, also urged Sweden to partner with the country in this mission and asked the private medical technology companies of India to be "catalyst of change" in this "revolution waiting to happen".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the scheme nationwide on September 23 from Ranchi.

Under this scheme, 10.74 crore families of the country will get free medical facilities up to Rs 5 lakh.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme aims to holistically address health (covering prevention, promotion and ambulatory care) at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

MTaI welcomed the move by the government to bring Indian standardisation, but cautioned that it should not "dilute the existing" global standards that companies adhere to.

At a press conference held on the sidelines of the conference, MTaI Chairman Pavan Choudhary and other members said that several Indian med-tech firms are already following global best standards.

"The new standards would help bring into those players who do not confirm to such standards. But, the Indian standards once they are brought in will need a lot of harmonising with the existing global norms," said Probir Das, director of MTaI.

CEO of Ayushman Bharat (National Health Protection Mission) Indu Bhushan spoke on the importance of quality patient outcomes in the context of universal health coverage programmes.

He said by providing information to patients or beneficiaries and getting feedback from them, services can be improved.

Also, by focussing on the demand side, rather than the supply side, as had been for seven decades, improvement in services can be made.

Paul in his address also asserted that in next five years a large number of hospitals are to come up in the country.

The private sector must open such facilities in tier-II and tier-III cities to take the benefit closer to the masses, he said.
The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite...
Clark said his grandfather William H. Clark was a service manager at the Main Garage on Main Street in Batavia from 1926 to 1930. His grandfather was encouraged by a local banker to take over the vacant Ford dealership at 24 S. Batavia Ave. that went out of business in 1929 at the beginning of the Great Depression, he said.
Purchase of major military equipment from Russia like the multi-billion dollar S-400 missile defence system would be considered as a "significant transaction" and thus has a potential for the Trump administration to invoke the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), a US official said.

And as such, soon after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in this regard, the US imposed sanctions on a Chinese entity, the Equipment Development Department, or EDD, and also upon its director, Li Shangfu, for Beijing's recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles, a senior administration official told reporters during a conference call.

As a result, all property and interests in property within the US jurisdiction of the EDD and Shangfu have been blocked and the US citizens barred from transacting with them, he said.

"We want to stress that the legislative standard here is a significant transaction with an entity that appears on the List of Specified Persons. We took these actions because China took delivery of 10 Sukhoi fighter aircraft, specifically Su-35s, in December of 2017, after the CAATSA statute came into force. It also took delivery of a batch of S-400, sometimes known as SA-21 surface-to-air missile systems, or related equipment in January of this year," the official said.

Both these Chinese transactions from Russia, he said, occurred after the CAATSA sanctions statute came into force. The deal was negotiated between the Equipment Development Department and Rosoboronexport, which is Russia's main arms export entity, he added.

The official emphasised that the ultimate target of the CAATSA sanctions was Russia.

"CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defence capabilities of any particular country. They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities," he said.

"Those malign activities are undertaken to compete with the US and its allies and partners. This is for the first time that the US has sanctioned anyone under Section 231 of CAATSA, which focuses upon those who engage in significant transactions with entities that appear on the LSP," the official said.

He declined to answer a question on whether the US would be taking similar action against countries, like Turkey, that buy S-400 missile defence system. While India has repeatedly declared that it intends to complete a purchase of the S-400 system this year, the Trump administration has yet to reveal whether such a deal would get a CAATSA waiver.

"As to other potential recipients of the S-400, we haven't made any determinations yet with respect to what to do about those, but you can be confident that we have spent an enormous amount of time talking about prospective purchases of things such as S-400s and Sukhois with people all around the world who may have been interested in such things and some who may still be," the official said.

He said the Trump administration has made it "very clear" to these countries that these systems like the S-400 are a system of key concern with potential CAATSA implications.

"So while decisions on other cases have yet to be made, and indeed other transactions have yet to occur, we hope that at least this step will send a signal of our seriousness and perhaps encourage others to think twice about their own engagement with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors, which would of course be precisely what we hope Congress intended, and what we are required to do pursuant to the fact," the official said.
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) The states should not fear if a matter is pending before the Supreme Court as it is not a "man-eating tiger", the top court has said.

"We are not a tiger or something. We are not man-eating tigers. They should not have fear," a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta observed.

The court's observation came when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for a private firm, argued that a petition filed against the company, alleging illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh, was aimed at pressurising the state government.

The counsel for Andhra Pradesh placed on record a recent order passed by the state government suspending mining operations by the Trimex Group.

Rohatgi said this was not a case of illegal mining and the state has taken this decision as the apex court was hearing the matter.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner and former senior bureaucrat EAS Sarma, said the state has only ordered suspension of the licence, but they should cancel it and recover the money from the company.

"The petition has been filed to pressurise the state to take a call. There is no case at all to say that it is illegal. We have to challenge it (order passed by the state)," Rohatgi said.

When he claimed that the state government's order has made the "attempt" by the petitioner "successful", the bench observed "a state government is not such helpless that one or two persons can coerce them."

It posted the matter for further hearing on September 27.

On July 9, the apex court had sought the reply of the Centre, Andhra Pradesh and the firm on the petition seeking a court-monitored SIT or CBI probe into the alleged illegal mining being carried out by the company in Andhra Pradesh.

Sarma, a former secretary to the union government, has alleged in his plea that the group was involved in illegal and unlawful activities, including mining and export of various minerals such as Monazite which is a prescribed substance as per the notifications issued under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

Claiming that such illegal mining has destroyed the environment and tree cover of the region, the plea has sought termination of the group's mining licence for violating various laws and sought a probe into the alleged illegal mining in the area.

It has also demanded a direction to the authorities to recover from the company the allegedly illegally accumulated wealth through illegal mining and related activities and launching of prosecutions under sections of the 1957 Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.

The money recovered should be used for the restoration of the environment, the plea has sought. PTI ABA MNL SJK RKS ARC
Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) Coming from a middle class family, "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" director Shree Narayan Singh says he has seen all the problems that a common man goes through and this is why they find a space in his cinema.

After highlighting the issue of sanitation, Singh is exploring the undersupply of electricity in small towns in his latest release "Batti Gul Meter Chalu", starring Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Yami Gautam and Divyendu Sharma.

"I come from a small town Balrampur in UP. There is a small village near there, called Mahadev, I was born there. I have faced issues like sanitation, electricity, etc. Since I have faced real issues, I can connect with it," Singh told PTI.

As a director, Singh considers himself lucky as he did not feel burdened despite the presence of stars like Akshay Kumar and Shahid.

"In the two films, both Akshay and Shahid have played roles that are against their image and I am grateful for the support. I want more people to listen to the issue so the reach is wider with star presence," he said.

"Batti Gul Meter Chalu" faced financial hurdles and then there was a controversy over the writing credits but Singh is relieved to have overcome these problems.

"I never expected that any problem would arise. I was shaken. Every film has a journey and maybe this was meant to happen. When you are in a situation like this, you do question yourself," he said.

Talking about the controversy over writing credits, Singh said Vipul Rawal had submitted his story to then producer, Prerna Arora. He had liked the basic idea but roped in writers Garima Wahal and Sidhartha Singh to develop it further.

"In the trailer that you see online, we have given credit to Vipul, saying, 'concept by Vipul'. We just picked up the concept and then he felt he should be given credit for story and screenplay, which we did." PTI KKP BK

BK
New York, Sep 21 (PTI) Authorities in New Jersey have called for the resignation of a senior law enforcement official after a secret recording surfaced in which he allegedly made racist remarks about America's first Sikh-American Attorney General Gurbir Grewal over his turban.

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino allegedly made multiple controversial remarks in a Janaury 16 conversation that took place after Phil Murphy was inaugurated as governor of New Jersey, the recordings of which were obtained by WNYC.

In the audio, Saudino is heard saying that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy appointed Grewal because of "the turban".

"He didn't do that because of Bergen County; he did that because of the turban," Saudino said of Murphy's selection of Grewal, who at the time was the Bergen County prosecutor.

Grewal tweeted that he had listened to the recording.

"If thats in fact Sheriff Saudino's voice, then he should resign immediately, Grewal said.

Grewal further tweeted that he has "got thick skin and I've been called far worse. But the comments about the African-American community are wrong, racist, and hurtful. The comments about our Lieutenant Governor are inappropriate and homophobic. New Jersey and Bergen County deserve better."

In July this year, Grewal was racially targeted by two radio hosts who repeatedly called him the "turban man" on air.

Murphy is also called for the resignation of Saudino following the emergence of the secret recording.

In the available audio, Saudino, using expletives, says: " let the blacks come insmoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops..." On Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, he is heard asking if she is gay "Because she's never been married."

WNYC said in a report that the conversation was recorded on Januray 16, following Murphy's gubernatorial inauguration, which Saudino attended. The report quoted Murphy as saying that "without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office." He added that if indeed that is Saudinos voice on the recording, "he must resign."

A report in NJ.com said Saudino offered his "sincere apology to the people of Bergen County for the insensitive recorded remarks made public.

In a statement issued by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office Director of Communications, he said.

"In an effort to repair the damage to the friendships that I have built with these communities I have reached out directly to several respected leaders in the communities I have offended and I have personally offered my apologizes and I have asked for their forgiveness and for their communities' forgiveness.

Not commenting about the calls for his resignation, he said the remarks made by him "are not representative of the person that I am and they are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County."

Sikh advocacy group Sikh Coalition condemned Saudinos comments, demanding that Saudino immediately apologize and resign from his position.

"Tone at the top matters and we must hold our public officials accountable for this despicable bigotry. Law enforcement needs to provide trainings in order to restore trust and demonstrate that hate will not be tolerated," Sikh Coalition Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager Sim Singh said.

The Sikh Coalition also called for cultural awareness and anti-bias trainings for all staff employed by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office on behalf of the communities impacted by Saudino's remarks.

The group said that the remarks by Saudino joins the line of racist moments that Grewal has experienced throughout his life. In July 2018, two New Jersey radio hosts faced severe backlash and criticism after they made disrespectful remarks about the Attorney General. Since becoming the first Sikh state Attorney General in the United States, AG Grewal is regularly subjected to death threats, the group added. PTI YAS NSA

NSA
Colombo, Sep 2 (PTI) A senior military intelligence officer was arrested in connection with the disappearance of a prominent journalist ahead of the 2010 presidential polls, officials said Friday.

Military intelligence officer Lt Col Erantha Peiris was arrested last night, they said.

On Friday, he was produced in court which remanded him in custody till September 28.

Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda had disappeared ahead of the 2010 presidential polls while working for former Army chief Sarath Fonseka, who had challenged the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

His wife Sandhya Eknaligoda has pursued a relentless campaign seeking justice.

The case was revived in 2015 when Rajapaksa lost to president Maithripala Sirisena in the presidential polls.

Earlier, some military personnel were arrested in the case but they are currently out on bail. PTI CORR SMJ AKJ SMJ

SMJ
Colombo, Sep 21 (PTI) Sri Lanka's Parliament on Friday voted to suspend two of its Opposition members for misbehaving and insulting Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in July.

The motions against Wimal Weerawansa and Prasanna Ranaweera were adopted by majority vote for their suspension for two weeks. They were part of a parliamentary fracas in the mid July when they raised the issue of alleged violation of the constitution by a Tamil state minister.

Both the members of the Joint Opposition were found to have led a rumpus in the Parliament on July 3 when the House discussed an allegedly inflammatory statement made by MP Vijayakala Maheswaran regarding the the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a banned terrorist organisation.

The two backers of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa were accused of the bad behaviour while disobeying the orders of the speaker.

Weerawansa, Ranaweera and other Opposition members moved Jayasuriya to suspend her from parliament. Jayasuriya said he could only take action against her after the due procedure.

The LTTE, which fought for the creation of an independent Tamil state in the north and east of the country. It was decimated by the Sri Lankan military in 2009 after the killing of its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. PTI CORR AMS AKJ AMS

AMS
Colombo, Sept 21 (PTI) Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed on Friday asked India to exert its influence to ensure a free and fair election in the country as he fears that September 23 presidential polls could be rigged.

The Maldives on Sunday will hold its third-ever multiparty presidential election.

Opposition parties from across Maldivian politics have formed a united front to oust the president, Abdulla Yameen, whose government has been accused of crushing dissent, corruption and jailing electoral opponents on flimsy grounds.

They have nominated a senior MP, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, to run against Yameen.

Mohammad Nasheed, the countrys first freely elected president after 30 years of authoritarian rule, told reporters in Colombo that "Yameen will lose the election, but he will hold onto power.

Nasheed, 51, was forced to quit his office in 2012 in what supporters regard as a coup, and was narrowly defeated by Yameen in a presidential poll the following year. He was convicted of terrorism in a dubious trial in 2015 and now lives in exile in Sri Lanka.

He urged the international community not to accept the result. He said that India must exert its influence to ensure a free and fair election.

He stressed the lack of credible international monitoring of the election.

He said there was no chance for the incumbent to win the election due to all opposing parties getting together.

"Mathematically, it is not possible for Yameen to win because all opposition parties are united against him. But the results they will announce will be different to what is actually in the ballot boxes," he said.

"The election in the Maldives is not just about less than half a million Maldivians," Nasheed said. "It is also about the stability of the Indian Ocean region where there is a cold war between India and China."

Nasheed charged that Yameen was being backed by China which wants to retain its infrastructure contracts in the country.

The United Nations has branded Nasheed's conviction and the jailing for 13 years as politically motivated. PTI Corr NSA

NSA
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours:



FGN19 PAK-SAUDI-SHARIF

No 'deal' with Saudi for release of Sharif & family from jail: Pak minister

Islamabad: There was no "deal" between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the release of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a top court suspended their sentences in a corruption case, a senior Pakistani minister has asserted.



FGN4 US-INDOPAK-TALKS

India and Pak foreign ministers meeting in New York terrific news: US

Washington: The United States Friday hailed India's acceptance of Pakistani proposal for talks between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ongoing annual UN General Assembly session in New York and termed it as a "terrific news". By Lalit K Jha



FGN20 MALDIVES-NASHEED-INDIA

Nasheed asks India to exert its influence to ensure free and fair election in Maldives

Colombo: Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed on Friday asked India to exert its influence to ensure a free and fair election in the country as he fears that September 23 presidential polls could be rigged.



FGN17 CHINA-US-SANCTIONS-REAX

China protests to US over sanctions for buying Russian arms, warns of consequences

Beijing: An "outraged" China on Friday lodged a diplomatic protest with the US for imposing punitive sanctions on its military unit for buying Russian weapons, warning of "consequences" if the sanctions are not revoked. By K J M Varma



FGN12 WB-LD INDIA

World Bank endorses financial support framework for India's transition to high-middle income nation

Washington:The World Bank has endorsed an ambitious five-year framework for India under which it is expected to receive USD 25-30 billion in financial support for its transition from a low-middle income to a high-middle income country, a senior official from the global lender said. By Lalit K Jha.



FGN7 US-CYBER POLICY

Trump admin unveils new cyber strategy, authorises offensive operation to deter attack

Washington: The Trump administration Friday unveiled a new cyber policy, which, among other things, pledges to launch offensive operation against adversaries to deter a cyber attack. By Lalit K Jha.



FGN6 UN-GUTERRES

UN chief seeking 'renewed commitment' to global rules and values as world leaders head to New York

United Nations: As leaders and foreign ministers from UN member states arrive here next week for the high-level General Assembly session, the situation in global hotspots such as Syria and Yemen as well as pressing issues like climate change and peacekeeping will occupy the centre stage.



FGN11 VIETNAM-PRESIDENT-2NDLD DEMISE

Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang dead at 61: State media

HANOI: Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang died Friday at age 61 after a prolonged and serious illness, state media reported. (AFP)





RUP

RUP
(Eds: Updating with inputs from FO statement)

Islamabad, Sep 21 (PTI) Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday expressed disappointment at India calling off a meeting between him and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York and alleged that "internal pressure" forced New Delhi to make the "unfortunate" move.

India cited the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

Qureshi expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the foreign minister-level talks, saying it was "unfortunate."

"It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. Indian has once again wasted an opportunity for peace," Qureshi told the media here.

He said that it was important to sit and talk for the sake of peace and stability in the region.

"The refusal of India shows that Indian government is facing internal pressure," he said.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

He said Pakistan sincerely wants resolution of all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, with India through negotiations.

Pakistan has always extended an olive branch to India for the resolution of problems and enhancing bilateral ties in an amicable manner, but New Delhi does not come out of its "internal politics", state-run Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying.

The minister said Pakistan can only wish India to come to the negotiating table, but "we can neither pressurise anybody nor will accept the same for this purpose."

Qureshi said the world wants connectivity and promote regional trade, but India is creating problems.

He said India's "stubbornness" is also adversely affecting future of the SAARC countries, the Radio Pakistan report said.

But, Qureshi reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue.

"We said that we want dialogue - but in a dignified manner," he added.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office (FO) in a statement remarked that the reasons cited by India for calling off the talks "within 24 hours of its public confirmation are entirely unconvincing".

"The so-called 'disturbing developments' alluded to in the Indian statement predated the Indian agreement to hold the bilateral meeting in New York," FO spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said in the statement.

He said the alleged killing of a BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting. And when the allegations of Pakistan's involvement first appeared, Pakistani rangers clearly conveyed to BSF through official channels that the country had nothing to do with it.

He said Pakistani rangers also extended help in efforts to locate the soldier's body. These facts were known to the Indian authorities and yet "this motivated and malicious propaganda continued".

"Pakistan...categorically reject these allegations...Our authorities would be prepared to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth," Faisal said.

On the issue of the postage stamps, he said they were issued before the July 25 elections and before Prime Minister Imran Khan assumed office.

Faisal said that most unfortunate part of Indian statement is the reference to the person of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

"We choose not to further comment beyond saying that these comments are against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication," he said.

"We believe by its ill-considered cancellation of the meeting, India has once again wasted a serious opportunity to change the dynamics of the bilateral relationship and put the region on the path of peace and development," he added.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents "exposed" the "true face" of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabad's evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

"The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," Kumar said.

He noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless".

Former High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit said he was surprised by India's move as New Delhi should not have agreed for it in the first place due to forthcoming elections but after agreeing for a meeting it was more surprising that it backed out.

Former advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz said that it was "unfortunate" that India cancelled the meeting as it would have created an environment for peace.

Former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri said the cancelation reminded him of the Agra summit when everything was ready for joint statement but India backed out at the last minute. PTI SH AKJ



SCY

SCY
Leaders of the East Aurora Council IFT/AFT Local 604 are expected to file a 10-day intent-to-strike notice on Monday, the Illinois Federation of Teachers announced Thursday. Spokeswoman Amy Excell said the notice means the union would have the authority to call a strike at any time after the 10-day grace period is up, but it doesnt guarantee a strike will happen.
Teacher training for Maha syllabus change to be broadcast on

Guj channel: Tawde

Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) Teachers will be provided digital

training in connection with the change in the curriculum of

Classes I to VIII from the academic year 2018-19, Maharashtra

Education Minister Vinod Tawde said Friday.

He said that the training would be broadcast on

Gujarat's free Doordarshan DTH channel.

He informed reporters that broadcasting the training

modules on Maharashtra's DD Sahyadri channel would have come

at a cost whereas the Gujarat government, which has 16

educational channels, had offered to beam it free on the

"Vande Gujarat" channel.

He added that the training would be in Marathi.

Responding to criticism from the opposition on using a

channel from Gujarat, Tawde said, "We haven't used the

services of any channel from Pakistan."

The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra

Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde, however, criticised the

decision and said that if the state government had so much

love for Gujarat, then it should shift the capital to

Gandhinagar.

Referring to a decision by the University Grants

Commission (UGC) to observe September 29 as "surgical strike

day" to commemorate India's 2016 cross-border action to

destroy Pakistan-based terror camps, Tawde said it would be

implemented.

"Ensuring that this feat of the soldiers reaches all

students is a good initiative," Tawde said.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had Thursday

directed varsities and higher educational institutions across

the country to observe September 29 as "Surgical strike day".

PTI MR

BNM BNM
Raipur, Sep 21 (PTI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah Friday visited 'Shadani Darbar', a popular religious place associated with the Sindhi community here.

After arriving on a day-long visit to the Chhattisagarh capital this afternoon, Shah directly went to 'Shadani Darbar', located near Kushabhau Thakre Parisar, the state BJP's office on the outskirts of Raipur.

He also met the people of the Sindhi community as part of the party's 'Sampark for Samarthan' outreach campaign and sought their support in the upcoming polls.

Shah's visit to the religious site in the poll-bound Chhattisagarh is being seen as an attempt to woo Sindhis, a business community which is present in significant numbers in almost all the major towns of the state, including Raipur.

Srichand Sundarani, the BJP MLA from the Raipur North constituency, is the lone legislator from the Sindhi community in the state.

According to political observers, the community is seeking better representation in the assembly and attempting to get more poll nominations from both the ruling BJP and the Congress this time.

The state, where the BJP is in power since 2003, is slated to go to the polls by the year-end. PTI TKP RSY KJ
Kolkata, Sep 21 (PTI) The UGC direction to universities to mark September 29 as "Surgical Strike Day" is a part of the BJP's "agenda" and educational institutes in West Bengal will not celebrate the day, state minister Partha Chatterjee said Friday.

The education minister criticised the BJP-led central government for trying to "malign and politicise" the Army.

On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out "surgical strikes" on seven terrorist launchpads across the LoC as a response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month. The Indian Army had said its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.

"This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda," Chatterjee said.

Talk sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades by NCC and visit to exhibitions are among the prescribed events by the University Grants Commission for the celebration.

Chatterjee said, "We would have understood it had they asked us to observe the day in the name of sacrifices made by our soldiers. We have full respect for our soldiers and their sacrifices."

"The Indian Army has always been kept above politics and controversies. But now we are seeing that the BJP is

trying to malign and politicise the Indian Army. This is not right and we won't support it," he said. PTI PNT NN ABH

ABH
Kolkata, Sep 21 (PTI) Following are PTI's top stories

from the eastern region at 9 pm.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

CAL7

WB-LD SURGICAL STRIKE

Bengal will not observe Surgical Strike Day: Minister

Kolkata: The UGC direction to universities to mark

September 29 as "Surgical Strike Day" is a part of the BJP's

"political agenda" and educational institutes in West Bengal

will not observe the day, state Education Minister Partha

Chatterjee said Friday.

CAL8

WB-CONG-ADHIR

Removed Bengal Cong chief expresses reservations in

taking up new post

Kolkata: Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan

Chowdhury, who was removed as the party's West Bengal

president, Friday expressed reservations in taking up the post

of chairman of the party's state campaign committee.

CAL9

BH-HOME-RAID

Police carry out raids to nab former Bihar minister's

husband

Begusarai: Police Friday conducted several raids

across the state to nab Chandrashekhar Verma, the husband of

former Bihar social welfare minister Manju Verma, for illegal

possession of cartridges, a senior officer said.

CAL10

AS-LD ELECTROCUTION

6 die of electrocution, 8 injured as high tension wire

falls into pond

Rupohi (Assam): Six persons, including a 10-year-old

boy, were electrocuted to death while eight others were

seriously injured when a high tension 11000-volt wire fell

into a pond here in Assam's Nagaon district on Friday, police

said.

CAL11

WB-LD SCHOOL-CLASH

West Bengal: Another student dies in Islampur clash

Raiganj (WB): A college student, injured in a clash

between a mob and the police in North Dinajpur, died Friday,

pushing the death toll to two.

CES7

AR-PPA

PPA suffers blow in Arunachal after 2 more MLAs join

Congress

Itanagar: In a major setback to the People's Party of

Arunachal (PPA), the lone regional party in the state, its

last two MLAs have joined the Congress before the assembly

polls due next year.

CES8

AS-HIMA SONOWAL

Sonowal congratulates Hima for being selected for

Arjuna Award

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on

Friday congratulated sprinter Hima Das on being selected for

the 2018 Arjuna Award.

CES9

SK-PM-PAKYONG

PM Modi to inaugurate Sikkim Airport on September 24

Gangtok: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate

the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim on September 24, officials said

Friday. PTI

SBN SBN
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) The Congress on Friday sought to take credit for the government's decision to call off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The BJP, however, maintained that it has been the government's stand that talks and terror cannot go together and asserted that the Indian Army will give Pakistan a befitting reply.

Barely 24 hours after agreeing to it, the government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Asked about the decision to call off the talks, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi told a press briefing, "Better late than never. And sometimes credit should also be given to us."

BJP spokesperson Bizay Sonkar Shastri said it has been the central government's stand that talks and terror cannot go together.

He said that the Pakistan army, its spy agency ISI and Kashmir-based separatists backed by them appear to be working to vitiate the atmosphere.

Earlier, the Congress had slammed the government for agreeing for the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session next week.

"It is laughable to talk of government's Pakistan policy. When the government of India talks about policy on Pakistan, it sounds like an oxymoron, a contradiction. Simply because there is no policy which we can point out.

"The great policy which Mr Modi's government has perfected is the policy of 'No Pak policy'. It is knee-jerk, it is episodic, it is momentary, it is transient, it depends on the mood of the moment," Singhvi said.

Reacting to the development, Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "Calling off meeting between India & Pak's FMs is bad news for J&K. Both countries owe it to people of state & country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. In spite of a historic mandate, it is media & not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda."

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said, "Has our BJP government decided to accept my advice not to talk or interact with Pak UN? If so it shows democratic flexibility." PTI ASK/KR ASK TIR

TIR
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Ahead of the launch of the Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Scheme, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Friday urged doctors to be a part of this "unprecedented opportunity" to serve with sharp focus on cleanliness and affordable healthcare.

He said the flagship scheme is expected to provide a fillip to India's goal of achieving universal health coverage.

At the 19th convocation and award ceremony of the National Board of Examinations (NBE), Naidu said, despite the progress on economic front, public and private financial resources continue to be scarce, there is a need to look at delivering healthcare at an affordable cost.

In view of the low penetration of medical health insurance and an estimated 62.58 per cent of the people meeting medical and hospitalisation expenses on their own, the Centre has conceived of 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme, aiming to provide financial protection to 10.74 crore deprived rural families by offering a benefit cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year, he said.

"A large part of Indian population lives in rural India. Despite several governmental initiatives, we have been unable to provide adequate healthcare facilities to our rural people, the farmers and their families who feed us.

"At present, most parts of rural India have limited access to specialist healthcare, and this crisis partly stems from reluctance of our doctors to go and work in rural centres.

"We must find ways and means to ensure that every citizen benefits from the advancements in medicine. There have been many instances in which families have been driven into penury and debt-traps due to huge medical costs incurred on the treatment of their dear ones," he said.

Naidu urged doctors to go the rural areas and serve them.

He also pitched for mandatory posting of fresh MBBS graduates in rural areas before granting them their first promotion as part of a possible solution to address the shortage of doctors in the hinterland.

The vice president further said medical tourism was becoming a reality and people from different parts of the world are coming to India for treatment.

"In addition, there are a number of people who are looking towards India for holistic health practices including yoga and Ayurveda that can complement allopathic medicine.

"Make India a trusted healthcare destination and lend a healing touch to the suffering humanity, a touch that only you can give with your knowledge, skills and attitude," he said.

Urging them to be empathetic towards the patients, Naidu urged them to also educate, advise and counsel them to follow cleanliness and maintain a good lifestyle.

In his speech, he also asked them never be content or complacent with the status quo.

"As medical scientists, epidemiologists and clinicians, you must continue your experiments with truth and extend the frontiers of scientific and medical knowledge.

"Knowledge, tempered with such values will always stand in you in good stead, sharpen your intellect and above all will make you a good human being. You must continue and enrich grand tradition and for this, it is crucial for you to develop critical thinking," he said in a tweet.

As doctors, you have an unprecedented opportunity to serve and be a part of this inclusive growth that India is aiming for with sharp focus on cleanliness and affordable healthcare, he said.

"Make India a trusted healthcare destination and lend a healing touch to the suffering humanity, a touch that only you can give with your knowledge, skills and attitude," he said.

At the convocation ceremony, 306 doctors, including eight from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, received the Gold Medal in their respective specialty and 61 medical teachers were honoured for their exemplary work in the field of modern medicine.

The NBE also conferred degrees to 20,534 Post Graduates doctors. PTI PLB KND PLB DIP

DIP
(Eds: Adds bodies recovered, other details)

Srinagar, Sep 21 (PTI) Terrorists shot dead three policemen after abducting them from Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir early Friday, police said.

The bodies were recovered from an orchard in Wangam area, more than a kilometre from the village the policemen were abducted from.

Police identified the dead as constable Nissar Ahmed and two special police officers - Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh - from Kapren and Heepora areas of Shopian district.

Police said the residents of Batagund village had chased the terrorists and urged them not to abduct the policemen, but the militants fired a few shots in the air and and threatened the villagers.

They said the terrorists crossed a river in the area and shot dead the policemen.

Nissar Ahmed was working with the armed police, Firdous Ahmed, who was under process of being converted to constable, served in the Railways. Kulwant Singh was posted with Kulgam police.

The terrorists had also kidnapped the brother of a police constable but he was released later.

A Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group has claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing.

The policemen were abducted nearly three weeks after terrorists had abducted relatives of policemen from various places in south Kashmir on August 30. The relatives were later released.

At least eight people whose relatives worked in Jammu and Kashmir Police were abducted.

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of terrorists who were in police custody.

The August 30 abductions happened after the NIA arrested the second son of globally-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group.

Salahuddin's son was arrested on charges of receiving secret funds. PTI SKL/MIJ ABH ABH

ABH
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) The inaugural General Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) will take place on October 2 here, the Ministry of External Affairs said Friday.

The ministerial level assembly will be held in Greater Noida the following day, it said.

The Founding Conference of the ISA was jointly hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron here in March this year.

The ISA, formation of which was initiated by India and France, aims to bring all countries together for cooperation on solar energy.

During the founding conference, Modi had announced India's commitment to extend nearly USD 1.4 billion worth of lines of credit (LOCs) to cover 27 projects in 15 countries, especially in Africa.

In connection with the forthcoming first General Assembly, T S Tirumurti, the Secretary (Economic Relations) in the External Affairs Ministry, chaired a meeting on for more than 50 resident foreign missions here on Thursday, the statement said.

Anand Kumar, the Secretary in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), introduced the programme outline for the First General Assembly and also introduced the Second RE-INVEST and Indian Ocean Rim Association Energy Ministers Meeting which would also take place concurrently till October 5.

Upendra Tripathy, the Interim Director General of the ISA, shared the efforts being taken by the ISA Secretariat for the first General Assembly, the statement added. PTI PR PR TIR

TIR
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) A court here has granted bail to Delhi businessman Neeraj Raja Kochar arrested for allegedly bribing CBI officials in a case in which top government officials have come under the probe agency's scanner.

The bail was granted after the CBI submitted that they have no objection to it, however, the court put various conditions on Kochar, including that he will not leave the country without its prior permission.

"Applicant/accused Neeraj Raja Kochar is admitted to bail on his furnishing bail bond in the sum of Rs one lakh," Special Judge N K Malhotra said.

In his bail application, Kochar had claimed that he had undergone a major surgery a month back and his recovery had been affected due to the custodial interrogation.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested Kochar, owner of Vijay Profiles and Rakesh Tiwari, who runs a catering service in Chanakyapuri, for allegedly bribing CBI officers probing a corruption case against an Indian Revenue Officer (IRS) Vivek Batra in which Kochar is an accused.

Batra had allegedly invested his "ill-gotten" wealth in Kochar's company, CBI claimed.

It further said that Tiwari was in touch with Kochar for facilitating "relief" and providing case-related "sensitive information" to him.

The agency had alleged that Kochar had given Rs 20 lakh bribe to Tiwari through "hawala" operator to influence the CBI officers using his personal connections.

During the investigation it was also found that top government officials were allegedly transferring money abroad using hawala channels through Tiwari.

The probe agency had arrested Kochar for allegedly attempting to dilute the corruption case investigation in return of a bribe of Rs 35 lakh. PTI URD UK RCJ
Pistol, cash, SUVs seized from Future Maker promoters; police

Hyderabad, Sep 21 (PTI): A revolver,Rs 60 lakh in cash

and SUVs were among items seized from the homes of promoters

of Future Maker Life Care in Haryana, arrested recently for

allegedly running an illegal multi-level marketing money

circulation scheme.

Radhe Shyam,Chairman and Managing Director and BhansiLal,

MD of the company, were arrested by the Economic Offences Wing

of Cyberabad Police from Hisar, Haryana, on September 8 on the

charge of running the MLM) scheme, duping thousands of people.

"Police searched the house of Radheshyam and others who

were involved in the case. Searches were conducted in FMLC

godowns/warehouses and the seizures were effected

Police also searched the Future Maker Life Care Private

Ltd Head Office and Corporate office at Hisar.

One revolver (with 10 rounds), four laptops, six mobile

phones, Rs 60 lakh cash and SUV vehicles-Fortuner, Ford

Endeavor and Jaguar were seized," Cyberabad Commissioner VC

Sajjanar said in a press release.

Citing judgements of the Supreme Court and various

courts, Sajjanar said multi-level marketing, network marketing

and referral marketing schemes were illegal under Prize Chits

and Money Circulation Scheme (PCMCS) Banning Act.

He cautioned the public against joining such illegal

schemes and said those involved in such activities would be

arrested and action taken agains them as per law. PTI GDK APR

APR APR
Its a dry red wine and this one was aged for 18 months in oak barrels, he said. Because the weather here in Illinois is so erratic, the amount we make each year changes. In 2015, we made about 70 barrels, which was a light year. Last year in 2017, we released in November about 140.
BJP using UGC to politicise surgical strikes: CPI's D Raja

Chennai, Sep 21 (PTI) CPI leader D Raja Friday slammed

the University Grants Commission's communication on observing

"Surgical strike day" and accused the BJP of "politicising"

the Army action.

Referring to the UGC's communication to the universities

to observe September 29 as "Surgical strike day", he also

mocked at the BJP for teaching 'patriotism'.

"UGC has the mandate to oversee educational functions, but

BJP is using the institution as an instrument to politicise

surgical strikes, which is an act of Indian Army," Raja told

PTI.

The UGC Thursday directed varsities and higher

educational institutions to observe September 29 as "Surgical

strike day", the second anniversary of surgical strikes on

terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Talk-sessions on sacrifices of armed forces, special

parades, sending greeting cards to pledge their support for

armed forces were among activities suggested by it.

As the UGC communication triggered a political row, the

Centre Friday asserted it only reflected patriotism and not

politics.

"It is ironical that BJP and RSS, who do not have role

in the country's freedom movement, are teaching nationalism

and patriotism," Raja said.

On September 29, 2016, the Indian Army carried out

"surgical strikes" on seven terrorist launch pads across the

Line of Control(LoC) as a response to an attack on its base in

Uri earlier that month. PTI CPB

VS VS
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Rajput outfits from several states met here Friday to forge an alliance to challenge the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and reservation in jobs and education.

The alliance, "Kshatriya Jan Sansad", will also take up the issue of Ram Janmbhumi, said Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha president Raja Rajendra Singh.

The Jan Sansad discussed the issues faced by the Rajputs in the country and gave a call for unity to preserve the "dignity" of the community.

Organisers of the event said office bearers of Kshatriya outfits from over 20 states, including Rajasthan, MP, Himachal, UP, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnatka and Delhi attended the meet.

It comprises office bearers of Rajput outfits as well as prominent members of the community from all over the country, said Umesh Singh, the general secretary of Kshatriya Mahasabha.

"The Jan Sansad will work for abolition of the SC/ST Act that has led to harassment of people including Rajputs," Rajendra Singh said.

Speaking at the event, many Rajput leaders also expressed concerns over perpetuation of reservation policy and called to end it to pave way for merit-based opportunity to all in academic and recruitment matters. PTI VIT

DPB
Jammu, Sep 21 (PTI) The BJP's national vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna said on Friday that the party will sweep the forthcoming panchayat and urban local bodies polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

Khanna also hailed the enthusiasm shown by the BJP leaders and the candidates for the polls.

He said with the continuous commitment and perseverance for the good work, the BJP will sweep the polls, making a history in the state by marking its presence on all the three fronts that is from Panchayat to Parliament.

Khanna chaired multiple meetings at Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts.

State BJP president Ravinder Raina (MLA), MP (Lok Sabha) Jugal Kishore Sharma, MP (Rajya Sabha) Shamsher Singh Manhas, former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta also addressed the meetings attended by MLAs, MLCs, district office bearers, senior leaders and the BJP candidates for the polls. PTI AB SNE

SNE
Hisar, Sep 21 (PTI) Four persons, including an Army were killed when their car collided with a truck near Piplapur village in the district, police said Friday.

The incident took place Thursday evening, they said.

The victims, identified as Ashok (25) and Deepak alias Kalu (27), Akshay (26) and Bijender (26), were on their way from Hisar towards Delhi, police said. PTI Cor SUN

KJ

KJ
Kochi, Sep 21 (PTI) Solo sailors in the 2018 Golden Globe Race have been hit by a vicious storm mid way across the South Indian Ocean, leaving an Indian Navy sailor injured, a Defence spokesman said Friday night, quoting a news report issued by the organisers.

According to the report issued from the Les Sables dOlonne, France, the 70 knot winds and 14 metre high seas have left the yachts of Indian Navy's Abhilash Tomy and Ireland's Gregor McGuckin dismasted, and have twice knocked down the yacht of second-placed Dutchman Mark Slats.

Both McGuckin and Slats report that they are okay, but 39-year-old Tomy, a commander in the Indian Navy making his second solo circumnavigation, has been injured.

"A CODE RED ALERT was issued after Race HQ received his message at 12:09 UTC today: ROLLED. DISMASTED. SEVERE BACK INJURY. CANNOT GET UP," it said.

Maritime Rescue Authorities were alerted, the report said.

It said other entrants have been asked to make towards Tomy's position if possible, and added that the weather and sea was extreme.

The nearest yacht happens to be Gregor McGuckin's Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance, some 90 miles to the southwest of Tomy's Thuriya, but she too was dismasted in the same storm.

Gregor reported earlier that his yacht was a mess below, but providing his diesel supplies have not been contaminated, has sufficient fuel to motor towards Tomy's position if conditions allow, the report added.

Both Tomy and McGuckin are some 1,900 miles west of Cape Leeuwin, West Australia, it said.

Indian Navy officer, Commander Abhilash Tomy, who became the first Indian to have circumnavigated the globe in 2013, is the only Indian participating in the Golden Globe Race that involves a gruelling 30,000-mile solo circumnavigation of the globe.

The adventurous event began in July this year from France. PTI TGB IJT
Noida (UP), Sep 21 (PTI) Two members of a family were killed and as many injured when the two wheeler they were riding on rammed into a speeding truck in Gautam Budhh Nagar's Dadri area on Friday, police said.

The accident took place in Dadri's Luharli village when the family was headed home to Khoda village in Ghaziabad from Bulandshahr, they said.

According to the police, the deceased were identified as Monika (36) and her son Arun (2). Monika's husband Charan Singh (38) and daughter Dolly (5) were hospitalised.

"The family was riding a moped, when the truck tried to turn left to go to a fuel station and rammed into the two wheeler," a police official said.

Monika and her son were killed on the spot, while her husband and daughter have been admitted to a local hospital with serious injuries, he added.

The truck driver fled from the spot.

A case has been registered at Dadri police station against him under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code, the police official said. PTI KIS DIV

DIV
Funeral train not for rides: This is about the Abraham Lincoln funeral train car that was built for the 150th anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 2015. The original person who built it sold the car to someone else. It was at Antioch on display over Labor Day weekend. Me and two buddies of mine went to see it. You had to pay $5 to go through it. It was nice. They did a good job on it. We talked to someone up there who said it wasnt going to be on tour again. The guy who owns it is going to use it for banquets and weddings and to give rides. I just shook my head. That car was not made for rides. Its historical, and it should be in Springfield next to Abraham Lincolns home. It should be on display.
My mother wants to gift me her house, but she does not want my sister and brother to have any of it as they inherited from my father, who she divorced.

My father disinherited me and I did not contest that. It was his wish.

Now my mother wants me alone to have her house, which is worth approximately 360,000.

Inheritance dilemma: My mother wants to gift me her house, but she does not want my sister and brother to have any of it

How does she do this so that if my sister and brother contested this they would not win?

They each inherited 900,000 from my father's will so they would have money to fight me on this. Neither my brother nor sister now speak to my mother.

Currently I live in council accommodation with my two young sons. My mother and I have contemplated buying a bigger house together but I have very little in savings from my job.

Gary Rycroft, solicitor and partner at Joseph A. Jones & Co, replies: Your mother has three options.

She could make a gift to you of the house now, make you the beneficiary of the house under her will, or share ownership of the house with you now.

Gary Rycroft: 'You should lay the groundwork now to close down any arguments that your siblings may seek to run later'

In each case, in order to minimise the chances of your siblings bringing a successful claim to set aside the gift or challenge the will, it is important that your mother receives independent legal advice from her own solicitor.

This will show that whatever she decides to do she is doing of her own free will and while fully understanding the implications for her.

Her solicitor would also be able to make a record of your mother's motivation for benefiting you to the detriment of her other children, which for reasons you have given is perfectly understandable and justifiable in law.

In addition to seeing her own solicitor I would also recommend that your mother obtain a mental capacity assessment to show that the decision she makes is one being taken whilst she has the requisite mental capacity to do so.

Such a contemporaneous report would head off any later challenge by your siblings that your mother was lacking capacity at the time the gift of the house or will was entered into.

So in other words, you should lay the groundwork now to close down any arguments that your siblings may seek to run later about your mother not making valid lifetime gift or a valid will. Thought should also be given to the mode of the gift.

1) Giving you the house

If your mother were to gift the house to you now, the risk to her is that you fall out with her and ask her to leave her own home, or that the property later leaves your ownership and passes to a third party because of your own death, divorce or financial mismanagement.

I'm thinking of gifting my home to my son to avoid inheritance tax... Would that give him the right to evict me? Read more here.

To protect her position, your mother's solicitor may advise her to insist she be granted a right to reside or tenancy or that the gift is not to you personally but rather into some kind of family trust arrangement.

Crucially, if the house was gifted now, it would not pass under your mother's will on her death, so in that sense a challenge to the will by your siblings would be frustrated.

However, once given, your mother would have no right to ask for the house back.

2) Bequeathing you the house

Your mother could keep the house in her name for now and make you the beneficiary of it under her will.

As you know from your father's will, it is allowed under English law to disinherit a child.

Other countries, including France and the Republic of Ireland, do not allow such freedom.

The only restriction on this is that there is a need to provide for children who have financial dependency.

Leaving the house to you and not your siblings in her will would allow your mother to retain ownership of the house for the rest of her life, so in that sense would give her peace of mind.

However, for you it may mean you still do not receive the house.

Your mother may need to pay for adult social care in the future and if so the capital in the house may be spent.

She may also simply change her mind about you having the house and decide to change her will and leave it elsewhere.

3) Sharing ownership of the house

If you and your mother move in together now and share ownership of the current house (or a different larger house) you will need to think about how that will work between you.

You will have to consider who owns what proportion of the house, what happens on the death of one of you (it could be that it automatically passes to the survivor) and on a practical level who pays the insurance and bills and in what proportion.

Again, to a large extent sharing ownership now would frustrate your siblings mounting a post death challenge to your mother's will, as it could be made irrelevant in terms of the house, but it would tie you and your mother into a potentially inflexible arrangement for the rest of her life.

All in all there is much to think about and by far the most important point is that your mum take independent legal advice so she can decide what is best for her.
Toy and model maker Hornby will most likely be working on the Hogwarts Express soon, after it signed a deal to release products related to the Harry Potter franchise.

The deal with Warner Bros not only includes the wizarding world but also the DC comic book universe, home of superheroes such as Batman and Superman.

Shares were up 19 per cent to 36.6p in the week following the announcement.

On track: Toy and model maker Hornby will most likely be working on the Hogwarts Express soon, after it signed a deal to release products related to the Harry Potter franchise

Meanwhile, Anglo Asian Mining was one of the top five risers on AIM after its declaration of a maiden dividend sent shares rocketing 40 per cent to 54p.

The Azerbaijan-focused firm joins a small club of junior miners operating in the former Soviet Union that pay dividends to shareholders.

Another gold digger that saw a boost to its shares in the week was Caledonia Mining, with the stock jumping 13 per cent after a resource upgrade at its Blanket mine.

Things were looking a tad gloomier among the oilers however, with Mongolia-focused explorer Petro Matad tumbling 27 per cent to 5.8p over the five days after failing to find oil at its Snow Leopard 1 well.

The hole has since been 'plugged and abandoned' due to the disappointing results, three words that tend to send oil investors running.

Further down the losers list, with a 35.9 per cent plunge to 3.7p was resort developer Minoan Group, which on Tuesday agreed to sell its travel & leisure unit, Stewart Travel, for 6.6million to pay down its debts.

With the sale completed, Minoan said it was now looking for additional funding to continue to meet its costs while also trying to advance a project in Crete.

While the AIM All-Share had a better week than Matad and Minoan, it was fairly docile, moving up only 0.02 per cent to 1,098.5 over the five days.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was in better shape, rising 1.7 per cent over the week to 7,431.

Rich pickings: Anglo Asian Mining was one of the top five risers on AIM after its declaration of a maiden dividend sent shares rocketing 40% to 54p

It wasnt all bad news for the small cap oil and gas sector though, with Global Petroleum shares rocketing 56 per cent higher to 3.6p as it agreed to acquire 85 per cent of block 2011A offshore Namibia.

Local prospect operators, Tullow Oil and Chariot Oil & Gas, have already discovered oil reservoirs in the eastern part of the block.

Global Petroleum said it planned to carry out various studies and data reprocessing to map the reservoirs more accurately.

Elsewhere, Rotherham-based cleaning technology firm Xeros saw its shares gush 45 per cent higher to 65p as it inked a ten-year contract to supply its water consumption tech to leading Mexican tannery LEFARC.

The group has developed a technology that uses polymer beads in a specially-designed washing machine to rub gently against fabrics and absorb dirt and stains, in what the firm calls a 'superior cleaning process'.

Energy boost: Global Petroleum shares rocketed 56% higher to 3.6p as it agreed to acquire 85% of block 2011A offshore Namibia

The tannery trialled Xeros tech for a while and is expected to formally roll it out across its operations after March next year.

Back in the fallers, industrial engineer Flowtech Fluidpower sank 25 per cent to 129.5p after a profit warning caused by delays to the Thames Tideway sewer project.

The firms chief executive, Sean Fennon, also decided to step down on the same day, although there was no direct connection made.

Meanwhile, restaurant group Tasty reported widened losses in its half year results as it fell victim to tough market conditions caused by the summer heatwave and cash-strapped consumers.

Investors found the news hard to swallow, with Tasty shares dropping 14.7 per cent to 14p.
Tescos new discount chain 'Jacks', which opened its doors to customers this week, was trumpeted as the supermarkets answer to fast-growing, cut-price grocers Aldi and Lidl.

It was anticipated that Tesco would leverage its scale and retail prowess to launch a supermarket that could go head-to-head with its formidable German rivals on both price and value.

And Tesco put on a good show  revealing a broad range of Jacks-branded goods in its new smaller, wide-ailed store, complete with the sort of when its gone, its gone baskets you get in Aldi and Lidl, and a smattering of popular brands like Coca-Cola and Cadbury.

Tesco boss Dave Lewis (above) unveiling its new Jack's brand to media in Chatteris

The store is low cost with wide aisles for easy replenishment and just 2,600 products

80 per cent of the 2,600 products for sale are made in Britain, the retailer said

With a carefully honed, low-cost operating cost model, including a dramatically curated range of 2,600 items (compared with the tens of thousands youd usually find in a Tesco store) boss Dave Lewis claimed that Jacks could afford to be the cheapest in town.

Whats more, Lewis boasted that 80 per cent of the 2,600 products on offer will have been grown, reared or made in Britain  an effort to appeal to provenance-conscious shoppers.

The stores' name a nod to Tescos founder Jack Cohen. But the shop is also plastered with Union Jacks and signs that read 'made in Britain'.

Its impressive. Tescos new and exclusive Jacks range in particular is nothing to be sniffed at with 1,800 items developed secretly with 350 suppliers.

But, as it stands, this is far from being an assault on Aldi and Lidl.

Jacks wont faze the discounters because, despite an urgent need to face the threat head on, Tesco has committed to opening just 10 to 15 Jacks stores in the coming year.

To echo the thoughts of Fraser McKevitt, Kantar Worldpanels head of consumer insight, Jacks isnt going to make an immediate dent in the competitions market share  not at the rate of openings announced today'.

He points out, for context, that there are already over 1,300 Aldi and Lidl stores across the country and the indomitable duo have a combined market share of 13.1 per cent.

Investors were seemingly unmoved by Tesco's big reveal too  Tesco shares nudged up just 1 per cent yesterday, perhaps because Lewis confessed that the venture was not designed to move the dial in terms of Tescos financials.

So what is Jack's all in aid of then?

Perhaps it's all just fabulous PR, aimed to draw the medias attention to Tescos roots and core values as it recovers from a tumultuous accounting scandal and celebrates being in business for 100 years.

Or maybe Jacks is simply a smart (and relatively inexpensive at circa 25million) way to fill a few ghost stores, re-purpose some struggling Tesco Metros and use up a bit of extra car-park space.

Or is there more to it than Tesco is letting on?

The first Jack's store is in a 'ghost' unit that has stood empty since 2014 when Tesco hit financial problems and had to row back on its expansion plans

Given Tesco's recent history with ill-advised ventures, would Lewis really risk launching a new fascia without a significant game plan?

Despite Lewiss protestations and his unwillingness to be drawn on the brand's future, I like Mckevitt believe that Tesco is playing a longer-term game with Jacks, and suspect it is holding its cards close to its chest until the time is right for an all-out assault.

With the pending mega-merger between Asda and Sainsburys - arguably a bigger threat to Tesco than the discounters - right around the corner, the time to take Jacks out of the box in earnest may come sooner than we think.

Either way, by welcoming a handful of Jacks shops into the 1000-unit Tesco family, what the supermarket giant has done has quietly reminded its rivals whos boss.

Tesco clearly has the scale, power and the agility to defend itself. It has loaded the gun now and will fire when the time is right.

Lewis said Jack's will strive to be the 'cheapest in town', so pricing will vary from town to town
A would be first time buyer is stuck without his dream home after Barclays' online banking and telephone systems collapsed.

Jake Parsons, 24, from Debden, Essex, was scheduled to move into a 130,000 one bedroom flat in Chapel Fields, in Coventry.

Mr Parsons, who works for a commercial vehicle company, had saved for a deposit and planned to pay the money via Barclays, his mortgage provider, on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Jake Parsons, above, is originally from Essex but is staying in Coventry. He said the house he has been staying in is to be returned tomorrow, and nearly faces losing his dream 130,000 flat because of the Barclays system crash

A technical glitch on Thursday morning sent both online and telephone systems for the bank crashing down for the day, leaving 24million UK customers, along with Mr Parsons, unable to pay money out-of-branch.

As a result, Barclays did not pay the solicitor fees to go ahead with the purchase.

Mr Parsons said: 'The plan was to pay today and move in tomorrow.

'Im speechless about it all, I sat in silence for an hour, Im gutted, absolutely gutted.

'Now, if its not done by 3.30pm tomorrow afternoon Im going to be stuck without a house because the solicitors wont have enough time to process the sale on my behalf.

'The house Ive been staying at is to be returned tomorrow and Id already extended the lend so I cant do it again.

'Im up in Coventry but Im originally from Essex meaning I wont have anywhere to stay over the weekend.'

The house he had planned to move into was a new build in Chapel Fields, near the city centre.

He saved for a deposit using a help to buy scheme, putting money away since the age of 16.

Mr Parsons bought the 130,000 one bedroom flat, pictured in the block above. He could be straight out of Coventry if he is still left waiting for funds by tomorrow afternoon

He said: Its already been a nightmare move so far with so many delays but today, out of the blue, technical issues with Barclays.

'Its a nightmare  all my stuff is in the property because the sellers allowed me to move some in, but I dont have access to the keys until the sale has gone through.

'Just as I thought it had all gone through and I had my first home, after moving my stuff into the new build, I got an email from my solicitors telling me about Barclays problem and that we cant go ahead.'

His family had planned to visit him on the weekend and help him move in.

He said: 'Im just stunned at how these things can happen at such a large organisation.

'Ive heard about these stories before but I dont understand how they happen.

'Theyre supposed to be my mortgage provider but it fills me with doubt to be honest.

'If the bank can release funds to my solicitor by 3.30 in the afternoon they can just about get it completed and transfer the money to the seller.

'We have 24 hours to be honest otherwise the sale cant go through.'

Barclays said it cannot comment on individual cases.
Thousands of shops are closing across Britain as record numbers of customers buy on the internet.

A total of 1,772 stores disappeared from the UKs busiest town centres last year, a report reveals  meaning almost five closed every day.

Retailer Evans Cycles last night reportedly became the latest firm to seek a rescue.

A string of retailers have recently gone bust or are facing an uncertain future. More than 50,000 retail jobs have already been lost this year (File photo)

Sky News reported that the business is looking for a buyer who can take charge and inject cash to stave off its collapse.

The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlight the plight faced by retailers as foreign internet rivals such as Amazon take their business.

An unprecedented 18.2p of every pound forked out by shoppers is now spent online.

The figures sparked fresh calls from campaigners for the Government to help.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, of the Centre for Retail Research, said: Average profits are half what they were five years ago  ordinary shops are facing crippling bills and high taxes, but so far its not clear that the Government is taking this seriously.

A string of retailers have recently gone bust or are facing an uncertain future. More than 50,000 retail jobs have already been lost this year.

This is likely because in 2008, just 4.9 per cent of shopping was done online, but last August the figure was a record 18.2 per cent.

Department stores have this year been the most high-profile casualties of the High Street crunch, with 18.4 per cent of consumer spending in their category now done on the internet.

Empty shops for sale on Scunthorpe High Street, Lincolnshire (File photo)

Marks & Spencer recently announced it was shutting 100 stores, while House of Fraser had to be rescued by tycoon Mike Ashley after going bust.

Last week middle-class staple John lewis revealed its profits had slumped by 99 per cent in the half-year to July.

In its report the ONS referred to a study by accountant PwC showing 1,772 stores vanished from Britains 500 biggest town centres last year.

The Mail has been calling for an overhaul of business rates, as well as a fair tax on internet firms.

Mike Cherry, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: With spiralling business rates, ever-increasing rents, reduced access to cash and expensive town centre parking clobbering small firms, something needs to be done.

The unfair and regressive business rates system needs a complete overhaul.

James Daunt, chief executive of bookseller Waterstones, said: Rates are clearly contributing to the hollowing out of the High Street and shopping centres, and the march of online retailers are also part of that.

The urgency of the need for something to be done is increasing, and the damage to shopping districts is increasing.

A Treasury spokesman said: Weve introduced more than 10billion of business rate support, so many businesses pay no rates at all.

He said an expert panel would advise on a plan to revive the High Street.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 21)  Former President Benigno Aquino III urged the public not to believe former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile's attempts to revise the country's history.

"Medyo may edad na si Senator Enrile pero hindi naman pwedeng gawing dahilan yun para maniwala tayo dun sa gusto niyang pagbabago ng katotohanan," Aquino told reporters after a mass with opposition figures on Friday.

[Translation: Senator Enrile is old but it's no excuse for us to believe in parts of history he wants to change.]

A video by former senator and defeated vice presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos surfaced Thursday night, the eve of the 46th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by his late father and former strongman Ferdinand Marcos, in the country.

In the video, Enrile  who was defense minister in 1972  said there were no human rights violations, killings, detention, and cronyism during the Marcos rule.

"Name me one person that was arrested because of political or religious belief during that period. None," he dared.

In his response, Aquino challenged Enrile's claim.

He referred to Republic Act 10368 creating the Human Rights Victims Claims Board which processed compensation claims of people who suffered from atrocities under the Marcos regime.

"Merong batas na human rights compensation bill na binabayad sa lahat ng biktima noong human rights abuses noong panahon ng batas militar," Aquino pointed out. "Pwede nating unawain pero pasensiya na. 'Yung totoo 'yung totoo at ang pambobola ay pambobola pa rin."

[Translation: There is a law giving compensation to the victims of human rights abuses during the time of martial law. We can understand him but I'm sorry, what is true is true, and what is not, is not.]

Both the young Marcos and Enrile were members of the Senate when the law was passed in 2013. The law allowed compensation for 11,103 victims of human rights abuses under the 20-year rule of the Marcos administration.

Aquino, only son of former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino and former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, also slammed Enrile for his attacks on his mother's performance as head of state.

"He was part of the misrule for such a long time so I think he's not the expert in terms of governance," he said.

Ninoy Aquino was a staunch Marcos critic who was assassinated in 1983 when he arrived in Manila from self-imposed exile in the United States. His murder triggered a people power revolt that toppled Marcos who was widely blamed for the killing. Corazon Aquino assumed power after Marcos fell.

Are millennials the target of historical revisionism?

Former Commission on Human Rights head and martial law victim Etta Rosales dismissed the video as mere dramatics.

"Pinakinggan ko nga. Hindi ako makapaniwala," she told CNN Philippines.

[Translation: I listened to it and I couldn't fathom it.]

She accused Marcos of trying to rewrite history to firm up his family's return to power.

The former senator lost to Vice President Leni Robredo, a member of the Liberal Party, in the 2016 elections, but has filed a protest challenging the results. His mother has a congressional seat, while his sister, Imee, is governor of Ilocos Norte believed to be interested in making a run for a Senate seat next year.

"It's a lame and pathetic effort to try and counter the emerging forces from the young people who are pursuing truth and justice with respect to what happened during martial law," Rosales pointed out.

Another Marcos political detainee, former Senate President Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel, also had a message to millennials who might be confused about what really happened in the country during martial law.

"You must always remember that the end never justifies the means. Ang ganda ng mga daan, aspaltado [The roads have asphalt], but you kill people in the process? Deprive them of their liberty? Hindi pupwede yun [That's not okay]," he said.

To Marcos supporters saying that martial law was good for the economy, Pimentel had this to say, "There were demonstrations here. May kaguluhan [There was unrest] but it does not mean that the entire nation should have been placed under martial law. The declaration of martial law need not be done nationally, doon lang sa may gulo [only in the affected areas]."
The American economy sits on the verge of major structural change, thanks to a dynamic culture of innovation driven by the never-ending search for greater profits. This means technology takes center stage in nearly every industry. The technology that makes our lives easier may soon make some jobs scarce. In 1950, the job of elevator operator was among the 270 careers listed on the United States Census. That job title is now extinct, representing the only known case of an entire occupation being obliterated by automation in the 50 years that followed. The next half-century may be less forgiving. Sophisticated software, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and changing trends are threatening the livelihoods of everyone from taxi drivers and restaurant servers to computer programmers and librarians. Many economists predict that automation, not outsourcing, will lead to the loss of more than 1.5 million jobs in Americas manufacturing sector. These technical innovations will soon render many longstanding skills and trades obsoleteand the occupational grim reaper will discriminate according to class. Many of the jobs most likely to disappear are among the last well-paying jobs one can get with only a high school diploma. Low-paying, unskilled jobs with low educational entry barriers are most susceptible to automation. These are the jobs that robots will do. Manufacturing will require greater technical skills to operate and program computers. The actual manual work will go the way of the dodo. Those who lose their jobs will largely be shut out of the high-paying, highly skilled jobs that remain, many of which will go to specialists tasked with tending to and improving upon the very machines and programs that replaced the human workers. Here's a look at high-risk careers that will probably wilt over the next 50 years. Visit thestacker.com for similar lists and stories.
Invesco India ETF's stock was trading at $16.40 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, PIN shares have increased by 76.6% and is now trading at $28.97.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
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.

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Karas is currently being held on $200,000 bail in protective custody in the Cook County Jail. During a brief court appearance at the Skokie courthouse on Friday, Judge Anjana Hansen told Karas that if he is released on bond, he must turn over to authorities the law enforcement items he has. OLaughlin did not appear at the hearing.
ALBANY  Former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, running for governor as part of the relatively new Serve America Movement, knows she's unlikely to wind up in the Executive Mansion in January.

"Stranger things have happened than having an independent (candidate) win," Miner said Thursday in a visit to the Times Union's editorial board. "We're in a time of tremendous volatility, politically."

But her third-party bid is "audacious  a challenge," the Democrat acknowledged.

Recent polls back that up: A Quinnipiac survey from July included a hypothetical six-way general election matchup that showed Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo with 43 percent, followed by Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro at 23 percent; the trio of Libertarian Larry Sharpe, the Green Party's Howie Hawkins and Miner together added up to just 5 percent. Cynthia Nixon, who lost last week's Democratic primary to Cuomo but so far remains on the Working Families Party line, received 13 percent.

Miner, who left office in January after two terms as mayor, was teaching at New York University when she was approached by a number of groups who wanted her to carry their banner. "They thought I was a messenger, given my track record," said Miner, whose tenure as mayor had included a number of high-profile feuds with Cuomo  especially on issues surrounding fiscal support for upstate's stressed cities.

Assessing the offers, she concluded that New York was "rife with corruption, wasteful, and is not solving problems. ... The institutions that would normally serve as a check on those problems either didn't have enough power or were not able to serve as a check. The system had become ... sclerotic, withered."

So for anyone thinking of mounting a challenge to the entrenched powers, "the only way to do that in an open and transparent way was to do it from the outside," she said.

Miner is running alongside Republican Michael Volpe, mayor of the Westchester County village of Pelham. The Serve America Movement, founded a few months after President Donald J. Trump took office, includes a number of GOP veterans, including several who served in President George W. Bush's administration.

Miner said she and "the group of people who are helping me on this path" were united by a set of core principles of "civility; using data and science to solve problems; re-energizing our democracy by having non-partisan redistricting; ending mass incarceration; (and) having fiscal responsibility be a key tenet of public policy."

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In New York, she wants to see the local tax burden eased by the state taking on the share of Medicaid cost currently borne by counties, with the imposition of a strict cap in spending growth for the program. She would abolish most of the state's current economic development incentive programs, which she says have proven to be a massive waste of public dollars but a boon to "vested constituencies that give campaign donations."

She said her own campaign was made possible by low-dollar donations and "people who are deeply dissatisfied with the status quo."

Miner notes that winning 50,000 votes in November would secure a ballot line for the SAM party for the next four-year election cycle  a major boost for a third party.

No doubt with that in mind, Cuomo's supporters have attempted to oust Miner from the November ballot: The chairman of the Onondaga County Democratic Committee is one of those who have filed formal challenges to her ballot petitions.

"Right now, we have a political culture that rewards snarky 30-second sound bites," she said, pointing to the Cuomo campaign's denunciation of Molinaro as a "Trump mini-me." "I think people want a political culture that solves problems."
Aberdeen, Md.

A woman working a temporary job at a drugstore warehouse in Maryland got into an argument at work Thursday morning and began shooting colleagues, killing three before fatally turning the gun on herself, authorities and witnesses said.

Workers at the Rite Aide distribution center in northeastern Maryland described terrifying moments of "crazy" gunfire and people screaming and running in all directions after the shooting. Others said they helped the wounded, one person tying blood-soaked jeans around a man's injured leg in a bid to stop the bleeding.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference that the woman was later identified as a temporary employee of the distribution center, Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County.

"She had reported for her workday as usual, and around 9 a.m. the shooting began, striking victims both outside the business and inside the facility," Gahler said. "We do not at this time have a motive for this senseless crime."

Krystal Watson, 33, said her husband, Eric, works at the facility and told her that the suspect had been arguing with somebody else near a time clock after a "town hall meeting."

"And she went off," she said. "She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting."

The sheriff said the call about shots fired came in at about 9:06 a.m. and deputies and other officers were on the scene in just over five minutes. The shooting began outside the business and continued inside, he said. It appears only one weapon was used  a 9 mm Glock handgun that was registered in Moseley's name  and no shots were fired by responding law enforcement officers, Gahler said.

Walter Zambrano, 64, who described himself as a worker at the distribution center, said he was in the bathroom when shooting broke out and saw nothing as he hid, frightened for his life.

The person was "shooting like crazy," Zambrano said, speaking in Spanish.

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He said the gunfire seemed to go on several minutes, and when it was over he sprinted outdoors. On the way out, he said, he saw a female co-worker down on the floor. The scene, he said, was one of chaos.

"Everyone was screaming, running this way and that. I didn't know which way to run," he said.

The sheriff said three victims were fatally shot and three more were wounded but were expected to survive. They were not immediately identified. Moseley died at a hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Gahler said.

Area hospitals reported receiving five patients from the incident.

Susan Henderson, spokeswoman for the drugstore chain Rite Aid, described the building where the shooting took place as a support facility adjacent to a larger building. The company said in a statement that the facility had been closed temporarily and grief counselors will be made available to workers.
Fort Morgan, Colo.

A Colorado meatpacker is recalling more than 132,000 pounds of ground beef after a suspected E. coli outbreak killed one person and sickened 17, officials said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday the beef was produced and packaged at Cargill Meat Solutions in Fort Morgan on June 21 and shipped to retailers nationwide.

The products include 3-, 10- and 20-pound packages of ground beef under the Our Certified, Excel, Sterling Silver, Certified and Fire River Farms brands with July 11 use or freeze by dates.

Regulators warned that people should also check for the products in their freezers. They advise throwing the products away or returning them to the location of purchase.

In a statement on Thursday, Cargill said all of the affected products have been removed from supermarkets. Food safety teams are reviewing the Fort Morgan facility and others "to ensure we continue to deliver safe food," the statement said.

"We were distressed to learn a fatality may be related to an E.coli contamination of one of our products," it said. "Our hearts go out to the families and individuals affected by this issue."

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service did not release information about the people who died or became ill, including locations.

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A spokeswoman referred questions to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A representative for the CDC did not immediately return messages seeking more information.

The Cargill plant had a smaller recall of Excel ground beef in August, but no illnesses had been reported at that time.

Most people infected with E. coli develop diarrhea and vomiting. More severe infections can lead to kidney failure.
Thomas Curley makes movies talk. He makes them sing, scream, bray, moan, whisper, mumble, natter and squall.

His job, short: "I record all the dialogue on set that the actors deliver. And I guess, without that, they wouldn't have any sound in their movie."

No sound guy, no sound. Not on "Whiplash," for which he won a sound-mixing Oscar. Not on "Yellowstone," the Paramount Network series starring Kevin Costner as paterfamilias at a sprawling Montana ranch. Not on "Once Upon a Time in Venice," the Bruce Willis movie about a detective in search of his dog.

Usually, Curley heads up a small team that also includes a boom operator and utility person. "The three of us  we're tasked with recording the actors' performance as cleanly as possible every time they deliver it," says the 1994 Shenendehowa grad, on the phone during a break in "Yellowstone" filming. "And a lot of things get in the way of that."

Such as? "Well, there are environmental noises, like traffic, or airplanes, or other people. There's wardrobe conditions  like, sometimes the clothing that they're wearing is noisy for whatever reason." Also: "Sometimes they're not wearing any clothes."

Wait. Back up a second. How does not wearing clothes complicate things?

"Well, a lot of times we use wireless microphones that are hidden on the person's body  and when they're nude, we don't have that option. So the challenge, then, is to either find ways to get the boom microphones as close as they can be or hide the microphones on the set in other places."

"Singin' in the Rain" springs to mind  no, nothing to do with nudity. Think of that scene with Lina, the nincompoop diva, driving the director nuts as she fails to speak into a microphone concealed inside a plant.

Yes indeed, the sound man confirms. Potted plants are useful. "There's all kinds of different things that we've figured out where to hide a microphone."

Born in Troy, Curley grew up in Clifton Park and got into filmmaking in the video-production club at Shen. After that, Hudson Valley Community College; after that, a job in broadcast engineering at WXXA-23; after that, film school at the University of Buffalo.

In the Buffalo area he started finding work as a production assistant  and then, back in the Capital Region after graduation, he had a stint at WNYT-13. During a PA job on "The Time Machine," shot locally in early 2001, he met the mixer who would become his mentor: David MacMillan, then decades into a career that included "The Right Stuff" and "Apollo 13." The more Curley learned about the sound department, the more he realized it suited him. "It really clicked."

Then 9/11 happened  "and it really made me think about how short life could be," he says. "And if I never took this shot, that I might go through my life having never known what I could have done."

Off he went to Los Angeles, where he racked up the sound credits on shorts, features ("Boppin' at the Glue Factory"), videos. In 2011-12 he worked on "Community." In 2013: "The Spectacular Now," which starred Miles Teller. In 2014: "Whiplash," the Damien Chazelle film starring Teller as a young jazz percussionist and J. K. Simmons  who won an Oscar  as his tyrannical music professor.

Managing the sound on that one was tricky business, Curley says. "We had to have the drums being played live alongside dialogue a lot of the time," he explains. "When the microphone is recording sound, it doesn't know that our priority is the dialogue. It just hears what it hears."

"Yellowstone" presents its own challenges, chief among them its sheer size: the buildings are majestic, the cattle are many, and the cast is on horseback half the time. Many shots involve helicopters and massive, moving cranes.

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"It's a spectacle," he says. "It's very big in scope ... and the story itself is very big, with a lot of overlapping storylines and characters that overlap with each other in various ways. And the landscape is as much a character in it as everyone else."

Technically, the spectacular aspects are demanding: There's so much happening over such a large swath of land "that we need to be able to capture people that are a couple hundred yards apart, sometimes  and multiple cameras running in different places at different times. We're also out in the open wilderness a lot of the time, so moving around the whole crew and the equipment around is very laborious."

With hundreds of crew members at work in the show, "I mean, it's like a little city moving around." Or, to wield two more analogies: "I like to say that a movie crew is part military and part carnival worker." Disciplined and itinerant, they're an army on the march  like, say, Napoleon in Russia?

"Yeah," Curley replies. "Except in this situation, they're happy to see us come, because we bring a lot of money to the local economy."

Home base for Curley remains L.A.  where he runs Curley Sound with his brother, Brian  but five months a year he bounces around Utah and Montana on "Yellowstone." The current shoot is due to wrap by Thanksgiving, he says. Between seasons he works on other productions, including, last February, "A Million Little Pieces"  an adaptation of the controversial James Frey book that screened earlier this month at the Toronto Film Festival.

Most people who see the movie probably won't focus on the audio. Most people, as usual, will take Curley's work for granted. That doesn't bother him. "Ideally, that's a win for us," he says. "If you don't notice the sound in a movie, but it still affects you emotionally  then that's what you really aim for."

Unlike a lot of folks who set out for Hollywood in search of fame and glory, Tom Curley doesn't care too much about either.

"I didn't really get into it for that. I enjoy being on set, and I enjoy seeing and hearing my work later on  and knowing that people like the movie is just fine for me," he says. "I never really sought out the limelight."

abiancolli@timesunion.com  518-454-5439  @AmyBiancolli
Informed by his faith and his canny political instincts, the father rises to become governor of one of the nation's most-populous states. His son, gifted with the older man's drive but with his own unique and sometimes sharp-elbowed persona, follows in his footsteps.

Mario and Andrew Cuomo of New York? Sure  but also Pat and Jerry Brown, whose braided political careers are chronicled in the new book "The Browns of California: The Family Dynasty That Transformed a State and Shaped a Nation" (Bloomsbury, $35).

Author Miriam Pawel, who appears Wednesday at the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, begins the story with the arrival of the family's 19th-century pioneer ancestors before following Pat Brown's rise in the state's nascent Democratic party. His two terms (1959-1966) included a flirtation with higher office but ended with his defeat by Ronald Reagan. Eight years later, Reagan relinquished the office to Jerry Brown, a onetime Jesuit seminarian and activist who represented a new generation of post-Watergate liberal mavericks.

Jerry Brown's eventual fall from power, and his unprecedented comeback for a second eight-year stint as governor bring the story into the present day.

Pawel began her career on the East Coast  more specifically, as a Colonie correspondent for the Times Union in the late 1970s. After covering Mario Cuomo as a reporter and editor for Newsday, she switched coasts and worked for the Los Angeles Times. "The Browns of California" follows her two previous books on the life and influence of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.

Here's an edited Q&A with Pawel:

Q: The generation gap between Pat and Jerry is so stark: the father shaped by the Depression, the son by the '60s. But they seem to be pretty simpatico through most of their lives.

A: I think that's true. They shared these sort of core values  some of which are very Californian and have to do with this place, and some of which are very basic moral values and Catholic values. But Jerry gets his start in the anti-war movement as a delegate for Gene McCarthy in 1968, and Pat is a (Lyndon) Johnson man and then a (Hubert) Humphrey supporter. And one of the reasons the left abandons Pat Brown in '66 and contributes to his loss to Reagan is because of his steadfast support for the president and the war. You see it also in Jerry's first term as governor in the 1970s: He very much starts out to shake up the status quo, whereas that was really his father's generation  a very establishment, white-male-dominated government. And he's really the face of a different generation.

Q: One of the most fascinating threads in the book is Pat's role in building California into what we think of as a blue state. But considering the number of prominent Republicans who have come out of California  including Richard Nixon and Reagan  maybe that's illusory.

A: I think there's somewhat of a misconception in the outside world, including the East Coast, that California has always been this dark-blue state, and it feeds into this image of wacky Californians. But there have been only four Democratic governors in modern times, and two of them were Browns. And the third, Gray Davis, was recalled and replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger. If Gavin Newsom is elected in November  as everyone assumes  it will be the first Democrat-to-Democrat transition since the 1800s.

Q: Do you think of Jerry as a kind of forerunner of the brand of social-justice progressives who are making a lot of noise in the Democratic party in recent election cycles  as a sort of proto-Bernie Sanders?

A: Yes. I think if you look in particular at his 1992 presidential campaign, a lot of the things that he was doing are very parallel to things that Sanders was doing in 2016, and that other candidates  including Democratic socialists  are doing right now: having a 1-800 number; only raising money in small amounts; using what was then state-of-the-art technology like cable TV. He was always an early adaptor of technology. And a lot of the positions that he took on things like campaign finance reform are certainly things that we're seeing a lot of today.

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Q: What are the key differences between Jerry's first two terms as governor and his more recent ascent from serving as mayor of Oakland back to the statehouse?

A: The basic difference is that he's literally twice as old the second time  he was 36 the first time he was governor, 72 the second. So his horizons were different about his political future: He wasn't running for president. But the two things that everybody will say when you ask about the differences between Jerry 1 and Jerry 2: Anne and Oakland. Anne being his wife, Anne Gust Brown; they were married in 2005, and she has been absolutely his intellectual equal and partner in everything he does, and she keeps him focused in ways he was not as much the first time around. And his experiences as mayor of Oakland  being involved in government at that level  really changed his mind on a lot of things, including criminal justice, development and education.

Q: Do you think he's America's leading liberal politician who has been shaped by his faith?

A: I definitely think that is accurate. As someone who used to cover Mario Cuomo and used to hear about Teilhard de Chardin a lot, it's amusing to be covering another politician who was influenced by a Jesuit philosopher. But he clearly was very shaped by his Jesuit education and experience. I think they're kind of fundamental to understanding his philosophy and actions.

cseiler@timesunion.-com - 518-454-5619
Designers honored

Two local interior designers picked up awards at an event held by the New York Upstate/Canada East chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers on Friday in Syracuse. The annual contest categories are residential, commercial and "outside the box." It is open to any member in the chapter, which includes eastern Canada and all of New York outside of New York City.

Julie Maleski Putzel of JMP Interiors won second place for the glam closet she designed for a client in Ballston Spa. Afton Beattie, a 2018 graduate of the Sage Colleges, will be recognized for her project called Reinventing the Classroom: Creating a Middle School that Meets Today's Pedagogy, which she entered in the chapter's student competition. Beattie is now a junior designer at Standard Commercial Interiors in Albany.

518 Realty.com celebrates opening of new office

Steven Sbardella, the broker/owner of 518 Realty.com, along with associate broker Jamie Mattison, celebrated a ribbon-cutting at a new office on Wednesday.

The men bought a building at 267 Saratoga Road in Glenville that will be the headquarters of the Jamie Mattison Team.

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Mattison worked for 15 years in residential and commercial lending before moving into real estate. Sbardella and Mattison chose Glenville because of the growth in the area.

Have an item for Deal Makers? Send it to lhornbeck@timesunion.com.
"Lizzie" is a definitely a movie with an axe to grind.

Producer-star Chloe Sevigny has reimagined the infamous 1892 Massachusetts double murder case as a feminist parable against oppression in an interesting and at times absorbing indie film. Adding spice is the casting of Kristen Stewart as Bridget, the maid who might have had a lesbian affair with Lizzie.

First, a bit of history. The axe murders associated with Lizzie Borden were brutal, bloody, shocking, and cannot have been the work of a balanced mind. The victims were Borden's father and stepmother. Lizzie was the only serious suspect and her murder trial was a public sensation, the first "trial of the century."

And, like another more recent "trial of the century," the result was acquittal. Nonetheless, 126 years later, Lizzie remains the prime suspect.

"Lizzie," however, is not a sensationalist horror film or a rigorous docudrama. It is an absorbing, though at times off-putting, look at an era that took a particularly scorched-earth approach to the oppression of women.

Lizzie is portrayed as an independent woman who likes to attend the opera and other public functions alone, something women did not do in that day. That draws the ire of her father Andrew (Jamey Sheridan) and stepmother Abby (Fiona Shaw).

Within the confines of that dreary household, Lizzie finds Bridget to be a much-needed confidant, despite their differences in station. Bridget is enduring her own pain; she is repeatedly raped by Lizzie's father. Inevitably, Lizzie and Bridget find comfort with each other beyond conversation, and Sevigny's chilly Lizzie and Stewart's warm-blooded Bridget are a good match.

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"You're an abomination, Lizzie," Andrew says after Lizzie's latest transgression of decorum.

"Then at last, we are on equal footing, father," Lizzie retorts.

Lizzie and sister Emma (Kim Dickens)  she too is an unmarried spinster  also have a battle on their hands in the form of their uncle John (Denis O'Hare), who might be trying to cut into Andrew's wealth at their expense, thereby further ratcheting up the tension in the household.

Directed with restraint by Craig William Macneill, "Lizzie" never quite gets to what made Lizzie Borden tick, but it's possible no film ever could. But it remains an entirely watchable drama thanks in no small part to the charisma of its two lead women.
ALBANY  An activist has identified at least 25 registered sex offenders that are being housed at state-run homes and facilities for the developmentally disabled.

Michael Carey, founder of the Jonathan Carey Foundation  named for his son who had autism and was killed by a state worker  matched current sex-offender listings with the addresses of five state facilities in Suffolk, Washington and Franklin counties.

Carey argues that placing sex offenders among the general population of disabled individuals violates a state law that prohibits endangering the welfare of an incompetent and physically disabled person, a class E felony.

"Moving convicted sex offenders in with the developmentally disabled, which in most cases is no different than moving them in with children, knowingly places our most vulnerable in a likely position of being sexually assaulted or raped," Carey said.

The placement of sex offenders with special needs among the general population has also drawn consternation from family members and advocates of the disabled. Earlier this month, the families of four men with developmental disabilities objected to a decision by the state Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to place a sex offender in their Saratoga County group home without notifying the families. A similar case in Erie County was reported by the Associated Press.

Carey searched for registered sex offenders living at locations that were found to have substantiated abuse or neglect claims over a three-year period, based on data from state's Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. However, the agency only tracks abuse and neglect by direct care workers towards residents.

Nearly half of the sex offenders named by Carey reside at one facility in Tupper Lake, Sunmount Developmental Center, located along Route 30 in Franklin County.

More for you Sex offender placement at group home sparks outrage

Sunmount has had its share of troubles involving physical abuse of residents by staff members, but it is unclear whether there were any instances of sexual abuse by one resident against another.

Four more convicted sex offenders named by Carey are split between two group homes in Franklin County, and another five are located at two homes in Washington County, according to the state's sex offender registry. Carey counts four sex offenders living at three Suffolk County group homes.

OPWDD contends that a very small percentage of registered sex offenders are placed in group homes and facilities for the disabled. Safety considerations and individual planning for each person is a key factor in selecting a home, location and housemates, said Jennifer O' Sullivan, a spokeswoman for OPWDD.

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"OPWDD only provides services for people with a diagnosed developmental disability as defined by state law, and is obligated under the law to provide needed services to those who qualify regardless of a person's clinical or forensic history," O' Sullivan said.

Carey has taken his findings to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office, the Justice Center, the office of Attorney General Barbara Underwood and district attorneys in the three counties he examined.

Washington County District Attorney Anthony Jordan wrote his own letter to Underwood on Tuesday, asking her office to look into the placement of sex offenders in OPWDD-run group homes.

The attorney general's office would not have jurisdiction to investigate the situation without a criminal referral.

The Justice Center oversees the group homes, but only investigates cases of abuse and cover-up by staff, referring cases of criminal behavior between residents to the local district attorney.

Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, R-Amherst, last year sponsored legislation that would prohibit registered sex offenders from being placed in state-operated or licensed homes for the disabled. That bill stalled in the Assembly.
Pink abounds. Pink flowers. Pink balloon arches. Pink couches. Pink triple-decker cakes. Pink cutouts of the number seven. The color's whole spectrum - from cotton-candy to medium-rare steak - is on display.

Life-size cutouts of Barbie, the blond-haired, bleached skin monument of girlhood, stand sentinel on the party grounds, tagged in a social media post as being located in Culiacan, a city in Mexico's northwest Sinaloa region. A video captures children running on the grass between a carnival ride and a pink-splashed party room inside as Spanish-language pop music thumps softly in the background. The happy mother who threw the Barbie-themed party for her 7-year-old twins, a dark-haired former beauty queen in high heels, posts images from the event on her Instagram account. "#barbiestyle," she writes.

An over-the-top birthday extravaganza normally would not draw international interest. But the mother throwing the party was not just another loving parent, but the wife of the biggest name in drug trafficking. As first reported by the Los Angeles Times this week, Emma Coronel Aispuro, the wife of alleged Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, posted the images from the 7th birthday party for the couple's twin daughters.

The images drew the usual social media rubbernecking, but also outrage. Currently awaiting trial in U.S. custody, Guzman is alleged to have run a vicious billion-dollar narcotics empire that had nearly complete control of the American drug supply and left behind a significant body count. But as the alleged kingpin stews in a cell, his wife is hosting parties with the blood money.

"You know that this was not possible without who knows how many deaths and tortures in Mexico, right?" one poster commented in Spanish under Coronel's party pictures.

RELATED: Beauty queen wife of drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman visits him in prison near Texas border

But the showy display of wealth must be equally frustrating for U.S. officials. Although the Justice Department has filed criminal forfeiture papers seeking to confiscate Guzman's reported $14 billion in assets, the government has failed to pocket any of the alleged drug lord's ill-gotten gains.

The romance between Guzman and Coronel runs straight back to Sinaloa, where Guzman's criminal escapades have made him a folk hero. According to the Daily Beast, the then-17-year-old Coronel was from La Angostura. She signed up for a local beauty contest. Per local custom, the contestant threw herself a party on Jan. 6, 2007. The Beast reported that as the occasion kicked into full gear, armed gunman swarmed the town. Planes touched down at the local airport, bearing more gunmen and Guzman.

During the party, Coronel announced she and Guzman were to be married on July 2, 2007 - her 18th birthday. The kingpin and his personal army were gone by the next morning, but Guzman returned a month later after Coronel won the beauty contest. The couple married as planned, then disappeared before a detachment from the Mexican military arrived on orders to arrest the fugitive drug trafficker.

RELATED: Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's beauty queen wife supports him in court after Valentines Day

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"I would say what won me over was his way of talking, how he treated me, the way we began to get along - first as friends and from that came everything else," Coronel told the LA Times in a rare 2016 interview. "He tends to win over people by his manner of being, of acting, the way he treats people in general."

Coronel described her marriage to Guzman - 32 years her senior - as an ordeal of secret assignations and long separations as the kingpin attempted to evade Mexican authorities. She also countered the image of her husband as a ruthless killer.

"He is like any other man - of course he is not violent, not rude," Coronel told the Times. "I have never heard him say a bad word. I have never seen him get excited or be upset at anyone."

Coronel was born in the U.S. and raised in Mexico. In 2011, when she gave birth to the couple's twins, she traveled to Los Angeles for the delivery. Both girls automatically had American citizenship, despite the fact that their father was wanted by the U.S. government.

Guzman's current incarceration did not appear to dampen the spirits at the Barbie party for the twins. The social media reaction to an alleged killer's family enjoying the spoils of his work, however, has been harsh.

"They have attacked me," Antonio Tizoc, a photographer who shot the Barbie party and posted pictures online, told the Times. "But in Culiacan it's really normal to have parties like this. Rich and poor, we like big parties."
Washington

Christine Blasey Ford may testify against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after all, her attorney said Thursday, breathing new life into the prospect of a dramatic Senate showdown next week over Ford's accusation that he assaulted her when both were in high school.

The preference would be for Ford to testify next Thursday, and she doesn't want Kavanaugh in the same room, her attorney told Judiciary Committee staff in a 30-minute call that also touched on security concerns and others issues, according to a Senate aide who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ford is willing to tell her story to the Judiciary Committee, whose senators will vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation  but only if agreement can be reached on "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety," the attorney said in an email earlier Thursday. In the call, she said Ford needs time to secure her family, prepare her testimony and travel to Washington. No decisions were reached, the aide said.

The discussion revived the possibility that the panel would hold an electrifying campaign-season hearing at which both Ford and President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee could give their versions of what did or didn't happen at a party in the 1980s. Kavanaugh, now a judge on the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, has repeatedly denied her allegation.

The accusation has jarred the 53-year-old conservative jurist's prospects for winning confirmation, which until Ford's emergence last week had seemed all but certain. It has also bloomed into a broader clash over whether women alleging abuse are taken seriously by men and how both political parties address such claims with the advent of the #MeToo movement.

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Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has scheduled a hearing for Monday morning, and he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have indicated it would be Ford's only chance to make her case. Republicans are anxious to move ahead to a vote by the committee, where they hold an 11-10 majority, and then by the full Senate, which they control, 51-49.

Taylor Foy, spokesman for Republicans on the panel, said after the call that Grassley "will consult with his colleagues on the committee. He remains committed to providing a fair forum for both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh."

Attorney Debra Katz said anew that Ford, 51, a psychology professor in California, has received death threats and for safety reasons has relocated her family.
Ragnar Relay teams hit the streets of Saratoga Springs Friday as they began a roughly 200-mile run that will take them to Lake Placid.

NewsChannel 13 anchors Benita Zahn, Jim Kambrich and Subrina Dhammi were members of one of the teams that took part in the overnight relay race.
About a year ago, the Rev. Frank Rogers, St. Pauls pastor, was looking to make better use of the three-story building that houses the sanctuary along with offices, meeting space and classrooms, some of which were empty. He also wanted to do something good for the community.
Mitsu Yasukawa/AMitsu Yasukaw

ALBANY  A Ballston Spa woman was arrested and charged with trespassing Friday at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey after police say she tailgated an authorized vehicle through a security gate and drove across runways.

Ciara Schultz, 31, abandoned her car and ran away before she was arrested in the nearby town of Moonachie, according to police with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
A Saratoga Springs man pleaded guilty Friday to receiving child porn through an encrypted messaging app on his phone, according to the U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of New York.

Benjamin J. Varieur, 33, formerly of Brunswick, admitted that between March 22 and March 25 he used the Wickr Me messaging app to receive child porn from another man, requesting and receiving dozens of images depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as 2 years old, attorneys said.
A man caught drink driving in Nenagh while disqualified has been jailed for four months by the local lcourt.

Igoris Timoscenko, 37, with an address at Mounsey's Flats, Dromin Road, Nenagh, was arrested for drink driving at Lidl car park, Martyr's Road, Nenagh, at 2.16pm last March 11.

He was taken to Nenagh Garda station where a subsequent blood test showed he had 232ml of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

The court heard that Mr Timoscenko had 39 previous convictions, a number of which were for drink driving and driving while disqualified.

Solicitor John Spencer said the defendant, a Lithuanian national, had been living in Ireland for 10 years.

Mr Timoscenko had a problem with alcohol and had attended an addiction treatment centre, but his poor standard of English was an issue for his rehabilitation.

Mr Spencer said his client was here to face the music and all he could do was throw himself before the mercy of the court.

Judge Elizabeth MacGrath imposed a four-month prison sentence along with a driving ban of six years.

The court was told that Mr Timoscenko also had 900 in unpaid fines.

Judge MacGrath put this matter back to next February 14, saying the defendant would have to find a way of paying the fines.
[September 18, 2018] Seabury Solutions Assists DCA Mauritius to Enhance Operational Processes Through Cutting-Edge eAuthority Solution

Seabury Solutions, a subsidiary of New York-based Seabury Capital Group LLC and the market leader in providing Information Technology solutions for the aviation industry, announced today that the Department of Civil Aviation Mauritius ("DCA Mauritius") completed the implementation of the company's industry-leading, multi-platform integrated system, eAuthority. Moving to a complete digital process and aiming for a paperless office, eAuthority will enable the department to oversee organizations, aircraft, and aviation professional certification and licensing. Inspired by ICAO, EASA and FAA regulations, the system is designed to increase efficiency of internal staff while giving real-time information to the management on a multi-platform dashboard. John Barry, Seabury Solutions Senior Vice President, explains: "When DCA Mauritius began the tender process it was clear they wished to get ahead of safety risks. The tools they wanted to put in the hands of their people should give everyone in the organization access to the correct data. In this way it would be possible to improve operational processes, strive towards a paperless office but critically important to measure the success. eAuthority with its integrated modules would bring single source data with cutting-edge BI, BPM, and DMS." DCA Mauritius ran a comprehensive tender process in 2017, which resulted in the selection of eAuthority, opting to implement eight of the 13 modules available to meet their current requirement. Among the implemented modules, DCA Mauritius selected the Aircraft and Organiztion oversight along with the complete SSP solution. In addition, each inspector can make more productive use of time via the inspection module with its mobile applications. With the configuration of the system and onsite training completed, the "go-live" took place in recent weeks.



ABOUT DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AVIATION MAURITIUS The Department of Civil Aviation Authority Mauritius ("DCA Mauritius") is responsible for the safety, regularity, affordability and efficiency of civil aviation operations within the territory of the Republic of Mauritius, and within the airspace under its responsibility. It is their aim to be recognized as the best regulator of civil aviation and the best provider of air navigation services in the region. http://civil-aviation.govmu.org

ABOUT SEABURY SOLUTIONS Seabury Solutions is a subsidiary of Seabury Capital Group LLC and the market leader in providing Information Technology solutions for the aviation industry. With more than 15 years of experience and specialization in the development and implementation of world-class software solutions for aviation, Seabury Solutions has an unmatched reputation as a provider of cost-effective solutions in the industry. Three out of the four largest airlines in the world use the performance management systems built by Seabury Solutions. www.seaburysolutions.com ABOUT SEABURY CAPITAL GROUP Seabury Capital Group LLC ("Seabury Capital") operates a number of specialty finance, investment banking, technology and software companies with a core focus anchored in aviation, aerospace & defense, maritime, and financial services & technology. Since its founding in 1995, Seabury Capital has taken ownership stakes in software and asset management businesses servicing the aviation and travel industries. Within the last few years, Seabury Capital has expanded its portfolio by investing in early stage startup companies within the financial technology industry and structured investment products. In addition, Seabury Capital owns and operates FINRA and FCA regulated investment banking services firms in the U.S. and U.K., respectively, serving external clients as well as assisting the companies in which Seabury Capital has invested. Seabury Capital has operations in New York, Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago, Cordoba, Dallas, Dublin, Durban, Edison (NJ), Hong Kong, Houston, Jersey City, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Minneapolis, Singapore, Summit (NJ), Stamford (CT), and Tokyo. www.seaburycapital.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180918005590/en/

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[September 20, 2018] Harris Corporation Receives Orders for 1,540 Two-Channel Handheld Radios from US Army

Harris Corporation (News - Alert) (NYSE: HRS) has received orders for 1,540 AN/PRC-163 two-channel handheld radios and related equipment and services as part of the U.S. Army's two-channel Leader radio IDIQ contract. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180920005738/en/ Harris Corporation's AN/PRC-163 provides next-generation, two-channel capabilities in a handheld radio. (Photo: Business Wire) The versatile AN/PRC-163 enables users to send information up and down the chain of command as well as across the battlefield network backbone. It incorporates secure two-channel connectivity in a lightweight, easy to use, handheld rugged form factor. The radio can simultaneously transmit voice, data and situational awareness through Mobile Ad-Hoc Networking applications, VHF/UHF line-of-sight, and legacy SATCOM while offering a path to future software-only updates for MUOS, SATURN and other emerging waveforms. The award further extends Harris' leadership in software-defined tactical communications and builds upon the company's proven ability to engineer and deliver two-channel, next-eneration handheld, manpack and vehicular radios. Harris previously was awarded contracts by the U.S. Special Operations Command for next-generation handheld and manpack radios and was awarded a position on the Army's HMS Manpack IDIQ with its two-channel AN/PRC-158 manpack radio.



"The AN/PRC-163 is the most advanced software-defined handheld radio in the world today and will provide our warfighters and commanders with unprecedented capabilities, including enhanced levels of command and control, and situational awareness," said Dana Mehnert, President, Harris Communication Systems. "These two-channel Leader radio orders are an important milestone in the modernization of the Army's tactical network." Harris Communication Systems is the leading global supplier of secure radio communications, tactical communications networks and embedded high-grade encryption solutions for military, public safety, municipalities, utilities and commercial customers. Harris creates a networked-battlefield environment using software-defined radio technologies in all form factors, including handheld, manpack and vehicular configurations.

About Harris Corporation Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers' toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Electronic Systems and Space and Intelligence Systems. Learn more at harris.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements about the value or expected value of orders, contracts or programs and about system capabilities are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. Harris disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180920005738/en/

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We change our repertoire at whim sometimes. You see our show and come back and see us a second time and chances are its going to be quite a different show, said Hobson, adding that he vacationed in Chicago yearly when growing up in Detroit.
[September 20, 2018] Compugen Opens New, Expanded Western Hub in Calgary

Compugen (News - Alert) Inc. is proud to announce the opening of its new, expanded Western Hub on 29th Street N.E. in Calgary, including state-of-the-art configuration and warehouse facilities. The new location, close to the Calgary International Airport, supports sales, services and related logistics for customers in the Western and northern parts of Canada. The facility is designed to improve customer services in a host of ways, including offering advanced reliability of service supported by an ISO-9001 quality management system (to be certified in 2019), locally provisioned and supported deployment teams to meet regional customers' new system installation requirements, local stocking of inventory for those requiring just-in-time delivery of key components, local service parts inventory for critical systems, 24-7 service dispatch, local service desk with live-agent support within Western Canada, local sales teams, local professional services, and full local implementation of Green4Good asset refurbishment. The new 14,000 square-foot facility includes office space, configuration centre and warehouse. The office space includes meeting rooms, open-pod seating, a collaboration space with digital whiteboarding and video-conferencing capabilities, and a call centre with flexible capacity for up to 18 simultaneous staff supported by Cisco (News - Alert) Call Manager. The call centre will support managed services customers regionally as well as acting as an overload site for our other call centres in Richmond Hill and Montreal. The new warehouse and configuration centre are staffed by dedicated operations support teams, including experts in materials handing, equipment configuration, logistics support, inventory control, ISO quality management processes and asset refurbishment.



The secure warehouse includes storage, material handling, an extensive service parts hub to satisfy local requirements and replenishment of western region remote locations, and logistics support for receipt and shipment of equipment destined for refurbishment and reuse. The configuration center is provisioned with multiple workbenches to handle customer-defined configuration requirements for both new and end-of-first-life  IT equipment-which is refurbished for reuse through the innovative Green4Good program. It operates a dedicated and isolated fiber-based production network, facilities for asset tagging, printing and design, a depot repair center and an isolated clean room.

About Compugen One of Canada's top IT solutions and services providers, Compugen works with mid- to large-sized organizations to help them maximize the business value of their investment in information technology. At the Alberta Venture awards in 2016, Compugen was named as the "Best Alberta workplace for the environmentally conscious." Winner of the Microsoft (News - Alert) Sustainability Partner of the Year, and HP's Eco System Preservation Award, Compugen Finance's Green4Good program helps organizations recover value from decommissioned IT equipment and have a positive impact on a charity of their choice. Compugen's award-winning service quality, unequalled depth and breadth of technical expertise and national footprint have made them the partner of choice for Canadian businesses and government organizations for more than 35 years. www.compugen.com Compugen, Simplifying the Business of Technology . . . Together View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180920005753/en/

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[September 20, 2018]

MicroBitcoin Open Source Community Signs an Exclusive Contract with the Korea Association of Care Workers (KACW) to Expand its Usability to One and a Half Million Users

SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The MicroBitcoin Open Source Community has signed a contract with Korea Association of Care Workers (KACW) to adapt the MicroBitcoin blockchain network protocol.

The trilateral contract was made between the MicroBitcoin Open Source Community, the Korea Association of Care Workers, and a technology consultant - Bluequotient.

The contract entails 1.5 million care workers who are certified to download and use the MicroBitcoin Wallet an make payments using MicroBitcoin which will be available via their care portal that handles all long-term care with about 6,000 sanatoriums.







Furthermore, fees for agents and store purchases from the KACW portal will be payable in MicroBitcoin.

In the KACW ecosystem, MicroBitcoin will be available to their 1.5million certified care workers, 25,000 care portals, around 12,000 sanatoriums, Smart New Media Press Association, Korean Beauty Federation Association, Professional Economic Person Societies, Korea internet newspaper broadcasting association, Korea Care News and more.

"As a step towards MicroBitcoin's use in the real economy, it's expected to be a use case that improves the rights and interests of Korean care workers and services which will run transparently by adapting blockchain technology for the welfare of the aged population in Korea, which is becoming an aging society," said MicroBitcoin Open Source Community.

MicroBitcoin is a Bitcoin hard fork cryptocurrency and has recently been listed on an international cryptocurrency exchange, 'BitOnBay', ranked in 40th with worldwide exchange volume for the first time on September 20, 2018.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180913/2233895-1

SOURCE MicroBitcoin Opensource community
[September 20, 2018]

MMC Held Conference to Launch a Whole Range of Drone Products and Announce Strategic Cooperations

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In Jiaxing, China, Shenzhen MicroMultiCopter Aero Technology Co., Ltd. (MMC) held a conference displaying a whole range of drone products including aircraft, components, flight controlling systems, payloads systems, data communication systems and propulsion systems. MMC also invited a new cooperation concept - win-win strategic cooperation for the entire drone industry.

Strategic Cooperation

Over 200 participants attended the conference including International ISO authorities from US, Germany, UK, Italy, Japan and South Korea, global drone purchasers, partners (Actiondrone, India Eye, SMD, TOPXGUN, YouUAV), system integrators and developers, world-famous companies (Siemens, Nokia, Alibaba Cloud), AEROSPACE, 5iMX, and journalists from huanqiu.

MMC also announced its strategic cooperation with BSHARK, Artosyn and Alibaba Cloud to promote developmentof the entire drone industry.







Products

This conference exhibited 2 main drone models, 1 flight controller, 5 video transmitters, 2 ground stations, a whole pack of intelligent batteries and charger devices - all independently developed by MMC.

MX4-850, a foldable and detachable small size industrial drone with 51 minutes flight time, 5 km operation range of handheld remote controller and professional GSP24 control station with up to 10 km operation range.

A6 Plus, the most stable industrial drone with 70 minutes flight time, 10 kg payload capacity and compatible with different payloads.

FC1 Flight Controller with shock-absorbing structure and dual IMU redundancy design, 5 video transmission systems cover a 3 - 20 km communication range with the lowest latency and the most competitive price.

GSM1P Handheld Remote Controller and GSP24 Control Station with real-time HD transmission performance and intelligent batteries and charging device.

Cooperation Gifts

To expand drone applications and accelerate development of the commercial drone industry, MMC prepared 1,000 plug-and-play connectors as gifts to the guests.

"I believe a company can only thrive alongside the whole industry," said Mr. Lu, the president of MMC.

About MMC

Established in 2009, MMC has spent a decade boosting the growth of industrial drones. From the major airframe and crucial flight controlling system to the practical application related payloads, several global service centers have been built to bring convenient drone service to clients and meet their requirements in a timely fashion. MMC greatly appreciates its industrious staff and grants them stock. Every year, revenue doubles and the company has grown from 10 people to 500. www.mmcuav.com

SOURCE MMC
[September 21, 2018] Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE): An example of successful portable manufacturing in action



Nation's Industrialization at the Forefront of Global Supply Chain Provider's Planned Expansion into Land, Maritime and Aerial Solutions JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of H.E. President Nazarbayev's commitment to further developing industrial capacity in Kazakhstan, African-based global defence and aerospace business Paramount Group, alongside its joint venture, Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), proudly announces a collaboration in the expansion of KPE in to land, maritime and aerospace technology production lines. The announcement, held during the Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (AAD) of 2018, following an extensive tour of the Paramount Group facilities by KPE, marks the expansion of KPE manufacturing capacities, headquartered in one of the largest and most modern armoured vehicle production operations both in the region and around the world, into arenas such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Fourth Industrial Revolution-inspired aerial platforms and naval vehicle manufacturing. The rapid efficacy in production line expansion serves as an additional example of Paramount Group's portable manufacturingmodel in action, one that has transformed KPE in to a dynamic success story.



Founder and Executive Chairman of Paramount Group, Ivor Ichikowitz, stated: "For the last few years, our experience in Kazakhstan has been exceptional. Paramount Group has invested in many joint ventures around the world and today our partnership in Kazakhstan represents one of our most successful ventures to date. We have for some time looked forward to the opportunity to further invest in Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering capabilities, building on the tremendous successes of our armoured land vehicle manufacturing in-country and KPE's recent graduation to the role of global supply chain provider of land solutions. Announcing an expansion into our exciting new technologies and diverse manufacturing lines in land, sea and air solidifies Paramount Group and KPE's positioning to achieve the vision of H.E. President Nazarbayev in the establishment of Kazakhstan as a serious global player in the defence industry". Aibek Baryssov, Head of the Supervisory Board of Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), stated: "Seeing first-hand the exciting capabilities of Paramount Group here at AAD, it is truly the privilege of Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) to further collaborate with the company and in doing so, expand upon our next-generation defence and security manufacturing offering in Kazakhstan, today already an important player in-country and within the global industry. The ability to meet demand with supply in providing land, maritime and aerial solutions drives our success story even further and we are proud to have achieved the high level of quality standards and productivity demanded by Paramount Group in order to both be part of its global supply chain and a proponent of our nation's own industrial development".

About Paramount Group Paramount Group is Africa's largest privately-owned defence and aerospace business. It is a leader in defence and security innovation and is a trusted partner to sovereign governments around the world, providing ground-breaking products, services and consultancy, including support for peacekeeping missions. Please visit www.paramountgroup.com for more information and follow us on Twitter. Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) serves as a joint venture between Paramount Group and Kazakhstan. For further information: Media Contacts: Nico De Klerk, Paramount Group, Tel: +27 76 981 0939, E: nico.deklerk@paramountgroup.com; Sam Amsterdam, Tel: +1 202 910 8349, E: Sam@AmsterdamGroup.net SOURCE Paramount Group

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[September 21, 2018] Co-Inventor of Blockchain Teams Up With Inventor of VoIP to Bring Next 100M People Into Crypto

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In Satoshi Nakamoto's famous Bitcoin whitepaper, there are eight references to prior work on page 9. Three of those belong to W. Scott Stornetta and Stuart Haber, co-inventors of the early blockchain in BellCore circa 1991. Dr. Stornetta has recently been in the news after an old article in The New York Times from 1995 surfaced naming him as blockchain co-inventor and as more attention is paid by the broader media to where and how the blockchain got started. Scott has not joined The Bitcoin Foundation or Ethereum Foundation; nor did he get behind exchanges like Binance or Coinbase. He has not advised 100 random ICOs. Scott was sitting on the sidelines of the cryptocurrency world looking for a special project that can really scale the public blockchain. A few weeks ago, Scott agreed to join Celsius Network and team up with its founders to bring the next 100 million people into crypto. Scott will be supporting a team led by CEO Alex Mashinsky, one of the inventors of VoIP (Voice over IP), perhaps the most pervasive peer-to-peer application ever built, which is used by over three billion people around the planet. The Celsius team seeks to bring the next 100 million people into crypto through a growing set of innovative financial products via a mobile app that is truly doing what is in the best interest of its community members. Dr. Stornetta, Chief Scientist of Yugen Partners, said, "We all hope for a better world. But getting there requires both idealistic goals and disciplined execution. I elected not to serve on any blockchain boards. Althugh many ask, I try to choose the ones that best represent the promise of the entire blockchain community. Celsius is one of those exemplars. The promise of blockchain to improve the lives of billions is real. But it takes a great deal more than wishing to get there. After really getting to know Alex and the Celsius team, I'm persuaded that they have what is needed to achieve their mission and that it is one the entire community can get behind. Namely, they are deploying 'customer-first' financial services based on a token that maximizes value creation for all of their members."



Celsius looks forward to working closely with Stornetta, who, besides his early work on the blockchain, has extensive experience helping to transform promising technologies into value-creating products in the cryptocurrency market. "I've followed Scott's work for a long time and I am excited he chose Celsius out of so many great projects. I am thrilled to have someone like Scott join us and help us scale the lessons I learned creating VoIP during the first internet revolution to MoIP (Money over IP) in this upcoming blockchain revolution. Scott embodies the best of the blockchain community and represents perfectly what we hope to achieve. Having him endorse our work is a huge validation for our project. Having him as a resource for our team will be invaluable," declared CEO Alex Mashinsky.

About Celsius: Celsius Network is a blockchain-based Fintech startup which provides members access to borrowing dollars using crypto as collateral and earning interest on BTC and ETH coins. Members of the Celsius Network can also earn interest on digital assets being lent out by Celsius to hedge funds. Celsius plans to bring a new wave of financial products to the digital currency market in order to bring the next 100 million people into blockchain. Celsius' focus is always on representing its members' best interests through itspool of Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) Litecoin (LTC), Ripple (XRP) and other top-20 coins to generate highest returns at the lowest risk possible. Celsius uses a new set of financial products that are designed to work in the best interest of its members instead of trying to make as much profit as possible the way banks typically do. Website: https://celsius.network/ Download the App: https://celsiusnetwork.app.link/download Telegram: https://t.me/celsiusnetwork Contact: sales@celsius.network About Yugen Partners: Yugen Partners is a global investment firm, assisting institutional investors in engaging the opportunities of the emerging blockchain space. info@yugenpartners.com Media Contact:

Ingamar Ramirez

Telegram: @Ingalandia

Email: ingamar@celsius.network Related Links Website Download the App Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzBOcoT3Tw View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/co-inventor-of-blockchain-teams-up-with-inventor-of-voip-to-bring-next-100m-people-into-crypto-300716673.html SOURCE Celsius Network LTD

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Smiths Detection Receives $70 Million Order to Provide CT Explosives Detection Systems for Use at Airports Across U.S.

Smiths Detection has received an order from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) totaling seventy million dollars to supply CTX 9800 Explosives Detection Systems ( EDS (News - Alert) ). The systems, which utilize computed tomography (CT) imaging, which will be deployed to U.S. airports as security equipment upgrades or as part of expansion projects throughout 2018 and 2019 for checked baggage screening.

The CTX 9800 system's 3D CT imaging technology detects and identifies explosives. The scanners can be incorporated into customized networking solutions and offer operational efficiencies, including energy savings. Certified by several regulatory authorities including the TSA, the CTX 9800 is also approved by the European Civil Aviation Conference as meeting Standard 3 requirements.

Shan Hood, President of Smiths Detection Inc., said, "Smiths Detection is a global leader in the use of computed tomography for aviation security. These CTX 9800 EDS will significantly enhance the ability for TSA officials at airports to make better infored decisions about potential threats within checked baggage."







Some of the sites receiving the new scanners include: San Diego, CA (News - Alert) ; Miami, FL; New York, NY (LaGuardia); Philadelphia, PA; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Chicago, IL (O'Hare); Seattle, WA (SeaTac); Spokane, WA; Orlando, FL; and Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN.

For more information, please visit https://www.smithsdetection.com/products/ctx-9800-dsi/.

Smiths Detection, part of Smiths Group, is a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies for military, air transportation, homeland security and emergency response markets. Our experience and history across more than 40 years at the frontline, enables us to provide unrivalled levels of expertise to detect and identify constantly changing chemical, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats, as well as weapons, dangerous goods, contraband and narcotics.

Our goal is simple - to provide security, peace of mind and freedom of movement upon which the world depends. For more information visit www.smithsdetection.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180920005775/en/
[September 21, 2018]

Smiths Detection secures multiple contracts to deliver enhanced detection solutions and bolster China's security measures

LONDON, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies, today announced a number of recent wins in China, including the sale of 151 IONSCAN 600, which will be deployed across Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, Qingdao Liuting International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport as well as Kunming Changshui, Lijiang, Dehong Mangshi, Pu'er, Wenshan and Cangyuan airports managed by Yunnan Airport Group.

China is set to become the world's largest aviation market by 2022[1] and the country's outbound travel market is also forecast to continue to grow. By 2030, the number of outbound trips made by Chinese travellers is expected to reach 400 million, and Chinese tourists alone will account for a quarter of international tourism[2]. To ensure adequate support for this growth, airports need to have security solutions that can detect concealed explosives or narcotics effectively, without disrupting passenger flow or experience at checkpoints.

The IONSCAN 600 accurately detects and identifies a wide range of military, commercial and homemade explosives threats, as well as common illegal and controlled narcotics -- all within eight seconds. The portable trace detector was approved for explosives trace detection as part of the passenger and baggage screening process within Chinese airports by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) earlier this February. In addition, IONSCAN 600 was awarded the Gold Award - Special Prize, Country of Honour at the China International Industry Fair in Shanghai in November 2017.

"Airports in China are expected to see a significant rise in passenger throughput and we are honoured to play a role in ensuring the safety of all travellers passing through our partner airports," said Jerome de Chassey, Smiths Detection's Vice President for the Asia Pacific Region. "The CAAC certification of our products is testament to Smiths Detection's expertise in threat detection and our relentless drive to assure the safety of airports in China today through the delivery of high quality and reliable solutions. This certification is important to Smiths Detection as our organisation aims to grow market presence in Asia Pacific including China."

In addition to the IONSCAN 600, the CAAC has recently certified five other Smiths Detection's solutions, a recognition of the high level of performance, reliability and quality of Smiths Detection products. The CAAC-certified products include:

CTX 5800 -- a CT explosives detection system (EDS) that provides high-resolution 3D images for quick and accurate threat detection in space or weight restricted environments.

CTX 9800 DSi 0.3m /s and CTX 9800 DSi 0.5m /s -- an explosives detection system (EDS) that uses a proprietary single X-ray source with dual energy design to provide high-resolution 3D images along with 2D and 3D organic/inorganic material discrimination. These imaging tools enhance the analysis of details and specific structures of suspected threats, allowing for more efficient security decisions to be made on all checked bags and cargo packages.

/s and CTX 9800 DSi /s -- an explosives detection system (EDS) that uses a proprietary single X-ray source with dual energy design to provide high-resolution 3D images along with 2D and 3D organic/inorganic material discrimination. These imaging tools enhance the analysis of details and specific structures of suspected threats, allowing for more efficient security decisions to be made on all checked bags and cargo packages. HI-SCAN 6040p-2is HR -- an advanced dual-view X-ray inspection system for the automatic detection of solid and liquid explosives in personal belongings and cabin baggage. It has an ergonomic design that makes it easy for the operator to identify threats on screen.

HISCAN 100100Tc-2is -- a dual-angle cargo transportation X-ray machine that can scan from both directions, shortening scanning time while improving detection efficiency, and facilitates the scanning of oversized baggage and heavier cargo.

Smiths Detection has more than 75,000 X-ray systems and over 24,500 explosive trace (ETDs) detectors installed worldwide.

For more information on Smiths Detection's solutions and services, visit www.smithsdetection.com.

About Smiths Detection

Smiths Detection, part of Smiths Group, is a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies for aviation, ports and borders, urban security and military markets. With more than 40 years of field-tested experience, we deliver the solutions needed to protect society from the threat and illegal passage of explosives, prohibited weapons, contraband, toxic chemicals and narcotics.

Our goal is simple -- to provide security, peace of mind and freedom of movement, upon which the world depends. For more information visit www.smithsdetection.com.

Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180918/2240685-1LOGO

SOURCE Smiths Detection
[September 21, 2018] 2018 Chengdu Tianfu Talent Recruitment Held in the United States for Recruitment and Exchange

CHENGDU, China, Sept. 21, 2018 /CNW/ -- After the Chengdu Tianfu Talent Recruitment in the UK and Ireland in July, six enterprises based in Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (CDHT) (ANZ Global Service and Operations (Chengdu) Company Limited, Ygomi Information Services (Chengdu) Co., Ltd., Sichuan Changhong Electric Co., Ltd., ThoughtWorks Software Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd., Chengdu Winnersoft Co., Ltd. and Chengdu Corntree Technology Co., Ltd) headed to New York and Boston on Septemer 13 to hold high-level talent recruitment fairs. During the 5-day trip, these companies sought out high-end talents in the fields of deep learning and data analysis, and also connected with famous American enterprises and institutions.



The Chengdu Tianfu Talent Recruitment is a large-scale group recruitment action organized by CDHT Management Committee and jointly undertaken by the CDHT Party-masses Work Department and Chengdu Tianfu Software Park. It has been successfully held for three years. In the first two years, the Chengdu Tianfu Talent Recruitment was held in Silicon Valley in the United States, Seoul in South Korea, Frankfurt in Germany, Stockholm in Sweden and Toronto in Canada, attracting more than 770 high-end talents, of whom over 160 signed tentative employment contracts. This activity has already become an important platform for enterprises in CDHT to seek out overseas high-end talents and expand their brand influence. SOURCE Chengdu Tianfu Software Park



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[September 21, 2018] New RHB TravelFX offers Competitive FX Rates and Convenience

Latest game-changer to satisfy travelling and foreign exchange needs SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RHB Singapore today launched the RHB TravelFX Mobile App and Multi-Currency Card -- the first prepaid Multi-Currency Visa Card introduced by a Bank in Singapore. The RHB TravelFX App and Multi-Currency Card provide an easy-to-use platform that offers customers competitive foreign exchange (FX) rates -- better than those offered by credit cards, real-time currency exchange and freedom to use local currency overseas. Customers will have access to 11 currencies in the RHB TravelFX App, and can enjoy travelling without bringing excessive cash and deal with leftover currencies. Application is hassle-free via the RHB TravelFX App, and transactions can be done at one's convenience. The RHB Multi-Currency Card is a Visa prepaid card issued by Wirecard and distributed by RHB Bank Berhad in Singapore. The unique arrangement and partnership between Wirecard and RHB provides card users with security features to use the card wallet without accessing their bank accounts. How RHB TravelFX works The RHB TravelFX App can be easily downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Thereafter, consumers can apply for the RHB Multi Currency-Card through the app. Customers can then fund their RHB TravelFX card wallet with Singapore Dollars from any bank account in Singapore and start exchanging 11 currencies (SGD, AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, THB, USD) at transparent and competitive rates. There are numerous benefits and convenience associated with the RHB TravelFX app. Customers do not need to maintain a bank account with RHB. Most applicants above the age of 18 will qualify for the solution, enjoy instant application, no annual fee, and no minimum balance fall-below fee. In addition, the RHB TravelFX App and Multi-Currency Card enablescustomers to make purchases in local currency when overseas, withdraw local currency from the Visa/Plus ATM network, spend online in any currency of choice and perform foreign exchange within the card wallet.



Customers can fully manage the card wallet and enjoy 24-hour access to competitive FX rates. There is also added security, allowing customers to lock the card when it is not in use. They will also be eligible for round-the-clock concierge service offered by RHB Singapore. Ms Wong Chung Yee, Head of Personal Financial Services and Wealth Management, RHB Singapore said, "In our effort to move into the cashless and eWallet space, we are pleased to launch the RHB TravelFX, a multi-currency mobile wallet open to customers with bank accounts in Singapore. Customers will benefit from the convenience and competitive FX rates offered by this facility. The App gives customers total control over the FX rates that they want to buy at, by setting an alert on the App at their preferred rates, and exchange for foreign currencies anywhere, anytime -- enhancing one's travelling experience."

Grigoriy Kuznetsov, Executive Vice President, Global Financial Services at Wirecard, says: "Digitalisation has brought about huge changes in all areas and especially in financial services. This means that as a bank, it is crucial to offer your customers smart, digital products that provide real added value. We are very pleased to have been able to contribute our expertise as a global innovation leader in digital financial technology and to realise this great project together with RHB. This enables RHB Singapore to offer their customers a fully digital state-of-the-art solution that makes traveling much easier and more fun. This also further reinforces our position as a leading global prepaid issuer and BIN sponsor." "Travel is a popular activity amongst Singaporeans. Based on the Global Travel Intentions study commissioned by Visa, Singaporeans have taken approximately seven international trips in the last two years. Our data also shows that 20 per cent of total spend for Singapore Visa cardholders is on cross-border purchases. Even though Singaporeans are extremely familiar with digital payments, 95 per cent of them will still visit a money changer to exchange for foreign cash before they travel. With a travel product like RHB TravelFX offered to consumers today, we believe more Singaporeans will embrace the benefits and convenience of using electronic payments, especially when they travel," said Kunal Chatterjee, Visa Country Manager for Singapore & Brunei. "RHB TravelFX is also secure, easy to use, and very convenient -- customers can utilise it to fulfil their foreign currency needs for their travels, accumulate and store their foreign currency savings, or simply make payments for their online shopping with overseas merchants. We look forward to an exciting journey ahead with this game-changer," added Wong. About RHB Singapore RHB Singapore was first established in 1961 through a series of rapid expansion and strategic mergers. For more than half a century, RHB has garnered invaluable financial experience and transferred those insights of service excellence on to clients, helping both individuals as well as corporations fulfil their business opportunities. Throughout these years of dedication in Singapore, RHB has built formidable ties with clients and is established as one of the Republic's most trusted financial institutions. RHB Singapore's core businesses are streamlined into eight pillars, namely Personal Financial Services and Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury, Structured Finance as well as Investment Banking, Brokerage and Asset Management businesses. All the eight business pillars are offered through RHB Bank Berhad (a fully-licensed bank), RHB Securities Singapore Pte Ltd and RHB Asset Management Pte Ltd. RHB Singapore is the local business operations of the RHB Banking Group, the fourth largest fully integrated financial services group in Malaysia. The Group's regional presence spans ten countries in ASEAN including Hong Kong. It is RHB Banking Group's aspiration to continue to deliver superior customer experience and shareholder value; and to be recognised as a Leading Multinational Financial Services Group. For more information, please visit www.rhbgroup.com.sg About Wirecard Wirecard (GER:WDI) is one of the world's fastest growing digital platforms in the area of financial commerce. We provide both corporate clients and consumers with a constantly expanding ecosystem of real-time value-added services built around innovative digital payments by using an integrated B2B2C approach. This ecosystem concentrates on solutions in the areas payment and risk, retail and transaction banking, loyalty and coupon programs in addition to data analytics and conversion rate enhancement across all sales channels (online, mobile, ePOS). Wirecard operates regulated financial institutions in several key markets, in addition to holding issuing and acquiring licenses from all major payment and card networks. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060). Visit us on www.wirecard.com, follow us on Twitter @wirecard and on Facebook @wirecardgroup. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180921/2244809-1 SOURCE RHB Singapore

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[September 21, 2018]

Symphony RetailAI Promotes Arnaud Gauthier to President & Chief Customer Officer, EMEA

DALLAS, Sept. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Symphony RetailAI , the leading global provider of Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision platforms, solutions and customer-centric insights that drive validated growth for retailers and CPG manufacturers, today announced the promotion of Arnaud Gauthier to President & Chief Customer Officer, EMEA, Symphony RetailAI.



In his new role, Gauthier will be responsible for sales, services and customer success across Europe, the Middle East and Africa for all Symphony RetailAI product and services lines. He will help continue the companys rapid expansion of its category management, supply chain, personalized marketing and customer insights solutions fueled by AI and machine learning capabilities. Gauthier will also help bring to market Symphony RetailAIs latest industry-specific innovations, including CINDE (Conversational INsights and Decision Engine), the companys first-of-its-kind digital assistant for high-volume retail, and its store remodeling offering that leverages virtual reality.

Under Gauthiers previous leadership as Senior VP, Southern Europe, his team contributed significantly to Symphony RetailAIs rapid growth and market momentum . Today, the organization helps customers across Europe, including Action, Intermarche, Lidl, Pets at Home, REMA 1000 and REWE, improve product availability, generate localized and space-aware assortments, deliver targeted offers, increase in-store productivity, and more.

Arnaud has a wealth of retail industry and enterprise software experience and has been a driving force in the organization, specifically for our growth in Southern Europe, said Graeme Cooksley, President and Chief Operating Officer, Symphony RetailAI. With the new A-enabled solutions we are bringing to our customers this year in areas including supply chain, category management and personalized marketing, Arnaud is the ideal person to help a broader set of our customers realize the significant benefits these latest innovations can deliver.







"It is very exciting to be part of one of the fastest growing retail technology companies in the industry today, said Gauthier. Symphony RetailAI has a long heritage of delivering best-in-class solutions and is now deploying highly differentiated, game-changing capabilities enabled by AI, which will revolutionize the value we bring to retail and CPG manufacturing customers. This combination of AI, data, insights and retail expertise is unique in the market. Every day, we reinforce our presence in Europe, a point illustrated by our commitment to and the successes of our clients and partners. I am very proud to be part of this high-growth company with a culture fixated on innovation and customer success."

Meet Arnaud at the upcoming Xcelerate Retail Forum, October 2  4, 2018 in Boston.

Additional Resources:

About Symphony RetailAI

Symphony RetailAI is the leading global provider of Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision platforms, solutions and customer-centric insights that drive validated growth for retailers and CPG manufacturers, from customer intelligence to personalized marketing, and merchandising and category management, to supply chain and retail operations. Symphony RetailAI is innovating rapidly to drive faster, more profitable decisions through AI, machine learning and voice technologies. We are trusted by over 1,200 organizations including 15 of the worlds 25 largest grocery retailers, thousands of retail brands, and hundreds of national and regional chains worldwide to help solve their toughest business problems, through AI-powered customer intelligence and retail solutions. Symphony RetailAI was formed in 2018, merging Symphony GOLD and Symphony EYC. Symphony RetailAI is a SymphonyAI company. More at www.symphonyretailai.com . Follow us on Twitter: @symphonyretail .

About SymphonyAI

SymphonyAI is a group of companies that provide the leading AI-centric solutions for transforming the business enterprise by driving revenue growth and operational excellence, for the retail, CPG, healthcare and industrial verticals, and for finance, IT and other key enterprise horizontal functions. Founded by Dr. Romesh Wadhwani, SymphonyAI is one of the fastest growing companies in the business-to-business AI solutions sector with revenue this year of $275 million and 1,500 employees. More at www.symphonyai.com .

Media Contact

Adrienne Newcomb

Ketner Group Communications (for Symphony RetailAI)

adrienne@ketnergroup.com

512-794-8876
Marzullo said that of the 40 police and firefighters who were laid off in April following the temporary loss of state tax revenues, approximately 10 have been recalled by the city. Some of the laid off workers have since found jobs with other departments and are not interested in returning to Harvey, but others remain out of work and would be open to returning to their old jobs, he said.
[September 21, 2018] Code42 Names John Emerick Chief Financial Officer

Code42, a leading data security company, announced today that John Emerick joined the company as its chief financial officer. Emerick brings to the position a 30-year career, during which he has driven top-line growth, operational efficiencies and profitability at a variety of well-respected private and public companies. As chief financial officer, Emerick will be responsible for scaling Code42's financial and administrative infrastructure to support the company's rapid growth. Emerick will oversee finance, accounting, sales operations, procurement and facilities. "John is a world-class business executive with more than 30 years of experience running finance and operations for complex businesses," said Joe Payne, Code42's president and CEO. "He knows what it takes to drive growth while staying laser-focused on serving customers. We are excited to welcome him to Code42 and our team." "I can't imagine a more exciting time to join Code42," said Emerick. "Code42 is a high-performing company in a market that is rapidly evolving. The company's success is a testament to its customer-first commitment. I am looking forward to working with the team to advance our financial engine so we can do more of what we do best - protecting our customers' most important ideas." Prior to joining Code42, Emerick held numerous senior executive positions at technology companies and financial firms, where he successfully drove growth, efficiency and capital structure initiatives. He has experience leading and developing teams responsible for corporate development, finance, acounting, strategic acquisitions, treasury management and other functional areas. Emerick served as chief financial officer at CyberGrants, LLC and International Decision Systems, Inc. as well as chief financial officer and chief operating officer at NorthStar Capital Markets Services, Inc. His previous positions also include executive posts at Fair Isaac Corporation, CIT Group Inc. and Ovation Communications, Inc.



To learn more about career opportunities at Code42, visit code42.com/careers. About Code42

Code42, a leading data security company, secures the ideas of more than 50,000 organizations worldwide, including the most recognized brands in business and education. Because Code42 collects and indexes every version of every file, the company offers security, legal and IT teams total visibility and recovery of data -wherever it lives and moves. With real-time alerts and forensics, these teams can easily detect, investigate and rapidly recover from any data incident, such as ransomware, lost or stolen devices, and insider threats. Supported by a global state-of-the-art cloud infrastructure, the Code42 platform safeguards hundreds of petabytes of data and helps organizations comply with evolving regulatory requirements. Founded in 2001, the company is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and backed by Accel Partners, JMI Equity, NEA and Split Rock Partners (News - Alert) . For more information, visit code42.com, read Code42's blog or follow the company on Twitter. Code42 and the Code42 logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Code42 Software, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are properties of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005088/en/

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EQUITY ALERT: Rosen Law Firm Announces Investigation of Securities Claims Against AbbVie Inc. - ABBV

Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it is investigating potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of AbbVie Inc. (NYSE: ABBV) resulting from allegations that AbbVie may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

On September 18, 2018, California's insurance regulator sued AbbVie, alleging AbbVie gave kickbacks to healthcare providers for prescribing its arthritis drug, Humira. According to the lawsuit, AbbVie kickbacks included "cash, meals, drinks, gifts, trips, and patient referrals-and more sophisticated ones-free and valuable professional goods and services to physicians to induce and reward Humira prescriptions." On this news, shares of AbbVie fell $4.35 per share or over 4.5% over the next two trading days to close at $91.02 per share on September 19, 2018.

Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action lawsuit to recover losses suffered by AbbVie investors. If you purchased shares of AbbVie please visit the firm's website at https://www.rosenlegal.om/cases-1417.html to join the class action. You may also contact Phillip Kim or Zachary Halper of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at pkim@rosenlegal.com or zhalper@rosenlegal.com.







Follow us for updates on LinkedIn (News - Alert) : https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter (News - Alert) : https://twitter.com/rosen_firm.

Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 3 each year since 2013.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

Zachary Halper, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 34th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

zhalper@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com

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Exoprise to Showcase New Crowd-Powered Visibility Solutions at Microsoft Ignite 2018

Exoprise, the leading provider of management and monitoring solutions for Office 365, will showcase its expanded suite of tools for real-time visibility into Office 365 at the Ignite 2018 Conference in Orlando, Florida on September 24-28 at Booth #2006. Highlights of Exoprise's new capabilities include:

Real-time visibility for Microsoft (News - Alert) Teams and Skype for Business call quality - CloudReady now provides the only tool capable of gathering end-to-end, synthetic call quality metrics in real-time, leveraging MS Teams or Skype (News - Alert) for Business clients, emulating actual multi-party video conferences with integrated audio and video measurements. Perfect for network assessments and continuous service assurance, only Exoprise delivers this level of visibility to help IT improve quality and adoption of these services.

- CloudReady now provides the only tool capable of gathering end-to-end, synthetic call quality metrics in real-time, leveraging MS Teams or Skype (News - Alert) for Business clients, emulating actual multi-party video conferences with integrated audio and video measurements. Perfect for network assessments and continuous service assurance, only Exoprise delivers this level of visibility to help IT improve quality and adoption of these services. Service Watch Real User Monitoring (RUM) for Office 365 - CloudReady users already benefit from visibility into Exoprise's crowd-powered monitoring data, crowd sourced from other subscribers around the world. With the addition of Service Watch, this visibility expands to cover users and applications wherever they are.

- CloudReady users already benefit from visibility into Exoprise's crowd-powered monitoring data, crowd sourced from other subscribers around the world. With the addition of Service Watch, this visibility expands to cover users and applications wherever they are. Integrated Application Usage & Activity Monitoring enables CloudReady users to correlate adoption with availability and performance data. For the first time, all a business's KPI's for performance, availability, and application usage can be viewed and correlated within a single Office 365 operations view.

Win a Free Mini PC & Free CloudReady Subscription

Microsoft Ignite 2018 Attendees that visit the Exoprise Booth #2006 during the show are eligible to enter a twice daily raffle for Azulle Byte 3 Mini PC with subscriptions to Exoprise CloudReady. Read more about why a Mini PC running CloudReady can enable perfect end-to-end visibility into an Enterprise's Office 365 and Cloud/ SaaS (News - Alert) environment.







Learn more:

About Exoprise

Exoprise empowers IT teams with solutions that enable effective adoption and management of mission-critical, cloud-based applications and services with its CloudReady Monitor solution. CloudReady provides real-time performance visibility from behind the firewall to the cloud and back. By leveraging network path diagnostics, real user experience metrics, actual app usage data, and crowd sourced data analytics, organizations now have the visibility, speed, and agility to easily assure the best possible cloud service performance. Exoprise helps customers get to the cloud faster and ensures success once they are there. Visit Exoprise at www.exoprise.com; on Twitter (News - Alert) @exoprise; and on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005008/en/
U.S. General Services Administration Selects HackerOne as TTS Bug Bounty Partner

HackerOne, the leading hacker-powered security platform, today announced the General Service Administration's ( GSA (News - Alert) ) Technology Transformation Service (TTS) awarded HackerOne a multi-year contract to run a bug bounty program. GSA was the first federal civilian agency to engage in a bug bounty program and continues their ongoing momentum with this latest bug bounty contract.

This news comes after 18F's successful execution of a 2017 bug bounty and vulnerability disclosure program (VDP) with HackerOne. Through the program, 18F awarded bounties to ethical hackers for reporting security vulnerabilities found in public-facing digital systems. The VDP also provided an official channel for ethical hackers to safely disclose vulnerabilities in a wider rage of TTS assets, including login.gov, data.gov, cloud.gov and vote.gov. After competing in an open market bidding process, TTS awarded the contract to HackerOne in September 2018. The period of performance will extend for up to 5 years. Once the new program begins, TTS will offer hackers financial awards for safely reporting security issues directly to the system owner.

"The Technology Transformation Service bug bounty program with HackerOne is yet another reminder of the leadership role that the U.S. federal government has taken in vulnerability disclosure," said Marten Mickos, CEO, HackerOne. "Over the last year, GSA has proved to be one of the fastest government agencies in regards to resolution time, resolving vulnerabilities markedly faster than the global average for government bug bounty programs. GSA's commitment to resolving vulnerabilities quickly benefits all U.S. citizens and is something that HackerOne is proud to be a part of."

At a time when nearly every organization faces challenges related to scaling cybersecurity resources and workforce, hacker-powered security programs have become a best practice across the private and public sector. In June 2018, Gartner reported that "Crowdsourced security testing is rapidly approaching critical mass, and ongoing adoption and uptake by buyers is expected to be rapid." The government sector continues to lead the way with adoption globally, with 125 percent increase in programs year over year, including the European Commission and the Ministry of Defense Singapore, joining GSA's TTS, and the DoD on HackerOne.







HackerOne and the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Digital Service (DDS) pioneered the first ever federal bug bounty program in 2016, Hack the Pentagon. The DoD and HackerOne have successful executed six bug bounty challenges as part of a multi-year contract: Hack the Pentagon, Hack the Army, Hack the Air Force, Hack the DTS, Hack the Air Force 2, and Hack the Marine Corps (results coming soon). The DoD also partners with HackerOne for its ongoing VDP. Since the launch of Hack the Pentagon, more than 5,000 valid vulnerabilities have been reported in government systems.

Proposed legislations like Hack the Department of Homeland Security Act, the Department of Justice Vulnerability Disclosure Framework and statements by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, further demonstrate public sector support for hacker-powered security.

To report a security vulnerability to GSA please visit: https://hackerone.com/tts.

About HackerOne

HackerOne is the #1 hacker-powered security platform, helping organizations find and fix critical vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. More Fortune 500 and Forbes Global 1000 companies trust HackerOne than any other hacker-powered security alternative. The U.S. Department of Defense, General Motors, Google, Twitter, GitHub, Nintendo, Lufthansa, Panasonic Avionics, Qualcomm (News - Alert) , Starbucks, Dropbox, Intel, the CERT Coordination Center and over 1,000 other organizations have partnered with HackerOne to resolve over 80,000 vulnerabilities and award over $35M in bug bounties. HackerOne is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in London, New York, the Netherlands, and Singapore.

For a comprehensive look at the industry based on the largest repository of hacker reported vulnerability data, download the The Hacker-Powered Security Report 2018.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005377/en/
[September 21, 2018] The Washington Business Journal Selects SAIC's Kim Rupert for its 2018 Women Who Mean Business Award

Science Applications International Corp.'s (NYSE: SAIC (News - Alert) ) Chief Risk Officer Kim Rupert has been named to the Washington Business Journal's 2018 list of Women Who Mean Business in the Washington, D.C. metro area. In the 15th year for Women Who Mean Business, the Washington Business Journal saw a record number of nearly 400 nominations and selected 25 women to represent this year's class. As chief risk officer, Rupert is responsible for ensuring that the company's leadership has a single view of enterprise risk, and for developing the inventory of compliance mechanisms to mitigate those risks. She oversees the Office of Business Conduct and Excellence, which brings together the company's Ethics, Compliance, Internal Controls, Quality, and Cybersecurity compliance functions, all reporting to the General Counsel. "Kim is a tremendous asset to our team, and we are proud of her accomplishments throughout her career," said Steve Mahon, executive vice president and general counsel. "Kim is a strong leader with an incredible passion for supporting the community, our industry, and SAIC. We are excited to celebrate this recognition with her and believe that she is an inspiration to others in our local community." Rupert joined SAIC in 1994 and has held several positions within the company, steadily increasing in responsibility tied to contract management. Prior to her current position, Rupert was senior vice president for Contracts and Pricing. In 2013, Rupert was part of the SAIC leadership team tasked with executing the "split" separating SAIC from its former parent company. As part of this transition, Rupert led the novation of more than 12,000 contracts from the parent to SAIC. This transfer was a top priority and was critical to SAIC's operational success. "I am honored to receive this award and to be among this group of amazing, accomplished women in the D.C.-metro area," said Rupert. "I have been fortunate to have had strong mentors throughout my career at SAIC and have been able to pursue career opportunities doing something that I love. I would have accomplished nothing without the support of my team and colleagues long the way and am forever grateful for them."



Rupert is widely recognized for her leadership in the field of contract management. She is the immediate past President of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), an organization of 18,000 contracting professionals that represents the interests of tens of thousands more professionals both inside and outside the government. As President, Rupert set in motion a multi-year strategic initiative that will help shape the contracting workforce of the future. Rupert is an active participant in several nonprofit organizations through SAIC. She and her team have participated in fundraising for Feeding America and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Rupert earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Johns Hopkins University, a master's certificate in Government Contracting from George Washington University, and a bachelor's degree in Journalism from University of Maryland. She is currently working on a Master's of Law in Cybersecurity at the University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law. She is a Certified Professional Contracts Manager, a Certified Federal Contracts Manager, and a Fellow of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). An outside panel of judges comprised of Women Who Mean Business alumni and Washington Business Journal staff selected the Washington Business Journal's final honorees based on criteria including commitment to community service, strong leadership skills and continuing success in their field. About SAIC SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC is Redefining Ingenuity through its deep customer and domain knowledge to enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex projects. SAIC's more than 15,000 employees are driven by integrity and mission focus to serve customers in the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom. Certain statements in this announcement constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties and a number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in SAIC's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other such filings that SAIC makes with the SEC (News - Alert) from time to time, which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our web site at www.saic.com. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005393/en/

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[September 21, 2018] Gov. Henry McMaster and UnitedHealth Group Announce $500,000 Donation to One SC Fund in Support of South Carolina Residents Affected by Hurricane Florence

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster joined UnitedHealth Group to announce a $500,000 donation to the state's One SC Fund to help residents of South Carolina recover and rebuild from Hurricane Florence. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005547/en/ South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and UnitedHealth Group executives announce $500,000 donation to One SC Fund to assist families affected by Hurricane Florence. Left to right: JoAnn M. Turnquist of Central Carolina Community Foundation, UnitedHealth Group executive Garland Scott, Gov. Henry McMaster, and UnitedHealth Group executives Tommy O'Conner and Jack Shields (Photo: T.C. Worely Photography). The One SC Fund will use UnitedHealth Group's donation to support various organizations providing relief and response efforts in the affected areas. "We thank UnitedHealth Group for its generous support of South Carolinians in need," said Gov. McMaster. "Many of our neighbors and friends have been displaced by flooding from Hurricane Florence and, unforunately, the worst is yet to come. I encourage those who are able to please visit www.OneSCFund.org to help support this effort."



"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of South Carolina and all the people affected by Hurricane Florence," said Garland "Scottie" Scott, UnitedHealthcare CEO of the Carolinas and Georgia. "UnitedHealth Group is honored to work with Gov. McMaster and through the One SC Fund to support our communities in need." In addition to the donation, UnitedHealth Group is deploying health care delivery capabilities including mobile clinics providing health care directly to people living in the affected areas, emergency kit and prescription drug donations, and a free emotional-support help line.

For more information, visit www.uhc.com/disaster-relief-info/hurricane-florence. About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter (News - Alert) . Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180921005547/en/

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Huawei Mate X Has the Same Crease and Interface Problems as Galaxy Fold

The first generation is going to have this problem, but it may not be as bad as some want to portray it.
We now have to buy our food when we used to have it donated, Higen said. Once a month, we used to give away pet food to low-income residents of the area. Weve had to stop doing that.
The Samsung 65-inch Q8FN QLED TV is a premium 4K TV that not only offers great picture quality and superb 4.1 sound, it can even compete with OLED displays, thanks to the best black levels we've seen on an LCD display.

The Samsung 65-inch Q8FN QLED TV is a premium 4K TV that not only offers great picture quality and superb 4.1 sound, it can even compete with OLED displays, thanks to the best black levels we've seen on an LCD display.

If you want superb TV quality without the added expense of a new OLED TV, look no further than the Samsung 65-inch Q8FN QLED TV, which manages to be one of the best TVs available, even without being Samsung's top-of-the-line model. The Samsung Q8FN ($2,499) is part of Samsung's premium QLED lineup, and benefits from Samsung's Quantum-dot LCD enhancement, a full roster of features and capabilities, and a design that looks better than most any TV on the market. It's a big step up from the more affordable $1,699 Samsung 65Q6FN QLED TV, and a great alternative to more expensive OLED sets, and that's enough for us to recommend it strongly.

Samsung 65-inch Q8FN QLED TV Specs

Price $2,499.99 Screen Size 65 inches Resolution 3840 x 2160 HDR HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ Refresh Rate 120Hz Ports 4 HDMI, 2 USB Audio 4.1 Channel 40 watt, with subwoofer Smart TV Software Samsung Smart TV with Bixby Voice Size 57.1 x 32.6 x 2.3 inches [w/o stand] Weight 58.4 pounds [w/o stand]

Design

The Samsung Q8F has the same premium stylings as the rest of its QLED line, like the Samsung 65-inch Q6F QLED TV we reviewed earlier this year. That design aesthetic means that you can expect the Q8F to have several touches unique to Samsung's TVs, which Samsung calls "Q Style."

This includes a 360-degree design that pays almost as much attention to the backside of the TV as it does the display panel in front. The back panel is covered in a striped textured finish, with a dark gray color that's a bit more attractive than the basic black seen on most TV chassis.

Measuring 57.1 x 32.6 x 2.3 inches, the Q8F's 58.4-pound cabinet is thicker than some premium TVs, most notably LG's ultra-slim OLED panels, but thanks to the full-array backlighting panel inside, it's also a fraction of an inch thicker than the Samsung Q6F (2.2 inches). Despite the slightly thicker design of the Q8F, there's nothing chunky about it, and noting the thickness is hardly a knock on the design.

The metal stand looks just as sophisticated as the rest of the chassis, but the aluminum stand has plastic covers on the top side of each foot. In the back of the TV, this allows for some subtle cable concealment, but on the front it's not quite as elegant as the bare metal would have been.

MORE: Best Smart TVs - The Best 4K and HD Televisions for the Money

The set is also compatible with 400mm x 400mm VESA mounts, for hanging on a wall or attaching to a floor stand.

Ports

The ports on the Samsung Q8FN are found in an inset panel on the right-hand side of the TV, set in 11 inches from the right-hand edge of the chassis. It offers four HDMI ports (including one with ARC support), two USB ports, one digital audio optical connector and an RF connector for antenna and coaxial cable. An Ethernet port is available for wired network connections, and the TV has built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi.

The inset connector panel is one of the few elements that separates the Q8F from Samsung's top-tier Q9F models (which we have seen, but not yet reviewed). Whereas those models have a separate connector box for all video and audio connections, and use a slim, nearly invisible cable to connect it to the TV, the Q8F uses standard built-in ports and a traditional cable management.

Performance

The Samsung Q8F boasts one of the best LCD panels we've ever seen, thanks to Samsung's QLED technology that combines standard LCD technology with color- and brightness-enhancing quantum dots, an anti-reflective layer that dramatically reduces the mirror-like appearance of the display panel, and full-array backlighting with dozens of controlled dimming zones. This is not the first Samsung TV we've seen in the 2018 model year, but it is the first we've seen that enjoys the full benefit of Samsung's latest QLED display enhancements.

(Image credit: Samsung)

The TV also benefits from Samsung's excellent video-processing technology, which handles upscaling and other tasks with aplomb. Quick action is smoothed without an overly grating soap-opera effect, and tightly clustered details glide across screen without the expected screen-door effect.

The Samsung Q8F boasts one of the best LCD panels weve ever seen.

The TV's HDR support is very, very good, with support for HDR10 and HLG content, as well as Samsung's proprietary HDR10 Plus format. When watching a night scene in Blade Runner 2049, the dark city streets were lit with glowing lights and neon signs, each with a vibrant glow that no standard dynamic range display can match. The effect is enhanced by the superb black levels offered on the QLED display.

(Image credit: Samsung)

But it was in dark and shadowy scenes that the HDR support really shone through. An intense confrontation between Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard and Jared Leto's Niander Wallace takes place in a room bathed in shadows, with chiaroscuro lighting producing sharp contrast, yet subtle details are never lost in shadow.

MORE: QLED vs OLED TV: Who Wins?

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the enhanced panel are the black levels. Most LCD displays suffer from an effect called elevated blacks, a byproduct of the backlight that shines through the LCD panel even when displaying black. Even high-quality LCD sets like the LG 65SK9500 and the Sony Bravia X900F have some trouble with these glowing grays where black should be.

But Samsung has added special filters that cut down on this glow, providing some of the best black levels I have seen on an LCD TV. In fact, I've only seen slightly better on Samsung's own Q9F QLED models, which can compete with OLED displays for deep, inky-black levels. The Q8F isn't quite to that level, but it's still very, very good.

(Image credit: Samsung)

Backlight consistency is also top-notch. Unlike most LCD displays, Samsung's QLED panel has no discernable shadowing in the corners. The set also has full-array backlight with local dimming, and those dimming zones do a great deal to reduce unwanted halos and light blooms. While some minor blooming can be seen around smaller bright spots when contrasted against dark backgrounds, it's a step up from what we saw on the Samsung 65Q6FN QLED TV. It's similar in setup to the Sony Bravia X900F, but with better overall lighting control; it's one of the best options seen this side of an OLED display's per-pixel illumination.

The Q8FN offers superb color reproduction, ranking alongside the best TVs we've seen. In our testing, the Samsung produced 99.97 of the sRGB color gamut, putting it alongside other top contenders like the LG E7 OLED (99.9), the Samsung 65Q6F (99.92) and the Sony Bravia X900F (99.96). All of these sets sit just a hair below the 100 percent mark, making them some of the best sets we've seen.

Color accuracy was also very good, with the Samsung achieving a Delta-E rating of 2.5 (closer to zero is better). That's better than the LG 65SK9500PUA (3.0) and on the same level as the LG E7 OLED (2.5). But it's slightly less precise than the Sony Bravia X900F (1.3) or the Samsung Q6F (1.5).

Viewing angles are also among the best, with little to no color shifting when viewing the 65-inch panel at either horizontal or vertical angles. When viewing single-color screens, we saw minimal color shifting. When viewing a solid pink screen, we saw only the faintest purple tinges at the edge of the display when viewed from 60 degrees off-center. This is a TV that can be enjoyed from most any angle, by several people.

MORE: What Is OLED?

When we connected our Xbox One X to test gaming capabilities, the Samsung TV automatically detected it as a media source, and added it to the home menu. On top of that, the console was able to output in full 4K resolution at 60Hz, with HDR support, all without having to adjust any settings on either the Xbox or the TV.

Audio

The Q8FN features 4.1 sound, which provides a rich sound with deep rumbling bass. In Blade Runner 2049, this translated into potent gunshots and brought power to the distinctive rumbling sound effects of the the movie's flying cars.

(Image credit: Samsung)

Listening to Jimmy Eat World's "23," the combination of guitar, drums and bass came through with excellent clarity. The snare drum popped, cymbals sizzled and the distinctive guitar line came through without any unwanted distortion.

The Q8FN features 4.1 sound, which provides a rich sound with deep rumbling bass.

Bass levels were particularly impressive in both movies and music playback, with a subwoofer that provided real heft to bass lines and cinematic explosions alike.

Smart features

We've always been impressed with the Samsung Smart TV platform, now named SmartThings, and the interface continues to be intuitive and full-featured.

With the 2018 model year, Samsung has improved its smart platform with a simple setup option that lets you automatically share login credentials between your smart TV and your Samsung phone, saving you the hassle of manually entering in all your usernames and passwords for services like Netflix and Hulu.

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung has also brought it's Bixby voice assistant to the TV, providing a Samsung branded competitor to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. While it's not quite as impressively smooth to interact with as Alexa, or as deft with content discovery and web search as Google Assistant, Bixby is still a solid option for speaking to your TV.

You can view the camera feed from your Ring doorbell, adjust the temperature on your Nest thermostat, and much more, right from your TV.

Samsung also offers built-in compatibility with a wide range of smart-home devices. Whether the Q8F is used as an appendage to or the central device in your smart home setup, Samsung SmartThings opens up a wide range of options for connected devices, ranging from thermostats to laundry machines. You can view the camera feed from your Ring doorbell, adjust the temperature on your Nest thermostat, and much more, right from your TV.

MORE: Smart TV FAQ - The Pros and Cons of Smart Televisions

And finally, Samsung has decided to solve the problem of TVs looking like big, boring black mirrors when not in use. Thanks to a low-powered Ambient Mode, you can now enjoy artwork and photos, news updates and real-time weather info on your TV, with substantially lower power consumption than regular watching. As to whether you wanted an always-on screen saver for your TV, that's another issue.

Remote

Samsung's One Remote continues to be one of the best we've used for modern smart TVs. The wand-like design is comfortable in the hand, and the button layout is minimalist without being overly simplistic.

The directional pad has a smooth texture and ring shape with an intuitive center button for selecting menu items. Function-specific buttons include a home button, back, play and pause, and simple up-and-down controls for volume and channel selection. There's a dedicated button for activating Ambient mode, and a microphone button that lets you search by voice and interact with Samsung's Bixby voice assistant.

Bottom Line

The Samsung 65-inch Q8FN QLED TV manages to stand out among this year's excellent TVs with a premium design, rich feature set and performance that's on a par with the best premium TVs on the market. It offers great color, excellent HDR performance and it's the best option available for buyers shying away from higher-priced OLEDs.

Some things do fall a bit flat, like Samsung's Bixby voice assistant, but that's hardly a deal- breaker for anyone who wants a superb TV with great performance and sound. Compared to LG's entry-level B8 and C8 OLED TVs, which cost up to $300 more than the Samsung Q8F, this is an excellent alternative.

While some shoppers may prefer the similar Sony XBR-X900F, which has a lower price and better HDR support thanks to Dolby Vision, the Samsung still manages to pull ahead in our recommendations with better overall performance, superb audio and a more elegant design.

Credit: Tom's Guide
(Image credit: CCleaner)

After several controversies earlier this year, Avast-owned CCleaner has brought yet another upon itself. This time the controversy is about the CCleaner software auto-updating without notifying users and even updating in spite of users disabling the auto-updating feature.

According to multiple user reports, CCleaner auto-updated to the latest 5.46 version, even though they had auto-updates disabled. Furthermore, the users werent notified that the software would update itself prior.

The main changes in 5.46 seem to revolve around Piriform renaming its monitoring features. For instance, it renamed the "Monitoring" feature to "Smart cleaning," the "Browser monitoring" one to "Enable automatic browser cleaning" and so on. The reporting of anonymous data usage has been separated into another different feature (it was previously controlled by the "Active monitoring" checkbox).

Piriform has also argued that this forced update was required in order to better comply with GDPR requirements. A previous GDPR-ready version was released this spring, but the company said that more changes were needed to fully comply. Piriform believes that this was a "critical" privacy-focused update for users, and this is why it updated everyone to the latest version.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like Piriform was worried that it may be legally liable under GDPR unless all users used this more GDPR-compliant version.

Past CCleaner Controversies

This isnt the first time CCleaner has updated itself without users permission, frustrating many users in the process. Some of the reports date back to 2012, while the most recent ones are from earlier this spring. The now Avast-subsidiary and maker of CCleaner, Pirifom, has promised to give users more control and transparency over automatic updates in the future, but so far its track record on following these promises hasnt been that good.

Just last month, Piriform had to retract a CCleaner update after many users were outraged with the apps expansion of data monitoring and user tracking features. Piriform had to revert all installs of CCleaner 5.45 back to 5.44.

Last year, CCleaner was also affected by a hack that compromised Piriforms update servers. The attackers were able to insert a backdoor in the latest version of CCleaner. Despite Piriform having been recently acquired by antivirus maker Avast, it took another antivirus company to discover the backdoor and alert both Avast and the public about the issue.

Some users also havent been too happy with Avasts general handling of Piriforms handling, as the company has been attempting to better monetize the applications with more ads.

CCleaner continues to gather downloads from users, recently reaching over 2.5 billion downloads since it was first created (note: it doesn't necessarily mean 2.5 billion users). For now, CCleaner continues to remain a popular Windows application, despite Microsoft recently issuing a warning against similar products that promise to clean up Windows.

Even though CCleaner is able to ignore user's preferences for auto-updates, there is still a way to stop all updates, if that's what you want. You can delete the CCUpdate.exe file from C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCupdate.exe, as well as the CCleaner Update scheduled task. If you want to update to a new version later on, you can do so by installing it manually from the website, the old fashioned way.
(Image credit: Twitch)

In an unexpected move, China has blocked the Twitch.tv website and removed the application from the Apple App Store since Thursday, BBC reported. Twitch has confirmed the block but didnt say why the authorities censored the service.

The Chinese government seems to have issued a censorship order for Twitch streaming in the country. As of now, neither the Chinese government nor Twitch or its parent company Amazon have said why the block occurred.

The move came after Twitch became the third-most popular free app in the Chinese iOS store. The app saw this surge in popularity last month when the Asian Games hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia featured video gaming competitions for the first time. Chinese eSports fans started using Twitch after the Chinese state-run media wouldnt show those competitions.

Chinas History of Blocking Foreign Media Services

China has a long history of frequently blocking not just foreign online websites, but especially media services. The Chinese government doesnt seem to want to allow its citizens to access media without heavy restrictions being applied to it first.

Other foreign platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Googles Play Store and other services are also censored in the country. Disney and Apples Chinese media services were also blocked back in 2016.

Another issue is that the Chinese governments enforcement of media censorship rules have been quite inconsistent, which has given foreign investors concerns and may even prevent them from investing into the country in the future.
KCPD to receive body camera purchase proposals on Friday KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City Police Department is moving closer to equipping officers with body cameras and dashboard cameras. Purchase proposals from manufacturers and distributors are due Friday. Essentially, what is due Friday are bids proposing what each place would charge to outfit officers with cameras.

The pitch for this pricey project is scheduled for today whilst many locals aren't sold on the new tech that hasn't proven to be a cure-all for public confrontations with police. Take a look:
KC author says U.S. electoral reform would reduce political animosity A local author and retired army officer says the U.S. election system needs an overhaul and he has a suggestion. Larry Bradley told an audience at Park University Thursday night that ranked choice voting (RCV) could eliminate a lot of problems. When casting a ballot the voter would mark mark a first pick for an elected office, then a second and so on.

Here's a movement that some of the smarter TKC readers have been touting for quite some time . . . Basically, it's an election system that would spare locals like likes of Kris Kobach . . . It's flawed and unworkable but represents an overall disdain with the status quo. Checkit:
Development professional to lead Port KC The Board of Commissioners of Port KC announced on Tuesday that it has selected long-time economic development and civic executive Jon Stephens as President & CEO. With more than two decades of leadership experience spanning development, tourism and civic affairs Stephens comes to this new role from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County & KCK, where he served most recently as Director of Economic Development.

Here's downtown promo for a longtime political pundit and now that new dude in charge of one of the shadiest development organizations in Kansas City . . . Hopefully, he'll help them come out of the dark ages and offer a bit more transparency regarding the ongoing local civic scheme to populate the metro (and possibly the world) with luxury condos. Read more:
A table can mean stability, said Sam Unruh, founder of Unruh Furniture. It's four legs help provide the emotional support for a home. "Growing up, my family ate together every night at the table. We all had our spots and still do to this day," said Unruh, whose custom, made-to-order furniture business operates out of the former Westminster Congregational Church at 36th and Walnut streets.
Is Eric Greitens planning another run for Missouri governor? | The Kansas City Star This is going to shock you. So brace yourself. Eric Greitens is taking a look at a political comeback. He's made phone calls to deep-pocketed donors testing whether they have interest in backing him in another run for Missouri's top office. Unbelievable, isn't it?

He said Council Lady Jolie Justus was gonna be mayor, he also claimed Kander was running for Prez . . . Here's his latestprediction highlighting the political fortunes of a dude who was betrayed by his own party and provided a national disgrace for the State . . . File this one under "journalistic integrity" in op/ed coverage that most bloggers wouldn't buy and signals this college professor has completely disconnected with reality.Read more:








Kansas City Winter Prep Today

KC Metro snow plow drivers test and hone skills ahead of winter Breaking News Independence, MO - On what may be the last hot day of Summer 2018, snow plow drivers put themselves to the test preparing for the upcoming cold months.

Suburban Standoff Aftermath

Moving Dirt In Mission

Earth is finally moving at Mission Gateway. But council is delaying one more thing | The Kansas City Star Preliminary site work is finally underway at the long-awaited Mission Gateway development, but the City Council has also approved a delay in the start of a tax incentive for the project. Korb Maxwell, a Kansas City attorney working with the developer, told the City Council on Monday night that the required development milestones are being met.

Rock Chalk Contagion

West Nile virus found in horses across Kansas The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health says West Nile virus has been confirmed in horses across the state over the past few weeks. The confirmed cases have been reported in Lyon, Seward, Neosho, Marion and Wichita counties.

Show-Me Dry-out

Missouri's drought has lessened, but farmers still struggle Despite recent rainfall, more than half of Missouri is still in a drought, hitting hard at one of the state's key economic engines: agriculture. Missouri hay - the primary feed for livestock - has hit its lowest production levels in 30 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Lesson In Niceness

Metro students celebrate differences, combat suicide with 'You Be You' campaign LEE'S SUMMIT, MO (KCTV) -- When it comes to suicide prevention, many programs throughout the country have kept their focus on mental illnesses. Now, some of the schools in the Kansas City area are taking a different approach with the "You Be You" campaign. The message from students is that it is okay to be different.

Kansas City Weekend List Already

Troostapalooza & Other Weekend Possibilities Troostapalooza, a festival hosted by the Troost Street Collective, is from noon to 7 p.m. at 30th Street and Troost Avenue. The family-friendly fest will have performances (The Phantastics, Marcus Lewis Big Band), a pop-up craft fair, pickleball, skateboard demonstrations and food trucks (Urban Cafe, Pita for Good).

Quick look back at pop history that speaks to this scorching cowtown Thursday afternoon . . .Closer to home, here are the news links we're checking right now . . .And this is thefor right now . . .
PUR-o-SAN-gue. There are four syllables, with emphasis on PUR and SAN. Phonetically speaking, start with PUR, as in a cat purring. From there just say a soft O as in oh, then SAN with a long A sound like saahn, and finish with GUE, which sounds like way but starting with a g  gway. PURR - oh - SAAHN - gway. See? Its totally easy.

The new Purosangue may take a layout similar to what we have been accustomed to with the onslaught of performance SUVs, yet the Italians promised to make it a proper thoroughbred. Incidentally (not really), Purosangue translated from Italian actually means thoroughbred. Is it just me, or the name Ferrari Thoroughbred (in English) wouldnt sound bad at all? We have a Superfast and we like it, dont we? Enough with the strange ideas. Purosangue it is.

Digression: Is the word crossover any better? Maybe, but I feel it sounds too soft for the status of a Ferrari. The Honda CR-V is a crossover for crying out loud.

Ferrari will build an SUV. I am not joking, the company made an announcement. It will be called the Ferrari Purosangue. Thats the official name of the Ferrari SUV. Ok, Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri implicitly said that he does not want to hear that word in the same sentence with the word Ferrari. That word being SUV. Ok, Camilleri, I will not do it. Ever. The new Ferrari... truck will be the most amazing piece of technology ever attempted with the that word layout. Luckily, we do know a thing or two about the new Purosangue.

It Is Not An SUV, But It Is A Ferrari Utility Vehicle LISTEN 14:56

What do we know about The Ferrari Purosangue?

First of all, the Purosangue will ride on an all-new Ferrari architecture. It is basically a modular platform intended to support numerous Ferrari front-engined models that will come out before 2022.

Ferrari plans to unveil 15 new models before 2022, with the new GT actually sharing the basic layout with the Purosangue.

More importantly than that, the new modular platform, which allows shortening or lengthening of the wheelbase, also supports proper Ferrari setting. For example, the new Purosangue, along with the new GT which will sit above the GTC4 Lusso, will feature:

Front mid-engine layout - the engine will sit behind the front axle

Gearbox at the rear end of the car near the rear axle which allows for an easy installation of the hybrid system

Numerous power options

Variable adjustable height and clearance

Two-seat or four-seat cabin (four seats for the Purosangue obviously)

All of this says a lot about the upcoming Purosangue. It taught us that Ferrari is in a rather incredible place right now while it is reinventing itself without having to destroy the pillars of success it stands on.

Lets visit the past now:

In 2016, Sergio Marchionne, Prancing Horse boss at the time (rest his soul) was asked about a possible SUV! His reply: You Have To Shoot Me First!

Awkward!

Fast forward to today- 2018!

The new Ferrari boss, Louis Camilleri, commented on the Purosangue:

"As a die-hard Ferrarista, I was a tad skeptical when the concept was first voiced at the board. Having now seen the wonderful design concept and the extraordinary features, and knowing the resources we have dedicated to bringing this vehicle to life, I am a hugely enthusiastic supporter."

Dont think that I am implying that someone killed Marchione because this did not take place. Even the man himself admitted last year that Ferrari will unveil the fastest SUV ever.

So, there you have it, from youd have to kill me to an enthusiastic supporter in two years. Ferrari-quick!

Considering that the market is what it is and an SUV seems like common sense for the Maranello-based company, I did my best to figure out what the Purosangue needs to take on as competition. These are ten things that this Ferrari has to address:

Engine

Mission: Beat The Lamborghini Urus

I could beat around the bush forever, but the thing is that the Lamborghini Urus (despite its Audiness) is the biggest competitor the Ferrari Purosangue will ever face. Its engine, whose 641 horsepowers are bound to procreate in future versions, is the first thing the Ferrari Purosangue has to beat.

The 4.0-liter, turbocharged unit in the Urus is a magnificent piece of engineering, but if the Purosangue gets that twin-turbocharged, Ferrari, V-8 from the 488 Pista (FYI: 710 horsepower there), it will be far more unique.

That may be one of the options.

The other, far more probable option, is the adoption of a hybrid system. Ferrari did not offer us many hints about the new architecture and only said that 60 percent of its offering will be hybridized by 2022. The Purosangue may get a new twin-turbocharged V-6 (already in development), coupled with quite a powerful electric motor.

Either way, I do not see the Purosangue having any less than 700 horsepower. On the top end, I can see its power expressed in numbers such as 800 and 900.

Suspension

Mission: Beat The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S has one of the best-sorted air suspension setups in the industry.

The aim was to perfectly balance the comfort and dynamic abilities of the SUV. That gave birth to a suspension system that can vary ground clearance between 6.37 inches and 9.64 inches, that will hunker down with the car reaching the speed of 130 mph, and that offers great control abilities over the damping levels. Plus, it is complemented with rear wheel steering.

Ferrari will have to find a similar solution for the Purosangue. A solution that will make it comfortable, but also capable on the track. Ferrari even mentioned that the Purosangue will get the innovative suspension with variable height adjustment. Cant wait to see what it has in mind. I guess it will be an air suspension setup, but boy would I be stumped and happy to see something crazy unconventional.

Cabin

Even the interior is about 99-percent Phantom

Mission: Mate The Bentley Bentayga and The Rolls-Royce Cullinan sophistication and luxury with the LaFerrari sportiness

The interior of the Ferrari Purosangue wont be as luxuriously adorned as the one in the Cullinan and the Bentayga.

It is a Ferrari, after all. Yet, it will have to be built with the same incredible attention to detail, with unique touches and features that did not appear anywhere before and with creature comforts unlike anything Ferrari has ever done.

I remember being underwhelmed and bummed by the interior of the Ferrari 360 when I saw that car for the first time ever. That CANNOT happen here. Not because of me, but because of the sheiks, Chinese, and Russian oligarchs who all need something special from their Ferrari Utility Vehicle.

For the first time ever I am expecting a lot of displays, some crazy expensive leather made from hides of massaged cows, and perfectly machined knobs and dials inside a Ferrari. It needs some of that luxury. Then again, it needs some of that Ferrari LaFerrari focused ambiance as well. Designers of the Purosangue cabin have an unforgettable four years in store (the car should appear in 2022), that is for sure.

Wow factor

Mission: Beat The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

Why Mention The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk in an article about the Ferrari Purosangue?

First of all, no one expects the Trackhawk to have a 707 horsepower engine. Yet, it does.

Second of all, no one expects a 5,364-pound SUV to accelerate to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Yet, it does. Third of all, no one expects of a car capable of accelerating to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and hitting 180 mph to be able to tow 7,400 lbs. Yet, this one does.

No, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk isnt sophisticated, but you bet it has a factor of bewilderment like no other car. Ferrari has to beat that X factor with the Purosangue.

Nurburgring

Mission: Never appear there but let everyone believe it would be the fastest if it did

Unofficially, the Lamborghini Urus managed to run the Nurburgring in less than 7 minutes and 47 seconds. This is data taken by a guy with a stopwatch app on his phone, standing on the sidelines of the track. It is not just unofficial. It is really unofficial. I bet it can do it even faster considering that the Stelvio Quadrifoglio did it in 7 minutes and 51.7 seconds.

The Purosangue will never officially lap the Ring. Ferrari said a long time ago that it is not interested in Nurburgring lap times.

Yet, the Purosangue will have so much track gear and proudly present all of its advanced dynamism focused tech that everyone would believe it would be the fastest on the Green Hell.

If the car community remains so smitten by the Green Hell for the next four years that is.

AWD

Mission: Provide wonderous performance on the track, but never disappoint off road

Apart from building a unique suspension, Ferrari will have to invent an all-new AWD system setup for its cars.

When the FF came to be, the company released quite a unique AWD setup that added a sort of an additional gearbox to the front axle to feed the front wheels with power. It worked only up to a certain speed though.

Nevertheless, the Purosangue AWD system should be more complex and deliver performance that matches the systems in the Cayenne Turbo S or the Urus. Will Ferrari outsource it? Will it build something unique as it did for the FF? We do not have a clue, but I do know that if Ferrari wants the Purosangue to succeed, that AWD system will have to conquer dunes or muddy Chinese roads, and then demonstrate its ultimate track abilities. All in a package light enough to fit in a Ferrari.

Performance

Mission: Beat them all

I am not only talking about the 0-60 mph time and top speed. The Ferrari Purosangue has to corner harder than any other SUV (and possibly sedan). It has to be able to out accelerate any Tesla ludicrous concoction and beat 200 mph without breaking a sweat. Now, the Model X is the king of 0-60 (3.2 seconds - possibly quicker).

The Urus is the king of top speed (189 mph), but the Ferrari has to be the king of all of it, and then some.

The thing is that Ferrari has to work twice as hard now. By the time it reveals the Purosangue, the world will be richer for a number of additional super SUVs, many of which will overshadow the Model X and the Urus. Ferrari has to go for the ultimate right now.

Innovation

Mission: Break new ground for SUVs in terms of lightness, aerodynamics, efficiency, and suspension setup

As with every new car by a cutting-edge manufacturer, the whole world expects nothing less than extraordinary from the new Ferrari Purosangue. In that regard, I think this SUV has to have the lightest body in the business (possibly all carbon), best active aerodynamics, and an innovative suspension setup.

Ferrari already announced that the architecture supports hybrid powertrains and this means that the Purosangue may become the most efficient Ferrari ever (not that the company would praise on that a lot).

All in all, numerous innovations are needed for the creation of the lightest, fastest and the most agile SUV of all time. Ferrari will break many firsts in order to deliver the promised.

It Has To Forget That Its A Ferrari!

Mission: Satisfy lazy, rich people

"I abhor hearing SUV in the same sentence as Ferrari," CEO Louis Camilleri said at the presentation where Ferrari unveiled a plan for the next four years. "SUV just does not sit well with Ferrari."

Well, whether you call the Purosangue an SUV, a utility vehicle, a truck, or a crossover, one thing is for certain - it conforms to the guidelines of convenience, not dynamism and track abilities.

I am saying this because Ferrari engineers now have to come up with a way to provide a lot of room for people in the second row. They have to pay close attention to how the passengers enter there, where will they leave their luggage and their Starbucks coffee.

See the problem?

Hitting apex as fast as possible isnt Ferraris only preoccupation anymore. Now, the Maranello guys are thinking about phone chargers, easy entry, trunk capacity, and surroundings from a high ride position. Couple this with a hybrid system, lack of N/A V-12 and with, presumably, a lot of luxury, and you have yourself a convenience mobile instead of a kidney shattering, deafening, widowmaker.

Bonus thought that will never happen - What If The Purosangue Does Not Forget It Is A Ferrari?

Imagine this - the Ferrari Purosangue with a 6.5-liter, N/A, V-12 from the 812 Superfast, rear wheel-steering, rear biased AWD system, 800 or so horsepower, and performance that would beat the Tesla Model X off the line, and a Brabus-tuned GLEs top speed. All of that with the godly sound of a V-12 channeled through four-tailpipe exhausts. Now, that sounds more like a big Ferrari that would be loved by crowds. And one that would never ever pass EPA, WLTP, NDEC, or whatever.

PS:

Maserati Levante connection?

Nope. the Ferrari Purosangue will not have anything in common with the current Maserati Levante. It just cant.

Further reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Ferrari Purosangue.
From 17-19 September 2018, International Association for Ports and Harbours (IAPH) Vice-President in Africa, Mrs. Hadiza Bala Usman, hosted the first regional conference under the new IAPH constitution.

Held in Abuja, Nigeria, in the presence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and representatives of IMO, UNCTAD and the World Bank, the successful three-day conference focused on hinterland connectivity of African ports.

The event concluded with a highly attended Regional Meeting, during which VP Bala Usman and IAPH Managing Director Patrick Verhoeven interacted with present and potential African members. The meeting proposed to develop a strategic pan-African ports agenda under the World Ports Sustainability Program, outlining priority actions on infrastructure, operations and governance.

Presentations are available for downloading from the conference website.

Improved port infrastructure  pivotal to African economic growth

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, advocated for the effective deployment of improved port infrastructure across all countries within the continent in order to maximize maritime potentials within the territory.

Addressing participants at the Conference, Buhari submitted that the linkage of port operation to the hinterland by multi modal transport techniques would result in the commendable economic growth and improved standard of living of the people. He therefore charged participants to synergize and collaborate with one another.

According to the President, this inter-connectivity would infer in great enabling environment and frontier for competitive edges if well managed. He added that the availability of standard rail lines and effective road networks amongst others would result in plausible African prosperity across board: The same level of serious attention is being given the improved road infrastructure.

At the moment, 25 major highways and 44 roads are under construction across six geopolitical zones of the country just as we have insisted on the stimulation of activities on the inland waterways.

The President said that as part of the economic recovery growth plan of the government, the ease of doing business would help drive trade facilitation both in the nation, across Africa and by implication the world at large.

In his address, the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi urged participants at the Conference to optimize their comparative advantages in order to improve the welfare of the people.

He stated that Government is committed to the deployment of multi transportation modes of operation in the sector, by way of improved rail services and other supply chains to the Hinterland.

With the development of the inland dry port in Kano and Kaduna, with the direct rail connection also, cargoes and containers are easily transported to Northern Nigeria... We are partnering with the government of Niger Republic in the construction of Maradi from Kano to promote regional motivation of trade and inter connectivity.

Speaking at the Conference, the African Regional Vice President (IAPH), Hadiza Bala Usman who also is the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said that Africa definitely has a place of pride amidst the fact that 39 out of the 54 countries in the continent are endowed with littoral assets calling for optimal exploitation of these vast maritime dividends.

The NPA MD enjoined operators within the continent to imbibe best practices in the areas of speed of operation in service delivery as well as adopting of new techniques amongst others reiterated that IAPH from inception had helped promote port development across the world through Synergy and Collaboration for efficient and effective port operations and shipping activities.

Similarly, she stressed that members of the Association leverage on one anothers technical expertise in line with best practices pointing out that the use of barges, inland water ways, the efficient utilization of dry ports and the deployment of pipelines for the evacuation of cargoes across African ports and indeed the world over is the route to go should we want to compare within the comity of Nations.

Hadiza said: Organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO), The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD are here to avail us the opportunity to latest global practice and environment that exists for the development of Ports in Africa.

The Conference is a gathering of Technocrats, stakeholders and Operators in the world under one roof in attempt at proffering solutions to the many questions facing port operations globally but with specific consideration on matters concerning Hinterland Connectivity.

The Conferences areas of discussion include: Prioritization of effective policies, funding, Infrastructural Upgrade, Administrative Excellence, Blue Economy and Regional Integration. Others areas of coverage include: Operational Efficiency, Digital Infusion and ICT utilization, Trade Facilitation, Capacity Building, Revenue Generation and other areas of Best practices as may echo during the conference.

Communique of the African Regional Conference of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) in Abuja

Theme: African Ports & Hinterland Connectivity

Fundamental issues that arose from the Conference are:
The ATPCs David Luke: The ECA has received requests from a dozen countries and/or RECs for support in developing an AfCFTA country strategy

Potential of manufacturing and industrialization in Africa: trends, opportunities, and strategies (Brookings)

By 2030, business-to-business spending in manufacturing in Africa is projected to reach $666.3bn, $201.28bn more than in 2015. This report discussed the evolution and prospects of manufacturing and industrialization in Africa. It ultimately offers business leaders an overview of Africas biggest opportunities in the manufacturing sector, discussing trends, drivers, perspectives, and strategies for effective investment by 2030. It provides policymakers with some options likely to attract private investors, accelerate manufacturing and industrial development, and contribute to growth and poverty alleviation, facilitating the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Unions Agenda 2063. While policy solutions are likely to differ across countries, manufacturing and industrial development will be central to Africas ability to meet its development goals. Extract (pdf):

In order to compare and highlight some specific manufacturing investment opportunities, we first provide an overview of the 10 largest manufacturing markets in Africa  in terms of the current value of manufacturing output  across key indicators of market competitiveness. Figure 8 compares countries scores for the pay versus productivity of the labor force, quality of electricity supply, and quality of transport infrastructure, which is an average of the individual scores for the quality of roads, railroads, ports, and air transport infrastructure. Not surprisingly, those countries that score best across all three variables are also those with the largest and most well developed manufacturing sectors to date, namelySouth Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Kenya. At the same time, though, several frontier markets exhibit strong foundations for manufacturing investment, especially in terms of the value of the workforce. Using these data, we classify country cases in terms of the relative size of the manufacturing market and its competitiveness. The threshold for the size of the manufacturing market is drawn at about $10bn in annual output, while countries are considered to have highly competitive markets for investment if the average score across the three indicators summarized in Figure 8 is greater than or equal to three. The two-by-two categorization of these 10 countries is provided in Table 2. In the subsequent discussion, we select one country from each box - specifically, Morocco, Kenya, Zambia, and Nigeria - in order to discuss specific opportunities for investment in light of the unique structural and policy-related dynamics of each case. [The authors: Landry Signe, Chelsea Johnson]

IAPHs Abuja conference sets pan-African ports agenda: download the 20 presentations. Extracts from the IAPH communique:

Connectivity for economic growth, expansion and integration should be viewed from the perspective of domestic, sub-regional, continental and international trade domain; To overcome the cumbersome and difficult experiences on intra-Africa trade route, occasioned by heavy infrastructural deficit and unfriendly border post procedures, there is need for Ministerial/ inter-Government collaborations across sub and regional levels; African countries need to leverage on the support platforms provided by international bodies such as the IMO, WTO, UNCTAD, ACMA and others to build technical, financial and operational competence and capacity to raise standards and efficiency levels.

There is the need for sustained promotion of the ideals/ objectives of Corridor Management Institutions as promoted by ACMA; Need to consider measures aimed at sustainable environmental protection as the ports and transportation network develop in response to increasing demands of logistics, connectivity and regional integration; Countries need to look into the possibilities of partnering to develop regional deep-sea ports; The need for cooperation and synergy between littoral ports and dry ports in the African region to improve hinterland connectivity;

African medicines regulatory harmonization: Implementation Completion Report Review (World Bank)

The project was a regional operation that included six National Medicines Regulatory Authorities in the EAC region: Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda. The ICR concluded that harmonization of medicines registration is a long and complex undertaking that can be achieved only when all six countries adopt and utilize commonly agreed standards and processes. The Borrowers comments stated that the EAC Region has not yet harmonized its regulatory fee structures and guidelines, and that applicants are required to pay application fees according to the requirements of each of the individual EAC Partner States. [Download: Implementation completion and results report , June 2018]

Country updates:

Lesotho: AfDB posts an EOI for a feasibility study for a Special Economic Zone

The consulting firm will be expected to conduct a detailed literature review of previous studies on SEZs. They will also assess the status of industrial infrastructure development in Lesotho and the current infrastructure supply gap as well as conducting a review of the other eight industrial estates/parks in Lesotho, and the legal, regulatory and policy gaps for the development of SEZ in Lesotho based on lessons learned with SEZ-like programs within Lesotho and experience from Africa and Asia. Based on the assessment, the team will recommend a suitable park or SEZ to support diversification into agro industry and non-apparel manufacturing. [FinMark Trust: Mapping financial access points in Lesotho]

Kenya Revenue Authority: Imported plastic rice is raising concern (The Star)

Plastic rice from China is slowly finding its way into the country, an agency set up to fight counterfeits told a Senate committee yesterday. The senate committee for trade is set to place a ban on importation of food items following a report of re-emergence of plastic rice in Nairobis hotels. Senate Trade and Industrialisation committee chairman Charles Kibiru said the committee will recommend for restriction on all imported food items including fish, rice and sugar. The ban will block all food entering the country and only have importation when there is an emergency on food security or a deficit. This will also have to go through the Parliament, Kibiru said. [Ghana: Revenue Authority warns against importation of rice through inland borders]

Nigeria: FG to establish export trading company, says NEPC (The Guardian)

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to create an export trading company to replace the defunct commodity boards, to aggregate main agricultural produce such as palm oil, cocoa, cashew, groundnut, as well as semi-finished and finished products. Executive director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Segun Awolowo, disclosed this while delivering a lecture on Nigeria export trade: focusing on the chains and regulations organised by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture in Lagos, yesterday. The council said the proposed corporation, to be co-funded with private operators, would serve as a clearing house for commodity off-taking, quality control, price stabilisation and supply network for international and local industries. The Structural Adjustment Programme of the IMF, introduced by the Ibrahim Babangida-led military regime in 1986, suspended all commodity boards, leading to unorganised commodity aggregation and fluctuating prices and supplies. [Standards Organisation of Nigeria reviews standards to revive ailing paper industry]

Nigeria: State of States 2018 (pdf, BudgIT)

Lagos dropped from 2nd to 4th place on the Fiscal Sustainability Index notwithstanding the states scal advantage. Lagos Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), when compared with other states, is relatively high. Her IGR as at the end of 2016 was N287bn; higher than its 2015 level of N268.2bn. In 2017, the state planned a recurrent expenditure spending of N305bn or N25bn monthly. With its IGR not expected to grow signicantly above N300bn, and its share of FAAC revenue in the rst six months of 2017 at N6.6bn, Lagos is expected to meet its recurrent expenditure obligations. However, Lagos unusually high overhead costs and debts continue to weigh its revenue down. While the scal structure of states has improved on the back of increasing oil revenue, state governments need to tremendously embrace a high level of transparency and accountability, develop workable economic plans, take haircutsespecially on overheadsexpand their IGR base and cut down on debt accumulation. [Nigeria: IMF harps on structural reforms, non-oil revenue mobilization]

Nigerias gas pipeline: NNPC negotiating with Chinese lenders (Punch)

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation says it is concluding negotiations on terms of funding and payback structure for the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project with Chinese lenders. The 40-inch x 614km AKK gas pipeline is expected to cost about $2.8bn. While 85% of the money is expected to be provided by the financiers, including Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China and Infrastructure Bank of China with Sinosure, the remaining 15% will be provided by the contractors, which include Oilserve/Oando consortium and Brentex/China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau consortium. The AKK pipeline is designed to enable gas connectivity between the East, West and North, which is currently inadequate.

Rwanda: Agricultural exports grow by 44% to over Rwf447b (New Times)

Measuring Indias economy using PPPs shows it surpassed France 25 years ago (World Bank)

Earlier this summer, new data published by the World Bank showed that the GDP of India had recently surpassed that of France, and that it was on track to overtake the UK economy too. Many news outlets jumped upon this new ranking of Indias economy, now sixth from top. But most media articles did not mention that the World Banks other measure, which compares GDP across countries using purchasing power parities , has placed India ahead of both France and the UK for the last 25 years. [WBG Board endorses new India Country Partnership Framework]

Globally, youth are the largest poverty-stricken group, says new UN report

The new figures in the 2018 global Multidimensional Poverty Index show that in 104 primarily low- and middle-income countries, 662 million children are considered poor according to multiple different indicators. In 35 of these countries. Children account for at least 50% of the total. The 2018 MPI, produced by UNDP and the University of Oxfords Poverty and Human Development Initiative, provides the most comprehensive view of the many ways in which 1.3 billion people worldwide experience poverty in their daily lives.
Company Expands Fleet and Customizable Land Tour Options to Meet Increasing Demand For Travel To Croatia



(TRAVPR.COM) September 21st, 2018 - USA - Voted Best Croatian DMC in 2016 by the Croatian National Tourist Board, award-winning Katarina Line has announced its Fall 2018 trade show schedule. It features travel shows in Europe, including London and the Netherlands, as well as in Africa. Katarina Line will also be visiting partners in Australia and New Zealand, which represent an important part of their business. The expanded schedule reflects the increasing popularity of the companys small ship cruises and customizable land tours as Croatia tourism continues to grow.

According to Managing Director Daniel Hauptfeld, the shows offer a valuable opportunity to meet one-on-one with industry partners and to educate new agents on selling Croatia. With travel agents representing more than 98 per cent of their business, the company offers commissions that are among the highest in the industry.

Travelers from around the world are discovering the unique appeal of small ship cruising in the crystal blue waters of the Adriatic Sea, said Hauptfeld. Were also seeing more groups booking our wide range of customizable land tours that reveal Croatias historic cities, cultural heritage, and gastronomic tradition. They are rediscovering our stunning natural attractions, such as Plitvice Lakes National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Katarina Line can schedule meetings at the booth as well as before and after the trade shows. Representatives can also visit agents' office for a private presentation and to train its staff. Appointments can be made in advance by contacting Katarina Line at sales@katarina-line.hr or visiting www.katarina-line.com.

Fall 2018 Trade Show Schedule

After attending the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) in Edinburgh, Scotland on 18-21 September, Katarina Line will attend the TTG Travel Experience in Rimini, Italy, 10  12 October; the Kreuzfahrt Messe Munchen in Germany, 14 October; SKAL World Congress Mombasa, in Kenya, 12  21 October; and Travel Trade Workshop (TTW) in Zurich, Switzerland, 25 October.

In November, Katarina Line will attend the Global European Marketplace (GEM) in London, 1  2 November; followed by the Cruise Travel Fair in the Netherlands, 3  4 November; and the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, 5  7 November. They will participate in the Sell Croatia Workshop in Torino, Italy, 14 November; as well as Sell Croatia Workshop in Warsaw, Poland, also 14 November. The following week, they will attend TT in Warsaw, at the Palace of Culture and Science, 22  24 November.

In December, Katarina Line will attend Vakantiebeurs Sittard, in Limburg, Netherlands, 9 December.

Were very grateful for the support of the travel agent community worldwide and look forward to rewarding their loyalty with some of the most generous commissions in the industry, said Hauptfeld.

About Katarina Line

Katarina Line is a leading, award-winning DMC in Croatia and Croatias premier small ship cruise company with weekly guaranteed departures from the end of April to mid-October. It operates out of the major tourist centers of Opatija, Split and Dubrovnik. With a growing fleet of more than 60 ships in six different categories, the company serves more than 110,000 clients that include 30,000 cruise guests of all ages and budgets. Katarina Line itineraries give travelers the opportunity to explore the stunning natural environment and picturesque Mediterranean towns of Croatia while hopping from one island to another, offering guests unique opportunity to experience the true Croatia. The company enjoys an exceptional relationship with travel agents, which account for more than 98% of all bookings worldwide. Katarina line is a member of many different travel associations, including USTOA, ASTA, NTA, ACTA, RDA, STAN and ETOA. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-485-3121 or visit them online.

###
Public lands have been in the news a lot lately, but what exactly are they?

Well, the optimistic answer is the one supplied by Woody Guthrie:

"This land is your land, this land is my land

From the California to the New York island

From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters

This land was made for you and me"

But of course, we are a culture that feels a need to own things  so it's not that simple. That the private sector has the right to own land that was under the stewardship of people long before Europeans got here doesn't make much sense to me. But that's another story ... and this one is about public lands, which sounds slightly better. Land for all.

The federal government owns around 640 million acres of land in the United States, which equates to 28 percent of the country's 2.27 billion acres. As of 2015, 610.1 million acres of public land were administered by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, or U.S. Forest Service. All of those agencies are part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, except the Forest Service, which belongs to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Those millions of acres come in all shapes and sizes, from glorious national parks to secret scenic rivers. And since this is, ostensibly, the public's land ... it seems worthwhile to know what it all entails.

Note: This will not be a discussion of the very complicated (and maddening) politics about how public lands can be used. (Michelle Nijhuis wrote a good essay on the future of public lands under the current administration for The New Yorker, you can read it here. This is, rather, a straightforward explanation of what type of properties belong to the public.

National Parks

Yellowstone National Park was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872  it was the first national park in the United States. Now we have 59 big national parks, and more than 400 national parks in total.

Created by Congress, national parks are usually large swaths of land that protect a variety of resources, including natural and historic features. They are managed by the National Park Service and the goal is to keep landscapes protected while offering recreation opportunities.

There are also national preserves and other names that fall into the category  the National Park System has 28 different types of designations, but theyre all considered national parks.

National Forests

You might think that a national forest would mean that the land is off-limits to industry, but that is not the case. The Forest Service oversees 154 national forests, all under a "multiple use concept," meaning they are open to managed use for lumber, grazing, minerals, and recreation. National forests are often situated near national parks, which provide a good protective buffer zone.

National Wildlife Refuges

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge  the first wildlife refuge in the country. Now the Refuge System includes more than 560 sites, managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service with the aim of conserving our fish, wildlife and plants. Every state and U.S. territory has at least one; and there is at least one within an hour's drive of most major cities. Wildlife refuges see more than 47 million visitors each year, with recreation offerings like hiking, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing, hunting, fishing and more.

National Conservation Areas

National conservation areas are designated by Congress and offer scientific, cultural, historical and recreational features  examples include California's Lost Coast, King Range National Conservation Area, and Utah's Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. They are one of the parts of the Bureau of Land Management's National Conservation Lands, which include 873 federally recognized areas, comprising some 32 million acres, mostly in the western states.

National Monuments

Established in 1906, national monuments are created to protect a specific natural, cultural or historic feature. The Grand Canyon, Badlands and Zion all started off as national monuments before graduating to national parks. These areas come in a variety of categories, and thus can be managed by any of seven different agencies, both individually or jointly.

Wildernesses

Thank heavens for wilderness areas  pristine places generally untamed by humans. In the middle of the last century, the Wilderness Act of 1964 was established to allow Congress the ability to crate wilderness areas to ensure that the country's wild areas stay wild. These areas can be part of national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests or public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. We have roughly 680 wilderness areas, encompassing more than 106 million acres in 44 states. Long may they remain untamed.

National Historic Sites

In addition to the splendid national park landscapes that the National Park Service oversees, they also manage places of historical significance. These locations commemorate important people, events and activities in the history of the U.S., places like Lincoln's home or where the Constitution was written.

National Memorials

These are sites that pay homage to a specific person or tragic event, like the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

National Battlefields

National battlefields come in a variety of designations: national military park, national battlefield park, national battlefield site and national battlefield, but they all serve the same purpose of preserving this aspect of the country's history.

National Recreation Areas

There are 12 national recreation areas that are based on water-based recreation  like Lake Mead and the Delaware Water Gap. There is another five that are more like urban parks and are located near cities, these areas, like the Santa Monica Mountains, preserve open space and act as important natural areas for recreation.

Wild and Scenic Rivers

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 provides for various levels of protection classification for more than 200 rivers in 35 states and Puerto Rico  the goal? To preserve rivers and the land surrounding them in their natural state. Wild and scenic rivers must be free-flowing streams that haven't been dammed or altered in any fashion.

National Seashores and National Lakeshores

There are 10 protected national seashores, which obviously mean they are on the country's three coasts: The Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific. The four current national lakeshores are all on the Great Lakes.

National Trails

There are three types of national trails: Scenic, hiking, and recreation  established in 1968 when an act of Congress authorized the National Trails System Act. There are 11 national scenic trails  like the famous Appalachian National Scenic Trail. With a minimum requirement of 100 miles in length, the scenic trails alone comprise 18,753 miles of hiking potential. National historic trails are ones like the Pony Express National Historic Trail, which travels through eight states in homage to the American West.

Most of this information has come from the Department of the Interior archives, where you can get further information. And for more from TreeHugger, see the related stories below.
The public is invited. Doors will open at 6 p.m. After the lecture, there will be a question-and-answer session as well as a book signing. Metaxas books will be available for purchase.
shalender@tribune.com

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 20

Cement manufacturers of Himachal Pradesh are in a quandary. While the soaring high-speed diesel price is squeezing their margins, the state governments refusal to continue reimbursing levies on diesel through Form-C has put them in a tight spot.

The Form-C for diesel is being issued by several state governments to the industry to offset the state-level levies (value-added tax) on the fuel. While some states such as Himachal Pradesh say the compensation is irrelevant in the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, the industry is adamant on the ground that diesel is outside the ambit of the GST.

Diesel is used by Himachal Pradesh-based cement companies such as Ambuja Cements Ltd, ACC and Ultratech for various manufacturing processes, including mining, power generation and clinker activities.

As Himachal Pradesh do not have sufficient diesel to cater to the demand of industrial consumers, the industry imports the fuel from neighbouring states at the market rate including VAT, which makes it costlier by about 17 per cent. Earlier, the industrial consumer used to get the reimbursement through the Form-C. After the rollout of the GST, the state government stopped issuing the Form-C, which, the industry claims, is mandatory under the Central Sales Tax rules, and it is still applicable because the fuel is outside the purview of the GST.

A senior executive working for a cement major said they were incurring losses on a daily basis as they were forced to buy diesel from Haryana at market rates along with 17.22 per cent VAT. As diesel prices have also jumped significantly in last few months, the non-issuance of Form-C is adding to the manufacturing cost, he said. The industry require about 30-35 barrels (about 5,560 litres) diesel per month.

Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner Sanjay Bhardwaj said the government had received representations from various cement manufacturers such as ACL and Ultra Tech. The issue would be put up before the state government shortly, he said.

As the entire diesel for industrial consumption would be purchased from outside Himachal Pradesh, it would cause a revenue loss to the state. Therefore, all aspects would be weighted before the state government would take a decision, he said.

Manufacturers, however, said the state government should restore the Form-C in the light of the apex courts recent decision that allowed purchase of diesel for use in the mining activities at the rate of 2 per cent. The High Courts of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana have allowed assesses to purchase diesel against the Form-C, the manufacturers said.
editorial@tribune.com

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21

The NDA government ambitious plan to check air pollution in Delhi that is spread mainly due to stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana seems to be a distant dream as its proposed ethanol producing units are unlikely to be commissioned before 2020.

Official sources said the proposed first second generation (2G) ethanol bio-refinery by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd in Bathinda would take at least two years for completion after the award of the contract. State-run HPCL is yet to award the tender.

According to a recent official statement, which quoted Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the foundation stone of countrys 2G ethanol bio-refinery in Bathinda was laid on December 25, 2016.

A state government official said the foundation stone was laid when the SAD-BJP alliance was in power, but its progress has slowed since the Congress formed the government in the state in early 2017.

The plant was proposed to help the state government in managing the crop residue and prevent straw burning, a major cause of air pollution, particularly after the Kharif harvest in the winter. The paddy crop harvest normally takes place in October.

We are in process of allocating EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract to the vendor. For the purpose, we have already floated a tender and hope to allocate it very soon. Once operational, we will use over 400 tonnes of paddy straw per day in addition to other bio-mass. The plant will take at least two years to commence production after the award of contract, said a HPCL

official, who did not wish

to be named.

The situation in Haryana is also the same. Indian Oil Corporations (IOC) proposed 100 kilolitre per day capacity bio-refinery at Bohali village in Panipat is expected to be commissioned in September 2020. The Rs 1,000-crore project was announced in 2017.

The proposed plant at Panipat will deploy enzymatic hydrolysis process for production of ethanol. We expect the plant will be operation by September 2020. It will use 700 tonnes of paddy straw per day and produce 100 kilolitre of ethanol per day, a senior official in IOC said.

The HPCL has, however, signed an MoU with DBT-ICT (Institute of Chemical Technology) for supply of technology to its Bathinda unit, officials said.

It will use 400 tonnes of agriculture residue per day or 1.28 lakh tonnes of biomass as fuel and shall have a production capacity of around 100 KL ethanol per day and around 3.2 crore litres of ethanol annually. This will be enough to meet 26 per cent of the ethanol requirement of the state, said the company official.
shalender@tribune.com

Mumbai, September 20

The merger of Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank by the government poses short-term challenges like spurt in bad assets, but will be beneficial over a longer term, a report said on Thursday.

Slippages may increase in the short-term as recognition of non-performing assets is harmonised and accelerated, India Ratings said in a note.

Stating that it may take appropriate rating actions after the merger proposed earlier this week gets a formal approval, it said the combined entity will require significant bandwidth in the management for business growth and NPA resolutions.

Dena Banks lower capital buffers are offset by Vijaya Banks higher capital buffers, it said, adding that the merged bank may need additional tier 1 capital depending on internal accruals for FY19.

However, from a longer term perspective, the merger will be positive with benefits like reducing combined operating costs, lower funding cost and strengthened risk management practices, it said. The asset-liability mismatch issues at smaller banks (Vijaya & Dena) can be better addressed at the consolidated level, it said.  PTI
gspannu7@gmail.com

Melbourne, September 20

A woman Indian IT professional in New Zealand was allegedly duped by three men who took 33,000 dollars from her in return for work visas for jobs that did not exist, and is now facing deportation for violating visa norms, according to a media report Thursday.

Damanpreet Kaur said she paid two men over 18,000 dollars for a work visa and job last year and later 15,000 dollars to a Hamilton man for the same, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported.

She said that she had received a one-year open work visa after completing an IT course in Auckland in March 2016, but after it expired she had trouble getting a two-year work visa.

Kaur, in March 2017, was approached by two men who offered her an IT job in an internet cafe in Tauranga if she paid them 50,000 dollars.

They said the job would get her a work visa and help her to eventually get a residence visa.

Tauranga is most populous city in the the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the countrys fifth largest city.

A company was set up specifically to employ her in the internet cafe with the wife of one of the men named as the companys director and owner, Kaur was quoted as saying in the report.

She paid the two Tauranga men 18,000 dollars and a Hamilton man 15,000 dollars in installments, but later discovered that the internet cafe had no working computers and there was no job.

In both cases, Kaur said she received a two-year work visa that restricted her to employment by the company named on the visa, but found there was no job, the RNZ report said.

A depressed Kaur, wanting justice served on the men, had provided New Zealands immigration authorities details of her claims in the hope that it will allow her to stay in the country.

Her immigration adviser, Tuariki Delamere, urged the New Zealand government to crack down on the group, who he described as parasites.

Kaur has sent the Associate Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi a statement detailing the allegations, the report said.

According to RNZ, the Tauranga men denied the allegations while the Hamilton man didnt return phone calls.

Kaur said immigration officials had told her she could be served with a deportation notice because she was not working for the company specified on her current two-year work visa.

She said she was surviving by depending on money from her parents in India and support from her friends in New Zealand.

Kaur admitted to have broken immigration rules by paying for a job.

Its my mistake, I apologise... But I need one last chance from immigration, she was quoted as saying in the report.  PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

New York, September 21

Authorities in New Jersey have called for the resignation of a senior law enforcement official after a secret recording surfaced in which he allegedly made racist remarks about America's first Sikh-American Attorney General Gurbir Grewal over his turban.

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino allegedly made multiple controversial remarks in a Janaury 16 conversation that took place after Phil Murphy was inaugurated as governor of New Jersey, the recordings of which were obtained by WNYC.

In the audio, Saudino is heard saying that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy appointed Grewal because of "the turban".

"He didn't do that because of Bergen County; he did that because of the turban," Saudino said of Murphy's selection of Grewal, who at the time was the Bergen County prosecutor.

Grewal tweeted that he had listened to the recording.

"If that's in fact Sheriff Saudino's voice, then he should resign immediately, Grewal said.

Grewal further tweeted that he has "got thick skin and I've been called far worse. But the comments about the African-American community are wrong, racist, and hurtful. The comments about our Lieutenant Governor are inappropriate and homophobic. New Jersey and Bergen County deserve better."

In July this year, Grewal was racially targeted by two radio hosts who repeatedly called him the "turban man" on air.

Murphy is also called for the resignation of Saudino following the emergence of the secret recording.

In the available audio, Saudino, using expletives, says: " let the blacks come insmoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops..." On Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, he is heard asking if she is gay "Because she's never been married."

WNYC said in a report that the conversation was recorded on Januray 16, following Murphy's gubernatorial inauguration, which Saudino attended. The report quoted Murphy as saying that "without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office." He added that if indeed that is Saudino's voice on the recording, "he must resign."

A report in NJ.com said Saudino offered his "sincere apology to the people of Bergen County for the insensitive recorded remarks made public.

In a statement issued by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office Director of Communications, he said.

"In an effort to repair the damage to the friendships that I have built with these communities I have reached out directly to several respected leaders in the communities I have offended and I have personally offered my apologizes and I have asked for their forgiveness and for their communities' forgiveness.

Not commenting about the calls for his resignation, he said the remarks made by him "are not representative of the person that I am and they are in no way consistent with the manner in which I have conducted my life personally and as a law enforcement professional with over 46 years of service to the residents of Bergen County."

Sikh advocacy group Sikh Coalition condemned Saudino's comments, demanding that Saudino immediately apologise and resign from his position.

Tone at the top matters and we must hold our public officials accountable for this despicable bigotry. Law enforcement needs to provide trainings in order to restore trust and demonstrate that hate will not be tolerated," Sikh Coalition Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager Sim Singh said.

The Sikh Coalition also called for cultural awareness and anti-bias trainings for all staff employed by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office on behalf of the communities impacted by Saudino's remarks.

The group said the remarks by Saudino joins the line of racist moments that Grewal has experienced throughout his life. In July 2018, two New Jersey radio hosts faced severe backlash and criticism after they made disrespectful remarks about the Attorney General. Since becoming the first Sikh state Attorney General in the United States, AG Grewal is regularly subjected to death threats, the group added. PTI
shalender@tribune.com

Mayawatis alliance with the Ajit Jogi-led Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (CJC) in Chhattisgarh has caused shockwaves in the Congress-led Opposition camp that was banking on a BSP-partnered mahagathbandhan to help tide over the Modi challenge in 2019. There are allegations that the glacial pace of CBI cases against Mayawati may have encouraged her to plump for a third front that may compete with the mahagathbandhan for anti-BJP votes. The argument is buttressed by Mayawatis statement thanking the BJP for officially allotting her a mansion in Lucknow. Be that as it may, there are several other factors that may have made Mayawati appear like a party-pooper for a Congress-led alliance.

The first is Mayawatis reduced bargaining power after the BJP governments surprise decision to free the jailed radical Dalit activist from UP, Chandrashekhar. This move seeks to remove the impression of the Yogi government being tilted against the Dalits after the violence in Muzaffarnagar. But now that he is free, the youths radical zeal will compete with Mayawatis charisma among Dalits in UP. Mayawati is politically sagacious in trying to position herself as a pan-Indian Dalit leader by appearing to call the shots in alliances in the adjoining states of MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

The BSP leader can in fairness claim that her striking of a deal with the anti-Congress, anti-BJP Ajit Jogi is not out of the blue. She has tied up with the Chautala parivar-led INLD in Haryana and struck a successful alliance with the JD (S) in Karnataka. While she sacrificed her interests by supporting mahagathbandhan candidates in three Lok Sabha bypolls in UP, she now needs samaanjanak accommodation in any broad Opposition alliance. The Congress needs to watch out for other secular allies aligning with an emergent third front and consider their electoral costs. Mayawati may or may not have been motivated by extraneous considerations. But a mahagathbandhan needs to live up to its name by demonstratively indicating that it will fairly include all secular parties in its tent.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Rewari, September 21

Rewari has hit the headlines for wrong reasons yet again as two men hailing from Gujrat were allegedly intercepted, abducted, and robbed of whooping Rs 4.5 crores and dumped in the fields.

The duo, employees of P Vijay Kumar Company, Ahmadabad, were driving to Ahmedabad from Chandni Chowk last night and were attacked near Dharuhera by a dozen of armed robbers who came in three cars.

After robbing them of their cash, car and mobiles, they tied their hands and legs and threw them in the fields near Rajasthan border.

They somehow managed to reach a roadside dhaba and called the police.

According to the complaint filed by Karan Patel, who is a driver with the company, he along with the other employee, Gajender Rathore, was going to Ahmedabad from Delhi with companys Rs 4.5 crore in their Etios car.

We started from Chandni Chowk sometime after 7 pm. When we entered Haryana it was somewhere near Dharuhera, when my boss called us and minutes after his call I saw three cars trailing us. Within minutes they started cornering us. While one came in front the other pressed from the side and thid hit us from behind forcing us to stop. Around 12 men came out carrying rifles and pulled us out.

They were well aware of our travel plan and cash as they said they had been waiting for us. They took over our car, forced us to sit in another and after driving around for a while tied and threw us in the fields near Rajsthan border, he said.

As per the complaint, an FIR has been registered against unidentified robbers under Sections 395 (dacoity), 397 (dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) of the IPC and Section 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act at Dharuhera police station.

We have formed four special teams, including our cyber crime team, to nab the accused. We are also probing the need and legitimacy of carrying this amount of cash by road to Gujarat from Delhi, said Rahul Sharma, SP, Rewari.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Tribune

Chandigarh, September 21

Helicopter carrying Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala on Friday made an emergency landing at Gurugram.

All occupants on the chopper are safe.

Chautala had taken chopper from Delhi for Jind where he was to address some meetings.

However, immediately after taking off, the pilot told him that they have to make an emergency landing due to a technical snag.

When contacted, Chautala confirmed that his chopper had landed safely and he proceeded for Jind by road after that.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Panipat, September 21

The Punjab and Haryana High Court restrained the government from taking any coercive action against the Sarpanch of Manana village of Samalkha on September 19.

The HC passed these orders after hearing a petition filed by Sunita Devi, Sarpanch, challenging the recommendation of Health Minister Anil Vij who had ordered the registration of a criminal case against her for embezzlement of panchayat funds during a grievances committee meeting held here on August 31.

The Sarpanch approached the HC and sought direction to restrain the Haryana Government from taking any coercive action against her.

The HC restrained the government from taking any coercive action against petitioner Sunita Devi and also issued notice of motion for November 20.

Sandeep Rathi of Manana village had filed a complaint on the CM Window on August 23, 2017, against Sunita for involvement in allegedly misusing panchayat funds and the low quality of development work at the village.

Following the complaint, SDM, Samalkha, conducted an inquiry and found several anomalies in the development works there. DC Sumedha Kataria had also served show-cause notice to the Sarpanch in July on the basis of the inquiry report.

Then, the complainant raised the matter before Health Minister Anil Vij during the grievance committee meeting held on August 31. Vij had recommended the registration of a case against the Sarpanch.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Hisar, September 21

The Cyberabad Police have seized three SUVs, a revolver and Rs60 lakh from the residence of fraudster Radhey Shyam, a resident of Sishwal village, who operated multi-level marketing firm Future Maker Life Care Private Limited during its search operations here.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said here on Friday that the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Cyberabad Police had intensified the investigation in Future Maker Life Care Pvt Ltd (FMLC) fraud case. The police said the company had collected Rs3,000 crore across the country. The police had collected data of the accused who were involved in the case.

They seized Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavor, Jaguar, four laptops and six mobile phones, Rs60 lakh, a revolver (with 10 rounds) from Radhey Shyams residence in Hisar.

They had duped about 60 lakh people of Rs3,000 crore by online and offline marketing chain. The victims are mostly from Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha and from Telugu states.

The police said that Radhey Shyam had worked with the RCM (Right Concept Marketing) company for six years. He later joined hands with one Bhansilal who had worked as a compounder in hospital at that time. They hatched a plan to cheat people in the name of health products and multi-level marketing.

The money Circulation Scheme was there aim. They floated a scheme which is a binary system. This involves two members of the binary system (1: 2). One member in the team had to join two others and the chain continues. In this pyramid system only the persons who are on the top of the chain will make money, the Commissioner said.
How many access points it has was of less concern to commission Chairman Brian Carlson than the numbers of cars it would add to Stearns Road, he said. The intersection at Umbdenstock Road and Stearns does not have a traffic signal, he said, and Kane County officials have indicated they do not put to put one in at that junction.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 20

Even as workers expressed concern over the rise in petrol and diesel prices, the state executive of the BJP has prepared a roadmap to ensure that the party retains control over all four Lok Sabha seats that it had own in the 2014 polls.

The top brass of the party held a two-day brain-storming session to chalk out the partys strategy for the upcoming parliamentary polls. A political resolution was passed during the meeting which highlighted the achievements of both BJP-led Modi regime at the Centre and the Jai Ram government in Himachal.

The meet was attended by all senior leaders, including national organisational secretary Ram Lal, state BJP in-charge Mangal Pandey, CM Jai Ram Thakur, Union Health Minister JP Nadda, former CMs PK Dhumal and Shanta Kumar, state BJP president Satpal Singh Satti, MPs, ministers, MLAs and party functionaries.

Addressing the top brass of the BJP, Ram Lal urged workers to put up a united show to repeat the 2014 Lok Sabha performance. The party is united and there is prefect coordination between the party and the government, which will yield good results in the parliamentary polls, he said.

Lauding the Himachal model of strengthening the party at the booth level, Ram Lal said the experiment had been successful in the 2017 Assembly polls and was being replicated in other states. The BJP has desisted from indulging in politics of appeasement as for the party, India is one, he said.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the Modi regime had approved several projects worth Rs 6,500 crore for Himachal in nine months. The BJP-led NDA regime has been sympathetic towards the problems faced by Himachal and our genuine demands have been accepted, he said.

Thakur said his government had initiated several pro-people schemes and an effort had been made to bring administration close to the people. If, while being in the opposition, we could win all four Lok Sabha seats, I see no reason why we should not be able to repeat the feat when now we are in power, he said.

Later addressing the media, Randhir Sharma, former MLA and chief spokesperson, detailed the roadmap prepared by the party for Lok Sabha polls. Various party programmes have begun from September 17 and will carry on till January 30. Padyatras in each segment and gram pramukh sammelans in all Lok Sabha segments in the first week of October and later at the mandal level will be held, he stated. A run for unity would be held on October 31.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

New Delhi, September 21

A special court has granted two weeks to the Enforcement Directorate to respond to a plea of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh seeking certain documents in a money laundering case against him.

Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj directed the probe agency to file by October 5 its reply to the applications moved by Singh and other accused, including his wife Pratibha Singh and LIC agent Anand Chauhan.

Special public prosecutors N K Matta and Nitesh Rana, appearing for the ED, had sought six weeks from the court for filing the response.

However, the court said "the period of six weeks would be too long a date" and allowed two weeks.

During the proceedings, the copies of the applications moved by the accused persons were received by advocate Samvedna Verma on behalf of the ED.

In their applications, moved through senior advocate Rebecca John and advocate Tarannum Cheema, the accused persons have told the court that they have not received several documents filed with the charge sheet while many papers supplied to them were not readable.

Besides 83-year-old Singh and his 62-year-old wife, the others named as accused in the ED charge sheet, filed through advocate A R Aditya, include politician's son Vikramaditya, Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent Anand Chauhan and two other co-accused--Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach.

The case also involves Managing Director of Tarani Infrastructure, Vakamulla Chandrasekhar and one Ram Prakash Bhatia as accused.

In a separate case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the matter, the former Himachal Pradesh chief minister, his wife and Chauhan were charge sheeted along with others.

The CBI had claimed that Virbhadra Singh had amassed assets worth around Rs 10 crore which were disproportionate to his total income during his tenure as a Union Minister under UPA government.

The ED filed a case on the basis of the CBI case. The accused have denied all the allegations levelled against them. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, September 20

The High Court on Thursday issued notice to the state on a petition seeking probe from an independent agency like the CBI into the alleged murder of social activist from Sirmaur Kedar Singh Jindan.

A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel passed this order on a petition filed by the High Court Bar Association praying that the investigation in the case might be handed over to an independent agency or a high-level investigation team of the police other than Sirmaur district.

Issuing notice, the court further directed the Principal Secretary (Home), the DGP and SP, Sirmaur, to file their response within two weeks.

Contending on behalf of the Bar Association, its counsel Rajnish Maniktala argued before the court that deceased Jindan had been a member of the High Court Bar Association.

He had been taking up matters pertaining to various social evils, prevailing in society, especially in Sirmaur, and also raising voice against the violation of human rights.

Maniktala further contended that on September 7, the deceased had gone to a government office at Bakras in Shillai, Sirmaur, during the office hours.

He was beaten up by three persons in the office as a result he died. Thereafter, his body was dragged out of the office and one of the accused crushed it by a Scorpio.

It was further alleged in the petition that the police were immediately informed about the incident but it took more than 3 hours by the police to reach the spot.

The Bar Association also urged the court to direct the state authorities to provide job to a family member of the deceased and free education to his children.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 21

A labourer working with the Sandholi-based unit of Mondelez in Baddi died after he fell on a moulding machine on Friday. The deceased, Milkhi Ram, was taken to a private hospital, but was declared brought dead.

He was from the Sarkaghat area of Mandi district. The incident sparked a protest by Milkhi Rams co-workers, who struck work and raised slogans against the plant management.

They said the management had reduced the labour strength from 1,400 to 600 and despite asking for a helper for the past several days, the deceased was compelled to handle the machine alone.

The negligence on the part of the plant management has cost Milkhi Ram his life. Officials cleaned the moulding machine to remove crucial evidence before the arrival of the police, the workers alleged.

Police personnel were deployed outside the plant as well as the hospital, where the body of the deceased has been kept for postmortem.

The protesters demanded stern action against the management. SP Rani Bindu said a case under Sections 304-A, 34, 336 of the IPC had been registered against the plant management.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of Mondelez said, We are deeply saddened by the death of our colleague Milkhi Ram. Although he was immediately rushed to the hospital, he could not be saved. The company will extend all support to the family to help them cope with the loss.
editorial@tribune.com

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 20

The state recently announced the dates for the much-awaited urban local bodies and panchayat elections, but voters have been inconvenienced as the toll-free numbers given on the official website of the election department do not exist.

After the election announcement, people have been looking for their names in the voter lists on the website, but it does not have any information. The website has the toll-free numbers for all 22 districts of the state but 17 of them do not exist.

Interestingly, the main helpline number of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)  1950  also does not exist.

Candidates as well as tech-savvy voters have been approaching the election department for vital information but the phone numbers given on the official website are not there.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer announced the elections to the urban local bodies and panchayats on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, but the office is yet to update its website with valid toll-free numbers and the electoral rolls.

It is a clear violation of Section 4 of the Right to Information Act under which the department should have a proactive discloser. The department has neither updated its website with all the information and nor given valid contact numbers, said Raman Sharma, an RTI activist in Jammu.

In the age of digitalisation everything should have been updated on the website, including forms and guidelines for the candidates. The ward-wise voter lists for the urban local bodies and halka-wise for the panchayats should have been on the website after the election date was announced, Sharma said.

If the website is updated, it will make it easy for the voters and contestants to get information and will reduce the work pressure on the election officers.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 21

Three more militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit were killed in an encounter between security forces and terrorists on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, taking the number of ultras slain to five.

Police sources said two militants were killed on Thursday in the encounter that ended today.

"Two bodies of the terrorists have been recovered with their weapons," a police officer said.

"Three terrorists were killed on Friday although we are yet to recover their bodies. But we can see the bodies." According to the officer, the five belonged to a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) group that had probably infiltrated recently into the Kashmir Valley.

The Rashtriya Rifles, the special operations group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) started a cordon and search operation in Sumlar area on Thursday.

The hiding militants fired at the security forces, triggering the encounter.

"The firing stopped on Thursday evening but there was fresh firing from surviving terrorists in the morning on Friday," a police source said. With IANS


editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 20

The Supreme Court on Thursday said Dilbag Singh could continue as acting Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir till the Union Public Service Commission prepared a panel of three police officers for the appointment of a regular DGP by the state.

Giving a breather to the state government, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra asked it to provide in five days the requisite documents to the UPSC about senior police officers to be shortlisted for the post.

The Union Public Service Commission is supposed to examine relevant aspects, including merit and seniority of these officers, and shortlist in four weeks three names. The state government may then appoint an officer from the list as a regular DGP, it said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for former Director General of Police Prakash Singh on whose public interest litigation the judgment on police reforms had come in 2006, alleged that the appointment of the acting DGP in J&K was in violation of the judgment on various counts, including that Dilbag Singh was the seventh on the seniority list.

They have removed a DGP without following the procedure devised by the Supreme Court and the government should have appointed the senior-most person as acting DGP, he said, adding that his plea seeking contempt against the state government be listed for hearing.

On behalf of the state, Attorney General KK Venugopal opposed Bhushans submission and said the law and order and the ground situation of J&K was different from the rest of the country.

The Attorney General said the person shifted out from the DGP post had no problem and no other police officer had aired any grievance, but Bhushan who had filed the PIL had a problem. The ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not normal, Venugopal said.

We should not forget that this is Jammu and Kashmir. The law and order and security situation is unique and no other state has similar security requirements, states counsel M Shoeb Alam said.

The state government had on September 6 appointed Dilbag Singh as the acting police chief, replacing SP Vaid, who was posted as transport commissioner.

The J&K Government had requested the Supreme Court to modify its July 3 order which effectively banned appointment of acting DGPs and made it mandatory for states to send a list of three senior-most IPS officers to the UPSC for clearance before appointing a DGP.
editorial@tribune.com

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Batagund (Shopian), Sept21

The only Hindu (Rajput) family living in Batagund village of Shopian for the last several decades had remained untouched by violence till Friday.

On Thursday, when Special Police Officer (SPO) Kulwant Singh, 35, returned home from work at Batagund village of Shopian, his mother could sense his anxiety.

But he did not talk about it as he spent time with his daughter Shubam, 8, and his son, Yudhvir, 12.

At 6.30 am on Friday, Kulwants mother Pushpa Devi, 65, was making rotis for breakfast when two gunmen knocked on their door and asked for Kulwant.

They took Kulwant out of the bed. They asked him where was he working and posted. He answered that he was an SPO but had resigned, said Pushpa Devi, while she was being consoled by her Muslim neighbours.

Kulwant told them that by 4 pm he will show them the proof that he had resigned and was running a garment shop. But he was not given that chance. I ran after him bare feet, but they didnt listen and took him away, she said.

Minutes after Kulwant was kidnapped by militants, he was found dead along with two other policemen from adjacent villages in the fields.

As Kulwants body lay in the lawn of a two-storey house on a stretcher, Muslim neighbours made all preparations for his last rites and mourned his death. Kulwants father and his wife had gone to Jammu to pay condolences to the family of their relative who died a few days ago.

His father and wife are on their way from Jammu. Kulwants wife, Sweety, does not know what tragedy has befallen her and her two children, said Pushpa Devi, adding that her son was working with the police department for the past more than a decade.

Kulwants father, Dhrub Dev Singh, has been living in Shopian for decades among his Muslim neighbours.

We stood by all neighbours. They have also been kind and helpful to us. Today, when my son was being taken, a Muslim neighbour begged the gunmen to leave him but they did not listen to him. Others also pleaded to them to spare my son, said Pushpa.

Pushpa Devisaid the family was always loved and pampered by the villagers and never felt the need to leave the Valley even during the turbulent 1990s.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 21

Three policemen were kidnapped from their homes in south Kashmirs Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen on Friday, police said as a new page opened up in the three-decade chapter of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Hizbul Mujahideen is believed to be responsible for the killings, which also shook the 1.2 lakh-strong Jammu and Kashmir Police force with at least six special police officers (SPOs) announcing their resignations on social media, officials said.

The bodies of the slain policemen--identified as constable Nissar Ahmed and special police officers Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh--were found in an orchard across a river, they said.

A video purportedly from the Hizbul Mujahideen had warned all Kashmiri residents working as SPOs to tender their resignations.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani termed the incident cowardice and said the militants are desperate as they are feeling the heat from security forces.

We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike. Our tribute to the three martyred jawans. We will soon bring all the culprits before law, he added.

The three policemen were kidnapped early on Friday morning from their homes at Batagund and Kapran villages, police said.

The residents of Batagund village chased the militants and pleaded with them not to kidnap the men. The kidnappers fired shots in the air and threatened the villagers, officials said.

The militants crossed a river in the area and shot them dead, the officials added.

A post on a Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group claimed responsibility for the incident. Security agencies also believe that Hizb militants are behind the killings.

The kidnapping of the policemen from their homes and the killing is the first in the three decades of militancy in the state. Earlier, policemen have been targeted on the road or during their duties.

The killings are believed to have triggered panic in the lower ranks of the police department with at least six policemen resigning. Two of them issued video messages dissociating themselves from the force.

My name is Irshad Ahmad Baba and I was working as a constable in the police. I have rendered my resignation, said one of them in a video being widely circulated on social media here.

Tajalla Hussain Lone, an SPO, said he had resigned from the police department on September 17 and was issuing the video to put to rest any doubts that he had done so.

Police refused to comment on the resignations, saying they would verify the information.

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo has repeatedly warned local policemen, especially SPOs, telling them to resign from the force, saying the government is using them.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti expressed her outrage on Twitter.

Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims, she said.

The Centres muscular policy, she added, was not working at all with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families.

Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now, she tweeted.

The policemen were kidnapped nearly three weeks after militants kidnapped relatives of policemen from various places in south Kashmir on August 30. The relatives were later released.

At least eight people whose relatives worked in Jammu and Kashmir Police were kidnapped.

Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the kidnappings in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of miltants who were in police custody.

The latest round of killings comes soon after elections to panchayats and urban local bodies were announced.

'Propaganda'

The Home Ministry denied reports of policemen resigning.

Reports have appeared in a section of media that some special police officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police force has confirmed that these reports are "untrue and motivated", the ministry said in a statement.

"These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements," it said. PTI
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 21)  President Rodrigo Duterte seems to have found an unlikely ally in the Trump administration after he welcomed the U.S. government's sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This, after U.S. national security adviser John Bolton announced Monday that they will ban the ICC financial system and prosecute the international court in the U.S. criminal system.

"Good that there is an international pressure sa ICC kasi ni-b******* kasi nila Bolton," Duterte said in a speech at the 12th activation anniversary of the Philippine Army's Mechanized Infantry Division Friday.

Duterte, however, said he pioneered the attacks against the international court.

"He has criticized ang ICC. Pero ngayon na lang. If you'd notice, hindi naman ako nagyayabang. Tayo ang nauna, hindi ako pumayag, ni-b******* ko sabi ko p****** ninyo," Duterte explained.

[Translation: He has criticized the ICC, but just now. If you notice, I'm not boasting, but we were first. I did not allow them, I b****** them and said ******* you.]

Duterte had announced withdrawal from the ICC in March. But the Philippines remains a part of the Rome Statute, the law which establishes the ICC, until a year after the pullout.

The President developed strained ties with the court after the latter said they will investigate the spate of drug-related killings in the country. There are two communications filed before the ICC complaining against Duterte.

READ: Drug war victims' relatives seek Duterte's arrest in complaint before ICC

READ: Lawyer asks international court to look into 'mass murder' in PH

Duterte, however, remained unfazed.

"I only bow to the Philippine people," he said.
John Heiderscheidt, the districts director of safety and culture, said the difference between the Coleman and Kenyon Woods incidents is where the mold was found. The mold found in Coleman was in common areas like hallways, shared by several students and staff. Heiderscheidt said workers can conduct mold remediation and testing in the classrooms at Kenyon Woods without interfering with the rest of the school.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, September 21

The Home Ministry said on Friday no policeman has resigned in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the killing of three police personnel by the militant Hizbul Mujahideen.

Reports have appeared in a section of media that some special police officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police force has confirmed that these reports are "untrue and motivated", the ministry said in a statement.

"These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements," it said.

The three policemen were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir's Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen, police said. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 21

The successful conduct of the urban local bodies and panchayat elections could facilitate the flow of Rs 1,000-crore Central funds annually for developmental activities in the state.

Official sources in the planning department said the funds could be higher with each panchayat and urban local body receiving additional performance grants apart from the basic grants when the corporators and sarpanches are elected.

Under the 14th Finance Commission (2015-2020), the Centre had allocated Rs 4,161 crore but the money remained blocked due to the rider by the Union Finance Ministry that only the elected urban local bodies and rural local bodies (panchayati raj institutions) will get the grant to strengthen the grassroots democratic institutions.

The Finance Commission had proposed Rs 3,117.36 crore for the rural local bodies (panchayats) and Rs 1,044.51 crore for the urban local bodies.

To understand what the state has lost due to the delay, it is important to visit the villages. Basic infrastructure such as roads and lanes are in a bad state due to the shortage of funds. For small works in rural areas, we have to approach the MLA or the Deputy Commissioner who mostly allocate on favouritism, alleged Dev Raj, former sarpanch of Baspur Bangla village in RS Pura. He was the sarpanch from 2001 to 2011.

Although mainstream political parties like the Peoples Democratic Party and the National Conference have boycotted the elections, people are looking forward to taking part in the polls.

The BJP is hoping to get a fresh lease of life through the elections in the state.

Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, Harsh Dev Singh said: The delay in the elections has affected the democratic process in the state. The municipalities and committees have no funds. People should participate in the election process in high numbers as funds from 2015 onwards have already got lapsed.

There are a total of 1,145 wards and 16,97,291 voters in the municipal corporations of Jammu and Srinagar and councils and committees across the state. There are a total of 316 panchayat blocks with 4,490 panchayat halqas. The elections will be held to 35,096 panch constituencies and 58,12,429 eligible voters. The total electorate in Jammu and Kashmir is 75,09,720.

Unless the institutions are there, the funds cannot be utilised. People are suffering because the elected civic institutions are not there, said Shafiq Mir, former sarpanch from Rajouri.

The urban local bodies elections were held in 2005 under the PDP-Congress government led by late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. They completed their term in 2010.

The panchayat elections were held in 2011 when Omar Abdullah was heading the National Conference-Congress government and the panchayats completed their term in 2016.

Lapse in grants
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Srinagar, September 21

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan was bad news as both the countries owed it to the people of the state to carry on the dialogue.

Calling off meeting between India & Paks FMs is bad news for J&K. Both countries owe it to people of state & country to carry on dialogue rather than talking through media. Inspite of a historic mandate, it is media & not NDA leadership that is setting the agenda, Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

Barely 24 hours after agreeing to the engagement, the government on Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

Announcing the cancellation of the meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the incidents exposed the true face of Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabads evil agenda behind the proposal for talks. He added that talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless.

Mehbooba had earlier welcomed the proposed meeting between the two foreign ministers.

Accepting peace overtures of Pakistans PM Imran Khan by agreeing to a meeting between India & Pakistans Foreign Ministers is a welcome step. Even though it has come towards the fag end of NDAs tenure, better late than never, she had earlier said on Twitter. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 21

The J&K Police have lost 37 policemen this year, the highest in past 12 years. The figure is much higher than the last years 32 fatalities.

The slain include 29 regular policemen and eight Special Police Officers  the low paid part-time employees of the J&K Police. In 2006, 78 policemen and SPOs were killed.

The police said a majority of the policemen have been killed this year either at homes or at vulnerable places, and not during any anti-militancy operation.

While senior police officials said the attacks on policemen were act of desperation on part of militants, there was a serious concern among the policemen about the attacks.

Policemen, especially those hailing from south Kashmir, have been advised to visit home in times of emergency only. But the latest killings three policemen  two regular employees of the police and one SPO  at Shopian on Friday clearly indicate that they continue to go to homes in high-risk militancy-hit areas.

How can one avoid home? asked a police official from Shopian district. In the past month, 10 policemen have been killed in south Kashmir districts. There are constant threats but one has to go home.

J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said the latest killings were an act of desperation on the part of the militant outfits. In the recent months, the police have conducted several successful operations against the militants. They (militants) target the police officers because they are soft targets," he said.
shalender@tribune.com

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who has impressed the audience and critics alike with two back-to-back films, Gali Guleiyan and Love Sonia, says he doesnt let appreciation or criticism affect him. Manoj remembered his journey right from his early theatre days to his National Award-winning breakthrough on the big screen on Tata Sky Acting Adda recently.

On handling rejection during his struggling days, Manoj said: I believe a dream that doesnt let you sleep is worth living for. I do not let the opinions of others affect me. If a person praises my work, I humbly thank them and remain grounded. Similarly, if a person criticises my work, I dont take it too seriously. It is important to steer clear of feelings that depress you or bring you down. And, I do not give anyone the right to erupt these feelings in me.

The actor, known for movies like Satya, Shool, Gangs Of Wasseypur and Shahid, is known to seamlessly bring his own characteristics to his roles. When I started my acting career, the concept of a casting director did not exist. I would learn poems or stories and act them out for directors during their lunch hour. This constantly kept me in practice and helped me improve my skill as an actor, he added.  IANS
traineesubeditor@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, September 21

Once he is on screen, the characters Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays feel like his second skin, inseparable from his psyche.

But the actor says after playing the title role in Saadat Hasan Manto's biopic, a part of the famed short-story writer still lives inside him; a quality he imbibed - not to be judgemental.

Siddiqui believes every time one takes up a character, it adds something to the personality of the actor but also takes something away from them.

"I feel an actor should be like water. They should take the shape of the character when poured inside the mould What I learnt from Manto is that he never judged anyone, not even the ones in his stories.

"He always managed to find something admirable, especially in those people whom the society had rejected. I will always cherish this gift by Manto that you shouldn't judge anybody. You never know what heights they end up achieving one day, the actor told PTI in an interview.

Asked what Manto took away from him, Siddiqui says the writer robbed him of his ability to put up a facade so much so that he was haunted by the habit of speaking the truth, even 15 days after he wrapped up the shooting for the Nandita Das-directed film, which released today.

"I called up Nandita and said, 'Pull him out of me!'. It was during this time that I had become more truthful than I usually am. Many mishaps also happened with me during that period.

"I eventually realised it would be best to get all of Manto's truthfulness out of me. He took a lot of bad qualities away from me in those 15 days, but I snatched back all of that. I thought: 'It's better for me to be a liar. I have got in so much trouble because of you, Manto', he says.

The news that Siddiqui charged a token Rs 1 fee from Das is viral on social media and the actor says it was a decision he took from the heart.

"You do a lot of films for money and then there are some you do for yourself. Can you decide a fee for that?" he asks.

With the phenomenal success of "Sacred Games", Siddiqui's fans seem to have tasted blood and the actor hopes the response to the Netflix India Original series, which has been renewed for a second season, will carry the momentum for "Manto" forward.

In "Sacred Games", while frequent collaborator Anurag Kashyap helmed portions of Siddiqui's local goon-turned-mafia overlord Ganesh Gaitonde, co-director Vikramaditya Motwane shot parts with Saif Ali Khan, who plays Sartaj Singh, an honest Mumbai cop trying to find his feet in the profession.

Looking at Manto and Gaintonde, the journey of both the parts was shaped by unforgettable, important female characters.

If the writer had mother Sardar Begum, wife Safiya and contemporary Ismat Chughtai among others by his side, Siddiqui's gangster had the support of girlfriend Kukkoo, wife Subhadra and Kanta Bai as his voice of reason.

The actor explains, "Manto was very close to the women in his life. Safiya was one of his first readers and she was a harsh critic too. He considered her a sharp mind. He never treated Safiya just as his wife; she was first a human being for him. And largely too, Manto never thought of women as wives, sisters and daughters. They were humans for him first, like anybody else.

"Whereas Gaitonde had dedicated his everything to the women in his life. In the beginning, he treated them badly but perhaps he gradually realised his misbehaviour and changes it. But as he started getting closer to them, he started losing them."

"Manto" also stars Rasika Dugal, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Neeraj Kabi, Divya Dutta, Ranvir Shorey and Rishi Kapoor.  PTI.
rajivbhatia82@gmail.com

Johnson Thomas

Denzel Washington is probably getting restive given that theres not that many roles suited to his specific talents coming up  so this attempt at a sequel with favourite director Antoine Fuqua is quite understandable.

The Equaliser 2 may not appear to be a necessary addition to the thriller sweepstakes but its an altogether satisfying one, nevertheless. Here, Washington reprises his role as Robert McCall, ex-CIA agent and dead to his colleagues, becoming a Lyft driver and flirting with vigilantism on the side.

This may sound like a regular regurgitated revenge action thriller but its not that easily slotted. Here the central character is a Zen-like individual who lives a very common, unadorned life mixing with regular people and trying to do his bit to make their lives violence free. For that, he is willing to go to any lengths and that includes using his CIA training and skill sets to threaten those who do harm to his acquaintances, friends and loved ones. He is a saviour of sorts and that is what makes him special.

When his close friend, former CIA handler, Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) gets murdered in Belgium, he sets up a chase that exposes the inside job, nabbing his kills while in the midst of a hurricane. Fuquas clean, uncluttered narrative and deliberate pacing allows for inveigling engagement. The camerawork and background score aptly convey the monk-like ethos of the central character. And Washington is imposing enough to make it all look convincing!
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Islamabad, September 21

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday expressed disappointment at India calling off a meeting between him and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York and alleged that internal pressure forced New Delhi to make the unfortunate move.

India cited the brutal killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani for cancelling the meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month.

Qureshi expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the foreign minister-level talks, saying it was unfortunate. It is unfortunate that India has not given a positive response. Indian has once again wasted an opportunity for peace, Qureshi told the media here.

He said that it was important to sit and talk for the sake of peace and stability in the region.

The refusal of India shows that Indian government is facing internal pressure, he said.

It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year, Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

He said Pakistan sincerely wants resolution of all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, with India through negotiations.

Pakistan has always extended an olive branch to India for the resolution of problems and enhancing bilateral ties in an amicable manner, but New Delhi does not come out of its internal politics, state-run Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying.

The minister said Pakistan can only wish India to come to the negotiating table, but we can neither pressurise anybody nor will accept the same for this purpose. Qureshi said the world wants connectivity and promote regional trade, but India is creating problems.

He said Indias stubbornness is also adversely affecting future of the SAARC countries, the Radio Pakistan report said.

But, Qureshi reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue.

We said that we want dialogue - but in a dignified manner, he added.

Announcing the cancellation of the New York meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in New Delhi that the incidents exposed the true face of Pakistans new Prime Minister Imran Khan to the world as well as Islamabads evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways, Kumar said.

He noted that two deeply disturbing developments have taken place since yesterdays announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, he said.

Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless.

Former High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit said he was surprised by Indias move as New Delhi should not have agreed for it in the first place due to forthcoming elections but after agreeing for a meeting it was more surprising that it backed out.

Former advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz said that it was unfortunate that India cancelled the meeting as it would have created an environment for peace.

Former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri said the cancellation reminded him of the Agra summit when everything was ready for joint statement but India backed out at the last minute. PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Chennai, September 21

A bus belonging to IndiGo Airlines caught fire at the airport here while ferrying passengers of a domestic in-bound flight, according to airport officials.

No one was injured in the incident Thursday as the fire was doused immediately, they said.

The bus caught fire when it was nearing the arrival point with about 50 passengers on board.

Preliminary assessment indicated "not much damage" either to the interiors or the exteriors of the bus, the officials said.

Authorities are looking into the incident. PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

United Nations, September 21

While India has taken tremendous strides in combating poverty in the past decade, Muslims, members of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Dalits saw the most progress in reducing the impact of poverty, according to data compiled in a UN project.

The "very positive trend" during the decade between 2005-06 and 2015-16 in India is that "the poorest are catching up", Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHDI), said on Thursday at the presentation of the 2018 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) here.

The MPI prepared by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the OPHDI, takes into account various indicators of development rather than just income and aligns them to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while serving as a measure of the intensity of poverty felt by different groups.

While ST members were still the poorest group, they have seen the fastest reduction in MPI, as have the Dalits, Alkire said.

Explaining it, Diego Zavaleta Reyles from OPHDI told IANS that the average number of deprivations or "the intensity of their poverty" measured by the MPI fell for these groups even though the proportion of poor people in these categories was relatively the same or unchanged.

Between 2006 and 2016, the MPI of the STs came down from 0.447 to 0.229 even though the percentage had fallen only from 79.8 to 50 during the decade, according to OPHDI data.

During the same period, the MPI of Dalits fell from 0.338 to 0.145 while the percentage of poor came down from 65 to 32.9.

"If we look at the religious groups, the Muslims are the poorest and they again had the fastest reduction in MPI," Alkire said.

While MPI for Muslims was 0.331 in 2006, it fell to 0.144 in 2016, and the percentage of the poor in the community came down from 60.3 per cent to 31.1 per cent.

Nationally, 54.7 per cent of the people in all groups taken together were poor in 2006, but only 27.5 per cent in 2016, and the MPI came down from 0.279 to 0.121, the data show.

In terms of numbers, 271 million people had moved out of poverty during the decade, with the number of poor people coming down 635 million in 2005-06 to 364 million according to the MPI standards.

But "we are seeing a shift of global proportions occurring in India over a 10-year period and that is really encouraging", Alkire said.

India is the only country for which changes of this magnitude are taking place at this time, she added.

Bihar remains the poorest state, but along with other high-poverty states - Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhatisgarh - had the fastest reduction in multi-dimensional poverty, she said.

In spite of the progress, these states still remain the poorest.

Among age groups, children, who are still the poorest, saw the fastest reduction in MPI, she said.

Such reduction in poverty among these groups or states did had not happened in India in the earlier periods according to a previous study for the period 1998-1999 to 2005-06, she said.

UNDP Administrator Adam Steiner said that when governments start looking carefully at who the poor are and where they are, the analysis leads to programmes that help the poorest of the poor, whether by ethnicity, religion or geography, and results like those in India can be achieved.

Traditional poverty measures - often calculated by numbers of people who earn less than $1.90 a day - shed light on how little people earn but not on whether or how they experience poverty in their day-to-day lives, according to UNDP.

On the other hand, MPI takes into account health, education and living standards in areas like access to clean water, sanitation, nutrition and primary education, with those lacking in at least a third of these defined as multi-dimensionally poor.

According to the income-based measurement, only 270 million Indians are considered poor but according to the MPI standards a far larger number - 364 million -- were categorised as multi-dimensionally poor in 2016. IANS
Will a hefty toll discourage drivers from using the bridge or will commuters use it to shorten their drive despite the cost? Those opposing the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge can only hope that harm to the environment is not as great as they expect, that their children can safely travel to and from school, and that their properties will hold their values.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 21

Within 24 hours of announcement of acceptance of the offer of talks from Pakistan, India on Friday cancelled them. The two foreign ministers, Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, were to meet along the sidelines of the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) session in New York next week.

Read: India calling off Foreign Minister-level meet unfortunate: Qureshi

This after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposing talks to discuss all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.

Sad to see India backing off from FM level talks. Mutual reservations could have been placed on the table. Kashmiris face only disappointment on #InternationalDayOfPeace PM @ImranKhanPTI's outstanding peace overture negated in their usual belligerant manner  Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) September 21, 2018

Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistans proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, its evil agenda stands exposed. The true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office.

Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless, said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar announcing cancellation of talks.

Earlier, the MEA spokesperson had stressed that the New York meeting should be seen only as a meeting and not as a dialogue or as resumption of structured talks and there was no change in Indias stated position of talks and terror cannot go together.

Subsequently India in its reasons for cancellation of the meeting today has cited two deeply disturbing developments including recent brutal throat slitting of a BSF jawan and release of postal stamps glorifying a terrorist referring to Burhan Wani for suspension of talks.

The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of twenty postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways, said Kumar stating that it was not in line with the spirit reflected in the letters from the new prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan.

However, BSF jawan Narendras Singh mutilated body was found near the international border in Jammu reportedly on September 18, two days prior to announcement of talks.

The postal stamps were reportedly released before the Pakistan general elections in July this year.

Reacting to Indias decision, Pakistani Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry called it a puerile statement.

It seems that the Indian government is divided on the issue of negotiations  have never seen such a puerile statement given by any Foreign Office. The world is watching: Pakistan stands for peace while Indian policies are being guided by extremist ideologies, wrote Chaudhry on Twitter.

Sources suggest that the fresh killings of police personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and public reaction to announcement of talks is also a prime trigger for New Delhis decision.

The Modi government previously called off foreign secretary and foreign minister-level talks in 2014 and 2015 too on different grounds.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Kolkata/New Delhi, September 21

A political row broke out on Friday over the UGC communication to varsities to observe September 29 as Surgical Strike Day with the ruling TMC in West Bengal saying it will not be followed in the state and joined the Congress to allege the move was part of BJPs political agenda but the Centre asserted this reflected patriotism and not politics.

The Centre, however, said it is not compulsory for the universities and the higher educational institutions to celebrate the second anniversary of the surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

An advisory not a direction has been issued to universities, said Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar.

Talk sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and visit to exhibitions are among the prescribed events by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the celebration.

Colleges have been asked to organise parades by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and lectures by ex-Army officers.

On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) as a response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month.

The Army had said its special forces inflicted significant casualties on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.

West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee criticised the BJP-led Central Government for trying to malign and politicise the Army and said educational institutes will not abide by UGCs directive.

This is an agenda of the BJP and it is trying to push this agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda. We wont abide by the directions of UGC, Chatterjee told reporters in Kolkata.

We would have understood it had they asked us to observe the day in the name of sacrifices made by our soldiers. We have full respect for our soldiers and their sacrifices.

The Indian Army has always been kept above politics and controversies. But now we are seeing that the BJP is trying to malign and politicise the Indian Army. This is not right and we wont support it, Chatterjee said.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the TMC government has made it a practice to oppose each and every decision of the Centre.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal sarcastically asked whether the UGC would dare to celebrate November 8, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as surgical strike day.

UGC directs VCs of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJPs political ends? Sibal tweeted.

Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihoods? This another jumla! the former Union HRD minister said.

Javadekar said the UGC communication reflected patriotism, not politics, and it is not compulsory for the academic institutions to organise any such event.

Javadekar, a senior BJP leader, rejected the criticism by opposition parties as absolutely ridiculous and false.

He told reporters in Delhi the ruling BJP differed with the Congress as it only gave advice to institutes to follow a programme while the opposition party made its decisions compulsory when it was in power.

Where is politics? This is not politics but patriotism, Javadekar said, adding that students needed to be informed about the surgical strikes, and military and civil works soldiers do.

He claimed that students and institutes had made suggestions that the second anniversary of surgical strikes should be observed.

Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime.  PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Noida (UP), September 21

Two private security guards of a bank were killed on Friday allegedly by unidentified assailants in a loot attempt in Noida city, police said.

The incident took place early in the morning when the guards were on duty at the Punjab National Bank's Circle Office branch in Sector 1, they said.

"It appears that the two security guards were hit on their head by sharp objects, which led to their death," Circle Officer, City 1st, Avneesh Kumar told PTI.

"No robbery has been reported although the crime appears to be a robbery attempt at the bank," he said.

The deceased have been identified as Mudrika Prasad, around 50, and Mukesh, around 35, according to a police official.

The bodies have been sent for post mortem, said the official from Sector 20 police station, which is probing the matter.

An investigation is underway to identify the culprits, Kumar said.

Phone calls for response to the PNB branch concerned went unanswered till the time the report was filed. PTI
harinder@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 20

A month after the police raided a factory manufacturing spurious milk products and supplying these to various Punjab districts and neighbouring states, the referral food testing laboratory in Ghaziabad has established that eight out of 11 milk and milk product (MMP) samples seized are unfit for human consumption.

As many as 100 sweet shops and dairy owners got regular supply of paneer, ghee and butter from Singla Milk Chilling Centre in Mehon village, near Devigarh in Patiala, which was raided on August 16 by the Patiala police.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner and Mission Tandarust Director Kahan Singh Pannu said test reports had confirmed that paneer and ghee unfit for humans was being manufactured. He (the owner) could face penalty as high as Rs 15 lakh and his food licence would be cancelled.

According to District Health Officer Krishan Singh, the report has found three samples of milk, one each of paneer, butter, desi ghee and cow ghee to be sub-standard and unfit for human consumption.

Interestingly, samples taken from the same centre during previous raids had passed tests at the same lab in the past three years.

Police officials who interrogated the accused factory owner, Anil Kumar Singla, claimed he had struck a Rs 15,000 deal with health officials for each sample collected in the August raid.

Patiala SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said a fortnight before Diwali in 2015, some shops sourcing milk products from the accused were raided in the Arya Samaj area of the town by the local police and health officials.

Health officials also collected samples in 2017 from Singla Milk Chilling Centre. All paneer and milk samples passed the tests at the state lab, he said, adding that they had raided the unit after getting specific inputs that the unit used chemicals and detergents to manufacture spurious paneer and ghee.

The latest report also found the centre guilty of selling misbranded desi ghee and cow ghee. Those giving false description about the nature or substance of a product, or promising false guarantee, are liable to pay a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh.

In August, the police had exposed how adulterated paneer was allegedly making its way into local markets in connivance with health officials for Rs 5,000 per month. Also, these officials charged Rs 10,000 for each food sample promising a favourable lab report. The Punjab Health Department is yet to initiate action against the erring officials.

The police had sealed the factory after recovering refined oil, soda, acid and detergent powder. Singla was arrested after the police seized 7,000 litres of spurious milk, 323 bags of skimmed powered milk, 250 litres of chemicals used in making adulterated milk, 20 quintals of paneer and 12 quintals of ghee.
editorial@tribune.com

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21

Chinedu, a cloth merchant from Nigeria, used to frequent India for business purposes, but he wasnt making much money. Then, he met Mike, a compatriot based in Dwarka (New Delhi), who introduced him to the lucrative drug trade in Punjab.

Chinedu made up to Rs 20,000 (about 1 lakh in Nigerian currency) for smuggling 1 kg of heroin each time to Punjab till a Punjab Police Counter-Intelligence team nabbed him in Jalandhar.

A woman, Rogget Namotabi, from Uganda, who was on student visa, was arrested in January this year. She was caught carrying 1.5 kg of heroin in dead fish while travelling in a night AC bus from Delhi to Jalandhar. The booty was meant for two residents of Daulewala village (Moga), which is notorious for drugs smuggling. Rogget had successfully made three trips earlier. Another African woman, Faith, was nabbed with 1 kg of heroin recently. She was on a tourist visa to India.

Imposters at work

From businessmen to needy patients and students, a large number of foreigners, especially Nigerians, with a well-established network with Afghanistan smugglers, are supplying drugs to Punjab. As the Indian security forces claim to have plugged the cross-border smuggling routes, drugs are being routed to Punjab via Delhi through these foreigners. And as per police investigation reports, these foreigners do not act just as peddlers, but are heading a network of African and Punjabi smugglers with an active link with smugglers in Afghanistan.

Most crucial is their link with smugglers or addicts in most of the villages in Punjab notorious for drugs consumption, including Daulewala, among others. These Nigerians speak Punjabi and run a network from jail also after they are caught, said HPS Khakh, AIG, Punjab Counter-Intelligence.

The Punjab Home Department has written to the Delhi government to monitor these foreigners, said Khakh.

The documents of the arrested foreigners reveal that they have overstayed their visa. Almost all of these have expired visa in India. In some cases the visa has expired more than a year ago, said AIG Harpeeet Singh, posted with the Special Task Force. They make a quick buck, spend it lavishly, send some back home and then make another trip, he said.

The Punjab Police have sent a report that Uttam Nagar, apart from Dwarka, in the Capital has become a hub of Nigerians. It is called a mini Nigeria, said Harpreet Singh.

Investigation into the smuggling network after the arrest of any Nigerian has led the police to the forward chain, but they have not made much success in knowing where the supply came from, Often, the drug trail goes cold in Delhi. The arrested smuggler often doesnt know the real identity of the person he received the consignment from, said Khakh.

Afghan connection

Some of them do not remain a peddler. They establish a large network. The Punjab Police mention two cases in this context. Ropar SSP Swapan Sharma reveals the arrest of a Nigerian, Frank Margin (27), in August this year who had a known network of 25 African, Punjabi and Afghani smugglers. He was caught with 3.5 kg of heroin and 60 gm of ICE in the state. We are working on the leads provided by him. He was in touch with several Afghan nationals in Delhi and Afghanistan for supply of contraband to drug smugglers in the Capital and Punjab.

Khakh reveals case of another prominent smuggler Michael, who was running his racket from the Nabha jail. Michaels name figured in the investigation of Uganda woman Roggets case. In the jail under the NDPS Act, he established a network with a man from Daulewala village, who was expert driver in trips for drug smuggling. The driver introduced him to others and soon they started operating from the jail to smuggle drugs to Daulewala and other places, till the woman smuggler was caught.

Mostly Nigerians
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 21

After 86 days of investigation and 81 witness statements, Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar Diocese was finally arrested on Friday, police said.

Read: From spokesperson to Bishop, Franco Mulakkal had meteoric rise

"On basis of the evidence collected so far and interrogation that continued for three days, we arrested Bishop Frankkol at 8 pm today. Subsequent investigation will continue. He'll be produced before a magistrate court tomorrow morning," Kottayam district police chief Hari Sankar said in a statement on Friday evening.

Mulakkals arrest came after three days of questioning at Tripunithuras crime branch office in connection with a nuns allegation that he had repeatedly raped her for two years.

Kottayam Police also took the nuns fresh statement on Friday.

The victim nun, who had served as Mother General with Jesus of Missionaries at Jalandhar but has been in Kerala for five years now, has accused the clergyman of having raped her as many as 13 times at Kuravilangad convent in Kottayam between 2014 and 2016. She wrote to The Vatican last week questioning the Churchs continued silence, saying it was leading to her humiliation and character assassination.

Several nuns have been holding protests outside Kerala High Court to demand Mulakkals arrest.

In a development that drew severe criticism, the Missionaries of Jesus released a photo last week that showed the victim nun sitting with Mulakkal.

As pressure to have him arrested mounted, Mulakkal asked Pope Francis to relieve him of his official duties. His request finally came through on Thursday, when Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese Bombay Agnelo Rufino Gracias was made the new administrator of the Jalandhar Diocese.

Before appearing in Kerala, Bishop had also filed an anticipatory bail application in the high court that was put off until September 25. His Friday arrest has made the application infructuous.

Catholic Bishops Conference of India issues statement after his arrest

We have learnt from the media about the developments in the Bishop Franco Mullakals case. It is a sad moment for all of us. We pray for all involved: Bishop Franco, the nun concerned, the diocese of Jalandhar and the Congregation of the Missionaries of Jesus.

We have full confidence in the judicial system of our country. As said before we expect the law to take its course and for the truth to emerge. At this moment our prayer is for healing, Catholic Bishops Conference of India said in a statement after his arrest.

TIMELINE

June 25: On behalf of Bishop, Jalandhar Diocese PRO Father Peter lodges a complaint with Kerala Police accusing the nun and her family of threatening to kill the bishop.

June 28: Nun lodges a complaint of rape against Mulakkal.

August 10-13: Kerala Police reach Jalandhar, visit Missionaries of Jesus, Pastoral Centre, meets cousin of complainant in Amritsar.

August 14-15: Police interrogates the bishop for nine hours at the Bishop House.

September 8: Nuns hold protests in Kerala.

September 16: Bishop writes to Pope Francis asking to be relieved of his pastoral duties.

September 18: Bishop files anticipatory bail at Kerala High Court, gets put off to Sep 25.

September 19: Bishop interrogated for seven hours at high-tech Crime Branch office at Tripunithura.

September 20: Interrogation continues on day-2. Bishop relieved of his pastoral duties by Vatican. New administrator appointed.

September 21: Bishop appears before police again, arrested.
editorial@tribune.com

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

Describing themselves as victims of gross persecution and harassment due to mala fide political considerations, SAD leader Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and two other petitioners on Thursday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court by filing a habeas corpus petition.

They were seeking directions to the state government and other respondents for their forthwith release from illegal detention and custody of Kotbhai police station in Muktsar. The petitioners claimed that their detention made it abundantly clear that the police action was for extraneous reasons and political considerations.

Taking up the petition filed through Sangram Singh Saron and argued by senior advocate Jasjit Singh Bedi, Justice Daya Chaudhary put the government and other respondents on notice. The case will now come up for further hearing next month.

The petitioners claimed that they were detained in the police station without assigning any reason or without following any legal process. Bedi submitted on Dhillons behalf that he received information at 2 pm on September 19 that certain members of the ruling party were indulging in booth capturing at Giljiwala village. He and other petitioners went there, but were attacked and later detained.

Complainant claims threat to life

Muktsar: A day after lodging an FIR against Sukhbir Badal, Jatinderpal Singh on Thursday claimed threat to his life. Jatinderpal (62), the elder brother of Congress candidate from Killianwali zila parishad zone Ravinderpal Singh, is also contesting the polls from the same zone as an Independent. Akalis thrashed us in the presence of Sukhbir. One of us has got stitches on his ear, but did not lodge a complaint due to the fear of Akalis, he alleged. Tejinder Singh said: Jatinderpal has levelled wild allegations. tns

12 poll violence cases in Muktsar

Muktsar: The district police have registered at least 12 cases, including four in Lambi, related to poll violence on Wednesday. The police have acted on the complaints of presiding officers and returning officers, besides some commoners. In one such case, the Lambi retuning officer alleged that 25-30 unidentified persons entered a polling booth at Bhitiwala village and ran away with all polling material. tns
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

The Punjab Cabinet today ratified the agreement on the Shahpur Kandi Dam project, signed on September 8 between the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and the Indus Water Commissioner, Government of India.

To be completed in three years, the project would generate 206 MW of additional hydroelectric power, leading to irrigation and power benefits worth Rs 852.73 crore annually. It is also expected to result in optimum utilisation of the Ranjit Sagar Dam and regulate releases at the Shahpur Kandi Dam, improving irrigation facilities to the command area under Uppar Bari Doab Canal (UBDC).

The Cabinet also approved the setting up of a ropeway between Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi under the public private partnership (PPP) mode to promote tourism in the state. The ropeway will facilitate the visit of lakhs of devotees to these two historical and religious sites.

It is proposed to execute this project by setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). The total paid-up equity of the SPV will be Rs 1 crore, with Rs 50 lakh each being the share of the two states. As per the MoU, both states (Punjab and Himachal Pradesh) will have an equal share in the revenue, with a concession period of 40 years. In the first seven years, no concession fee would be paid by the concessionaire and a time frame of three years would be fixed to set up the project.

The Cabinet okayed the rules for the implementation of the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003. The move is likely to help the state achieve specific fiscal targets within a stipulated time period to avail the benefit of the Centres debt consolidation and relief facility for states.

The Cabinet also gave the nod to frame the Punjab Wakf Rules, 2018, under the Wakf Act, 1995 (Central Act 43 of 1995). As per Sub-section (1) of Section 109 of the Act, the state government has been authorised to frame the rules by notification in the official gazette.

Nod to land transfer for AIIMS project

The Cabinet decided to transfer a state government land to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the Bathinda AIIMS project. It also gave ex-post facto approval to transfer 175.1 acres belonging to PAU at Jodhpur Romana village, Bathinda, to the ministry concerned for the project.

CMs OSDs to get house rent allowance

The Cabinet gave approval to rules to allow reimbursement of house rent allowance (HRA) to OSDs (officers on special duty) to the CM. They would be entitled to claim rent from the date of their appointment or get a Type-8 government accommodation. Reimbursing the house rent from the date of their appointment would mean that the political appointees would get arrears of over Rs 1 lakh each.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Amritsar, September 21

A court here sentenced Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) president Santokh Singh to five years in jail for fraudulently transferring a piece of land in his name.

The Chief Khalsa Diwan is a century-old charitable-cum-educational body.

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate also imposed a fine of Rs 40,000 on Santokh Singh.

Advocate Ajay Vermani said the piece of land in question was transferred in the name of Santok Singh after the death of its owner Bishan Singh.

When Bishan Singhs sons came to know about the facts, they filed a civil suit in 2005, he said.

Santokh Singh was later arrested and sent to judicial custody. PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, September 21

Owners of all seven private sugar mills in the state have passed a resolution, threatening to shut down their business when the cane crushing season starts in November, if the state government does not lessen their burden by announcing a compensation of Rs 55 per quintal to farmers for the 2017-18 season.

Senior officials claimed that the development was sure to make the government jittery due to the possibility of unrest among farmers.

A meeting of the Punjab Sugar Mill Owners Association was held in New Delhi early this week, where the decision was taken. Jarnail Singh Wahid, president of the association, Jasdeep Kaur Chadha, Kamal Oswal, Rana Inder Partap Singh, Kunal Yadav and Raju Chadha were present at the meeting.

We request the government to have a relook at the state advised price (SAP) of Rs 310 per quintal in future. We want to pay farmers at the Union Governments fair and remunerative price (FRP) of Rs 275 per quintal from the 2018-19 season. If this is not to the governments liking, then it should support us by paying the difference between the SAP and FRP, said Jarnail Singh Wahid, president, Punjab Sugar Mill Owners' Association.

He claimed that the UP Government, over the last a few crushing seasons, had paid compensation worth Rs 5,000 crore to ease the pressure on mill owners. He added that the association had already told farmers not to grow sugarcane this season because the mills would not be taking their produce.

Growing sugarcane is no longer economically feasible. Payments are often delayed and now mills are not ready to take our produce. If the mills will not take our cane, we will have to revert to the paddy-wheat cycle, said Satbir Singh, vice-president of the Punjab unit of the Kirti Kissan Union.

Meanwhile, a senior official at cane commissioners office said: The issue of compensation will be decided during the Sugar Board meeting, which is likely to be held soon. It comprises representatives of the government, farmers and private mills. Everything can be discussed there.
editorial@tribune.com

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, September 21

Amid tight security, repolling was held peacefully today at 53 booths in six districts, including 36 in Muktsar. The overall turnout was 65.19 per cent.

The State Election Commission (SEC) had ordered repoll at these booths in the districts of Muktsar, Bathinda, Moga, Fazilka, Amritsar and Patiala after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged large-scale rigging and booth-capturing, even as video clips of booth-capturing and polling of bogus votes went viral on social media. The highest polling was recorded in Fazilka (79 per cent) today, followed by Moga (74 per cent). Muktsar witnessed a turnout of 65.6 per cent.

A heavy police force was deployed in all poll-bound 18 villages (nine zila parishad zones and 16 panchayat samiti zones) in Muktsar district. The roads leading to the polling stations had been sealed. People were allowed to enter the villages only after producing proof of identity. However, in some villages, some outsiders were present.

Videography was conducted inside polling booths. Bathinda zone IG MF Farooqui, Muktsar SSP Manjit Singh Dhesi and other cops visited the polling stations. The police also conducted a flag march in some villages, appealed to the candidates to keep the road open for traffic and maintain peace.

In Malout, SAD leader and ex-MLA Harpreet Singh alleged that Paramjeet Singh, SHO of Lakhewali police station, today picked up two of their polling agents around 5 am at Lakhewali and threatened others. He (SHO) is working overtime to ensure the victory of the Congress candidate. He is behaving as if he himself is the Congress candidate. I request his superiors and the State Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections, Harpreet said.

The SAD boycotted the poll process at Gilzewala and Babanian villages in Gidderbaha. The party had claimed that all polling booths were captured in these villages, but the election authorities permitted repoll at only one polling booth at Gilzewala. However, the SAD leadership did not boycott the repoll at Peori village. In this village, the Akali leaders alleged, Just a few hours before the repoll, the police nabbed our panchayat samiti candidate, Swaran Singh. He was booked in a false case of booth-capturing yesterday.

In Lambi, leaders of both the SAD and the Congress stated that nothing untoward happened. Former CM Parkash Singh Badal and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal didnt visit any polling station in Muktsar district today, but they kept in touch with the candidates on the phone.

Meanwhile, nearly 79 per cent voters exercised their right of franchise in the repoll held today at booth number 29 in Chack Arniwala village in Jalalabad subdivision. Out of the total 865 electorate, 691 cast votes. The election passed off peacefully. Elaborate police arrangements were made at the polling booth. Superintendent of Police (Detective), Fazilka, Mukhtiar Singh led the police contingent to guard the polling booth.

The repoll was necessitated as some miscreants tried to capture the booth, tore ballot papers and polled fake votes on the day of polling on September 19. As many as 100 persons were booked by the police.

Capt dismisses charges against SSP

Chandigarh: Dismissing charges that the Muktsar SSP acted in a partisan way, CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday flayed the Akali leadership for its desperate attempt to divert attention from its impending defeat. The government will not allow the Akalis to terrorise the police force or the administration, which are working hard to shed their negative image built by the SAD-BJP regime in 10 years of their misrule, he said. TNS
vermaajay1968@gmail.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar today accused SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal of letting loose a reign of terror at Muktsars Killianwali village during polling yesterday. Releasing CCTV footage of Sukhbirs cavalcade descending on the village and his supporters beating up an Independent candidate, Jakhar said Sukhbir, being a former Home Minister, should know that unlawful assembly of persons was prohibited under Section 144 of the CrPC (which was enforced there).

Countering Sukhbirs allegation of the Congress resorting to booth-capturing, Jakhar said repoll had been ordered at maximum booths in Muktsar, the home turf of the Badals. He said Sukhbir was leading the New Akali Dal, which did not represent the traditional Akali Dal.

Traditional Akali leaders were not sharing the dais with Sukhbir during their protests across the state, he added. The PPCC chief said it was during Capt Amarinder Singhs rule that free and fair elections had been held.

Ministers trash allegations

Power Minister Gurpreet Kangar, who is accused of leading a cavalcade of 30-odd vehicles to polling booths, dismissed the allegations as baseless. Kangar told The Tribune, Why would I indulge in such things when I get a lead of over 700 votes in most villages in my constituency? This is false propaganda by Akali Dal leaders, who were not allowed to enter villages and seek votes.

The Akali Dal also alleged that no action had been initiated against Health Minister Brahm Mohindras personal assistant (PA), who were caught on camera stamping votes on his own. Mohindra told The Tribune that he had himself asked for repoll in the said polling booth. He said the video looked morphed. The man in the video is not my PA, he is just a Congress worker and its unfair to drag my name into the whole nasty affair, he said.

An SEC official said they were yet to verify the authenticity of the videos being circulated on social media. These could be morphed or old. It is only after we verify the video clips that we can act, if anyone is found guilty, he added.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 20

A 25-year-old youth, who had slapped two youngsters for allegedly harassing a friends sister, was reportedly beaten to death by supporters of the accused.

The youth, his brother-in-law and two others was beaten up on September 18. He was rushed to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where he succumbed to injuries late last night.

The deceased has been identified as Dharamraj, alias Vicky, of Roop Nagar, Bhamian Kalan, Jamalpur. He was working at a hosiery unit. He is survived by father, mother and a sister. His wife had died after an illness in January.

A murder case has been registered against seven persons  Sanjay Chauhan, his brother Upinder Chauhan, Nandu Chauhan, Indrasan and his brother Inderjit Kumar, Anuj Gupta alias Kalu and Gurvinder Singh.

Deceaseds father Rajinder Chaudhary stated that on September 17, Inderjit Singh Kariya and Rajesh had allegedly harassed the sister of his sons friend Sonu, following which Dharamraj slapped the accused. While Rajesh admitted his mistake and left the city, Inderjit had no regrets.

On September 18, Gurvinder asked him to send Vicky and Sonu outside the house of Sanjay, a contractor, for a compromise between them and Inderjit.

Chaudhary, his son Vicky, son-in-law Ratan Dev and Kulwinder Singh Goldy reached there around 9.30 pm on Tuesday, the father said.

Blaming Vicky for forcing Rajesh to leave the city, they attacked us with heavy sticks and bricks. They cornered Vicky and Kalu hit my son on the head with a brick. I raised the alarm, following which the assailants fled, leaving my son for dead. We rushed him to the Civil Hospital, from where doctors referred him to Patiala, where he died, the father alleged.

Jamalpur SHO Ravinderpal said raids were on to nab the accused.
vermaajay1968@gmail.com

Nainital, September 20

The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday ordered closure of all illegal slaughterhouses in the state within 72 hours, besides directing the authorities to ensure that there is no culling of animals in the open.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Manoj Tiwari issued the order on a public interest litigation by Haridwar resident Parvez Alam, who placed before the court pictures of animals being slaughtered brutally.

It was contended in the petition that illegal slaughtering of animals openly on roads and outside the authorised slaughterhouses is prevalent in the state. The bench observed that the pictures were disturbing and pricked the conscience of the court.

How can the authorities permit the slaughtering of animals in the streets, in villages and towns, is beyond our comprehension. Animals also have constitutional legal rights. The authorities cannot remain mute-spectators towards the slaughtering of animals, that too, in a very beastly manner, the court said.

It is the duty cast upon the statutory authorities, including police, to ensure that no illegal slaughtering takes place and the slaughter house must conform to the standards laid down by the State Pollution Control Board and the Pollution Controlling Committees, it said.

Kartikey Hari Gupta, the advocate for the petitioner, pointed out that there are no proper facilities in slaughterhouses. There is no proper flooring, water supply or ventilation in the slaughterhouses. The slaughterhouses do not install pollution control devices, he alleged.

He said as per sample registration system baseline survey of 2014 conducted by the government, 74% of the population of Uttarakhand consumes non vegetarian items.

As such the quality of such food items can only be kept in check through a proper system of slaughterhouses.

The court directed that all illegal slaughterhouses in the state of Uttarakhand are ordered to be sealed within 72 hours from today.

The court further directed the Secretary (Home) to ensure that no animal is slaughtered on the streets or open spaces forthwith.

The state government is also directed to constitute a Committee for Slaughter Houses as per the letter dated 26.04.2012 issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, if not already constituted, within a period of seven days from today, the court said.

It is the duty cast upon all the Executive Officers of the Local Self Government, Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Nagar Panchayats and other Panchayats to ensure that no animal is slaughtered in the public and at open spaces, open to public gaze, it said.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Washington, September 21

Google employees discussed how to counter President Donald Trump's 2017 travel ban by modifying search functions to help people contribute to immigration advocacy groups and contact lawmakers, the Wall Street Journal reported om Friday.

They began the email discussion two days after Trump signed the first version of his travel ban targeting people from seven mainly Muslim countries, the paper reported.

Staff discussed how to tweak search functions and work against islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms Islam, Muslim, Iran, etc., the Journal reported.They looked at similar measures for the search terms Mexico, Hispanic, Latino, etc.

An email from an employee of the Search Product Marketing division referred to brainstorming inside Google over how to respond to ban.

Trump's controversial measure was challenged in court and underwent several iterations before ultimately being upheld by the US Supreme Court.

The report is certain to anger Trump, who has accused Google of blocking conservative viewpoints in its search results.

Google told the Journal that none of the ideas discussed were ever implemented.

Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideologynot in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trump's executive order on immigration, it said in a statement. Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies.

Google was among 100 tech companies that filed a friend-of-the-court brief in February 2017 challenging the travel ban as harmful to US "business, innovation and growth".  AFP
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Houston, September 21

Ivanka Trump, first daughter and US President's advisor, said that it has always been her dream to become an astronaut and travel to the space as she toured the Johnson Space Center here.

Ivanka, who visited the space centre on Thursday where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted, spoke to the crew of the International Space Station.

"You inspire us all. You actually have my dream job," Ivanka, 36, admitted.

I always wanted to be an astronaut and I always wanted to go to space. You are fulfilling my dream up there," she said.

Astronaut Nicole Mann provided Ivanka with a guided tour of the space center, including the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility that holds a full-size copy of the International Space Station.

Ivanka, posed outside the doors of the Mission Control Center and met chief Holly Ridings, who made history this week after becoming the first woman in NASA's 60-year history to become the chief flight director of the Johnson Space Center.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick also was with Ivanka, along with US Senator Ted Cruz and US Rep Brian Babin, both Republicans from Texas, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Ivanka toured mock-ups of the station and of the Orion spacecraft which is being built to take astronauts back to the moon for the first time in 50 years, the report said.

She also spoke with students from Clear Creek Independent School District who, with the help of NASA engineers, are participating in an international robotics competition called FIRST Robotics, said the report.

Her visit to the center came during a stop of her campaign tour of Texas for Republican candidates in the November 6 midterm elections.

The White House said her appearance was intended to draw attention to students learning about science and technology. PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Beijing, September 21

An outraged China on Friday lodged a diplomatic protest with the US for imposing punitive sanctions on its military unit for buying Russian weapons, warning of consequences if the sanctions are not revoked.

The US State Department said on Thursday that the purchases of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles by Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD) of Chinas Ministry of Defence violated US sanctions on Russia.

Both the EDD and its director, Li Shangfu, have been named in Thursdays sanctions.

It is the first time the Trump administration targeted a third country with its Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA), designed to punish Russia for its seizure of Crimea and other activities.

Reacting to the US move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, China is strongly outraged by this unreasonable action of the US and lodged stern representations.

What the US has done gravely violated the basis norms governing the international relations and harmed the state-to-state and military-to-military relations between the two sides, he said.

We strongly urge the US side to address this mistake and revoke so called sanctions otherwise it will need to shoulder all possible consequences, he said.

Asked whether China would continue its close intelligence and defence cooperation with Russia, Geng said, China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination. We have been having normal exchanges of cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit in various fields including national defence.

The China-Russia defence cooperation is meant to safeguard the two nations legitimate interests and regional peace and stability, he said.

It targets no third country and violates with no international law, he added. We will work with Russia to implement the consensus reached by two leaders and move forward our strategic coordination, he said referring to the close ties between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Founded in 2016 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the EDD was tasked with overseeing and improving the countrys military technology. It is regarded as a key part of Chinas Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi.

The sanctions will deny EDD any foreign export licences, prohibit it from making foreign exchange transactions within US jurisdiction or using the US financial system, and block its property and interests within US control, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

Sanctions on Li will also prohibit his using the US financial system and making foreign exchanges, and block any of his property or interests. He will also be prohibited from having a US visa.

China, which relies on technology for its military modernisation has stepped up its military ties with Russia.

The sanctions are expected to heighten tensions between the US and China, which are currently engaged in a trade war.

The two countries will launch new tariffs on Monday, with Washington targeting USD 200 billion in Chinese exports and Beijing hitting USD 60 billion worth of American products.

Besides Su-35s and S-400 missiles, China, which has no access to the US and European Union military equipments, buys a wide range of defence system from Russia.

Russia sold around USD 15 billion worth of weapons to China in 2017, maintaining a similar level of sales to the previous year, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted Rosoboron export, the Russian agency responsible for military exports, as saying.

China received 10 Su-35 combat aircraft in December 2017, becoming the first foreign country to purchase Russias upgrade to its Su-27, the Post report said.

China bought eight Kamov Ka-32A11VS multi-role helicopters from Russian Helicopters holding company. The contracts included training for Chinese pilots. PTI
gspannu7@gmail.com

Beijing, September 21

Jack Ma, the pioneer of Chinas internet industry, has termed the speculation swirling around his retirement as a sea gossip, saying that he would rather die on the beach than in his executive office at Alibaba.

On September 10, Chinese billionaire Ma, on his 54th birthday, announced that he would step down as Alibabas executive chairman in one year to make way for the next generation of leaders at the USD 420 billion e-commerce giant.

He named the companys Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Daniel Zhang as his successor who would take charge in September next year, while he would continue to be companys director.

His retirement report sparked off speculation that he may be stepping down due to prevailing business environment in China.

The New York Times in its report said Ma is retiring as Chinas business environment has soured, with Beijing and state-owned enterprises increasingly playing more interventionist roles with companies.

Speaking about his retirement at the concluding session of the the Summer Davos Forum in Chinas Tianjin city on Thursday, Ma said gossip has been around us every day for the past 19 years. For someone who has a dream for the future, gossips, rumours, hardships and frustrations will always be part of your life.

Reporting on Mas speech at the forum Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency reported that sceptics said he was forced to step down, while others claimed he had already shifted a large number of assets to other countries, planning to leave China.

No matter what people say, Ma says he does not care about the rumours.

To friends, you dont need to explain. To non-friends, the more you explain, the worse the situation becomes, he said.

At the age of 54, I am a bit old in the internet industry, but quite young for many other sectors, he said.

In the next 15 to 16 years, theres still a lot of things I can do. I know it would be difficult for people at the age of 55 or 56, say 60, to leave. By then you would no longer be sure about your future, and you would hang on, he said.

The retirement decision announced was anything but a retreat. It is actually a step forward for himself and the company, he said.

Ma, who grew from an English teacher to Chinas top billionaires making Alibaba into USD 420 billion company, always took care to not ruffle feathers of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

Ma started Alibaba.com in 1999 as a business-to-business marketplace with 17 co-founders in his Hangzhou apartment turning the company into a global e-commerce giant with burgeoning cloud computing and package delivery businesses.

Alibabas sprawling businesses also include brick-and-mortar stores, online video, movies and other enterprises, and it has sought to expand in promising new markets like India and Southeast Asia.

Ma gave up the CEO role in 2013 and in recent years has found time to work on other projects, including philanthropy.

Ma, with a personal fortune of USD 39.9 billion figured 19th in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index topped by American technology entrepreneur and investor, Jeff Bezoz, who had a net worth of USD 161 billion.  PTI
The young man charged with trying to steal a jet plane at the Melbourne International Airport in Florida on Thursday, is the son of former UWI principal Professor Clement Sankat.

The Sankat family confirmed this in a statement on Thursday night.

The family said it they were providing legal, mental, emotional and parental support.

Trini student pilot jumps airport fence, boards jet in Florida A student pilot from Trinidad and Tobago has been arrested in Florida after jumping a securi

Sankat, 22, was arrested after climbing the airport perimeter fence before daybreak on Thursday, and boarding an American Airlines Airbus undergoing maintenance on the tarmac.

He was arrested after the maintenance crew challenged him and alerted law enforcement officers.

There was a lockdown of the airport and several flights were delayed while the airport was searched.

Sankat, a former pupil of Hillview College, is in custody,

He has been charged with a visa violation, criminal trespassing and with attempt to steal an airplane.

No motive has been given.

According to media in Florida, Sankat received his pilots license eight months ago, has a Florida drivers license but came to the US via Canada.

In a statement issued late on Thursday, the family said:

"Professor Clement Sankat and his family appreciate the many inquiries and calls of support they have received as they go through this extremely difficult period.

"At this time, they have not yet been able to speak with their son, and since they have limited information, are still trying to ascertain all the facts surrounding the incident, and his well-being.

"As expected, their focus right now is on providing all the legal, mental, emotional and parental support possible.

"What has occurred acutely underscores to the family the need to be aware of the challenges young students face, especially those living away from home and family."
Torquay to Warrnambool is too far in a day unless you skip most of the major sights. You are looking at 5 hours driving non-stop which doesn't take into account any diversions eg Bells Beach is an extra 20 minutes driving, Teddys Lookout is an extra 15 minutes driving, Cape Otway Lighthouse is an extra 45 minutes driving. Considering that there's easily 15 hours of sightseeing along this stretch just for the "big ticket" items, you can see that you'll be skipping most of it.

Trying to get to Apollo Bay on your first day is a bad idea (which you've realised - Sweetbiscuit meant 1 night Torquay, next night no further than AB). It'll probably be dark by the time you get to Torquay anyway. If you've read previous threads, you will notice a common theme - we recommend 3 days and 2 overnight stops. Starting out from Torquay is only marginally better than starting out from Melbourne and doesn't count as your first night on the GOR. Trying to do the GOR with only one overnight stop is incredibly rushed.

The other option suggested was to drive to Port Campbell via the inland route through Colac (on your second day which is your first full day), stay overnight there and drive back the same way. There is so much to see within half an hour of Port Campbell that it makes sense to concentrate on this end when you are pressed for time. PC is about a 2.5 hour drive from Geelong, so leave at 9am, arrive around lunchtime, 5 hours sightseeing, another 5 hours the following morning then 3.5 hours back to Melbourne. It means skipping the GOR between Torquay and PC, but you'd be skipping most of that with a rushed trip anyway. To do this, it makes more sense to stay overnight in Geelong than in Torquay (and I much prefer Geelong so that's no hardship imo).

To give you some perspective, last year I went to Loch Ard Gorge and parked in the western carpark. I did the cemetery, Broken Head, the Thunder Cave and the mouth of the Sherbrooke River and was there for 3.5 hours. I didn't visit Loch Ard Gorge itself (easily another hour), nor Tom & Eva Lookout nor the Razorback (another half hour or more).

Edit: SNAP #6 & #7!

Edited: 3 years ago
Re some of your Qns - Aerobell used to offer charter flights, not as a regular domestic airline, like Sansa or Nature Air (-no longer in operation). You can do a Search on this forum, using the Search line just above this thread, and you will find 4 pages of ppl' s posts about their experience with Aerobell. However, those are dated and most importantly not about their current function as a Sansa competitor with regular flights.. E.g., see - how after Natire Air went out of business, Sansa was left the only domestic airline, and then came the Aerobell news.

I would not be taking a domestic flight on the same day when you have your international flight home, no matter which airport by SJ. There have been reports of cancellations/delays with domestic flights, small planes, more susceptible to weather, ppl's luggage left behind till later time, due to the aircraft's weight (unless some passengers volunteer to stay behind - read Sansa reviews on TA), and other reasons. Mid trip - certain deviations from the scheduled flight you have purchased and are counting on might be ok, but not when you might miss your flight home and not have enough time to find an alternative method of transportation ( too long by land from Osa) ...

Read the Terms of Aerobell carefully. If I remember correctly, in case of luggage delays, they only deliver it to your hotel, if it is located within 8 km from their nearest airport.

Edited: 3 years ago
We will be arriving in HCMC on the 22nd of April, spending a few days there then heading further north by train. Her birthday is on the 25th and mine is on the 26th, so we were hoping to stay somewhere beautiful in a luxury hotel (as good as we can afford). Originally, the plan was to spend the 24th-27th in Nha Trang, but having read about it more I think this wouldn't be that special.

Is there anywhere near by / on the way to Danang that anyone can recommend staying for 4 days? I was thinking Hoi An possibly...
Shirakawago exists between Kanazawa and Takayama with no station. Thus, the best way is to go to either Kanazawa or Takayama from Kyoto by JR train and take a Takayama-based Nohi bus or Kanazawa-based Hokutetsu bus to Shirakawago, leave your luggages at the bus center there while you explore the World Heritage Village for a few hours, and then take another bus to Takayama or Kanazawa and either come back to Kyoto or move to Tokyo by JR train. Stay at least 1-2 night(s) at Kanazawa and 1-2 night(s) at Takayama.

Our crazy New Year Holidays are from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3, when huge numbers of people return to their home town to cerebrate the New Year with their parents, relatives, or old friends, so many long distance JR trains are crowded very much. Most Japanese start working from Jan. 4, so return to their home on Jan. 2 or 3. Thus, I don't recommend you to go to Kyoto from Tokyo on Jan. 3. It's much better to move on Jan. 4.

We Japanese can book any long distance JR trains from exactly 10am Japan Time 1 month before, but

foreign visitors could only book the trains run by the JR East online in advance, until last October when JR Tokai (JR Central in English) and JR West released a free Smartphone Arr., Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen Reservation App., which allow booking of the Shinkansen from exactly 10am Japan Time one month before, as follows.

But, this App. can only be used in the U.S.A., Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand now, although I don't know where are you from. Also, it cannot be combined with the JR Pass.

Anyway, on the other hand, you have to book your Bus between Takayama and Kanazawa via Shirakawago in advance in the following site.
Hey y'all! Will be going to Japan for the first time and will be hitting up Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and maybe a day trip somewhere near those cities.

I am looking for quality gifts you can only get from Japan to bring home to family and friends ( trying to get my Christmas shopping done early). Budget is not an issue, but I am not looking to spend $400 or $500 dollars on a gift. On the same note, I got overwhelmed with all kit-kats and small knick-knacks as a recommendation on other forums and websites.

I am trying to find ideas on where and what particular brand of items I can only get in Japan. I know I read a lot about knives, whiskey, and sake; but never any details on what brand or where to get those items. Any other suggestions on gift items are greatly appreciated!
Conflict is defined as the consequence of a clash of interests between two parties, groups, or countries due to chasing contrasting or incompatible goals. Even though war is used synonymously with conflict, it is worth noting that the meaning of war should be restricted to a violent conflict involving the armed forces. Nevertheless, war, just like conflict, has existed throughout history as a standard way of conducting disagreements between political groups. So what are the causes of conflict? The one word that sums all this up is diversity. One David Week even declared that conflict in the society is unavoidable because its absence implies that the world lacks diversity.

We all know that Africa is a diverse continent with various ethnic groups, religions, and socio-cultural affiliations. What is also true is that more than half of the nations in Africa have been affected by conflicts that have led to the death of many individuals, huge financial burden to the economy, massive displacements, and hindrances to the development of African countries. It is for this reason that the causes of conflict in Africa need to be addressed to stop overall human suffering. The following article will discuss the main causes of conflict in Africa

READ ALSO: List of East African countries and their capitals

Types of conflict

Before we delve into the causes of violent conflict in African nations, let us first examine intergroup and intercultural conflict. Intergroup conflict is caused when two or more groups of any type disagree, although, not because of having different personalities. The conflict occurs when one party feels offended or recognizes opposition of any sort from the other party.

Causes of intercultural conflict, on the other hand, occurs when we guess, assume, shame, or blame other cultures that are different from what we have been enculturated into while growing up. In most cases, we tend to believe that our culture is the best and superior to all others. This makes us have a negative perspective towards the other cultures; thereby, eliminating the option of wanting to learn and understand others. Other types of conflict in Africa include:

1. Elite conflicts that occur within the political leadership.

2. Factional conflicts which aim to influence the composition of the main power tools so as to determine who rules in a specific political center.

3. Communal and mass conflicts which mostly challenge the territorial integrity of the state and protest against how power is distributed.

4. Revolutionary conflicts which provide alternative political visions that are based on a set of organizing principles that are clearly defined.

5. Foreign intervention whereby self-interested foreigners ruthlessly explore Africa, especially during the colonial period.

7 root causes of conflict

There are several causes of conflict in Africa as classified below.

1. Inter-country borders

One of the leading causes of internal and inter-state conflicts is the unacceptable nature of inter-country borders. Most of these borders were established from negotiations and treaties between the colonial powers. Upon gaining independence, most African nations did not make adjustments due to the fact that most nations gained independence at different times.

2. Military

Another cause of conflict is inter-state aggression, invasion, or hostility. This may be as a result of support of rebels from other countries or separatist movements.

3. Political-international

Causes of political conflict on international front emanate from ideological campaigns, regional rivalries, religious expansionism against other nations, terrorism, discrimination or disrespecting the economies of other countries.

4. Political-domestic

Political causes of conflict in African nations may be due to reasons such as over-population, power brawls, communal or ethnic violence, economic/religious differences, or hostile groups.

5. Poor economic performance

Of the many socioeconomic causes of conflict in Africa, the main cause of the unending conflict originates from the bad economic performance of the countries. African nations are known for having huge international debts, corruption of public funds, and poor flow of private capital. Because of high poverty levels in African nations, the rich who are the few become the ruling class, resulting into clashes among the rich and the poor economic classes. Moreover, this leads to tribal or ethnic conflicts as people begin to compete among themselves for the limited resources like power and wealth.

6. Religious conflict

Causes of religious conflict between two faiths often commence with ignorance. People deviate from the fact that most religions have similar ideas and become fixated on the idea that the other religion is different from theirs; hence, the other religion is wrong. The two main religious conflict is often between Christians and Muslims in Africa.

7. Ethnicity

Because African nations are composed of individuals from different communities and backgrounds, ethnicity has been the center of most conflicts among the nations. Causes of ethnic conflict in Africa have resulted in several separatist movements and military coups. For instance, the Katanga in Zaire, in Sudan, In Ethiopia, Biafra in Nigeria, in Somalia, and Idi Amins coup in Uganda. Additionally, the use of international troops during coups promotes human cruelties and abuse of human rights of the civilians.

Causes of conflict in Kenya

Since we have looked at some of the causes of conflict in Africa, let us come back home and look at some of the sources of conflict in our country.

1. Competition for scarce natural resources

One of the leading causes of conflict in Kenya is when individuals clash over limited resources such as land and water. For example, most pastoral communities in Turkana and Pokot battle over pastoral land and water for their animals, resulting in cattle rustling that is often done out of revenge. Additionally, valued resources like oil, sand, precious metals, coal, wood, and gypsum among others contribute to conflict.

2. Politics

The other cause of disagreements in our country is centered on politics, such as elections and the election process itself. Ever since the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya, whenever the country is conducting a General Election, most citizens are on edge, believing that there will be a repeat. This has an adverse effect on the Kenyan economic activities as the country comes to a stand-still during the electioneering period. The main reasons leading to political conflict in Kenya stems from politicians with vested interests that makes them favour a specific ethnic community, resulting into tribalism.

3. Tribal rivalry

Tribalism is a major cause of conflict, not just in Africa but in Kenya especially. Cultural rivalry is mainly linked to major communities such as the Kikuyus, Luos, and Luhyas but has currently shifted to even minor ones. For most of the minor communities, their issues remained unsolved. Take, for instance, the Wagalla Massacre which happened many years back and up to date, nothing has been done to address it. Unresolved issues make minor tribes to be resentful against other communities they believed are more favoured and this brings about conflict.

4. Vicinity of training grounds to Yemen and Somalia

Our nations geopolitical position compared to Al Qaeda and Al-Shabaab affects our regional and internal security. This is because Al-Shabaab use Yemen for training and recruitment of their soldiers. Due to internal socio-economic reasons, conflict arises as some Kenyan elements are involved.

5. Crimes in the high seas and terrorist attacks

Kenyas biggest port serving the Great Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes Region of Eastern Africa has substantial sea traffic into Coastal Kenya via the Gulf of Eden and from the Far East pursuing the Indian Ocean. Due to this, piracy attacks conducted by terrorists are common in the high seas. The mentality is that reducing the number of dockings in Mombasa will make many people lose their jobs, resulting in high unemployment rates that will deny the Kenyan government its revenue. Additionally, lack of unemployment will increase criminality in the country.

READ ALSO: 5 actionable conflict management strategies

African countries need to work towards the elimination of causes of conflict resulting from poverty, war and authoritarianism as this will lead to more peaceful, democratic and ultimately, wealthy nations. Let us take a leaf from most of the post-conflict nations that are doing their best to deliver peace dividends such as democracy, employment opportunities, the rule of law, and freedom. The reverberation is that African economies will start growing. It is for this reason, that all African leaders should rise and take the challenge of making developmental plans for the benefit of all Africans and not a few minority.

READ ALSO

List of tribes in Kenya

List of horn of Africa countries

UN eulogises Kofi Annan as he is buried in Ghana

Uhuru Kenyatta  Biography, News and facts 2018

How to write a resignation letter

Source: Tuko
- The posh school associated with Wa Iria owes Muwasco over KSh 300,000

- The governor's office has also accrued over KSh 1 million in unpaid water bills

- Wa Iria is involved in an ugly management tussle with water companies in the county

- He reportedly marshaled an attack on Muwasco offices, vandalised them and beat up workers

- The national government warned him against interfering with the running of water firms in Murang'a

- A resident wrote to the EACC to take disciplinary action against Wa Iria

Murang'a Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) on Thursday, September 20, disconnected water supply to a prestigious school associated with Governor Mwangi wa Iria.

Billing documents seen by TUKO.co.ke, showed Edinburg School owed Muwasco KSh 346,380, for water consumed between August and September 2018.

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READ ALSO: Government sounds warning to Murang'a governor for grabbing water resources, harassing staff

The government has warned Governor Mwangi wa Iria from interfering with the running of water firms. Photo: UGC

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Muranga governor in hot water after leading raid on countys water company

The posh school was reportedly constructed when Wa Iria clinched power and a few would expect it not to have a muscle to settle a water bill slightly over KSh 300,000.

This came at a time when the governor is entangled in a battle to control water companies in the devolved unit, with Muwasco being tossed in the middle of the ugly fight.

READ ALSO: Kenyans left disappointed following MP's heated drama in Parliament over Uhuru's tax proposals

TUKO.co.ke, the water supply firm issued warnings to over 32 county government offices and institutions which were yet to remit their August water bills running into millions of shillings.

The governor's office has for instance not paid a bill amounting to KSh 1 million and has been put on notice.

As earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, Wa Iria reportedly advised all residents of Murang'a not to pay their water bills claiming water supply was free until the county advised otherwise.

On Wednesday, September 19, the national government accused the county chief of using goons to facilitate illegal water connections.

The governor marshalled an attack on the water company and it is alleged property was vandalised and staff harassed. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: MPs spare House allowances and mileages, reduce 2018/19 national budget by KSh 37 billion

TUKO.co.ke reliably learnt that all other offices and institutions with pending bills were slapped with ultimatums to pay up but it's only the multi billion private school associated with Wa Iria and which offers the British curriculum which was disconnected.

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Former Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero Troubles with the EACC | Tuko TV.

Source: Tuko
- Bobi Wine melted hearts on his return to his home country with a sweet moment with his children at the airport

Under fire politician Bobi Wine on Thursday, September 20, melted hearts after reuniting with his two children after weeks of trials and tribulations.

The Ugandan Opposition leader arrived in Uganda to a crowd-filled facility but there was only one thing on his mind  his children.

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Bobi wine's children could not hide their joy at seeing their father once again

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: MP Bobi Wine arrested moments after touching down in Uganda from treatment in US

Photos accessed by TUKO.co.ke revealed the raw emotions that played out in full glare of anxious supporters as the politician came into contact with his children.

READ ALSO: Ignore fake news, Bobi Wine is fine - Museveni

It was a bittersweet moment for Bobi Wine whose return was almost marred by authorities once again who were all over him as they escorted him to Kasangati police station.

Reports indicated police only intercepted Bobi Wine to quell the possibility of unrest which was highly anticipated after the politician's return.

Bobi Wine's sons could not quite believe their father was home

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Bobi Wine breaks down after Kizza Besigye visits him in hospital

While police denied claims they had arrested the Kyadondo East MP, Bobi Wine at his home in Mageere, a large crowd had gathered at the Kasangati police station where Bobi was being heavily guarded by police.

His home was also a scene befitting a hero who was returning as an eager crowd had gathered and filled the area with balloons and other celebratory material.

READ ALSO: Bobi Wine's brother arrested at airport

READ ALSO: Genge star Nonini lands mega deal with Safaricom as brand ambassador

A father of four, Bobi has been keen on showing his fatherly love to his kids amid tussles with the mighty Ugandan government that saw him detained and tortured.

A brilliantly sweet letter from Bobi to his children on Thursday August 23 shook the internet as he took to apologise profusely to the little ones for "not coming home".

Once he got the chance of embracing his children, there was no denying he had been waiting for that particular moment

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KENYA BREAKING NEWS - Former Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero Troubles with the EACC | Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko.co.ke
Once we get the OK to dig it up, we most definitely plan on making it very public, Hitzeman said. As of right now, we plan on announcing the contents of the capsule publicly, and possibly live, should there be TV stations there.
- The death toll of the MV Nyerere ferry that toppled over in Lake Victoria has risen to 44

- As rescue operations continue, the number is feared to reach hundreds

- So far 100 people have been rescued with 32 in critical condition

At least 44 people have so far been confirmed dead after a ferry estimated to be carrying more than 400 people capsized on the Tanzania side of Lake Victoria on Thursday, September 19.

Rescue operations resumed on the morning of Friday, September 20, with officials reportedly saying the death toll could reach hundreds.

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READ ALSO: Tanzania ferry with over 100 on board sinks, rescue operations launched

44 confirmed dead after Tanzania ferry capsized in lake Victoria, rescue operations underway

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mama Lucy hospital dismisses claims Sonko took morgue coolers from the facility

The MV Nyerere ferry which was plying between Bugorara and Ukala islands in Tanzania is believed to have toppled over when crowds on board moved to one side as it docked.

According to the officials conducting the rescue mission, 100 people have been rescued so far from the waters, with 32 of them reported to be in a critical condition.

Exact figures are yet to be confirmed as locals joined hands with emergency teams in rescue efforts.

READ ALSO: Kenyans should prepare for a serious economic meltdown with VAT on fuel - Farah Maalim

President John Magufuli's government urged Tanzanians to stay calm and be patient as rescue mission continued.

Messages of condolences have been flowing to the country which has a dark history with nautical disasters.

In 2012, at least 145 people died when a packed ferry sank while transporting people to the island of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean.

Later on in 2016, almost 200 people died in another major incident off the coast of Zanzibar. Hundreds survived and some found clinging on mattresses and fridges.

In 1996, more than 800 people died when the MV Bukoba capsized on Lake Victoria. It was one of the worst ferry disasters of the last century.

READ ALSO: 90% of Kenyans want Senate, nominated MPs and MCA seats abolished to save costs  TUKO poll

Among those who condoled with families was Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.

I send sincere and heartfelt condolences to families who lost loved ones in the MV Nyerere tragedy in Tanzania," said Raila.

I mourn with the people of Tanzania at this very difficult moment. May God grant peace and strength to the families, the caregivers and the Tanzanian nation, he added.

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Kenyans Angry Over High Fuel Prices - On Tuko TV

Source: Kenyan Breaking News
- Omondi was among host of other journalists arrested in Entebbe, Uganda

- Ugandan government had banned all media houses from airing Wine's homecoming citing security concerns

- Police spokesperson denied the arrests but confirmed some reporters were questioned in accordance with set guidelines

Ugandan police on Thursday, September 20, rounded at least eight journalists among them BBC's Nairobi correspondent, Ferdinand Omondi, for covering homecoming of troubled Kyandondo East MP Bobi Wine.

The arbitrary detention and arrest of media personalities was described by the Committee to Protect Journalists as an unrelenting clampdown on press freedom meant to make Uganda a hostile environment for the media fraternity.

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READ ALSO: Uganda government bans live coverage of MP Bobi Wine's return from the US

READ ALSO: Bobi Wine touches down at JKIA enroute to Uganda

Omondi was detained by the security men for five hours, thought it remained unclear whether the officers interrogated him or not.

"Said goodbye to Uganda after a five-hour detention for speaking to Bobi Wine. Safely back on Kenyan soil," he tweeted.

Police also arrested other journalists at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda where a battery of press men and women had gathered to await Wine, born Robert Kyagulanyi's touch down aboard a Kenya Airways plane.

Cameras, phones and other equipment were confiscated during the crackdown.

The politicians passed through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi enroute from the US before flying to his homeland.

In a statement, Uganda police spokesperson Emilian Kayima denied the arrests but confirmed some reporters were questioned in accordance with set guidelines.

The Ugandan communications regulatory agency had banned media houses from airing live coverage of Wine's return from the US where he was seeking treatment following his near death alleged police torture.

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Kenyans demand for the release of Bobi Wine | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko.co.ke
President Uhuru Kenyatta recently stated he did not mind losing friends when government embarked on demolishing high end buildings to repossess grabbed public and riparian land, and he seems on course in making more enemies.

His move to sign into law Financial Bill 2018 which imposes new and heavy taxes on Kenyans on Friday, September 21, turned the Head of State into literally an enemy of the people.

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READ ALSO: Uhuru has signed into law Finance Bill 2018, here is how new taxes will affect you

Kenyans demonstrating in the streets of Nairobi. Photo: UGC.

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: ERC revises fuel prices downwards in line with new 8% VAT charge

Angry citizens across social media who are hopeless and burdened by tough economic times, could not mince their words and gave Uhuru a piece of their mind over his approval of a law which would ransack their nearly empty pockets.

These were some of the sentiments by Kenyans in response to Uhuru's tweet of Friday, September 21, indicating he had assented the Bill into law in record time;

READ ALSO: Treasury CS says extra tax on chocolate will help control obesity in Kenya

Some Kenyans even bashed the president for stating that he would not relent on war against graft to ensure prudent management of public resources.

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Breaking News Kenya: Angry Kenyan Sends Message to President Uhuru Kenyatta | Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko.co.ke
- KFCB had banned the movie for allegedly featuring homosexuality scenes

- High Court lifted the ban holding the decision of an adult to watch or not to watch the movie cannot be influenced by anything

- The director of the movie had challenged the ban in court to have it submitted as Kenya's entry to the 2019 Oscars Awards

The High Court has temporarily lifted a ban on a controversial film, Rafiki, for seven days so that it can qualify for the 2019 Oscars Academy award.

Justice Wilfrida Okwani ruled the the Kenyan society was not weak "that it cannot withstand a 'high school' play".

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READ ALSO: First ever Kenya film to feature at Cannes festival, France, banned for promoting lesbianism

READ ALSO: Kenyan movie 'Rafiki' - 10 facts about the controversial romance presented at Cannes 2018

She added the decision of an adult on whether to watch or not to watch the movie could be influenced by the said movie.

In the case, the Director of Rafiki, Wanuri Kahiu, who is the grand daughter to the late billionaire Njenga Karume, wanted the court to issue an order suspending the decision to ban the film, in order to have it submitted as Kenya's entry to the 2019 Oscars Awards.

Rafiki, which means friend in Swahili, tells the story of two young women who fall in love.

As reported earlier by TUKO.co.ke, the Kenya Film Classification Board(KFCB) CEO Ezekiel Mutua had banned the film in April 2018 due to alleged strong homosexual theme depicted in its content.

READ ALSO: Kenyans replace the popular KDF mandazis with Obado and it is absolutely hilarious

Wanuri through lawyers Rajab Leteipan and Waikwa Wanyoike said following the ban, she could not submit the film for review by the Oscars Selection Committee Kenya to be considered as Kenyas entry to the Best foreign Language Film category at the 2019 Oscars Awards, for which entries close on September 30, 2018.

"The decision to restrict the film was unconstitutional and a violation of my right to freedom of expression which includes freedom of artistic creativity," she said.

READ ALSO: Please advice: My pastor is all over me, he wants a relationship and he is married

The KFCB banned the film citing that its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya was contrary to the law.

Following the High Court's decision to temporarily lift the ban, Mutua unleashed a rant on Twitter to condemn the movie and its audience.

Story by Zipporah Weru/Correspondent

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram. Tuko news.

Kenyans Angry Over High Fuel Prices - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko
- Pamela Kentaro was spotted on several photos being close to the politician

- She defended herself saying she met the MP at JKIA and sat next to him in the plane

- The top cop dismissed claims she traveled with Wine to US and back

- Wine arrived at JKIA en route Entebbe on Thursday, September 20

- Airport staff and Kenyans took photos with the musician turned politician

- He arrived at Entebbe airport and was arrested by police who took away his travel documents

- the MP was later driven to his home where he addressed his supporters who were waiting for him

A Uganda counter-terrorism police officer who was spotted accompanying Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi commonly known as Bobi Wine, has defended herself against claims that she was secretly spying on the politician.

Pamela Kentaro dismissed the allegations saying she was traveling to Entebbe after her Mombasa trip when she met the MP at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

READ ALSO: Uganda's counter-terrorism spy chief secretly escorted MP Bobi Wine from US

Pamella Kentaro dismissed claims that she was spying on Bobi Wine saying they only met at JKIA. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Bobi Wine touches down at JKIA enroute to Uganda

"It is quite absurd that a lot of negativity is being spread about me having been planted a spy on Hon Kyagulanyi. Me and Bobi have been friends and he knows I am a police officer. On Thursday I met him at JKIA, I was traveling from Mombasa and him from America. I did not travel to US as alleged," said Kentaro in a viral message.

She said Wine was the first to see her before he asked her to join him and his brother on their table in a cafeteria at JKIA as they waited for their plane to take off.

Kentaro said they chatted for close to two hours and she sat next to the MP in the plane as they took off from the airport.

Kentaro said she has been a friend to Wine for long and he knew he was a police. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: MP Bobi Wine arrested moments after touching down in Uganda from treatment in US

It was alleged the police officer who was seen in several photos with Wine, had been following the MP secretly.

Upon his arrival at Entebbe Airport, police arrested the musician turned politician and took away his travel documents before driving him to his home where he addressed his supporters.

The combative MP maintained he would keep fighting for freedom of the Ugandans no matter how long it takes.

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Kenyans demand for the release of Bobi Wine | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest
- The Cherangany MP bashed National Assembly leadership for overseeing faulty adoption of Uhuru's reservations on the Financial Bill 2018

- Kutuny alleged House leadership forced the passage of the Bill but will heavily pay for decision

- He hinted of an unstoppable revolt in the National Assembly over the controversial law

- Kutuny insinuated the Executive played a role in forcing the Bill which was rejected by majority MPs

Cherangany MP and former President Uhuru Kenyatta's advisor, Joshua Kutuny, has strongly criticised the manner in which the Financial Bill 2018 was passed in the National Assembly, terming it utterly faulty.

The MP who is elected on a Jubilee party ticket said the adoption of President Uhuru Kenyatta's memorandum concerning the Bill on Thursday, September 20, was nothing less of a daylight robbery on Kenyans, saying the revolt in Parliament was an indicator all was not well in the Legislature.

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READ ALSO: Uhuru signs the Finance Bill 2018 into law hours after chaotic debate in Parliament

Joshua Kutuny said the memorandum by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the Financial Bill 2018 was wrongly adopted in the National Assembly. Photo: Joshua Kutuny/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Kenyan journalist arrested by Uganda police for interviewing MP Bobi WIne

In his Facebook post seen by TUKO.co.ke on Friday, September 21, Kutuny said the way the memorandum was adopted was merely a fallacy and stripped off the National Assembly its status.

"I want to put it clear that the leadership of Parliament used unorthodox, undemocratic and unprocedural means to pass the president's memorandum. The way things were conducted totally undermined democracy and amounted to daylight robbery of democracy against the wishes of the common mwananchi," said the MP.

The MP warned the leadership of the House including National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale, his minority counterpart Aden Duale and Speaker Justin Muturi that their unorthodox means of conducting Parliament business would ignite a revolution.

Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny and his Kapseret counterpart Oscar Sudi. Kutuny bashed National Assembly leadership for imposing unpopular decisions on Kenyans. Photo: Joshua Kutuny/Facebook.

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: Kenyans give Uhuru their piece of mind after signing Finance Bill 2018 into law

"I want to remind the leadership of Parliament that they need not to force everything to happen, least they invite silent revolution. The principal of politics calls for consultation and reaching out to opposing sides and people of divergent opinion on issues of common concern facing Kenyans," added Kutuny.

The angered MP, just like many who opposed Uhuru's new tax proposals in the Bill which was signed into law on Friday, September 21, was categorical that the House leadership would be judged by history for endorsing an unpopular and oppressive law.

He blatantly said the leadership had conducted itself in an uncivilised manner, warning that all underlying oppression in the legislative house would explode and it would bring them down for their high handedness.

President Uhuru Kenyatta signed controversial Finance Bill 2018 into law on Friday, September 21, less than 24 hours after its chaotic adoption. Photo: Daily Nation.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Governor Okoth Obado arrested, grilled for a second time over Sharon's murder

"As much as they resort to barbaric means in handling issues of great concern, history will judge them harshly for oppressing poor Kenyans. The rebellion witnessed in Parliament is a tip of the iceberg over many underlying issues. This should serve as a wake up call to the executive and the leadership of Parliament," he stated.

His sentiments resonated with those of a section of disgruntled Jubilee and Opposition MPs led by Laikipia Women Representative Catherine Waruguru who threatened they would initiate the process of impeaching Speaker Justin Muturi.

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: Angry Kenyan Sends Message to President Uhuru Kenyatta | Tuko TV:

Source: Tuko
- The self styled National Resistance Movement (NRM) leader pushed his return date for the second time

- Miguna announced he will return to the country December 2018 after court releases final judgment on his case

- The lawyer had initially announced he would return after September 4, 2018 but has pushed it further

- He initially canceled his return after governor Sonko nominated him as his deputy

- Miguna was deported for the second time in May 2018 after he illegally swore-in Raila Odinga as the people's president at Uhuru Park

Firebrand politician Miguna Miguna who was deported to Canada in March, 2018 has once again postponed his return date which was to happen September 2018.

The controversial lawyer and author announced he would instead return to Kenya after December 7, 2018, citing he was following his lawyer's advice to avoid another abduction.

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READ ALSO: Missing Form Four girl found living with police officer in Thika

The controversial lawyer had announced he will now return to Kenya after December 7, 2018.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Uhuru signs the Finance Bill 2018 into law hours after chaotic debate in Parliament

Taking to Twitter to announce the new arrangement, the self styled general of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) also said the precise date would be settled on once the court gave its final judgement on his case.

For those asking When will you return? I plan to do so after Justice Chacha Mwita releases his final judgement on December 7, 2018, tweeted Miguna

I'm doing so on the advise of my advocates in order to prevent the despots from abducting me on arrival at the JKIA. Meanwhile, organise, mobilize, he added.

READ ALSO: 44 confirmed dead as Tanzania ferry capsizes in Lake Victoria, rescue operations underway

The controversial lawyer had announced he will now return to Kenya after December 7, 2018.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Mama Lucy Hospital dismisses claims Sonko took morgue coolers from the facility

In March 2018, the embattled lawyer was deported to Canada for the second time after three days of back and forth with authorities at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The lawyer had initially announced in May his plans to return to Kenya but canceled the plan after Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko nominated him as his deputy.

Immigration Department PS Gordon Kihalangwa together with the top security bosses; Interior CS Fred Matiangi, Interior PS Karanja Kibicho and Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet maintained Miguna lost his Kenyan birthright when he acquired Canadian citizenship.

READ ALSO: Update: Police arrest, transport MP Bobi Wine from Entebe airport to his home

The government has, however, repeatedly refused to issue Miguna with a valid passport claiming he never made an application for the same.

The combative lawyer was at the centre of a government crackdown on people believed to have facilitated National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odingas mock and controversial swearing-in ceremony in Uhuru Park on January 30, 2018.

Raila and Uhuru went on to make up and are championing national unity and reconciliation but Miguna has on several occasions opposed the handshake between the two leaders.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenyans demand for the release of Bobi Wine | Tuko TV

Source: Breaking News
- Two Nigerians and one Tanzanian were arrested during the Friday, September 21, swoop

- They have been defrauding local banks and the money withdrawn outside Kenya

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested two Nigerians from Jacaranda estate and one Tanzanian from Kasarani in Nairobi County for engaging in electronic fraud.

The three were accused of defrauding local banks and the money transferred to accounts outside the country where its withdrawn.

READ ALSO: Detectives nab heroine worth KSh 300 million in Kilifi county

READ ALSO: 2 police officers arrested for heading gang of robbers in Nakuru County

The detectives confiscated ATM cards, laptops, cheque books among other exhibits to be used against the culprits in court.

The suspects were taken into custody to be arraigned on Monday, September 24.

The arrest came barely a day after detectives in Kilifi County working on a tip-off from members of the public on Thursday, September 20, nabbed 100 kilograms of heroine in a house.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenya News: Raila Odinga - Kenya's Fuel Crisis Will Not Occur | Tuko TV.

Source: Tuko.co.ke
- Maribel was hit severally on the head and suffered multiple fractures

- The autopsy ruled out any possible sexual assault

- The lifeless body of the nine-year-old was found dumped in a forest in Meru, ending a 10-day search

Maribel Kapolon, the slain daughter of Meru Senior Magistrate Caroline Kemei, suffered multiple head fractures and facial injuries confirming she was clobbered to death.

The lifeless body of the nine-year-old Consolata Primary School pupil who went missing on September 6, 2018 was found dumped in Gitoro Forest, Meru county, ending a 10-day search.

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READ ALSO: Jilted lover to Meru magistrate arrested over murder of her 9-year-old daughter

The lifeless body of a nine-year-old Consolata Primary School pupil who went missing on September 6 was found dumped in Gitoro Forest, Meru county ending a ten-day search. Photo: Mediamax.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Body of senior magistrate's 9-year-old daughter who was kidnapped found in Gitoro Forest, Meru

The postmortem conducted at Meru Level Five Hospital on Thursday, September 20, ruled out any possible sexual assault, but indicated the young girl's body had started decomposing when Gitoro residents discovered it, Nation reported.

Though the pathologist declined to speak to the media, source said samples have been taken to the government chemist for further analysis.

The deceased young girl was in her full school uniform and had one shoe at the time of the chilling discovery.

READ ALSO: Meru family in desperate appeal to find girl who went missing on her way from school

Little Kapolon was kidnapped as she walked home after being dropped by a school bus.

She was reportedly picked up along the road by a person believed to be either a relative or close family friend.

The kidnapper allegedly called the girl who was with other pupils by her name, lured her into a standby car then drove off with her.

A jilted lover to the Meru magistrate has since been arrested over the murder as the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti said detectives in the matter had a strong belief the minor was murdered because of the mother's disagreement with her lover.

The other suspect, according to police, was a man who allegedly demanded for ransom to return Kapolon after a notice of her disappearance was made.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenyans demand for the release of Bobi Wine | Tuko TV

Source: Tuko
Tania Ortiz of Franklin Park ties on a mask for her daughter Mia, 12, that she made, along with their capes at the craft table during the first Pop!Con at the Franklin Park Public Library in 2017. (Eric P. Davis/Pioneer Press)
Trinidad and Tobago is the mecca of carnival so there's really no surprise whenever there's 
A mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has held constructive talks with the Ukrainian authorities and is ready to continue discussing possible financial assistance to the country.

IMFs Resident Representative in Ukraine Goesta Ljungman said this on the results of the missions work.

"In recent weeks, the IMFs mission has held constructive discussions with the Ukrainian authorities regarding the continuation of the Funds efforts to support policies on reforms that support macroeconomic stability and growth in Ukraine and on possible financial assistance from the Fund. The discussions are still ongoing," the IMF representative said.

As reported, the IMF's mission arrived in Kyiv on September 6 as part of the next review under the EFF (Extended Fund Facility) program for Ukraine and for determining the possibility of allocation of the next tranche.

On Thursday, September 20, IMFs Communications Department Director Gerry Rice said that the IMF had refrained from commenting on possible substitution of current EFF program for Ukraine by a new IMF standby, noting the discussions with Kyiv were ongoing.

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Ukrainians, who were injured as a result of a road traffic accident in Voronezh region (Russian Federation), are provided with the necessary assistance.

Advisor to the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine Mariana Betsa wrote this on Twitter.

"According to the embassy, six citizens of Ukraine have been injured in an accident in Voronezh region (Russia). Consuls are rendering the necessary assistance, Betsa wrote on Thursday evening.
Lithuanias Foreign Vice-Minister Darius Skusevicius has assured Ukraines Deputy Foreign Minister for European Integration Olena Zerkal that Lithuania will continue to actively support Ukraine.

"Lithuania will continue to actively support Ukraine," Skusevicius said at the meeting with Zerkal on September 20, the Ukrainian Government portal reports.

He also confirmed the readiness of Vilnius to promote the priorities of Ukraines European integration and the continued attention to the EUs Eastern Partnership initiative, in particular in the context of ensuring the cooperation of the interested member countries of the initiative towards integration into the energy and digital unions.

The parties praised the bilateral cooperation within European, transatlantic and international bodies and underscored the need to strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation, especially in the context of the construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge.

"The European Union pays special attention to the aggravation of the situation in the Sea of Azov water area as a result of Russia's actions," Skusevicius noted.

In turn, Zerkal thanked the Lithuanian side for its firm political support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

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In the occupied Crimea, a 66-year-old Ukrainian activist, Asan Chapukh, who went on a hunger strike with a demand to provide him with immediate medical care, has ended his hunger strike due to deteriorating health.

"Asan Chapukh has ended his hunger strike due to deterioration of health condition and at the request of his lawyer. He went on a hunger strike on September 15, demanding medical assistance or transferring him from the detention center and put under house arrest," journalist Anton Naumliuk said.

On Thursday, September 20, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine expressed deep concern over significant health condition deterioration of Ukrainian citizen Asan Chapukh, who has been illegally detained on politically motivated charges in the occupied Crimea, and who has announced a hunger strike.

"We demand from the Kremlin regime to release immediately Asan Chapukh and over 70 citizens of Ukraine, who are prosecuted on politically motivated charges on the territory of Russia and on the occupied territory of Crimea," the Foreign Ministry stated.

Ukraine called on the international community to strengthen the political and diplomatic and sanction pressure on the aggressor state with the aim to release the citizens of Ukraine illegally detained by Russia.

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The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has sent a note to Russia about the non-extension of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between the two countries.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said this at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The Foreign Ministry has handed over a formal note to the Russian Federation about the non-extension of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership," Klimkin said.

According to him, this is a very important moment, as the note mentions in detail all the violations committed by Russia against Ukraine. "This also concerns Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, Russia's hybrid aggression against Ukraine, economic pressure, the violation of the rights of Ukrainian citizens. This treaty was fundamentally violated by Russia so it cannot be prolonged," the minister said.

At the same time, he said, Ukraine has always used this treaty and a reference to it in the process of formulating lawsuits against Russia in international courts. "This applies to the UN international court [the ICC], and we now have several revolutionary lawsuits against Russia. This is our lawsuit as part of international arbitration, as part of the Convention on the Law of the Sea. It is also a lawsuit of Ukrainian citizens in Strasbourg regarding their rights violations. Most importantly, the very reference to Russia's violation of this treaty helped us succeed in the process around the so-called 'Yanukovych debt case.' And now, this is again a revolutionary issue - Russia's armed aggression and hybrid aggression will be considered in the London court," Klimkin said.

He also stressed that the situation with this treaty should become a kind of lesson for Ukraine, since it does not provide for any procedure for resolving disputes between the parties. "Perhaps this is a lesson for all of us. If you read it carefully, it does not even provide for any dispute settlement procedure. If a country violates this treaty, there should normally be the logic on which authorities to address. Even this was not foreseen there," the minister said.

He noted that for many people, from the political and emotional point of view, it is very difficult to understand "for what purpose we have chosen a strategy not to terminate this treaty, but not to extend it." According to Klimkin, this is done so that the reference to the treaty continues to help Ukraine in the consideration of cases against Russia in international courts.

The minister said that Ukraine would continue to work consistently on reviewing the contractual framework with Russia. "Like the treaty on friendship, it must be radically revised, but we will do so in accordance with a clear strategy and will not allow Russia to manipulate the suspension of a number of important bilateral agreements and will not allow doing so that it would harm Ukrainian citizens," he said.

As Ukrinform reported, on September 17, President Petro Poroshenko enacted the decision of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council of September 6 to terminate the effect of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia.

The Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership was signed in Kyiv on May 31, 1997. Under the terms of the treaty, the parties undertook, in particular, to "respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty" of the two countries and "reaffirmed the inviolability of the existing borders between them."
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko plans to begin a working visit to the United States on Monday, September 24, to participate in the UN General Assembly in New York.

He said this at a ceremony to hand over a ten-millionth biometric passport to a Ukrainian citizen, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"On Monday, I'm going to New York for a meeting of the UN General Assembly," the president said.

At the same time, he said that he had given an order that Ukraine's note on the non-extension of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia should be circulated "as an official document of the UN General Assembly."

According to him, this should be done so that nobody "doubts that Ukraine has finally quit the Soviet empire, the Russian empire and our fantastic people are returning to the family of the peoples of the EU."

As reported, on Friday, September 21, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sent a note to Russia about the non-extension of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership.

On September 17, President Petro Poroshenko enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of September 6 to terminate the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia.

The treaty was signed on May 31, 1997 in Kyiv. In accordance with the terms of the treaty, the parties undertook, in particular, to "respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty" of the two countries and "reaffirmed the inviolability of the existing borders between them."

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said Russia does not intend to stop inspecting vessels in the waters of the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov, as it is allegedly not contrary to international law.

She stated this at a briefing on Thursday, according to TASS.

"They [Russia's actions on inspecting vessels] do not contradict any rules of international law that can be applied to this water area [the Sea of Azov]. Russia's right to carry out such actions is unambiguously confirmed by the practice of other states exercising their sovereign rights as regards inland waters," Zakharova said.

Thus, according to her, Russia will continue to "take the necessary measures to ensure security in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait."

At the same time, she referred to bilateral agreements between Kyiv and Moscow on the legal status of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait as internal waters of Russia and Ukraine.

Earlier, Leonid Osavoliuk, Ukraine's representative on the contractual and legal registration of the state border of Ukraine (2011-2016), said that 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.

He said that 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. An exception for the stopping of vessels, including Russian ones, may be only the order of the passage along the Kerch Strait. It should be taken into account that main navigable routes pass precisely in the Ukrainian inland waters of these water areas.
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Published Sept. 20, 2018

The magnitude of the ceremony and groundbreaking for the anticipated Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) at the University of Louisiana Monroe was evident to the hundreds who gathered in Heritage Park on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.



This was something big. Scorching temperatures and stifling humidity were not enough to keep a very interested and diverse crowd from attending.





VCOM is a nonprofit, private (501)c-3 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.



Heritage Park is on Bayou DeSiard between the Laird Weems Center and the ULM Ski Team house. The large plot is dotted with pecan and oak trees, which provide much-needed shade and add a calmness to the atmosphere.



Guests speakers included Gov. John Bel Edwards; VCOM President and Provost Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP; University of Louisiana System President Dr. Jim Henderson; VCOM Board Chairman John G. Rocovich Jr., JD; ULM President Nick J. Bruno Ph.D.; Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo; State Representative Francis Thompson; American Osteopathic Association President Mark Baker, DO; VCOM Dean Ray Morrison, DO and State Representative Katrina Jackson.



In each ones brief remarks, one fact was apparent: VCOM is going to change ULM  and change north Louisiana  and change the entire state.



Its exciting today to be governor to welcome VCOM, Edwards said. This will do more than raise the quality of life (through healthcare), its estimated to generate $60-$77 million a year. Higher ed is synonymous with opportunity, think about the opportunity for young people.



Before introducing Bruno, the governor praised his foresight, saying, The future is bright because of visionaries like the president of ULM.



Bruno thanked the legislative delegation, elected officials, organizers of the event, community supporters and everyone who believed ULM would be home to a medical school.



He described how Tooke-Rawlins and Rocovich made a surprise visit to ULM and, They asked me what I wanted and I said more doctors, better healthcare for our region and the state, Bruno said. Then I showed them the site.



Tooke-Rawlins commented, I think this is meant to be.



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.
The U.S. President strengthened the legal basis for earlier imposed sanctions.

President of the United States of America Donald Trump has issued an Order to ensure the full implementation of the imposed sanctions against legal entities and individuals from the Russian Federation, introduced among others things due to aggression in Ukraine.

This is stated in the letter of the U.S. President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate, published on the website of the White House.

Read alsoTrump signs order to sanction countries meddling in U.S. elections

The letter notes that the U.S. President, in fulfillment of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, issued an Executive Order to implement additional steps on previously imposed sanctions against Russia for violating Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In particular, this refers to Executive Order 13660 of March 6, 2014 (imposition of sanctions for the actions of the Russian Federation in Crimea, "that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets), as well as further orders that extended the range of application of the first package of Crimean sanctions.

In addition, this refers to Executive Order 13694 of April 1, 2015, which provided for the imposition of sanctions for malicious activities in cyberspace and created the grounds for taking additional steps in accordance with Decree 13757 of December 28, 2016 (imposition of sanctions against nine intelligence agencies and persons from the Russian Federation because of cyberattacks).

However, it is noted that in accordance with Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act and Ukraine Freedom Support Act, provision is made for the application of certain sanctions against the Russian Federation.

At the same time, the Executive Order issued by Trump will facilitate the further implementation of these sanctions by providing additional powers to the Secretary of the Treasury in order to implement certain steps with respect to the said sanctions. The head of the U.S. Treasury will also guide the work of other government departments and agencies to implement appropriate measures to ensure the full implementation of the sanctions.

According to the letter, the sanctions may include the prohibition of certain financial transactions, blocking of property and property interests, refusal to issue export licenses and visas, as well as ban on entering the United States. Key persons from management related to persons against whom sanctions have already been imposed may also be slapped with sanctions.
This treaty is fundamentally violated by Russia and therefore cannot be prolonged, Klimkin said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Friday officially notified the Russian side of the non-extension of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation signed on May 31, 1997, which is expiring on March 31, 2019.

"Today, as we said, we sent the relevant note to Russia," Klimkin told journalists on Friday, an UNIAN correspondent reports.

Read alsoPoroshenko's decree on non-extension of Treaty of Friendship with Russia officially published

"This is a very important point since all violations by the Russian Federation are very detailed in this note. I emphasize once again, of all the essential provisions of this treaty. This concerns both Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, Russia's hybrid aggression against Ukraine, as well as economic pressure. And of course, violations of the rights of citizens of Ukraine," Klimkin said.

"This treaty is fundamentally violated by Russia and therefore cannot be prolonged," he added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Poroshenko on September 17 signed a decree to enact the NSDC's decision not to prolong the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

Under Article 24 of the Law on International Treaties of Ukraine, the president will also submit a relevant bill to parliament.

Ukrainian presidential representative in parliament Iryna Lutsenko said Ukraine's Foreign Ministry would send a letter to the Russian side by September 30 to notify of the non-extension of the Treaty, which is expiring on March 31, 2019.

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.
Mr. Poroshenko "has been seriously injured in his reputation and has been caused substantial distress and embarrassment," the claim reads.

The President of Ukraine is suing the BBC for libel over a news report that claimed he had secretly paid at least 300,000 for a meeting with Donald Trump.

Lawyers for President Petro Poroshenko said the allegation is untrue and "strikes at the core of his personal dignity and integrity," according to The Telegraph.

The BBC story claimed that intermediaries acting for Mr. Poroshenko made a secret payment to Michael Cohen, then Mr. Trump's personal lawyer, to set up talks between the two leaders.

Read alsoPoroshenko's administration denies media reports that first meeting with Trump "paid by Ukraine"

It alleged that, through official channels, Mr. Poroshenko had been able to secure only "an embarrassingly brief few minutes of small talk and a handshake" with the U.S. president, and that he wanted more.

The two men met in June 2017 for what Mr. Poroshenko later described as a "substantial visit" during which they discussed military cooperation.

The report was broadcast on BBC One's flagship News at Ten bulletin on May 23 this year and given a prominent place on the BBC website.

In a High Court claim, lawyers for Mr. Poroshenko say the allegation was particularly damaging because he is actively involved in promoting anti-corruption measures in Ukraine.

Mr. Poroshenko "has been seriously injured in his reputation and has been caused substantial distress and embarrassment," the claim reads.

"The allegation that the Claimant was guilty of serious corruption is self-evidently an extremely grave and serious one..."

"It has also caused him considerable distress and embarrassment since the allegation strikes at the core of his personal dignity and integrity."

The claim asserts that the BBC had "no evidence of any payment or secret talks" and that it "chose to publish this hugely serious and damaging allegation despite its journalists having been repeatedly told by those alleged to be involved that it was completely untrue, and that there had been no payment and no back-channel talks."

It said the BBC has refused to publish a correction or apology, and the story remains available on the BBC website.

The corporation has dealt with Mr. Poroshenko's complaint in a "dismissive and arrogant manner," the claim adds.

Cohen, for a decade Mr. Trump's lawyer and fixer, is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to eight counts of tax evasion, making false statements to a bank and campaign finance violations.

A BBC spokesman said: "We cannot comment on this ongoing case."
New ammunition of Ukrainian production was also demonstrated and tested at the proving ground.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has said the tests of new Ukrainian weapons and military equipment were held at the military proving ground of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to him, the aviation tests of a new operational-tactical unmanned system, "capable of conducting reconnaissance, coordinating fire, providing radio-electronic combat-resistant communications at an operational depth up to 200 km, while in the air for up to 24 hours" were conducted. A combat unmanned system that can carry a powerful high-explosive or thermobaric combat charge and accurately strike targets in the deep rear of the enemy was also tested, the NSDC's press service said.

"These unmanned systems were created by Ukrainian gunsmiths in cooperation with our foreign partners," Turchynov said.

Read alsoUkraine tests Neptun ground-launched cruise missile (Video)

In addition, the flight-technical characteristics of Ukrainian lightweight multipurpose helicopters "Scout" and AK1-3 were demonstrated.

Turchynov said these helicopters are capable of providing reconnaissance and early reporting to the troops, carrying out border guard tasks, "as well as of ensuring combat missions, striking targets both day and night, in particular, working in the unmanned mode, in complex with modern weapons."

The upgraded ZU-23-2 was also tested. "Combining this robust anti-aircraft system with an electronic system for automatic target detection and fire control will securely eliminate air and land targets, including UAVs on Russia's armament," he said.

"An important part of this modernization is the ability, thanks to an automatic system, to direct fire from several anti-aircraft systems simultaneously at a distance, from protected positions, without endangering the lives of our servicemen," Turchynov added.

New ammunition of Ukrainian production was also demonstrated and tested at the proving ground, in particular, RS-80 missiles suitable for use in various applications, and a high-explosive fragmenting projectile for the popular MT-12 "Rapira" guns.

"All the new tested developments of the Ukrainian defense-industrial complex have demonstrated their high efficiency, and after taking them on armament, they will considerably strengthen our military potential," Turchynov said.
Sytnyk denies his involvement.

Director of the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) Artem Sytnyk is facing criminal charges opened by the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) on the fact of the possible disclosure of information amid a pretrial investigation.

The case was opened after Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan, who is suspected of illegal enrichment, alleged that Sytnyk had informed him about a planned raid on his house, SAPO said on Facebook on Friday.

Read alsoNABU director Sytnyk reveals details of his private visit to Poroshenko's house this spring

"Preliminarily, this statement is not seen as groundless, as materials of the criminal case used for indicting him contain information about telephone connections between Omelyan and the subscriber recorded as Artem Sytnyk prior to the raid, namely at 08:00, 11:32, 19:09, 23:42 on November 2, 2017," SAPO said.

To ensure the efficient pretrial investigation, the materials of the criminal proceedings will be sent to the Prosecutor General, who will choose an agency that will be engaged in the pretrial investigation.

"At the same time, we draw your attention to the fact that Sytnyk consistently, constantly and systematically discloses information related to pretrial investigations, which is unlawful and significantly harms the interests of the investigation," it said.

Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan was reported to have said he had learnt about a pending search in his house from NABU Director Artem Sytnyk. Sytnyk denies his involvement.
Traditionally a lot of Ukrainian labor migration around Europe is seasonal, with workers coming on short-term visas or under the table.

The central statistics office for Poland (Gowny Urzad Statystyczny) released data late last week on foreign work visas issued in 2017. They show a continuing upward trend and Ukrainian nationals represent the lion's share of these new workers.

Overall the number of work permits for foreigners in Poland grew in 2017, with more than 235,600 issued. This is a near doubling (84%) from 2016, and a 258% increase from 2015. This steep increase was driven largely by Ukrainians fleeing political upheaval: according to a survey by the National Bank of Poland, between 2010 and 2014 the rate of new workers registered in Poland hovered around 40,000, with the Ukrainian share of that being 50% (a share broadly consistent since the collapse of the Soviet Union) but between 2014 and 2017 that number sharply increased, with the Ukrainian share jumping up to around 80%. This year, Ukrainians received 81.7% of all work visas issued in Poland, Forbes reported.

This increase is uncontroversially associated with various upheavals in Ukraine: the Euromaidan demonstrations in 2013 and subsequent violent government response, the 2014 revolution, the Russian annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbass. All of this with an economic crisis that saw GDP plummet and a bailout implemented by the IMF to avoid default. But though the cause of this migration may be no mystery what is less known is how the character of the last few years' migration, as well as changes in Polish policy, affects the position of Ukrainian migrants in Poland.

Read alsoOver 518,000 Ukrainians leave country since late March 2018  Ukrainianpeopleleaks

"Now we can observe a higher rate of not only work permits granted to Ukrainian migrants but also other paths to staying in Poland legally," says Anita Brzozowska, a researcher at Warsaw University's Centre of Migration Research (CMR). "We can see they not only circulate (through Poland for work) but they also want to stay longer in Poland."

Traditionally a lot of Ukrainian labor migration around Europe is seasonal, with workers coming on short-term visas or under the table. As political and economic instability in Ukraine continues, however, and it becomes more difficult for people to go back, many Ukrainians are now considering their options in staying.

"It's harder because of the economic conditions," says Brzozowska, "and because of all these push factors in Ukraine: the conflict in Donbass and a really bad economic situation. It's similar to the situation in the 90s after the collapse of the Soviet Union; a decline in the standard of living in Ukraine."

The longer stay is causing Ukrainians to seek stronger legal and social roots in Poland. This is related to a process known as "anchoring", described by Brzozowska and colleague Aleksandra Grzymaa-Kazowska as the process of "searching for footholds and points of reference" that allow migrants to feel safe and secure in their host country. These footholds include the legal protections offered by work visas, as well as higher social interaction and intermarriage between Poles and Ukrainians, both of which Brzozowska and CMR have observed. But aside from the practical aspects of anchoring, a crucial source of stability is in comparing their current situation to what they left behind. Brzozowska found, when interviewing Ukrainians about their experiences in Poland, that this comparison between the relative economic and political stability of Poland and the economic crisis and corruption of Ukraine was a key aspect in how they perceive their lives in Poland.

"When (they) compare to the uncertain situation in Ukraine, it is really crucial for their sense of security. Even if they are working in the secondary labor markets - the dirty and dangerous jobs - it really makes a difference to them. Also, their perception of the Polish legal system, the lack of corruption, is a really important aspect."

But Ukrainian migrants are not the only ones shifting perceptions about their situation. As many of them get settled into their lives in Poland, all of them are being used as a bargaining chip by the governing party.

Read alsoMost Ukrainians in Poland would leave for Germany  media

Brzozowska says Ukrainian migrants are of great value to Poland as a source of labor. They fill the gap left by both an aging population and high Polish emigration. In this sense, the upsurge of Ukrainian migration has been a boon for Poland. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin even went so far as to say at the end of last year that Ukrainian migrants had saved the Polish economy.

But that's not an opinion often heard coming from the ruling Law and Justice (Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc, or PiS) party. For the party, led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the need for Ukrainian labor is a topic mostly to be avoided.

"These migration flows are really important for future generations," says Brzozowska. "But still, we do not observe this in the public discourse made by PiS. Maybe in conferences prepared by employers organizations this topic (is discussed), but it's still not a dominant topic or a key message in the public discourse (of the government)."

Rather, the Ukrainians in Poland serve a more useful function as leverage against EU refugee quotas. Though the number of Ukrainians who have received asylum in Poland is vanishingly small compared to the number of work permits issued (according to the Ukrainian embassy in Poland, only 56 Ukrainian citizens were granted asylum in 2017, compared to the 235,600 work permits issued) the government have often referred to the burden of helping Ukrainian refugees as an excuse to be exempted from having to accept refugees from the Middle East and North Africa. Prime Minister Morawiecki claims the number of Ukrainian refugees in Poland (as opposed to labor migrants) to be in the tens of thousands. (This is actually a climbdown from previous prime minister Beata Szydo's claim of over a million refugees). This is a deliberate obscuring of the difference between refugees and economic migrants and is not borne out by the country's own asylum figures.

When questioned on the refugee/migrant question, Morawiecki doubled down, claiming many of the migrant workers are in fact refugees without the status. He has recently, however, acknowledged that Poland needs migrant labor, though he continues to emphasize the burden of Ukrainian "refugees" as a reason for not taking any from elsewhere. Poland is doing enough, essentially. "That's the key message in the discourse made by PiS," says Brzozowska. "And this, of course, is very misleading and lacks any insight into the problems of the Polish labor market."
Ukraine's Joint Forces have reported no casualties in the past 24 hours.

Russian-led forces mounted 22 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, two occupiers were killed and another four 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 21, 2018.

Read alsoOSCE: Donbas becomes one of most densely mined areas in world

Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and small arms to attack the defenders of the town of Maryinka, and the villages of Krymske, Novotroyitske, Hnutove, Vodiane, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne.

"At 06:00 yesterday morning, having neglected universal moral norms and the Minsk agreements, the Russian occupation forces shelled the village of Shyrokyne, using 122mm artillery systems. There were no casualties among the Ukrainian troops and the local population," the press center said.

"Since Friday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted four attacks on the Ukrainian positions near Krymske and Vodiane, using grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. There have been no casualties among Ukrainian troops from the start of the day," reads the report.
The other injured is a shop assistant.

Two people have been injured in an explosion inside a grocery store in the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk.

The incident happened near a public transport stop in Donetsk's Kirovsky district at about 16:30 local time on Friday, September 21, local media outlets said.

Read alsoRussian-led forces suffer losses amid chaos in "DPR" after Zakharchenko's assassination  intel

One of the injured, a male, reportedly threw a hand grenade. He was arrested.

The other injured is a shop assistant. Her condition is stable.

"Local" police are on the site.

The suspect is being questioned; an investigation is under way.
Ukraine recorded four violations of the ceasefire over the period under review.

Two members of Ukraine's Joint Forces were wounded amid a skirmish in the east of the country on Friday, September 21.

"As a result of a skirmish, two Joint Forces troops have been wounded. The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control," the press center of the JFO headquarters said in an evening update on Friday, September 21.

Read alsoTwo people injured in grocery store blast in Russian-occupied Donetsk

The Russian occupation forces violated the ceasefire four times from 07:00 to 18:00 on September 21, however, the enemy did not use the weapons banned by the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas.

"The enemy opened aimed fire, using grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms. Russian occupiers used grenade launchers to shell the Joint Forces' positions near the village of Krymske. Grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms were used by the enemy against the defenders of the village of Hnutove," it said.
Some 31 multiple rocket launchers were spotted in the Russian-occupied districts.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine counted over 5,500 instances of the violation of the ceasefire in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, last week.

"Despite the ceasefire agreement, the SMM counted over 5,500 violations of the ceasefire last week," Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Alexander Hug said at a press conference in Dnipro on Friday, September 21.

Read alsoTwo members of Ukraine's Joint Forces wounded in skirmish in Donbas on Friday

In his words, contrary to the sides' agreements to withdraw heavy weapons from the contact line in eastern Ukraine, OSCE monitors saw 44 weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines, of them 31 were in the Russian-occupied areas.

These were 31 multiple rocket launchers near the non-government controlled settlements of Khrustalnyi and Miusynsk, he said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Russian occupation forces violated the ceasefire four times from 07:00 to 18:00 on September 21, however, the enemy did not use the weapons banned by the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 21)  The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has asked 16 regional mayors to explain their absence during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong.

DILG issued show cause orders against nine mayors from Cagayan Valley and seven from the Cordillera Administrative Region  the areas badly hit by Ompong. The orders are expected to be released on Friday.

"The Department has given the said mayors five days from receipt to comment and explain on the matter and inform the DILG on the actions their respective offices have undertaken with regard to the recent calamity that affected their respective areas," DILG officer in charge Undersecretary Bernardo Florece said in a statement.

The police on Friday said 95 people died due to Ompong, with 79 deaths recorded in Cordillera and 10 in Cagayan Valley.

It is unclear if the DILG probe includes Cagayan officials who were seen at the Malacanang Palace on September 14  the eve of the Ompong's landfall in the Isabela-Cagayan area. Palace officials said their visit was scheduled long ago and that Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea accommodated them since President Rodrigo Duterte was in Davao City.

DILG Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the public officials will be given due process, but they will not hesitate to recommend sanctions if the investigation results prove the local government chiefs' negligence.

DILG earlier said it could suspend erring mayors while the Ombudsman may dismiss them from public service if found guilty of absenteeism and negligence of duty.

Meanwhile, the Palace wants mayors found guilty of abandoning their constituents Ompong to be severely punished.

"Sang-ayon po tayo na dapat patawan ng pinakamabigat na parusa yung mga mayor na missing-in-action sa panahon na pinaka-kinakailangan sila ng kanilang mga kababayan," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing on Thursday.

The Cagayan Valley and CAR are among the areas hardest hit by Ompong. Police said at least 74 people died from landslides, flash floods, and other deadly incidents caused by the powerful typhoon. This number could go up, as rescuers search for 47 more people buried in Barangay Ucab in Itogon, Benguet. They have so far recovered 23 bodies. A landslide buried the bunkhouse-turned-church where small-scale miners and their families sought refuge as Ompong battered northern Luzon on September 22.
The name of the inmate has not been released by authorities yet. But Curran said he learned from his staff that the coroner's office found that trauma did not contribute to the death of the victim, who was in cell in the Administrative Segregation Unit, where each inmate has their own cell.
September 21 2018

Grampian Housing Association (GHA) and Torry Development Trust have been selected by Aberdeen City Council to develop the site of an historic granite school.

The future of the former Victoria Road school in Torry has lain in doubt since it was closed in 2008 but its future now looks bright with a pledge to retain and repurpose the original buildings for affordable housing.

Initial proposals by David Murray Associates advocate conversion of the existing school buildings together with reinstating the original roof profile and limiting car parking to the site fringes.

In a statement the association wrote: The site will be open, accessible and useable by all of the community - these buildings are a community asset after all, and should remain that way even after conversion.



Removing unoriginal features such as the replacement roof on the main school building is proposed, and reinstating it to its original profile. In addition, existing buildings of no architectural merit such as the utilitarian sheds to the west will be demolished to clear room for new development, benefitting the projects overall viability.

A community consultation will now take place for the plans, which also include a nursery and community space.
(@FahadShabbir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The African Development Bank's (AfDB) partnerships with European organizations on gender parity, infrastructure development and youth employment are critical for Africa's economic development, Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the AfDB told Sputnik on Friday.

"I think the partnership between Europe and Africa is very critical for accelerating development on the continent," Adesina said.

During Adesina's visit to Canada this week, the AfDB announced that it was partnering up with Canadian finance institution FinDev for a 2016 project, Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), a $300 million risk-sharing facility that will be used to leverage around $3 billion from commercial banks and other African financial institutions.

Meanwhile, Adesina said that the bank has held talks with a number of European countries that have expressed their interest in the project.

"We have been discussing with the Germans on this, and there is a lot of positive interest. We have also been discussing with the government of the Netherlands, and they have shown a lot of positive interest in this, and I had quite a few trips to the Nordic countries, the Nordic countries are quite interested in it too," Adesina said.

The bank president stated that he believed AFAWA would be the biggest effort ever to leverage financial institutions to lend to women in Africa.

He added that the project would create inclusive growth within African economies that would simultaneously promote gender parity.

"Therefore Africa's economies will move up faster, and achieve a lot more inclusive growth, when we have greater equality between women and men," Adesina said.

According to the World Bank Group, the proportion of permanent full-time female workers in Sub-Saharan Africa stands at 27.

6 percent, which is 4.6 percent below the global average.

The AfDB continues to invest in infrastructure and youth employment projects with European organizations. Since September 2017, the bank has worked with the European Commission on the Pillar Assessed Grant or Delegation Agreement (PAGODA), a framework agreement which blends financial instruments to mobilize resources for Africa's infrastructure development.

Adesina expressed hope that the bank would obtain an additional $1 billion under PAGODA.

"Also together with the European Commission, we are working together on infrastructure investment, which is called PAGODA. We have ... been able to invest way over 500 million Euros in Africa for infrastructure. We are hoping that together we will be able to mobilize up to an additional, up to $1 billion for that PAGODA," Adesina said.

Moreover, the AfDB has partnered with the European Investment Bank to create the Boost Africa initiative, a $200 million project that will support the business ideas of young people.

"The African Development Bank is a great partner with the European Investment Bank in a number of areas. Firstly we are working on a project that is called Boost Africa. Boost Africa is about a $200 million financing vehicle that will support ... businesses of young people in Africa in which the risks are quite high. It will invest in the ideas of young people, helping them to turn those into bankable projects and give them access to working capital to be able to run their businesses. So that's one thing that we are doing," Adesina said.

The projects financed by the bank seek to create sustainable economic development and social progress in the AfDB's regional member countries, resulting in poverty reduction.
CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) President Igor Dodon of Moldova, a small Eastern European nation, said Friday he wanted to transform his country's economy by attracting more investment from Russia.

"Moldova needs an economic breakthrough ... To achieve this we need very large investment ... Moldova is not in the top 10 of Russian investment targets. This should be changed," he said.

Dodon estimated that the nation needed around a billion worth of direct foreign investment in the coming two or three years. He said Moldova wanted to "strike an economic balance with east and west."

Dodon was speaking at a Russia-Moldova economic forum in Chisinau, attended by politicians and business leaders from both countries, as well as from the Eurasian Economic Union of ex-Soviet member states.
CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) President Igor Dodon of Moldova, a small Eastern European nation, said Friday he wanted to transform his country's economy by attracting more investment from Russia.

"Moldova needs an economic breakthrough ... To achieve this we need very large investment ... Moldova is not in the top 10 of Russian investment targets. This should be changed," he said.

Dodon estimated that the nation needed around a billion worth of direct foreign investment in the coming two or three years. He said Moldova wanted to "strike an economic balance with east and west."

Dodon was speaking at a Russia-Moldova economic forum in Chisinau, attended by hundreds of politicians and business leaders from both countries, as well as from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) of ex-Soviet member states.

Andrei Nazarov, co-chair of Business Russia, an organization uniting 3,000 Russian entrepreneurs, and co-chair of the Russian-Moldovan Economic Council, said Russia could meet that target annually.

"Russian business can invest a billion Dollars in Moldova every year but only if several conditions are met, such as stability and harmonization of laws with the EAEU," he told the forum's plenary meeting.

He said the forum in Moldova had drawn Russian entrepreneurs from over 20 economic sectors, whose businesses had a net worth to the excess of $15 billion.
(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Sep, 2018) GENEVA, 21st September 2018 (WAM) - The Al Ghufran tribe in Qatar has called on the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples of the Office of Human Rights Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to document the violations committed by the Qatari regime against them and to present them to the international community to hold the regime accountable.

Representatives of the Al Ghufran tribe said during a seminar, held in Geneva today, on the sidelines of the 39th session of the Human Rights Council that they sought the help of the international organisation, years after the Qatari regime ignored their crisis and revealed that the Qatari Human Rights Committee had been involved in conspiracy with the countrys regime.

In a statement before the seminar, a member of Al Ghufran said his tribe was subject to all inhumane forms of violation and was denied the simplest right in life by having their citizenship revoked.

"We only chose to go to international organisations and rights bodies after the Qatari regime closed all doors and rejected our demands. We are determined to make our voice heard in the whole world to regain our rights," he added.

Another member of the tribe called on the Qatari Human Rights Committee to stop turning a blind eye on the regime's violations against the tribe and to publish all these violations which are in contravention with all international laws and conventions. He said Qatari law defines the countrys indigenous people as those who have inhabited the country since 1940 and no one has the right to take away their nationality.

"Although the law clearly applies to us, the tribe members were forcibly displaced and deprived of education, healthcare and other basic services," he noted.

Al Ghufran tribe's participation in the seminar on human rights is part of a move to highlight the torture and suppression they had been subject to at the hands of the regime and a wider move by the tribe on the sidelines of the 39th session, currently being held in Geneva.

The tribe representatives ask the international community to take a decisive position against the Qatari regime for violation of international laws and convention by adopting a policy of racial discrimination against the Al Ghufran tribe.
Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan has directed to ensure best possible arrangements and strict monitoring on Ashura.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2018 ) :Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan has directed to ensure best possible arrangements and strict monitoring on Ashura.

Visiting the control room at Deputy Commissioner Office, here on Thursday, he said that every officer and official should remain vigilant till midnight of 10th of Muharram-ul-Haram and perform duties with national zeal and fervor.

Abdul Aleem Khan passed on directions to keep liaison with attached departments.

He also directed the Local Bodies authorities to ensure proper cleanliness arrangements at and around the routes of main procession.

The minister said that in each district, the provincial ministers were on duty and they would keep an eye on the arrangements.

Deputy Commissioner Lahore Anwarul Haque informed about the arrangements made by the district administration.

He gave a presentation on the routes of processions in Shadman, Walled City, Model Town and other areas of the city and said that all the departments concerned were on board.
RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018 ) :Youm-e-Ashur, the 10th of Muharram observed here on Friday with solemnity and religious sanctity to pay tribute to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his 72 companions for the supreme sacrifices rendered by them at Karbala for the cause of truth, justice and righteousness.

As many as 7000 cops with 901 Traffic Wardens were deployed to guard 65 'Zuljinah' and mourning processions and 113 Majalis of Ashura. The contingents of Army and Rangers were also deployed in sensitive areas of the city besides police personnel to make security arrangements foolproof. Over 500 rescuers remained on special duty on Ashura.

Six big 'Tazia', 'Alam' and 'Zuljinah' processions were taken out here under stringent security measures. The 'Ashura' processions of the city including processions of Ashiq Hussain Imambargah of Taili Mohalla and Imam Bargah Hifazit Ali Shah Bohar Bazar, first gathered at the Imambargah Maqbool Hussain and after passing through traditional routes the main procession culminated at the 'Qadeemi' Imambargah.

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi visited route of the Ashura procession and reviewed security arrangements. The minister expressed satisfaction over the arrangements. He met with caretaker of the Madrassa Taleem ul Quran Raja Bazar Allama Mufti Ashraf Ali. On the occasion, Punjab Minister Raja Rashid Hafeez, DC Rawalpindi Dr. Umer Jahangir, CPO Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan and other officers were present. They briefed the minister about arrangements particularly security finalized for Ashura.

Punjab Minister for Literacy and Informal education Raja Rashid Hafeez, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr. Umer Jahangir, City Police Officer Abbas Ahsan and Additional Commissioner Coordination Tariq Salam Marawat also visited control room and reviewed the security arrangements.

According to City Police Officer Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, strict security measures were adopted for the security of the main mourning procession which passed through the traditional route of Jamia Masjid Road, Sarafa Bazaar, Fawara Chowk, College Road, Liaquat Road, Bhabra Bazaar, Committee Chowk, Trunk Bazaar, Bara Market and Banni Chowk. The mourners performed 'zanjir zani'. A large number of 'sabeels' of water and milk, including 'langar', were arranged for the mourners. The complete route was fully covered by the security personnel.

The major 'Zuljinah' and 'Maatmi' processions were also appeared from Gora Syedan, Shahpur, Jhangi Syedan, Dhoke Syedan, Sadiqabad, Satellite Town, Shakrial, Sihala, Dhama Syedan, Dhoke Juma, Gorakhpur, Girja Village, Adiala Road, Shah Piyara, Shah Chan Chiragh, Shah Nazar Bridge, Dhoke Awan and other areas.

On the directive of Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Umer Jahangir, the administration ensured presence of doctors and ambulances on all traditional routes to provide first aid to the mourners.

'Rescue 1122' staffers and Civil Defence officials were also present on the occasion to provide necessary assistance to the mourners. Walk-through gates were installed besides extra-ordinary security arrangements at the sites of 'majalis' and 'imambargahs' to maintain security.

Over 1000 police personnel were present along all the main mourning processions route. Security officials were deployed on the rooftops of nearby buildings and along roadsides to avoid any untoward incident.

Hospitals were directed to remain alert for any emergency situation and provide relief to the mourners.

Besides air surveillance by Army helicopters during Zuljinah processions, 7000 police personnel were deployed in the district for the security of the processions and worship places already declared 'highly sensitive' on Ashura.

As many as 10,000 security personnel were deployed in Rawalpindi region on Ashura. Total 209 mourning processions were taken out in Rawalpindi region including 65 of Chakwal district, 49 of Attock district and 30 of Jhelum district.

Special checking of the routes was completed before start of the processions and bomb disposal squad cleared the routes.

The route of the main procession of Ashura was sealed completely and streets on the route of the processions were also barricaded. The main Zuljinah processions of the city were given a 'box formation' security.

Police personnel, including Elite Force commandos, special branch personnel, bomb disposal experts, women police personnel and Dolphin Force were deployed for the security of Ashura processions.

The entry of the participants of the processions was allowed through walk-through gates while no vehicle was permitted entry into the processions. Parking of vehicles was allowed 200-meter away from the processions and imambargahs. Mobile phone service and Metro bus service remained suspended on Ashura. Mobile service restored after the Ashura main procession culminated.

According to Provincial Minister Raja Rashid Hafeez, foolproof security arrangements were made for Ashura. A central control room was set up at Municipal Corporation Office to monitor the processions and coordinate with the police deployments. Over 360 Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras were installed at different points in the city. He informed that experts of law enforcement agencies remained present in the control room and monitored the city situation.

Meanwhile, the City Traffic Police had chalked out a separate traffic plan to facilitate the mourners and Ashura processions. A control room was also set up at the traffic headquarters.

According to City Traffic Officer (CTO) Muhammad Bin Ashraf, the traffic was diverted on 48 different routes of the city while 901 Traffic Wardens including 671 Warden Officers, 60 inspectors, seven DSPs and 163 Traffic Assistants. There was complete ban on parking of any vehicle, motorcycle or handcarts on the route of the processions.

As part of the security measures, entry of vehicular traffic from Committee Chowk to Iqbal Road was strictly banned. No vehicle was allowed on DAV college road and Iqbal road. The public transport for City Saddar Road was diverted to Mohanpura road and traffic from Novelty cinema reached Pirwadhai through Kashmiri bazaar. Traffic coming from Gunjmandi was diverted to TB hospital, Pirwadhai and Dhoke Dalal.

According to District Emergency Officer, Rescue-1122, Dr. Abdul Rehman, over 500 rescuers remained on special duties in Rawalpindi district control room, emergency rescue stations with 34 fully equipped emergency ambulances, 12 fire vehicles, five special rescue and recovery vehicles, two water bowzers and 45 motorbike ambulances. 20 mobile rescue teams moved with Ashura processions.

A comprehensive plan was formulated to provide first aid and on the spot pre-hospital medical care to the mourners while seriously injured persons were shifted to nearby hospitals. Emergency officers including trained doctors were supervising the arrangements. All mobile teams and ambulances with medical kits were moving along with the processions to provide the mourners with immediatemedical aid.
(@FahadShabbir)

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018 ) :Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar Friday visited the central control room set up here at the Civil Secretariat for monitoring the security of processions on "Yaum-e-Ashur".

He also visited different parts of the control room.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the provincial government had made foolproof security arrangements for ensuring peace in the province.

He directed the authorities concerned to ensure complete implementation on the security plan devised for maintenance of peace in the province and in the provincial capital as well. He said that a modern system had been introduced for security and monitoring of majalis and processions and aerial monitoring had also been ensured with the help of helicopters.

Giving briefing, security officers informed the chief minister that the provincial security departments had provided security to approximately 2,800 processions and 2100 majalis, where 215,000 security personals performed their duty.

Whereas, 1,000 army personnel and 1,900 jawans of the Punjab Rangers had also been deployed for the foolproof security in the province.

He was said that the Punjab government had also arranged four helicopters for aerial surveillance and monitoring of processions and majalis.

Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Mian Aslam Iqbal and senior officers were also present.
NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The Indian External Affairs Ministry announced Friday its decision to cancel the planned meeting between the country's external affairs minister and her Pakistani counterpart in light of the killings of Indian security staff in disputed Kashmir and Pakistan issuing 20 postage stamps glorifying a terrorist among militants killed in India's security operations in the contested area.

On Thursday, the Indian External Affairs Ministry announced a meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, taking place in New York on September 18-October 5.

"Since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place. The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of twenty postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist .

.. In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," the Indian statement said.

The ministry added that the latest developments exposed the true face of Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan and the country's "evil agenda."

Early on Friday, rebels, who, according to the Indian side, are representatives of Pakistan-based entities, raided homes of Indian security personnel in southern Kashmir. As a result, three Indian police officers were abducted and then shot dead. Also on Friday, Pakistan issued 20 postage stamps depicting fighters against alleged Indian oppression in the region. Burhan Wani, a member of the Kashmir-based Hizbul Mujahideen militant organization, which is a designated terrorist group in India, was portrayed on one of the postage stamps.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018 ) :The President of Jammu and Kashmir Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, Maulana Masroor Abbas, has said that popular martyred youth leader, Burhan Wani, is a martyr for every Kashmiri and those mourning the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) are an inseparable part of Kashmir struggle.

According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), Maulana Masroor Abbas said this while reacting to the reports that the Indian police is mulling to arrest the mourners who raise the portrait of Burhan Wani during the ongoing Muharram processions.

Addressing a Muharram procession in Srinagar, Maulana Masroor Abbas, said, "Burhan Wani is our martyr. We raised his portrait in our processions. We want freedom and we are not going to bow before the oppressor. Our commitment towards our martyrs is evidence enough that we are an inseparable part of Kashmir movement," he said.

"If police want to register an FIR they should begin with me.

I raised his (Burhan's) portrait. If they want to hang me for this I am ready," he said. he warned that if the police book a handful of people carrying Burhan's portrait, 50,000 people would court arrest.

Pertinently, the mourners have been seen chanting pro-Burhan slogans and displaying his pictures in the ongoing Muharram processions in the territory.

"We will continue to display photographs of our leaders and all those who are fighting oppression," Maulana Masroor Abbas said.

Meanwhile, residents of Naidyar, Rainawari area of Srinagar said that Indian police resorted to indiscriminate teargas shelling and smashed windowpanes after a row erupted over police objecting to a stall offering refreshments for mourners.

A resident said that the police were probably infuriated by a banner of Burhan Wani hanging from a wall.
On Wednesday, Bush joked that she looks forward to the day when she can fling her phone and not have to have it replaced due to a cracked screen. She praised Khan and his team for making Lake County a part of the innovation shes sure will soon be ubiquitous in a variety of tools that used today.
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018 ) :Work on the construction of Lawai hydel power station in KPK (Chitral) is in full swing.

In an interview with Radio Pakistan, Spokesman of Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization told that the power station will be completed at a cost of Rs 22 billion by 2022.

He said on completion, it will generate 69 megawatts electricity.

The spokesman said that the Chitral has the potential to produce 2900 megawatts electricity from hydel resources.
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Maputo, Sept 21 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018 ) :Twelve villagers were killed and 14 injured in an attack by suspected militants on a village in a gas-rich region of northern Mozambique, a local source told AFP on Friday.

Since October, government plans to exploit the country's gas reserves have been thrown into doubt by an explosion of bloodthirsty assaults in the region where the industry plans to base its hub.

"Ten people were shot (dead) by firearms and two burnt (to death)," the source said of the violence which took place late Thursday in Paqueue village which lies close to the Quirimbas tourist archipelago.

One of the shooting victims had also been beheaded and the attackers had burnt 55 houses, the source said. Medics said another 14 people were wounded in the attack.

In a separate incident further north, gunmen attacked a military convoy near the Tanzanian border on Thursday night, killing a senior army officer, a police source said.

"The attackers wore military uniforms and had large-calibre firearms," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Since October, more than 40 people have been killed in brazen machete and gun assaults on unarmed villagers in the coastal region.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2018) The relations between Armenia and Russia continue to develop despite serious political changes in Yerevan, Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganyan said on Friday.

"Today, after major changes in the domestic political system, after the revolution, our young government undoubtedly ascertains an even deeper growth of ties with Russia ... We state that today we are on the verge of developing and promoting our relations in all spheres," Toganyan said at a reception on the occasion of Armenia's Independence Day.

At the same time, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said at the event that Moscow was committed to developing its partnership with Yerevan.

The political crisis in Armenia broke out in April after ex-President Serzh Sargsyan was nominated as prime minister. This was largely regarded as a way for Sargsyan, who previously served as president for two terms, to stay in power. Soon afterward, Sargsyan resigned amid large-scale anti-government protests.

Oppositon leader Nikol Pashinyan became prime minister in early May. The new head of government already has held numerous meetings with the Russian leadership since assuming the post with both sides expressing readiness to strengthen the long-term partnership.
ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit the United States on September 23-27 and speak at the session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Erdogan's press service said Friday.

"Our president will visit the United States on September 23-27 to participate in the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. During the session, he will take part in the high-level meeting on migration on September 24, and on September 25 he will make an address to the General Assembly," the statement, received by Sputnik, reads.

The press service noted that Erdogan would also hold bilateral meetings with the UN secretary general, heads of state and government of a number of countries, as well as meeting with representatives of the US business community and of Muslim and Turkish communities.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that the issue of a possible meeting of Erdogan and US President Donald Trump had not been decided upon yet.
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TALLINN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera agreed at a meeting in Tokyo on Friday to boost bilateral cooperation in the field of cybersecurity, the Estonian Defense Ministry's press service said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Luik arrived on a three-day visit in Japan. As part of his visit, Luik took part in a round table organized by the Japanese National Institute for Defense Studies and visited one of divisions responsible for cybersecurity.

"Japan has a considerable experience in the field of information technology and cyber field.

Estonia and Japan decided to enhance cooperation in the field of cyber defense, for example, by means of joint training and the use of infrastructure," Luik said as quoted in the statement.

In May, Onodera became Japan's first defense minister to visit Estonia. During that visit Onodera and Luik confirmed that Japan and Estonia understood the importance of cyber defense and the necessity to ensure large-scale cooperation in the field both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of NATO. In January, Japan joined the work of NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in the Estonian capital.
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SEVASTOPOL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The fourth battalion of Russia's S-400 air defense missile systems will be deployed in Crimea near Dzhankoy soon, a law enforcement source told Sputnik.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet said in a statement Friday that the third battalion of Russia's S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems was put on combat duty in the Crimean city of Yevpatoria,

"The deployment of the fourth S-400 system is planned near Dzhankoy," the source said.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2018) The relationship between Honduras and Russia is yielding results in various areas as the two countries have maintained diplomatic ties for around 25 years, Honduran Ambassador to Moscow Eleonora Ortez Williams told Sputnik on Friday.

"The relations between Honduras and Russia are very productive, they span some 25 years, while five years ago we opened the embassy here, in Moscow ... We are really very satisfied and we continue to work with full support, at all levels," Williams said.

At the same time, the ambassador said that the bilateral agreement on the basis of relations, which was ratified in 2018, is very important for the future development of ties.
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KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Hungary, by granting citizenship to Ukrainian nationals in the Zakarpattia region and urging them to conceal the fact from the Ukrainian authorities, is breaching the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Friday.

On Wednesday, the Ukrinform news agency reported that the Hunagarian consulate located in the border city of Berehove in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region granted citizenship to Ukrainian nationals instructing them not to notify the Ukrainian authorities of that. Klimkin stated that Kiev intended to expel the consul from the country. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called the move unfriendly and threatened to hamper Kiev's integration with the European Union.

"The granting of citizenship itself is prohibited under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Their activities on our soil are limited by what we allow them to do. This is a challenge to our national security," Klimkin told the 1+1 tv channel.

According to the minister, the consulate's call constituted a violation of Ukrainian legislation and was a manipulation.

"This is indeed a call for violation of our legislation on our territory and a manipulation. Many think that the problem with this video is granting citizenships. The problem is the call itself," Klimkin clarified.

Hungary has issued over 100,000 passports to residents of the Zakarpattia region, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile, Ukrainian legislation bans dual citizenship. Budapest maintains that it has the right to issue passports to Ukrainians of Hungarian origin.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Israeli media reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not answer calls from Syrian leader Bashar Assad after the crash of Russia's Il-20 aircraft in Syria.

"This is not true, do not believe these reports by Israeli media outlets," Peskov told reporters when asked to comment on Israeli media reports that the situation with the Il-20 angered Putin and he did not answer calls from Assad.

The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier this week that contact with Russia's Il-20 returning to the Hmeimim airbase was lost late on September 17.

The ministry said that around that time four Israeli F-16 fighters attacked Syrian targets in Latakia. It said that Israeli pilots put the Russian aircraft under the attack of Syria's air defenses, and the Il-20 was shot down by an S-200 missile. Fifteen Russian servicemen were killed.

The Defense Ministry said Israeli aircraft deliberately created a dangerous situation in Latakia. Israel had not warned the command of the Russian group of troops in Syria about the planned operation in the area. The Russian military said it regards Israel's provocative actions as hostile and reserves the right to a proper response.
Tripoli, Sept 20 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018 ) :Nine people including two civilians were killed near the Libyan capital on Thursday in fresh fighting between rival armed groups, an official said.

Thirteen others, including four civilians, were wounded in the violence on Tripoli's southern outskirts, according to preliminary assessments, said emergency services spokesman Osama Ali.

Despite a ceasefire deal reached on September 4, renewed fighting erupted this week, especially in the Salaheddin neighbourhood and on the route to Tripoli International Airport, which was destroyed in 2014.

The fighting which broke out late last month killed at least 63 people and wounded 159 others -- mostly civilians -- before the ceasefire came into effect.

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday issued an appeal on Twitter urging the armed groups to abide by the ceasefire.

It reminded them that they were signatories to a binding ceasefire agreement and that "exposing civilians to harm is prohibited".

Last week the UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, had already reported 14 ceasefire violations.

The country's internationally recognised Government of National Accord said Monday that a "regular force" would be tasked with securing Tripoli's only working airport, Mitiga.

The Libyan capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted in 2011.
You do see a lot of sick ash trees re-sprouting after they have been felled, CLC sustainability manager David Husemoller wrote via email. The problem of nurturing along those nice green sprouts is that they will not keep that nice green bushy appearance. Those stems will want to form a multi-stemmed tree and once that tree is big enough the Emerald Ash Borer will strike again to kill it.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Deputy Chief of Russian Defense Ministry's Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation Maj. Gen. Evgeny Ilyin met on Friday with Norwegian Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Knut Lein with the parties having discussed the situation in war-torn Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The meeting was held in the Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation of the Russian Defense Ministry at the initiative of the Norwegian side.

"The Norwegian diplomat was informed about Russian evaluations of the situation in the Syrian de-escalation zone of Idlib in the context of agreements reached between the leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey in Tehran on September 7 as well as about the activities of Russian troops in Syria aimed at providing the population with humanitarian aid, de-mining and return of refugees," the statement said.

The parties pointed out the importance of international efforts aimed at creating conditions for the return of Syrian refugees.

The Defense Ministry pointed out that the meeting was constructive.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in the Russian resort city of Sochi and signed an agreement on setting up a 9-12 mile demilitarized zone in Idlib along the contact line of the armed opposition and the government forces by October 15.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) US Vice President Mike Pence has met with Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and assured him of US support in implementing the Macedonian government's agreement with Greece reached in Prespa to change the name of the country, the White House said in a readout.

"The Vice President expressed his strong support for the Prespa agreement, which, once implemented, will lead to greater security and prosperity for the entire region," the readout said on Thursday evening.

Pence and Zaev then discussed the next steps in implementation of the Prespa agreement, including the upcoming September 30 referendum and the importance for all citizens to vote in the process, the readout continued.

"The Vice President expressed his support for the country as it moves forward to membership in NATO and the EU [European Union]," the readout added.

The meeting and comments by Pence come as Macedonians have organized a mass boycott of the referendum in an effort to prevent what they call a modern-day genocide that seeks to legitimize the actions of the US-installed Zaev government for the purposes of securing NATO membership, according to published reports.

Polls have shown that between 80 percent and 90 percent of Macedonians will boycott the referendum.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Prezzo restaurant chain may sue Anna Shapiro and her husband Alex King who felt ill inside Prezzo Salisbury venue if it turns out that the two had pretended to be poisoned, media reported Friday.

The couple, who became sick at a restaurant over the weekend, was discharged from Salisbury District Hospital on Thursday after it was determined that they had not been exposed to any nerve agent, although Shapiro claimed that she had been targeted by Moscow.

Prezzo has held internal discussion on possibly suing the couple if it was found out that the incident had been a prank, The Times newspaper reported, citing a source from the chain.

It has reportedly been discovered that Shapiro's husband has once played a trick on Prince of Wales.

The restaurant suffered reputational damage and costs in wasted food as fears of the poisoning led to its closure, the newspaper reported.

The incident drew attention of the media as in March, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were hospitalized in Salisbury after what the UK authorities said was an exposure to a nerve agent. The two have since been released from hospital.

In July, a couple fell ill in Amesbury, with a woman Dawn Sturgess dying in hospital. The two were believed to have touched an object contaminated with the same substance that was used on the Skripals.

The UK authorities have blamed the incident on Moscow, however, Russian officials have repeatedly refuted the allegations.
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Paris, Sept 20 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2018 ) :As global warming outpaces efforts to tame it, scientists have proposed building massive underwater structures to prevent an Antarctic glacier the size of Britain from sliding into the sea and lifting the world's oceans by several metres.

The more modest of two engineering schemes -- which is still on the scale of a Panama or Suez Canal -- to shore up Thwaites Glacier would require the construction of Eiffel Tower-sized columns resting on the seabed to support the glacier's ocean-facing edge, or ice shelf.

Option Two is a 100-metre tall underwater wall, or berm, running 80-100 kilometres (55-60 miles) beneath the ice shelf to block bottom-flowing warm water that erodes the glacier's underbelly, rendering it unstable.

The ambitious projects, detailed Thursday in the European Geophysical Union journal The Cryosphere, reflect a gathering awareness that slashing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions -- while essential -- may not happen quickly enough to avoid catastrophic climate change impacts.

"Thwaites could easily trigger a runaway ice sheet collapse that would ultimately raise global sea levels by about three metres," said lead author Michael Wolovick, a researcher at Princeton University's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.

Nor will reducing carbon pollution be enough: any credible pathway to a world in which global warming is capped below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (3.6 degree Celsius) -- the target enshrined in the 2015 Paris climate treaty -- depends on sucking large quantities of CO2 out of the air.

As a result, geoengineering schemes once dismissed as impractical, unnecessary or outright dangerous -- injecting particles into space to deflect the sun, storing CO2 in the ground, planting millions of square kilometres in biofuels -- have rapidly moved from the margins toward the centre of scientific and policy discussion.

But none of these schemes address sea level rise, which is likely to cause more human misery than any other climate impact: by century's end, it could swamp dozens of island states and densely populated river deltas, especially in Asia and Africa.

- Runaway collapse - "The scientific community should carefully investigate the possibility of glacial geoengineering," said Wolovick. "There are hundreds of millions of people who live within a few metres of sea level.

" Until recently, sea level rise was caused mainly by ocean water expanding under the influence of global warming. Today, the biggest driver is run off from ice sheets sitting atop the island of Greenland and the continent of Antarctica.

Taken together, Greenland and West Antarctica -- more vulnerable to global warming than East Antarctica -- contain enough frozen water to lift the ocean watermark by about 12 metres.

For Thwaites, there is an added sense of urgency.

"It may already have passed the tipping point, we won't know for sure for a decade or two," said co-author John Moore, chief scientist at the College of Global Change and Earth System Science at Beijing Normal University.

"But the acceleration starts slowly, so we will have a century or so to prevent runaway collapse." Wolovick and Moore ran computer models to test their geoengineering schemes, taking into account the known variables influencing glacier-ocean dynamics.

The underwater towers -- which could be built with material dredged from the continental shelf or quarried from exposed rock -- stood a 30 percent change of significantly slowing the glacier's disintegration.

- Initially sceptical - "We show that it is possible to stabilise glacier beds by providing extra pinning points they can use to support themselves," said Moore.

Building a berm to block the warm water eating at Thwaites' underside doubled the odds of success, but would likely carry a price tag in the hundreds of billions of Dollars, they found.

"It is nowhere near ready for implementation, and the potential side effects require much more research", Wolovick said.

The goal of the study, he added, was mostly to spark a conversation among scientists.

"Initially, I was very Skeptical," said Moore. "But compared with the alternatives, the idea certainly deserves to be much better researched and investigated." The researchers also emphasised that geoengineering solutions do not lessen the need for reducing humanity's output of greenhouse gases, which hit record levels in 2017.

"There are dishonest elements of society that will try to use our research to argue against the necessity of reducing emissions," said Wolovick. "Our research does not in any way support that interpretation.""The more carbon we emit, the less likely it becomes that the ice sheets will survive in the long term."
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Friday.

Putin and Lukashenko will discuss bilateral relations, current international problems and the Eurasian integration, also touching upon issues in trade, finance and agriculture.

The two countries' prime ministers, deputy prime ministers responsible for energy and agriculture sectors and finance ministers are expected to take part in the meeting as well, according to the Belarusian president's press service.

The Belarusian president already paid a working visit to Sochi and held talks with Putin in late August.
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Religious leaders are intensifying their efforts aimed at ensuring the return of Syrian refugees, head of Russia's National Defense Control Center Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev said Thursday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2018) Religious leaders are intensifying their efforts aimed at ensuring the return of Syrian refugees, head of Russia's National Defense Control Center Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev said Thursday.

"On the sidelines of the 60th Damascus International Fair, Syrian Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun carried out significant work on consolidation of efforts of Syrian emigre business people aimed at the post-war reconstruction of the country. Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch [and All the East] John X while visiting Lebanon held a number of meetings with local officials and spiritual figures, during which he said that the internal political situation in Syria had improved and called for promotion of refugees' return," Mizintsev said at a meeting of Russian-Syrian headquarters coordinating the return of refugees.

He also pointed out that Pope Francis had supported the process of Syrian refugees' return, which from the pope's point of view must become a key priority for the whole international community.

Mizintsev said that restoration of full-fledged internal political life played a key role for the post-war revival of Syria.

"On September 16, municipal council elections took place. Despite the current difficulties, the leadership of Syria created all the necessary measures for the free expression of people's will. The opposition forces got an opportunity not to just express their opinion but to allow real and effective measures on reforming the governance system," he added.

Mizintsev also said that a number of countries continued to delay the process of refugees' return turning them against the Syrian government.

"A number of countries still do not take any measures to ensure the refugees' return. Some of them, shielding themselves with the authority of the UN high commissioner for refugees, are persistently turning the Syrian citizens living on their territory against the Syrian leadership and linking the issues related to the return of Syrian refugees to resignation of [Syrian] President Bashar Assad," the Russian official said.

He noted that other countries were delaying the process of Syrian refugees' return in order to get more international support for sheltering the Syrians.

Mizintsev also focused on the return of refugees from the Rukban camp.

"Despite measures taken, including active work with our Jordanian and US colleagues, no mutually acceptable solution of this issue has been found so far. I am sure that sooner or later, under the pressure of clear facts and the sincerity of the Syrian leadership in its efforts to return the country's citizens home, the situation will drastically change," he added.

Syria has been torn apart by civil war since 2011, with the government fighting numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Russia is assisting the country in returning to peace, being a guarantor of the ceasefire regime and having announced in late July the creation of a refugee center in Syria that would receive, relocate and accommodate civilians returning home.
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CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) A joint development fund worth $500 million could be set up by Russia and Moldova as early as next year if certain criteria are met, the co-chair of business Russia said Friday.

Andrei Nazarov, who co-chairs the organization of 3,000 Russian entrepreneurs as well as the Russian-Moldovan Economic Council, was speaking at a Russia-Moldova economic forum in Chisinau.

"If the political situation in Moldova stabilizes we can see the Moldovan-Russian development fund created as early as in 2019. It will have $500 million in seed money," he said.

Nazarov said the project had been discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin who promised to look at it closer. However, the businessman noted that the Eastern European nation needed to lower political risks for Russian investors.
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BANJA LUKA (Republika Srpska (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) ANJA LUKA (Republika Srpska, BANJA LUKA (Republika Srpska (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) osnia and Herzegovina), September 21 (Sputnik) - Russia does not campaign for any option of voting at the upcoming referendum in Macedonia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday.

"The situation is dubious in Macedonia after the signing of the Prespa agreement, whose legitimacy is questioned by many Macedonian political forces. A referendum is coming, I invite you to watch in the media, social networks, on the internet, what Russia says about this - we do not say anything that could be interpreted as campaigning for that or another option of voting," Lavrov said at a news conference with Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik.

The Russian foreign minister also drew attention to the fact that a number of prominent western politicians had visited Macedonia recently.

"This is the leadership of major European countries, the representatives of the US leadership," Lavrov said.

According to Lavrov, western politicians do not hesitate in their public statements to openly campaign for the Prespa agreement.

"If it is not an act of interference in internal affairs then I cannot even say what should be called 'interference,'" Lavrov stressed.

On June 17, the Greek and Macedonian foreign ministers signed an agreement on renaming the former Yugoslav Republic to the Republic of North Macedonia after a decades-long dispute.

A referendum on the deal, reached in June, will be held on September 30. If the name change is approved, the country will be able to seek NATO and EU membership.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2018) Russia is committed to providing humanitarian aid to Yemenis in the entire country, Russia's Deputy Envoy to United Nations Vladimir Safronkov said on Friday.

"Russia will continue humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen both in the north and in the south," Safronkov said during a UN Security Council meeting.

Safronkov emphasized Russia's view that the conflict could only be addressed "exclusively at the political level."

He added that Moscow calls on all parties to show restraint and avoid the use of force.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The Russian Embassy to the United Kingdom on Friday dismissed media reports claiming Russia tried to help WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange flee London, where he has been stuck in Ecuador's Embassy for years.

Earlier in the day, The Guardian newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources, that Russian diplomats have allegedly held secret talks in the UK capital with Assange's associates in order to help the whistleblower escape from the United Kingdom. In September, 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.

"Another example of disinformation and fake news by British media," the embassy wrote on Twitter, attaching a screenshot of the newspaper's report.

The Guardian claimed that the plan on Assange's escape involved Ecuador trying to grant him diplomatic immunity in 2017 that would allow the whistleblower to flee the United Kingdom, with Russia considered as one of the options for final destination.

Russian diplomats have allegedly expressed willingness to help Assange receive asylum in Russia.

Former Ecuadorian Consul to London Fidel Narvaez allegedly served as a intermediary in talks with Russia. Narvaez denied allegations in an interview with the newspaper and said that he has visited the Russian Embassy twice in 2018 on occasion of "open-public meetings" in the company of "20-30 more diplomats from different countries" to discuss the crisis in Russian-UK relations.

Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in June 2012 after being accused of sexual offenses by the Swedish authorities. While the charges have since been dropped, he still fears extradition to the United States, where he is wanted for leaking Iraq War logs and other information.
A minor patch in the area, located on Washington between Glen Rock and the Lilac Ledge senior living facility, was completed earlier this week, but further investigation Friday found even more damage over a larger area, spokesman David Motley said.
CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2018) Russia's Abrau-Durso winery is considering the possibility of expanding its manufacturing to the territory of Moldova, Russian business ombudsman Boris Titov, whose family owns one of Russia's largest wine-makers, told Sputnik on Friday.

"Many Russian entrepreneurs are already investing in Moldova, in the future this process will be promoted, it is necessary that [the cooperation] should not be be confined to the imports of raw material [from Moldova] and wine production in Russia, this should be investment in advanced technology at new vineyards so that the product is delivered not only to the Russian market but also to the European one. I can reveal that Abrau-Durso is mulling over the launch of wine production cycle in Moldova," Titov said on the sidelines of the Moldovan-Russian Economic Forum (MREF).

According to the Russian business ombudsman, Moldova has a long history of winemaking, which explains the high quality and large range of wines in the country, but Russia has considerable experience in the field as well.

"Russia is quickly developing as a winemaking country, one of the best vineyards in Europe, which are also the most modern in technical terms, are being set up in our country, and we would like to offer these technologies to Moldova," Titov stated.

In 2006-2012, Titov held the post of Abrau-Durso director general, but left the company after he was appointed Russia's business ombudsman.
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CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2018) A training jet belonging to the Sudanese Air Force crashed near the capital of Khartoum, killing both pilots, a military spokesman said Friday.

The Chinese-made K-8 aircraft crashed overnight during a training mission due to a "sudden technical problem," Ahmed Khalifa Shami said in a statement seen by the Sudan Tribune daily.

This is the second air disaster to hit the North African country this week after a Mi-17 military helicopter struck the ground on Monday in the South Darfur state. The crew and passengers survived.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Friday denied reports that Tehran requested a meeting between President Hassan Rouhani and US President Donald Trump under the framework of the UN General Assembly.

Earlier, US permanent representative to the UN Nikki Haley mentioned such a request.

"I reiterate that the Iranian side has never requested a meeting with Mr. Trump," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said.
(@FahadShabbir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The United Kingdom's National Crime Agency has launched a criminal probe into a UK company over its ties with Denmark's largest Danske Bank implicated in the high-profile money laundering scandal, local media reported on Friday.

On Wednesday, Danske Bank CEO Thomas Borgen resigned. The move came as the bank unveiled the first results of the probe into its branch in Estonia, launched in fall 2017. The investigation estimates that a significant part of some 200 billion Euros ($236 billion) of payments flowing through the branch in 2007-2015 will be recognized as suspicious once the probe is completed.

The company in question is a UK-registered limited liability partnership (LLP), The Financial Times reported, citing informed sources.

According to the media outlet, the NCA confirmed that some companies registered on UK soil had been used as a route for money laundering, but declined to comment further.

"The NCA is aware of the use of UK registered companies in this case and has related ongoing operational activity. The threat posed by the use of UK company structures as a route for money laundering is widely recognised and the NCA is working with partners across government to restrict the ability of criminals to use them in this way," the agency said, as quoted by the media outlet.

The newspaper notes, citing the bank, that UK entities were the second biggest proportion of non-resident customers of the Estonian branch after Russian ones.

The revelation comes after The Wall Street Journal claimed on September 14 that black money from Russia and former Soviet countries had been laundered through the bank's Estonian branch.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) UK authorities are estimated to have denied citizenship to 400 children, some as young as 10, over a "good character" test introduced in 2006, The Guardian newspaper reported Friday, citing campaigners.

"These are not adult migrants ... It's not acceptable, it's outrageous and an insult to them and the society of which they are members," Solange Valdez-Symonds, the director of the campaign group the Project for Registration of Children as British Citizens (PRCBC), told the newspaper.

The campaigner, who worked on over a dozen of such cases, explained that all of the clients had been "destitute or very poor.

"

Valdez-Symonds reportedly added that some do not even risk applying for fear that a caution or fine could lead to their rejection.

The "good character" requirements concern even minor offenses, such as petty theft. The test is applicable to children of 10 and older.

The figures released by the Home Office after a freedom of information request from the newspaper showed that one child a week was denied immigration request, on average.

A Home Office spokesperson told the newspaper that all applications were assessed "on their individual merits."
(@rukhshanmir)

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Hungary, by granting citizenship to Ukrainian nationals in the Zakarpattia region and urging them to conceal the fact from the Ukrainian authorities, is breaching the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Friday.

On Wednesday, the Ukrinform news agency reported that the Hunagarian consulate located in the border city of Berehove in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region granted citizenship to Ukrainian nationals instructing them not to notify the Ukrainian authorities of that. Klimkin stated that Kiev intended to expel the consul from the country. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called the move unfriendly and threatened to hamper Kiev's integration with the European Union.

"The granting of citizenship itself is prohibited under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Their activities on our soil are limited by what we allow them to do. This is a challenge to our national security," Klimkin told the 1+1 tv channel.

According to the minister, the consulate's call constituted a violation of Ukrainian legislation and was a manipulation.

"This is indeed a call for violation of our legislation on our territory and a manipulation.

Many think that the problem with this video is granting citizenships. The problem is the call itself," Klimkin clarified.

The foreign minister also pointed out that the situation in the Zakarpattia region should not be compared with the situation in the conflict-torn eastern region of Donbas.

"Zakarpattia cannot be compared with Donbas, but [the situation in] Zakarpattia is difficult. There are Hungarians, Romanians there ... Everyone needs its own approach and we need it. Without such a policy and individual approach, there will be nothing," Klimkin said.

He said that Kiev should do more to support the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia and to prevent Budapest from being the only party that tries to solve the issue.

"Sooner or later we will find common ground with Hungary. Hungary is also interested in that," the minister added.

Hungary has issued over 100,000 passports to residents of the Zakarpattia region, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile, Ukrainian legislation bans dual citizenship. Budapest maintains that it has the right to issue passports to Ukrainians of Hungarian origin.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The Russian Embassy to the United Kingdom on Friday dismissed media reports claiming Russia tried to help WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange flee London, where he has been stuck in Ecuador's Embassy for years.

Earlier in the day, The Guardian newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources, that Russian diplomats have allegedly held secret talks in the UK capital with Assange's associates in order to help the whistleblower escape from the United Kingdom. On Monday, 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.

"Another example of disinformation and fake news by British media," the embassy wrote on Twitter, attaching a screenshot of the newspaper's report.

The diplomatic mission went on to note that the Guardian journalists have violated the UK media standards by failing to ask the Russian side for a comment prior to the report's release.

"As recently as 18 September, [UK] Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright, speaking at the Royal Television Society, called for increased efforts to combat media and online disinformation. Today's Guardian piece is a brilliant example of the kind of journalism that the British reader should be protected from ... contrary to British media standards, the authors had not asked us for a comment when preparing their article," the Russian embassy's spokesperson underlined.

The Guardian claimed that the plan on Assange's escape involved Ecuador trying to grant him diplomatic immunity in 2017 that would allow the whistleblower to flee the United Kingdom, with Russia considered as one of the options for final destination. Russian diplomats have allegedly expressed willingness to help Assange receive asylum in Russia.

Former Ecuadorian Consul to London Fidel Narvaez allegedly served as an intermediary in talks with Russia. Narvaez denied allegations in an interview with the newspaper and said that he has visited the Russian Embassy twice in 2018 on occasion of "open-public meetings" in the company of "20-30 more diplomats from different countries" to discuss the crisis in Russian-UK relations.

The Russian side denied the allegations reported in the article, adding that "the Embassy has never engaged either with Ecuadorean colleagues, or with anyone else, in discussions on any kind of Russia's participation in ending Mr Assange's stay within the diplomatic mission of Ecuador."

Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in June 2012 after being accused of sexual offenses by the Swedish authorities. While the charges have since been dropped, he still fears extradition to the United States, where he is wanted for leaking Iraq War logs and other information.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The United States and its European allies will continue to approve massive arms sales in support of Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen to maintain pressure on Iran and keep Israel happy, former CIA officer Philip Giraldi told Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing classified memos, that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo authorized aid for the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen because an embargo would jeopardize $2 billion in US arms sales to Gulf state allies. Separately, Germany's economic ministry approved arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite vows by lawmakers to end such deliveries.

"The sale is sending a couple of messages: First that the United States and its European allies will continue to support Saudi and Israeli pressure on Iran with the quid pro quo that it will mean increased weapons sales," Giraldi said on Thursday. "And second, that both nations are seen as the essential American proxies to provide stability to a troubled region.

"

Giraldi, who is also a member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), said the United States is finding it comfortable to work with de facto police states to create a "faux Pax Americana" for the region.

Earlier on Thursday, Senator Bernie Sanders in a Twitter post said Congress must conduct a probe into reports that Pompeo supported Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen to protect US defense industry profits.

A recent UN report found that Saudi-led coalition airstrikes were responsible for most of some 16,000 civilians killed or injured in Yemen over the past three years. Saudi Arabia has been launching airstrikes on Houthi rebels at the request of the internationally-recognized Yemeni government since March 2015.

Philip Giraldi is executive director of the Council for the National Interest, a group that advocates more even-handed US government policies in the middle East.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) Congress must conduct a probe into reports that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has supported Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen to protect the US defense industry, Senator Bernie Sanders said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Pompeo decided to continue military aid in support of the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen because an embargo would jeopardize $2 billion in US arms sales to Gulf state allies.

"Pompeo: human lives are worth far more than defense contractor profits. We must end America's involvement in this disastrous and unconstitutional war," Sanders said in a Tweet on Thursday that included a link to the WSJ article. "The Senate must also investigate this effort to mislead us.

"

According to classified memos cited in the report, Pompeo overruled State Department specialists who were concerned about the rising civilian death toll in Yemen. The top US diplomat instead sided with the State Department's legislative affairs team after they argued that suspending support could undercut plans to sell more than 120,000 precision-guided missiles to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the report said.

A recent UN report found that the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes were responsible for most of more than 16,000 civilians killed or injured in Yemen over the past three years. Saudi Arabia has been launching airstrikes on Houthi rebels at the request of the internationally-recognized Yemeni government since March 2015.
Madrid, Spain (UroToday.com) This was a session on the various novelties and progression made in the field of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) given by various speakers, led by Dr. Ashish M. Kamat, from the MD Anderson Cancer Center.The first briefly discussed topic was the use of enhanced cystoscopy  narrow band imaging vs. blue light cystoscopy. Dr. Daneshmand gave an overview of enhanced cystoscopy. He began discussing narrow band imaging (NBI), which works by filtering white light into specific light wavelengths that are absorbed by hemoglobin, providing enhanced visualization of capillary networks and mucosal morphology. It is not intended to replace histopathological sampling as a means of diagnosis. There have been several studies, mostly small, except for the study from Dr. Herr, which included over 400 patients, examining the specificity and sensitivity of NBI. The sensitivity and specificity in these studies ranged from 93%-100%, and 69%-85%, respectively. NBI alone enabled identification of 12%-27% additional tumors, as detailed in table 1.Table 1- NBI series demonstrating high specificity and sensitivity:Next, blue light cystoscopy was explained by Dr. Daneshmand. This modality is used with an optical imaging agent (Cysview or Hexvis). In the US, Cysview is used with the Karl STORZ D- light C photodynamic diagnosis (PDD). Blue light cystoscopy has been shown to assist restaging following intravesical therapy. It has been extensively studied to investigate improvement in the detection of bladder tumors vs. white light cystoscopy. There are currently five multicenter phase- three trials in the US, Canada, and Europe assessing its impact. Over 1800 patients with known or suspected bladder cancer are enrolled in these trials. In a meta-analysis of 5 studies including more than 1300 patients, blue light cystoscopy reduced the rate of progression in bladder cancer to 6.8% compared to 10.7% in the standard white light cystoscopy patients, p=0.01. Additionally, it increased the time to progression.Dr. Daneshmand concluded his brief talk comparing NBI to blue light cystoscopy, showing several advantages and disadvantages in each modality. NBI does not need the instillation of any agent, it is possible to perform transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) under NBI, it is cost-effective, and it increases the detection rate of tumors. In contrast, blue light cystoscopy has been extensively studied, it decreases recurrence and progression, has less inter-observer variability compared to NBI, and it detects carcinoma in situ (CIS) which is not visible with white light cystoscopy.Next, Dr. Babjuck from the Czech Republic discussed the importance of the restaging TURBT. In a systematic review including 31 studies with over 8400 patients, it was demonstrated that after the initial TURBT the rate of residual tumor in Ta and T1 disease is 55%, and 51%, respectively. The upstaging rates were 0.4% and 8%, respectively.Of these residual tumors, 86% were in the original tumor location site. The timing of the restaging TURBT is also an important and controversial question. A multicenter retrospective study including 242 patients from 10 centers demonstrated that the interval between the first TURBT and the second TURBT was associated with better recurrence-free survival, and progression-free survival when it was shorter than 42 days.In T1 high-grade disease, a second TURBT is essential as it has a positive impact on recurrence-free survival, progression-free survival, and disease-specific survival only in the absence of muscle in the initial TURBT.Therefore, the quality of the initial resection is quite critical.The European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines state that a second TURBT must be performed after incomplete initial TURBT, or in case of doubt about the completeness of the TURBT. It should also be performed when there is no muscle in the specimen, except when the pathology shows Ta low grade and primary CIS. Lastly, in all T1 tumors, it should be performed as well. According to the EAU guidelines, the timing should be within 2-6 weeks from initial resection and must include resection of the primary tumor site.Dr. Babjuck concluded his talk stating the required criteria for objective quality assessment of the TURBT. Our goal is for the patient to have low recurrence and progression rates. It has been shown that muscle presence in the initial TURBT and the surgeons experience predict early recurrence.When a muscle is present in high-risk disease tumor persistence and T2 muscle-invasive disease is demonstrated in 75% and 15%, respectively. In contrast, when there is no muscle in the initial TURBT, 80% of tumor persists, and 45% of cases have T2 muscle-invasive disease!Lastly, the surgeon should register his results for quality improvement. This registration should include the presence of muscle, the recurrence and progression rates, the results of a second TURBT and the positive margins rates.Dr. Martinez-Pineiro was the next speaker, discussing the available treatment options of T1 high-grade disease. These include either upfront radical cystectomy or Bacillus CalmetteGuerin (BCG) intravesical instillations. A large study critically analyzed the treatment strategy for newly diagnosed high-grade T1 bladder tumors, involving more than 1000 patients, with a median follow-up of 69.6 months. The recurrence, progression, disease-specific survival and overall survival rates of patients who were treated with Bacillus CalmetteGuerin (BCG) intravesical instillations were 45.2% (23-74%), 23.1% (5-49%), 85.1% (77-100%), and 70.3% (60-95%), respectively.In contrast, when assessing the results of similar patients treated with radical cystectomy upfront, upstaging occurred in 35%, positive lymph nodes were demonstrated in 13.2%, disease-specific survival was 82.2%, and overall survival was 68.5%.When comparing the major disadvantages of BCG to radical cystectomy, it is evident that BCG requires multiple reevaluations, with anesthesia, second TURBT, and associated hospital stay. Furthermore, BCG has known toxicities and adverse effects and can cause anxiety due to the know anticipation of radical cystectomy. On the other hand, radical cystectomy is major surgery, resulting in impotence, incontinence, delayed morbidity, and altered body image.Dr. Martinez-Pineiro concluded his talk by addressing the most important question the urologist needs to answer in this regard: which patients would benefit from early upfront radical cystectomy? Patients who fail BCG will progress in 72.4% of the time.Patients who recur less than six months from the TURBT will usually do worse, and further BCG maintenance will not improve their outcome, making them the ideal candidate for early radical cystectomy. Additionally, 82% of patients with the residual T1 disease after a second TURBT will progress and should also be referred for radical cystectomy. Lastly, patients with variant histology such as micropapillary, lymphoepithelial like differentiation, nested variant, and plasmacytoid variant have cancer-specific survival of 19% when treated with BCG and then radical cystectomy, compared to 72% in those treated only with early radical cystectomy.Dr. Kamat moved on to discuss the various definitions of BCG failure briefly.BCG refractory disease is defined as a persistent high-grade disease at six months despite adequate BCG treatment. It also includes any stage/grade progression at three months after intravesical BCG.BCG relapsing disease is defined as highest risk relapsing patients: within six months of last exposure to BCG.BCG unresponsive is defined as BCG refractory and BCG relapsing within six months of the last exposure to BCG.Dr. Konety was the last speaker of this long session discussing the treatment options for BCG unresponsive patients. The first option discussed is the FDA approved Valrubicin. This well-tolerated drug showed a 21% complete response rate, and 7% durable response at 30 months median follow-up in BCG refractory CIS patients, for which the FDA approved it for. Another option is Gemcitabine and Docetaxel. This combination was shown to produce a 16% treatment alteration in previously BCG treated patients.Several other experimental potential options were only mentioned briefly. These include the CG0070 adenovirus expressing GM-CSF, and the ALR 803 recombinant fusion protein IL-15.Dr. Konety concluded his brief talk, mentioning the association of BCG to PD-L1. High levels of PD-L1 have been shown to be present in BCG granulomas. The high PD-L1 expression has been demonstrated to be linked to BCG refractory disease, which occurs in 7% of pTa, 16% of pT1, and 45% of CIS patients.There are currently several ongoing checkpoint inhibitor trials assessing the role of Atezolizumb, Durvalumab, Pembrolizumab, Avelumab, and immune checkpoint inhibitor drug combinations in BCG refractory disease, and we all eagerly await these results.Presented by: Ashish M. Kamat, MD Anderson Cancer Center, USCo-Authors: Sia Daneshmand, Keck Medicine USC, US, Marek Babjuk, Prague, Czech Republic, Luis Martinez-Pineiro, Madrid, Spain, Dr. Badrinath R. Konety, University of Minnesota, USWritten By: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre @GoldbergHanan at the Global Conference on Bladder Cancer 2018 - September 20-21, 2018 Madrid, Spain References:1. Gakis et al. Bladder Cancer July 20162. Kamat A et al. The bladder cancer journal April 20163. Cumberbatch MGK et al. Eur Urol 20184. Sumer B et al. BJU Int 20155. Gantero P et al. BJU Int 20166. Mariappan et al. BJU Int 20117. Herr et al. BJU Int 20088. Kulkarni G et al. Eur Urol 20109. Solsona et al. J Urol 200010. Kamat AM et al. J Urol 200611. Steinberg RL et al. Bladder Cancer 201512. Inman B et al. Cancer 2017
After extensive work on this matter over last twenty four hours, it became immediately apparent that the documents released to you were done so in violation of Wisconsin Law, Terry said in the email. Add to that the fact that the documents you received have never been verified to be anything other than half cooked allegations, never substantiated via a hearing or similar adversarial process.
Madrid, Spain (UroToday.com) Dr. Daneshmand gave an overview of the novel endoscopic techniques used in bladder cancer. These include the Narrow Band Imaging (NBI), Optical coherence tomography (OCT), confocal endomicroscopy, and blue light cystoscopy (BLC), also known as fluorescent cystoscopy, which is also the most extensively examined modality.NBI works by filtering white light into specific light wavelengths that are absorbed by hemoglobin, providing enhanced visualization of capillary networks and mucosal morphology. In this technique papillary tumors appear dark green or brownish green, owing to enhanced visualization of the submucosal fibrovascular stalk, as can be seen in figure 1. It demonstrates the great contrast between the two morphologic types of bladder cancer lesions (papillary and carcinoma in situ [CIS]), as seen in figure 2.Figure 1  Papillary bladder lesion seen in white light cystoscopy on the right and on narrow band imaging on the left:Figure 2- Papillary bladder lesion and CIS seen in white light cystoscopy on the left and narrow band imaging on the right:The CROES study was a multicenter randomized trial of NBI assisted transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) vs. standard white light imaging assisted TURBT in primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients.A total 0f 965 patients were included, demonstrating a similar 12 months recurrence rate of 27.1% and 25.4% in white light cystoscopy and NBI, p=0.58. However, in low-risk patients, the risk for disease recurrence was 27.3% in the white light cystoscopy, compared to 5.6% in the NBI, p =0.002. There have been several studies, mostly small, examining the specificity and sensitivity of NBI. The sensitivity and specificity in these studies ranged from 93%-100%, and 69%-85%, respectively. NBI alone enabled identification of 12%-27% additional tumors.Next, Dr. Daneshmand discussed the blue light cystoscopy technique. This technique has been extensively studied to investigate the improvement in the detection of bladder tumors vs. white light cystoscopy. This modality is used with an optical imaging agent (Cysview or Hexvis). In the US, Cysview is used with the Karl STORZ D- light C photodynamic diagnosis (PDD). There have been five multicenter phase-three trials in the US, Canada, and Europe assessing its impact. Over 1800 patients with known/suspected bladder cancer are enrolled in these trials. In a meta-analysis of 9 studies, including over 2000 patients investigating the effect of blue light cystoscopy, it was shown that at least one additional Ta/T1 tumor was found in 24.5% of patients, p<0.001. Furthermore, 26.7% of the CIS patients were diagnosed with blue light cystoscopy only, p<0.001.This meta-analysis also demonstrated that the rate of recurrence was reduced by 10.9%, p<0.006and the time to recurrence was prolonged from 9.4 months to 16.4 months, p=0.04In another meta-analysis the rate of progression was reduced from 10.7% to 6.8%.This meta-analysis concluded with the recommendation to use blue light cystoscopy at first resection to allow more patients at risk of progression to be treated adequately and promptly.According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines blue light cystoscopy may be helpful in identifying lesions not visible using white light cystoscopy. According to the American Urologic Association (AUA) guidelines, blue light cystoscopy should be offered to patients with NMIBC at the time of TURBT, if available, to increase the detection and decrease recurrence. NBI may be considered in patients with NMIBC to increase detection and decrease recurrence.A phase three prospective controlled comparative multi-center study in NMIBC patients included 17 centers in the US and compared surveillance with blue light flexible cystoscopy to TURBT when suspicion of recurrence arises with rigid blue light cystoscopy. A total of 21.5% and 34.6% of patients had tumors and CIS, respectively, detected only using flexible blue light cystoscopy. The rate of false positive lesions seen only with blue light cystoscopy was 8.6%, while a similar rate was demonstrated for white light cystoscopy only.Another prospective multicenter study assessed patient-reported outcomes of blue light flexible cystoscopy in the surveillance of bladder cancer patients.This study showed that 90% of the patients found it worthwhile to undergo blue light cystoscopy and they would do it again and would recommend it to others.Dr. Daneshmand concluded his talk, reiteration the recommendation of the guidelines to use blue light cystoscopy at initial TURBT in patients with NMIBC suspicion. It is also recommended to use it for the assessment of suspected tumor recurrence in patients not previously assessed using blue light cystoscopy, for assessment of patients with positive urine cytology but negative white light cystoscopy, in high risk patients, more than six weeks after the last instillation of BCG induction, and in patients with early re-TURBT (4-6 weeks after first resection). Lastly, the future role of blue light cystoscopy lies in the outpatient setting.Presented by: Sia Daneshmand, Keck Medicine USC, USWritten By: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre @GoldbergHanan at the Global Conference on Bladder Cancer 2018 - September 20-21, 2018 Madrid, Spain References:1. Naito S et al. Eur Urol 20162. Burger et al. Eur Urol 20133. Grossman et al. J Urol 20124. Gakis et al. Bladder Cancer 20165. Daneshmand S et al. J Urol, 20176. Smith AB et al. BJU Int, 2018
Paris, France (UroToday.com) Precedence for assessing various metabolic profiles for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been previously established. This is an immensely valuable method that has the potential to allow the use of certain metabolic markers for screening, surveillance, and therapeutic monitoring of RCC. Dr. Benjamin Lee set out to evaluate the metabolic profiles for 14 RCC and control patients.14 RCC and control plasma samples were collected and then underwent a pathway specific targeted Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay of 400 metabolites from 35 pathways. Out of this process, 131 metabolites were detected and 33 metabolites had altered levels in RCC. Moreover, 22 metabolites had a greater than 2-fold difference in RCC patients.Dr. Lee found that metabolic profiling from a simple plasma blood draw can identify specific differences in RCC compared to controls. The plasma samples can be run from normal blood draws and there are no specific issues with preservation of the samples. This is very convenient as blood draws occur regularly in the health care setting. Although there is not a method to run this test from urine, this is still very convenient to run from normal serum assays.This may allow for more specific markers to be detected for both diagnosis and surveillance. Looking for biomarkers to be predictive is a hot topic in the field of precision medicine. Dr. Benjamin stated that these are important because this may imply more aggressive RCC  instead of receiving partial nephrectomy, [the] patient may be counseled for radical nephrectomy. Furthermore, regarding surveillance, if certain markers are positive for example, the schedule for surveillance imaging may altered. However, further studies must be done with larger cohorts needed to clinically validate these methods. Also, the cost effectiveness of these tests have not yet been evaluated either.Presented by Benjamin R Lee, MD, University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson Department of SurgeryWritten by: John Sung, Department of Urology, University of California-Irvine, medical writer for UroToday.com. at the 36th World Congress of Endourology (WCE) and SWL - September 20-23, 2018 Paris, France
Archbishop emeritus Audrys Backis of Vilnius spoke to Vatican News on the eve of the visit of Pope Francis to Lithuania.

Pope Francis on Saturday embarks on the 25th foreign apostolic journey of his pontificate, that takes him to the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Anniversaries

The September 22-25 pastoral visit comes in the year the three small nations are celebrating the 100th anniversary of their declarations of independence in 1918, after World War I. Later, declared Soviet republics in 1940, the countries were occupied by the Nazis during World War II and then lived under Soviet rule from 1944 to 1990.



There is yet another anniversary. St. Pope John Paul II visited Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in September 1993, exactly 25 years ago, as the 3 nations were shaking off over 44 decades of Soviet rule and starting to solidify democracy and live with full religious liberty.

Church in Baltic states

Of the three nations, Lithuania has the largest Catholic population, numbering some 2.6 million, or nearly 80% of the its 3.24 million population. Catholics in Latvia and Estonia, that have smaller populations, form nearly 21% and 0.5% respectively.

The Argentine Pope will dedicate the first 2 days to Lithuania, and a day each to Latvia and Estonia, before flying back to Rome. During the 4 days, he is scheduled to deliver 15 discourses, 7 of them in Lithuania, where he will visit the capital Vilnius and in Kaunas. Besides the Mass on Sunday, he will hold meetings with the authorities, the young people and priests and religious.

25 years of regained freedom

When St. Pope John Paul II visited Lithuania 25 years ago, Audrys Backis was the Archbishop of Vilnius. The archbishop who was made a cardinal in 2001, retired in 2013.

Cardinal Backis spoke to Vatican News saying the Church in Lithuania was waiting with great joy to welcome the Holy Father. The Catholics will demonstrate their effort to preach Christ in the world and in the society of today.

Listen to Cardinal Audrys Backis

Twenty-five years ago, he said, the Church regained its freedom to preach the Gospel, to go to the schools to teach religion and to preach Christ publicly using the press and other means, which was something new for the Church.

The cardinal said the Lithuanian Church made some progress in this direction, helping primarily young people and families live their faith. They also succeeded in forming communities and small groups of faith, charity and love.

The retired archbishop of Vilnius noted that many Catholics were slowly coming to the Church but they dont participate fully in the life of the Church and dont really feel its members.

Missionary Church

Cardinal Backis said the Lithuanian Church expects Pope Francis to give them a new sense of being a missionary Church that goes out to the people, in their daily life, to bring them the joy of the Gospel, to bring the joy of love in the families and to contribute to the world and to todays society.

Regarding the Popes visit as a gift, Cardinal Backis said they will try realize what he asks of them. During the various events and meetings, especially with young people and priests and religious, they will be able to know what Pope Francis expects from Europe and the world, Cardinal Backis said.
Pope Francis celebrated Holy Mass on Friday morning reflecting on the importance of not forgetting ones own sins and remembering that the Lord chose us to be Christians.

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis on Friday told Christians the memory of their origins and of their sins must accompany them throughout their lives.



Speaking to those gathered at the Casa Santa Marta for Holy Mass, the Pope reflected on the liturgical reading that tells of how Jesus invited Matthew, the tax collector, and other sinners to join him at his table.

One may think that Jesus lacked the good sense to choose the right people as his followers Francis said, but then he remarked on how in the life of the Church, so many Christians, so many saints have been chosen by Jesus from the lowest ranks.

Thus, the Pope said, Christians should always be aware of where they come from and they should never forget their sins; they must cherish the memory of the Lord who had mercy of their sins and chose them to be a Christian, an apostle.

Matthew never forgot his origins

Describing the tax collector Matthew s reaction to the Lords call, the Pope said he did not dress in luxury, he did not begin to tell others I am the prince of the apostles, I issue orders No! He lived the rest of his life for the Gospel.

When an apostle forgets his origins and starts off on a career path, the Pope explained, he distances himself from the Lord and become an official. An official who perhaps does a good job, but he is not an apostle. He is incapable of transmitting Jesus; he is someone who organizes pastoral projects and plans and many other things; he is what he called an affarista - a wheeler-dealer - of the Kingdom of God because he has forgotten from where he was chosen.

Thats why, Francis continued, it is important to preserve the memory of our origins: this memory must accompany the life of the apostle and of every Christian.

We lack generosity, the Lord does not

Instead of looking at ourselves, Pope Francis said, we tend to look at others, at their sins, and to talk about them. This, he said, is a harmful habit. Its better to accuse oneself, the Pope suggested, and keep in mind from where the Lord chose us from.

When the Lord chooses it is for something great. To be a Christian is a great thing, a beautiful thing he said.

It is us, the Pope said, who distance ourselves: we lack generosity and we negotiate with the Lord, but He awaits us.

The doctors of the Law were scandalized

When Matthew was called by Jesus he renounced all to follow Him, the Pope said, noting that he invited his friends to sit with Jesus to celebrate the Master. At that table, he said, sat the very worst of society. And Jesus with them".

The doctors of the Law, Francis continued, were scandalized. They called the disciples and said: "Why does your teacher eat with these people? Eating with some who is unclean contaminates you. But, Jesus heard this and said Go and learn the words: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

God's mercy seeks everyone, forgives everyone. The only thing he asks of you is to say: Yes, help me. Thats all he said.

The mystery of mercy

To those who were scandalized, Pope Francis concluded, Jesus said that those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.

"The Lord's mercy is a mystery; Gods heart is the greatest and most beautiful mystery. If you want to make your way to Gods heart, take the road of mercy, and allow yourself be treated with mercy.
The head of Estonias Catholic Church says all Estonians are awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis with great hope and joy, even those who do not belong to any religion.

By Devin Watkins

In Estonia, [Pope Francis] will meet with one of the smallest Catholic communities he has ever met with, and in one of the least religious countries of Europe.

Bishop Philippe Jourdan, Apostolic Administrator of Estonia and titular bishop of Pertusa, made the comment in an interview with Devin Watkins about the Holy Fathers upcoming Apostolic Journey.

Pope Francis will visit Estonia on Tuesday, following his journeys to Lithuania and Latvia.

Listen to the full interview

Bishop Jourdan said the numeric smallness of the Catholic community in Estonia means that it must live a particularly missionary Christianity.

He said it is a little like what the Pope means when he says that the Church cannot just wait for the people and stay in its buildings but has to go out to meet them.

Pope Francis is living this out, Bishop Jourdan said, simply by travelling to Estonia, which he said is a country where there are few Catholics.

Ecumenical side to Popes visit

The Pope will hold an ecumenical meeting with young people on Tuesday in Tallinn inside a Lutheran Church.

All the non-Catholics and even the non-religious people, who are the majority here, are expecting [the Popes arrival] with great hope and joy, Bishop Jourdan said.

He pointed out that this was the goal when the motto for the Popes visit was chosen: Wake Up, My Heart. These, he said, are the first words of a well-known song in Estonia.

25 years since JPIIs visit

Bishop Jourdan noted how the situation in Estonia has changed during the 25 years since Pope St. John Paul II visited in 1993.

Now, I would say that the country is much stronger and more stable than it was 25 years ago, but there is also a lot of materialism, a lot of secularization, and a certain skepticism towards the future, he said.

Estonians, Bishop Jourdan said, are hoping Pope Francis presence will help our heart wake up again.
James Ricketson, the Australian filmmaker who was sentenced to six years in prison on espionage charges this month, has received a royal pardon.

The decree was signed by Say Chhum, a leading member of the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, while King Norodom Sihamoni is on a visit to China.

Ricketson was arrested in June 2017 after he piloted a drone near an opposition rally in the capital.

He was detained on pre-trial detention for over a year before his sentencing and subsequent release.

Kong Som On, Ricketsons lawyer, said the filmmaker planned to return to Australia but would come back to Cambodia in the future to finish a film he has been working on.

Som On added that Ricketson had penned a letter of apology to Prime Minister Hun Sen prior to his sentencing.

His work was not illegal. The problem was some criteria of the work, but that doesnt mean it was illegal. He just shouldnt have published some news or recorded some events, Som On said.

Ricketsons conviction led to widespread condemnation from the international community, with the sentence labeled as politically motivated.

Numerous political activists and members of the opposition have seen their sentences revoked following Julys general election in what has been seen as an attempt to calm political tensions.
Five senior army officials have resigned from their leadership roles after their posts were granted to Hun Manet, the eldest son of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The five Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) officers -- General Srey Doek, General Keo Thy, Lieutenant General Prum Pheng, General Chap Pheakdey, and General Mao Sophan -- retained their positions as head of their respective units.

Chhum Socheat, a defense ministry spokesman, said the resignations were based on a new policy requiring military officers to hold only one position in the military.

In the past, unit chiefs were on the RCAF joint general staff... Being aware of the difficulty of command, all the divisions have moved under the command of one commander so it is easy to control, he said.

On September 6, Defense Minister Tea Banh issued a decree to transfer five divisions under the commanders -- Division 2; Division 3; Intervention Brigade 1; Paratrooper Brigade 911; and Brigade 70 -- to Manets control.

The decision was announced on the same day that Manet was appointed as the commander of the army.

The five senior military officers could not be reached for comment.

Meas Nee, a political analyst, questioned the way the resignations had been publicized.

When resigning, it is different from an official resignation. Their resignations should be done individually and also confirm the reasons as well. But these resignations did not state that. So there is a question about whether the resignation was a voluntary decision or if there are other reasons for the resignations that we cannot say, he said.

Manet is the eldest of three sons of the prime minister and is widely tipped as a successor to his fathers over 30-year rule of Cambodia.
In 2017, the village considered a request from the previous owner to pay $10 million to help spur redevelopment of the aging mall. The property had been owned by the same family for more than 40 years, was debt free and provided the owner with significant return, despite vacancies, Village Administrator Ralph Czerwinski said at a meeting in February 2017.
Prime Minister has sent his condolences to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people over the death of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, who has died at age 61.

According to a letter from Hun Sen to his Vietnamese counterpart, he called Tran Dai Quang a great and admirable leader.

The demise of H.E Mr. Tran Dai Quang is a huge loss of a great and admirable leader of the country and People of Vietnam and a good friend of Cambodia. In this sad moment, my thoughts and prayers are always with you and all the people of Vietnam, reads the letter.

On behalf of the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia, I would like to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the government and people of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as well as the bereaved families for the great loss of their beloved one.

Tran Dai Quang, a former chief of internal security who became one of the most high-profile leaders in the communist-ruled country, died Friday after an illness, state media said.

Quangs rise, at a time of growing dissent on social media and challenges to the partys authority, signaled limits to Vietnams liberal agenda, despite a growing openness to social change and sweeping economic reform, experts say.

Sok Touch, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said: First, its an old Cold War ally, and secondly we know that Cambodia and Vietnam are Asean members, which is the same community and sending condolences is the duty of a member.

Ill for months

Quang died in a military hospital in Hanoi of a serious illness despite efforts by domestic and international doctors and professors, Vietnam Television said.

He had hosted a reception for Chinas Supreme Court chief Wednesday, state-owned newspaper Vietnam News said.

Quang had been ill for months, said former health minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu, who now oversees health care for high-ranking officials.

He began showing symptoms of illness in June last year and has been treated in Japan six times since, Trieu told Reuters. He suffered from a kind of highly virulent virus, for which there has not been any effective treatment.

Vietnams four pillars

Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is officially led by four pillars: its president, prime minister, the chief of its Communist Party and the national assembly chair. The president has a more ceremonial role, although he sits on the powerful decision-making Politburo.

Before his April 2016 appointment as president, Quang had been a minister of public security, heading an organization with broad powers responsible for intelligence gathering and thwarting domestic and foreign threats to the party.

Death quickly reported

Posts about the death of Quang once tipped by some analysts as a potential general secretary, spread quickly on Facebook before state media took the rare step of announcing it within two hours of his passing.

Rumors of his illness had circulated on social media for months, and there was no significant reaction in Vietnams benchmark index.

At one of Quangs last appearances, during a visit to Hanoi by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Sept. 11, the president appeared visibly unwell and stumbled as he stepped onto a platform to inspect a guard of honor.

Rural roots

Quang hailed from a small farming community 115 km (70 miles) south of Hanoi, rising through party ranks to become a police general and Politburo member.

We are saddened to hear the news that the president has died, said Bui Duc Phi, council chairman of the village where he was born.

Vietnams constitution provides for the vice president to perform the presidents duties should he be unable to work.

Vice president Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh will handle his duties until the National Assembly elects a new president, said prominent lawyer Tran Vu Hai.

The national assembly is set to meet in late October, but the date could be brought forward, he added.
An official impact assessment for a controversial new Lao dam on the Mekong river has been directly copied and pasted in parts from a previous project, a coalition of groups fighting to protect the river has alleged.



The allegation came as Mekong River Commission (MRC) member countries met Thursday in Laoss capital, Vientiane, to discuss the study in question, the Pak Lay Transboundary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Cumulative Impact Assessment.



Save the Mekong alleged in statement that large sections of that study are simply copied directly from the Pak Beng [report] - a 2015 assessment for a different project that an MRC review found was inaccurate.



At least 90 percent of the Social Baseline Conditions section of the Pak Lay dam TBSEIA/CIA is copied directly from the Pak Beng dam assessment, including photos, tables and text, the statement said.



In one plagiarized section, the authors replaced the project name from the old report but forgot to adjust the correct listed developer, Save the Mekong said.



The Environmental Impacts and Mitigation section notes that after mitigation, all impacts from the Pak Lay dam will either be insignificant or positive. This section is not supported by evidence. Instead, it is copied from the Pak Beng assessment, they further alleged.



Under MRC regulations, Laos is obligated to submit transboundary impact studies as part of the prior consultation process with fellow member countries Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam on any new Mekong dam project.



The Save the Mekong groups are calling for the current study to be scrapped and the prior consultation process halted until a meaningful assessment is produced.



When asked about the copied sections of the study, a representative of the Pak Lay dam developer Powerchina Resources Ltd who declined to be named denied they had been plagiarized from the Pak Beng report.

[The] Laos government have the exact knowledge for the process. Were following almost the same process because the government of Laos have the sequence to make Pak Beng a little bit earlier than us but all of the documents are made by us independently, he said.

No one raised the plagiarisms during sessions of the forum attended by VOA and Lao government officials flatly refused to discuss the matter.



Anoulak Kittikhoun, spokesperson for MRC CEO Pham Tuan Phan, said he couldnt say if the plagiarism identified would be assessed as a major problem or not.



If it has minimal effects then its okay but if it prevents us from making a reasonable and sound assessment then we will point it out in our technical review report, he said. Because you have to understand that the projects are close together so some information, even though it appears in Pak Beng, could also be relevant for Pak Lay, so we have to assess that as well. So we cant say that if it is copied that it is not valid.



The Pak Lay project is almost 400 kilometers downstream from Pak Beng and about 190 kilometers directly overland.



From a transboundary and cumulative impact perspective though, they are in a similar region of the more than 4,000 kilometer river.



Maureen Harris, Southeast Asia program director of International Rivers, a member of the Save the Mekong coalition, said it was very misleading to imply that largely the same information could be used in a meaningful way to address the impacts of both projects.



It really looks to us like a fairly cynical view of the standard of information that is being provided to stakeholders in the prior consultation process, she said. And it really reinforces the perspective I think of many Mekong communities and civil society groups and other stakeholders that prior consultation is really just seen cynically as a rubber stamp.



Laos began the prior consultation process with its neighbors on the Pak Lay dam the day after it said it was temporarily suspending all new hydropower proposals in reaction to the catastrophic July collapse of an auxiliary dam in the countrys south.



Scores were killed and thousands displaced by the collapse of the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy Saddle Dam D, which the government eventually conceded was likely due to shoddy construction. It was the second dam collapse in Laos within a year.



In April, the MRC Secretariat presented findings of a landmark 6-year, $4.7 million study that warned of catastrophic environmental impacts if hydropower development plans for the Mekong continued unaltered - especially from mainstream dams.



Laos plans to build more than 140 dams on the Mekong and its tributaries, including five on the mainstream.
The United States cautious following latest Korea summit. Opinions vary on U.S. trade tactics. Investigations ramp up on Myanmar. Japan asserts strength above and below the water. A supreme battle rages in Washington, and a digital-free Iceland.
People around the world look to the United States as a beacon of freedom. They often seek practical guidance on how to foster democratic, open and accountable systems of governance. Daniel Twining, President of the International Republican Institute, and Ambassador Derek Mitchell, President of the National Democratic Institute discuss with host Carol Castiel the rationale behind decades of US democracy promotion efforts and contrast them with Moscows tactics to sow chaos, to influence election outcomes and suppress dissent.
Five years ago, four armed men from the Somali militant group al-Shabab stormed the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, trapping hundreds of people inside. When the four-day siege ended, 67 people were dead and more than 150 wounded.

Al-Shabab said it was retaliating for the Kenyan government sending forces into Somalia two years earlier.

A new report says the militant group remains a threat to Kenya, but notes the government has learned to work with the Muslim community, helping to reduce the likelihood of successful attacks.

John Wangombe, 31, was working at Westgate when al-Shabab struck on Sept. 21, 2013.

"I used to work at Westgate at the control room. I used to monitor the cameras and their networks at the Westgate mall. On that specific day, I was on duty; we were doing all the monitoring and then all of the sudden we started hearing gunshots. So what came first to my mind was to run away," Wangombe said.

The IT expert was familiar with the mall and hid with a dozen others. He told VOA he could hear gunshots and people screaming. Police rescued him three hours later.

Wangombe has returned to Westgate only once since the mall reopened in 2015.

"Right now, they have so many security guys there," he said. "It's like you fear going there because you think they may attack again and the security put you off because they have a lot of checkups, the gates are opening and closing; they have a lot of sensors all over. You get scared even going around there when you see all the security there."

In 2015, al-Shabab attacked a college in the town of Garissa, killing nearly 150 people, most of them students.

The International Crisis Group warned in a new report Friday that al-Shabab is still a threat to Kenya and the region. The report said a government crackdown that followed the Westgate attack fueled anger within the Muslim community, which helped al-Shabab recruit in Kenya.

But Murithi Mutiga, the Crisis Group's Kenya researcher, says the government has learned to work with the community.

"Since 2015, given the steep change, particularly enhanced engagement with communities, appointment of some leaders from local communities, engagement with the elected officials at the local level, and generally a more convivial relationship with the community has yielded better intelligence and, in turn, has resulted in a lower level of attacks," Mutiga said.

Kenyan forces are still part of the African Union mission that provides security to the Somali government and its population.

Al-Shabab continues to demand that Kenyan troops leave Somalia, and continues to carry out attacks along the borders and the coastal town of Lamu.
Allegations of sexual misconduct against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have thrown his Senate confirmation into turmoil. And the treatment of his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, has sparked an emotional debate across the country on how legislators should handle abuse claims in the #MeToo era.

President Donald Trump has named Kavanaugh to a lifetime position on the nation's highest court. The nominee is on the brink of becoming one of the nine U.S. judges who will decide cases for decades to come on immigration, the environment, finance, civil rights, and Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that opened up American women's access to abortion.

The controversy is unfolding in a new political atmosphere compared with past Supreme Court confirmation hearings. The #MeToo movement that began a year ago has women speaking out against sexual misconduct and finding solidarity in huge numbers, and predominantly male institutions  including the U.S. Congress  are treading more carefully with accusations of abuse and harassment that they once more easily dismissed, experts say. Republicans, in particular, also are worried about how they will fare with female voters in critical November elections.

"We have had all this attention to sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior and the #MeToo movement. There's just much more awareness of this whole area of sexual harassment, and I think women's rights and how women should be treated in the public sphere," said Stu Rothenberg, a senior editor with the political newsletter Inside Elections. "Politically, this issue right now is a big deal."

Ford, a California professor, said publicly Sunday that Kavanaugh had sexually abused her when they were both teenagers in the early 1980s. He was drunk at the time, she said, and pinned her down on a bed, groped her and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. Kavanaugh denies the episode, saying in a statement: "This is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes  to her or to anyone."

Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas

The Senate Judiciary Committee, which is vetting Kavanaugh before a Senatewide vote to confirm him, is now figuring out how to proceed. Ford says the FBI should investigate the incident before she testifies. Kavanaugh's Republican advocates, meanwhile, suggest they will hear enough if both sides speak under oath. The testimony could happen as soon as Monday.

That scenario  a so-called "he said, she said"  is a stark reminder of a watershed moment for American women almost three decades ago. In 1991, attorney Anita Hill sat before an all-male Senate panel and detailed how Clarence Thomas, another Supreme Court nominee and her former boss, harassed her at work with sexual talk and advances. The hearings were televised, Americans were riveted, and Hill's credibility was repeatedly derided. Thomas denied the accusations and was confirmed to the court.

Some of the same U.S. senators are still on the pivotal committee, including Chairman Chuck Grassley, an 85-year-old Iowa Republican, and Senator Orrin Hatch, an 84-year-old Utah Republican.

Hill spoke up "to shine a light on the character of someone who would sit at the highest level of our court,'' said Fatima Goss Graves, CEO of the National Women's Law Center. "Instead of being believed, she was savaged by a judiciary committee that painted her as dishonest, treating her as a perpetrator and attempted to discredit her reputation."

Goss Graves says she believes Ford's account, and expects senators to treat her with fairness and respect. The 100-member U.S. Senate had two women in 1991; it now has 23.

"Even in the middle of the #MeToo movement, many survivors fear coming forward, and for very good reasons," she said. "Too often, they pay a very serious price for doing so, including retaliation, threats to their very well being, to their families, to their careers."

In a letter to the Senate committee requesting the FBI investigation, Ford's lawyer said she has been the target of "vicious harassment and even death threats" and has had to leave her home since going public.

Message to men: 'Do the right thing'

Hill, who now teaches at Brandeis University, wrote in a New York Times op-ed that parallels between the two nomination proceedings are impossible to miss.

"In 1991, the Senate Judiciary Committee had an opportunity to demonstrate its appreciation for both the seriousness of sexual harassment claims and the need for public confidence in the character of a nominee to the Supreme Court," Hill wrote. "It failed on both counts."

Rothenberg, a veteran editor, publisher and political analyst, said he still expects Kavanaugh to be confirmed because Republicans hold a majority in the Senate. They may not have as much sway after congressional and state elections Nov. 6. Polls show female voters favor Democratic candidates by about 20 percentage points, and a record number of women are running for office.

"The current political environment involves a lot of women candidates who have come out of the woodwork because they feel that they have been affected by the #MeToo movement," Rothenberg said.

Female voters will be watching closely to see how the Senate treats Ford and her allegations, he added. As Hill wrote in the New York Times, "There is no way to redo 1991, but there are ways to do better."

Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, one of four women on the judiciary committee, said Tuesday that she's frustrated by how her Republican colleagues are treating Ford.

"Guess who is perpetrating all of these kinds of actions? It's the men in this country," she said at a news conference. "I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing, for a change."
California Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have required the states middle and high schools to start classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

The veto dashed the hopes of scores of doctors, educators and parents who had hoped the states more than 3 million public school students would prove that a later school start improves attendance, performance and graduation rates.

Some school districts in several states across the country have adopted later start times, but the bill would have made California the first to mandate it statewide.

But Governor Brown sided with some school districts and local officials who argued that the issue should be left up to individual communities.

Supporters of the bill point to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics that found insufficient sleep for teens was an important public health issue that significantly affects their health and safety.

Another study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that as adolescents go through puberty their biological rhythms typically shift so they get sleepy later at night.

The combination of delayed bedtimes and early school start times results in inadequate sleep for a large portion of the adolescent population, the CDC study said. It found that about 70 percent of U.S. high school students do not get sufficient sleep.

Middle and high schools across California begin their day on average at 8:07 a.m., according to the CDC study.

Opponents of the bill say they do not dispute the findings of the studies, but argue that local school boards should have the ultimate power to decide what works for their community, taking into consideration other issues such as student transportation, staffing and costs.
Cambodia has granted a pardon to an Australian filmmaker jailed in August on espionage charges for six years, a court in Phnom Penh said Friday.

James Ricketson was freed from prison later in the day and Cambodia's immigration department said he would be deported back to Australia.

The 69-year-old was arrested in June 2017 after he was photographed flying a drone above a rally organized by the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) before communal elections.

The filmmaker, who has been visiting Cambodia for more than 20 years, producing documentaries about the country and its people, was charged with espionage.

Ricketson was released from prison at 5 p.m., said Be Tea Leng, the deputy director of Phnom Penh's Prey Sar prison where Ricketson had been jailed.

"We are happy. We are grateful for the royal pardon. It's the best news ever," Jamie Ricketson, one of Ricketson's sons, told reporters.

Uk Heisela, investigation chief at Cambodia's immigration department, said Ricketson would be deported back to Australia.

"We will deport him tonight because he committed a crime in this country," Uk Heisela told Reuters.

Reuters was not able to immediately reach Ricketson for comment. The Australian Embassy in Cambodia did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment by email.
China has called on the United States to withdraw sanctions it imposed on a Chinese military agency for buying Russian weapons or "bear the consequences."

Speaking to reporters Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that Beijing had lodged an official protest with the United States.

"The U.S. actions have seriously violated the basic principles of international relations and seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," Geng said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reacted Friday, saying the sanctions affecting Russian plane manufacturer Sukhoi are "yet another act of unfair competition" and also conjecturing the move ultimately would harm the U.S. dollar. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the U.S. against "playing with fire." And the Kremlin weighed in, as well, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Friday the sanctions are an attempt by the U.S. to force out competitors in the global arms trade.

"We recommend that Washington's operators of the sanctions machine at least superficially acquaint themselves with our history to stop going round in circles," Ryabkov said.

Sanctions from election meddling

The U.S. imposed sanctions Thursday on a Chinese military agency for buying Russian weaponry in violation of U.S. sanctions on Russia.

The State Department said it would immediately penalize a unit of the Chinese military that oversees the country's defense technology for executing transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms exporter.

China bought Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air-missiles, the State Department said.

The purchases violate a 2017 U.S. sanctions law that is designed to punish Russia for interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The law calls for the sanctioning of any third party that conducts a "significant transaction" with Russia's defense industry.

The latest sanctions are the first time the U.S. has used sanctions to punish a buyer of Russian military weapons.
St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Kinshasa is a meeting ground for activists advocating for good governance.

Last month, a special service was held there for activists who have been killed, and for those being detained. Some parishioners wept during the service.

The bishop, cloaked in crimson robes, spoke in a grave, urgent voice.



We must never forget the martyrs, he told the crowd.



According to the Catholic Church, at least a dozen people have been killed in recent months during Church-organized pro-democracy rallies, as the Democratic Republic of Congo prepares for long-delayed elections on December 23.



The Catholic Church is a powerful pro-democracy force in the DRC. Nearly half of the countrys 78 million people are members.

Since anti-government protests began early in 2017, security forces have been targeting certain churchgoers, like Gertrude Ekombe, who participated in the first church organized protest on December 31, 2017.

We did not go back home to our families. We are living in clandestine since January until today. For our security, we inform the U.N. Mission MONUSCO about our movements and some of their agents go before us whenever we go out, Ekombe says.



Ekombe says she knew one young girl who was killed in the protests, and another whose jaw was "almost broken."

Rossy Mukendi, an assistant university professor, was killed during a protest in February 2017. His death triggered an outpouring of public anger.

His sister, Mirielle Timanga, said the family was always concerned about his anti-government activism.

We found it always dangerous. Personally, I used to tell him that we are in Africa with its tyrants here its all very dangerous, but he refused, Timanga says.

The government says it is still investigating the death.

Timanga says she would have wanted her brother to see a better Congo.

Questions about credibility

The demonstrations began after President Joseph Kabila refused to step down at the end of his second term in December 2016, despite an agreement, with political parties, mediated by the Catholic Church.

Last month Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, announced he would step aside. Kabila said he is supporting former Interior Minister Emmanuel Shadary in the polls.

The government excluded former Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba and former provincial governor Moise Katumbi from running, raising questions about transparency. The final list of 21 candidates, published Wednesday, does include several Kabila critics.

Congolese authorities have firmly clamped down on the political opposition in an apparent attempt to control the electoral process, Ida Sawyer, the deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch said last month, Elections cant be credible when an opposition leader is banned from participating and opposition supporters risk death, injury or arrest just for going out on the streets to peacefully support their leaders.



Church has 'determination' before elections

Catholic bishops support a lay committee known as the CLC to coordinate the Churchs activism.



CLCs determination remains unchanged. We want the pre-electoral environment to be safe enough before going to the December vote. For now, it is not the case. The contest is filled with uncertainties and irregularities and under such conditions a credible and fair election cant be held. This the main point of our fight, CLC spokesperson Jonas Tshiombela says.

Lambert Mende, the federal minister of communication, says the Catholic Church leadership is overstepping its boundaries.



So let them remove their status as bishops and become politicians and we will run together and will see who will win. Were talking of leading a country and its not for bishops to lead a country, Mende says.



Mende also blames Western governments for interfering in local politics and inciting protests. He said some of the local Catholic bishops are being sponsored by Western governments. Its a recurring line among government officials in the DRC.

Parishioners like Ekombe say as long as the Church leadership continues to back them, theyll continue to nonviolently demand greater democracy in the DRC.



We have dangers over our heads every day, but we must go all the way, Ekombe says.

This reporting was supported by the International Womens Media Foundation through the African Great Lakes Reporting Initiative.
Will County residents who want to vote by mail in the upcoming Nov. 6 election can request a ballot be mailed to their home from county clerks office. The deadline to request one is 4:30 p.m. Nov. 1.
Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit proposals were declared dead by the British media Friday after what they cast as a humiliation at the hands of European Union leaders at an informal summit in Salzburg.

EU leaders said they will push for a Brexit deal next month but warned May that if she will not give ground on trade and the Irish border by November they are ready to cope with Britain crashing out.

For the British media, the message was clear. Your Brexits broken, the Daily Mirror newspaper said on its front page.

British newspapers led their front pages with a Reuters picture showing May, attired in a red jacket, standing apparently aloof and alone from a mass of suited male EU leaders.

Two hedgehogs

The negative headlines indicate the extent of the divergence in perceptions between London and the capitals of the EUs other 27 members on the future of Brexit.

French President Emmanuel Macron bluntly said Mays Brexit proposals, known as Chequers after the country house where they were agreed by the British Cabinet in July, were unacceptable.

European Council President Donald Tusk was criticized for posting a picture of him offering May a choice of delicate cakes beside a message: Sorry, no cherries. That is a reference to what EU leaders cast as British attempts to cherry pick elements of EU membership.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker sought to calm any hurt feelings but called for caution, comparing Britain and the EU to two loving hedgehogs.

When two hedgehogs hug each other, you have to be careful that there will be no scratches, he told Austrian newspapers.

Deadline March 29

Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29, yet little is clear: There is, so far, no divorce deal, rivals to May are circling and some rebels have vowed to vote against a possible Brexit deal.

Both London and Brussels say they want a divorce deal, though there is limited time if the British and EU parliaments are to ratify a deal by March 29. Any deal must be approved by British lawmakers.

May on Thursday promised new proposals to reassure Dublin that it would not get a hard border with Northern Ireland but said that she too could live with a no-deal outcome.

Opposition from Conservatives

Mays former Brexit minister David Davis has said up to 40 lawmakers from the Conservative Party will vote against her Brexit plans.

Davis told Huffington Post there was a rock-solid core of party lawmakers who belonged to the European Research Group (ERG), a grouping which wants a sharper break with the EU and were willing to vote down her plans.

If a possible deal were rejected by the British parliament, Britain would face leaving the EU without an agreement, delaying Brexit or calling another referendum.

If Britain left without a deal, the country would move from seamless trade with the EU to customs arrangements set by the World Trade Organization for external states.

Many business chiefs and investors say a no-deal Brexit would weaken the West, panic financial markets and block the arteries of trade. Brexit supporters say such fears are exaggerated and Britain would thrive in the long term.
European Union leaders increasingly are at cross-purposes with agreement elusive on the big issues facing the bloc  as witnessed midweek at a summit in the Austrian city of Salzburg, where over a four-hour dinner they aired deep divisions over migration.

But they are not only divided on the headline issues of migration, Brexit and economic governance, say analysts and EU officials.

Expectations about how national governments exercise power and observe EU rules are diverging, too. And some national leaders worry that the liberal democratic values the bloc was founded on are now being eroded by some of their counterparts.

It is not clear that we have shared expectations, says a senior EU official, who sees the primary fault line running between the more traditional states of Western Europe on one side and new nativist and populist governments in Central and southern Europe on the other.

Clashes are coming fast and furious and more often than not focus on rule-of-law issues and arguments about democratic checks and balances. One of the latest flash-points has come over the Schengen system of borderless travel.

The system, which is observed by 26 member states, has already been coming under pressure from the migration crisis roiling the continent. Austria, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Sweden have all temporarily re-imposed border controls at some or all of their borders after citing security threats. But they are within Schengen rules when doing so and have been careful not to break them.

Activist blacklisted

But Poland has been accused of flagrantly abusing the system by blacklisting a rights activist and trying to limit her freedom of movement within the Schengen area.

Last month, the Polish government of the populist Law and Justice Party (PiS) deported Crimean-born rights activist Lyudmyla Kozlovska. Married to a Pole, the 33-year-old had been living in Warsaw for many years and applied for permanent residency only to find herself expelled after the application was declined. Kozlovska runs a high-profile rights foundation focusing on democracy issues in former Communist countries, and was active in the Maidan protests that led to the ouster of Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych.

After deporting Kozlovska, the Poles added her name to a Schengen-wide blacklist  in effect preventing her from entering any of the 26 Schengen-member states. Polish officials claim the non-governmental organization she runs, Open Dialog Foundation, has funding irregularities and is involved in subversive activities.

Kozlovska told VOA she believes shes been targeted because the PiS is afraid of popular protests like Maidan developing and is fearful of ODFs contacts with European politicians in Brussels.

Her blacklisting has prompted the anger of German lawmakers, straining already tense relations between Berlin and Warsaw. German parliamentarians argue Schengen blacklisting is meant to be reserved for people who are convicted or suspected terrorists or for criminals, and that critics or dissidents, however inconvenient they might be, shouldnt be listed.

Kozlovska, a critic of the PiS, spoke this week at an event in the German parliament after the German embassy in Kyiv issued her a temporary entry permit, despite the Schengen ban. Frank Schwabe of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), one of the lawmakers who invited her, says, the Polish government has a problem with accepting criticism and he dubs as scandalous the blacklisting of her.

Kozlovskas case is just one of a series of growing disputes between member states over rule-of-law issues and the interpretation of EU regulations, reflecting how different expectations are in the Western EU states compared to Central and southern Europe, ruled now by new nativist governments.

EU officials say Western states tend to be more punctilious in the observance of EU-wide laws and regulations. While their counterparts in the east and the south are less legalistic and more pragmatic in their compliance when it suits their domestic political purposes, breaching fiscal rules, banking transparency and money-laundering regulations more often, and increasingly flouting continent-wide human rights protections, from freedom of expression to the rights of civil society.

The Kozlovska case is just one example of an increasing split between states who are wedded to classical liberal ideals and those who are not, says a senior EU policy-maker. Freedom of the press, an independent judiciary, legal certainty are democratic achievements that bind us together as a community  or they did once. Now they are being challenged, he added.

Both Poland and Hungary have clashed with Brussels and Western EU states over their efforts to reshape civil society and to curtail the activities of NGOs.

Midweek, Hungarian officials vowed they wont withdraw a package of laws passed earlier this year that criminalize any individual or group offering to help illegal immigrants claim asylum. The legislation, which was passed in defiance of the EU, restricts the ability of NGOs to act in asylum cases. Under the law, individuals or groups that help illegal migrants gain status to stay in Hungary will be liable to prison terms.

The measures are called officially the Stop Soros laws, named after Hungarian-American billionaire NGO philanthropist George Soros. Two leading European rights bodies, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, have criticized the measures as arbitrary and vague, arguing they are incompatible with EU law.

Hungarian state secretary Pal Volner told a midweek news conference that Budapest finds it objectionable that the European Commission, which has started infringement proceedings against Hungary, is getting involved in domestic political activities.

Thats also Polands position when it comes to rule-of-law issues.

Poland was banned Monday from an EU body representing member states judicial institutions for the perceived erosion of the independence of countrys judiciary following changes introduced by the PiS government. Polish ministers say their reforms are popular and are in line with their electoral mandate. Polish President Andrzej Duda has rebuffed EU threats telling supporters earlier this week at a rally in the south of Poland, they should leave us in peace and let us fix Poland.
As the first high speed train pulls out of Hong Kong's West Kowloon Station early Sunday morning to mainland China, it will cement a major change to the autonomous city's relationship with Beijing due to an unprecedented immigration deal, according to lawmakers and legal experts.

Much of the concern is centered on an important feature of the HK86.42 billion ($11 billion) rail link, which has given China legal jurisdiction over part of the train station and the entire rail link, an arrangement known "co-location."

It's a deal the Hong Kong government has said will ease immigration procedures, allowing travelers to go onto any Chinese city along the rail line. It's similar, they also say, to arrangements that exist between the United States and Canada, where travelers go through immigration in places like the Montreal airport before flying onto New York, according to promotional information on the rail line.

But legal experts like Philip Dykes, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, said the agreement differs in small but crucial ways from other countries, beginning with the full powers given to Chinese immigration agents, which could have a serious impact on residents.

"What is different about the arrangements we have made here is that the Hong Kong authorities have agreed that Chinese authorities may make full jurisdiction - that is to say not merely can they refuse entry but they can detain and remove," Dykes said.

"So Hong Kong residents, in fact anybody who may use the new facility, may cross a line marked in the station which marks the end of Hong Kong jurisdiction, pass over into mainland controlled area and if he or she falls foul of those authorities they may be detained and then taken away into the mainland."

While the powers of U.S. immigration agents in Canada were recently expanded, they are still significantly more limited than in Hong Kong, Dykes said. U.S. agents in Canada, for example, are not permitted to interrogate or arrest a traveler at their own discretion under Canada's Pre-clearance Act of 2016. Similar restrictions do not apply to Chinese agents in Hong Kong.

Then there is the fact that while the United States and Canada have comparable legal systems, Hong Kong and China differ in significant ways.

Hong Kong police, for example, can only hold someone for 72 hours without charge. In China, a suspect can be detained for up to 37 days without being arrested, after which time they may wait months before being formally charged.

But it's not just technical concerns, though, that have lawyers and pro-democratic legislators worried. They have also expressed deep concerns about what granting China a legal foothold in Hong Kong territory would mean long term for the former British colony.

One country, two systems

Under the terms of the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997, it is supposed to have separate rights and privileges until 2047 in an arrangement known as "one country, two systems." Many of these are spelled out in the Basic Law, including Article 18, which says no Chinese laws, with few exceptions, will apply on Hong Kong soil.

"Now what ever happened to one country, two systems'? And you would say 'Oh it's just an arrangement, for the sake of they say for speed convenience, expediency. But then technically, a Hong Kong person within Hong Kong territory from now on if you go inside that station will not be able to apply for habeas corpus to Hong Kong courts because that's already Chinese territory," said Claudia Mo, a legislator for Kowloon West who has previously spoken out against the co-location agreement.

"Now they've done this, once they've done this, they can declare any space in Hong Kong, this legislature for example, Chinese territory and they can say mainland Chinese laws apply here. And this is just not right," she added.

The Hong Kong government directed VOA to a previous statement from late last year in response to questions on the co-location agreement. In the statement, the government said the Chinese "port area" of West Kowloon Station is legally "situated in the Mainland," Article 18 and the Basic Law do not apply in this case.

"For the high-speed rail passengers who use the procedures for exit and entry under the co-location arrangement, the procedures and their rights are basically the same as those under the traditional "separate location" arrangement," it said. "The main difference is that co-location arrangement is more convenient and efficient."

The immigration arrangement will be the subject of a legal case at Hong Kong's High Court on October 30.
Editor's note: We want you to know what's happening, why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.

Big decisions in a small city

A Pennsylvania city went from 5 percent to 50 percent Latino, over nearly two decades, in large part because of Dominican immigrants choosing the location for its better way of life. How has that changed the town's politics? VOA reporter Aline Barros asked residents how they see the transition to a more diverse community ahead of national elections in November.

What's next: Midterm elections are scheduled for Nov. 6, 2018

Afghans becoming Pakistani in Pakistan

Hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees born in the country will be able to apply for Pakistani citizenship. Prime Minister Imran Khan hopes the move will better integrate the refugees into the local economy and education system. "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.

Refugee reduction possible in the US

The U.S. secretary of state said this week that the U.S. would limit the number of refugees allowed into the country in the next 12 months to 30,000  the lowest level ever. But he didn't mention during the announcement that officials still needed to consult with Congress as part of the process. A final decision is expected from President Donald Trump by Oct. 1.

Now what? State Department officials tell VOA they are scheduling the meetings; Congress members said that hasn't happened on schedule.

UN: Offenses against Rohingya well-planned, genocide

The UN is calling for a prosecution on genocide charges for top military leaders in Myanmar. Killings, gang rapes, and burning and looting were well-planned, the organization says. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims from the majority-Buddhist country fled violence to neighboring Bangladesh, with little headway made on a solution over the last year.
India canceled on Friday a rare meeting between its foreign minister and her Pakistani counterpart scheduled to have taken place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, only a day after announcing it would take place.

The Indian foreign ministry blamed the "latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of twenty postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism."

It added that the recent actions had revealed Pakistan's "evil agenda" and the "true face" of the country's new Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The statement did not specify which killings it was referring to, but earlier this week an Indian border guard in the disputed territory of Kashmir was killed and his body mutilated.

And on Friday three policemen were found dead after being abducted in Indian-administered Kashmir.

India has long accused Pakistan of arming rebel groups in Kashmir, a Himalayan territory divided between the two countries but claimed in full by both.

Pakistan recently issued postage stamps of Burhan Wani, a charismatic Kashmiri militant commander killed by Indian troops in July 2016, whose death sparked a wave of violent protests in India.

The meeting in New York between Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan's Shah Mehmood Qureshi was only confirmed on Thursday.

It came after Khan wrote to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi calling for a resumption of talks between the nuclear-armed foes.

High-level talks between India and Pakistan are rare. Indian media described the slated meeting as the first in nearly three years.

"The decision to agree to Pakistan's proposal for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan," Friday's Indian statement said.

"The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of ... bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism," it added.

"Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office," it said.

"Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless."

Qureshi told Pakistan's ARY TV channel that he was "surprised and disappointed."

"We had given a positive signal and India too had hinted about negotiations," he said.

"India has once again shown that it cares more about its own politics than regional peace and stability," he added.

Asked if Pakistan will approach India again for negotiations, he said: "No, we wanted negotiations in a dignified way."
The U.S. Senate appears to be moving toward a final showdown over the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trumps choice to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.

Kavanaughs nomination was thrown into turmoil after a California professor, Christine Blasey Ford, alleged that he sexually assaulted her at a house party when they were both teenagers in the 1980s. Kavanaugh has denied the allegation.

Thomas confirmation

The Kavanaugh battle recalls another high stakes drama that riveted the country nearly 27 years ago.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. But during confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, law professor Anita Hill testified that Thomas had sexually harassed her when they worked together in previous government jobs.

Thomas denied the allegations and condemned the inquiry during nationally televised hearings that riveted the country.

As a black American, as far as I am concerned, it is a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves, Thomas told the committee.

Even though Thomas was narrowly confirmed, the political fallout from the contentious hearing had an impact for years to come.

Many women around the country were outraged at how the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee grilled Hill about the allegations, and some of them wound up running for Congress the next year.

Year of the woman

The following year, 1992, became known as The Year of the Woman after numerous women candidates were elected to Congress, including several in the Senate where Hill had confronted Thomas. In 1991, there were only two women in the Senate. Today there are 23 and this year has seen a record number of women running for Congress.

Among those elected to the Senate in 1992 was Democrat Patty Murray of Washington.

I am a United States senator today because of the way Anita Hill was treated in 1991, Murray told reporters at the Capitol this week. Women are watching. We are not going to allow that to happen again.

Anita Hill told ABCs Good Morning America program that she has been closely watching the Kavanaugh nomination fight. She urged the Senate to pause as it moves toward a vote on Kavanaugh and have the FBI do a thorough investigation of Fords allegation regarding Kavanaugh.

We are talking about an appointment for a lifetime on this nations highest court making decisions that are going to affect Americans probably for decades, Hill said.

A new reality

Nearly three decades later, echoes of the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas showdown still resonate in the #MeToo movement where numerous women have come forward to call out the behavior of many powerful men.

I think we can trace that movement in many ways to the anger that came out of the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearings during Clarence Thomas confirmation process, said George Washington University legal expert Paul Schiff Berman.

Republicans want to hear from both Ford and Kavanaugh about the alleged assault, either in a public or private hearing.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has complained that the Democrats are just looking for ways to slow down and stop Kavanaughs appointment.

The ranking member (top Democrat) of the Judiciary Committee had notice of this for quite some time and decided to spring it right at the end and it is pretty obvious this is all about delaying the process, McConnell said.

Politicized process

If confirmed, Kavanaugh would be President Trumps second appointment to the Supreme Court following the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch last year. If confirmed, Kavanaugh would solidify a conservative majority on the high court, long a goal of the conservative movement dating back to the time of President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s.

Trump also sees the Democrats playing politics with the Kavanaugh nomination.

They just resist and they just obstruct. And frankly, I think they are lousy on policy and in many ways, they are lousy politicians, Trump said.

On a broader level, some analysts see the battle over Kavanaugh as the latest example of how polarized politics has paralyzed Washington.

And it is unfortunate as a country, because the Supreme Court, if handled properly, should be immune from these things, said conservative analyst Jamil Jaffer of the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. We should be confirming people who are qualified in the 90s (out of 100 votes) and we should be letting them do their job, which is not to set policy but instead to say what the law is. Jaffer was a guest on VOAs Press Conference USA.

And so, as a divided Senate prepares to render a judgment on Kavanaugh, perhaps as early as next week, many Americans may have the feeling that they have seen this drama play out before.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko is suing British broadcaster BBC for libel over an article that said Kyiv paid $400,000 to secure a meeting with US leader Donald Trump last year.

Poroshenko issued the libel claim, seen by AFP, over an article published in May this year that said Kyiv paid Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen a "secret payment of at least $400,000" to "fix talks" between Poroshenko and Trump in the White House in June 2017.

The claim, filed through a British law firm, says the news story damaged Poroshenko's "political and business" reputation and caused him "substantial distress and embarrassment".

It added that the allegation of "serious corruption" was especially damaging because of Poroshenko's "promotion of a number of anti-corruption measures in Ukraine".

A spokesman for the BBC told AFP that it "cannot comment on this ongoing case".

The article, which was also used in a televised report, was based on "sources in Kyiv close to those involved".

It said a "high ranking Ukrainian intelligence officer" told the BBC the payment was made as Kyiv's embassy in Washington "could get Poroshenko little more than a brief photo-op with Trump".

Poroshenko met with Trump in the White House in June 2017.

There was speculation ahead of the meeting that Trump would refuse to meet the Ukrainian leader.

Washington did not announce the sit-down in advance -- as is customary -- and when it was described, the White House called it a "drop-in" with the US president.

For three years, ties between Washington and Kyiv have been dominated by efforts to contain a destabilising Russia-backed rebellion in eastern Ukraine.

The crisis has left 10,000 dead and heightened tensions between the West and the Kremlin.

Kyiv has been concerned by Trump often appearing reluctant to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to solve the crisis.

Ukrainians are scheduled to go to polls to elect a president next March.

Poroshenko, who took office in 2014, is widely expected to run but has not yet made an official announcement.

Corruption was among the top reasons that prompted Ukrainians to take to the streets and oust a Kremlin-backed regime in early 2014.

But Ukrainian and Western observers have repeatedly questioned pro-Western Poroshenko's resolve to reform the country's kleptocratic system.
Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says he expects his countrymen will vote for a deal that will rename the country to "North Macedonia" in exchange for Greece's ending its objections to Macedonia's eventual membership in NATO and the European Union.

In a VOA interview, he said, "There is no other alternative. I am an optimist primarily because I know my people. They have a history of making smart decisions and this one will be no different."

Zaev said he wants Macedonia to soon become the 30th member of NATO in order to secure peace, economic prosperity and security for his country, and that Washington strongly supports Macedonia's NATO aspirations.

"The message was sent yet again that America stands firmly beside Macedonia as an unwavering strategic partner," Zaev told VOA Macedonian in an exclusive interview following his meeting with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday.

Zaev was invited to the White House after working to secure the Prespa Agreement with Greece on the long-standing name issue between the two countries, according to a statement issued by the vice president's office.

"I am convinced that the United States will stay focused on a Southeast Europe benefiting all the citizens in the region, including the citizens of Macedonia," said Zaev.

Renaming Macedonia is a key element of a deal with neighboring Greece to end a decades-old dispute. Greece says Macedonia's current name implies claims on its own northern province of Macedonia, and on its ancient heritage.
Nations that struck the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, except for the United States, meet on Monday in what many diplomats fear may prove a quixotic effort to keep the agreement alive after U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports resume in November.

Ministers from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran will gather in New York at 8 p.m. EDT on Monday (0000 GMT Tuesday) to grapple with U.S. President Donald Trump's May 8 decision to withdraw from the deal and restore the full force of U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Their delicate, and perhaps unrealistic, task is to build a case for Tehran to respect the deal's limits on its nuclear program even though Washington has pulled out, depriving Iran of many of the economic benefits it was promised.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani "needs arguments to defend the deal in the face of the radicals. He needs us to give him ammunition," said a senior European diplomat, referring to Iranian hard-liners who oppose the agreement.

"We are trying to give him ammunition, but what we can do, to be honest, is limited," the diplomat added.

The crux of the deal, negotiated over almost two years by the Obama administration, was that Iran would restrain its nuclear program in return for the relaxation of sanctions that had crippled its economy. Trump considered it flawed because it did not include curbs on ballistic missiles or regional activity.

The United States began reimposing economic sanctions this summer and the most draconian measures, which seek to force Iran's major customers to stop buying its oil, resume Nov. 5.

Their impending return has contributed to a slide in Iran's currency. The rial has lost about two-thirds of its value this year, hitting a record low against the U.S. dollar this month.

The European Union has implemented a law to shield European companies from U.S. sanctions. Still, there are limits to what it can do to counter the oil sanctions, under which Washington can cut off from the U.S. financial system any bank that facilitates an oil transaction with Iran.



'Hurt them more than us'



Many European companies are withdrawing or have withdrawn from Iran because of U.S. sanctions that could cut them off from the American market if they stay.

Iran believes the United States acted in bad faith by withdrawing from the deal even as Tehran has adhered to its terms and has rejected U.S. overtures to meet.

The most recent confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vienna-based U.N. watchdog, found Iran had stayed within the main limitations imposed under the deal, whose formal name is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

In recent weeks, Iranian officials have begun arguing that if the Europeans cannot preserve trade with Iran, perhaps Tehran should reduce, but not eliminate, its compliance with the accord.

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif was quoted as telling Germany's Der Spiegel magazine that Iran could "reduce its implementation" and possibly increase uranium enrichment activities if the deal was jeopardized by "the actions of the Americans and the passivity of the Europeans."

European diplomats wish to avoid this. Hoping to keep Iran's nuclear program in check, they have told Tehran that if it stops carrying out the deal to the letter, they will have no choice but to restore their own sanctions.

"They keep telling us the situation is horrible, they are going to leave the accord or just keep partially implementing the deal. It's the same old music, but for now they continue to implement the JCPOA," said a second senior European diplomat.

"We [are] warning them that if they were to pull out it would hurt them more than us," he added.
An attorney for two Native American brothers pulled from a Colorado State University tour earlier this year has demanded the school make policy changes, saying Thursday that campus officers violated the teens' constitutional rights by patting them down without any suspicion of a crime.

A letter from American Civil Liberties Union attorney Sarah Hinger calls for the university to revisit its campus police policies and training to avoid another situation like the April 30 encounter, which resulted in the teens' being "humiliated, scared and literally marginalized."

Police video shows two officers stopping Thomas Kanewakeron Gray and Lloyd Skanahwati Gray, who were then 19 and 17, respectively, during a group admissions tour and checking their pockets. The brothers from New Mexico had called the school their top choice.

Police said a mother on the tour had called 911, saying she was worried because the Grays were "real quiet" and wore dark clothing.

'False promises' of change

"My boys were publicly humiliated and told that their looks alone make them suspicious characters," mother Lorraine Kahneratokwa Gray said in a statement. "We are all disappointed, not only with CSU's meager response, but also with their false promises to right this wrong."

The was one of numerous examples of racial profiling to make headlines this year.

A Smith College employee called police last month on a black student at the all-girls school in Massachusetts because she appeared "out of place." The school president announced the hiring of an outside investigator and ordered every employee to undergo mandatory anti-bias training.

Meanwhile, Colorado State University has taken only "small steps" after promises to change protocols for campus tours, the ACLU said.

A message requesting comment from university spokesman Mike Hooker was not immediately returned.

The school previously said it would refund the money that the teens spent on travel and take steps to prevent a similar situation from happening again, including the use of lanyards or badges to identify tour guests.

University President Tony Frank decried the incident, saying the brothers "wound up frightened and humiliated because another campus visitor was concerned about their clothes and overall demeanor  which appears to have simply been shyness."

The ACLU wants Frank to order additional campus police training and a review of policies dictating how officers and dispatchers respond to "bias-based" reports on campus.

In an interview, Hinger told The Associated Press that the ACLU is not taking "any avenues off the table"  including possible legal action  should the university not follow through on its requests.

"Although they were never suspected of a crime, the Gray brothers were detained and searched by CSU police officers," Hinger's letter said. "In addition to violating their constitutional rights, this experience left the brothers humiliated, frightened and with an understanding that they were unwelcome on the CSU campus."

'Paranoid' caller

Police have not identified the 911 caller, except to say she was a white, 45-year-old mother of another prospective student on the tour. In the call, she acknowledged she might be "completely paranoid" about the teens, whom she guessed were Hispanic.

She said their clothing had "weird symbolism or wording," which turned out to represent metal bands.

She also said they were disinterested and evasive, adding that they wouldn't provide their names when asked. The older brother said he had approached the tour guide during a stop in the library to introduce himself and his brother after the two had gotten lost on campus and arrived late.

The brothers, both Mohawk, are originally from upstate New York and are graduates of the Santa Fe Indian School, a New Mexico high school.
More than 100 4-H members represented 4-H clubs from DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties. They earned the right to exhibit at the state fair by being selected in the top of their division at county fairs in July and August.
U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the United Nations on Monday for the annual gathering of world leaders. After an international debut last year in which he threatened to totally destroy North Korea, many are anxious about what message he may bring this year to the U.N. General Assembly.

Since last Septembers war of words with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un  during which Trump memorably called Kim Rocket Man and Kim responded from Pyongyang, calling Trump a dotard  tensions have cooled dramatically and the two leaders have met amid much fanfare to discuss North Koreas denuclearization.

This year, however, Iran looks to be in Trumps sights, with members of his administration ramping up the rhetoric ahead of the General Assembly.

Tough talk

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News on Wednesday that the Trump administration was working to get Iran to behave like a normal nation and stop being the worlds largest state sponsor of terror.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley regularly castigates Tehran for its destabilizing role in Syria and Yemen and its support for militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

Iran continues to be a problem, Haley told reporters Thursday. Every dangerous spot in the world, Iran seems to have their fingerprints in it.

Earlier this year, Trump announced the United States was withdrawing from the Obama-era 2015 deal to end Irans nuclear weapons program and reimposing unilateral sanctions on Tehran. In November, companies doing business with Iran will have to stop or risk being shut out of the U.S. financial system. Washington wants to pressure Tehran back to the negotiating table for a new, broader deal.

Trump will most likely fault Tehran for its destabilizing behavior in the region and disparage the nuclear deal when he addresses the General Assembly early Tuesday. Experts warn the U.S. might find itself somewhat isolated at the gathering.

The problem for the Trump administration is that many of the U.S.s allies, including the powers which are signatories to the Iran nuclear deal, they will not join such condemnation, noted the Middle East Institutes Ahmad Majidyar. While these countries share Washingtons concerns about Irans controversial ballistic missile program or support for some terrorist and militant groups in the region, they strongly support the nuclear deal and they do not back Washingtons unilateral exit.

The United States also happens to hold the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council this month and is using the opportunity for Trump to chair a meeting Wednesday on nonproliferation. Expect him to talk a lot about Iran.

I am sure that will be the most-watched Security Council meeting ever, Haley said in a nod to her bosss love of good television ratings.

The president took to his favorite communications medium on Friday morning to promote the session, tweeting, I will Chair the United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran next week!

Likely by Trump's side will be his national security adviser and a former Bush-era U.N. ambassador, John Bolton, who is known for his hard-line views on Iran and his disdain for the United Nations.

Bolton understands how the U.N. works better than others, Majidyar said. He would try to shape the discussion at the U.N. on Iran and also try to use both carrot and stick with its allies to gain their support when it comes to Iran.

While Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will also be at next week's General Assembly, a meeting between the two leaders is highly unlikely. But expect Rouhani to counter any criticism from Trump during his own address to the assembly hours after Trump's speech, and at a news conference on Wednesday.

Talks with North Korea

Denuclearization talks with North Korea will also dominate the week.

The leaders of North and South Korea this week wrapped a three-day summit in Pyongyang and signed a series of agreements, as relations between the two countries continue to improve. But talks between the U.S. and North Korea have stalled since the June Trump-Kim summit in Singapore.

Kim has never attended the General Assembly and will not this year, but Trump will meet Monday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in for a debriefing on the Pyongyang summit.

Pompeo has also invited his North Korean counterpart to meet him in New York.

"This will mark the beginning of negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations through the process of rapid denuclearization of North Korea, to be completed by January 2021, Pompeo said in a statement Wednesday, setting out a timeline for completing Pyongyangs denuclearization.

Pompeo also plans to chair a ministerial-level meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday to discuss North Korea.

Its a chance for us to look at what weve achieved in progress on North Korea, Haley told reporters this week. Its a chance to look at the commitment we want on peace. But its also a chance to have the conversation that if we dont enforce the sanctions, all of this can go away.

Multilateralism in peril?

In the year since he made his U.N. debut, Trump has cut funding to the world organization, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal, and quit U.N. bodies, including the Human Rights Council. He has also had difficult outings at gatherings of G-7 leaders and NATO.

I think that a lot of leaders are going to be pretty cautious with President Trump, said Richard Gowan, senior fellow at the U.N. University Centre for Policy Research. The Europeans have been quite burned at a number of recent summits.

Without naming names, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently told reporters that multilateralism is under attack from many different directions precisely when we need it most. He said he would use his meetings to press for a renewed commitment to a rules-based global order and to the United Nations.
Pakistan is urging China to ease pressures on the country's Muslim minority amid warnings by rights groups that the Uighurs in China face restrictions on religious activities and mass detentions in so-called "re-education camps."

The appeal comes as Pakistan has had traditionally good ties with its large neighbor.



Pakistan's minister for religious affairs, Noorul Haq Qadri, met Chinese envoy Yao Xing this week to discuss the situation of the Uighurs in China's western Xinjiang province.

Human Right Watch says forcible detentions of "thousands of Uighurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities" in Xinjiang started in 2017.

Qadri says such pressures could foment reactionary extremist viewpoints and urged Beijing to take concrete steps on the issue.

Analysts say Pakistan's move is significant amid growing pressure on China over human rights violations.
Pope Francis will carry a message of solidarity to the Baltic nations on a visit starting on Saturday, nearly 30 years after they broke away from the Soviet Union and as they look warily towards a newly aggressive Russia.

The four-day trip is the first by a pope to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia since 1993 and, a quarter of a century on, the countries are members of NATO and the European Union.

But the past still looms large in a region subject in turn to Soviet and Nazi oppression and where religious persecution left a traumatic legacy.

In Lithuania, where he starts his trip, Francis will visit the Vilnius Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, a former Soviet KGB prison where hundreds were murdered and thousands, including many priests, shipped off to Siberia.

"By visiting the KGB jail, Pope Francis sends a message that he cares about the people who suffered for their faith, for their devotion to the motherland," said Bishop Sigitas Tamkevicius, 79, imprisoned there in 1983 before spending six years in Soviet labor camps.

"This was our nation's Golgotha, a trial of our faith," Tamkevicius, who will accompany the pope to the jail, told Reuters.

The region also still bears the inter-religious scars left by the murder of more than 200,000 Jews by the Nazis, aided by some locals. The pope will pray at a monument to the victims of the Vilnius ghetto, where only several hundred of some 40,000 survived the Holocaust.

Hope for the future

After independence won in 1918, the countries were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, occupied by the Nazis during World War II and were then satellite republics of the USSR until 1991.

Recent events in Russia, with which all three states share a land border, have brought on new nervousness.

As Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and fears grew that the Baltics might be next on Moscow's list, defense spending was increased sharply and several thousand NATO soldiers were deployed.

The Baltics say they are victims of a sustained anti-Western disinformation campaign by Russia and subjected to regular intimidation tactics including cyberattacks - charges the Kremlin denies.

In 1993, Pope John Paul helped the three countries celebrate their liberation.

While political freedoms in the Baltic states remain hard-won, in one respect Francis' trip will be very different, with their wealth having shot up thanks to an export-oriented boom.

"There was great hope for the future [and] the economic situation was very difficult" in 1993, Archbishop Gintaras Grusas of Vilnius, told Reuters.

About 77 percent of Lithuania's population of 2.9 million are Catholic, while Catholicism is a minority in the other two countries.

In Riga, Francis will pay tribute to Latvia's independence heroes at the Monument to Freedom and preside over at an ecumenical service at the city's Lutheran cathedral.

In Tallinn, Estonia - where the Vatican says there are only about 4,500 Catholics - Francis will say mass in Freedom Square, the site of military parades in Soviet times where thousands of candles are burned each year to commemorate Soviet deportees.
More than 7,000 refugee and migrant children are living under horrible, unsanitary conditions on the Greek islands, the U.N. children's fund reports. It says more than 850 children, on average, make the dangerous sea journey to Greece every month only to end up in facilities that are congested and lacking all basic necessities.

UNICEF's country coordinator in Greece, Lucio Melandri, says he was appalled by what he saw on a recent visit to centers on the islands of Lesbos and Samos, where he met refugee children from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"The vast majority of the children are deeply traumatized," Melandri said. "Many have lived through war and they have had to flee their homes. They have survived, but now find themselves living in horrible conditions with no end in sight. For many children, they simply cannot cope."

Melandri says housing on the islands is unacceptable, noting that the Moria Center on Lesbos hosts nearly 9,000 people in a facility meant for 3,000. In addition, he says the center on Samos was built for 650 people, but houses 4,000. He says staff is overwhelmed and services in the centers could collapse in the coming winter months.

All refugees and migrants living in the centers, especially children, must be transferred to the mainland without further delay, according to UNICEF. It says these vulnerable people must be given adequate accommodation, protection, health care and other basic services.
A film festival in Kenya this month highlighted a group not often seen on the big screen: refugees. The festival, organized by the nonprofit group FilmAid in collaboration with Amnesty International, screened a selection of short films about exile and identity, some produced by refugees themselves.

One of the films showcased is The Other Dadaab, a five-minute documentary by Abdirisack Jama Shire on realities of the Dadaab refugee camp in northwestern Kenya.

The camp, near the Kenya-Somalia border, is the worlds largest refugee settlement with a population of close to 500,000 refugees.

The documentary showcases Dadaab as a virtual city with its own socio-economic dynamics as opposed to a transient settlement.

Mark Maina, the creator of another showcased film, Neophobia, was present for the screening of The Other Dadaab.

I am really glad for FilmAid that they have closely shown us how it is, for those in the camps, the kind of lives they live, the suffering that they go through, Maina said.

Understanding through film

FilmAid International is a nonprofit humanitarian group that uses movies and media to raise awareness of social issues.

It holds annual film festivals in Kenya to empower, inform and inspire refugees and other marginalized populations. This years screenings took place in the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps in addition to Nairobi.

Stella Suge is FilmAids country director.

There are various things that we hope to achieve, she said. One is that people can actually see the faces of refugees, which is largely presented as a statistic, so to encounter those faces and get a sense of who they are, their faces and their humanity and to share that. Secondly, we want to start to be in dialogue with Kenyan nationals who have actually been hosting refugees for a long time without a clear understanding of what it means ... and basically take a journey of starting to include refugees in our day-to-day life to give them a more humane, more normal and dignified life.

We are all human

Wambui Mumbi attended the screening at IMAX Cinema in Nairobi.

The main lesson that I have picked [up] is that we should not segregate refugees, Mumbi said. We should not treat them like they are a different species because at the end of the day we are all humans. The struggles they go through are the same that we go through, are like the same things we go through.

Pereshian Beth also attended the screening.

It was educative, we got to learn more on how the refugees are living in Kakuma and in Daadab. They are doing something good for themselves  we need to empower them ... their story is their voice, Beth said.

More films like The Other Dadaab may be on the way, as FilmAid programs train more than 50 refugees annually on filmmaking.
The leader of Romania's ruling Social Democrats Liviu Dragnea retained control of the party Friday, defeating dissenters who said his criminal record had made him a liability, but his victory seems likely to heighten political infighting.

A past conviction in a vote-rigging case earned him a suspended jail term, which prevented him from being prime minister. And he is due next month to launch an appeal against a three-and-a-half year prison sentence passed in a separate abuse of office case.

He is also under investigation in a third case on suspicion of forming a criminal group to siphon off cash from state projects, some of them EU-funded.

But he emerged unscathed from an eight-hour meeting of the party's executive committee on Friday at which he won a comfortable majority of support, beating off critics who wanted him out.

Analysts said his latest confrontation with internal party critics might also complicate Dragnea's and his allies' efforts to stall the fight against corruption in one of the European Union's most graft-prone states.

Dragnea led the party to a sweeping victory in a December 2016 parliamentary election, but since then its attempts to weaken the judiciary have dominated the public agenda.

An attempt to decriminalize several corruption offences last year via emergency decrees triggered massive protests and was ultimately withdrawn. Changes to criminal codes this year invited comparisons with Poland and Hungary, which are embroiled in a standoff with Brussels over the rule of law.

Deputy Prime Minister Paul Stanescu, Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea and lawmaker Adrian Tutuianu  all vice-presidents of the party  called for his resignation, saying his management has hurt the party's popularity.

Dragnea has previously argued in favor of an emergency decree that would grant amnesty for some corruption offenses  potentially affording him protection against prosecution  or retroactively scrap wiretap evidence collected by Romania's intelligence service SRI on behalf of prosecutors.

After Friday's executive meeting, Dragnea said Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, a close ally, had not supported the idea of an emergency decree on amnesty at this time.

But Dragnea vowed to continue fighting against what he calls a "parallel state" of prosecutors and secret services who want to bring the party down via corruption trials.

"I personally no longer care [about] an emergency decree regarding amnesty," Dragnea said. "If the government wants to pass it, it's up to them, whenever they want."

"As long as I remain party president I will do all I can to bring down this heinous system that is ruining lives."

Unlike bills passed through parliament, which can be challenged and take a long time, emergency decrees take effect immediately.

"He [Dragnea] might have broken them [his critics] today," said Sergiu Miscoiu, political science professor at Babes-Bolyai University. "But he is gradually losing control, his enemies are consolidating, and the next round might be fatal."
Muslims are observing Ashura, one of the holiest days in Shiite Islam. Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. For Shiite Muslims, it is the day of mourning for the sacrifices made in the 7th century Battle of Karbala, especially the death of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. Shiite Muslims mark the day with rituals, including self-flagellation. This year, Ashura began Thursday night and ends Friday evening. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports.
In an interview Thursday with VOA's South Sudan in Focus, Phillip Jada Natana, South Sudan's new ambassador to the United States, said he wants to repair the damaged relationship between Washington and Juba.



The South Sudanese envoy said that Tibor P. Nagy, U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs, has expressed a willingness to work with the Kiir administration.



"He is someone who has been following keenly the situation in South Sudan, and he said he was really willing to open a new page and work with me as a representative of South Sudan here in Washington,'' Natana said.



U.S. relations



Relations between South Sudan and the United States have been strained in recent years. In September 2017, Washington imposed unilateral targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on the Central African country.



"In the interest of the people of South Sudan, we would really want the United States government to support the peace agreement because war has been costly,'' Natana told South Sudan in Focus.



The ambassador said the price for peace in his country is affordable, adding that the U.S. can play an important role to support the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed last week by President Salva Kiir, rebel leader Riek Machar, and other members of the opposition groups.

Support peace deal

Thomas Hushek, U.S. ambassador to South Sudan, said Washington will not continue to fund peace agreements that are violated over and over by participants in the South Sudanese civil war.

Hushek told VOA that the government and rebels, who signed the revitalized peace deal last week, must show a real commitment to ending violence, allowing unfettered access to humanitarian workers and releasing all political prisoners.

The U.S., Britain and Norway released a joint statement last week expressing concerns about the latest South Sudan peace deal.

"We don't expect that this agreement is going to act like a magic stick, that once you strike it,then it is going to be all peaceful,'' Natana said.



He said his country has many spoilers who are against the signing of the revitalized peace agreement.



Cease-fire violations



The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), which was established to monitor South Sudan's cease-fire agreement, said it is still investigating reports of clashes between the government and SPLA-IO (Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition) forces in Yei River state.



In a Twitter post last week, CTSAMM said it received reports of violations of the cease-fire agreement in Yei River state and reminded the warring parties of their commitment to refrain from any form of hostilities.



Natana said the international and regional bodies should hold violators of the cease-fire accountable.



"The best thing to look at now is the enforcement mechanism that should be put in place,'' he said. "I think if the region, especially the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), is keen that this agreement should hold, then I think they should speed up with deploying the monitors on the ground so that we hold people accountable who violate this agreement."



Natana is the third South Sudanese diplomat to head the embassy in Washington. He previously served as South Sudan's ambassador to Eritrea and South Africa.
Former rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight pleaded no contest Thursday to voluntary manslaughter for running over and killing a Compton businessman nearly four years ago and agreed to serve nearly 30 years in prison.

The Death Row Records co-founder entered the plea in Los Angeles Superior Court and has agreed to serve 28 years in prison. The plea came days before jury selection was scheduled to begin in the long-delayed case.

Knight was charged with murder, attempted murder and hit-and-run after fleeing the scene of an altercation in January 2015 outside a Compton burger stand. Knight and Cle "Bone" Sloan, a consultant on the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, were involved in a fistfight that ended with Knight clipping the man with his pickup truck and running over businessman Terry Carter, who died from his injuries.

Knight's attorneys have said he was acting in self-defense and was fleeing armed attackers when he ran over Carter and Sloan. Sloan has denied he was carrying a gun during the confrontation.

During Thursday's hearing, Knight answered Judge Ronald Coen's questions, loudly and quickly saying "no contest" when the judge asked for his plea. He will be formally sentenced Oct. 4.

The plea deal calls for Knight to serve 22 years in prison on the voluntary manslaughter count, and another six years because it is a third strike violation.

Carter's daughter, Crystal, sat in the front row of the courtroom and displayed no visible reaction to the proceedings. "I'm surprised he pleaded out," Crystal Carter said outside court. "Normally he likes the cameras to be on him 24-7."

Courtroom drama

Delays, detours and drama marked the runup to Knight's trial, which was expected to begin Oct. 1 under tight security and secrecy. Court officials had said that no witness list would be released ahead of the trial, and that some witnesses might not be identified by name during the case.

Knight collapsed during one court hearing, two of his former attorneys were indicted on witness-tampering charges, and his fiancee pleaded no contest to selling video of Knight hitting the two men with his truck.

His attorney Albert DeBlanc Jr., appointed by the court five months ago, was his 16th, and Knight tried to fire him and get yet another lawyer just a day before the deal was reached. DeBlanc declined comment Thursday.

While awaiting trial, Knight was also accused of threatening Straight Outta Compton director F. Gary Gray.

Knight would frequently, against the advice of Coen and his attorneys, speak extensively during hearings, complaining about jail conditions, his attorneys and his health issues.

While Coen read legal language about the plea and told Knight he was subject to deportation if he was not a citizen, Knight said "ICE is coming to get me?" to a smattering of laughs.

Prior convictions

The 53-year-old was a key player in the gangster rap scene that flourished in the 1990s, and his label once listed Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg among its artists. Knight lost control of the company after it was forced into bankruptcy. He has prior felony convictions for armed robbery and assault with a gun. He pleaded no contest in 1995 and was sentenced to five years' probation for assaulting two rap entertainers at a Hollywood recording studio in 1992.

He was sentenced in February 1997 to prison for violating terms of that probation by taking part in a fight at a Las Vegas hotel hours before Shakur was fatally wounded in a drive-by attack as he rode in Knight's car just east of the Las Vegas Strip. Shakur's slaying remains unsolved.

Knight had faced life in prison if convicted of murder for killing Carter.
Just days after ordering the controversial declassification of materials related to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, President Donald Trump in a sweeping and quick reversal of an order has put the release of the documents on hold.

In a pair of Friday morning tweets, Trump said he had met with the Justice Department concerning declassification of unredacted documents from the Russia investigation.

Federal law enforcement officials were reluctant to release material from an ongoing investigation, including part of a secret court order to monitor a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page.

Also of deep concern to officials is the declassification of the interviews conducted for the application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

"The odds that a high-level resignation threat (Wray, Rosenstein?) wasn't behind this are slim to none," tweeted Ned Price, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, who was a spokesman for the National Security Council in the preceding administration of Barack Obama.

There has been no comment from either Christopher Wray, who is the director of the FBI, or Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who oversees the investigation being led by special counsel Robert Mueller into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

"The president continues to project a rudimentary understanding of his authority and how government bureaucracy actually works," according to Bradley Moss, an attorney specializing in national security matters and the deputy executive director of the James Madison Project. "He effectively ordered the declassification of materials and then retracted it mere days later, deferring to the inspector general to handle the tasks, something the IG never does."

The president also has ordered the public release of text messages exchanged among several former high-level Justice Department and FBI officials.

In the end, if the inspector general  already looking into how the special counsel's investigation has been handled  does not reach a conclusion Trump desires, the president in his Friday tweets indicated he will override the review process and again move to declassify the materials.

"This isn't declassification in the interest of transparency or national security," Moss told VOA. "This is declassification by personal whim."

The top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Adam Schiff, says Trump has acknowledged strenuous objections by the Justice Department and U.S. allies, and that the president already had known "the release of these documents would cross a 'red line,' potentially compromising sources and methods and hindering the investigation."

Schiff added that Trump, the White House Counsel and his personal lawyers are still seeking access to the material "for the corrupt purpose of discrediting the Special Counsel  we cannot allow that."
(CNN)  If Theresa May hoped that a two-day summit with European leaders in the birthplace of Mozart would bring harmony to the fraught Brexit process, she will have left sorely disappointed.

A lavish dinner in the opulent setting of the Felsenreitschul theater in Salzburg on Wednesday evening failed to smooth the way. By Thursday, there wasn't much left but bitterness and rancour.

Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, said key aspects of Brexit proposals presented by May "will not work" in their current form.

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said there could be "no compromise" on the integrity of the single market, the bloc's economic free-trade zone.

Emmanuel Macron, the French President, was harshest of all. The entire Brexit project was sold to the British people by "liars" who immediately fled the stage, unwilling to see their project through.

May could be forgiven for looking like thunder at her post-summit press conference. But she showed no sign of backing down from the proposals hashed out with her Cabinet at her country retreat of Chequers in July -- so controversial with her own party that they provoked the resignation of her foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, and Brexit secretary, David Davis.

She acknowledged that a bilateral meeting with Tusk was "frank." But Chequers was the only game in town, she told reporters. That plan "remains the only serious and credible proposition on the table," she said.

If the language coming out of EU leaders was anything to go by, the prospect the UK crashing out without a deal seems greater than ever. "Everybody shared the view that while there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal for economic cooperation, the suggested framework will not work -- not least because it risks undermining the single market," Tusk told reporters.

The main sticking point continues to be how to handle the border between Northern Ireland, which will remain part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, which will continue to be part of the EU. Neither side wants an arrangement that would require the rebuilding of border infrastructure, the removal of which was a key part of the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland after years of sectarian strife.

May promised to bring forward new proposals that would ensure trade could move freely across the Irish border, but would not require different customs regimes in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, a key red line for the British Prime Minister.

'Moment of truth'

EU leaders will meet again at a formal summit in October, which Tusk called "the moment of truth" for Brexit negotiations. Under the EU process that governs Britain's withdrawal, the UK leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019 -- deal or no deal. In practice, to allow for parliamentary ratification, that means a deal must be struck in the next couple of months.

It's clear that significant gaps remain between both sides. "The Irish question needs something more than only good intentions," Tusk said. "Without clear a precise solution to the Irish question, and for the whole context of our economic future relations, it will be difficult even to imagine a positive process after October," Tusk said.

May said that leaving with no deal remains an option. "There's a lot of hard work to be done, I believe there is a willingness to do a deal," May said. But she added: "We are preparing for no deal. The British people can be confident we have done what is necessary to make sure we have a success of leaving the EU."

Some leaders expressed deep frustration. Macron acknowledged that Brexit was the choice of the British people but added that it was "pushed by those who predicted easy solutions."

"If Brexit tells us one thing... it shows us that those who say: one can do easily without Europe, that it will all go well, that it is easy and will bring lots of money -- are liars," Macron said. "They left the next day so they didn't have to manage it."

The sour tone at the end of the Salzburg summit could all just be part of the negotiations dance. Both sides want to show a tough face. May faces a rough ride at the Conservative party conference in a few weeks, with challengers to her leadership waiting in the wings.

And EU leaders want to make an example of the UK's pain to any other countries even thinking of leaving: Breaking up is hard to do.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Brexit was sold by 'liars' and Britain's exit plan is unworkable, UK told."
The league works with the DuPage County Election Commission to give students the chance to test out the same booths and counting machines that will be used by voters Nov. 6. Special one-page ballots were printed to include races for governor/lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller, treasurer and Congress.
U.S. President Donald Trump questioned the integrity of the woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault years ago, posting Friday on Twitter that "if the attack ... was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed" with police.

Trump also accused "radical left wing politicians" of attacking Kavanaugh, who Christine Blasey Ford said sexually assaulted her at a house party 36 years ago.

Lawyers for Ford said she wanted to testify before a Senate panel next week, but only if her safety was ensured.

Attorney Debra Katz said her client had received death threats, and that Ford and her family had been forced out of their California home.

But according to U.S. media reports, Katz said in an email to the Senate Judiciary Committee that Ford still wished to testify "provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety."

Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, had scheduled a hearing for next Monday for both Ford and Kavanaugh to appear in public to tell their stories.

But Katz wrote that "Monday's date is not possible and the committee's insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event."

Katz said Ford's "strong preference" was that "a full investigation" be completed before she testifies. She had earlier called for the FBI to probe the charges against Kavanaugh.

Late Thursday, the White House released a letter from Kavanaugh to Grassley in which he said he wanted to tell his side in a Monday hearing.

"I will be there. I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible so that I can clear my name," he wrote.

Media reports said Kavanaugh had also received what law enforcement officials said were credible death threats.

Trump chose Kavanaugh to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court created by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy.

His approval by the Judiciary Committee and the Republican-majority Senate appeared to be a near certainty until The Washington Post published its interview with Ford, who is now a California psychology professor.

She alleged a "stumbling drunk" 17-year-old Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a Maryland house party in 1982 when both were in high school.

She said Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and groped her, putting his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. Ford said she feared Kavanaugh might inadvertently kill her before she managed to escape.

Kavanaugh has adamantly denied the charges, saying he has never done any such thing to Ford or any other woman.

Women who say they have known and worked with Kavanaugh throughout his legal career say he has been respectful and fair in dealing with them. Dozens of women who support Kavanaugh held a Washington news conference Friday.

Sara Fagen, who described herself as a friend and former colleague of Kavanaugh, said she and the other women at the news conference believe the allegation is untrue.

"The reason that we know that this allegation is false is because we know Brett Kavanaugh," Fagen said. "We know his heart and we have known him over every aspect of his life, and the charge leveled against him is inconsistent with every single thing we know about him. So we stand here proud to support Brett and confident that the things being talked about are completely wrong."

Trump has regularly expressed support for Kavanaugh, saying earlier this week "it's very hard for me to imagine" that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Ford. But the president said he wanted her to testify, saying, "I really want to see her, to see what she has to say," and that if it takes the Senate a little longer to confirm Kavanaugh, so be it.

Republican lawmakers are trying to win Senate confirmation for Kavanaugh ahead of the court's start of a new term on Oct. 1 or, if not by then, ahead of the Nov. 6 nationwide congressional elections, to show Republican voters they have made good on campaign promises to place conservative judges like Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.
President Donald Trump will call for global action on the world drug problem, lay out his vision of the U.S. role in the world, and urge a halt to the spread of weapons of mass destruction during next week's gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters Thursday that Trump's focus "will be very much on the United States,'' its role and the relations it wants to build, and "how we can make the American people proud, and what actions we can show that really live up to that.''

"He is looking forward to talking about foreign policy successes the United States has had over the past year and where we're going to go from here,'' she said. "He wants to talk about protecting U.S. sovereignty,'' and "we want to continue to build relationships'' with other countries that "share those values.''

'Call to Action' on drugs

Haley said Trump would address a high-level event Monday on the Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem, which 124 countries have already signed up to support. She said the U.S. was looking forward to more signatories.

The president will address the assembly's 193 member nations Tuesday morning.

Haley said Trump would talk about the generosity of the United States. "But he'll also lay down a marker that while the United States is generous, we're going to be generous to those who share our values, generous to those who want to work with us, and not those that try and stop the United States or say they hate America, or are counterproductive to what we're doing,'' she said.

She said Trump on Wednesday would chair a Security Council meeting that was expanded from focusing on Iran to nonproliferation, including chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain.

Haley predicted, "I'm sure that is going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever.''

Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, chaired two Security Council meetings, one in 2009 focusing on nuclear disarmament and another in 2014 on "foreign terrorist fighters.''

Pompeo on N. Korea

Haley said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would chair a council meeting Thursday to look at North Korea's progress toward denuclearization  which she called "baby steps''  and the council's commitments to enforce tough sanctions.

The White House said Trump would hold "pull-aside'' meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Maria Fernanda Espinosa, the General Assembly president. He will have longer bilateral meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May.

On the social side, Haley said the president and his wife, Melania, would host a reception for all delegates Monday night. Trump will also host a reception Tuesday evening for foreign ministers of the 15 current Security Council member nations and the five countries that will be joining the council Jan. 1.
Ankara is signaling its readiness to use force against radical groups in the Syrian Idlib enclave as part of a deal struck with Moscow, which has been pressuring the Turkish government to comply with terms of an accord made between the Russian and Turkish presidents.

Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed to create a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in the rebel-controlled Idlib enclave.

The deal, heralded as a diplomatic triumph by Ankara, averted a Syrian regime offensive backed by Russian forces against the last rebel bastion. With 3 million people trapped in the region, aid groups have been warning of a humanitarian catastrophe.

Ankara now faces the formidable task of removing radical Islamist groups, along with the heavy weapons of rebel forces, from a 15- to 20-kilometer zone by October 15.

It is one thing to speak in the chambers of the palaces to hold press conferences and so forth. It's another thing to fight on the ground, former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen said. Especially because of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham elements, which are a 30,000-strong jihadi force in west Idlib, and especially near the Turkish border and within Idlib town itself, what will they decide? Will they agree on this solution? This is the question.

While addressing reporters Friday, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin indicated a readiness to use force against radical groups if they dont agree to leave the DMZ.

"Persuasion, pacification, other measures, whatever is necessary," Kalin said. Last month, Ankara designated Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, (formally called al-Nusra), as a terrorist organization.

Tall order

Analysts say Ankara will be careful to avoid a military confrontation and will look to its influence on the rebel opposition.

The leverage Turkey has is that Turkey is still supporting the Free Syrian Army and many other groups. From the very beginning, they have looked to Turkey for support in fighting [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad, according to international relations professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankaras Middle East Technical University.

But the radical groups linked to Daesh [Islamic State], al-Qaida, al-Nusra, Bagci continued, whether Turkey will be effective with those groups, I have some doubts. But Russia is expecting Turkey to get full success to convince all of them to leave, which is very, very difficult, I would say.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stepped up the pressure on Ankara. Nusra Front terrorists should leave this demilitarized zone by mid-October; all heavy weaponry should be withdrawn from there," Lavrov told a press conference Friday.

Critics of the Idlib deal insist Moscow has trapped Ankara into committing itself to remove or eradicate radical groups from the DMZ, which carries the risk of Turkey being sucked into a conflict with the jihadis.

However, the Idlib deal gives Ankara an opportunity to strengthen its hand in Syria.

"Turkey will definitely increase the number of military personnel in [Idlib] and its influence [in Syria], said Bagci. "It [Turkeys military presence] will become a part of the negotiations process in the future with Russia. Definitely, Turkey is using the opportunity, since it's available, to get more military personnel there and keep them there longer."

Under a previous agreement between Moscow and Tehran, Ankara established 12 military observation posts across Idlib. The outposts were part of a deal to create a de-escalation zone for Syrian rebel forces and their families. The threat of a Syrian regime offensive against the region prompted the Turkish military to bolster its presence around the outposts.

Twin objectives

Analysts suggest a further consolidation of Turkeys military presence in Idlib, along with Turkish forces' current control of a large swath of northern Syria, will strengthen Ankaras efforts to secure its Syrian goals.

Turkey wants to create a situation in Syria so that these neighboring regions to Turkey that are controlled by pro-Turkish elements continue [to be controlled by them] so that there is no security threat to Turkey, said Sinan Ulgen head of the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, or Edam.

Secondly, as a result of a political settlement, he continued, enough of [a] security guarantee would be provided so that some of the Syrian refugees [in Turkey] can go back to their homes. They are the twin objectives of the Turkish government regarding Syria.

Turkey claims it is hosting more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees. The Idlib deal between Ankara and Moscow at least for now has removed the threat of another significant exodus of refugees into Turkey.

With Lavrov warning the deal is only an intermediate step, critics caution the Idlib deal may offer only a reprieve from a Syrian regime offensive against the rebel enclave. As Ankara seems prepared to use the coming weeks to step up its military presence in Idlib, that will bring a heightened risk of confrontation with jihadi groups.

Analysts say such a marked armed presence, however, also likely will enhance Erdogans bargaining position the next time he sits down with Putin to discuss the future of Idlib.
Chris Trott, the U.K. special representative for Sudan and South Sudan, says the parties involved in the conflict in South Sudan have a chance to show their commitment to peace by implementing the revitalized agreement signed a week ago.

In an interview Friday with VOA's South Sudan in Focus, the British diplomat said his government hoped all parties would live up to their commitments.

"There have been ample opportunities for the parties to adhere to the cessation of hostilities agreement [signed in December 2017] and we have continually called on the parties stop the fighting, to allow humanitarian access, to give the space to civil society and to the media,'' he said.

The U.S., Britain and Norway released a joint statement last week expressing concerns about the latest South Sudan peace deal.

Support for implementation

The special envoy said South Sudan civil society and other parties to the agreement needed the support of the international community to implement the revitalized peace deal.

Trott said he was in Washington to try to drum up support for the agreement. "I am here with my Norwegian counterpart and we are talking about how the international community can work together to ensure that this time the agreement is implemented," he said.

Collapsed deal

A previous peace deal signed in 2015 fell apart after deadly clashes broke out between government forces and rebels in July 2016.

Riek Machar, leader of the main rebel group, the SPLM-IO, and other insurgent factions signed the new agreement this month with the Juba government after assurances that a power-sharing accord would be honored. The deal, mediated by Sudan, reinstates Machar to his former role as vice president.

Trott said the latest agreement would succeed if the focus was on good governance.

"The way that we make this agreement sustainable is by ensuring that there is transparency around the way the Transitional [Government of National Unity] operates [and] transparency around the spending of the revenue of the government of South Sudan, which needs to be in support of the ordinary people of South Sudan," he said.

Government needs money

South Sudan Minister of Information Michael Makuei told VOA that his government was committed to implementing the revitalized peace deal and urged the international community to provide financial support.

"If they want the agreement implemented, they are supposed to join us in the implementation so that we all work together," Makuei said, adding that "implementation means money. It means funding."

The United Nations estimates that South Sudan's civil war, which started in December 2013, has killed at least 50,000 people, displaced 2 million and hindered the country's progress since it gained independence seven years ago.

Targeted sanctions

The special envoy said his government was interested in seeing an end to violence and unhindered access to humanitarian agencies operating in South Sudan. He said that if the parties failed to honor their commitments as stipulated in the peace agreement, sanctions would remain an option.

"Yes, we will continue to look at the issue of the sanctions," Trott said. "Yes, we will continue to say to the region that if you really want this peace agreement to stick, you need to demonstrate. Our concern has been, all the way through the negotiations process, the sincerity with which the parties are addressing the conflict.''
The U.N.s humanitarian chief warned Friday that aid workers are losing the fight against famine in war-torn Yemen.

The position has deteriorated in an alarming way in recent weeks, Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock told the Security Council. We may now be approaching a tipping point, beyond which it will be impossible to prevent massive loss of life as a result of widespread famine across the country.

The U.N. has been raising alarm bells on the food crisis in Yemen for more than a year. Lowcock said Yemens deepening economic troubles have escalated the situation.

Millions of Yemenis no longer have regular salaries, including public servants who have not been paid in two years. In the past month, the local currency has plunged 30 percent in value, throwing one of the worlds poorest countries into further economic despair.

Because almost all the food consumed in Yemen is imported, that translates directly into a sharp increase in the price of food for some 10 million Yemenis who are food insecure but are not reached by the relief operation, Lowcock said.

He said humanitarians are starting to see pockets of famine-like conditions, including where people are eating leaves because they have no other food sources.

Aid workers currently assist some 3 million people each month, but Lowcock said they hope to massively expand to reach 8 million this month. But that is a fraction of those in need. The U.N. says 18 million Yemenis are food insecure, and 8 million of them are severely insecure and do not know where their next meal will come from.

Food insecurity is also being exacerbated by an intensification of fighting around the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

Hodeida is a lifeline for Yemen. The country imports 90 percent of its food, fuel and medicines, and 70 percent of those goods come through the citys port. The Houthis have controlled Hodeida for the last two years and the Saudi-led coalition has stepped up military efforts to break their hold.

Despite an international arms embargo against the rebels, the coalition accuses them of using the port to smuggle weapons into the country, a charge the Houthis deny.

We have to keep all the ports open, we have to keep all the main roads open, we have to keep them functional, we have to keep them safe, Lowcock told council members. The lifeline through which the aid operation runs now hangs by a thread.

The aid effort is well-funded, with $2.6 billion committed this year, including large contributions from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are conducting the airstrikes.

The Saudi-led coalition began bombing Houthi rebels in support of the Yemeni government in March 2015. Since then, the U.N. estimates more than 10,000 people have been killed, mostly due to airstrikes.
The Trump administration on Thursday thanked Turkey for its reduced sentence for an imprisoned U.S. scientist but continued to demand his immediate release.

The State Department said there was no "credible evidence" in Turkey's case against NASA scientist Serkan Golge.

Turkey sentenced Golge to 7 years in prison in February on charges of belonging to an outlawed group that Turkey blames for attempting a coup that failed in 2016. The verdict was appealed. A court in Adana threw out the conviction, ruled instead that Golge had aided the group, and reduced the sentence to five years.

Golge's lawyers said they would appeal his case again to a higher court.

Golge is a research scientist with the U.S. space agency. He and his family were visiting his native Turkey in 2016 when the coup attempt was carried out.

He was swept up in the mass arrests of tens of thousands of people suspected of playing a part in trying to overthrow the Turkish government.

Golge insists he is innocent. His wife says that he was arrested because he is an American citizen and that Turkey is holding him hostage.

The Golge case and that of another jailed U.S. citizen accused of participating in the failed coup, clergyman Andrew Brunson, have caused tension between the United States and Turkey.
The United States is getting "very, very close" to having to move forward on its trade deal with Mexico without Canada, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday.

There is just over a week to go before an Oct. 1 deadline to publish the text of a deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement and the United States and Canada have still not agreed on terms, Hassett told Fox News Channel.

"We're still talking to Canada, and we're getting very very close to the deadline where we're going to have to move ahead with Mexico all by themselves," said Hassett, who chairs the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

"I'm a little surprised that the Canadians haven't signed up yet," Hassett added. "I worry that politics in Canada is trumping common sense because there's a very good deal that was designed by Mexico and the U.S. to appeal to Canada. And they're not signing up and it's got everybody over here a little bit puzzled."
China has canceled trade talks with the United States following Washingtons imposition of new tariffs on Chinese goods.

The Wall Street Journal reports that China had planned to send Vice Premier Liu He to Washington next week for the talks, but has now canceled his trip along with that of a midlevel delegation that was to precede him.

US was optimistic

Earlier Friday, a senior White House official said the U.S. was optimistic about finding a way forward in trade talks with China.

The official told reporters at the White House that China must come to the table in a meaningful way for there to be progress on the trade dispute.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said while there was no confirmed meeting between the United States and China, the two countries remain in touch.

The presidents team is all on the same page as to whats required from China, according to the official.

Trade imbalance

The Trump administration has argued that tariffs on Chinese goods would force China to trade on more favorable terms with the United States.

It has demanded that China better protect American intellectual property, including ending the practice of cybertheft. The Trump administration has also called on China to allow U.S. companies greater access to Chinese markets and to cut its U.S. trade surplus.

Earlier this week, the United States ordered duties on another $200 billion of Chinese goods to go into effect Sept. 24. China responded by adding $60 billion of U.S. products to its import tariff list.

The United States has imposed tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods, and China has retaliated on an equal amount of U.S. goods.

Tariffs on all China imports?

Earlier this month, President Trump threatened even more tariffs on Chinese goods  another $267 billion worth of duties that would cover virtually all the goods China imports to the United States.

That changes the equation, he told reporters.

China has threatened to retaliate against any potential new tariffs. However, Chinas imports from the United States are $200 billion a year less than American imports from China, so it would run out of room to match U.S. sanctions.
The United States is prepared to go on the offensive in cyberspace to ensure adversaries know there is a price to pay for hacks, network intrusions and other types of attacks.

President Donald Trump signed a new National Cyber Strategy on Thursday, calling for a more aggressive response to the growing online threat posed by other countries, terrorist groups and criminal organizations.

"My administration will use all available means to keep America safe from cyber threats," Trump said in a statement, calling the new strategy an "important step."

Other key officials called the new strategy an important and badly needed change.

"We're not just on defense," National Security Adviser John Bolton told reporters. "We're going to do a lot of things offensively, and I think our adversaries need to know that."

"Our hands are not tied as they were in the Obama administration," he added.

Strategy effective immediately

The strategy, which takes effect immediately, is being billed by the Trump administration as the first "fully articulated" cyberstrategy in 15 years, providing direction to various departments and agencies on how best to protect their data as well as the private data of millions of Americans.

The internet has brought prosperity and productivity to American lives and those across the world, Bolton said.

"We must do more to ensure it is secure and remains an engine of American growth," he added.

He said the ultimate goal is "to create the structures of deterrence that will demonstrate to adversaries that the cost of their engaging in operations against us is higher than they want to bear."

Midterm elections

The new strategy comes less than two months before the U.S. midterm elections Nov. 6, and as key security and intelligence officials have amplified their warnings that Russia and other adversaries, such as China, Iran and North Korea, may seek to use cyber means to interfere.

"I remain deeply concerned about threats from several countries," Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said during a security conference outside Washington earlier this month, warning the threats are even more pervasive.

"Influence efforts online are increasingly being used around the globe," Coats said. "The weaponization of cybertools and the relative lack of global guardrails significantly increases the risk."

Promoting responsible behavior

The new U.S. cyberstrategy seeks to allay some of those concerns by promoting responsible behavior in cyberspace, urging nations to adhere to a set of norms, both through international law and voluntary standards.

It also calls for specific measures to harden U.S. government networks from attacks, like the June 2015 intrusion into the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which compromised the records of about 4.2 million current and former government employees, an attack attributed to China.

And the strategy calls for the U.S. to continue to name and shame bad cyber actors, calling them out publicly for attacks when possible, along with the use of economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure.

"Not every response to a cyberattack would be in the cyber world," Bolton said, calling offensive cyber tools "part of the range of instruments of national power that we have."

Obama directive reversed

As for what offensive cyber measures might look like, Bolton would not say. But White House officials contend they have already made it easier for the military to hack back by reversing a directive from the Obama administration known as PPD-20, which created what they describe as a lengthy approval process for any offensive operation.

Military officials have said that newfound flexibility is being put to use.

"We are engaged every single day against our adversaries," U.S. Cyber Command Commander General Paul Nakasone said at a security conference earlier this month.

"It may not be readily apparent because we are doing this very closely held," Nakasone said, adding, "the forces that are working are well-trained, extremely capable and ready to do what's necessary."

Earlier criticism

The Trump administration has come under criticism at times for its approach to cybersecurity, raising concerns earlier this year when it eliminated the National Security Council's cybersecurity coordinator.

A recent report from the Government Accountability Office also said that the administration's efforts lacked "a more clearly defined, coordinated and comprehensive approach," a charge repeated by some members of Congress.

But Bolton said the new strategy should ease such concerns.

"I'm satisfied that this allows us the comprehensive look at strategy across the entire government," Bolton said. "Each agency knows its lane and is pursuing it vigorously."

The new strategy also places a heavy emphasis on working with allies.

"There will be consultations, there have been already, with friends and allies because many of us are vulnerable to the same hostile actions," Bolton said. "It's very important that we work through our alliance structures where we can do that."

White House Bureau Chief Steve Herman contributed to this article.
About half of students age 13 to 15 worldwide have experienced violence in school, including bullying, corporal punishment, school shootings and war, a U.N. report said.

"For millions of students around the world, the school environment is not a safe space to study and grow," the UNICEF report said. "It is a danger zone where they learn in fear."

Bullying is one of the biggest problems in schools, with 1 in 3 students experiencing it, the report said. In industrialized nations, 17 million students age 13 to 19 admitted to bullying others at school.

Ethnic minorities, children with disabilities and members of the LGBT community are more likely to be bullied than other groups. In Britain, 30 percent to 50 percent of young students who identified as gay experienced bullying.

Boys are more likely to experience bullying that includes physical violence or threats. Girls are more likely to be victims of "psychological or relational" forms of bullying, such as having false information spread about them or being shut out of social groups, the report said.

Cyberbullying  described as "willful and repeated harm" caused through the use of computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices  is increasing. Victims may develop alcohol and drug problems or have difficulties with schoolwork as a result of the harassment. Some resort to suicide, the report said.

The study found about one-third of students  or 150 million worldwide  aged 13 to 15 reported being involved in physical fights. Data from 25 countries showed that 20 percent of girls and 50 percent of boys reported physical attacks by other students at least once during the past year.

UNICEF said about half of all school-age children live in countries where corporal punishment is allowed. The organization estimates that about 720 million children are not protected from such violence. In some classrooms, teachers and other school officials are "far too often the source of fearful learning environments."

About 158 million young people live in violent, or conflict-affected, areas. For these students, classrooms may not be safer than the communities in which they live.

The U.N. said there were more than 500 direct attacks in 2017 on schools worldwide. Nearly 400 happened in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while 26 attacks were identified in South Sudan. In Syria, 67 attacks were reported. At least 20 school attacks happened in Yemen. Many of these attacks were deadly, UNICEF said.

School shootings have also become a major form of violence in many areas. Between November 1991 and May 2018, 70 school shootings were reported in 14 countries. Each shooting involved two or more victims, with at least one death.

UNICEF calculated the physical, mental and economic costs of school violence to be $7 trillion a year.

UNICEF is calling on governments to develop and enforce laws and policies aimed at keeping students safe in schools, as well as in their online experiences.

The organization also has launched an internet campaign, called #ENDviolence, in an effort to raise awareness and increase public support for the fight against violence and bullying in schools.
Amish children are only educated until eighth grade. When they hit 16 or so, they leave the community. That time, called Rumspringa, ends when they decide to embrace their own community for the rest of their lives or choose to leave. In the typical two years it takes, they can live freely, doing pretty much whatever they want. When they return, they are baptized; in fact, they are part of the Anabaptist sect, which means they are only baptized when they are old enough to choose it for themselves.
Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM

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But earlier this year Trump blew up at aides over the $1.6 billion, saying it was not enough. Former legislative affairs director Marc Short, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and others explained to him that it was what his own budget team asked for. Trump did not understand why they didnt get more  and seemed unaware of what was in his own administration request, according to the Trump adviser. The president has griped periodically about the Office of Management and Budget request.
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN at 9) Season 12. This is the last episode completed before Bourdains death in June, in which he travels to Kenya with W. Kamau Bell. Remaining episodes in this final season use a combination of narration and guests.
Imported and distributed by Elite: Available in the District at Best One Liquor, Central Liquors, Capital Fine Wine & Spirits, Downtown Liquors, Rodmans, Rosebud Liquor, Sherrys Fine Wine & Spirits, Wardman Wines, Whole Foods Market (P Street, Tenleytown), Wine & Butter; on the list at Acadiana, La Vie, Marcels. Available in Maryland at Balduccis, Beer Wine & Co. and Georgetown Square Wine and Beer in Bethesda, Cheers & Spirits in Arnold, Decanter Fine Wines in Columbia, Downtown Crown Wine and Beer in Gaithersburg, Midway Discount Liquors in Joppa, Orion Wine & Spirits in Frederick, Wells Discount Liquors in Baltimore; on the list at Passionfish in Bethesda, Vin 909 in Annapolis. Available in Virginia at Arrowine and Cheese in Arlington, Balduccis (Alexandria, Reston), Bottle Stop in Occoquan, Fern Street Gourmet and Lees Market in Alexandria, Foods of All Nations in Charlottesville, In Vino Veritas in Keswick, Once Upon a Vine (South), Private Stock Cigar & Wine Co. and Union Market in Richmond, Vino Market in Midlothian, Whole Foods Market (Arlington, Charlottesville, Tysons, Reston, Springfield, Vienna); on the list at Can Can in Richmond, La Cote dOr Cafe in Arlington, Passionfish in Reston.
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The next day, we threw aside most of our plans and rode the metro back to the top of the hill at Holmenkollen to spend the afternoon sledding. It was hard to steer, and the sleds went fast. My nephews shot ahead of me while I dug my feet into the icy slope to slow down. We whipped down the trail, around banked corners, through the pine trees and over jumps where I caught moments of air and landed hard.We rode again and again. If I could do one thing on the trip over, I would have gotten us to the mountain earlier and stayed longer.
West St., 1400 block, 1:24 a.m. Sept. 6. A 40-year-old Annapolis man was found inside a fenced-in construction site and arrested. He was charged with trespassing and released. At 2:48 a.m., officers received a second report of someone entering the site. They found the same man had returned and was stealing bricks. The assailant was arrested again and charged with fourth-degree burglary, trespassing and theft.
How can board members, who were elected to represent the people of this community, glean insight from their neighbors, when all feedback given at these meetings has been filtered? How can board members claim that this is a transparent, democratic process, when questions are not allowed to be asked for all to hear, and when comments are not allowed for all to hear?
The number of parking tickets issued in the District, along with the revenue that comes from them, has declined yet again, apparently because of the popularity of smartphone parking apps that make it easier to manage the meters.
The ad, to be run on broadcast and cable stations in the Baltimore market, is one of the first attempts by Jealouss supporters to counter a multimillion-dollar advertising blitz by Hogan and the Republican Governors Association. Since early July, the Hogan campaign and the RGA have saturated the airwaves with messages promoting Hogans record and trying to define Jealous as a tax-and-spend Democrat.
His eclectic approach made it difficult for critics to identify a signature style, but in general Mr. Venturi preferred stone and masonry to glass. He designed with a consciousness of the past, if only to depart from it. He liked billboard-size signs and often had giant letters carved into his facades, including at the Seattle Art Museum. He used colors, patterns and textures in unexpected ways and saw no reason the back of a building should look the same as the front.
Several days ago  at 12:06 a.m. Monday  the 22-year-old called 911 to the home on Amberleigh Drive, in the Colesville area about 10 miles north of the District, according to police officials. They say the womans stepfather, Yong Kim, 57, opened fire on his wife, Sang Yeon Kim, 48, the 22-year-old, and his two young children, Mina, 11, and Andy, 10. Then, police say, Kim used his revolver to kill himself.
But Bondars argued in court filings that the service had little to do with the massive data breach, which cost the retailer hundreds of millions of dollars. He emphasized the malware was also run through a mainstream virus-detection service and that Targets own security system saw the breach but it was ignored. Bondarss product was not actually used to help get into Targets system or steal the information, according to court testimony. An expert from Verizon who helped investigate the hack said the files tested in Scan4You were likely used to figure out where payment information was stored.
The appeal is based on an instruction that Judge Roger Bradford repeatedly made to the jury, court records show: ...you may discuss the evidence with your fellow jurors during the trial, but only in the jury room, and only when all of you are present. Even though you are permitted to have these discussions, you must not make a decision about the outcome of this case until your final deliberations begin...
According to a statement, Cismaru said while she was on home detention in Romania, Isvanca contacted her via an encrypted web chat program using an alias, telling her not to talk to investigators. She said Isvanca asserted U.S. agents could not prove he committed a crime and threatened Cismaru, who took extensive images of the conversations, the court filing said.
This is a girl who was depressed most of her life because she couldnt accept herself to be who she was after she came out as gay, and she thought nobody else could accept her either, said Coley, now an intern at CharmTV, a cable station run by the Baltimore city government. Snochia went through a lot of changes, but just could never really accept who she was. She just felt like she wasnt accepted by anybody.
Carefree Way, 45000 block, Sept. 8. A man and a female acquaintance got into an argument that escalated. He threw a knife at her and chased the woman to a separate residence, where he forced his way in and assaulted two occupants. The 23-year-old Lexington Park man was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault and third-degree burglary.
Despite the changes, prospects for the legislation remain uncertain. None of the Democrats who dominate the regions congressional delegation have supported it, mainly because it includes measures to roll back union benefits and protections. Comstocks office said the earliest it might be considered would be in a lame-duck session after the midterm elections in November.
John Dibble, chairman of the board, said in a statement: This project has faced many difficult challenges since Jan Scruggs conceived the idea in 2001. It has been a long road and we have had many successes along the way. . . . Unfortunately, weve reached that point regarding a physical building . . . [that] the funding has simply not materialized.
Critics said the legislation, which passed the House but has not gotten a vote in the Senate, would promote racial profiling, erode due process and unintentionally affect others, such as clergy members, who try to intervene with gang members. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the American Civil Liberties Union slammed the bill, although four members of the Hispanic Caucus supported it.
He said that he wants to offer tax credits to families that home-school their children and that the credit would equal the average per-student cost of education in the local school district. Asked after the debate if that would drain tax revenue used for public education, he said: It would make the public schools have to be a little bit more competitive, wouldnt it? And really, not a whole lot of people home-school. I think were talking about a very small slice of the population.
St. Timothy Community Church: 1600 W. 25th Ave.  October is Christian Education Emphasis Month at St. Timothys. The theme is Weve Come This Far by Faith: Moving into a Season of Renewal. The annual Revival will be Oct. 16 to Oct. 18. Guest speakers will be Rev. Dr. John Jackson at 7 p.m. Oct. 16; Rev. Lawrence Robertson at 6 p.m. Oct. 17, and Rev. R. E. Robinson at 7 p.m. Oct. 18. Family and Friends Day will be at 11 a.m. Oct. 28 and Hallelujah Night at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Both events are open to the public. The church will welcome Rev. Dr. Rameen Jackson, the new pastor. Information: 219-077-0079.
These figures, for the fiscal year that ends this month, provide a first glimpse into how much the Trump administration has been spending on migrant children in government custody, who arrived unaccompanied by an adult or were separated from their parents at the border. Congressional Democrats have been asking for this information for months, and the administration still has not disclosed an overall amount.
Crossroads GPS is one of a number of groups established as nonprofit social welfare organizations under the tax codes section 501(c)4 that are permitted a limited amount of political activity, but are not political action committees. Until now, the groups have been able to operate without disclosing donors. By contrast, full-fledged political action committees, including super PACs that are independent of candidates, must disclose. In 2015, the Federal Election Commission essentially deadlocked over whether the groups such as Crossroads GPS should disclose more. In 2016, CREW went to court, saying the donors in the Tampa case should be disclosed because they had the intent to pay for a very specific election expenditure. In her ruling, Ms. Howell has thrown out a decades-old FEC regulation on disclosure that she declared was flawed and has deprived the electorate of donor information that was intended and supposed to be disclosed. However, she delayed the deadline for a replacement regulation by 45 days to give the FEC time to come up with one.
The Diocese of Gary said credible is defined as when there is reason to believe that an allegation has merit, there is sufficient evidence that sexual abuse of a minor may have occurred and the complaint is judged not to be manifestly frivolous or false.
Bickering over when and how to debate suits the candidates by making it less likely theyll have to answer questions in front of an audience whose members are not waving campaign signs. But the decision leaves voters less informed at a time when everything in politics is scripted, and when interaction between the Maryland gubernatorial candidates is limited to competing social-media barbs and news releases. This is especially so because it comes in an era of distrust in the media to fairly report the truth about what candidates say, do and advocate.
But what was always so fascinating about Swedens account is how little the nation let that vitriol get to it. Its not uncommon that some company or another tries optimistically to introduce a new idea to the Internet, only to discover they were foolish to trust a system they did not understand. Time Magazine attempted in 2009 to let the people vote on the most influential individual of the year; 4channers hacked the system to install the online communitys founder at the top of the list and make the first letters of the winners names spell out a lewd message. When Microsoft tried to hang loose with millennials by introducing them to a chatbot it called its AI fam from the internet whos got zero chill, those millennials promptly taught the bot how to be a raging bigot.
The Rodong Sinmun piece also included this backhanded statement of North Koreas expectation that Trump will offer the key concession Pyongyang wants: We have not heard him saying that he will not do a declaration of the end of the war. And the commentary offers this obtuse reassurance: Doing what we say we will do and seeing what we have started through to the end is our mettle and temperament.
Trumps offer of direct talks with Iran is not honest or genuine. How can we be convinced of his sincerity while his secretary of state has gone so far as to set a long list of openly insulting pre-conditions for talks? Worse still, how can we trust the U.S. government now that it has officially reneged on its international commitments, most notably U.N. Security Council resolution 2231? How can Iran, and others, trust the United States while it is threatening to punish other countries for the implementation of the same U.N. resolution it sponsored and voted for? The United States resorting to sanctions against Iran and the Iranian people  including, in particular, making it harder for ordinary people to have access to medicine, or denying them safe travel on new airplanes purchased by Iranian carriers  is totally unjustified and unacceptable. Bent on hatred and seeking revenge, the U.S. governments pretensions of support for the Iranian people are hollow, hypocritical and unconvincing.
The supposedly practical calculation turned out to be exactly wrong. I moved back to Chicago to work on his 1992 campaign and watched as Carol Moseley Braun, an underfunded African American candidate, ran an insurgent crusade spurred by Dixons vote for Thomas. The Democratic primary contest was a three-way race; the third candidate was a rich white lawyer. There were rumors that Dixons campaign so condescended to Braun that it raised money to keep her in the race and split the anti-Dixon vote. (I was not enough of a player to know if this was true.) It backfired spectacularly. Braun defeated Dixon and was elected to the Senate, as were Californias Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and Washingtons Patty Murray  part of a wave that led to 1992 being dubbed the year of the woman.
That incident from long ago keeps replaying in my head now, as the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could hinge on accusations that he assaulted Christine Blasey Ford in the early 1980s, when they were both in high school. I know how attacks like the one Ford alleged happen, because thats what happened to me. I understand why Ford kept it to herself for so long, because I did the same thing, and so have so many other women. And I understand why, even if Ford is telling the truth, Kavanaugh could honestly have forgotten about it. Years later, victims like me live with the life-altering effects of sexual attacks. What about attackers? Do some of them carry secret apologies around in their hearts? Do some live in fear of being discovered? Do some truly forget about it because it was just an unsuccessful sexual conquest?
Rather, the purpose of Supreme Court confirmation hearings is to allow senators to provide advice and consent on the presidents nominees for the nations highest court. Whether or not theres conclusive proof of the alleged assault, every senator is entitled to vote yes or no on elevating Kavanaugh from his current position as a federal appeals court judge to the pinnacle of American law based on their individual, subjective assessments of whatever testimony is provided. Senators also, properly, weigh their constituents views on the nominee and the testimony. Even if senators arent sure what, if anything, happened between Ford and Kavanaugh, if they think the accusation is probable, or even plausible, and decide that its too great a risk to put a maybe-sexual-assaulter on the high court, theyre entitled to vote no. If they believe that Kavanaugh lied under oath in answers to written or oral questions related to any part of the confirmation process, theyre entitled to vote no.
After her car broke down, Carter-Lawson told a dispatcher she had recently been recruited by the Gary Police Department, the complaint states. When an officer arrived, he told her she was arrested for saying I was a reserve instead of a recruit, according to the complaint.
Guess who is perpetuating all of these kinds of actions? Its the men in this country. And I just want to say to the men in this country  just shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change, she told reporters Tuesday, remarks that went viral on social media. She also emphasized her message  do the right thing  to McConnell as he walked by.
After The Post contacted the White House for comment Sunday morning, deputy White House press secretary Raj Shah called a number of Trump allies to warn them about the upcoming story, according to a person familiar with the calls, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. He disclosed Fords identity to a number of these people but did not talk to Whelan, the person said. Other White House officials, including McGahn, also made calls according to a second person, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.
But Republicans made clear they would not agree to some of her other requests. Among those were that Kavanaugh testify first and that the committee subpoena Mark Judge  a Kavanaugh friend who Ford says was present during the alleged incident  and call other potential witnesses to the hearing. The Republicans also offered a Wednesday hearing, rather than Thursday as Ford had asked for, and they wanted to reserve the option of having female staff attorneys on the committee do the questioning.
Because the super PAC organized so close to the primary election, it was not required to disclose its donors until the end of the month  after the election was over. The super PAC raised $2.9 million in August and spent more than half of it on ads attacking Martha McSally, the front-runner who won the GOP nomination.
The Chinese government has launched its own inquiry into Lius arrest, which is not unusual in a country where the Communist Party can shape the fate of even the wealthiest figures. (The movie star Fan Bingbing, for instance, has not been spotted in public for three months after officials accused her of tax evasion.)